Navajo Tacos (EASY)

I really didn't want to go to the grocery store this past week. I scoured my cabinets, refrigerator, and freezer to see what I had on hand and how many meals I could get out of what was there. I made a list, and then racked my brain, and lo and behold, I came up with 6 dinners (which didn't even include the "rice-a-roni" packages). Whoo-Hoot!

One of those nights we had Navajo Tacos and Sopapillas (click here) for dessert. Now you COULD start by making your own dough for fry bread (click here for a recipe) OR you can do what I do... I use the frozen bread roll dough and put it in the fridge over night to thaw.


Dough for bread
cooking oil
ground beef*
taco seasonings
canned chili*
lettuce
tomatoes, diced
onions, chopped
shredded cheese
sour cream (optional)

If you are using the bread roll dough, like me, put two rolls together for each Navajo taco. Work the bread into a flattened state, about the size of a tortilla. Fry in hot oil about 5-10 seconds each side. Drain on paper towel. In skillet, brown ground beef, adding taco seasonings as you would for regular tacos. Pour chili into large microwave-safe dish and heat up, OR some people like to add it right with the ground beef in the pan. Once meat and chili are cooked build your open-faced Navajo Taco using any other type of ingredients you would use for tacos. Enjoy!

*I did not have chili on hand, so I used refried beans. Also, because I wanted to use what little ground beef I had left for spaghetti, I decided to use some canned chicken I had. I simply drained the chicken, added it to the skillet along with a packet of taco seasonings and a little water, and it was heaven. You can really do it any way you want... my kids LOVED them!

Easy Cheater's Sopapillas

So - what do you make when you have frozen bread roll dough, but want something sweet? You make Sopapillas. Seriously... You can make your own dough from scratch or they even have Sopapilla mix, but these are soooooo good, and I always buy the frozen bread rolls on sale just to make stuff like this. Also - Sopapillas are basically the same thing that Utahns call "Scones". (but in the east, Scones are more like a muffin/biscuit thing.) Anyway... Here is all you do.

Take one thawed roll-dough, and sort of knead it and stretch it out into a rectangle-type shape. Fry in hot oil 5-10 seconds, until desired doneness. (If you don't have a deep fryer, then just fry a few seconds each side).

Then you can brush with honey butter and add anything else you'd like. We have done powdered sugar (as seen here), cinnamon-sugar, and raspberry jam.
I hope you try this. And if you have kids, get them involved in "forming" their own before frying. So simple and Soooooooooooo good!

Swiss Chocolate Torte

This is super simple, I promise any of you can do it.

2 boxes Swiss Chocolate Cake mix (eggs, oil, & water, according to mix)

2 boxes instant chocolate pudding mix
4 C half & half
1 tub cool whip, thawed
Hershey's syrup
1 chocolate Hershey bar

Mix cake mix and pour into 4 round cake pans (or 2-9x13). Bake according to pkg directions. Let cool completely. Slide serrated knife across the tops of each cake to make even layers. In separate mixing bowl whisk pudding and half & half; let chill at least 5 minutes. Fill chocolate cream in between cake layer, adding chocolate cream to the top too. Top with cool whip, drizzle with syrup and pull knife through for design. Garnish with chocolate shavings. EASY!!!

*For smaller cake, just use 1 mix, 1 box cake mix, 2 C half & half. You will end up with 2 layers of cake and two layers of chocolate cream. Can also substitute German Chocolate for the Swiss Chocolate.

My Favorite Breadtwists

Today we are making My Favorite Bread Twists. It all starts with these: a bag of frozen bread roll dough - unbaked - from my local grocer. I like to buy these bags when they are on sale 2/$5. I keep them on hand usually for Sundays. I can place the dough on the pans before church to let them rise, and by the time I get home, they are ready for baking. But - today, we are going to do something else with them. We are making Bread Twists. Now, you need to have THAWED dough for this. I set my bag in the fridge the night before to let thaw, but you should read the manufacturer's instructions first.

18 frozen dinner rolls, thawed, but still cold
¼ C butter, softened
¼ C miracle whip
1/3 C grated Parmesan cheese
1 tsp garlic salt
1 tbsp parsley flakes

Roll each dough ball into 12”-14” rope, fold in half and twist together. Place onto 2 lightly greased cookie sheets. Mix remaining ingredients in small bowl. Brush mixture on top and sides of each twist. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise 45 min-1 hour, or until doubled. Bake @ 375° 12-15 minutes. Be careful not to over-bake.

German Nutella Almond Torte (EASY)

I totally needed something easy for my coworker's b-day. I knew I would be making a chocolate torte, but also wanted something a little different. I figured since he is from Germany (raised here, though) I would give him something reminiscent of his heritage. German tortes are desserts layered with nuts, fruit and cream. Ergo, I came up with this. It was so easy and tastes good too (unless you don't like nuts).

1 angel food cake

1 jar Nutella

1 C sliced almonds

1 C Whipped Topping

1 C fresh berries

Slice Angel food cake horizontally into three sections. Open Nutella, remove freshness seal, and microwave for about 20 seconds; stir with knife. Pour layer of nutella over first layer of cake; smooth with back of spoon. (work it gently to avoid picking up too many crumbs.) Add second layer of cake and repeat. Add top layer of cake, followed again by Nutella. Top with whipped topping. Cover with Almonds and garnish with fresh berries.

Cupcake Cones

18 flat-bottomed ice cream cones

1 cake mix

eggs, according to mix

oil, according to mix

water, according to mix

Marshmallow Creme

Frosting

Candies, Confections

Set cones in cupcake pans. Mix cake batter according to package directions. Fill each neck of the cone with batter. Bake according to package directions. Let cool completely. For the topping, I usually mix a half-tub of vanilla frosting with the entire jar of marshmallow creme. I have also done half-chocolate frosting mixed with marshmallow creme. The texture looks a bit more like ice cream than frosting alone. Of, if you really love marshmallow, just use that and omit the frosting all together. Decorate to resemble cones. Serve. Yummy!

Cheesy Chicken Wraps

I was thinking I still had some taco seasonings the other day for tacos. Nope. Wrong! I diced the chicken and reached for whatever grill spice and seasoned salt I had on hand and created these Cheesy Chicken Wraps for dinner. The kids gobbled them right up.

(recipe for 4)

Cooking oil or non-stick cooking spray
3-4 chicken breasts, diced
seasonings
2 C Shredded Cheese
8 Tortilla wraps
Shredded Lettuce
Diced tomatoes
Ranch dressing, if desired


Add a little olive oil or cooking oil to large skillet or grill pan. Dice chicken and brown. Add spices and seasonings to taste and continue cooking. When chicken is cooked through, add shredded cheese and stir until cheese is melted. Serve cheesy chicken in tortillas. Add lettuce, tomatoes and a little ranch if desired.

My boys opted for no veggies, thank you very much! I, however thought the veggies were yummy on them! Oh - and my middle one said these top McDonald's snack wraps any old day!