healthy spring rolls with vietnamese chicken

Hall of Fame!  THIS is what we're having for dinner tonight and I am so excited.  Our family spent a few nights at the coast a few weeks ago and I ordered shrimp rolls. They were so delicious I have been wanting more ever since (a sure sign of a great meal).  I have to say these are just as good if not better!  For starters, the Vietnamese chicken is outstanding by itself.  Wrap it up with some veggies and dip the entire thing in peanut sauce and you've got heaven on earth.  My husband said reminded him of something we'd get at Magenta, his favorite restaurant.  Success.

healthy spring rolls with vietnamese chicken (slightly adapted from Half Baked Harvest)
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast
4 tablespoon soy sauce
2 teaspoons brown sugar (I used 1 tablespoon Splenda)
2 teaspoons sesame oil
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon curry powder
1/2 teaspoon ginger powder
2 cloves garlic, minced

filling
1 1/2 cups cooked whole wheat vermicelli noodles
julienne cut carrots, a handful or two
1 red bell pepper, sliced into small sticks
spinach leaves
fresh basil leaves
12 or so rice paper wrappers

In a medium size bowl, combine the soy sauce, brown sugar, sesame oil, lime juice, curry, ginger and garlic.  Add the chicken.  Grill chicken. (Original recipe says you can brown the chicken on the stove top.)  Allow to cool then slice into strips.
Create an assembly line of filling ingredients.  Fill a shallow dish with war water.  Add a rice paper sheet, one at a time for 5 to 10 seconds.  Remove and place on a flat surface.  Towards one end of the rice wrapper, layer the 2 to 3 leaves of basil, spinach, noodles, chicken, carrots and red pepper.  Fold both ends to the center and roll the sheet as tightly as you can without ripping.  Continue with remaining sheets of rice wrappers and filling.  Serve with a peanut sauce.  You can make your own however I used store bought.  It was delicious!!

party idea- cars 2

We had a family party and invited a best friend to keep it simple- it turned out GREAT!  I highly recommend simple.  : )

layered dirt dessert

My future race car driver requested this dessert.  I decided to replace my old dirt dessert recipe with this one because it was a hit, especially with the kids.  This recipe makes A LOT so be sure you have a lot of friends with sweet tooths (or should I say sweet teeth?) ready with spoons or forks...or you'll be eating this for days.  On your mark, get set, GO!

layered dirt dessert (adapted from Brown Eyed Baker)
1 package (about 15 ounces Oreo Cookies)
2 (3.9 ounces) packages instant chocolate pudding
4 cups milk
8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1/4 cup butter, at room temperature
1 cup powdered sugar
8 ounces Cool Whip
1 small (20 ounce) chocolate cake ( I used a double chocolate cake with chocolate chips)
cars or gummy worms

Crush the Oreos into fine crumbs using a food processor or place the cookies in a resealable plastic bag and crush with a rolling pin; set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk together both boxes of the instant pudding with the milk for about 2 minutes.  Let sit for 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, beat together the cream cheese and butter on medium speed until light and fluffy; about 3 minutes.  Reduce the speed to low, add the powdered sugar, then gradually increase the speed back to medium until a fluffy texture is reached.
Using a rubber spatula, fold the cream cheese mixture into the chocolate pudding, then fold in the Cool Whip until completely combined.
Cube the chocolate cake and add to the cream cheese/pudding mixture.
Assemble the dessert by layering the layers of crushed Oreos and pudding mixture, beginning and ending with the crushed Oreos.
Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight before serving.  Decorate the top with cars or gummy worms.

candy corn popcorn balls

My kids went to their friends' house for lunch bunch and were introduced to these little goodies that my friend Julie made.  My kids LOVED these.  I had to take a little nibble and was delighted that they were made with marshmallow (I cannot eat a plain uncooked marshmallow but there's something about melted or burnt marshmallow-they're delicious!).  I need to make these for my activity day girls.

candy corn popcorn balls (Julie B.)
2 bags light microwave popcorn or 1 batch air popped
1 bag mini marshmallows
4 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
candy corns

Pop corn.  Melt butter in microwave.  Add bag of marshmallows and heat until you can stir it all together easily.  Add vanilla.   Pour over popcorn and stir.  Add candy corn.  Put cold water on your hands and form balls.  Press hard or they'll fall apart.

savory tomato-braised tilapia

Wow- this was great.  It was savory and spicy- exactly what I look for in a favorite dish.  A little too spicy for my kids but perfect for me and my husband.

savory tomato-braised tilapia (Taste of Home, Sep/Oct 2013)
4 tilapia loins
1/4 teaspoon seasoned salt
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 small red onion, chopped
1 can (10 ounces) diced tomatoes and green chiles, undrained (I used mild)
3/4 cup chopped roasted red peppers, chopped
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup tomato pasate
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon dried oregano
hot cooked pasta, optional

Sprinkle fillets with seasoned salt; drizzle with lemon juice.  In a large skillet heat oil over medium high heat.  Add the onion; cook and stir until tender.  Add the next 6 ingredients; cook and stir for 2-3 minutes longer.
Place fillets over the tomato mixture; cook, covered 6-8 minutes or until the fish flakes easily with a fork.  If desired, serve with pasta.

leaping lizards...or grasshoppers!

Isn't this the cutest grasshopper you've ever seen?  My kids went to a spider themed birthday party last weekend and I regretted not taking my camera.  The spider cake was incredible.  With the spider cake came some flies and grasshoppers.  The day after the party the hostess came over and delivered two grasshoppers for my kids to enjoy which they certainly did.  That's what I call a Hostess with the Mostess.

edible grasshoppers (my friend Joyce made this guy with her boys)
Hostess Twinkie
Oreo cookie
vanilla wafer cookies
green Tootsie Rolls
green icing
candy eyes (I saw some this morning at Michaels)

back burner ratatouille

Hall of Fame!  This simple recipe blew me away.  What was crazy about this recipe is that my kids LOVED it and asked for seconds and thirds.  Maybe it's because they picked the eggplant, zucchini and basil that we used.  Whatever it was, we're keeping this recipe because it's super duper healthy and scrumptious.  Thanks, Angeli for recommending this recipe!

back burner ratatouille (my friend Angeli found it at allrecipes; I adapted it slightly)
28 ounces crushed tomatoes
2 yellow zucchini, scrubbed and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
2 small eggplants, scrubbed and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 onion, diced
1 teaspoon salt
15 fresh basil leaves
sprinkling of garlic powder
sprinkling of black pepper

Pour tomatoes into a large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium-low heat; add zucchini, eggplant and onion; stir once.  Sprinkle salt over vegetables.  Bring mixture to a boil and simmer until the vegetables start to cook down, 10 to 15 minutes; stir in basil, garlic powder and pepper.
Cook covered over low heat for 2 hours.  Adjust seasonings and serve.

What I have to say- I may have spelled the name of this dish wrong.  That's okay.  It's charming.