Semi-Homemade Oreo Cookies

Sometimes you just have to indulge in some no-so-low calorie cookies. And if you're going to indulge, these are perfect!!! They do take a bit of time in the making, and even more time if you have little helping hands (my 2 year old) - but they are worth it! I first found a recipe for these in one of my Mom's cookbooks - and rather than guess at my measurements, I found a similar one online at Mommy's Kitchen..

Semi-Homemade Oreo Cookies

Ingredients for Chocolate Cookies*:

• 2 boxes of Devil's Food cake mix
• 4 eggs
• 2/3 c of oil 

*These are the measurements for a double batch of cookies, this way you'll use all your filling!

Ingredients for Cream Cheese Filling:

• 1 8oz pckg of cream cheese (buy the good stuff, Philadelphia) - softened
• 3-4 c of powdered sugar (I just add the sugar in until I get the consistency I like)
• 1 tsp of vanilla extract
• 1 cube of butter (1/2 c) - softened (not melted!!!)

Directions for Cookies:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Mix the cookie batter using a wooden spoon and bowl - trust me on this, the batter will be so so thick, and you'll need your mixer for the filling! 
• Roll cookie batter into 1 inch balls and place on a greased cookie sheet (this recipe will make 3 1/2 cookie sheets full). 
• I had never done this before, but Mommy's Kitchen suggested flattening the cookies before baking using the bottom of a cup. Brilliant! My cookies were almost all the same size and width, and nice and flat for cookie sandwiches. Check out her photos for clarification.
• Bake for 8 minutes, and let cool until warm on the cookie sheet. Move to cooling rack.

Directions for Filling:

• Mix all ingredients in a mixer - I add the sugar about a cup at a time.

Assembly:

• Spread filling onto one cookie (to your liking) and top with a cookie of similar size. Mommy's Kitchen suggested using a pastry bag and 1/2 inch tip or a zip lock bag. I had both on hand, but a butter knife suits me just fine.

Baked Chicken Fajitas

http://www.sixsistersstuff.com/2012/01/baked-chicken-fajitas-recipe.html

Baked Chicken Fajitas Recipe:

(Recipe from Eatin' on the Cheap)

(Serves 4-6)
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips
1 (15 oz) can diced tomatoes
1 (4 oz) can diced green chilies
1 medium onion, sliced
1 large bell pepper, seeded and sliced
2 T vegetable oil
2 t. chili powder
2 t. cumin
1/2 t. garlic powder
1/2 t. dried oregano
1/4 t. salt
12 flour tortillas, warmed to serve

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Grease a 13×9 baking dish. Mix together chicken, tomatoes, chilies, peppers, and onions in the dish.

In a small bowl combine the oil and spices. Drizzle the spice mixture over the chicken and toss to coat.
Bake uncovered for 20-25 minutes or until chicken is cooked through and the vegetables are tender.

Serve with warmed tortillas and enjoy!

Josh and I didnt have any chili powder, but it tasted just fine without it:) Oh and we put ranch and parmesan cheese with it too to add a little more to it:) 

Mexican Salad (from Mom)

Ingredients:

1 Pkg mixed cabbage greens

romaine lettuce

pico de gallo

Fresh salsa

fresh mango

lime juice

avocado

frozen corn

Popcorn Chicken (optional)

 

I made this again for the ward party the other night.  this time I didn't add the chicken since we were having BBQ pork. It was great veggie style too!! I have tweaked it several times now...and now add fresh mango which is really good and refreshing. I buy the package of mixed cabbage with red and and green.

 

Directions:

Mix cabbage and lettuce. I just rinse off frozen corn and add to salad.

Dice Mango and mix with fresh salsa before adding to salad (I ad a bit of sugar to mine  )

Add pico de gallo. toss salad.

Chop avocado in big chunks and toss with lime juice, toss into salad.

Add extra lime juice and pico de gallo to taste

 

I think it would be great sometime maybe in the winter months....with black beans when you maybe don't want chicken but want something heavier.

Spaghetti and Homemade Meatballs

Serious craving for spaghetti and meatballs today - however, no frozen meatballs on hand, no desire to venture out to the store! It was then I realized I had some ground sirloin just sitting in my fridge waiting to be made into meatballs!  After some quick searches online, I settled on a recipe and went with it. Super easy, super fast, super amazingly delicious. No more frozen meatballs for this girl!

Basic Ingredients:

• spaghetti noodles (no homemade noodles until I get that cool thing-a-ma-jiggy that attaches to my KitchenAid)
• spaghetti sauce (I have made my own, but jars are far too convenient, cheap, and good)

Meatballs:

• 1 1/4 ground beef (I had ground sirloin, 80/20)
• 1/2 c Italian style bread crumbs 
• a few teaspoons Worcestershire sauce (I just shook the bottle until I felt satisfied)
• salt/pepper
• 2 tsp garlic powder (original recipe called for minced garlic, I was too lazy)
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1/4 c grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Put large pot of water on to boil.
• Mix bread crumbs, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, egg, and cheese in a medium sized bowl.
• Add meat, then salt and pepper to taste (well, maybe not taste but smell? feel?). Mix well (use your hands!)
• Roll meat mixture into 1 1/2 inch balls and place on a nonstick cookie sheet (or lightly grease your cookie sheet with EVOO). Place in oven and cook for 10-12 minutes, or until ever so slightly pink in the center.
• When water comes to a boil, add salt and noodles. Boil until al dente (7-10 minutes, I put my noodles in just as I put the meatballs in the oven). Drain noodles.
• In a large skillet, warm up spaghetti sauce on medium heat. I added my meatballs when they were only slightly pink in the middle to let them finish cooking in the sauce. (5 minutes)
• Serve with extra grated cheese, a yummy green salad, and garlic bread.

Slightly adapted from: the Food Network

Baked Creamy Chicken Taquitos

I found this recipe while reading my blog list a couple days ago. 

It sounded so yummy, and seeing as how I had all the ingredients on hand, it was a must try! 

Thanks to the Six Sisters' Stuff for sharing yet another amazing recipe. My alterations are in orange.

Baked Creamy Chicken Taquitos

Ingredients:

1/2 c (4oz) cream cheese

1/3 c green salsa

1 tbsp lime juice *I only had lemon juice on hand

1/2 tsp cumin

1 tsp chili powder

1/2 tsp onion powder

1/4 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp dried cilantro

2 tbsp sliced green onions *No green onions, but found the recipe delicious without them!

2 c shredded cooked chicken

1 c grated pepperjack cheese *I used Monterey Jack cheese, Aaron isn't big on too spicy things

About 20 (6 in) flour tortillas *Only had 10 inch tortillas on hand (I keep them frozen), made 9 taquitos

salt

cooking spray

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil and lightly coat with cooking spray.
2. Heat cream cheese in the microwave for 20-30 seconds so it's soft and easy to stir. Add green salsa, lime juice*, cumin, chili powder, onion powder and garlic powder. Stir to combine.
3. Add cilantro and green onions*. Add chicken and Pepperjack cheese* and combine well.
4. Place 2-3 tbsp (because I used larger tortillas I added more than this) of chicken mixture on lower third of tortilla, keeping it about 1/2 inch from the edges and roll it up as tight as you can. Place seam side down on the baking sheet.
5. Lay filled taquitos on the baking sheet, making sure they are not touching each other. Spray the tops lightly with cooking spray and sprinkle some salt on top.
6. Place pan in oven and bake for 15-20 minutes or until crisp and the edges turn golden brown.
7. Dip in your choice of goodness: "salsa ranch" (equal parts of ranch dressing and salsa),  Cilantro Ranch Dressing, guacamole, sour cream or salsa! We dipped ours in Salsa Ranch - not sure why I haven't thought of that before. It was amazing. Perfect flavors and very filling. Leftovers aren't too bad either! (I used the oven)

Corn Bread

1 cup Butter
1 cup Sugar
2 eggs
1 cup Corn Meal
1 1/2 cup Milk

Mix these together. Alternate Milk and Corn Meal. Then add the following ingredients.

1 1/2 cup Flour
2 tsp Baking Powder
1/2 tsp Salt

Bake at 375 for 45 minutes

Moody Recipe for homemade Corn Bread.

Cafe Rio Ranch Dressing

http://www.favfamilyrecipes.com

Ingredients:

• 1 packet TRADITIONAL Hidden Valley Ranch mix (not BUTTERMILK)
• 1 c. mayonnaise
• 1 c. buttermilk
• 2 tomatillos, remove husk, diced
• 1/2 bunch of fresh cilantro
• 1 clove garlic
• juice of 1 lime( we just squirt some lime juice in it)
• 1 jalapeno ( Josh and I dont add jalapeno)

Just put all the ingredients into the blender and there you have it:) 

*Warning: This is really not the healthiest dressing that is for sure. But it does taste great:) We havent found a good sweet pork recipe yet tho to go with it, so let us know if you do!