Sunshine ~ This and That

 We had the most gorgeous 60°F day Wednesday.  It was also one of my most busiest days of the week for me as well. 

Sheesh.  There were lots of dishes, more laundry, cleaning, cooking and so on.  I also started on the stairway clean up project.  It may take a month to finish, as I am fitting it in my cleaning schedule, as I have time for it.

I finished dusting and cleaning all of the kitchen blinds and windows, and the valances were washed and put out on the line.

It was so nice to open windows and let the fresh air flow for a day.  So intoxicating for the soul.  Winter can seem so long sometimes, and this day was welcomed by all.

To focus on what's in the freezer and pantry. . .

I made a batch of Einkorn pumpkin pancakes for us for breakfast, and more egg cups, as I had one more cup of cooked sage sausage to use.  I used thawed frozen pumpkin puree from last year's garden, for the pancakes.  Einkorn flour pancakes are the best.  These pumpkin ones are more of a scoop and spread type batter.  It is much thicker, but so good.

Today the rain moves in, but the temperature is still nice.  For now anyway.  

We have been enjoying some organic snack bell peppers lately.  Especially when I have a very busy day, and lunch is eaten standing up (ha ha!).  We add a slight layer of cream cheese topped with homemade everything bagel seasoning.  Some days we add a few slices of turkey pepperoni or other meat.

I have also been making us a healthy peanut butter fruit dip, to have alongside our daily fruit - apple slices, banana slices, blueberries, and grapes.  It's very good, and so easy to make.  To be honest, most days, I just mix some peanut butter in some yogurt without measuring.  It's good either way.

One of my daughter's gave me the idea for this dip, vs. using plain peanut butter on fruit.

1 cup of organic Greek plain yogurt

1/4 cup organic peanut butter, creamy*

1 Tbsp. honey

1 tsp. homemade vanilla

Mix and store in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.  Our dip does not last that long.  I pack it in little containers for my husband's lunch too.  You could leave out the honey too.  Especially if you do not have access to wildflower honey or other honey that is not from bee hives left in or around sprayed crop fields.

*We buy the organic peanut butter that requires you to stir it.  If you buy the "no stir" kind you will see that they add bad oils to it, so read your labels.

By the way, the bell pepper snack and fresh fruit with homemade peanut butter dip are both great take-a-long food ideas for gatherings.  Especially if you want to make sure you have something there for you to eat that is healthy.

Stay tuned for an update on the hallway repairs/renovation project.

Sunshine ~ This and That  © Feb 2024 by Kristina at Pioneer Woman at Heart

Mexican Lasagna ~ Taco Bar Meal Ideas

 

I happened to see this recipe in a cookbook from my Mom's old work place, and thought, "hm, I should try this."  Ha ha!  I love this cookbook, but this recipe was the most poorly written recipe I have ever tried.  The photo is putting the dish together sadly written instructions.

I didn't read the instructions when I shopped for ingredients, and what do you know?  There were ingredients in the instructions not listed at the top, and the layering of it all was not correct.  I decided to re-write the recipe, and share it.  You could make homemade corn tortillas for this.  We indulge maybe once (or twice) a year for this, as the corn tortillas spike my husband's sugar.

Here is the recipe they way I make it now:

We top ours with either onions/tomatoes or pico de gallo, shredded lettuce and sour cream.

Note:  I thaw tomatoes I froze from the garden, drain and add them vs. canned tomatoes (in case you grow a garden).  I cut the recipe in half for us.  Recipe is full recipe for a 9 x 13 in. baking dish.

Mexican Lasagna

In a large skillet brown:

2 pounds organic ground beef

1 onion, diced

Drain the grease off, and add either 4 Tbsp. of homemade taco seasoning, or add the following seasonings:

1/4 tsp. garlic powder

1 tsp. salt

1 Tbsp. chili powder

1/4 tsp. ground red pepper

1 tsp. pepper

Add 16 oz. diced tomatoes (one can with juice or home canned/frozen thawed).

For the cheese filling, mix together in a bowl:

24 oz. cottage cheese*

8 oz. Monterey Jack cheese, shredded

1 egg

12 corn tortillas

Layer in a lasagna pan (or pan the same size), 6 corn tortillas, then layer half of the meat mixture, then half of the cheese mixture.  Repeat one more time.

Heat at 350°F for 30 minutes or until heated.

Top with shredded lettuce, pico (or diced tomatoes and onions), and sour cream.  Add anything you like, for example more grated cheese, olives, etc.

*I've used half cottage cheese and half ricotta and it tasted wonderful as well.

 

We tried a new homemade queso recipe.  I have made this with other cheese and homemade taco dry mix, but we liked this version better.  We are not vegan, but the nutritional yeast, does give it a nice cheesy flavor, and it reheats nicely. It is a small batch version, which we also like. I have only tried one crock pot version once, and we did not like it.

Homemade Queso

1 cup cottage cheese, blended smooth with a food processor or blender.

Add:  4 Tbsp. Bragg's Nutritional Yeast (non-gmo)

and 1 Tbsp. Homemade Fajita Dry Mix

Blend well, and heat to enjoy with your choice of dip chip or vegetable.

We love to make Mexican corn bread for when we attend/host a taco bar night/day.  

I am still on the hunt for a good, crock pot Mexican rice recipe.

A delicious crockpot side for Mexican Lasagna, and utilizes frozen off the cob corn (if you froze any), is Slow Cooker Creamed Corn (online recipe with The Southern Lady Cooks). 

I freeze my corn off the cob corn with butter, so I thaw the corn and only add half the butter the recipe calls for.  We love it!

I found another recipe to try soon, which involves sweet potatoes and a crock pot.  It's called Tex-Mex Sweet Potatoes and Onions from the cook book, The Clean Eating Slow Cooker.

Mexican Lasagna ~ Taco Bar Ideas  © Feb 2024 by Kristina at Pioneer Woman at Heart