Exciting News and the Crockpot Challenge

How have y'all been? We have doing great!

I know I have mentioned this to y'all before, but we are foster parents. We have a heart for children. We have a heart for families. We have a heart for a lost and hurting world/ people.

I know it has been sooooo long since my last recipe or post but, it's all for good reason.

We have been caring for our "new edition"!!!

Our foster son is coming home from the hospital!! He has been in the hospital since birth.

So...after 53 days.... I will put him in his car seat for the very first time. He will be able to feel the sunlight on his face for the VERY first time. To feel the cool, brisk autumn wind... His first for everything! We can't wait until tomorrow!! God is so good and so very faithful. To HIM be the Glory!

So...with a newborn baby, we need to have a crokpot challenge!

I challenge y'all for 4 weeks. Get our crockpots out and fire em' up!! I challenge you to use your crockpot at least once a week for 4 weeks. Share your ideas and recipes. Let us know what you are making. Share your masterpieces. smile.

Using your crockpot will free up your time in the kitchen!!!!
Crockpots are stress free!

So...what are y'all planning to make?

I am gonna start us off by making Barbecue...shredded pork sandwiches.

A family favorite!!

Later in the week, I think I am gonna try and make a Chocolate Lava Cake in the crockpot.(new recipe) Dessert in the crockpot? Yes, I am gonna give it a shot.

Counting our Blessings!

Kristi

Sante Fe Chili

Hello...I sure have missed y'all. It has been tooo long since my last post. I have so many recipes to share, just not enough hours in the day.

I got home Monday night at mid-night. I did some shopping at Kids Market.

Tuesday ...whew! I didn't get on the treadmill until 9 pm.

Thanks for being so patient. I am still here.

Thank the Lord, I am not stressed or growing weary. Just alot going on. The Lord is providing. He is so faithful. He created seasons for a reason. We must embrace them and learn from them. smile.

Here is one super easy, hearty and delicious dish to add to your menu. It is great for feeding a crowd. This recipe is often requested by my husband's hunting buddies.

I throw it a huge crock pot and send them off to the hunting club. So, when they come out of the woods for the night...their dinner is ready.

There really isn't alot of pictures to take. It's just "dump it" all in and give it a stir.



Sante Fe Chili
Recipe by Kristi's Dishes

1 to 1.5 pound hamburger meat (or venison)
1 medium size onion (diced)
1 can northern beans or navy beans (drained)
1 can pinto beans (drained)
1 can corn
1 can white hominey (star ingredient)
1 can rotel
1 can diced tomatoes
1 pack taco seasoning
1 pack Hidden Valley Dip Mix
Water - as desired

In a large stock pot, brown meat and onion. Drain and return hamburger mixture to pot. Add remaining ingredients. Stir well. Add water accordingly. Add as much or little water as you want. Simmer for 35-45 minutes.

**I put everything in a crockpot. Cook on low for 4-6 hours. If you leave it in the crockpot for 8 hours, it won't hurt it.** If you are going to cook it for an extended amount of time, make sure you add more water.

Eat it as a soup. Eat it will chips. Serve it with cornbread. Serve it with my favorite Fluffy Dinner Rolls. How about a grilled cheese sandwich on the side? Options are endless. Get a bowl full and sprinkle some shredded cheddar cheese on the top.



Hope y'all enjoy...one of our favorite fall-winter meals.

For my husband and his hunting buddies......Kristi

This recipe was posted to Beauty and Bedlam Tasty Tuesday.

Oatmeal Butterscotch Muffins

Whew...they are so good. These muffins almost taste like dessert. They are moist, chewy, and the butterscotch puts them over the top. Even if you are not a butterscotch fan, you need to try them. You will be surprised.



In a medium size bowl, add butter milk, brown sugar, and oats. (I use my large pyrex mixing cup)



Stir and set aside.



In a small dish, melt butter and add eggs. **Make sure your butter has cooled some. You don't want scrambled eggs. smile** Whisk together.



Add to your oat mixture.



In another bowl, sift flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda. Add this to your oat mixture and stir to combine. Do not over mix.



**Star ingredient**



Gently fold your butterscotch chips in...don't over mix.



Spray muffin tins or use paper muffin cups. Fill your muffin tins about 3/4 full.
It will make 12-18 muffins. (my last batch made 18 muffins)

Bake at 400 for 13 minutes. All ovens cook differently so, make sure you check them. My oven bakes these muffins perfectly at 13 minutes. Not 14...but 13 minutes.



yipppeee...they are a little gooey! The butterscotch chips melt inside the muffin and it is packed full of sweetness! They are moist and smooth going down. Just perfect muffins.



My kids love these muffins! I do too!!

Easy muffins. They taste more like dessert.

"Show out" and make them for your family.

Oatmeal Butterscotch Muffins

2 cups quick oats
1 1/3 buttermilk
1 cup brown sugar
1 stick butter/ margarine (melted)
2 eggs
1 cup all purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 cup butterscotch chips

Preheat oven to 400.
In a medium size bowl, add butter milk, brown sugar, and oats. Stir and set aside.
In a small dish, melt butter and add eggs. **Make sure your butter has cooled some. You don't want scrambled eggs. smile** Whisk together.
Add to your oat mixture.
In another bowl, sift flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda. Add this to your oat mixture and stir to combine. Do not over mix.
Gently fold your butterscotch chips in...don't over mix.
Spray your muffin tins or use muffin papers. Pour mixture into your muffin tin. (about 3/4 full)
Bake for 13 minutes. My oven bakes at exactly 13 minutes but every oven is different, so check them at 13 and if they need more add a minute, then check again.


I will probably be making another batch. (soon and very soon)

Everybody chime in.... Soon and very soon, we will see the King. Soon and very soon, we will see the King. What a great song!!!

Have a great Sunday in the Lord! Kristi

*I adapted this recipe from The Parish House Inn Bed and Breakfast.*

Menu Plan September 15 - September 21

Our Menu Plan for the week....whatcha y'all eating?

Breakfast:

Butterscotch and Oat Muffins...yum yum
Mc Griddles
Oven Omelet
Yogurt and Brown Sugar Granola
Cereal
Milk and Cereal Bars
Oatmeal -single serve packets(new recipe)

Lunch:

Hawaiian Roll sandwiches and chips with V8 Fusion

Pizza rolls and carrots and dip

Homemade Thin Crust Cheese and Pepperoni Pizza

Chicken and Cheese Quesadilla with fixins

Hot Dogs and cottage cheese and chips

Out to eat- did y'all see that free coupon for Arby's Mushroom and Swiss sandwich? I tore it up. A great sandwich. I am sure glad they offered the coupon.

Dinner:

Crockpot Sante Fe Soup / my husbands favorite

Spaghetti in the crockpot and garlic bread with salad

Grilled Steak and baked potatoes with corn

Baked Chicken and Bean Taquitos (new recipe) with Homemade Restaurant Style Salsa

Cashew Chicken - Crockpot (new recipe)

White Bean and Cheddar Dip (light dinner)

White Chicken Chili in the crockpot with Frito Scoops

Fruit:

Apples (lot of them)
Bananas
Grapes- purple

Dessert:

Rice Krispie Treats- extra gooey. A pan will last us less than 1 day.

Southern Plate's Peanut Butter No Bake Cookie Bites (delicious)

Peanut Butter M and M Blondies (one of my husband's favorites)


Have a great week...I am gonna try my best to post my caramel recipe/ for caramel apples. I have so many recipes to post but just not enough hours in the day to get everything accomplished. Hang with me...smile.

Kristi

Using your leftover yeast rolls....Garlic Cheese Bread

Awhile back, I posted a recipe for some 'out of this world' yeast rolls.

Fluffy, Yummy Yeast Rolls from the bread machine...



Hands down, they are our favorite. The kids love to eat them for lunch. Instead of using sliced bread for sandwiches, they like to use these beautiful rolls

My husband really likes them too...he is always so complimentary when I make them.

We make them about once a week. At this house, they never go to waste.

I decided to use our left-over rolls to make some cheese rolls/ cheese bread. They were delicious!

So..this is not a recipe, just an idea. I am sure y'all have done this many of times and many different ways, I just wanted to share. (using this particular Fluffy Yummy Yeast Roll recipe..puts them over the top)

Cut your rolls in half and put them on a parchment lined baking sheet. Slather them with room temperature butter and generously sprinkle them with garlic salt and Italian seasoning. Sprinkle with cheese. **I would recommend Parmesan or Romano cheese.** You could use mozzarella or cheddar, any cheese will work.



...this time, I used Parmesan...



Put them under the broiler until the cheese melts and they begin to brown. Do not take your eye off them.

A little crunchy outside, a little tender inside...cheesy and a hint of garlic.




How do y'all make your cheese or garlic bread? Please share your ideas.

Whew...I really appreciate a good hunk of bread! Kristi

Menu Plan September 8 - September 14

Menu Plan...what happened to our menu plan last week? I am sorry that I didn't post it. Y'all know...I had a plan but I just didn't get it typed up. To be honest, I didn't spend much time on the computer last week.

Last Week...we ate: (this is a short list)

Country Style Ribs/ in the crockpot
BBQ in the crockpot/ shredded pork with My Mother's Homemade BBQ Sauce and 40 Minute Hamburger Buns
Labor Day goodies
Chicken, Bean, and Cheese Chimichangas (new recipe) **we will be making these again**
White Chicken Chili in the crockpot (new recipe) **my kids tore this up!!!!*
Spaghetti
Ham and Cheddar Sandwiches and chips
Out to eat/ Chinese/ the kids and I
Sausage Balls
Sausage, Egg, and Cheese Biscuits
Cereal
Yogurt and Brown Sugar Granola
Scrambled Eggs and toast
Poptarts (Daddy gave them Pop-tarts)smile.
Moist Pumpkin Cranberry Bread I could eat an entire loaf of this bread..all by myself.
Peach Cobbler (again)

This week....

Menu Plan for September 8 - September 14

Breakfast:

Sausage balls (from the freezer) made a double batch and froze the extras!
Sausage, Egg, and Cheese Biscuits
Cereal
Best Ever Pancakes (from the freezer) and bacon
Moist Pumpkin Cranberry Bread (from the freezer) and yogurt
Kid's request- this will be fun!
Cheesy Scrambled Eggs and Cinnamon Sugar Toast

Lunch:

Fluffy Yummy Yeast Rolls/ ham and cheese sandwiches and chips
Homemade meal things with carrots and dip
Pizza rolls and Mac n Cheese
Lil' Smokies and salad with homemade ranch and/ or blue cheese dressing
Homemade Thin Crust Pizza/ cheese and pepperoni
Out to eat with my babies
Sticky Fingers and Sticky Finger Wraps and fixins.

Dinner:

Dad's Tacos (new recipe)
Cashew Chicken -crockpot (new recipe)
Burnett Roast- crockpot with rice and steamed brocolli
Chicken Alfredo Casserole, sauteed cabbage and Just Like Lambert's "Throwed Rolls" (new recipe)
Grilled Ham and Cheese Sandwiches
Spaghetti, salad, and Valentino's Cheese Rolls (new recipe)
White Chicken Chili- crockpot (again)- recipe to come

Dessert:

Peanut Butter M & M blondies (one of my husband's favorites)
Peanut Butter Fudge Iced Brownies (making for our Sunday School class) THEY ARE DELICIOUS!! DANGEROUSLY GOOD!! one of my favorite desserts!
Apples and Caramel Dip (recipe to come)

Please share your recipes and menu plans...love to see em! Kristi

Oven Baked BBQ Chicken

I created this dish for my husband when we first got married. To be honest, when we were first married, I had only 6-8 dishes/ meals in my arsenal. I would make them over, and over, and over. Whew, bless him. He never complained! He always ate what I prepared for him. He still does. If he doesn't care for something, he will kindly say "Babe, it's not my favorite." I love my husband.

This is an easy recipe and very forgiving. I actually have to admit that up until the other day, it really wasn't an official recipe.

It was inevitable, I had to actually pay attention to the measurements and write them down.

I have several friends who will not accept a recipe from me unless it is specific. I totally understand. I am a rule follower. I like order. I operate well in an highly organized atmosphere...so, I totally understand!!

You'll need:



and...pick your chicken!!

You can use any type or kind that you want. We use chicken thighs or chicken legs. We like bone-in and skin-on.



Spray a 9 x 13 baking dish. Lay chicken pieces skin side down. Set aside.



In a medium size bowl, add your barbecue sauce. Pour in your honey. Your honey is the "star" ingredient. Your chicken will not taste sweet because of the honey. The honey helps the barbecue sauce adhere to the chicken. ma'am? The sauce will stick to the chicken. oh yumm-o!



Add your oregano, garlic salt, onion salt, and seasoning salt. Whisk away.



Pour sauce over chicken. Use back of a spoon to spread sauce evenly over chicken.



Put chicken into oven at 375. Bake uncovered for 45-60 minutes. Your time will vary depending on what type of chicken you are using.



Oh..it's some good eats!





Oven Baked BBQ Chicken
Recipe from Kristi's Dishes

Chicken pieces of your choice (we use chicken thighs or drumsticks)
1 bottle of barbecue sauce (or homemade)
1/4 cup honey
2 tablespoons dried oregano
2 teaspoons garlic salt
1 teaspoon Lawry's seasoning salt
1 teaspoons onion salt

Preheat oven to 375. Spray 9 x 13 baking dish. Lay pieces of chicken in dish, skin side down. You can use chicken with skin or skinless. Set aside. In a medium size bowl, add barbecue sauce. Now add honey, oregano, garlic salt, seasoning salt, and onion salt. Whisk. Pour sauce over chicken. Put into oven, uncovered for approximately 45-60 minutes. Your time will vary depending on what type of chicken you use. We use bone-in, skin on, dark meat. Just make sure you check the temperature with a meat thermometer.

The weather is beginning to cool down. (in the 80's) smile! Fire up your oven and surprise your family with some juicy Oven Baked BBQ Chicken.

Comforting dishes....Kristi

Friends, Football, and Food

What are y'all doing this weekend? Labor Day weekend? Y'all having friends to the house? Going on vacation? Grillin' and chillin'? smile.

We will being stickin' around here....

We are having a "football" party tommorow!! Can't wait to visit with friends and eat some party food. Can you tell that I like to eat? smile.

We will be eating:

Ranch Dip and chips
White Bean and Cheddar Dip and tortilla chips



My Husband's Bacon Cheddar Burgers and 40 minute hamburger buns



Hot dogs and buns

Aunt Debbie's Baked Beans
Mimi's Slaw (vinegar based) NO MAYO dude!!! smile.

Caramel Dip (recipe to come) with apples and pears

Peach Cobbler and vanilla ice cream
"Roll Tide" Cookie Cake


Thanking the Lord.....Kristi

**I am still gonna post my menu plan for the week.**

Lil' Smokies aka Pigs in a Blanket

Football time is here!! We enjoy football season! We look forward to it!

There is nothing like the competitiveness of the SEC. Living in the South, football is just more than an athletic event. It's "off the chain!"

My husband is serious about "HIS" team. He is serious about winning. Now, don't get me wrong, many of you know that I am an extremely competitive person and was a collegiate athlete. So...I am all about a good game and a winning season.

But...football season is much more than "the game".

It is about great friends and good food too!!

This weekend, we are gonna have some friends to the house and enjoy our season opener!!

My mind is already churning about what we are gonna eat. I love it!

These Lil' Smokies are a crowd pleaser. You can't go wrong. They will disappear before your eyes.

2 simple ingredients:

1 can of crescent rolls
1 package of smokies



Dump your smokies on a paper towel- lined plate. It will help absorb all the liquid.
You want your smokies to be dry. The crescent roll will stick better to a dry smokie.



Unroll your crescent rolls. They will naturally roll out into triangles. This is a good thing.

**This is the coolest little hint** I saw this on Southern Plate and it was so clever. Cut your crescent roll into five pieces. Just like the photo.



Now roll your smokies up.



Bake at 375 for 10-12 minutes on an ungreased cookie sheet.
(Brown em')



Immediately remove your Lil' Smokies from the cookie sheet and put onto serving plate. This step will help keep the dough stay firm, not get soggy on you.

ROLL TIDE...ROLL!!!!!



Football season is here...bring it! Kristi

Cherry Limeade Muffins

Have y'all ever had a Cherry Limeade at Sonic? This muffin is a replica of that special drink. Ohh sooo good. My favorite part of the muffin, is the strong lime flavor that presents itself.

I am gonna try and put up some cherries for the winter. Cherry season is coming to an end and I need to make sure that I can make some of these "beauties" this winter.

I could sit and eat 2 or 3 of these muffins in one sitting if I let myself. It's an unique muffin.

My oldest son told me "Momma, you should compete in "Muffin Wars". (Have y'all ever watched "Cupcake Wars" on Food Network?) That's where he got the idea. I love that boy!

We make many different muffins at our house. It's fun for the kids and they enjoy it. We like to make apple, banana, orange, blueberry, strawberry, pumpkin, chocolate, raisin/oat, spice, and now...

Cherry Limeade Muffins

Start by cutting the pits out of your cherries. Slice cherries into chunks and set aside. **Little hint** put cherries in a darker colored bowl so, the cherries don't stain one of your favorite dishes.



In a medium size mixing bowl, combine dry ingredients: flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. (You can use all-purpose flour for this recipe.)

In a smaller bowl, add buttermilk, oil, eggs, and the zest of 1 lime.



Whisk!



Pour wet ingredients into dry bowl.



Add cherries and fold ingredients together. **Careful not to over mix.**



Spray muffin tin or use papers. Use 1/3 measuring cup to scoop the batter into your tin.



Now to make the topping... in a smaller bowl, add 1/4 cup sugar and the zest of 1 lime.



Mix it up.



Sprinkle your sugar/ lime zest on top! Generously!



Bake at 400 for approximately 20 minutes.



YUM!




Cherry Limeade Muffins
Recipe from Good Cheap Eats

1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup unbleached flour
1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup canola oil or vegetable oil
2 eggs
finely grated zest of 1 lime
1 cup fresh cherries, pitted (Next time, I am gonna use 1 1/2 cup cherries)

**1/4 cup sugar, mixed with the finely grated zest of a second lime

Preheat oven to 400F. Line muffin pan with papers or spray with non-stick cooking spray.

In large mixing bowl combine flours, sugar, baking powder, and salt. In another mixing bowl combine buttermilk, oil, eggs, and lime zest. Beat well to combine. Pour wet mixture over dry and add cherries. Fold in with a rubber spatula just until combined.

Scoop batter into muffin cups, about 1/3 cup in each. Sprinkle the tops with sugar-lime zest mixture. Bake in preheated oven for about 20 minutes or until tester comes out clean.


The lime zest puts this muffin over the top!!! Oh YA!! Kristi

Menu Plan August 25 - August 31

Praying that y'all have a great week.

Try to get those menu plans together. I truly believe it will help save you time and money. It is a stress reliever.

Breakfast:

Cereal

Scrambled eggs with cinnamon toast

Apple Muffins and strawberry yogurt

Mc Griddles - Burnett Style



Ham, Egg, and Cheese Cups

Individual Potato Au Gratin (new recipe)

Pumpkin Cranberry Bread (new recipe)

Lunch:

Homemade Thin Crust Cheese Pizza and salad

Ham and Cheese sandwiches/ using Yummy Yeast Rolls and V8 Fusion

Kids Cuisine meals (on sale at Publix this week)

Karen's B-que Meatloaf (freezer) and Mac n Cheese

Out to eat

Spaghettio's and corn bread muffins (from the freezer)

Dinner:

Venison Tenderloin (in crockpot) with rice and gravy with salad

Smoked sausage, potato, and onion pockets / prepared on the grill

Baked whole chicken- using a bundt pan (new recipe) with roasted veggies

Breakfast for dinner/ Southern Plate biscuits (from the freezer) and sausage gravy



Baked Barbecue Chicken, mashed potatoes and corn

Chimichanga's (new recipe) with fixin's - Restaurant Style Salsa

Fruit:

Grapes
Bananas
Cherries

Snacks:

String cheese and Goldfish
Peanut butter and pretzels

Dessert:

Hershey's Soft and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies (my husband requested them again)

Cupcakes with Wilton Buttercream Frosting (From the frig/ I made a double batch of frosting the other day)

Easy Homemade Doughnuts - using the frosting from earlier this week.



My mouth is watering just lookin' at those doughnuts!!

Gotta get back into my running routine. Preparing for another 1/2 marathon!! Doughnuts and marathons don't really go well together. smile!

Have a great week. Surprise your family and try a new recipe. FUN!!

Blessings....Kristi