Cheeseburger Macaroni

Macaroni is always appreciated in our house. This is just another way to prepare it, and it's oh so good!

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 lb of ground beef or turkey
• 3 cups of uncooked elbow macaroni
•    (prepared by the package directions)
• 2 Tbsp of olive oil
• 3 Tbsp of all purpose flour
• 4 cups of milk
• 1 tsp of salt
• 1/2 tsp of black pepper
• 1/4 cup chopped onion
• 5 cups of thinly shredded Mexican blend cheese 

Directions
Heat a 10" skillet on medium high and add the cooking oil. Heat the oil until it's hot. Add the ground beef or turkey and cook for 10 minutes or until the meat is done. 

Add the flour and stir until the meat is coated with the flour. Stir in the milk,salt, and the black pepper, and cook on medium heat until the sauce thickens.  

Once the sauce has thickened, stir in 2 cups of the cheese and cook until the cheese has melted.

Once the cheese has melted, add the cooked macaroni, onions, and the remaining 3 cups of cheese. 

Cook for 5 more minutes or until the cheese has fully melted and is well blended into the sauce. Remove from the heat and serve with your favorite vegetables. Enjoy! 

Makes 6 - 8 servings.

©Rolisweets

Easy Yellow Cake with Chocolate Frosting

This cake takes me back to my childhood! This is a quick and easier version of the three-layer cake that my mom used to make. Such good warm memories! Mm-mm...

Ingredients

• 2 cups of all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp of baking powder
• 1/8 teaspoon of salt
• 1 stick of butter, softened
• 1 cup of sugar
• 1 egg
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract 
• 1/2 tsp lemon extract
• 1 1/2 cups of milk

Chocolate Frosting

• 2 cups of powdered sugar
• 2 Tbsp of cocoa
• 2 1/2 Tbsp of milk
• 1 tsp of vanilla extract

Directions

Preheat oven to 350° degrees.

Grease and lightly flour an 8" x 8" square baking pan and set aside. (I lined my pan with aluminum foil for easy removal after baking.)

In a small bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt, then set aside.

In a large bowl, combine the softened butter and sugar using a hand blender. Mix until the mixture is creamy.

Add the egg, vanilla extract, and lemon extract and mix together to well blended.

Stir in the milk and flour a little bit at a time, alternating between the two to avoid lumps forming in the mixture. Mix until well blended. The mixture should be smooth and creamy. 

Add the cake batter to the prepared pan and bake for 30 - 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center, comes out clean.

 Let the cake cool.

For the frosting: 
Add the powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and milk to a medium bowl. Using a hand blender, blend the ingredients, just until blended. Add more milk if needed. The frosting should be thick and spreadable, as shown.

When the cake is cool, spread the frosting evenly onto the cake. 

Cool and Enjoy! Makes 9 - 12 servings.

Orange Banana Parfait

Creamy orange goodness in a glass. Want some? :)

Ingredients

• 3 bananas, sliced
• 2 (15) oz cans of mandarin oranges, unsweetened
• 1 cup of crushed almonds    
• 1 (8) oz container of whipped topping
• 4 (8) oz glasses

Directions

Begin preparing the parfait by first addina two tablespoons of the crushed almonds to the glasses and then adding four mandarin oranges, 2 Tbsp of whipped topping, and four banana slices. Repeat layering in this order, twice more, or until the glass is full. Enjoy immediately, or chill in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Makes 4 servings.

Note: To keep the bananas slices from turning brown,  brush them with a small amount of lemon juice.

©Rolisweets

Breakfast Wrap

Breakfast this morning...what did you have? :)

Ingredients

1 tortilla wrap

2 large eggs

1 small red pepper, chopped

Spiced Shrimp Salad

Shrimp can be prepared so many different ways; fried, grilled, or even baked. I'm enjoying my shrimp in a salad today! It's lightly season with pepper and I added a little bit of jalapeno peppers to spice it up even more.

Ingredients

• 1 lb of raw shrimp, cleaned, peeled and shells removed
•    (approximately 44 medium shrimp)
• 5 cups of lettuce salad mix
• 1/2 of a cucumber, sliced
• 1/4 cup of chopped onion
• 1/4 cup of chopped red bell pepper
• 1/2 cup of dried cranberries
• 4 slices of pepper jack cheese, sliced into small pieces
• 1/2 of a lemon (sliced in half)
• 1 Tbsp of olive oil
• 3/4 tsp of Italian seasoning
• 1/2 tsp of black pepper
• sliced jalapeno peppers, optional

Directions 
Preheat oven to 350° degrees.

Lightly grease a cookie sheet or a small pan and add the raw shrimp to the pan. Sprinkle the shrimp with 1/4 tsp of black pepper and 1/2 tsp of Italian seasoning. Squeeze one lemon slice to sprinkle lemon juice onto the shrimp.

 Cook the shrimp for 15 minutes or until they are white as shown. (Be careful not to overcook them.)

While the shrimp is cooking, began preparing the salad by adding the lettuce mix to a 13" by 9" pan. Sprinkle the lettuce with the remaining black pepper and Italian seasoning.

Add the cucumbers.

Add the chopped onions.

Add the chopped red bell pepper.

Add the sliced pepper jack cheese.

Add the dried cranberries.

When the shrimp has finished cooking, drain and liquid and top the salad with the cooked shrimp. Use the remaining lemon slice to sprinkle lemon juice over the salad.

Enjoy with your favorite salad dressing. (I used peppercorn ranch).

Makes 6 - 8 servings.

©Rolisweets

How to Get Free Things in the Mail

For the most part my blog has been all about food, recipes, and household tips. I'm adding yet another element; free things!

I receive free samples, magazines, and various products in the mail on a daily basis. And yes it's true that some things are free in life. The only downside is that different companies will have your contact information, but it's a risk that I've taken and so far so good. It's definitely a win, win. 

Imagine getting free, deodorant, razors, dish detergent, and even coffee K cups, and you know how expensive those are! Here's a sample of what I received in the mail today, and it all came from one request.

January 5, 2014 - Another sample of products that arrived in the mail today. 

Here's the link to several sites that offer free things. I will also be posting links to free things as I get them as well. Just click on the Free Things link at the top of the page.

I love Free Things

http://www.ilovefreethings.com/ (this is my favorite)

All You Magazine

http://www.allyou.com/coupons-deals/daily-free-samples-00411000069695/

Women Get It Free

http://www.getitfree.us/

Totally Free Stuff

http://www.totallyfreestuotff.com/

Note: It may take up to six week to begin receiving your free samples, however, once they start to arrive, you can have a steady flow of free things just by filling out the forms provided by the websites listed.

©Rolisweets

Lemon Crisps

Lemon crisps anyone? A nice thin cookie that can be enjoyed with a warm cup of coffee, or a scoop of ice cream. They taste as good as they look!

This is my first time trying this recipe. I intended to make a thicker cookie, however, the cookies fell flat after I took them out of the oven. Everyone loved them as they were, so I decided not to modify the recipe. The dough is so good, I had to stop the kids from eating it all to make the cookies! They are also very quick to prepare and it only takes 6 minutes to bake them.

Ingredients

• 2 cups of all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon of baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon of salt
• 2 sticks of butter, softened
• 1 1/2 cups of granulated sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon of lemon extract
• 1 (4) oz box of instant vanilla pudding mix

Directions

Preheat oven to 350° degrees.

Lightly grease a cookie sheet and set aside.

In a small bowl, add the all-purpose flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

In a large bowl, add the butter and sugar. Using a hand blender mix  the butter and sugar until smooth and creamy.

Add the eggs and lemon extract. Mix until well blended.

Add the vanilla instant pudding mix and blend until all ingredients are combined.

Add the flour mixture and, using a spoon, stir until the flour is well blended.

Add the cookie dough to the prepared cookie sheet by measuring 1 teaspoonful of the dough and placing each teaspoonful 2 inches apart on the cookie sheet.

Bake for 6 minutes or until the edges of the cookies are golden brown.

Remove the cookies from the oven and cool for five minutes and transfer the cookies to a cooling rack to finish cooling.

Enjoy!

Makes 48 cookies

Note: if you prepare this recipe please feel free to post a picture on my Facebook page! Thanks. 

https://www.facebook.com/Rolisweets

©Rolisweets

Mixed Fruit Smoothie

I enjoy drinking a smoothie everyday, and today is no exception! It's so good.

Ingredients

2 medium size bananas, ripe is best

2 cups of frozen  mixed fruit

1 cup of almond milk

Apple Pie Puffs

A quick delicious dessert to make this evening. A little taste of apple pie in a cup!

Ingredients
2 ready to bake 9-inch pie crusts
1 (21) oz can of apple pie filling
1/2 tsp of apple pie spice
2 Tbsp of packed brown sugar
the egg white of one egg

Salmon Salad

This recipe was shared with me by a friend. It's looks absolutely delicious and it's very light on calories as well! I can't wait to try it.

Ingredients
2 1/2  cups of cooked salmon, chopped
2 celery stalks chopped
1/2 cup of  chopped onions
3 Tbsp of Garlic Expressions

Candy Corn Cake

I so totally love candy corn! This is just another way to enjoy it.

Ingredients

Cookie Layer
1 stick of butter, softened
1/2 cup of powdered sugar
1/2 tsp of vanilla
1 cup of all purpose flour
Yellow food coloring (20 drops)