Sopa de Fideo

This dinner was super quick to whip up, done in under 30 minutes. The kids all agreed it was delicious! Serves 8

Ingredients:
1/2 onion, quartered
6-7 Roma tomatoes, quartered
1 tsp minced garlic
2 TBSPs chicken bouillon
2 TBSPs tomato bouillon
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
pinch of cumin
2 cups of water
2 TBSP olive oil
16 ounce package of fideo (or vermicelli)
another 4-5 cups of water
1-2 tsp fresh cilantro leaves

Directions:

1. In a blender place onion, tomatoes, minced garlic, chicken bouillon, tomato bouillon, pepper, cumin, and 2 cups of water. Puree until smooth and set aside
2. Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. When the oil is shimmering add the fideo. If using vermicelli break up the sticks into smaller sections. Stir for 1-2 minutes until fideo/vermicelli is slightly toasted, but not burned.
3. Stir in the pureed mixture into the fideo until the puree thickens and darkens, about 5 minutes.
4. Add remaining 4-5 cups of water and bring soup to a boil. Add in cilantro, cover and reduce to low heat and cook for 10 minutes or until pasta is tender.
5. Serve warm, topped with more fresh cilantro leaves if desired.

THE BEST baked chicken and rice casserole

Ingredients:
2 cups white rice
1 white onion diced
6 TBSP butter, melted
2 TBSP flour
5 cups chicken broth
1 cup heavy cream
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
4-6 chicken thighs
2 tsp Italian seasoning
1/2 tsp garlic powder

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 9x13 pan.
2. In the 9x13 pan stir rice, onion, 3 TBSP melted butter, and flour together until the flour has no more visible white specks. pour in chicken broth, heavy cream, salt, and pepper and stir to combine.
3. Place chicken thighs on top of the the rice mixture. Brush remaining melted butter on top and sprinkle with Italian seasoning and garlic powder.
4. Cover with aluminum foil and bake in the preheated oven for 1 hour. Remove foil and bake another 30 minutes until rice and chicken are cooked through and the chicken skin cripss up. Serve hot.

Crock Pot Salmon and Vegetables

Ingredients:
4-6 salmon fillets
1 package frozen vegetables (stir fry, asian, classic)
Salt and Pepper to taste
2 TBSP Soy Sauce
2 TBSP Honey
2 TBSP Lemon Juice
1 tsp sesame seeds, optional

Directions:

1. Dump the frozen vegetables in the slow cooker.
2. Season the salmon with salt and pepper to taste
3. Place the salmon on top of the vegetables.
4. Mix together the soy sauce, honey, and lemon juice. Drizzle it all over the salmon in the crock pot.
5. Sprinkle with sesame seeds, if using.
6. Cover and cook on LOW 3+ hours, until the salmon is done to your liking. 
7. Serve over rice, if desired.
8. Drizzle everything with the sauce from the slow cooker.

Instant Pot 15 Bean Ham Soup

Ingredients:
1 TBSP olive oil
2 large carrots, peeled and diced
2 stalks celery, diced
1 sweet onion, diced
1 package (20 ounces) Hurst's Beans 15 Bean Soup
8 cups chicken broth
1/4 tsp thyme
1 bay leaf
2 cups cooked diced ham
15 ounce can of diced tomatoes
1 teaspoon black pepper
salt to taste

Directions:

1. Turn Instant Pot to "saute" and add the oil to the pot. Once the oil is hot, add the carrots, celery, and onion and cook, stirring often, for 5 minutes.
2. Open the bean package and discard the ham seasoning. Rinse and sort through the beans. Add them to the Instant Pot along with the chicken broth, thyme, and bay leaf. 
3. Turn the Instant Pot to High Pressure and set the vent to "pressure." Cook on high pressure for 45 minutes.
4. Once the soup has cooked for 45 minutes, allow the pressure to release naturally - about 20 minutes.
5. Remove the lid and stir in the tomatoes, ham, and lemon juice. Add salt to taste. Stir well and let set for 5 minutes to allow the ham to heat through.
6. Serve hot.

Skillet Butternut Squash, Sausage, and Penne Pasta

Ingredients:
1/4 cup diced green onion
1 lb milk Italian sausage
6 cups low sodium chicken broth
12 oz penne pasta
3 cups peeled and diced butternut squash
3 cups coarsely chopped fresh spinach
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
salt and pepper to taste
freshly grated parmesan cheese

Directions:

1. In a large 12-inch nonstick skillet, combine the green onion and sausage. Cook over medium heat, breaking up the meat into small pieces, and cooking until the sausage is cooked through, 5-7 minutes. Scrape the mixture to a plate and return the skillet back to the heat.

1. Add the chicken broth and pasta and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to a simmer, and cook for about 8 minutes, stirring often to prevent sticking and the pasta clumping together. Stir in the squash and simmer 5-7 minutes longer until the squash and pasta are both tender. As the squash breaks down, it will help bring a creaminess to the sauce and pasta so add more liquid, if necessary, while cooking if the mixture seems dry.

1. Stir in the spinach and cook for 1-2 minutes until the spinach is wilted. Add the sausage/green onion mixture back to the skillet and stir in the mozzarella cheese and add salt and pepper to taste.

1. Off the heat, cover the skillet with a lid or foil and let the pasta sit for 5-10 minutes. Give it a good stir and serve with freshly grated Parmesan cheese, if desired.

*Adapted from Mels Kitchen Cafe

Easy, Fall-Off-The-Bone Oven Baked Ribs

This recipe is for 3 racks of ribs (which feeds a family of 8 for dinner with some leftovers)

Ingredients
3 racks of ribs
salt & pepper
BBQ Sauce


Directions
Heat the oven to 275 degrees. If the ribs still have the thin membrane covering the back of the rack, remove it by using a knife and gently slide it under the membrane and then using your fingers, pull the membrane away from the bones. Cut the three racks of ribs each in half to make six halves. Using two large jellyroll pans (cookie sheets that are 18x12 with 1 inch sides) place three rib racks on each pan. Season both sides of the ribs with salt and generous amount of pepper. Leave the ribs meat-side up and then tightly cover the pans with aluminum foil.

Bake for 4 hours, until the meat easily falls off of the bones.

Remove the ribs from the oven, discard the aluminum foil, generously brush both sides of the ribs with your choice of BBQ sauce. Turn broiler to high and broil the ribs for 3-4 minutes, just until the BBQ sauce begins to caramelize.

Flakey Buttery Biscuits

We can never get enough of these biscuits. We love to top them with a cut up boiled egg and smothered in country gravy. They are also completely divine topped with homemade strawberry jam.

Ingredients:
2 cups flour
3 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cream of tartar
1/2 cup butter
1 TB honey
2/3 cup milk

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 230C/450F
2. Place dry ingredients in a food processor and whiz to combine.
3. Add butter and pulse til the butter looks like peas.
4. Dump into a mixing bowl and add the milk and honey and stir until it comes together.
5. Place on a lightly floured surface (I use a silicone mat because it's easy to clean) and knead several times to work the gluten
6. Then pat the dough with your fingers to about ¾ inch high. You can go lower and get more biscuits but they won't be as high.
7. You can cut them with a biscuit cutter, a tin can or a glass but don't use a seesaw approach as that will reduce the rise.
8. If you want soft edges like I do, place them about an inch apart on a baking sheet covered with baking paper.
9. I used a knife and cut them square and had no leftovers.
10. You may brush the tops with melted butter or milk before baking but I always brush with butter right after they come out of the oven.
11. Bake for 10 minutes or until golden brown.
12. I like to let them rest for about twenty minutes before baking, but, seriously, I'm usually so hungry by this point that I just toss them in the oven once the oven is hot enough.. Bake at 450 for 10 minutes or until they are done to your liking.

Pollo Durango

1. Cook 1 cup chicken and 1 cup mushroom together in butter in a pan.
2. Combine 1/2 cup shredded monterey jack cheese, 1/2 cup sour cream and 3/4 cup tomatoillo enchilada sauce in another pan and cook until creamy.
3. Dram the grease off the chicken and mushrooms and add a pinch of cilantro.
4. Combine the chicken/mushrooms with the sauce.

Cherry Salad

Ingredients:
2 cups water
6 ounce box of cherry Jell-o
20 ounce can of cherry pie filling
8 ounce can of crushed pineapple
8 ounces cream cheese
1 pint sour cream
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla

Directions:
Bring the water to boil in a medium sauce pan. Mix in the jell-o and then add the pie filling and crushed pineapple. Stir until mixed well and then pour into a 9x13 pan and refrigerate until well set. Soften the cream cheese to room temperature. Cream the cream cheese, sour cream, sugar, and vanilla with a hand mixer. Top the cream cheese mixture on the set jell-o mixture. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Jenny's Chocolate Cookies

Ingredients:
1 cup butter
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
2 cups flour
2/3 cup cocoa powder
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup mint/peanut butter/chocolate chips

Directions:
Cream the butter and sugar. Add the eggs and vanilla and mix well. Add the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt and mix well. Add the chips and do a final mix. Bake cookies for 8-10 minutes in a 350 degree oven.

Chocolate Syrup

Ingredients:
2 cups granulated sugar
4 TB Premium cocoa
4 TB flour
8 TB butter
12 oz can of evaporated milk
2 tsp vanilla

Directions:
In a medium sauce pan, combine the sugar, cocoa, and flour and whisk thoroughly to break up the little cocoa balls. Add the butter and evaporated milk and place the pan over medium heat. Stirring constantly, bring to a slow boil. Stir until it is of desired consistency. Remove the chocolate syrup from the heat and add the vanilla. Store in the refrigerator or on the pantry shelf.

Homemade Onion Soup Mix

I don't always have an envelope of Onion Soup Mix on-hand for a last minute meal. I love this homemade version because the ingredients are fresher and it's actually cheaper than the 1 oz. packet.

Ingredients:
1/4 cup minced onion (I usually leave this out if I want flavor without "chunks")
2 TB beef granuales
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/8 tsp celery seed
1/8 tsp paprika
1/8 tsp ground black pepper

Directions:
Stir the minced onion, beef granuales, onion powder, celery seed, paprika, and ground black pepper in a small bowl. Use as a substitute for a 1oz packet of dry onion soup mix.

BBQ Pork Chops

Ingredients:
8 pork chops
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 TB vinegar
1/2 cup ketchup
3 TB mustard
1 envelope dry onion soup mix (or make your own onion soup mix)

Directions:
Line an oblong pan with aluminum foil. Salt and pepper chops and place in the pan. Combine all remaining ingredients and put on top of each chop. Cover the pan with aluminum foil and cook in oven at 325 for 1 1/2 hours.

Pie Crust

For one 9 inch, 2 crust pie.

Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp salt
1 TB sugar for a sweet pie, (omit sugar for a savory pie)
1/2 cup cold butter, cut into pieces
1/2 cup cold butter flavored Crisco, cut into chunks
1/2 cup cold water or evaporated milk


Directions:
Combine the flour, salt, sugar (for a sweet pie), butter, and butter flavored Crisco and pulse it 8 times. Add the cold water or evaporated milk and pulse just until the dough starts to come together. Form 2 discs and then refrigerate them for 10 minutes. Then, roll out the dough between parchment paper to make an 11 inch circle. Place the circle in a 9 inch pie pan, form it, and trim it. Refrigerate it for 10 minutes, then fill it with filling. Bake at 425 degrees for 30 minutes then bake it at 350 for 20-40 minutes depending on the filling.

To pre back the pastry (bake blind) roll out pastry 1/8 inch thick to fill pan, crisp and seal edges. Prick bottom all over with a fork. Chill for 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line pie pan with sheet of parchment paper and fill with pie weights, dry rice, or beans. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove pie weights and parchment, then return to oven for 5 minutes more until center of crust is light golden. Remove and cool.

German Pancakes

Ingredients:
6 eggs
1 cup milk
1 cup flour
1/2 tsp salt
3 TB butter

Directions:
Heat oven to 400 degrees. In a 9x13 pan cut up the butter in small pieces and put it in the hot oven. While the butter is melting in the oven beat the eggs, milk, flour, and salt in a medium bowl. Once the butter is bubbling pour the batter in the pan, return to the oven, and bake 20 minutes. Top with lemon juice and powdered sugar.

Won-Ton Salad

A friend shared this recipe with me and I couldn't stop eating this salad. The dressing with the crunch from the friend won-tons is a perfect pair.

Ingredients:
1 package won-ton wrappers, deep fried *see note
2 heads of lettuce, chopped
2-3 bunches green onions, chopped

Dressing:
6 TBSP rice vinegar
4 TBSP sugar
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 tsp salt
2 TBSP Sesame Seeds

Directions:
Mix the lettuce and green onions in a large bowl. Right before serving, crumble the fried won-tons into the salad, they get soggy fast. Serve immediately.

*How to deep fry won-tons. In a wok heat up 4 cups of vegetable or canola oil to 400 degrees. Make sure the oil is nice and hot before starting.  Fry each won-ton until golden brown and let dry on a plate lined with paper towels.

Crunchy Taco Cups

I had this as an appetizer at a get-together and decided to make it into a main dish. I really don't like pre-packaged taco seasoning, but if you want to speed things up go ahead and use it. But, you'll be missing out on the delicious fresh flavor of mixing in your own taco seasoning. Plus, it only takes about 1-2 extra minutes to make your own and it's so much tastier and healthier. We've had these divine little taco cups several times. I love the double layered wonton with the meat and cheese all nicely squished inside together. It's so much easier to eat than the classic taco too, way less mess! We also really enjoy how quick this is to make and how tasty it is to eat! This recipe makes 12 taco cups, but when we make this for our family of 8 we double the recipe.

Ingredients:
1 lb. ground turkey
1 10 ounce can diced tomatoes with green chiles, drained
1/4 tsp chili powder (add 1/2 tsp to 1 tsp for a hotter flavor)
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp paprika
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper

1 TBSP flour
24 Wonton wrappers
1 1/2 cups shredded Mexican blend cheddar cheese
optional: sour cream, avocado, and chopped green onion

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Generously coat a standard size muffin tin with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.

2. Heat a large skillet to medium-high heat and add the ground turkey, breaking it up as you brown it. Drain off any extra liquid and then add the drained tomatoes, chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, ground cumin, salt, and black pepper. Heat and stir until all heated through, add the 1 TBSP flour and stir until no more liquid remains and it thickens up. Remove from the heat.

3. Line each prepared muffin tin with a wonton wrapper and press down into each muffin cup. Add 1 TBSP taco mixture to each wonton filled muffin cup, then add 1 TBSP cheese. Fill each 12 muffin cups this way. Then to make a second layer, place another wonton wrapper on top of the cheese and press down into the sides of each cup. Top with another 1 TBSP taco mixture and 1 TBSP cheese for the final layer.

4. Bake for 11-13 minutes until the cups are heated through and the edges are golden.

5. Remove each baked wonton taco cup from the muffin tin and set on a cooling rack so the bottoms can air a bit before being placed on a plate.

6. Top each taco cup with a dollop of sour cream, an avocado slice, and a few chopped green onions.

Orange Julius Copy Cat

I have a couple of picky eating kids and I wanted to soup up our usual breakfast juice with something that had a bit more to it. We have some dairy milk sensitive bodies in our family so I tried a few variations with almond milk rather than dairy milk. I'm a die-hard dairy milk favored gal and actually don't enjoy the almond milk that most of my family drinks. I can't stand it on cereal. But, this Orange Julius with the almond milk is so much better than with dairy milk, trust me. Plus, it's naturally sweeter than dairy milk so you don't need to add vanilla or sugar to the recipe like most of the ones floating around the web. We love the delicious flavor and frothy goodness!

Ingredients:

1 12 ounce can orange juice concentrate
2 cups Almond Breeze reduced sugar vanilla almond milk
2 cups water
2 cups ice cubes

Directions:

Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend to your hearts desire! Serve immediately.

Breakfast Casserole

A few months ago we decided to jump onto the breakfast casserole bandwagon. We found a nice recipe online and made two pans, freezing one and baking the other. It tasted awful and we sadly tossed the leftovers and the uncooked frozen casserole in the trash. We found this recipe through a friend and our kids (even the pickiest ones) rave about it. We like turkey so much better so we subbed the ground sausage for turkey sausage. This one is a winner and now our regular Saturday morning family breakfast!

Ingredients

1 24 ounce bag of frozen hash browns
1 cup butter
1 lb. uncooked turkey sausage
9 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1 cup sour cream
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp pepper
3 cups grated cheddar cheese

Directions

1. Warm oven to 350 degrees. Lightly spray a 9x13 pan with cooking spray, set aside.

2. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, melt the 1 cup butter and then add the hash browns. Cook for about 15 minutes, browning and stirring at regular intervals.

3. While the hash browns are cooking, warm another skillet to medium-high heat and brown the turkey sausage, breaking up the sausage as it cooks so that it's a crumbly texture.

4. Once the hash browns are nicely golden brown, put them in the bottom of the prepared 9x13 pan. Top them with the browned crumbled turkey sausage.

5. In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, sour cream, salt, garlic powder, and pepper until smooth. Then, stir in the grated cheddar cheese. Pour the wet ingredients over the hash browns and sausage. Stir all the ingredients together in the 9x13 pan.

6. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes. Serve warm.