Chicken Soup for the Summer Soul

Chicken Soup for the Summer Soul ...

As the temperature rises this summer the less and less I want to cook.  To help get me motivated in cooking I decided to visit my Pinterest Board for Crockpot recipes.  After looking through my saved recipes I remembered that I had pinned a very yummy looking Crockpot Chicken and Noodle Soup that I wanted to try.

Tech Tip:

• Use a visual pin board such as Pinterest to help you save and organize recipes.
• If you use Pinterest it helps to divide your boards by categories such as Chicken Recipes, Crockpot Recipes, Cupcakes, and etc... 

Recipe: I did change the original recipe just a hair.

Ingredients:

• 26 oz of chicken stock (Swanson)
• 1 packet of chicken flavor boost (Swanson)
• 2 cups of water
• One 10.75 oz can cream of chicken soup
• 1/2 cup onions, chopped fine
• 1/2 cup celery, chopped fine
• 1/2 cup carrots, chopped fine
• 1/2 cup green onions, sliced
• 1 small package of frozen sweet corn
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• 1 1/2 cup Egg noodles
• 2 cups grilled chicken breasts chopped/shredded 

Directions: 

Add everything but the noodles into the crockpot and cook on Low for 5-6 hours, the last hour turn the temperature on High, and add the noodles.  Once the noodles are tender and ready, enjoy.

I have a feeling that I will not have any leftovers tonight.

S'Mores Kupcake for Kids

S'Mores Kupcake for Kids

Since it is summer time and my favorite memories of summer always ended in making S'Mores.  I thought what a better cupcake to try to make.  I did a search for s'mores cupcake recipes and found 2 that I liked.  I took the decorations from one recipe and the frosting from the other.  The proceeds of these cupcakes will also go toward the Kupcakes for Kids school supply drive.




Recipe:

• Your favorite chocolate cake mix (eggs, oil, & water)
• Mini chocolate candy bars (unwrapped)
• Mini gram crackers
• 4 Sticks of butter (room temperature) 
• 2 cups of powder sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla 
• 16 oz jar of marshmallow fluff 

• Bake cupcakes according to directions (I baked mine without cupcake liners)
• In a bowl mix the butter, powder sugar, vanilla, and marshmallow fluff together until nice and creamy.
• Place the frosting mix into a piping bag
• Swirl some frosting on the cupcakes
• Stick a candy bar into the frosting on top of the cupcake
• Stick a gram cracker in the frosting next to the candy bar

I had placed each cupcake into a small clear plastic cup before decorating.

4th of July Kupcakes for Kids

4th of July Kupcakes for Kids

My little elves have been very busy baking and decorating 4th of July Kupcake for Kids.  Kupcake for kids is a little fundraiser that Epsilon Pi is having to raise funds for school supplies.  Since I am one of the happy bakers and I know several people that couldn't make our Vendors Market on July 14th I offered to bake some cupcakes before the actual event with all proceeds going to the Kupcakes for Kids project.  Since it is almost the 4th of July I offered to make some 4th of July cupcakes.




Recipe:

• Confetti cake mix (3 eggs, oil, & water)
• Peel-a-part Twizzlers (cut into 3rds)
• Red, White, & Blue Sprinkles
• White Fluffy Frosting
• Mini American Flag (optional)   
• Red & Blue Cupcake Liners
  

• Bake cupcakes according to directions
• Cool cupcakes
• Place Fluffy White Frosting in a piping bag and swirl on some frosting on each cupcake.
• Take a Twizzler and pull down the sections half way.
• Poke Twizzler into the middle of the cupcake.
• Sprinkle some red, white, and blue sprinkles around the twizzler.

Before I decorated the cupcakes I placed each cupcake into a small clear pastic cup.

Cupcake Wars Wanna Be

Lazy Summer Day Teddies

Cupcake Wars Wanna Be

Lazy Summer Day Teddies

I defiantly have been watching way to many Cupcake Wars episodes this year.  They make baking creative cupcakes look like a breeze.  In July I will be baking dozens of cupcakes for "Kupcake for Kids".  I have been practicing making different cupcakes for the occasion.  Since my son is having friends over I thought I would try out my Lazy Summer Day Teddies on them.  If they are a go, then you will be able to pick them up at the "Kupcake for Kids" drive.

Epsilon Pi is sponsoring the "Kupcake for Kids" which is for a school supply drive.  Purchase a cupcake or a dozen and all proceeds will go to purchasing school supplies for area kids.  So join Epsilon Pi July 14th 9am-3pm at the Municipal building in Pratt and purchase some cupcakes.  The "Kupcake for Kids" will also going on during the Vendors Market.  Come and get your cupcakes and stay and shop at the variety marchants located in the gym of the Municipal building.  I do believe there will be around 30 vendors displaying their goodies and bargins that day. 

Mark your calendars for July 14th 9am-3pm for "Kupcakes for Kids" & the Vendors Market. Location 117 West 3rd Street, Pratt, KS.

Lazy Summer Day Teddies Recipe 

What you will need:

• White Cake Mix (3 eggs, oil, & water)
• Blue Jell-o
• Ducan Hines Frosting Creations Starter
• Ducan Hines Frosting Creations Cotton Candy Mix
• Teddy Grams
• Gummy Life Savers

Directions:

• Mix up the white cake mix- follow directions on the box
• Pour cake mix into cupcake liners and bake - follow the directions on the box
• Cool the cupcakes - use a toothpick and poke holes in cupcakes
• Mix the Blue - follow the directions for the Jell-o Jigglers
• Using a Spoon pour some of the Jell-o over the cupcakes - Refrigerate
• Let the Jell-o set up for about 45 minutes or so
• Mix the Cotton Candy mix into the frosting starter
• Frost the the cupcakes
• Put one teddy gram through a gummy lifesaver and place on cupcake
• Repeat until all of the cupcakes are decorated