Frito Dip

I decided to make this for a fun appetizer for us tonight and am shocked that this is not an entry on my blog.  It is a recipe that I got from one of the ladies in my Bunco Group.  It is easy to make but you need to have a Hawaiian Bread bowl and they are not always easy to find.  I had to use a different one (sourdough) for the one pictured and hope it tastes as good.

Looking forward to pulling this out of the oven and eating it tonight during family game night!  I didn't hallow the bowl out very well and it spilled over.  Glad it put it in the disposable pan :)

Enjoy!


Frito Dip
1 1/2 cups sour cream
1 pkg (8oz) cream cheese, softened
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
5 green onions - chopped
1 4oz) can green chilies - drained

Mix all together. Cut out top of bread bowl and pour mix into bowl.  Wrap in foil and bake at 375 degrees for 1 hour.  Serve with Fritos and cubed bread from the top you removed.

Goodbye 2012 & Hello 2013

I can't believe that I blogged all year and pretty regularly.  I have added a lot of different recipes and some of my favorites to this blog this year. 

I did 3 posts on Freezer Cooking which I tried this year.  One all day event and 2 about my shortcuts which work better for me and my family.  There are still recipes that I haven't added that are some of my favorites which I am going to have to pull out and photograph. 

My photos need some help but I still got over 7000 hits on my site.  That just blows my mind.  Pinterest has done wonders for my blog and some of the recipes that have over 500 hits surprise me.  I guess I should realize that the basics are some peoples favorite things to make and find recipes for.

I had hoped to hit 100 posts but I will take 98 for my first year.

Thanks for making my first year fun.  Looking forward to a great 2013. 

Chicken & Noodles

I found this recipe on Pinterest and decided to try it.  I had all the ingredients and it reminded me of the Chicken Tetrazzini my sister makes.  It was so creamy and my kids really liked it.  I had way more than I should of and it was such a comfort dish which I really needed this month. 

Its been a tough month and with the holidays next week I needed some comfort food. Food has always been a huge comfort for me and why I can't seem to make the scale go down these days.  I LOVE food and trying new things.  I think I am going to focus on eating the good stuff next year but in moderation and see where that gets me :)

Hope you enjoy!!!!

Chicken & Noodles
8oz spaghetti noodles
2 cans cream of chicken soup
1 cup sour cream
2 cups chicken, cooked and cubed
2 Tbl butter
1 small onion, chopped
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Cook Spaghetti according to directions.  Saute onions in butter until clear.  Mix soup and sour cream in a large mixing bowl.  Add onions, chicken and drained noodles.  Mixed until all coated with the soup/sour cream mixture.  Transfer to a greased 9x13 baking dish and cover with cheddar cheese.  Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.  Serve with a salad and rolls. 

Spritz Cookies

I have started on my Christmas baking and I make my favorite cookies 2 ways.  One as the green trees and one as a long skinny S that I dip in chocolate and add nuts or sprinkles too.  These are some of my favorite cookies and I do make them year round just more at the holidays.  I always make a tray of cookies for my neighbor and this year she asked for the recipe.  Always the biggest compliment.   

I have found that the dough needs to be a little chilled to not spread so easily when you use the cookie press.  Plus, not all cookie presses are created equal.  I have tried a lot of them and I use one for the S cookies which is older than I am.  They don't make the star tip on the newer cookie presses any more.  The cheap plastic ones (about $10) I use as long as I can until the break for the trees, hearts or flowers I make throughout the year. 

I think the secret ingredient to these is the Almond Extract.  I gives them the right flavor plus I like them just this side of done.  They are softer and so much better.

Enjoy!


Spritz Cookies
1 cup (2 sticks) butter or margarine, softened
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1 tsp almond extract
2 1/4 c flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
Dash salt

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Cream butter in large bowl.  Add sugar and beat until light and fluffy.  Beat in egg and extract.  Gradually add in dry ingredients.  Using cookie press, make cookies about 1 3/4 inches in diameter onto an unbuttered cookie sheets.  Decorate with sprinkles.  Bake 10 -12 minutes until pale. 

Chicken in Cheese Soup

This recipe my mom gave me from my Aunt who is no longer here with us.  I am so thankful to have a few of her fabulous recipes.  This is such an easy meal and my kids love it.  Plus, you can fix it with a lot of different sides to make it a little different whenever you fix it.  My favorite is mashed potatoes but you could serve it over egg noodles or white rice.  We've had it with all of the above and it's always all gone :)

Chicken in Cheese Soup
1 (3lb) bag of boneless chicken breasts, defrosted

1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can cheddar cheese soup

Cut your chicken into nice size pieces.  I cut mine in half and place in a 9x13 baking dish.  In a small bowl, combine 1/2 of each can of soup.  Place the remaining half in a freezer container, label and toss in the freezer for next time.  (Can be stored up to 3 months).  Spread over top of chicken and cover with aluminum foil.  Bake for 1 hour at 350 degrees.  Serve with potatoes, rice or egg noodles and enjoy!

Jalapeno Dip

I decided to try this for my Bunko group this month and the directions were really broad and my dip was REALLY spicy as a result.  I used the juice from the jalapenos and the green peppers.  It was really spicier than I like.  But I learned to be liberal with spicy stuff and watch how much I add.

It was easy and went together very quickly.  I had everything and served it with my favorite Club Crackers.  Everyone commented on the heat but everyone loves Jalapeno dip and were thrilled to learn I had made it.

Hope you enjoy!




Jalapeno Dip
2 pkgs cream cheese, soft
1 cup mayo
1 4oz can green chilies
1 4oz can jalapenos, drained
1 cup Parmesan cheese

Stir cream cheese and mayo until blended.Stir in chilies, peppers and cheese. Pour mix into pie pan and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Pie

I never make desserts and decided to try on for the Pinterest Craft Night a hosted last week.  It was a lot of fun and we had all kinds of good recipes.  Here is one I found online that takes 4 ingredients and I only used two and it was AMAZING!  My son inhaled it when he arrived.

Hope you enjoy!

Chocolate Chip Cookie Pie
1 roll refrigerated chocolate chip cookie dough
semi sweet chocolate chips
chopped walnuts (optional)
vanilla ice cream

Press half the cookie dough into the bottom of a 9 inch oval casserole dish. Sprinkle a layer of chocolate chips and chopped walnuts over the cookie dough. Crumble the remaining half of cookie dough over top of the chocolate chips. Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 25 minutes, until the top of the cookie pie is turning a golden brown. Allow to cool for about ten minutes, then serve warm with vanilla ice cream.

Grandma Bode's Sugar Cookies turned Christmas

I needed cookies for a cookie exchange at Bunko this week and I decided to try something new.  I took my Grandmother Bode's sugar cookie recipe and adapted it.  They looked great and tasted even better.  I LOVE her sugar cookie recipe and I wanted to dress them up for this exchange.  You roll the cookies in sugar and I rolled them in green/red sugar instead.  They looked lovely.  I added a Hershey's peppermint kiss and they were perfect.

The secret to these is making sure you chill the dough long enough or they spread out easy.  I like to chill mine overnight. 

Hope you enjoy!

 
Grandma Bode's Sugar Cookies turned Christmas
1 cup butter
1 cup vegetable oil
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp cream of tarter
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
4 cups flour
Bag of Hershey's Peppermint Kisses

Cream butter, oil and sugar.  Add eggs and vanilla.  Sift dry ingredients and add to wet ingredients.  Cover and chill several hours.  When chilled, using a teaspoon dip up dough and form into a ball using your hands.  Roll in sugar and place on cookie sheet.  Press flat with the bottom of a glass.  Bake at 350 degrees for 12 minutes.  Remove and add Peppermint Kiss.

I only baked mine about 9-10 minutes.  I like mine very pale.  They brown very easily.

Here is a close up of one on the cooling rack.
 

Bacon Wrapped Smokies

My hubby LOVES this and every time I make them I have to eat them fast or he will eat them all in a blink of an eye.  This time was no exception.  I decided to make some for Saturday night while we put our tree up with some stuff mushrooms as well.  I got them out of the oven, put a couple on my plate and went back about an hour later and they were GONE!  They are super simple and I always keep a package of the little smokies in the freezer just for this reason.

Hope your family lets you enjoy them before they are gone!

Bacon Wrapped Smokies
1 pkg of little smokies
1 lb of bacon
1 cup of brown sugar
toothpicks

Cut strips of bacon into 3 equal pieces.  Take a smokies and place it onto the bacon.  Wrap up and secure with a toothpick.  Place in a 9x13 baking dish close together.  Repeat until all of them are wrapped and dish is full.  Sprinkle 1 cup of brown sugar over top of smokies.  You make think that it's too much but it can NEVER be too much.  Cover with aluminum foil and bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.  Remove foil and enjoy!

3 Cheese Artichoke Dip

I hosted Pinterest craft night last Friday and everyone was to bring something they found on Pinterest to bring to snack on.  I made a appetizer and a dessert.  They were both great and I will easily make them again.  I forgot to grab a photo of each so I am borrowing until I make them again. 

I had everything to make this and it was the perfect warmed up later.

Enjoy!

3 Cheese Artichoke Dip
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 (14 ounces) can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
1 cup mayo
1 (8 ounces) block cream cheese, softened
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

1/2 tsp garlic powder
dash Worcestershire sauce


In a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese with a mixer until smooth. Then beat in the mayo until smooth. Add remaining ingredients and stir together until combined. Transfer the dip to a pie plate or shallow dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 40 minutes until the top is golden brown and the dip is bubbling. Serve hot with crackers or tortilla chips.

Chicken & Rice

This is my oldest daugthers all time favorite.  She keeps telling me all I ever fix is meat or pasta.  I asked her what she wanted for dinner and this is what she asked for.  Its perfect on a crisp fall night when you don't mind turning on the oven to warm up the kitchen.  I made it this time and everyone ate it.  Even my youngest liked the rice.  Hubby is back "off" the "modified Atkins" diet and ate all the rice from the pan.  There was 1/2 a chicken breast left and that was it. 

My photo is horrible because I took it after I dipped it up on every one's plate and their was next to nothing left in the dish.  I will update this with a good one when I ever get a better one.  Guess that is a sign of something yummy.

Chicken & Rice
1/2 bag (3 lb) of boneless skinless chicken breasts, uncooked
1 cup uncooked white minute rice
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 1/3 c water
1 tsp onion powder
pepper to taste
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese


Place rice in a 9x13 baking dish.  Add soup and water and mix well.  Add onion powder and mix.  Place chicken on top of rice and and sprinkle with pepper.  Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes covered.  Uncover and sprinkle cheese on top.  Put back in over long enough to have cheese melt.  Serve with rolls and salad.

Enjoy!

Party Ryes

This is one of the recipes that I have had for years and always forget to make.  They are great for parties but I hate to take them somewhere because I have to bake them on site.  Its great for holiday parties where you know the oven is going to be on and you can just turn up the heat for these and your done. 

These are also known as "Toasty Squares".  Friends from Pennsylvania nicknamed them at a party and we have called them that forever.  My father in law loves these because they have no sour cream or cream cheese in it.  Just meat and cheese on bread or so he thinks :)

Enjoy!

Party Rye's
1 loaf of party rye bread (buy mine in at the deli counter)
1 lb sausage, browned and drained
1 lb hamburger, browned and drained
3/4 lb Velveeta, cubed
1 tsp onion powder


Combine meat together in a large mixing bowl.  Add spices and combine. Melt cheese in microwave until runny.  Pour over meat and mix until combined.  Using a tablespoon slather meat/cheese mix onto a slice of rye bread.  Place onto cookie sheet.  Broil in oven for 8 minutes or until brown.  Serve hot.

You can make party rye's ahead, store in an airtight container between sheets of wax paper and freeze.  Pop them out of place frozen on the cookie sheet but add an extra 2 minutes to broil time.  You will know when they are brown that they are ready to eat :)

Stuffed Mushrooms

My mother-in-law asked me to bring appetizers for Thanksgiving this year.  My hubby's family was doing soup and appetizers the day after Thanksgiving and everyone really likes it.  She asked me specifically for my stuffed mushrooms and "toasty squares".  Both are super easy and easily transportable which I like even better :)  I grabbed everything I needed and put it in the cooler to make the trip home and realized I forgot the sausage which is one of the 4 ingredients for this recipe.  Kind of important.  Luckily my sister had 2 rolls in her freezer and I could pull it out to defrost.

These are so easy to make and only have 4 ingredients how can you go wrong with that!

Hope you enjoy!

Stuffed Mushrooms
1 large pkg of fresh mushrooms
1 4oz pkg cream cheese, softened
1 lb sausage, browned and drained
1 cube beef bouillon

Mix sausage and cream cheese until combined.  Wash mushrooms and remove stems from caps.  Be careful you don't break the caps removing the stems.  Stuff caps with sausage/cream cheese mix and place in a 9x13 baking dish.  Add bouillon cube to one cup hot water and let dissolve.  Once dissolved, pour into pan without hitting mushrooms so they have a nice wet base to sit in.  Place under broiler within your oven for about 8 minutes or starting to brown. 

Oven Roasted Potatoes

I found this fabulous recipe on Pinterest here and decided to try it on my family.  EVERYONE loved it.  I wish I had made more because I wanted more than what I got.  I did add a little cheese to the original recipe and it was just what it needed to really make it even better.  I will gladly make a double batch next time :)  Hope you enjoy!

Oven Roasted Potatoes

I forgot to take a photo of my dish!

2lbs of potatoes, peeled and sliced
3 Tbl olive oil
1 pkg dry onion soup mix
1/2 c shredded parmesan cheese

Place potatos in a 9x13 baking dish and pour olive oil over top.  Stir to coat all of the potatoes.  Sprinkle the soup mix over top and stir to coat them as well.  Sprinkle with cheese and make for 40 minutes at 450 degrees.  They will look a little burnt but that is what gives them that extra something. 

Turkey Day Treats

I found these guys on Pinterest and had to try them.  The directions were not very specific and I learned a lot from my first try.  Lauren LOVED helping me make these and they were super easy and yummy.  I wish I had greased my cookie sheet or used my baking stone because they were a little burnt on the bottom.

Turkey Day Treats
1 tube of cinnamon rolls
1 tube of biscuits
chocolate chips
colored sugar & sprinkles

Grease cookie sheets and place 4 cinnamon rolls per tray spaced plenty apart.  Cut 2 biscuits in 4ths and place one triangle per cinnamon roll.  Take remaining biscuits and cut in 3rds.  Coat 3 sides with sprinkles or colored sugar.  Do NOT roll in sugar; will burn on the bottom.  Tuck underneath cinnamon rolls.  Place chocolate chips for eyes and bake according to the cinnamon roll package directions.  (11-12 minutes at 400 degrees)

Fiesta Soup

My dear friend had this soup for us on Halloween and I immediately asked for the recipe.  It was the perfect soup on a cold, fall night to warm you up.  I normally don't like corn in soups, always reminds me of veggie soup which I am not too fond of.  But this was wonderful.  I made it for hubby and I on Saturday night and had enough to warm up for lunch today. 

I had everything in the house for this recipe which is always a plus for me.  I am forever planning on making something only to find that I am missing one ingredient when I start.  My hubby is always running to Jewel to pick up some ingredient for supper.

Hope you enjoy and Thanks Amy!!!

Fiesta Soup
1 lb Velveeta cheese, cubed
1 lb ground beef, cooked & drained
1 can (15 1/4oz) whole kernel corn, with liquid
1 can (14.5oz) diced tomatoes with green chilies, with liquid
1 can (14.5oz) diced tomatoes, with liquid
1 envelope taco seasoning

Combine all ingredients into greased 4 1/2 - 6 quart slow cooker.  Cover and cook on high for 3 hours or low for 4-5 hours.

Serve with corn chips.

Cheesy Mostacioli

I made one of my favorite meals last night and it's something my kids love.  I have frozen this before and thrown it in my freezer for a short notice dinner.  Plus, I have delivered this many times to friends needing dinner recovering from surgery or when a new baby arrives.  It is one of my stand bys and I can't believe I haven't put this up on this blog yet. 

Kyle can never remember what a meal is when I say its name.  "Do I like this?" was the response I got last night.  He had 3 helpings so I have to say I think that he does.  I had everything in the house to make this and it takes no time at all to throw together.

We served it with biscuits and a salad.  It was perfect for the one night we are home this week for me to cook. 

Cheesy Mostaccioli

1 box mostacolli noodles, cooked & drained
1 jar of spaghetti sauce
2 cups mozzarella cheese
1 lb hamburger, browned & drained

Mix all together but 1 cup cheese in a large bowl and pour into a 9x13 baking dish.  Cover with remaining cup of cheese.  Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

 

Hot Onion Dip

I needed something to take to a tailgating party and I search my recipes and found this super easy one to throw together. I wanted to take something hot because we were at someone's house and knew I could put it in a crockpot if I needed to.  I had everything at home and had it in the oven in about 5 minutes.  I was nervous taking it to a big gathering but everyone raved about it.  It smelled AMAZING and had a great flavor.   As you can tell from the photo, someone got to the dip before I had a chance to get my photo.  It came out of the oven with the most amazing crusty top.   
 
 

Hot Onion Dip

2 (8oz) pkg of cream cheese, soft
1/2 cup mayo
2 cups shredded parmesan cheese
1 onion chopped
1 tsp garlic powder
 
Combine all ingredients until well combined.  Place in a greased oven safe pan and bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes.  Serve with chips or crackers.

Baked Sweet and Sour Chicken

I found this recipe a few weeks ago and thought it might be something that my kiddos might like.  Plus, there is hardly any breading so maybe hubby will eat it too.  I used the entire bag of frozen chicken tenders that I had and chunked them up.  I doubled the eggs and cornstarch so that I had plenty to cover the chicken in.  But, I didn't do a great job browning it.  I put it in my largest skillet and realized I should have used the chicken fryer.  Plus, I added the vegetable oil after all the chicken was in the skillet and I should have done it first.  But other than all that, it turned out pretty good.  Hubby of course peeled off all the skin but Morgan and Kyle inhaled it.  Lauren had a couple pieces so for me it was a success.  I served it over rice and it was great the next day for lunch. 

I had never battered anything before and my hands were a mess from the cornstarch/egg mix but it was easy and turned out really yummy.

Baked Sweet and Sour Chicken
                                                                     Sauce

3-4 boneless chicken breasts                           3/4 cup sugar

salt & pepper to taste                                     4 tbl ketchup
1 cup cornstarch                                            1/2 c white vinegar
2 eggs, beaten                                               1 tbl soy sauce
1/4 cup vegetable oil                                      1 tsp garlic salt

 Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Rinse your chicken breasts in water and then cut into cubes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Dip chicken into the cornstarch to coat then dip into the eggs. Heat your 1/4 cup oil in a large skillet and cook your chicken until browned but not cooked through. Place the chicken in a 9x13 greased baking dish. Mix all of your sweet and sour sauce ingredients in a bowl with a whisk and then pour evenly over the chicken. Bake for one hour but turn chicken every 15 minutes.  Serve with rice.

 

 

 

Twice Baked Potato Casserole

I had pinned this weeks ago and finally had a chance to try it.  I found it here on Six Sisters Stuff which is a great site that has lots of wonderful recipes.  But I removed a couple ingredients of things we don't like or I didn't have. They were great and even better today warmed up for lunch.  They went perfectly with the ribs we had.

Twice Baked Potato Casserole
6 large russet potatoes
5 slices of bacon
8 oz cream cheese
1/2 cup margarine, melted
1 cup sour cream
2 cups grated cheddar cheese
salt & pepper to taste.

Peel potatoes and cut into chunks.  Cook in a large saucepan full of boiling water for about 25 minutes like you make mashed potatoes.  Drain and return to pan.  Cook bacon until crisp.  (I cook my in microwave for 5 minutes) Let cool and crumble up.  Mash the potatoes until fluffy.  Add cream cheese, melted butter and sour cream.  Stir until well combined.  Add 1.5 cups cheddar cheese, 2/3 bacon and salt and pepper.  Stir until mixed well.  Transfer to a greased baking dish.  Top with remaining cheese and bacon.  Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.  Serve immediately.

Cinnamon Sugar "Pie "

I remembered my mom making this as a kid but she would use homemade pie crust dough.  I am not much of a baker and pie crust is way out of my depth.  But I saw the refriderated pie crusts in the grocery store the other day and I wanted to try it with my kids.  It was super easy and my youngest would have eaten all of it if I had let her.  But of course I wanted some too.  Turned out perfect and I will be buying the pie crusts again as a special treat.

Cinnamon Sugar "Pie"

Refrigerator pie crust

Sugar

Cinnamon

 

Unroll pie crust on a greased cookie sheet or pizza pan.  Sprinkle sugar to cover the crust.  Top with Cinnamon, as much as you like.  Bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes.  Cut with a pizza cutter and enjoy!!!

 

Buffalo Chicken Tortillas

We've have some friends that invited us to tailgate with them before the high school football last weekend.  I wanted to find something easy to make, didn't need to stay warm to be good and everyone would like.  I had found this recipe online and had to try it.  I had some of the hot sauce left over from the Red Hot Chicken Dip I made a while back.  I made them the night before and cut them right before we needed to leave.  I found my football tray to put them in and they turned out great.  I had nothing left to bring home but an empty tray.  So they must have been yummy!

Buffalo Chicken Tortillas
8 Tortillas
1 can (5 oz) white chicken chunks, shredded
1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese
2 packages of  cream cheese
1/2 cup of Frank's Hot Sauce 

Combine cheddar cheese and cream cheese until creamy. Add hot sauce and mix well. Mix in chicken.  Spread onto Tortillas evenly. Roll up tight and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate and slice after at least 1 hour. Eat the ends.

Fast and Easy Breakfast Casserole

I wanted to throw a quick breakfast together for my kids that wasn't cinnamon rolls from the can or frozen waffles.  I have several breakfast casserole recipes but all of the sausage that I have on hand is the roll kind that I keep in the freezer.  I have to be thinking ahead to get it out and defrosted so I can use it.  I realized that we did have frozen sausage patties that you cook in the microwave.  We have them on hand for my son to make homemade "bagel sausages" as he calls them.  I will have to do a post on them the next time he makes one.  So, here is my adaption of using frozen sausage patties in my casserole.

 

I cooked them according to the directions (3 at a time on the plate) and drained them on a paper towe.  Then I cut them up into bit size pieces and added them to my casserole vs using my sausage roll defrosted and browned.  It saved me a lot of time and it was so easy to throw together. 



 

Hope you enjoy!

 

 

 

Fast and Easy Breakfast Casserole

6 frozen sausage patties

6 eggs

1 cup cheddar cheese

1 cup milk

1 pkg cresent rolls

pepper to taste

Unroll cresent rolls into a 9x13 baking dish.  Press seams to seal and fill the entire bottom of the dish.  Cook sausage patties according to directions and cut up into bite size pieces.  Sprinkle on top of cresent rolls.  Mix milk and eggs in a bowl and add pepper to taste.  Pour on top of sausage and cover with cheese.  Bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes. 

Red Hot Chicken Dip

My brother in law and sister in law brought this to a cookout last weekend.  It was wonderful and I had to have the recipe.  My brother in law told me its from the Frank's Red Hot Sauce bottle.  So, I found it at the store and bought whatever else I didn't have on hand.  They had served it in the crock pot so I put it in there while I was fixing the other items for dinner.  I think I ate most of it that night, but put some in a container for lunch the next day.  It was just as good heated up the next day for lunch.  

Enjoy!

Red Hot Chicken Dip
1 pkg (8oz) cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup blue cheese dressing
1/2 cup Frank's Red Hot sauce
1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese
1 can chicken chunks, drained

Place in crock pot and mix together.  Put on low for 1 hour and serve with tortilla chips.

OR

Stir cream cheese until smooth.  Add salad dressing, hot sauce and cheese.  Mix until combined.  Add chicken and put into baking dish.  Bake 20 minutes at 350 degrees.

I used the crock pot and my cream cheese was still pretty solid.  Watch it in the crock pot, it can burn easily. 

Here is the link to the original recipe from Franks.

Broccolli Rice Casserole

This has been a staple for every family event we've had forever!  It is my favorite and I realized last night that I haven't fixed it in ages.  My son loves it but my girls really don't like it.  My husband and I ate enough for all of them.  It is super easy to make and I always have the ingredients on hand.  This is perfect for a potluck or family event.




Broccoli Rice Casserole

1 jar cheese whiz
1 cup rice, cooked
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 bag of frozen broccoli, cooked



Cook broccoli according to package directions.  Cook Rice according to package directions.  Mix all 4 ingredients together and pour into a greased 9x13 baking dish.  Cook for 45 minutes at 350 degrees or until bubbly.

Chicken Spaghetti

I have wanted to try this recipe multiple times but it has never worked out.  Finally hubby has figured out that the "modified atkins" is really not the way to go.  Eat less, exercise and eat a more well rounded diet is the way to go.  So, I am able to try more things.  My 4 year old thought this sounded great but was not happy to see it on her plate.  All of my children ate their "no thank you" allotments and that was it.  We have instituted the rule you eat xx of bites based on your age.  4 year old - 4 bites, 8 year old - 8 bites.  My 11 year old was not happy but she ate her 11 bites and then grabbed a yogurt. 

Hubby and I really liked this.  The rotel gives it a kick.  But I think I will drain part of it away and not pour it all in.  Hubby isn't too big on spicy and this was a little too much for him.  I used fettuccine vs angel hair pasta and it was great.  All the cheesy goodness clung to those bigger noodles.  I put the remaining into containers and I am looking forward to eating mine for lunch today!

Chicken Spaghetti

8 oz pasta
2 cups chicken, cooked and chopped
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can rotel (diced tomatoes and green chiles), undrained
8 oz sour cream
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Boil pasta as package directs and drain.  Mix all ingredients (except cheese), add to cooked pasta and put into a greased 9x13 pan.  Cover with foil and bake 30 minutes or until hot and bubbly.  Sprinkle with cheese and return to oven to melt (about 5 more minutes).

Serve with salad and garlic bread.

Bacon, Chicken & Rice Bake

Here is a recipe that I wanted to try but I don't think it turned out that great.  I have tried alot of recipes that I have found on Pinterest and they don't always live up to their recipe or photo.  I followed the directions and didn't add all the milk and it was still soupy.  I need to lower the chicken stock I think more next time and add more rice than it calls for.  It tasted WONDERFUL but was a little more runny than I would have liked.  The rice just didn't soak up as much of the liquid as I thought it should. 

I wanted to add this even though it didn't turn out like I expected.  That way you realize that cooking isn't always about perfect recipes.  There have been some real duds in my years of cooking.  My hubby braves them well and I throw the recipe out after if it was truly awful.  I have only done that once and it keeps my recipe box cleaned out :)

All ready to eat!

Bacon, Chicken and Rice Bake
4 tablespoons butter
1 medium onion , chopped (about 1 cup)
2 tsp garlic salt
1 tsp seasoning salt
1 tsp salt
½ tsp black pepper
4 tbl flour
3 ½ cups chicken stock
3 ½ cups milk
1 ½ cups uncooked long-grain rice
3 cups cooked chicken , cubed
2 cups cheddar cheese , shredded
1/2 cup cooked crumbled bacon




Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat and cook onions until translucent. Add garlic, seasoned salt, and pepper. Add flour and mix well. Cook until starting to color. Stir milk and stock into flour mixture.Turn heat to medium high and add one cup cheese and continue to whisk as mixture comes to a simmer. Taste and adjust seasoning. Add rice and lower heat to medium low. Cook until the rice absorbs most of the liquid and is tender, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Add chicken and bacon to the rice and sauce mixture. Pour mixture into a 9 x 13 inch casserole. Sprinkle remaining cup of shredded cheddar on top of the casserole. Place in oven and cook for 20 to 25 minutes or until cheese is melted and casserole is bubbling.

 

Let me know if you find a way to make it less soupy for you.  I would love to figure this out.  When I make it again with some more adjustments, I will update this post.

Freezer Bacon

I finally had to use the bacon that I had precooked in the oven and froze the other day for an appetizer that I had made.  It came out perfectly.  I pulled the bacon from the freezer and thawed it for an hour in the fridge.  It looked like bacon I had just cooked.  Plus it was easier to chop and add to my recipe.  I didn't use all of the bacon and threw it into the fridge.  My daughter found it the next day and warmed it up in the microwave and had it for breakfast.  She said it tasted wonderful.

I will be cooking it again in the oven and freezing some more.  What an easy way to use up the bacon before it goes bad in the fridge.  How many times do you cook up bacon but not the entire package and put it back in the fridge.  I am going to cook the entire bag from now on and freeze it. 

Here is the link to the directions on how to cook the bacon in the oven and the link to my Breakfast OAMC post about how I froze the bacon. 

Enjoy!

Bacon Frito Dip

I was asked to bring appetizers to a cookout with old daycare families and I thought I would try something new.  I had found this and wanted to see how it tasted.  One thing I have learned lately is that adding more bacon than a recipe calls for is not always a good thing.  More bacon gives things a hickory taste and sometimes it is a little overpowering.  Just remember, everything with Bacon is better just don't put in more than called for in recipes :)



Bacon Frito Dip
16 oz sour cream
1 pkg ranch dip mix
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 cup bacon bits

Mix well, chill for one hour and serve with Fritos

Sour Cream Chicken Enchiladas

My 4th meal last week was this fabulous recipe that I found that the picture just made me hungry.  I had everything in my pantry, fridge or freezer and it was super easy to throw together.  I made it when I got home from work and threw it into the fridge to put in after we got home from football and cross country practice.  My hubby used a "little" more cheese on the top than it asks for.  But who could blame him.  Cheese makes most things just that much better.

I have several enchilada recipes in my collection but this one has to be my favorite.  The salsa really gives it just the right punch.  Plus, there is no cooking on the stove before hand.  You mix it together and fill tortillas.  Right up my alley.

Hope you enjoy.  My photo isn't anywhere near the one I found online but it tastes really good :)

My family started dinner before I could get a good photo

Sour Cream Chicken Enchiladas
2 cups cooked chicken - diced
1(10 3/4oz) cream of chicken soup
3 oz cream cheese, soft
1/2 c sour cream
1 c salsa
8 flour tortillas
1/2 c cheddar cheese
1 tomato chopped (garnish)

Mix soup, cream cheese, sour cream and salsa.  In a separate bowl, mix chicken, cheese and 1 cup of salsa mixture.  Place 3 tbl of chicken mix in each tortilla.  Roll up and place seam side down in a greased 9x13 casserole dish.  Pour remaining salsa over filled tortillas.  Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.  Top with cheddar cheese (how every much you like) and return to oven for 5 minutes.  Top with tomato and a little sour cream.

More OAMC Cooking

I did some more Once A Month Cooking today.  I keep calling it OAMC but I don't do it once a month for a full day.  I do it for a couple hours whenever it fits in our schedule.  Today happened to be one of them. 

School starts in a week and I wanted to get some more banana bread made and muffins done for the freezer.  It makes mornings so much easier if I have something I can pull out that is homemade for my kids.  It makes me feel better when I know they have good, heathly choices in the morning and not sugary cereal or poptarts every morning.  I try to even that out by having other options for them.  But it can be hard to stay ahead of it. 

Banana Bread, muffins & precooked bacon

I made 2 packages of blueberry and chocolate chip muffins to pop in the freezer.  That way I can defrost as many as I need or the entire container at once. 

I also made 2 loaves of banana bread using my sisters recipe.  You can find it by clicking here. I had banana's going brown on the counter and I hate to throw them out.

I also tried something completely different this month.  I had found a pin to walk me through cooking bacon in the oven.  It was super easy.  I folded the cooled bacon in half and stored them in a freezer bag.  I am going to see how they turn out next week.  I have lots of recipes that call for crumbled bacon and I hate using bacon bits.  We shall see if my experiement works.  I will pull it out and defrost it as I need it.  Look for a post on that sometime soon. 

Here are the steps to cook bacon in the oven:
Line a cookie sheet with foil.  Lay bacon on foil touching buy not overlapping.  Set oven to 400 degrees and pop bacon in for 15-17 minutes.  (You do NOT need to preheat the oven)  Cook longer if you like really crisp bacon.  Remove bacon and drain on paper towels.  Once cool, use the paper towels to soak up grease on foil and discard.

Applesauce Pork Loin

Meal 3 of the week was a huge hit with most of the crew.  Just wish my hubby would have made it home before 9:30pm to enjoy it right out of the oven :)  I have really enjoyed the recipes I planned for the week and trying something new every night.  My kids have really branched out and told me what they like and don't like. 

This was so easy to make and really tender.  I had a pork loin in the freezer that I pulled out on Monday so it was ready to go on Wednesday night after work.  It was 4lbs with a bone in and I added an additional hour to the cook time and it was really worth it.  My son and daughter both told me it was DELICIOUS!  My little one refues anything that isn't shaped like a chicken nugget or noodle.  But she did have 2 "No Thank You" bites and liked it. 

I served it with scalloped potatos (from a box) because that is what I had, a veggie and rolls.  It was very moist and tender.

Editor will not allow me to rotate my photo.

Hope you enjoy it as much as my family did.

Applesauce Pork Loin
1 pork loin (3lbs)
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
2 tbl veg oil
1 cup applesauce
3 tbl dijon mustard
1 tbl honey

Sprinkle roast with salt and pepper.  Brown roast on all sides in oil.  Place in roasting pan. 
Combine remaining 3 ingredients and spread over roast.  Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 1 hour to 1 1/2 hours.  Let stand 10 minutes before slicing.

* I added an additional hour to my bake time for my additional pound.

Crock Pot Chicken Tacos

This is the 2nd meal of my new meal a night challenge this week.  It was super easy but I tried to make it harder.  I didn't realize that the chicken I had planned to use was with rib meat.  Slightly problematic.  Had to cut the breasts off the bone before putting them in the crock pot but we survived.  I only found one bone in my chicken when I ate it.  I also should have shredded the chicken sooner but wasn't home as soon as I wanted to be.  Eating at 8pm is not great but we all sit down together then so I will take it :)  So, mine looks a little soupy.  The taste was great!

Hope you enjoy it as much as I did. 

Crock Pot Chicken Tacos
6 frozen chicken breasts
1 can chicken or turkey gravy
1 can chicken broth
1 pkg ranch dressing mix
1 pkg taco seasoning.

Place FROZEN chicken in crock pot.  Add seasonings, broth and gravy to crock pot.  Cook on high for 3-4 hours.  Shred chicken put back in crock pot and cook another 45 minutes.

Serve on tortillas with sour cream, tomato's, cheese and lettuce.

I had some left over and I plan on making chicken enchiladas with it and putting them in the freezer for another meal!!!

Blog Update

I haven't really posted alot to my blog lately and I have been trying to figure out why that is.  Besides being super busy, I haven't cooked a whole lot of new things lately.  I have been making a lot of what is already on here because my family really likes it or I forget to take a photo of whatever it was I made.  By the time I remember, it's all gone or whatever photo I could get would be terrible.  My photos are not always the best but it can be really hard to get a photo of some of the things I make.  Plus we have traveled alot this summer.  Not any huge vacation, but a couple weekend trips to keep us busy - Wisconsin Dells, St Louis, Lake of the Ozarks, home to Quincy.

My family enjoying the Magic House in St Louis last month

I have been doing more freezer cooking and that is really going well.  I have found what works for me and makes me happy.  I would love to find the time to do the day long marathon, but that doesn't work for my family.  I make a few things when I have an hour and it restocks my freezer.  I have chicken cooked and cubed in the freezer but I need to buy another bag of chicken and do it again this week.  I plan on using all that is currently in my freezer in meals this week.

I have also meal planned this week for the first time ever.  OK.  I guess I should say I am planning on making 5 new meals I have never made before this week.  I plan meals when I grocery shop - hamburgers, brats, pork chops, barbecue beef, spaghetti.  But I am making 5 new things I found on pinterest this week.  I had all but 2 things in my pantry, freezer or fridge to make them all.  Now that makes me happy. 

My kids are tired of hamburgers and brats.  Me too, but it's so easy to hand my hubby a platter of meat and ask him to cook it on the grill.  Weeks and weeks of over 100 degree days does not make me want to turn on my oven at all.  So, I planned for the week.  We shall see how it goes.

Thanks for reading and hopefully you find some recipes on here that you can use to make your life easier.  I LOVE to cook and try new recipes.  So, I plan to keep on working on this more and have more things for you to try too!