Not your traditional Green Bean Casserole

....but it's from now on my tradition!  This was the first thing to be gobbled up at my thanksgiving, and I had NO leftovers! 

Ingredients

• 1 (10 ounce) can condensed cream of chicken soup (I hate mushroom)
• 3 ounces processed cheese (i.e. Velveeta®), cubed
• 1 tablespoon real bacon bits
• 2 (15 ounce) cans cut green beans, drained
• 1 (2.8 ounce) can French-fried onions

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
2. Heat the undiluted cream of chicken soup in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the processed cheese and bacon, and continue stirring until completely melted. Remove from the heat, then stir in the green beans until evenly coated. Pour the mixture into a casserole dish, and top with the fried onions, leaving a 1 inch margin around the sides.
3. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes in the preheated oven, until heated through and bubbly. Check near the end of cooking to make sure the onions aren't getting too brown.

Sweet Potatoes

These sweet potatoes were holy moly, oh so delicous!  They were so sweet and scrumptious, I feel like I should have served them with the desserts!

Ingredients

• 2 (15 ounce) cans sweet potatoes
• 1/4 cup orange juice
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 pinch salt
• 1/2 cup margarine
• 1 1/2 cups miniature marshmallows

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. Place sweet potatoes in a 10x6 inch shallow baking dish and pour orange juice over.
3. In a small bowl, combine flour, sugar, cinnamon and salt; mix together and cut in margarine. Sprinkle over sweet potatoes.
4. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove from oven, sprinkle with marshmallows and broil until browned.

 --Also I totally spaced on the orange juice.  I bet it really adds to the flavor!

KFC Biscuits

Did you know that KFC posted their recipe to their biscuits right on their website?!?  I was so excited to find this yesterday that I tried to make them.  KFC's biscuits are my favorite, and there have been many times that I've considered buying them just to make biscuits and gravy with.  SO...I tried them.  They definitely don't look like KFC's!  haha.  I think I just need more practice.  I also think I patted the dough a little thin so I could get more biscuits out of it.  So definitely double the recipe so you don't have to worry about this.  Even with my biscuits being flat, they still tasted amazing!  I can't wait to try these again, I'll post another picture when they turn out right.  Here's the recipe:


INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
1 Tablespoon sugar
1 Tablespoon baking powder
2/3 cup milk
1/3 cup vegetable shortening
INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat oven to 425ºF. Sift together flour, salt, sugar and baking powder into mixing bowl. Make a well in the flour mix and add the milk. Add shortening and begin kneading with hands (to cut in) the vegetable shortening and flour in the milk until thoroughly mixed. Add milk, if needed to form, and mix. Turn onto floured board, and knead gently 6 to 8 times. Pat dough to 1/2-inch thickness. Cut into biscuits. Place on baking sheet and brown in oven 10-13 minutes. Makes about 9 biscuits.

Here the link as well. http://www.kfc.com/tips/ky_biscuits.asp

Perfect Dinner Rolls

I was in a baking mood today!  As you may be able to tell by all my posts today!  It's finally fall here in Arizona, which means I can bake without dying of heat.  I'm so excited to try out new recipes, and put on that winter weight!  haha.  I will be hosting Thanksgiving at my house this year.   Me.  I'm making Thanksgiving dinner all by my lonesome, so I am starting to try out my recipes now.  This is the first one I tried, and I have to say it's a winner! 

By the way, I'm searching for the perfect Thanksgiving recipes, so if you have any please send them my way.  I'm looking for delicious sweet potato, green bean casserole and stuffing recipes.

Yield:  36 rolls

Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups warm milk

4 teaspoons active dry yeast

1/2 cup sugar

2 eggs

1/2 cup butter, softened

2 teaspoons salt

7 cups all-purpose flour, or as needed

1/2 cup butter, melted

Directions:

	Pour milk into a large mixing bowl, and sprinkle yeast over the surface. Allow to rest for 5 minutes. Beat in the sugar, eggs, 1/2 cup butter, and salt; blend thoroughly. Gradually stir in the flour to make a soft dough. Cover bowl, and set in a warm place until dough doubles in size, about 1 hour.
	Punch down the dough, cover the bowl, and allow to rise again. Repeat this step two more times.
	Break off 2 to 3 inch size pieces of dough, roll lightly into round shape, and place in prepared baking dish, edges touching. Repeat to make 36 dough balls. Cover and let rise until doubled in size.
	Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Lightly grease a 9x13 inch baking dish.
	Bake rolls in preheated oven until tops turn golden brown, 10 to 15 minutes. When rolls are finished baking, drizzle melted butter over the top, and serve warm.

This is a time consuming one, but it's worth it!!

Last Minute Garlic Bread

Whenever I'm making an italian meal, but am not in the mood to make breadsticks, I whip out a batch of these babies. Super simple, and super yummy.

You will need:

white bread
softened butter
mayonnaise
garlic powder


parmesaen cheese
italian seasonings
(both optional but good)

Mix equal parts softened butter and mayo until smooth. Add garlic powder a little bit at a time until it tastes the way you want it. I like mine really garlicky so I tend to add a lot. Generously spread onto bread. Broil in the oven until nice and toasty. (These are actually a tad toastier than I like, I forgot about them! Don't do that!) Sprinkle with parmesean cheese and italian seasoning. This is optional (I usually don't put it on) but it's good.

Pumpkin Butter

I don't know if I would really call this a "recipe". Basically I had pumpkin puree left over from the Pumpkin Cream Pie, and I wanted to use it for something. I searched for a few recipes for Pumpkin Butter online, but ended up just coming up with something on my own from what I had in my kitchen. I hope you guys like it! I do!

These measurings are very approximate. I was just throwing the ingredients together trying to make something delicious!

1/4 cup melted butter
1/2 cup pumpkin puree
1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1 cup (?) powdered sugar

Adjust the ingredients until it tickles your fancy. I think I may have used more than a cup of sugar (maybe two?), and more like a teaspoon of the spice.

Perfect Cornbread

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups cornmeal
2 1/2 cups milk
2 cups flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). In a small bowl, combine cornmeal and milk; let stand for 5 minutes. Grease a 9x13 inch baking pan.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. Mix in the cornmeal mixture, eggs and oil until smooth. Beat on low speed for 2 minutes. Pour batter into prepared pan.
3. Bake in preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a knife inserted into the center of the cornbread comes out clean.

This cornbread turned out perfect! It was the perfect companion for my chili. It also tasted amazing with a little pumpkin butter spread on top!

Yummy Buttery Breadsticks

I love breadsticks.

I love these breadsticks.

These breadsticks are buttery, garlicky, fluffy and delicious. I would like to share them with you. In fact, I still have some in my kitchen. So really, come on over!

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cup warm water
1/4 c. sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons yeast. (I like to use a little extra yeast because I think it makes the breadsticks fluffier, but I could be completely wrong about that.)
About 4 cups of flour

Topping:
1/4 cup mayo
1/4 cup butter (softened)
1/4 cup Parmesean cheese (if your husband is normal and likes cheese. I unfortunately have to skip this ingredient *angry face* )
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp garlic powder

Italian seasoning sprinkled on top


Directions:

Mix water and sugar, add yeast and let work about 10 minutes.

Add 3 1/2 cups flour, then add flour as needed to create a soft dough. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place for about 20 minutes.

Grease pan.

Spread dough in pan. I like to use a 9x13 because I like really thick breadsticks, but if you wanted thinner ones, use a cookie sheet. Let rise for another 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, mix up the topping. I'm going to be honest with you here. Is that okay? I actually DOUBLE the topping recipe. I love this stuff! I also use more garlic than I should. I like my breadsticks really garlicky. So start with what I said, and then add more to taste.

Gently cut were pieces will be, but do not cut all the way through.

I don't know why I decided to only make 6 HUGE breadsticks. I easily could have made a dozen. Don't questions my motives, it's not like the size of the breadstick does anything to the taste.

Spread on topping (don't be shy!) and sprinkle italian seasoning on top. Bake for 9-10 minutes at 400 degrees.



And yes, Tia, (if you ever read this) this is your mom's recipe. I still have it from when we exchanged recipes in Young Womens right before we all went to college. It has served me well over the years.

Thank you.

And thank your mom for me.

Guacamole

When I was pregnant I was always craving guacamole. I made it a lot during those nine months, and I've come up with a recipe that I really love.

3 avocados
6-8 oz cream cheese
1 lime, juiced
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup diced onion
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro (my favorite ingredient!)
2 roma tomatoes, diced
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 pinch ground cayenne pepper

In a medium bowl, blend together the cream cheese and mashed avocados with a hand mixer. The cream cheese helps you to make more guacamole without having to by a ton of avocados and it make it really smooth and yummy. Mix all other ingredients in and refrigerate for an hour for best flavor, or serve immediately.

Crockpot Refried Beans

1 onion
3 cups dry pinto beans, rinsed
1/2 fresh jalenpeno pepper, seeded and chopped
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1 3/4 teaspoons fresh ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon ground cumin
9 cups water

Place everything in crockpot and stir to combine. Cook on high for 8 hours.

Once the beans have cooked, strain them and reserve the liquid. Mash the beans with a potato masher, adding the reserved water as needed to attain desired consistency.

--These beans were really good. The recipe originally included 5 teaspoons of salt, but they turned out REALLY salty. It was fine because they went into burritos that were topped with guacamole, so it wasn't that noticeable, but you definitely couldn't eat them plain. So next time I won't add it at all. Well, maybe just a little, but not 5 teaspoons. Plus my mom told me that adding salt can sometimes make your beans turn out hard, so maybe just salt to taste at the end.

Mexican Rice

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 cup uncooked long-grain rice
half a packet of taco seasoning
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup tomato sauce
2 cups chicken broth

Directions:

Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat and add rice. Cook, stirring constantly, until puffed and golden. While rice is cooking, sprinkle with taco seasoning.

Stir in onions and cook until tender. Stir in tomato sauce and chicken broth; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes. Fluff with a fork.

Mashed Potatoes and Ranch Style Chicken

Have you guys heard of the Pioneer Woman? If you haven't you must go to her site and try out some of her recipes. They are so yummy!

This week I tried her Ranch Style Chicken, and her Creamy Mashed Potatoes.

If there are mashed potatoes in heaven, it's these mashed potatoes. I guarantee it. And they'll be even better, because there are no calories in heaven.

The chicken was delish as well. It was still a little on the dry side, but way better than normal for me. I ALWAYS overcook chicken. I guess I'm just afraid of food poisoning or something. I'll have to get over that.



Mmmmmm. I loved this meal. I'll definitely be making this again!