Category: dinner

Instant Pot Tacos

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You may noticed I’ve been on a taco kick lately. Youngest and I enjoy our tacos. Now that I’ve figured out the yummiest taco meat, I make it at least once a week.

During my weekly meal prep, I made extra of the taco meat and froze it in my Souper cubes. Yes, I got some of them and absolutely love them. This way the taco meat is ready to go if I want to eat nachos or just don’t feel like cooking.

What do I need for the recipe?

  • ground beef – I know ground beef prices are expensive. Sometimes the family packs are cheaper. Get one of those, double or triple the recipe, and then freeze for later.
  • taco seasoning – Homemade or store bought – My favorite is from a local place.
  • onion, optional – You could also add some diced up bell peppers in the taco meat.
  • salsa or fire roasted salsa style tomatoes – I found fire roasted salsa style tomatoes at my local grocery store. They add a certain flavor to the taco meat. If your store doesn’t have that type of tomatoes substitute salsa.
  • Tortillas – Flour, corn, or hard taco shells – It doesn’t matter.
  • Your favorite toppings: Cilantro, sour cream, lettuce, shredded cabbage, black beans or re-fried beans, jalapenos, tomato, cheese

Other uses for the taco meat

  • Nachos – The meat would be delicious on nachos. Yum!
  • Taco salad – Add some French, Catalina, or ranch dressing on top. Or you could skip the dressing and use salsa instead.
  • Taco fries – Doesn’t that sound delicious? Or is it just me?
  • Walking tacos – Fritos, taco meat, cheese, lettuce, and tomatoes.

The Recipe

As always, click on the image for a printable version of the recipe.

Taco Bake (Gluten-Free)

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Youngest and I love eating tacos. This recipe is a combination of tacos and nachos in a casserole. YUM!

You can use up those crushed tortilla chips in your cupboard/pantry for this recipe.

What you need for the recipe:
  • Ground beef
  • Onion
  • Salsa
  • Taco seasoning
  • Tortilla chips
  • Shredded cheese – Mexican blend or cheddar – You can certainly shred your own.
  • Your favorite toppings: jalepenos, cheese, cilantro, sour cream, salsa, lettuce, and tomato
Variations:

Vegetarian option: Instead of ground beef, you can either use meatless ground beef crumbles or black/ pinto beans.

In step 4: You can also add cilantro lime rice or black beans as a layer.

Recipe

Click on the photo to go to a printable recipe card.

Notes:

  • You use half of the taco seasoning in the 2 steps.
  • The layers for the taco bake are ground beef mixture, cheese, and then tortilla chips. In that order
  • It says you can feed 6. Youngest and I only got 4 servings out of the meal.

Chicken Wings in the Air Fryer (GF, DF, W30)

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I love chicken wings. If you were to ask me what my comfort food is currently, I would tell you chicken wings without a doubt. Getting them at a restaurant is often expensive, so it’s more economical to make them at home coated with your favorite seasoning and covered with your favorite barbecue sauce.

My favorite seasoning is from a local shop. Rosebuds is located at the 2nd Street Market, a local farmer’s market/ artisan shop. My seasoning is the Campfire Rub which reminds me of cooking over an actual campfire. Yum!

I just get a bottle of honey barbecue sauce from Aldi. Youngest and I just like a basic barbecue sauce. I also like a Carolina type of barbecue sauce.

I’m not good at explaining how to cut up the chicken wings. I know I’m not the best at it. So I did what I do best, I googled how to cut up the chicken wings properly. Click here for the directions and then return to my blog for the recipe.

What to Serve with the chicken wings

Salad (greens, veggie or fruit, topping) with a dressing

Cooked frozen or canned veggies

Chips, French fries, or Tater Tots – Our favorite is the seasoned Tater Tots from Alexa foods.

Celery or carrots with ranch or bleu cheese – Classic choice

Applesauce

Macaroni and cheese

Similiar Recipes

BBQ ribs

Apricot BBQ wings

Ranch chicken legs

Chicken Wings

Stars of the recipe

  • 1 – 1 lb. chicken wings split
  • 1 Tbsp. olive oil
  • 1 tsp. garlic powder
  • 1 tsp. your favorite spice

Directions

  1. Preheat your Air Fryer to 425 degrees.
  2. Combine the split chicken wings, olive oil, and spices. In a sealed container or gallon sized bag.
  3. Shake to distribute the spices and olive oil onto the chicken wings.
  4. Put into the Air Fryer in a single layer.
  5. Cook for 15 minutes or until the internal temperature is 165 degrees.
  6. Enjoy with your favorite barbecue sauce.

Notes:

Here is the link to how to split your chicken wings.

Sundried Tomato Garlic Noodles – A pantry meal (Vegetarian)

My aunt came into town and helped me rearrange my pantry. Once I knew what was in my pantry, it was easy to decide what to make for dinner.

I had some Pasta Roni’s Butter and Garlic noodles, sundried tomatoes, black olives, chickpeas, and canned chicken in the pantry. What could I make for dinner?

I cooked up one box of the butter and garlic noodles and added the drained chicken to the noodles.

Once I cooked up the other box of the noodles, I placed half of it in the other bowl. With the other half, I added sundried tomatoes, black olives, and drained chickpeas. YUM! It sort of reminded me of my favorite dish at Piada.

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Sundried Tomato Garlic Noodles

  • Servings: 4
  • Difficulty: very easy
  • Print

Ingredients

  • 1 box of Pasta Roni, Butter and Garlic
  • ¼ c. sundried tomatoes
  • ¼ c. black olives or Kalamata olives
  • ¼ c. drained and rinsed chickpeas
  • 1 to 2 tsp. grated Parmesan cheese, optional


Directions

  1. Make the Pasta Roni according to the directions on the box.
  2. Once the Pasta Roni is cooked, add the sundried tomatoes, olives, and chickpeas.
  3. Sprinkle Italian seasoning and Parmesan cheese.
  4. Enjoy!



Happy eating,
Traci

What I Like About Fall and “Soy Sauce” Pork Chops (GF, DF, Paleo, W30)- Blog Post #13

writer's workshop

I didn’t feel good on Wednesday night so I did not get this post up for the week.  Headache and tiredness.  Yuck!  It was an early night for me.

This week’s prompt is what do I like about fall.

  1.  The flavors of fall – cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves

    pumpkin pie spice
    Pumpkin Pie Spice

  2. Pumpkin Spice Latte, Maple Pecan Lattes, and Blackberry Pie Lattes.
    I get the Blackberry Pie Lattes from a local coffee shop called Winans.
    IMAG4072
  3. The crisp air – I can wear my Mickey Mouse hoodie.IMAG0170
  4. My Autumn Glory Maple Tree
    Taken in 2014
    Taken in 2014
    Halloween – My town is known for decorating for Halloween.  They usually have a parade celebrating Halloween.  We’ve never done it though.
    2014
    2014
    The boys are getting too old for trick or treating.  Insert sad face.
  5. The decorations

    Bonfires
    10736073_10205372661619449_321267593_n
  6. Our dog can go on more car rides because it’s not too hot.
    IMAG4031
  7. Thanksgiving
    The last Thanksgiving with Tanya (2015)
  8. The trees changing colors
    The two things I don’t like about fall are :
  1.  Foggy mornings
    IMAG4060
  2. Extreme Storms – Rain or wind or a combo of both

Mama’s Losin’ It

When my father-in-law was alive, he would marinade pork chops in soy sauce.  Hubby loved those soy sauce pork chops.

Soy sauce has wheat in it.  So for a gluten free diet, it’s a no go.

For a while I switched to gluten free soy sauce but at over $4 a bottle, I didn’t like those prices.

Then I did the Whole 30 in April/ May of 2017.  I began to use coconut aminos.

The problem with coconut aminos is that it is $6 a bottle.  Yikes!

Then I found out Trader Joe’s has their coconut aminos for $2.99 a bottle.  WIN!

So I stocked up on the coconut aminos.

Now I can make Asian dishes and “soy sauce” pork chops without feeling sluggish afterwards.  YEAH!

My family loved my “soy sauce” pork chops.  They did not know the difference.

If you don’t eat gluten free, you can use regular soy sauce.

IMG_2295

”Soy Sauce” Pork Chops

  • Difficulty: easy
  • Print

Ingredients

– 1 lb. boneless pork chops

– ¼ c. coconut aminos

– salt to taste

Directions

  1. In a container or Ziploc bag, place the pork chops and coconut aminos
  2. Allow the meat to marinade for at least 2 hours or overnight.
  3. Cook on a medium high heat for 5 minutes on one side.  Season with salt before flipping the pork.
  4. Flip and cook for 3 minutes on the other side.
  5. Enjoy!

We ate our dinner with pressure cooker applesauce, plain white rice, and mixed veggies.  If you were doing the Whole 30, I would serve it with the applesauce, cali rice, and green beans.  Yum!

Happy eating,
Traci

Breaded Cube Steak (GF, DF) – Blog Post #7

The Imaginative One loves hamburger.  In fact, he loves to order hamburgers with ketchup only when we do go to fast food restaurants.  Since cube steak is similar to hamburger, he enjoyed this meal.

You could certainly make this with all purpose flour instead of the gluten free flour blend.

Speaking of gluten free flour blends, I’ve shared two recipes that have used gluten free flour blends.  My favorite blend is from Krusteaz.

I can find it at Kroger’s for $5.99 a bag.

The Krusteaz’s gluten free all purpose flour is a one to one flour blend which you can replace the all purpose flour with the same amount of this blend.

So what did I serve with the breaded cube steak?  I served the remainder of the applesauce and potato casserole.

Breaded Cubed Steak

Breaded Cube Steak (GF, DF)

  • Difficulty: easy
  • Print

Ingredients

– 1 lb cubed steak

– ¼ to ½ c. gluten free flour mix

– salt and pepper, to taste

 

Directions

  1. Preheat a skillet with a Tbsp. of extra virgin olive oil
  2. Place the salt and pepper with the gluten free flour mix into a ziploc bag.
  3. Place the cubed steak into the ziploc bag.  Make sure the bag is closed tightly.
  4. Shake the bag until the cubed steaks are coated.
  5. Cook in the skillet for 5 to 6 minutes on one side.  Flip.  Cook for an additional 5 minutes or until cooked through.
  6. Enjoy!

 

 

 

Cashew Chicken (Day 22)y

cashew-chicken

Welcome to Day 22 of 31 Days of Slow Cooking.

Your pets least likable character trait.

It’s thundering outside.  The rain is pouring.  Suddenly lightening lit up the sky.

No one’s home but the dog.  He needs comfort from the scary storm outside.  So what he does he do?

Does he run and hide in the bedrooms of the family members?

No, he decides to run through the doggy door into the backyard where it’s wet, loud, and dark and then bright when lightening lights up the sky.

He goes to his secret hole in the fence that no one can find.to patch up.

Then he runs to grandma’s house.

Either he finds a little hole in the fence and runs into her backyard to her doggy dog.  He escapes the bad storm.

Or he stands at the side door whimpering until someone lets him.

Meanwhile, his owners get a call from grandma telling them that their dog is at her house.

This is one of our dog’s least likable trait.  We can’t believe that he doesn’t run and hide during thunderstorms.  Instead he will run over to my mother-in-law’s house.

When we leave for the day, we have to check the weather before leaving.  If the weather calls for rain, the doggy door will be shut so he doesn’t run to grandma’s house.

 

It’s early in the morning.  People are trying to sleep.  All of the sudden you start to hear squawking coming from the living room.Or you hear “Nich-o-las,” “”Get off the Computer,” and “Beak Bump.”

You can not sleep because the bird is insistent someone come and pay attention to him.

Then there is the mess all around the stand.  He thinks there are imaginary birds sitting on the ground.  So he throws food to those imaginary birds.

This is my son’s bird’s least likable trait.  He likes people to pay attention to him.  If they don’t, he will either start squawking or talking up a storm until someone pays attention to him.

 

What is your pet(s)’s least likable traits?

 

Continue reading “Cashew Chicken (Day 22)y”

Honey and Apple Pork Roast (Day 15)

honey-and-apple-pork-roast

Welcome to Day 15 of 31 Days of Slow Cooking.  We are at the halfway point of the 31 days of slow cooking.

The Imaginative One is working towards his cooking merit badge.  He’s done the camping portion of the merit badge.  Now it’s time for him to create a menu and then cook it for us.  We are having baked pancakes made with pancake mix rather than from scratch.  He’s putting together sandwiches for our lunch.  For supper, we are having chicken nuggets and French fries.  They didn’t say it had to be healthy.

I’m still helping him with the cooking because there are some basics he doesn’t know.

It’s interesting having him cook in the kitchen.

This is a great fall dish.  It’s easy to put together with great flavor.

Honey and Apple Pork Roast

Stars of the Recipe:

  • 3 lb. pork roast or pork tenderloin
  • 2 Granny smith apples, peeled and sliced into thin slices
  • 2 Tbsp. honey
  • 2 Tbsp. cinnamon or pumpkin spice blend

Steps:

  1. Place apples in the bottom of the slow cooker.
  2. Make slits in the pork roast.  Insert 2 thin slices of apple in those slits.
  3. Place the pork roast in the slow cooker over the apples.
  4. Pour honey over the pork roast.
  5. Sprinkle cinnamon or pumpkin spice blend over the pork roast.
  6. Cook on low 8 hours.

Printable Recipe

happy-slow-cooking-1

Coca Cola Ham (Day 14)

coca-cola-ham

Welcome to Day 14 of 31 Days of Slow Cooking.

Ham is one of those meals that I can make that all the family members will run, skip, or hop to the table when I make it for dinner.

When the Imaginative One turned 13, we had this for his belated birthday dinner.  The Coca Cola helps make a delicious glaze that is unbelievable.  It’s good by itself or as a sandwich.

Coca Cola Ham

Stars of the recipe:

 

  • 4 to 5 lb. sliced ham, fully cooked
  • 1 c. (8 oz.) can of coca cola or Coke
  • ¼ c. brown sugar
  • 2 Tbsp. Dijon mustard or yellow mustard

Steps:

  1. Place ham in the crockpot.
  2. In a small mixing bowl, combine the brown sugar and mustard.
  3. Spread the brown sugar mixture on the ham.
  4. Pour the cola around the ham.
  5. Cook on low for 6 hours.
  6. Enjoy!

Printable Recipe

Today I discussed Cast Member’s Name Tags on my 31 Days of Disney.

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Dear Tanya (10/13) and Slow Cooker Meatloaf (Day 13)

slow-cooker-meatloaf

Welcome to Day 13 of 31 Days of Slow Cooking!

I’ve updated my recipe for Young’s Dairy Pumpkin bread/ muffins.

Dearest Tanya,

It’s been a month and a half since your death and since mom has lived with me.  She has found an apartment 3 minutes from my house that she’s going to move in within the next few days.  Her old car broke down so we are selling her car to someone who enjoys fixing up cars for a hobby.  She is going to get a new used car also.  So things are moving forward.

The other day when I was on dismissal duty I saw a perfect Monarch butterfly.  It flew by me and then flew up into the sky.  Was that you saying hi to me?

Do you remember when this song came out in the early 90’s?  I told you this song was about them finding true love in the elevator.  I think you believed me.  If you didn’t believe me, you at least pretended to believe me.

I always will come up with silly things to say.

Oh, a Hurricane came through Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina.  He’s name was Matthew.  Any who, they actually closed down Walt Disney World last Friday because the prediction was that it was going to be category 4 hurricane that could have done a lot of damage.  Fortunately it was downgraded to a category 3.  Still bad but not as bad as they thought.  My students thought the name of the Hurricane was Jesus, Tacos, Earthquake, or Michael Jackson.  Obviously they don’t pay attention to the news.

I miss you dearly!

Love your annoying sister,
Traci

Continue reading “Dear Tanya (10/13) and Slow Cooker Meatloaf (Day 13)”

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