It is OK to eat these Ladybugs

This is a great little family project for when you complete your day of apple picking. This recipe will show you how to make delicious little Ladybug Apples. And who doesn’t love ladybugs?

INGREDIENTS
2 red apples
1/4 cup raisins
1 tablespoon peanut butter
8 thin pretzel sticks

DIRECTIONS:
Slice apples in half from top to bottom and scoop out the cores using a knife or melon baller. If you have an apple corer, core them first, then slice. Place each apple half flat side down on a small plate.
Dab peanut butter on to the back of the ‘lady bug’, then stick raisins onto the dabs for spots. Use this method to make eyes too. Stick one end of each pretzel stick into a raisin, then press the other end into the apples to make antennae.

TIPS:

* Instead of using peanut butter you can also use cream cheese (regular or strawberry).

* Cover the bottom with whatever you use (peanut butter or cream cheese) and put the lady bug on a lettuce leaf to prevent browning and make and even healthier salad/snack!

* Use dried cranberries, cheerios and marshmallows in place of or in combination with the raisins for more decorating fun!

Beef Bacon Cheesy Dip from Big Bites Little Bites on Vimeo.

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Yummy Pasta

OK! So the wife tells me she found a recipe

1 lb Pasta
8 Slices Bacon
1/2 Cup parsley leaves
1/2 Cup fresh Basil Leaves
5 Tablespoons extra-virgin Olive Oil
5 Tablespoons Lemon Juice
1/4 Cup Finely Chopped Chives
1/4 Cup grated Parmesan Cheese
Seasoning

1. Boil pasta, drain reserve 1/2 cup of the water
2. Microwave the bacon to a crisp- nhand crumble
3. While that is cooking – puree 1/2 C basil, 1/2 cup parsley, olive and lemon juice and 2 tablespoons chives – season
4. Add herb oil, parm and reserved 1/2 cup of pasta water and toss. Add bacon and season -
5. Toss one more time

OK to be honest – I did not like it, but the wife and Claire, my youngest, went crazy for it. I am not the biggest pasta person in the world. However, I will always try something new!

Risotto from the microwave, really? YES!

Well, throw that out the window- I found a killer quick recipe that- wait till you get this- you make in the microwave. And it will only take about 20 minutes and requires virtually no stirring- only limitation is your imagination. So lets cook!

Creates 4 servings

Ingredients
1 cup uncooked Arborio rice

1 clove garlic, minced
1 onion, chopped
3 tablespoons butter
3/4 cup white wine
1 1/2 cups vegetable broth
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

1. In a 3 quart, microwave safe casserole dish combine butter, garlic and onion. Place dish in microwave and cook on high for 3 minutes.
2. Place vegetable broth in a microwave safe dish. Heat on microwave until the broth is hot but not boiling (about 1:30 – 2 minutes).
3. Stir the rice and 2 mixtures into a casserole dish. Cover the dish tightly and cook on high for 6 minutes.
4. Stir wine into the rice. Cook on high for 10 minutes more. Most of the liquid will boil off. Stir the cheese into the rice and serve.

To mix it up you can always add frozen veggies – peas, carrots, whatever…

Yes, it is that easy and incredibly yummy. Let me know what you think!

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Fudge upside down cake and ice cream. YUMMY

This past Friday my wife and i got a babysitter and had dinner with another couple from our church. This couple insisted we bring nothing and they would take of the night. And Boy Did They!

First- we had a killer salsa which was from Costco- Mango Salsa- not sure how to describe other then- go buy it now!
Then dinner came – Pork Loin marinaded in Italian dressing and grilled to perfection. Huge baked potatoes dusted with kosher salt. Then the veggies – oh the veggies- Zucchini sauted in chopped garlic, what i am guessing was an unhealthy amount of butter- but lets call it the way we tasted it- INCREDIBLE! As well as some yummy steamed Cauliflower sprinkled with shredded cheddar.

That alone would be a homerun meal fit only royalty, but then came dessert.

They were still cooking it when we got there- so I got to see how this meal unfolded. She basically followed the recipe and I would suggest you do the same.

INGREDIENTS
3/4 Cup Sugar 2 tablespoons cocoa
2 tablespoons butter 1/2 cup walnuts
1/2 cup milk 1/2 brown sugar
1 cup flour 1/2 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder 1/3 cup cocoa
1/4 teaspoon salt 1 1/2 cups boiling water

Cream together 3/4 cup sugar and butter – Stir in Milk.
Sift flour, baking powder, salt and 2 tablespoons cocoa together.
Add creamed mixture and beat until smooth.
Stir in walnuts.

Spread batter into 9 inch square pan.

In a small bowl, combine brown sugar, 1/2 cup sugar, 1/3 cup cocoa. Sprinkle over batter.
Pour boiling water over top.

Bake at 250 degrees for 35-40 minutes.
The cake will rise to the top and boiling water will combine with the sugar/cocoa mixture to make rich chocolate syrup underneath.

Serve with ice cream, whipped cream or plain in sherbet glasses or sauce dishes.
Forget that – grab a fork and eat it out of the pan.

It was simply put …. SICK.. in a good way- incredible delicious, yummy, tasty, awesome..

think i liked it?

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VIDEO RECIPE: EZ PIZZA from Big Bites Little Bites on Vimeo.

Watch me and Abby make a quick and EZ Pizza that the whole family can enjoy. You are 20 minutes away from pizza time!

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HELLO???? REESE's - You cant eat these- go buy your own!

WISDOM: Free knowledge: know why these are called tassies? Post answers below!

This is to celebrate our 250th fan to sign up for our facebook page. I cant cook all of you a treat- so i figure bust out a classic you can do at home- makes sense this is what the site is about. Cooking. at home, with the family!
Ingredients
3/4 cup butter, softened
1 (3 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup sugar, divided
1 egg, slightly beaten
2 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted
1/4 teaspoon lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 (11 ounce) package REESE’S® Peanut Butter and Milk Chocolate Chips, divided
2 teaspoons shortening (do not use butter, margarine, spread or oil)

Directions
1 Beat 3/4 cup butter and cream cheese in medium bowl; add flour and 1/4 cup sugar, beating until well blended. Cover; refrigerate about one hour or until dough is firm. Shape dough into 1-inch balls; press each ball onto bottom and up sides of about 36 small muffin cups (1-3/4 inches in diameter).
2 Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Combine egg, remaining 1/2 cup sugar, melted butter, lemon juice and vanilla in small bowl; stir until smooth. Set aside 1/3 cup chips; add remainder to egg mixture. Evenly fill muffin cups with chip mixture.
3 Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until filling is set and lightly browned. Cool completely; remove from pan to wire rack.
4 Combine reserved 1/3 cup chips and shortening in small microwave-safe bowl. Microwave at HIGH (100%) 30 seconds; stir. If necessary, microwave additional 15 seconds at a time, stirring after each heating, until chips are melted and mixture is smooth when stirred. Drizzle over tops of tassies.

I like to add an extra step – EAT THEM UP BEFORE SOMEONE ELSE DOES!!!!

KID COOKING TIP:
Get the kiddies involved- any time there is mixing they can do it. My 1 year old helps- trust me anyone can. Slightly older kids can dip the French toast into the batter before yu place in frying pan.

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No Bake Cheesecake is great! God Bless America!

So you realize you forgot to pick up something or you are sick of bringing that chocolate pineapple cake from the national grocery store. Why not try something you can whip up and really impress your friends and family. This is my wife’s recipe and we use it nearly every 4th of July. Here we go!

Ingredients:
2 Pkg Cream Cheese (8oz. Each)
1/3 Cup Sugar
2 tbsp. Lemon juice (optional)
1 tub (8 oz.) Cool Whip Thawed
1 Graham Cracker Crust
- Strawberry halves & Blueberries

Lets make it!
Beat the cream cheese, sugar & lemon juice in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until well blended
Gently stir in 2 cups of whipped topping
Spoon into crust
Refrigerate 3 hours or until set
Then, spread Cool Whip over top
Arrange berries in rows to resemble flag

WAH-LAH – awesome no bake cheesecake 4th of July Dessert

Enjoy

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Grill it up- throw it on some lettuce

If you have been following me for any time you know I love Grilling (BBQ’ing) and for much of my life I was a salad junkie. Recently I had Lapband surgery and one major issue I have now, is the inability to eat salad in any great volume, but I still love to make it. My wife and girls could live on salad. So what I have included here are the 3 best recipes from the net for grilled salads.

In a week or 2 I am going to cook one of these with the family. I figured it is a hot weekend, maybe someone would want to try something different. I know even I am exhausted with burgers after my 3rd family bbq of the weekend.

This is not any order-
Wilted Caesar Salad –

Grilled Asian Salad -
Quick and easy
Grill scallions and unshucked corn. Chop the scallions and cut the corn from the cob. Mix with soba noodles (you can find them at a Whole Foods) and toss with a sesame-soy vinaigrette.

Grilled Caprese Salad-
Take your romaine and lay it on a pan or tin. Grill until it just starts to brown/blacken.
While that is cooking, grill Italian bread – then add garlic rub, top with grilled tomato slices, basil, fresh mozzarella, and extra-virgin olive oil.

There is so much you can do with veggies and salad on the grill. It is a fun way to play food and flavors.

UPDATE: Although not a salad- we are grilling veggies tonight
Eggplant, Zuccini, Squash, Onions, Peppers
Take these and mix the following and let them marinate for at least 2-3 hours
3 tsp Olive Oil
2 Garlic Cloves- Crushed
1 tsp Thyme
1 tsp Sage
1 tsb Rosemary

Here is what it looks like before it hits the grill

We may also- take some Jersey Tomatoes and Mozzarella = grill’em up -stack’em up and eat’em up!

Enjoy!

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