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.

Red Enchilada Sauce

YIELD: ABOUT 2 cups ish

RED ENCHILADA SAUCE

I LOVED this sauce! SO easy!! Doesn't taste like a can and isn't too spicy. I went slow on the chili powder to make sure just like the note says. This recipe comes from gimmesomeoven.com. How adorable is that name?!

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 Tbsp. vegetable or canola oil
• 2 Tbsp. all-purpose or gluten-free flour (I added regular but if you have an allergy)
• 4 Tbsp. chili powder (*not cayenne! also, see note below if you do not like heat* some like heat so I might add a dash of cayenne next time.)
• 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. cumin
• 1/4 tsp. oregano
• 2 cups chicken or vegetable stock (I used the tomato bouillon)

DIRECTIONS:

Heat oil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Add flour and stir together over the heat for one minute. Stir in the remaining seasonings (chili powder through oregano). Then gradually add in the stock, whisking constantly to remove lumps. Reduce heat and simmer 10-15 minutes until thick.

Use immediately or refrigerate in an air-tight container for up to two weeks.

(*I consider this sauce pretty mild.  But if you are wary about heat/spice in your sauce, I would begin with 2 tablespoons chili powder and add more from there once the sauce has reached a simmer if you'd like.)

Heavenly Hot Fudge

My Mother-in-Law was needing a hot fudge recipe that was with cocoa powder instead of chocolate chips because of some food allergies. This one looked good and boy was it ever good! Received rave reviews from everyone. B made me put it on here ASAP so I know it's good. Enjoy! 

Heavenly Hot Fudge

• 1/2 c butter
• 1/3 c cocoa powder
• 2 c sugar
• 1 can evaporated milk
• 1 tsp vanilla

In a saucepan, melt the butter. Add the cocoa, sugar, and evaporated milk and stir to combine. Bring it to a boil and cook 4 minutes, stirring often. Remove from heat and add vanilla.

That’s it! Serve it over ice cream, cheesecake, or any dessert that needs a little extra yumminess.

via yummly.com/ fortyeighteen.com

Peanut Butter Truffle Brownies

Oh my! These are AMAZING!  I've been making them for a while now and it surprises me that I haven't blogged them before. I made them for a baby shower, to take to the hubbies office and for my family for V-day. You will want to eat the entire thing yourself. They are creamy, rich, fudgy bites of deliciousness! Run...don't walk to the kitchen! You will thank me later. Or perhaps, want to run screaming to the gym. Either way, these are my go to brownie. Recipe can be found on Betty Crocker.com, but I found this through The Girl Who ate Everything who, I might add is an absolute food genius!

Ingredients

Brownie Base:

• 1 box brownie mix
• Water, vegetable oil and eggs called for on brownie mix box

Filling:

• ½ cup butter, softened
• ¾ cup creamy peanut butter
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 2 teaspoons milk

Topping:

• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• ¼ cup butter

Instructions

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Grease bottom only of 13×9-inch pan with cooking spray or shortening. (For easier cutting, line pan with foil, then grease foil on bottom only of pan. I do this all the time when I make brownies and bars)
2. In medium bowl, stir brownie mix, water, oil and eggs until well blended. Spread in pan. Bake 28 to 30 minutes (I like to bake them one minute or two less than the recipe calls for for ultra moist and gooey brownies) or until toothpick inserted 2 inches from side of pan comes out almost clean. Cool completely, about 1 hour.
3. In medium bowl, beat filling ingredients with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Spread mixture evenly over brownie base.
4. In small microwavable bowl, microwave topping ingredients uncovered on High 30 to 60 seconds; stir until smooth. Cool 10 minutes; spread over filling. Refrigerate about 30 minutes or until set. For brownies, cut into 9 rows by 4 rows. Store covered in refrigerator. (I take it out or the fridge about 15 minutes before serving. This allows the chocolate on top to soften a little)

Read more at http://www.the-girl-who-ate-everything.com/2009/12/peanut-butter-truffle-brownies-and.html#wUhpwbjQSver3FBO.99

Chicken Broccoli & Mushroom Stir-fry

B had a dinner thing and I got to have my favorite two veggies! Broccoli and Mushrooms!!!! I had a friend make this for me when I had my baby this last summer and it was DELICOUS! She served it over savory steel cut oats which makes this different but SO incredibly awesome! You could also serve over rice if you'd like. I love the super moist texture. I found this one via Pinterest. It's from http://natashaskitchen.com.

Ingredients

• 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into ¾" pieces ( I do less more like 1 breast)
• ¼ cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup chicken broth
• ¼ cup honey
• ¼ cup soy sauce
• ½ Tbsp fresh ginger, peeled and grated (*could also do 1/4 tsp dried ginger but fresh makes this good)
• 2 medium garlic cloves, grated
• 2 tsp sesame oil
• 2 Tbsp cooking oil (I used extra light olive oil), divided
• 1¼ lb broccoli (about 6 cups broccoli florets)
• 1 small onion, sliced
• ¾ lb (12 oz) white button mushrooms, sliced (I just got what was cheap)

Instructions

1. Trim chicken breast of any excess fat and pat dry with paper towels. In a medium bowl, toss chicken breast with ¼ cup flour until evenly coated. Remove chicken to a plate (leave remaining flour in the bowl - you'll use it for the sauce)
2. To make the sauce: in the bowl with remaining flour, add 1 cup chicken stock, ¼ cup honey, ¼ cup soy sauce, ½ Tbsp grated ginger, 2 cloves grated garlic and 2 tsp sesame oil (if using) and stir until smooth. Set aside.
3. Heat a wok or large heavy-bottomed skillet on medium high heat and add 1 Tbsp olive oil. Once oil is hot, add chicken pieces and spread out evenly. Let chicken sit for a minute before stirring, then stir fry 5 minutes or until browned. Remove chicken from heat and set aside.
4. Add another 1 Tbsp of oil to the pan. Once oil is hot, add small broccoli florets, onions and sliced mushrooms to the pan and stir-fry 4 minutes, or until mushrooms are softened and broccoli is crisp-tender.
5. Stir the sauce again then pour it your hot vegetables. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Simmer 2 minutes or until sauce is thickened then toss in chicken and cook another 30 seconds or until heated through. Season to taste with salt if needed and serve over hot rice.