Taco Spaghetti To Die For

 

INGREDIENTS:

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 pound ground beef*

1 (1.25-ounce) package taco seasoning

1 (10-ounce can) Ro*Tel® Mild Diced Tomatoes & Green Chilies

1 tablespoon tomato paste

8 ounces spaghetti

1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

1 Roma tomato, diced

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves

DIRECTIONS:

1: Heat olive oil in a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium high heat. Add ground beef and cook until beef has browned, about 3-5 minutes, making sure to crumble the beef as it cooks; stir in taco seasoning. Drain excess fat.

2: Stir in Ro*Tel®, tomato paste, spaghetti and 3 cups water. Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat and simmer until pasta is cooked through, about 13-16 minutes.

3: Remove from heat and top with cheeses. Cover until melted, about 2 minutes.

4: Serve immediately, garnished with tomato and cilantro, if desired.

Chocolate Covered Peanut Butter Balls

 Ingredients:

20 ounces creamy Peanut Butter

1 pound + 2 Tbsp Butter

2 pounds powder sugar

3 c. crushed graham crackers

3 c. Rice Cereal

2 pounds dark chocolate melting wafers/candy quik/almond bark

Directions:

Melt the peanut butter and butter over medium-low heat. Once melted remove from heat and immediately add powder sugar, graham crackers, and rice cereal (I prefer Rice Krispies, they tend to remain crisp much longer). Mix until completely blended.

Form mixture into balls (I use a small, 1 Tbsp. scoop for more uniform balls) and roll quickly in hands to firmly pack. Put on parchment paper lined pans in a single layer. Once all mixture is formed into balls place into freezer for a few hours to chill and set before dipping.

Melt the chocolate per instructions on the package (I use Ghirardelli candy making & dipping chocolate..YUM…but any almond bark will suffice). Dip the peanut butter balls into the chocolate, using a fork, and tap on side of bowl to remove excess chocolate. Place balls back on parchment paper to harden.

Once the chocolate is hardened place candy in layers, separated with paper towels (absorbs any moisture the chocolate might let off), in an airtight container in a cool area, far away from the children – lest they eat all of them!

Apple Cinnamon Chimichangas

 

Ingredients

1 (21 ounce) can apple pie filling

1/2 cup cinnamon sugar

15 (6 inch) flour tortillas

oil for frying

Directions

Heat apple pie filling in a small pot over medium-low heat until warmed through, about 5 minutes.

Place cinnamon sugar in a shallow dish.

Spoon 1 1/2 tablespoons of filling onto each tortilla. Fold in opposing edges and roll up as you would a burrito.

Heat oil in a large, deep saucepan over medium heat.

Place a batch of rolled tortillas seam-side down in the hot oil and fry until browned and crispy, 1 to 2 minutes. Turn and continue frying until all sides are browned, 1 to 2 minutes more. Roll in cinnamon sugar to coat. Repeat with remaining batches

Feta Chicken Salad

 Ingredients

3 cups cooked chicken, shredded

½ small red onion, diced

½ red pepper, diced

3 celery stalks, diced

½ cup mayo

½ cup feta crumbles

2 teaspoons dried dill

1 teaspoon dried oregano

½ teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Salt to taste

Preparation

In a large bowl, add chicken onion, red pepper, and celery. Toss to combine.

In a small bowl, mix together remaining ingredients until smooth.

Spoon mayo mixture onto salad and mix until evenly coated.

Cover and chill for at least 1 hour for the best flavor.

SOFT AND CHEWY SUGAR COOKIES

 INGREDIENTS

2 3/4 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/4 cups butter

2 cups sugar

2 large eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla

colored crystal sugar (optional)

DIRECTIONS

Stir together flour, baking powder and salt; set aside.

In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until fluffy.

Beat in eggs one at a time, then beat in vanilla.

Gradually stir in dry mixture just until blended.

Roll the dough into walnut-sized balls then roll in colored sugar.

Refrigerate balls for at least 20 minutes or freeze until ready to bake.

Place cookies 2″ apart on an un-greased cookie sheet and flatten slightly with the palm of your hand.

Bake in a 350°F oven for 8-10 minutes until lightly browned at the edges.

Cool on cookie sheet for 5 minutes, then remove to cool on a wire rack.

Boston Cream Pie Cupcakes

 Ingredients 

You’ll Need

The secret to these cupcakes lies in their simple yet indulgent combination of ingredients. Here’s what you’ll need:

For the Vanilla Cupcakes:

1 ½ cups all-purpose flour

1 ½ teaspoons baking powder

¼ teaspoon salt

½ cup unsalted butter (softened to room temperature)

1 cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs (room temperature)

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

½ cup whole milk (room temperature)

For the Pastry Cream Filling:

2 cups whole milk

½ cup granulated sugar

3 large egg yolks

¼ cup cornstarch

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the Chocolate Ganache Topping:

½ cup heavy cream

¾ cup semisweet chocolate chips (or chopped chocolate)

Step-by-Step Instructions

Ready to whip up these creamy, dreamy cupcakes? Follow these easy steps:

Step 1: Preheat Your Oven

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) . Line a muffin tin with cupcake liners or grease it lightly.

Step 2: Make the Vanilla Cupcakes

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, use a hand mixer or stand mixer to cream the softened butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, about 2–3 minutes.

Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in the vanilla extract.

Alternate adding the dry ingredients and milk to the wet ingredients, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix just until combined.

Divide the batter evenly among the prepared cupcake liners, filling each about ⅔ full.

Bake in the preheated oven for 18–20 minutes , or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Let the cupcakes cool in the pan for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Step 3: Prepare the Pastry Cream Filling

In a medium saucepan, heat the milk over medium heat until it begins to simmer. Remove from heat.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the sugar, egg yolks, and cornstarch until smooth.

Gradually whisk half of the hot milk into the egg mixture to temper it, then pour the mixture back into the saucepan.

Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until the mixture thickens and comes to a boil, about 5–7 minutes.

Remove from heat and stir in the butter and vanilla extract until smooth.

Transfer the pastry cream to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap (pressing it directly onto the surface to prevent a skin from forming), and chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.

Step 4: Make the Chocolate Ganache Topping

Heat the heavy cream in a small saucepan or microwave until just simmering.

Pour the hot cream over the chocolate chips in a heatproof bowl. Let sit for 2–3 minutes, then whisk until smooth and glossy.

Let the ganache cool slightly to thicken before using.

Step 5: Assemble the Cupcakes

Once the cupcakes are completely cool, use a small knife or cupcake corer to cut a hole in the center of each cupcake, leaving a small border around the edges.

Fill a piping bag with the chilled pastry cream and pipe it into the hollowed-out centers of the cupcakes.

Dip the tops of the cupcakes into the chocolate ganache or spoon the ganache over the tops, spreading it gently to cover.

Allow the ganache to set before serving.

PINA COLADA RUM CAKE

 

Ingredients:

1 box Duncan Hines Classic Golden Butter Cake mix (preferred mix) or Classic Yellow

1/4 C (4 oz.-1 stick) unsalted butter, softened

3 large eggs

8-oz. can crushed pineapple in juice, drained (reserve juice to make 1/4 cup)

1/4 C reserved juice of crushed pineapple

1/4 C Malibu Rum (or any light rum)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray Pam for baking into a bundt pan. Using an electric mixer, combine cake mix, butter, eggs,

1/4 C reserved juice and 1/4 C Rum, beat at low speed to combine. Beat at medium speed for two minutes. Fold in drained crushed pineapple. Pour batter in prepared pan Bake 33-36 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean. While cake is

baking, prepare glaze.

How to make it

Glaze:

1/2 C cream of coconut (Coco Lopez)

1/2 C Malibu rum

1/4 C confectioner’s sugar

Shake cream of coconut can well before measuring. Add cream of coconut to small saucepan and heat just until bubbles form.

Remove from heat and stir in rum. Set aside. When cake is done baking, set on rack. Use a thin bamboo skewer to poke holes in cake.

Pour half of glaze over warm cake, letting it soak in.

When cake is cool, turn onto serving plate. Whisk together remaining glaze with confectioner’s sugar until smooth and drizzle over top of cake.