The Absolute BEST Alfredo Sauce

The first time my mother and I made this, we had to make it two more times in the same WEEK. Each time, it was fought over and gone in about five seconds. It is also the same recipe my mother-in-law, Kathleen, used when she served spaghetti and fettuccine alfredo  at our rehearsal dinner. Guests RAVED about both, so I decided to share the recipe with all of you!

The Absolute BEST Alfredo Sauce



Ingredients:
4oz cream cheese
2 sticks salted butter
1 pint heavy cream
2 cups shredded Parmesan cheese
2 tbsp garlic powder
Salt and pepper to taste

Servings: 4

Directions:

1. In a sauce pan, melt butter and cream cheese.

2. Add cream, whisk until smooth.

3. Add Parmesan cheese, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Continue to whisk until cheese has melted.

4. Serve over fettuccine with garlic bread. (It's also okay to just dip the garlic bread in the sauce and eat it while you're cooking!! :D )

 Note: You may add more milk or cream until you have reached the desired consistency. 

Semi-Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup

I haven't blogged in a few days because I haven't had to cook! We visited the Newman family in Roxton this weekend and were able to enjoy FIVE home-cooked meals! We enjoyed Miriam's favorite meatloaf Friday evening, two wonderful breakfasts, Syd's grilled chicken and ribs on Saturday, and Kathleen's root beer glazed ham with macaroni and cheese Sunday after church. It may have spoiled us just a LITTLE bit, and we even got to bring home a bag of Kathleen's delicious chocolate chip cookies! 

For a few of Kathleen's recipes, including the meatloaf recipe (the sauce is delicious!), click here! 

Unfortunately, it was back to Abilene Sunday afternoon, which meant back to cooking at home! We have both been under the weather for the last few days, and I received two more shots and a prescription today for bronchitis. Fortunately my evening class was cancelled, so I decided to make chicken soup for dinner tonight. 

Semi-Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup


Ingredients:
1 pkg dry chicken noodle soup mix-$3.00
12.5 oz can of cubed chicken breast, do not drain- $1.98
32 oz chicken broth - $1.86
3 cups water
3 chicken bullion cubes 
4 tbsp butter
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 cloves of garlic, minced
3 small potatoes, cut into medium pieces
Parsley, salt, pepper to taste
Served with garlic bread- $1.91

Servings: 8

Total: $8.75- A little over $1 per serving

Directions:

1. In a large pot, melt butter and saute garlic and onion.

2. Add chicken broth, water, bullion cubes, parsley, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil.

3. Add potatoes and chicken. Boil for approximately 20 minutes. The potatoes do not have to be done.

4. Add the package of chicken noodle soup. Boil for 5 minutes.

5. Transfer the soup to your slow cooker. Cook on low for 3-4 hours.

On a different note, we were able to watch The Secret Life of Walter Mitty at home last night. I wasn't sure if I wanted to watch it because it did not get very many positive reviews. However, I should know by now not to read the critics' reviews- the movie was FANTASTIC. It was a beautiful, family-friendly film with a great message. I urge everyone to go see it in a theater near you!

Here's a clip of the trailer:

Spicy Tex-Mex Sloppy Joes

I found out today that I most likely have a peptic ulcer and have to start taking  150mg of Ranitidine two times a day--yay stress!!! The good news: I've already taken one of the pills and a few hours later, for the first time in weeks, my stomach growled and didn't feel like it was on fire! It's the little things.

Unfortunately, I will not be eating spicy food for a few weeks. So, I thought I would share my all-time favorite Spicy Tex-Mex Sloppy Joe recipe!

Spicy Tex-Mex Sloppy Joes




Ingredients

1 teaspoon olive oil
1 lb ground beef
Salt and pepper
1 cup chopped onion
1 jalapeño, chopped (seeds and ribs removed for less heat)
2 cloves chopped garlic
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 cup beef broth
1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon Frank's Hot Sauce
4 burger buns
Pickled jalapeños, for topping
Fritos, for topping

Directions

Heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic, onion, and jalapeño and cook until tender.

In a separate pan, brown the ground beef. Drain if necessary. Stir in the onion, jalapeño, garlic, chili powder, and cumin.

Add the beef broth, tomato sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and hot sauce. Bring to a bubble and cook until sauce thickens.

Serve on top of toasted buns topped with jalapeños and Fritos!

Slow Cooked Bacon Ranch Pork Chops with Potatoes

I found a recipe for slow cooked ranch pork chops on Pinterest several months ago and have been wanting to try it. I, like most people, love my slow cooker. Throw the ingredients in the crock pot before going to work or class, and come home at the end of the day to a home that smells wonderful and a meal that's ready to be served--who wouldn't love that?! 

I bought an entire bag of potatoes a week or so ago that haven't been used- anyone who knows my husband is probably gasping right now!- so I decided to throw those in with the pork chops as well.

It really was an easy and delicious meal, we could cut the pork chops with a fork, and we have left overs for lunch tomorrow!

I've decided to hold off on pricing meals until next week. I haven't been to the grocery store, we really have had all of these ingredients, and I don't want to continue posting "Oh! This meal was free! We had all of these ingredients!" 

Also, please excuse my pitiful excuse for what I call a "salad". It's shredded lettuce I bought to add to burritos. It was turning brown, so I decided to use it before it was time to throw it away. It's also a possibility that the salad dressing was out of date. It shows you how often I eat salad...and how much I mind expiration dates. I like to live life on the edge, what can I say?

Bacon Ranch Pork Chops




Ingredients:
1 pkg boneless pork chops 
1 small can cream of chicken
1 packet Hidden Valley Ranch mix
1/2 small bag real bacon bits
1 cup milk

Directions:

Place pork chops and potatoes in the bottom of your slow cooker.

In a separate bowl, combine cream of chicken, ranch dressing mix, bacon bits, and milk.  Spread mixture over pork chops.

Cover and cook on low for 6 hours.

Serve with a salad and your favorite veggies!

Nathan's Ham and Cheese Grillers with Spicy Tomato Soup

Sadly, spring break is over and it's back to the real world! I have class until 9 pm on Mondays, so Nathan usually cooks dinner for us on these nights.

He makes the absolute best ham and cheese quesadillas. I'm not allowed to make them because I don't use enough butter! One day, he had a craving for one of Taco Bell's Grillers and decided to create his own using ham and cheese. They were somehow even better than the quesadillas, and easier to dip into the tomato soup!

Nathan's Ham and Cheese Grillers with Spicy Tomato Soup




Ingredients: (We had all of the ingredients)
16 slices of ham
4 tortillas
1 cup sharp cheddar cheese
1 can Progresso Tomato Basil Soup
BUTTER

Servings: 4

Total: FREE! 

**We try to have these ingredients in the house at all times, so I did not have to purchase anything for this meal! However, I would estimate that this meal costs less than $5 to make!

Directions:
Divide ham and cheese evenly between the four tortillas and roll burrito-style.

In a pan, melt the butter and place the burritos in the pan. Fry on both sides until brown and cheese is melted on the inside (Nathan microwaves them for a few seconds to melt the cheese).

For the soup:

We like spicy tomato soup, so we add salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, Worcestershire sauce, and a few drops of Frank's Hot Sauce.

Enjoy! 

Cheesy Chicken Spaghetti

There is nothing healthy about this recipe, but it's one of my favorite comfort foods! 

Cheesy Chicken Spaghetti





Ingredients:
2 lbs raw chicken breasts
1 large can cream of chicken
1 large can cream of mushroom
1 large can of original Rotel, do not drain
1/2 onion, sauteed 
Cheddar cheese (the more, the better!)
Spaghetti, cooked

Directions:

In your slow cooker, combine the cream of chicken, cream of mushroom, Rotel, onion, and raw chicken. Cook on low for 4-6 hours, or until chicken is done.

Remove chicken and shred, then place the shredded chicken back into your slow cooker. Add cheddar cheese (I used one bag of sharp cheddar) and cooked spaghetti to the sauce. Top with more cheddar cheese and place in the oven until cheese has melted.

We like to serve this with garlic bread and salad! Enjoy!

Sidney's Potato Soup Recipe

In honor of girls' night, I decided to share one of my best friend's potato soup recipe! 

It's not a homestyle potato soup, it's more like the Zuppa Toscana from Olive Garden, but it is delicious!

Sidney's Potato Soup




Ingredients:

2 lbs ground beef
1/2 gallon of water 
32 oz chicken broth
12 chicken bouillon cubes
1/2 onion
4 cloves garlic, minced
5 lbs potatoes, cut into large cubes
Fresh parsley, minced
1/2 pint cream 
Salt, pepper, oregano to taste
Directions:

Combine water, chicken broth, bouillon cubes, 1/2 onion, 1/2 garlic, salt, pepper, and oregano in a large pot, bring to a boil, let simmer for 30 minutes.

In a separate pan, sautée the remaining onion and garlic in olive oil or bitten until tender. Add ground beef and cook until browned. When cooked, add to the broth and let simmer for 30 minutes.

After 30 minutes, add peeled/diced potatoes and let simmer for another 30 minutes or until potatoes are cooked.

Last, add the parsley and cream. Let cool and serve! Sidney likes to serve it with grated Parmesan cheese and garlic bread! 

My New Best Friend and Fish Tacos with Garlic Aioli

I refuse- REFUSE!- to drink tap water. Why? I’ve lived in Abilene for almost 23 years and practically gag every time I am forced to drink water from the tap. Last semester, I took Natural Hazards with a professor who also refuses to drink Abilene water. He runs tests on the creeks and lakes in and around Abilene, and though he would not state what he found, he would only say that he will only drink bottled water. 

Well, what if you can’t afford to drink bottled water every single day and/or don’t have a refrigerator with a built-in filtered water dispenser?  Nathan and I would go through a case and half of water each WEEK. On average, a 24-pack of water is $3 or more. That’s almost $20 a month on water. 

So, I turned to Amazon and found my new best friend:

This is the PUR 18-cup filtered water dispenser. It was only $26.87 with Amazon Prime. It holds 18 cups- the equivalent of nine bottles of water. To give you an idea of how much water we consume, we usually fill this up once a day or so.  It’s a cheaper alternative to bottled water and a tastier alternative to tap water!

Now it’s on to the good stuff. As promised, tonight I made fish tacos with garlic aioli. I served the tacos with cilantro lime rice and sautéed corn. THEY WERE AMAZING! I buy the frozen tortilla crusted tilapia at HEB or United and have been serving it on its own with the rice and corn. Last Friday my mother and I had lunch at The Beehive in Abilene and their lunch special was fish tacos. They used the tortilla crusted tilapia and it was delicious! Inspired, I decided to try making them myself!

  

Fish Tacos with Garlic Aioli, Cilantro Lime Rice, and Sautéed Corn

Ingredients:

Tacos:

1 package frozen tortilla crusted tilapia- $5

4 tortillas

Toppings of your choice (I used lettuce, tomato, and cheese)

Garlic Aioli: (I had all of these ingredients)

½ cup mayonnaise

½ cup Greek yogurt

1 tsp olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

Salt and pepper to taste

Cilantro Lime Rice & Sauteed Corn  (I had all of these ingredients)

1 package Uncle Ben’s Ready Rice

1 can of regular corn

2 tbsp dried cilantro (or fresh)

Juice from 1 lime

Olive oil

Servings: 4

Total: $5

* I had most of these ingredients at home. The only item I purchased was the tortilla crusted tilapia!

Directions:

Prepare fish according to directions on package.

Combine mayonnaise and Greek yogurt. Add olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper. Mix well and place in refrigerator for 30 minutes.

Prepare rice according to package. Heat olive oil in your pan and add corn. Sautee for five minutes over medium heat. Next, add cooked rice, cilantro, and lime juice to the pan. Cover and let cook for an additional five minutes.

When the fish is cooked, let it cool and then halve the fillets. Add to the tortillas and top with garlic aioli and toppings of your choice.

Enjoy! 

Introduction and a Tasty Buffalo Chicken Pizza Recipe

My friend Lizzy started a food blog a few years ago, and I was inspired to create my own. Unfortunately, I only posted a few recipes before I got rid of it. My mother-in-law recently started a blog (http://minimalistlivingforthemaximumfamily.blogspot.com) where she posts a new recipe every Wednesday. Once again, I was inspired.

I love cooking. At one point, I even considered going to culinary school. However, accounting won and I am now in my senior year at Hardin-Simmons University. Only NINE weeks until graduation, but who's counting?? 

I have many roles: wife, daughter, student, secretary, sister, friend...and more. My days consist of going to class and work, and going to night classes on Mondays and Tuesdays. Homework usually takes up most of my evenings and weekends. I had to take 16 hours this semester in order to graduate, and it has taken its toll over the last few months. With that being said, it has become very easy for us to decide to eat at one of the many fast food restaurants near our home instead of cooking at home. As a result, the size of our waist lines have increased and wallets have decreased. 

I am on spring break this week and I have decided to use this week to test my new blog and start cooking more at home. I have also found that, for me, cooking acts as a stress reliever and most of what I cook turns out better than anything you can get at a fast food restaurant. 

The first recipe I would like to share is for my buffalo chicken pizza. I made this recipe tonight and think I have finally perfected it!

Amanda's Buffalo Chicken Pizza

Ingredients:

3  chicken breasts, shredded - $2.50

1  Pillsbury thin pizza crust (or you can make your own) - $2

1  bottle of your favorite buffalo sauce - $1

1  bottle of ranch dressing- Already had it

Cheese of your preference (I used pepper jack, sharp cheddar, and mozzarella) - Already had it

Servings: 8 slices

Total: $5.50

Directions:

First, I boiled the chicken breasts on the stove with water, one chicken bouillon cube, and olive oil.

Next, I baked the pizza crust in the oven at 425° for 8 minutes. After 8 minutes, I took the crust out of the oven and spread a mixture of ranch dressing and buffalo sauce over it.

When the chicken was cooked, I let it cool and then shredded it with a fork. I then mixed the chicken with half a cup of the buffalo sauce and spread the chicken over the crust.

Top with cheese, bake until crust is brown and the cheese is melted, and enjoy! 

Make sure you check back tomorrow! Tomorrow night I will be making fish tacos with tortilla crusted tilapia and cilantro lime rice with sauteed corn!