Mini Lasagna Cups

These look so yummy and they're cute too!  I stumbled across the recipe here on a blog called Kevin and Amanda I found while browsing.  I'm really looking forward to giving this recipe a try.

Mini Lasagna Cups

Ingredients:
1 lb lean ground beef
1 lb sausage
1 cup spaghetti sauce
1 1/2 cups part skim ricotta cheese
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
24 wonton wrappers
1 1/2 cups shredded cheese

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Brown sausage and hamburger in a large skillet over medium high heat and drain. Divide into 4 portions and save or freeze three for another night. Add spaghetti sauce to remaining meat mixture and stir to combine.

In a large bowl, combine the ricotta the salt and pepper and stir to combine.

Coat a 12 cup muffin tin with cooking spray, and arrange a wonton wrapper in each cup. Take half the ricotta mixture and divide it among the 12 cups. Top with half of the meat sauce, and sprinkle with shredded cheese. Place another wonton wrapper over the cheese, and repeat the layers by adding the remaining ricotta cheese, meat sauce, and top with shredded cheese.
Bake at 375 degrees for 10 to 15 minutes until the cheese is melted and the wonton wrappers are golden. Cool in the muffin tin for 5-10 minutes before serving.

Makes 12 mini lasagnas or 3 servings.

A Great Bedtime Story

I know I've mentioned this before, but Winston loves books.  This story by Leslie Patricelli is one of his favorites right now.  I love her cute pictures and fun story about how one of the puppies overcomes her nightime fear of a monster. 

We love her other stories too.  You can find The Patterson Puppies and the Midnight Moster Party here on Amazon.  Winston gives it his triple request award - he asks me to read it again and again as soon as we finish it.  :)

Chocolate Chip Mini Muffins

In honor of National Chocolate Chip Day, here's a favorite "chip" recipe of our family.  I found the recipe in a Taste of Home magazine many years ago and have been making these cute and yummy muffins ever since.  I hope you enjoy them as much as we do.

Chocolate Chip Mini Muffins

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup shortening
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2/3 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips

Directions

• In a large bowl, cream sugar and shortening until fluffy. Add egg, milk and vanilla; mix well. Combine dry ingredients. Gradually add to creamed mixture; mix well. Fold in chocolate chips. Spoon about 1 tablespoon of batter into each greased or paper-lined mini-muffin cup. Bake at 375° for 10-13 minutes or until muffins test done. Cool in pan 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack. Yield: about 3 dozen.

The recipe is also located here on their web site.   

Mother's Day

I'm so glad we have a day to celebrate mothers. I try to tell her often how much I love and appreciate her, but it helps to have a special day dedicated to moms.  I have such wonderful memories as a child because of my mom - family trips, playing house, reading stories together, dancing around the family room to old 50's music, playing dress-up in her old dresses, baking cookies and pies and just spending time together.  My mom taught me so many important lessons.  I always knew how much she loved me and I owe all that I am to her love and dedication as a mother.  Love you Mom!

 This is a pic from a few years ago - I realized while looking through my old photos that I don't have as many pictures as I'd like of just me with my dear mother.  I'm usually the one taking the pictures.  I'll have to make more of an effort to get some pictures of us together.

Winston and his Grandma on Mother's Day.  He sure loves his Grandma!  

A Recipe to Try

I LOVE chocolate so you can imagine how excited I was when I stumbled upon a recipe for Brownie Batter Chocolate Fudge Cupcakes with Outrageously Rich Chocolate Indulgence Frosting.   Wow, with a name like that, these must be amazing.  I came across this recipe here and I'm so excited to try it out.  Now all I need is an excuse to make 3 dozen fabulous, chocolatey cupcakes. 

Brownie Batter Chocolate Fudge Cupcakes
with Outrageously Rich

Chocolate Indulgence Frosting

BROWNIE BATTER
1/4 cup butter, melted
1/3 cup fat-free sweetened condensed milk
1/3 cup milk
1 (18.25 oz) box devil’s food cake mix

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and mix on medium speed for 2 mins until well combined. Using a small scoop (about 1.5 tbsp) drop batter onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and freeze overnight.

CUPCAKES
1 (18.25 oz) box devil’s food cake mix
1 (3.9 oz) pkg Jello instant chocolate fudge pudding mix
1 cup sour cream
1 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup milk
2 cups mini semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Spray a muffin tin with cooking spray and line with cupcake liners. Combine all ingredients except chocolate chips into a very large bowl and mix on medium speed for 2 mins until well combined. Stir in chocolate chips. Using a large scoop (about 3 tbsp) drop batter into the cupcake liners, filling about 2/3rds full. Remove brownie batter from freezer and press into the cupcake batter. Bake for 22-28 mins. Allow to cool completely before frosting.

FROSTING
5 sticks butter, softened
8 oz powdered sugar
1.5 cups unsweetened cocoa powder (Hershey’s Special Dark Cocoa)
a pinch of table salt
1.5 cups light corn syrup
2 tsp vanilla extract
16 oz milk chocolate chips

Melt chocolate chips in the microwave, stirring well every 30 seconds. Allow to cool for 5-10 mins. Combine butter, sugar, cocoa and salt in a food processor and process until smooth, about 30 seconds. Scrape the bowl as needed. Add the corn syrup and vanilla and process until just combined, about 5-10 seconds. Scrape the bowl again, then add the melted chocolate and pulse until smooth and creamy, about 10-15 seconds. You can use a mixer for this too, if you don’t have a food processor, just don’t whip the butter too much! :)  Makes & frosts 36 cupcakes.

Mmmm!  It's like chocolate Heaven!  :)

Funny Four Year Old!

While showing Brad a "trick" on his bike, Winston told him, "Daddy, Watch and Learn."  How funny is that!  :)

Thought for the day

Our choices today will affect where we end up tomorrow. Each choice has a consequence and each consequence, a destination. You should be asking yourself each day if the choices you are making now will take you to where you want to be. We are responsible for who we become.

and another one:

I choose to live by choice, not by chance;
to make changes, not excuses;
to be motivated, not manipulated;
to be useful, not used;
to excel, not compete.
I choose self-esteem, not self-pity.
I choose to listen to the inner voice, not random opinions.

Happy Anniversary to Us!

Wow, I can't believe it's been 24 years since we took the plunge - 24 wonderful years.  Where has the time gone?  It doesn't feel like it's been anywhere near that long and yet it's hard to remember my life before we were together.

I love my family so very much.  I'm deeply grateful for Brad and the life we share together. We've been blessed with three wonderful boys and I'm full of gratitude for the life we've built together. I'm looking forward to all that the future holds for us.  Families really are what life is all about.