Believe in the Magic Traci Diary

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  • Homemade Ranch Dressing

    Ranch dressing is always delicious with salad or for dipping raw veggies.  I wrote this recipe down a few years ago and decided to make some to dip for my celery.

    This would be a great Christmas gift.

    Homemade Ranch Dressing

    Stars of the Recipe:

    Mix:

    • 2 Tbsp. dried parsley
    • 1 tsp. dried dill
    • 1 tsp. garlic powder
    • 1/2 tsp. dried basil
    • 1/2 tsp. pepper

    Dressing:

    • 1/3 c. mayo
    • 1/4 c. milk

    Steps:

    1. Mix up all the mixed ingredients.
    2. For the dressing:  mix the mayo and milk with 1 Tbsp. of the mix ingredients.
    3. Keeps in the fridge for 3 days.

    Printable Recipe

  • Italian Chicken (GF, DF)

    One of my favorite blogs is Eat at Home. I’ve been following Tiffany’s blog for the past 2 years. Each week she provides free weekly menus featuring recipes she has posted. The majority of her recipes are fuss-free or little-fuss recipes. The recipes are also delicious.

    I got this recipe from the blog. She named it Skillet Chicken with Peppers and Tomatoes. I renamed it Italian chicken because my boys would have told me they didn’t like it because it had peppers and tomatoes. I told them Italian chicken when they did their daily ritual of asking me what was for supper.

    I was lucky to find thin chicken breasts on sale when I did my weekly shopping. They were in a family pack for $10 and some change. I was going to be able to use the pack for 3 meals. That is a deal! Even though I told the Imaginative One that I spent a lot on the chicken, he needed to eat all his serving. LOL!

    The chicken needs to marinate overnight, so plan ahead.

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    Italian Chicken

    Based on a recipe from Eat at Home

    Stars of the recipe:

    Chicken marinade:

    • Chicken tenders or chicken breasts thinly pounded (pounded between two pieces of wax paper – take all of your frustrations out on the chicken)
    • 1/2 bottle of Italian dressing
    • 1/4 c. of soy sauce

    Italian Chicken:

    • 1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
    • 3 to 4 pieces of marinated chicken
    • 1-2 Tbsp. minced garlic
    • 1/2 package of frozen onion and pepper mix
    • 1 15 oz. can of crushed tomatoes
    • 1/2 box of penne pasta (whole wheat, gluten-free, or regular)

    Steps:

    1. Marinade the chicken for at least an hour.
    2. Cook the penne pasta, drain and set aside. (This can be done while the chicken is cooking.)
    3. Put the olive oil in the skillet. Heat it on med. Heat.
    4. Place the chicken in the skillet. Cook on both sides until browned. (Discard the leftover marinade.)
    5. Add the garlic and onion, and pepper mix to the skillet. Cook for a few minutes.
    6. Add the can of crushed tomatoes.
    7. Simmer over med. Low heat for 10 minutes.
    8. Serve with penne pasta.
    9. Enjoy!

    Printable Recipe

  • Cherry Cheese Danishes

    I love Tim Horton’s. Five years ago, I stopped there almost every day on the way to work. I considered it my half-point because it was almost directly in the middle of my drive to work. I would get an iced coffee and almost always get a BELT bagel sandwich.

    If you are wondering what a BELT bagel sandwich is, the letters stand for bacon, egg, lettuce, and tomato. The sandwich was supposed to have cheese on it, but I usually opted not to have cheese on it.

    Now I don’t stop there as often. When I do, it’s now on my way home from work instead of on the way to work. I usually get an iced coffee or hot coffee and either a cherry cheese danish or a plain bagel toasted with butter.

    So when I saw a recipe for danishes on Finding Joy in My Kitchen, I knew I needed to try to make it. However, I didn’t want the apples on it. So I changed up the recipe to Cherry Cheese Danishes.

    My husband, another relative, and one of my students all approved. (My student saw me eating one for breakfast and asked if he could try some. I normally don’t share my food, but because he’s worked hard for me, I let him have a taste. That’s all he got – a teaser taste.)

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    Cherry Cheese Danishes

    based on a recipe from Finding Joy in my Kitchen

    Stars of the recipe:

    Dough:

    • 1 cup flour (I used white whole wheat.)
    • 1/2 tsp. baking powder
    • 1/4 tsp. salt
    • 1/4 C. butter
    • 1.5 oz. cream cheese
    • 1/4 c. milk + 1 tsp. milk
    • 1/2 tsp. vanilla

    Filling:

    • 1 Tbsp. sugar
    • 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
    • 2 oz. cream cheese
    • 1.5 Tbsp. powdered sugar
    • Cherry pie filling

    Steps:

    1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
    2. In a bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt.
    3. Cut in the butter using forks or a pastry cutter. (Cut the butter into smaller pieces before cutting it into the flour mixture.)
    4. Cut in the cream cheese following the same method.
    5. Pour in the milk and vanilla. Stir until the dough become clumpy.
    6. Divide the dough into 6 parts and shape them into a small circle.
    7. Shape the circles, so the edges are slightly raised. Place on a greased cookie sheet or line it with parchment paper that has been greased.
    8. Combine the cinnamon and sugar in a small bowl. Sprinkle on the crust.
    9. Combine the powdered sugar and cream cheese for the filling. Put about 1 Tbsp. Of the mixture on the crust. (You may need to spread it out a little bit.)
    10. Spoon about 3 cherries and the cherry “sauce” on each crust.
    11. Bake at 425 minutes for 15 minutes.
    12. Reduce the heat to 350 and bake for 3 to 4 minutes.
    13. Enjoy!

    Printable Recipe

  • Menu Planning – Week of October 15

    I’ve been slacking at menu planning for the past few weeks.  This is bad because I’ve been scrambling around to figure out what we would have for dinner. 

    This week is weird.  I have a favorite zoo that I swear the people will know by name soon because I’ve gone there at least once a month since April.  Well, they offer teacher workshops.  The workshops combine my favorite things – seeing the animals and photography.  They are offering a workshop this week.  My school gave me permission to attend the workshop. 

    The workshop is on Friday and Saturday.  Since the Zoo is about an hour and 15 minutes away, I’m so fortunate because I have a family friend who is allowing me to spend the night at their house.  The wife is a pastor and is receiving an award that night.  Today I got an invitation to go to the dinner and award ceremony.  That is cool because I’ve been friends with the family for over 20 years.

    My husband is going to have to feed the boys on Friday night before he goes to work.  Then on Saturday he’s going to bring the boys to the Zoo for Boo at the Zoo.  So we’ll eat dinner there or on the way home. 

    Onto the menu:

    Monday – Chili and cornbread (We were going to have cucumbers with the soup but our fridge decided to be extra cold so the cucumber froze. :( )

    Tuesday – chicken with onions and peppers, left over mashed potatoes, veggies, Hawaiian bread

    Wednesday – Italian sausage and spinach stuffed shells, spiced country applesauce

    Thursday – mac and cheese, veggies

    Friday – crockpot sweet and sour chicken with rice

    Saturday – eat out

  • Peanut Butter Blossoms Redone

    Okay, peanut butter blossoms will never be totally healthy. First, they are a cookie; second, you put a piece of delicious chocolate on top. However, I made a little bit healthier version of them.

    The Imaginative One has a list of his favorite cookies. The top three are Snickerdoodles, Chocolate Chip, and Peanut Butter Blossoms. Today I asked the boys if they wanted me to make cookies and, if so, which kind. They decided I needed to make Peanut Butter Blossoms. Okay, I had Hershey’s Kisses, but they weren’t chocolate. They were pumpkin spice flavored. So the Imaginative One and I made a trip to the local Walgreens to pick up a bag of Hershey Kisses.

    We went to look for shortening while there and couldn’t find any. When I got home, I went looking for substitutions for shortening – butter, cooking spray, lard, and cooking oil are some substitutions you can use. Butter could have worked. Cooking spray and oil were out of the question. I don’t even have any or have ever had lard in my kitchen, so that wouldn’t have worked. The last choice was applesauce. I’ve used it before, so I went with applesauce.

    Instead of using all-purpose flour, I used white whole-wheat flour.

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    Peanut Butter Blossoms

    Stars of the recipe:

    • Hershey Kisses unwrapped
    • 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
    • 3/4 cup Creamy Peanut Butter
    • 1/3 cup granulated sugar
    • 1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
    • 1 egg
    • 2 tablespoons milk
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • 1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour or white whole wheat
    • 1 teaspoon baking soda
    • 1/2 teaspoon salt
    • Granulated sugar

    Steps:

    1. Heat oven to 375°F. Remove wrappers from the chocolates.
    2. Beat applesauce and peanut butter in a large bowl until well blended.
    3. Add 1/3 cup granulated sugar and brown sugar; beat until fluffy.
    4. Add egg, milk, and vanilla; beat well.
    5. Stir flour, baking soda, and salt; gradually beat into the peanut butter mixture.
    6. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Roll in granulated sugar; place on an ungreased cookie sheet.
    7. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until lightly browned.
    8. Immediately press a chocolate into the center of each cookie; the cookie will crack around the edges.
    9. Remove from cookie sheet to wire rack.
    10. Cool completely.

    Featured on Everyday Mom’s Meals – Church Suppers

    Printable Recipe

  • 7 up biscuits updated

    Yesterday I ensured I had all the ingredients for 7-up biscuits so we could have them without dinner. At least, I thought I did. Then I looked at the recipe and saw I needed sour cream. Oops! We didn’t have any in the house, or if we did it would not be edible and should be given to the trash monster.

    What to do? Raced through my head. I had some Greek yogurt in the fridge, so I decided to use that instead. People have been substituting Greek yogurt for sour cream, so I thought this would be the time to try it out. The Greek yogurt worked perfectly. The biscuits were as delicious as before. And people didn’t know my little secret.

    Here is the updated recipe with Greek yogurt.

    7 up biscuits

    Stars of the recipe:

    • 2 cups Bisquick or baking mix
    • 1/2 c. sour cream or Greek yogurt
    • 1/2 c. 7 up
    • 1/2 stick butter

    Steps:

    1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. (Or do what I do, preheat the oven to 350 and then raise the temperature. It takes 10 minutes for my oven to get to 450 and 6 minutes to get to 350.)
    2. Cut sour cream into biscuit mix, add 7-up. The dough is very soft and will get all on your hands. (The Wee One said It’s a very messy job.)
    3. Meanwhile, put a 9-inch square pan into the oven to melt the butter.
    4. Sprinkle biscuit mix on a board or table. (I use a cutting board.)
    5. Pat the dough out and then cut the dough using a biscuit cutter or glass. (I used a small juice glass.)
    6. Pull the pan out of the oven and put the cut biscuits in the pan.
    7. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until golden brown.
    8. Enjoy!

    Printable Recipe

  • Pumpkin Granola

    I love granola, especially when I make it myself. Recently I discovered how it is easy it is to make. I’ve made Apple Crisp Granola and now Pumpkin Granola. It’s wonderful with Greek yogurt.

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    Pumpkin Granola

    adapted from Finding Joy in my Kitchen

    Stars of the recipe:

    • 4 1/2 c. oats
    • 2 1/2 c. Rice Krispy Cereal
    • 1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon (I put more than that in mine.)
    • 1/4 tsp. nutmeg
    • 1/2 tsp. salt
    • 3/4 c. brown sugar
    • 1/2 c. pumpkin puree
    • 1/4 c. applesauce
    • 1/4 c. maple syrup
    • 1 tsp. vanilla
    • 1/2 c. pumpkin seeds
    • 1/4 c. shredded unsweetened coconut (sounds weird but is delicious in it)
    • 1/2 c. Craisins

    Steps:

    1. Mix the oats, rice Krispies, coconut, and pumpkin seeds in a large bowl.
    2. Stir in spices and salt.
    3. In a different bowl, combine the applesauce, sugar, maple syrup, and vanilla. Add the pumpkin puree.
    4. Combine the dry and moist ingredients and stir to coat.
    5. Spread on a cookie sheet sprayed with cooking spray.
    6. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Stir after 15 minutes.
    7. Allow to cool, and then add Craisins.
    8. Store in a sealed container.
    9. Enjoy with yogurt, milk, or by itself!

    Printable Recipe

    This post has been linked to Eat at Home – Ingredient Spotlight.

  • Brownie Biscoff Puppy Chow

    This is an easy alternative to traditional puppy chow. It calls for Biscoff, the same as Trader Joe’s Cookie Butter. Biscoff and Cookie Butter tastes like cinnamon graham crackers. And is delicious with honey wheat pretzel sticks.

    So this snack mix tastes like S’Mores, especially if you add marshmallows. Yum!

    (I can buy Biscoff at my local Meijers.)

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    Brownie Biscoff Puppy Chow

    Eat at Home

    Stars of the recipe:

    • 4 1/2 c. Chex (or store brand) cereal
    • 1/4 c. Biscoff or Cookie Butter
    • 1/2 c. chocolate chips
    • 3/4 c. Brownie mix
    • Add-ins: – I used mini marshmallows and mini M&M’s. You can use whatever you want!

    Steps:

    1. Put cereal in a large bowl and put it to the side.
    2. In a small microwave-safe bowl, melt the chocolate chips and Biscoff. Start with 30 seconds, stir, then heat in 15-second increments until melted.
    3. Pour the melted chocolate mixture over the cereal. Stir gently to coat all the pieces of cereal.
    4. Add 3/4 c. brownie mix to a large Ziploc bag, dump the chocolate-covered cereal into the bag, and shake to coat all the cereal pieces.
    5. Spread onto a large baking sheet until dry.
    6. Once it is dry, add in the mix-ins.
    7. Put in a container to store.
    8. Enjoy!!!

    Printable Recipe

  • Pumpkin Puree

    This is another fall technique/recipe I’ve been trying to make for the past few years. This is the first time I’ve made it correctly, and I’m so proud! I usually try to make it without a recipe, and it’s been one big flop. This year I found a recipe, followed it, and was successful.

    The key to making pumpkin puree is to use smaller sugar pumpkins. They are usually not the ones you use to make jack-o’lanterns with. Last week, I got mine from a local dairy farm – Young’s Dairy- so I could make pumpkin puree. The Imaginative One reminded me they were sitting outside, and I needed to do something with them. So last night, I took one of the two pumpkins I bought and made the puree.

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    This morning I used some of the purees in my pumpkin spice latte. Oh my goodness – DELICIOUSNESS!

    Pumpkin Puree

    Once a Month Mom

    Stars of the recipe:

    • 1 sugar pumpkin

    Steps:

    1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
    2. Cut the pumpkin in half. Trim off the stem.
    3. Use a spoon to scrape out the seeds and guts. (Save the seeds to make roasted pumpkin seeds – YUMMY!)
    4. Prick the flesh with a fork and place it on a cookie sheet, flesh down.
    5. Roast for 45 minutes to an hour until the flesh is fork tender. (Mine took 40ish minutes.)
    6. Allow to cool, and then peel off the skin. Discard the skin.
    7. Puree in a food processor.
    8. Use in your favorite pumpkin recipe or freeze in freezer bags/containers until you are ready to use the puree.

    Printable Recipe

  • Pumpkin Spice Latte

    I love lattes.  Love, love, love them!  Okay, I guess you get the picture.  My favorite flavoring is peppermint or mint, depending on what the coffee house has in stock.  During the fall, I love pumpkin spice lattes, though.

    Last week, I taught for half of a school day, attended a funeral and luncheon, walked over to the boys’ school to pick them up in extreme humidity, and then spent time with family.  After all that, I needed a nap which I took.  Once I woke up, I picked up the boys to go visit with my mom and her friend.  I was still dragging, so I went to Starbucks and discovered they had pumpkin spice lattes a few days earlier than normal.  I was so excited!!!

    For the past few years, I’ve attempted to recreate the latte at home but was unsuccessful.  If you don’t succeed, keep trying.  This year I was finally successful.  Yeah!

    I hope you enjoy these as much as I do.

    Pumpkin Spice Latte

    Once a Month Mom

    Stars of the recipe:

    • 3 Tbsp. pumpkin puree
    • 1/2 Tbsp. vanilla creamer
    • 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
    • 1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
    • 1/4 tsp. ground ginger
    • 1/2 Tbsp. brown sugar
    • 3 oz. milk
    • 6 oz. strong coffee

    Steps:

    1. Blend all the ingredients except for the coffee.  (Blend until smooth.)
    2. Microwave the blended ingredients for 1 minute.
    3. Add the hot coffee.
    4. Top with extra ground cinnamon or whipped cream (optional).
    5. Enjoy!

    Printable Recipe