Beef Enchiladas

These are yummy and easy to make and the ingredients couldn't be any more accessible or straight forward. Too bad the price of beef keeps going up. Everyone has to have their beef fix once in a while. My favorite way to eat beef is in a taco. So here ya go!

Beef Enchiladas

• 1 packet of Enchilada seasoning mix
• 1 can (6 oz.) tomato paste
• 2 cups water
• 1 Ib ground beef
• 8 flour tacos
• 2 cups shredded cheese

Brown and crumble 1 pound of ground beef. Drain fat.

In separate pan blend enchilada seasoning mix with 1 can of tomato paste and 2 cups of water. Heat to boiling. Reduce heat and simmer 15 mn. stirring occassionally.

With tongs (or hands!) dip each flour tortilla into sauce.

Place 1/4 cup of beef mixture into each tortilla. Top with 1 cup of cheese. Roll tightly. Put seam side down in 7x11 baking dish. Top with remaining  sauce and 1 cup of cheese.

Bake 20 minutes at 350 degrees.

Peanut Butter Granola

Granola can be expensive at the store! Lets not even mention the price of cereal. With a hungry husband who could eat an average sized box of cereal in 2 days I am constantly trying to find ways to "get the most bang for my buck" when it comes to breakfast cereal. Sometimes that means mixing raisin bran with cheerios, or life cereal with granola, whatever the combination this recipe is SO easy and delicious and cheap, it makes me look forward to breakfast in the morning. Plus, I know all the ingredients in it.

The most expensive thing is the honey. The way I look at it, i'm still saving money on this granola rather than buying it at the grocery. Do the math. You could also substitute maple syrup or anything "sticky" with honey. It's all up to you! Honey is always the healthy option.

Peanut Butter Granola

• 2 tbsp. creamy peanut butter
• 2 tbsp. honey
• 1/4 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 cup. oats

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Grease cookie sheet. Combine peanut butter and honey in a bowl and microwave until peanut butter melts (approximately 20 seconds). Stir.

Stir cinnamon and vanilla into peanut butter and honey mixture.

Add oats and stir until oats are completely covered in peanut butter mixture. Spread out mixture onto prepared cookie sheet. Bake for 15 minutes or until granola is slightly brown. Let cool until granola is crunchy. 

Sugar Cookies

I've never been a big fan of sugar cookies, but these are the exception. Good during holidays of coarse!

Sugar Cookies

• 2 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 cup butter - softened
• 1 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 375

In a small bowl combine flour, baking soda, baking powder.
In large bowl cream together butter & sugar until smooth. Beat in egg & vanilla. Gradually blend in dry ingredients. Roll rounded teaspoons full of dough into balls and place on baking sheet.

Bake 8-10 minutes in oven or until golden. Let stand on cookie sheet 2 minutes before removing to wire rack.

Apple Pie By Grandma Ople

This is an apple pie recipe that I found on the internet that has been my go-to for the past five years. It wont let you down :) Just typing this out gets me excited for fall and all things cinnamon-y & nutmeg-y. Not too long from now.

Apple Pie By Grandma Ople  

• 1 crust for a 9 inch double crust pie (see below) 
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup backed brown sugar
• 8 yellow apples (any type) peelled, cored, sliced.
• cinnamon & nutmeg to taste (the more the better!) 

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Melt the butter in a saucepan. Stir in flour to form a paste. Add water, white sugar and brown sugar. Bring to a boil. Reduce temperature and let simmer.

Place the bottom crust in your pan. Fill with apples. Cover with a lattice work crust. Gently pour the sugar and butter liquid over the crust. Pour slowly so it does not run off.

Bake 15 minutes in preheated oven. Reduce temperature to 350 degrees and continue baking for 35-45 minutes. I sometimes cover the crust edges with aluminum foil to prevent it from burning.

#1 Pie Crust

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled, cut into small pieces
• 3 tablespoons vegetable shortening, chilled, cut into small pieces
• 4 tablespoons of ice water (more or less)

Blend the flour, sugar, salt. Add the butter and shortening; pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal. Drizzle 4 tablespoons of ice water  over mixture. Process just until moist clumps form, adding more water by teaspoonfuls if dough is dry. Gather dough into a ball and split into 2. Flatten into a disk. Wrap in plastic. Chill 1 hour.

Roll out the both disks on a lightly floured work surface into a round. Transfer the dough to a 9-inch diameter pie dish. Fold the overhang under. Crimp edges decoratively. Pierce bottom of crust all over with a fork. Freeze crust for 15 minutes. Put pie filling inside and cover with 2nd layer of crust. Cook at 425 for 15 minutes and reduce to 350 for 35-45 minutes.

Nessa's Mint Chocolate Oreo Balls

When we lived in Rexburg, Idaho at the end of our college years my Sister in law Vanessa lived literally a block away from us. It was so much fun hanging out with her and her husband, we were all just complete goof balls. What can I say, us Brown's love to eat... this was one of the recipes Vanessa made quite often. Me posting this is a tribute to those special times we shared...we miss them way too much.

These make great holiday treats. Reason being is that this is not something you want to make just for you and your family! ;) 

Be careful not to burn the chocolate - we did this a few times. Make sure the pan you are using is good quality and thick. I think that was the trick for us.

Nessa's Oreo Balls

• 1 bag of oreos
• 1 8 oz package of cream cheese
• 1 bag andes mint chocolates

Mix cream cheese with mashed Oreo's (use a blender, or put in plastic bag and crush using hands but the last option is more time consuming).  Roll cream cheese/oreo mixture into balls (fairly small since these are pretty rich).

Melt chocolate on the stove top at low temperature. Dip balls into melted chocolate and place on wax paper sheet or paper plate until dry.

Salsa Chicken & Rice

 5 stars! This one tastes restaurant worthy. It's really easy too. The secret ingredient in this recipe is the cilantro - don't leave it out!

Salsa Chicken & Rice

• 1.5 Ibs. chicken breasts
• 1 - 16 ounce jar salsa
• 1 - 15 ounce can black beans, drained
• 1 - 15 ounce can corn
• 1 tbsp. chili powder
• 1/2 tbsp. cumin
• 1/2 tbsp. minced garlic
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• cracked pepper to taste
• 2 cups dry rice
• 8 ounce shredded cheddar cheese
• cilantro

Add everything except the rice, cheese, and cilantro to slow cooker or pot along with 1/4 cup water. Give everything a good stir and make sure chicken is covered in the mixture.

If using slow cooker cook on low for 8 hours.

Near end of the cooking time, cook 2 cups of rice. stir with a fork and shred chicken (it should be super tender and shred easily). Build the taco bowls by placing rice on the bottom, then the taco chicken mix, shredded cheese and fresh cilantro.

Chocolate Oatmeal

If you are like me, you dread even the idea of a mushy bowl of oatmeal in the morning. Anything else sounds better. Until this. If you are looking for a way to get more fiber into your diet without punishing yourself this is the recipe for you. In fact, this recipe almost tastes like a no bake cookie - what?! But it's not! Completely healthy ;) So go on a make yourself a nice heaping bowl of chocolate oatmeal you will not regret it!

Chocolate Oatmeal

• 3/4 cup rolled oats
• 3/4 cup milk
• 1 banana chopped
• 1 1/2 tbsp. cocoa powder
• 1/8 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 tbsp. brown sugar (or any type of sweetener) I go by taste. 

Combine everything except sugar/sweetener. Cook over medium high heat for 5-7 minutes. When it bubbles stir occasionally. Add brown sugar at the end to taste. 

Go ahead and indulge!