Tag Archives: recipe

Taco Soup

18 Sep

The lazy days of summer are just about over. Soon enough the weather will change, the trees will showcase their brilliant colors, and the days will become a little more hectic.  One of my favorite ways to warm-up and to solve the mad dinner rush is to dig out my slow-cooker and make soup.  One of our family favorites is Taco Soup.  Easy, economical, and so yummy! Throw this on in the morning and dinner is done!  I want to hear from you! Do you have a favorite family recipe or maybe an easy and quick go to meal?  I would love to see it. Leave a recipe or a link in the comments below I would l love to see what you’ve got cookin!

What you will need to get started (scroll down for full recipe).
Fry up your ground beef, onion, and garlic until cooked through.
Here, Broukie demonstrates proper ground beef crumbling.
Alison finishes up.
Add the cooked ground beef to your slow-cooker.
The next step is easy-add everything else and give it a good stir.
I needed someone with a little muscle for this step;)
Voila! Turn it on low, cover, and go about your day.
Don’t want to crock pot it? You can add all the ingredients to a
stock pot and simmer for 15-20 minutes and serve.
This is how it looks, mama style. Sharp cheddar cheese,
sour cream, green onion, and Frito’s. What will you add to yours?
If you’re so inclined, enjoy it with a nice glass of chocolate milk!

Taco Soup
-1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef
-1 large onion, diced
-1 clove of garlic, finely minced
-1 12oz bottle of green taco sauce
-1 can beef or chicken broth (14-16 oz)
-2 (15oz) cans black beans, drained and rinsed (optional-if you don’t mind the off color)
-15 1/4 oz can of corn, drained
-4 1/2oz can of chopped green chilies
-15oz can of tomato sauce
-1oz packet of taco seasoning
-3-4 Cups of water
-your favorite garnishes

 In a large skillet over medium heat cook the ground beef, diced onion, and minced garlic until the ground beef is no longer pink.  Add the beef mixture to your slow-cooker and add the rest of the ingredients, stir. Cover and cook on low until ready to serve.  Simmer 15-20 minutes for stove top method.
   Add a salad some corn bread muffins for an even heartier meal.  This recipe feeds my family of 5 with leftovers for lunch the next day. I hope you enjoy it as much as we do.  Thanks for visiting!
~Be Blessed and be a Blessing~
Rebecca
Let’s be Pinterest friends!
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It’s a Wrap

13 Sep

When we are wanting to whip up something quick but delicious, you will usually find a wrap on our dinner plates. Tortillas are so versatile, you can’t go wrong (well except for that one time…but we won’t talk about here). With a little prep work you can have dinner ready in a jiffy! This recipe will make 6-8 wraps.

You are going to need 1 large green pepper, 1 large onion, 2-3 Roma tomatoes, 
 1 8oz package of fresh mushrooms and 3 cloves of garlic. Chop pepper, onion,
 tomato and mushrooms into bite size pieces and finely chop the garlic. Set aside.
 1 package (8-10) of your favorite tortillas. *You'll want to turn your oven on warm now
 and add your tortillas if you are not microwaving them*
I have chopped up 3 boneless skinless chicken breasts into bite sized pieces.
For spices you are going to need 1 1/2 tsp salt, 1 1/2 tsp garlic powder,
1 tsp of black pepper and 1 tsp turmeric.
In a large skillet heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over med-high heat.
When pan is hot add your chicken breasts and seasonings. cook
6-8 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. Remove from pan and set aside.
In the same pan heat another tablespoon of olive and heat over med-high heat.
Add the green peppers, and onions. Cook for about 4-5 minutes or until they are starting to get tender.
Add the mushrooms and tomatoes and cook another 2-3 minutes or until the veggies are
tender add the garlic and cook a minute longer. *Please note that you may have to adjust the cooking temperature of your
stove top*
Add the chicken back in and stir well.  Turn your heat down to low.
Get your tortillas ready.  *If microwaving your tortillas do it now. I add 2-3
at a time and heat for 15-20 seconds and repeat until all tortillas are warmed*
Add filling to center of tortilla and sprinkle on your favorite
cheese ( I used a Mexican 4 cheese blend).
Wrap up like a burrito and enjoy! Makes 6-8
burritos.

Ingredients
3 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 large green pepper
1 large onion
2-3 Roma tomatoes
1- 8 oz. package fresh mushrooms
3 garlic cloves
olive oil
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp turmeric
6-8 of your favorite tortillas (burrito size)
Your favorite shredded cheese
Instructions

-Chop green pepper, onion, mushrooms and tomatoes into bite sized pieces.Finely chop the garlic set aside
-Chop chicken breasts into bite sized pieces. In a large skillet heat 2 tablespoons of olive    oil     over 
med-high heat. When pan is hot add the chicken and spices. Cook 6-8 minutes or until cooked 
through. Remove from pan.
- In the same pan add another Tablespoon of olive oil and heat over med-high heat. Add the green pepper and onion. Cook 4-5 minutes or until they are starting to get tender. Add the mushrooms and tomatoes and cook an additional 2-3 minutes or until the veggies are tender. Add garlic and cook a minute longer.
-Add the chicken back in the skillet and mix well. Turn heat down to low.
-Prepare your tortillas by heating them up a bit (if you desire) in the microwave 15-20 seconds
or in a warm oven for 5-10 minutes.
-Add a heaping spoonful in the center of the tortilla and sprinkle on your favorite shredded cheese.
-Wrap up like a burrito and enjoy! Makes 6-8 wraps.

Another great add to these wraps is fresh flat leaf Italian parsley. It gives it such a fresh summery taste! Have fun and experiment with different spices and ingredients. It is fun to get the little ones in the kitchen and let them "design" their own. Our children are more likely to try something new and enjoy it if they had a hand in helping to make it.  Thanks for visiting!

~Be Blessed and be a Blessing~
Rebecca
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~Luvmybebebugs~

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BBQ Chicken Quesadillas

8 Sep

Here in the Midwest we get a short season to grill, therefore we do it a lot in the summer. With all that grilling comes leftovers. Honestly, my family isn’t all that excited to eat the leftovers and I am not all excited to waste food. So that leaves me some creativity to turn yesterdays leftovers into something my family will enjoy. Let’s get started!

Here are last nights BBQ chicken breasts. I took them straight from the fridge
and removed the meat from the bone and chopped it into a bite sized dice.
Ingredients:
2 chicken breasts- 2 plum tomatoes diced- 1 small onion diced- shredded lettuce-
burrito sized flour tortillas- Provolone and an Italian shredded blend cheeses-
Sweet Baby Rays BBQ sauce- and some non stick spray.
Heat a skillet over med heat and spray with some non stick spray
(I have used butter it works great I was just trying to save a few calories).
Add a tortilla and sprinkle with your favorite cheese ( I made one quesadilla with an
Italian cheese blend and another with Provolone slices. Both were good but the
Provolone was best). Sprinkle with some chopped onion.
Add enough chicken to evenly cover the tortilla. Squeeze some BBQ sauce all
over the chicken. I didn’t measure but approximately 3-4 Tablespoons of
sauce. Definitely just add all ingredients to your taste.
Add some tomatoes and more cheese. Top with another tortilla and cook
4-5 minutes per side or until tortilla is crispy and cheese is melted.

*Since it can be tricky to flip without a lot of fall out you can just use one
tortilla. Just make like above but go lighter on the filling and flip one side of the tortilla
over so the edges meet.*

I cut it using a pizza cutter. Just like that…You have a crispy, cheesy, BBQ
Quesadilla! I like to top mine with shredded lettuce. YUM! This recipe made 2 large
quesadillas and 2 half quesadillas.
Recipe
*Yields 2 large and 2 half quesadillas
2 chicken breasts
2 plum tomatoes diced
1 small onion diced
shredded lettuce
burrito sized flour tortillas (I used a total of 6)
Shredded Italian cheese blend (or your favorite)
Provolone (or your favorite)
BBQ sauce (I used Sweet Baby Rays BBQ Sauce)
Non stick cooking spray
Heat skillet over Medium heat and spray with non stick spray. Lay tortilla in pan and add cheese. Evenly top tortilla with chicken and add BBQ sauce. Sprinkle with tomatoes and top with more cheese. Lay another tortilla on top of the ingredients and cook 4-5 minutes per side or until tortilla is crispy and cheese is melted. Cut with pizza cutter and serve with your favorite toppings.
This was a big hit with my family! Definitely going on the please make again list! Just like with most of my recipes you can personalize it to your tastes. This would be delicious with some grilled green peppers and mushrooms!
If you are cooking more then 2 quesadillas I would put a foiled lined baking pan in a warm oven to keep the finished quesadillas warm until you are ready to serve. Also, you can cook 2-3 quesadillas at a time on a large griddle.
I hope you enjoy this delicious easy recipe! Thanks for stopping by!
~Be Blessed and be a Blessing~
Rebecca
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Meatloaf Muffins

27 Aug

What did you have for dinner tonight? I made for my family my meatloaf muffins. They take about 15 minutes to put together and you can customize them depending on the tastes of each family member (no whining when everyone can make their own). Use your favorite meatloaf recipe or you can give mine a whirl.

My basic meatloaf recipe is easy peasy-I start with 1 1/4 pound lean ground beef
and 1 small onion grated (using a box grater).
I add in about 14-18 crushed saltines (yes, saltines), 1 egg beaten, a few
splashes of milk, salt, pepper, and a little onion powder.
Mix Well.
This made exactly 12 muffins. From left to right-Row 1 topped with BBQ sauce
 and sliced onion. Row 2 made a well and put American cheese slices. I sealed the beef
 over the top and topped with ketchup and onion. Row 3 topped with ketchup and
 onion. Row 4 made a well and put in Colby-Jack cheese sealed it up and topped
 with BBQ sauce. Use your imagination! Bake at 350 for about 20 minutes and
 voila! Dinner is done! The meatloaf cooks through without drying out.
Here is what you get (American cheese stuffed topped with ketchup).
We serve ours with some mashed potatoes and salad.
What are your favorite easy go to meals?  If you’re a food blogger (or have a food blog you love) leave me a link in my messages, I would love to see what’s cookin’ in your neck of the woods.
~Be Blessed and be a Blessing~
Rebecca
Let’s be Pinterest friends!
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Homemade Corndog muffins

21 Aug

I have been inspired by many Pinterest recipes some with and some without success.  Here is my version quick, easy, and delicious.  Keep reading for the printable recipe.

This is all you need!
My lovely assistant is demonstrating putting the hot dog pieces into the muffin pan.
Cover each hot dog piece up with some batter and bake for 15 minutes.

                                                                                                                                                
                                                                                 Voila!   Let cool in the pan for about 5 minutes to avoid them becoming a crumbly mess .  Was it a success?  Let’s find out…..                                                 Two enthusiastic thumbs up from my boy-o-boy.  He prefers it with no cheese.  As for my Mells?…..

                                                                                                                                                  

She gives it two thumbs and two toes up! She prefers hers with cheese.
Like it spicy?  Add some chopped Jalapenos to the batter.  Want it more meaty? Go ahead and add more hot dog to each cup.  Have fun making it your own!
 
 This recipe is economical, healthier than the fried alternative especially if you use turkey dogs.  It is quick, and easy enough the kids can help!  Makes a great on the go meal.   Thanks for visiting!
~ Be Blessed and be a Blessing~
Rebecca
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Strawberry Cheesecake Salad

15 Aug

There is something about the words strawberry and cheesecake that just makes my day. So imagine my delight on a recent Pinterest pin-fest that I came across this little gem. So in my usual fashion I decided to make my sweet and sometimes brave family guinea pigs once again. If you are interested in this recipe keep on reading.

This and love is all you need.
Add the yogurt, cool whip, and pudding mix into a bowl and mix well. Place in the refrigerator for 1 hour.
If you made it the whole hour-pat yourself on the back. Add all sliced strawberries, bananas, and marshmallows. Mix well.
Just for the sake of “science” I dished two little scoops on the plate. Portion 1-NO crushed graham crackers. Portion 2-With crushed graham crackers. So what’s the verdict?……..
  Two enthusiastic on camera thumbs up and three off camera thumbs up.   No graham crackers was the winner.

We really enjoyed it and it couldn’t of been easier!  It is best when served fresh . If you would like a little crunch-go ahead and get wild and add some crushed graham crackers on top.

Recipe:

12 oz whipped topping (Cool Whip)

3.4 oz box cheesecake flavored pudding ( don’t add the milk)

3-6 oz strawberry yogurt

1 lb fresh strawberries, sliced

3 bananas, sliced (do this right before serving to prevent browning)

Miniature marshmallows (I used 1/2 the bag)

Thaw whipped topping if frozen.  In a large bowl stir together whipped topping, yogurts, and pudding powder. Place in the refrigerator for at least an hour.   Wash and slice strawberries.  Before serving add strawberries, bananas, and marshmallows.  Add crushed graham crackers on top if desired.

Follow me on Pinterest. You know you wanna!

~Be Blessed and be a Blessing~

Rebecca

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Homemade Pizza

11 Aug

I know, I know- 5 dollar pizza and a slew of other pizza joints are just a phone call away-but why buy it when you can make it?! My family loves making their own little personal pizzas. I like to gather a lot of toppings and watch them create their own masterpieces! We did this recently and had ourselves a carpet picnic while watching Elf and the kiddos can’t wait to do it again! I promise yeast isn’t as scary as it sounds;) I hope you enjoy!

This is all you need to make dough: 3/1/2-4 C of flour (bread flour will
give you a crispier crust, all purpose will give you a chewier crust). 1 Pkg.
dry yeast, 1 tsp of sugar, 1 1/2 tsp salt, 2 TBSP olive oil, 1 1/2 C really warm water
110 degrees (run water on wrist water should be just shy of hot feeling).
You gotta wake your yeast up! I used 1/2 of my warm water, the sugar,
and the package of yeast. Give it a quick stir and let in proof for about 10
minutes. This is what it should look like. Bubbling over with happiness.
Add 3 1/2 C of your flour, salt, oil, remaining warm water, and yeast mixture to a large bowl
or in my case my stand mixer. If you don’t have a stand mixer, mix all ingredients
well in large bowl and then turn out dough on a well floured surface and knead
until smooth like a baby’s tushie and elastic-when you stretch it long it
shrinks back quickly to its previous size. Takes about 5-10 minutes. If you have a stand mixer-just throw
all ingredients in bowl and using your dough hook mix about 5 minutes. The results should be the same
as with the hand kneading technique.
Oil a large bowl and place the dough in it and brush the top of the dough lightly with oil.
Cover with a towel or plastic wrap and it will need to nap for about 1 hour or until
doubled in size.
*If dough is too sticky knead in the remaining 1/2 C flour.

                                          Punch down your dough, literally, and turn out on a flat surface.
                                                  Divide dough accordingly to your family. The kids’ pizza dough was
                                                  measured about baseball size (2 of those) and hubby and I split the
                                                  remaining dough in half. Work the dough into whatever shape and
                                                  thickness you want.
                                                  *Preheat oven to 500 and if you have one preheat your pizza
                                                    stone. Baking pan works fine too!

                                          Lay out your ingredients and let your family have fun creating thier
                                                   own pizza.

                                          Getting ready to bake!

                                          About 15-20 minutes later-it’s ready! See, happy faces and sweet memories!

Ta da! Easy Peasy!
I hope you enjoy!
Be Blessed and be a Blessing~
Rebecca
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Cheesesteak Stuffed Peppers

7 Aug

I know in a bid to make healthier food choices many people are jumping on the low carb wagon. I saw a similar recipe online and tweaked it to suit my families taste.  Keep reading to see their reaction and to get a printable recipe.

What you’ll need.
In a large skillet heat butter and oil.
Caramelize the veggies

Remove pepper shells from oven and pour out excess water in each shell.

 
Place a slice of Provolone cheese at the bottom of each pepper.
(One left cheese less for my son who sometimes doesn’t like cheese)
Fill each pepper with filling.

Top each with another slice of Provolone.

 Place in 400 degree oven for 15 minutes and voila! Cheesesteak
                    stuffed peppers. And the verdict is………………..

Thumbs up for the cheese less wonder.

And an ‘eh’ from the Broukie Bear. Hubby really liked it but he missed
the bread.  I really enjoyed it and I will be making this again!
*Prebaking the green peppers allows them the chance to become a little more tender but it also allows some of the moisture to cook out. This prevents it from being mushy and soggy.
*Salt draws moisture out of the onions and mushrooms and waiting to salt the veggies at the end of cooking allows the veggies to caramelize quicker.
I hope you enjoy!
~Be Blessed and be a Blessing~
Rebecca
Follow me on Pinterest
rhm

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Fix it and Forget it Pork Chop Bake

30 Jul

It’s true…making homemade scalloped potatoes is not scary-in fact it is almost fool proof (trust me). This recipe was born out of my love for the potatoes but not of the strange looking dehydrated like potatoes you can buy in the box. This is a fix it a forget it meal. So versatile and you can easily add in extra ingredients and flavors to fit your likes. I will share the basic recipe and from there have fun making it your own!

Ingredients needed to get started.
First step add1-2 bouillon cube (s) to 1 3/4 C water and bring to a boil and remove from heat.
You want the bouillon cube to dissolve. Or go ahead and use equivalent already prepared stock (14 oz.)
In a large skillet  heat 1-2 Tbsp olive oil over med-high heat.
Season your chops with salt and pepper.
Add pork chops to pan and brown both sides-3-4 minutes per side.
While chops are frying prep your potatoes.
Nice and golden on both sides.
Add your sliced onions to the same pan. Let the onions cook in the drippings
Remove onions from pan.
Melt 2 Tbsp butter in hot pan.
Add the flour and whisk to make a roux.
Add in the chicken broth and cream of chicken soup( and optional cheese.and any other veggie add ins).Add the onions back in and turn heat to low.
Butter a 13×9 (or whatever works for you) casserole dish. And arrange
potatoes in an overlapping stacking pattern (yes, it is OK to arrange the potatoes in 2 layers-
it will still cook evenly and thoroughly).
Pour sauce over potatoes-no need to mix.
Lay pork chops on top of potatoes. No need to press them down.
Cover with foil and bake in a 350 oven for 65-75 minutes or for extra tender chops bake in
a 300 degree oven for 2-2 1/2 hours.
Ta-Da! Remove foil and let sit for 10 minutes to give the sauce a chance to thicken.

 

Click Here For Printable Recipe

See-easy 🙂  You can also make this ahead of time and stick it in your fridge until you are ready to cook. Just remove from fridge 30 minutes before baking to allow the pork chop bake to come to room temperature (ensures even cooking time and keeps meat from being tough).
Try adding sauteed mushrooms, different cream soups such as cream of mushroom or cream of celery, or our favorite green beans. Season with your favorite herbs and spices to give it even more flavor.  Try adding some grated cheese to the sauce-makes the dish even more decadent! This is also an easy meal to put together to bring to a sick friend or a family with a new baby.
~ Be Blessed and be a Blessing~
Rebecca
Come find me on Pinterest!
rhm

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These Muffins are Bananas!

24 Jul

Let me tell you, I fail miserably at banana bread.  Burnt on the bottom, raw in the middle, deflated..I am not kidding! If there was a way to ruin it, I would. I have been on a mission to find the right combination of ingredients to yield a moist flavorful banana bread that cooks evenly throughout.  After a lot of trial and error…. I got to mixing and……..Houston, we got ourselves a winner;) I am really excited to share this simple yet delicious recipe for chocolate chip banana muffins. Let’s get baking!

You will need:
To preheat your oven to 400 degrees
3 very ripe bananas-1/2 C vegetable oil- 1/2 C sugar- 2 eggs-
1 tsp. vanilla-1 tsp baking powder-1/2 tsp baking soda-1/2 tsp salt-
1/2 tsp cinnamon-1 2/3 C all purpose flour-3/4 C chocolate chips-
cupcake pan-12 cupcake liners
Start off by adding 2-3 heaping Tablespoons of your already
measured out flour and add them to the chocolate chips. Why?The flour coats the chocolate chips and keeps them from sinking to the bottom of the batter.

 

Peel your 3 ripe bananas and with a fork mash them down well.
It is OK for there to still be lumps in the bananas

 

Add the oil and the eggs to the mashed bananas and give it a quick whisk.
Next, add the vanilla extract and sugar and whisk well to combine.
Add in the baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon and give it another whisk.
Whisk in the flour. Lastly gently fold in the chocolate chips.
Fill your cupcake liners with the muffin batter. If you use a 1/4 C
measuring cup you will get exactly 12 muffins. This is the first muffin
recipe that has ever worked out like that for me! YAY!
Bake 15-18 minutes at 400 degrees. Because ovens vary I would
check at about the 15 minute mark to see if they are cooked through.
If not continue to check at 2 minute intervals to be sure they don’t
over bake. They are finished when a toothpick inserted into the center of
the muffin comes out clean with no crumbs or batter stuck to it.
Remove from oven and let cool for 15-20 minutes before you bite into
these delicious muffins.
Recipe
3 very ripe bananas
1/2 C vegetable oil
1/2 C sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 2/3 C all purpose flour
3/4 C chocolate chips
12 cupcake liners
cupcake pan
and a sprinkle of love
Preheat oven to 400 degrees and line your cupcake pan with the liners.
Add 2-3 heaping Tablespoons of your measured flour into the chocolate chips and mix well to coat the chips.
Peel bananas and mash well with a fork. Add oil and eggs to the banana mixture and whisk together.
Next, add vanilla extract and sugar and whisk to combine.
Add the baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon: whisk well.
Add the all purpose flour and whisk well. Fold in the chocolate chips.
With a 1/4 C measuring cup start filling the liners with your batter (Remember, using a 1/4 C measuring cup will give you exactly 12 muffins).
Bake in a 400 degree oven for 16-18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the muffin comes out clean. Cool 15-20 minutes and enjoy!
Makes 12 muffins
These muffins turned out moist and flavorful just as I had hoped. The balance of flavors is perfect. As always you can personalize this recipe to reflect the likes of you and your family. The muffins would also be delicious with some chopped walnuts mixed in the batter.
 
I hope you enjoyed this recipe as much as my family did! Thanks for taking the time to stop by!
~ Be Blessed and be a Blessing~
Rebecca

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