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