Jesus Take The Meal

    I've been absent. Really absent. Hoping to get back into posting with some degree of regularity, but I will make no promises. Here is the easiest dessert ever. Seriously, I needed 2 to have on hand for Super Bowl, and my 12 year old made one and the 14 year old made the other one. Feel free to make your own graham cracker crust, but I went the easy route and did not. Ingredients: 1 larger graham cracker crust 1 large tub of cool whip 4 sharing sized Snickers bars 1/2 c. peanut butter 2 tsp of half and half, heavy cream, or milk (I've used all of these before, and there isn't a difference in the end product) Directions: Microwave peanut butter and Snickers in a bowl until melty (about 1 min). Stir to mix and add milk/cream/half and half (whichever you use). Once that is combined, you mix in cool whip and put into pie crust. Freeze for about 3 hours and enjoy. Store leftovers in freezer. Easy Peasy!!!

  This one was an online find and a "new to me" recipe. Apparently, it came from TikTok. The boys really liked it, and I can say that it reheats really well. It comes together in about 20 min if you have everything going at the same time like I did. I actually got it ready around lunchtime and popped it into the fridge to bake later that evening for dinner. Ingredients: 1 T olive oil 1/2 onion, diced 1 lb ground beef 1 T minced garlic 1 tsp salt 1 tsp pepper 28 oz jar marinara (I really like Carbone's) 2 cups mozzarella 1 lb spaghetti noodles Alfredo Sauce: 8 T salted butter (I used unsalted) 2 C heavy cream 1/2 tsp garlic powder 1 T Italian seasoning 2 C grated parmesan Instructions: Preheat oven to 350. Add oil to skillet and brown grown beef and onion. Once browned, add garlic, salt, and pepper and cook for one minute longer. Drain any fat then add marinara to meat mixture. While making alfredo sauce, boil water for noodle in a separate pot and cook according to direct...

  I've been on a wee bit of a hiatus - 8 months "ish". At first, the lighting was so bad in the winter to take pictures that everything looked awful in photos. Then, life started lifeing. Right at the tail end of the school year my husband got a new job offer, and the next few months were a whirlwind of house hunting, packing, moving, settling in, getting kids situated and registered for school, and have I mentioned my husband hasn't actually moved here with us yet? Whew! But hopefully I can get back into posting, and this house has FABULOUS natural light. The other morning as school was starting I was very thankful for this "prepare ahead" breakfast favorite. They are easy, delicious, and they keep for days in the fridge. My middle has eaten them for breakfast and also packed some for lunch. Ingredients: 8 oz cream cheese, softened 1 lb hot sausage, uncooked 1 cups sharp shredded cheddar 1 1/4 c. bisquick baking mix Directions: Preheat oven to 400. Mix all ...

I disappeared for a bit. Winter lighting and taking photos of food don't mix well, and since I tend to cook dinner at dinner time instead of during good lighting it has made taking pics of food challenging. But I'll be better. I saw this on Instagram last week and thought it looked good. My boys and husband love a good bowl, and this was easy. I added it on the fly while grocery shopping last Friday, and they all agreed it needed to be made again soon. You cook the chicken in the crockpot all day and the rest of the ingredients are quickly pulled together.  Ingredients: 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts 1 jar of Siete brand green enchilada sauce, 16oz 4 oz cream cheese 1 package taco seasoning (I used Siete brand) Rice, cooked (I cooked 4 c rice in rice cooker and then added salt, juice of 2 limes, and chopped cilantro) 2 cans of charro beans (Siete brand)**Side note - I had never heard of charro beans, so if you don't have them sub pinto beans or black beans, although t...

  It is COLD in the South right now. I made this soup a few weeks ago, and the boys all loved it. It was easy, and it was really good. I bought a roll of rosemary bread from the bakery section at Kroger, and it was perfect to soak up the liquid. Ingredients 2 T EVOO 2 T salted butter 1 yellow onion, chopped 2 shallots, chopped 2 ribs celery, chopped 6 carrots, chopped 2 T thyme leaves 1 T sage leaves chopped 1 T chopped rosemary 1 bay leaf 1/3 c dry sherry 8 c low sodium chicken broth 1 lb boneless chicken breasts or thighs, I used breasts because that is what I had 1/3 c shaved parmesan 2-3 cups egg noodles, I used a protein egg noodle 1/4 c chopped parsley, I omitted because I hate fresh parsley with a passion Directions: Recipe Link ▢

  This bread is SO good. I have made it at least twice now, and it looks like a lot of ingredients, but the only thing I had to buy was the pumpkin butter because I subbed vegetable oil for the coconut oil. I'll list the ingredients, but I am sending you guys over to Tieghan at Half Baked Harvest for the instructions. Ingredients: Cinnamon Swirl 1/2 c dark brown sugar 6 T salted butter, at room temp (I used unsalted) 1 T cinnamon 1 T all purpose flour Pumpkin Bread 1/3 cup melted coconut oil (veg oil is fine) 1 c pumpkin butter 1 large egg 1 T vanilla extract 1/3 c maple syrup or honey 2/3 c milk 2 c all purpose flour 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice 1 T baking powder 1/2 tsp kosher salt Icing (optional) 2-3 T milk 1 tsp vanilla extract 1 1/2 c powdered sugar Directions Half Baked Harvest Pumpkin Butter Cinnamon Roll Bread

My favorite chicken salad from Chicken Salad Chick is the Sassy Scotty. It has ranch, chicken, and bacon. My boys love it, too. As it turns out, you can make a pretty spot on duplicate at home for a WHOLE LOT LESS that is delicious. If you like this chicken salad, or if you want to jazz up a plain chicken salad this recipe is a must. Ingredients: 1 lb chicken tenderloins 1 rib celery, finely diced 3/4 c mayo. For the love of all things good in the world, please use Duke's 3 T ranch dressing - this Litehouse ranch is really good 1/2 tsp garlic powder 1/2 tsp onion powder Salt and Pepper to taste 1/2 c real bacon pieces 1/2 c shredded cheddar Directions: Boil chicken tenders until done. Shred while warm using a mixer to get the best results. While the chicken cooks, mix all other ingredients. Once chicken cools, add in chicken and refrigerate. Enjoy!  

  Meet my oldest kid's favorite side dish. To his credit, they are delicious. These make a very large bowl, so feel free to half the recipe for a smaller family. These make an appearance every Thanksgiving, and someone asks for the recipe every year. I subbed Alouette Garlic and Herb cheese here because the store was out of Boursin and I was making them that evening. Use Boursin when you can find it - I prefer it over Alouette. Ingredients: 4 lbs. Yukon gold potatoes (I use the entire 5 lb bag) Fresh chopped chives 2 packages soft garlic herb cheese, such as Boursin 6 T Butter 1 3/4 - 2 1/4 cup whole buttermilk 1 1/2 tsp salt 1/2 tsp pepper (I use more) Directions: Preheat oven to 400. Cook peeled potatoes in salted water until fork tender. Drain and mash with potato masher. Add cheese, 4 T butter, salt, pepper, and chives until combined. Stir in buttermilk until well combined. The mixture should be slightly more liquid than you would want but not overly so.  Spoon into a ligh...

 I've been a bit MIA. I host Thanksgiving each year for my family, and I was in the trenches of planning, shopping, and cooking. And while I know that it seems that this should be a place to share - I mean, it is a cooking blog... But when I am in the middle of cooking about 5 different things at once, it is hard to stop, take pics, and organize ingredients. I will try to work in some of the holiday recipes, but for now I have an easy, quick recipe for breakfast. You only need 2 ingredients for these copycat Chick-fil-a Chicken Minis.  Ingredients: I bag of Sister Schubert's Parker House rolls 1 bag of Member's Mark Southern Style Chicken Bites Directions: Thaw rolls and cook according to directions, but be careful not to brown. I always cook the nuggets in the air fryer. These nuggets are brined in pickle juice just like the ones at CFA, so they will give you the most authentic taste. Once everything is ready, you can assemble and enjoy. And save loads!!!

  My kids have never had Hamburger Helper. To be honest, I didn't have it a bunch growing up. But occasionally, my mom would buy it, and while it wasn't my favorite I will be the first to say this dish is pretty darn good. I could sit down and scarf down a huge bowl because it tastes like straight comfort food. And it all cooks in ONE POT!!!! Ingredients: 1 lb ground beef 2 T tomato paste 1 T Dijon mustard 1 T garlic powder 1 t onion powder 1 t dried thyme 1 t salt 1/2 t black pepper 1/4-1/2 t cayenne pepper 12 oz dried macaroni noodles 4 cups beef broth 1 c half and half 2 c shredded cheddar, take the time and shred your own Directions: https://www.aspicyperspective.com/homemade-hamburger-helper-cheeseburger-macaroni/?utm_source=pinterest&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=social-pug

Growing up, I never liked mac and cheese in the crockpot. I don't know why. My nephew made this recipe a few years ago, and I have made it ever since. I double it for Thanksgiving! It's easy but SO good.  Ingredients: 16 oz macaroni noodles, prepared according to directions 1 can cheddar cheese soup 16 oz sour cream 1 lb. shredded sharp cheddar 1 lb. shredded mild cheddar 1/2 c. butter salt, to taste pepper, to taste 1 tsp. ground mustard Directions: Spray your crockpot with cooking spray. Mix all ingredients minus noodles in crockpot. After cooking and draining noodles, stir in warm noodles to all other ingredients. Stirring them in while warm will help cheeses melt and everything combine. Stir well. Cook on low for 4-6 hours. Stir well a few times while cooking to incorporate all ingredients. 

I roasted broccoli like this years ago and have never made it another way. It's fast, easy, and so good! Ingredients: Broccoli florets, trimmed of any long stems Olive oil for drizzling minced garlic salt, to taste pepper, to taste 1/2 lemon parmesan cheese or pecorino romano  Directions: Preheat oven to 425. Drizzle olive oil on broccoli florets. You don't want them drenched in oil. I usually drizzle then toss around with my hands. Add minced garlic and toss. Place spread out on a foil lined sheet pan. You don't want piles of broccoli because it will steam vs roast. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast at 425 for about 15-20 min or until broccoli begins to brown. Remove from oven and squeeze juice from 1/2 lemon over broccoli. Grate some cheese over broccoli using a fine grater like a microplane. Enjoy!

This is a special breakfast I don't make often, but when I do my boys LOVE it! It's easy, less than an hour, and ooey, gooey, goodness.  Ingredients: 3 10oz canned biscuits, cut into 1/6 pieces 1/2 c. sugar 2 tsp cinnamon 1 c brown sugar 1/2 c butter 1 tsp vanilla Directions: Preheat oven to 350. Spray a bundt pan with cooking spray. Cut biscuits into sixths or eighths and set aside. Mix sugar and cinnamon in a gallon ziplock bag. Toss biscuit pieces in and shake to coat. In a small pot, melt brown sugar, vanilla, and butter until brown sugar has dissolved and butter is melted. Pour biscuit pieces into the prepared bundt pan. Pour brown sugar/butter over biscuits evenly. Bake at 350 for about 30 min or until biscuits are cooked. If you don't have a bundt pan, you may bake in a 9x13 dish, but you will have to watch more closely since it won't take as long to bake. Let cool for a few minutes and flip onto cake plate or serving dish. Enjoy!  I usually make the night before...

 I got this recipe from Southern Living years ago. Apparently, it's how Miranda Lambert's mom makes meatloaf. I usually half the recipe and make some mashed potatoes and broccoli to go with it. If you make the whole recipe, I would suggest shaping into 2 thin loaves before baking to cook all the way through a little better. Also, I ALWAYS bake the whole time with the sauce on vs putting it on at the end. Even if I half the recipe, I still use the same amount of pepper and onion. I usually add more if I make the whole recipe. I wish meatloaf made for a prettier picture, but let's face it - it ain't pretty. *I often make it ahead to the baking stage and pop into oven when preparing the rest of dinner Ingredients: 2 lbs ground beef 1 lb pork sausage, I use Italian 2 eggs, lightly beaten 18 saltine crackers, crushed 1/2 green pepper, diced 1/2 yellow onion, diced 1 T Worcestershire 1 t yellow mustard 1/2 c. brown sugar,  divided 1/2 c. ketchup Directions: https://www.sout h...

My friend, Lauren, brought me these muffins after I had kid 3. I don't know how many I ate before sharing with the two toddlers and husband, but let's just say it was quite a few. This recipe is so easy, and I cannot count the number of times I have made it. I currently have some on my counter that are leftover from this morning's breakfast. My boys will likely have them as a snack when they get home.  Ingredients: 1 box Spice Cake mix 1 can pumpkin 1 c water 1/2 - 1 c butterscotch chips (you can leave these out, but they are really good) Directions: Preheat oven to 350. Mix all ingredients together and put into greased muffin tin. Makes 18 muffins.  *You can do another version using chocolate cake mix and chocolate chips instead of spice cake mix and butterscotch chips.

This is jokingly referred to as "my husband's favorite meal." He does, in fact, really like it. But it got its name when we were dating. I would often cook dinner after working a 12 hour shift, and this meal can be ready in less than 30 min. It was on a weekly rotation for that reason. There is nothing pretty about it, but it is yummy, easy, and fast. I kinda forgot about it because the boys didn't love it when they were little, but they will gobble it up now if I make it.  Ingredients: 1 lb ground beef 1 envelope taco seasoning 2 c shredded cheese (I use a Mexican blend most of the time) 1 can light red kidney beans, drained 1 small can chopped green chiles 1 16 oz jar picante sauce (you can use mild, medium, or hot) 8 oz cream cheese, softened Tortilla chips for scooping Directions: Preheat oven to 350. Spread cream cheese in an even layer in a 9x12 casserole dish. Brown ground beef and drain if needed. Add 1/2 package taco seasoning, green chiles, picante sauce, an...

This is a recipe that my kids love, and is perfect on nights when you don't have a ton of time to prepare dinner. The whole recipe can be done in the time it takes to get the pasta ready. Ingredients: 1 lb fettucine noodles 2 c heavy cream 1/4 cup diced sundried tomatoes (if using oil packed ones, then drain and chop) 1 T dried basil (or more) 1 lb chicken tenderloins, chopped into small pieces Cajun seasoning, to desired spice level 2 tsp garlic powder 1 1/2 c shredded parmesan cheese 2 T butter salt and pepper, to taste Directions: Boil water for pasta in one pot. While waiting on water to boil, melt butter in a large skillet on medium heat. Once butter has melted, put chicken in skillet and season with Cajun seasoning. If you prefer spice, season heavily. If you are sensitive to spice, just use enough to cover chicken on all sides. Cook until chicken is done, and then add heavy cream, basil, garlic powder, and sundried tomatoes to the skillet. The original recipe says that you c...

  My boys love any sort of bread for breakfast. I came across this one in a cookbook called Sunday Dinners at Grandma's.  The boys loved it, and although it isn't the healthiest thing on Earth it also isn't meant to be eaten in its entirety.  I was out of buttermilk, so I combined 1T white vinegar with 1 c milk Ingredients: 1/2 c shortening 1 c sugar 2 eggs 2 c all purpose flour 1 tsp baking powder 1/2 tsp baking soda 1/4 tsp salt 1 c buttermilk 3 T sugar 1 tsp cinnamon Directions: Preheat oven to 350. Blend shortening and 1 c sugar in large bowl with mixer. Beat in eggs. Set aside. In another bowl, combine flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Add to shortening mixture, a little at a time alternating with buttermilk. In another small bowl, mix cinnamon and 1 T sugar. Grease a loaf pan (I use Baker's Joy spray) and add 1/4 of batter. Top with cinnamon sugar. Continue for 4 layers total. Bake for an hour and cool on wire rack.

There is nothing like a bowl of chicken and dumplings. And that's just how I like mine. Chicken. Dumplings. Please don't try to sneak in veggies. It's called Chicken and Dumplings for a reason. I found this recipe years ago, and it just a good ole bowl of comfort food. Ingredients: Whole Chicken 2 32 oz containers of chicken stock 2 tsp salt  Pepper to taste For the dumplings:  2 cups all purpose flour 1/2 tsp baking soda 1/2 tsp salt 3 T shortening 3/4 c buttermilk Directions: Cook chicken in a large pot over medium heat with stock, salt, and pepper until falling off the bone. Usually this takes about an hour to an hour and a half depending on how high you have your heat. I usually do it slower and longer because I don't want to have to keep a close eye. Once the chicken is done, remove the chicken from pot and skim any solid pieces from the stock. Pick off chicken from bones and chop into small pieces. Set aside. To make the dumplings, combine flour, baking soda, salt...

This is not a pretty dish. There's no good way to make it pretty. So, I will just tell you it's good and stick with that. I did divide this one up before baking into a pan for the oven and a pan for the freezer.  Ingredients: 1 bag frozen shredded hashbrowns 1 bag of shredded cheese (2 c) 2 16 oz containers of sour cream 2 bags bacon pieces 1 package of Ranch seasoning Directions: Mix sour cream, Ranch, most of the cheese (save a little for top of dish), and bacon pieces. Stir in hashbrowns. Pour into casserole dish (I used an 8x8 square one, but the entire amount will fit into 9x11 dish). Top with a little shredded cheese. Bake at 350 for 1 hour.  *If freezing, prepare up to baking and cover with foil. When ready to bake, leave foil on top and bake for an hour. Remove foil and bake for another 15 min until cheese is melted and center of dish is hot.