Cheesy Garlic Biscuits

I made these bad boys to go with my leftover Baked Ziti Supreme that I heated up for dinner over the weekend. They reminded me of the yummy biscuits they serve at Red Lobster.

These Cheesy Garlic Biscuits are the fifth recipe I'm featuring from Gooseberry Patch's Christmas Kitchens cookbook. Unlike the first four recipes, these biscuits feature SIX ingredients instead of five...there goes my plan of only fixing five-ingredient recipes from the book. Oh well, they were worth it!

These biscuits were light and fluffy and very tasty. The recipe says to drop tablespoonfuls of the batter onto the cookie sheet to make a dozen biscuits. I made my biscuits about twice that size and came out with seven biscuits.

If you need an easy and quick option to go with your next dinner, these are a great option.

Cheesy Garlic Biscuits
1-1/4 c. biscuit baking mix
1/2 c. shredded Cheddar cheese
1/2 c. water
1/4 c. butter, melted
1/4 t. garlic powder
1/4 t. dried parsley

Combine baking mix and cheese in a small bowl. Add water and stir until combined and slightly moistened. Drop dough by tablespoonfuls onto baking sheets that have been lightly sprayed with non-stick vegetable spray. Bake at 400 degrees for about 10 minutes, or until firm and beginning to turn golden.

Combine remaining ingredients in a small bowl and mix well. As soon as biscuits come out of the oven, brush them with the butter mixture using a pastry brush. Serve warm. Makes about one dozen.

I can't believe I'm halfway through this project. Stay tuned for the remaining 5 recipes and eventually a giveaway featuring the GP cookbook I'm cooking from!

Special thanks to Gooseberry Patch for providing me with this great cookbook to try and share with you. If you would like to purchase this or other cookbooks, please visit their store. If you would like to see other great recipes, check outwww.realfarmwivesofamerica.com.


Linking up to 2 Maids a Baking.

Baked Ziti Supreme

Sticking with my 5 ingredient recipe theme for my "in the kitchen" project with Gooseberry Patch and the Real Farmwives (and Friends) of America, I fixed the Baked Ziti Supreme from the GP cookbook Christmas Kitchen as my fourth dish!

It was very easy and quite yummy. Actually, I think it got better when I re-heated it for supper the next day!

I'm going to let you in on a couple of tricks I did to make the prep even easier.

First, I used a tip from Leah over at Beyer Beware and browned my ground beef in the microwave using my Pampered Chef micro-cooker. This has forever changed the way I cook up my ground beef! However, I need to invest in the large PC micro-cooker...the small one worked fine but I NEED the bigger one.

Second, it was 90-plus degrees out the day I decided to make the baked ziti and I did NOT want to put a pot of water to boil on the stovetop to cook the pasta. So, I threw uncooked pasta into the dish and added an extra can of tomato sauce.

Third, my sister called and wanted to go to the pool AFTER I popped the ziti in the oven. So, I turned the oven down to 200 degrees and let it cook as we sat by the pool and watched my nephew practice for his Boy Scout Camp swim test. It turned out just fine!

Here's the actual recipe. I think it would be a great dish for family night. Add a salad and some bread and you have a meal.

Baked Ziti Supreme
1 lb. ground beef
28-oz. jar spaghetti sauce
8-oz. pkg. shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
8-oz. pkg. ziti pasta, cooked
1/4 c. grated Parmesan cheese
Optional: add ripe olives or mushrooms


Brown ground in a large saucepan over medium-high heat; drain. Stir in sauce, one cup mozzarella cheese and cooked pasta. Spoon into a lightly greased shallow 3-quart casserole dish; sprinkle with remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheese. Bake, covered, at 350 degrees for 30 minutes, until hot and bubble. Serves 6.

Special thanks to Gooseberry Patch for providing me with this great cookbook to try and share with you. If you would like to purchase this or other cookbooks, please visit their store. If you would like to see other great recipes, check outwww.realfarmwivesofamerica.com.


Linking up to:

Feeling a Bit Random

I'm feeling a bit random tonight. 

Hope you bear with me...here we go!

Did you see the cool Google effect earlier this week? I called it the "Google guitar."

 When you ran the mouse over the strings, it played like a guitar. Very fun and cool.

Last week, I was able to hit Half-Price Happy Hour at Steak-n-Shake twice! Score.

After one long day at work, I might have even gotten a chocolate milkshake AND a Coke Zero...

In my defense, it was still cheaper than the milkshake would have been at full price!

Isn't this the most adorable dress ever? I couldn't resist it...even if it's a size 3 and my oldest niece is just 8 months old. It won't go out of style in 2 years, will it?

 Speaking of my eldest niece...here she is.

Can you see her hair? I was having a bit of fun while riding in the backseat with her!

It cooled off today after a week of very hot weather so I decided it was time to work in my "yard" and put out a few flowers. Here are a couple of flowerpots...

I also put out some mulch. My fingernails may never be the same...

One more thing...

Did you hear that we are giving away a SIGNED copy of The Pioneer Woman's book - Black Heels and Tractor Wheels - over on Real Farmwives (and Friends) of America? Check it out!

Well, that's about all I have. Check back tomorrow for my fourth recipe in my RFOA and Gooseberry Patch project!

Feathered Visitor

Last week I had an unexpected guest. I noticed the little guy above hopping around my landscaping one evening. It was very tame and didn't seem to notice the humans trekking up and down the sidewalk with a plastic-covered couch (I got a new couch, finally!). I don't think it could fly, kind of sad to see but the bird seemed to have adapted quite well.

My dad, sister, nephew and two of my brothers-in-law were over and were quite taken with my guest. Luckily, my dad is quite the bird-watcher and carries a "Birds of North America" book in his truck.

He identified it as either a Common Waxwing or the less common Bohemian Waxwing...I think it was the latter but my brothers-in-law weren't convinced.

After noticing my feathered friend, I saw this...

I couldn't figure out why my sidewalk was littered with berries. Then I saw my feathered friend...

I guess it tossed aside the berries deemed not worthy of consumption!

After hanging out with me for a couple of days, I woke up one morning and my feathered visitor was gone. I would like to think it hopped away...that's what I'm telling myself!

Linking up to Pinke Post and...

Giggles, Laughs and Snorts

It's been a long day.

It's been a long week.

It's been a long several weeks.

I needed a giggle...a laugh...maybe even a snort.

So, I checked out some of my favorite "time-wastin" sites.

Have you visited People of WalMart?

No? Then you must, must go right now. Just be sure you don't have any where to go for the next hour or so.

If photos aren't funny enough, someone actually wrote a song and made a video celebrating the people of Wally World. Check it out.

People Of Walmart Song - Watch more Funny Videos

This next one is definitely PG-13...maybe even R, so I apologize now. But, Texts from Last Night is hysterical!

Then there is Cake Wrecks. There are some seriously bad cakes on there, but I love the ones like this...

Source: cakewrecks.blogspot.com via Megan on Pinterest

And then on Sundays, they feature some seriously COOL cakes, like this one...

Source: cakewrecks.blogspot.com via Megan on Pinterest

Asparagus cake, you say...but wait just a second...

Source: cakewrecks.blogspot.com via Megan on Pinterest

How cool is that!

And the last one I'll share is Passive-Aggressive Notes.

Source: passiveaggressivenotes.com via Megan on Pinterest

My favorites on there are the notes in the workplace.

Source: passiveaggressivenotes.com via Megan on Pinterest

What are some websites that you go to when you just need to clear your brain for a few minutes? Are they funny? Inspirational? Educational?

Please share!

Cheesy Potato Puffs

Mashed potatoes, cheese and bacon...what can be better?

I'm not sure there is anything better, at least not for a quick and easy side dish or appetizer.

This recipe that I'm sharing as the third from Gooseberry Patch's Christmas Kitchen cookbook (part of the Real Farmwives - and Friends - of America's in the Kitchen series) would be perfect for the leftover mashed potatoes from your big family Thanksgiving or Christmas dinners.

It's also another recipe with less than 5 ingredients...ONLY 3 ingredients. Score.

Start with mashed potatoes (4 oz. package of instant), prepared and cooled. Stir in a half cup of shredded cheese - I used Colby & Monterey Jack blend. Pour a half cup of bacon bits into a separate bowl.

I used my cookie scoop to measure and then roll out 1-1/2 inch balls of potatoes.

Then I rolled them in bacon bits. Yum, bacon!

Then I placed them on an ungreased cookie sheet (I covered mine in parchment paper because I HATE dishes) and bake at 375 degrees for 15 to 18 minutes.

Before:

After:

Cheesy Potato Puffs
4-oz. pkg. instant mashed potatoes
1/2 c. shredded Cheddar cheese
1/2 c. bacon bits

Prepare instant potatoes according to package directions; let cool. Stir in cheese; roll into 1-1/2 inch balls. Roll balls in bacon bits; arrange on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake at 375 degrees for 15 to 18 minutes . Serves 4.


Like I said above, I think this is a GREAT option for those leftover mashed potatoes at Thanksgiving or Christmas. HOWEVER, I tried it with leftover mashed potatoes right out of the fridge (cold) and they were a bit sticky to handle and spread out while baking. So, I'm going to try again and let the potatoes sit out for a few minutes before handling. Stay tuned...
Check out what my fellow Real Farmwives and Friends are cooking up over at www.realfarmwivesofamerica.com 

  
Special thanks to Gooseberry Patch for providing me with this great cookbook to try and share with you. If you would like to purchase this or other cookbooks, please visit their store. If you would like to see other great recipes, check out www.realfarmwivesofamerica.com.

Why I Love My Life

There is something about a fence and cattle on the other side.

The sight draws you.

It makes you stop and just take it all in.

It attracts others.

I'm loving that as a child I stood at and climbed over this same fence to get closer to the cattle in the summer (my dad's a farmer, not a rancher so when I say "cattle" I mean four or five at a time) or to go sledding in the winter.

I'm loving that my nephews (and soon my nieces) get to experience the same kind of childhood as my sisters and I had on (or near) the farm.

I'm loving that my dad is the kind of grandpa (or Papaw) that his dad (my Grandpa) was...patient, kind, loving, silly, fun and wise.

I'm loving my simple country life (that is still just 30 minutes away from the closest mall) and that I share it with my family.

Linking up to Wordless Wednesday over at Pinke Post.