Top 5 for 2013

I just realized I never did a Top 5 for my 2013 blog posts. That's what happens when you are moving from one state to another to then pack up and move half way across the world again....all in the matter of 4 months!!

The Top 5 for this year are still family favorites of ours. All 5 recipes can easily be incorporated into a meal plan, prepared in advance or even taken to a potluck.


1. Tamale Chicken Bake

This is an easy go to recipe if you love tamales but don't have the time or the know how to prepare tamales from scratch ;-)

 2. Strawberry Crisp
LOVE this recipe! So easy to make and so delicious.

3. Mexican Cornbread Salad
Not only does this taste yummy but it looks great too.

4. Sweet Sesame Chicken
One of my absolute favorite go to recipes I have.

 5. Turkey & Wild Rice Soup
Nothing taste better then homemade soup and fresh baked bread on a cloudy day.

Pasta E Fagoli ***Surprise Recipe Swap***

Where has this month gone? Does anyone else like these past weeks have just slipped by them. It feels like we just had Spring Break and now my kiddos only have 3.5 days left before Summer Break starts!! 

I have been pretty busy with my current college schedule and on top of that schedule I had a house full of sick children....not a great combo at all. Thankfully I didn't catch the germs and that the germs have finally decided they don't like all the de-germifying I have been doing and have left our house ;-) So I hope you can all forgive me for not having posted much in the past days it really was not my intention to leave you hanging for so long.

Today is May 20th so that means we are FINALLY allowed sharing our partnered up with for the monthly Secret Recipe Swap hosted by Jutta over at Hungry Little Girl. 

I finally get to share the great recipes I have found and will be adding to my keeper files.

Spatulas on Parade was my stalking site for this months swap. Dawn the creator and editor of this blog has been doing a great job with providing a great variety of recipes. I browsed through her recipes and postings....and probably read every single one not because I couldn't find a good recipe but because I really liked SO MANY of her recipes and I REALLY felt she writes from the heart and the way it is.

Now to the recipe....recipes I decided to recreate.....first I decided on her Pasta E Fagoli Soup recipe and then I just couldn't help myself and also made her Everything Tropical Cake. I chose to make the soup because I love eating it at Olive Garden but since I don't go that often I wanted to have a recipe that would compare that I could make at home. The Everything Tropical Cake was chosen because I love coconut, pineapple and mangos but my husband doesn't...thankfully I had a Bunco night with some friends SO it was the perfect opportunity for me to try it! Another reason I wanted to try this recipe was because it is DAIRY & EGG FREE!! 

This is without the frosting.....it seems I can never get a picture with the frosting on my cakes!

Both recipes are keepers :-) 

Pasta E Fagoli

1 lb ground beef or turkey (I used turkey)

1 tsp paprika

1 tsp italian seasoning

2 carrot, finely diced

2 stalks celery, finely diced

1 can diced tomatoes, drained

1 can kidney beans, drained and rinsed

1 can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

26 oz. beef stock

1- 25 oz. jar of spaghetti sauce

1 tsp pepper

2 tsp oregano

2 tsp parsley

3/4 cup cooked pasted

Directions:

Cook beef or turkey with the paprika and italian seasoning ***I forgot to add the seasoning...oops***

Drain the fat from the pan before adding it to your crockpot. Add all the remaining ingredients and stir well. Cook on low 6-8 hrs or on high 3-4.   

30 minutes before serving add the cooked pasta and stir.

Serve with parmesan cheese and crispy bread.

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Everything Tropical Cake

1 1/2 cup flour plus 3 TBS

1 cup sugar

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup mango nectar

1 tsp white vinegar

5 TBS vegetable oil

3/4 cup shredded carrots

4 TBS crushed pineapple, after draining juices

1/3 cup coconut flakes

1/2 can white frosting

1/2 cup crushed pineapple with the juice

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350F. Lightly grease a glass 2.2 quart rectangle baking dish.

In a large mixing bowl combine the dry ingredients first and mix well. Then add the mango nectar, vinegar, and oil. Mix until combined. Stir in the carrots, pineapple and coconut flakes. Stir well and pour into your prepared pan. Bake 30 minutes, cake will be nice and golden.

Meanwhile, whisk together the frosting and crushed pineapple. Set this aside until the cakes has cooled.  

I decided to pour the frosting mixture onto the cake while it was still warm....well I think it would have been better to frost the cake until after it has cooled because my frosting disappeared!!! The cake was so warm that it melted the frosting! HAHA oh well...it wasn't a bad mistake but it didn't look as pretty as Dawn's cake ;-)

Joining Hungry Little Girl monthly Secret Recipe Swap is as easy as clicking on the link below!

Taco Joe's

Who hasn't had sloppy joe's at some point in their life and I am pretty sure tacos have been eaten too BUT what about a taco shell filled with a mexican flavored sloppy joe?! While this is simmering away in your crockpot be prepared for the scrumptious smell that is going to fill your house.

Taco Joe's

2 lbs ground turkey or beef

1 onion, finely chopped

1 tsp minced garlic 

1 cup chili sauce

1 can (8oz.) tomato sauce

1TBS worcestershire sauce

1/2 cup water

1/2 tsp pepper

1 pkg taco seasoning

buns or taco shells with toppings

Directions:

Brown the ground turkey with the chopped onion and garlic until meat is no longer pink.

While you are browning the meat combine the remaining ingredients in your crockpot. Starting with the chili sauce and tomato sauce. Then stir in the worcestershire, water, pepper and taco seasoning. Carefully add the browned
meat to the sauce mixture and stir to coat.




Cook on low 6 hrs.










The best part about this recipe is that you have the choice to serve it either as a taco filler or as a sloppy joe.....either way tastes GREAT!! I personally liked the taco option the best! With a little shredded cheddar and sliced green onions....yum

Slow Cooker Chicken Curry

I love curry and I love my slow cooker so I would only assume that the two would go together just lovely. I usually make my chicken curry on the stove top but had to give this recipe a try AND it did not fail. I have been holding on to this recipe for quite some time, it was meant for my freezer/meal plan cooking BUT I needed to try it out first before I actually added it to my list. I have never combined sweet potatoes, mango and curry in the same pot and wasn't really sure how this would turn out, to my surprise I really like it and will be adding this to my freezer meal plans.

Question to all of you.....have you ever seen yellow sweet potatoes??
I haven't until I moved to Tucson. I have only ever used and seen the red/orange sweet potatoes but never yellow or white ones. Our local grocery store carries yellow/white sweet potatoes and the red/orange yams. I can honestly say that I really didn't know the difference between the two so I did a little reading and searching. From what I gathered is the yellow/white sweet potatoes and the red/orange yams are pretty much the same thing, with very little difference.....the biggest differences are the moisture content and color, sweet potatoes have a lower water content vs. the yam. I also read that the yellow sweet potatoes are more common in the Southern states like Arizona and New Mexico so this could also explain why I hadn't seen them until now. (Next time I go to the grocery store I will take a picture of the two different sweet potatoes and share them with you)

SO I guess I have been eating "yams" and not really sweet potatoes...UNTIL today!!!

Slow Cooker Chicken Curry

3 TBS flour
4 TBS curry
1 tsp cumin
salt & pepper
2 lbs chicken breast or boneless thighs **I used breast because that's what I had but do think that thighs would be just as yummy**
2 sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
2 cups of carrots, roughly chopped
2 mangos, peeled and cubed
1 cup chopped onion
2 tsp minced garlic
2 chicken bouillon cubes or 2 tsp chicken granules

****Now you can either make one meal (that will make 6-8 servings) or you can divide it into 2 gallon size freezer bags and freeze****

Directions:

Combine all ingredients in your slow cooker and cook on low for 8 hours. Serve with rice or couscous.

If you are doing the freezer option: Combine all your ingredients EXCEPT the chicken bouillon cubes/granules. After combing all your ingredients divide it into 2 gallon size freezer bags, then add 1 bouillon cube or 1 tsp chicken granule to each bag. Shake & Freeze.

Sweet Sesame Chicken

Getting either Chinese or Thai take-out on those nights where my day just seemed to be a little more hectic then I anticipated or wanted and don't get me wrong even though I LOVE both our take-out options I think I might have found one of the two cuisines match!!!

Don't mind my paperplate or brussel sprouts because I love both of them :-)

I have had a few different Honey Sesame Chicken recipes written down and pinned to try but they all called for 1 cup of honey. Now between you and me honey is a little pricey especially if you are using 1 whole cup of it in a recipe that you aren't too sure about in the first place....so instead of the honey I used brown sugar and honestly I don't think I even want to try using honey. The flavor was so yummy and delicious that I will be holding this recipe up against any take-out or eat-in Chinese restaurant I eat at in the future.

Seriously I am adding this to my all time favorite crock pot recipes!!


Sweet Sesame Chicken

Chicken all ready to cook

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts....thighs would be fine too
salt and pepper
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup soy sauce
1 tsp onion powder OR 1/2 cup diced onion
1/4 cup ketchup
2 TBS oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes....optional- won't add much heat but it will add flavor

4 tsp cornstarch dissolved in 6 TBS water
sesame seeds.....you won't need this until your are ready to serve

Directions:

Season both sides of chicken with lightly with salt and pepper, put into crock pot.

In a small bowl combine brown sugar, soy sauce, onion powder, ketchup, oil, garlic and pepper flakes. Pour over chicken and give it a good stir to coat the chicken evenly. Cook on low for 4 hours or high for 2 hours. Time may vary depending on if you are using frozen or thawed chicken

I could have just eaten right out of the bowl!!

Remove chicken from crock pot, leave sauce. Cut chicken into bite size pieces or shred....I decided to shred it because my chicken was so tender it just fell apart! Return chicken to pot and toss with sauce and then remove chicken again. Don't leave it in the sauce because it will be too overwhelming in flavor.

So remove the chicken, pour sauce into a small saucepan and then return chicken back into the warm crockpot to keep warm until ready to serve.

Turn the heat onto medium heat to warm the sauce up to a simmer. Meanwhile dissolve 4 teaspoons of cornstarch in 6 tablespoons of water and pour into saucepan. Stir to combine with sauce. Continue stirring and cooking sauce until it thickens.



Sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve over rice or noodles....I forgot to add the sesame seeds but it still tasted AMAZING!!

Crockpot Breakfast Casserole

I was a little skeptical about this recipe since cooks all night. You know what was even worse then being worried about the outcome of this.....waking up to the smell of it at 3AM and having your stomach rumble because it smells SO good. The only bad thing that I can say about the outcome of this dish is darn the luck that my crockpot has a hot spot!!

Finished casserole

Crockpot Breakfast Casserole

6-8 strips of bacon, cooked crispy and crumbled (I used turkey bacon)

1 onion, chopped

1-2 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 green bell pepper & 1/2 red bell pepper, chopped

1 (2lb.) bag shredded hash browns, frozen

1 cup shredded cheddar

12 eggs

1 cup milk (I used lactose free milk)

1/2 tsp each salt & pepper

1 tsp dried parsley

Directions:

Spray crockpot with non-stick cooking spray.     

Sauté onion, garlic and peppers until tender. Meanwhile whisk together eggs, milk and seasonings, set aside. Start layering ingredients. Hashbrowns, bacon, pepper mix then cheese; repeat until you end with cheese on top. Pour egg mixture over everything.

Cover and cook on low 8-10 hours.

Teriyaki Chicken

A friend of mine suggested placing your slow cooker in the garage or outside on the patio to keep the house from heating up. Which is funny because you read all the time how using your slow cooker shouldn't heat your house up as much as your oven does but I am starting think this is not so true. I find my kitchen gets pretty darn warm when I use my slow cooker, of course all in all it is less then using my oven but still ;-) I didn't put mine out in the garage.....I don't have a covered patio and it is suppose to be 99F outside today, don't think that would be too good for my chicken and I plan on using my oven to try out a new recipe (will share in another post) so the house will heat up anyway!

I don't have any pictures of my prep work because I was in a hurry to get it all into the slow cooker....Andrew started fussing for his bottle and nappy as soon as I started cutting the onions!

Here is my recipe:

Teriyaki Chicken 
Serves 4-6 (we usually have leftovers)

2 1/2 lbs chicken thighs or tenders (today I use frozen thighs)
1 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup soy sauce
1 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp minced fresh ginger
1 medium onion, chopped (I use sweet onion)

Combine everything into your slow cooker. Set temperature on low for 6 hrs.

Serve with rice and your favorite steamed veggies. I like to sprinkle toasted sesame seeds over mine.


FREEZER prepping:

This meal could be divided into two freezer meals for smaller families.

Stir brown sugar, soy sauce, ginger and garlic together into a large bowl.

If you are using fresh chicken....toss chicken and onion in soy mixture and then transfer to a ziploc bag.
If you are using frozen chicken.....place chicken and onion into ziploc bag and then pour soy mixture over it.

Label with cooking directions. Thaw 30 minutes before putting into your slow cooker, no need to thaw completely.

Brats & Peppers

Wow, I can't believe how fast my weekend came and went!! I don't think my schedule was just a tad bit over-scheduled this past weekend.....house cleaning, trying out new recipes, book club, homework and finally getting to go to the pool again (monsoon has made it nearly impossible these last weeks). I finally got to watch the movie The Hunger Games,  I loved the book MUCH better. Don't get me wrong the movie was good but it was missing so much from the book.

The only thing I didn't have time to squeeze in was this post!! But hey better now then never, right?


I want to share a recipe with you that I found while searching for recipes to add to my meal planning. It is such an easy and fast recipe to prep.

Here is the recipe I use:

Brats & Peppers

6 plain bratwurst, sliced (these are not flavored but you could probably use italian sausages too)
2 green bell peppers, sliced
1 red bell pepper, sliced
1 red onion, sliced
4 tsp of minced garlic (or 4 cloves minced)
2 cans diced tomatoes, do not drain
1 TBS italian seasoning
2 TBS olive oil

Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl and toss to coat.

If you are prepping this to freeze for later, divide the mixture into 2 freezer safe ziploc bags or containers. Then to serve just thaw for 30-45 minutes on the counter, this should be enough time to get the mixture out of your bag or container. Then dump into your slow cooker and cook on low for 6 hours.

If you are cooking right away, add the mixture to your slow cooker and set on low for 6 hours. If you cook all of the mixture at once you should have leftovers since we make two meals out of this recipe.

We love making this and eating it either with pasta or even just some slices of french bread.