Apple Dumplings

Last week I decided to binge watch The Great British Baking Show. It was so good and gave me the baking bug. On a whim I decided to bake LRW's Nana's apple dumplings. They were so easy and so yummy.

Gather ingredients: 2 Granny Smith apples, 2 low cal crescent rolls, 1 stick of butter, 1 bottle of Mountain Dew (or 50 cent knock off like me), cinnamon, and vanilla

Peel and cut apple into 8 slices each

Wrap each apple slice in a crescent roll

Make glaze: 1 stick of butter, 3/4 cup sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla and barely stir

Poor glaze on top

Pour 1/3 of the soda and sprinkle with cinnamon (try not to dump it all in one corner like I did, oops)

Bake at 350 for 30 minutes

On the Menu: Taco Soup

This is the easiest one-pot taco soup recipe! My family has been cooking it my entire life, and now it is my go-to soup. As a college student it his all my check points; cheap, fast, and easy. I always pair it with Jiffy cornbread that I bake in muffin tins. Here are the few steps to make this soup!

Gather ingredients: 2 lbs ground beef, 1 cup onions, 2 cans pinto beans, 2 can red kidney beans, 2 cans corn, 2 cans stewed diced tomatoes, 1 can rotel, 1 dry ranch packet, 1 taco seasoning packet

Brown meat and onions

Add packets of seasoning

Add the rest of the cans (after draining) and let simmer for 30 minutes

Top with sour cream and cheese, then enjoy!!

This recipe makes at least 8 large bowls. If you are cooking for a small family, I would recommend halting the recipe or freezing for later!

On The Menu: Fall Trail Mix

To prep for fall, I decided to make an everything but the kitchen sink fall trail mix. The basis was Honey Nut Cheerios, pretzels, Cheese-It, Coco Puffs, peanuts, candy corn, granola, and carmel popcorn! The colors are brown and orange and the taste blends together perfectly! It is a great mix of salty and sweet. I plan on making more this weekend and putting it into cellophane bags for friends!

As I said last week, I am willing fall to get here. I added leftover candy corn into a jar to have a fall snack that doubles as a cute decoration! I put up a few more decorations to give my house the fall feel, even if it is 100 outside. 

I bought this glittery pumpkin from Jo Ann this week and it was 40% off!

This little pumpkin was on sale at Hobby Lobby! Craft stores always have the best (and cheapest) seasonal decor. 

Lastly, how cute is this pillow?? My soon-to-be mother-in-law bought it for me from Dear Lillie. They have super cute pillows, placemats, and calligraphy prints. 

What is your favorite fall decor and snack?

On The Menu: Fudge Pie

I love pie, it is one of my favorite desserts! My future mother-in-law makes the best homemade pies. I have always been daunted by the idea of making my own pie. I didn't want to fall flat compared to her pies. I stumbled upon this Southern Living recipe and it seemed so easy and looked so good. I decided to surprise my fiancé and bake him a pie! It turned out that I didn't fall flat, it was delicious!

To start, preheat the oven to 375. You will need 2/3 cups evaporated milk, 6 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips, 1 cup of chopped pecans, 2 large eggs, 2 tablespoons butter, 1 cup sugar, 2 tablespoons flour, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract (oops, forgot this one), 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, and frozen (or homemade if you feel extra domestic) pie crust!

Melt evaporated milk, chocolate chips, and butter in the microwave for 2 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds.

Add in flour, sugar, salt, eggs (one at a time), vanilla extract, and pecans.

Mix together and pour batter into pie crust.

Bake pie for 35 minutes, then let it cool for 10. Serve under ice cream, preferably Blue Bell!

ENJOY!

On a side note, my new favorite addition to my kitchen are these adorable Kate Spade towels and matching oven mitt. They were a surprise from LRW and totally complete my kitchen!

On The Menu: Texas Caviar

I am a huge sucker for dips. Queso, guac, salsa, artichoke, sign me up for all of them! My favorite dip of all time is, what my family calls, Texas Caviar. It could not be easier and is a huge crowd pleaser! All you need is 1 can of black beans, 1 can of white beans or black eyed peas, 1 can of corn, 2 roma tomatoes, some green onions, and a bottle of Italian dressing. 

First, pour beans and corn into a colander and rinse them.

Second, finely chop tomatos and 2 handfuls of green onions (to your liking).

Three, mix all ingredients and half the bottle of dressing. 

Four, chill overnight and serve!

This dip is so yummy and obviously a breeze. It gets better each day so I make mine about 24 hours in advance. Sometimes, I add more dressing if it seems dry. I always serve with Fritos and Tostada chips!

Enjoy!!

On the Menu: Side Dishes

Yesterday, I posted about gathering fresh veggies from my Uncle Tom's house. I used the squash and zucchini to make my favorite stir fry. This is the yummiest recipe and my go-to side dish. I also made pesto corn which may be the easiest recipe on the planet! Both paired perfectly with my sweet chili chicken. 

For the stir fry you need squash and zucchini (I usually do 2 squashes and 1 zucchini), an onion, garlic powder, and olive oil. Instead of olive oil I use Chili Garlic infused EVOO. It adds a good kick to the meal! 

First, chop up all the veggies and throw them in a wok or pan with the EVOO and seasonings. 

Put the lid on and cook on medium for about 20 minutes, or until the vegetables are soft. Stir every five minutes.

The pesto corn requires very little. All you need is a can of corn, some kind of pesto sauce, and half and half. I prefer this Buitoni pesto sauce, I always keep some and throw it on a panini or on top of pasta!

Drain the corn and put it pot with two tablespoons of pesto sauce and two table spoons of half and half. Cook on low for 15-20 minutes. 

Both of these recipes turned out delicious and couldn't have been easier! What are your go-to easy side dishes?