Pizzawiches

I got this recipe from my Aunt Judy in Phoenix.  She made it for us after a long day of Bargain shopping WAY back when I was pregnant with Destiny.  I just found the scrap of paper I wrote it on in an old cookbook of mine.  I changed it up a teensy tiny bit, because, hello, I wouldn’t be me if I didn’t add some cream cheese products to it!  ;)  

  These Pizzawiches come together easily and with a broil time of only 2 minutes, you’ll be having supper in no time FLAT!

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Ingredients

• 2 pounds Hamburger {or 1 Sausage/1 Hamburger}
• 1 whole Onion, Chopped
• 1 teaspoon Oregano
• 1 teaspoon Garlic Powder
• 1 teaspoon Salt
• Fresh Cracked Pepper, To Taste
• 10 ounces, fluid Tomato Soup
• Dash Of Basil, Rosemary, And Italian Seasonings
• 1 pound Combo Of Mozzarella & Italian Blend Cheese
• 10 ounces, fluid Philadelphia Tomato & Basil Cooking Creme {I added this to the original recipe. Mmmm!}
• 9 whole Whole Wheat English Muffin

Preparation Instructions

Cook beef and onions with salt, pepper, oregano and garlic powder, drain. Stir in tomato soup and add Basil, Rosemary and Italian seasonings. Heat and stir.
Slice English Muffins in half, and spread each with Tomato & Basil Cooking Creme. {I used the whole tub}
Divide meat mixture evenly between 18 halves and top each with cheese.
Broil for 2 minutes until cheese is nice and melty.

Serve warm with a nice tossed salad on the side.

Enjoy!

~T

Beef Nacho Bake

  Though the ingredients to this recipe are simple, the flavors of the end result, are full on complex!  You won’t be able to quite put your finger on the flavors, but it sure tastes good!

  Guess where this recipe comes from?

  From my mom’s recipe box!  Tucked between sections, is a 1980’s Miracle Whip Label featuring this very recipe!  It MUST be good, because our family has been making it ever since.  :)

{click title for easy printable}

Ingredients

• 1 pound Hamburger, Seasoned With Salt And Pepper
• 1 cup Chunky Picante Sauce, You Decide The Heat
• 15 ounces, weight Can Of Sweet Corn, Drained
• ½ cups Miracle Whip
• ¼ cups Sour Cream
• ½ teaspoon Chili Powder, this was too hot for my kids, I will do less next time.
• 2 cups Shredded Taco Cheese
• 2 cups Crushed Tortilla Chips

Preparation Instructions

Brown beef and drain. Stir in picante sauce, drained corn, miracle whip, sour cream and chili powder to taste.
In a 2 Qt casserole dish, layer one half beef mixture, then 1 cup cheese and 1 cup chips. Repeat layers.
Bake at 350* for 20 minutes.
Serve with guacamole, taco sauce, sour cream, lettuce, tomato, whatever you like!

Enjoy!

~T

Taco Chicken & King Ranch Casserole

This Taco Chicken recipe dates way back to our early years of marriage. 

No prep time? No problem!

  Taco Chicken uses frozen chicken breasts thrown in the Crockpot with water and taco seasoning.  That is IT!

  After being preggo 8 times in 8 years, I needed an easy “go to” supper that didn’t make me gag, and this one was perfect! 

  You can use this chicken in burritos, tacos, oven nachos or King Ranch Casserole. 

Taco Chicken

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Ingredients

• 6 whole Frozen Chicken Breasts
• 1 cup Water
• 1 ounce, weight Packet Of Taco Seasoning

Preparation Instructions

In your slow cooker, place 6 frozen chicken breasts. Empty taco seasoning packet over all and pour in 1 cup water.
Turn crock pot on low for 4-6 hours. Shred with a fork and leave the lid off the last 45 minutes of your cook time, to allow juices to be absorbed.
Use for burritos, oven nachos, tacos or King Ranch Casserole. {coming up next}

———————————————————————————————————

My BFF, Kasey made this delicious Mexican Casserole for me way back in the day, when I drove across the state to visit her.  Thank the Lord she has since moved back to our hometown, and now lives literally 6 minutes from me.  :)  

  Anyhow, the King Ranch is her recipe and we just love it.

King Ranch Casserole

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Ingredients

• 1 batch of Taco Chicken
• 1 can {10 Oz} Each Cream Of Mushroom And Cream Of Chicken
• 1 can {10 Oz} Rotell, Original
• 7 ounces, fluid Chicken Broth
• 1 whole Onion, finely chopped
• ¾ cups Sour Cream
• 2 cups Mexican Blend Cheese
• 12 whole Tortillas, White Or Wheat

Preparation Instructions

Begin this recipe by making a batch of Taco Chicken in your crock pot. {see recipe box}
Mix together in a LARGE bowl: chicken, broth, cream of soups, rotell, chopped onion, sour cream and 1 cup cheese. Stir well, set aside.
In a skillet, brown both sides of each tortilla. Cut into 4ths and add into your mixture, stir carefully to mix well and coat each tortilla.
Scrape into an over-sized 9×13 Casserole dish {I used Pampered Chefs}and bake uncovered at 350* for one hour. The last 20 minutes of cook time, add your final cup of cheese.
Serve with taco sauce, lettuce and tomato.

Enjoy!

~T

BBQ Chicken Sandwiches with Cilantro Sesame Slaw

This weekend was incredible, exhausting, tearful, yet wonderful!  

We celebrated my Grandpa’s life, surrounded by family and friends.  Several of the funeral home directors and employees, stopped me to say that they love our kind of family. The ones that really enjoy each other, the ones that can laugh and hug, and have a great time in spite of the grief, celebrating a life well lived. From a man who deals with death all the time, I thought that was a real compliment.  Grandpa’s viewing was noisy, it was tearful at times as we said our good byes, yet it was full of laughter, as we recounted stories of Grandpa in the good ol’ days, and hugged necks of second cousins we hadn’t seen in years! 

  I am more tired than I have ever been in my life, both emotionally and physically.  Even my feet hurt!  I am hearing my Mom, Aunts and Uncles, and Grandma say the same!  Most nights I saw anywhere from 1-3 am before crawling to bed and sometimes we were having “second supper” around my Aunt’s table at 11 pm, laughing with the cousins.  There is lots to do when planning a funeral, memory table, photo slideshow, or what have you.  I just had no idea how much went into the planning of such an event, and am thankful to have gotten to have a small part in it.  

  I took nearly 400 photos of our time together, and I am just too tired to deal with it now.  My emotions are spent and I am not ready to dig into the pictures capturing that beautiful, yet emotional day.  But, if and when I do, I will surely consider sharing here.  

  Thank you all for your loving support as we went through this weekend!  I am so blessed to have you all in our lives.

  On to the food: 

  Sweet BBQ meets Savory, in an amazing fresh tasting cilantro-sesame slaw topped sandwich…

  This recipe is adapted from the April-May 2013 Taste of Home magazine.  What drew me to this recipe was the brine you soak the chicken in over night.  I decided to couple it with our FAVORITE Cilantro Sesame Slaw and buttered toasted buns. Amazing!

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Ingredients

• BRINE:
• 1-½ quart Water
• ¼ cups Brown Sugar
• 3 Tablespoons Coarse Kosher Salt
• 1 Tablespoon Liquid Smoke
• 2 cloves Garlic, Pressed
• ½ teaspoons Dried Thyme
• FOR BBQ CHICKEN:
• 3 pounds Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts
• ⅓ cups Liquid Smoke
• 1-½ cup High Quality BBQ Sauce
• 2 Tablespoons Cornstarch With A Splash Of Cold Water, For Thickening
• CILANTRO-SESAME SLAW:
• 3 cups Coleslaw Cabbage Mix
• ½ cups Green Pepper, Finely Chopped
• ¼ cups Cilantro, Snipped
• 3 Tablespoons Sesame Oil
• 2 Tablespoons White Vinegar
• 2 cloves Garlic, Pressed
• ½ teaspoons Salt
• ¼ teaspoons Pepper

Preparation Instructions

In a large bowl, mix brine ingredients, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Reserve 1 cup of brine out for the next morning. Place chicken in a large zip lock bag or Tupperware and soak for 24 hours, turning often.
The next day, remove chicken from brine and place chicken in your crock pot on low with reserved 1 cup brine. Cook on low for 4-5 hours until chicken is tender.
Remove chicken to a bowl to shred and drain juices into a small pot. Whisk together 1 T. corn starch with a splash of cold water and add to pot, boil until nice and thick, pour back over shredded chicken, adding liquid smoke and 1 1/2 cups BBQ sauce. Keep warm until serving time.

Make Sesame Coleslaw earlier in the day, by combining in a medium bowl, coleslaw cabbage mix, finely chopped green pepper, snipped cilantro, sesame oil, white vinegar, pressed garlic and salt and pepper. Refrigerate until meat is ready to allow flavors to blend.

At serving time, butter toast buns under a broiler for a minute, then drizzle with BBQ sauce, a large scoop of meat and slaw.

Roll those sleeves up and dig in!

You can thank me later……

Hugs, T

Pig Poo

  Despite it’s crazy name, this appetizer is AH-MAZING!  Imagine Bacon Wrapped Jalapenos, taken to a whole new level!

I give you Pig Poo: sweet little peppers, seasoned cream cheese, a LITTLE SMOKIE and a piece of bacon, baked to perfection…….

Thanks to my Momma for bringing over all the ingredients and helping us make this for Snack Supper Sunday night!

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Ingredients

• 12 ounces, weight Mini Bell Peppers {Or Jalapenos}
• 8 ounces, weight Softened Cream Cheese
• ½ teaspoons {up To 1 Tsp} Chili Powder
• 1 teaspoon Cumin
• 1 cup Mexican Blend Shredded Cheese
• 14 ounces, weight Package Little Smokies
• 12 ounces, weight Raw Bacon, Cut Into 3rds
• Toothpicks

Preparation Instructions

Whip together cream cheese, seasonings and cheese. Cut mini peppers in half and clean out seeds, fill with cream cheese, tuck a little smokie on top and a piece of bacon secured with a toothpick.
Place on a broiler pan and cookie sheet and bake at 375* for 30 minutes, or until the bacon is crisp. 

Serve hot. Bet you can’t just eat one!!!

{Not great reheated}

Make Pig Poo for your next party, your guests will thank you! PROMISE…..

~T

Strawberry White Chocolate Lasagna

Layers of strawberries nested between creamy puddings make for a GORGEOUS “Lasagna” type dessert.

This recipe was inspired by one I saw go across facebook, uncredited, called Chocolate Lasagna.  You know how I feel about plain chocolate, so I decided I could do a similar dessert using various puddings and strawberries to do something similar, but with more depth.  I put my creamy, dessert loving knowledge to the test and invented something NEW and delicious!

Woot woot. Go me! ;)

I mentioned this recipe on my 10 on 10 post, and several of you asked if I was going to share it.  It was given 2 thumbs up by everyone that tasted it, so here it is for you to try!

Now, you should know, that I was NOT in 100% agreement that this was a 2 thumbs up dessert, so you will have to give me your review. I felt like the pudding mixtures needed to be thicker and less pudding like.

Anyhow, I have made some changes to my original chicken scratch notes and hope it will remedy this pudding-y problem.  I haven’t made this recipe again, with the changes this time, but my friend, Mary, made it this way and she said it was great!

{click for easy printable}

Ingredients

• 15 ounces, weight Package Of Oreos
• 6 Tablespoons Butter, Melted
• 1-½ package (12 Ounces Total) Of Cream Cheese, Softened
• 1-½ cup Powdered Sugar
• 2 Tablespoons Cold Milk
• 12 ounces, weight Cool Whip, Divided Use
• 1 package {3.9 Oz} Chocolate Mousse Pudding Mix
• 1 package {3.9 Oz} White Chocolate Pudding Mix
• 2 cups Cold Milk, Divided
• 1 pint Fresh Strawberries, Hulled And Sliced
• 2 cups Combo Of White Chocolate And Dark Chocolate Chips {I am going to chop mine up finely next time}

Preparation Instructions

1. Begin by crushing your Oreos, by using a Ziplock and mallet or your food processor. You want them nice and fine. Dump into a large bowl.
2. Melt 6 T butter on the stove and stir into crumbs. Press firmly onto the bottom of a 9×13 Pryex dish. Refrigerate while continuing to prep recipe.
3. Mix cream cheeses until light and fluffy, add in 2 T. milk and 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar. Remove 1/3 of your mixture to a separate bowl, you will use this later.
4. With your remaining cream cheese, stir in 1 1/4 cup of your cool whip. Spread this mixture onto your Oreo crust. Layer half of your sliced strawberries over the top.
5. In a bowl, make your chocolate mousse by whipping with 1 cup of cold milk. Spread this layer onto the Strawberries and smooth to cover to the edges.
6. Sprinkle chocolate mousse layer with 1 cup of chocolate and white chocolate chips.
7. Now mix up your white chocolate pudding, using 1 cup of cold milk. Stir in your reserved cream cheese mixture and spread over chocolate mousse carefully.
8. Layer more strawberries on top of the white chocolate layer.
9. Top with remaining cool whip, the rest of your chocolate and white chocolate chips and one large strawberry on top for pretty!
10. Refrigerate for 4 hours and serve cold.

Delicious and so pretty!

~T

German Bundt Cake

  This one comes from my Momma’s recipe box!  German Bundt Cake PROBABLY could be a dessert, but I’ve never been able to eat it that way, because it was always served at Breakfast at our house. 

  Buttery, cinnamony and oh-so moist! YUM!

German Bundt Cake

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FOR THE CAKE:

• 1 box Yellow Cake Mix
• 1 box ( 3 Oz) Vanilla Instant Pudding And Pie Filling
• ¾ cups Oil
• ¾ cups Water
• 2 teaspoons Butter Flavoring
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla
• 4 whole Eggs

FOR THE FILLING:

• ½ cups {up To 3/4 Cup} Chopped Nuts
• ¼ cups Sugar
• 2 Tablespoons Cinnamon

FOR THE GLAZE:

• 1 cup Powdered Sugar
• 2 Tablespoons Milk
• ½ teaspoons Vanilla
• ½ teaspoons Butter Flavoring

Beat above ingredients until mixed well, adding eggs one at a time.
Grease bundt pan well, and pour in one third the cake batter.
Mix together filling ingredients, and layer filling, cake batter, filling, cake batter.
Bake at 350* for 45 minutes. Cool and invert onto serving platter.
Make glaze and drizzle while cake is still warm.

NOTE: This cake only gets better as it sits!!!! And look at this middle, delicious!!!!!

Enjoy!

~T

I don’t love the use of butter extract in this, but have never been brave enough to make it without. Besides, some things are just better left alone, right!?!?!?! :)

 

Not Your Ordinary T-Shirt Scarves

I LOVE making things and being crafty!  I don’t always have a lot of extra time to do it, or honestly, most times, I’d rather stick my nose in a book.

  However, when I came across a bag of GORGEOUS material I had purchased last May for t-shirt scarves {I was planning on making a bunch over the summer, yeah right!} I knew the time had come to put it to good use.

T-Shirt Scarf Time!

  There are a couple ways to do this, most people use old t-shirts that are lying around. That is great!  {Unless you are like me, and have a lack of t-shirts in your closet due to your extreme Girliness….just sayin!}

  I tried Goodwill but their shirts were $2 a piece and had very little usable material below the graphics.  I did find some non-graphic Tie-dyed shirts from there one time, that I loved.  I made them into Infinity Scarves found here. So, it can be done!!!!!

However, I decided to purchase that stretchy t-shirt material at the Fabric Store instead.  It came at a pretty penny, anywhere from $6.99-12.99 a yard, and the flowers and poufs anywhere from $3-9, but I wanted to give it a go.  If I ever do this again and sell some, I am afraid I am going to have to get my costs down.

  So when you buy a yard of fabric instead of using t-shirts, it requires extra steps:

  1) You can sew the yard of fabric in a tube shape with your machine.

Or

2) Simply knot it after you cut it to create the circle necessary for loops. 

 

I learned to sew on my Mom’s Mean Machine JUST for this purpose, and it’s a real time saver.  All those knots took hours!!!!!!

Another time saver is using a roller vs. scissors.

  I used to hand cut each strip with my scissors, but now, sweet Dale cuts the fabric folded over itself, on a big cutting board with a roller.  I love sitting out in the living room with him in the evenings while he cuts and I create.  :)

  There is a tutorial on how to make the actual scarf part here at My Blessed Life.  I don’t have the know how to record and upload a video for you all, so just watch hers. She did a great job!

Don’t forget to hide the knots or sewed parts with another strip of cloth wrapped around and knotted underneath where it won’t show on the neck:

Here are some of my finished scarves:

  Happy Creating!
~T

A note from Tonya: Thank you to those who have asked if they could buy some scarves! I am SO SO honored! :)  However, I am selling them at a Craft Fair next weekend and need to keep a nice stock pile until then. That being said, if you see one you love love love, leave me a comment or email me a description of your favorite. {daleandtonya@msn.com}  I will tell you if I have more materials for that scarf, or if I plan to make that one again for your future order. Thanks!

More T-shirt scarf posts here:

http://4littlefergusons.wordpress.com/2012/02/27/t-shirt-scarves/

http://4littlefergusons.wordpress.com/2012/07/24/t-shirt-scarves-the-perfect-gift/

 

Potato Pancakes with Sour Cream & Chive Horseradish Sauce

Are you sick of the same potato sides? Mashed and baked. MEEEEEE TOOOOO!

  So when Dale offered to smoke a whole chicken, I went on a hunt for a unique potato side dish, and this is what I found, by Anne Coleman. 

I have adapted her recipe below:

{click title for easy printable}

FOR THE POTATO PANCAKES:

• 2 whole Large Baking Potatoes
• 1 cup Onion, White Or Red Is Fine, Finely Chopped
• 2 Tablespoons Lemon Juice
• 2 cloves Garlic, Pressed
• 2 teaspoons Salt
• 1 whole Egg, Slightly Beaten
• 1 teaspoon Fresh Ground Pepper
• ½ teaspoon Nutmeg
• 2 Tablespoons Flour
• 5 Tablespoons Grated Parmesan Cheese
• Additional Salt

FOR THE DIPPING SAUCE:

• 1 cup Sour Cream
• 1 Tablespoon Freeze Dried Chives
• ¼ teaspoon Prepared Horseradish

Preparation Instructions

Wash and Scrub potatoes, do not peel. Shred and toss with onion, lemon juice, garlic and 2 tsp. salt. Let stand several minutes, then drain off any excess liquid that forms.
In a small, separate bowl, whisk together egg, pepper, flour, nutmeg and Parmesan cheese.
Heat a large frying pan over medium heat and add enough oil to cover the bottom. Once oil is shimmering, shape a non-packed 1/4 cup potato mixture into patties, patting it flat for best results, and add into pan.
Cook for 4-5 minutes PER SIDE, until golden brown. Watch your heat, you don’t want the edges to get burned before the middle is done. Drain on a paper towel lined cookie sheet. Sprinkle each potato pancake with additional salt, I like coarse kosher, then keep warm until serving time.
Mix 1 cup sour cream and 1 T. chives with 1/4 or more teaspoons of prepared horseradish. Serve as dipping sauce for potato pancakes.

Bon Appetite’!

~T

 

Easy After School Snack: Oven Baked Triscuit Nachos

  Hey guys, it’s come to my attention, that a WHOLE slew of you who had subscribed several years ago, got booted from subscriptions!!!!  I didn’t change anything on my end, and I am super annoyed at WordPress for doing this to us! :(  Anyhow, just re-subscribe at the right side of this page, and posts will again come to your inbox each time I put up a new one. Sorry about that!

I am always on the hunt for After School Snacks for the kids that are filling but healthy, fun but easy. 

  This is one I used to make in High School. I don’t know what made me remember it, but I made a big pan of them for the kids the other day, and they went NUTS over them!

  Now, they nearly jump up and down whenever they see that I have gotten out more Triscuits.  This reaction, from the kids that said these kind of crackers tasted like straw.  

That was before we tried them…………..

Nacho-style!

Oven Baked Triscuit Nachos

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Ingredients

• 1 box {13 Oz } Whole Wheat Triscuit Crackers
• 1 cup Shredded Mexican Cheese
• 1 jar {16 Oz} Picante Sauce, We Do Medium
• 8 ounces, weight Container Of Sour Cream

Preparation Instructions

Make as much or as little as you’d like, using the following directions:
Preheat oven or toaster oven to 350*. On a pizza stone or cookie sheet, lay out as many crackers as you’d like. My kids can eat 8-10 each.
Sprinkle about a teaspoon of cheese on each cracker, followed by a 1/2 tsp of medium salsa.
Bake for 5 minutes or until cheese is melted. Remove from oven and carefully add a dollop of sour cream to each cracker.

Serve hot to your starving after school kids for a hearty, healthy snack!

~T