Crockpot Stacked Enchiladas

CROCKPOT STACKED ENCHILADAS

(luckymommyto2boys ~ Amy)

1 (14 ounce) package taco-size corn or flour tortillas
3 cups shredded cooked chicken or cooked pot roast
1 (20 ounce) can red enchilada sauce
1 teaspoon cumin
1 ½ cups light cream cheese
1 (4 oz) can green chilies
1 onion, chopped fine
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 can refried beans
1 can sliced black olives (optional)

Mix cooked meat, cumin, cream cheese, green chilies, and onion together.
Spray inside of crock pot with nonstick spray, then pour a little enchilada sauce on the bottom.
Place one tortilla in the bottom of the pot.
Spread 1/4 of the beans on the tortilla.
Cover with 1/4 of the meat mixture.
Pour 1/5 enchilada sauce on top of meat.
Sprinkle some cheese on top of sauce.
Add another tortilla and continue layering until you run out of meat mixture.
You should still have some cheese and sauce left.
Top with a tortilla, then pour remaining enchilada sauce over all.
Cook on HIGH for 4 hours.
When it's done, sprinkle remaining cheese (and black olives, if desired) on top, and replace lid until cheese melts.
Cut into wedges with plastic spatula to serve.

English Muffins

English Muffins

(from cookiemaddness blog)
1 cup reduced fat milk
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt (divided use)
1 tablespoon shortening
1 envelope dry yeast
1/8 teaspoon sugar
1/3 cup water
2 cups of flour (9 oz)
Heat milk in a microwave-safe measuring cup just until it boils. Add sugar and 1/2 teaspoon of salt and stir to dissolve. Stir in shortening and let cool to about 120 degrees F.
In a separate bowl or measuring cup, combine the yeast and 1/3 cup of warm (115 degree) water. Let rest until yeast bubbles (proof).
In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, yeast mixture and milk mixture. Beat thoroughly with wooden spoon. Cover the bowl and let it rest in for 30 minutes in a warm place.
Preheat a lidded sauté pan or skillet to 300 degrees (on my stove, it was low). A pan with non-stick surface won’t cook the bottom quite so much, but if all you have is a regular metal bottom pan, you can use that. I didn’t grease either pan.
Add the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of salt to flour and beat thoroughly. Place metal (or homemade foil) rings onto the skillet.
Using a heaping 1/3 cup or a little less than ½ cup measure, spoon dough into rings, cover skillet cook for 5 to 6 minutes. Remove the lid and turn rings using spatula (Alton used tongs). Cover with the lid and cook for another 5 to 6 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on a rack. Remove rings and cool. Split with fork and serve.
Note: Make your own rings using non-stick foil or greased regular foil. Take a sheet an 11 by 11 inch sheet of foil and foil it over twice or just mold it until you have a stick that’s about 1 ½ inches high by 11 inches. Fold it into a 3 inch (ish) ring. Secure it with another little strip of foil wrapped around where the ends come together.

Cinnamon Raisin English Muffins

Cinnamon Raisin English Muffins

(from baking bites blog)
1/3 cup water, warm (110F)
1 tbsp sugar
2 1/2 tsp active dry yeast
1 cup nonfat milk, slightly warm (100-110F)
3/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
2 cups all purpose flour
1/3 cup raisins

In a large bowl, whisk together water, sugar and yeast and let mixture stand for 10 minutes, until slightly foamy.
Using a wooden spoon, stir in remaining ingredients except the raisins and mix until smooth. Once the batter comes together, stir in the raisins.
Cover with plastic wrap and set aside for 45 minutes to relax and rise.

Heat a griddle/nonstick frying pan over medium/medium-high heat (water dropped on the griddle evaporates very quickly). Lightly grease with cooking spray if not using a nonstick pan.
Drop dough by 1/4 cupfuls onto greased surface and cook until medium brown on the bottom. The top will look set and the sides will appear somewhat dry. The exact time depends on the temperature of your griddle and the size of your muffins, but expect this to take several minutes. Flip over and cook 2nd side until brown.
Cool on wire rack for at least 15 minutes or until completely cool.
When ready to serve, split muffins with a fork and toast.

Makes about 10 muffins.

Cheesy Baked Meatballs

Cheesy Baked Meatballs

Silje (Mamma.til.1.barn)

Simply boil or steam a head of cauliflower until soft.

Puree and add milk or boiled liquid to thin it out until it resembles a bechamel sauce. Heat until steaming and remove from heat. Add 1 cup of sharp grated cheddar and stir til melted.

Bake meatballs (cooked ones) in sauce topped with grated parmesan until golden and bubbly! Serve with pasta!

Baked Peruvian Quinoa and Cheese

Baked Peruvian Quinoa and Cheese, Ness413 via vegetariantimes.com

· 2 tsp. olive oil

· 1 medium leek, white and pale green parts halved and sliced (1 cup)

· 1/2 cup diced red bell pepper

· 1/2 cup diced green bell pepper

· 1 1/2 cups quinoa, rinsed and drained

· 2 cloves garlic, minced (2 tsp.)

· 2 large eggs

· 1 cup nonfat milk

· 1 1/2 cups grated Cheddar cheese (4 oz.), plus more for sprinkling, optional

1. Heat oil in medium saucepan over medium heat. Add leek and bell peppers; cover, and cook 5 minutes, or until tender. Stir in quinoa and garlic, and cook, uncovered, 3 to 4 minutes, or until quinoa grains turn opaque.

2. Add 3 cups water, and season with salt. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 3 to 4 minutes more, or until most liquid has been absorbed. Remove from heat, and let stand 5 minutes.

3. Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat 13- x 9-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Whisk together eggs and milk in large bowl. Fold in quinoa mixture and cheese. Transfer to prepared baking dish, and bake 30 to 35 minutes, or until browned around the edges and on top.

Mandy - yeah, the cooking time was way off in the recipe, should have mentioned that. I probably simmered the quinoa for 15 min or so before baking. My stomach is a little settled now and when DH had the leftovers last night, it didn't smell so bad. I think if I make it again, I'd somehow want it to be creamier ala mac n cheese. Maybe omit the eggs and make a bechamel sauce from the milk with a little flour and the cheese. Then combine and bake. We'll see. Glad you liked it. I was thinking it needed a little more flavor, maybe some chili powder or something. DH topped his with some sour cream and loved it.

Italian Wedding Soup

ITALIAN WEDDING SOUP
Grace (TigMode)

* 1/2 pound extra lean ground beef
* 1 egg, slightly beaten
* 2 tablespoons fine dry bread crumbs
* 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
* 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
* 5 3/4 cups chicken broth
* 2 cups thinly sliced escarole (spinach will work in a pinch)
* 1/2 cup orzo macaroni, uncooked (sometimes I use dittalini or tubetini)
* 1/3 cup finely chopped carrot
* grated Parmesan cheese

(1) In medium bowl, combine meat, egg, bread crumbs, cheese, basil, and onion powder; shape into 3/4-inch balls.
(2) In large saucepan, heat broth to boiling; stir in escarole or spinach, pasta, carrot, and meatballs. Return to boil; reduce heat to medium. Cook at slow boil for 10 minutes or until pasta is tender to bite. Stir frequently to prevent sticking. Serve with additional grated Parmesan cheese sprinkled on top.

Grandma's Granola

Grandma's Granola- Bex mentioned this recipe on her FB page, and it looked awesome, so I gave it a try. WOW it's good! I really love all the addition of the oat bran, wheat germ and flax. You can't even tell it's in there. The only changes I made was I used 1/4C maple syrup and 1/4C honey, since we were low on maple syrup. I also used flax meal, rather than flax seed. Once it was baked I threw in some unsalted roasted sunflower seeds, golden raisins and dried cherries.

Grandma's Granola
Astrid~Lunches Fit for a Kid

4 c rolled oats
1/2 c wheat germ
1/2 c oat bran
1 c shredded coconut
1/2 c dry milk
1/4 c ground flax seeds
1 c slivered almonds
1/2 c maple syrup (real only please. If you only have the fake stuff, just use honey)
1/4 c oil
1 1/2 c dried fruit (I used King Arthur Flour Fruitcake Fruits: dried apricots, raisins, pineapple, dates, and cranberries)

In a very large bowl, combine the dry ingredients, except for the dried fruit. Mix well. In a separate bowl, whisk together the oil and maple syrup. Pour over the dry mixture in the bowl, stirring and tossing till everything is very well combined.

Spread granola on a couple of large lightly greased baking sheets; a half-sheet pan is ideal. (I used four 11x13" baking pans) Bake in a preheated 250°F oven for about 45-60 minutes, stirring the mixture with a heatproof spatula, spoonula, or turner every 15 minutes or so.

Watch it carefully so it doesn't burn!!! If it looks toasted and smells good, it's pretty much done. Burning granola is a very very sad thing.

When the granola is a light–to–medium golden brown, remove it from the oven and cool completely on the pans. Transfer the granola to a large bowl, and mix in the dried fruit.

Store in a tightly closed container at room temperature for several weeks; freeze for extended storage