Cream Cheese Vegetable Spread 

Cream cheese has gotten expensive and if you buy the ones that are already flavored for you, it is even more costly. This is a quick and easy way to save some money. You can make this spread with as many vegetables or as few vegetables as you like.

 Ingredients

1 (8 oz.) cream cheese, room temperature
2 Tbs. carrot, diced fine
2 Tbs. onion, diced fine
2 Tbs. celery, diced fine
2 Tbs. bell pepper, diced fine

Directions

Place the cream cheese in a bowl and allow it to come to room temperature. This makes mixing the vegetables with the cream cheese easier.

Add the carrot, onion, celery, and bell pepper to the cream cheese.

Mix well to distribute the vegetables evenly throughout the cream cheese. 

Spread on bagels, or crackers, or use it as a dip for vegetables. 

This keeps in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days. 

Notes:

You can add more or less vegetables for your own personal taste. This recipe can also be cut in half if you won't be using it up within a couple of days.

Use red, green or yellow bell peppers for a colorful vegetable spread.

Garlic Bread Sticks

One of our favorite things to make are garlic bread sticks.  We love the taste of garlic. You can use more or less garlic to suit your preference. These go great with Marinara Sauce.

Ingredients 

1 1/4 c. warm water
1 1/2 tsp. yeast
2 Tbs. sugar
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 Tbs. butter or oil
3 Tbs. Parmesan cheese
1 3/4 tsp. salt
3 c. flour or bread flour if you have that

Topping

3 Tbs. butter, melted
salt
garlic powder
Italian seasoning

Parmesan cheese

Directions

Combine warm water, yeast and sugar in a large bowl. Place in a warm location for 10 minutes to allow the yeast to bloom. This shows that the yeast is active and alive.  

Add in 1 cup flour. Beat well with a wooden spoon.  Stir in the garlic, butter, Parmesan cheese and salt. Continue to mix in the remaining flour until you have a soft dough.

Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead the dough for 10 minutes. Add more flour if the dough is too sticky. It all depends on the humidity in the air for the amount of flour that you need.

 

Lightly oil the bowl that you mixed the bread in.  

 

Place the dough back into the bowl, turning once to ensure that all sides are oiled.  Cover with a tea towel and set the bowl in a warm location until doubled in bulk. This takes about 60 to 90 minutes.

Lightly grease or line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

When the dough is doubled in size, divide the dough into 12 portions. Roll each piece of dough out into a 9-inch log or rope. Place the bread onto the prepared baking sheet, keeping them about 2 inches apart.

 

Cover the bread sticks and place in a warm location until they are doubled in size.  This takes about 40 minutes or so, depending on how warm it is.

Bake at 350° for 18 to 22 minutes, or until golden brown.  

 

While the bread is baking, prepare the topping. In a small saucepan, melt the butter. 

 

Remove from the oven and brush the tops of the bread sticks with melted butter. Sprinkle the tops with salt, garlic powder, Italian seasoning and Parmesan cheese. 

Serve with marinara sauce if desired.  These bread sticks are great on their own, or serve them with spaghetti, or pizza.  

Notes

We sometimes add 2 to 3 tablespoons dry milk powder along with the flour. Dry milk has become expensive and sometimes hard to find. So we use it if we have it, but these are just as good without the dry milk.  

Mexican Style Taco Meatloaf

With just a few simple ingredients, you can have a flavorful meatloaf that your family will love. This is an easy recipe that tastes like a taco.  It is super easy to assemble. The longest time in this recipe will be in the baking.

Ingredients

1 1/2 lb. ground beef
1 onion, chopped
2 eggs
3/4 c. cheese, shredded  (like pepper jack, sharp cheddar, colby)
3/4 c. salsa,
1 c tortilla chips crushed or soda cracker crumbs or 1/4 c. soda cracker crumbs and 1/4 c. oatmeal
1 1/2 tsp. chili powder
1 1/2 tsp. cumin
1 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
3/4 tsp. paprika
3/4 tsp. onion powder
3/4 tsp. oregano
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/8 to 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/4 c. taco sauce or salsa

Directions

Heat oven to 350°. Lightly grease a 9 x 5- inch loaf pan, or you can use a large cast iron skillet.

In a large bowl, combine ground beef, onion, egg, salsa, tortilla chips, chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, paprika, onion powder, oregano, salt, pepper and cayenne pepper. 

Mix the contents thoroughly with your hands, but be careful to not over mix. If you mix it too much, the meat loaf will be tough.

Place the meat mixture in your prepared loaf pan or the cast iron skillet.

Pour the taco sauce or salsa over the top of the meatloaf.

Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until done.  The Internal temperature of the meatloaf should read 160° on an instant read meat thermometer. If you are using the cast iron skillet, bake for 30 minutes, then test to see if it is done. Since it is flatter, it won't take as long to bake.

Notes

You can use a package of taco seasoning if you prefer. Or you can use 2 tablespoons of homemade taco seasoning

You can use cheese nachos or spicy nachos as well instead of tortillas.

Pork Chops With Sauce

These flavorful pork chops stay tender and juicy.  This is an easy to prepare recipe that your family will enjoy. 

Ingredients

4 pork chops
1 Tbs. flour
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. chili powder
1/4 to 1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. paprika
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 Tbs. oil
1 c. chicken stock or broth
1 Tbs. vinegar
2 tsp. honey
1 Tbs. butter

Directions

Let the pork chops stand at room temperature for about 30 minutes.

In a small bowl, combine flour, garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, salt, paprika, and pepper.

Rub both side of the pork chops with the seasoning mix.  Set aide.

Heat the oil in a cast iron skillet, over medium high heat. Add the seasoned pork chops. Cook for about 3 minutes on one side until it is browned. Turn the pork chops over and brown the other side.

Cover the skillet and turn the heat to low.  Cook the pork chops until they are completely cooked through. This takes between 6 and 12 minutes, depending on how thick the pork chops are. Use an instant meat thermometer and cook until the internal temperature reads 145° on a meat thermometer.

Remove the pork chops to a serving plate and cover them with a lid or a sheet of aluminum foil. While the meat is resting, it is time to make the sauce.

Add the chicken stock or broth, vinegar and honey to the skillet.  Be sure to scrap the bottom to get all the tasty bits off. Turn the heat to medium high and bring the sauce to a simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the liquid is reduced by half.  

Remove from heat. Stir in the butter. 

Add the pork chops back in the pan and spoon some of the sauce over the top.  Heat until the pork chops and sauce are hot.

Serve and enjoy.

Green Beans in Garlic Butter

 

We really don't like green beans, but find they are very good when I add garlic butter to them.  This totally changes them into a Wow side dish.  

Ingredients

1 lb green beans, trimmed * see notes
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbs. butter
1 tsp. soy sauce
salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Fill a saucepan with 5 cups of water. Bring the water to a boil over medium high heat. 

Add the green beans. Cook for about 5 to 6 minutes. Drain away the water and set aside.

In a large cast iron skillet, melt butter over medium low heat.  Add the garlic to the skillet. Turn the heat up to medium heat and sauté the garlic until tender. Stir the garlic and butter, to keep the garlic from burning, otherwise it will taste bitter.

Add the green beans. Cook and stir for about 3 minutes. Make sure that the green beans get a coating of the garlic infused butter. 

Stir in the soy sauce and season the dish with salt and pepper to taste. Cook and stir for 1 to 2 minutes. 

Serve.

Notes

We do use canned green beans. If you use those, drain off the liquid. Then follow the steps where you sauté the minced garlic in the butter.

Creamy Chicken With Mushrooms

A very easy recipe to make chicken.  Seasoned chicken served with mushrooms in a delicious cream sauce. If you can, cook the chicken, low and slow, so the meat will be more tender. 

Ingredients

1 1/2 lb. chicken
1 tsp. paprika
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. onion powder
1/2 tsp. thyme
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
2 Tbs. oil
2 Tbs. cornstarch
1/4 c. water
2 Tbs. butter
1 onion, diced
3 cloves garlic
1 can sliced mushrooms
1/2 tsp. poultry seasoning or 1 tsp. chicken bouillon
1 1/2 c. cream or evaporated milk, or half and half

Directions

Place chicken in a large bowl.  

In a small bowl, combine paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, thyme, salt and pepper.  Mix well and sprinkle the seasonings over the chicken meat. Rub the seasonings into the chicken meat with your hands.  Set the chicken aside for about 10 minutes.

In a cast iron skillet, heat the oil over a medium heat.  Add the chicken, one piece at a time, skin side down. When the chicken is browned, turn the chicken over to brown the other side. Turn the heat to medium low and continue to cook the chicken until it is fully done, or the internal temperature is 165°.

Remove the chicken and set aside. 

Dissolve cornstarch in the cold water to make a slurry. Set aside.

In the same skillet that you cooked the chicken, add the butter, onions and garlic.  Sauté the onions and garlic until tender. Be sure to scrap the bottom of the skillet because that is where the flavor is. 

Stir in the evaporated milk or half-and-half. Add the mushrooms, chicken poultry seasoning or chicken bouillon. Stirring constantly, bring to a simmer over low heat.  

 Stirring constantly, pour the cornstarch dissolved in the water into the milk mixture.  Bring to a simmer. Season with salt and pepper to taste. 

Add the chicken back into the skillet.  Simmer for 5 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens. 

Serve with rice or mashed potatoes.

Tex Mex Seasoning

You can save a lot of money by making your own Tex Mex Seasoning. It is so easy to make. This seasoning blend is perfect to add to chicken, fish, beef, pork or vegetables. In fact, this seasoning is good on so many different foods. 

Make your cooking easier. Instead of bringing out 10 different spices when you want a Tex Mex flavor, you will only need to bring out one.

Ingredients

3 Tbs. chili powder
3 Tbs. cumin
1 Tbs. black pepper
1 Tbs. salt
1 Tbs. garlic powder
1 Tbs. onion powder
2 to 1 Tbs. red pepper flakes *see notes below
1 Tbs. oregano
1 Tbs. paprika (we liked smoked paprika)
1 tsp to 1 Tbs. cayenne pepper *see notes below

Directions

In a jar that has a tight-fitting lid or an airtight container, combine chili powder, cumin, black pepper, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, red pepper flakes, oregano, paprika and cayenne pepper.  Mix well. You can either mix the contents with a spoon, or put the lid on the container or jar and shake until the spices are thoroughly blended together.

Store in a cool, dark place.

Notes

With the red pepper flakes and cayenne pepper, use as much or as little as you want. It just depends on how spicy you like your food to be.  You can start out with the smallest amount and if it still lacks the heat or spiciness you prefer, add more. 

Also, some chili powders are hotter than others.  We bought Aara Red Chili Powder that is extra hot.  When we make our own Tex Mex blend using that particular chili powder, we omit the cayenne pepper and red pepper flakes. We also cut down on the amount of Aara Red Chili Powder that we add to this seasoning mix.