#460: Pepper Steak Stir Fry

This picture makes it look like I have one pepper w/all the meat.  It just blends together!

I'll be honest, when I made this recipe, I was pretty sure that Brian was going to be the only one who ate it and/or enjoyed it.  I was so un-confident in my picky meat eating family (myself included), that I made the girls a quesadilla instead.  Well, they all happily surprised me.  As expected, Brian really enjoyed this.  What guy doesn't like meat and rice though!?  Allison asked if she could try some and then asked for more!  Not to be left out, Chloe also asked to try it and liked eating it with the rice (she thought she was being silly by mixing the two together).  I too, enjoyed this.  I almost didn't make the entire pepper steak; I'm glad I did!

12 oz top round beef, trimmed to 1/8" fat, prime grade
4 tsp plus 3 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp rice wine (I used white vinegar)
3 tsp cornstarch
5 tsp vegetable oil
1 large onion, sliced into thin strips (I omitted)
1 bell pepper, sliced into thin strips
1/2 tsp black pepper
crushed red pepper flakes (optional) (I omitted)
Salt (it needed it!)

Slice meat into thin slices with the grain. Cut each strip across the grain about 1" long so you have small thin slices. (The thinner, the better!) Place in a bowl and add 4 tsp of soy sauce, 1 tbsp of rice wine, 1 tsp cornstarch and black pepper.

In a small bowl, mix 3 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp water and 2 tsp cornstarch. Set aside.

Heat the wok on high heat. Swirl in 1 tbsp oil and add the beef spreading evenly in the wok. Cook undisturbed for 20 seconds letting the beef brown. Using a spatula, stir meat, cooking another 2 minutes. Transfer to a plate.  (I totally over cooked mine, but that's the only way we eat ours.  The meat in the photo above was cooked for about  7 minutes). :)

Add remaining 2 tsp of oil to wok, add peppers and onions and cook about 2 minutes. Return beef to the wok, add the sauce and red pepper flakes and stir fry about 30 seconds until slightly thickened.

#459: Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

I made three different kinds of cookies to give as gifts this year, then as I was boxing them up, they barely filled the boxes.  So I decided to make these cookie bars because 1. They were easy.  2.  I had all of the ingredients on hand. and 3.  They looked bigger and I hoped they would help fill up the box a little.  :)

These were super easy to make, but they did not take nearly as long to bake as the recipe says.  (Thankfully I read the reviews before cooking).  These aren't the best cookie bars I've ever eaten...they don't compare to others such as Magic Cookie Bars, but they still are simple and good. 

1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more baking sheet

4 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

3/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup granulated sugar

1 1/2 cups packed light-brown sugar

2 large eggs

1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
1 (12-ounce) bag semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, with rack in center. Generously butter a 12-by-17-inch rimmed baking sheet; set aside. (I used a 9x13 pan and an 8x8 glass pan.  I also just really sprayed it with PAM spray and none of the bars stuck to the pan).  In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt; set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter and sugars on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add eggs and vanilla; mix until well combined. Add flour mixture; beat on low speed until just combined. Beat in chocolate chips.

Spread dough on prepared baking sheet. Bake, rotating sheet halfway through, until edges are brown and top is golden, 40 to 45 minutes. (It only took 25 minutes for mine to be completely done!)  Transfer to a wire rack; let cool completely on baking sheet. Use a serrated knife to cut into 1 1/2-by-4-inch bars.

#458: Cake Batter Truffles

 

I really dislike recipes that required you to dip it in melted chocolate.  Those recipes never work out for me, nor do they turn out as pretty as they are supposed to!  With that said though, these truffles are yummy!  I just need to find an easier way to dip/make them!

1 ½ cups flour

1 cup yellow cake mix

½ cup unsalted butter, softened

½ cup white sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/8 teaspoon salt

3-4 Tablespoons milk

2 Tablespoons sprinkles

Truffle Coating:

16 ounces (8 squares) almond bark (or white candy melts)

4 Tablespoons yellow cake mix

sprinkles


Beat together butter and sugar using an electric mixer until combined. Add cake mix, flour, salt, and vanilla and mix thoroughly. Add 3 Tablespoons of milk or more if needed to make a dough consistency. Mix in sprinkles by hand. Roll dough into one inch balls and place on a parchment or wax paper lined cookie sheet. Chill balls in the refrigerator for 15 minutes to firm up.

While dough balls are chilling, melt almond bark in the microwave in 30 second intervals until melted. Stir between intervals. Once melted, quickly stir in cake mix until incorporated completely. Using a fork, dip truffles into almond bark and shake of excess bark by tapping the bottom of the fork on the side of your bowl. Place truffle back on the cookie sheet and top with sprinkles. Repeat with remaining balls until finished.

Chill cake batter truffles in the refrigerator until serving. Makes around 24-30 truffles.

#457: Peanut Butter Pretzel Bites

This might be one of my new favorite cookies!  Oooh, these are yummy!  YUMMY!  The sweetness of the peanut butter and chocolate combined with the saltiness of the pretzel = superb cookies!  I hate cookies that need to be covered in melted chocolate because they always turn out messy.  But since these only needed to be dipped half way, it was so easy to do.  I also had a little 2 1/2 year old helper sitting with me eating all of the broken or misshaped pretzels so that helped too.

Yield 60 – 80 pretzel bites
1 cup creamy peanut butter
2 tbsp softened butter
1/2 cup powdered sugar (maybe more)
3/4 cup brown sugar (maybe more)
Pretzels
1 bag semi-sweet chocolate chips

Combine peanut butter and softened butter in a large bowl with a fork or whisk, or in a stand mixer. Add the sugars and mix to combine. At this point if the filling will roll easily into balls without sticking to your hands you’re ready to go. If not, add a little more of each sugar until you reach a consistency that is easy to roll (I used about 3/4 cup of each sugar).
Use a teaspoon measure to scoop the filling. Roll each portion into a small ball, then sandwich them between two whole pretzels. When all the balls are rolled and successfully sandwiched, stick the whole tray in the freezer for about half an hour.
Pour the chocolate chips into a microwave safe bowl and heat at 30-second intervals, stirring occasionally until completely melted. Remove the pretzel sandwiches from the freezer and quickly dip each half-way into the melted chocolate. Return to the tray and repeat with remaining sandwiches. When all are dipped, return the tray to the freezer to set up completely. Store the sandwiches in the refrigerator until serving time.

#456: Pea and Scallion Mashed Potatoes

Okay, I really shouldn't call this "Pea and Scallion" because I didn't have any scallion so there isn't any in the photo above.  But regardless, I found this recipe in my current issue of Real Simple Magazine.  I love their Quick Takes Food section where they give you 10 ideas for one food ingredient.  In this case, it was mashed potatoes.  Now I know they didn't expect you to use potato flakes, but that's what we had, and we had a lot of leftovers in the fridge, so I decided to make this for my lunch. 

Of course, I also added real bacon bits to mine...shocked, I know!  Overall, I really enjoyed this.  The sour cream gave it a nice creamy consistency and I love peas and bacon, so there's no going wrong there.  No one else in my family would ever eat this, but at least I have a way to eat the leftovers now!
2 1/2 pounds red new potatoes (about 25; peeled if desired), cut into 2-inch chunks
kosher salt and black pepper
1 10-ounce package frozen peas
1 cup sour cream
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut up

2 scallions, sliced
Real bacon bits (as much as you like!)

Place the potatoes in a large pot and add 2 teaspoons salt and enough cold water to cover. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until the potatoes are very tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Add the peas, cook for 30 seconds more, then drain and return the potatoes and peas to the pot. 

Add the sour cream, butter, 1 teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper to the potatoes and mash to the desired consistency. Fold in the scallions and bacon bits.

#455: Magic Meatloaf

Quite a while ago, I stumbled upon a recipe from Food.com for Magic Meatloaf.  We eat a lot of meatloaf in our house because it's easy, cheap, and I can throw it it my crockpot.  This got really good reviews so I figured we'd give it a try.  Well this got mixed reviews from our house!  Brian enjoyed it, Chloe thought it was okay, Allison and I didn't like it at all.  :(  So for this family, we won't be making this again. 

1 1/2 lbs ground beef

1 egg , beaten

1/4 cup milk

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

2 slices bread , crumbed

1/2 of a small onion (chopped)

1/4 cup ketchup

Mix egg, milk, salt and bread crumbs. Allow for mixture to soften. Thoroughly combine with hamburger. Shape into a loaf and place in Crock Pot. Top with ketchup. Cover and set to High for 1 hour then turn to low for 6-7 hours.

#454: White Castle-like Sliders

      

I love White Castle burgers.  I'm glad we don't have one in our town.  I've been dying for Brian to try these, but I knew that the onions would be a no-go for him.  So when I found this recipe, I figured it would be a good chance to see if he would try these, and leave out most of the onions (and cheese) on his burgers.  (Basically he's eating onion flavored baked meat on a bun).

2 thumbs up from Brian and I!  We really, really enjoyed these!!  Allison liked it, and Chloe thought it was fair.  But I am definitely making these again.  The hardest part is finding the small buns (not Hawaiian rolls!) to put these on.  We eventually found and used mini Kaiser rolls and thought it was a great combo! 

This is a recipe that you probably should check the original link so you can see what the meat is supposed to look like before going into the oven! 

1/2 cup dried onion flakes
2 pounds ground chuck- 80/20 ground beef
1/2 t. seasoned salt
6 slices cheddar cheese
24 small party rolls- I use Martin's Potato Bread Party Rolls
24 dill pickle slices

Evenly spread the onions on the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish. Gently press the ground beef on top of the onion flakes. Press evenly making one giant patty. Sprinkle with seasoned salt. Bake in a 400 degree oven for 20 minutes. Using a paper towel, pat the excess grease from the top of the patty. Top with cheddar cheese, return to oven for 2 more minutes. Remove from oven, let set 5 minutes then cut into 24 patties. Slice open and separate each party roll. Place bottom of rolls on a large platter. Using a spatula lift patty with onion layer onto each bun bottom. Top each slider with a pickle slice then the bun lid. Serve immediately. Makes 24 Sliders. 

According to the original website, you can make these ahead of time!Store these upside-down in an airtight container in the refrigerator. This will prevent the bottom bun from getting soggy from the onion layer. To reheat, place a few on a microwave safe plate and heat in the microwave for 20 seconds then 5 second increments after that until warm through.

#453: Penguin Olives

I've seen these adorable little penguins on pinterest and have considered making them, but figured it would be too much work.  Then my friend Jen brought these to our recipe swap this week and I pretty much ate all of them.  Okay, that's not true, but I think I ate 10.  You have to like olives to like this recipe.  I LOVE black olives! 

Here's the downfall, there are too many steps for my liking.  Cut the olives, cut the carrots, pipe the cream cheese ...okay that's it, but it seemed like it took forever!  I'd definitely make these again, but I'd be perfectly content eating cream cheese stuffed olives too!  :)
2 can2 Jumbo black olives
1 can Small (or Medium) black olives
1 8 oz. package of cream cheese
3-4 large carrots

Slice the carrot into about 1/8th inch slices. Cut a V shape notch out of each slice (the big piece of the pie is the feet.  Save the small slice for the beak).

Slit one Jumbo olive, lengthwise (I found it easiest to take a really sharp knife to cut the olive), and stuff with about 1 tsp. cream cheese (I let mine soften for a bit than piped it from a ziplock bag).

Insert the small carrot wedge into the "x" on a small olive.  Line up the head, body, and feet, and secure with a toothpick.

#452: Crockpot Apple Cinnamon Steel Cut Oats

Another week, another steel cut oat recipe.  :)  I was really looking forward to eating this for breakfast this morning.  Every time I woke up in the middle of the night (which is often!) I thought about this cooking and almost came down to check on it.  This is the one time I should have, because the timer never turned on!  :(  SO SAD!  So I had to wait and eat it a little later instead. 

Allison and I both really enjoyed eating this for breakfast.  Chloe was not a fan.  I will be enjoying this all week for breakfast!
2 apples, peeled, cored, cut into 1/2-inch pieces (2-1/2 to 3 cups chopped)
1-1/2 cups fat-free milk
1-1/2 cups water
1 cup uncooked steel-cut oats
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1-1/2 tablespoons butter, cut into 5-6 pieces
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
2 teaspoons ground flax seed (I omitted)
1/4 teaspoon salt
Optional garnishes: chopped nuts, raisins, maple syrup, additional milk or butter

Coat inside of 3-1/2 quart (or larger) slow cooker with cooking spray. Add all ingredients (except optional toppings) to slow cooker. Stir, cover, and cook on low for 7 hours. Spoon oatmeal into bowls; add optional toppings, if desired. Store leftovers in refrigerator. Freezes well.

To reheat single servings: Put 1-cup cooked oatmeal in microwave proof bowl. Add 1/3 cup fat-free milk. Microwave on high for 1 minute; stir. Continue cooking for another minute, or until hot.

Recipe can be doubled in 6-quart or larger slow cooker. Increase cooking time 1 hour.

#451: Bacon Ranch Dip

Okay this isn't a pretty picture, but it is hard to take a picture of dip!

This recipe is so close to the New Ranch Dip recipe I posted a long time ago, but the only difference is that this recipe doesn't have mayo in it.  Personally, that's fine with me because that's one less ingredient I need to have on hand. 

As I was making this (to take to school to share with my co-workers tomorrow), Chloe wanted to try some (only because I had made a small batch for myself to eat and she has to have everything Brian and I do!).  I told her she had to eat it with carrots (which she likes) and peppers (which she doesn't!) if she had some.  After sharing my veggies and dip, I had to go make more because she was eating as much as I was, and she was eating my lunch!  That girl ate almost an entire bell pepper!  I think I need to make this more often if that will get her to eat more veggies.  :)

2 cups Light Ranch Dressing

1 cup Light Sour Cream

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

2 green onions, sliced

1 pkg. (2.8 oz.) Real Bacon Pieces

Mix all ingredients.  Refrigerate several hours or until chilled.  Serve with assorted cut-up vegetable dippers or Ritz Toasted Chips.    

#450: Brown Sugar Drop Cookies

Here is another Christmas (or any day) cookie recipe from Real Simple.  It truly was, "really simple" and it doesn't have any eggs in the recipe.  It's a nothing-super-special kind of cookie, but you can throw it together so easily.  These are soft and chewy...just my kind of cookie!  This was supposed to make 48 cookies, but apparently I made these way too big (I didn't think so!) because I only got about 30 cookies out of this. 

The girls and I liked these though, and this would be a good, kid-friendly recipe for them to take to school.
12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/3 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled

Heat oven to 350° F. With an electric mixer, beat the butter, brown sugar, and ¼ cup of the granulated sugar on medium-high speed until creamy, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the vanilla, salt, and ¼ teaspoon of the cinnamon and beat until combined. Reduce the mixer speed to low and gradually add the flour, mixing just until combined (do not overmix).
In a small bowl, stir together the remaining 2 tablespoons granulated sugar and ¼ teaspoon cinnamon.

Drop teaspoonfuls of the dough onto baking sheets, spacing them 1 inch apart. Sprinkle generously with the cinnamon sugar. Bake, rotating the baking sheets halfway through, until puffed and golden, 10 to 12 minutes. (Cookies will deflate somewhat.) Cool slightly in the pans, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
                             
Storage suggestion: Keep the cookies at room temperature, between sheets of wax paper in an airtight container, for up to 5 days.

#449: Pasta Bake

This was the easiest recipe to make.  Seriously, it took no effort at all.  It was good (not fantastic, nothing super special) but it didn't cost much and was ready in no time.  Unfortunately I put it in a low oven for 2 hours while we were at church, so the noodles got a little over-cooked.  Next time, I'll only bake it for the allowed time.  That was my fault though.

8 ounces mostaccioli pasta (I used rotini)

1 pound lean ground beef

1 onion, chopped

1 (4 ounce) can mushrooms, drained (I omitted)

1 (28 ounce) jar spaghetti sauce

2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Bring a large pot of lightly salted boil water to a boil. Cook mostaccioli pasta in boiling water for 8 to 10 minutes, or until al dente. Drain well.

Meanwhile, cook ground beef and chopped onions in a skillet over medium heat until browned.
In a large bowl, mix together the mushrooms, spaghetti sauce, shredded mozzarella cheese, pasta, and browned ground beef and onion mixture. Transfer to a greased, 9x13 inch casserole dish.  Bake at 325 degrees F for 20 minutes, or until heated through.

#448: Pecan Sandies

I love, love, LOVE pecan sandies cookies.  So when I came across this recipe I was super excited to find an excuse to try it.  Well, when my Cinnamon-Almond Brittle didn't turn out, this was my next go to recipe because I had everything on hand to make it.  And I sure am glad I did!  It was YUMMY!  I loved them!  I will definitely be making these again.  I may never buy pre-made, pre-packaged pecan sandies again.

2 cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt (I used regular salt)
1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup chopped pecans

Heat oven to 350° F. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour and salt.

With an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugars on medium-high speed until light and fluffy.

Beat in the vanilla. Reduce speed to low and gradually add the flour mixture, mixing until just incorporated (the dough will be crumbly).  Roll heaping tablespoons of the dough into balls and place on parchment-lined baking sheets, spacing them 1 inch apart. Bake until the edges are golden, 18 to 20 minutes.  Cool slightly on the baking sheets, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.

#447: Red Chicken Enchiladas

We had quite a bit of leftover chicken from the Crockpot Chicken Fajitas, so I used the remaining shredded chicken to make a second meal!  I found this recipe for Red Chicken Enchiladas and I seriously debated for days if I should make this or not.  I wasn't sure anyone (myself included) would eat this.  This was super easy and I put it together the night before and basically just threw it in the oven when we got home from work.  Brian did not enjoy this...he ate it, but he wasn't a fan.  Chloe thought it was okay.  Allison ate just about as much as I did though...we LOVED it.  Honestly, Allison loved it the most.  I made an 8x8 pan, and there wasn't anything left over at all!  (Allison would have licked the pan if she could).

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked and shredded

1 onion, diced

2 cloves fresh garlic, minced

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

1/2 Tbs. ground cumin

1/2 can diced tomatoes (I omitted)

1/2-1 can green chilies (I omitted)
9 corn tortillas
Shredded cheddar cheese

Saute onion and garlic in a little olive oil on stove. Add the cooked chicken, salt, pepper, cumin, tomatoes and green chilies.  Spray the bottom of an 8x8 baking dish with non-stick spray then add 3 corn tortillas (I put 2 whole, then broke one in half to cover the corners).  Top with half of the chicken mixture, and add about 1/3 c shredded cheddar.  Top with another 3 corn tortillas and the remaining chicken mixture.  Sprinkle about 1/3 c shredded cheddar cheese on top and then add 3 more tortillas.

Then combine the following ingredients and pour on top of the chicken and tortillas:  (This made a lot for my family and I still only used about 1/3 to 1/2 of it in our dinner)

1 can cream of chicken soup

1/2 cup red enchilada sauce

1/2 cup sour cream

Top with more shredded cheddar cheese if desired.  Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

#446: Crockpot Chicken Fajitas

I had a whole chicken in my freezer and needed a recipe to use it.  I found this recipe which looked ridiculously easy and we had almost all of the ingredients in hand.  I really do not enjoy touching raw chicken, especially whole chickens, so I got Brian to de-skin this chicken for me.  It was really, really easy to make and had excellent flavor.  (Although I learned that Brian does not enjoy picking through the crock pot for cooked chicken pieces either!)
I would definitely make this again!

3 to 4 pound whole chicken
1 packet fajita seasoning
1 onion, chopped
olive oil
1 lemon, cut in half (I omitted)
1 red pepper, julienned
1 orange pepper, julienned
whole wheat tortillas (I used corn)
shredded cheese (I used cheddar)
sour cream
guacamole

Remove giblets and rinse chicken inside and out. Pat dry and use kitchen scissors to cut the entire skin off. Rub fajita seasoning all over chicken and place lemon slices inside. Line the bottom of your crock pot with onions and place chicken on top of onions. Drizzle a bit of olive oil on top of the chicken and set the slow cooker on low for 8 hours.

Just before the crock pot is done, saute peppers in 1 tablespoon olive oil until just soft. Set out the sour cream, cheese, guacamole and peppers. When the chicken is done, use your fork to pull off and plate chunks of meat. (It will fall right off the bone.) Warm your tortillas and serve with desired toppings.

#445: Microwave Cinnamon-Almond Brittle

This week we are having a recipe swap with a Christmas Cookie/Candy theme.  I found this recipe in a recent issue of Parents magazine, and this recipe looked WAY too easy to pass up.  In fact, it was super easy.  But apparently I did not let mine cool in a thin enough layer because it was basically inedible.  I was seriously afraid of getting sued by someone who lost a filling eating this.  It is SO sticky, it wasn't enjoyable.  Don't get me wrong, it had good flavor but I pretty much threw the whole batch away. :(  (Thanks to anyone who graciously tried it for me!)

SO...if you make this, make it SUPER thin.  Otherwise, don't waste your time.

Nonstick cooking spray

1 cup sugar

1 cup light-colored corn syrup

1 cup sliced almonds

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1 tablespoon butter

1 teaspoon baking soda

Line a very large baking sheet with foil; coat foil with cooking spray. Set baking sheet aside.
In a large microwave-safe bowl, combine sugar, corn syrup, almonds, and salt. Microwave on 100% power (high) for 6 minutes, stirring every 2 minutes (bowl will be hot; use oven mitts when touching bowl). Add cinnamon, vanilla, and butter. Microwave for 3 minutes more, stirring once halfway through cooking. Stir in baking soda (mixture will become foamy). Carefully pour mixture onto prepared baking sheet, spreading to 1/4-inch thickness. Cool about 20 minutes, then break into pieces.

#444: Gingerbread Cake

I originally chose to make this recipe to serve to my students during our Gingerbread Unit.  So I doubled it and had a TON of gingerbread cake leftover.  I'm glad I did too because this was so moist and delicious!  I've been enjoying eating this for breakfast all week.  Yum!

2 c flour
1 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
1/8 tsp ground cloves
1/2 c unsalted butter, softened
1/2 c light brown sugar
2 large eggs

zest of 1 lemon
1/2 c unsulphured molasses
1 c milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and place rack in center of oven.  Butter and flour a 9 inch round or square cake pan with 2 inch sides. 

In a separate bowl, whisk together the flower, baking soda, salt, ground cinnamon, ginger and cloves. 

In a bowl with an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy (about 3 min.)  Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.  Add the lemon zest and molasses and beat to combine.  Add the dry ingredients and milk, alternately, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients.  Beat just until incorporated. 

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top with an offset spatula.  Bake for 40-45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.  Remove from oven and let cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes before removing cake from pan. Let cool completely.



#443: Chicken Tortilla Breakfast Burrito

So I made the Chicken Tortilla Soup recipe for my lunches for the week.  Then we were planning on having breakfast for dinner and I wanted to make the Easy Bacon and Egg Bake, but it took too long to make.  So I decided to make my own breakfast burritos using the chicken tortilla soup. 

I LOVED this!  Really loved this!  All I did was drain/strain the liquid from the soup, scrambled up some eggs, added the chicken mixture in and then ate it in a tortilla.  So easy.  So yummy.

1/3-1/2 c left over Chicken Tortilla Soup, strained (so there is no liquid left)
2 eggs
1/4 c milk
corn tortillas
shredded cheddar cheese

Combine milk and eggs and whisk to combine.  Heat in a skillet over medium-low heat, stirring to "scramble."  When the eggs are almost fully cooked, add the leftover chicken tortilla soup mixture.  Stir into eggs and cook until heated through.  Add some shredded cheddar cheese and place into a corn tortilla. 

#442: Crockpot Chicken Tortilla Soup

I came across a new blog today which had a recipe for chicken tortilla soup (Thanks Miller Musings!).  I have a slightly different crockpot chicken tortilla soup which I love to make, but figured it would be a good time to try a different recipe AND I had all of the ingredients on hand except for the cilantro.  This is super, super yummy and I am really enjoying eating this for lunch this week.  Baby brother however is not enjoying this as much so I'm also enjoying 2 tums after each meal.  Totally worth it though.

2 chicken boneless skinless chicken breasts
2 cans Ro-Tel (I used petite diced)
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can kidney beans, rinsed and drained (I used pinto beans)
1 can corn (I used 1 c frozen corn)
1 onion, chopped
2 cans low-sodium chicken broth
2 cups of water
1 Tbsp garlic powder
1 Tbsp chili powder
1 Tbsp ground cumin
1 Tbsp dried cilantro
tortilla chips
sour cream
shredded cheddar or Mexican blend cheese

Put chopped onion, cans of beans, rotel, corn, chicken broth, water, chicken, and spices in crockpot and stir to mix.  Cook on high 6-7 hours or low 8-9 hours.  Before serving remove the chicken breasts from soup and shred.  Return chicken to crockpot and stir to combine.

To serve, top soup with crushed tortilla chips, shredded cheddar cheese, avocado (if desired) and a dollop of sour cream.

#441: Cocoa Cupcake

This is a recipe I've had bookmarked for quite a while and just needed an excuse to make.  I have been slacking on making something for the girls to bring to school to share with their friends, and since I had all of the ingredients on hand for this recipe, I figured it would be a good day and a good reason to make them. 

These cupcakes are definitely not difficult to make, however I needed WAY too many separate bowls for this recipe, and since I hate doing the dishes (even w/the dishwasher), I'm probably not going to make these again anytime in the near future.  How lazy am I!? 

With that said, however, this got 2 thumbs up from everyone in our family...except from Chloe who claims, "I no like muffins."  (Yes, she does!)

1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/8 teaspoon salt

2 large eggs, separated

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature

1/2 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup low-fat buttermilk

1/4 cup miniature chocolate chips

2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar, optional

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line a 12 cup muffin tin with paper liners.  In a bowl sift flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt.  Set aside.

In a bowl, beat egg whites on high speed until stiff peaks form.  Rinse and dry beaters. 

In a large bowl beat butter and sugar until light.  Add yolks, one at a time, beating well after each.  Beat in vanilla.  With mixer on medium-low speed, beat in 1/3 flour mixture, then half of the buttermilk.  Repeat ending with flour.

Fold in 1/3 egg whites.  Fold in remaining egg whites and chocolate chips.  Divide batter among muffin cups and bake until a toothpick inserted into center of a cupcake comes out clean (18-20 min). Let cook in pan on a wire rack for 5 minutes, then remove cupcakes to rack to cool completely.  Sift confectioners sugar over cupcakes if desired.

Product Review: Private Selections Baked Tortilla Cups

If you have not checked out BzzAgent.com by now, you really should!  I love being able to try and review products and let people know of the great products I receive through them.  In a recent campaign for Private Selection frozen foods (through Kroger), I've been able to try their cream puffs and margharita napolitana pizza, and now, I was able to try one of their frozen appetizers.  I decided to pick out their Baked Tortilla Cup Collection which contains spinach-artichoke tortilla cups and roasted eggplant-tomato tortilla cups.  I knew I would have to beg, please and bribe my family to (unsuccessfully) try these, but I also knew that their resistance to eat these would leave me to have a lunch I wouldn't have to share.  :)

Of the three items I've tried from this BzzCampaign, sadly these are my least favorite.  That's not to say I don't enjoy them, I just don't love them.  The tortilla cups are nice and crispy, and these were super, super easy to make.  Just take them out of the box, put on a cookie sheet and place in the oven.  I definitely preferred the spinach-artichoke ones over the roasted eggplant-tomato tortilla cups, but I'm a sucker for spinach and artichokes. 

 Personally, I think these are a little overpriced.  You get 10 in a box (5 of each kind) for $6.70.  I could make a lot of other appetizers for that price.  But, these are a little bigger (I ate each on in 3 bites...yes I counted), and they taste more like home-made, not like they were frozen and reheated. 

The roasted eggplant-tomato tortilla cups have a nice, fresh eggplant taste, and they also have these fantastic little pine nuts in them...which I love!  There's a lot of flavor packed into that little tortilla cup, and they are good, just not out-of-this world good.  As for the spinach-artichoke ones, they are stuffed with filling.  Lots of Parmesan, artichoke and spinach in each bite.

Would I buy these again, yes.  Would I buy these again if they weren't on sale and/or didn't have a coupon, probably not.  Try them for yourself though and let me know what YOU think!

#440: Crockpot BBQ Chicken

Okay, my picture does not look nearly as good as the original photo from the blog I found this recipe at (Stick a Fork in It).  Head on over there to see a good picture of this meal. 

Now, with that said, this is one of the easiest chicken dinner's I've made.  It requires minimal ingredients (all of which I had on hand) and takes about 2 minutes to throw together.  Personally, I thought these were a little dried out, but that's my fault because it had to sit in the crockpot for so long while we were at work.  I really, wanted to set the timer to go off about 2 hours later but I hate leaving chicken defrosting on the counter, so I didn't. 

Now, if you want to make a super easy shredded BBQ chicken, just use chicken breast tenders and this would have been practically shredding itself as I tried to get it out of the crockpot.  (Future meal for us I'm sure).

4-6 pieces boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 bottle BBQ sauce
1/4 c vinegar
1 tsp. red pepper flakes
1/4 c brown sugar
1/2 - 1 tsp. garlic powder

Mix BBQ sauce with vinegar, red pepper flakes, brown sugar and garlic powder.  Place chicken in crockpot.  Pour sauce over it and cook on LOW for 4-6 hours.  (I threw my chicken breasts in frozen and cooked for 9 hours).  That's it! 

Product Review: Margherita Napolitana Pizza

I was lucky to be invited into a new BzzAgent Campaign for Kroger and their line of Private Selection foods.  I was able to purchase, try and review one of their frozen pizzas.  I haven't really paid any attention to or noticed their "Private Selection" line before so this was a new adventure for me.  I had to stay home with a sick child today, so I figured it was the perfect time to make their pizza.  Now, normally, Brian would be REALLY mad that I would even think about eating pizza without him, but my choices were limited at Kroger and I could only get the Margherita Napolitana Pizza or a Fire Roasted Veggie one...neither of which he would eat!  (Oh my gosh, a pizza I don't have to share!)  I am not a fan of hot or spicy foods, so I happily chose the Margherita Napolitana, although I would have preferred a pepperoni one instead if I wasn't pregnant and baby boy actually liked pepperoni!   

Anyhow, here are my thoughts on this brand/pizza.
1.  LOVE the crust!  It is a thin, flat bread crust which is super crispy!!  The directions say to cook it directly on the oven rack, but I was so afraid I'd have a mess taking it out of the oven, so I cooked it on a cookie sheet instead.  I don't think it made any difference!

2.  I was afraid I was going to pick off most of the tomatoes and little nuggets of fresh mozzarella, but they actually weren't too bad.  My only complaints are that the mozzarella didn't fully melt (that's okay though) and the freshness of the tomatoes made the pizza a little soggy.  You definitely want to eat this over a plate and with a napkin or you'll be wiping tomato juice on your sleeve. 

3.  LOVE the fresh basil in this!!  It really comes through in the pizza and was delish! (Please wait a moment, while I got fetch myself another piece.)  :)

4.  Would I make this again?  Yes, definitely! 

5.  At first, I thought this was a bit over priced.  It was on sale for $4.99 and it was a little too much in my opinion.  However, I could easily get 2 meals out of this (it says it serves 3...no way!), so 2.50 for each serving for lunch isn't bad.  And this is definitely better than the leftover soup I planned to eat for lunch today had I gone into work!

#439: Crock Pot Steel Cut Oats

After making Irish Oatmeal Brulee last weekend, I am really into eating oatmeal.  I am particularly interested in finding steel cut oat recipes to use so I can have breakfast at school in the morning.  I was looking for a recipe I could throw in my crockpot overnight and came across this recipe.  It was a snap to throw together and I LIKED this recipe, but I didn't love it.  It was a little too soft/mushy for my liking.  BUT the walnuts and craisins definitely helped give it some texture.  I would make this again though!

1 cup steel cut oats

1/2 cup dried cranberries

1/2 cup raisins

3 cups hot water (not boiling)

1 1/2 cups milk

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

1 tablespoon cinnamon
chopped walnut pieces

This is important:  Place a crockpot liner in your crockpot!!  (Otherwise you will be scrubbing your crockpot in the morning.

Add all ingredients to crockpot (I added the raisins, craisins and walnuts in the morning so they weren't too soft).  Turn to low setting. Cook for 8-9 hours.  Top with desired toppings: cranberries, craisins, raisins, walnuts or pecan pieces, blueberries, more brown sugar, etc.

#438: Marshmallow Pilgrim Hat Cookies

I found this recipe in my Family Fun Magazine.  It looked simple (few ingredients needed, some of which I had on hand), and ones that my extended family might actually eat.  I was supposed to make 24 cookies with this recipe, but after finishing 14, I figured that was enough for our family gathering and I gave up.  :)  I like recipe that are simple.  If I don't have an ingredient, I tend to substitute out.  This recipe required too much precision so they would turn out "pretty." 

I never did find a good way to melt the chocolate.  When I melted it in the microwave, I had to do it in small batches because the chocolate would harden.  When I tried a double boiler, if I wasn't burning myself on the chocolate or the steam (I finally just turned the water off!), my marshmallows were melting because of the heat.  (Brian says they looked like Harry Potter sorting hats instead of Pilgrim hats!). 

So, would I make this again?  Probably not.  Would I EAT these again?  DEFINITELY.  These are very yummy!  I love the chocolate and the marshmallow with the crunch of the cookie.  But in my opinion, not worth the time it took to make them.  So, next time I want these, I'll just have to find someone else to make them.  : )

24 chocolate-striped shortbread cookies
12-ounce package of chocolate chips
24 marshmallows
tube of yellow decorators' frosting

Set the chocolate-striped cookies stripes down on a wax-paper-covered tray, spacing them well apart.  Melt the chocolate chips in a microwave or double boiler.  One at a time, stick a wooden toothpick into a marshmallow, dip the marshmallow into the melted chocolate, and promptly center it atop a cookie.  Using a second toothpick to lightly hold down the marshmallow, carefully pull out the first toothpick.  Chill the hats until the chocolate sets, then pipe a yellow decorators' frosting buckle on the front of each hat.

#437: Mozzarella Garlic Biscuits

Photo taken before dipping in melted butter (that is a MUST)

This is a slight deviation from the original recipe I found on a blog called "Stick a fork in it" that made Cheddar and Herb Biscuits.  Well, I was making this to go with our Slow Cooker Lasagna, so I figured I substitute the cheddar cheese and use an Italian Blend (of cheese) instead. 

This was really, really easy to make.  In fact, I threw it together in about 10 minutes after coming home from church one night.  We all thought these were good, and Brian even took the leftovers for lunch with him for a few days this week too.  (I halved the recipe and got about 14 biscuits out of it.  The recipe below is the FULL recipe).

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons shortening
3 tablespoons butter, cold
1 cup buttermilk (I didn't have time to make this, so I used skim)1 1/2 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese (I used Italian Blend)
Buttery Topping:
3 tablespoons melted butter
1/4 teaspoon dried parsley flakes (I omitted)3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
pinch of salt

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, garlic powder and salt.  Cut in shortening and butter until coarse crumbs are formed.  Lightly mix in grated cheese.  Mix in buttermilk just until moist (dry spots here and there are ok - the biscuits will be tough if they are overmixed).

Drop the biscuits onto a greased or lined baking sheet.  Bake for 12-14 minutes, until browned and golden.  While the biscuits are baking, in a small bowl combine butter, parsley, garlic powder and salt. Right when the biscuits come out of the oven, brush the butter/herb mixture over the biscuits evenly.

#436: Cranberry Jello Salad

Many people may not be a fan of Jello recipes, but as long as it's mixed with cool whip or cream cheese, or some other thickener, I highly enjoy it!  So I came across this recipe for Strawberry Jello Salad and figured I'd just change the strawberry flavor to cranberry jello and make it more Thanksgiving-like. 

I LOVED this.  I ate the leftovers for lunch this week and I plan to make it again this weekend for my nephew's birthday (but I'll try cherry flavored jello instead).  The texture is fantastic and this is sweet, but not too sweet.  LOVE, LOVE, LOVE it!
3 oz pkg strawberry Jello
8 oz can crushed pineapple, drained
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup water
1/2 - 3/4 cup mini marshmallows
1 pint fresh whipping cream, whipped (not cool whip)
1/2 cup pecan pieces

Mix water, sugar and pineapple over low heat until sugar is dissolved. Add the dry jello and mix well. Allow the mixture to cool for twenty to thirty minutes. While the mixture cools whip the whipping cream and place it in the refrigerator. When the jell-o mixture is cool add the pecans and fold in the whipped whipping cream. Add the mini marshmallows last. Refrigerate at least 2 hours.