Chicken Enchiladas

This has always been our favorite enchilada recipe! I got it from Jake's sister years ago and I have stuck to it. There are many enchilada recipes out there but I will never throw this one out. It is just too good.

What you will need:

2 large chicken breasts, baked and shredded

1 package of large burrito tortillas

2 cans (10 oz) green enchilada sauce

1 small can green chiles

1 can cream of chicken soup

4 oz sour cream

1 lb shredded cheese

1 can sliced olives

Combine cream of chicken soup, chiles, and 1 can sauce. Heat over medium heat. Add shredded chicken and warm through. Add sour cream.

Pour green enchilada sauce in bottom of 9x13 pan. Coat bottom of tortilla in sauce. Fill with mixture. Add a little cheese and roll. 

Once pan is full pour any remaining mixture on top of tortillas. Top with remaining green sauce. Sprinkle with shredded cheese and top with olives. Bake @ 350 for 40 minutes or until bubbly around the edges.

Crockpot Stuffing and Chicken

This recipe comes from http://adventuresinwunderland.com/chicken-and-stuffing-crock-pot/ I saw this on Facebook a few days ago and I had to try it. I am always looking for easy meals, especially while it is summer time. We are always running around on crazy adventures and I am left thinking what to make late into the evening. I loved this one because it is a crock pot meal. Who doesn't love to throw things in and walk away? I hope you try this.

INGREDIENTS:

• 4 Large boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1 can cream of mushroom soup
• 1 can cream of chicken soup
• 1/4 cup of milk
• 4 slices of cheese
• 1 box of stuffing mix

DIRECTIONS:

In a 6-quart oval crock pot place your chicken breast along the bottom in a single layer.  Add chicken broth and then top each chicken breast with one slice of cheese.

In a small bowl, whisk together cream soups an milk. Add on top of chicken and cheese.

Top with box of stuffing mix.

Cook on low for 6-8 hrs or High for 4 hrs.  Or until chicken is completely done.

Serve with you choice of side. 

Peanut Butter Cup Smore's

The second I saw these on Pinterest I knew I had to try them! I am a huge lover of all things peanut butter so to me this was heaven sent. I found the recipe at fashionchicsta.blogspot.com. The traditional smore is already a delicious gooey treat and this just takes it to a whole other level. One of my favorite things about this is the soft chewy crust on the top and bottom. Regular smores are usually pretty messy with the graham cracker smashing the marshmallow. You don't have that problem here! Give these a try I promise they won't disappoint!

Summer is for Smores! -Brittany

Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter softened
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/4 cups of flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup graham cracker crumbs
16 regular size peanut butter cups
1 1/2 cups marshmallow fluff

Directions
1-Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray an 8x10 baking dish with cooking spray.
2-In a large bowl mix together butter and sugars until fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla until combined. Slowly stir in the flour, baking powder, salt and graham cracker crumbs until mixed.

3-Spread 2/3 of the dough on the bottom of the greased baking dish. Lightly press the peanut butter cups into the dough, then spread marshmallow fluff on top. On a piece of parchment paper press the remaining dough into an 8x10 square to match the size of your pan. This will be the crust on top. Place the square on top of the marshmallow fluff and press down lightly removing the parchment paper as you go.

 

 

4-Bake for 30 mins or until the edges are light brown. Allow to cool for at least two hours to give the bars a chance to set.

                                     

Blueberry Muffin Bake

 My kids and I have been getting bored with the same old breakfasts every morning. The other day my 4 year old said "oh waffles again do I have to eat it all?" I couldn't blame him we have been in a breakfast rut. So instead of fighting him to eat I took to Pinterest to find some fun new breakfast recipes. We are big blueberry fans so this recipe from Running With Spoons was perfect! It is really yummy to eat by itself but its truly divine if you top it with whipped cream or cream cheese!

Ingredients:
1/4 cup Blueberries
1/4 cup Vanilla Almond Milk
1/4 cup Rolled Oats
1/2 Tbsp Maple Syrup
1/4 tsp Baking Powder
2 Tbsp Flour
2 Tbsp Oat Bran
1 pinch of Salt
1/2 tsp Vanilla
*Only makes one serving*

Instructions:
1-Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly spray individual sized ramekins with cooking spray.
2-Combine oats, oat bran, flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl.
3-Add almond milk, maple syrup, and vanilla, mixing until well combined.
4-Fold in the blueberries. Transfer the dough to your ramekins topping with a few extra blueberries.
5-Bake for 20-25 mins. Less time for it to be more moist. Top with whipped cream or cream cheese and ENJOY!

 

 

Berry Almond Salad

It is summer time and I am craving all the fresh produce! Jake was talking about the Berry Almond salad from Zupas the other day and it started me thinking. I don't live by a Zupas anymore. We recently moved and I don't live around many restaurants at all. I have learned to get a bit creative. The next day at lunch time I started pulling things out of the fridge. I threw it all together and this is what I came up with. I looked up a simple poppy seed dressing online and was fortunate enough to have all the ingredients to make it. You can always just buy poppy seed dressing and have it on hand in your fridge. Don't stress if you don't have all the exact berries. This can go so many ways and still be amazing. Here are some suggestions that would work:
Romaine lettuce
Spinach
Chopped apples
Dried cranberries
Sliced strawberries
Raspberries
Blueberries
Blackberries
Almonds
Walnuts (candied are the best)
Pine nuts

Here is the recipe I found online that was delicious.

• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tbsp fresh squeezed lemon juice
• 1 tbs + 2 tsp White Wine Vinegar
• 1 1/2 tbsp poppyseeds
• 1 tbsp honey or agave nectar
• dash of salt and pepper
• Combine and whisk well.
• I found this on Ilovenaptime.com

ENJOY!!!

Chinese Chicken Salad

I posted this recipe over a year ago but with summer here and lots of BBQ's happening I thought it would be a good one to post again. It is such a perfect side dish to take to any party and  I NEVER leave with any leftovers!

1 head chopped cabbage (or 1 bag of coleslaw mix)
2 packs of oriental ramen noodles (blue package)
1/2 c butter 
3 Tbsp sesame seeds
1 cup slivered almonds
1 small chopped red pepper
1 can mandarin oranges drained
1 grilled chicken breast cut into cubes

Melt butter in pan. Break up noodles and brown in butter until toasted light brown and crunchy.  Do not add the noodle flavoring to the pan. Let cool.
Toss everything together in salad bowl. 

Dressing
1/2 c salad oil
1 c sugar
6 Tbsp rice vinegar
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
ONE small packet of the oriental ramen flavoring

Mix all together.
If you are taking it to a party wait until you get there to add the dressing. If you are serving it as a main dish I would just top it after it is on your plate. The dressing can make it soggy if it sits for too long so wait until last minute to put it on.

S'more Dip

Jake's mom made this for us at a party not long ago and it was a smash hit. She found it on Pinterest and it ended up to be a great little treat. Both kids and adults alike loved it. It is perfect for those fun summer nights when you want a s'more but don't want to walk away smelling like a camp fire. I hope you love it!

Here's what you need:
1 bag large marshmallows
1 bag Nestle caramel filled chocolate chips
6 Reese's peanut butter candy bars (Total of 12 peanut butter cups)
1 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 box graham crackers

Preheat oven to 400
Heat skillet in oven until really hot (cast iron skillet works best but a regular skillet is fine if you don't have a cast iron pan.)
Pull skillet out of oven.
Sprinkle chocolate chips all over bottom of pan.
Layer peanut butter cups on top of chocolate chips.
Top with marshmallows
Place in oven and bake until marshmallows are puffy and golden brown
Remove and dip with broken graham crackers ( Be careful, the dip will be very hot!)

Tuna Stuffed Avocados

Hello!! We are back! After a little hiatus we have regrouped and are excited to bring you some great new recipes! This blog is so much fun for us to do. A big thank you for sticking with us and reading our posts! So with summer in full swing I have been on the lookout for simple healthy meals that don't require a lot of time. This one is one of the first I came across and I have to say I really liked it. It is very healthy and can be made in 5 mins! There are a few different versions out there but this is how I like it.
Ingredients:
-1 tin of Tuna
-1 Avocado
-1/2 cup of chopped celery
-1 and 1/2 Tablespoons of lemon juice
-1/4 cup chopped red onion
-1/4 cup slivered almonds
-Salt and Pepper to taste
-Dried Dill to taste
Directions:
1-Finely chop up the celery and red onion
2-Remove Avocado from shell and mash it up
3-Add mashed avocado, celery, red onion, and seasonings together.
4-Drain the tuna and add it to the mixture
5-Mix all together and spoon back into avocado shells.
6-Garnish the top with slivered almonds and Enjoy
Feel free to add or reduce any of the items to suit your taste!

Edible Easter Creations

 

In light of the upcoming holiday I thought I would give you some cute Easter treats that are easy and fun to make. Making these would be a great activity to do with your kids or grandkids. They would also be perfect as a little Easter basket surprise! Enjoy and Happy Easter!

Heidi

Snowball Bunny
Use one Hostess Snowball for the head
3 Red Hots for the eyes and nose
Colored toothpicks cut in half for the whiskers
Pink cardboard paper for the ears

Little chick in a nest
What you'll need
Regular size pretzels(not mini)
Shredded Coconut dyed green(food coloring)
Frosting(any kind)
Marshmallow Peep
Jelly Beans

1-Spread a pretzel with frosting and stick some of the shredded coconut on top
2-Put frosting on the bottom of the Peep and stick in on top of the coconut
3-Frost the bottom of a few jelly beans and stick them to the coconut around the peep

Bunny Car
What you'll need
Hostess Twinkie
Marshmallow bunny
Frosting(any kind)
Mini pretzel
Big marshmallows
Skittles

1-Cut opening (slit) in the twinkie a little past the middle
2-Stick the marshmallow bunny into the opening
3-Push a mini pretzel into the twinkie upside down, in front of the bunny for the steering wheel
4-Attach 4 big marshmallows to the four corners of the twinkie using frosting
5-Attach skittles to the center of the big marshmallow using frosting(hubcaps)

Avocado and Hummus Quesadilla

I was searching for a new recipe that was healthy yet tasty. I know sometimes that can be a challenge. I found this recipe on cookincanuck.com. I was instantly hooked because it has 2 of my favorite things, hummus and avocado. I also loved it because it is simple and fast. Perfect for those nights when you are running behind and need something quick for dinner. After making them I am happy to report that my whole family loved them! It has quickly become a top favorite in our house. I highly recommend giving this recipe a try!

Ingredients:
Whole Wheat Tortillas
1/4 cup hummus
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1 Tablespoon minced cilantro
Avocado cut into slices
Grated Monterey Jack Cheese

Directions
1-In a small bowl stir together the hummus, cumin, and cilantro.
2- In a large skillet lightly brown the tortillas.
2-Spread the hummus mixture over half of the tortilla. Add on Avocado and cheese. Heat in the skillet until the cheese is melted and serve!

 

 

Baked Zucchini Fries

 

 



 Last year my parents had an abundance of zucchini in their garden. Everytime I would go pick veggies I would always leave with 2 huge zucchinis that we could never eat before they went bad. So I went in search of some different ways to use zucchini and I found this recipe for Zucchini Fries and now we eat zucchini all year long. I found this recipe on http://damndelicious.net/2014/06/21/baked-parmesan-zucchini/ and the first time I made them Ayden went nuts and ate all of them. He does the same thing everytime I make them so I know they are still a huge hit. Here is what you need:

• 2 medium zucchini quartered lengthwise
• 1/4 C breadcrumbs
• 1/4 grated Parmesan Cheese
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp dried basil
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• 2 eggs
• Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 425. Combine all your dry ingredients in one bowl and then your whisk your eggs in a seperate. Line a cookie sheet with tin foil. Quarter your zucchini and start the assembly line. Dip the zucchini in the egg wash and then cover in the bread crumb mixture, place on the cookie sheet. Repeat until all your zucchini have been coated. Place in oven for 20-25 minutes until golden brown. Serve with or without your favorite dipping sauce and enjoy!  -Heather

Kiss Blossoms

Is there a better combination than peanut butter and chocolate? This recipe is just another classic that highlights this wonderful combo. I love to make these. I hope you will too.

Here's what you need:
1/2 C shortening
3/4 C peanut butter
1/3 C sugar
1/3 C brown sugar
1 egg
2 Tbsp milk
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 C flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
Additional sugar to roll cookies

Beat shortening and peanut butter together. Add sugar and brown sugar. Blend until fluffy. Add egg, milk, and vanilla. Mix. Stir in flour, soda and salt. Mix until well blended.

Form into balls. Roll in sugar and place on cookie sheet.















Bake@ 375 for 8-10 minutes.
Remove from oven. Press Hershey Kiss in center while still hot.

Lemon Chicken

With the summer months coming this Lemon Chicken becomes a staple in our house. We love to BBQ and this marinade is perfect for the BBQ. It is simple and easy and so tasty! Here is what you need:

1/2 C Lemon Juice
1 C Oil
2 tsp Salt
1 Tbs Dried Onion
1 1/2 tsp Crushed Basil
1/2 tsp Thyme
2 Cloves Garlic minced

Mix together in a ziploc bag add 4-5 chicken breast and let mariade for 4-6 hours.

BBQ until done about 15-20 minutes.

Enjoy!

-Heidi

Sticky Sesame Chicken

 

My family and I went out for Chinese food last week and ever since then I have been craving it! There is just something about the sticky rice and delicious chicken dishes that I can't get enough!! So of course I took to the internet to find some yummy dishes for me to try. I found this one on Le Creme de la Crumb. Its perfect because there is plenty of sauce and it is really moist. If you like sesame chicken this is a recipe you should definitely try!

 

Ingredients:

-3 boneless skinless chicken breasts chopped into pieces

-1 Tablespoon oil

-6 Tablespoons Flour

-1 egg lightly beaten

-3 Tablespoons corn starch

-Sesame Seeds

-3-4 cups cooked Rice

For the Sauce:

-6 Tablespoons Honey

-4 Tablespoons Ketchup

-3 Tablespoons Sugar

-1 Tablespoon Brown Sugar

-2 Tablespoons White Vinegar

-3 Tablespoons Soy Sauce

-1/2 teaspoon Salt

-1 teaspoon Garlic Powder

-1 Tablespoon Cold Water + 2 Tablespoons Corn Starch

 

Directions:

1-Whisk all sauce ingredients together and set aside.

2-Place beaten egg, 3 Tablespoons corn starch, and flour in three separate bowls. Dip chicken pieces in egg mixture, then flour toss to coat, and lastly in the corn starch toss to coat. Heat oil over medium heat in large skillet. Add chicken to oil and cook, stirring throughout to ensure even cooking.

3-Add sauce mixture to the chicken in the skillet and bring to a boil. Whisk 1 Tablespoon cold water and 2 Tablespoons corn starch together until dissolved, then add to sauce and chicken in the skillet. Stir until sauce thickens.

4-Serve over rice and sprinkle sesame seeds on top of chicken. Enjoy!!

Sauce Mixture

 

 

Chicken dip process

 

Cooked Chicken

 

Added Sauce

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chocolate Bowls with Berries and Chocolate Mousse

It was my parents wedding anniversary the beginning of March and that weekend they were coming over for a BBQ and I wanted to make a special dessert. So I hit up Pinterest and found this recipe on Nugget Market that looked fun and yummy. Here is the link http://www.nuggetmarket.com/recipes.php?id=219 their pictures are amazing! I had Ayden help me with the chocolate bowl and he had so much fun eating the bowls it was so worth the effort! Enjoy!

Here is what you need:

• 12 oz Semi-sweet Chocolate Chips
• 4 balloons partially filled
• Cookie sheet covered with wax paper or aluminum foil
• 3 oz Cream Cheese
• 2 Tbs Butter softened
• 3/4 C Confectioner's Sugar
• 1/4 C C Unsweetened Cocoa
• 1 Tbs Milk
• 1/4 Tbs Vanilla
• 1 C Heavy Whipping Cream
• 1 Pint Fresh Berry (any kind you choose)

To Make Chocolate Bowls:

In a heavy saucepan, melt chocolate in a double boiler on low heat. Melt until the chocolatereaches a smooth consistency. Removed chocolate from pan and let sit at room temperature for 5-7 mins.

Prep your cookie sheet with liner. Dip the bottom half of your blown up balloons in the chocolate and rest on the cookie sheet for 3-4 mins, then repeat process.

Place the balloons in the refrigerator for 1 hour. Remove and gently pop the balloons, carefully peeling the balloon from the chocolate (this is the hardest part, have patience). Leave bowls in a cool place loosely covered.

To make the chocolate mousse:

With a mixer cream together cream cheese and butter on medium speed. Add confectioners sugar, cocoa, milk and vanilla. Continue to beat mixture until light and fluffy.

In a separate bowl whip heavy cream on medium until stiff peaks form. Fold whipped cream into cream cheese mixture with a rubber spatula. Spoon or pipe mousse into the chocolate bowls. Return the bowls to the refrigerator until ready to use. I let mine sit in the refrigerator for 1 hour and they were perfect.

Just before serving add your berries.

 

Pasta Fagioli Soup

I saw this on Facebook not long ago and I tried it out one evening with my family. It turned out really well and my kids loved it. That is always a score when the kids like it.

Here is what you will need:
1 lbs ground beef
1 onion chopped
3 carrots chopped
4 stalks celery chopped
1 (28 oz) cans diced tomatoes
1 can kidney beans drained
1 can white kidney beans drained
2 cans beef stock
3 tsp oregano
1 tsp pepper (You can do 2 tsp pepper if you like it spicy)
5 tsp parsley
1 tsp Tabasco sauce
1 20 oz can spaghetti sauce
8 oz pasta

Directions:
Brown beef in pot
Drain fat and add everything except pasta
Simmer on low for 1 hour
Add pasta 15 minutes before serving

Serve with green salad and garlic bread. I like to sprinkle some parmesan cheese on top as a garnish. Enjoy!

Shortbread Hershey Kiss Cookies

I love these cookies! Let me say it again, I LOVE THESE COOKIES! My sister-in-law gave me this recipe several years ago and it quickly became one of my all-time favorites. I really hope you try these. I am sure you will love them as much as I do.

1 cup butter
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 3/4 cup flour
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 bag Hershey Kisses
powdered sugar for rolling

Cream together butter, sugar, and vanilla
Gradually add flour
Add nuts
Chill dough for 1 hour

Spoon dough by about 1 Tablespoon. Mold dough completely around a Hershey Kiss. Place on baking sheet. Bake @ 375 for 12 minutes.
















Let cool slightly. Roll in powdered sugar while still warm.