Mommy's Kitchen Creations

Loaded Potato and Buffalo Chicken Casserole

2015-08-19T14:57:00.002-07:00

This recipe has become a regular family favorite! I adapted it from Here. I totally forgot to take a nice pretty pic before I dug in. Yep... it's that good! I apologize for the crummy cell phone pics too. They don't do this dish justice. If you like a lot of spice, go for the full amount of pepper.....Me? Not so much. 1 tsp is plenty for me. Oh and make some yummy homemade ranch to dip it in.
Fab-u-lous!!!! As always... double it and toss some in the freezer for later. The hubby loves it for lunch leftovers too. Enjoy!

Loaded Potato and Buffalo Chicken Casserole

2 lbs Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts cubed

8-10 Medium potatoes cubed (I leave the skins on. Red or Russets are great)

1/3 cup oil

1 1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp-1 tbsp black pepper

1 tbsp Paprika

1 tbsp garlic powder

6 tbsp hot sauce (like Frank's Red Hot)

Topping

2 cups shredded cheese (fiesta is best)

1 cup crumbled cooked bacon

1 cup diced green onions

Directions

Preheat oven to 500 degrees. (yep you read that right)

In a large bowl, mix together oil, salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder and hot sauce.

Add potatoes and stir to coat

Put coated potatoes into a greased baking dish, reserving the extra sauce mixture

Add diced chicken to the reserved liquid and let marinate while potatoes are cooking

Bake Potatoes at 500 degrees for 45-50 minutes stirring every 10-15 minutes. Bake until crispy

Remove from the oven and lower temp to 400 degrees

Add marinated chicken to the potatoes

Bake 15 minutes or until chicken is cooked through

remove from the oven and top with shredded cheese, crumbled bacon and green onions

Serve with more hot sauce or ranch dressing

2015-08-11T14:52:00.000-07:00

Hey Ya'll!!!! Guess what... I'm Back! So funny story... My page was getting loads of spam and my email was getting hacked so I changed the security settings and my email password. I then forgot my email password so I was locked out of making posts! UGH. The idea of starting over was too overwhelming. Then my amazing husband figured out how to get a new password. Long story as to why it didn't look possible to me, but anyway... he did it! So, I'm back! I have some amazing recipes for ya. my postings will still be sparatic because hey, mommy with 6 kids... it is crazy around here!!!! Keep checking back, or follow the blog so it will tell you when a new post is up. I'll post my first one asap!

Thanks for all of your patience with the lame searching issues and everything. I'm on it, so you can search for your favorite recipes again!

Spinach Apple Salad

2013-07-16T21:21:00.002-07:00

Ok so everything I post is yummy. I know I say it every time. This salad is so good, that I ate 5 helpings (rather large ones) of this in a days time. Yeah, its that good. Its a good thing that its salad, and not something like doughnuts. I got this recipe from my aunt. Honestly, I am shocked that I haven't posted this one yet. Then again... It never stays around long enough to take a picture.

Spinach Apple Salad

1 (10-oz) bag fresh baby spinach

1 med. Granny Smith apple, cored, and thinly sliced

1/2 lb. crumbled, fried bacon

3/4 C toasted, slivered almonds

Dressing:

1/4 C granulated sugar

1/3 C oil

1/4 tsp. salt

3T. cider vinegar

1/8 small red onion

For dressing, place ingredients in blender. Blend until onion is very fine and mixture is well blended.

30 Minute Cheesy Ham Casserole

2013-07-15T15:21:00.001-07:00

My dear friend over at Pickle Boat Recipes served us this for dinner once upon a time. Oh boy oh boy was it good. There is something so comforting about ham and potatoes. Even when it is a thousand degrees outside!

30 Minute Cheesy Ham Casserole

1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup flour
salt and pepper to taste

2 cups (about 8 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese - separated

4 cups milk

4-5 medium peeled, cooked potatoes (steamed, boiled al dente, baked, microwaved...)
2 cups ham, cut into bite size pieces

In a medium saucepan, melt butter over low heat. Stir in flour, salt, and pepper. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is smooth and bubbly; remove from heat.

Pour milk into pot, mixing quickly with a whisk. Return pot to stove and heat to boiling, stirring constantly. Boil and stir 1 minute. Remove from heat. Quickly add 1 1/2 cups shredded cheese, stirring until melted.

Grease 9x13" baking pan. Place ham, potatoes, and cheese sauce in baking pan. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. At this point you can cover and freeze, cover and refrigerate to eat later, or bake in 375 degree oven about 15 minutes - until casserole is bubbly and cheese is very lightly browned.

*some tips - if you bake your potatoes in the oven earlier in the day, they'll be cool to the touch and easy to hand-peel the skins off by the time you're ready to cook dinner. Also, ham lunch meat makes an easy substitution if you don't have a leftover holiday ham
* Alterations- I skipped the oven step this time. I just tossed in all of the cheese at once, then stirred in the ham and potatoes and served. Both ways are yummy!

Sloppy Joes

2013-07-09T18:53:00.001-07:00

Before you run away... Hear me out... Sloppy Joes are no longer just for the kids. They have now become a high class dish. Didn't you get the memo? Well, you are getting it now. These are absolutely fabulous. No more opening a can of sauce and tossing in the ground beef. This brings things up to a whole new level. Try it, you will love it. Oh yeah, by the way... This recipe comes from The Pioneer Woman.

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
½ teaspoons Red Pepper Flakes (more To Taste)
Worcestershire Sauce, To Taste
2 TablespoonsTomato Paste
Tabasco Sauce (optional; To Taste)
Salt To Taste
Freshly Ground Black Pepper, To Taste
Kaiser Rolls
Butter

Preparation Instructions

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. Also add tomato paste, Worcestershire, and Tabasco if desired. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.

Spread rolls with butter and brown on a griddle or skillet. Spoon meat mixture over the rolls. Serve immediately.

Fluffy and Crispy Waffles

2013-07-06T10:51:00.001-07:00

Holy waffles batman! These are so yummy. My friend shared this recipe with me. It's a new family favorite. We froze the extras for another day, they were so good, my kids ate them the next morning! I guess i am going to have to tripple it next time. Enjoy!

Fluffy and Crispy Waffles from Grandma's Kitchen:

• 3 1/2 C. flour,

• 2 t. baking powder,

• 1/2 t. salt,

• 4 egg yolks,

• 3 1/2 C. milk,

• 1 C. oil,

• 4 egg whites.

Mix flour, baking powder, and salt together. In another bowl mix together egg yolks, milk, and oil. Mix dry and wet ingredients together, mixture should be slightly lumpy and runny. In another bowl beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. Fold egg whites into batter carefully. Do not over-mix. There should be large chunks of egg whites in the batter still. Pour about 3/4 c. batter into a waffle iron. I like to brush both sides of the waffle iron with some cooking oil prior to each waffle made as to avoid sticking. I also like to use fresh ground wheat flour. Suggestion: Double the recipe and freeze some for later.

Fiesta Salsa

2013-07-03T19:40:00.001-07:00

This item is on our 4th of July menu tomorrow! It is a huge hit in our family. My Mother-in-law loves to add diced avocado and imitation crab to this dish. Me, I like it just the way it is. I love how refreshing it is!

Fiesta Salsa

3 (14.5 oz.) cans petite diced tomatoes, drained well

1/2 red bell pepper chopped

1 green bell pepper chopped

1/3-1/2 C. Chopped cilantro

1/3 C. Shredded cheddar cheese

1/2 purple onion chopped

1-2 cans pinto beans, drained (I use 2)

1 C. Catalina dressing

Combine all ingredients into a medium sized bowl. Serve with corn chips. (I like the big scoops ones.)

Chill in refrigerator until ready to serve.

Mushroom Bisque

2013-06-27T14:17:00.001-07:00

While traveling back and forth to the hospital, my mother introduced me to and amazing place. Zuppa's. oh wow! The phrase "where have have you been all my life," comes to mind.

Last week I created my own version of of their cauliflower cheese soup. Yummy! Ill post that recipe soon. Last night I found a Recipe and tweaked it just a bit. I was absolutely delicious. Not quite perfect yet, so ill update it as I perfect it. It defiantly hits the spot. So yummy. Even my husband who despises mushrooms, loved it. Yeah baby!

Mushroom Bisque

12-18 oz or sliced or chopped mixed mushrooms*

2 T. olive oil

1 T. butter ( next time I am going to try 4 tbsp)

1 medium onion, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

5 c. Beef broth (you could use chicken too)

1/2 t. dried thyme

2 c. heavy cream (next time I am going to try 1 cup)

salt and pepper

In a large pot, saute onion and garlic in the oil and butter. Cook until soft, (3-5 minutes). Add broth, thyme, mushrooms, Simmer with pot half covered for 30 minutes. Pour 3/4 of the soup into a blender ( I threw it all in) and blend until smooth. Return to the pot and stir in cream and salt and pepper to taste.

* I used 6 oz of baby Bella's, 6 oz of sliced mushrooms (it didn't say what kind they were) and a little package of dried wild mushrooms that I found at frys and rehydrated.) my stores didn't have much variety, but just use a few different ones and it will be fabulous.

I'm back!

2013-06-27T13:40:00.001-07:00

How have you all been? Oh how I have missed you all. I have a good excuse, I promise. I almost died. Seriously, I did. Yep. So I told you in my last post that we were having baby number 6. Shortly after that post my life began to change forever. We found out that we were having our first son! We also found out that I had placenta Previa and was put on bed rest during my second boutique of the season. (I was hosting this one too!) we made it through the holidays, a move the last day of the year etc with me on bed rest. Thanks to so many angels! The beginning of Jan, I went back in to my doctor who told me that he thought I might have something called placenta Accreta. WHAT. What in the world is Accreta? Yeah, so we went home and scoured the Internet. Things began to look very grim! Two weeks later of shear panic and anxiety for my life, we went to our appointment with the high risk doctors, a Perinatologist. I hadn't even heard of a Perinatologist before then. They confirmed that I had Accreta. They weren't able to tell if I had Increta/percreta or not. I was praying that I didn't. (I have a blog that tells the long version of the story with TONS of info on all of these terms) Basically... This condition is a life threatening condition that is literally the highest risk of high risk pregnancies. I was literally fighting for my life. Blood loss, is sometimes uncontrollable. so i would most likely need transfusions. Oh and I would have to have a hysterectomy just after delivery! Good news was, my baby boy looked great and wasn't really effected from my condition. I just prayed and prayed that I would live to see him grow up.

So, bye the way, we found that out on my hubby's birthday. We went home and spent the next two days together asking for prayers in our behalf. On the 24th, the dr called me and said that since I was spotting already, they wanted me to get to the hospital and be on bed rest there until delivery. This felt good. I had to deliver at a hospital over an hour away. My chances of bleeding out before I got to the hospital were huge! So there I lay, getting doted on for 6 weeks. I desperately missed my husband and kids, but I knew that I was in the safest place possible. To spare all details on this yummy food blog... Lets just say, I had a few scares but made it to delivery day.( they had to move the date up a few times because of the scares.)

March 1st came and I was absolutely terrified that I wouldn't wake up. But completely at peace and excited at the same time. Baby Caleb was born at 31 weeks and 2 days. He was 3 lbs 15 oz. and beautiful. I didn't get to see him until the next day though. They had to out me to sleep earlier than planned because the spinal didn't go up high enough. They had to make a huge incision. Wow, I am getting anxiety again as I relive all of this! Ahhhhh.

Anyway, after 11hours of surgery, they woke me up. Still intebated by the way. Gag! Literally! I thought I was dying. Anyway, I made it through the night and they unleashed me to let me breathe on my own. Oh, that night was so horrifying. My husband was even more horrified. I was blown up like an oompah loompa (sp) my fingers and toes were little sausages. I had tiny little slits where my eyes where my eyes were supposed to be. I was so swollen you could even tell it was me. I tried finger spelling to my husband and could barely move my fingers they were so fat! Oh whoops, I was going to spare you the gory details. After 4 horrible and yet amazing months of recovery,(two months of that was spent back and forth to the hospital to see our baby in the NICU) I finally feel like a human again. I am so excited to get blogging and even more so.... Cooking again. I can't promise fabulous pictures or even pictures at all, because of camera issues and computer issues. But, I will do my best to post something fabulous at least a couple of times a week.

Prayer and faith saved my life! I give all of the glory to my God who spared my life and let me live! I am a changed woman. My life has new meaning. And oh boy am I so in love with my little man!!

Here is the link to my blog. Check it out. Surviving Accreta

Pecan Creek Boutique

2012-10-03T10:51:00.000-07:00

Hey friends-

I know I know it has been forever since I last posted. Life has been super crazy this year. We started our own business doing landscaping, and I have been experimenting with a lot of foodie things to keep my sanity up. We also found out that we have another bun in the oven!!! Yep you heard me, number 6 is on its way. We couldn't be happier! We are so excited! Morning sickness is in full force right now, which has also prolonged any posting, but rest assured, I am bound and determined to get back in the saddle after the holidays and get some yummy recipes for you that I have been working on.

Right now, I am excited to announce that in a month and a half I will be participating in my very first Boutique! It's called the Pecan Creek Boutique. Here is the link to their blog. http://pecancreekboutique.blogspot.com/ Also, stop on over to their Facebook page to enter an amazing giveaway that they are having. (the link is on their blog)

I will be selling my famous Tamales there, for the holidays. I know what you are thinking... why would I buy the tamales when her recipe is on the blog? Well, I will tell you why.... one... Have you ever made tamales? Tons of work... enough said... lol. Let me do the work for you! Also, I've been playing around with the recipes a little and made them even better. AND if that doesn't convince you, then come get the other 2 kinds that I have available that are not posted yet. I'm not the kind of person that refuses to share a recipe. I think its lame. I'll get around to posting the others, someday, but for now... COME TO THE BOUTIQUE!

I am also going to be selling my cheese balls and salsa. Super yummy, super good time!

The boutique will be on Nov 17th from 8 am-1 pm. They have some amazing vendors. I am so excited to be a part of it. So come on over and get some Christmas shopping done. Don't forget to check out their blog for more information. See you there!

Freezer Meals Day 15- Very Berry Pops

2012-05-21T23:55:00.002-07:00

Ahhhh, it's blasted hot outside! And the summer has just begun. Its time to bring out the cold snacks. Like these Popsicles. Nutritious and delicious, but it doesn't taste like chicken. The best part is that it is super simple to make.

Very Berry Pops

4 cups mixed berries ( I used Costco's frozen triple berry blend and some frozen cherries)

1 cup apple juice (or water/other fruit juice)

2 tbsp sugar

4-6 Dixie cups

4-6 Popsicle sticks

Blend ingredients in a blender until well blended. Pour mixture into the cups and place a Popsicle stick in the center of the mixture. Freeze until hardened. Tear the cup away from the Popsicle and serve immediately.

Day 14, Sloppy Joes

2012-05-18T10:01:00.001-07:00

As good ol' Rico (from Hannah Montana) would say, "Hay-yoooooh" I'm back! Thanks for all of your prayers and support for my sweet sister Hayley. She is officially in Remission! What a miracle it is! The disease that was attacking her kidneys is gone! Her kidneys are pretty beat up, but we are hoping for continued progress and she will most likely be able to avoid a transplant.

Life has been pretty crazy around here the past few weeks. We started our own business back in January. We have had the amazing blessing of too much work! Its been hard to juggle it all but feel like we are starting to get our feet under us and will be able to handle the growth a little more in the next few months.

5 kids has kept me plenty busy as well. I'm enjoying having them near me and love spending time with them. I'm trying to soak it all in because next thing I know, they will be grown and gone. I love being a mom to these sweet princesses. We have so much fun together! They love to help me cook and bake and are getting pretty good at it.

Okay okay, enough rambling... on to the Sloppy Joes!!! Its kid friendly week...still... And here is a fabulous one. This recipe comes from The Pioneer Woman. Love her!!!

Sloppy Joes

2 Tablespoons Butter

2-1/2 pounds Ground Beef

1/2 whole Large Onion, Diced

1 whole Large Green Bell Pepper, Diced

5 cloves Garlic, Minced

1-1/2 cup Ketchup

1 cup Water

2 Tablespoons Brown Sugar

2 teaspoons Chili Powder (more To Taste)

1 teaspoon Dry Mustard

1/2 teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes (more To Taste)

Worcestershire Sauce, To Taste

2 Tablespoons Tomato Paste (optional)

Salt To Taste

Pepper, To Taste

Hamburger buns or rolls

Butter

Melt butter in a large skillet and toss in the ground beef or turkey. Cook thoroughly until browned over medium heat.

Add onions, green pepper, and garlic. Cook for a few minutes, or until vegetables begin to get soft.

Stir in remaining ingredients to combine. Simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.

Spread rolls with butter and brown on a griddle or skillet. Spoon meat mixture over the rolls.

Where's Jennie?

2012-04-18T18:14:00.000-07:00

Life kind of stopped with Day 13 last week for me! I'm sorry I didn't keep going. My sister was put in the hospital last week for Kidney Failure. She has since been diagnosed with Wegeners Disease. It's not a very fun disease to have. She has started some massive treatments, including chemo, dialasys and plasmapheresis. I have been trying to take it all in and wrap my head around the situation. And of course be with her as much as possible. She will be in the hospital another couple of weeks.

For the time being, pretty much anything extra is on hold, so I can try to be there for her and for my family. Please keep her in your prayers. She is only 21! I promise to get back with the rest of the freezer meals, when life settles down a little more. I've got some good ones for ya!

Have a great day and happy creating!

Freezer Meal Day 13- Grilled Ham and Cheese

2012-04-12T08:07:00.000-07:00

I got to spend the day with my sweet sister yesterday. She is in the hospital with acute kidney failure. They will be doing a minor surgery on her today to get some answers. If you all could remember her in your prayers it would be greatly appreciated!

Moments like these, whether big or small, are exactly why we need to prepare now with freezer meals! Something always comes up, whether its a sick child or other family member, too many places to be at once and cant get dinner going, or you just feel too lazy to cook. These freezer meals have saved me a lot of stress and time!

Here is another yummy freezer sandwich that goes along with the PB and J for the Masses that I posted earlier.

Grilled Ham and Cheese

Bread

Sliced Cheese ( I used American)

Sliced Ham

Butter (softened)

Wax paper (if desired)

With two slices of bread, add a slice of ham (or more if desired) and a slice of cheese (I used a couple slices). Put sides together and spread the outside with butter. In a fry pan or on a griddle, grill (at low to medium heat) both sides until golden and the cheese is melted. Allow sandwiches to cool and wrap individually with wax paper (if desired). Put in freezer bags. Label and freeze

To Thaw: remove a sandwich from the bag (still wrapped with wax paper) and microwave on high for 30-45 seconds. You can also grill them again until thawed and crisp again. ( I nuked it first then grilled it. It was awesome!)

Freezer Meals Day 12- Pigs in a Blanket

2012-04-10T16:22:00.000-07:00

It's kid friendly week here at Mommy's Kitchen Creations! Today I've got a super easy one for you. My kids like to call these mummys, because their grandma made them these for Halloween. They are nice to just pop in the microwave and heat them up.

Pigs in a Blanket

1 pkg Crescent rolls

2 small pkgs Lil' Smokies

Preheat oven according to package directions (for the crescent rolls). Un-roll crescent rolls and combine 2 triangles together to create a square. Pinch seams together. Cut 5 rows lengthwise and then one cut in half cross wise, to make 10 pieces. Wrap each piece around a link and place on a cookie sheet. Bake according to crescent roll package directions.

To Freeze- when cooked, allow them to cool and place cookie sheet in the freezer. When frozen, transfer to a freezer bag. Label and freeze.

To Thaw: Toss in the microwave and heat through. You can also bake them according to package instructions, and just add about 5-10 minutes for thawing time.

Freezer Meals Day 11- Chicken Tenders

2012-04-09T17:32:00.000-07:00

It's kid Friendly Meals Week this week. All week I will have some fun freezer meals that are great for those crazy day lunches, or even dinner... for your little ones. Every time we decide to eat out my kids tell me they want chicken and french fries. So today, I have some chicken fingers for you that you can freeze ahead of time and have ready to microwave at a moments notice.

Spend one afternoon making a bunch of these, and you'll save tons of time and money in the long run.

Chicken Tenders

1 1/2 lbs Chicken Tenders

1 1/2 C. Flour

2 Eggs beaten

1/4 C. milk

1 C. Bread Crumbs

1 C. Panko Bread Crumbs

1 Tsp Season Salt

Salt and Pepper to taste

Sprinkle raw chicken with salt and pepper. In a small shallow dish, add the flour with a dash of salt and pepper. In another shallow bowl add eggs and milk. Beat well. And another shallow dish, mix together the bread crumbs, season salt, salt and pepper.

Coat tenders with flour and then dip in the milk/egg mixture. Then coat with the bread crumbs. Place the tenders on a cookie sheet and bate at 375 for about 15 minutes.

To Freeze: After baking, allow them to cool. Put cookie sheet in the freezer and freeze the tenders. When frozen, transfer to a freezer bag. Label, date and return to the freezer.

To Thaw: remove desired amount of tenders and heat in the microwave (about a minute for 3 or less tenders) in the oven (375 for about15 min.) or deep fry them on medium until golden brown.

Chicken Freezer Meals

2012-04-07T22:00:00.000-07:00

Here is a quick glance at my previous chicken freezer meal recipes.

Baked Chicken Bacon Alfredo

Egg Rolls

Chicken Parmigana
Chile Lime Chicken Burritos

Cheesy Chicken Penne with Sundried Tomatoes

Crock Pot Creamy Southwestern Chicken

Crock Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup

Homemade Tamales

Chile Lime Chicken Tostadas
Chicken Soup

Sour Cream Enchiladas

Freezer Meals Day 10- Chicken Stuffed Pablanos

2012-04-07T21:57:00.000-07:00

Man oh Man! My husband rocks! He was on a roll tonight! As a little disclaimer... I haven't officially frozen this dish or the previous post, to get exact thawing times etc... but I can't see any reason why they wouldn't freeze and thaw just fine. So sorry about that, but hey... it's my blog and I can do what I want. And I want to post this recipe now!

Don't let the wrinkly nasty looking pepper fool you. I never did like the way they photographed. They always look so gross. But taste so good!

Chicken Stuffed Pablanos

8 large Pablano Peppers (seeded, ribbed and broiled)

16 oz block Monterey Jack Cheese

1 recipe of Mystery Dish Chicken (cooked) (recipe below)

Cut heads off of the peppers. Remove all seeds and ribs. Broil Peppers on high until skin is blistered. About 5 minutes. Remove from oven and place in a plastic Ziploc bag and seal. Allow peppers to sweat/cool for 5-10 minutes. Remove waxy skins. (it should slip right off). Stuff peppers with a slice of cheese and desired amount of chicken. Bake at 250 for 30 minutes or until cheese is melted.

To freeze- Before baking, place stuffed peppers on a cookie sheet or plate and freeze. When frozen, toss them into a freezer bag, label and freeze.

To thaw, bake at 250 for 35-45 minutes or until cheese is gooey and melted. You can also speed things up and just toss them in the microwave for 1-3 minutes.

Chicken Marinade-

3 tbsp lime juice

3 tbsp water

1 ½ tsp salt

½ pablano pepper (seeded, ribbed and finely chopped)

1 tbsp prepared minced garlic (not the dried minced)

1 tbsp sugar

2 lbs of chicken (raw and diced)

2 tbsp olive oil

In a medium bowl combine marinade ingredients. Toss in chicken.
Stir to coat. Let sit 5-10 minutes.

Heat olive oil into a frying pan. Bring to medium heat. Toss in chicken, discarding the liquid. Cook for about10 minutes or until cooked through.

Freezer Meals Day 9- Mystery Meal

2012-04-07T21:25:00.003-07:00

Sweet mother of Abraham Lincoln this dish is good. I tell you what, I think I am just going to turn this blog over to my husband. His food is absolutely amazing!! I've been in a "I don't want to cook cause my kitchen is a mess" mood this week. I cleaned it all up and made some tamales earlier this week. By the end of the tamale run, not only was my kitchen a mess, but so was the rest of my house. I've never been good at cleaning as I go. A trait I am trying to acquire.

By the time tamale day is over, I'm wiped out and don't feel like cleaning. 3 days later...I turn into a tornado. (after everyone and their mom has seen my messy house and I'm so embarrassed I finally decide to do something about it) I put the kids to bed and plow through the house cleaning every nook and cranny. Anyway... still feeling like I don't want to cook, my hubby decided to get creative tonight. I had a few different dishes that I had on the list to try for this week, but just wasn't feeling it. So we decided to switch gears and let Trever take a wack at a new dish. And of course he passed with flying colors. There are quite a few steps to this one, but they go pretty quick. Especially if you have the rice made up ahead of time.

So here is the deal... We are not sure what to call this. So we are going to have a contest. Not sure what the winner will get. Maybe just the satisfaction of naming one of my dishes. We will see. But leave a post with your desired recipe name. Trever and I will choose and let you know. The contest will run until next Saturday the 14th. Be sure to check in daily for all of the fun names!

Mystery Meal

Rice

½ pablano pepper seeded, ribbed and finely chopped

2 tsp minced garlic

1/8 large onion finely chopped

Salt to taste

2 tbsp sugar

2 tbsp olive oil

3 cups cooked rice *

1 tbsp lime juice

Heat oil in a pan, add pepper, garlic, onion, salt, and sugar. Saute until tender. 3-4 minutes. Stir in cooked rice. Add 1 tbsp lime juice.

Chicken Marinade-

3 tbsp lime juice

3 tbsp water

1 ½ tsp salt

½ pablano pepper (seeded, ribbed and finely chopped)

1 tbsp prepared minced garlic (not the dried minced)

1 tbsp sugar

2 lbs of chicken (raw and diced)

2 tbsp olive oil

In a medium bowl combine marinade ingredients. Toss in chicken.
Stir to coat. Let sit 5-10 minutes.

Heat olive oil into a frying pan. Bring to medium heat. Toss in chicken, discarding the liquid. Cook for about10 minutes or until cooked through.

Jalapeno Cream Cheese (we just used half of this recipe and saved the rest for another meal)

1 8 oz package cream cheese

8 oz sour cream

2-3 jalapenos (ribbed and seeded) **

Salt to taste

2 tbsp sugar

1/8 large onion finely diced

3 tbsp lime juice

1-2 tbsp chopped cilantro

Soften cream cheese and blend in a blender well.

additional ingredients needed

1/2 cup monterey jack cheese shredded

1 cup tortilla chip pieces

Layer

in a 9x9 (you can do a larger pan to make it thinner if desired) aluminum pan, put rice in the bottom, packing it down firmly. Add cooked chicken to the top of the rice.Top with jalapeno cream cheese. Sprinkle with Monterey Jack cheese

Cover with foil and label. Freeze

To thaw, Bake covered at 350 for 35-45 minutes or until heated through. Uncover and broil on high for 3-5 min. until cheese is golden.

If making fresh... just skip to the quick broil to crisp the cheese.

Top with tortilla chip pieces.

* Day old rice is best, but if it's fresh, after steaming/cooking it... spread it onto a cookie sheet and bake at 250 for 15 min. This will dry it out a little bit and keep it from clumping so much.

** Each Jalapeno has a different heat content from what I've found. Also it depends on how well you clean out the ribs and seeds. Make sure to clean them out well (I like to use rubber gloves to avoid catastrophy) I would start with one. Taste it and add more according to tastes. Trever added 3 and it wasn't spicey at all, but again, it just depends.

Freezer Meals Day 8- Poppy Seed Chicken

2012-04-04T15:47:00.000-07:00

I found this recipe from my friends blog. I have to admit, when I looked at it, I thought... where is all the seasoning? But I tried it as is anyway. WOW, no seasoning required. It's Fabulous! The crackers really give it a nice flavor. I did season the chicken with salt and pepper when I cooked it, but that's it.

Poppy Seed Chicken

5 cups chopped cooked chicken
1 (10.5 ounce) can condensed cream of chicken soup
1 cup sour cream
1 1/2 cups crushed buttery round crackers (like Ritz)
1 teaspoon poppy seeds
1/2 cup butter, melted
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
Recipe taken from Pickle Boat Recipes

2. Place the chicken into a 9x13 inch baking dish. In a medium bowl, stir together the condensed soup and sour cream. Pour over the chicken. In a separate bowl, stir together the crushed crackers, poppy seeds and melted butter. Sprinkle over the chicken and sauce.

3. Bake for 30 minutes in the preheated oven, until the top of the casserole is browned and the sauce is bubbly.

Freezer Meals Day 7 - Honey Lime Enchiladas

2012-04-03T16:09:00.000-07:00

Fussy teething baby means no commentary today. Just try them, they are good! :)

Honey Lime Enchiladas

6 tablespoons honey
5 tablespoons lime juice (1 large lime)
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1 pound chicken, cooked (seasoned with salt and pepper) & shredded (I used a rotisserie chicken)
8-10 flour tortillas
1 pound Monterrey jack cheese, shredded ( used cheddar)
16 ounces green enchilada sauce
1 cup heavy cream (I left this out)

Whisk the first four ingredients and toss with shredded chicken in a Zip-lock bag. Let it marinate for at least a 1/2 hour. Longer is better. Pour about 1/2 cup enchilada sauce on the bottom of a 9X13 baking pan.
Fill the tortillas with chicken, saving marinade, and shredded cheese, saving about 1 cup of cheese to sprinkle on top of enchiladas. Lay rolled tortillas in the pan. Mix the remaining enchilada sauce with the cream and leftover marinade (if there is any). Pour sauce on top of the enchiladas. Sprinkle with remaining cheese.
Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes until brown and crispy on top.

Recipe adapted from Dinner on a Dime

Freeze in a foil pan covered in foil, before cooking. To thaw, cook at 350 for about 45 min, remove foil and cook another 30. Or thaw on the counter and cook as directed above. Remember to label your foil!

Freezer Meals day 6- Cranberry Chicken

2012-04-02T23:04:00.000-07:00

We ate this dish at our ward Christmas party, and have enjoyed it many times since. All I can say about this one, is Whoa baby it's good! I got the recipe from a friend of mine. Defiantly a keeper...

Cranberry Chicken

4 chicken breasts sliced in half

1 package dry onion soup mix

1 (16 ounce) can jellied cranberry sauce

1 cup French dressing

Lay chicken side by side in a foil 9x13 pan. Mix together remaining ingredients in a bowl and pour over chicken. Cover with foil. Keep in the fridge for about 8 hours or overnight. (I have made this without marinating it. It's not as fabulous but still good) Bake at 350 (covered loosely with foil) for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Or until cooked through.

To freeze- Before cooking, cover with foil, label and date. Put in freezer

To Thaw- I haven't tested the thaw time in the oven but I would guess about 45 minutes longer. So a total of 2 hours in the oven. Or you can just thaw on the counter and cook for the designated time. I don't like to mess around with raw chicken so I over cook mine just to make sure.

Serve with rice.

Beef Freezer Meal Recipes

2012-03-30T21:50:00.000-07:00

Here is a list of some of my Beef recipes that can be turned into freezer meals. Enjoy, and don't forget... stock up now for a rainy day!!

Hearty Beef Stew

Slow Cooker Pepper Steak

Mini Corn Dogs

Green Chile Burritos

Mashed Potato Beef Bake

Chalupa

Freezer Meals Day 5- Cheeseburger Soup

2012-03-30T09:32:00.000-07:00

It's called Cheeseburger Soup but it has a little twist to it. I wasn't totally blown over with this one, but the kids really liked it. I'm going to make it a little differently next time, just to make it easier. I like the toss it it, boil it down and scarf soups. So I am going to try to simplify it just a bit. I'll have my notes at the bottom.

My Mother-in-law made this one using gluten free flour and said that it worked great. So those of you gluten free-ers out there, give this one a try!

Cheeseburger Soup

1/2 lb. ground beef
4 cups potatoes, diced

1/4 cup flour

3/4 cup onion, chopped
3/4 cup carrots, shredded (I sliced baby carrots)

16 oz Sliced American cheese

3/4 cup celery, diced

1 1/2 cups of milk

1 tsp dried basil

1 tsp. dried parsley flakes

4 TBSP butter, Divided

1 box chicken broth

Salt and Pepper to taste

sour cream (as a garnish)

In a 3 quart saucepan, brown beef; drain & set aside. In the same saucepan saute' onion, carrots, celery, basil and parsley in 1 TBSP butter until veggies are tender, about 8 minutes. Add broth, potatoes & beef; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 10-12 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Meanwhile, in a small skillet, melt remaining butter. Add flour; cook and stir for 3-5 minutes or until bubbly. Add to soup; bring to a boil. Cook and stir for 2 minutes. Reduce heat to low. Add cheese, milk, salt and pepper; cook and stir until cheese melts. Remove from the heat; blend in sour cream. 8 LARGE servings.

Cool soup, Pour into gallon or quart sized freezer bags. Label and date. Lay them flat on a cookie sheet to freeze flat, so that it's easier to stack in your freezer. To Thaw, fun under hot water, and heat over the stove or in the microwave. You can also toss it in the crock pot on low (from frozen) and let it sit for about 8 hours.

MY NOTES: Next time I would just steam the vegetables (and the one tbsp of butter) and about a half cup of water in a smaller pot or skillet. Make your "roux" the flour and butter in your larger pot. Melt butter and add flour. Whisk to a paste, and cook for 1 minute. Then add milk. Stir and cook until thickened. Then add the rest of the ingredients. cook for another 8-10 minutes to get the veggies nice and tender and marry the flavors. also, season your meat with salt and pepper when you are browning it. It will give it a better flavor.

ONE MORE THING: Always Always Always label your freezer meals. So many times I've said "I'll remember what that is" when tossing leftovers in the freezer.... yep, did you know that they don't looked the same after about a week in the freezer?

Freezer Meals Day 4- Southwest Stuffed Zucchini

2012-03-29T00:01:00.002-07:00

I love yesterday's Burritos so much that I decided to try the filling in a zucchini boat. The family reviews we not very favorable. My kids just aren't huge zucchini fans, unless it's fried. My husband, didn't like mixing southwest with Italian. I didn't like it with the ground turkey very much. I'm still trying to acquire the taste of the ground turkey... but I really like the concept and I think I would really like it with ground beef.

I had a few friends be the taste testers for it, to see what they thought of it. So, if you tasted this one, feel free to leave your honest feedback in a comment. If it's a total thumbs down recipe, I'll put a warning sign up at the top for ya how's that? I would eat it again though.

Southwest Stuffed Zucchini

1 Jar White Corn and Black Bean Salsa

1 lb Ground Beef (or Turkey)

Shredded Cheese (optional) I used cheddar, but any kind will work

4-5 Large Zucchini

Slice off ends of Zucchini and then slice in half. Remove the pulp, leaving 1/4 space from the edge and bottom. In a pot of boiling water, add zucchini and boil 3-4 minutes Remove and add filling

Filling: Brown meat and then add salsa. Add to the boiled zucchini. Top with desired amount of cheese. Place them side by side on a cookie sheet or on a plate (whatever will fit in your freezer) and freeze them for about 3 hours, or until frozen. Combine them into a freezer bag. Label and return them to the freezer.

To thaw: You can microwave on high for a few minutes, or you can bake them at 350 for about 10-15 minutes or until cooked through.