Triple Berry Pie

 Hands down the best pie. The crumble on top is so delicious. My friend made this for our Friendsgiving a couple years ago and we took the extra home and froze it to enjoy it for another day, which was eaten within that day cuz it's so good!

***This makes 2 pies. I usually make the 2 and freeze one if it's just us eating them. If you want just one, just half everything. 

INGREDIENTS

{Crust}
4 C Flour
2 C Crisco
2 tsp salt
1/2 C Sugar (heaping)
12 Tbsp Water (Chilled)

{Filling}
6-7 C Fresh mixed berries (or frozen work great too, just let them thaw out some so the pie cooks evenly.)
1/2 C Sugar (heaping)
1/3 C Tapioca Starch (I used corn starch)
2 Tbsp ground cinnamon

{Topping}
2 C Butter
4 C Sugar
4 C Flour
*If the crumble feels too dry, add a little more butter, if it feels too sticky, add more sugar and flour.

INSTRUCTIONS

{Crust}

Place flour, crisco, salt, and sugar in a large mixing bowl. Mix together.
Add the water. Mix together with a pastry knife.
Roll out. (or just smash into pie pans, that's what I always do.)
Place dough in two pie dishes and let them chill in the fridge.

{Filling}

Wash berries under cold water, or get frozen ones out to thaw.
Place berries, sugar, tapioca (or corn starch) and cinnamon in a large mixing bowl.
Gently toss together with your hands. Set aside.

{Topping}

Place flour, sugar, and softened butter into a large mixing bowl. 
Mix together with a pastry knife until it starts to crumble.
*The crumble is delicious and too much isn't a bad thing! Let it mountain on top of the pie in a big heap. You'll thank me later. :)
Set aside.

{Assembling the Pie}

Remove the crust from fridge and brush 1/2 of an egg white over the crust (helps your pie crust not to get soggy).
Place the filling into the pie.
Cover with the crumble topping over the filling.

{Baking the Pie}

Place in the oven at 375 degrees for 20-30 minutes or until your crust and topping are lightly brown.
Serve and Enjoy.

Thanks for the original recipe found HERE.

Easy Egg Drop Soup

 I have tried a few different recipes for egg drop soup. This is my favorite so far. I just half it for my family because we usually just eat a small bowl of it with a bigger meal.

6 C Chicken Broth

1 Bunch Chopped Green Onions

1/4 tsp White Sugar

2 Tbsp Soy Sauce

3 Tbsp Cornstarch

1/3 C Cold Water

3 Large Eggs

2 Tbsp Cold Water

Heat the chicken broth and green onions in a large pot over medium-high heat. Mix the sugar, soy sauce, cornstarch, and 1/3 C cold water in a small bowl until smooth. Stir the mixture into the broth.. Let the soup boil for 1 minute then reduce to medium-low heat. In another small bowl beat the 3 eggs and 2 Tbsp cold water. Stir the egg mixture into the broth using a fork. Cook the broth for another 2 minutes or until the eggs are cooked.

Quinoa Burrito Bowl

 This originally had chicken in it, so you could add it if you like.

1 C Quinoa

2 C Chicken Broth

Taco Seasoning

1 Can of Black or Pinto Beans

1 Can Corn or Frozen Corn

Cilantro

2 Roma Tomatoes

1/2 C Greek Yogurt

2 Tbsp Chipotle in Adobe Sauce

1 Lime

In a pan add chicken broth (or water) and quinoa. I sprinkled in some taco seasoning as well. Cook accordingly and fluff with a fork. While cooking prepare everything else. Dice the tomatoes, chop up the cilantro, and open the can of bean and corn. Mix the greek yogurt, 2 Tbsp Chipotle in Adobe Sauce and 1/2-1 lime squeezed. 

When quinoa is done combine quinoa, corn, beans, cilantro, tomatoes, and the sauce. Eat. 

Don't forget the sauce! It is really good! Also it is a little spicy.

Curry Ramen

This is super simple and you can make any change that you really need.
The original recipe used Shiitake mushrooms and snap peas. This is what I did, but seriously just do whatever you have and it will be good.

 1 Tbsp Oil
1/2-1 C Shredded Carrots
1 Bell Pepper, diced
1/2 C Peas
1-3 Tbsp Red Curry Paste (I used 1 and it wasn't spicy at all, good for the boys)
2 tsp curry powder
1/2 Tbsp Garlic, minced
1/4 tsp powdered ginger
4-6 C Chicken Broth (I did 4, just depends on how much broth you want or if you want more noodles)
3 Packages Ramen, seasoning packet not used (If you use more broth you could add more noodles)
1 (13.5 oz) Coconut Milk (I did not have this and used soy milk)
Juice of a Lime
Salt and Pepper

Optional Toppings:
Cilantro
Lime Wedges
Sliced Jalapenos

Heat oil in large pot over medium heat. Add your vegetables (whatever you choose will work) and some salt and pepper. Cook for about 3 minutes or until slightly tender. Stir occasionally. Add the curry paste, curry powder, garlic, and ginger. Stir and cook for 1 minute. Add the broth and coconut milk. Season it will salt and pepper. (This is when you can taste it and see if you want to add more curry paste to spice it up.) Add the Ramen noddles. Cook until they are soft. Squeeze the lime in the curry. Top with cilantro, lime wedges, or jalapeno. Add extra lime juice if you like.

Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad

This one is for you Jen! This is the salad I brought to Dad's birthday.

2 C Mini Bowtie Pasta, uncooked (I used regular Bow Tie)
2 (15 oz cans) corn OR 3-4 Corn Cobs
1 Avocado
3 Green Onions
1/2 Bunch Cilantro
1 Tbsp Finely Chopped Jalapeno
6-8 Pieces Bacon, crumbled
1/2 C Cotija Cheese or Queso Fresco

Dressing
1/2 C Mayo (I used a little less than this)
3 Tbsp Fresh Lime Juice
1/8 tsp ground Cumin
1/4 tsp Paprika
1/2 tsp Chili Powder
1 tsp Sriracha or Hot Sauce
Salt and Pepper to taste

Cook the pasta according to package. Drain and rinse in cold water. Dry the pasta.

CORN: If you are using the cobs, Pull back the husks and clean the corn, then fold the husks back over the cob. Put corn in water with 1 Tbsp of salt for 10 minutes. Shake the corn cobs and then grill. Grill for 15-20 minutes turning the corn every 5 minutes.
OR canned corn. Drain the corn. In a cast iron skillet, heat a little oil on medium high heat. Pour corn in a single layer and cook for about 5 minutes stirring only once. This should brown the corn. Keep doing this until all corn is blackened.
Chop the avocado into small pieces, chop the green onion and cilantro. Finely chop the jalapeno. Cook and crumble the bacon. Crumble the cheese. In a large bowl combine the cooled, dry pasta, cooled corn, avocado, onions, cilantro, jalapeno, bacon and cheese. Wait to add the avocado, cheese, and bacon until ready to eat. Toss the salad.
In a small bowl, combine all the dressing ingredients and whisk together until combined. Toss over salad.

Onion Fritters

These taste like onion rings, but are a million times easier to make and the onion doesn't just pull out of the ring as you bite it.

3/4 C Flour
1/2 Tbsp Sugar
1 Tbsp Cornmeal
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp Salt
3/4 C Milk
2 1/2 C Chopped Onion (One large onion or 2 smaller onions)
Shortening or Oil to fry

In a bowl, mix flour, sugar, salt, cornmeal, and baking powder. Stir. Add milk and stir. Then add the onions and mix. Heat 1/2 inch of oil in a pan over medium high heat. Drop the batter into the oil with a Tablespoon or however big you want them. Let them crisp and them flip over. Flatten with the back of the spatula. Just make sure the batter is all fried before taking them out and they are nice and crispy! Enjoy!

Vanilla Ice Cream Without Eggs

1 Can Condensed Milk
1 (12 oz) Evaporated Milk
1 Pint (2 C) Half and Half
1 Pint (2 C) Heavy Cream
1 Tbsp Vanilla
1 1/2 C Sugar
Milk to fill the rest of the canister  to the fill line (Mine only said to fill 2/3 full so I just eyeballed it)
Rock Salt
Ice

Freeze your ice cream canister before using it. It makes it freeze the ice cream better. Add all the ingredients and mix with a spoon. Then follow the directions of your ice cream freezer.
I just put ice in layers with layers of rock salt. Start and it says it only takes 30 minutes, but mine took about an hour.

Chicken Cakes (Like Crab Cakes)

I promise these are really good! They had amazing reviews and comments on the original post. This is what I used and we really like them. They even tasted amazing the second day.

2 Tbsp Olive Oil (More for frying)
1/2-1 whole bell pepper, finely chopped(I used one red pepper, but you can use any color or mix them)
1/4 C Green Onion, finely chopped
2 Garlic Cloves, minced
Salt and Pepper to Taste
2 (12 oz) Cans Chicken OR 3 C Cooked Chicken Chopped
2 Eggs, Slightly Beaten
1/3 C Mayo
1 Tbsp Lemon Juice
1/2 Tbsp Parsley
1 Tbsp Stone Ground Mustard (Or Dijon)
1 1/2 tsp Creole Or Old Bay Seasoning (I used Creole)
2 C Breadcrumbs,

Sauce
1/3 C Mayo
1/4 C Chili Sauce (I used thai chili sauce)
2 tsp Lemon Juice
2 tsp green onion
1/2 tsp Creole Or Old Bay Seasoning
1/2 tsp Garlic Powder
Drops of your favorite Hot Sauce

Finely dice your green onion and peppers. Heat 2 Tbsp of olive oil and add the peppers and onion. Season with salt and pepper. Saute them until tender. Add minced garlic, cook for a minute then remove from heat. In a mixing bowl combine chicken, lemon juice, mustard, mayo, parsley, creole/old bay seasoning, and 1 C Breadcrumbs. Mix it up really good making sure there are no clumps of ingredients. Add the sauteed veggies. Mix again. Taste it and see if it needs any more seasoning. Beat the two eggs and add to the chicken mixture.
Pour 1 C of bread crumbs on a plate. Use an ice cream scoop to scoop the chicken mixture into a ball. Coat the chicken ball with breadcrumbs. Flatten the chicken ball to a thickness you want to cook. Make sure the chicken is coated with breadcrumbs on all sides. Continue until all the mixture is done. If you have time you can put the chicken patties in your fridge to chill for a little bit. Heat some olive oil in the bottom of the pan. Fry the chicken cakes for 3-4 minutes on each side. You will need to add a little oil as you flip the patties or add new patties depending on how much oil is left in the pan.
Add all the ingredients together for the sauce. Enjoy eating them!

French Bread

I have made this twice now. The outside is crunchy and the inside so soft! It makes two loaves.

1 Tbsp Yeast
1 Tbsp Sugar
2 tsp Salt
2 1/2 C Warm Water
5-6 C Flour

In a large mixing bowl (My kitchen Aid) combine yeast, sugar, salt, and warm water. Make sure the water isn't too hot. Mix and let it sit for about 15 minutes for the yeast to activate. Gradually add the flour. You want the dough to be soft, but not sticky. Form the dough into a ball and let it rise in a big bowl. Cover it with a towel. Let the dough rise until it doubles. Punch it down and let it rise again.
Grease a cookie sheet. Then cut the dough in half and form two oblong shapes. Put on the cookie sheet and cover with a towel. Let them rise for 30-40 minutes. Cut slits on the top of the loaves with a knife or scissors. (You can do an white egg wash I never do) Bake at 400 for 20-25 minutes. Make sure the bottom is slightly brown. The top will be light brown and hard. I rub butter on it when I pull it out.

Potato Soup

Dead serious, this is a great and simple soup. Dexter isn't usually happy to have soup. He came up and dipped some bread in it as I finished cooking it and immediately said, "Wow, that is good!" So definitely try it.

1 Bag of frozen diced hash browns (~30 oz)
4 C Chicken Broth
1 Can of Cream of Chicken Soup
1 8 oz package Cream Cheese
6-8 Pieces of Bacon, chopped into small pieces (or a bag of bacon bits if that's easier)
Salt and Pepper to taste
Shredded Cheddar Cheese


In a big pot on the stove, add the chicken broth, cream of chicken soup, and bacon pieces. Bring to a low boil. Add salt and pepper to taste. Then add the cream cheese in chunks and mix. Heat it until the cream cheese is completely mixed in. Top with cheddar cheese. (Green onions might be good on it too)

Avocado Chicken Salad

So yummy! We even just ate it on regular bread and it was good!

3 C Cooked Chicken, shredded or chopped into small pieces
2 Large Avocados
2/3 C Mayo
1-3 Tbsp Cholula hot sauce, or your favorite hot sauce
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp salt
2-3 tsp fresh lime juice
1 Tbsp Cilantro

Combine the chicken and avocados in a mixing bowl. Mash the avocado into the chicken. In a small bowl mix the mayo, hot sauce, salt, and lime juice. Add the dressing to the chicken mixture and stir well to coat. Serve on croissants, toast, lettuce, or crackers. Sprinkle with fresh cilantro.

Red Sauce (Enchilada Sauce for burritos)

I made smothered burritos the other day with leftover pork. I do not like red enchilada sauce from the can. I found this recipe to make my own and it was delicious! Like Mexican restaurant delicious! (Probably best to half it)

1/2  C Vegetable Shortening
3/4 C Flour
4 C Beef Broth
2 Tbsp Chili Powder
1 1/2 tsp Cumin
1/2 tsp Oregano
1 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Pepper
1/2 tsp Garlic Powder
1/4-1/2 tsp Red Pepper Flakes (I just left this out for my kids)
1/2 C Milk
16 oz Tomato Sauce
6 oz Tomato Paste (I did not have paste so I substituted tomato chunks and really liked it)
2 C Water

Melt the shortening in large pan on medium heat. Sprinkle in the flour and whisk while the flour and shortening mix together. Add the beef broth and whisk until smooth. Add the rest of the spices and mix again. Whisk in the milk. Pour in the tomato sauce, tomato paste (or diced tomatoes, drained) and water. Whisk the sauce until completely smooth. Cover the pot and let simmer for about an hour (don't know if I did it that long) Make sure to stir the sauce every 10-15 minutes so it doesn't burn the bottom.

Instant Pot Thai Peanut Noodles With Chicken

I made this in the instant pot. It was a recipe my friend gave me. You have to make the peanut sauce. It makes enough for you to make this recipe twice. So I just split it in half and use half of it and freeze the other half of the peanut sauce until we have it again.

I liked the peas in this recipe, but I do think they were kind of chewy. I would like them a bit more cooked.

Peanut Sauce
3/4 C Coconut Milk
1/2 C Peanut Butter
2 Tbsp Sesame Oil (I just used what I had, because I don't have this)
1/4 C Fresh Lime Juice
2 Tbsp Soy Sauce
1 Tbsp Rice Wine Vinegar
1 Tbsp Honey
1/4 tsp Ground Ginger


Recipe
1 1/2 lb Chicken Breast
1 C Peanut Sauce
3/4 C Chicken Broth
5 oz Stir Fry Rice Noodles (I think I have also just used Fettuccine noodles)
1 C Sugar Snap or Snow Peas

Optional Garnishes
Peanuts, Green Onions, Cilantro

Turn the instant pot on saute mode. Saute the peas until slightly cooked. Remove and set aside. (I felt like this burnt them fast, I almost would prefer if they were steamed?)

Turn off saute mode. Add chicken, peanut sauce, and broth to pot. Cook on high for 12 minutes. Do a quick release. Remove chicken from pot while leaving the sauce. Add the noodles to the sauce and ensure all of the noodles are submerged in sauce or the best you can get. Then add the peas. Set Instant Pot to Slow Cooker and cook for 10 minutes or until the noodles are soft. While this cooks, shred the chicken. When the 10 minutes is up remove the lid and stir the noodles. Add the chicken to the noodles. Cook on the slow cooker mode for 10 more minutes if noddles aren't quite done or if you want the chicken a little warmer. Or if you are fine with it, just eat it.

Yummy Spinach

We once had a bunch of spinach that needed to be used and I found this and we loved it.

1 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 (10 oz) Bag of Spinach Leaves
1 1/2 tsp Garlic Salt
1/4 C Grated Parmesan

Heat olive oil in a large skillet on medium heat. Add the spinach and cover. Let this cook for 5 minutes. Then stir in the garlic salt and cover again for 5 minutes. Take the skillet off of the burner and sprinkle the Parmesan on top.

Chicken Broccoli Casserole

The whole time I was making it, Xavier kept saying he doesn't like it. I kept telling him he has never tried it. Then for dinner he ate 3 servings. I think he liked it. :) And Brielle and Quinton just snarfed down another portion of it this morning before lunchtime. Bo came home and ate a few servings. It's safe to say it was a hit at our house.

INGREDIENTS

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (I used 2 Costco ones and it worked great. Maybe next time I'll try 3?)
Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper
1 medium head broccoli, cut into small florets
2 C cooked white rice
one 10-oz can condensed cream of chicken soup
1 C sour cream
1/2 C Mayo
1 Tbsp. Lemon juice
10 oz Cheddar cheese, grated (about 2 1/2 C)

INSTRUCTIONS

Place chicken in a large pot with water to cover. Add some salt (I added some montreal chicken seasoning too), bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a low simmer and cook the chicken until tender, about 45 minutes. Drain the chicken and shred.

Preheat over to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray or butter.

Start cooking rice.

Bring a medium pot of generously salted water to a boil. Add the broccoli florets and boil until crisp and tender - 2-3 minutes.

Spread the rice in an even layer in the bottom of the baking dish. Make a second layer with the broccoli. IN a large bowl, mix the chicken soup, the sour cream, mayo, lemon juice, shredded chicken, half the cheddar, and some salt and pepper. Pour the mixture over the broccoli and top with the remaining cheddar. Bake for 40 mins. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Enjoy!

Thanks to the original recipe you can find HERE.