Pinecone's Aplenty

Hummingbirds are back

2009-05-15T14:06:00.000-07:00

And with them comes the first batch of hummingbird nectar. I have been making my own for a couple of years now. Much easier then running out to the store to buy the powdered product.

Use the following proportion:1 part regular white sugar to 4 parts water.

Example: 1 cup sugar, 4 cups water
1. Boil the water.
2. Add sugar and stir until dissolved.
3. Let cool.
4. Fill hummingbird feeder
5. Refrigerate in a designated hummingbird feeder pitcher

Thats it thats all. Sit back and enjoy the beauty of their flight.

Light and Fresh

2009-05-14T11:12:00.000-07:00

Bacon, Spinach & Tomatoe Salsa Wrap

Ingredients:

2 large ripe tomatoes, seeded and coarsely chopped (about 1-3/4 cups)

1/4 cup finely chopped red onion

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh jalapeño chile pepper

1 Tbsp. lime juice

1/8 tsp. kosher salt or salt

8 slices turkey bacon

1/4 cup light mayonnaise

4 10-inch vegetable-flavor flour tortillas or flour tortillas

2 cups fresh baby spinach

Directions:

1. For tomato salsa, in a medium bowl, combine tomatoes, onion, cilantro, and chile pepper.

Stir in lime juice and salt. Set aside.

2. Cook bacon according to package directions. Drain well on paper towels; cut bacon in large pieces.

3. For sandwiches, spread mayonnaise on tortillas; top with spinach. With a slotted spoon, scoop salsa on spinach. Top with bacon. Roll up tortillas to enclose filling. Cut each tortilla in half.

Makes 4 servings.

Nutrition FactsCalories 227, Total Fat (g) 9, Saturated Fat (g) 3, Cholesterol (mg) 30, Sodium (mg) 625, Carbohydrate (g) 27, Fiber (g) 2, Protein (g) 8, Vitamin C (DV%) 28, Calcium (DV%) 8, Iron (DV%) 12, Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Spicy Chicken to warm up the day

2009-04-27T11:21:00.000-07:00

Salsa Chicken slow cooker

Ingredients

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 cup salsa
1 package reduced sodium taco seasoning
1 can reduced fat cream of mushroom soup (condensed)
1/2 cup reduced fat sour cream

Directions

Add chicken to slow cooker. Sprinkle taco seasoning over chicken.Pour salsa and soup over chicken.Cook on low for 6 to 8 hours.Remove from heat and stir in sour cream.

Serve with rice.

NOTES: You may use half the packet of taco seasoning (I have started doing this to reduce sodium content myself)Some slow cookers cook faster than others. The newer ones cook a bit faster and you may have to adjust your cooking time based on that!

Number of Servings: 6

Cupcakes for a rainy day

2009-04-17T13:05:00.000-07:00

Chocolate Cheesecake Muffins

2 packages (3 oz. each) cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup sugar
1 egg
1 cup of semisweet chocolate chips
1 package of Betty Crocker SuperMoist Devil's Food Chocolate cake mix
1 1/3 cups water
1/2 cup vegetable oil
3 eggs
1 1/2 oz. cream cheese softened
4 teaspoons of sugar

Heat oven to 350 degrees, line muffin pan with paper baking cups.
Beat 2 pkgs. of cream cheese, sugar and the 1 egg in a medium bowl. Stir in the chocolate chips and set aside.

In another bowl mix the cake mix according to the directions on the back of it - use water not milk. Divide the mixture among the muffin liners. Add a tablespoon of the cream cheese mixture - it is suppose to sink into the chocolate. However, I don't find that it actually does this so what I do is fill the liner about 1/3 full, add the spoonful of cream cheese mixture and then add another spoonful of chocolate on top.

In a small bowl mix the 1 1/2 oz. cream cheese with sugar. You are just suppose to decorate the top of the muffins with this mixture, not ice them, just like a star or a flower or whatever. You can use a cake decorator thing or stick it in a ziploc bag and cut a small whole in the center - it works just as well.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until the spring up when touched. Cool 10 minutes before removing from pan.

A craft a day

2009-04-17T12:52:00.001-07:00

Keeps mommy sane :)