Jello Poke Cake

This is a super fun, tasty, and EASY dessert.  And you can use ANY flavor of Jello you'd like.  I favor a raspberry or strawberry--and its especially good when mixed with a lemon cake mix!

Jello Poke Cake
1 box of white cake mix (or lemon!)
Oil, eggs & water for making the cake
1 small box of Jello, any flavor
1 cup boiling water
1/2 cup cold water
Cool whip for topping

Bake the cake according to package directions in a 9x13 pan.  Let it cool completely--about one hour.

Pierce the cake all over--the more the better!--with a fork. You want LOTS of holes!

In a small bowl, combine the jello and boiling water. Stir until smooth.  Add the cold water and mix well. Pour the jello mixture evenly over the top of the cake slowly--letting it sink into the cake. Run a knife around the edge of the pan to loosen it, and then put the cake into the refrigerator. Chill at least two hours.  Frost it with whipped cream and serve! Be sure to refrigerate any leftovers. 

Microwave Cinnamon Biscuits

2 cans refrigerator biscuits
melted butter
cinnamon sugar

Dip each biscuit in butter and then coat with cinnamon sugar. Place in a circle in a microwave safe dish. Cook on Cook Level 7 for 7-9 minutes or until the tops spring back when lightly pressed with finger. Turn the dish a quarter of a turn halfway through cooking time. Stand for two minutes then invert onto a plate.

Mm Potatoes and Ham

This was super yummy AND easy!

Ingredients:
3 lbs of potatoes (I used 6 smallish potatoes)
1 c. onion
1 c. shredded cheddar cheese
1 c. cooked ham
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 cup of water
Salt, pepper, garlic to taste

Slice the washed, peeled potatoes into thin slices and put them in the slow cooker. In a bowl, mix the cheese, onion and ham together. Then add it to the potatoes and mix it all around! In that same bowl, mix the mushroom soup, water, and salt/pepper/garlic. Evenly pour the soup-water over the potatoes. Cook in the slow cooker for 4 hours!

Serve with some lovely salad and french bread and you will have a delightful day!

Crockpot Split Pea Soup

I have no explanation for my love of this soup.  Split pea soup LOOKS horrible.  But the taste is somehow ridiculously addicting and I can't seem to get enough. And this is super easy to make.  I encourage you to try it before soup season leaves us completely!


Slow Cooker Split Pea Soup
(Adapted from Allrecipes.com)
16 oz. dried split peas
2 c. diced fully cooked ham
1 c. diced carrots
1 medium onion diced
1 1/2 c. diced peeled potatoes
A hearty sprinkling of garlic powder
1/2 tsp. salt (I use a bit more)
1/4 tsp. pepper 
5 1/2 - 6 cups boiling water
3 tsp. chicken broth granules

Layer the first 8 ingredients in your slow cooker.  Pour the boiling water over the top and sprinkle in your chicken broth flavoring.  DO NOT STIR.  Set the slow cooker on high for 4 1/2 -5 hours (I think you could also do 8 hours on low). After the veggies are all soft  & the peas turned to a green goop, stir it all up!

Serve with a bread of your choice.  And a big glass of milk.

Enchilada Casserole

On Sunday all the sibs were tasked with bringing enchiladas to the monthly FHE at Mom&Dad's.  I dislike the slow rolling of individual enchiladas so I brought an enchilada casserole that proved to be quite a hit. And so...I share it here.

Beef (?) Enchilada Casserole
(Found at this link)

1 pound ground beef (or turkey)
1 can (10 ounce size) enchilada sauce
1 cup salsa
6 flour tortillas (10-inch size)
2 cups fresh or canned whole kernel corn 
4 cups shredded cheddar cheese (we eyeballed this for sure)

Brown the ground beef/turkey; drain. Stir in enchilada sauce and salsa; set aside.

Place two tortillas, overlapping as necessary, in the bottom of greased 13x9x2 pan or baking dish. Cover with 1/3 of the meat mixture; top with 1 cup corn; sprinkle with enough cheese to lightly cover the layer. Repeat layers once, then top w/remaining tortillas, meat and cheese. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes.

Crockpot Refried Bean Soup

Tried this tonight with some trepidation. But we were totally blown out of the water by how good--and easy!--it was. I encourage everyone to give it a whirl.

Crockpot Smoky Refried Bean Soup
(Slightly adapted from A Year of Slow Cooking)
1 can of black beans
1 can of vegetarian refried beans
1 cup frozen corn
2 cups vegetable or chicken broth
1 cup diced tomatoes (if you use canned, drain them)
1 cup diced carrots
1 tsp. garlic (I used a generous helping of garlic powder)
1/4-1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 tsp. oregano
1/2 tsp. black pepper
Heaping 1/2 tsp. salt

Put your crockpot on high and dump in the refried beans to start "melting." Rinse the black beans and add them to the pot.  Mix in the rest of the ingredients and stir a bit.  Cook on high 3-4 hours or Low for 6-8 hours. (I always cook on low...)

We ate this with tortilla chips and big glasses of water because its spicy!! And delicious.

Broccoli Chicken Rice Casserole

2 chicken breasts, cooked and cubed
3 cups frozen or fresh broccoli, cooked
3 cups rice
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 cup miracle whip dressing
1/2 cup milk
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Layer broccoli, rice, chicken in a 9x13 baking dish. Mix cream soup, miracle whip and milk together and pour over top. Sprinkle cheese on top. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.