Taco Salad with Beef Mixture

This was our dinner tonight and it was great!! It was so quick and easy! It is just a simple taco salad with a twist to the beef mixture!



Beef Mixture recipe:

Ingredients

1 pound ground beef

1 (1 ounce) package taco seasoning, Old El Paso

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup salsa

Directions

In a large skillet, cook ground beef over medium heat until browned.  Drain well.  Wipe skillet clean.  Return beef to skillet, and stir in taco seasoning, 1/2 cup water, and salsa; cook, stirring occasionally, for 2 minutes, or until thick. 

*Taco Salad:

1 package salad shells

1 bag of iceburg lettuce

Taco Beef Mixture

1 diced tomato

1 can sliced ripe black olives

1 small diced onion

Sour Cream

Shredded Cheese

* This, of course will vary depending on the person. 

ENJOY!!

Peanut Butter Cream-Filled "Perfectly Chocolate" Chocolate Cake

I made this cake for Thanksgiving and it was DELICIOUS!!! The chocolate cake was so moist and yummy!  We all really enjoyed it...but BEWARE it is RICH!

Ingredients

2 cups granulated sugar

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cup Hershey's Cocoa

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1 1/2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

2 eggs

1 cup milk

1/2 cup vegetable oil

2 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup boiling water

Directions

Heat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease and flour two 8 inch round pans

Combine dry ingredients in large bowl. 

Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla. Beat 2 minutes on medium speed.  Stir in boiling water (batter will be thin).

Pour into two pans.

Bake 30 to 35 minutes.  Cool 10 minutes; remove  from pans to wire racks.  Cool completely.

Prepare and spread half of the PEANUT BUTTER CREAM (recipe below) between layers; spread remainder on top.  Refrigerate 30 minutes.  Drizzle with COCOA GLAZE (recipe below).  Store, covered, in refrigerator. 

Peanut Butter Cream:

Cook 1/2 cup milk and 1 2/3 cups (10-ounce package) Reese's Peanut Butter Chips over low heat, stirring constantly, until smooth.  Cool to room temperature (about 30 minutes).  Gradually fold in 3 cups (8 ounce tub) thawed frozen non-dairy whipped topping. 

Cocoa Glaze:

Melt 1 1/2 TBSP butter; add 1 1/2 TBSP Hershey's  Cocoa and 1 1/2 TBSP water, stirring until thickened.  Remove from heat.  Gradually add 1/2 cup powdered sugar; whisk until smooth.  Stir in 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract. 

ENJOY!!

Weeknight Ravioli Bake

This dish was super easy and so yummy! Perfect for those busy weeknights!

Ingredients
1 jar (26oz.) spaghetti sauce
1 can (14 1/2oz.)  diced tomatoes, undrained
1/2 cup water
2 pkg. (1 lb. each) frozen cheese ravioli
1 pkg. (7oz.) Kraft shredded Italian Three Cheese Blend
2 TBSP grated parmesan cheese




Directions


Heat oven to 400 degrees


Mix spaghetti sauce, tomatoes and water; spoon 1 cup onto the bottom of 13 x 9 inch baking dish


Layer half of the ravioli and 1 cup shredded cheese over sauce mixture. 


Top with remaining ravioli and sauce mixture.  Sprinkle with remaining shredded cheese; cover.


Bake 30 minutes.  Uncover.  Bake 15 minutes or until ravioli is tender and heated through.  Sprinkle with Parmesan.  Let stand 10 minutes. 


I served this dish with cheesy garlic bread and a salad! It was all delicious! You should really try this quick and easy dish!!

ENJOY!!

Granny's Chocolate Meringue Pie

This is my Granny's recipe for Chocolate Meringue Pie. It was so good!  I remember helping my Granny fix pies around the holidays.  She taught me everything I know and I think she was would pretty proud of how this pie turned out.  I miss her so much!

Ingredients:
1 pie shell (frozen)
5 TBSP Cocoa
1 tsp salt
1cup sugar
5 TBSP flour
2 cup milk
2 egg yolks
1 tsp vanilla
2 TBSP margarine


Directions:


Bake pie shell as direction on package.  Set aside.


Mix dry ingredients, then stir in milk. 


Mix thoroughly and cook in saucepan.  When mixture begins to thicken, beat egg yolks  and add to mixture.


When it thickens add margarine and mix well.


Pour mixture into baked pie shell.

To make Meringue:

Ingredients:


1 TBSP cornstarch
6 TBSP white sugar
1/2 cup water
3 egg whites
dash of salt


Mix cornstarch, sugar, water and salt.  Cook in saucepan until thick and clear.


Beat egg whites with handheld mixer until frothy. 


Pour sugar mixture in with the egg whites and continue beating 5-6 minutes pour over pie and bake 5-7 in 450 degree oven.


ENJOY!!



Sourdough starter and bread recipe

This bread is so good and it smells AMAZING as it bakes!

To make from scratch:


1 cup warm water
1/2 cup sugar
1 package (2 1/4 teaspoons) dry yeast
3 level TBSP instant potato flakes

Using a good quart canning jar, mix water, sugar, yeast, and potato flakes.  Let this ferment on the counter for two days.

Feed starter following ingredients.  Stir well.

1 cup warm water
1/2 cup sugar
3 level TBSP potato flakes

After feeding starter let stand on counter top for 12 hours with lid firmly tightened.  You are now ready to make bread.


Bread recipe: 

Mix starter well and remove 1 cup to make bread. Return the rest of starter to refrigerator.  Repeat this process every 3 to 6 days. 


To make dough:
Place the one cup of starter in a large bowl and add:

1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup corn oil
1 TBSP salt
1 1/2 cups warm water
6 cups bread flour

Mix into stiff batter ( I use wooden spoon and then hands) divide into 3 lumps (if you want the smaller loaves or 2 lumps if you use the 9x5 inch loaf pans)

Oil a large pan such as a broiler pan and roll each lump in oil and put in the large pan.  Cover lightly with saran wrap, leave on counter for 12 hours.

Next step: Knead each lump on floured surface until no longer sticky to touch.  Put in oiled loaf pans and cover lightly with saran wrap.  Let stand on counter 6 to 12 hours until risen. 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Bake on next to bottom rack for 25 to 30 minutes until golden brown and check with toothpick. 

If you do do not want to make bread every 3 to 6 days, you still need to feed the starter every 3 to 6 days to keep it totally alive.  When you feed it always keep 1 cup of fed starter in the refrigerator to feed again.  You can either give someone the excess starter or throw it out.  Do not let it accumulate to much. 


ENJOY!!

Ham and Cheese Stuffed Chicken

This chicken was SO delicious!! Will definitely be making this dish more often!

Ingredients1/4 cup grated Swiss cheese
2 tsp Dijon mustard
ground pepper to taste
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (1-1 1/4 pounds total)
1 egg white
1/2 cup plain dry breadcrumbs
2 tsp extra-virgin olive oil


Directions
Preheat oven to 400°F.

Lightly coat dish with cooking spray.

Mix cheese, ham, mustard and pepper in a small bowl.

Cut a horizontal slit along the thin, long edge of a chicken breast half, nearly through to the opposite side.

Open up the breast and place about one-fourth of the filling in the center.

Close the breast over the filling, pressing the edges firmly together to seal.
Repeat with the remaining chicken breasts and filling.

Lightly beat egg white with a fork in a medium bowl. 

Place breadcrumbs in a shallow glass dish.
Hold each chicken breast half together and dip in egg white, then dredge in breadcrumbs. (Discard leftovers.)

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.

Add chicken breasts; cook until browned on one side, about 2 minutes.

Place the chicken, browned-side up, in the prepared dish.

Bake until the chicken is no longer pink in the center or until an instant-read thermometer registers 170°F, about 30 minutes or so.

ENJOY!!

Cheesy Mashed Potatoes

These potatoes are delicious and you have to try them out. My family loves these potatoes!

Ingredients

8 medium potatoes
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1 8-ounce carton dairy sour cream
1 TBSP chopped green onion
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
Paprika


Directions
Cover peeled and diced potatoes with water sprinkle with salt. Bring to boiling; reduce heat.
Cover and simmer for 30 to 35 minutes or until almost tender. Drain; cool slightly.

Combine potatoes, cheese, and margarine or butter in a large mixing bowl; stir until margarine is melted.

Stir in sour cream, green onion, the 1/2 teaspoon salt, and pepper.

Transfer to a greased 2-quart casserole dish.

Bake, uncovered, at 325 degrees for 45 to 50 minutes or until heated through.

Before serving, sprinkle with paprika.

ENJOY!!

Cheesy Creamed Corn

We LOVED this side dish! When I first seen this recipe, I was not for sure how the words cheese and corn went together, but it was great! One you should try!

Ingredients
2 slices bacon, cut up ( I just used real bacon bits)
2 cans of cream style corn
3 TBSP water
2 TBSP finely chopped onion
Dash of pepper
1/2 of a 3-ounce package cream cheese, cubed
1 tablespoon milk (optional)

Directions
Add corn, water, onion, and pepper to the saucepan. Bring just to boiling. Reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 5 to 7 minutes. 

Add the cream cheese to the undrained corn mixture in the saucepan.

Stir over low heat until melted.

If necessary, stir in the milk to make corn mixture of desired consistency. Sprinkle with bacon.

Vanilla-Chocolate Chip Cupcakes

Hello! My name is Amy and I am a cupcake-aholic. :) I wear this title proudly! I LOVE cupcakes but you probably already know that just by looking at this blog! :) I made these cupcakes tonight and they are wonderful! Perfect with whipped chocolate icing!

Ingredients:

2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup milk
1/2 cup water
3/4 cup oil
1 TBSP vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1 cup of chocolate chips

Directions:

Heat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a large bowl with a whisk until blended.

Whisk milk, water, oil, vanilla and eggs in a medium bowl. 
Gradually pour milk mixture into flour mixture; whisk until blended (some small lumps may remain). Stir in chips.

Divide batter into muffin cups.

Bake 20 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center of a cupcake comes out clean.

Cool cupcakes completely before icing. 

ENJOY!!

Crockpot Taco Soup

We LOVE this easy dish especially on a cold night! It is delicious!

Ingredients:

1 pound ground beef

1 can (15 oz) kidney beans

1 can of whole kernel corn, drained

1 10 oz can Rotel tomatoes

1 (28 oz) can tomatoes

1 can (15 oz) pinto beans

1 envelope Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing

1 envelope taco seasoning

Directions:

Brown the ground beef; drain well.

Add remaining ingredients and stir.

Simmer in slow cooker on LOW for 6 to 8 hours.

We top each bowl of soup with shredded cheese and sour cream!

ENJOY!!