Recipes

If you are looking for an easy, delicious and budget-friendly recipe, you must try my Pulled Pork recipe. I make this about once a month and it is the perfect comfort food for a cold winter’s day. Here is what you will need:

• Crock Pot

• Apple Cider Vinegar

• 1  Boston Pork Butt (I usually have my butcher cut mine in half, so I can split it for two separate occasions)
  

• 1 bottle of any BBQ sauce (I used Kraft because it was on sale for. 50)

Directions:

Place the pork butt in your crock pot on low and pour 1/2 cup of apple cider vinegar over the top. Let it cook 5-6 hours. Drain the liquid out of the crock pot and pull apart the meat. The meat should easily fall off when you pierce it with a fork. If it doesn’t, then the meat isn’t done. Once you’ve pulled the meat (you can discard the bone) add your bottle of BBQ sauce being sure to coat all the meat. Let it sit for another 45 minutes or so.

Serve on a roll (my personal favorite is Martin’s Potato rolls) with your favorite sides.

{ 8 comments }

I am a huge fan of homemade salsa and this one is the absolute easiest and best tasting Corn & Black Bean Salsa ever.   It will be your new go-to recipe to bring to parties or tailgating!

Here is what you need:

2 tomatoes, diced

1 avacado*, diced

1/3 cup chopped of cilantro

1/3 cup of lime juice or 2 squeezed limes

1 can of sweet corn (salted) drained

1 can of black beans drained

1/3  red onion diced

1 red bell pepper diced

1 tsp sea salt (or substitute table salt)

Simply combine all ingredients, cover & chill for a few hours. Serve with chips!

*Here is another helpful hint: Place the Avacado pit in the bottom of the dish to keep the avacado from turning brown.

{ 2 comments }

One of my favorite recipes to make & take to Football Tailgating is a Layered Taco Dip. It always gets eaten and I probably pass this recipe on more than any other! Try it out & let me know what you think!

Ingredients

16oz sour cream
1 small container/package of cream cheese (8oz)
1 bag of Shredded Mexican blend Cheese
1 can of Re-fried Beans
1 packet of Taco Seasoning
1 jar salsa
sliced olives or jalapenos

Directions

In a small bowl, mix re-fried beans and taco seasoning. Spread onto the bottom of a glass dish.
In another bowl, mix together softened cream cheese and sour cream. Spread on top of the bean mixture in your dish.
Spoon jar of salsa on top of the cream cheese/sour cream mixture.
Sprinkle entire bag of cheese on the top.
Add sliced jalapenos and olives to taste.
Serve with either Fritos or Tostitos Scoops

{ 4 comments }

One of my favorite recipes to make a ton of and freeze is Stuffed Shells. It is the perfect dish for potlucks and to take to new moms who need a break from cooking.You can leave the Spinach out if you aren’t a fan, but it is a good way to get your kids to eat their greens without knowing it!

Ingredients

1 box Jumbo Shells Pasta

1 32 oz container of Ricotta Cheese

1 package of Italian blend cheese

1/2  package of Mozzarella cheese

2 Eggs beaten

2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon pepper

2 teaspoons Italian seasoning blend

1 box of frozen spinach thawed & squeezed dry

1 jar of Pasta Sauce (I make my own, so I just use about this much)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350
2. Boil pasta shells until al dente; drain
3. In a large bowl, mix eggs, ricotta, Italian blend cheese, Italian seasoning , salt and pepper until well combined; fold in spinach.
4. Put a layer of sauce on the bottom on a 9X13 baking dish.
5. Stuff cooked shells with ricotta/ spinach mixture and place in the baking dish.
6. Once all shells are in place, spoon sauce over them until lightly coated.
7. Add mozzarella cheese on top
8. Bake 30 minutes or until heated in center and cheese has melted on top.

{ 2 comments }

Muffin Ingredients:

1/2 cup white sugar
1/3 cup all purpose flour
1/4 cup salted butter
2 tsp cinnamon
Directions:

Combine all dry ingredients (flour, sugar, baking powder) into a bowl. Put wet ingredients (oil, egg, milk) together in another bowl.

Add crumb topping: Mix sugar, flour & cinnamon with the softened butter. Sprinkle over muffins prior to baking.
Bake 20-23 minutes or until fully cooked through.

{ 3 comments }

Kids love to make cookies and what kind of cookie is more fun to make then M&M cookies? I had the task of making 6 dozen cookies for my son’s Church Camp this week, so instead of making them myself, I got the kids involved in the process. Kids love to bake & it is a great opportunity to throw in some math & science!

Ingredients

6 cups dry Bisquick

2 cups light brown sugar

1 1/2 stick of butter

3 eggs

1 1/2 tsp Vanilla extract

1 medium bag of M&M candies

Preheat oven to 375 and spray cookie sheets with cooking spray. While oven preheats, help kids measure out ingredients.

In a large bowl, mix Bisquick with brown sugar.
Mix in eggs, softened butter and vanilla. Combine all ingredients until fully incorporated and dough is firm. Drop in 3/4 bag of M&Ms, folding into dough gently.

Have kids take tablespoon scoops of dough & gently roll them into small 1 1/2 inch balls.

Press remaining M&Ms into the top of the cookies prior to baking in the oven. Bake for 8-10 minutes. This recipe makes 2 dozen cookies.
Give this recipe a try & let me know what you think!

{ 2 comments }