Peach-Nectarine Muffins

I love peaches and nectarines and can't wait for their season to get here.  Unfortunately (or fortunately) my kids don't seem to share the same love affair I have with them.  Weird kids, I know.  So, last season, I found this recipe to use up some of the hoards of nectarines I had on hand before they spoiled.  I found the recipe on allrecipes.com.  The recipe was good unaltered.  It could be "healthed-up" a bit, however, by using whole wheat flour (or at least half all purpose and half whole wheat) and perhaps trying to use light vanilla or plain yogurt or applesauce in place of the oil. Otherwise, it is super yummy as written, and has been a great treat for everyone here!

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 1 egg
• 1/3 cup milk
• 1 large ripe peach - peeled, pitted and diced
• 1 very ripe nectarine, pitted and diced
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Grease 8 muffin cups or line with paper muffin liners.
2. In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, salt and baking powder. Add vegetable oil, egg and milk; mix well. Fold in diced peach and nectarine. Fill each muffin tin to the top with muffin mix. Sprinkle a little brown sugar onto the top of each uncooked muffin.
3. Bake in preheated oven for 18 to 20 minutes. Check muffins regularly after 15 minutes of baking. Serve warm or cool.

Quick Pot Pies

Ever looking to get rid of leftovers?  It seems no matter what the dish (though a creamy, gooey stew-type recipe would likely work best) adding a pie crust to it magically makes all food vanish!  We love these!  They are such a new twist on last night's dinner, that it keeps the kids interested and eating!  From Full Bellies, Happy Kids.

1 package Pillsbury ready-made pie dough (2 crusts)
Leftover stew or chicken and rice

1. Divide each pie roll in half....spoon about 1/2 cup of stew (just eyeball if you need more or less) into the middle, pinch dough together all around the seams to close well.
2. Make a slit in the middle and place on a baking sheet.
3. Bake at 425 degrees for about 25 minutes or until pastry is nice and brown. You will have some of the gravy overflowing and running out of the pie crust. 

Slow Cooker Chicken and Rice

Here's another easy and yummy crockpot recipe from Stephanie's blog.  (Originally from Paula Deen's Magazine Jan/Feb '09)  We love this recipe.  I've made the leftovers into a soup with great success.  I imagine you could also use the leftovers in the Easy Pot Pie recipe as well (I would just add some veggies).

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut 1/2" pieces
2 10 3/4 cans cream chicken soup
4 oz can sliced mushrooms, drained
1 t paprika
16 oz sour cream
hot cooked rice (4 servings or more)
green beans *optional

1. In 4 qt SC, combine chicken, soup, mushrooms, and paprika.
2. Cover and cook on high 4 hours or low 8 hours.
3. Stir in sour cream 30 minutes before serving.
4. Serve over hot cooked rice and with green beans if desired. Garmish with paprika. 4-6 servings

Green Chili Stew

I've made this recipe several times.  Each time it's been gobbled up with no chance for leftovers.  Thank you to Full Bellies Happy Kids for another successful recipe!  (See her site for pictures!)

• 2 pounds beef stew meat, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 2 medium onions, chopped
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 1 can (15 ounces) pinto beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 can (14-1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained
• 2 cans (4 ounces each) chopped green chilies
• 1 cup water
• 3 beef bouillon cubes
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt, optional
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• Shredded cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese, optional

1. In a large skillet, brown beef and onions in oil; drain. 
2. Transfer to a 5-qt. slow cooker.
3. Combine the beans, tomatoes, chilies, water, bouillon, garlic, sugar, salt if desired and pepper; pour over beef.
4. Cover and cook on low for 7-8 hours or until beef is tender. 
5. Sprinkle with cheese if desired. 
Yield: 8 servings.

Creamy Cheesy Pasta Casserole

I've only made this one once, not because I don't like the recipe (why would I put it on here?), but because it was a bit more difficult to sell the day I made it.  I don't think it was the recipe, as much as it was the mood of the day.  It also made quite a bit, so I was able to freeze half of it and have it a second time.  Also originally from meals.com and on Stephanie's Aggieland Mommy Cooks blog.

16 oz any tube pasta
1/2 stick butter
1/4 c flour
1 t salt
1/2 t freshly ground black pepper
12 oz evaporated milk
1/2 c water
14 3/4 oz cream style corn
4 oz jar sliced pimentos, drained
1 poblano pepper, roasted, peeled, chopped
4 oz shredded cheddar
4 oz shredded Monterey (or Pepper) Jack cheese

1. Preheat oven to 350. Grease 11 1/2 x 8 1/2 dish. I am thinking this could be put into 2 smaller dishes and you could freeze one for later. I'll try that next time.
2. Cook pasta according to directions on package. Drain
3.Melt butter in small saucepan over medium heat. Stir in flour, salt & pepper until smooth. Gradually stir in milk & water. Cook, stirring constantly until mixture comes to just a boil & thickens. Remove from heat & set aside.
4. Spread 1/3 of white sauce on bottom of dish. Spread half pasta, 1/3 sauce, half corn, half pimentos, & half poblano. Sprinkle with cheddar. Repeat with remaining pasta, sauce, corn, pimentos, and poblano.
5. Top with Jack cheese. Cover with foil.
6. Bake 20 minutes. Remove foil, bake an additional 5 minutes.

Pasta, Parmesan Artichoke Bake

One of our newest favorite dishes is Pasta, Parmesan and Artichoke Bake from Stephanie's blog (originally from meals.com). YUM!!  Whenever I make it, I can't stop eating it, and that's a lot for me, since I get bored of pasta pretty quickly.  Some alterations I've made include: using whole wheat pasta, adding some spinach to the mix for some color (and other nutrients of course!), topping with thinly sliced tomatoes (mostly for color), and a lower fat milk (skim didn't give it enough of a cream texture).  But, it is also so yummy without any alterations!  Thanks for sharing, Stephanie!

8 oz pasta shells (any will do, I've even used penne!)
2 T olive oil
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 -13 3/4 oz cans artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
1 c grated fresh Parmesan cheese
1 c whipping cream
1/2 t salt
1/4 t freshly ground black pepper

1. Cook pasta according to package directions.
2. Preheat oven to 375. Spray 8" pan.
3. Heat a large skillet over medium high. Add oil & saute garlic until fragrant, about 1 minute.
4. Add artichokes & saute until light golden, about 3 minutes. Add 1 c Parmesan, cream, salt & pepper.
5. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, & simmer until sauce thickens, about 5 minutes.
5. Mix pasta with sauce. Sprinkle with Parmesan. Bake 20 minutes.

Crockpot Enchilada Casserole

Ahhhh the crockpot.  Where would I be in this world without it?  At a restaurant, getting a last minute, very expensive (nutritiously and monetarily speaking) meal, that's where!  This is yet another favorite courtesy of Full Bellies Happy Kids, it calls for quite a bit of cayenne (especially for small children). Despite cutting the amount in half, the kids still squawked over the spice. Now if we go out to eat a Tex-Mex place, they could probably drink the salsa from the bowl.  But in my cooking, the more bland the better!  SO, if you don't like spice you may want to cut it out.  Otherwise, I thought half was a perfectly mild amount just to give it a little bite. Since it is a casserole, I would also add some beans and maybe some corn. Incidentally, I should mention that I bought the wrong tortillas for this recipe, and so ended up with half corn and half flour -- it didn't seem to matter. Though, the corn may add a bit more flavor to the mix.  Also, if you'd like to cut out some of the salt, you could try to substitute the taco seasoning mix for your own non-salt concoction of chili powder, paprika and cumin.  You can really make it to your liking, but as a frame of reference, for 1 lb of beef, you can try 1 Tbs chili powder and 1.5 tsp each of the paprika and cumin.  You may need to add a bit of water to the beef to be able to mix it well, especially when using a really lean beef.  Thank you Pastor Ryan and Pioneer Woman for the tip!

1 (14 1/2 ounce) can tomatoes
1 small onion, chopped fine
1 clove garlic, minced fine
1/2 teaspoon ground red pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
1 lb ground beef, browned
1 package taco seasoning mix
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
9 corn tortillas


1. Blend tomatoes with onion and garlic in blender.

2. Pour in medium saucepan.

3. Add pepper, salt and tomato paste.

4. Heat until boiling, then simmer 5 to10 minutes.

5. Place 3 tortillas in bottom of crock pot.

6. Layer on tortillas 1/3 of ground beef, 1/3 tomato sauce and 1/3 Cheddar cheese, then 3 more tortillas.

7. Repeat each layer 2 more times, ending with cheese.

8. Cover and cook on low 5 to 6 hours.

9. (I usually go 5 hours to keep beef from overcooking).