Peanut butter chocolate chip muffins

Ok I have found a new love for baking, especially with the kids helping! We have been trying out a lot of different spins on old recipes and have come up with this one which makes for a good snack or an easy breakfast muffin.

1Cup flour
3/4 Cup sugar
1tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
3 tbsp. peanut butter
3 tbsp. butter
1/2 tsp. vanilla
3/4 Cup milk
chocolate chips

1. preheat oven to 375 and line muffin tin with liners. Mix all dry ingredients in a mixing bowl.
2. add peanut butter, butter and vanilla to dry mixture begin mixing on high and slowly add milk. Mix completely leaving no lumps.
3. Fill liners 3/4 of the way full. Sprinkle desired amount of chocolate chips to top. Cook at 375 degrees for 20 minutes.

Enjoy with a large cup of milk!

                                                 

Shrimp Creole

We love shrimp around here, so whenever I stumble across a recipe for shrimp we HAVE to try it. This one comes from my grandmother, found in the loads and LOADS of recipes she past down to me. THANKS GRAMMY!


3 tbsp. olive oil
2 small onions
1 celery stalk
1 bell pepper
1 tbsp. garlic
1 can stewed tomatoes
1 8oz. can tomato sauce
3/4  tsp. salt
1 tsp. sugar
3/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 1/2  tbsp. worcestershire sauce
2 tbsp. cornstarch
1c hot water
1 1/2lb shrimp peeled
1. Chop all veggies, heat oil in large heavy skillet. Cook veggies over low heat until tender, add tomatoes and tomato sauce, salt, sugar, cayenne pepper, and worcestershire sauce. Simmer uncovered 25 mins. stirring occasionally to keep from sticking.
2. mix cornstarch in hot water. Stir cornstarch mixture into pot and cook about 3 mins.  Add shrimp and simmer until done. (shrimp will turn a pink color)
serve hot over rice!

YUM!

Cheesy Chicken Penne

I found a new recipe tweaked it a little and the outcome was an awesome meal if I do say so myself!
6 tbsp.. butter
1 tsp. olive oil
1/2  cup + 2 tbsp.. flour
6 cloves garlic minced
6 cups milk
1 lb. penne pasta
8 oz.  mushrooms
1 cup sun dried tomatoes packed in oil
2 cups shredded Italian cheese blend
1 1/2 cups shredded parmesan cheese
4 boneless skinless chicken thighs cubed
salt & Pepper
1. preheat oven to 400. Spray deep baking dish. Cook pasta just short of aldente, drain and set aside.
2. While pasta is boiling heat oil in skillet season chicken cook until done, set chicken aside. Toss mushrooms into skillet and sauté.
3. In heavy pan melt butter over medium heat. Add flour and garlic; cook until garlic starts to brown, stirring frequently.
when garlic starts browning gradually add milk bring to a simmer. Keep stirring as sauce starts to thicken.
add mushrooms and tomatoes cook for about a minute. remove pan from heat and gradually stir in Italian cheese and parmesan cheese.
4. add chicken and cooked pasta to baking pan season with salt and pepper to taste. Pour mixture to top of chicken and pasta.
5. Bake uncovered until golden and bubbling about 25 minutes.
serve with garlic bread or breadsticks.

Cilantro Lime Chicken and Salsa

“slow cooker”

I found this recipe on pinterest, and like others I put a twist to it and made it my own. The family really enjoyed it so I thought I would share.

ingredients:

24 oz. lime flavored salsa

juice from 1 lime

1 bunch fresh cilantro chopped

1 can green chilies

1 can pinto beans

6 boneless skinless chicken thighs

taco seasoning

1. In slow cooker mix together: salsa, lime juice, cilantro, taco seasoning, green chilies, pintos, and empty salsa jar filled with water.

2. season your chicken to your taste and then add to mixture in cooker. Coat with mixture. water should be to top of chicken add more if necessary.

3. cook cover on low for 6 hours.

serve over rice and enjoy!

Lentils

This is a favorite around here, so I decided to share it with you guys. I was scared of lentils at first but after trying them, at my mother-in-laws, on my husbands behalf I had to come up with my own way of fixing them, so if you are “scared” just try it I promise you will love it!
Ingredients:
2 cups lentils
2tlbs. olive oil
2 small onions chopped
4 small garlic cloves chopped
1 can Rotel tomatoes (or any chopped tomatoes)
handful of cilantro leaves
10 cups water
salt to taste
8-10 slices of bacon
1 can green chilies
1. heat oil in soup pot, add onion and garlic cook till tender.
2. Add all remaining ingredients, undrained, except bacon.
4. Bring to a boil, meanwhile cook bacon stripes until crispy.
5. Reduce heat and simmer loosely covered, add bacon in pieces. cook for 30-45 minutes.
Serve over rice or as a soup.
Garnish with a Mexican cheese and sliced avocados for a richer taste.

Spanish Rice

Here is another dish we served during our "trip" to Mexico.

Spanish Rice

ingredients:

3 cups white rice

1 small can tomato sauce

1 cube chicken & tomato bouillon cube

1 tbsp. olive oil

1 tbsp. salt

6 cups water, or enough to cover the top

1. heat olive oil in pan over medium heat, pour in rice and stir mixing in the olive oil.

2. let rice cook for 5 mins. add tomato sauce, Pour in the water (making sure to cover the top of the rice) and add salt.

3. bring to a boil, stir and reduce to a simmer (this is the point on that you do not want to stir, to avoid mushy rice)

4. once  you start to see the rice, reduce to medium low and cover. If rice is still hard at this point move rice to center of pot and add 1 cup of water and repeat step 3. rice is done once all water is gone. (if rice appears to wet, remove lid and continue to cook until done.)

Can be served as a side or put into a casserole.

ENJOY!

Taco Casserole

Here is another recipe we used while studying Mexico. It was a big hit with everyone!

Ingredients:
3 pounds of ground meat
1 package taco seasoning
1 tsp. garlic salt
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. salt
1 medium can green chilies
1 can of dice tomatoes
1 medium onion chopped
1 can refried beans
fiesta blend shredded cheese
1 cup red Spanish rice (see recipe)
1 cup masa (corn flour) separated

optional garnishes- fresh diced tomatoes, shredded lettuce

1. brown the ground meat in a skillet and drain pre-heat oven 350
2. return the meat to skillet, add green chilies, onions, diced tomatoes, and all seasonings. cook until onions are wilted.
3. sprinkle the bottom of a casserole dish with 1/2 cup masa, then add a layer of cheese, spoon half of the meat mixture into dish, top with remaining masa, spoon in rice, layer again with cheese.
4. add the refried beans to remaining meat mixture cook for couple of minutes.
5. spoon the remaining meat mixture to top and sprinkle top with cheese.
6. cook at 350 for 45 minutes
serve with garnishes


Enjoy!

Apple panadas

This is a great, an easy substitution to apple pie. When you are cooking for 6 anything simple is greatly appreciated!

Apple Panadas

ingredients

2 cans of crescent rolls (we use the large ones)

2 apples cut up into 8 equal slices (use your favorite)

2 sticks butter melted

2 cups sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

1 tsp. cinnamon

10 oz. yellow soda (Mellow yellow, Mt. Dew... just use your favorite)

1. preheat to 350

2. roll cut apples into crescents. fold ends up so apple is enfolded completely.

3. mix butter, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, and soda in large bowl and pour over crescents

4. bake at 350 for 45 minutes. Serve hot!

Deserts!

Here is a list of our recipes, for deserts. Again sorry for the post listings as soon as I figure out how to do a multi-level drop down menu I will repost them.


Apple Panadas

Horchata (rice milk)

This refreshing drink took the place of milk in my children's diet whenever they refused to drink milk. Even now they still enjoy it.

Homemade Horchata

ingredients

1 cup rinsed long grain rice

1/2 a gallon of water

2 Cinnamon sticks broken in half

1/2 cup sugar

1. in a large saucepan combine water, rice, and Cinnamon sticks. set aside for 4 hours.

2. after 4 hours bring mixture to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes. allow rice mixture to cool.

3. puree rice mixture in a blender until smooth

4. finely strain mixture leaving only liquid. Add sugar to taste, chill and serve over ice.

Drinks

Here is a list of our recipes, for family friendly drinks. Again sorry for the post listings as soon as I figure out how to do a multi-level drop down menu I will repost them.

Horchata (rice milk)

Mommy's Pozole

Ok so I know different families have "their" own recipes for family dishes. And since we are studying Mexico on our trip around the world with MFW, I thought I would share some of our family recipes with you guys.

Mommy's Pozole

ingredients

1 small bell pepper

8 ounce bacon chopped

1 tablespoon bacon drippings

2 pound pork loin, cut into stripes

1 medium onion diced

10 cloves garlic minced

1 can green chilies

2 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon chili powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 bunch chopped cilantro

8 cups chicken broth

2 cans diced tomatoes

2 29 ounce cans of white hominy drained

optional garnishes

cabbage

radish

avocado

tosados

1. cook and stir the bacon in a large pot over medium heat, until it begins to crisp. Drain keeping 1 tablespoon of bacon fat.

2. heat pot to medium high and add pork stripes. cook stirring periodically until browned. remove pork and reduce heat. 

3. stir in onion and garlic, cook until onion has softened and beginning to turn brown. 

4. stir in the bell pepper, green chilies, cumin, chili powder, salt and cilantro. cook for a few minutes make sure mixture is complete mixed together.

5. pour in the chicken broth and diced tomatoes. stir in the bacon and pork stripes, bring to a simmer. reduce heat cover and simmer 1 hour.

6. stir in the hominy, recover and continue cooking until pork is tender.

serve hot with or without optional garnishes.

Main dishes

Here is a list of our recipes, that would be considered main dishes. Again sorry for the post listings as soon as I figure out how to do a multi-level drop down menu I will repost them.


Pozole

Taco Casserole

Cilantro Lime Chicken and Salsa


Shrimp Creole

Our recipes

     I decided to post these here not necessarily to share but so that I can find them!

     Some are borrowed, some are handed down, and some are tweaked to satisfy our likings. Some are my favorite restaurant recipes from the web, because we can’t afford to eat at them every weekend ;)

     I have some that will not eat without having meat, and some that don’t like anything green!

I have some who would rather not have meat (ME) and all do not eat meat on the bone! 

I have some who eat only one meal a day and some who eat ALL day. 

Some are Cajun recipes that I grew up on, some are Mexican recipes (tweaked) that my husband grew up on, some are “country cooking” because we live in Tennessee, and some or Italian because it is my favorite!

     So by now you may have guessed that our menus have a variety of meals!  I hope someone out there can enjoy them. If any question about a recipe leave a commit! I will try to post all the recipes I use monthly, here at Our Days at CA!