Steak Fajitas...

Today I have a classic for you all.

I can't get enough of classics.

Aren't they great? Always there when you're OUT of Menu ideas!

*

I have no doubt many of you know how to make Fajitas...

I just thought I would share with you my favorite steak and seasoning to use.

Can I just say, I'm ALWAYS shopping on a budget.

Let's be honest here....eating steak is NOT cheap!!!

But steak fajitas can be reasonable - cause you can use cheaper steak :)

I've found the Beef Top Round Steaks to be the best.

They aren't TOO expensive, and yet tastes great cooked up with some onions and bell peppers.

*A little trick when slicing your steak: freeze that baby for 30min before your ready to use it. It will REALLY help you get thin slices without cursing the dang thing!!!! (not that I've ever done that.)

I LOVE Lawry's, and there Fajita seasoning is the one to use!

If you can find it, use it.

It's really the only one my lovely, picky child will eat.

*

So, make some Fajitas tonight, or add it to your menu next week!

It's a way to spice up the meals, and have some steak...without breaking the bank :)

Love-ABLE Frosting...

Happy Valentines Day to You LOVELY Ladies!

Did you get roses?

Breakfast in bed?

CHOCOLATES?

....Let's be honest, did your hubby at LEAST give you a hug and kiss before he ran out the door for work? ....

Mine did!!!

I hope yours did too.

It is after all, the day of LOVE, LOVE, LOVE!

Yummy-Licious Frosting
Yield: 1 cake or 24 cupcakes
Recipe: Brenda

Ingredients:

1 cup cold milk
1 small package instant vanilla pudding
1 8oz tub Cool Whip
1 small package Jello of choice .... (I used strawberry for Valentines - Day - PINK!)

Directions:

In bowl, combine milk and pudding. Mix until thickened. Add Cool Whip. Mix well. At this point the frosting is yummy! I often use it just like this. But if you want to add some fun color and flavor, add Jello to the mixture! Frost and EN-JOY!
*I like to place frosting in a ziplock bag, cut a hole in the corner, and use it to frost cupcakes. Try it out...it makes it MUCH easier...and very pretty :)

*You can also use chocolate instant pudding, milk and Cool Whip for a YUMMY chocolate frosting!

Valentine Cuteness

My kid-Os really wanted to make a Valentine treat for their little friends, so when I came across these sweet Heart Pops in the Family Fun magazine I just had to try them!  They aren't completely kid friendly when it comes to shaping the candy canes, but they did get to help spoon the melted chocolate into the middle and add the sprinkles...that counts, right? 

I meant to take a picture of our finished masterpieces before they were devoured, but I wasn't fast enough.  A couple of ours actually turned out as cute as the ones in this picture!  And we had a lot of fun :)

Give them a try!  They are easy peasy and the kid-Os love them (I ate a few too many myself.  I'm a sucker for white chocolate).  They make for a super adorable, homemade valentine gift too.

Sweet Heart Pops

Ingredients

* 12 mini candy canes
* 6 (6-inch) paper lollipop sticks
* ½ cup white chocolate chips
* 1½ teaspoons vegetable oil
* Red, white, and pink nonpareils or sugar sprinkles

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 235°. On a parchment-lined baking sheet, arrange the candy canes as hearts and bake them for 10 minutes.
2. Slide the hearts, still on the parchment paper, onto a work surface. Quickly pinch each heart onto a lollipop stick as shown below (an adult's job & you have to be quick!).
3. In the microwave, melt together the chocolate chips and the oil in 10-second intervals, stirring between heatings.
4. Spoon the chocolate mixture into the center of each heart, then top with nonpareils or sugar sprinkles. Cool the pops before serving or wrapping them.

Tips:
We packaged our Sweet Heart Pops in lollipop bags purchased at a craft store.  But, you could also use saran wrap, or sandwich bags.  We've tried both!

Let's Talk...LOVE

Confession:

I don't LOVE frosting.

I do LOVE Valentines Day.

Weird combination I know. Ya see, as much as I LOVE sweet, amazing, rich, unhealthy food, I just can't get over eating lard. And when I eat frosting, that's all I can think about.

My mother has saved my life. Many times. Recently, she has saved me from a lifetime without cupcakes. She has shared with me the greatest.frosting.recipe.ever!

If you LOVE frosting, you'll LOVE it.

If you don't LOVE frosting, you'll LOVE it.

Seriously.

The day of LOVE is upon us folks. I know. Many of you are not fans of the day of LOVE. I happen to disagree. I LOVE Valentines Day.

In honor of LOVE day - I am making LOVE cupcakes - with LOVE-ABLE frosting.

You'll want to come back...and soon. These LOVELY cupcakes are headed this way.

Chicken Cordon Bleu...

I love Costco.

Love it! Love it!

I think I'm addicted to it actually.

I can spend hours there.

I love the frozen food section, and always find AMAZING bags of frozen goodness.

There is something about having a plethora of 5min-freezer-meals that is so comforting to a busy mom.

Costco's Chicken Cordon Bleu is beyond.this.world good.

We have it regularly in this house.

However, my last encounter with with this breaded, stuffed, cheesy chicken was not so great.

It occurred to me that this is just not healthy stuff.

Ya, not good.

This is very sad.

I love Chicken Cordon Bleu.

I thought. I planned. I wondered.

"Could I actually make this stuff?"

Sounds like a daunting task.

Sounds a little scary.

BUT - Jamie says it can be done!

Yes, she did.

And even tells me it's easy!

This is scary for me.

I don't know what it is about Chicken Cordon Bleu that makes me feel so incapable.

Would you believe that I actually gave this a try?

It's true! It's guilt free, yummy true.

Would you believe this is in fact..EASY!

And oh soooo yummy.

There were no complaints at my kitchen table (a first!) and NO leftovers!

Try it, would ya?

You'll die and go to heaven if you do.

Chicken Cordon Bleu

Yield: 6 servings

Recipe: JamieCooksItUp

Chicken:

5 Chicken Breast

1 Cup Italian Bread Crumbs

5 Slices Deli Ham

5 Slices Swiss Cheese

Sauce:

1 Can Cream of Chicken Soup

3 Tablespoons Sour Cream

1 Tablespoon Butter

Directions: Pre-heat oven at 375. Fillet chicken breast. One breast will now be two thinner/easier to work with breasts. Cut deli meat and cheese in half. Place one slice of ham and one slice of cheese in center of one fillet chicken breast. Roll. Place bread crumbs on plate or pie dish. Roll stuffed chicken in bread crumbs. Place in a sprayed 9x13 cooking dish. Cover with foil. Cook 45min. Uncover. Cook 15min. While cooking, add chicken soup, sour cream and butter in saucepan. Stir on Med heat until well blended and smooth. Serve on top of delicious hot chicken...ENJOY!

A-Mazing Punch...

(No picture necessary!)

Well ladies, I'm about to share with you something I swore I would never tell a SOUL! Why? It's just too good to be known by others.

BUT...

Today is your lucky day.

I'm in a good mood.

Can you believe it?

Seriously.

No joke.

In honor of this unexplainable good mood, go to the store RIGHT now, get the ingredients, and make this TODAY!

You'll be glad you did.

VERY glad!

I only give one small warning to those of you who are smart enough to make this

out-of-this-world-punch:

Do NOT under any circumstances cut this recipe in half! Yes, it makes a TON! However, you will need EVERY drop of it.

Luscious Slush Punch
Yeild: 50 (4 ounce) servings

Recipe: Good friend Kim

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups white sugar

6 cups water

2 (3 ounce) packages strawberry flavored gelatin mix

1 (46 fluid ounces) can pinneapple juice

2/3 cup lemon juice

1 quart orange juice

2 (2 liter) bottles lemon lime soda

Directions:

In LARGE (and I mean LARGE) saucepan, combine sugar, water and gelatin. Bring to a boil. Let boil 3 minutes while stirring. (Ladies - don't take your little eyes off this pan. You will be sticking to your kitchen floor for a least a month if you do!) Take off burner and add pinneapple, lemon and orange juice. Pour mixture evenly into two bowls. Cover and freeze 8-10 hours. Over night is best! When ready to serve, get some forks, an ice-pick, hammer, an ax.....(you get the picture) and slush up that frozen goodness. Pour one container of slushed up goodness into your fancy, or not fancy punch bowl. Add 1 bottle of lemon lime soda and ENJOY! When punch is gone - which doesn't take too long in this family - pull container number #2 out of the freezer and surprise your guests with yet MORE delicious, slushy goodness!

Chicken and Black Bean Quesadillas

Alright crock pot lovers, here's another easy peasy recipe for you!  My kids and hubby asked for seconds...and then thirds with this one.  Not to mention, it's the perfect meal after a long day in January (which I was having) when you just don't feel like doing anything but cuddling up with a mug of your favorite cocoa next to a warm fire.  But, that's beside the point...  the point is, try this!  You'll wish there was leftovers :)
 

Chicken and Black Bean Quesadillas

Time: 20 minutes hands on + 4-5 hours crock pot cooking
Yield: 8-10 Quesadillas
 
4 large chicken breasts
1 1/2 C water
1 T canola oil
1 envelope Fajita Seasoning Packet
1 can black beans
1 C corn
1-2 C Cheddar Cheese
8-10 flour tortillas

1. Place your chicken breasts inside a crock pot that has been sprayed with cooking spray.
2. Mix the water, oil and the Fajita Mix. Pour it over the top of the chicken. Cover with the lid and cook for 4 hours on high.
3. When the chicken is cooked through remove it from the crock, placing it on a plate. Shred it up with a fork.
4. Put it back in the juices of the crock pot and let it simmer for 1 more hour.
5. Heat up a skillet. Spray it with cooking spray (or butter it....depending on how closely you are counting calories). Lay a tortilla out on the skillet. Cover just half of the tortilla with some chicken, black beans, corn and cheese. Cover the yummy filling up with the other half of the tortilla. Heat until the cheese has started to melt. Flip it over and to let the other side of the tortilla get crispy, and to melt the cheese fully.

Creamy Chipotle Dip
Time: 5 minutes
Yield: 1 cup

1/3 C Chipotle Mayo
1/3 C Miracle Whip Salad Dressing
1/3 C Sour Cream
2 T sugar
1 T lime juice
2 T cilantro, chopped fine
dash salt

1. Combine all ingredients in a small bowl.
The end. Fastest dipping sauce this side of  The Biggest Loser.

P.S. Another favorite found on Jamie Cooks It Up!

Beef Stew. Thick and Hearty...

I put this in the crock pot for a tasty, after church Sunday dinner.  Boy, did our house smell yummy when we walked through the front door!  I found this dish at Jamie Cooks It Up and it's definitely a keeper.   You know how I love "easy".

Beef Stew.  Thick and Hearty...

Time: 10 minutes prep + 4-8 hours crock pot cooking
Yield: 5 servings
Recipe adapted from The Essential Mormon Cookbook.

1 pound beef stew chunks
4 carrots, sliced
4 medium potatoes, cubed
1 large onion, cut into chunks
1 bay leaf
1  1 oz. package Lipton Onion Soup Mix
2  10.5 oz cans cream of mushroom soup
1  8 oz can tomato sauce
 

1. Cut up your vegetables.
2. Spray the inside of your crock pot. Layer the beef, carrots, potatoes, and onion in the old crock. Place the bay leaf on top.
3. In a medium sized bowl combine the Soup Mix, cream of mushroom soup (undiluted) and  tomato sauce. Stir them all around until mixed well.
4. Pour the soup mixture over the top of the veggies and beef. Don't stir.
5. Cook on high for 4 hours, or on low for 8.

Grilled Caesar Salad

YUMMY...YUMMY...YUMMY!!

2-4 chicken breast diced into bite size pieces

1/2 cup Kraft Caesar salad dressing
Chopped lettuce of your choice
Fresh Parmesan cheese grated

Heat Grill. Marinate chicken in Caesar dressing for 30 minutes. Skew and cook on grill. Chop lettuce. Serve Skewed chicken over bed of lettuce, topped with fresh Parmesan cheese and dressing! SOOO GOOD!
Since finding this recipe, Seth and I have enjoyed it at least once a week! We never get sick of it!

The BEST Key Lime Pie EVER!

3/4 lb. graham cracker crumbs
1/2 C. packed brown sugar
1/4 C. plus 1 Tbsp. butter, melted
3 14 oz. cans sweetend condensed milk
5 egg yolks
2 C. key lime juice (bottled or fresh)
Sweetened whipped cream
Lime slices (optional)
Mint Sprigs (optional)



In a bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs, brown sugar, and melted butter. Press mixture on bottom of pan. (10 inch fluted pan with removable bottom, a deep-dish pie pan, a 9x13 baking pan, or two regular pie pans.) In another bowl, mix condensed milk, egg yolks, and lime juice on low speed of mixture until well blended, about 2 minutes. pour into prepared pie shell and back at 350 degrees for 18-24 minutes (When the pie is done, pressing the surface lightly with a finger should leave a mark). remove from oven and let cool. Refrigerate 6-8 hours before serving. Garnish with sweetend whipped cream, fresh lime slices, and mint sprigs.

Ok, so this is the EXACT recipe from the cook book. I did a few things different. First of all, I LOVE key lime pie..but it is always a little too rich for me. So, I put a little less sugar in the graham cracker crust. Also, I couldn't find key lime juice at the store, so I ended up buying regular lime juice, and I ONLY used a cup and a half!! It turned out PERFECT! Seriously, I would recommend doing it this way. It turned out to be a perfect balance of sweet and tart. I also didn't do the lime slices and mint springs, but I did do the sweetend whipped cream instead of cool whip (there are instructions on the carton if you don't know how to make it) and it really added to the pie. Either way though.. I am sure it would be GREAT! Seth even LOVED this deseret...everyone should at least try it once : ) Also, you might want to spray your pan with cooking spray if you don't use a non-stick pan. And don't over cook it..the middle will be a little jello like..but that is how it is supose to be. Anyway, go get the stuff and MAKE it! You will want to over and over again : )

Chocolate Ice Box Dessert

Ingredients
1 cup pecans
1 stick butter (melted)
1 cup flour
8 oz. cream cheese (room temperature)
1/2 sugar
8 oz. container of whip cream
1 sm. pkg. instant chocolate pudding
1 sm. pkg. instant vanilla pudding
3 c. milk
Hershey bar (opptional)

Directions
Combine pecans, butter and flour. Pat into 9x13 pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 min. and cool. Mix together cream cheese, sugar, and 1/2 of the whip cream. Gently spread over the crust. Combine puddings and milk then beat with a wire whip. Stir in remaining whip cream. Spread over the cream cheese layer. Grate Hershey bar on top. Cool and serve.

Crock Pot Mango Chicken...

You know me, I like fast and easy! A friend of mine passed this on to me and it has become a favorite recipe of mine (the kids even love it!). It's simple, has 4-ingredients, makes several meals, and is delish! Give it a try. I promise you won't be disappointed!

{Lorna's Crock Pot Mango Chicken... Tacos}

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 cups tomato based mango salsa- i use the one with peach from Costco
2/3 cup brown sugar
1 TBSP salt

put all ingredients in the crock pot on low for 8-10 hours or high for 4-6. shred chicken. use in tacos, burritos, enchiladas, nachos, etc.

Baked or Grilled Salmon

Thank you, Seth! I'm posting this so I don't forget the ingredients. Our family loves fish! One of our favorite meals is salmon (when I find it on sale), mashed potatoes, green beans, rolls, and salad. It's super easy to fix, JP and the kids love it, and mommy scores points! Seth gave me tips on how to bake it, and it turned out yum-O.

1 TBS Olive Oil
1 TBS Butter (melted)
1/2 Lemon (save the rest for after it's cooked)
1 tsp McCormick Grill Mates Salmon Seasoning (I found this at Wal Mart & Maceys)

In bowl, whisk Olive Oil, Butter, and Lemon together. Place thawed Salmon in a 9 X 13 deep dish. Drizzle mixture over the salmon, then sprinkle the Grill Mates Salmon Seasoning evenly over the top. I also like to place a sliver of butter in the middle of the salmon. Bake or grill at 425 degrees for 15-20 minutes.

Sweet Lime Chile Enchiladas & Sweet Pepper Rice

I am actually making this tonight! I wanted to post the recipe on here before I forget it. I had it at a friends house and it was SO yummy. Give it a try, I think you'll love it!

{Corrine's Sweet Lime Chile Enchiladas}

4 chicken breast, cooked & shredded

1 12-15 oz. bottle salsa verde

1/3 cup honey

1/4 cup lime juice

1 TBSP chili powder

1 tsp garlic powder

1/4 tsp salt

1 cup heavy whipping cream

8-10 flour tortillas

5 cups shredded monterey jack cheese

in a large bowl, whick together honey, lime juice, chili powder, garlic powder & salt. add shredded chicken to the lime mixture. let sit 10 minutes.
in a 9x13 pan pour 3/4 of the bottle of salsa verde, just to cover the bottle of the pan. reserve the rest.
take each flour tortilla & fill with a chicken & cheese. a couple of tablespoons of each. roll up & place, seam side down in the salsa verde. repeat process until all tortillas are filled.
after you remove all of the chicken, there will be remaining lime sauce in the bowl. to that sauce, add heavy cream & the remaining salsa verde. pour this mixture over the filled enchilada & cover with all the remaining cheese.
bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes or until cheese is brown & bubbly.
serve with sweet rice.

{Brit's Sweet Pepper Rice}

3 TBSP butter

1 sweet onion, finely chopped

1/2 red pepper, finely chopped

1/4 cup cilantro, chopped

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. garlic powder

1/4 cup sugar

1 1/3 cup long grain white rice

3 cups chicken stock

in a large saute pan, melt butter & add onion & pepper. cook until soft & onion is translucent. add cilantro & salt & garlic powder, cook another minute. add rice & brown. watch closely as not to burn.
dissolve sugar into chicken stock. when completely dissolve, add to rice. bring to a simmer, turn to low & cover. cook covered for 30 minutes. fluff with fork.

Breakfast Burritos..

I made these one Saturday morning for Seth. I was trying to make them like his ALTIME favorite ones that he gets a Betos. Anyway, they turned out awewsome. Infact, he likes them better, and they are SIMPLE!

Scrambled Eggs (eggs, milk, buttter, salt and pepper)

Crispy Bacon!

Hash Browns

Favorite Salsa (I recomend as FRESH as you can get it or make it!)

Tortilas (we buy the raw ones, but either way will work)

*Hash Browns: thinly slice or grade (using the large slicer) any potato, doesn't matter. Turn your fry pan on between MED and HI heat. Coat pan with butter. Lay potatos down flat..only stacked 2-3 high. Season with salt and pepper. Let sit..don't stir. When you start smelling them crisp up flip the over as best you can. Leave alone until other side is crispy. Then you are DONE!

(this is just the way I do it. Any way would work I am sure)

Stuff your tortilla and YUMMY! (put salsa inside or on top!)