Fajitas!

We had a little get together on cinco de mayo this year.  I wanted to make something with a Mexican flare to go along with our margaritas.  I decided instead of just the usual taco night, I would kick it up a notch and make fajitas.  They turned out great! Hope you enjoy.

Beer Marinated Fajitas

Whisk a packet of fajita seasoning and 1 beer of your choice together in a bowl.

Divide it into 3rds

Pour each 3rd into a ziploc bag.

One with flank steak, one with chicken, and one with...

sliced mushrooms!

Let it all marinate in your fridge for a couple of hours.

Throw it all on the grill with some onions.

Slice the meat (steak needs to be cut against the grain)

Serve with tortillas and your favorite toppings and enjoy!

Sugar-Free Strawberry Pie

I have been eating this version of shoney's strawberry pie since I was  little girl.  My great grandmother used to make this pie all the time.  Now we make it almost every weekend during the summer.  My grandfather LOVES this pie, but he is a diabetic, so we have adapted the recipe so that he can eat it.  We use splenda instead of sugar and sugar free jello.  I hope your family loves this pie as much as we do!

Sugar-Free Strawberry Pie

Ingredients: (this makes 2 pies)

2 ready made and prepared pie crusts

1 1/3 cups of splenda (1 1/2 cups of sugar)

6 tsp cornstarch

2 1/2 cups of water

2 boxes of sugar free strawberry jello

4 to 6 cups of cut fresh strawberries

Heat splenda, jello, cornstarch, and water on the stove stirring

constantly until the mixture is very thick.

Pour mixture over strawberries into the pie

crusts and refrigerate until set.

Top with whip cream or cool whip and enjoy!

White Chocolate Heath Bar Blondies

Baking is a stress reliever for me and when I get the itch to bake, I bake. When I get this particular itch I try to use ingredients that I already have on hand, and this is one of those recipes that I decided to bake on the fly with what I had in the pantry. This is why there is country crock spread in the ingredients picture (I DO NOT USUALLY BAKE WITH THIS) because butter was the only ingredient I was missing, and I was not about to go to the store for just butter so I improvised.  These are delicious yall! I took them to work and my co-workers (one in particular) ate them all in one day.  

Ingredients:

8 ounces white chocolate, chopped

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

2 eggs

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup white sugar

1 cup heath bar pieces

1/2 cup white chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9x9 inch baking pan.

Melt white chocolate and butter on the stove.

Stir occasionally until smooth. Set aside to cool.

Whip eggs in electric mixer until frothy.

Add sugar and vanilla.

Mix all together and then add the dry ingredients.

Next whip in the melted chocolate butter mixture.

Add the heath bar.

Make sure everything is mixed really well.

Pour into greased pan.

Add more white chocolate chips on top and bake for 25 mins.

Cut into squares and try not to eat them all!

Quick and Easy Crock Pot Chili

This recipe is my own version of a VERY simple chili.  I have written before about my aversion to peppers and onions but usually in chili I will eat them, however this recipe has neither one.  Its a great chili for kids or on hot dogs.  It makes A LOT, hope you enjoy.

Quick and Easy Chili

Ingredients:

• 4 to 6 cans of tomato sauce (depending on thickness)
• 4 cans of hot chili beans (undrained)
• 2 pounds of ground beef
• 2 chili seasoning packets
   

Brown and drain ground beef.

Pour tomato sauce into crock pot and whisk in seasoning packets.

Add beef and beans to the chili.

Let simmer all day in your crock pot.

Serve with cheese and sour cream or on a hot dog!

Crock Pot Spaghetti and Meatballs

My work schedule has been crazy lately because I haven't found a full time legal job that I am willing to do yet.  Currently, I am working for a vascular surgery practice (where my mom works) doing odd jobs, some legal some not.  I promise you I am going somewhere with this job talk.  Their office is in Newnan, where I used to live, and about 45 mins. from where I now live.  Obviously I do A LOT of commuting, so I have become extremely dependent on my crock pot. (see I told you this story had a point)  I decided to try and make a good spaghetti sauce with meatballs so I could just cook the pasta when I got home and dinner would be done. In the end I didn't have time to make the sauce from scratch, but I did make the meatballs. Here is my crock pot version of this classic:

Crock pot Spaghetti and Meatballs

Ingredients:

• 1 lb ground beef
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 cup of bread crumbs
• 1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese
• 2 eggs
• 1 tbs of Italian seasoning
• 2 tbs of Worcestershire sauce
• 2 jars of spaghetti sauce
   

Pour 1 jar of sauce into your crock pot

 Add remaining ingredients (except the other jar of sauce) to a mixing bowl.

Don't be afraid to get dirty and mix it all up with your hands.

Roll the meat mixture into balls and place them into the sauce in your crock pot.



Pour the second jar of sauce over the meatballs.

Cook on low for 6 hours.

Serve over spaghetti noodles and enjoy!

(Sorry for the dark picture)

Easy Marinated Steak

I was looking for a quick and easy steak marinade recipe that I could add to my week night cooking mix.  I searched all over until I found this recipe on allrecipes.com.  I chose it because I just happened to have all the ingredients needed in my pantry.  I LOVED it, and you will too.

The Best Steak Marinade

Ingredients:

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

1/4 cup olive oil

1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce

1/4 cup soy sauce

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

2 teaspoons minced garlic

salt and pepper to taste

Add ingredients to a mixing bowl.

Wisk ingredients together.

Place steaks in a ziploc bag and pour in marinade. 

Let it sit in the fridge for atleast 8 hours.

I was planning on grilling my steak, and to me steak always grills

better if its dry and at room temperature.

I rinsed the marinade off the steaks (because after 8 hours the flavors had been

 absorbed into the steaks) and let them sit out for about 30 mins before I grilled them.

I grilled my steaks until medium rare (the best way to eat a steak) and served them with mixed veggies and scalloped potatoes. Enjoy!

Zesty BBQ Chicken

This recipe is a great go to for week night cooking.  The sauce has a nice kick to it that is different than regular bbq sauce.  You will love it!

Zesty BBQ Chicken

Ingredients:

• frozen skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
• 1 (12 ounce) bottle barbeque sauce
• 1/2 cup Italian salad dressing
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

Mix all ingredients.

Place chicken in your crock pot and cover with sauce.

Cook for 7 hours on low and enjoy!

Baked Ziti

I love any kind of baked pasta, and this is my own take on an Italian classic.  

Baked Ziti

Ingredients:

• Ziti pasta cooked
• Ground Beef
• Spaghetti Sauce
• 1 1/2 cups ricotta cheese
• slices of provolone or mozzarella cheese
• 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
• 1tbs of Italian seasoning



Cook ground beef.

Let beef and spaghetti sauce simmer together until it thickens.

Mix ricotta cheese, Italian seasoning, parm cheese, and 1 cup of the mozzarella.

Pour some of the sauce mixture in the bottom of your caserole dish.

Layer half of the pasta on top of the sauce.

Layer the sliced cheese.

Layer half of the ricotta mixture.

Keep layering, ending with sauce until dish is full

Topp with the rest of the mozzarella cheese.



Bake at 350 for 40 mins.

Serve with a caesar salad and some garlic bread.