Something New To Try...

Hello there!  How are you today?

Doing well here, just trying to get my week organized and planned.

I only have a few things planned and I'm so thankful

I won't be out of the house non-stop this week.

After all I'm a homemaker and I love to be at home!

Do you gals like to purchase cream soups from the store?

I always have them in my pantry for my easy go to recipes.

But, have you ever tried making your 

own cream soup mix ins before?

I found this handy dandy recipe several years ago

and I love that it's a dry mixture.

Plus, it's fun to experiment, right??

So what you need to make your own dry cream soups is...

2 cups dry milk

3/4 cup cornstarch

1 tsp onion powder

1/2 tsp dried thyme

1/2 tsp dried basil

1/2 tsp dried parsley

1/4 tsp black pepper

Mix all together and store in a mason jar.

Now for the soups...

Combine 1/3 cup of the mixture with 1 1/4 cups water into a saucepan.

Whisk until smooth. Bring to a boil, cook for about 2 minutes, stir.

Remove from heat. Cool.

For Cream of Chicken: use 1 1/4 cups chicken broth

 instead of the water in above recipe.

For Cream of Mushroom: use 1 1/4 cups water, 

add in 1/4 cup diced cooked mushrooms to the soup base.

For Cream of Celery: use 1 1/4 cup water,

 add in 1/4 cup diced cooked celery to soup base.

I double the dry soup mix, since I have a larger family.

And the bonus to this mix is, it eliminates all the 

other soup cans from your pantry!

Easy Peasy! 

I made up some of the cream of chicken soup...

It tastes just like the canned soup, but much better for you!

Win...Win... if you ask me!!

I hope you all have a wonderful week...

Thanks for stopping in!

Hugs & Blessings,

Recipes and Such...

Hello Sweet Friends!!!

How are you?  How is February treating you?

So far, so good here!

It's a busy month for us as we celebrate my birthday

(I'm a Valentine's baby)

And we are celebrating my son's 16th birthday on the 16th!!

Whew....So as my mom in law puts it

we party all month long!!

😊

And we do!!

Do you ever get in a rut when you cook?

I do and for some reason it takes awhile to get out of it.

I get tired of making all the same 

meals over and over again.

So, I've been digging into my cookbooks 

and looking online

for something new to try.

I want something quick to make 

but I want it to taste good too.

Yes, I might be asking a lot here, but hey...

that's why I cook! Ha!

So, I came across this recipe 

somewhere in outer space

and gave it a try... it was easy, 

didn't require a lot of ingredients

and it tasted delicious! 

*Score!!

If you are in a cooking rut, 

then give this a try...

One Pot Kielbasa Pasta

1 Tbsp. Olive Oil

1 pound Kielbasa Sausage

1 onion, chopped 

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 cups chicken broth

1 can diced tomatoes

8 oz. dry pasta (I used elbow)

1/2 cup milk

1/2 tsp. salt and pepper

1 cup shredded cheese of choice

green onion to garnish

Add oil, sausage and onions to a large skillet. Cook till tender.

Stir in garlic and cook for 3 more minutes.

Stir in broth, tomatoes, milk, pasta, salt and pepper.

Simmer for 15 minutes or until pasta is tender.

Remove skillet from heat and stir 

in 1/2 cup of the shredded cheese.

Top with the remaining shredded cheese 

and cover till melted.

Sprinkle with green onion and serve!

Enjoy!!

Have a great week! 

Thanks for stopping by....

Roasted Taters...

I just love a home cooked meal.

I'm not much for eating out, but on special occasions.

The more I eat out, the more I don't feel well.

So...

I love to cook for my family.

I love cozy food.

I love a good casserole.

My guys, well at least 3 of them, love meat and taters.

Simple, Easy and Mighty Tasty!

I make roasted taters often...

We like taters, I mean who doesn't?

We fry them, mash them, boil them, shred them.

But, I love how yummy these roasted taters are!

If you want to give them a whirl, 

here is what I do prepare them.

Preheat your oven to 450 degrees.

Drizzle Olive Oil in a 10x15 pan.

{If you don't have a pan that big, 

you can use a 9x13 pan.}

Peel and cut about 

6 potatoes and 2 sweet potatoes

In a large bowl, place the taters 

add in:

 1/4 cup olive oil

2 Tbsp. parsley

1 tsp. dill 

1 clove garlic, minced

salt and pepper

Stir that really well.  

Pour the taters in your prepared pan.

Bake in over for about 35-40 minutes, 

stirring every 15 minutes or so.

Serve as a main meal or as a side dish.

This go round, we had roasted taters

 with BBQ Pulled Chicken.

How do you like to cook your taters?

Thanks so much for stopping by...

Cooking Up Some Love...

Hello Dear Friends!

Thank you for stopping by for a quick visit.

This Summer has been flying by, hasn't it?

I can't believe tomorrow is all ready July 1st!!

Seriously?!  Summer...feel free to slow down a bit, please!

It's been so hot here, so I haven't really 

felt like cooking a lot of hot meals. 

I did manage to bake some cupcakes this morning, 

but I baked before it got hot out!

I made homemade Stromboli awhile back

 and thought I would inspire you

or well even myself  to make it (again in my case) soon.

I didn't take a before shot,

 for I tend to get in the baking mode

and don't think to grab my camera until all the mess is gone!

Any who...here's what I did:

2 batches of pizza dough made or

 you can use frozen bread dough thawed

1 jar of your favorite kind of spaghetti sauce

your choice of meat, cooked

(I used Italian sausage and ground hamburger)

2 cups cheese, shredded

any kind of sauteed veggies you like

(I used mushrooms, bell peppers, onion and garlic)

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.

On a flour dusted counter, roll out your dough into a large rectangle.

Spread your sauce, meat, veggies and cheese into the edge of your dough.

Roll the dough like a jelly roll.

Bake for 30-40 minutes or until golden brown.

If you'd like, brush some melted butter and an 

Italian herb over the top of the hot bread.

Serve with additional sauce for dipping.

I hope you all have a great week!

Oh... and have a Safe and Fun Independence Day!

Hugs,

Yeast Free Pizza Dough...

Good Day Friends!

How are you?

Things here are finally starting to slow down a bit 

and I am able to be at home actually getting things done.

I don't know about you, but when I 'm gone, I get nothing done!

And when I do get home,

 I fall so far behind on chores, school

 and dinner preparations.

If I'm really on the ball, I try to cook in the crock pot

or prepare dough or whatever it may be, before I leave the house.

But, even that I was lacking on these passed two weeks.

We love pizza in our home and I try to make this often as I can.

I mean my boys would eat this all the time if I would let them.

It's easy, they can warm it up themselves 

and there is NO MESS involved!

Yes, there is a huge mess while preparing it, 

but you get my point, right??

Any who, I have made pizza dough with yeast and you 

can find the link HERE, 

I really like this recipe and it's so simple to make.

Yeast Free Pizza Dough Recipe

2 1/2 cups flour (I used 1/2 white, 1/2 wheat)

3 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

3/4 cups + 2 Tbsp. water

1 tbsp olive oil

spices of choice ( I used a tsp of Smokehouse Maple)

Mix together the flour, baking powder and salt.

Set aside.

Combine the water and oil in separate bowl.

Slowly add water mixture to flour.

Stir together. If the dough is to dry

add more water a tablespoon at a time.

Knead dough 5 times on a floured surface.

Lightly spray your pizza pan.

Roll out dough and place on prepared pan.

Top with your favorite sauce and toppings.

Bake at 400 for 15-20 minutes.

And for another Yeast Free Pizza Dough recipe,

 you can find it HERE.

I've tried this recipe too and it's very good.

**Once you choose which crust you would prefer,

add on your sauce and then toppings and cheese

and bake until golden brown.**

Personally you really can't tell the difference 

between the yeast free and yeast pizza dough, 

the only thing different is your belly 

won't blow up after eating!

And that my friend is a PLUS in my book!

We like all kinds of flavors,

 but my boys prefer pepperoni and cheese!

What kind of pizza do you like?

Happy Day Friends!

Blessings & Hugs,

Dinner is Served...

This has got to be one of my most favorite meals

now I know I say this about all my recipes, 

but this time I mean MY FAVORITE!

Have you ever tried tamales?

They are a bit time consuming to make...

And when I found this recipe,

well it's a keeper and it doesn't take a lot of time to prepare!

Once you cut into it,this is what it looks like.

It's full of hamburger, cheese and a salsa mixture.

And it's MY FAVORITE!

Wait did I all ready say that??

Are you hungry yet?

Well, would you like the recipe now?

I thought so...

Here you go....

 and watch next you'll be saying it's YOUR FAVORITE!!

Tamale Round About

For Filling:
2 1/2 cups Ground Beef 
1/2 teaspoon chili powder

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 jar (16 ounces) thick and chunky medium salsa

1/4 cup red or green bell pepper or combination of both, chopped

For Corn Bread:

1 1/2 cups flour

1 cup cornmeal

1/4 cup sugar

1 Tbsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 1/4 cups milk

2 eggs

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1 cup shredded cheese

Sour Cream, Optional

Preheat oven to 375.

Spray a fluted pan with cooking spray.

Combine the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl.

Add in the eggs, milk and oil. Mix just until ingredients are moist.

Spread 1 1/2 cups of the batter evenly onto the bottom of the fluted pan.

Top with the meat mixture and then with the remaining batter, spreading evenly.

Bake for 35-40 minutes or until golden brown on top.

Loosen cornbread from edges of pan with a knife and invert onto a serving  plate.

Slice into wedges and serve with sour cream if desired.

Enjoy your Week!

Menu Planning & Spicy Chicken Casserole...

Good Day Everyone!

With the new year here and everyone

 back to a normal schedule

(well hopefully back on schedule)

It's always nice to have a general idea 

on a menu for the week or month...

I normally go grocery shopping every other week,

so it's nice to have an idea of what

 to purchase for meals before hand.

I make a lot of casseroles!

And I make a lot of soups!

They seem to stretch at the dinner

 table since I'm feeding boys!

I rarely do anything fancy,

I'm a cozy comfort food kind of lady!

A casserole and a small side is really

 all you need to fill your tummies!

This one is a favorite in our home...

Roxy's Spicy Casserole

2 cups diced cooked chicken

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1 can cream of chicken soup

1 medium onion, chopped

2 small cans diced green chilies 

1 cup sour cream

1/2 tsp garlic salt

salt and pepper to taste

3/4 package taco flavored chips, crumbled

12 oz. shredded cheddar cheese

4 Tbsp butter

Preheat oven to 350.  

Mix all ingredients, except cheese and butter 

and place into a greased 9x13 pan. 

Sprinkle with the cheese and dot with the butter.

Cover with foil and bake for 

35-45 minutes or until bubbly.

Serve with a side of rice or a salad.

Have a wonderful week!!

Blessings & Hugs,

Mexican Beef...

This has got to be one of the easiest recipes I have.

And you can make it with cooked chicken, beef, turkey and even wild game!

Here's what you'll need:

Mexican Beef

1/2 a loaf of Velveeta, chunked

1/4 to a 1/2 cup milk

1 can diced tomatoes

1 can cream of chicken soup or cream of mushroom soup

1 can diced green chilies or 5 freshly roasted green chilies, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 pound ground beef cooked and fat drained

pepper, cayenne pepper and garlic salt, to taste

Cook your meat of choice and drain the fat.  Set aside.

I used ground beef this go round.

In a large skillet, pour in your milk and 

Velveeta cheese, stir until cheese is melted.

Add in your cream soup of choice, diced tomatoes, 

green chilies, fresh garlic

and seasonings.

Stir until all the ingredients are blended and smooth.  

You may need to add more milk if the mixture seems to thick.

Stir in your cooked meat.

Serve over a bed of rice, tortilla chips or pasta.

Enjoy!

Have a great and delightful day!!

Hugs & Blessings,

Pepperoni Stromboli...

I love anything that is baked in a bread dough!

And I love anything Italian!

Heck, I just love food! (Insert smiles)

I made this some time ago and I thought 

I would share the recipe with you.

*Note to self: I need to make this soon!*

Easy Pepperoni Stromboli

2 loaves frozen bread dough, thawed

1/2 cup spaghetti or pizza sauce

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 tsp dried oregano

1 pkg. pepperoni

1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced

2 cups mozzarella cheese

1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

extra spaghetti or pizza sauce for dipping

Punch down your dough.

 On a lightly floured surface, roll each loaf into a rectangle.

Place one rectangle on a greased baking sheet.

Spread the spaghetti sauce on to the dough. 

Sprinkle with oregano, garlic, pepperoni, bell pepper and cheese.

Fold long sides of dough up toward fillings, set aside.

Repeat with second loaf of dough.

Sprinkle both loaves with 

Parmesan cheese and more oregano.

Bake at 350 for 30-40 minutes

 or until golden brown on top.

When I have time to spare, 

I prefer to make my own dough and sauce.

But, this way is still delicious!

I hope you all are having a great week!

Hugs & Blessings, 

Strawberry Chocolate Chip Pancakes...

Who here LOVES Pancakes??

My boys love all kinds of Pancakes!

You name it, we've made them!

These ones above are one of their all time favorites!

Strawberry Chocolate Chip Pancakes

So, we start off by making our homemade pancake mix:

1 Tbsp. sugar

2 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. salt

1 egg

1 cup milk

2 Tbsp. oil

1 cup flour

Mix together in a large bowl.

Then add in sliced strawberries and a 1/4 cup mini chocolate chips.

Spoon batter onto a hot greased griddle.

Cook until golden brown.

If you want to make more than 12 pancakes, double the recipe.

Place onto a plate and add butter, syrup, more sliced strawberries

and sprinkle with mini chocolate chips.

It's a delicious meal!!

Don't forget to add the bacon and eggs!

What is your favorite kind of Pancakes??

Have a great week!