quick and easy Archives - Page 2 of 8

Chicken & Biscuits Casserole {Quick and Easy Meal}

March 18, 2015November 7, 2015 Kim

This Chicken & Biscuits Casserole is another quick and easy meal to get on the table, that is approved by 2 out of 3 (of my) children. It’s pretty much the ultimate comfort food, with creamy sauce, biscuits, cheese…oh yeah, and some chicken too. Some people even get crazy and throw a vegetable in there. Which totally would not fly in my house.

This can be thrown together really quickly if you have pre-cooked or leftover chicken (or turkey), use refrigerated biscuits, and condensed cream of chicken soup. However, you could certainly use homemade biscuits, make your own cream of chicken, etc. I went with the super quick and easy version since as I mentioned in my last post…kids have practice in the evenings and dinner has to be FAST.

I used the large Pillsbury Grands biscuits, but next time I will use the smaller biscuits, just to make serving easier; or cut them in half before baking. I quartered and baked the remaining biscuits in the can because my crowd loves a biscuit, but you could buy the smaller container of biscuits. You can always do this with the leftovers too.

Chicken and Biscuits Casserole

1 can condensed Cream of Chicken Soup (I used the reduced fat version)

1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt (or sour cream)

2 cups chicken, cooked and cut into bite size pieces

3 tablespoons milk

3 tablespoons melted butter

1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded

1 can of biscuits (I used Pillsbury Grands Reduced Fat)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees and spray an 8×8 baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
In a large bowl, mix the cream of chicken and yogurt (or sour cream) together.
Add chicken, milk and melted butter to the cream base. Stir until combined.
Pour into prepared baking dish and top with cheese.
Flatten your biscuits (only 4 of the Grands biscuits would fit) and place on top of the cheese.
Bake for approximately 30 minutes or until biscuits are nice and browned on top, and sauce is bubbly.
Allow to cool for 5 minutes or so before serving (the sauce will thicken some as it sits)

Recipe adapted from:

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Crescent Roll Pizza Ring {Quick & Easy Meal or Appetizer}

March 16, 2015November 7, 2015 Kim

The weather may not feel like Spring, but the clocks have sprung forward and Spring sports have begun. At least here in the Mo’Betta house. This means that most evenings, right at dinner time, I have to haul my kids across the county to either soccer or volleyball practice. Therefore, dinner has to be something quick and easy. This ‘recipe’ fits the bill. It’s made with crescent rolls, and you can fill it with pretty much whatever you have on hand.

My plan was to make one with ham and cheese, just to discover I had two slices of ham left. *typical* So, I went with plan B…pepperoni and cheese, which I’m sure the kids would prefer anyway. (Except for my youngest who picked out the pepperoni, but he is the pickiest kid on earth.)

Since the kids don’t all like sauce (because that would be too easy), I just made this with pepperoni and cheese, then had pizza sauce on the side for dipping. Crescent roll rings would be great for parties and game day food too. They make a cute presentation, can be cut into any size you like, and filled with pretty much anything you want. Since all you have to do is lay the pre-cut crescent roll triangles out on a pan and lay your toppings on, they come together quickly and easily too. Pretty much a win in my book!

Crescent Roll Pizza Ring

2 cans Crescent Rolls (I used Pillsbury Reduced Fat)
2 cups shredded cheese (I used Italian Blend)
Pepperoni (I used turkey) – as many as desired
Italian Seasoning, garlic powder – optional

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Spray a baking pan or pizza pan with non stick spray (my pizza pan has holes in it, so I put aluminum foil on it, and sprayed the foil)
Separate crescent rolls into individual triangles, placing them in a circle on the pan, with pointed ends facing out (so it looks like a sun). The inside of the circle (wide ends of triangle) should overlap.
Place fillings (pepperoni and cheese) over the overlapped/wide portions of the crescent rolls.
Take the pointed ends of rolls (outside of circle) and bring them over the toppings, securing the toppings inside. You can tuck the pointed ends under the ring or just pinch the dough together.
Sprinkle some cheese, garlic powder, and italian seasoning over the top of the ring if desired.
Bake approx. 20-25 minutes, or until golden and crescent rolls are done.

Recipe adapted from

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The Best Cookie Icing!

March 9, 2015November 10, 2015 Kim

Cookie (and cake) decorating is a fine art. I’ve seen some beautifully decorated and detailed cookies, and I think “Wow. I do not have the patience for that.” And really, if I put so much time into decorating a cookie, I certainly wouldn’t want anyone to just eat it. Therefore, I am not a cookie decorator. However, I am partial to slapping a glaze and some sprinkles on a cookie and calling it a day.

Sprinkles are fun. My kids love them, and let’s face it, icing is extra sugar so it makes cookies even better. Mo’betta if you will.

I love a good homemade cookie, but I don’t stick my nose up at a box mix either. When I saw this new Meyer Lemon cookie mix, I just had to give them a try. Did you catch my “all things Meyer Lemon” post? Love them. I thought adding some icing and sprinkles (and the mix came with the colored sugar) would make a pretty and Spring-y cookie. Since it was 20 degrees but felt like OMGthisisridiculous degrees, I needed something to get me through!

Sometimes you just have to bake your own sunshine.

In the past, I have made icing for cookies, but it usually stayed wet and sticky or got dry and flaky. This past Christmas, when making Gingerbread Men with the kids (that I forgot to post!), I stumbled upon the perfect icing. It hardens enough that you can stack a cookie or two on top of each other, but not rock hard so it’s crunchy. It’s like edible puff paint! It is now my go-to cookie icing, whether it’s gingerbread men or sugar cookies.

You can use different extracts to change the flavors, or add food coloring to make different colors and it always sets up nicely. My kids got very creative at Christmas!

Cookie Icing (Glaze)

1 cup powdered sugar, sifted

1 tablespoon milk

1 tablespoon corn syrup (light)

1 drop of lemon juice (we added several drops to give it a lemon flavor for lemon cookies above)

Add all ingredients to a small bowl and stir to combine. Add food coloring if desired. Top cookies with glaze and add sprinkles before the icing sets.

*For cookie decorating tips, such as flooding, outlining, etc. see the recipe source at *

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Quick & Easy Cinnamon Rolls {in 30 minutes!}

March 5, 2015November 10, 2015 Kim

I didn’t get a chance to post yesterday because….it was SEVENTY-FIVE degrees outside!!!! I had full on Spring fever. Washed my car, did some grilling…and guess what the high for tomorrow is? TWENTY-FIVE. Yes, 25. A 50 degree drop in temp, and tonight, we are supposed to get an inch of sleet/rain/snow #overit. This bi-polar weather is making me crazy. So, what better way to start yet another snow day (or any day!) than with cinnamon rolls. Not fussy, waiting for things to rise cinnamon rolls – but super easy, roll and go cinnamon rolls. ‘Cuz that’s how I roll.

They look pretty good right? Other than my ‘taken in the bad morning light with my cell phone pic’ of course. You would probably never guess they started with pre-made pizza dough. Yep, pizza dough!

Is it exactly the same as homemade, baked from scratch cinnamon rolls? No, not exactly. Is it a very good compromise? In my opinion, yes. In my kids’ opinion, absolutely!

Quick and Easy Cinnamon Rolls

Pre-made pizza dough (thawed, if frozen) *I used Pillsbury pizza dough in the can, from the dairy section of the grocery store (with the biscuits)

3 tablespoons butter, softened
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon cinnamon
pinch of salt (if using unsalted butter)

Icing:
2/3 cup confectioners sugar
1 tablespoon milk
1/8-1/4 tablespoon vanilla extract
pinch of cinnamon (optional)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Butter the bottom and sides of an 8″ by 8″ baking dish.
In a small bowl, stir the softened butter until spreadable. (Can microwave in small increments to soften if needed)
Lightly flour a flat surface and roll the pizza dough out with a floured rolling pin into a rectangle. (approx 12 x 15 inches)
Spread a thin layer of the softened butter (about 2 tablespoons) over the surface of the dough.
Sprinkle the brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt (if using) over the buttered dough, covering the entire surface (to the edges).
Starting on one of the 12″ (shorter) sides, tightly roll the dough to form a log. Pinch the seam if needed to keep from unrolling.
Place log seam side down, and slice into 9 even pieces (about 1 1/2 inches thick). Place into buttered dish – with 3 rows of 3 rolls. Top rolls with remaining butter.
Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until rolls are lightly browned and no longer wet and doughy looking. While rolls are baking, mix together icing ingredients. It’s okay if icing appears a little thick, since it will melt on warm rolls.
Remove rolls from oven and allow to cool for 3 minutes. Place spoonfuls of icing on warm rolls, allowing icing to melt and cover rolls. Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from my Cini-Mini Pull Apart Rolls and

So, I’m going to go drink yet another cup of coffee and complain non-stop to my friends via group text about the weather. Don’t I sound like a BFF you want to have? haha

This recipe was featured at !
Friday Frenzy

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Easy Homemade Sunflower Butter & Nut-free Muddy Buddies

February 25, 2015November 10, 2015 Kim

If you have a child with food allergies, or have them yourself, you know it can be tough. You have to monitor everything that goes into your or your child’s mouth. Reading labels becomes second nature, as does inquiring about ingredients at potlucks, family gatherings, parties, etc. It’s a full time job.

You read food labels like others read trashy novels. | 14 Things That Prove You Are A Peanut Allergy Mom

Now that my son is older (he will be seven soon!) *Side note: I started this blog when he was TWO! I can’t believe I’ve been doing it this long! He is very good about asking people “does it have nuts?” or asking me or his teacher if he can eat something. However, also now that he’s older, he realizes that he is different and that he can not participate in everything that goes on at school or eat everything the other kids eat. When a situation like that arises, he says “I wish I wasn’t allergic, and was like everyone else.” *Cue breaking heart* No mom wants her child to feel that way.

I hadn’t planned on getting into all that, I was just going to post these recipes! I’ve had this stewing in the back of my mind since his class did an activity that involved smearing peanut butter all over a pine cone and sticking birdseed to it, and my son had to leave the room! He felt so left out, but of course, I would rather he be out of harms way, but he was so sad about it. It was a parent who came in and did it, not the teachers, and I know the other parent was just trying to do something fun with the kids, but I really wanted to punch her in the face. (Just kidding. sorta.) If I had been made aware ahead of time, I could have made this quick and easy Sunflower Butter so that everyone could participate! Making it yourself is much cheaper than buying the SunButter Brand in the store.

We used the sunflower seed butter to make traditional Muddy Buddies, just subbing out peanut butter with the sunflower butter. It worked great, and tasted like “regular” Muddy Buddies…my oldest daughter thought I made them using less peanut butter, but didn’t realize they were peanut free. The sunflower seed butter has a milder flavor than peanut, but when used in recipes, it’s hard to tell the difference.

Homemade Sunflower Butter

2-4 cups roasted sunflower seeds (recipe will yield about half this amount once processed)

1/4-1/2 teaspoon salt (only if seeds are unsalted; add to taste. Start with a small amount, grind seeds, then add more as needed)

oil – as needed to thin to desired consistency, we used coconut oil, but you can use any you like. I didn’t add quite enough, so my butter is a little thicker than I would like. If spreading on bread, it would need to be a little thinner.

(optional) sweetener: this can be sugar, honey, agave, whatever you choose. We used about a teaspoon of honey.

Add ingredients to bowl of food processor and blend until smooth!

Nut-Free Muddy Buddies

9 cups Chex Cereal (we used a combo of Rice, Corn and Wheat Chex)

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

1/2 cup Sunflower Butter (*see above; can also use peanut butter or any other peanut butter replacement.)

1/4 cup butter

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

Place cereal in a large bowl
In a 1-quart microwavable bowl, heat chocolate chips, sunflower butter, and butter in microwave on High for 1 minute; stir. Microwave about 30 seconds more or until mixture can be stirred smooth. Add vanilla, stir to incorporate.
Pour chocolate mixture over cereal, and stir until cereal is coated.
Add 1/2 the powdered sugar to a gallon size baggie, and add to it half the cereal mixture. Shake until cereal is coated in powdered sugar. Pour contents of baggie onto a waxed line cookie sheet to completely cool. Repeat step with remaining sugar and cereal.
You can also add in sprinkles, candy, etc if desired. We made this for Valentine’s so we used some Red Velvet MM’s, leftover from these cookies!

(recipe from back of Chex Party Mix Variety Pack box)

If you like Muddy Buddies, you may also like this Brownie Biscoff version!

Any allergy moms out there? My son is allergic to peanuts and tree nuts. He outgrew his egg allergy when he was four…that was a happy day!

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Peppermint Hot Chocolate Mix

February 3, 2015November 12, 2015 Kim

Winter is…cold. (Thank you Captain Obvious) I’m not a fan. Therefore, there have been lots of hot bevvies filling my day – mainly coffee, but a little hot tea, some apple cider, a hot toddy here or there, and of course, hot chocolate.

I made these for Christmas gifts, and thought they turned out pretty cute…I do love a mason jar. Since my kids are constantly asking for hot chocolate, I am getting ready to mix some up to have on hand at home. It’s nice to have a dry mix available that the kids can prepare themselves.

You can layer it all pretty for gift giving, or mix everything together and store in a sealed container so it’s ready to go. One of my friends who received this did say it wasn’t quite sweet enough for her taste, so you may have to adjust the amount of sugar to your liking.

Peppermint Hot Chocolate Mix

1/2 cup dry (powdered) milk
1/2 cup cocoa, unsweetened
1/2 cup sugar (adjust to taste)
pinch of salt
1/4 cup mini chocolate chips
1/4 cup crushed peppermint candy
1/4 cup mini marshmallows

Layer ingredients in order listed in a pint sized jar or mix all together and store in an airtight container. For serving, place 1/3 cup mix in a mug, add one cup (8 ounces) boiling water. Stir well. Enjoy.

Recipe Source and Printable from

*For adults, you may want to add a little homemade Peppermint Vodka!

Maybe this will get me through another six weeks of winter. Damn Groundhog.

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Loaded Chocolate Bourbon Fudge

January 20, 2015November 12, 2015 Kim

Yes, this was another Christmas gift involving booze, but would also be fun for Valentine’s Day. And seriously, anytime you throw together chocolate and booze…it’s going to be a fun day.

Even though this is not my most beloved old-fashioned fudge, it was pretty darn good…I happen to love Jim. And Jack. It’s also easy…no candy thermometer required! And before anyone asks, yes you can omit the alcohol.

The toppings are your choice as well. I used what I had on hand…Heath Toffee Chips, Mini Baking MM’s, mini Hershey kisses, chocolate drizzle…and I tried doing a white chocolate drizzle, but my chocolate seized up on me…I think it got some water in it. I was doing multiple things at once and that’s never good when dealing with melted chocolate!

Loaded Chocolate Bourbon Fudge

20 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, chopped (I used , half milk and half dark chocolate)
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3-5 tablespoons bourbon (I used 5 – Jim Beam and )
approx 1-1/2 cups of desired toppings
1/2 cup milk chocolate, melted

Line an 8×8 pan with parchment paper or spray with non-stick cooking spray.
Melt the 20 ounces of semi-sweet chocolate in the microwave or using the double boiler method (I almost always use the microwave, just remember to microwave it slowly. I heat for one minute, then stir, then heat for 15 seconds until mostly melted, stirring between each interval).
Once melted, stir in sweetened condensed milk and vanilla extract
Stir in bourbon 1 tablespoon at a time. The mixture will thicken, but continue stirring or folding with a sturdy spoon.
Pour the chocolate mixture in the prepared pan and place in fridge for 10 minutes to set.
Melt the 1/2 cup milk chocolate using desired method and spread a couple of tablespoons evenly over the top of the chilled fudge. Immediately sprinkle on desired toppings, gently pressing into the chocolate.
Use the remaining milk chocolate and drizzle it over the top. This will help keep all the good stuff from falling off when cutting.
Let set in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.
I recommend cutting into small pieces (about an inch or so, because it is very rich!)

Recipe Source:

I also highly recommend that when cutting this, have it on a nice, flat, non-slip surface. Otherwise, half your fudge may end up on the floor. When it hits the floor, all of your toppings will pop off, fly all over the kitchen, creating havoc as you try to keep two dogs from eating the chocolate. Also, causing much swearing to occur and resulting in your friends getting half the amount of fudge that was intended. I’m just sayin’…it could happen. #thisismylife

Disclosure: I received both Chocoley Chocolate and Rave Reviews! Culinary Spirits as samples. This is not a paid post.

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DIY Candy Flavored Vodka

January 5, 2015November 12, 2015 Kim

I know, I know. This would have been nice to have posted before Christmas. But…uhm…yeah. Didn’t happen. See previous post for all the pre-Christmas drama. However, even though this was an awesome (if I do say so myself) Christmas gift, it would be an equally awesome Valentine’s gift, birthday gift, etc. For the over 21 crowd of course.

This is SO easy to make, and it doesn’t have to be candy cane…it can be any hard/sugar candy you like. For example, lemon drops are sitting on my counter right now, just waiting.

For Valentine’s Day you might want to use Red Hots for a Cinnamon Vodka, Cherry Sours for a Cherry Vodka, Starlight Mints for Peppermint Vodka…and of course, I’m sure there are still candy canes sitting in a clearance section somewhere!

All you have to do is add about a cup of candy to each pint of vodka. I put mine in mason jars. Because I love mason jars. Give it 2-3 days to dissolve, shaking occasionally, and viola! You’ve made your own flavored vodka.

I just love the color! I can’t wait to try other flavors. I will let you know how they turn out. Also, not only do they make pretty gifts, they taste really good too. I had just a tiny taste, before giving these away, but it tasted so much like a candy cane. The lushes friends I gave them to also gave them a thumbs up. They mixed it with a little Sprite, but you could also use this flavor to make Peppermint White Russians, or add to this Peppermint Hot Chocolate Mix! You can always pin them for next year! #betterlatethannever

I found this gem of an idea over at and I found the label at . Thank you ladies, and thank you Pinterest!

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Bubble Up Apple Pie {4 ingredients!}

October 22, 2014November 13, 2015 Kim

If you have been on Pinterest or have been following my blog a while, you are probably familiar with the “bubble up” casseroles. I have made several over the years, and I see new variations popping up all the time. It’s basically a casserole made with cut up biscuits and your choice of meats, cheeses, veggies, you name it. However, now I’ve discovered a dessert version *insert big smiley face*. Biscuits and sugar. Carbs on carbs. You know it’s gonna be good!

It’s not super pretty, but you could dress it up with a powdered sugar or cream cheese drizzle. I had every intention of doing that…but it just didn’t last that long. You could also serve it with some vanilla or butter pecan ice cream!

“Bubble Up” Apple Pie

1 (8-count) can of Pillsbury Grands Biscuits, cut into 8ths (I used reduced fat)

1 (21 ounce) can Apple Pie filling (I used the ‘no sugar added’ variety)

1 teaspoon apple pie spice (or cinnamon)

1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)

*the original recipe called for 1 cup butterscotch chips, but I omitted*

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Spray a 9×13 inch pan with cooking spray.
Open can of pie filling and take a sharp knife and stir around the can to slice up apples (just so they are not in big chunks).
Pour pie filling in a large bowl. Add biscuit pieces and apple pie spice. Stir.
Pour mixture into pan.
Top with chopped nuts, if using.
Bake 30 minutes or until biscuits are lightly browned and cooked through (check the center for doneness)
Remove from oven and cool slightly. Add glaze if desired. Serve warm or room temp.

recipe adapted from

This was a quick and easy dessert to throw together on a week night. In my opinion, it’s best served the same day it’s made, but leftovers can be stored in the fridge and re-heated in the microwave. I’m seeing different flavor combinations in my future…cherry pie filling with chocolate chips for a Black Forest bubble up…blueberry with lemon glaze….and I’m sure I will think of more!

Speaking of more – other Bubble Up recipes I’ve tried….

Bubble Up Pizza

Bubble Up Taco Casserole

Bubble Up Cheese Bread

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Quick & Easy Pancake Syrup

October 2, 2014November 14, 2015 Kim

Sometimes you just know you have something in your refrigerator or pantry, just to go grab it and realize…nope, you’re out. This happened to me the other night when we had breakfast for dinner. We had fixed Belgian waffles, pancakes, Monte Cristo Waffle sandwiches…and there was no syrup. Then I remembered that I had wanted to buy real maple syrup on my last trip to the grocery store, and apparently it had been made with gold because it was outrageously expensive. I passed on it, but couldn’t bring myself to buy the imitation syrup either. With all the caramel coloring and other weird ingredients, I just left the aisle in disgust.

Well, it turns out, pancake syrup is pretty darn easy to make. Like 4 ingredients easy (and one of those is water). It also only takes about 5 minutes. I know a lot of people are very anti corn syrup right now, but I’m still on the fence. It obviously has it’s negatives, but I have 2 words for you…Pecan. Pie. Y’all have to remember I’m from the South, and pecan pie is a tradition. As is Karo syrup. So, I wasn’t too worried about making pancake syrup with it…especially since I’ve been eating that other artificial stuff for years.

Easy Maple Syrup

1/2 cup Karo® Light Corn Syrup
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
1/4 teaspoon maple extract

Combine corn syrup, sugar and water in a medium sized sauce pan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
Remove from heat and stir in maple extract.
Let cool to desired temp. (It will thicken as it cools)
Serve over pancakes/waffles, etc.

*I keep mine stored in the fridge

Recipe Source:

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