Mexican Rice

 I love this rice.  It tastes very authentic and is not very difficult.  Enjoy with the Honey-Lemon Enchiladas and Beans!

5 c. water

2/3 can of diced tomatoes with green chilies

1 T salt

½ t cumin

Garlic powder to taste

2 ¼ c. white rice

1 T. oil

1. Boil everything except rice and oil.
2. In a large pan, toast rice in oil till light brown.
3. Pour liquid into rice and immediately cover.
4. Let cook on medium heat for 20-30 minutes, or until water has been completely absorbed.

Honey-Lemon Chicken Enchiladas

My sister, Robin, introduced these to me, along with some other Mexican dishes.  Her father-in-law used to cook in a Mexican Restaurant (since he is 100% Mexican).  So, that being said, this is the good stuff.  I almost always serve these with the Beans and Mexican Rice recipes I got from her too.  I have adjusted the enchiladas a little, using a little less cheese and such.

3 c. cooked, shredded chicken
2 c. shredded cheese
1 T. chili powder
1/4 c. lemon juice (supposed to be lime, but I always use lemon)
1/3 c. honey
1/2 t. garlic powder
14 oz green enchilada sauce
1/2 c. water
10 tortillas

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Mix chili powder, lemon juice, honey, garlic powder, green enchilada sauce, and water. 
3. Add in chicken.
4. Let soak for about 20 minutes or so if you can (I don't always).
5. Put 1/4 c. chicken in the center of a tortilla.  Try not to include too much sauce while measuring because you will use remaining sauce at the end. 
6. Add some cheese on the chicken mixture.
7. Roll up the tortilla and place in a 9x 13 pan.
8. Repeat for all 10 tortillas.
9. Top with remaining sauce and then remaining cheese.
10. Cook at 350 degrees for 30 minutes, or until desired crunchiness.

Tortilla Soup

This is my go to soup recipe.  It always turns out well and I seem to enjoy it, no matter what mood I am in.  I initially got this from one of my sisters, Erin.  She has a food blog too here!

Crockpot:
2 14 oz. cans diced tomatoes
1 medium onion chopped
4-5 cloves garlic
2 cans chicken broth
1 T. cumin
2 t. chili powder
sprinkle italian seasoning
4-5 chicken breast (I can get by with 3)
salt and pepper to taste (not too much!)

Toppings:
Tortilla chips
Sour cream
Avocados (rarely use because so expensive)
Cheese

Crockpot on high, until the chicken is so tender it falls apart when you try to take it out.  Pull out all of the chicken and shred it.  Put chicken back into the crockpot and wait 30 minutes to eat (I don't always wait).  Top with the suggested toppings, or just eat it.  Both ways are good!

Scotcharoos

I recently made these Scotcharoos myself for the first time. They are always a favorite of mine when people bring them for potlucks and such, but I'd never made them myself. They are so easy and sooooo delicious!

Here is the recipe I used from allrecipies
1 c. Corn syrup
1 c. Sugar
1 1/2 c. Peanut butter
6 c. Rice crispies
1/2 c. Milk chocolate chips
1/2 c. Butterscotch chips

1) spray 9x13 pan
2) bring corn syrup, sugar, and peanut butter to a boil
3) remove from heat and mix in rice crispies
4) pat into pan.
5) melt the chips together and top the bars...they were great, but I think next time I'll melt more chips for the top :). It was enough...but I would. Have liked more.
6) let bars cool (I put them in the fridge for like 30ish minutes so I could eat them sooner) and cut into squares.

Hawaiian Haystacks

Ingredients:
  2 cans cream of chicken soup
  2 c. chicken broth
  2 c. cooked chicken
  salt, pepper, and garlic to taste
  1 can diced pineapple
  chopped chives
  diced tomatoes
  broccoli
  cheese
  Chinese crunchy noodles (La choy is one brand)

  2 c. dry rice

Mix the cream of chicken soup, chicken broth, chicken, and seasonings in a pan over medium heat.
Cook 2c. dry rice in rice maker with 4 c. water.
Gather all toppings into separate bowls.
Top chicken mixture over the rice.  Then add whatever toppings you want.

Sticky Buns!!

Mmmmm, I LOVE Sticky Buns.  We make them every Christmas morning, and they turned out particularly well this past Christmas.

 Ingredients:
  Rhodes Rolls
  Brown Sugar
  dry Cook and Serve Butterscotch Pudding
  Butter

Place 24 frozen Rhodes rolls in a 9x13 pan spaced out.  Dump the dry package of Cook and Serve Butterscotch Pudding all over it.  Sprinkle the brown sugar all over it.  Melt the Butter and pour it over top all of the rolls.  Let it sit overnight if you want, or in a warm place for a few hours.  Wait till the roll have risen a little.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Bake for 30 minutes.  If tops start to brown too much, place a piece of foil over top and continue baking until the middle rolls are no longer doughy.  Remove from oven and flip over on a big plate.  Allow all the yummy gooeyness to dump over top and enjoy!

German Pancakes

Ingredients:
  6 eggs
  1 1/4 C. flour
  1 1/4 C. milk
  1/8 t. salt
  2 T. butter



Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Thoroughly blend all ingredients except butter.  Put butter in a glass 9x13 pan and place in preheating oven until it melts.  Swirl around so that the butter reaches the sides as well.  Pour batter into glass dish and cook for 15 minutes, until sides rise in the oven and turn golden brown.

Egg Rolls with Sweet and Sour Sauce

I LOVE egg rolls, but can never bring myself to buy the frozen ones or even buy the wraps.  So I hardly ever eat them.  That is all changing now! I've made these from Family Favorite Recipes at least 3 times now.  I've frozen a ton of the filling and am hoping that they will turn out and take less time.

Egg Rolls
2 C. cooked chicken breasts, chopped well
4 C. cabbage chopped
1 clove garlic minced
2 T. chopped green onion
1 T. cooking oil
1 T. soy sauce
½ tsp. fresh ginger minced or grated (optional)
Egg roll wrappers (usually found in the produce or organic section)

Stir fry everything, except the chicken, together until tender. Add chicken.
Wrap in egg roll wrappers according to instructions on the package. Fry until golden brown on each side (the oil should be around 350 degrees- any hotter and they will get too "golden").

Sweet and Sour Sauce
½ C. brown sugar
1 T. corn starch
1 T. soy sauce
1/3 C. chicken broth
½ tsp. minced fresh ginger root
1/3 C vinegar (you can use either red wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar)
1 clove garlic minced

Cook on medium high heat until it bubbles and then 2 more minutes (you should definitely double this as it barely was enough for our egg rolls when Kelli and I made them and it is really good!).