Homemade Taco Seasoning

Ingredients:
1 tbsp. chili powder
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/4  tsp. onion powder
1/4  tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
1/4  tsp. dried oregano
1/2  tsp. paprika
1 1/2 tsp.ground cumin
1 tsp. sea salt
1 tsp. pepper (optional)

Mix all spices together and use for 1lb of meat.  Add pepper if you like more heat.

*The measurements listed above make around 2 tablespoons worth of seasoning.  You can quadruple this recipe (like I did) and store the leftovers in an airtight container.

*For taco meat, add seasoning to cooked beef with about 1/4-2/4 cups of water.

Source: Food Renegade

My Turkey Chili

We are trying the Insanity Meal Plan at our house.  My daughter got the 60-Day Workout plan for Christmas so I agreed to make the food and we would all eat it.  One of the meals calls for White Chili so I thought I would just make some.  Well the recipe I clipped from a magazine the other day looked really good but I had some ground white meat turkey I had to cook today, so I substituted that for the shredded white chicken.  Actually, I just ended up substituting on quite a few things.  It ended up not being white chili at all but it is DELISH!

Ingredients:

1 cup onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 pound ground white meat turkey, browned

2 (14.5-oz.) cans chicken broth

1 (4.5-oz.) can chopped green chilies

1 pkg. (1.75 oz.) chili seasoning mix

2 (19.5-oz.) cans frijoles charros

1 (16 oz.) can kidney beans

1/2 can (14.5-oz.) refried pinto beans

Desired Toppings:  chopped fresh avocado, sour cream, shredded Monterey Jack Cheese.

1.  Saute onion and garlic in olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat for 5 minutes or until onion is tender.

2.   Stir in the rest of the ingredients.  Heat to a boil, stirring often; cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer, stirring occasionally, 10 minutes.  Serve with desired toppings.

TIP--I served this with a salad consisting of arugula, baby spinach, cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, and sliced hard-boiled egg whites and dressed with red wine vinegar and olive oil.

Snickers Cheesecake Brownies

My husband had a stressful week in St. Louis and his favorite candy bar is snickers and he adores cheesecake so.............Oh heavenly welcome home day! These are divine. You should definitely NOT skip the ice water bath for the brownie layer. It makes for a very fudgy experience. This is super easy to make. Enjoy!

Preparation: Heat oven to 400 degrees. Cover 8x8 pan with baking spray.

Ingredients:

Brownie Layer:

8 T. unsalted butter

4 0z. unsweetened chocolate

1 1/4 cups sugar

1 t. vanilla

1/4 t. salt

2 large eggs

1/2 cup flour

Cheesecake Layer:

1 large egg

1 T. vanilla

8 oz. cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup plus 2 T. powdered sugar

8 fun size snickers, coarsely chopped*

Directions:

1. Place butter and chocolate in a double boiler or a bowl over simmering water. Stir frequently until mixture is melted. Remove chocolate mixture from heat and stir in sugar, vanilla and salt.

2. Add the eggs one at a time, stirring until each is incorporated before adding the next. Stir in flour and beat with a wooden spoon until mixture is glossy about 1 minute.

3. Scrape the batter into the pan and bake for 20 minutes, or until the brownie starts to pull away from the sides of pan. While brownies are baking prepare ice bath. Fill a pan with ice cubes and water 3/4 inch deep. When the brownies are done baking, remove the pan from the oven and place it in the water bath. Allow brownies to cool completely in the water bath.

4. Place cheesecake ingredients (except snickers) in a bowl and mix to combine. Pour on top of cooled brownie and bake for 25-30 minutes or until set. Cool to warm then press chopped snickers into cheesecake layer. Keep refrigerated.

*I used 13 bars for complete coverage.

Source: Brownie portion adapted from Alice Medrich, Pinterest

Lazy Lasagna

This is actually a baked ziti recipe, but at my house it has been dubbed "Lazy Lasagna." Who wants to spend all that time carefully layering delicate noodles and filling? Not Me! This tastes just like a lasagna. In fact, take this basic recipe and mix in your favorite lasagna veggies for real kick! You could try zucchini, yellow squash, mushrooms, and/or peppers. This is a great make-ahead dish and can be frozen for a future dinner.

Servings: 6-8

Ingredients:

1 lb. bag or box of uncooked ziti

15 oz. ricotta cheese

3 C. shredded mozzarella, divided

28 oz. jar spaghetti sauce

1/2 C. parmesan cheese

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Cook the ziti as directed on the package. Place ziti in a large bowl. Add ricotta cheese and 1 1/2 cups mozzarella. Grease a 9 x 13 casserole dish. Spread half the spaghetti sauce on the bottom of the pan. Add the ziti mixture and cover with remaining sauce. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese and the remaining mozzarella. Bake covered with foil for 20-30 min. Remove foil and bake another 5-10 minutes til cheese is bubbly on top.

Spinach-Artichoke Dip

A party favorite!

Ingredients:

1 8-oz. block cream cheese

1 10-oz. box frozen cut or chopped spinach, thawed (you can also use the majority of a 16-oz. bag)

1 12-oz. jar artichoke hearts, drained

3/4 Cup sour cream

1 Cup grated mozzarella cheese (original recipe called for cheddar; I used a combination of Monterey jack and cheddar b/c it's what I had)

1/2 tsp. kosher salt

1/4 tsp. black pepper

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

2. Soften the cream cheese (I think I micro-waved mine for 30 seconds). Whip the cream cheese with a mixer.

3. Squeeze the spinach between paper towels to remove excess moisture and then add it to your mixing bowl with the cream cheese.

4. Roughly chop the artichoke hearts; add the artichoke, sour cream, and cheese to the mixing bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Mix together.

5. Scrape the mixture into a small oven-safe baking dish. Bake until lightly golden and heated through, about 15 minutes.

6. Serve warm with pita chips or bread.

Source: myrecipes.com

Oatmeal Cream Pies

I LOVE Little Debbie's Oatmeal Cream Pies. I enjoy them so much that I limit myself to one purchase a year of those little sweeties... (if I bought them more, I'm pretty sure I'd have a much larger waist line).

I saw this recipe, and knew I had to try it. These are delicious! A grown-up version (and much less processed) of Little Debbie's creation. And sadly, these cookies didn't last more than 48 hours in my house!!

Enjoy!

Oatmeal Cream Pies

(Makes 18 Pies)

Cookie Ingredients:
1 cup margarine
3/4 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon molasses
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
1 1/2 cups quick oats

Cream Filling Ingredients:
2 teaspoons very hot water
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 (7 ounce) jar marshmallow cream
1/2 cup shortening
1/3 cup powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Directions:
- In large bowl, cream margarine, sugars, molasses, vanilla, and eggs.
- Combine flour, salt, baking soda, and cinnamon. Add to the creamed mixture; mix in the oats.
- Drop dough by TBS on ungreased sheets. (I used a small cookie scoop.)
- Bake at 350 degrees F. Bake for 10-12 minutes,or until just starting to brown around the edges. They will look moist; don’t overcook.
- While the cookies bake prepare the filling. In small bowl, dissolve the salt in the hot water. Allow this to cool.
- Combine marshmallow cream, shortning, powdered sugar, and vanilla in med bowl; mix on high until fluffy.
- Add the cooled salt water and mix well. Spread filling on flat side of one cookie, press 2nd cookie on top.


(Source)

All Purpose Bread Dough

I love making bread. Maybe it's my mom's blood coursing through my veins, but making bread just makes me feel so...so...ACCOMPLISHED! If I do nothing else in a day but make a loaf of bread, I have been successful. The end.

We use this recipe for many things. That's why it's ALL PURPOSE! Rolls, Cinnamon Rolls, a regular loaf, etc. I have even used it to make Navajo Tacos and fried it for the scones. All these things will be posted on the blog eventually, but we have to have the basics first. Right?

Ingredients:
4 Cups Warm Water, divided
4 Tbsp Yeast
2/3 C + 1-2 Tbsp Sugar
4 Eggs
1/2 C Butter (or margarine)
4 tsp Salt
10 - 12 Cups Flour

1. In a mixing bowl combine 1.5 C warm water, yeast and 1-2 Tbsp Sugar. Wait approximately 5 minutes for it to activate (get bubbly).
2. Add the rest of the water, 2/3 C sugar, the eggs, the butter and the salt and mix together. It won't fully incorporate, just kind of mix it all around.
3. Mix the flour in, one cup at a time, until a slightly sticky dough forms. Knead for 200 turns on a floured board--or, if you're lazy like "yours truly," let the stand mixer go for 10 - 15 minutes.
4. Cover with a towel and let raise till doubled in size.
5. Punch Down and make something YUMMY!

~Recipe halves easily!
~Can be refrigerated for up to 1 week for later use.

Source: My friend, Stasha P.

~Kara