Skillet Enchiladas

My mother-in-law gave me this RECIPE years ago, as I'm sure my HUSBAND was begging for it! It's really delicious and cooks up much FASTER than your standard enchiladas! (Sorry again about the weird photo! I'm working on it!)

Skillet Enchiladas
1 pound ground beef or turkey
1/2 onion, chopped
1 can enchilada sauce
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1/2 cup milk
1 small can diced green chiles
1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese, plus more for garnish
Flour tortillas
Sour cream

Brown the meat with the onion in a large skillet; drain. Stir in the sauce, soup, milk, and chiles and let simmer about 5 to 10 minutes.  Stir in the cheese until melted. Serve in warm flour tortillas—we usually do a scoop down the center of each tortilla, roll it up, and then top with another big scoop of the sauce. Sprinkle the whole thing with cheese and top with a scoop of sour cream.

TIP: Other great toppings for this dish would be shredded lettuce and sliced avocado.

Traditional Shepherd's Pie

I love this dinner! It is such a classic COMFORT food, and really pretty SIMPLE to make. This version always just says HOME to me. (Sorry for the awful picture! I can't get my new camera to work very well with blogger!)

Traditional Shepherd's Pie
1 pound hamburger
1/2 sweet onion, chopped
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon pepper
Salt
1 can green beans, drained
1 small can mushrooms, drained
1 heaping cup frozen corn, thawed
1/2 cup flour

1 cup milk (and more if needed)

1 to 2 cups grated cheddar cheese
2 to 3 cups mashed potatoes

In a large skillet, brown the hamburger with the onion, garlic, pepper, and salt; drain. Stir in all the veggies to combine. Sprinkle the flour over top and stir to coat. Pour milk over mixture, 1/2 cup at a time, and stir until a nice thick gravy forms. (You may need to add more, it just depends. The last time I made it, I probably ended up using 1 1/2 cups!) Pour mixture into a 2- to 3-quart glass baking dish and then top with desired amount of cheese. Spread the mashed potatoes over top and spread out to seal around the edges of the baking dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 to 30 minutes, or until the potatoes have a nice golden color. Let stand about 5 minutes and then serve!

TIP: To simplify the gravy, try using a can of cream of mushroom soup thinned out a little with some milk. Or try using a can of tomato soup for a totally different taste! Also, you can use whatever vegetables you have on hand. Just use anywhere from 2 to 3 cups and you'll be good!  (Frozen peas and carrots are yummy too!).

BBQ Chicken Quesadillas

Man, what can I say? We seriously LOVE quesadillas at our house! I often have leftover CHICKEN in the fridge, so since quesadillas are so EASY and always seem to taste so GOOD, this is my latest concoction!

BBQ Chicken Quesadillas
1 cup cooked chopped chicken
1/4 cup chopped red onion
1/2 cup corn
1/2 cup (or so) BBQ sauce

4 tortillas

Grated cheddar cheese

In a bowl, combine the chicken, onion, corn, and BBQ sauce until all is well coated with the sauce. Lay the tortillas on your work space and sprinkle some cheese over 2 of them. Split the chicken mixture evenly over each (although I grabbed a 5th tortillas and made a half) and then sprinkle with a little more cheese. Top with the remaining tortillas and then cook in a quesadilla maker, or heat in a large frying pan sprayed with nonstick spray, turning half-way through cook time so both sides brown. Makes 2 quesadillas (and a half!)

TIP: I served this with a small bowl of ranch dressing on the side, mixed with some BBQ sauce and it was a hit! (I'm sure plain ranch would taste fine too though.) You could also do some variations on the sauce and dip, for example, use a spicy BBQ sauce in your quesadilla mixture and dip into blue cheese dressing! Yum!

Chipotle Black Bean Quesadillas

Quesadillas are a quick go-to DINNER at our house a lot. We put all sorts of STUFF between two tortillas! My husband thought these ones were EXTRA special, so I decided to SHARE them with you!

Chipotle Black Bean Quesadillas

8 whole wheat tortillas

Grated cheddar cheese

Grated pepper jack cheese

1 cup corn

Salsa

2 or 3 Morning Star Chipotle Black Bean Burger patties, cooked according to directions

Lay 4 tortillas on your counter. Top each with some cheddar and pepper jack cheese. Sprinkle about 1/4 cup corn over top of each, followed by small spoonfuls of salsa (according to your liking!). Break apart or cut the cooked patties into 1/4-inch size pieces. Sprinkle the broken patties over top, followed by a touch more cheese. Cook each quesadilla in a Quesadilla Maker (my preferred method) or in a large frying pan on your stovetop. Just make sure to flip it halfway through. :)

TIP: These are pretty versatile, as you can obviously add whatever ingredients you feel like or have on hand. I would have loved some roasted red peppers added in if I'd had them! Also, I bought a big box of these burgers at Costco in the freezer section. I just like to have them on hand!

Easy Zucchini

Does anybody else find it hard to be CREATIVE with veggies over the winter? If anyone has some great IDEAS, please let me know. In the meantime, here is one of my always TASTY old stand-bys.

Easy Zucchini

Olive oil

2 small zucchini, sliced
1/2 red onion, sliced
Salt and pepper

Heat the olive oil in a frying pan and then add the zucchini and onion. Let cook several minutes and then toss. Season with some salt and pepper, and continue cooking for several more minutes, or until the zucchini and onion have a touch of brown around the edges.

TIP: Just make sure you don't cook them too long or the zucchini will turn into mush! This is also great with some sliced yellow squash mixed in, sprinkled with lemon pepper instead of the regular black pepper.

Stuffing Casserole

It's hard for me to stop thinking about STUFFING when the holiday season is over. It's just so GOOD! Anyway, here is a super SIMPLE little casserole that always pleases at my house.

Stuffing Casserole
2 cups cut-up rotisserie chicken
1 cup peas
1 cup corn
1 can cream of chicken soup (I use the light version)
1/2 cup light sour cream
1 box Stovetop Stuffing, cooked according to directions

In a bowl, combine all ingredients except the stuffing. Pour into a 2-quart casserole dish that has been sprayed with nonstick spray. Spread the cooked stuffing over top. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until filling is bubbling and heated through. Makes 4 to 6 servings.

NOTE: You can use whatever vegetables you prefer. For example, a bag of frozen peas and carrots would be fine, or even broccoli and cauliflower. Whatever you choose will be good!

Chicken Parmesan

OK, so we've established that I LOVE cheese. I also love MARINARA sauce. A LOT! This recipe is so easy, and always TASTES amazing on a cold winter's day.

Chicken Parmesan

2 eggs, beaten

Italian breadcrumbs

Grated Parmesan cheese

10 to 12 boneless skinless chicken tenders

About 1/4 cup olive oil

10 to 12 slices mozzarella
Spaghetti sauce (I used traditional Prego)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9 x 13-inch pan with nonstick spray; set aside.

Put the eggs in a bowl and set aside. Put the breadcrumbs in a shallow pan and combine with the Parmesan cheese and set aside. (Try using a 2:1 ratio, breadcrumbs:cheese.)

In a large frying pan, heat the oil. When the oil is ready, start dipping the chicken tenders first into the beaten eggs, then roll in the breadcrumb mixture to completely coat. Fry the tenders about 2 or 3 minutes on each side, or until golden brown and slightly crisp. Place the cooked strips in the prepared 9 x 13-inch pan and then top each piece with a slice of mozzarella cheese. Spoon the spaghetti sauce over each slice, as well as around the bottom of the pan to cover. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until chicken is done.  Serve with some sort of noodle on the side!

NOTE: If you don't have Parmesan, try Romano or Asiago. I actually even like to combine all three. Also, if you want to cut calories, skip the breading/frying part, sprinkle each piece of chicken with the Parmesan cheese, top with the mozzarella and sauce, and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until cooked through. 

Chicken Caesar Crostini

This is an easy and FABULOUS recipe that you can WHIP up for New Year's Eve. I'm a sucker for anything with Caesar dressing, but these really are WORTH trying! To top things off, they look REALLY pretty. :)

Chicken Caesar Crostini
6 to 8 chicken tenders
Olive oil

1/3 cup grated Asiago or Romano cheese, plus more to top

1/2 cup Caesar dressing, or to taste
1 French baguette, sliced in 1/4- to 1/2-inch slices
Romaine or green leaf lettuce, chiffonade (sliced in thin strips)

Saute the tenders in a frying pan coated with a touch of olive oil. (I seasoned mine with some Montreal Chicken Seasoning.) Let cool completely and then dice the chicken; preheat the broiler.

In a bowl, combine the chicken, cheese, and dressing just to coat. (I'm not exactly sure on the dressing measurement, so just add gradually until all is moist.) Place bread slices on a baking sheet and then top each piece with a spoonful of the chicken mixture. Sprinkle some cheese over top and then broil in the oven until bread is looking toasty and the chicken mixture is sizzling—about 1 1/2 to 2 minutes in my oven. Top with a pinch of the lettuce strips and serve!

TIP: I tossed my lettuce with just a touch of the dressing, but not too much as I didn't want it to get soggy. Also, be careful not to cut the bread slices too thin—the topping is pretty heavy and you want them to hold up. You could brush them with olive oil and toast in the oven to make them a little more firm before topping and broiling. Also, another ingredient that would be a fantastic addition—bacon!

Banana Streusel Muffins

If you have some extra ripe BANANAS around, make these easy muffins a part of your CHRISTMAS breakfast!  I sometimes get tired of regular banana BREAD (why do I always have overripe bananas?), so sometimes I make these instead. YUM!

Banana Streusel Muffins
2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 heaping teaspoon cinnamon
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup sour cream
1/4 cup butter, melted
3 extra ripe bananas, mashed

Streusel
1/4 cup brown sugar
3 tablespoons flour
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons butter

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a large bowl, combine all the dry ingredients and then add all of the wet ingredients; mix well. Spoon batter in greased muffin tins, about 2/3 full; set aside.

In a small bowl, combine the streusel ingredients until crumbly. Divide evenly over the muffin batter in the pan and then bake for 20 to 25 minutes.

TIP: If you don't like the hassle of cleaning the muffin pan when all is said and done, just use the little paper liners instead! Also, a good addition to this recipe would be some chopped nuts or chocolate chips.  If you add some, let me know how they turn out!

All Day Salsa Chicken

I've had several VERSIONS of this recipe, and actually LIKE them all. I made this one for dinner a week or two ago. It was the perfect WARM dish on a very snowy NIGHT. Hope you like it!

All Day Salsa Chicken
10 to 12 chicken tenders
8 to 12 ounces chunky salsa
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 heaping cup frozen corn
4 ounces cream cheese, cut into cubes

Spray a Crockpot with nonstick spray. Place the chicken tenders inside. Pour the salsa over the chicken. Cook on low heat for about 7 to 8 hours. Stir the chicken and salsa around a bit to break up the chicken. Pour in the beans and corn and then stir in the cream cheese. Let cook on high heat for about 30 minutes and give it all a good stir. Serve over rice or wrapped up in a warm tortilla.

TIP: I like to stir in more salsa after the cream cheese is all melted so the taste has a little more zip to it. This version is fairly thick, so the extra salsa also loosens it up a bit more. If it is too thick for you, try stirring in half a can of cream of chicken soup, or a 1/2 cup of sour cream. It changes the taste a little bit, but is still yummy. You can also double the cream cheese if you want, just for fun!

BONUS TIP: This recipe is also great served as a dip with tortilla chips!

Favorite Pot Roast

This is a super EASY Crockpot recipe that I love love love! The gravy is so FLAVORFUL and the roast always turns out TENDER. I have a hard time not licking my plate CLEAN, or the Crockpot for that matter!

Favorite Pot Roast
1 (2- to 3-pound) beef roast
1 envelope brown gravy mix
1/2 envelope Italian dressing mix
1/3 cup water, plus more if necessary
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/4 cup cold water

Brown the roast on all sides and then place in your Crockpot. Combine the dry mixes with 1/3 cup water and pour over top. Cook on low heat about 8 hours. When done, remove the roast to a serving platter and slice; set aside. Combine the cornstarch and cold water and pour into the Crockpot to thicken the gravy; stir until smooth and thick. Add more water to the gravy if necessary. (Like if it tastes too strong or seems too thick, or if you just want more of it!) Serve with mashed potatoes and a favorite veggie.

TIP: Once I have the gravy to my liking, I usually put the sliced pieces of roast back in and let them soak up some of that gravy goodness before I serve it. Oh, and since my husband loves onions, I better say that adding some onion slices to the Crockpot while cooking the roast would be good too! :)

Creamy Carrot Bisque

Every year, my MOM gives me a big bag of carrots from her GARDEN. And, every year, I make this SUPER yummy soup. It's pretty healthy, but so creamy and GOOD that my 1-year-old daughter downs the stuff!

Creamy Carrot Bisque
1 small sweet onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced

2 pounds peeled carrots, cut into pieces

1 tablespoon cider vinegar
Dash of nutmeg
4 to 5 cups chicken broth (or vegetable for vegetarians)
1/2 to 3/4 cup heavy cream or half-and-half
Cooked and crumbled bacon, optional
Sour cream, optional

In a large saucepan, saute the onion and garlic until translucent. Add the carrots, vinegar, nutmeg, and broth and bring to a simmer. Cook until the carrots are very soft. Blend cooked mixture in the blender until smooth and creamy; with the blender still running, slowly pour in the cream. Pour back into saucepan and then warm through. Taste and season with salt and pepper if necessary. Serve with bacon and sour cream on top.

TIP: I use my mom's garden carrots, but you can buy the 2-pound bag of already peeled baby carrots at the grocery store and they work just as well. And, they will actually save you time because you don't have to peel them! Also, if you want to cut calories, try using milk instead of the cream.

Blue Cheese and Pear Pizza

This is another PIZZA recipe, but it is obviously not your TYPICAL pizza. I've had something like this similar at a local RESTAURANT, but I think my version is just as good! If you like GORGONZOLA, you're gonna love this!

Blue Cheese and Caramelized Pear Pizza
1 Boboli pizza crust
Blue cheese dressing (use your favorite kind! I actually used light)
1 large pear, thinly sliced (like 1/4 inch or less)
1/4 cup sugar
Gorgonzola or other favorite blue cheese, crumbled
Candied pecans
Shredded Jarlsberg (or a good-quality) Swiss cheese
Shredded or torn lettuce, like Romaine or leafy green

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Place the crust on a pizza pan and then spread a very thin, light layer of blue cheese dressing; set aside.

Press both sides of each slice of pear into the sugar (spread out on a plate) and cook a large frying pan until tender or slightly browned. (This takes about 7 or 8 minutes total, so try and flip the pear slices somewhere in the middle.) Lay the cooked pears over the dressing on the crust. Sprinkle a generous layer of gorgonzola crumbles over the top, followed by the candied pecans. Finally, finish off with the Jarlsberg cheese and then bake in the oven for about 10 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbling.

Toss the lettuce with some blue cheese dressing and top each individual slice with the mixture. Makes 4 servings.

TIP: The great thing about this recipe is that you don't need to use ripe pears! They can be green and still turn out sweet and flavorful due to the caramelization process. Other great additions include cooked and crumbled bacon, or even some shredded rotisserie chicken.

Easy Christmas Cut-Up Cakes for Kids

I think it's time for me to plug my cute little book, Easy Christmas Cut-Up Cakes for Kids. It has around 25 holiday/wintery cakes that you can make with your kids (or without!) and they are all super cute, if I do say so myself. Here are a couple more of the cakes you can make:

Mexican Pizza

We love MEXICAN food at our house as well as pizza, so that's how this recipe came to be! I usually make it with LEFTOVERS from tacos or burritos, but I've portioned things out for you. We didn't have tomatoes when I made the PIZZA below, but it was still delicious. We just used more SALSA on top!

Mexican Pizza
1 can (15 ounces) refried beans
1/2 to 3/4 cup chunky salsa
1 Boboli pizza crust
1/2 pound hamburger, browned and drained
2 to 3 tablespoons taco seasoning, or to taste
1 to 2 tablespoons water
1/2 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes, drained
1/2 can (4 ounces) diced green chiles
1 1/2 cups grated Mexican-blend cheese
Shredded lettuce, salsa, sour cream

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

In a saucepan, warm the beans and salsa together, stirring occasionally. Spread half of the bean mixture over the pizza crust (and reserve the rest for another use or a 2nd pizza!).

In a frying pan, season the hamburger with the taco seasoning and water. Sprinkle meat over beans on crust. Sprinkle the tomatoes and green chiles over the meat. Top with the cheese and then bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the cheese is melted. Top individual slices with lettuce, salsa, and sour cream. Makes 4 servings.

TIP: Instead of using half of the beans and half a can of tomatoes and chiles, try using 2 Boboli crusts and make 2 pizzas! You'll want leftovers for lunch the next day anyway. Other great additions to this pizza include black beans, diced bell peppers, sliced jalapeños or olives, and yummy avocado or even fresh tomatoes instead of canned.

Pretty Apple Pie

My husband loves a good PIE crust, and what better to fill it with than APPLES! I always used to be afraid of making my own CRUST, but this one turns out perfect every time. Try it for Thanksgiving or your other HOLIDAY festivities this year—you won't be sorry you did!

Pretty Apple Pie

Crust

2 cups flour

1 teaspoon salt

2/3 cup + 2 tablespoons shortening

4 to 5 tablespoons ice cold water

Filling

1/2 cup unsalted butter

3 to 4 tablespoons flour

1/4 cup water (minus 1 tablespoon if using the vanilla below)

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1 heaping teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1 tablespoon vanilla (optional)

6 to 8 apples, peeled and thinly sliced

To make the crust, combine the flour and salt and then blend with the shortening and water using a pastry blender. Separate dough into 2 balls and refrigerate until ready to use.

To make the filling, melt the butter in a large saucepan and stir in flour to make a roux. Add remaining ingredients and let apples cook in sauce while you get the crust ready to put in the pie pan and until they are tender.

Roll out the crust and place in a 9-inch pie pan. Pour filling into crust and then top with second rolled out crust and then crimp the edges together and cut some "vents" in the top of the crust. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 to 45 minutes or until a nice golden brown and the filling is bubbling. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream.

TIP: Make your ice cold water by actually adding ice cubes to it before you add it to the recipe! Also, if you want a little thicker pie crust, try 1-1/2ing or even doubling the recipe. Any leftover dough can be used to make cute little decorative cut-outs like the leaves on my pie above. 

BONUS TIP: If for some reason the outside edges of your crust are getting too browned (or more than the rest of the pie), cover them with aluminum foil to prevent burning.

Peanut Butter Banana Pancakes

OK, this is another EMBARRASSINGLY easy recipe, but I just had to SHARE it because it tasted so good! If you like BANANAS and you like peanut butter, this one is DEFINITELY for you!

Peanut Butter Banana Pancakes
2 cups Bisquick
2 eggs
1 cup milk
2 ripe bananas, mashed
Favorite peanut butter
Maple syrup

Mix together the Bisquick, eggs, and milk. When mixed together, stir in the bananas. Cook as you would a normal pancake. When done top with a thick layer of peanut butter and maple syrup. Makes 6 or so servings.

TIP: You can easily cut this recipe in half if there's just a couple of you. Also, try adding some sliced banana on top of the peanut butter for even more banana taste. This is seriously good!

Easy Crockpot Chili

I always think a warm HEARTY dinner tastes best when it's COLD outside, don't you? I also think Crockpot recipes tend to be pretty EASY and almost always yummy! Well, I decided to perfect my CHILI recipe this year, and boy was it tasty. Hope you like!

Easy Crockpot Chili
2 pounds ground beef, cooked and drained
1 onion, chopped
1 can kidney beans, with liquid
1 can chili beans, with liquid (this is basically seasoned pinto beans)
1 can black beans, drained

1 (4-ounce) can diced green chiles

1 can diced tomatoes (leave whole or blend until smooth)
2 (8-ounce) cans tomato sauce
1 cup water
2 tablespoons chili powder
Dash of garlic powder
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
3 to 4 tablespoons ketchup

Here's the easy part: combine all ingredients in a 3- to 5-quart slow cooker and cook on low heat about 6 hours. Serve topped with grated cheddar cheese and a dollop of sour cream and, of course, some yummy cornbread on the side! Makes 6 to 8 servings.

TIP: You can try using cooked shredded beef roast instead of the ground beef, or you can use cooked ground turkey. Whatever you prefer! Also, another good topper to go with the cheese and sour cream is crushed Fritos or tortilla chips. SUPER GOOD!

Rosemary Chicken

This is another great recipe from my book, 101 Things to do with Cheese. Gosh, I really LOVE that book and all the CHEESY recipes in it! This dish is definitely no exception, and I HOPE you like the amazing flavor of the ROSEMARY—one of my favorite herbs!

Rosemary Chicken
4 chicken breasts
1 package dry Italian dressing mix (I didn't have this and substituted 1/4 cup Italian dressing)
4 tablespoons butter
1 small onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 1/2 cups half-and-half
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
2 sprigs fresh rosemary (or a heaping tablespoon of dried)
Salt and pepper, optional

Place chicken in a 3- to 5-quart slow cooker. Sprinkle with the Italian dressing mix and 2 tablespoons melted butter. (NOTE: Since I used the liquid dressing, I decided to eliminate this butter.) Cook on low heat for 4 to 6 hours.

Put remaining tablespoons of butter in a saucepan and melt. Add the onion and garlic and saute until soft. Add the half-and-half, chicken broth, and cream cheese; stir until smooth. Add mixture to the cooked chicken in the slow cooker and then sprinkle with the thyme and rosemary. Cook 1 hour more. Serve with mashed potatoes or rice and a yummy steamed veggie. Makes 4 servings.

TIP: I used whole milk instead of half-and-half because that's what I had in the fridge. I'm guessing 2% percent would be fine as well. Feel free to stir the thyme and rosemary into the cream cheese mixture before pouring it over the chicken. Oh, and this would also be yummy served over some sort of noodle, maybe something like angel hair.

Easy Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

This recipe is from my FRIEND Stephanie Ashcraft and appears in her newest book, 200 Cake Mix Creations. I love how easy these COOKIES are, and even better, how amazing they TASTE! I really can't think of a better FALL treat than these moist little cookies. Mmmmmmm!

Easy Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
1 box spice cake mix
1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin
1 egg
1 cup milk chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a bowl, use a spoon to mix together the cake mix, pumpkin, and egg. Stir in the chocolate chips. Drop by rounded spoonfuls onto a lightly greased cookie sheet. Bake for 8 to 12 minutes; cool for 2 minutes on the pan. Remove cookies and place on a wire rack to cool completely.

TIP: The recipe also works just fine without the egg, but I like to throw it in for good measure. Cinnamon or butterscotch chips are also pretty good in this recipe if you want to try something new, but I prefer the chocolate (always!).