Homemade Ground Chicken Taco Meat Recipe

   

Tacos are one of my favorite meals. I usually use ground beef, but I got a great deal on ground chicken, so I decided to try that instead. These turned out to be just as good as the ground beef version and more healthy for you too! I love to eat mine in a taco salad, and the next day, heat some leftover Spanish rice with the chicken and sprinkle some shredded cheddar cheese on top. Then scoop it up with some tortilla chips! Yum! Enjoy!!

Homemade Ground Chicken Taco Meat (print recipe)

What you need:

1 pound ground chicken

1/2 onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 red or green pepper, diced

1 Tbsp plus 1 1/2 tsp cumin

1 1/2 tsp chili powder

1 tsp oregano

salt and pepper to taste

1- 15oz can black beans, rinsed  and drained

olive oil

Directions:

In a large skillet with some olive oil, cook ground chicken, onion, garlic, bell pepper and seasonings until the chicken is cooked through. Add black beans and saute for a few more minutes. Use with tortillas for tacos, tortilla chips for taco salad or use as filling in taquitos.

This recipe was shared at:

Taco Blog Hop at Katherine Martinelli

Manic Monday at Bobbi's Kozy Kitchen

Recipe Round Up at Gooseberry Patch

Church Supper at Everyday Mom's Meals

Scrumptious Sunday at Addicted to Recipes

Strut Your Stuff Saturday at Six Sisters Stuff

Weekend Potluck at Sunflower Supper Club

Full Plate Thursday at Miz Helen's Country Cottage

Creative Thursday at Michelle's Tasty Creations

Recipe Linky at Newlyweds

Look What I Made at A Thrifty Mom

Tuesday Talent Show at Chef in Training

Chicken and Cabbage Soup Recipe

It's been kind of chilly, here in Minnesota, the last couple days, so I decided to make some chicken soup. This one is different from your typical chicken soup. I've added potatoes, mushrooms and cabbage to change it up. It turned out so good, that my daughter asked for seconds and then leftovers the next day. She is such a soup lover! Cabbage is one of our favorite veggies, especially in soup, so I knew I had to add it. I hope you enjoy!

Chicken and Cabbage Soup (print recipe)

What you need:

1 large chicken breast cut into bite sized pieces

3 cloves garlic, minced

6 c. chicken broth

1/2 c. onion, diced

2 large carrots, sliced

1 1/2 c. potatoes, peeled and diced

3 c. cabbage, sliced
1/2 c. white mushrooms, diced

2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

pepper

olive oil

Season the chicken breast with pepper. In a soup pot, saute chicken and garlic in some olive oil over medium high heat until chicken is cooked through. Add broth, onion, carrots and potatoes. Bring to a boil and then cook over medium heat for 10 minutes. Add the cabbage and mushrooms, cook for 5 more minutes, then add parsley. Remove from heat and serve! 

This recipe was shared at:
Healthy Recipe Link Up at Sidetracked Sarah
The Ultimate Soup Recipe List at Love Bakes Good Cakes
Recipe Round Up at Gooseberry Patch
It's Fall Y'all at Love Bakes Good Cakes
Recipe of the Week at Family Fresh Meals
Fresh produce Tuesday at 2 Sisters 2 Cities
Sunday Night Soup at Easy Natural Food
Weekend Potluck at Sunflower Supperclub
Full Plate Thursday at Miz Helen's Country Cottage
Creative Thursday at Michelle's Tasty Creations
Recipe Linky at Newlyweds
Tuesday Talent Show at Chef in Training
Mix it up Monday at Flour Me With Love
Scrumptious Sunday at Addicted to recipes
Church Supper at Everyday Mom's Meals

Restaurant Review: Pappy's Chicago Style Eatery St Paul, Minnesota

I was visiting a friend in St Paul last weekend and we wanted a quick and reasonable place to eat before getting ready for our girl's night out. She suggested Pappy's and we decided to check it out!

They have a decent sized menu with a great selection. You can find Chicago style dogs, Catfish, Philly Cheesesteak, Dipped Italian Beef, Gyros and so much more. The prices are super reasonable too. We took ours to go, and we were in and out within 10-15 minutes.

My friend Amanda and I decided to get the Philly Cheesesteak and fries. The total was under $7.00 which included the sandwich and fries. Beverages are extra. I was very happy with my meal. The fries were great and the sandwich was awesome. The bread was good and the meat was tender and flavorful. I would definitely get this again!

My friend, Shannon, decided to get the Italian Beef. The amount of meat on the sandwich was ridiculous, she could hardly bite it! They are dipped, so if you get it to go, it will be really soggy by the time you get to eat it. She thought it was good overall and it ended up being more than enough for one meal.

You can find Pappy's Chicago Style Eatery at:

1783 Maryland Ave E

St Paul, MN 55119

651-771-4500

Book Review: I'm Still Wifey by Kiki Swinson

Description from Goodreads:

Essence bestselling author Kiki Swinson shows how far one woman will go when her back is up against the wall.

Life in the `hood sure isn't easy, but Kira can handle it. With her playah drug-lord husband Ricky behind bars serving federal time, all the drama should be over. Think again. It seems Kira's goin' to have a new baby on her hands, and it's not even Ricky's. The father is none other than Russ, the sheisty cat who also ran off with all her dough. But if there's one thing wifey is good at, it's revenge...

My Thoughts:

This is the second book in the Wifey series, and I liked it just as much as I did the first. Once again there is alot of drama and that kept it interesting until the end. Kira is a trip and she is continually scheming on someone, but karma always comes back at you somehow when you least expect it. Ricky is locked up and still being shady, just like before. The ending was somewhat of a surprise and I couldn't wait to get started on the next book, Life After Wifey. Check back for that review!

I rate this book 4 out of 5 stars


 

Easy and Cheap Homemade Salsa Recipe

I love salsa. The stuff from the stores just doesn't cut it though. We eat alot of Mexican food at our house and buying fresh tomatoes to make a batch of salsa sometimes isn't affordable. That's where this recipe comes in. It is so CHEAP! It uses canned tomatoes instead of fresh and it's even cheaper that the jarred stuff at the supermarket. Not to mention it tastes pretty darn good and you can use so many different ingredients to switch up the flavor! It was also great added in with the Vegetarian Taco Dip recipe. Enjoy!!

What you need:

2- 14.5 oz diced tomatoes (regular or Mexican style)

1 small can diced green chiles

1/4 bunch cilantro

2 cloves garlic

2 whole green onions

1/2 tbsp sugar

salt and pepper

additional add-ins:

peaches

pineapple

jalepenos

anaheim pepper

bell pepper

lime

Directions:

Mince all ingredients in a food processor except tomatoes. Add tomatoes, pulse a couple more times, or until it reaches the consistency you prefer. Refrigerate before serving!

Print Recipe 

This recipe was shared at:
Tuesday Talent Show at Chef in Training
Mix it up Monday at Flour me with Love
Scrumptious Sunday at Addicted to Recipes
Church Supper at Everyday Mom's meals
Fabulous Friday at My Crowded Kitchen
Weekend Potluck at The Country Cook
Full Plate Thursday at Miz Helen's Country Cottage
Look What I Made at A Thrifty Mom
 

Blackberry Scones with Lime Glaze Recipe

I've been wanting to make scones for a few months, but somehow never find the time to do it. I'm a great cook, but a baker, not so much.

Earlier this week, Target, had a great deal on blackberries. I knew I just had to get them and finally make scones. If I had known they were so easy to make, I would've made them alot sooner! They turned out fabulous. The lime glaze added the perfect amount of sweetness! 

The beautiful plate in this post, was my Grandma's, and she passed away late last year. I was so happy to see how pretty this picture turned out and I know my Grandma would've loved this recipe.

My daughter and I just love them for breakfast and it's a fun recipe for her and I to make together. Ella loved adding the ingredients and she had a blast rubbing the butter into the flour mixture. She is such a fun little helper! I hope you enjoy these as much as we did. They sure didn't last long! Expect alot more scone recipes in the future!

What you need:

Scones:

2 c. all purpose flour

1/4 c. sugar

2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1/3 c. butter, chilled

3/4 c. milk

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 c. fresh blackberries

Lime Glaze:

1/4 c. freshly squeezed lime juice

1 c. powdered sugar

1/4 tsp lime zest

1/2 tbsp butter

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. 

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Cut the butter into 6-8 chunks and add to flour mixture. Using your fingertips, rub the butter into the flour mixture until it reaches a sandy consistency, making sure there are no butter chunks bigger than a pea. Combine milk and vanilla extract, and add to the flour mixture. Stir until dough comes together and gently knead in the blackberries. (I had some very ripe berries, and they will get somewhat squished, that's ok!)

Turn the dough out on a lightly floured surface and flatten into a disk about 1 inch thick. Using a knife, cut dough into 6 triangles. Place scones on the baking sheet and bake for 15-20 minutes.

While the scones are cooking you can prepare the glaze. In a glass microwave safe bowl, combine the lime juice, powdered sugar, and zest. Stir until completely mixed and sugar is dissolved. Add the butter. Microwave for 30 seconds and whisk to mix in melted butter. When the scones are finished, cool slightly and drizzle glaze over top.

Print Recipe

Recipe Source Blackberry Scones: Baking Bites  

This recipe was shared at:
Good Recipes Online
Fabulous Friday at My Crowded Kitchen
Weekend Potluck at The Country Cook
Full Plate Thursday at Miz Helen's Country Cottage
Recipe Round up at Gooseberry Patch
Look What I Made at A Thrifty Mom
Makin you Crave Monday at Mrs Happy Homemaker
Breakfast Idea's Mondays at Yummy Inspiration
Mix it up Monday at Flour me with Love
Church Supper at Everyday Mom's Meals
Scrumptious Sunday at Addicted to Recipes

My Mama's Potato Salad Recipe

Potato Salad is my favorite summer side dish! I could eat this stuff all the time! I had the perfect opportunity to make it on Easter for a BBQ at my Mom's house. It was a great side dish to go with grilled bacon wrapped jumbo shrimp. The whole family loves this salad and it never lasts very long! I am a huge fan of hard boiled eggs and I like darn near as many of them as potatoes. You can alter the recipe if you prefer less eggs and more potatoes! Enjoy!!

What you need:

6 c. boiled potatoes, cooled and sliced

6 hard boiled eggs, sliced

3/4 c. finely diced onion

1 1/2 c. miracle whip

1 tbsp mustard

1 tbsp sugar

salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

In a bowl combine miracle whip, mustard, sugar, salt and pepper. Add potatoes and eggs and stir gently to combine. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour prior to serving.

Print Recipe 

This recipe was shared at:
Recipe Round Up at Gooseberry Patch
Full Plate Thursday at Miz Helen's Country Cottage
Makin You Crave Monday at Mrs Happy Homemaker
Mix it up Monday at Flour me with Love
Church Supper at Everyday Mom's Meals
Scrumptious Sunday at Addicted to Recipes
Fab Friday at My Crowded Kitchen
Showcase Your Talent Thursday at What's Cooking Love?
Weekend Potluck at Sunflower Supper Club

  

Book Review: Cinder by Albert French

Description from Goodreads:

This title is set in Banes, Mississippi, 1938. The Catfish creek separates the Patch from the town, black from white. These worlds and their prejudices are hauntingly evoked in the rich accents of the American South. Cinder is a woman who belongs to neither, her beauty marking her out as different. Time passes slowly, and the inhabitants of Banes follow the same daily rhythm as they have done for years. Shorty sweeps up in Mister Macky's store, then drinks his wages at LeRoy's bar, men sit spitting outside the Rosey Gray, old people watch the world go by from their porches. But one quiet Sunday morning, when the bombs are dropped on Pearl Harbor, change comes to this small Mississippi town. Spanning four years, "Cinder" is the follow-up to Albert French's outstanding novel, "Billy". It is at once the story of a woman whose life has been torn apart by tragedy, and the portrait of a town divided. It is about loss, community, history and the ties that bind.

My Thoughts:

I am sorry to say, I just could not finish this book. The first 25 pages consisted of how and who transported Billy's body and the next 25 really had nothing to do with Cinder, just descriptions of what the people in town were doing. The book is named after Cinder, so I totally expected to hear more of her story within the first 50 pages. It was just too slow and way too descriptive about things that didn't matter. I wish it would've been as great as Billy, and it might have gotten better, but I could not make myself finish. You can find my review for Albert French's other book, Billy, here. 

I rate this book 1 out of 5 stars. 

 

Cheesy Corn and Black Bean Dip Recipe

This is another dip recipe I served at my Scentsy party. This was my favorite and it turned out so good! The recipe makes a pretty small batch, so if you have more than 10 people, you will want to double it. The flavor combo was perfect and since black beans are one of my favorite ingredients, I was so happy I stumbled across it and was able to make it! It's very easy and cheap to make as well! Enjoy! (not the best pic, but it works until I make it again)

What you need:

1 tbsp olive oil

15 oz can black beans, rinsed and drained

1/2 c. corn

1/2 c. onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp chili powder

1 small can diced green chiles

1/2 c. sour cream

1 c. shredded Mexican blend cheese

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a skillet, over medium heat, saute the onion and garlic for 3 minutes. Add green chiles, cumin and chili powder. Continue to saute for another 2-3 minutes, add black beans and saute for 3 more minutes. Coarsely mash half of the black beans, add corn and saute for another few minutes. Remove from heat. 

In a bowl combine corn and bean mixture, sour cream and 1/2 c. cheddar. Pour mixture into a 8x8 baking dish, spread out evenly, and top with remaining cheese. Bake for 15 minutes until bubbly. Serve with tortilla chips.

Print Recipe

Recipe Source: Ashley's Cooking Adventures 

This recipe was shared at:
Good Recipes Online
Recipe Round Up at Gooseberry Patch
Makin You Crave Monday at Mrs Happy Homemaker
Mix it up Monday at Flour me with Love
Church Supper at Everyday Mom's Meals
Scrumptious Sunday at Addicted to Recipes
Fab Friday at My Crowded Kitchen
Showcase Your Talent Thursday at What's Cooking Love?
Weekend Potluck at Sunflower Supper Club
Full Plate Thursday at Miz Helen's Country Cottage
Recipe Linky at Newlyweds

Book Review: Wifey by Kiki Swinson

Description from Goodreads:

Kira owns a profitable hair and nail salon. She lives in a nice home in an exclusive community with her husband Ricky, an infamous, well-known drug dealer from the rough streets of D.C. He is also known to be one of the most feared men in the South.
Because of Ricky's drug-empire, Kira finds herself in the most dangerous situation ever. Ricky forces Kira to believe that he's going to call on his reinforcements, so everything will end in his favor. However, unknown to Ricky, Kira felt the need to devise an escape plan on her own. Will she choose loyalty or her life?
In a world where everyone wants to be Wifey the question is - can you play your position and handle the drama the streets will throw your way?

My thoughts:

This is the first book in the Wifey Series. Kira is the wife of a big time hustler named Ricky. She is getting tired of his lifestyle in the streets and running around with different females. After her cousin gets locked up for running Ricky's dope, Kira decides she is fed up and makes some huge decisions that will affect her life as she now knows it.

This book catches you from the beginning and has you wanting to find out what happens next.. It is a fast and easy read and has pretty decent editing. I am excited to read the next book in the series and I will definitely read more by this author besides the series.

I rate this 4.5 out of 5 stars

 

 

Cinnamon Churro Muddy Buddies Recipe

Since I had a Mexican theme for my Scentsy party, I knew this recipe would be the perfect addition for a "dessert" type of dish. This recipe for Cinnamon Churro Muddy Buddies turned out so darn good!! The whole bowl was gone by the end of the party! It's also so easy to make! The cinnamon chips were kind of hard to find, it took visiting a couple stores to get them, but I would call around before you go shopping just to make sure your local stores have them. Enjoy!!

What you need:

9 c. rice chex mix

1 1/2 c. cinnamon chips

1 1/2 c. vanilla chips

1/2 c. powdered sugar

1/4 c. granulated sugar

1 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

Directions:

Pour chex cereal into a large bowl. Set aside. Combine sugars and cinnamon and set that aside as well. 

In a microwavable bowl, melt chips. Microwave for 1 minute, stir, then continue melting and stirring, 30 seconds at a time until completely melted.

Pour melted chips over the cereal, stirring gently until cereal is evenly coated. Sprinkle half of the cinnamon sugar mixture over the cereal and stir again. Line a cookie sheet with aluminum foil and evenly spread chex mix on the cookie sheet. Sprinkle with remaining cinnamon sugar mixture and let it sit until it hardens. Enjoy!!

Print Recipe

Recipe Source: Just Another Day in Paradise (slightly adapted)

This recipe was shared at:
It's Fall Y'all at Love Bakes Good Cakes
Recipe Round Up at Gooseberry Patch
Showcase Your Talent Thursday at What's Cooking Love?
Weekend Potluck at Sunflower Supper Club
Full Plate Thursday at Miz Helen's Country Cottage
Recipe Linky at Newlyweds
Tuesday Talent Show at Chef in Training
Mix it up Monday at Flour Me With Love
Recipe Party at The Sweet Spot
Creative Thursday at Michelle's Tasty Creations
Church Supper at Everyday Mom's Meals
Scrumptious Sunday Link Party at Addicted to Recipes 

Taco Dip Recipe

This last week, I had a Scentsy Party. It was a great excuse to make a whole bunch of fun Mexican themed recipes and get together with friends to eat them up! 

I just love taco dip! This recipe is so simple and you can mix up the cream cheese, sour cream and salsa mixture the night before to save some time. You could also add some cooled taco seasoned ground beef if you'd like meat in it. Black beans would be a great addition as well. So many possibilities and so yummy!

What you need:

8 oz cream cheese, softened

8 oz sour cream

2 c. homemade salsa or 16 oz jar salsa

1 tbsp cumin

1 1/2 tsp chili powder

1/2 tsp oregano

2 c. shredded lettuce

2 c. tomatoes, diced

1 c. shredded cheddar cheese

1 small can of sliced black olives

Directions:

In a large bowl, combine cream cheese, sour cream, salsa, cumin, chili powder and oregano with an electric mixer until smooth. Spread into a 9x13 glass pan. Cover with lettuce, tomatoes, cheese and black olives. Refrigerate until serving! Enjoy

 Print Recipe

This recipe was shared at:
Good Recipes Online
Recipe Round Up at Gooseberry Patch
Fab Friday at My Crowded Kitchen
Recipe Linky at Newlyweds
Tuesday Talent Show at Chef in Training
Mix it up Monday at Flour me with Love
Recipe Party at The Sweet Spot
Creative Thursday at Michelle's Tasty Creations
Church Supper at Everyday Mom's Meals
Scrumtious Sunday Link Party at Addicted to Recipes

Sweet Red Wine Party Sangria Recipe

This Sangria is a great drink for a party or BBQ! You will want to make it 24 hours ahead of time, so all the citrus can mingle with the wine. The flavor turns out amazing! I'm not much of a red wine drinker, but I really like Tisdale Sweet Red. It happened to be on sale for $1.99 a bottle this week so it was a great time to make it for my Scentsy party since it was so reasonable! This is something I will be making alot this summer!! Enjoy!!

What you need:

1 bottle of Tisdale Sweet Red Wine

1 orange

1 lemon

1 lime

2 tbsp sugar

1 small can diced pineapples with juice

lemon lime soda (I used one 2 liter for 5 bottles of wine)

Directions: 

Slice oranges, lemons and limes. Combine all ingredients except soda in a pitcher, stir and refrigerate for at least 24 hours. Add soda and serve!

Print Recipe

This recipe was shared at:

Girl's Night Out at A Lil Country Sugar

Good Recipes Online

Tuesday Talent Show at Chef in Training

Scrumptious Sunday Link Party at Addicted to Recipes

Shrimp Fried Rice Recipe

What you need:

6 oz. raw medium shrimp, cleaned with tails removed

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 onion, diced

1 1/2 tbsp. teriyaki sauce

1 1/2 tbsp. soy sauce

1- 10oz bag frozen Birds Eye Steamfresh White Rice with Mixed Veggies, cooked in package (or 2 c. of any cooked rice)

2 eggs

black pepper

olive oil

Directions:

In a large skillet, saute garlic and onion in olive oil until tender, about 5 minutes. Add shrimp and saute for another few minutes. Add rice, teriyaki sauce, soy sauce and pepper and stir, frying for about 3 more minutes. Push rice and shrimp to one side of the skillet and on the other side start scrambling both eggs. When the eggs start to solidify, stir together with rice and continue frying until eggs are completely cooked.

Print Recipe

This recipe was shared at:
Recipe Round Up at Gooseberry Patch
Tuesday Talent Show at Chef in Training
Mix it up Monday at Flour me with Love
Recipe Party at The Sweet Spot
Creative Thursday at Michelle's Tasty Creations
Fabulous Friday at My Crowded Kitchen
Weekend Potluck at The Country Cook
Full Plate Thursday at Miz Helen's Country Cottage
Recipe Linky at Newlyweds

Book Review: Jazzy's Bitch by Krystol

Description from Goodreads:

Karmen Watson meets the man of her dreams a guy, named Jazzy. Blinded by love and money she is living the good life. Noticing a change in her new found love,Jazzy starts speaking in a different language, with his fist. Will Karmen make Jazzy change his ways? Or will she stay with him til death due her part.

My thoughts:

Do you see that description above? Forget about reading it because this 15 minute book has nothing to do with most of the description. When I say 15 minutes worth of reading time, I'm not exaggerating whatsoever. I know you can't expect much for $.99 (which is what I paid, but now B&N ebook price is $5.99, which is complete rip off), but give me at least an hour's worth of reading. 

This book covers less than 1 day in Karmen's life, the day she met Jazzy. She meets him on the corner, gets in a car with him, and he buys her whatever she wants, they go out to dinner, he gives her 5 grand, and get their groove on. They already decide she's his main girl even though they just met and damn near fall in love. We get the hint he's a pimp. End of story. 

So where does Jazzy's fist come into play in this book? Did Barnes and Noble rip me off and sell me an incomplete ebook because half that description isn't even this story? What a waste of time. I will not read part 2. It took me longer to write this review than it did to read this SHORT, SHORT story. Ugh.

I rate this 1 out of 5 stars.

BTW I copied and pasted the description above from Goodreads, errors and all. I understand I am not a perfect writer, but I am not trying to sell my product like these authors are either. Please invest and get an editor.

 

Bacon and Apple Grilled Cheese Sandwich Recipe

 I just love grilled cheese. There are so many different ways to make them, and they always turn out so good! The addition of apples is my favorite way to change them up. The sweetness from the apple adds just the right touch, and goes so well with both types of cheeses. And everything is better with bacon, right?? You will love these!

What you need:

sourdough bread

thick sliced bacon

red apple, thinly sliced

sharp cheddar cheese, sliced

pepper jack cheese, sliced

butter, softened

Directions:

Cook the bacon according to package directions. Drain and crumble. Butter a piece of bread and place butter side down on a large skillet. Assemble the sandwiches starting with the pepperjack, then bacon, apples and topping with cheddar. Butter another slice of bread and top the sandwich butter side out. Cook the sandwiches over medium to medium high heat until they are browned and cheese is melted, occasionally squishing them down with the spatula during cooking! Enjoy!

Print Recipe

This recipe was shared at:
It's Fall Y'all at Love Bakes Good Cakes
Recipe Round Up at Gooseberry Patch
Manic Monday at Bobbi's Kozy Kitchen
Fabulous Friday at My Crowded Kitchen
Weekend Potluck at The Country Cook
Full Plate Thursday at Miz Helen's Country Cottage
Recipe Linky at Newlyweds
Scrumptious Sunday Link Party at Addicted to Recipes
Recipe Party at The Sweet Spot
Tuesday Talent Show at Chef in Training

Mix it up Monday at Flour me with Love