Believe in the Magic Traci Diary

Recipes, Travels, and Stories

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  • Merry Christmas

  • Honey, What’s for Dinner? Week of November 4

    I have not made a menu in a LONG time. This week, I decided I needed to do one.

    Yes, I know I have a pumpkin spice latte clipart on my menu. It’s still fall until Thanksgiving, at least in my household. My students think otherwise. Christmas music has been playing in my room since before Halloween.

    Below the menu are the links to the recipes.

    week-of-November-4Download

    I’m working on developing the recipes for the Big Mac Skillet and an updated sweet and sour chicken recipe.

    Have a great week!

  • Pretzel chocolate chip cookies

    Original date: June 2010

    Updated for a second time: November 3, 2023

    I edited this to correct grammar. This post also has an updated recipe card.

    April 2016:

    I originally posted this recipe in 2010. I recently made them and made sure I took a much better picture of the cookies. So, I’m going to repost the blog post. I think it’s fitting because the last time I posted this recipe, we had just formed a new church. Our church now has a new pastor. Tomorrow is going to be the ceremony installing our new pastor.

    The Wee One loves these cookies. He kept snacking on them. It must be the saltiness and sweetness of the cookie that appealed to him.

    IMG_0099

    June 2010:

    I enjoy reading murder mysteries.  One of my favorite authors is Joanne Fluke.  The main character in her books is Hannah Swenson.  Hannah has a knack for finding dead bodies, which drives her mother absolutely batty.  With the help of her mother, sisters, and friends, she investigates murders.  Since Hannah owns a cookie shop, the author includes recipes for different types of baked goodies plus other food.  In the past, I’ve tried different cookie recipes.  Usually, I am impressed with the end result.  One such recipe was for pretzel chocolate chip cookies.

    Last month, our new church had a get-together.  We were supposed to bring a different type of dish to share.  I decided to take a batch of these pretzel chocolate chip cookies.  Everyone’s reaction to these cookies was a positive one.  Since the only other dessert was strawberry shortcake, which was also good, it was nice to have cookies there, too.

    The boys enjoyed crushing the pretzels into tiny bits.  I put a handful or two of pretzels into a zip lock bag, hand them a meat mallet and a plastic cutting board, and then let them pound away at the pretzels.  I’d rather have them pound out the pretzels rather than each other.

    Without further ado, here is the recipe.

    Ingredients:

    • 1 cup softened butter (2 sticks, 1/2 pound)
    • 2 cups granulated sugar (white)
    • 3 Tbsp. molasses
    • 2 tsp. vanilla
    • 1 tsp. baking soda
    • 2 beaten eggs (just whip them up in a glass with a fork – poke the yolks first)
    • 2 cups crushed salted thin stick pretzels (measure after crushing)
    • 2 and 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
    • 1 and 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

    Directions:

    Use an electric mixer if you have one because the dough gets really stiff.

    1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
    2. Mix the softened butter with the sugar and the molasses. Beat until the mixture is light and fluffy and the molasses is completely mixed in.
    3. Add the vanilla and baking soda. Mix them in well.
    4. Break eggs into a glass and whip them up with a fork. Add them to your bowl and mix until they’re thoroughly incorporated.
    5. Put your pretzels in a zip-lock plastic bag. Seal it carefully and place it on a flat surface. Get out your rolling pin and run it over the bag, crushing the pretzels inside. Do this until there are no large pieces and the largest is a quarter-inch long.
    6. Measure out two cups of crushed pretzels and mix them into the dough in your bowl.
    7. Add one cup of flour and mix it in. Then, add the second cup and mix thoroughly. Add the final half cup of flour and mix that in.
    8. Measure out a cup and a half of chocolate chips and add them to your cookie dough. If you’re using an electric mixer, mix them in at the slowest speed. You can also put the mixer away and stir in the chips by hand.
    9. Drop by rounded teaspoons onto greased or sprayed with nonstick cooking spray cookie sheets. Place 12 cookies on each standard sheet.
    10. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes or until nicely browned. (I do it for 11 minutes.)

    This post is part of Potluck Sundays, Tempt My Tummy Tuesdays, and Eat at Home.

    pretzel-chocolate-chip-cookiesDownload

  • Instant Pot Taco Soup

    I have another taco soup recipe for the crockpot. This one is slightly different. Instead of making it in the crockpot, you are going to use an Instant Pot.

    What you need:

    • ground beef or ground turkey
    • taco seasoning – homemade or store bought
    • tomato chicken bouillon – It gives you a depth of flavor.
    • beef broth – You can use water. The beef broth gives an extra layer of flavor.
    • kidney beans
    • Rotel tomatoes
    • corn
    • black beans
    • Toppings:
      • shredded cheese
      • avocado
      • tortilla chips
      • cilantro
      • lime wedges
      • sour cream
    • Optional: Garlic and onion – Add when you are browning the ground beef or ground turkey.
    taco-soupDownload

  • Emotions are just motion

    It’s okay to feel anger and sadness. Your feelings matter. As a student of mine keeps saying “emotional” every time I say the word motion, I’m reminded emotions are motions always ebbing and flowing. Every day we begin our day with what I have dubbed therapy time during our morning meeting. If students feel comfortable telling how they feel and why, they can. They are allowed to opt our from both or just tell how they are feeling. This is telling them it’s okay to have these emotions. How you react to those feelings is the difference.

    Moving back to my opening line, it’s okay to feel both anger and sadness. Even though I know my peace and worth is in God and Jesus, human emotions still creep into my life. I need to give myself grace and permission to feel them. Not wallow in them but allow them to take up space for a moment. I can’t allow them to be bottled up because they will explode on me. I need to find a way to let them out. I do that through writing, exercise, texting or calling a friend, making videos, and praying.

    This past week, my vibe has been off. It’s been 4 years since I found my mom dead. My friend was supposed to be visiting. I’m sad and angry and that’s okay. In the days to come, I will feel better because I know emotions are just motion.

    Stay kind!

    Have a magical day,
    Traci

  • Iced Coffee using Instant Coffee

    What?!? You can make an iced coffee using instant coffee. It’s delicious and so easy. Customize it to your likings and avoid the drive thru on those busy mornings.

    What you Need

    • Instant Coffee -Any kind will work this recipe. I used Folgers for mine.
    • Water – Hot and cold
    • Milk – Dairy or nondairy – It’s your choice.
    • Coffee syrup
    • Creamer – Homemade or store bought. Check out some of my favorite homemade flavors.
    Iced Coffee using Instant Coffee
    Makes 1 glass (16 oz)
    I N G R E D I E N T S
    3 tsp. instant coffee 1 to 2 Tbsp. your favorite coffee syrup
    1 to 2 Tbsp. hot water 1 to 2 Tbsp. your favorite creamer
    ½ c. cold water ½ c. milk – dairy or non-dairy
     
    D I R E C T I O N S
    Place instant coffee and hot water in a 16 oz. glass or cup. Stir until the coffee is dissolved.
    Add the cold water, coffee syrup, creamer, and milk to the glass. Stir until combined. 
    Add ice to the glass.
    Enjoy!
    iced-coffee-using-instant-coffee-1Download

    Stay kind!

    Have a magical day,
    Traci

  • Barbecue Sausage

    This is not only easy and quick, it is also budget friendly. I get all the ingredients from Aldi. Not including the rice, this recipe costs between 5 and 7 dollars to cook which is not bad.

    It can be a family dinner or prepped for lunches. If you are cooking it for lunches, divide it into four containers with your rice. It’ll last for 4 days.

    Customize it:

    1. Barbecue Sauce
      • Use what every flavor you would like.
      • We use a mustard based barbecue sauce.
    2. Veggies
      • I use bell peppers and onions.
      • You could add mushrooms, sliced or diced carrots, or zucchini.
      • If you use broccoli, steam or blanch it. You could also use frozen broccoli.
    3. Sausage
      • I used smoked sausage.
      • You could use brats, turkey sausage, or Polish kielbasa.
    4. Seasoning
      • I use Kinder’s blend of salt, pepper, and garlic.
      • You can use your favorite type of seasoning.
    5. Rice
      • You could serve it over fried potatoes or cubed hash browns.
      • Other ideas: egg noodles or riced cauliflower
    barbecue-sausageDownload

  • Honey, What’s For Dinner? Week July 24

    1. Spaghetti with meatballs
    2. Big Mac Skillet
    3. Skillet lasagna
    4. Brown sugar ham
    5. Nachos
    6. Barbecue sausage
    7. Butter chicken
    8. Hot dogs
    9. Barbecue chicken sandwiches

    I’ve highlighted the meals that we still need to cook for this week. We’ll probably not get through all of them which is okay. I’ll have a few meals ready to go for the first days I’m back from vacation.

    The meals I’m prioritizing for this week are the butter chicken, ham, and skillet lasagna. That’ll leave me 2 meals for when I get back.

  • Honey, What’s For Dinner? Weeks of July 17 and July 24

    I’m going on my annual trip with my best friend at the beginning of August. I decided to meal plan and shop for my last two weeks before going away.

    During these next two weeks, the boys will be gone for a long weekend. I will be attending two concerts and my high school reunion. We’ll eat at home before the first concert but I’m planning to go out to eat before the other one.

    While I’m gone, my husband goes back to work and my boys will be working at a county fair. So I’ll get them some food to last for the week knowing they won’t be home that often.

    So what am I making during the next two weeks?

    1. Spaghetti with meatballs
    2. Big Mac Skillet
    3. Skillet lasagna
    4. Brown sugar ham
    5. Nachos
    6. Barbecue sausage
    7. Butter chicken
    8. Hot dogs
    9. Barbecue chicken sandwiches

    The brown sugar ham and barbecue sausage will be cooked next week. Brown sugar ham is a favorite of the boys.

    I just like having a list of meals which will make my life easier over the next few weeks.

  • Honey, What’s For Dinner? – Week of June 5, 2023

    This morning I sat down and planned out the next week’s meals.

    At this moment, I’m in limbo. I turned in my last assignment for my 8th master’s class. Now I’m waiting for it to be graded. I cannot start my next class until at least Monday. That is if it passed. If not, I have to revise it.

    I want to do something outside but the air quality stinks. We are under an air quality alert. Yuck. So, I’m planning to hopefully do something tomorrow after church. I’ll get my usual Sunday meal before heading to the downtown area to hopefully see the fountains going off for the first time.

    Meanwhile, I’m meal planning. Soon I’ll go grocery shopping.

    You’ll see there are two days designated as out to eat days. One of the days we will be on the road while the other one we will be kids’ free. Considering I don’t cook for them much any more it shouldn’t matter. However on both days, Hubby and I will have date night.

    My boys have started to cook for themselves. Youngest will eat what I cook on occasion. We have similar tastes on a lot of foods. But Oldest is picky about his foods. He has high functioning autism. His food aversions are typical characteristic. Luckily, he has learned how to cook for himself.

    Tonight we are having Big Mac Skillet. As a person who eats a gluten-free diet, these is a way for me to have the flavors of a Big Mac without the bread. It’s one of Youngest’s favorite meals.

    I’m hoping you have a great week of eating.

    Traci