Eclair Cake (Icebox Cake)

I love this quick and easy no bake cake. It is SO easy and a little different but delicious! Remember to make ahead of time as it needs to set for about 6+hours. via Chef in Training

INGREDIENTS

• 2 (3.4 oz) packages Vanilla Instant Pudding mix, dry
• 3½ cups milk
• 12 oz. cool whip
• 2 (14.4) oz packages graham crackers
• - Fudge topping -
• 3 Tbsp. butter
• 3 Tbsp. milk
• 3 Tbsp. cocoa
• 1 cup powdered sugar

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Blend milk and vanilla pudding packets for about 2 minutes. Fold in Cool Whip.
2. In a 9x13 pan, Layer graham crackers to cover entire bottom of pan. You may need to break and shape the crackers to fit nicely.
3. Pour half of pudding/cool whip mixture on top and level.
4. Put another layer of graham crackers to cover entire surface. Cut and shape crackers accordingly.
5. Put the second half of pudding/cool whip mixture on top and level.
6. Put the final layer of graham crackers on top with bumpy side down. This will help the top look more smooth when you go to put the frosting on top. Once again, cut and shape crackers accordingly to avoid pits and cracks.
7. For the topping: Microwave butter and milk just enough so that they are melted together. You do not need to boil it. Add cocoa and powdered sugar and blend together. This will be a runnier frosting/glaze. Pour over top of graham crackers and smooth out nicely. (**I usually double the frosting recipe)
8. Refrigerate overnight and serve chilled.

Fish Tacos with Mango Radish Salsa

B wanted fish tacos. Over here we LOVE taco night! I wanted to try something new and this was delicious! It's smoky, tangy, crispy and fresh. Yields 16-18 tacos

Toppings:

1/2 cabbage finely sliced

Handful of cilantro chopped roughly

1 lime slices for squeezing

Mango Radish Salsa:

1 1/2 limes

1 mango

3-4 radishes

1/2 red onion

1/2 TBSP chili powder

Generous handful of cilantro

1-2 TBSP olive oil

Kosher salt/ black pepper to taste 

Roughly chop fruit/veggies and pulse in a food processor to make a chunky salsa consistency you like. Add chilli powder, cilantro, olive oil and salt/ pepper to taste. Let rest in a bowl while making sauce.

Chipotle Mayo:

3/4 cup sour cream

1/4 cup mayo

1 1/2 chipotle peppers with 1 tsp sauce

1-2 TBSP lemon or lime juice

Kosher salt/ pepper to taste 

Mix ingredients in a bowl. Set aside and make fish.

Fish:

5 tilapia fillets

Chilli powder

1/2 lime

Salt/ pepper

Thaw tilapia fillets, sprinkle with chilli powder, lime juice and salt and pepper. Place in hot piles skillet and fry on one side for 3ish minutes or until browned. Flip and season other side. Down when white and flaky. 

Based on Tyler Florence's Food Network recipe: Ultimate Fish Tacos.

Italian Wedding Soup

I love love love Ina Garten! I may not always have the high quality stuff she does but every recipe of hers I've ever attempted is divine! This is such a yummy soup. Fresh, light and different. The meatballs are a must.

For the meatballs: 
¾ pound ground chicken 
½ pound chicken or pork sausage, casings removed 
2/3 cup fresh white bread crumbs 
2 teaspoons minced garlic (2 cloves) 
3 tablespoons dried parsley 
¼-1/2 Parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving 
3 tablespoons milk 
1 extra-large egg, lightly beaten 
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper 
For the soup: 
2 tablespoons olive oil 
1 cup minced yellow onion 
1 cup ¼-inch diced carrots (3 carrots) 
¾ cup (¼-inch diced celery (2 stalks) 
10 cups chicken stock 
1 cup small pasta such as tubetini or stars

A dash of dill or whatever Italian seasonings you desire
12 ounces baby spinach, washed and trimmed 

She used 1/2 cup dry white wine which I don't have 

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. 

For the meatballs, place the ground chicken, sausage, bread crumbs, garlic, parsley, Parmesan, milk, egg, 1 teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper in a bowl and combine gently with a fork. With a teaspoon, drop 1- to 1¼-inch meatballs onto a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. (You should have about 40 meatballs. They don’t have to be perfectly round.) Bake for 30 minutes, until cooked through and lightly browned. Set aside. 

In the meantime, for the soup, heat the olive oil over medium-low heat in a large soup pot. Add the onion, carrots, and celery and sauté until softened, 5 to 6 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the chicken stock and bring to a boil. Add the pasta to the simmering broth and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, until the pasta is tender. Add the dill and then the meatballs to the soup and simmer for 1 minute. Taste for salt and pepper. Stir in the fresh spinach and cook for 1 minute, until the spinach is just wilted. Ladle into soup bowls and sprinkle each serving with extra grated Parmesan cheese. 

Homemade Granola

I'm pretty excited about this recipe! I've been wanting to make it for a while and finally did. I saw the recipe on Cooks Country and found one similar to it online. The possibilities are endless. In the fall I want to add pumpkin pie spice. My father in law loves granola so we made this for his Father's Day gift in a cute glass jar. I cooked it a little too long so I was sure to modify that in the recipe. Enjoy! Adapted from thefrugalgal.com

1/3 cup maple syrup
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
4 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup canola oil
3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
1 1/2 cup raw whole almonds, chopped
1/8 cup flax seed 

1 Tbsp wheat germ

2 cups raisins or other dried fruit (I combined craisins, raisins and dried apricots)

She adds 1/2 cup or so of flaked coconut I couldn't find that so I left it out.

Heat oven to 325° F. Grease a rimmed half-sheet baking pan.

Whisk together the maple syrup, brown sugar, vanilla, salt, and oil. Stir in oats, almonds, and other toppings.

Spread the oat mixture into the prepared baking sheet; press evenly to compact granola. Just lightly press. Don't break your wrist over it.

Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until granola is lightly browned, rotating baking sheet halfway through the baking time.

Remove from the oven and let cool thoroughly. When granola is cool, break into clusters and stir in dried fruit.

Store in an airtight container up to 1 month.

Read more at http://www.thefrugalgirl.com/2012/09/no-stir-clumpalicious-granola/#7jcPqiCI18STO7kp.99

Homemade Pudding (Egg free)

1/2 cup sugar
3 T cocoa
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/8 tsp salt
2 3/4 cup milk
2 Tbsp butter
1 tsp vanilla

Heat over medium heat until thick.

Mama Dye's Egg Rolls

My Mother-in-Law is an AMAZING cook! She is always showing me new fun recipes that are easy and delicious. She made her famous egg rolls last night via wonton style since the store was out of the bigger wrappers. They are pretty stinking good. And since I can never find her recipes I thought I'd start writing them down so I can keep them. Enjoy!

Egg Rolls:
cabbage
carrots
onion
mix with any chopped up meat (we used leftover turkey tenderloin)
slightly cook vegetables if desired

You can either hand grate all the veggies and mix or if you're really smart like my m-i-l you can just chop them in the food processor. Genius! Combine ingredients and place on egg roll wrappers. If using wontons have a little cup of water and run your finger around the perimeter and press gently to seal shut. If wrapping egg rolls wrap the egg rolls like a burrito and deep fry in about 1/2 inch ish of hot oil.

Dipping Sauce:
2 Tbsp. cornstarch
3/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup vinegar
2 Tbsp soy sauce
1/3 cup water
Mix cornstarch and water till lumps are gone. Add the rest of the ingredients and cook until thick.

Chicken Enchilada Casserole

This recipe goes with the Red enchilada sauce which is SO easy and really really good. Made this for my in-laws and got rave reviews from everyone. via gimmesomeoven.com with a few of my own modifications.

YIELD: ABOUT 8 SERVINGS

CHICKEN ENCHILADA CASSEROLE

Very easy and impressive. Seems like a lot of stuff but really you just layer it up and throw it in the oven. Serve with a salad and you're good! SO yummy! Feel free to vary ingredients based on what you have. 

INGREDIENTS:

• 3 cups red enchilada sauce (I highly recommend my homemade red enchilada sauce recipe, which can be made gluten-free*)
• 16 corn tortillas, halved
• 2 (15 ounce) cans black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 (15 ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained
• 6 scallions (green onions), thinly sliced (leave 1 sliced one to the side)
• 4 cups (about 1.5 pounds) shredded cooked chicken
• 2 cups shredded Monterrey Jack or Mexican blend cheese (separated)
• I also added about 3/4 cup of frozen mixed pepper that I sauteeed and added.
• 1 avocado, peeled, pitted and diced
• 1/2 cup loosely-packed chopped fresh cilantro
• 
  
• DIRECTIONS:

Heat oven to 375 degrees F. Prepare a 9x13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.

Pour about 3/4 cup enchilada sauce in the baking dish, and spread until the bottom of the dish is coated. Top with a layer of about 8 tortilla halves so that the entire dish is covered. Combine black beans, corn, shredded chicken, 1 1/2 cups cheese, green onions and peppers. Sprinkle half the mixture and then cover with tortillas and sauce and repeat with a second layer of tortillas, then more of the bean chicken mixture. Then conclude with a final layer of tortillas and sauce (reserving about 1/2 cup of cheese to add partway through baking). Cover the pan with aluminum foil, then bake for 20 minutes.

Remove pan and remove aluminum foil. Sprinkle the top of the enchiladas evenly with the remaining 1/2 cup of cheese, then return to the oven (uncovered) and bake for 10 minutes or until the cheese is melted. Remove pan, and sprinkle with avocado, cilantro, and remaining green onions. Serve warm.

*If you are not using my enchilada sauce and would like this recipe to be gluten-free, be sure to check the label of store-bought sauces to find one that is GF.

*To make this recipe gluten-free, be sure to check the labels of all ingredients to double-check that they are made gluten-free.