Taco Seasoning

The other day I was planning to make Taco Meatloaf and went to the pantry to get a taco seasoning packet.  Not one!  Bummer!  I went straight to the internet and found out how to make my own.  Very easy and the meatloaf tasted just right.

Taco Seasoning

1 Tbsp. minced onion
2 tsp. chili powder
1-1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. cornstarch
1 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 to 1 tsp. cayenne pepper

Mix all ingredients.  Makes the equivalent of a 1-1/4 oz. package of taco seasoning.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

Sitting around waiting on The Bun has not been easy. My to do list is complete, bags are packed and literally all I am doing is waiting for him now. And the gates aren't even beginning to open for his arrival! I'm trying to stay busy, so I got in the kitchen and made a soup because I love to freeze soup and this will give us something to pull out after his arrival. Or maybe before if I am 42 weeks pregnant and don't feel like cooking!! :) I've got my other household chores on a schedule now that I am a full time "homemaker." Today is washing sheets and going to the grocery store. That transition from full time worker to full time housewife hasn't been as easy as I expected it to be, even though that is all I have ever wanted to be! It was tough giving up something that I had worked so hard at, but I am learning to release control.

This soup was so easy because everything was out of a can. And honestly, I have tasted better versions of this soup but can't argue with easy!

Chicken Tortilla Soup

1 (10 oz.) can chicken, drained
1 onion
olive oil
cumin, to taste
chili powder, to taste
2 cans cream of chicken soup
1 can Rotel
1 can black beans
1 can white corn, drained
1 (14.5) oz. can chicken broth

In a pot, heat olive oil and add onion. Cook until tender. Add chicken to onions and season liberally with cumin and chili powder. Next add the other cans and stir. I did have leftover chicken stock I saved from last week, and not really sure how much I ended up adding. Add as much as you want until your soup reaches the consistency that you would like it to be. Simmer on low until heated through. Serve with tortilla chips.

To freeze: Allow to cool and place in freezer safe container (I use ziploc bags.) and freeze up to three months.

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Sausage and Cheese Frittata

from myrecipes.com

I made this a while back when Mom and Dad came to town to see our Christmas tree and The Bun's nursery. I am just now getting around to posting this, but I have a few recipes that I am going to be adding and hopefully with The Bun's very quickly approaching arrival, I will get better about sharing recipes again...maybe when he is sleeping. We will see.

Sausage and Cheese Frittata

1 (12 oz.) package ground pork sausage
8 large eggs
1/3 c. milk
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/4 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. butter
1 c. shredded cheddar cheese


Preheat oven to 350. Brown sausage in a 10-inch ovenproof nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Drain and remove sausage from skillet. Wipe skillet clean. (You can see I used a cast iron skillet and it stuck a little.) Whisk together eggs, and next 3 ingredients until well blended. Melt butter in skillet over medium heat; remove from het and pour half of egg mixture into skillet. Sprinkle with cooked sausage and cheese. Top with remaining egg mixture. Bake at 350 for 23-25 minutes or until set.

Cheese Bites

These were what I made for The Dish Washer's family Christmas. I found them to be very good. I messed up and didn't carefully read my recipe, so be sure you look closely and use 1/2 block of cream cheese instead of 1 whole block of cream cheese. :)

Cheese Bites

*Tip- Use a piece of dental floss pulled taut to cut chilled cream cheese. (I used this tip and it is really helpful!)

1/2 (8 oz.) block of cream cheese
1 (16.3 oz.) can refrigerated flaky buttermilk biscuits
1/2 c. jalapeno pepper jelly

Cut cream cheese into 24 pieces, and let soften. Separate each biscuit into thirds, making 3 rounds. Press biscuit rounds into bottom and up sides of 24 mini-muffin cups. Spoon about 1 tsp. pepper jelly into center of each biscuit cup; top each with 1 cream cheese piece. Bake at 425 for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Chicken Squares

HAPPY NEW YEAR!! I am so excited about what this year will bring to our family! I literally was making a new pitcher of tea when the clock struck 12:00. I took about a 4 hour nap when I got home (thanks to needing benadryl that knocks me out cold) and woke up with a burst of energy. The Dish Washer was hungry and my unexpectedly long nap prevented me from making a soup recipe I wanted to try. I was trying to scrounge something up and thought of this recipe. I can't believe I haven't put it on here before. I made this ALL THE TIME when I was still living at home in jr./high school. It is originally from a school cookbook. Sister hated them, but mom and I loved them. They are so quick and easy and I had everything that I needed.

Chicken Squares

3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
butter
onion
1 (8 oz.) cream cheese
2 cans crescent rolls

Boil chicken until cooked. Allow to cool and shred. In a medium skillet, saute onions in butter. Once tender, add cream cheese until melted. Add chicken and mix well until it is all incorporated. Roll out the crescent rolls, keeping 2 individual crescent rolls connected to make one square. (You will have 8 total squares from these two cans...hope that makes sense.) Place spoonful of chicken mixture on one side of square and fold over to connect the pieces. Place on baking sheet and bake at 350 for about 15 minutes or until golden brown.

Lemon Poppy Seed Cakes

This recipe from Southern Living was on my mind from the moment I first read the recipe. I found them to be ok, but I never have to have them again. The Dish Washer, on the other hand, is crazy about them

Lemon Poppy Seed Cakes

1/2 c. butter, softened
2 oz. cream cheese, softened
1-1/4 c. granulated sugar
2 large eggs
3/4 c. milk
1/4 tsp. poppy seeds
3/4 tsp. almond extract
1 tsp. lemon zest, divided
1-3/4 c. all-purpose flour
3/4 tsp. baking powder
1/8 tsp. salt
1-1/4 c. powdered sugar
1/4 c. fresh lemon juice

Preheat oven to 350. Beat butter and cream cheese at medium speed with an electric mixer until well blended. Gradually add granulated sugar, beating until creamy and fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until yellow disappears after each addition. Beat in milk, poppy seeds, almond extract, and 1-1/2 tsp. lemon zest.

Whisk together flour and next 2 ingredients in a large bowl. Gradually add to butter mixture, beating until blended. Spoon batter into 1 greased and floured (12 cup) mini Bundt pan, filling all cups three-fourths full. Spoon remaining batter into a second pan, filling only 6 cups.

Bake lemon-poppy seed cakes at 350 for 24-26 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center of cakes comes out clean. Remove from pans to wire racks, and let cakes cool 10 minutes.

Whisk together the powdered sugar, lemon juice and remaining lemon zest until smooth. Drizzle glaze over warm cakes. Let cakes stand 4 to 5 minutes or until glaze sets.

Hot Cranberry Punch

Where, oh, where to begin? You probably thought I was never coming back! The Bun is a little over 7 weeks from being "cooked" and to say that I have been pre-occupied preparing for him is the understatement of the year!!!

I guess we should back up to Thanksgiving! We spent Thanksgiving with The Dish Washer's family and certainly had plenty to eat! If you could have seen the pan of dressing that we were eating out of...YUM! Biggest pan I have ever seen. I took the Apple Dapple Cake that Tossie shared with us. I actually made it the Sunday before for our church wide Thanksgiving meal and made it in my pretty bundt pan. I decided the next time around, I would make it in a 9x13 so that the icing could really soak down in the cake. It was much better that way!!! Tos said that is how she always makes it too. Click on the recipe to see the picture of the bundt pan cake. I also made her Sweet Potato Casserole, which everyone loved!

Then came busy December...
Somewhere in between, I also made Chicken and Biscuit Dumplings so have now added a picture of that. My friend and her beau came over for a Christmas gathering and she brought her Taco Soup. It was very good! She's not known for her skills in the kitchen so I was very proud of her domestication! I made Symphony Brownies to go with dinner and had her some White Trash as a parting gift.

We've been to Atlanta to cheer on our favorite football team. ROLL TIDE! Then we went to Vegas to attend the National Finals Rodeo. One last trip before The Bun. WHEW!! I'm tired!

Mom and dad came up to see The Bun's room one of those weekends and she was wanting to try a frittata out of Southern Living. I hope to post that soon.

I guess that catches us up to Christmas! For my family's gathering Christmas eve, I made Goody Girl Championship Potatoes and Lady's Green Beans. Other things on our list of goodies besides the turkey and dressing was ham, Waldorf salad, macaroni and cheese, squash casserole, sweet potato casserole (the same mentioned above), pea salad, devilled eggs, cake, cookies, and more cake! Man there was a lot...I'm sure I am leaving something out!

Christmas day we hosted The Dish Washer's family at our home. With all the eating, we decided just to do heavy snack foods. We had dips and chips galore, mini pulled pork bbq sandwiches, twice baked new potatoes, and desserts coming out the wazoo including chocolate chip pound cake and Granny's Cut-Out Cookies. I also made a cheese bite that I plan to share soon and a lemon poppy seed cake that I have had on my mind since reading about it.

I also made this punch to serve and it was first time to make and try. Man this was soooo good and I am not typically a fan of hot apple cider. This has the warmth but a much different taste. It was in my handwritten cookbook that I have mentioned on here several times.

Hot Cranberry Punch

2 c. pineapple juice
2 c. cranberry juice
1 c. water
1/4 c. brown sugar
1/2 tsp. whole cloves
1-1//2 sticks cinnamon
pinch of salt

Put brown sugar, cloves, cinnamon and salt into percolator basket. Pour juices and water into percolator. Allow to hat for about 10 minutes or until perked. Remove basket. Can be refrigerated when cooled and reheated.

**I didn't have any cloves, so I just use two whole sticks of cinnamon instead.

Be looking for those other posts with the new recipes spread out over the next few days.