guava cake

I stole this recipe from my Hawaii-loving friend Aubrey, and I'm so glad I did. It's soooo scrumptious! Creamy and moist and cold and scrumptious. Mmm. I'd make this everyday if health weren't an issue. Ha. Try it; you'll like it. Promise.



RECIPE: Guava Cake

Yield: 18

Calories: 227

Ingredients:
1 pkg yellow cake mix
1 c guava juice/nectar
1/3 c vegetable oil
3 eggs
3-5 drops red food coloring (opt)

1 8-oz cream cheese, softened
1/3 c sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 8-oz pkg Cool Whip

2 c guava juice/nectar
1/2 c sugar
1/4 c cornstarch
3-5 drops red food coloring

Directions:
Cake: Preheat oven to 350F. Mix cake according to package directions substituting guava juice for water. Add a few drops of red food coloring to tint it a bit (opt). Pour into a 9x13 baking dish. Bake.

Cream: In a med. mixing bowl, beat cream cheese until fluffy.  Add sugar and vanilla, beat in. Slowly fold in cool whip. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Glaze: In a med saucepan, bring guava juice and sugar to a boil. Make a paste out of cornstarch and a small amount of cold water. Remove guava/sugar from heat and stir in cornstarch mixture. Add some red food coloring. Return to heat and bring back to a boil for one minute. Cool in fridge.

Assemble: Ice the cake with cream cheese mixture. Then glaze the top with guava gel. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Enjoy!

butternut squash soup

Just a slight variation from an AllRecipes.com recipe*, shared with me via our good friend Missy. Hooray for Bountiful Baskets and the yummy new recipes they encourage! 

RECIPE: Butternut Squash Soup

Ingredients:

2 butternut squashes, peel + chop

8 c water

1/2 cube butter

3 Tbsp minced onion

2 Tbsp chicken bullion

1 Tbsp garlic powder

1 tsp marjoram

1/2 tsp black pepper

1/8 tsp cayenne pepper

8 oz cream cheese (1 pkg)

1 c milk

Gruyère cheese (opt)

Directions:

Peel and chop the butternut squash. Put it in a large pot. Add water, butter and all herbs/spices. Bring to a boil and reduce heat. Boil/simmer for 20 min or until the squash is tender.

Carefully purée in a blender (it's hot) with the cream cheese. Pour back into pot and add milk. Serve warm and top with shredded Gruyère cheese. Yum!

*Original recipe here: http://m.allrecipes.com/recipe/12974/butternut-squash-soup?ast=butternut+squash+soup&asas=Mobile+Home+Page&asat=Quick+Search&ase=event10%2Cevent8

green chili chicken enchiladas

Thanks to my sister Tori for this yummy (and surprisingly easy) recipe!! I feel like a true New Mexican now. And you'd better believe I used only Hatch green chilis and sauce!! 

RECIPE: Green Chili Chicken Enchiladas

Ingredients:

1 lb chicken, grilled 

     Garlic powder

     Onion powder

     Lowry's

     S&P

8 oz cream cheese

1 can diced green chilis

10-12 corn tortillas 

1 can green enchilada sauce

1-2 c "fiesta blend" cheese (shredded)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375F. Season and grill chicken (on grill, George Foreman, etc). Shred chicken. 

Melt cream cheese with green chilis on the stovetop. Mix with shredded chicken.

Pour a teeny bit of enchilada sauce in the bottom of your pan. Roll the enchiladas, putting the chicken mix in each corn tortilla and rolling. Place rolled enchiladas in the pan. Dump remaining enchilada sauce on top, then sprinkle with shredded cheese. 

Bake, uncovered, at 350F for 20 min or until cheese is bubbled and browned. Serve warm, with a side of beans! Yum!

Note: Tori uses a 9x13 pan. I used a smaller one, not super sure of the dimensions. But look how well the tortillas fit in my pan?! Is it sad that this fact made me super happy? :)

dena's cheesy chicken dip

This recipe came from my sister Dena.  We visited them about six months ago, and she made this dip one night for dinner.  It seems to have made a big impression on Derek, as he recently requested that I call her up and get the recipe.  Months later, he had a craving. :)  Silly man.  Anyway, she says it's not her original recipe (Pinterest, maybe?) but I'm calling it that for a lack of better title.  She gave me a rough idea of the ingredients, and this is what I came up with.  It was easy and a major hit with the whole fam!  Also, you may notice there is no picture.  It was just that good.  Try it out.  It's yum.



RECIPE: Dena's Cheesy Chicken Dip

Ingredients:
3/4 of a rotisserie chicken, shredded
2 bricks cream cheese
2 cans black beans
2 cans Rotel
1 can corn (or frozen, whatev)
2 Tbs minced onion
1/4 tsp chili powder {This gives it a slight but distinguishable kick.}

Directions:
Toss all ingredients together on the stove.  Warm through, until cheese is melted and all are incorporated.  {Would also be a great crock pot dish.}  Serve with tortilla chips.  Enjoy!

creamy italian chicken

This meal doesn't look like much {crock-pot meals often don't, imo}, but it tastes fabulous! Our friends/family Jon and Ashley made this for us and therefore were matchmakers ... because we're now in love with this scrumptious delight! This meal is super delicious. I guarantee you won't be disappointed.

PS. As with all crock-pot meals, feel free to add or reduce quantities to your liking {or to your pantry's preference}. If you have tons of potatoes, throw in a few more. If you hate carrots, don't add them at all. The original recipe was actually just for chicken {no veggies added}. You could do it just chicken, shred it at the end and throw it on top of pasta. Or rice. Or roast the potatoes and carrots separately in the oven {with EVOO, S&P and at 400F for 40ish minutes}. We've done that, and it was fab. Really, your possibilities are endless! Be creative. It's divine either way.


RECIPE: Creamy Italian Chicken

Ingredients:
1 packet Italian dressing seasoning (dry)
1-2 lbs. chicken
1/2 c. chicken broth
5 potatoes, quartered
1/2 lb. baby carrots
1 cube cream cheese
1 can cream of chicken soup

Directions:
Place chicken in crock-pot. Cover with dry Italian dressing seasoning. Add chicken broth {I usually just pour it in around the edges, moisturizing the chicken-meets-crockpot area}. Cover and cook on low for 2 hrs (or on high for 1 hr).

Add potatoes and carrots. Whisk cream cheese and cream of chicken soup together well and dump/spread on top of it all. Cover again and cook on low for about 3 hours (or on high for 1-1/2 hrs) or until veggies are soft and chicken is cooked through.

And you're done! Enjoy!