Homemade Enchiladas with Red Sauce

I usually make this recipe with frozen burritos. They were so easy and the perfect go to meal when I was busy. Now that I have some more time on my hands I am able to make things better. The sauce is amazing and can be used for other types of enchiladas.

Ingredients for the burritos:
Tortillas (corn or flour)
1 can refried beans
1 can diced green chilies
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 tablespoon taco seasoning
salt to taste

Directions:
Mix the beans, chilies, cheese, taco seasoning and salt together in a bowl. Heat tortillas up so they're pliable. If using corn tortillas you will want to double them up. While the tortillas are warm, fill the tortilla with 2-3 tablespoons of the mixture, until the desired amount is on them. Roll the flour tortillas up until a burrito. If using corn tortillas, just fold them in half. Put the finished burritos in a greased 9x13 baking pan.

*You could use any sort of mixture for the inside of the burritos. These are just simple and easy. To this one, you could easily add taco meat.

 

Ingredients for the sauce:
1 packet of brown gravy mix
1 can tomato soup
1 cup salsa
2 teaspoons cumin
1 teaspoon garlic powder

Directions:
Mix gravy according to package. Once thickened up a little bit, add the soup and stir until blended. Add the salsa, cumin, and garlic powder.

Pour the sauce over the burritos and cook for 15 minutes in a 350 preheated oven. Optional: you can top with cheese before baking.

Spaghetti Alfredo

This is an idea that my mom and husband had. I don't eat much meat. When my mom makes spaghetti she would always have a side of alfredo sauce for me. They both decided to mix it one day. It turned out good to them and I gave it a shot myself tonight.
I have seen other people use the mix in their own dishes so I know my family isn't totally weird ;)

It's just a quick and simple dinner idea.

 

The reason for the different dishes is because I don't like meat and my husband is gluten free.

Ingredients:
Your favorite pasta
Alfredo Sauce
Spaghetti Sauce

For the alfredo sauce, I always use the recipe found HERE

For spaghetti sauce I keep it pretty simple. I start with a bottle of the classico brand with tomatoes, spices, and herbs. It's pretty good to start with. Then I add some oregano, basil leaves, garlic salt, and some sugar. I mix together to my liking.

Add the sauce on top of your prepared pasta. Top with parmesan cheese and red pepper flakes.

How I Made a Taggie Blanket

My friend is having a baby boy pretty soon. Since our boys will be like 9 months apart we have a lot of craft ideas together. A taggie blanket was an idea she saw somewhere. I hadn't ever heard of them, but it totally makes sense! I didn't have any idea on how to make a taggie blanket so I just kinda winged it from a picture she posted on pinterest. I didn't want to go and buy one.

I decided to create one for us, and for a couple other people too.

I made mine first, and then made one for my cousin who just had a baby girl. The second one turned out much better than the first.

I am NOT a sewer. I'm totally a beginner sewer. I am slowly teaching myself so this is totally not perfect at all.

Here are the steps that I found worked for me. 

1. Cut out equal sized squares in two different fabrics. I used minky for one side and then just a cotton for the other. You can cut them any size you like. For this one, I had enough fabric for an 18x18 blanket. Make sure to iron your cotton fabric so you can get an accurate measurement.

2. Cut out the types of ribbon you want. I did about 4-5 inches long of 4 different ribbons. You can totally use the same ribbon all around. I liked the look of different kinds though. I used ric-rac too. I cut out 16 pieces total. I made them all the same on each side.

3. Sew your ribbons onto the top side of the cotton fabric. You will want to sew them so they are facing inward. When you sew the two pieces of material together you will be sewing them inside out so that the tags will be facing outward. I didn't pin them. I found it much easier to just place and then sew and then move onto the next one. I DID NOT sew all around the fabric. You'll just want to sew these on where they are going to be. You could even hand stitch them on. I also used the zig zag stitch for everything. I like the way it looks. :)

 

4. Sew the fabric and minky pieces together. To do this, you'll want to face them top side together. All the ribbon will be on the inside. Make sure to leave a space open to be able to flip it to the right way. I leave about a 5 inch opening. Sew around the border, about 1/4 inch in. I always just follow the edge of the material with the right side of the thing that holds the material in place (beginner sewer at it's best right there). As you sew around the edges just be mindful of the placements of the ribbon.
 

 

5. Bring the fabric right side out through the opening you left. All your tags should now be sticking straight out. Fold the opening so that the two pieces of material match the sewing on the other parts. Pin in. Start from a corner and top stitch over the whole thing.

Caesar Chicken Salad Wraps

This is another recipe I got from my lunch recipe exchange group. I changed it to accommodate the tastes and needs of our family. If you're looking for a quick and easy lunch or dinner recipe, this is it. 

 

Ingredients:
Salad Mix
Caesar Dressing
Tortillas- corn or flour
Cooked chicken, I use rotisserie
Corn
Tomatoes
Olives
Croutons
Cheese

Directions:
Heat your tortillas up so it can bend and fold without tearing. Mix your salad and croutons with Caesar dressing. Any amount is good, just do it to your liking. Add the desired add ins to your warm tortilla. Roll up into a wrap.

We make it gluten free by using corn tortillas and omitting the croutons. You can add any other desired things to this to make it good.

Behavior Chart Freebie

I created this behavior chart/discipline chart to match the binder covers I created in the last post. All you need to do is print, laminate, and then put together using a hole-punch and some of those binder rings. I made the ready to learn larger since you will most likely be starting out with all kids on that one.

Some Teacher Freebies

I helped a friend create these for her class so I thought I would post them on here to anyone that wants them.

Included are some poster boards that can be displayed in a classroom. They are created as an 8x10 photo. They look great if you send them to a photo center.

 

These ones were some of the plan books and guided reading covers created. I will post more freebies as I make them.

Homemade Waffles

I have been trying to find a good waffle recipe without keeping the bisquick box on hand all the time. This recipe was perfect! The original post is HERE on injennieskitchen.com. I add frozen cut up strawberries and make extra to freeze them. When needed, I just take it out of the freezer, toast it, and top it with some hot syrup. Much better than Eggo or other frozen waffle products.

Ingredients:
1 3/4 cups flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 3/4 cups milk
2 large eggs
1/2 cup melted butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 strawberries, chopped into small pieces

 

Add the flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. Mix together until blended. In a separate bowl, mix the mild, eggs, melted butter and vanilla extract. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix together until blended. Just enough that the flour is all mixed in. Sit for five minutes to let the baking powder activate. Add the strawberries.

Make sure your waffle iron is heated up and then pour enough batter to cover 2/3 of the surface. Heat until the steam has stopped coming out.

Summer Subway Art Printable

Since the 4th of July will soon be over I thought a new printable was in order. It's a summer one.
Me and my sisters love music quotes! So I thought I would make the summer one just some quotes from some of our favorite songs. I hope you like it.

Just right click the photo and save it or print it.

The BEST brownies ever

I went to a one of those parties that us ladies host all the time (the ones that our husbands LOVE so much :) ) and there were some of the best brownies I have ever tasted there. They were frosted brownies to make it even better.

The secret: it's a Texas sheet cake recipe baked in a 9x13 inch pan

I got the recipe from my friend and made them for a 4th of July neighborhood party we are having.

Cake Ingredients:
2 cups flour
2 cups sugar
1 cup margarine
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1 cup water
1/2 buttermilk
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400. Mix flour and sugar together until blended. In a saucepan, put the margarine, cocoa, and water in and bring to a boil. Pour in the flour and sugar mixture. Add the buttermilk, soda, eggs,. and vanilla. Normally, for this cake you would pour it into a cookie sheet. However, for the brownies you will want to pour into a greased 9x13 dish. Cook on 400 for 25 minutes. Make the frosting while the cake is cooling.

Frosting Ingredients:
1/2 cup margarine
1/2 cup cocoa
5 tablespoons mil
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 1/2 cups powdered sugar

Directions:
Melt the margarine in a saucepan. When melted completely, move away from heat. Add the cocoa. Stir in the ilk and vanilla. Cool for about 5 minutes. Add the powdered sugar. I just kept folding it until it was blended. Pour over the warm cake.

Let cool completely before cutting.

Sweet BBQ Chicken in the Crockpot

I got this recipe on pinterest and it turned out to be one of our favorites.
I also love quick crockpot meals too. Original recipe found HERE

Ingredients:
4 -5 chicken breasts, fresh or frozen
18 ounces of Sweet Baby Ray's BBQ sauce
1 20 oz can of pineapple, crushed (drain most of the sauce out)- I didn't have crushed on hand for this time, so I chopped these up using my food chopper.
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper

Directions:
Put chicken breasts on the bottom of the crockpot. pour the BBQ sauce on op of the chicken. Add the pineapple, the little bit of juice, and the crushed red peppers. Cook in crockpot on high for 5 hours. If you use fresh chicken, lower the cooking time.

It turned out really good. Serve it with rice and veggies, over mashed potatoes, or in quesadillas. I usually have enough chicken to make 2-3 meals.

Served over rice:

Served as quesadillas:

Wild Mountain Dew-Swig Style

Here is another drink combination that is to die for! I like this better than the Coconut Dr. Pepper. The mango syrup is also good in Sprite. Since Sprite doesn't have caffeine and not as much sugar (even though it's still high) it would be a good alternative to the Mountain Dew.

Same thing with the coconut syrup, first start out with a simple syrup and then you add mangos.
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 cups water
2 mangos, chopped finely or blended up in a food processor or blender.


Directions:

Pour the water, sugar, and mango bites in a pan. Bring to a boil and boil for 5-7 minutes until sugar is dissolved. Once it is dissolved, remove from heat. Allow sauce to cool for 10 minutes. If desired, you can strain the mango bits and just have the syrup. However, the mango bits are soo good in the drink. They are candied up from the sugar and just add to the flavor.

 

I always store my syrup in a large mason jar and keep it in the fridge. It can last for months, but mine doesn't usually last that long.

Next, you will pour your soda in a cup and add the amount of syrup you desire. You might have to go and get some crushed ice (you know, the small circle ice) to make it taste just right ;)
After you refrigerate it, you may have to shake it before pouring to mix it all together.

4th of July Printable-FREE

Since I'm learning how to use Publisher, I decided to create a printable with 4th of July subway art. 4th of July is one of my favorite times of the year. I love the country we live in! There's not a better way to celebrate our freedom than with family and fireworks. I'm especially grateful to those that have served our country to protect every single one of us! Thank you very much!

To get the picture, just right click on the picture, save it, and print it out. Or you can send it to be printed out somewhere. I always like the UPS Store cause their color copies are usually on sale and you can get them printed on cardstock for pretty cheap.
It's created as an 8x10 photo. If you print it just as an 8.5x11, you may need to trim some of the stripes off just a tiny bit.

If you decide to send it to a photo center, the colors are usually off a little bit.

Dirty Dr. Pepper-Swig Style

I posted about the swig sugar cookies a few weeks ago. I love going here for their drive through drinks. Since I have a baby, it's hard to get him in and out of a car especially in the dead heat of St. George. I love their drive through. I like to pair my sugar cookies (recipe HERE) with one of their delicious drinks! They have all the flavored syrups you could ask for that you can add to any soda. My favorites include:
Dirty Dr. Pepper (coconut syrup added to DP)
Wild Mountain Dew (mango syrup added to MD)
Mango Sprite
and I love their Italian Cream Sodas


I don't always get out and about and sometimes I crave a drink. I love to have the ingredients on hand to make these.

First, you start with a simple syrup. I like the syrup right in the middle of thick and thin. If it is too thick it wont really blend well.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 cups water
1/3 cup cream of coconut (found in the drink mixing aisle)
1/2 teaspoon coconut extract


Directions:

Pour the water, sugar, and cream of coconut in a saucepan. Bring to a boil and boil for 5-7 minutes until sugar is dissolved. Once it is dissolved, remove from heat. Once the steam is gone you can add the coconut extract. If you put it in before, it will just cook out. Let cool and then pour into a jar.

I always store my syrup in a large mason jar and keep it in the fridge. It can last for months, but mine doesn't usually last that long.

Next, you will pour your soda in a cup and add the amount of syrup you desire. You might have to go and get some crushed ice (you know, the small circle ice) to make it taste just right ;)
After you refrigerate it, you may have to shake it before pouring to mix it all together.

 

You can use this soda for all drinks dirty. Make a dirty diet coke, dirty mountain dew, dirty coke, dirty root beer. Whatever you want. The possibilities are endless.