Banana Ice Cream (One Ingredient)

I saw this posted by multiple people on Pinterest.  I tried it out and was amazed that it actually worked!  Here is the site I referenced. 

Bananas, extra ripe (We used 4)

Peel the bananas and slice into 1/2 inch thick slices.  Lay on a cookie sheet lined with waxed paper.  Freeze for a few hours.

Pop them into a food processor or blender.  (We used a food processor.)  Keep pushing the bananas down with a spatula.  At first, the bananas will just look liked chopped bananas and you will doubt that this will really work.  Just keep scraping down the sides and as you continue, it will get more and more like ice cream.  If you eat it immediately, it will be more like "soft serve"...which is the perfect opportunity to add some mix-ins like chocolate chips or peanut butter (or both).  Pop it in the freezer to eat later and it will be a more traditional, harder ice cream.

Our girls enjoyed it topped with Magic Shell...(tasted like a chocolate covered banana).  YUM!  Such a fun & healthy treat.

Grape Salad

For the 4th of July, we all offered to bring something.  I had a craving for grape salad.  It makes so much that a family gathering was the perfect opportunity to make it.

2 pounds green grapes
2 pounds red grapes
8 ounces cream cheese (I used 1/3 less fat)
8 ounces sour cream (I used light)
1/2 c white sugar
1 tsp vanilla

TOPPING
1/2 c brown sugar
1/2 c pecan pieces

wash and dry grapes
beat cream cheese, sour cream, white sugar & vanilla with electric mixer
coat grapes with cream cheese mixture and spread in 9 X 13 pan
refridgerate
just before serving, toss brown sugar & pecans and sprinkle over the top of grapes (I don't recommend adding nuts/brown sugar ahead of time...the nuts loose their crunch and the brown sugar dissolves into the cream cheese mixture)

Also, I only added nuts to half because I didn't know if everyone liked nuts.

Guest Post: Keeping It Simple's Kiddos-Elise's Creation

Because Big Sister was having fun in the kitchen creating masterpieces, Little Sister wanted to follow suit.  Apparently Graham Crackers area staple in their recipes...

Graham Crackers (broke into rectangles)
Cool Whip Vanilla Frosting
Aerosol Whip Cream
Cherry Pie Filling
Hershey's Chocolate Syrup

First she laid out the graham crackers on a fancy serving platter.
Next, she spread the cool whip vanilla frosting on each graham cracker.
Then she sprayed a dollop of spray whip on each.
She then topped each dollop with a cherry.
Lastly, she drizzled Hershey's Chocolate Syrup on each.

They were actually pretty tasty.  Who doesn't love chocolate with cherries?  They did get pretty soggy pretty quickly, so make right before serving and only make as many as you will eat.

Guest Post: Keeping it Simple's Kiddos-Peyton's Creation

Summer Vacation is here!  My kiddos are both experimenting in the kitchen these days.  My oldest asked if I could feature her on "Keeping It Simple" if it turned out.  She put a lot of thought and research into creating a "s'more bar" that she could do all by herself without following a recipe.  Here is what she came up with.

Graham Crackers (broken into squares)
Jumbo Marshmallows
Chocolate Chips
Milk
Graham Cracker Crumbs

She placed the graham cracker squares in a baking pan.
Then she added a marshmallow to the top of each square.
Put in a 350 degree oven until marshmallows were soft enough to push down (5 to 10 minutes).
Meanwhile, she melted chocolate chips on the stove top with a little bit of milk.
She added the melted chocolate to a baggie and snipped the end off, then piped it onto the crackers.
Lastly, she sprinkled with graham cracker crumbs.

I am not a big s'more fan, but these were definitely edible.  She was so proud of her creation and that it turned out.  An easy snack that you can make with your kiddos...wouldn't these be perfect on a rainy day with blanket tents "camping indoors"?  Or if a backyard campout gets rained out/kids chicken out?

Mini Quiche

I had some leftover pie crust to use up from a cobbler that I made and decided to try mini quiches.  I will definitely be making these again.  This is my go to pie crust.  It is so flaky and easy.

CRUST:

2 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

2/3 cup vegetable oil

1/3 cup warm water

•  EGG MIXTURE:
•  6 eggs
•  1.5 cups milk
• salt and pepper

• FILLING:
• cheese
• mushrooms
• ham
• bacon
• sausage
• etc 

For the crust, mix all ingredients with a fork.  To roll, lay out a piece of wax paper.  Put dough on wax paper.  Cover with second piece of wax paper.  Roll crust between two pieces of paper.  Cut with a glass.  (Should be able to get 12 with a few dough scraps leftover)  Place one pie circle in each of 12 muffin tins sprayed with cooking spray.  (If you want to make it even simpler, you could use store bought crust...but I like this recipe much better than store bought).


Sprinkle crust with cheese of choice, if desired.

Beat eggs with milk, salt, & pepper.  Add fillings to egg mixture if you are making them all the same.  Otherwise, add egg to each muffin tin and top with filling of choice.  (Customized for each family member's liking...or if making for a brunch, provide a variety...lots of possibilities).  I had some egg mixture leftover.  4 eggs & 1 cup of milk may be enough.

Bake at 375 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes, or until egg is set.

Cherry Crisp (5 ingredients)

My husband sent me a recipe on FB that someone else had posted.  If you know my husband, that is somewhat comical.  So, with his request, I made it...TWICE this week.  So simple, so yummy.

1/2 c butter (I used cold, cut into small pieces)
1 c brown sugar
1 c flour
1 c oatmeal (I used old fashioned once, and quick cook once...I preferred the old fashioned)
1 can cherry pie filling
(vanilla ice cream)

Mix the first four ingredients together, until crumbly.  Press half of the mixture into a pie plate.  Add can of cherry pie filling on top of that.  Crumble remaining mix over the top.  Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.  Spoon into bowls while still warm and top with vanilla ice cream. 

Crockpot Pork Tenderloin (only 4 ingredients!)

This pork tenderloin was so easy and so yummy.  My 6 year old, who isn't a big meat fan, had seconds and thirds.

2 pounds of whole pork tenderloin
1 can of cream of mushroom soup
1 can of golden mushroom soup
1 can of french onion soup

Place tenderloins in crockpot.  In bowl, whisk together the 3 soups.  Pour over tenderloins.  (DO not add water)

Cook, on low, for 4 to 5 hours.  Remove & slice.  The soups make a delicious gravy over mashed potatoes or buttered noodles.