Manic Monday Recipe~ Mini Tacos

Yeah, I like some taco with my sour cream ;)

I saw this amazing recipe from Emily Bites and knew I had to try them.  I hadn't planned on sharing them on my blog, but they were THAT GOOD!  The hubs asked if I could make them every week! Seriously these are a must try.  

Get my recipe for Guacamole and Mexican Rice!

Make sure to come back on Wednesday for my Share the Wealth Link Party, it's open until Sunday each week!

Ingredients:

Olive Oil

1 lb Ground Beef/Chicken/Turkey

1 T taco seasoning

1 Can black beans, drained and rinsed

48 Wonton Wrappers (found in the refrigerated produce section)

1 Jar of queso dip or salsa con queso 

1 Jar of chunky salsa 

2 C. Shredded Mexican cheese 

Directions: 

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  

Heat olive oil/cooking spray in a large skillet and cook meet thoroughly.  Stir in taco seasoning and then the black beans.  Cook for a few minutes until the beans have warmed.

In a greased muffin pan, place wonton wrappers.  Spread a small dollop of queso dip into each wonton wrapper.  Next, add a spoonful of meat and bean mixture.  Then add a spoonful of salsa on top of the mixture.  Now add a sprinkle of shredded cheese.  Repeat by adding another layer of each ingredient. Each cup will have 2 layers of each ingredient.

Bake for 18-20 minutes, then allow five minutes of cooling before removing from muffin tin.  

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Manic Monday Recipe~ EASY Pumpkin Pie

I found this recipe last year, in a magazine, from the Eagle Brand Products.  It was such an easy and delicious recipe that I made it again this year for Thanksgiving.  I will definitely be making it for Christmas too!  Hope you love it!

Also, make sure to come back on Wednesday for my Share the Wealth Wednesday Link Party!

Ingredients:

15 oz. Can Pumpkin (about 2 Cups)

14 oz. Can of Sweetened Condensed Milk

2 Large Eggs

1 tsp. Cinnamon

1/2 tsp. Ground Ginger

1/2 tsp. Ground Nutmeg

1/2 tsp. Salt

9 inch Unbaked Pie Crust

Directions:

HEAT oven to 425°F. 

Whisk pumpkin, sweetened condensed milk, eggs, spices and salt in medium bowl until smooth. 

Next, pour into crust.

Then, bake 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350°F; bake an additional 35 to 40 minutes or until knife inserted 1-inch from crust comes out clean. 

Cool and serve with whipped topping or ice cream!

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Manic Monday Recipe~Fettuccine With Spinach Cream Sauce

I saw this recipe and thought it looked so yummy.  So I tweaked it a bit to our family's likes and it turned out so good.

Make sure to come back on Wednesday for my Share the Wealth Wednesday Link Party!

Ingredients:

Fettuccine Noodles

4 Tbsp. Butter

4 Tbsp. Flour

1 1/4 C. Milk

1 tsp. Garlic

1 tsp. Nutmeg

1/2 C. Parmesan Cheese

2 C. Chopped Spinach (Fresh or Frozen)

1 Pkg. Cherry or Grape Tomatoes

Directions: 

Begin by cooking your noodles according to the box.  Then start chopping your spinach into small pieces.  To make it easier to cut, I try to roll it up and then chop it.

Next, melt your butter.

 Once your butter is melted, add the flour.

 Stir to create a rue (thickening agent/gravy)

 Once your flour is mixed into the butter, add the milk.

 Next, add your cheese, garlic, and nutmeg.

 Once your sauce is mixed well, add your chopped spinach.

 Then mix your sauce and noodles in a bowl.  Keep the bits of sauce in the pan, then add a little olive oil and the tomatoes.

 Cook for about 5 minutes on medium heat stirring occasionally.  Once the tomatoes start to split, they should be done. 

Finally, make yourself a huge plate and enjoy!  I couldn't wait for leftovers the next day!

Make sure to check out all of my recipes here, and follow me on Twitter and Facebook!

Manic Monday Recipe~ Peanut Butter Rice Krispy Bars~ YUM!!

I don't know why it has taken me so long to post this recipe.  It's such a yummy treat, and you can add chocolate to the top to make them even more scrumptious!  I got this recipe from my in-laws.  It is one of my father-in-law's favorite things to eat, with a big thermos of black coffee!  He helped us finish off our basement in St. Louis, and did many other things around the house to help spruce it up.  So this was what I would make for him every time they came down from Green Bay!  And let me tell you, it's such an easy recipe.  Here goes, hope you love it!

 Ingredients:1 C. Peanut Butter (Skippy is my favorite, and I'm not getting paid to say that!)

1 C. Corn Syrup (I use light to help make it a healthier version, HA)

1 C. Sugar

5-6 C. of Rice Krispies (Just depends on how gooey you want them)

1 bag of Semi-sweet chocolate chips (optional)

Directions:

 In a sauce pan, add the sugar and corn syrup.  Mix and cook on medium heat.

 Let simmer until it is melted together well. 

 Next, add the peanut butter and mix well.  Turn off the heat.

 MMmMmMM...Is it just me or does this look so good you could eat it with a spoon?!

Next, add your peanut butter mixture to your Rice Krispies and mix well.  Then spoon the mixture into a 13 x 9 cake pan and let cool if you can, they are pretty tasty when warm and gooey!

If you'd like to add the chocolate topping, just melt the chips in a double boiler and pour over your cooled treats.  Let harden in a cool area.  If your kitchen is warm, it will be hard for the chocolate to harden.


Make sure to check out all of my other Manic Monday Recipes here, and follow me on Twitter and Facebook!

Manic Monday Recipe~Orzo WIth Red Sauce and Veggies

I wanted to create a recipe that was tasty for everyone in the family, while getting in a serving of veggies!  I also wanted the pieces to be small enough so that my little lady could eat it without me having to cut it up!  She loves the star noodles, so I figured she'd like orzo as well.  So here's what I came up with.

Ingredients

8 oz. Orzo

1 Diced Zucchini 

1 Pound Cooked Ground Turkey (Italian Seasoning)

1 Medium White Onion Chopped 

1 Clove of Garlic Crushed

1 Small bag of Carrots Chopped

15 oz. Can Stewed Tomatoes (chopped)

1 7 oz. Can of Tomato Sauce

1/2 C. Chicken Broth

Directions:

Start by sauteing your garlic and white onions until they turn a golden brown color.  Next, add your ground turkey and cook thoroughly.  Remove from the pan.

Then, add your chopped carrots and zucchini.  Cook for about 3-5 minutes or until they are tender.

 Next, add your can of stewed tomatoes and chicken broth.  Stir well and let simmer for a few minutes.

 Then add your meat and stir.

Next, stir in your tomato sauce. Turn heat to low

 Meanwhile, cook your orzo according to the package.  Be sure to drain quickly, it gets really sticky.

 Once your orzo is cooked and drained, add it to your pan and stir.  Let it sit for a few minutes before serving.  

Enjoy, and check out all of my other Manic Monday Recipes here, and follow me on Twitter and Facebook!

I'm linking up to Skip to my Lou and Melt in My Mouth Monday

Manic Monday Recipe~ German Potato Salad

This is one of those recipes that is great for a side dish at a bbq or family get together.  I don't love mayo, so this is my favorite type of potato salad.  I love the vinegar taste that this potato salad has.  It's a sweet and tangy kind of salad.  Hope you enjoy the recipe!


Ingredients:
1 C. Diced Bacon
1 C. Onion
2 tsp. Salt
3 Tbsp. Flour
2/3 C. Sugar
2/3 C. Vinegar
1 1/2 C. Water
8 C. Cooked Sliced Potatoes


Directions:
Fry bacon and drain.  Dice bacon.  Return 4 Tbsp. fat to skillet, add onion, salt, and flour.  Cook gently.  Next, add water, vinegar and pepper.  Bring to boil.  Pour over potatoes and bacon in a 3 qt casserole dish.  Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.  Another option is to finish by placing the bacon, potatoes, and cooked mixture to a crock pot and cook.


Enjoy, and check out all of my other Manic Monday Recipes here,and follow me on Twitter and Facebook!

Manic Monday Recipe~ Cheesy Potatoes

YUMMO!  This is a recipe that my mom has been making for years.  I'm not sure where she got it, but there are all sorts of recipes out there for cheesy potatoes.  This is our family's recipe, I hope you enjoy it!

Ingredients:

2 lb. frozen hash browns
2 cups of sour cream
½ cup chopped onion
½ cup melted butter
1 can cream of chicken soup

1 can cream of mushroom soup
2 cup shredded cheese
Salt and Pepper to taste

Corn Flake Topping:
2 cups crushed corn flakes (optional)
1/4 C. melted butter      
1.    Let the hash browns thaw a bit before working with them.  Then mix all of the 

       ingredients other than the crushed corn flakes and place in a buttered baking dish.  

       Then if you'd like, mix the corn flakes with the melted butter and add it to the top of   
       the dish.  I  just use extra cheese instead, but my mom uses the corn flakes.  Cover with
       tinfoil.

2.    Bake for 60 minutes at 350 degrees.
3.    Uncover during last 30 minutes.

I would love to hear how yours turns out!  
Enjoy, and check out all of my other Manic Monday Recipes here, and follow me on Twitter and Facebook!

Manic Monday Recipe~ Monkey Bread

This is absolutely one of my family's favorite treats.  My mother-in-law makes it every holiday that we spend together, and we can't get enough of it.  Goofy me forgot to take a picture of the final product, but let's just say it would've made you want to eat the picture!  I will share it next time I make it.


Ingredients:
4 12 oz refrigerated biscuit dough
1 C. White Sugar
1 Tbsp. Ground Cinnamon
1 C. Brown Sugar
1/2 C. Butter (1 stick)
1/2 C. Walnuts (optional)  I omit!
9/10 in. Bundt Pan


Directions:
In a plastic baggie, add the cinnamon and white sugar.  Next, rip each biscuit in thirds or fourths and add to the sugar/cinnamon mixture.  They don't have to be perfect balls. 

 Next, mix the biscuits around so that they are covered in the mixture.  

 Once all of the biscuits are covered, place them in a greased 9 or 10 inch bundt pan.

Next, in a small sauce pan, melt the butter and brown sugar together on medium heat.  It should take between 1-2 minutes.

Once your butter and sugar are melted together, pour the mixture over the top of the biscuits.

Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes.

Once baked, let cool in pan for about 10 minutes.  Then carefully turn over onto a plate. 

Then let the family just pull it apart and gobble it down!

Enjoy!

I would love to hear how yours turns out!  
Enjoy, and check out all of my other Manic Monday Recipes here, and follow me on Twitter and Facebook!

Manic Monday Recipe~ The Yummiest Salsa!

The base of this recipe was created by my brother Michael.  Over the years, I have tweaked it a little to become my go to recipe that I crave!  I used to like just the "juice" of the salsa, but once I began eating this, I don't mind the "chunks!"  What can I say, I am a very picky eater!  Anyway, one important tip, is that you MUST use vine tomatoes.  There is something about them that makes this salsa super good.  I have tried using your standard garden tomatoes and it just isn't the same.  Without further adieu, here's the recipe!  I'll add pics next time I make it!


Ingredients:
6 Vine Tomatoes
1 Medium Red Onion
1 Can Black Beans
1 Small Can of Chopped Black Olives
3-4 Tbsp. Lemon Juice
3-4 Tbsp. Lime Juice
4 Tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 Clove of Garlic chopped
Fresh Cilantro Chopped
Pepper to Taste
1 Tbsp. Kosher Salt (salt to taste)
1-2 chopped jalapenos (optional)
(This recipe makes the best salsa with fresh ingredients, however it is still delicious if you use dried cilantro, lemon/lime juice from a bottle etc.)


Directions:
Chop the tomatoes into small pieces (clean out the center and seeds).  Next chop the onion. Add these two together in a large mixing bowl.  
Drain and rinse the black beans, then add to the bowl.
Add the lemon and lime juice along with the olive oil, garlic, cilantro, salt, pepper, jalapenos, and black olives.  
Mix ingredients together and chill for at least an hour.  


I would love to hear how yours turns out!  
Enjoy, and check out all of my other Manic Monday Recipes here, and follow me on Twitter and Facebook!

Manic Monday Recipe~ Taco Bean Dip

I love this recipe, it has been shared among my family for as long as I can remember.  SO YUMMY!  It's a great appetizer to bring to parties.

Ingredients:
1 can refried beans
1lb. ground beef or turkey
1 medium onion, chopped
1/2 pkg Taco seasoning
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 cup taco sauce
1 can chopped black olives
1 cup sour cream

Directions:
In a frying pan, fry up the chopped onions.  Then add the beef, salt, and pepper, and brown until cooked.  In a crock pot or regular pot, add the beans, sour cream, cheese and warm.   Next, add the beef, taco seasoning and taco sauce.  Serve warm with chips.

Enjoy, and check out all of my other Manic Monday Recipes here!