Gooey Enchiladas for Secret Recipe Club

     Here we are in the middle of July already!  I can't believe how fast summer is flying by.  It's time again for this month's Secret Recipe Club.   This month I was assigned to Heather's blog, Join us, Pull Up a Chair.  Her blog has a little bit of everything in it from chocolate chip pecan pie and lemon butter cookies to broccoli chicken with cashews and cheesesteak stuffed peppers!  It was a tough decision to find the recipe I wanted to make but I went with the Gooey Enchiladas.

      These enchiladas are different from the typical ones I make because instead of a smooth sauce, the sauce is chunky and very salsa like.  Because it was 100 degrees the day I decided to make these, and we don't have air conditioning in our house, I had to adapt and make them in a skillet instead of the oven.

      They turned out cheesy, gooey, and delicious.  The inside of the enchiladas were stuffed with ground beef, black beans, cilantro, and cheese.  They are then topped off with the salsa sauce and cooked until the cheese is melted.  Since I made them in the skillet the bottoms were crunchy as well which turned out to be extra tasty.

Gooey Enchiladas (adapted from Join us, Pull Up a Chair)
1 t. olive oil
1 onion, minced  
3 garlic cloves, minced  
14 oz. can diced, fire-roasted tomatoes  
1 t. ground coriander  
2 t. cumin, divided  
1 t. oregano  
1 t. black pepper, divided  
1/2 t. salt  
1 t. chili powder 
1/4 c. fresh cilantro, chopped  
1 lb. lean ground beef
1 c. black beans, rinsed and drained
1 c. cheddar cheese
6 flour tortillas

1.  Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat.  Add in the onion and cook for 5 minutes.  Stir in the garlic and cook for an additional minute.  

2.  Add the tomatoes, coriander, 1 teaspoon of cumin, oregano, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, and salt to the onions and cook for 5 minutes.  Remove from heat and stir in the cilantro.


3.  In another pan cook the ground beef along with the remaining cumin, black pepper, and chili powder.  Drain the fat.  Stir in the black beans and half of the cheese.


4.  Divide the beef mixture between the 6 tortillas.  Spread a tablespoon of the tomato mixture on top of each.  Fold the sides of the tortillas in and roll.


5.  Spread 1/2 cup of the tomato sauce in the bottom of a large skillet.  Place the enchiladas on top of the sauce.  Sprinkle with remaining cheese and top with remaining tomato sauce.


6.  Cover the pan with a lid and heat over medium high heat for 5 minutes or until the cheese is melted.


7.  Serve with sour cream if desired.  

This post linked to:
Totally Tasty Tuesdays, Tempt My Tummy Tuesdays, Trick or Treat Tuesday, Tasty Tuesday,

Twenty-Two Faces by Judy Byington

     Referring to journals written throughout childhood, Twenty-Two Faces: Inside the Extraordinary Life of Jenny Hill and Her Twenty-Two Multiple Personalities documents how as a five year-old, Jenny overcomes ongoing abuse by turning to prayer while utilizing her alter states to compartmentalize trauma at the hands of a master mind-control programmer from Nazi Germany. After suffering deaths of a high school sweetheart, plus her only girlfriend, she somehow completes Army medic training, receives a nursing degree, prepares for a church mission and becomes a mother. Simultaneously led by sex-addict Head Alter J.J., intrepid alters assume frequent control, engaging in larceny and prostitution. With her children, her lifeline, the increasingly desperate nurse escapes a drugged-out pimping husband, blacks out in a job interview, comes to nine days later as an inpatient headed for the Utah State Psychiatric Hospital and only then learns what her life has really been.  (synopsis from the author)

      Reading Twenty-Two Faces was a challenge for me because of the violent nature of the book.  Some of the details of Jenny's torture and abuse are very graphic and vivid and I could only read so much at a time before I needed time to process what I read.  It's hard to imagine that Jenny Hill was able to survive and live through what she did as a child.  It is truly amazing that she has lived into adulthood.  It is also amazing to me that she was able to get a nursing degree and pass her boards with 22 different personalities inside of her.


      At first I thought a lot about the sexual abuse she suffered at the hands of her father.  It was a horrible experience for her but it also made her feel loved.  However, living in the house had to have been hell on Jenny because her mother pretty much hated her and those feelings showed in how her sisters treated her as well.  As she grew older, Jenny continued to be in mentally, sexually, and physically abusive relationships.


      Thankfully when Jenny was in her 20's she was finally admitted to a psychiatric hospital where a doctor recognized her as having multiple personalities.  She was treated in that hospital for a year and many of her personalities went dormant at this point in time.  


     This book is an in-depth look at what sexual abuse, emotional abuse, and ritual abuse can do to a child and how Jenny Hill was able to deal with it.  It's a sad and horrifying book but the strength Jenny shows throughout the book is remarkable.  It's a must read for anyone who is in the medical field, knows someone with a mental illness, or works with people who have mental illnesses or multiple personalities.  


I give this book 4 out of 5 stars.  

**Disclaimer-this book contains graphic details of sexual assaults and violence.**

This post linked to:
Review Party Wednesdays, 

Red, White, and Blue Cookies with Newman's Own Organics Dried Fruits + a Giveaway!

    I'm excited to be participating in another Food.Fun.Hop event hosted by Shy Babies & Little Inspiration.  For the Food Fun Hop the wonderful people at Newman's Own Organics sent me a box filled with dried fruits and Hermit cookies.  I received a package of dried apples, dried cranberries, and a berry mix.  Not only were they generous enough to give me these organic dried fruits but they are going to send a selection of them to one of my readers as well!

        We had never had the dried fruit or Hermit cookies before.  The cookies were soft, sweet, and delicious.  We finished them off in just two days.  The dried fruits were pretty awesome as well.  We liked the dried apples the best because they were soft and just a little bit sweet.  I ate them plain while my husband enjoyed them on his yogurt.  The berry blend was tasty too.  I enjoyed the different tart and sweet flavors.  The cranberries were perfect in my organic granola mix.  My husband is already asking when we can buy the apples again.

    When deciding what to make I immediately thought of something red, white, and blue because the berry mix contains cherries, cranberries, and blueberries.  I figured if I added in white chocolate I could make the perfect patriotic dessert.  These red, white, and blue cookies were perfect.  They had a delicate sweetness from the brown sugar, a tartness from the dried fruit, and a smooth creaminess from the white chocolate.  They were the all around perfect cookie.  We took some to our friends and they were devoured in minutes. 

Red, White, and Blue Cookies (adapted from Cookie Madness)
1 1/4 c. flour
1 1/2 t. baking powder
1/2 t. salt
5 T. butter
1/2 c. brown sugar
2 T. granulated sugar
1/4 c. applesauce
1 egg
1 t. vanilla
1/2 t. cinnamon
1/2 c. Newman's Own Organics dried berry blend
1/4 c. Newman's Own Organics dried cranberries
3 oz. white chocolate, cut into chunks

1.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

2.  In a medium bowl cream together the butter and two sugars.  Stir in the applesauce and mix well.

3.  Add the egg, vanilla, and cinnamon to the butter mixture and beat for 30 seconds.

4.  In another bowl combine the flour, baking powder, and salt.

5.  Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and stir until well combined.

6.  Fold in the dried berries and white chocolate chunks.

7.  Drop heaping teaspoons onto ungreased cookie sheets.  Bake for 12-14 minutes or until the edges are golden brown.  Remove to a wire rack and cool completely.

     Now for the giveaway!  One of my readers will win a selection of Newman's Own Organics dried fruits!  The giveaway is open to US readers and will run through July 30 at midnight.  I will contact the winner via e-mail on July 31.

**Newman's Own Organics products were received in order to facilitate this review and giveaway, but all opinions are 100% my own.**

This post linked to:
Meatless Mondays, Mangia Mondays,  Making You Crave Mondays,

Prickly Pear Wine Spritzer #SundaySupper

    This week the theme for #SundaySupper is Beat the Heat which is being hosted by Jen at Juanita's Cosina.    It's been in the 90's here on and off for the past month and the only thing I wanted to beat the heat was a nice, cool drink.  Whenever it's hot, I want something that is light, fruity, and refreshing. 

     Last month my little brother went to Sedona, Arizona.  He took some breathtaking pictures of the sites and made me totally jealous for not being there.  However he did bring me back a present.  He brought me back a bottle of Prickly Pear Cactus Syrup because he knows how much I love to cook and enjoy using new ingredients.  I am totally new to Prickly Pear Syrup but I instantly had a ton of ideas.  My brother enjoys cooking as well so he told me he'd be happy to taste my creations.

     I wasn't really sure what the flavor of the syrup would be so instead of trying to use it in a baked good right off the bat I opted for trying it out in a mixed drink first.  This past week was scorching hot and I was dying for a white wine spritzer so I jazzed it up with some of this syrup.

     The flavors in the spritzer were perfect for a hot summer day.  The Pinot Grigio is a crisp white wine that holds the flavors of the Prickly Pear Syrup, lemons, and limes.  The drink was just barely sweet and bursting with fruit flavor.  The syrup also turned the drink a gorgeous pink color that looked so pretty with the lemon and lime wedges.  I can't wait to make this for our next #SundaySupper with friends!  I know it will be a huge hit!

Prickly Pear Wine Spritzer (an original Hezzi-D recipe)
3/4 c. Pinot Grigio (or any other white wine)
1/2 c. seltzer water
2 T. Prickly Pear Cactus Syrup
1 t. sugar (if using a dry white wine)
1 c. ice
3 lemon slices, thinly cut
3 lime slices, thinly cut
lemon and lime wedges for garnishing

1.  Pour the Pinot Grigio, seltzer water, Prickly pear syrup, and sugar in a shaker.  Shake well for 1 minutes.

2.  Strain the beverage into a tall glass filled with ice.  Add in the thinly cut lemon and lime slices.  Garnish with a lemon and lime wedge and a drizzle of the Prickly Pear Syrup.

Don't forget to check out these other #SundaySupper recipes to Beat the Heat:


#BeatTheHeat Appetizers:

• Refreshing Chunky Shrimp Salsa ~ The Weekend Gourmet
• Totally Cool Green Hummus ~ My Kitchen and I
• Smoked Whitefish Salad Bagel Bites ~ Cindy's Recipes and Writings
• Watermelon and Goat Cheese Bites ~ Chelsea's Culinary Indulgence
• Strawberry Gazpacho ~ Diabetic Foodie
• Grilled Loaded Baked Potato Skins ~ In the Kitchen with KP
• Sweet & Tangy Chili Lime Fruit Salad ~ Sue's Nutrition Buzz

#BeatTheHeat Salads, Soups, & Sides:

• Cool Cucumber Salad ~ Momma's Meals
• Lemony Garbanzo Kale Salad with Tuna ~ Shockingly Delicious
• Hungarian Cucumber Salad Recipe - Uborkasaláta Recept ~ The Watering Mouth
• Tomato Salad with Macadamia Cheese ~ Cooking's Good Vegetarian Cafe
• Char-Grilled Corn Salad ~ The Little Ferraro Kitchen
• Gazpacho ~ The Hand That Rocks the Ladle
• Summertime Sweet Pea Salad ~ Granny's Down Home Southern Cooking
• Apple and Poppy Seed Coleslaw ~ Damn Delicious
• Cold Cucumber and Orzo Salad ~ Mama.Mommy.Mom
• Carribbean Salad with Grilled Shrimp ~ Mama's Blissful Bites
• Chilly Dilly Cucumber Soup with Shrimp ~ Comfy Cuisine
• Mom's Creamy Pea Salad ~ Bobbi's Kozy Kitchen
• Greek (Yogurt) Potato Salad ~ Family Foodie

#BeatTheHeat Main Dishes:

• Rainbow Slaw with Steak and Chipotle Crema ~ Cooking By The Seat of our Pants
• Slow Cooker Lemon Chicken ~ Make Dinner Easy
• Rolling with Kimbap ~ Kimchi Mom
• Ranch Chicken Tacos ~ Pippi's In The Kitchen Again
• Serrano Ham, Mozzarella and Arugula Sandwiches ~ Vintage Kitchen Notes
• Asian Veggie Lettuce Wraps ~ The Lemon Bowl
• Slow Cooker Root Beer Pulled Pork ~ Cupcakes and Kale Chips
• No Bake Pizza ~ The Meltaways

#BeatTheHeat Desserts:

• Strawberry Cheesecake Ice Cream ~ Supper for a Steal
• No-Cook Egg-Free Peanut Butter Cup Ice Cream ~ Chocolate Moosey
• Peach Sorbet ~ Magnolia Days
• Gluten-Free Cookie Dough Ice Cream ~ No One Likes Crumbley Cookies
• Icebox Chocolate Pie ~ Doggie at the Dinner Table
• Honey and Elderflower Ice Cream ~ Small Wallet Big Appetite
• Blackberry Lavender Popsicles ~ Girlichef
• Frozen Chocolate Bananas ~ In the Kitchen with Audrey
• Strawberry-Lime Margarita Ice Cream ~ Cookistry
• Elegant Fruit Jellies ~ Happy Baking Days
• Cookie Ice Cream Sandwiches ~ That Skinny Chick Can Bake
• Blueberry Cheesecake Ice Cream ~ Baker Street
• Vanilla Peach Swirl Frozen Yogurt ~ Dinners, Dishes, and Desserts
• Espresso and Toasted Almond Semifreddo ~ The Messy Baker
• Mango Ice Cream ~ Queen's Notebook
• Raspberry Mousse ~ Basic and Delicious
• White Apricot & Honeysuckle Sorbet ~ Family Spice
• Biscoff Ice Cream Cupcakes ~ Juanita's Cocina

#BeatTheHeat Drinks & Cocktails:

• Shirley Temple ~ Cravings of a Lunatic
• Coco-Limeade ~ What Smells So Good?
• Prickly Pear White Wine Spritzer ~ Hezzi-D's Books and Cooks
• Classic Daquiri ~ Katherine Martinelli
• Salty Lassi ~ Soni's Food for Thought
• Blueberry Mint Lemonade ~ Pescetarian Journal
• Sweet Basil & Cucumber Melon Smoothie ~ Daily Dish Recipes

Wine Pairings Provided By: ENOFYLZ

This post linked to:
 Scrumptious Sundays,

Zucchini, Squash, and Tomato Gratin

    I was excited when the theme for my cooking boards recipe swap was vegetarian this week.  I try to cook vegetarian 2-3 days a week but many times we end up having a pasta dish or tofu so I'm always searching for new main dishes.  I ended up with Zucchini-Tomato Gratin from Life and Kitchen.

    I was lucky that I just bought a block of Parmesan cheese and a block of Pecorino Romano at Giant Eagle Market District last weekend so I already had the cheeses on hand.  Because I am not a huge fan of tomatoes I only used one in this recipe and then added a yellow squash.  I like how simple this meal is.  It's basically just the sauteed vegetables, garlic, and cheese.

     The flavors blend together in the oven and they make for a terrific dish.  The garlic seeps into the vegetables and the saltiness from the cheese finishes off the dish.  I served it with crusty bread and an olive oil dipping sauce.  My husband really enjoyed it as well and thought it would be even better served over top of pasta so I may try that next time.  Either way, we both certainly enjoyed this dish and it was much different from our normal vegetarian main dishes.

Zucchini, Squash, and Tomato Gratin (adapted from Life and Kitchen)

1 large tomato, cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices
1 large zucchini, cut into 1/8-inch-thick diagonal slices

1 medium yellow squash, cut into 1/8 inch thick slices
1/2 medium onion
2 Tbsp. olive oils, divided
4 garlic cloves, minced
¼  c. chopped parsley
 ¼ c. grated Parmesan cheese

¼ c. Pecorino Romano cheese

1.  Slice the tomatoes and place in a colander.  Sprinkle them with salt.  

2. Spread the zucchini on a baking sheet and sprinkle with salt.  Let stand for 30 minutes to sweat out excess moisture. Pat dry with paper towels.

3.  Heat 1 teaspoon of olive oil in a large saute pan over medium heat.  Dice the onion and saute for 5 minutes.  Remove from heat and place in a bowl.

4.  Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

5.  Heat 1 teaspoon of olive oil in the same pan you just cooked the onions it.  Saute the zucchini and squash over medium high heat for 3-5 minute or until just starting to brown.  Do this in batches if needed. 

6.  In an 8 x 8 baking dish layer half the zucchini on the bottom.  Layer with half the squash, half the tomatoes, and half the onions.  Sprinkle with half of the garlic cloves, half of the parsley, and half of the cheeses.  Sprinkle with fresh ground black pepper.

7.  Layer the remaining zucchini, squash, tomatoes, and onions.  Sprinkle with remaining garlic, parsley, and cheeses.  Drizzle with 1 teaspoon of olive oil.

8.  Bake for 25 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the gratin is bubbling.  Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes before serving.

This post linked to:
Foodie Fridays, Foodie Fridays 2, Shine on Friday,

Drowning Mermaids by Nadia Scrieva

     Deep under Arctic waters lies an ice kingdom carved into a glacier. Those who dwell within it possess magnificent biological secrets. Due to the dangers of impending war, the Princess of Adlivun is forced to flee her undersea utopia and regroup with her sisters in Alaska.

     Captain Trevain Murphy is a successful king crab fisherman who has spent his life building his empire above the sea, and knows nothing of the empire beneath it. When he meets a mysterious dancer whose father has recently died, he extends kindness towards her, unaware of her unique genetics and royal lineage.

     Trevain's attraction to the enigmatic Aazuria Vellamo will involve him in dangerous designs that will forever change his life, and his perspective on himself and his world. He embarks on perilous journeys in which he will need to release all of his insecurities and inhibitions in order to survive. (synopsis from Goodreads)

     At the beginning of the book I was confused aboutwho the characters were and how they related to the ice kingdom under the sea.  After the first few chapters, it was revealed that Aazuria is the Princess of Adlivun, the underwater ice kingdom.  From that point on I really enjoyed the events of the book.


      There's a love story between Aazuria, who looks 18 but is over 600 years old, and Trevain, a 50 year old sailor.   It's a forbidden love that could leave Adlivun in ruins if Aazuria decides to leave for good.  There's also a war raging between the people of Adlivun and a group of other sea dwellers.  The others, under the rule of Atagatis, have been poaching men off of boats and drowning them in the sea.  


     A lot of action takes place in the book and their are several story lines that eventually come together in the end.  There are also several surprising twists that made me keep reading to find out what would happen next.  I really enjoyed the book and liked how everything wrapped up and came together in the end.  


     Aazuria is a strong woman who not only fights for her people but also for anyone she loves.  She's not afraid to step in when she feels like someone has been wronged and she'll stand up for what she believes in.  She is a wonderfully strong main female character.


I give this book 4 out of 5 stars.

Quick Bread Two Ways: Lemon Poppy Seed and Cranberry Oat

    After my last batch of quick breads I couldn't wait to make more.  The quick breads were perfect for our breakfast in the summer.  I just put a mini loaf in the refrigerator before we went to bed and we had fresh sweet bread for the next two days as breakfast.  It was a delicious, light breakfast and I didn't even have to turn on the oven!

     I've been on a bit of a lemon poppy seed kick lately so that was going to be one of my flavors.  For the other flavor I searched my cupboards and came up with dried cranberries and oats.  The lemon poppy seed bread was very lightly flavored with lemon.  I ended up putting a simple lemon glaze on top of it to bring up the lemon flavor.  The cranberry oat bread was perfect.  It was sturdy, was tart from the cranberries, and the oats added a wonderful texture.

Quick Bread (recipe adapted from Allrecipes)
3 c. flour
1 1/2 c. sugar
1 T. baking powder
1 1/2 t. baking soda
1 1/2 t. salt
12 T. butter, melted
3 eggs
For the lemon poppy seed bread:
2 T. lemon juice
1 t. lemon zest
2 t. poppy seed
1/4 t. vanilla
For the cranberry oat bread:
1/3 c. dried cranberries
1/3 c. quick oats
1/3 c. milk
1/2 t. vanilla

1.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Spray mini loaf or regular sized loaf pans with cooking spray.

2.  In a large mixing bowl combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.  Mix well.

3.  In a small mixing bowl combine the melted butter and the eggs.

4.  Pour the egg mixture into the dry ingredients and mix until a dry dough forms.  Divide the dough in half (or into 4 if you want more flavors-variations above are for the half the dough).

5.  Add the lemon poppy seed bread ingredients to half the dough and mix well.  Add the cranberry oat bread ingredients to the other half of the dough and mix well.

6.  Pour the bread into 16 mini loaf pans or 4 regular sized loaf pans.  Cook the mini loaves for 20-25 minutes or the regular loaves for 45-50 minutes.  When a toothpick inserted into the middle of the loaf comes out clean it is cooked.

7.  Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack.

**If freezing wrap the loaves in plastic wrap and then with foil.  Place in a freezer bag.  Quick breads can be frozen for up to 3 months.  To defrost simply place on the counter for 3 hours or in the refrigerator overnight.**

This post linked to:
Frugal Food Thursdays, it's A Keeper Thursdays, Full Plate Thursdays, Sweet Tooth Fridays,

Lamb Pita Sandwiches with Tzatziki Sauce

     Who knew it would be so hard to find ground lamb in my small town?  I love lamb but have never made it myself.  Instead of starting with a rack of lamb I wanted to make a simple lamb patty using ground lamb.  I went to both the Martin's grocery stores in town and was told that they do sell it but they didn't have any.  I then went to Wal-Mart where I was told they don't sell lamb.  I finally went to our other market, Food Lion, where I found they don't sell it either.

     I was determined to get ground lamb so I asked at Martin's if they would order me some.  I was assured at the meat counter they would and it would be in on Tuesday.  On Tuesday morning I stopped on my way to work and there was no ground lamb.  This went on for 4 weeks with me asking the meat counter every week to please order me some ground lamb.  

     On the fifth week when I walked into the meat department I asked yet again if they had any ground lamb.  The man looked at me and asked if I was the lady that kept coming in and asking for it.  I told him that I was and he led me over to where there were three package of ground lamb.  He handed me one but I quickly told him I wanted all three since it was so difficult to find it here.  He looked surprised but handed the packages over.

     After the hassle of getting the lamb I was really hoping it would be worth it.  I wanted to try a recip for lamb pitas that I found on Cook's Illustrated.  As usual they didn't disappoint.  Both Frank and I thought the lamb pitas were delicious.  The lamb patties were moist and packed with flavor.  The feta cheese added a nice bite to the pitas.  The Tzatziki sauce was cool and flavorful and paired perfectly with the lamb pitas.  This is a recipe I'll be making again soon.  It would be wonderful for a summer picnic.

Lamb Pita Sandwiches with Tzatziki Sauce (adapted from Cook's Illustrated)
For Tzatziki Sauce:
1 c. plain Greek yogurt
1/2 cucumber, peeled, seeded, and finely chopped
1 t. salt
1/2 t. black pepper
1 T. lemon juice
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 t. fresh mint, chopped
1 t. fresh dill, chopped

For the lamb patties:
4 (8 inch) pitas
1/2 small onion, chopped
1 T. lemon juice
1 t. salt
1/2 t. black pepper
1/2 t. dried oregano
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 lb. ground lamb 

Toppings:
2 c. shredded iceberg lettuce
4 oz. crumbled feta cheese

1.  In a small bowl combine the cucumber, salt, and lemon juice.  Put in a strainer over top of a bowl and let sit for 30 minutes.

2.  Discard the liquid from the cucumbers, then in a small bowl combine the Greek yogurt, cucumber mixture, garlic, black pepper, mint, and dill.  Mix well and place in the refrigerator until ready to use.

3.  Cut off the top quarter of each pita.  Tear one of the quarters into 1 inch pieces and place in a food processor.  Add the onion, lemon juice, salt, pepper, oregano, and garlic to the pita in the food processor.  Pule until a smooth paste forms.


4.  Put the onion mixture into a large bowl.  Add the ground lamb and mix until well combined.  Form the ground lamb mixture into 4 or 5 log shaped patties that will fit inside the pitas. 

5.  In a large skillet over medium high heat, heat 1 teaspoon of olive oil.  Add in the ground lamb patties and cook for 4-5 minutes per side.  When the patties are cooked through remove from the pan to a paper towel on a plate.

6.  To assemble put 1/4 cup of Tzatziki sauce in each pita followed by a lamb patty.  Top with lettuce and feta cheese.

This post linked to: 
What's Cooking Wednesday?, Cast Party Wednesday, 

Pork Barbacoa Tacos

       Most weeks I try and make at least one Mexican meal.  Usually I go with old school tacos, beef burritos, or chicken enchiladas.  Occasionally I'll switch it up and make a vegetarian Mexican entree but rarely do I use pork.  I'm not sure why as pork is one meat that really absorbs the flavor of what it's put into to.  It's perfect for Mexican dishes.

        Pork Barbacoa is easy to make and only takes about 5 minutes to throw together in the crock-pot.  There are only a handful of ingredients and it smells amazing.  I really cut back on the brown sugar because of all the sugar that's already in the Coke.  It turned out to be a good choice because even with the small amount of brown sugar the pork was sweet.

       It shredded easily and absorbed a ton of the sauce in the crock-pot.  The flavor was sweet but slightly smoky from the taco sauce and a little spicy from the salsa and red pepper.  I found it to be delicious in a soft shell taco with rice, cheese, and sour cream.  It was even better the next day when I made Pork Barbacoa nachos out of it.

Pork Barbacoa Tacos (adapted from What's Cookin' Chicago?)
2-3 lb. pork roast
4 cloves minced garlic
1 onion, diced
½ c. water
1 T. cumin

¼ t. red pepper

1 t. black pepper

1/4 c. brown sugar
8 oz bottle taco sauce
12 oz Coke

1 c. medium salsa 

1.  Place the pork roast in the crock-pot.  Add in the garlic, onion, water, cumin, peppers, brown sugar, taco sauce, Coke, and salsa.  Mix well and cover.

2.  Cook on low for 8-10 hours.  

3.  About 15 minutes before serving, shred the pork in the crock-pot and allow it to soak up the juices.  Serve with your favorite taco fixings. 

This post linked to: 
Totally Tasty Tuesdays, Tempt my Tummy Tuesdays, Trick or Treat Tuesdays, Tasty Tuesdays,  

Spinach, Artichoke, and Broccoli Pasta Bake: Meatless Monday

      I know I've said it before but baked pasta dishes are one of my favorites.  Not only do they taste delicious but they are simple to prepare ahead of time and then bake whenever it's dinner time.  The original recipe for this pasta dish was for spinach and artichoke pasta.  I was super excited since those are two of my favorite vegetables.  I then decided to add in a third favorite vegetable, broccoli, to give it even more vitamins and nutrients.

     This is a great pasta bake.  The sauce is creamy but not overly heavy.  The reduced fat cream cheese and sour cream make it lighter as well.  All of the vegetables help to lighten it up and give it a nice crunch.  Both Frank and I really enjoyed this dish and next time I may add some roasted red pepper or sun-dried tomatoes to give it a little color. 

Spinach Artichoke Broccoli Pasta Bake (adapted from Carrie's Sweet Life)

16 oz of short pasta (I used penne)

1 T.  Olive Oil

1/2 large onion, chopped

1 t. salt

1 t. black pepper

4 cloves garlic, finely chopped

 2-3 c. fresh spinach

1 c. broccoli florets

3/4 c. low fat sour cream

4 oz of cream cheese (I used 1/3 less fat)

½  c.  Parmesan Cheese

1 t. Italian seasonings

1 (14 oz) Can of Artichoke Hearts, rinsed and drained

¾ c.  mozzarella cheese

1.  Cook the pasta according to the directions on the box. Reserve 1/4 cup of the pasta water before you drain the cooked pasta.

2.  Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add in the onion, salt, and pepper.  Cook for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Add in the broccoli and garlic and continue cooking for 5 minutes.

3.  Toss the spinach in with the other vegetables and cook until just wilted, about 3 minutes.  Remove from heat.

4.  In a large bowl combine the sour cream, cream cheese,  Parmesan cheese, and Italian seasonings.  Add in the pasta and mix until well coated.

5.  Stir in the pasta liquid, artichokes, and half a cup of mozzarella cheese.   

6.  Spray a 9 x 13 baking dish with cooking spray and spread the pasta into the dish.  Sprinkle the top with the remaining mozzarella cheese.  

7.  Broil the pasta mixture for 2-3 minutes or until the cheese is golden brown and melted.

**If you made the pasta ahead of time and refrigerated, preheat the oven to 375 and bake for 15-20 minutes before broiling the top.  You may also need to add 1/3 cup of water before baking to keep it from drying out.**

 

This post linked to:
Meatless Mondays, Scrumptious Sundays, Mangia Monday, Making You Crave Monday,

Chocolate and Salted Caramel Pudding Pops #SundaySupper

    It's time for another #SundaySupper!  This week the theme is cooking with kids.  As most of you know, I don't have any children of my own yet but I have plenty of children in my life.  Since I'm an elementary school special education teacher I have students in grades 1-5 that I often have reward parties for and during those reward parties we often cook something.  Both myself and my instructional assistant love to bake and cook so we like bringing that into our classroom when we can.

    In addition to the kids at school I have 3 adorable cousins in my life that I enjoy spending time in the kitchen with as well.  Johnna will be going into 5th grade, Greggy will be going into 4th grade, and Peyton will be going into first grade.  When thinking about a recipe that would be easy for the kids to help me with but would also help cool us off this summer I immediately thought of popsicles and ice cream.  Since I don't have an ice cream maker I wanted to make popsicles because anyone can make them as you don't need special equipment to do it.

    Thinking of my own childhood made me think of pudding pops.  I haven't had a pudding pop in years but when I was in elementary school my brother and I went through boxes of pudding pops.  Our favorite kind were the chocolate ones with caramel in the middle.  I decided to recreate these for #SundaySupper.

     Kids can help get the Dixie cups and popsicle sticks ready while an adult begins making the caramel.  The kids can also mix up the chocolate pudding and refrigerate it until it is time to make the pudding pops.  Have the children place a large tablespoon of the chilled pudding in a cup then the adult needs to pour the caramel in the cups and the kids can top off the cups with more pudding.  The kids can also put the sticks into the cups and place them in the freezer.  After 3-4 hours you have homemade pudding pops ready to eat outside to help you cool off in the hot summer heat.

   These pudding pops are insanely good.  The caramel doesn't totally harden in the freezer but it gets firm enough to stay on the stick.  The chocolate is rich and creamy while the caramel is salty and delicious.  The perfect summer treat!

Chocolate and Salted Caramel Pudding Pops (adapted from Good Thymes and Good Foods)
For the chocolate pudding:
1 package (5.1 oz) Jell-O Instant Chocolate Pudding
3 c. low fat milk
1 c. Fat Free Cool Whip

For the salted caramel:
½ c. sugar
2 T. water
2 T. unsalted butter
6 T. heavy cream
1 t. sea salt
1 T. vanilla
1/2 c.  Fat Free Cool Whip

For the popsicles:
10 small (5 oz.) Dixie cups
10 popsicle sticks

1.  In a large bowl whisk together the chocolate pudding and milk.  Mix well for 2 minutes.  Fold then the Cool Whip and refrigerate while making the caramel.

2. Combine the sugar and water in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir until sugar has dissolved then increase the heat to medium high.


3. The mixture will begin to bubble after about a minute. Do not stir it.  When the mixture darkens to an amber color, after 5-7 minutes, remove from heat and add the butter and cream. The mixture will bubble.  Whisk to combine.

4.   Add in the salt and vanilla and stir. Set aside to cool for 10 minutes.

5.  After 10 minutes stir in the Cool Whip.

6.  Remove the pudding from the refrigerator and place a large tablespoon in the bottom of each of the Dixie cups.  Top with a small layer of caramel.  Finish off with another large tablespoon of pudding making sure that the caramel layer is totally covered.

7.  Place a popsicle stick in the center of the pudding mixture.  Freeze for 3-4 hours or until firm.

8.  To eat simply peel the paper of the cup away and enjoy.

Check out these other fun Cooking with Kids in the Kitchen recipes from the #SundaySupper group!

Start your day:

• Panko Encrusted French Toast Sticks ~Doggie At the Dinner Table 
• Pineapple Not-Upside Down Muffins ~In the Kitchen with Audrey
• Bacon, Egg & Sausage Breakfast Cups ~Daily Dish Recipes 
• Buttermilk French Toast with Homemade Cinnamon – Raisin Bread ~What Smells So Good

Healthy Snackers:

• Snack Attack: 3 Healthy Choices for Little Nibblers ~Cindy’s Recipes and Writings
• Fruit Salad in an Orange Cup ~Mama’s Blissful Bites 

Main Squeeze:

• Whole-wheat Pretzel Dogs ~Family Spice
• Poblano Mac ‘N Cheese ~Juanita’s Cocina
• Coconut Chicken and Shrimp ~Super for a Steal 
• Lunie and Mini-me’s Grilled Pizza ~Cravings of a Lunatic
• Hedgehog Meatballs and Chili Dog Pie ~Cooking by the Seat of our Pants
• Walking Tostada ~Shockingly Delicious
• Mini Sausage Rolls ~Small Wallet Big Appetite
• Mini Corn Dog Muffins ~In The Kitchen With KP
• Mexican Black Bean & Quinoa Burgers with Homemade Guacamole ~Cupcakes and Kale Chips
• Threaded Spaghetti Hot Dog Bites ~Damn Delicious
• Golden Potato Patties ~My Trials in the Kitchen 
• Grilled Chicken Wings in Sesame Flavors ~The Queen’s Notebook
• Spaghetti Tacos ~Girlichef
• Parmesan Corn on the Cob ~Home Cooking Memories 
• Yum Yum Salmon and Green Beans ~Family Foodie
• Pad Thai ~Meal Planning Magic 
• Chicken Tortilla Bake ~Mrs. Mama Hen

Sweet Treats:

• Chocolate Slab ~Happy Baking Days 
• Chocolate Chip Cut-Out Cookies ~Chocolate Moosey
• Self-Crust Coconut Pie ~Magnolia Days
• Fresh Cherry Clafoutis ~The Meltaways
• Wolf’s Wonderful Peanut Butter-Brownie Fudge Sundaes ~The Weekend Gourmet
• Cookies and Cream Ice Cream ~The Messy Baker Blog
• Healthy Creamy Caramel Apple Parfaits with Greek Yogurt ~Sue’s Nutrition Buzz
• Chocolate and Salted Caramel Pudding Pops ~Hezzi-D’s Cooks and Books
• Chocolate Cheese Turnover ~Basic and Delicious 
• Chocotorta Vintage Kitchen Notes 
• Oatmeal and M&M Cookies ~That Skinny Chick Can Bake
• Purple Blueberry Cake ~Tora’s Real Food
• Tropical Popsicles ~Pippi’s in the Kitchen Again
• Carrot Cupcakes ~Diabetic Foodie

Brenda is hosting this special event  and we would love for you to join us.  We will be sharing great family recipes all afternoon and want you to share yours with us! Our #SundaySupper live chat will start at 3 pm EST.  Follow us on twitter by using hashtag #Sundaysupper or using Tweetchat.

Werewolf Descent (The Last Witch #2) by Elizabeth Kolodziej

     Faith, the last witch in the world, and Trent, her vampire boyfriend, have just returned home after surviving a deadly battle that put them into possession of the Blood Stone and the Moon Stone.  Back at their house they are trying to recover while building their relationship.  Things are going well until Vincent, a psychic vampire, moves into town.

     Vincent has an energy that Faith finds hard to ignore and he feels the same way about her.  While Trent is getting jealous of their budding friendship Zou Tai, the werewolf prince, is trying to find out who is killing members of his pack.  Vincent and Faith make a trip to visit an Alchemist who might know something about the killings.

      Soon relationships are tested, lines are crossed, and the group is in a race against time to stop the werewolf killings before Zou Tai, the real target, is killed.

     I enjoyed reading this book and found myself interested in seeing how Faith is growing into her powers as a witch.  She seems to be learning more about herself but is growing more confused about her relationships.  I wasn't thrilled with the story line of Vincent, Trent, and Zou Tai vying for her attention.  How many relationships does one witch need?

     There is a lot of action in this book and multiple story lines to keep me on my toes.  Morgan and Collin, two vampires from the first book, make an appearance again in this book and we are introduced to the beautiful Lilith as well.  As with the first book the conclusion of the book is a heated battle between supernatural forces.  However the ending of this book is so tragic and shocking that I never saw it coming.

I give this book 3 1/2 out of 5 stars.  

This post linked to:
Saturday Situation,  

Murder for Choir by Joelle Charbonneau

     New show choir director Paige Marshall has no idea what she is walking into when she works the summer choir camp.  Paige, a struggling opera singer, is not well received by the choir students at Prospect Glen High.  But before she has too much time to worry about it, she finds rival choir director, Greg Lucas, dead in the auditorium.

     The main suspect is one of Paige's most promising male vocal students but she doesn't believe he committed the crime and sets out to clear his name. She begins putting together a list of suspects including the victim's wife, his former best friend, and even the other teachers at the school.  The more Paige digs into the murder, the more it looks like the murder is trying to kill a second victim-Paige.

      With a police detective who runs hot and cold, a gay theater teacher, and her Aunt Millie and her stuffed dogs, Paige needs to find the murder before she ends up his next victim.

      This was a fun book with a great cast of characters.  We have Paige who is a strong, determined woman, her Aunt Millie who is the top selling Mary Kay salesperson in the midwest, Detective Mike who can't make up his mind weather to arrest Paige or date her, and the sexy theater teacher who may or may not be gay.

     Murder for Choir is a well written book that kept me guessing the identity of the muderer until the very end.  With a few fun music scenes, a few steamy romance scenes, and a whole lot of trouble, this was a fast faced book for the musical mystery fan.

I give this book 3 1/2 stars out of 5. 

This post linked to:
Saturday Situation,  

Spaghetti with Pecorino Romano Cheese

    Friday night at our house is usually Italian night.  After a long week I don't like to spend too much time on dinner on Fridays so we either have pizza or some type of easy pasta dish.  We had a lot of tomato sauce this week so I didn't want anything with a tomato or marinara base.  I found a simple recipe in Cook's Illustrated that I wanted to try.

     The recipe is simply spaghetti with Pecorino Romano, fresh cracked black pepper, and a little cream.  it's very simple and the sauce is fairly thin but it's a great dish.  The flavor of the cheese and pepper shines through and lightly coats the pasta.  The pasta and sauce took less then 20 minutes which makes for a quick and easy weeknight meal.

Spaghetti with Pecorino Romano Cheese  (adapted from Cooks Illustrated) 

6 oz. Pecorino Romano cheese, 4 ounces finely grated and 2 ounces coarsely grated

1pound spaghetti

1 t. salt  

2 T.  fat free half and half 

2 t. olive oil 

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 1/2 t. fresh ground black pepper

1.  In a large pot over high heat bring 2 quarts of water and the salt to a boil.  Cook the spaghetti according to the package directions.

2.  Drain the pasta into a colander with a bowl underneath to reserve the pasta water.  Pour 1 1/2 cups of the pasta water into a measuring cup and discard the rest.

3.  Pour one cup of the pasta water into the large pot and whisk in the finely grated Pecorino cheese.  Whisk in the half and half, oil, garlic, and black pepper.

4.  Add the pasta back into the pot and toss to coat.  Let the pasta rest for 2 minutes then toss again.  

5.  Serve with coarsely grated Pecorino and fresh cracked pepper.

This post linked to:
Full Plate Thursday, Shine on Friday, Foodie Fridays1, Foodie Fridays2,