Mothers Day Craft Tutorial

A couple of days ago, I was invited to a friends home to make these darling crafts for Mother's and Father's day! It was nice to get a jump start on gifts for these holidays because it is so hard for me to think of things to give these special people in my life. Especially, those that seem to already have everything they want/need. I loved this craft idea. It is very simple to make and only took me several hours to complete. I made these for my hubby, my mom and my mother in law for their special days. I thought they could place these on their desks at work to help remind them of our little family.

Tutorial

Step 1: Using a 2x4 cut 2- 12 inch pieces of wood. Sand edges and all over wood to make smooth to the touch.
Step 2: Stain wood to the color of your liking or if you don't have stain on hand you can use Acrylic paint and water it down a little. Let Dry.
Step 3: Using modge podge, paint the wide flat side and place a 3 inch x 12 inch piece of your choice of scrapbook paper onto the wood. Modge Podge to secure paper. Once secure, Modge Podge over the entire paper to secure.
Step 4: Using modge podge again, paint the thin side of 2x4. Then adhere a 1 inch x 12 inch piece of your choice scrapbook paper onto the wood. Modge Podge on back of scrapbook paper to secure paper to wood. Once secured, modge podge over the entire paper to secure.
Step 5: Once Modge podge is dry, drill three holes at the top of your widest piece of wood at 2 inch, 6 inch and 10 inches. Make sure you drill all the way through!!
Step 6: Pull ribbon through the holes and attach a cute clamp of your choice. Tie a bow. Add a picture.
Step 7: On your thin piece of scrapbook paper, rub on your choice of saying printed in Vinyl Lettering. Some sayings that you could use: Best Friends Forever, We love Grandma, We love Daddy, We love You!
Step 8: Secure the two piece of wood together by using Elmers Wood Glue or Elmers white glue.
Step 9: Viola, you have a cute gift to give away.

I

Ashlee, The Culinary Queen

Shrimp Scampi

I Love Seafood and One of my favorite things to order at any well known Seafood Restaurant is the shrimp scampi. Usually when my order comes to the table I find that the shrimp scampi is served piping hot soaking in a rich parsley, garlic and butter sauce. Yum! Who can resist that? When I came across this recipe that has the shrimp scampi served with angel hair or linguine pasta, I jumped at the chance to make this for my family. The shrimp really pops with flavor and the noodles are a yummy compliment. My husband adored this dish and my kids actually dove into it. I was surprised but they(my kiddos) actually enjoyed the noodles and shrimp. What makes this recipe really good is that it is easy to prepare and you could whip it up quickly on a weekday night. It is also fancy enough to make for that special occasion, impressing a date or for a holiday dinner like Valentines Day! Give this recipe a try it is truly a winner!

Shrimp Scampi

recipe adapted from blog chef and photo courtesy of blog chef

2 lbs. raw shrimp (peeled and deveined)
1 lb. angel hair or linguine pasta
1 c. butter
2 shallots(minced)
8 cloves of garlic (minced)
1/3 c. white wine *
3 T. Lemon Juice
1/4 c. fresh parsley (chopped)
1/4 c. teaspoon salt
1/8 teas. Black pepper
*Note: You can find a variety of cooking wines and cooking sherries at your local Harmon's. Harmon's seems to have the best variety and selection of "exotic" if you will cooking supplies. If any of you are worried about cooking with alcohol, know that it cooks out!

Step 1: Cook angel hair or linguine pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, melt 1 cup of butter in a skillet. Add in the shallots and garlic and cook for about 5 minutes stirring constantly (you don't wan them to burn).
Step 2: Add shrimp and cook over medium heat for about 4-5 minutes or until the shrimp turn pink. Make sure you flip them over so they are cooked on both sides.
Step 3: Add wine, lemon juice, parsley and salt and pepper. Cook for another minute or two and pour shrimp over pasta and serve.

I

Ashlee, The Culinary Queen

Sloppy Joes

Sloppy Joe sandwiches are an American favorite and these sandwiches are something that I grew up eating and loved. When I think of eating Sloppy joes, I think of Independence day or Pioneer Day (A Utah Holiday). Each year on one of these holidays, my mom would make a huge pot of sloppy joe mixture which my family would go crazy for. I remember the wonderful aroma of the joe mixture simmering on the stove. The smells of it simmering all afternoon would make everyone's mouths water and the anticipation of waiting to eat it was almost unbearable. Sloppy Joes are very simple to make. It only requires a little prep work of chopping veggies and throwing them along with your meat choice and sauce mixture into your pot and letting simmer for several hours. What I like about this recipe is that it only simmers 20-30 minutes!! I think this amount of cooking time is great and makes for a perfect during- the- week-night- meal. This sloppy joe recipe has a few variations from my moms but I like this recipe just as much. This recipe has more of a sweet tangy taste which is contributed to the bbq sauce/brown sugar that the recipe calls for. The recipe also calls for mushrooms which I have never thought of adding before but the mushrooms make for an interesting surprise. The mixture can also be topped with a slice of provolone cheese which makes for another irresistible and interesting addition. This recipe would be a perfect main course to serve for a picnic, holiday celebration or family reunion. Enjoy~~!

Sloppy Joes

1 lb. Ground beef or Turkey ( I prefer to cook with Ground Turkey)
2 stalks of celery, finely chopped
1 small onion, chopped
8 ounces of fresh mushrooms, sliced
1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 (8 ounce) can of tomato sauce
1/4 c. ketchup
1/4 c. BBQ sauce
1 T. Brown sugar
1 teas. dry mustard
salt and pepper to tast
1 T. Worcestershire sauce
1 T. Vinegar
Sliced Provolone cheese
Hamburger Buns

Step 1 : In a large skillet, over medium high heat, brown meat, celery, green pepper, mushrooms, and onion. Drain of any excess grease. Stir in tomato sauce, ketchup, BBQ sauce, brown sugar, dry mustard, salt and pepper, Worcestershire sauce, and vinegar.
Step 2: Cover and simmer for 20 minutes stirring occasionally. If after 20 minutes the mixture still seems watery, simmer for a little longer or until the mixture has thickened.
Step 3: Serve on a bun and top with a slice of provolone cheese.

I

Ashlee, The Culinary Queen

Chicken Teriyaki Sandwiches

As mother nature continues to tease us here in Northern Utah with warm switching to rainy & windy weather, I am doing my best to combat her efforts to destroy my grilling adventures by grilling anyway. By being defiant and making dinner on our outdoor grill despite the rainy weather we have been having the past couple of days, I have succeeded again in finding another tasty recipe. Take that Mother Nature!!! I think she heard my pleas for just a few minutes of good weather because last night, the cloud head broke and the rain stopped just long enough for the grill master (my hubby) to make up these sandwiches on the grill. Boy, where these sandwiches tasty and they don't require that much effort to make, which I am all for. I love the tanginess of the the teriyaki on the chicken combined with the sweetness of the pineapple. Delish! Give grillin' up these sandwiches a try! You won't be disappointed!

Chicken Teriyaki Sandwiches
recipe and photo courtesy of blog chef

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (if they are too thick cut them in half)
1-2 c. teriyaki sauce
Slices of Swiss Cheese
1 can pineapple rings
Hamburger buns
Mayo
Lettuce (optional)
Tomatoes (optional)
Onions (optional)
Step 1: Place chicken Breasts between two sheets of wax paper and pound to an even thickness. Marinate for 4-6 hours ( I marinated mine over night which I think results in a better flavor) in a covered bowl or Ziploc baggie.
Step 2: Place pineapple rings on the grill and cook 3-4 minutes on each side. Remove and set aside.
Step 3 : Grill Chicken breasts 5 minutes on the first side, Turn over and add the pineapple rings an Swiss cheese slices and cook for an additional 3-4 minutes or until the chicken is fully cooked. Remove from grill and place on a bun. Spread Mayo under the top half of the bun and add any additional toppings as desired.

I

Ashlee, The Culinary Queen

Strawberry Shortcake

I have loved Strawberry Shortcakes ever since I was a little girl. There is just something about this dessert that screams summer and it makes me think of my Grandma DeMille! My Grandma is an excellent cook and used to serve this when we would go and visit her on Sunday afternoons in the summer. The thing I love most about Strawberry shortcakes are the sweet juicy berries layered in between pound or yellow cake and topped with real whipping cream. I also like to dust the tops of my shortcakes with a tiny bit of powdered sugar for a more fancy look. These cakes are very easy to make and you can make them as simple or as fancy as you would like.

Strawberry Shortcakes

1 loaf of pound cake or one 9 x13 pan of yellow cake
1 pint of real whipping cream, whipped and flavored to your liking ( I add sugar and vanilla to mine)
1-2 Cartons of Strawberries
2-4 heaping Tablespoons Sugar (to coat strawberries)
Powdered Sugar

Step 1: Slice strawberries into a strainer. When all strawberries are sliced, rinse with cool water to remove any green leaves or dirt. Then pour strawberries into a clean mixing bowl. Add several heaping Tablespoons of sugar to coat the strawberries. Gentle mix the sugar around with the strawberries. A(dding sugar helps to also draw the juices out of the strawberries.) Refrigerate for several hours to let the strawberries release their juices.
Step 2: Mix whipping cream up by adding several huge Tablespoons of sugar to whipping cream, as well as, a teaspoon or two of real vanilla. Beat with hand mixer until whipping cream has set up and is firm but not stiff.
Step 3: Slice pound cake or if using yellow cake cut it in squares and then in half.

To assemble: Place slice of cake on your desired dessert plate. Then place a dollop of whipping cream onto the slice of cake. Then top with the desired amount of strawberries you would like to use onto the dollop of whipping cream. Top whipping cream and strawberries with another slice or piece of cake. Then top with desired amount of strawberries and another dollop of whipping cream. Dust shortcakes with a whiff of powdered sugar. Enjoy!

I

Ashlee, The Culinary Queen

Bacon Wrapped Chicken

I love Chicken, Crispy bacon and Cream Cheese. When I found this recipe online that incorporated all three ingredients I just had to try it. The chicken, bacon and cream cheese make up the bulk of the ingredients and they come together to form a simple but elegant main dish. Even though this is a simple Main Dish to make, it is one that would impress your guests if you were thinking about entertaining with it. The chicken is smothered in onion and chive cream cheese then wrapped up with bacon and secured with a toothpick. The Bacon ends up crispy because you broil it for several minutes after you cook it. If you want to do some outdoor cooking, these can easily be cooked up on your outdoor grill. My husband raved about this dish and requested that it be added to the family favorites. I think we will be enjoying this recipe again this summer and from the compliments from my hubby I feel like I will be making it quite often! This dish goes well paired up with pasta or rice as a side dish.

Bacon Wrapped Chicken

recipe adapted and photo courtesy of chef blog

12 boneless Chicken breast halves
2 (8 oz.) cartons of onion and chive cream cheese
12 slices of bacon
salt (to taste)
2 tablespoons of butter

*Note: I halved this recipe for our little family of 3.

Step 1: Preheat the oven to 4oo degrees. Between 2 sheets of wax paper with a kitchen mallet flatten chicken breasts to 1/2" thickness.
Step 2: Spread 2-3 tablespoons of cream cheese over each chicken breast. Then dot with butter and sprinkle with salt. Wrap up and secure with a toothpick. Then take one of your slices of bacon and wrap around chicken. Secure with another toothpick.
Step 3: Bake uncovered for 35-40 minutes until juices run clear.

Step 4: Turn on the broiler and broil six inches from the heat for 5 minutes or until the bacon is crispy. Enjoy!

I

Ashlee, The Culinary Queen

My Spring Chick..

is so cute! I appreciate my daughter modeling my sewing projects for me. As you can see she is thrilled...

In the evenings, I have been enjoying sewing some cute little sundresses for my little girl. I have also been busy making coordinating hair bows to match. My next project is to make matching bracelets for each outfit. If only my cute little Spring Chick would leave them on her wrists!!

I

Ashlee, The Culinary Queen

Asian Turkey Burgers

This past week I have been busy enjoying the great outdoors and taking advantage of the wonderful spring weather with my little family, hence the lack of any recent blog posts. With this wonderful weather I have been enjoying, comes outdoor cooking. I have been doing a lot of out door cooking lately!! One of my favorite Summer Grilling recipes is Asian Turkey Burgers. I love to make these burgers when we entertain during the summer and I have received wonderful compliments when I make them. I wish I could but I can not claim this recipe as my own. I got this recipe when I was working for a meal preparation company in St. George. These juicy burgers are sure to please even the pickiest of eaters and the wasabi sauce compliments the burgers with just a hint of heat! I hope you enjoy this recipe and as always I heart comments so please leave me your feedback!

Asian Turkey Burgers

1 1/4 lbs of Ground Turkey
1/3 c. sliced Green onions
1/4 c. Plain Yogurt
1/4 c. Breadcrumbs
1 T. Reduced Sodium Soy Sauce
1 T. Hoisin Sauce
1-2 t. Minced Ginger
1/4 t. Black Pepper
1/8 t. Cayenne (optional but we love a little heat!)

Mix ingredients until well blended. Shape meat mixture into patties and grill.

Wasabi Sauce

1/4 c. Light Mayo
1/4 c. Yogurt
1/4 t. lime juice
1/2 t. Soy Sauce
1/2 t. Dijon Mustard
1/2 t. Garlic Powder
1/4 t. Wasabi or Wasabi Powder
1/4 t. Paprika

Mix ingredients together until well blended. Refrigerate until ready to use! When ready to use, spread on buns and add any of your favorite burger toppings. ie: cheese, pickles, lettuce, tomatoes.

* I like to make the sauce a day ahead of time because it gives the flavors a chance to blend together.

I

Ashlee, The Culinary Queen

Cherry Delight Salad

I grew up eating this salad and I love it! It is one of those salads my mom made for our spring and summer BBQ's. It is light, creamy and irresistible. In my opinion, it is almost a dessert instead of a salad. When I took a cooking class in college, we all had to do a food demonstration for one of our assignments. One of my friends/classmates at the time made this salad for her food demo. She had a slight variation to the recipe that she grew up on. Her recipe called for mini marshmallows. I love both variations!!

Cherry Delight Salad

1- 20 oz. Crushed Pineapple, Drained
1- 12 oz. Cool Whip
1- 8 oz. can of sweetened condensed milk
1 -20 oz. can Cherry pie Filling
2 c. mini marshmallows(optional, but I love them in this salad)
1- Drain your pineapple to remove excess pineapple juice.
2- In a Bowl, Mix sweetened condensed milk with Cherry pie filling until well combined.3- Add crushed pineapple to the bowl and mix into cherry/milk mixture.4- Fold Cool whip and mini marshmallows until all ingredients are combined.
5- Chill in Fridge until ready to serve.

I

Ashlee, The Culinary Queen

Asian Beef Stew

My husband spent two years serving an LDS mission in Japan. While he was there, he grew to love Asian/Japanese Cooking. For the past Seven Years of our life/marriage together, I have enjoyed trying out new Asian or Japanese recipes on him. I must say, He is quite partial to it and I haven't heard him complain once. Anytime I make something that Is Asian inspired in taste, I can guarantee that he will jump for joy with excitement when he smells the wonderful aromas that waft out into the garage after he arrives home from a long day at the office!! My latest quest in this area was trying an Asian Beef Stew Recipe. What is really nice about this recipe is that it can be cooked in the crock pot and it isn't at all intimidating. All you need to do is cut ever thing up/dump the ingredients and spices into your pot and let it simmer all day until you are ready for dinner. It is such a yummy Stew and it will have your kitchen smelling wonderful! Otanoshimi ni= "have a good time/enjoy!"

Asian Beef Stew
Recipe and Picture adapted from Slow cooker Meals

2 onions, cut into 1/4 inch slices

1 1/2 lbs. round steak, slice thin across the grain
2 stalks of celery, sliced
2 carrots, peeled and sliced
or 1 cup peeled baby carrots
1 c. sliced mushrooms
1 c. orange juice
1 c. beef broth
1/3 c. Hoisin Sauce *
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 to 2 teaspoons Chinese 5 Spice powder or curry powder
1 c. frozen peasHot cooked Rice
Chopped Fresh Cilantro (optional)
* Available in the Asian foods aisle of your local market.

1. Place onions, beef, celery, carrots and mushrooms in Crock pot slow cooker.
2. Combine orange juice, broth, hoisin sauce, cornstarch an 5 spice powder in small bowl. Our into crock pot. Cover and cook on high 5 hours until beef is tender.
3. Stir in peas. Cook for 20 minutes longer or until peas are tender. Serve with hot cooked rice and garnish with cilantro, if desired.
Makes 6 servings.

I

Ashlee, The Culinary Queen

Angel Lush Cake

For our Easter Dessert this year, I decided to make something that was light, airy and fruity in taste. Since it is so sweet, light and airy, I think it is truly something an Angel might dive into if one was hungry!!

This dessert is the perfect ending to any meal but I thought it would be the perfect finale to our Easter Feast this year.

Angel Lush Cake

1 box Yellow Cake Mix (plus ingredients on box)
20 oz. can Crushed Pineapple
1 c. sugar
1 small box of Vanilla Pudding
1 1/2 c. Milk
1 Large Container of Cool Whip
1 c. coconut, toasted ( I put my coconut on a sprayed cookie sheet in a 350 degree oven. Check on coconut frequently and spread around coconut with a spatula until lightly golden brown.)

Prepare cake as directed on box. You can pour cake into a greased 9X13 pan or you can use a spring form cheesecake pan. After baking, remove cake from oven and using a chopstick, pierce holes into the cake. Combine the pineapple and sugar in a saucepan, and bring to a boil over medium heat. Stir constantly. Remove from heat and allow to cool. Pour the pineapple mixture over the cake. Prepare pudding with 1 1/2 c. milk. Allow to set up a little and then spread over cake and refrigerate until completely chilled. Cover cake with Cool Whip and sprinkle Coconut over the top. Enjoy!

I

Ashlee, The Culinary Queen

Another Maddy Dress...

The weather has been dreadful the past few days!! All my hopes of Spring making its entrance into my little neck of the woods has been curtailed, because mother nature has been busy blanketing my spring flowers with snow!! The snow does melt by late afternoon but it is depressing and me and my cute children(the three of us eagerly want to be outside) end up staying inside to keep warm! To keep myself busy and my mind off of spring being postponed, I have been "cooking up" some creativity; as well as, sewing my little heart out! I recently bought some fabric from a good friend of mine. Check out her cute blog here. This fabric is called Just Dreamy by Minds Eye. I love this fabric line because it is so bright and cheery! For the past few days as I have been sewing my daughter another Maddy Dress out of this cute fabric, I felt mood change because of the bright blue spring color that is. I also went the extra mile and made her some hair bows to match her dress!! I figure if It is still going to be winter outside, I can bring some Spring inside! What do you think of my little princess' cute new ensemble? Stay tuned for a tutorial on how to make hair bows for the little princess in your life!

I

Ashlee, The Culinary Queen