RECIPES

Now, I am not one to really blog about recipes & such. But lately, I have really embraced the small things that make a moms life just a little bit easier. I am one to find something that works and come to see that it gets stuck in my rotatation for good. I'll make hard recipes once in a blue moon or try something totally off the wall to be different, but if it wasn't easy or convenient, my family may never see it again. I plan on adding the easiest & tastiest ones randomly to this specific post. Some have been around since childhood, some I've found on Pinterest & modified to its easiest form & others have been passed along from friends or magazines. But I can promise they're all tried and true to the core, especially from a mama who likes to stick to what she knows when planning meals.

Here's a favorite I've discovered off of Pinterest.

4-6 pieces boneless skinless chicken breasts (i threw them in frozen... even easier!)

1 bottle BBQ sauce (sweet baby ray's all the way!)

1/4 c vinegar

1 tsp. red pepper flakes

1/4 c brown sugar

1/2 -

1 tsp. garlic powder

mix BBQ sauce with all ingredients listed under it. place chicken in crockpot. pour sauce over it and cook on LOW for 4-6 hours. you pretty much don't even have to stir it... how easy is that!?

The last two times I have cooked this I ended up shredding the chicken with a fork because it was so tender and just fell apart anyways, we ate it on toasted buns. It does have a light kick to it but the kids have eaten it well everytime. Some of the best BBQ I've ever eaten. Whether you keep it whole as a main course or shred it and grab some buns, it's super easy to throw in the crock pot that morning. It's on the menu, again, this week. ;)

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Mom's Beef Enchiladas.

Package of corn tortillas

package of shredded cheese

1 lb of beef

1 or 2 (depending on how saucy you like your's)cans of Hormel chili (with or without beans

1 or 2 cans of cheddar soup

small can of tomatoe paste.

1. Brown your meat.

2. Mix your wet ingredients: Chili, Cheddar soup & tomatoe paste.

3. Take your 9x13 pan and begin layering like so: Corn tortillas flat till bottom of pan is covered, couple spoon fulls of your sauce, couple spoon fulls of your cooked meat and a handful of shredded cheese. Start your second layer! Tortillas, sauce, meat and cheese....Takes about three layers. Put in the oven on about 350 and cook till cheese is melted.

Super easy, makes a big ol' batch, and forever loved by my kids and husband. Thank you, mama, for throwing this together in my childhood and passing it on!

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Shepherds Pie

1 lb of beef.

Package of frozen veggies.

Jar (or package) of brown beef gravy.

Tators

Parmesan cheese, grated. (optional)

Iron skillet or stainless steel skillet.

Brown that beef. In the same skillet throw in them veggies and let them cook a minute to lose some of their crunch. Pour in your gravy.

Make your mash potatoes on the side. (about 4 tators) and once ready, drop by spoonfulls inside around the edge of of your meat & veggie mix. It should look like a pie with the meat and veggies showing as a circle in the middle. Sprinkle with parmensan and throw in oven until bubbly.

This is a favorite around here. It's a comfort food. If I'm feeling all spunky, I'll make them cheesy, mash potatoes too. Serve with some butter bread and watch them family dive in.

Note: I don't always remember this, but two jars (or packages) of gravy actually make it tastier, or at least one and half. Also, don't forget to season your meat and tators.

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Tuna Patties

2 cans of Tuna, drained.

2 eggs

3/4 cup bread crumbs

salt, pepper, garlic powder.

Combine this all in a bowl, stir well, flavor it up and form into patties. Cook in skillet over medium heat until browned. This is another one I'm hanging onto from childhood. Super easy ingredients, takes me 5 minutes, and they're tasty little critters! If I remember right, this recipe makes about eight patties. Doesn't hurt to double it, or triple it, whatever you need to do to get some people full!

Serve with some easy sides. If I think I can, I'll throw some chopped onion in there but I can't always get away with that due to little people finding one and it totally ruining their supper. :)

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Zucchini Cakes

Makes: 8 cakes

You will need:

•1 large zucchni grated, excess water removed (Note: To do this, after you grate the zucchini, put the grated zucchini into paper towels and squeeze to release the water)

•1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

•1 cup panko bread crumbs

•sprinkle of ground nutmeg, about 1/8 teaspoon (Note: If you add too much it can quickly take over the taste, less is more)

•1/4 teaspoon paprika

•1 clove garlic, minced

•1 egg

•salt and pepper to taste

•1-2 tablespoons olive oil

1.Combine all ingredients, except olive oil, in a bowl and mix thoroughly. Using a heaping tablespoon form the mixture into 8 patties.

2.Heat olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Once heated, add patties and cook until golden brown. About 3-4 minutes per side. Serve.

We've made these twice and it's a new favorite! Kids love them too. It seems like a pain grating the zucchini but it took hardly no time. It grates fast and easy!

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Spinach, Sausage, and Egg pie.

1 lb of breakfast sausage (can use turkey or even, deer!)

1 pie crust (one deep dish or two regular)

1/2 cup of cottage cheese

8 oz mozzarella

1 10 oz package of frozen spinach

1/2 tsp garlic salt

4 eggs

Beat eggs & add remaining ingredients. Bake 375 for an hour!

After I had little Justin, Merilee, a friend of mine brought me this dish! The whole family was freaking out over it. It's been a keeper ever since! Highly recommended.

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Jamie Oliver's Spinach Fettuccine

1 lb of spinach fettuccine

olive oil

2 tsp butter

2 garlic cloves, sliced and peeled.

1/2 a nutmeg grated (optional)

14 oz fresh spinach

salt and pepper

1/2 cup heavy cream

5 oz mascarpone cheese

2 handfuls of grated parmesan

Cook pasta in salted water.

In a skillet drizzle olive oil, butter, garlic & nutmeg. When butter melts, add spinach. After 5 minutes or so it will wilt and be dark. At this point add salt and pepper.Then add cream, mascrapone, and a little ladle of your salt water from pasta. Let this come to a simmer and season again.

Drain pasta (save some water incase you need to loosen the sauce) Add your pasta to sauce, add parmesan!

This is one of the best Fettuccines I've ever had! And the kids love it too which is crazy since they're picky about spinach. :-)

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Slow cooker Cilantro, Lime, Chicken.

In a slow cooker, mix together:

One 24-ounce jar medium or mild salsa

Juice from one lime

1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

One 1.25-oz. package taco seasoning

2 jalapeno peppers, finely chopped (optional. I, personally, have never used these in it due to children)

4-6 completely thawed Chicken breast.

Throw all in crockpot, cover and cook on low for 6 hours!

Note: I found this on Pinterest awhile back and have made it twice so far. The first time I left the chicken whole and used it as my main dish with mexican sides. This last time I shredded the chicken (like I did with the bbq) and had flour tortillas, sour cream, shredded cheese, & lettuce as sides for some of the BEST chicken tacos I've had! And what easy ingredients, throw it in and walk away till everyones hungry! After being in the crockpot that long, it basically just fell apart for me. Nice.

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Grandma's chicken spagetti!

Spagetti noodles

Can of Rotel

Small block of velveeta

Celery & Onion

Chicken broth

shredded cheese.

Chicken (either two cans of cooked chicken (the easy way) or cook and shred your own like my sister does (higher quality way))

Cook your noodles.

In skillet add your celery & onion and cook till diluded. Add rotel and velveeta. Stir until velveeta melts. Add a little chicken broth.

Drain noodles and pour them in a 9x13 pan. Pour your velveeta mixture on top and toss until mixed. If it seems thick, add more chicken broth. Add your cooked, seasoned chicken and toss again. Top with shredded cheese and throw in oven until bubbly.

Note: A favorite with the kids. Sometimes I add celery and sometimes I don't. My grandma uses the regular Rotel instead of mild and it gives it a spicy kick. Also, this freezes great!!

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Mom's Chicken Caesar pizza!

1 lb. cooked chicken cubed

2 3/4 c. flour

4 tsp sugar

2 1/4 tsp yeast

3/4 tsp salt

1 tsp basil

1 1/14 c warm water

3/4 c Caesar vinaigrette

2 c fresh spinach

2 c mozzerella

4 plum tomatoes chopped

In a large bowl combine flour, sugar, yeast, salt, basil and water knead and

add flour if needed for 5 minutes. cover and let rest 10 minutes.

Press dough in cookie sheet sprayed with cooking spray and bake 7-9 minutes at 400*.

Spread vinaigrette over crust and layer spinach and chicken. Sprinkle with cheese and tomatoes. Drizzle with olive oil and salt & pepper, I add parmesan too. Bake 20-25 minutes or until cheese is melted. :)

We made this last night and I had to add it on the 'nugget' post! My kids won't eat the Caesar so I made the other half with pizza sauce, chicken, cheese, salt, pepper, olive oil and parmesan! This recipe is on my hubby's top 3! Enjoy!