Taco Cupcakes

These taco cupcakes are the cutest thing, and yum-o. They are also very easy to make. Try them ASAP!!



Taco Cupcakes
makes 18 cupcakes


1 lb ground beef
1 packet taco seasoning
2/3 cup water
1 can black beans, drained (I omitted beans as I am not a huge fan)
2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded
36 wonton wrappers (In your dressing/lettuce/tofu grocery isle)
your favorite taco toppings - salsa, cheese, sour cream, lettuce, tomatoes, etc
cooking spray

Preheat oven to 375.

Brown the meat in a skillet and drain off fat. Return the meat to the skillet; add the taco seasoning, water and black beans. Mix and simmer for 5 minutes, until water is absorbed.

Spray 18 regular muffin pan cups with cooking spray. Place one wonton wrapper in each muffin cup. Divide half of the taco meat between muffin cups. Sprinkle half of the cheese over the cupcakes. Repeat layers - wonton, taco meat and cheese. Bake at 375 for 10-15 minutes, or until cheese is bubbly. Top with your favorite taco toppings.


This recipe is compliments of plainchicken.com

Brandy

Crock Pot Pork Chops

So my sister shared this receipe with me and it is amazing! Amazing in both time and taste. The crock pot did all of the work for me and when I got home all I did was whip up mashed potatoes and a can of fruit!

Ingredients:

4 boneless pork chops
Can of cream of mushroon soup
Milk
Packet of ranch dressing mix

Directions:

Combine chops, soup, fill soup can with milk, and ranch packet. Let cook on low for 8 hours. Enjoy!!

Brandy

Buttermilk Biscuit Waffles

This is soooo delicious! Its definitely an easy and fun dinner for any night of the week! First, I want to thank my dear friend Shannon for watching Rachael Ray diligently every day, without her I wouldnt know about this wonderful recipe! :)

Buttermilk Biscuit Waffles

• 2 1/4 cups pre-measured buttermilk biscuit mix
• 2/3 cup milk or buttermilk
• 1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• Salt and pepper

Turn on your waffle iron.
In a medium size mixing bowl, mix together the biscuit mix, buttermilk, cheese, and salt and pepper, to taste. Spray the waffle maker with nonstick cooking spray and distribute the mixture evenly in the waffle iron. Cook for 8-10 minutes, or until the biscuits are slightly brown. *Watch carefully, most waffle irons do not have a temperature contol so it will not take as long!

We used a country gravy packet you find in the grocery store to top it with!

Serve with bacon & eggs if desired!

Enjoy!
Jen

Baked Spaghetti

Well I guess we have been MIA! The cold weather just makes me want to go into hibernation until the temperature is bearable again! Cooking has been simple at my house... simple meaning ramen noodles and grilled cheese! Ooops!!

I was feeling creative last night, it was delicious and simple, but not ramen noodle simple and way more delicious!!

Baked Spaghetti

I know you love my phone pics! :)

1lb ground beef/turkey

1 package spaghetti noodles

2 cups mozzarella cheese

1 jar spaghetti sauce

Butter for noodles

Herbs & Spices (I used Garlic Powder, Minced onion, onion salt, & oregano)

Preheat oven to 350*

Brown meat with herbs & spices. Add jar of sauce and let simmer. Simutaneously boil noodles. Once noodles are done, drain water and add butter. Let melt. Once butter is melted add the sauce to noodles, mix together. Add in 1 1/2 cups of cheese and mix thoroughly. Put mixture in 9 X 13 pan sprinkle rest of cheese on top and bake for 20 minutes!

I am glad I was feeling creative last night and I cant wait for the left overs that are waiting for me at lunch time!

Enjoy!

Jen

PB and Marshmallow Rolls

This is an incredably easy snack/dessert. Enjoy!

All you need is one tube Pillsbury Crescent Rolls, Peanut Butter, Nutella and some Mini Marshmallows.

Place a spoonful of peanut butter, nutella and some mini mallows at the end of your crescent triangle.

Roll 'em up tight and bake @ 375 for 8-10 minutes until golden brown.

Sheperd's Pie

This week sure has been busy! I am still not sure how it is already wednesday, and most definitely not sure how it is only two days away from Christmas! Can someone explain that?? Anyways, I knew I wouldnt have much time to make dinner last night but I didnt have enough chicken for the crock pot. So, I had to come up with something else! Shepards Pie used to be one of my fall back recipes but somehow got lost in the move! Meaning, I havent made it since May.. not really sure why! I would like to thank my cousin DeAnna for this delicious easy recipe!

Sheperds Pie

photo via

1 lb ground beef/turkey

1 can corn

1 can green beans

1 can tomato soup

****This was the directions for my potatoes 2 cups of boiling water for 1 cup of pearls, let sit for 3-5 minutes**

6 cups of water

3 cups Instant Mashed potatoes-*anything you want in your potatoes*

a healthy handful of cheese

Preheat oven to 350

Cook ground beef in large skillet. Once it is fully cooked add corn, green beans, and tomato soup. Mix together and let simmer on low heat for just a minute or two stirring constantly.

In separate pan boil 6 cups of water, add instant potatoes and let sit for 3-5 minutes. I added butter salt pepper, garlic powder and milk to my potatoes until they tasted how I wanted them to.

Place beef and vegetable mixture into the bottom of a 9 X 13 pan, spread out evenly. Place potatoes on top of beef mix and spread out evenly. Top with cheese and bake for 20-25 minutes.

Eat and Enjoy!

Jen

Creamy Sausage Rotel Dip

I love that I actually have time to cook on the weekends! I also made this recipe for the Ugly Sweater party, it was my Mexican dish! A coworker brings this to all the holiday potlucks and it is always one of the first things gone!

Creamy Sausage Rotel Dip

picture via

1 pound hot sausage (You can use regular as well, just depends on your preference)

2 pkgs cream cheese

2 cans rotel (hot is HOT, just a warning, Mild works great)

Cook sausage thoroughly, then add cream cheese and rotel. Cook on medium until cream cheese is melted.

Serve with chips (Santitas are our favorite) and enjoy!

Jen

Boston Cream Pie

Have you gained five pounds yet with these last couple of posts? So because my cream puffs were a disaster, I had to come up with something else to use the cream with. My meme had made a boston cream pie (cake) before and it was pretty simple. Her filling was more simple (vanilla pudding and whipped cream) but mine would do just perfectly! It was a huge hit at the party!

Boston Cream Pie

1 box yellow cake

*all ingredients on box, 3 eggs, 3/4 cup oil, and 1 1/4 cup water)

Filling

2 cups milk

1 pkg instant vanilla pudding mix

1 can sweetened condensed milk

1 pkg cream cheese (or the 1/3 the fat version that no one can pronounce)

1 container of cool whip or homeade whipped cream

Chocolate Frosting

Divide batter evenly into two 8 inch pans and bake according to the directions on the cake box.

Make sure your pan  (s) are sprayed heavily with pam so that the cake with easily come out.

Once baked, set on separate plates and set in freezer to cool for 30 minutes.

In the mean time...

Directions for filling:

Mix together milk and pudding mix. Add in sweetened condensed milk and cream cheese and mix together until smooth. Add whipped topping and fold in mixture with spatula until well mixed. Put in fridge until ready to use. This will make to much but its delicious!

Take out one of the cakes and top with plenty of filling, it might run over the sides but that is Okay! Place back in freezer for at least 15 minutes.

Once filling has set take out of freezer and place the other 8 inch cake on top. Frost with Chocolate Frosting!

Serve and Enjoy!

This recipe takes a while because of the cooling time but other than that is super easy!

Jen

Hershey Kiss Cookies

This is the first of a couple things I made this weekend. I hosted an Ugly Sweater party and had to come up with some holiday/international treats! This is one of my successful attempts! And yes that does mean there were some unsuccessful....

I have had these before but I forgot how delicious they are! The kiss in the middle is the perfect amount of chocolate!!

picture via

 

ingredients

 

1 3/4 c. flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 c. sugar
1/2 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. shortening
1/2 c. peanut butter

1 egg
3 tbsp. milk

1 tsp. vanilla
48 kisses (9 oz. bag)

 

 

directions

 

Combine all ingredients except for kisses. Form dough into 1 inch balls and roll in sugar to coat. Bake on ungreased cookie sheet at 375 degrees for 10-12 minutes. Take out and immediately put on Hershey Kiss.

 

*I forgot to roll them in sugar but they turned out just fine without it, just one more way to save a few calories! kinda.....

 

Now thats easy and delicious!

Enjoy!

Jen

Mmmm Mmm Good Homeade Chicken Noodle Soup

I love coming home to a good hot & ready meal! For this reason I LOVE the Crock pot! You can make almost anything in the crock pot, even cakes! Well todays forecast was wet and dreary and cold. THe solution, Soup! So I searched some recipes and found one for my 2nd favorite kitchen gadget (1st is the kitchen aid!) All I had to do when I came home was boil water and cook the noodles! So fifteen minutes after getting home I am enjoying a delicious meal! Here it is!!

Chicken Noodle Soup

picture via

2 chicken breasts (Frozen)
2 cups water
4 cups chicken broth
1 tsp garlic powder
3 Sliced Carrots
2 tbs minced onion
4 chicken boillon cubes
salt & pepper to taste
*3 tsp corn starch to thicken if desired

1 pkg egg noodles


Put all ingredients in the crock pot  except the noodles. Cook on low for 8 hours, a little longer won't hurt either! Use a fork and shred the chicken in the crock pot and cut up the carrots.
Serve over egg noodles!

Enjoy!
Jen

Chicken Broccoli Biscuit Casserole

Last night I had to go to the grocery store. I was hungry. The number one rule of grocery stores is to "Not go while you are hungry!" So since I had to go home anyways I figured I would try and make dinner before I went. One problem, I felt like I didn't have any thing to make! I had half of all the ingredients I needed to make stuff! So to the clouds.. Just kidding. I started rummaging through my pantry & fridge and found a meal! yay! It turned out delicious! Here it is:

Chicken Cheddar Broccoli Biscuit Casserole (say that 5 times fast!)

1 can of Texas style biscuits (10/can)
2 chicken breasts
1 can cream of chicken
1 cup fresh or frozen broccoli
1/2 cup sour cream
1 cup cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 400 degrees
Cut chicken into cubes and cook thoroughly. (I seasoned mine with lemon pepper and cooked in olive oil) Simultaneously boil broccoli in separate pan. Once chicken and broccoli are cooked, place the chicken in the pan with the broccoli. Add CoC/Sour Cream/& cheddar cheese and put on medium heat until heated throughout and cheese is melted. Grease a 9 X 9 Pan and place 7 biscuits in bottom of pan. Pour chicken/broccoli mixture on top of biscuits. Then tear the remaining 3 biscuits into small pieces and place on top of the mixture. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until biscuit pieces on top are golden brown. Let sit to cool for atleast 5 minutes.

Serve and enjoy!
Jen

Breakfast Burritos

Hmmm..I think I cooked a lot this weekend! I love breakfast..Wait, have I mentioned that already?


Breakfast Burritos

Via

6 eggs
1/2 pound of sausage (I use hot sausage)
1/2 cup milk
1 1/2 cups of breakfast potatoes (tater tots hash browns and the cubed potatoes all work great)
salt & pepper to taste
Cheese
Tortillas

Cook Sausage once half way cooked add potatoes (If frozen, put in microwave to thaw out first) Finish cooking sausage and potatoes together until thoroughly cooked. Beat eggs, milk, and salt and pepper in separate bowl. Turn stove on medium heat and add egg mix to sausage and potaotes, mix together until eggs are cooked.

Warm up tortillas, put burrito mix in your tortillas and add cheese! *Salsa is good with them too!*

Enjoy!
Jen

Tex Mex Rice A Roni

I am not sure exactly what to call this. I Kind of made it up but a recipe on the box gave me the idea. This is one of our staple meals. I make it once every couple weeks and I love it!

Tex Mex Rice a Roni

1 box beef flavored rice a roni
1 tbs butter
2 cups water
1 lb ground beef
1 can corn
1 can green beans
1 beef bouillon cube

Cook ground beef and set aside. Cook rice a roni according to directions using butter to brown the vermicelli mix. Once the rice mix is browned add the cooked ground beef, corn, green beans, flavor mix from box, beef bouillon cube and water. Bring to a boil then turn down to simmer and leave covered  for 20-25 minutes.
Let sit uncovered for 5 minutes.
Serve & Enjoy!
Jen

Crock Pot Chicken and Gravy

Taking the advice from Jen, I decided to use my crockpot for supper. Boy am I glad I did! This recipe is one of the best meals I have cooked and so so easy. Enjoy!



2 chicken breasts
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 envelopes of chicken gravy mix
hot steamed rice

Combine all ingredients in a crockpot and cook on low for 4-6 hours. Before serving break the chicken breasts into bite sized pieces. Serve over hot steamed rice.

Brandy

Quick & Easy Rolls

I am all about some delicious dinner rolls! My all time favorite is my meme's monkey bread which I will post next time I make it but until then these will do! They were so simple to make and I only had to endure one rising process rather than the 2 or 3 that some breads make you wait for! SO here they are:

Quick & Easy Dinner Rolls

1 pkg. active dry yeast
1 c. lukewarm water
1 egg
1/4 c. sugar
1 tsp. salt
1/4 c. oil or melted butter *I used the oil
3 c. flour, sifted * I did not sift my flour but I am sure that they would come out even fluffier if you do, or you can use bread flour instead.

Dissolve yeast in lukewarm water. Add egg, sugar, salt and oil (or butter). Add half the flour, and beat until smooth. Add rest of flour and beat again until smooth. Fill greased muffin pans half full and let rise until double.
Bake at 400°F for 15 minutes. Brush tops with butter while still warm.

See how simple these are? You can even make loaves of bread with this recipe. 
But Don't forget the butter and homeade jam!
Enjoy!
Jen

Sloppy Joes

I never really liked the sloppy joes from a can, but this recipe is so good. Its an easy weeknight meal also. I served mine on hamburger buns and toasted them in the oven with butter. Enjoy.

Ingredients:

2 Tablespoons Butter
2-½ pounds Ground Beef
½ whole Large Onion, Diced
1 whole Large Green Bell Pepper, Diced
5 cloves Garlic, Minced
1-½ cup Ketchup
1 cup Water
2 Tablespoons Brown Sugar
2 teaspoons Chili Powder (more To Taste)
1 teaspoon Dry Mustard

Add butter to a large skillet or dutch oven over medium high heat. Add ground beef and cook until brown. Drain most of the fat and discard.
Add onions, green pepper, and garlic. Cook for a few minutes, or until vegetables begin to get soft.
Add ketchup, brown sugar, chili pepper, dry mustard, and water. Stir to combine and simmer for 15 minutes, adding salt and pepper to taste.

Serve meat mixture on a bun or roll.

Brandy

Blackberry Overnight French Toast

If you are like me then you LOOOOOVE Breakfast! If you are not like me and don't like breakfast then this might just be the recipe to change your mind! I made this last year at the Howard Thanksgiving Brunch! It was perfectly delicious and pretty easy to make!

Hands-on time: 21 min.; Total time: 8 hr., 51 min.
Yield: Makes 8 to 10 servings

Ingredients
1 cup blackberry jam
1 (12-oz.) French bread loaf, cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes
1 (8-oz.) package 1/3-less-fat cream cheese, cut into 1-inch cubes
4 large eggs
2 cups half-and-half
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
Toppings: maple syrup, whipped cream

Preparation
1. Cook jam in a small saucepan over medium heat 1 to 2 minutes or until melted and smooth, stirring once.
2. Place half of bread cubes in bottom of a lightly greased 13- x 9-inch baking dish. Top with cream cheese cubes, and drizzle with melted jam. Top with remaining bread cubes.
3. Whisk together eggs and next 3 ingredients. Pour over bread mixture. Sprinkle with brown sugar. Cover tightly, and chill 8 to 24 hours.
4. Preheat oven to 325°. Bake, covered, 20 minutes. Uncover and bake 10 to 15 minutes or until bread is golden brown and mixture is set. Serve with desired toppings.

Homeade Whipped Cream
1 pint of heavy whipping cream
6 tbs sugar
2 tsp vanilla

Place whipping cream in chilled bowl and begin to mix (If you have a KITCHEN AID, put the bowl in the freezer for 5 minutes and turn your mixer on high, you will be done in less than 5 minutes!). Mix until the top begins to peak. Add sugar and vanilla. Mix together. ** I have found that I tend to under mix in fear of over mixing. Does that make sense? Anyways don't be afraid to beat that cream into perfection! It should be a pretty thick consistency when complete, other wise it will "melt" back into liquid form. I served mine with homeade whipped topping, next time I am definitely going to try it with syrup too!!

The Whole Enchilada... Soup!

Let me start out by saying that I was very nervous about this recipe. One it uses a can of pumpkin. To me Mexican food and pumpkins don't go together but I thought what the hey, let's give it a chance as it came highly recommended by a coworker.



The whole enchilada chicken soup by Hungry Girl

*also please note that this is my version of her soup. She does not use a crock pot or sour cream and adds other things in it!







Ingredients

3 cups fat-free chicken broth

1 tbs minced onion

3 cups green enchilada sauce

One 15-oz. can pure pumpkin

10 oz. frozen boneless skinless lean chicken breast

1 cup sour cream (light, again I save where I can! :)...)

1 cup frozen white (or yellow) corn

Optional: dash hot sauce, or more to tasteOptional toppings: shredded fat-free cheddar cheese, crushed baked tortilla chips



Directions:

Throw all the ingredients in a crockpot and cook on low for 8 hours. Once soup is done take two forks and shred the chicken inside the crockpot.

Makes 9 servings!


I served over rice but my husband liked it better without the rice and served like soup.. go figure!

This was good. It wasnt the best soup I have ever had. I think that it was missing something but I couldnt figure out exactly what it was. I think next time I will throw in a can of cream of chicken soup as well as some more enchilada sauce.. I don't think I added enough!



Those are my suggestions! Let me know if you try them and what you think! Or just what you think about the soup in general! It is a very healthy meal and would be even healthier if I didnt throw in the sour cream but I can't help myself! haha...



Enjoy!

Jen

Chicken Nachos

My hubby's favorite dish at any Mexican restaurant is Chicken Nachos. I wanted to make the recipe at home but I never dreamed it would be so easy. My mom has made this for quite some time but I never thought to try it on my own. I had all the ingredients at home all I had to do was stop on my way home and pick up a warm rotisserie chicken. This is such an easy week night meal.












Ingredients :

Shredded rottisserie chicken (2 cups)
2 cups melted mexican cheese
Tortilla chips

Directions:

Shred the chicken. Melt the cheese in the microwave until desired temperature. In a plate, spread tortilla chips, cover with chicken, and then pour cheese sauce on top.

This recipe yeilds 2-4 servings.

Brandy

Easy Fettucini Alfredo

I had only made alfredo sauce one time prior to finding this recipe. It was difficult and required too much garlic mincing and sauteeing. This recipe calls for 4 simple ingredients in 1 pan... Now thats simple!

Alfredo Sauce

1 pint heavy cream
1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup parmesan cheese (I always add about a cup!)
1 tsp garlic powder

Directions:
Om a saucepan combine butter and heavy cream. Simmer until all is melted and mix well. Add the parmesan cheese and garlic powder
Let simmer for 15-20 minutes. Even longer if possible. The longer the better.
*You can substitute heavy vream for half and half but it will not be as thick.
Serve over fettucini noodles and enjoy!

Jen