Lemon Crinkle Cookies

Last night, while waiting for my husband to get home from work, I was browsing through Pinterest.  That is always a bad idea!  I found these lovely cookies that my sister had pinned from Tried and Tasty and before I knew it they were baking in the oven!  They were so soft and delicious.  It was a nice change from the usual chocolate chip cookie!

 

½ c butter, softened
1 c granulated sugar
½ tsp vanilla extract
1 whole egg
1 tsp lemon zest (I didn't add this because I didn't have a lemon and they were still perfect!)
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp baking powder
⅛ tsp baking soda
1-½ c all-purpose flour
½ c powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Grease light colored baking sheets with non stick cooking spray and set aside. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Whip in vanilla, egg, lemon zest and juice. Scrape sides and mix again. Stir in all dry ingredients slowly until just combined, excluding the powdered sugar. Scrape sides of bowl and mix again briefly.
Pour powdered sugar onto a large plate. Roll a heaping teaspoon of dough into a ball and roll in powdered sugar. Place on baking sheet and repeat with remaining dough. Bake for 9-11 minutes or until bottoms begin to barely brown and cookies look matte {not melty or shiny}. Remove from oven and cool cookies about 3 minutes before transferring to cooling rack. If using a non stick darker baking tray, reduce baking time by about 2 minutes.

We added a little powdered sugar on top for some extra flair! Mmm!

Original recipe from Lauren’s Latest.

Linking to these parties . . .

Mini Snickers Caramel Cheesecakes

My sister, Camille, found this recipe here and after one look at those babies, I knew we would have to make them! They were AMAZING!

 

2 c. chopped Snickers Bars
2 1/2 c. graham cracker crumbs
2 Tbl. granulated sugar
5 Tbl. melted butter
2 8oz packages softened cream cheese
1 c. granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 Tbl. pure vanilla
3 Tbl. caramel sauce

**The original recipe suggests making these in a  muffin top pan, but I used a regular muffin tin pan and they worked fine!  If you are using a regular muffin tin, use a little bit less than 1/4 c. when you are pouring the filling into each tin so they don't overflow.**

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Place chopped Snickers Bars into a bowl, set aside for now. Place graham cracker crumbs, sugar and melted butter into a mixing bowl to combine. Spoon a couple spoonfuls of crumbs into each section of the muffin pan and press down and up the sides. Bake for 5-6 minutes or just until browned. Remove from oven.
In a stand or electric mixer, beat the cream cheese and sugar until smooth and creamy. Add in eggs and vanilla until well combined, scraping sides of bowl with a rubber spatula. Beat in caramel sauce until well combined. Pour about 1/4 c. of cheesecake mixture over each baked crust then top evenly with chopped Snickers. Bake for 23-26 minutes or until cheesecake edges are just starting to brown and centers are nearly set. Remove and let cool completely. While still warm, loosen all edges with a plastic knife to make for easier removal from pan. Refrigerate once cooled then top with caramel sauce and whipped cream to serve!

12 individual cheesecakes

Linking to these great parties!
http://todayscreativeblog.net/link-party-4/

4th of July Patriotic Berry Trifle

  

 

This is really easy to throw together and tastes so fresh and creamy! Everyone in my family loved this when I took it over to my parent's house for Sunday dinner. And the best part is- you don't even need to turn on your oven! I used an Angel Food cake that I picked up at the grocery store and it worked perfectly!

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup plus 2/3 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
• 1 premade angel food cake, cut into 1-inch slices
• 1 pound cream cheese, at room temperature
• 2 cups heavy cream, at room temperature
• 2 pints blueberries
• 2 pints strawberries, hulled and sliced

Directions

Heat 1/4 cup sugar, the lemon juice and 1/4 cup water in a saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring, until the sugar dissolves. Remove from the heat and stir in the almond extract.

Brush both sides of each slice of cake with the syrup. Cut the slices into 1-inch cubes.

Beat the remaining 2/3 cup sugar and the cream cheese with a mixer on medium speed until smooth and light. Add the cream and beat on medium-high speed until smooth and the consistency of whipped cream.

Arrange half of the cake cubes in the bottom of a 13-cup trifle dish. Sprinkle evenly with a layer of blueberries. Dollop half of the cream mixture over the blueberries and gently spread. Top with a layer of strawberries. Layer the remaining cake cubes on top of the strawberries, then sprinkle with more blueberries and top with the remaining cream mixture. Finish with the remaining strawberries and blueberries, arranging them in a decorative pattern. Cover and refrigerate 1 hour.

 

I found this recipe in the Food Network Magazine.

Jamberry Nails Giveaway Winner

Thank you to all of you that entered!  I wish we could give a set of these to all of you!  

We had 67 entries....

And #31 is....

Lindsay at Artsy-Fartsy-Mama!

We will be contacting you!

Thanks again to everyone who entered!  Be watching for another giveaway soon! Don't forget that Jamberry is offering a "Buy 3, get 1 free + free shipping!" offer!

Philly Cheesesteak Sloppy Joes

This is a delicious, quick meal for summer when you don't want to spend a lot of time in the kitchen! 

 

My husband is a big meat eater and gets sick of regular sloppy joes,  so these were an awesome alternative!

1 lb. ground beef/sirloin
1 onion, chopped
1/4 c. steak sauce
1 c. beef stock
1 green pepper, chopped
1 pkg. sliced mushrooms
Provolone cheese, cut into slices or pre-sliced
Salt & Pepper to taste
Buns/Rolls


Preheat broiler.

In large skillet over medium-high heat brown the ground beef/sirloin, about 5-6 minutes. Add the onion, green pepper and mushrooms and cook another 3-4 minutes, until they start to get tender. Stir in the steak sauce and beef stock, season with salt and pepper, bring up to a bubble and cook about 2 minutes.

Split open rolls, place one slice of cheese on one side and toast under broiler, keep your eye on them so they don't burn!

Place a scoopful of the meat on the bottom half of the bun, drizzle with additional steak sauce and place cheesy bun on top! Delish!

4th of July Flag Blocks

I saw this project over at Brown Paper Packages and I knew that I had to make it . . . super inexpensive and super easy! My idea of a great project!

I went to the Home Depot without my husband for the first time in my life . . . it was a little intimidating, but the guy who cut my 2x4" for me was impressed that I acted like I knew what I was doing. Ha ha!

Anyway, this is so easy:

-You will need a 2x4 piece of wood, which is about $2. If you take it to the back of the store, they usually have a saw and will cut it for free. You need 2 pieces that are 7" long and 4 pieces that are 3.5" long.
-Paint one 7" piece and one 3.5" piece red.
-Paint one 7" piece and one 3.5" piece white.
-Paint two 3.5" pieces blue.
-Sand down the edges if you like that look.
-Pick up a little wooden star at the craft store . . . or you could even paint one on if you feel like it! Paint it white and glue it on one of the navy blue wood pieces.
-Stack up your flag- use the 7" pieces on the bottom and alternate red and white stripes. I know that the flag has a red stripe at the top, but I didn't like the way that it looked with my red ribbon. So, my flag is not accurate . . . that, and it's missing about 49 stars and 9 stripes. Ha ha!
-The two navy blue pieces stand up instead of laying down like the stripes and put one block in front of the other.
-Take a thick ribbon and tie it around the entire flag, tying at the top.  I used a thick wire-edged ribbon and it worked great holding it all together.

That's it! Happy 4th of July! :)

Linking to these parties . . .

  

Cafe Rio Sweet Pork Salads

 

WE LOVE Cafe Rio! If you who don't live in the Western U.S. and have never heard of Cafe Rio, it is a Fresh Mexican Grill restaurant. We have been making their Sweet Pork for a while, but this past week we decided to try and make all the ingredients for their Sweet Pork Salad. So, this post is like 6 recipes in one! :) I still love eating out (because I don't have to do any cooking or cleaning), but Jared and my sister Kristen thought this was better than Cafe Rio's version! I will let you be the judge . . .

Sweet Pork
This is what makes the entire meal! If you don't feel like making a salad, this is a great meat for burritos, enchiladas, fajitas, etc! And it is super easy to make! My good friend Rachel gave me this recipe years ago and we have made it many, many times. (We already posted the recipe here, but it is worth sharing again!)

3 lb. pork roast (shoulder, butt, or loin roast all work great- I have used them all)

16 oz. chunky salsa

1 can Dr. Pepper or Coke (not Diet)

2 c. brown sugar

Put pork in slow cooker and fill halfway with water.  Cook 4 hours on high.  Drain water, cut pork in thirds, mix together sauce and pour on top.  Cook 4 more hours on low.  Drain liquid and shred pork.  Save a little liquid and mix it in with the pork so it is really moist. 

Cilantro-Lime Rice

I am not crazy about this rice, but Jared loved it!

1 c. uncooked rice
1 tsp. butter or margarine
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. freshly squeezed lime juice
1 can (15 oz) chicken broth
1 cup water
1 Tbsp. freshly squeezed lime juice
2 tsp. sugar
3 tablespoons fresh chopped cilantro

In a saucepan combine rice, butter, garlic, 1 tsp. lime, chicken broth and water. Bring to a boil. Cover and cook on low 15-20 minutes, until rice is tender. Remove from heat. In a small bowl combine lime juice, sugar and cilantro. Pour over hot cooked rice and mix in as you fluff the rice.

Pico de Gallo

This is my favorite recipe for pico! We love just eating it with chips!

2 medium tomatoes, diced

1 red onion, finely chopped

1/2 jalapeno, seeded or chopped (more or less, depending on how hot you like it)

2-3 sprigs fresh cilantro, finely chopped

1 green onion, finely chopped

1-2 cloves freshly minced garlic

Juice of one lime

1/8 tsp salt

1/8 tsp fresh ground pepper

1 avacado, cubed (optional)

Combine tomato, onions, jalapeno, garlic, and cilantro (and avacado if you are using it). Season with salt and pepper. Stir until evenly distributed. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving.

Black Beans

2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 1/3 c. tomato juice
1 1/2 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. fresh chopped cilantro

In a nonstick skillet, cook garlic and cumin in olive oil over medium heat until you can smell it. Add beans, tomato juice, and salt. Continually stir until heated through. Just before serving stir in the cilantro. 

Cilantro Ranch Dressing

1 packet TRADITIONAL Hidden Valley Ranch mix (not BUTTERMILK)
1 c. mayonnaise
1 c. buttermilk (if you don't have buttermilk, add 1 tsp vinegar to your cup of regular milk)
2 tomatillos, husk removed and diced
1/2 bunch of fresh cilantro
1 clove garlicJuice of 1 lime
1 jalapeno (more or less depending on how hot you like it)

Mix all ingredients together in the blender.

Easy Guacamole
Elyse already shared this recipe, but here it is again:

• 2 avocados
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 ripe tomato, chopped
• 1 lime, juiced
• salt and pepper to taste

Peel and mash avocados in a medium serving bowl. Stir in onion, garlic, tomato, lime juice, salt and pepper. Season with remaining lime juice and salt and pepper to taste. Chill for half an hour to blend flavors. 

Now you are ready to build your salad! Cafe Rio serves their salads in an aluminum deep-dish tin and you seriously need something deep with edges like that to hold these salads- they grow really big, really fast!

1. Take a flour tortilla and place on bottom (either of the bowl or plate you are using). (**Jared and I don't usually put a tortilla at the bottom . . . we figure it is just extra calories. Ha ha! But Cafe Rio always uses them, so that is why I threw it in here)
2. Place rice and beans on next, then your meat.
3. Next is the pork.
4. Then the lettuce (we use romaine lettuce and I am pretty sure that is what Cafe Rio uses too).
5. Add pico and guacamole on next. Add sour cream if you want it . . .
6. Top with shredded cheese (we love Colby Jack cheese, but any kind will work).
7. Pour on the delicious dressing!

Cafe Rio usually also tops it off Parmesan cheese, tortilla strips, and a decorative sprig of cilantro, but it tastes just as good without those. They are totally optional! :)

Anyway, enjoy!

**Recipes are from my friend Rachel, my sister Elyse, AllRecipes, and Favorite Family Recipes (which by the way- they have another Sweet Pork recipe that we have also tried and it tastes almost identical to ours! Both are delicious!).

Linking to these parties . . .

Free Paper Doll Printables! {Perfect Quiet Activity!}

I just have to share these because they are so dang cute! I was searching the web for something new to take to church tomorrow in our "Quiet Bag" and came across this darling blog with all these cute paper dolls! And best of all, they are FREE! You just print them out and are good to go! I am thinking that I am going to print them off on cardstock, laminate them, and then put a magnet on the back so that we can use them on our Magnet Boards.

 Click here for the Slumber Party Dolls

 Click here for the Fairy Tale Paper Dolls

 Click here for the Christmas Paper Dolls

 Click here for the Boy Halloween Paper Doll

 

 Click here for the Girl Halloween Paper Doll

Click here to Decorate a Christmas Tree

**So, these PDF files can be downloaded through Scrib'd. I can't remember for sure, but I think that the first time you use it is free (it has been so long since the first time I used it that I can't remember!). . . after that, I think that you have to pay to use it, either $5 a day or $9 a month to download these files . . . I still feel that it is a good deal, even if you just pay the $5 for one day. Or, if you don't want to pay, you can upload a document of your own to share with the Scrib'd community. You can then print off as many files as you like (once you have paid or uploaded a document of your own). . . I am thinking that I might have to print off enough for my little girl and all my nieces . . .

Linking up to these fun parties!

Low Fat Baked Onion Rings & Amazing Sauce

I have been seeing a few recipes for baked onion rings and thought I better try one!  My husband and I LOVE onion rings!  Whenever we go out, we just have to get some!  I combined a few of the recipes I had seen and came up with these (and they were SO GOOD!). They would be perfect at a summer BBQ or just as a delicious snack!

 

Low Fat Baked Onion Rings and Amazing Sauce Recipe:

Onion Rings:

Ingredients: 

2 vidalia onions, sliced into rings

2 1/4 cups whole milk (I'm sure lowfat milk would work just fine!)

1/2 cup panko bread crumbs

1/4 cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs

1/4 cup crushed Ritz crackers

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)

Nonstick cooking spray

Directions:

Place sliced onions and milk in a bowl and let soak for 1-2 hours in the refrigerator. Preheat oven to 450.  Line baking sheet with parchment paper or foil. Combine panko, bread crumbs, crushed cracker crumbs, salt, pepper, oregano and cayenne pepper.  Place half of crumb mixture in a bowl and reserve the other half for later to avoid clumping and to stick better to the onions.  Dip each soaked onion ring into mixture and coat both sides with crumb mixture.  Place rings onto baking sheet and bake for 12-15 minutes until golden and the onion is soft. Serve immediately. 

Amazing Sauce:

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups brown sugar

6 Tablespoons Franks Hot Buffalo Sauce

4 Tablespoons water

1 1/2 cups ranch

Directions:

Mix brown sugar, buffalo sauce and water in saucepan over medium heat until sugar is dissolved.  Remove from heat and add ranch.  Mix completely.  

Looking for more delicious appetizers or side dishes?

Here are a few of our favorites:

Baked Seasoned Steak Fries

Baked Tater Wedges and Fry Sauce

Baked Zucchini Fries

Chili's Copycat Salsa

Loaded Baked Potato Skins

Fresh Food Friday: 4th of July Food!

I seriously love the 4th of July almost as much as I love Christmas! Something about the fireworks, parades, BBQ's, mom's homemade ice cream . . . it doesn't get much better than this!

This week for our

Fresh Food Friday

we are spotlighting some of our favorite 

4th of July Foods!

These foods would be PERFECT to take to a party, share at a BBQ, or whip up and eat them all yourself. :)

 Isn't this cake from Make It and Love It amazing?!?! It is almost too pretty to eat!

 Brownies + Cheesecake= a match made in heaven! Two of my favorite things! And she makes it look so easy to make! Check it out at Sun Scholars!

 Fruit pizza is so yummy . . . and this fun pizza from Taste of Home is the perfect recipe!

 I found these fun fruit kabobs on Pinterest . . . what a fun (and healthy!) idea!

 I love these Patriotic Cake Shooters from Kim's Kandy Kreations! They totally remind me of "push-up pops" that I used to eat as a kid. This is like the grown-up version of a push-up pop! :)

 These Patriotic Jello Snacks at Green Acres Hobby Farm are so cute! They are the perfect way to use baby food jars!

 I am a sucker for salsa and lately I have been LOVING fruit salsas! This Patriotic Salsa from The Dragon's Fairytail looks awesome!

These darling Patriotic Marshmallows from Whimsical Creations would be a big hit with my kids! She also shows you how to make S'mores Marshmallows, which look amazing!

Thank you for all your great recipes!!

If you were featured, feel free to grab a "Featured" button!

Do you have a recipe that you want featured?

Send us an email:

SixSistersStuff@gmail.com

Lunch Lady Peanut Butter Bars

 

I don't know about you, but at my elementary school they served AMAZING desserts . . . sometimes I find myself craving the lunch ladies' chocolate cake or homemade cinnamon rolls . . . nowadays I don't think that they even serve dessert in elementary school! Poor kids don't know what they are missing . . .

Elyse gave me this recipe a couple of months ago from Mom's old recipe box and it is seriously SPOT ON to what the lunch ladies served! Trust me- you have to try these!

1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1 cup butter
1 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
2 1/2 cups peanut butter (divided)
2 cups oatmeal (not quick)
2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt

Cream first 3 ingredients together. Add the vanilla, eggs, and 1 cup peanut butter and combine. Add the remaining ingredients and mix together. Spread dough on a greased jelly roll pan (18x13x1"). Make at 350 degrees for 15 minutes (until golden brown). While hot spread the other 1 1/2 cups peanut butter on top. Drop all over top by little spoonfuls. It will soften (melt) and make it easier to spread. Then let cool so that the peanut butter has become solid again (I usually throw them in the fridge so they set up faster and so I can eat them sooner!). Spread your favorite chocolate frosting on top and cut into bars.

Here is my favorite frosting recipe for these bars:

1 stick (1/2 cup) margarine, softened
1/4 cup milk
1-2 tsp vanilla (depending on your taste)
3 Tablespoons cocoa (I have never really exactly measured)
2-3 cups of powdered sugar

Mix all ingredients with a hand mixer until smooth and spread on top of bars.

Emergency Preparedness- Week 11

I am so sorry- I think that I skipped a week or two! It has been crazy around here!

{If this is your first time reading our Emergency Preparedness Posts, I suggest you start here. We are putting our 72-hour kits together by adding one or two things to it each week.}

Week 11:

Add 4 rolls of toilet paper to 72 hour kit . . . so you don't end up with this problem . . .

Jamberry Nails Giveaway!

We are so excited to have 400 followers!  Time to celebrate with another giveaway!!!

Our featured sponsor is Jamberry Nails.  I found Jamberry nails through my friend Whitney's blog, A Mommy's Life...With a Touch of Yellow, and fell in love with them!  I am one of those people who is always painting my nails and has to fix them right away if they get a smudge or a chip. That is, until I came across Jamberry! 

They even make my sausage-like toes look somewhat appealing! :)

Jamberry has created nail shields with unique professional nail designs that let you say goodbye to nail polish!  They can be applied in just 15 minutes at home!  

Some of my favorite are their animal print shields!  You have got to see them!

 There are over 90 styles available and are made to last up to 2 weeks on fingers and 6 weeks on toes! Crazy, right?! And unlike traditional nail polish they won't chip or stain the nail and require no drying time. (I think that is usually my problem with nail polish!)

Jamberry Nail Shields use a special material that is both pressure and heat activated to create a water tight bond to your nail. The film is finished with a high gloss protective layer that prevents your nail shield from chipping or scuffing.  And they are so easy to apply and remove!

A few of us sisters have tried out a variety of Jamberry Nail Shields and are completely in love!  We were so excited about them that Jamberry is offering one of our lucky readers one free sheet of nail shields!  (each sheet allows for 2 applications!)

Here is how to enter:

1. Become an official follower of Six Sister's Stuff (see the "Join the Sisterhood" at the top? Click on the follow button) and leave us a comment here letting us know you are a follower.

2. "Like" Six Sisters Stuff Facebook on and leave us a comment here to let us know! 

3. Check out Jamberry Nails, then leave us a comment here letting us know what your favorite nail shield design is.

4. Blog, Facebook, and/ or Tweet about this giveaway and then leave a link for it here. (3 possible entries!)

Make sure to leave a comment for each individual entry!!  

The winner will be chosen using random.org.
The giveaway ends on Tuesday, June 28th at 9 pm (MST).
Winner will be announced on Wednesday, June 29th.

Happy entering! 

(And for those who don't win, Jamberry is offering an awesome deal that is "Buy 3, get 1 free + free shipping"!  Sheets are regularly $15, but occasionally go on sale on groopdealz.com for half off.)