Spam Burgers - Minnesota State Fair

I can't believe I'm posting a recipe called 'Spam Burger'! But life has a funny way of surprising you. Last summer my family went to the MN State Fair. A thunderstorm rolled in and we didn't have a shelter. We ran to the first place we could find which happened to be right next to the 'Spam Burger' booth. Well we were hungry, so we gave it a try. It turns out my family loved it! So my husband worked to make this at home and here's what we came up with.....A family favorite!

Ingredients:

1 Can of Spam

1 Package of Hawaiian Sweet Rolls

Butter

Cheese Slices

Instructions:

1. Cut the Spam into slices for your sandwich, about 1/4 inch thick.

2. Fry the Spam in butter

3. Put the Spam on the Hawaiian Sweet Rolls, top with a cheese slice

4. Eat and Enjoy

Taco Pizza (Kristi Original)

I made this the other day when friends came over. I was pleasantly surprised at how good this tasted. Honestly I couldn't stop eating it!

Ingredients:
1 Trader Joes ready refrigerator pizza dough (found in the cooler by the meats and cheese)
1 Can Refried Beans
1 Taco Seasoning
1 Lb of Ground Beef
1/2 Can of stewed tomatoes with green chilis
8oz Shredded Cheese (I used Mexican cheese)
1 can of sliced black olives
Optional: 1 Small Can Jalapenos

Toppings:
Lettuce
Tomato
Onions
Sour Cream
More Cheese (Can there ever be too much cheese?)

Instructions:
1. Using the taco seasoning instructions, make the taco meat (taco seasoning and ground beef above)
2. Make the pizza dough according to instructions
3. Spread refried beans over the pizza crust as 'sauce'
4. Top the refried beans with taco meat, black olives, stewed tomatoes with green chilis, black olives and if you want jalapeños. Finish it off with cheese.
5. Bake the pizza according to the pizza dough instructions.
6. Once it comes out, top it with the your desired toppings and enjoy!

Raspberry Chipotle Chicken Bacon Burritos (Kristi Original)

Ingredients:

4 - 8 inch flour tortillas

1 - 12.5 oz Can of Chicken or Shredded Chicken

5-6 pieces of cooked bacon cut into small pieces

1/2 a block of cream cheese (4 oz)

1/2 bottle of Raspberry Chipotle Sauce (Robert Rothschild)

1 - 8oz bag of Shredded Pepper Jack Cheese

(https://www.robertrothschild.com/products/raspberry-chipotle-sauce?utm_medium=cpc&utm_source=googlepla&variant=18295535747&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIrJmK0JWV2AIVnrbACh25hAVQEAQYASABEgJWYfD_BwE)

Instructions:

In a bowl mix together chicken, most of the bacon, warmed cream cheese, 1/2 cheese and 1/4 bottle of sauce. Fill the tortillas with the mixture and put them into the pan. Top with 1/4 bottle of the sauce, remaining cheese and bacon. Bake at 350 Degrees for 30 minutes. 

Thanksgiving Bake / Holiday Dinner Repurposed (Kristi Original)

This year after Thanksgiving I used my leftovers in a hot dish (The Minnesota way. Haha!). My family loved it, so I'll be making this again.

Ingredients:

Stuffing 

Turkey cut up in bite size pieces

1 Can of Cream of Chicken Soup

1/2 Cup of Mayo

Mashed Potatoes

Shredded Cheese

Garlic Powder

Instructions

Mix the turkey, soup and mayo in a bowl.

In a square baking dish (I used an 8 x 8 pan) layer the following ingredients. 

1. Stuffing (I used whatever I had left over, about 2 cups. It ended up being about an inch deep.

2. Turkey mixture

3. Mashed Potatoes, sprinkle with garlic powder

4.  Shredded Cheese

Bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes or until it is warm and the cheese is bubbly. 

Sensational Burritos (Kristi Original) My kids named this one

I made up these burritos one night and my kids surprised me and tried them. They loved them and wanted to name them. So they are named 'Sensational Burritos'. 

Ingredients:

4 - Medium size flour tortillas (8 inch)
1 - 12.5oz Can of Chicken (Costco large can)
1 - 8 oz bag of shredded Mozzarella Cheese
1 - Bottle of Robert Rothschild Raspberry Chipotle Sauce (Link Below)

1. Drain the chicken, put it in a bowl and shred it.
2. Add 1/2 of the mozzarella cheese (1 Cup) and 1/2 bottle of the Raspberry Chipotle Sauce and mix.
3. Spoon the mixture into the flour tortillas. Roll up like an enchilada and put in a pan
4. Top with remaining cheese and remaining Raspberry Chipotle Sauce. 
5. Cook at 350 Degrees for 15-20 minutes or until the cheese is melted.

https://www.robertrothschild.com/products/raspberry-chipotle-sauce?utm_medium=cpc&utm_source=googlepla&variant=18295535747&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIrJmK0JWV2AIVnrbACh25hAVQEAQYASABEgJWYfD_BwE

List of Easy Meal Ideas

There are some meals our family makes that we don't need recipes for. However we sometimes forget about these meals. I'm going to put down a list to try to remember. 

1. Tacos
2. Enchiladas
3. Breakfast - Eggs, French Toast, Pancakes
4. Soup and Grilled Cheese
5. Spaghetti
6. Macaroni and Cheese and Hotdogs
7. Pizza
8. BLT's
9. Chili
10. Quesadillas
11. Hamberger Helper
12. Roast
13. Burgers/Brats/Hotdogs
14. Meatball Subs
15. Turkey Roast
16. Sloppy Joes
17. Chicken in the oven and Butter Noodles
18. Chicken Nuggets
19. Fish
20. Corn Dogs

Crock Pot Creamy Chicken and Biscuits (Kristi Original)

Ingredients:

Adjust the quantity based on your family or the size of your crock pot.

3 potatoes cut into cubes

5-6 Sliced mushrooms

1/4-1/2 Onion finely chopped

4-5 Frozen Chicken Breasts (depending on the size, fill the crock pot to feed your family)

1 Can Campbell's Cheese Soup

1 Can Cream Chicken Soup

1-2 Cans of Large Refrigerator Biscuits

Add all of the items, except the biscuits, to the crock pot and top everything with the soup. Add a little water to the crock pot, 1/2 a can. Cook on medium heat all day. Shred the chicken and return to the crock pot. Stir. Cook the biscuits following the package instructions. Top the biscuits with the creamy chicken in the crock pot. Easy meal your family will enjoy.

Dessert Quesadilla (Kristi Original)

Me and my boys had a lot of fun making this dessert. It really was an 'experiment in the kitchen moment'. We took tortillas, loaded them full of whatever we wanted and fried them in butter. Yum! I choose more traditional toppings where my boys got silly filling them with cereal like 'Lucky Charms' and jelly. Here's what I did...

Ingredients:

Tortillas 
Butter
Peanut Butter
Chocolate
Marshmallows 
Graham Cracker Crumbs

Take a tortilla and top it with whatever dessert items you like (mine are listed above). Top with a second tortilla. Warm a pan to a medium heat and melt butter in it. Put the tortilla in the pan and cook it until it is golden brown on one side. Flip it and cook it until it is a golden brown. The marshmallows and chocolate should melt sealing the tortillas together. Cut it up into triangles and enjoy your dessert. Yum and Fun! 

Easy Chicken Enchiladas - Diabetic Living

Ingredients

1 Pound skinless, boneless chicken breasts halves
1 10-1/2 ounce reduced fat, reduced sodium cream of chicken soup
1/2 cup mild salsa (lower sodium such as Newman's Own)
1/4 ounce can diced green chilies
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
4 cups packaged baby lettuce mix
8 - 6 inch corn tortillas warmed
1/2 cup shredded Mexican style four cheese blend

Directions

1. Place chicken breasts in a 1-1/2 quart slow cooker. In a small bowl, combine soup, salsa, chilies, chili powder, and cumin. Pour over chicken. Cover and cook on low heat setting for 4-5 hours. 
2. Remove chicken and place in a medium, shallow bowl, Using 2 forks, shred meat, add half of the sauce from the slow cooker to the shredded chicken, toss to coat.
3. Line a serving platter with lettuce. Place about 1/3 cup of chicken mixture and about a teaspoon or the shredded cheese down the center of each tortilla and roll up. Arrange enchiladas on the prepared serving platter. spoon remaining sauce over the enchiladas and sprinkle with remaining cheese. 

Tip

To warm tortillas, preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Wrap tortillas tightly in foil. Bake about 10 minutes or until heated through. 

Makes:  4 Servings
Serving Size: 2 Enchiladas
Carb Grams Per Serving: 24
Per Serving: 271 Calories, 9 g total fat (4 sat fat), 63 mg chol, 599 sodium, 3 g fiber, 6 g sugar, 22 g pro

Diabetic Exchange
Starch (d.e): 1.5; Lean Meat (d.e): 3; Fat (d.e); 0.5

Source:
www.diabeticlivingonline.com/recipes/easy-chicken-enchiladas-1

Velveeta Broccoli Cheese Soup

Velveeta really makes this soup creamy, rich and delicious. After getting my kids past that there was broccoli in the soup, they really enjoyed it.

Ingredients
3 Tbsp Butter or Margarine
3 Tbsp Chopped Onion
3 Tbsp Flour
1 Can (14.5oz) Chicken Broth
1 Cup Milk
1/2 Lb (8oz) Velveeta, cut into 1/2 inch cubes (I accidently used 1 Lb, 1/2 box)
1 pkg (10oz) Frozen Chopped Broccoli, thawed and drained
(I used 1 head of fresh broccoli. I steamed it until it was very tender. Then I cut it into small pieces)

1. Melt butter into a pan and add onions. Cook until they are tender. Stir frequently.
2. Whisk in flour until blended.
3. Add broth and milk. Cook over medium heat, stirring often, until it is warm.
4. Add broccoli and Velveeta. Cook until the Velveeta is melted.

ENJOY

Sarah's New Year's Appetizer - Bacon Cream Cheese Dip

My friend Sarah brings this appetizer every year to our New Year's Eve Party. It is a hit and everyone loves it. Plus it is super simple to make. You gotta love that!

Ingredients
1. 1 Package of Cream Cheese (Any variety...Regular or Fat Free)
2. Bacon Cooked Crisp (5 Slices)
3. 1/2 Jar of Pepper Jelly (I prefer spicy, but Sarah prefers not spicy. I used Pam's Pepper Jam.)
4. Wheat Thins

You can make this several ways...

Way One
1. Put the cream cheese on a plate and top it with jelly
2. Put the crumbled bacon on top off the cream cheese and jelly
3. Serve with the Wheat Thins. People dip the Wheat Thins in the dip.

Way Two
1. Spread the cream cheese on a plate or in a Tupperware container
2. Spread the jelly on top of the cream cheese.
3. Top with crumbled bacon
4. Serve with the Wheat Thins. People dip the Wheat Thins in the dip.

New Year's Eve Chili 2016 (Kristi Original)

If you haven't noticed, I really like to make chili. It's so great because you just dump a bunch of food in a pot and poof it becomes chili. It's so easy and fun to experiment in the kitchen. If you search for 'chili' on this blog, you will find many recipes. This is the mix I did for our New Year's Eve Party on Dec 31, 2016.

Ingredients
2 Lbs Ground Beef
1 Onion Chopped
2 Cans Dark Kidney Beans
2 Cans Light Kidney Beans
2 Cans Chili Beans
1 Can Great Northern Beans
1 Can Tomato Sauce
1 Large Jar of Medium Salsa (I used Pace Salsa)
1/2 Bottle of Amber Beer
1 Cup of White Wine - Sauvignon blac
1 Double Pack of Hot Dogs cut up, about 10 hot dogs
1 Jar of Diced Tomatoes - Chili Flavored
4 Crushed Garlic Cloves
Chili Powder - A lot, Several Tbsp - To Taste
Salt - To Taste
Pepper - To Taste
Fiesta Party Mix - Tastefully Simple - To Taste

1. Cook the ground beef and onions. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and Fiesta Party Mix.
2. Mix all the remaining ingredients, except the beer and chili, and put the chili in the fridge overnight.
3. Add beer and hotdogs.
4. Warm the chili, eat and enjoy. (I cooked it in the crock pot.)

Note: I'm not sure that it matters that you leave the beer and hotdogs out until the next day. That is just what I did. I was just missing some ingredients and had to wait until the next day.

Cauliflower Au Gratin - Gluten Free

I still need to try this recipe. I made it and it's sitting in our freezer. We were going to bring it for Christmas celebrations that got canceled for weather. It looks so delicious!

http://lowcarbyum.com/cauliflower-au-gratin-recipe-gluten-free/

Ingredients
14.5 Can of Chicken Broth
3/4 Cup Heavy Cream
4 Cloves Minced Garlic
1/2 tsp Onion Powder
1/4 tsp Poultry Seasoning
1 tsp Xanthan Gum or low carb thickener of choice
2 Packages Frozen Cauliflower Florets or 2 fresh heads cut into florets
16 oz Grated Sharp Cheddar Cheese
8 Slices Bacon Cooked and Chopped

1. Combine broth, heavy cream, garlic, onion powder, poultry seasoning, and xanthan gum in medium saucepan.
2. Cook liquids over medium heat, stirring frequently, until thickened, remove from heat.
3. Mix the cauliflower, cheese, and sauce together in 9x13 casserole pan.
4. Sprinkle the chopped bacon on top then cover with remaining cheese.
5. Bake at 350 degrees oven for 50 min or until browned and cauliflower is tender.

Nutrition Facts

Cauliflower Au Gratin - Gluten Free

Amount Per Serving (164g)

Calories 167 Calories from Fat 109

                               % Daily Value*

Total Fat 12.1g                        19%

Saturated Fat 5.5g                     28%

Cholesterol 34mg                    11%

Sodium 1187mg                      49%

Potassium 198mg                     6%

Total Carbohydrates 4.5g       2%

Dietary Fiber 3g                      12%

Sugars 0.8g

Protein 9.6g                            19%

Vitamin A                                 4%

Vitamin C                                21%

Calcium                                   10%

Iron                                            5%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Crock Pot Cauliflower and Cheese

We made this for Christmas this year. It was really good. Who knew that you could make cauliflower so yummy? If only the childhood me had known this.

http://spicysouthernkitchen.com/crock-pot-cauliflower-cheese/

Ingredients
1 Head of Cauliflower, cut into florets
1 Can of Condensed Cheddar Soup
1 (5 ounce) can evaporated milk
1/2 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Pepper
1/2 tsp paprika
1/4 Cup Onion finely diced
2 Cups Shredded Cheddar

1. Grease the inside of a crock pot (3-4 quart crock pot)
2. Put cauliflower in crock pot
3. Combine the rest of the ingredients in a saucepan. Cook on a medium heat, stirring constantly until the cheese is melted.
4. Pour sauce over the cauliflower
5. Cover and cook on low for 3 to 3-1/2 hours, depending on how tender you want the cauliflower.

NOTE: Do not use extra-sharp. It is too acidic and can turn grainy.

Prep Time: 5 Min
Cook Time: 3 Hours
Total Time: 3 Hours 5 Min

Low Carb Bacon and Egg Bake / Quiche

I made this low carb egg bake for my family over the holiday's. My 5 year old is an incredibly picky eater. He took one bite without any argument, jumped up from the table, squealed for joy and ran and gave me a HUGE hug. He said it was the best food he had EVER eaten. :) We will be making it again.

http://www.food.com/recipe/low-carb-bacon-and-egg-quiche-256210

Ingredients
6 Large Eggs
1 Cup Heavy Cream
1 Cup of Grated Cheddar or Swiss Cheese (I used Cheddar)
1/2 Cup of Crispy Cooked Bacon Crumbled
Salt
Pepper

1. Mix the Eggs and Cream
2. Add in Remaining Ingrediants
3. Grease a Pan (I used a pie pan with pan spray)
4. Cook at 350 Degrees for 40 Minutes or until the egg bake becomes a golden brown.

Nutrition Info

Serving Size: 1 (173 g)
Servings Per Recipe: 4

Amount Per Serving % Daily Value

Calories 481.8

Calories from Fat 385  80%

Total Fat 42.8 g  65%

Saturated Fat 23.4 g  117%

Cholesterol 401.4 mg  133%

Sodium 541.3 mg  22%

Total Carbohydrate 2.7 g  0%

Dietary Fiber 0 g  0%

Sugars 0.5 g  1%

Protein 21.5 g  42%