French-Toasted Angel Food Cake

I found this recipe on Better Homes and Gardens (bgh.com) and made it this weekend. It was so good! What I loved about this recipe is: how easy it was to make, it was delicious, it satisfied my sweet tooth and there are a crazy amount of ways you can customize this for your family. I made ours with strawberries and powdered sugar.

But the part I loved most? It was my excuse to have cake for breakfast (part of any balanced, nutritious meal plan)!!  :)

French-Toasted Angel Food Cake

ingredients

• 1 7 - 8 inch angel food cake (ours was store-bought)
• 6 eggs, slightly beaten (we used egg-beaters...you know, to make it "healthier")
• 1 1/2 cups milk (We used skim milk...again, with the "healthy" thing)
• 3 tablespoons sugar (we used 1 tablespoon)
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1 tablespoon butter (non-fat spray stuff was used instead of butter)
• Whipped cream or creme fraiche (we didn't have any on hand)
• Maple syrup (we did powdered sugar instead of syrup)
• Cut-up fresh strawberries (ours were frozen...would've been better if they were fresh though)

directions

Slice the angel food cake into 10 to 12, 1-inch thick wedges. In a shallow dish combine eggs, milk, sugar; and vanilla. Soak wedges in egg mixture for 1 minute per side. In a nonstick skillet or on a nonstick griddle melt butter over medium heat. Cook 4 wedges at a time for 1 to 2 minutes on each side or until golden brown. To serve, stand slices in cake formation. Top with whipped cream or creme fraiche. Drizzle with maple syrup and top with strawberries. Serve immediately. Makes 10 to 12 servings.

            If you make this or a version like it, let me know what you think!

buffalo chicken burgers...one of MY new favorites!

It's been awhile since I posted a recipe on here...heck, it's been awhile since I posted anything at all!  So I thought I'd try to get back to blogging by starting things off with a yummy, quick recipe I found on Tasty Kitchen.

This "burger" is very easy to make and so, so flavorful!!  Definitely one of our go to dinner ideas for sure!

Buffalo Chicken Burgers

Prep Time 15 Minutes Cook Time 20 Minutes

Servings 4

Difficulty Easy

Ingredients

• 1 pound Ground Chicken
• ½ teaspoons Salt
• ½ teaspoons Pepper
• ½ Tablespoons Italian Seasoning
• ¼ cups Parmesan Cheese
• ¼ cups Buffalo Wing Sauce Plus More For Drizzling (I used BW3's medium sauce for mine and a secret recipe sauce Gary gets from a golf buddy every year...his is really spicy)
• 4 slices, Sharp Cheddar Cheese
• 4 hamburger buns
• ¼ cups Ranch Dressing (or bacon ranch dressing would be good too) for drizzling

Preparation Instructions

Preheat grill or skillet.

In a large bowl combine ground chicken, salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, parmesan and buffalo wing sauce. Mix until just combined. Form into patties (they will be pretty "wet").

Grill or pan-fry patties until brown on both sides and cooked through, about 8-10 minutes. In the last 2 minutes, place 1/2 ounce of cheddar cheese on each burger. Place burgers on whole wheat buns and top with a drizzle of ranch and buffalo wing dressing.

The first time we had these, we ate them with corn-on-the-cob.  Celery and carrots would make a good side dish too.

baklava bars

I love baklava.  I mean, I LOVE it!  So rich and sweet.  I never imagined being able to make them myself...just think of all those intricate layers they have going on.  Nope...that would be way too time-consuming.  I was so thrilled to find this recipe and even more excited that they tasted really, really good.  This is a prize-winning 2007 recipe from either Box Tops or Betty Crocker.  Your friends and family will love you even more if you share this with them.  If not, then you could always share with me!

baklava bars


Cookie Base
1 pouch (1 lb 1.5 oz) Betty Crocker sugar cookie mix
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon peel
1 egg


Filling
1-1/2 cups chopped walnuts
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon salt
8 frozen mini fillo shells (from 2.1-oz package)


Glaze
1/3 cup honey
2 TBSP butter or margarine, softened
1 TBSP packed brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla


Garnish
5 TBSP honey


Directions
Heat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray bottom only of 13x9-inch pan with cooking spray.  In large bowl, stir cookie base ingredients until soft dough forms.  Press dough in bottom of pan.  Bake 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, in medium bowl, stir walnuts, granulated sugar, 1/4 cup butter, 1 teaspoon cinnamon and the salt with fork until mixture is well mixed and crumbly.  Sprinkle nut mixture evenly over partially baked base.  With hands, crumble frozen fillo shells evenly over nut mixture.  Bake 18-20 minutes longer or until golden brown.


Meanwhile, in a small microwavable bowl, microwave 1/3 cup honey, 2 TBSP butter, the brown sugar, lemon juice and 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon uncovered on High 1 minute or until bubbly.  stir in vanilla.  Drizzle honey mixture evenly over fillo.  Cool completely, about 2 hours.  For bars, cut into 6 rows by 4 rows.  Before serving, drizzle 1/2 teaspoon honey over each bar.  Store covered at room temperature.

If you like baklava, this is good stuff.  I promise.


WARNING:  they are also a little messy, slightly sticky and very addicting.

johnny marzetti

Have you heard of Johnny Marzetti? I think it might be a midwestern dish, but thought I'd ask if others outside of the midwest have heard of this casserole dish that was so popular when I was growing up.

This recipe was originally created in the 1940s by the owner of Marzetti's Restaurant in downtown Columbus, Ohio and was named after his brother.

Here is the original recipe:

3 Tbs olive oil

1 large onion chopped

¾ lb mushrooms, cleaned and sliced

2 lbs lean ground beef

3 ½ cups tomato sauce

1 ½ lbs cheddar cheese, shredded

1 lb elbow macaroni, cooked and drained

In skillet, saute onion in oil until limp, about 3 minutes. Add mushrooms and fry until juices are released, about 5 minutes. Add beef and cook, stirring, breaking up clumps, until no longer red. Remove from heat and mix in tomato sauce and all but 1 cup of cheese.Transfer to two greased 11 X 14 baking dishes and add macaroni. Toss gently to mix. Scatter remaining cheese on top. Bake, uncovered, in 350° oven until browned and bubbling for 35 to 40 minutes. Serving Size - 10-12.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Now when I made this, I changed it up a bit: for starters I don't care for mushrooms, so I left those out. Secondly, that seemed like an awful lot of onions for Gary, so I didn't put in as much. I also noticed that there were no other spices/flavoring other than the onion, so I used flavored diced tomatoes. It also made 2 pans, so I halved the recipe except for the sauce, we like it saucy (although, I could have made 2 pans...1 for dinner that night and 1 for the freezer to heat and eat later). So here's how I made it (and we thought it was pretty GOOD):

1 small onion, chopped

1 lb lean ground beef

3 ½ cups tomato sauce
1 can (15 oz) fire roasted diced toms

1 ½ lbs cheddar cheese, shredded

8 oz elbow macaroni, cooked and drained

In skillet, cook beef, stirring, breaking up clumps, until no longer red and drain. Add onions and cook for a couple more minutes. Remove from heat and mix in tomato sauce, diced fire roasted toms, and all but 2 cups of cheese.

Transfer to greased/sprayed 9 x 13 baking dish and add macaroni. Toss gently to mix. Scatter remaining cheese on top. Bake, uncovered, in 350° oven for 35 to 40 minutes or until browned and bubbling.  Yummeee!  I hope you like it too.  :)

sweet corn casserole

Okay, okay. So much for getting this recipe to you right away. Once again, I got sidetracked...maybe have a little ADD going on??? Gary tells Michael that "sometimes mommy gets sidetracked". I can't deny it. The first step is recognizing I have a problem, right? Anyway, this recipe is super easy (I think ALL of my "go to" recipes are super easy - they HAVE to be with our busy lives).

This dish is so versatile. We had it with the chimichangas (below), but it could also be a tasty side dish at Thanksgiving or maybe you could bring it to your next potluck.

SWEET CORN CASSEROLE

INGREDIENTS

1 stick of butter, melted
8 oz. sour cream
1 box Jiffy corn muffin mix
2 eggs
1 can (15 oz) creamed corn
1 can (15 oz) regular corn, drained

DIRECTIONS

Mix all ingredients and bake at 350 degrees in a greased (Pam-sprayed) 9”x13” pan for 40-50 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean. I have had to add an additional 20 minutes to make sure it was cooked all the way through on the inside...just depends on how "saucy" your mix ends up being...perhaps I didn't drain the one can of corn enough or maybe I put in more than 8 oz of sour cream??

In real life, sometimes I get lazy or cocky (heh-heh-heh, did I just say "cocky"?? OMG I've watched too much Beavis and Butthead) and just toss in guesstimates of ingredients and end up having to change some things around...but that's okay. That's how you make it your own and sometimes end up with something even better.

I hope you still try to make this yummy dish. It's a nice change of pace, and in my mind I consider it healthy because it's made with corn. Obviously, I'm in total denial about the entire stick of butter.

chicken chimichangas

The other day, I was talking to my friend, Sharon, about dinner ideas and she passed along a deli-c-o-so Mexican dish (my gosh we eat a LOT of Mexican foods...I never noticed that until I started writing this blog). Anyway, this was so super easy and very flavorful (and better for you since they are not fried). We modified it a bit to suit our taste buds and I tried to use what we had in the cupboard. Feel free to do the same for your family too.

CHICKEN CHIMICHANGAS

INGREDIENTS

3 c. shredded chicken (easiest and most flavorful is to use half of a rotisserie chicken!)

4 c. fiesta blend shredded cheese or monterey jack (we love cheese)

1 tsp oregano

1/4 tsp cumin

1 garlic clove, minced

1 can (4 oz) chopped green chiles, drained

1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained

8 (10-12") flour tortillas (get the good kind: either Mission or La Banderita brands...they are nice and thick, which means they won't crumble or tear when you are folding/rolling)

salsa

sour cream

DIRECTIONS

Mix together chicken, 2 cups cheese (save the other 2 cups for the topping), oregano, cumin, garlic, green chiles. Spread a spoonful or two of the black beans on the tortilla. Next, add a spoonful or two of the chicken mixture on the tortilla. Roll the tortilla up (fold the sides in first, then roll from bottom to top) and place seam side down in a 9x13 pan that's been sprayed with Pam (or similar). Top chimichangas with remaining 2 cups of cheese. Bake for 30-40 minutes at 350 degrees or until cheese is bubbly and starting to brown.

Top with salsa and sour cream. Tastes great with sweet corn casserole (I'll post that recipe next) or chips and salsa or small salad.

Thanks for sharing this recipe Sharon. It's already become one of our favorites!

apple walnut cake

I know this is going to sound strange to most of you, but I don't like chocolate cake. I prefer white or yellow or vanilla cake with white frosting. But I also really, really like spice, pumpkin, apple, and cinnamon flavors. This cake suits my tastebuds just fine and it's such a wonderful fall treat.



APPLE WALNUT CAKE


INGREDIENTS
4 cups coarsely chopped apples
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
½ cup salad oil
2 tsp. vanilla
2 tsp. soda
2 cups flour
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. salt
1 cup chopped walnuts


Combine the sugar and apples; let stand. Beat eggs slightly; beat in oil and vanilla. Mix and sift together flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Stir in apple-sugar mixture a little at a time. Stir in nuts. Pour batter into a greased and floured 13x9 inch pan and bake at 350-degrees for 1 hour or until done. Once cooled, frost with the caramel frosting (below).


QUICK CARAMEL FROSTING

1 cup butter
2 cups brown sugar
½ cup milk
3-1/2 to 4 cups confectioners sugar

Melt butter in 1-inch pan; add brown sugar. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly for 2 minutes. Add milk and stir until mixture comes to a boil. Remove from heat and cool. Slowly add confectioners sugar. Beat well with spoon after each addition until thick enough to spread.



Okay, if you look at the picture, you could tell that I couldn't wait for my frosting to thicken up when I made this, so mine turned out a little runny....but it was still de-lish and extra, extra moist!!


Oh so good! You need to make this soon - I dare you to not love it. And if you do make it, please send a piece my way. My tastebuds will thank you (but my hips? not so much)!


Recipe from the ladies at St. John’s GRACE event.

gary's favorite ribs...so far

I didn't want to post a new recipe right on top of another recipe post, but these ribs go great with Carole's macaroni salad. :)

Gary is always on the search for good rib recipes. He's tried quite a few and just hasn't been happy with them. Only one was good enough to make more than once and that was Alton Brown's ribs. The ribs were good, but didn't have much of a sauce. So Gary searched and searched again until he found Emerile's recipe. He's made it twice in less than a month. His mom has added the recipe to her kitchen and I think his sister has too. It's lip-smackin', finger-lickin' good stuff...and I don't normally eat ribs because I'm not fond of meat on a bone (insert your favorite crude joke here).

Needless to say, I don't think Gary will be searching for a new rib recipe any time soon. That's not to say he'll stop trying new recipes altogether though...he'll always need to do some rib sampling.

GARY’S FAVORITE RIBS…SO FAR


2 racks baby back pork ribs, about 4 pounds, each cut in half
2 TBSP Emerile’s Essence (see below)
1 – 12 oz bottle of dark brown ale (we used Budweiser’s American Ale)
4 cups ketchup
1 cup finely chopped yellow onion
½ cup molasses
½ cup dry red wine
2 TBSP fresh lemon juice
2 TBSP spicy whole-grain mustard
2 TBSP dark brown sugar
1 TBSP minced garlic
1 TBSP minced jalapeno peppers
1 TBSP Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp hot pepper sauce
1 tsp salt
½ tsp cayenne


DIRECTIONS
Rub the ribs on both sides with the Essence rib rub. Place in a large sealable bag or on a large sheet of aluminum foil placed in a large roasting pan. Cover with the beer and seal. Marinate in the refrigerator 8 hours or overnight.

• Remove the ribs from the bag and bring to room temperature.


• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.


• Line a large baking sheet with heavy aluminum foil, lay the ribs on top, and tightly cover with foil. Roast for 2 hours.


• Preheat the grill.

Meanwhile, to make the sauce, combine ketchup, onions, molasses, red wine, lemon juice, mustard, brown sugar, garlic, jalapenos, Worcestershire, hot pepper sauce, salt and cayenne in a large mixing bowl.

Stir to mix well. Use immediately, or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Remove the ribs from the oven and uncover.

Transfer to the hot grill, cover, and cook over indirect heat for 30 minutes. Brush the ribs with the sauce, and baste and turn every 10 minutes, for an additional 30 minutes.


Remove the ribs from the grill and EAT. Serve with additional sauce on the side and plenty of napkins.


__________________________________________________

ESSENCE (Emeril’s Creole Seasoning)

2-1/2 TBSP paprika
2 TBSP salt
2 TBSP garlic powder
1 TBSP black pepper
1 TBSP onion powder
1 TBSP cayenne pepper
1 TBSP dried leaf oregano
1 TBSP dried thyme

Combine all ingredients thoroughly and store in an airtight jar or container.
_________________________________________________


Thanks Emerile! Like he's gonna read this to know that I thanked him for the recipe. Hahaha!

carole’s macaroni salad

Summer is hot and humid. That means lots of cooking on the grill and less cooking inside. This summer dish, from my wonderful m-i-l Carole, is one of my favorites. It's a classic that's cool and tasty!

CAROLE’S MACARONI SALAD


8 oz macaroni noodles, cooked and drained
4 hardboiled eggs, diced
½ cup sweet relish
3 celery stalks, diced
2-3 green onions, sliced (to your desired taste-I used 3), plus a little extra for garnish, if desired (I happen to like onions and picked them fresh from my garden)
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese, optional (I didn’t use)

2 cups Hellman’s mayo
1/8 cup mustard
1/8 cup sugar
1 TBSP vinegar (I used white wine vinegar)


DIRECTIONS:
In a large bowl, mix together: macaroni, diced eggs, sweet relish, diced celery, and sliced green onions. In a smaller bowl, mix together: mayo, mustard, sugar and vinegar. Then, combine the sauce with the macaroni mixture. That’s it! It can be served immediately, but it’s even better if it refrigerated overnight.

Tastes especially good with G's favorite ribs...recipe coming soon!

fiesta black bean salad

Last month, my mom hosted a cookout to gather all of our family together to visit with Keni, Josh, and Gabby when they came in from Seattle. I wanted to make a unique, light and flavorful side dish and thought of this yummy treat I had last summer. Turns out, two of our aunts were thinking the same thing and we ended up with THREE side dishes containing beans. Great minds and all. :)

This recipe makes a TON and even though I halved it for our family cookout, it still made a lot.


FIESTA BLACK BEAN SALAD

INGREDIENTS:

4 - 15 oz cans of black beans
30 oz edamame
2 - 16 oz bages frozen corn
1 each red and green peppers
½ white onion
6 large fresh tomatoes
2 TBSP olive oil
garlic salt
cayenne pepper
½ bunch fresh cilantro



DIRECTIONS:
Chop red and green peppers, onion and cilantro. Combine all ingredients and flavor with garlic salt and cayenne pepper to taste. Refrigerate 2 or more hours for best flavor (overnight is even better).


Serve as a salad or as a homemade salsa (like we did) with tortillas chips and Fritos (mmmm). Good stuff…and good FOR you! :)



Recipe from the awesome ladies at St. John’s GRACE event.

chicken spaghetti casserole

Want an easy and tasty meal for dinner? One that you can make ahead of time and/or freeze, if you want? Casseroles are great for just that and this one is pretty darn yummy (you might even be asked for a second helping!).

[ CHICKEN SPAGHETTI ]

INGREDIENTS

2 cups cooked chicken (I used 2-3 chicken breasts)

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1 can cream of chicken soup

3 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese

1/8 cup finely diced green pepper

1/3 cup finely diced onion

1-4 oz jar diced pimentos, drained (I used maybe 1-2 oz, not big on pimentos here)

3 cups dry spaghetti, broken into two inch pieces
2 cups reserved chicken broth from pot you cooked chicken in

1 teaspoon seasoned salt (I used Tastefully Simple’s seasoned salt)

¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

salt and pepper to taste (I only peppered since we seasoned it earlier)

1 add’l cup of grated sharp cheddar cheese

DIRECTIONS

Cook chicken in pot of water; when done, shred chicken. Cook spaghetti using the leftover chicken broth until al dente. Do not overcook (it’ll be cooked again and you don’t want it to get too mushy). When the spaghetti is cooked (save that broth), combine with all of the ingredients, except the additional 1 cup of sharp cheddar cheese. If the mixture seems too thick, add some of the leftover broth to the mix (I ended up adding around 1 to 1-1/2 cups of the broth).

Place mixture in casserole pan (9x13 and lightly sprayed w/Pam) and top with remaining sharp cheddar. Cover and freeze up to six months, cover and refrigerate up to two days, or bake immediately: 350 degrees for 35-45 minutes until bubbly (if the cheese on top starts to get too cooked, cover with foil).

This recipe is from pioneerwoman.com, but adapted for my family's tastes. :)

cinco de mayo smothered enchiladas

Taking a look at all the past recipes I've posted on here, I noticed that we eat a lot of Mexican food. We're really big on flavors and seasonings here!

Need something quick, yet different? Why not try this very easy and filling meal? It's what we had tonight for Cinco de Mayo (just missing a little Sol).

[ SMOTHERED ENCHILADAS ]

2 lbs. ground beef
1 (1 ¼ oz) pkg mild taco seasoning
1 (4.5 oz) can chopped green chiles
2 (10 ¾ oz) can cream of chicken soup
1 (16 oz) sour cream
8 (8”) flour tortillas
2 cups (8 oz) shredded cheddar cheese

GARNISHES
salsa
sour crean
green onion
chopped cilantro (I don’t use this because I don’t like it)

Brown ground beef in large skillet, stirring until it crumbles and is no longer pink; drain. Stir in taco seasoning and half of green chiles, set aside.

Stir together remaining green chiles, soup and sour cream. Pour half of mixture into a lightly grease 13 x 9 baking dish. Spoon beef mixture even down centers of tortillas; sprinkle some cheese and roll up. Place seam side down over soup mixture in dish; top with remaining soup mixture and cheese.

Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. Serves 8...or 4 really hungry adults!


This was a yummy recipe from our neighbor (thanks Denise!). :)

beef-n-noodles

We are still in 'bathroom remodeling project' mode over here. Later today, I have to buy a toilet valve (wishin' I could buy a cute pair of shoes or something else instead of a not-so-exciting toilet valve). I will also be measuring and preparing to cut the Wonderboard so we can lay tile this weekend...a first for us, so wish us luck. Making lots of progress and I can't wait to show you the end results!

Needless to say, I'm too busy to fix elaborate meals for dinner...heck or ANY meals for that matter (can you say "carry-out" please?). I did manage to make this very easy and filling dinner the other night. Gary's mom always fixes beef-n-noodles for our Christmas Eve gathering (as well as lots and lots and lots of other yummy things!).


BEEF-N-NOODLES


1# beef (either from a roast or stew meat)
4 c. beef broth
1 large bag of broad, curly noodles
salt and pepper to taste
water, if needed
beef bouillon cube(s), if needed

[ directions ]

Brown the stew meat/beef to give it a bit of sear and then put it in a stock pot with the beef broth. Simmer until meat falls apart. Take meat out and shred, and then add back to the broth. Heat to a boil, add noodles (may have to add a teeny bit of water, maybe a beef bouillon cube or two for more beefy flavor) and cook until noodles are done. Season with salt and pepper to taste. That’s it!

You could also prepare this in a crockpot. When I use the crockpot, I don’t brown/sear the beef because I usually put the beef in the crockpot frozen. Great served with crusty bread and a salad.

PS: HAPPY BIRTHDAY GABBY!! We love and miss you...can't wait to see you in Florida!

cranberry walnut bourbon goodness

I got this recipe from my friend Colleen last year when she brought us a meal during Gary's stroke recovery/rehab. I fell in love with this dessert immediately. Moist, colorful, very flavorful and so easy to prepare. You NEED to make this cake...really!

cranberry celebration bundt cake
[ CRANBERRY CELEBRATION BUNDT CAKE ]


INGREDIENTS
1 - 18.25 oz. box vanilla cake mix
1 - 3.5 oz. package vanilla instant pudding
5 medium eggs
¼ cup bourbon
½ cup milk
½ cup vegetable oil
1 cup Private Selection Cranberry Celebration (can be found in the deli)

ORANGE GLAZE
2 TBSP orange juice
1 ¼ cup powdered sugar

[DIRECTIONS]
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray Bundt cake pan with non-stick spray. Combine first six ingredients in a bowl. Fold in Private Selection Cranberry Celebration. Pour cake batter into Bundt pan.

Bake for 50-60 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Let cake cool and top with orange glaze.
Then share it with your family and friends and wait for the accolades. Or don't share, I won't tell. I'm not one to judge.

It's good stuff, you don't know what you're missing!

breakfast casserole

When I need to feed a large gathering for breakfast, I usually make this warm, hearty dish. A good 'ole breakfast casserole.

BREAKFAST CASSEROLE

INGREDIENTS
1 pound pork sausage
1 (8 ounce) package refrigerated crescent roll dough
8 eggs, beaten
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 teaspoon dried oregano


Place sausage in a large skillet. Cook over medium-high heat until evenly brown. Drain, crumble, and set aside. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9x13 inch baking dish. Line the bottom of the greased baking dish with crescent roll dough, and sprinkle with crumbled sausage. In a large bowl, mix beaten eggs, mozzarella, and cheddar. Season the mixture with oregano and pour over the sausage and crescent rolls. Bake 45-50 minutes in the preheated oven or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.


Oh, you could also mix in any kind of veggies or leftovers, creating a shepard's pie kind of breakfast casserole. The possibilities are endless!




I'm sure most of you have a favorite breakfast you prepare for the fam...please feel free to share the recipe. I'd love to add something more to my arsenal!

yummy in your tummy

Brrrr, now that it's starting to get cold outside I thought I'd share a super easy, warm-you-up-on-the-inside recipe. It comes from Becky Higgins and is pretty versatile: it can be a soup or a chili (we chose to modify it into a chili-our household isn't crazy about soups, unless we're sick). This one can be made with ingredients you probably have on hand. Heck, you don't even have to make it by yourself- your KIDS can do most of it! Let's get started...


[ TACO SOUP ]


16 oz. can chili beans
16 oz. kidney beans
16 oz. can black beans
8 oz. can tomato sauce
15 oz. can diced tomatoes (if using diced tomatoes w/chiles, omit add’l chiles below)
16 oz. can whole corn
16 oz. creamed corn
pkg. taco seasoning
½ pkg. ranch dressing seasoning
1 Tbsp. chili powder
1 lb. ground beef (or chicken)
1 onion, chopped
1 sm. can chopped green chiles

TOPPINGS
1 sm. pkg. of flour tortillas
shredded cheese
sour cream

DIRECTIONS
Do not drain any of the canned foods (however, drain all beans and corn if you want it thicker—that’s how we make it, so then it’s more like Mexican chili rather than taco soup). Add all ingredients, except the ground beef and onion, to a crock pot and add taco seasoning and the ½ pkg. of ranch dressing seasoning to the soup.


Brown the ground beef (or chicken) in a pan with the chopped onion and add this combination to the crock pot. Simmer for at least a couple of hours.


Serve warm and garnish with optional toppings: shredded cheese, sour cream, tortilla strips (cooked in frying pan with olive oil and grated parmesan cheese-yum!). I beg you to please, please make the tortilla strips - so worth it! Another idea: Eat with large Fritos chips.


Told ya it was easy...and it's really good.

mexican lasagna

This recipe is adapted and tweaked from a recipe I found on Pioneer Woman (Pastor Ryan's Mexican Lasagna). This creation will make 2 - 9x13 casseroles...one to eat now and one you can freeze for those crazy, busy nights when don't have time or you don't have the energy to cook dinner (you know you have those nights...we all do). And if I am honest with myself, it happens to me 4-5 nights out of the week.

mexican lasagna

INGREDIENTS

2 cups unprepared instant rice
4 cups low sodium chicken broth
2 tomatoes, diced (I didn’t have fresh toms, so I used ½ a can of petite diced tomatoes)
1 onion, diced (G doesn’t care for onions, so I only used ½ an onion)
4 cloves garlic
2 pounds lean ground beef
8 cups Mexican blend cheese
1 can of corn, drained
1 can of black beans
2 – 16 oz. jars of Salsa Verde (I used Ortega’s green taco sauce)
1 can of enchilada sauce
2 ½ TBSP chili powder
2 ½ TBSP paprika
2 ½ TBSP cumin
1-2 TBSP of butter
3 ounces water
1 pkg flour tortillas (approx 12 small or 8 medium)

TOPPINGS

sour cream
cilantro (we didn’t use, because I don’t like it)
green olives (G’s topping, not mine)


DIRECTIONS

Begin by preparing rice using the chicken broth. In a large pan, sauté with a tablespoon or two of butter, the diced onions, tomatoes, and garlic. Add 1 TBSP of chili powder, 1 TBSP of paprika, and 1 TBSP of cumin. Stir until nicely combined. Next, stir in the black beans. Then, mix the rice together with the tomato/onion/garlic/bean mixture.

Brown the ground beef and drain. Add 1 ½ TBSP chili powder, 1 ½ TBSP paprika, and 1 ½ TBSP cumin with about 3 ounces of water to the beef, creating your own taco beef.

Pour half a jar of salsa verde in the bottom of a 9x13 casserole dish. Layer on tortillas to cover the salsa verde. Some overlapping is expected. Divide rice/bean mixture into 4 (2 layers for each casserole) and spread a layer over the tortillas. Next, layer 2 cups of cheese. Add another layer of tortillas on top of the cheese layer. Pour ½ can of enchilada sauce over the tortillas and spread it out evenly. Divide ground beef in half (one for each casserole) and add a layer over the enchilada sauce. Add ½ a can of corn as the next layer, followed by another layer of rice/beans and the remaining ½ jar of salsa verde, on top of which you will add 2 cups of cheese to the top…this is the final layer of ingredients.

Bake at 375 degrees for 25-35 minutes until cheese has melted and begins to brown a bit.

Top with dollop of sour cream, olives, cilantro, or whatever else sounds good to you.

Enjoy!


Note: Repeat layering with 2nd casserole, do not bake, cover with foil and place in freezer. I write the cooking directions on the foil because I’ll never remember how to cook it a month from now or in case G wants to get dinner ready w/o me. Thaw, remove foil, and bake at 375 for 25-35 minutes should suffice.

mm-mmm goodness

I made this chicken enchilada dish last night for a gathering of some girlfriends I had last night. The recipe comes from one of the nicest ladies at our church, Esther. She brought this meal to us while Gary was recovering from his stroke. She didn't even know who we were, she just felt compelled to bring us a meal. After talking with her a bit, it turns out that she was friends with G's grandma...I know, small world, huh?

Her dish was so delicious, I asked for her recipe. She chuckled to herself while giving me a sly grin and said that her recipe has a secret ingredient in it and that I would never guess what it is. She then made me guess a few times and I was wrong on every attempt. Do you see what her secret ingredient is? Kind of makes sense that it would be in there.

chicken enchiladas
(okay, this picture is what was left over after everyone dug in....I know it doesn't look all that appetizing, but trust me - it's chock full of yummy goodness!)

INGREDIENTS

1 can Cream of Chicken soup
1 TBSP cocoa
½ cup water
1 bottle (6 oz) mild green chili salsa
¾ cup finely chopped celery
½ teaspoon ground cumin
2 cups shredded cooked chicken
1 ½ cups shredded Mexican-style cheese
1 ¼ cups thawed frozen corn
1 can (4 ounces) chopped green chilies
12 corn tortillas

TOPPINGS
2 cups shredded lettuce
1 cup diced tomato
½ cup diced red onion
8 oz. Sour cream

DIRECTIONS
In one bowl, mix: soup, cocoa, and water. Stir in, mild green chili salsa, celery, and cumin.

In a 2nd larger bowl, combine: chicken, cheese, corn, and green chilies.

Combine 3/4th the bowl of sauce and the bowl of chicken mixture, reserving the remaining 1/4th of sauce to pour over the top.

Working with 1 tortilla at a time, spoon 1/3 cup chicken mixture down center; roll up and place seam side down in 13x9 baking dish coated in non-stick spray. Pour remaining sauce over top; sprinkle with any remaining cheese. Cover dish with non-stick foil. Bake 30 minutes in a 350 degree oven, uncover and bake 20 minutes longer, or until sauce bubbles around edges and cheese has melted.

To serve: sprinkle with some of the lettuce, tomato, onion, and dollop of sour cream
Also nice to serve with: refried beans (one 16 oz can heated in oven) and cooked rice.

Enjoy!

Quote of the night from my soon to be 15 year old niece and Rachel Ray wanna be: "Oh Aunt Val, you MUST give me this recipe". She cracks me up!

comfort food

I had a few requests for some easy crockpot meals and this is one of my favorites from my best buddy, Emily. This chicken and noodles dish is all about comforting yumminess.

EMILY'S CHICKEN ‘N NOODLES[ingredients]

4 chicken breasts (approx 1-2 lbs.)
2 cans chicken broth
1/2 stick butter or margarine
4 c. water
1 can cream of chicken soup
¼ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. pepper
1 16 oz. bag of egg noodles (Mrs. Klesky’s is best, but generic is good too)
mashed potatoes (store bought mashed potatoes makes it even easier if you're pressed for time)

[directions]

Combine all ingredients except noodles in crockpot. Cook on low for 10-12 hours or on high for 4-5 hours. Take a fork and break apart chicken into smaller pieces (either take out and shred or fork into almost bite-size pieces). Add noodles and cook for 30 more minutes. (You might have to add a little more water.) We like to serve ours over the mashed potatoes. Or you could try over biscuits.

Hope you like it!

who's hungry?

Now, I am not what you would call a great chef or even an okay chef (working at a Mexican restaurant for a few years way back when doesn't really count), but I do like to cook when I can find the time.

As anyone who knows me will agree, I do like to eat (who doesn't, right??). Like a good friend, I thought I'd share some of my favorite recipes with you. These aren't necessarily my original recipes, but ones that I have received from family and friends that I might have tweaked here and there to make them my own. I can promise you this: I will have personally tried the recipes that I share and I will try to always provide a picture with the recipe.

So, let's start this off with my new favorite dish. This one came from blogging and scrapbook extraordinaire, Becky Higgins. If you like your pasta with some serious flavor, then this is for you. It is great to make for a large group or for a small group if you don't mind having leftovers.

GARLIC CHICKEN FARFALLE

[ingredients]

16 oz. Farfalle pasta
1 c. heavy whipping cream
3-4 chicken breasts (boneless, skinless)
2 to 3 cloves garlic, crushed OR garlic salt (I use the minced garlic in a jar)
1 Tbsp. pepper*
1/2 c. butter
1 lb. bacon, crumbled
1/2 c. shredded Parmesan cheese
1 (12 oz) Lawry’s mesquite marinade with lime juice

*Seems like a lot of pepper, but it has a wonderful flavor when everything mixes together. If you're apprehensive, do less pepper. You can always add more.

[ directions ]

Crock pot chicken and bottle of marinade on low for 6 hours. Pull marinated chicken out of the juices, allow to cool a little bit, and shred (I pull it apart or use a couple of forks). Set this aside. About a half-hour before serving, boil the pasta. In a small saucepan, melt butter, add garlic, whipping cream, pepper, parmesan cheese, and crumbled bacon. Whisk together on low heat for 3-4 minutes. In a large bowl, pour over cooked, drained pasta, add chicken and stir through. Sprinkle a little bit more shredded parmesan cheese on top.

Enjoy!

If you try this, let me know what you think. Or if you have a favorite recipe you'd like to share, post it as a comment or send me an email at gvmfuller at columbus dot rr dot com.