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Tasty Treat Tuesday: Pumpkin Angel Food Cake

October 16, 2012 by Leave a Comment


I think it is time to start sharing all those yummy pumkin dessert recipes.  There is such a short time period every year to cook with pumpkin so I have to make the most of it!  I just love the smell of pumpkin.  This pumpkin angel food cake looks absolutely delicious.  Now I have a use for the angel food cake tin that my mother in law gave me several years ago.  Thanks Betty Crocker recipes!

Here’s what you need to make this:

Cake

  • 1 box (1 lb) Betty Crocker® white angel food cake mix
  • 1 tablespoon Gold Medal® all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 pumpkin pie spice
  • 3/4 cup canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix)
  • 1 cup cold water
Ginger-Cream Filling
  • 2  cups whipping cream
  • 1/4 cup powdered sugar
  • 2 tablespoons finely chopped crystallized ginger

Here’s how to make it -> Pumpkin Angel Food Cake Tutorial

 

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Menu Planning Monday: My Menu Plan for the week of 10/14

October 15, 2012 by 1 Comment

Now that I’m getting back into the routine of cooking again, I can actually say that I’m enjoying it and that I’m loving trying out new recipes, too.  One thing that really helped me this month is that I made a monthly menu plan instead of trying to go week by week.  It’s really helped me to have a “big picture” for the month and it’s been easy to make adjustments along the way.

This week is another busy week for our family, so we’ve got lots of quick fix and slow cooker meals!

If you’re new to menu planning or would like tips for getting started, check out this post here–> Tips for menu planning

You can also view hundreds of meal plans each week at Orgjunkie.com

SUNDAY: A-Mazing Chicken Avocado Enchiladas – I had pinned this recipe on Pinterest several months ago and finally got around to making it. I made some modifications to make it more “family friendly” for my family. Both of my kids loved it and asked for seconds. My 5 year old said it was “the bestest meal ever.”

MONDAY: Melt in Your Mouth Meatloaf (slow cooker)- This is another family favorite that is super easy to make!  We have swimming lessons and a soccer game tonight, so this will be perfect because it will be ready to eat right when we get home from school and work!

TUESDAY:  Chicken enchilada casserole – This is a recipe that my sister came up with. She uses canned chicken when she makes it. I came up with a little bit of a variation.  It is so easy and kid friendly, too!

Ingredients:
2-3 chicken breasts (shredded) – or 1 can chicken
1 large can red enchilada sauce
corn tortillas
shredded cheese – I use reduced fat

Directions: (this is what I do) – I put my chicken and the enchilada sauce in the crockpot the night before and then shred it when I get up in the morning. If you are using canned chicken, you can just shred it as you are making the casserole. I spread some of the chicken/sauce mixture along the bottom of the casserole dish so it doesn’t stick. Break corn tortillas into four pieces and layer across the bottom of the casserole dish. Spread a layer of the chicken/sauce mixture and cheese. Add another layer of corn tortillas. Continue until you are out of the chicken/sauce mixture. Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes until the cheese is bubbly.

WEDNESDAY:  Creamy beef over noodles  – This recipe is from the “A Year of Slow Cooking” blog and I tried it a few years ago and we enjoyed it.  I’ve been looking for quick and easy slow cooker recipes and decided to try this one again!Ingredients:
–2 lbs stew meat
–2 T butter
–1/4 cup soy milk
–1 T gluten free worcestershire sauce
–1 T black pepper
–2 T dried minced onion
–1/4 cup beef broth
–1/2 t kosher salt
–1 t herbs de provence
–1/2 block of cream cheesePlace the frozen meat into the crockpot. Add all other ingredients (with the exception of the cream cheese). Cook on low for 10-12 hours. Add in cream cheese and mix. Serve over rice or pasta.

Photo credit:  Beth’s Favorite Recipes

THURSDAY:  Monterey Chicken – This recipe is so yummy and it’s so easy to make, too!

Ingredients:
4 (5 oz.) Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts1/4 Cup Barbecue Sauce
1/4 Cup Hormel Real Bacon Bits
1 Cup 2% Colby and Monterey Jack Shredded Cheese*
1 (14 oz.) Can Diced Tomatoes with Green Chilies, drained (I’m just going to use regular diced tomatoes)
Sliced Green Onions
Pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Pound out the chicken breasts to flatten. Season each with a little pepper. Cook the chicken in a skillet sprayed with non-stick cooking spray over medium-low heat until no longer pink.

Place each breast onto a baking sheet and top each breast with 1 tablespoon of barbeque sauce, 1/4 cup cheese, 1/4 cup tomatoes, green onions and 1 tablespoon of bacon bits. Place into the oven and bake until the cheese has melted (about 5 minutes).

Per Serving: 263 Calories; 8g Fat (29.0% calories from fat); 39g Protein; 6g Carbohydrate; 1g Dietary Fiber; 108mg Cholesterol; 840mg Sodium. Exchanges: 4 1/2 Lean Meat; 0 Other Carbohydrates.
WW points = 6 points per serving

FRIDAY:   Peppered Steak – This is a family recipe that came from my mother in law and we all love it!

Ingredients:
3 cups hot cooked rice
1 lb lean beef round steak (cut into 1/2 inch thick strips)
1 T Paprika
2 T butter
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 1/2 c. beef broth
1 cup sliced green onions
2 green peppers, cut in strips
2T cornstarch
1/4 c. water
1/4 c. soy sauce
2 lg tomatoes (cut in eighths)

Pound steak to 1/4 inch thick. Cut into 1/4 inch wide strips. Sprinkle meat with paprika. Let stand.Brown meat in butter. Add garlic and brother. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Stir in onions and green peppers. Cover and cook 5 minutes. Blend cornstarch, water and soy sauce. Stir into meat mixture. Cook, stirring until clear and thickened, about 2 minutes. Add tomatoes and stir gently. Serve over beds of fluffy rice.

SATURDAY:  Forgotten Chicken – I found this recipe on Darling Doodles while ago and have been meaning to try it.  I love that it’s quick and easy to throw together.  I will be substituting an Italian seasoning mix for the French Onion soup mix because I don’t like onions!

See my menu plans from previous weeks here–> Menu Planning Monday

Looking for more quick fix menu ideas? Sign up for Ready, Set, Eat by clicking on the image below! It’s completely free and you’ll get recipe ideas delivered to you by e-mail!

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*This post may contain affiliate links. Please refer to my disclosure policy for more information.

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A-MAZING Chicken Avocado Enchiladas!

October 14, 2012 by 6 Comments

I LOVE avocados and I pinned this recipe on Pinterest a few months ago because it sounded so yummy.  I made it for my family tonight and I loved that my picky eaters asked for seconds!  I didn’t tell them that the secret ingredient was avocados, but I thought it was kind of funny that they raved about how much they loved the “special sauce” because they ordinarily won’t touch anything with avocados.  My 5 year old son actually said it was one of the “bestest meals he’s ever had in his life.”

I found the original recipe here, although I modified the ingredients quite a bit to make them easier to make and used ingredients that I thought would be more “family friendly” for my family–> Chicken Enchiladas with avocado cream sauce

Here’s my version:

Print
A-MAZING Chicken Avocado Enchiladas!
Author: 
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 

Serves: 6-8
 

The sauce on these chicken avocado enchiladas is so amazing you’ll be licking your plate clean!
Ingredients
  • 3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
  • 1 can cream of mushroom soup
  • 1 can green enchilada sauce
  • 12 flour tortillas (you could also use corn instead)
  • 2 cups shredded cheese
  • The Sauce:
  • 2 T butter
  • 2 T flour
  • 2 cups chicken broth
  • ¾ cup sour cream
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ½ tsp garlic powder
  • ¼ tsp pepper
  • 2 California avocados (peeled and pitted)
  • ½ cup chopped cilantro
  • juice of one lime
  • 1 cup Herdez green salsa

Instructions
  1. Place chicken breasts, cream of mushroom soup and enchilada sauce in a slow cooker and cook on low for 6-8 hours. Shred the chicken and mix it back into the sauce mixture. This is the filling for your enchiladas!
  2. Fill each tortilla with a spoonful of the chicken and sauce mixture and some cheese, roll, and place in a greased 13X9 baking pan.
  3. For the sauce:
  4. Melt the butter in a skillet over medium high heat. Add the flour, and whisk until bubble. Add the broth to the flour mixture and whisk again. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to low and let simmer for 5 minutes. Stir in the sour cream, salt, garlic powder and pepper, whisking if necessary to remove any lumps.
  5. Remove from heat and transfer to a blender. Add the avocados, cilantro, lime juice, and Herdez salsa (this is to taste and you may want to add more). Pulse until smooth and well-blended. Since you’re working with hot liquids, the heat will cause them to expand, so make sure you remove the lid occasionally to allow the heat to escape.
  6. Cover the rolled enchiladas with the sauce, sprinkle cheese over the top, and cook on 350 for 25-30 minutes until the cheese is bubbly.

Looking for more recipe posts?  Check out my Menu Planning Monday posts here for meal planning ideas–> Menu Planning Monday

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Slow Cooker London Broil

October 10, 2012 by Leave a Comment

I’ve been wanting to try some new slow cooker recipes.  I found the inspiration for this recipe on AllRecipes, but decided to change it up a little bit.  The meat was incredibly tender, had lots of flavor, and even my kids who sometimes complain about eating meat loved it!  As an added bonus, it is SUPER easy to make!

Here’s my recipe that includes the changes I made:

Print
Slow Cooker London Broil
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 

Serves: 6
 

Ingredients
  • 2 pounds flank steak or London Broil
  • 1 can Golden Mushroom soup
  • 1 can Tomato soup
  • 1 package beef stew mix

Instructions
  1. Place the meat in the bottom of the slow cooker. Mix the Golden Mushroom soup, Tomato soup, and Beef Stew Mix together. Pour over the meat in the slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours. It makes a nice gravy for the meat and to use on mashed potatoes if you serve them as a side!

 

See more slow cooker recipes here–> Slow cooker recipes

See my weekly menu plan and get meal planning inspiration here–> Menu Plan Monday

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Tasty Treat Tuesday: Apple Muffins!

October 9, 2012 by Leave a Comment

Photo Credit: The Girl Who Ate Everything

Last week my daughter was learning about apples in preschool and had to take in a treat made from apples to share with everyone.  I dont’ really bake/cook with apples so I was kind of at a loss, until I came a cross this recipe for apple muffins.  It is a pretty basic recipe and didn’t take me long to make at all.  They were also super yummy!  My whole family loved them and they were a huge hit at the preschool.  Thanks The Girl Who Ate Everything!

Here’s what you need to make these:

  • 2 cups sugar (or use 1 1/2 cups for a less sweet muffin)
  • 2 eggs 1 cup oil
  • 1 Tablespoon vanilla
  • 3 cups flour
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 3 cups peeled, cored, diced apples (around 3 apples)
  • Brown sugar for topping (around 1/2 cup)

Here’s how to make them -> Apple Muffins Tutorial

 

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