mmmmm, mondays: mexican rice

the nellie family is on vacation this week, visiting some friends in lovely connecticut. while we are here, we cooked dinner for our hosts to help with the meal making load (that's what you do when there are eight children involved). last night was mexican night. there are a few recipes that are my favorites for every mexican night. this one is one of them...amazing mexican rice to accompany all your favorite mexican meals. the best part? if you have a rice cooker, you can cook this right in your cooker. if not, it works just as well on the stove. enjoy!

mexican rice (rice cooker or stove)

2 cups white rice

1/2 chopped onion (or one bag frozen chopped onions)

2 teaspoons minced garlic

1/2 green bell pepper, chopped

1 jalapeno, finely chopped (if you like rice spicy, keep in the seeds. if you like your rice mild or you have kids to feed, take out all the seeds.)

1 tablespoon bacon grease or cooking oil (totally depends on if you are going for healthy or upping the delicious factor)

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1/2 cup salsa (again, choose mild or hot salsa based on how spicy you want it to be)

1/2 can green chilies

2 teaspoons cumin

1/2 teaspoon salt

4 cups chicken broth

on the stove:

saute the onion, garlic and peppers in bacon grease or oil until soft. add all the remaining ingredients. bring to boil. reduce heat and cover until all the liquid is absorbed, about 20 minutes.

in the rice cooker:

saute the onion, garlic and peppers in bacon grease or oil until soft. add all the ingredients in the rice cooker. put on the regular rice cooking setting.

enjoy!

friday fun finds: simple, delicious recipes for the 4th of july

the 4th of july is upon us (how is it already almost july?!). whether or not you are hosting a family get together or invited to an independence day bash, you will likely be looking for the perfect dish. for this friday fun finds we are sharing our favorite recipes to make and serve----we hope you enjoy! 


prepare a great breakfast for your family to wake up to:

breakfast sandwiches

french toast casserole

easy cinnamon buns

country potato casserole

easy appetizers:

italian five layer dip

tuscan tortellini salad

orzo pasta with prosciutto & basil

lemon basil potato salad

dry jello salad

chicken feta salad

main course: (yes, we are aware we have an obsession with pesto)

turkey pesto subs

pesto burgers

chicken pesto croissants

yummy desserts:

apple crisp

best ever chocolate chip cookies

red, white and blue pound cake

easy peasy lemon bars

lime pear jello salad

mmmmm, mondays: nana's famous gluten-free chicken nuggets

 

while my kiddos are not gluten-free, my mom is and an increasing number of my children's friends are. 

these gluten-free chicken nuggets are easy to make and *freeze* beautifully as well. makes it a cinch to be able to pull some out of the freezer when a gluten-free pal comes over to play. not only are they gluten-free, but they taste *amazing*! my 3-year old, non-meat eater (by his stubbornness choice since birth will even eat them)....dare i say they are a miracle?!

•special thanks to my dear friend, wendy and her mom, "nana" for allowing me to share the recipe. xoxo•

ingredients:

6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
4 cups gluten-free flour
half a box of rice crispies
3 eggs
6 tablespoons hidden valley ranch
canola oil
season salt to taste (we used nature's seasoning)

directions

•prepare chicken breasts by cutting them in to bite-size pieces

•add eggs and ranch dressing to a bowl and mix well (ratio is 1 egg per 2 tablespoons ranch--add more eggs and ranch depending on amount or chicken you are cooking).

•prepare a bowl of gluten-free flour.

•prepare a bowl or shallow dish of rice crispies (you can crush in a ziploc bag or just use as is).

•dredge chicken in the flour, dip into egg mixture, then dredge in rice crispies. 

•i prefer to prepare all the chicken and then fry after all are coated.

•using a large pan, fill half way with canola oil and heat. 

•once oil is heated, add the prepared nuggets. note: add chicken one piece at a time to prevent the hot oil from splattering.  

•cook chicken, a couple of minutes a side (depending on thickness and size of nugget), until golden brown and crispy on the outside and no longer pink on the inside. sprinkle with season salt and enjoy!

note: these nuggets also freeze beautifully! wait for them to cool then add to freezer ziploc bag and freeze. they are a breeze to pop a couple out when needed and microwave.

mmmmm, mondays: southern mac-n-cheese

i am a born and raised california girl. i was transplanted to the south five years ago and, while i miss the great mexican food and in-and-out burgers that california has to offer, there are some things that are pretty amazing about the south. one of my favorite things about life here is that you can get macaroni and cheese as a side just about anywhere. it is pretty much considered a vegetable. i've tried a few recipes to replicate the goodness i can find everywhere and this is my personal favorite. if you are craving a piece of the south, make this up from yourself along with some sweet tea and you'll be ready to go. enjoy, y'all.

southern mac-and-cheese

2 pounds (2 boxes) of uncooked penne or macaroni pasta

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup flour

6 cups milk

8 cups sharp cheddar cheese

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon chili powder

topping:

1 1/2 cup sharp cheddar cheese

1/2 teaspoon chili powder

1 cup panko bread crumbs


preheat oven to 350 degrees. spray a 9 x 13 pan with non-stick cooking spray. cook the pasta al dente (about 2 minutes less than package instructions). drain pasta, rinse in cold water, and set aside.

while pasta is cooking, prepare the cheese sauce. melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. add the flour to form a roux. add the milk and stir constantly until the milk begins to thicken (about 10-15 minutes). remove from the heat and add the cheese, salt, garlic powder, and chili powder. stir well until cheese is melted and sauce forms a thick, creamy mixture.

add the rinsed pasta to the sauce mixture and stir until well blended.

pour mixture into the prepared 9 x 13 pan (you may have a little left over). sprinkle with extra cheese, bread crumbs and chili powder. bake uncovered for 20 minutes. enjoy!

mmmmm, mondays: breakfast sandwiches

i am not a morning person. i don't love getting up early. i walk around in a bit of a coma until i get some caffeine coursing through my veins. my children are very accustomed to cereal in the mornings. any special breakfast food comes during a breakfast for dinner night. the only exception to that rule are these breakfast sandwiches. they are one of the kids' favorite dinners and the leftovers make breakfasts just as amazing. they are a snap to prepare and they are deliciously simple. 

breakfast sandwiches

one package refrigerated or frozen biscuits (i like "immaculate" biscuits)

one package breakfast sausage, bacon, or ham (enough for 8 sandwiches)

6 eggs, beaten with 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese added to the egg mixture

8 slices cheddar cheese

butter

bake the biscuits per the package directions. while the biscuits are baking, cook the breakfast meats (i microwave the bacon or cook the sausage on the stove. ham can be warmed either way.) using an extremely large skillet or saute pan, make two very large omelettes. loosen the omelette around the edges and flip in the same pan to make sure each side is cooked well. when the omelette is cooked, cut it into quarters and set aside. when the biscuits are baked, cut them in half. butter each side of the biscuit. layer one slice of cheese, 1/4 of the one omelette, and your choice of breakfast meat and sandwich in each biscuit. enjoy!

the best part of these little sammies is that they are easy to store and easy to heat up again in the morning. i double the recipe each time i make these and save the extras for breakfast in the mornings. make up the extra sandwiches. store each one in its own plastic container or plastic storage bag. reheat each one individually in the morning in the microwave for about 30 seconds or until cooked through. enjoy yet again!

mmmmm, mondays: easy cinnamon buns

a few weeks ago, i was making breakfast for a saturday meeting i was hosting. i wanted something simple and easy that would be a crowd pleaser. my good friend sent me this recipe to prepare and i gave it a try. i'm usually not one to test drive a recipe for a crowd of people but i decided to take a risk and give this one a whirl. i am so glad i did. this recipe is amazing! it is so easy and so, so delicious. i have made it two times since then. it has now become one of my all time favorite cinnamon breakfast recipes. the very best part? it's totally prepared the night before and just baked in the morning. for this non-morning person...it is a recipe match made in heaven.

easy cinnamon buns

1/4 cup butter (1/2 bar), melted

1 cup walnuts, shelled and halved

1/2 cup of cinnamon

24 dough balls (in frozen section of grocery store)

i found these in the freezer section of the grocery store...

perfect for this recipe!

3 oz vanilla "cook and serve" pudding

3/4 brown sugar

1/2 cup butter, melted

melt 1/4 cup butter in a 13x9 inch pan. sprinkle nuts on the bottom of the pan. coat each of the dough balls with cinnamon by placing the cinnamon in a small bowl and rolling each ball in the cinnamon. place cinnamon balls 4 rows across and 6 down in the baking. sprinkle the dry pudding mix and the brown sugar on top of the balls. melt the 1/2 cup of butter and drizzle over top of the balls. cover the pan with wax paper and a towel overnight. bake at 350 for 25 minutes. run a knife around the edge of the pan to loosen the buns from the baking dish. place a serving dish upside-down on top of the baked balls. flip the serving dish and the baking dish together over and shake gently to let all the buns fall onto the serving dish. enjoy!!!

ready to cover and let rise overnight...

fresh from the oven and so, so good!

mmmmm, mondays: lemon-pepper & parmesan tilapia

some days i am prepared for dinner time. other days...it's a mystery what will show up when dinner is finally served. i have managed to stock my freezer with some helpful items but who knows if i'll get them thawed in time or will have other ingredients to finish off a meal.

last week the stars aligned and i was able to pull some fish out of the freezer and make dinner happen in less than 20 minutes. it was nothing short of miraculous.

here's the quick and easy breakdown so you can have a miraculous moment too.

i had these in my pantry/fridge

these were in my freezer...love them! they are individually wrapped and ready to eat. perfect for a quick meal!

lemon pepper & parmesan tilapia

1 package (or 2 and a half pounds) of fresh or frozen tilapia loins

1 box of lemon pepper panko bread crumbs

1 bag (about a cup and a half) of parmesan cheese

2 eggs - beaten 

extra virgin olive oil

heat about 2 tablespoons of the olive oil over medium heat in a large sauté pan. mix the bread crumbs and parmesan cheese in a large, flat dish or plate. coat each tilapia loin in the beaten eggs and then in the breadcrumb mixture. immediately place in the hot pan and cook for about 5 minutes before carefully turning to cook for five minutes on the other side. (i cover the pan with foil to keep anything from splattering).

enjoy!

mmmmm, mondays: ham and bean soup

okay, i know...the picture of the ham bone looks disgusting. it's the remnants of a ham my family picked through. i managed to get most of the meat off of it but a good chunk still hung on. i also had left over ham cut up in the refrigerator. as gross as it looks, i can remember being a little girl and eating ham and bean soup at my grandmother's house. in fact, both of my grandmothers made it back in the day. i decided it was my time to give it a try. it turned out pretty fantastic and the kids loved it. it also is a great way to use up all the meat from a ham dinner. waste not, want not and all the jazz.

so, if you have a ham bone leftover, give this one a try. enjoy!

ham and bean soup

one ham bone with some meat still attached

3 cups of water

5 cups of chicken broth

2 teaspoons of minced garlic

1 diced onion (i used one bag of frozen onions)

1 cup chopped carrots

1 cup chopped celery

1/2 teaspoon ground pepper

1 tablespoon "emeril's essence" (thank you emeril)

2 teaspoons chopped fresh flat leaf parsley

1/2 teaspoon ground thyme

1 cup corn kernels

1/2 cup chopped spinach (frozen, thawed, water rung out)

2 cans navy beans or northern beans, rinsed and drained

2 (14.5 oz.) diced tomatoes

1 cup extra diced ham

in a large saucepan, combine ham bone, water and chicken broth. add the garlic, onion, celery, carrots, pepper, parsley, emeril's essence, and thyme. bring to a boil. cover and reduce heat. simmer for 2 hours. remove the ham bone. cut off all the ham from the bone and dice it into bite sized bits. add the corn, spinach, beans and tomatoes to the soup. skim off the fat from the top of the soup. add the ham cut from the bone and the extra ham. simmer for 45 minutes to an hour more. top with parmesan cheese and serve with your favorite dinner roll. enjoy!

mmmmm mondays: diy microwave popcorn

i am a sucker for popcorn. it is my comfort food of choice and my favorite way to make it is on the stove.... no other method tastes quite the same. 

cooking popcorn on the stove is a fairly simple process, but it does make a bit of a mess to clean up so i always keep a few bags of microwave popcorn handy. there are desperate times when i don't have the energy to deal with making stove-top popcorn and the microwave version will just have to do....but it tastes gross in comparison, right? that and it's simply not good for you...

i recently learned how to make my own microwave popcorn and now i am hooked! not only is it a healthier option, but it is so much more cost effective as well!  hope you like it too!

all you need is:

a brown paper lunch bag

1/4 cup popcorn kernels

salt & butter (optional)

directions:

measure out 1/4 cup of popcorn kernels. 

pour popcorn in the brown paper lunch bag.

fold top of the bag over a few times (about a 1/4-1/2 inch fold or so). be sure to crease tightly as you fold.  

place in microwave for a bout 2-3 minutes. do *not* use the "popcorn" setting on your microwave.

simply listen to when the popping slows to approximately 3 seconds apart and you're done!

take your popcorn out, watch for steam when unfolding and then pour into a bowl and enjoy!

use butter and salt or keep it fresh and plain--either is yummy!

enjoy!

mmmmm, mondays: chocolate covered pretzels

my kids love little christmas treats. let's be honest. i do too. december is usually not a month that is big in the weight loss category in my house.

anyway, i love to make chocolate covered pretzels for the kiddos. they are so easy and they will last several days. grab your ingredients and go!

chocolate covered pretzels

one bag old fashioned dipping sticks

one bag milk chocolate chips

one bag white chocolate chips

christmas sprinkles (any kind)

melt one bag of chocolate in a microwave safe bowl. start by microwaving it for one minute. mix well. return the chocolate to the microwave in 15 second intervals, stirring each time, until the chocolate is a melted, smooth consistency.

dip each pretzel into the chocolate using a spoon to coat all but one tip. place covered pretzel on a wax paper lined cookie sheet. 

sprinkle with various holiday decorations. let cool at room temperature until set. 

remove from wax paper and share. repeat the process for the white chocolate covered pretzels and you're set! enjoy!

mmmmm, mondays: heavenly fudge

i'm going to be real here. fudge is my holiday weakness. i could eat an entire tray of it myself. it's one of those treats my grandmother used to make for me and it holds not only value for its deliciousness but sentimental value as well. honestly, any dessert that consists almost entirely of chocolate, butter and sugar is probably on my top ten list. this recipe is simple and delicious. my five year old has helped with the stirring process the last two years and it turns out amazing. looking for something to share with your neighbors? this just may be the dessert for you.

heavenly fudge

1 1/2 cups butter

6 cups sugar (yep...you read that right!)

1 1/3 cup evaporated milk (a little less than one 12 ounce can)

2 packages (12 ounces each) semi-sweet chocolate chips (use chocolate chips 

         and not baker's chocolate.) 

2 (7 oz.) jars of marshmallow cream

2 teaspoons vanilla

melt the butter in a large saucepan. add the sugar and the evaporated milk and mix. bring the mixture to a rolling boil over medium-high heat, stirring constantly (this is a great time to bring in the kiddos and have them take turns stirring). continue boiling over medium heat for five minutes. stir constantly to prevent burning. 

remove from heat. add the chocolate chips, marshmallow cream and vanilla and mix until fully melted and incorporated. pour into a buttered 9 x 13 pan and a 8 x 8 pan (there should be enough to fill both.) cool at room temperature and cut into squares. heaven!