Taco Casserole

16 oz. taco sauce 

12 ounce can buttermilk biscuits 

4-6 ounces shredded cheddar cheese 

4-6 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese 

1 pound ground beef 

¼ cup red bell pepper, chopped 

¼ cup green bell pepper, chopped 

8 oz mushrooms, sliced 

1 teaspoon cumin 

1 teaspoon chili powder 

1 can (2.25 oz) sliced olives, drained 

chopped cilantro, for serving 

Instructions 

Preheat oven to 400F. Lightly grease a 13×9 inch baking dish. Spread taco sauce evenly over bottom of dish. 

Separate dough into 10 biscuits. Cut each biscuit into 4 pieces. Place biscuit pieces in hot sauce, turn to coat. Sprinkle biscuits with half of the cheese and the olives. Bake for 15-18 minutes. 

In a large skillet, combine ground beef, peppers, mushrooms, cumin and chili powder. Cook until ground beef is cooked through. 

Sprinkle the ground beef mixture over the baked biscuit mixture. Sprinkle the olives over the top, then top with the remaining cheese. Bake an additional 5-7 minutes, until cheese is melted. Serve topped with chopped cilantro, if desired.

Cheese & Bacon Breakfast Muffins

Ingredients

1 package of Pillsbury Biscuits (10 biscuits) 

5 slices of bacon (cooked and cut into pieces) 

4 eggs scrambled 

5 cheese slices 

1 egg yolk 

1 tbsp. water 

Pepper to taste 

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375F. 

Using a rolling pin or your hands flatten each biscuit. 

Top each biscuit with a spoonful of egg, a spoonful of bacon and ½ slice of cheese. 

Pull up on each corner to form into a ball, pressing together at the seam. 

Place in greased muffin tins. 

Lightly whisk water into egg yolk and brush over each muffin. 

Top with pepper to taste. 

Bake for 13-15 minutes. 

Let cool on baking rack and serve warm.

Easy Cinnamon Rolls

Ingredients

1 (1/4 ounce) package active dry yeast

1 cup warm milk

½ cup granulated sugar

⅓ cup butter

1 teaspoon salt

2 eggs

4 cups flour

Filling:

1 cup packed brown sugar

2½ tablespoons cinnamon

2 tablespoons flour

⅓ cup butter, softened

Icing:

½ cup butter

1½ cups powdered sugar

¼ cup cream cheese

½ teaspoon vanilla

⅛ teaspoon salt

Instructions

For the rolls, dissolve the yeast in the warm milk in a large bowl. Add sugar and 1 cup of the flour. Stir gently, cover and set aside to rise until double in size, about 30-45 minutes.

Add butter, salt, eggs, and remaining flour, mix well.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead about 5 minutes. Dough will be slightly sticky.

Place in a greased bowl, cover and let rise in a warm place (I put mine in the microwave) about 1 hour or until the dough has doubled in size.

IF YOU HAVE A BREAD MACHINE:  Skip the above steps and put ingredients in according to the machine’s directions. Put on the ‘dough’ setting.

Punch dough down and roll out on a lightly floured surface, until it is approx 21 inches long by 16 inches wide. It should be approx ¼ thick.

To make filling, combine the brown sugar, cinnamon and flour in a bowl.

Spread the softened butter over the surface of the dough, then sprinkle the brown sugar mixture evenly over the surface.

Working carefully, from the long edge, roll the dough into a cylinder.

Place seam-side down on a flat surface. Cut the dough into 1¾ inch slices, and place in a lightly greased baking pan (I usually don’t measure the slices, I just cut it into 12 even pieces). You want the rolls to be barely touching, not too crowded. If you’re pan isn’t big enough, just put some in another pan.

Let rise until almost double in size, about 30 minutes (If not baking immediately, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. Allow to return to room temperature before baking).

Bake at 375 F for 20-25 minutes or until just golden.

While the rolls are baking combine the icing ingredients. Beat well with an electric mixer until fluffy. I suggest you make the icing fresh so it’s smooth and fluffy. I made it the night before and stored it in the fridge and I ended up having to add milk and mix again for it to soften up.

When the rolls are done and cooled slightly, spread generously with icing.

Jalapeño Popper Dip

Ingredients
1 4oz can diced jalapenos, well drained OR 4-6 fresh jalapenos, roasted and diced (include seeds if you like it really spicy)
1 8oz package cream cheese, softened
1 cup sour cream
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
3/4 cup + 1/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese
1 cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs
4 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted
1 tablespoon dried parsley

Instructions
In a mixer or by hand, combine cream cheese and sour cream.
Add cheddar cheese, 3/4 cup parmesan cheese, and diced jalapenos, mix well.
Spoon into 8x8 baking dish, spreading evenly.
Blend bread crumbs, melted butter, 1/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese, and dried parsley, using a fork or your fingers, until crumbly.
Sprinkle the buttery crumb topping evenly over the cream cheese mixture.
Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes, or until hot and breadcrumbs are golden brown. Do not overcook.
Serve with bread or crackers.

30-Minute Chocolate Fudge Cake

for the cake

– 2 cups all-purpose flour

– 2 cups sugar

– 2 sticks butter

– 1 cup water

– 5 Tablespoons cocoa powder

– 2 eggs

– 1/2 cup buttermilk

– 1 teaspoon baking soda

– 1 teaspoon vanilla

Mix flour and sugar in a large bowl. In a medium saucepan, combine butter, water, and cocoa over medium heat. Bring mixture to a boil and pour over the flour/sugar mixture. Mix well. Add eggs, buttermilk, baking soda, and vanilla. Pour into a well-greased 9×13 pan, and bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

for the fudge icing

– 1 stick butter

– 4 Tablespoons milk

– 4 Tablespoons cocoa powder

– 1 (16-ounce) box powdered sugar

– 1 teaspoon vanilla

– 1 cup chopped pecans

In a medium saucepan, combine butter, milk, and cocoa and bring mixture to a boil. Remove from heat and add powdered sugar, stirring well with a whisk or wooden spoon until the sugar melts and the mixture is smooth. Stir in vanilla and pecans, then pour over hot cake.

{serves 12 to 16}

French Toast Roll-Ups

Ingredients:

8 slices white sandwich bread

softened cream cheese, diced strawberries, or Nutella

2 eggs

3 tablespoons milk

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1 heaping teaspoon ground cinnamon

butter, for greasing the pan

Directions:

Cut the crust from each slice of bread and flatten it out with a rolling pin.

Place about 1-2 teaspoons of your chosen filling 1 inch from one end of the bread in a strip. Roll the bread up tightly and repeat with the remaining pieces of bread. I really like cream cheese with diced strawberries as one combination and Nutella with diced strawberries as another combination.

In a shallow bowl whisk the eggs and milk until well combined.

In a separate shallow bowl mix the sugar with the cinnamon.

Heat a skillet set over medium heat and melt a tablespoon of butter.

Dip each bread roll in the egg mixture coating well and then place them in the pan seam side down. Cook in batches until golden brown, turning them to cook and brown on all sides, about 2 minutes per side. Add butter to the pan as needed.

Add cooked rolls immediately from the pan to the cinnamon sugar and roll until completely covered in sugar. You can serve with syrup for dipping but I think they're perfectly good all by themselves.

Crockpot Chicken and Gravy

2lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts

14 ½ oz can chicken broth

2 packets of chicken gravy mix

Directions:

1. Place chicken breasts in the crockpot. Pour in the chicken broth, cover and cook on high for about 3 – 4 hours or until chicken easily pulls apart.

2. Pour 2 cups of the chicken broth/juices out of the crockpot and into a saucepan. Discard any remaining liquids. Add the two gravy packets into the saucepan and whisk well. Simmer on low until gravy thickens.

3. While the gravy simmers, remove the chicken breasts from the crockpot and shred into larger pieces. That’s it! Serve with the gravy over the chicken. Yum!