Tortilla Roll-ups

This has been a long week.  Besides being busy with work, we've been tackling last minute wedding preparations and finishing up errands as we come to a weekend I'll be out of town.  We also had the opportunity to make tortilla roll-ups for a going away party at my office.  There are two different tortilla roll-up recipes below.

Cream Cheese, Ham and Pickle Roll-ups
Ingredients:
plain cream cheese, softened
sliced ham - I buy the store brand ham thats one serving per packet for around 60 cents
tortillas
dill pickles, whole

Directions:
Spread cream cheese onto flat tortilla.  Lay two pieces of ham across the middle of the tortilla.  Lay two pickles towards one edge of tortilla and roll.  Once rolled up, slice! 

I don't normally have enough of these ingredients on hand.  So I hit the store before I start.  I go for 1 packet of cream cheese, 2 of the sliced hamd (I believe there are 10 slices per packet), 1 package of torillas and 1 large jar of pickles.  I make as many roll-ups as I can until I run out of something - usually pickles.

Cream cheese, Spinach, Ham and Bacon Roll-ups
Ingredients:
plain cream cheese, softened
bacon pieces
fresh spinach
sliced ham, 4-5 slices
Italian seasoning

Directions:
Using a food chopper (love my Ninja chop!), chop spinach, bacon pieces, and ham together into a puree.  Add Italian seasoning and a block of cream cheese and mix well.  Spread onto a flat tortilla.  Roll the tortilla and slice.

 

Cream Cheese, Ham and Pickle on the left

 Cream Cheese, Spinach, Ham and Bacon Bits on the right

Cilantro-Lime Rice

One o my favorite places for a quick and tasty meal is Chipotle.  I. Love. It.  Not only is it delicious, I can order by phone, the app on my phone, or online which makes it that much more convenient!  One of my favorite parts of my chicken burrito bowls is the cilantro-lime rice.  I could eat it all by itself!  I decided a while back that I could totally make my own for a simple side to a Mexican dish, chicken, or anything else your heart desires.

Ingredients:
1 cup uncooked Basmati Rice
Salt
1 tablespoon Lime Juice
1/2 cup Cilantro, chopped

Directions:
Prepare the rice per the package instructions.  Once cooked, add lime juice and cilantro to the rice and fluff.  Add salt to taste.

That's it!  Super easy!  Enjoy!

Italian Chicken and Vegetables

Recently, as I've been browsing Pinterest, I've come across several pins of a one pan dinner of chicken, green beans and potatoes (I'm linking to the one from Hearty-home.com).  One pan for dinner?  I'm in!

Ingredients:
Chicken Breasts, thawed
Green Beans
Cubed Potatoes
1 Stick Butter
Italian Seasoning

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Put green beans along one side of baking dish and potatoes on opposite side.  Put chicken breasts down the middle.  Evenly lay butter across chicken and veggies.  Sprinkly Italian seasoning on top.  Bake for 1 hour. 

So easy!  And delicious!

Baked Burritos

Hey, everyone!  Hope you're all having a great week! 

My friend Kristen and I frequently exchange recipe ideas to keep our dinner menus more exciting.  Today, she shared her oven taco recipe with me.  I decided to take the basic ingredients and make baked burritos instead.  Troy tells me it was a winner!

Ingredients:
1 lb. ground beef
1 can refried beans
8 ounce tomato sauce
1 package taco seasoning
1 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
8-10 tortillas

Directions:
Brown ground beef.  Drain off any fat, then add refried beans, tomato sauce and taco seasoning.  Spoon mixture onto tortilla and sprinkle with cheese.  Roll burrito and place in lightly greased baking pan.  Repeat with remaining burrito mixture and tortillas.  Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes or until heated through.

Stay tuned for a great Cilantro-Lime Rice recipe for your side!

Double Chocolate Chip Cookies

Hi, everyone!  Hope you had a great weekend!  We've kept things pretty low-key this weekend. We visited my grandparents, did some grocery shopping saw Jurassic Park in Imax 3D and made cookies with our brand new Kitchenaid Mixer.  That's right - our Kitchenaid Mixer.  I seriously have some of the best co-workers.  Ever.  They surprised with me a wonderful bridal shower last week and this wonderful gift.  I.  Love.  It. 

So as a way to thank them for their wondefulness and genoristy, I decided to make delicious Double Chocolate Chip Cookies.  I searched the Hershey's Kitchens website and found Hershey's "Perfectly Chocolate" Chocolate Chip Cookies.  No changes this time round, just ditched the nuts.
Ingredients:
2 1/4 cup all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 sticks margarine, softened
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 eggs
1/3 cup cocoa
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 package chocolate chips (11.5 oz)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Stir together flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt.  Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla in a large bowl on medium speed of mixer until creamy.  Add eggs and beat well.  Gradually add flour mixture, beating well.  Stir in chocolate chips.  Drop by teaspoons onto ungreased cookie sheets (I used a melon baller to scoop the cookies). 

Bake 8-10 minutes or until set.  Cool slightly, then transfer to a wire cooling rack.  Makes about 5 dozen cookies.

 

(Love the Wilton stackable cookie sheets!)

 

Easy Fruit Salad

Lately, I've been craving some summer time.  I love the sunshine, warm summer nights, and fresh fruit.  We're not quite into fresh fruit season, but I made a simple fruit salad to suffice until the time comes.

Ingredients:
1 bag frozen blueberries
1 bag frozen strawberries
1 bag frozen mango
1 can pineapple chunks, drained

Directions:
Mix frozen fruits in a bowl and let thaw overnight in refrigerator.  Add pineapple chunks and serve.  So delicious! 

So I'm not sure why this photo is turned.  I've uploaded it a few times with the same results. Boo. :(

Burlap Ribbon Wreath

Looking for a simply door or wall decoration?  Try something like this:

Supplies:
Straw wreath form, with plastic left on
Hot glue gun and glue sticks
Burlap ribbon
Wooden letter
Flower embellishments (found in the scrapbook area)
Ribbon

Directions:
First, glue the end of the burlap ribbon to the back of your wreath form.  Once dry, wrap the burlap ribbon around the wreath form until the wreath is covered.  I needed exactly one roll of the burlap ribbon.  Hot glue the end of the burlap ribbon to the back of the wreath form. 

Lay out your letter and embellishments until you find your favorite layout.  Once you've found the layout of your choice, hot glue the embellishments in place. 

On the back of the wreath, stick your scissors through the burlap making a small hole.  Thread small piece of ribbon and form hanging loop.  Hot glue loop to burlap for extra support.

Once completed, hang in your desired location.  I'm pleased with the results of this wreath.  I've not worked with burlap ribbon before and was slighly nervous as to how it would work with hot glue or how the black would look wrapping the wreath.  But I must say, it looks good!