Labeling

Hey Girls!

So, if you'll notice--when you post there is a chance for you to label your post. Since we can't search our blog, I went through and labeled all the recipes so it will be easier to search. It will be organized by category, then alphabetically. So, when you post in the future, just label your recipe. Label any category it fits in, and you can create a new one if you like. I was thinking "Quick & Easy" would be a good category. If you want to adjust what I did--feel free. But, I'm excited and think it will make our blog that much more user friendly.

I love trying the new recipes, but we have so many great ones on here that are easily forgotten. So, look back and try them again!

Love you girls!

Stina

Pico de Gallo

Last night for dinner, I had a brilliant idea. Why not make nachos? Celeste made them for us one time at her house, and for some reason, I never think of making them--even though they're my favorite! So, I got some chips, sprinkled with browned ground beef and my homemade black beans and cheese. But, of course, you need some good salsa. I don't like salsa--but I love pico! I've been looking for a good recipe (although we love love Kelli's Texas Caviar, I wanted authentic Pico). And, in my search through my recipe book, I had torn one out of a Real Simple magazine. It was easy and oh so yummy!

Pico de Gallo

1 lb tomatoes (4 plum or 2 beefsteak), seeded and chopped
1 jalapeno (seeded for less heat, if desired), finely chopped
1/2 white onion, finely chopped (I like a little less)
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1 Tbsp fresh lime juice
Kosher salt and black pepper

In a medium bowl, combine the tomatoes, jalapeno, onion, cilantrol, lime juice, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp pepper.

Being a shortcut-chef, I put everything in my mini-blender. Even though the tomatoes were a finer than I would have liked, it worked great and it tasted fabulous!

Flatbread Tacos

These are from my Taste of Home magazine. This recipe won the grand prize in the 30 min. meal catagory so I thought they would be worth trying. I'm so glad I did! These will definitely be a regular on my menu!

Flatbread Tacos

Ingredients
1 cup (8 ounces) sour cream
2 teaspoons ranch salad dressing mix
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1-1/2 pounds ground beef
1 can (15 ounces) pinto beans, rinsed and drained
1 can (14-1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained
1 envelope taco seasoning
1 tablespoon hot pepper sauce
1 tube (16.3 ounces) large refrigerated buttermilk biscuits
Optional toppings: sliced ripe olives and shredded lettuce and cheddar cheese

Directions
In a small bowl, combine the sour cream, dressing mix and lemon juice; chill until serving.
In a large skillet, cook beef over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. Add the beans, tomatoes, taco seasoning and pepper sauce; heat through.
Meanwhile, roll out each biscuit into a 6-in. circle. In a small nonstick skillet over medium heat, cook each biscuit for 30-60 seconds on each side or until golden brown; keep warm.
To serve, spread each flatbread with 2 tablespoons ranch sour cream; top each with 2/3 cup meat mixture. Sprinkle with toppings if desired. Yield: 8 servings.

Chimichangas

I saw this recipe on kraftfoods.com the other day and totally wanted to make them, but I didn't have Velveeta (which I thought was weird to put in a burrito anyway) and instead had leftover shredded roast beef, so I made up my own version using the technique in the Kraft recipe. Here it is:

Photo courtesy KraftFoods.com

1 lb or so of meat (shredded beef, pork or chicken, or ground beef)

1 tsp garlic, minced

1/2 onion, chopped

seasoning to taste (I used garlic powder, onion powder, salt and chili powder)
shredded cheese
flour tortillas
2 cups vegetable oil
sour cream and quacamole, for garnish

Cook hamburger or reheat shredded meat along with onion, garlic and seasonings. Drain if necessary. Heat tortillas so they are soft, put 1/4 cup or so meat mixture into tortillas as well as shredded cheese. Fold like a burrito, making sure the ends are tucked in too. Secure with toothpicks. Refrigerate about 20 minutes. Heat oil and then place the tortilla packets into the oil, 3-4 at a time, turning over to make sure the entire thing gets browned. Take them out when they are browned and place on a paper towel lined plate. Remove toothpicks and serve with sour cream and quacamole.

You can change this recipe up depending on your preferences or what you have on hand. Some people in the Kraft recipe added a tomato sauce to make the inside more saucy or something, but I liked them the way they were.

Honey Lime Chicken Enchiladas

Well, since NO ONE bothered to comment or anything on my last post, I'll try this again... (seriously, where are some of you guys lately?!)

I have to thank the Sisters Cafe for this recipe. I was looking for something easy to make for some guests that were coming into town and this sounded perfect. I was super easy to throw together and tasted fantastic. I boiled and shredded the chicken the night before so all I had to do was assemble it and put it in the oven. The honey makes it sweet and the chili powder gives it a kick but isn't really spicy (I am a wimp when it comes to spices so anyone can make this and be okay with it- ahem, Kelli!)

Picture courtesy of the Sisters' Cafe

1.5 lbs pork or chicken, cooked and shredded (I used chicken)

Sauce:
1/3 c honey
1/4 c lime juice
1 Tb chili powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder


2 (10 oz) cans green enchilada sauce

equal parts mixed together of:
mozzarella cheese, shredded
cheddar cheese, shredded

flour tortillas


Mix together sauce ingredients then add to shredded pork or chicken. Let the sauce soak into the meat for about 30 minutes.

Lightly spray 2 pans with non-stick baking spray. (I usually use one 9x13 and one 9x9 but it may vary with how thick you stuff your enchiladas) Pour green enchilada sauce into pans to coat the entire bottom. Fill tortillas with shredded meat and desired amount of cheese. Roll and place in dish.


Pour remainder of sauce over enchiladas and sprinkle more cheese on top (I actually used about 3 cups or so of shredded Colby Jack. There is no such thing as too much cheese!). Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Then turn on broiler and place enchiladas nearer the top of oven. Let it broil until cheese is slightly brown and crispy.

I served this with Picky Palate's Spanish Rice recipe and a salad. I'll post the Spanish Rice later!

Garlic Butter Spread

I was making plain old spaghetti the other night and had a loaf of Italian bread on the table too, so I decided to jazz it up a little. I found this recipe on allrecipes.com and loved it! It was super easy and I had everything in the house. I liked that I didn't need any fresh herbs too, which are nice, but expensive! I used this on the bread, but the recipe also says you can use it to brush on fish or chicken dishes too. I don't have a picture yet, because all my pictures were ugly. How do you take a good picture of garlic bread? It's all about the smell, isn't it?

Garlic Butter Spread

1/2 cup butter (1 stick), softened to room temperature
1 1/2 tsp minced garlic (about 3-4 cloves)
2 Tbsp Parmesan cheese
1 1/2 tsp garlic salt (I didn't have this so I subbed about 1 tsp garlic powder and 1/4 tsp salt)
1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/8 tsp paprika

Combine all ingredients together and slather on your Italian bread loaf. I cut mine horizontally so I had two halves, then just put half of the garlic butter on each half. You can slice yours if you want. I won't be offended. I actually broiled my bread on low for a few minutes, but I think next time I will bake it for a little bit to let the whole thing crisp up, then put it under the broiler for a minute or two so it can get extra crunchy on top. It was really yummy and so easy!

Chocolate cookie cake

Chocolate cookie cake

This is my favorite dessert. The cake is so moist and chocolaty and the icing on top makes the cake. It is so super easy and I love that it does not call for melted chocolate. I did not have buttermilk so I made my own by placing 1 T. white vinegar in a liquid measuring cup and then filling with milk until it measures 1 C. Let it sit five minutes and you have buttermilk.

Mix together in medium bowl

2 cups flour

2 cups sugar

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

Bring just to a boil

2 cubes butter

1 cup water

4 T. cocoa powder (Use heaping tablespoons and a little extra)

Pour wet mixture into dry and add

2 eggs

1/2 cup buttermilk

1 tsp Vanilla

put into a greased and floured pan bake ( I used a cookie sheet) at 350 for 20 min.

Icing

1 cube butter

5 Tablespoons buttermilk

4 tablespoons cocoa (same as before)

1 pound powdered sugar (3 and ¾ C.)

Boil together for 2 min pour on warm cake. Some of the frosting seeps into the cake making it so moist!

Let the cake cool and the frosting harden. The extra cocoa in the frosting makes it so it has a thin crisp layer on top!

Super Sidewalk Paint

I wanted to make this today and couldn't find the recipe! I think everyone needs to try it and it's one I like to do over and over. So, now it is forever on our blog--never to be lost (or almost lost) again!

CRAFT MATERIALS:
	1/4 cup cornstarch
	1/4 cup cold water
	Food coloring
	Paintbrush
Time needed: 30 Minutes or Less

1. In a small bowl, mix together the cornstarch and cold water. Stir in as many drops of food coloring as you need to get your desired color. Repeat this process for each paint color. Use a paintbrush to make fun designs on the sidewalk or driveway. To wash the paint off, simply spray the area with water.

TIP: Super Sidewalk Paint isn't just for sidewalks. Put it in spray bottles and use it to color sand castles and snow sculptures.