Mud Pie

Mud pie, chocolate pie, whatever you want to call it is a perfect Summer time dessert!  It's cool, it's rich, and it's decadent, yet to make it is so easy, you feel like you haven't lifted a finger in the kitchen!  Make this one today.....

Ingredients:

- 1 Pre-Made Graham Cracker Crust
- 1 pkg. (8 oz) Cream Cheese, softened
- 3/4 Cup Powdered Sugar
- 1 Container Whipped Cream
- 1 3/4 Cup Cold Milk
- 1 pkg. Instant Chocolate Pudding
- Handful of Chocolate Chips for garnish

Directions:

1.  Beat together your cream cheese and powdered sugar until creamy.  Fold in 1 cup of the whipped cream.  Layer it on the bottom of your crust.

2.  In another bowl, pour in your milk and whisk in your chocolate pudding.  Whisk together by hand for about 2 minutes.  It will thicken over a small bit of time.  Layer over the cream cheese mixture.

3.  Now refrigerate or freeze for AT LEAST 4 hours. 

4.  Remove from fridge/freezer and layer on the rest of the whipped cream.  Garnish with chocolate chips if desired. 

Here's the final product.....

Enjoy!

Meal Plan Monday 8/27 thru 9/2

Another week, another meal plan!  Wondering already how school starting soon will affect my meal planning....!

MONDAY
- Leftovers

TUESDAY
- Corn Dogs
- Mac N Cheese
- Fruit and Raw Veggies

WEDNESDAY
- Breakfast for Dinner

THURSDAY
- Oven Fried Chicken
- Baked Potatoes
- Corn on the Cob

FRIDAY
- Leftovers

SATURDAY
- Tacos
- Cheese Quesadillas
- Cheese Dip w/Tortilla Chips

SUNDAY
- Pizza
- Salad

Meal Plan Monday 8/20 thru 8/26

Another week, another plan!

MONDAY
- Leftovers

TUESDAY
- Salisbury Steak
- Mashed Potatoes w/ Gravy
- Broccoli

WEDNESDAY
- Pasta
- Salad

THURSDAY
- Breakfast for dinner

FRIDAY
- Leftovers

SATURDAY
- Chicken Alfredo w/ Broccoli
- Garlic Bread
- Salad

SUNDAY
- Breaded Pork Chops
- Mac N Cheese
- Green Beans
- Side Salad

NO BRAINER! Homemade French Fries

These homemade french fries are as simple as it gets.  There are only 3 ingredients and limited work.  In fact, the hardest thing you'll do is chop the potatoes!  These are one of my husband's favorite things, and I think one of the reasons is because of the simplicity of it...you really just get the fantastic taste of potato!

Ingredients:

- Potatoes, cut into fry like strips
- Salt
- Oil (not pictured)

Directions:

1.  You'll need a deep fryer or a pan of heated oil.  Set your deep fryer at 375 degrees and allow it to heat up while you slice your potatoes.

2.  Wash your potatoes and wipe dry.  Slice lengthwise, then slice into french fry like strips.  And for goodness sake, KEEP ON THE SKIN...that's vitamins and flavor you will be tossing away!  You can make them as thin or as thick as you prefer.  A thinner fry will result in a crispier fry, and a thicker, wedge cut will result in a less crispy alternative.

3.  Now that you have all your potatoes sliced, and your deep fryer is heated and ready, toss in a handful of the potatoes and fry until you're reached the desired level of crisp.  They should float when the potato is done.

4.  Remove to a pan or a plate with paper towels to absorb any unwanted grease and salt.  Shake them around a bit to unstick any potatoes.

That's the final product above!  We serve ours with a bit of ketchup or hot sauce.  Simple, delicious, and essential next to a great burger!  Enjoy! 

Pico de Gallo

Pico de Gallo is similar to a salsa, except it is chunkier and less like a sauce.  Literally translated "pico de gallo" means "rooster's beak"....I have no idea why it's named this, but I found it interesting, lol!  I serve Pico de Gallo at all sorts of parties and have even taken it for Thanksgiving!  Total crowd pleaser!

Ingredients:

- Roma Tomatoes (about 5)
- Onion (1 or 2, depending on size)
- Cilantro
- Lime juice (always buy 2!)
- 2 Jalapenos
- Salt

Directions:

1.  Chop up your Roma tomatoes into 4ths.  Scoop out the middle (seeds/juice) and discard.  Chop up the remaining tomato and toss in your bowl.

2.  Now, chop up your onion and your jalapeno.  De-seed and de-vein the jalapeno if you do not like spicy.

3.  Now take a handful of cilantro and give it a rough chop.  Toss that into your bowl as well.  Here is where I give it a stir to make sure I have enough of each ingredient.  Now squeeze in your lime juice.  Start with one lime, taste, then add more if necessary.  Sprinkle in a pinch or two of salt, taste again and refrigerate until you're ready to eat!

Here's the final product....

Serve with tortilla chips or as a condiment for tacos, burritos, nachos, or tostadas.  Enjoy! 

NO BRAINER! Cheese Quesadilla

Cheese Quesadilla's are the go to meal for my girls when I know they are hungry NOW!  It's simple, and they love them!  Plus, you can put almost anything in a quesadilla, chicken, beef, shrimp, etc.  Make one of these today and revel in the buttery, cheesy goodness!

Ingredients:

- 2 Tortillas
- 1 tablespoon butter
- Shredded cheese of your choice (I used Sharp Cheddar)

Directions:

1.  In a pan, heat a tablespoon of butter over med. high heat.

2.  Place one of your tortillas into the pan and place a handful of cheese on top of it.  Spread it out a bit with your hands. 

3.  Now place the other tortilla on top of the cheese and press down with your spatula.  Once the one side is brown, turn and brown the other side.  Remove, let sit for 1 minute and then cut into triangles.

Here's the final product.....

Garnish with Salsa, hot sauce, ranch, or whatever you prefer!  Enjoy!!

Meal Plan Monday 8/13 thru 8/19

Another week is here! 

MONDAY
- Leftovers

TUESDAY
- Pizza
- Salad

WEDNESDAY
- Leftovers

THURSDAY
- Hamburgers
- Homemade French Fries/Onion Rings
- Raw Veggies w/ Dip
- Fruit Salad

FRIDAY
- Chicken Parm
- Salad
- Bread

SATURDAY
- Breakfast for Dinner!

SUNDAY
- BBQ Chicken
- Mashed Potatoes w/Gravy
- Corn on the Cob

Nothing exciting this week....it's gonna be a busy one!

Mexican Chicken Lasagna

This dish just makes me happy!  It's such a nice twist on regular lasagna and the simplicity of it is brilliant!  Plus, it's a wonderful make ahead meal, perfect for those busy nights!

Ingredients:

- 2 (10oz) cans Ro-tel tomatoes
- 1/2 Cup Thick and Chunky Salsa
- 3 Cups (works out to 3 boneless chicken breasts) cooked Chicken, diced
- 1 can Refried Beans
- 1/2 Cup Sour Cream
- Lasagna Noodles (about 10), uncooked
- Shredded Cheese of your choice (I used Sharp Cheddar and Mozzarella b/c it's what I had)
- 1/2 Cup Green Onions, diced
- 1/2 Cup Black Olives, diced (optional)

Directions:

1.  Cook your chicken if you haven't already.  I cooked mine the night before, seasoning it with a touch of Cumin, Salt, and Parsley.  Dice it up and set aside in a large bowl.

2.  Toss your 2 cans of tomatoes into the chicken along with your 1/2 cup of Salsa.  Mix together and set aside.

3.  In another smaller bowl, open up your refried beans and toss in along with your 1/2 cup of Sour Cream.  Mix together and set aside.

4.  Now, grab your dish and spray liberally with cooking spray.  Lay down a layer of the chicken/tomato mixture into the bottom of the pan.  You don't need a lot.  About a 1/4 cup.  Layer your noodles on to that. 

5.  Now, layer on your beans/sour cream mixture.  Add more of the chicken/tomato mixture.  Then add a handful of your onions and your olives.  Then the cheese.  Repeat, ending on the chicken/tomato mixture.  Sprinkle with cheese.

6.  Now cover your pan with foil and allow your lasagna to sit in the fridge for AT LEAST 8 hours or even overnight.  This is important since you did not cook your noodles!

7.  Once you're ready to cook it, preheat your oven at 350 degrees and, keeping your lasagna covered with foil, cook for 50 minutes.  Remove the foil and cook another 20 minutes.  Remove your dish, and allow it to cool for AT LEAST 10 minutes.  Cut and serve!

Here's the final product....

We served ours with a side of salad, but this can easily stand alone! For garnish, I used green onions, sour cream and diced tomato.  You can choose your favorites and go crazy!  Enjoy! 

JAZZ IT UP! Meaty Pasta Sauce

It's a wonder what you can do with some kitchen items!  Such as this recipe, you can take a simple can of store bought pasta sauce and add some key ingredients to make it out of this world!  Try this sometime...

Ingredients:

- 2 cans Hunts Pasta sauce
- 1 tsp. Garlic
- 1 1/2 lbs Ground Beef
- 1 small onion, chopped
- Basil/Salt/Pepper/Red Pepper Flakes/Parsley to taste

Directions:

1.  Brown your ground beef and onion in a pan.  Drain.

2.  Toss in your garlic, you seasoning, and your pasta sauce.  Let sauce come to a boil, stirring occasionally.

3.  Serve sauce with your favorite pasta.

Here's the final product....

We had garlic bread and a sprinkle of cheese on top.  It was filling, cheap, and flavorful!  Try this for a busy night's dinner!  Enjoy!