Shrimp & Garlic Pasta

 Back when we were getting ready to move from Fort Knox, KY to Fort Hood, TX one of our friends from our church ward invited us to dinner at his house.  He fed us a fabulous meal that looked somewhat complex.  When I asked him for the recipe, I was amazed at how remarkably simple it was.

*Note, it's not really an exact science with this recipe, adjust as needed for the amount of people you are feeding.

Shrimp and Garlic Pasta

2 packages (one package serves about two people) - Creamy Garlic Shells (Knorr Italian Sides)  
Large or Jumbo - deveined, uncooked shrimp (about 6 per person)
*1/2 cup fresh cilantro
*1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes

Prepare garlic shells according to package.  While that is cooking, soak shrimp in warm water to thaw if frozen or simply rinse and drain.  Chop cilantro and tomatoes, set aside.

When shells are done cooking, put in microwave safe bowl, add shrimp, cilantro and tomatoes.  Cook in microwave for about 5 minutes, being careful to not overcook shrimp so they become rubbery.

*you can adjust the measurement of cilantro and tomatoes depending on how much you like of either.  I tend to add more tomato and less cilantro since I'm not a big cilantro fan.  I also usually use 4 packages of the shells for my family and maybe adjust the cilantro and tomatoes by 1/4 to 1/3 cup, not exactly doubling and the flavor is still there.

Serve with salad and garlic bread!  This meal takes about 30 minutes total to make and it is delicious!

Caramel Toffee Dip

I forgot to take a picture of the dip BEFORE I let a group of teen girls attack!

 I am pretty sure that this is the recipe one of my sweet friend's gave me a couple years ago after she brought it to one of our Army unit events.  It was SOOOO good.  Tonight I was in charge of an activity for a small group of girls in our youth group at church.  I wanted to bring them a treat and wanted it to be somewhat healthy.  I decided to cut up apples and then canceled out the healthy with this AMAZING dip.  It's so easy to make and so yummy!

Caramel Toffee Dip

• 1 8oz cream cheese, softened
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 1/4 - 1/2 cup heath toffee bits

Combine the cream cheese and brown sugar.  Add vanilla and mix until smooth.  Mix in toffee bits.  Serve with apple wedges!

Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

 This is a favorite in our home.  When I end up with an abundance of overripe bananas, I will usually bake a few mini loaves of this recipe and freeze for the boys. 

Chocolate Chip Banana Bread
* 1¾ c. + 2 Tbsp. unsifted flour
* 1½ c. granulated sugar
* ½ tsp. baking powder
* 1 tsp baking soda
* ¾ tsp. salt
* 1 – 1 ½ c. mini chocolate chips (let's be real, if you are going to use chocolate chips, use the regular ones, I do!)
* 1 c. mashed overripe bananas
* 2 large eggs
* 1/3 c. buttermilk
* ½ c. vegetable oil
* 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350.

Grease and flour three mini loaf pans.

Sift together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into large bowl. Stir in chocolate chips.

In a separate bowl, combine mashed bananas, eggs, buttermilk, oil and vanilla. Pour liquid ingredients into flour ingredients and stir until combined.

Divide batter among loaf pans and bake for 33-35 minutes or until deeply golden brown and toothpick inserted into center comes out clean.

Candy Cane Chocolate Chip Cookies

I felt all sorts of creative taking this picture!

One of my guilty pleasures is reading People Magazine weekly.  They always have some type of recipe in there and I always admire them but rarely try them.  They had this recipe in there by Chef Kathleen King and it looked so yummy, I just had to try it out for a cookie exchange/surprise birthday party I attended last night.  These cookies were easy to make and quite tasty.  Daniel really liked the little crunch from the candy canes mixed with the chocolate.


Candy Cane Chocolate Chip Cookies

2 cups plus 2 Tablespoons flour (I used all-purpose flour)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 lb (2 sticks) salted butter, at room temperature
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon water
2 cups (12 oz) semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup crushed candy canes or peppermint chips (I used candy canes I crushed in a food processor)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper.  Whisk together flour, baking soda and salt.  Beat butter, sugar and brown sugar with an electric mixer on high about 1 minute.  Beat in eggs, followed by vanilla and water.  On low speed, mix in flour just combined.  Mix in chips and crushed candy.

Using about 2 tablespoons per cookies, drop dough 3 inches apart.  Bake until cookies are golden brown...about 20 minutes.  Cool 5 minutes.  Transfer to rack; cook completely.  Repeat with remaining dough on cool sheets.

Makes about 42 cookies.

Thai Chicken and Noodle Salad

This salad was so delicious!  This past summer on our visit home to Idaho we went and saw some friends who live in Utah who we had met when we were stationed at Fort Knox.  We kind of sprung our visit on them with real short notice but they were gracious enough to welcome us in their home and feed us a scrumptious dinner.  Daniel LOVED this salad.  Daniel has suddenly become our picky eater so when he asked me to please call my friend Dee to get the recipe, I figured I better do it and QUICK.  All the boys helped me put this together tonight and it was as good as we remembered. 

Thai Chicken and Noodle Salad

8 oz. linguine
1/2 medium cucumber, halved and sliced
4 cups shredded greens; any combo of Napa cabbage, romaine lettuce, or spinach
1/4 red onion, thinly sliced
2 cups thinly sliced purple cabbage
3 cups diced grilled chiken
1/2 cup honey roasted peanuts (more if you like)
1/2 red pepper, thinly sliced
1/2 yellow pepper, thinly sliced
1 medium carrot, julienned
1 recipe Thai Peanut Salad dressing

Thai Peanut Salad Dressing

1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1 lime, juiced and zested
2 1/2 teaspoons sesame oil
1 tablespoon seasoned rice wine vinegar
2 tablespoons soy sauce
3 tablespoons honey
2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
1 tablespoon minced ginger
1/2 c roughly chopped cilantro (stems and all)
2-3 teaspoons Sriracha chili sauce (start with 2 tsp. and add more to taste)
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2-4 tablespoons water

1.  Prepare dressing by combining all ingredients except oil and water in a blender.  Blend for 20-30 seconds.  Turn to low and slowly drizzle oil until combined  Add water to thin dressing to desired consistency.

2.  Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.  Add pasta.  While the pasta is cooking chop the vegetables.

3.  Drain pasta and run some cold water over it until it's cool.  If not using it right away, add a drizzle of the salad dressing and stir to coat the noodles to prevent them from getting clumpy.  Refrigerate until ready to use.

4.  When you're ready to assemble the salad, place noodles, veggies, and chicken in a large bowl.  Pour the Thai Peanut Dressing over everything, stirring as you go, until all ingredients are coated.

Homemade Corn Tortillas

Homemade Corn tortillas, are amazing and simple to make!  Really, don't be afraid...they are worth the little extra time to make.

All you need is three ingredients...yup..that's it.

Corn Tortillas

2 cups Masa Harina  (I've linked to an explanation and picture of the most commonly used masa harina)

1+ cup warm water

1 tsp salt

Dissolve your salt in your warm water and add to masa harina.  Combine by hand until it forms a ball.  You may need to add a little more water to help the dough to form.  The dough will not be sticky.  Let the masa rest for about 30 minutes.

Get out your tortilla press...oh...you don't have one?  That's okay...simply get some wax or parchment paper and a rolling pin and it works just as well.  

Roll your dough into golf-ball size balls and place in between paper.  Even if you are using a tortilla press, you will want to use some type of paper so it doesn't stick.  Simply place the masa ball in between the paper and press down.  If using a rolling pin, place ball between paper and roll with pin.

Once flattened, peel off paper and place on heated pan.  You might be using a cast-iron griddle pan or skillet, whatever you have will work.

That's it!  So simple and easy!  Enjoy

Crockpot Flank Steak Tacos

This is what we had for dinner tonight and it was FABULOUS!  I found the idea on Pinterest but the recipe was under the name of "carnita beef tacos".  Well this will sound incredibly silly but the name bothered me.  Carnitas are pork and as you can see this is beef...therefore I cannot in good conscious call them Carnita Tacos.  They are now Flank Steak Tacos....doesn't sound as fancy but trust me, when you eat them you won't care about the name!  Now that I have given you a little food lesson, we can continue on to the recipe!

Do not be scared that there is no liquid...your meat will not burn, I promise!

Flank Steak Tacos
2 lbs flank steak (or 4lbs if you have hungry teenage boys like I do)
1 yellow onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped

2 jalapeno, seeded and chopped (one works fine if you don't want as much heat and if you want more heat, leave the seeds in!)

Spice Rub

2 tsp chili powder (I like to use New Mexico Red Chili but you can use whatever makes you happy)
1 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp salt  (sometimes I like using Kosher salt in rubs, just depends on my mood)
1/2 tsp black pepper

*You can really put any combination of spices you like, it's all about the flavors you like!


Directions:
Mix together all spices in a small bowl. Rub the spices all over your flank steak, really you cannot over spice. Then, place your steak at the bottom of your crock pot.
Cover the steak with the chopped onions, bell peppers and jalapeno pepper. Turn heat on LOW and cook for 8 hours.
After 8 hours, remove meat from crock pot and shred with a fork (honestly by this point, you really don't even need to shred it, it will just fall apart).

Serve with corn tortillas (make your own, they are super easy!)

Top with whatever makes you happy...here are a few variations from our home.

 I simply put the meat on the tortilla, squeezed some lime juice then added fresh avocado.

 Neil put meat, then lime juice, mashed his avocado, added green salsa that you can't see, lettuce and red salsa.

 Daniel just ate his with meat and avocado.

 Michael was the same..meat, lime, avocado and eventually his rice ended up in the taco too.