Amy West's Spanish Rice

We made this for a potluck type thing, and it was fantastic! I don't usually like eating white rice (just because I grew up always eating brown rice), but for this dish, I will definitely make an exception. This was super yummy! And not as hard as I thought it would be. Ha.

Spanish Rice (in Oven)

4 cups white rice
4 t. garlic
4 t. onion granules
5 1/2 cups water
4 t. salt
1 (16 oz.) tomato sauce
1 (16 oz.) diced tomatoes
1/3 cup oil

Heat oil in a pan. Brown rice in oil until it turns white (about 7-8 min), then take off heat. Add in other ingredients and bring to a boil. When it comes to a boil, turn heat to medium and boil 3-4 more minutes. Transfer to a foil pan or a 9x13 and bake covered with foil in oven @ 350 degrees for about 30 minutes.

Spanish Rice (for Rice Cooker)

2 cups rice

2 tsp. garlic, minced

2 tsp. onion granules (NOT onion salt! NOT onion powder!)

2 tsp. salt

1/2 (15 oz.) can tomato sauce

1/2 (15 oz.) can diced tomatoes

water

Put rice, garlic, onion granules, and salt in the rice cooker.  Pour both 1/2 cans of tomato sauce/tomatoes into a 4 cup measuring cup.  Fill up the rest of the measuring cup to 4 cups with water.  Pour tomato/water mixture into the rice cooker.  Turn on rice cooker until done.  Stir rice. Serve.

Recipe Credit: Jenna Steed's cookbook

Mini Cinnamon Rolls

I've seriously already made these about four times, and Jeff keeps begging me to make more. But I'm afraid it'll just make us fat haha. These are SUPER yummy. And SUPER easy. You have to try them. You'll be hooked. Like we are now. :)

Ingredients:

1-8oz tube crescent roll dough

2 Tablespoons butter

cinnamon

brown sugar

For the maple icing:

1 teaspoon maple syrup

1 Tablespoon skim milk

3/4 cup powdered sugar

Directions:

1. Preheat oven according to crescent roll dough package directions. Layout half the dough (4 triangles) and pinch all the seams together. Flip over and pinch the seams on the back side together too.

2. Using a rolling pin, smooth the seams and roll the dough into a square about 1/4″ thick. Brush with half the butter, and sprinkle with as much cinnamon and brown sugar as you want. Roll into a log and cut into 8 pieces.

3. Place mini cinnamon rolls into a non-stick sprayed mini muffin tin. Repeat steps 1 and 2 with the other half of the crescent roll dough. Bake according to package directions.

4. Meanwhile whisk together maple syrup and milk in a bowl. Add in powdered sugar until desired consistency is reached. Drizzle over warm cinnamon rolls.

Recipe Credit: Iowa Girl Eats

Dad's New Mexico Enchiladas (Mission Enchiladas)

Yum yum YUM! We made these the other night, and they were great. This is a perfect meal for a busier night. I am always telling Jeff how all Mexican food is pretty much the same, but I thought this was a great little twist on a Mexican dish. Jeff said that he used to eat this meal almost every Sunday with his family growing up, and he always loved it so much. Now I do, too. Delicious!

1 can red enchilada sauce (or green)
1 can tomato soup
1 lb. fried hamburger
corn tortillas
taco seasoning

Mix red (or green) enchilada sauce and tomato soup. Heat. Fry hamburger. (We added some taco seasoning, which we think makes it taste even better).  Fry corn tortillas in oil to soften so they are pliable (Dad saves fat grams and doesn't fry the tortilla). Garnish: cheese, lettuce, onions, tomatoes, avocado, olives, sour cream, etc. Layer the tortillas dipped in the sauce. Top with hamburger and with desired toppings. Usually we stack 3 or 4 layers for a serving.

Recipe Credit: Jenna Steed's cookbook :)

Slow cooker Pulled BBQ Chicken Sandwiches with Caramelized Onions

This was absolutely delicious! We gobbled it up so fast. And it was super easy, too. Try it! Prep time: 5 mins Cook time: 6 hours Total time: 6 hours 5 mins Serves: 4 Ingredients o    1 1/2 lbs. boneless skinless chicken breasts o    1 18 oz jar BBQ sauce o    2 large onions,thinly sliced o    1 tablespoon butter o    4 hamburger rolls, buttered and toasted o    butter for hamburger rolls Instructions 1.    Place the chicken in slow cooker. 2.    Cover with BBQ sauce 3.    Cook on high for about 5 1/2 to 6 hours. 4.    Remove the chicken and shred on cutting board. 5.    Return to the crock pot and incorporate the shredded chicken with BBQ sauce 6.    Distribute onto toasted buns and top with cooked onions ONIONS 1.    Place the 1 tablespoon butter in a large pot with a lid. 2.    When the butter is melted, add the onions and cover. 3.    Cook on medium low for about 45 minutes, covered stirring occasionally. Recipe Credit: The Hungry Housewife

Fruit Pizza

I made this one for Jeff's birthday this year, and it was a HUGE hit. It was gone in about ten minutes. This thing was also perfect because it was quick and yummy. Highly recommend you give it a try.

Crust:
1 tube (16 1/2 oz) refrigerated sugar cookie dough

Spread:
1 (8 oz) block cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup powdered sugar
1 t. pure vanilla extract

Topping:
Assorted fruit, such as sliced strawberries, sliced kiwi, canned mandarin oranges, blueberries, grapes, etc. Be creative here and top your pizza with anything you like!

Glaze: (optional)
1 T cornstarch
2/3 cup sugar
3/4 cup orange juice

Allow cookie dough to soften a bit. Lightly spray a 14-inch pizza pan or round baking stone with Pam and press dough out to 2 inches from the edge of any pan you are using. (Dough expands while baking)

Allow cookie to cool completely before icing.

Using a mixer, mix cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla until smooth. Spread icing evenly onto cooled cookie.

Wash, dry and slice fruit (as needed) for arranging on pizza. If you want a symmetrical design, start in the center and work outward. Otherwise, arrange fruit as desired.

Optional Glaze:
Mix together cornstarch, sugar, and orange juice to make the glaze. Pour desired amount of glaze onto pizza immediately before serving. **I did not use the glaze, but it it delicious!

Slice to serve!

Bow Tie Chicken

This is actually a recipe I found on the Disney family website. It is really quick and easy to put together. Only takes about 20 minutes to put everything together and throw it in the oven. We love this for a quick tasty meal.

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Ready In: 50 minutes
Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients
2 cups bow tie pasta
1 cup pasta sauce
1/2 cup Hidden Valley® Original Ranch® Dressing, divided
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 pound (or one large) boneless, skinless chicken breast
1 cup frozen peas
1 cup frozen corn
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
1/4 cup bread crumbs 

Directions     

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Grease a 10-inch round casserole dish.
3. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain.
4. Stir sauce and 1/4 cup dressing into pasta; set aside.
5. Heat olive oil in frying pan. Cook chicken over medium heat. Remove chicken; cut into small pieces. Return chicken to frying pan. Add peas, corn and feta to frying pan; simmer for 5 minutes.
6. Scoop half the pasta mixture into casserole dish. Layer half the chicken mixture on top of the pasta. Repeat.
7. Drizzle remaining dressing and sprinkle bread crumbs on top. Bake for 30 minutes.

Recipe Credit: disneyfamily.com

Homemade Cinnamon Rolls

So this was my very first time making homemade cinnamon rolls, and these were heavenly. These may have been the best cinnamon rolls I had ever tasted. Honestly. They turned out so much better than I expected. And all of our neighbors could smell them in our complex. The only thing I would suggest is to half this recipe if you're just making them for a couple of people. We had to give some away to friends because we had about two whole pans of these suckers. They were absolutely DELICIOUS though. Enjoy!

·         1/2 c. very warm water

·         1 T. sugar

·         2 T. yeast

·         1/2 c. melted butter

·         2 eggs

·         2 t. salt

·         1/2 c. sugar

·         1 1/2 c. warm milk

·         5 1/2 c. flour (I usually sneak in about 2 cups whole wheat and then finish it off with unbleached)

·         butter

·         brown sugar

·         sugar

·         cinnamon

Icing

·         butter

·         vanilla

·         milk

·         powdered sugar

1.      Combine water, 1 T. sugar and yeast.  Set aside for 5 minutes to activate.

2.      Mix 1/2 c. sugar, melted butter, eggs, and salt.  Add yeast mixture.

3.      Stir in warm milk.

4.      Add 5 cups flour, 1-2 cups at a time.

5.      Knead dough on a well-floured surface, adding flour as necessary, until dough isn’t sticky.

6.      Let rise until double in a clean, oiled bowl.

7.      Punch down risen dough.  Separate into two pieces.

8.      Roll out dough in a large rectangle.  Spread with softened butter.  Sprinkle liberally with brown sugar, white sugar, and cinnamon.

9.      Roll dough.  Floss dough into about 12 (1-inch) rolls.  Place in 9×13 pan.  Let rise until double.

10.  Bake at 350° for 20-22 minutes.  Spread icing while hot.

For icing, melt butter (about 2 T.).  Add 1 tsp. vanilla and 2 T. milk.  Sift powdered sugar into mixture and stir well.  I never measure this.  You can absolutely use more of any ingredient.

Recipe Credit: The Finer Things in Life