Taco Casserole

No two tacos are the same but I wanted to make sure all 4 tacos I made this month were completely different. I have a love for noodles, which may be due to my Italian roots but I could probably eat noodles 3 times a day. I made this with noodles to act as the carb. I hope you enjoy as much as we did.

Taco Casserole

• 6 ounces of egg noodles
• 1 lb ground beef, cooked
• 2 cups southwest mixed veggies
• 1 can Rotel, undrained
• 1 can enchilada sauce
• 1 1/4 cups water
• 1.5 cups Mexican cheese
• 1/4 cup sliced green onion
• Sour cream

Spray casserole dish with non-stick cooking spray. Brown ground beef and drain grease. Add in veggies, enchilada sauce, rotel, and water. Bring to boil and pour over egg noodles. Cover with foil and bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes. Remove foil, add cheese and green onions and bake an additional 10 minutes. This recipe is from the Rotel website!

Ramen Waffles

I was trying to find different ways to used my waffle iron and why not try it for out of the ordinary things. We like Asian dishes so I made a frozen stir fry and added some Asian flavors to it. I also decided to make a ramen side dish that turned out to be amazing! I will make this on it's own next time without anything else.

Ramen Waffles

• 1 pack ramen noodles soaked in hot water until soft.
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon soy sauce
• whisk together the egg and soy in a separate bowl and add ramen and coat.

Ensure you spray the waffle iron with non-stick cooking spray for best results. Cook about 3 minutes. I cooked mine until the green light turned on.

Jake says the waffle was confusing but enjoyed it none the less.

Cuban Sliders

Friday is only one day away and wedding venue touring on Saturday. I was going to stop blogging but when your uncle calls and asks why you haven't posted in a while, I figure I'd catch up. Tonight I made Cuban sliders which I put pickles on so it was very odd for my uncle to call and ask about my blog. Growing up we used to drink pickle juice because he told me it would put hair on my chest and to this day I will still drink it! Oh and if you were wondering he was wrong!

Cuban Sliders

• 1 pack Hawaiian rolls
• Ham lunchmeat
• Sliced Swiss cheese
• Sliced pickles
• 1/2 stick butter
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon minced onion

Slice the tops off the rolls. Apply the ham, Swiss, and pickles and place the tops back on them. Place into a sheet pan. Melt the butter in the microwave and mix in the Dijon and onion and pout on the top of the buns. Cover with foil and bake at 325 degrees for 15 minutes. Uncover and cook an additional 10 minutes. Serve and enjoy!

Ooey, gooey, messy, and oh so good! The sweetness of the rolls, the gooey cheese, and the crunchy pickles made this a touchdown and may be even better for your superbowl party! (Jake ate 6, don't let him know I told you!!!) Serve with chips, that's my lunch tomorrow anyways!

Bacon and Egg Muffins

I made these muffins for dinner with some grits and toast with my homemade apple butter. These would be great on the weekends, on the go, and even for a snack!

Bacon and Egg Muffins

• 8 pieces of bacon
• 8 eggs, whisked
• 1/2 cup cheese
• salt and pepper to taste

Line the muffin tin with the slice of bacon. Mix together the eggs, cheese, and salt and pepper. Fill each muffin tin 3/4 of the way up. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes and enjoy!

Easy to make and easy to grab, you will be coming back to this for a long time! I will continue to catch up on the blog tomorrow. Stayed tuned for Taco casserole, Ramen waffles, and hash brown waffles!

Cinnamon Apple Parfait

This dessert I put in a mason jar which is easy for one person to enjoy for more than one day, it is also good to help with layers, and it is easy to grab on the go.

Cinnamon Apple Parfait

• 3 apples, cored and diced
• toss apples the following and cook until apples are soft:
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice
• 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 6 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon butter
• After cooking let cook for about 20-30 minutes
• Combine the following in the mixer to make whipped cream
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• granola (I used honey granola)
• caramel sauce

To assemble place whipped cream first, granola, caramel, then apples. I made 2 layers. Sweet, crunchy, and savory. And super easy to grab and go!

Caesar Chicken Salad

Hey again everyone! I hope everyone is staying warm! There has been a lot going on this week and I have just not had time to blog. All is settling down now well all except for the snow we're expecting tomorrow but I'll work from home, no problem!!! I made this chicken salad and added a homemade Caesar dressing and filled a pita pocket with it along with lettuce and tomato.

Caesar Chicken Salad

• 1.5 pounds cooked chicken, shredded
• 12oz plain Greek yogurt
• 1/2 cup parmesan
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1.5 tablespoons Dijon
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper

Combine all and chill before serving.

Creamy, rich, and hearty. Maybe even a little healthy with the Greek yogurt.

Fried Cajun Shrimp and Cajun Rice

Hello 3 day weekend! Sorry I did not post last night but better late than never. Last night was fried Friday and I made fried shrimp, Cajun rice (caution! it was spicy!!!), and left over creamy coleslaw from Wednesday. We tend to like more spicy stuff in this house so if that is not your thing just  add less seasoning.

Fried Cajun Shrimp

• 2 pounds raw and peeled shrimp (I bought out of the frozen section and just ran them under cold water until they were thawed. Then patted them dry with a paper towel)
• 2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning
• 2/3 cup of flour
• 1 cup panko brad crumbs
• 2 eggs
• 6 tablespoons milk
• 6 teaspoons of olive oil

Combine flour and Cajun seasoning in a bowl and whisk together. Combine eggs and milk in one bowl and whisk together. Place panko in a third bowl. Heat olive oil in pan. Place shrimp in flour mixture, then egg mixture, then panko bread crumbs and place in oil for about 3 minutes on each side.

Cajun Rice

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 bell pepper, diced
• 1 onion, diced
• 1/2 cup green onions, diced
• Cook in pan until tender then add
• 1 can diced tomatoes, with juice
• 3.5 cups water
• 2 cups raw rice
• 3 tablespoons Cajun seasoning

Stir and bring to a boil. Cut down to low and cover and cook 25 minutes or until the rice is tender.

This was definitely a spicy and crunchy meal. Perfect way to end a work week.

I love having a sous chef!

Join me later for a healthy spin on chicken salad for Sandwich Saturday!