Frozen Cookies and Cream Sandwiches

Our sister blog Fantabuless Foods and Travels has posted a quick and easy dessert treat that the who family will enjoy.  Check it out and let us know what you think!

Kid Friendly No Bake S'mores

Check out this fun s'mores recipe from our sister blog Fantabuless Foods and Travels. With Summer in full swing it's time to stock up on all the fixins for these yummy treats!

You can find the recipe and the full post over here.

Fantabuless Tex-Mex Dirty Rice

Tex-Mex Dirty Rice is a staple on my monthly dinner menu. Since it's a one skillet meal, it's easy to make and easy to clean up. Since my children love this easy dish, I always make a double batch so we can eat some tonight and later on in the month.






Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 53 minutes
Total Time: 57 minutes


Ingredients-
2 lbs  ground turkey or ground beef
3 cups rice (I use Uncle Ben's Converted)
1 diced onion
1 diced bell pepper
2 cups salsa
6 cups water
3 tbs chicken bullion
1  15oz can black beans

Directions:

1. Cook meat, onion and bell pepper together in skillet until meat is no longer pink. Drain meat and return to skillet.
2. Add rice, salsa, water, bullion and beans, stir together and bring to a boil.
3. Reduce to simmer, cook 40 minutes.
4. Remove from heat, fluff with fork.

FantabuLESS Taco Pockets

My kids love tacos and I love making them! Since we are a busy family on the go, portable foods keep us on time and out of the local drive thru.  These Taco Pockets are quick, easy and filling.  They are so easy to make that I would advise you to make a double batch and freeze some for later like I do.





Prep Time: 25 minutes if you already have taco meat prepared  
                   55 minutes if you need to prepare taco meat
Cook Time: 9 minutes
Total Time: 34-64 minutes depending on meat preparation


Ingredients:
2 cups  Taco meat- (I used Jennie-O Ground Turkey & a seasoning packet )
2 cans BIG biscuits (16 total ct)
1/4 cup salsa
2 cups  shredded cheese
1 cup black or pinto beans
1 egg

Directions:

1. Prepare taco meat according to packaged directions on taco seasoning or packet.
2. Lightly flour counter or another smooth surface and roll out biscuits.
3. Combine taco meat, salsa, beans and cheese in a bowl and mix together gently.
4. Spoon 2 tbs of mixture onto each biscuit and fold in half, crimping the edges with your fingers or a fork.
5. Take a fork and poke the top of each pocket. 
6. Beat egg and 2 tbs water together to make egg wash.
7. Brush each Taco Pocket with egg wash
8. Bake in a 400 degree oven for 9 minutes.
9. Serve with your favorite taco trimmings.

ENJOY!

* I always keep 1lb bags of prepared taco meat in my freezer for quick and easy meals. For that reason this meal was quick and easy for me to prepare.

FantabuLESS Mackerel Patties

Growing up with a large extended family, we ate many a meals at Grandma's house.  Since she lived next door to the church, we had plenty of company that would just so happen to drop in around supper time on their way to church. We didn't have a lot, but what we had Grandma prayed over it and The Lord saw fit to bless it and stretch it to be more than enough. Here's one of the many recipes that she used to feed a large family for very little.




Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 4-5 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients
2- 15oz cans of mackerel ( I only use Sunny Sea)
3 large eggs
1 onion
1 cup corn meal
1 cup flour
1 tbsp baking powder
Vegetable oil for frying


Directions:

1. Heat about a quarter of an inch of oil in a cast iron skillet over medium high heat.
2. Pour both cans of mackerel in a large mixing bowl and smash the mackerels with your hands until fine.
3. Add in all 3 eggs and continue to mix by hand.
4. Chop and mix in one onion. (I personally only use 1/2 but grandma uses a whole onion)
5. Add in corn meal, flour and baking powder and mix it all in using your hand.
6. Mixture will be a bit runny, but take a good size blob ( about 1/4 cup) and form it into a patty and let
   it slide off your fingers into the grease.
7. Cook for 2 minutes or until golden brown, and flip using a slotted spatula.
8. Cook the other side for 2 minutes as well, and drain on newspaper, napkins, or paper towels.
Serve with your favorite condiments. I like Hot Sauce, but my kids prefer tartar sauce.

FantabuLESS Sausage & Egg Breakfast Bake

My family loves eating breakfast. You can find us eating breakfast in the morning, noon or night. When SaraLee over at SaraLee's Steals, Deals and Giveaways posted a recipe for a breakfast casserole I knew this would be a hit at my house.  I adjusted the original recipe to reflect the items that I had on hand at my house. Keep in mind that I cook for a family of 8, so you may need to cut the recipe in half to suit the needs of your family. 



Ingredients:
2 dozen eggs
3lbs of Tater Tots or hashbrowns
1lbs shredded cheese
8-10 slices of bread (I used sourdough)
2lbs of sausage

Brown and drain the sausage.

Line your pan with foil or use a disposable one for
easy clean-up.

Cover the bottom of the pan with bread slices.

Sprinkle a little cheese on top of the bread.

Cover the cheese with the mashed Tater Tots.











Cover the Tater Tots or hash browns with sausage.

Sprinkle cheese over the sausage.

Beat the eggs and pour them over the cheese.

Cover the pan with foil and bake in a 400 degree oven
for 35 minutes, then remove foil and cook for another
15 minutes. Serve with your favorite breakfast
condiments.