Fossil Cookies

Planning birthday parties allows me to do two of the things I enjoy most 1. cooking and 2. be crafty.  And I get to do it both at the same time!!  YAY!  I still like to keep things simple and this is PERFECT for that!

Ingredients:

• Refrigerated Sugar Cookie Dough
• Plastic Dinosaurs, Plants, or Bugs

I used tubes of refrigerated sugar cookie dough.  I sliced it into about 1/4 inch slices and baked for 5-6 minutes at 350 degrees.  As soon as they came out of the oven I pressed dinosaur feet into them.  I let them cool and then put a couple into clear treat bags and added them to the goody bags.  I made plenty of them, so I also had a tray of them at the party.  

Check out the Dinosaur Eggs


Fun with Fossils


Dino-Mite Party

Dinosaur Eggs

For Nathan's 4th Birthday he requested a dinosaur party.  So I put my brain to work and came up with a few ideas and a few more thanks to Pinterest.  The dinosaur eggs are the perfect make ahead or hands on activity.  We had a wide range of ages 2-7 and they all enjoyed it.  

Ingredients:

• 1/2 Cup Sand
• 1 1/4 Cups of Flour
• 3/4 Cup Salt
• 1 1/4 Cups Dirt (I used top soil I had left over from potting plants)
• 1/2 Cup of Water (maybe a little more)
• 8-12 Small Plastic Dinosaurs

In a large bowl combine sand, flour,salt,and dirt.  Mix well with your hands, make sure to break up all the dirt clumps.  

Add the water.  Make sure you can form a ball with it.  You don't want it to be too wet or it will never dry.

Form dough into egg shapes around the plastic dinosaur.  Place them on a baking sheet or other tray and set them in the sun to dry.  Turn them every couple of hours.  Mine took about 12 hours to dry completely.

After they were dry we had to make sure that they were worthy to be passed out to our little friends so we busted open a couple as a test run.

Then the boys and I formed an assembly line.  Nathan put them in the treat bag, Evan punched the hole in the tags, and I closed up the bag and tied on the tag.

Now we are one step closer to PARTY time!

We also made these with the kids at the party.  I am glad I had some for them to take home because they take so long to dry.  The kids enjoyed getting their hands a little dirty.  Before the kids arrived I measured out the ingredients into plastic cups.  

Then I divided the kids into groups and let them work together.  That way if one of them didn't want to get dirty they could mix with a spoon.  

If the kids would prefer an edible dinosaur treat check out the Fossil Cookies

Grilled Green Beans

This side dish is great to throw on the grill or even a grate over a campfire.  The little bit of lemon zest is the perfect addition to the green beans and makes the flavor POP!

Ingredients:

• About 12 oz of Fresh Green Beans
• 1/4 teaspoon Minced Garlic
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• About a Tablespoon of Water
• Zest of 1/2 Lemon
• Bacon (optional, I had a couple pieces left from breakfast so I saved them for dinner)
• Tiny pinch of Red Pepper Flakes

Lay out a large piece of aluminum foil.  In the center, place the green beans.  Sprinkle with lemon zest, salt, pepper, garlic, red pepper flakes, and water.  Top with chopped bacon.  

Fold top and bottom of foil together to form a tight seal.  Then fold and seal each of the sides.  

Place on the grill.  The water inside the foil will steam the green beans.  The foil will puff up and expand.  Green beans will take about 15 minutes to cook.  Be careful when you open the pack because it will be extremely HOT!  Toss green beans with tongs and serve.

Green Beans are a family favorite veggie so I make them often...

Garlic Parmesan Green Beans

Grandma's Green Beans


B.B.B. Bacon Bean Bundles

Crazy Good Crab Cakes

We live close to Baltimore so we have access to some of the best crab!  I am spoiled, I often laugh at chain restaurant menus that offer crab cakes because I know that it is just not as fresh as I am used to.  My husband has taken me so some fantastic crab restaurants, but it is sometimes hard to go out to dinner with the kiddos.  Now we can bring the deliciousness (is that even a word) to our house!  

Ingredients:

• 1 lb of Fresh Crab Meat
• 1 Egg
• 2 teaspoons of Worcestershire Sauce
• 1/4 Teaspoon Dry Mustard
• 2 Tablespoons of Mayonnaise
• 1 teaspoon Yellow Mustard
• 1 Tablespoon Melted Butter
• 1 teaspoon Dried Parsley Flakes
• 1/2 Cup Seasoned Bread Crumbs (Sometimes I don't use all of them, I add them a little at a time)
• 1/2 teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning
• 1 Tablespoon Lemon Juice
• A pinch of Red Pepper Flakes (I crumble them to make them a little smaller)
• Olive Oil

Serves about 6 as an entree

In a small bowl combine, Worcestershire, Dry Mustard, Mayonnaise, melted butter, dried parsley, Old Bay, lemon juice, egg, and yellow mustard.  Mix until well blended

In a larger bowl place crab meat.

Pour in egg mixture and mix well, but do it gently to ensure that there are still large pieces of crab.  You might want to use your hands.   Next, sprinkle in half of the bread crumbs and mix.  Add in the remainder of the crumbs (you may not need quite all of them) until you have the right consistency.  You don't want them to be too wet or too dry.

Heat a large skillet with a LITTLE bit of olive oil just enough so the crab cakes don't stick to the skillet.  Form about 6 patties and place them in the hot skillet.  

When they start to turn golden brown (about 3 minutes) flip to the other side for an additional 3 minutes or until golden brown and heated through.

Serve with the Creamy Crab Cake Sauce

Sauce

• 1/2 Cup Mayo
• 3 or four dashes of Paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon Horseradish
• Salt to taste
• Pepper to taste
• 4 teaspoons Lemon Juice

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix well.  Refrigerate until you are ready to use.  

You could also make appetizer size crab cakes to serve at a party as a quick finger food.  Makes about 30.

If you like crab, try our Asparagus Steak Oscar.

This recipe was featured on the Magical Moms' July Menu.  Be sure to check out all of our monthly menus


Lots of AMAZING recipes on the Magical Moms' June Menu, Marvelous May Menu, Appetizing April Menu, and March Madness Menu.

Blueberry Muffin Mousse

We are still reaping the benefits of our blueberry picking (and will be for awhile since I froze a ton of them!)  We have been using them in smoothies, Blueberry Lemonade, in pancakes, and eating them plain.  The good news is they are super good for you and we are not sick of them yet! I had some pound cake in the freezer and decided I would WHIP this up!

Ingredients:

• 1 Cup plus 3/4 Cup Heavy Whipping Cream
• 3 +2 Tablespoons Powdered Sugar
• 1/2 Cup Milk
• 3/4 Cup Fresh Blueberries
• 2 Tablespoons of Mascarpone
• 4-5 Slices of Pound Cake

Serves 4

In a medium bowl (so cream doesn't splatter) combine 3/4 cup heavy whipping cream and 2 tablespoons of powdered sugar.  Beat with electric mixer on high until peaks form and it turns to whipped cream.  It's almost like magic!  Place in refrigerator until ready to use.

In a separate bowl, smash blueberries with a fork.  Then add the remainder of ingredients and beat with  electric hand mixer until it thickens.  Cut pound cake into cubes and distribute among dessert bowls.  Pour mixture over pound cake.  Refrigerate for 30 minutes.  Top with whipped cream and additional fresh blueberries.  Serve the same day.

Blueberry Muffin Tops


Frozen Blueberry Cheesecake Bites


Blueberry Cheesecake

Slow Cooker Ranch Pesto Chicken and Pasta

Since it is July and SUPER hot here, I am trying to avoid turning on the oven.  Gosh that sounded like something my grandmother would say:)  I would prefer to grill every night, but that just isn't realistic either.  This week my oldest son started summer sandlot baseball so I am in need of some quick and easy meals for the family.  This slow cooker recipe is perfect.  I can throw it in the crock pot and head to the pool for the afternoon.  All I have to do is boil some pasta and throw it all together.  SUPER EASY!

Ingredients:

• 4 Boneless Chicken Breasts
• 1 1/2 Tablespoons of Dry Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing Packet
• 1/2 teaspoon Minced Garlic
• 1/3 Cup Chicken Broth
• 3 oz of Pesto
• 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
• 1/4 Cup (plus more for garnish) Fresh Grated Parmesan Cheese
• 1 pound box of Tri-color Rotini Pasta
• 8- Diced Cherry Tomatoes

Serves 4

In a small bowl (I use a pyrex measuring cup) combine pesto, minced garlic, Hidden Valley Ranch Mix, and chicken broth- mix well.  Place chicken in slow cooker and pour mixture over top.  Set slow cooker to low and cook for about 4 hours.

Boil water and cook pasta according to box.  Drain pasta and toss with olive oil.  Pour pasta into slow cooker and mix with chicken and sauce.  Add Parmesan cheese and toss.  Serve pasta and chicken with a little more Parmesan and diced tomatoes.  Enjoy!

I often make my own pesto here is the recipe and another one of my favorite dishes- Pesto Chicken



This recipe was featured on the Magical Moms' July Menu.  Be sure to check out all of our monthly menus



Lots of AMAZING recipes on the Magical Moms' June Menu, Marvelous May Menu, Appetizing April Menu, and March Madness Menu.

Cloud on a Cookie

I love dessert, Okay now that I have admitted it hopefully no one will judge me.  Having company over means I get to make a dessert that serves lots of people because if I make that same dessert for just our family I end up eating more than my fair share.  The cloud part is almost like ice cream so it's perfect for a hot summer evening.  I love that I can make it ahead of time and just keep it in the freezer.  

Ingredients:

• 1 tube (16.5 oz) Refrigerated Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough
• 1/2 Cup of Caramel Topping
• 1 (8oz) Container of Cool Whip (thawed)
• 1 package (3.4 oz) Instant Vanilla Pudding
• 1/2 Cup Milk
• 1/2 Cup Toffee Bits
• 3 Tablespoons Hot Fudge

Serves 16

Remove cookie dough from the refrigerator and let stand for about 5 minutes.  This will make the cookie dough easier to work with.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Then spread cookie dough into the bottom of an ungreased 9X13 inch baking dish.  Bake for 14-16 minutes or until golden brown.  When done, cool completely

After cookie dough has cooled, spread the caramel topping evenly over the cookie.

In a medium bowl, whisk together 1/2 cup of milk and pudding mix for about 2 minutes.

Then fold in the cool whip.

Next, stir in the toffee bits.

Spread the Cool Whip mixture over top of caramel layer.  Cover the baking dish and freeze until firm.

Remove from freezer.  Heat hot fudge in microwave and then drizzle over the top of Cool Whip layer.  I actually used a butter knife and just kinda splattered it on and it seemed to work better because it didn't go on so thick.  I let it sit for about 10 minutes to make it a little easier to cut.

Store remaining dessert covered in the freezer.  

Another one of my favorite desserts is Peanut Butter Pie.  Oh.So.Good.