Green bean tater tot casserole

If you are a fan of 19 kids and counting or even if you aren't you may have heard of The Duggar's tater tot casserole. I have never made their casserole but my family has been making our own version of a tutor casserole for generations. 

You will need:

2 pounds of ground beef (cooked)

3 cans of green beans

2 cans of cheddar cheese soup

Tater tots

Preheat oven to 350

After cooking the beef place it in the bottom of a 9x13 pan. Top the beef with all the green beans.

Top the beans with the cheddar cheese soup.

Now time to top with tater tots. Then bake for 45 min at 350.

I don't have a post naked picture because I put this in the oven before leaving on a date night with wonderful husband. My father baby sat all three kids for us and when we returned home the kids and him finished the whole pan!!!!! This is my go to casserole if we have a busy day and I know I won't have a lot of time to be in the kitchen.

Chicken salad

I made a late night trip to the grocery last night because I received a mini put maker and wanted to try it out. But that is for another post. While at the store I noticed that they had rotisserie chicken for $3 because the store was closed sing soon. I figured this was a great time to make some chicken salad for lunch the today. This is my favorite chicken salad recipe.

My daughter shredded the chicken for me. She did a great job.

You will need:

4-5 cups of cooked chicken cut or shredded

1-1/2 cups mayonnaise (I use miracle whip)

3 stalks of celery chopped

1 tablespoon horseradish 

1/4 cup chopped parsley

2 teaspoons dill weed

Dash of salt and pepper

Mix all ingredients together and enjoy

French onion soup

I am not going to lie this recipie is probably going to make you cry. It is so so worth every tear though.

You will need:

6 white onions

64 oz beef broth

1 stick of butter

Garlic

Salt and pepper

Bread (most recipes use French but I use Asiago, you can use whichever bread you like)

Provolone cheese

First you will need to slice the onions thinly. This is the part that makes me cry everyte. I usually step out of the kitchen for a minute after every onion. 

Look at all those onions.

Then melt your butter in your pot. Add onions and cook until tender. Do not brown onions. Add garlic I use about 2 cloves or a heaping tablespoon. And a little salt and pepper. Stir in beef broth and simmer for 30 min.

To finish soup heat you broiler. Pour soup into bowls. To make it easier to get the soup out of the oven I place the bowls on a cookie sheet. Top the soup with bread and then place a slice of cheese on top of the bread. Place under broiler for about 4 min. Or until cheese is melted and starting to slightly brown.  Be careful the bowls will be hot. 

Copy Cat Starbucks Passion Tea Lemonade

Starbucks Passion Tea Lemonade is one of my favorite treats. I love making it at home and great to make a big pitcher of at a summer bbq.

You will need:

Water

Tazo Passion tea

Simply lemonade

Sugar(optional)

Vanilla (optional)

The key is Tazo Passion tea.  First boil 1 cup of water for every tea bag you use. I used 8 bags this time because the whole family loves it.

Leave the bags in for around 10 min and then cool the tea. While that cools you can make a simple syrup if you prefer your tea sweet. I have a huge seer tooth so this is a must for me. 

Simple syrup:

Boil equal parts water and sugar. I use 1 cup of each. Once the mix comes to a boil and the sugar is dissolved remove from heat and 1/2 tsp of vanilla.

Once every this is cool you can put ice in your glass and then fill 1/2 to 3/4 full with tea depending on your taste. Add lemonade until it is almost full. Leave enough room for the syrup I add about a tablespoon but you can add as little or as much as you like. Stir and enjoy.

Anise Almond Bread

This is one of my favorite breads. I make when we are having any type of soup or guest come over. I make this in a bread machine but if you don't have one don't worry I will post directions on how to convert the recipe to oven baking.

You will need:

3/4 cup warm water

1 egg

1/4 cup softened butter

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoons salt

3 cups bread flour

1 teaspoon anise seeds

2 teaspoons dry active yeast

1/2 cup chopped almonds

Put ingredients in your bread machine according to your machine manufacturers directions. Mine and most bread machine is wet ingredients first then dry and yeast on top. Set it to the 2 lbs loaf and lightest crust. And let the machine do its work.

2 things I want to mention you need bread flour or this recipie. This gives the bread the light chewie texture.

Also as you can see from the top picture I used sliced almonds and the crushed them up. This works well but isn't any better then chopped almonds. I just got this giant bag of sliced almond from my grandmother as a present. (Strange present I know but I love it)

Oven baked:

First mix warm water, salt, sugar and yeast. Let this sit for 5 min. 

Mix dry ingredients together and then add butter, egg and water mixture.

After the dough is mixed together you will need to knead the dough either by hand or with and electric kneading hook for 10 min. 

Place the dough in a greased bowl and allow to rise for 30-45 min. Punch down  and then place in a greased loaf pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 min.

Church windows

These didn't turn out as pretty as usual because my kids are some of the marshmallows before we made them and we were rushed so we melted the marshmallows a little but they are still delicious. 

You will need:

1 stick of butter

1-16 oz bag milk chocolate chips

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup chopped walnuts

16 oz mini colored marshmallows (I only had about 11 oz)

Shaved coconut (I don't use, my kids don't like)

Melt butter in sauce pan then add chocolate. Stir until melted and smooth and then remove from heat. Mix in vanilla and walnuts. Stir in marshmallows until covered in chocolate. This does not look yummy but trust me it will be.

Lay some plastic wrap on the counter and pour mix onto it forming a log shape. Then roll it up in plastic wrap in the log shape.

It should look something like this. Then place in the fridge for at least an hour or until it hardens. Take out of fridge and remove plastic wrap. With a shap knife slice it in 1/2 inch slices and enjoy.

Churro Waffels

These little Waffels are so addictive. The kids wanted Churros this morning so I made Churros into Waffels.

First mix together the dry ingredients:

1 teaspoon salt

4 teaspoons baking powder

2 tablespoons sugar

2 cups of flour

Then in a separate bowl mix the wet ingredients:

2 eggs

1 1/2 cups of warm milk

1/3 cup melted butter

1 teaspoon vanilla

And a pinch of cinnamon

Mix the wet into the dry until smooth

Then hear your waffel iron. While the waffel iron is heating you can prepare the topping.

1 cup of sugar mixed with 1/4 cup of cinnamon and then melt 1 stick of butter to brush onto the Waffels to get sugar mix to stick.

Then it time to make the Waffels. I use about 1/3 cup of batter for each waffel but all Waffels irons are not the same so do what feels right for your iron.

When Waffels are golden brown remove from iron and then immediately brush with the melted butter and then sprinkle with the cinnamon and sugar mixture.

Now you can eat them just like this or you can top with maple syrup. I love some hot maple syrup so I made a fresh batch just for the Waffels.

All you need for the syrup is:

2 cups of sugar

1 cup of water

And 1/2 teaspoon maple extract or flavor

Mix sugar and water in saucepan. Heat them to a boil as soon as it starts a good boil remove from heat and stir in maple flavor. 

Super easy and so yummy.

Crock pot chicken

LI learned today that not everyone know about the joys of cooking a whole chicken in a slow cooker. This is one of my favorite methods of cooking chicken and my family feels like they are getting a huge treat.

All you need is:

A whole fryer chicken

A slow cooker

And seasoning of chose (I use Lawry's salt and garlic powder but any seasoning you like will work)

Just place chicken in slow cooker and sprinkle on seasoning and allow to cook 6-8 hours on low or 4 hours on high.  You do not need to add any water or broth, the natural juice of the chicken will do the work for you. The chicken will just fall off the bone.

Mine came out on 4 pieces it was so juicy and tender. And the best part (in my opinion) is all the juices left in the cooker make great gravy.

Yum gravy. Which is just the dripping and juices from the cooker with corn starch whisked in until desired thickness. I also seasoned with a little Lawry's salt.

I made some mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, and some homemade bread. 

After years.....

I am back again. I went through some health issues that had to take a front seat   For awhile. But I am back in good health and 40 pounds lighter. I still have a lot to do to get my life back in order but I am off to a running start. My health is better but my house looks like an episode of hoarders. I am going to try to keep up and blog while I also work on getting this house clean. I have some great new recipes to share so keep your eye out.