Pages

Wednesday, October 31, 2012

Crunch Wrap Supreme

I was trying to figure out what to make for dinner the other night and my in house taste tester suggested we get Taco Bell.


I didn’t feel like going out so I decided to make my own Taco Bell.
I chose to make the Crunch Wrap Supreme. 


It was really easy and they tasted great!


What you need,

makes 4 

½ lb. ground beef
1 heaping tbsp. homemade taco seasoning
½ cup water
4 large flour tortillas
1 jar nacho cheese sauce, warmed up
1 bag of tostadas
1 1/2 cup sour cream
Shredded lettuce
Chopped fresh tomatoes
1 tbsp. vegetable oil
Salsa and extra sour cream for serving

Start by browning the ground beef in a large skillet over medium high heat. When the meat is fully cooked, drain off any excess fat.
Stir in the taco seasoning and the water. Turn the heat to medium low and let it simmer for 15 minutes until all the water has been absorbed.

Wrap each tortilla in a damp paper towel and put in the microwave for about 15 seconds, this will make them soft and easy to fold.
Put about ¼ cup of the taco meat in the centre of the flour tortilla.
Pour 2-3 tablespoons of the cheese sauce over the meat. Lay on a tostada, top with 2-3 tablespoons of sour cream and some of the lettuce and tomatoes.
Carefully start folding the edges of the flour tortilla up over the centre. Just work carefully it will come together right in the centre.

Heat a tablespoon of vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Place the folded tortilla seam side down in the hot pan and cook for 2 minutes or until nicely browned. Flip and brown the second side.
I put the cooked Crunch Wrap Supremes on a sheet pan and placed them in a warmed oven until I could get them all cooked.

Here are the Tostadas I used, I found them in the Mexican Food isle at the grocery store.



These tasted just like Taco Bell’s, Delicious!

We loved them. Now, I just need to figure out the Fries Supreme and we are golden!


Jen

Monday, October 29, 2012

Peanut Butter Pudding Cookies with Reece’s Pieces for Halloween



Halloween is in 2 days! I can’t believe it. It feels like yesterday that I was at home in Regina getting ready to take my niece trick or treating, but that was a whole year ago already!

I decided to whip up these tasty little cookies to celebrate Halloween this year.


They are easy and sooooo good. And the Reece’s Pieces really make them look Halloweeny!


What you need,

¾ cup butter
½ cup peanut butter, smooth
½ cup granulated sugar
½ cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tbsp. honey
1 tsp. vanilla
2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 small box instant vanilla pudding
1 cup chocolate chips
1 cup peanut butter chips
1 cup Reece’s Pieces Candy

Start by preheating your oven to 350 degrees. Line your baking sheet with parchment or a silpat and set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer combine the butter, peanut butter and sugars together until light and fluffy.

Add in the eggs one at a time and mix until well incorporated.
Add in the vanilla.

In a separate bowl whisk together the flour, baking soda and pudding.
Gradually add the dry ingredients to the stand mixer while on low speed until the flour is all mixed in.

Stir in the chocolate chips, peanut butter chips and Reece’s Pieces.

Drop by the heaping tablespoon onto the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 8-10 minutes until golden brown and puffy.

Remove the baking sheet from the oven and let the cookies cool for 2-3 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.

Cool completely and store in an airtight container for a week.


These little cookies are amazing! The pudding makes them puffy and soft. I love the little crunch you get from the Reece’s Pieces.

I hope you all have a Spooktacular Halloween!!

Jen

Recipe from Sweet Pea's Kitchen

Sunday, October 28, 2012

Slow Cooker Cheesy Ravioli

It is definitely fall here. It has been cold and rainy here for a couple of weeks now.

Which means it is time to get out the slow cooker!

I love the ease of making dinner in the slow cooker. Plus most of what you make in it is hearty warm comfort food.

This ravioli was easy and it tasted awesome!

What you need,

1 tbsp. olive oil
1 medium onion, diced finely
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 jar of four cheese flavored tomato sauce (I used Classico but any brand you like will do)
1 can of tomato sauce (I used Hunt’s tomato with herbs and spices)
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
2 packages (25oz) frozen beef filled ravioli (I couldn’t find frozen ravioli so I just bought the Olivieri brand fresh pasta and froze it the day before.)
2 cups Mozzarella cheese, shredded
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
Fresh ground black pepper
Parmesan cheese for serving

In a large pot heat the olive oil over medium high heat.

Add in the onion and garlic and sauté until softened, about 5 minutes.
Add in the pasta sauce and the tomato sauce, season with pepper and the Italian seasoning.

Let it simmer for about 5 minutes. Stir in ½ the fresh basil.

Spray the liner of your slow cooker with non-stick cooking spray.

Place about a cup of the sauce on the bottom of the dish and layer on about half the frozen ravioli.

Layer on half of the sauce, sprinkle with half the grated cheese. Top that layer with the rest of the frozen ravioli. Then add the rest of the sauce and top with the remaining cheese.
Bake on low for 5-6 hours. I did mine for close to 6 and it was very well done, 5 hours would probably be plenty.

Serve with some freshly grated Parmesan cheese and the rest of the fresh basil.

I made some Herb Toast and a nice Spinach salad to go with it. 
It was a perfect meal!


Jen


Friday, October 26, 2012

Favourite Things Friday Vol 38

Happy Friday! I am sooooo glad it is finally Friday, what a week.
It has been doing a lot of this lately,


I really thought that after 11 years in Vancouver I would be used to the rain, but nope, I still hate it!

My friend Brenda was visiting from the UK this past weekend. It was so great to see her!!
she brought me some cute little gifts.


A Treacle Tart Chocolate bar, a super cute little sparkly purse from Harrod's, a Keep Calm and Carry On mug and some amazing smelling lotion from the Queen's house!!

While she was here we had to go to Dairy Queen! There isn't any in the UK so when she comes home she always needs a Peanut Buster Parfait fix. I am a good friend so I begrudginly go along and eat one too so she doesn't feel bad!


Some friends of mine drove down to Bellingham the other day and they were nice enough to pick me up some stuff,


some Rotel, you can't get it here so I am very excited about it!


and some Cookie Butter from Trader Joe's!!
AHHHHHHHH!! I so need to go down there, I am dying to go to Trader Joe's!

That has been my week. well besides work, work and more work.
I am looking forward to a weekend full of carving pumpkins, watching movies and baking something with my new cookie butter!

Have a great weekend everyone!

Jen

Wednesday, October 24, 2012

Burger Shlaka



Ok, I warn you this isn’t the prettiest dish, it doesn’t have the most appetizing name, but it is by far one of our all-time favourites.


It is sort of a lazy man’s beef stroganoff.
It is one of my go to weeknight meals, it is quick and easy and full of flavour!

What you need,

1 lb. lean ground beef
1 small onion, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups button mushrooms, sliced
1 can cream of mushroom soup
¼ cup milk
¼ cup sour cream
Salt and Pepper
Pinch of cayenne pepper
1 cup of frozen peas
Fresh parsley for garnish

In a large skillet brown the ground beef and drain off any fat.

Add in the onion and garlic and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.

Toss in the mushroom and cook for another 5 minutes.

Stir in the mushroom soup and milk, season with salt and pepper and the cayenne pepper.

Stir in the peas.

Simmer for 10 minutes.

Just before serving stir in the sour cream and garnish with the parsley.

Serve with mashed potatoes or buttered egg noodles.


I love this mess of a dish, it is pure comfort food.
The left overs are awesome too.

Jen

Monday, October 22, 2012

2 Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookies



Monday’s are hard. Sometimes after a long hard Monday you just want a glass of wine and a big warm chocolate chip cookie.


This recipe is amazing; it makes 2 big Ooey Gooey chocolate chip cookies. Perfect for you and a friend, or just eat them both yourself, don’t feel bad, Monday’s are hard!


What you need,

2 tbsp. butter, softened, I used salted
2 tbsp. firmly packed brown sugar
1 tbsp. granulated sugar
Pinch of kosher salt, l left this out because I used salted butter
¼ tsp. vanilla extract
1 egg yolk, save the white part for something else, I hear they freeze well.
¼ tsp. baking soda
¼ cup all-purpose flour
3 heaping tbsp. chocolate chips

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with a silpat mat or parchment paper and set aside.

Stir together the butter, sugars, salt (if you are using) and vanilla until it comes together.

Add the egg yolk and stir until mixture gets a little light and fluffy.

Stir in baking soda and flour until combined. Finally stir in the chocolate chips.

Divide the dough into 2 balls and place on the prepared baking sheet. The cookies will spread out during cooking so put them about 6 inches apart.

Bake for 8-10 minutes until they edges are nicely browned and the centre looks soft but set.

Cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Well cool enough that you can stuff it in your face without burning your lips off!
So about 10 minutes.


There you have it. A perfect snack for a hard day!

These cookies are perfectly crisp on the outside and soft and chewy on the inside.
I fear I may be using this recipe all too often!

Happy Monday!

Jen