Buttermilk Syrup

This syrup is fantastic for French toast, German pancakes, waffles, or even ice cream. It has a caramel flavor to it, and is just super delicious.

Buttermilk Syrup
1 1/2 cups sugar
3/4 cup milk + 1/2 TBS vinegar
1/2 cup butter
2 TBS corn syrup
1 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. vanilla extract

Measure milk and put vinegar in it, let sit for 5 minutes to create buttermilk (or just use 3/4 cup buttermilk if you have it on hand). The milk mixture will be a bit lumpy. In a saucepan combine milk mixture, sugar, butter, corn syrup and baking soda. Boil for 7 minutes, stirring occasionally. It will seem very foamy as it boils, just make sure it doesn't overflow, it's quite messy. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Serve warm, and store the leftover in the fridge. When it's just Scott and I, I usually half the recipe and it's plenty.

German Pancakes

This is a dish that Scott had growing up and I had never heard of until we were married. It's easy and really good. It works for breakfast or dinner and Scott and I can eat a whole pan in one sitting. It is just that good. Also it goes great along with some buttermilk syrup, found here.

German Pancakes
6 eggs
1 cup milk
1 cup flour
1/2 tsp. salt
2 TBS butter or margarine

Heat oven to 400 and place butter in 9x13 pan. Put pan in the oven and let the butter melt. Once melted take out of the oven and tilt pan to coat the entire bottom of the pan with the melted butter. Mix eggs, flour, milk, and salt in a bowl with an electric mixer or mix ingredients in a blender until smooth. Place egg mixture in pan over melted butter and cook for 20 minutes. It will come out nice and puffed up but will relax within a couple minutes.

Watermelon Sherbet Cake

Upon Scott's request, Scott's mom would make a watermelon cake for his birthday. This is super easy, looks great and is nice and cool for the summer.

Watermelon Sherbet Cake

Lime sherbet

Pineapple sherbet

Raspberry sherbet

Mini chocolate chips

Line a bowl with plastic wrap. Make a layer of lime sherbet about an inch thick. Add a thinner layer of pineapple sherbet. In a separate bowl mix softened raspberry sherbet with mini chocolate chips. Place mixture in bowl over pineapple layer. Freeze to harden softened sherbet. When ready to serve, turn the bowl upside down on a large plate and use the plastic wrap to get the cake out of the bowl. Slice like a watermelon and serve.

 Make a layer of lime Sherbet

Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream

One year Scott bought me an ice cream maker attachment for my Kitchen Aid mixer. It might be one of the favorite gifts he's given me. It is so easy to use and makes enough ice cream for the 2 of us. Scott's favorite flavor is mint chocolate chip. This is the recipe that we use and it tastes a lot like Breyer's mint chocolate chip (but better!)

Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream 
2 cups 2% milk
2 cups heavy cream
1 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. peppermint extract
3 drops green food coloring if you want, we prefer ours white.
1 cup shaved chocolate (or mini chocolate chips made smaller in a food processor)

In large bowl stir milk, cream, sugar, salt vanilla and peppermint extract (and food coloring) with a spoon until sugar is dissolved. Make ice cream according to your ice cream makers directions. If you're cool like me, yours will be done in 20 minutes and your taste buds will be so happy.

Slow Cooker Liner

Have you ever used a slow cooker liner? They are usually by the foil and plastic wrap at the store and they make cleaning so easy. If I am making a meal in the slow cooker that is creamy I won't use it, but if it's more of a clear liquid, it makes the clean-up a cinch. Just put it in your slow cooker and put the ingredients in and slow cook away. No washing necessary. You're welcome.

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Zesty Shredded Chicken

This is a copy-cat recipe I found for Cafe Rio shredded chicken. Honestly I have never had Cafe Rio shredded chicken (because if you don't get the sweet pork you are crazy), so I can't say it's comparable but I really like it, and it's so easy. We will make burritos, soft tacos or quesadillas with the meat.

Zesty Shredded Chicken
3 chicken breasts
4 oz. zesty Italian dressing
1/2 TBS minced garlic
1 pkg. ranch dressing
1/2 cup water
1/2 TBS chili powder
1/2 TBS cumin

Place all ingredients in slow cooker and cook on high for 6 hours or low for 8 hours. Shred chicken and let simmer in juice another 30 minutes. Makes 8-10 servings. 3 WW SP/8 servings

A Favorite Meal

This is not really a recipe but an idea. We love grilled chicken and in the form of chicken tenders is the best. They are a lot healthier than legs, thighs and wings and if you marinate them right, they are oh so good. And they take less time to cook than a chicken breast.  We love the Lawry's Balsamic Herb marinade. We have tried all flavors and that is our favorite, with sun dried tomato being a close runner-up. We will usually marinate the chicken all day.

One of our favorite meals is grilled chicken tenders, some pasta-roni and grilled asparagus , It is simple and so good. We usually have this a couple times a month.