I came across this recipe for Lake Travis Mud at Cookie Madness. I have found some great recipes on her site – you really need to check it out! Below is the real recipe and I will add notes because you know I never follow a recipe. Not because I am a rebel but because sometime I can’t get what I need to make the real recipe! I actually cut the recipe in half because I only had 1/2 a bag of butterscotch chips. I think it would taste as good if you used all chocolate chips.

Lake Travis Mud

• 12 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips – ‘(She used Ghirardelli 58% chocolate pieces for this but I used semi-sweet)
• 12 oz butterscotch chips
• 1 cup chunky peanut butter ( I only had creamy)
• 12-oz jar dry roasted peanuts
• 2 cups miniature marshmallows

Instructions:

In a large double boiler or in a heat-proof bowl set over simmering water, melt the chips over low heat. Stir in peanut butter until melted and mixed with the melted chips. Add peanuts. Let cool slightly and add marshmallows.
Spread mixture in a 9×13 buttered pan and refrigerate for at least two hours. Lift from pan by grasping foil, set on a cutting board and cut into desired size squares/bars. The mud should remain store in the refrigerator and will keep for a couple of months in an airtight container. Makes 60 pieces.

This is such an easy recipe! My favorite part is you just use one skillet! Easy to prepare and easy to clean up! You can change it up to fit your family’s preferences but here is the recipe I used. I think it’s pretty healthy too

One Dish Tex-Mex Pasta
1/2 – 1 lb ground beef
1 can chili diced tomatoes (I used Walmart brand)
1 zucchini, diced
2 cups uncooked pasta (I used sprial pasta)
1/2 cup Cheddar cheese
2 cups beef broth (I used 2 cups water & 2 tsp bouillon)
I also added a little extra water as it was boiling

Directions:
1. In a large skillet over medium heat, brown the ground beef. Drain the beef and set aside.
2. In the same skillet add the beef broth, tomatoes, and pasta. Make sure the pasta is covered. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to medium.
3. Cook, uncovered, for 15 minutes stirring frequently. I added the zucchini after about 5 minutes. Cook until the pasta is tender. You may need to add a little more water.
4. Return beef to the skillet and stir in 1/2 cup of the cheese; heat through. You can add more cheese to each plate if you want.
It makes about 4 servings. It maybe a recipe you want to double because the leftovers are really good!

I am kind of embarrassed to say the I have lived in Mexico for almost 7 years and I hardly know how to cook any Mexican foods! You can get a Mexican Recipe Cookbook with 27 Mexican Recipes for FREE!

I am going to have to check this out. I am not sure how authentic they may be but maybe it will put me on the right path to learning how to cook Mexican food!

Let me know what you think of this cookbook and please share any Mexican recipes with me!!

Sometimes I am looking on the internet at recipes and when I go to make the recipe it sorta changes in my head. Most times they are just ok but this dinner was really good. It was really fast and very tasty. When I cook pasta at 7500 ft it takes a really long time. I try to make out my menu so I boil enough pasta for another meal. I had the pasta cooked so this meal took less than 30 minutes. The leftovers were also very good!

Creamy Italian Pasta Skillet

• 8 oz cooked mini fusilli pasta (its the curly pasta, but use whatever you have)
• 1/2 – 1 pound of ground beef
• garlic powder to taste
• 1 can of Hunt’s 4 Cheese sauce (it’s really cheap & has a great flavor)
• 4 oz Philadelphia Cream Cheese (1/2 a bar)
• 8oz Cottage cheese
• about 1/2 cup of mozzarella cheese

Directions

• In a large skillet brown and drain ground beef. Sprinkle with garlic powder.
• Add the can of sauce. Bring it to a boil.
• Add cream cheese and stir until melted. I cut the bar in chunks so it melted faster. Bring it to a boil again.
• Add the cottage cheese. Stir together while bringing it to a boil.
• Add the cooked pasta. (Make sure you do not over cook your pasta because it will cook a little while in the sauce mixture. You can actually under cook it by a few minutes.) Once the mixture gets bubbly turn heat to medium and sprinkle with the mozzarella cheese.
• Cover and let simmer for about 10 minutes or until the mixture is hot enough. You could also pour it into a casserole dish and heat it that way, but why bother dirtying another dish!

Non-Dairy Creamer to Whipped Topping

• Add 2 portions (by volume) of non dairy creamer for 1 part of cold milk.*
• Add some sugar and vanilla to taste.
• Mix until everything is blended.
• Beat at high speed for about 5-7 minutes or until desired consistency.

(I try to put my bowl and mixer in the freezer to help.)

*This is the part I don’t understand. I read other similar recipes and they did 1 cup of powder to 1/4 cup of milk. I will be trying this out for some of my Easter desserts so I will let you know what I figure out. If there are any math geniuses out there that understand the formula, please leave a comment!

The Best Peanut Butter Fudge
2 cups sugar
½ c milk
1-1/3 c peanut butter
1 jar (17 oz) marshmallow crème

In a saucepan combine milk and sugar. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Boil for 3 minutes stirring constantly. Add peanut butter and marshmallow crème. Mix well. Pour into a greased 8X8 Pan. Chill. Cut into squares. Makes 3-4 dozen

During Christmas I had lunch with a good friend. She made us Chicken Salad for lunch. It was awesome. Of course I did not use all the ingredients listed because I did not have them, but it was still great! Here is her recipe. She served them with croissants. I am making some rolls so I will let you know how they tasted.

Chicken Salad
4 cups chicken, cooked and cubed
1/3 cup dried cranberries
3/4 cup walnuts chopped
3 Tbsp green onion finely chopped
1 cup celery diced
1 can sliced water chestnuts
1/2 cup pineapple chunks
1/2 cup seedless red grapes
1 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup cool whip topping
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper

Mix all together and enjoy.

I have always wanted to like guacamole but I never really liked the consistency. I guess being pregnant made me really want some guacamole. I found this simple and delicious recipe at Once a Month Mom.

Guacamole
2 Avocados
1/2 lime, squeezed for juice
1 Roma Tomato, diced
2 Tablespoon Red Onion, finely diced
1 teaspoon ground black pepper (I used 1/2 tsp)
2 teaspoon Kosher salt (I used 1/2 tsp)
1 teaspoon garlic powder (I used 1/2 tsp)
Peel, pit and mash the avocados in a small bowl. Squeeze in lime juice, pepper, salt, garlic powder and stir Gently stir in tomato and onion. Chill if desired. Stir.

Guacamole turns brown if kept for too long. To prevent some browning, shake bowl to get out air pockets. Then add a sheet of saran wrap, pushing it down so that it sits on top of the guacamole. Seel container with lid or another firm piece of saran wrap.

First, I tried these feather-light pancakes. I made them for breakfast this morning and they were a big hit! Even after me, my husband, and 2 boys ate breakfast, I still had 22 pancakes left to freeze! We will be eating these for breakfast again tomorrow!

Featherlight Pancakes

• 2 cups flour
• 2 TBSP baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 4 TBSP sugar
• 2 beaten eggs
• 2 cups milk
• 4 TBSP oil

Directions

• Combine all ingredients with wire whisk until well incorporated and free of lumps.

• Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium high heat. Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle, using approximately 1/4 cup for each pancake. Brown on both sides and serve hot with warm syrup.

Next I made Sopa Seca for dinner. Also a huge hit! My 19 month old had 2 bowls full! I did alter the ingredients a little because I did not have them in the house. It was still excellent and I look forward to the leftovers tomorrow.

Sopa Seca

• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for pan (I just used canola oil)
• 12 ounces fideos (Mexican vermicelli) (you could just break up spaghetti into very small pieces.)
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander (did not use)
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano, preferably Mexican
• 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (did not use)
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 bay leaf (did not use)
• 1 1/2 cups canned crushed tomatoes
• 1 1/2 cups chicken broth, homemade, or low-sodium canned
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 2 cups shredded cooked chicken
• 1 cup coarsely grated cheddar cheese (4 ounces)
• Mexican crema, or sour cream thinned with a bit of milk, optional

Directions

• Preheat oven to 375F.

• Brush a large casserole dish with oil. Heat the extra-virgin olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the fideos and cook, turning them, until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Transfer the toasted noodles to a bowl. Set aside

• Add the onion to the skillet and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, about 8 minutes. Stir in the garlic, coriander, oregano, chili powder, and bay leaf, and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the tomatoes to the pot. Add the cayenne pepper, increase the heat to high, and cook until thickened, about 2 minutes. Stir in the broth, the toasted fideos, salt, and pepper, to taste. Bring mixture to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer gently, uncovered, stirring occasionally, for about 10-15 minutes. Water can be added to thin the mixture if needed while the noodles cook. When the noodles are tender, stir in the chicken.

• Remove the bay leaf. Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish, sprinkle the grated cheese over the top, and cover loosely with foil. Bake until the cheese melts and the casserole is hot through and through, about 20 minutes. If desired, serve with some crema drizzled over the top.

Make sure you check out her blog because she has some great photos! Thanks to Big Bite Appetite for these great new recipes to add to my rotation!

Here’s the recipe:

Dry Onion Soup Mix
Ingredients:
1/4 cup dried minced onion
2 tablespoons instant beef bouillon
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
Mix together in an air tight container.

I found the original recipe at CDKitchens.