No-Bake Chewy Granola Bars

So I stumbled across this recipe and made it the next day. They sounded so easy and delicious, and they were! You can put any toppings you want s'mores (graham crackers, marshmallows, chocolate chips), cinnamon raisin, anything!! I combined my new obsessions: butterscotch chips and coconut and added chocolate chips because it was in the original recipe. But feel free to customize them with whatever floats your boat! 

Taste: SO good! Mine came out a little too sweet so I might add some cinnamon and more chocolate chips
Texture: Really soft and chewy, they bend while you are holding them.
Would I make this again?: Yes! I will probably make another batch for next week! 

No-Bake Chocolate Chip Granola Bars
yield: 10 bars
found: lauren's latest

1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup honey
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
2 cups quick cooking oats {not rolled oats!}
1 cup crispy rice cereal
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons mini chocolate chips

additional toppings (butterscotch or any flavor chips, coconut, pretzels, etc)

Directions:
In a large bowl, stir oats and rice cereal together. In a small bowl, stir together your desired toppings. Set both aside. In a small pot, melt butter, honey and brown sugar together over medium high heat until it comes to a bubble. Reduce the heat and cook 2 minutes. Pour in vanilla and stir. Pour over dry ingredients and mix well to moisten all ingredients. Pour into lightly greased small jelly roll pan {about 12x8x1} and press out to be about 3/4 inch in thickness. Sprinkle with toppings and press down lightly. Cool on a countertop to room temperature for two hours or until the chocolate chips are set before cutting into bars. Wrap in parchment or plastic wrap and store at room temperature.

Barbacoa Beef

Madeleine told me that I HAD to make this recipe so I did. And it's delicious! 


Taste: Delicious! We had it with corn guacamole which really enhanced the flavor
Texture: Moist and tender
Would I make this again?: Yes! Just throw it in the crockpot and have a delicious dinner at the end of the day! 

Barbacoa Beef 

found: Gina's Skinny Recipes

3 lbs beef eye of round or bottom round roast, all fat trimmed
5 cloves garlic
1/2 medium onion
1/2 lime, juice
2-4 chiptoles in adobo sauce (to taste)
1 tbsp ground cumin
1 tbsp ground oregano
1/2 tsp ground cloves
salt and pepper
3 bay leaves
1 tsp oil
1 cup water

Place garlic, onion, lime juice, cumin, oregano, chipotles, cloves in a blender.

Trim all fat off meat, cut into 4 inch chunks. Season with salt and pepper and brown on high heat in 1 tsp oil. Add liquefied spices, water, bay leaves and put in crockpot on high for 4 hours.

Once cooked and the meat is tender, remove the meat and place in a dish. Shred it with two forks and discard the bay leaves. Return the shredded meat to the pot, adjust salt and cumin (you may need to add more) to taste. Simmer uncovered for about 10 minutes to let the flavors penetrate.

Crescent Jalapeno Poppers

I made these for a football party and they were a hit! I loved the idea because regular jalapeño poppers with a whole pepper are too spicy for me. So I figured the crescent roll and the cheese would cut down on the spiciness. And I was right! They were the perfect degree of hotness for me (which is not a lot). So don't be scared to make these if you don't like spicy food! And they were super easy to make! 

Taste: SO good! Not too spicy but with all the flavor of jalapeño poppers.
Texture: The crescent roll was buttery and flaky and the ingredients on the inside were nice and soft.
Would I make this again?: Yes! They were delicious.

Crescent Jalapeño Poppers

Found: Pillsbury

4 jalapeño chiles (about 3 inches long)
1/3 cup Boursin cheese with garlic and herbs (from 5.2-oz container)
8 slices packaged precooked bacon (from 2.2-oz package), halved
1 can (8 oz) Pillsbury® refrigerated crescent dinner rolls

Heat oven to 375°F. Carefully remove stems from chiles; cut each in half lengthwise and again horizontally to make 4 pieces. Remove and discard seeds. Spoon about 1 teaspoon cheese into each chile quarter. Wrap half slice of bacon around each. On cutting board, unroll dough; separate dough into 8 triangles. From center of longest side to opposite point, cut each triangle in half, making 16 triangles. Place chile, cheese side down, on dough triangle. Fold 1 point of triangle over filling; fold 2 remaining points over first point. Place on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 12 to 15 minutes or until golden brown. Immediately remove from cookie sheet.

Crispy Shrimp Tacos with Chipotle's Corn Salsa + Avocado Crema

The sis and I made this for dinner last week and it was AMAZING. It was really easy and quick to make and SO delicious!! We made the Chipotle corn salsa, and the avocado crema separately, and decided to mix them into one delicious creamy salsa to top the shrimp. 
Taste: The salsa tasted exactly like Chipotle, and the avacado crema added a nice creaminess. 
Texture: The shrimp was crispy and perfect against the crunchiness of the corn and onions in the salsa.
Would I make this again?: Yes! YUM. 

Crispy Shrimp Tacos
Found: My BFF Madeleine at What a Big To Do (adapted from How Sweet It Is)

1/2 pound raw, deveined shrimp (tails removed)
1 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp flour
1/4 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp minced garlic
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
4 corn or flour tortillas

Make sure shrimp is clean and completely dry. Combine salt, pepper, garlic and cumin and sprinkle it over the shrimp. Add the flour to a small bowl, and dredge the shrimp through the flour to get a very light coating on it. Heat a skillet on medium high heat and add the olive oil. Once hot, add the shrimp and brown on each side, about 2-3 minutes per side. Remove the shrimp and let drain on a paper towel.

Chipotle Corn Salsa / Avocado Crema

Adapted From: Food Network Magazine Almost-Famous Chipotle Corn Salsa

1/2 small poblano chile pepper, seeded
3 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt
1 cup fresh corn kernels (from 2 ears), or 1 cup frozen corn, thawed
1 small jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons chopped red onion
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 avocado, pitted
1-2 Tbs plain yogurt
1 Tbs sour cream
juice of 1/2 lime
hot sauce to taste
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat a grill to medium high. Brush the poblano with 1 teaspoon olive oil and grill, skin-side down, until charred but still firm, about 5 minutes. Cool slightly; peel and finely chop.

If using fresh corn, bring a small pot of salted water to a boil. Add the corn and cook until tender, 2 to 3 minutes; drain.

Use a fork to mash the avocado in a medium bowl. Add the yogurt, sour cream, hot sauce, and lime, and continue mashing to form a smooth sauce. Add more yogurt or sour cream to achieve your desired consistency, and season with salt and hot sauce. Mix the corn (if using frozen, add it here), poblano, jalapeno, cilantro and red onion in a bowl. Stir in the remaining 2 teaspoons olive oil, the lime juice, sugar and 1/2 teaspoon salt.

Crab Cakes (Healthy Version)

We whipped these up for a quick, healthy weeknight dinner! And they were delicious. 
Taste: Like a full-fat crab cake! 
Texture: Like a normal crab cake with a lot of crab meat. 
Would I make this again?: Yes, adding it to our weeknight menu

Crab Cakes

Found: Ellie Krieger, Food Network

Nonstick cooking spray
1 egg, lightly beaten
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Dash hot sauce
1/2 teaspoon crab boil seasoning (recommended: Old Bay)
1/2 cup finely chopped red bell pepper
1 scallion, including green top, finely chopped
1 pound lump crab, picked over for cartilage
3/4 cup dry bread crumbs
1/4 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Coat a baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray.

In a medium bowl mix together the egg, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, Old Bay seasoning and hot sauce. Stir in the bell pepper and scallion. Gently fold in the crab, 1/4 cup of the bread crumbs and salt and pepper to taste. Put the remaining bread rumbs in a shallow dish.

Divide the crab mixture into 8 mounds. Shape 1 mound into a round and coat in bread crumbs. Transfer to the prepared baking sheet and flatten the crab cake to form a patty about 1-inch high. Repeat to form the remaining crab cakes.

Bake until golden on the bottom, about 10 minutes. Gently flip the crab cakes and cook until the second side is golden, 5 to 10 minutes longer.

Beef and Mushroom Sloppy Joes

This recipe comes from Cooking Light and it was a perfect weeknight meal. It was really fast and easy to make, and also healthy! We ate them in lettuce wraps with pickles and onions. YUM! 
Taste: Delicious!! 
Texture: Just like a typical sloppy joe, but not as sloppy! The pickles and onions added a nice crunch.
Would I make this again?: Yes, definitely! Probably sometime soon.

Beef and Mushroom Sloppy Joes

Found: Cooking Light
YIELD: 4 servings (serving size: 1 sandwich)

1 tablespoon olive oil
12 ounces ground sirloin
2 (8-ounce) packages presliced cremini mushrooms
1 cup prechopped onion
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup no-salt-added tomato paste
1 tablespoon minced fresh oregano
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon molasses
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon hot sauce
4 (2-ounce) Kaiser rolls or hamburger buns, toasted (we substituted lettuce wraps)

1. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil; swirl to coat. Add beef; cook for 4 minutes or until browned, stirring to crumble.
2. While beef cooks, place mushrooms in a food processor; pulse 10 times or until finely chopped. Add mushrooms, onion, and garlic to pan; cook for 3 minutes or until onion is tender. Add tomato paste and next 5 ingredients (through salt) to pan; cook 5 minutes or until mushrooms are tender and liquid evaporates. Stir in pepper and hot sauce. Spoon  about 1 cup beef mixture onto bun or lettuce. 

Sour Cream Noodle Bake

I made dinner with the girls last night, and it was delicious! 
Taste: SO good! cheesy, meaty, oniony.
Texture: melty and warm
Would I make this again?: Yea! It's easy to make, and would feed a big crowd.

Sour Cream Noodle Bake

From: Pioneer Woman

1-¼ pound Ground Chuck
1 can 15-ounces Tomato Sauce
½ teaspoons Salt
Freshly Ground Black Pepper
8 ounces, weight Egg Noodles
½ cups Sour Cream
1-¼ cup Small Curd Cottage Cheese
½ cups Sliced Green Onions (less To Taste)
1 cup Grated Sharp Cheddar Cheese
Preparation Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Brown ground chuck in a large skillet. Drain fat, then add tomato sauce. 1/2 teaspoon salt and plenty of freshly ground black pepper. Stir, then simmer while you prepare the other ingredients.

Cook egg noodles until al dente. Drain and set aside.

In a medium bowl, combine sour cream and cottage cheese. Add plenty of freshly ground black pepper. Add to noodles and stir. Add green onions and stir.

To assemble, add half of the noodles to a baking dish. Top with half the meat mixture, then sprinkle on half the grated cheddar. Repeat with noodles, meat, then a final layer of cheese. Bake for 20 minutes, or until all cheese is melted.

Steak and Cheese Egg Rolls

The sis and I made these a couple years ago, and they are SO delicious. She decided to make them again for the Super Bowl, and they were a hit! Sorry the pictures suck, 

Taste: Steak and cheese in a crunchy little wrapper?! Amazing!

Texture: Gooey cheese, soft mushrooms and onions, crunchy shell. YUM.

Would I make this again?: Yes, all the time. I just need a deep fryer! 

Steak and Cheese Egg Rolls

From: Food.com

3 -4 slices Steak-ums (or real steak)
1/4 cup sliced onion

1/4 cup sliced mushrooms
1 teaspoon salt
1 egg
1 tablespoon milk
1 cup cheddar cheese (we used White Cheddar)
egg roll wraps
vegetable oil (for deep frying)

In a frying pan, cook the steak, onions, and mushrooms in two tablesspoons of vegetable oil. Season with salt and pepper. Once cooked, chop up the steak and onion. Set aside in bowl.

Whisk together the milk and egg to form an egg-wash. Brush the edges of the wrapper with the egg-wash. Place two spoonfuls of the steak and onion in the center of the wrapper. Generously sprinkle with cheese. Fold like an eggroll. 

A) Deep fry for 2 1/2 minutes. (Trick: Turnover every 30 seconds to keep eggroll from getting top heavy with oil.).

B) Bake on greased cookie sheet. Arrange egg rolls seam-side down , then spray egg rolls with cooking spray. Bake 425*F, turning once , 16 minutes or until golden.

(Sorry the pictures suck!)

Jalapeno Popper Cups

I also made these for the Super Bowl. Everyone loved them! Included me. Even though Jalapenos are too spicy for me. I sucked it up and loved these little appetizers! 
Taste: SO good! Pretty spicy, but creamy and delicious.
Texture: Moist filling, and flaky buttery biscuits
Would I make this again?: Yes! Definitely, for any and all parties! 

Jalapeño Popper Cups
From: Pillsbury

1 can (12 oz) Pillsbury® Golden Layers® JRs refrigerated buttermilk biscuits
1 can (4.5 oz) Old El Paso® chopped green chiles, drained
1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese (2 oz)
1/3 cup mayonnaise or salad dressing
2 tablespoons cooked real bacon pieces (from 3- to 4.3-oz jar or package)
1 teaspoon dried minced onion
20 Old El Paso® pickled jalapeño slices (from 12-oz jar), drained

1.Heat oven to 375°F. Separate each biscuit into 3 rounds. Press 1 round in bottom and up side of each of ungreased mini muffin cups.

2.In small bowl, mix remaining ingredients except jalapeño slices. Spoon heaping 1 teaspoon mixture into each cup; top each with 1 jalapeño slice.

3.Bake 13 to 19 minutes or until edges are golden brown. Remove from pan to serving platter; let stand 5 minutes. Serve warm.

Loaded Baked Potato Dip

I made this dip for the Super Bowl, and it was a hit! It was really quick and easy to make. You can make it a day in advance, and the flavors would have time to really blend together. I added more cheese, because I didn't think it would hurt, and it came out out a little chunky. But the flavors were great!
Taste: SO good! Tasted just like the name describes.
Texture: As I said, a little on the chunky side with extra cheese, but it's ok!
Would I make this again?: Yes, definitely! 

Loaded Baked Potato Dip

From: Baked Bree

1/4 pound thick cut bacon
1 (16-ounce) container sour cream
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese (I used a cheese blend and it was still cheesy and delish)
1/3 cup chopped fresh chives
2 teaspoons hot sauce
waffle fries or potato chips

Put everything in the bowl. (You can save a little bacon and chives to garnish with.)
Mix. Pour it into your container and let chill for at least 1 hour and up to 24 hours.
Garnish with the reserved bacon and chives. Serve with some chips or waffle fries.

Grilled Tuna with Olive Tapenade

I saw this recipe while running at the gym, and it sounded really healthy and delicious. I LOVE olives! Especially randomly snacking on them for a little salty treat. But apparently I had never really had a tuna steak, and can't say I'm a huge fan. I also had the boyf do the grocery shopping, and he went to a sketchy Giant, so the fish most likely wasn't very fresh. But he also mistakenly got some salmon, which wasn't awful.Taste: The olive tapenade was great! 
Texture: Chunks of olive- how could you go wrong?
Would I make this again?: I will probably never try to cook tuna steaks ever again. Apparently I don't even like the taste? But I would make the tapenade to put on other things! 

Grilled Tuna with Olive Tapenade

From: Paula Deen, Food Network

1/2 cup chopped, pitted kalamata olives
1/2 cup chopped green olives with pimientos
1 tablespoon chopped sun-dried tomatoes, packed in oil
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
1 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon capers
1 teaspoon lemon juice

Tuna:
4 (6 to 8-ounce) 1-inch thick tuna fillets
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

In a medium bowl, combine the olives, tomatoes, thyme, oregano, oil, capers, and lemon juice.

Spray a grill rack with nonstick, nonflammable cooking spray. Preheat the grill to medium-high heat.

Sprinkle the fish with salt and pepper. Grill the tuna until desired degree of doneness, about 3 minutes per side. Serve the tapenade over the grilled fish.

Red Wine, Mushroom and Artichoke Chicken Skillet

This dinner was pretty quick, easy and delicious! And diet friendly. 
Taste: A lot of different and complex flavors.
Texture: Moist with different textures.
Would I make this again?: Probably. It's not one of my all-time favorites, but pretty good!

Check out that steam! 

Red Wine, Mushroom and Artichoke Chicken

From: Gonna Want Seconds

2 tablespoons olive oil
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into chunks
1 medium onion, sliced
2 tablespoons roughly chopped garlic
2 cups of mushrooms, sliced
1 can-14 ounce diced tomatoes (or fire roasted diced tomatoes with chilies if you like more heat. Trader Joe's has a great version btw)
1 cup tomato sauce
pinch of sugar
1/3 cup Merlot wine
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1 can (14 ounce) artichoke hearts, quartered
3/4 cup green olives stuffed with pimientos, sliced
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 tablespoon dried oregano
salt and pepper to taste

1 pound of spaghetti, cooked and drained
Parmesan cheese, shredded, for serving

1.Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Heat a large saute pan to medium high and add about 1 tablespoon of olive oil. When the oil begins to shimmer, add the chicken and quickly saute until just browned. Remove to a plate.
2. In the same pan, add another tablespoon of olive oil and saute the onion until they just are soft and translucent. Add the garlic and saute for 3 - 4 minutes. Add the mushrooms and saute until the are soft. Add the tomatoes, tomato sauce, sugar, wine, balsamic vinegar, basil and oregano and simmer the sauce for about 10 for flavors to marry. Stir in the artichokes, olives, and the chicken and continue cooking until the chicken is cooked through (It took me about 10 minutes. The exact time will depend on the size of your chicken chunks.) Season to taste with salt and pepper.
3.Serve with hot spaghetti and a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese. And LOTS of Italian bread ;)

Chicken Spaghetti

I have wanted to make this recipe for the longest time! But it has a lot of cheese and a certain boyfriend has the curse of cheese hatred. So my sister finally decided to make it last night! And it's pretty delicious! She didn't put in onions due to a guest preference, but I think it would have added a lot of great flavor. But she also added corn, which tasted great.

Taste: Pretty delicious, especially the next day for lunch. I would definitely add the onions and more cayenne pepper next time for a little kick.

Texture: Moist and the green peppers added a nice crunch.

Would I make this again?: Probably not. I feel like it needed a little more flavor.

Chicken Spaghetti

From: The Pioneer Woman

2 cups Cooked Chicken
3 cups Dry Spaghetti, Broken Into Two Inch Pieces
2 cans Cream Of Mushroom Soup
2 cups Grated Sharp Cheddar Cheese
¼ cups Finely Diced Green Pepper
¼ cups Finely Diced Onion
1 jar (4 Ounce) Diced Pimentos, Drained
2 cups Reserved Chicken Broth From Pot
1 teaspoon Lawry's Seasoned Salt
⅛ teaspoons (to 1/4 Teaspoon) Cayenne Pepper
Salt And Pepper, to taste
1 cup Additional Grated Sharp Cheddar Cheese

Cook 1 cut up fryer and pick out the meat to make two cups. (We just used chicken breasts) Cook spaghetti in same chicken broth until al dente. Do not overcook. When spaghetti is cooked, combine with remaining ingredients except additional 1 cup sharp cheddar.

Place mixture in casserole pan and top with remaining sharp cheddar. Cover and freeze up to six months, cover and refrigerate up to two days, or bake immediately: 350 degrees for 45 minutes until bubbly. (If the cheese on top starts to get too cooked, cover with foil).

Baked Turkey Breast with Italian Dressing and Worcestershire

A friend brought home a 6.8 lb turkey breast (bone-in) so I started looking for recipes. The boyf's mom had a recipe they normally use for grilled turkey. So we tried it out in the oven. The turkey and onions were deliciously moist and flavorful. The potatoes somehow didn't cook in 4 hours, so I would recommend cooking them separately on a baking sheet. (We put them underneath the onions). But the turkey turned out really well!! 
Taste: The turkey and onions tasted great. A little bit sweet from the Italian dressing, and flavorful from the Worcestershire. 
Texture: Turkey was moist! Especially when you pour some extra sauce on it. 
Would I make it again?: Yes, just keep the potatoes separate- they were a disaster.

Baked Turkey Breast with Italian Dressing and Worcestershire

1 Turkey Breast (with bone)
1 bottle Italian dressing

3 or 4 cloves garlic (crushed or diced)
1/4 C Worcestershire sauce

1 large or 2 small onions sliced 1/4 inch thick

Mix together dressing, garlic and Worcestershire and put in ziploc with turkey to marinate overnight.

Preheat oven to 325. Line an old 9x13 metal pan with heavy duty foil. Spray foil liner with Pam.

Marinate onions 30 minutes in some Worcestershire.

Place turkey breast on top of onions. Save marinade for basting. Slather turkey breast with olive oil or butter so it browns nicely.

Put turkey in oven uncovered until it gets slightly brown. Cover with foil tent when nicely browned.

Baste with marinade every 20 minutes until done...usually 3 hours or so. (Mine was 6.8 lbs and took 4 hours. 

Italian Meatball Stew

This is another crockpot recipe that is super easy and delicious!
Taste: The meatballs were flavorful, and the broth tasted great on it's own.
Texture: The vegetables still had a little crunch so they were a good contrast to the soft meatballs.
Would I make this again?: Yes, it was so easy to throw together in the morning.

Italian Meatball Stew
From: Crock Pot

1 1/2 pounds ground beef (I used ground turkey)
1/2 cup fine bread crumbs
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup milk
2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, grated
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon garlic salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
6 ounces tomato paste, canned
1 cup water
1 cup beef broth
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon basil
10 ounces mixed frozen vegetables, thawed

Combine beef, bread crumbs, eggs, milk, cheese, salt, garlic salt and pepper.
Form into meatballs.
Add to slow cooker with all other ingredients, except for frozen vegetables.
Cover; cook on Low 6-7 hours.
Add vegetables during last 30 minutes of cooking.

Slow Cooker Layered Enchilada Dinner Recipe

As you may have noticed, I've had a lot of baking/cooking time lately! I took off the 4 days between Christmas and New Years and had a goal of baking something and cooking dinner everyday! Along with some cleaning and errands mixed in there. And so far they have been successful! Here is another dinner I made. I love crockpot recipes as you can throw all the ingredients in the morning and not worry about it until it's ready at dinnertime! 
Taste: Pretty flavorful. The corn added a flavor contrast.
Texture: The recipe called for corn tortillas, but I don't like the taste. I think they would have held up a little more. The corn tortillas became mushy, but they still tasted good.
Would I make this again?: Maybe, it didn't totally impress me, but was really easy.

Slow Cooker Layered Enchilada Dinner Recipe

Adapted from Pillsbury

1 lb lean (at least 80%) ground beef
1 small onion, chopped (about 1/3 cup)
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 can (10 3/4 oz) condensed cream of mushroom soup
1 can (4.5 oz) Old El Paso® chopped green chiles
1 can (10 oz) Old El Paso® enchilada sauce
10 corn tortillas (6 inch)

1 bag frozen southwestern flavor corn
3 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese (12 oz)
Paprika

1. In 10-inch skillet, cook ground beef, onion and garlic over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until beef is thoroughly cooked; drain. Stir in soup and chiles.

2. Spray 3 1/2- to 4-quart slow cooker with cooking spray. Spread about 1/4 cup of the enchilada sauce in bottom of slow cooker. Place 4 corn tortillas over sauce, overlapping and breaking in half as necessary to make an even layer. Top with 1/3 of beef mixture, spreading evenly. Drizzle with about 1/4 cup enchilada sauce. Sprinkle with 1 cup of the cheese and 1/3 of the corn.

3. Repeat layering twice, using 3 corn tortillas and half of remaining beef mixture, enchilada sauce and cheese in each layer. Sprinkle paprika over top.

4. Cover; cook on Low heat setting 4 hours 30 minutes to 5 hours 30 minutes.

5. Let stand about 5 minutes before serving

Oven Hot Dogs

I really love hot dogs. So when I stumbled upon this recipe, I was very excited! You throw all the fixings on your hot dogs and bake them into a mushy goodness! 
Taste: SO delicious! I loved the dill relish with the sweetness of the ketchup. And of course, tons of onions and cheese!
Texture: The bread that wasn't covered in chili got really hard in the oven. Make sure you cover every inch!
Would I make this again?: Yes, and most likely soon!

Oven Hot Dogs

From: In the Wabe

8 hot dogs
8 hot dog buns
1 can of chili (or more)
1/2 an onion, diced
cheddar cheese
mayonnaise
mustard
dill relish

Line inside of hot dog buns with mayonnaise and relish. Evenly add mustard. Fill with hot dogs and squish into a 13×9″ baking pan.

Top hot dogs with chili, cheese, and diced onion. Cover with aluminum foil and bake at 350F for 45 minutes.

Stir Fried Rice Cakes with Rib-Eye (Chao Nian Gao)

We used to have these rice cakes at my grandma's house all the time when we were little! We called them "sticky things" but the real name is Nian Goa. My sister bought these at a Chinese supermarket, and we were very excited to stumble upon this recipe! It's really delicious! It's a different take on stir-fry, but just as good! 
Taste: So delicious! I LOVE soy sauce, and all stir fry, so it was great!
Texture: The rice cakes made everything a little starchy.
Would I make this again?: I think I would make this stir-fry with udon noodles, and use the rice cakes the traditional way (floating in chicken broth, they get really squishy)

Stir Fried Rice Cakes with Rib-Eye (Chao Nian Gao)
Adapted from The Food Addicts


-2 lbs. fresh rice cakes
-1 lb. rib-eye, sliced ½” strips (optional: marinate with 1 tbsp oyster sauce, 1 tbsp soy sauce, and 1 tbsp garlic)
-½ white onion, sliced
-7 cups napa cabbage, sliced

-Mixed bag of vegetables (Onions, Asparagus, Mushrooms)

-1 Tbsp. garlic, minced
-2 Tbsp. soy sauce
-¼ cup oyster sauce
-1 tsp. sesame oil
-Pepper to taste
-2 Tbsp. green onion, sliced (garnish)

1. Soak ovalettes in water for 30 minutes to 1 hour. Break up the rice cakes with your hands if clumped together.
2. Cut rib-eye into ½” strips. If marinate, then add 1 tbsp. soy sauce and 1 Tbsp. oyster sauce. Marinate for at least 30 minutes.
3. In a pan, cook marinated rib-eye over high heat and set aside. About 3-5 minutes. Be careful not to overcook.
4. Heat wok or pan on high heat and add vegetable oil. Sauté vegetables for 2 minutes and garlic until aromatic.
5. Add cabbage and continue to cook for 3 more minutes stirring constantly.
6. Drain ovalettes and add to cabbage mixture. Cook until rice cakes are tender about 3-5 minutes.
7. Add ¼ cup oyster sauce, 2 tablespoons soy sauce and 1 teaspoon of sesame oil. Gently mix together and season with pepper to taste.
8. Plate and garnish with sliced green onions.

Enjoy! See step by step directions with pictures at The Food Addict!

Greek Pasta Salad

I've just recently started liking cucumbers and have been loving greek salads lately. So I made this pasta salad for dinner last night. It's really easy, just chop all the ingredients and mix together!
Taste: I loved the greek flavors!
Texture: Lots of different textures like a typical pasta salad.
Would I make this again?: Yes, definitely! It's so easy, it's perfect for a weeknight, or to take to a party!

Greek Pasta Salad
Adapted from Betty Crocker Recipes

1 box Betty Crocker® Suddenly Salad® classic pasta salad mix
3 tablespoons cold water
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 teaspoons Greek Seasoning
1 cup cubed salami
4 oz Provolone cheese, cut into 1/2-inch cubes (1 cup)
1/2 cup finely chopped red onion
1 jar (7.5 oz) marinated artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
1 can (6 oz) pitted small ripe olives, drained

2 cups medium diced cucumber

Empty Pasta mix into 3-quart saucepan 2/3 full of boiling water. Gently boil uncovered 12 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Meanwhile, in large bowl, stir together Seasoning mixes, water, and oil. Add salami, cheese, onion, artichoke hearts, olives and cucumber; toss gently to combine.
Drain pasta; rinse with cold water. Shake to drain well. Add pasta to salad mixture; toss gently. Serve immediately, or cover and refrigerate until serving.

Chicken Enchilada Soup

I made this soup on Sunday, and it was a piece of cake! And really delicious! You just throw the ingredients in the crockpot, chop up the chicken and it's done! I highly recommend trying it now that the weather is getting colder. I definitely want to look for more easy crockpot soup recipes. Any suggestions?! 

Chicken Enchilada Soup
Recipe from Tasty Kitchen

Serves: 6   Prep Time: 10 min   Cook Time: 6 hours

1 can (15 Oz.) Black Beans, Rinsed And Drained **
1 can (14.5 Oz.) Diced Tomatoes
1 package (10 Oz.) Frozen Corn
½ cups Onion, Chopped
½ cups Red Pepper, Diced **
1 can (10 Oz) Enchilada Sauce
1 can (10 3/4 Oz) Can Condensed Cream Of Chicken Soup
1-½ cup Milk
2 whole Chicken Breasts
1 cup Pepper Jack Cheese, Shredded
 ** (I left these out because I don't like them)

In a 3 1/2 to 5-quart slow cooker, combine drained beans, tomatoes, corn, onion, and bell pepper. Place 2 chicken breasts on top of the mixture.

In a large bowl, whisk together the enchilada sauce and soup. Gradually whisk in milk until smooth. Pour sauce mixture over ingredients in cooker. Cover; cook on low heat for 6 to 8 hours or on high for 3 to 4 hours.

Remove chicken and cut or shred into bite-sized pieces. Add chicken back into the soup. Top with pepper jack cheese and serve. The soup can also be topped with avocado, sour cream, or crushed tortilla chips.

Note: if the soup is too thick for you, just add a little more milk after it’s all cooked.