Sassy Sloppy Joes & other fall foods

Happy fall to ya. 

I love this time of the year even when the weather is misbehaving and we are still getting mid to high 90s  and its still hot during the day. Our leaves do change color and drop so we can crunch them on our walks but thats more of a winter thing here in southern az. Something we don't have to wait for is the yummy fall flavors like sweet or tart apples, sweet & earthy squash, grassy fresh zucchini, and of course pumpkin. 

So far this fall I have updated my old apple walnut coffee cake. I usually make it several times during fall and winter but needed something healthier this year. Let me tell you this updated version of apple walnut coffee cake is even better than the original! It's so moist and tasty I had trouble not going back for seconds. So when I calculated the nutritional info I made each serving huge so you could go back for seconds or cut yourself a huge piece to go with your coffee. Its really that good. You're welcome :) 

We've enjoyed some squash and zucchini. This is a good time of year to sneak in those healthy abundant fall veggies plus its easy on the waist and the wallet. Two fall veggie recipes that you should check out are my super tasty Pork & Squash Curry, that I have made twice in the last month and some Amazing Zucchini Cheeseburgers (partially amazing because unless you're tearing apart the burger its not really noticeable & because the zucchini keeps the burger moist and delicious even when cooking the burger to well done). 

The other great thing about fall is all the great comfort food... like these sassy sloppy joes. Its getting dark quicker these days. There's nothing like coming in from a busy day to a filling slightly messy fun meal like sloppy joes. Everyone had them growing up and this slightly sassy version has amazing flavor and is a easy make ahead meal and even freezable. Yup. I made mine on a weekend and served it 2 days later and it was perfect. 

Heres the recipe - enjoy your fall! 

Sassy Sloppy Joes

Serves 3-4 adults (easily doubled) 

adapted from book:

 Don't Panic Dinner's in the Freezer cookbook by Susie Martinez 

1/4 cup onion finely diced 
1/2 Tbs butter, unsalted 
1 lb ground beef
3-4 oz ketchup (I just estimated half of my bottle) 
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup celery finely diced 
1/2 Tbs lemon juice
1/2 Tbs brown sugar
3/4 tsp coco aminos (its what I used in the place of worcestershire sauce)  
3/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp or so pepper
1/8 - 1/4 tsp dry mustard
4 hamburger buns or large soft round rolls

easy directions:

1. in a medium size skillet with a lid (something with medium high sides makes it easier) sauté the onion in the butter
2. add the ground beef and cook until about half way done
3. drain off excess fat/liquid
4. add in the rest of the ingredients 
5. simmer for 30 minutes covered then its done! 

if making it ahead cool it completely and store in the fridge for 2-4 days. Reheat it slowly until its bubbling and hot with 1/4- 1/2 cup of water. Stir often. Serve with hamburger buns or rolls. 

if freezing cool it completely and put it in a freezer gallon bag flat getting as much air out as possible. If you put a sheet pan on top of it it will freeze flatter and take up less space.  Should be good in the freezer for up to 3 months. Defrost the day before you need it in the fridge. Reheat it slowly until its bubbling and hot with 1/4- 1/2 cup of water. Stir often. Serve with hamburger buns or rolls. 

if you are serving it that day serve it as soon as it done simmering with hamburger buns or rolls and a fun side like watermelon, corn on the cob, fries, chips, fresh veg or salad. 

Wishing you a happy healthy fall with all the flavors and comforts of the season
Stephanie

Black Bean & Sharp Cheddar Burritos

If you like bean burritos like the kind from the store that you throw from the freezer into the microwave or the oven, or like taco bell's bean burritos - you will love these black bean and sharp cheddar burritos. They are quick, easy, super healthy (no preservatives or things you can't pronounce), and still is freezer friendly. So you can make a ton of them, and throw them in the freezer for when you get a craving, need a snack with some staying power (black beans = protein & fiber) or need a quick dinner because an adorable little 4 month old won't stop crying to cook anything else. Happens. 

I love sharp cheddar cheese - okay I admit I love most cheeses. But if you don't, grab another kind - any quick melting cheese will work here such as: mozzarella, Colby jack, Monterrey jack, pepper jack, medium cheddar, or mild cheddar. 

I made two batches one with white flour tortillas and one with whole wheat tortillas. I am trying to ease my family into eating all whole wheat, minimally processed foods - its a process. But use whatever you have or want to use. This recipe makes approx 10 burritos. 

Ingredients:

1 batch of homemade refried beans (click here)
6-8 oz sharp cheddar cheese shredded (1 1/2 cups+)
10-12 soft taco sized tortillas whole wheat or white
*quart or gallon sized freezer bags if you want to freeze extras

Directions

1. Make the refried beans - takes only a few minutes
2. Put slightly less than 1/4 cup of beans in the center of each tortilla
3. Put a small handful of shredded cheese on top of each pile of beans
4. Fold up the tortillas
5. If freezing them put them on a cookie sheet for an hr or two to flash freeze them and then transfer them to freezer bags. If eating them right away, microwave them for a minute or heat them on the stove until the cheese is melted on the inside - only takes a few minutes. 

Serve with sour cream, guacamole, tortilla chips, or spanish style rice. Enjoy! 
From my kitchen to yours

Chicken Taquitos (a favorite & delicious freezer staple)

Homemade chicken taquitos. I repeated the title again. Could it work? I asked myself. Maybe. I had store bought frozen ones before years ago at a friends house. I knew what they were supposed to taste like. Crunchy on the outside and creamy on the inside. Yummy right? 

One night not long after, I had patiently waited for a night my hubby was at work in case the recipe flopped, and tried out it out. Every once in awhile a recipe flops, and its a bit easier to deal with when its just me and the kiddo. Much to my delight and surprise the healthy, baked taquitos were delicious! 

My next question was if they were freezable and reheatable? AND how good did they taste after reheated? Serious questions here.... I love reheatable food I can send overnight with my hubby to work. Cold lunches like sandwiches don't seem to taste as good for lunch in the middle of the night - if you are up you want something warm and comforting especially in winter. Wanting to make sure I could maintain that great crunchy texture, I froze a bunch, waited a month, and tried them again. Blogging and testing recipes out are so time consuming! My stomach doesn't seem to mind though. 

The results: Yum! They are great freshly made and baked. You can't tell that you used greek yogurt. I love it that they only need a small amount of leftover chicken. They bake really quickly and you don't miss the white flour tortilla at all. When reheating the best is if they are frozen unbaked and the baked when you want to eat them. Reheating them after baking them the next day, in the microwave gave soggy results with no crunch - felt like a bad tiny burrito. The frozen ones I didn't thaw before baking. They were just as good, crunchy on the outside, creamy on the inside, as the first night we made them fresh. 

Healthy Crispy Chicken Taquitos
prep + cook time: 20-25 minutes
adapted from: Tasty Kitchen
Serves 5 people (3 each)

This is what they look like after baking straight from my freezer

Ingredients

1/2 cup plain greek yogurt

1/3 cup salsa verde

1 Tbs lime juice

1/2 tsp ground cumin

1/2 tsp chili powder (*double for spicy taquitos)

1/2 tsp onion powder

1/2 tsp dried or 1 tsp fresh chives

1/2 tsp dried or 1 tsp fresh parsley

2 Tbs fresh chopped cilantro

1 cup of leftover cooked chicken, shredded

(this was 2 leftover bone in chicken pieces from another meal)

1 cup shredded monterey jack cheese

15 whole wheat flour tortillas

1-2 tsp sea salt

Directions:

Mix everything together in a very large bowl. Get your kid(s) involved with this. My son loved helping and it was easy since everything was the fridge. No worry about dealing with sharp or hot things. Dump, pour, mix. 

If you are baking these right now preheat your oven to 425 degrees, and line a large baking sheet or two with foil. Spray the foil with nonstick spray. I didn't spray the foil one of the times I baked them and they stuck a bit. Don't forget this step for easy cleanup. 

Spread the torillias out how over many you can fit on your counter or kitchen table. Put 2 Tbs full in the center of each one and roll them up tight by tucking the ends in first so the filling cannot fall out. Let them rest on the counter seam side down until you are finished with all of them. Repeat with the remaining tortillas and filling until they are all rolled. 

 If freezing for a make ahead meal pack up the taquitos into good quality freezer bags quart size or gallon sized. Write the baking instructions on the bag for easy meals or snacks or football games.  Be sure to use your oven for good results. 

When baking line up the taquitos so they aren't touching. Then spray some nonstick spray on the tops of each and sprinkle them with some sea salt. 

Bake at 425 for 15 minutes - they should be golden, crunchy, and look delicious. Let it sit a few minutes especially if you have kids - the filling inside is hot. 

So next time you have some extra chicken (wink) try this healthy freezer favorite of my family and take the night off from the kitchen.  This would taste with dips such as: guacamole, sour cream, and salsa. Great sides would be tortilla chips, rice, and corn on the cob. 

From my kitchen to yours!

Christmas gift ideas & Book Review

It is Christmas Eve's Eve. It is December 23 ie...officially crunch time for finishing up Christmas cards, Christmas gifts, and mailing or wrapping them up. Time is counting down for Christmas day. If you are shopping for gifts or been to the post office lately you know what I am talking about.... The stores are packed and I know there are some good sales going on. But if you want to give a more creative, personalized gift filled with love and solid ingredients, or you just remembered you forgot your sister's husband's brother.... here is a gift idea you should check out:

homemade muffin/ bread/cookie mixes 

Hopefully your gift shopping is done, you can sit back with your eggnog or hot cocoa, and enjoy the christmas carols or fun movies of the season. I would love to say that we are doing just that but it is Monday Night football. So we are doing some dinner and screaming at the tv for the next 3 hrs praying that the 49ers might choke. I know it doesn't sound festive. But if they can lose it will really help my Seattle Seahawks. Actually I will be hiding in the living room trying to not think about the christmas pb fudge in my fridge that my loving aunt left for us when she was over watching the seattle/cardinal sunday game with us. 

For this gift idea all you need is a recipe, dry baking/cooking ingredients (common stuff), brown paper sack lunch bags (one per recipe), gallon sized freezer bags (one per recipe), I used a laptop with the ms word program & printer to make the labels with regular white paper, a stapler, tape, some ribbon, and a bow. It takes about 20-30 minutes to make one recipe. Type up the label, print, cut off the extra paper, staple it to the paper sack... super easy. Fill the freezer bag with the dry ingredients seal it. Put in the bag and staple the bag closed carefully not to get the bag inside. You could do this too and be someone's hero. They will never think they were forgotten. Most people think you need a special recipe to do this but you can use your own favorite recipes - stuff you know tastes good.  

heres what that looked like at my house: 

Here are some recipes but -  really  - honestly you can use whatever sounds good or to fit someone's personality or age. You could give a young adult a cookie mix, give a guy a bbq or grill meat rub or a dry chili mix, give a mom bread mix or special hot cocoa with white or dark chocolate. So many choices out there.... The better you know the person the better the gift becomes.  Gift cards work but this is so much better. You gift becomes the gift of time... instead of someone spending time mixing this up themselves they can sit with their family or get an extra errand done or just relax. 

Recipes & Book Review: B+

I used some recipes from book, Not Your Mother's Make-Ahead & Freeze Cookbook by Jessica Fisher, for some my homemade gifts this year. I had never used the book before this and all ideas are my own. As a cook I give it a grade of a b+. It is clear the author knows food and how to manipulate it. Jessica Fisher loads her pages with useful hints, important and creative suggestions, and easy family friendly recipes. Most recipes have under 10 common normal ingredients. There is cooking directions, baking, freezing, defrosting, and storing information for over 200 recipes in this book. Overall it is a good and easy cookbook. You should find your book on amazon or at the library and check it out. True to the title this is not your mothers make ahead and freeze cookbook.... this is new, improved, and efficient! 

What I didn't like? There is no pictures, which is usually a HUGE drawback for me. I love looking at pictures. Also, because of its size and quantity of recipes it comes across as overwhelming and intimidating at first glance. Perhaps images and color pictures could've broken up the text making it more approachable and friendly. To add to the huge daunting task of finding a recipe for a normal cook or novice, feeling, the book's organization is a disadvantage UNLESS you are specifically wanting to freezer cook in bulk. If you are, this book will be genius for you. But, if someone picks up the book looking for one recipe they have to go many pages through an introduction, pre made grocery lists, and pre made possible menus before you get to the first recipe.  I do recommend this book, despite its flaws, because it comes down to food, flavor, and technique and like I said before, this author knows food. 

Recipes you'll want to try/Mixes you may want to gift:
1. Maple Oat Waffles Page 261 & 262
2. Whole Grain Cinnamon Rolls Page 311
3. Vanilla Cranberry Bread Page 291
4. Chocolate Chip Banana Bread with Oats Page 284
5. Cardamom Zucchini Cinnamon Rolls (click on the link)
(note if doing this as a mix use sandwich plastic bag to separate the filling from the main dough ingredients)
6. Oatmeal Honey Rolls (click on the link)
7. Orange Cardamom Vanilla Swirl Bread (click on the link)
8. Coconut-Pecan Muffin Mix

Something I want to try next year:

Chocolate Chunk Hot Cocoa Mix

Happy gift giving

Merry Christmas Eve's Eve 

From my kitchen to yours

Turkey Green Salsa Pan- Fried Burritos

I did a little freezer cooking this week when I made these easy little things...Turkey Black Bean Green Salsa Pan Fried Burritos. They were quick to make, and used up some leftover turkey I had tucked away in the freezer from thanksgiving. Feel free to use some leftover chicken or shred up some cooked chicken in lieu of turkey. 

Freezer cooking has been something that I have gotten good at over the last year and half since my hubby took a night shift job. Freezer cooking lets me have something ready for him that he can reheat no matter what time he wants to eat. It also means that when I am not feeling well he or someone else or I can simply finish a meal I had already started. Real life moment.... I have had a ton of medical procedures done in the last six months and at least 4 of them have ended me on some sort of bed-rest or limited duty for a day or more. To say that it has been hard would be grossly understated. All baby stuff granted... not life or death. But it does make me stop and be thankful for meals like this that taste good the night you make it AND up to a month or two later after reheating them. Besides I needed a good reason to eat salsa verde. I love that stuff! 

Please customize these burritos to fit your taste buds.
Cook + Prep time: 15-20 minutes if you have 4 yr old helping

Recipe barely adapted from Good Cheap Eats


Ingredients:
2 cups leftover cooked turkey 
3 cups of shredded cheddar cheese, divided
7 oz salsa verde medium (this was half of a jar for me)
12 burrito size tortillas
2 - 15oz cans of organic black beans, drained and rinsed
sour cream
favorite toppings such as extra cheese, diced green onions, diced jalpenos, lettuce, chopped tomatoes, ect...

Directions:

1. Combine turkey, 2 1/2 cup of cheese, black beans and salsa verde in a very large bowl. 
2. Mix well. Can be a bit messy but do get your kiddos involved. Mine had a great time helping! 
3. Spread out the 12 tortillas and put approx 1/2 cup of the bean turkey mixture in the center of each one. 
4. Fold the burritos. Tucking in the sides as you fold over the top and roll to make a log shape out of the filling. 
5. Put any filled tortillas you aren't going to cook into a labeled quart or gallon sized freezer bag. 
6. In the ones you are going to cook first, put 1 Tbs sour cream for creamy texture and richness before folding. 
7. In a large pan heat 1/2 Tbs oil. Use tongs to pan fry the burritos for about 5 minutes or so on each side until they are golden and heated through. 
8. Serve hot and top with the remaining cheese so it can melt. Top melted cheese with another dollop of sour cream, and/or any additional toppings. Tastes great with chips, rice, or corn on the cob for side dishes.

from my kitchen to yours

Slow Cooker Spicy Pumpkin-Apple Chili

Pumpkin, that nutrient rich, orange food you've been bombarded with for the last month and half, is the star of this new slow cooker spicy chili fall meal. Pumpkin, known for fiber, calcium, iron, magnesium, potassium, zinc, vitamin c, folate, vitamin a, vitamin e, niacin, and few other components, is also just know as one of the best fall foods. Every fall pumpkin everything is talked about, posted, and created.  

November last year seemed to be all about cooking soups and stews... this year I seemed to have fixated upon chili. Pumpkin Chili. Zucchini Chili. Ground Beef & Bacon Chili. Chorizo Chili. You see its more like an obsession. Any chance there is a 12 step program for this? Probably not. I still have a couple pumpkin things I want to make before thanksgiving and was happy to check this one off my list.... It was delicious! I usually don't serve crock pot creations to company, but this was a hit. Thankfully since life requires occasionally breaking the rules. It was thick, spicy, the pumpkin added a creamy texture, beefy, and you could really taste the fall earthy spices of nutmeg, cloves, and sweet apple in the background. 

Spicy Pumpkin-Apple Chili

Serves 6-8 

Freezes beautifully 

Recipe adapted from A Pumpkin And A Princess 

Ingredients:

1 lb lean ground beef

1 medium onion

1/4 tsp cloves

1/4 tsp nutmeg

1/3 cup cinnamon apple sauce, no sugar added

1 cup of beef stock

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp course black pepper

1 can fire roasted tomatoes (14.5 oz)

1 can of pumpkin puree  (15 oz)

1 1/2 cups of red veggie pasta sauce

1 can of light kidney beans, no salt added/low sodium, drained

1 can of black beans, low sodium, drained

2 Tbs chili powder

1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

1 tsp cumin

1 yellow bell pepper, chopped

2 apples, peeled, cored, and chopped

Optional garnishes: oyster crackers, shredded cheddar cheese or your fav kind (I used a mild melty jack for mine), sour cream or Greek plain yogurt, cornbread,  finely diced jalapenos (for more heat), or finely diced green onion

Directions:

1. In a large skillet brown the ground beef. Half way through add in the chopped onion, salt and pepper. Once meat is cooked and onion is tender drain off the fat, and put into crockpot. 

2. Add the remaining ingredients to the crockpot.  Stir well. 

3.  Cook on high for 4 hrs.  

4. Garnish during serving. Cool completely and cover in fridge or freezer for makeahead meals. 

Bacon Zucchini Chili & Book Review

Bacon is dynamic. It can turn any mundane entree into something spectacular and memorable. Bacon is a popular thing to find on pintrest, and on most blogs including mine. Recently, I read a library book titled Bacon: A love Story by Heather Lauer, . I wanted to share the book with you because it made an impact on me. It's always fun to find a cookbook. But it's a surprise to find a cookbook and good recipes within a book. This is one of those. You can acquire it easily on amazon if you search the author's name. Please note I have never met, nor heard of the author before, and am not receiving anything for reviewing this book. I just love eating bacon, and the book looked interesting. 

Book review: I give it a "B-". It is an easy read, high school reading level, easy font, with minimal illustrations. Lauer's book is 100+ pages, and took me about a week to finish reading at a moderate speed. The pace and feel of the book is slow, perhaps due to the disorganized feel of the chapters, and repetition of similar information. I didn't feel compelled like some novels to not move until it was finished. But neither did I stop reading because I liked the fun facts, and the historical anecdotes that made me laugh. It was a relaxing read, something that didn't require my intent 110% concentration. We all need mini literary vacations. Lauer's book goes into deep insightful descriptions of the pork smoking process with real quotes from smaller family owned operations, and obtains bacon recipes from real hotels, shops, and restaurants from all over the country! Most of the recipes scattered throughout the book looked great, although about 50% seemed inapplicable to me, because of the lack of family friendly-ness. Many recipes seemed a bit too elevated or elegant for my little family and country cooking. I strive for good family recipes in real life and my blog. If you are curious about bacon at all, you should read this! But warning - you may find yourself buying more bacon the next time you go shopping as a result. After reading it I bought peppered bacon for the first time ever. Peppered bacon is so good, I had no idea, and I have this fun book to thank! 

As with most bacon lovers, I don't think bacon can be overdone. My best experiences to date with bacon have been bacon cinnamon rolls with maple frosting from Dorothy at Crazy for Crust, an epic egg topped, maple syrup candied bacon cheeseburger, homemade bacon mayo, and now this super yummy, flavorful, and non spicy bacon zucchini chili. I feel bad for always making my chili rather heated so I really made sure this one was toned down. Turns out that because I toned down the heat, the flavors really came out swinging. This new recipe is now tied with my other favorite chili, the yummy apple chipotle one I did last fall. Chili is such good, fall, cold weather, football food. I need to make that again :) 

Here's what you need to make my Bacon Zucchini Chili 

(inspired by Lauer's book)

serves 6-10 depending on portion sizes

 freezes beautifully

cook + prep = 30-45 minutes

Ingredients:
3 1/2 cups low sodium beef broth
1/2 Tbs chili powder
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 medium white onions, finely diced
2 cans of organic black beans (15oz each)
2 medium zucchinis diced to size of your personal preference or shredded (mine measured out to be 2 cups worth)
1/4 tsp smoked paprika
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
5 pieces of pepper bacon (little less than half a package)
1/2 lb of ground beef
2 dried bay leaves
2 cans of fire roasted tomatoes (15oz or approx)
1/2 Tbs Mexican dried oregano
1 orange, scrubbed, and cut in half (adds special touch)
2 cups red veggie sauce (click on title for recipe)
1 Tbs kosher salt
1 1/2 Tbs ground cumin

5 Easy Directions:

Step 1: In a very large pot cook the bacon. Drain half of the fat out. 

Step 2: To the pot add the garlic and onion and saute them in the remaining bacon fat. 

Step 3: When the onions are translucent, add in everything else except the beans. Simmer covered for 30 minutes covered over medium low. I added my red pasta veggie sauce straight from the freezer & freezer bag since there is enough liquid in the recipe help it defrost quickly in the large pot. 

Step 4: Drain the beans and rinse extra salt off. Add them to the pot. Remove the bay leaves and the orange halves. 

Step 5: Taste and adjust seasonings as needed. Serve once the beans are hot. 

Good sides: crackers, corn bread, corn on the cob

Fun chili toppings: oyster crackers, fresh green onion, green peppers, green chilies, diced jalapenos, sour cream, fresh tomatoes, shredded cheddar or pepper jack cheese for a kick

I apologize I don't have more than 1 picture for this recipe. It was so easy and most of it was just dumped into 1 pot thus multiple pictures seemed redundant. 

Hope you enjoy this easy fall/football meal! 

from my kitchen to yours

Cardamom Zucchini Cinnamon Rolls with Maple Frosting (updated freezer instructions Nov 11,13)

I have been on a zucchini kick for a little while. So... before I dive into the second half of my Rachael Ray list I wanted to share with you an awesome gooey & delicious zucchini cinnamon roll recipe. This mouthwatering recipe is amazing! You can make it the night before, throw it in the fridge, and bake it the next morning. There is no reason to get up at 5 am to get these done in time. Or you can make it on the sunday night (thinking that you are being clever), forget to bake them on Monday, run out of time on Tuesday, and they will turn out great on Wednesday. Truth: in my crazy household these beauties hung out in the fridge for 2 days. If you want to plan ahead on purpose you can freeze a batch for up to a month - probably longer - I just haven't tried longer than a month. Anyone who has cinnamon rolls in their freezer for longer than a month has more will power than I do! The texture of the dough is fluffy, moist, tender, and incredible. Pair it with some sweet maple frosting and your morning and coffee - its like christmas in your kitchen. 

I was so relieved when the cinnamon rolls from the freezer rose and baked properly because that means no more huge pans of cinnamon rolls around my house. I can make batches of my favorite rolls, and freeze the extras. I have made this recipe 4 times since I found it earlier this year. Happily, the whole wheat flour and extra zucchini makes it a bit healthier. I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I do! 

This picture is a half of a batch. So good!!!

Cardamom Zucchini Cinnamon Rolls 

with Maple Frosting

makes 12 in the whole batch - easily halved or doubled

recipe adapted from creative blogger crazy for crust. 

You should absolutely make her bacon cinnamon rolls!

Ingredients for the dough:
2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast (one packet)
3/4 cup of warm non-fat milk 
1/3 cup of white sugar
3 Tbs butter, unsalted, softened
1/2 tsp salt, 
1 egg
1 1/2 cups of all purpose flour
1 1/2 cups of whole wheat white flour
1/2 tsp ground cardamom

Ingredients for filling: 
1/2 cup of butter, unsalted, softened
3/4 cup of brown sugar
2 cups of shredded zucchini, water squeezed out
2 Tbs whole wheat white flour
2 Tbs cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground cardamom

Ingredients for the frosting:
1-2 Tbs nonfat milk (or whatever kind you have)
6 Tbs butter, unsalted, softened
2 cups powdered sugar
1/4 tsp maple extract (light hand = super strong)
2 Tbs pure maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla extract

Directions for the dough:
1. Heat the milk in a cup in the microwave for approx. 25-45 seconds aim for 120 degrees.

2. Add the yeast to the cup and stir. Let it sit and for about 5 minutes to get cloudy and foamy (activating the yeast). 

3. In a mixer bowl or large mixing bowl cream together the sugar butter, salt and egg. It may be slightly chunky thats okay.

4. Pour the yeast mixture into the butter mixture. Stir or mix on low for about a minute. 

5. Add the flour and ground cardamom slowly over low or medium mixing speed. If you are using a stand mixer use the paddle attachment until the dough starts to stick to the paddle then switch to the dough hook. Using a dough hook over low speed continue mixing until the dough forms a ball in the middle of the bowl. 

6. While the mixer is mixing spray a large bowl with nonstick cooking spray. Put the dough ball into the bowl and cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Let it sit for 1-2 hrs while it rises. It should double in size. 

Making the cinnamon rolls:
1. Shred your zucchini and wring it out with a towel or strong paper towels over the sink. Its amazing how much liquid this veggie has! Note (from experience) if you use a towel the liquid that comes out is green and it may turn your towel green - don't use a white one. 

2. In a bowl combine the filling ingredients the zucchini, brown sugar, butter, flour, cardamom, and cinnamon. Stir until it forms a paste. 

3. Once the dough has risen, sprinkle some flour onto your work area or counter. Roll the dough out to a large rectangle. 

4. Spread the filling out evenly over the entire surface. 

5. Roll up the dough into a log as tight as you can. 

6. Slice it in half and with each half make 6 cinnamon rolls for a total of 12. 

7. Spray a cooking pan with nonstick spray and place them side by side giving them a little room because they will rise considerably. I use two round cake pans for this. Wrap the tops with plastic wrap. 

8. If you are baking them immediately let them rise on the counter for a second time for 30 minutes - 1 hr. They should be large and fluffy. Note: They will not get much bigger than they are when you put them in - so while I write 30 minutes in the directions I recommend 45 if they are looking small or your kitchen is cold. 

9. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes or until golden brown. 

10. Whip up the frosting. Combine all the frosting ingredients in a mixer and mix away. Add more milk if needed. The texture should be creamy but not runny. If it seems stiff and hard to spread then add 1-2 Tbs additional milk. 

11. Spread the frosting over the cinnamon rolls the moment they come out of the oven. Let it melt and get in all the cracks and get super gooey. 

12. Enjoy warm with your fav people and coffee (of course)

How to do the make ahead part:
Follow up to step 8. Complete step 7, and put them in the fridge until the morning you are going to bake them. If you are putting them in the freezer I highly recommend double wrapping them with plastic and then with foil just to be sure. Use a post it note or a piece of paper with a marker to label them with the cooking time and temp for easy baking later.

Baking frozen cinnamon rolls: 
Pull them out of the freezer and let them fully defrost in the fridge overnight. The morning you want to bake them, grab a baking dish, and fill it with water. Put the cold pan of water in the oven on the same level as the cold pan of cinnamon rolls you have in the fridge. Let the rolls rise in the oven at 170 degrees for 20 minutes. Check on them. When they are big and fluffy start baking. Increase the oven temperature, you don't have to take the rolls out of the oven, and bake for 18-20 minutes until they are golden. While they bake make the frosting - super easy 3 minutes :)

I love this maple frosting! 

from my kitchen to yours 

Rachael Ray's Spanish-Style Enchiladas (Recipe #2)

Hi. Recipe #2 of my challenge to make 30 Rachael Ray in 30 days is Spanish Style Enchiladas. As most places are starting to cool down into the fall season I wanted to share a comforting cheesy enchilada recipe. This is freezer friendly, football crowd friendly, family friendly if you keep an eye on the heat level, and an easy way to get veggies into your kids under some delicious melted cheese. Multifaceted food!

I heart enchiladas. I heart my mom's enchiladas. But this isn't your mom's or my mom's good old fashioned enchiladas. There is a fun twist for those unsuspecting taste buds hidden under all that delicious cheese. 

When you slide your fork through the cheese, the wonderfully red sauce, and into the tortilla for that first bite, you smell a hint of cinnamon and paprika. You lift the fork up to your mouth and smell the wonderful warm spices and the smokiness of the tomato. You are hungry so you just put it in your mouth and those normal Mexican flavors you were expecting aren't there. Instead you taste those warm Spanish/European flavors of cinnamon, paprika, tomatoes, parsley, onion, garlic, and even some smoky sausage. It throws your taste buds for good solid loop, but tastes so good you just keep eating. 

The leftovers are even better. It's one of those meals that just has love inside. Treat yourself, a friend, or family to this dish full of melty cheese, flavorful chicken, and all those wonderful warming flavors in Spanish (paprika, cinnamon) cooking that make you feel warm inside. 

(My take of) Rachael Ray's Chicken & Sausage Spanish Style Enchiladas

Makes 6 large enchiladas 
Double it for football games

*One of the big changes I made to the original recipe was using kielbasa sausage instead of spanish chorizo. I had trouble finding it spanish chorizo at the store. Does that happen to anyone else too? First world problem - for sure. Mexican chorizo is easily found, but it is a softer meat, has different spices, and has a different texture so I didn't sub it with that.

Ingredients: 
1-2 Tbs Olive oil

6 oz (half of a package) of Spanish chorizo, removed from casings and diced or half of a package of kielbasa sausage  

1 leftover chicken breast from previous meal, cooked fresh poached, or one breast from a freezer meal. I used this salsa chicken freezer meal for my chicken - just pulled one breast out of the freezer bag and used the rest of the chicken on other things during the week.  

1 heaping tsp of minced garlic
1 1/4 tsp heaping of smoked paprika
1/8 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp salt
1 red pepper finely diced
1 carrot, washed, peeled, finely diced
1 jalapeno pepper ( I took the seeds out for my 4 yr old - leave them in for some heat)
1 bay leaf
1/2 Spanish onion, chopped
1 cup of chicken broth or stock (used homemade)
14.5 oz can of fire roasted tomatoes
8 oz can of tomato sauce
1/4 tsp cinnamon
2 + (Use your own judgement) cups of jack cheese, shredded (pepper jack or manchego would be good options)
1 handful of flat leaf parsley chopped
1 handful of cilantro chopped (optional for garnish)
sour cream (optional)

Directions
1. Heat olive oil in a large skillet or pot over medium heat. 

2. Brown up the sausage, and set it aside to cool using a slotted spoon. If your chicken is raw start cooking that also or wait and cook it in the same pan as the sausage to capture some of that flavor. If you are using leftover chicken, pull it out, shred it with forks or fingers and set it aside. 

3. To the pan with the drippings add another 1 Tbs of olive oil if needed (depends on how much fat came off the sausage). Then add the garlic, red pepper, carrot, jalapeno, bay leaf, onion, salt, and pepper. Saute together for 6-7 minutes until everything is softening.

Look at all those colors :)

4. Add the chicken stock, paprika, tomatoes, tomato sauce, and cinnamon to the skillet or pot.  Simmer for about 15 minutes (low-medium heat just enough to help it thicken up)


Note: The first time I made this dish I left the enchilada sauce chunky. Next time I make it I will be smoothing it out so I am adding step 5 in. So my pictures might look different from what you will end up. That is the only difference. Doing or not doing step 5 won't change the taste but will make it easier to eat. The veggies left in chunks over the top of the enchiladas were messy to eat and required a fork and knife. 

5. Take the sauce in 2-3 batches and puree it with a food processor, blender, or immersion blender.  Please be careful when handling hot liquids. I have found that putting a small hand or kitchen towel around the lids of those times of kitchen tools are very helpful just incase something splashes up. 

6. Grab a large casserole dish (11x 7) or whatever you have and spray a little bit of cooking spray on it. 

7. Put one large ladle or measuring cup spoon full down into the bottom of the casserole dish. 

8. Dip your tortillas in that lovely pureed sauce you just made and flip it over with your hands or an utensil. Put line up your sauced tortillas on the counter or do them individually on a plate to be less messy. 

9. Divide the cheese in half. Use the first half of cheese by putting an equal handful in the center of each tortilla. The second half will top the rolled tortillas. 

9. Combine the chorizo or sausage whatever you are using with the chopped parsley and chicken in a bowl. Evenly distribute this delish combo onto the tortillas as well. 

10. Roll the tortillas but folding over two of the side in towards the middle, holding the sides while you roll the bottom up almost over to the top. Finish it but rolling it over and putting it steam side down in the pan. 

If you puree your sauce it will look smooth and beautiful unlike this chunky beauty in the pic

11. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees while you finish rolling the rest of these beauties.  Top the rolled enchiladas with the remaining sauce and cheese. 

Note: If you are making this as a freezer or make ahead meal. Finish rolling your enchiladas, top them with cheese and sauce. Let it cool on the counter completely. Cover and freezer or Cover and chill until you want to make it. 

12. Bake for 35 minutes until it is hot, bubbly and the cheese is browned. Serve with favorite toppings such as cilantro, sour cream, beans, rice, chips, salsa, ect.  

Enjoy the beginning of fall with this warm comforting dish! It's sure to please and surprise. 

From my kitchen to yours