Recipe: Mini Corn Dogs

Ever since I received a mini-muffin pan for Christmas, I have been OBSESSED with making everything, well, MINI. I won't even touch my regular muffin pan. So, to kick off the first of many "mini" recipes, I had this post planned for awhile now. Then a couple days ago, I popped on over to my favorite foodie blog, Iowa Girl Eats, and what did I find? THE SAME RECIPE! AHHH!

I will admit, I've made several of her recipes, and do get inspiration from her blog time-to-time, but this was just UNCANNY. I thought about not posting my recipe because it just seemed too fishy (not actually fishy, but you know....). Upon further investigation, I realized they weren't quite the same, so I don't feel like I'm stealing her idea, even if it appears like I am :) 

Plus, my version is way easier - BONUS!

So I present to you, my not-ripped-off, uber-easy recipe for....

Mini Corn Dogs

The Stuff

1 package Jiffy cornbread mix

1 T. brown sugar

1 egg

3/4 C. milk

1/2 C. cheddar cheese

4-5 hot dogs, cut into bite-sized pieces.

The Sauce

Ketchup. Or Catsup. Or however you want to spell it.

The Stir

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Whisk the egg and milk in a medium-sized bowl, then combine the Jiffy mix, brown sugar, and cheese. Using a spoon, scoop mixture into a well-greased mini-muffin pan, filling each about 1/2 to 2/3 full. Add hot dog pieces until each cup is basically full (how many pieces you add to each cup will depend on how large or small you cut the hot dogs). Pop 'em in the oven for 10-12 minutes, although it could take less time so check periodically for the muffins to start lightly browning. Yield= 24 mini-muffins, or you can use a regular, 12-cup muffin pan at 400 degrees for 14-18 minutes....but why would you want to!

Farm Boy Casserole

I don't think cooking gets much easier than this: take a bunch of comfort food-type ingredients, throw 'em together, and call it a casserole. Joel is a meat-and-potatoes kind of guy, so I know when I make this for supper, he's gonna love it! Give this fast, easy, cheap meal a try while it's crazy cold outside!

The Stuff:

1 lb. ground beef

1 can drained green beans

1 can drained corn

1/2 c. chopped celery

1/2 c. chopped carrots

1/4 c. chopped onion

The Sauce:

1 can cream of celery soup

1 c. shredded cheddar or monterrey jack cheese

2 T. olive oil

The Stir:

In a large skillet, brown and drain the burger. Set burger aside, and using the same skillet, coat the bottom with the olive oil and layer in the frozen hashbrowns until the bottom of the pan is well covered. Let simmer on medium-high.

While the hashbrowns are defrosting, mix together the vegetables, burger, and celery soup and pour on top of the hashbrowns. Cover the skillet and let everything simmer until veggies have softened and it is warm throughout.

I like to use my Pampered Chef skillet that can also be used in the oven up to 400 degrees. Once the casserole is done, I sprinkle the cheese on top and stick the uncovered skillet under the broiler at 400 degrees until the cheese starts to brown on top.

Try adding or substituting other veggies, or give ground turkey a try instead of beef - the sky's the limit! Bon Appetit!

Cajun Chili

To continue with my obsession with cold-weather soups, I have been trying to perfect chili for quite some time. I didn't really look up recipes or anything, but just kept throwing stuff into the pot that I liked until I came up with what I think is the perfect combination for the best chili! It was a total whim to take a Cajun twist, but I'm so glad I did - check it out!

Cajun Chili

The Stuff:

1 lb. ground beef

1/4 to 1/2 cup chopped onion (I like red onion but any will do)

1 can chili-ready tomatoes

1 can chili-ready beans

1 can black beans, rinsed until water runs clear

1 can corn, drained

2 cans tomato sauce (cans are the same size as the corn/beans/tomatoes)

The Spice:

3 Tb. chili powder

1 Tb. onion powder

Cayenne pepper, to taste

Cajun seasoning, to taste (I think ours is from Penzey's Spices, but hopefully you can find this at any grocery store)

The Stir:

Brown burger and onions together, crumble, and drain of grease. Put the burger/onion mix in the crock pot. Add everybody else into the pot (I'm channeling my inner Rachel Ray and personifying my ingredients). Set crock for the amount of time you want the soup to simmer (I recommend at least 4 hours to let the flavors mix). Once it's hot, do a "taste test" to see if you need more spice. I usually add quite a bit more chili powder and several tablespoons of Cajun seasoning to mine. If you like spicy, go heavy on the Cayenne pepper. Being pregnant, and married to a guy who likes middle-of-the-road spice, I don't do this, but you could add jalapenos. Oh, and speaking of the hubs, he doesn't like beans, anything too spicy, or tomatoes, and he LOVED this recipe!

Serve with the usual: shredded cheddar cheese, sour cream, and crackers or chips. I prefer Fritos Scoops with mine! Jiffy corn bread is the perfect, simple accompanying side, in my opinion :) 

I sure love a hearty, healthy, EASY dinner! If you come up with a chili variation I need to try, let me know!

Creamy Kielbasa and Veggie Soup

I am a summer girl through-and-through, but Fall is such a fun time, if only it didn't lead into that one dreadful season. One of the things I love most about the cooler weather is soup. I think I could eat a different kind of soup every day of the week and never get tired of it. French onion, Italian wedding, vegetable stew, baked potato, chicken enchilada, chili....you name it, I love it. A steaming bowl of homemade anything from the crock pot....

My mom sometimes made a soup that I really liked, and I think I've perfected it now and am ready to share the recipe for a delicious, easy, healthy Creamy Kielbasa and Veggie Soup. The nice thing about this soup: you can throw just about any veggie you like into the mix!

Creamy Kielbasa and Veggie Soup (photo from recipebridge.com)

The Stuff:

1 Kielbasa sausage, any variety: beef, pork, turkey, etc.

5 large potatoes, washed, cubed

1 can corn, UNDRAINED

1 can green beans, drained

Handful baby carrots

1/2 onion, sliced

1 stalk celery, cut in bite-sized pieces

Add or omit any veggies you like!

The Sauce:
12 oz. can evaporated milk

32 oz. chicken broth

milk, if needed

hot sauce

salt and pepper

parsley flakes

Prepare all of your veggies and dump 'em (and the sausage) in the crock, including the corn "juice". Warning: you may not want to use the entire sausage because it's pretty big (insert "that's what she said" jokes here....) Once your veggies are all done, add the evaporated milk and chicken broth. To ensure all the veggies are covered, you may want to add a little bit of regular milk, too. Add a dash of hot sauce, salt, and pepper to taste, then finish with some parsley flakes. It's so simple and versatile. If you like it more milky/creamy, add another can of evaporated milk and less broth.

Set your crock to whatever setting you need depending on when you want your soup to be done. I like to make it all the night before, put the crock in the fridge, then in the morning before work, plug 'er in and a nice aroma will be waiting when you come home. Couldn't be easier!

Anything else you would add? Experiment and let me know!

Cinnamon Rolls, with a Twist!

Who doesn't love a good cinnamon roll? Warm, gooey, melty....but if you are like me, you can't really eat a lot of them if you want your pants to fit :/

SO, I reached back to my childhood days to recreate what has to be the easiest, fastest, and healthiest way to recreate those tasty treats.

When I was growing up, my dad didn't cook....really at all. He made pancakes, the occasional egg (which somehow ended up looking like a pancake), cream of wheat (which I thought was disgusting but I ate anyway because I wanted to be like my dad. I also watched Field of Dreams every night with him for the same reason!), and these cinnamon treats! Maybe it's the memories associated with these little guys that make them taste that much better to me, but you NEED to try these. Do it. Right now.

Tortilla Cinnamon Wraps

What you need (measurements approximate): One large flour tortilla, one teaspoon ground cinnamon, one-two tablespoons white sugar, half tablespoon of butter or margerine.

What you do: Lay your tortilla flat and generously spread the butter/margerine all over (don't forget the edges!). Sprinkle the cinnamon and sugar all over the tortilla, and pop it in the microwave for 10-20 seconds. Roll up the tortilla, watch out for drippy sugar and butter, and DEVOUR! You won't be able to eat just one, I promise. They are so easy, so yummy, and the perfect fix if you are craving a sweet snack cinnamon roll-style. I know, they aren't exactly nutritional, but they are a heck of a lot better for you than a Cinnabon :)

These have been resurrected from my childhood vault, and I know Brady will enjoy these yummy snacks as he grows up, too!

Cranberry Walnut Chicken Salad

I have been trying to eat healthier lately; I suppose to counteract the hundreds of extra calories I will be consuming this holiday season, no doubt! Anyway, I concocted a perfect salad that was so delicious, I made it three days in a row! It’s super simple, healthy, and really satisfying. It’s as good as any $12 restaurant salad, that’s for sure! So I thought I’d share my “recipe” with you – Enjoy!

Ingredients:
Lettuce (I use darker greens, like romaine or red leaf)
Chopped Walnuts (HyVee sells them in little convenient packets)
Dried cranberries (Craisins work well – for a cheaper option, try raisins like I did)
Kraft Light Raspberry Vinaigrette (AMAZING!)
Chicken (you can cook and cube your own chicken, or I used Kirkland’s pre-cooked grilled chicken breast strips. Not as economical, but REALLY convenient!)

Optional:
Red onion slices
Tomato slices
Chopped celery
Croutons
Cheese (blue cheese or feta crumbles would be awesome!)

If you are preparing this to take to work, I would get your lettuce washed and chicken cooked the night before. I put a portion of lettuce in a Tupperware container and added my cubed chicken, then placed it in the fridge. I also put a small box of raisins and the bag of walnuts in the fridge, so I don’t forget them :) I also put some salad dressing in a really small container in the fridge. Then at work, I open the Tupperware, add the walnuts, dressing, and raisins, snap the lid back on, shake it a few times, and voila! A perfectly delicious and healthy salad in seconds. I save about half of the box of raisins for a mid-afternoon “snack”. One walnut packet gave me three full salads – and I didn’t skimp. It has protein, good fat, vegetables, fruits, and very little carbs. It's nothing magical, but this is definitely one salad I will be repeating over and over!