Pizza Poppers

Remember the Basic Bread Recipe I posted?
Super easy and delicious....
Yep that's the one!

I've got some pizza popper pictures for you, using that recipe. Follow the link & use half the recipe to make 2 (9x13) pans full.

Grab a chunk of dough.

 I made these ones a tad larger than normal just for kicks, but I usually make them smaller than this one.

 Flatten the dough out a bit and slice up some mozzarella string cheese (or shredded) to put inside.

Cut up some ham or pepperoni if you prefer and put that in there too.

Add in other toppings if you like...

I've only made them with meat and cheese because I heard that the sauce makes them soggy. 

Better without sauce for the kids anyway. 

Less of a mess is good. ;)

My hubs and I like the sauce on the side for dipping.

So just roll them up and rise on a 9x13 pan for a bit. 

You may spoon on some melted butter. Then sprinkle with garlic powder and Parmesan cheese for a garlic bread taste. 

Bake at 375* for 18 minutes or until golden and done.

 There you have it. The Pizza Popper!! 

I like making these babies because they are super easy and we love them. They are good hot or cold. Also, it's a good meal for when your running late and gotta eat on the go. Just send the kids with one or two out the door! 

Its a keeper.

Streusel-Topped Blueberry Muffins

 Recipe from Our Best Bites. Makes 12 muffins.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 3/4 c. Flour
• 2 3/4 t. Baking powder
• 3/4 t. salt
• 1/2 c. sugar
• 2 t. lemon peel
• 1 egg
• 3/4 c. buttermilk
• 1/3 c. canola oil
• 1 c. fresh OR frozen blueberries *coat in 1 T. flour & 1 T. sugar

TOPPING:

• 1/4 c. sugar
• 2 1/2 T. flour
• 1/2 t. cinnamon
• 1 1/2 T. butter  
• *combine dry ingredients and cut in the butter to make crumb.*

DIRECTIONS:

1. Combine top 5 ingredients into a bowl. 
2. In a separate bowl mix the egg, buttermilk and oil. 
3. Stir into the flour mixture until moistened. 
4. Fold in the coated blueberries.
5. Pour into a greased muffin pan, filling 2/3 full.
6. Sprinkle on topping and bake at 400* for 16-18 minutes. 

Mom's Scotcheroos

 Simply the BEST rice krispies. Ever.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 c. Sugar 
• 1 c. Corn Syrup 
• 1 c. Peanut Butter 
• 6 c. Rice Krispies cereal 
• 1 bag Semi-sweet Chocolate Chips 
• 1 bag Butterscotch Chips 

DIRECTIONS:

1. Combine sugar and syrup on the stove. Stir frequently until sugar is dissolved and mixture begins to boil. 
2. Take off the heat and stir in the peanut butter. 
3. Pour over the cereal and mix together.
4. Press into a greased cookie sheet or 9x13 baking dish.
5. Melt the chips together and spread over the top of the rice krispies. 
6. Let the chocolate harden before serving. 

*I use about half of the chips... maybe a bit more, from both bags.

Blueberry Oatmeal Breakfast Supershake

I really like this shake. My kids do too! I have made it many times. You really don't need to measure. Like most shakes just add ingredients to your liking and desired consistency. 

INGREDIENTS:

• 1/2-1 c. ice
• 1 banana
• 1/2-1 c. blueberries
• 2 T. peanut butter
• 1-2 T. honey
• 1/3 c. quick oats
• 1 c. milk
• 2 scoops berry ice cream or yogurt (optional)

DIRECTIONS: Blend until smooth. Original recipe has 2 bananas, but I just use 1 frozen banana. It's fine without the yogurt or ice cream also.

Recipe found HERE.

Lucky Charm Treats

Yummy treats and so fun for St. Patrick's day.

INGREDIENTS:

• 3 T. unsalted butter
• 1 (10 oz) bag Marshmallows
• 1 (11.5 oz) box Lucky Charms
• Green food coloring (optional)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Heat the Marshmallows and butter in the microwave for 2 minutes. Stir and heat for an additional minute.
2. Add in the food coloring if desired.
3. Combine with Cereal and press into a greased 9x13 dish. 

Ginger and Cilantro baked Tilapia

I am not a fish fan and I LOVE this meal!! My kids ate it up and my hubs keeps asking for it again!

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 Tilapia Fillets
• Salt & Pepper
  
• 1 jalapeno pepper (remove seeds)
  
• 3 garlic cloves
• 1 T. Ginger root (grated)
• 2 T. Soy sauce
• 1/4 c. white wine (I used apple juice or you can use chicken broth instead)
• 1 t. sesame oil
• 1/3 c. cilantro

• Garnish: chopped green onion and cilantro.

DIRECTIONS:

1. Dry the fish and season with salt and pepper. Place the fish in a greased glass dish.
2. Chop up the jalapeno, garlic and grate the ginger. Put in the blender or food processor until well blended. Pour over the fish and rub in a bit.
3. Bake @ 475* for 8 minutes. *I like my fish extra done, so I cooked it for around 15 minutes.
   
4. Serve over white or brown rice. Garnish with chopped green onions and cilantro.

*I used this recipe for 5 fillets and the fish was plenty flavorful. Gonna have to make this one again real soon! Deeeelish!!

Recipe from The Kitchen.

World's Best Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

It's true!! These really are the BEST! Recipe from The Idea Room.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1/2 c. butter, softened
  
• 1/2 c. Peanut Butter
• 1/2 c. sugar
• 1/2 c. Brown sugar
• 1/2 t. baking soda
• 1/2 t. baking powder
• 1 egg
• 1/2 t. vanilla
• 1 1/4 c. flour
• 1/2-1 T. milk
  
• 1/2 - 1 c. Semi-sweet Chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS: Add all to the mixer from top of list to bottom!

1. Mix the butter and peanut butter.
2. Cream in the sugars, baking soda and baking powder.
   
3. Beat in the egg and vanilla.
4. Add the flour in slowly until combined.
5. Stir in the milk in the end to make the dough moist and creamy.
   
6. Fold in the chocolate chips.
   
7. Chill dough in the fridge for 1 hour.
8. Spoon dough onto a greased cookie sheet. Bake at 375* for 7-9 minutes.

* Seriously SO GOOD. I have made these frozen as well. Just form the dough into balls and place on a cookie sheet. Once they are frozen you can put them in a zip lock bag. When ready to bake just bake them for a few minutes longer then the regular bake time. I baked them frozen for 11 minutes in my oven.

ENJOY :)

Grandma's Potato Salad

My Grandma makes the best potato salad ever. She doesn't measure anything, but it all comes together perfectly. Love that!

INGREDIENTS:

• Potatoes
• Eggs
• Mayo
• Mustard
• Pickle Juice
• Dill Pickles
• Green Onions
  
• Salt & Pepper
• Milk

DIRECTIONS:

1. No need to peel and dice the potatoes just scrub the potatoes and put them in a pot of water. Boil until tender. Takes awhile to cook through, but I've done both ways and I like this way best! When they are done just put them in a sink of cold water and the skin will pretty much fall off. *You can throw the eggs in the pot with the boiled potatoes for the last 15 minutes or just boil them separately.
   
2. Once they have cooled for a bit then chop up the potatoes and put them in a large bowl. Pour in some milk. (I did like a cup or 2 of milk)
   
3. Combine in a separate bowl the Mayo(1-2 c.), Mustard, Pickle juice and Salt & Pepper to taste. Add to the potatoes (depending on the size of the salad add more or less) and stir until combined. Some of the potatoes will mash and that's just fine! The potato chunks and mash together is good. :)
   
4. Chop up the Eggs, Pickles and green onions. Gently fold into the potato mixture.
5. Top with a few sliced eggs. Sprinkle with paprika and it's ready to serve!
   

Buffalo Chicken Tacos

Got this one from Pinterest! Recipe found HERE. Sorry not a pretty picture, but it tasted good! A bit spicy!! BUT GOOD! I will make it again. :)

INGREDIENTS: Serves 2

• 2 chicken breasts, cubed
• salt & pepper
• 2 T. corn starch
• 1/4 c. flour
  
• 1/2 t. garlic powder
• pinch of cayenne pepper
• 3 T. olive oil
• 1/4 c. buffalo wing sauce (I used Frank’s Buffalo Wing)
• 4-6 (4 inch) tortillas

for toppings: shredded cheddar cheese, crumbled gorgonzola, avocado, shredded lettuce, green onions, cilantro, ranch dressing.

DIRECTIONS:

1. Combine the cornstarch, flour, garlic powder and cayenne pepper.
2. Season the chicken pieces with salt and pepper. Then dip the chicken in the flour mixture to coat.
   
3. Heat oil in the skillet and brown the chicken for 3-4 minutes each side until done.
   
4. Toss the chicken in a bowl of the 1/4 c. wing sauce.
   
5. Serve on tortillas with toppings.
   

*I used the creamy tomatillo dressing I had leftover in the fridge, which is SO tasty, but ranch would have been good to cool off the chicken or maybe a bit of sour cream. I didn't have crumbled gorgonzola, but I'm sure it's good with it!

Frog Eye Salad

Frog eyes. yum.
I can't take credit for this beautiful salad. My sister in law Mindy made it. I just had to swipe some after dinner to take home. :) It's so good! I've made it a couple times before when the WHOLE family gets together and I believe this is the recipe I used....

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 c. sugar
• 2 T. flour
• 1/2 t. salt
• 1 3/4 c. unsweetened pineapple juice
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1 T. lemon juice
• 3 quarts water
• 1 (16 oz) box Acini Di Pepe pasta
• 3 (11oz) cans mandarin oranges, drained
• 2 (20 oz) cans pineapple tidbits, drained
• 1 (20 oz) can crushed pineapple, drained
• 1 (8 oz) container frozen whipped topping, thawed
• 1 c. miniature marshmallows (colored)
• Bananas (optional)
  

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a sauce pan, combine sugar, flour, salt, pineapple juice and eggs. Stir and cook over medium heat until thickened. Remove from heat; add lemon juice and cool to room temperature.
2. Bring water to a boil and cook pasta until al dente. Rinse under cold water and drain.
3. In a large bowl, combine pasta with all other ingredients, except the marshmallows. Mix well and refrigerate to chill. Before serving add marshmallows.
   

Bacon-wrapped Chicken

My kids LOVE this chicken! I got the recipe from my cousin Jamie.

INGREDIENTS:

• 4-6 Chicken breasts
  
• Bacon (I used turkey bacon)
  
• 1 tub of Chive and Onion Cream Cheese
• 1 T. Melted Butter

DIRECTIONS:

1. Flatten out Chicken into 1/2 inch thickness. You can cut the breast in half to thin it or just pound it out between wax paper.
   
2. Spread a few Tablespoons of cream cheese onto each chicken. Dot it with butter. Roll the chicken and wrap with 2-3 bacon strips. Secure with toothpicks.
   
3. Place seam side down in a greased 9x13 pan. Bake at 400* for around 30-35 minutes. Then turn on the broil to crisp the bacon. Broil the top and bottom side for about 5 minutes each.
   
4. Be sure there is no pink and the chicken is cooked through before eating. OH and don't eat the toothpicks. ;)
   

Cafe Rio Style Salad

LOVE Cafe Rio. I would eat there every day if I could! Here's my compilation of "cafe rio" recipes. Not the same, but SO good.

THE SHREDDED CHICKEN

Super easy and tasty.

INGREDIENTS:

• 3 Chicken Breasts
• 1 Can Green Chile Enchilada Sauce
• 1 C Chicken Broth
• 1 T Cumin
• 1/2 Onion, big slices
  
• 3 Cloves of Garlic, Minced
• 1/2 of a Lime Juice
• Chopped Fresh Cilantro to taste

DIRECTIONS: Add all to the crock pot. Place big onion slices on top for flavor. Cook on low for 4 hours. REMOVE THE ONION. Shred the chicken and cook for another hour.

AND here is an Easy "Cafe Rio" SWEET PORK RECIPE....

INGREDIENTS:

• 3 lb Pork loin roast
• 2 (8 oz) cans tomato sauce
• 2 (8 oz) cans El Pato Jalapeno Salsa
• 1 c. Brown Sugar

DIRECTIONS:

1. Cook meat in crock pot with 1/4 c. water for 5 hours on high. DRAIN the juice, shred meat and remove fat.
   
2. Place meat back in crock pot. Add the sauce, salsa and brown sugar. Another 1/4 c. water. Sprinkle on salt, pepper and garlic to taste. Cook for 1-2 hours on high.
   

CILANTRO LIME RICE

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 c. Rice, uncooked
• 2 c. chicken broth

*Bring to a boil.

• 2 cloves garlic
• handful cilantro
• 1/2 can green chilies
• 1/4 onion
• 1-2 T. Lime juice

*Puree in a food processor, chopper or blender. Add to the rice that has just come to a boil. Cover pot and simmer for around 15 minutes or until water is absorbed. Take of heat and steam with lid on for additional 2 minutes. Fluff with fork before serving.

BLACK BEANS

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 T. oil
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 t. cumin

*cook in a small pot over medium heat until you smell it. Just 1-2 minutes.

• 1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1-2 (8 oz) cans tomato sauce
• 1/2 t. salt

*Add into the pot and heat through.

• 2 T. Cilantro *Add in before serving.

CREAMY TOMATILLO DRESSING
(the best part!)

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 (.4 oz) Pkg. Ranch Buttermilk Dressing
• 1/2 c. buttermilk OR Milk with a splash of vinegar or lemon juice will do fine!
• 1 c. mayo
• 2-3 tomatillos
• 1/2 bunch cilantro
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 jalapeno (remove some seeds for less spice)
• Juice of 1 lime

*Blend all in the blender until smooth. Will keep in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.

PICO DE GALLO

• Red onion OR sweet onion
• tomatoes
• Cilantro
• Jalapeno
• Lime Juice
• Salt
• pinch of sugar

There you have it my friends!! Pile it all on top of some tortilla chips. Sprinkle on some avocado chunks and ENJOY! :)

Baked S'mores

Yuuuuuuummy.
Found this keeper from HERE.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1/2 c. butter
• 1/4 c. brown sugar
• 1/2 c. sugar

*Cream in a mixer.

• 1 egg
• 1 t. vanilla

*beat in.

• 1 1/3 c. flour
• 3/4 c. Graham cracker crumbs (7 full sheets)
• 1 t. baking powder
• 1/4 t. salt

*combine and add to the mixer.

• 3 super size (5 oz) Chocolate Hershey bar
• 7 oz jar Marshmallow fluff, Nuke in the microwave for a bit, so it will spread easily.

*Split the dough into 2 balls. Roll in between 2 pieces of wax paper to size of pan. Put 1 sheet of dough in bottom of a greased 11x7 pan. Then the chocolate. Spread on the fluff. Then top with the 2nd sheet of dough.

*Bake at 350* for 30 minutes or until lightly browned.

Mexican Goulash

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 lb ground beef or turkey
• 1 c. diced onion
• 1 (14) oz can diced tomatoes
• 2 (8) oz cans tomato sauce
• 1 can corn
• 2 c. water
• 1 1/2 t. Chili Powder
• 1 t. oregano
• 1/2 t. salt
• 1 c. elbow macaroni noodles, uncooked
• Chopped squash
  
• Shredded cheese (optional)
  

DIRECTIONS:

1. Brown the meat and onion together. Season with salt and pepper.
   
2. Add in all other ingredients excluding the noodles, squash and cheese. Bring to a boil.
   
3. Add in the noodles. Cover and reduce heat. Simmer for 5 minutes. Give it a stir. Add in the squash. Cover and cook an additional 5-10 minutes or until the noodles are cooked.
   
4. Serve over a slice of bread and top with cheese. SUPER GOOD bread recipe HERE.
   

Chicken & Broccoli Casserole

I've posted a chicken and broccoli casserole a few years back, but I have made some changes for the better. No mayo and I make it more soupy, so that the rice soaks it up. It's a good one!! It's a favorite in our house and one I make often.

INGREDIENTS:

• 4 Chicken breasts, cooked and cubed
  
• 2-3 heads of Broccoli, chopped and steamed

• 2 cans Cream of Chicken soup
• 1 1/2 c. Milk
• 1/2 c. Sour Cream
• 1 c. Cheddar Cheese
• 2 t. lemon juice
• 1/4-1/2 t. Curry Powder
• Salt & Pepper

DIRECTIONS:

1. Heat the soup mixture in a pot. Add in the salt and pepper to taste. Add in some water for desired consistency. Stir the cheese in lastly to melt.
   
2. Place the chicken and broccoli in a 9x13 pan. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Pour the soup mixture over top and sprinkle on extra cheese.
   
3. Bake at 350* for 20-25 minutes OR just broil for 5 minutes or so until the cheese melts on top. It's already cooked and heated, so you just want to melt the cheese. Then serve it over rice.
   

*If you have a pasta pot you can cook the chicken in the bottom and steam the broccoli on top. Just bring the chicken to a boil. Boil each side for 5 minutes, then add the broccoli to the top pasta pot. Cover, reduce heat and steam for about 10 minutes or until broccoli is slightly tender. Just be sure chicken is cooked through! LOVE the pasta pot for this meal.

Wonton Fill-ups (revisited)

Ya'll remember THIS recipe I posted for the wonton fill-ups? ..... Fill a wonton wrapper with a meat mixture... fry it in oil and serve with salsa. WELL this last time I made them I wanted to try them baked. SO I fried up half of them and the other half I put in a muffin tin. SUCCESS! Much better than getting splattered with oil AND it's a super quick and easy dinner!! bonus.

These babies are gonna taste better fried... that's just the way it is, BUT they still taste great baked. So if you wanna try the healthier version then bake them.

Spray the pan well with oil. Put 2-3 wonton wrappers in each hole. 2 works, but 3 is better. I'm gonna check out the egg roll wraps for next time. I'm sure 1 of those would work the same.

Fill up with the meat mixture.

Fold the wonton wrappers over. Doesn't need to be pretty or sealed shut. Spray the tops with oil.

Bake....

Shoot you guys. I can't remember how long I baked them for! I wanna say around 25 minutes. Just watch them and check for doneness.
I actually ended up putting this batch below back in the oven for longer. Wasn't quite done.

Serve with salsa or green taco sauce.

Key Lime Pie

Easiest pie to make! It's mine and my husbands favorite pie.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 prepared Graham Cracker Crust
• 2 cans sweetened condensed milk
• 1/2 c. sour cream (light)
• 3/4 c. key lime juice (found in the liquor isle)
  
• 1 T. grated lime zest

CRUST: 1 1/2 sleeves of Graham crackers, 2 cups crushed. 1/4 c. sugar. 1 stick butter, melted. Combine and press into a pie pan. Bake @ 350* for 10 minutes.

DIRECTIONS: Mix ingredients until smooth. Pour into a prepared pie crust. Bake @ 350* for 8 minutes. *You don't want to brown the pie. Just bake long enough to see tiny pinhole bubbles come to the surface. CHILL the pie. Garnish with lime slices and whipped cream if desired.

The slice in this pic isn't chilled. Couldn't wait. :) Still so good!

This pic is 3 day old pie. Chilled in the fridge. As you can see it sets up very nicely and tastes even better after a few days!

You can add a drop or two of green food coloring for a yummy green treat for St. Patrick's Day!


Enjoy!

Crock pot Chicken Parmesan

One of my new favorites! So good and definitely a keeper!!
Recipe from Chef in Training.

INGREDIENTS:

• 2-4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
• 1/2 c. Italian Seasoned Bread Crumbs
• 1/4 c. Parmesan Cheese
• 1/4 t. pepper
• 1/4 t. salt
• 1 T. olive oil
• 1 egg, beaten
• sliced or shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1 large (32 oz) jar of Spaghetti Sauce

DIRECTIONS:

1. Put the 1 T. oil in the bottom of the crock pot. *I just sprayed mine with oil and the chicken did get a bit crusty/burnt against the crock pot. So I will just follow the instructions next time or place some sauce into the bottom of the pot.
   
2. Combine the crumb, Parmesan cheese and S&P.
   
3. Dip the chicken breasts into the egg and then the crumb mixture. Place chicken in crock pot. Top with Mozzarella Cheese and then the sauce.
   
4. Cook on low for 7-6 hours or high for 3-4 hours. Serve over pasta.

*I cooked mine on high for 3-4 hours and it still turned out nice and tender.

Olive Garden Salad Dressing

Recipe from The Country Cook.
May not be exactly like olive garden, but it's pretty dang close! Great dressing.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 pkt. Good Seasonings Italian Dressing PLUS--> (Ingredients needed to make dressing; oil, water, vinegar)
• ½ t. dried Italian Seasoning
• ½ t. salt
• ¼ t. pepper
• ½ t. sugar
• ¼ t. garlic powder
• ½ T. mayo (no Miracle Whip, please)
• ¼ c. olive oil
• 2 T. white vinegar
• 1 ½ T. water

DIRECTIONS:

1. Prepare Italian dressing according to the instructions on the back of the packet. I used the less oil instructions.
2. Mix in all other ingredients. Mix well with a whisk or shake it well in a mason jar with lid.
   
3. Serve over salad fixings.
   
4. Keeps well in a sealed container for up to 4 weeks! Shake well before using.

I made the "Olive Garden" garlic bread sticks from The Country Cook blog as well.

The dough is very easy to work with. Tastes like Olive Garden's bread sticks, but not the same texture. A good recipe, but I think I'm gonna stick with my super easy bread sticks recipe. Seriously so easy and can be ready to eat in 20-25 minutes.

Bubbly Love Potion

Recipe found HERE.
My kiddos gulped this up fast! It was a fun drink for our Valentines dinner.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 (12-ounce) can pink lemonade concentrate
• 4 cups raspberry sherbet
• Can of Sprite
  

DIRECTIONS: Mix the lemonade with recommended water. Combine 4 cups of sherbet with 4 cups of lemonade in the blender. Spoon into individual glasses and gently stir in the sprite.

Monster Cookies

I got this recipe from Pioneer Women. Man, her recipes never disappoint! Another awesome cookie recipe to add to my collection. :) My kids loved helping me make these "monster" cookies. It's a good one to let them help since there is a little of everything for them to dump in!

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 sticks Butter (salted) Softened
• 1/2 c. Sugar
• 1-1/2 c. Brown Sugar, Packed
• 2 lrg. Eggs
• 1 T. Vanilla
  
• 1-1/2 c. Flour
• 1/2 t. Baking Soda
• 1 t. Baking Powder
• 2 t. Salt
• 1-1/2 c. Oats (either Quick Or Regular)
• 1/2 c. M & M's (more To Taste)
• 1/2 c. Pecans, Chopped (more To Taste)
• 3/4 c. Chocolate Chips (milk Or Semi-sweet)
• 1/2 c. Peanut Butter Chips
• 2-1/4 c. Rice Krispies cereal
  

DIRECTIONS:

1. Cream butter with sugars until fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add vanilla and beat.

2. Combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Add to mixing bowl and mix till combined. After that, add in remaining ingredients in whatever quantity you prefer. Add more nuts if you'd like, or more M & M's, more peanut butter chips or chocolate chips.

3. Add Rice Crispies at the very end, mixing until just combined. Do not overmix!

4. Scoop into balls of dough onto a greased cookie sheet. Bake at 375* for 12 minutes or until golden brown, then allow to cool on a rack.

*Crunchy, chewy and delicious! I'm gonna omit 1 t. salt next time because it was extra salty, but that is the only thing I will change. Great recipe!!

Super Slow Sloppy Joes

I got this recipe from my Rival Slow Cooker cookbook.
My hubs looooves Sloppy Joes. It hasn't ever been my favorite, but I do really like this recipe!! It is WAY better then the canned stuff!

INGREDIENTS:

• 3 lbs lean ground beef or turkey
  
• 1 c. onion, chopped
  
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
  
• 1 1/4 c. ketchup
• 1 c. chopped bell pepper (red or green)
  
• 5 T. Worcestershire Sauce
• 1/4 c. brown sugar
• 3 T. vinegar
• 3 T. mustard
• 2 t. chili powder
• Hamburger Buns

DIRECTIONS:

1. Brown the meat with the onion and garlic in a large skillet over med-high heat. Brown in 2 batches if needed and stir to separate the meat. Drain the fat.
2. Combine all other ingredients (excluding the buns of course) in the crock pot. Add in the beef mixture.
   
3. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours. Serve on hamburger buns. May add cheddar cheese on top if you prefer!

*I add in an additional 1-2 T. mustard for extra tang. I'm sure you can heat this all up on the stove if you didn't put it in the crock pot earlier in the day. I would just simmer it all for at least 20 minutes after browning the meat. It really tastes great in the crock pot though! It's tender and flavorful.

sloppy joes. slop. sloppy joes.... yum.

Smartie Cookies

My sugar cookie & icing recipe is HERE. Perfect sugar cookie. Just be sure to chill the dough for at least an hour, so that it is easy to work with. I usually roll the dough into a log and wrap it in saran wrap to chill overnight in the fridge.

I made these cookies for each of my twins preschool classes for all the smarties in their class. My boys loved putting the smarties on and counting as they went to be sure they all had 6 smarties each. The smarties actually taste really good on this cookie. Makes for cute "sprinkles" too.

Crispy Southwest Chicken wrap + homemade tortilla

My husband loves a good ol' "Tyson burrito" (Ranch beans, rice, cheese and green taco sauce), but he loves this new creation even more. I found THIS recipe, but I switched things up a bit to make it Tyson burrito style. My husband would eat this daily if I made it for him!! We all really like it.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 c. Chicken
• 1 can Ranch Beans
  
• 1 c. Rice, cooked
  
• 1 (7 oz) can Salsa Verde
• 1/2 c. diced Green bell pepper
• 1 green onion, excluding the white part
  
• 1/4 c. Cilantro
• Juice of 1 lime
• 2 t. Chili powder
• 1 t. Cumin
• 1/2 t. Garlic salt
• Shredded Mozzerella Cheese or fiesta blend cheese
• Sour cream
• tortillas

• 

I used to always make these with green taco sauce, but this last time I used salsa verde instead and it was SO good!

1. 

DIRECTIONS:

1. Cook chicken in small pot of water. Shred when done.
2. Add in all ingredients to the pot, excluding the last 3 ingredients and heat through. *Add the salsa verde in to taste. I use almost the full can.
3. Lay out the tortilla. Spread on some sour cream (must use!). Sprinkle on cheese and spoon on some bean mixture.
4. Place seam side down on a hot griddle or pan. Turn once to get both sides nice and crispy.
   

*This is a quick meal, but if you make the homemade tortillas it will take a little time. Tortilla recipe below...

Cafe Rio flour tortilla
makes 6 tortillas
Recipe from Tastebook.

INGREDIENTS:

• 3 c. flour
• 1 1/2 t. salt
• 2 t. baking powder
• 3/4 c. shortening
• 3/4 c. Hot water

DIRECTIONS: *I used my kitchenAid mixer, but this can be done by hand.

1. Combine flour, salt and baking powder.
2. Mix in the shortening until the dough forms small crumb.
3. Gradually add in water until the dough comes together. (I had to add in extra water)
4. Mix with dough hook or knead for 3 minutes until smooth.
5. Plop the dough on the counter and cover with a damp towel. *Let sit for 1 hour*
   
6. Roll out tortillas. Can use a plate over the dough to trim around for a perfect circle. Keep covered with slightly damp towel.
   
7. Heat over med/high heat in pan. Cook for a minute or until no longer doughy. DO NOT OVERCOOK.
   

*I used bread flour because I'm out of all purpose flour. I rolled it out very thin, but it still made for a thicker tortilla. It was good! Gotta heat it longer in the pan though.

Slow cooker Chicken Cordon Bleu

Easiest crock pot meal, ever and tastes great!!

INGREDIENTS:

• 4-5 chicken breasts
• 1 (10oz) can Cream of Chicken soup
• 1 c. Milk
• 4 oz sliced ham
• 4 oz sliced swiss cheese
• 1 (8 oz) pkg. herbed DRY stuffing mix
• 1/4 c. butter, melted

DIRECTIONS:

1. Combine the soup & milk. Spread small amount in the bottom of crock pot.
2. Place in the chicken. Cover chicken with slices of ham and then slices of cheese.
3. Spoon over the remaining soup. Sprinkle the stuffing mix and drizzle melted butter over top of stuffing.
4. Cook on low for 4-6 hours or high for 2-3 hours.

*I cooked it on high for almost 3 hours and it was perfect. Tender and tasty! My pickier eater is not a fan of stuffing. We eat it a couple times a year, so he didn't like this dinner much. The rest of us really liked it and I will definitely be making it again soon!

Recipe from Chef in Training.

Broccoli Salad

My husband isn't much of a salad eater, but he likes this one!

INGREDIENTS:

• 5 c. broccoli
• 5 bacon strips
• 1/3 c. red onion
• 1/3 c. sun flower seeds
• 1/4 c. craisens
• 1/2 c. Shredded cheddar cheese (opt.) *I leave this on the side.
  

DRESSING: 1/2 c. mayo, 3 T. sugar and 1 T. vinegar.

DIRECTIONS:
Combine all ingredients and add in the dressing to taste.

Avocado Chicken Salad

Just found THIS new recipe and it's got all my favorites in it. It is SO super good! My kids really liked it as well! We ate it in a pita and added crushed tortilla chips on top for crunch. YUM! It would be great on a croissant roll as well OR you can eat it without the sandwich. Just scoop it up with tortilla chips! Mmmm... That could get a little dangerous though. I would prooooobably, accidentally, ;) devour the whole bowl.

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 cups shredded chicken
• 1 large avocado
• Mayo (Maybe 3-4 T.)
  
• Green Onion
  
• Cilantro
• Lime Juice
  
• Salt & Pepper *light on the salt & extra pepper :)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Combine chicken, mayo (NO miracle whip), green onion, cilantro and salt & pepper. Just add it all to your liking.
2. Mash up the avocado with lime juice. Leave it a bit lumpy. :) I added maybe around 2-3 T. lime juice, but again just add it to taste.
   
3. Stir the avocado in with the chicken and make adjustments if needed.
   
4. Serve with tortilla chips.

*I used Chipotle Mayo. yum!