National Zucchini Day! Zucchini Brownies

Did you know that tomorrow, August 8th, is National Zucchini Day? Gotta love it:@) If a neighbor happened to leave a bag of big beautiful zukes on your doorstep, don't fret, let's put them to good use and whip up some Zucchini Brownies. Super simple, start with your favorite brownie mix, use the ingredients called for on the label, and add some grated zucchini. That's it folks... The zucchini adds moisture, and you may find these a tad more cake like. But I have to say, as someone that has a tendency to over-bake brownies, I thought these were great, and they freeze very well.

Notes: Don't sweat the zucchini measurement, just grate a small one or help use up a monster club, anywhere from 3/4-1 C will work without a problem. I made an 8x8 mix and used about 3/4C, 9x13 would be about a cup. Peel the zucchini if desired, but I'm always tickled by the green specs in sweets:@)

📌My Zucchini Pinterest Board here.

Zucchini Brownies

Your favorite mix + ingredients called for

3/4-1 C grated zucchini

1. Mix up the brownies, fold in the zucchini.
2. Pour into pan with greased bottom.
3. Bake per instructions on package, or until toothpick comes out barely wet.
4. Cool and frost if desired.

🌻Enjoy a snack and 

Have a Happy Day:@)

Zucchini Salsa -Doctored Store Bought Salsa, End of July Garden & Barbie...

2024 will not go down as the Year of Zucchini in the PIM raised bed garden, but... I did have a half of a zuke leftover in the fridge and decided to doctor store bought salsa to use it up. I simply grated the zucchini, wrung some of the liquid out in a dish towel, and mixed it half and half to make this Zucchini Salsa snack. It added a little freshness and ~maybe~ made it a tad more healthy:@) 

Thought I'd share a few pics of the garden, these were taken on July 28th. First time I've planted coleus in the anchor bed, I love the pretty pop of color and that it has been a fairly maintenance free plant.

Things have gotten a little... unruly. I've been growing vegetables my whole life and have never had cucumbers last this long into the season. Now, for clarity, the -plants- are very happy, I'm not saying they are producing tons of cukes:@) But I do occasionally find one or two. And as you can see, the large tomatoes are ripening up nicely, and I've had plenty to share.

On the left is the pepper side of the garden, small plants, but as I posted on Wednesday, they are making peppers:@) Experiment for next year: Pick every blossom and itty pepper off of the plants in the beginning of the season. I don't know if that's what stunted the plant growth, but guessing it didn't help... Zucchini, yellow squash, and zinnias have all been pulled out already, but I still have lots of color and plenty to eat!

The planter 8/3/24: 

That grape tomato plant is amazing!!!

What has Barbie been up to as I'm sweating (and swatting mosquitoes) in the garden??? While I doubt they'd be very helpful in keeping a drink colder or floating a can upright on top of the water... These inflatable beverage holders sure do make cute pool toys! This is a fun idea for pictures and dioramas, or if your girl would like to take Barbie swimming with her. And the best news, they only take about three breaths to fill:@) I've seen several designs at Dollar Tree.

Doctored Zucchini Salsa

50/50 ratio:

1. Equal parts store bought salsa and grated zucchini that's been squeezed dry.
2. Mix and serve with chips or as a condiment.

Eat Well and Have a Happy Day:@)

Garlic Grilled Zucchini or Grilled Sheet Pan Dinner & Sporty Barbie Shirt

Sometimes we try too hard folks, yep, it's true. Most of the time the best things, are honestly the easiest things. This Garlic Grilled Zucchini is a very good example. Simply cut thick chunks of zucchini and onion (maybe some peppers if you have them), give a very liberal dose of Italian salad dressing, and add a clove (or three-you know your crowd) of garlic that has been put through a garlic press. Very flavorful and a big hit at Sunday dinner:@)

📌My Zucchini Pinterest Board here.

Or how about making it an easy Grilled Sheet Pan Dinner by adding some quick cooking boneless chicken breast. A perfect dog days of summer meal that cooks up in no time:@)

And even though it's still July...

🏈Football training camp has started!

Lovin' this sporty Barbie shirt at Walmart.

How am I spinning this towards the Eagles??? 

I’d call this Kelly green:@)

Garlic Grilled Zucchini

Zucchini, thick chunks

Onion, thick chunks

Italian salad dressing

Garlic clove, pressed

1. Add everything to zip top bag, marinate for at least one hour.
2. Cook over medium hot grill for about 5-8 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Sprinkle with S&P once off grill.

Stay cool and 

Have a Happy Day:@)

Cornmeal Zucchini Pancakes Breakfast or Dinner -Jiffy Mix

These Cornmeal Zucchini Pancakes can be served any time of day and are a great way to use up one of the zukes the garden gifts us. Slather with syrup for breakfast (or eat as is with a little butter), maybe top with salsa for lunch, or (my favorite) how about piling on BBQ beef or pork for dinner. Sound good? Great:@) And they are super easy because we start with a Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix and simply add a grated zucchini. Cook them like you would any other pancake. Surprisingly good stuff folks!

Dinner with BBQ Beef:

Breakfast with syrup:

As a point of reference, my zuke was about 7" long and made about 1 C of shredded zucchini.

📌My Zucchini Pinterest Board here.

Cornmeal Zucchini Pancakes

Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix

1/3 C milk

1 egg

1 medium zucchini, shredded

Oil for frying

1. Make Jiffy Mix per package instructions.
2. Gently stir in the zucchini.
3. Add some oil to a heated skillet, add spoonful's of the pancake mixture to the pan, cook until bubbles show on top of the pancakes. Flip to the other side to finish cooking.
4. Serve as desired.

Eat Well and Have a Happy Day:@)

Zucchini Rice Pilaf -Instant Pot or Stovetop

Exciting news folks... This Zucchini Rice Pilaf is the first zucchini recipe of 2024:@) And I honestly hope there will be many more to come! This recipe comes together pretty quickly and I used my ♥Instant Pot pressure cooker. But it could easily be made on the stove top too. When it comes to pilaf, we can add any vegetables we have or would like. I cooked the rice with some onion and large grated carrot, and added the zucchini and almonds while fluffing the cooked rice. I like for my zucchini to have a little body, and the almonds added some crunch. This was a great side dish and can easily be made vegetarian by subbing vegetable broth for the chicken broth, and maybe add a little olive oil instead of butter if desired.

Notes: 

• I used water and bouillon, you can easily sub broth or stock if you have that on-hand. 
• I used the biggest holes on the grater for the carrots and zucchini, you know your crowd... Grating smaller might help hide the veggies. If you cook the zucchini with the rice, it will almost disappear. And if you peel it, well, nobody will know it's in there at all:@)
• Leftovers? Stir fry some onion, cabbage and garlic. Toss in some broccoli or peas if that sounds good, add soy sauce and wa-la, this is a nice base for fried rice.
• My Zucchini Pinterest Board here.

So far the plants are hanging in there and I like the idea of trying to grow them vertically. I especially like cutting the large lower leaves off as the plant grows upward. It's airier, cleaner, easier to see what's growing, and much more contained. 

More Zucchini and Rice Recipes:

Zucchini & Rice with Butter

Zucchini & Rice w/Tomato Sauce

Zucchini Rice with Cheese

Taco Rice w/Zucchini & Black Beans

Spanish Rice w/Hamburger & Zucchini

Zucchini Rice Pilaf -♥Instant Pot

1 C uncooked long grain rice

1 carrot, shredded

1/2 tsp dried basil

1/4 tsp garlic powder

1 Tblsp dried onion -or- medium onion, chopped

1 Tblsp butter

1 1/2 C water

1 1/4 tsp chicken bouillon granules

1 small/medium zucchini, shredded

Handful of slivered almonds

S&P to taste

1. Add everything ~except zucchini and almonds~ to vessel. Close lid, push rice button, automatic release.
2. *Alternately: add ~except zucchini and almonds~ to pot, increase the water or broth to 2 C. Boil, reduce to low simmer, cover and cook on stove for about 20-22 minutes or until rice is done.
3. Remove lid, fluff rice stirring in zucchini and almonds.
4. S&P to taste.

Let's use up those zukes, and

Have a Happy Day:@)

Zucchini Season!!! And my favorite grilled zucchini recipe...

Ding-ding-ding... Let the Zucchini Games begin:@) It's always an exciting time when the garden starts producing zucchini, and this year's official date for picking the first one was 6/6/24. 

You can see the stakes, this year's garden experiment is vertical zucchini... Here I have the first two straps holding it to the pole. So far I like this idea:@)

I can already tell I don't have enough of the velcro and may be switching to what I'm joking is Redneck Gardening and using duct tape😃 The plant on the right -might- be allowed to sprawl into the yard, we will see. 

And the first zucchini was growing straight down and literally buried itself 1/2" into the dirt... Since I'm always trying to find more uses for k-cups, yep, I rested the zuke on one, it elevated it off the ground and worked great:@)

What to do with these over-achieving garden gifts? I highly recommend this Curried Honey Mustard Marinade for Grilling. In over 14 years of blogging, this is (to date) my favorite way to serve zucchini and yellow summer squash as a side dish. There is also a link to using the marinade for chicken kabobs if you'd like to go that route too. 

Eat well, enjoy the garden, and 

Have a Happy Day:@)

Garlic and Thyme Marinade for Beef & Broiler Grilling

I couldn't wait to do some grilling out and decided to treat myself to shish-ka-bobs... The thyme in the raised bed was beautiful and in need of a little trimming, so I tried this Garlic & Thyme Marinade for Beef. This is a good one folks, although it will be thick, so be sure to massage it into all of the meat:@) I could taste every ingredient, and it was nice to use my home grown thyme. Please give yourself lots of time for marinating, the longer the better for a big burst of flavor, even when meat is cut to kabob size. Did I fire up the grill? Unfortunately Mother Nature literally rained on my parade and added in gusting winds as an explanation point. So the cooking method was on to Plan B... 

As for broiler grilling, it works well, but we do need to be prepared for some smoke in the house. I heated the broiler to 525 degrees and placed the rack into the highest position (as close to the broiler as possible). My kabobs went onto a heavy duty sheet pan. I would loosely use these times: About 3 minutes each turn, turning the kabobs three times for rare. About 3 minutes each turn, turning the kabobs about four times for medium/well. My best tip: You might want to have a piece of meat on the pointed end of a few kabobs to easily pull off to check for desired doneness.

📌All of my Pinterest Boards here.

Garlic & Thyme Marinade for Beef-from Beef It's What's for Dinner

1/4 C olive oil

3 Tblsp red wine vinegar

3 Tblsp chopped fresh thyme -or- 1 Tblsp dried thyme

2 Tblsp sweet or smoked paprika

3 tsp minced fresh garlic

1/4 tsp ground red(?) pepper-I used black pepper

1. Add marinade ingredients to zip top bag.
2. Salt and pepper your beef, add it to bag. 
3. Marinate for at least 6 hours in refrigerator, turning occasionally, you can marinate overnight. 
4. Grill as desired.

Eat well and Have a Happy Day:@)

Hot Seared, Dry Non-Stick Skillet Summer Squash Zoodles & New Garden Bed

It seems to me that the zoodle craze has died down a bit, but they can still be fun... I had one little yellow squash from my mystery plant, used a mini hand-held zoodler and made these Hot Seared, Dry Non-Stick Skillet Summer Squash Zoodles. You can use zucchini or a couple different types of summer squash. The idea here is to be patient and let the ~hot~ skillet sear the zoodles a bit before you turn or stir them, and yes, it might even smell a little like burning pumpkin! Let your non-stick, and the non-stick is key or they'll just super glue themselves to the pan, get as hot as it can without harming it.  These only took about 5 minutes to cook. Then I simply added a little butter and S&P before dinner. Gotta love summer veggies folks:@)

After much thought about the back beds, I did decide I wanted everything to be compact and have access to the raised beds from the patio. I lucked into one last set for more than 50% off and got it in place last weekend. (Planters a little jumbled as I worked...)

This bed will get sun from 11AM/noon until it goes down at night. We will find out how well it does next spring:@) As soon as the plants fade in the back beds I'll move the dirt, and this little project will be complete. I'm happy with the way things look, and think this set-up will work well for me.

Seared Skillet Summer Squash Zoodles

1. Zoodle your squash and/or zukes.
2. Drop into very hot non-stick pan. Spread out to make as thin a layer as possible. Let sit, once it begins to brown on the bottom, flip or stir to cook the other side.
3. Serve with butter, S&P.

Enjoy the last garden goodies

 of the season and

Have a Happy Day:@)

Zucchini Muffins with White Chocolate Chips & Pumpkin Spice

Last year I found a pretty perfect zucchini muffin recipe, so I decided to see if I could start with those good bones, and change the flavors up just a bit. And I don't know about you, but I'm ready for pumpkin season... So here we have Zucchini Muffins with White Chocolate Chips and Pumpkin Spice. You are welcome:@) These muffins will be sweet as listed, there is plenty of room to cut back on the sugar if you'd like to. This was a nice snack that disappeared quickly at the office!

Zucchini Muffins with White Chocolate Chips & Pumpkin Spice

1 1/2 C A/P flour-I subbed 1/2 C whole wheat

3/4 C sugar-can reduce by up to 1/4 C

1 tsp baking soda

1 1/2 tsp pumpkin spice

1/2 tsp salt

1 egg, beaten

1/2 C vegetable oil-I subbed 1/4 C unsweetened applesauce

1/4 C milk

1 tsp vanilla

1 C shredded zucchini

1 C white chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees, grease or line with paper, 12 cupcake pan.
2. Mix flour, sugar, soda, pumpkin spice and salt.
3. Mix egg (applesauce if using), oil, milk and vanilla. Stir wet into dry until just moistened.
4. Fold in zucchini and chips.
5. Fill cupcake pan a little less than 2/3 full.
6. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Eat well and have a happy day:@)

Grill Pan Chicken Ratatouille

This Grill Pan Chicken Ratatouille is another one of my quick, meals don't need to be complicated, suggestions folks:@) And the best part, it uses all of our summer veggies. The zucchini, eggplant, peppers, tomato, and basil are out of my garden! I'd say from prep to plate this takes about 30-40 minutes. Italian dressing adds a lot of flavor, and this will be a substantial meal. And if you have it, a drizzle of good balsamic vinegar right before serving will take it right over the top! If you'd like to add a starch, I think rice would be perfect. Don't hesitate to fire up the grill for this easy meal folks, I don't think you'll be disappointed.

I planted Little Fingers Eggplant this year, the write-up:  

68 days from transplant. This is the best open pollinated oriental eggplant available. Little Fingers eggplant seeds produce long and thin eggplants with glossy dark purple skin. You will see heavy yields of nearly straight fruits that are 4 - 5” long by 1 - 2” wide, set in clusters of 3 - 6. The creamy white interior offers a smooth taste and few seeds. Tender, thin skins do not require peeling or salting before cooking. Grill whole.

It is a hearty little plant:@)

Grill Pan Chicken Ratatouille

As much as you'd like:

Boneless chicken breast, cut into bite size pieces

Onion, large chunked

Bell peppers, chunked

Zucchini, chunked

Little Fingers Eggplant, 1/2" sliced

Italian Dressing

Tomatoes, large chunk

Fresh Basil, chiffonade

Good balsamic vinegar-optional

1. Heat grill to high, add grill pan while heating.
2. Add chicken, onion, peppers, zucchini and eggplant to large bowl or (even better) zip top bag.
3. Drizzle with enough Italian dressing to cover everything.
4. Toss into grill pan, reduce heat to medium/high.
5. Let sit for a couple minutes, stir. Cook for approximately 10-15 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. During the last 5 minutes or so, toss tomatoes into the grill pan too.
6. Add to platter, drizzle with more salad dressing, sprinkle with basil, and drizzle with balsamic vinegar if desired.

Eat well and have a happy day:@)

Zucchini Gingerbread Muffins -Christmas in July & Shark Week 2023

How's your garden doing, got zucchini??? Yep, I thought you might:@) Recipe number three for 2023 using summer squash... Zucchini Gingerbread Muffins. And it's a winner folks! The only thing I'd do differently, add a little shake of sparkly, crunchy sanding sugar on top before baking. Some reviews suggest bumping up the spices a bit, I left my measuring spoons slightly mounded. This is a nice way to use up a little zucchini, and they do freeze well. And of course, gingerbread would be a perfect snack for Christmas in July with a nice cuppa...

I made a half batch (used 1 egg), and ended up with 10 mega muffins. You could easily get 12 normal ones.

Looking for more ideas: My Zucchini Pinterest Board here.

Zucchini Gingerbread Muffins-adapted from All Recipes

1 C brown sugar

1/4 C molasses

1/4 C vegetable oil

3/4 C vanilla yogurt-I had sour cream on-hand

3 eggs

2 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp ginger

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1/2 tsp ground cloves

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

2 1/2 C grated zucchini

3 C A/P flour-I used half white whole wheat

Sanding sugar, powdered sugar, icing-optional

1. Add liners to two 12 cupcake pans, or spray pan. Alternately, can use two 9x5 loaf pans.
2. Stir together first 5 ingredients, mix well.
3. Add spices, baking soda and baking powder, mix well. 
4. Fold in zucchini, then add flour. Mix until combined.
5. Add to pans. Sprinkle with sanding sugar if desired.
6. Bake at 350 degrees for 18-25 minutes for muffins. 50-60 minutes for loaves, or until toothpick comes out clean.
7. Cool loaves for 10 minutes in pan before removing to racks.
8. Dust with powdered sugar or add icing if desired. 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Each year I try to come up with a theme'd post for Shark Week, in 2023 it starts this Sunday, July 23rd. There's a lot going on right now (everything in one week), 21-The Movie, 23-Shark Week, 25-Christmas in July... Whew...

 

Barbie and Ken are on their summer vacation and this year the resort has a shark tank petting zoo! Baby sharks swimming around, and yep, folks could try to pet them. Barbie says she thinks baby sharks are still cute:@) 

But cute or not...

Ken was kinda like... Ah, no.

One thing I read said they feel like sandpaper,

another said going from head to tail they are smooth.

Wouldn't know, I'm on Team Ken...

You go Barbie😉

Details:

Background is a calendar page.

Pool and sand from Dollar Tree.

Icee = Mini Brands.

And the sharks...

Click for Previous Posts:

2022 - Barbie Jello Waves of Fun

2021 - Barbie Fishing on the Dock

2020 - Barbie Floating in Ocean

2019 - Deviled Eggs for Shark Week

🦈Enjoy Shark Week and

Happy Christmas In July🎅

Grilled Zucchini with Italian Dressing and Parmesan Cheese

This Grilled Zucchini (and/or Summer Squash) with Italian Dressing and Parmesan Cheese is the perfect side dish while grilling out. It only calls for three ingredients, and they are pretty much pantry ingredients for most of us. I mentioned previously that at the beginning of grilling season I like to buy a new bottle of inexpensive Italian salad dressing to use for a quick marinade or flavoring. I used that as the oil for grilling and gave the zukes a nice hearty sprinkle of parmesan cheese once off the grill-done!  

This is the type of side dish that has folks saying, I never thought I'd like zucchini:@) Just make sure you don't over cook it... Pull it sooner, rather than later.

While I'm not adding it below, 

if you have some extra onion,

that would be a nice addition too:@)

Grilled Zucchini with Italian Dressing and Parmesan Cheese

Cut zucchini and summer squash into a generous size 1/2" chunks

Italian dressing-your favorite brand

Grated parmesan cheese, the kind in the can

1. Add squash to bowl or zip top bag and top with enough Italian dressing to coat well.
2. Heat grill to hot. I like to add my grill pan as it's heating up.
3. Toss squash into pan and grill medium/hot for about 5-8 minutes or until desired doneness. We like it to still have some crunch and bite.
4. Add to bowl or platter, add extra shake or two of salad dressing, and sprinkle generously with parmesan cheese.
5. Add S&P to taste if desired. I didn't add any.

Eat well and have a happy day:@)

Instant Pot Taco Rice with Zucchini and Black Beans -Vegan, Vegetarian

*Ding-ding-ding, let the Zucchini Games begin! We're officially into summer squash season and looking for more ways to use up what the garden gifts us. May I suggest this Taco Rice with Zucchini and Black Beans. This works well as a side dish, or a vegetarian or vegan burrito filling with the black beans adding some protein. Another thing to love, it's unattended cooking in the ♥Instant Pot pressure cooker. Serve this with some grilled chicken-dinner done:@) I also love that while the heat from the cooked rice will heat it up a bit, the squash gives the rice a nice little bite. 

Since my plants have already been generous, I did only use the colorful meaty part of the squash and discarded the seeded center.

Garden update:

My mismarked squash from The Depot, while not the square green griller... Did end up making a very nice yellow squash! A quick Google, looks like Golden Egg variety? We likey:@)

Instant Pot Taco Rice with Zucchini and Black Beans

1 envelope taco seasoning, your favorite brand

1 C long grain rice

1 1/2 C water

medium zucchini or summer squash 1/4" dice, mix and match

half a can of black beans, drained and rinsed

1. Add taco seasoning, rice, and water to pressure cooker. Stir well. Press rice setting.
2. Automatic release when done, stir and add squash and black beans.
3. Add S&P or seasoned salt to taste.

Eat well and have a happy day:@)

Teriyaki Grilled Pork Tenderloin and Grill Pan Vegetables -Homemade Teriyaki Sauce & Barbie's 4th of July

My crew is in agreement, the best way to cook a tenderloin is on the grill, and we have several different types of homemade marinades here on PIM. But an old favorite is this Teriyaki Grilled Pork Tenderloin with Grill Pan Vegetables. Once you make a homemade teriyaki sauce, I don't think you'll ever go back to the bottle folks:@) And I do like to leave the meat marinate overnight, longer is better! As for what vegetables to grill, peppers and onions are a must, from there anything goes... Zucchini, yellow squash and broccoli are all good options.

This truly was a lovely meal,

and a nice way to use up some snow peas from the garden:@)

Teriyaki Sauce
1/4 C soy sauce
1/4 C vegetable oil
1 clove garlic, minced-I use a garlic press
1 tsp ground ginger-Pick up a new jar if you've had it for a while
1 Tblsp molasses
~Mix well

For Dinner:

One unflavored pork tenderloin

3 large bell peppers, colors of choice, large chopped

1 large sweet onion, large chopped

1 small zucchini, 1/2" chunks

20 oz can pineapple chunks, drained

handful snow peas, optional

1. Add teriyaki sauce to large zip top bag and add tenderloin. Place in refrigerator for at least 4 hours and preferably overnight.
2. Heat grill to medium high.
3. Remove meat from bag, place on plate. Add vegetables to bag and coat in sauce.
4. Grill meat: Think of it as a rectangle, 4 minutes on each side. Remove to carving platter, cover with foil for 10 minutes.
5. Towards end of cooking time add vegetables to heated grill pan. Stir occasionally until cooked to your desired level of doneness.
6. Add veggies to serving platter, add carved meat and pour any juices over everything.

And Barbie hopes you have a nice place

to cool off this 4th of July too:@)

Pic in my solar fountain 2022.

Eat well and have a happy day:@)

New Summer Squash Plant? -Dup'd by the Depot...

People that know me well, know that I have a tendency to assign a value to things and very, ~very~ rarely pay more money. But every once in a while (especially in the name of blog fodder) I'll try something new. I was killing time one Saturday morning and stopped at Home Depot. They showed a squatty zucchini plant with approximate 3' maximum vines, that grew squarish fruit, perfect for grilling. Yep, I was intrigued:@) The hook... One plant cost $6. One *zucchini* plant $6. I hem-haw'd but thought it might be fun and got one.

The bullets of the Green Griller write-up:

• Oblong zucchini that's blockier than other varieties, 6-7"
• Great for grilling, with broad slices that are easy to flip
• Simple to harvest with fruit growing on low, open bush
• Pretty variegated green and silver foliage adds ornamental value
• Fruit matures quickly

After a month+ of nurturing...

Um... This a regular, run of the mill, crookneck squash. Bummer. While I guess I could take it back, at this point in the season I'll just cut bait and keep it. At least it's making some squash:@)

Moral of the story,

sticking to your values is always best.

Have a great weekend:@)

ReView: Spanish Rice Dip & Barbie says Let's Go Eagles!!!

So... Folks here in Philly are just a tad excited for Sunday's football game... Yep, just-a-tad:@) And what does football require? Munchies. I wanted to share one of my favorite dips today, so I scrolled through my Dips Pinterest Board and this Skillet Spanish Rice jumped right out at me! What I like about it best, it's substantial and filling. You know, just in case there are some adult beverages at your football party... It's also perfect for lunch or as a side dish. 

And in Barbie's world... Barbie and Ken decided to have a few friends over for the Eagles vs San Fran football game on Sunday. They decorated the porch in team colors to show support for their Birds:@) And what party would be complete without balloons and festive lights! Barbie is all about the little details...

Catching someone's eye to open the door:

Ken brought his world famous meatballs...

And of course here in Philly...

Team gear is a requirement!!!

Gotta show your colors😎

Details and DIY's:

Ken no hem team shirt  ~  Team hat embellishment

Crock Pot of Meatballs  ~  1:6 Scale Pillows

Wreath is a team pin with pipe cleaner embellishment

Door backdrop from Dollar Tree

Pinterest Boards: 

DIY Barbie  ~  Meatballs  ~  Eagles Football Fun

The story behind my Barbie Eagles Jersey:

Some folks have asked me where I found the neat Philadelphia Eagles jersey for my Barbie. I saw it on Ebay and my understanding is, years ago it was a give-away from Burger King (believe it or not). There is a cute story behind it though... I asked the lady selling it if it fit a Barbie. She told me she had three sons, not a doll in the house... So she drove to a thrift store to try the shirt on a doll! Said there she was, standing in the isle of the thrift store and had to pull the head off of a doll to get the shirt on, but it fit:) Cha-Ching! She dropped it in the mail to me the next day:@)

Have a happy weekend:@)

🏈And GO BIRDS!!!

Chicken, Penne and Bell Pepper Casserole

This Chicken, Penne and Bell Pepper Casserole is a nice change of pace from a more traditional beef or sausage spaghetti/ziti type meal. It's very flavorful with lots of wiggle room for adjusting ingredients. I've made it a couple times and it was a big hit at Sunday dinner. Leftovers are perfect for lunch, and would freeze beautifully if needed. Extra fun for me, I literally used the last of the peppers from the garden. I like regular size diced tomatoes for a little body and bite, and the seasonings were pretty much spot on. Yep folks, it gets a big thumbs up from us:@)

The only thing I might do differently next time,

add a little spinach (or zucchini in the summer).

I think some extra green veggies are always nice.

Chicken, Penne and Bell Pepper Casserole-adapted from Taste of Home

hearty 1 1/2 C uncooked penne pasta-I used mini penne (never saw that before:@)

1 Tblsp canola oil-I used olive oil

1 lb boneless chicken thighs or breast cut into bite size pieces

1/2 C onion, diced

1/2 C green bell pepper, diced-I cut larger pieces and added more

1/2 C red bell pepper, diced-I cut larger pieces and added more

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp dried basil

1 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp dried parsley

1/2 tsp salt, or to taste

1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes-I added a few shakes

14.5 oz diced tomatoes, with juice

3 Tblsp tomato paste-I used 2 Tblsp

3/4 C chicken broth-I omitted and added an envelope or cube of chicken bouillon

2 C shredded mozzarella cheese

1/2 C grated parmesan or romano cheese-I used parm

1. Cook pasta, drain and set aside.
2. Cook chicken in oil, remove from pan.
3. Cook onion for a couple minutes, add peppers, cook until they begin to soften.
4. Add garlic, cook for a minute or until fragrant.
5. Add spices, tomatoes with juice, tomato paste and chicken bouillon if using. Stir until paste is incorporated. Add a little extra chicken broth or water if it looks a little dry, I have not needed it.
6. Return chicken and pasta to pan, remove pan from heat and mix well.
7. Making two layers, spoon half of mixture into sprayed 9x13 dish. Top with half of the cheeses. Make second layer topping with cheese.
8. Bake at 350 degrees covered with foil for 15 minutes. Remove foil, bake another 15 minutes or until heated through and bubbly.

Eat well and have a happy day:@)

I'm Joining:

Full Plate Thursday

A Morning Cup of Joe

Ready for Some Football??? Favorite Snack Recipes & Barbie's too...

Well folks, you already know I am thrilled it's football season:@) Even though the Phillies are giving us a fun year, nothing is like football! So I thought I'd gather three munchies my crew thought were very good, and all very different... 

Sweet Hot Honey Mustard Chicken Wings

Whimper worthy ~easy~ homemade sauce!

Dilled Oyster Crackers-No Bake, Less Oily

A nice easy to pop into your mouth favorite, 

that's just a tad healthier than other versions.

Spanish Rice Dip

Different and ~substantial~ in case there will be adult beverages at your gathering.

I picked up a Mini Brands Series 3 toy and just in time for football, it had Kraft Ranch Dressing, Velveeta Cheese and Kraft Cream Cheese... Barbie says, sounds like dip season! 

Classic Velveeta Chili Dip

16 oz Velveeta cut into 1/2" chunks

15 oz can chili, with or without beans

Mix both in microwavable bowl 5 minutes on high, stirring half way through, 

or until cheese has melted.

Serve with chips and/or veggies.

Barbie and Ken are hosting the first football game of the year, Eagles vs Lions. They're making sure they have all of the food and munchies under control. Slow cooker of meatballs, cheese and crackers, dip ingredients, and...

Ken's taste testing the tacos, you know...

To make sure they're perfect😉

Taco from felt and beads: Fold circle of tan felt in half, glue green yarn in center, glue on red, black and gold beads to mimic tomatoes, olives and cheese.

How to make a 1:6 scale Crock Pot from Play Dough container.

Yep, Barbie and Ken are a *T-E-A-M* when it comes to party prep😎

Looking for more football munchie ideas?

You can find my Dips and Cheese Ball Pinterest Board here.

Meatballs Pinterest Board,

and my Football Fun Pinterest Board here.

🏈Make something just for fun and have a happy day!

Go Eagles!!!