recipe

Recipe: Street Corn Enchiladas

Abby H.Leave a comment

Inspired by Your Barefoot Neighbor, this recipe is really tasty and pretty easy.

Ingredients:

  • 14 ounces fire-roasted corn (available frozen or canned- if you use canned, drain it)
  • 1 red bell pepper, diced
  • 1 green bell pepper, diced
  • 1 large onion, diced
  • 1 T. Neutral cooking Oil
  • 2 cups cooked chicken, cut into bite-sized pieces (Rotisserie chicken works great for this)
  • 28-ounce can green enchilada sauce. I like Las Palmas
  • 1 cup Sour Cream (or plain Greek yogurt)
  • 1 can cream of chicken soup
  • 4 T.  Elote Seasoning (or more, to taste)
  • 1 package corn tortillas
  • 4 cups cheese of your choice- I like Monterey Jack or Mexican Melting Cheese blend
  • Spray release

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. In a skillet over medium heat, sauté the corn, bell peppers, and onion in oil until the onions are soft and translucent, about 5-10 minutes.
  3. Remove from the heat and let cool slightly.
  4. In a mixing bowl, combine the Enchilada sauce, cream of chicken soup, sour cream, and elote seasoning.
  5. Spray a 9×13 pan with nonstick spray.
  6. I prefer to layer enchiladas, like lasagna, instead of rolling them. Spoon a little sauce into the bottom of the pan. Then lay down a layer of tortillas, veggies, chicken, cheese, and sauce. Continue to layer the ingredients until the pan is full. Top with any remaining cheese.
  7. Cover with foil and bake for 30-45 minutes. Remove the foil during the last 10 minutes to melt the cheese on top.
  8. Allow to rest for a few minutes before serving.

Variations:

  • Gluten Free: Substitute gluten-free cream of Chicken Soup
  • Vegan: Omit Chicken. Substitute faux meat as desired, or increase the amount of veggies. Substitute sour cream, cream of chicken soup, and cheese for your preferred vegan versions.

 

Today is National Peanut Day!

Abby H.

September 13th is National Peanut Day!

If you don’t have a peanut allergy, this is a great day to celebrate this tasty legume. The peanut isn’t botanically a nut; it is related to beans and lentils.

We can credit George Washington Carver for bringing the peanut into our everyday lives. To learn more about Carver and his incredible career in botany, check out this article.

Here are a few recipes that my family loves that feature peanut butter:

If you love Peanut butter but need to avoid the natural fat/oil, I use PB2 in my protein shakes. If you also need to avoid added salt, Peanut Flour is a great option in place of PB2.

I love having Peanut butter on hand in my car snack box, so I use these Jif Cups or these By Nutz pouches.

 

 

 

Recipe: Country Pork Sausage Gravy

Abby H.

This is a very easy breakfast to make. It goes great on toast, biscuits, and crescent rolls.

Ingredients

  • 1 lb. Bulk breakfast sausage (I like Jimmy Dean)
  • 1.5 cups milk (I used whole milk)
  • 1/2 cup All-Purpose flour
  • Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions

  1. In a large skillet, brown and crumble sausage over medium heat.
  2. Once the meat has cooked through, sprinkle flour in the skillet. Stir the flour, coating the meat and absorbing the fat in the pan.
  3. Allow flour to cook and brown slightly, stirring frequently.
  4. Turn down the stove to low, and slowly pour milk over the mixture, while whisking. Stir constantly as the mixture cooks and the flour thickens.
  5. If the gravy is too thick, add a little milk (about 1/4 cup), and continue to cook until thick.

Subtitutions:

  • If you are dairy-free, use your favorite milk.
  • If you are gluten-free, use a 1:1 Gluten Free All Purpose Flour.
  • If you do not eat pork, turkey breakfast bulk sausage is a great replacement.

French Onion Beans- Easy High Fiber Meal!

Abby H.

I’ve seen this recipe all over social media. I watched a few videos and rummaged through my pantry. Here is my version. It’s simple and so tasty!

French onion beans

Ingredients

  • Two onions, thinly sliced
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 1 tablespoon neutral oil or oil from sun-dried tomatoes
  • 2 tablespoons garlic powder or 2 tablespoons garlic from a jar
  • 1/4 cup diced sun-dried tomatoes
  • 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
  • 1/2  teaspoon dried thyme, or 1 tablespoon fresh thyme
    Salt and pepper to taste
  • 2 15-ounce cans, cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
  • 3/4 cup half-and-half
  • 1/2 cup grated Italian cheese blend

Directions

  1. In a large skillet, add butter and oil.
  2. Once the butter and oil are melted and combined, add onions and sauté on low for about 10 minutes until onions become translucent.
  3. Add garlic/garlic powder, tomatoes, paprika, thyme, and stir to combine.
  4. Cover and cook on low, stirring occasionally for 25 to 35 minutes. Onions will become thick and jammy, and will continue to become translucent and lightly brown around the edges.
  5. Over medium heat, add beans, half-and-half, and cheese.
  6. Uncover and allow to cook for 5 to 10 minutes until it is melting and bubbly.
  7. Serve with crusty Italian bread, sourdough, or crackers of your choice.

These beans stay good in the fridge 3-4 days, however, they will not last that long. They are soo rich and smooth. And very filling,

You can make this recipe vegan by using dairy-free butter substitute, coconut milk, and dairy-free cheese.

Potluck Dish Round Up

Abby H.

Summer means potlucks, picnics, barbecues, and all sorts of fun events with family and friends.

If you’re looking for a new dish to bring, here are some of my favorite recipes to share.

Recipe: Oat Flour Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

Abby H.

The kids love cookies. It’s one of the few foods they both agree on.

I started making these about 6 months ago. They are so good, easy to make, and they are pretty customizable if you have food allergies.

Oat Flour Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients

  • Two sticks (1 cup) salted butter, softened
  • 1 cup peanut butter, smooth preferred
  • 1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
  • 1 1/2 cups white sugar
  • 2 tablespoons vanilla
  • 4 large eggs
  • 2 1/2 cups AP Flour
  • 2 cups Oat Flour
  • 1/2 cup quick-cooking oatmeal
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 1/2 baking chips of your choice- I used Milk Chocolate, Semi-Sweet Chocolate, and Peanut Butter chips.

To make Oat Flour, pulse oats in a blender or food processor until the oats are a smooth flour. 1 1/2 cups of oats should make about 2 cups of flour. You can also buy it online or at most health food stores. 

Directions:

  • Preheat oven to 350.
  • Line baking sheets with parchment paper. 
  • In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and peanut butter.
  • Add sugars one at a time and mix until fluffy.
  • Add eggs and vanilla and mix until incorporated fully.
  • Mix in baking powder, salt, flours, and oats.
  • Once all are blended into the dough, add chocolate chips.
  • Drop tablespoon-sized dough balls on cookie sheets that have been greased or are lined with parchment paper. I prefer parchment paper.
  • Bake at 350 degrees for 8-12 minutes.  Let cookies rest 1-2 minutes before transferring to the cooling rack.

This recipe makes about 6 dozen cookies. 

This dough also freezes well. 

If you are allergic to peanuts, you can substitute sunbutter or your favorite nut butter. Do not use Nutella- It contains a lot of sugar and other ingredients that will throw off the chemistry of the recipe, and you won’t get yummy cookies.

Gluten Free Peeps: You can use 1:1 Gluten Free AP Flour and Gluten Free Oats in place of AP flour and regular oats.

Vegans: Substitute Crisco or Coconut Oil for butter. Do not use margarine/spread as it can contain a higher quantity of liquid than butter. Use your favorite egg replacer.

DIY Salad Dressing- Easy and Tasty!

Abby H.

Making Salad Dressing is so easy, and for so long I had no idea.

I love cooking, and I have limited experience making salad dressings.

But with the cost of food rising, I thought I’d give it a shot.

Below is my “template” for making a quick salad dressing, and a few ideas for some tasty dressings.

This recipe makes enough to dress a few salads, but not as much as a full mass-produced bottle. With no preservatives, these sauces will last 7-10 days- if they don’t get eaten sooner.

  • 1/4 cup Olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons neutral oil (Vegetable or canola)
  • 6 tablespoons acid- Citrus juice, vinegar (red wine, champagne, balsamic, rice wine, and apple cider are good choices)
  • 2 tablespoon tablespoons honey or other sweetener (agave, maple)
  • 1 teaspoon emulsifier (Stone ground or Dijon mustard or mayonnaise) 
  • Salt and pepper as needed 
  • Herbs or seasoning as desire

Here are a few of my favorite combinations:

  • Lemon juice, 2 Tablespoons lemon zest, 2 t. powdered ginger, honey, Dijon mustard
  • Red Wine Vinegar, honey, stone ground mustard, 2T. Italian seasoning, 1t. granulated garlic
  • Apple Cider Vinegar, maple syrup, Dijon mustard, 1t. granulated garlic

Remember to store these in the fridge after you make them and shake them well before using them!

And if you are looking for some of my favorite salads, here is a great round-up of salad recipes.

Recipe: Cheesecake Protein Fluff

Abby H.

Inspired by my love of cheesecake, and my need to increase my protein intake, I took to the internet to see what kinds of snacks I could come up with.

There are a lot of variations of this recipe floating around. Some people use cottage cheese instead of Greek Yogurt, but I strongly dislike cottage cheese.

I like to make a big batch at once, however, if this is not ideal for you, I will also include the recipe for the individual serving size below.

My go-to base recipe is:

Directions:

  1. Mix all of the ingredients in a bowl.
  2. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours before serving.
  3. Top with your choice of fruits, etc, and enjoy.

Serves 6-8.

Individual Serving:

Directions:

  1. Mix all of the ingredients in a bowl.
  2. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours before serving.
  3. Top with your choice of fruits, etc, and enjoy.

Serves 1.

The finished fluff, ready to be mixed with Fresh Strawberries!

Some of my favorite toppings include:

  • Sliced, fresh berries
  • Freeze-dried strawberries or mangoes (I like to crush them and mix them into the fluff)
  • Oreos or graham crackers
  • Brownies (the Fiber One Brownies are great because they are individually wrapped and portioned controlled)

Bonus Tip: If you are really looking to pump up your protein intake, I have seen some recipes that call for a scoop of your favorite protein powder too (usually vanilla or cheesecake flavor), and a splash of your favorite milk to help the protein powder incorporate). I have not done that because I drink already made protein shakes for breakfast.

Today Is National Cake Day!

Abby H.

Yup, it’s International Cake Day. I’m celebrating with the kids by baking a cake later this afternoon.

If you are looking for a way to celebrate at home, here are my tips for making a cake mix taste more like a scratch-baked cake.

Here are a few of my favorite cake recipes:

Fall Recipe Round-Up!

Abby H.

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Thanksgiving in the US is just a few days away, and for most of us, it means cooking a HUGE feast to share with family or friends.

I wanted to share with you some of my family’s favorite fall recipes- They are all pretty tasty, and easy to make. Some are great for Thanksgiving dinner, and some are just tasty fall recipes.