Crock Pot Soup

As the weather begins to cool, my need to cook and feed my family a good homecooked meal kicks in. With the first cold snap in Texas, going from the high 80s to the high 50s, I dove right in.

Crock Pot Soup should be one you can set and forget, but this one I think would've looked better had I been around to stir throughout the day. It may not look as eye pleasing as I would've liked but it sure did get rave reviews from the girls at work and the family!

Ingredients:
1 can of corn
1 can of black beans (I chose kidney beans instead.)
1 can of rotell tomatoes
1 pkg of ranch dressing seasoning
1 8 oz pkg of cream cheese
2 frozen chicken breasts
1 tsp of onion powder
1 tsp of chili powder
1 tblsp of cumin
Chefs note: I added 1 can of beer. The soup didn't seem to have any sort of base on it's own.

Directions:
Dump it all in the crock pot to cook for 6-8 hours. Shred the chicken breasts at the end and serve.

Review:  Dusty,who doesn't like cream cheese, loved it! The girls at work had some interesting remarks. One could taste the beer immediately, one thought it was spicy, one compared it to a chicken taco soup and another thought I had added bread to it. All thought it was very tasty and filling and wanted to try it on their own. It did have more of a chicken chili taste to me, but I can't wait to add it to our family menu again!
This recipe is pinned from pinterest.

Pumpkin Bundt Cake

After a few months off, I have found the inspiration I need to get back on track and I hope that my inspiration will become yours! I have found pinterest and have become such a huge fan! I am constantly pinning things to cook and post. The first project that I found was a pumpkin bundt cake, pumpkin being the shape of the cake, not the flavor.

This was one of the easiest things that I have ever made. This cake is perfect for any fall party or even fancy enough to dress a Thanksgiving dinner table. It is a must try.

Ingredients:

2 store bought cake mixes (I chose german chocolate for the dark color.)

1 bottle of pre-made drizzle icing (found right next to the icing on the baking isle)

1 pumpkin stem (I took mine off of a pumpkin we were about to carve.)

fake leaves

1 can of icing

Directions:

Follow the directions on the cake mix to bake two seperate bundt cakes. Let the cakes cool completely or they willl start to fall apart. Once cooled, stack the cakes top to bottom and bottom to top with a layer of icing in between to hold them together. Next, microwave your drizzle icing according to the directions and drizzle across the top of the cake. Decorate with leaves and stem! (I sat a shot glass in the middle of my cakes and used icing to secure the stem to the shot glass.) It's that easy!!!

Bakers note: I thought I was taking the easy road by using two bundt pans, but it would've helped to have two of the same shape bundt pans or just use one. My lines didn't line up.

Shrimp Salad

This recipe comes straight from the south! My grandmother made it after having it at a family reunion in southern Lousiana. When I asked her the ingredients, she gave me them off the top of her head. You know how grandmothers are though, a little more of this, a little less of that. SO...if it doesn't taste right the first time, keep adding more. :)

Ingredients:

Ranch Suddenly Salad minus the seasoning packet
1/4 c red onion (more if preferred)
2 tbsp bread and butter pickles
2 tbsp dill pickles
1 stalk of celery
1/4 green bell pepper
3 boiled eggs
salt and pepper (to taste)
2 cap fulls apple cider vinegar
1/2 c mayo
1/4 c ranch dressing
1 8 oz pkg popcorn shrimp (or fresh boiled)
1/8 c Italian dressing

*Keep adding ranch dressing and mayo, don't want it too dry
*Could substitute relish for the pickles and apple cider vinegar

Directions:

Cook your shrimp according to directions and dice all the veggies and eggs. Mix it all together! Chill until ready to serve. That's the best thing about a salad, it takes no time to make.

 

Review:

I have to admit that I am a little skeptical about a salad that has shrimp in it, but this was so good. I had heard from my family what it hit it was at the family reunion, but again I was iffy. I did try it and I liked it! My grandmother served it alongside our burgers and hot dogs at a fourth of July party for the family. I'm not sure that the kids (or my husband) tried it, but the rest of the family did and there were no left overs. I was a little surprised, but it was really good. I would recommend this as a substitution for your next potatoe salad or instead of a macaroni salad at your next family gathering.

 

Summer Salad

With the weather getting way too hot in Texas, the search is on to find food that goes great with BBQ and light enough not to weigh you donw in the heat. I had this recipe on my phone for quite some time and I'm not sure where it came from, but boy was it a hit! I took it to our friend's house for the fourth of July party and it was a hit!

Ingredients:
1 bag of romaine lettuce mix
1 c shredded swiss cheese
1 apple- chopped small
1 c of cashews
1 pear- chopped small
1/4 c dried cranberries
Dressing:
1/2 c sugar
1/3 c lemon juice
2 tsp chopped red onion
1 tsp salt
2/3 c oil
1 tbsp poppy seeds


Directions:
Prepare the dressing first and mix together well. Blend all the ingredients togehter and toss with the dressing. Easy as that.
Review:
With salads, you never know how people will respond. I took my chances and it was a hit! Seriously, it was demolished. There was nothing left! Everyone at the party agreed that the cashews really added a nice texture to the salad. The crunch of the pear and the apples with the chewyness of the cranberries, made this a crowd pleaser!

Bacon Wrapped Burgers

This is a great way to add a little flare to the boring burger. Kick it up a notch with bacon! Again, if you haven't signed up for allrecipes.com to receive their weekly newsletters, it's a must! The good food just keeps coming! You might even see some of my pictures on their website.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
• 1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon ketchup
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper
• 1 pound ground beef
• 6 slices bacon
• 6 hamburger buns, split

Directions

1. Preheat a grill for high heat.
2. In a large bowl, mix together the Cheddar cheese, Parmesan cheese, onion, egg, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper. Crumble in the ground beef, and mix together by hand. Form into 6 patties, and wrap a slice of bacon around each one. Secure bacon with toothpicks.
3. Place patties on the grill, and cook for 5 minutes per side, or until well done. Remove toothpicks before serving on hamburger buns.

Review
I read the reviews online before I made this and everyone seemed to think that the bacon made the meat juicier and more tender. My thoughts are that I'm not sure that the bacon added or took away from the burger. Had the bacon been a little crispier, it would've added some crunch and texture, but that's been done before and I think the burger joints have perfected that one. This was just an add on that made it look cool. :) I do think that the meat was good and we felt that there was no need to add cheese on top as it is infused into the burger. Enjoy and write your own review.
*Don't forget to remove the toothpicks before you eat!

Ham and Sausage Stromboli

Have an aspiring little chef on your hands? Try out this easy to make stromboli with your little ones. Ace and I had so much fun creating this dish. He even used the dough scraps as a make shift play dough. :) It does take some time to create and cook so it's perfect for those slow burning summer days.

Ingredients:
1 pkg hot roll mix
1 1/4 c warm water
3 tbsp of oil, divided
1/3 lb sliced deli ham
1/3 lb sliced salami
1/4 lb pork sausage (cooked and drained)
4 slices of American cheese, cut into strips
1 c mozzarella or provolone cheese
dried oregano, garlic powder, ground pepper (added for taste)

Directions:
1. In a large bowl, combine the contents of the roll mix and yeast packets. Stir in warm water and 2 tbsp of oil until dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl.
2. Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth (about 5 mins). Cover and let rest for 5 min. Press into a lightly greased 15 in x 10 in x 1 in baking pan.
3. Layer ham, salami, American cheese, mozzarella cheese and sausage over dough. Roll up jelly-role style, starting with the long side; pinch seam to seal. Place diagonally in pan. Brush with remaining oil and sprinkle with dried oregano, garlic powder, and pepper.
4. Bake at 375 for 30-40 mins until golden brown. Let stand 10 mins before slicing.

Review:
Again, we had so much fun making it and we were excited, that the kids lost interest having to wait so long for it to cook. They had already moved on to other things. I think I also went too heavy on the garlic powder, oops! The bread on this stromboli makes it very filling. I had one slice and was full. I am used to making stromboli from pre-made pizza dough so the bread part was a little different. I thought it was good and it makes a ton! We will be having left overs for lunch again tomorrow. It serves 18.
*Note, watch you oven towards the end of the cooking, I started mine for 35 mins and it was already very golden brown by 30 mins.

Grill Mates

Summertime is here and it's time to hit the outdoors! I have the perfect combo of appetizers to serve alongside your favorite main dish, maragarita grilled shrimp and grilled stuffed jalapenos. So Good! The jalapeno recipe is a favorite of Good friends and the margarita grilled shrimp is from Allrecipes.com. Again, what a great website!

Ingredients for stuffed jalapenos:
Jalapenos- cored and seeds removed
Cheddar cheese- cubed
refriend beans
bacon

Directions:
After you core the jalapenos, drop a cube of cheddar cheese at the bottom. Fill the remaining space with refried beans. Wrap in bacon and grill on low to medium heat for about 20 minutes.
Variation: Instead of cheddar cheese and refried beans (which is so delicious), try pineapple and cream cheese.

Ingredients for margarita grilled shrimp:

1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

3 tablespoons olive oil

2 teaspoons tequila

3 tablespoons fresh chopped cilantro

1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper

1/4 teaspoon salt

4 bamboo skewers, soaked in water for 20 minutes

Directions

1. Combine the shrimp, garlic, lime juice, olive oil, tequila, cilantro, red pepper, and salt in a bowl; toss to combine; refrigerate 30 minutes.
2. Preheat an outdoor grill for high heat and lightly oil grate. Drain the marinade from the shrimp and discard; thread the shrimp on the skewers.
3. Cook on preheated grill until the shrimp turn pink, 2 to 3 minutes per side.

Review: Well, we love the jalapenos and will be having them again real soon at our next family cook out and the shrimp was a HUGE hit. I expected the margarita flavor to be more of a punch, but it wasn't. It's vey subtle, but nice. It's a little pick me up that over powers the fish taste.

More grilling meals to come soon.

Fondue

Want to bring the Melting Pot home so all your family can enjoy the fun of this dinning experience? This is a combination of some of their best recipes tailored down to do just that. All these recipes can be changed to be just the appetizer or create your own three course (or more) meal! Be prepared that the meal itself takes a long time to eat as there are lots of steps in between each corse.

Cheese Fondue Appetizer
Ingredients:
3 cups of shredded cheddar cheese
3 tbsp of flour
1 beer

Dippers (all cubed prior to dinner and set aside or refrigerated):
Sourdough bread
Green apples
Chips
Carrots
Cauliflower
(Whatever you have on hand that goes good with cheese!)

Directions:
Shred your cheddar cheese. For every 1 1/2 c of cheddar, you are going to coat it with 1 1/2 tbsp of flour.
Warm your fondue pot, add 1 1/2 c of the coated cheddar cheese to the pot. Slowly add in the beer and whish with a fork. Repeat for the next 1 1/2 c of cheese. *The last time I made this, I didn't use the entire can of beer. I just added as much as I thought I needed. I add the liquid as I go so I don't make it too watery.
Once the cheese is at a stringy consistancy, dip your veggies!

Here is the Melting Pots how to video which I find very helpful. http://www.monkeysee.com/play/1273-Fiesta-Cheese-Fondue

The next course could be a salad of your choice, but with little ones we leave this step out and go straight to the main course.

Coq Au Vain Cooking Broth
Ingredients:
3 1/2 c of veggie stock
1/2 red wine (usually whatever I'm drinking for the night works fine)
1 tbsp of finely chopped garlic
2 green onions chopped

Dippers: (again all cubed and refrigerated prior to dinner)
2 chicken breasts
1 filet
(Before, we've done shrimp or lobster)
Broccoli

The main dish is where you can be as simple as you wish or as creative as you feel. Tonight, we went simple but before we've done oil and fried everything. When we do that, I love doing button mushrooms stuffed with Alloiette. Yum-O! The fried fondue is another recipe in itself, but is just as fun to make.

Directions:
Bring the vegetable stock, red wine, garlic and onion to a boil. Cook your chicken and steak on your fondue sticks in the broth. You will cook the chicken about 2 minutes to make sure it's no longer pink. The filet can be cooked to your liking. During this time, we always throw in our broccoli. We like it best when the vegetables absorb all the juices and flavor from the broth. The broccoli takes the longest. We don't pull it out until it looks wilted.

Dessert is up to you. By this point, our family is stuffed and I'm tired of washing the fondue pot out so if we do dessert, ice cream sundaes are the way we go.

Prep time takes a while but if you do everything before hand, dinner is way more enjoyable! This is fun and even the kids do well.

Chicken and Bows

This is a very hearty meal that feeds lots! Can be served up as a comfort meal in the winter or chilled as a pasta salad in the summer, very versitile.

The picture on the left is the total amount made. The picture on the right, is one serving portion.

Ingredients:
1 pkg (16 oz) of bow tie pasta
2 lbs of chicken breast cut into strips (you could quarter or cube)
1 c chopped red pepper
1/4 of butter, cubed
2 cans condensed cream of chicken soup
2 c frozen peas
1 1/2 c of milk
1 tsp garlic powder
1/4 to 1/2 tsp of salt
1/4 tsp of pepper
2/3 c graded Parmesean

Directions:
1. Cook pasta according to directions on box. Meanwhile, in a dutch oven, cook chicken and red pepper in butter over medium heat until chicken is no longer pink. (I didn't have a dutch oven, so I just used a deep skillet and sauteed the two in butter.)
2. Stir in the soup, peas, milk, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat;simmer uncovered for 1-2 mins or until heated through. Stir in cheese. Drain pasta; add to chicken mixture and toss to coat.
3. Serve half the mixture
4. Freeze the other half for up to the 3 months

Review: As I mentioned before, this recipe might be a good one to set aside for a big dinner party as a side salad. I could also see this as a starter recipe for a chicken pot pie. An even better use would be to mark this as a dish to make the new mommy or daddy when they bring home their bundle of joy from the hospital. It makes a lot and can be frozen, so they get two meals out of it!

Calzone Pinwheels

Again, this recipe is from the cookbook Almost Homemade. This is a great appetizer and was very quick to throw together. However, it is not substantial enough for a meal.

Ingredients:
1/2 c ricotta cheese
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 c shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
1/2 c diced pepperoni
1/4 c grated Parmesean cheese
1/4 c chopped fresh mushroom (I left this out.)
1/4 c finely chopped green pepper (Again, I left this out.)
2 tbsp finely chopped onion (Left out)
1 pkg (8 oz) refrigerated crescent rolls
1 jar (14 oz) pizza sauce, warmed

Directions:
1. Combine the ricotta, Italian seasoning and salt. Stir in the mozzarella cheese, pepperoni, Parmesean cheese, mushrooms, green pepper and onion. Seperate crescent dough into four rectangles; seal perforations.
2. Spread the cheese mixture over each rectangle to within 1/4 in. of edges. Roll up jelly-roll style, starting with a short side; pinch seams to seal. Cut into 4 slices.
3. Place cut side down on greased baking sheets. Bake at 375 for 10-15 mins until golden. Serve with warm pizza sauce.

Hint: Next time I might use cream cheese instead of the ricotta. It was a little grainy for me.

Review: Again, good and quick. Great for a party on the fly.



Asparagus Beef Lo Mein

During our school's book fair, I was the lucky recipient of a cook book called Almost Homemade. This cook book has become one of my very favorite "go to" sources for new meals. It's loaded with pictures and recipes that are do-able on a tight budget and schedule.
My first recipe is Asparagus Beef Lo Mein.
Ingredients:
1 beef top sirloin (thinly sliced)
2 tbsp of vegetable oil
1 lb of fresh asparagus, trimmed and cut in 2 1/2 inch pieces
1/4 tsp minced garlic
2 1/4 c water, divided
2/3 c Hoisen Sauce
2 packages of beef Ramen noodles

Directions:
1. In large skillet or wok, stir fry beef in oil for 5 mins or until meat is no longer pink.
Add the asparagus and garlic, stir fry 2 mins or until asparagus is crisp-tender.
2. In a bowl, combine 1/4 c o water and 1/2 tsp seasoning from one ramen noodle pkg; stir until dissolved. Add hoisin sauce; stir into the beef mixture. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 mins or until thickened. (Discard remaining seasoning from opened packet.)
3. In large saucepan, bring remaining water to a boil; add ramen noodles and contents of remaining seasoning packet. Cook according to directions. Remove, cover and let stand until noodles are tender.
4. Top with beef mixture

Review:
I REALLY liked this meal. My husband was not too fond of the hoisin sauce. It has a tangy, sweet flavor to it. If you've read any of my other posts, you will begin to understand and see a pattern that my husband is very hard to please. He is definitely a meat and potato type of guy. However, it was good enough that I am making it again for dinner very soon!

Chicken and Waffles

So you know your southern when...It sounds weird, I know, but there's something so good about the combination of salty and sweet. Chicken and waffles is just that. My advice: Don't knock it until you try it.
Ingredients:
2 cups Bisquick mix
1 egg
2 1/3  cups milk (1 1/3 for waffles, 1 for frying chicken)
2 chicken breast
2 cups flour
1 cup of vegetable oil for frying 2 tbsp for waffles
waffle maker
favorite syrup

Directions:
Cube your chicken breast and cover with 1 cup of milk. Place the 2 cups of flour in a large Ziploc bag. Drop the cubes of chicken into the flour and shake. Place covered chicken cubes in hot oil (may require more than the 2 cups) and fry until golden brown.  Follow the directions on the Bisquick box to prepare the waffles according to the directions.

Serve chicken nuggets over the waffles and drizzle with syrup.
Review: This is one of my husband's and kids absolute favorite meals! We serve this more than I should admit. :)

Pulled Pork Sanwiches

I have to admit that I have never had pulled pork before. I have never cooked it or even tried it at a restaurant before, so this was a true first for me. I have to say, that it was very good and definitely one we will try again.
Ingrediants:
Pork tenderloin
1 can of coke (or your choice of soda)
Favorite BBQ sauce

Directions:                                                                                                                  

Cook your pork tenderloin in the coke in your crock pot on low heat for 6 hours. Remove from coke and seperate. (This is the pulling part.) Return pulled pork to the coke and add a bottle of your favorite BBQ sauce and cook for 30 mins on medium. Serve on your favorite buns with your favorite sides.
Review: This makes enough to serve for company. I served my family of four plus my mom and dad. Ace and I loved this meal! Dusty and my dad could've done without the BBQ sauce as they are not big fans. My mom and Cooper could've gone either way. For my first attempt, I thought it was a hit. We even had enough for left overs.

Since I first published this, we have had this meal again. The second time I made it, I used Dr. Pepper and a honey bbq sauce. It was sweeter and really good. I made Dusty's before I added the bbq sauce and he thought it was just as good just cooked in the DP.

Saucy Cranberry Orange Chicken

This recipe was sent to me from one of my closest friends in Florida. She's a mom of twins and a 5 year old. She says that she was able to cook this meal while juggling the feeding of the twins. She and I both agree that it was super easy and she thought it was better the next day. It originally comes from Campbell's Kitchen. Thanks Campbell and Beth!

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves (about 1 pound)

1/4 cup orange juice

1/4 cup cranberry juice

1 can (10 3/4 ounces) Campbell's® Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup (Regular or 98% Fat Free)

1 tablespoon dried cranberries

1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage leaves or 1 teaspoon ground sage

1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper

4 cups hot cooked instant white rice

Sliced green onions (I left these out as my family are not big onion eaters.)

Directions:

Heat the oil in a 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook for 10 minutes or until it's well browned on both sides.

Add the orange juice, cranberry juice, soup, cranberries, sage and black pepper in the skillet and heat to a boil. Reduce the heat to low. Cover and cook for 5 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.

Serve the chicken mixture over the rice and sprinkle with the onions.

Review: It was very creamy and almost reminded me of something you could serve at Thanksgiving. I did like the flavor and the texture that the cranberries added to the meal. I think that I was the only one in my family that liked this, but that's all that matters, right?

Chicken with Black Pepper Marinade

This recipe is from foodnetwork.com

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon black peppercorns, crushed
• 4 chicken breasts, skinless and boneless
• Salt
• Juice of 1 lemon

Directions

In a shallow glass baking dish combine fresh lemon juice with olive oil, garlic and crushed peppercorns. Mix together with a fork. Place chicken breasts in baking dish and turn several times to coat with mixture. Let marinade for 30 minutes. Heat an indoor iron grill pan or outdoor grill until very hot. Sprinkle chicken breasts with salt and cook for 3 to 5 minutes on each side or until cooked through.

I needed a new recipe and was searching when I came across this one. It's been so long ago that I cooked it that I'm not sure what my thoughts were. I do know that the picture makes this meal look appetizing!

Easy Lemon-Pepper Blackened Salmon

For this recipe, I wanted to step outside my comfort zone of cooking with chicken, even though there is something to be said for the various different ways to cook such a simple bird. I wanted to deliver something new and fresh to you, so I ventured out with salmon. For one it's a lot healthier on your waistline than some of my other recipes and two, it just looks good. I found this recipe on allrecipes.com. (Thanks Julie for the website. It might just be my new favorite!)

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons butter, melted

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (I used about 2 whole lemons)

1 teaspoon chopped fresh parsley

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

salt and ground black pepper to taste

1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns

4 salmon fillets

2 tablespoons olive oil

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. Whisk together the butter, lemon juice, parsley, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Stir in the peppercorns. Dip the salmon into the sauce so the flesh side is coated, and set on a plate,
3. Heat the olive oil in an ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil begins to smoke, add the salmon, placing it skin side up into the skillet. Cook for until the flesh is seared and golden brown, about 1 minute.
4. Place the skillet into the preheated oven, and cook until the salmon flakes easily with a fork, 10 to 12 minutes. Serve immediately.

Review: Well, this one was a swing and a miss for my family. Even though, I loved it and could definitely prepare it again, my boys were not fans. It must be a texture thing and of course, a fish thing. The salmon was very flakey and had just the right amount of lemon for the fish, no over kill. I probably could've bake it a little longer because the middle was still a little rare. When serving fish, I have yet to find the perfect side dish. Next time, I might serve it with some steamed asparagus.

Lemonade Fried Chicken

Ingredients:

1 can (6 oz.) frozen lemonade concentrate

3/4 c water

2-4 chicken breasts

1/3 c. flour

1 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper
1/2 c. oil
2 t. melted butter



Directions:
Mix together lemonade (I used half the can) and water; pour over chicken in a bowl. Refrigerate 2 hours or longer. (I did this part in the morning before leaving for work. Mine marinated all day.) Drain liquid. Mix together the flour, salt and pepper in a plastic ziploc baggie. Add well drained chicken to the bag, close and shake until chicken is coated in flour. Heat oil in large skillet or frying pan over moderate heat. Add floured chicken, cook until evenely browned, turning pieces over carefully. Once chicken is browned, remove and arrange in a shallow baking dish. Brush with melted butter. Add the other half of the lemonade. Bake uncovered at 350 for 50 mins to an hour. Spoon lemonade in pan over chicken several times as it bakes. Serve with favorite sides. Make 2-4 servings.

Review: If you like lemon, you will love this recipe. The chicken is tender and juicy. . It's good, but has a definite lemon kick. We had more fun trying to think of variations of this chicken dish. We used the same recipe except changed the lemonade to frozen orange juice. We cooked it the exact same way and served with stir fry vegetables and edamame. It was just as good as an orange chicken from a chinese food restaurant. Our next attempt willl be to swith the lemonade with a limeade and do some kind of tequilla lime chicken on the grill. The possibilities are endless. Have fun experimenting!