Another way to Jazz up Potato soup

When it is cold out and the grocery store has 10lbs of potatoes for a $1 you know you need to get creative. This is one super yum way to kick up potato soup.
 
 
 
 
 

Ingredients

• 2 pounds ground beef
• 6 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 1 small bag of baby carrots, cut each in half
• 1 cup onion bell mix
• 4 cups water
• 2 tablespoons beef bouillon
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 3 cups milk
• 1 cup milk for slurry
• 1/3 cup flour
• 2 cups shredded cheese for topping

 

Directions

1. In a skillet cook beef  over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain.
2. In a stock pot, combine the cooked beef, potatoes, carrots, onion mix,water, bouillon and garlic. Bring to a boil then Reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes or until potatoes are tender.
3. Carefully remove 1 cup of just the potatoes and place into food processor or a bowl you can use immersion blender in.
4. To the stock pot ,stir in 3 cups milk  and let come back up to simmer.
5. In a small bowl or your food processor, combine flour and remaining milk to the potatoes and pulse till until smooth; gradually stir into soup. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened.

Top each bowl with a pinch of shredded cheese.

 

You can also add crumbled bacon as a topping too.

 

Enjoy!

 

 

 

Onion Mix

 

 

 

 

My Bloody Apple... Pie

So Dragon says to me that he is craving Apple pie with vanilla ice cream. I look at him and ask is he is willing to go out of our zone again and try making some apple pies semi homemade? He was on board so when we went grocery shopping we picked up what we need and made a whole day of it on Sunday....the girls even got in on the action. It was so much fun and one day we will go even further out on our comfort zone and made .... homemade pie crust... DUN DUN DUNNNNNNNN.

The first Apple Pie I am going to share with you was named by my youngest spawn. It was the one I was most worried about cause it used candy pieces and I had no idea how they were going to melt and coat all these apple pieces,  BUT they did and Oh My Apple was it good.  I hope that even if you feel you are not a baker that you will go out of your comfort zone and try this pie because It is SO worth it!

Ingredients

6 - 8 medium apples, sliced

1/2 cup cinnamon imperial candies

1/3 cup sugar

1/4 cup flour

1  - 9 inch deep dish pie shell

1 -  refrigerated flat pie crust

2 tblsp butter

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 375°
2. If you are worried about a soggy bottom pie , like we were, you can prebake your empty pie crust in the oven for 10 min. I have also heard you can coat it with egg white to seal it while it prebakes.I did not do this and my pie was fine but wanted to help you achieve a NON soggy bottom too.
3. Peel and slice the apples and place in a bowl.
4. Add 1/3 cup of sugar and the flour to the apples. Mix gently.
5. Add half the apples to the pie crust and sprinkle half the cinnamon candies over the top of them. Repeat with remaining apples and candies.
6. Place a 1/2 tblsp of butter on top of apple and candies in each quarter section of your pie.
7. Gently cover the pie with your unrolled flat crust. Remember to cut a slit in the top crust for steam to escape.
8. Place pie on a baking sheet , YES it will weep gooey red stuff , and bake for 60 minutes. I started checking my pie at the 50 minute mark just to make sure my crust wasn't burning.
9. Place your pie on a cooling rack and let cool completely before serving.

ENJOY CAUSE IT IS NOM NOM NOM GOOD!

 

 
 

Smoked Sausage Mini Raviolis Bake

This has become a huge hit in my house. It is creamy and cheesy and has smoked sausage. It is perfect for a cold day when you just are not in the mood for soup or stew. I hope you love it as much as we do.



Smoked Sausage Mini Ravi's Bake

Ingredients

• 2 bags frozen mini raviolis
• 3 lbs smoked sausage, cut into small pieces
• 2 tsp minced garlic
• 8 ounces cream cheese
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1 can diced fire roasted tomatoes
• 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• Green onions,  sliced thinly

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a large skillet, cook smoked sausage over medium heat until heated through and a little crisp. Add garlic, stir for 30 seconds.
3. Add in cream cheese, chicken broth and diced tomatoes. Stirring until cream cheese is melted.
4. Pour the smoked sausage mixture even over mini raviolis.
5. Sprinkle with shredded cheese and green onions.
6. Bake uncovered for 20 minutes until cheese is melty goodness.

Unwraping the Enchilada

So if you follow my crazy blog you will already know we tried a dish the other day that was of a breakfast variety. While eating it Dragon put the idea out there that he wondered what it would be like as a savory dinner dish. We have ideas to try something with chicken but started with hamburger. I used a smaller type biscuit than the breakfast calls for to try and make each bite not ALL bread. If you like the idea of a beadier meal feel free to use the larger grand style biscuit.

 

My kids gave this email two thumbs up and I hope you enjoy it too.

 

 

 

Quickie Enchilada Bake

 

Ingredients

• 2 lbs ground beef
• 2 10 ounce cans enchilada sauce
• 1 small can tomato paste diluted in 1 cup water
• 4 cans refrigerator biscuits
• 2 cups shredded Cheese
• 1 cup Green Onions chopped

 
 

 Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Spray 2 13x9 inch baking dishes with oil.
3. Cook beef and drain off grease.
4. Mix in a cans of enchilada sauce and tomato paste mixture.
5. Cut the refrigerated biscuits into fourths. Layer them evenly into each of the casserole dishes.
6. Evenly ladle half the meat sauce mixture onto the biscuits.
7. Sprinkle the shredded cheese onto the meat mixture to cover evenly.
8. Sprinkle green onions on top of cheese.
9. Bake for 25 minutes or until the biscuits are cooked through.

You can top with - black olives or sour cream or any of your favorite enchilada toppings.

Serves 8 with leftovers

 

 

 

Breakfast Yum

Our addiction for breakfast for dinner found a new dish we really liked. Talks of Thanksgiving morning or Christmas morning were heard about this dish. Very filling too.

 Hope you enjoy!

Ingredients

 

• 1 lb sausage, cooked and crumbled
• 2 cans Grands Biscuits
• 6 eggs
• 1 cup milk
• 4 cups shredded cheese
• 4 green onions , chopped
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• salt & pepper to taste

 

Directions

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

 

Lightly spray 2 9x13 baking dishes with cooking spray.
Quarter the biscuits and place in bottom of dish.

Sprinkle cooked sausage over biscuits evenly. 

Sprinkle 2 cups shredded cheese over the top of sausage.

Sprinkle half the onions over cheese.

In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, garlic powder, salt and pepper. 

Pour over contents of dish.

Repeat the same way for 2nd baking dish.

Bake 30-45 minutes, until golden brown.

Allow to cool for 5 minutes before serving.

 

Enjoy!

 

 

Winner Winner Chicken and Dumplings

So I learned a valuable lesson this weekend. I learned that Broth type soup is great for noodles but dumplings call for a slurry. Ohh ya baby! This is so good my Oldest daughter who does not like casseroles and has a list of maybe 4 stews or soups she likes said this was GOOD and to never go back to broth. THAT was like the seal of approval from the prez himself I tell ya.

This of course has my quick and easy tricks in it but as always feel free to make your own dumplings and you can also use a couple boneless skinless chicken breasts. I used the other half of the rotisserie for another meal. I hope you love this as much as we did.  

 

 

Ingredients

• 4 cup chicken broth
• 1 cup water
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1 tsp dried parsley
• 1 tsp dried basil
• ½ tsp black pepper, if desired
• 1 cup each frozen corn and carrots
• 1/2 the meat from a Rotisserie Chicken
• 1 can grands flaky biscuits

Slurry

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 cup milk

Directions

 

1. In a Dutch oven or stew pot, over medium heat, add chicken broth, water and seasonings. Bring to a boil.
2. Combine the flour and milk. Stir or shake in a sealed container vigorously to combine.  Slowly pour the slurry into pot, stirring constantly.
3. Add the frozen vegetables and chicken and simmer for 15 min. Cut your biscuits into quarters during this time.
4. Turn the heat up so the liquid begins to boil.
5. Carefully add the biscuits one at a time to the boiling liquid. Cover and cook for 10 min. Remove lid carefully turn dumplings over in liquid and continue to cook for another 10 min without lid.

Enjoy!

Serves 8

Jazzed up Tomato Soup with Tortellini

My youngest daughter named this meal as she watched it being made. Her words were .. " so this is just jazzed up tomato soup huh." Well yes, love of my life, if you need to put it so bluntly. :P  So much for me trying to save them from a boring plain soup dinner. LOL! It was yummy, filling and perfect for the 50 degree night we had and that is what counts. Hope you enjoy this easy meal that looks like it was slaved over.

 

Tomato and Tortellini Soup

 

Ingredients

• 1 package cheese tortellini
• 2 cans (10-3/4 ounces each) condensed tomato soup, undiluted
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 2 cups 2% milk
• 1 can fire roasted tomatoes
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoons Italian seasoning
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

 

 Slurry

• 1/2 cup flower
• 1 cup water

Add flour to water and mix well or add to a shaker bottle and shake till mixed.

 

Directions

• Thaw tortellini if you have had it in the freezer either in Microwave or letting it sit in fridge for awhile before cooking.
• In a Dutch oven, combine the soup, broth, milk, tomatoes and seasonings. Heat to a simmer for 15 minutes, stirring frequently. 
• Add slurry at this time if you desire a thicker soup. You DO NOT have to add the slurry. Stir for 2 min to insure it has mixed into soup and is not setting on bottom of pan.
• Add  thawed tortellini carefully. Cook for 10 min or until they have heated through.

             Can serve with shredded cheese on top.

 

Yield: 10 servings

 

 

 

Chili Pie dish to pass style

I needed a 2nd meal that called for chili this week. Little does my brother's girl friend know but the pic of her dinner bowl that contained chili and Fritos is what gave me the idea for this. Note this is for a 2nd meal... meaning you save back part of another meal. The meal was chili in this case, I saved back 4 cups from what I made for College Football Saturday.


Ingredients

1 family size bag of Frito Scoops chips
4 cups chili
2 cups shredded cheese


Construction

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Coat 2 13x9 with cooking spray to help with sticking.
Layer each pan evenly with Fritos.
Evenly ladle the chili over the chips in both pans.
Top each pan with 1 cup of shredded cheese.
Place in oven and cook for 15 min or until cheese has melted.

Serve.

Can top with jalapenos or any of your favorite chili toppings.

Enjoy!

 

 

Old Man Winter is a Sexy Beast

I know it isn't even Winter yet but I am so in love with how Old Man Winter is making his cold presence known. Yes I may be a little giddy at how the mosquitoes are being shown what a sting feels like.Yes I may even be giddy over the fact a deep cold Winter will cause a million... no wait a bazillion no not even that ... I need what ever name means a REALLY BIG number here .... GAZILLION!!! YA .....  deaths. Oh what you ask? Fleas and Ticks!! Oh the fight we had with those creepy crawlies this year. I know I am not alone in my happiness over those little buggers numbers dropping. UGH!

Onto other less gruesome happy reasons. As most know my family is close and we do a lot of stuff together. Winter is a loved time of year by all of us for more reasons then the holidays or the food. We love putting up the card table for puzzles and family game nights. We love snoogling up in bed and having movie marathons with popcorn and hot cocoa. I know it sounds cheesy but we like cheesy. I know soon I will be loosing my middle babygirl to adulthood, technically an adult already but still lets me call her my babygirl, and  then my youngest baby will be hot on the trail of being too big for snoogling with being Officially a teenager next year cause we all know that marks the beginning of being too old for almost everything that has to do with Mom and Dad. So I am willing to be extra cheesy this Winter and take advantage of every opportunity I can to listen to the giggles and soak up the memories being made. Well hmmm so much for happier... dang tears.

In other news... I have been busy busy getting my etsy shop up and going. Meaning I have been making new items to showcase on it. My muse has been whispering like crazy in my ear too. It has been hard to keep up with all the ideas in my head but I am dong pretty good. It has also helped a lot that we finally got a Joanns in our town where I can get some AWESOME yarns. No more being limited to two brands. *happy dance* A craft store that is not all about fabric crafters... YAY!!  I have controlled my yarn addiction remarkably well while looking around in there too, I know I have amazed myself. I had to promise my family that there would be no cartwheels or touchdown arms and that I had to muffle my squees of joy though. I do have to say this, my Christmas list is Joanns gift cards. LOL! Makes shopping for me very easy. You are very welcome. ;)

One more thing before I show you some sneak peeks of what I have been working on this week.
Class has been going awesome! The girls are blowing my mind at how quickly they are absorbing what they are learning. I am not kidding. Just today both girls did 4 pages of Math work because they flew through it. Not one problem wrong either. The same goes for the other subjects, maybe not 4 pages but we have doubled pages three times last week. I had to ask if they were trying to get work done early so Christmas break could be longer. LOL! I am just simply amazed with them and so beyond proud at how they are growing into such wonderful ladies. I love you two so much!


So you all have stuck with me this far and I don't know what is up with me but this has been a emotional entry. Go ahead say it.... hormones. Ya ya ya :P 

Well even with you giggling at me and my hormones, old age and sappy memories I am going to share my sneak peeks. Hope you like em.

Have a great week My freaky Darlings!!!

My breast Cancer Scarf for 2013

 

I love the Rainbow yarn in this hat... super chunky and super soft

 

 

My inner Sooners fan had to make this. Will have a wristers set to match.

 

 

 

It wasn't named a fall apart cake

We named it Peanut Butter Sammich Cake.

When my daughter baked a yellow cake and it feel apart into four pieces I taught her the " So what if it looks ugly It will taste great and no one will care " trick.

So here is what we did....

Peanut Butter Sammich Cake

Ingredients

• 1 yellow cake mix
• 1 cup peanut butter , smooth or crunchy
• 1 jar of butterscotch sauce

Instructions

Bake the cake in two pans according to directions. If yours does not fall apart you are fine that is not a requirement for this cake.

In a small bowl mix the peanut butter with 3/4s of the jar of butterscotch sauce.
Spread half of the mixture onto one of the layers of cake. Place the other cake on top and gently spread the other half of the mixture on it. 
Drizzle the rest of the sauce over the cake and down sides.

We used mini marshmallows as decoration too cause well as you can see from the picture .... it was a wreck and needed some pretty. LOL! We recommend a tall glass of milk to go with as well. Enjoy!

Our Favorite Taco Soup

If you live in Oklahoma I hope you are enjoying the weather as much as we are. If I could freeze time I would let it be either Fall or Spring all the time. No more super hot temps where you can not leave your house because you melt. No more ice and snow making you freeze when you step out the door. Hmmmm here is what I just realized.... the whole reason I like Fall and Spring is for the ability to leave the house when I want and not be miserable doing it. LOL!
  Truth is I REALLY love these seasons for the memories they bring....Comfort food and hot cocoa snuggled up with my family watching a movie, putting a puzzle together or playing a game. Being able to go on walks with my family or having unplanned picnics. I am SO cheesy... I know.

Another reason we love colder weather... the FOOD! You can let things simmer on the stove and not heat up the bought cold air. It isn't all grilling or sandwich nights. It's comforting stews and soups, baked breads and desserts ... all the foods we love to make and eat. Yay for colder weather!!!

Tonight we are enjoying time in our soft fleece pants, warm slippers and a beautifully chilly 59 degrees outside. When asked what everyone wanted for dinner I was not surprised when everyone said ...Taco Soup!!!! So today I get to share with you Our Favorite ......

Taco Soup

Ingredients

• 1 lb ground beef
• 3 Tbl taco seasoning
• 1 cup onion mix ( onion , bell peppers diced)
• 2 15 oz cans ranch beans
• 1 15 oz can corn
• 1 can rotel ,if you want some heat
• 1 15 oz can diced tomatoes
• 1 small can tomato paste
• 4 cups water

Instructions

• Brown hamburger in a large pan.
• Drain off fat from ground beef.
• Add in onion mix and let cook for 2 to 3 minutes.
• Add beef mixture and remaining ingredients to a stew pot and stir until combined.
•  Let simmer for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. You can add a little water if it starts getting too thick.
• Top with your favorite sour cream and cheese. Serve with tortilla chips. Enjoy!

 

Smash Burgers

Are you a health nut? Well I have bad news for you.... this Dinner idea will not set well with you. Nope not one bit. This entry is all about gooey greasy yumminess. This entry has criminalization that took place in butter. You may want to brace yourself before reading any further.

So now to tell you about SMASH BURGERS!!! MUHAHAHA!

Have you ever just wanted to cheat on your healthy plan? You walk... You work out... You eat healthy meals 27 out of the 31 days a month. If you do not treat yourself once and awhile that's when you end up treating yourself for a whole week and THAT is going off your healthy plan. Well this is a dinner idea that is fit for a treat night. Of course my young able to empty the fridge kids do not see it that way and giggled as I warned in my best witchy voice..." one day my pretties you too will have to plan for healthy not for OMG this is SOOO GOOD". 

Normally we cook our hamburgers on the grill and they are thick hamburgers. This meal was out of my comfort zone for these burgers are THIN and cooked inside..... but the cheese and the stacking makes them ohhh soooo Yummy and ohhhh sooo worth it!!

~ A budget note ~ Due to the thin aspect of these I was able to use only half the hamburger I normally use with our normal hamburgers. 

 I hope you enjoy.

Smash Burger Melts

• 3 lbs ground beef
• 12 hamburger buns
•  butter to caramelize onions
• 1 onion, sliced thin and caramelized
• 12 slices of cheese, your choice. I used Colby/American marble

1. In a skillet,  you will also use to cook burgers in, add your butter and caramelize the onions,when done set the onions aside.

2. Roll the ground beef into golf ball sized balls. Heat your pan back to medium high and add the meat, about 4  if you have a Large skillet.The meat will sizzle when you add it. Let them cook for one minute,  flip them over and using the back of your spatula, smash the burger flat into a thin patty. SMASH SMASH!! Let them cook for another 2 minutes. Flip once more add your cheese slices to half the patties in your pan. Place a lid on pan to help melt the cheese. After a minute take melted patty out and place on dish , place the uncheesed patty on top.

Serve with lettuce, tomato and of course your Caramelized onions.

Makes 12 double decker hamburgers.

 

I have a very large skillet. :D But we did go down to cooking only 4 at a time.

 

 

I had a couple not wanting Doubles.