Easy Enchilada Casserole

Ingredients:

1 can green enchilada sauce
1 small (2.25 oz) can sliced olives
Mexican cheese
regular sized tortillas (4)
1 package chicken breast tenders or equivalent

Directions:

Cook chicken in small skillet with garlic, onion, and black pepper to taste. Once mostly cooked, cut into small pieces.
Lower heat to Low and add in sauce, olives, and afew handfuls of cheese.
Cook for another 3-5 minutes
In 9 inch casserole dish layer: tortilla, chicken mixture, cheese. Repeat for three layers. Top with a tortilla. A little bit of melted butter or residue sauce on top will help it not burn.
Cook uncovered at 350 for 18 minutes. Allow to rest. Cut and enjoy!

Pot Roast!

I made my first pot roast yesterday.
I was nervous... and I totally adapted a recipe.... but it was a hit and I will totally do it again!

Ingredients:

8 red potatoes
1 small bag baby carrots
1 can cream of mushroom soup

1 can cream of celery soup
1 packet dry onion soup mix
2 Chuck Roasts... both around 1.5 pounds.
Garlic power, minced onions, salt, pepper.

Directions:
Cut potatoes into fourths.
Line bottom of crock pot with potatoes.
Add meat layer.

Mix cream of mushroom soup and dry onion soup mix with spices, layer mixture over meat.

Add layer of carrots.
Spoon cream of celery soup on top.

Cook
On High for one hour
On Low for 7 hours
On High for last hour.

Enjoy!

Notes: Next time I will add onions and celery.
I will also make some egg noodles to serve under it as a way of mopping up the gravy. I might even pull out the meat and slice it before serving... it was a little hard for my guests to pull out the "right" ammount of meat per serving.

All in al though, a valiant first attempt!

Tuna Pasta Salad

It’s a hit… Baby E’s favorite thing right now.

Ingredients:

16oz (1 box) spiral noodles

2 (6 oz) cans of tuna

1 (6oz) can of peas

1 package dry ranch dressing mix

1 cup mayonnaise

½ cup milk

Can of black olives

Pepper to taste

Directions

Cook pasta, drain, rinse in cold water

Mix tuna and peas into the pasta

Mix dressing, milk, and mayo together and then add to pasta. Toss with olives.

Chill before serving.

Banana Bread

My banana bread recipe... which Matthew claims is the best banana bread he has ever had.

He might be biased, but I'll take the praise!



Ingredients:

1/3 cup applesauce (unsweetened)
1/4 cup spread margarine
1 and 1/2 cup all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup white sugar
3 small ripe bananas. Mine had been dropped on the floor by a seven month old, so they were not just ripe, but a tad bruised as well.
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/3 cup chopped pecans

Directions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Lightly grease a regular bread loaf pan.

In a large bowl, cream the applesauce, margarine  and sugar. Add vanilla. Sift in the flour, baking soda and salt. Blend in the mashed bananas. Stir in the pecan pieces. Pour batter into prepared pan. (I used a medium spatuala to do the mixing and smooshing etc)

Bake in preheated oven for 60 minutes, or until it tests done with a toothpick. It was almost exactly 60 mins for me

Cool in pan for 10 mins, then transfer to wire rack and cool upside down.

It is dense and sweet and oh so yummy!

Things to try.....

Since Pinterest is evil and hates me and won't let me log in, reset my password, or contact customer support... (AGH!!!!)

I am going to list a few links here of things I want to try to make/cook.

Blarg.

Home Made Pretzels 

Chicken Pot Pie Cupcakes

Dressed Up Chicken (crock pot style)

Bacon Chicken Alfredo 

Turkey stuffed bell peppers

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

A favorite! 

Ingredients

1 and ½  cups packed brown sugar

1 cup butter or margarine, softened

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 egg

2 cups quick-cooking oats

1 and ½ cups Gold Medal® all-purpose or unbleached flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

¼ teaspoon salt

1 package semisweet chocolate chips (12 oz)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350.

Mix brown sugar and butter until smooth. I like to nuke my butter sticks in the microwave for thirty seconds and then add the big ol’ block of packed brown sugar.

Once it is smooth, add in the vanilla and the egg and mix again.

Next comes the salt and baking soda.

And now the oats!

And now the flour!

And now the chocolate chips!

Roll dough into little balls and place on ungreased cooking sheet.

Bake for 10 minutes

Allow to cool on sheet for 5 minutes before moving to wire rack.

Notes:

·        

I use a fork to do all the mixing until the end, then a spatula works perfectly.

Again, 30 seconds for the two sticks of butter to soften it up… I usually have it out during the brown sugar packing part of the process too… and when I pack the brown sugar, I mean I pack it full and tight.

This recipe makes 58 cookies, although this number varies due to cookie size.

Best Hot Cocoa EVER

Made in the crock pot, served at a recent holiday party... devoured and applauded by all....

Ingredients
2 cups heavy whipping cream
1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk
2 cups chocolate chips (I used milk chocolate)
a packet of instant hot cocoa mix
6 cups milk (I used 2%)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions:
Pour all ingredients into crock pot.
Turn on crock pot
Wait.

Enjoy!

(I ran mine on high for an hour then turned it to low... the pot was empty soon thereafter.)

Oh, and a great addition to this bit of heaven? A Marshmallow Accompaniment! (pictured)

Marshmallow Accompaniments

These things are great.... plop one in your coffee, plop one in your cup of hot cocoa... plop one in your milk... plop one in your mouth! So many options!

Ingredients:
Marshmallows (as many as you want)
1 package (4oz) chocolate bark (any flavor but I recommend plain chocolate)
5 candy canes

The measurements are all really based on how many you want to make.

Grind the candy canes up in your food processor (magic bullet for the win!) so that you have a peppermint powder









Melt the chocolate.

(Break it into pieces, place in microwavable bowl, heat on high for 30 seconds, stir -I use a plastic chop stick to stir- repeat until the chocolate is creamy... You can also use the little kits but buying the chocolate is usually cheaper and works just as well.)




Stick toothpicks into the marshmallows, dip in the chocolate, swipe through the peppermint powder and place on wax paper on a cookie sheet, plate or lasagna pan (9 by 13).

Refrigerate at least an hour - better if overnight-.

Done!

Now plop away!!!

Peppermint Sugar Cookies

These cookies come out with just a lovely peppermint glaze on top... a tid bit of peppermint to go along with your cookie! What's not to love?

Ok... so you can either buy a bag of sugar cookie dough mix at the store or use my sugar cookie recipe .. (just don't add in the sprinkles).

Either way you will have sugar cookie dough.

Grind up candy canes in your food processor (hooray for the Magic Bullet!).

Pinch the dough out to form little one inch balls and roll them through the peppermint powder.
Bake as normal!


Now... wasn't that simple?

And delicious!

Oreo Balls of Awesome!

Oreo Balls of Awesome

There are so many variations that can be done with these, but I am going to discuss the basic approach first.

To make the balls themselves…

Ingredients

1 package regular oreos (resist the urge to buy double stuffed etc)

1 package cream cheese

don't do this.

Crush the oreos and mix with softened cream cheese.

Note: At first I used a rolling pin to crush the oreos… this made a mess and was totally the wrong thing to do. Thankfully, I remembered that I own a Magic NBullet (keep your naughty thoughts to yourself, it is a food processor thing) and thus I was able to carry on properly.

Once the cookies and the cream cheese have become one, pinch out a bit at a time, roll them into little balls and set on wax paper. I laid my wax paper in an aluminum baking sheet (lasagna 9 by 13) which worked perfectly.

Pop in the fridge for around 20 minutes

Stick a toothpick into each ball, put back into the fridge… for at least an hour, preferably over night.

Now it is time for the toppings! Again I am going to discuss the basic approach first.

Melt one package (4oz) of chocolate bark in a microwave bowl.

Break it up into pieces, warm on high for 30 seconds, stir, repeat. It took me three times before the chocolate is all nice and melty.

Pick up the ball by the toothpick, swipe it through the melted chocolate and place on new wa paper.

Back in the fridge for at least an hour!

Ok… now to make it fun….

I crushed candy canes in the Magic Bullet (food processor) into a fine peppermint powder. I used this in one batch by mixing it with the cookies and the cream cheese so that the balls were already a bit peppermint flavored. Another time I swiped the balls through the powder after the chocolate for a crusty peppermint coating. (This was by far the favorite.) You can also use mint oeros, flavored oreos, and of course different flavors of bark… The possibilities are endless!

Whatever you do to make the balls your own, you won’t regret the bit of prep time entailed…. These treats and so darn yummy they are dangerous. (The sticks can be removed prior to serving if you wish…. Makes transport easier too!)

M&M Christmas Cookies

These are pretty much chocolate chip cookies with red and green M&Ms instead of chocolate chips.
But… but I have the best chocolate chip cookie recipe and therefore here goes!

(I have no photos because I totally forgot to take any. Also, these cookies tend to disapear very quickly.)

Ingredients

1 cup butter (softened)
1 cup white sugar
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons hot water
½ teaspoon salt
1 bag holiday red and green M&Ms


Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
2. Cream together the butter, white sugar, and brown sugar until smooth.
3. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla.
4. Dissolve baking soda in hot water.
5. Add to batter along with salt.
6. Stir in flour,
7. Add M&Ms.
8. Roll into small inch balls and place on greased cookie sheets
9. Bake for about 10 minutes in the preheated oven, or until edges are nicely browned.


These cookies are always a hit… and this recipe can be doubled very easily… just make sure you are using a bowl big enough for 6 cups of flour plus everything else.

Kay’s Joyful Sugar Cookies!

There is a bit of prep work to these.... but I find that it is worth it.

 Yes, you can buy the bag of sugar cookie mix that just needs water or oil or whatnot.... but I promise you that these taste better.

Ingredients:

1 cup butter softened (not melted)
1 cup white sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
Dash of nutmeg
¼ cup milk
Red and Green Sprinkles!



Directions:

In large bowl beat softened butter with electric mixer on medium until mostly creamy.
Add sugar and blend.
Add vanilla and egg and blend until smooth

In another bowl combine flour, baking powder, and dash of nutmeg (I used 2 shakes)

Pour half flour mixture into butter mixture
Add milk
Stir in the rest of the flour mixture

Mix well, the dough will be thick and sticky.

Here’s where it gets fun.

Scoop out half the dough and place in the bowl you had used for the flour etc.


Pour green sprinkles into dough ball one and red sprinkles into dough ball two… mix each dough ball well (I use a spatula).

Once mixed separate each dough ball into two to three mounds or logs or clumps… whatever you want to call ‘em. Place these in foil lined baking pan (lasagna sized 9 by 13) or casserole dish.

Cover the dish with plastic wrap and pop in the fridge overnight.

The next day….

Roll each mound of dough into a small snake like log and then use a sharp knife to cut into , err slices. You may need to re-roll the dough and pat it down at the ends to make it the right shape.

I make small cookies because I like them tiny and crispy.

Bake on greased sheets for 8 minutes (longer if you have thick slices), cool for 4 minutes then transfer to wire rack.

If you make ‘em small like in the photos, you will end up with around 80 cookies.

Potatoes Au Gratin?

Potatoes Au Gratin (Easy!) 

Some people say that if you don't make thing by scratch then you are a dirty rotten cheater.

I'm ok with that

Because life is short and if it tastes good when it is done, well I say huzzah and let's eat!

On that note, here is my easy "cheater" recipe for potatoes au gratin.

1 package of frozen hash browns (1.5 – 2 pounds)

1 can condensed cream of celery soup

1 can condensed cream of potato soup

1 package of sour cream (8 oz)

1 and ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese

Garlic Salt, Salt, and Pepper to taste



Directions:

Preheat Oven to 300

Cover bottom of pan (9 by 13 casserole dish) with frozen hash browns

Mix soups and sour cream in bowl until blended

Add spices to taste

Layer goopy mixture over the frozen potatoes

Sprinkle a bit of the cheese on the top

Cover pan with foil

Back for 60 minutes

Add rest of cheese to the top

Bake for another 30 minutes (without foil)

Allow to cool.

Enjoy!

Mother Milk Helper Cookies

I can't vouch if these "lactation" cookies actually do anything for milk production or supply... but it was fun to make cookies with my mom and they are delightfully yummy. I think they are probably healthier than "normal" cookies so, there you go.

Mother Milk Helper Cookies

* 1 cup butter
* 1 cup white sugar
* 1 cup packed brown sugar
* 12 teaspoons water
* 6 teaspoons flax seed meal
* 2 eggs
* 1 teaspoon vanilla
* 2 cups white flour
* 1 teaspoon baking soda
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 3 cups oats
* 1 cup chocolate chips
* 6 teaspoons brewer’s yeast

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350°.

2. Mix the flaxseed meal and water and let sit for 3-5 minutes.

3. Beat butter, sugar, and brown sugar well.
4. Add eggs and mix well.

5. Add flaxseed mix and vanilla, beat well.

6. Sift together flour, brewers yeast, baking soda, and salt.

7. Add dry ingredients to butter mix.
8. Stir in oats and chips.

9. Scoop onto baking sheet.

10. Bake for 12 minutes.

Note: the dough will look loose, but it is fine. They didn;t spread out all that much at all (used an ice cream scoop -about half- to make them.)

Did 12 on a sheet per bake and made at least 6 sheets... in other words, tons of cookies!

Cooking, the Easy Way

Video blogs count as blogs... right?

I want to write up my lasagna recipe since it is such a hit, but it is also a time consuming thing to cook and involves a fair bit of time on my feet... and right now that is just not a possibility.

For now, enjoy!

Brownie in a Mug

Haven't been here in a while... partly because my cooking has sort of dwindled to the point of "frozen dinners + pan + dinner" and partly because I have been doing lots of writing in lots of other places.

But...

This was just too good to not share... and to place in a place where it is easy to find again.

I can't wait to try it! Doesn't it look like a fun project to do with kids? Or during a "girls night in"? Or on a date?

Or... you know... now.

Rosemary Bread

I am a big fan of fast and simple cooking. This isn’t all that fast (it has to bake after all) but it was easy and it was quite the hit with even some of the more discerning pallets.

Rosemary Bread (Made in the Bread Machine)

Ingredients

·         1 cup warm water

·         2 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast (I measured, this was almost two packets but not quite)

·         3 tablespoons white sugar

·         1 1/2 teaspoons salt

·         3 tablespoons olive oil

·         1/2 teaspoon ground thyme

·         1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

·         2 teaspoons crushed dried rosemary

·         3 cups all-purpose flour

Directions 

Pour the water into the pan of a bread machine, then sprinkle in the yeast and sugar. Let the mixture sit in the bread machine until a creamy foam forms on top of the water, about 10 minutes. 

Sprinkle in the salt, then add olive oil, thyme, garlic powder, rosemary, and flour. Set the machine for light crust setting, and start the machine.

(On my machine that means it was mixed and baked on the white bread setting)

Cool and enjoy!

The cookies in the background of this photo are awesome! You can read about them over here!

Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Cookies

I wanted to make cookies that would be yummy and yet wouldn’t be that hard or time consuming. I adapted a recipe I found online and created these.

By far the easiest cookies to make and they were a HUGE hit with the family.

Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Cookies 

Ingredients

·         1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened

·         1 egg

·         1 (17.5 ounce) pouch sugar cookie mix

·         ½ bag of chocolate chips

(See what I mean... only 4 ingredients!)

Directions 
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

In a bowl, beat the cream cheese until soft and fluffy with an electric mixer, then beat in the egg until thoroughly combined. Mix in the cookie mix, then stir in the chips.

Drop the dough about 2 inches apart onto the sprayed baking sheets. Lightly pat the cookies to flatten. (They won’t flatten or spread out at all)

Bake in the preheated oven until the edges of the cookies are lightly golden 12 minutes.

Cool before serving. Enjoy!

(Makes 44 cookies)

English Pasties

English Pasties

This recipe came from my pseudo sister in law Annie. I have, of course, slightly adapted it. (Specifically I took out the beef as eating beef tends to make me very very ill.)

 2-3 russet potatoes

2 carrots per potato

2 celery stalks

1 mushroom per potato

1 small onion

1 pound ground turkey meat

¼ teaspoon thyme

¼ teaspoon marjoram leaves

¼ teaspoon pepper

¼ teaspoon sage

Pie crust dough

Clean, slice, and boil the potatoes. (Place in pot with enough water to cover them and cook on high until an inserted fork slides out with ease.)

Chop carrots, celery, and mushrooms, and onion.

Steam the veggies, about 20 mins until carrots are not hard.

Cool the potatoes.

Cook meat: Brown 1 pound ground turkey meat. Add spices.

Take meat off heat, add cooled veggies and cooled potatoes.

Stir (mash) until thick and goop-ey

Roll out pie crust dough. Be careful to not knead it too much or it will get hard.

Cut dough into circles,4 inches across or slightly bigger. (We used a coffee can lid)

Place spoonful or so of mixture into dough, roll over and pinch the sides to make a little pasty packet

Cut four little vents in top of packets so air can vent.

Pop pasty packets into zippy bags and freaze.

Pre Heat Oven to 350 degrees.

Remove pasties from freezer, rub with butter. (I used tub margarine)

Place on greased cooking sheet.

Bake for 30 minutes.

I didn't get a photo of when they came out of the oven because they got eaten so fast. Trust me, they were golden brown and crispy and delightful! 

Goes will with either brown gravy or scrambled eggs. (Probably not both)

My Maifan-San was unsure to start but soon was requesting these over and over again. This recipe made 22 pasties and there was a lot of left over filling to freeze as well. We started with four boxes of pie curst dough.

I am going to use the frozen fillings to make some more… going to try crescent roll dough and see if it works. I’ll keep you posted!