Super Fantastic Cinnamon Sugar Crisps

We are having another tight budget week and are low in the snack food department. I had kids just getting home from school and demanded asked politely for something to eat since they were DYING OF STARVATION very hungry. (Haha...) So what was I to do? I grabbed the tortillas, some sugar and cinnamon, a little bit of oil, a brown paper bag, and my frying pan.

How is it possible that something so simple could be so good??

The "recipe"- Cinnamon Crisps (a.k.a. Bunuelos)

I cut up about 5 flour tortillas into wedges and set them aside. Next, I heated about 1/4 cup oil in the frying pan. Then, I mixed up about 1 cup of sugar and about 1 Tbsp of cinnamon and put it in the bottom of a giant brown lunch sack.. After that, I put about 5 wedges in the hot oil at a time and fried them until they were a light golden brown on each side. This only takes about 15-20 seconds per side. Then I removed them with tongs, drained off the oil by tapping them on a paper towel, and then threw I them in the bag. Once I had fried all of them, I closed up the bag and shook them well until the tortilla wedges were coated with the cinnamon sugar blend. Then I served them to my "fainting-from-hunger" children and niece. They loved me again and perked up enough to go back to playing their video games. (It is Friday after all...)

Fruity Cheesecake Chimichangas

I think we just discovered a goldmine. A fat laden, sugar filled, super yummy goldmine. My kids and I were just sitting around on this lazy summer evening and we all got a hankering for some dessert. It is a couple of days before payday so we are low in funds and food and my car is temporarily out of commission (just keeping it real,) so I had to use what I had on hand. I searched my stockpile and came up with a brick of cream cheese and some frozen peaches. Seemed like a good start for something yummy. I wasn't in the mood to turn on the oven and heat up the house or anything like that so it needed to be prepared in another way.

I remembered seeing on Pinterest, a recipe for strawberry burritos. I thought, "does it really have to be strawberries??" My answer to myself was "No, of course not!" So my brain churned and I pulled out my package of tortillas, and got to work.

I started by melting 2 T butter in a frying pan and adding 2 cups of frozen peaches, defrosted and cubed up, 1/4 cup sugar, 3 T flour, 1/2 tsp cinnamon and stirred it all up until it was bubbly and thickened. Then I set it aside to cool.

Next, I creamed my room temperature 8 oz brick of cream cheese and 1/4 cup sugar, then blended in 1 tsp. vanilla and set that bowl aside.

I spread the bottom half of each tortilla
with an even layer of the cream cheese mixture, then topped it with the cooled peach mixture.

Following that, I rolled them in typical burrito fashion and pan fried them in a small amount of oil (gotta be mindful of the calories and fat. lol.)

 Immediately following removal from the frying pan, I rolled them in a cinnamon sugar mixture and placed them on a platter to cool a bit. Then I gave them to my kids who proclaimed me a genius. (I love it when that happens.) Happy evening kid-friendly dessert surprise, that is for sure. I decided that they could be done with any fruit really. Why not apricots, or cherries or apples, or pumpkin in the fall?! Oh man, gonna be a fattening adventure. ;-)

The Best Potato Ham Soup Ever

Wish I had a prettier photo. You will have to trust me!

It had been cold and wintery a little while ago and I was totally in the mood for some soup. I wanted it to be the thick and hearty stick-to-your-ribs kind too, not any runny healthy spinachy stuff. However... didn't have a recipe that fit the bill. I searched and found one that looked promising and I didn't even need to go to the store for anything, which is a miracle in itself.

I cooked up this batch of amazing soup and my family LOVED it! Ate it all. Scraped the pot with the spoon even. You have got to try this when you are in the mood. Would be a great St. Patrick's Day side dish to go along with your corned beef. In fact, maybe I should consider that too... Any time would be a good time for this soup, who am I kidding?!



Have I convinced you yet? ;-)

Potato Ham Soup

1 1/2 pounds yukon gold potatoes (I made it with russets and they worked just fine)
1 medium onion, diced
2 (smallish) carrots, peeled and diced
1-2 celery ribs, sliced and diced
At least 1 cup of ham, diced into cubes (I used 1 1/2 cups turkey ham because that is what I had)
3 cloves garlic, sliced (I used about 1 Tablespoon of jarred minced garlic)
3 Tbsp butter (ok... I used about 5)
1/4 cup flour (fudged here too. Used more like, a heaping 1/3 cup)
4 cups chicken broth (I used about 6)
2 cups plain water
1/2 cup heavy cream (I used the whole 1/2 pint. Ooops.) ;-)
salt and pepper to taste
cayenne pepper (optional- I used turmeric, about 1/4 tsp. I like the flavor it adds)
Chopped fresh chives for garnish (Didn't use these. Who the heck has fresh chives in their fridge?? Haha.)

Melt butter in a stockpot over medium heat until golden brown. Stir in carrot, celery ,onion ham and garlic. Cook and stir for 5-6 minutes, until the vegetables soften and the onions are transclucent.
Stir in the flour and cook about 3 minutes. Stir in the chicken broth, 1 cup at a time. Add water and stir to combine. Turn the heat to high and bring to a simmer. Simmer on medium-low for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Taste the soup for salt and add more if necessary. Stir in potatoes, cook for 15 minutes, until potatoes are tender. Skim fat if desired.
With a potato masher, mash the soup a few times, leaving plenty of whole chunks of potato. Season with salt and pepper to taste, add cayenne if desired and add cream. Stir to combine and heat through. Garnish with fresh chives, if desired.

Soft and Tender Frosted Sugar Cookies

When I was growing up, it was a tradition to have rolled and cut out sugar cookies (that were frosted with homemade buttercream frosting) at Christmas and Valentine's day. I looked so forward to those things. My Grandma made them. My Aunt made them. My Mom made them. Oh man! They are like a kiss from Heaven! (Or some other flowery description.) Anyway, childhood flew by and I got married and suddenly I had the opportunity to supply myself and my new husband with our own sugar cookies. Awesome!! Ok, so, at first, though, not so awesome. I failed several times. It drove me crazy! Turns out there is a special secret that goes into them. Turns out it was a simple thing. You have to treat the dough with tender loving care. I mean, literally put love into them. Yes, that is the trick. Think happy thoughts and don't roll the dough too much. It toughens it. Just like people, they need to be treated kindly and sprinkled with extra sweetness. See, there ya go. These cookies hold the secret to a sweet life.

Soft and Tender Sugar Cookies (Jen's family recipe)
makes about 3 dozen

1 cup Crisco shortening
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 Tbsp water

1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp salt
3 cups flour (plus some extra for dusting)

Cream the sugar and shortening together, until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, mixing in between each addition. Add the water and vanilla and stir to combine. Add the salt, baking powder, and flour, slowly stir to combine. Continue to beat gently until the dough forms a ball and pulls away from the sides of the mixing bowl. Place in the refrigerator and allow to rest for at least 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Divide dough into thirds. Lightly flour your rolling surface and roll dough with a rolling pin to about 1/4 inch even thickness. Use your favorite cookie cutters to cut your shapes out of the rolled dough. (Save your dough scraps and add them to your next 1/3 of the dough.) Place on a cookie sheet at least 2 inches apart. Bake for 8-10 minutes. Allow to sit on the pan for 1-2 minutes then remove cookies from sheet to cool on a cooling rack. When completely cooled, frost with your choice of buttercream frosting and decorate to your choosing.

Can be stored in an airtight container for up to a week. These cookies are better the next day. I kid you not. They absorb moisture and become even more like Heaven. Trust me. Save a couple for the next day. You will thank me...

Here is the buttercream recipe that I use. Pretty standard, I think.

1 cup butter, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 cups powdered sugar (1 lb box)
6 tablespoons milk

In a mixer bowl, beat the butter until light and fluffy. Add the powdered sugar and vanilla. Combine in mixer. Drizzle in the milk while stirring, adding a little at a time until the frosting is at the desired consistency. Frost your cookies and eat them. The end.

Jen's Hamburger Vegetable Crockpot Soup

Yes, these are baby carrots, not sliced. I used what I had. ;-)

I am always on the lookout for easy, economical, and family friendly recipes for my crockpot. My crockpot is my best friend in the kitchen these days. It is a necessity, as far as I am concerned. In my searches, I came across several recipes for soup that used ground beef. Since we always have that on hand, seemed like a good place to start. I combined a bunch of recipes, picking and choosing the ingredients that I knew would work well together and that my family wouldn't turn their nose up at. I think I succeeded.
In fact, it is popular with lots of moms that I know! ;-) You see, I am part of the creative activities team for my MOPS group and we recently made 120 meals worth of this soup as our opening day activity. Put out all of the ingredients and the ladies assembled them to take home and make for their own families. I got a lot of positive feedback! What a relief it was, for sure. Sometimes I question my taste buds... Hahaha. But, rest assured, this is a keeper. I thought I would share the recipe with you too since it is finally starting to cool down and Fall is in the air. So incredibly happy about that! Hope you give this one a shot and enjoy!

Jen's Hamburger Vegetable Crockpot Soup
serves 6-8

2 cups of ground beef, browned and drained
1 cup (or 1 can) diced tomatoes
1 small (8 oz.) can tomato sauce
1 cup (or 1 can) corn
1 cup peeled, sliced, carrots
1 cup sliced celery
1 can kidney beans
1/2 cup diced onions
1/2 cup ketchup
1 tsp. minced garlic
2 tbsp. beef (or chicken) bouillon powder
1/2 tsp. basil
1/2 tsp. thyme
1/2 tsp. oregano
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1 bay leaf (remove before serving)
6 cups water
1 cup dried pasta (wagon wheel or rotini works best, but any bite sized shape will do)
Parmesan cheese, for topping when serving (optional)

Add all ingredients, except dried pasta and Parmesan, to a 4-5 quart crockpot. Cook on high 4-6 hours. Stir in dried pasta and cook for an additional 30 minutes. Top servings with Parmesan cheese, if desired. Alternatively, you may cook in a large pot on the stovetop for 1 1/2 hours, add pasta and continue to cook until noodles are done, about 15 minutes. Serve with bread or crackers and a salad. Enjoy!

Boiled Chocolate Cinnamon Sheet Cake

Pretty sure this is the most boring picture ever....

So, we are having company tomorrow night. Some new/old friends are coming over for dinner with their kids, who have been friends with 2 of my kids since kindergarten. I say they are new friends because even though our kids have known each other for so long, we have just recently realized that we have a lot in common as parents, and enjoy each others company. How cool is that?! So looking forward to a happy friendship! :) We will be sharing the cooking between us and will be enjoying chili verde (click the link for a video of me making the recipe,) rice, chicken enchiladas, guacamole and chips and now, we shall have cake. Yummy yummy cake.

Ok, I have two words for you- boiled cake. Boiled, you question? Yes. Boiled. I also have two more words to go along with the other two- IT"S FABULOUS! It is a family recipe and I would have thought it was strange if I hadn't tasted it first. I will confess though, it is not one of my husband's favorites and he is a fan of chocolate cake. I think it has something to do with the cinnamon that the recipe calls for. He says there is something about cinnamon and chocolate that he doesn't like. I will also say that the whole rest of the family completely disagrees with him...

I don't make it very often because it is quite a large cake. In fact, it takes up an entire jelly roll pan. I save it for when we have company or if I am scheduled to share a dessert at a potluck or gathering of some sort. I think the hardest part is waiting for it to cool. But trust me, it really DOES tastes better when it is cooled. The flavors are more blended or something. I don't get it really. Something about chemistry or some other blah blah reason... whatever. I just know that MAYBE somebody couldn't wait for it to cool down, one of the times it was made it in the past, and MAYBE that person can say that eating it cooled down after they had to make it again (because they still needed it for a potluck on Monday,) makes it taste better. Play it safe and park it in the fridge for about 24 hours. You will thank me later. ;-)

And here is the recipe:

Boiled Chocolate Cinnamon Sheet Cake

2 cups flour
2 cups sugar
1 cube margarine
1/2 cup shortening
1 cup water
4 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
2 eggs
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Combine flour and sugar in a bowl and set aside. In a saucepan, combine margarine, shortening, water, and cocoa. Bring to a boil. Remove from heat. Pour into the sugar/flour mixture and stir to combine thoroughly. Add eggs and buttermilk, cinnamon, soda, and vanilla.
Spread evenly onto greased jelly roll sheet pan and bake for 20 minutes in a preheated 350 degree oven,

Frosting:
Five minutes before the cake is done, melt one cube margarine and add 1/3 cup buttermilk and 4 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder. Bring to a boil while whisking. Remove from heat and add a 1 lb. box of powdered sugar, 1/4 tsp. cinnamon, and one teaspoon of vanilla. Mix thoroughly and spread evenly over the hot cake. Allow to cool to room temperature.
Refrigerate for at least 8 hours (24 is best,) then cut and serve.

Quick Coffee Cake in a Cup

My daughter is a Tumblr freak. She is as into that as I am into Pinterest! Or almost that much at least. Anyway... the other day she asked me if she could make something that she saw on there. I blindly said, "yeah, sure. Just clean up after yourself." A few minutes later I smell this delicious aroma wafting through my house. It smelled like freshly baked cinnamon rolls- all gooey and sweet and cinnamony. I was intrigued!
"What the heck IS that FABULOUS smell?!" "Coffee cake in a cup," is what she said. "Gimme some!!," is what I said back. Oh. My. Goodness! I was instantly a fan. You guys have got to try this when you need something sweet and you need it NOW.

Coffee Cake in a Cup for Two

2 Tbsp softened butter
4 Tbsp sugar
1 egg

4 Tbsp sour cream
1/8 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup flour
1/4 tsp baking powder

Crumb Topping:
2 Tbsp softened butter
4 Tbsp flour
2 Tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon

In a small bowl, cream butter and sugar with a spoon or fork (mixer is not required.) Add egg, sour cream and vanilla and mix until smooth.
Add flour and baking powder, stir until smooth. Split the batter between two coffee mugs. Set aside.
In a separate small bowl, mix butter, brown sugar, flour, and cinnamon until evenly blended. Split in half and place on top of the batter in each mug.
Cook one mug at a time in the microwave. I would start out with one minute and continue by 10 to 15 second increments. (Ours took about 2 minutes total, but we put it in one giant mug instead of two regular ones.)
Be careful because the mug and the cake will be really hot. Enjoy!

Spicy Fire Crackers

A couple of years ago my husband brought me a treat that someone had given him at work. He warned me that they were spicy but that didn't seem to be too big of a deal since they were only saltine crackers after all. WOW was I surprised when I tasted one. They were, in fact spicy and wonderfully savory, all at the same time. Who would have thought??! I had to have the recipe. He brought it to me the next day and we have been making these super easy gems ever since. I will say that they are not for the faint of heart (or the dieters...) because they contain a whole lot of oil. In fact, I am almost embarrassed to tell you how much. ;-) Just save them for a big game or a party or some other occasion and you will be just fine. I just made a batch for my family to munch on during the 2012 Olympic opening ceremonies which air tonight. Good a time as any!! Hope you like them too!

Fire Crackers

1 box (4 sleeves) plain saltine crackers
1 pkg. ranch dressing mix
1 1/4 cup vegetable oil
1-2 tbsp red pepper flakes (depending on how spicy you like them)

Put the crackers in a large bowl (I use my 26 cup Tupperware bowl which works perfectly.) In a glass bowl or measuring cup, combine last three ingredients and whisk well to combine. Pour over the crackers and gently stir to coat each piece. Continue to carefully stir for 15 minutes to ensure even coverage. Store in airtight container or serve immediately.

Awesome Churro Flavored Popcorn

I have been waiting for the perfect opportunity to make a recipe that I had found on Pinterest for Churro Popcorn. It is hard to find one of the ingredients but I managed to snatch up the last bag that they had at Winco. Score!! It also happens to be the weekend that my group of crafty lady friends has a trip planned to the southern California area to veg out and relax. What better way to veg out than to munch on yummy goodies while you are relaxing. (That is my philosophy anyway.) ;-) I am taking this yummy batch of goodness along for the ride. IF it survives my family's thievery. Hope you get a chance to try it. Sooooooo good!


Churro Popcorn

6 cups popped popcorn
1/2 cup cinnamon chips (I used Hershey's)
2 tbsp. butter
2 tbsp. powdered sugar
2 tbsp. granulated sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon

Place popped corn in a large bowl. Set aside.
Melt chips with butter in a microwave safe bowl. Stir and pour over popcorn. Stir gently to coat pieces.
In another bowl, combine sugars and cinnamon. Shake over coated popcorn. Stir to combine once again.
Allow to cool to room temperature. Cover and store or serve immediately.

Pinterest Weekly Project #7 :)

Panda Express Orange Chicken Copycat Recipe

So... tonight I decided to try another Pinterest inspired recipe. This one caught the eye of my son who requested I give it a shot some time. I had to admit it did look pretty awesome and I had all the ingredients on hand so I went for it. Oh. My. Goodness!! This was about as close to a Panda Express recipe that I could have imagined making at home, that is for sure. I tweaked it a little bit from the original recipe and was really glad that I did. It feels like it took forever to make, but, in actuality, it only took about 20 minutes. Not bad at all. If I made it when I was TOTALLY NOT in the mood to cook (like tonight), then certainly you all can handle it too. ;-) Give it a shot when you are in the mood for Chinese food and you will not be disappointed. I made broccoli and steamed rice to go with it. Super yummy!!

Just-as-good-as-Panda-Express Orange Chicken

2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite size pieces
2 cups cornstarch
vegetable oil, for frying the chicken

dredge the chicken pieces in cornstarch and cook in preheated oil, in small batches, until light brown, about 6-8 minutes. Set aside.

sauce:
1 cup water
3/4 cup ketchup
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
1/2 tsp orange zest
juice of 1 orange
1 tsp chicken bouillon powder
1 tsp soy sauce
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
4 tsp cornstarch

Next, combine sauce ingredients in a mixing bowl until blended well. Heat to a simmer in a frying pan, large enough to hold all the chicken pieces. Once simmering, allow to thicken for 3-4 minutes. Add cooked chicken to sauce mixture and stir to coat the pieces. Allow to thicken a little more, about 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat and serve.

Let's just call this one my Pinterest Weekly Project too. #6. :)

Linking here:

Taco Pizza

Tonight for dinner I made a Pinterest inspired dish again, called Taco Pizza. We have had this a couple of times recently and I must say, it is sooooo yummy! Just wanted to do a quick post and share the recipe. I am positive that your whole family will love it. (Just take off the onions and tomatoes for the picky eaters...)

Please excuse the spots on  my well loved jelly roll pan.... ;-)

Taco Pizza

1 lb. ground beef, browned and drained
1 pkg. taco seasoning (added to ground beef according to package instructions)
2 pkg. Pillsbury crescent rolls (don't use generic, it makes a difference, and not in a good way)
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 can refried beans (I used Taco Bell brand, fat free because it spreads really easily)
1/2 cup diced tomatoes
1-2 green onions, sliced
small can sliced olives (optional- I didn't use them tonight because I forgot them on the store shelf...) ;-)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly spray a jelly roll pan with nonstick spray. Unroll the crescent rolls and stretch them to cover the whole bottom of the pan. Bake for 12 minutes or until light golden brown. Remove from oven and spread the can of refried beans to cover the surface of the baked dough. Evenly spread the prepared meat mixture over the beans. Cover the meat with the shredded cheese. Sprinkle the tomatoes and onions and olives (if you didn't forget them at the stinkin' store...) over the cheese. Bake the pizza again for about 10 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the pizza is heated through. Remove and allow to sit for 5-10 minutes so the cheese doesn't slide off onto your plate. Enjoy!!

linking here:

Easy Eggplant Parmesan

My hubby and I enjoy going to our local farmer's market when we can and we made the Saturday morning visit this past weekend. While we were there, we picked up some peaches (which I will be turning into jam within the next couple of days,) and some excellent eggplant. I just got in the mood for some eggplant parmesan. Can't explain why, just decided that it was the best tasting meal I could imagine that day.

So... I made it Sunday afternoon and my family gobbled it up, as usual. I only make it about 2 times a year and everytime I do, I swear I will make it sooner. Never happens. Darn it! It is a little time consuming, but really the easiest vegetarian meal that my family will joyfully consume. (They are huge carnivores, after all.) And it makes the best leftover lunch. I promise! Anyway, I thought I would share my recipe with you so you can give it a shot. Enjoy!

Easiest Eggplant Parmesan

2 med  firm eggplant -
slice in rounds, sprinkle with salt, allow to sit for 20-30 min on a cooling rack over a cookie sheet, flip the pieces and salt the other side, allow to sit for an additional 20-30 minutes, then rinse thoroughly, allow to drain over paper towels for about an hour, rinse again and pat dry.

Flour (enough for dredging, about 3/4 cup) seasoned with garlic powder, onion powder and pepper, to taste
Italian style breadcrumbs (enough to coat, about 1- 1 1/2 cups)
3 eggs, beaten
"enough" oil, to fry the pieces

Dredge the dry rounds in flour, one at a time, then dip in beaten eggs, then in breadcrumbs. Fry in preheated oil until golden brown on one side, flip and fry other side until golden brown. Set aside.

1 1b. ricotta cheese
1 cup grated parmesan
1 egg
2 tsp dried parsley
1 tsp dried basil
1/4 tsp pepper (or to taste)
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder

mix above ingredients together, in separate bowl, until blended well.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Gather the largest baking dish you have (I used my 15" x 10" glass casserole) and begin to assemble.

1 1/2- 2 jars, good spaghetti sauce (if you make your own, great! I don't though. ;-) I used Prego, roasted garlic and Parmesan flavor)

1 lb. mozzarella cheese, grated
1/4 cup grated parmesan

Pour about 1 cup of sauce over the bottom of the dish, spread to cover the surface. Lay out the eggplant in a single layer, (squish them all in there to fit the whole bottom,) cover evenly with the ricotta cheese mixture, then pour the remaining spaghetti sauce over the top to cover all the ricotta, then sprinkle evenly with the mozzarella and grated parmesan. Bake for 35-40 minutes in preheated oven. Remove and allow to set for about 10 minutes, then serve!

Copycat Chick-Fil-A Recipe!! (Year of Pinterest- #1)

Contrary to a friend's opinion, this is a piece of chicken breast and NOT a tonsil. Haha.

I am still in a blogging funk. Boohoo.Can't seem to find the motivation and the inspiration together in the same place at the same time. But I was shown an idea!! I was perusing through my online home-away-from-home, or one of them at least, Pinterest, and noticed someone had the guts to post "365 days of Pinterest." I was intrigued. Was someone really crazy enough to attempt that??! No way! I could never do something as awesome as attempting a Pinterest inspired project or tip or recipe every day for a year! Or could I ???

I thought... and thought... and decided HECK NO! I do not need something else to nag at me on a daily basis. Ha! But I could definitely handle one thing a week!! Then that concept would surely guarantee me a blog worthy report at least 52 times a year. At least in theory anyway... So, here I am gathering myself to present you with my first weekly project. I got the inspiration from a Pinterest and it led me to an awesome website full of yummy recipes. I suggest you go head over and check it out, when you get a chance. Table For Two, is its' name. Tell them I sent you. (Not that it matters. I just think it would be fun to baffle them.)

This is the recipe I tried tonight. They call it Chick-Fuh-Lay nuggets and sauce. WOW, was I impressed! Knocked my families socks off! I mean, we LOVE Chick-Fil-A!! But we have to drive 45 minutes out of town to enjoy it. And of course, we always get a craving for it on SUNDAY! (The day it is closed, for those of you unfamiliar folks...) And we LOVE the sauce. It is one of the reasons that make their food so good. Needless to say, we are happy happy people now that we can make a copycat Chick-Fil-A sauce recipe all by ourselves. I went ahead and made some homemade macaroni and cheese and got a fabulous seedless watermelon to go along with our dinner. Such a yummy spread, if I do say so myself. I will say, in our defense, we know (at least I know,) that it is, without a doubt, a sometimes meal. I promise we will not be making this 6 times a week or even 6 times a year for that matter. I mean, any chicken recipe that calls for powdered sugar in the coating and then deep frying?? It is something you save for special occasions. Maybe. ;-)

Anyway, I just want to go on the record and be held accountable. I will be blogging a recipe, tip, project or SOMETHING that I get the inspiration for on Pinterest. I will be sure to link to the original website and tell you all about it. I promise to even show you my failures. I am just cool like that...
Soooooo... please come back next week and check on me. I would appreciate your company. Thanks!! ;-)

Italian Wedding Soup Supper

Wow. Didn't realize how unattractive it looked. It's ok though. The taste wins. I promise.

I subscribe to Taste Of Home magazine and have for years. I love it. I get inspiration for yummy down home cooking quite often. I love the recipes! SO... ask me how many recipes I have actually tried from the pages I have read. Ok, I will spill it. 2. Yes, 2. Or thereabouts. I am more of a collector than a do-er. Though I have been looking for recipes to use up a stockpile of frozen spinach that I had on hand so this recipe caught my eye. Guess what?! It was wonderful! I am so glad too! I love a good soup recipe. And it happened to be a rainy cold day so it fit the bill even better! I will share it with you, just in case you find yourself in the same predicament as I was. OR you like good soup. Whatever. Just give it a shot! I promise you will be as surprised as I was.

Italian Wedding Soup Supper (I doubled most of the recipe. But I added 3 times the chicken broth to make it soupier.)

2 cups small pasta shells
1/2 boneless skinless chicken breasts (I used the canned chicken from Costco)
2 tbsp. olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 carrot, finely chopped
1 pkg. frozen fully cooked Italian meatballs, thawed
1 can cream of chicken soup, undiluted
1, 10 oz. pkg. frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1 cup chicken broth
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
1/2 tsp. garlic powder (recipe didn't call for this but I added it and I am glad I did. added good flavor)
1/2 tsp. dried basil (recipe didn't call for this either but, well, you know. I like to be all crazy sometimes...)
1/2 tsp. onion powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
3/4 cup shredded Asiago cheese (we skipped the cheese altogether and didn't miss it.)

Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, cook chicken in 1 tbsp. oil, until no longer pink. Remove and set aside. In the same skillet, saute the onion, carrot and celery in remaining oil until tender. Add the meatballs, soup, spinach, broth, seasonings and chicken.  Cover and cook for 4-6 minutes or until heated through. Drain pasta, stir into skillet. Sprinkle with cheese, if you choose to use it.

Remember the Fancy Chicken Log

My mother-in-law, known as Nana, was a wonderful Grandma. She was active and loving and spoiled her grandchildren with affection and attention. She made sure that diapers were changed promptly, that crayons and coloring books were plentiful and dolls were always invited to the many tea parties she hosted in the playroom. She sewed dresses and outfits and could clean and maintain things like nobody's business. She had many many skills and I learned as much as I could from her until she passed away. It has been 9 years.We still miss her. Fortunately, she left some recipes that we make periodically and every time we do, we remember her fondly. She made homemade tortillas, sugar-free pumpkin pie, and this cheese and chicken ball concoction that was rolled in parsley and pecans. Today, I made that concoction titled "Fancy Chicken Log."  It really is yummy and extremely popular whenever I make it. Bizarre ingredients and a cute little retro flair make it interesting to me. It doesn't hurt that you serve it with your favorite crackers too. Anyway, I felt like sharing it with you. Hope you will give it a shot someday. You'll thank Nana too. ;-)


Fancy Chicken Log
(from Nana's recipe box)

2, 8 oz. packages softened cream cheese
2 tbsp. Heinz 57 sauce
1/2 tsp curry powder
Cream above ingredients well.

1/2 cup finely diced chicken breasts (We always add 1 cup of chicken but the original recipe calls for 1/2. Up to you!)
2 tbsp. finely minced parsley
1/3 cup finely minced celery
Add those ingredients to the cream cheese mixture.

Place mixture on waxed or parchment paper and roll into a log or ball shape, depending on preference. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight. Chop 1/4 cup pecans and mix with 1/2 cup finely chopped parsley. Remove log/ball from paper and roll in the parsley and nut mixture. Serve with crackers.

Ranchero Sauce Recipe

Tonight we had our beloved chili rellanos. I love those things! One of the things that makes them so tasty is the sauce that we smother all over them. I posted the recipe earlier here if you are interested in making them yourself. Of course, if you decide to make the rellanos, you will need some sauce to go with them. Kind of like the mouse and the cookie story. (All you mother's of preschoolers will get the joke. I expect to hear a snicker... lol.) So I thought I would post it on here as well. This recipe's flavors are developed as they simmer, so, feel free to clean the kitchen or do laundry (or practice your golf swing or change a tire) ;-) while it is on the stove. Just be sure to come back and check it frequently and give it a little stir to be sure it won't burn. I always adjust the seasonings depending on my current palate. Some days I am all spicy-loving and some days I need more bland. You get the idea. Have fun and make it the way you like it. Here is the basic recipe:



Ranchero Sauce
Makes a bunch, like, 6 cups or so. (I never measured the final amount.)


2 medium white or yellow onions, diced finely
1 bell pepper, seeded and diced finely
2 tbsp. minced garlic
1 whole jalapeno, seeded and minced
2 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. mild chili powder, such as New Mexico or California
1 tsp. Mexican oregano
1/2 tsp. marjoram
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tbsp. chicken bouillon powder (caldo de pollo)
1 can petite diced tomatoes
1 can diced tomatoes with chili peppers
1 small can tomato sauce

Dice the onions and saute them in vegetable oil on medium heat until they soften and begin to turn golden. Add the canned tomatoes and sauce, bell pepper, garlic, and seasonings. Allow to come to a simmer. Add garlic and jalapenos and stir. Allow to simmer for about an hour, stirring every 10 minutes or so.
Taste and adjust seasonings as needed. (I usually end up adding more chocolate and caldo de pollo at this point and often another teaspoon or so of sugar. Something bizarre happens as it simmers and it doesn't really taste sweet with the sugar and chocolate. So don't let that freak you out. It just perks up the tomato and chili flavors but tones down the spiciness, if that is an issue.) Let the whole thing simmer for about another half an hour or so and allow to cool a bit before you serve it. We like it best just a little bit warmer than room temperature. Enjoy! Oh... get this... the flavor changes as it is refrigerated, so, be sure to taste it the next day and see what new adventure you can go on with it. ;-) It is like, 2 sauces in one! Ok, maybe not that dramatic, but I feel like enticing you to see what the heck I am talking about by making some for yourself. Yes, I am a sauce pusher. Guilty...

Homemade Chili Rellanos

My favorite type of food in the whole world is Mexican food. I could eat it every day in some form. A while back I ran across a really good and fairly easy recipe for chilis rellanos and a cooked salsa/sauce to go over them. Those recipes became "special dinner night" staples in the Avila house, and so we try to find every reason we can to figure out a reason to have a "special dinner" so we can eat the rellanos. Well, it just so happens that tonight is the last night of winter break and the kids go back to school tomorrow. Tada! Special dinner night. (Good enough reason anyway.) I thought I would do a mini-tutorial and post the recipe in case you wanted to give it a try. I hope you do! They are so yummy! Though, be prepared to do some cleaning afterwards. Kind of a messy/greasy project, for sure. Good luck!

Chili Rellanos
12 servings

3/4 1b. Monterey Jack cheese, cut into strips
8 tbsp. flour, plus 2 tbsp. for dusting
1/2 tsp. salt
8 lg. eggs, separated
1 can Whole Green Chilis, drained and dried off thoroughly (or you can use fresh, grilled and peeled Anaheims or Poblanos, depending on preference, if you know how and have time. I cheat nearly every time and use the canned ones. They are just as yummy to us done this way.) (P.S. I never use the whole can full of peppers but we use them in white bean chicken chili soup or mexican eggs. Expect about 5-6 extra)
Oil for frying

Whip the egg whites with the salt, until stiff peaks form. Set aside.

Mix the egg yolks with the 8 tbsp. flour and stir until combined.
















Gently fold the yolk mixture into the whites. Set aside.
Next, begin to heat oil in large frying pan. (I use a 14" skillet so I have plenty of room to flip them. I DEFINITELY recommend using the biggest you have. Bad things happen when they don't have breathing room. Trust me.)






     













Stuff the peppers with the cheese strips, and dredge them in the flour. Tap off excess and set aside. Prepare 3-4 at a time.

When the oil is ready, place a large spoonful of the egg mixture in the pan. Gently lay the pepper on it and cover it with another spoon of the egg mixture. Repeat until the pan is full and there is room to turn them over. Cook them on one side until they are golden brown and flip them over carefully.

 Let them cook on the other side until they are just as beautiful and golden brown as the other side. Meanwhile, prepare the next batch of peppers for the oil. Then, remove the golden peppers from the pan and allow them to drain on a rack (or a plate with a paper towel.) Repeat as necessary. Serve them with the salsa or sauce of your choice.

That is it! Not a big deal at all! We serve them with our favorite Ranchero Sauce. My husband uses the leftover sauce to eat on toast or eggs for breakfast the following days. You would think he had died and gone to Heaven. ;-) I will be blogging that next so stay tuned!

**I have since posted the sauce recipe! You can find it here!

Yummy Pumpkin Muffins

A long time ago I had this brilliant idea to start a blog. My husband encouraged me to do it and so I did. It was 3 short posts and they were all recipes. I didn't have a camera that I knew how to use to upload any photos and I had young children at the time so it failed. The other day I was thinking about these muffins and couldn't find my recipe until I remembered the long lost blog!! And there it was. Floating in cyberspace on a defunct page. I thought I would share the recipe even without a photo just because it is that good. I know it is kind of late in the season to be sharing a pumpkin recipe, but, better late than never. Hope you will try these. :)

The Most Yummy Pumpkin Muffin Recipe Ever!

from the kitchen of Jen

1 1/2 Cups flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice (I used a combination of cloves, ginger and nutmeg because that is what I had)

1 cup pumpkin puree (from a 15 oz can. There will be wasted pumpkin if you buy the big one.)

1/3 cup vegetable oil

2 lg. eggs

1 1/4 cups sugar

preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In medium bowl, combine dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, stir together the wet ingredients. Combine the contents of the two bowls and mix them together until the ingredients are well combined. Be careful not to overmix the batter or you will toughen the muffins. Fill paper lined muffin tins, 2/3 full and bake for 23-27 minutes.  Allow to cool on wire rack for a second and then eat them all really quickly before your family can get to them. (just kidding.) Makes about 20 or so. Hope you give them a try!

Homemade Caramel Corn

I recently asked a couple of my friends to share caramel corn recipes with me since my son was having his 7th birthday party soon (thank you Jaime and Stephanie.) I thought that it would be a good thing to have to give as party favors for my adult family members. I got a few suggestions but it all seemed so intimidating for some reason. Molten sugar is no laughing matter! I mean, that must be the reason why stores sell it for so much money, right?? In any case, I decided to look over all the recipes I had and just go for it. I am so glad I did. OH MY GOODNESS!!! This is seriously awesome stuff. I will never buy it again! My kids are already requesting it for their class parties. Now that is a very good sign! I hope you will give it a shot. One of my friends said that she packages it up and gives it to her neighbors as Christmas gifts. I could see that as making me a VERY popular neighbor. Haha. Sounds like a plan to me!

Caramel Corn 

(The way I did it)

Preheat oven to 250 degrees.

Pop 24 cups (6 qts) of popcorn (don't salt it,) set aside. 

Gather:

2 sticks butter

2 cups brown sugar

1/3 cup light karo syrup

Melt the butter and add the sugar and syrup. Bring to boil and cook on high heat, stirring constantly, for 5 minutes. (No need to measure the temperature. Yay!!)

Take off the heat and add:

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1/2 tsp. baking soda

Stir to combine and keep stirring until the baking soda fizzes up and the mixture gets fluffy. (That happens pretty fast, so be prepared with your popcorn.)

Pour over the popcorn mixture and stir until the pieces are coated. Try to break up any giant lumps as you can. 

Place the popcorn on a giant jelly roll pan and spread it out. 

Put it in the oven for about 60 minutes, checking on it every 15 minutes to separate the pieces. (That process made it kind of crackly and yummy and then it didn't really stick to my fingers or teeth at all. A definite good thing!)

Take it out and allow it to cool. Package it up and give it away! (or eat it yourself. I won't tell...)

Crockpot Chocolate Fondue

Let me introduce you to the single most amazing thing that could ever  happen to a chocolate loving family- Crockpot Chocolate Fondue!! Now this was perhaps the easiest yummiest dessert that we have ever tried. Even easier than a boxed brownie mix, our family's quick-I-need-chocolate staple. I suggest you gather up your tiny crockpot and the few necessary supplies and make some yourself. What makes the experience even sweeter is when you eat it together as a family and ooh and ahhh over its' simplicity and with chocolate all over your face, enjoy Shrek as it plays on Cartoon Network. Quality time, I tell ya! Gotta love that. :)
The following is a conglomeration of several recipes that I discovered on my quest for the perfect one. This is how we did it:

Not. Sharing. My. Fondue.

Chocolate Crockpot Fondue

Marshmallows were her fave.

Ingredients:

1 cup half and half
1/4 cup butter
24 ounces semisweet chocolate chips (you can use milk if you prefer or a combination of any)
1 tsp vanilla

Instructions:

Accidents happen...

Preheat small crockpot about 30 minutes on low heat. Set aside.
Combine half and half and butter in a saucepan over medium heat until it comes to a simmer, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat. Add chocolate and vanilla and stir until combined and creamy. Transfer to pre-warmed crockpot and keep on warm setting. Serve immediately with fruit, marshmallows, pound cake, Nilla wafers, graham crackers, pretzels or anything else that makes you happy.

He favored the Nilla wafers.

Here is what I found out about leftovers, if there are any...

Cover leftover mixture and refrigerate. To reheat, place crock in microwave, uncovered, for 30 second intervals on 50% power, stir and repeat until chocolate is smooth again, but be extra careful not to overheat or the chocolate will burn.

1.