Brown Sugar Baked Beans

Do not let the sloppy look of these baked beans scare you away.  They are absolutely AMAZING! I think my husband could eat them all day everyday if I would let him.

My husband and I moved into our new home in January.  We are so grateful for the new season and beautiful weather because we can finally enjoy our new yard!  We have a ton of room for guests, which means I want to have plenty of cookouts!  The other day started with my sister in law coming to visit.  I made pulled pork barbeque sandwiches, homemade coleslaw, fruit, butterfinger cake, and these delicious baked beans!  It was a hit!

If you are attending or having any cookouts this season you need to make this recipe.  I promise, you will have people asking for the recipe!

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Brown Sugar Baked Beans

By: Crystal Barrett

Makes a 9x13 dish                                      (Click Here to Print)                           

Ingredients 

1 pound good lean hamburger

1/2 green pepper, minced

1 onion, minced

1 cup brown sugar

2 capfuls apple cider vinegar

1 1/2 c ketchup

6-8 small cans of plain pork and beans

Directions 

1)  Rinse and drain the pork and beans.  Put into a large bowl.

2)  Cook the hamburger until done.  Drain and put into the bowl with the beans.

3)  Add the peppers and onions.

4)  In one of the empty pork and bean cans pack 1 cup of brown sugar.  Add the apple cider vinegar and stir until the brown sugar is liquid.

5)  Fill the rest of the can with ketchup and stir until well mixed.

6)  Pour the sauce in the bowl with the bean mixture and stir very well.

7)  Pour the ingredients into a 8x13 dish.  Cover the top with brown sugar and bake in the oven on 350 for one hour.

* You can also top with pieces of fried bacon.  If so, cover the dish with aluminum foil while baking*





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Butterfinger Poke Cake

Summertime is my favorite season of all!  Other than the heat....and having to wear bathing suits, it always makes me so happy.  There is just so much to do when it is warm and beautiful outside. 
We have been going to the pool with friends, fishing in our pond, meeting friends at the lake, and don't even get me started on the cookouts people have.

When it comes to cookouts I always want to make an AMAZING JAW DROPPING dish. I mean, I want people to know I can cook! I love it when others ask me for recipes, especially friends and family.  It makes me feel all gooey inside knowing others love my cooking :) So feel free to drop some lovely comments on by ;)

I am making dinner for my family tonight and I wanted something easy but delicious for desert.  I have been craving peanut butter and chocolate and thought back to this Butterfinger Poke Cake.  It has been probably 2 years since I have made it.  I sent my sweet husband to the grocery store and got busy as soon as I had time last night.

I usually make this cake with yellow cake mix, but I was craving chocolate and thought I would try it.  I tried to look up recipes on Pinterest to help me remember how to make mine since it had been so long.  However, I had no luck with the links downloading so I winged it.

Angie from Big Bears Wife was over when I putting this cake together.  It looked and smelled so good we had to taste test.  Ooops! Didn't even wait for it to cool!  Is it bad that we tore up the cake before I even had the guests over to try it?  Oh well.... it was worth it!  My husband even ate it which tells me it must have been AMAZINGLY JAW DROPPING !!  YES!  Score for me! I guess for dinner tonight I'll go ahead and place them on plates so no one knows our little secret ;)


Angie urged to me to post this to share with the world....so here it is :)
I hope you all enjoy it as much as we did! 

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Butterfinger Poke Cake

By: Crystal Barrett

Makes 9x13 dish                                          (Click Here to Print)                           

Ingredients 

1 box of devils food cake mix or yellow

1 can sweetened condensed milk

1 jar caramel sauce

4 full sized Butterfinger candy bars

1 big container of cool whip

chocolate syrup

Directions 

1)  Mix cake mix as bake as said on the back of the box in 8 by 13 glass dish.  It will bake        about 30 minutes on 350.

2)  Let cool and poke several holes in the cake.  I use a straw but you can also use a fork.

3)  In a medium sized bowl mix the sweetened condensed milk with about 3/4 of the jar of        caramel sauce.

4) Pour over the cake and let sit for about 5-10 minutes to let the cake absorb the sauce.

5) Spoon the cool whip evenly over the cake.

6)  Crush the Butterfinger bars and spread over the cool whip.

7) Drip the leftover caramel and a bit of chocolate syrup over the layer of Butterfingers.

    Make sure to keep refrigerated while the cake isn't being served.

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Crab Stuffed Mushrooms

Seafood.  People either love it or hate it.  I admit, I am not much of a seafood lover at all.  Crab stuffed mushrooms however, I could eat them all day long! 

Mmmm.  Doesn't that look good!? Juicy, cheesy, flavorful.  These bite sized mushrooms contain so much flavor that it's almost impossible to eat just one.  Thinking about them, I may just have to go eat some more out of my fridge haha.

My dad's girlfriend made them for dinner one evening and he came home bragging about them.  I am pretty sure that is what sealed the relationship (other than her great personality of course! )

I had her make them for my husband and I one night and got the recipe! YAY! Now I make them quite often, and can share them with all of you!....You're Welcome :)



They are quite perfect for appetizers or parties.  Even better as a side with steaks or other seafood!

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Crab Stuffed Mushrooms

By: Crystal Barrett

Makes 12 or more mushrooms                       (Click Here to Print)

Ingredients 

2 packs Baby Bella Mushrooms

1 1/2 sticks butter

1 tsp garlic salt

1 1/2 tsp seasoning (Butt Rub brand or Seasoning Salt)

1 1/2 c Fiesta Cheese

1 package crab meat (or imitation)

Directions 

1)  Grease a glass casserole dish. Preheat oven to 350.

2)  Wash mushrooms and take out the stems.  Mushrooms should look like little bowls.

3)  Melt  butter and brush on top and around mushrooms.  Leave small puddles of butter in 

     the centers of the mushrooms.  You should have butter left over. Let marinate for a few        minutes.

4)  Chop the crab meat into fine pieces.  Put in a medium bowl with any leftover melted

     butter, garlic salt, and seasoning.  Top with cheese and microwave about 2 minutes              stirring occasionally until the cheese begins to melt.  Stir.

5)  Take a spoon and spoon the mixture into each mushroom.  Place the mushrooms with           the crab side up onto the glass dish.

6)  Top with more melted butter or a pinch of cheese and bake for 30 minutes.

 

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Garlic Butter Parmesan Noodles

I was pretty hesitant to share this recipe for the fact that it is TOO easy.  However, some people need easy.... like myself for example.

I remember being little and my mom would make these for a fast lunch or snack. The garlic smell would fill the house, and I loved it!  Some people don't like the smell of garlic, but it makes me hungry :)

Do you have a comfort food?  Everyone has a completely different comfort food.  Mine is always mashed potatoes or noodles.  These noodles are perfect because they aren't plain.  They actually have great flavor and are just light enough on the stomach.

Did I mention you only need 4 ingredients to make them!? 

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Garlic Butter Parmesan Noodles

By: Crystal Barrett

Makes about 6 full bowls                                  (Click Here to Print)

Ingredients 

1 box elbow noodles

1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter

6 cloves garlic

2 cups grated parmesan cheese

Directions 

1)  In a large pot, boil noodles according to box.

2) In a small saucepan melt butter.  Mince the garlic cloves and stir into the saucepan.  Let       simmer  about 2 minutes while constantly stirring.

3)  Drain noodles and put them into a large bowl.  Pour the butter/garlic sauce over the              noodles and stir.

4)  Let he noodles cool for a few minutes and then add the parmesan cheese.  You can add        as much or as little as you would like.

5)  Stir well and enjoy.

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Gluten Free Dairy Free Apple Cake with Honey Glaze

Apple Cake is one of my favorite desserts! The first time I had it was Christmas Eve and I was only 9 years old!  Unfortunately, it took until now for me to find a recipe to try it again.  Yes, it has been 15 years since I have had it; and guess what? ... It is still my favorite!! 

This Apple Cake tastes just like a cinnamon roll.  Better yet.... one of those cinnamon raisin biscuits from Hardee's. It can be eaten for dessert.... or breakfast ;) and I always pretend it's healthy for me because of the apples.  I can pretend right?

Recently my husband and I have built a new home together.  With a new home there comes a lot of new visitors and entertaining.  Visitors and entertaining is fine by me because I love an excuse to cook!  However, my husbands family has started a gluten free-dairy free diet.  When knowing they are coming for dinner I admit I panic a little.  Thinking of gluten free-dairy free recipes may not seem difficult, but at the moment everything we can think of includes some type of noodle or cheese.  I settle with the easy baked chicken and vegetables.  But what about dessert?  I'm known as the dessert queen so it has to be a killer gluten free dessert!  I automatically wanted to try my apple cake.  This cake has been made completely gluten and dairy free and it is just as scrumptious as before!

I have made this cake 5 times in the last two months!  I'm guessing it's everyone else's favorite now too :)

If you make this Apple Cake, please feel free to come back and leave me a comment telling me what you think!  If you have any suggestions please feel free to share! 

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  Gluten Free Dairy Free Apple Cake with Honey Glaze

By: Crystal Barrett

Makes 1 Bundt Pan. About 15 servings.

                                 (Click Here to Print)

                                                                                                    

Ingredients 

Glaze: 

2 cup powdered sugar

4 tbsp. honey

4 tbsp. soy milk

Cake:

3 peeled and diced granny apples

1 cup chopped toasted walnuts (or 1/4 cup Earth's Balance and 1 cup regular chopped walnuts)

2 tsp. vanilla extract

2 tsp. cinnamon

3 cup gluten free all purpose flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

2 cup sugar

1 1/4 cup vegetable oil

3 eggs

You will need 3 large bowls, a small bowl, a mixer, and a bundt pan.

Directions 

1-  Heat oven to 350 and lightly grease bundt pan

2- In a small bowl melt walnuts and 1/2 a stick of unsalted butter in the microwave for             about 2 minutes.  Stir every 30 seconds.

3- In a large bowl mix the diced apples, walnuts, cinnamon, and vanilla.  Set aside.

4- In a separate large bowl mix the flour, baking soda, and salt.  Set this aside as well.

5-  In another large bowl beat the sugar, oil, and eggs for about 2-3 minutes. Add the flour        mix and beat until well combined.  Fold in the apple mixture.

6-  Scrape batter into the bundt pan and bake in the over for 1 hour 30 min or until done. 

7-  Allow to cool for about an hour before dumping the cake onto a plate.

8-  When you have turned the cake out, in a small bowl, mix the

     powdered sugar with the soy milk.  Mix really good with a spoon making sure to                  dissolve all sugar clumps.  Add the honey and stir very well.  Drizzle the glaze over the        Apple Cake.

9- Enjoy!!!

** If you don't want this to be gluten or dairy free:

     Use regular all purpose flour in place of the gluten free

     Use regular milk in place of the soy milk.

     If using Earth's Balance to toast your walnuts, use 1/2 a stick of unsalted butter.

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Cream Cheese Chicken Chili

On Christmas we celebrated with some of my family.  One of my grandmother's always knows how to do it right.  We go into the kitchen and the entire counter is filled with food that she has made for us.  It is never just ordinary food.  She makes the BEST food!  I do not even need presents because her filling us up with her cooking is the best present I could have asked for.

The menu last Christmas included chili.  I was a little hesitant to eat this because I am not really a chili fan.  Also, I am breastfeeding and try to stay away from spicy foods.  However, I tried a bite.  And then another...and another!

It was not ordinary chili that you get from Wendy's or put on hot dogs.  This chili is made with chicken.  The cream cheese makes it so smooth and creamy and blends the flavors together to cool down the spices.

A few months later I decided to make it for my husband.  It was a huge hit and he now makes me make it once a week! I always double the recipe and still do not have enough left over to freeze for later!  But it does feed a lot!  I would say about 8 servings.

Little Layla hands attacking my chili!

I think it's one of her favorites too :)

 

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Cream Cheese Chicken Chili

By: Crystal Barrett

Makes about 8 servings                           (Click Here to Print)                                        

Ingredients 

Crock Pot

2-3 chicken breasts, uncooked

1 can Rotel tomatos and chilis

1 can corn kernels, do not drain

1 can black beans OR kidney beans, drained and rinsed

1 pkg. Dry Ranch dressing mix 

1 Tablespoon cumin

1 teaspoon chili powder

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1 8-oz pkg. cream cheese , can be low fat but NOT FAT FREE!

Directions 

Put the chicken breasts in the crock pot. 

Top with the cumin, chili powder, onion powder, corn, beans, and ranch dressing mix.

Stir well.

Cook 4-6 hours on high or 6 -8 on low.

About 30 minutes before it is finished cooking, take out the chicken breasts and shred them.  (Hint: Use a blender it's so much easier than forks!)

Put the chicken back into the crock pot and top with the cream cheese.

Mix well and cook another 30 minutes.

Serve with Tostitos chips or corn bread and enjoy :)

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Springtime Yarn Wreath

For the past year Pinterest has been one of my biggest obsessions.  There are just so many possibilities and things to learn.  My mind has become so full of ideas I can hardly keep track!  Hundreds of recipes I would like to try, folders full of art pieces I want to replicate, and of course there are my favorite....crafts for the home. 

Unfortunately my husband, 2 girls, and I are currently residing with my father in his three bedroom home until we get a house built.  So, all of my crafting ideas either have to wait or I have to make them for others and hope they like them just as much as I would.

I was at my grandma's house and realized she had a wreath hanger...but no wreath on her door.  Here is my opportunity!!!  I was going to make my first wreath for her Mother's Day gift!

Wreaths either just became popular or I just have been out of the loop until recently.  Some are really big and bulky, old fashioned, or my style "simple and classy".  When looking up examples that I liked for inspiration I realized that yarn was being used a lot.  This seemed easy enough!

I packed up the girls, went to Hobby Lobby, and spent at least an hour trying to come up with an idea haha.

I went to the yarn section and picked out a pretty spring color, my favorite color, teal.  Then I walked around looking for anything that would match.  I wanted to aim for simplicity since this was my first aim at it. 

I think it turned out pretty awesome don't you?

I have a list of people that I am going to make some for very soon so I am sure I will be adding some more :)


Here's what I did:
(I should have took more pictures :-/  ... don't worry I will next time :)  )

1 foam wreath
1 roll of yarn in teal
4 artificial flowers.  I chose pastels to match the teal and make it springy.
1 wooden letter
paint
glitter
ribbon
hot glue
glue stick
wreath hanger


Glue the first inch or two of yarn to the wreath to make sure it stays in place.

Wrap the yarn around the wreath.  Make sure the lines are straight and tight so none of the white shoes through the yarn.  This process requires patience!  It takes a little while and your wrist may need to rest but the more you do the faster you get.

Glue the last strand when you close up the gap between the last piece and the first piece of yarn.

Paint the wooden letter.  When dry, glue the letter with stick glue and pour glitter on top.  Let dry.

Pull the flowers off of the stems and hot glue into place on the wreath.

Hot glue the letter onto the wreath.

Hang by ribbon on the door with the wreath hanger.

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