Pour Me A Tall One!

Evey single person in this world likes smoothies! Seriously think about it! There is not one single person you can offer a smoothie to and there reply be.. "Oh no thanks, smoothies aren't my thing man..." Like that just doesn't happen!!!! So. That is why I am dedicating this blog to the worlds greatest liquid invention! ...

{The Fruit Smoothie.}

Now that I have convinced all y'all that smoothies are thee best I'm going to talk about the worlds second greatest love! {Obviously smoothies are number one!} Convenience. "Naw man.. Convenience isn't my thing either.. I like to take the long hard route bro..." Just doesn't happen. {Who the heck is this guy!?!??}

So lets put these two wonderful things together.. and we get...

{Premade Freezable Fruit Smoothies!!}

{Cut up fruit is seriously the most beautiful thing in the world! It makes me so happy!}

Alright enough chitchat! Let me throw this down for ya... 

Get all the fruit you want! Seriously there is no limits here! Whatever your heart desires! Go crazy! And a tub of yogurt, I do not recommend the plain kind.. its really gross!! {Learned that the hard way!} Its not horrible when its mixed in with the fruit.. but it could be better! The Light and Fit is a really good choice because its like half the calories than Yoplait! Or Greek yogurt is super good for you! Just make sure there is a little flavor in there!

{But in case you have a hard time deciding here is what I got.. blueberries {frozen}, blackberries {frozen}, strawberries, pineapple, kiwi, and bananas!}

So I suggest you use a mini muffin pan to freeze the yogurt, but if you don't have one a cookie sheet will work too. {That's what I did} So spoon a heaping tablespoon in each cup

{Or spoon it onto the pan in little piles and don't let them touch if you are using a pan!}

After you have popped the yogurt in the freezer start cutting up your fruit. Remember these will be frozen when you put them into the blender so don't make them too big, just normal size.

As I was cutting up the kiwi I was like how the heck do you get the skin off!? Right before my last one I was like A VEGETABLE PEELER! At the moment I felt like a super genius! Ha but now I look back and think.. duh that was totally obvious!! Just thought I'd share my blond moment just in case you have the same problem.

Dezi loves when we cut up fruit cuz we cant help throw her a piece every five seconds with that cute little face! 

And my daddy loves when we cut up fruit because we save the scraps and bring them over for his compost! {I'm all about the compost!}

Lay the fruit out so its not touching and freeze it.

Next lay them out like this and take a beautiful delicious picture like this! Haaa just kidding, just kidding

Put 2-3 yogurts in each bag, along with a mix of about a cup and a half of fruit. This is the fun part! Making different combinations and such. my favorite one was a pineapple strawberry blackberry one! It was so good!

{After I was all done and putting the bags in the freezer I found another tray of fruit! Ha it was a bitter sweet moment.}

So when you're craving a smoothie or your in a hurry just dump a bag in the freezer with some milk {and maybe some protein or spinach} and you got a ticket to a quick delicious meal!!

Tip to make your life easier: 

Make sure the yogurt and fruit freeze all the way! Especially the yogurt! Because if you don't when you go to put the bags together the yogurt will melt super fast and when you freeze the bags the yogurt will just refreeze with all the fruit and make a huge frozen ball and it will be horrible and INCONVENIENT when you go to blend it!

Best Thing That Ever Happened To Me

I am all about the sugar cookies! They are definitely my favorite! And because they are my favorite its resulted me to trying dozens of recipes trying to find 'the one' I have found a couple that I seriously thought to myself: this is it! It couldn't possibly get any better than this! Until a month or two ago when I came across this lovely recipe on Pinterest! Like no joke I was so excited that I went to the store the next day and bought cake flour so I could make them ASAP!

You know how Paradise Bakery always has that buy one cookie get one free deal?? Well I don't waste my free cookie to try new flaves.. No sir! I just cut to the chase and get two sugars! So as you can imagine I was super psyched when I found this recipe.

 {This is not a joke. They seriously taste just like them! And they are so addictive!!!!}

 {Yup. Two whole cups of shortening! Kind of a turn off, yeah?? But just for a second don't think about how fattening the stuff is.. and think about how amazing these are going to taste!} 

Now I male two different sizes, little fat bites like these^^ and giant Paradise Bakery size ones that you'll see in a bit.

 {These are a little bit bigger than my usual, but what I like about the little bites is that they are so cute and soft {because I make them super fat!} and there is just something awesome about popping a little baby cookie into your mouth!}

 {I'm not going to explain myself on why I make a giant batch, because I don't need a reason to make a giant cookie!}

 {So beautiful}

WARNING: I know I have you drooling over your computer and all... But don't make these. Yes, they are the best thing that will ever happen to you.. But You will become addicted and you will regret it the next morning.

Paradise Bakery Sugar Cookies 

1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup powdered sugar
2 cups shortening {I have tried only using one cup and omitting some of the dry stuff, it was still good.. They just didn't have that melt-in-your-mouth quality}
3/4 teaspoon vanilla
1 large egg, beaten
4 1/3 cups cake flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
Plain or colored sugar, for decorating

Heat oven to 375 degrees.

In a medium bowl, cream together sugars and shortening using an electric mixer. Mix on slow speed 30 seconds, then scrape down the bowl with a spatula. Increase speed to medium and mix for 3 minutes.

Slowly add vanilla and beaten egg while mixing.

In a separate bowl, combine cake flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Gradually add the flour mixture to the creamed mixture, mixing on slow speed until just blended. Do not over mix.

Scoop with an ice cream scoop and roll in sugar. Place on baking sheet. Flatten slightly with palm of hand.

{I just kinda do my own thing here^}

Bake 9 to 10 minutes.

Cookies are done when small cracks appear and are pale golden. Ideally, do not let edges brown

Everybody Love's a Copycat(:

What is the first thing that comes to your mind when you think 'moving out'..? Bills, money, growing up..? Well not me! …Though I should have... The first thing I thought of was making delicious dinners! I love finding great recipes on pinterest! Other than my Because I'm a Cowgirl board... I think my favorite board is my Moooooree Food(: board! Seriously filled with delicious things! And I just couldn't wait to move out and try them! {"Why do you have to move out first to make these delicious meals??!" -That is what my mother just said right now as she is read this... Silly mom,,. Ya just do okay!? ;)That's how it works!}

So I have tried a few pinterest recipes here and there.. Chicken Parmesan Wraps were my first in the new place

{Turned out amazing! And I recommend them to the whole world!}

Then I made Chicken, Bacon, Cream Cheese Mini Tacos

{I'll admit mine did NOT look like this! Haha but they still tasted amazing and I'm going to make them again for sure!}

But today as I was pinteresting I came across these Chick-Fil-A {Favorite place in the world!} copycat chicken nuggets! I’ve seen them before, and was just like.. yeah that would be cool to make.. But today I was like I must make these today or I'll die!!!! Luckily we had everything!

  

What I loved most about this recipe was that it was super simple! And it doesn’t call for anything crazy! We had everything!

{Seriously the best copycat recipe I've made! Taste just like Chick-Fil-A! No joke!}

THEN I was talking to Em about a side dish.. and she was like sweeeet potatoes friesss! So I made a special trip to the store {when I say special I mean it! I HATE running to the store just to get one thing, just goes to show how excited I was for the sweet potato idea!} to but two sweet potatoes and some seasonings.

{I just think it was a funny checkout, defiantly picture worthy!}

The thinner you cut them, the better! {Well I think so anyway}

{Cutting sweet potatoes is seriously no fun! But the color of them makes me so happy!}

All these spices gave them a perfect spice!{Not too spicy.. But still makes your lips burn a bit} Sweet&spice.. friends for lifee!

{Anything with this many seasonings has to taste good!}

I would suggest leaving the skins on because first, it’s really good for you! And second, it really adds to the flavor!

 {Can’t get over how beautiful they are!}

20 minutes did the trick for me! Cooked perfectly!

I also made homemade ranch, because I refuse to use bottled! The chicken anddd the sweet potatoes were both really good with the ranch! The chicken also goes fantastic with bit of honey it taste awesome!

{One of the best meals I have ever made! And it was not hard at all! I cannot wait to make this again!}

Sweet Chicky Nuggets

Serves 4

Ingredients

      3 skinless and boneless chicken breast

{Original recipe called for two chicken, but I was like I totally need to have this for lunch tomorrow! I think there is enough flour mix to even use four if you want.}

1 1/4 cup milk
1 egg
1 1/4 cups flour
2 T powdered sugar
2 t salt
1 t pepper
peanut oil (is best) or canola oil

Directions

· In a medium bowl whisk the egg and stir in the milk. Trim any fat away from chicken. Cube

 chicken into bite size pieces. Place chicken in milk mixture, and cover. Let it 'marinate' for 2-4

 hours in the fridge. This will make the chicken very nice and tender.

· In a gallon size resealable baggie combine flour, powdered sugar, salt and pepper. Seal and shake to combine.

· Place about 2 inches of oil in a medium deep pot. Over medium high heat (more towards the high side) heat oil until hot. If using a thermometer let the temperature reach 375°. If you don't have a fancy gadget like most people, I always test my oil by dropping a few drops of water into it. You want it to sizzle and not pop too much. Adjust your heat if necessary.

· Using a fork or tongs remove cut chicken from milk mixture and place in the flour mixture. Seal and shake until nuggets are completely coated.

· Place about a 6-8 nuggets into hot oil and let them cook until golden brown, turning half way through once the edge of your chicken starts to turn white. About 1 minute each side. Always double check to see if any chicken you make is cooked through. I always just make a tiny cut to see if it's pink. Remove and drain on a paper towel. Repeat until all nuggets are cooked.

Spicy Sweet Potato “Fries”

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

2 large sweet potatoes
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon cayenne powder
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
3-4 tablespoon olive oil

{The recipe is a little modified; I cut the chili powder, cayenne powder, and cumin in half because the lady said they are super extremely spicy! I like spice… Just not like a crazy person! And they still were spicy}

Directions

    · Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Coat a sheet tray with cooking spray.

· Cut sweet potatoes into 1/4 inch strips. Toss with olive oil, adding enough to evenly coat all the fries. Combine the spices and toss them into the bowl and mix to coat.

· Spread the sweet potatoes in a single layer on the prepared baking sheets, being sure not to overcrowd.

· Bake until the sweet potatoes are tender and golden brown, turning occasionally, About 20 minutes. {I didn’t turn them cuz i forgot! Haha still turned out okay... But I bet they woulda been crispier if I did!}