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Berry Lemonade Bars | Easy Summer Recipe

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Berry Lemonade Bars | Easy Summer Recipe

These Berry Lemonade Bars are a simple and yummy recipe for the hot summer months! Who doesn’t love a good easy summer recipe? Berry Lemonade Bars | Easy Summer Recipe One of my favorite parts of summer is the fresh veggies and berries that I can collect around my yard. Last year we planted a Berry Patch, even though we already had a ton of berry bushes around the property, I wanted more! And, I have plans this fall to plant another… But, now I have a problem, a good problem, but still a problem. I have a ton of frozen berries in my freezer from last year, and now it is time to harvest even more! So, it was time to pull out the frozen berries and make something yummy! Berry Lemonade Bars | Easy Summer Recipe They have just the right amount of zing from the fresh lemon juice and the sweetness of all of the yummy berries that I used. For this recipe I used a combination of strawberries, blueberries, blackberries and raspberries. You can use all different kinds, or stick to your favorite. I figured I might as well pack as many berries into it as I could that way I could make room for this years harvest. Berry Lemonade Bars | Easy Summer Recipe This recipe would be perfect for a summer BBQ! I will be making some more for the 4th of July because these will not last long in our home… They are THAT good!

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 Berry Lemonade Bars | Easy Summer Recipe
Berry Lemonade Bars | Easy Summer Recipe
Course Dessert
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 120 minutes
Servings
bars
Ingredients
Course Dessert
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 120 minutes
Servings
bars
Ingredients
Berry Lemonade Bars | Easy Summer Recipe
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degree and line an 8x8 baking dish with parchment paper.
  2. Crust:
  3. In a mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugar. Incorporate flour in 1/4 cup increments, making sure well combined.
  4. Press crust into the bottom of the baking dish and bake for 20 minutes or until light golden brown around the edges.
  5. Remove from oven and allow to cool.
  6. Filling:
  7. In a mixing bowl, combine egg, egg whites, sugar and lemon juice, mix until just combined. Incorporate flour and mix until just combined.
  8. Using a strainer or sieve, press berries over mixing bowl to get as much as the juice out as you can.
  9. Mix until incorporated.
  10. Pour over cooled crust and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until center is set.
  11. Allow to cool at room temperature for 10 minutes and transfer to refrigerate to chill for 2 hours.
  12. Cut into squares and dust with powdered sugar.
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Golden Graham Smores Bars

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Golden Graham Smores Bars

Golden Graham Smores Bars

Summer means a lot of things for me, and one of those things is Smores. There is nothing like an gooey smore right off of the campfire. I prefer mine a little burnt, but that is just me. Unfortunately I can not always run out and start a bomb fire when the craving hits me, so coming up with ideas to get my fix with out the fire was a top priority for me this week. These Golden Graham Smores Bars fit the bill quit nicely I must say. They are chewy with just the right amount of graham cracker, marshmallow and chocolate. Golden Graham Smores Bars    

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 Golden Graham Smores Bars
Course Dessert
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Servings
Bars
Ingredients
Course Dessert
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Servings
Bars
Ingredients
Instructions
  1. Line an 8x8 baking dish with parchment paper (cut the parchment paper so that is long enough to hang over the edges, this will make cutting the bars easy!)
  2. In a large saucepan melt butter over low heat and add cinnamon. Add in marshmallows and mix until completely melted.
  3. Remove from heat and fold in Golden Graham cereal and chocolate chips.
  4. Transfer to baking dish, gently pressing into place.
  5. Allow to cool for 1 hour. Once cool, lift out of baking dish and cut into 2 inch squares.
  6. Store leftovers (like there will be any) in an airtight container at room temperature.
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What is your favorite summer memory?

Texas Caviar Recipe!

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Texas Caviar

Texas Caviar Recipe!

Ohhh how I love summer! Mainly because I can get outside and get things done, plus some pool fun is always a nice reward after working in the garden in the hot sun. Right now I am up to my ears in cucumbers, tomatoes and peppers! I am waiting on a few more tomatoes to turn red before I can get to canning some awesome homemade salsa. For now, I have a few that have turned already so I thought I would throw together my hubbies favorite summer treat, Texas Caviar. IMG_7457 I have to admit, when my hubby first told me about this recipe, I was a bit skeptical. It did not sound good to me at all, but I have to say that it is now one of my favorites. There is just something about fresh veggies right from the garden that make this Texas Caviar something to crave. IMG_7462

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 Texas Caviar Recipe!
You can substitute any of the pepper for what you have on hand or to your liking. I prefer black eye peas, but black beans are great in this too!
Course Snack
Prep Time 10 minutes
Servings
Ingredients
Course Snack
Prep Time 10 minutes
Servings
Ingredients
Instructions
  1. In a large bowl, combine all ingredients and toss until well combined.
  2. That is it! Simple right? I like to cover and refrigerate mine for 24 hours so that all the flavors come together.
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 Texas Caviar

Sweet and Spicy Chicken Kabobs!

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Sweet and Spicy Chicken Kabobs! Sweet and Spicy Chicken Kabobs!

Summer is here Ya’ll! Living in the South means I can pretty much grill year round, which I love because it is less clean up and nothing really beats a meal grilled. These Sweet and Spicy Chicken Kabobs have become an instant family favorite in our home! I love the way veggies get that char and become a little crispy around the edges… so yum! If you like a little kick to your food, this recipe is for you! Sweet and Spicy Chicken Kabobs! I used the marinade for our chicken, but it is pretty darn awesome on steak as well. Hubby uses it as a dipping sauce for his french fries… It is THAT good! It has a major kick, but it is not an overwhelming spicy. IMG_7366 For this fun summer recipe, you will only need a few ingredients and clean up is a breeze! That is the one thing I LOVE about grilling is that there are less dishes. I like to use a baking sheet covered in foil to carry the food out to the grill, when the food is almost done cooking, I take the baking sheet in and change out the foil to carry it all back. Sweet and Spicy Chicken Kabobs! For this recipe I used the El Yucateco Red Habanero Hot Sauce, but you can substitute with theEl Yucateco Chipotle Hot Sauce, which I found at my local Lowes Foods. If you are craving a little more heat, you can always go bold with the El Yucateco Green Habanero Hot Sauce that packs a little bit more of a punch than the Red Hot Sauce! I absolutely love the El Yucateco Chipotle Hot Sauce and use it straight from the bottle on my steak. 20150603_090443

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 Sweet and Spicy Chicken Kabobs!
Sweet and Spicy Chicken Kabobs!
Course Dinner
Cuisine BBQ
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 60 minutes
Servings
Ingredients
Course Dinner
Cuisine BBQ
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 60 minutes
Servings
Ingredients
Sweet and Spicy Chicken Kabobs!
Instructions
  1. In a blender or food processor combine all ingredients for the marinade and pulse until combined.
  2. Reserve 1/2 Cup for basting.
  3. In a large bowl or sealable bag combine chicken and remaining marinade. Refrigerate for 1 hour.
  4. For Kabobs add chicken, onion and green peppers to skewers and grill. Use the reserve of marinade to baste the chicken and veggies as needed.
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Summer grilling is not just for get togethers in our home, we try to grill outside as often as possible in the summer. Instead of being stuck behind a stove I can go outside and play with the kiddos while our dinner is cooking. And, lets face it, there is nothing better than chasing a few Fire Flies after eating dinner outside. IMG_7330 Also, be sure to enter the “Deluxe grilling package” sweepstakes that includes an incredible grill, cooler full of Yucateco and tools! A perfect prize to get you ready for summer grilling! El Yucateco Grilling IMG_7354

What is your favorite thing to throw on the grill? Let us know in the comments below!

JELL-O Slushy Recipe! | Summer Recipes

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 JELL-O Slushy! | Summer Recipes

JELL-O Slushy Recipe | Summer Recipes |

If you follow me on Instagram, you know we are already in full Summer mode here. The temperatures have already hit 100 degrees so keeping cool is high on my priority list. With the kids almost done with school, I decided it was time to come up with some kid friendly treats to keep them cool while they are outside playing. This JELL-O Slushy is just the thing! It stay frozen a lot longer than a traditional Slushy and the flavor combos are endless. Today I made a Strawberry Lemonade JELL-O Slushy  and a Blue Raspberry Slushy! Both were amazing, and when I combined the two flavors I had an instant hit! JELL-O Slushy Recipe The red and blue JELL-O Slushy will be perfect for the upcoming 4th of July Holiday, super fun and festive! But, as I said, any flavor combos will work. I may have to make a Watermelon flavor soon!
JELL-O Slushy Recipe For the Strawberry Lemonade JELL-O Slushy, I used Strawberry Lemonade with gave it just the right amount of tart to counteract the sweetness of the JELL-O. The Blue Raspberry I used a Lemon-Lime Soda. As long as the flavors mix well, the combos are really endless!

Let me know in the comments below if you have tried this yummy recipe! Also, which other flavor combinations should we try next? 

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 JELL-O Slushy Recipe! | Summer Recipes |
JELL-O Slushy Recipe
Course Frozen Drink
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 240 minutes
Servings
servings
Ingredients
Course Frozen Drink
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 240 minutes
Servings
servings
Ingredients
JELL-O Slushy Recipe
Instructions
  1. Combine boiling water and JELL-O and mix until dissolved completely.
  2. Mix in lemon juice and juice/soda (if using Soda, it will fizz a bit).
  3. Pour into a baking dish and freeze for 3-4 hours, or until hard.
  4. Remove from freezer 5 min before serving and use a spoon or ice cream scoop to scrape the slushy out.
  5. Add a little more soda/juice to glass before serving.
  6. Enjoy!
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Love this recipe? Check out all of the other fun recipes we have on the blog! We also love pinning yummy recipes to our Pinterest account! 

Homemade Frozen Lemonade Recipe!

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This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #SunsOutSpoonsOut #CollectiveBias

Homemade Frozen Lemonade Recipe!

Homemade Frozen Lemonade Recipe! Temperatures have been heating up here in North Carolina, which means summer has made an early appearance. That means that my craving for ice cream is pretty much in overdrive. There is nothing better than a nice cool treat after being out in the heat working on the yard. I had also been eyeballing fresh lemons from our local farmers market, and I knew that I wanted to do something that involved lemons, so I combined them! This yummy Homemade Frozen Lemonade Recipe is the prefect combination of sweet and tart and only takes a few minutes to make! Homemade Frozen Lemonade Recipe! All you need is some ice, sugar, fresh lemons and vanilla ice cream. I used the Blue Bunny Premium Vanilla, which is pretty much my favorite vanilla ice cream made! You can use store bought lemonade or even store bought lemon juice, but nothing beats freshly squeezed in my book! Homemade Frozen Lemonade Recipe! After you have assembled your team of yummy ingredients, just pop it all into a blender or food processor! Blend until smooth and serve right away! Homemade Frozen Lemonade Recipe! You can add as much sugar as you like, or omit it all together if you like things a little more tart. I only add a little to cut through the sourness of the lemon. Homemade Frozen Lemonade Recipe! The possibilities are really endless with this recipe though, I think the next batch I will use the Double Strawberry to make a frozen pink lemonade! Be sure the next time you are at Walmart to check out all of the yummy flavors that Blue Bunny has to offer! I recommended the Pistachio Almond… So yummy! Also, be sure to check out the Blue Bunny demos at Walmart from 5/21/2015 – 5/24/2015 in the produce section of your store, you can see a list or participating stores here! blue bunny

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 Homemade Frozen Lemonade Recipe!
Homemade Frozen Lemonade Recipe!
Course Dessert
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 1 minutes
Servings
Servings
Ingredients
Course Dessert
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 1 minutes
Servings
Servings
Ingredients
Homemade Frozen Lemonade Recipe!
Instructions
  1. Combine all ingredients into a food process or blender.
  2. Blend until well combined.
  3. Serve immediately.
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 So, what is your favorite flavor of ice cream? Are you a traditional vanilla, or do you like to mix it up?

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Guacamole Salsa

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Guacamole Salsa Guacamole Salsa

I have been a dip and salsa kick lately. It has to be the warm weather, drawing me into the summer fun and hopes of wearing flip flops on the beach. Even though I can’t get to the beach, does not mean that I can’t celebrate summer a little early, right? This Guacomole Salsa will get you into the summer mood! A combination of thick and creamy Guacamole with a hint of salsa, your friends and family are sure to be begging you for this recipe! Guacamole Salsa With just a few simple ingredients, the only tool you will need for this recipe is a blender or food processor! Guacamole Salsa If you like your salsa or guacamole with a little kick, you can add more jalapeños, or none at all, it is up to you! Guacamole Salsa I like dips and salsas because I have some picky eaters in my house. But, if they have something they can dip their food into it, they seem to eat everything on their plate. I guess they like the idea of “playing” with their food, which they probably got from me. Taquitos and Tacos are the perfect dipping tool for this Guacamole Salsa! You can find a ton of different options in beef or chicken at Walmart! I am loving the Beef and Cheese Tacos from Delimex! Delimex Mexican dishes are the perfect food to celebrate Cinco de Mayo, check out some other yummy recipes here!  

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 Guacamole Salsa
Guacamole Salsa
Course Salsa
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Servings
Ingredients
Course Salsa
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Servings
Ingredients
Guacamole Salsa
Instructions
  1. Place everything into a blender of food processor.
  2. Pulse until fully combined and desired consistency is reached.
  3. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
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  I like to create a dipping station with my favorite Queso Blanco Dip and Chuncky Blender Salsa! It gives the family options, and it is always fun to dip and mix the different salsas!

Guacamole Salsa

What is your favorite dipping tool? Let us know in the comments below!

Easy Queso Blanco Dip

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Easy Queso Blanco Dip

Easy Queso Blanco Dip

My family loves Mexican food and with Cinco De Mayo right around the corner I figured it was time to try my hand at recreating one of my favorite dip recipes. This easy Queso Blanco Dip can be done on the stove top, or in a slow cooker which is great for those set it and forget it kind of days. Easy Queso Blanco Dip We have a great Mexican restaurant in our area, and every time we go, Queso Blanco is a must have at our table. To the point where the waiters no longer ask us, they just bring it to the table. But, with our families schedules being so busy lately, we have not had many opportunities to visit our favorite restaurant. So, I decided that it was time to make my own version of this creamy, cheesy dip! Easy Queso Blanco Dip All you need is a few basic ingredients, and you will be well on your way to cheesy, dipping gold! Easy Queso Blanco Dip I like to throw everything together and put it in the slow cooker, but on those nights where I am craving it, I just throw it into a sauce pot and it is ready in 5 minutes!

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 Easy Queso Blanco Dip
Easy Queso Blanco Dip
Course Dip
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Servings
Ingredients
Course Dip
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Servings
Ingredients
Easy Queso Blanco Dip
Instructions
  1. Place all of the ingredients in a sauce pot and heat over medium low heat. Stir occasionally.
  2. Once cheese has started to melt, reduce to low and stir until creamy and smooth.
  3. For the slow cooker, simply place everything in the slow cooker and set to low.
  4. If you like a little more heat, add in 1 diced Jalapeño.
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Easy Queso Blanco Dip

Easy Chunky Blender Salsa!

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Easy Chunky Blender Salsa!

Easy Chunky Blender Salsa!

Something about Salsa just screams summer to me! With the weather in the 80’s, it might as well all ready be summer. Everything is blooming, and I will soon have tons of fresh strawberries, blueberries and blackberries. Although none of my veggies in the garden have produced, the farmers market down the street has some nice fresh veggies already!

Easy Chunky Blender Salsa!

So, I decided that today was the day to make this Easy Chunky Blender Salsa! I love salsa, and when I can throw everything together in one container to make it, it is a plus!

Easy Chunky Blender Salsa!

 Love the fresh veggies and salsa of summer? Be sure to check out this super yummy Texas Caviar recipe!

Easy Chunky Blender Salsa!

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 Easy Chunky Blender Salsa!
Easy Chunky Blender Salsa!
Cuisine Salsa
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Servings
Ingredients
Cuisine Salsa
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Servings
Ingredients
Easy Chunky Blender Salsa!
Instructions
  1. Add all ingredients into a blender.
  2. Pulse until well combined, if you like a thinner salsa, pulse until desired consistency is reached.
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Chicken Enchilada Casserole

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Chicken Enchilada Casserole

Chicken Enchilada Casserole

I came to the realization this week that 90% of the meat in my freezer is chicken…. Lots and lots of chicken. I don’t know about you, but my family gets food bored, so the same old chicken recipes over and over again will most likely cause a riot in my home. So, I knew it was time to mix things up a bit. We love Mexican food in our home, and we usually give it a cultural twist because my hubby is Hispanic and I am Polish/German. This week I put some of that Zaycon chicken to work making this simple Chicken Enchilada Casserole! Chicken Enchilada Casserole This recipe is super easy, and will sure to be a hit! I also love it because it makes a great freezer meal! Put it all together and freeze it for one of those nights where you just do not feeling like cooking! To make all you do is take a 9×13 baking dish and place a layer of corn tortillas down…. Chicken Enchilada Casserole Layer on your cooked chicken… Chicken Enchilada Casserole Top with spanish rice…. Chicken Enchilada Casserole And some yummy cheese… Chicken Enchilada Casserole Top off with another layer of corn tortillas, cheese and Enchilada sauce…. Chicken Enchilada Casserole And bake! Super easy! This is also another great recipe for left over chicken! Chicken Enchilada Casserole

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 Chicken Enchilada Casserole
Chicken Enchilada Casserole
Course Dinner
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Servings
Ingredients
Course Dinner
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Servings
Ingredients
Chicken Enchilada Casserole
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. In a skillet saute chicken, pepper and garlic. Once chicken is cooked through, add in cilantro and remove from heat.
  3. While chicken is cooking, combine all of the rice ingredients into a medium, non-stick skillet. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 25 minutes.
  4. Once chicken and rice are cooked, cover your baking dish with a layer of corn tortillas, overlapping a bit. Layer on chicken, rice and 1 cup cheese.
  5. Cover with another layer of corn tortillas and cheese. Pour over enchilada sauce and bake for 30 minutes, uncovered, or until cheese is melted and bubbly around the edges.
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