{a favorite recipe}

I have already posted this recipe on the blog but I have family members that want me to post it again, it is also on my recipe blog.

I got this recipe from my moms friend Paula Avey two years ago.  I made it for Thanksgiving this year in Texas.  My family loved it.  The only problem was I didn't make enough.  So I had to make it two more times before I left.  It really is one of my favorite recipes.

You can substitute strawberry jello and frozen strawberries if you would like but I love raspberries so that's what I make it with.

This recipe can be made the night before but be careful it might not make it through the night.

Pretzel Salad

Bottom Layer
2 1/2 cups broken pretzels
3 Tbsp sugar
3/4 cup melted butter (1 1/2 sticks)

Stir butter and sugar until well mixed; stir in pretzels.  Pat into bottom of a 9x13pan.  Bake at 400 for 8 minutes, then cool completely.

Middle Layer
8oz softened cream cheese
1 cup sugar
8oz cool whip

Mix cream cheese and sugar until smooth.  Mix in cool whip and spread over cooled pretzel layer.  Make sure to seal edges of pan.

Top Layer
2 cups boiling water
1 large package raspberry jello
20oz bag of frozen raspberries (no sugar added)

Dissolve jello in boiling water.  Add raspberries.  Let stand in fridge about 15 minutes until jello starts to set.  Pour over other layers in pan.  Cover and place in refrigerator for an hour or until ready to serve.

{chicken tortilla casserole}

This is a new favorite at our house.
Its very easy to make and very good.
I serve it with spanish rice.
We served this to our football players at their friday team meal.
It was all gone. I saved myself a plate.
It was delicious.
I almost forgot to take a picture so this will have to do.
This recipe came from my friend Gayle Land.

Chicken Tortilla Casserole

In a large mixing bowl toss together:
4 large chicken breasts, cooked, boned, and cubed
15 corn tortillas, cut into 1" wide rectangles
3 cups sour cream
3 cans cream of chicken soup
1 small can diced green chilies (not jalapenos)
1 cup grated cheddar or cheddar jack cheese
1/2 t salt and pepper

Pour into a sprayed 9x13 casserole pan and spread out but do not mash down.  Top with 1-2 cups grated cheese.  Bake uncovered @350 degrees for 45 minutes.

INGREDIENTS

1 pound ground beef
1 large onion, chopped
2 1/2 cups salsa
1 can pinto beans
1/4 cup Italian salad dressing
1 tablespoon taco seasoning
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
6 flour tortillas (8 inches)
1 can of drained corn, or about 2 cups of frozen corn
3/4 cup sour cream
2 cups shredded Mexican cheese blend

DIRECTIONS

In a large skillet, cook beef over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain.
Stir in the onions, salsa, beans, corn, salad dressing, sour cream, taco seasoning and cumin.
Spoon a  layer of meat mixture on bottom of 2 quart baking dish. Sprinkle with grated cheese.
Place a flour tortilla on top of meat mixture. Layer with half of the meat mixture, and cheese. Repeat as many layers as you like.
The last and final layer should be a healthy dose of grated cheese.
Cover with foil that has been sprayed with pam or other and bake at 400° for 25 minutes, or until hot and bubbly.

{sweet and tangy meatballs}

Sweet & Tangy Meatballs

Sauce:
2 c. ketchup
1 c. brown sugar
2 T. Worcestershire sauce

Meatballs:
2 lbs. ground beef
1 envelope onion soup mix
1/2 c. sweetened condensed milk

1. Mix ketchup, brown sugar, and W. sauce in slow cooker.
Turn on to High while making the meatballs

2. Combine ground beef, soup mix, and milk. Mix well. (You're
gonna get your hands dirty!) Shape into 1 inch balls.

3. Bake at 325 for 20 minutes. Drain grease. Add to slow cooker.

4. Cover. Turn slow cooker to Low and cook for 2-21/2 hours. Stir
gently a couple of times throughout cooking time.

We like to serve this with homemade mashed potatoes and a salad.

*I also make this on the stovetop if I don't have time for the crock-pot. :)

{crack potatoes}

I love the name of this potato dish it fits it very well because they are addicting!  I found this recipe here.  These will now become a regular dish in my home.

Crack Potatoes or Loaded Potato Casserole

2 (16oz) containers sour cream
2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded
2 (3oz) bags real bacon bits
2 packages Ranch Dip mix
1 large (28 - 30oz) bag frozen hash brown potatoes - shredded kind

Combine first 4 ingredients, mix in hash browns. Spread into a 9x13 pan. Bake at 400 for 45-60 minutes.

{ham and cheese croissants}

I found this amazing recipe on Pinterest.  It originally came from here.  As soon as I saw the picture on Pinterest I knew I had to make it.  The next day I went to the store and picked up the 3 ingredients Pillsbury crescent rolls, ham, and provolone cheese.

When you open up your crescent rolls do not separate the triangles leave them as a rectangle like the picture above.

Add your ingredients.

Roll them up.

Bake according to package.

These were so easy and so good.  Next time I am going to use mozzarella cheese, pizza sauce, and pepperoni.  I am excited to try different things.  If you are looking for a fast yummy snack this is it.

{Sausage and Potato Casserole}

I was searching The Tasty Kitchen website for something to make for dinner and I came across a recipe that looked good and easy. I modified it a little bit and my family loved it!

1 pound Hillshire Farms Sausage, Or Your Favorite Tube Sausage
1 whole Medium Onion, Sliced
½ whole Bell Pepper, Chopped
6 whole Red New Potatoes, Sliced
1 cup Baby Carrots
1 teaspoon Salt
¼ teaspoons Coarse Ground Black Pepper

Slice sausage into 1/4 inch slices. You may want to remove the casings before you slice them. I don’t.
In a large skillet, heat some oil and saute the sliced onions, chopped peppers, and sausage until brown. Then add sliced potatoes, carrots and spices, mixing well. Pour mixture into a greased 2-quart casserole dish, and bake covered in a 350-degree oven, until vegetables are tender (about 45 to 55 minutes). Remove cover and bake another 5 minutes, or until browned. Serve hot.

Serves 6

Tips: I added oil but next time I won't because the sausage has enough oil in it already.

{patriotic strawberries}

Every year for the 4th of July I make these yummy chocolate dipped strawberries. You can also make them for a Memorial or Labor Day. They are very easy to make and everyone loves them!

Directions:

melt while chocolate in a double broiler

dip 2/3 of the strawberry in chocolate

dip bottom 1/3 in blue sprinkles

Tips:

~Make sure your strawberries are completely dry before dipping them. If you don't the chocolate will come right off.
~Place strawberries on waxed paper. Any other paper will stick to the chocolate.

I usually use brighter blue sprinkles but I had to make my own using sugar and food coloring. I waited to long to buy them at the store. I will be more prepared this year!

{Happy Birthday and some recipes}

Happy Birthday Bobby! This is the most recent picture that I have of my brother. I wish I could tell him Happy Birthday in person but I can't so this blog post will have to do. I love you and I hope you have a wonderful birthday!

Because today is Cinco De Mayo I thought I would post some really good recipes that you could make for dinner to celebrate. All of these recipes and many more are on my recipe blog Mom I'm Hungry.

Crock Pot Mexican

I found this recipe on Becoming Betty and as soon as I saw it I knew I had to try it. It was delicious and so easy!

4-5 chicken breasts

1 jar salsa

1 can black beans

1 can corn, drained

8 oz. cream cheese

*Put first four ingredients in crock pot on low for 4-6 hours and then add cream cheese about an hour before serving. Mix well, shred up chicken and serve over rice.

Spanish Rice

2 T oil
2 C rice
1 tsp garlic chopped
1 medium onion chopped
4 C chicken broth
1 (6 oz.) can tomato sauce
1 medium tomato chopped

Saute rice, garlic, and onion in oil over medium heat until brown. Add chicken broth and tomato sauce. Bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat to low and cook for 20 minutes. Do not remove lid while cooking.

Taco Bubble Casserole

1-½ pound Lean Ground Beef
1 package Taco Seasoning Mix (1 Ounce Package)
¾ cups Water
1 can (10 3/4-oz.) Condensed Tomato Soup
1 can (17.3-oz.) Grands Refrigerated Golden Corn Biscuits Or 1 (16.3-oz.) Refrigerated Buttermilk Biscuits

2 cups Shredded Cheddar Cheese

Instructions
1. Heat oven to 375°F. Brown ground beef in large skillet over medium-high heat for 8 to 10 minutes or until thoroughly cooked, stirring frequently. Drain grease. Add taco seasoning mix, water and soup; mix well. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low; simmer 3 minutes. Remove from heat.
2. Separate dough into 8 biscuits. Cut each biscuit into 8 little pieces. Add dough pieces to ground beef mixture; stir gently. Spoon mixture into ungreased 13×9-inch pan.
3. Bake at 375 degrees for 18 to 23 minutes or until sauce is bubbly and biscuits are golden brown. Remove from oven. Sprinkle with cheese. Return to oven; bake an additional 8 to 10 minutes or until cheese is bubbly.
4. To serve, cut into 8 squares. Top each serving with lettuce, tomatoes, salsa, olives, sour cream and onions.

Enchiritos

2 pounds Lean Ground Beef
Taco Seasoning (I did not use this because I am not a big fan of taco seasoning flavor)
1 can (28 Oz. Can) Enchilada Sauce
2 cans (10 Oz. Can) Cream Of Chicken Soup
30 whole White Corn Tortillas
2 cups Shredded Mexican Cheese Blend
1 can (6 Oz. Can) Pitted Black Olives

Instructions:
Brown ground beef and add spices as you would if you were making taco meat. Drain fat and set aside.

Cut the tortillas into cubes; set aside. Drain olives and cut in half; set aside.

In a large stockpot on medium heat, add the enchilada sauce and cream of chicken soup. Mix well until thoroughly blended. Bring up the heat to just below a boil. By handfuls, add in the tortilla cubes and mix thoroughly. Add the ground beef, cheese, and olives and mix thoroughly.

Simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes and until the cheese is melted and all ingredients are heated through.

Chicken Enchiladas

2-3 large chicken breasts
1 medium onion chopped
1 1/2 C grated cheddar cheese
1 1/2 C grated mozzarella or jack cheese
1 can olives chopped
2 dozen corn tortillas
1 (28 oz) can Las Palmas enchilada sauce

Cook chicken breasts and shred. Chop onion. Chop olives. Mix cheddar and mozzarella cheese together. Warm up tortillas in microwave (warm up tortillas enough to roll without breaking). Dip one tortilla in enchilada sauce. Place in 9x13 pan and fill tortilla with chicken, cheese, and onion. Roll. Continue until pan is full. Pour excess enchilada sauce over the rolled tortillas. Top with remaining cheese and spread olives over the top of the cheese. Cook in preheated 350* oven for 20-30 minutes (until hot and bubbly).

{marci's spicy mac and cheese}

2 1/4 cup pepper jack cheese shredded
3/4 box elbow macaroni uncooked
1/2 cup butter
4 oz flour
2 cups milk
1 cup heavy cream
2 Anaheim chili's roasted and diced. ( take the seeds out )
2 cups shredded Parmesan cheese
3 tablespoons plain breadcrumbs
1/4 cup olive oil

1. cook macaroni until al dente and strain off water... don't rinse.
2. In a large pan, melt butter,add flour, whisk until well combined, and cook for 5 mins over low heat stirring occasionally.
3. add milk,cream,and chili, turn heat to medium-high and bring to a boil. stir occasionally.
4. turn off heat and whisk in 2 cups of each cheese and then macaroni. Pour into a large baking dish.
5. Combine bread crumbs,remaining cheese and olive oil and evenly distribute over macaroni. Bake at 400 until cheese is bubbling and top is golden brown, roughly 40-50 mins. Let stand at least 10 mins before serving.

{Did you know I have a recipe blog?}

My recipe blog is called "Mom, I'm Hungry!" I love having a place to put all of my favorite recipes. I love adding new recipes to it.

This is where I need your help.

Please share with me your favorite recipe or recipes. It can be anything, desserts, main dishes, soups, snacks, etc.

I am looking to add more recipes to my blog.

Thanks, Letti

Here is one of my most recent recipes that I found. It is so good!

Nearly Famous Chicken Tortilla Soup


2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
1 cup Chopped Onion
⅔ cups Chopped Cilantro, Divided Use
1 Tablespoon Minced Garlic
14-½ ounces, weight Can Of Diced Tomatoes
¾ Tablespoons Ground Cumin
½ Tablespoons Chili Powder
¼ teaspoons Cayenne Pepper
2 whole Bay Leaves
4 cups Chicken Broth
2 whole Large Carrots, Sliced Thin
1 whole Chicken Breasts, Sliced Thin
1-½ cup Shredded Monterrey Jack Cheese, Divided Use
¾ teaspoons Salt
1 bag Tortilla Chips, 12 Ounce Bag
1 whole Avocado, diced

Preparation Instructions
In a large stock pot, heat the oil over high. Add onions, 1/3 cup cilantro and garlic, sauté 3 minutes.

Stir in tomatoes and spices, then bring to a boil.

Add the broth, carrots and chicken. Return to a boil, then reduce heat to medium and cook another 10-12 minutes.

Stir in half the cheese and 1 cup of crushed tortilla chips and combine. Remove bay leaves before serving.

Ladle soup into bowls and top with remaining cheese, fresh cilantro, fresh avocado, and more tortilla chip pieces.

Serves 4+.

{a contest}

Tonight at church we are having our Relief Society Birthday Dinner.
For dessert they are having a cupcake contest.
I wasn't going to do it with everything going on in our house right now but when I heard there wasn't very many people that signed up I decided to do it.
I have seen these rainbow cupcakes on a few blogs so I thought that this was the perfect opportunity to try to make them myself.




I found this recipe at Tasty Kitchen.

•FOR THE CUPCAKES:
•1 box (18.25 Oz. Box) White Cake Mix
•2 whole Eggs
•1 cup Sour Cream
•½ cups Milk
•⅓ cups Vegetable Oil
•Food Coloring

•FOR THE ICING:
•3 sticks Butter, At Room Temperature
•6 cups Confectioner's Sugar
•1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
•1 pinch Salt
•5 Tablespoons Milk

Combine all cupcake ingredients until incorporated (about 30 seconds). Scrape the sides of the bowl and then beat on medium-high speed for 3 minutes.

Divide batter according to how many colors you are using. I used 5 colors and it worked out to a little over 1 cup for each color. I used Wilton brand gel colors; they’re the top of the line.

To get a layered stripe like I used, you’ll want to put a spoonful of each color in the cupcake one at a time. The batter is thick, so it won’t spread on its own. A great tip is to set out a little bowl of water where you’re working. Dip your finger in the water and then gently spread the batter out. The water will make it so the batter doesn’t stick to your fingers.

Bake according to the package directions, until a toothpick comes out dry. Makes around 15 cupcakes.

For the icing:

Add butter and powdered sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla extract and salt. Mix until combined. Gradually add milk (you may not need all of it) and beat for 2-3 minutes until fluffy.

Frost cooled cupcakes.

{my first rolls ever}

While visiting my sister in Texas she showed me how to make bread without a fancy mixer. I have tried to make bread before but it has never turned out. To be honest I am afraid of yeast. After my sister showed me I was shocked at how easy and simple it really is. Here is a picture of my very first rolls that I made here at home all by myself. My family ate them all right out of the oven. I am so happy that I know how to make my own rolls now.

Amish White Bread

2 cups warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
2/3 cup white sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons active dry yeast
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 cup vegetable oil
6 cups bread flour

Directions
1.In a large bowl, dissolve the sugar in warm water, and then stir in yeast. Allow to proof until yeast resembles a creamy foam.
2.Mix salt and oil into the yeast. Mix in flour one cup at a time. Knead dough on a lightly floured surface until smooth. Place in a well oiled bowl, and turn dough to coat. Cover with a damp cloth. Allow to rise until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.
3.Punch dough down. Knead for a few minutes, and divide in half. Shape into loaves, and place into two well oiled 9x5 inch loaf pans. Allow to rise for 30 minutes, or until dough has risen 1 inch above pans.
4.Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 30 minutes.

{homemade root beer...}

... is always being made for parties around our house. It never fails that I am asked to make this whenever anyone gets together. If you only knew how easy it is to make. I am going to share this recipe with you so that you can make it at your next party.

That's it! It is that easy! Now let me know if you decide to make some for your friends and family. It is perfect this time of year because it looks like your making witches brew. If you have any questions feel free to ask and good luck.

Do not touch the dry ice with your bare hands it will burn you!

{easiest caramel corn period}

I am not exactly sure where this recipe originates from but it has been in our family for as long as I can remember. All you need is three simple ingredients: popcorn, sugar, IMPERIAL margarine. (it has to be Imperial no other margarine or butter will work)
1. Pop some popcorn in an air popper (just follow the directions that come with your popper). I do one batch of popcorn because I like my popcorn to have more caramel.

2. Place popcorn in a paper bag with holes cut out in the bottom just like the picture above shows. Shake out all of the unpopped kernels. Your dentist will be happy you did this.

3. In a large pot place 1 cup sugar and 1 cube IMPERIAL margarine then turn the heat to high. Stirring constantly until the butter and sugar melt and it becomes the color of caramel. This will not take to long so don't walk away from it. It can burn very easily.

4. Turn off the heat and pour your popcorn in the pot and stir until all popcorn is coated. Dump mixture onto waxed paper to cool.

5. Eat and enjoy!

Easiest caramel corn period

1 cup sugar

1 cube IMPERIAL margarine (must be Imperial!)

1 batch popcorn

{yummy soup}

Tonight for dinner I made this. Darian said "Letti this is good no it's really good." Cole said "it's alicious." That made me happy. You can find the recipe on my recipe blog Mom I'm Hungry.

{a new recipe}

I found this recipe on Becoming Betty and as soon as I saw it I knew I had to try it. So tonight my family will be guinea pigs and if they like it I will post it on my recipe blog {Mom' I'm Hungry} tomorrow.

4-5 chicken breasts
1 jar salsa
1 can black beans
1 can corn, drained
8 oz. cream cheese


*Put first four ingredients in crock pot on low for 4-6 hours and then add cream cheese about an hour before serving. Mix well, shred up chicken and serve over rice.

{bbq pizza is da bomb}

This past weekend we decided to make a last minute trip to Neil and Jill's house in Bakersfield. While we were there they taught us how to make bbq pizza and it was so good. I can't wait to make it at home.

You need:

A pizza stone (to grill it on)

Corn Meal (to keep it from sticking - flour burns)

Dough (You can buy it pre-made from Trader Joes or I use this recipe)

Toppings and Sauces of your choice.

Lite the BBQ and set to medium-high heat, place pizza stone in the center and close lid. Sprinkle some corn meal on a cookie sheet or cutting board. With flour roll out your dough to desired size and thickness and place on cornmeal covered cookie sheet. "Decorate" as you wish. Sprinkle a little more corn meal on the pizza stone. Carefully slide the pizza off the cookie sheet and onto the pizza stone. Close lid and cook. We usually leave ours on for about 8 minutes but every ones BBQ is a little different so just check it every few minutes to make sure its not burning or to see if it needs more time. Using a large spatula or pizza shovel remove from stone and put back on cookie sheet to cut and serve. Enjoy!

Favorite Pizza Flavors:

Letti - No sauce - just cut up fresh tomatoes thin and lay them down first, then layer with olives, artichoke hearts, fresh spinach, and mozzarella cheese.

Chase - Chicken, jalapeno, and mozzarella cheese.

Chloe and Kaidee - Ham, pineapple, sauce, and cheese.

Darian - sausage, bacon, pepperoni, sauce, and cheese.

Cole - everything

{a snowman and grandma's famous cookies}

This year for Christmas I made Grandma's famous cookies for the girls teachers and classmates. They were a hit as usual and so many people asked for the recipe. I thought that I would share it with you. My Grandma has been making these cookies for many years now and you never get tired of them. Their are only three ingredients, Peanut Butter, Ritz Crackers, and White dipping Chocolate. You can also use Milk or Dark Chocolate if you would like. First you take the peanut butter and spread it onto the Ritz cracker then add a second cracker to make a sandwich. Then in a double broiler melt your chocolate. We use chocolate discs that we buy at Laymon's Candy store. These seem to work the best. Then once the chocolate is melted you dip the cracker and peanut butter sandwich in making sure that it is completely covered in chocolate. Tap off the excess then lay on waxed paper until hard. If you want to use sprinkles this has to be done right after you lay it on the wax paper so the sprinkles will stick. We usually don;t use sprinkles though.
The finished product.

The chocolate in a double broiler.

I made this Snowman cheeseball for New Years Eve. I found the recipe here. This recipe was so easy and I just couldn't get over how cute it was. Everyone loved the dip and it was all gone before the night was over.

{weekly menu and a request}

The one thing I dread the most about being a human being is cooking. Most of you are probably shocked but it's true. It seems as if I cook the same 5 meals over and over. Every Monday morning I scour all of the cooking blogs I know to see if I can find something new to cook for dinner. Well as I was planning this weeks meals I thought it would be fun to tell me what the most requested meal is at your home. At our home it is Taco's. What makes these taco's special well I will let you in on a little secret. Fry the shells. It isn't hard and it doesn't take a lot of time either but it is so worth it. Another thing I do is when I am browning the ground beef I add 1 grated potato to the meat and I only season it with garlic salt. I never use taco seasoning. If you think adding a potato sounds weird don't judge before you try it. I promise you will want to eat the meat plain, straight out of the pan. So help me fill in the blanks what is your most requested recipe? Don't forget to post it on your blog then give me your blog address so I can come and get the recipe. Monday - Roast with potatoes and carrots Tuesday - Soup with leftover meat Wednesday - Taco's Thursday - Cream cheese chicken Friday - Stroganoff Saturday - Sunday -