0 Turkey Enchilada Casserole

As if I don't have enough yummy Mexican dishes on here.  . . I had to add this one! AMAZING!

1 pound lean ground turkey (or beef)
1 medium green pepper, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 cans (15 oz each) black beans, rinsed and drained
1 jar (16 oz) salsa
1 can (15 oz) tomato sauce
1 can (14 1/2 oz) Mexican stewed tomatoes
1 tsp each onion powder, garlic powder and ground cumin
12 corn tortillas (6 inches)
2 cups (8 oz) shredded reduced-fat cheddar cheese, divided

In a large nonstick saucepan coated with cooking spray, cook the turkey, green pepper, onion and garlic over medium heat until meat is no longer pink. Stir in the beans, salsa, tomato sauce, tomatoes, onion powder, garlic powder and cumin. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer uncovered for 10 min.
Spread 1 cup meat sauce into a 13-in x 9-in x 2-in baking dish coated with cooking spray. Top with six tortillas. Spread with half of the remaining meat sauce; sprinkle with 1 cup cheese. Layer with remaining tortillas and meat sauce. Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 20 min. Uncover; sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake 5-10 min longer or until bubbly and cheese is melted.
Teresa Medeiros

1 Welcome Baskets and Laura Bush Cowboy Cookies

One of my favorite parts in planning our wedding was the welcome baskets! Some incredibly talented ladies created a basket that was more than I could even dream about! The baskets had a Texas theme and were tied with "The Yellow Rose of Texas." I made a coloring book that I included in the groomsmen's welcome baskets for their kids! (I'll post the coloring book later!) It was so much fun to think about all of these details and I was thrilled with the results!

I admire Laura Bush so much and think that she is SUCH a southern lady so OF COURSE we had to include her "Cowboy Cookies" and the recipe! The picture above is a little fuzzy so here is the recipe!

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 tablespoon baking soda

1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups soft butter

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

1 1/2 cups light-brown sugar

3 eggs

1 tablespoon vanilla

3 cups semisweet chocolate chips

3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats

2 cups sweetened flake coconut

2 cups chopped pecans (8 ounces)

Mix flour, (baking powder), soda, cinnamon, and salt. (set aside) Beat butter smooth - 1 minute. Gradually add sugars. Beat 2 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, beat in vanilla. Stir in flour mixture. Add chocolate chips, oats, coconut, pecans. Drop 2 tablespoons (on a cookie sheet). Bake 17-20 minutes at 350 degrees!

1 Kelli Hutka's Salsa

6-8 large, ripe tomatoes
2 bunches green onions
1 bunch cilantro
2-5 Jalapenos
salt (lots)
garlic salt
lemon juice
seasoning salt
garlic powder

Cut up in food processor! Season as you like! (Be careful with the jalapenos! One time I put five in with seeds and that made for an interesting batch of salsa! Nate and I still ate it although our eyes were watering as we did so!)

Kelli Hutka

4 Fat Free 7 Layer Mexican Dip

 1 pkg (8 oz) Philadelphia Fat Free Cream Cheese, softened
1 TBS Taco Seasoning Mix
1 cup Salsa (chunky)
1 cup canned black beans, drained, rinsed
1 cup shredded lettuce
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (nonfat)
1/2 cup chopped green onions
2 TBS sliced pitted ripe olives
1. Beat cream cheese with electric mixer on medium speed until creamy. Blend in seasoning mix.
2. Spread onto bottom of 9 in pie plate or quiche dish. Top with layers of the remaining ingredients; cover. Refrigerate several hours or until chilled.
3. Garnish with chopped fresh cilantro if you like!

Recipe via Philadelphia Cream Cheese

1 High Tea, Cucumber Sandwiches and Scones

Yesterday, I had some sweet friends over for high tea! It was a lovely afternoon with good food and great fellowship! I am so blessed!

Cucumber Mint Tea Sandwiches
1/4 cup loosely packed fresh mint leaves
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons cream cheese
6 slices of bread
3-inch length of cucumber

Pick off some mint leaves and place them in a salad spinner or rinse them all by hand.
Dry the leaves and then dice . Place the cream cheese, butter, and mint into a bowl and mix well. It helps if the cream cheese and butter are softened ever so slightly. It should become a sort of herb paste. Slice the cucumbers -- how thick you'd like to slice them is up to what kind of crunch you want in your sandwich. Slice the crusts off the bread and slice the sandwich up into nice little finger-approved rectangles. Put the mint "paste" on each slice of bread and add the cucumbers!

http://thepauperedchef.com/2006/02/cucumber_sandwi.html

La Bella Cucina Scones (Nate and my dad BOTH are obsessed with these scones!)

8 cups unbleached flour

2 cups sugar

1 TBS baking powder

1 LB of margarine or butter

1 tsp baking soda

Mix all ingredients together in a sturdy mixer. Cut up the butter in small cubes and blend piece by piece with the dry ingredients in the mixer. Mix thoroughly until the consistency of cornmeal. It is important that the butter be mixed slowly; otherwise the mixture may be the wrong consistency. This mixture can now be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for months.

When ready to cook your scones, add 6 cups mix, 1/2 cup chopped walnuts, 1 cup buttermilk (Low fat), zest of 1 fresh orange. Mix rapidly by hand. Drop by large tablespoons onto greased cookie sheet. Bake in a pre-heated 350 degrees oven for 15 - 20 minutes. Scones should be lightly browned. Sprinkle with powdered sugar while still hot. (I did not sprinkle but doused with powdered sugar!) This way your sugar will stay on your scones.

Other options are to add 1/2 cup of chopped craisins and 1/2 cup of cinnamon morsels.

Erin Meadows

0 Lemon Broccoli Chicken

1 lemon
1 tbsp. vegetable oil
4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
1 can (10 3/4 oz.) Campbell's® Condensed Cream of Broccoli Soup (Regular or 98% Fat Free)
1/2 cup milk
1/8 tsp. ground black pepper
4 cups hot cooked regular long-grain white rice

Directions
CUT 4 thin slices of lemon. Squeeze 2 tsp. juice from remaining lemon.
HEAT oil in skillet. Add chicken and cook until browned.
ADD soup, milk, lemon juice and pepper. Top chicken with lemon slices. Heat to a boil. Cover and cook over low heat 5 min. or until done. Serve with rice.

Campbells

0 Kelli's Crackers!

Kelli Hutka shared this recipe with me and it is amazing! It gives your yummy saltine crackers an extra kick!

4 sleeves of Saltine crackers
1 1/2 cup Canola Oil
1 tbs dill weed
1 tbs red pepper
1 tbs caraway seeds
1 small envelope Hidden Valley Ranch

Combine oil and seasonings.
Pour over crackers in a large Ziploc bag (2 gallon). Then just rotate the bag!

2 Slow Cooker Pork Chops II

Made these pork chops tonight and they literally fell off the bone as I was pulling them out of the slow cooker! Literally, no knife needed! Served them over rice and put some of the sauce on top of the pork chops and rice! So good!

Ingredients
1/4 cup olive oil
1 cup chicken broth
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon paprika
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon poultry seasoning
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried basil
4 thick cut boneless pork chops (I have used bone-in and boneless pork chops)
salt and pepper to taste

Directions
In a large bowl, whisk together the olive oil, chicken broth, garlic, paprika, garlic powder, poultry seasoning and basil. Pour into the slow cooker. Cut small slits in each pork chop with the tip of a knife, and season lightly with salt and pepper. Place pork chops into the slow cooker, cover, and cook on High for 4 hours. (I cooked them on low for 8 hours . . . but they were ready in 6 hours!) Baste periodically with the sauce.
allrecipes.com

0 Lemon Asparagus Chicken

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1 can (10 3/4 ounces) Campbell's Condensed Cream of Asparagus Soup
1/4 cup milk
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper

1. Heat the oil in a 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook for 10 minutes or until browned on both sides. Remove the chicken and set aside. (really important to just make sure the raw part of the chicken isn't showing anymore. If you leave the chicken on the skillet for too long or heat the chicken too quickly it will turn rubbery!)

2. Stir the soup, milk, lemon juice and black pepper into the skillet. Heat to a boil. Return the chicken to the skillet and reduce the heat to low. Cover and cook for 5 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.

Makes 4 servings.
Cambells

0 Irresistible Peanut Butter Cookies

Getting ready for the softball game tomorrow! :-)

3/4 c Jif Creamy Peanut Butter
1 1/4 c firmly packed brown sugar
1 tbsp vanilla extract (I use a little less)
1 3/4 c All Purpose Flour
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 stick Crisco All Vegetable Sticks
3 tbsps milk
1 large egg
3/4 tsp baking soda
Heat oven to 375 degrees. Combine peanut butter, shortening, brown sugar, milk and vanilla in large bowl! Beat at medium speed of electric mixer until well blended. Add egg. Beat just until blended. Combine flour, baking soda and salt. Add to creamed mixture at low speed. Mix just until blended. Drop by rounded measuring tablespoonfuls of dough 2 inches apart onto greased baking sheet. (I do not grease my baking sheets) Flatten slightly in a crisscross pattern with tines of fork. Bake one baking sheet at a time for 7-8 minutes or until set and just beginning to brown. Cool 2 minutes on baking sheet. Remove cookies to cooling racks to cool completely. Makes 3 dozen cookies!

Crisco/Teresa Medeiros

1 French's Crunchy Onion Chicken

If you are like me, you have multiple cans of French's French Fried Onions left over from Thanksgiving and Christmas . . . AND if you bought them in November, they are expiring THIS month! I hate wasting food, so I found this recipe to use up the rest of the French Fried Onions. (it doesn't use very much sooo I will probably make the yummy cheesy green beans from Thanksgiving next week just to use up the rest of the french friend onions!)

2 cups (4 oz.) FRENCH'S® Original or Cheddar French Fried Onions
2 tbsp. all-purpose flour
4 (5 oz.) boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 egg, beaten

Place French Fried Onions and flour into plastic bag. Lightly crush with hands or with rolling pin. Transfer to pie plate or waxed paper.
Dip chicken into egg; then coat with onion crumbs, pressing firmly to adhere. Place chicken on baking sheet.
Bake at 400°F for 20 min. or until no longer pink in center. (It took about 40 min for the chicken to finish cooking so I covered the pan with foil so the onions wouldn't burn!)

www.frenchs.com

0 City-Slicker Salad

This is another yummy, fruity summer time salad! (it is so obvious and easy I am kind of embarrassed I am even sharing it. . . .but I have gone years without using poppy seed dressing and this was a nice change!)

2 (10 ounce) packages fresh spinach (ok, seriously, use this much if you want to feed an army. This is so easy just make as much as you need!)
1 quart fresh strawberries, halved (I prefer bite sized pieces; so I quarter)
1/2 cup slivered almonds, toasted (again, use however many you want! I added more strawberries and almonds)
Poppy Seed Dressing

Tear spinach into smaller pieces and add strawberries and almonds
Refrigerate and, when ready to serve, toss with poppy seed dressing!

The Best 1001 Short, Easy Recipes

2 Our Wedding!

On June 5th, I married my best friend and the love of my life! Every morning when I wake up, I still can't believe that we are really married and I get to spend the rest of my life with Nate! I pray that we always put Christ in the center of our marriage and fall more in love with each other each day! I am so blessed!

Here are a couple favorite pictures from our special day! (Pictures taken by Michael Carr)

4 Summer Watermelon Salad with Honey Orange Vinaigrette

This is a wonderful summer salad with delicious dressing!

Salad:
2 cups cubed seedless watermelon
1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup seeded and diced cucumber
1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted
1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese

Dressing:
1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons snipped fresh chives
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup canola oil
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

Whisk together the vinaigrette ingredients in a medium bowl; season with salt and pepper. In a large bowl, combine the watermelon, tomatoes, cucumber and pine nuts. Toss with desired amount of the vinaigrette. Sprinkle with the cheese and serve immediately.
Serves 4

Peace Meals

0 Mexican Lasagna

SOOO good!! Nate loved this yummy recipe!!!!

1 jar (1 pound 10 ounces) RAGU Old World Style Pasta Sauce
1 pound ground beef
1 can (15 1/4 ounces) whole kernel corn, drained
4 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
6 (8 1/2 -inch) flour tortillas
2 cups shredded Cheddar Cheese (about 8 ounces)
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Set aside 1 cup Ragu Pasta Sauce. In 10-inch skillet, brown ground beef over medium-high heat; drain. Stir in remaining Ragu Pasta Sauce, corn and chili powder.
2. In 13x9- inch baking dish, spread 1 cup sauce mixture. Arrange two tortillas over sauce, overlapping edges slightly. Layer half the sauce mixture and 1/3 of the cheese over tortillas; repeat layers, ending with tortillas. Spread tortillas with reserved sauce.
3. Bake 30 minutes, then top with remaining cheese and bake an additional 10 minutes or until sauce is bubbling and cheese is melted
Serves 8.
Simple 1-2-3 One Dish

0 Cheesy Slow Cooker Potatoes

Really good easy potatoes. Made a huge dinner for my family with cobbler for dessert and Clark said this was his favorite part of the dinner!

1 bag (32 ounces) shredded hash browns
2 cans (10 3/4 ounces each) condensed Cheddar cheese soup, undiluted
1 can (12 ounces) evaporated milk
1 cup chopped onion
Combine all ingredients in Crock-Pot slow cooker. Cover, cook on Low 6-8 hours.
Serves 6

Rival Crock Pot Incredibly Easy Recipes

2 Cherry Delight

This is my new FAVORITE dessert! It is AMAZING and SO easy to make! :-)

1 can (21 ounces) cherry pie filling
1 package (18 1/4 ounces) yellow cake mix
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted
1/3 cup chopped walnuts
Whipped topping or vanilla ice cream (options)

1. Place pie filling in Crock Pot slow cooker
2. Mix together cake mix and butter in medium bowl. Spread evenly over cherry filling, Sprinkle walnuts on top. Cover; cook on LOW 3 to 4 hours or HIGH 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
3. Spoon in serving dishes, and serve warm with whipped topping or ice cream, if desired.

Makes 8-10 servings
Rival Crock Pot Incredibly Easy Recipes

0 OBSESSED with my slow cooker!

We received this beautiful slow cooker for our wedding and I cannot cook enough with it! If you are in the market for a slow cooker then THIS IS THE ONE to buy! The 7 quart. nonstick aluminum insert goes from stovetop to slow cooker to table. SO you can brown your pot roast in the insert then put it in the slow cooker THEN put it on a pretty trivet on the table to serve!!! Pretty incredible! I will post some slow cooker recipes that I have tried that have turned out amazing BUT first I had to brag on the new staple in my kitchen!

Picture from William-sonoma.com

0 Pesto Green Beans and Tomatoes

This is an amazing and easy recipe that is pretty healthy (as long as you don't SOAK your green beans in the pesto sauce!!)

Green Beans and Tomatoes
1-1/2 pound fresh green beans, trimmed
1 pint small tomatoes, such as red grape, halved
1/4 cup Pesto Vinaigrette (see below)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Directions
1. Cook beans, covered, in a small amount of boiling salted water for 10 to 15 minutes or until crisp-tender. Drain and rinse under cool water. Drain and pat dry with paper towels.
2. In a large bowl toss green beans and tomatoes with Pesto Vinaigrette. Add additional vinaigrette, if desired. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve immediately or chill in the refrigerator up to 8 hours. (If you don't pour the Pesto Vinaigrette on the Green Beans then they will last a couple days! Just keep the Pesto Vinaigrette on the side!)
Makes 6 to 8 servings.
Pesto Vinaigrette
Ingredients
1/2 cup Jaye's Basil Pesto (see below) or purchased basil pesto
3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
Salt and ground white pepper
Directions
1. In a bowl combine pesto, vinegar, and lemon juice. Slowly add olive oil in a thin stream, whisking until combined. Add salt and pepper to taste. Refrigerate until ready to use or up to 3 days. Makes about 3/4 cup.
Jaye's Basil Pesto
Ingredients
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1-1/2 cups fresh baby spinach, stems removed
3/4 cup fresh basil leaves
1/2 cup walnuts or pine nuts
6 ounces Asiago cheese, grated
3 large cloves garlic, peeled and quartered
Directions
1. To prepare in a food processor bowl* combine 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, the spinach, basil, walnuts, cheese, and garlic. Cover and process until nearly smooth, stopping processor and scraping sides as necessary. Drizzle in remaining olive oil until mixture is smooth. Makes about 1-3/4 cups.
*Note: to prepare in a blender container, first coarsely chop the spinach, basil, walnuts, and garlic on a cutting board. In a blender combine all ingredients. Cover and blend until mixture is smooth.
To Store: Place pesto in an airtight container. Cover and refrigerate for 1 or 2 days or freeze up to 1 month.
BETTER HOME AND GARDENS