Forgetful Momma

Secular Homeschooling in Canada

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Easy Balsamic Veggie Pasta

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When you add a puppy to your family things get a little out of whack and you forget to think about things like supper. Eventually however, people need to be feed, no matter how much fun we’re all having playing we need to eat. This balsamic veggie pasta is easy to make, easy to throw together when you have forgotten to make supper.

This is a great budget friendly, meatless meal. Healthy and filling.

Easy Balsamic Veggie Pasta

Easy Balsamic Veggie Pasta

*This post contains affiliate links, see my disclosure policy for more information.*

We have been becoming big on roasted veggies. I buy bags of frozen mixed veggies from Costco, frozen because there is less chances of them getting lost in the fridge and going bad.

But also, frozen veggies have a more likely chance of being used in a meal instead of my kids snacking on them instead. Big vegetable eaters my kids. Which, I love, but sometimes it’s nice to actually have the vegetables for meal time too.

What you need:

  • 3 cups pasta
  • 1 ⁄2 tsp Sriracha hot sauce
  • 1 Tbsp EVOO
  • 1 ⁄4 cup soy sauce
  • 2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
  • 1 ⁄2 tsp ground ginger
  • 4 cups uncooked mixed vegetables

How to make Easy Balsamic Veggie Pasta:

Take a cookie sheet and line with parchment paper. Bake in your oven at 425. This is how we all love our veggies at supper time. We’ll actually “fight” over them, that’s how much we love them.

We don’t like mushy vegetables, we like them roasted and delicious. This is how I made them for this pasta dish as well. Simply bake until golden brown and slightly crispy.

Easy Balsamic Veggie Pasta

Cook 3 cups of pasta following the directions on your pasta.

While the pasta and veggies are cooking, mix up the sauce. Simply just toss all the ingredients together in a bowl, or measuring cup.

Tasty Chicken, Broccoli and Pasta Skillet - pasta

All very simple, and not time consuming at all. Perfect for those days when you kind of forget to make supper until the last minute.

When the vegetables and pasta are cooked, toss everything together in a bowl (or large pot). We added a little bacon bits to the top of ours for a little extra.

Another you could top this with would be French’s Crispy Fried Onions. We actually have an auto subscribe set up for these.

Easy Balsamic Veggie Pasta

I hope you enjoy this as much as we do.

Easy Balsamic Veggie Pasta

Easy Balsamic Veggie Pasta

Yield: 8
Prep Time: 2 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 22 minutes

Ingredients

  • 3 cups pasta
  • 1 ⁄2 tsp Sriracha hot sauce
  • 1 Tbsp EVOO
  • 1 ⁄4 cup soy sauce
  • 2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
  • 1 ⁄2 tsp ground ginger
  • 4 cups uncooked mixed vegetables

Instructions

  1. Bake vegetables at 425 for 15 minutes or until cooked the way you like.
  2. Boil 3 cups of pasta.
  3. Mix together remaining ingredients together in a small bowl. This is the sauce.
  4. Once pasta is cooked, drain.
  5. Mix together pasta, vegetables and sauce.
  6. Serve while hot.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1 grams
Amount Per Serving: Unsaturated Fat: 0g
© Ashley Mullen
Category: Main Course

Recommended Products for Making this Recipe:

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Amish Cinnamon Bread

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My kids are predictable when it comes to their breakfast choices. One wants bread (not toasted of course!) with peanut butter and the other two want oatmeal, everyday. So making something like this Amish Cinnamon Bread for breakfast is a delicious treat and a big change in our house.

We actually tend to call Sundays big breakfast day here because we try to have more than just the normal. Like the Amish cinnamon bread, or maybe some egg boats, waffles, or maybe just something as simple as a side of bacon.

Cinnamon Bread Recipe

Amish Cinnamon Bread

*This post may contain affiliate links, see my disclosure policy for more information.*

Now this recipe makes two loafs, so before you get started make sure you have two loaf pans. I have the regular ol’ metal ones, but I am looking to trade them on up for some silicone ones, because the water here sucks and ruins everything.

What you need:

For the bread:

  • 1 cup butter, softened
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 cups buttermilk or 2 cups milk plus 2 tablespoons vinegar or lemon juice
  • 4 cups flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking soda

For the cinnamon and sugar:

  • 2/3 cups sugar
  • 2 teaspoons cinnamon

How to make Amish Cinnamon Bread:

You are going to mix together the bread ingredients. Mix well. It is not going to be a bread dough consistency, it will be more like cake batter.

Amish Cinnamon Bread

You will now pour half the batter into the two bread pans, so 1/4 of the batter into each.

Now sprinkle the same amount of cinnamon sugar over each loaf.

Amish Cinnamon Bread

Add the remaining batter to each of the pans. Add the remaining cinnamon sugar to the loafs. You can take a butter knife to swirl the cinnamon sugar a bit.

Bake at 350 for 45-50 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.

Let it cool for about 20 minutes or so before removing from the pan and cutting.

Amish Cinnamon Bread

This is a breakfast that my kids are now begging me to make. Of course it’s full of sugar so why wouldn’t they love?! I don’t make this often because it is a little time consuming, and full of sugar but it makes a nice treat once in awhile for birthdays or holidays.

Amish Cinnamon Bread

Amish Cinnamon Bread

Yield: 24
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Inactive Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes

A heavy, sweet breakfast bread to make for special occasions like Christmas, or Easter.

Ingredients

Bread

  • 1 cup butter, softened
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 cups buttermilk or 2 cups milk plus 2 tablespoons vinegar or lemon juice
  • 4 cups flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking soda

Cinnamon Sugar

  • 2/3 cups sugar
  • 2 teaspoons cinnamon

Instructions

  1. Cream together butter, 2 cups of sugar, and eggs.
  2. Add milk, flour, and baking soda.
  3. Put 1/2 of batter (or a little less) into greased loaf pans (1/4 in each pan).
  4. Mix in separate bowl the 2/3 c sugar and cinnamon.
  5. Sprinkle 3/4 of cinnamon mixture on top of the 1/2 batter in each pan.
  6. Add remaining batter to pans; sprinkle with last of cinnamon topping.
  7. Swirl with a knife.
  8. Bake at 350 degrees for 45-50 min. or until toothpick tester come clean.
  9. Cool in pan for 20 minutes before removing from pan.
Nutrition Information:
Serving Size: 1 grams
Amount Per Serving: Unsaturated Fat: 0g
© Ashley Mullen
Category: Breakfast

Edit it to add: I have upgraded we’ll say to silicone bread loaf pans. I LOVE them. We use them for making this Amish cinnamon bread, for making sandwich bread, and for making meatloaf in. They are easy to clean and easy to store.

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Simply Delicious Chocolate Cookies

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For those times when you just need to have some chocolate and you can’t find it hidden in you house, that’s when you go to this simple chocolate cookie recipe. They hit the spot, every time.

Last week everything came to a head. I had papers everywhere that needed to be dealt with. It was crazy around here. And with it all, I just need some good comfort foods. Its a good thing that it has been cooler through the week because I was running the oven continuously making casseroles and, of course, these chocolate cookies.

Simple Chocolate Cookies

Simply Delicious Chocolate Cookies

*This post contains affiliate links, see my disclosure policy for more information.*

Cream together the butter and egg, add in the sugar. Add in salt, vanilla and cocoa. Then add in flour. No liquids. No baking soda or baking powder.

This dough is really good! I’m not saying you should eat it, because, well, it has egg in it. I’m just letting you know that it taste good…

What you need:

  • 1/2 cup butter softened
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla
  • 1 cup flour
  • 1/3 cup cocoa
  • 1 egg

How to make Chocolate Cookies

Simple Chocolate Cookies

Scoop onto either a greased cookie sheet, or a silicone mat.

Simple Chocolate Cookies
They will be the size that you place them on the sheet, no rising and very little spreading.

Simple Chocolate Cookies
Bake for 10-12 minutes at 350. They will be really soft, they’ll look basically no different but for the very slight toasted look. They will be lightly golden on the bottom. They will firm up as they cool down.

Enjoy with a glass of milk, a cup of tea or coffee, or a glass of wine, or just sit down with a big ol’ plate of cookies and get your fill of them.

Simple Chocolate Chip Cookies

Simply Delicious Chocolate Cookies

Yield: 24
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup butter, softened
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla
  • 1 cup flour
  • 1/3 cup cocoa
  • 1 egg

Instructions

  1. Cream together the butter and egg, add in the sugar.
  2. Add in salt, vanilla and cocoa.
  3. Then add in flour.
  4. Scoop onto either a greased cookie sheet, or a silicone sheet. They will be the size that you place them on the sheet, no rising and very little spreading.
  5. Bake for 10-12 minutes at 350.
Nutrition Information:
Serving Size: 1 grams
Amount Per Serving: Unsaturated Fat: 0g
© Ashley Mullen
Category: Snacks

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Rice Krispy Chicken

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Here is another chicken recipe that is super easy and quick to make, but taste like it took a lot longer, and a lot harder to make. This rice krispy chicken has a beautiful crispy coating, that is versatile and your kids are going to love.

Rice Krispy Chicken

Rice Krispy Chicken

*This post contains affiliate links, see my disclosure policy for more information.*

This is perfect for those late afternoons when you’re running out of time to figure out what to do with the chicken thawed in your fridge. It takes no time at all to throw together, but the results are great. No one needs to know that it only took moments to throw in the oven.

What you need:

  • 2 cups Rice Krispy
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tbsp onion powder
  • 1 tbsp garlic powder
  • 2 tsp chili powder
  • 2 tsp paprika

How to make rice krispy chicken:

The greatest things is how easy this is to make.

One egg beaten in and bowl. Crushed rice krispys in another bowl. I use my small food processor to crush mine up, you don’t want it to be completely smooth, leave some whole, for add crunch.

Rice Krispy Chicken

Add which ever spices you want to the coating. We used chili, paprika, garlic power and onion powder. Add to suit your and you family’s taste.

Drag your chicken breast in the egg wash. Whole chicken breast, or chicken pieces for chicken nuggets, or stripes for chicken tenders work great. In our experience kids seem to like stripes better. They love just picking up their chicken instead of using a fork.

Rice Krispy Chicken

Then fully coat your chicken.

I use a cooling rack over a cookie sheet for baking my chicken like this. This means I don’t have to worry about flipping it half way through, one side won’t be soggy and the other crispy.

Rice Krispy Chicken

Bake in a preheated oven at 425 for 25-30 minutes. The smaller your pieces of chicken the less time it will take to cook. 

We sprinkled a little Parmesan cheese over ours. But the toppings could add are endless!

Rice Krispy Chicken

Rice Krispy Chicken

Yield: 4
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes

Ingredients

  • 2 cups Rice Krispy
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tbsp onion powder
  • 1 tbsp garlic powder
  • 2 tsp chili powder
  • 2 tsp paprika
  • 4 chicken breasts, boneless, skinless

Instructions

  1. Beat the egg in a bowl.
  2. Crush the cereal, not completely fine, leave some whole.Add in spices of your choice.
  3. Dip chicken in egg, then drag through the cereal mix.
  4. Bake for 25-30 minutes at 425.
Nutrition Information:
Serving Size: 1 grams
Amount Per Serving: Unsaturated Fat: 0g
© Ashley Mullen
Category: Main Course

Mickey Mouse Cupcakes

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Each of my girls get to choose every aspect of their birthday. Once Gauge gets older he’ll get to do the same. They choose their breakfast (as normal), lunch and supper. What we do that do and so on. Included is, of course, their cake.

Minnie Mickey Mouse Cupcakes

Mickey Mouse Cupcakes

*This post may contain affiliate links. For more information see my disclosure policy.*

Despite Brookland claiming to not like Mickey Mouse anymore, when I asked what type of cake she wanted, she jumped at Minnie / Mickey Mouse.

There are so many great ideas out there! From very complicated and I stand no chance of doing them, to the very simple.

These are so easy to make that I had no trouble making them, kids could easily make them as well.

Take your favorite cupcake recipe, we used chocolate recipe, which you can find below, frost with your favorite icing, a lighter color will work best as the darkness will really pop against it.

What you need:

  • 1 1/3 cup flour
  • 1/4 tsp baking soda
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 3/4 cup cocoa
  • 3 tbsp butter, softened
  • 1 1/2 cup sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1 cup milk

How to Make these Chocolate Cupcakes

Pre-heat oven to 350.

Mix eggs and sugar together, for 2 minutes – this makes the batter quite fluffy.

Add in baking soda and baking powder, and butter.

Add in cocoa and vanilla.

Alternate adding in flour and milk. Fill cupcakes 3/4 the way full.

Using a greased pan or muffin liners. Bake for 15-17 minutes.

How to Make Mickey Mouse Cupcakes

Minnie Mickey Mouse Cupcakes

Using large Oreos, and mini Oreos make Mickey or Minnie Mouses. One large, two minis. Simple.

If you are talented, you could fashion little bows out of fruit roll or Twizzlers Pull ‘n’ Peel Candy up for Minnie.

I would have tried but, A: I forgot to pick up something to make bows with and B: I tend to up be up late making these cakes so small details can be tricky that late.

Minnie Mickey Mouse Cupcakes

My tip for you would be to wait until right before you serve this to add the Oreos. They were quite stale after sitting all night and most of the day as I made them the night before Brookland’s birthday. Lesson learned, not that a stale Oreo stopped anyone from eating them.

Mickey Mouse Cupcakes

Mickey Mouse Cupcakes

Yield: 12
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes

Cupcakes that you can make look like Mickey Mouse's head, a crowd pleaser for younger children.

Ingredients

  • 1 1/3 cup flour
  • 1/4 tsp baking soda
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 3/4 cup cocoa
  • 3 tbsp butter, softened
  • 1 1/2 cup sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1 cup milk
  • mini Oreos
  • regular Oreos
  • 1 can of vanilla frosting

Instructions

  1. Pre-heat oven to 350.
  2. Mix eggs and sugar together, for 2 minutes - this makes the batter quite fluffy.
  3. Add in baking soda and baking powder, and butter.
  4. Add in cocoa and vanilla.
  5. Alternate adding in flour and milk.
  6. Fill cupcakes 3/4 the way full. Using a greased pan or muffin liners.
  7. Bake for 15-17 minutes.
  8. Allow to cool off completely before frosting your cupcakes. Then fashion a large Oreo and two small ones into a Mickey Mouse head.
Nutrition Information:
Serving Size: 1 grams
Amount Per Serving: Unsaturated Fat: 0g
© Ashley Mullen
Category: Dessert

These were quite cute and might be making another appearance in November for Gauge’s birthday as he is another big Mickey Mouse fan.

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