Category Archives: Recipes

Crock Pot Taco Soup

April 10, 2013 Kim 10 Comments

I love soup!! It is easy to make, filling and the possibilities are endless!! Taco soup is one of my favorites – pretty much anything goes when making taco soup.

For tonight’s soup (crazy that April 10 it is only in the mid 30s) I used my crock pot.Anytime I can use my crock pot I’m happy!! I put this together and then spent the afternoon volunteering at Hunter’s school (library).

2 pounds ground beef (you could use ground turkey if you prefer)
onion, chopped
2 cans diced tomatoes
can of kidney beans
can of pinto beans
can of green chilies
can of tomato sauce
package of dry ranch salad dressing
package of taco seasoning
frozen corn (amount is up to you)

Brown the meat and onion.

Mix everything in crock pot and set on low for several hours (today I set it for 5 hours).

Serve with whatever toppings you like – sour cream, avocados, cheese)

Enjoy!!!

Beef, Recipes

Beef Lettuce Wraps

March 17, 2013 Kim 5 Comments

Lunch today was so good and so easy!!

Beef Lettuce Wraps

1 lb ground beef (you could use ground turkey or chicken if you prefer)
1/4 c chopped green onions
1 can mushrooms, drained
garlic powder (your preference here)
1 bag of coleslaw mix (or you can cut your own cabbage and carrots – I’m lazy!)
1/4 c soy sauce
1/4 c brown sugar (not packed down unless you want it sweet – I don’t like this too sweet)
1 t white wine vinegar
lettuce leaves (we like butter lettuce)

Brown your meat. Add onions, mushrooms, garlic powder and coleslaw and cook until vegetables are tender. Mix soy sauce, brown sugar and vinegar. Pour sauce mixture over meat and heat through.

Serve warm!

Drinks, Recipes

Educated Cosmo

February 25, 2013 Kim 6 Comments

Years ago (about 10, actually) – Chris and I were in Biloxi, MS for our anniversary. We took a little get-away every year for our anniversary for the first 10 years we were married. And then…..Life happened! (Really the only reason we haven’t for the last # of years is we haven’t had any one to watch our boys.) It’s OK – the boys are such a fun age now that we like to be with them all the time!

Anyway, one night in Biloxi, we went out to a really nice place (can’t remember the name) and I had my first ever Martini!!! The waiter suggested I try an Educated Cosmo – so good I think I had 2!!

After we came back to Kansas I tried to order one wherever I went – no luck – no one knew what I was talking about! Finally, Chris figured out the basic ingredients and came up with our version of this awesome drink!!!

The Educated Cosmo

1 part vodka
1 part Triple Sec
1 part RazzMatazz
1 part Cranberry Juice
splash of lime juice

Mix all ingredients with a little ice in a shaker and shake away!!

Pour the mixture into your favorite martini glass and enjoy!

(tonight’s favorite glass – shoes, shoes…)

Crock Pot, Recipes, Soup

Chicken & Rice Gumbo Soup

February 23, 2013 Kim 2 Comments

I have never made Gumbo before but I thought it would be fun to try some! Cold and snowy outside – warm, filling soup inside!!!

I looked at lots of recipes and then sort-of combined and deleted the things that we like/don’t care for!

Chicken & Rice Gumbo Soup

diced, chicken breasts (I use the precut, precooked bags – cause I’m all about convenience!)
package of smoked sausage, sliced
4 carrot sticks, chopped
1/2 onion, chopped
1 can stewed tomatoes
1 can diced tomatoes
4 soup cans water
2 T chicken bouillon granules
dried thyme (I just shook some in)
1 package frozen cut okra
hot cooked rice (I made 3 cups in the rice cooker)

Mix all ingredients except okra and rice in crock pot.

Cover and cook on low 7 hours(ish).

Stir in okra during the last hour. (I just dumped the frozen stuff right in!)

Spoon rice into bowl and top with gumbo. If you want it spicy, by all means add hot sauce. (We did not.) I toasted up some French bread so we would have a crusty bread to dip into the soup – so good!!!

As Chris said – “This was a homey & hearty meal.”

Beef, Pasta, Recipes

Beef Manicotti on National Drink Wine Day

February 18, 2013 Kim 1 Comment

First off – today is National Drink Wine Day (not to be confused with National Wine Day which is May 23)! Thank you, Google!!! Of course, I felt the need to participate! :Happy:

I used to think that making manicotti was to difficult for me!! I don’t know why I thought it would be hard!!! I do have a little cheat that I discovered the very first time I tried to make it! (see below)

Manicotti is a family favorite!! And, I’m going to go ahead and say right now, there is really nothing healthy about this particular recipe!!! Jordan loves it and since he is the only one in the family that worked (paged for a Senator, you know!) today then I told him I would make it tonight.

Beef Manicotti

1 lb ground beef (we buy a side of beef – very lean and never even has to be drained)
onion, to taste
garlic, to taste (tonight I just put in a little garlic salt instead)
1 package manicotti
mozzarella cheese, shredded (1-2 cups)
cheddar (or your choice of kind – I think I used Colby Jack tonight) cheese, shredded (1-2 cups)
spaghetti sauce (I use the kind that comes out of a can cause I’m me – feel free to make your own sauce)

Heat oven to 350 and spray a 9 x 13 pan.

Bring large pot of water to a boil and then cook manicotti according to package directions. (7 minutes for the brand I used.) In a large skillet, brown the meat with onion and garlic.

Add the cheese into the meat mixture and stir until the cheese melts in. Remove from heat.

Drain the manicotti. To make the job of filling it easier, I always just slit the pasta up the side and fill it like a tortilla:So much easier than trying to stuff the filling into the shell!!! (and no one will ever know unless you tell them!)