Taco Stuffed Shells

April 5, 2012 By


Yeah. I know.

Here I am with yet another Mexican-ish recipe.

It will be a miracle if my husband doesn’t divorce me. The poor man just doesn’t care for Mexican food and it’s all I ever seem to cook.

In my defense, I made Chicken Alfredo the other night just to make him smile. Italian food! I deserve an award!

Anyway, Mexican-ish food is delicious. And I call this Mexican-ish, because I’m pretty certain that no one in Mexico actually stuffs pasta shells with ground beef seasoned with one of those small taco seasoning packets from the grocery store. I wonder if they even sell those little packets in Mexico. Probably not.

So, yeah, this isn’t “real” Mexican food. But, it’s my version of Mexican food and I adore it. Don’t be a hater.

Print
Taco Stuffed Shells

Ingredients

  • 1 pound jumbo shells
  • 1 pound ground beef
  • 1 packet taco seasoning
  • 1/2 teaspoon chipotle powder (optional)
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 4 oz cream cheese
  • 1 can corn
  • 4 oz diced green chiles
  • 1/2 cup cheddar, grated
  • 1/2 cup monterey jack, grated
  • 1 cup salsa
  • cilantro, for garnish

Instructions

  1. Bring a large pot of water to boil and add the pasta shells. Cook one minute less than pacakge directions state. Drain and set aside until cool enough to handle.
  2. Brown the ground beef in a large skillet over medium heat. Drain fat.
  3. Return the ground beef to the skillet and turn the heat to low. Stir in the taco seasoning, chipotle powder, and water. Simmer for 2 minutes.
  4. Stir in the cream cheese until completely melted.
  5. Stir in the corn and green chiles and remove the pan from the heat.
  6. Pour the salsa into a 9x13 baking dish and spread to cover the pan evenly.
  7. Fill each pasta shell with the ground beef mixture and place in the baking dish.
  8. Top each pasta shell with a mixture of the grated cheddar and monterey jack cheese.
  9. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 20 minutes.
  10. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with the chopped cilantro before serving.
http://bunsinmyoven.com/2012/04/05/taco-stuffed-shells/

Inspired by Taste of Home

 

13 Comments Filed Under: Beef, Casserole, Cheesy, Main Dish, Pasta

Biscoff S’mores Bars

April 2, 2012 By


Um, I think I have a problem.

Like, for realsies.

This Biscoff spread is addicting stuff, man. And I, for one, am powerless to resist.

If you’ve been living under a rock and haven’t heard of Biscoff, it’s basically cookies in peanut butter form. I think it tastes like a spread made from extra sweet graham crackers. It pretty much tastes like crack.

If you haven’t been able to find it yet, I suggest you check Walmart. It’s located right next to peanut butter and Nutella in our store. Actually, if you haven’t been able to find it, consider yourself lucky. You still have pants that fit. Hooray for you!

We’ve gone through three jars of the stuff and this is the first thing I’ve baked with it. So, yeah, that pretty much means that I’ve eaten three jars with a spoon.

Sure, my husband has spread a couple of spoonfuls on some graham crackers, and I’ve dipped apples in it a handful of times, but let’s be real here.

Me + Biscoff + Spoon / Husband – Children = Fat Pants.

You know, my math really doesn’t work out, but that’s okay. Not everyone can be good at everything. Math just isn’t my strong suit. Either way, I’m wearing fat pants, so I totally got that part right.

Anyway, I made these bars for you. They’re chock full of Biscoff, milk chocolate chunks, graham crackers, and mini marshmallows. They’re all S’mores-y and gooey and pretty much just plain delicious.

Maria, the blogger behind Two Peas and Their Pod, had an awesome recipe for Biscoff blondies that I came across on Pinterest, so I just tweaked that and added a hundred extra fattening things to her recipe. As one does.

Print
Biscoff S’mores Bars

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup unsalted butter
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup Biscoff Spread
  • 1 large egg
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 1/4 cup flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/8 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 4 graham crackers, crushed into small pieces
  • 1 cup milk chocolate chunks (I threw in a few semi-sweet chips on top for photo purposes)
  • 1 cup mini marshmallows

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter an 8x8 baking dish.
  2. In a saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter and brown sugar, stirring constantly until smooth. Remove from the heat and stir in the Biscoff Spread. Continue stirring until the mixture is creamy and well combined.
  3. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
  4. Stir in the graham crackers, chocolate chunks, and mini marshmallows.
  5. Add the egg to the Biscoff mixture and stir until smooth. Stir in the vanilla extract and mix until well combined.
  6. Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and stir until well combined. This will be very thick and difficult to stir, so you may need to get in there and mix it with your hands.
  7. Dump the batter into the prepared dish and press it into the pan evenly.
  8. Bake for 22 minutes or until the top is golden and the edges are slightly browned and a toothpick comes out clean.
  9. Remove from the oven and cool for at least 10 minutes before cutting and serving.
http://bunsinmyoven.com/2012/04/02/biscoff-smores-bars/

 

19 Comments Filed Under: Bar Desserts, Dessert, S'mores

Monterey Gourmet Foods – Sponsored Post

April 2, 2012 By

I think it’s pretty safe to say that I’m a pasta type of person. There is just something so comforting and satisfying about a big plate of pasta.

I’ve long had a dream of making my own ravioli, but the truth is that I’m a bit scared. I’m sure it’s not as difficult as it sounds, but I still haven’t gotten around to trying it.

I was super excited when Monterey Gourmet Foods™ asked me to review their all natural gourmet foods. I received a big box of refrigerated ravioli. There was a Creamy Ricotta Florentine, a Butternut Squash Ravioli, and a Roasted Chicken and Mozzarella Ravioli.

Um, hello, big beautiful box of pasta.

Come to mama.

I planned a big dinner for my husband, my kids, and me. We had a pasta feast, which is really the best kind of feast to have.

The Butternut Squash pasta really intrigued me. It’s an orange-sage pasta filled with butternut squash, Fontina, Parmesan, and Ricotta cheeses. Certainly something different and unexpected! I topped it with a bit of brown butter and a hint of cinnamon. It was outrageously good.

The Roasted Chicken and Mozzarella ravioli was filled with, you guessed it, roasted chicken and mozzarella. Oh, and some Ricotta, Provolone, and Parmesan. Can you ever have too much cheese? Um, no. I topped the Roasted Chicken and Mozzarella with a simple, yummy tomato sauce.

I saved my favorite for last: The Creamy Ricotta Florentine ravioli.

I don’t know what it is about spinach in my pasta, but it makes me smile. I just love it.

This ravioli was a pretty green and filled with a creamy blend of spinach, Ricotta, Mozzarella, Asiago, and Parmesan. No wonder it was my favorite! It was the cheesiest! And, to make things even better, I topped it with some simple Alfredo sauce. Alfredo is my life.

The texture and flavor of all of these pastas was just perfect. I’ve bought frozen ravioli before, but these refrigerated ones from Monterey Gourmet Foods really just tasted fresher. I loved the fact that they are all natural. There are no preservatives, no artificial ingredients, and the pasta is made with eggs from free range chickens.

I hope you’ll give Monterey Gourmet Foods a try the next time your family decides to have a pasta night. There is such a great variety of flavors to choose from to keep you from getting bored with the same old options. You can check out all of their products right here.

SWEEPSTAKES/GIVEAWAY RULES

One winner will receive a $100 Visa gift card and VIP coupons for free Monterey Gourmet Foods product. To be entered for a chance to win please tell me what you would make using a Monterey Gourmet Foods pasta or sauce product.  If you’d also like to share a recipe, feel free to post it on your blog/website and include a link to it in your comment.

 

Rules

No duplicate comments. You may receive (2) total entries by selecting from the following entry methods: a) Leave a comment in response to the sweepstakes prompt on this post b) Tweet about this promotion and leave the URL to that tweet in a comment on this post c) Blog about this promotion and leave the URL to that post in a comment on this post d) For those with no Twitter or blog, read the official rules to learn about an alternate form of entry.

This giveaway is open to US Residents age 18 or older.

Winners will be selected via random draw, and will be notified by e-mail. You have 72 hours to get back to me, otherwise a new winner will be selected.

The Official Rules are available here. This sweepstakes runs from 4/2/2012-5/31/2012.

Be sure to visit the Monterey Gourmet Foods page on BlogHer.com where you can read other bloggers’ reviews and find more chances to win!

Print
Chicken Florentine Ravioli with Alfredo Sauce

Ingredients

  • 8 ounce package Creamy Ricotta Florentine ravioli from Monterey Gourmet Foods
  • 1/4 cup butter (1/2 stick)
  • 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
  • 3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
  • salt and pepper, to taste
  • parsley, as garnish

Instructions

  1. Prepare the pasta according to package directions.
  2. In a small sauce pan, heat the cream and butter together over low heat. When the butter has melted completely, stir in the Parmesan cheese. Continue stirring until fully melted. Stir in the garlic powder and salt and pepper.
  3. Drizzle the sauce over the pasta. Garnish with parsley.
http://bunsinmyoven.com/2012/04/02/monterey-gourmet-foods-sponsored-post/

Monterey Gourmet Foods™ is a registered trademark of Pulmuone Foods USA, Inc.

143 Comments Filed Under: Easy Breezy Chicken Squeezy, Main Dish, Pasta, Sponsored Posts

Blackberry Buckle

March 30, 2012 By


This will be a short post today. I only have time for a quickie.

Oh, shuddup. I don’t have time for immature giggles.

Fine. I do. I always have time for immature giggles.

Quickie. Heh.

The thing is, my mother and grandmother are coming over today and I’m feeling the need to banish some dustbunnies from existence. Also, my bathroom mirror is so coated in toothpaste that you truly can’t even see yourself.

Don’t even ask me about the floor around the toilet. This is a food blog. Trust me when I say that you don’t even want to know.

Fine, I’ll give you a hint. I live with boys. ‘Nuff said.

Anyway, today I have a recipe for blackberry buckle. It’s a favorite of mine. It’s sort of cakey and biscuity at the same time. And, oh my word, is it ever simple. Seriously, you can whip this up in no time.

Not in the mood for blackberry buckle? How about blackberry cobbler?

This one won first prize in a cobbler competition once. I won a set of mini pie dishes. I was so excited until I received my prize. I expected my pie dishes to be 3 or 4 inches in diameter…you know, personal sized pie dishes. No. They were 1 inch in diameter and only useful for laughing at.

Ah, well. The buckle and the cobbler taste good regardless of any lame prize received.

Print
Blackberry Buckle

This Blackberry Buckle is a delicious and simple way to use up those blackberries! It's very similar to a cobbler, but called a buckle because the berries are sprinkled on top and the cake "buckles" under the weight.

Ingredients

  • 1 stick (1/2 cup) butter
  • 1 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1 cup flour
  • 1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup milk
  • 2 cups blackberries (frozen or Fresh), rinsed and dried
  • 2 tablespoons sugar

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Melt the butter in a microwave safe dish.
  3. Mix together the sugar, flour, baking powder, and salt in a large mixing bowl.
  4. Whisk in the milk and melted butter, stirring until just incorporated.
  5. Butter a pie plate or similar sized baking dish.
  6. Pour the batter into the buttered dish and sprinkle the blackberries over the top evenly.
  7. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of the sugar and place in the oven for 40 minutes.
  8. Sprinkle the top with the remaining tablespoon of sugar and continue baking 15-20 minutes or until golden and bubbly.
http://bunsinmyoven.com/2012/03/30/blackberry-buckle/

 lightly adapted from The Pioneer Woman

15 Comments Filed Under: Cake, Dessert, Easy Breezy Chicken Squeezy, Fruit, Seasonal

Oreo Cookie Spread

March 27, 2012 By


Something changed my life last month. And when I say it changed my life, I mean that it changed my life.

Yeah. Whoa. I just brought out the italics, y’all.

That right there was the life changer. If you don’t read food blogs regularly, then you may not know what that is up there.

“Crunchy peanut butter?,” you’re thinking. “What’s so life changing about that?”

My friends, that is not peanut butter. That is cookie butter.

Let me try that again, with the italics, so you know I mean business.

It’s cookie butter, y’all.

Yeah. It’s pretty much even more fabulous than you’re imaging it to be. I’ve never had Biscoff cookies before, so I think it tastes like a cinnamon graham cracker all mushed up into something wonderful. It’s outrageous.

It’s pretty much on my mind 24 hours a day, so while I was wandering the grocery store the other day I happened upon a package of Double Stuf Oreo Cookies and I had an out of body experience.

Oreo. Cookie. Spread.

Yeah, that happened. And it’s amazing. I spread mine on some toast and it was, dare I say it, even better than Nutella.

I can’t wait to try smearing some on cheesecake or dropping a big blob in my bowl of ice cream. I think it’d make a good base for fruit dip, too. I’m going to try beating it into some buttercream frosting as well. Then again, half of the jar is gone already, because my husband and a spoon were quite eager to taste test.

Print
Oreo Cookie Spread

Ingredients

  • 15 Oreo cookies (half a package)
  • 2 tablespoons canola or vegetable oil
  • 1/4 cup heavy cream (more, as desired)

Instructions

  1. In the bowl of a food processor fitted with the blade attachment, whiz the cookies until they are fine crumbs.
  2. Slowly drizzle in all of the oil and heavy cream with the processor turned on.
  3. Stop the processor and test the thickness of the spread. If you'd like it thinner, add more heavy cream, one tablespoon at a time until it gets to the consistency you prefer.
  4. Makes one half pint. Store in the refrigerator.
http://bunsinmyoven.com/2012/03/27/oreo-cookie-spread/

69 Comments Filed Under: Cookies, Dessert, Easy Breezy Chicken Squeezy
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