Orange Juice Punch Recipe

Orange Juice Punch Recipe

This is the best punch ever.

The past 2 years we have made it for Christmas and Easter morning 

but I crave it every day in between. 

It's called orange juice punch but it is really a mouth full of slushie, tropical goodness.

It makes your taste buds dance when you drink it. 

So grab some cute helpers and let's get started. 

Ingredients: (this makes 2 big batches of punch)

2- 12 ounce cans orange juice concentrate (thawed a bit)

1- 12 ounce can lemonade concentrate (thawed a bit)

1- 46 ounce can Dole pineapple juice

6 cups water

2 cups sugar

6 ripe bananas  

2- 2 liter bottles of 7 up (add when ready to serve)

 Directions-

In a food processor, blend bananas, sugar and one cup water.

In a large bowl, add remaining ingredients with the mixture from the food processor (except 7 up) and stir until mixed together well.

Place a double zip lock bag (gallon size) in a bowl to hold its shape, fill bag with mixture to the top and zip back up.

Place bowl with mixture in freezer and when frozen take mixture out of bowl (in the ziplock bag). 

This recipe should make 2 full ziplock bags of punch mix.

This mixture can be made days or weeks before you need it for your party and stored in your freezer.

When you are ready to make your punch...

Take one bag of frozen mixture out of the freezer and put it in a serving bowl to defrost for one hour.

When ready to serve, pour a bottle of 7 up over frozen (kind of defrosted) mixture and stir/break up chunks of frozen mixture until the whole thing becomes a big, delicious slushie.

Enjoy!! 

Homemade bread

It feels so good to be able to cook again!

One of the first things I was excited to make (ok eat) was some home made bread. 

If you have never made bread before it sounds way fancier than it really is. 

All you need is water, yeast, salt and flour. 

My go to bread recipe is this one from Artisan 5 minute bread (except I mix it with the dough hook in the Kitchen Aid).

One recipe makes 3 loafs of bread and the best part is the dough stays good in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. 

So when you feel like having some fresh bread with dinner you just take out some dough, let it rest for 40 minutes and then bake it for 30 minutes. 

Super easy and so.so.so. good.

Thanks to Pinterest I've seen a few other bread recipes that have caught my eye. 

Next on my list are this and this. 

Do you have a favorite homemade bread recipe?

Dairy free milkshake

Wesley can't have dairy.

Which stinks because everything good has dairy in it.

The other day we (ok...me) were craving a milkshake. 

So I decided to try a dairy free version.

We added some vanilla almond milk, a dash of vanilla extract, ice and a banana to our Vitamix blender and it was so delicious! 

And I'm sure way healthier than the kind with ice cream (although that is yummy too). 

Just thought we would share it with you! 

Jalapeno Popper Dip

Pinterest is awesome.

I have so many yummy recipes pinned on there.

I just seem to have a problem actually making and trying them. 

And then there are the times I have tried a recipe and wished I hadn't 

(if you are on Pinterest you know what I'm talking about...pretty pictures do not always equal yummy food).

But every so often I come across a delicious Pinterest recipe that is worth sharing.

This yummy Jalapeno Popper Dip is definitely one worthy of bringing to your next holiday party.

  

It is creamy and cheesy and has just the right amount of spice.

We brought it to my aunt and uncles on Thanksgiving and everyone loved it! 

So much so that they requested us to bring it on Christmas Eve and again on Christmas Day.

So if you are looking for a yummy appetizer to make or add to your recipe book 

give this one a try. 

Recipe HERE. 

Pinterest success

Finally a Pinterest success.

Actually I'd call it a super success.

Zuppa Toscana. 

So so so good. 

I want to eat it all the time. 

It's hearty, spicy (too spicy for the kids but Aaron and I loved it), filling and delicious. 

And it has bacon in it so you pretty much can't go wrong. 

Recipe here. 

Try it now. 

Homemade Hummingbird Food

We like hummingbirds but I'm not so sure they like us.

So to lure them into our new backyard we decided to make them some irresistible, homemade food.

Luckily making your own hummingbird food is a cinch.

All you need is some sugar and water.
1 part sugar to 4 parts water to be exact.
We used 1/2 cup of sugar and 2 cups of water.

Just boil the water, add the sugar (stir until dissolved), boil for 2 minutes and let cool before adding to your hummingbird feeder.
Easy peasy.

Hummingbird food always tastes better when 2 cute kids help you make it. 

Hopefully we will have some new little friends fluttering around our backyard soon! 

{Semi} Homemade Oreo Cookies

These cookies are the best secret ever.
They look like you spent the whole day slaving away in the kitchen

and they taste like Martha Stewart made them herself. 

However they are really super easy and quick.  

but that's our little secret :) 

Ready for the recipe?

-1 box Devil's food cake mix

-2 eggs

-1/2 cup oil

-can of vanilla or cream cheese frosting 

Heat oven to 350 degrees. 

Add oil and eggs to cake mix and blend together.

Roll dough into small (quarter size) balls.

Press down with the bottom of a cup to flatten.

Place on greased cookie sheet and bake 7-8 minutes.

Mmmmm...

Once your cookies are cooled take your frosting and put it into a ziplock bag.

Cut off the corner of the bag and pipe some frosting onto the center of a cookie. 

Press another cookie on top and enjoy!!

These cookies are so delicious you can't just eat one.

But don't take my word for it. 

Go make some for yourself!

Enjoy!

Frozen Banana Bites

Guess what...

Hooray! 

I love Pinterest. 

My boards are full of cute and yummy stuff and brilliant ideas. 

The only thing I'm lacking is the time and energy to actually do them. 

But this week I did it!

I carved out some time and made this little "recipe" I have been drooling over for months. 

It's pretty hard to go wrong with anything that involves chocolate, bananas and peanut butter.

They were definitely a hit in our house. 

Oh and super easy to make...

just cut a banana into pieces, top with peanut butter, dip in melted chocolate and freeze.

Mmmmm....

Next time I think I'll make them the same without freezing them. 

I forgot how hard and cold a frozen banana is (or maybe I'm just a wimp)

but it kind of made my teeth hurt trying to eat them and I had to cut them up for the kids to eat.

But frozen or not frozen they are definitely worth a try. 

Yay for a Pinterest success. 

Now to tackle the rest of my pins :) http://pinterest.com/

Homemade pizza

Ever since I can remember pizza has been my favorite food.

I like it hot or cold 

with all the fixings or just plain cheese

thick crust, thin crust...it doesn't matter.   

Come to think of it 

I don't think I have ever met a pizza I didn't like.

But lately I have been loving homemade pizza.

Well semi homemade pizza. 

Mmm... doesn't it look gooooood?!

I thought I'd share the recipe (if you can even call it that) with you in case you want to make some for yourself.  

And trust me you will. 

The minor catch is you have to live by a Trader Joes (unless you know of another place that sells fresh pizza dough OR you could go all Betty Crocker and make your own from scratch) AND a pizza stone (for optimal results). 

Step One- Buy some plain pizza dough from Trader Joes. It's found in the refrigerated section.

(We have tried the whole wheat and the herb dough but like the plain the best). 

Step 2- Buy a can of crushed tomatoes or if you can't find those buy a can of diced tomatoes and give them a whirl in the blender or food processor. 

Step 3: Take out your dough 20 minutes before you want to start making your pizza so it can rest or rise or do whatever it needs to do (just following the directions on the package here). 

ALSO...turn on your oven to 550 degrees AND put your pizza stone in while it is preheating so it can get nice and hot.  

Step 3- Roll out your dough on a floured surface. 

And chop up your toppings. 

Step 4: Once the oven is heated to 550, take out the HOT pizza stone and lay your dough on it. 

Top with mozzarella cheese (I use about half a pound).

Then sprinkle some of the crushed tomatoes on top of the cheese 

and grind or sprinkle some pepper on top. 

Step 5: Add your toppings (the hubs and I love it with veggies but the kids prefer plain cheese so I leave a bit plain for them).

The drizzle olive oil over the whole thing.

Step 6- Pop it in the oven and bake for 6-8 minutes until golden brown and bubbly 

and enjoy!!!

It's also super yummy with some fresh basil on top (after it comes out of the oven). 

The best lemonade ever.

Last summer I made my very first batch of fresh squeezed lemonade.

And let me just tell you,

once you venture into the land of fresh lemonade you won't want to drink anything else.

Yes. It's that much better.

But don't take my word for it.

Try it yourself.

Ingredients-

1 1/2 cups lemon juice (about 6-7 lemons)

1 1/2 cups white sugar

8 cups water

Step 1:

Squeeze (or juice) your lemons

until you have a cup and a half of lemon juice.

Step 2:

Add one and a half cups of white sugar plus one cup water to a sauce pan.

Bring to a boil and stir until sugar is dissolved.

Put sugar mixture into refrigerator to cool.

Step 3:

Measure 8 cups of filtered water.

Step 4:

Combine water, lemon juice and chilled sugar mixture (also called a simple syrup) in a pitcher.

Pour over ice and enjoy!

*Since this stuff goes fast in our house I like to keep already measured out portions of the simple syrup and lemon juice stored in our freezer. Then when I'm ready to make a batch of lemonade I simply thaw my lemon juice and simple syrup, add the 8 cups of water and I'm done!

Perfect Pancakes

The Sellars' family loves pancakes.

l.o.v.e.s. pancakes.

We make them and eat them at least once, usually twice, a week.

A while ago I traded in my Bisquick and started the search for the perfect homemade pancake recipe.

I searched online and scoured my cookbooks trying recipe after recipe after recipe.

All the recipes I tried were good.

But they were just that.

good.

not great.

Then I tried the Pioneer Woman's perfect pancakes.

And the search was over.

They are seriously the best pancakes you have ever ever ever had.

Ever.

I crave them daily.

My kids and husband beg me to make them.

They are that good.

But don't take my word for it.

Try them for yourself.

I know you will love them too.

Your bottom half however may not love them as much.

Just a warning.

Thus my limit to twice a week

otherwise I'd be tempted to make them everyday.

yum. yum. yum.

pancake perfection.

*I usually only make half of the recipe and it feeds Aaron, me and the kids perfectly (I usually get 12 pancakes out of it).

What are some of your favorite breakfast recipes?

Copy Cat Panera Bread, Broccoli Cheese Soup Recipe

I love soup.

During the fall and winter

{or let's be honest, any time of the year}

I could eat it everyday.

Add a yummy salad and a baguette

and I'm in food heaven.

The other day Aaron, the kids and I went to Panera Bread for dinner.

I got their broccoli cheese soup (which I haven't had in a while)

and after the first bite I knew I was in trouble.

Now I pretty much crave it daily.

It's that good!

So, what did I do as soon as I got home?

Went on the Internet to find a Panera Bread Broccoli Cheese soup copy cat recipe, of course!

I know, I'm crazy like that.

Anyways, I found one that was almost as good as the real one from Panera Bread.

I thought I'd share it with you guys.

Enjoy!

Copy Cat Panera Bread

Broccoli Cheese Soup Recipe

Ingredients:

-1 tablespoon butter (for onions)

-1/2 medium onion, chopped

-1/4 cup butter

-1/4 cup flour

-2 cups half and half

-2 cups chicken stock

(I added another cup or more of milk)

-1/2 pound broccoli cut up small (now that I'm writing this out for you guys, I realized that I read it wrong and added more broccoli then I should have. Opps!)

-1 cup carrots, julienned (about 1 carrot. I just shredded it with a peeler.)

-8 ounces grated sharp cheddar

-salt and pepper to taste

-1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

Step 1:

Saute onion in butter

(I also added some of the broccoli stock to soften it up a bit).

Set aside.

Step 2:

Melt butter in pot.

Add flour to melted butter,

and whisk continuously over medium heat for 3-5 minutes.

Step 3:

Stirring continuously, slowly add the half and half.

Add the chicken stock, whisking all the time.

Let simmer for 20 minutes.

Step 4:

Add the broccoli, carrots and onion.

Cook over low heat until the veggies are tender.

Step 5:

Add salt and pepper (the soup should be thickened by now).

Add cheese and stir until well blended.

Step 6:

Stir in nutmeg

and serve!

Yumm!!

*I have a question for all of you who know much more about cooking then I do....

It seemed like the soup wasn't quite as smooth as I would have liked. I think it had to do something with the flour not incorporating all the way.

Does anyone know why that might happen?

I only cooked the flour and butter mixture for 3 minutes instead of 5. Maybe that wasn't long enough? Thanks for your thoughts!