Gotta Empanada!!!

Here’s a new favorite at our house. It’s one I plan on taking to people when I make them meals for a new baby, etc. It’s YUMMMMMYYYY and SO super easy! And, I think it looks pretty, too!
 
Beef Empanada
1 lb. ground beef
1 cup  Salsa
1 can of black beans, drained
1 pkg. (15 oz.) ready-to-use refrigerated pie crusts (2 crusts)
1 cup  Finely Shredded Four Cheese

HEAT oven to 425ºF.
BROWN meat in large skillet; drain. Stir in salsa and beans; remove from heat.
PLACE 1 crust on baking sheet; top with meat mixture, spreading to within 1 inch of edge. Cover with cheese and remaining crust; seal edges with fork.
BAKE 25 min. or until golden brown. Cool 5 min. before cutting into wedges to serve.

Hot Dogs with a Twist

We LOVE hot dogs at our house! Maybe it’s our New York City honeymoon that started it all! But, when I saw this recipe that put a little twist on hot dogs, I knew we would enjoy it! And, I knew Q would too! It was yum!
Hot Dog Twists 

1 3/4 cups Original Bisquick® mix
1/3 cup milk
2 tablespoons Ranch dressing 
8 beef hot dogs
1 tablespoon milk
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

Heat oven to 425ºF. Spray cookie sheet with cooking spray.

In medium bowl, stir Bisquick mix, 1/3 cup milk and 2 tablespoons of Ranch dressing with fork until soft dough forms; beat 30 seconds. Place dough on surface dusted with Bisquick mix; roll in Bisquick mix to coat. Shape into a ball; knead 10 times.

Roll dough into 12x8-inch rectangle. Cut dough lengthwise into eight 1-inch strips. Shape 1 piece of dough around each hot dog in a spiral design; seal ends if necessary. Place on cookie sheet.

Brush 1 tablespoon milk over dough; sprinkle with cheese. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown.

Double Decker with a Fork

I’ve had this recipe bookmarked for some time and was excited to finally try it. Matt loved it…he called it “a Double Decker taco that you eat with a fork!” We like those, so that was a good thing! Hope you enjoy! Double Decker Taco Pie

1 lb. ground beef
1 packet taco seasoning
1 can Refried beans
3 large flour tortillas, cut into 4ths
Salsa or Picante Sauce
Shredded cheese
Shredded lettuce
green onions, chopped

 

Brown meat & drain.  Return to saucepan & add taco seasoning, 3/4 cup water, & stir and simmer until most of the water evaporates. 

Cut tortillas into 4ths and place 4 slices in a pie dish. Cover with refried beans. Top with a layer of taco meat.

Now repeat the process…tortillas, refried beans, & taco meat.  Your last layer should be the remaining tortillas.

Cover with salsa/picante sauce. Then, top with cheese and bake at 350 until bubbly.

Top with shredded lettuce & green onions to your liking.

Serve with tortilla chips, sour cream and guacamole! (or whatever you like!)

P.S. I made this meal in one of Gackey’s baking dishes! I love that I have some of her things! :)

Pro-shoe-what?!

The workers at Wal-Mart have never heard of prosciutto…have NO idea if they carry it…and, obviously, have NO chance of leading me to it. So I opted for Canadian Bacon instead! And even though I've never had this recipe with prosciutto, it was SUPER delicious with the Canadian bacon! And, if you happen to be grocery shopping at Wally World, good luck!

Chicken Tetrazzini With Prosciutto and Peas

3  ounces  finely chopped prosciutto (I used Canadian bacon instead)
2  teaspoons  vegetable oil
1  (7-oz.) package vermicelli
3  cups  chopped cooked chicken
1  cup  (4 oz.) shredded Parmesan cheese
1  (10 3/4-oz.) can cream of mushroom soup
1  (10-oz.) container refrigerated Alfredo sauce
1  (4-oz.) can sliced mushrooms, drained (I left this out)
1/2  cup  chicken broth
1/4  cup  dry dry white wine
1/4  teaspoon  freshly ground pepper
1  cup  frozen baby English peas, thawed
1/2  cup  slivered almonds

1. Sauté prosciutto in hot vegetable oil in a small skillet over medium-high heat 2 to 3 minutes or until crisp.

2. Preheat oven to 350°. Prepare pasta according to package directions.

3. Meanwhile, stir together chicken, 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, and next 6 ingredients; stir in prosciutto, pasta, and peas. Spoon mixture into 6 lightly greased 8-oz. ramekins or a lightly greased 11- x 7-inch baking dish. Sprinkle with almonds and remaining 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese.

4. Bake at 350° for 35 minutes or until bubbly

Chocolaty Goodness, Y’all!

I got this yummy recipe from my friend…and, when I googled it, I found the video of Paula making these amazing cookies. She’s such a hoot, y’all! :) And, these cookies will not disappoint! (My three year old has eaten WAY too many…and so has his Momma!)
Paula Deen’s Chocolate Gooey Butter Cookies

1 (8 oz.) block cream cheese, at room temperature
1 stick butter, at room temperature
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 (18 oz.) box moist chocolate cake mix
Powdered sugar

- Preheat oven to 350 degrees
- In a large bowl cream the cream cheese and butter with an electric mixer until smooth.
- Beat in the egg.
- Beat in the vanilla.
- Beat in the cake mix.
- Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours.
- Roll the chilled dough into tablespoon sized balls and then roll them in the powdered sugar.
- Place on a cookie sheet 2 inches apart.
- Bake for 12 minutes.
- Cookies will remain soft and "gooey".
- Cool completely and sprinkle with more powdered sugar.

Chocolate x3

I made this for our Life Group this weekend and it was SUPER yum! Thanks, Southern Living, for another great recipe!

Triple Chocolate Coffee Cake

1  (18.25-ounce) package devil's food cake mix
1  (3.9-ounce) package chocolate instant pudding mix
2  cups  sour cream
1  cup  butter or margarine, softened
5  large eggs
1  teaspoon  vanilla extract
3  cups  semisweet chocolate morsels, divided
1  cup  white chocolate morsels
1  cup  chopped pecans, toasted

Beat first 6 ingredients at low speed with an electric mixer 30 seconds or just until moistened; beat at medium speed 2 minutes. Stir in 2 cups semisweet chocolate morsels; pour batter evenly into 2 greased and floured 9-inch square cake pans.

Bake at 350° for 25 to 30 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely in pans on wire racks.

Microwave white chocolate morsels in a glass bowl at HIGH 30 to 60 seconds or until morsels melt; stirring at 30-second intervals until smooth. Drizzle evenly over cakes; repeat procedure with remaining cup of semisweet morsels. Sprinkle cakes evenly with pecans.

Back to the ‘ol Grind

So, this little blog has been pretty quiet! Due to lots of eating out this summer, being preggo, the birth of our sweet Nash…AND being blessed with fabulous meals 3 times a week for about a month and a half, our kitchen has stayed fairly clean! :) But, it’s time to get back to business! … Nash is now two months old…Quinn has started school…and with Fall on the horizon, I’m ready to cook yumm-o meals again!

So, stay tuned! I have LOTS of bookmarked recipes that I can’t wait to try!!!