Southwest Shepherd's Pie

Every so often, I find that it becomes necessary to have a week at the grocery store where we only buy perishable food items and make our meals revolve around the huge supply of non-perishable food we have stocked in the cupboards and pantry. Without this occasional "cleansing ritual," if you will, we would never even make a dent in our stockpile of canned goods, mismatched pastas, and other staples that have collected and compiled over time.

More often than not, these attempts of mine to clear out some room in our cupboards end up in a pretty tasty dish of some sort (sometimes not-experimentation is bound to yield occasional failures), although they are usually so random that my beloved fiance and brother (both of whom have been previously mentioned throughout this blog) refer to them, lovingly of course, as sh*t casserole. Many a dishes have been endearingly termed this, and if Southwest Shepherd's Pie ends up in this category, it is by far the best sh*t casserole I have ever created.

This baked dish is layered with flavors of savory and sweet, with a very subtle spicy sensation, and is absolutely delicious. It will indubitably be a go-to dinner when we plan our weekly menus. It has been promoted past the point of mere cupboard cleaning to deserving its place in our regular dinner rotations.

Here is what you will need:

Southwest Shepherd's Pie (AKA Best Sh*t Casserole Ever)

- 1 lb. lean ground beef
- 1/2 yellow or sweet onion, chopped
- 1 tsp. garlic paste
- 1 tbsp. EACH chili powder, paprika, and cumin
- 1 tsp. EACH season salt and black pepper
- 6 mini sweet peppers (I used two of each color- red, orange, and yellow, but any combination would be fine), chopped
- 1 10.5-oz can Rotel tomatoes UN-DRAINED
- 1 15-oz black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 7-oz can green chilies
- 1 15-oz can sweet corn, drained
- 1/2 cup shredded cheddar -jack cheese mix
- 1 box of honey cornbread mix (plus all ingredients called for on box mix- I used and LOVED Krusteaz-brand)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly spray a 9x13" baking dish with cooking spray and set aside.
2. In a large skillet, cook beef, onion, and garlic paste until beef is cooked through and no longer pink. Drain. Stir in all seasonings, chopped sweet peppers, Rotel tomatoes with juice, black beans, green chilies, and corn. Cook beef mixture for approximately 5-7 minutes, just long enough to slightly soften the peppers and let the flavors develop. Spread meat mixture evenly into the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle the top with cheese.
3. In a medium bowl, mix cornbread batter according to instructions on box. After batter has been mixed, spread evenly over the cooked beef mixture.
4. Bake in preheated oven for approximately 30 minutes, or until cornbread is cooked completely and a toothpick inserted into center comes out mostly clean. Cool for approximately five minutes before serving. If desired, top with fresh salsa and sour cream.

A beautifully layered dish that delivers a ton of flavor

We served this with a simple mixture of Romaine, crushed tortilla chips, and a dressing of fresh salsa and sour cream. It was such a perfect start to a delicious dinner, and all in all, this meal was incredibly well-balanced. 

Do you ever have nights where you just throw everything in the cupboard into a dish and cross your fingers and hope for the best? Sometimes, innovation brings about great things, and this one was definitely an example of that principle at work! 

Stuffed Shells

I recently came upon a fantastic new blog - Iowa Girl Eats - and have since spent quite a few afternoons browsing through her recipes, pictures, workout suggestions, and more. She really has built up quite an enjoyable and diverse selection of Internet reading.

One of the things I love about spending hours on the Internet scouring Pinterest and Facebook for fun new ideas and finding blogs to follow is that I see so much that inspires me. Not just in the kitchen- in life, in general. Whether it's uncovering a delicious new recipe to try or a new activity to try with my kids, there are a lot of creative, brilliant people out there sharing their ideas with others, and I can only hope to inspire others someday the way I feel inspired when I meander through the random musings of any given fellow blogger or Pinterest addict...

Anyways, back to Iowa Girl Eats... I happened across her recipe for Stuffed Shells last week sometime, and it was one of those recipes that I saw and knew instantly that it would be making its debut on our next weekly menu. It did, and just as I expected, it didn't disappoint!

This recipe is simple to throw together, and it can be made ahead of time, if desired. It would be perfect to assemble on the weekend when you have a little extra time, and then throw it in the oven on a busy weeknight to have a hearty and delectable dinner on the table in less than 30 minutes.

Here is what you will need to make Stuffed Shells:

- 1 box of jumbo shells (approximately 24)
- 1/3 cup reserved cooking water from pasta
- 1 lb. lean ground beef
- 1/2 yellow onion, diced
- 1 tsp. garlic paste
- salt, pepper, & Italian seasoning to taste (I used approximately 1/2 tsp. of each)
- 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
- 1 egg
- 2 tbsp. 1/3 fat cream cheese
- 1 cup shredded Italian-mix blend cheese
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 24 oz. marinara sauce

1. Cook shells according to package instructions. Reserve 1/3 cup of the pasta cooking water, then drain and set aside. If you are doing this step earlier on before you start preparing your meat, you may want to drizzle a little olive oil over the shells to keep them from sticking together.
2. Cook the onion, garlic paste, and beef until it's cooked through and no longer pink. Stir in the seasonings, the reserved pasta water, the Parmesan cheese, the egg, the cream cheese, and the Italian-mix shredded cheese.
3. Preheat oven to 350 degree F. In a 9x13" baking dish, pour approximately 1/2 to 1 cup of the marinara sauce to evenly and thoroughly coat the bottom. Spoon the meat mixture into the cooked shells, then place in the baking dish. Spoon the remaining marinara sauce over the stuffed shells, then top with the mozzarella cheese. (It is at this point where you can cover the dish with foil and refrigerate to bake at a later time.)
4. Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes, or until sauce is bubbling and cheese is completely melted. If desired, place dish directly under the broiler for a few minutes to give the cheese a nice, golden brown color.

(Recipe adapted from Iowa Girl Eats - Stuffed Shells Recipe)

We served these cheesy shells of goodness with a mixed greens salad and some good old bread and butter. The meal was filling, well-balanced, and palate-pleasing. The meat filling was so flavorful and had a wonderful, almost creamy texture. The kids loved it, too, so as you know, that always receives bonus points at our house!

These Stuffed Shells really felt like comfort food at its best, but the satisfaction came without the heaviness and guilt that often times follows classic comfort food. Remember, everything in moderation... so eat up and ENJOY!

Roasted Red Pepper Chicken Alfredo

Comfort Italian food? Yes, please! Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo is one of my all-time favorite dinners to make when I am allowing myself that rich and savory indulgence. I have been making this for years, but only within the last couple of years did I decide to start making my own Alfredo sauce. The first few trial runs were okay...not anything worth making again, in my opinion, but all of the trial and error led to a fabulous, creamy, delicious end result, which I will now be sharing with you.

If you are thinking about staying in and cooking a romantic dinner for you and your significant other (or for you and a group of friends who are boycotting the holiday!), this would be a perfect choice. It is simple and quick, but you would never know that once you taste it. You could easily fool people into thinking you are a gourmet chef of sorts... okay, maybe not so much, but it is REALLY good!

This is kind of a four-part process, with each part having its own instructions and own preparation, and then everything comes together into one at the end. The ingredients/instructions format will be a little different for this one. I am going to divide everything into its own respective sections... Hopefully, this is the most efficient for everyone else, too!

Roasted Red Pepper
- 1 large red bell pepper, washed and cleaned
- Olive Oil, for drizzling
- Aluminum Foil
- Plastic Wrap

The first and foremost thing you will want to do is roast your red pepper. Preheat your oven to the highest setting it will go to (for me, it was 550 degrees F or Broil). Wash and clean a red pepper (wholly intact), Place the red pepper on a small piece of aluminum foil and drizzle with just a little bit of olive oil. Place the red pepper (still on the foil) into the super hot oven. Let it roast for a good 15-20 minutes, or until at least 75% of the skin is blackened. Remove the roasted pepper to a small bowl, then cover the bowl with plastic wrap. This will make the skin removal easier later on. Pop the bowl in the freezer to help it cool down so you can work with it when you need it. After it's cool enough to handle, peel it, then remove the stem and seeds and cut into small pieces or strips. Set aside.

Fettuccine 
- 1 lb. uncooked fettuccine noodles
- Water and salt for boiling
- Olive Oil

This part is the trickiest.... Cook fettuccine noodles according to package instructions. Drain, then toss with olive oil to prevent sticking.

Chicken
- 1 lb. chicken
- 1 tbsp. EACH butter and olive oil for pan
- Salt, black pepper, and garlic powder for seasoning

Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Melt the butter and add the olive oil to the pan, giving it a good swirl to mix the two. Add the chicken, seasoning to your tastes with salt, black pepper, and garlic powder. Cook on both sides until cooked through and chicken is no longer pink. The less flipping, the better- a little bit of a crust on the chicken is super tasty! Once cooked, cut the chicken into small pieces or strips. Set aside.

Alfredo Sauce 
- 4 tbsp. butter
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup 2% milk
- 1/2 tsp. garlic paste
- Dash or two of garlic powder
- Black pepper, to taste
- 5 oz. fresh Parmesan cheese, shredded or cut into small chunks

Melt the butter. Add the heavy cream, the milk, the garlic paste, the garlic powder, and the black pepper. Bring to a boil over medium heat, being careful to scorch the dairy ingredients. Once the sauce is boiling, slowly stir in the Parmesan cheese until fully melted and you have a smooth, creamy sauce. Once your sauce is made, reduce the heat to as low as you can go, then stir in the chicken and red pepper pieces. Allow this to simmer together for just a minute or two- it really helps melt all of the flavors together, but this step is completely optional. Pour the entire mixture over the prepared fettuccine noodles and toss together to coat.

Even though this may look like a lot, it actually all comes together very quickly. I had dinner on the table in less than 30 minutes from start to finish since you can do so many of these steps simultaneously. It is also a very simple recipe, with very "pure" ingredients that come together nicely for a well-balanced combination of flavors. One of the other things I really liked about this particular Alfredo variation is that it didn't leave me with such a heavy feeling lingering in my stomach after I ate. The addition of milk in lieu of a sauce consisting almost entirely of heavy cream really lightens the sauce up a bit. This will be my go-to for Alfredo sauce now- no turning back!

Here is what your end product should look like! Sprinkle with a little Italian cheese blend and serve with a fresh salad and some yummy bread for a perfect dinner, whether it's for a special occasion or just a random Tuesday like ours was! Enjoy!

Creamy, delicious comfort. :) 

Slow Cooker Chicken Chili

It is no secret that I love slow cookers… They are such a hassle-free and time-efficient way to prepare a hearty and delicious dinner that makes itself ready for your enjoyment while you spend the day at work, slaving away - or, writing blog posts… J

I honestly don't remember where I saw the dish that ultimately inspired this recipe; otherwise, I would totally share it with you. Along those same lines, however, since I never printed it or did anything more than glance at it, wherever it was, I feel confident to say that this is pretty much my own concoction at this point. And it turned out mighty tasty, too, if I do say so myself! Oh, and it's got lots of good ingredients for you, too!

Anyways, short and sweet today, but here is your basic rundown for Slow Cooker Chicken Chili…

Slow Cooker Chicken Chili

-          1 - 1 1/2 lbs chicken breast, cut into small, bite-sized chunks (or skip this step, throw them in whole, and shred them later after they're cooked, whatever floats your boat!)

-          1 8-oz can tomato sauce

-          2 10-oz cans Rotel tomatoes, drained

-          1 15.5-oz can pinto beans, drained and rinsed well

-          1 15.5-oz can black beans, drained and rinsed well

-          1 15.5 oz can sweet, no salt added corn, drained

-          1 7-oz can green chilies

-          1/2 large sweet onion, diced into small pieces

-          2 tsp. chili powder

-          1 tsp. EACH garlic powder, paprika, and cumin

-          1/2 tsp. EACH black pepper and seasoned salt

-          2 tbsp. brown sugar

-          1/2 - 1 cup water, depending on how thick you like your chili

1.       Set your slow cooker on low.

2.       In a small bowl, mix together the chili powder, garlic powder, paprika, cumin, black pepper, seasoned salt, and brown sugar.

3.       Place the chicken chunks, tomato sauce, Rotel tomatoes, pinto beans, black beans, corn, green chilies, and onion into the slow cooker and mix well. Stir in the seasoning mix and mix again. Add between 1/2 and 1 cup of water to help everything mix together well, depending on how thick you like your chili.

4.       Cook on low for 8-10 hours or on high for 4-6 hours, until chicken is cooked completely through. Top with shredded cheese and/or sour cream and enjoy!

We also made some honey corn bread muffins to accompany this, but it would be fantastic with some multi-grain tortilla chips, too! Everyone loved this stuff, and it had just the right amount of spice that even Brooklyn devoured it.

Hope you enjoy!



Shredded Beef Sandwiches with Balsamic Coleslaw

I love pot roast. I love it in the traditional carrot and potato sense, and I also love the limitless possibilities of other ways to prepare a good roast. Last week, Joy the Baker made shredded roast beef sandwich of sorts and it looked fantastic. It inspired me to put one on the menu for our house for a nice Sunday dinner, and the recipe that Chris and I ended up coming up with was absolutely delicious. It felt like comfort food, but in all reality, was not that bad in the bigger scheme of health-conscious food choices.  Even better, this beauty simmers all day in the slow cooker, so there really is little to no "real" work involved for you!

Chris really has a talent when it comes to sauces, marinades, and preparing meat, in general. Some of the concoctions he comes up with sound absolutely bizarre, but they always turn out amazing. The subtly sweet flavors in the roast paired perfectly with the slight tang of the coleslaw we topped it with. Anyways, the main point of this little side note is that this recipe is really more of Chris's than mine, but since he doesn't blog about food like I do, it's getting posted on my site! He was happy to share, of course. J

Here is what you will need to make Shredded Beef Sandwiches with Balsamic Coleslaw:

For the meat:

-          3 lb. beef roast (use your favorite cut, the less fat the better)

-          32 oz. (one large box) reduced-sodium beef broth

-          1 sweet onion, peeled and sliced into wedges

-          1 tsp. garlic powder

-          1 tsp. black pepper

-          1 tsp. seasoned salt

-          1 tsp. paprika

-          3/4 cup brown sugar

-          2 tbsp. reduced-sodium soy sauce

-          2 tbsp. worchestire sauce

-          2 tbsp. balsamic vinegar

-          2 tbsp. honey

For the coleslaw:

-          1 regular size bag of Dole Coleslaw Mix (dressing packet included)

-          1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

-          1/4 cup olive oil

-          1/4 cup brown sugar

-          2 tbsp. dressing mix from Dole included in bag

Also:

-          8 whole wheat hamburger-style buns

-          Oven fries for a delectable side

1.       Set your slow cooker on high. Rub all sides of the meat with the garlic powder, black pepper, seasoned salt, and paprika. Place the meat into the bottom of the slow cooker. Cover with the entire 32 oz. of beef broth and the onion wedges. Add the brown sugar, soy sauce, worchestire sauce, balsamic vinegar, and honey and give everything a little stir. Cover with the slow cooker lid and let cook for 3 hours on high.

2.       After 3 hours has passed, reduce heat to low. Pull out the roast and shred into bite-sized pieces. Put the shredded meat back into the broth mixture and continue to cook for another 3-4 hours on low. This will allow the meat time to really soak up all the goodness that the flavored broth has to offer.

3.       After your meat is done, mix the balsamic vinegar, olive oil, and brown sugar in a small bowl or jar. Pour the bag of coleslaw mix into a medium bowl and gradually add the balsamic mixture until you have the desired flavor, then again slowly add the dressing mix until the balance of flavors is suited to your taste. We liked ours with a little more tang to contrast the sweetness of the roast.

4.       Toast up your whole wheat buns by placing them in the oven for just a minute or two to give them a nice crisp. Top each bun with shredded beef and coleslaw, then enjoy! As mentioned above, I definitely recommend the oven fries recipe shared earlier as a perfect side for this hearty sandwich. The sandwiches were also delicious with just a tiny spread of barbecue sauce on the bottom/meat side of the bun.

Let me know what you think of this super easy and delicious meal! Our whole family enjoyed this one all around, and we all felt full and satisfied after devouring our sandwiches.

What are some of your favorite slow cooker meals?  

Chicken Quesadillas

Every once in awhile, the nights when the primary goal of dinner is to use up as much of the pantry ingredients as possible in one dish end up being the nights with the best meals. Enter my chicken quesadillas. I have no fancy name for them. They are quesadillas, plain and simple. But they are tasty, and they will speak for themselves once you take a bite of one!

We have definitely been trying to be more aware of what we are putting into our bodies, and hopefully, rather than this being a yearly attempt at what eventually becomes a failure, the changes we make will be lifestyle rather than temporary and we will be able to come up with some better resolutions next year! I think my head is finally in the right place to make this type of commitment a permanent change, especially when I consider the children we are growing at our house. With that in mind, these quesadillas are full of good ingredients that will fill you up quickly and leave you feeling satisfied.

I apologize in advance- no picture for these. Next time I make them (which will probably be soon because they were so delicious), I will definitely take a picture to share with you all.

Chicken Quesadillas

-          6 whole wheat tortillas (10" size)

-          1 lb. cooked chicken breast, shredded or cut into small pieces

-          1 red or orange bell pepper, seeded and diced

-          1 cup corn, drained and rinsed

-          1 cup black beans, drained and rinsed

-          1 cup Rotel tomatoes

-          1 tsp. each cumin, chili powder, and garlic powder

-          1/2 tsp. each seasoned salt, pepper, and paprika

-          1 cup of your favorite Mexican cheese blend

-          1 tbsp. olive oil for skillet

1.       Heat olive oil in skillet over low-medium heat. Add chicken, bell pepper, corn, black beans, and tomatoes. Add seasonings and mix well to combine. Heat until mixture is warmed through.

2.       In a separate skillet large enough to place your tortillas in, heat to medium. Place one tortilla in the bottom of the skillet (no oil is needed). Sprinkle a couple tablespoons of cheese over one-half of the tortilla, then top with 1/4-1/3 cup of the chicken mixture. Sprinkle again with a little cheese, just enough to help bind the tortilla. Fold the empty half of the tortilla over the filled side and press down firmly with a spatula to flatten and shape the quesadilla. After about 15 seconds, flip the quesadilla over to other side and hold for an additional 15 seconds.

3.       Remove to a plate to cool slightly, then cut into four pieces. Serve with a mixture of light sour cream and fresh salsa and enjoy!

Note: You can save the remaining corn, black beans, and tomatoes from the cans used in the fridge in an airtight container and toss with fresh Romaine, tortilla chips, and fresh salsa for a quick weeknight salad!  

Cheesy Pasta & Ham Casserole

I don't know about you guys, but when the temperatures start to drop, my craving for comfort foods skyrockets almost instantly. This is definitely one of those creamy, cheesy, ooey, gooey, all-around delicious foods that just begs to be eaten on a chilly fall evening- the epitome of comfort food, really.

We had some leftover ham we needed to use up, so we decided to be a little more creative than packing sandwiches for lunch for the next few days. Homemade macaroni and cheese plus ham....what's not to love? I will admit, though, that this dish is a little on the indulgent side.If you're counting calories... keep on walking browsing. :-) This recipe is probably not for you...Sorry!

Cheesy Pasta & Ham Casserole

- 1 lb. cellentani pasta, cooked and drained (or any type of small pasta you have on hand)
- 1/2 cup butter (1 stick)
- 8 tablespoons flour
- 3 cups milk
- 1 teaspoon seasoned salt
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 3 cups cooked ham, diced into cubes
- 1 1/4 cups shredded mild cheddar cheese
- 1 1/4 cups shredded Swiss cheese
- 4 tablespoons Italian-seasoned bread crumbs
- 2 tablespoons melted butter
- 1 tablespoon Parmesan cheese

1. Start by cooking your pasta according to package instructions, chopping your ham into small cubes, and shredding your cheese. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
2. In a small saucepan, melt butter over medium-low heat. Add the flour, whisking well to combine, and cook, stirring continuously until the mixture is bubbly and frothy. Add in the milk and stir constantly until the mixture begins to thicken and is smooth and creamy. Add in the seasoned salt, paprika, and garlic powder. Mix well to combine, then slowly add all of your shredded cheese until completely melted into mixture. Reduce heat to low and cook for a few minutes, stirring constantly to keep sauce mixture smooth.
3. Combine the cooked pasta, diced ham, and sauce in a large pot (I just used the one the pasta had been cooked in) and mix well.
4. Coat a 9x13" casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray. Spoon mixture into casserole dish.
5. Mix bread crumbs, melted butter, and Parmesan cheese in small bowl, then sprinkle mixture over the top of the pasta mixture.
6. Bake in oven for 25-30 minutes until topping is lightly browned. Makes 12 servings.

AH-Mazing! :)

This was a hit all around, and was perfect served with nothing more than a salad of sorts. Hopefully, your family enjoys this as much as we did!

What are some of your favorite go-to comfort foods for cold weather? 

 

Mexican Taco Rice

I love one-pot meals. Sometimes, I tend to make a bit of a mess when I cook, regardless of how hard I try not to, so the fewer the dishes involved, the better! Awhile back, my brother made a dish similar to this for me when I had gone home to my parents' house for the weekend. I really enjoyed it and ended up asking him for the recipe. He gave it to me, and unfortunately, I lost it amidst four moves and an overflowing box of loose recipes.

My original plan for dinner last night was just to make tacos, something quick and easy that I knew the kids would eat without a fuss. Then, for one reason or another, my brother's Mexican rice, which is usually served as a side rather than a main dish, popped into my head, and I decided that that would be a nice twist on the tacos I was going to make, but without going so far as to make the kids think I was trying to feed them some horrifying new dish chock full of veggies and good-for-them ingredients. I decided that with just a few minor additions, the Mexican rice my brother had made would turn into a delicious filling for burritos or tacos. Enter shredded cheese and sour cream and we have a delicious dinner!

This would make a great side dish, too, if you so desire!

Mexican Taco Rice

- 1 lb. lean ground beef

- 1/2 yellow onion, chopped

- 1/2 tsp. EACH black pepper, seasoned salt, paprika, cumin, and garlic powder

- 1/4 tsp. dried oregano

- 1 tsp. chili powder

- 1 16-oz jar of your favorite salsa

- 1 15-oz can sweet yellow corn, drained

- 1 15-oz can pinto or black beans, drained and rinsed well

- 2 cups instant rice

- 2 cups water

- Tortillas, shredded cheese, sour cream, lettuce, and olives for serving

1. In a large pot, cook ground beef and chopped onion together over medium heat until meat is no longer pink. Drain excess grease and return to stove top. 

2. While meat is cooking, in a small bowl mix ALL of your seasonings together. Once meat has been drained, sprinkle seasoning over meat and stir in, mixing well. You can add a tablespoon or two of water if needed to make sure your meat is well-seasoned and evenly coated. At this point, you have a basic taco meat filling. 

3. After meat is seasoned, stir in salsa, corn, beans, and water. Stir well to combine. Bring mixture to a boil over medium-high heat.  

4. Once boiling, turn off the heat and stir in rice. Cover your pot with a lid and let stand for 5-7 minutes to allow rice time to cook. After rice is cooked, use a fork to fluff mixture before serving. 

5. Warm tortillas, either in microwave or stove top, and fill with a scoop of the Mexican Taco Rice. Top with lettuce, cheese, olives, and anything else your hungry little heart desires. Enjoy! 

(You can tell we were REALLY embracing the quick and easy idea-we even used paper plates!)

This meal goes great alongside some tortilla chips and fresh salsa, and is the epitome of the definition of a quick, easy, and delicious weeknight meal. The kids all really enjoyed the variation from our normal taco night, and didn't even complain about the corn or the beans! This one is definitely a keeper. I guess sometimes losing a recipe can end up being a good thing when the end result is a tasty twist on the original idea!

What are some of your favorite quick and easy weeknight meals that you can have on the table in 30 minutes or less?  







New School Goulash

One of my friends approached me about finding a good recipe for goulash because it is her husband's favorite dish. She, however, is not a big fan of it herself, so she was not really eager to get in the kitchen and try to make anything she hadn't had tested and approved by someone else first. I can't say that I blame her. With the abundance of recipes readily available on the Internet today, it can be hard to sort through and find one that you will actually like.

My grandma used to make us goulash when I was younger, so my mind initially turned to that meal and what it consisted of. I mostly remember hamburger, macaroni, and tomato sauce or tomatoes. I didn't remember all that well, but hoped that when I saw a recipe that I thought looked like a good place to start it would be similar to this simple combination. After some searching, I found a recipe by Paula Deen on Food Network's website called Bobby's Goulash. It sounded tasty, so I used this as the basis for the dish I created. 

I am still hoping to come across my grandmother's recipe. I love all of her foods, and the thing I enjoyed more about her version of this classic comfort dish was the simplicity. While this recipe is certainly tasty and filling, it took quite awhile to put together. Hope you will enjoy it!

New School Goulash (recipe adapted from Paula Deen)

- 2 lbs lean ground beef

- 1 yellow onion, chopped

- 1 red bell pepper, chopped

- 1 green bell pepper, chopped

- 2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped

- 1 ½ cups water

- 1 ½ cups chicken broth

- 2 15-oz cans tomato sauce

- 2 15-oz cans diced tomatoes

- 1  tablespoons Italian seasoning

- 1 bay leaf

- 1 tablespoons soy sauce

- 1 tablespoon worchestire sauce

- ½ teaspoon garlic powder

- ½ teaspoon black pepper

- ½ teaspoon seasoned salt

- 3 cups elbow macaroni, uncooked

- Fresh Parmesan Cheese, for topping

In a Dutch oven or large pot, sauté the ground beef, onions, and garlic over medium-high heat until cooked through. Drain excess grease. Add the bell peppers and cook until slightly tender, about 5 minutes. Add the water and the chicken broth, followed by the tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, Italian seasoning, bay leaf, soy sauce, worchestire sauce, garlic powder, black pepper, and seasoned salt. Stir well. Place a lid on the pot and allow to cook for 15 minutes, until steady boiling is reached. Add the elbow macaroni, stir well, and recover with lid. Simmer for about 20 minutes. Turn off the heat and remove the bay leaf, then allow to sit for about 10 minutes before serving. Top with grated or shredded Parmesan cheese. Fresh worked really well, but packaged would be fine, too.

We served with a fresh loaf of French bread and a Caesar salad.  Delicious, satisfying meal!

The nuttiness of the Parmesan cheese really went well with the hearty flavors in this goulash!

Slow Cooker Taco Soup

Another busy weekend come and gone, so I have to apologize in advance for the lack of picture to accompany this recipe. It was scarfed down so fast by everyone we had over to join us for dinner that there was no opportunity to photograph leftovers like I had originally planned! That should tell you how delicious this soup is!

Soup is probably one of my favorite comfort foods, and once fall and winter set in, it will frequent our dinner table in many various forms. This particular recipe came from my beloved grandmother, and I have since adapted it a little to make it my own and adjust it to our family's tastes. It is easily modified to adjust heat, and ingredients can be added, interchanged, or removed altogether.

Here is what you will need to make A LOT of this satisfying and filling soup.

Slow Cooker Taco Soup

- 2 lbs. ground beef
- 1 onion, diced
- Cumin, chili powder, paprika, garlic powder, pepper, and seasoned salt, to taste
- 2 lb. block of 2% Velveeta Cheese, cut into small cubes
- 16-oz container reduced-fat sour cream
- 2 28-oz cans pinto beans, rinsed well and drained
- 2 28-oz cans Rotel tomatoes, one drained and one undrained
- Optional Add-Ins: Sweet corn, green chilies, jalapenos, diced bell peppers, olives, etc.

1. In a large skillet, brown ground beef, cooking until no longer pink. Drain excess fat and add all of your spices and onion to the skillet. Saute until onion is tender, between five and 10 minutes.
2. While the beef is cooking, start adding the rest of your ingredients to the slow cooker. Quite literally, just throw it all in! Couldn't be easier. Make sure to rinse and drain your beans well, and don't forget to add the juice of ONE of the cans of Rotel tomatoes. It adds extra flavor. As a helpful hint, the smaller you cube your cheese the quicker it will melt. Mix everything together.
3. Once your beef is cooked through and the onion is tender, add it to the slow cooker. Mix all of the ingredients together and let cook for 3-4 hours on high or 6-8 hours on low. If you have the opportunity, stir this often. If you want to make it before work and let it cook while you are gone, just be sure to allow an extra 15 to 30 minutes after you are home to give it a couple good stirs before you eat it. It helps to distribute the cheese throughout the whole mixture.

ENJOY!

How was your weekend? We went on a paranormal investigation at the Laramie Plains Civic Center on Saturday night. It was a blast, but holy cow it made me feel OLD! It's been a long time since I stayed up till 3 am, and I don't plan on doing it again anytime soon! Still recovering today, but the experience was well worth it!

Summer Chicken Salad

Summer is slowly starting to wind down and we are on the brink of autumn. With it's cooler temperatures, fun-filled holidays, football, and beautiful landscapes painted by changing leaves, fall is one of my favorite times of the year. I also love fall because it practically necessitates the use of such delectable flavors as pumpkin, maple, apple, etc., and also, with the cooler temperatures comes chili, soups, and stews, some of my favorite dinners. So basically, fall means fabulous, hearty, comfort food and an excuse to always be baking.

Some people might find it strange, but I am a very "seasonal" person. There are certain colors, foods, and scents, just to name a few, that are more appealing to me during certain times of the year. So, as already mentioned, since autumn is just around the corner, I figured I had better enjoy another round of one of my new found summer enjoyments, as I am quite positive I will not be craving it anytime soon with colder weather approaching...

I had never really tried chicken salad before, but for some reason, I had a ton of leftover grilled chicken a few months ago and decided to give it a whirl. I just kind of dove in, head-first with fingers crossed, and hoped for the best. I was really impressed with the end result. The flavors work so well together and practically scream spring and summer. This chicken salad is sweet and savory, creamy and crunchy, and just all-around perfectly balanced. Plus, it is light, yet filling and satisfying. And, it is full of healthy ingredients, too!

We had a crazy busy weekend because we had a yard sale, so I don't have pictures for this recipe yet. But we are grilling a lot of chicken tonight, and, naturally, I will be using the leftovers to make some Summer Chicken Salad. In the meantime, here is the recipe!

Summer Chicken Salad 

- 2 chicken breasts (I used grilled, but any cooked chicken would work fine, I am sure), cut into small cubes
- 2 celery stalks, roughly chopped
- 1 apple, cored and roughly chopped (up to you if you want to keep the skin on or peel it- I like the extra crunch the skin adds, plus all the nutritious goodness that comes with it!), sprinkled with lemon juice to help preservation and prevent browning
- 1/4 cup pomegranate-flavored Craisins (or whatever flavor you have on hand will work, too)
- 1/4 chopped pecans
- 1/4 to 1/2 cup Miracle Whip (I pretty much refuse to use mayo... just sayin'), depending on how creamy you want it
- 2 tbsp. yellow mustard
- 2 tbsp. honey

1. In a Tupperware container with a lid, toss together the chicken, celery, apple, Craisins, and pecans.
2. In a separate small bowl, whisk together the Miracle Whip, mustard, and honey until well-combined.
3. Pour the Miracle Whip mixture over the chicken mixture, using a spatula to make sure you get every last bit of it, then mix well until all of the chicken mixture is coated.  For best results, refrigerate for at least an hour before serving. Keep leftovers refrigerated in Tupperware container. ENJOY!

I love to use this Summer Chicken Salad on sandwiches, layered in between two pieces of a nice, whole-grain bread, but it would be delicious set atop a bed of spinach or other leafy greens, or even by itself. It really is SO delicious!!!

Do you have any foods that you only tend to crave during certain times of the year??? I would love to hear more from others who share in my seasonal tendencies! :)

Spaghetti Tacos

Any iCarly fans out there? Some of you without kids may have never even heard of iCarly, but those with kids surely have seen an episode or two (at least) of this fun-filled television show on Nickelodeon. I have to admit, even as an adult, I love watching this show with the kids. It's really entertaining and full of witty, good-natured humor.

Anyways, in many of the episodes of iCarly, Carly, Sam, and Freddy can be seen chowing down on Spencer's signature dish- Spaghetti Tacos. The first time I saw it, I thought to myself that that sounded like a disgusting combination. However, after seeing it numerous times, my curiosity started to peak more and more and I started to wonder if it might actually be pretty tasty. The kids started asking for them, so at that point I figured it was worth a shot to try them out. Much to my surprise, I really enjoyed them! The kids loved them, too, but that was not nearly as surprising as the fact that the adults loved them, too! They are unique, there is no doubt about that, but strangely satisfying. I invite you to step outside of your comfort zone and give these a try!



Here is a pic to give you a visual idea of this crazy combination and how it all comes together.

Hungry yet?

You should be! (Trust me...)

As I was brainstorming this dish in my head, I wanted to try to create these Spaghetti Tacos in a way that was neither too Mexican nor too Italian in nature, but that really brought out flavors that are often seen in both Mexican and Italian food. So, with that in mind, here is what I came up with.

Spaghetti Tacos

- 1 lb. lean hamburger

- 1/2 cup onion, diced

- 1/4 tsp. garlic powder

- 1/4 tsp. chili powder

- 1/4 tsp. paprika

- 1/4 tsp. seasoned salt

- 1/4 tsp. black pepper

- 1/8 tsp. cumin

- 1/2 tsp. oregano

- 1 lb. spaghetti noodles, cooked and drained as directed

- 1 jar of your favorite tomato-based spaghetti sauce

- 12 hard taco shells

- Shredded cheese, for topping

1. Start by boiling your water for the spaghetti noodles. While the water is coming to a boil, start browning your hamburger and onion in a large skillet. Add noodles to boiling water and cook as directed.

2. Once the hamburger is mostly browned, add the garlic powder, chili powder, paprika, seasoned salt, pepper, cumin, and oregano. Stir in well to mix and continue to brown hamburger until cooked through. Drain any excess fat.

3. To the hamburger mixture, add about 1/2 cup of spaghetti sauce. Stir in and continue to cook over low heat until warm throughout.

4. Heat the remaining spaghetti sauce in a small saucepan over low heat, cooking just long enough to heat throughout.

5. Once noodles have been drained, add a couple ladles of spaghetti sauce to the noodles to lightly coat the noodles and keep them from sticking to each other and getting stiff.

6. At this point, all of your different components are ready and you can start building your spaghetti tacos. Fill your taco shell with the saucy noodles, top with the meat sauce, then spoon a little extra sauce on top. Sprinkle with shredded cheese to finish. Or, if you want the cheese to melt a little more, put it on top of the meat mixture before the extra sauce.   :)



So, while you're in complete awe that this dish is actually successful, sit back, relax, and enjoy! You should have a perfect balance of Mexican and Italian flavors that compliment each other nicely and come together perfectly to create a surprisingly delicious dinner. The kids will love you, and it will give you a nice little vacation from adulthood, too!

P.S. This dinner gets messy! Be prepared, and don't say I didn't warn you!

Supreme Pizza Pasta Bake

So... it's been awhile... Shortly after my last post, ironically about losing loved ones and always remembering to count your blessing, my grandfather passed away very unexpectedly. Needless to say, it sent my world into disarray and this is the first time I have even really thought about my little blog. Well, I guess that is partially not true, since I was still taking pictures of food and what not to save and share with you later. Anyways, here I am, broken and healing at the same time, ready to share another fabulous recipe with you and hoping that you enjoy it as much as we did.

Now, let me tell you about Supreme Pizza Pasta Bake... yes, it is as delicious as it sounds, but no, it is not as unhealthy as the name suggests! That is the bonus. I have really been working hard to come up with recipes that are both healthy and delicious, recipes that fool you into thinking your indulging when, in all reality, every bite you're putting into your mouth contains wholesome, good-for-you ingredients. This casserole-type dish fits all of those criteria perfectly!

After my grandpa passed away, all of the neighbors and friends graciously started bringing over all kinds of food for our family to help us out during our difficult time. (By the way, one bright moment in an otherwise dark week came when I tasted Rita Jackson's Dump Bars. I thought they were just superb brownies, but turns out, I was wrong. She was kind enough to share the recipe with me, and although I have not actually had the time to try it out myself yet, I promise you will see those sinful treats at a later date... probably the next time I need a "break" from my attempt at dieting haha!) One of our family friends brought over something she called Pizza Spaghetti. I didn't actually ever even see this dish, nevertheless taste it, but the mere title got the little wheels in my brain turning pretty quickly.

And, alas, Supreme Pizza Pasta Bake was born!

Here is what you will need:

- 1 lb. lean ground turkey
- 1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
- 1 green bell pepper, seeded and diced
- 1 small onion, peeled and diced
- 1 tsp. Italian seasoning
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1/2 tsp. black pepper
- 1 box (16 oz.) whole grain pasta (any kind will work, we used Rotini)
- 1 can/jar spaghetti sauce
- 24 slices turkey pepperoni
- 2 cups shredded nonfat mozzarella cheese
- 1 small can of sliced olives, drained

1. Heat oven to 300 degrees F. Spray a 9x13" cake pan or casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.
2. Bring water to a boil and cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, start by sauteing your vegetables in a large skillet in a few drizzles of olive oil for 3-5 minutes, until the vegetables are crisp-tender. Add your ground turkey into the skillet and brown together with the vegetables, until turkey is cooked through. Add Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper, and mix well to evenly season the turkey and vegetable mixture.

3. After your turkey is cooked through, add the spaghetti sauce to the skillet and stir into the meat and veggie mixture. Let simmer for just a few minutes.
4. Drain your pasta, if you haven't already done so, and mix together the pasta and spaghetti sauce combination until all of the noodles are coated with sauce and the ingredients are well-mixed. Pour this into the prepared baking pan.

5. Top with your turkey pepperoni slices. Sprinkle mozzarella cheese evenly over the pepperoni layer, then top with olives. Cover with foil and put into preheated oven. Bake for 30 - 40 minutes, or until heated through. (Adapt the temperature and cooking time to fit your needs- we went with a lower temp/longer baking time so that we could squeeze our workout in while we were waiting for it to be done!)
6. Remove from oven, remove foil, and let cool for five minutes before serving. Depending on your portion sizes, this should make at least 12 servings. Enjoy delicious food without the guilt!

One of the greatest things about this recipe is its versatility, as I am sure you will find yourself once you try it. The basic quality of the ingredients allows for a lot of room for "cook's interpretation." As I mentioned earlier, this Supreme Pizza Pasta Bake was a hit at our house. We loved it, and it was equally delicious the next day for lunch!  Certainly, if you are not watching your calories or in the mood to splurge, you could easily un-healthify this recipe and substitute Italian sausage for the turkey, real pepperoni for the turkey pepperoni, and go wild with cheese. You could also add mushrooms for a full "Supreme Pizza" experience, but I usually opt to leave fungus out of my food. :)







Oven-Baked Veggie Fries and Easy BBQ Dry Rub

By now, you all know of our ongoing battle involving getting the kids to eat more vegetables. We are slowly but surely making progress, and I am proud to report that we can at least get them to try a bite of most new things without having to pull any teeth out first. In the midst of this battle, I came up with an idea for Oven-Baked Veggie Fries. My train of thought at the time was that maybe if I cut a variety of vegetables up into the same shape as we cut our homemade oven fries into, and then mix them in with the potatoes, then maybe they would never even think twice about it and just dig in like they normally would with regular fries. Well, it didn't really work like that, but I was really impressed with the end result regardless and am now here to share it with you!

Here are the ingredients we used to create our Oven-Baked Veggie Fries:

-2 zucchinis
-1 yellow squash
-3 russet potatoes
-2 carrots

-1/2 tsp. black pepper
-1/2 tsp. seasoned salt
-1/2 tsp. garlic powder
-1/2 tsp. cumin
-1 tsp. paprika
-1/4 tsp. chili powder
-1/2 tsp. oregano
-Extra virgin olive oil

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with foil and spray well with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
2. Prepare your vegetables: After washing, peel the zucchini, squash, and carrots. (I like to leave a little of the skin on the zucchini and squash, peeling in a stripe-like pattern, but that is mostly just because they look prettier that way :P) Wash your potatoes, then cut into wedges. Choose any shape you like that resembles a fry of some sort, then cut the zucchini, squash, and carrots to match as much as possible. Place all cut vegetables into a large bowl, big enough so you can easily toss the vegetables.
3. Drizzle extra virgin olive oil, a couple tablespoons or so, over the top of the vegetables, using just enough that all of the vegetables have a nice coating of it without being soaked. Toss around to coat the vegetables evenly.
4. In a small bowl, mix together all of your spices. Pour spice mixture onto oil-coated vegetables and toss to evenly distribute the spices. Tongs work great for the tossing process.
5. Spread the seasoned vegetables out onto your lined baking sheet, trying to make sure that no veggies are overlapping and are in a single layer. Place into the preheated oven for approximately 25-30 minutes or so, until the veggies are starting to crisp up on the edges and are turning golden brown. We like our veggies extra tender, so if you like yours to still have more of a bite to them, you may want to reduce your roasting time.  Let cool slightly and enjoy.

These are great served with barbecue chicken, which is what we ate them with! Our seasoning mix for the oven fries was created to kind of mirror some of what was going into our barbecue chicken rub, so if you are looking for something a little more generic as far as seasoning goes, eliminate the cumin, chili powder, and oregano and add a little bit of Italian seasoning in its place.

In case you are looking for a great dry rub to put on chicken before grilling, here is a very simple, quick, and delicious one that we enjoy! Thank you, Rachael Ray, for giving us a wonderful basis for this rub that we adapted! http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/rachael-ray/bbq-spiced-chicken-salsa-salad-and-pumpkin-chipotle-polenta-recipe/index.html

Easy BBQ Dry Rub
-1 1/2 tbsp. grill seasoning (we like McCormick best)
-1 1/2 tbsp. chili powder
-1/2 tbsp. paprika
-1/2 tbsp. cumin
-1/2 tsp. seasoned salt
-4 tbsp. light brown sugar
-1/4 tsp. black pepper
-1 tsp. garlic powder
-1/2 tsp. onion powder

Just rub this all over chicken before grilling, then glaze with your favorite barbecue sauce right before it comes off the grill. Delicious!

Anyways... back to the vegetables! The roasting process really brings out the natural sweetness of the vegetables and makes them absolutely delicious. They are tender, juicy, and full of flavor. We really liked them a lot and will definitely be making them again. Like I said before, the kids were pretty unsure about these, but we did at least get them to try zucchini, which was new to them.

Here is a close-up. You can actually SEE the flavor! 

Mexican Enchilada Lasagna

Italian vs Mexican? Enchiladas vs Lasagna? Who can choose between such rivaling degrees of deliciousness? I am a huge fan of both Italian and Mexican food, and sometimes my cravings for them end up somehow intertwined, leaving me unsure of what I really want to make for dinner on any given night. Mexican Enchilada Lasagna is the perfect recipe for such a conundrum- it combines the layers of yummy goodness found in lasagna with flavors more traditional in Mexican dishes, all baked in a hot oven until it's a cheesy, bubbling mess of tastiness waiting to be served on your table for dinner.

I will apologize in advance- I was so starving and exhausted by the time this meal was ready to put on the table that the last thing on my mind was plating it nicely to take pictures to show you all. Needless to say, there are no pictures of our Mexican Enchilada Lasagna, but you should be able to get the general idea of what it should look like as we move through the recipe.

By the way, I am trying a different "style" for this post- please let me know if you prefer this one to the more "narrative-style" recipes. :) Thought this particular fashion may make the recipes more concise and easy to follow.

Here is what you will need to make Mexican Enchilada Lasagna:

-18 corn tortillas
-1 lb. lean ground beef or turkey
-1/2 cup chopped yellow onion
-1/2 cup chopped red/green bell pepper
-1/2 tsp. each of seasoned salt, black pepper, cumin, paprika, chili powder, garlic salt, and Sazon
-1 can diced tomatoes with green chilies, drained
-1 small can diced green chilies
-1 can no-salt added sweet corn, drained
-1 can black beans, drained and rinsed well
-1 cup light or fat-free sour cream
-1 cup salsa
-1 1/2 cups shredded cheese

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9x13" baking pan with cooking spray. Set aside.
2. In a large skillet, brown together your meat, onion, and bell pepper, then drain. Add in all of your seasonings and spices, the tomatoes, green chilies, corn, and black beans. Mix together well and let cook for a few minutes longer to allow the flavors to fully fuse together.
3.  In a small bowl, mix the sour cream and the salsa. We like to use the fresh salsa you can find in the refrigerated section of your deli, but any kind will work great. We have used the jarred versions in the past with equally tasty results.
4. Stir the sour cream and salsa mixture into the meat and vegetable mixture, stirring well to combine. Simmer over low heat for just  few minutes to warm the filling before you start assembling your Mexican Enchilada Lasagna.
5. Once your filling is warmed through, take six of the corn tortillas and layer them into the bottom of the 9x13" pan, overlapping them as necessary. Spoon 1/2 of the meat mixture on top of the tortillas, then top with 1/2 cup of the cheese. (Use whatever kind you prefer- we enjoy the Mexican Blend Shredded Cheese.) Layer another 6 corn tortillas on top of the cheese, then top with the rest of the meat mixture and another 1/2 cup of cheese. Top with the remaining 6 tortillas and the rest of the cheese.
6. Bake at 350 degrees F for about 20 minutes, until the cheese is melted and the top is crispy golden brown. Serve with sour cream, salsa, or guacamole and enjoy!

Okay, so there you have your recipe for Mexican Enchilada Lasagna! Not only is it tasty, but it is full of nutritious ingredients. If you use turkey, fat-free sour cream, and reduced-fat shredded cheese, your recipe will be end up pretty low in calories but will still pack a ton of flavor. I hope you will find this meal as satisfying as we do.

Again, feedback on this post's style compared to previous posts would be greatly appreciated!

Oh, and if the leftovers of this meal heat up nicely and look as tempting as they did the first go-round, I will try and take some pictures at that point to add on here later. If not, use your imagination!  :) It's good exercise for your brain, anyways!