Black Bean & Corn Salsa

Need a quick, hearty salsa? Then look no further. This is fresh, delicious and beautiful. The colors, textures and taste are wonderful! Our family loves fresh summer salsas. We go through chips like water! Our kids loved the colors and familiar ingredients in this salsa. We tore this down pretty quick, I'm sure you will too. DELISH!

Black Bean & Corn Salsa

1 can Whole Kernel Corn - Drained and Rinsed

1 can Black Beans - Drained and Rinsed

1/2 c. Chopped Onion (*or 1/4 c. Dehydrated Onion)

1 handful of Cilantro - chopped

2 diced Tomatoes

1-2 T. Lime Juice 

2 T. Olive Oil

1/2 tsp. Cumin

Salt to taste - (I put in about 1 tsp. salt)

Place all ingredients in a bowl and stir until evenly combined. Serve immediately or refrigerate for later use. Serve with your favorite tortilla chips! 

(*If using dehydrated onion, be sure to let it sit for 15 minutes to let the onions absorb the extra liquid.)
(*By using dehydrated onion it helps not to have as much excess liquid in the bottom of your salsa.)

Check out our favorite

Homemade Mild Salsa!

Click HERE for the recipe

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Lemon Bundt Cake with Cream Cheese frosting

This is worth the wait. 

Bundt Cakes always take 40-50 minutes to bake and seems like ETERNITY! But when they're done, it's totally worth the wait. They're beautiful, easy to cut and especially delicious! 

We love lemon cakes with a little lemon drizzle, but this lemon cream cheese frosting, takes it over the edge scrumptious! 

I can't wait to make this again!

Lemon Bundt Cake

1 Lemon Cake mix

1 (3 oz) Instant Lemon Pudding & Pie filling

4 eggs

1 c. Sour Cream

1 tsp. Lemon Extract

1/4 c. Lemon Juice

1/2 c. Oil

Mix all ingredients together in a mixing bowl. Grease and flour your bundt pan REALLY well. Place your batter into your bundt pan. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes. 

When cake is finished, let cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Invert or flip the cake onto your serving plate.

Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting

1 (8 oz) pkg. Cream Cheese (room temperature)

2 c. Powdered Sugar

1 T. Lemon Juice

Whip all ingredients together until smooth.

Scoop the frosting from the bowl into a plastic zip bag.
Cut the tip of the plastic bag.
Squeeze the frosting to the "cut corner" and swirl the frosting onto the cake.

Here's another one of our favorite Bundt Cakes

Triple Chocolate! 

Click HERE for the recipe!

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Washi Tape Tags

Washi Tape Tags!
 Bring a little brightness to your luggage, back pack, presents, house keys and more! Fast and super cute! Gather up your washi tape and go to town! My daughter (5) and I made these in 10 minutes- NO JOKE! We had a blast! If we can make them, you can too!

1st - Cut card stock tags out.

You can use a Cricut or Silhouette, or do it the old fashioned way by just cutting out rectangles and using a hole punch.

Wrangle up all the fun Washi Tape you have. 

Simply tape the Washi Tape around both sides of the tag and cut off the excess.

When done with all the layers of Washi Tape, 

Mod Podge over the tag to secure the tape.

When the tags are dry, attach your metal rings through the tag holes. 

PRESTO!

 Darling Washi Tape Tags are all yours to add to just about anything!

Need more Crazy Craft ideas?

Click HERE

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Creamy Chicken Chili

Who loves White Bean Chicken Chili? I DO! 

I found the base of this recipe in a magazine years ago and have tweaked and tweaked it until perfection. 

(In my opinion at least)

Cold months are ahead of us. Stock up on your favorite soup recipes now, so you can be prepared later! 

Creamy Chicken Chili

1 T. Olive Oil

3/4 Onion - diced

4 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts - cubed

3 garlic cloves - minced

1 1/2 tsp. Cumin

1 tsp. Chili Powder

1 tsp. Cayenne Pepper

2 tsp. Oregano

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In a large pot, saute onions and garlic in the olive oil until onions are transparent. Add cubed chicken with all the seasonings. Cook the chicken until mostly done. 

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2 c. Water

4 c. Milk

2 cans Great Northern White Beans - drained and rinsed

2 T. Chicken Bouillon

1 pkg. (8 oz.) Cream Cheese

1 1/2 c. Cooked Rice 

(*We love left over brown rice but white rice is delicious too)

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Add water, milk, beans, bouillon, cream cheese and cooked rice. Simmer on medium/ med high heat about 20-30 minutes. Salt to taste.

* The longer you simmer the soup for, the thicker it becomes.
(The rice soaks up lots of the liquid.)

* You can transfer the soup into a crock pot to keep warm - just remember the longer it stays in the crock -the thicker it will become.
To thin the soup out - add milk and season to taste.

Need more soup ideas?

Click HERE

- This is for you Autumn! xo

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Olive Garden Salad (copy cat)

Copy Cat Olive Garden Salad is one of our favorites! It's easy and tastes DELICIOUS!
Wonderful fresh salad with the perfect Italian salad dressing! This is definitely a keeper for anyone looking for an easy salad!

Olive Garden Salad (Copy Cat)

1 head - Iceberg lettuce chopped

1 Roma Tomato - sliced

1/2 Cucumber - peeled and sliced

1 can Black Olives - drained

1 Carrot peeled and chopped

1/2 Red Onion sliced

1/4 c. Parmesan Cheese

1 c. Seasoned Croutons

about 1/2 bottle "Olive Garden Signature Italian Dressing" (dress to desired taste)

Pour the salad dressing on the salad RIGHT before you serve. It wilts the lettuce quickly.

Toss all together in a large bowl and serve! DELISH!

Need more salad ideas?

Click HERE

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Crock Pot "Baked" Sweet Potatoes

-Crock Pot "Baked" Sweet Potatoes-

The skins literally slide right off! 

Now that we've had sweet potatoes like this - we don't want them any other way!
They are FABULOUS!

Easy and care free, plus they're in a crock pot, so they don't heat up your house like crazy! SCORE!

Crock Pot "Baked" Sweet Potatoes

-Wash your sweet potatoes with water. 

(blot them dry with a paper towel - you don't want them dripping wet)

-Wrap each sweet potato in aluminum foil. (No need to poke the potatoes)

-Place the foil wrapped sweet potatoes in the crock pot and cook on HIGH for 3-4 hours or LOW for 6-8. 

(Depending on the size of the sweet potato the cooking time will vary. If you have ENORMOUS sweet potatoes your cooking time will be longer - if smaller potatoes, then less time will be needed)

-Remove from the crock pot with a hot pad. Take off the foil, peel off the skins, and enjoy! 

Topping Options

- You can add butter and brown sugar with marshmallows (we call these Texas Road House Style)

- Add butter and sour cream like a normal baked potato 

- Or eat plain! They are sweet and DELICIOUS!

Here is my tutorial on 

(Russet) Crock Pot Baked Potatoes

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Pizza Quesadilla

Fast, easy and delicious! Pizza quesadillas are one of my kids' all time favorites - I love them too! These are a fun appetizer, or quick lunch/dinner for busy days. Check it out!

Pizza Quesadillas

2 Tortillas

1/3 c. Shredded Mozzarella Cheese

6 Pepperonis

Marinara Sauce

Stove Top Directions

Over Medium/High heat - place a tortilla on a skillet. Sprinkle the cheese on the tortilla. Place the pepperonis on the cheese, then place the other tortilla on top. When cheese is melty and tortilla is beginning to crisp - turn over with a spatula and cook on the other side.

Microwave Directions

On a microwave safe plate place your tortilla. Sprinkle the cheese and place the pepperonis on the tortilla. Place the second tortilla on top. Microwave for 30 seconds or until cheese is melted.

Dip in your favorite Marinara Sauce! 

Here are a couple of our favorite Marinara Sauces

 

Need more Pizza inspired ideas?

Check these out!

Pizza Bites

Homemade Pizza

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Crock Pot Chicken Curry

Get a taste of India with this easy Crock Pot Chicken Curry. Fast to put together and truly delicious. These warm rich flavors are calling for dinner!

Crock Pot Curry Chicken

3 chicken breasts - cut into quarters

1 medium sweet potato  - peeled and diced

In a blender or food processor place: 

1 (13 oz) can Lite Coconut Milk

1 (15 oz.) can Tomato Sauce
1 can Garbanzo beans/chickpeas - drained

1 Onion - quartered

2 Garlic Cloves

1 Red Bell Pepper - cut and seeded 

(*I have used 5 small red peppers and a large green bell pepper they all work)

2 T. Curry Powder

1 T. Salt

Blend until smooth.

If you have the room in your blender or food processor, place the diced sweet potato and chicken quarters into the sauce to evenly coat. Grease your crock pot with cooking spray. Pour the whole mix (sauced chicken and sweet potatoes) into the crock pot. Cook on High for 4-5 hours.

Serve over rice and garnish with cilantro - salt to taste.

Need more Crock Pot ideas?

I've got you covered!

Click HERE

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Kitchen in a Mitten (2)

I shared my first "Kitchen in a Mitten" almost 2 years ago. I thought I'd share a different one letting you know there are endless color themes and patterns to this present! I love putting this simple gift together for weddings, graduations, house warmings, and birthdays. It's easy and SO CUTE! Here is the "red version" of my "Kitchen in a Mitten!" 

Contents:

________________

1 oven mitt

2 washcloths

2 Hand towels

1 set measuring spoons

1 set measuring cups

Utensils: Ladle, Spoon, Spatulas etc.

1 Hot Pad

________________

Place all contents into the oven mitt.

Tie a ribbon around the mitt and go! It's THAT easy!

Here is my original Kitchen in a Mitten

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