Swiss Steak - Home Cooked #89

 We didn't swiss steak growing up because my dad didn't like it so my mom would only make it for herself once in awhile. However, I was searching for new ways to cook some cube steaks I had in the freezer, and stumbled upon this  recipe. It was so delicious, and so easy to make! It does take a bit of time for the cube steaks to cook and become tender, but the active cooking time is very minimal. It makes a great Sunday supper. You can find the original recipe HERE.

Swiss Steak

Ingredients:

• 4 cube steaks
• salt & pepper
• olive oil
• 1 onion, sliced thin
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 TBS tomato paste
• 1 cup low sodium beef broth
• 14 oz can diced tomatoes
• 1 TBS Worcestershire sauce
• 2 bay leaves

*I also used a little garlic and onion powders to season the meat with the salt & pepper

Directions:
Preheat oven to 300. Season steaks with salt, pepper, and any other seasonings you prefer (Montreal steak seasoning was what I used the second time I made this). Heat a Dutch oven over medium and when hot, add oil and then brown the steaks - about 3 minutes on each side. Remove steaks from pot and put aside. Add onions and garlic to pot and sauté for 3 minutes. Add in tomato paste, cook 1 minute, then stir in broth, diced tomatoes, Worcestershire, and bay leaves. Add the steaks back in and place in the oven. Cook for 1 and a half hours. Serve with white rice or mashed potatoes. Enjoy!

Jerk Smoked Country Ribs - Home Cooked #88

 I grew up eating country style boneless pork ribs. As a young girl who is half Polish, when my mom would make them on a bed of sauerkraut, seasoned with salt and pepper only, I was in heaven. There is something delectable about a porky, fatty rib nestled on a bed of tangy sauerkraut. I think I have only made it one time as an adult, because I often forget about simple but delicious dishes like that.

I was listening to one of my favorite podcasts a couple weeks ago and the host was making boneless country style ribs - but on a smoker, with Jerk seasoning. I just HAD to make it. It sounded so good to mix the lovely Caribbean flavors with a childhood favorite. And hubs is in love with his smoker so I thought it would also give him an opportunity to give something new a spin on his smoker. I made the recipe almost exactly, because with techniques or flavors I might be unfamiliar with I like to go by the letter the first time. The next go-round I would add more garlic and soy. I DID go a little shy on the habanero this time (only 1 pepper, completely de-seeded) because I can never tell how much spice I will be able to tolerate, but I can definitely amp it up a bit next time and use the 2 that are called for. You can find the original recipe HERE. And if you're a podcast fan, and like to hear about home cooking, then check out the actual podcast because I really enjoy it!

JERK SMOKED COUNTRY RIBS

Ingredients:

• 2-3 lbs boneless country ribs
• salt & pepper
• 1 lime, juiced
• 1 tbs apple cider vinegar
• 1 tbs soy sauce
• 1 tbs worcestershire
• 1 tbs veg oil
• 1 tbs sugar
• 1 tsp allspice
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tbs fresh thyme (or 1 tsp dried thyme - I used dried)
• 4 green onions, chopped
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 habanero peppers

Directions:
Place everything from the lime juice to the end in a food processor. Season with salt and pepper. Blend until a mostly smooth consistency. 
Season ribs liberally with salt and pepper. Place in a gallon bag and pour the marinade in - reserve some of the marinade before pouring on the pork if you would like to have as a sauce later on. Marinate in the refrigerator for 4 hours to overnight (I marinated overnight). 
Preheat your smoker to 250. Smoke for 2 hours, or until temperature reaches 165. Once internal temperature of ribs is 165, wrap in foil then place back on the smoker until they reach 190 (about an hour). Serve with reserved sauce if reserved. Enjoy!

Salisbury Meatballs - Instant Pot Inspirations #3

 I love when I am perusing social media and I come across a recipe that sounds easy and delicious. I was scrolling through Insta this week and saw an Instant Pot picture for Salisbury meatballs. Checked out the recipe and it looked super easy PLUS I already had all the ingredients AND needed a recipe for Thursday's dinner. Winner, winner MEATBALL dinner! You can find the original recipe HERE!

Instant Pot Salisbury Meatballs

Ingedients:
1 lb ground beef
1 egg
1/4 cup panko breadcrumbs (any are fine)
salt and pepper
2 1/2 cups beef broth
1 onion, sliced
8 ounces sliced mushrooms
1 packet onion soup mix
1 tbs tomato paste
2 tbs Dijon mustard

***EQUIPMENT NEEDED: pressure cooker

Directions:
Start saute function on pressure cooker. Heat up 2 tbs olive oil. Meanwhile mix together ground beef, egg, breadcrumbs, and salt & pepper. Form into golf ball size meatballs. Saute meatballs in olive oil until browned on all sides, about 5 minutes. Remove meatballs. Deglaze bottom of pot with 1/2 cup beef broth. Stir in remaining broth, tomato paste, and Dijon. Stir in onion soup mix and fresh onions. Place meatballs back in, top with mushrooms. Place lid on pressure cooker and set to high manual pressure for 10 minutes. Once pot comes to pressure, then has its 10 minute cook time, do a quick release when 10 minutes is up. If you like a thicker gravy, feel free to make a cornstarch slurry and stir it in and cook for 5 minutes on the saute function on high. We served ours with some cheesy mashed potatoes. Yum - Enjoy!

Maafe - Pinterest Pick #26

 I have been hearing a lot about West African food lately and I realize I haven't really cooked any African food before. When I came across a recipe for Maafe in one of my food groups, I thought it sounded delicious and easy enough to give it a try. So I made this dish yesterday and it was a very different flavor than what we usually eat. I liked it, hubby was on the fence. It was spicy and nutty. The dish comes from Senegal in West Africa. Peanuts are their largest crop, which explains the peanut butter in the dish. A lot of their cuisine are stewed dishes, often eaten with bread. I served the dish with garlic biscuits, but you could also serve it with rice, couscous, or a flatbread like Naan. I hope this recipe influences some of my dear blog readers to branch out and try African cuisine if you haven't before. I did leave out the jalapeno and green bell pepper as I did not have any on hand, but the dish was spicy enough with the red pepper flakes. If you prefer a milder flavor, I would reduce the amount of red pepper flakes or leave them out entirely. You can find the original pin HERE and the original recipe HERE,

Maafe (Beef Peanut Stew)

Ingredients:
2 lb beef stew meat (or a chuck roast cut into 1 inch pieces)
(Marinade)
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp garlic, minced
1 tsp ginger, minced
(Stew)
1 onion, diced
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbs minced ginger
3 tbs tomato paste
8 ounces tomato sauce
1 tsp smoked paprika
2 tsp red pepper flakes (use half or leave out depending on your spice tolerance)
1 jalapeno, finely diced (I omitted)
1 red bell pepper, largely diced
1 green bell pepper, largely diced (I omitted)
12 baby carrots
3 cups beef broth
1/2 cup peanut butter (I used creamy, but crunch is fine too)
salt & pepper
*I also used a spice from Trader Joe's called Ajika which is spicy, garlicky, and nutty so it fit in with this dish (I used about a tablespoon)

Directions:
Marinate meat for a few hours (or overnight like I did) in the paprika, salt, pepper, garlic, and ginger.

Sear meat in vegetable oil for 5 minutes on each side. Remove from pot (I used a 6 quart Dutch oven) and set aside. Add a touch more oil to the pot and add in onions. Saute until tender. Add in ginger and garlic, and jalapeno if using. Cook for 1 minute then stir in tomato paste. Let cook for an additional minute then add in salt & pepper and red pepper flakes. Let cook for 5 minutes. Add in broth and carrots. Stir in peanut butter then add beef back to pot. Simmer for an hour then add in bell pepper. Let cook an additional hour. Serve with rice, couscous, or bread. Enjoy!

French Onion Beef Casserole - Home Cooked Recipe #87

 Tis the season for comfort food! And what is more comforting then a creamy casserole? Nada. I present to you the French onion beef casserole. It is easy to make, great for a weeknight, and inexpensive. It is a delicious dish that is perfect for the fall/winter season.

French Onion Beef Casserole

Ingredients:

• 
  1 pound ground beef
• 1 small onion, diced
• 1/2 package egg noodles, cooked according to package directions
• 1 can cream of onion soup (really, any cream soup you have would work)
• 1 8 ounce container of French onion dip (I use a refrigerated brand)
• French's fried onions
• salt and pepper

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350. While egg noodles are cooking, brown ground beef with diced onion. When beef is browned drain and season with salt and pepper. Mix together noodles, beef mixture, soup, and dip. Pour in to greased 9x13 baking dish. Top with fried onions. Bake for 30 minutes. Enjoy!

Dijon Beef Stew - Home Cooked Recipe #86

 Once in a while I come across a gem of a recipe either on television or the internet. This particular recipe I saw on Rachael Ray a week or so ago. It looked so good I couldn't even wait for it to get cold here in FL to make it. And I am really glad I didn't wait because it is SO delicious! I made slight adjustments to the recipe based on ingredients I had on hand, but you can find the original recipe HERE if you want to make it exactly as she does. I hope you enjoy it as much as we did in our house. 

DIJON BEEF STEW

Ingredients:

(STEW)

• 2 lbs stew meat (bite size chunks)
• 1 cup flour
• 1 tbs ground sage
• salt & pepper
• 4-6 tbs butter
• 1 onion, chopped
• 6 shallots, sliced
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 cup dry sherry 
• 1/2 cup Dijon mustard
• 2 cups beef broth
• 1 tbs Worcestershire
• 1 bag baby carrots
• 4-6 red potatoes, quartered
• 1/2 cup grainy dijon mustard

(MUSHROOMS)

• 16 oz white mushrooms, sliced 
• 4 tbs butter
• salt & pepper
• 1 tbs ground thyme
• 4 cloves minced garlic
• 1/2 cup dry sherry
• juice of 1/2 a lemon

Directions:
(STEW) Heat 4 tbs butter in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Mix sage, salt, and pepper into flour. Coat stew meat pieces lightly with flour. Brown stew meat pieces in the butter, in 2 batches. Set beef aside. Add more butter if needed to Dutch oven. Add in shallots and onions. Season with salt and pepper and add in bay leaf. Cook until soft, approximately 8 minutes. Deglaze pot with sherry. Let reduce by half. Add Dijon, broth, and Worcestershire. Stir beef back in. Reduce heat to low and simmer beef for 90 minutes. Add in carrots and potatoes, and simmer for 45 more minutes. Stir in grainy mustard. Once mustard is in, turn off heat and prepare mushrooms.
(MUSHROOMS) Heat butter in large sauté pan. Add mushrooms and cook until browned. Season with salt, pepper, thyme, and garlic - cook one minute. Deglaze pan with sherry. Turn off heat and squeeze in lemon juice. Top stew with sherry mushrooms.

ENJOY!

Cheesy Italian Chicken - CROCK*POT CAFE 16

Hey all! It has been really strange time hasn't it? 2020 has to be the oddest year of my life yet, and I am sure many of yours too. With pandemic happening, a civil rights movement sweeping the nation, murder hornets, and who knows what else, the last thing we have time to think about is what's for dinner. So I have a solution for you! This easy, 4 ingredient, tasty recipe that you can set and forget. I found the recipe on TikTok. Several users posted it so I am not sure where it originated from. But I am glad we tried it because now it is a household favorite!

Cheesy Italian Chicken

Ingredients:

• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts ( you can easily double or triple the chicken in this recipe - or even sub boneless, skinless chicken thighs - and the other ingredients can remain the same)
• 1 block cream cheese
• 1 bottle Olive Garden Italian salad dressing (or sub whatever Italian dressing you like best)
• 1/2 bag shredded Parmesan (I would reserve the other half for topping)

Directions:
Place chicken in slow cooker. Cover with Italian dressing, cream cheese, and Parmesan. Cook on low for 4 hours. You can shred the chicken once cooked like we did or leave the breasts whole. Serve with rice or noodles & top with additional Parmesan if desired. Enjoy!

Risotto with Sea Scallops - Home Cooked Recipe #85

Risotto is a comforting rice dish that warms the heart (and belly!). Once I mastered the technique to make it, I find it a lot easier than a lot of cooking shows make it seem! Hubby and myself LOVE sea scallops, and find they make a perfect topping for risotto. But because they are so expensive, we only have them occasionally as a treat. Also, not that many sea scallops come in a package, so I like to serve them with something hearty like risotto so we feel like we are getting a complete and filling meal. Mushrooms were on sale the week when I grabbed the scallops, so I added them to this dish to round it out. Talk about an umami bomb! But you could also use vegetables such as peas or asparagus; these are other popular veggies served with risotto. If I am working with more of a budget, I will cook up some shrimp as the protein instead of scallops, since shrimp are generally more affordable. If you don't like or can't eat seafood, you can always top the risotto with the protein of your choice - or leave it out altogether! Risotto is very versatile, and only requires a smidgen of patience.

Risotto with Sea Scallops

Ingredients:

• 12-16 ounce package of sea scallops
• 8 ounce package of sliced mushrooms
• 2 cups arborio rice
• 2 cups water
• 4 cups chicken broth (I use 1 carton of low sodium chicken broth - usually Swanson's or Progresso)
• 1 cup grated Parmesan
• 1/4 cup heavy cream or half & half
• 6 TBS butter
• salt and pepper
• soy sauce
• 1/2 small onion, diced
• 1 clove garlic, minced

Directions:
Heat water and broth in a saucepan over medium/low, keep close to skillet.
Heat a cast iron skillet over medium high. Once hot, but not smoking, add 2 TBS butter. Saute mushrooms until brown and cooked, about 5-10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, and a dash or two of soy sauce. Remove from pan.
Add 2 TBS butter to pan. Season scallops with salt and pepper. Add to skillet and cook for a minute and a half on the first side. Flip over (you should have a nice golden brown crust), and cook an additional 90 seconds. Remove from pan. 
Add remaining butter and diced onion. Cook for 2 minutes. Turn down heat to medium. Add in garlic, saute an additional minute. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in arborio rice. Toast rice with onions and garlic for a minute or two. Begin adding broth mixture, a ladle or two at a time. Once most of the liquid is absorbed, add another ladle or two and repeat until approximately 1/2 the broth mixture is gone. At this point, begin tasting the rice for doneness, adding the broth mixture a ladle at a time until rice is fully cooked. This process usually takes 20 to 25 minutes. Once the rice is al dente, turn off heat. Stir in cream and Parmesan. Serve immediately, topped with mushrooms and scallops. Enjoy!

We Made Room For Dessert 29 - Air Fryer Hand Pies

It has been a LONG time since I posted a dessert recipe. This week we are making room for a little something sweet! And it uses one of my favorite kitchen devices - an air fryer!!! Super simple and super quick cooking, this dessert is sure to please. And it is very adaptable as you could use any type of filling you want. I used apple pie filling but you could use blueberry, cherry, lemon, pumpkin, etc. And you could also get creative and use pudding as the filling to have a creamier version, or even something cream cheese based.

Apple Air Fryer Hand Pies

Ingredients:

• 1 box of pie dough (2 crusts) - I use Pillsbury; you can make your own if preferred!
• 1 can pie filling - I used Comstock apple
• 1 cup powder sugar
• 1/8 cup milk

Directions:
Cut rounds out of the pie dough. I got 10 out of 2 crusts using my handy set of biscuit cutters. You could also use a large glass or small bowl. Put a small amount of filling in each round, fold over, and crimp with a fork to close. Place 4 at a time in your air fryer. Cook at 370 for 8 minutes. Place on rack to cool for about 20-30 minutes. Mix together powder sugar and milk while pies are cooling. Dip each hand pie completely in glaze. Place back on rack to dry. Enjoy!

Cheesy Chicken and Rice Casserole - CROCK*POT CAFE 15

It's always a bonus when I am searching for recipes and I end up making one that quickly becomes a family favorite. This dish is definitely one of those. Because who doesn't want a creamy, cheesy, comforting dish in winter? Or anytime? Because really, we don't have a whole lot of winter here where I live. But hubs and I always want a creamy, cheesy dinner! And the best part about this one is that your slow cooker will do the majority of the work for you. It is so easy and delicious - and easily adaptable!

Cheesy Chicken and Rice Slow Cooker Casserole

Ingredients:

• 3 chicken breasts, diced
• 1 small onion, diced
• 1 can condensed broccoli cheese soup
• 1 can condensed cream of chicken soup
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 1 & 1/2 cups long grain white rice (NOT COOKED)
• 1/2 stick butter (4 TBSP) sliced
• 4 oz shredded cheddar

Directions:
Spray your slow cooker with cooking spray of your choice - do NOT skip this step. Mix together all ingredients EXCEPT shredded cheddar in a mixing bowl. Pour in to your greased slow cooker, making sure butter slices, chicken chunks, and rice are evenly distributed. Top with shredded cheddar. Cook on low for 4 hours. I serve it with a salad. ENJOY!

Slow Cooker Ravioli Casserole - CROCK*POT CAFE 14

I love a versatile dish that basically cooks itself. I came across a couple recipes on the internet for a similar dish and thought I would try it with my own spins on it. It is a super easy recipe that you can let cook while you are out of the house. There are many ways to make it your own and I will include some of those tips.

Slow Cooker Ravioli Casserole

Ingredients:

• 16oz bag frozen cheese ravioli (you can also use a meat filled if you prefer. Or really ravioli with any filling you like. It's up to you! You can also use refrigerated ravioli but I would reduce the cook time in half if you do)
• 1 jar of your favorite tomato sauce (I prefer Ragu meat flavored)
• 3 oz of pesto (I used 1/2 a jar of pesto from Aldi - you can make your own or use another brand)
• 8 oz heavy cream

***Optional: Some great additions include shredded mozzarella (which I would have used but I did not have any on hand), parmesan, ground beef, sausage, pepperoni, bell peppers, and much more. Just throw them on top before cooking!

Directions
Spray your crock pot with cooking spray. Layer in half the jar of tomato sauce. Pour on the raviolis. Pour on the remaining tomato sauce. Mix together the heavy cream and pesto and then pour over the top. Cook on low for 4 hours. Serve with garlic bread and a salad. Enjoy!

***I did not get a picture of the finished product but it basically looked like a baked ravioli dish and hubs loved it!

Cornbread Casserole - Instant Pot Inspirations #2

It's a new year! Welcome 2020. One of my cooking goals in 2020 is to use my instant pot more. I was so thrilled to get it and then so scared to use it. Now I am completely in love. For New Year's day dinner I made one of my side dishes in it and I want to share the recipe with you to start the new year right! It came out so much moister and more tender than the oven version and I think you will enjoy it as much as I did. I found the original recipe HERE and then modified it slightly. You will need an electric pressure cooker for this recipe as well as a mini bundt pan (preferably nonstick). I found the bundt pan super cheap at my local Aldi a few months ago, but I know you can also find them at Amazon, and I believe possibly Walmart or Target.

Instant Pot Corn Casserole

Ingredients:

• 2 eggs
• 1 box Jiffy cornbread mix
• 1 cup shredded cheddar
• 1 can creamed corn
• 4 tbs melted butter
• 1/2 cup sour cream (I only use Breakstone's)
• salt & pepper

Directions:
Mix all ingredients together. Grease mini bundt pan. Pour batter into pan and then cover tightly with foil. Put two cups of water in the inner pot. Place your trivet inside (mine is the metal one that comes with your pot, I also believe they sell silicone versions and you could also use that with no problem), and then place the bundt pan on your trivet. Secure your lid and make sure your valve is set to sealing. Hit the pressure cook button and set your time to 45 minutes. When the cooking is complete, do a quick release. Once your pin drops, carefully remove the bundt pan and let cool for at least 5 minutes. Then carefully remove the casserole from the bundt pan onto a plate. Enjoy!

Creamy Lemon Chicken Pasta -Instant Pot Inspirations #1

I have had an Instant Pot for almost 2 years now. It literally took me a year and a half from when I got it to take it out of the box and use it. I was nervous about how the whole pressure thing would work. I am so glad I finally got up the courage because I absolutely love it! I have the 6 quart IP-DUO model. After watching endless YouTube videos, mostly from Pressure Luck, I have ventured into pressure cooking and it is going well. I made this particular recipe this week and both hubs and I loved it. He said it was the most tender chicken we've ever made. That's a pretty big deal! You definitely have to have an Instant Pot to exactly replicate this recipe. But you could also use the ingredients as a guideline to make a delicious pasta dish using traditional cooking methods. But really, get yourself an Instant Pot because it is really fun to cook in and does SO many things! You can find the original recipe, by Pressure Luck, HERE.

Creamy Lemon Chicken Pasta -Instant Pot Recipe

Ingredients:

• 2 chicken breasts, diced into bite size chunks
• 2 lemons, juiced
• 1/3 cup heavy cream
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 2 cups garlic broth ***see note
• 1 box (12 oz) penne
• 1 tbs capers
• 1-2 cans artichoke hearts (I omitted this because hubs is not a fan)
• 4 tbs butter
• 1 shallot, diced (I used a small onion)
• 1 tbs garlic, minced (about 3 cloves)
• 1 cup grated Parmesan
• salt and pepper

***note - to make garlic broth you use a tablespoon of Better Than Bouillon garlic flavor in 2 cups of water. If you don't want to go to the trouble, just sub 2 more cups of chicken broth and add a sprinkly of garlic powder

Directions:
Add butter to your Instant Pot and hit "saute". The saute function should be on the high setting. Once the butter melts, add your shallot/onion. Season with salt and pepper. Cook for 2 minutes and then add the garlic and the chicken. Cook an additional 2 minutes (the chicken will not be cooked through at this point. That's ok, the pressure cooking finishes the chicken completely). Add your broth and lemon juice. Add in your box of pasta on top and gently press down into the broth/chicken mixture but DO NOT STIR. Put your Instant Pot on the Pressure Cook setting on high for 6 minutes. Use the Quick Release when the 6 minutes is up. At this point stir in your artichoke hearts (if using), cream, and capers. Stir well. Serve with additional Parmesan. Enjoy!

Country Fried Steak Bites - Home Cooked Recipe #84

I love, love, love country fried steak. I didn't really have it growing up so when I discovered it as an adult I couldn't get enough. There are a couple of restaurants I absolutely love it at, and others that don't do such a great job. I came across this recipe for country fried steak, but in bite size pieces and I was hooked. I experimented a bit and came up with my own version, so here it is! You can serve it with white gravy for dipping, or ranch like I had, or even a horseradish sauce like the kind you get with a fried onion. It is delicious with any sauce you like really.  Also, you can make it as the protein in a meal, or serve them for snacks or an appetizer.

Country Fried Steak Bites

Ingredients

• 2lbs cube steak, cut into bite size pieces (about 1 inch)
• 2 cups flour
• salt & pepper
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp Paprika ( I used smoked Paprika)
• 1 tsp Cayenne
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup milk
• oil for frying (use a light oil like vegetable or peanut)

Directions:
Preheat your oil and let it come up to between 350 and 375 (I used a 6 quart pot and had about 2 inches of oil in the pot). Meanwhile, in one bowl mix together the eggs and milk. Whisk together well. In a separate bowl, mix together flour and all spices. Dip your cube steak bites in flour, then in egg mixture, then back in flour. Fry in batches. It should take less than 5 minutes per batch, just look for a beautiful golden brown crust to form. Place each batch on a paper towel lined plate to drain off excess oil. Salt bites when the pieces come out of the oil. Serve with your favorite dipping sauce. Enjoy!

Simply Sides 27 - Better Than a Restaurant Mexican Rice

As promised in my last post for the queso chicken, today's recipe is an easy way to make a delicious rice side dish. In my opinion, this recipe is even better than a lot of the rice I have at Mexican restaurants. Plus you can control the amount of spices you put it in so you can make it as flavorful as you like!

Better Than a Restaurant Mexican Rice

Ingredients:

• 2 cups long grain white rice
• 1 8oz can tomato sauce
• 3 cups chicken broth
• 1/2 a small onion, diced
• 1 tsp cumin
• salt & pepper
• 1 tbs olive oil

***optional: 1 clove garlic minced

Directions:
Saute the onion in olive oil for 5 minutes. Season with salt, pepper, and cumin. If you are adding garlic, saute now for 1 minute. Stir in the rice.  Saute for 2 minutes until rice is coated with oil and seasonings and begins to toast. Add in 1/2 the can of tomato sauce; stir well. Pour in chicken broth and bring to a boil.  Reduce to a very low simmer and place a lid on. Steam rice for 25-30 minutes.  When the rice is cooked through, add the remaining tomato sauce if desired, and fluff with a fork. Serve with your favorite Mexican or Southwestern meal. Enjoy!

Southwest Queso Chicken - CROCK*POT CAFE 13

I know a lot of you have busy lives and now that kids have recently gone back to school in the area, I know a lot of parents are looking for a lot of easy dinner ideas. I tried this recipe yesterday and I have to tell ya, it doesn't get much simpler than this. Not only that but it's very few ingredients AND it is super delicious. Plus, it cooks itself since this dish uses your slow cooker as the cooking vessel. Prepare some rice in a rice cooker and a heat up a veggie like corn in the microwave for side dishes and you have a complete meal in no time! I served mine with a homemade version of rice you would get at a Mexican restaurant (super easy, I will post that recipe in the near future!). You can also add some great additions like black beans to bulk the dish up with virtually no effort. Also, you can start the chicken from fresh OR frozen with no change to the cooking time. In addition, you can easily double, triple, or quadruple the recipe depending on your family size. How great is that???

Southwest Queso Chicken


Ingredients:

• 1 lb chicken breasts 
• 1 can Rotel (I use the one with fire roasted tomatoes, great flavor)
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1 jar queso (I use Tostitos, it's the only one I like)
• 1 packet taco seasoning (use your favorite, I favor Old El Paso)

Directions:
Place chicken breasts in your slow cooker. Sprinkle on the packet of taco seasoning. Combine the chicken broth and Rotel, and pour over the chicken. Cook on low for 4 hours. Stir in the queso and let cook 30 more minutes. Serve with your favorite Southwest sides. Enjoy!

Beefy Cheesy Sliders - Home Cooked Recipe #83

In addition to perusing Pinterest and the internet for recipe ideas, I also watch a boat load of cooking shows on Food Network and the Cooking Channel. One of my favorite Food Network shows is The Kitchen which premieres new episodes on Saturday mornings. Sunny Anderson is one of my favorite hosts from that show and when I saw her recipe for these yummy sliders I had to make them. I varied the recipe slightly but the results are still delicious. You can find here original recipe HERE. These are great for a party or tailgate or any event where you are wanting delicious little sandwiches.

Beefy Cheesy Sliders

Ingredients:

• 12 count slider rolls (I use Hawaiian Rolls - the butter flavored ones)
• 1 tbs Montreal steak seasoning
• 1/2 lb roast beef, sliced paper thin
• 8 oz shredded cheddar
• 4 oz provolone slices (I use Sargento ultra thin slices)
• 1/4 cup chipotle mayo 
• 1 stick of butter, melted
• 2 tbs grated onion
• 2 tbs grated Parmesan
• 1 tbs Worcestershire
• 1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

Directions:
Preheat your oven to 350. Slice the rolls in half and place the bottom halves in a baking dish. Sprinkle the Montreal steak seasoning on the buns then top with the provolone slices. Top the cheese with the roast beef slices. Mix together the cheddar and chipotle mayo and spread over the roast beef slices. Top with the roll tops. Mix together the butter, Worcestershire, Parmesan, grated onion, and red pepper flakes. Brush this mixture over the tops of the rolls. Cover with foil and bake for 25 minutes. Remove the foil and bake and additional 5 minutes to brown the rolls. Enjoy!

Nacho Cheese Casserole - Pinterest Pick #25

Sometimes I will just get a craving for Doritos. It's not super often but once in a while. It's funny because as a kid I think Doritos were my least favorite chip. When I was scrolling through Pinterest one evening I saw this casserole and thought I just had to make it. It was pretty delicious! Here is the original PIN. The recipe can be found HERE.

Nacho Cheese Casserole

Ingredients:

• 3 tbs oil
• 3 tbs flour
• 2 10 oz cans of your favorite enchilada sauce (I use Old El Paso)
• 1.5 cups of chicken broth
• 1 tsp cumin
• salt & pepper
• 1.5 lbs ground beef
• onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp salt
• black pepper
• 1/2 bag Doritos
• 2 cups shredded cheese (you can use cheddar, monterey jack, pepper jack, or a combo of your favorites)

***Toppings: lettuce, tomatoes, olives, green onions, sour cream, salsa - whatever you like on a taco basically!

Directions:
First, the sauce. In a pot over medium, make a roux with the oil and flour. Once combined and the flour is cooked out for a couple of minutes, add the sauce, broth, cumin, salt, & pepper. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer while preparing the meat. Next, the meat. Brown the ground beef. Add onions and garlic and spices and cook a few more minutes. Combine beef with sauce mixture. Then, prepare the casserole. Preheat oven to 350. Grease a 9x13 dishes with cooking spray. Lightly break up Doritos. Divide into 2 portions. Place one portion in one baking dish and reserve the 2nd portion. Top with the beef mixture. Top with cheese. Bake at 350 for 30-60 minutes. Top with your favorite toppings. Enjoy!

Simply Sides 26 - Funeral Potatoes

I can't believe it has already been 2 months since I have given you a new recipe but a lot has been going on around here. In January hubs brought me home a new kitty fur baby he adopted from our local shelter and in February we adopted a doggy fur baby from an event that our local shelter was having at a PetSmart location. I have attached their pics at the bottom of this post so you can see my new kids! And now on to our new recipe...
Do NOT be discouraged by the name of this dish! It is nothing morbid, in fact it is a flavorful & cheesy potato side dish that you will want to eat often. Funeral potatoes are also called hashbrown casserole, cheesy hashbrown casserole, and party potatoes so if you feel weird calling them funeral potatoes, use one of the monikers. The best part of this dish is that it hits so many cravings people have. Cheesy, salty, crunchy, creamy... And very comforting! This is also an extremely easy dish to make, so try it soon!

Funeral Potatoes

Ingredients:

• 1 bag of fresh shredded potatoes (I use Simply Potatoes, plain hashbrowns - find them in the refrigerated section of the grocery store, by the eggs etc). **You can also use frozen, you may need to bake the casserole for longer.
• 2 cups sour cream (1 16oz container should be fine, I use Breakstone's)
• 1 can cream of chicken soup (I use Campbell's)
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 package shredded cheddar (or grate a block and use 2 cups)
• salt & pepper to taste
• 2 cups potato chips, crushed
• 2 tbs butter, melted

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350. Grease a 9x13 baking dish. In a bowl, mix together sour cream, cream of chicken soup, onion, salt & pepper, and shredded cheese. Fold in potatoes. Combine butter and crushed chips in a separate bowl. Pour sour cream/potato mixture into 9x13 pan. Top with chip mixture. Bake for 30-45 minutes (closer to an hour if using frozen hashbrowns). Enjoy!

Creamy Tortellini Soup - Pinterest Pick #24

Two years ago I made a delicious tortellini soup (you can find that recipe HERE). Because the weather has actually been pretty cold this winter in FL I was looking for comforting soup, stew, and one pot meal recipes. I came across this recipe on Pinterest for CREAMY tortellini soup and I remembered how good my other recipe was, so I decided to give it a try. Both hubs and I loved it! And it fit the bill for a comforting soup dinner on a chilly night.  Not to mention you make it in your slow cooker so it's super easy as well. I made a couple of adjustments, as I always do. Instead of both cans of diced tomatoes I only used 1 can and then a can of plain tomato sauce. I used frozen spinach instead of fresh. And because my diced tomatoes were plain and not Italian style, I spiced up the soup with a couple of dashes of garlic salt, a big pinch of Italian seasoning, and lots of black pepper. Also, I made this soup without meat for meatless Monday, but you can easily add in some chicken or sausage if you choose. You can find the original pin HERE and the original recipe is listed on the pin, it does not link to a website. 

Creamy Tortellini Soup

Ingredients:

• 1 bag of frozen tortellini
• 1 box (10 oz) frozen spinach (or a bag of fresh baby spinach)
• 2 cans diced tomatoes (or 1 can of diced, and 1 can of tomato sauce)
• 1 block of cream cheese, cut into 4 chunks
• 1 carton chicken broth
• garlic salt
• black pepper
• Italian seasoning

***Parmesan cheese for topping (optional)
***Garlic bread for serving (optional)

Directions:
Put all ingredients in the slow cooker. Cook on low for 4 hours. Enjoy!