HaPPy!! HaLLoWeeN!!!

Hey Y'all!!  Yes it has been a few weeks.  I've had so much going on and just not enough hours in my days to keep up!  Whew!!

But I couldn't let today get away from me without sharing this yummy treat!!!

I have always loved "Pay Day" Candy Bars.  And I love the salty 'n' sweet taste it provides.  So when a fellow co-worker shared this awesome treat I knew I wanted to make it and share it with you.

It is super easy to make and not really expensive either.

Jalapeno Poppers Dip ~ Recipe of the Week

Hey Y'all,

Thanks for visiting today.
Who out there is like me and just loves the taste of Jalapeno Peppers.

Yes I know they're hot but they just have a flavor that I crave a lot.

I love Jalapeno Poppers too don't you?

The crunchy, cheesiness is just so hard to resist.

Well I had the opportunity to try this awesome substitution!  Which by the way I think is even better than their namesake. 

Our daughter, Mandi prepared an appetizer for 

a family gathering a while back. 

It was absolutely addictingly delicious!!

It has just a little bit of heat with the delicious flavor of jalapenos along with ooey gooey cheesy goodness.

She told me she had found the recipe on Pinterest.

So I searched and here it is!

                                                        ~ Thank You Closet Cooking ~

                                                    

Jalapeno Popper Dip

Prep Time:10 minutes

Cook Time:20 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

8 oz of Cream Cheese, room temperature

1/2 c. Mayonnaise

1/2 c. Cheddar Cheese, shredded

3/4 c. Parmesan Cheese, grated (divided)

4 oz. Pickled Jalapenos, drained and diced

1/4 c. Panko Bread Crumbs

2 Fresh Jalapenos (optional)

Directions

1. Mix the Cream Cheese, Mayonnaise, Cheddar Cheese, 

     1/2 c of the Parmesan Cheese and
    diced jalapenos in a bowl. 

     Pour into a baking dish 

2. Mix the Panko Bread Crumbs and 

    other 1/4 c. Parmesan Cheese.  

    Sprinkle over the dip.

3. Bake in a preheated 350 º F oven until the sides are 

    bubbling and the cheese has melted

    and turned a golden brown on top, about 20 minutes.

Now take some Tortilla Chips or Ritz Crackers.....dip....and enjoy!!!!
Don't forget to share!

What's your favorite spicy food?

Food For The Soul ~ To find God let your heart do the walking!

Blessings,
Betsy ♥

Saturday's Beauty Before Age

Good Morning!!
I hope everyone's week went very well!

Today I want to share a little secret with you! And it's just in time for Mother's Day too.
A few years ago I had my own small Bath and Toiletries business.
I made everything from scratch and all natural.
So what I'm going to share with you today is how to make your own Exfoliating Facial Scrub.
It is really super easy and I bet you already have most if not all the ingredients in your pantry.
So let's get started....

• First you need to have everything super clean where you are going to make your Exfoliating Facial Scrub.Why? Because you do not want any bacteria to get in and ruin all your hard work. Plus it wouldn't be something very appealing to put on your face if it had furry stuff floating inside of it, now would it?

• Next find your containers.  Mason Jars work great for this. 

You know the wide mouth 1/2 pint squatty kind. Or if you have a wide mouth jar called a Swing Top Bale Jar like this, they really work great.

• Now for the goodies to put inside these cute little jars.

Vanilla Brown Sugar Facial Scrub

Ingredients:

• 2 cup Brown Sugar
• 1 cup Fine Granular White Sugar*
• 1/2 cup Olive Oil 
• 1/2 cup Sunflower Oil
• 1 T. Vanilla Extract

Directions:

• In a mixing bowl blend the 2 Sugars
• Add Vanilla Extract and Oils
• Mix together until well blended
• Scoop into the jars

*If you would like to turn this into a body or foot scrub it's easy peasy!  Just add 1 cup of  Turbinado Raw Sugar in place of the Fine White Sugar.  It has a MUCH coarser texture and will exfoliate all that dead skin away.  Leaving you will super soft skin and feet!  

Today when I made my scrub I had to get a little adventuresome.  I was out of Sunflower Oil and almost out of Olive Oil soooooo I looked in the fridge and saw that I still had some Apricot Kernel Oil.  So I opted to use that!  In reality you can use what ever oil you choose, however, having said that I wouldn't use Canola Oil, Vegetable Oil or really any oil that is going to go rancid too quickly or that has an offensive odor to it in itself.  
Also instead of using the Vanilla Extract I opted for Lemon Extract.  It smelled so good and I can just imagine how refreshing it is going to make my skin feel.  All this said just use this recipe as a basic root and let your imagination run WiLd!!!  Enjoy!

Now wouldn't this make a lovely gift for Mom?

Do you have any beauty products you make yourself?

Now is time for Beauty for the Spirit:
I pray that you may be active in sharing your faith, so that you will have a full understanding of every good thing we have in Christ.   Philemon 1:6

Monday's Weekly Menu #1

Now, just to let you know I usually do all my grocery shopping at the "Big W" (Walmart).  

It isn't because I LOVE to shop there; it's because I LOVE to save my family money.  I also LOVE to see them have to give me money.  

You see I do the ad shopping Price Matching Game.  It works and it is SO EASY!  

1. You just look at your menu and go through the ads to see who has the best prices on the items you have on your list.  

2. Put a * beside an item that has the best price. 

3. Then I write beside the item who has the best price and for how much.
This way when you get to the check out you don't have to remember who and where and how much it was. 

4. Oh another thing I do is put all the price match stuff together in my basket and also I put it last on to the conveyor belt.
Have your ads in hand as you tell them the prices that you have written down on your list. They have NEVER asked to see it in the ad but you want to have them just to back yourself up!
Oh and I also put a big RED circle around the item in the ads so it's easy to find just in case!

Now I'm going to do a full menu because to me when I'm looking for a menu it's for all 3 meals not just dinner. So here we go!

Menu Plan # 1

Breakfasts:

1. *Breakfast Burrito 

    Juice of choice

    Yogurt drink (Dan Active)

    Coffee/Tea

2.  2 Eggo Whole Wheat FrozenWaffles w/ Sugar-Free Syrup

      Sausage

      1/4 c. Non-Fat Light Greek Vanilla Yogurt w/3-4 fresh Strawberries

      Juice of choice

      Coffee/Tea

3.  Scrambled Eggs

     Turkey Bacon (2 slices)

     1 slice of toast

     1 T Simply Fruit

     Juice of choice
     Yogurt drink (Dan Active)

     Coffee/Tea

{Diabetic Living}

4.  *Blueberry Buckwheat Pancakes (2) & Sugar-Free Syrup

     Turkey Bacon (2 slices)

     1/4 c. Non-Fat Light Greek Vanilla Yogurt w/3-4 fresh Strawberries

     Juice of choice

     Coffee/Tea

5.  *Breakfast Burrito

     Juice of choice

     Yogurt drink (Dan Active)

     Coffee/Tea

6.  Scrambled Eggs

     Turkey Bacon (2 slices)

     Buttermilk Biscuit w/ Simply Fruit

     1/4 c. Non-Fat Light Greek Vanilla Yogurt w/fresh Strawberries

     Juice of choice

{Diabetic Living}

7.  Leftover *Blueberry Buckwheat Pancakes (2) & Sugar-Free Syrup

     Turkey Bacon (2 slices)

     1/4 c. Non-Fat Light Greek Vanilla Yogurt w/fresh Strawberries

     Juice of choice

     Coffee/Tea

Lunches:

1:  2 oz. Turkey & 1 slice Sargento Ultra Thin Sliced Cheese Sandwich

     5 Cucumber Slices, 6 Celery Strips, 1 Radish cut into slices

     2 oz *Jalapeno Cilantro Ranch

     1 small Apple

     Water

2.  *Tuna Salad

     16 Wheat Thins

     5 Cucumber Slices, 6 Celery Strips, 4 Baby Carrots

     2 oz. *Jalapeno Cilantro Ranch 

     15 Red Grapes

     Water

3.   2 oz. Ham & 1 slice  Sargento Ultra Thin Sliced Cheese Sandwich

      1 Low Sodium Pickle Spear (Vlasic)

      6 Celery Strips , 5 Cherry Tomatoes

      2 oz. *Jalapeno Cilantro Ranch

      1 small Banana

      Water

4.  *Turkey or Ham Roll-ups

     10 Crackers

      5 Cucumber Slices, 6 Celery Strips, 4 Baby Carrots

      2 oz. *Jalapeno Cilantro Ranch

      1 small Apple

      Water

5.  2 oz. Low Sodium Roast Beef Sandwich Meat (Boar's Head brand is great) &  Swiss Cheese Sandwich

     1 Low Sodium Pickle Spear (Vlasic)

     8 Celery Strips, 1 Radish cut into slices

     2 oz. *Jalapeno Cilantro Ranch

     15 Red Grapes

     Water

6.  *Chicken Salad

     16 Wheat Thin Crackers

     8 Celery Strips, 5 Baby Carrots, 4 Cucumber Slices

     2 oz. *Jalapeno Cilantro Ranch

     15 Red Grapes

     Water

{Skinny MS}

7.   *Slow Cooker Chicken Pot Roast
      Spring Salad w/ Jalapeno Cilantro Ranch Dressing

      Ice Tea

Suppers:

1.  * Chicken Farfalle

     Salad w/ Non-Fat Italian Dressing

     1 small Whole Wheat Roll

     Ice Tea

2.  *Soft Chicken Tacos

     1/2 c *Brown Mexican Style Rice

     1 c Pinto Beans  (dry not canned)
     1/2 c. *Guacamole

     3 T Salsa

     Ice Tea

3.  Morningstar Farms Meatless Burgers (in the freezer section at the grocery store)

     *Sweet Potato Oven Fries

    *Spicy Ketchup

     Diet Coke

4.   *Chicken Quesadillas

       1 c Leftover Pinto Beans

       *Guacamole

       3 T. Salsa

       Ice Tea

5.  *Pasta e Fagioli Soup
     2 small Whole Wheat Rolls
     Ice Tea



6.  *Flat Bread Pizza
     Tossed Green Salad
     Ice Tea

7.  Leftover *Slow Cooker Chicken Sandwiches
     *Oven Fried Potatoes
     Diet Coke

All the menu items with a * beside them have recipes. So click on name and go to the recipe.

Please bare with me as I am working on getting a Recipe Index so it will so much easier to locate the recipe you are looking for. But for now it will just be a simple page with Recipes. 

Food for the Soul: Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!
2 Corinthians 5:17

Blessings  ♥
Betsy

     

     

~ Southern Dill Potato Salad ~

{Southern Dill Potato Salad}

Ingredients:
10 Potatoes
3 Hard Boiled Eggs
3/4 c. Non-Fat Sour Cream
3/4 c. Light Mayo
1 T. Dill Pickle Juice
1 T. Dijon Mustard (or to taste)
2 t. minced Garlic
Salt & Pepper to taste
1 T. dried Dill Weed

Directions:

1. Peel Potatoes & Cut into bite size pieces
2. Cover Potatoes with water in a large pot.
3. Bring to a boil and cook for 20ish (just fork tender don't over cook)
4. Place Eggs in a small pan and bring to a boil, turn heat off and cover for 20 mins
5. Remove both the Potatoes & Eggs from the heat and drain well
6. Peel & chop Eggs and place in a large bowl
7. Add Potatoes and cool in refrigerator while prepping the remainder ingredients
8. In a bowl mix well Non-Fat Sour Cream, Light Mayo, Dill Pickle Juice, Dijon mustard, Garlic and Dried Dill Weed  
9. Take Potatoes & Eggs out of fridge and add the above mixture and gently mix. It's okay if the Potatoes break up a little but still be careful. 
10. Taste
11. Add Salt & Pepper to your liking 
12. Sprinkle top with more Dried Dill Weed to garnish
13. Cover and Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes...longer is better though to give it time for the flavors to marry
14. Serve COLD

ENJOY!!!

Blessings ♥
Betsy

~ Banana Pudding ~

Ingredients:
1 can Eagle Brand Milk
1&1/2 c. Milk
1 large Box Jell-o Vanilla Pudding
1 pint Heavy Whipping Cream
2-3 Bananas
1 box Vanilla Wafers


Directions

1. In a mixing blend well both milks 
2. Add pudding and mix stirring briskly with a whisk
3. Refrigerate pudding for 5 minutes
4. Beat on high heavy whipping cream until it forms peaks
5. Fold into pudding
6. Line 9" x 13" pan with a layer of vanilla wafers
7. Add a layer of sliced banana
8. Add a layer of pudding
9. Continue until you end with pudding on the top
10. Crush a handful of vanilla wafers to garnish on the top
11. ENJOY!

Blessings ♥
Betsy 

Breakfasts Burritos

Breakfast Burritos

Makes 2 servings:

1 whole egg* 

1/4 c. Great Value Egg Whites 

2 T 1% milk

1/2 t. Mrs. Dash Southwest Chipotle Salt-less Seasoning (or flavor of your choice)

1/2 oz. Great Value Shredded Reduced Fat Cheddar Cheese

1/2 frozen Great Value Turkey Sausage Patty

2 Mission's Carb Balance Flour Tortilla 

Optional: 1 T. Salsa

• Scramble together the whole egg and egg white along with Mrs. Dash of choice & milk. 
• Spray a small skillet with Great Value Olive Oil Cooking Spray and heat on top of stove.  
• Heat 1 Turkey Sausage Patty in microwave for 1 minute. 
• While Turkey Sausage is heating pour egg mixture into heated skillet (at this point I turn the heat off from under the skillet) and beginning to scramble the eggs until completely cooked. 
• When Turkey Sausage is finished take out of microwave and cut into smaller than bite size pieces.  
• Remove the skillet from the burner and if you have a glass top stove (if not use a hot griddle) place 1 tortilla at a time onto hot burner for about 15 seconds. 
• Using tongs, so you do not burn your fingers, and heat the other side for about 15 seconds. 
• When both sides are heated place onto plate and heat the other tortilla. 

To assemble Breakfast Burritos

• sprinkle half of the cheese in the middle length of the tortilla, top with half of the sausage then finish off with half of the scrambled eggs. 

Fold and enjoy!  

* you would use 2 whole eggs if not using egg whites

Nutritional Info Per Serving: 134 Cal., 8 g.Total Fat, 117 mg. Chol., 347 mg. Sodium, 1.2 g. Carbs., 0 Fiber, 14 g. Protein