Sunday, July 27, 2008

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~Jess
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Enchilada Pie


I've made this recipe quite a few times, the recipe itself is actually from my very first cookbook, which my husband (then boyfriend) bought me on Valentines Day one year a VERY long time ago!


Its one of our favorites and makes ALOT so it can go far.. I recommend serving this up with a green salad!





Ingredients:


1 sack Tortilla chips

1 lb. lean ground beef

2 cups shredded Mexican cheese

1 can red Enchilada Sauce
1 can green Enchilada Sauce

1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 brick Queso cheese, shredded


Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°.

Crush tortilla chips and place 1/2 in the bottom of a 13x9 inch casserole dish.


Brown ground beef in a skillet over medium-high heat. Drain. Add both enchilada sauces and cream of mushroom soup.


Layer 1/2 of the beef mixture over chips. Sprinkle with 1/2 the Mexican cheese and 1/2 the Queso cheese.


Place the rest of the chips over the cheese, then again layer with the remaining meat mixture and the remaining cheese.


Bake in your preheated oven for about 15 minutes, until cheese is melted and bubbly.



Click here for Printable Version

Creamy Bratwurst Stew

Wow, I'd made this once before a pretty long time ago, but my husband requested it again..and I literally had to dig the recipe out and dust it off! SOO glad I did! This stuff is really, really good! And did I mention it will have your belly growling ALL day long while it sits in the crock-pot?

What more can a girl ask for? Easy ingredients, easy to make...easy, easy, easy!






Ingredients:
4 medium potatoes, cubed
2 medium carrots, coarsley chopped
2 celery ribs, chopped
1 cup chopped onion
3/4 cup chopped green pepper
2 lbs fresh bratwurst links, cut into 1-inch slices
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 tsp salt
1 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp pepper
2 cups half-and-half cream
3 tsp cornstarch
3 tsp water

Directions:
In a slow-cooker, combine the potatoes, carrots, celery, onion and green pepper. Top with the bratwurst slices. Combine the broth, salt, basil, and pepper; pour over top. Cover and cook on low for 7 hours or until vegetables are tender and sausage is no longer pink.

Stir in cream. Combine cornstarch and water until smooth; stir into stew. Cover and cook on HIGH for 30 minutes or until gravy has thickened.

Serves 8

Click here for Printable Version

Carrot Cake w/Cream Cheese Frosting

Ah, Sunday's are either: for me; extreme work days or a day to BAKE! I can't explain it, and it doesn't happen very often, but every once in awhile, I just have to bake something... Doesn't necessarily mean that I'm CRAVING a certain baked item...just that I have that Urge to stir flour, sugar and eggs together!
Sooo, today, as I was going through various magazines, trying to find meals I wanted to add to my 2 week grocery list, I came across this recipe for a Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting...HMM. I thought to myself....and my mind is mentally raiding my refrigerator and my pantry..AH HA! I had Everything except for the raisins..but who needs raisins all the time anyway?
Away I went to baking the cake...Fun, fun..and Actually...Really easy to make. I had ONE snag while happily puttering in my kitchen, and that was shredding the carrots in my food processor...all of a sudden, it SToPped working...I was in a serious pout about it until along came my happy to fix it for me Hubby! Yeay! I didn't have to hand-shred those carrots after all!
I'm happy to say that the cake turned out tasting wonderful, the cinnamon spice in it just making your mouth water before you get the fork in your mouth. My kids all gave it 2 thumbs way up all around. And so I wouldn't eat the whole cake myself...watching those Weight Watcher points these days....I shared a slice or two with the neighbors! Aren't I sweet?! LOL







Ingriedents:


2 cups flour
2 cups sugar
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp ground cinnamon
Pinch ground nutmeg
1 tsp salt
4 large eggs
1 1/3 cups oil
3 cups shredded carrots, about 6 medium
1 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup raisins *optional


Frosting:

1 pkg *8oz* cream cheese, room temperature

1 box (16 oz) confectioners sugar

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened

2 tsp vanilla extract

Directions:

Heat oven to 350° F. Butter two 9-inch round baking pans.

For the Cake:

In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, & nutmeg. In a large bowl, beat the eggs lightly to combine, and then whisk in the oil. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir to combine. Stir in the carrots, pecans and if using, the raisins.

Divide the batter evenly between the two pans. Bake at 350° for 30 to 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near center comes out clean. Cool pans on rack for 5 minutes. Remove cakes directly to rack to cool completely.

For the Frosting:

In a large bowl, beat together the cream cheese, confectioners sugar, butter & vanilla. Spread the frosting between the layers and on the sides and top of the cake. Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Bring to room temperature before serving.







Click here for Printable Version

Sunday, July 20, 2008

Lumpia *Philliphino Eggroll*





Ingredients:
1 lb. ground beef, pork, chicken, or lamb ( i usually use pork or beef, but you can use any of these meats or a combination of 2- you can also throw some finely diced shrimp in there too!)
salt & pepper to taste
1/4 cup roasted red pepppers, diced Very Fine
1/2 small can mushrooms stems & pieces, diced Very fine
1 small onion, diced Very fine
2 cloves garlic, diced very fine
1/2 cup matchstick carrots, finely chopped
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp Worcestershire Sauce
1 small bundle bean thread noodles *usually found in 3 bundle pkgs
1 pkg Lumpia wrappers, usually found in the frozen section
24 oz Peanut oil, for frying (you can use vegetable oil if preferable)



Directions:

Brown your meat in a skillet, making sure to crumble it into very small pieces. Add the vegetables to the meat and cook for a minute or two, until vegetables are tender. Drain. Return meat mixture back to skillet and season with salt, pepper, crushed red pepper flakes and Worcestershire. Remove from heat.


While meat is browning, boil the bean thread noodles until done. Drain and using kitchen scissors, cut into small pieces.


In a large bowl, combine the meat mixture and the bean thread noodles.

Prepare your skillet with the peanut oil and heat oil at medium-high heat until hot.


Wrap your Lumpia. Remember that you only need about a tablespoon's worth of meat mixture in each wrap...they will get Overfull very easily. Follow the wrapping directions on the pkg or box.


If your oil is hot, start frying the lumpia. They cook VERY quickly in the hot oil. When they are brown, turn them over. Once the lumpia is crispy everywhere, remove it from the oil to drain on a paper towel lined plate.


This recipe is alot of work, but the end result is just FABULOUS. I usually serve these with some Asian style Noodles


bean thread noodles:

Click here for Printable Version

Saturday, July 19, 2008

Chicken Mug Pie

Ingredients:
1 tube Jumbo butter biscuits
1 1/2 lbs chicken breast tenders, diced
3 tbsp butter
2 ribs celery and greens, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1 large carrot, peeled and diced
salt & pepper
2 tsp poultry seasoning
3 tbsp all-purpose flour
1 cup shredded, frozen hashbrown potatoes
1 pint half-and-half or cream
1 quart chicken stock
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 cup frozen peas

Directions:

Preheat oven and Bake biscuits according to their package directions.

In a soup pot over medium-high heat, cook the chicken in butter for 2 minutes, then add the vegetables. Season with salt, pepper and poultry seasoning. Cook for 5 minutes and then add the flour. Cook for about a minute and then whisk in half-and-half as well as the chicken stock. Add potatoes and nutmeg. Bring soup to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Add peas. Cook for a minute or two, until the peas are warm throughout.



Ladle into bowls and top with a butter biscuit!








Chicken Broccoli Casserole


Ingredients:
1 whole chicken, cooked, deboned, shredded
1 bag frozen broccoli florets
2 cans cream of chicken soup
7-8 slices American cheese
salt & pepper to taste
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350° F.
Boil broccoli in a pot until tender. Drain.
Place shredded chicken in the bottom of a 13x9 inch casserole dish. Liberally salt and pepper. Layer cooked broccoli over the chicken. Pour both cans of cream of chicken soup over the broccoli, spread evenly. Evenly place the cheese slices over the top of the casserole.
Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes.

Cheryl's Chili


Ingredients:
>4 slices bacon
>1 lb. ground sirloin
>1 lb. ground sausage
>2 cans stewed tomatoes
>2 cans chili beans
>1 medium onion, chopped
>1 bulb garlic, minced
>2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
>1-2 beers
>1-2 Tablespoons Old Bay Seasoning
>2 dried bay leaves
>1 teaspoon dried mustard
>1 tbsp chili powder
>1 tbsp hot sauce
>1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
>salt & pepper to taste
Directions:
Chop bacon and cook in a skillet until crisp. Transfer to a paper towel lined plate to drain. Add the sirloin and sausage to bacon grease and cook over medium heat, breaking the meat into small crumbs.
In a small saucepan, heat extra virgin olive oil and saute the onion and garlic until the onion is tender.
In a food processor, puree the tomatoes and chili beans together. Add chili bean/tomato mixture to the browned meat mixture in skillet, stir to combine and add the onions/garlic mixture as well as the bacon. Add the beer slowly and allow it to cook off a little. Add seasonings to pot.
Cook chili about 45 minutes to an hour on the stovetop OR you can transfer it to a crockpot set on HIGH and cook for an hour and a half.
Cheryl's Tip: If chili seems runny, mix about 1 tsp cornstarch to 1/2 cup water and add to chili 1/2 hour before its done.

Broccoli Cheese Soup


Ingredients:
1 cup chopped onion
1 tbsp butter
6 cups water
1 bag frozen CHOPPED broccoli (not the florets)
6 chicken bouillon cubes
4 cups medium egg noodles
1 lb. (16 oz) Velveeta cheese slices
6 cups milk
Directions:
In a deep pot, saute the onion in the butter until the onions are tender. Add the water and bring to a boil. Add frozen broccoli and cook until tender. Add bouillon cubes and egg noodles. Cook until noodles are done. Place Velveeta slices on the top of the soup, and let the cheese melt down into the pot, Don't let it burn. When cheese has melted, transfer soup to a large crockpot and add the milk. Stir well to combine. Leave crockpot settings on low until soup is heated through.

Celebration Oreo Ice Cream Cake


Ingredients:
24 Oreo Cookies, divided
1 pt (2 cups) strawberry ice cream, softened
2 cups Cool-Whip, thawed, divided
1 pt. (2 cups) chocolate ice cream, softened
2 tbsp fudge ice cream topping
Directions:
Line a 9-in cake pan with plastic wrap, with ends overlapping the sides. Stand 14 of the cookies around the edge of the pan. Crush remaining 10 cookies. Reserve 1/2 cup of the crumbs and sprinkle the rest in the bottom of the cake pan. Spread the strawberry ice cream over the crumbs. Top with 1 cup of the Cool-whip and the 1/2 cup of reserved cookie crumbs. Cover with the chocolate ice cream.
Freeze for 4 hours or overnight.
Remove dessert from pan just before serving, using the overlapped plastic wrap edges to gently lift it from the pan. Carefully peel off plastic & place dessert on a serving plate. Let stand at room temperature for 10 minutes to soften. Top evenly with the remaining 1 cup of Cool-whip and garnish with Fudge topping. Store leftover dessert in freezer.

Southern Coleslaw


Ingredients:
1 medium head green cabbage
1 carrot, shredded
1 tbsp minced onion
1 1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup vinegar
1/4 tsp celery seed
1/4 tsp ground black pepper, or to taste
salt to taste
Directions:
Shred cabbage into a large bowl; add shredded carrot and onion. Combine mayonnaise, sugar, vinegar and celery seed. Whisk or shake in a jar. Taste and adjust seasonings, adding salt and pepper. More mayo if you like, or more vinegar if it's too sweet.
Add dressing to cabbage mix and stir until well moistened. Refrigerate to chill thoroughly.
Serves 6-8

Tamale Chili Dip



Ingredients:
1 large can tamales, wrappers removed
1 regular can chili without beans
1 (8oz) box Velveeta, cubed
1/4 cup salsa
1 small can sliced black olives
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Directions:
In a large bowl, mash the tamales and mix them with the chili, salsa and Velveeta. Spread mixture into a baking dish top with cheddar cheese and olives. Bake, covered for 20 minutes at 350° F or until heated through.
Or- for parties- mix everything in your crockpot and set the temp to low.

Serve with tortilla chips...REALLY good too in flour tortilla shells....roll it up like a burrito



Mexican Layer Dip

this is the best stuff ever! Really.......it is

Ingredients:
2 (8oz) pkgs cream cheese, softened
1 envelope dry taco seasoning
2 tbsp milk
1-2 tbsp salsa
2 tsp chili powder
1 (15 oz) can refried beans

Toppings:
Shredded lettuce
chopped tomato
shredded cheddar cheese
diced green onions
sliced black olives

Directions:
In a large mixing bowl, combine cheese, taco seasoning, milk, salsa, & chili powder. Combine well and spread into the bottom of a casserole or serving dish.

Layer the refried beans over the cream cheese mixture, spread evenly. Refrigerate the dip for about an hour, until it sets.

Top it off with your favorite toppings and serve with tortilla chips.




Undergoing MyBlogLog Verification

Chipotle's Guacamole

Ingredients:
1 large Hass ripe Avacado, peeled & pitted
2 tsp fresh lime juice
2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 cup finely chopped red onions
2 cloves minced garlic
1 Serrano chili, seeded & chopped
1/4 tsp salt

Directions:
Mash up avacado with fork or an electric mixer. Add remaining ingredients. Mix well. Serve chilled with tortilla chips.

Note: This stuff is the BOMB!


Chocolate Covered Cherry Cake


Ingredients:
1 box chocolate cake mix
2 pkg cream cheese, softened
1 cup mini chocolate chips
1 jar maraschino cherries
1 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla
Dash of milk
1 large Hershey chocolate bar
1 small tub chocolate frosting
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350° F.
Mix cake according to pkg directions and spread it evenly between 3 round, greased and floured cake pans. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool on wire racks.
In a small bowl, combine cream cheese, milk, powdered sugar and vanilla. Set aside.
Drain maraschino cherries, then place them on a paper towel to drain some more. Chop the cherries FINE and place again on a clean paper towel to drain again. Set aside.
Begin building your cake. Place the first cake round on your cake plate or platter. Spread 1/2 of your cream cheese mixture on the cake, leaving a 1/4 inch edge unfrosted around. Sprinkle 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips and 1/2 the cherries on the cream cheese mixture.
Top with next cake round. Repeat the cream cheese, chocolate chip and cherry layers. Place the last cake round on top.
Frost the entire cake with the chocolate frosting. Using a vegetable peeler, peel shavings of the Hershey bar onto the top of your cake for garnish.

Mom's Christmas Cheese Ball

**For as long as I've been alive, my mom has made this cheese ball for Christmas every year. It is the #1 staple, the #1 MUST HAVE at our table (which is usually Loaded with food). Christmas just wouldn't be Christmas without it.. Enjoy!


Ingredients:
1 (5 oz) jar Kraft Old English cheese
1 (5 oz) jar Kraft Pineapple OR Pimento cheese *whichever they have available- if you can't find either, use another jar of Old English
1 small box Velveeta cheese
1 (8 oz) box cream cheese, softened at room temp
1/4 cup FINELY diced onions
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 cup Finely chopped pecans
Directions:
In a big bowl, add all your cheeses.
In a skillet over medium heat, stir fry your onions until tender, then add the Worcestershire. Remove from heat. Let cool.
Add onions and Worcestershire to cheeses and BLEND everything together very well.
Pour pecans out onto a WAX paper surface. In bowl, shape, as best as you can, the cheese into a ball. Pour the ball onto the pecans and roll, coating the outter surface of the cheese completely in pecans.
If you have a bowl ABOUT the size of your cheeseball, use this *it will help keep the ball in its shape* and keeping the Wax paper around the cheese ball, place it in your bowl. Refrigerate for at least 24 hours to let it Set and to let the flavors infuse.
Remove cheeseball from bowl and wax paper. Serve on a cheeseball platter or a plate with your favorite crackers. Mine are the Bacon Flavored ones!

Old Chicago's Artichoke Dip


Ingredients:
2 (8 oz) pkgs cream cheese, softened
2 tbsp parmesan cheese
1/4 tsp bottled hot pepper sauce
1 (14 oz) can artichoke hearts, drained (reserve 1/4 cup brine)
1/4 tsp ground white pepper
salt to taste
1/4 cup diced green onion
Directions:
Beat cream cheese until fluffy, about 2 minutes.
Cut artichoke hearts in quarters. Add brine to cream cheese. Mix for about 2 minutes on low with an electric mixer.
Stir in artichokes, onion, salt, pepper, hot pepper sauce, green onion and cheese. Mix well.
Heat dip in a small crockpot or Microwave for 2-3 minutes.
Serve with French Bread, cut into chunks.

South-of-the-Border Steak & Beans


Ingredients:
1 1/2 lbs beef flank steak
1 (10 oz) can Rotel
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves minced garlic
1 tsp dried oregano, crushed
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp ground cumin
salt & pepper to taste
2 small green, red and/or yellow sweet peppers, cut into strips
1 (15 oz) can pinto beans, rinsed & drained
Hot cooked brown rice
Crumbled queso fresco cheese
Hot tortilla shells
Directions:
Place meat in slow cooker. In a bowl, stir together undrained Rotel, onion, garlic, oregano, chili powder, cumin, salt and pepper. Pour over meat in slow cookier.
Cover and cook on LOW for 7-9 hours or HIGH 4-5 hours.
Add pepper strips and pinto beans. Cover and cook for 30 minutes more at HIGH setting. Remove meat; slice into thin strips. Return to bean mixture. Add cooked rice to pot.
Serve in warm tortillla shells with queso cheese and alittle hot pepper sauce *if desired.

Tortellini with Ham & Peas


Ingredients:
1 lb. fresh or frozen cheese tortellini
1 cup frozen peas
3 tbsp unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
1/2 -1 lb. small chopped ham pieces
Directions:
Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Cook tortellini until just al dente, don't over cook. Add peas to pot for last 30 seconds of cooking time.
Drain tortellini and peas and return to pot. Stir in butter, cream, salt, pepper, Parmesan and ham. Turn stove on to medium heat and cook, stirring, until ingredients are heated through, 2-3 minutes. Serve immediately.

Speedy Cassoulet


This soup is SOOO flavorful! Trust me, you'll be suprised! And oh yeah! It's LOW FAT!
Ingredients:
2 cans Great Northern Beans, rinsed & drained
2 cans diced tomatoes with roasted garlic OR Fire Roasted diced (undrained)
2 cans chicken broth
1 lb. turkey kielbasa, sliced
1 green bell pepper, chopped
salt & pepper to taste
1 tbsp hot sauce
Seasoned bread crumbs (optional)
Directions:
Heat beans, tomatoes, broth and kielbasa to boiling in a soup pot. Stir occassionally, reduce heat.
Stir in bell pepper and hot sauce. Simmer uncovered for 5 minutes; stirring occasionaly. Ladle into soup bowls. Sprinkle with bread crumbs.

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