Chicken Garlic Parmesan Pizza

That thing about my husband loving Buffalo Wild Wings?  Did I mention my 4-year-old son loves it too because there is always at least one TV playing hockey and there is a Red Wings jersey on the wall of our local one - oh yeah, and they have mac-n-cheese, so, of course...  They always order the same foods but I love to order different things much of the time and try to come up with copycat recipes I can make at home - BW3 makes that easier because they sell bottles of the sauce to take home.  Well, last time we were there I tried the Garlic Parmesan Flatbread Pizza and everyone else ended up eating it with me because it looked and smelled so great.  So we grabbed another bottle of sauce for the road and I thought I'd try making a similar version at home.

Peeks of the Weekend Action

Just in case you think the slow-down on posting means we're resting on our laurels around here, a little photographic evidence to the contrary!  While this would be a lovely little spot to curl up and hide (as the kids often do), I have not had time for more than a momentary perch on these lovely cushions I found on clearance this weekend for less than I could buy one deep seat cushion.  

Farmers Market Friday - Farmers Market Blogs

Welcome to Farmer's Market Friday!  Today I have a roundup of 20 great farmer's markets with blogs of their own.  Fun pictures, basic info on hours and locations, features on vendors and recipes and tips on how to use the goodies you can find there - take a peek and be sure to visit if you are in the area!

A Fairy House and a Guest Post

Hello, friends!  If you've seen those fantastical fairy houses for fairy gardens that all the garden centers and gift shops are starting to sell but can't afford the large price tags involved, this sweet little project is just for you.  I've got an adorable little fairy house to share with you but there's a little trick...you'll have to visit Diana Rambles to see how its done because that's where I'm guest posting today.  :)  

And while you are visiting Diana, be sure to take a peek around her blog - she's got fun crafts/DYI projects and an awesome toffee bark recipe!

Garlic Parmesan Steak and Mushrooms

You know you've hit on something good when the hubby takes a bite and says "I hope you took a picture of this to put on your blog!"  

Cheeseburger and Fries Hot Pockets

We eat a lot of leftovers in my house.  When I was growing up there wasn't a lot that went to waste.  Growing up in the country you learn that every part has its purpose and almost everything can be used for something if you can just figure out what it is.  The thought of throwing away food just because we ate it the night before was just not a concept that was even considered.  Farmyards and barns are usually full of odds and ends just waiting for a job and I look at my fridge the same way.  The trick is to use the leftovers in a way that they are not recognized as the same meal.  If you keep an open mind when considering your ingredients and you always keep a few favorite basics on hand the possibilities become virtually endless.

This little cheeseburger and fries pocket was born out of - leftover cooked ground beef, a package of shredded hashbrowns in the freezer, ketchup, mustard, relish, shredded colby jack, and a recipe for pizza dough.  

KFC Fried Chicken Tacos

Got a few leftover pieces of fried chicken?  The gang will never know they are eating leftovers with this tasty taco.  

Hawaiian Yogurt Parfait

You've heard it before but I'll say it again - yogurt parfaits are one of the most popular snacks, desserts, side dishes in our house.  They are easy, quick and inexpensive to make.  Best of all, its easy to be creative because there are a ton of pantry and fridge tidbits that make for great parfaits.  My daughter created this cool little snack for herself and her brother last night after hockey - its one of the things I don't mind them eating if they are starving while I am cooking dinner.  Sliced bananas (at 9 she can slice them herself with a butter knife), vanilla yogurt and a dollop of pineapple ice cream topping.  We didn't have any on hand but a sprinkling of macadamia nuts or coconut would be perfect.

It's Hot - Fire Up that Grill!

We are having what is officially a scorcher here in Michigan, land of the ever-changing weather, and when its this hot and the A/C is running all the time that means those grills get fired up.  If you are looking for some inspiration to change up your usual grilling routine, there are a lot of great ideas out there but I am drooling over these offerings being featured at Carole's Chatter...including my Open-Faced Bacon Burger recipe pictured above.  If you haven't stopped by Carole's Chatter before, she's got a great site categorized by ingredient or food type such as breakfast.  Clicking on the food name takes you to not only tips on what goes well with an item and how to prepare it, but also to a link-up so you'll find a list of tasty recipes posted by all kinds of bloggers to open up a world of new ideas to inspire your cooking! Here are a few more of my grill-friendly recipes for you (some of these were done in the skillet or broiler but work equally well for grilling):

Shish-Kabobs
Deluxe Grill Packets
Herbed Sweet Corn and Lemon Pepper Chicken Drumsticks
Blackened Chicken Legs

Kids Cook - Tortilla Soup

My daughter came home with a recipe she was very excited about making.  One of the summer camp theme weeks had been "kids cook" and they had researched recipes online and copied ones they wanted to try making into little construction paper cookbooks.  I don't know where she found the original recipe but it turned out excellent - although we did make a few substitutions based on what we already had on hand.  It has good spice but not too hot for kids.  It was easy for her to make - she used the mini food processor to dice the veggies herself.  Not a drop of this soup went to waste!