Crockpot Beef Stroganoff

Crockpot Beef Stroganoff
2 pounds cubed stew meat
2 cans Condensed Golden Mushroom Soup
1 largish onion diced
3-4 Tbsp of Worcestershire
1/2 water
8 oz of cream cheese
couple of dashes of Garlic Salt
Salt and Pepper to taste
couple dashes of Hot Paprika

In the slow cooker stir in all the ingredients, except the meat AND the Cream Cheese, together. Once combined add the meat and mix together.

Cook on Low for 8 hours. Cut up the cream cheese into cubes just before serving and turn crockpot on high. Stir the cream cheese in until all combined. You might have to put the lid back on and leave for 10 minutes.
Serve with pasta or mashed potatoes.

Baked Spaghetti with Cream Cheese

Baked Spaghetti with Cream Cheese
(from http://www.salad-in-a-jar.com/)
8 ounces uncooked spaghetti 

1 pound ground beef or sausage 

1 large can spaghetti sauce (26.5 ounces) 

1 tablespoon butter 

1/2 cup chopped green peppers 

1/3 cup chopped onions 

8 ounces cream cheese 

2 tablespoons milk 

Fresh grated Parmesan cheese 

French Fried Onions (small can) 

1. Cook spaghetti according to directions on the package. Cook to al dente, drain and set 

aside. 

2. Brown ground beef or sausage. Drain excess grease. Add spaghetti sauce to skillet and heat. 

3. Combine onions, peppers and butter in small glass bowl. Cover and microwave 4 

minutes on HIGH until soft. 

4. Add cream cheese and milk to vegetables and stir well. (If cream cheese is not soft, 

nuke it for 20-30 seconds to make it easy to spread.) 

5. Using a 10 x 6 dish, assemble in the following order: 

6. Thin layer of spaghetti sauce on the bottom of the casserole dish. 

7. Spaghetti 

8. Cream cheese/vegetable mixture 

9. Spaghetti sauce 

10. Parmesan Cheese (amount subject to your own taste) 

11. French Fried Onions (added during last 5 minutes of cooking) 

12. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. Top with French Fried onion and continue baking 5 

more minutes.

Alice Springs Chicken

This is kind of a rip off of the Alice Springs Chicken at Outback Steakhouse.  It originally called for 10 strips of bacon, but I try my best not to clog our arteries too much with one meal, so I cut it in half.  It also calls for sauteed mushrooms (2 cups) but no one in my family will eat those, so I leave them out.  It is really delicious.... my mouth is watering just thinking about it.

Alice Springs Chicken

4 chicken breasts, cut into strips
5 strips bacon, cooked and crumbled
salt, pepper, and paprika to taste
1 C shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1 cup Cheddar cheese

Honey Mustard Marinade:

1/2 cup dijon mustard
1/2 cup honey
1 tsp veg. oil
1/2 tsp lemon juice

Soak chicken in 2/3 cups of the marinade for 4 hours, or overnight.  Pan fry the chicken until browned up on all sides.  Place the chicken in a casserole dish and brush with a little of the remaining marinade.  Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and a dash of paprika.  Put the bacon, crumbled up, and cheeses on top.  Bake for 10 minutes or until done at 375 degrees.  Serve with remaining marinade.

Sugar Gems

These are my favorite sugar cookie to make.  You don't have to roll them out and cut them.  You just scoop them, roll them in sugar, and smash them a little bit.  Everyone who eats these just raves about them, so I am not alone in my addiction.  I usually make a cream cheese frosting to put on top, but I've made them with chocolate frosting too.  Both are really good.

Sugar Gems

from melskitchencafe.com

Cream together:
1 cup powdered sugar
1 cup sugar
1 cup oil
1 cup butter, softened
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla

Add:
5 cups flour
1 tsp cream of tarter
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda

Mix all ingredients well. Roll into golf size balls and roll in some granulated sugar. Flatten with bottom of glass dipped in sugar. Bake at 350 for 8-10 minutes. Bake until just starting to crack.  Don't let them get brown.  Cool and frost with frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting
1 block cream cheese
1 stick butter
lots of powdered sugar
vanilla flavoring


Cream together the cream cheese and butter.  Whip it for a little while.  Add powdered sugar and some vanilla flavoring until it tastes the way you like it.  I usually do about 2 tsp vanilla and half a bag of powdered sugar.

White Chicken Enchilada Bake

This recipe was from The Pioneer Woman, but I kind of changed it to fit us a little better.

White Chicken Enchilada Bake

2 cups shredded chicken
2 cups chicken broth
1 Tbsp oil
10 or so flour tortillas
1 large onion, diced
6-8 large roasted green chilies, diced
1 tsp smoked paprika
1/2 cups heavy cream
2 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp flour
1 cup sour cream
2 1/2 cups monterey jack cheese, grated
salt and pepper

Heat oil in skillet over medium heat.  Add onions and saute for 1 minute.  Add chicken, half the green chilies, and 1/2 tsp paprika.  Stir together.  Add 1/2 cup chicken broth and stir.  Add cream and stir, allowing mixture to bubble and get hot.  Turn off heat and set aside.

In separate skillet, melt butter and add flour.  Whisk together and cook over medium heat for 1 minute.  Pour in remaining chicken broth.  Whisk together and cook for another minute.  Stir in the other half of the chilies.  Reduce heat and stir in sour cream.  Add 1 1/2 cups grated cheese and stir to melt.  Add 1/2 tsp paprika.  Add salt and pepper to taste.

To assemble, spoon a little bit of the sauce in the bottom of a 9X13 baking dish.  Put 1/2 chicken on top. Add a layer of tortilla.  Add 1/3 sauce.  Add 1/2 chicken.  Layer tortilla.  Pour remaining sauce over the top.  Top with extra cheese.  Bake for about 35 minutes at 350 degrees.  Let it set for about 15 minutes before serving.

Pizza Pasta

Pizza Pasta

1 lb pasta of choice
2 cloves of garlic, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
2 jars spaghetti sauce
2 pkgs spaghetti sauce mix
8 oz cubed pepperoni, or mini pepperoni slices
2-3 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded
salt, pepper
2 Tbsp oil

Brown up the cubed pepperoni, or mini pepperoni slices, in the oil.  Add the onion and bell pepper and saute for 3 or 4 minutes.  Add the garlic and cook another minute.  Add the spaghetti sauce and sauce mixes.  Season the sauce with salt and pepper.  Cook on low while you cook up the pasta.  Boil the pasta until mostly cooked but so it still has a bite to it.  Drain.

In a 9X13 baking dish, pour 1/3 of the sauce in the bottom.  Put 1/2 the noodles on top.  Top with mozzarella cheese.  Add another 1/3 of sauce, 1/2 noodles, 1/3 sauce, and the rest of the cheese.  Bake for 30-35 minutes at 350 degrees.  Broil for a few minutes at the end to brown up the cheese a little bit.  Let it rest for about 10-15 minutes before serving.

S'mores Cookies

I made these for a BBQ on Labor Day.  They were delicious.  That's all I have to say.  The kids really love them because they have marshmallows and chocolate AND they are on a cookie.

S'Mores Cookies
Adapted from jamiecooksitup.blogspot.com

1 1/4 cup graham cracker crumbs
6 T butter, melted
1 T sugar
dash salt

1 C butter, softened
2 C brown sugar
2 eggs
2 T milk
2 t vanilla
1 t baking soda
2 t baking powder
1/2 t salt
3 1/2 C flour
2 1/2 C milk chocolate chips
 
24 large marshmallows
4 small 1.55 oz Hershey bars  
  
 
 To your graham cracker crumbs add 6 T melted butter,1 T sugar and a dash of salt.  Stir and  set the crumbly mixture aside. 

Place your softened butter and brown sugar into a large mixing bowl. Beat on medium speed until the ingredients are nicely creamed together, about 2 minutes.   Add your eggs, milk and vanilla and mix for another 2 minutes. In a separate bowl combine your baking soda, baking powder, salt and flour. Add it to your creamed mixture and mix until combined.  Toss in your chocolate chips and mix yet again, just until the chips are evenly distributed.  Grab your graham cracker crumbs and pour them into the cookie dough. Using a wooden spoon, or your hands smash them into the cookie dough. 


 Roll the dough into 2 inch balls, place them on a lightly sprayed cookie sheet and bake at 350 for about 6 minutes, or just until the cookies begin to crack. While your cookies are in the oven, cut the large marshmallows in half. Press a marshmallow piece into the center of each hot cookie. Return the sheet to the oven and bake for about 1 1/2 more minutes allowing the marshmallows to puff up and get all wonderful and delicious. Remove the sheet from the oven. Let the cookies sit for about 2 minutes, then press one Hershey bar piece into the center of the marshmallow. Remove the cookies from the sheet and allow them to finish cooling on a wire rack. 

   

Pumpkin Bread

I made this pumpkin bread yesterday and it is officially my favorite recipe.  The kids really love it too.  Originally it was supposed to have chocolate chips in it, but I left them out.  I am "trying" to be healthy.  Kind of.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread

adapted from melskitchencafe.com

*Note: This bread tastes best when it has cooled completely for a few hours and tastes even better the next day.

*Makes 2 (9X5-inch loaves) or 3 (8X4-inch loaves)

2 ½ cups white flour

1 cup whole wheat flour

3 cups granulated sugar

2 teaspoons baking soda

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 teaspoon salt

2 cups pumpkin puree (not pie filling)

1 cup vegetable oil

4 large eggs

2/3 cup water

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease two 9x5-inch loaf pans or three 8x4-inch loaf pans.

In a large bowl, mix flours, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt together. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together canned pumpkin, oil, eggs and 2/3 cup water until well combined and stir into dry ingredients, just until the dry ingredients are moistened and no dry streaks remain. Stir in chocolate chips, if using. Pour batter in prepared pans.

Bake the bread for 60 to 70 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove the bread from the oven and let sit for 10-15 minutes. Run a knife gently around the edge of the bread and turn the bread out, right side up, onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Here is the one and only recipe I use for chocolate chip cookies.  It is the best recipe I've found.  It makes a million cookies, even after I eat half of the dough.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 c. shortening
1 c. margarine
1 cup granulated sugar
2 cups brown sugar, packed
2 eggs
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp vanilla
4-5 cups flour (depending on how the dough feels)
1 pkg chocolate chips

Cream shortening, margarine, and sugars together.  Add the eggs, one at a time.  Add the vanilla.  Add dry ingredients.  With the flour, I usually end up needing about 4 1/3 cups but sometimes I need a little more or less.  The dough shouldn't be crumbly or runny.  It needs to be thick enough to stay in a shape but not so thick that it crumbles to pieces.  Add in the chocolate chips.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Drop the cookie dough on a cookie sheet (no need to grease it because of the copious amounts of shortening and margarine in the dough...)  Make them as big or small as you like.  I use a cookie scoop that is about 2 Tbsp per cookie.  Bake for about 8 minutes, give or take.  Do not let them over bake.  Take them out before they get brown all around.  Let them cool for a minute and then move them to the counter or a wire rack, if you feel the need to be fancy.

Caramel Popcorn

This is hands down the best caramel popcorn recipe I have ever had.  Julie, my sister, made it for us to eat while we watched the fireworks on the 4th of July and I could have eaten every single drop and not shared at all.  It stays soft and gooey.  Oh.... it is just so so good.

It is delicious.

2 C. Brown sugar
1/2 C. corn syrup
1 C. Butter
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla
3/4 tsp. baking soda
3 bags microwave popcorn

Pop the popcorn and put it on a greased cookie sheet.  Get all of the kernels off the bottom of the pan.  Set aside and wait for the gooey delicious caramel.

Melt butter, sugar, syrup and salt, stirring constantly until it boils. Boil without stirring for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir soda and vanilla completely into mixture. Pour over popped popcorn. Double the batch because you will eat at least half of it before you share with anyone.

Creamy Tomato Pasta

This is so delicious, and it freezes well.  I made a bunch of sauce for when I had Griffin and stuck it in the freezer.  All you have to do is defrost, warm on the stove, and pour over cooked pasta.  It is so good.  So so good.  Really bad picture.  Really delicious pasta.

Creamy Tomato Pasta

4 Tbsp butter
1 small onion, chopped finely
3 cans tomato sauce (8 oz each)
1 tsp sugar
1/2 cup cream cheese
salt
pepper
1 pound pasta, cooked.  I like Penne the best.

Melt the butter in sauce pan.  Add the onion and saute for a minute.  Add the tomato sauce and sugar.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes or so.  Add cream cheese and stir until it has melted into the sauce.  Bring to a boil and let simmer for 1 minute more.  Add salt and pepper to taste.

Cook pasta as directed and drain.  Add the sauce and serve.  Serve with grated parmesan cheese.

Ham and Swiss Stromboli

Ok, so this is one of the top requested meals at our house.  It is really versatile and can be switched around according to taste.

Ham and Swiss Stromboli

French Bread dough-either a scratch recipe or the Pillsbury refrigerator dough
Deli Ham (10-15 ounces)
Sliced or shredded Swiss cheese (12-16 ounces)
Salt, pepper, garlic salt, onion powder
Optional ingredients: bacon or green onions

Roll out french bread dough.  Layer the deli ham and Swiss cheese down the middle of the dough, leaving excess dough at the edges.  If you are adding bacon and/or green onions, layer them in as much as you would like.  I sprinkle garlic salt, pepper, and onion powder sporadically as I feel needed.  Once it is to where I like it, I fold the excess dough over the top of the meat and cheese.  Pinch the edges so they don't open up in the oven.  Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  Cut slits in the top of the dough and bake for about 20-30 minutes, until the dough is done and cheese is melted.  Let it cool for about 15 minutes or so before slicing and serving.  Delicious.

French Bread dough (recipe from melskitchencafe.com)

3/4 cups warm water

1/2 tablespoon active dry yeast

1 tablespoon granulated sugar

1 tablespoon canola oil

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 cups all-purpose flour, give or take a few tablespoons

In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the warm water and yeast and let the yeast proof and bubble for 3 minutes or so.  Add sugar, oil, salt, and 1 cup of flour. Begin mixing and continue to add the rest of the flour gradually until the dough has pulled away from the sides of the bowl. Judge the dough not by the amount of flour called for in the recipe but in how the dough feels. The dough should be soft and smooth but still slightly tacky to the touch.

Knead the dough in the stand mixer or by hand until it is very smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes in a stand mixer or 8-10 minutes by hand. Lightly spray a large bowl with cooking spray and place the dough in the bowl. Cover the bowl with lightly greased plastic wrap. Let the dough rise until it has doubled (this usually takes about an hour).  Roll out on a greased cookie sheet to use for the stromboli.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

These are my favorite peanut butter chocolate chip cookie.  They are moist and delicious and not at all crumbly.  Every time I make these I get so many compliments.  One person even said they were the best cookie he had ever had and has asked Paul to bring them over at least a dozen times.  Delicious.  

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

from melskitchencafe.com

*Makes about 4-5 dozen

1 cup butter, softened to room temperature

2 cups smooth or chunky peanut butter

1 ½ cups firmly packed light brown sugar

1 cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs

1 ½ tablespoons milk

1 ½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract

2 ½ cups all-purpose flour

1 ½ teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

2 cups chocolate chips (or a combination of peanut butter and chocolate chips)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

In bowl combine the butter and peanut butter and beat the mixture until it is light and fluffy. Add the brown and white sugars and mix until well combined. Add the eggs and mix for 1-2 minutes, until the mixture is well combined and light in color. Add the milk and vanilla and mix. Add the dry ingredients and mix just briefly. While there are still large spots of flour, add the chocolate chips (or peanut butter chips or both) and mix until the flour is completely mixed in and the mixture is well combined. Let the cookie dough sit for 15 minutes before scooping onto the baking sheets.

When ready to bake, scoop tablespoon-sized balls of dough onto silpat or parchment-lined baking sheets leaving about 1 to 2 inches in between the cookies to allow for spreading as they bake. Bake for 9-11 minutes, taking care not to overbake in the slightest! Leave the cookies on the baking sheet for 2-3 minutes after baking before removing them to a cooling rack. This will help them set up and be firm enough to transfer without having them overbake in the oven.

Strawberry Shortcake Muffins

Oh my.  These are so so very good.  You can change out the fruit and yogurt on these.  I've done them with peaches and peach yogurt and they are so spectacular.  I have heard you can use blueberries with blueberry yogurt as well.  Oh, the possibilities.....

Strawberry Shortcake Muffins

Makes 12 muffins

1/2 cup butter, softened (I use salted)

1/2 cup strawberry yogurt

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla

1 1/2 cups flour

1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt

1 cup chopped fresh strawberries

Combine sugar, eggs, yogurt, butter, and vanilla.  Add in dry ingredients.  Fold in strawberries.  Line muffin/cupcake pan with muffin liners.  Fill to the top.  These muffins don't puff up a lot, or at all, really.  Bake at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes.  Wait until they cool down a little bit because if you eat them while they are hot you will burn your mouth.  Trust me.  I just did.

Also, make sure to try the batter before you put it in the muffin liners.  It is delicious.  Just don't eat all of it, or you won't have any muffins to eat later.  And that would be a tragedy.

Mashed Potatoes

Paul and I joke that these potatoes are only 50% potato and 50% added fat.... it's really true.  There is no exact science to them.  You just add stuff until they taste like you want them to taste.  Paul loves them so I make them for all the major occasions.

Mashed Potatoes

Russet Potatoes (about 2 potatoes per person you are feeding)
Cream cheese
Butter
Heavy whipping cream
Salt
Pepper
Seasoned Salt

Fill a stockpot about half full of water, or so.  Peel and wash potatoes.  Cut into 1 inch pieces and put in stockpot.  Boil on high until fork done (poke a fork in it and if it kind of falls apart, it is done.)  Drain and put back in stockpot.  I add 1/2 brick of cream cheese, 1 stick of butter, and 1/3 cup of whipping cream for about every 6-7 potatoes.  But I add it a little bit at a time just to make sure I don't make them too runny.  I mash the potatoes with a masher, not an electric mixer.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  It usually comes to about 1 tsp of salt and pepper each.  Add about 1 tsp of seasoned salt.  Taste and add more if needed.  The more potatoes, the more seasoning is needed.

Once they are done, put in a baking dish and bake in the oven at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes.  You can make these a day ahead of time and keep them in the fridge.  Just bake them in the oven for a little bit longer.  Delicious.  But not fat free.

Giant Cookie

This is both Zoey and Deacon's favorite FHE treat.  They think it is so much fun to eat a cookie that is bigger than their heads.  It's another recipe from melskitchencafe.com.  She has such delicious recipes.

1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup butter, melted and cooled
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a medium bowl, cream together the sugars and butter. Add the egg and vanilla and mix. Add the dry ingredients and mix well. Fold in the chocolate chips.

Line a large (11X17-inch) baking pan with foil and press the cookie into a circle. I press my cookie into a 9-inch circle, about 1/4 to 3/8-inch thick. 

If desired, top the cookie with M&M's or any other garnishes. Bake for 13-16 minutes until the cookie is lightly golden brown. Let the cookie cool completely on the baking pan - this helps the cookie stabilize and set so it can be easily lifted off the pan. Once cool, gently use the foil to lift the cookie off the pan.

Or just eat it straight off the pan, like we usually do.

The BEST Cheesecake

I made this cheesecake the other night for a BBQ and remembered how incredible it is.  The best cheesecake, hands down.  And so easy.  I got it off of melskitchencafe.com.  I think her food is spectacular.  I changed it a little bit to my liking....

Crust:

2 cups finely ground graham crackers (about 40 squares)

2 tablespoons sugar

1/2 - 3/4 cup butter, melted

Filling:

2 (8-ounce) blocks cream cheese, room temperature

1 cup sugar

3 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 lemon, zest finely grated (optional, but delicious)

1 pint (2 cups) sour cream

To prepare crumb crust: In a mixing bowl, combine the crust ingredients together with a fork until evenly moistened. Lightly coat the bottom and sides of a 10-inch spring form pan with non-stick cooking spray. Firmly press the mixture over the bottom and 1-inch up the sides on the pan, use your fingers or the smooth bottom of a glass. Refrigerate the crust while preparing the filling.

To prepare filling: In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese on low speed for 1 minute just until smooth and free of any lumps. Gradually add the sugar and beat until creamy, 1 to 2 minutes.

Periodically scrape down the sides of the bowl and the beaters. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, and continue to slowly beat until combined. Stir in the vanilla and lemon zest. Blend in the sour cream. The batter should be well mixed but not over beaten. Over beating incorporates too much air and will cause the cake to puff when baking, then fall and crack when cooling. Pour filling into the crust-lined pan and smooth the top with a spatula.

Bake in a preheated 325 degree oven for 50-55 minutes. The cheesecake should still jiggle slightly, it will firm up after chilling. Be careful not to overcook! Do not do a toothpick test in the cake’s center, this will make a crack. Loosen the cheesecake from the sides of the pan by running a thin metal spatula around the inside rim. Let cool in the pan for 30 minutes. Chill in the refrigerator, loosely covered, for at least 4 hours to set up.  Overnight is the best.   Demold and transfer to a cake plate. If you like, you can drizzle chocolate or caramel over the cheesecake.  I usually do semisweet chocolate because I like the contrast.  Slice the cheesecake with a thin, nonserrated knife that has been dipped in hot water and wiped dry after each cut, if you need it to look really pretty.  I don't usually do this and it turns out just fine.

Ham and Potato Casserole

This is basically all of the best parts of Sunday ham dinners put in a casserole.  So good.

Ham and Potato Casserole

4-5 large potatoes

1 medium onion, grated

8 Tbsp margarine, melted

3 eggs, slightly beaten

2 heaping Tbsp flour

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

1 cup milk

1 cup ham

grated cheese

Peel and grate potatoes.  Combine all ingredients and spoon into well greased 9X13 baking dish.  Sprinkle grated cheese on top.  Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour or until well browned on top.

Chicken Lasagna

This is pretty much the most delicious of lasagnas.  It has cream cheese.  Enough said.

Chicken Lasagna

12 lasagna noodles, cooked as directed but slightly underdone

16 oz shredded mozzarella cheese

2 pkg cream cheese

3-4 chicken breasts cooked and shredded

2 chicken bouillon cubes

2 jars favorite spaghetti sauce (I like Ragu Roasted Garlic)

Mix cream cheese with chicken.  Add in 1/2 cup hot water with the chicken bouillon cubes dissolved in it.  Layer in 9X13 pan  the chicken first, sauce next, noodles, chicken, sauce, cheese, noodles, sauce, and end with cheese.

Cover with foil and bake at 375 degrees for 40 minutes.  Remove foil and continue baking for 10-15 minutes.  

Meat Tornadoes aka Creamy Chicken Burritos

This recipe is from Jana, who got it from ourbestbites.com and adapted it for a burrito-eating family.  Luckily, we are a burrito-eating family.  These are spectacular with guacamole.  Really delicious.  

Meat Tornadoes

1 package (8 oz.) cream cheese

1/2 cup green enchilada sauce

Lime juice from 1 lime

2 teaspoons chili powder

1 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon onion powder

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/3-1/2 cup chopped cilantro

3-4 green onions, sliced

2-3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked & shredded

1 cup grated cheese (cheddar/monterey jack/pepper jack) 

flour tortillas

cooking spray

kosher salt

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with tinfoil and spray with some cooking spray.

Soften cream cheese in microwave for 20-30 seconds or until nice and soft and melty.  Stir in green enchilada sauce, lime juice and spices until well mixed and then add the cilantro and green onions.  Stir in chicken and cheese and combine well. 

Working with 3-4 tortillas at a time, briefly heat in microwave so they are malleable and easier to work with.  If you skip this step some (or all) might break down the side when you roll them up.  Spoon in about 1/3 cup of chicken.  Roll them up tightly and place seam side down on your baking sheet, making sure that they are not touching.  Lightly spray the tops of the tortillas with cooking spray and sprinkle with kosher salt.  Bake for 15-20 minutes or until crisp and edges start to turn golden brown.

Butterscotch Oatmeal Cookies

These are delicious.  I hate oatmeal cookies that are dry and crumbly, and these are not at all.  I know, because I ate about a dozen of them today.


Butterscotch Oatmeal Cookies
(could use any kind of chip for these...milk, semisweet, etc...)


1 C butter, softened
1 C sugar
1 C brown sugar
2 eggs
2 t vanilla
2 C flour
1 t salt
2 t baking powder
1 t baking soda
1/2 t cinnamon 
3 C oatmeal (quick cooking variety is best)
1   11 oz butterscotch chips

 Toss your butter, sugar and brown sugar into your stand mixer or into a large mixing bowl. Cream together for at least 3 minutes.
 Add the eggs and vanilla and cream for another 3 minutes.  
 Add the dry ingredients to your creamed mixture. Mix until combined, about 1 minute. 
 Toss in your butterscotch chips and your raisins. Mix just until combined. 
 Roll the dough into balls and place them on a cookie sheet sprayed with cooking spray. 
 Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 8 minutes. DO NOT OVER BAKE! In fact....these babies are just perfect if you take them out of the oven just after the cookies
begin to crack. Let them rest and cool for several minutes on the hot cookie sheet. Remove to a wire rack to finish cooling.


Taken from www.jamiecooksitup.blogspot.com

Jalapeno Popper Dip

2 8-oz. packages cream cheese, softened (light works great)

1 c. mayonnaise (light also works here, but DON’T use Miracle Whip!)

1 c. Parmesan cheese, grated
3 cloves garlic, pressed or finely minced
salt and pepper to taste

5-6 Jalapenos, seeded and diced
8oz bacon, cooked and crumbled

sliced baguettes, and/or crackers

Preheat oven to 350. If using bacon, reserve 2-3 Tbs and sprinkle on top of dip before baking.  Combine cream cheese, mayo, Parmesan, and garlic and stir until smooth.  Add salt and pepper.  Add jalapenos.  If using bacon, stir in bacon.  Spread dip into a 9″ pie plate or a small baking dish.  Sprinkle with remaining bacon if using.  Bake for 20-25 minutes or until dip is bubbly and golden brown.

Recipe stolen from www.ourbestbites.com

Broccoli Salad

This recipe is from my friend Molly's mother, Kathy. It is delicious. The end.

1 bunch fresh broccoli

1 lb bacon fried crisp and crumbled

1/2 Cup red onion chopped

1/2 Cup craisins

1/2 Cup sunflower seed meats

Wash, drain, and break broccoli florets. Add the rest of the ingredients.

Mix the dressing and add to salad.

Dressing:

3/4 C mayonnaise

2T red wine vinegar

1/4 C sugar

Serve chilled.

It makes a lot. I doubled it for a BBQ with about 20 people and there was plenty. PLENTY.

Recipes

I love to cook. I love to bake. As a family, we love to eat. Everyone has a lot of favorite recipes but it is really hard to keep track of all of them as I try to cook new meals every night and only repeat the very favorites once in a while. So, in an attempt to find a solution to this problem, I am starting a blog. When we have made it through all of the cookbooks, websites, etc... I will be able to print this into a family cookbook for everyone in our little family.

Why, might you ask, do I call it the Three Little Bears Cafe? Because we call our kids the three little bears. They are bears, really. Zo Bear, Deac Bear, and Griff Bear. This blog is for them and their future children so they will be able to cook their favorite meals for their own families.

So here we go.... wish me luck.