Taco Seasoning Mix

For those of you who like tacos, here's a quick recipe on how to make your own taco mix so you don't have to spend more money than you need to on those box kits. I will also add some tips on how to fold soft tacos and some yummy things to stuff them with.

Ingredients:
1/2 teaspoon cumin
5 teaspoons paprika

1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1 teaspoon of pepper
2 teaspoon chili powder (optional)

To prepare the meat:
-Take 1lb of ground beef and brown in a frying pan.
-Drain fat and add seasoning mix and 1/4 cup water
-Continue cooking and stirring the meat until water is absorbed.

Things to add in your taco:
-Sour Cream
-Chopped tomatoes
-Chopped onions
-Rice & beans
-Cheese (shredded or sauce)
-Chopped lettuce


To fold a soft taco:
-Moisten tortilla lightly and put in microwave for 15 seconds or steam (makes it more pliable)
-Fill with meat and other dressings in middle of tortilla
-Take the top and bottom and fold towards middle
-Take the sides and fold towards the middle and place folds side down on a sheet of foil and wrap taco to keep everything in.

Peanut Butter Cookies

These cookies are a one of my favorites. You can do so many things with them like make them like put some jelly/jam in the middle of 2 cookies or place a Hershey kiss in the center before you bake them for some extra sweetness. They have a crumbly texture and almost melt in your mouth.

Ingredients:

1) ½ cup shortening

½ cup peanut butter

½ cup granulated sugar

2) 1 egg

1¼ cup flour

½ tsp baking powder

¾ tsp baking soda

¼ tsp salt

Step 1: Mix shortening mix then mix flour mixture in shortening mix

Step 2: Roll dough in 1¼ balls place 3 in apart on lightly greased baking sheet. Flatten crisscross style w/ fork dripped in flour

Step 3: Bake 10-12 min at 375

Spinach & Feta Cheese Quiche

Ok so this recipe may not be for everyone but I do suggest that you try it at least once. I personally am a big fan of spinach so this was heaven on a dish for me. It's pretty time consuming to make and to cook but so worth it in the end. It uses common ingredients so you don't have to go crazy looking for things. Enjoy!

Crust Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup cold butter

3-6 Tablespoons ice water

-Mix the flour and the salt together in a medium bowl.

-Cut the butter into the flour and salt mixture until it resembles coarse peas

-Drizzle the ice water over the top of the dough (I start with 3 Tbsps and add more if needed) and gently mix the dough until it starts to come together.

-Form the shaggy dough into a disk and send it off to the refrigerator for about a half hour rest before rolling.

Filling Ingredients:

Fresh spinach

1 medium yellow onion, diced.

2 or 3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped

2 Tbsp butter

2 Tbsp olive oil

8 ounces feta cheese

3 eggs

2 egg yolks

1 cup whole milk

Nutmeg to taste

Salt and pepper to taste

- Chop spinach finely

-Heat the olive oil and butter until the butter is melted

-Sauté onion and garlic in melted butter/oil mix

-Add the spinach to mixture and cook until the spinach is cooked. Remove from the heat.

-Crumble the feta into the spinach mixture and mix together.

-Pull your pie dough out of the refrigerator and roll out on a lightly floured board to the size you need for your pie dish

-Place the rolled out dough in the tin, place the spinach mixture in the dough.

-Beat together the eggs, yolks and milk. Add a little pinch of nutmeg, fresh ground pepper and a pinch of salt. Pour this mixture over the spinach/feta mix in the pie shell and mix together with your hands

-Bake for about 45-60 minutes at 375

 

Deep Fried Buttermilk Chicken

This recipe was created purely by luck and seemed to be a hit in my house. It was one of those days where we only had a couple things and somehow I needed to find a way to make them all work for me. This is a very simple recipe and it makes a very filling meal.


Ingredients:

1-2 cups of flour
2 tsp salt
2 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp black pepper
2 cups buttermilk
Chicken legs, wings, breasts or tenderloins

In medium bowl combine all dry ingredients and mix well.

In large bowl soak chicken in buttermilk for 2 or more hours

Once chicken as soaked, drain all buttermilk from chicken and place in flour

Make sure to evenly and thickly coat the chicken.

Heat up some oil in your deep fryer or put some oil in a pot about 2 inches deep and heat that up.

Place chicken inside and cook until a nice dark brown (but not burnt)

**You can also cut up the tenderloins and breasts into small pieces and coat in flour to make popcorn chicken

Goes Good With:
Mashed potatoes
Mac-n-cheese
Coleslaw
Corn
Baked beans
On a sandwich with mayo and lettuce and tomato
French fries

Coleslaw

This quick and simple side dish goes great with just about anything and makes a great snack in the warmer weather at picnics. It's actually a side to my dinner for today which will be Deep Fried Buttermilk Chicken (that recipe will be posted tomorrow). Who needs those fast food chicken joints when you can make your own at home for half the price?


Ingredients:
1 head green cabbage, shredded (approx 8 cups)
1 medium sized carrot, shredded
1 tsp finely chopped onion
2 1/2 tbsp lemon juice
1 1/2 tbsp white vinegar
1/8 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup buttermilk
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup mayonnaise

In a bowl whisk together all of the above ingredients except the carrots and the cabbage. Make sure all of the ingredients are well.

In separate bowl or gallon freezer bag mix the carrots and cabbage so they are evenly mixed.

Add cabbage to the liquid mixture and mix well.

Refrigerate overnight for best results but it can be served after only being chilled for an hour.

Ketleti (Russian Meatballs)

This is a recipe for a Russian meatball of sorts. This is the first thing my husband cooked for me when we were dating and even if my husband didn't have the rest of amazing qualities that he does I still would've married him just for this dish. It can me made many different ways but that varies between families. Even though he taught me how to make it I still can't seem to get it as good as he makes it but I'm getting there. They come out crispy on the outside with a fluffy inside due to the bread being mixed into the meat which is a great combo in my opinion.

Ingredients:
1 lb Ground Turkey or Chicken (I use turkey)
1 sm Onion
1 egg
Salt & Pepper to taste
Breadcrumbs
1-2 slices of bread

Preparation:
Chop onion finely.

Take a small bowl of water and dip a bread slice in water and quickly remove.

Mix salt, pepper, onion, egg and bread into the Turkey or Chicken.

If mixture is too moist add another slice of soggy bread and mix.

Form plump patties and lightly bread them.

Fry on low heat until crisp on the outside and cooked through on the inside.


Goes Good With:
Mashed potatoes
Green beans
Rice
Salad
Broccoli
 

Spaghetti & Broccoli in Garlic and Olive Oil

This recipe may not seem like anything spectacular but you don't know what you are missing until you have it. It's very simple, pretty healthy and very yummy.

Ingredients:
1lb. Spaghetti
1 crown of Broccoli
4 sm-med garlic cloves, chopped
Ground black pepper to taste
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil


Preparation:
In a saucepan boil water and add pasta and broccoli and cook until tender/al dente

Drain water from pasta and broccoli and add garlic and olive oil. Mix well

Sprinkle pepper on top and serve.

Baked Lemon Chicken

Ingredients
3 lbs chicken (I like the breasts)
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 tbsp lemon zest
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1 sprig fresh rosemary
2 tsp thyme chopped
3 cloves crushed garlic
2 tbsp melted butter

Preparation
In small bowl whisk together all of the above ingredients except the chicken and butter.

Take a sharp knife and make minor slices into the chicken pieces.

Place chicken in freezer or vacuum bag along with marinade and let sit for 2 or more hours.

Remove chicken from bag and brush down with a little of melted butter and place into a baking dish (or on a grill).

Place in oven at 425° for 50-55 min until done and at the halfway point baste/brush with some marinade.

When finished pour the left over marinade over chicken and garnish with lemon slice.


Goes good served over/with:
Pasta
Rice
Salad
Veggies

Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Ingredients:

6 large russet potatoes
5 cloves of garlic, chopped
1/2 cup milk
2 tbsp butter
1 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

In large saucepan add salt, potatoes, and garlic and boil until tender.

Drain potatoes and garlic, add pepper and cheese then mash potatoes.

Once potatoes are mashed mix in the milk slowly to get fluffy mashed potatoes.


Goes good with:
Turkey
Chicken
Steaks

Thanksgiving Burgers

This is actually a recipe my husband came up with by using what few ingredients we had in the house at the time. It turned out to be one of the most delicious things he's made. Now that I know how to make them I make them just about as good as he does. It's great to make around Thanksgiving time if you are scared to make a full turkey or if you have a small family where a full turkey would go to waste. It goes great with a side of mashed potatoes and my homemade cranberry sauce as a condiment for the burgers.

Ingredients
1lb ground turkey

1/2 cup of dry stuffing

1 tsp cranberry sauce (you can add more)

1/2 small yellow onion

1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1 egg



Preparation
In a bowl mix together turkey, stuffing, salt, pepper,egg and cranberry sauce.



Chop onion finely and crisp in a frying pan then add to the mixture in the bowl

Form burger patties and fry them up and serve on a roll with some cranberry sauce or w/e other fixings you enjoy.

Goes good with:
Mashed Potatoes
Corn
Green beans
Sweet potato fries 

Mozzarella Stuffed Meatballs

Who doesn't like a good meatball recipe? I have come across this great recipe for these unique but delicious meatballs. Like all of my recipes it uses only the simplest of ingredients but yields a dish that will keep everyone coming back for more.

1 lb ground beef
1 finely chopped clove of garlic
1 tsp salt
1 egg
1/2 cup millk
1/4 cup breadcrumbs
Mozzarella cheese (cubed)
Spaghetti sauce of your choice (I have a recipe for that too)


Combine milk and breadcrumbs in small bowl.

After breadcrumbs have soaked combine remaining ingredients except the cheese and mix well.

Take approximately 2 tablespoons of meat and flatten out into your palm. Place cheese cube in center of the meat and close the meat around it forming a sealed ball.

You can then choose to partially cook the meatballs in a frying pan or you can follow the next step

Fill medium sized sauce pan with tomato sauce and place meatballs in sauce and simmer until done.

Serve over pasta and enjoy.

Goes good with:
Pasta
On a hero/hot sub
Garden Salad
Cesar Salad
Garlic bread
 

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Who doesn't like chocolate chip cookies? This recipe will put Toll House and Pillsbury to shame. They are rich and chewy especially if stored properly. It uses the most simple and delicious ingredients. I hope you enjoy!

Preparation: Preheat oven to 375 degrees

Step 1: In med. Bowl beat until blended:

1 stick of butter (1/2 cup)

2 eggs

2 tsp vanilla

½ cup sugar

½ cup brown sugar

Step 2: In small bowl blend w/ wooden spoon:

2 cups flour

½ tsp baking soda

½ tsp baking powder

½ tsp salt

½ cup chocolate chips

Step 3: Using a wooden spoon add dry ingredients to butter mixture.

Step 4: Drop by rounded spoonfuls to lightly greased cookie sheet

Step 5: Bake 1 sheet at a time (12 cookies) 8-10 min.

Juicy Pork Rib Marinade

This recipe is more of a marinade than an actual cooking recipe. It has a total of 3 or 4 ingredients but it tastes soo good. Hope you enjoy!

Ingredients:
1/2 cup dry white cooking wine
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 tsp hot sauce
1/4 cup duck sauce
Pork ribs

Marinade for several hours or overnight and bake in the oven or grill and brush extra juices back onto the ribs until done.

The ribs go good with:
Rice
Applesauce
Steamed veggies
Mashed potatoes
Baked potatoes