Soup for the Sick

My husband and kids have been hit hard with a cold.  They have been miserable all week.  My husband really wanted soup, and of course I don't have any on hand.  After a quick glance in the cupboards, fridge, and freezer, I was able to find a few ingredients to whip together a tasty soup.  I had that remaining 1 lb of ground beef that I froze earlier in the week.  There was leftover rice from my pork and rice wraps in the fridge.  I always keep frozen veggies on hand.  The black beans were leftover from nacho night, and after much digging, I found some beef stock in the cupboard.  My favorite part about this soup is the fact that I was able to use up a lot of my leftovers.

Easy Beef, Rice, and Veggie Soup

1 lb of ground beef, cooked
24 oz of frozen mixed veggies
1 1/2 c of cooked white rice
1 c black beans, cooked, drained
8 c water
3 Knors Homestyle Stock, beef flavor
salt, to taste
pepper, to taste



Combine all ingredients, minus the rice, together in a crock pot.  Cook on low for 4 hours.  Add rice and continue to cook on low for another hour or two.  Stir and taste continuously.  Add salt and pepper as needed.

Note:  Beans must be cooked.  Dry beans will not soften fast enough for this recipe if you just add them in.  Rice should also be cooked prior to adding.  Rice absorbs a lot of water and seasoning.  Cooking rice first and then adding it in later will not only prevent the rice from over cooking and turning to mush, but it will keep it from absorbing too much water and flavor from the soup.  

Crock Pot Pork Wraps

So yesterday I thought I'd get a jump start on cooking pork chops in the crock pot.  Unfortunately when I turned it off, I forgot to put them in the fridge after they cooled. I remembered when I woke up at 5am today.  It smelled so yummy though, that I just had to re-do it.

Rick wanted corn in his.  

Six hours in the crock pot.

Pork and Rice Wrap

3lbs boneless pork chops
2 cans Campbells French Onion Soup
1 can Pinto Beans and Jalapenos, drained
1/8 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp cilantro (if using fresh use 3/4tsp instead)
2 cups cooked rice
12 flour tortillas

Place pork chops and french onion soup in crock pot and cook on low until pork is tender (3-4 hrs).  Remove pork from crock pot, but reserve juices.  Using two forks, shred the pork.  Return pork to juices.  Add pinto beans, cumin, and cilantro.  Let simmer in crock pot for at least 2 hrs.  Layer rice and pork in a flour tortilla, and roll it up like a burrito.  It's so simple, and very tasty.  :-)

Working on Something New

I'm in the process of coming up with something new.  My kids are still sick, so it was just a simple dinner tonight.  I decided I was going to start cooking pork chops in the crock pot.  I added 5 bone-in chops with 1 can of Progresso French Onion soup (I didn't have any Campbells concentrate, so I'm making do with what I had on hand).  I haven't quite figured out what I'm going to do with it, or what I'm going to add to it yet, but hopefully something will inspire me in the morning.  Check back in tomorrow evening to see what I've made.

Bacon Wrapped Stuffed Chicken

Bacon happens to be one of my families favorite foods, so naturally I like to cook with bacon.  This recipe is super easy, but will look like you spent a lot more time on it than you really did.

Bacon Wrapped Stuff Chicken

4 Chicken Breasts
8 pieces of Bacon, uncooked
4 oz Chive and Onion Flavored cream cheese
1/4 c Cheddar Cheese, shredded

Clear wrap over the chicken keeps
 mess at a minimum.

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.  Using the flat side of a meat mallet, pound each chicken breast until it is flat enough to roll up (Tip:  use a piece of clear wrap on top of the chicken while you are flattening it, it will be less messy and prevent the chicken from sticking to the mallet).

Bacon ends should be on
the bottom of the breast.

Spread approximately 1oz (about 1tbsp) of cream cheese in the on side side of the chicken breast.  Add about a pinch of cheddar cheese on top of the cream cheese.  Roll up the chicken.  Next, take a piece of bacon and begin wrapping the chicken.  You'll need 2 pieces per breast.  Try to make it so the ends of the bacon start/end on the bottom of the chicken.  Bake for approximately 40-45 minutes.

I Hate Colds

My poor babies are coming down with colds.  It's been such a long day.  Sorry, but no recipe tonight.  After dealing with cranky babies and running all over the place trying to find a Target that had Danimal Crunchers (that's Dexter's favorite yogurt, and there was a great coupon pairing that made each pack just $0.25), I'm exhausted.  We did take out tonight.  I'm going to be making bacon wrapped stuffed chicken breast tomorrow though, and promise its going to be a tasty recipe.  :-)

The 3 lb Plan...Part 2

Yesterday I told you all about what I was making with the 3 lbs of ground beef I defrosted.  Last night I made nachos.  I also cooked off 1 lb of the ground beef and froze it for a future meal.  On the menu for tonight is Bacon n Cheese Guac Burgers on King Hawaiian Rolls, served with corn on the cob, and Sweet Mesquite Bush's Grilling Beans.

I actually prepped my burger meat yesterday.  I like to mix my ingredients into my ground beef, instead of piling everything on top.  I think it makes the burgers more flavorful and unique.

Bacon n Cheese Guac Burgers

1 lb Ground Beef

3/4 c Shredded Cheddar Cheese
4 strips of Bacon, cooked extra crispy, chopped.
1 egg, beaten
1-2 dashes of Garlic Powder
1-2 dashes of Onion Powder
1/4 tsp Pepper
1 pkg 6ct King's Hawaiian Hamburger Buns, OR 1 pkg 12 count King's Hawaiian Rolls if making the slider version
Wholly Guacamole Spicy Pico and Guac Dip (located in the produce department)

Use a wire cooling rack when broiling. 

Preheat the broiler on your oven (you may choose to grill these instead, in which case preheat your grill).  Set a wire cooling rack on a broiler safe pan.  This helps to cook your burger more evenly, and prevents it from sticking to the pan.  Combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl, add the egg last.  The egg acts like a binding agent holding all the ingredients together.  Feel free to play around with the amounts of cheese and bacon (note:  if you add too much cheese or bacon, you may not be able to properly form burger patties).  Mix well with your hands.  Once everything had been combined, form 6 even sized balls.  Use your hands to flatten each one into burger patties approximately 1/4 in thick (you want it to be wide enough to cover a bun).  Place the patties onto the wire rack, and place in the oven.  Broil for approximately 10-15 minutes, checking around the 10 minute mark for color and temp.  Serve on King's Hawaiian Hamburger Buns with a small amount of Wholly Guacamole.

Slider Version:
Follow the instructions above, but instead of making 6 balls, make 12.  Broil for 10-15 minutes, checking around the 10 minute mark for color and temp.  Serve on King's Hawaiian Rolls with a small amount of Wholly Guacamole.

Ava says, "Mmmm."

Labor Inducing Foods and Recipes

My friend Alexis is on the verge on having her new little one, and I wanted to dedicate this post to her.  When you're that close to the end of your pregnancy, we often look for creative ways to help our bodies get that labor process moving along.  With my last baby, I was stuck in the early stages of labor for 2 weeks!

There are all sorts of labor inducing ideas and activities out there.  My favorites have always been labor inducing foods and recipes.  It is important to understand that if your body isn't ready for labor, these methods will not work.  You should always wait until you are full term and your Dr has given you the green light to try bringing on labor on your own.

(click on the links below for the recipes)

 Labor Inducing Cookies 

I tried  these, and I actually liked them.  They reminded me of spicy ginger snaps.  Once you've baked the cookies, you are suppose to eat as many as you possibly can.  The combination of the spices are suppose to help trigger contractions.  Be warned though, these cookies also make you poop.  Make sure you have a bathroom near by.  

Eggplant Parmigiana 

I wanted to try this, but sadly I couldn't find eggplant in any of the stores around me.  According to one clerk I asked, there was an eggplant shortage.  I did make the sauce though and used it to make a lasagna, and I thought it was tasty.

Other Foods that May Bring On Labor

I really liked this link.  The eggplant parmigiana and the labor inducing cookies are including on this list as well as 7 other foods that are suppose to help bring on labor (with links to recipes).  

I had fun with my attempts to bring on labor.  I even threw a "Get This Baby Out of Me" Party.  I served a variety of labor inducing foods (including pineapple and lasagna made with the eggplant parm sauce).  Everyone shared their tips and tricks of things to do to help further my labor along (sex was always the most popular tip...lol).  We played games on the Wii for hours hoping the constant movement would work.  In the end none of it worked for me, but it was fun giving everything a try.