Garlic Chicken Pizza

One of my favorite pizzas and I'm so glad I can finally make it at home.  This was delicious and is definitely on my top pizzas list.

4 oz light cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup light sour cream (Daisy = all natural and no soy!)
2 cloves garlic, mashed or 1/2 tsp minced garlic
1 cup cooked chicken, diced
1/2 cup red onion, cut in slices
1/2 tomato, diced
1/2 cup mushroom, sliced
1 cup mozzarella, shredded
1 pizza crust (see my homemade pizza crust recipe)
3 Tbsp Parmesan cheese

Slightly precook pizza crust (if it is fresh) in 425* oven for 7 minutes.

Mix together the cream cheese, sour cream, and garlic until smooth.
Spread on pizza crust.
Top with onion, tomato, mushrooms, cheeses and chicken.
Bake for 10 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly.

Sweet Golden Cornbread

The yummiest cornbread I have ever had.  I love this stuff smothered in butter and honey... and now I think I need to bake me up a batch for dinner tonight... sure hope there is some left after I've taken a little taste...
 
1 c flour
1 c yellow cornmeal
1 c milk
1/3 c sugar
1/3 c brown sugar
1 tsp salt
3 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 egg
1/3 c melter butter or oil

Allow cornmeal to soak in milk for 10 minutes.  Add additional ingredients and mix until well combined.
If you are going to cook this separately from your meal, you will want to cook this in a 400* oven for 20-25 min. or until toothpick inserted into middle comes out clean.

Cowboy Cornbread Skillet Casserole

Big name for a big, delicious casserole.  We have fallen in love with this casserole.  It is so easy, versatile, and quick to make (and cheap! and who can deny cheap?).  So here you have it, let me know what you think.

1 lb ground beef
1 chopped onion
1 chopped bell pepper
1 can beans (baked, black, chili, or pinto)
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can corn
2 tsp flour
1 1/4 tsp chili powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp beef bouillon or 1 bouillon cube
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp cayenne
1/4 tsp cumin
8.5 oz pkg cornbread mix or see my cornbread recipe

Brown ground beef and onion over medium high heat, until onion is translucent in a large oven proof skillet.
Add remaining ingredients and cook until heated through.
While this is cooking prepare cornbread mix according to directions, with the addition of an egg and 1/3 C milk.
Spoon cornbread over meat mixture and spread evenly.
Place skillet in oven and bake at 350* for 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in cornbread layer comes out clean.
*a few notes: I don't always have a bell pepper, so don't always use it.  The corn and tomatoes are optional.

Puff Pancakes

Today I was thinking I would add my kids' favorite breakfast item. It is referred to by many names: puff pancakes, dutch babies, german pancakes. No matter the name, they are pretty good and very simple to make.  My kids love watching it puff up and then deflate as it cooks.

1 1/2 C flour
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 C milk
1 1/2 Tbsp sugar or honey
6 eggs
6 Tbsp butter

Turn on oven to 425*.
Place butter in 9 x 13 pan and place in oven and allow to melt.
While melting the butter, mix the remaining ingredients.
Pour over the melted butter and cook for 25 minutes.
*We like to sprinkle powdered sugar over it and then drizzle syrup over top.

Costa Vida/ Cafe Rio Sweet Pork copycat

I love both Costa Vida and Cafe Rio Sweet Pork burritos. Could eat them everyday, but unfortunately, because of Trae's allergies to their tortillas I don't get the opportunity to go there often. Here is a recipe I found to get that yummy stuff at home.

4-6 lbs pork roast (butt/shoulder works well)
19 oz. can red enchilada sauce
1 can or 20 oz Dr Pepper (NOT diet, I usually double this: see below)
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp garlic salt
1 1/2 C brown sugar
1 can diced green chilies

You can cook this 2 different ways; crockpot or oven.
Crockpot: Place roast, dr pepper, salt, garlic salt in crockpot and cook on High for 4-6 hours. Take out of crockpot and shred. I usually will dump out the juices in the crockpot before putting the shredded meat back in. Pour Dr pepper, brown sugar, green chilies, and enchilada sauce on top and cook on high for another 30 minutes.
Oven: Season meat as desired and wrap in foil. Cook in 275* oven for 5 hours. Pull meat out and allow to cool slightly. While it cools mix remaining ingredients together. Shred meat and pour sauce on top and mix.

**Okay, so I've been trying something new with this recipe.  I've been cooking the meat in my crockpot as usual, but now I've started boiling the sauce ingredients on the stove until thickened.  Then I pour this over the shredded meat in the crockpot.  So yummy and the sauce actually sticks to the meat.  A must try!

Serve on salad or in tortillas with beans and your favorite toppings.

Thai-Style Ground Beef

I found this recipe, tried it and liked it. I think I was hesitant to try it because of the strange ingredients, but I was limited on time and refusing to head out to the grocery store where I knew I would buy more than I needed. So here it is, let me know what you think.

1 lb ground beef
onion, diced
1/2 tsp garlic salt
1 tsp curry or red curry paste
1 can tomato sauce
1 can coconut milk
1 Tbsp brown sugar
1/4 tsp grated lime rind (I don't always have a lime on hand & will use 1/2-1 tsp lime juice)
1 1/2 tsp lime juice
1 tbsp worcestershire sauce or asian fish sauce

Brown ground beef and onion over med-high heat.
Stir in remaining ingredients and cook for 5 minutes or until slightly thickened.
We serve this over hot, cooked white rice. (2 C rice/ 4 C water)

Corn Flake Cookies

We love cookies at our house, especially chocolate chip, but because of Trae's allergies we end up paying $7.98 for chocolate that Trae is able to eat for each batch of cookies. Not very economical and they are now sadly reserved for special treats. I'm always in search of a yummy cookie that doesn't call for chocolate chips. I think we have found a winner with these cornflake cookies. They are now one of my favorite cookies. Beware of eating too many due to a tummy ache and calories. ;)

1 C butter
1 C vegetable or canola oil  (we use canola)
1 C sugar
1 C brown sugar
1 egg
1 C crushed cornflakes
1 C chopped nuts (optional)
1 C quick-cooking oats
3 1/2 C flour
1 Tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp vanilla

Cream butter, sugar, egg, and then add in oil.
Mix in dry ingredients.
Form dough into walnut sized balls and flatten with fork.
Bake in 325* oven for 10-12 minutes.