Crock Pot Scalloped Potatoes

I like scalloped potatoes, but I don't make them too often. These are a nice way to have them and not have to worry about getting them in the oven on time. These only take about 15 minutes {If that} to prepare and then you can set the crock pot and go on with your day.

Crock Pot Scalloped Potatoes

1 cup sour cream

1 can condensed cream of potato soup

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

3 pounds red potatoes

1 1/5 cups shredded cheddar cheese

chives to taste

Thinly slice potatoes and set aside in large bowl. In separate bowl, Mix sour cream, can of soup and worcestershire sauce together.Pour cream mixture over potatoes and mix well till all potatoes are evenly coated.  

Spoon half of potatoes into sprayed crock pot and sprinkle cheese and chives over top. Repeat till potatoes are all used, having top of layers ending with cheese and chives. With 1 batch I get about 2-3 layers. 

Cook on high for 4 1/5 hours or on low for 7 hours. Cook till potatoes are tender.

Two Ingredient Strawberry Cake

This is one of the best ways to make a cake. I have only used this method on Strawberry and Lemon. But give it a try on any other flavor. The cake ends up being so light, fluffy and super moist.  For my daughters 6th birthday, she wanted a Strawberry Cake. But she wanted it to have a Strawberry Cream Filling. So, that is just what I did for the sweet birthday girl. It was a hit and everyone loved it.

Two Ingredient Strawberry Cake 

1 strawberry cake box mix

12 oz diet 7-up

Combine both ingredients together in a bowl. Mix till well blended. Pour batter in desired cake pans that are sprayed with cooking spray. Bake as directed on cake box. Let cake cool completely and frost with desired frosting. 

Strawberry Cream Filling

Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

1 jar strawberry jam ~ I used one of my homemade ones, but store bought is just fine. 

 

make a batch of the Vanilla Buttercream Frosting (below). Divide the frosting in half. In one bowl add in strawberry jam to half of frosting. Mix well. Refrigerate both bowls of frosting for about 30 minutes. Then frost cakes to liking.

Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

8 tablespoons {1 stick} ~ room temperature

3 3/4 cup powdered sugar ~ sifted

2 tablespoons milk or cream

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

 

Place butter in large mixing bowl. Beat until light and fluffy, about 30 seconds. Stop mixer and add powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons milk/cream and vanilla extract. Beat frosting on low and slowly increasing speed until frosting is nice and creamy. Add more milk/cream slowly if frosting is too thick.

Spaghetti Sauce

All though homemade spaghetti sauce is by far better than store bought, sometimes store bought is the only option at the time or all that is in food storage. But, don't worry. There are a few little things you can do to "spice" up a simple store bought spaghetti sauce. Here are things that I have done in the past.  Sometimes it even tastes a little like homemade after adding everything.

Add~
 A can of diced tomatoes.
Sprinkle in some seasonings that sound good at the time. 
 -Oregano
 -Basil
 -Italian Seasoning, Etc.
Some freshly chopped red, yellow, or green peppers.
Thinly sliced zucchini or any other squashes.
Some freshly chopped mushrooms.
Chopped or sliced black olives.

Hopefully that gives you some ideas on things you can add in.  Once you have your extras added to your sauce, be sure to heat it through at a slow and steady temperature. You don't want it to boil and you don't want it to heat so fast it pops everywhere.

Ranch Chicken & Broccoli Foil Dinner

I love Tin Foil Dinners in the summer. We have a fire pit in our back yard and are always roasting marshmallows, tin foil dinners, cooking hot dogs, enjoying woof-ums, etc. But since winter doesn't allow that as much, ya have to do what with ya can. These are so filling and full of flavor.

Ranch Chicken & Broccoli Foil Dinners

1 package chicken-flavored stuffing mix
1 1/4 cup water
4 6-ounce boneless skinless chicken breasts ~ cut into bite size or halved.
4 cups fresh broccoli florets
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
real bacon bits
4 tablespoons ranch dressing

salt & pepper to taste

Spray 4-6 sheets of heavy-duty aluminum foil with cooking spray.  Combine stuffing and water. Spoon about 1/4 of the stuffing mixture onto the center of each foil sheet.  Top stuffing in each packet with chicken, season with salt and pepper, then add 1 cup of broccoli. Sprinkle with about 1/4 cup of the cheese and bacon, then drizzle with 1 tablespoon of ranch dressing. Repeat with all packets.

Bring up foil sides and fold to seal, leaving room for heat circulation inside.  Place packets on a cookie sheet and bake at 400 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes, till chicken is fully cooked. Remove packets and let stand 5 minutes.  

Oven Baked Frito Pie

If ya are in a need of a quick meal that ya can throw together, this is one of those. Left overs are also good in a tortilla wrapped up. {sorry picture got deleted off of camera before uploading to computer}

Oven Baked Frito Pie 

1 pound ground beef

1 can {16 oz.} chili beans 

1 can {8 oz.} tomato sauce

1 can {15 oz.} diced tomatoes

taco seasoning

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

3 1/2 cups Frito corn chips

1 1/4 cup sour cream

Cook ground beef until meat is browned, drain drippings. Add chili beans, tomato sauce, taco seasoning and 1/4 cup cheese to cooked ground beef. Mix well. In a greased 9x13 dish, sprinkle about 1 cup of Frito chips on bottom of dish. Cover with meat mixture. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Remove dish from over and spread sour cream over top of dish. Add remaining chips and cheese to top. Bake for another 5-10 minutes longer. 

Taco Cups

These are a good meal to try. These can be made by recipe or you can modify them to personal liking. They are a different spin on tacos. Plus people think you spent tons of time doing them {Which is not the case}

Taco Cups

1 pound ground beef

1 packet taco seasoning

3/4 cup black beans ~ drained

3/4 cup pinto beans ~ drained

corn tortillas ~ small 

medium queso dip 

chunky salsa

shredded cheese

sour cream for garnish 

Cook ground beef till fully done. Drain drippings and add taco seasoning to meat. Mix till well blended. Add in black and pinto beans. Heat through and set aside. Warm up corn tortillas for about 10 seconds, just so they are more bendable and don't rip. Push 1 tortilla at a time into a lightly greased muffin cup. Put one school full of queso dip in bottom of tortilla. Then top with spoonful of meat mixture. Then add spoonful of salsa and top with a little shredded cheese. Repeat steps to all cups.

Bake at 375 degrees for 10-15 minutes, till tortillas are a little crispy. Once removed from over and getting ready to serve, top with a little sour cream. You can even sprinkle a few chives on top to give a little pop of green.

Fruit Kabobs

Simple, Quick, Yummy and Variety.

My kids love to make these, especially in the summer. We just use a variety of fruits that we like {or have at the time}, give everyone a couple skewers and we all have fun making our own little treat. It is always fun to have them helping and they love that they got to create apart of the meal. You can also use vegetable slices and have a tray with dip on it. Also fun for during the summer. I am pretty sure we all know how to do these.

Fruit Kabobs

Wood Skewers

Variety of fruit

Slide fruit pieces onto skewer in any order and Enjoy!