Corn Casserole

Ok I know I am totally obsessed...oh well! At least I can admit it:-) This is The Pioneer Womans "Corn Casserole" recipe. I was rushed...so it's not very pretty...but BOY was it still YUMMY!!!!!!!! This is a great side dish and will be a nice dish for Christmas and Thanksgiving.

Link to recipe:
http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2007/07/fresh_corn_cass/

Chicken Enchiladas

I haven't made these before. I totally threw together what I had in the pantry. They turned out pretty good. I will change a few little things the next time I make them though. I will use corn tortillas and not flour....I will add fresh onions, cilantro and tomatoes in the chicken mixture. I think that will make them better then just OK.

Ingredients:
5 flour tortillas
chicken (shredded)
enchilada sauce (canned or dry package)
salsa
shredded cheddar cheese
salt and pepper
Fresh green onions

Directions:
Make or heat up the enchilada sauce. Pre-heat over to 375.
Shred cooked chicken (you can use chicken breasts, roasted chicken or even canned chicken. I used roasted chicken because I had one in the fridge:-)
Put chicken in a bowl...add enough of the enchilada sauce to make it moist. Add salt and pepper to taste and any other seasoning you think would add good flavor
Heat tortillas for about a minute in the microwave so they are soft and easy to work with. Put chicken in each tortilla, roll up and put in baking dish. Repeat until all enchiladas are in the baking dish.
Poor the rest of the enchilada sauce over the chicken filled tortillas and add a little salsa (1/2 cup or so)
Bake for about 25 minutes uncovered.
Add cheddar cheese on top for about 5 minutes:-)
Top with green onions when you pull them out of the oven.

ENJOY!!!!

Chicken Quesadillas

Wednesday night dinner: Chicken Quesadillas Chips and Salsa Corn

I think everyone knows how to heat up a can of corn and buy a bag of chips and a jar of salsa...so I am only going to put the quesadilla recipe here:-)

Chicken Quesadillas:

3 chicken breasts

salt and pepper

fajita seasoing (any kind)

tortillas (burrito size)

refried beans ( I buy the cheap ones...they are all about the same)

1 sweet yellow onion

olive oil

butter

cheddar cheese (shredded)

Ok to start...you need a griddle...if you don't have one....go get one...they are cheap and totally ROCK. I use mine for all kinds of stuff...and they are easy clean up!

Remove fat from chicken breasts and cut chicken into bite size peices. Peal and chop onion into bite size peices. Heat up the beans in a sauce pan on low-med heat. You can add a little tobasco sauce if you want a little spice to your quesadillas. Melt a little butter and olive oil in a skillet on med-med high heat and add chicken. Season with salt, pepper and fajita seasoning to your desired taste. When chicken is cooked through and browned....put chicken on paper towl to drain fat. Set aside. Add onions to the pan you cooked the chicken in and sautee until soft.....you will need to add a little butter and salt/pepper to the onions...I also added a little of the fajita seasoning:-) Heat griddle to 350 (or med-high) Once griddle is hot....put a little butter all over the griddle. Place two tortillas on the griddle. Spread a layer of the refried beans on tortillas...then on one side of each tortilla add cheese, onions and chicken. Wait until the tortillas are a nice golden brown on the bottom and the cheese is melting. Then all you have to do is fold each tortilla in half. DONE...Pull the tortillas off the griddle and cut each one into 3 triangles...repeat one more time. This recipe will feed four people. You can always add anything else to the quesadilla that you would like.

ENJOY!!!

Waldorf Salad

A girl I work with (Linda) brought this salad to work for a baby shower we were having and it was yummy! She shared the recipe with me and I decided to make it tonight for a friends cookout. If you haven't tried this you should. It's a great summer dish!!!

Ingredients:

4 apples ( I used 2 red and 2 green) - chopped

1 cup chopped walnuts

4 celery stalks - chopped

6 tbsp plain yogurt

4 tbsp honey

1 tsp fresh lemon juice

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1 cup whip cream (you can whip your own...but I used already whipped) I am all about easy:-)

Combine first 3 ingredients. Blend next 4 ingredients and pour over apple mixture. Toss well and fold in whip cream. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

ENJOY!!! You can also add other fruit to this salad and it would be great!!!

Fettucini Alfredo

I love this recipe:-) It's easy and very tasty. Here is the recipe that I started with. Of course...I always add a little more butter and cheese. Everything is good with more butter and cheese right?

4 oz. (1/2 of 8 oz. pkg.)
Philadelphia Cream Cheese cubed
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
3/4 cup of milk
1/4 (1/2 stick) butter
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/8 tsp. garlic powder
8 oz. fettuccine, cooked, drained
1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg

Mix cream cheese, parmesan cheese, milk, butter, pepper and garlic powder in saucepan on medium heat until cream cheese is melted and mixture is well blended. Toss sauce with cooked fettuccine noodles (or any other noodles you want to use)

Sprinkle with fresh parmesan and enjoy!!

YUMMY!

Pasta Salad

My friend Monica made this salad for a work function we were having. Boy was it YUMMY! I couldn't get enough of it:-) She shared the recipe with me and I decided to make it today for our family 4th of July cookout. I hope everyone enjoys it as much as I did:-) Joel couldn't wait to try it and he said it ROCKS!

Ingredients:

Cheese Tortellini Pasta (fresh not dried)

1/2 large red onion feta cheese (I used Kraft crumbles)

about 1/2 cup 1 yellow and 1 orange bell pepper

baby spinach

Italian dressing (Ken's Steakhouse Italian with Romano)

cherry tomatoes

1 large cucumber

Cook the tortellini until done, drain and set to the side to cool. Cut up the onion, tomatoes, cucumber and bell peppers and put into bowl. Add the cooled pasta, salad dressing, spinach and feta cheese and mix well. Refrigerate until ready to serve! ENJOY!!!!!

Pasta and Peas

Pasta and Peas This is such a simple side dish or meal...and it's totally YUMMY! Those of you who are scared of peas...I feel sorry for ya! You are missin' out:-)

Ingredients:

Butter (YUM)

Fresh parmesan cheese

salt pepper

frozen green peas elbow pasta

Directions: Cook pasta until done Put 2-3 cups of the peas in a bowl and cover with water. Microwave for about 3 minutes (don't pop the peas) Once the pasta is ready..drain and put in bowl. Add the peas, about 3 tbls of butter (or more if you aren't scared:-), dash of salt and pepper and LOTS of fresh parmesan. I probably use about a cup....just add everything until it tastes good. It really depends on how much of the noodles you make. This is a great dish...I LOVE it!!! Hope you do too!

Pinto Beans and Corn Bread

Those of you who know me...know that I use to be a country girl. Have I ever made Pinto Beans?? Nope...DO I love them?? OMG YES!!! I found this recipe on The Poineer Womans website. Super simple to make and soooo goood!!! You know you want to take that cornbread and mash it up on those beans....don't you??? Here is the link to her website...and the recipe:-) ENJOY!

http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2007/08/beans_and_cornb/

Ravioli

Ok...this is totally not MY recipe:-) I just through a bunch of stuff I bought at the store...but it was still really good so I thought I would share! Ravioli: 1 package of ravioli (fresh...not dried) I used the four cheese Fresh Parmesan cheese Caesar salad (bagged) french bread butter garlic salt marinara sauce (roasted garlic) Cook the ravioli as directed - all you have to do is boil it for about 7 minutes and it's done...now that's what I call easy:-) Split the french bread in half and spread with soft butter. Sprinkle a little garlic salt on the butter. Add whatever cheese you like. I add grated and fresh parmigiana. Broil the bread long enough to melt the butter and cheese and you have a pretty tasty garlic bread. Heat up marinara sauce in the microwave for about 3 minutes....poor over ravioli...sprinkle with fresh Parmesan....serve with salad and bread. DONE!

Brisket Baby!!

Ok...The Pioneer Woman really rocks! I have been trying a lot of her recipes recently and EVERYTHING I have made is REALLY good! Wast till' you see the dessert I am making tonight:-) My mouth is starting to water just thinking about it...I think it might actually be something that my step-daughter. Miss Haley...will eat! I will post the recipe for it later tonight...or should I say the link...lol...Yeah it's another Pioneer Woman's recipe!

The brisket was really easy too...just throw everything together and leave it in the over for 4 hours and you have dinner! I love easy meals that are still really good....Most stuff that is super simple is super bland...not this!

Here is the link if you want to see the recipe:-) ENJOY!

http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2007/06/brisket_baby/

Apple Dumplings

Ok...seriously...I don't care what family recipe you have for apple pie, apple turnovers, or anything else apple related. This is the one you need to have! OMG....It's soooooooo good! It's not what you would call healthy.....but what is this good that is healthy...right? Again, this is from The Pioneer Woman...I am beginning to LOVE this woman....and I think Joel is too:-)

PLEASE TRY THIS!!! You will probably love me too!!!!!!!!!

Apple Dumplings:

Here is the link....

http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2008/02/apple_dumplings/

Teriyaki Chicken

Teriyaki chicken is another simple meal that is totally yummy! This is how I make my teriyaki chicken and my family loves it:-)

Ingredients:
3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (cut up into bite size pieces)
pepper
teriyaki sauce (any kind you like)
2 cups of rice ( I LOVE Texmati rice...it's not cheap...but it's AWESOME)
Egg Rolls (frozen)
Sweet and Sour sauce
1 tbsp butter

Preheat your over for the egg rolls. Mine cook at 450 for about 20 minutes.

Start rice...1 3/4 cups of water per cup of rice. Bring rice to boil and add a tablespoon of butter and a dash of salt and pepper. Turn rice down to a simmer, stir and cover.

After the rice has been cooking for about 15 minutes put your egg rolls in the over and start your chicken. Add chicken to saute pan heated to med-med high. Pepper the chicken...don't salt...the teriyaki sauce has plenty of salt:-)

Once the chicken is cooked through and browned about 10 min. Add about 1/2 cup of teriyaki sauce. Turn stove down to low stir in teriyaki sauce and cover until egg rolls are done.

SERVE chicken over rice! Super Easy huh???

Macaroni and Cheese

This is the best macaroni and cheese I have ever put in my mouth! I guess anything with this much cheese would have to be good right? Again...The Pioneer Woman did it!!!! You MUST try this recipe! It's totally delish:-)

Here is the link for the recipe:
http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2009/04/macaroni-cheese/

Chicken Salad

I love Chicken Salad. I have only made it a few times and decided I would try it again today:-) This is what I threw together and it was super YUMMY!!!


Ingredients:
Whole roasted chicken
green onion
yellow onion
pineapple (can)
mayo
salt/pepper
celery
green grapes (or red...doesn't matter)

Buy the roasted chicken at the store already cooked. Bring it home and let it cool so you can handle it:-) Shred all of the chicken into a bowl. Chop up about 1/2 cup each - onion, green onion, pineapple, celery and green grapes.

Mix into bowl with chicken. Add mayo until it is at your desired consistency. I used about 1 cup of mayo.

Mix everything together and salt/pepper to taste. The pineapple really added a great sweet flavor to the salad. You can also add nuts....apples...anything you want!!

This was a SUPER easy recipe and really good!

ENJOY!!!

Cabbage Rolls

My mother-in-law Sheila made these for Joel and I and they were sooooo good! She shared the recipe with me and I decided to try them out! They are awesome. Any of you that think...hmmm I don't know about these...JUST TRY THEM! I promise your whole family will LOVE them:-)

I changed a few things in the recipe to my liking...but not much:-)

STEP ONE
Into a large mixing bowl
Pour one large can whole tomatoes (Italian if possible) squash with hands
then pour in one large can tomato sauce
then one can original stewed tomatoes
add at least one or two tbs Worcestershire
add a little less than 1/2 c sugar
add red wine vinegar to taste
needs to be tart and sweet
salt-pepper as needed mix
STEP TWO
Core one nice head of cabbage
place in a steamer to loosen leaves
approx 8-10 minutes
then run cold water into the core
Fun time...peel your leaves off head
set aside

STEP THREE
In medium mixing bowl Add at least one and 1/2 half lb ground beef
add sm chopped onion
add washed and dried 1/2 cup or so of uncooked rice
add Worcestershire sauce to taste then salt and pepper
Add a little of the tomato sauce to make the meat mixture moist
again mix with hands

FINALLY PUT ALTOGEHER
In lrg cooking pan pour in tomato sauce
roll meat combination and wrap in cabbage rolls
then place in pan of tomato sauce
cook about 1 to 2 hrs on low heat


The next time I make these I am going to do one thing differently. I am not going to roll the meat in cabbage (it's a pain in the butt) I will make the meat into balls and cook them in the sauce like you do meatballs. Then I will cook the cabbage and serve the meatballs and sauce over a bed of cooked cabbage:-) Same great taste but much easier to put together:-)

ENJOY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Cheesy Potatoes

YUMMY! I decided to throw these together last night to see if they would be any good...and they were great!

Ingredients:
2-3 tbs butter
1/2 yellow onion
2 cloves of garlic minced
salt/pepper
4-6 potatoes peeled and sliced thin
1/2 cup of milk
2 tbs flour
1 cup of cheddar cheese (sharp) - maybe more depending on how cheesy you want your potatoes:-)

Peel and slice the potatoes. Boil them for about 5 minutes just to get the cooking started. Drain and cool...set aside.

In medium saucepan brown the onion in 2-3 tbs of butter and minced garlic. Once the onion are soft add the flour...stir...It will be thick...that is what you want. Add the milk to the sauce pan and stir until thick. Once the sauce thickens take it off the heat and add the sharp cheddar. Mix until all cheese is melted.

Arrange sliced potatoes in a baking dish...poor cheese sauce over the potatoes. Cover with foil and bake for 35-40 minutes....when potatoes are done add a little cheddar cheese to top and broil for about 5 minutes or until the cheese is bubbly on top:-) Add salt and pepper to taste:-)

Serve!!! YUMMY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I must warn this is NOT healthy...but OH SO GOOD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!