Tamale Pie

Last day of October...CRAZY!  Especially since I am planning on having a baby this month...time is FLYING! 

This tamale pie was perfect for a weeknight meal.  It is very similar to a taco soup, but more of an all-in-one meal with the cornbread cooked right on top.  My husband was especially fond of this one :)  Enjoy!

Along with today's recipe, I am sharing a yummy pie recipe over with Kiki and Company today...head on over and check it out along with Kiki's cute holiday ideas and prints! (Click link below)

Tamale Pie

1 lb hamburger

1 can tomatoes with green chiles

1 can tomato sauce

2 medium onions, chopped fine

1 small green pepper, chopped fine

1 can whole kernel corn

1 can kidney beans

1 packet taco seasoning

1 can diced black olives

1-2 cups of grated cheese

1 box Jiffy cornbread or corn muffin mix

Brown beef, taco seasoning, onion, and green pepper in a frying pan (approximately 10 minutes). Drain; add tomatoes, sauce, corn, kidney beans, and olives. Cook slowly for 20 minutes or until meat is done and all ingredients are warm. Put in a 9 X 13 baking dish. Sprinkle cheese over the top. Mix corn bread mix according to package directions, and spread batter over the top. Cover with foil and bake at 350 for 1 hour or until cornbread is golden brown and a knife in the center comes out clean. May serve with sour cream, salsa, etc.

Recipe Source: ward cooking club via Molly H.

Pumpkin Spice Buddies

Welp...here is yet another fall-time treat!  This variation of the tradition Muddy Buddy is perfect for any occasion...I just have been snacking on these yummy little snacks while I get caught up on my latest Netflix flick :)  They are tasty, but I will throw out there that I still think the original peanut butter/chocolate version will always be my favorite!


Pumpkin Spice Buddies

1 box (13.5 oz) Cinnamon Chex® Cereal
1½ cups white chocolate chips
1 cup dried unsweetened cranberries
1 cup roasted and salted pumpkin seeds
2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
½ cup powdered sugar, divided

In a large bowl combine Cinnamon Chex Cereal, cranberries and pumpkin seeds. Set aside.
In a double broiler or microvave carefully melt the white choocolate. Add the pumpkin pie spice until fully incorporated.

Pour the white chocolate mix over the chex cereal and fold it into the cereal, fruit, and seeds are all covered evenly.

Divide the powdered sugar between 2 large bags. Add half of the cereal to each bag. Shake until the powdered sugar fully coats the cereal.

Lay on a baking sheet to dry. Store in airtight container.

Recipe Source:  The Recipe Critic

Cheeseburger Soup

I have been missing blogging the last few weeks!  Like I said, I've been re-making lots of recipes instead of trying new ones, and I have missed it greatly :)  

It is my opinion that you can NEVER have too many good soups tucked away in your tried-and-true file.  Soups are so great for weeknights, meals for others, warming you up after a cold day, and are simply comfort foods at their finest.  Not to mention it is a fabulous way to get veggies in those kiddos that would otherwise refuse to eat a veggie otherwise!

This soup turned out super yummy, is definitely filling, and the next time I make this I want to eat it out of a bread bowl...YUM!

Cheeseburger Soup

1 pound ground beef 
¾ cup chopped onion
¾ cup shredded carrots
¾ cup diced celery
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
4 tablespoons butter, divided
3 cups chicken broth
4 cups peeled and diced potatoes
¼ cup all purpose flour
2 cups of Velveeta processed cheese cubed (I used 16 ounce)
1½ cups milk
¾ teaspoon salt
¼ to ½ teaspoon pepper
¼ cup sour cream

Brown the ground beef in 3 quart saucepan. Drain and set aside.

In the same saucepan add 1 T butter and add onion, shredded carrots, parsley flakes, basil and celery. Saute until tender.

Add the broth, potatoes and beef and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer 10-12 minutes or until potatoes are tender.

In small skillet melt remaining butter (3 T) and add the flour. Cook and stir for 3-5 minutes or until bubbly. Add to the soup and bring to a boil. Cook and stir for 2 minutes. Reduce heat to low.
Stir in the cheese, milk, salt and pepper. Cook and stir until cheese melts. Remove from heat and blend in sour cream.

Recipe Source:  The Recipe Critic

Crockpot Cinnamon Sugar Almonds

Last year I made some delicious Pumpkin Pie Spiced Almonds, which were delicious!  This year I've had this recipe on my brain.  These were really easy to make (as long as you have a few hours to be home to do the stirring) and makes your house smell phenomenal!  They are a yummy snack to have around for any of your Halloween, Thanksgiving, or Christmas parties coming up.  They would make a fun small gift as well :)

Crockpot Cinnamon Sugar Almonds


1-1/2 cup sugar
1-1/2 cup brown sugar
3 Tablespoons cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 egg white
2 teaspoon vanilla
3 cups raw almonds
1/4 cup water

In a medium sized bowl, mix together sugars, cinnamon, and salt. Set aside.  In another medium sized bowl, whisk the egg white and vanilla until it’s a little frothy. Add almonds and make sure the almonds are thoroughly coated in the egg white mixture.  Add cinnamon mixture to the almonds and toss until coated.

Spray crockpot with non-stick cooking spray, thoroughly coating.  Add the mixture of almonds/sugars to the crock pot and turn it to low.  Cook for about 2 hours, stirring every 20 minutes.  Add the 1/4 cup of water and stir well (This ensures a crunchy coating) 

Cook another 45 minutes or so, making sure to stir every 15 minutes to prevent burning.  Line a baking sheet with parchment and spread the almonds flat to cool.  The almonds will be sticky at this point, so make sure you separate them a little and have no large mounds.  Let cool (although they are quite tasty warm!) and store in an air tight container.

Recipe Source:  Half Tomato Half Potato

Creamy Jalapeno Gratin Potatoes

*Note to self:  Do not plant as many jalapeno plants next year unless you want to pickle some!

I am STILL trying to find ways to use up our bountiful crop of jalapenos we go this year.  It has been fun trying some new recipes with these spicy little babies, but it comes to a point that you just don't want to look at them anymore...or is it just me?!  I definitely got that way with my zucchini and the jalapenos are getting there.  

These potatoes were a nice way to mix things up...it's not another hispanic dish or a salsa, but still works really well.  These potatoes turned out creamy and was a perfect side dish to some ham for a Sunday dinner.  Enjoy!

Creamy Jalapeno Gratin Potatoes


2 pound potatoes
2 Tbs diced jalapeno
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup heavy cream
4 o.z. cheddar cheese
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
additional 4 o.z. cheddar cheese
1/4 cup coarse bread crumbs (I used Panko)

Peel the potatoes if desired; dice into small cubes and cover with cool water.  Bring to boil and simmer for 8 minutes.  Drain and mix with remaining ingredients except for additional cheddar and bread crumbs. Pour into greased casserole.  Top with additional cheddar and bread crumbs.  Bake at 350 degrees for 30 – 40 minutes; if desired bump heat up to 375 for the last few minutes while bread crumbs toast.

Recipe Source:  Charles and Kimberly's Recipes

Re-make Recap

Well, I know I haven't been posting a lot of new recipes lately, that's only because I've been actually re-making a lot of my old recipes!  I try to make at least 3 new recipes a week, but sometimes that just doesn't happen.  Here are some of my old tried-and-true recipes that we have been making for the second (or third, fourth, 100th....) time in a row!  (click the words of the dish for the recipes)

Lion House Sweet and Sour Meatballs with Bacon Fried Rice



Copycat Olive Garden Chicken and Gnocchi Soup



And since I was on an Olive Garden kick this week....

Copycat Olive Garden Zuppa Toscana and Red Lobster's Cheddar Bay Biscuits.  This happens to be one of the hubs's favorite dinners!  



Not to neglect the sweet tooth either...for family night this week I went through the archives and found this recipe for

Deadly Caramel Brownies

 

And we made 

Paula Deen's Pumpkin Bars


I'm working on some new recipes, but in the mean time....enjoy some of these old favorites!  

Balsamic French Dip Sandwich

I love beef sandwiches made in the crockpot.  They are one of our go-to meals on a weeknight, and something I almost ALWAYS make when the missionaries come over for dinner :)  It is definitely a man-pleasing meal! My favorite recipe is my Crockpot Beef Sandwiches, and I also like the French Dip Sandwiches from Our Best Bites.

This version has a definite TANG to it, so if you are not a fan of that balsamic tang, this may no be for you, but we thought it was mighty tasty!  We broiled our bread before putting the beef on with some butter, garlic salt, and provolone until bubbly.  Yummy!  

Balsamic French Dip Sandwich

1 (3-4 pound) boneless roast beef (chuck or round roast) 
1 cup beef broth 
½ cup balsamic vinegar 
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce 
1 tablespoon soy sauce 
1 tablespoon honey 
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes 
4 cloves garlic, chopped 

Throw it all in a crockpot and cook (I cooked mine for about 4 hours on high then 4 hours on low). Reduce gravy and serve on buns (My grocery store's bakery has some rolls that they simply call "sandwich rolls" that are my favorite for french dip sandwiches...they are a little "crust-ier" on the outside than a typical french bread and hold up well with the juices).

Recipe Source:  saw this on this Pinterest pin...no link to the original source

Jalapeno Popper Dip

I am a BIG fan of college football!  I love cheering on my Ohio State Buckeyes as well as my Utah teams (although I am fairly neutral when it comes to the in-state rivalries :)  When we sit down on Saturdays to watch our favorite teams, it is mandatory to have some snack-y type food to munch on while we cheer on our favorites.  

A few weeks back my husband's work had a tailgating potluck during their lunch hour, and one of the gals brought this dip.  My husband immediately called me afterward and told be to buy the ingredients to make this again.  I guess he liked it ;)  It was a great way to use up some of our bountiful crop of jalapenos we got out of our garden this year!  

Jalapeno Popper Dip

6-8 slices of bacon, diced and cooked crispy
2 (8 oz) packages of cream cheese, softened
1 c. mayonnaise
4-6 jalapenos, chopped and deseeded. 
1 c. cheddar cheese, shredded
1/2 c. of mozzarella cheese, shredded
1/4 c. diced green onions

Topping:

1 c. crushed crackers (like Ritz crackers)
1/2 c. parmesan cheese
1/2 stick of butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine all ingredients (except topping ingredients) into a medium bowl.  Stir well.

Transfer to an oven-proof dish .  The size of the dish depends on how thick the dip is.  I used a round dish about 9-inches across.  Obviously, the bigger the dish, the cooking time will go down.

Combine the topping ingredients and sprinkle all over the top of the dip.

Bake the dip until bubbly (for mine it took about 40-45 minutes.  If you have a larger dish, start checking after about 20 minutes).

Recipe Source:  Laura, from the hubby's office

Apple Snickers Cake

I LOVE going to pick apples and make apple cider!  I have been trying to find some yummy recipes to make with my new apples coming in these next few weeks.  This was my first apple recipe of the season.  It turned out super yummy!  The cake is a spin-off of this Snickers Salad, and makes a perfect end to a yummy meal.  

Apple Snickers Cake

1/3 cup applesauce
1/3 cup plain yogurt (Chobani)
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
3 cups peeled and diced apples
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 3/4 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 1/2 cup chopped Snickers bars, divided
1 cup milk
1 box Jello instant vanilla pudding (3.4 oz.)
1 Cool Whip (8 oz.)

In a large mixing bowl, combine the applesauce, yogurt, eggs, vanilla, and sugars. Beat until creamy. Stir in the diced apples. Combine the flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Slowly add to the apple mixture until thoroughly combined. Stir in 1 cup of chopped Snickers by hand.

Pour the apple batter into a 9x13 pan that has been sprayed with non stick spray. Bake the cake at 350* for 35 minutes. Remove from the oven and place on a cooling rack. Cool completely.

Whisk together the milk and pudding mix for 2 minutes. Fold in the Cool Whip gently. Spoon on top of the cooled cake and spread out. Place in refrigerator for about on hour to thicken. Serve with extra candy bar pieces. Makes 16 pieces.

Recipe Source:  Inside Bru Crew Life