Aubrey's Taco Soup

Ingredients:

1lb ground beef
1 can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 can corn, drained and rinsed
1 can tomato sauce (I used a 15 oz can)
1 can tomatoes, undrained
1/2 package taco seasoning

Brown meat in a large pot, drain fat.  Mix all ingredients in a pot.  Add water to desired consistency.  Heat until simmer.  Simmer for 15 minutes.  Serve with spoonful of sour cream and side dishes of taco chips.

Hearty Chicken Noodle Soup

HEARTY CHICKEN NOODLE SOUP 

1  cup cooked chicken

2 cups chopped carrots

2 cups chopped celery

2 cups corn 

2 cups frozen peas

3/4 cup chopped onion

3 cups chicken broth

1 can cream of chicken soup

1/2 cup sour cream

2 1/2 oz cooked noodles

Salt and pepper Add vegetables to chicken broth and simmer until tender. Add cream of chicken soup. Then add chicken.  I like to cook my noodles separate and add them before serving. If they simmer with the soup too long they seem to get mushy or soak up the juice in the soup. Add sour cream and noodles. Salt and pepper to taste (I like lots of pepper!).

Recipe Source:  Heather, my SIL

Utah Moist Supreme Cornbread

This whole 'cornbread recipe thing' has been one of the most failed recipes I have tried making.  I have made it from scratch trying everything possible but I feel like each one always came out dry.  Then I heard of the recipe that mixes a box of yellow cake mix with a box of Jiffy Corn Bread mix (google it if you want more details on that).  I liked that one, but my husband thought it was too sweet for his taste (weirdo).  Here is the perfect combination of the two.  Enjoy!  

*Note, I always halve the recipe below to make one 9x13 pan.  

Utah Moist Supreme Cornbread

This is a Utah favorite, Corn bread meets yellow cake. An awesome, really sweet corn bread! Every time I make this cornbread everyone wants the recipe. The original recipe makes 2 large pans but check out the recipe as it can easily be made into smaller batches.

1 Box of Yellow Cake Mix, (I like Pillsbury Moist Supreme Brand)
2 Cups yellow cornmeal
2 Cups all-purpose flour
1 tea. Salt
2 TB Baking Powder
3 Cups Milk
4 Large Eggs
1 Cup Vegetable Oil

Pre-heat your oven to 400 degrees. Grease or butter 2- 13X9, yes two pans, generously. (See notes below for smaller sizes.) In a very large bowl, combine the dry ingredients (cake mix, cornmeal, flour, salt and baking powder). In another bowl combine the wet ingredients. Add wet ingredients to the dry. Stir to combine. Pour half the mixture into each pan. Bake 25 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of bread comes out clean. Spread 2 or 3 TB of the Honey Butter over each pan of hot cornbread. Serve hot with honey butter on the side.

This recipe is perfect in an Outdoor Dutch Oven. Use a #14 and cook with approximately 30 coals on top and 8 on the bottom; preheat the lid for a better crust on top. Cook for about 30-35 minutes. You can also use a #12 Dutch Oven and the bread will be very tall, 22 on the top and 6 on the bottom. Feeds approximately 30. I make it for every family reunion in Dutch Ovens, we cook for 75 people and use 13 Dutch Ovens. So much fun and always an adventure!

Honey Butter
1 Cup butter, softened
¾ cup honey
Beat together until smooth.

***The cornbread recipe can be halved or quartered, just combine the dry ingredients and divide them into zip-lock bags to use another time. For a quarter of a recipe use only 1 egg, ¾ cup milk, ¼ cup vegetable oil and use a 9X9 pan, or a #10 Dutch oven. For a half recipe use 2 eggs, 1 ½ cup milk, ½ cup vegetable oil in a 13×9 pan or a #12 Dutch Oven.

** To make Gluten Free replace with a GF cake mix and use GF Flour and 1 tea. Xanthan Gum.

Hope you are enjoying the summer! It just seems to be flying by! Jan Dairy Keen Let me know if you try this recipe I would love to hear from you. Jan@Dairykeen.com

Recipe Source:  Dairy Keen  Photo Source:  Fav Family Recipes

The Perfect Brownie

I finally found my go-to brownie recipe!  Who knew it would be such a difficult thing to discover, yet here it is.  Enjoy!



2/3 c butter
3/4 c cocoa
1/4 c oil
1 1/3 flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
4 eggs
2 cups sugar
2 tsp vanilla
1 c chopped nuts
1 c chocolate chips




Melt butter, oil and cocoa together.  Beat eggs well, add sugar.  Mix in chocolate mixture and vanilla.  Add flour, baking powder and salt.  Mix well.  Stir in nuts and chocolate chips.  Spread in greased 9x13 pan.  Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes (start at 25 minutes).  Test if done.  Cool.






Recipe Source:  My friend Julie D.
Picture Source: Copy Kat

Creamy Berry Shortcake

My friend Julie brought this to my house recently when we invited her for dinner.   It was delicious!  My new go-to strawberry shortcake recipe.

Makes 1 9X13 pan
1 package Jello White Chocolate Pudding
1 8 oz package cream cheese
1 container Cool Whip (I am assuming 8 oz)
1 white cake mix
1 box Danish Dessert, raspberry or strawberry flavor
fresh strawberries or raspberries


Make cake according to box instructions and allow to cool before applying topping.

Cream topping:  Make pudding according to package directions.  If you want it more thick, follow the pie filling instructions.  Add softened cream cheese and whip until very smooth. Mix in the container of Cool Whip and then spread the mixture over the cake.

Make Danish Dessert and add fruit.  Serve on top of cake. 

**To make a custard topping for cupcakes, use the following recipe: 

1 cake mix (made to directions)

Mix the following:

4 oz cream cheese-room temperature, whip with mixer

1/4-1/2 of a small container Cool Whip-mix with cream cheese

1 3oz instant vanilla pudding mix-add 1 cup milk and stir

Combine cream cheese/Cool Whip mixture to pudding mixture

Might need to add 1/4-1/2 C powdered sugar if it needs to be a little sweeter (I had ran out of Cool Whip, so the powdered sugar helped with that....it might have been ok if I had had more Cool Whip to add).  

Mixture should be thick.  Put a dollop on top of a cooled cupcake and top with a frozen berry.  These were a huge hit!  

Picture Source: Betty Crocker

Grilled BBQ Chicken

 I think the main problem I have always had with BBQ chicken is it tends to be really dry chicken with some BBQ sauce smothered on top.  I don't know, I just have never been a big fan of it…..until my husband found this recipe.  You brine the chicken before cooking it and it comes out very moist and delicious.  I will add we leave out the cayenne pepper to the brine because we have little ones eating it.  Maybe we should add it in next time to experiment.  A big thanks to 101 Cooking for Two for the recipe we have referred back to several times!

INGREDIENTS

• 2 Skinless boneless chicken breasts.
• 
  
• (Mels note: We doubled the recipe below for 4 lbs of chicken….it seems like a lot of brine for just two chicken breasts)

Brine

• 3 cups cold water
• 3 T table salt
• 3 T brown sugar
• 1 t cayenne pepper
• 2T BBQ sauce of choice

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Trim skinless boneless chicken breast of any trimable fat.Poke with a knife to make about 15-20 holes in each breast.
2. Mix brine of 3 cups water, 3 T table salt, 3 T brown sugar and 1 t cayenne pepper. Add chicken and submerge and allow to set at room temp for 15 minutes while grill is preheating on high.
3. Remove chicken from brine and rinse lightly under running water.Pat dry.Brush lightly with BBQ sauce of your choice.
4. Clean and oil grates. Place over high heat or medium high if you have a hot grill.
5. Flip about every 5 minutes. About 3-4 minutes before done, brush both sides with sauce. Remove from grill at temp of 165. About 30 minutes total grill time.

Picture and Recipe Source: 101 Cooking For Two

Mixed Berry Sauce

I made this sauce and put it over Valentines Day heart pancakes.  Its not too sweet and so delicious. You could put it over just about anything-granola, cheesecake, yogurt, pancakes, etc.  



2 c frozen berries
1/3 c sugar
1 tbs lemon juice
zest of one lemon
pinch of salt
1 tbs cornstarch

Combine all ingredients into a medium pot.  Set heat to medium high heat.  Bring mixture to a boil until desired thickness.  Enjoy!


Picture and Recipe Source: To Die For Recipes