Homemade Strawberry Syrup

Hello y'all!!
It's me ... Angie ... from Call Her Blessed!

Thought I should introduce myself cause it's been soooo long.
For heaven's sake.

I did not intend to be MIA for an extended period, but life happened ... just like it always does ...
just like it always should.

So, no apologies from me.
I've been having way to much fun to apologize.
I will try to do a 'here's what we've been doing blog' coming up, but for today,
I just want to share this amazing recipe I just found & tried this week!
It's starring one of my very favorite summer treats:  STRAWBERRIES!
Aanndd, it only has 4 ingredients.
Without further ado, here's a great recipe for Homemade Strawberry Syrup!

So I took advantage of a great deal on strawberries {.77 a pound} at a brand new store
that just opened in our area {Fresh Thyme ... I'm ganna like this store!}.
We ate more than our share of these beautiful berries just plain,
& I also made fruit salad & fruit skewers ... but I still had several packages left.
Lucky for me, I remembered pinning a recipe for strawberry syrup just a few days before.
Perfect timing.

After rinsing & cutting off the tops, I quartered them up, getting about 7 cups in total.
I put the strawberries in a large kettle & added 2 cups of stevia  & lemon juice ...
{the original recipe calls for sugar, but I opted for stevia to cut calories & to make them sugar-free}.

You bring the strawberries to a boil & then reduce heat, simmering for about 15-20 minutes.

I smooshed my strawberries a bit as they were boiling, just to break them down into smaller pieces.
{Next time, I may chop them a bit smaller in the beginning.}

After removing from heat, add in the vanilla & stir.

Let it cool down & then pour it into a jar ... or whatever you have on hand.

You can also put this syrup into containers & freeze it.

Now, I'd say there are probably 150+ ways to use this delicious syrup!
You could serve it over ice cream for a strawberry sundae,
spoon it on toast ... or on french toast or pancakes.
It would be delicious on a bagel drizzled over top of cream cheese.
You could also serve it on angel food cake or even cheesecake!
I made one of our favorite desserts, Strawberry Refrigerator Cake,
& this sauce was perfect in that recipe.
I'll share it tomorrow.

Isn't this recipe just fantastic?!
4 ingredients & done in less than a half hour, tops ... you just can't beat that with a stick ;)

Here's exactly what you need:
{I doubled the recipe}

• 3 cups strawberries, diced
• 1 cup granulated sugar  **{I used stevia}
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• ½ teaspoon vanilla

Combine strawberries, sugar, lemon juice and vanilla in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil.
Reduce heat and simmer for approximately 15 - 18 minutes, stirring occasionally, until strawberries
are soft and the syrup is thickened and reduced down by about half.

You know what?
I just thought of another use for this versatile strawberry syrup!
I'm ganna go stir a heaping spoon or two or three into a glass of lemonade.
Wow.
I just impressed myself ;)

Happy Summer y'all.
I'll try not to stay gone so long, ok?

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Who doesn't love a good party?!
You can find me here linking up with these great blogs.
Monday     The Girl Creative     C.R.A.F.T      The Dedicated House      The Modest Mom
Tuesday     A Delightsome Life   A Bowl Full of Lemons    Titus Tuesday      A Stroll Through Life
Wednesday   Raising Homemakers        Savvy Southern Style         Adorned From Above
                    The Thrifty Home  The Dedicated House    A Wise Woman Builds Her Home
Thursday    Between Naps on the Porch   Serving Joyfully     Lamberts Lately
Friday      Rooted in Thyme  The Thrifty Groove   Farm Blog Hop  Best of the Nest
               French Country Cottage
Sunday    Nifty Thrifty Things    Suburbsmama    Sew Many Ways

Mississippi Pot Roast

Roast in the crock pot ... makes the whole house smell delicious.
Comfort food at its finest, a beef pot roast is one of our very favorite suppers.

I generally make it the same way every time,
with an envelope of dry onion soup & a can of cream of mushroom soup {makes thee best gravy!}.

However, there's a recipe floating around Pinterest that caught my attention & I wanted to give it a try --
mainly because one of the ingredients is pepperoncini peppers & I LOVE, LOVE those things!
The other reason, well, I have confidence in recipes that have the name 
'Mississippi' in the title!
I LOVE Mississippi Mud Cake -- and -- I make a mean batch of Mississippi Potatoes.
{I'm ganna blog that recipe one of these days.}

So, let me cut to the chase & go ahead & tell ya, make out your grocery list to include these ingredients!
This recipe is a keeper.

Here are your ingredients:

I modified the recipe a bit.
I used two beef roasts, about 6 pounds altogether.
After placing the roast in the crock pot, sprinkle the 2 envelopes of brown gravy
& 1 envelope of dry ranch dressing over the top.
Next, lay the stick of butter on the roast & put in the peppers.
I was extra generous with these cause we like them so much, probably using about 1 cup.
In addition, I poured in a bit of the juice, maybe a 1/4 cup or so.

I used the banana pepper rings, which taste almost exactly like the pepperoncinis.
I buy them in the very large jar cause we go through them quite quickly.
You can use the whole pepperoncinis just as well.
Instead of the brown gravy, you could use two envelopes of au jus.

The most important rule:  DO NOT ADD WATER!
This, all by itself, makes an amazing gravy!!
It's almost like magic.

What an easy recipe, huh?
Put all this in the crock pot, set it on low & in about 6-8 hours, your roast will be absolute perfection.

And since this one was SO delicious, I tried another recipe very similar to this that I saw Ree
{Pioneer Woman} make on her cooking show.
I'll share that recipe tomorrow.
Be sure & come back.

Is your stomach growling yet?
I know mine is.

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Monday         Make It Yourself Monday        The Better Mom       C.R.A.F.T     
Tuesday    A Bowl Full of Lemons    Titus Tuesday      A Stroll Through Life
Wednesday   Raising Homemakers        Savvy Southern Style         Adorned From Above
                   Women Living Well    The Thrifty Home     A Wise Woman Builds Her Home
Thursday      The Shabby Creek Cottage     Serving Joyfully     Lamberts Lately
Friday    Happy-Go-Lucky     The Thrifty Groove      Farm Blog Hop
Sunday  Suburbsmama    Sew Many Ways

Pineapple Lemonade Punch

Lemonade & summertime ~
They go hand & hand, don't they?

This recipe takes lemonade, fancies it up, & serves it in a punch bowl.
I can't find anything wrong with that!

I love recipes that are simple to prepare but pack a big punch in taste & looks.
This one is a check mark in both boxes.

Here are the ingredients you need to make this beautiful bowl of punch:

1 cup of Country Time lemonade mix
2 cups of cold water
1 46 oz can of chilled pineapple juice
2 cans {24 oz}  chilled Sprite
2 lemons, sliced
ice

Mix lemonade & water in pitcher & pour into the punchbowl.
Just before time to serve, pour in pineapple juice & gently stir.
Next pour in Sprite, a couple cups of ice cubes, & the lemon slices.

And that's it.
A very easy, quick, & refreshing summertime punch.

Here are some variations:
Any type of clear soda will work - 7 Up, Fresca, etc.
I used Sprite Zero.

Also, I made this for our church fellowship dinner, so I prepared it for ease of travel.
After mixing the lemonade & water, I poured in the pineapple juice -- all in one pitcher.
I poured it into the punchbowl & added the other ingredients just before serving.

Another Pinterest recipe marked off the list ;)

Give this one a try ... I think you'll like it.

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Monday         Make It Yourself Monday        The Better Mom       C.R.A.F.T     
Tuesday    Domestically Divine     A Bowl Full of Lemons    Titus Tuesday      A Stroll Through Life
Wednesday   Raising Homemakers        Savvy Southern Style         Adorned From Above
                   Women Living Well    Southern Lovely     The Thrifty Home
Thursday      The Shabby Creek Cottage     Serving Joyfully     Lamberts Lately
Friday    Happy-Go-Lucky     The Thrifty Groove      Farm Blog Hop
Sunday  Suburbsmama    Sew Many Ways

1 cup Countrytime Lemonade mix {or the likes}
2 cups cold water
1 can of chilled pineapple juice {46 oz}
2 cans chilled Sprite {or the likes} - See more at: http://www.froggyandthemouse.com/events/you-are-my-sunshine-a-baby-shower#sthash.uAME6rX6.dpuf

1 cup Countrytime Lemonade mix {or the likes}
2 cups cold water
1 can of chilled pineapple juice {46 oz}
2 cans chilled Sprite {or the likes} - See more at: http://www.froggyandthemouse.com/events/you-are-my-sunshine-a-baby-shower#sthash.uAME6rX6.dpuf

1 cup Countrytime Lemonade mix {or the likes}
2 cups cold water
1 can of chilled pineapple juice {46 oz}
2 cans chilled Sprite {or the likes} - See more at: http://www.froggyandthemouse.com/events/you-are-my-sunshine-a-baby-shower#sthash.uAME6rX6.dpuf

Buffalo Chicken Garbage Bread

Looking for a yummy snack for your New Year's Eve festivities?
Ya know, the day before you have to eat all the cabbage, corned beef, & blacked eyed peas?
Well, I've got one for ya ... & this one has just the right amount of zing!
I found this one on good ol' Pinterest {of course!}.
I adjusted it a bit for our tastes & according to my guys, it was a winner.

Now, I'll have to admit, when I first came across this one, I thought, "garbage bread...what in the world?!"
Turns out, it's pretty much a calzone or a stromboli ... just stuffed with 'not so Italian' ingredients.
The term garbage bread indicates what you can do with this recipe:  stuff it with all kinds of garbage goodies.

Let's not making this more difficult than what it is, so here goes.


Your ingredients:  pizza dough, chicken, buffalo sauce, cheese, ranch {or blue cheese}

Cube or shred chicken {approx. 3 cups} & mix in about 1/4 to 1/2 cup of sauce.
I did it all right on my cutting board cause there's no need to dirty up another dish.
All about easy here =)
I used Louisiana hot sauce cause it's my favorite & it's what I always have on hand.

Next, roll out your pizza dough on a lightly floured surface.
This is one dough, bought in the freezer section of the grocery store.
{thaw according to package directions}

Place dough on cookie sheet lightly sprayed with cooking spray.
Spread  1/2 cup of ranch dressing onto the dough & top with shredded cheeses,
8 oz of mozzarella & 4 oz sharp cheddar.

Lastly, evenly layer on all the saucy chicken & roll 'er up!

To keep it from oozing out the sides, leave an inch or so around the edges to help 'seal' it together.
Also, it'll bake through perfectly if it's not rolled too tightly.
Bake at 375 for 30 minutes.

 Let it rest 5-10 minutes before slicing into it.

 Oooey, gooey, cheesy perfection.

Buffalo Chicken Garbage Bread

3 c. chopped chicken breasts
1 pizza dough {thaw according to package directions}
8 oz shredded mozzarella cheese
4 oz shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 cup of buffalo sauce
1/3 cup of ranch {you can use blue cheese dressing, if you'd prefer}

Preheat oven to 375°.
Cube/shred chicken & season with salt and pepper.
Coat chicken with 1/4 to 1/2 cup of buffalo sauce. 

On a lightly floured surface, roll pizza dough into a rectangular shape.
Place on lightly sprayed cookie sheet.
Layer on ingredients in this order:  ranch, cheeses, chicken.

Roll up, seam side down.
Bake for 30 minutes.
Let it rest for 5-10 minutes before slicing.

Pinterest Review ~ Melt in Your Mouth Chicken

On Monday, I showed you how to oven roast vegetables.
Today, I'll share another tasty Pinterest recipe. 

I served this dee-licious chicken alongside my oven roasted veggies.
Not only was this meal tasty, it was so healthy & easy ... a win-win-win!


This chicken is called 'Melt in Your Mouth Chicken' & let me just say,
the title is spot on.


Here's what you need:

4-6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts 
{I used the chicken tenderloin pieces, about 20 of them}
1 cup of mayo
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
1 tsp. garlic powder
salt/pepper

Place chicken in baking dish.
Mix together mayo, cheese, garlic powder, salt, & pepper.
Pour over chicken & bake for 375 for 45 minutes. 


This chicken is moist, tender, & very flavorful.


Try these 2 recipes ... I think you'll be impressed.

Pinterest Review ~ Oven Roasted Veggies

The best broccoli of your life?!

That caught my eye on Pinterest a month or so ago.

Talk about raving over broccoli, this one did!

After reading it through, I decided that I'd roast broccoli using this method 
& see what my fellas thought about it.  


The verdict:  They LOVED it!
They raved about too & agreed that it was their new favorite way to eat broccoli!
I've since been roasting veggies in the oven quite regularly.

Here's how you do it:

Cut your veggies into nice-sized pieces ... here, I'm using broccoli, carrots, & red peppers.
You can use this method for any kind of veggie you'd like.

The key to crisp-tender, caramelized veggies is to make sure they are dry!
I chose not to wash the broccoli ... the high roasting heat will kill any bacteria 
that may be lurking.


Fill your sheet pan ... trust me, you'll want pa-lenty!
Toss with 2 Tbsp. minced garlic, a generous drizzle of olive oil {about 4-5 tbsp.}, 
salt & pepper.
Bake at 425 for 20-25 minutes.
The edges of some of the veggies will start to brown.

These veggies really get glammed up after they come out of the oven!
Squeeze the juice of a lemon {or lime} over the top & then sprinkle with parmesan cheese.
I know, right?!

{The original recipe calls for the zest of the lemon, plus basil, pine nuts & more olive oil,
but I chose to leave those ingredients out ... for us, we loved the simpler approach.}

I'm tellin' ya ... you've got to use this method for veggies!
It's over the top.

This recipe originates from The Barefoot Contessa, one of my very favorite cooks.
She's so super smart & know how to do everything in the kitchen ...
I mean she realllly knows how. 
I've learned a lot from watching her.
Although her recipes are very sophisticated, they are also simple.

I especially love her method for baking chicken breasts in the oven & I use it very often.
{Place bone-in, skin on chicken breasts on a sheet pan, sprinkle with salt & pepper, 
& drizzle with olive oil.  Cover loosely with foil & bake for 35-40 minutes at 350.
Perfect & delish, every time.}

Pinterest Review - Oreo Poke Cake & Salsa

Pinterest.
Wow.
There really aren't words to describe the continuous inspiration 
I find each.and.every.time I log on to Pinterest!

From recipes to crafts ... to things to look at that are just plain pretty.
Yep, I love Pinterest.

As I eventually get around to trying some of the numerous  
{& I do mean numerous} things I've pinned, I've decided to write a review, of sorts.
It's kind of nice to hear from someone who's actually tried things.
The 411 & tips 'n tricks are always good to know.

Now, I'll warn ya ahead of time, probably 99.9% of these reviews will be of recipes. 
I'm seem to get around to trying those delectable tastys pretty quickly.

I'll, of course, be linking back to the original posters.
Be sure to check them out for more brilliance, I'm sure!

The Country Cook

I made this Oreo Poke Cake this weekend when we had company over.

I was drawn to ... hello, Oreos ... & the concept of the cake was interesting to me.

I've never made a 'poke cake' using pudding.

Another bonus, it only takes a few ingredients.

{a box cake mix & the ingredients needed to make cake, 2 boxes of Oreo pudding & milk}

It was tasty, don't get me wrong, but just not as over-the-top as I thought it might be.

Another thing, my pudding was more of a brownish color for some odd reason.

I like how hers is all creamy looking.

Some of the reviews suggested making the pudding right before you are ready 

to use it, so it's not completely set.

I second this ... even doing so, it's a bit of work it get it all 'poked' into the cake.

Will I make this cake again?

Maybe.

It was tasty & easy.

For the next review ... hold the presses!
This one is D-elicious!!
I made this one twice in one week.

Quick & Easy Salsa

I've been lovingly referring to this as 5 Minute Salsa & would like to give a big shout-out
to Mountain Momma Cooks for an amazing recipe!
There are many things to love.
The taste, well, my family says it's better than any restaurant salsa.
It's super easy, quick & such a fresh addition to any Mexican dish.

Will I make this salsa again?
Oh yes ... over & over! 

Stay tuned for more Pinterest reviews.