National Coffee Day/ Iced Coffee

I love coffee, Heck I live off of coffee. I get about 3-4 hours asleep at night. Needless to say is very much needed. Its National  Coffee Day. I personally think coffee deserves a whole month but hey that's just me :) I wanted to mention how I make my coffee. I only drink Iced coffee. I live in Tucson, AZ and its just plan too hot here to drink hot coffee. I use a BODUM french press and I cold brew my coffee. I love it! I got my press free via starbucks website. So, check it out. You don't have to use extra electricity. Just put it in the fridge overnight and wake up to perfect coffee.

Iced Coffee

I pour half of the coffee in my press in my cup

Add 3-5 pumps of vanilla syrup

Add a creamer of my choice

Stir and add Ice

Enjoy!

Chicken Nuggets

What kid doesn't love chicken nuggets??? I know my Anyce loves them. I HATE McDonalds. We never get her nuggets from them, her nana does that for her lol. These nuggets are super easy and can be seasoned to your families taste.

Chicken Nuggets

1 -2  large Chicken Breast
1/2 cup Bread Crumbs (Italian)
1/2 cup Wheat Germ
Season to taste.
I use Garlic Powder, Poultry Seasoning, and Green Herbs.
Oil
Olive oil

Heat oil in a large skillet on medium-high heat (don't let it smoke)
Pound Chicken then cut into nuggets or use cookie cutters for shapes
Mix Bread Crumbs, Wheat Germ and seasoning.
Poor a small amount of Olive Oil in a dish.
Dip Chicken in breading mix then Olive oil then Breading mix again

Fry in oil for two minutes on each side keep rotating until juices run clear.
Enjoy!!

Chicken Enchiladas

Yummy Chicken enchiladas. I say American style because I don't really know how to make authentic Mexican food. Still very yummy!!!

Chicken Enchiladas

1 can  Shredded Chicken 15 oz
1/2 cup Water
1 can  Roasted Diced Green Chiles 4 oz(macayos)
1 can Vegetarian Refried Beans 16 oz
1 can Enchilada Sauce 12 oz (macayos)
1/2-1 cup of Pepper Jack shredded cheese
1/2 cup of Colby Jack  shredded cheese
Taco seasoning to taste
Cilantro to taste
Minced Garlic to taste
Tortilla Shells

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

Over the stove cook shredded Chicken and chiles
Add water and seasonings
Once water is evaporated
Add refried beans until all warm

In a large glass pan coat the bottom of the pan with sauce
Then assemble the enchiladas half pepper jack cheese half mixture
Place in glass pan and top with the rest of the sauce and colby jack cheese.
Cook for 30 minutes
Enjoy!!

Nightmare Before Christmas Pumpkins

Halloween, Halloween, this is Halloween!!
Here's our pumpkins :) They are artificial pumpkins. Which happen to be much harder to carve but last for years. You can also do as I did and add a light candle instead of real ones so no worry of fires. Which is much safer if you have kids.

Halloween is my favorite holiday!!

Wow, this week has flown by and I haven't even post anything. I gotta catch up and post some stuff!!! Halloween is my favorite holiday. I just got Happy Hauntings. So Ive been playing around a little. Anyce loves the Cricut. She thinks its hers lol. Anytime I get a new cart she wants to play around. So, I let her pick out a few cuts and we made some images we are going to put up on the walls. I will be posting more stuff later. BTW if you don't know what a Cricut is, be prepared to be amazed!!!! http://www.cricut.com/

Italian Chicken

Italian Chicken, The easiest and cheapest entree. It just happens to be Trevor's favorite. I have been making this since high school. I like to caramelize the sauce, makes it taste much better.

Italian Chicken

Italian dressing

Chicken breast

Garlic optional

Fry it up in a grill pan.

Caramelize sauce and serve.

Enjoy!!

Use leftovers for salads.

White Bean Chicken Peppers

White Bean Chicken Peppers

Olive oil

1 chopped onion

4 chopped garlic cloves

1 diced red bell pepper

1 can white beans

15 oz of shredded chicken

3-4 green bell peppers

2 cups water
parsley to taste
basil to taste

cajun seasons to taste

crushed red peper to taste
1/2 cup shredded cheddar

preheat oven to 350 degrees
cut green bell peppers in half, remove seeds and steam.
place peppers in glass dish

In pan heat oil add onion,garlic and red pepper, saute.
Then add drained white beans,shredded chicken, and 1 cup water.
Let water thicken and season to taste.

fill peppers with mix, add cup of water to bottom of glass dish.
Cover with tin foil bake for 35 mins.
remove tin foil cover in cheese, bake for 5 more mins or untill cheese is melted

Pizza Dough

Who doesn't love Pizza? We eat pizza atleast once a week. Its also my backup meal. I pretty much keep everything on hand. The nice thing about this pizza dough is you can make breadsticks or calzones with it.

Pizza Dough



1 1/2 cups hot water
2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
1/2 teaspoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon salt
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour or wheat or a mixture of both
2 tablespoons parmesan cheese
2 teaspoons dried parsley
2 tablespoons olive oil


In a cup put water, yeast, and brown sugar. Stir and let proof will look creamy.
Add salt and oil to yeast mix.
In a bowl place 3 cups of flour, parmesan cheese and parsley.
Add yeast mix to flour. mix
Dust 1/2 cup of flour on to table. Knead dough untill no longer sticky.
Place dough in a well oiled bowl.
Cover with wet cloth, let raise for 30-60 mins
Then punch down and knead additional 2-3 mins.

Bake at 400-425 degrees for 15-20 minutes depends on oven
ENJOY!!!

Recipe Box

I got a cute wooden recipe box. I'm so excited. I never write down my recipes,this blog is helping me. I want to make this recipe box for my family. I would love to be able to give it to my daughter, Anyce when she leaves the house. Food to me is important. Cooking food and sharing with others is the same as showing someone you care for them or value them. I found this box at personalizationmall . They have a lot of cute different boxes and other items that you can personalize so check them out. I still have to decided how I'm going to make the recipe cards. Once I do I'll share it with you guys :)

Not Your Traditional Meatloaf

Here's a meatloaf that's yummy and different than the classic.

Not Your Traditional Meatloaf

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Meatloaf

1-11/2 lbs of Ground Beef or Ground Turkey

2 tsp Garlic, Minced

1 Small Onion, Diced

1/2 Red Pepper, Grated/Shredded

1/2 Yellow Pepper, Grated/Shredded

1 cup bread crumbs ( I use Italian)

Oregano

Ginger

Black Pepper

2 Eggs

1/2 cup of Milk

Topping

2/3 cup Brown Sugar
1/3 cup Ketchup
2 tsp Worcestershire Sauce

Mix in a large bowl Meat,Garlic,Onion,Red Pepper,Yellow Pepper,Bread Crumbs,Oregano,Ginger,Black pepper.
Then add Eggs and Milk, Mix well.

Put meat in a oil loaf pan and bake for 40 mins
Then spread topping bake for 10 mins or broil for 5

Enjoy!!

Amish Wheat Bread

This bread is delicious for sandwiches. Anyce likes to eat this bread plain. Plus if you have kids let them help make the dough and let them watch as it grows,its like magic to them :) I found this recipe on allrecipes I just replaced the white flour with wheat flour since we try not to do much white flour in this house.

Amish Wheat Bread

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

2 cups warm water
2/3 cup white sugar

1 1/2 tablespoons active dry yeast

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1/4 cup vegetable oil

6 cups Wheat (or white) bread flour

In a large bowl, dissolve the sugar in warm water, and then stir in yeast. Allow to proof until yeast resembles a creamy foam. 

Mix salt and oil into the yeast. Mix in flour one cup at a time. Knead dough on a lightly floured surface until smooth.

Place in a well oiled bowl, and turn dough to coat. Cover with a damp cloth. Allow to rise until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.

Punch dough down. Knead for a few minutes, and divide in half. Shape into loaves, and place into two well oiled 9x5 inch loaf pans.

Allow to rise for 30 minutes, or until dough has risen 1 inch above pans.

Bake for 30 minutes

 

ENJOY!!

Breakfast Bars

You can make any type of bars you want with this recipe. My daughter loves to eat these bars for snacks. I cut these up into bars or little squares for my daughter.

Breakfast Bars

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

1 1/2 cups Cooking Oats

3/4 cup Wheat Flour

1/4 cup Wheat Germ

pinch of Salt

tsp of Cinnamon

1/2 cup Honey

1/3 cup Unsweetened Applesauce

1/4 cup Canola Oil

1 Egg

1 Egg white

any Dried Fruits/Nuts you want

(I did Walnuts,Cherries,Coconuts) topped with Strawberry Perserves

Any Perserves you like

Mix in a big bowl Cooking Oats,Wheat Flour,Wheat Germ,Salt & Cinnamon

Mix in a small bowl honey,Unsweetened Applesauce,Canola Oil,Egg,Egg white

Put wet mix in dry mix and fold together.

Add any Dried Fruits and or Nuts you want

Put in a lightly oiled 9x9 glass pan
Bake for 30 mins

While baking heat up Perserves on top of stove

Once you pull your bars out

Then coat you favorite Perserves on top lightly, let cool

ENJOY!!

Sweet Potato Fries

Sweet Potato Fries, my husband loves them. This was my first time making these.  They turned out good. I really don't care for sweet potatoes but these I can eat. In fact I ate most of what was on my plate. :)

Please keep in mind this is rough measurements since I don't measure while cooking :)

Sweet Potato Fries

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

1-2 large Sweet Potatoes
Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO)
1/4 cup Bread Crumbs
1-2 tsp of Lemon Pepper
1-2 tsp of Italian Seasoning


Wash Sweet Potatoes, cut into shoestring slices
Place potatoes in a large bowl .
Toss the potatoes with EVOO, Bread Crumbs, Lemon Pepper and Italian Seasoning.
Place Fries on a tin foiled pan and bake for 40 minutes
Turn fries 2-3 while cooking.
Enjoy!!

Food

I love to bake and like cooking. Sometimes its hard to cook for a family everyday thinking of new meals and ideas for everyone. I have a 3 yr old and myself, who is pretty picky and luckly a husband that will eat anything. Gosh, I love him for that! He is also my taste teaster for everything. :) Im going to post what I cook on here and share with other who may be mothers or just cooks who need ideas. Have you enjoy and get cooking with me. :)