Taco Soup

Tricia passed this along to me a while back. Its a quick, easy to throw together soup.

Taco Soup:

1lb. ground hamburger (Cooked and drained)

1 large onion diced (cooked with hamburger)

1 can undrained kidney beans

about 2 cups of frozen corn

1 can crushed tomatoes

1 packet taco seasoning

some water(just to moisten if it seems too thick, I don't always add water)

serve with tortilla chips YUMMY YUMMY!

Cheese Fondue

This recipe was actually for a chicken meal that had the cheese over it. A friend of mine passed it along and said her sister made it once and thought the cheese sauce would make a really good fondue, so that’s what we’ve been using since. 

Cheese Sauce:

1 jar Old English cheese spread   

½ cup sour cream

1 can cream of chicken soup (recipe calls for Cream of Mushroom, but I prefer and use the cream of chicken)

1 cup mayonnaise

½ tsp garlic powder

¼ tsp onion salt

¼ tsp garlic salt

½ tsp paprika

Just mix it together on the stove till it’s heated and well mixed.  

I usually just add the spices till it tastes okay

Dip Chicken, Veggies, etc. Anything that would taste good with cheese sauce over it. 

Lasagna Soup

One of my husbands most favorite soup recipes I've tried is this Lasagna Soup. It really does not disappoint!

Lasagna Soup:  

for the soup:
2 tsp. olive oil
1-1/2 lbs. Italian sausage
3 c. chopped onions
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
2 T. tomato paste
1 28-oz. can fire roasted diced tomatoes
2 bay leaves
6 c. chicken stock
8 oz. mafalda or fusilli pasta
1/2 c. finely chopped fresh basil leaves
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

for the 'cheesy yum':
8 oz. ricotta
1/2 c. grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 tsp. salt
pinch of freshly ground pepper

2 c. shredded mozzarella cheese

Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add sausage, breaking up into bite sized pieces, and brown for about 5 minutes. Add onions and cook until softened, about 6 minutes. Add garlic, oregano, and red pepper flakes. Cook for 1 minute. Add tomato paste and stir well to incorporate. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the tomato paste turns a rusty brown color.

Add diced tomatoes, bay leaves, and chicken stock. Stir to combine. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Add uncooked pasta and cook until al dente. Do not over cook or let soup simmer for a long period of time at this point, as the pasta will get mushy. Stir in basil and season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

While the pasta is cooking, prepare the cheesy yum. In a small bowl, combine the ricotta, Parmesan, salt, and pepper.

To serve, place a dollop of the cheesy yum in each soup bowl, sprinkle some of the mozzarella on top and ladle the hot soup over the cheese.

Best Every Cornbread

Best Ever Cornbread (Jean Harris)

1 cup Bisquick
1 cup flour
1 tsp. soda
1 cup yellow cornmeal
1 cup sugar
1 cup butter
4 eggs beaten
2 cups buttermilk

Combine dry ingredients, cut in butter until fine particles.  Add eggs and buttermilk.  Stir until blended.  Pour into greased and floured 9  x 13 pan.  Bake at 375 for 25-30 minutes.

Chocolate Cake

Chocolate Cake

2 cups flour
2 cups sugar
2 sq. butter
1/4 c. Cocoa
1 cup water
1/2 cup buttermilk plus 1 T.Vinegar to sour the milk
2 eggs
1 tsp. soda
1 tsp. vanilla
1/4 tsp. salt

Mix flour and sugar.
Melt butter, add cocoa & water and bring to boil.
Add to flour.
Add eggs & rest of ingredients.
 Spray and flour large cookie sheet (10x 19)
Pour evenly on pan.
BAke 400 degrees for 20 minutes.

Frosting

1 square butter
1/3 c. milk
1/4 cup Cocoa
Boil and mix with 4 cups. powder sugar and 1 tsp vanilla

Recipe from Peggy Hunt.
It is yummo!

BBQ Sauce

Bar B-Que Sauce ( Joan Wadsworth)

2 - 2 1/2 cans peeled tomatoes or 2 qt. tomatoes peeled & pured in blender.
1/2 cup lemon juice
1/3 c. red wine vinegar
1 12oz. can tomato sauce
2 med. onions diced small
2 cloves garlic diced
2 T. Adolph unseasoned tenderizer
1 T. Garlic salt
10-15 whole pepper corns
1 T. molasses
1 or 2 Bay leaves
1/2 c. Kraft Hickory flavored Bar-B-Q sauce
1 T. ground pepper
1 T. Paprika
1/3 c. Worchestershire Sauce
1/2 C. Catsup

Mix ingredients together and simmer.
Use as a sauce for meatballs.

White Bean and Chicken Enchiladas

2 T butter
1 cup onion (chopped)
2 cup chicken (chopped or shredded)
1 can white beans, drained
1/2 t salt
1 cup sour cream
7 oz, cab diuced green chilies
10-12 flour or corn tortillas
4 cups cheese (Mexican Blend is good)
Enchilado sauce

Saute onions in butter.  Combine chicken, beans, salt, sour cream, chilies, onions,and 2 cups cheese.  Spoon chicken mixture into tortillas.  Roll and place in a 9 x 13 pan.  Sprinkle with remaining cheese.  Pour enchilada sauce over the top.  Bake 350 degrees for 30 minutes, uncovered.


Enchilada Sauce

2 T. canola oil
2 T. flour
2 T. chili powder
1 2/3 cups chicken broth 
1 t. cmin
1 8 oz. can tomatoe sauce
1/4 t. garlic powder

Heat oil in a medium saucepan.
Stir in flour and chili powder.
Stir until combined. Add chicken broth, tomatoe suace, cumin, and garlic powder, bring to a boil, stirring often.  Simmer for 10 minutes.  Makes 2 1/2 cups.

You will never go back to store-bought enchilada sauce after you try this recipe!

Tricia froze and gave this to me for Mother's Day.  It was yummo!  I have made it since.

Dessert

Homemade Twix Bars


Crust 

1 cup butter
2 cups flour
1/2 cup sugar
Press into sprayed 9 x 13 pan
Bake 375 degrees for 17-20 minutes (very lightly tanned)

Caramel

1 cup butter
4 T Corn Syrup
1 cup Brown Sugar
1 can Sweetened Condensed Milk

Bring to a light boil stirring often to keep from burning.
Stir and boil lightly for exactly 5 min.  Cool 5 min. and pour over crust.

Chocolate Top

Melt 1 1/2 cups Milk Chocolate Chips or Semi-Sweet
2 t. oil
Pour over the top of chilled caramel.  Spread.  Chill until set.
Unchill to cut.

So good and rich!

Flour Tortillas

Flour Tortillas

4 cup flour
2 T Baking Powder
2 t salt (optional)
3 T Canola Oil
1 1/2 cup water or milk

Mix flour, baking powder, and salt thoroughly.  Add oil.  Mix in liquid slowly.  Once you have poured in all of the liquid, you will have to finish smixing with your hands.
Separate dough into patties.  They will be about the size of a  ping-pong  ball flattened and smoothed around the edges for easy rolling.    Use flour as needed to prevent sticking, however  you may not need any.  Cook on medium to medium-high in flat skillet.  NO OIL NECESSARY.  Watch for "bubbling" before flipping to other side.  We like to eath them warm with butter and honey.  Enjoy

Made in Mrs. LaPutka's kindergarten class

Strawberry Chocolate Chip Pancakes (or Waffles) - Paleo Style

This is a recipe a friend of mine gave me. The recipe called for sweet cherries but I have changed it to strawberries per her recommendation. She also made waffles instead of pancakes. After I make these, I will post pictures and a review later. My friend said they were delicious and can't wait to try them again.

Strawberry Chocolate Chip Pancakes (or Waffles)

Ingredients:
2 cups of Strawberries
2 Bananas
2 cups of Almond Butter
2 tbsp Arrowroot Powder
2 tbsp Vanilla
4 eggs
1 cup Dark Chocolate Chunks

Instructions:
-Puree Strawberries & Bananas until smooth.

-Add Almond Butter and puree until smooth.

-Add all remaining ingredients (except chocolate chips) and mix.

-Stir in chocolate chips.

-Heat skillet to med/high, add a little coconut oil to pan. (You can find a spray coconut oil spray at Trader Joes.)

-Cook pancakes as you normally would (about 2-3 mins each side.

-If you opt for waffles, cook in waffle maker instead of skillet.

Note: if you choose to use sweet cherries, be sure to pit them before pureeing.

Pepper Stuffed Portabella Burger - Paleo Style

Here is another recipe from epaleocookbooks space that I found on Pinterest that will no longer be available by the end of the month. I have not found a new link to these recipes from this site yet. I have not tried this recipe but plan to next week. I will post pictures as soon as we make it and update with a review.

Pepper Stuffed Portabella Burger


Ingredients:
1 lb lean ground beef (grass-fed, of course)
3 large portabella mushroom caps
5-6 small sweet peppers, diced
salt and pepper

Divide your ground beef into 1/3 lb patties. Flatten your patties as much as possible and add evenly divide your diced peppers between them, spooning them into the center of the patty. Fold the patty around the peppers to enclose them and pat down.

Heat your grill to med-high. Season both sides of each patty with salt and pepper and place on top of a portabella cap. Lay burger-side down on the grill and cook for 3-4 minutes. Flip and continue cooking for 3-4 more minutes. If the mushroom side of the burger patty is still pink, you may want to remove from the mushroom cap and grill directly for 2-3 minutes before replacing onto the mushroom.

Remove from heat. Allow to rest for 5 minutes and serve, mushroom side down.

Italian Stuffed Bell Peppers - Paleo Style

For various health reasons, I've decided to try a Paleo diet for a month and see how it helps both Dustin and I. I've read and heard great things about this lifestyle and am excited to give it a go. I have found several recipes online from Pinterest. I'm posting several recipes here because one site said it will only be available until the end of the month. (I have not tried this recipe yet but plan to next week and will post pictures and a review after we try it.)

Italian Stuffed Bell Peppers - Paleo Style

Ingredients:
4 green bell peppers, top removed and hollowed out
1 lb ground beef
1/2 yellow onion, diced
1 egg
2 jalapenos, seeds removed and diced fine
1 ten oz can of petite diced tomatoes (I like the garlic, oregano and basil flavored), drained of excess fluid
salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 375 and arrange bell peppers on a baking sheet, cut side up. 
In a medium sized bowl, combine meat, onion, jalapeno, tomatoes and egg until mixed thoroughly. Season with salt and pepper. Fill bell pepper "cups" with meat mixture. If there's any left over, you can form patties and bake them on your baking sheet.

Bake at 375 for 35-40 minutes.

A note from the original blogger:
Typically, stuffed bell peppers have rice or breadcrumbs in them to bind the meat together. Mine does not, obviously, so while the egg helps, I typically serve mine by placing the bell pepper over a bed of vegetables. Then I slice it open and just mix the meat, pepper and veggies together before I eat it. It's just as good. 

Classic Chocolate Chip Cookies

When I was younger, my brother always requested that I make Chocolate Chip Cookies. Even when he was serving an LDS mission, he always asked that we send some his way. Years have passed and for the life of me, I do not remember that recipe. When I became an adult, I was always searching for a new recipe that wouldn't sink. The day Pinterest came and I found and tried several recipes claiming to be the "World's Greatest Chocolate Chip Cookie". I finally found one that I fell in love with!! Of course, the link now has a warning that reads: This link redirects visitors to another site - it may link to spam or other inappropriate content. I assure you, it is not spam or inappropriate. The recipe came from Dana Made It. This recipe makes a TON too. Which is great to put in the freezer to bake cookies anyday.

( This picture is from Dana Made It)

CLASSIC CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES
Makes 5-6 dozen
Or…tons of dough to freeze for later enjoyment

1 Cup Vegetable Shortening
1 Cup Butter (don’t use margarine)
1 1/2 cups White Sugar
1 1/2 cups Brown Sugar
3 eggs
2 tsp Vanilla
5 3/4 to 6 cups Flour (if the cookies feel flat, use 6 cups)
1 1/2 tsp Baking Soda
1 1/2 tsp Salt
2 bags choc chips (12 oz bags) – 1 semi-sweet, 1 milk chocolate

There are three key points in this recipe.
1. Use shortening and butter. I know some of you are going to replace the shortening with butter, and I won’t hold it against you. But the shortening is what gives the cookie a slight crispness around the edges while still feeling soft inside.

So, start by mixing the shortening and butter with white and brown sugar. Add the three eggs and vanilla and here’s the second key point….

2. Mix the buttery/egg mixture for a full THREE minutes. The time is important for the eggs and butter to become fully whipped and to develop new chemistry. You’ll watch the buttery mix go from gushy liquid to beautiful cream.

In a separate bowl, mix the dry ingredients together (flour, baking soda, and salt). Add 1/2 of the flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix. Then add the other 1/2 and mix.
And finally….

3. Use a lot of good chocolate chips and mix semi-sweet with milk chips. Some recipes call for one bag of chocolate chips. This recipe is large so we’re using 2 bags. (I'll admit, if I don't have milk chocolate chips, I'll use straight semi-sweet.

Bake at 350 for 8-9 mins. or just until the cookies are slightly golden on top. You want them to be soft inside. Allow them to cool for a few minutes and transfer to a cooking rack.

Now, here's a cool trick I found on Pinterest from Fooducate, of course. Take your dollar store ice cube trays & fill each hole with your left over cookie dough. About the same amount in each hole as you made for each cookie. Throw them in the freezer until it is frozen enough to keep its form. Transfer them from the ice cube trays to a zip lock bag. Then, when you are ready for cookies again, pop them on the pan and throw in the over. I like to put them in the microwave for 20 seconds or throw them in the oven while it is pre-heating. Then bake as normal.

Frosted Zucchini Brownies

I can't believe I, of all people, am posting a recipe for Zucchini anything. One thing anyone who knows me, knows I do NOT like Zucchini! EWW! The 1st time I made them, I was scared to even taste them. But, alas, I did and I loved them! Shhh, don't tell anyone. ;) I found this recipe on Pinterest from "Mommy? I'm Hungry!". She apparently found the recipe on Blog Chef.net recipe blog.

 

Chocolate Frosting:

6 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

¼ cup butter
2 cups confectioners sugar
½ cup milk
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
 

To make the frosting- In a small saucepan over low heat melt together the cocoa powder and margarine. Set aside to cool. In a medium bowl, with a mixer, blend confectioner’s sugar, *milk (I don't use full ½ cup), and ½ teaspoon vanilla extract. Stir in the margarine/cocoa mixture, allow to mix for a couple of minutes. Set in fridge to chill and set up more. Spread over cooled brownies, allow to set up then cut into squares. The longer these brownies sit, the thicker the frosting will become.

*Frosting is REALLY runny. I only used a small portion of the milk. Add milk as needed.


Chocolate Zucchini Brownies:

½ cup canola oil
1 ½ cups white sugar
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all purpose flour
½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups zucchini (shredded)
½ cup chopped walnuts,optional

Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees.

Grease and flour a 9×13 inch baking dish.

In a large bowl mix together oil, sugar and 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract until well blended. In another bowl combine the flour, ½ cup cocoa powder, baking soda and salt. A little at a time stir into the sugar mixture. Fold in zucchini and walnuts. The batter will be dry and crumbly, don't worry. Spread the mixture evenly into the prepared baking dish.

Place into the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes until the brownies spring back when gently touched. Remove from the oven and allow them to cool before frosting.

Best Dinner Rolls EVER

This is my absolute favorite Roll recipe EVER! It's pretty much fool proof. You don't need any experience baking bread to get these to turn out great every time. I found it on Pinterest HERE from How Does She. If you want step by step instructions with pictures, head over there.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups of milk
• 3/4 cup + 1 Tablespoon Sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 Tablespoon salt
• 2 Tablespoons yeast
• 2 cups of warm water
• about 9-10 cups of all purpose flour
• at least 1 cup of butter

Instructions

1. Scald 1 1/2 cups of milk, 3/4 cup sugar and 1/2 cup of butter, in a microwave safe bowl, for about 2 minutes. Cutting the butter into pieces helps it melt faster. There will probably be some little cubes of butter still floating in the hot mixture, they will melt.
2. add yeast to this hot mixture, but it will be too hot to just dump the yeast straight in (it would kill it!). To cool it down stir in 1-2 cups of flour, then add 1 egg and 1 Tablespoon of salt, and leave it to cool for a couple of minutes. Meanwhile, in a measuring cup dissolve 2 Tablespoons of yeast in 2 cups of warm water and 1 Tablespoon of sugar. Let it sit for a couple of minutes until it is bubbly.
3. Make sure your milk mixture is just warm, not boiling and add the yeast mixture!
4. Using a fork or wooden spoon, gradually stir in 9-10 cups of flour (counting the flour you have already added to cool it earlier). I would recommend only adding 2 cups at time and stirring in between. These rolls turn out so much better when they are mixed by hand.
5. At the end the dough will be dense and sticky, and may be hard to stir, you can use your hands to incorporate the rest of the flour if needed. Be sure not to add too much flour. Then smooth the dough out and cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Leave it in a warm place and let it rise.
6. When your dough is close to raising completely, butter 2 cookie sheets and set them aside.
7. Let the dough raise until it has doubled in size.
8. Cover your working space with flour to prevent the dough from sticking. Dump your dough out and divide it into 4 balls. Eyeball the sizes, then lift them up and feel the weight of each ball. Try to make them even, but they don’t have to be perfect.
9. Using one ball of dough at a time: roll the dough into a circle on a floured counter. Once it is rolled out spread the top with butter from edge to edge. You will use about 2 Tablespoons per circle of dough.
10. Cut the dough into quarters using a pizza cutter.
11. Then cut each quarter into 3 pieces. You should end up with 12 triangles from each circle of dough.
12. Roll the dough starting with the wide end of the triangle
13. Tuck the tail of the triangle under the roll and place it on the buttered cookie sheet. You will make 3 rows, with 8 rolls per row. This will give you 24 rolls per pan. Two balls of dough will fill 1 pan. You will get a total of 48 rolls!
14. Pre-heat your oven to 350 degrees. Place the pans of rolls in a warm place (on top of the oven if possible) to let them rise. Once they are touching and full in size, cook (one pan at a time) in the oven ’till they are golden brown. About 10 – 15 minutes, It may take longer depending on how hot your oven cooks. Keep a close eye on your first pan to get the right time for the second.
15. While they are still hot and fresh out of the oven run a stick of butter over the tops of the rolls for a delicious buttery glaze.

Related articles

• Croissants
• Stuffed Croissants

Slow Cooker Baked Potato Soup

Another Pinterest recipe I found here. I was a big hit and everyone LOVED it!

Baked Potato Soup Ingredients:

• 5 pounds russet potatoes, washed but NOT peeled. Diced into 1/2 inch(ish) cubes
• 1 medium/large yellow onion, diced
• 10 cloves of garlic, minced
• 64 ounces chicken broth
• 16 oz cream cheese, softened
• 1 tablespoon seasoned salt
• (optional garnishes: crumbled bacon, shredded cheese, green onions)

Directions:

1. Add potatoes, onion, garlic, seasoning, and chicken broth to slow cooker.
2. Cook on high for 6 hours or low for 10 hours.
3. Add the softened cream cheese and puree soup in the blender until the cheese is incorporated and about half the soup is blended. (I did half at a time and used my Ninja. Be careful not to over blend. It still tastes good but not as chunky).
4. Stir well, top with your choice of garnishes & enjoy.

(I didn't take a pic but will the next time I make it!)

Homemade Sweet N Sour Chicken

Best sweet n sour chicken I've ever had!

Sauce: (I suggest doubling because everyone always loves extra sweet n sour sauce.)

1 bullion cube
1/2 C Water
3/4 C Brown Sugar
1 tsp. Soy Sauce
1/2 C Vinegar
1/3 C Ketchup

Combine in a medium saucepan and bring to boil and set aside.

Chop 1 lb. chicken breasts in to bite size cubes. Dip chicken in egg, coat with flour and brown in oil.

Place browned chicken in 9x13 pan & pour sauce over chicken.

Cover and bake at 350 for 1 hour.

Serve over white rice.

Biggest Loser Oatmeal Pancakes

I found this recipe on Pinterest here. It is delicious! It's our new staple pancake recipe.



Ingredients:
6 egg whites
1 cup rolled oats, dry
1 cup cottage cheese
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla


Instructions:

In a blender, blend all ingredients until smooth. Heat a griddle or large non-stick skillet over medium-low heat. Spray with non-stick cooking spray. For each pancake pour 1/4 cup of batter onto griddle. Flip when they start to bubble. Cook until golden brown. Repeat with remaining batches, spraying the griddle as needed. Makes about 10 pancakes.

Number of Servings: 3

Nutritional Info Per Serving:
181 Calories, 2.7g Fat, 10mg Cholesterol, 361mg Sodium, 20g Carbs, 2.8g Fiber