Black Bean Tostados & Spanish Rice

The tostado recipe is from Amy with The Finer Things in Life

4 inch corn tortillas

2 tbs oil

shredded cheese

canned black beans (drained/rinsed)

sour cream

salsa/pico de gallo 

Pre heat oven to 400

Add oil to skillet and brown the tortillas for 30 seconds each side.

Place on cookie sheet.

Add beans and cheese.

Bake for 8-10 minutes.

Top with sour cream and salsa/pico....or both!!

Spanish Rice

(from my momma)

2 cups long grain rice (white or brown)

2 cups chicken broth (you know my and my bouillon cubes)

2 tbs butter

1/3 cup onion (minced)

2 cloves garlic

2 tbs ketchup

1 tbs cumin (we love our cumin)

In pot saute onion and garlic, add raw rice and brown.  Add broth, ketchup, and cumin.

Cover and cook for 30 minutes

 (or whatever length of time the back of the rice box says to cook it)

It is that easy!!!!

PS... I browned a couple of extra tortillas and while they were hot I added cinnamon and sugar.

My kids now think I am a hero!!

Beer Butt Chicken

1 fryer chicken

1 can of beer

Rub for the outside and inside (this can be pre mix or garlic salt, paprika, and cayenne pepper)

I have a beer can holder, but if not oh well!!

so here is how hard this is...

pre heat oven to 350

open can of beer... take a couple of big gulps (or half)

then when you realize that you drank too much get another can

try again

whatever it takes

open chicken from wrapper, make sure there isn't any gizzards.

rinse and rub down with rub.

get a broiler pan

put the beer can on it (or holder)

put bird on can

cook 350 for 1 hour or until internal temperature reaches 180.

Yummy!!!

Moist!!

Easy!

ok... please note

Apparently it is bad to name your food, as your cooking it.

Or make it dance the chicken dance.

Chloe wouldn't eat a bite.

She befriended the bird.

Banana Pudding

So we had old bananas and decided against making banana bread.

This is really easy and much better then pre made kind!!

Ingredients:

2 cups milk (I prefer whole for this but we don't drink it so I use whole dry milk reconstituted)

1 cup sugar

3 eggs (beaten)

2 tbs cornstarch

1 dash salt

1 tsp vanilla

3 old smushed bananas (or 3 diced fresh then kinda mush it a little)

Combine sugar and eggs mix well. Then add milk, cornstarch, and salt.  Mix well. Pour mixture in sauce pan.  Heat over med/high heat.  Bring to a boil, stirring constantly, until thickened.

Remove from heat.  Add vanilla, mix well.  Fold in bananas.

Pour into dish and chill.

Serve cold... over vanilla wafers with fresh whip cream on top.

Yummy!!

Gooey Pumpkin Cake

(note... you must love pumpkin to enjoy this dish!!)

1 box yellow cake mix

3/4 cups butter (separated)

4 eggs

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 cup sugar (separated)

1 small can evaporated milk

1 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice

1 29 oz can pumpkin puree (not pie filling)

1/2 to 3/4 cups crushed pecans

Pre heat oven to 350.  

Grease 9x13 pan

Get 3 bowls... just trust me this is a 3 layer cake.

Layer 1

Melt 1/2 cup butter.  Dump all but 1 cup of cake mix (reserve 1 cup for a different layer).  Add 1 beaten egg.

Press into bottom of pan.

Layer 2

Beat 3 eggs. Add milk, 1/2 cup sugar , 1/2 cup brown sugar, and cinnamon.  Mix in pumpkin.  

Pour on top of first layer.

Layer 3

Melt 1/4 cup butter.  Add sugar.  Mix in remaining cake mix and pecans.

Crumble on top of second layer.

Bake for 1 hour.

Enjoy pumpkin lovers!!

Quinoa Casserole

Quinoa

(keen-wa)

Never heard of it?

That is okay.

It has only been in the US for about 15 years.

It comes from the mountains of Chile.

We love the stuff.

It is not a rice or a grain, it is actually a seed.

Full of protein, calcium, and iron.

It can be made into many dishes just as rice would.

Make with apple juice and it makes a sweet breakfast.

This is one of our common casseroles.

Quinoa Casserole

( I know this isn't a pretty picture of it but it is about the taste people)

2 cups quinoa (rinsed)

4 cups broth (we use chicken)

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp salt

1/2 block feta cheese

1/2 slivered or sliced almonds

1-2 cups fresh baby spinach

1 can garbanzo beans drained

optional (I let Eric add these on just his dish)

dried cranberries

quartered baby tomatoes

Bring broth to boil.  Add seasoning.  Add quinoa.  Bring back to a boil and then turn off heat.  Cover and let set for 30 minutes or until all the liquid is soaked up.

Fluff with fork.

Add remaining ingredients and simmer for 10 minutes.

Enjoy.

**note we ALL eat this.  The kids love it!! I pull Morgan out some of the quinoa before I add all the other stuff and just add some cheese (mozzarella or Parmesan).**

Deep Dish Pizza

Don't be scared this is Eric's pizza.

Everything except the kitchen sink pizza, as we call it.

I ate the OMG Pasta

The dough is really good!!

1 1/3 cup warm water

1/4 cup non-fat dry milk

1/2 tbs salt

2 tbs sugar

4 cups flour (I use 1/2 whole wheat 1/2 all purpose)

1 pkg dry yeast

2 tbs vegetable oil

Grease up 3 9inch round pans with butter.

Mix water, yeast, and milk and let set for 2 minutes.  Add oil and mix well.  Mix in dry ingredients.  Knead for 10 minutes. (love my kitchenaid)

Break into 3 even pieces and roll out to fit pans.

Let rise for 1 hour.

Top with favorite toppings and bake at 475 until cheese is browned.

Enjoy!!

OMG Pasta!!

This is OMG Pasta

There is no other name for it.

(Spaghetti-Soto)

There are some secrets to this so pay attention.

-3 tbs butter

-3-4 cloves garlic

-1 small  onion diced

-1/2 cup white wine

-Parmesan cheese

-4 cups of broth (I use bouillon cubes)

-1 pound broken spaghetti broken into small pieces

In a small sauce pan heat up broth.  Saute onion and garlic in butter.  Add uncooked pasta.  Brown.  Add wine until and allow pasta to soak it up.  When it is gone start adding warm broth. Allowing pasta to soak it up.... so add a cup and wait, then add another until desired tenderness.

Add cheese to taste, I just added maybe 1/4 cup.

Enjoy.

I was watching Rachael Ray this morning as she was making Nutty Broken Spaghetti-Soto.

I thought it sounded intriguing. 

I just don't like mushrooms, sage, or Gorgonzola.  That and I am allergic to walnuts.

Other than that it sounded yummy.

It was!!

I think next time I will add roasted pecans or garbanzo beans (I love garbanzo beans)

****update****

I got a lot of emails about my wine and budget.... 

for those who don't have walmart...

click here

for my northern friends it is walmart's answer to two buck chuck!!

ALSO:

found this chicken artichoke sausage from walmart...

tastes yummy!!!!

This is what will be for dinner once a week... it is that good!!!

Hot Buttered Rum

Hot Buttered Rum

(aka hot rutterd bum)

4 cups water

1 cup dark brown sugar (packed)

1/4 cup butter (I used salted)

1/4 tsp salt

3-4 sticks cinnamon

1/8 tsp nutmeg

2-3 cloves 

Put it all in a crockpot and cook for 1-2 hours on high...then keep it warm as you serve it.

Pour into cups and add:

Egg Nog (I prefer liqueured up)

Rum if your Egg Nog is virgin

I love this stuff...REALLY!!!

We lit the fire pit and sat around drinking it.

Annie love it too!!!

I caught her more than once trying to drink it up.

(No I do not approve of my dog drinking alcohol!! I took it away the second I saw her doing it!!)