Tortilla Mexican Skillet- EASY!

Tortilla Mexican Skillet - VERY EASY!!

1 lb. lean ground beef
1 pkg. (1-1/4 oz.) Taco Seasoning Mix
2 cans (14 oz.) kidney beans, drained, rinsed
1 cup Salsa (I used home made -recipe on blog)
1/2 cup water
4 flour tortillas (12 inch), cut into 1-1/2-inch squares
1 cup Mexican Style Shredded Four Cheese
1/3 cup Sour Cream
1/3 cup chopped green onions (optional topping)
1 Roma tomato chopped (optional topping)

To make this:
BROWN meat in large nonstick skillet on medium-high heat; drain.
ADD seasoning mix, beans, salsa and water; stir. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer 5 min.
STIR in tortillas; top with cheese. Cover; let stand 5 min. or until cheese is melted. Top with sour cream and toppings.

Lemon Poppy Seed Cake

Lemon Poppy Seed Cake

1/2 cup butter
1 cup sugar
cream butter and sugar together, then add

3 eggs
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 tsp. vanilla
2 Tbs. lemon Juice
mix and then add

1 1/2 cup flour
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1/8 tsp. baking soda
2 Tbs. poppy seeds

I like to put this in a bundt pan. Lightly spray with Pam and add mixture. Put in an oven of 325 degrees and cook for 45 min. Test cake with a toothpick or cake tester to see if it comes out clean. Flip onto a plate and drizzle with frosting or leave plain.

Frosting
3 cups powdered sugar
1/2 tsp. lemon juice or extract
1/2 tsp. almond extract
1 Tbs. butter soft
2 Tbs. milk
Drizzle over top

Cowboy Dip

From the kitchen of Melissa Lee! I got this from her blog around New Years and it is my favorite thing to bring to parties, game night, or whatever! When I first saw it, I thought I would never eat that. It is so good, I could probably eat the entire bowl to myself!

Cowboy Dip

2 can shoe peg corn, drained
1 can black eyed peas, drained
1 Roma tomato, chopped
1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped
1 bunch of green onions, chopped
2 cloves garlic crushed or 1 Tbs. garlic from a jar
1 avocado shopped
2 tsp. cumin
1/4 tsp pepper
3/4 tsp. salt
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 cup virgin olive oil (don't use light, yuck)

Mix all together and serve with tortilla chips. It is best with the scoop chips.

Ruth's Potato Salad

I do not like mustard, pickles, or olives that people always put in potato salad, so I made up my own version. Everyone who eats it has loved it. Yes, it is different, but good!

Ruth's Potato Salad

5 med. size potato's peeled, diced, and boiled until soft( do not overcook)
3 hard boiled eggs
2 stalks celery chopped
1/2 bunch of green onion chopped
4 radishes cut in half and then sliced
1 tsp. lemon juice
4 Tbs. mayonnaise
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper

Mix all together. Chill in the fridge for at least an hour and then serve.

No Bake Cookies

My husband says this really isn't a recipe and shouldn't be counted as one. He doesn't like these cookies, can you tell! I love them and so do my kids!( plus they are so easy!!)

No Bake Cookies

2 cups sugar
1/2 cup milk
1 stick butter (1/2 cup)
3 TBS. coco dash of salt

Bring to boil and then remove from heat and add

1/2 cup peanut butter
1 tsp. vanilla
4 cups oatmeal

Place mixture on wax paper and then cool in fridge for at least 10 min. You can make the cookie any size you want.

Mrs. Field's Chocolate Chip Cookies

Mrs. Field's Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 pound soft butter
1 1/2 cup white sugar
2 cups brown sugar packed
3 eggs
In a mixer, cream these ingredients together. Then add

6 cups flour
1 1.2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt

Mix, then add

5 cups chocolate chips
2 cups walnut (optional)
Mix

Line your cookie sheet with wax paper. Cook cookies at 350 for 8-10 min.


I am not sure if these are really Mrs. Fields or not, but that is what we called it growing up and I think they are the best cookies ever!! These are not flat cookies. And they make a lot. (It took me forever to find this recipe, my sister had it and I was so excited!!)

Chocolate Peanut Butter Fudge Crunch

Chocolate Peanut Butter Fudge Crunch

1 cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 sticks butter
2 cups peanut butter
3 cups rice cereal
1/4 tsp. salt
3 cups powdered sugar


Line a 9 X 13 pan with parchment paper. In a sauce pan melt half of the chocolate chips and 1 Tbs. of the butter on low heat. Remove from heat and add 1 cup of the peanut butter and 2 cups of the rice cereal. Spread evenly in the bottom of the pan. With the back of the spoon, press it down so it is firm, but not smashed. Put in the fridge to cool.


In another saucepan add the rest of the remaining butter and salt, melt. Remove from heat and the other cup of peanut butter and then the powdered sugar. Stir. Then spread half of the mixture on top of the the other layer of chocolate rice cereal. Lightly top with the last cup of rice cereal and press down lightly.


In a small bowl microwave the remaining chocolate chips and stir into the remaining peanut butter mixture you saved. Spread evenly and put in fridge for about 45 min. When cool take parchment paper with fudge out of the pan and cut into even squares.
You can cut these into very small squares because it is so rich.

Indian Curry

Indian Curry

4 chicken breasts diced (raw)
1 24 oz can Crushed Tomatoes
1 14 oz. can tomatoes sauce
1/2 cup onion chopped very small
3 Tbs. curry powder
2 Tbs. ground ginger
2 tsp. chili powder
2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. garam marsala (optional- gives it a very slight musky sweet taste)

Add all ingredients in a pan a on med-low or crock pot cook until chicken is cooked. Serve over rice. This is a little spicy. If you don't want it to be, cut the ginger and chili powder by half.

I will add pictures when I download my camera.

Creamy Chicken Enchiladas

Creamy Chicken Enchiladas

4 breasts chicken cooked and diced
1o flour tortilla's
2 cans cream of chicken soup
1 cup sour cream
3/4 pkg. of cream cheese
1 small can green chilies
1 bunch green onion chopped
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/4 tsp. red chili pepper flakes
2 cups grated cheese

In a bowl combine all ingredients. Then spread about 1/2 cup of mixture in the bottom of a 11 x 14 lightly greased pan. Then scoop mixture evenly into all 10 tortilla's. Saving about 1/2 cup of mixture. Then fold tortilla's and put them in the pan. It is ok if they are squished. Then add the mixture to the top. Then add 1/2 more grated cheese to the top. Take a piece of tin-foil that will cover then whole pan and spray lightly with Pam. (This prevents the cheese from sticking to the foil) Cover and cook in an oven of 350 for 40 min.

Beef Stew

Beef Stew

2 cups cut and diced stew meat or roast
4 cups water
5 carrots peeled and sliced
1/2 onion chooped
6-7 potatoes peeled and diced
1 14oz. can crushed tomatoes
1 tsp pepper
2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. brown gravy mix or 3 beef bullion
2 bay leaf- (optional)
1 tsp. parsley flake- (optional)

Put all the ingredients in a crock-pot and cook 6-7 hours. Then serve. You can cook this on the stove-top but sometimes the meat is not as tender.

Crock-pot Teriyaki Chicken

Crock-pot Teriyaki Chicken

4 breasts chicken
1/4 onion sliced into strips
3/4 cup soy sauce
1 cup sprite
1 1/2 tsp. ginger
1 tsp garlic powder
2 chicken bullion

Put all ingredients into the crock-pot and cook. I did add the dry ingredients to the soy sauce and mixed it before I put it in the pot so that it wouldn't be clumpy.

Then I put the chicken on steamed white rice with steamed veggies. Use some of the sauce from the crock-pot on the rice.

Rocky Road Brownies

Rocky Road Brownies- From the Tates Kitchen~

3 boxes of fudge brownie mix

Follow instructions on the box and then add to a jelly roll pan (lg cookie sheet), then when they are done, you cover the top with mini marshmellows, heat another 3-5 minutes until they are gooey, about to turn brown. Then pour this yummy frosting over the top and let them sit for an hour if possible to set before cutting into them! If you like nuts... sprinkle over the top, but that's optional!

Chocolate sauce


In a small sauce pan, bring
1 cube butter
5 T. milk to boil.
Then lower heat and add
4 T. cocoa powder
1 box powdered sugar, and stir well.
If it's still really really thick, you can add 1 t. milk. Then add 1 t. vanilla last. The mixture should be just thin enough to pour over the top of the marshmellows!

Cavatapi Amatriciana

AMATRICIANA SAUCE

1/4 cup butter
1 cup chopped onion
3 ounces pancetta-sliced
1/4-inch thick, then cut into 1/4-inch dice
3 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 (35-ounce) diced tomatoes with their juices
Pinch of Salt and freshly ground pepper (go easy on the salt as the cheese is too salty)
1/4 cup Romano cheese

**In a large saucepan, heat the oil. Sauté the diced pancetta with the garlic and crushed red pepper over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until golden, about 5 minutes. Add the tomato and cook, stirring, Stir in the salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Simmer the sauce over low heat, stirring occasionally, until it thickens and is reduced to 3 cups, about 30 minutes. Add the cheese now.**Important add Romano cheese 1/4 at the end of the cooking period.

Then add to Cellentani noodles, (a hollow noodle that is swirled).

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies-HEALTHY

2 eggs
¼ cup vegetable oil
½ cup unsweetened applesauce
1 cup white sugar
½ cup packed brown sugar
½ tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. salt
2 cups flour
2 1/2 cups rolled oats
1 cup raisins
½ cup walnuts(optional)

Add eggs, oil, applesauce, sugars, in a bowl and mix. then all the dry ingredients. Then
cook at 350 until golden brown on tips of cookies 10-12 min.

Tomato Bruschetta

Tomato Bruschetta

7-8 Roma Tomatoes- chopped in to very small pieces
3 cloves of garlic minced
1/2 chopped red onion
5-6 leaves FRESH Basil
3 Tbs. Olive oil
1 Tbs. balsamic vinegar
1/4 tsp. sea salt
1/4 tsp fresh cracked pepper
fresh grated Parmesan cheese (optional)
Mix all together in a large bowl. Then add on top of sourdough bread either toasted or brushed with olive oil and then toasted.

Muffins

Muffins

1 3/4 cups flour
1/3 cup sugar
(2 Tbs. extra sugar if you add any fruit or jam)
2 tsp. baking powder
1 beaten egg
3/4 cup milk
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 tsp. salt
Mix all together and then add what ever else you want to jazz it up. ( raisins, cranberries, nuts, cinnamon, rasberry jam, chocolate chips, ect..) Put into greased muffin tin. No liners. The chocolate chip ones I added 2 Tbs. milk and 2 Tbs. cocoa. Bake at 400 for about 20 min. Makes 10-12

Chili

Chili

1 lb. hamburger meat or stew meat
1 can 16oz. crushed tomatoes
1 cup water
½ chopped red pepper
½ cup chopped finely carrots
½ onion chopped finely
2 Tbs. chopped finely chipotles in adobo sauce
2 tsp. cumin
2 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. oregano
1 tsp. salt
4 cans of whatever beans you like, mix them up. Drain and rinse them
(black, light red kidney, white, pinto, dark red kidney)

Take onions, carrots, and red pepper in 1 Tbs. olive oil and cook until nearly soft. Then add meat until brown. Then put all ingredients into crock-pot. The more chipotle peppers you put in the hotter it will be. the 2 Tbs. makes it pretty hot! I like the stew meat, it makes it a little fancy. I chop everything finely because my kids don’t like big chunks of anything. Very Good!

Caramel Popcorn

Caramel Popcorn

1/2 cup butter
1 cup Karo Syrup
1 cup brown sugar
1 can sweetened condensed milk

Put all ingredients in a sauce pan and bring to a boil. Then pour over popcorn. If you want to use microwave popcorn. I reduce the butter to about 1/3 of a cup. And pour over 3 bags of popcorn. Since microwave popcorn has butter already on it. It is nice because it is salted too.

Sausage Lentil Soup

Sausage Lentil Soup

2 links Jimmy Dean Italian Sausage(casing removed)
or 1/2 package Jimmy Dean sage sausage (I prefer this one)
1/2 onion chopped finely
2 carrots chopped finely
1/2 green pepper chopped finely
2 Roma tomatoes chopped finely
2 TBS. olive oil
2 TBS. chicken bullion base or hard chicken bullion
1 tsp. red chili pepper flakes
1 TBS. oregano flakes
1 TBS. basil flakes
1/4 tsp. black ground pepper
1 tsp. salt (I prefer sea salt)
1 cup green lentils
1 cup pink lentils (you can get them at sprouts)
4 cups water
Cook sausage in a pan. When cooked add to pan olive oil, carrots, green pepper, and onion. Cook until soft. In soup pot put the rest of the ingredients. Cook on high for 10 min. then add ingredients from other pan. Put on med low and cook for 40 min. optional-Serve with grated Parmesan cheese.

Salsa

Salsa

2 cans organic roasted tomatoes 14.5 oz.
1 1/2 jalapeno pepper (don't de-seed them)
1 bunch of green onions

3 garlic cloves
2 tsp. salt
Juice from one lemon or from 3 key limes (I prefer the limes)
1/4 bunch of cilantro

~I put it all in my food processor at the same time. My kids don't like big chunks so I blend it a bit. So they can scoop it up and eat it without big chunks of tomatoes or onion.

Salmon

Bell Pepper & Butter Salmon

4 3oz. pieces of salmon
1 cube butter (1/2 cup)
4 leaves of basil cut into strips
1/2 of green pepper cut into strips
1/2 red pepper (optional) cut into strips
1 Tbsp. lemon juice

Cook slowly in a pan. until butter dissolves, and peppers are starting to get soft. Add a little of the butter to your salmon before putting it on the grill. Salt and pepper your salmon on the grill. Cook salmon. While you are waiting for salmon to cook, still keep cooking the peppers. When the salmon is done dump the entire pan of peppers and lemon butter over the fish and then serve.

S'mores

~S'mores~
2 1/2 size graham crackers
1 roasted marshmallow
2 melted Hersey's kiss
I melt the the chocolate before hand in a pan and spread them on half of the cracker. The when you are done roasting your marshmallow. You add it to the cracker and put the other half on top. It is the only way to do it!! The candy bar never melts. That's why you do the kisses. Yummy!

Spanish Rice

~Spanish Rice~

1 ½ cups of rice
1 Tbs. oil

On Med-high put rice and oil in your pan. Stirring the whole time until rice until no longer clear, but almost white like popcorn. And you think it may pop too. Almost to a light tan. (It takes longer than just a few min.)

2 ½ cups water
1 tsp. salt
1 can El Pato Jalapeño Salsa (you can put less in and it won't be as spicy)

Add ingredients slowly the rice. It is very hot so be careful. Cook until it is a high boil. Turn off the heat and put a lid on the pan. Leave it for 10 min. Then before eating- fluff the rice with a fork and eat!

Then for a meat to put in tortilla's I add about 4 chicken breasts in my crock pot with both of these El Pato cans poured over the top. When the chicken is cooked. I shred the chicken and put in my tortilla! SO Yummy! And SOOO EASY!!!