Valentine's Day

Today was Brian and mine first Valentine's Day together.  I told him I didn't really want to celebrate, that we could just have a low key Valentine's Day, but he had other plans.  When I got back from my lunch break, a box of flowers were waiting for me and this is what I got.

 I absolutely love them!  They are called kaleidoscope roses. I have never seen anything like them before.

Instead of dealing with all the crowds Friday evening, I told him I would cook us a nice meal.  We had petite filet, roasted new potatoes, green bean bundles and molten chocolate lave cake for dessert.  It was wonderful!

Guest Bedroom Redo

I decided to redecorate my guest bedroom last year.  I wanted to go with the grey and yellow color scheme. It took awhile but I finally finished!

Before the walls were a light blue color with pink accents.

After the walls were a dark grey color. I made the valances with inspiration from Pinterest.

Breakfast Taquitos & French Toast Roll Ups

This weekend I decided to try some new recipes for breakfast.  I've grown tired of omelets, scrambled eggs and bacon for breakfast. On Saturday we had Breakfast Taquitos, kind of a Mexican breakfast.  These were really good and not too complicated to make.  Sunday, I went with a sweater breakfast, French Toast Roll Ups.  Brian's favorite breakfast is French Toast, so these were a different twist on one of his favorites. These also were a big hit, even with Drew, who isn't a big fan of cinnamon. 

Breakfast Taquitos

Ingredients

10-12 corn tortillas, softened

3 large eggs, scrambled

6 ounces spicy Italian sausage, crumbled

1/4 cup julienned sun dried tomatoes, drained

1 avocado, halved, seeded, peeled and diced

1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Instructions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside.

Working one at a time, transfer tortilla to a work surface; place eggs, sausage, sun dried tomatoes, avocado and cheddar cheese in the center of each wrapper. Bring the bottom edge of the tortilla tightly over the filling, rolling from bottom to top until the top of the tortilla is reached. Repeat with remaining tortilla and filling.

Place taquitos seam side down onto prepared baking sheet and bake until taquitos are crisp and cheese has melted, about 12-15 minutes.

French Toast Roll Ups With Cream Cheese and Strawberries

Ingredients

16 slices Soft Bread

2 Eggs

4 tbsp Milk

1/3 cup Sugar

1 tsp Cinnamon

Strawberry jam

Cream cheese

Instructions

In a shallow dish, mix together your cinnamon and sugar. Set aside.

In another shallow dish, whisk together the eggs and milk. Set aside.

Remove the crusts from the bread.

Use a rolling pin or glass to flatten out the bread.

Place a small strip of your filling on one end of the bread and roll them. Repeat with the rest of the bread and filling.

Heat a non-stick skillet with the butter.

Dip the bread rolls in the egg mixture.

Place the roll ups, seam side down in the skillet.

Cook until golden brown, turning to brown on all sides.

Remove the rolls one at a time and immediately roll to coat in the cinnamon sugar mixture.

Chicken Echiladas

On Sunday evening we had chicken enchiladas with refried beans.  Both were very good.  Brian always orders chicken enchiladas when we eat out at a Mexican restaurant and he said these were  better than any his had out.  

Chicken Enchiladas

Total Time: 1 hour

Yield: 4-6 servings

Ingredients

4 Tbsp. chili powder

2 Tbsp. flour

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. cumin

1/4 tsp. oregano

2 cups chicken broth

4 Tbsp. oil (vegetable or canola)

1 (15.5 oz.) can mashed lentils or black beans, drained

2 cups cooked chicken, diced or shredded

1 cup onion, diced

1 (4 oz.) can chopped green chiles

3 cups Mexican-blend shredded cheese

8-10 flour tortillas

Method

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a large baking dish. (I used a 9 x 13 glass pan.)

Heat 2 Tbsp. oil in saucepan over medium heat. Add in the first six ingredients to the oil and stir for 1 minute. Then add chicken broth. Bring mixture to a boil, stirring constantly. Reduce heat and simmer 10-15 minutes until thick.

In small skillet on the side, heat 2 Tbsp. oil over medium heat. Add diced onion and green chiles. Saute until onions are cooked and translucent. Turn off heat and add chicken to mixture. (Or if you are beginning with raw chicken, feel free to cook alongside the onions and chiles. Then dice or shred the meat afterwards.)

To assemble the enchiladas, set up an assembly line including: tortillas, sauce, beans, chicken mixture, and cheese. Lay out a tortilla, and spread a spoonful of sauce in a line down the center. Then add beans on top of the sauce, then some chicken mixture, and cheese. Roll up tortilla and place seam-side down in baking dish. Once all enchiladas are made, pour extra sauce over the top.

Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Then remove dish and sprinkle extra cheese on top, and bake for 5-10 minutes more until tortillas begin to brown slightly around the edges. Remove from oven and serve immediately.

Baked Club Pinwheels

Baked Club Pinwheels

6 slices pre-cooked bacon, chopped

1 (11-oz.) can Pillsbury® Refrigerated Crusty French Loaf

1 cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese

5 slices thinly sliced deli turkey

5 slices thinly sliced deli ham

5 slices thinly sliced deli roast beef

Heat oven to 350°F. Spray cookie sheet with nonstick cooking spray. Unroll dough. Sprinkle cheese over dough. Top with turkey, ham, roast beef and bacon. Starting with long side, roll up dough; press edges to seal. Make 3 to 4 slits in top of loaf. Place on sprayed cookie sheet.

Bake at 350°F. for 23 to 28 minutes or until golden brown. Cool 5 minutes. Cut into 1-inch diagonal slices.

Oven Baked Barbecue Chicken Thighs

Oven Baked Barbecue Chicken Thighs

Ingredients:

Approximately 3 pounds of chicken thighs

1 cup BBQ sauce (homemade or your favorite store bought sauce) You may want some additional for serving at the table.

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

Spray 9×13 baking dish with cooking oil.

Lay chicken in baking dish.

Pour the BBQ sauce over the chicken. 

Cover the pan with foil and bake for 20 minutes

Remove pan from oven and throw away foil.

Spoon the pan juices (baste) over the chicken.

Return pan to oven and bake, uncovered, for additional 20 minutes.  Chicken will be done when meat is no longer red and juices run clear

Remove from oven and let cover with foil, letting the chicken rest to seal in the moisture.

Stacked Enchiladas

Stacked Enchiladas

Ingredients:

2 lbs ground beef

1/2 medium white onion diced

Enchilada seasoning
8oz tomato sauce

9 – 6″ flour tortillas 

Toppings:

1/2 diced onion

diced lettuce

sour cream

shredded cheese

salsa

Directions:

Brown ground beef in large skillet on med-high heat.  

Once ground beef is browned add in enchilada seasoning. Cook another 3-4 minutes Remove from heat and set aside.

In separate fry pan add vegetable oil until about 1/2 inch deep. Heat oil on medium heat. Once oil is hot add small tortilla and fry about 1-2 minutes per side or until golden brown. Remember to use heat resistant utensils to flip the tortilla.

Once all tortillas are browned you can start to stack the enchiladas. Place one tortilla on a plate and add a few spoonfuls of the meat mixture and the additional toppings. Then add a second tortilla and top with more meat mixture and toppings.  Repeat until satisfied.

Parmesan Crusted Baked Pork Chops

Parmesan Crusted Baked Pork Chops

4 boneless pork chops
1 egg
1 Tbsp water
1/3 cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs
1/3 cup Parmesan cheese (I used freshly grated Parmesan)
1/4 tsp pepper
1/8 tsp paprika
1 tsp dried parsley flakes
1/2 tsp garlic powder
2 Tbsp olive oil
Whisk together egg and water in a shallow dish. In another shallow dish, mix together bread crumbs, cheese, pepper, paprika, parsley, and garlic powder. Heat a skillet to medium hot. Dip pork chops in egg mixture, then in crumb mixture. Brown each side in olive oil in the hot skillet. (It takes 3-5 minutes per side.) Place in a 9×13" baking dish. Bake at 350° for about 30 minutes, or until pork chops are done.

Chips & Salsa Chicken Bake

Chips & Salsa Chicken Bake

Chicken bake ingredients:

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Cajun seasoning

1 cup salsa

1 cup sour cream

1 cup crushed tortilla chips

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Place chicken breasts on a foil lined cookie sheet and rub about 1/2 tablespoon of Cajun seasoning onto both sides of each chicken breast. Bake at 400 for 30-40 minutes, or until juices run clear. Remove from oven and top chicken with 1/4 cup salsa, 1/4 cup sour cream, 1/4 cup tortilla chips, and 1/2 cup shredded cheese. Place bake in oven for 10 minutes or until cheese is melted. 

Chocolate gravy and biscuits

Growing up my mom would make this as a special treat for supper some nights. I've been craving this for awhile and finally broke down and made it.

Ingredients: unsweetened cocoa powder, flour, granulated sugar, milk, butter and vanilla

**I was out of white sugar, so I had to use brown sugar and it turned out fine

In a medium sauce pan whisk together the dry ingredients. 

Pour in the milk and whisk vigorously to combine.  

Heat over medium-high until the mixture bubbles.

 Turn heat down to medium and stir until mixture has thickened to a gravy consistency. Remove from heat and stir in butter and vanilla.

Let cool slightly. Serve warm over buttermilk biscuits.

Chocolate Gravy

Yield: About 2 cups

4 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder

2 tbsp flour

1 cup granulated sugar

1 1/2 cups whole milk

4 tbsp butter

1 tsp vanilla

In a medium sauce pan whisk together the dry ingredients. Pour in the milk and whisk vigorously to combine.  Heat over medium-high until the mixture bubbles. Turn heat down to medium and stir until mixture has thickened to a gravy consistency. Remove from heat and stir in butter and vanilla.

Let cool slightly. Serve warm over buttermilk biscuits.

Monster cookies

Oh monster cookies, probably my all time favorite cookie.  

The ingredients: butter, white sugar, brown sugar, eggs, vanilla sxtract, all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, oats, m & m's, chocolate chips, peanut butter chips and rice krispies

Cream butter with sugars until fluffy. 

Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. 

Add vanilla and beat.

Combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. 

Add to mixing bowl and mix till combined. 

After that, add in remaining ingredients.

Oats

Chocolate chips

M&M's

Peanut Butter chips

Add rice krispies at the very end, mixing until just combined.

Scoop balls of dough onto a cookie sheet. Bake until golden brown about 12 minutes.

Monster Cookies

Ingredients

2 sticks (1/2 Pound) Butter (salted) Softened

1/2 cup White Sugar

1-1/2 cup Brown Sugar, Packed

2 whole Large Eggs

1 Tablespoon Vanilla Extract

1-1/2 cup All-purpose Flour

1/2 teaspoon Baking Soda

1 teaspoon Baking Powder

2 teaspoons Kosher Salt

1-1/2 cup Oats (either Quick Or Regular)

1/2 cup M & M's (more To Taste)

1/2 cup Pecans, Chopped (more To Taste)

3/4 cups Chocolate Chips (milk Or Semi-sweet)

1/2 cup Peanut Butter Chips

2-1/4 cups Rice Krispies

Preparation Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Cream butter with sugars until fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add vanilla and beat.

Combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, and kosher salt. Add to mixing bowl and mix till combined. After that, add in remaining ingredients in whatever quantity you prefer. Add more nuts if you'd like, or more M & M's, more peanut butter chips or chocolate chips.

Add rice krispies at the very end, mixing until just combined. Do not overmix!

Scoop balls of dough onto a cookie sheet. Bake until golden brown about 12 minuters, then allow to cool on a rack.

Red Velvet Puppy Chow

Happy Valentine's Day!  I like to give out little treats for the holidays to my close friends.  I usually make cupcakes, but I wanted to do something a little different for Valentine's Day, so I made Red Velvet Puppy Chow.

Here's your ingredients:5 C. Rice Chex cereal, 3/4 C. white chocolate melts or chips, 1/4 C. chocolate melts or chips, 2 oz cream cheese, room temp, 1 1/2 Tbsp. milk, 1 C. Red Velvet Cake mix, 1/2 C. powdered sugar, Valentines colored M&M's or other candies and heart sprinkles for extra decoration and cuteness

Measure out Rice Chex cereal and place into a large bowl.

Place cake mix and powdered sugar into a large plastic bag or tupperware with a lid.

Melt chocolates together in the microwave or on the stove top.

Stir in cream cheese and milk (the chocolate will get thicker, but it's okay)

Pour chocolate over Rice Chex cereal and stir until coated.

Dump cereal into the bag or tupperware with powdered sugar and cake mix. Shake, shake, shake until coated.

Dump onto a cookie sheet and let cool.

Mix with extra colorful candies and serve!

For my friends, I put the mix in cute Valentine's Day bags with a little note: I don't know "ruff" I'd do without you. 

Close  up of the note, starring my dog Jackson!

Red Velvet Puppy Chow

5 C. Rice Chex cereal

3/4 C. white chocolate melts or chips

1/4 C. chocolate melts or chips

2 oz cream cheese, room temp

1 1/2 Tbsp. milk

1 C. Red Velvet Cake mix

1/2 C. powdered sugar

Valentines colored M&M's or other candies

Heart sprinkles for extra decoration and cuteness

1. Measure out Rice Chex cereal and place into a large bowl.

2. Place cake mix and powdered sugar into a large plastic bag or tupperware with a lid.

3. Melt chocolates together in the microwave or on the stove top. Careful not to burn and stir until smooth.

4. Stir in cream cheese and milk (the chocolate will get thicker, but it's okay)

5. Pour chocolate over Rice Chex cereal and stir until coated.

6. Dump cereal into the bag or tupperware with powdered sugar and cake mix. Shake, shake, shake until coated.

7. Dump onto a cookie sheet and let cool.

8. Mix with extra colorful candies and serve!

NOTE: Because of the cream cheese, keep in the fridge if you won't be eating them that day. You can also omit the cream cheese all together if you wish...if you do that, you don't need the milk either!

Cheesy Taco Soup

Since, it's been rainy and cold lately, I decided it was time to try a new soup, Cheesy Taco Soup.  I usually make Paula Deen's Taco Soup, but I was looking for something different and I didn't want to make that big of a batch.  I'm not that big on leftovers!

Brown ground beef in a large soup pot over medium-high heat, seasoning with salt and pepper (I add Tony's to mine), until no longer pink. Drain and return to pot.

Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat then whisk in flour and cook for one minute.

Slowly whisk in 1 cup milk, season with salt and pepper, then switch to a wooden spoon and stir mixture until thickened, about 3-4 minutes.

 Remove from heat then stir in shredded cheese until smooth.

Add taco seasoning, rotel, black beans, cheese sauce, and remaining 1-1/2 cups milk into cooked ground beef then stir well to combine. Bring to a heavy simmer then turn heat down to medium and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Cheesy Taco Soup

 Serves 4-6

Adapted from The Recipe Critic via Pillsbury

Ingredients:

1lb lean ground beef

2 Tablespoons butter

2 Tablespoons flour

2-1/2 cups milk, divided

salt & pepper (and Tony's)

1 cup freshly shredded cheddar cheese, plus more for topping

1 package taco seasoning

10oz can Rotel, undrained

15oz can black beans, drained & rinsed

Crushed tortilla chips or cornbread

Directions:

Brown ground beef in a large soup pot over medium-high heat,seasoning with salt and pepper, until no longer pink. Drain and return to pot.

Meanwhile, melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heatthen whisk in flour and cook for one minute. Slowly whisk in 1 cup milk, seasonwith salt and pepper, then switch to a wooden spoon and stir mixture untilthickened, about 3-4 minutes. Remove from heat then stir in shredded cheeseuntil smooth. Set aside.

Add taco seasoning, rotel, black beans, cheese sauce, andremaining 1-1/2 cups milk into cooked ground beef then stir well to combine.Bring to a heavy simmer then turn heat down to medium and simmer for 10 minutes,stirring occasionally. Serve with crushed tortilla chips and more shreddedcheese, if desired.