One of my favorite chefs to watch is Bobby Flay. We have made several of his burgers from his book; Burgers, Fries & Shakes, but we haven’t tried any of the shakes yet. Until now…and I don’t think I’ll ever make another shake the traditional way.

With Nick having a little discomfort from his Invisalign Braces, I’m always looking for a fun treat for him to enjoy when his mouth is sore. And this Strawberry Cheesecake Milkshake was perfect! And of course, we all enjoyed the shake as well!

One of the best things about shakes and smoothies, is that you can hide ingredients in them and the kids will never know. This time around, I didn’t add anything special, but recently when I made the Fruit Smoothies, I packed it full of fresh juice and vitamins.

The milkshake recipe in Bobby’s book called for Blackberries but I simply substituted Strawberries. And the addition of cream cheese made these Strawberry Cheesecake Milkshakes super rich and creamy.

Disclosure: I’m part of the Invisalign Mom Advisory Board and my son received free Invisalign treatment. As always, the opinions and experiences are my own.

Linking to…Friday Food, Saturday Seven

One of my goals this year is to take better care of myself, which means taking some vitamins and eating better. So when the folks at Centrum asked if I’d like to try the ProNutrients, I agreed. One of the products they sent for me to try, were the ProNutrient Probiotic, that you can mix right into your drink. I also received a cool Cuisinart Juice Extractor, so I whipped up a yummy Fruit Smoothie and added the Probiotic to it.

ProNutrients Probiotic is an unique blended powder containing two of the most scientifically studied probiotics.  The individually wrapped packets are designed to ensure the bacteria arrive active and ready to work in the digestive tract.

One of the nice things about smoothies is you can add any fruit you have on hand. I started with a citrus blend of orange and grapefruit, that I juiced in the Cuisinart Juice Extractor, they are so delicious this time of year. Then added a banana and some strawberries I had in the fridge that needed to be used up. A little yogurt and some ice and we were enjoying a Fruit Smoothie with our breakfast.

Save $5 on ProNutrients with a coupon from Centrum, on their Facebook page.

GIVEAWAY CLOSED

GIVEAWAY GUIDELINES:

One lucky Hoosier Homemade winner will receive a ProNutrient Product of your choice

Entries only accepted on this page. Facebook and Twitter entries do not count.

This Giveaway is a little different. Giveaway will remain open until Wednesday, January 18, 2012 at  10 p.m. CST. Winner will be chosen at random, notified by email and will have 48 hours to respond.

Additonal Giveaway Rules

REQUIRED ENTRY:

• Head on over to NutritionPossible.com, come back and let us know what you are lacking in your daily diet

OPTIONAL ENTRIES: Please leave a separate comment for each entry

• Subscribe to Cupcake Chronicles Newsletter and/or Hoosier Homemade
• Follow Hoosier Homemade on Facebook and/or Twitter
• Follow Centrum on Facebook
• Subscribe to Pocket Change Gourmet, Follow PCG on Facebook and/or Twitter
• Subscribe to It’s A Blog Party, Follow It’s A Blog Party on Facebook and/or Twitter

Disclosure: I am participating in a Centrum ProNutrients campaign hosted by One2One Network. I received nutritional product and compensation including a gift valued at $150. While all opinions stated are my own, I make no claims about Centrum ProNutrients as a product or it’s effectiveness.

Linking to…Ingredient Spotlight

I’ve put together some ideas for your Labor Day Cook-outs…Enjoy!

psssppp…Did you get your Picnic Printables? Look for them under the Labor Day Cupcakes!

Main Dishes

• Naked Wings with Three Sauces
• Southwest Chicken Wraps
• Pork on a Stick
• Mix & Match Burger Bar

Salads & Sides

• Grilled Potatoes & Mushrooms
• Honey Lime Fruit Salad
• Grilled Corn on the Cob with Herb Butter
• Deli Style Pasta Salad

Dessert

• Brownie Goody Bars
• Triple Berry Shortcakes
• Blueberry Crisp
• Caramel Apple S’Mores

Cupcakes

• Hamburger and Corn on the Cob
• Snow Cone Cupcakes
• Red, White & Blue with Candy Stars
• Picnic Cupcakes with FREE Printables

Drinks

• Frozen Blue Hawaiian
• Fresh Strawberry Margaritas
• Virgin Sangria
• Sunny Orange Lemonade

Wow! I’m really hungry now! Do you have a favorite dish to share? Feel free to leave the link!

Our St. Patrick’s Day meal wouldn’t be complete without some fun drinks! Kid-friendly…of course! On the menu…

Shamrock Shake…Irish Cream Pie Shake…Virgin Irish Car Bomb

The Shamrock Shake is a very familiar St. Patrick’s Day Drink under the “golden arches”. They are very easy to make, with just a few ingredients.

Shamrock Shake Recipe:

• 2 cups Vanilla Ice Cream
• 1 cup Milk
• 6-8 drops of Green Food Coloring
• 1/8 – 1/4 teaspoon Mint Extract {depending on taste}

Directions:

Place all ingredients in blender and mix. Top with whipping cream and a chocolate gold coin.

Note: There is a print link embedded within this post, please visit this post to print it.

Irish Cream Pie Shake

A couple weeks ago I shared Irish Cream Pie Cupcakes, this shake is inspired by those. I used International Delight Irish Creme Coffee Creamer and it gave the shake not only a really good flavor it was also very creamy.

Irish Cream Pie Shake Recipe:

• 1 cup International Delight Irish Creme Coffee Creamer
• 2 cups Vanilla Ice Cream
• Chocolate Syrup {a couple big squirts}

Directions:

Place all ingredients in the blender and mix. Serve with a little Irish Cream Fruff and sprinkles if desired.

Note: There is a print link embedded within this post, please visit this post to print it.

Virgin Irish Car Bomb

An Irish Car Bomb is an adult drink that is made with Guinness Beer,  Bailey’s Irish Cream and Irish Whiskey. Although I have never had one {because I would probably pass out after just one} I hear they taste like a Rootbeer Float or a Frosty. So here is the non-alcoholic or Virgin recipe.

Virgin Irish Car Bomb Recipe:

• Vanilla Ice Cream
• Rootbeer

Directions:

Place Ice Cream in a glass and pour Rootbeer over. An easy Rootbeer Float!

Note: There is a print link embedded within this post, please visit this post to print it.

1. Appetizers
2. Main Dishes
3. Shamrock Pretzels and Irish Soda Bread
4. Snacks: Rainbow Jello, Lucky Mix and Rainbow Rice Krispie Treats
5. Drinks: Shamrock Shake, Irish Cream Pie Shake and Virgin Irish Car Bomb
6. Desserts: Irish Cream Mint Brownies, Mint Chocolate Chip Cookies and more
7. Mint Chocolate Cupcakes from Cupcake Chronicles Newsletter
8. Rainbow Cupcakes and Rainbow Ice Cream

Do you cook a special meal on St. Patrick’s Day? Will you be trying any of my recipes this year?

Join us in the Coffee Talk Community!

I’m linking to…Luck of the Irish Party

]]> http://hoosierhomemade.com/st-patricks-day-food-drinks/feed/ 6 http://hoosierhomemade.com/holiday-party-chex-mix-frozen-hot-chocolate-and-more/ http://hoosierhomemade.com/holiday-party-chex-mix-frozen-hot-chocolate-and-more/#comments Mon, 20 Dec 2010 23:49:22 +0000 CupcakeLady http://hoosierhomemade.com/?p=14268 [Continue Reading]]]> One of our families Holiday traditions is to share homemade goodies with our friends. This year we decided to host a Holiday Party, invite our friends and send them home with some goodies.

The Dessert Buffet had Christmas Cupcakes, Cookie Dough Truffles and Peanut Butter Bars.

Everyone brought an appetizer to share, and I baked up some treats. The Holidays are a perfect time to share family traditions. One of Doug, my husband’s, all time favorite Holiday treats is Chex Mix. His Mom made her special recipe of “Party Mix” (she called it) in 5 gallon containers. I haven’t made that much of it…yet…but the way it disappears around here, I might just have to.

Homemade Chex Mix Recipe:

• 6 cups of Chex cereal (2 cups each; corn, rice and wheat)
• 3/4 cup mixed nuts (you can add more if you want)
• 6 tablespoons Parkay margarine
• 4 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon seasoned salt

Directions:

Measure cereal and nuts into a large bowl. Melt Parkay in the microwave, add the Worcestershire sauce and seasoned salt. Pour over cereal mixture and stir until well coated.

Spread evenly onto a large cookie sheet and bake at 300 degrees for about 30 – 45 minutes, stirring a couple times, until golden brown.

Let cool and store in airtight container.

Another one of the hits at the Party, were these Peanut Butter Bars. I like the convenience of baking bar cookies, and adding the filling and topping with chocolate, makes these totally addicting!

I shared the recipe for these Peanut Butter Bars last year, during my 12 Days of Christmas Cookies, but they are well worth sharing again!

Peanut Butter Bars Recipe:

Cookie Base

• I used my Peanut Butter cookies recipe, mixed as you would to make them into regular cookies

Filling

• 1/2 cup Parkay, softened
• 1/2 cup Creamy or Crunchy Peter Pan Peanut Butter
• 2 cups Powdered Sugar
• 2 tablespoons Milk

Frosting

• 1 cup Chocolate Chips (I like Milk Chocolate Chips best)
• 1/4 cup Parkay

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, spray a 13 x 9 pan with Pam Cooking Spray. In large bowl, make Peanut Butter cookies. With floured fingers, press dough in bottom of pan. Bake 15 – 18 minutes or until golden brown. Cool completely.

In small bowl, beat filling ingredients until smooth. Spread evenly over cookie base.

In microwave bowl, melt frosting ingredients, stir until smooth. Cool 10 minutes, spread over filling. Refrigerate 30 minutes or until set. Cut into bars.

And of course, the Party would not have been complete without some Christmas Cupcakes!

During the busy Holiday season, you can create beautiful cupcakes by using a box mix, and adding a few extra ingredients makes them taste like you baked them from scratch.

Christmas Cupcakes Recipe:

• 1 box of cake mix (I used Devil’s Food and White)
• 4 large eggs
• 1/3 cup Wesson Oil
• 1 cup Buttermilk (splash of vinegar in a measuring cup, fill with milk, let set for a couple minutes)
• Buttercream Frosting and Marshmallow Frosting
• Assorted sprinkles or candy

Directions:

Bake and cool cupcakes, frost and add desired decorations.

The Christmas Cupcakes in the picture are the Hot Cocoa Cupcakes, Quick and easy (coming tomorrow) and Cranberry Mousse filled (coming later in the week). I have shared LOTS of  Christmas Cupcake recipes this year.

And our special drink for the party… Frozen Hot Chocolate…this drink was so good, you must try it!!

Frozen Hot Chocolate Recipe:

• Swiss Miss Hot Chocolate Mix (2 packages per drink)
• 3/4 cup milk (per drink)
• Ice
• Reddi-Wip
• Candy Canes

Pour milk into blender (mine is from Hamilton Beach) add Swiss Miss packets and then ice. Blend.

Add Reddi-Wip and a candy cane to stir with. You can also add a little Peppermint Schnapps for the adult crowd.

The Hamilton Beach Blender has a True Stainless Steel Base Patented Wave action jar helps thoroughly blend ice and mixture. Which means no more Ice Chunks, especially in your Frozen Hot Chocolate. It has a Large Capacity 48 oz Glass Jar and a Powerful 450W motor.

Enjoy!!

And each of the guests took home goodies (sorry the pictures I took of the guests were too dark to share)

Are you hosting a Holiday Party? Share your treat ideas with us!

You can see our Whrrl including our shopping trip to Walmart for the ConAgra products.

Disclaimer: I was compensated for this post by Collective Bias, but all opinions and experiences are my own.

Welcome to Homemade for the Holidays! I’m having such a good time creating Homemade gifts to share with you, I hope you are enjoying them!

If you are a subscriber, don’t forget to enter the giveaway for the Roundabouts Christmas Cupcake Wrappers. The link was in last weeks Cupcake Chronicles Newsletter. I will be choosing a winner later tonight.

This Christmas Cheese Ball is an absolute must in our home during the Holidays. Last year, my middle son made one for his girlfriend’s family, they loved it and him for sharing!

Many years ago, before I was blogging and sharing recipes I followed several blogs, MomAdvice, whom I still follow, and Cherry Hill Cottage, whom I lost track of and recently found again, just to name a couple.

Tina shares her amazing decorating ideas and recipes, her life with her dogs and her beautiful garden. This Cheese Ball recipe comes from Tina.

Cheese Ball Recipe:

• 2 packages (8 oz. each) Cream Cheese, softened
• 2 packages of thinly sliced meat, pastrami or beef works best (I buy them at Aldi’s or Walmart, for less than .60 cents)
• 2 teaspoons Worcestershire Sauce
• 2 teaspoons Accent Salt (or regular salt) Accent has MSG in it, so if you don’t want to use that, regular salt is okay)
• 3-4 green onions, chopped finely

Directions:

Mix all ingredients together and form into ball. You can roll in chopped nuts if you want.

Serve with crackers.

As I mentioned before, this Cheese Ball makes a great gift. Wrap with plastic wrap (I used red cellophane) tie with a ribbon. Add a fun Christmas ornament for their tree and you have a easy, frugal gift.

I also wanted to let my readers know that I will be hosting 3 giveaways tomorrow, so be sure to check in! You can find them all on the Giveaway Page!

Do you have a must have treat for the Holidays?

Homemade for the Holidays Series…

Homemade Peanut Butter Cups

Cranberry Bread

Cupcake Wrapper Tutorial

I have been a fan of Susan Branch for many MANY years! I just adore her work. She writes and designs with a certain whit and charm that is unmistakable.

She shares delicious recipes, creative ideas for entertaining and decorating and of course, her beautifully amazing artwork is breathtaking!

Susan shares her recipe for a Pumpkin Latte in her Autumn book. But since I’m not a coffee lover, I made mine with Chai Tea.

Pumpkin Chai Tea Latte Recipe:

• 3/4 cup Chai Tea Latte Concentrate {I buy Tazo}
• 3/4 cup milk
• 2 heaping tablespoons pumpkin {canned}
• 1/2 – 1  teaspoon pumpkin pie spice or cinnamon

Directions:

Mix together and heat in microwave for about 3 minutes. Top with whipping cream and a dash of cinnamon.

Pumpkin Latte Recipe: from Susan Branch Autumn Book

• 2 heaping tablespoons pumpkin {canned}
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• Hot coffee, decaf, or espresso hot milk

Directions:

Put first 4 ingredients into a large mug, fill halfway with coffee and stir well. Fill cup with hot milk and whisk. Top with whipping cream, add a dash of cinnamon or nutmeg.

Susan also has an amazing website, be sure to pay her a visit! You may even find a yummy recipe like this Peach and Plum Crisp!

I have a VERY special Giveaway for you today! The 2011 Susan Branch Calendar!! Susan sent me one of the calendars, and let me tell you…it’s so beautiful, I will have a hard time recording events on it.

HoosierHomemade was provided a Susan Branch 2011 Calendar, the opinions are our own. Susan Branch is  providing HoosierHomemade with a 2011 Calendar to giveaway to one lucky reader. For more information on Hoosier Homemade’s policy, please visit my Disclosure Page.

Giveaway Guidelines: Please leave a seperate comment for each entry

Giveaway ends Sunday, November 7th.at 10 p.m. CST. 

Required entry:

• Visit Susan Branch and come back HERE and tell us what recipe you would like to try or what book is your favorite

Extra entries: {leave a seperate comment for each}

• Subscribe to Cupcake Chronicles or Hoosier Homemade {upper right in the sidebar} Leave a comment telling me you subscribed or are already a subscriber
• Follow Susan Branch on Twitter and/or fan her on Facebook
• Follow Hoosier Homemade and/or It’s a Blog Party on Twitter
• Fan Hoosier Homemade and/or It’s a Blog Party on Facebook

Good Luck!