DAY #12 Italian Style Chicken with Dumplings

So it is fall and the weather is changing, leaves are turning orange and we officially got our first rain yesterday and it has put me in the mood to have some good warm meals, like soups.  I, myself, could eat soup everyday all day but my family, not so much.  Anyway on tonight's menu is my take on an Italian style chicken with dumpling soup.  I have seen many recipes similar for a stoup but I am not a fan of stoup unless it is beef and full of veggies.  Hopefully more soup recipes will come your way, enjoy!!

ITALIAN STYLE CHICKEN WITH DUMPLINGS

1 lb ground chicken

1 tbsp olive oil

2 large carrots, peeled and chopped

2 celery sticks chopped

1 large white onion diced

10 cups of water

3 cubes of knorr’s chicken stock

Salt & pepper to taste

1 tbsp garlic powder

¾ cup Italian bread crumbs

1 egg

½ cup grated parmigiano reggiano

1 lb gnocchi

INSTRUCTIONS:

1.       In large sauce pot heat up oil and sauté carrots, celery and onion until onion is transparent.  Once onions are cooked add 10 cups of water and 3 cubes of chicken stock and cook until boiling, please make sure the chicken stock cubes dissolve.

2.       While chicken stock mixture is coming to a boil in a large bowl put ground chicken, bread crumbs, egg, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and grated cheese in and mix.  Roll into 1 inch balls and put in boiling chicken stock, once all meatballs are in the boiling chicken stock simmer for about 10 minutes.

3.       After meatballs are cooked all the way through add gnocchi to the chicken stock and cook for about 5 minutes.  Turn down and allow to simmer at a low boil for about 5 more minutes.

ENJOY!

Day #11 Snickerdoodle Cookies

I know it is not the season for snickerdoodle cookie yet, but today I remembered exactly why I love to bake!  I forgot how stress relieving baking cookies can be.  I haven't really baked much since my daughter has been born, its hard with two little ones but today I realized how much they enjoyed my baking.  Hopefully more recipes will turn up!  While browsing Pinterest I found a recipe for my all time FAVORITE cookies snickerdoodles, hope you enjoy!!

Snickerdoodle Cookies

 2 and ¾ cup of flour

2 tsp baking powder

2 tsp cream of tartar

½ tsp salt

2 sticks of butter or 1 cup

1 ½ cups sugar

2 eggs

½ cup sugar & 2 tbsp cinnamon

Instructions:

1.       Prehead oven to 350 degrees.  Prepare cookie sheet by spraying a light layer of nonstick spray on it.  While oven is preheating whip softened butter & sugar until nice and creamy (remember to scrape the sides to get off any extra sugar and butter not yet blended, you may want to scrape the sides throughout the whole process).  Add eggs 1 at a time until nice and whipped together.

2.       Mix flour, cream of tartar & baking powder together in separate bowl.  Sift flour mixture into sugar mixture until all is completely mixed.  While the cookie dough is still mixing combine last ½ cup sugar with cinnamon in a small shallow bowl.

3.        When cookie dough is night and firm roll into a 1 to 1 ½ ball and roll in cinnamon sugar mixture until completely coated and lay out on prepared cookie sheet.  Space cookie dough balls about an inch to two inches apart from one another (like in my photo).  Bake for about 15 minutes.  My recipe made about 36 cookies.

ENJOY!

Day #10 Green Enchiladas

So we have been fighting this horrible cold that has been going around my house this last week which is partially why I have not posted in a few days, however, tonights menu is simple and delicious!  I love quick recipes when the family is sick or if we have company because it gives me the ability to spend more time with the family and not in the kitchen.  Don't get me wrong I love to cook and I love recipes that require a little extra time in the kitchen but when you're not feeling well, the quicker the better.  Here is what we are having tonight!

GROUND BEEF GREEN ENCHILADAS

2 lbs ground beef

1 lb shredded Monterrey jack cheese (Mexican mix works)

1 onion diced

Tortillas (flour or corn)

1 tbsp garlic powder

1 tsp chili powder

1 28 oz can of green enchilada sauce (you can also use red)

Salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS:

1.      Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Brown ground beef in frying pan, once all completely brown season with garlic powder, chili powder, salt, and pepper.

2.      Add diced onion to the browned ground beef.  Add ½ cup of green sauce, lower temperature and allow to simmer.

3.      In large baking dish spray with nonstick spray and add a small amount of green sauce to the bottom of the pan.  Prepare enchiladas by laying out a tortilla and add a spoonful of the meat/onion mix and roll it up.  Place as many enchiladas in the pan that can fit side by side.

4.      Top all the enchiladas with green sauce.

5.      Bake for about 20 minutes then add cheese to the top, bake for another 5-10 minutes or until cheese is completely melted.

ENJOY!

Day #9 Turkey Bacon Roll Ups!

I have been working like crazy so I have not been able to post as much as I wanted to, but I have today off and since my son is in preschool now I have wanted to be pretty creative with our lunches.  One of our favorite things to have for lunch as a snack are turkey bacon roll ups, they're to die for!!!  My fiance makes them just right & this is how you do it...

TURKEY BACON ROLL UPS

3-Spinach wrap ups (they are usually located by the tortillas)

Romaine lettuce cut into thin slices

1-16 oz package of bacon

Ranch dip (not dressing that is too runny)

Turkey lunch meat

STEPS:

1.       Cook bacon until crispy, but not burnt.

2.       While bacon is cooking prepare the wrap ups, lay out 1 spinach wrap up and spread a generous amount of ranch dip, to your liking.

3.       Put romaine strips, turkey lunch meat and cooked bacon on the ranch dip.

4.       Roll it up like a burrito and cut into about 1 inch slices.

5.       Let chill in fridge for about 10 minutes.

ENJOY!

Day #8 Scalloped potatoes and pork chops

Today's recipe is very simple and easy to make for a large family.  This recipe is my aunts recipe.  It is warm to help warm you for this cold weather.  Its a perfect combo, two of my favorite things potatoes and pork chops.  Hope you like it!

SCALLOPED POTATOES AND PORK CHOPS

2 lb pork chops, cut in chunks

2 cups flour

2 tbsp vegetable oil

2 boxes scalloped potatoes

INSTRUCTIONS

1.       Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Heat skillet and vegetable oil.  Coat chunks of pork chops in flour and fry in skillet until completely cooked (very important step because eating raw pork is dangerous!).

2.       Prepare scalloped potatoes as directed on the box.  Add cooked pork chop chunks into pan and bake for about an hour.

ENJOY!

Day #7-Chili & Bread Bowls

Today marks one full week of recipes, yummy ones too!  Since the weather has been getting a little cooler and fall is just right around the corner we prepared one of our favorite meals tonight, chili in homemade bread bowls.  It put a little warmth in my belly, just what was needed after a long day of work!

CHILI

1 yellow bell pepper

1 red bell pepper

1 red onion

1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes

1 6 oz can tomato paste

1 14.5 oz can pinto beans

1 14.5 oz can kidney beans

1 14.5 oz can black beans

1 tbsp cumin

1 tsp paprika

1 tsp chili powder

1 lb Italian sausage, hot

1 lb ground beef

1 16 oz bottle of new castle pale ale

Shredded cheddar cheese for topping

Salt & pepper to taste

INSTRUCTIONS:

1.        Dice up vegetables, set aside.  Brown Italian sausage and ground beef in frying pan.

2.       Once meats are browned put in large sauce pan.  Add vegetables to sauce pan along with diced canned tomatoes and tomato paste.  Allow to simmer.

3.       Add kidney beans, black beans, and pinto beans to simmering vegetables.

4.       Add new castle.  Season with cumin, paprika, and chili powder.  Allow to simmer for about 30 minutes.  Serve and top with shredded cheese.

BREAD BOWL

4 1/2 -5 cups flour

2 tbsp yeast

2 tbsp sugar

¾ tbsp salt

2 tbsp olive oil

2 cups hot water, not boiling

INSTRUCTIONS:

1.       Mix yeast, sugar, salt, olive oil and hot water in mixer until well mixed.

2.       Add flour a cup at a time until it’s not sticking to the walls of the mixer.

3.       Beat for about 5 minutes after adding all of the flour and then cover with plastic and set aside for 30 minutes..

4.       Preheat oven to 400 degrees

5.       After it rises, beat down and ball into softball sized balls (will make about 9).  Grease cookie sheet and set about 1 inch apart from one another. Mark top of balls with an X using a knife.

6.       Bake for about 20 minutes or until it has a golden brown hard shell.

ENJOY!

Day #6 Beef Stew

So my favorite weather has just hit central California and I am in love!  I love cold rainy sweater weather because I get to make my favorite food, SOUP!  So here is a recipe for my famous beef stew.

BEEF STEW

1 lb beef stew meat (browned)

 4 large potatoes diced

½ cup fresh green means

1 can corn

2 carrots chopped

1 white onion diced

3 tomatoes diced

3 cubes Knorr beef broth

2 package brown gravy mix

1 tsp garlic powder

10 ½ cups water

Salt & pepper to taste

INSTRUCTION:

1.       Prepare beef stew by browning in frying pan until brown on all sides.

2.       Brgin water to boil and add beef broth and gravy mixes.

3.       Chop up potatoes, carrots, onion, and tomatoes and place in boiling water.  Also add can of corn and fresh green beans.

4.       Season with garlic powder and salt & pepper to taste.

5.       Add meat and allow to simmer for 1 hour, while simmering it should thicken up and potatoes should be soft.

6.       Once potatoes and carrots are soft it is ready to serve.

ENJOY!