Cinnamon Caramel Popcorn

(I got this recipe from my sister-in-law, Carillisa, who got it off a blog called "ourbestbites.com". )

12 C. popped popcorn
1 C. roughly chopped pecans
1 C. brown sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. salt
1 stick of butter
1/4 C. corn syrup
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. vanilla

1. Mix popcorn and pecans in a very large bowl.

2. In a microwave safe bowl mix brown sugar, cinnamon and salt. Cut the butter into chunks and place on top of sugar. Pour corn syrup over the top and microwave for 30 seconds. Stir and go another 30 seconds or until the butter melts. After butter has been melted and stirred into mixture, microwave again for 2 or 3 minutes. You want the caramel to bubble and the sugar to dissolve. At this point you think it still needs a bit more time, only go for 30 seconds longer before checking it again. If you cook this too long it will turn to hard ball stage and you don't want that.

3. Add baking soda and vanilla. Stir until foamy, then pour over popcorn and nuts. Stir and stir and stir until the popcorn is well covered in caramel goodness.

4. Lay out on a cookie sheet and bake for 30 minutes on 250 degrees, stirring every ten minutes. The popcorn should have a nice crunch to it when you are finished. If it doesn't...cook it a bit longer.

5. Once popcorn is crunchy, drizzle with melted white chocolate. Let chocolate harden (the freezer is a great speed method) and break into pieces. Now, try not to eat the whole bowl in one sit down...good luck!

The Great Crock Pot Menu Plan!

I've seen this done on other people's blogs and wanted to try it out myself.  The idea is to make A LOT of meals all at once, freeze them, and then have dinners made ahead of time for quite awhile.  Most of the meals used are crock pot meals.  Here are the meals I decided on making:

Healthy Mama's BBQ Chicken
Teriyaki Chicken
Chicken Tortilla Soup
Bean Stew
Italian Chicken
Chicken Noodle Soup
Cheesy Chicken
Mexican Dip
B's Beef Roast
B's Meatloaf


After I decided what meals I wanted to make I made a Shopping List of all the ingredients the meals call for.  (Click on the link for my shopping list.)  I wouldn't count on the prices being the same as what you would spend, because after I made my list I went through my house and only bought things I didn't have on hand.  I also didn't go to a lot of trouble to find things on sale (I just went to Costco and Maceys), so depending on what you have on hand and how good you are at finding sales you could make it cheaper than I did.

I ended up buying enough ingredients for 22 meals.  My total cost was $173.16!  Not bad for nearly a month's worth of dinners for a family of 5!

Just about all the ingredients.

Many hours later...
(potatoes weren't looking so good after being exposed for so long, but they're fine to eat)

Many, many hours later... I was done!!!
I hope all this work pays off for this next month!  

Chicken Tortilla Soup

1 pound shredded, cooked chicken
1 (15 ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes, mashed
1 (10 ounce) can enchilada sauce
1 medium onion, chopped
1 (4 ounce) can chopped green chile peppers
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 bay leaf
1 (10 ounce) package frozen corn
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
7 corn tortillas
vegetable oil

 
Combine all ingredients into a Ziploc bag. Freeze. Thaw and put into a slow cooker add 2 cups water and one 14 oz can of chicken broth. Cover, and cook on Low setting for 6 to 8 hours or on High setting for 3 to 4 hours.

Serve with:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
Lightly brush both sides of tortillas with oil. Cut tortillas into strips, then spread on a baking sheet.
Bake in preheated oven until crisp, about 10 to 15 minutes. To serve, sprinkle tortilla strips over soup. 

Serves approx. 5-6 people.

Bean Stew

6 cups chicken broth or vegetable broth (add when putting in crock pot)
1 cup dry beans, picked over and rinsed
2 medium carrots, peeled and finely diced
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 celery stalks, finely diced
3 tablespoons uncooked white rice
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1 teaspoon herbes de Provence or dried thyme
½ teaspoon salt
1/8teaspoon ground white or black pepper


Combine ingredients in a gallon zip lock bag (minus the broth). Freeze. Thaw, add broth and bag to slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours or on high for 4 to 5 hours. Serves 4-5 people.

Crock Pot Chicken Noodle Soup

Ingredients

5 c chicken broth

1 - 10.75 oz can cream of chicken soup

1/2 c onions, chopped fine

1/2 c celery, chopped fine

1/2 c carrots, chopped fine

1/2 c gr onions, sliced

1 - 15 oz can of whole kernel corn, drained

salt and pepper to taste

1 & 1/2 c egg noodles

2 c cooked chicken, chopped

Directions

Add everything to the crock pot, except for the noodles and cooked chicken.  Cook on Low for 5-6 hours.  The last hour turn on High and add the noodles and chicken.

Zucchini Bread

INGREDIENTS
2 C un-peeled, shredded zucchini
3 C flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp baking powder
2 C sugar
1 tsp cinnamon

3 eggs, beaten
1/2 C sour cream
1 C oil
1 tsp vanilla

1 C chopped walnuts


DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Shred zucchini.
3. Whisk together the dry ingredients.
4. In another bowl, mix the eggs, sour cream, oil, and vanilla.
5. Combine the wet and dry ingredients until just blended.
6. Stir in zucchini and nuts.
7. Spray 2 regular loaf pans with Pam, pour in the batter.
8. Bake 45-50 minutes or until done (when a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean.)

Cinnamon Roll Pumpkin Vanilla Sheet Cake

1 box yellow cake mix
4 eggs
1/2 c canola or vegetable oil
1/2 c milk or buttermilk
3.4 oz box Vanilla Instant Pudding Mix
1/2 c sour cream
15 oz can pumpkin
1 stick (8 Tbsp) unsalted butter
3/4 cup light brown sugar
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
3/4 c powdered sugar
1/4-1/2 c heavy cream (start w/ 1/4 c and add a little more cream if needed)



1. Preheat oven to 350 and spray a jelly roll pan with non stick cooking spray.
2. Place cake mix, eggs, oil, milk, pudding, sour cream, and pumpkin into a stand or electric mixer, beating until well combined, about 1 & 1/2 minutes.  Pour into prepared pan, spreading evenly.
3. Place butter into a microwave safe bowl and melt, about 30-40 sec.  Add brown sugar and cinnamon to bowl, mixing until combined.  Drizzle mixture evenly over cake then take a knife and run it through to swirl.
4. Bake cake for 30-35 minutes, until cooked through and remove.  Place powdered sugar and cream into a large bowl and mix until creamy and smooth.  Drizzle over warm cake then let cool for 20 min before cutting into squares.  Refrigerate if not serving same day.

Makes 16-20 squares.

Mini Monkey Bread

This recipe is delicious and really easy!
I found it here -> http://rhodesbread.com/recipes/print_recipe/2097

Ingredients:

12 Rhodes™ Dinner rolls, thawed but still cold
6 tablespoons butter, melted
2 tablespoons corn syrup
½ cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon

Icing:
1 cup powdered sugar
1 tablespoon butter, melted
1-2 tablespoons milk
½ teaspoon vanilla

Directions:

Cut each dinner roll into 6 equal pieces. In a bowl, combine butter and corn syrup and stir until well mixed. In another bowl, combine sugar and cinnamon and mix well. Dip 6 roll pieces at a time in the butter mixture and then in the sugar mixture. 

 Place 6 pieces in each well sprayed cup of a 12 cup muffin tin. Repeat with remaining roll pieces.  Cover with sprayed plastic wrap and let double in size. 

Remove wrap and bake at 350°F 15-20 minutes.  Cool 3-4 minutes before removing from pan. 

Combine icing ingredients and mix well. Drizzle over monkey breads.  Now, try to eat just one!

Ham Broccoli and Potato Chowder

1/2 to 1 lb. ham, 1/4-inch cubes
1/4 cup butter
2 cups half and half
3 cloves fresh garlic, minced
1 large or 2 medium onions
1 leek, minced (optional)
1 32 oz box chicken or vegetable broth
pinch each of thyme and sage
1 bay leaf
1/4 tsp. each onion and garlic powder
3 tablespoons flour or 2 tablespoons Wondra
1/4 tsp. pepper (white preferred)
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 lb. shredded Swiss or Cheddar cheese (optional)
2 large potatoes, peeled, 1/2-inch cubes
1 10 oz. pkg shoe-peg frozen corn (thawed)
1 10 oz. pkg chopped frozen broccoli (thawed)
a pinch of salt, to taste




1. In a large soup pot, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter. Sauté onion until light browned and translucent.


2. Add ham cubes and minced leek, if using. Stir over high heat for several minutes. Add garlic and saute over medium heat for another minute or two. Add a pinch of thyme and sage (a little goes a long way).



3. Stir in chicken or vegetable broth. Add potatoes cut into 1/2-inch cubes. Add bay leaf. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to a simmer.


4. While stirring with a whisk, sprinkle in flour, stirring until smooth. Add garlic and onion powder. Simmer for 15 minutes.


5. Stir in thawed broccoli and corn. Continue to cook over low heat until all vegetables are tender.


6. Combine sour cream and half and half. Simmer until heated through; add remaining butter. Sprinkle in cheese (optional) and simmer, stirring until cheese has melted (just a few minutes). Season to taste with salt and pepper.


7. Remove bay leaf. Serve with buttered biscuits or chowder crackers.

French Toast Bake

A delicious way to eat french toast all together, instead of standing at the griddle while others eat!  This recipe can be made the night before to save you even more time when it's time to eat.  Richard described it as a perfect texture blend between french toast and german pancakes; soft, but not mushy, with a nice crispness on top, bottom, and on along the edges where the crust is.  Yum!

Ingredients:

1/2 cup melted butter (1 stick)

1 cup brown sugar

1 loaf Texas toast

4 eggs

1 1/2 cup milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

Powdered sugar for sprinkling

Nutmeg for sprinkling

Cinnamon for sprinkling

Directions:

1. Melt butter in microwave & add brown sugar....stir till mixed.

2. Pour butter/sugar mix into bottom of 9 x 13 pan....spread around

3. Beat eggs, milk, & vanilla

4. Lay single layer of Texas Toast in pan

5. Spoon 1/2 of egg mixture on bread layer

6. Sprinkle nutmeg & cinnamon on bread layer 

7. Add 2nd layer of Texas Toast

8. Spoon on remaining egg mixture

9. Sprinkle nutmeg & cinnamon on 2nd layer of bread 

10. Cover & chill in fridge overnight

11. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes

12. Sprinkle with powdered sugar

13. Serve warm (with or without syrup)

Sunset Blend Juice

1 large Sweet Potato
1 medium Carrot
1 Red Bell Pepper
2 large Red Beets
2 Golden Delicious Apples
1 Orange

Calories: 436
Protein: 9 g
Fiber: 2 g

Great Green Fruit Blend

2 cups Beet Greens, Red Swiss Chard, Kale, Spinach or a combination, roughly chopped
and packed into the measuring cup
1 Banana
1 Golden Delicious Apple
1/2 Comice Pear
10 Strawberries, green tops cut off
1 cup Coconut Water

Make sure to set the blender on the liquefy setting for this recipe.

Calories: 337
Protein: 9 g
Fiber: 18 g

Crock Pot BBQ Chicken

3 lbs boneless chicken breasts

1 (18 oz) bottle Jack Daniels BBQ sauce (don't worry, it's nonalcoholic!) 

1/2 cup Zesty Italian Dressing

1/4 cup brown sugar

2 Tbsp worchestershire sauce

Place chicken in the crock pot.  In a bowl mix BBQ sauce, Italian Dressing, brown sugar and Worchestershire sauce.  Pour over chicken.  Cover and cook 6-8 hours on LOW.  Shred chicken.  Either serve over brown rice or on buns.

Ashed-Mashed Potatoes

This recipe is not exact.  Eyeball the ingredients until it has the right consistency.


8 c potatoes
4 Tbsp salt
1 stick butter
10 cloves garlic
1 & 1/2 c cream
1 & 1/2 c milk
1/4 c parsley


Peel the potatoes or wash them and leave the peel on if you'd like skin in the mashed potatoes.  Cut potatoes into bite-sized pieces.  Boil in large pot (water should be as salty as salt-water) until potatoes are very soft and easy to mush.

In saucepan melt butter with garlic.  Add cream and milk until simmering, and then add parsley.

Mash the potatoes until smooth.  Add the liquid a little at a time until you reach the right consistency, adding a little cream and milk if it needs more.

B's Meatloaf

1 lb hamburger
1 c oatmeal
2 eggs
1/2 onion
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp oregano
1/2 c cheese
dash marjoram
dash thyme
1 (8 oz) tomato sauce
1 tsp sugar

Sauce:
3 Tbsp mustard
3 Tbsp ketchup
1/2 c brown sugar


Combine all ingredients and put in baking dish.  Bake at 375 for 45 minutes.  In bowl combine 1/2 c brown sugar, 3 Tbsp ketchup, 3 Tbsp mustard.  Mix well and put on meatloaf, bake 15 more minutes.

Sugar Cookies

1/2 c butter
1 c white sugar
1 egg
1/2 c sour cream
1 tsp soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp vanilla
2 & 1/2 - 3 c flour


Cream butter, sugar and egg.  Add sour cream and soda.  Stir in salt, vanilla and flour.  Roll out on floured surface and cut into desired shapes.  Bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes.

B's Green Smoothie

ice
a large handful of spinach
milk (enough to cover the ice)
chocolate Slim Fast powder or Ovaltine
frozen blueberries
raspberry or strawberry yogurt
a banana
an orange

Combine, blend, and enjoy a healthy, yummy drink!

Note: for a thicker drink use less milk; for a thinner drink use more!

Funeral Potatoes

32 oz shredded hash browns
1 c grated cheese
2 cans cream of chicken soup
2 c sour cream
1/2 c sauteed or 1/4 c dehydrated onions

Topping:
2 c crushed cornflakes
2 Tbsp melted butter


Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Mix all together and pour into 9 X 13 pan.  Topping: mix butter into cornflakes and sprinkle on top of potato mixture.  Bake for 30 minutes.

Cheesy Spinach Lasagna Soup

1/2 lb. Italian turkey sausage or (ground beef in chunks for those who don't like sausage) 2 T minced onion4 large garlic cloves, minced
1 can petite diced tomatoes {no salt added}
1 C tomato sauce
2 C fresh spinach
4 C chicken broth
2 tsp. basil
2 tsp. oregano
salt and pepper, to taste
1 C tortellini {whole wheat, preferred}
if desired, an additional 1/2 C pasta
1/8 C mozzarella cheese, diced into small cubes



Begin by browning the meat in a large stockpot. Add in the minced garlic and onion and cook until the meat is done. Drain any excess grease.


Then, add in the tomatoes {undrained}, tomato sauce, and chicken broth. Add in the spices. Bring the soup to a light boil and then reduce to a simmer.


Simmer the soup for 30 minutes or longer... ours ended up simmering for ~1 hour.

Then, add in the spinach and pasta. Allow these to cook for about 20 minutes while the pasta cooks slowly at a simmer.


Remove from the heat and then add in the diced mozzarella cheese.


Serve warm with a crusty bread and sprinkle the tops with Parmesan cheese, if desired.

Strawberry Cake Divine!

1 classic white cake mix
frozen or fresh strawberries, sliced
8 oz cream cheese
1 pt heavy whipping cream
powdered sugar
Junket brand strawberry gelatin


1. Make gelatin first (follow fruit sauce instructions) and cool in refrigerator.
2. Make the cake and let it cool.
3. Gradually mix in cream cheese, heavy whipping cream, and powdered sugar with electric blender.  There's not an exact amount of powdered sugar to add.  Make sure it stays kind of thick and tastes sweet.
4. Spread a thick layer of cream cheese mixture on cake and then a thick layer of strawberry mixture over that.  You'll have leftovers of both mixtures, which is ok.  They go great on graham crackers!
5. Chill cake in fridge for a couple of hours or overnight.
6. Cake is ready!  Enjoy!!!