Cowboy Quesadillas

{darn tootin'}
I seriously am in awe over these. I wanted something more on the healthy side for dinner, and when I came across these, I knew they had a permanent place on my menu. The original recipe called for green onions, but I am not a big of fan of green onions. So I tweaked it a bit and used a 1/4 of a white onion. You can easily alter these to your tastes, whatever floats your boat! All you need to know is that these are amazing and you need to try them, asap. Oh, and don't forget the dipping sauce. It's amazing.

Ingredients:
8 large flour tortillas
2 chicken breasts, cubed
1/2 cup white rice, cooked
1/4 of a large white onion, chopped
1/2 cup black beans
1/3 cup corn (frozen or canned works great)
2/3 cup diced tomatoes
1 1/2 cup grated Pepper Jack cheese
1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese
1/3 cup barbecue sauce


For dipping sauce just measure out equal parts of ranch dressing and barbecue sauce, and mix together.

Directions: In a medium skillet, saute onions until just barely translucent. Add chopped chicken and cook thoroughly. Set aside. In a large bowl, add rice, corn, beans, tomatoes, chicken and onions and mix together. Then add cheeses and barbecue sauce and mix until evenly coated.
Spoon mixture into each tortilla and grill them up on the skillet... and dip away! For a vegetarian variation you can leave out of the chicken.

Check out those golden crispy delicious tortillas...

Held together by warm, ooey gooey melted cheeses... droll... 

Source: Our Best Bites

Bruschetta

{me and Italian, like a fat kid and a cupcake}
We have a new favorite in our house. It's called Bruschetta. Don't ask me why we haven't tried it before, but we did and we loved it and now all my husband wants is Bruschetta. Morning, noon and night. I have to admit that I basically loved it, too and it's not hard to make at all so we both win. The thing I like cooking the most, are things that you can alter to your own tastes. Bruschetta lands in this category. If you like just a smidgen of garlic then that's all you'll need to add. If you don't fancy onion, then you can omit it. This dish would go great with home made bread or you can purchase store bough baguettes, any flavor you like!

Ingredients:
4 ripe Roma tomatoes
3 garlic cloves
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 1/2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon oregano
dash of salt and pepper
dried parsley for garnish

Directions:
Wash and dry tomatoes. Cut tomatoes into fourths, and remove seeds and the stem. Once all the seeds and juices are removed, dice tomatoes as small or as large as you prefer. Add to a medium bowl. Mince garlic, and add to tomatoes. Finely chop onion, add to tomatoes. Add remaining ingredients and toss together until coated and flavors come together. Taste test and add seasonings to fit your tastes. Pour into cute bowl(s), garnish with dried parsley flakes and serve with garlic toast or baguettes. Yield 4 servings.

So easy, right?! Thanks for reading!

Adorable Little Lasagnas

{they were almost too cute to eat}
I got these new little dishes, and now I'm obsessed with making all my meals in these! Not only are these dishes darling, they are perfect for portion control. Winner winner chicken dinner! I was short on time tonight, and I didn't have much to make a whole lot of anything. So I whipped out my new dishes, and lasagna popped into my head... I know, I'm such a genius.

ingredients:
3 lasagna noodles (yeah 3!) uncooked
1 cup grated mozzarella
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup chopped tomatoes
3/4 cup spaghetti sauce
Parmesan cheese for garnish


Directions: Boil 4 cups water, then add lasagna noodles. Boil until noodles are cooked through, wiggly and firm enough that they don't tear. Drain and put into a bowl of cold water. Cut each noodle into thirds. Add a spoonful of sauce to the bottom of each little dish (250 mL).

Place one noodle in each dish and then layer with onions, tomatoes, sauce and cheese- saving the most cheese for the tops. Then garnish with grated Parmesan cheese.

Cover losely with foil, and bake for about 20 minutes at 350F, removing foil the last 10 minutes of baking. Remove from oven and let sit for about 5-7 minutes. And, you're done! 

BBQ Chicken Personal Deep Dish Pizza's

{chicago style}
One thing my husband knows well from his two years in Chicago is deep dish pizza. I don't know why it's taken me this long to make deep dish pizza when he's constantly raving about how amazing it is. In the words of Gru from Despicable Me... "light bulb". We made our own crusts from a family recipe for pizza dough, but I'm certain you can use whatever dough you want, pre-made or make it yourself. And, like all pizzas, you can add whatever toppings you want!

Ingredients for pizza dough:
2 3/4 cups warm water
1 tablespoon sugar
2 tablespoons yeast (active dry)
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon oil
5-6 cups all purpose flour

2 cups grated mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup BBQ sauce
1/4 cup chopped bell pepper
1/4 cup chopped tomatoes
1/4 cup chopped green (or red) onion
2 chicken breasts, cooked and cubed

Directions: In a large bowl, add water, sugar and yeast- let rise for 5 minutes or until foamy. Add salt, oil and about 3 cups of the flour and mix either with a dough hook or a spoon/hands until all the flour is incorporated. Then add the remaining flour a little at a time until it's no longer sticky. Separate dough in half and if you aren't going to use it right away, wrap it in plastic wrap and refrigerate for about a day, or freeze it. Cut remaining dough in half again and roll each piece out to fit the size of an 8x8 inch round baking dish. Spray two 8x8 or 9x9 inch round baking dishes and place pizza dough in each dish- press dough down firmly along the inside of the pan.
Spread some BBQ sauce on the dough, then top with veggies and chicken. Then add cheese. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until bubbly, at 400F. Let pizzas sit about 5 minutes before turning them out of the pans. There ya have it!

Don't forget a little extra BBQ sauce for dipping! 

Baked Potato Wedges

{creative?... Sure!}
This recipe isn't really anything fancy or special. I was craving some baked potatoes... but they seemed kind of boring. So I cut them up into wedges, and covered them in cheese! They were heavenly- and surprisingly very filling! I'll definitely be making these again, and soon!

Ingredients:
2-3 large baking potatoes, cut into wedges
1 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese, grated (you could also use cheddar)
1/4 lb. bacon
1/4 cup bell pepper
1 green onion
a dash of salt and pepper
sour cream (optional)
parsley flakes for garnish

Directions:
In a 9x9 inch baking dish, arrange potato wedges skin side down. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and cover with foil. Bake at 350F for 35-40 minutes or until tender, edges should be slightly browned. Meanwhile, cut the bacon into small pieces and fry until slightly crispy, drain and set aside. Chop bell pepper and onion into small pieces. Once potatoes are done, pull them out of the oven and sprinkle with cheese, bacon, bell pepper, and green onion. Bake again for another 5-10 minutes until cheese is melted and slightly bubbly. Garnish with sour cream and parsley flakes if desired. Enjoy!

 

Potato Salad

{classic picnic food}
Let's just announce the elephant in the room right off the bat- yes, this picture is absolutely horrid. But that's what makes it unique. Everyone knows what potato salad looks like anyways, so maybe you just have to use your imagination a little bit to figure out what it should look like. Now with that being said, I have to admit that potato salad isn't something I love to eat. For any of you that attended high school choir with me, maybe you know why my image of potato salad has been permanently scarred. For those of who didn't have the luxury of hearing a rather nauseating story about potato salad... I'll save you the pain and agony by not telling you. After trying this recipe, I can now say that potato salad is back on my good side! I've never had a potato salad quite like this before... ya know, with bacon in it... Everything is better with bacon. Again, sorry for how awful this picture is!

Ingredients:
5 lbs. red potatoes
2 cups mayo
1/4 cup vinegar
1/4 lb. bacon 
1/4 cup bell pepper, finely chopped
1 green onion, finely chopped
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon pickle juice (optional)
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon dried thyme


Directions:
In a large stock pot, stick all your potatoes in pot and add enough water to cover. Boil for 20-25 minutes or until potatoes are just tender. Meanwhile, slice your bacon into small pieces and fry until slightly crispy. Drain and then set aside. This is also a good time to chop your bell pepper and onion, and measure out the rest of the ingredients. Once your potatoes are done, drain and let stand until cool. Cut up into bite size pieces and add to a large bowl. Add bell pepper, onion and bacon and toss gently. In a small bowl, combine mayo, vinegar, pickle juice and seasonings. Pour over potatoes and mix until evenly coated. Refrigerate for 1-2 hours before serving.
Source: Essential Mormon Cookbook 

Chicken Enchiladas III

{seriously, i should expand my horizons}
If we all could just be honest for a second, myself included, I'm super excited for my latest chicken enchilada recipe. I think it's actually the number one favorite in our house. We are talking all time record here, people. It's sad, because it's not really any different from my other two recipes, yet it is the the cream of the crop. 
Instead of using regular flour tortillas, I went bold and got the Roasted Tomato Tortillas. It made all the difference. Not only did it give the dish a fun burst of color, it also gave it a yummy kick of flavor! I'm so impressed with myself, it's hard to contain my joy.
Also, you are just going to have to ignore the giant typo on my picture... I'm far too lazy to go back and fix it. No judgments, please! ;)

Can you see my typo?

 Ingredients:
1 package of Roasted Tomato Tortillas
1 8oz. package of cream cheese, cut into cubes
2 small cans, or 1 large can of chopped green chilies.
1/2 cup of chunky salsa (or a different kind, if you prefer)
2 cups Monterrey Jack cheese, or equal of a Mexican style
1 small onion, chopped
2 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
1/2 pint of heavy whipping cream
1 tablespoon butter

Directions:
In a frying pan, cook your chicken with some basic seasonings, like salt and pepper. Once it's cooked through, set aside. In a large skillet, add your butter. Once your butter is melted and your pan is hot, add onion and saute until translucent. Reduce heat and add the cream cheese. While your cream cheese is melting, shred the chicken breasts. Once the cream cheese is fairly melted, add in the chilies, salsa, and chicken. Stir till combined and heated through.
Spray a 9x9 inch baking dish, and preheat your oven to 350F. For each tortilla, take a few wooden spoon fulls of the chicken mixture and spoon it down the center. Fold up the ends and roll up, then place in baking dish, seam side down. Continue until each tortilla has been filled. *Note that the packages of the Roasted Tomato Tortillas come only in packs of 6, as opposed to 10 in the regular flour tortilla packages*. If you have any chicken mixture left over, spread it over the enchiladas.

Grate your cheese, and spread over the enchiladas. Feel free to use more if you are a big fan of cheese, like myself. Then drizzle the heavy cream over everything. Cover with foil, and pop it in the oven for 30-35 minutes, remove foil and continue baking for 10 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbly on the sides.

*For a healthier version, you can use wheat tortillas, low fat cream cheese, and can omit the heavy cream if desired.

Aunt Judi's Shepard's Pie

{thanks aunt judi!} 
A family recipe that I'm glad to finally have as part of my recipe collection. Mmm... it's so good. I was a bit skeptical because I'm not a fan of things that are too meaty. I like the taste and the flavor but sometimes it's just too much for me, and I end up picking it out and eating around it. This was perfect. Not too much, and it had just enough mashed potatoes to balance it out! Give it a whirl, I'm guessing you'll love it, too!

Ingredients:
1 lb. lean ground beef sirloin
1 tablespoon oil
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon thyme
1 cup fresh or frozen peas (or you could use green beans...)
1 8oz can Tomato Soup
6 potatoes, peeled, boiled, and mashed (or 8 servings of instant mashed potatoes)
2 cups grated cheddar cheese

Directions:
Brown ground beef in oil, then add onion, salt, pepper, and thyme. Cook until onion is tender. Drain. Put into a greased 9x13 baking dish. Top with peas (or green beans). Spread/pour tomato soup over peas. Top with mashed potatoes. Then sprinkle with cheddar cheese. Bake at 350F for 15-18 minutes, or until it's bubbly on the sides the cheese is melted.
Enjoy! 

Carrot Cake Cupcakes

{and cream cheese frosting that will knock your socks off}
One thing I love about having family close by, is sometimes they pawn off cake mixes to me. I'll be honest, I haven't had much luck with making cakes from scratch. I see other people do it all the time, but mine seem to always have a flaw. I hear they are tricky to master, so I guess I'll have to keep practicing. But in the mean time, I'm welcoming any and all cake mixes that you have no need for. Oh, and don't judge me for not being perfect like everyone else who knows how to make a cake from scratch.

Ingredients:
1 Carrot Cake Mix (and the ingredients to make it... eggs, oil, milk)
1 8oz package of cream cheese, at room temperature
1/4 cup butter, at room temperature
1 cup powdered sugar (you may need a little extra for thickness)
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 baby carrot, shredded for garnish (optional)

Directions:
Make cupcakes as per directions on box. Once cupcakes have cooled, begin making the frosting. In a large bowl, beat together butter and cream cheese until smooth. Then add powdered sugar and vanilla. Beat until smooth and fluffy. You may need to add a little extra powdered sugar to make a tiny bit thicker. Top with shredded carrot pieces as garnish.

 

Best. Chili. Ever

{simplicity truly is better} 
It's been raining all day long. A steady flow of nothing but drizzling ice cold droplets, sent from the Arctic itself. It's depressing, really. Ya know what's good during rainy days? Chili. And maybe some cornbread. Shoot, I didn't think about cornbread.

Ingredients:
1/2 lb ground beef, or turkey if that's your thing
1 8oz (284 ml) can of light Tomato Soup
1 8oz (284 ml) can of corn (optional)
1 16oz (540 ml) can of red kidney beans
1 16oz (540 ml) can of black beans
1 packet of Chili seasoning found in the gravy isle
1 cup of water
1/2 of an onion, chopped finely
1 16oz (540 ml) can of chopped tomatoes, or equal fresh
Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions:
In crock pot or slow cooker, mix soup, Chili mix, and water. Drain beans, corn, and tomatoes and add to crock pot.

Stir together and set crock pot for 4 hours. Feel free to open up the lid here and there and stir it up- make your house smell good. During the last hour, brown your meat. Add the onion to the meat while it's cooking, and once the onions turn slightly opaque, remove from heat and add to crock pot. Garnish with cheddar cheese!

Chicken Broccoli Alfredo

{mmm... alfredo-y}
I've recently noticed how versatile cream cheese is. You can do so many things with it! So, if you've got extra cream cheese just sitting around, here is a great way to use it up!

Ingredients:
1 (8 oz.) package light cream cheese
2 cups of milk
2 cups cooked chicken breast, cubed
1/4 cup butter
2 cups grated Parmesan cheese
2 cups Broccoli, cut up and seamed
1/2 cup grated Mozzarella cheese
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
dash of Nutmeg
dash of Oregano

Directions:
In a medium pot, melt butter on medium to low heat. Once it's melted, add your cream cheese. Mix to combine, until smooth and cream cheese is melted completely. Add milk a little bit at a time, keep whisking to keep it smooth. Add your cheeses in between milk. Once all your milk is incorporated, add your seasonings, chicken, and broccoli. Pour over your favorite pasta. If too thin, let it cook longer, if too thick, add more milk. Garnish with Parmesan, if you wish!

Chicken Spinach Lasagna

{rating: 9.5}
I have to say, I was more than skeptical for this lasagna because I decided to use the 'oven ready' noodles thinking it might cut the time down. It cut the prep time in half, but made up in the bake time. I'm not writing oven ready noodles off entirely, but I think I prefer the regular ones, then again, it did save the me the expensive of washing an extra pot. "...both are favorites!"

Ingredients:
One half a bag (10 oz.) baby spinach, cooked and well drained
9 oven ready uncooked lasagna noodles
1 cup cottage cheese (low fat, if that's your thing)
1 egg
2 cooked and chopped chicken breast
2 cups grated Mozzarella
1 cup grated Parmesan
3 cups of your favorite pasta sauce
1 cup water
Italian seasoning
Parsley flakes

Directions:
Start by mixing the pasta sauce with the cup of water in a medium pot, bring to a boil. While you're waiting (by the way, don't forget to stir on occasion) mix the cottage cheese with spinach, chicken, and (eww...) the egg- I almost lost it when the egg was added to the mix... but that's just me, and the Parmesan and Italian seasoning, just a dash. Once your sauce has reached a boil, spoon a few spoonfuls on to the bottom of the 9x13 inch baking dish. Layer with uncooked noodles, then the chicken mixture. Add another layer of noodles, a few more spoonfuls of sauce, then chicken mixture. Repeat until all the noodles and chicken mixture are used up. For the top layer, add remaining sauce and top with Mozzarella cheese. Garish with Parsley flakes. Cover with foil and bake for 40-45 minutes at 375F. Remove foil and continue baking for 15 minutes. Remove from oven (turn off oven... heehee!) and let sit for about 10 minutes so it's not so soupy. Enjoy!

...mmm, bubbly.
 

Un-holy Macaroni

{you in the mood for something utterly unhealthy?}
Comfort food at it's most indulgent form. I can't even tell you how many calories are in this, but I'm guessing a lot. You only need a small portion of this sinful goodness...

Ingredients:
16 oz. Tortellini pasta
2 cups (500 mL) half and half creamer (you can substitute milk for the creamer, makes it less heavy) 
3 cups cheddar cheese, grated (I used 2 cups of cheddar, and 1 cup Mozzarella)
1 can cheddar cheese soup
1/2 cup butter (I only used 2 spoon fulls)
1 cup broccoli, chopped into small pieces (you can use more if you'd like, or not use any at all)
2 cloves garlic, minced
teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
dash of onion powder
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Boil pasta for 5-7 minutes, then add broccoli and cook until pasta is al dente. In crock pot, add soup, creamer, and garlic- whisk together. Once pasta/broccoli is cooked, strain and add to crock pot. Add cheese, onion powder, Worcestershire sauce and butter. Mix well to incorporate. Cook on high for about an hour to an hour and a half. Top with American cheese slices, Velveeta works even works better, before serving.

Now, go hit the treadmill... you'll need it after this!

Stuffed Shells

{hi, my name is Kelsey and I am addicted to Italian food}
If you love Italian food, like me, you will love this! It's so easy and inexpensive! I'm seriously considering taking this to Italy and sharing it with the locals.

Ingredients:
16-18 Jumbo pasta shells
2 cups of your favorite pasta sauce (or homemade if you want)
1 (10 oz) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed (I used about a half bag of fresh spinach)
1 cup cottage cheese (you can use low-fat if you'd like)
1 cup Mozzarella, grated
1/2 grated onion (I felt it was a bit onion-y, so maybe half that unless onion-y is your thing)
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon Italian Seasoning
1 teaspoon Garlic Salt

Directions:
Prepare pasta as per directions, while pasta is cooking, cook spinach. My bag of spinach didn't have any directions, so I had to look that up (in a sauce pan, melt a couple tablespoons of butter on medium heat, then add your spinach and cover. Takes about 5 or so minutes). Drain spinach thoroughly in a strainer and press spinach with a spoon to get all the liquid out. In a medium bowl combine spinach with cottage cheese, mozzarella, onion, and seasonings. When pasta is cooked, drain well. Return to pot and fill it cold water, drain again. Preheat oven to 375F, and spoon cheese mixture into shells. Place shells in a lightly greased 9x13 inch baking dish. Pour pasta sauce over shells. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese, cover with foil and bake for 25 minutes.
Original recipe adapted from The Essential Mormon Cookbook.

Savory Pot Roast and Veggies

{just like momma used to make}
Sometimes it just sounds good. This also includes a quick way of making gravy, which just ties everything together.

Ingredients:
1 (2 lb.) chuck roast
4-5 medium potatoes, peeled quartered (I didn't add potatoes, I prefer mashed)
4 large carrots (or 12-15 baby carrots)
1 onion, quartered
1 (14 oz.) can beef broth
2 tablespoons cornstarch

Directions:
Spray 4-5 quart slow cooker with cooking spray. Place potatoes, onion and carrots in slow cooker and mix well. Place roast over vegetables. Pour in 1 1/2 cup beef broth. Cover and cook on low for 8 to 9 hours. Don't forget to season!

About 5 minutes before serving, remove beef and veggies with slotted spoon and place on serving platter. Pour liquid from slow cooker into medium saucepan. In a small bowl blend remaining 1/2 cup broth and cornstarch until smooth and add to liquid in saucepan. Boil 1 minute and stir constantly. Serve!
 

Broccoli Cheddar Chowder

{Wisconsin would be proud}
I know it's a little out of season for soup and chowder, but given all the rain it just sounded good. Kinda like chili- but not.

Ingredients:
2 bunches (about 1 pound) fresh broccoli
1 medium onion, chopped
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup flour
4 cups milk (you could probably get away with 2 or 3)
1 cup chicken broth
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups grated cheddar cheese

Directions:
Cook broccoli just until tender. Do not overcook. Drain and cut into small pieces; set aside. Saute onion in the 1/4 cup butter until tender; set aside. In a large saucepan or soup pot prepare a white sauce: melt the 1/2 cup butter over medium heat, then stir in flour until well blended. Gradually stir in milk, chicken brother, and salt. Stir constantly until mixture reaches a boil. Cook 1 to 2 minutes, until thickened. Add broccoli and onion. Stir in cheese. cook briefly over medium heat. Avoid bringing to a boil. Serve immediately or keep warm over low heat.

Seven Layer Dip

{a classic crowd pleaser for all ages}
I made this dish for a group of friends, it was gone in 15 minutes. But I don't mean to brag ;)

Ingredients, in order:
1 can refried beans 
3 mashed avacado's with lemon juice and green tabasco sauce
1/2 c mayonnaise with 1 cup sour cream
3 chopped tomatoes (I used about a 1/2 cup [more or less] of salsa)
1/2 cup green onions, chopped
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
1 small can of chopped, black olives

Layer on a serving platter in order, don't forget the chips!