Simple and Delicious Enchiladas

One of my favorite meals to make and enjoy is enchiladas. You get a lot of food with not a lot of effort or money. I make mine vegetarian but you can easily use a meat of your choice. I also plan on posting pictures later but for now, here is my recipe.

Ingredients
1 bag Morning Star Grillers Crumbles (or 1 lb ground beef or other meat of your choice)
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
Minced garlic, to taste
Onion powder, to taste
15 white corn 6" tortillas
1 can refried beans
1 can enchilada sauce
1 cup shredded Mexican cheese blend

Instructions
1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2) Heat oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Once shimmering, add the crumbles or ground beef and the onion powder. Cook until almost finished, then add minced garlic. Finish cooking and remove from heat.
3) In a 9x12 glass baking dish, spoon a thin layer of enchilada sauce over the bottom.
4) Next, take a heaping tablespoon of beans and spread it evenly over the middle of a tortilla in a line. Add roughly 2 tablespoons of the crumbles or meat. Sprinkle a small amount of cheese over the crumbles and beans. Roll the tortilla up and place in the baking dish. Repeat until all tortillas are used and the baking dish is full.
5) Spoon more sauce over the enchiladas until they are completely covered.
6) Sprinkle the rest of the cheese over the enchiladas.
7) Bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes, until cheese is completely melted.
8) Serve hot with salsa and sour cream!

Notes
Chicken or turkey can also be used. Just shred it into small pieces.
I like to use green chile and lime refried beans for extra flavor.
I like to double this recipe and freeze half in another baking dish. Instead of baking, I pat saran wrap over the enchiladas to ensure as little air as possible remains, cover with aluminum foil, and place in the freezer for up to a month. When you're ready to eat the second batch, remove the foil and saran wrap and bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.
When you're making this, don't worry about any breaking tortillas! And be sure to use a spatula when serving to make it less likely they'll fall apart on you. (Though if they do, don't worry! They're still amazingly delicious.)

What is a meal that you like to make that really gives you the most bang for your buck?

Make Ahead Muffin Tin Breakfast

I'm sure there are variations on this recipe all over the web. It's simple, fast, and (most importantly) delicious, which has made it very popular when it comes to families looking to avoid the morning rush and drive thru. I love it because it's a way to ensure my husband eats before his early morning shifts when I'm still tucked into bed. I also like my version of this recipe because it adds a little more than just egg to a quick breakfast, which can get boring. So here we are: my version of the make ahead muffin tin egg.

Ingredients
Large Eggs
Black Peppered Ham Lunch Meat, thinly sliced
Frozen Potatoes O'Brien
Shredded Cheddar Cheese
Salt and Pepper
Cooking Spray

Directions
1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2) Spray your muffin tin with the nonstick cooking spray.
3) Lay one piece of ham into each muffin tin, ensuring that the meat covers the bottom and the sides as best as possible. (Think of it as a cupcake wrapper.)
4) Add a few pieces of the Potatoes O'Brien to the bottom of each ham cup. Five or six pieces of the potatoes and vegetables should be enough.
5) Sprinkle the cheese over the potatoes. Add as much or as little as you want, just be sure to leave room for the egg!
6) Crack one egg into each muffin tin, covering the cheese while trying to stay within the confines of the ham. (Don't worry if the ham slouches into the cup a little and egg spills out. It'll still be delicious!) I also take a fork and break the yolk at this point. It's not necessary, but my husband prefers it when it isn't intact.
7) Add salt and pepper to taste. Remember though that the ham adds some already!
8) Fold any excess ham over the top of the egg. If there is too much meat hanging out over the side, it'll get crispy and burned long before the eggs are fully cooked.
9) Cook in the preheated oven for 15-20 minutes.
10) Remove from the oven and let cool on a counter for 30 minutes. Run a butter knife around the edges of each cup to ensure they aren't stuck. Remove each egg and store in a container in the fridge for future busy mornings!

Notes
You can use any type of lunch meat you prefer, just as long as it's thinly sliced. You can also use any type of cheese, depending on your taste.
The eggs can easily last a week when stored in the fridge.
When you're ready to eat, you can enjoy them cold or place them in the microwave for 1 minute. You can also add them to a warm English muffin for an easy breakfast sandwich.
If you're vegetarian like me, just leave out the meat. These work just as well without it.

Do you have any easy make ahead recipes that make your life easier?

Sunday Funday: Upcycling a Comforter

Before

Nick and I have been wanting to get the puppies some doggie beds. Unfortunately for us, we're trying to save money and can't/won't shell out at least $50 per large dog bed per dog. Then Nick, the true genius behind Hart Homecoming, came up with the idea of making our own.

We recently got ourselves a new bed set for Christmas and we've been lugging our old one around. I no longer like it, seeing as how my pre-married self had a much different sense of style. However, Nick thought it would make a great doggie bed! So we went to work.

First, we measured the kennels. This way, if we ever want to put the beds in there for the pups, we have that option. Next, we measured it out on the comforter and Nick got to cutting.

He also had to go through with a seam ripper and undo all the stitching decoration. We were adding old pillows into their beds, so we had to have the cloth free from the pad. Otherwise, we could have skipped this step.

I also made sure that each bed came from a corner, so that way I would only have to sew two sides instead of three or four. Hooray for time saving!

Next, we laid it on the floor and the puppies happily lounged on it. We also put the old pillows down to show them just how comfy their beds would be.

Finally, I stuffed the pillow and an extra square of comforter that Nick cut to size, into the outer piece. I then sewed the two open edges together for a finished bed. We repeated everything to make the second bed.

The end product was two comfy, upcycled, doggie beds that the puppies are in love with. They aren't the prettiest, but they hardly show the hair, and the puppies no longer lay on my clothes or pillows. And they were completed for a total cost of $0. It's a win-win!

Have you upcycled anything into something you love?

Saturday Flavors: Cauliflower Curry

Today I decided to try something new for dinner. I was tired of the whole pasta and more pasta routine. I've also been hearing a lot about cauliflower being made into a dish, rather than just a snack. I remember seeing an idea for cauliflower curry and decided to whip some up. Here's my recipe:

1/2 tablespoon cumin
1/2 tablespoon red cayenne pepper
1/2 tablespoon lemon pepper
1/2 tablespoon garlic salt
Salt to taste (I put in about 1/2 tablespoon)
1 cup water
1/2 cup milk
1 large yellow onion, diced
2 small tomatoes, diced
1/2 cup diced green onion
1/3 head of cauliflower, broken into small florets
1 16 oz can stewed tomatoes with garlic and celery
3 tablespoons vegetable oil

1) Puree can of tomatoes in a blender or food processor. Set aside.
2) Heat oil in a large skillet.
3) Add onions and cook over medium heat until golden and soft.
4) Add cumin, red cayenne pepper, lemon pepper, garlic salt, and salt. Cook for 2 more minutes. 
5) Add pureed tomatoes and let summer for 2 minutes.
6) Add water, milk, diced tomatoes and cauliflower. Let simmer for 25 minutes.
7) Pour over white rice, garnish with green onion and enjoy!

This makes about 4 generous servings.

The true test of how delicious something is, is asking my husband if I should make it again. This was a resounding yes and even my mother (who has never been a fan of Indian food) said she would love it if I made it again.

Not too bad for just guessing and throwing something together!
What go-to recipes are your family favorites?