Southern Red Beans and Rice

This recipe is delicious. It’s very easy because it’s basically putting everything in the pot and you’re done. Yes you need to do a little prep work but let me tell you its well worth it. The flavor in this recipe is great! I did have a problem with ti being a bit salty, so I think next time I would make sure I use a low sodium broth and leave the salt out of this recipe until the end.

The house smell incredible while these were cooking. I looked them on medium for hours and it was well worth it. I am sure you could make these in a slow cooker too. Red beans and rice are a huge southern tradition and something that I have truly grown to love. When I was a child you couldn't pay me to eat this recipe but now I love beans!!

Ingredients:

• 1 pound dry kidney beans
• 4 tablespoons bacon fat
•  1 large onion, chopped
•  1 green bell pepper, chopped
•  4 garlic cloves minced
•  2 stalks celery, chopped
•  6 cups water
•  2 bay leaves
•  1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
•  1 teaspoon dried thyme
•  1/4 teaspoon dried sage
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
•  1 tablespoon dried parsley
•  1 teaspoon Tony Chachere's
• 1 pound Andouille sausage, sliced and precooked
• White Rice

Directions:

1. 24 hours before you are ready to cook your recipe you will need to soak your beans. To a large bowl add beans and enough water to cover the beans plus 5 inches of water. Cover the bowl and allow it to set overnight. I prefer 24 hours, but overnight would be fine too.
2. The following day add bacon fat to a large pot and allow it to melt down. At this point if your sausage isn’t cooked you can add it to the pot until the sausage is cooked. Do not remove any of the juices. 
3. Next add chopped vegetables and allow them to cook until they are tender. Add all remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Taste to see if you need to add salt or not.
4. Once it’s boiling turn heat down to a medium and all to cook for 2-3 hours or until the beans are tender.
5. Cook white rice according to the package instructions.
6. Add a scoop of rice to a bowl then top with a ladle of two of beans. Serve with cornbread or a dinner roll.

Number of Servings: 8

Nutritional Information:

• 211 calories per serving
• 40 carbs 
• 6 grams of fat 
• 16 protein
• 3 sugar

*Nutritional information found on www.myfitnesspal.com this information will vary based on the products you use.*

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Oven Baked Tacos

My family loved this recipe! It’s a great way to make tacos especially if you are using leftover taco meat and you are looking for a quick and easy dinner. With leftovers you are just spooning everything into shells and baked. It will look like you made a complicated dinner when in fact it was quick and easy and everyone will enjoy it. 

We thought this recipe was just awesome. Although, it was nothing like the original recipe I think it’s great and a super easy way to make a ton of tacos at the same time. This simple recipe can feed up to 18 people or 18 tacos which ever you are looking for!!

Ingredients:

• 1 lbs. lean ground beef
• 1 yellow onion diced
• 1 green bell pepper diced
• 1 small can diced green chilies
• 1 can Rotel
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• 1/4 tsp. cumin
• 1/8 tsp. pepper
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1-15 ounce can diced tomatoes
• 1 (16 ounce) can fat free refried beans
• Taco Shells
• Cheddar Cheese
• Lettuce
• Tomatoes
• Sour cream

Direction:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. 
2. Lightly brown 1 pound of ground beef then drain off any fat. Add onion, bell pepper, and garlic cook until the vegetables are tender. 
3. Add Rotel, diced tomatoes, salt, pepper, and cumin. 
4. Cook until the liquid cooks down around 30-45 minutes on medium then stir in refried beans.
5. Spoon the taco meat mixture into the taco shells and place into a 9 x 13 inch baking. 
6. Sprinkle with a generous amount of cheese. Place into the oven and bake at 400 degrees for 6-10 minutes or until the cheese has melted and the tacos are heated through.  
7. Top with your favorite toppings!

Original Recipe Source

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Wordless Wednesday: I Seeee YOU!

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Jalapeno Cheddar-Jack Drop Biscuits

This is a great recipe! The flavor of the biscuits is delicious! You can pump the heat up or lower it down. If you want less heat remove the ribs and seeds from the jalapenos or you can double the cheddar and leave out the pepper jack. 

To increase the heat leave the seeds and ribs in the jalapenos, and you can also add more jalapenos. I caution you about this because these are already pretty spicy! It’s a simple recipe that you can easily throw together in a pinch. At least for me, these are ingredients that I normally have on hand so it was no big deal. 

The biscuit mix can really be anything I just found this particular brand to be dirt cheap so I grabbed it up at .46 cents. You can’t beat that. I served these with Frito pie which was a great combination.

Ingredients:

• 1 package of biscuit mix
• ½ cup milk
• ½ tsp. salt
• 2 tbsp. diced jalapenos
• 2 ounces grated cheddar cheese
• 2 ounces grated jalapeno pepper jack cheese

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees
2. Grate cheese and dice jalapenos you may want to remove the ribs and seeds from the jalapenos to low the heat level, then add them to a mixing bowl along with the milk and mix well. To the liquid add the biscuit mix and mix well, but do not over mix or they will not be fluffy. Once it’s all well mixed add the salt and mix again.
3. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and add twelve equal spoonful’s of batter to the parchment paper. Bake on 425 degrees for 10-15 minutes or until they are done. Watch the biscuits closely so that they will not overcook or burn.

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Minestrone Soup (135 Calories)

This is an awesome recipe. I did adapt it a bit from the original recipe to fit my taste better. This is the first time I have ever had Minestrone and I loved it. The flavor is incredible! 

Normally I never like soup without meat in it, but I thought this was awesome and I can’t wait to make it again. We don’t have a lot left so I am sure we will have it again soon. Everyone loved it here!!

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large onion, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 stalks celery, diced
• 2 large carrot, diced
• 1/3 pound green beans, trimmed and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 28 ounce can diced tomatoes
• 14 ounce can crushed tomatoes
• 6-8 cups chicken broth
• 15 ounce can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 cup shell pasta
• 1/3 cup finely grated parmesan cheese

Directions:

1. Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. 
2. Add the onion and cook until translucent, about 4 minutes. 
3. Add the celery and carrot and cook until they begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 30 seconds. 
4. Stir in the green beans, dried oregano and basil, salt, and pepper cook 3 more minutes.
5. Add the diced and crushed tomatoes and the chicken broth to the pot and bring to a boil. You may find that you need more broth at this point. 
6. Reduce the heat to medium low and simmer 10-20 minutes. 
7. Stir in the kidney beans, parmesan cheese, and pasta and cook until the pasta and vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes.

Original Recipe Source

Number of Servings: 12

Nutritional Information:

• 135 calories per serving
• 21 carbs 
• 3 grams of fat 
• 7 protein
• 5 sugar

*Nutritional information found on www.myfitnesspal.com this information will vary based on the products you use.*

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Wordless Wednesday: Who Needs a Wagon? .... Bring Me the Box!

*UPDATE* 

I have gotten a few emails asking me where I got my wagon from. Here is the link if you are interested in this cute little wagon! Blue Mac Sports Collapsible Folding Wagon

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Sesame Noodles

I love this recipe like I love every recipe that I have tried that has come from the Pioneer Woman. Her recipes are incredible and this one is no exception. This was one of those recipes that everyone gobbled down in a hurry. We didn’t have a noodle left once dinner was done.  I think the crazy part of this recipe is just how easy it is. It’s hard to imagine that such an easy recipe could possibly have so much flavor and pazazz. 

If you are planning something with spaghetti noodles one night make double the noodles and refrigerate them until you are ready to make this recipe. Although the recipe really calls for fluid thin noodles I made it with spaghetti and let me tell you I don’t have any regrets that I do. I can’t wait to make these again and my know my family can’t wait either!

Ingredients:

• 12 ounces, fluid Thin Noodles or Spaghetti Noodles
•  6 whole Green Onions, Sliced Thin

Sauce Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup Soy Sauce
• 2 Tablespoons brown sugar
• 4 cloves Garlic, Minced
• 2 Tablespoons Rice Vinegar
• 3 Tablespoons Pure Sesame Oil
• 1/2 teaspoon Hot Chili Oil or ¼ teaspoon chili flakes
• 4 Tablespoons vegetable oil (not olive oil)

Instructions:

1. Cook Noodles or Pasta according to package instructions, drain and place back in the original pot or a serving large bowl.
2. Whisk all the sauce ingredients together in a bowl
3. Pour sauce over warm noodles and toss to coat very well. You may need to toss this a few times.
4. Sprinkle with green onions and toss again. Then toss again right before serving.

Original Recipe Source

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Garlic and Balsamic Glazed Mushrooms (Steakhouse Quality!)

I want to go on record as saying I hate fresh mushrooms. I don’t mind them in a can but fresh to me are no good. I had no idea I could be converted and all it would take would be this recipe. These are the best things I have tasted in forever. They are tangy, with a slight bit of sweet, but the perfect amount of sweet, with and incredible balsamic flavor. 

These went so fast in our house my head was spinning! At first I couldn’t understand why everyone was ooing and awwing until I tried them myself… OH MY GOODNESS these mushrooms are fantastic absolutely fantiastic! 

I LOVE these mushrooms!

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. white mushrooms
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 3 cloves of garlic minced
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce

Directions:

1. Clean mushrooms with a paper towel. I learned from Rachel Ray you should never wash mushrooms with water so I wouldn’t suggest that because it will make them mushy! No one wants mushy mushrooms!
2. Slice your mushrooms into nice thick slices
3. Preheat a heavy skillet on a medium heat then add olive oil and butter
4. Once your oil and butter are well melted and combined add mushrooms and allow to cook for 3-4 minutes without touching them.
5. Flip each mushroom onto its other side and cook for another 3-4 minutes
6. Add remaining ingredients and gently stir until everything is well combined. You will want to continue to watch the mushrooms until they reach your desired caramelization. They will be beautiful!

Original Recipe Source


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Herb Roasted Chicken Thighs

This is a simple and affordable way to feed your family on a budget. It’s a quick and easy meal that you can start marinating the night before you make dinner. You can easily marinate these on Sunday then quickly and easily make a dinner on Monday night to serve your family. If you watch your sales adds you can get boneless chicken thighs on sale for around $1.50 a pound. You can’t beat that! Heck that can make dinner practically nothing. 

This recipe is easy and delicious and if you don’t have some of these items in your pantry you can substitute other items in place of what is in the recipe, any oil, any spices, or whatever you have. Work with what you have. Don’t spend extra money on ingredients you may never use again, make substitutions!

Vinaigrette Ingredients:

• 2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
• 1 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1 to 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon dried herbes de provence
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

Chicken Ingredients:

• 2 pounds chicken thighs (boneless)
• 4 garlic cloves
• 1 teaspoon of kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon olive oil

Directions:

1. In a small bowl whisk together the red wine vinegar, olive oil, Dijon mustard, herbes de provence, 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt, 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper.
2. Spread a teaspoon of olive oil over the bottom of a large (9x13-inch) baking pan.
3. Place the chicken thighs on the pan. Wedge the garlic cloves between pieces of chicken. Whisk the vinaigrette again and pour it over the chicken, spreading it with your fingers to make sure the chicken is well coated.
4. Bake uncovered in a 375°F oven for 30-40 minutes, or until the thighs are well browned and cooked through. Remove from oven and let rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Original Recipe Source


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Wordless Wednesday: Maple Bacon Oatmeal ... Say What?

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