Enchilada Pasta

http://www.number-2-pencil.com/2013/12/09/one-pan-enchilada-pasta/

Fast, easy, and yummy!

Guest Blogger: Dad's Man Camp French Onion Soup

Today's post comes from up north...way up north. Like North Dakota North. It is cold up there. Like really cold, and when it is cold there is only one thing to warm you up: Man Camp French Onion Soup. Ask Dad, he knows! It is pretty easy if you have the ingredients listed below and a red dixie cup.

Ingredients:
3/4 C water
1 package beef Ramen Noodles (broken up before opening package)
1 small onion sliced into rings

Fill a red dixie cup with 3/4 cup water. Boil in microwave for three minutes. Add Ramen spice pack and onoins. Microwave for an additional minute. Add Ramen Noodles and let set for 2 minutes. Enjoy

(For a low sodium option, use only 1/2 the package of seasoning!)

So here is to a warmer winter for us all.

Happy Snow Down 2014...If anyone wants to join our ants in the pants, let us know asap!

Our Best Bites's Thai Chicken Salad

After Christmas I started looking for healthy lunch options. I found this one and gave it a shot. I thought it was really good. The first time I made it felt like a lot of work because I had to cook the chicken, cook the quinoa, and prepare all the veggies. But then I had all the ingredients ready it was easier the second time and makes a tasty lunch!

http://www.ourbestbites.com/2014/01/healthy-thai-chicken-salad-for-1/

Super Soft Play Dough

I got this recipe from a lady in my ward. I am pretty sure that it originally came from Pinterest somewhere, but I have no clue where.

This play dough is not only super soft, but it smells good too (though judging by the amount of salt we put it in, I don't think it would taste good).

So here it is, the recipe for the softest play dough on the planet!

KOOL AID PLAY DOUGH 1 cup flour 1 pkg unsweetened Kool Aid 1/4 cup salt 2 Tbl cream of tartar 1 cup water 1 Tbl vegetable oil

Mix flour, Kool Aid, salt, and cream of tartar in a small pot.  

Add water and oil.  

Stir continuously over medium heat—about 4 minutes.  

When mixture forms a ball in pot, remove and cool a few minutes.  

Knead until smooth.  

Place in plastic ziplock bag and let cool completely.

Play!

It is super fast to make. I made Emrie and I two colors this afternoon...hopefully it distracts her from destroying the house for at least a little bit!

Artisan Bread

Artisan Bread

3 cups flour

1/4 tsp instant yeast

1 1/4 tsp salt

Combine flour, yeast, and salt. Mix to distribute evenly.

1 1/2 cups cold water

1/2 tsp red wine vinegar (any vinegar will do)

Add vinegar to water, mix with flour mixture and stir until flour is incorporated; dough should be pretty stiff. Cover bowl with plastic wrap. Let dough rest for 12-18 hours at about 70 degrees. When surface is dotted with bubbles, dough is ready.

After the rest, place dough on well floured work surface (1/4 cup of flour) and knead (7-8 kneads) just to get some surface tension.

Clean your bowl, or get a new one, and spray with non-stick spray. Sprinkle bottom of the bowl with sesame seeds if desired; transfer dough, seam side down, to bowl. Cover and let rise till doubled in size, about 2 hours.

After 1 1/2 hours, prepare oven and baking dish. Place covered pot(4-8 qt) in oven and set to 435-450 degrees for 30 minutes. Pot and oven should be blazing hot!

When dough has risen and oven and pot are ready, turn dough over into the pot seam side up. Cover, bake 27 min. Uncover, and continue baking for an additional 6-10 minutes until browned. Cool on a wire rack before cutting.

Here is a little timeline so you don't have to think about it. To have bread ready by 5:30/dinner time:

8 pm: mix the dough

Noon-1 pm: knead the dough

4 pm: turn on oven and heat covered pot

4:30 pm: bake bread

5:10-15 pm: bread should be done!!

Spaghetti casserole

This was really easy and turned out pretty good

http://www.plainchicken.com/2011/11/baked-cream-cheese-spaghetti-casserole.html#more

Bisquick copycat recipe

I found this recipe tonight. It tasted a lot like bisquick. The closest I have found to the store bought stuff. Possibilities are endless...red lobster biscuits, biscuits and gravy, and tonight I put it on top of chicken pot pie instead of making a pie crust.

Ingredients:


6 cups all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons baking powder
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons table salt
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
9 tablespoons canola oil
Directions:

1. Whisk dry ingredients together. Mix well.
2. Using an electric mixer, slowly stir in canola oil.
3. Mix until all lumps are gone and mixture is a uniform texture, about 1 minute.
4. Store in an airtight container.

Here is how to bake the biscuits:

Ingredients

2 1/4

cups Original Bisquick® mix 

2/3

cup milk

Directions

• 1Heat oven to 450ºF. Stir ingredients until soft dough forms.
• 2Turn onto surface dusted with Bisquick mix. Knead 10 times. Roll dough 1/2 inch thick. Cut with 2 1/2-inch cutter. Place on ungreased cookie sheet.
• 3Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until golden brown.

Read more: <a href="http://www.food.com/recipe/original-bisquick-baking-mix-copycat-357101?oc=linkback">http://www.food.com/recipe/original-bisquick-baking-mix-copycat-357101?oc=linkback</a>