Cinnamon Sugar Tortilla Strips

I am getting rid of old cookbooks as they take up too much space and I usually just look online, so as I am reviewing these before i throw them away, here is one I want to try.  Lacey asks me for cinnamon sugar tortilla strips alot, will try this out and let you know if it is a good one to keep:

Sweet tortillas
1 cup sugar
4 tsp cinnamon
6 to 10 (8 1/2 in flour tortillas)
large resealable plastic bag

Combine sugar and cinnamon in a large resealable plastic bag.  Lightly brush water on both sides of tortilla, cut into four wedges, put them into the plastic bag, reseal the bag and gently shake to coat the wedges.  Remove from bag and place on greased baking sheet.  Bake at 375 for 10 to 12 min


and now for the thought for today (it was at bottom of cookbook, ha)
People who know little are usually great talkers, while people who know much say little - Jean Jacques Rousseau

Mexican Street Corn Dip

Megan brought this dip to our family birthday party and it was such a hit!  It is very yummy! She found it on pinterest from cookingandbeer.com

Mexican Street Corn Dip
8 oz cream cheese, softened to room temp
1/4 cup sour cream
3 Tblsp mayo
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp chili powder (plus extra for garnish if desired)
salt and black pepper
2 Tblsp unsalted butter
3 cups corn kernels, either cut from the cob or thawed frozen
1 jalapeno pepper, seeds and stem removed, finely chopped
2 tblsp fresh cilantro, chopped (plus extra for garnish)
2 Tblsp sliced green onions (plus extra for garnish)
1/4 cup cotija cheese (plus extra for garnish)
Corn tortilla chips for serving it with (she likes the Food should not taste this good blue corn tortilla chips)

To a large mixing bowl, add cream cheese, sour cream, mayo, cumin, chili powder and a sash of salt and pepper to taste.  Mix until smooth and creamy.  Set aside.
Add the butter to a large skillet, and melt over medium heat.  Add the corn and jalapeno.  Cook for 7 to 8 min
Remove from heat and transfer to the bowl with cream cheese mixture.  To the bowl, also add the cilantro, green onions, and cotija cheese.  Mix thoroughly.
Pour the dip into a serving bowl and garnish with additional chili powder, cliantro, green onions and cotija cheese.  Enjoy immediately!

Megan did not have jalapeno pepper so she used cayenne pepper instead and it was yummy.

You will love this stuff as well!

Shredded Beef Enchiladas

So we get together once a month for birthday celebrations and for this month I chose to make shredded beef enchiladas, so I looked on the internet for any yummy recipes and I found this one from www.gonnawantseconds.com  and you make the enchilada sauce which is really quite good.  I tweaked the recipe a bit so if you want to see the original and a picture of the enchiladas, go here

Shredded Beef Enchiladas
Ingredients:
3 lbs boneless beef chuck Roast
2 Tblsp bacon grease or vegetable oil
1 large yellow onion chopped
4 cloves garlic rough chopped
1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
1 cup water
2 Tblsp chili powder
1 Tblsp ground cumin
1 Tblsp dried oregano
3 bay leaves
2 Tblsp apple cider vinegar
2 Tblsp worcestershire sauce
1 tsp sugar
salt and pepper
8 in flour tortillas
sour cream
2 cups extra sharp cheddar cheese shredded
2 cups monterey jack cheese shredded
1/2 cup fresh cilantro roughly chopped

Salt and Pepper the roast, in a large stove top pan brown the roast on both sides, about 5 min per side.  Remove roast from pan and place in a crockpot (she uses the oven but I prefer crockpot) .
Then in that same pan you browned the roast in, add the onions and garlic, cooking over med low heat and saute until soft and translucent (about 7 min).  I used my blender and blended the crushed tomatoes (because I knew kids would be eating it and they dont like chunks of tomato, but if you like tomato chunks, skip the blender part) and then pour the blended tomatoes into the pan, add water chili powder, cumin, oregano, bay leaves (I did not have any bay leaves so I left them out and it was still good), apple cider vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, and sugar.  Bring the mixture to a boil for a few minutes.(I also added one reg size soup can of tomato soup to this mixture just to thicken it up and add a little more flavor)  Pour this mixture over the roast in crock pot.  
I cooked my beef roast for about 8 to 9 hours. When it was fork tender, I took out the meat and put onto a platter and shredded with two forks and cut into smaller bite size pieces, and then put that in a pan and add a cup of the enchilada sauce to the meat.

To assemble enchiladas:
Preheat oven to 350
Add 1/2 to one cup of pan sauce to bottom of 9 x 13
Set aside 1 cup of cheddar and 1 cup jack cheese to top the enchiladas with
Fill each tortilla with an equal amount of shredded beef about 1/3 cup, 1 1/2 Tblsp sour cream , a layer of cheddar and a a layer of jack cheese.  Roll up tightly and place seam side down in baking dish.
Ladle sauce from the crockpot evenly over top of enchiladas and sprinkle with cheese (she says you will probably have extra sauce)
Bake in oven about 20 to 25 min
garnish with cilantro if desired.

She says you can use the extra sauce for eggs ranchero or to make chicken enchiladas.

These were very yummy, I will defintaley make these again and I loved the homemade sauce recipe part!
Enjoy!

Crock Pot Taco Filling

Crock Pot Taco Filling

1 lb hamburger meat, cooked and drained
1 16 oz mild cheddar cheese grated
1 16 oz Monterey Jack jalapeno cheese grated
1 can refried beans
1 8 oz cream cheese
2 cans tomato sauce
1/2 cup mild picante sauce
1 onion, finely chopped

Put all ingredients into a crockpot and stir occasionally to mix everything up.  Cook on high for 2 to 4 hours.  Serve in flour tortillas, for tostados, etc.  Great with chips too!

*can add taco seasoning to mix as well.  I like to add 1/2 packet

Best Ever Super Easy Salsa

I have not tried this yet but I am going to, it looks good to me!

BEST EVER, SUPER EASY SALSA

 

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Loaded with delicious vibrant flavor, this salsa comes together in less than 10 minutes. It's perfect to serve with chips, tacos or with other Mexican entrees, as a baked potato or omelet topping, soup garnish, etc.

Author: Chris Scheuer

Recipe type: Appetizer

Cuisine: Mexican

INGREDIENTS

• 2 14 ounce cans fire-roasted canned tomatoes puréed
• ½ cup roasted red pepper (jarred), packed
• 1 4-ounce can green chiles (these are not spicy, just add great flavor)
• ½ small red onion, roughly chopped
• ½ cup fresh cilantro (leaves and stems), packed
• 6 medium green (spring) onions, cut in two inch pieces
• 3 medium cloves garlic, peeled
• 1-2 small jalapeño, seeded (if you like a spicier flavor, leaves the seeds in)
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

 

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Drain the tomatoes, reserving the juice.
2. Combine all ingredients except reserved tomato juice in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse on and off until all ingredients are finely chopped and salsa is desired consistency. We like it a bit chunky, but if you like a smoother salsa, just keep pulsing. If you like a thinner salsa, add a small amount of the reserved tomato juice and pulse one more time.
3. Taste for seasoning and adjust as needed. Serve with chips, tacos or other Mexican entrees, as a baked potato or omelet topping, soup garnish, etc.

The Best Chicken Enchiladas

I needed to make some chicken enchilada's the other day, and there are a bazillion recipes out there to make them.  I didn't want to do my old one of sour cream and soup mixture, I wanted a homemade white sauce.  I found it here on Mel's site, and they are truly the best ever!
You wont be disappointed when you make these!  Enjoy!

Creamy Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas

YIELD: SERVES 4-6

INGREDIENTS

Filling:
• 3 cups cooked, chopped chicken
• 2 (4 oz.) cans of green chiles, lightly drained
• 1 package (8 oz.) cream cheese, cubed
• 1 can white or black beans, rinsed and drained (you can really use any type of bean you prefer here)
Sauce:
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 cup chopped onion (about 1/2 medium onion)
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 1/3 cup chicken broth
• ¼ cup milk
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon pepper
• 1 can (7 ounce) green chile enchilada sauce
• ½ cup sour cream
Assembly:
• 8 ounces (about 2 cups) Monterey jack cheese, shredded
• 8 medium (soft taco size) flour tortillas
• Handful of chopped fresh cilantro

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. In a medium bowl, combine the softened cream cheese and green chiles. Mix well. Add the chicken and black beans. Mix to combine. Set aside.
3. In a large nonstick skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion softens and starts to turn translucent, about 3-4 minutes. Sprinkle the flour over the onions and stir well. Cook for 1 minute, stirring. Slowly whisk in the chicken broth and milk. As you whisk and the mixture cooks, the flour will get less lumpy around the onions and the mixture will become smooth. Cook over medium heat until the mixture is bubbling and has thickened, about 4-5 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in the enchilada sauce and sour cream.
4. Lightly grease a 9X13-inch baking dish. Spread about 1/4 cup of the sauce on the bottom of the dish. Fill each tortilla with about ½ cup of the chicken/cream cheese filling. Top with a small handful of shredded cheese, a couple tablespoonfuls for each enchilada. Save at least 1/2 cup cheese for the top of the enchiladas. Roll the tortillas up and place seam side down in the prepared baking dish. Continue filling enchiladas until the dish is full (I can easily fit 8 enchiladas in one pan).
5. Pour the white sauce over the top of the enchiladas. Top with remaining cheese. Bake for 20-30 minutes until the enchiladas are bubbling, hot and lightly browned. Sprinkle fresh cilantro over the top and serve.

NOTES

Make Ahead Instructions: Follow the recipe instructions, letting the sauce cool to warm room temperature before proceeding with filling the enchiladas. Assemble the enchiladas as directed in the recipe with the cooled sauce. Cover the baking pan with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 8-12 hours before baking. Bake according to the recipe, adding an additional 5-10 minutes if needed since the enchiladas were refrigerated. Alternately, after assembling, the baking pan can be covered with a double layer of foil and put in a jumbo-sized resealable bag and frozen for up to two months. Bake from frozen by decreasing the baking temperature to 350 degrees F and baking the enchiladas covered for 1 1/2 hours. Uncover and bake an additional 30 minutes to 1 hour until the dish is hot and bubbly.

Taco Pasta Salad

Shauna got this recipe from my friend Diane who got it from Heidi Edwards.  I have heard that it is "to die for" and that when you take it places, everyone asks for the recipe.  So if you want to be a big hit with the crowd , make this and take this!  I made it and it is very yummy!

Taco Pasta Salad

1 box 16 oz rotini pasta
1 can red beans
1 can black beans
1 can sliced olives
1 bag of shredded mozzarella cheese
2 large tomatoes, chopped
1 medium red onion chopped
1 can baby corn (I just used a can of regular corn)
1 cup sour cream
1 cup mayonnaise
salt and pepper
1 pkg Hidden Valley Dip called Fiesta Ranch (it is like taco seasoning)  (I have only found it at WalMart)

Boil the pasta, rinse in cold water and drain.  Put in large bowl
Mix up the Dip with 1 cup sour cream and 1 cup mayonnaise and salt and pepper.
Add Dip to the Pasta, Stir, and then add the rest of the ingredients.  Stir well. 
Enjoy!

The thought for today:

The Royal Road to a person's heart is to talk about the things he or she treasures most!  (I forgot to write down who said that)

The way to get things done is to stimulate competition -Charles Schwab

Taco Bell Dorito Tacos Nacho Style

So. . . .me and Lacey love the Taco Bell Dorito Taco, but of course they are not the best thing to eat, but we decided to make our own version, and we eat this like every other week!

1 lb ground turkey

About 3 Tblsp worcestershire sauce

About 3 Tblsp light sodium soy sauce

1/2 to full package of Taco Bell Taco seasoning mix

1 cup water

1 package Dorito Cool Ranch or Nacho Cheese Chips

Toppings such as sour cream, cheese, salsa, guacamole, olives.

I brown the turkey and then add the worcestershire, soy sauce, taco seasoning and water.  Once that is cooked down and through I turn the stove off.

Then on a plate place your dorito chips, covering your whole plate.

Then I sprinkle on some grated cheese and put it in the microwave for 15 to 20 seconds, you DO NOT want to overcook in the microwave as the cheese will become hard and not fun to eat, you actually want to catch it right before the cheese is all melted.

Then I top that plate with the taco meat and then add sour cream, olives, guacamole, salsa or chopped tomatoes, and whatever other toppings you like.

I have discovered I like the Cool Ranch flavor in this recipe more than the Nacho cheese one.

I have also turned this into a taco salad by placing spinach or romaine lettuce in bowl first, then I crush the chips on top of the salad, then sprinkle some cheese (I do not microwave) and add the meat and all the toppings, and it is just as yummy!

I have never tried to guesstimate the calories, I am sure if I knew I might not eat this very often, however, it is a dang yummy treat and a quick sunday meal when we come home from church! YUM

Thought for today:
Remember to Remember - Michael Bernard Beckwith

Of course the most important thing we can remember is our Savior and His love for us and His atoning sacrifice!  When He is first, everything else will work out.

Cafe Rio Sweet Pork and Dressing and Chicken and Rice and Beans

There are several versions of this recipe, my friend Melanee shared with me their wards version and it is yummy!  Thanks Melanee!

Cafe Rio Salads

Whisper Wood Ward Enrichment Night

Cafe Rio Sweet Pork

5-6 lb pork roast

1 cup brown sugar

12 oz La Victoria taco sauce

20 oz Coke

1 T cumin

Put pork in crock pot, cover half way with water and cook on low for about 10 hours. Drain water.  Shred pork and remove fat.  Add all ingredients and simmer on low for 6 hours.

Cafe Rio Dressing
1 buttermilk ranch dressing packet (make as per recipe which requires mayo and buttermilk)
2 tomatillos
½ bunch of cilantro
1 clove garlic
Juice of 1 lime
1 jalapeño 
Use a food processor to blend all the ingredients well. Refrigerate overnight.

Cafe Rio Chicken
1 large bottle Kraft Zesty Italian Dressing 
1 T chili powder
1 T cumin
3 cloves garlic—minced
5 lbs chicken breast                                                                                                         Cook all together in a crock pot for about 2 hours, shred meat and cook 1 additional hour.

Cafe Rio Rice
In a saucepan sauté: 
2 Tlb butter, 1 yellow onion and 4 minced garlic cloves.

In a large pot, boil the following:

6 2/3 cups of water

8 tsp of chicken bullion

½ bunch of chopped cilantro

2 tsp cumin

2 small cans of diced green chilies

1 Tlb lime juice

½ tsp salt

Add onion and garlic to boiling water.

Add 3 cups long grain rice.  Reduce heat and cover.  Simmer for 30 minutes.

Cafe Rio Beans                                                                                   

1 can black (or pinto) beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup tomato juice
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 ½  teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons fresh chopped cilantro
In a nonstick skillet, cook garlic and cumin in olive oil over medium heat until it becomes fragrant. Add beans, tomato juice, and salt. Continually stir until heated through. Just before serving stir in the cilantro.

and for the thought today:

The art of being happy lies in the power of extracting happiness from common things -Henry Ward Beecher

Change your thoughts and you change your world - Norman Vincent Pace

Easy Beef Enchiladas

These are my quick go to enchiladas I can make and they always taste good!  They are great to take to others when you need to take in a meal.  I like to add a can of refried beans to my enchiladas so I will include them in this recipe:

Easy Beef and Bean Enchiladas

1 1/2 lb ground beef, cooked, drained, and seasoned

1 large can tomato soup

1 large can Rosarita (red) mild enchilada sauce

1 can Refried Beans

1 can black olives, sliced

Shredded cheese

Corn tortillas

Lettuce, Tomato Salsa, and sour cream for topping

Mix in big bowl one can of tomato soup and one can Rosarita mild enchilada sauce. (I don't like too spicy , that is why I add the tomato soup), mix together well.  In a 9 x 13 pan, pour a little sauce in the bottom.  Dip corn tortilla in soup mixture and then place in pan.  Add seasoned ground beef, a spoon of refried beans, shredded cheese, and sliced olives.  Roll up in a tortilla, continue with each tortilla.  I usually get 12 rolled corn tortillas in a 9 x 13 pan.  Cover top of enchiladas with the rest of the red sauce and cheese.  Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 40 min.  Serve with lettuce, tomato, salsa, sour cream and chopped olives!

Yummy!

Since I don't like to eat too much red meat, you could substitute chicken and onions and peppers in place of meat and beans.

Quick and Easy and Yummy!  Winner!

For the nourishing of our souls:

Here is a saying I saw:

If you planted hope today in a heart that felt alone,

If you caused a laugh that chased some tears away,

If someone's burden was made lighter because of your kindness,

Then your day was well spent!

May we have well spent days!

Mexican Lasagne

 This is a great recipe, it might not sound like it, but try it and you will see!  It is a fun version when you get tired of tradtional lasagne!

Mexican Lasagne  from Jill Flink  Sandridge Ward Cookbook
1 lb ground beef, cooked and drained
1 (16)oz can refried beans
1 pkg taco seasoning
12 uncooked lasagne noodles
2 1/2 cups water
2 1/2 cups salsa
2 cups sour cream
3/4 cup green onions
1 cup black olives (or more)
1 cup grated cheese

Combine beef, beans, and taco seasoning together.  Place uncooked noodles in bottom of 9 x 13 pan.  Spread beef mixture over noodles. Top with more noodles and beef mixture.  Combine water and salsa and pour over all.  Cover tightly with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 1 1/2 hours or until noodles are tender.  Remove from oven and spread sour cream, onions, and olives over casserole.  Top with cheese. Bake 5 minutes more.

YUMMY!


Nourishing of our soul:
I've been reading the book "An hour to live, and hour to love:
and would like to quote from Richard Carlson
"If I could live my life over, I'd be more loving to you and to everyone else as well - and I'd expect far less in return.  I see now that life is all about love, sharing, compassion, and kindness.  Mother Teresa said 'We cannot do great things on this earth.  We can only do small things with great love'. . . even small things can be great things when our hearts are in the right place"

Mexican French Toast

Today is your lucky day, I am going to share with you a recipe I got way back when I was in Jr High and took a Home Ec Class, I kept this recipe through the years and have never found anyone else to have this or know about it, it is my best kept secret, until today, and it is magical, so now you can be cool too when you make this for breakfast, I like to make this on weekends to make the weekend special, Try it, You will like love it!

Mexican French Toast

2 cups flour

1 cup sugar

1 tsp. salt

Yolks of 3 eggs, slightly beaten

Milk, about 1 ½ cups

Beaten egg whites

8 slices of bread

Beat egg yolks until foamy, add sugar, salt and stir well.  Blend in flour (all-purpose) while you also add a little of the milk to make batter the consistency of pancakes.  (So you will add a little flour, then some milk, then some flour, then some milk until you reach the 2 cups flour and 1 ½ cups milk) Fold in beaten whites of eggs last.

Dip bread in batter and fry in deep fat at 360 degrees in electric frying pan. Or if you don’t want it deep fried, just fry in some butter or a little bit of oil in regular frying pan.

This is the best French toast ever! YUM

This is like putting pancake batter over your bread for french toast, I use my own homemade bread, or you can use french bread from the store, or that Texas Toast breast.  So Yummy!  My Jenna hates things that are fried, so I try to make some that are not Fried in oil, but the ones fried in a little oil (I just put oil in a big 12 in pan , not too much oil, enough to coat the bottom and a little more) are so tasty with the crunchy edges, oh man, to die for!

For the nourishing of our souls:

That was my magical recipe and my most favorite recipe! Yes, I am a breads person as you can tell, so how about a magical song, my most favorite to sing to, (oh dang, I came back to this recipe only to find this song is not available anymore and I dont even know what the song is, so I am oh so curious what song I thought was magical, ha ha)  so lets go to another fun song, here