Enchaladas

enchaladas

3 cups beef, shredded
1 small onion, diced
3 tablespoons canola oil
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 cups water
4 ounces tomato paste
1⁄2 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1⁄8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon salt
1⁄4 teaspoon sugar
1 dozen corn tortilla
4 cups cheddar cheese, shredded
1 (4 ounce) can black olives, sliced, drained
sour cream, for topping (optional)

Directions

In a medium size mixing bowl, add shredded beef and diced onions, mix well and set aside.
In a medium size sauce pan, add the oil, flour, and chili powder. Turn to medium heat and whisk the ingredients together. Continue to whisk as the mixture begins to boil for one minute, then whisk in the water, tomato paste, cumin, garlic powder, and cayenne pepper until smooth. Allow the sauce to come up to a simmer. Once it reaches a simmering boil it will begin to thicken slightly after about 20 to 30 minutes. Add salt to taste and 1/4 teaspoon sugar, mix to combine and then add about 1/4 cup of sauce to the shredded beef mixture and stir to combine. Set aside remaining sauce for enchiladas.

Warm tortillas so they're soft for rolling.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease or spray with a nonstick cooking spray a 9x13 baking dish. Set aside. Lay (one at a time) tortilla on a flat surface, add about 2 tablespoons shredded beef mixture to the middle of the fried tortilla and top with about 1 teaspoon shredded cheese. Roll the tortilla tightly and place in the baking dish (seam side down). Repeat until all 12 tortillas are filled. (For best results, line the enchiladas into two rows of 6).Pour the enchilada sauce evenly over the top of the filled tortillas, and then add remaining shredded cheese evenly to the top of the sauce and top with the sliced olives.Cover baking dish with foil and bake in preheated oven for 35 to 40 minutes, or until bubbly and hot. Serve with sour cream, optional.
Makes: 6 servings.

Oatmeal fingers

Oatmeal fingers

Ingredients

10 heaped tbsp porridge oats or 2 packets of instant oatmeal (or a mix or oats, millet flakes or barley flakes to provide a mix of grains to your baby’s diet)

10 tbsp full fat cow’s milk (or any milk really.)

1 to 2 tsp ground cinnamon

½ mashed banana (optional)

Strawberry jam (optional)

Method

Pour the oats into a small, flat bottomed microwave proof dish and pour over the milk. Add the cinnamon and mix together. Press the oat mix down into the dish with the back of the spoon and cook in the microwave for 2 minutes on high.

Cut into fingers and serve once cool.

If you don’t want to use the microwave, these work just as well in the oven. Heat the oven to 375F and cook for 15 to 30 minutes.

Notes

Storage: Lasts 3 to 4 days in an air tight container in the fridge

Carrot Ducks

Ingredients

200 g grated carrots (around 1 1/2 packed cups)
1/2 cup water
70 g grated cheddar cheese (1/2 cup)
2 eggs
4 tbsp flour

Instructions

Pre heat oven to 180C / 350F / Gas 4

Mixed the carrot and water in a bowl, cover and microwave on high for 3 mins

Drain the carrots and then place them on a clean cloth / absorbent paper and squeeze out the liquid. (You need to get the carrots quite dry)

Place the carrots back in the bowl and mix with the remaining ingredients

Prepare a baking tray with baking paper or use a silicon baking sheet

Form star shapes of the mixture onto the sheet using a cookie cutter.

Bake for approx. 33mins (until crispy on the sides). I made 12 larger ducks.

Boozy Bourbon Bacon Baked Beans

I made these for a potluck for my hubby's work function we were going to. They were such a hit I came home and made another batch for us to eat on for the week.
I looked at an amazingly huge assortment of recipes for baked beans and then made my own in the end that had what I wanted.

Ingredients

½ Pound Thick Cut Bacon , cut into smallish pieces. Scissors helped make quick work.
1 medium Yellow Onion , finely diced
½ Green Bell Pepper , finely diced
3 giant Cloves Garlic , minced
4 15.5ish sized cans Beans , drained and rinsed. I used 3 navy beans and one black because that's what I had in my pantry. But really you could use whichever kind.  1 Cup Bourbon
1 Cup Ketchup
½ Cup Brown Sugar , packed
1/3 Cup Molasses
2 TBS Yellow Mustard
2 TBS Apple Cider Vinegar
1 TBS Worcestershire Sauce
Kosher Salt and Pepper , to taste
1/2 TSP Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
Tabasco to taste for added heat
1 Cup Hot Water or Broth

Heat a large oven safe pot over medium and add chopped bacon. Cook stirring occasionally until beginning to brown nicely. Add in the onion, bell pepper and season generously with salt and pepper. Cook until softened and bacon is browned. Add in the garlic and cook until fragrant.

Add in the remaining ingredients stirring to make sure everything is well combined. Season generously with salt and pepper. Bring everything to a simmer and cover with a tight fitting lid.

OVEN: Cover pot and transfer it to a preheat 300 degree F oven. Bake for 45 minutes, stirring once halfway through cooking. Remove the lid, stir, and continue to bake until the sauce is thickened and sticky, about an additional 45 minutes. If needed during baking, add more water to adjust consistency.

STOVE TOP: Cover pot and reduce heat to medium low. Cook, stirring at 30 minute intervals, for 1 ½ hours, or until the sauce is thickened and sticky.

Hidden veggie mac and cheese

1 cup roasted butternut squash
1 cup shredded cheddar
1/2 cup milk
4 oz cream cheese
Salt and pepper
I added a few extra slices of cheese because I added a little too much milk and needed to thicken it
Dash of garlic powder onion powder and powdered mustard
12 oz noodles

Blend milk and squash till creamy. Place all your other ingredients in saucepan and melt together until velvety smooth whike pasta cooks.  Then combine.

Sweet Potato Sausage links

1 large sweet potato baked
1 package sage sausage bulk
3 eggs
1 to 1.5 cups probably Left over filler rice, couscous, quinoa.
(I ran out of the couscous left over so I had to add some crushed ritz this time)

Mix.  Make links.  Bake on a silpat mat about 30 to 40 min depending on size of links.  Broil the top off to brown and make crispy a little.

Deviled eggs (classic)

6 hard boiled eggs
1/4 cup mayo
1 tsp yellow mustard
1 tsp distilled white vinegar
Dash sugar
Salt and pepper to taste
Paprika to garnish.