Pecan Creek Boutique

Hey friends-

I know I know it has been forever since I last posted.  Life has been super crazy this year.  We started our own business doing landscaping, and I have been experimenting with a lot of foodie things to keep my sanity up.  We also found out that we have another bun in the oven!!! Yep you heard me, number 6 is on its way.  We couldn't be happier! We are so excited!  Morning sickness is in full force right now, which has also prolonged any posting, but rest assured, I am bound and determined to get back in the saddle after the holidays and get some yummy recipes for you that I have been working on.

Right now, I am excited to announce that in a month and a half I will be participating in my very first Boutique!  It's called the Pecan Creek Boutique.  Here is the link to their blog.  http://pecancreekboutique.blogspot.com/  Also, stop on over to their Facebook page to enter an amazing giveaway that they are having. (the link is on their blog)

I will be selling my famous Tamales there, for the holidays.  I know what you are thinking... why would I buy the tamales when her recipe is on the blog?  Well, I will tell you why.... one... Have you ever made tamales? Tons of work... enough said... lol.  Let me do the work for you! Also, I've been playing around with the recipes a little and made them even better. AND if that doesn't convince you, then come get the other 2 kinds that I have available that are not posted yet.  I'm not the kind of person that refuses to share a recipe. I think its lame.  I'll get around to posting the others, someday, but for now... COME TO THE BOUTIQUE!

I am also going to be selling my cheese balls and salsa. Super yummy, super good time!

The boutique will be on Nov 17th from 8 am-1 pm.  They have some amazing vendors. I am so excited to be a part of it.  So come on over and get some Christmas shopping done.  Don't forget to check out their blog for more information. See you there!

Freezer Meals Day 15- Very Berry Pops

Ahhhh, it's blasted hot outside!  And the summer has just begun.  Its time to bring out the cold snacks.  Like these Popsicles.  Nutritious and delicious, but it doesn't taste like chicken.  The best part is that it is super simple to make. 

Very Berry Pops

4 cups mixed berries ( I used Costco's frozen triple berry blend and some frozen cherries)

1 cup apple juice (or water/other fruit juice)

2 tbsp sugar

4-6 Dixie cups

4-6 Popsicle sticks

Blend ingredients in a blender until well blended. Pour mixture into the cups and place a Popsicle stick in the center of the mixture. Freeze until hardened. Tear the cup away from the Popsicle and serve immediately.

Day 14, Sloppy Joes

As good ol' Rico (from Hannah Montana) would say, "Hay-yoooooh" I'm back!  Thanks for all of your prayers and support for my sweet sister Hayley.  She is officially in Remission! What a miracle it is!  The disease that was attacking her kidneys is gone!   Her kidneys are pretty beat up, but we are hoping for continued progress and she will most likely be able to avoid a transplant. 

Life has been pretty crazy around here the past few weeks.  We started our own business back in January.  We have had the amazing blessing of too much work!  Its been hard to juggle it all but feel like we are starting to get our feet under us and will be able to handle the growth a little more in the next few months. 

5 kids has kept me plenty busy as well.  I'm enjoying having them near me and love spending time with them. I'm trying to soak it all in because next thing I know, they will be grown and gone.  I love being a mom to these sweet princesses.  We have so much fun together!  They love to help me cook and bake and are getting pretty good at it. 

Okay okay, enough rambling... on to the Sloppy Joes!!!  Its kid friendly week...still...  And here is a fabulous one.  This recipe comes from The Pioneer Woman. Love her!!!

Sloppy Joes

2 Tablespoons Butter

2-1/2 pounds Ground Beef

1/2 whole Large Onion, Diced

1 whole Large Green Bell Pepper, Diced

5 cloves Garlic, Minced

1-1/2 cup Ketchup

1 cup Water

2 Tablespoons Brown Sugar

2 teaspoons Chili Powder (more To Taste)

1 teaspoon Dry Mustard

1/2 teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes (more To Taste)

Worcestershire Sauce, To Taste

2 Tablespoons Tomato Paste (optional)

Salt To Taste

Pepper, To Taste

Hamburger buns or rolls

Butter

Melt butter in a large skillet and toss in the ground beef or turkey.  Cook thoroughly until browned over medium heat.

Add onions, green pepper, and garlic. Cook for a few minutes, or until vegetables begin to get soft.

Stir in remaining ingredients to combine. Simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.

Spread rolls with butter and brown on a griddle or skillet. Spoon meat mixture over the rolls.

Where's Jennie?

Life kind of stopped with Day 13 last week for me!  I'm sorry I didn't keep going.  My sister was put in the hospital last week for Kidney Failure. She has since been diagnosed with Wegeners Disease.  It's not a very fun disease to have.  She has started some massive treatments, including chemo, dialasys and plasmapheresis. I have been trying to take it all in and wrap my head around the situation.  And of course be with her as much as possible.  She will be in the hospital another couple of weeks. 

For the time being, pretty much anything extra is on hold, so I can try to be there for her and for my family.  Please keep her in your prayers.  She is only 21! I promise to get back with the rest of the freezer meals, when life settles down a little more. I've got some good ones for ya!

Have a great day and happy creating!

Freezer Meal Day 13- Grilled Ham and Cheese

I got to spend the day with my sweet sister yesterday.  She is in the hospital with acute kidney failure.  They will be doing a minor surgery on her today to get some answers.  If you all could remember her in your prayers it would be greatly appreciated!

Moments like these, whether big or small, are exactly why we need to prepare now with freezer meals!  Something always comes up, whether its a sick child or other family member, too many places to be at once and cant get dinner going, or you just feel too lazy to cook.  These freezer meals have saved me a lot of stress and time!

Here is another yummy freezer sandwich that goes along with the PB and J for the Masses that I posted earlier.

Grilled Ham and Cheese

Bread

Sliced Cheese ( I used American)

Sliced Ham

Butter (softened)

Wax paper (if desired)

With two slices of bread, add a slice of ham (or more if desired) and a slice of cheese (I used a couple slices). Put sides together and spread the outside with butter.  In a fry pan or on a griddle, grill (at low to medium heat) both sides until golden and the cheese is melted. Allow sandwiches to cool and wrap individually with wax paper (if desired). Put in freezer bags.  Label and freeze

To Thaw:  remove a sandwich from the bag (still wrapped with wax paper) and microwave on high for 30-45 seconds.  You can also grill them again until thawed and crisp again. ( I nuked it first then grilled it.  It was awesome!)

Freezer Meals Day 12- Pigs in a Blanket

It's kid friendly week here at Mommy's Kitchen Creations!  Today I've got a super easy one for you.  My kids like to call these mummys, because their grandma made them these for Halloween.  They are nice to just pop in the microwave and heat them up.

Pigs in a Blanket

1 pkg Crescent rolls

2 small pkgs Lil' Smokies

Preheat oven according to package directions (for the crescent rolls). Un-roll crescent rolls and combine 2 triangles together to create a square.  Pinch seams together.  Cut 5 rows lengthwise and then one cut in half cross wise, to make 10 pieces.  Wrap each piece around a link and place on a cookie sheet.   Bake according to crescent roll package directions. 

To Freeze- when cooked, allow them to cool and place cookie sheet in the freezer. When frozen, transfer to a freezer bag. Label and freeze. 

To Thaw: Toss in the microwave and heat through.  You can also bake them according to package instructions, and just add about 5-10 minutes for thawing time.

Freezer Meals Day 11- Chicken Tenders

It's kid Friendly Meals Week this week.  All week I will have some fun freezer meals that are great for those crazy day lunches, or even dinner... for your little ones.  Every time we decide to eat out my kids tell me they want chicken and french fries.  So today, I have some chicken fingers for you that you can freeze ahead of time and have ready to microwave at a moments notice. 

Spend one afternoon making a bunch of these, and you'll save tons of time and money in the long run. 

Chicken Tenders

1 1/2 lbs Chicken Tenders

1 1/2 C. Flour

2 Eggs beaten

1/4 C. milk

1 C. Bread Crumbs

1 C. Panko Bread Crumbs

1 Tsp Season Salt

Salt and Pepper to taste

Sprinkle raw chicken with salt and pepper.  In a small shallow dish, add the flour with a dash of salt and pepper.  In another shallow bowl add eggs and milk. Beat well.  And another shallow dish, mix together the bread crumbs, season salt, salt and pepper. 

Coat tenders with flour and then dip in the milk/egg mixture. Then coat with the bread crumbs.  Place the tenders on a cookie sheet and bate at 375 for about 15 minutes. 

To Freeze:  After baking, allow them to cool.  Put cookie sheet in the freezer and freeze the tenders. When frozen, transfer to a freezer bag.  Label, date and return to the freezer.

To Thaw:  remove desired amount of tenders and heat in the microwave (about a minute for 3 or less tenders) in the oven (375 for about15 min.) or deep fry them on medium until golden brown. 

Chicken Freezer Meals

Here is a quick glance at my previous chicken freezer meal recipes.


Baked Chicken Bacon Alfredo

Egg Rolls

Chicken Parmigana
Chile Lime Chicken Burritos

Cheesy Chicken Penne with Sundried Tomatoes

Crock Pot Creamy Southwestern Chicken

Crock Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup

Homemade Tamales

Chile Lime Chicken Tostadas
Chicken Soup

Sour Cream Enchiladas

Freezer Meals Day 10- Chicken Stuffed Pablanos

Man oh Man! My husband rocks!  He was on a roll tonight!  As a little disclaimer... I haven't officially frozen this dish or the previous post, to get exact thawing times etc... but I can't see any reason why they wouldn't freeze and thaw just fine.  So sorry about that, but hey... it's my blog and I can do what I want.  And I want to post this recipe now!

Don't let the wrinkly nasty looking pepper fool you.  I never did like the way they photographed.  They always look so gross.  But taste so good!

Chicken Stuffed Pablanos

8 large Pablano Peppers (seeded, ribbed and broiled)

16 oz block Monterey Jack Cheese

1 recipe of Mystery Dish Chicken (cooked) (recipe below)

Cut heads off of the peppers.  Remove all seeds and ribs. Broil Peppers on high until skin is blistered.  About 5 minutes. Remove from oven and place in a plastic Ziploc bag and seal.  Allow peppers to sweat/cool for 5-10 minutes.  Remove waxy skins.  (it should slip right off). Stuff peppers with a slice of cheese and desired amount of chicken.  Bake at 250 for 30 minutes or until cheese is melted.

To freeze-  Before baking, place stuffed peppers on a cookie sheet or plate and freeze.  When frozen, toss them into a freezer bag, label and freeze.

To thaw, bake at 250 for 35-45 minutes or until cheese is gooey and melted.  You can also speed things up and just toss them in the microwave for 1-3 minutes.

Chicken Marinade-

3 tbsp lime juice

3 tbsp water

1 ½ tsp salt

½ pablano pepper (seeded, ribbed and finely chopped)

1 tbsp prepared minced garlic (not the dried minced)

1 tbsp sugar

2 lbs of chicken (raw and diced)

2 tbsp olive oil

 In a medium bowl combine marinade ingredients.  Toss in chicken.
Stir to coat.  Let sit 5-10 minutes.

Heat olive oil into a frying pan.  Bring to medium heat. Toss in chicken, discarding the liquid. Cook for about10 minutes or until cooked through.

Freezer Meals Day 9- Mystery Meal

Sweet mother of Abraham Lincoln this dish is good.  I tell you what, I think I am just going to turn this blog over to my husband.  His food is absolutely amazing!!  I've been in a "I don't want to cook cause my kitchen is a mess" mood this week.  I cleaned it all up and made some tamales earlier this week.  By the end of the tamale run, not only was my kitchen a mess, but so was the rest of my house.  I've never been good at cleaning as I go.  A trait I am trying to acquire.

By the time tamale day is over, I'm wiped out and don't feel like cleaning.  3 days later...I turn into a tornado. (after everyone and their mom has seen my messy house and I'm so embarrassed I finally decide to do something about it) I put the kids to bed and plow through the house cleaning every nook and cranny. Anyway... still feeling like I don't want to cook, my hubby decided to get creative tonight.  I had a few different dishes that I had on the list to try for this week, but just wasn't feeling it.  So we decided to switch gears and let Trever take a wack at a new dish.  And of course he passed with flying colors.  There are quite a few steps to this one, but they go pretty quick. Especially if you have the rice made up ahead of time. 

So here is the deal... We are not sure what to call this.  So we are going to have a contest.  Not sure what the winner will get.  Maybe just the satisfaction of naming one of my dishes.  We will see. But leave a post with your desired recipe name. Trever and I will choose and let you know. The contest will run until next Saturday the 14th.  Be sure to check in daily for all of the fun names!

Mystery Meal

Rice

½ pablano pepper seeded, ribbed and finely chopped

2 tsp minced garlic

1/8 large onion finely chopped

Salt to taste

2 tbsp sugar

2 tbsp olive oil

3 cups cooked rice *

1 tbsp lime juice

Heat oil in a pan, add pepper, garlic, onion, salt, and sugar. Saute until tender. 3-4 minutes.  Stir in cooked rice.  Add 1 tbsp lime juice.

Chicken Marinade-

3 tbsp lime juice

3 tbsp water

1 ½ tsp salt

½ pablano pepper (seeded, ribbed and finely chopped)

1 tbsp prepared minced garlic (not the dried minced)

1 tbsp sugar

2 lbs of chicken (raw and diced)

2 tbsp olive oil

 In a medium bowl combine marinade ingredients.  Toss in chicken.
Stir to coat.  Let sit 5-10 minutes.

Heat olive oil into a frying pan.  Bring to medium heat. Toss in chicken, discarding the liquid. Cook for about10 minutes or until cooked through.

Jalapeno Cream Cheese (we just used half of this recipe and saved the rest for another meal)

1 8 oz package cream cheese

8 oz sour cream

2-3 jalapenos (ribbed and seeded) **

Salt to taste    

2 tbsp sugar

1/8 large onion finely diced

3 tbsp lime juice

1-2 tbsp chopped cilantro

Soften cream cheese and blend in a blender well. 

additional ingredients needed

1/2 cup monterey jack cheese shredded

1 cup tortilla chip pieces

Layer

in a 9x9 (you can do a larger pan to make it thinner if desired) aluminum pan, put rice in the bottom, packing it down firmly. Add cooked chicken to the top of the rice.Top with jalapeno cream cheese. Sprinkle with Monterey Jack cheese

Cover with foil and label.  Freeze

To thaw, Bake covered at 350 for 35-45 minutes or until heated through. Uncover and broil on high for 3-5 min. until cheese is golden.

If making fresh... just skip to the quick broil to crisp the cheese.

Top with tortilla chip pieces.

* Day old rice is best, but if it's fresh, after steaming/cooking it... spread it onto a cookie sheet and bake at 250 for 15 min. This will dry it out a little bit and keep it from clumping so much.

** Each Jalapeno has a different heat content from what I've found.  Also it depends on how well you clean out the ribs and seeds.  Make sure to clean them out well (I like to use rubber gloves to avoid catastrophy) I would start with one.  Taste it and add more according to tastes.  Trever added 3 and it wasn't spicey at all, but again, it just depends.

Freezer Meals Day 8- Poppy Seed Chicken

I found this recipe from my friends blog. I have to admit, when I looked at it, I thought... where is all the seasoning? But I tried it as is anyway.  WOW, no seasoning required.  It's Fabulous!  The crackers really give it a nice flavor.  I did season the chicken with salt and pepper when I cooked it, but that's it. 

Poppy Seed Chicken

5 cups chopped cooked chicken
1 (10.5 ounce) can condensed cream of chicken soup
1 cup sour cream
1 1/2 cups crushed buttery round crackers (like Ritz)
1 teaspoon poppy seeds
1/2 cup butter, melted
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
Recipe taken from Pickle Boat Recipes

2. Place the chicken into a 9x13 inch baking dish. In a medium bowl, stir together the condensed soup and sour cream. Pour over the chicken. In a separate bowl, stir together the crushed crackers, poppy seeds and melted butter. Sprinkle over the chicken and sauce.

3. Bake for 30 minutes in the preheated oven, until the top of the casserole is browned and the sauce is bubbly.

Freezer Meals Day 7 - Honey Lime Enchiladas

Fussy teething baby means no commentary today.  Just try them, they are good! :)

Honey Lime Enchiladas

6 tablespoons honey
5 tablespoons lime juice (1 large lime)
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1 pound chicken, cooked (seasoned with salt and pepper) & shredded (I used a rotisserie chicken)
8-10 flour tortillas
1 pound Monterrey jack cheese, shredded ( used cheddar)
16 ounces green enchilada sauce
1 cup heavy cream (I left this out)

Whisk the first four ingredients and toss with shredded chicken in a Zip-lock bag. Let it marinate for at least a 1/2 hour. Longer is better. Pour about 1/2 cup enchilada sauce on the bottom of a 9X13 baking pan.
Fill the tortillas with chicken, saving marinade, and shredded cheese, saving about 1 cup of cheese to sprinkle on top of enchiladas. Lay rolled tortillas in the pan. Mix the remaining enchilada sauce with the cream and leftover marinade (if there is any). Pour sauce on top of the enchiladas. Sprinkle with remaining cheese.
Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes until brown and crispy on top.

Recipe adapted from Dinner on a Dime

Freeze in a foil pan covered in foil, before cooking.  To thaw, cook at 350 for about 45 min, remove foil and cook another 30.  Or thaw on the counter and cook as directed above. Remember to label your foil!

Freezer Meals day 6- Cranberry Chicken

We ate this dish at our ward Christmas party, and have enjoyed it many times since.  All I can say about this one, is Whoa baby it's good! I got the recipe from a friend of mine.  Defiantly a keeper...

Cranberry Chicken

4  chicken breasts sliced in half

1 package dry onion soup mix

1 (16 ounce) can jellied cranberry sauce

1 cup French dressing

Lay chicken side by side in a foil 9x13 pan.  Mix together remaining ingredients in a bowl and pour over chicken.  Cover with foil. Keep in the fridge for about 8 hours or overnight.  (I have made this without marinating it.  It's not as fabulous but still good)  Bake at 350 (covered loosely with foil) for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Or until cooked through.

To freeze-  Before cooking, cover with foil, label and date. Put in freezer

To Thaw- I haven't tested the thaw time in the oven but I would guess about 45 minutes longer.  So a total of 2 hours in the oven. Or you can just thaw on the counter and cook for the designated time.  I don't like to mess around with raw chicken so I over cook mine just to make sure. 

Serve with rice.

Beef Freezer Meal Recipes

Here is a list of some of my Beef recipes that can be turned into freezer meals.  Enjoy, and don't forget... stock up now for a rainy day!!

Hearty Beef Stew

Slow Cooker Pepper Steak

Mini Corn Dogs

Green Chile Burritos

Mashed Potato Beef Bake

Taco Soup

Chalupa 

Stuffed Bell Peppers

Flatbread Tacos

Easy Stroganoff

Freezer Meals Day 5- Cheeseburger Soup

It's called Cheeseburger Soup but it has a little twist to it.  I wasn't totally blown over with this one, but the kids really liked it.  I'm going to make it a little differently next time, just to make it easier.  I like the toss it it, boil it down and scarf soups.  So I am going to try to simplify it just a bit.  I'll have my notes at the bottom.

My Mother-in-law made this one using gluten free flour and said that it worked great.  So those of you gluten free-ers out there, give this one a try!

Cheeseburger Soup

1/2 lb. ground beef        
4 cups potatoes, diced                                  

1/4 cup flour

3/4 cup onion, chopped
3/4 cup carrots, shredded    (I sliced baby carrots)                         

16 oz Sliced American cheese                                                                

3/4 cup celery, diced                                      

1 1/2 cups of milk

1 tsp dried basil                                               

1 tsp. dried parsley flakes                              

4 TBSP butter, Divided   

1 box chicken broth  

Salt and Pepper to taste                            

sour cream (as a garnish)

In a 3 quart saucepan, brown beef; drain & set aside.  In the same saucepan saute' onion, carrots, celery, basil and parsley in 1 TBSP butter until veggies are tender, about 8 minutes.  Add broth, potatoes & beef; bring to a boil.  Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 10-12 minutes or until potatoes are tender.  Meanwhile, in a small skillet, melt remaining butter.  Add flour; cook and stir for 3-5 minutes or until bubbly.  Add to soup; bring to a boil.  Cook and stir for 2 minutes.  Reduce heat to low.  Add cheese, milk, salt and pepper; cook and stir until cheese melts.  Remove from the heat; blend in sour cream.  8 LARGE servings.

Cool soup, Pour into gallon or quart sized freezer bags. Label and date. Lay them flat on a cookie sheet to freeze flat, so that it's easier to stack in your freezer.    To Thaw, fun under hot water, and heat over the stove or in the microwave.  You can also toss it in the crock pot on low (from frozen) and let it sit for about 8 hours.

MY NOTES:  Next time I would just steam the vegetables (and the one tbsp of butter) and about a half cup of water in a smaller pot or skillet.  Make your "roux"  the flour and butter in your larger pot.  Melt butter and add flour.  Whisk to a paste, and cook for 1 minute. Then add milk. Stir and cook until thickened. Then add the rest of the ingredients. cook for another 8-10 minutes to get the veggies nice and tender and marry the flavors.  also, season your meat with salt and pepper when you are browning it.  It will give it a better flavor.

ONE MORE THING:  Always Always Always label your freezer meals.  So many times I've said "I'll remember what that is" when tossing leftovers in the freezer.... yep, did you know that they don't looked the same after about a week in the freezer? 

Freezer Meals Day 4- Southwest Stuffed Zucchini

I love yesterday's Burritos so much that I decided to try the filling in a zucchini boat. The family reviews we not very favorable.  My kids just aren't huge zucchini fans, unless it's fried.  My husband, didn't like mixing southwest with Italian.  I didn't like it with the ground turkey very much.  I'm still trying to acquire the taste of the ground turkey... but I really like the concept and I think I would really like it with ground beef. 

I had a few friends be the taste testers for it, to see what they thought of it.  So, if you tasted this one, feel free to leave your honest feedback in a comment.  If it's a total thumbs down recipe, I'll put a warning sign up at the top for ya how's that? I would eat it again though. 

Southwest Stuffed Zucchini

1 Jar White Corn and Black Bean Salsa

1 lb Ground Beef (or Turkey)

Shredded Cheese (optional) I used cheddar, but any kind will work

4-5 Large Zucchini

Slice off ends of Zucchini and then slice in half.  Remove the pulp, leaving 1/4 space from the edge and bottom. In a pot of boiling water, add zucchini and boil 3-4 minutes Remove and add filling

Filling:  Brown meat and then add salsa.  Add to the boiled zucchini.  Top with desired amount of cheese. Place them side by side on a cookie sheet or on a plate (whatever will fit in your freezer) and freeze them for about 3 hours, or until frozen.  Combine them into a freezer bag. Label and return them to the freezer.

To thaw: You can microwave on high for a few minutes, or you can bake them at 350 for about 10-15 minutes or until cooked through.

Freezer Meals Day 3- Jake's Burritos

Can I just say that these have got to be the best burritos that I have ever tasted! No lie, and I am the burrito Queen. Hey, I can whatever makes me sleep at night right? And they are super easy too.  When I first heard there was ground beef in them, I was thinking, I'll pass! I tried them anyway and even writing about them is making my mouth water.

Our buddy Jake made these for us.  He told me about this unknown treasure.  Actually, apparently a lot of people know about this one but I somehow missed the meeting on it.  It's a Wal Mart brand, white corn and black bean salsa.  Can we say heaven?  It's sooo good!

Jake's Burritos

1 Jar (Wal Mart Brand) White Corn and Black Bean Salsa

1 can Black Beans

1 Lb Ground Beef or Turkey

Shredded Cheddar Cheese (if desired)

Tortillas

Brown the beef in a skillet and then add beans and salsa.  Heat through.  Fill tortillas with meat mixture. Roll into burritos and place in a baking dish.  Top with cheddar cheese (if desired) Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes, or until cheese is melted.  Serve warm

To Freeze, place burritos into a foil baking dish and top with cheese.  Cover with foil and plastic wrap (if planning on freezing for longer than a month or so) and label. Freeze for about  3 months.

To thaw:  Remove plastic wrap but keep foil on.  Bake at 350 for 30-45 minutes or until thawed.  Then remove foil and bake for another 25-30 minutes. (you can also thaw on the counter and cook as directed above)

Freezer Meals Day 2- Minute Burgers

I have to give the credit to this idea to my Mother-in-law.  Genius! We love hamburgers but hardly ever eat them because I have to remember to thaw the hamburger meat, make it into patties, grill it, etc.  Or remember to buy the patties at the store.  It also seams that by the time I remember to get it all ready in time, the buns have gone stale.  I'm exhausted just thinking about all of the coordinating.  And don't get me started on toppings.  Lets just say I eat my burger for the toppings.  I have to have Lettuce, tomato, onions, pickle etc. or id rather eat cereal for dinner.  Lame and spoiled I know, but hey that's me! For some reason, 9 times out of 10 I chose my meal around the condiments I'm craving instead of the dish.

These burgers are perfect to pull out and toss in the microwave.  They are done in about a minute and my kids love em!  A double plus for me.

Minute Burgers

1 Tbsp Onion Powder

1 tsp Salt

1/2 tsp Pepper

3 lbs Ground Beef or Turkey (uncooked)

Sliced Cheese (if desired)

Combine ingredients into a large bowl.  Mix well.  Pour mixture onto a cookie sheet and press firmly spreading the mixture across the entire cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 18 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly. Cut into squares.  (the size of the buns you will be using) Place (cooled) cookie sheet with meat in the freezer for about 3 hours or until frozen.  Also freeze the buns separately.  When both the buns and the patties are frozen, combine them together and add a slice of cheese to each burger if desired. Wrap hamburgers individually in wax paper. Then put them in freezer bags. I did 4 into a gallon sized bag. Label and date the bags.

To re-heat, microwave in the wax paper for 1 to 2 minutes.  Don't over cook or the bread will get hard. Top with your favorite condiments and serve. I would suggest cooking the meat for about a minute first, then add the cheese and bread, wrap it in the wax paper and do another 30 seconds.

Freezer Meals-Day 1 Fajita Tacos

It's Freezer Meal time here at Mommy's Kitchen Creations!  And Boy oh Boy am I excited!  We are going to have 30 days of Freezer meals for ya.  I've decided to really challenge myself with my blog this month.  It's easy to let the day get away from me sometime and forget to post a recipe.  In an effort to get more organized in my life, I thought this would be a great may to stretch myself.  Each week will feature a main ingredient or theme. This will help you buy in bulk and save some time.  This week will be centered around BEEF! It's what's for dinner!  If you aren't a red meat fan... this is your lucky day, each meal is easily substitutable for either chicken or ground turkey.

For all of you Arizona-ites out there, you know it's only a matter of time before it starts to feel like you start melting!  Don't get caught in the middle of summer with nothing to cook for dinner. Cooking over the hot stove all day is no fun when it's 115 degrees outside.  Plan your meals now before the heat hits.

If you are totally apposed to turning on your oven in the summer, and are about to tell me to get lost, keep reading.  Some of these meals, you can re-heat in the crock pot, or microwave.  For the ones that require the oven... just stick them on the back porch for about 10 seconds in the middle of august.  Not only will they be thawed but will be cooked clean through! Ok seriously though, here is what you need to do. 

Get yourself a roaster oven. You know, one of those big ol' crock pot looking things that you see everywhere at church functions.  They are basically a portable oven.  The one that I got was $60 and it uses 70% LESS energy than your oven.  Get the big ol' sucker though, don't go for the little ones, otherwise your pans won't fit.  I got a 22 quart and it fits my 11x9 pan in it.  I've also used it to mass produce tons of meals.  It's seriously one of the best investments I've made! LOVE IT!!! If you are worried about it taking up too much space, it can also double as a bath tub for your kids on the weekends. Hehehe

Fajita Tacos

1 lb fajita meat sliced (or slice your own steak into thin strips)

3 Bell Peppers sliced (I like 1 of each- red, green and orange)

1 Large Onion sliced

1 Tbsp Corn Starch

1 1/2 tsp Chili Powder

1 1/4 tsp Salt

1 tsp Paprika

1 tsp Sugar

3/4 tsp Chicken Bullion

1/4 tsp Cumin

1/2 tsp Onion Powder

1/4 tsp Cayenne Pepper

1/4 tsp Garlic Powder

Tortillas

Cook meat until no longer pink.  Toss in all other ingredients and cook for a few minutes, until vegetables are fork tender but not soggy. 

Add desired amount to a tortilla and fold in half. In a skillet or griddle add 1 tbsp butter or oil.  Grill fajita on both sides until crisp.  Slice into desired size pieces or leave as it.  Freeze on a cookie sheet ( to keep them from sticking together)  Then transfer to freezer bags.  Label and date.

To reheat... Microwave until cooked through (about 2-3 minutes) or re-grill on medium low heat until heated through and crisp.  You can also heat in the oven. (I haven't done this yet, but would say 375 for about 10 minutes.)

Veggie Pizza

To quote a popular kids movie "this'll take her breath away". Super delicious and super easy!  A dear friend of mine made this for a party one time and it was a hit! This is a must have at your next party. 

Veggie Pizza

2 cans (8 oz each) crescent dinner rolls

1 package (8 oz) cream cheese, softened

1 packet ranch dressing mix

1 to 2 cups chopped fresh vegetables.  I used broccoli, cauliflower, red bell peppers, carrotts and onions

Heat oven to 375°F.

Unroll both cans of dough. In an ungreased cookie sheet. press dough into the bottom of the pan and up the sides to make a crust. Bake 13 to 17 minutes or until golden brown. Cool completely

 In small bowl, mix cream cheese, and ranch powder. Spread over crust. Top with

vegetables.  Cut into squares and serve.  Makes about 32 squares

Lime Turkey Tacos

In an effort to eat a little healthier, I've decided to give ground turkey a try.  Years ago, a friend of mine was experimenting with some ground turkey and had some lime flavored olive oil that she used to sauté the meat in.  It was actually pretty good.  I'm also a fan of turkey bacon. Other than that, besides the usual thanksgiving dinner, I'm just not a fan of the stuff.  The texture of say, turkey meatballs, is just too grainy for me.  I'm sure it's an acquired taste... but I'm just such a beef girl, it's hard to switch!

I have been trying to clean out my freezer to load up on some delicious freezer meals for next month. So I pulled out my bag of  Refried Beans
 that I made and froze last month, some ground turkey that I had on hand, and some tortillas that needed to by used, and Voila! A delicious new meal was born!  I have to say... It was so yummy!  Of course healthy is still a foreign concept for me... so if you are REALLY trying to be healthy, you can bypass the deep fried tortilla part! You can use the meat flavoring to turn it into a Taco Salad, or even use it on chips or regular taco shells.  (I know chips and taco shells are super healthy either)

Who knew that cleaning out the freezer would make such a yummy last minute meal.  What will I come up with next!



Lime Turkey Tacos

1 lb ground turkey

1 med onion diced (1-2 tbsp dehydrated onions)

1 tbsp olive oil

4-5 tbsp lime juice

¼ tsp salt

1 cup Pace salsa

Refried Beans

Small flour tortillas (optional)

Oil for frying (optional)

Brown meat together with olive oil and onions.  Then add lime juice, salt and salsa until heated through.  Create a taco by frying the tortilla in a skillet (with about a half inch of oil) Remove tortilla when golden brown.  Drain on a paper towel and immediatly add beans and meat, along with other desired toppings.  Fold in half and serve.

Crispies

We are going to take a little trip to Mexico in this post!  When I was a kid, we would go with a bunch of  friends down to Rocky Point and stay for a few days.  I have some seriously fun memories there.  I remember saving all of my money so that I could go down there and shop! I loved sitting on the beach and watching all of the people walk by with their jewelry, sun glasses etc.  I have to admit, my all time favorite thing to buy was these Crispies. I know... only I would turn down jewelry, for food!  But they are so good!

Are you ready for this?  Its super hard...

Crispies

Small Flour Tortillas

Oil for frying

Sugar

Cinnamon (optional)

Heat oil in a pan on medium high heat. Fry each tortilla until crisp.  Drain on a paper towel and coat with sugar and cinnamon (optional).  I love these when they are just a little under done, so they are a little chewy. I also  pour about a 1/2 cup of sugar in a Ziploc bag, the put the crisped tortillas in there. Seal and shake to coat.

Ham and Asparagus

I forgot to post this recipe for those who are involved with our produce co-op.  Each time we purchase our baskets full of fruits and veggies, I try to get one thing that is a little out of the ordinary for people to try.  Then I will post a recipe using that item.  This past week we got asparagus. Here is an awesome recipe that my mom used to make for us all the time.  I've always loved asparagus because of this dish.  My husband who is not a fan of asparagus, ate 2nds!!!  My kids all loved it too!

Ham and Asparagus

1 bunch Asparagus

6-10 slices of ham (lunch meat)

1 small can Cream of Asparagus (Campbell's is the only one that carries this that I know of)

1/2 soup can of water

Steam asparagus for 8-10 minutes to soften it a little. After steaming, wrap 3 stalks of asparagus in 1-2 pieces of ham.  (I like to use two and over lap them a bit so It covers most of the stalk) Place in a 9x13 baking dish.  Keep doing this until all stalks are wrapped and laying in the dish.  In a small bowl combine soup and water.  Pour over the top.  (it doesn't need to be covered in it.) Bake at 350 for 35-40 minutes, or until cooked to desired tenderness.

7 layer Bean Dip

This recipe is always a great party dip.  My mom has made this for as long as I can remember. I usually like mine as a 6 layer dip.  Not a fan of Guacamole.  The nice thing about this dip, is that you can customize it to your liking, without messing it up.  My husband prefers no green onions.  Others like it with tons of cheese.  So don't feel like you are messing it up if you want to add a little more this or that. 

7 layer Bean Dip

1 can Refried Beans 

1 cup Guacamole

1 (16 oz) Sour Cream

1 pkg Taco Seasoning

1/4 cup chopped green onions

1-2 cups Shredded Cheese

1/2 cup Black Olives sliced

1 cup Tomatoes (diced)

In a shallow baking dish, spread the beans evenly. Top with Guacamole.  Mix sour cream and taco seasoning in a small bowl. Add on top of the guacamole.  Top with cheese, olives, tomatoes and green onions.  Serve with Tortilla Chips.

Bacon Wrapped Lit'l Smokies

Whoever said bacon makes everything better, was a geneous! The first time I tried these, I was at a friends reception.  I was hooked.  Then when I heard how simple they were to make I got really excited.  They taste like something you would have to bay big money for at a restaurant, cause slaving away all day over a hot stove is out of the question.  Its just three simple ingredients.

Bacon Wrapped Lit'l Smokies

1 lb bacon (cut strips into fourths)

1 package Lit'l Smokies (I like the beef)

1/2 cup brown sugar

Wrap a piece of bacon around the sausage link.  Secure with a tooth pick (the bacon will shrink, so the toothpicks help it to shrink around it instead of come loose) Place on a cookie sheet. Sprinkle with brown sugar.  Bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes or until bacon is to desired doneness. (I like mine crispy) I like to rotate my half way through so that both sides soak up the delicious juices!

These can be done in a crock pot at well. 

Snickers Caramel Corn

Holy Popcorn Batman!!! We have a winner!! You know what bugs me?  I went to the store to get some snickers bars the other day, and the 8 pack of fun size are now a 6 pack.  Ugh! Remember when it used to be a 10 pack for a dollar?  And on sale, you could really get a smokin deal. Now we are getting 4 less candy bars and paying more money.  Whats this world coming to!

I found this recipe on my dear friend's blog. I've been so excited to try it.  I tell you what... you want to host the party of the year?  Serve this popcorn!  Just beware that it will go fast, so make sure to keep it comin'.

Snickers Caramel Corn

1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup light corn syrup
1 cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
12 cups air-popped popcorn

12 fun size Snickers

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with foil and spray with non-stick spray. Slice candy bars in half lengthwise, then into thirds.

In a pot, melt butter over medium heat. Add in sugar and corn syrup, whisking until dissolved, then let simmer (without mixing) until mixture begins to bubble – about 4 minutes. Cook over medium heat for about 4 minutes more until caramel is amber in color, this time stirring every 30 seconds or so in order for the sugar to not burn.

Turn off heat and whisk in vanilla, salt and baking soda. In a large bowl, add popcorn.  Drizzle sauce all over and stir well, to coat. Fold in candy bars, then spread popcorn on the baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes, flipping every few minutes. Remove from oven. Let cool completely, if you dare.  

You can also top with more snickers pieces.  It was a little too much for me. I just enjoyed the popcorn by itself.

Variation:  I mindlessly added white sugar instead of brown. So I just also added 1 tsp of molasses to the pot to cook with the other ingredients.  It tasted great!

Baked Jalapeno Poppers

Well its Super Bowl Week here at Mommy's Kitchen Creations! You are in for some serious fun this week.  Tonight we have Baked Jalapeno Poppers.  Much healthier than the deep fried ones, and they taste better too!

Baked Jalapeno Poppers

15 Large Jalapenos

2 cups finely shredded Cheddar Cheese

2.5 oz package Cooked Chopped Bacon (1/2 cup)

2 (8 oz) bricks Cream Cheese (at room temp)

1 1/2 cups Panko Bread Crumbs

Slice Jalapenos lengthwise.  Make sure to remove all stems, seeds and ribs.  Is a medium bowl, mix cream cheese, bacon and cheese.  Mix well.  Scoop mixture into jalapeno halves and roll in bread crumbs. Bake at 350 for about 30 min, or until skin starts to bubble a little bit.



My Apologies

I have been trying to earn a little extra cash to help cover some of my food costs, by having some advertisements on here.  There have been some that have been very inappropriate and offensive.  I tried getting in contact with the company to get them to take them off.  The truth is, I gave them too long of a chance to get it taken care of, in hopes they would take the offensive ones off and leave the coupons.  I should have just dropped them the second I saw them on there... I apologize for not doing that!  I am so sorry for those that have been offended by them.  I have removed them.  I do have two ads still on there from google.  I have not yet seen those be offensive, but confess that I don't look at them often, as I am not allowed to click on them.  So if you see anything offensive or inappropriate, please let me know!

Again I am so sorry.  I'll just have to find another way to make different recipes on a budget.  Thanks everyone for your comments and for viewing my blog.  I really enjoy doing it.  I've tried replying to your comments, I hope I have caught them all. So if you ask a question or anything, make sure to check back at the comments for my reply. 

Love to all and hope you have a fabulous day!!!

Thrifty Week day 5- Thrush

For all of you nursing mothers out there that deal with chronic thrush, never fear... relief is here! Thrush is basically yeast overgrowth.  I don't claim to know how all of this yeast stuff works... but I do know that it has haunted me the last 3 babies and its no fun! 

It doesn't just effect nursing mothers.  It effects all kinds of people.  Nursing just seems to be when it's at its worse because you and the baby can pass it back and forth over and over and over.  So here is a few simple tips that I have found to work... the only problem is... you have to keep it up for about 2 weeks after the symptoms are gone.  I'm the kind that once I start feeling better... it drops to the bottom of the priority list! Hence the reason I haven't fully gotten rid of it after 3 children.

The first thing to remember is a healthy diet!  Stay away from the sugar!!!  I know its easier said than done.  I am a serious junk food junky!  Eat lots of spinach and other really green veggies.  Not sure why, but it helps! I know it has something to do with building back up your immune system.  Oh and garlic.. Eat lots of garlic.  It helps to build your immune system too.

You'll also want to take a good probiotic. Ask you Dr or pharmacist which one they recommend. 

Here's the great part though.  If you have ever tried nursing a baby when you have an advanced stage of thrush, you know it's one of the most painful things EVER!  I won't go into details but if you are cracked and bleeding or even scabbed over, you know that those wounds do not heal very easy. And it's not always thrush that causes that just fyi. Sometimes its the latch.  Either way, try these recipes. They are awesome!!!!

Salt Water Soak

(to heal cracked nipples and other wounds)

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup warm water

rinse "troubled" areas with solution. I like to use those squirt bottles you get from the hospital for both of these. A lactation specialist told me you could soak up the water into two wods of paper towel and hold them on the breast or other infected areas for 10 minutes.  I like to just rinse them, its faster and doesn't waist paper towel.  I use the entire recipe each rinse. Pat dry with a clean towel.  Do this about 3 times a day. (if you can)

Vinegar Soak

(just for yeast)

1 tbsp white vinegar

1 cup hot water (as hot as you can stand)

rinse "troubled" areas with solution.  3 times daily (as impossible as that is for a mommy to do) You can also use the solution to rinse the babies diaper area with (ONLY USE LUKE WARM WATER FOR THIS) We don't want a burnt bottom for that little one!  Pat dry with a clean towel.  The hot water and the vinegar will kill the yeast.  Unfortunately it grows back rapidly, so that is why you have to do it frequently and do all of the other things above, so that you can get it out all the way. I use the entire recipe each rinse.

Thrifty Week day 4- All Purpose Cleaner

I have got some seriously awesome all purpose cleaner recipes for you today!!!  I found a site called

Organized Home. They are awesome with information.  Check it out!All but the first recipe comes from their site. They also have some amazing things to do with baking soda and ammonia.

I absolutely love working with vinegar.  For those of you that are nursing mothers dealing with thrush, or if you have chronic yeast issues, stay tuned to tomorrow post!!!!  Vinegar is awesome for cleaning.  It's a strong smell at first, but as it evaporates, the smell goes away.  Along with the other smells in the room. Its a natural deodorizer along with about a million other things. 

Vinegar

Homemade Mopping Solution for Floors:

Mix a solution of 1 to 1 vinegar and water to mop your floors.  It works awesome.  I often just dump some vinegar into a sink full of water. It doesn't have to be that exact ratio if you don't want to.

Homemade Spray Cleaner Recipe

Mix in a sprayer bottle:

1 cup white vinegar
1 cup water

In the kitchen, use vinegar-and-water spray to clean counter tops, lightly soiled range surfaces and back splash areas.

In the bathroom, use vinegar spray cleaner to clean counter tops, floors, and exterior surfaces of the toilet.

For really tough bathroom surfaces such as shower walls, pump up the cleaning power by removing the sprayer element and heating the solution in the microwave until barely hot.

Spray shower walls with the warmed solution generously, allow to stand for 10 to 15 minutes, then scrub and rinse. The heat helps soften stubborn soap scum and loosens hard water deposits.

Undiluted white vinegar--straight from the jug--makes quick work of tougher cleaning problems involving hard water deposits or soap scum.
Uses: 

to scrub the inside of the toilet bowl-  Before you begin, dump a bucket of water into the toilet to force water out of the bowl and allow access to the sides. Pour undiluted white vinegar around the bowl and scrub with a toilet brush to remove stains and odor. Use a pumice stone to remove any remaining hard water rings.

shower heads that have been clogged with mineral deposits- Place 1/4 to 1/2 cup vinegar in a plastic food storage bag, and secure the bag to the shower head with a rubber band. Let stand for 2 hours to overnight, then rinse and buff the fixture to a shiny finish.

Homemade Dishwasher Detergent

As a little disclaimer:  I haven't tried this recipe yet.  I got too lazy a couple of weeks ago and just bought a Costco sized detergent.  In an effort not to spend more money than I needed to this week, I decided just to share it and see how you like it.  I have used these ingredients before in cleaning, so I'm pretty confident that it's a good one.

We are stepping out of the laundry room and into the kitchen today.  Tomorrow, I'll share an all purpose cleaner recipe for the kitchen/bathrooms etc.

Homemade Dishwasher Detergent

1 Cup Borax

1 Cup Washing Soda

1/2 Cup Lemishine or citric acid (double for hard water)

1/2 Cup Kosher Salt

Fill rinse agent compartment with white vinegar or lemon juice.

Each batch yields 24 ounces. Make sure to store in a disposable container.   You can double, or triple etc. the batch as desired. 

Fill container with ingredients. Seal with a lid. Shake really well.  Label your container and store.

Each load will only need 1 tbsp of the mixture.

Notes:  I found Lemishine at Fry's. I'm sure Wal Mart carries it as well.  Citric acid is a little harder to find.  If you decide to use citric acid, it will make the detergent clumpy.  Just leave it out and stir it several times for the first day or two.

For savings and other tips visit DIY Natural.

Thrifty Week day 2- Fabric Softener

We have been potty training this week.  The absolute worst part about potty training for me, is the clean up.  The laundry that never seems to get that smell out, no matter how many times you wash them.  I put my daughter down for a nap today and she left me a present.  Nope not a wet present.  Yeah, you know what I'm talking about!  Those smells never seem to come out, with my old washer and dryer! The sheets and clothes always seem to smell stale or something after I wash them. 

Or don't you love those weeks where the laundry piles up and is the last thing on your list?  Then you remember that you have wet towels in the pile from mopping the floor, or bath time. Then all of the clothes wreak. Well Never Fear, relief is on the way.

Vinegar has got to be the greatest cleaner known to man!  I'll be sharing many vinegar tips the next few days.  I use it for canning, cleaning, and even yeast overgrowth. This stuff is amazing!

My mom told me about using vinegar in my rinse cycle of the washing machine.  It works as a fabric softener. It helps keep the washing machine and the hoses clean. My favorite part is that it takes out odors. Who would have thought that nasty smelling vinegar, takes out odors.  I challenge anyone who doesn't believe me, to come take a whiff of the sheets I just washed.  You'll never know what was on them. :) 

1 Cup vinegar

Add to your rinse cycle to reduce odors, and soften fabrics. 
You can also do this and run an empty cycle, for a good washing machine clean.  (same with the dishwasher)

The Duggar family also suggests this as another fabric softener suggestion, to stretch the budget.

1  Container of Name Brand Fabric Softener
4  Inexpensive sponges, cut in half

Pour entire container of softener into a 5 gallon bucket. Fill empty softener container with water twice. (2 parts water to 1 part softener) Add sponges to softener/water mixture. When ready to use wring out extra mixture from one sponge and add to the dryer as you would a dryer sheet. 

picture taken from Here

Thrifty Week Day 1- Homemade Laundry Soap

Its Thrifty Week here on Mommy's Kitchen Creations! My husband has recently started his own landscaping/tree trimming business.  It has been a very exciting thing for our little family.  The one downfall to being self employed is that the steady paycheck isn't always there. I've really learned some awesome tricks to saving money.  Of course, there are always coupons, but have you ever tried price matching using coupons and shopping with 5 kids?  Yeah right, ain't happening!

So, this week I want to focus on some seriously awesome things that you can make from scratch to save money, and gain a better sense of accomplishment.  With just a few items, you can make your own laundry soaps, cleaning supplies and even bath and beauty products.
Today's recipe is for laundry soap.  It comes from the Duggar's. I really like them and their family values. I am a huge fan of their show and really admire all of the things they do to same money and become self sufficient.

Normal baking soda will not work in these recipes. You must use Washing Soda.
 

Homemade Laundry Soap

1   Fels-Naptha soap bar

1  Cup - Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda

½  Cup Borax

-Grate soap or break into pieces and process in a food processor until powdered. Mix all ingredients. For light load, use 1 Tablespoon. For heavy or heavily soiled load, use 2 Tablespoons. Yields: 3 Cups detergent. (Approx. 40 loads)

Homemade Liquid Laundry Soap- Front or top load machine- best value

Here is their liquid soap recipe.  It's a far greater value than the powdered stuff.  I haven't made it yet myself, because I'm just too lazy, but I really should.  The nice thing about this one is that you can use it for top or front loader machines.  The other is just for top loader machines.

4  Cups - hot tap water

1  Fels-Naptha soap bar

1 Cup - Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda

½ Cup Borax

- Grate bar of soap and add to saucepan with water. Stir continually over medium-low heat until soap dissolves and is melted.

-Fill a 5 gallon bucket half full of hot tap water. Add melted soap, washing soda and Borax. Stir well until all powder is dissolved. Fill bucket to top with more hot water. Stir, cover and let sit overnight to thicken.

-Stir and fill a used, clean, laundry soap dispenser half full with soap and then fill rest of way with water. Shake before each use. (will gel)

-Optional: You can add 10-15 drops of essential oil per 2 gallons. Add once soap has cooled. Ideas: lavender, rosemary, tea tree oil.

-Yield: Liquid soap recipe makes 10 gallons.

-Top Load Machine- 5/8 Cup per load (Approx. 180 loads)

-Front Load Machines- ¼ Cup per load (Approx. 640 loads)

This picture is not my own picture.  It was taken from Here.  These are the 3 ingredients that you will be looking for. Wal Mart has them.  The Borax does look a little different than this one now. So don't stress if it doesn't look like the one in the picture. It's all the same.