Scuba Diving Easter Eggs

Here’s another project I found online that was just too cute to resist giving it a try. I saw these on Spoonful.com and fell in love with these little guys. You can’t help but smile when you look at them. What a perfect centerpiece for your Easter table setting! I used hard boiled eggs to make these, but if you plan on keeping them around for a while, you may want to blow out the eggs instead. If you don’t have all the items you need on hand, it’s easy to improvise. I couldn’t find colored rubber bands in a small enough size, so I used colored permanent markers to color the bands. Also, our local office supply store didn’t carry the 3/4-inch round labels for the face, so I used a 3/4-inch washer, traced around it with a black permanent marker on a regular mailing label and cut it out. Because of the small parts involved, I wouldn’t recommend working on these with little tots; but older kiddos will have a blast creating these. These are fun, different and EGG-stra special!
  

I had planned on using children's ponytail bands, but they wouldn't stay on the egg, so I switched to rubber bands.

Prepare egg dye according to package directions. Dye the bottom third of the egg. Allow to dry.

While the eggs are drying, you can put together the diving mask and face. The mask is nothing more than a water bottle cap.  Adhere a 3/4-inch round label to the center of the cap. 

Attach craft eyes, or just draw on eyes with a black permanent marker.

Again, I ended up using rubber bands instead of bands above (which wouldn't stay put on the egg).

When egg is dry, slip rubber band over the top of the egg, about a quarter of the way down. Glue the bottle cap on to the rubber band.

Trim a flexible straw by cutting 1-inch above and 2-inches below the flexible section. Bend it into a snorkel shape. Glue in place.

Cut flippers from self-adhesive foam (or use poster board). Go here for the template. 

Glue them to the egg, adhesive side of foam down. Let dry thoroughly. 

 While the flipper feet were drying, I propped little divers up against a tall (heavy) glass.

The adhesive side of foam will be used to stick the finished eggs to the display surface, or inside of a glass. 

SCUBA DIVING EASTER EGGS
Source: Spoonful.com (Family Fun Magazine)
Posted by: www.meldingmagic.com

ITEMS NEEDED: 

• Easter egg dye
• White eggs, hard-boiled or blown out
• 3/4-inch round white adhesive labels
• 1-inch water bottle caps (clear)
• Craft eyes, or just draw eyes with a black permanent marker
• Small rubber bands, preferably colored
• White glue, or glue gun (I used Super Glue)
• Flexible straws
• Self-adhesive foam, or poster board
• Small clear glasses, for display (optional)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Prepare egg dye according to package directions. Dye the bottom third of the egg. Allow to dry. 
2. While the eggs are drying, put together the diving mask and face. The mask is nothing more than a
    water bottle cap.  Adhere a 3/4-inch round label to the center of the cap. Attach craft eyes, or just
    draw on eyes with a black permanent marker.
3. When egg is dry, slip rubber band over the top of the egg, about a quarter of the way down. Glue the
    bottle cap on to the rubber band.
4. Trim a flexible straw but cutting 1-inch above and 2-inches below the flexible section. Bend it into a
    snorkel shape. Glue in place.
5. Cut flippers from self-adhesive foam (or use poster board). Go here for the template. Glue them to
    the egg, adhesive side of foam down. Let dry thoroughly. The adhesive side of foam will be used to
    stick the finished eggs to the display surface, or inside of a glass.

Skillet Kielbasa Casserole

As far as ease and convenience, the next best thing to a crockpot dinner is a skillet meal. One complete supper; one skillet to clean. For all the kielbasa lovers out there, have I got a one pot wonder for you: kielbasa, rice, peas and mushrooms, topped with melted Cheddar cheese. The colorful medley of ingredients creates an enticing blend of complementary flavors. This irresistible dish is sure to satisfy the heartiest of appetites. So, skip the oven and go from stove top to tabletop in no time flat.

Slice kielbasa in 1/2-inch medallions.

Melt 1-1/2 Tablespoons butter in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add kielbasa. Cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned. 

Add soup and water to same skillet. Stir to combine. Bring to a boil. 

Add rice. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 18 minutes.

Stir in peas and mushrooms. Cover and simmer for an additional 7 minutes. Stir. Increase heat to medium and cook, covered, for 8 minutes longer, or until rice is tender and peas are heated through. Stir again.

Sprinkle with Cheddar cheese, cover and let stand 3 to 4 minutes, or until cheese is melted.

SKILLET KIELBASA CASSEROLE
Source:  Adapted from Taste of Home
Posted by: www.meldingmagic.com

INGREDIENTS:

• 1-1/2 Tablespoons butter
• 14 ounces to 1 pound kielbasa, sliced into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 can (10-3/4 ounces) condensed cream of celery soup
• 1-1/2 cups water
• 3/4 cup uncooked long grain rice
• 1 package (10 ounces) frozen peas
• 1 jar (6 ounces) sliced mushrooms, drained
• 1 cup (4 ounces) shredded Cheddar cheese

 DIRECTIONS:

1. Melt 1-1/2 Tablespoons butter in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add kielbasa. Cook, stirring
    occasionally, until lightly browned.
2. Add soup and water to same skillet. Stir to combine. Bring to a boil.
3. Add rice. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 18 minutes.
4. Stir in peas and mushrooms. Cover and simmer for an additional 7 minutes. Stir. Increase heat to
    medium and cook, covered, for 8 minutes longer, or until rice is tender and peas are heated through.
    Stir again.
5. Sprinkle with Cheddar cheese, cover and let stand 3 to 4 minutes, or until cheese is melted.

Garlic Parmesan Roasted Baby Red Potatoes

 

Baby red potatoes make easy work out of side dish preparation. Because of their small size, they cook faster, and their delicate red skin does not require peeling. I just love these little spuds. They’re so versatile and convenient, especially when you are short on time. Their cute size is more appealing to “picky little eaters,” so you don’t have to “sneak” in the healthy veggies. They hold their shape, absorb flavors well, and add a vibrant pop of color to your dinner table. In this recipe, I parboiled the potatoes slightly, then combined with olive oil, garlic, salt, pepper, paprika and a little lemon juice (to add a zesty little tang). Then I topped them off with a little parsley, a generous amount of grated Parmesan cheese, and roasted until cheesy, crisp on the outside and tender on the inside. Great with just about any entrée, simple to prepare, and on the table in no time.

Missing from photo: parsley

Preheat oven to 400° F. Spray a baking pan with non-stick cooking spray. (I like to use a broiler pan when roasting.)

Mince garlic; juice 1/2 lemon. Chop parsley (or substitute dried parsley). 

Scrub potatoes. Halve, quarter, or cut into 2-inch pieces.

Place potatoes in large pot of salted water. Bring to boil. Continue boiling for 3 to 5 minutes, until just barely tender. (Boiling time will depend on size of your pieces.) 

Drain and run under cold water. 

Lay out on paper towels to dry. Blot dry.

In large resealable plastic bag, combine olive oil, garlic, salt, pepper, paprika and lemon juice. Add potatoes. Shake and roll bag to thoroughly coat potatoes.

Spread coated potatoes in a single layer on prepared pan. Sprinkle with parsley.

Evenly coat with Parmesan cheese.

Bake, uncovered, 35 minutes, or until potatoes are crispy brown on the outside and tender on the inside. Baking time may need to be adjusted depending on cut size of potatoes. 

Serve warm.

GARLIC PARMESAN ROASTED BABY RED POTATOES
Posted by: www.meldingmagic.com

INGREDIENTS:

• 1-1/2 pounds baby red potatoes, halved, quartered or cut into 2-inch pieces
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon paprika
• Juice of 1/2 lemon
• Parsley, fresh or dried
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 400° F. Spray a baking pan with non-stick cooking spray.
2. Scrub potatoes. Halve, quarter, or cut into 2-inch pieces.
3. Place potatoes in large pot of salted water. Bring to boil. Continue boiling for 3 to 5 minutes, until just
    barely tender. (Boiling time will depend on size of your pieces.)
4. Drain and run under cold water. Lay out on paper towels to dry. Blot dry.
5. In large resealable plastic bag, combine olive oil, garlic, salt, pepper, paprika and lemon juice. Add
    potatoes. Shake and roll bag to thoroughly coat potatoes.
6. Spread coated potatoes in a single layer on prepared pan. Sprinkle with parsley. Evenly coat with
    Parmesan cheese.
7. Bake, uncovered, 35 minutes, or until potatoes are crispy brown on the outside and tender on the
    inside. Baking time may need to be adjusted depending on cut size of potatoes.

Southwestern Deviled Eggs

Along with Easter comes an abundance of hard boiled eggs. You’ve dyed, decorated and hunted. How do you make the most of leftover Easter eggs? What always comes to mind first for me is deviled eggs. A popular party appetizer in the 50s and 60s, deviled eggs still have retro appeal today. Today you are more apt to see them at BBQs and brunches (more casual gatherings), but their popularity re-emerges during the Easter holiday. They are quick and easy to prepare, convenient (because they are a finger food), and always a crowd pleaser. But, just because you are serving a vintage canapé doesn’t mean you have to use a traditional recipe. By adding ingredients like salsa, green onion, cumin and Cheddar cheese, you can give these party staples a trendier spin. Now you have an “incredible, edible egg.” But, you better make sure you color enough eggs, because these will disappear fast.

Finely chop green onions. If Cheddar cheese shreds are on the large side (like mine are in the above pic), chop it a little more. 

Try to use the “chunkiest” salsa you can get. If the salsa has too much liquid in it, your egg filling can end up loose and not stiff enough to stuff eggs. Drain off any excess liquid from salsa before adding to yolk mixture. (If, however, your finished filling still ends up looser than you would like, you can still firm it by refrigerating it for a half hour or longer.)

Even though this recipe calls for 6 hard boiled eggs, I always boil 7 eggs. During the boiling process, I often end up with an egg that cracks in the water. I usually dispose of the whites of the 7th egg, but I do add the yolk of that additional egg to the filling mixture.

Over the years, I’ve had countless failures with the “simple” task of hard boiling an egg. I would overcook them, resulting in rubbery whites and gray shadowed yolks, or I’d mutilate the overall shape and appearance of the egg in my destructive attempts to remove the unyielding shell. After much trial and error, this method works for me 100% of the time. 

Place eggs in pot of cold water. Add 1 teaspoon salt to the water. Bring to a rolling boil over high heat. Reduce temperature to medium. Continue to cook for 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Cover and let stand for 12 minutes. (Other sources say after the water boils to immediately remove pot from heat, cover, and let stand for 12 to 15 minutes. I’ve found that this method is not always fool-proof; that’s why I give it an additional 5 minutes on lower heat. It ensures the egg is hard boiled, yet you still get a perfect yellow colored yolk and non-rubbery white, each and “every” time.) 

Drain hot water from pot and continue to add cold water to pot until water is completely cool. Add a generous amount of ice cubes to the pot and let sit for about 5 minutes, until the egg no longer has any warmth to it. The colder the egg is, the easier the shell will be to remove (and less likely to stick to the egg white). 

Peel eggs and halve lengthwise. Remove yolks and place in a small bow. 

Mash yolks with a fork. Add mayonnaise, Cheddar cheese, salsa (well drained), sour cream, green onion and cumin. Add salt and pepper to taste. Mix it all up. I usually use a hand mixer to do this, but that's a "personal" preference, as Mike likes a "creamier" filling (with no lumps).

Fill egg whites evenly with yolk mixture. Garnish with additional green onions, if desired. Store, covered, in refrigerator. 

SOUTHWESTERN DEVILED EGGS
Source: Cooking with Paula Deen, Mar/Apr 2006
Posted by: www.meldingmagic.com

INGREDIENTS:

• 7 large eggs, hard boiled and peeled* (See note below)
• 1/3 cup mayonnaise
• 3 Tablespoons finely shredded Cheddar cheese
• 2 Tablespoons chunky salsa, drained
• 1-1/2 Tablespoons sour cream
• 1 Tablespoon finely chopped green onion
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• Additional green onions, for garnish (optional)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Halve eggs lengthwise. Remove yolks and place in a small bowl.
2. Mash yolks with a fork. Stir in mayonnaise, Cheddar cheese, salsa, sour cream, green onion and
    cumin. Add salt and pepper to taste. (Use fork or hand mixer to blend, depending on consistency you
    want.)
3. Fill egg whites evenly with yolk mixture. Garnish with additional green onions, if desired. Store in
    refrigerator.

Yields: 12 servings

*Note:  You only need 6 hard boiled eggs (not 7). The extra egg will allow for breakage of 1 during the boiling process. Make use of the 7th yolk by adding to filling mixture, but discard of the egg white on extra egg. This will also allow you to put more filling in the eggs.

Thai Chicken Thighs (Crockpot)

When I was pregnant with my twins, I developed an allergy to MSG. Actually, it was a little more severe than that. I would actually pass out in a restaurant if my meal had any MSG in it. Even after coming to, the dizziness would linger for hours afterwards. As much I loved Asian cuisine, I had to avoid it because that had the most devastating effect on me. I was hoping it was just a symptom of my pregnancy and would subside afterwards, but it never did. So, for many years I had to give up one of my favorite “food groups” (yes, it was actually a food group to me; that’s how much I enjoyed it). Fortunately, over time, restaurants became more in tune with “fresh, natural” flavors; and, I was, gradually, able to get my feet wet again by ordering take-out. It’s true what they say, “absence makes the heart grow fonder.” My renewed passion for Asian cuisine has now become an obsession, so I’m incorporating that taste into as many home-cooked meals as I can. This recipe for Thai Chicken Thighs is my latest experiment. I say experiment because it is slow cooked in a crockpot. (Hmmmm.) Make you skeptical? Me, too. But, I forged ahead anyway and was not only pleasantly surprised, but actually amazed at how good this turned out. Ok, maybe this isn’t really authentic Thai cuisine; it should probably (more accurately) be described as chicken in peanut sauce. Faux Thai or not, this meal was incredibly flavorful. Although the combination of ingredients seems a bit unusual, it works! The chicken was moist and tender, and the peanut sauce had such a perfect texture to it (not at all soupy as I had expected). Served over aromatic Jasmine rice, this was such an easy and enjoyable dish.

Missing from photo: crushed red pepper flakes

I know what you are going to say, “salsa in a Thai dish?” I thought about swapping out the salsa for chili sauce, but I was afraid the end result would be too spicy. So, I stuck with the salsa and added a little crushed red pepper flakes to add a little heat. The salsa really did enhance the flavors so much more than I expected.

Place chicken thighs in crockpot. 

In bowl, whisk together salsa, peanut butter, soy sauce, lime juice, minced ginger, minced garlic and crushed red pepper flakes. 

Pour over chicken. Cover and cook on low for 5 to 6 hours.

As a garnish, I lightly toasted some sesame seeds in a little sesame oil (1 to 2 minutes, until aromatic). 

   
Garnish chicken with toasted sesame seeds, if desired. Serve warm over rice (preferably an aromatic rice, such as Jasmine or Basmati).

THAI CHICKEN THIGHS (CROCKPOT)
Source: JulieVR
Posted by: www.meldingmagic.com

INGREDIENTS:

• 8 to 10 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• 1 cup salsa
• 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
• 2 Tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 Tablespoon lime juice
• 2 teaspoons ginger, minced
• 1 teaspoon garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil, optional (for toasting sesame seeds)
• 1 Tablespoon sesame seeds, optional (for garnish)
• Cooked rice, for serving (preferably an aromatic rice, such as Jasmine or Basmati)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Place chicken thighs in crockpot.
2. In bowl, whisk together salsa, peanut butter, soy sauce, lime juice, minced ginger, minced garlic and
    crushed red pepper flakes. Pour over chicken. Cover and cook on low for 5 to 6 hours.
3. Optional (for garnish): In skillet, lightly toasted some sesame seeds in a little sesame oil (1 to 2
    minutes, until aromatic).
4. Garnish chicken with toasted sesame seeds, if desired. Serve warm over rice (preferably an aromatic
    rice, such as Jasmine or Basmati).