Walking Tacos

Food in a bag is fun.  Our church makes walking tacos to sell at our church "tent" in late summer at a local event in a nearby town.  They don't use tomato sauce in theirs but I like it saucy so I added it to mine.  It helps everything blend together when you stir.  If you really want to ditch the clean up, use a plastic spoon or fork instead of a metal one you have to wash. 

Walking Tacos

1 pound ground beef

2/3 cup diced green peppers

2/3 cup diced onion

8 ounce can tomato sauce plus 1 can water

2-1/2 teaspoons taco seasoning

4 dashes cayenne pepper (more if you like it spicy!)

4- 1 ounce size bags of Fritos corn chips or Doritos Nacho Cheese chips

Toppings:

shredded Mexi-blend cheese, cheddar, or Chihuahua cheese

thinly sliced lettuce

sour cream

salsa

cheater's guacamole

Cook beef, green pepper, and onions until veggies are soft and the beef is cooked through. 

Add tomato sauce to pan then fill can with water and dump that into pan also.

Simmer for 20-25 minutes or until liquid is almost gone.  It still needs to a be a little saucy.

Time to start layering. For individual bags of chips* open them on their side with a pair of scissors.   They put so much air in bags anymore you will have plenty of room for your toppings.   If you are using Doritos you will want to give your chips a smash to break them up a little.

Sprinkle in some cheese.  I like to add cheese now so when I add the meat the heat will melt it!

 Next is the meat mixture.

 Lettuce. 

 Sour cream.

 More cheese.

 Salsa and guacamole if you feel like it.

Stick a fork or spoon in it, stir and enjoy!  

If you don't want to buy the bags you can layer all your yummies into a bowl.  Just as good, just not as fun!

*(The best I could find for a single size sack was larger (4 oz) without buying several bags together so I had to cut it in 1/3 and dump out some chips to make it equal an individual size.)

Gluten Free Buttermilk Berry Muffins

These muffins are soft and fluffy.  I send them to school with my oldest daughter as a snack to replace the fruit grain bars that contained gluten. If you aren't watching gluten you should be able to sub you regular flour back in for the amount I put here. 

Gluten Free Buttermilk Berry Muffins

2 cups flour (I used Jules GF flour)

3/4 cup brown sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup frozen berries (I used blueberries and raspberries)

1/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup buttermilk

1/3 cup canola oil

2 eggs

Combine dry ingredients.

In separate bowl mix together liquid ingredients.

 Add berries to flour mixture

 and mix until coated.

Dump into liquid and mix just until dry ingredients are wet.

Scoop into greased muffin pan. (I have not tried these with papers so I don't know if they will work well or not.) I filled mine fairly full. 

Bake at 350 degrees for 20-22 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean.  Cool in pans for at least 5 minutes then finish cooling on rack.  

Eat now or freeze for another time.

Foodie Friends Friday Linky Party #78

Welcome to the Foodie Friends Friday 

HEALTHY CHOICES Party!!

Last week's recipes that received the MOST CLICKS!!  Thanks for checking out my CHEESECAKE PANCAKES!!

Hot Cocoa Mix

Hot Cocoa Mix

10 1/2 cups* instant milk (powdered)
3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
16 ounces plain dry coffee creamer
2 pounds* chocolate drink powder (like Nestle Nesquik)
1/4 cup cocoa powder

Mix together and store in airtight container. 

To use: Mix 3 Tablespoons (give or take) into a cup of hot water.  Add marshmallows on top if you like. 

Great to give as gifts.  Mix and spoon into treat bags or decorative quart jar/container. 

*Products change sizes over the years.  The chocolate drink doesn't come in 2 pound containers anymore but comes in smaller or larger sizes that work.  You can reduce or increase your other ingredients to match. 

Foodie Friends Friday Linky Party #77

Welcome to the Foodie Friends Friday 

30 MINUTE MEALS Party!!

Last week's recipes that received the MOST CLICKS!! 

Ham and Pickle Roll-Ups

These yummy bites are always a hit at the party.  You'll never make enough!

One day I decided I was tired of trying to get these to stay together after it was rolled up since nothing ever wants to stick to the pickle, then they like to come undone.  If I didn't shove the whole thing in my mouth I ended up with the whole piece of pickle in my mouth and nothing for the rest so I end up shoving it all in my mouth anyway.  So, I diced the pickle and mixed it in the cream cheese.  Problems solved!  I can take one bite and still have pickle left and it stays all rolled up in a pretty pinwheel!

Ham and Pickle Roll-Ups

8 oz pkg cream cheese, softened
sliced dill pickles, med jar
4-5 tortillas
pkg of thin Ham slices

Dice pickles and use about 2/3 of the whole jar(more or less as you like)

Mix with cream cheese

Spread cream cheese on 3/4 of tortilla (the cream cheese will smoosh as you roll it so you don't want it coming out the edge.)

Lay down 3 slices on ham.

 Add a little more cream cheese, this will act like glue and hold it all together.

 Roll tightly.

When you get to the end, smooth on a little cream cheese (that is if your cream cheese mixture didn't already squoosh out the side!)

 Wrap in plastic wrap. Put in fridge for a few hours to firm up. 

Slice into pieces about 1" or so wide.  Eat the ends, they never look nice for the plate. Stack the rest and serve!

You can also chop thicker slices of ham, the pickle and mix with the cream cheese and use it as a spread on crackers.  Just as good but with crunch!

Top 10 Recipes of 2013

While I have been blogging recipes for a while now I only got serious this year by adding a Facebook page and offering more recipes.  I've added about 100 recipes this year and thought maybe we could take a look back at some of the fan favorites and toss in a couple of our family favorites. I hope you enjoy the look back with me.  

#10

Pretty tasty BBQ sauce and how to cook the ribs so they are oh so tender!

Grilled Baby Back Ribs with Whiskey BBQ Sauce

Pin it:  http://www.pinterest.com/pin/273593746082432317/

#9
A twist on the usual dressing for Thanksgiving.

Cornbread Dressing
Pin it:  http://www.pinterest.com/pin/273593746085357345/

#8
My favorite holiday cookie

Thumbprint Cookies
Pin it:  http://www.pinterest.com/pin/273593746082432322/

#7
Light and fluffy

Lemon Cream Cheese Dessert
Pin it: http://www.pinterest.com/pin/273593746086323337/

#6
A twist on a peanut butter dessert.

Peanut Butter Snowballs
Pin it: http://www.pinterest.com/pin/273593746086461624/

but you loved them first as

Bloodshot Peanut Butter Eyeballs!
Pin it:  http://www.pinterest.com/pin/273593746086273945/

#5
It's called easy for a reason..

Easy Quiche
Pin it:  http://www.pinterest.com/pin/273593746085699433/

#4
A holiday favorite

Mexican Wedding Cakes
Pin it: http://www.pinterest.com/pin/273593746086499294/

#3

Easiest roast to make

CROCKPOT POT ROAST
Pin it: http://www.pinterest.com/pin/273593746082587985/

#2

My husband's favorite

CHICKEN FRIED STEAK
Pin it:  http://www.pinterest.com/pin/273593746082533329/

and #1!!

The cookies heard and made all over the world!

PECAN PIE THUMBPRINTS
Pn it:  http://www.pinterest.com/pin/273593746086323339/

Please join me in 2014!

I'm looking forward to more cooking and new recipes!

Foodie Friends Friday Linky Party #76

Welcome to the Foodie Friends Friday 

BEST OF 2013 Party!!

Last week's recipes that received the MOST CLICKS!!  Thanks for clicking on my DIY GINGERBREAD HOUSES and ULTIMATE CHEESEBALL!

Baked Eggnog Mini Donuts with Eggnog Glaze

Even if you don't like or drink egg nog you need to try these little goodies.  There is eggnog in the donut as well as the glaze.  What a wonderful treat for your family!

Eggnog Mini Donuts with Eggnog Glaze (Makes 18)

Donuts:

2-1/2 Tablespoons canola oil

1/4 cup sugar

1 egg

scant 2/3 cup eggnog

1 cup flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

couple dashes salt

ground nutmeg*

Glaze:

1 cup powdered sugar

2-4 Tablespoons eggnog

Sausage Cheese Balls

Sausage Cheese Balls (Makes about 25 balls)                                  Printable Recipe

3 cups flour 
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup (4 Tablespoons) cold butter
1 pound pork sausage (I used Jimmy Dean regular) 
8 ounces (2 cups) shredded cheddar cheese
1-1/2 cups buttermilk

Hot Beef and Bean Dip

Hot Beef and Bean Dip

2 pounds hamburger
1 small onion, chopped
16 ounce jar salsa
1-1/2 teaspoons taco seasoning
2 cups shredded cheddar or 12 ounces Velveeta
1 can refried beans

Cook hamburger and onion. Drain. 

Add salsa, taco seasoning*, cheese, and beans.  If you are using shredded cheese you can dump it into the crock now.  If not melt the Velveeta and then put it the crock. 

This can be made the day ahead and then heated back up in the crock pot.  Serve with tortilla chips. 

*The refried beans and salsa already have seasoning so you may want more or less of thee taco seasoning.