Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas

I'm back! 

Having a baby sure shook things up around here. But, I'm hopefully back to making dinner for my little family. Dinner that consists of something other than chicken, packaged rice, and steamed broccoli. 

Yeah we ate that pretty much everyday for a while. 

Luckily this little girl has grown up quite a bit and now let's me do something other than hold her all day long! Ha

So here's to my first recipe in a long time. 

I made these yesterday and I don't think I've seen Hunter so happy in a while ha. 

He walked in and saw enchiladas were for dinner and told me he was salivating just watching me make them. What a guy :)

I put my own little spin on my Moms recipe and they are husband approved. Actually a husband favorite! 

Ingredients:

5-6 cooked chicken tenders (chopped) or 3-4 breasts

Salt and pepper

6-7 tortillas

1 tin foil package enchilada seasoning 

28 oz can green enchilada sauce

1 4 oz can diced green chiles

1 can cream of chicken soup

3 cups shredded cheese

Nonstick spray

Directions:

Cook chicken in pan with salt and pepper. Chop it up and put in large mixing bowl. Add 2 1/2 cups shredded cheese, 1/2 can cream of chicken soup, 1/2 package enchilada seasoning, and green chiles. Mix it all up. Fill tortillas with 2  spoonfuls of the mixture. Roll them up and place in 9x13 pan sprayed with nonstick spray. Smother those enchiladas with green chile enchilada sauce (about 3/4 of can save the rest for next day leftovers) and add 1/2 cup cheese on top. Cover with foil and bake for 35 minutes at 375. When there's about five minutes left, take off the foil and turn your oven to broil. Serve with Spanish rice and sour cream on top! Yummy! 

All my love, 

Aleigh Joy

Michelle's weekly menu plan

Hi Everyone! We certainly haven't forgotten about you, our sweet followers. We have, however, been out of the blogging world for far too long. Between Tracy having awful morning sickness, Aleigh giving birth to our beautiful new niece, Oaklyn, Me, finding out I'm pregnant and feeling crummy, and of course Alana and Aubrie constantly having their hands full with their little girls, we've just been a hot mess of busy. and sick. and exhausted.
BUT, I am hitting my second trimester this week (yay!) so I am feeling WONDERFUL. I am finally feeling motivated to do things like clean my house, organize cupbards, and get back to my weekly meal planning. So today, I'm going to share that with you!

Monday: Loaded Baked Potato Bar & Steamed Brocolli

Tuesday: Hawaiian Beef Tacos

Wednesday: Tortellini Salad and Grilled Cheese

Thursday: Grilled Chicken and Cheesy Mashed Potatoes

Friday: Tin Foil Dinners (Campout!)

 

 

Loaded Baked potato Bar: This is one of my favorite dinners, I could eat baked potatoes every day. I wash the potatoes and rub them with a little olive oil and salt, poke them with a fork and bake them. I like to top mine with cheddar cheese, bacon crumbles, green onions, and sour cream. I usually have some chili warmed up for Logan to put on top of his, because he insists on always having meat at dinner. Throw a side of steamed brocolli in there and your golden!

 

Tereyaki Beef Tacos: This is the exact same recipe as my chicken tereyaki tacos, but I'm using beef this week because it was on sale, holla!

 Ingredients:1-2 lbs steak, or chuck roast
1 cup teriyaki sauce or merinade
1 tbsp brown sugar
1/2 tbsp minced garlic
1 tsp crushed red pepper 
1 bell pepper
1 onion
crushed pineapple
shredded cheese
Uncooked flour tortillas
Add steak, 1/2 cup of the sauce, brown sugar, garlic, and crushed red pepper in your (beloved) crock pot, and cook on low for about 6 hours. Once the meat is cooked, shred it and add the rest of the sauce. In a skillet, saute your onion and pepper with a little olive oil and butter. Top your steak filled tortillas with peppers and onions, then cheese and pineapple.

 

 

 Tortellini Pasta Salad and Grilled Cheese:

Ingredients: One package cooked tortellini pasta (I get the fresh kind from costco and freeze half)

1 diced cucumber

2 diced bell peppers, your choice

1 sliced onion (I like red, but you can use something less strong, even green onions)

1/2 package cherry tomoatoes

1/4 cup feta cheese

Dressing:  I am bad at measuring so you might just have to do this to taste, but I mix probably about 1/8 cup of red wine vinegar to about 1/4 cup of olive oil, add a tablespoon or so of sugar, and a little bit of minced garlic.  Toss together with ingredients above, and add salt and pepper if needed. yum!

 

Grilled Chicken and Cheesy Mashed Potatoes:

Grill your chicken however you please, I like to marinate my chicken breast with garlic, salt and pepper, and honey, then grill it on my grill pan. Use whatever flavors you want! Same goes for the mashed potatoes. I am using russet potatoes since thats the bag I got for my baked potato bar. I personally hate the peels in mashed potatoes, and Landon wont touch it if theres anything of the sort in his mashed tates. I keep them pretty simple, with cheedar cheese, milk, and butter. At the end I stir in sour cream.

 

Tin Foil Dinners:

We have our ward campout this weekend, so tin foil dinners it is! I am still relatively new to camping, and so far these dinners are my favorite part of the whole event. I love hot dogs, but its nice to have something delish to cook over a campfire. I have yet to decide what kind we are having this weekend, but what I usually do is my sausage and veggie bake and instead of the ingredients going in a 9x13, I make about 4 tin foil packets, and they take 30 minutes on the hot coals. Next time you camp, keep it in mind!

 

Enjoy your week, and enjoy making dinner! After all, you gotta do it anyway. ;)

 

xoxo,

Michelle

 

 

 

 

 





Minnie Mouse Birthday Party

We just got back from Disneyland and of course had a blast! So I thought I would share my daughter Ava's 3rd birthday we had for her a few years back. She was totally into Minnie and I loved it.

Party City has a great selection of Minnie Mouse decor

The center pieces were fun to make. 3 Styrofoam balls, 1 Styrofoam square, black spray paint, ribbon, and scrapbook paper for the place mat underneath.

Minnie Mouse cupcakes. The kids obviously loved.

My favorite homemade sugar cookies (recipe coming soon.) I got edible paper from Michaels and used a Mickey Mouse cookie cuter then placed on wet frosting.

Ah shes so cute! Time really does fly.

 She loved it! That's all I need.

Hawaiian Haystacks

I grew up eating Hawaiian Haystacks, it was one of  my favorites! Back in the day though, the only toppings I ate were cheese and crispy noodles! This version is made a bit healthier, and there are no cream soups so it's all from scratch and still super easy to make. I used pineapple, cheese, green onions, tomatoes, and crispy noodles. Some people use raisins, dried cranberries, and olives, so go crazy! 

You can enjoy this meal any time of the year, I live in Phoenix so in the heat of summer this is actually perfect, and still so good in the middle of February, but then again I like to eat cornbread and chili in August so maybe I don't know anything. ANYWAY..

Start out with butter and  coconut oil and melt in a sauce pan, add flour, and salt & pepper. Stir for a few minutes until its thick and lovely. Next turn up the heat then add chicken stock and stir until it thickens again. At this point add sour cream, garlic, and dry ranch seasoning OR dry italian dressing.

Add shredded chicken breast, and serve over brown rice, or you can put the chicken and gravy in the crock pot until you're ready to serve it. 

2 chicken breasts, shredded 

2 tablespoons of butter 

2 tablespoons coconut oil 

 1 can chicken stock 

salt and pepper to taste 

1/4 cup sour cream 

2 tablespoons dry Italian or ranch dressing mix

1 tsp minced garlic

enough steamed rice for your family, 3 cups usually does it for us

toppings:

crushed pineapple

cheddar cheese

crispy chinese noodles

green onions

sliced grape tomatoes

olives

raisins

dried cranberries

enjoy! 

xoxo, Michelle

Cilantro Lime Chicken Fajitas

We LOVE Mexican food over here.

Being from San Diego where there's a taco shop on every street corner, that's kind of a given.

I seem to make some sort of Mexican dish every week for dinner. 

I've been wanting to perfect my fajitas because every time I've made them they just didn't come out the way I had hoped.

This time however, they came out SO right and I'm so excited to share!

I give all credit to my 37 week pregnancy cravings for coming up with this one.

Ingredients:

• 2-3 boneless chicken breasts or 5-6 tenders
• 2 heaping cups of assorted sliced bell peppers give or take
• 1 cup sliced onion give or take
• 1/2 of a lime
• 1/4 cup cilantro (a little less is just fine)
• 1 clove minced garlic
• 4 tbsp. your choice oil
• 1 tin foil package of fajita seasoning mix (found next to taco seasoning)
• 1 tsp soy sauce
• Salt and pepper

Directions:

1. First chop your veggies, then chop your chicken. Fajita style. Aka long strips. Put two skillets on your stove and add 2 tbsp of oil to each. Turn it to medium heat and let that oil get hot!
2. I test my oil by splashing a tiny bit of water. If it sizzles and crackles and pops, its ready. So, once it's ready add your chicken to one pan and your veggies to the other. Let them both cook through separately but don't let your veggies get soggy. Yuck.
3. Once both are cooked to your liking at the veggies to the chicken pan. Add half the packet of fajita seasoning. You don't wanna overdo that stuff so start out that way and add more if you fancy more. Then add your soy sauce and give it a good mixing. 
4. Next turn your heat to low and add the juice of 1/2 a lime, garlic, and your cilantro. You really don't need to squirt every last bit of the juice because I sure didn't but get a good amount. Stir it all up and let every bit of the mix get covered.
5. If you feel the need, you can also add some salt and pepper to taste.
6. Serve your Chicken onto your choice of tortillas! I am a full supporter of the uncooked tortillas they sell at costco. Soo great. However, I need some protein in my life so I had mine on an ezekial sprouted grain tortilla. But really, any tortilla is fine. Lay all the toppings you desire out on the table and have your family add to their fajita as they please. 
7. Enjoy!

All my love,

Aleigh Joy

Meatloaf, dreamier than you think.

So one of our fave meals in this house is meatloaf, and I'd just like to say that meatloaf should be named something else. Aside from the not so yummy name, it's really so good (if you make it like this). I grew up eating this, and my mom has always been darn good at making it. In fact, it's by far Logan's favorite dish that my mom makes. I haven't quite reached the level of perfection my mom has, but my meatload will suffice for now.

I start out with 2 lbs of lean ground beef (this time I used 94/6), but whatever floats your boat is great. Add in a load of delish things like bbq sauce, garlic, ranch seasoning, italian bread crumbs, milk, and egg.

 

gently mix the ingredients together, I used to use my hands but that really grossed me out. then take half the meat mixture and form a loaf on an 8x8 pan. and this next part is my favorite

Layer some sliced mozz on top of the loaf. This is a magical part of the dish, so dont skimp or skip.

Use the remaining meat to finish the meatloaf and try to seal in the cheese as best as you can. Then use another squeeze of bbq sauce to make it extra tangy and juicy. Bake that puppy at 350 for 45 minutes then "baste" once again, this time with ketchup, and continue cooking for 15 minutes.

 

We were so excited to eat that I forgot to take a picture of the finished product. It will be full of grease, it's just the way it goes. I used to use a loaf pan, but couldnt stand the amount of inevitable grease so I now use the 8x8 and it makes things much easier. You're welcome.

 

Michelle's Meatloaf:

2 lbs lean ground beef

1 egg

1/2 cup bread crubms

1/4 cup milk

2 tbsp dry ranch powder

2 tsp-ish of minced garlic

a few good squeezes of bbq sauce, its probably like 1/4 to 1/2 cup.

 

mix together, shape loaf, add sliced cheese, shape rest of the loaf. spread more bbq sauce on top.

 

bake at 350 for 45 minutes. add a small spread of ketchup, then bake for 15 minutes more. Serve with mashed potatoes. boom.

 

xoxo,

Michelle

 

Crescent Roll Cinnamon Rolls

Hey there, it's been a while!
I think all of us girls can agree that December and January FLEW by!
So... the blog got neglected.
But! I have quite a few recipes lined up to be shared!
Let's hope I get around to it ;)
I'm due to have my first baby in about 3 weeks so it's been a little crazy over here, but I'm living up eating what I want until our sweet pea arrives ;)
Then, the New Year's "goal" kicks in.
So until then, I'll probably be making these bad boys quite a few more times!
I went to Ikea the other day.
As I stood in line I smelled the cinnamon rolls and suddenly I was craving cinnamon rolls... go figure.
I mean, they're only a dollar.
So, I got one. And, was seriously unimpressed.
Such a let down.
That craving has stayed alive since then... therefore crescent roll cinnamon rolls that only take like 15 minutes!
Score.

Side note: My measurements are incredibly lame for this because it totally just kinda happened tonight. But, I think it'll be pretty hard to mess up so just go with it.

Ingredients:

• 1 package Pillsbury crescent rolls
• A little less than half a stick melted butter
• Brown Sugar
• White granulated sugar
• Ground cinnamon
• Cream Cheese frosting (homemade or from a can. Whatever floats your boat)

Directions:

1) Pre-heat your oven to 375. Then roll out your dough. I put mine on parchment paper because it makes clean up SO much easier. Then I went over it with my rolling pin once. Make sure to close the holes from seams. It avoids a huge mess.

2) Spread your melted butter evenly on the dough. I used a rubber spatula and avoided getting too close to the edge.

3) Sprinkle a VERY generous amount of brown sugar, white sugar, and cinnamon on top of the butter. I may have been more generous than necessary but I sure didn't want a lame Ikea cinnamon roll...

4) Roll up your dough starting at the top. Unless you want like 4 superrrrrr fat cinnamon rolls. Cut them up about an inch thick.Then put them in a cupcake tin sprayed with nonstick spray.

5) Bake them for about 10 minutes and they're done! Pretty simple for such a yummy treat!

6) Of course, you can't forget the icing. I had a can of store bought cream cheese frosting that wasn't going to be used any time soon. I don't like store bought frosting... but I actually didn't mind it on these! Next time, I'll still probably make my own though. I microwaved two spoonfuls for about 10 seconds then drizzled it over each roll. So, SO yum!

Now go ahead and make your own!

It's worth it, I promise! :)

All my love,

Aleigh Joy