B.L.T. Pizza

This picture just doesn't do it justice. This is my favorite pizza to make and it's so easy. I always use the pre cooked Bobolli pizza crusts. Have you tried them? They're surprisingly good. I don't really have measurements since I just throw it all on there so just eye ball it and go with what looks right. I guessed the best I could.


B.L.T. Pizza

Bobolli Pizza Crust (or your favorite pizza crust)
1/4 cup Alfredo sauce (Clasico is my favorite brand)
1/2 cup crumbled bacon
1/2 cup diced tomatoes (divided)
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
2 cups shredded lettuce
2 Tbls ranch dressing

Spread alfredo sauce over pre-cooked pizza crust. Sprinkle bacon, 1/4 cup tomatoes and cheese on top of sauce. Bake at 450 degrees for about 8 minutes. In small bowl mix remaining tomatoes, lettuce and ranch dressing. Spoon over top of cooked pizza slices. So good!

Peanut Butter Bars

This recipe is from the Sisters Cafe

Peanut Butter Bars

3/4 C butter

3/4 C sugar
3/4 C brown sugar
3/4 peanut butter
2 eggs
1/2 tsp vanilla
3/4 tsp soda
1/2 tsp salt

1 1/2 C flour

1 1/2 C oats

Cream together the butter and sugars. Add peanut butter, eggs, and vanilla and beat until smooth. Add dry ingredients and mix the oats until firm dough is made. Press batter into a jelly roll pan (a little smaller than a standard cookie sheet--I use the pampered chef stoneware bar sheet) Bake at 325 for 12 -15 minutes, depending on your oven. Do not over bake! The bars should be BARELY golden. If you over cook them they are dry and not very good, in my opinion. Allow to cool while you make your frosting.

Chocolate Fudge Frosting

(this is the best frosting ever!)

1 cup sugar
5 Tablespoons butter
1/3 cup milk
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
3/4 cup mini marshmallows

Place the sugar, butter and milk in the small saucepan over medium-low heat and cook stirring constantly, until the mixture come s to a boil. Boil stirring constantly for 1 minute. Remove the pan from heat, add the chocolate chips and stir until melted, then add the marshmallows and stir until melted. Spread onto mostly cool bars.

I just barely made these and had a minute to post about it while I waited for some vinyl to get cut.  They are so yummy...and the frosting really is the best (and easiest) frosting I have ever made.

Fried Rice

We have always liked rice, but I never used to make it until about a year ago when we found minute rice (now looking back I think this is what Mom always used, but when I was little I didn't like rice so I didn't pay much attention).  Well we love fried rice too, but we haven't ever tried to make it with minute rice. 

I found a recipe yesterday and gave it a try and it was so quick and really good. 

Modified the recipe from the Minute Rice website

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp. vegetable oil

3 eggs, lightly beaten

1 can (14-1/2 ounces) chicken broth
1 pkg. (16 ounces) frozen stir-fry vegetables, thawed  ---we didn't have any of these, so I just cut up some celery and about a 1/4 of an onion instead, and I think that is how we will always make it. 
2 Tbsp. soy sauce

2 cups MINUTE White Rice, uncooked

1 cube of chicken bullion

Directions:

ADD broth, vegetables and soy sauce to skillet; bring to a boil. Stir in rice; cover. Remove from heat. Let stand 5 minutes.

HEAT oil in large skillet over medium heat. Cook eggs; scramble until done.  Add to rice mixture after it has sat for 5 minutes.

Serve immediately.

Potato Bundles

You all know how much I love potatoes (unless Mom puts them in Sheppards Pie).  Well I have been craving meat and potatoes lately and I have been looking for some new potato recipes.  I made these last night with Turkey Roast and we invited some friends over for dinner and we all loved these pototoes.  They were quick to throw together and so yummy.

I found the recipe from a new cooking website I found "The Pioneer Woman Cooks".  They have lots of other great recipe ideas -- click here for all recipes organized by pictures...which I love that idea.  The annoying thing about this website is they have a picture for every step of the recipe, but if you scroll down to the bottom (before the comments) then they have a printable recipe.

Ingredients

6 whole Russet Potatoes
½ whole Yellow Onion, Diced
1 stick Butter
½ cups Heavy Cream
Kosher Salt To Taste
Paprika To Taste

Freshly Ground Black Pepper, To Taste

2 Tablespoons Minced Parsley

Preparation Instructions

Pile potatoes and onions on a square of foil. Add 2 tablespoons butter. Splash on cream. Then sprinkle on salt, paprika, and black pepper. Sprinkle minced parsley over the top.

Wrap bundles tightly and bake at 375 degrees for 45 minutes, or until extremely tender.

Serve bundles right on the dinner plate. Serves 8.

I think these will be fun to make camping too.  You can just take it all mixed together and wrapped in tin foil and then cook it when you get there. 

Chewy Soft Preztels

Recipes is from My Kitchen Cafe

You can tell they were good...Macie couldn't wait two more seconds to have another one. 

Makes 8 pretzels

Dough:

2 1/2 cups (10 1/2 ounces) all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon sugar

2 1/4 teaspoons instant yeast

7/8 to 1 cup (7 to 8 ounces) warm water*

Topping:

1/2 cup (4 ounces) warm water

2 tablespoons baking soda

Coarse salt (optional)

3 tablespoons butter, melted



Place all of the dough ingredients into a bowl and beat until well combined. Knead the dough, by hand or machine, for about 5 minutes, until it is soft, smooth, and quite slack. Lightly flour the dough and place it in a plastic bag; close the bag, leaving room for the dough to expand, and let it rest for 30 minutes (to see pictures click on the "My Kitchen Cafe" link at the top of the post).

Preheat your oven to 500°F. Prepare two baking sheets by spraying them with vegetable oil spray, or lining them with parchment paper.

Transfer the dough to a lightly greased work surface, and divide it into eight equal pieces (about 70g, or 2 1/2 ounces, each). Allow the pieces to rest, uncovered, for 5 minutes. While the dough is resting, combine the 1/2 cup warm water and the baking soda, and place it in a shallow bowl or pie plate. Make sure the baking soda is thoroughly dissolved; if it isn't, it will make your pretzels splotchy.

Roll each piece of dough into a long, thin rope (about 28 to 30 inches long), and twist each rope into a pretzel. Dip each pretzel in the baking soda wash (this will give the pretzels a nice, golden-brown color), and place them on the baking sheets. Sprinkle them lightly with coarse, kosher, or pretzel salt. Allow them to rest, uncovered, for 10 minutes.

Bake the pretzels for 8 to 9 minutes, or until they're golden brown. I only bake one baking sheet at a time and let the other rest while the first is in the oven.

Remove the pretzels from the oven, and brush them thoroughly with the melted butter. Keep brushing the butter on until you've used it all up; it may seem like a lot, but that's what gives these pretzels their ethereal taste. Eat the pretzels warm, or reheat them in an oven or microwave.

*Use the greater amount in the winter, the lesser amount in the summer, and somewhere in between in the spring and fall. Your goal is a soft dough.

Enchiladas

I have been making these enchiladas for a couple of years.  I made up the recipe on night when I didn't know what to cook and didn't have much food on hand, because I hated going to the grocery store with (back then) 3 kids.  Now we tote 4 kids along with us every Saturday and manage just fine...live and learn I guess.

1 pkg soften cream cheese
1 can refried beans
1-2 cups cubed chicken (I sometimes use the canned chicken if I am in a big hurry)
1/2 cup rice (I don't always put this in, I only use it if I have left overs from the night before)
2 cans enchillada sauce
1 cup grated cheese
Flour tortillas

Mix together cream cheese, refried beans, chicken and rice.  Spoon the mixture into flour tortillas then roll them up.  I usually have enough chicken mixture to make about 10-12 tortilla rolls.  Place them all seam down in a 9x13 pan.  Pour enchillada sauce on top (I usually only use about 1 1/2 cans, but if Bridger is helping he insists we pour it all on...either way it turns out just fine).  Then top with grated cheese and bake in the oven at 350 for 25 minutes.
This freezes well too, you just have to increase your baking time.   Don't put the grated cheese on if you are freezing it, I would just pull it out of the oven about 15 minutes before it was done and sprinkle with cheese and then put back in the oven.  Sorry I don't remember how long to bake it if you freeze it.

They are really quick to make (especially if you don't have to cook the chicken).

This is Bridger's favorite dinner, and everyone else must like it too, because we rarely have leftovers--but if we do they are so yummy the next day.

Spiced Apple Pancakes

I love breakfast. I tell myself I eat it becasue it's the most important meal of the day, but the truth is, it's just my favorite. But I don't like the bacon or sausage or eggs. I love my carbs! Muffins, waffles, pancakes....bring 'em on! I got this recipe from a friend of mine, Lindsey. I was so excited to try them, and even more excited when they were better than I had imagined. And the syrup? Don't even get me started. It was AMAZING. I ate seven pancakes.....SEVEN!! And I plan on making more as soon as I can get over to the grocery store for more apples.

And as proof as to how good these really are, here's a picture of the pickiest of picky eaters loving them.

Spiced Apple Pancakes:

makes approx. 18-4 inch pancakes

2 C. bisquick

1/2 t. cinnamon

1 egg

1 2/3 C. milk

3/4 C. grated apple (about 2)

Mix bisquick, cinnamon, eggand milk until smooth. Add apple. Cook on greased griddle. Turn when bubbles appear, but before they break.

Cider Syrup:

1 C. sugar

2 T. cornstarch

1/4 t. cinnamon

1/4 t. nutmeg

2 C. apple juice

2 T. lemon juice

1/4 C. butter

Mix sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon and nutmeg in saucepan. Stir in juice and lemon. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly. Boil 1 minute. Blend in butter. Serve warm.

Cilantro Lime Rice

Have I mentioned that I love Cafe Rio?  I am always searching for recipes that taste like Cafe Rio food and are easy to make.  I found this recipe for cilantro lime rice that tastes just like Cafe Rio's and is sooooo good.  Justin and I were huge fans of this one and we will definitely make it again!  I can"t get my computer to read my SD card so I will put up a picture later.

Source:  http://www.desktopcookbook.com/

Cilantro Lime Rice

- 4 tbls butter

- 2 1/2 cups rice

- 4 1/2 cups chicken broth

- 1 1/2 tsp salt

- juice of 4 small limes or 4 tbls lime juice

- 4 tbsp chopped cilantro

- 1/2 tsp cumin

Mix all in rice cooker or pot until done. I don't have a rice cooker so I made it in a pan on the stove.

Chili on Rice

This is a mission favorite but not a Janae favorite. She likes the chili just not with rice. It sure is a quick fix and it feeds alot of people for pretty cheap.


Chili
1 pound of ground beef browned
1 can of 16 1/2 ounce kidney beans undrained
1 can of 14 1/2 ounce diced tomatoes undrained
1 package of chili seasoning
1 small onion ( optional )

Pulled Chicken Suiza Sammies

recipe from http://www.realmomkitchen.com/

I have not actually made these yet, but I am going to as soon as I buy some salsa verde.  They look so yummy!  I will add my comments as to whether or not they were a hit with the kiddos after I make them.  We love any hot meat and cheese sandwich so I am sure they will be a winner.

Pulled Chicken Suiza Sammies


1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
1 small red onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
Juice of 1 lime
1 tablespoon honey
1 1/2 cups store-bought tomatillo salsa or salsa verde
1/2 cup sour cream
1 rotisserie-style chicken, skin discarded and meat shredded
4 sandwich rolls, split (I think it makes more like 6-8 sandwiches)
4 slices Swiss or monterey jack cheese

Pre-heat the broiler. In a large skillet, heat the EVOO, 1 turn of the pan, over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook until softened, about 2 minutes.

Stir in the lime juice and honey, then stir in the salsa and heat through. Mix in the sour cream. Stir in the chicken to coat.

Place sandwich rolls on baking sheet and top bottom half of rolls with the cheese and broil on middle rack until rolls are lightly toasted and cheese is melted. Fill sandwiches with chicken mixture and serve.

Pasta Salad

Here is my absolute favorite pasta salad recipe. It’s my go-to recipe for any gathering, pot luck dinners, BBQs and today’s event, a bridal shower. It’s always a hit and I never have leftovers. I look at the ingredients and think they seem a little odd together, but believe me it works. And it’s so much better the next day so I always make it the night before. Give it a try, you’ll love it!

Pasta Salad

1 3/4 cups farfalle pasta

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1/2 cup sour cream

2 tablespoons cider vinegar

1 1/2 tablespoons prepared Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon white sugar

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/4 teaspoon dried dill weed

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 cups seedless red grapes, halved

2 cups diced ham

1/2 cup chopped green onions

1 1/2 cups sharp Cheddar cheese, cut into small cubes

Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling, salted water until al dente.

Drain.In a small bowl, mix together the mayonnaise, sour cream, cider vinegar, mustard, sugar, black pepper, dill weed and salt.

In a large bowl, combine pasta, grapes, ham, onions and cheese. Toss with the dressing. Cover and chill overnight, or for at least 6 hours.

Congo Bars

 

I know Congo Bars isn't a new recipe to any of us, but I made some changes to the original recipe over the weekend and they turned out de-lish-ous, so I thought I would share. I added peanut butter and did peanut butter chips AND milk chocolate chips. The recipe said to cook them for 15-20 minutes. I took them out right at 15 minutes. Most people would probably say they were under cooked but I love them gooey so I think they were perfect. I think it's my newest favorite treat, and they're so quick and easy.

Congo Bars

2/3 cup oil

2 1/4 cup brown sugar

3 eggs

1/3 cup peanut butter

1 tsp vanilla

2 cups flour

1 tbsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup chocolate chips

1 cup peanut butter chips

Cream oil and brown sugar. Add eggs, peanut butter and vanilla and mix well. Mix in flour, baking powder and salt. Stir in chocolate and peanut butter chips (the dough was so thick that I actually had to pull it out of the bowl and knead it by hand to get it mixed well). Press into cookie sheet. Bake at 375 degrees for 15 minutes. Enjoy!

Orange Chicken

This recipe is also from My Kitchen Cafe, but the awesome plating picture is from Jay.   

I would say this is my most favorite dinner I have cooked....EVER!  It was so yummy!  It took about 30-40 minutes to fix, but most of that was making the sauce while the chicken was in the oven.  All of the kids loved it and Jay thought it was also one of the best things I had ever cooked. 

If you like Panda Express's Orange Chicken, then you have to give this one a try.

I have also be insturcted by Bridger and Jay that next time I make this I need to make more...they didn't get seconds, and the 5-6 peices of chicken they got weren't quite enough.  So next time I think I will make 1 1/2 times as much chicken...but I think I could still get away with the same amount of sauce...we will see.

 

Orange Chicken

2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 2" cubes

1/2 cup flour

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon pepper

2 tablespoons oil or butter

1 1/2 cups water

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons fresh orange juice

1/3 cup rice vinegar

2 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce

1/2 tablespoon orange zest

1 cup brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon finely minced ginger

1 teaspoon minced garlic

2 tablespoons green onion

3 tablespoons cornstarch

1/4 cup water

Heat oven to 350. In a shallow dish combine the flour, garlic powder and pepper. Dip each piece of chicken in flour mixture and coat evenly.

Pour oil (or melt butter and pour) in a shallow baking dish, large enough to accommodate chicken in a single layer. Arrange chicken in pan and bake uncovered for 30 minutes at 350 degrees.

Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan combine water, fresh orange juice, rice vinegar, soy sauce, orange zest and whisk over medium heat for a few minutes. Then stir in brown sugar, ginger, garlic, and green onion and let it come to a boil. Combine cornstarch with water and let it dissolve and add it to the sauce until thickened.

After chicken has baked the 30 minutes, turn each piece over and pour 1/2 sauce mixture evenly over chicken. Bake another 30 to 40 minutes basting frequently.

Serve chicken over rice with extra sauce on the side.

Dark Chocolate Ganache Filled Brown Sugar Bars

Recipe Source:  http://www.mykitchencafe.blogspot.com/
This recipe sounds heavenly if you substitute the dark chocolate for milk chocolate.  We are not fans of dark chocolate, and I don't care how many antioxidants dark chocolate has because I don't eat chocolate for my health. I will be making them this weekend!

Dark Chocolate Ganache Filled Brown Sugar Bars


1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour

¼ teaspoon salt

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened to room temperature

1 ¾ cups packed dark brown sugar

2 large eggs at room temperature

1 ½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract

½ cup heavy cream

8 ounces semisweet chocolate, finely chopped (I will be using milk chocolate chips)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Spray the bottom of a 10 by 15-inch baking sheet (jelly roll size pan) with cooking spray or lightly coat with butter. Line the pan with wax paper and then butter and lightly flour the paper and sides of the pan.

Whisk together the flour and salt in a small bowl. Beat the butter and sugar together in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the vanilla. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the flour mixture in 3 batches, beating just until well blended. The batter will be fairly stiff.

Spread the batter evenly in the pan. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes until a wooden toothpick comes out clean but not dry; do not overbake. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Bring the cream just to a boil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Place the finely chopped chocolate in a medium bowl. Pour the hot cream over the finely chopped chocolate and stir gently to combine until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Let the ganache stand at room temp for 20-30 minutes to set. It should be spreadable but not runny.

Invert the brown sugar cake again onto a large cutting board. Cut the cake crosswise in half with a long serrated knife (just like you would cut a sandwich in half to share with someone - NOT like you would cut a cake into two layers, the bars are too thin for that). Spread the ganache evenly on one half of the cake to within 1/8 inch of the edges. Carefully set the other cake half on the top, matching the cut edges. Cover and refrigerate until the ganache is set, at least 2 hours or up to 2 days.

To serve, trim the uncut edges of the cake. Cut the cake lengthwise into 4 strips then cut each strip into 8 rectangles. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

Chicken Tortellini Bake

Chicken Tortellini Bake

recipe from My Kitchen Cafe

16 ounce package of cheese tortellini (my advice is to use the fresh, not frozen, variety - the kind you find in the refrigerated section of the grocery store b/c they taste better and it cuts down on boiling time since the noodles aren't completely dry)

1 tablespoon oil

2 cups (about 2 chicken breasts) chicken cut up into bite size pieces

3 green onions finely chopped, white and green parts

2 tablespoons flour

8 ounces (1 cup) chicken broth

8 ounces sliced fresh mushrooms

3/4 cup sour cream (I used reduced fat with good results)

8 oz (2 cups) shredded Monterey jack cheese (to be honest, any combination of cheeses, like cheddar, mozzarella or monterey jack would be good)

Bring a large pot of water to boil and cook tortellini for 2-3 minutes (this is if you use the "fresh" tortellini from the refrigerated section - and to be completely honest, next time I'm going to try not boiling it at all and letting it cook while it bakes in the oven). Drain and set aside.  (I skipped this step and it was fine)

Heat the oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium heat. Brown the chicken for 1-2 minutes and add the fresh mushrooms and green onions, cooking until chicken is done and mushrooms are golden brown. Sprinkle flour over mixture and stir to combine. Cook for 1-2 minutes. Add chicken broth and stir until thickened. Mix in sour cream until mixture is creamy and slightly thickened.

Spray a 9X13 pan with cooking spray. Pour tortellini in bottom of 9X13 pan. Sprinkle half the cheese over tortellini. Put cooked chicken/sauce mixture on top and sprinkle remaining cheese over the top.

Bake covered with tin foil at 350 for 30 minutes, uncover and bake for additional 15 minutes until bubbly and golden brown around the edges.

We had this for dinner tonight and it was really good.  I would add some salt next time to season it a bit more, but it was really good.  I actually messed up at the grocery store and bought raviolli on accident, but it was still really good.  We just toasted some garlic bread to go with it.

Sweet and Sour Chicken

Sweet and Sour Chicken

Recipe from My Kitchen Cafe

Chicken:

3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Salt and pepper

1 cup cornstarch

2 eggs, beaten

1/4 cup canola oil

Cut boneless chicken breasts into chunks. Season with salt and pepper. Dip chicken in cornstarch and then in egg. Fry in a little oil until brown but not cooked through. Place in a single layer in a baking dish. Mix sauce ingredients (below) together and pour over chicken.

Sauce:

¾ cup sugar

4 tablespoons ketchup

½ cup vinegar

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 teaspoon garlic salt


Bake for one hour at 325 degrees. Turn chicken every 15 minutes. If you like extra sauce, make another batch of sauce and bring it to a boil on the stovetop. Stir constantly and let cook over medium heat until thickened and reduced - about 6-8 minutes.  If making the extra sauce, then I would also add some cornstarch to thicken it. 
 
We made this last night and we didn't have any left overs.  So I would say that everyone liked it!  The chicken tasted  a lot like Canton's, and it was really yummy.  We made extra sauce on the stove top and it didn't thicken (after boiling for over 15 minutes), so that I why I suggested you add some corn starch.   Other than the runny sauce (which was still) good, this dinner turned out great.

Baked Manicotti

Baked Manicotti

*Serves 6 to 8

recipe from My Kitchen Cafe

Tomato Sauce

1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes (in juice)

1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

3 medium cloves garlic, finely minced

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons dried basil



Cheese Filling and Pasta

3 cups part-skim ricotta cheese

4 ounces grated Parmesan cheese (about 2 cups)

8 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese (about 2 cups)

2 large eggs , lightly beaten

3/4 teaspoon table salt

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves

2 teaspoons chopped fresh basil

16 no-boil lasagna noodles ("My kitchen Cafe" suggests you use the Barilla brand - apparently they are supposed to be the most similar to homemade pasta) I couldn't find those and just got what the store I was at had.  It turned out just fine

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees.

Heat oil, garlic, and pepper flakes (if using) in large saucepan over medium heat until fragrant but not brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in tomatoes, basil and 1/2 teaspoon salt and simmer until thickened slightly, about 15 minutes.

In a medium bowl, combine ricotta, 1 cup Parmesan chese, mozzarella cheese, eggs, salt, pepper, and herbs; set aside.

To assemble, pour 1 inch boiling water into 13 by 9-inch baking dish, then add noodles one at a time. Let noodles soak until pliable, about 5 minutes, separating noodles with tip of sharp knife to prevent sticking. Remove noodles from water and place in single layer on clean kitchen towels; discard water in baking dish and dry baking dish.  I couldn't find the brand of noodles the recipe suggested, so I followed the instructions on the package for the brand of noodles that I had.

Spread bottom of baking dish evenly with 1 1/2 cups sauce. Using soupspoon, spread 1/4 cup cheese mixture evenly onto bottom three-quarters of each noodle (with short side facing you), leaving top quarter of noodle exposed. Roll into tube shape and arrange in baking dish seam side down. (You should be able to fit 8 manicotti in each row, allowing all 16 to fit in the dish). Top evenly with remaining sauce, making certain that pasta is completely covered.

Cover manicotti with aluminum foil. Bake until bubbling, about 40 minutes, then remove foil. Sprinkle manicotti evenly with remaining 1 cup Parmesan. Bake until cheese is browned and bubbly, about 6-7 minutes. Remove from oven and let sit for 15 minutes before serving.

The manicotti can be prepared right up until the baking step then covered with a sheet of parchment paper, wrapped in aluminum foil, and refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 1 month. (If frozen, thaw the manicotti in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 days.) To bake, remove the parchment, replace the aluminum foil, and increase baking time to 1 to 1 1/4 hours.


We made this on Saturday, and it was really good, but took really long to make.  With both Jay and I getting it ready (and making rolls at the same time) it took about 1 hour before we could even put it in the oven to start cooking.  So next time I make this I will make two and put the other in the freezer.  We had our neighbors over for dinner and they thought it was really good, so it made the work worth while to cook for 4 adults instead of just us two.  The kids all thought it was pretty good to.

French Dip Subs

This recipes is actually from mom.  It is the best one I have tried and all of us love it (kids included).

1 beef chuck roast (about 3lbs.)
1/2 c. soy sauce
1 tsp. dreid thyme
1 bay leaf
2 c. water
1 tsp. dired rosemary
1 tsp. garlic powder
3-4 whole peppercorns*
8 French rolls

Place roast in a slow cooker.  Add water, soy sauce and seasonings.  Cover and cook on high for 5-6 hours or until beef is tender.  Remove meat from broth; shred with fork.  Pour broth into small cups for dipping.  Serve beef on rolls.

When we did this, Bridger got all the peppercorns, and we heard about it every time he got one.  He wasn't a fan of the peppercorns, but loved the sandwich.  Next time I think I will make sure to fish out all the peppercorns before serving...resulting in less noise (from Bridger) at dinner time.

I also thought that there wasn't enough broth, so I would also increase the broth ingrediants--probably one and a half of everything.  That way if we have left over meat, we will also have some left over broth to dip it in.

Key Lime Pie

Another thing I love at Cafe Rio is their Lime Pie.  I almost always get it when we go there.  So this recipe is maybe even better than Cafe Rio's.  Jared loves it so much that he even helps me make it.  Justin claims it is his favorite too, but probably only to get a mention on this blog : )

Key Lime Pie

1 (10 inch) pie crust, baked and cooled (use your favorite recipe or buy a premade one)
1 tablespoon grated lime zest (I usually omit this because I use bottled lime juice, not fesh limes)
1 cup fresh lime juice (bottled lime juice works just as well)
1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
1 (3.5 ounce) package instant vanilla pudding mix
1 (8 ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed

Directions

1.In a large bowl, mix together lime rind, lime juice, and condensed milk. Whisk in pudding mix and allow to set up 5 minutes. Fold in 8 ounce tub of whipped topping. Pour mixture into pastry shell. Chill at least 2 hours before serving. Garnish with additional whipped topping if desired.

Pineapple and Green Chile Pork Tacos

This is the closest thing I've found to Cafe Rio's pork tacos.  It is different because it has pineapple in it but soooo good.  My kids are not big fans of fruit in their meat so they picked it all out.  I also really like to buy the frozen raw tortillas at Sam's and cook them up fresh.  It just tastes more like Cafe Rio's that way, but you can use whatever tortillas you want.  Mom and Dad, this is the recipe you wanted me to email you and I never did.  So now you can try it.

Pineapple and Green Chile Pork Tacos

3 lb. boneless pork roast (boneless ribs would work also, you can even use a bone-in roast but you’ve got to make sure you get ALL the bones out after cooking)

1 (20 ounce can) crushed pineapple with juices

1 (16 ounce) jar tomatillo salsa (green salsa or salsa verde)

2 (4 ounce) cans green chiles, undrained

2/3 cup brown sugar

Possible items for serving: warm flour tortillas (I did corn for me), queso fresco (or feta I just used cheddar), chopped cilantro, lime wedges, more green salsa (We used sour cream, guacamole, and pico de gallo)

Combine all ingredients in the crock pot and cook on high for four hours or on low for 6 to eight hours. Shred pork, season to taste with salt and pepper. In a colander, drain juices from crock pot. Mix shredded pork with pineapple/salsa mixture that remains in colander and serve in tortillas with desired accompaniments. It also works great to serve as a quesadilla.