Walking Tacos

Have you missed me?  Well, I've missed you!  My little sis informed me that I've been sorely neglecting you all.  Since I last posted, we moved, the kids all started school (and I somehow ended up as a room mom for the 3rd grader!), went through almost an entire season of soccer and lacrosse (2 more weeks, just 2 more weeks!), joined the gym (like 2 days ago.  Yikes!  I am SO sore!  Wish me luck!), and I couldn't find my baby.  For almost an entire half hour.  Talk about near heart failure!!  Luckily he just went to a little friends house and was playing on their way-super-awesome play set in the back yard.  I went from I'm-so-mad-I'll-strangle-the-little-monkey-when-I-find-him to, when I finally found him, oh-my-precious-perfect-little-angel-I-just-want-to-kiss-your-sweet-little-face-until-you-scream!

I have to say, I've forgotten how much of an ordeal moving is!  We were in our last place for 8 years.  Seems like a lifetime sometimes.  I guess it is for some people.  We moved in with a 6 month old baby and had 2 more little ones while we were there.  That's a lifetime for the 3 of them.  All though moving is the pits, it sure was nice to have some of the kids old enough to really help.  I think the actual moving part was the easy part.  Changing the address on all the mail and transferring the kid's schools was probably more stressful.  Not to mention the melt downs over leaving friends and the best. Schools. Ever.  Luckily, we're in a pretty awesome neighborhood with lots of little kiddies.

Do you have kids?  If you do, you're going to want to bookmark, pin, print out and save, whatever, this recipe!  These Walking Tacos are totally kid approved!  The kids thought (for at least 7 seconds!) that I was/am the coolest mom ever!  The 15 year old asked where I got the idea.  I told him Pinterest (Coolest. Site. Ever!).  He informed me that he would never EVER complain about Pinterest again!  Now THAT is HUGE!

1 pound ground beef
1 packet taco seasoning
8-10 individual serving sized bags nacho cheese Doritos
Your favorite taco toppings like...
Lettuce, shredded
Cheese, grated
Tomatoes, diced
Sour cream
Olives, sliced
Salsa

Brown the ground beef and add taco seasoning (along with the water called for on the package).  To assemble, slightly crush chips, then squeeze the bottom of the bag to make it POP!  Pretty sure that was my favorite part.  The 15 year old was in the other room and asked what the popping noise was.  I completely lied to him and told him I didn't hear a thing.  Not sure if he believed me, but he didn't come to investigate.  If you are a little more civilized than we are here, feel free to either cut the top off the bags or pull them open.  Just open the little bags.  Add meat and desired toppings.  Mix it all up and grub up!

Recipe from....Well, I saw pictures on Pinterest and did my own thing.

Stuffed Enchilada Peppers

I love anything with the word "Enchilada" in the title.  These Stuffed Enchilada Peppers were easily added to the list.  They were quickly devoured by the family!  There were a couple kids who just ate the filling, but the rest of them even ate the peppers.  In my house, that's quite the accomplishment!  My kids love their veggies - even brussel sprouts (gag!) but for some reason don't care much for peppers.

The Stuffed Enchilada Peppers are full of flavor and I love the texture the quinoa gives it.  Love. That. Stuff!

4 bell peppers, cut in half from stem to bottom and seeds removed (I used all green this time)
1 cup quinoa, uncooked
1/2 medium onion, diced
2 cups chicken broth (or vegetable for a vegetarian version)
1 (15 ounce) can black beans, drained
1 (4 ounce) can green chiles, not drained
1 roma tomato, diced
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 (28 ounce) can red enchilada sauce
1 cup cheese, shredded (I used cheddar)

Combine chicken broth, quinoa, and onion in a medium sized pan.  Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to medium-low and cover the pan; let simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, or until all liquid is absorbed.  Pour enchilada sauce in the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish and set aside.  Place cut bell pepper on a microwave safe plate and cover with plastic wrap.  Microwave for 2 to 3 minutes, then place on top of the enchilada sauce in the 9x13 inch baking dish (I microwaved 4 half peppers at a time).  Place black beans, chiles, tomato, cilantro, salt and pepper in a large mixing bowl.  Add cooked quinoa and mix well.  Divide the mixture between the bell pepper halves, then sprinkle with cheese.  Cut a piece of aluminum foil large enough to cover the pan.  Spray with non-stick cooking spray and place over the pan.  Bake the stuffed peppers at 350 for 25 minutes.  Remove the foil covering and bake for an additional 5 minutes.  To serve, top stuffed peppers with the enchilada sauce they were baked in.

Recipe from One Lovely Life.

Linked on Sweet and Savory Saturdays, Party in Polka Dots, Manic Monday, Weekend re-Treat, Strut Your Stuff, Tatertots & Jello and Pinworthy Projects.

Pepperoni Pizza Quesadilla

I've just about decided that asking a 4 year old what she wants to eat for lunch isn't the best idea.  It's usually macaroni and cheese or macaroni (pepperoni) pizza.  Yesterday her request was pizza.  Since I had some pepperoni and mozzarella cheese in the fridge, she got her wish.  Kind of.

6 tortillas
1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
1/2 cup sliced pepperoni
Pizza sauce for dipping, if desired

Heat griddle to 350 (or use medium heat on the stove top) and cook tortilla for 30 seconds.  Flip tortilla and sprinkle with 1/3 cup of cheese and 1/3 of the pepperoni.  Top with another tortilla and cook for 60 seconds.  Flip quesadilla and cook for an additional 60 seconds, or until cheese is completely melted.

Recipe from The Royal Cook, an original!

Linked on Show Me What Ya Got, The Busy Bee's, Six Sisters' Stuff, Tatertots and Jello, A Night Owl, Finding the Pretty & Delicious, Super Saturday Show & Tell, Your Great Idea and Heavenly Treats Sunday.

Southwestern Chopped Chicken Salad

I don't know about you, but I like LOVE Pinterest.  There's all kinds of good stuff on there.  This Southwestern Chopped Chicken Salad is just one of the many treasures I've found.  Some people like thrifts store, yard sales, clearance sales (I'm quite the fan of clearance sales, too), for the treasures they can find.  I think pinterest is right there with them - full of treasures waiting to be found.

This Southwestern Chopped Chicken Salad is so easy to put together if you can use a can opener and a sharp knife.  Just chop up everything and put in in a big bowl, then toss with the tasty dressing. The salad is perfect for the warm weather and was a hit with the family.  My hubby and I loved it and kids loved it after they picked out the things they didn't like.  Seriously, who doesn't like avocados?  That's okay, the ones that didn't like them gave them to me.  I guess that's still a win win.

2 cups diced or shredded chicken (cook your own or use a rotisserie chicken from the store)
1 bell pepper, diced (I used red)
1 can black beans, rinsed
1 can sweet yellow corn (or 1 cup frozen corn, thawed)
2 tomatoes, diced
4 green onions, sliced
1 head iceberg lettuce, chopped
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
2 ripe avocados, diced
1 cup crushed tortilla chips, optional

Dressing
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2/3 cup plain Greek yogurt
1 tablespoon ranch seasoning
1 tablespoon taco seasoning

In a large bowl, combine all salad ingredients together, excluding the tortilla chips.  In a small bowl combine all dressing ingredients and mix together.  Pour dressing over salad and stir to combine.  Top with tortilla chips, if desired.  Serve immediately.

Recipe from Greens and Chocolate.

Linked on Tatertots and Jello.

Chicken in a Crockpot

Did you know you can cook a whole chicken in the crock pot?  It's true!  I had no clue until just recently (thanks to a sweet reader for letting me know!).  We love chicken around here, but I also use cooked chicken for so many things.  Things like Chicken Tamale Pie, Hawaiian Haystacks, Red Sauce Chicken Enchiladas, Green Chicken Enchiladas, Chicken Pot Pie, Baked Chicken Taquitos, and Chicken Tortilla Soup, just to name a few.  Cooking a whole chicken in the crock pot is the easiest way I have found to cook a chicken and the meat comes out SO tender and juicy.  A major plus!

This time I cooked my chicken on a bed of baby carrots and sliced onions.  Dinner can't get any easier than that!

1 whole chicken
salt and pepper or desired spices, to taste

Rinse chicken and place in a crock pot.  Cover and cook on high for 5 to 6 hours.

Asian-Style Carnitas

Pork roast is my all-time favorite roast.  It always comes out tender, moist and flavorful.  I usually don't add anything to it - it's perfect just the way it is, if you ask me - but it's always fun to mix things up a bit. 

1 pork shoulder roast (about 3 pounds), cut into large cubes
1/4 cup sesame oil
6 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup rice vinegar
2 tablespoons fresh ginger, grated
1/4 cup green onions, sliced
1/4 cup coconut aminos or soy sauce
Salt and Pepper to taste

Place pork in a crock pot.  Mix remaining ingredients and pour over roast.  Cook on low for at least 6 hours.

Recipe from tgipaleo.

Veggie Scramble

I'm attempting to get my family to eat a little healthier.  My kids like healthy food (and so does the hubby), but they really, really like not-so-healthy food.  I think they would be happy for the rest of their lives if I let them live off of canned ravioli, frozen pizza (yuck!), and sugary cereal.  Oh, and lets not forget about Ramen noodle.  Might as well throw in some Dr Pepper and chips for the hubby.  Yep.  That would make them some happy campers!  Luckily they have me to throw in some healthy stuff a few times a day.  I always cringe when I go out of town and the kids tell me all the things Daddy let them have to eat.  I remember asking that sweet hubby of mine to grab and can of veggies for dinner.  He brought me pork and beans. :)

I loved this Veggie scramble.  The kids and hubby liked it as well, but weren't too sure about the broccoli in it.  I think I'll try mushrooms next time.  And there will definitely be a next time.

1 cup broccoli, cut into bite sized pieces
2/3 cup onion, diced
2/3 cup red pepper, diced
6 eggs
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon oil (I used coconut oil)
1 avocado, diced (optional)
Fresh basil, chopped (optional)

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add veggies and cook, stirring often, until tender-crisp.  Crack eggs into a small bowl.  Add salt and whisk.  Add to veggies and cook until cooked through, stirring often.  Serve topped with avocado and fresh basil, if desired.

Recipe from The Food Lovers Kitchen.

Linked on Breakfast Ideas Monday.

Turkey Meatloaf

After I had my kids dinner on their plates and handed them their plates, my teenager asked me a question.

Teen "Mom?  What's in meatloaf?  I probably don't want to know, but I promise I'll still eat it."
Me (giving him a strange look) "Ground meat like beef or turkey, eggs, spices, sometimes oats or bread crumbs."
Teen "Oh, really!?!  I heard it was nasty leftover stuff they couldn't make anything else out of.  I'm glad I can still like it."

Hmmm.  I knew meatloaf had a bit of a bad reputation, but didn't know why.  I guess I do now.  Thanks to my sweet teenager (is that an oxymoron?).  It's amazing the things I learn from my kids.  Most of which I wish I didn't learn....

3 pounds ground turkey
1 large onion, diced
3 eggs
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon ketchup
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon thyme
1/4 teaspoon basil

Mix all ingredients together until well blended.  Shape into a loaf on a foil lined and greased baking sheet.  Bake at 325 for 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes.

Recipe from The  Royal Cook - an original!

Tex-Mex Chicken Burritos

I was in a freezer group a couple years ago and got a super yummy chicken filling for tortillas.  The lady that made the yummy chicken filling moved away before I was able to get the recipe.  These Tex-Mex Chicken burritos aren't quite the same, but are still super yummy.

4 cups chicken, cooked and shredded
1 (8 oz) package cream cheese
1 (15 ounce) can black beans, drained
1 (10 ounce) can diced tomatoes with green chilies (I used Rotel)
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt

Mix tomatoes and cream cheese in a large pan and heat over medium heat until cream cheese is melted.  Add remaining ingredients and heat through.  Serve in tortillas.

Recipe from The Royal Cook - an original!

Chicken Tamale Pie

This Tamale Pie is comfort food at it's best!  Chicken, corn bread, cheese.  And don't forget the cilantro - a total deal sealer for me. :) The entire family loved it, but how could you not?  Just look at all that yumminess! 

Oh. My. Yum!!

My mouth is watering just looking at all that yumminess!

1/3 cup milk
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 1/2 tablespoons taco seasoning, divided (The Best Homemade Taco Seasoning is fabulous!)
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
1 (14 3/4 ounce) can cream-style corn
1 (8.5 ounce) box corn muffin mix (such as Jiffy)
1 (4 ounce) can diced green chiles, drained
1 (10 ounce) can red enchilada sauce (I made my enchilada sauce from a packet, but an authentic brand would be great as well)
2 cups chicken breast, cooked and shredded
1 cup shredded white cheese (I used Monterey Jack)
Chopped cilantro
Crumbled Cotija cheese

Preheat oven to 400°. In a large bowl, combine the first 7 ingredients (milk through green chiles), using just 1/2 tablespoon of the taco seasoning, and stir just until moist. Pour mixture into a greased round pie plate. Bake at 400° for 20-30 minutes. While the corn bread is baking, toss the chicken in the remaining 1 tablespoon taco seasoning. When the corn bread is done – it will be just barely set and golden brown – pierce entire surface liberally with a fork (it might stick a little bit to the fork). Pour enchilada sauce over top. Top with chicken and sprinkle with 1 cup white cheese. Bake for 15 more minutes or until cheese melts. Remove from oven and let stand for 5 minutes. Serve topped with cilantro and Cotija cheese.

Recipe slightly adapted from Pinch of Yum.

Linked on Tatertots & Jello.

Baked Stroganoff Sandwich

There are times when I come across a recipe and think, "Really?!?!  Who comes up with this stuff!?!?"  Well, this Baked Stroganoff Sandwich is one of those things.  Baked Stroganoff Sandwich happens to be the favorite food of my 10 year old's BFF.  That means we just had to try it.  The entire family enjoyed it (even if half of them picked off the veggies.  Really!?  That's my favorite part!) 

1 pound ground beef
1 package stroganoff mix plus ingredients to mix ( I used my Hamburger Stroganoff recipe)
1 large tomato, thinly sliced
1 green bell pepper, sliced
2 cups shredded cheese (I used cheddar)
1 loaf French bread, sliced in half lengthwise
4 tablespoons butter

Turn oven on to broil setting.  Spread 2 tablespoons of butter on the inside of each half of the French bread.  Place bread on a large cookie sheet and place in the oven to toast.  Watch closely so it doesn't burn.  I use the middle rack to keep it from burning  as easily and it takes about 5 minutes of brown nicely.  Prepare stroganoff sauce and brown ground beef.  Combine the sauce and cooked ground beef.  Spread half of the meat sauce onto each side of the bread.  Top with sliced peppers, tomatoes and then sprinkle with cheese.  Return to the oven and cook until cheese is melted - about another 5 minutes on the middle rack.

Linked on Show Me What Ya Got.

Viva La Chicken Casserole

I think everyone has heard the saying "Necessity is the mother of invention."  Well, this recipe is due, in part, to necessity.  The other day I filled my crock pot with chicken and salsa, and turned it on.  I was going to make a wonderfully creamy and delicious filling for tortillas.  The chicken cooked in the salsa all day, filling the house with yummy smells.  I pulled out the chicken and shredded it, put it back into the crock pot, and went to find the rest of the ingredients to make my chicken filling.  There was just one teeny, tiny, HUGE problem.  I somehow overlooked making sure I had everything I needed before I started cooking my chicken.  I would have even been okay if I checked before I went to the store.  But I didn't, so into the fridge my beautifully cooked chicken went.  And sat.  Awaiting for the chance to become dinner.  Knowing I had to do something with it before it went to waste, I made this tasty casserole.

There are some foods that just don't look pretty, but sure taste good.  This is one of them. I guess you could call it a "Don't judge a book by it's cover" casserole. :)

4 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
1 small onion, diced
1 (15 ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 (10.75 ounce) can cream of chicken soup
1 (10.75 ounce) can cream of mushroom soup
1 cup red salsa
2 (7 ounce) cans green chili salsa - I used about 2 cups of my homemade Green Tomato Salsa Verde
1/2 cup milk
15 corn tortillas
4 cups shredded cheese - I used cheddar

In a large bowl, combine soups, salsas and milk and mix until smooth.  Stir in chicken, black beans and onion.  Grease a 9x13 inch baking dish and spread about 1/2 cup chicken mix over the bottom of the pan.  Break up 5 tortillas and place over chicken mixture in pan.  Top with 1/3 chicken mixture, then 1/3 of the cheese.  Repeat layers 2 more times ending with cheese.  Bake at 300 for 1 hour.

This is a great casserole to make the day before or in the morning.  Cover and refrigerate, then bake for 1 1/2 hours at 300. 

Recipe adapted from my old friend Lynda.

Olive Garden Mostaccioli

This Olive Garden Mostaccioli is fabulous!  It's full of all kinds of good stuff.  Good stuff like chicken and pasta, cream, butter and cheese.  Lots of good for you stuff.  The family loved this amazing dish.  I was surprise to see any left in the pan when dinner was over with the way they ate it.  Yeah, it really is that good! 

I baked up a batch of French Bread to serve with the Olive Garden Mostaccioli and I almost thought I'd died and gone to heaven.  Oh.  Yum!!!

1 (16 ounce) box mostaccoli (I usually just use whatever pasta I have on hand)

¾ cup butter

1 cup whipping cream

¼ tsp white pepper

1 ¼ cup fresh Parmesan cheese

2 teaspoons fresh Italian parsley, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 (28 ounce) jar spaghetti sauce 

Salt to taste

2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded

2 to 3 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cooked and sliced

Cook pasta according to package directions.  Melt butter in a in a large pan over medium heat.  Add whipping cream and pepper and reduce the heat to medium-low.  Cook until it starts to thicken - about 5 minutes.  Add Parmesan cheese and stir until melted.  Add spaghetti sauce and salt to taste.  Cook until heated through.  Combine chicken, sauce, parsley and pasta noodles in a greased 9x13 inch pan.  Top with mozzarella cheese and bake for 30 minutes at 350.

Recipe from Little Brown House.

Linked on Get Your Brag On.

Susan's Tex-Mex Casserole

We love anything that could be considered Mexican food (by any stretch of the imagination).  Tex-Mex, Americanized Mexican, or authentic Mexican.  This Tex-Mex Casserole (or layered Tex-Mex bake for the "casserole" haters out there :)) was a hit with the entire family.  I loved how easy it was to throw together and the hubby loved how hearty it was with the beans and corn. 

1 pound ground beef
1 small onion, diced
1 (15 ounce) can corn, drained
1 (15 ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
3 cups enchilada sauce (I used a packet mix, could also use a 28 ounce can)
1 can black olives, sliced
18 corn tortillas
4 cups Monterrey jack cheese, shredded

Brown ground beef with onion.  Add enchilada sauce, corn, beans and olives.  Grease a 9x13 inch baking dish and place about 1/2 cup meat mixture on the bottom of the pan and spread.  Layer 6 tortillas, 1/3 meat mixture and 1/3 of the cheese.  Repeat layers 2 more times, ending with the cheese.  Bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until it is bubbly and the cheese is melted.  Top with sour cream and crushed tortilla chips, if desired.

Recipe from The Royal Cook - an original!

7 Layer Tostadas

These 7 layer Tostadas turned out SO good. The kids loved making their own and I loved how easy they were. I have made tostadas several times before, but these were the best tostadas ever!

1 can re-fried beans
1 1/2 cups guacamole
1 cup sour cream
1/2 tsp taco seasoning
1 cup cheddar cheese
1 cup chopped tomatoes
1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions
1/2 cup sliced black olives
6-8 tortillas - I used corn
olive oil

Preheat oven to 450. Lightly brush tortillas with oil and lay on a cookie sheet. Bake until crisp, flipping about every minute (it takes about 4 to 5 minutes for them to cook). Combine beans and taco seasoning in a microwave safe bowl and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds, until warm. To assemble tostadas, spread beans on tortilla, then guacamole, then sour cream. Top with cheese, tomatoes, green onions and olives.

Recipe adapted from Lemon Glaze.

Roasted Chicken and Vegetables

This is one of my new favorite dinners. It is SO easy to throw together and the entire family loves it. Can't beat that.

3 pounds bone-in chicken pieces
1 1/2 cups baby carrots (or sliced carrots)
2 pounds new potatoes, halved
1 onion, cut into wedges
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
1 teaspoon thyme
1 teaspoon rosemary
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Heat oven to 425° F. On a large rimmed baking sheet, toss the chicken and veggies with the oil and spices. Arrange the chicken and vegetables in a single layer and roast, tossing the vegetables once and basting the chicken occasionally with pan juices, until the chicken is cooked through and the vegetables are tender, 35 to 45 minutes.

Recipe from Mrs Bettie Rocker.

Speedy Ham and Cheese Hot Pockets

We love our sandwiches here, but it's always nice to switch it up a bit sometimes. These Speedy Ham and Cheese Hot Pockets have a wonderful, tender biscuit crust and are packed full of ham and gooey melted cheese. With the biscuit crust, there is no need to wait for the dough to rise, so they are quick to make up. I have to say, I LOVED these!

2 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 cup cold butter
2/3 cup buttermilk
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 1/2 cups sliced ham, diced

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees and oil a baking sheet. Combine dry ingredients. Slice the cold butter into the flour mixture. Use a pastry blender to cut the butter into the flour mixture until you have a coarse, grainy mixture. Make a well in the middle of the flour and pour the buttermilk into the flour mixture. Stir until just moistened and knead a few times to make a smooth dough. Roll the dough out on a floured surface to about 1/2 inch thick (just a little less). Cut out 4 inch circles (I used a large glass). Place about 3 tablespoon of meat and 3 tablespoons of cheese on the center of a circle. Lay another circle over the top and pinch the sides together. Just before sealing the entire circle, finish putting filling inside if it wouldn't all fit before. Place the pocket on the prepared sheet and flatten slightly. Bake for 12 to 14 minutes or until the pockets begin to brown.

Recipe adapted from Get Off Your Butt and Bake.

Linked on Get Your Brag On.

Hotdog Squids

I've made squids out of hotdogs before, but never like these Hot Dog Squids. They were so fun for the kids!  My 12 year old and his friend even thought they were pretty cool.  It isn't too often that my kids fight over food that doesn't have sugar as the main ingredient.  Now if I could just get them to fight over broccoli......

1 package hotdogs, cut into 1 inch pieces
1 package spaghetti

Insert spaghetti noodles into one end of each hotdog piece and push through (I did 4 pieces so each would have a total of 8 "legs", just like an octopus)

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and place "squids" in boiling water and cook until noodles are tender.

Recipe idea seen on Pinterest.

Slow Cooker Tikka Masala

I have never had the pleasure of eating Indian food. Or cooking it, for that matter. And to be honest, I was a little skeptical. Skeptical until I saw it was topped with a generous amount of cilantro. Have I ever mentioned I love cilantro?

This Slow Cooker Tikka Masala was absolutely fantastic! I wasn't home when the family ate it, but as soon as I walked through the door my 12 year old told me dinner was "Soooo good!" My sweet hubby said he really enjoyed it as well and that all the kids ate it without a complaint. I think that makes my first Indian food cooking experience a success!

It was lick-the-bowl good!

For the chicken:
9 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1 tablespoon ground coriander
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup plain yogurt
1/4 cup butter
1 whole jalapeno pepper, stem removed and pierced several times with a sharp knife
For the sauce:
1/4 cup butter
1 large onion, diced
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon salt
3 tablespoons garam masala
1 (2 to 3 inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled and grated
2 (15 oz) cans crushed tomatoes
1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 ½ cup heavy cream


Cut the boneless, skinless chicken thighs into 1- 1 1/2 inch pieces. Sprinkle the coriander, cumin and salt over the chicken, then stir in the yogurt until all the pieces are evenly coated. Cover lightly and let sit for 10 minutes before proceeding.

Melt 1 tablespoon the butter in a large saute pan over medium heat. Raise the heat to medium high and quickly brown about 1/4 of the chicken. Transfer browned chicken to the slow cooker as it is finished, using 1 tablespoon of butter per batch, and repeat until the chicken is all in the slow-cooker. Throw the pierced jalapeno in on top of the chicken.

Prepare the sauce. Return the pan to the heat and melt the butter over medium high heat. Add the onions, garlic, and kosher salt, then stir. Cook, stirring frequently, until the onions begin to lightly brown around the edges.

Stir in the garam masala and ginger and cook until fragrant (about 1 minute) before raising the heat to high and adding the crushed tomatoes and raw sugar. Stir well, scraping the caramelized bits from the bottom of the pan, and bring to a boil. Pour over the chicken in the slow-cooker.

Cover and cook on LOW for 5 hours, or until the chicken is very tender.

Use a fork or whisk to stir the cornstarch into the heavy cream until smooth. Pour into the slow-cooker and stir gently until the color is even. Replace the lid and let cook for 10 minutes or until bubbly around the edges.

Serve over hot rice and peas, topped with a generous amount of chopped cilantro.

Recipe from Tasty Kitchen.

Mini Corn Dogs

Have you ever made a corn dog? Not the kind that you pull out of the freezer and pop into the microwave for a minute. I mean the kind where you actually make the batter and dip the hot dogs yourself, and then cook them. If you haven't, or haven't eaten one someone else was kind enough to make for you, you are missing out. I think that most things are better homemade, and Mini Corn dogs are no exception. They sure are tasty little things. Just ask any one of my kids, they'll tell you!

1 cup buttermilk
1 1/2 cup flour
1 cup yellow corn meal
1/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 eggs
10-12 hot dogs

Preheat 2 inches of oil in a large skillet to 365 degrees. Whisk together the flour, corn meal, sugar, baking powder, salt, and baking soda in a large bowl. Add buttermilk and eggs then whisk until well combined. Cut hot dogs into thirds and dip in batter. Coat hot dog well and fry in hot oil until golden brown. Drain on paper towels.

Recipe adapted from Real Mom Kitchen.