Enchilada Pasta-One Pan Wonder

Wow this is good. I found the original recipe here, and then did some tweeking. My picture doesn't look as good as the original picture, but it tastes amazing and that's what matters. My family wanted to keep eating and eating, but decided they didn't need to over-stuff themselves on this tasty dish.  

It is simple and quick which is great in my life. I partially cooked the pasta while I was browning the meat to speed up the process even a little more. 

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1/2 of a small onion, diced
• 1.25 pounds of taco seasoned ground  meat (beef, turkey, pork, your choice)
• 2 cups of low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 19oz can of red enchilada sauce
• 8oz (about 2 1/2 cups) of dried pasta (any kind works, I partially cooked this to speed up the process) 
• 1 cups of freshly shredded Colby Jack cheese
• 1/2 cup salsa
• 4 oz cream cheese
• green onions
• black olives
• Optional add ins: corn, black beans, green chili

Instructions

1. In a large skillet or sauté pan, sauté garlic and onions in olive oil over medium low heat until softened.
2. Add ground  meat and cook, breaking meat up with a wooden spoon until browned.
3. Once  meat is cooked through, add pasta, chicken broth and enchilada sauce to pan.
4. Bring to a boil, then reduced heat to low and cover.
5. Cook on low, with pan covered for about 15 minutes.
6. Then remove lid and let simmer for additional 5 minutes until pasta is tender and sauce has reduced.
7. Remove from heat and stir in cream cheese & salsa.
8. Top pasta with additional cup of cheese and melt under broiler for a minute or tow, or place lid back on pan and let heat from the pasta melt the cheese.
9. Garnish with black olives and green onions.

Words of Wisdom: Hold on!

I have been busy with work , in a blogging slump, and trying to sort out a few things in life..... so I think this is what I needed today, and maybe some of you out there need it too!

A John Deere Green Wedding

I really must blog more, I have so many pictures I have taken and ideas I want to share. I have a feeling it is going to get pretty random.  A friend of mine Kelsey was married in true country style. Here are some fun county wedding and decor items from the big day!

My mom and I were driving to this field wedding, carefully following the included directions. Passed a parked tractor, no biggie,didn't seem too out of place. "Hey, did that tractor have writing on the windows?" "Ya, maybe it did," said my mom. Put the vehicle in reverse....yep sure did. What a fun way to mark the turns to get to location.

My favorite part (the picture does absolutely NO justice) was the bale feeder entrance. 

Then it was off to the reception, same cute country decor. 

Love the brands on the cuts of wood. They also had wood slices for isle decor. 

Soybeans & Corn filled Mason jars...too cute. 

This was my gift to them. I think personalized gifts are the best.

 3-D free standing "P" with their names and date. 

You can check out Kelsey's Ag blog at Blessed to be a Farmer/Rancher

Happy Birthday, Kansas!

It's my home state's 153rd birthday today! It also happens to be one of my best friends birthdays too, so here is to hoping that today is going to be great. Its 30 degrees out with a windchill making it feel like 19. Other than that is looking to be a good one!

I wanted to share a post over at Kim's Country Line that says it so well about the history of KS and those who came before us. Check it out!  Kansas is so rich in history, I have posted in the past about KS ghost towns, ( I need to start that back up!)  and am proud of all Kansas and Kansas Agriculture has to offer!

Did you know:

1. Dodge City, KANSAS  is the windiest city in the United States.(step aside Chicago!)
2. Kansas inventors include Almon Stowger of El Dorado who invented the dial telephone in 1889; William Purvis and Charles Wilson of Goodland who invented the helicopter in 1909; and Omar Knedlik of Coffeyville who invented the first frozen carbonated drink machine in 1961.
3. Wyatt Earp, James Butler"WIld Bill" HIckok & William B. "Bat" Masterson were 3 legendary lawmen who kept peace in the rowdy KANSAS frontier towns like Abiliene, Dodge City, Ellsworth (This is for you "A"), Hays, and Wichita. 
4. Barton County  is the only Kansas County that is named for a woman; the famous volunteer Civil War nurse Clara Barton.
5. Sumner County is known as The Wheat Capital of the World.
6.  And this final one is for CP ....Silent comedian Buster Keaton, of early film success, was from Piqua, Kansas.

I could go on and on for days, but that should be a few for you to think on!

Bourbon Ham Sliders

HOLY MOLY these are so stinking yummy- developed by yours truly. I have seen other similar recipes but this is "the one"

1 can Grands Jr Butter Tasting Biscuits (10 count)
leftover ham slices ( great way to use up leftovers after the Holidays)
10 slices of sharp cheddar cheese
Whole grain mustard
Bayou Bourbon Glaze from Tastefully Simple
Miracle Whip

Preheat oven to 400.

Lightly spray a 9-inch pan with cooking spray.  Set aside.

Separate each biscuits into two layers.   Place half of the biscuits in pan, spread with mustard, top with ham  in the bottom of prepared pan. Spread about 1 Tablespoon of Bourbon sauce on top of ham. Place a slice of cheese on top of ham. Then spread a light layer of Miracle Whip on the  biscuit and then place that on top.  

Bake 12-15 minutes, until golden brown. Optional to drizzle a little Bourbon sauce on top while still hot. Serve immediately.

Tomato & White Bean Soup

I found this tasty recipe in the magazine, All You, and I made a few tweeks.  I was looking for a soup that would go well with sandwiches and this seemed like a good fit. It would be heavenly with grilled cheese.
 Sorry the picture isn't quite as fancy as it could be, trust me it is amazing!

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 onion, chopped 

1 rib celery, chopped 

2 carrots, chopped 

1 (8oz) can tomato sauce

2 15.5-oz. cans white beans, such as cannellini, drained and rinsed

3 cups low-sodium chicken broth

Salt and pepper

1/4 cup pesto, optional ( I didn't use this)

1 1/2 cups garlic croutons, optional

Preparation

1. Warm oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add onion, celery and carrots. Cook, stirring frequently, until vegetables have softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in tomato paste and beans. Pour in broth, season with salt and pepper, increase heat to high and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer, stirring often, until vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes.

2. Remove soup from heat and allow to cool slightly. Working in batches, carefully puree soup in a blender until thick but still a bit chunky. Return soup to pot and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Season with salt and pepper. If soup is too thick, thin with additional broth. Serve hot, topped with pesto and croutons, if desired.

Stay warm~Jalapeno Popper Chicken Chili

As most of you are aware the Midwest is experiencing a cold spell to say the least. Farmers and ranchers aren't slowing down or taking a day off to care for their livestock though. This is a great recipe to help you warm up. I found this on Pinterest (of course) and did a few alterations here and there. 

Ingredients
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 small onion, diced
5 jalapeno peppers diced, seeds removed (leave some seeds for extra heat) I used about 10 jarred jalapeno slices.
1 T garlic, minced
salt and fresh ground black pepper
3 cups cooked shredded chicken
2 teaspoons chile powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon oregano
pinch of crushed red pepper
1 (10 oz) can dice tomatoes with green chilies
1 + 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 (14 oz) can cannelloni or navy beans, drained ( 1 time I used black beans)
1 (14 oz) can corn, drained
8 ounces cream cheese
1 pound bacon, cooked crispy and crumbled, divided


Instructions
In a large saucepan (deep enough for soup) heat 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil over medium heat and sauté onion, jalepeno, and garlic until tender.
Season the chicken pieces with salt and pepper, then add to the saucepan adding another tablespoon of olive oil as well. Add cumin, chili powder, oregano, and crushed red pepper. Toss chicken and seasonings together and lightly brown chicken on all sides.
Stir in can of diced tomatoes, chicken broth, corn, and cannelloni beans and increase heat to bring to a simmer. Let simmer for 30 minutes.
Stir in cream cheese and stir until completely melted. Stir in 1/2 of the crumbled bacon. Remove from heat. Season with salt and pepper as needed. **Add more chicken broth if too thick.
Serve and garnish with cheddar cheese and the rest of the crumbled bacon.