Crock-Pot Lasagna

I wish we had more recipes on here cuz I really do like them and have tried a lot of them, and after Angie said she liked to use the crock pot I remembered this recipe I got from my mom and thought I'd share. It's super easy, makes a lot, and is really good.

Crock-Pot Lasagna

1 lb ground beef

1 jar (26-28 oz) tomato pasta sauce 

1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce

1 jar (1 lb) Alfredo pasta sauce

1/2 package (9 oz) no-boil lasagna noodles (about 8 noodles)

3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1. Cook ground beef in large skillet, drain.

2. Spray 4-5 quart crock-pot with non-stick cooking spray. Spread 3/4 cup of tomato pasta sauce in bottom of cooker. Stir remaining tomato pasta sauce and tomato sauce into ground beef.

3. Layer 3 lasagna noodles over sauce in slow cooker, breaking noodles as necessary. Top with 1/3 of the alfredo sauce, spreading evenly. Sprinkle with 1 cup of the mozzarella cheese. Top with 1/3 of the ground beef mixture, spreading evenly.

4. Repeat laying twice, using 2 lasagna noodles in last layer. Sprinkle parmesan cheese on top.

5. Cover, cook on Low 3 1/2-4 1/2 hours.

Prep time: 20 minutes

Start to finish: 4 hours 50 minutes

Servings: 8

No Fry Fried Ice Cream Cake with Raspberry Topping

Marilee gave me a the "Favorite Family Recipes" cookbook for my birthday and I love it! (you can find their blog here)  This recipe is from that book and Mike has repeatedly requested this.   I am making this for Carter's ice cream social before he leaves so depending on when you see this, you may or may not have tried this already. Enjoy!

1 C. Butter
1 C. Brown Sugar
3 C. crispy rice cereal
1 C. sweetened, flaked coconut
1/2 C. chopped pecans or walnuts (optional)
1/2 gallon vanilla ice cream (recommended: use the square boxes so you can just open up and slice)

In a saucepan over medium heat, melt butter.  Add brown sugar and mix until dissolved.  In a large bowl, combine cereal, coconut, and nuts.  Pour melted butter and brown sugar over cereal mixture and stir until coated.  Press half of cereal mix into the bottom of a 9x13 pan.  Cut ice cream in 1-inch slices and spread evenly over mixture in pan.  Spread remaining cereal mixture evenly over ice cream.  Place in freezer for at least one hour.  Cut into squares and serve with raspberry sauce, hot fudge, caramel, strawberries or any other topping you like.

Raspberry Sauce
2 T. cornstarch
3/4 C. water
1 pt fresh or frozen raspberries
1/3 C. sugar
1/3 C. orange juice

In a small bowl, whisk water and cornstarch until blended.  In a medium saucepan, combine raspberries, sugar, and orange juice.  Slowly add cornstarch mixture.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer for 3-5 minutes, stirring constantly, until thickened.

Baked Black Bean Flautas

So....I'm not sure if anyone is still looking at this blog anymore but I still think of recipes to post on here all of the time.  So if nothing else, I know where they will always be, once I get them all posted haha

A friend of mine brought something very similar to this to us the week after I had Warren and we loved them so I found a recipe on Pinterest that is very comparable.  I've made it a few times for us (and I made it for Serena & Ryan's family recently too).  This is honestly a super easy recipe and I usually have all of the ingredients on hand.

The one change I made, was instead of adding water to the beans when cooking I added the juice drained from Rotel tomatoes.

(credit given to: http://vittlesandbits.blogspot.com/2010/05/oven-crisp-black-bean-flautas.html)

Oven-Crisp Black Bean Flautas

• 1 t. olive oil
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 15 oz. can black beans, rinsed & drained
• 1/2 t. onion powder
• 1 t. chili powder
• 1 T. chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 10 oz. can mild Rotel diced tomatoes & chiles, drained
• 1/4 t. salt
• 1/2 C. Monterey Jack cheese (or whatever type you prefer)
• 5 10" flour tortillas
• canola oil, for brushing

Heat oil in skillet over medium heat.  Add garlic and cook about 1 minute until fragrant.

Add 1/2 C. water along with beans, onion powder, chili powder and cilantro.  Reduce heat to medium low and simmer about 10 minutes until most of water is evaporated.

Remove pan from heat and smash beans with back of spoon or immersion blender until mixture is thickened but still chunky, with some whole beans left.  Stir in salt & Rotel, and allow mixture to cool.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Coat baking sheet with cooking spray, or line with nonstick foil.

Microwave tortillas in 10 second intervals until soft & pliable.  Spoon a heaping 1/3 C. mixture in a line down center of each tortilla and sprinkle cheese on top.

Fold in sides on either end of the line, and then roll tortilla tightly around filling.  Secure end with a toothpick and set on baking sheet with seam side down.

Using a pastry brush, lightly brush the tops of the flautas with oil and place baking sheet in oven until crisp, about 10 minutes.  Serve with guacamole, sour cream, and/or salsa.  (I would also recommend cutting them in half to let them cool... the filling stays really hot in the enclosed tortilla!)

Crock Pot Meatball Marinara

As you probably know by now, I love crockpot meals! I now try to add a crockpot meal each week when I do my meal plan. I found this one on Jamie Cooks It Up and we loved it (and Mike's usually not a huge spaghetti fan)! It's super easy and super good! I actually halved the recipe since there's only two of us. Since the recipe calls for 3 cans of tomatoes I used 2 and I thought it was great. I also used the Costco meatballs like she used because I already had them.

Here's the link. Go try it out! http://jamiecooksitup.net/2012/09/meatball-marinara-crock-pot/

OBB Cheesesteak Sandwich

One of our favorite quick and easy meals is Cheesesteak Sandwiches from Our Best Bites!  I usually use yellow or orange bell peppers just as a personal preference over the green.

http://www.ourbestbites.com/2008/07/cheesesteak-sandwiches/


Angie

Freezer Meals for the Crock Pot

Before I had Warren, I spent an evening preparing freezer meals to use post-baby and I have LOVED having them! I use them on the days that he just won't let me put him down or the days I felt more sore and tired from recovery or because he didn't sleep very good that night or just because I'm feeling lazy. I haven't used them all and I hope to prep some more once I run out!   They've been so handy!  I know there are recipes for freezer meals that you can bake (like the Honey-Lime Enchiladas that Marilee gave us...DELISH!!) but all of these are meant to just throw in the crock pot for a few hours.


These are from the Six Sisters' Stuff blog.  They have other recipes for freezer meals but these are the ones I chose because I had just bought a case of chicken from Zaycon Foods.

Chicken Broccoli Alfredo

Ingredients:

1 ½ pounds chicken breasts

1 (16 oz) bag frozen broccoli florets

2 (16 oz) jars Alfredo sauce (I use light)

1 large green pepper, chopped

1 (4 oz) can sliced mushrooms, drained

Directions:

Place all ingredients in a resealable gallon-sized freezer bag and mix together.

When ready to eat, remove from freezer and thaw in fridge for 24 hours. Cook on LOW for 4-6 hours. 

Serve with cooked fettuccine noodles, green salad, and breadsticks. 

Cilantro Lime Chicken w/ Corn and Black Beans

Ingredients:

1 1/2 pounds chicken breasts
Juice from 2 limes
1 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped
1 (16 oz) bag frozen corn
2 minced garlic cloves
1/2 red onion, chopped
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 tsp cumin 

salt and pepper to taste

Directions: 

Place all ingredients in a resealable gallon-sized freezer bag. Mix together and zip bag closed.

When ready to eat, remove from freezer and thaw in fridge for 24 hours. Cook on LOW for 8 hours (or HIGH for 4 hours). 

Serve with tortillas and toppings such as with sour cream, guacamole, salsa, and cheese.

Recipe adapted from Over the Big Moon. 

**I have this in the freezer but I haven't made it yet. I'm excited to try it though so I'll let you know what we think.

**I don't think you need to thaw  these before hand, it just cook it for a couple more hours til the chicken is done.

 

These recipes are from Saving You Dinero

Crock Pot Hawaiian Chicken
(4-5 servings)

• 2-3 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• ½  cup white sugar
• ½  cup vinegar
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 Tablespoons soy sauce
• ½   cup of pineapple juice (use what’s in the can)
• ½  can of large pineapple chunks

Add all the ingredients to the bag. Cook 4-5 hours on high or 6-7 hours on low. Serve it over rice and enjoy. While I am cooking the rice I  like to shred the chicken and put it back in the juice before I serve it.
**This was a little sweet for my taste but still yummy.  I just added soy sauce on top when we ate it at it was better (according to my taste buds).

Garlic Honey Chicken
(4-5 servings)

• 1 ½  to 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• ⅓ cup  soy sauce
• ⅔  cup ketchup
• ¼  cup honey

(Feel free to double the sauce if you like extra sauce)
Add all the ingredients to a freezer bag. Cook 3-4 hours on high or 5-6 hours on low.  We like to eat this with mashed potatoes and a veggie.
 **THIS WAS DELICIOUS!!  It could easily be done without freezing if you wanted. I made loaded mashed potatoes (with sour cream, bacon, cheese, and green onions) and salad with the chicken and we both loved it!

Chicken Fajitas
( 5-6 servings)

• 2 peppers (your favorite)
• 1 onion
• 1 1/2 pound chicken breast
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• taco seasoning packet
• 1 tsp. chili powder
• 1/2 tsp. paprika
• 1 tsp. salt

You will also need tortillas, cheese, cream, etc.
**I cooked the chicken and then made chimichangas with the meat after I shredded it. I used the meat and peppers, black beans, cheese, and salsa. Rolled them up with the ends tucked in and lightly fried them in a pan with a little bit of oil in them.  So yummy!

Directions

1. Put all the ingredients in a large freezer bag. (Make sure you label the bag with instructions.)
2. When it’s time to cook it, dump it all in your slow cooker and cook on high for 3-4 hours or low for 5-6 hours.
3. When it’s cooked, shred the meat and add it back to the pepper mixture and serve on warm tortillas and your favorite toppings.

 Let me know if you have any great freezer meal recipes or if you have any questions about these!  Happy Cooking everyone! :)

Love ya!
Ang 

Pumpkin Cinnamon Struesel Pancakes

Every week on either Friday or Saturday night, we like to have breakfast for dinner.  It seems like that is the only time I have to actually cook breakfast!  Last week I made these pancakes from twopeasandtheirpod.com:

http://www.twopeasandtheirpod.com/pumpkin-cinnamon-streusel-pancakes/

They were sooooo good! I followed the recipe exact, except I only used half the amount of struesel and I thought they were just right.  I think that if you used the full amount, they would be way too sweet.  Also, we liked them with just butter, no syrup on top.

Tebow’s Pizza Pie

My mom shared this recipe with me from GMA and since it's football season I thought it was a good one to share. Even Allie likes it, so that's huge for us! She said she'd like to eat this all the time, and she never eats meat or green things and this has both and she liked it!


Tebow's Pizza Pie  Servings: 4-6
Difficulty: Easy
Cook Time: 30-60 min

This pizza pie is one of star quarterback Tim Tebow's favorite dishes that his mother made growing up. Although Tebow has never made it himself, he says the pizza pie is great for serving to friends and that it represents the kind of "normal food" he prefers.

Ingredients
1 lb. ground beef
c. chopped green pepper
1 pkg. Italian style spaghetti sauce mix
1 6 oz. can tomato paste
c. water
1 large can baking powder biscuits 1/3 c. grated Parmesan cheese
6-8 oz. shredded Mozzarella cheese

Directions
Brown the meat, drain. Add green pepper, cook until tender.
Stir in sauce mix, tomato paste, and water.
Simmer 10 minutes.

Line greased 9 in. pie pan with biscuits, press together to seal.
Sprinkle c. Parmesan cheese over the crust.
Fill with meat mixture. Sprinkle top with Mozzarella cheese and
remaining Parmesan cheese. Bake at 400 degrees for 15 to 20
minutes.

(The sauce can be made ahead and reheated to facilitate last
minute preparations.)

I've just used a regular tube of biscuits and tried the jumbo and both worked, but I need to remember to bake it longer if I do the jumbos! Also, I don’t know why but I’ve still never had a pie pan so I always just make it in a 8x8 pan.

ZUCCHINI MADNESS!

Since zucchini season is in full swing, I thought I would post some of my favorite zucchini recipes. 

First, I will start with soups.  This one is my favorite soup containing zuchinni and lots of other goodies from the garden.  It is soooo good and I always crave it this time of year! 

CREAMY MUSHROOM & CHICKEN SOUP

6 T. butter
1 med. onion, chopped
3 T. flour
2 t. salt
1 t. pepper
6 c. chicken broth
1 lb. mushrooms, sliced
3/4 c. sliced celery
3/4 c. chopped carrots
2 c. quartered baby red potatoes
1 c. chopped zucchini or yellow squash (or a combo of both)
1 1/2 c. frozen corn kernals, thawed
2 t. thyme
2 c. lt. cream (I use half & half)
3/4 c. grated parm. cheese, plus more for garnish
2 c. chopped cooked chicken

In a large pot, melt the butter over medium heat.  Add the onion and saute until tender, about 6 minutes.  Stir in the flour, sale and pepper and mix until smooth.  Gradually add the broth, then turn the heat up to medium-high and bring the soup to a boil. Add the mushrooms, celery, carrots, potatoes, squash, corn and thyme.  Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, until the vegetables are tender, about 30 min.

Add the cream, parm. cheese and chicken.  Heat the soup for an additional 10 minutes, but do not let it boil.  To serve, ladle the coup into a bowl and sprinkle with more parm. cheese, if desired.  Makes about 15 cups.


TORTELLINI SAUSAGE SOUP
Next is another zucchini soup that we love!  It is from OBB. http://www.ourbestbites.com/2009/10/tortellini-sausage-soup/

Now onto some awesome zucchini side dishes:

CHEESY ZUCCHINI RICE from Mel's Kitchen Cafe
http://www.melskitchencafe.com/2012/08/cheesy-zucchini-rice.html

CRISPY ZUCCHINI FRIES from Jamie Cooks it Up (we like to dip ours in ranch.)
http://jamiecooksitup.net/category/appetizer/

Moving along to zucchini main dishes.

BREADED CHICKEN WITH ZUCCHINI AND TOMATOES (so so so good!)
http://jamiecooksitup.net/2010/09/got-tomatoes-got-zuchinni-make-this-chicken-dinner/

GRILLED STUFFED ZUCCHINI
http://www.ourbestbites.com/2009/08/grilled-stuffed-zucchini/

LEMON HERB ZUCCHINI FETTUCCINE
http://www.ourbestbites.com/2008/09/lemon-herb-zucchini-fettuccine/

The best zucchini bread I have found is from OBB (and I have tried a lot!)  I don't usually make it with the orange zest, and I prefer it without.

ZUCCHINI BREAD
http://www.ourbestbites.com/2009/09/zucchini-bread/

Now for desseret time.

CHOCOLATE ZUCCHINI CAKE

1/2 c. butter (softened)
1/2 c. oil (I always use applesauce)
1 3/4 c. sugar
2 eggs
2 c. grated zucchini
2 1/2 c. flour
1 t. vanilla
1/2 c. buttermilk
5 T. cocoa
1 t. soda
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. cinnamon
1/2 c. chopped nuts (walnuts or pecans)
1/2 c. chocolate chips

Mix everything (except nuts and chips) together and place in a 9x13 greased pan.  Top with nuts and chocolate chips.  Bake at 325 for 40-45 minutes.  This cake is also really good without choc. chips & nuts, and top with the frosting from this cake:
http://www.ourbestbites.com/2008/09/texas-sheet-cake/ 
I like to add chopped pecans to the frosting before pouring it on the cake.

I hope you will all have more recipes to use up the plethera of zucchini you have invading your garden!  If you don't have any zucchini and need some, please come on by and I will hook you up with a pound or 10!

Sugar Cookie Bars

(photo courtesy of The Girl Who Ate Everything)

These are WAY better than sugar cookies!!  I'm actually not a huge fan of regular sugar cookies but these are addicting! 

Here's the link to the recipe:
http://www.the-girl-who-ate-everything.com/2010/06/sugar-cookie-bars.html

Cilantro Lime Slaw

Can I just say.....I love this stuff!!!  I got this recipe off of makeit-loveit.com and it is supposed to be served on top of sweet pork tacos.  Pork tacos will never be the same without it! But I've also taken it to a few BBQ's and potlucks just as a coleslaw and it's been a hit every time!  I'm only posting the slaw recipe but if you want the pork recipe just let me know...it's delish too!

1 package Cole Slaw or whole shredded cabbage (red cabbage is good!)
1 c. Mayonnaise
1 c. cilantro, chopped
1 tsp. minced garlic
1/4 tsp Cayenne Pepper or a dash of your favorite hot sauce
1/2 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. Lime juice
1/2 tsp. Cumin

Combine all but slaw in a mini food processor-or chop and combine by hand (I just chop the cilantro and garlic, whisk the other ingredients together, then add the cilantro and garlic).  Mix desired amount of dressing with slaw mix no more than 30 minutes before serving.  **If you use a head of cabbage, I would recommend using half of it then see if you need more if needed. 

-If you try it, let me know what you think!

Spinach Salad Wraps

So....It's been a while but I have a list of recipes that I've been wanting to post so I'll start with this one.  I love this one for summer!  I cut it out of one of Mom's "Better Homes & Garden" magazines last year and it's delicious every time I've made it (plus-it's super easy, which is always a plus).

5 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
1/4 cup sour cream
2 Tbsp. sugar
1 tsp. snipped fresh parsley (I just use dried)
1 tsp. salt
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. dry mustard (I just use a little bit of regular yellow mustard)
1 tsp. olive oil
1 5-oz. pkg. fresh baby spinach (about 5 cups)
6 10-inch flour tortillas
6 slices mozzarella cheese-torn in half (shredded is good too)
8 ounces fresh mushrooms, sliced
12 slices bacon, crisp-cooked and drained (or just use precooked, crumbled bacon)
1/2 cup thinly sliced red onions (green onions are good too)
3 hard boiled eggs, sliced

1.  For dressing, in a small bowl whisk together vinegar, sour cream, sugar, parsley, salt, garlic, and mustard until combined.  Whisk in the olive oil; set dressing aside.
2.  Divide spinach among flour tortillas. Top with cheese, mushrooms, bacon, onion, and sliced egg.  Drizzle with dressing.
3.  Roll up tortillas.  If necessary, secure with toothpicks.  If desired, wrap in waxed paper and cut in half to serve.  Makes 6 servings.

-The only tip I have is that I like to cook the mushrooms in a little olive oil (or toss them in with the bacon) just a little bit before I put the wraps together.  I've tried it both ways but I like them better cooked

Emergency Meals

I was curious what you guys do for those days when kids get sick and you’ve been busy all day and forget about dinner, or the days that you are sick and don’t feel like cooking, (or maybe you’re not sick and just don’t want to cook!) Do you have some meals that you keep on hand for those kinds of days that’s quick and easy and that you can make last second?

Cream Cheese Potato Soup

I’ve been wanting to share this but it was so warm it didn’t feel like soup season, but today feels chilly so I’ll hurry and post this. I just made this for the first time and it is so easy, fast, with few ingredients, and it’s really good. It’s a good recipe that you could keep the ingredients on hand in the freezer and the rest you usually have on hand.
Cream Cheese Potato Soup
6 cups water
7 tsp. chicken bouillon granules
1 pkgs (8 oz each) cream cheese, cubed and softened
1 pkg (30 oz) frozen shredded hash brown potatoes, thawed
1 1/2 cups cooked ham, cubed
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 1/2 tsp. dill weed

In a large pot, combine the water and bouillon. Add cream cheese; cook and stir until cheese is melted. Stir in the remaining ingredients. Simmer, uncovered for 18-20 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Makes about 3 quarts, approximately 12 servings.

Tips: Ore-Ida brand has a 30 oz bag of hash browns perfect size for this, but I accidently bought the cubed hash browns and it was really good, I liked the chunks of potato. After everything has simmered for a few minutes it said to mash the hash browns with a potato masher to break them up, but not like mashed potatoes, but I didn’t do this cuz I like the soups to have chunks. Also you can buy the ham already diced and cooked in the lunchmeat section in an 8 oz size bag and it was perfect. Oh, and next time I think I’ll warm up the cream cheese in the microwave before because I could never get it all melted, there were little chunks still. Hope you like it.

Super Yummy Punkin Flax Muffins

This is what my kids call these muffins (minus the flax).....so hence the title.  It is mainly PW's Pumpkin Spice Muffins, adapted to be a bit healthier.  And I typically have these ingredients on hand, so it makes it easy. Here goes.....

3/4 c flour
1/4 c ground flax seed
1/3 c sugar
2 tsp b. powder
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg (fresh ground is the KEY....I have just discovered the joy of freshly ground nutmeg and will never go back to the other!  And, you can find it at any grocery store and just grate it with a small grater/microplaner...who knew!)
1/2 tsp salt
3 Tbsp butter (cold-ish)
1 c (heaping...so really like 1 1/4 c) canned pumpkin
1/4 c greek yogurt (not vital...if you don't have it, no big deal, just makes them more moist)
1 c evaporated milk (you can use non-fat withhout any problems)
1 egg
1 1/2 tsp vanilla (here again...homemade vanilla made w/ rum = YUM)
1/2 c raisins (optional....we don't use these cuz raisins are gross...)

So just mix all the dry ingredients; then cut in the butter with a butter knives or pastry cutter until it's all incorporated and approximately pea-sized. Mix all the wet ingredients together and add to the dry.  Mix until just incorporated.  Put them in greased muffin tins @ 375 for 20 min or so.  (Makes 12 muffins. )  I have found that a big can of pumpkin and a whole can of evap. milk makes a triple batch.....which gets eaten pretty quickly at my house.

Toppings:
Okay...here are a couple of options. The original recipe from PW calls for mixing:
2 Tbsp sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
And then sprinkling on the muffins before baking, and then making cream cheese frosting to put on top too....which is delish, but more like dessert.

What I do is: No cinnamon/sugar topping, instead mix a block of 1/3 fat cream cheese w/ a couple of tbsp of honey, some ground nutmeg, and cinnamon.  (To taste) Whip it until it is fluffy.  We spread a little of this on the muffins and my kids love it. 



Okay, WOW, my first blog post....aren't you all proud of me? And it was so hard, I think I need to go get a massage now.....or go shopping....or go clean a couple of bathrooms instead.....now doesn't that sound fun??

Serena

Asian Lettuce Wraps

A few weeks ago I got a head of Butter Lettuce in my Bountiful Basket. I really wanted to find a good lettuce wrap recipe to use it.

I made this recipe off of Mel's Kitchen Cafe: http://www.melskitchencafe.com/2009/03/asian-lettuce-wraps.html.

I thought they were delish and they tasted so much like the lettuce wraps I like from Happy's Chinese Restaurant in Idaho Falls. I pretty much followed the recipe exact and I used ground turkey because I couldn't find chicken.

I didn't really dig the sauce and I don't think the lettuce wraps need sauce, so I won't make that next time.

Honey Lime Enchiladas

So I have a list of recipes that I have wanted to blog for awhile now. So here goes. The first one, Honey Lime Enchiladas, ranks in the top 5 of my family's favorite recipes. I would've never thought to put this combo together, but boy am I glad I gave it a try. They are soooo good!

This recipe can be found on Mel's Kitchen Cafe.

INGREDIENTS:

6 tablespoons honey
5 tablespoons lime juice (1 large lime)
1 tablespoons chili powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 pound chicken, cooked and shredded (I used 3 small chicken breasts)
8-10 flour tortillas1 pound monterey jack cheese, shredded
16 ounces green enchilada sauce
1 cup heavy cream (to lighten them up, I have substituted sour cream with good results)

DIRECTIONS:

Mix the first four ingredients and toss with shredded chicken. Let it marinate for at least 1/2 hour (I tossed mine together in a ziploc bag in the morning and let it sit in the refrigerator all day). Pour about 1/2 cup enchilada sauce on the bottom of a 9X13 baking pan. Fill flour tortillas with chicken and shredded cheese, saving about 1 cup of cheese to sprinkle on top of enchiladas. Mix the remaining enchilada sauce with the cream and leftover marinade. Pour sauce on top of the enchiladas and sprinkle with cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes until brown and crispy on top.

*Freezable Meal: Freeze prior to baking. To bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees and bake enchiladas, covered (without thawing first) for 1 hour. Uncover and bake 30 minutes longer, until brown and crispy on top.

A tip from the website is to saute diced onion and garlic and add to the marinade. I always do this, using 1/4 to 1/2 cup of onion and 1-2 cloves of garlic. Also, I always use sour cream instead of heavy cream and think it tastes great. I've never been able to find a 16 oz. can of enchilada sauce, so I have used two 10 oz. cans or one 28 oz. can and it comes out just fine. I have also used a variety of cheeses, cheddar, pepperjack, colby jack, just whatever I have on hand. I usually marinade the chicken for a couple of hours, but I have done it for as little as 30 minutes and once I did it overnight and I didn't notice a big difference.

Something yummy to make to go along with these enchiladas is Mel's Honey Lime Fruit Salad :http://www.melskitchencafe.com/2010/04/honey-lime-fruit-salad.html

Give these a try! I think you'll love them! Oh yeah, and these are almost better rewarmed the next day!

Mike's Favorites Part 2- Fajitas

This is what we had for dinner tonight & decided I needed to share :)  I actually got this recipe from Serena but it has become a regular in this house (often requested despite my menu plan).  It's simple & delicious!!

Fajitas3 Tbsp soy sauce
2 Tbsp lime juice
2 tsp liquid smoke
1/4 cup water
2 cloves garlic (minced)
dash onion powder (we like onions in our fajitas so I just leave this out because the onions add enough for me)
1 lb chicken or beef (we've decided that steak is definitely the way to go, especially with the liquid smoke flavor)
Mushrooms (yup-you guessed it...another of mushroom recipe for Mike's Favorites haha and we like baby bella mushrooms)
Onion-sliced or roughly chopped

*Cube or chunk the meet.  Slice onion and mushrooms.  Mix all other ingredients together for the marinade.  Add meat and veggies into sauce and let marinade for 1-2 hours.  Then cook in all of the sauce until meat is cooked.  Serve with warm tortillas, cheese, and sour cream.

-just a couple of personal tips: I always double the sauce recipe because Mike LOVES it and will literally drink the rest of the sauce after everything else is gone...ssshhh don't tell him I told you haha.  And if I slice the meat pretty skinny insteady of thick chunks I only will marinade it for about 20-30 minutes and it tastes great!  I also use almost a whole carton of sliced mushrooms and a whole medium sized onion.  Let me know if you have questions!

Enjoy!!! yum yum

Regis Fruit Cobbler

We had this for dessert yesterday so I thought I’d share the recipe, and it was the first time I had ever made it. My mom has made this a few times for us and I always like it when she does because it smells so good. I’m not a fan of cobblers, but I love this one cuz it taste more like cake. It’s also super easy.
Regis Fruit Cobbler
1 - 20 oz. can crushed pineapple (do not drain liquid)
2 - 12 oz. bags frozen fruit (I like to get 2 different kinds of fruit.)  (We’ve always had one bag of peaches and one bag of the mix of raspberries, blueberries, and strawberries but you can have whatever you want!)
1 box yellow cake mix
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/4 cup sugar
1 cube butter, melted
(Icecream to serve on top)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In an ungreased 9x13 cake pan spread the can of pineapple with the juice.  Spread 1 of the bags of frozen fruit over the pineapple.  Sprinkle the dry yellow cake mix over the fruit.  Spread the other bag of frozen fruit over the cake mix.  Sprinkle the nuts over the fruit.  Melt the butter and add the sugar and stir until combined.  Pour butter/sugar mixture over the nuts and fruit.
Bake for about 1 hour until golden brown.  (May take a little longer to bake.)  Serve warm with ice cream on top.

The $250 Chocolate Chip Cookes

I don't know about you, but I have had a hard time finding a good, reliable chocolate chip cookie recipe.  They end up being too thin & hard, or too cakey, etc, etc.  Until I found these!!!!  These are seriously the best chocolate chips cookies I have ever made!  And the best part is that they have been the the best every time I make them :) 

There is an internet myth out there that was attached to the recipe when I got it from Mike's mom last year.  I don't have it written out anymore but it goes something like this:  A lady & her daughter were eating at a Neiman Marcus restaurant in NYC and they ordered cookies for dessert.  The lady asked the waiter if the chef would sell the recipe to her.  He went & checked with the chef.  When he returned he said "Yes, he will sell it to you for two fifty."  She agreed to that thinking it was $2.50. When she got the bill, she was charged $250!  She was so angry that she posted the recipe on the internet. 

Whether it's true or not-these are G-O-O-D!!!!! I just made them for a Relief Society activity and they were a HUGE hit!  2 Warnings for you: 1-they are addicting!!   2-ALWAYS half the recipe...it makes a lot!!

Enjoy!

Neiman Marcus/Mrs. Fields Chocolate Chip Cookiesaka $250 Recipe

2 cups butter
4 cups flour
2 cups sugar
2 cups brown sugar
5 cups blended oatmeal (this is the secret ingredient!  measure 5 cups then toss in a blender to make a fine powder.  It's 5 cups pre-blended)
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp bakind powder
1 tsp salt
4 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
24 oz chocolate chips
1 8oz chocolate bar, grated (or pulse lightly in a blender-this is important too because it kind of melts into the batter & makes them YUMMY!!)
3 cups chopped nuts (optional-I've never made them with nuts)

*Cream butter and both sugars.  Add eggs & vanilla.  In a separate bowl, mix together flour, oatmeal, salt, baking powder, and baking soda.  Then add that into the creamed mixture a couple cups at a time.  Add chocolate chips, chocolate bar & nuts.  Roll into balls & place 2" apart on a cookie sheet. Bake for 10 minutes at 375.

They are divine warm & gooey but they stay soft for days!! We've even frozen some and they were even soft after they thawed out :) 

Just for an example of how many cookies this recipe makes....for the R.S. activity I made a full batch and I baked 7 or 8 dozen cookies and still had 1/3 of the cookie dough left!!  YIKES!  That's dangerous at this house!!

Hope you like them!! :)

Love ya!
Ang