Fruit Salsa...My Way!!

There are so many recipes out there for this! But this I know is kid approved!! I serve it to my daycare kids!! From ages 1-11!! Great for an after school snack!!  The pics aren't the best, but ohhh does it taste good!!

WHAT YOU WILL NEED:
1 pint strawberries, minced
1/2 c. (or so) cantaloupe, minced
2 medium-large apples. I prefer Gala, and minced
1 tbsp. lemon juice
1 tbsp. sugar
1/2 c. orange juice (the real stuff, people!)
10 or so tortillas pie cut (with a pizza cutter, it's faster!!)
cooking spray
1 c. cinnamon and sugar mixture ( may or may not use it all)


Other fruits that work:
kiwi, blueberries, peaches, nectarines, plums, pomegranate (wouldn't suggest with small children)


TORTILLA PREP:
-Preheat oven to 350°
-Take cut pieces of tortillas and place them on a cookie sheet.
-Spray each tortilla lightly with cooking spray
-Sprinkle cinnamon sugar mixture over each tortilla "chip"
-Bake for about 8-10 minutes, til tortilla is crunchy


SALSA PREP:
-In medium bowl mix in minced strawberries, cantaloupe, and apples.
-Drizzle lemon juice over the top of the mixture, then mix it up!
-In small bowl, mix orange juice and sugar.
-Pour over fruit mixture, then mix it up!


The chips last a couple of days if kept in an airtight container. I suggest making the salsa 1-2 hours before you would want to serve it. This way all the juices can marry! Mmmm...

Monkey Bread

My kiddies LOVE this recipe! It's a late start tradition! For those who don't know what that is, it's a day once a month the school kids go to school 2 hours late so the teachers can have their meetings and continuing education classes.
This is by no way a healthy or weight conscious treat! But that is just what it is...a nice, once in a while treat!

YOU WILL NEED:
1 Bundt pan
2 refrigerator biscuit tubes (regular or layers work good)
2 sticks butter or margarine
1 cup sugar and cinnamon mixture
1 cup brown sugar
cooking spray


PREP:
-Preheat oven to 350°
-Spray Bundt pan with cooking spray.
-Cut 1 stick of butter/margarine into pieces. Place in bottom of Bundt pan, spreading fairly evenly. It doesn't have to be perfect here!
-Sprinkle 1/2 c. brown sugar in the bottom of the pan.
-Put sugar and cinnamon mixture in a small bowl.
-Cut each biscuit into quarters and roll each individually in the sugar and cinnamon mixture.
-Place cut and seasoned biscuit pieces in the pan evenly.
-Sprinkle the rest of the brown sugar (1/2 c.) over the biscuits.
-Cut the stick of butter/margarine and place on top of that.
-Now bake! This is the hardest part...WAITING!!!


When you can tear apart a top piece of biscuit, it should be done. It really depends on the humidity, your Bundt pan, and your oven. I would say the approximate cooking time is usually around 30-35 minutes. Give or take!


When done place on a plate with semi-high sides or serving tray and flip it over! Let the yummy dripping ooze down the side of the yumminess! I place it in the middle of the table and let the kids pull apart the pieces like "monkeys" themselves! ENJOY!!

She calls it "Perfect" Pot Roast

The Pioneer Woman has don it again! I've tried another great recipe!  Ohh!!! I loves this one!! Now if you LOVE to cook, then you'll love her site! She is the bomb!! Here's the link to the most decadent, tender and as she puts it "Perfect" Post Roast!! I'll never make it with dried herbs again!! Here's the link!! Let me know how you like it!  https://www.thepioneerwoman.com/food-cooking/recipes/a10342/pot-roast-recipe/

Ingredients
1 whole (4 To 5 Pounds) Chuck Roast
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
2 whole Onions
6 whole Carrots (Up To 8 Carrots)

4-6 potatoes
Salt To Taste
Pepper To Taste
6 Cups Beef broth
3 sprigs Fresh Thyme, or more to taste
3 sprigs Fresh Rosemary, or more to taste

Whoopie Pies

I made these for our daughter's Valentines party at school and for my day care kids!! They were at hit!! Definitely making them again!

For cakes:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2/3 cup Ghirardelli premium baking cocoa-unsweetened
• 1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup buttermilk, well-shaken
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 large egg

For filling:

• 1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 1/4 cups confectioners sugar
• 2 cups marshmallow cream such as Marshmallow Fluff
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• food coloring of choice ( I used Wilton's 'Dora Pink')

Make cakes:
Preheat oven to 350°F.

Whisk together flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt in a bowl until combined. Stir together buttermilk and vanilla in a small bowl.

Beat together butter and brown sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes in a standing mixer or 5 minutes with a handheld, then add egg, beating until combined well. Reduce speed to low and alternately mix in flour mixture and buttermilk in batches, beginning and ending with flour, scraping down side of bowl occasionally, and mixing until smooth.

I used my Pampered Chef 1 tbsp. scoop (the small one) and pressed them into a heart shaped whoopie pie pan. Bake until tops are puffed and cakes spring back when touched, 11 to 13 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack when finished.

Make filling:
Beat together butter, confectioners sugar, marshmallow, and vanilla in a bowl with electric mixer at medium speed until smooth, about 3 minutes. I added food coloring to make them pink!

Assemble pies:
I found the easiest way to fill the pies was using a icing bag! I didn't even use a tip! Fill the bottom of one cake and top with the bottom of another!

Originally I found the recipe at http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Whoopie-Pies-107615 , but I changed up a few things so I rewrote it.

Hope you enjoy!!