Applesauce Muffins

Easy Applesauce Muffins

Last week I made Crockpot Applesauce (see previous posts..) and I knew the kids weren’t eating it fast enough so I found this great recipe for muffins. They are Delicious and the kids love them. The applesauce makes the muffins so moist! Super Easy~!

Ingredients

• 6 tablespoons butter
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon

• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs
• 2/3 cup brown sugar
• 1 1/2 cups chunky applesauce

Instructions

1. Kids' Cooking Skills: Use this recipe as an opportunity to teach your kids how to mix wet and dry ingredients, scoop batter into muffin tins, and test for doneness.

2. Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with bake cups and set aside.

3. In a small microwave-safe bowl, melt the butter on high for about 30 to 60 seconds; set aside to cool slightly.

4. Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt into a large mixing bowl. When mixing dry and wet ingredients for muffins, gently stir just until the flour disappears. This will produce muffins with a nice crumbly texture.

5. In another large bowl, whisk together the eggs and brown sugar. Stir in the applesauce and melted butter until the mixture is smooth. For mess-free muffins, use an ice-cream scoop to spoon the batter into the bake cups.

6. Pour the apple mixture over the flour mixture. Mix with a wooden spoon until combined (it's ready when you can't see any traces of flour).

7. Fill the bake cups about two-thirds full with batter. Bake for 20 minutes or until light brown.

8. Have your kids test for doneness by inserting a knife in the middle of one muffin. If it comes out clean, the muffins are ready to eat. Makes 12.

I found this recipe at:

http://familyfun.go.com/recipes/easy-applesauce-muffins-683188/

Potato Soup with Shrimp

Paula Deen’s

Potato Soup with Shrimp

Ingredients

• 1/2 stick butter
• 1 small onion, diced
• 2 medium carrots, diced about the same size as the onion
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 8 medium russet potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 4 cups milk, whole, reduced fat (2 percent) or low fat (1 percent)
• 2 chicken bouillon cubes, dissolved in 1/2 cup hot milk
• 1 cup half-and-half
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 2 cups salted water
• 1 pound medium shrimp
• Crumbled bacon bits, for garnish
• Grated sharp Cheddar, for garnish
• Dill sprigs, optional garnish

Directions

In a 4-quart saucepan, melt the butter and sauté the onion and carrots until both are slightly tender, about 5 minutes. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute. Add the potatoes, milk, and dissolved bouillon cubes. Cook over medium heat for 15 minutes, until the potatoes are very soft and some of them have begun to dissolve into mush. Add the half-and-half, salt, and pepper.

In a small saucepan, bring 2 cups lightly salted water to a boil. Add the shrimp all at once and stir well. Watch the shrimp closely; as soon as they all turn pink, about 2 to 3 minutes, turn off the heat and drain. The shrimp should be slightly undercooked. When they are cool, peel them, and chop roughly into big chunks. Add the shrimp to the soup and stir well. Serve soup sprinkled with bacon bits and grated cheese. Garnish with dill sprigs, if desired.

Cook's Note: If you don't have access to shrimp, use corn.

Chicken Tin Foil Dinner

Chicken Tin Foil Dinner

What You Need

1 small boneless skinless chicken breast half (1/4 lb.)

1 pineapple ring

1 green pepper ring

1 Tbsp. KRAFT Original Barbecue Sauce

Instead of BBQ Sauce I use Panda Express’ Orange Sauce… Gives it a fun kick. Delicious!

Make It

HEAT grill to medium heat. Place chicken in center of large sheet of heavy-duty foil; top with remaining ingredients.

BRING up foil sides. Double fold top and ends to seal packet, leaving room for heat circulation inside.

GRILL 15 min. or until chicken is done (165ºF). Cut slits in foil to release steam before opening packet.

We serve it with Couscous or Rice.

Mile-High Enchilada Pie

Mile-High Enchilada Pie

I made this today. Super Easy and EASY clean-up!!

INGREDIENTS

8 (6-inch) corn tortillas

1 jar (12 ounces) salsa

1 can (15-1/2 ounces) kidney beans, rinsed and drained

1 cup shredded cooked chicken (I used a Rotisserie chicken from Sam's Club)

1 cup shredded Pepper Jack Cheese

PREPARATION:

Slow Cooker Directions

1. Prepare foil handles for slow cooker;* place in slow cooker. Place 1 tortilla on bottom of slow cooker. Top with small amount of salsa, beans, chicken and cheese. Continue layering using remaining ingredients, ending with tortilla and cheese.

   *To make foil handles, tear off 18x2-inch strips of heavy foil or use regular foil folded to double thickness. Crisscross foil strips in spoke design and place in slow cooker to make lifting of tortilla stack easier.

2. Cover; cook on LOW 6 to 8 hours or on HIGH 3 to 4 hours. Pull out by foil handles. Garnish with fresh cilantro and slice of red pepper, if desired.

We added Sour Cream to top our slices! Delicious!

Taco Casserole

Taco Casserole

1 1/2 lbs. lean ground beef or turkey

1/4 cup Taco seasoning mix

1 15-16oz can pinto beans, drained and rinsed

1 15oz can tomato sauce

1 11oz can corn, drained

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1 cup coarsely crushed tortilla chips

Assorted Toppings: sour cream, sliced green onions, shredded lettuce and chopped tomatoes, chopped onions.. (all optional)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

Brown meat in a large skillet, Drain off fat.

Stir in seasonings mix, beans, tomato sauce and corn ( I also added chopped onion) Bring to boil. Reduce heat to low, simmer for 5 minutes.

Spoon mixture into a 2-quart baking dish. Sprinkle with cheese and tortilla chips.

Bake for 5-10 minutes, or until the cheese is melted.

Serve with assorted toppings, if desired.

This recipe comes from the Costco Cookbook that you can find online

http://www.costcoconnection.com/connection/2009cookbook/#pg1

BBQ Pasta

I found this recipe in a children’s cookbook. They suggested using Wagon Wheel Pasta for fun. But I couldn’t find any…

1 lb Lean Ground Beef or Ground Turkey

2 cups Wagon Wheel pasta or Rotini

1 Can (14. 1/2 ounces) stewed Tomatoes

* I add a can of diced green chilies

1 1/2 cups of Water

1 Box (10 ounces)frozen or 1 can of Corn

1/2 cup BBQ Sauce (My favorite is Sweet Baby Ray’s)

Salt and Pepper to taste

- In large skillet, cook meat over medium heat, until browned.

-Stir in pasta, tomatoes, chilies (opt), water, corn and BBQ sauce; bring to boil.

-Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer 15-20 minutes or until pasta is tender, stirring occasionally. Season with salt and pepper.

Serving suggestion: Serve with Corn bread or corn Muffins.

Serves: 4-5

Crockpot AppleSauce

Crockpot Applesauce

10-12 apples (medium to large in size)

1/2 cup water

1/4 cup sugar

1 tsp cinnamon.

Core your apples and cut into chunks...really any size chunks will do. You can peel the apples first if you like but I don't cause if you cook them in the crockpot the skins mostly dissolve. Plus, why not get a little more fiber into your diet!?! Mix your apples chunks, sugar and cinnamon together and pour into your crockpot.

Add the water and cook on low for 8-10 hours or high for 4-5. You may need to mash up the apples a little depending on how chunky you want it!

This is super yummy served warm with vanilla ice cream or of course just as lovely served cold as is!