Perfectly Simple Chicken

Well I know that I haven't posted here in forever. That is partly due to the fact that I have received ZERO comments on the blog... and mostly due to my chaotic and busy life! But I have missed you all dearly (whoever you are). A lot has happened since I last posted.. Ryan started preschool! I also started a childcare thing out of my home. AND I've been trying to amp up my Mary Kay business! All efforts to be a successful, single, stay at home mom. OH YEAH!

If you RUNrunRUN all day like I do, then quick and simple meals with minimal ingredients are a must on some nights. Here is a simple chicken rub recipe that will always put out a delicious dish. You can use this rub just on chicken breats, thighs, drumsticks, or whatever.. Or you can use this rub to season your chicken before you use in casseroles, sandwiches, wraps, or whatever. Nothing worse than a casserole with BLAND chicken. Ryan and I use this rub on boneless, skinless chicken breasts with a side of rice and veggies for dinner at least once a week.

All it takes is a few spices mixed together.

Rub your chicken down.

Bake it...

Soooo easy. And sooo freakin yummy.

Perfectly Simple Chicken
What You'll Need:
1 lb. chicken breasts, thighs, drums, whatever
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. onion powder
1/2 tsp. paprika

Mix seasonings together in a small bowl and rub all over chicken. Bake at 400 until chicken is cooked through. About 30 minutes. I use a meat thermometer.

OK I promise I won't stay gone so long this time. But please, help me out and leave me some feedback. Let me know what you want to see.

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Easy Crock Pot Steak Tacos AND Homemade Taco Seasoning

YUMyumYUMyumYUMyumYUM

Crock Pot Steak Tacos

What You'll Need:
1 lb. of beef - really any kind will work. sirloin, brisket, flank steak, tenderloin, in this picture I actually used boneless short rib meat that I got on sale

3 T. of Taco Seasoning (my recipe below)

Water

Place beef into crock pot and season well with all of the taco seasoning. Pour in enough water to keep the meat moist, but don't cover it completely. About an inch and a half of water, depending on the cut and amount of meat. Cook on low for 5-8 hours or high for 3-5 hours, again depending on cut of meat. Meat should be cooked and falling apart.

Serve in tortillas (or on chips or whatever) with lettuce, tomatoes, salsa, sour cream, cheese, peppers, etc.

Never buy pre-made taco seasoning again! It is cheaper and healthier to make yourself.

Taco Seasoning

What You'll Need:
1 T. chili powder
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. onion powder
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. paprika
1 1/2 tsps. paprika
1 tsp. sea salt
1 tsp. black pepper

Mix all ingredients well and store in sealed container. Use 3 Tablespoons of seasoning per pound of meat.

Bolognese Sauce

I'm so sorry I've been away for so long!!! I've had a little trouble with my recovery. My advice to you- listen to your doctor and follow all of your post-op recommendations! REST after surgery and don't try to take on too much, too soon!

But anyways, I've been extremely bored with this whole healing process. It's really getting in the way of all my half-finished projects... Last night, however, I got back in the kitchen. I wanted to make something simple, yet delicious. So, I bring to you: my version of Bolognese Sauce, adapted mostly from a recipe I found in AllRecipes magazine a while back. My photo didn't do this sauce justice, so I decided to leave it out...

Bolognese Sauce

What You'll Need:
1/2 lb. ground beef (I always use 10% Or LESS fat)
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 of a large onion, diced
1/2 of a large carrot, grated
1 3/4 tsp. dried oregano
3/4 tsp. garlic powder
1 small bay leaf
salt and pepper to taste, a generous amount
1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes
1 1/4 cup water
2 T. butter
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1. Heat a large covered pot over medium-high heat. Add beef, garlic, onion, and carrot. Cook until meat is just cooked through and drain out any extra grease.

2. Add the oregano, garlic powder, bay leaf, salt, and pepper. Stir in the crushed tomatoes and water. Bring to a boil, then reduce, simmering for 1 1/2 hours. Keep covered for at least the first hour, so the sauce doesn't concentrate too much.

3. Over medium heat, add the butter and Parmesan cheese to the sauce until melted.
Serve over cooked pasta. Yields about 5 cups of sauce, about 6 servings. I prefer smaller noodles with this sauce, such as Rigatoni.

This is a super simple, yet super scrumptious, authentic Italian dish. Now get to cookin'! And stay tuned- as soon as I get to feeling a little better, I'll be revealing my Renter's Garden and my fool-proof way to paint furniture!!!

Orange White Chocolate Cupcakes

It's time. It's time to write my own cupcake recipe. I'm definitely still learning when it comes to baking and, well, cooking too. So I bring to you- my very first recorded cupcake recipe!

I have a new found love for self rising flower thanks to my mommy, so that's what I'll be using. If you don't have any, you can substitute 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour + 1 1/2 tsp baking powder (No salt because I used salted butter in the recipe). I also have a new obsession with using oranges in baking ever since my amazing Orange Cinnamon Streusel Muffins.

So.. I will be attempting to create some Orange White Chocolate Cupcakes. I'm going to use Cream Cheese Frosting because that's what I have.

Let's do this!

Start melting 3 oz of white chocolate however you like. I use a double boiler contraption made by sitting a thick measuring cup in a small saucepan of water. First, beat the butter and sugar together.

Beat in the eggs one at a time. Beat in the flour, orange zest, orange juice, and white chocolate. Pour the batter into your muffin cups and bake! Soo simple!

And you have these sweet little cupcakes to ice and decorate however you please.

I lightened up a can of premade Cream Cheese Frosting by beating it together with a splash of milk. Would be great with an orange frosting, white chocolate, or whatever you like.

:)

Orange White Chocolate Cupcakes

What You'll Need:
1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup sugar

3 Eggs

1 1/4 cup Self Rising Flour

3 oz. or about 1/4 cup White Chocolate

Juice of 1 Orange or about 1/4 cup pre made Orange Juice

Zest of up to half of of the Orange- get this before juicing!! (if using pre made, can leave out)

Frosting of your choice

1. Preheat oven to 350. Begin melting white chocolate however you like for Step 2. Beat the butter and sugar together with an electric mixer. Beat in the eggs one at a time.

2. Beat in the flour, orange zest, orange juice, and white chocolate. Beat very well. Pour into muffin cups filling each one about 3/4th of the way full.

3. Bake for 12-14 minutes. Remove from muffin pan to finish cooling after a few minutes. When cooled almost to room temperature, ice the cupcakes.

Makes 12 cupcakes.

<3

Stay tuned for my Renter's Garden, my re-fabbed painted book shelf, and the release of bees body butters..

Crock Pot Sweet Ham

Hellooooo all. I'm feeling much better now from the surgery. Still much healing to do, but it was a very minor and mostly pain-free procedure.

I was well enough today to get back in the kitchen! I went over to my mom's house (she's keeping Ryan for the surgery and recovery) stuck a ham in the crock pot, and let her take care of the side dishes. I have been seeing these "Easy Slow Cooker Hams" all over Pinterest and other sites for a while now, and have been dying to try one.. so I did!

And there she is!!!

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Crock Pot Sweet Ham

What You'll Need:
A Ham - I used a Smoked Bone-In Half Ham. You can use whatever kind you want- precooked, sliced or not, half or whole. There is enough sugar and pineapple for a whole ham, I just like extra sauce!!

3 Cups Brown Sugar

1 Can Pineapple Tidbits with the juice (Sliced or Diced or even just pineapple juice would be fine also)

Put most of the brown sugar underneath the ham in your crock pot. Pour the pineapple tidbits and juice over the ham and put more sugar over the top. Cook on High for about at hour to get it cooking, depending on how quickly you want it to be done. And then on Low for about 4-5 hours or until tender and yummmyyy.

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I used The Crockin' Girls' recipe. It can be found here along with other awesome recipes AND a kitchen-worthy cookbook. This ham is AMAZING. And amazingly simple. Try it!

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Orange Cinnamon Streusel Muffins

This day.. is NOT what's up. And also- I'm having surgery tomorrow morning at 8:00 am. Only a minor surgery though, not to worry. My landlord brought me a big bag of oranges today "to stay healthy.." SO I've decided to bury my sorrows of this craptastic day in some delicious Orange Cinnamon Streusel Muffins. I made these last weekend for Ryan and Emery's bake sale and they were a hit.

First, mix together the self rising flour and sugar.

In a separate bowl, mix together oil, oj, buttermilk, vanilla, and eggs. Then mix everything together. Lumpies are fine.

Fill muffin cups halfway with mix. In a small bowl, mix together brown sugar and cinnamon. Put a 1/2 tsp. of this into each muffin cup. Then pour over remaining batter filling the cups 3/4 of the way.

Now mix remaining flour, sugar, cinnamon, and butter. Sprinkle this on top of the muffins.

Bake 'em and...

I originally found this recipe here at allrecipes.com!!!

Orange Cinnamon Streusel Muffins

What You'll Need:
2 cups self rising flour (or 2 cups all-purpose + 2 tsp. baking powder + 1/2 tsp. salt)
3/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup vegetable or canola oil
1/2 cup orange juice
1/2 cup buttermilk (I make mine with regular milk and vinegar)
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 eggs
3 T. brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
2 T. melted butter

1. Preheat your oven to 350. Mix together self rising flour and 3/4 cup sugar in a large bowl. In a seperate bowl, mix together oil, orange juice, buttermilk, vanilla extract, and eggs. Add the wet ingredients to the dry igredients and mix well. Some lumps are okay.
2. Fill muffin cups or greased muffin pan only halfway with batter. In a small bowl, mix together brown sugar and cinnamon. Sprinkle 1/2 tsp. of this mixture into each muffin cup.  Put the remaining batter into the cups filling each one 3/4 of the way full. Mix together the all-purpose flour, sugar, cinnamon, and melted butter. Sprinkle this mixture evenly into the cups.
3. Bake for 20-25 minutes.