Keto Shrimp Scampi with Instant Pot Spaghetti Squash

Ingredients:
1 lb shrimp: raw, deveined, shell and tail off
1 lemon
1 cup cooking white wine (zero carbs)
2 TBSP minced garlic
1/2 stick of butter
 1 Spaghetti Squash: cut in half, seeds scooped out.
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
Avocado or olive oil
S&P to taste
Parsley for sprinkling

Directions spaghetti squash:
Place 1 cup of water in Instant Pot. Place trivet in instant pot. Lightly oil the inside of the spaghetti squash with avocado oil and S&P. Place into Instant Pot. Close lid, (make sure your ring is in place). Set on Manual/Pressure to high, set time for 10 min. Let cook.

While spaghetti squash is going, time to make the scampi.

Shrimp Scampi directions:
Add 1/2 of the butter and some avocado oil to non-stick pan. Let melt and get bubbly. Add in the garlic and stir. Once garlic is aromatic and slightly browned add white wine and reduce a little, once reduced add lemon juice and shrimp. Cook shrimp until pink. Stirring to incorporate the sauce and shrimp. (About 5 min, at most). Shrimp cooks very quickly. Add in parmesan cheese and stir to incorporate. It helps thicken the sauce. Remove from heat. Set aside.

Once the spaghetti squash is done cooking remove from the Instant Pot with silicone mits or coverings, caution will be HOT! Take two forks and dish up on plates, one half of the spaghetti squash can feed about 4 people. Add butter and S&P to squash on plates, top with shrimp scampi sprinkle with parsley, enjoy!

Keto sausage bake

Keto Sausage Bake

 Ingredients:
1 lb Beef smoked sausage
1 zucchini
1 yellow squash
1 bell pepper (I used red)
15 baby carrots cut in 4ths length wise
1/2 red onion diced or chopped
2 TBSP Montreal steak seasoning
Avacado oil or olive oil

Directions:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
Cut the sausage, zucchini, squash, bell peppers in about 1 inch pieces. Place in a gallon size plastic bag or large bowl. Add all ingredients to bag or bowl. Shake or stir well. You can line with foil or parchment if you choose, I lined mine with foil to help with easier cleanup Spread out in even layer on jelly roll pan. (Cookie sheet with sides). Spread ingredients on pan into a single layer. Place pan in preheated oven. Set timer for 30 min, flip ingredients or stir ingredients half way through. Serve warm. We eat it this way, but you can add a side of salad, rice, mashed potatoes or garlic bread. Enjoy!

Keto instant pot BBQ ribs

I recently got an Instant Pot. Dinners up until that point lately was mediocre at best, quick premade no real thought dinners. Instant Mac n cheese, premade hamburgers, junk to say the least. No excitement and desire to make dinner. I bought an Instant Pot at my you Gest sisters joy of feeding her family, quick, healthy, prepped meals. While getting her dinner done j. 30 mins. Target had a sale on them so I jumped in with both feet. Verdict... I love this thing!!! Don't get me wrong I was terrified I'd blow up the machine and maim one of my kids or myself in the process of using it. I psyced myself out and read the material, did the water test... Once I did the water test, my fears were gone! I was looking up easy recipes, like hard-boiled eggs, chicken breasts from frozen and dinner ideas. My hubby decided at about the time to start Keto! Another hurdle to overcome. How to make family dinners for basically 4 people with no pasta, bread or rice! Ok... Challenge accepted... Let's start with ribs!

I saw several people posting on Facebook their instant pot ribs... Looked easy enough.

Ok, ribs were super easy! IP with chicken broth (about 2 cups), apple cider vinegar (about 1/2 cup to 1 cup), and liquid smoke (2-3 Tbs). After dry rubbed the ribs with choice of dry rub. (Be sure to remove the membrane), cook manual high pressure 30-35 min (I did 35 min for two full racks), natural release for 15 min. Removed ribs, placed on cookie sheet, broiled with liquid BBQ sauce of choice for 5 min close to broiler. Serve! Delicious, fall off the bones!

French onion smothered boneless porkchops

It's a dreary, overcast day outside and I just want to curl up in bed and sleep all day. I force myself to be productive even though it's hard.

I tried to use what I had at home, but realized I had to go out anyway so I picked up a couple items I needed for this recipe.

It is super easy, it was done in however long it takes to brown both sides of boneless pork chops. Maybe 10 min. Thrown in the Crock-Pot on high for 4 hours. Even put in at 2pm. Dinner will be done by 6pm tonight. That's a win in my book.

Ingredients:

6-8 boneless pork chops (I had 7)
1 onion, sliced thinly, halved
1 can Campbell's chicken with herbs soup
1 can Campbell's french onion soup
Season of choice. I coated both sides of my pork chops with Ms. Dash

2tbsp butter and olive oil for browning pork chops

Directions:
Brown pork chops in olive oil and butter.

Place half the sliced onions on bottom of Crock-Pot

Place first half of pork chops on top of onions then layer rest of onions on pork chops. Top with remaining pork chops.

Mix the two cans of soup together and


pour on top of layers of onion and pork chops. Set on high 4 hours. Enjoy!

Cordon Bleu pockets

I was meal prepping this week. I don't always meal prep, but my weeks definitely go better when I do. One of the things I prepped was some sandwich pockets. These can be used as quick easy lunches, grab and go dinners on the run or a great after school snack. 

I love making sandwich pockets! So versatile and easy to make.

Ingredients:

1 lb deli ham

.5 lb Swiss cheese

4 cups Shredded or cubed chicken

3 grands flaky biscuit cans

2 eggs (used for egg wash)

Seasoning of choice (used for tops)

Follow pictures for easy assembly

Cut cheese and ham into 4ths

 Break biscuits apart in half

 Spread half of dough flat.

 Place a slice of cheese on bottom of stretched dough.

 Place a few ham slices on top of cheese.

 Place another cheese slices on top of ham.

 Place a spoonful of chicken on top of the cheese.

Top with another slice of cheese.

 Place top half of dough on meat and cheese layers and pinch sides to close it up.

 Repeat process until all the dough is used. (makes about 24) brush tops of dough with egg wash and sprinkle with seasoning of choice. I used Ms. dash.

 Bake 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 20 min.

 You can cool and freeze or place in container in the fridge.

Enjoy!

Easy Sunday crockpot French dip sandwiches

I love easy Sunday crockpot dinners. The house smells amazing, I'm not slaving over the stove and everyone gets a delicious tasting meal.

Today we had choir practice after church. The song is so pretty as it comes together. However, my stomach was feeling empty on the way home from church. I have felt uninspired of what to make for dinner. I had thin sliced beef that needed cooking and all I could think of is Philly cheese steak sandwiches which would need bread I don't have, or beef and broccoli which we've had recently. So as I was talking to my hubby about what he might be able to think about to use the meat for. He suggested some kind of meat sandwiches. Then it hit me. The older boys favorite sandwiches are French dip sandwiches. I had some "fancy" buns in the freezer... So here is my take on an easy French dip crockpot sandwiches.

Ingredients

Thin sliced beef (I had stir fry beef)
1  small onion sliced thin
1 PKG dry italian seasoning
1 PKG dry au ju mix
2 cups water
4 tbsp worchestershire sauce

Directions
Add onion, beef and dry italian seasoning to crockpot, mix the water, worchestershire and au ju mix together. Pour over top. Set cook on high 2-4 hours. Serve on buns with cheese.  Use sauce for dipping.

Enjoy!

Easy peasy creamy salsa chicken

Nothing could be easier than this. Not many ingredients, open cans and most if not all are pantry staples.

I love this on busy nights or when I feel overwhelmed, or even just not inspired to make anything.

A quick go to that can even be put in the crockpot early afternoon and be ready for dinner.

Ingredients:

3-4 chicken breasts (mine are almost always frozen)
1 medium size container of salsa of choice
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can corn, drained
1 block cream cheese

Cheese for topping when done

Directions:

Use a crockpot liner (such a life saver)

Add chicken, beans, salsa, corn, and block of cream cheese*, Let cook 6-8 hours on low. Shred chicken, stir all together. Serve over rice topped with cheese. Enjoy.

*Note: cream cheese should be on top, it softens as the rest cooks. Stirs on smoothly when ready to mix after chicken has cooked.

What's cooking?

Several friends have said I need a blog to post what my meals are for dinner and other stuffs... I tell them I already have one, I just haven't updated it in a while. Things have been pretty hectic the last two years. We've moved from West Virginia to South Carolina. My husband is working from home full-time. I am in school full-time, while trying to be a mom and all that entails. My oldest moved out and lives on his own in West Virginia and working full-time for a pool cover installation company. My second oldest finished high school in WV then moved home for about a month, then went back to WV for about another month and is now living with us again working full-time at Walmart, and has decided to join the marines as a way to pay for college. My third child (who is 16) graduated from High School, is working full-time at Walmart and also wants to join the marines when he turns 17 at the end of March 2020. My fourth child, who is four yrs old, is rambunctious as ever, growing so big and strong... He is very inquisitive and loves being in the middle of everything. Last but definitely not least my fifth, last and only girl is still not potty trained, 2 1/2 going on 15, super sassy, sleeps on my floor and loves to do everyone's make up is Andys shadow. She wants to be so grown so fast... I can barely keep up.

So, dinners have been hit or miss but I try and share on Facebook what I'm doing if anyone needs ideas of what to make for their dinner if they are tired of the same things all the time. I have made bacon, cheeseburger pockets, egg salad, crockpot Salisbury steaks with crockpot mashed potatoes just to name a few. I've posted recipes on my Facebook page as well.

Tonights dinner of choice:
Crockpot Salisbury steaks with Crockpot Mashed potatoes.

Luckily, I have two different sized crockpots so I am able to cook them both at the same time. It would also work if you only have one crockpot and a small family, the potatoes can be cooked on top of the Salisbury steaks (I would think) with foil dividing them or next to the Salisbury steak divided by foil in the crockpot.

Salisbury steak
Use 6-8 qt crockpot with crockpot liner

Ingredients

 8 - hamburger patties (I prefer frozen) (I've even used flavored ones with like bacon and cheese or vadelia onion ones)
1 pkg dry au ju mix
1 pkg brown gravy mix
1 med onion sliced
1 container of sliced mushrooms
1-2 cups of beef broth
Monterey steak seasoning
Worcestershire sauce


Directions:

In the crockpot place on the bottom a layer of onions. Place 2 or 3 hamburger patties (however many will fit easily). Dash Worcestershire sauce and then sprinkle with Monterey seasoning on top of that. Layer on top of the burgers with seasoning more onion and mushrooms, then repeat hamburger patties, sauce, seasoning, onion and mushrooms. Until all layered. Next mix the au ju, beef broth and gravy mix together, and pour on top of layered meat, mushroom and onions. Set to cook high 4-6 hours or 6-8 hours low. Enjoy over mashed potatoes with green beans, broccoli or Brussel sprouts  on the side.


Crock pot Mashed Potatoes
Use 4-6 qt crockpot with crockpot liner

Ingredients

2 small potatoes per person (if using yellow, yukon gold or red potatoes) or 1 large russet per person
1 onion, diced
2 tsp minced garlic
1-2 cups chicken broth
1-2 sticks of butter cut in chunks
1/2 cup to 1 cup sour cream or 1/2 brick of cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup milk or heavy cream
S&p to taste

Directions:

wash and peel potatoes
dice potatoes
dice onion

in crockpot layer potatoes, onion, garlic and butter. Pour chicken broth over top.

cook on low6-8 hours or high 4-6 hours.

mash potatoes, mix in sour cream or cream cheese, milk and S&P. Stir to mix together. Enjoy.

Crockpot Sweet and Sour Meatballs

Crockpot Sweet and Sour Meatballs

One of the easiest recipes I've ever made. I found a similar recipe on Pinterest that used kielbasa. Since I didn't have that and not as much bell pepper (my family won't eat it any way) I altered the original recipe that was for Freezer Meal Crockpot Sweet and Sour Sausage, to Crockpot Sweet and Sour Meatballs. 

Trying to adjust to having a baby and three teenage boys, making dinner has been a real challenge. Well, at least made by 9pm. The two older teenage boys are playing football this fall, and are at practice most of the day. When they come home they are famished, to say the least. Having something quick and easy to make and have ready has been much needed these days. 

Luckily, lately the baby has been napping without me holding him for a few hours in the morning. Thus I can get a few things done that were previously neglected. 

One of those being dinner prepped and/or made.

Crockpot Sweet -n- Sour Meatballs

1/2 bag prepared meatballs (found in frozen section)
1 can pineapple, DO NOT DRAIN (I use the small can..8 oz. I think?)
1/2 medium onion, chopped
1/2 bell pepper, chopped
**Or, alternatively, I buy a small bag of frozen, chopped pepper and onion mixture to throw into it. (I would probably only use half a small bag)
Cooked rice

Sauce Ingredients
3/4 cup sugar
4 T. ketchup
1/2 cup distilled white vinegar
2 T. soy sauce
1 t. garlic salt

3 T. Sweet Chili Sauce
Mix the sauce ingredients together in a large bowl. Mix well. Add directly to Crockpot mixing the meatballs, pineapple, bell pepper, onion and sauce mixture. Cook on low 6 hours.

Freezer Meal directions:

Place the mixture in a gallon ziploc and freeze.  The day before serving, thaw mixture in fridge.  The morning of serving, place the mixture in the crockpot and cook on low for several hours.  Serve with rice.

Crockpot Chicken Sloppy Jo's

Crockpot Chicken Sloppy Jo's

I had been going through my Pinterest board looking for ideas for todays dinner.  I knew I wanted something easy and that could be put in the crockpot. I had found a recipe for crockpot sloppy jo's and I was pretty sure I had most of the ingredients for the recipe. I was excited. I had never made sloppy jo's in the crock pot before. As I was going through the ingredient list I realized I didn't have any Worcestershire sauce. I was worried that I would need to scrap the whole idea. But luckily for me, I am creative and not afraid of a little challenge. I decided that I would try to make it with what I had around and what I could try to concoct for a delicious alternative for those of us who don't have exacting ingredients when we find recipes that look and sound delicious but are missing one or two ingredients. We get the joy of substitutions, praying they work. Luckily for me this time it worked splendidly. My husband raved about these, and said they were the best sloppy jo's he's ever had. I thought they were good, too. My children all ate theirs I put on their plates but they didn't eat seconds. Which is fine with me. They snacked all afternoon when I was napping. I am glad I took a nap. 

A side note I even forgot to plug the crockpot in before I took my nap. I woke up and checked dinner at 5pm. Realized I didn't have it plugged in... I set it on high, making sure I plugged it in. And 2 hours later it was heaven. So this is not something you necessarily need to make in the crockpot. It can be heated and cooked on the stove. The chicken or beef is precooked, you just heat the rest of the ingredients so they meld together. The leftovers will be frozen for a future meal when I don't have the energy to make anything or will throw in the crockpot to reheat for a busy school night. I love dual purpose dinners. They make life so much easier. In my opinion.

Ingredients:

2 lb ground chicken or beef (precooked, browned)

1 lg green pepper, diced

1 lg or 2 med onions, diced

2 8oz cans tomato sauce with green chili's

1 1/2 cup ketsup

1/2 cup BBQ sauce (I used sweet baby ray's)

1/2 cup soy sauce

5-6 dashes red wine vinegar

1 Tbsp dry mustard

1/2 Tbsp garlic powder

Directions:

Brown chicken (cook), Add all ingredients to crockpot, set on high for 2-3 hours or low for 4 or all day. Enjoy on hotdog, hamburger buns or on baked potatoes. 

Verdict,

My husband said the sauce part would be delicious on any thing such as pork, ribs, or any kind of meat. I think he really liked it, he had 3 helpings. This makes a lot to feed a crowd or to freeze part for a later meal. 

The original recipe called for Worcestershire sauce and no tomato sauce. I think this by far is the best recipe ever for sloppy jo's. No Worcestershire sauce needed for me. But if you'd like to try the original recipe feel free. Let me know what you think, I love hearing from you. Thanks,

Shae ;)

Thai Chicken Pineapple Curry

I love me some Thai! I crave it but usually when I don't have the money to go out to eat. I made up this great recipe to help curb some of those cravings. Luckily for me there is an international grocery store about 30-45 min away. I make a monthly trip there and get what I want. This place has everything! It's called Food Maxx... I digress... oh anywho's.... This recipe is tangy and spicy, sweet and full of flavor. If you try it, please leave a message on any changes you made and/or how you liked it. I love hearing from my readers :)

Ingredients:
2-4 Tbsp Yellow curry paste (I like yellow, but many like red) The more you add the spicier it gets...
2-3 chicken boneless, skinless breasts (chopped about an inch in size or what ever your personal preference)
1 can coconut milk
1 can chunked pineapple in natural juice
1 red bell pepper (chopped)
1 yellow bell pepper (chopped)
1 onion (chopped)
2 Tbsp white sugar
5 leaves of Thai Basil (optional) diced
Jasmine or Basimati rice

Directions:

Make rice per package directions either on the stove or in a rice cooker.

In a stock pot mix curry paste and diced chicken breasts. with a Tbsp of butter and olive oil. Keep stirring until blended and chicken is mostly cooked. Add the bell peppers, and onions, and cook together with the chicken. Until onions are mostly translucent. Then add the remaining ingredients except the rice. Let simmer and let flavors meld together for about 15-20 min on a low simmer.

To serve, pour a ladle or two over prepared rice. Enjoy...

Verdict... I love it! Reminds me of a great Thai restaurant in Draper, UT I used to eat at. You can use shrimp except add shrimp at the end and only cook until shrimp turns pink. Very, very tasty! :) Even my kids will eat it.

Homemade Pizza Rolls

A friend of mine posted in Facebook her pizza rolls. She said she found the recipe on Pinterest. So I searched pinterest and found this recipe. Is was so easy. I used what I had around the house to make it work. This pan is larger than a 13X9... and part of them are just cheese rolls.

Ingredients:
1 bag turkey pepperoni
3 canisters of regular refrigerator biscuits
8-10 cheese sticks cut into 4ths
1 stick of butter (melted)
2-3 Tbsp italian seasoning

Directions:

Prepare 13X9 baking dish by spraying with non-stick spray. Preheat oven to 375F. Open the first canister of biscuits. take one of the biscuit rounds and flatten with fingers and insert 2 pepperoni, then 1/4 of a cheese stick and 2 more pepperoni's. Wrap the biscuits around the pepperoni's and cheese. place seam side down in a 13X9 baking dish. Repeat process until pan is filled. Spoon melted butter on tops of the prepared biscuit rounds. Then sprinkle with italian seasoning.

Bake in 375F oven for 15 min or until golden brown.

Serve with favorite marinara sauce.

Verdict... Now a new item on my menu. My children loved them so much there were no leftovers and the kids were asking if I had any more. Total hit here! I hope you love them too. Thanks :)

Beef and Bean Chili

This recipe is a concoction of stuff I had around the house and in food storage. I am trying to stretch our food budget and our food. This recipe includes leftovers from a previous freezer meal for Beef Burritos. This seemed like a great alternative to extend our food. The meat from the burritos stretched from burritos, to quesadillas and now to chili. All from one pot and one freezer bag. Three meals! I find that amazing. Talk about stretching a dollar. :) I may even be able to stretch this to one other meal. That would make four meals from one freezer meal! I'm thinking since this makes a TON of chili. You can reuse leftover chili from anything such as chili cheese dogs, to cornbread chili, and chili burgers. The list can go on and on. You could even make it into a cheese dip for chips. MMM my mouth is salivating thinking of all these possibilities. I digress... Well, here is the recipe for tonights chili. I hope you enjoy it. I know we will.

Ingredients:
2 cups leftover burrito beef (or other leftover meat)
2 cans corn (do not drain)
2 cans white beans (drained and rinsed)
1 can black beans, low sodium (drained and rinsed)
1 can chili beans
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can Rotel diced tomatoes with green chilies
1-2 cups chicken stock
1 1/2 tsp beef buillion
4-6 dashes of liquid smoke
2 tsp cilantro
1 tsp garlic, minced
2 tsp onion salt

Add all ingredients in slow cooker. Stir gently, not smashing the beans.  Set on low and cook until heated through or let simmer all day for a full blended flavor. I have mine set on low for 8 hours.

Serve with sour cream and cheese, tortilla chips or corn bread.

Beef Burritos Freezer Meal

I have been trying to do more freezer meals to help me in the evenings since we've become so busy this school year. I found a great recipe on Pinterest for Beef Burritos. I've changed the recipe a bit. It's really good. I want to warn you... this is spicy, but very flavorful. I found it delicious.

I bought my meat at Costco, because it comes in bulk and is usually cheaper unless you hit a sale some where else.

Ingredients:

1 Beef roast (aprox 2-3 pounds)
1 diced onion or 1/2 cup minced dry onions
3 Tbsp minced garlic
2 Tbsp ground pepper
2 Tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar
2 cans (8oz) tomato sauce (I used spaghetti sauce)
1 Chipotle pepper in adobo sauce (comes in a can, ONLY use 1 pepper per roast)
2 tsp chili powder

Stick in a gallon size labeled freezer bag, seal. Freeze up to 3 months.
When ready to use. Run outside of freezer bag under warm water to loosen contents from bag. Empty contents in crockpot for 8 hours on low. Enjoy in taco shells, tortillas, make into enchiladas or divide and make into separate meals.

This makes a LOT of beef. I made this and it will provide 2-3 meals.

Bourbon Sesame Chicken Crock Pot

Picture taken from Pinterest

Tonights dinner I found on tablefortwoblog.com but it called for honey and red pepper flakes. I didn't have either.  I also didn't want to cut an onion. I also changed the oil to sesame oil instead of regular veg oil. This should give it a nice nutty flavor. I have adjusted the recipe with my changes. I also doubled the recipe to feed my crew of growing boys. So these measurements can be cut in half to feed less people, or have smaller portions. With less chicken, you will also need to cut the cooking time in half. This dish smells delicious. Tonight I will take a picture and add it, since it's cooking right now. I also changed the name of this dish since I don't have any honey in it.  I'll write the verdict at the end of the recipe after dinner tonight. I hope you like this. I am looking forward to dinner tonight :)

Bourbon Sesame Chicken

Serves: 5-8 depending on appetite

Ingredients:

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts

salt and pepper

1 1/2 cup corn syrup

1 cup white sugar

1 cup soy sauce

1/2 cup ketchup

4 Tbsp sesame oil

2 Tbsp minced garlic

1/2 cup dry minced onion or 1 cup minced fresh onion

1/8 tsp cayenne pepper powder

Cornstarch

toasted sesame seeds

Directions:

Place chicken breasts in slow cooker, sprinkle with salt and pepper on both sides. In a medium bowl, combine rest of the ingredients except the cornstarch and toasted sesame seeds. Stir to combine well. Pour over the chicken in the crockpot.

Cook on low for high for 4-6 hours.

When done remove chicken from slow cooker, slice/cut up. while chicken is out of slow cooker, add cornstarch mixed with cold water to crockpot to thicken sauce a bit. Add cut up chicken back into the slow cooker stir around to coat chicken with sauce. Serve hot/warm over rice, or eat in a lettuce/cabbage wrap. 

Sprinkle sesame seeds on top of dished up chicken.

Creamy Pumpkin soup

Today it's cold outside. I have the day off, and I wanted to make some kind of soup with pumpkin. It just sounded so good. Something rich and creamy. Doesn't that just sound so yummy? Well, first I posted in FB that I wanted to make a pumpkin soup and asked if anyone of my friends had a reliable soup recipe using canned pumpkin that was good. I got suggestions to look at a few websites for pumpkin soup recipes. So I looked around and found a few. Most of the recipes had mixed reviews to being too bland, yucky, good, and GREAT all on the same soup recipe. So, I decided to go to the expert pumpkin source lily pumpkin's website. They had a recipe for pumpkin soup. I read it and it sounded good. So, I started making it... then I realized I wasn't following the recipe the way they wrote it, so here's my version of their pumpkin soup. I think it's got a great flavor, but not overpowering the pumpkin flavor. Let me know what you think... :)

Ingredients:

1- large can of puree'd pumpkin
1 can evaporated milk
2 tbsp Pampered chef Thai Peanut sauce
3 packed tbsp brown sugar
1 medium onion chopped
1/2 stick of butter
2 cloves of garlic, minced
2 cans chicken broth
1/2 can water
salt and pepper to taste
2 dashes pumpkin pie spice

Directions:

In a medium sauce pan add the butter, onions, garlic and brown sugar. cook until the onions become translucent. Add the chicken broth, water, and pumpkin. Cook 15 minutes until boiling. Add the salt, pepper, pumpkin pie spice, evaporated milk and Thai Peanut sauce. Stir to incorporate. Let cook another 5 min. Stirring occasionally.  With a submersible mixer or blender blend until smooth or desired consistency. let simmer 5-10 min. and Enjoy!

This has a nice flavor and very tasty. I made this and then set it in my slow cooker on warm, to keep it heated all day. Dinner was done quickly and easily this morning.

Carmel Cinnamon Bread Pudding

Carmel Cinnamon Bread Pudding

This was going to be an afternoon snack for my kids, but I'm thinking of making it dessert instead. I had made some homemade bread last week, and the boys haven't been eating it as fast as they used to. So the bread was a little stale. Which is perfect for bread pudding. I should have done two loaves for a fuller bread pudding, but this works. This bread pudding mix was also originally supposed to be placed in the slow cooker, but I want to use that for the lasagna tonight. So adjusted the recipe for baking. 

Ingredients:

1-2 loaves of bread, stale, and cubed

5 eggs

3/4 cup milk

2 tsp vanilla

1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 cup cinnamon chips

1 bag caramel chips (melted) or caramel sauce - to drizzle on top of finished bread pudding.

Directions:

Preheat oven 350F.

Place the cubed bread in a large bowl. In a separate bowl mix the eggs, milk, vanilla, brown sugar, sweetened condensed milk and cinnamon chips. Pour on top of the cubed bread, toss to coat the bread. Let sit for 1-2 min, then toss again and let sit for another 1-2 minutes, so that the bread soaks up the egg mixture. *The cinnamon chips will not melt completely, but are so yummy.  While the bread is soaking, spray a 13X9 baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. Once the bread has soaked up the majority of the egg mixture, pour into the prepared 13X9 baking dish. Place in a water bath and bake for 1 hour. Then remove and drizzle caramel on top of the baked bread pudding. Enjoy with whipped topping or plain. 

***If you want to prepare in a slow cooker follow the directions above, except cook on high heat setting for 2 1/2 - 3 hours, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. ***

Zucchini Spinach Lasagna (gluten-free)

Gluten-Free Zucchini Spinach Lasagna

The picture may not look very appetizing but it is so delicious! Tonights dinner was a throw together. I had gotten a LARGE zucchini from a neighbor and I had a bag of spinach I got discounted from the grocery store last week that needed to be used up. I didn't want to worry about boiling noodles and I wanted to get dinner on the table quickly. This is a great recipe for quick, easy and delicious. This recipe was so easy. I didn't have ricotta cheese or cottage cheese for a typical lasagna dish. So I didn't worry about it. It was a little piece of inspiration. I thought as I was making it that I should take pictures along the way, but since I didn't know if it would be any good, I decided against it. I totally should have taken pictures! I will be making this again.

Ingredients:

1 lb bulk sausage (I used a homemade Tuscan sausage)
1 LARGE zucchini (sliced thin on a mandolin)
1 bag spinach (fresh)
1 26oz spaghetti sauce (prepackaged - I used Hunts 4 cheese)
2.5 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup parmesan cheese
4 Tbsp Italian seasoning

Directions:

Preheat oven 350F

Brown the bulk sausage in a pan. While it's browning slice the zucchini into thin slices.  Once the sausage is browned, drain fat, then add the spaghetti sauce. Stir to combine. In a 13X9X2 baking dish, layer first the sausage mixture, about 1/2 of the mixture. Evenly distribute on the bottom. then add a layer of zucchini sliced just like you would pasta. Next add a layer of spinach about 1/2 the bag (remember this will shrink as it cooks). Then sprinkle 1/2 a cup of parmesan cheese, 1 cup cheddar cheese and 2 Tbsp italian seasoning on top. Then repeat. The final layer will be the cheese on top of the spinach. Cover with foil, and bake for 30 min. Then remove foil and bake another 6 minutes. Remove from oven, let cool about 5 minutes before slicing.

***Verdict - I LOVED IT! This was so delicious. I can hardly believe I've never tried this kind of thing before. My oldest loved it, the other younger two were a little put off with the spinach/zucchini, but not for taste, just for looks. They said it tasted good. My husband ate his all gone and said he liked it. I only have two pieces left. I had two helpings! (I didn't even feel guilty eating two helpings!) This was an easy delicious, gluten free meal.

Red Beans and Rice

Tonights dinner comes mostly from a Rachel Ray magazine that I get. I was looking through my latest copy and saw this recipe. It said that it was a quick and easy version of the Creole version. I had most of the ingredients. I have started working a part time job. It is while the boys are at school. I get home in time to work on homework with the boys, and try to get dinner made for the family, amongst other things I'm sure all of you hard working mothers know. I am still trying to cook dinners from scratch, while working, going to school myself, being a mom, wife, and everything, to everyone.

This recipe is quite easy. No soaking beans. I think the hardest part was smashing the kidney beans with a fork. I can see ways in which this recipe can be made even simpler, with precut onions and celery, even bulk sausage.

I used my rice maker to make the rice. It's just regular white rice. Nothing was done special with it.

Red beans
Ingredients:


3 cans kidney beans (rinsed)
1 tsp dry thyme
1 bay leaf
1 1/2 tsp cajun seasoning
6-8 dashes of tabasco sauce or hot sauce of choice
1 lb sausage link, sliced
1 16oz can chicken broth
1 onion, diced
2 celery stalks, diced
1/2 tsp garlic, minced/diced
3 tbsp olive oil

Directions:

Add the olive oil to the bottom of a hot dutch oven.  Add the onions, celery, bay leaf, thyme, tabasco, and sausage. Cook until the onions are translucent and yellow. Stirring occasionally. Next, add the garlic. Stir and cook about 1 minute. Then add the chicken broth and the cajun seasoning. Let that cook until bubbly. Stirring. smash 1/2 of the red beans with a fork, then add the smashed red beans and the regular red beans to the pot. Let simmer 10 minutes, stir occasionally.  after 10 minutes check the beans to make sure they are heated through and softened, liquid should thicken the longer it cooks.  Serve warm.

Serve over warm rice. sprinkle celery leaves on top, or cheese.

This is a delicious dinner. My kids each had a big bowl of this. I think I have enough for my lunch tomorrow. My husband said it was really tasty and delicious. I hope you enjoy this too. :)

Hawaiian Hay Stacks

Tonights dinner comes from my food storage. As I'm getting ready to head on another road trip, I don't want to waste money shopping. I'd rather use it on my trip. Tonight is a use what's in the house kind of dinner. The great thing about Hawaiian Hay Stacks is that you can top it with whatever your family likes. For instance, my kids don't like tomatoes, or much in the way of toppings. It can have peas, fresh celery, tropical fruit, tomatoes, or whatever they want. I've even seen people add olives. not my cup of tea, but as long as you like it, it can go on top. In my opinion, it only requires a few "main" ingredients and then the topping is what ever you want. Here are my main ingredients and my toppings.

Main Ingredients: (Chicken sauce)

2 cans cream of chicken soup
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 1/2 handful of freeze dried celery
1/4 tsp cumin
a dash of salt
1 can chicken broth
1 can chunk chicken (drained)

Main Ingredient: (Cooked rice)
3-5 cups of cooked rice

After that it's add what toppings you like and enjoy!

Toppings of choice at my house:

mandarine oranges
sweetened coconut flakes
corn
cheese
crushed pineapple
chow mein noodles (kind of a main ingredient - but a topping)

Do you see a theme with it... it's all either yellow or orange. but it's tasty :) My kids love the chicken sauce I made, and can not wait to dish up their own dinner with their toppings. It's summery, beachy and tasty! I hope you enjoy it as much as we do. :)