shredded tri-tip taquitos

 I don't know why I don't make these more often.  They make for a super simple dinner and my kids absolutely love them!  I've made them before with shredded chicken and they are just as good!  I'm actually not much of a beef person, but there are a few kinds of meat that I like slow cooking so they get really tender and easy to use in many different ways!  The nice thing about making the meat this way, is you could make it the day before, shred it up, then just re-heat the meat and roll up your taquitos just before dinner time the next day.  I served them with lot's of sides for my kids to dip the taquitos in...sour cream, guacamole, and refried beans sprinkled with cheese.  A great quick meal!

INGREDIENTS FOR MEAT:

• 2-3 lbs. tri-tip roast {or any other meat you like}
• garlic salt
• black pepper
• 1 jar {12-15 oz. salsa}

DIRECTIONS:

  Place tri tip in slow cooker or a large dutch oven.  Season all over with garlic salt and black pepper.  Pour salsa on top of meat.  If you are using slow cooker, cover and heat on LOW for 10 hours or HIGH for 5-6 hrs.  If you are using a dutch oven; cook at 350, covered, for 1 hr. or until it shreds easily.  

INGREDIENTS FOR TAQUITOS:

• canola oil
• corn tortillas
• shredded tri-tip

DIRECTIONS:

  Heat a large skillet over medium heat.  Add a small amount of oil and in batches, lightly soften tortillas {until pliable} and stack on paper towel lined plate.  Once all the tortillas are softened, place about 2 Tbsp. of meat near one side of tortilla.  Roll up tightly and place seam-side down on a large greased baking sheet.  Heat oven to 400 degrees and cook in oven for 15 minutes, or until golden brown and crispy.  Serve warm!   

ACCOMPANIMENTS:

• sour cream
• guacamole
• refried beans {try refried black beans, they're good!}
• shredded cheese

All rolled up!

Rice Pilaf with Mushrooms and Green Onions

  We love rice pilaf in this house!  The kids devour it and so do I!  It's one of the easiest side dishes to make, but I do admit, it has one draw back...lot's of butter!  You could definitely scale it down if you like, but I've tried and it just doesn't taste the same to me.  Well, I decided to get creative and add some mushroom and green onions to the rice pilaf.  Anything with mushrooms in it makes me happy, and this did the job!

Rice Pilaf with Mushrooms and Green Onions

INGREDIENTS: {serves 6-8}

• 6 Tbsp. butter
• 2 cups long grain rice
• 1 cup thin, cut vermicelli
• about 4 cups chicken broth
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 cup button mushrooms, chopped
• 3 green onions, sliced
• 2 Tbsp. butter {to saute mushrooms and onions}

DIRECTIONS:

  Heat a large pot to medium-high heat.  Add butter and melt until foamy.  Pour in vermicelli and cook until golden brown, about 5 minutes.  Add rice and stir together for another minute.  Pour in chicken broth and season with salt and pepper to taste.  Bring to boil then simmer with lid on for 15-20 minutes.  Meanwhile in a skillet, melt 2 Tbsp. butter and add chopped mushrooms and onions.  Saute for about 5 minutes or until soft.  When rice is done, add mushrooms and onions to the rice pot and stir to combine.  Season with more salt and pepper if desired.  Enjoy!

There's that sizzling butter!

I like a nice brown color to the vermicelli

Pan Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Crispy Prosciutto

  Last year I discovered a love for brussels sprouts.  I know...eeeewww, right?  Well, that's what I thought before I tried them prepared similar to this at one of our favorite restaurants.  Honestly, I had never tried them up until last Fall because I had always thought they were a frightening vegetable!  They're actually really tasty and would make a perfect side dish to one of your Fall dinners.  Try them and you will thank me...hopefully!

Brussels Sprouts with Crispy Prosciutto {Serves 4-6}

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 Tbsp. Olive Oil
• 1 lb. brussels sprouts, outer leaves removed and halved lengthwise
• 3 oz. thin Prosciutto, roughly chopped
• 1/4 to 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
• white balsamic vinegar
• Kosher Salt 
• freshly ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS:

  In a pot of boiling water, cook brussels sprouts for 5 minutes then drain.  In a large fry pan, heat olive oil over medium-high heat.  Cook prosciutto pieces until crispy and remove to plate.  Add onion slices and saute until soft, about 5-7 minutes.  Add brussels sprouts to the pan and cook along with the onion for about 5 minutes more or until brussels sprouts begin to brown.  Reduce heat to medium-low then add about a couple swirls {about 2 Tbsp. or so} of the white balsamic vinegar the last 2 minutes of cooking.  Season with salt and pepper, add prosciutto, and stir to combine.  

Artichoke Gratinata

  Artichokes are one of my most favorite vegetables!  I love everything about an artichoke...especially the heart!  I remember my mom used to make fried artichoke hearts when I was little and they were amazing!  So, my mom and I planned a big dinner a while back and found this side dish from our Giada Cookbook Giada's Kitchen.  It was extremely easy and we all enjoyed it!  The picture above was taken just before it went in the oven...then we ate it all up before I could get a finished picture!

Artichoke Gratinata {adapted from Giada De Laurentiis, Giada's Kitchen}
{Serves 4}

INGREDIENTS:

• 3 Tbsp. olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 lb. frozen artichoke hearts, thawed
• 2 Tbsp. chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 3/4 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 1/8 tsp. red pepper flakes
• 1/4 cup chicken broth
• 1/4 cup white wine {she uses Marsala in her recipe}
• 1/4 cup half and half or heavy cream
• 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
• 1/3 cup plain breadcrumbs
• 1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

DIRECTIONS:

  Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.  Warm the olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat.  Add the artichoke hearts, parsley, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes and saute until the artichoke hearts are starting to brown at the edges, about 3 minutes.  Add the chicken broth and wine and simmer for 3 minutes.  Add the cream and heat 1 minute more.  Transfer the artichoke mixture to a 1 1/2 quart baking dish {or you could use individual gratin dishes}.  

Melt the butter in the same skillet used to cook the artichokes.  Add the bread crumbs and stir to coast with the butter.  Stir in the Parmesan, then sprinkle the bread-crumb mixture over the artichokes.  Bake until the top is golden, about 10 minutes.  

Who Knew? Thanks Tillamook!

Who Knew that one of my recipes would be somewhere other than here?!?!
Well, apparently Tillamook liked my Grilled Cheese recipe and it's "post of the day"!
Kind of funny...maybe they'll send me a months worth of cheese???  Just throwing it out there!
Anyway, sorry about the lame post, but I thought it was note-worthy!

~Julie

Cinnamon-Sugar Donut Muffins

  Breakfast is almost always a battle in our home.  Trying to get all three of my kids to like what I'm serving for breakfast is never an easy task.  One kid wants one thing while the other kid wants something else and then there's always one who doesn't even want to eat at all.  I feel like a short order cook A LOT!  So, I'm constantly looking for recipes to try that will satisfy them all.  I know, I should just throw a bowl of cheerios in front of them and ignore the whines, but I really do enjoy seeing their smiling faces when they come in the kitchen and get excited about breakfast!
Well, these little muffins were definitely a winner.  They didn't take much time to make, they are actually pretty healthy, AND most importantly, everyone enjoyed them!
This particular recipe came from HERE, which I slightly adapted.

Cinnamon-Sugar Donut Muffins {adapted from bakedperfection.com}
{Makes 12 muffins}

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 Cup whole wheat flour
• 1 Cup all-purpose flour
• 1 Tbsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup plain low-fat yogurt
• 2/3 cup packed brown sugar
• 4 Tbsp. oil
• 1 tsp. vanilla

Topping:

1/2 stick butter, melted

1/2 cup sugar

1 tsp. cinnamon

DIRECTIONS:

  Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Line a standard muffin pan with paper cups.  Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon in a large bowl.  In a separate bowl, whisk together eggs, yogurt, sugar, oil, and vanilla.  Add flour mixture and mix with light strokes until the dry ingredients are just moistened.  Do not overmix!

Divide batter among the muffin cups and bake until a toothpick inserted comes out clean, 12-15 minutes.  

While the muffins are baking, melt 1/2 stick butter and place in a bowl just large enough to hold a muffin.  Combine 1/2 cup sugar and 1 tsp. cinnamon in a small, shallow bowl.  As soon as the muffins are done, dip them one at a time in the melted butter and then roll in the cinnamon sugar.  Set on a rack to cool slightly.  Serve warm!!!!

Pumpkin Scones with Maple Glaze

I've never been much of a scone kind of girl.  They're usually loaded with calories and fat, which I'd much rather use up on a piece of chocolate cake, or a brownie, or yes, even an occasional donut!  Then I found out that there are actually ways of making a "healthier" scone without compromising taste and flavor...who knew?!!  I found this recipe at multiplydelicious and with a little tweaking of my own, I was totally satisfied!  I happened to be going to a friends house that day, so I took some with me.  I love trying new recipes out on my friends!  This recipe is definitely a keeper!

Pumpkin Scones with Maple Glaze {makes 10-12 scones}
INGREDIENTS:

• 2 cups whole wheat flour {or you could use 1 cup white/ 1 cup whole wheat}
• 3 Tbsp. light brown sugar
• 1 Tbsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp. nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp. ground cloves
• 6 Tbsp. cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes
• 1/2 cup canned organic pumpkin
• 2 Tbsp. maple syrup
• 2 Tbsp. milk
• 1 large egg

Maple Glaze:

• 1 1/4 cup powdered sugar
• 2 Tbsp. maple syrup
• 2-3 Tbsp. milk

DIRECTIONS:

  Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.  Combine flour, brown sugar, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves.  Cut in butter with a pastry blender or pulse in food processor until crumbly; set aside.  In a separate bowl, whisk together the pumpkin, syrup, milk and egg. Fold pumpkin mixture into flour and stir until combined.  Don't over-mix!  At this point, if you have the time, it would be best to place the dough in the refrigerator {covered in plastic wrap} for about 10-20 minutes.  It's really sticky dough and will help with the rolling process.  If you don't have time, it will still work fine!  

Place dough onto a lightly floured surface and form it into a 1-inch thick circle.  Use a round cutter or the edge of a round glass to cut circles out.  Re-roll any extra dough and make more circles.  Place circles on prepared baking sheet.  Bake 10-15 minutes until lightly golden.  

Place the scones on a wire rack to cool.  While scones are cooling, mix glaze together by combining powdered sugar, maple syrup and 2 Tbsp. of milk in a small bowl.  Mix together and add more milk until glaze comes to a drizzling consistency.  

Once scones have cooled slightly drizzle icing over.  Serve warm!