Entertaining

Easy Smoothie Recipe

Posted on June 6, 2017June 6, 2017 by KSSBelle

I try to make this smoothie for my husband and I almost every weekday morning in the Summer. It’s so fresh, healthy, and an added bonus, it fills you up until lunch. I do add a tiny bit of peanut butter or almond butter for protein. It’s also easy to sneak this into our toddler’s juice cup to get lots of great fruits & veggies in him at the beginning of the day. I will admit, some days we just can’t sneak that spinach past him. As our pediatrician says, “just keep trying,” so we do!

SMOOTHIE RECIPE
1 banana
5 strawberries, sliced
1/2 cup blueberries
3/4 cup pre-washed spinach
1/2 cup Horizon 2% milk
2 tbsp organic vanilla yogurt
2 tsp almond butter or peanut butter
(depending on your mood, ha!)

Blend it up, and you’re done! Now, I also have my 2-3 cups of coffee alongside this healthy start, but this Momma needs her coffee.

Enjoy!
~KSSBelle

Blackberry Crisp

Posted on August 10, 2016August 10, 2016 by KSSBelle

I’ve fallen even more in love with blackberries this Summer, especially if I can pick them up at the local farmers’ market. Blackberries eaten alone or in a recipe are divine in our household. I’ve blogged awhile ago about my “Apple Crisp” recipe (given to me from a dear friend of mine); however, I decided to cut that recipe in half and make a few changes for the blackberry crisp. My husband LOVES blackberries, so I surprised him one night with it on a whim, and now it’s his most requested dessert. It literally takes less me than 5 minutes to prepare, and you can still keep a close eye on your kids while making it! That’s my kind of recipe with an active toddler under my feet all day. It’s also a great dessert to bring to any gathering. It’s delicious, and gives you more “getting ready” time, too.

~ BLACKBERRY CRISP ~

1/2 Gallon fresh blackberries
(I feel like the local farmer’s market has the best flavor, but store bought works, too!)

Directions:
1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees, then grab your favorite 8×8 pan, no greasing necessary.
2. Wash all of the blackberries
3. Toss them into the bottom of your 8×8 pan
4. Add 2 teaspoons of water
5. Next, mix up the “crisp” topping

Crisp:
1 Cup flour
1 Cup sugar
1/2 Cup butter ( 1 full stick)

5. To save time, unwrap your stick of butter, place in a microwave safe bowl
(microwave for about 30 seconds, or until completely melted)
6. Next, add your flour and sugar to the melted butter in the same bowl.
7. Stir together until flour & sugar are completely coated in the melted butter.
8. Pour the crisp evenly over the blackberries

Bake for 30 minutes or until lightly golden brown (like the photo above). Your kitchen will smell heavenly, and your family will love this treat!

Sometimes, we serve it with whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Now, depending on what fruits are in season, I’ve made this with granny smith apples (just add cinnamon), peaches and I want to make it with blueberries next! If you have a bigger crowd to feed, you can double the fruit and crisp, and make it in an 11×13 dish, just bake it for about 45 minutes.

Enjoy!
~KSSBelle

Mumsie’s Hot Chicken Salad

Posted on August 27, 2015August 27, 2015 by KSSBelle

My Mom’s (Mumsie’s) Hot Chicken Salad recipe has always been one of my favorites as a child, and even more so as an adult. It’s SO easy to make, and you probably have 3/4 of the ingredients already on hand. And, at Thanksgiving, you can make it with leftover turkey, instead of chicken – so good!

I have a picky toddler (who also happens to be teething a lot this Summer), so finding healthy dinners can be a real struggle around here, at least ones that will be eaten anyway. Let’s just say, minus my toddler spitting out the celery hidden inside, it was eaten right up the other night.

My hope for you is that you make it, and it becomes a family favorite for everyone like it is for ours!

HOT CHICKEN SALAD
2 Cups cooked chicken (I used the rotisserie chicken)
1 Cup chopped celery
2 T. minced red onion
2 T. lemon juice
1 Cup (scant) real mayo
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste

Topping:
3/4 Cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 Cup crumbled potato chips (I use ruffles)

Mix all of the ingredients together in a large bowl. Spread into a 9×9 baking dish. Top with grated sharp cheddar cheese & crushed potato chips. Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes.

Have a wonderful Thursday!
~KSSBelle

Cobb Salad Dip

Posted on August 4, 2015August 4, 2015 by KSSBelle

I read Natalie’s blog almost daily, and when I saw this recipe posted on her blog, I just knew I had to try it. I am a huge fan of cobb salads when we go out, so this dip sounded perfect on a hot Summer day. It’s always fun to try something new, and my family absolutely loved it. Every calorie is worth running the extra mile!

~ COBB SALAD DIP ~
Adapted from Designer Bags & Dirty Diapers

One 8 oz. package cream cheese
One 8 oz., container of sour cream
One package Hidden Valley Ranch Dip mix
2 ears of corn
A handful of cherry tomatoes, diced
One Cup sharp chedder cheese, shredded
One Cup shredded romaine lettuce
Cooked & crumbled bacon
Crumbled blue cheese
Salt & pepper to taste
Tortilla chips or ruffles for dipping

Let cream cheese sit out and soften for about an hour. Mix cream cheese, sour cream & ranch packet until smooth. Spread in the bottom of any dish. I bake the corn at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes just to slightly soften it, but you don’t have to do cook it at all. Layer shredded cheese and the rest of the ingredients. I top it off with a little bit of blue cheese and bacon. Serve with chips of your choice. Enjoy!

Have a happy day!
~KSSBelle

Happy Weekend!

Posted on July 10, 2015July 10, 2015 by KSSBelle

Happy Weekend, Everyone!

via

We are entertaining company this weekend, and celebrating my husband’s birthday (We had a fun celebration last night with my family already!), so we’ll be pretty busy this weekend. I have to sign-off and go clean like a crazy woman now. Why do I always wait until the last minute? My house isn’t dirty by any means, but I need to do little things here and there that just take time. I love entertaining, but since I was raised Southern, and to be a wonderful hostess, that means in my book, everything must be “perfect’ for my guests. I was raised to have high standards for myself in everything I do in life, and I like it that way. At my core, that’s just who I am. Even though it can be exhausting, it’s worth it. It makes me happy to try and make my guests always feel welcome and at home when they visit. But I’m not going to lie, sometimes I feel as though I need a vacation after entertaining. Does anyone else feel this way? Oh well. I’ll just have an extra cup of joe to get me through the day!

Do you have fun plans ahead? I sure hope so! Enjoy!

~KSSBelle

The Best “Apple Crisp” Recipe

Posted on June 5, 2015 by KSSBelle

This is hands down the best apple crisp I’ve ever had in my life. Before I share this recipe with you, I first need to give full credit to my best friend of 27 years. This recipe has been passed down in her family for years. I asked her for her recipe shortly after I got married, and she gave it to me (thankfully). Since then, I have made this for several house warming gifts, dinner parties and just because…it’s that good.

It’s so easy to make with such simple ingredients – that’s my kind of recipe.

6 Large granny smith apples
2 Cups sugar
2 Cups all purpose flour
2 Sticks unsalted butter, melted
2 Tablespoons ground cinnamon
4 Tablespoons water

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

Start by grabbing your 9 x13 baking dish. Wash and slice the apples into very thin half moon slices. Slice the half moon slices in half. Layer the apple slices in the bottom of the baking dish. Sprinkle your 4 tablespoons of water over the apples evenly in the dish. Sprinkle the ground cinnamon over the apples.

Next, get a large mixing bowl ready for the “good stuff” otherwise known as the “crisp” part. Add your 2 cups of flour, 2 cups of sugar, then your 2 sticks of melted butter. Stir these 3 ingredients together well with a spoon.

Pour the crisp ingredients onto the apples in your baking dish evenly. Place your apple crisp in the oven and bake for 45 minutes, or until golden brown.

Serve warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Enjoy – and don’t worry, you can thank me later!

I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend!