Mango Chicken Tinga BHG

ingredients
1 sweet onion, cut into wedges
1 mango, halved, seeded, peeled, and diced
2 pounds chicken thighs, skin removed
1 1/2 teaspoons ground chipotle chile pepper
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 14 1/2ounce canfire-roasted diced tomatoes, undrained
1 14 1/2ounce canreduced-sodium chicken broth
1 cup mango nectar
Hot cooked rice
Fresh pineapple wedges (optional)
Lime wedges (optional)
Sliced green onions (optional)
Mexican crema (optional)

directions
1. In a 3 1/2- to 4-quart slow cooker place onion and mango. Top with chicken, chipotle pepper, garlic, salt, cumin, ginger, and cinnamon. Pour tomatoes, chicken broth, and mango nectar over all. Cover and cook on low-heat setting for 4 to 5 hours or on high-heat setting for 2 to 21/2 hours. Using a slotted spoon, remove chicken from cooker; cool slightly.
2. Remove chicken bones. Discard bones and shred chicken. Return shredded chicken to cooking liquid.
3. To serve, use a slotted spoon to transfer the chicken mixture to shallow bowls. Add a big spoonful of cooked white rice to each bowl. Spoon broth around rice and chicken and serve, if desired, with pineapple wedges, lime wedges, sliced green onions, and Mexican crema.
from the test kitchen
Other serving suggestions: For Mango-Chicken Tinga, add it to huevos rancheros. Use it as a filling for burritos, enchiladas, empanadas, or tortas. Serve the tinga on warmed corn or small flour tortillas for tacos. Serve it on crisp corn tortillas for tostadas.

Halloween Wreath

I LOVE Halloween so it's only natural that I transform a cornhusk wreath into a spoooooky Halloween wreath right?

I whipped out my handy-dandy black spray paint, some orange and purple felt, bright green ribbon, a little shot of glitter and ta-da... My perfectly spooky wreath was born.

A Cake For Beautiful Paige

Cornhusk Wreath For Fall

I used the deep orange spray paint that I bought for my mason jar project on this cornhusk wreath and I LOVE it! Bring on fall!

Cinnamon Pumpkin Rolls

Cinnamon Rolls are the way to my heart. Hands down, my go-to comfort sweet, only I don’t get to make them as often as I would like to.

What better way to welcome fall into my home than with these delicious, warm, gooey PUMPKIN cinnamon rolls?! I am pretty sure these made it to on the list as one of my absolute FAVORITE fall treats! The pumpkin adds such a great flavor and spin on traditional cinnamon rolls. I adapted this recipe from Good Life Eats to fit my taste and also to what I had on hand in my kitchen and the end result was fantastic!



Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Frosting

Yield: about 15 cinnamon rolls
Course: DessertSkill Level: Moderate
These are ooey-gooey DELICIOUS! This is a perfect recipe for fall.

INGREDIENTS
Print This Recipe
1/4 cup warm water
1 packet active dry yeast
1/3 cup warm milk
3/4 cup pumpkin puree
1 egg
1 Tbsp melted butter
3-4 cups All Purpose Flour
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tsp. salt
3/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground ginger
. FILLING . .
1/2 cup butter softened
3/4 to 1 cup brown sugar
cinnamon
pumpkin pie spice
. CREAM CHEESE FROSTING . .
4 oz. cream cheese
4 Tbsp. butter softened
1 tsp. vanilla
2-3 cups powdered sugar
milk if needed to thin to desired consistency
INSTRUCTIONS
Comine warm water and yeast packet and let sit for about 5 minutes until yeast activates and gets happy.
In a large bowl, combine activated yeast, warm milk, pumpkin puree, beaten egg, melted butter, about 1 1/2 cups of flour, brown sugar, salt, cinnamon and ginger. Beat for about 2 minutes.
Slowly add remaining flour, a little at a time, until dough becomes stiff enough to knead. Knead, adding flour as necessary until dough becomes smooth and stretchy.
Place dough in a greased bowl and turn ball of dough so all sides are lightly coated in grease. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit for about an hour until doubled in size.
Roll dough out into a large rectangle, approximately 18-20 inches long. Smear entire top surface with softened butter. Next, sprinkle the brown sugar over the top of the butter and rub it until entire top surface is evenly coated. Next, sprinkle on cinnamon, as much or as little as desired. Lastly, sprinkle on a little pumpkin spice over the top, you don't need to much of it.
Roll the dough into a log the long way. Using a very sharp knife or a piece of string, slice the log into about 15 slices.
Place slices in a greased 9x13 inch baking pan (or in two 8 or 9 inch round cake or pie pans). Cover with a towel and let rise until almost doubled in size, it will take about 45 minutes.
Bake at 375°F. Bake the rolls till they're brown around the edges and beginning to turn golden brown across the center, about 20-30 minutes.
While rolls are baking, prepare Cream Cheese Frosting. Beat softened cream cheese and butter together until well combined. Add vanilla and powdered sugar and beat until combined. Add milk as needed to reach desired consistency.
Frost cinnamon rolls while warm and serve warm.

Taylor Ray & Amy

Amy wanted a whispy and romantic cake with peonies. Her colors were teal, pink & grey.

Made Little Jars Too

I couldn't resist, I had to paint a few more jars cuz I love 'em!

Easy Cheeseburger Sliders

I LOVE this idea from Daily Dish, it's so simple! Can't wait to surprise my son with sliders, he's gonna think I'm the best Mom EVER!



Easy Cheeseburger Sliders
30 Comments | Written on May 29, 2013 at 5:00 am, by Kristina Vanni
The “unofficial” start of summer is here! This time if year is filled with family gatherings and the need to feed a crowd. Burgers are always a summertime favorite, and sliders can be even more fun. This recipe is an easy way to make a big batch of sliders for a group.

Keep reading for the recipe…
Check out these easy step-by-step instructions for making a batch of sliders in the oven!

1) Start with a 9 x 13 pan, your favorite mini buns (I love King’s Hawaiian!), and your favorite cheese (I’ll take a slice of good ‘ol Kraft American).
2) Combine ground sirloin, breadcrumbs, onion, and salt. Press into the 9 x 13 pan.
3) Bake in a 400 degree oven. (Meat will shrink in from the sides.) Top with cheese.
4) Melt cheese and cut into squares.
5) Add all your favorite toppings and enjoy with friends!

It’s easy to prepare the meat patties in advance and press them into the 9 x 13 pan until you are ready to bake and serve. Depending on the size of your crowd, you could even have several pans ready to go!
By the way, speaking of burgers, make sure to check out our “Best Burger Recipe Ever” contest this week! As always we are offering a $250 weekly prize and a $10,000 grand prize!

Easy Oven-Baked Cheeseburger Sliders
2 pounds, 93% lean ground sirloin
1/4 cup seasoned bread crumbs
3/4 cup chopped onions
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 package (12-count) Kings Hawaiian sweet dinner rolls (or slider buns)
6 slices cheddar or American cheese
Heat oven to 400 degrees. In a bowl, combine beef, bread crumbs, onion, and salt. Gently press mixture into a 9-by-13-inch pan so that it makes one large patty of even thickness. Use the tines of a fork to poke holes throughout the meat. Bake for 30 minutes. As it bakes, the meat will shrink away from the sides and liquid will accumulate around the edges of pan. When fully cooked, remove the pan from oven (keep oven turned on) and carefully drain off the liquid.
Top the meat with an even layer of sliced cheese; return pan to oven for about 2 minutes or until the cheese melts. Remove from the oven and allow to rest for a few minutes. Cut into 2-inch squares (or the size of the buns used), making 12 mini- hamburgers. Serve with dill pickle slices and ketchup. Serves 6 at 2 sliders each.

Painted Mason Jars For Fall

It's official, I've started decorating for fall, I just have to accept that summers wrapping up and cool weathers headed this way.

My first step was painted and distressed mason jars. I was at Big Lots and they had the most beautiful fall colored spray paint! Ah, I couldn't believe it! I picked my three faves Paprika, Fossil and Oatmeal. When I got home I quickly grabbed three jars and headed for the garage. I did 2 very thin coats of paint on each jar, letting it dry completely in-between of course. I then used some sandpaper to distress them up a bit. (wipe with a damp cloth to remove dust from distressing)

I used a little burlap ribbon that I had upstairs to tie a knot around the top of each jar then stuck in a few silk flowers. Ta-da! Dough Style fall Decor. Perfect.

Williams-Sanoma Slow Cooker Lasagne

Feed a crowd with this flavor-packed lasagna, which cooks to bubbling perfection in a slow cooker. If you’re lucky, you’ll have leftovers to enjoy for lunch the next day.

Ingredients:
1 Tbs. olive oil
2 lb. Italian sausage, casings removed
2 jars (each 24 oz.) tomato sauce
2 cups water
1 lb. whole-milk ricotta cheese
2 Tbs. chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
18 ruffle-edged lasagna noodles (not no-boil noodles)
1 1/2 lb. mozzarella cheese, grated
2 oz. Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, finely grated
Thinly sliced fresh basil for garnish
Directions:
In the stovetop-safe insert of slow cooker over medium heat, warm the olive oil. Add the sausage and cook, breaking up any large chunks with a wooden spoon, until the meat is browned, 10 to 12 minutes. Add the tomato sauce and water and bring to a simmer. Transfer the sauce to a large bowl.

In another bowl, stir together the ricotta, parsley, salt and pepper. Set aside.

Spread a thin layer of the sauce on the bottom of the slow-cooker insert. Cover the sauce with a single layer of uncooked lasagna noodles (about 3), breaking the noodles as needed to fit. Spread about 1/3 cup of the ricotta mixture over the noodles. Top with about 2 cups of the sauce, then sprinkle with about 1 cup of the mozzarella and 1/4 cup of the Parmigiano-Reggiano. Repeat the layering 4 more times, starting with the noodles.

Transfer the insert to the slow-cooker base, cover and cook on low according to the manufacturer’s instructions until the noodles are tender and cooked through, about 4 hours.

Position a rack in the center of an oven and preheat to broil.

Transfer the slow-cooker insert to the oven and broil until the cheese is bubbly and golden brown, 6 to 8 minutes. Let the lasagna rest for 20 minutes before serving. Garnish with basil and serve immediately. Serves 12.

Homemade Citrus Cleaner

Saw this on FB and wanted to give it a try. I've done a little more research online and some people love while others say it's horrible because of the odor. Hmmmmm.....

I guess I'll just have to wait and see.

HOMEMADE CITRUS CLEANER

Fill a mason jar with orange peels, pour in vinegar leaving about 1/4" space at top. Place a lid on tight and allow to sit for 2 weeks.

Strain liquid and dilute with a little water, pour into spray bottle and presto homemade citrus cleaner!

Summer Veggie Skewers

ingredients
8 to 10 wooden skewers
6 small red potatoes, washed well and halved
1 1-ounce packetHidden Valley® Original Ranch® Salad Dressing & Seasoning Mix
1/3 cupolive oilsee savings
Juice of 2 lemons
12 cauliflower floretssee savings
12 medium mushrooms, wiped clean
2 small zucchini, cut into 1-inch piecessee savings
1 red bell pepper, stem removed, seeded, and cut into 1-inch pieces


directions
1. In a shallow dish, soak the skewers in just enough water to cover for 1 hour.
2. Place the potatoes in a casserole or baking dish with 1/4 of the water and cook on high for 5 minutes. Drain the water and set aside.
3. In a large bowl, whisk the seasoning mix together with the olive oil and lemon juice until well blended. Add the potatoes, cauliflower, mushrooms, zucchini, and bell pepper to the marinade and toss until well coated. Chill covered for at least 1 hour. Preheat the grill.
4. Thread the vegetables alternately on skewers and brush with the remaining marinade.
5. Grill for 10 to 15 minutes on each side or until the vegetables are golden and crispy.

Cutest Cupcakes Ever.....

You had me at heels! High heel cupcakes, so dang cute!

I used Milano cookies for the instep and Pirouette cookies for the heels. LOVE!

Summer BBQ Fun

Ok, did these last year but thought they were 're-posting worthy'. I used a little food coloring mixed in sugar to create the margarita rim on the glass. Super easy and it adds a little something special. You can also soak lemon slices in food coloring which looks absolutely darling and so unexpected!

I used these glasses for homemade, fresh squeezed vanilla lemonade. HUGE hit it was.

Memorial Day BBQ Ideas

Thinking out of the box is a way of life for me. I love surprising guests with little unexpected touches of fun. Lately my thing is Mason Jars! I've used them for salads, drinks, table decorations, flower arrangements and yes, even cupcakes in a jar. When I came across this next idea I immediately pictured my brothers and uncles sitting around telling old family stories (the hunting stories are my fave) while eating BBQ from a jar. Perfection!

Gorgeous AmberLee posted this idea on her blog Givers Log http://www.giverslog.com/?p=8245.

Items needed:

Jars (I prefer wide mouth jars, especially when serving men!)
Buzz's beans (recipe below)
Coleslaw
Pulled pork (recipe below)
Pickle spears
Forks (I love going to DI to pick up random styles of silverware, it works well with the mason jar theme.)
Napkins (of course, again especially when serving men ;))

Wash jars thoroughly.
Start layering ingredients in jars. Place beans in the bottom, next add the slaw (since beans and pork are similar in color I like to layer the slaw in the middle). Then top it off with the pork. Then gently push pickle into pork. (you can be creative here by adding a fancy toothpick, little tags, small American flags, etc)

That's it! This is SO Dough-style it's almost ridic.


Pulled Pork

Homestyle boneless pork ribs
Sliced onion
Coke, Pepsi, root beer, or Dr. Pepper
Your favorite BBQ sauce

Place ribs, soda, and onion in slow cooker. (liquid should be just a little lower than completely covering meat) Cook on high for 4 hours, reduce to low heat and cook 1 or 2 more hours.

Remove ribs from cooker and dump all liquid. Place ribs back into cooker, add BBQ sauce and using two forks gently shred the pork. Remove pieces of fat that you can see. Cook on low for 30 min then reduce heat to warm until ready to serve.

Buzz's Beans

Caned pork and beans
Salsa

Place beans and salsa in pan and heat, stirring frequently.

The amount of salsa really depends on what you prefer. Typically I will use medium salsa and add approx. 3/4 cup per large family size can of beans.

I LOVE SLOW COOKERS!

Baked Cauliflower. YUM

Pre-heat oven to 500 degrees.

Break apart cauliflower, wash and place pieces in baking dish, drizzle with olive oil and lemon juice. Add salt, pepper and garlic powder.

Place dish in oven and bake for 15 minutes. Stirring occasionally.

After removing from oven top with parmesan cheese.

Ta-da..... Cauliflower to die for!

Almay Smart Shade Mousse Makeup Review

I just pick this up today at Walgreens & paid a little over $11. I bought the light/medium 200 and I was quite surprised when I opened it up because it's kinda purple. Yup, I said purple.

Regardless of the color I decided to give it a go.

Sooooo.... The jury is still out, I can't decide! It feels amazing going on but I'm not sure about the coverage.

I plan to try it for the next couple of days hopefully I will figure it out.

Blueberry and Cream Cheese Bread Pudding

Blueberry and Cream Cheese Bread Pudding with Fresh Blueberry Syrup....
TO DIE FOR 'Nuf said.

Bread Pudding Ingredients:
Cut up bread, dry (I use Texas Toast)
6 eggs
4 cups cream
1/4 cup maple syrup
Cream cheese, cubes
Vanilla
Nutmeg
Cinnamon
Fresh or frozen blueberries

Slice bread into cubes (I place my bread in the oven on low to dry them out).

Whisk together eggs, milk, syrup, vanilla, nutmeg and cinnamon.

When the bread is nice and dry cover the bottom of your baking dish with cubes of bread. Sprinkle on cubes of cream cheese and blueberries (use as much or as many as you think will be yummy).

Add another layer of cubes bread. You can add a little more berries and cream cheese on top, it just depends on your personal taste.

Pour egg mixture over bread. Cover with plastic wrap and then place a little bit of weight on top of your dish, this is so that all the bread is soaking in the egg mixture. Allow bread to soak for at least 3 hours, or even better place it in the refrigerator overnight.

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Place a dish of water on the lower rack under your pudding. Bake until golden brown, about 50 minutes.

Blueberry Syrup Recipe

1 cup sugar
1 cup water
Combine in sauce pan and bring to a boil. Add approximately 1 cup of blueberries. Slow boil for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Serve warm over pudding.

Oh ya, it's a little bit of blueberry heaven!

Gingerbread House 2012