Chicken and Rice Casserole

Simple...but oh so delicious!

1 can cream of chicken soup
1 1/3 cups water
3/4 cup uncooked rice
1/2 t onion powder
1/4 t pepper
1/2 t salt
2 cups frozen vegetables of your choice (I do broccoli)
4 boneless, skinless breast halves (about 1 lb)
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

In a bowl mix chicken soup, water, rice, onion powder, salt, pepper and vegetables. Pour into a 2 quart baking dish. Place chicken on top. Cover and put in oven at 375 degrees for 50 minutes. Remove from oven and sprinkle cheese on top. Let casserole stand for 10 minutes covered until cheese is melted.

Pumpkin Cookies

These are the EASIEST, most moist and delicious pumpkin cookies I've ever had!! I actually was a little skeptical of how good they could be, but was soon mistaken when I took the first, scrumptious bite. You MUST try these!!!!

1 box Spice cake mix
1 15oz can pumpkin
2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

Mix cake mix and pumpkin till moist. Add chocolate chips. Spray pan with a little cooking spray and bake at 350 degrees for 9-11 minutes (or if you have an amazing oven like my aunt Mara, do convection at 325 degrees for exactly 10 minutes.)

*Keep in mind that the cookies come out the way you put them on the cookie sheet...they don't change much.

Quesadilla Bake

Really easy and really fast!! Such a tasty dish that takes no time at all and I love how it has the spinach hidden in there for added nutrition!

1/2 whole store bought rotisserie chicken
4 whole wheat flour tortillas, cut into wedges
1 1/2 cup salsa
3/4 cup ricotta cheese
3 cups baby spinach
2 cups shredded pepperjack cheese (I used pepperjack and cheddar cheese)

Remove skin and cut chicken into bite size pieces.

Combine salsa and ricotta cheese in a bowl.

In a greased 9 inch square pan, layer tortillas, chicken, spinach, salsa mixture and cheese. Repeat the layers twice. End with a layer of tortillas topped with pepperjack cheese.

Bake at 425 degrees for 20 minutes. Let stand for 10 minutes before cutting.

*Adapted from Tasty Kitchen.

Oreo Cheesecakes

These are SO easy and really good! I got them from Baking Bites and she did them with Halloween Colored Oreos and they were SUPER cute for a Halloween treat! Sadly, when I went to the store, I couldn't find them, but they are just as good with normal Oreos!

1/2 c sugar
2 8oz packages cream cheese, softened
3 eggs
1/2 c milk
2 t vanilla
1 T flour
1 1/2 c chopped Oreo cookies
16 whole Oreos

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a muffin tin with paper liners. In a large bowl, beat together sugar, cream cheese, eggs, milk and vanilla until very smooth. Blend in flour. Stir in chopped Oreos. Place one Oreo in the bottom of each muffin cup. Top with 1/4 c batter. Bake for 16-19 minutes until cheesecakes are set. Cool in pan. Chill cheesecakes for at least 2 hours.

*From Baking Bites.

Moist Meatloaf

Now before you start judging based on the picture...you MUST try this! This is THE BEST meatloaf I've ever had and I actually don't like meatloaf at all. Justin has been bugging me about making a meatloaf and so I went online and try to find the secret to a perfectly moist, flavorful meatloaf. I got several ideas from like 30 different recipes and ended up with this little gem. It's extremely moist and flavorful...no more bland, dry meatloaf!

1 1/2lb ground beef (80-20% fat)
3 slices white bread, crusts removed and cubed
1/3 c milk
1 egg
1/2 packet Liptons Savory Herb and Garlic
1/4 c ketchup
1 T Dijon mustard
1/4 onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 t Worchestershire sauce

Topping:
4 T ketchup
1 T brown sugar
1/2 t Worchestershire sauce

In a bowl beat egg with milk and pour over top of bread. Set aside for 5 minutes. In the meantime, in a skillet, heat 1 T oil and saute onion and garlic for 2-3 minutes. Add to bowl with bread. To the same bowl add ground beef, seasoning packet, ketchup, mustard, and Worchestershire sauce. Mix till all ingredients are evenly incorporated, but not too much. Put into a bread pan.

Topping: Mix all ingredients and spread on top of loaf.

Bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour.

Baked Chimichangas

These were a huge hit! I made a queso sauce to put over top of them that was delicious. They are divine and really easy to make!

2 cooked boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed
5 slices bacon
1/2 onion (about 1/4 cup)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 green or red bell pepper diced
1/2 small can diced green chilies
1/2 t cumin
4 oz cream cheese, softened
1/4 c sour cream
1/4 t salt
1/2 t sugar
4 oz Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
4 oz sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
7 whole wheat tortillas
oil for brushing

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

In a skillet, cook bacon until very crispy and let drain on a paper towel. In the same skillet, add peppers, onions, garlic and cumin. Saute for 2 minutes. Add diced green chilies. Dump into a mixing bowl and add chicken (already cooked).

In another bowl, cream together cream cheese, sour cream, salt, sugar and cheeses.

Mix the cheese mixture with the chicken mixture.
Brush 4 tortillas on one side very lightly with water, then stack them on a clean kitchen towel. Roll the tortillas up in a kitchen towel. Microwave the tortillas for about 25 seconds. This heats the tortillas enough to make them pliable.

Remove one tortilla from the kitchen towel and rewrap the others to keep them warm. Add 1/3 cup of the filling to the center of the tortilla. Wrap the chimichanga like you would a burrito. Fold the left and right sides of the tortilla up over the filling then roll it starting from the bottom to completely enclose the filling. You should not roll the chimi too tightly or the tortilla will tear (or later burst during baking). Place the chimi seam-side down on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Repeat with the other tortillas, heating additional tortillas in the microwave when needed.

Brush the tops and sides of each chimi with some oil. I topped them with a little cheese that crisped up and was delicious. Bake for 21 to 23 minutes or until the chimis are golden and crispy. Delicious!

*Adapted from Tasty Kitchen.

Creamy Italian Chicken

I had to steal a picture from another website because when I made it I forgot to take a picture. I'm sure EVERYONE has this recipe, but it's just the best around! You can't beat it especially when you are cooking for a lot of people. I make it for our family dinners ALL the time and it's a hit every time. It's just completely delicious...especially when you make it with pure, authentic Korean rice (thanks to Morgan!!) Enjoy!

4-6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 (8oz) package cream cheese
2 cans cream of chicken soup
1 packet Italian Dressing Mix

Place chicken in the crock pot. Mix cream cheese, soup and dressing mix. Pour over top of chicken. Cook for 4-6 hours. Any longer than that kind of makes the chicken dry. Serve over rice and enjoy!!

*If making for more than people, double recipe. I almost always double it because I usually make it for a large dinner group.

Spanish Rice

This is such a simple recipe and is SO easy and everyone has most of the ingredients. It's the perfect side dish to any Mexican dish.

1 T butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 c uncooked rice
2 1/2-3 c chicken broth
1 c chunky salsa

Heat butter in a large skillet. Add garlic and saute for 1-2 min. Stir in rice. When rice BARELY begins to turn a very light golden brown, stir in chicken broth and salsa. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and place a tight fitting lid on top and simmer for at least 25 min. or until all liquid is absorbed and rice is cooked through.

*From Allrecipes.com

*Best served with homemade empanadas.

Moist Pumpkin Spice Muffins

These are AMAZING! And the perfect fall treat. You can have them in the morning with no cream cheese frosting as a tasty muffin, or you can frost them up and have the perfect go-to dessert.

Muffins:

1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons butter, cut into pieces
1 heaping cup pumpkin puree
1/2 cup evaporated milk
1 egg
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
1/2 cup golden raisins (optional!)
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Generously grease 12 muffin tins.

Sift flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and salt. Cut in butter with two knives or a pastry blender until all incorporated. In a separate bowl, mix together pumpkin, evaporated milk, egg, and vanilla. Pour pumpkin mixture into the flour mixture. Add raisins. Fold gently until mixture is just combined. Pour into greased muffin pan—batter hardly ever fills all twelve unless you keep it down to 1/2 full. Sprinkle generous amounts of cinnamon-sugar over the top of each unbaked muffin.
Bake for 25 minutes. Allow to cool in pan for 15 minutes, then remove and allow to cool. Ice with cream cheese frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting

1/4 cup softened butter
4 ounces cream cheese
1/2 pound powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Mix all ingredients on high until soft and whipped. Spread onto completely cooled muffins, or place into a large pastry bag with a large star tip and go crazy!

Store in fridge, as icing will soften at room temperature.

*From The Pioneer Woman

Chicken Enchilada Pasta

This pasta is a HIT! It's definitely going into my dinner rotations. It sounds kind of weird, but it's completely delicious. Definitely try this one!


2-3 chicken breasts, cooked and cubed or shredded
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 garlic cloves, finely minced
1 medium onion, diced
1 red pepper, diced
4-ounce can diced green chilies
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
2 (10-oz) can green chili enchilada sauce (I used mild)
2/3 cup red enchilada sauce (I used mild)
1 can large black olives, cut into slices
1 cup sour cream
1 1/2 cups shredded cheese (I used sharp cheddar)
16-20 oz. penne pasta (Depending on how "saucy" you want the pasta)

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook the pasta until tender. While the pasta is cooking, heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet and add the onion. Cook for 2-3 minutes until onion is translucent. Add the garlic and red pepper and cook for another 2 minutes, until pepper is barely tender. Add the cooked chicken, green chilies, spices, enchilada sauces and olives. Let the sauce simmer for about 8-10 minutes. Add the sour cream and cheese and heat through, until the cheese is melted (but don't boil!). Pour the sauce over the hot pasta. Garnish with extra sour cream, cheese, diced tomatoes (I used a can of Stewed Mexican Style Tomatoes and it was DELICIOUS!), green onions or crushed tortilla chips.

*From My Kitchen Cafe

Sour Cream Rice

PERFECT side dish for really any meal! It's super delicious! I used a can of Mexicorn instead of corn and diced green chilis. I also added about 1/2-1 c sharp cheddar cheese. I'm thinking that you can play this up in so many different ways: add chicken to make it a main dish casserole, add black beans instead of corn, add a little salsa or taco seasoning to spice it up and make it more of a spanish rice...etc...the possibilites are endless!

1 cup uncooked long grain white or brown rice
1 (14 oz) can chicken broth
1 cup sour cream
1 (4oz) can diced green chilis
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese, divided
1 (8 oz) can corn, drained
Salt and pepper to taste

In a large pot, bring the rice and chicken broth to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer 20 minutes or until fully cooked.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 1 1/2 quart casserole dish.

In the pot with the cooked rice, mix the sour cream, green chili peppers, 1/2 cup Monterey Jack cheese and corn. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to prepared casserole dish, and top with remaining cheese.

Bake uncovered for 30 minutes until cheese is bubbly and lightly browned.

*From Carries Sweet Life