Saucy Pepper Steak

This was de-lish! A twist on stir fry. Came together quick too. I used a honey BBQ for a bit of sweetness. Spicy BBQ sauce would also be good. It's so pretty and colorful! My 2 year old wouldn't touch it though, ahhh toddler tastes! She enjoyed a lovely dinner of white rice and a peanut butter sandwich!

Saucy Pepper Steak

1 green pepper - cut in strips
1 red pepper - cut in strips
1 yellow pepper - cut in strips
1 small onion - cut in strips
1lb sirloin - cut in strips
2 cloves garlic - minced
1/2tsp pepper
3T soy sauce
1/2C BBQ sauce
2T olive oil
2C cooked rice

Heat olive oil in a large skillet. Add peppers and onion, cook and stir 6-8 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl. Keep warm. Add meat, garlic and pepper. Cook for 3 minutes. Add soy sauce and BBQ sauce. Stir in the pepper/onion mixture. Cook until heated through. Serve over rice. 1

Salted Caramel Butter Bars

These are soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo rich but delicious!! I was telling my husband what was in them and he said - like a REAL pound of butter?? Yep - 4 whole sticks. These would be perfect for a cookie exchange because a small square is all you need!

My dough was pretty sticky...I don't know if that's how its suppose to be or if I measured the flour wrong. It's most likely the 2nd. I suck at measuring.

Salted  Caramel Butter Bars

For the Crust:
1 lb. salted butter room temp
1 cup sugar
1½ cups powdered sugar

2 Tbs vanilla 
4 cups all purpose flour

For the Filling:
1 bag (14 oz.) caramel candies (about 50 individual caramels), unwrapped
1/3 cup milk or cream (I used milk - you know to keep it healthy)
½ teaspoon vanilla

1 T. coarse sea salt

To make the crust:

In a large bowl, combine the butter and sugars. Using mixer on medium speed, beat together until creamy. Add the vanilla and beat until combined. Sift the flour into the butter mixture and beat on low speed until a smooth soft dough forms.

Spray a 9×13 inch baking pan lightly with non-stick cooking spray. Press one-third of the dough evenly into the pan to form a bottom crust.

Preheat to 325F.

Bake until firm and the edges are a pale golden brown approx 20 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack and let cool about 15 minutes.

While the bottom crust is baking and the remaining dough is chilling, make the caramel filling. Place the unwrapped caramels in a microwave-safe bowl. Add the cream. Microwave on high for 1 minute. Remove from the microwave and stir until smooth. If caramels are not completely melted, microwave on high for 30-second intervals, stirring after each interval, until smooth.

Pour the caramel filling over the crust. If you are going to salt the caramel sprinkle it on caramel layer now.

Remove the remaining chilled dough from the refrigerator and crumble it evenly over the caramel.

Return the pan to the oven and bake until the filling is bubbly and the crumbled shortbread topping is firm and lightly golden, about 25 – 30 minutes.

Let cool before cutting into squares.

 

where i got the recipe!

1

Braided Spaghetti Bread

Yep, it's as awesome as it sounds.

I love carbs. This is noodles WRAPPED in bread!
I love spaghetti piled on garlic bread. This is spaghetti WRAPPED in garlic bread!
It's the perfect meal. It's heaven.

It is a little *tricky* but it's not hard! Handling dough is always a bit risky at this house!I mean check out my "braiding" skills! LOL!  But it's worth it! MAKE THIS RECIPE!!!! If doing a whole loaf scares you to much - use rolls. Flatten out the rolls and make little individual ones (holy crap I just thought of this idea and it's great - now I must make this recipe again!)

**this recipe is also a great way to use up leftover spaghetti!**

I served this with some extra red sauce on the side - if you follow my blog you know every thing must have a dipping sauce/condiment pal!

Braided Spaghetti Bread

1 Loaf Rhodes Bread Dough - thawed to room temperature

6 oz spaghetti, cooked

1/2lb browned hamburger

1 cup thick spaghetti sauce (MAKE YOUR OWN!!!! there is a recipe on my blog!)

8 oz mozzarella cheese, cut into 1/2 –inch cubes

1 egg white

Parmesan cheese

Parsley flakes

garlic powder

butter

Roll loaf into a 12x16-inch rectangle. Cover with plastic wrap and let rest for 10-15 minutes. Remove wrap from dough.Spread butter over dough and sprinkle with garlic powder and parsley flakes. Place spaghetti lengthwise in a 4-inch strip down the center of dough. Top with sauce, meat and cheese cubes. (I mixed my spaghetti,sauce and meat together). Make cuts 1 ½-inches apart on long sides of dough to within ½-inch of filling. Begin braid by folding top and bottom strips toward filling. Then braid strips left over right, right over left. Finish by pulling last strip over and tucking under braid. Lift braid with both hands and place on large sprayed baking sheet. (or transfer parchment paper to baking sheet). Brush with egg white and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and parsley (I added garlic powder). Bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown. Cool slightly and slice to serve. 1

Crab Cakes & Easy Creamy Baked Asparagus

Fast, easy, light and refreshing! Which all made me feel better about having Taco John's for lunch! The crab cakes are suppose to be a knock off of Joe's Crab Shack...I've never had their crab cakes so I don't know how they compare but they were good! The asparagus was great - but I'll eat almost anything if you put ranch dressing on it! Dustin insists on having some sort of "dipping sauce" for EVERYTHING (we own 13213465 bottles of different mustards, ranch dressing and Dorothy Lynch!) so the sauce on top I pulled out of thin air so there aren't exact measurements!

As for the crab....I live in small town Iowa. It came from a can. That's all we got!

Crab Cakes

2/3 cup mayonnaise
5 egg yolks
2 teaspoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon blackening seasoning (I used Cajun seasoning)
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 cup crushed, chopped parsley ( I used a couple T's of dried)
2 1/2 cups breadcrumbs (used Panko)
2 lbs crab meat

Directions:

Mix all ingredients together.
Make into 4 oz. patties.

Fry in 1 inch of oil until golden brown.

 

 

Easy Creamy Baked Asparagus

1lb asparagus
1/4C Ranch dressing
2T shredded Parmesan
12 crushed Ritz crackers

Preheat oven to 350*. Cook asparagus in simmering water in a large skillet 2-3 minutes or until bright green. Drain.
Toss asparagus with dressing in a baking dish. Sprinkle with cheese and crackers.
Bake 10-15 minutes or until heated through.


The sauce:
Couple spoonfuls mayo, a small spoonful dill relish, few shakes lemon pepper, couple dashes of hot sauce

1

Pesto & Mozzarella Stuffed Chicken with Creamy Noodles

Ok. I suck at making things that you have to roll up. My filling always just spews out everywhere. This was no exception! It was suppose to have a breading on it...I just patted some filling on the outside since well it was already leaking out! It was still very good - I love pesto!

The Creamy Noodles - holy moly. Don't eat them if you are on a diet. They are rich and delicious but not even close to healthy! Do serve them right away - if you can't and the sauce gets to thick, add a little milk to help thin it back out.

Pesto & Mozzarella Stuffed Chicken

Ingredients:
2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 T pesto
2 T sour cream
2 T grated mozzarella cheese
(I used heaping tablespoons of pesto, sour cream and cheese)
2 eggs, beaten (or if they're large eggs one will probably be enough)
3 T finely grated Parmesan cheese
3 T almond flour (or almond meal, but almond flour is better for this because it's more finely ground)
black pepper to taste

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 375F/190C. Spray a small casserole dish with non-stick spray. Trim any visible fat from chicken breasts, then put them one at a time inside a heavy plastic bag and pound with meat mallet until the chicken is as thin as you can get it. Don't worry too much about the shape or whether there are some loose pieces, you can tuck them in when you roll up the chicken.

In a small bowl mix together the basil pesto, sour cream, and grated mozzarella. Use a rubber scraper to spread a thin layer of this mixture over each chicken breast, stopping about 1/2 inch from the edge of the chicken (so it doesn't run out so much as it cooks.) Roll up the chicken breasts and secure them with a couple of toothpicks. (I roll them so the finished piece is as thin as I can get it so they will cook quickly.)

Prepare two bowls, one with the beaten egg and the other with the grated Parmesan-almond flour mixture, seasoned with black pepper to taste. Dip each chicken breast roll first into the egg mixture and then into the Parmesan-almond flour mixture, patting it on so the chicken breast roll is well-coated with the mixture.

Put chicken breasts into the casserole dish and bake until the chicken is firm and lightly browned. (Start checking after about 25-30 minutes; total baking time will be 30-35 minutes.) Serve hot.

 

 

Creamy Noodles

 

8oz thin spaghetti - cooked

3 garlic cloves - minced

3T butter

6oz cream cheese - cubed

3T sour cream

3T milk

1/2tsp onion powder

1/4tsp Cajun seasoning

1/2tsp dried basil

 

In a saucepan saute the garlic in the butter until soft. Add remaining ingredients. Cook and stir over low heat until smooth. Remove from heat, toss with the noodles.

1

HOMEMADE!!!!!! Chili Cheese Hamburger Helper

I DESPISE Hamburger Helper! It's not food people! Read the ingredients! Gag me. But people (my husband) like it. I refuse to buy it. Then I found this! I personally can't tell you how it tastes. I left detailed instructions and everything laid out for Dustin to make it on Daddy/Daughter night. He said it could be cheesier...this is coming from someone who thinks EVERYTHING can be improved upon so that means it was good! Check out the link to where I got the recipe - she's got a ton of recipes for all different kinds of Hamburger Helper!

Side note: In college a guy invited me over to his house to cook me dinner. He grilled a steak and made Panburger Partner-Hamburger Helper's evil store brand twin. I never talked to him again.

Chili Cheese Hamburger Helper

pound ground beef
1 cup hot water
2 cups milk
1 1/2 cups elbow macaroni
1 tablespoon corn starch
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded

Brown ground beef in a large skillet; drain.  Add hot water and milk. Then add in the pasta and homemade "sauce packet" (corn starch, chili powder, garlic powder, salt, sugar, paprika). Stir to combine and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer on low about 12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until pasta is tender. In the last few minutes of cook time, stir in the cheese; cover the pot again for the final few minutes of cook time. When the pasta is tender and the cheese is melted, turn off heat and uncover. Let mixture stand, uncovered, about five minutes. It will continue to thicken as it stands.


where I found the recipe - check it out! Lots of great ideas! 1

Crispy Cheese Pulled Pork Tacos

Cheese taco shells? Um yeah, I'll make that recipe. And I did and....well making the shells - kind of a bitch. Oh the grease. And they didn't get as crispy as I thought BUT it's melted cheese so it didn't suck that's for sure!!! I also only had sesame SEED oil and no sesame oil. There is a HUGE difference in the two so I added like 1/2c mayo to the slaw and 2-3 drops sesame seed oil instead of following the recipe exact. If any of you know me pork and slaw is one of my all time favorites (evidence in the recipes on this blog!)

Crispy Cheese Pulled Pork Tacos

Ingredients:
for the pulled pork:
1 3-4 lb boned pork shoulder roast
1 cup beef broth
1 cup favorite BBQ sauce
salt
pepper
——
1 cup favorite BBQ sauce
1 tablespoon yellow mustard
1/2 cup brown sugar
salt
pepper
for the sesame slaw:
4 cups coleslaw cabbage mix
2 green onions, sliced
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
2 tablespoons sesame oil
1 tablespoon white vinegar
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
for the crispy cheese taco shells:
6 cups grated cheddar cheese
Directions:
Place pork shoulder into cold crock pot and cover with beef broth, BBQ sauce, salt and pepper. Cover with lid and cook on high for 3-4 hours or until pork is very tender.
Remove pork from crock pot and drain off fat and most of the cooking liquid, leaving about 1 cup in the bottom. Shred pork being sure to remove any visible fat. Place shredded pork back into warm crock pot and stir in remaining 1 cup BBQ sauce, mustard, brown sugar, salt and pepper to taste. Keep warm in crock pot until ready to serve.
For the sesame slaw, combine cabbage mix, cilantro and onions. Set aside. In small bowl, mix sesame oil, vinegar, garlic, salt and pepper together. Pour over slaw and toss to combine. Set aside until ready to serve.
Preheat a small (preferably non stick) skillet to medium heat. Sprinkle 1/2 cup shredded cheese into hot skillet, making a 4-5 inch circle (approximately). Cook 2-3 minutes or until cheese is completely melted and the bottom is golden brown. Remove carefully in one piece and place on some paper towels. Dab the top to remove any excess grease and quickly place over a small cup or handle to shape cheese into a taco shell shape. Let crispy cheese cool and remove. Repeat this process until all shells have been formed.
To serve, spoon some warm pulled pork into the bottom of a crispy cheese shell and top with sesame slaw.

Link to where I found the recipe 1

Chili Dog Pizza

It's a little kid's perfect food - hot dogs and pizza. Ok it's my perfect food too....

This is a great way to use up leftover chili if you have some! I didn't so I made a quick, simple chili. It was so good! And if you don't feel like using "homemade" then get a can of chili and a pre-made crust and you'll have supper in 30 minutes! This made a BIG 9x13 pan pizza.

*sprinkle some chopped raw onion on top of your slice...if you are one of those strange people who like raw onion!

Chili Dog Pizza

For the chili:
1lb hamburger
1 can chili beans
1 can tomato sauce
1 small can tomato paste
2T chili powder
1tsp cayenne pepper

Brown the hamburger in a large skillet. Drain excess grease and add the remaining ingredients. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes. * you won't use all of this for the pizza *

For pizza:
2pkgs pizza crust mix - prepared (add in a tablespoon of chili powder for an extra mmmm)
1/4C yellow mustard
4 hot dogs - sliced
2C shredded cheddar

In a greased 9x13 baking sheet press out your dough. Slather on the mustard. Top with 2 cups of the chili and then add on the hot dogs. Sprinkle with the cheddar. Bake in a 425* oven for 20-30 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly and crust is cooked through.

This recipe is sooooo adaptable! Add in your favorite chili dog toppings, flavors, ect! Don't be scared to experiment!! 1

Veggies & Pasta

This is so pretty! And healthy! I love steamed veggies and I love pasta...perfect meal in my opinion! My husband however tends to think it's not actually a "meal" if there's no meat. If you are like minded throw some grilled chicken/steak or shrimp on top! I used beef broth. Feel free to use chicken or vegetable broth!

Veggies & Pasta

1/2 bag of egg noodles - cooked (boil them in broth for extra flavor!)
1T olive oil
3 large garlic cloves - chopped
3/4c beef broth (or chicken or vegetable)
3 carrots - diced
4C broccoli
1 zucchini - sliced
1 red pepper - chopped
1 1/2T dried basil
1/4C Parmesan cheese

Heat the oil in a large skillet. Add the veggies and garlic. Cook, stirring frequently for 5 minutes. Add the broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 5 minutes. Remove lid and continue to simmer until veggies are tender and broth has mostly evaporated. Stir in the basil. Toss with the pasta and sprinkle with the cheese. 1

The best, easiest, most wonderful Beef Stew

I.LOVE.THIS.RECIPE.

This is PERFECT on a cold winter day! Perfect. It's seriously one of my all time favorite recipes. Proof? I made this last night for supper...I've had 4 bowls since...and this doesn't include the "tasting" I do while it's cooking! Love it.

Beef Stew

1lb stew meat
1 can tomato sauce
1 can beef broth
1 cup red wine *optional
1 pkg ranch dressing mix
1 pkg Italian dressing mix
1 pkg brown gravy mix
1 can green beans - drained
1 can corn - drained
3 large carrots - peeled and chopped
3 large russet potatoes - peeled and chopped

Dump everything into a large crockpot. Stir. Cook on low 6-8 hours. Yes it's that easy!

Go - make this tomorrow and have supper waiting for you so you can focus on Turkey day food! 1

Chicken Dorito Casserole

Yuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuum! Perfect for a quick week night meal! Is this a healthy well blanced meal? Nope! But don't eat it every night of your life and you should be fine. Plus my 2 year old ate a whole plate full. And that is a miracle!

2 c. shredded cooked chicken
1 c. shredded cheese
1 can cream of chicken soup
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup sour cream
1 can Ro-tel tomatoes (canned tomatoes with jalepenos-mild)
1/2 packet taco seasoning (or more- to taste)
Bag of doritos

1. Pre-heat oven to 350-f degrees.

2. In a mixing bowl, combine all ingredients except doritos.

3. In a greased 2 qt baking dish, put a layer of crushed doritos (about 2 cups), then a layer of the chicken mixture. Repeat once more, ending with a layer of chicken mixture. Top with more shredded cheese, cover, and bake for 30-35 minutes, till bubbling hot.

Link to where I found the recipe! 1

Italian Chicken Cordon Bleu

Yummy!!! Easy to make ahead too! Tip: use some toothpicks to close up the chicken...I didn't...melty cheese goo every where!! I love in the boonies so my grocery store didn't have capicola ham. I used salami. It was great. Heck use both kinds of meat if you want! That would be REALLY good!!!

4 large chicken breasts, butterfly cut
6 ounces provolone cheese
2 cloves finely minced garlic
1 1/2 cups, bread, cracker or cornflake crumbs
2 tbsp dried mixed Italian herbs
6 ounces thinly sliced capicola ham
egg wash, 2 eggs + 2 tbsp water whisked together
salt and pepper to season

Lay each butterflied chicken breast flat. Season with salt and pepper on both sides and rub 1/2 clove minced garlic on the inside surface of the meat. Cut the provolone cheese into 4 sticks and wrap each one in 1 1/2 ounces capicola. Place the ham and cheese in the center of the flattened chicken and fold all sides of the breast meat toward the center to overlap. Flip the breast over so that the overlapped edges are on the bottom.

Mix the crumbs with the Italian herbs. Dip the stuffed chicken breast into the egg-wash and then into the seasoned crumbs. Place fold side down on a parchment lined baking sheet and bake in a 350 degree oven for about an hour or until the internal temperature of the breasts reaches 175-185 degrees F on a meat thermometer. 1

Creamy Avocado Pasta

This was soooooooo yummy!!! You get the creamy richness of a heavy, usually unhealthy sauce but it's actually very light and good for you! And it's ready in the time it takes to cook the spaghetti! We had this meat free but you could easily throw some grilled chicken or shrimp on top and it'd be great! You HAVE to try this recipe - I was so pleased with how it came out!

SALT SALT SALT SALT your pasta water!!!! You should always do it anyways but with such a simple sauce like this it's very important! Also after making the sauce, I put it in the serving bowl and added about 1/4c of the pasta cooking water to "loosen" the sauce a  bit.

Creamy Avocado Pasta

• 1 medium sized ripe Avocado, pitted
• 1/2 lemon, juiced + lemon zest to garnish
• 2-3 garlic cloves, to taste (I used 4. I had bad breath afterwards)
• 1/2 tsp salt, or to taste
• 1T dried basil, to taste
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 6 oz of your choice of pasta (I used spaghetti)
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Directions:
1. Bring several cups of water to a boil in a medium sized pot. Add in your pasta, reduce heat to medium, and cook until Al Dente, about 8-10 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, make the sauce by placing the garlic cloves, lemon juice, and olive oil into a food processor. Process until smooth. Now add in the pitted avocado, basil, and salt. Process until smooth and creamy.
3. When pasta is done cooking, drain and rinse in a strainer and place pasta into a large bowl. Pour on sauce and toss until fully combined. Garnish with lemon zest and black pepper. Serve immediately. Makes 2 servings. 1

Corn Dog Casserole

The toddler's dream supper! I know hot dogs are the "healthiest" but I like them so I don't care! I didn't feel like cooking tonight but the other people in the house always feel like eating so we made this! It takes like 5 minutes to throw together and 30 minutes later supper is ready! And it's also a kid friendly helper meal..not only did my daughter whisk the egg but she also dumped half the milk down her front! Note to self: work on which direction we pour things...

Corn Dog Casserole

1 package of hot dogs (I used Oscar Meyer Wieners. I buy them solely for the fact that they say wiener)
1 egg
3/4C milk
1tsp thyme
1T honey
1 package cornbread mix

Slice the hot dogs and saute in a large skillet for 5 minutes. Reserve 1 cup. In a medium bowl combine the egg, milk, thyme and honey. Add the hot dogs. Stir in the cornbread mix. Spread into an 8x8 casserole dish. Bake at 400* for 30 minutes. Cut into squares. 1

Baked Beef Ziti

I *heart* pasta. I could eat a pasta dish every day of my life. It's quick to make, it's filling, it's cheap, you can do a million things with it. It's #2 on my Top 5 Foods. Mashed potatoes are #1 if you are dying to know.

Simple, simple, simple dish! I even made it with one hand as the other was busy holding the very fussy teething monster that was once my daughter. This would freeze well and double well if you need to feed an army!

Baked Beef Ziti

16oz cooked ziti
1tsp olive oil
2 garlic cloves - minced
1lb ground beef
1tsp oregano
1tsp thyme
1tsp rosemary
28oz can crushed tomatoes
2C shredded mozzarella

Preheat the oven to 350*. Heat oil in a medium saucepan. Add garlic and saute for 2 minutes. Add the beef and cook until brown. Drain and return to the pan. Add oregano, thyme, and rosemary. Stir to coat the beef. Cook until herbs become fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add tomatoes and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Spoon a small amount of sauce into the bottom of a 4 quart casserole dish. Top with half of the ziti and then layer with half of the remaining sauce and half of the cheese. Repeat. Bake until cheese is golden and bubbly...about 30 minutes. 1

Root Beer Pulled Pork

I don't think this is really a recipe...it's more of a method. I used a pork loin...use a butt if you want! Throw your meat in the crockpot and dump a can of root beer on it and cook on low 6-8 hours. Remove the meat, discard the liquid. Shred the meat and return to the crockpot. Add your favorite BBQ sauce and cook on low 1-2 hours. I'm sure any dark soda would work. Don't use diet please. And I'm guessing this cooking method would be great with chicken and beef too!

I don't know what it is about the root beer but man oh man was the meat full of flavor and soooooo tender!!!! If you don't eat coleslaw ON your pulled pork sandwiches you are missing out on one of the greatest sandwiches of your life. TRY IT!!!!

I served this with oven fries. Peel some potatoes, slice them and throw them on a cookie sheet. Spray with non stick cooking spray and some season salt. Bake at 425* for 20-30 mins. 1

Baked Taco Dip

This was good but lacking "something" but the husband and I are kind of Spice Heads so that pays a part in it...next time I make it I'll add a layer of either salsa or taco sauce. But if spice isn't your thing or you are making this for younger kids it's perfect as is!!

Baked Taco Dip

1 pound ground beef

2 cloves garlic, minced

8 ounces cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup  ranch dressing

1 tablespoon chili powder

1 teaspoon ground cumin

2 ounces cheddar cheese, shredded

2 ounces pepper jack cheese, shredded

1 can refried beans

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Spray a 9-inch pie plate with cooking spray and set aside.
In a skillet, brown the ground beef over medium heat. Drain, and return the beef to the skillet. Add the garlic, and cook for 4-5 minutes. Remove from the heat.
In a bowl, combine the cream cheese, ranch dressing, chili powder, and ground cumin. Add the beef mixture and half of the shredded cheese. Stir to combine. Transfer the mixture to the prepared pie plate.
Warm up the refried beans in the skillet and spread over the meat mixture. *this is where I would also layer some salsa or taco sauce* Sprinkle with remaining cheese.
Bake for 15-20 minutes until the cheese is golden and bubbly. Serve with tortilla chips. 1

BBQ Chicken Dip

If you haven't noticed, we like BBQ anything. LOL!  Apologies to my friend Erica. :-) This dip was GREAT!!!!! Totally not what I was expecting. It's gooey and creamy and cheesy! It is a baked dip but I'm sure if you just threw everything in a small crock pot it'd turn out just fine and stay warm for potlucks!

I used Famous Dave's Devil's Spit BBQ sauce. This is a VERY spicy sauce, however, in the dip it was so mild! Just had a nice bite. Even my 2 year old ate it and she "no yike picey" things! Make this dip - you won't regret it!

BBQ Chicken Dip
*link below to where I got the recipe (found it on Pinterest)

BBQ Chicken Dip

12 oz cooked chicken, chopped
1 (8oz) block cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup bbq sauce
1/4 cup ranch dressing
1/4 cup sour cream
1 1/2 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
1 green onion, chopped ( I omitted)

Preheat oven to 350.
In a mixing bowl combine chicken, cream cheese, sour cream, ranch dressing, barbecue sauce, and 1 cup of cheddar cheese. Pour mixture into a lightly greased 8x8 baking dish. Top the dip with chopped green onion and remaining cheese. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until bubbly.

http://www.plainchicken.com/2011/09/bbq-chicken-dip-football-friday.html 1

BBQ Nachos

These kick ass. We had them at a restaurant one night and have been making them at home ever since! PERFECT for a veg out in front of the TV for a movie or football game! I'm just going to list ingredients - how much you use is up to you! Make a bunch or a little!

BBQ Nachos

Corn tortilla chips
BBQ pork - homemade, from the store, whatever!
Can of baked beans - drain as well as you can
jalapenos
cheddar cheese
pepper jack cheese

On a cookie sheet layer: chips, meat, beans, peppers, cheese. Bake in the oven at 350* until cheese is melted perfection! 1

Chicken Royale with Corn & Broccoli Bake

THE CHICKEN REQUIRES OVERNIGHT REFRIGERATION!!!
A small note I forgot when making this dish :-) oops! It was still good! My complaint - it wasn't "crispy"...I wanted super crispy...so next time I think I'll do half bread crumbs, half panko. You should do that and tell me how it works out!

Chicken Royale

6 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1C sour cream
2T lemon juice
2tsp worchestershire
1tsp paprika
1 clove garlic - minced
2 1/2C bread crumbs
1 stick butter (I LOVE recipes that call for this!)

Combine ingredients except for bread crumbs and butter. Coat the chicken with the sour cream mixture. Place in a single layer, cover and refigerate overnight. *I didn't do this. I did this part for 2 hours. It still tasted delish!*
Preheat oven to 350*. Coat each piece with bread crumbs. Place in a baking dish. Drizzle half of the butter (melted) over the chiken. Bake 45mins. Drizzle with remaining butter. Continue baking until done.


This side was easy! I have this need to add cheese to everything. I stuck to the recipe but it wouldn't kill it to sprinkle in some shredded cheddar!

Corn & Broccoli Bake
1 can creamed corn
1 bag frozen broccoli (I used 2 heads of fresh)
1/2C crushed saltines
1 egg-beaten
2T butter - melted

Combine corn, broccoli, 1/4C crackers and egg. *This is where I would throw in a cup of cheese.
Place in a greased 8x8 baking dish. Combine butter and remaining crackers. Sprinkle on top.
Bake at 350* for 30-40mins. 1

Oreo Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies

Yep. A cookie in a cookie. Will I make them again? Eh, probably not. They were a bit messy. I don't like messy. And I had to measure. I hate measuring. LOL! But they were a hit!

They make big cookies. Like the recipes says. HOWEVER (my big complaint here) putting a scoop on top and on the bottom did not work AT ALL for me. Who knows, maybe I didn't add the right amount of flour (I don't like measuring partly because I'm absent minded and get distracted and lose count easy!!) but this dough was sticky and stuck to my hands, not the cookie. So I ended up taking my big scoop and pushing the Oreo into the dough and then plopping it on the cookie sheet. So the Oreo wasn't entirely stuffed in the cookie.

Oreo Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies

2 sticks softened butter
3/4 Cup packed light brown sugar
1 Cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 Tablespoon pure vanilla
3 1/2 Cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
10 oz bag chocolate chips
1 bag Oreo Cookies

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a stand or electric mixer cream butter and sugars until well combined. Add in eggs and vanilla until well combined.
2. In a separate bowl mix the flour, salt and baking soda. Slowly add to wet ingredients along with chocolate chips until just combined. Using a cookie scoop take one scoop of cookie dough and place on top of an Oreo Cookie. Take another scoop of dough and place on bottom of Oreo Cookie. Seal edges together by pressing and cupping in hand until Oreo Cookie is enclosed with dough. Place onto a parchment or silpat lined baking sheet and bake cookies 9-13 minutes or until cookies are baked to your liking. Let cool for 5 minutes before transferring to cooling rack. Serve with a tall glass of milk, enjoy!
Makes about 2 dozen VERY LARGE Cookies

http://picky-palate.com/2011/01/06/oreo-stuffed-chocolate-chip-cookies/ 1

Cowboy Spaghetti

A twist on regular old spaghetti - there are 2, yes 2 sauces! Oh the craziness!!! It's hearty and filling. It can be made as spicy or not spicy as you like! Any cowboys that read this, is this really how cowboy's make spaghetti?

I left the jalapenos out of the cheese sauce because the only hot sauce we had in the house is called Death Sauce. 3 drops of it made the meat sauce HOT. Adding jalapenos would have been rubbing salt in an open wound!

Cowboy Spaghetti

1lb spaghetti
4 slices bacon - chopped
1lb ground beef
1 medium onion - chopped
4 cloves garlic - chopped
2tsp hot sauce
1T Worcestershire
1T chili powder
1/2T ground cumin
1/2 can beer
1 large can crushed tomatoes
1 can tomato sauce
2T butter
2T flour
1C chicken stock
1C milk
2C shredded cheddar cheese
1/4C jalapenos - chopped

Sauce #1
In a large skillet brown and crisp the bacon. Remove from pan. Add the ground beef, onion, garlic, hot sauce, Worcestershire, chili powder and cumin. Once beef is cooked, drain any excess grease. Add the beer, cook one minute. Add tomatoes and tomato sauce. Bring to a boil and cook for 5 minutes.

Sauce #2
In a small pot melt the butter. Stir in the flour. Cook for one minute. Whisk in the chicken stock and milk. Slowly bring to a boil and cook until thicken. Stir in the cheese and jalapenos.

Cook the spaghetti according to package directions and add to the meat sauce. Pour cheese sauce over top. 1

Jalapeno Sour Cream Chicken

*spicy alert*  Ya know if you couldn't figure it out by the jalapenos being in the recipe! :-)

This was yum. I served it over egg noodles. It'd also be good over mashed potatoes. Or on a slice of bread. Or wrapped up in a tortilla...possibilities - endless.

Recipe says cubed chicken. I used shredded, I had some already pre-cooked that needed used.

Jalapeno Sour Cream Chicken

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 small onion - chopped
1 4oz can chopped jalapenos (I used 2, we like spicy!)
1T taco seasoning
1tsp season salt
8oz sour cream
1C pepper jack cheese - shredded (use monterey or cheddar to cut the spicy factor)
3/4C chicken broth

Cut chicken into 1 inch cubes. On medium high heat saute the chicken and onion for about 5 minutes. Add the jalapenos, taco seasoning, season salt and chicken broth. Cover and let simmer 5 minutes. Add the sour cream and cheese. Cover and simmer for 7 minutes. 1

S'more Cookies

A S'more in cookie form??!!! Thanks to my latest addiction (Pinterest) I'd seen 7080989 (roughly) pictures and 7098914 (again, an estimate) variations of these so I had to try them. What I learned (remember, I DON'T BAKE!!!) is that you want a SMALL amount of cookie dough on the cracker because they will spread like crazy. I'll post the link to the blog they came from...mine are no where near as pretty as her's BUT they did taste good!!

S'more Cookies

1 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
Cream together butter and sugar until incorporated

Add:
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
Beat thoroughly

Add:
2 cups flour
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup chocolate chips, or one giant Hershey's bar, chopped
1 cup mini marshmallows
Stir to incorporate

The most fun part about these cookies is that you actually bake the cookie on top of a whole graham cracker.
Bake at F350°, for no more than 11 minutes (after 11 minutes, the graham cracker will burn).
Some of the marshmallow may toast off the cracker, but simply remove the cracker from your cookie sheet and quickly transfer to a wire rack.
Yields 4 dozen

Blog cookie recipe came from! 1

Caramelized Pork Slices & Elegant Scalloped Potatoes

Once again the hubs had to go out of town for work. The night before he leaves I always like to make a "nice" supper. This was a hit!!! And holy moly was the pork good - and neither of us are huge pork fans. At first I was scared - it didn't look like it was going to come together...it wasn't getting "caramelized" and definitely didn't look pretty! But I cranked the heat and walked away. I came back to perfection! So good!!! The chopped garlic almost gets candied...I could have just ate that!!! The pork would be great served over rice too. And you could easily sub chicken for the pork.

The scalloped potatoes were well scalloped potatoes. I don't know why I make them, I don't ever like them, but that's just my personal taste!  LOL! But they are good and my 2 year old ate them. That's saying a lot!

Caramelized Pork Slices

1lb pork tenderloin - cut into 1in thick slices
2tsp canola oil (I used vegetable)
2 garlic cloves - minced (I used 4, garlic is my fave!)
2T brown sugar
1T orange juice
1T dark molasses (I used dark Karo syrup)

In a nonstick skillet, brown pork in oil over medium-high heat. Remove and keep warm.
In the same skillet, saute the garlic for 1 minute, stir in the brown sugar, orange juice, and molasses. Return pork to the pan. Cook, uncovered until pork is cooked through. *I cranked the heat at this step. Get the sauce bubbling so it becomes all ooey and gooey! Turn the pork occasionally. I'm guessing it took probably 10-15 minutes for the pork to finish cooking.*


Elegant Scalloped Potatoes

8 large baking potatoes
6T butter
6T flour
1tsp garlic powder
3 1/2C milk
12oz Velveeta - cubed
6 slices bacon - cooked and crumbled
1C shredded cheddar

Scrub the potatoes. Microwave them until tender. Cool. In a saucepan melt the butter. Stir in the flour and garlic powder. Gradually whisk in the milk. Bring to a boil, cook until thickened. Add the Velveeta and bacon. Stir until melted. Remove from heat. Cut potatoes into 1/4in slices. Place 1/3 of the potatoes in a greased baking dish. Top with 1/3 of the cheese sauce. Repeat layers twice. Sprinkle with cheddar. Bake uncovered at 350* for 15 minutes or until heated through. 1

Chicken Tortilla Soup

My mom invited us out for supper...then called and said the ingredients are setting out on the counter, can you come out early and throw it together! Ha - so much for being invited over for supper! Buuut this was soooo easy it took 5 seconds to do!

PS - Cooking tip for ya...make sure the cord is OUT of the crockpot before dumping items in it. Oops.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

1lb cooked chicken - shredded or cubed
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can nacho cheese soup
1 can enchilada sauce
1 can green chilies
1 soup can of milk
corn chips, sour cream and shredded cheddar for garnish

Dump everything in the crockpot (minus garnish ingredients). Stir. Cook on high for 2-3 hours or low for 4-6 hours. 1

Bavarian Apple Torte

I got a huge bag of apples from a friend and wanted something quick to throw together to go with supper last night. This was perfect!! Easy to do and delicious! A drizzle of caramel sauce and some vanilla ice cream would be absolutely perfect with this!!

Bavarian Apple Torte

1/2C butter - softened
1/3C sugar
1/4tsp vanilla
1C flour
8oz cream cheese - softened
1/4C sugar
1 egg
1/2tsp vanilla
4 medium apples - peeled and thinly sliced
1/3C sugar
1/2tsp cinnamon

Preheat oven to 425*
Cream together the butter, sugar, vanilla and flour. Press in the bottom of a spring form pan.
In a medium bowl combine the cream cheese and sugar. Beat in egg and vanilla. Pour over crust.
Toss apples in cinnamon and sugar. Spread them over the cream cheese layer.
Bake for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 400 and bake 30 minutes. Cook before cutting. 1

Chili Chickent and Cheddar Pasta

*WARNING* This IS spicy!!! If you like spicy, you will love this!! If you don't - leave out the jalapeno and adobo sauce and you'll still have a nice dish!

This was one of the very first meals I ever cooked for Dustin. He loved it! However, he's not one to ever throw anything out of the fridge so like 3 weeks later he ate some of the leftovers and got sick. He asked me to never make it again. I obliged...for 5 years. I clean out the fridge every Monday so he's safe this time!

Chili Chicken and Cheddar Pasta

1lb bowtie pasta
1T butter
1C diced red pepper
1C diced green pepper
1T minced jalapeno
1/2lb bacon - cooked and crumbled
1tsp adobo sauce
2T flour
1tsp chili powder
1/2tsp ground cumin
2C milk
2C shredded cheddar
2T cilantro
1 1/2C cooked chicken

Preheat oven to 400*. Cook pasta. In a large pot melt the butter. Add the peppers, jalapeno and bacon. Cook until the peppers are soften - about 4 minutes. Stir in adobo sauce, flour, chili powder and cumin. Gradually whisk in the milk and simmer until thickened. Remove from heat. Stir in 3/4 of the cheese and the cilantro. Stir in the pasta and chicken. Spoon into a baking dish. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese. Bake until the cheese is melted. 1

Crowd Pleasing Taco Salad

I love this salad!!! It's a nice change from the regular taco salad. And yes...it pleases a crowd!

Crowd Pleasing Taco Salad

1lb ground beef
1/2C ketchup
1tsp oregano
1tsp chili powder
1 medium head romaine lettuce - torn
2 medium tomatoes - diced
1C shredded cheddar cheese
1/2C may
1/2C taco sauce
1pkg corn chips

In a large skillet brown the ground beef. Stir in the ketchup, oregano and chili powder. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. In a large bowl combine the lettuce, tomato, cheese and beef. Combine the mayo and taco sauce. Pour over the salad and toss. Sprinkle in the corn chips and toss.

* I leave the tomatoes on the side cause I don't like them! 1

Italian Beef Sammies

This is hands down my FAVORITE way to fix a roast!!!! It's quick and easy (I say that a lot on this blog don't I?!) and the flavor is out of this world!!! It's not "spicy" so don't be scared to try it! And you don't have to make sandwiches...you can serve it over rice, noddles or mashed potatoes! Or if you love it as much as me - just eat it straight out of the crockpot! LOL! Thanks goes to my friend Aly who gave me this recipe a few years ago!

*My pics for this blog are in no way professional! This one I feel is execptionally not the best! LOL! But they are so good I just hurried and snapped a pic so I could eat!!

Italian Beef Sammies

4-5lb roast (use whatever is cheapest at the store!)
1 can beer (I use Miller Lite)
1 package Italian dressing mix
1 jar sliced pepperonchini's
sliced pepper jack cheese
crusty rolls

Throw the roast, beer, dressing mix, and peppers in the crockpot. Cook on low 6-8 hours. Remove the roast and shred. Return to the crockpot.
Put meat mixture on roll, top with pepper jack cheese. Place assembled sammies in a warm oven (200-250) until cheese is melted. Also makes a great pannini!

*We like to reserve some of the cooking liquid and use as an au jus! When I do this I like to put it in the fridge for a few hours to let the fat harden on top. Remove fat, reheat and dip! 1

Chicken Enchiladas

This recipe was good...not great...but good. Great for picky eaters who don't like a ton of flavor! LOL! I would definitely add more spices next time! But they were easy to make and filling! I'd say 3 out of 5 stars! Ha! And as I'm typing this out I realized I forgot to put in the taco seasoning! LOL! NO wonder they were lacking something!

Chicken Enchiladas

2lbs chicken - cooked and shredded
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 1/4C sour cream
1/4 tsp chili powder
1Tsp butter
1 small onion - chopped
1 can chopped green chilies
1 package taco seasoning mix
1 bunch green onions - chopped and divided
1C water
1tsp lime juice
1/2tsp onion powder
1/2tsp garlic powder
5 flour tortillas
3C shredded cheddar cheese - divided
1 can enchilada sauce

Combine the cream of chicken soup, sour cream and chili powder in a saucepan. Bring to a simmer over low heat, stirring occasionally, then turn off the heat and cover to keep warm.
Heat the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in the onion; cook and stir until the onion has softened and turned translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the shredded chicken, green chilies, taco seasoning, half of the green onion and water. Allow to simmer for 10 minutes. Stir in the lime juice, onion powder, and garlic powder. Simmer for an additional 10 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350*. Stir 1 cup of the soup mixture into the skillet with the chicken mixture. Spread the remaining soup mixture on the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish.
Fill each tortilla with chicken mixture. Sprinkle cheddar cheese over the chicken filling before folding the tortillas, reserving half of the shredded cheese for topping the enchiladas. Fold tortillas over the filling and place seam side down in the pan.
Pour enchilada sauce evenly over the enchiladas. Cover with the remaining 1 1/2 cups of cheddar cheese. Sprinkle the reserved chopped green onions on top of the cheese. Bake in the oven until filling is heated through and cheese is melted and bubbling about 25 minutes. 1

Spaghetti

MAKE YOUR OWN SAUCE!!! It's sooo easy! It's cheap and it tastes 100 times better than from a jar/can! PROMISE!! This is my "basic" recipe. If I want a heartier sauce I saute chopped onion, carrots, peppers and celery until soft and then run them through the food processor until smooth and add them to the sauce. Feel free to adjust the herbs to your tastes! I tend to go heavy on the basil - it's my favorite!

Spaghetti

1 large can crushed tomatoes
1 can tomato sauce
1 can beef broth
1 cup red wine
1 can tomato paste
2T garlic powder
2T dried basil
2T dried oregano
2T dried parsley
1T crushed red pepper flake

Add all ingredients into a large sauce pan. Simmer on low for 2-3 hours.

*This makes enough sauce for 2lbs of hamburger and 2lbs of pasta. I usually reserve half of the sauce and freeze it in a ziplock baggie. It freezes GREAT! So feel free to double, triple, ect the recipe and stock up on spaghetti sauce!! 1

Beefy Tomato Mac

My mom made this a lot when I was younger...so it's comfort food to me! It's simple, it fills you up and I usually have all the ingredients on hand so it's great for those nights when the cupboards are looking a little bare!

Beefy Tomato Mac

1lb ground beef (cooked)
1 box mac 'n' cheese (prepared)
2T chili powder
1 can condensed tomato soup
1C shredded cheddar cheese

Mix together everything but the shredded cheese. Pour into an 8x8 baking dish. Sprinkle with cheese and bake at 325* until the cheese is melted and everything is heated through...about 20-30mins. 1

Dustin's Chili

Dustin likes chunky chili. I grew up with the most basic chili EVER! My mom's recipe was hamburger, chili beans, tomato sauce and chili powder. She's gotten crazy in her old age and now adds a can of Rotel. So I had to come up with a new recipe to please the hubs! This is the base I follow every time. It's really never made the same twice - just depends on what I have around!

**this is SPICY** but it doesn't have to be - just leave the hot peppers out!!

Dustin's Chili

2lbs hamburger
2 medium red onions - chopped
1 green bell pepper - chopped
1 red bell pepper - chopped
4 cloves garlic - minced
1 large can crushed tomatoes
1 large can tomato sauce
1 can tomato paste
1 can beer
1/2 bottle red wine (use your favorite, drink the other half)
1/4C honey
1/4C BBQ sauce
1 large can chili beans
2T black pepper
4T basil
2T oregano
6T chili powder
4 jalapenos - chopped

In a large skillet sautee the peppers, onions and garlic in a little olive oil until soft. Brown the hamburger in the same skillet. Add EVERYTHING to a very LARGE crockpot. Cook on low 6-8 hrs, stirring occasionally.

This recipe is so easily adjusted to whatever you like! Don't have a red pepper? Use 2 green, or yellow or orange. Increase the BBQ sauce for a more "tangy" chili. I use Miller Lite but a dark beer would be good too! That's what's great about chili - dump it all in and it'll turn out good! 1

Twix Bars

This is VERY rare...I baked. I hate to bake. I don't like to measure. So if I do bake rest assured it's easy. I got this recipe from my friend Monica. They are rich and gooey and as far away from healthy as you can get! But oooohhhh so worth it!!!

Twix Bars

1 roll sugar cookie dough
14oz caramels
1 stick butter
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1C peanut butter
1 bag chocolate chips (I used milk chocolate)

Pat the cookie dough out in a greased 9x13 pan. Bake at 375* until golden brown (about 15 mins). Cool. While dough is cooling, in a small saucepan, melt together the caramels, butter and milk. Keep the heat low. Pour over cooled dough. Let cool in the fridge. Meanwhile melt together the chocolate chips and peanut butter. Spread over the caramel layer. Refrigerate until chocolate is set (about 3 hours)

A little of this goes a long way so it actually makes quite a bit. I just can't get over how good they are! And if I can make them YOU definitely can! 1

Tuna Noodle Casserole

I LOVE LOVE LOVE my Tuna Noodle Casserole. Is it a 4 Star amazing impressive recipe? Nope! But it is comfort food at it's best! Perfect on a cold day, throws together quick and it's one of the very few foods I'll eat leftovers of. When it's adults only eating it I like to add a couple pinches of crushed red pepper flake to give it a bite!

Tuna Noodle Casserole

2 cans tuna (in water) - drained
3 stalks celery - chopped
8oz Velveeta - cubed
1 can cream of celery soup
1/2C milk
1/2 C mayo
2T lemon pepper
12oz egg noodles - cooked and drained.
1/2C crushed garlic croutons

In a large sauce pan, over medium heat, add the velveeta, soup, milk, mayo and lemon pepper. Stir occasionally until everything is combined and the cheese is melted.
Stir in the tuna, celery, and egg noodles. Mix well.
Pour into a greased casserole dish. Sprinkle croutons on top.
Bake in a pre-heated 325* oven until croutons are golden and dish is heated through, about 20mins. 1

Breakfast Muffins

This was lunch today! I was expirimenting so I kept it pretty basic but next time I'll definetaly beef them up with some peppers, onions and bacon! That's what makes it such a great recipe - it can very easily be adapted to your tastes!

Breakfast Muffins

1lb sausage - browned and crumbled
2C shredded cheddar cheese
2lb cubed frozen hashbrowns
1 dozen eggs
1/2C milk
2T seasoned salt
1T garlic powder

Preheat oven to 375*
In a large bowl mix together the sausage, cheese, hashbrowns, seasoned salt and garlic powder. In a medium bowl whisk together the eggs and milk.
In a greased muffin tin add the sausage mixture. (I used a large ice cream scoop - 1 scoop per muffin) Pour the egg mixture onto the sausage mixture to just the top of the muffin tin.
Bake for 25 minutes or until tops are puffed up and golden brown.
Yields 24 servings 1

Cheese Steak Dip

I LOVE Philly Cheese steaks...grilled meat and peppers and cheese? Yes please! We were going tailgating last weekend and I was craving cheese steaks but didn't want to have to bring a bunch of different containers to make them. And so was born Cheese steak Dip! It was quick, easy and perfect for tailgating - or any potluck for that matter!

Cheese steak Dip

2 rib-eye steaks - thinly sliced
1 red pepper - chopped
1 green pepper - chopped
1 red onion- sliced thin
1 jar pepperonchini's - sliced, reserve juice
1 jar Monterrey jack queso (I used Frito Lay's)
1 can cheddar cheese dip (I used Frito Lay's)

In a large skillet over high heat sautee the steaks, peppers and onions in a little olive oil. It's ok (actually it's best!) for everything to get some char on it...that's flavor! In a large crockpot add the contents of the skillet, the pepperonchini's and the juice, the queso and the cheese dip. Stir to combine and cook on low 3-4 hours or until warmed through.

I served this with toasted pieces of French bread. It's just soooo good! A bit spicy - but not overwhelming. It's definitely a stick to your ribs dip!

Can't seem to get your steak sliced thin? The best way to thinly slice ANY meat is to do it while it's partially frozen. The meat will be easier to handle and will slice up no problem! 1

Bacon Ranch Chicken

This recipe has my favorites in it - chicken, bacon and ranch! Takes 2 seconds to throw every thing in the crockpot and supper is ready when you are! I love these kinds of recipes!!

Bacon Ranch Chicken

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 small container sour cream
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 packet ranch dressing mix
6 slices bacon cooked and crumbled (or use bacon bits!)
egg noodles

Put the chicken in the crockpot. Mix the sour cream, cream of chicken, dressing mix and bacon together in a small bowl. Pour over the chicken. Cook on low for 4 hours. Shred the chicken and return back into the sauce. Serve over cooked egg noodles. Mashed potatoes or rice would work too!! 1

Taco Joes

I'm working tonight so supper has to be already made when I leave and SUPER SIMPLE for Dustin to assemble! No offense to Dustin - he can cook (so I've heard!) This recipe is perfect for that. It was ready to go in 15 minutes! It's not supper time yet but I had to taste it and *yum*! A quick side of baked frozen french fries or a can of green beans and supper is ready!

Taco Joes

1lb ground beef

2T taco seasoning

1 can condensed tomato soup

1C salsa

Brown the beef in a large skillet and drain off fat. Add remaining ingredients. Stir, cover and simmer 10 minutes. Serve on hamburger buns with lettuce and sour cream. And a spoon if you make them extra sloppy!

1

BBQ Lasagna

This is Dustin's ALL TIME favorite meal that I make. I make it on his birthday and whenever I need to tell him "thank you"! He had a little medical procedure done yesterday so I made it tonight as a Get Better Soon Dinner.

You'll read the recipe and say "But Jen! There's 5642321 ingredients!" Yep. But they are ingredients that you should have on hand, and it actually goes pretty quick. HOWEVER there's no need to make your own BBQ sauce - just use a bottle of your favorite store brand!

BBQ Lasagna

1lb ground beef
1C ketchup
1/2C brown sugar
1/4C lemon juice
2T cider vinegar
2T Worcestershire sauce
1T yellow mustard
1 garlic clove - minced
1/8tsp chili powder
1/8tsp lemon pepper
2T liquid smoke
6 lasagna noodles
2C shredded cheddar cheese
2C shredded mozzarella cheese

In a skillet brown the beef and drain off the excess fat.
In a small sauce pan combine the ketchup, brown sugar, lemon juice, vinegar, Worcestershire, mustard, garlic, chili powder, lemon pepper and liquid smoke. Bring to a boil. Simmer, uncovered, for about 10 mins.
Meanwhile bring a large pot of water to a boil. HEAVILY SALT IT. Your pasta water should ALWAYS be like salt water. Cook the lasagna noodles. Drain the noodles.
Mix the bbq sauce with the hamburger.
In a loaf pan spread about 1/4C of the BBQ beef. Layer 2 noodles, 1/3 of the remaining beef, and 1/3 each of the cheeses. Repeat twice, ending with the cheese on top.
Bake uncovered at 350 for 50-60 mins. Let stand AT LEAST 10mins before cutting. This step ensures your lasagna will stay together and you won't have that dreaded anxiety of taking the first slice of lasagna out of the pan!! 1

Crockpot BBQ Chicken Sandwiches with slaw

This recipe was a HOME RUN! It's quick to throw together, cooks on it's own in the crockpot and tastes de-lish! The recipe could also be very easily doubled or tripled to serve a large crowd too. They are perfect with a side of baked beans, mac'n'cheese or potato salad.

Crockpot BBQ Chicken Sandwiches

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 bottle of BBQ sauce (I used KC Masterpiece Southern Style)
1/2C Italian Dressing
2T Worcestershire sauce
2T chili powder

Place chicken in crockpot. Dump remaining ingredients on top. Cook on low 6hrs or high 4hrs. Remove chicken breasts and shred with a fork. Return chicken to the crockpot. Serve on soft dinner rolls.
6 servings


Quick and Easy Slaw

2C pre-packaged coleslaw mix
1C mayo
1T yellow mustard
2T dill weed
1tsp celery salt

Mix all ingredients together in a bowl. Cover and refrigerate at least 1hr before serving. 1

And I'm blogging...

Watch out world - I'm blogging! My goals for this blog - share recipes of what we actually eat for supper! Simple right? I hope so - having 2 kids 2 and under doesn't leave room for complicated!

Here's my thinking - I LOVE to cook. Love it. When it was just me and my husband I would cook elaborate meals with tons of ingredients. That does not happen any more! I still like to cook great meals it's just now it needs to be put together and ready to go by the time Yo Gabba Gabba is over!

I'm always on the search for new recipes and love sharing them! Hopefully you'll be able to use them and enjoy them with your family too!! 1