Rotisserie Chicken Taco

I think I have an addiction to tacos. I've collected so many different taco meat recipes over the last several days that I'm tacoed out.  I had about 15+ taco recipes in front of me last night when I decided to make the Chichi's Chimichanga recipe created by Food Network. The only change I made was using the meat to make tacos instead of Chimichangas (I was too hungry to wait for the Chimichanga to bake in the oven). 

As for the flavor?!?! I'm soOoOoOoO glad I made this recipe because it is DELICIOUS!! It's so flavorful, and the chicken meat is soooooo moist. I think this is THE recipe I'll use for Chicken Tacos from now on :o)

ChiChi's Rotisserie Chicken Taco Meat 

2          tablespoons vegetable oil

1           white onion, chopped

3          cloves garlic, chopped

1           jalapeno pepper, diced (remove seeds for less heat)

1 1/2    teaspoons chili powder

1/2       teaspoon ground cumin

1/4       teaspoon ground cinnamon

Kosher salt

1           small tomato, chopped, plus more for topping

2          tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

2 1/2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken

1/4       cup sour cream

Various taco toppings

Heat 2 tablespoons oil in the skillet. Add the onion, garlic and jalapeno and cook until soft, about 3 minutes. Add the chili powder, cumin, cinnamon and 1 teaspoon salt; toast 30 seconds. Add the tomato and cilantro and cook until slightly dry, about 2 minutes. Stir in the chicken and sour cream and warm through. Remove from the heat and make your tacos using flour tortillas and your favorite taco toppings :o)

Creamy Tomato Pasta :o)

I love pasta, especially pasta with tomatoes, cream and sausage. I came across a recipe by Tyler Florence which had all three of my favorite ingredients in a pasta dish. It is ridiculously delicious and it is very riiiiich. I'm sure it's mostly because of the sausage and the sheer amount of cream that goes in the recipe.

If you're looking for a meal that fills you up but tastes like you spent hours in the kitchen. This recipe is it :o)

Spicy Italian Sausage, Cream, and Peas Pasta 

4 links spicy Italian sausage*

1 pound dried penne

Extra-virgin olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

4 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped

1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes

1/4 cup torn fresh basil leaves  (I used about 2 teaspoons of dried basil leaves)

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 cup heavy whipping cream

2 cups peas, blanched (I was so hungry, I forgot to add the peas...oops!) 

1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, plus more for serving

Fresh basil leaves, for garnish

Red Pepper Flakes**

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place the sausages in a roasting pan and roast in the preheated oven for 12-15 minutes, until slightly golden and just cooked. Cut sausages at an angle into bite-size pieces*. Place a large pot of salted water over high heat and bring to a boil. Drop the pasta into the boiling water and cook until tender yet firm (al dente). Set a large, heavy-based pot over medium heat and add 2 tablespoons olive oil. Add onion and garlic and auté until translucent and fragrant. Add tomatoes and basil; season with salt and pepper. Simmer for 15 minutes, then fold in cream and continue to simmer until rich and creamy. Add sausage, blanched peas, pasta and Parmigiano-Reggiano. Fold together and cook for 2 to 3 minutes to allow the flavors to come together. Serve topped with a shower of cheese and garnish with basil. 

*I cut my cooked sausage pieces into small bite sized pieces. 

**I added about 2 teaspoons of red pepper flakes to add spice. I like a little heat in my pasta :o)

Creamsicle Cookies

When I was growing up, one of my favorite frozen treats to eat on a hot summer day was a Creamsicle and the Flinestone Orange Pushups. I seriously have an addiction to fruit flavored popsicles with a creamy taste, so it wasn't a surprise that I went through a box of those popsicles in two days (my dentist was not my biggest fan during my childhood years).

So when I saw a cookie recipe for cookies that taste like a Creamsicle, I knew it would be amazing. This cookie has a hint of orange from the orange zest and the creaminess comes from the white chocolate chips. It's a orange frozen treat but in cookie form :o)  Be forewarned that these cookies are addicting, I had 3 cookies straight out of the oven.

Creamsicle Cookies 

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 firmly packed brown sugar

1 large egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 tablespoons orange zest (zest from 2 oranges)

2 cups white chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a small bowl, combine flour, baking soda, and salt; set aside. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugars until light and creamy. Beat in egg and vanilla until smooth. Gradually add flour mixture until combined. Stir in orange zest and chips. Drop rounded teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets. Do not flatten cookies; it will make them dry. Bake 8 - 10 minutes or until golden brown around edges. Do not overcook! Cookies will be plump. Cool for several minutes on cookie sheets before transferring to rack to cool completely. Store in airtight container.

Teriyaki Chicken Taco

Tacos made with Teriyaki Sauce?!?!? Yes please!

I love tacos and when I saw the Teriyaki Chicken taco recipe I knew it's a must try! It's sweet, tangy, savory with a hint of Pineapple. Everything you love about Teriyaki Chicken is wrapped into a taco :o) It's a tad bit time consuming but well worth it. Plus, if you're looking for a shortcut, just use your favorite bottled teriyaki sauce to marinate the chicken instead of making the pineapple teriyaki sauce. 

Pineapple Chicken Teriyaki Tacos 

(Todd Wilbur Recipe) 

1 3/4 cups water

1 tablespoon cornstarch

3/4 cup light brown sugar

1/2 cup soy sauce

1/2 cup canned pineapple chunk (chunks sliced into quarters)

1/4 cup pineapple juice , from can of pineapple chunks

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon onion powder

2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger

12 chicken tenderloins

12 (7 inch) flour tortillas

2 cups shredded cheese

4 cups iceberg lettuce , chopped very thin or shredded (optional)

1 1/2 cups canned pineapple chunks (chunks sliced into quarters)

1 1/2 cups diced tomatoes (about 2 medium tomatoes)

1/2 cup chopped green onion (green part only)

Sour Cream (Optional) 

Make the teriyaki sauce by whisking cornstarch into the water in a medium saucepan. Add remaining ingredients, then bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 7 to 10 minutes or until thicker. Let sauce cool before you use it for marinating.

When the sauce is cool, measure out 1 cup of sauce and set it aside. Use the remaining sauce to pour over chicken tenders in a medium bowl. Cover chicken and let it marinate for at least 6 hours. Overnight is even better. When chicken has marinated, preheat a large skillet over medium/low heat. Wipe the pan with a little oil. Remove the chicken from the marinade (and toss out the marinade) and sauté chicken in the pan for 8 to 10 or until chicken is cooked through and browned on both sides. Slice each chicken filet into 3 or 4 pieces and spoon all the chicken into a medium bowl.

Microwave the leftover 1 cup of teriyaki sauce in the oven for 30 to 60 seconds or until it's hot. Pour the sauce over the sliced chicken in the bowl.

When you're ready to build the tacos, preheat another skillet over medium heat. Toss a tortilla into the pan for a minute, then flip it over and add 2 to 3 tablespoons of shredded cheese across the center of the tortilla. Let the tortilla sit in the pan for about a minute or so (until the cheese starts melting) then remove the tortilla and immediately spoon the equivalent of one chicken tender into the tortilla (3 or 4 chunks of chicken). Spoon about 1 1/2 tablespoons of leftover teriyaki sauce from the cooked chicken bowl over the chicken in each taco. Arrange about 1/3 cup shredded lettuce over the chicken in each taco. Follow that up with 1 to 2 tablespoons of pineapple chunks, 1 to 2 tablespoons diced tomato, and a couple pinches of chopped green onion. Repeat process for remaining tacos.


*You can use your favorite bottled Teriyaki Sauce if you don't want to make the sauce at home.

Picnic Food

What is one of the best things to do outside when the weather is nice? Have a picnic! It's been incredibly warm for the last few days, especially for March. So it's most definitely picnic weather and I made two quick recipes for my picnic.

I love love love love loooooooooooooove the Sonoma Chicken Salad Sandwich from Whole Foods, and I was lucky enough to find the recipe last year. It is the only Chicken Salad recipe that I use and I'm doubtful that I'll find something better.

And what's a picnic without Potato Salad??? I'm quite picky about potato salad but when I saw the Neely's recipe, I knew it was a must try. It is the best potato salad I've made at home so far.

Soooo without further a due...my picnic food for today....Sonoma Chicken Salad Sandwich and Potato Salad! Not the most healthy food to eat but oh so tasty :o)

Sonoma Chicken Salad 

Dressing

1 cup mayonnaise*

4 teaspoons apple cider vinegar

5 teaspoons honey

2 teaspoons poppy seeds

Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Salad

2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts

3/4 cup pecan pieces, toasted

2 cups red seedless grapes

3 stalks celery, thinly sliced

In a bowl, combine mayonnaise, vinegar, honey, poppy seeds, salt and pepper. Refrigerate until ready to dress the salad. This can be prepared up to 2 days ahead. Preheat oven to 375°F. Place the chicken breasts in one layer in a baking dish with 1/2 cup water. Cover with foil and bake 25 minutes until completely cooked through. Remove cooked chicken breasts from pan, cool at room temperature for 10 minutes, then cover and refrigerate. When the chicken is cold, dice into bite-size chunks and transfer to a large bowl. Stir in pecans, grapes, celery and dressing.

Tip: If you don't want to go through the hassle of cooking chicken, use the meat of one rotisserie chicken. Adding 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder and 1/2 teaspoon onion powder makes adds an extra layer of flavor.

*You can also use 1/2 cup mayo and 1/2 cup Greek Yogurt to cut down on the fat and calories

Neely's Potato Salad 

5 large red potatoes, peeled and cubed

2 ribs celery, chopped

1/2 large onion, chopped

3 hard-boiled eggs, 2 chopped and 1 sliced

2 heaping tablespoons sweet pickle relish, drained

1/2 cup salad dressing, (recommended: Miracle Whip)

3 tablespoons yellow mustard

1 tablespoon sugar

Paprika, for garnish

Salt

Boil cubed potatoes until they are tender. Drain and cool. In a large bowl add celery, onion, 2 eggs and pickled relish. Add the salad dressing, yellow mustard and sugar. Stir well. Place the sliced egg on top of potatoes and sprinkle with paprika and salt. Let the potato salad chill in the refrigerator for 2 1/2 hours or overnight.

Cheddar Biscuits

Several posts ago, I posted a biscuit recipe from Clinton Street Bakery. That was my go to recipe for biscuits until...today.

I came across this Cheddar Biscuits recipe a while ago but haven't tried it until this morning. I am pretty positive these biscuits trumps the previous biscuit recipe. It's light and fluffy on the inside, touch of melted cheddar cheese flavor, and crunchy on the outside with a touch of garlic. It's the perfect biscuit recipe :o)

Cheddar Garlic Biscuits 

2 1/2 cups Bisquick baking mix

3/4 cup cold milk

4 tablespoons cold butter (1/2 stick)

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1 heaping cup grated cheddar cheese

Bush on Top:

2 tablespoons butter, melted

1/4teaspoon dried parsley flakes

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

pinch salt

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Combine Bisquick with cold butter in a medium bowl using a pastry cutter or a large fork. You don't want to mix too thoroughly. There should be small chunks of butter in there that are about the size of peas. Add cheddar cheese, milk, and 1/4 teaspoon garlic. Mix by hand until combined, but don't over mix. Drop approximately 1/4cup portions of the dough onto an ungreased cookie sheet using an ice cream scoop. Bake for 15 to 17 minutes or until the tops of the biscuits begin to turn light brown. When you take the biscuits out of the oven, melt 2 tablespoons butter is a small bowl in your microwave. Stir in 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder and the dried parsley flakes. Use a brush to spread this garlic butter over the tops of all the biscuits. Use up all of the butter. Makes one dozen biscuits.


*If you're making jumbo sized biscuits you will have about 8 biscuits. 

Cranberry White Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies

Ever bite into a cookie and think "OMG this cookie is heaven in my mouth!!!". The type of cookie where you know you should stop eating them but you keep going back for more?

Well, these cookies are IT. These cookies are tart, sweet, crunchy, and packed with deliciousness. The white chocolate adds a slight creamy/sweetness flavor. The cranberries adds the tart flavor and the walnuts adds the crunch. 

This is the one of the Cranberry White Chocolate Oatmeal cookie recipes I have used over the years. I've tried many recipes prior this one, but they don't compare in flavor and texture :o) 

Cranberry White Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies 

2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup light brown sugar

2 large eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

2 cups all purpose flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. kosher salt

2 cups old fashioned oats

1 1/2 cups white chocolate chunks or chips

1 cup dried cranberries

1 cup toasted walnuts or pecans 

Preheat oven to 350. Line baking sheet with parchment paper. Place cranberries in a small bowl and pour hot water over them, enough to cover. Let them sit about 5 minutes to soften a bit. Then drain and place on paper towels to get the excess water off. In a small bowl, place the white chocolate chunks or chips, dried cranberries, oatmeal, and nuts. Set aside. Place butter and sugars in mixing bowl and beat 2 minutes, until smooth. Mix in eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in vanilla. In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Gradually stir into the butter/sugar mixture, mixing just til thoroughly blended. Stir in the white chocolate/dried cranberries/oatmeal/nut mixture. Drop rounded tablespoonfuls onto baking sheet, spacing 2" apart. Press each cookie to flatten slightly ( it will be kind of like a hockey puck shape). Bake 14 minutes or til bottom edges are a nice golden brown but don't overbake as it could dry them out too much.  Let cool on baking sheet 2 minutes, then cool completely on a wire rack.

*If you like coconut, go ahead and add 1 cup of shredded coconut to the dough. 

*I got 50 small cookies from this recipe. Since mine are smaller, I baked them for 8 to 10 minutes. 


*I can't emphasis the importance of a preheated oven prior to baking enough. It prevents your cookies from spreading like crazy. 

Comfort Food!! Chili Rice

I'm a firm believer that February/March is the perfect time for comfort food. It's after the hustle and bustle of the holidays and it's right before Spring. It's  cold outside and all you want is something that is packed with flavor and filling.

Usually I love mashed potatoes, mac and cheese, any casserole, thick soup, and anything that is southern inspired with spice. My boyfriend request Red Beans and Rice and after searching high and low for a great recipe, I came across something else. It's Chili Rice, it's a mixture of Gumbo+Jambalaya+Red Beans and Rice. 

And I have to say it is absolutely AMAZING. It is definitely a lot tastier the day after because all the flavors have melded together. This is a keeper :o) 

Chili Rice - by Guy Fieri 

3 tablespoons canola oil

1 red onion, minced

1 jalapeno, seeded, minced

1 green bell pepper, minced

1 red bell pepper, minced

2 tablespoons garlic, minced

1 cup Roma tomatoes, diced

3/4 pound ground beef or turkey

2 cups long-grain rice

8 ounces kidney beans

2 cups chicken stock

1 1/2 cups water   

1 teaspoon paprika

1 tablespoon chili powder

1 tablespoon salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

3 tablespoons green onion, sliced, for garnish

In medium stock pot over medium heat, add oil, onions and peppers and saute until translucent. Add the garlic, tomatoes and ground beef. Cook until meat is browned. Add rice to mixture and cook over low heat for 3 minutes, coating rice with the oils from the pan. Add beans, chicken stock, water and seasonings, bring to a simmer, then cover and cook on low for 20 minutes. Fluff with fork and garnish with green onions.

*For the water, instead of 1 1/2 cups of water, I used 2 cups to thoroughly cook the rice.

Muffins? Yes please!

Muffins are very versatile since you have so many options of what you can mix in. My favorite muffins are blueberry muffins, the next favorite? Pumpkin Muffins! I  know it's not fall, but for me pumpkin is used all year round :o) Plus. these muffins have an added bonus, chopped apples. It gives these muffins a nice texture once its baked and since it's packed with apples these muffins are healthier.

Pumpkin Apple Streusel Muffin

Muffins

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

2 cups granulated sugar

1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/4 cups 100% Pure Pumpkin

2 large eggs

1/4 cup vegetable oil

2 cups apples, peeled, cored and finely chopped

Streusel Topping

1/4 cup granulated sugar

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 tablespoons butter or margarine

Preheat oven to 350º F. Grease or paper-line 24 muffin cups. Combine flour, sugar, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda and salt in large bowl. Combine pumpkin, eggs and oil in medium bowl; mix well. Stir into flour mixture just until moistened. Stir in apples. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups, filling three-fourths full.

For Streusel Topping

Combine sugar, flour and cinnamon in medium bowl. Cut in butter with pastry blender or two knives until mixture is crumbly. Sprinkle over muffin batter.

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans for 5 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool slightly.

*I doubled the streusel topping so I don't run out of the streusel for all the muffins. 
*For the mini muffins cut the baking time in half. 

Better late than Never...

I know this post is incredibly late, but it's better late than never!

One of my favorite cookies to make are cut out cookies. Why? Because it gives me a chance to create cookies of all shapes and there are sooooo many ways to decorate them. So is it surprising that I made heart shaped cut out cookies for Valentines Day? Absolutely not. It's definitely more time consuming than other cookies, but the end result is just fabulous.

For these cookies I just added some cocoa powder to a regular cut out cookie recipe and used white chocolate or royal frosting to decorate them. The chocolate cookie + white chocolate/royal frosting combo was  amazing :o)

Freshly baked and cooling on parchment paper 

Chocolate Heart Cookies Drizzled with royal frosting or dipped in white chocolate

Chocolate Cut Out Cookie (Variation of Alton Brown's recipe) 

3 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup unsalted butter, softened

1 cup sugar

1 egg, beaten

1 tablespoon milk

1/2 cup cocoa powder

Powdered sugar, for rolling out dough

Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside. Place butter and sugar in large bowl of electric stand mixer and beat until light in color. Add egg and milk and beat to combine. Put mixer on low speed, gradually add flour, cocoa powder and beat until mixture pulls away from the side of the bowl. Divide the dough in half, wrap in waxed paper, and refrigerate for 2 hours. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Sprinkle surface where you will roll out dough with powdered sugar. Remove 1 wrapped pack of dough from refrigerator at a time, sprinkle rolling pin with powdered sugar, and roll out dough to 1/4-inch thick. Move the dough around and check underneath frequently to make sure it is not sticking. If dough has warmed during rolling, place cold cookie sheet on top for 10 minutes to chill. Cut into desired shape, place at least 1-inch apart on greased baking sheet, parchment, or silicone baking mat, and bake for 7 to 9 minutes or until cookies are just beginning to turn brown around the edges, rotating cookie sheet halfway through baking time. Let sit on baking sheet for 2 minutes after removal from oven and then move to complete cooling on wire rack. Serve as is or ice as desired. Store in airtight container for up to 1 week.

Cream Cheese Goodness Cookies

I love cream cheese anything (ex: bagel and cream cheese, baked potato cream cheese soup, spinach dip using cream cheese, etc) So when I saw a Rugelach recipe using cream cheese I had to make it. I made this during the holidays and it was such a hit that I was asked to provide this recipe time and time again.   I hope everyone enjoys making these cookies as much as I do :o)

1 cup butter, softened

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

1 package (8 oz) cream cheese, softened

2 cups all-purpose or unbleached flour

1/2 cup finely chopped dates

1/2 cup finely chopped shelled pistachios

1/3 cup granulated sugar

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1/4 cup butter, softened

1 tablespoon powdered sugar

In large bowl, beat 1 cup butter, 2 tablespoons granulated sugar and the cream cheese until light and fluffy. Add flour; stir until well blended. Shape dough into ball; divide into 4 pieces. Shape each piece into ball; flatten into 1/2-inch-thick disk. Wrap each in plastic wrap; refrigerate 1 hour for easier handling.

Heat oven to 375°F. Grease 2 cookie sheets with shortening or spray with cooking spray. In small bowl, mix dates, pistachios, 1/3 cup granulated sugar, the cinnamon and 1/4 cup butter until well blended.

On floured surface with floured rolling pin, roll out 1 disk of dough at a time to 1/8-inch thickness, forming 12-inch round. (Keep remaining disks of dough refrigerated.) Sprinkle 1/4 of date-nut mixture onto round; press into dough slightly. Cut round into 16 wedges. Roll up each wedge from curved edge to point. Place on greased cookie sheets. Bake 13 to 18 minutes or until light golden brown. Immediately remove from cookie sheets to cooling racks. Cool 30 minutes or until completely cooled. Sprinkle with powdered sugar.

Clinton Street Bakery Biscuits

If you know me, then you know that I have a serious addiction to biscuits. I'm talking about biscuits that are slightly crunchy on the outside, fluffy and moist on the inside. The kind of biscuits that you find while having brunch at restaurants. The kind you don't want to stop eating but you have to because the calorie content is  ridiculous.

I have...that...recipe.  I came across the Clinton Street Bakery cookbook while browsing around the library last year and found the Buttermilk Biscuit recipe they serve in their restaurant. I've never been to the bakery but I've  heard they have the best biscuits in New York City. Ever since I found this recipe, it is the only one I ever use.
If you're a biscuit fanatic...I bet my bottom dollar you'll love this just as much as I do.

I just baked these this morning, and I just had to share :o) Enjoy!

Clinton Street Bakery Biscuit 

2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting  

2 tablespoons baking powder

1 1/2 tablespoons sugar

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled and cubed 

3/4 cup buttermilk  (or 3/4 cup cream)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Place the flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt in a large mixing bowl and stir to combine. Add the cold butter and work it into the flour mixture, using your fingers or a pastry cutter, until the mixture resembles coarse pea or dime-size crumbs. Be careful not to overwork the mixture or the butter will soften too much. Add the buttermilk, and use your fingers to combine it into the dough. Powder your hands with flour if the dough gets too sticky. The dough should just come together, do not over mix. Turn the dough onto a floured surface and form it into a ball. Lightly knead the dough 2 or 3 times until combined. (The biscuits can be baked the next day, if desired. Dust a sheet pan and the top of the dough with flour and refrigerate, covered with plastic wrap, overnight. Then bring the dough back to room temperature.) Pat the dough into a 3/4 to 1-inch thick rectangle. Use a 2 to 2 1/2-inch round biscuit cutter to cut out several biscuits (do not twist the cutter, cut straight down). Place them on a parchment paper-lined sheet pan. Gather the dough scraps, smooth them out (lightly knead if necessary), and pat the remaining dough into another 3/4 to 1-inch thick rectangle or circle. Cut out more biscuits, and then repeat again if necessary to use remaining dough. Do not over work the dough each time, or the final biscuits will be tougher. Lightly dust the tops of the biscuits with a sprinkle of flour. Bake the biscuits, rotating the pan front to back halfway through, for 15 to 22 minutes (depending on their size), or until they are golden brown and cooked through. Serve warm.

**If the dough is too dry add a little more buttermilk or cream so the dough comes together.

Chili? No way...Taco Soup for me!

For the last couple of days, I've been tinkering back and forth about whether I will make the usual chili or make taco soup. I went with the ladder and have no regrets. It's very similar to chili...except it uses taco seasoning and ranch dip blends to add flavor. This soup is ridiculously amazingly delicious! Really warms you up down to the bone in the winter.

Paula Deen's Taco Soup 

2 pounds ground beef   (I used 1 1/2 pounds of ground beef that is 96% lean) 

2 cups diced onions

2 (15 1/2-ounce) cans pinto beans

1 (15 1/2-ounce) can pink kidney beans

1 (15 1/4-ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained

1 (14 1/2-ounce) can Mexican-style stewed tomatoes

1 (14 1/2-ounce) can diced tomatoes

1 (14 1/2-ounce) can tomatoes with chiles

2 (4 1/2-ounce) cans diced green chiles

1 (4.6-ounce) can black olives, drained and sliced, optional

1/2 cup green olives, sliced, optional

1 (1 1/4-ounce) package taco seasoning mix

1 (1-ounce) package ranch salad dressing mix

Corn chips, for serving

Sour cream, for garnish

Grated cheese, for garnish

Chopped green onions, for garnish

Pickled jalapenos, for garnish

Brown the ground beef and onions in a large skillet; drain the excess fat, then transfer the browned beef and onions to a large slow cooker or a stockpot. Add the beans, corn, tomatoes, green chiles, black olives, green olives, taco seasoning, and ranch dressing mix, and cook in a slow cooker on low for 6 to 8 hours or simmer over low heat for about 1 hour in a pot on the stove. To serve, place a few corn chips in each bowl and ladle soup over them. Top with sour cream, cheese, green onions and jalapenos.

A double dose of...recipes!

Two recipes in one day? Yup, this girl is on a roll.

Back in December, as part of my Christmas cookies, I made these almond-cherry ball cookies. Little did I know these were going to be a HUGE hit. Honestly, I wasn't even expecting these to turn out as well as it did. Some people have called them porcupine cookies, amaretti cookies, and cherry cookies. Whatever you decide to call them, try baking it yourself one of these days because these are gooooooooooood.

Cherry Almond Thumbprint Cookies 

2/3 cup butter, softened                                                         
1/2 cup sugar

2 egg yolks                                                                            
1 teaspoon almond extract

1 1/2 cups flour                                                                      
2 egg whites, lightly beaten and reserved

1 cup slivered almonds                                                           
1 cup maraschino cherries, sliced in half

In a large bowl beat butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add sugar. Beat until well combined, scraping bowl occasionally. Beat in egg yolks and almond extract until combined. Beat in as much of the flour as you can with the mixer, Stir in any remaining flour. Cover and chill for about 1 hour or until dough is easy to handle. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease cookie sheets. Shape dough into 1 inch balls. Roll balls in egg whites, then in slivered almonds. Press half of a maraschino cherry down into each ball. Bake in the preheated oven for the 10 to 12 minutes or until bottoms are light brown. Transfer to a wire rack, cool completely. 

Blueberry Pie

Second post using blueberries? Absolutely! Why? Because it is the greatest fruit known to mankind. It has the burst of explosion that is sweet and tart when you bite down on one or two or in my case a mouthful of blueberries.

So what would i bake next using blueberries? Blueberry pie of course :o)

My boyfriend is a huge fan of pies, and I absolutely love baking goods for him. So baking a dessert that my boyfriend loves while using a super fruit??? Mission accepted

I'm a huge fan of making my own pie crust. I've tried many many many different recipes for pie crust in my lifetime, and Paula Deen (my homegirl) has hit the nail on the head. It's buttery, flakey, light, and oh so heavenly. It's definitely not something I would have regularly, but sometimes taste trumps nutrition, especially when it's used to make amazing pie.

And as for the pie? I played around with a blueberry pie recipe to make six mini pies instead of one large pie. It's the easiest way to make pie and the tastiest that I've ever come across so far.

Paula Deen's Pie Crust 

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
• 3 tablespoons granulated white sugar
• 1/4 cup vegetable shortening, cold
• 12 tablespoons butter, cold and cubed
• 1/4 cup to 1/2 cup ice water

In a large mixing bowl, sift together the flour, salt and sugar. Add the shortening and break it up with your hands as you start to coat it all up with the flour. Add the cold butter cubes and work it into the flour with your hands or a pastry cutter. Work it quickly, so the butter doesn't get too soft, until the mixture is crumbly, like very coarse cornmeal. Add the ice water, a little at a time, until the mixture comes together forming a dough. Bring the dough together into a ball. When it comes together stop working it otherwise the dough will get over-worked and tough. Divide the dough in half and flatten it slightly to form a disk shape. Wrap each disk in plastic and chill in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes. 

*If you own a food processor, I suggest dumping everything into the processor and pulse until all the ingredients start coming together. It is definitely a lot easier.

Mini Blueberry Pie 

1/4 cup + 1 Tablespoon granulated sugar

1/2 tablespoons cornstarch

1/8 teaspoon salt

• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2 cups fresh blueberries
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 
  
• Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Mix sugar, cornstarch, salt, and cinnamon, and sprinkle over blueberries. Roll pre-made pie crust out until it's about 1/10 of an inch thick (basically until it's a really thin piece of dough). Using a 3 1/2 to 4 inch circle cookie cutter, cut out several circle pieces out from the dough. Place one circle dough on a flat surface and put 1 1/2 tablespoon scoop of blueberries into the center of the dough. Get a second piece of dough and place it on top and crimp the edges using a fork. Repeat doing this with the rest of the dough and blueberries. Once completed, place mini pies onto cookie sheet and bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown.