Baked Pumpkin Cream Cheese French Toast

 Fall? Hello, Fall? Where are you?! Why are you torturing me with 90 degrees still? It's not very nice when I want to bake all of these yummy fall dishes. So I bake them anyway:)

 This casserole will change breakfast for you. Making breakfast before bed and then just popping it in the oven in the morning...YES PLEASE! I'm always worried that these overnight casseroles will be to wet and gooey for me. Not the case AT ALL. This bakes up so firm and delicious.

And aren't pumpkin and cream cheese married? They are in my book. They belong together. And they're so happy together. If you're looking for the perfect Fall breakfast look no further!      

3/4 cup milk

1/2 cup pumpkin puree

3 eggs

2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/4 cup brown sugar, packed

1 (12-count) package Kings Hawaiian Sweet Dinner Rolls, cubed

  

For the crumb topping 

1/4 cup flour

1/4 cup brown sugar, packed

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 cup butter, cut into cubes

1/4 cup chopped pecans (Optional. I didn't have them this time so I left them out)

2 tablespoons powdered sugar 

  

For the cream cheese filling 

8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature

1/3 cup powdered sugar

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

 In bowl of an electric mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat cream cheese, sugar and cinnamon on medium speed until light and fluffy, approximately 2-3 minutes; set aside.

In a large glass measuring cup or another bowl, whisk together milk, pumpkin puree, eggs, pumpkin pie spice, brown sugar and vanilla. Lightly coat a 9x13 baking dish with nonstick spray. Place a layer of bread cubes evenly into the baking dish. Pour half of the pumpkin puree mixture evenly over the top. Spread cream cheese filling in an even layer. Top with remaining bread cubes and pumpkin puree mixture to completely cover the filling. Cover and place in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours or overnight.

To make the crumb topping, combine flour, sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. Add cold butter and toss to coat, using your fingers to work the butter into the dry ingredients until it resembles coarse crumbs. You can also do this in a food processor or with a fork or pastry cutter. Place the crumb topping in the fridge until ready to bake NOT on top of the casserole, but in a separate bowl. Sprinkle the crumb topping evenly over casserole right before putting into the oven. 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place into oven and bake for 35-45 minutes, or until golden brown and cooked all the way through. Serve immediately, sprinkled with pecans and powdered sugar, if desired.

Enjoy!!

*From damndelicious.net

Pesto Toast

This is one of my favorite lunches folks! It's just so hearty, fresh and filling, but doesn't make you feel gross after eating it. My kind of meal! And really, you can make it your own. Add whatever toppings sound good at the time. I've even done a pizza twist to it and added pizza sauce instead of pesto with peppers, onions and pepperoni as toppings. I have to give a big shout-out to my sister in law, Jen, for steering me toward this gem. I don't know what I would do without it in my life:)

1 slice of bread (I use Dave's Killer Bread)

2t pesto (or as much as you want!)

Handful of Spinach

Fresh Garden Tomato (OK store bought is good too)

Diced grilled chicken

Sprinkle of Mozzarella Cheese

Dash of Italian Seasoning

Place your oven setting on high broil. Put bread on a cookie sheet. Spread on pesto and then layer your toppings in whatever order you want. I layer this way: spinach, tomato, chicken, mozzarella, Italian seasoning. It's best if the cheese is on top so that it gets nice and bubbly and brown. Broil in the oven for a few minutes. I usually just keep an eye on it until it looks perfectly bubbly. Remove and sit and enjoy your healthy, filling lunch!

Salsa Verde Honey Lime Chicken and Rice Bake

How about that title? Haha!! It’s a mouthful. Just like this casserole. Oh. My. Gosh. This is to DIE for!! It made a whole bunch and we were just fine with that because we ate it for lunch and dinner for almost a week. I love how the sweetness of the honey shines through while still being a savory dish. 

Honey and lime together…a match made in heaven.

I’ve been on a mission to find dinners I can make ahead and bake later or ones that are portable. You’ll probably see a lot of those from me in the next several weeks:) Soccer is in full swing and I’m trying to figure out how dinner works into that schedule. This casserole is a total homerun and a definite keeper!

1 pound chicken breasts, cooked and chopped
1 1/2 cups long grain rice or brown rice, cooked (measured uncooked)
1 16 oz. bottle salsa verde
1/2 cup sour cream
1 1/2 cups shredded Monterrey Jack cheese
1 1/2 cups sharp cheddar cheese
1 15 oz. sweet corn, rinsed and drained, or you can use frozen
1 4 oz. can green chilies

10 Minute Marinade
1/3 cup honey
1/2 cup lime juice
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon cumin
dash - 1/2 teaspoon chipotle powder
dash - 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional for more heat)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a very large bowl, whisk together the 10 Minute Marinade ingredients. Add cooked chopped chicken and let marinate at least 10 minutes.

Mix cheeses together and add 2 cups cheese, salsa verde, rice, sour cream, green chilies, and corn to the chicken and marinade. Stir until evenly combined. It will seem a little “wet” which is normal.

Add chicken/rice mixture to a 9 x 13 casserole dish and top with remaining cheese.

Bake for 30 minutes or until hot in the center then broil until cheese is golden.

Serve with desired garnishes. Enjoy!!

*From Carlsbad Cravings

Cinnamon Bun Popcorn

This popcorn has been a staple in our house this summer. There’s something about a crunchy, portable popcorn that makes me feel like it’s a must for all summer activities. Ha!

This popcorn is SO addicting. Plan on having a lot of people around when you make it or you might just eat it all yourself.

This recipe is from one of my most favorite sites, Our Best Bites. You know it’s good if they’ve made it. It’s also great to package up in clear bags and give as gifts. So versatile and delicious! 

12 cups air popped popcorn (about 1/2 cup kernels)
1 cup roughly chopped pecans (these can easily be omitted)
1 cup brown sugar
3/4t cinnamon
1/4 cup Karo syrup
1 stick (1/2 cup) butter
1/2t baking soda
1t vanilla
3 squares almond bark

Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Place popcorn and chopped pecans in a very large bowl. I usually need to use 2 bowls to make less of a mess when mixing.

Combine brown sugar and cinnamon in a big, microwave safe bowl. Make sure you mix these two ingredients before adding anything else, otherwise it won’t turn out. Also, use a bowl larger than you think you’ll need because the ingredients will bubble up.

Chop butter into chinks and place on top of sugar mixture. Pour corn syrup over the top of everything. Microwave on high for 30 seconds and then stir to combine. Return to the microwave and heat for 2 minutes. Remove, stir and microwave for another 2 minutes.
Remove from the microwave and add vanilla and baking soda. Mixture will foam up a little. When combined, pour over popcorn and pecans and stir until it’s evenly coated. Spread popcorn mixture onto a foil-lines jelly roll pan. Place in the oven and bake for 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes.

After 30 minutes, take a piece out and let it cool. Sample it. If it’s not crunchy enough, bake for another 5 minutes. When it’s done, give it a final stir and dump in onto clean parchment paper. Using a fork, drizzle the melted almond bark over the popcorn. Don’t use white chocolate chips for this because it melts in your hands too easily. Almond bark or any sort of melting chocolate works best so it stays on the popcorn without getting all over your hands.

When it has all cooked, break it into chunks and enjoy!

*From Our Best Bites

Blueberry Muffins

I’ve been on the hunt for the best blueberry muffin recipe. This one is SO GOOD! And I love how it makes 24 muffins instead of 12 because come on, 12 really isn’t enough, right? Perfect for delicious summer breakfasts.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place paper liners in muffin pans.

 Streusel Topping
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar

4 tablespoons butter, slightly softened and cut into 1/2 inch pieces
In a medium bowl, stir flour and sugar.  Add butter pieces and combine mixture with a fork until topping resembles coarse crumbs.  Set aside.

Muffin Batter
2-1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1-1/2 sticks butter
1-1/2 cups sugar
3 large eggs
1-1/2 teaspoon vanilla
8 ounces sour cream
1/4 cup milk
2-1/2 cups fresh blueberries

In a medium bowl, sift flour, baking powder and baking soda.
With an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy (about 5 minutes). 

At low speed, beat  in one egg at a time, then add vanilla, sour cream, and milk until combined. 
Add 1/3 of dry ingredients at a time and beat until just combined. 
With a spatula, evenly fold blueberries into batter.
Spoon batter into muffin pans and fill each cup to the top.
Sprinkle streusel topping over batter.
Bake for about 24 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean and they are lightly brown.

Makes 24 muffins.

*From Little Magnolia Kitchen

Easy Brownie Cookies

Sometimes you just need a fast, easy dessert. Of course, if you have the time, you should definitely make my original brownie cookies (recipe found here.) But sometimes I just want to open a box because that requires no brain power, which I’m really lacking right now

But if you’re going to open a brownie box, PLEASE make it be this one. These are the best box brownies. They also sell them in a 6 pack at Costco

These are so fudgy, just like a brownie cookie should be.

1 box brownie mix

1 cup flour

3 eggs

1/3 cup oil

1/2 cup powdered sugar (for rolling cookies in)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix together brownie mix, flour, eggs and oil. The batter will be very thick. Pinch off a small amount of batter and roll it into a ball. roll ball in powdered sugar, being sure to cover completely. Set cookies 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 8-10 minutes and remove to a cooling rack. 

*From Eating on a Dime

Homemade Breadtwists

I LOVE bread. Pretty much in any form. And when I have people over, I have to make some sort of bread to go with dinner. These remind me of Pizza Factory breadsticks. They are SO soft and SO delicious! It’s also an awesome recipe because they are fast. There isn’t a lot of rising time. You can also use this dough as a pizza crust. Just use half of the dough for a pizza and the other half for a batch of breadsticks. One batch made 2 full cookie sheets of breadsticks. 

1½ cups warm water
2 T sugar
1 T yeast
3½ cups flour
1 tsp Salt
3 T butter 
Grated Parmesan Cheese
Garlic Salt

Mix warm water, sugar and yeast together.  Let that sit for 5 minutes.  Add flour and salt to the water, sugar, and yeast.  Mix this until smooth and let it raise for 10 minutes.  I used my Kitchenaid mixer with the dough hook.

Roll out the dough in a large square on a floured surface.  Brush the dough with the melted butter and sprinkle with parmesan cheese and garlic salt. Fold the dough in half.  Cut the dough into one inch strips with a pizza cutter. Twist the one inch strips of dough and place on a cookie sheet.  Let that sit for another 10-15 minutes to raise.

Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes or until golden brown.  My oven took about 17 minutes for these to be lightly brown.

Immediately after baking brush with more garlic butter and sprinkle with garlic salt and grated parmesan cheese.  Serve with marinara sauce, alfredo sauce, or ranch.

*From The Recipe Critic

Easter Treats

Peeps Rice Krispy Squares

These are such a fun way to celebrate Easter! We made them for Camryn’s class and they all went crazy. And they aren’t hard to make! Such a fun, colorful way to make Easter a little bit more fun for the kids. You can find the recipe here. I just added melted white chocolate to the top with Easter sprinkles. Cute as an Easter button ;)

No Bake Egg Nests

We made these for Bryce’s class. I LOVE a no bake cookie and then by adding my FAVORITE Easter candy, Cadbury Mini Eggs, these have turned out to be the best! All you need to do is follow my recipe for No Bake Cookies, found here, and plop some Mini Eggs on top. Easy peasy.

Happy Easter!!

Enchilada Pasta Casserole

I love a dinner that can be confined to a casserole dish. That way I can make it in the morning, stick it in the fridge, and then all I have to do is put it in the oven and dinner is ready! I love enchiladas and pasta, so combining them can only make a delicious combo! Mommy and kid approved

1 lb ground beef (ground turkey can be substituted)

1/2t chili powder

1/4t cumin

1/4t cayenne pepper

5oz cream cheese

1/4 cup sour cream (Greek yogurt can be substituted)

1 (10oz) can red enchilada sauce

1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese, divided

1 cup shredded monterey jack cheese, divided

1 cup corn kernels

1 (4oz) can diced green chilies

12oz egg noodles

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cook egg noodles according to package directions. In the meantime, in a large skillet, brown ground beef and drain the fat. Add chili powder, cumin and cayenne pepper. Stir to combine. Add cream cheese and stir until melted. 

In a large bowl, combine sour cream, enchilada sauce, half of the cheeses, corn kernels and green chilies. Pour over beef mixture, stir, and let simmer for 2-3 minutes. 

Drain pasta and add it to the beef mixture, making sure everything is coated in sauce. In a large casserole dish or 9x13 pan, pour in pasta mixture and top with remaining cheese. Bake for 20 minutes until cheese is completely melted and bubbly. Enjoy!

*From Table for Two

Macaroni Grill Rosemary Bread

Have you ever been to Macaroni Grill? The bread they serve there is beyond amazing!! It's the perfect appetizer for hearty Italian meal. When I need a quick bread for dinner, I turn to this beauty. It’s easy to make for bread because it only rises once. It’s SOOOO GOOOOOD!!! Sometimes I just get a craving for it and absolutely have to make it. I’ve made it over a dozen times now and it’s turned out perfect every single time. The dough is so easy to whip up, then let it rise, then put it on the cookie sheet to bake. Yep, that easy.

Mmmmm…crisp on the outside and warm and fluffy on the inside. Then you just tear it and dip it in olive oil and balsamic vinegar. My ABSOLUTE favorite!!!

1 tbsp dry yeast
1 tbsp sugar
1 cup warm water
2 1/2 -3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp fresh chopped rosemary or 2 tsp dry rosemary
1 tbsp oil, olive oil or canola
nonstick cooking spray
2 tbsp butter, melted
coarse salt

Combine yeast, sugar and warm water in a large mixing bowl. Allow to sit for 5-10 minutes or until frothy. Mix in salt 1/2 of the rosemary and 2 1/4 cups flour (it’s best with a mixer fitted with a dough hook)

Mix/ knead until dough is smooth and elastic about 8-10 minutes by hand or 3-5 minutes in a mixer…you may need to add more flour. In a large glass or plastic bowl, place oil and use your hand or a paper towel to coat the inside of the bowl with the oil. Place the dough in the oiled bowl, cover and place in warm area. Allow to rise until doublesd. Approx 30-40 minutes.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Spray baking sheet with cooking spray (or bake on parchment paper or Silpat liners), shape dough into two small round loaves and place each one on the cooking sheet 4-5 inches apart. Use fingers to push down and leave small wells where the butter can gather.
Using a pastry brush, brush butter evenly over the two loaves. Sprinkle each loaf with remaining rosemary and about 1/4 of coarse salt per loaf.

Bake for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm with dipping sauce (recipe to follow) you can slice it or just rip off pieces.

Dipping Sauce:
Combine equal parts balsamic vinegar and olive oil, add some fresh cracked pepper and coarse salt if desired.

*Adapted from The Mother Huddle

Lemon Blueberry Cake

It’s been so warm here that I feel like it’s Spring already. Well I guess I jinxed it because it’s 39 degrees today… But to boost my spirits, I can eat this delicious and bright dessert to dream about the summery days to come. And boy is it even better the next day!!

For the Cake: 

1 cup butter, softened
1 1/4 cups sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
4 large eggs
1T vanilla
3 cups flour, careful not to overmeasure
1 T baking powder
1/2 t salt
1 cup buttermilk
zest and juice from 3 medium lemons
1 1/2 cups fresh blueberries
1 T flour

For the Frosting:

12oz full-fat cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
3-3 1/2 cups powdered sugar (depending on your desired sweetness of your frosting. I like mine more cream-cheesy and less sweet)
1 t vanilla
 
Directions for the cake:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 2 9 inch cake pans with nonstick spray and line the bottom with parchment paper.

Using a mixer with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on high until creamy and white - about 1 minute. Add granulated and brown sugars and beat on medium-high speed until creamed and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed. Add eggs, 1 at a time, and vanilla. Beat on medium speed until everything is combined, about 2 full minutes. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed. Set aside. Batter should be really fluffy.

In a large sized bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Beat on low speed for 5 seconds, then add the milk, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Remove from the mixer and stir lightly until everything is just combined. Toss the blueberries in 1 Tablespoon of flour and fold into the batter. Batter is extremely thick. Do not overmix at any point. Overmixing will lend a tough, dense textured crumb.

Spoon batter evenly into 2 prepared cake pans. Bake for about 25-28 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely before frosting.

Directions for the Frosting:

Using a mixer with a whisk attachment, beat cream cheese and butter together on medium speed until no lumps remain, about 3 full minutes. Add powdered sugar and vanilla. With the mixer running on low. Increase to high speed and beat for 3 minutes. Add 1 Tablespoon of cream to thin out, if desired. If you want a fluffier, lighter frosting, add 1 cup heavy cream, whipped until stiff peaks are formed. Fold this into the frosting. It lightens it up quite a bit.

Assemble the cake and refrigerate for at least 45 minutes before cutting to ensure a sturdy cake. Store leftovers in the fridge.

*From Sally’s Baking Addiction

Meatball Sub Bubble Up

This is a quick weeknight meal that won’t disappoint. It’s kid friendly and takes no time at all to throw in a pan and bake. 

1 can Grands Biscuits

1 bag frozen meatballs (as many as you prefer)

2 cups spaghetti sauce, pizza sauce or marinara, whichever you prefer

1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella

1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

Cut the uncooked biscuits into 8ths. Place in an even layer in a greased 9x13 pan. Cover with sauce. Place meatballs on top of the biscuits in an even layer. You can fill the dish, or spread them out sparingly, it depends on how much you like meatballs. Sprinkle with cheeses. Bake at 375 for about 30-40 minutes, until biscuits are cooked through. Enjoy!

*From Life With the Crust Off

Oreo Pops

I LOVE Valentines Day! It’s one of my favorite holidays. I might go a little over the top, but I love it so much. This year Bryce picked Oreo Pops for his Valentine to give to his friends at school. I was just giddy because I love making things so cute.

I usually make a bunch so that we can give them to teachers and neighbors too. They’re just so dang cute!

Here’s how we attached a Valentine to the pop. It was so fun doing these with the kids and the end result is so adorable!

These are perfect for parties, showers or just because.Kids die over them, so it makes it all worth it. FYI, you can get all of these ingredients at Walmart, mostly in the cake decorating isle.

1 package Double Stuffed Oreos (I always use the chocolate cream ones)

Chocolate Melts, any color of your choice ( I usually use Wilton, they look like this)

Clear Mini Treat Bags, they look like this.

Lollipop sticks

Ribbon

Sprinkles

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place Oreos in a single layer on a cookie sheet. Place in oven for about 1-2 minutes, no longer. You’re trying to melt the cream a little so it’s easier to insert the lollipop stick without breaking the cookie. Remove cookies from the oven and while warm, insert lollipop sticks. Allow to harden again. 

In a microwave safe bowl, melt the chocolate melts in 20 second increments. Using a spoon, cover the Oreos with the chocolate and let the excess drizzle off. Place on a parchment paper-lined cookie sheet. Sprinkle with sprinkles right away before the chocolate hardens.

Once all of the cookies are covered in chocolate and hardened, place them in the treat bags and tie with a ribbon. Then enjoy the delicious, adorable treat!

Cupcakes in a Jar

These are just so cute and practical. They’re also perfect for class parties and birthday parties since it’s a delicious, messy cupcake in a neat and tidy jar. 

I thought of this because it was my friends birthday and all he asked for was a batch of my cupcakes. I contemplated how I could do this since he lives back in Henderson and I’d have to ship them. That’s where I thought of putting them in a jar. They shipped GREAT and were still fresh 2 days later when they got them. I might also add that they put them in the freezer and ate them for several months. 

So whether you’re doing a party, saving a treat for later, or just want to be dang cute, make these cupcakes in a jar!!

What you Need:

1 recipe of your favorite cupcakes, mine is here

1 recipe of your favorite frosting, mine is here

Toppings of your choice, mine is Dulce de Leche

Kerr Half Pint Wide Mouth Jars, 12 count. They look like this. You can usually find them in grocery stores in the canning section. I’ve never been able to find them in Walmart or Target, so you’re better off looking in a regular grocery store. You need to make sure they are this kind or something similar to it. Make sure they have straight sides and are 1/2 pint. They are the perfect size.


Directions:

Clean out jars with hot soapy water and let dry. Mix up your cake mix. Spray jars with nonstick baking spray (I use this.) Fill jars about half full. You don’t want them topping the jar because you need room for your fillings in the jar. These were a little too full. I had to cut a little out to make all the ingredients fit.

Baking time will vary, but bake them at 350 degrees and after about 15 minutes, keep a close eye on them. Once they spring back when touched, remove them from the oven to cool for about 5-10 mintues.

Then pop them out of the jars to cool completely. They should release very easily if you’ve used the spray. You might need to run a knife around the edges to help them out. Once they’ve completely cooled, cut them in half.

Then layer them with the frosting and toppings. Start with the bottom part of the cake, pipe in frosting, layer whatever toppings you like, then put the top of the cake on and repeat the layering one more time.

It should look like this when you’re done:

Then you pop the lid on and voilà!! You have a cupcake in a jar!! It’s most cute when you cut out craft paper for the lid and decorate it with some ribbon around the lid. It’s even cuter when you attach a plastic spoon to the lid with the ribbon. PERFECT party gift!!

Crockpot French Dip Sandwiches

This quickly became a family favorite. I even made them for the masses for our Super Bowl party and a big family dinner over the holidays. It’s PERFECT for feeding a lot of people. And it’s just so simple too. I love how it’s a crockpot meal. As a busy mom, most of the time the last thing I want to think about is dinner. These are such a cinch for those busy nights…it even makes it’s own au jus!

1- 3-4 pound chuck roast, remove excess fat

Montreal Steak Seasoning

2 T olive oil

1/4 cup soy sauce

1/4 cup water

2 cups beef broth

1/2t dried, rosemary

1/2t dried thyme

1T dry minced onion

2t minced garlic

6-8 french rolls

6-8 slices of provolone cheese

Sprinkle meat with Montreal Steak Seasoning and rub in. In a heavy pan, heat 2T olive oil and sear each side of the roast. Place in the crock pot. Mix together soy sauce, beef broth, water, rosemary, thyme, garlic and onion. Pour over roast. Cook on low for 8-10 hours or high for 5-6 hours. Cook until tender and easy to shred. Shred with tongs. Strain remaining juice for the au jus. If you are serving a large crowd, double the recipe, it will still fit in a large crock pot. Enjoy!!

*Adapted from yourhomebasedmom.com

Enchilada Pork Tacos with Sweet Corn Slaw

I love dinner that goes in a crock pot. It’s so much less stress! I also love to pair crock pot meat with fresh ingredients. The contrast is so refreshing. The corn slaw just makes the dish. These also are the BEST with fresh uncooked tortillas that you cook at home. We get Tortilla Land brand from Costco and they are amazing! Really brings home that fresh Mexican flavor. So give those a try too. Here’s to a quick weeknight meal!

3-4 pound pork shoulder

1 taco packet

1 can diced green chilies

1/2 onion, finely diced

1 (10oz) can enchilada sauce

Sweet Corn Slaw

2 ears cooked sweet corn, removed from the cob

1 T olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

2 cups shredded cabbage

Juice of 1 lime

2 t seasoned rice vinegar

1/2 cup chopped cilantro

Mix together taco seasoning, green chilies, onion and enchilada sauce. Pour over pork in your crockpot. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours.

For the corn slaw, add corn, oil, salt, pepper, cabbage, lime vinegar and cilantro to a bowl. Toss well and cover and place in fridge until ready to eat. 

When the pork is falling apart, shred with 2 forks and mix with remaining sauce in the crockpot. To eat, heat a fresh tortilla and top with meat and corn slaw. ENJOY!!

*From Betty Crocker

Honey Butter

Ok, so I was gone for a while:) A long while. I am just OVERLOADED with awesome recipes to share! Including this gem. I got this recipe from my sister-in-law. She introduced it to us a few years ago at Christmas and we’ve all been dreaming about it ever since. I’ve tried a lot of different kinds of honey butter, but his one is BY FAR the best. It’s so creamy and delicious. The best part is that it stays soft in the fridge. There’s nothing worse than trying to spread hard butter on a warm roll.

This year for Christmas I bottled up some homemade strawberry jam (here) and honey butter with homemade rolls (here) for all of my neighbors and friends. I think it must be a new tradition! Not to mention less work than making hundreds of treats that people are already getting. It’s nice to get something different. Impress your neighbors with this amazing recipe.

Honey Butter

1 cup heavy whipping cream
1 cup honey
1 cup sugar
1 pound (4 sticks) salted sweet cream butter
1 tsp vanilla

Bring whipping cream, honey and sugar to a boil to dissolve the sugar. Put cold butter in a blender. Pour boiling mixture and vanilla over butter and blend until smooth. Pour into containers and refrigerate overnight before eating. Store in the fridge.