Picnic Lemonade

Our family loves lemonade, but the frozen concentrate is always lacking something. When I found this recipe in my Pillsbury Fun Summer Recipes book, I was excited to give it a try. That was 2 weeks ago, and I have made this drink 5 times since then. It is delicious. The grape juice gives the lemonade that tart flavor it was lacking, and the mixture of the lemon and grape flavors is incredibly refreshing.
I cut the recipe in half, so I can use my pretty glass pitcher I picked up for $1.00 at an auction a couple of weeks ago. I just leave the remaining half of the frozen grape juice in it's original plastic container, and refreeze it, so it's ready for the next time I make it.
Picnic Lemonade-
Rating - 4 Smiles
http://www.ddhfavors.com/store/FCrecipe.asp?r=7&categoryID=Drinks&Category_Name=Drinks

Peanut Butter Cornflake Cookies

Ok, I thought I would switch it up and give a review on a dessert recipe. This is my FAVORITE cookie recipe, and I love making it during the holidays. This is one of the easiest recipes in the world to make, and the kids love to help me.
Warning: This recipe is VERY sweet, and highly addictive. I recommend only making the cookies for large gatherings, or you may find yourself consuming many more than you would like to.
I made these cookies for our family Christmas gathering last year, and they were a huge hit! The recipe has been around forever, and it can be found in varying forms, but the taste is always delicious. Give this recipe a try for your next family gathering. Your family will be glad you did! :)
Peanut Butter Cornflake Cookies-
Rating - 4 Smiles
http://www.cooks.com/rec/view/0,1610,152161-224194,00.html

Pillsbury Pizza Melts - Better Make 2!

This is yet another recipe from my new favorite cookbook, "Pillsbury Crescents, Biscuits, & More" and it is so good, you better make 2!
Again with this recipe, I used 2 cans of Pillsbury pizza crust instead of the crescent rolls, and it was delicious! It gives a new meaning to the term "stuffed crust" as all of the toppings are sandwiched between 2 layers of dough. And the best part about the recipe is, you can add all of the toppings that your family loves. I added Canadian Bacon, green peppers, and onions when I made it, and it turned out fantastic! Pair it with a salad, and you have a yummy meal, that didn't cost a fortune. My husband loved it so much that he wanted me to make another one so he could take it to work and eat it for dinner the same night.
If you family loves pizza, then give this recipe a try. It's sure to leave everyone smiling! :)
Pillsbury Pizza Melts-
Rating - 4 Smiles
http://www.pillsbury.com/Recipes/ShowRecipe.aspx?rid=43654

Chunky Garden Lasagna

This quick Italian dinner is a welcome meal on a hot summer day, as no oven is required. The meal is cooked on the stove top, and only takes about 40 minutes to prepare from start to finish. For a quick meal, it wasn't all that bad. The variety of veggies gave it a lot of added flavor, but it still seemed to be missing something. I think it was the flavor of the sauce that was included in the Hamburger Helper meal. If I make this dish again, I will probably opt to add my own sauce, and noodles. But, the kids and hubby were happy with it, so it couldn't have been that bad.
Chunky Garden Lasagna-
Rating - 4 Smiles
http://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes.aspx/garden-fresh-lasagna

Recipe Contest

Just a reminder that there are only 6 days left to enter your favorite recipe into the August recipe contest. I'm looking forward to trying some new yummy recipes, and my family is looking forward to eating them, so don't forget to submit them by the 20th! :)

Cheese Steak Crescent Braids

This was another recipe from my Pillsbury "Crescent, Biscuits, & More" cookbook, and it can be summed up in one word, YUMMY! This was hands down the best cheese steak sandwich I have ever made. (Note: the link for this recipe will take you to a site where someone else posted the recipe from their cookbook. This saved me the time of retyping it all.) :)
I must mention that instead of the 2 cans of Crescent rolls, I used one can of Pillsbury pizza dough. The crescent rolls were $2.83 per 7 oz. can, and the pizza dough was on sale for $1.00 for 15 oz. can, so you can see why I'm using the pizza dough instead. I'm also not too crazy for the taste and texture of crescent rolls, so I substitute when I can.
This recipe was incredibly simple to make, and quite filling. My husband, who loves Philly cheese steak sandwiches, couldn't even finish what was left. The only suggestion I would make is the use of Pepper Jack cheese instead of Mozzarella Cheese, if you like a little spice.
This recipe will be one of my go to recipes for years to come. It's inexpensive, simple, and filling at the same time. It's rare that you find a recipe that has all of those qualities.
Cheese Steak Crescent Braids-
Rating - 4 Smiles
http://www.cyber-kitchen.com/ubbs/archive/SANDWICHES/Cheese_Steak_Crescent_Braid.html

Breakfast Hash Browns, Bacon, and Egg Bake

I have a collection of those little Pillsbury recipe books you see at the checkout stand in the grocery store, and let me tell you, there are some great recipes in them. My latest recipe was taken from the Pillsbury recipe book, "Crescents, Biscuits, & More," and it wasn't half bad.
With the exception of substituting Pillsbury pizza dough for the crescent rolls (YUMMY!) I made the recipe according to the instructions, and I think with a few minor tweaks, it could be a 4 smile recipe.
First of all, I would suggest cooking the potatoes in a little olive oil with salt and pepper before adding them to the casserole dish. I know this will add to the amount of time it takes to cook the recipe, but I think it will help the texture of the potatoes. I don't like mushy, flavorless potatoes, so I think browning them will help them keep their shape, while releasing the flavor of the peppers and onions at the same time.
I also plan to add sausage, and jalapenos to the recipe next time. The casserole was a little on the bland side for me, so I'm going to try and spice it up a bit.
The recipe calls for 6 eggs, but next time I will use egg substitute to cut down on some of the fat and cholesterol.
My favorite thing about breakfast casserole recipes is that you can easily make them your own by adding the ingredients your family likes. I am going to make this recipe again next week, with the changes I mentioned, and I'll let you know how it turns out.

Breakfast Hash Browns, Bacon, and Egg Bake-
Rating - 3 Smiles
http://www.ddhfavors.com/store/FCrecipe.asp?r=6&categoryID=Meats&Category_Name=Meats

Just a quick note...

I just wanted to remind everyone that the links to the recipes can be found under the heading "Recipes I Have Reviewed" on the right since of the main page. Since the recipe links change from time to time, it is easier for me to update the links in one place, rather than comb through the posts to find the links. As I continue to add recipe posts to the blog, it will become more time consuming to hunt for the links in individual posts. :)

Burrito BLT Sandwiches

If you like BLT sandwiches, you will like this twist on the classic recipe.
I used this recipe for lunch today, and my family loved it. Hannah, who hates tomatoes, even ate it, without complaining. Since the tomatoes are diced, and mixed in with the mayonnaise, lettuce, cheese, and bacon, she didn't even notice them.
There really isn't a lot to say about the recipe, since it was incredibly simple to make. If you are in a pinch and need a quick, easy meal, that is still filling, give this one a try.
Burrito BLT Sandwiches-
Rating - 4 Smiles
http://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes.aspx/burrito-blt-sandwiches

Easy Chicken Teriyaki Stir-Fry

Dave and I love Asian inspired food. The problem with many of the dishes is the complexity needed, to make them taste truly authentic. With 2 kids, a busy business, and a husband with a varying work shift, I need to focus on recipes with simple ingredients, that can be cooked in a short amount of time, and still taste great. This recipe fit that bill and more.
I made a few variations to the recipe, to suit our tastes, but it still tasted wonderful. I boiled the chicken in a little garlic and onion, before transferring it to the separate pan with oil. I also added 1/2 tsp. of soy sauce to the pan, to give the chicken a little more flavor. When the chicken was cooked, I resumed the recipe, but I added 1/4 C. of soy sauce instead of the half cup it asks for, and added an extra tablespoon of sugar. I don't care for an overpowering soy taste, so I let Dave put all the soy sauce he wants on his food, after it's cooked. I also use the low sodium version to cut down on the salt a little. I also added a package of frozen vegetables that contained water chestnuts, and pea pods, etc., instead of using the broccoli and celery it called for. This package of frozen vegetables had all of those same vegetables, and it was on sale for $1.00.
This recipe was simple, and delicious. Even my oldest child raved about it, and she isn't fond of Asian food.
I served it over fried rice, which I also made that day. If you have tried to make fried rice at home, and failed, there is a trick to it. Cook your rice a few hours ahead of time, and refrigerate it. If you start with cold white rice, it will fry right for you every time No more sticky mess! I didn't have time to cook it that far ahead, so I cooked it right before I started cooking the chicken, and popped it into the freezer. It was in there for about 45 minutes, and that worked like a charm. I have also posted the fried rice recipe I used in the links section, so you can give it a try.
Easy Chicken Teriyaki Stir-Fry-
Rating - 4 Smiles
http://chicken.betterrecipes.com/easy-fresh-chicken-teriyaki-stir-fry.html
http://chinesefood.about.com/od/ricefried/r/basicfriedrice.htm