Key Lime Pie

This pie is heavenly! That's all that needs to be said.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 6 tbsp butter, melted
• 2/3 cup lime juice
• 2 14oz cans sweetened condensed milk
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• zest from 3 limes
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375°.
2. Combine crumbs, sugar and butter in a bowl,  Press the mixture into a pie pan. (Hint: use the back of your measuring cup)  Bake for 5 minutes and cool completely.
3. Drop oven temp. to 350°.
4. Combine milk, sour cream, lime juice and zest into bowl.  Pour into cooled pie shell and bake for 10 minutes.   
5. Set pie on counter to cool for 30 minutes then move to refrigerator and chill for 3-4 hours before slicing.
6. Beat cream and sugar until stiff peaks form.  Add vanilla.  Decorate your pie and enjoy

 Click here to get the most juice out of your limes.

 

Easy Beef Enchiladas

These easy enchiladas are a week night must.  In fact, you probably have all the ingredients right now.


Ingredients:
1 lb ground beef
1 can of rotel
onion, chopped
1/2 bell pepper, chopped
19 oz can red enchilada sauce
1 1/2 cups of mexican cheese (I used a mexican blend)
10-12 small flour tortillas*
mexican seasonings**


In a skillet, start browning your meat with your favorite mexican seasonings.  I make my own blend but your can use to packets also.  Add onion, bell pepper and rotel and cook until veggies are tender and meat is nice and brown.  Add about a 1/2 cup of the enchilada sauce and 1/2 cup of shredded cheese into the meat mixture.  This helps to meld everything into a nice filling.  It should look like this...

Spread some enchilada sauce on bottom of pan.  Next, place 2 tablespoons of filling into tortilla.  Add more cheese if you want.  In fact, personalize to your liking by adding jalapenos, cheese, olives etc...  Roll up and place in pan seam side down.  Repeat until all filling is gone and top with more shredded cheese and green onions and/or cilantro.  

 

 Do you see the little fingers trying to grab an enchilada?  Someone can't wait until they're cooked! Place in 350° oven until hot and cheese is melted and golden.  Serve with spanish rice, black beans, avocado slices and a dollop of sour cream.  Eat and enjoy!

 * you can use corn tortillas instead of flour tortialls

** For the mexican seasonings, I use salt, black pepper, red pepper, cumin, chili powder and dried oregano.  I'm sorry I don't measure what I use.  Just taste as you go and adjust accordingly.

Cherry Almond Cupcakes

These yummy cupcakes are made with cake mix which is something I hardly do but I spruced up the batter and it makes them taste homemade.  No one will ever know any better.

Ingredients

Almond Cherry Cupcakes:

 1 box white cake mix

1/3 cup vegetable oil

3 eggs 

1/2 cup sour cream

3/4 cup buttermilk

2 tsp almond extract

1 cup maraschino cherries, chopped

Almond Buttercream:

1 cup butter, softened (2 sticks)

2 tsp almond extract

4 cups powdered sugar

1/4 heavy cream, use as needed*

1 jar maraschino cherries with stems

Directions for cupcakes

1. Preheat oven to 350° 
2. In a large bowl, whisk eggs, buttermilk, oil, sour cream and almond extract until smooth.
3. In a separate bowl, sift cake mix. (You don't want any lumps) Then stir cake mix into wet ingredients.
4. Fold in chopped cherries
5. Fill cupcake liners 2/3 full and bake for 20-23 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.
6. Completely cool cupcakes before frosting.

 Directions for frosting

1. Beat butter until fluffy, about 2 minutes.
2. Add almond extract and slowly add powdered sugar.
3. Add cream until you reach desired consistency.
4. Pipe frosting onto cooled cupcakes ( 1 used a 1M tip)
5. Make your cupcakes personal by adding stemmed cherries, red sprinkles, etc.

* makes 24 cupcakes
* you can use milk instead of heavy cream but it won't have the same thick consistency.
* store in refrigerator and bring to room temp before serving.

Lightened Up Potato Soup

This soup is so delicious, you won't miss all the cream, bacon and cheese.

Ingredients:

1 lb of lean ground beef

5-6 cups low sodium chicken broth

3-4 handfuls fresh baby spinach

1 lb baby red potatoes, halved or quartered

1/2 tsp dried basil

1/2 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp dried parsley

1/3 cup heavy cream

1 onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

salt, black pepper, red pepper

Directions:

1. Heat olive oil in pot and add beef.  Add salt and peppers to your liking.  Continue to brown the beef until dark brown, not gray. You want all the good bits stuck on the bottom of the pot.  That's where the flavor is.  If you have excess fat, drain it off.  I didn't because I used lean beef
2. Add onion, garlic and dried herbs to the beef and cook until onions are translucent.  About 10 minutes.
3. Stir in 5 cups of chicken brown and bring to a boil, scraping up all the yummy bits at the bottom of the pan.
4. Reduce heat and add baby potatoes.  Cook for about 20-25 minutes or until potatoes are tender.   
5. Add spinach and cook for a couple minutes.
6. Stir in heavy cream.  Continue to cook for a couple more minutes.
7. Ladle in bowl.  Top with sour cream, cheddar, green onions or whatever your little heart desires.  Eat and be merry.

Adapted from Damn Delicious