Homemade Pizza With Pillsbury Artisan Pizza Crust {Review & Giveaway}

May 10, 2013 by 66 Comments

Homemade Pizza with Artisans Pizza Crust

~*~ Disclosure: The prize pack, information, and giveaway have been provided by General Mills and Pillsbury through MyBlogSpark. ~*~

If there’s one meal in my home that’s sure to bring the whole family to the dinner table, it’s pizza!  My son and husband prefer cheese pizza, while I love to mound on the pepperoni, heartburn and all.

When I was given the chance to review the new Pillsbury Artisan Pizza Crust with Whole Grain, I jumped at the chance to make some homemade pizza for my family. I’m constantly trying to get them to eat healthier things and what better way to convince them to eat better than to replace unhealthy foods with healthy ones?  The best place to start is with the foods and snacks eaten most often.

Here is a simple and quick recipe for homemade pizza.  I even took the chance to make some home-made pizza sauce because it’s SO much healthier than pre-made sauce you buy in stores that’s packed full of preservatives and high fructose corn syrup!

MyBlogSparkArtisanPizzaPost

Here’s what you need:

  • 1 can organic tomatoes {I used stewed with Italian seasonings for more flavor}
  • 1 Pillsbury Artisan Pizza Crust with Whole Grain
  • 1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded {you can use extra if you want it super-cheesy}
  • pepperoni, optional

 

To Make Pizza Sauce

Pour the can of tomatoes into a blender and blend until smooth.  Pour the puree into a small sauce pan and heat over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until reduced to desired consistancy {5-10 minutes}.  Remove from heat, let cool, and VOILA!  Makes enough sauce for one pizza.

To Make Your Pizza

  1. Roll out Pillsbury Artisan Pizza Crust with Whole Grain on a pizza pan {a cookie sheet will work, also} and pre-bake per manufacturer’s suggestion.
  2. Spread pizza sauce evenly on pre-baked pizza crust.  Sprinkle cheese and desired toppings on top of pizza sauce.
  3. Bake until cheese is melted {it only takes a few minutes}.
  4. Slice and enjoy!

Want to make this recipe yourself?  Then make sure you print this Coupon for $1.50 off one package of Pillsbury Artisan Pizza Crust before heading to the store to get your ingredients!

 

ArtisanFreshIgredients_PrizePack

How would you like to win a pizza prize pack valued at $64?  The prize pack includes:

  • A VIP coupon for one FREE Pillsbury Artisan Pizza Crust with Whole Grain
  • 15.5″ Farberware Pizza Pan
  • Food Chopper with Storage Containers
  • Silicon-grip Oven Mitt

a Rafflecopter giveaway

For more recipes, check out Farmer’s Market Pizza Ideas from Pillsbury!

Gabrielle

Filed Under: Giveaways/Reviews, Home-made, Simple Recipes

Crock Pot French Toast

May 6, 2013 by Leave a Comment

Crock Pot French Toast

When I first found out that I could cook french toast over night in t he crock pot, I was a little skeptical.  It was like nothing I’d ever heard of before and the idea was pretty odd.

I’m happy to report that the crock pot french toast came out GREAT and I can’t wait to make it again!

Here’s what you need:

  • 1/2 loaf french bread or 6-8 slices sandwich bread {feel free to mix it up with the flavors… cinnamon raisin bread would be DELICIOUS}
  • 4 large eggs {or 6 medium}
  • dash of milk
  • 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

Step 1:  If using french bread or a similar type of loaf, cut your bread into thick slices. You can use thin, too, but they won’t be so big and fluffy after the 8-hour cooking time.  If your bread is already cut up, go ahead and skip this step ;)

Step 2:  Combine the eggs, milk, vanilla extract, and cinnamon. Note that I use a LOT of vanilla and cinnamon. You could probably cut those ingredients in half and still have great french toast, I just wanted a stronger, more intense flavor.

Step 3:  Dip each slice of bread into the egg mixture making sure to fully coat each side.  Layer the dipped bread into your crock pot.  I chose to tier mine to reduce the pieces sticking together so bad.  Pour the remaining egg mixture over the bread.

Step 4:  Set your crock pot to the lowest setting {FYI: “Warm” is not a heat setting} and let cook for 7-8 hours.

Crock Pot French Toast
 
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Recipe type: Breakfast
Serves: 4

Ingredients
  • ½ loaf french bread or 6-8 slices of sliced bread
  • 4 large eggs {or 6 medium-sized}
  • splash of milk
  • 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

Instructions
  1. If using french bread or a similar type of loaf, cut your bread into thick slices. You can use thin, too, but they won’t be so big and fluffy after the 8-hour cooking time.  If your bread is already cut up, go ahead and skip this step ;)
  2. Combine the eggs, milk, vanilla extract, and cinnamon. Note that I use a LOT of vanilla and cinnamon. You could probably cut those ingredients in half and still have great french toast, I just wanted a stronger, more intense flavor.
  3. Dip each slice of bread into the egg mixture making sure to fully coat each side. Layer the dipped bread into your crock pot.  I chose to tier mine to reduce the pieces sticking together so bad.  Pour the remaining egg mixture over the bread.
  4. Set your crock pot to the lowest setting {FYI: “Warm” is not a heat setting} and let cook for 7-8 hours.

I love this recipe because you can put it together before you go to bed and wake up to delicious french toast!

Gabrielle

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Cake Box Cookies

May 5, 2013 by Leave a Comment

Cake Box Cookies

Want to cut the work out of some homemade cookies?  Then grab your favorite flavor of cake mix and whip up some chewy cake box cookies!

Here’s what you need:

  • 1 box cake mix
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/4 cup vegetable oil

Preheat oven to 350-degrees.  Mix all the ingredients in a large bowl until combined.  Scoop by tablespoon onto a foil-lined pan and bake for 10-12 minutes until cooked through.

Easy as that!

Cake Box Cookies
 
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Recipe type: Cookies
Serves: a lot

Ingredients
  • 1 box cake mix
  • 2 eggs
  • ½ cup vegetable oil

Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350-degrees.
  2. Mix all ingredients until fully combined. Drop by tablespoon onto foil-lined pan and bake for 10-12 minutes.
  3. That’s it!

Gabrielle

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My Latest Farmer’s Market Find: Mama Mia’s Beef Jerky

May 4, 2013 by Leave a Comment

Mama Mia's Beef Jerky

First let me say that this is NOT a sponsored post or review in any way. I bought this product with my own mullah and because I love it so much, I’m sharing it with you guys!

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

On to the matter at hand – JERKY!

In this household, beef jerky is a staple item. We eat it all the time and it’s Daddy’s go-to snack when he’s at work. Even Little Man, the self-proclaimed vegetarian of the group, will eat jerky from time-to-time.

If there’s one thing we’ve learned as a jerky-loving family, it’s that not all jerky is alike. Over the years, we’ve discovered a LOT of jerky that we didn’t like and will never buy again. Any beef jerky that wants a spot in our pantry has to have both good taste and texture or we won’t eat it.

Mama Mia's Beef Jerky packageThat being said, I’m happy to share my latest farmer’s market find – Mama Mia’s Beef Jerky!  Not only does Mama Mia make some amazing beef jerky, but this Mom-driven beef jerky company is a big supporter of the community teaming up with local sports groups and musical arts programs to raise money for the community. She also supports our troops!

Available in a variety of flavors, Mama Mia makes beef and turkey jerky.  Her homemade marinade recipe was handed down to her by her Dad and after one bite, you’ll see why it’s such a big hit.  I think my favorite has got to be the sweet-and-sour beef jerky that I tried at the farmer’s market, but didn’t bring home with me {a stupid decision on my part – I should have stocked up!}.  Surprisingly, I found Mama Mia’s Turkey Jerky to be just as good as the beef!  At less calories than the beef jerky and made with 100% turkey breast, I will be stocking up on turkey jerky next weekend, too.

How do you get  your hands on some Mama Mia’s Beef or Turkey Jerky, you ask?  Simple!  Head over to the Mama Mia’s Beef Jerky web site and order some!  You can have this delicious jerky shipped right to your door or send some to our troops over seas.  If you’re in the area, Mama Mia’s Beef Jerky can be found at a number of Farmer’s Markets {like mine}, which will also give you the chance to sample Mama Mia’s Beef Jerky and meet Mama Mia herself!

For more information on Mama Mia’s Beef Jerky, make sure you’re following her on Facebook or Twitter and let her know California Monkey Momma sent you! :)

Gabrielle

Filed Under: Blog, Giveaways/Reviews, Simple Recipes

Grilled Hobo Potato Pouches

April 28, 2013 by Leave a Comment

Grilled Hobo Potato Pouches

Grilling potatoes can be a tricky thing because they usually don’t cook all the way through and if they do, it takes a heck of a long time for that to happen.

Here’s a trick I learned from America’s Test Kitchen on how to ensure those potatoes cook thoroughly and in a decent amount of time :)

Here’s what you need:

  • 2 lbs potatoes {they suggest Yukon, but any will do}
  • 1 Tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 tsp fresh thyme, minced
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp ground pepper

1. PREP POTATOES Cut each potato in half crosswise, then cut each half into 8 wedges. Place potatoes in large bowl and wrap tightly with plastic wrap. Microwave until edges of potatoes are translucent, 4 to 7 minutes, shaking bowl (without removing plastic) to redistribute potatoes halfway through cooking. Carefully remove plastic and drain well. Gently toss potatoes with oil, garlic, thyme, salt, and pepper.
2. MAKE PACKS Cut four 14 by 10-inch sheets of aluminum foil. Working 1 at a time, spread one-quarter of potato mixture over half of foil, fold foil over potatoes, and crimp edges tightly to seal.
3. FINISH OUTSIDE Grill hobo packs over hot fire, covered, until potatoes are completely tender, about 10 minutes, flipping packs halfway through cooking. Cut open foil and serve.

It’s insanely simple and thanks to some help from the microwave, this recipe only takes about 20 minutes from start-to-finish!  When I made these, my husband immediately asked, “Did you grill these potatoes?”  When I told him I had, he smiled and said, “They’re REALLY good. You should make these more often.”

HUSBAND APPROVED!

If you like this recipe, make sure you PIN it!  I included a handy button below to make it easier :)

Gabrielle

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Filed Under: Home-made, Little Of This, Little Of That, Simple Recipes

FREE Sun-Maid Taste of Tradition Recipe Book

April 26, 2013 by Leave a Comment

new taste of home recipesI love raisins and oatmeal raisin cookies are my FAVORITE kind of cookie, so I’m anxious to get this awesome FREEBIE from Sun-Maid!

While supplies last, you can snag a FREE New Taste of Tradition cookbook {you can request a copy be mailed to you, as well as view and download the digital version}. I suggest doing both so you have access to these delicious recipes at all times!

Let me know if you snag this FREEBIE!  What recipe are you most excited to try first?  I, of course, can’t wait to whip up a batch of Classic Raisin Oatmeal Cookies :)

 

Gabrielle

Thanks, Budget Savvy Diva!
Filed Under: Freebies, Simple Recipes

Homemade Lemonade Recipe {+ Slushie Instructions!}

April 26, 2013 by Leave a Comment
Strawberry Lemonade Recipe~* Add cut-up strawberries to make strawberry lemonade! *~

As the summer temperatures rise, so does my family’s demand for homemade slushies.  One of our favorite flavors is lemonade and until recently, I’ve taken the short-cut method of using a powdered lemonade mix to make slushies. The biggest issue I found with the powdered mix, though, was that it wasn’t a strong enough lemon taste. That’s why I came up with this recipe:

Homemade Lemonade Recipe {+ Slushie Instructions!}
 
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Author:
Recipe type: Drink
Serves: 1 gallon

Ingredients
  • 2 cups water + 2 cups sugar
  • 4 cups ice
  • 5 cups cold water
  • 2 cups lemon juice {about 6-8 lemons}
  • 1 tsp. pure lemon extract, optional

Instructions
  1. Combine 2 cups water + 2 cups sugar in a medium-size sauce pan. Heat over medium heat until sugar is completely dissolved. You’re not trying to boil the mixture, just heat it up so that the sugar dissolves.
  2. Pour 4 heaping cups of ice into the bottom of your gallon pitcher. Carefully pour the sugar and water mixture over the ice and stir a bit to completely cool the mixture.
  3. Add 5 cups water, 2 cups of lemon juice, and 1 tsp pure lemon extract {you don’t have to use this, but it gives it an extra kick of flavor}. Mix well.
  4. To make a lemonade slushie: Fill your blender with 1:1 ratio of ice to lemonade mixture. Blend until all the ice chunks are gone. Serve and enjoy!

This recipe does have a slight kick to it, but my family loves that in slushies.  If you want to make it a little milder, omit the lemon extract.  It will still have a strong lemon taste and make for some mighty good lemonade :)

Make sure you PIN this recipe on Pinterest!  I’ve included a handy button below :)

Gabrielle

This recipe was adapted from Simply Recipes.
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Homemade Pizza Sauce

April 20, 2013 by Leave a Comment

Homemade Pizza Sauce

Like with most children, my son’s favorite food is pizza.  I’m pretty sure he would eat it for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, if I let him!

In an attempt to save some money {as usual}, I decided that we would make pizza from scratch instead of a generic frozen pizza. After opening my big mouth and promising Little Man a homemade pizza, I came to the realization that I didn’t have any pizza sauce!  AHHH!

Pinterest to the rescue! 

In true SAHM nature, I ran to Pinterest and quickly realized that while I didn’t have pizza sauce in the pantry, I DID have a can of tomatoes and the ability to make my own.  All you need to make your own pizza sauce is a can of tomatoes and some seasons. Yep… that’s it!

Here’s what I did:

  1. Pour one can of tomatoes into a blender or food processor and blend until smooth.  Add a dash of Italian seasonings {Oregano, Parsley, Garlic, etc.} and blend until combined. Confession: I used organic stewed Italian tomatoes {from Costco}, so I actually didn’t add anything to it since there was plenty of seasonings already in the tomatoes.
  2. Pour the tomato puree into a sauce pan and bring to a boil.
  3. Lower the flame {or temperature} to medium-low and simmer for 15-20 minutes, until most of the moisture has evaporated.  Stir often during this process to avoid burning.
  4. When the mixture is thick, remove from heat and let cool slightly before using.
Homemade Pizza Sauce
 
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Serves: 1

Ingredients
  • 1 can tomatoes
  • Italian seasonings

Instructions
  1. Pour one can of tomatoes into a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Add a dash of Italian seasonings {Oregano, Parsley, Garlic, etc.} and blend until combined. Confession: I used organic stewed Italian tomatoes {from Costco}, so I actually didn’t add anything to it since there was plenty of seasonings already in the tomatoes.
  2. Pour the tomato puree into a sauce pan and bring to a boil.
  3. Lower the flame {or temperature} to medium-low and simmer for 15-20 minutes, until most of the moisture has evaporated. Stir often during this process to avoid burning.
  4. When the mixture is thick, remove from heat and let cool slightly before using.

I was so pleasantly surprised with how easy it was to make homemade pizza sauce.  I can’t believe I ever bought that nasty processed pizza sauce in a jar!

Remember to PIN this recipe!  I included a handy button below :)

Gabrielle

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Filed Under: Home-made, Simple Recipes

Easy Cheesy Chicken Enchiladas Recipe

April 19, 2013 by 3 Comments

Easy Cheesy Chicken Enchiladas

My husband has been bugging me to make chicken enchiladas for some time now and I finally broke down and whipped up these easy and delicious chicken enchiladas!  There are only 4 ingredients and makes the perfect weeknight OR crock-pot meal.

Here’s what you’ll need:

  • 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast. cooked and shredded
  • 1 can enchilada sauce
  • tortillas
  • 2 cups shredded cheese {I used Mexican blend}
5.0 from 1 reviews

Easy Cheesy Chicken Enchiladas Recipe
 
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Author:
Recipe type: Dinner
Cuisine: Mexican
Serves: 4-6

Ingredients
  • 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast, cooked and shredded
  • 1 can enchilada sauce
  • tortillas
  • 2 cups shredded cheese {you can decrease this if you want, I like a LOT of cheese}

Instructions
  1. Combine the shredded chicken and ¾ of the can of enchilada sauce in a large pan. Cook over medium-high heat until thoroughly heated.
  2. Pour the remaining enchilada sauce into the bottom of a casserole dish.
  3. Spoon out a heaping scoop of the chicken and enchilada sauce mixture and line a tortilla with it. Fold in the sides, roll up the enchilada, and place it into the casserole dish, seem side down. Finish rolling enchiladas in this fashion until the pan is stuffed full of these delicious chicken stuffed tortillas.
  4. Sprinkle the cheese over the tortillas and bake in a 350-degree oven for about 20-minutes, or until all the cheese has melted.
  5. Remove from oven, serve, and enjoy!

 

Don’t get me wrong, there are plenty of ways to prepare enchiladas.  This is just a quick and simple way to throw some together.

Remember to PIN this recipe!!  You’ll definitely want to keep this one on hand because it’s so simple and easy!  I included a handy button below for your convenience :)

Gabrielle

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Zucchini Fries Recipe

April 17, 2013 by Leave a Comment

Zucchini Fries

One of my LEAST favorite things about winter is that it makes buying fresh fruits and vegetables near impossible. The few varieties you can find are never what you’re expecting and they always  lack that burst of flavor you get when produce is in season, while other varieties are just not on the shelves.

That’s why I was so excited when I started seeing zucchini on my local grocery store shelves!  I’ve been waiting all winter and they’re finally back!  I couldn’t resist the urge to snatch some up and whip up my favorite zucchini recipe – zucchini fries.

Here’s what you need:

  • 2 medium zucchini squashes 
  • 1/2 cup flour + large pinch of salt
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 cup panko bread crumbs {ran through a food processor for a few seconds to break the crumbs into much smaller pieces}
Zucchini Fries Recipe
 
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Recipe type: Side Dish
Serves: 4

Ingredients
  • 2 medium zucchini squashes
  • ½ cup flour + large pinch of salt
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 cup panko bread crumbs {ran through a food processor for a few seconds to break the crumbs into much smaller pieces}
  • oil for frying

Instructions
  1. Preheat your oil to about 350-degrees.
  2. Cut off both ends of your zucchini and then cut lengthwise to make fry shaped zucchini slices {usually about 8 slices per zucchini squash}.
  3. Using a sieve or just small pinches, sprinkle flour and salt over your zucchini slices.
  4. In wide bowl, whisk eggs until completely combined and then dip your floured zucchini slices into the eggs making sure you completely cover each slice.
  5. Roll your zucchini slices in the panko bread crumbs and then carefully drop them into preheated oil.
  6. Fry for a couple minutes, turning often with a spider or similar spatula, until browned.
  7. Remove from oil and drain on paper towels.
  8. Enjoy!

 

How easy is that??  I love to dip mine in ranch dressing, but there are a variety of condiments that go well with fried foods. I’ve tried zucchini fries made with regular bread crumbs and while they still taste delicious, it’s the ground up panko bread crumbs that give each fry an even coating and crisp outer texture.

Let me know what you think!  If you like it, make sure you PIN this recipe on Pinterest!  I’ve included a handy button below for your convenience :)

Gabrielle

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Filed Under: Home-made, Simple Recipes
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