Pumpkin Bread

This is from my sister Janae, she is an awesome cook and always has the best recipes to share.
Thanks Janae, I can't wait to make it!

So October is here and I have been craving some really good pumpkin bread. I love fall and when it finally cools down. It was actually cold this morning. So I was searching on the internet and found the recipe. I turned out so moist and yummy I had to share it. last year we cooked down our pumpkin and put it in the freezer. So I used fresh pumpkin(sort of).
The instant coconut cream pudding gave it a yummy flavor too. I made mini loaves to give as a fall gift with a ribbon and a cute tag tied to it.
- Janae

Pumpkin Bread
INGREDIENTS
1 1/4 cups vegetable oil
2 cups pumpkin puree
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup white sugar
2 (3.5 ounce) packages instant coconut cream pudding mix
1 teaspoon baking soda
5 eggs
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

DIRECTIONS:
In a large bowl, mix together oil, pumpkin, sugars, pudding mixes, cinnamon, and salt. Slightly beat the eggs, and mix into the batter. Mix in flour and baking soda until just combined. Stir in nuts, if desired. Spread batter into two greased and floured 9 x 5 inch loaf pans. Bake at 325 degrees F (165 degrees C) for 1 hour, or until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean.
PREP TIME 10 Min
COOK TIME 1 Hr
READY IN 1 Hr 10 Min
Original recipe yield 2 loaves or 6 or 7 mini loaves

Fish Tacos

I learned to love fish tacos while vacationing in Arizona because of this awsome little place called Mangos Cafe in down town Mesa. Oh, they are delicious!

Fish tacos served at Mango's cafe! Ohh, so yummy!

Mango's Cafe

They have an amazing menu of fresh Mexican food and I have to go every time I am in AZ. I also can't say enough about their fresh fruit juices. They are simply refreshing! My favorite is their Watermelon juice but the cantaloupe juice is a close second, they also have strawberry, lemon aide and Mango juice that are so delicious. But back to the fish tacos. I enjoy a good fish taco at most restaurants but none match the ones served at Mangos Cafe. They serve it with a fresh mango orange salsa, which I don't have a recipe for, but will do my best to track one down. In the mean time you can use my favorite recipe for mango salsa that I got from my sister Janae.

I can't say I can duplicate the fish toco at Mangos Cafe but we have our own simplified version that we make here at home with our kids that are pretty tasty and always a hit. Like any taco, you can fix it up any way you want, but here are some ingredients for starters.

Fish Tacos

Breaded fish fillets, baked and cut in half lengh wise- (keep them warm)

Soft taco size tortillas (we use flour)

Toppings:
Shredded cabbage

Lime juice

Shredded cheese

Mango salsa (my mango salsa is listed below)

Fresh salsa (fresh makes a difference but you can use your favorite)

Guacamole or diced avacado

Sour Cream

Place a couple pieces of baked fish in your taco shell and top with shredded cabbage, squeeze a little lime juice over the fish and cabbage, then top with salsa, cheese and what ever else you want. It's that easy and even tastier!

My homemade fish taco with fresh salsa

Mango Salsa

2-3 mangos, peeled and cubed
2 avocados cubed
1 cucumber, cubed
2-3 Tbs lime juice
1 green onion diced
Chopped cilantro
½ jalapeno diced (roasted or raw- if raw, remove seeds)

Stir together and serve fresh with chips. Great over fish or pork tacos!

Pork Tacos

To make pork tacos, I roast a pork loin in the crock pot with a little taco seasoning, not too much, I like to keep the pork flavor simple. Then I top it off just like the fish taco, cabbage, lime juice and all. Sooo delish, especially with the mango salsa!

Baked Oatmeal

This was served at a family breakfast the day after my Grandma Miller's funeral. It is delicious and flavorful and one of our favorites. We like to have it for breakfast but you could hot over ice cream too. Either way it is yummy! My mom has a recipe that is similar but this one was a little more moist so I am sharing this version.

Baked Oatmeal
(serves 6-8)

2 eggs
1 cup milk
1/2 cup oil
1 cup brown sugar, packed
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoons cinnamon
3 cups quick cooking oats (uncooked)

Optional:
1/2 cup nuts
1 cup (plus) fruit- (I used fresh raspberries and one peach cut up - My mom has uses a dried fruit mix, blueberries or apples would be great too)

Mix all ingredients together. Pour into a lightly greased 9x13 baking pan. Mixture will be runny.
Bake at 350* for 25-30 minutes, don't let it brown.

Serve alone, or pour milk over the top and enjoy!

Honey Lime Chicken Enchiladas

I made these yummy enchaladas on Conference Sunday for my family and they were a total hit! They came together very easy and were so delicious. We all really liked the sweet yet slightly spicy chicken filling with the soft flour tortilla. These will be served again and again at our house!

Honey Lime Chicken Enchiladas
adapted from The Sisters' Cafe

1 pound chicken, cooked and shredded (I used 3 large chicken breasts)

6 tablespoons honey
5 tablespoons lime juice
1 tablespoons chili powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

8-10 flour tortillas
1 pound monterey jack cheese, shredded
2 10oz cans green enchilada sauce


Cook and shred chicken and set aside.
Mix the honey, lime juice, chili powder and garlic powder till blended, then toss with shredded chicken and let it marinate for at least 1/2 hour.
Pour about 1/2 cup enchilada sauce on the bottom of a 9X13 baking pan. Fill flour tortillas with chicken and shredded cheese, saving about 1 cup of cheese to sprinkle on top of enchiladas. Pour remaining enchilada sauce on top of the enchiladas and sprinkle with cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes until brown and crispy on top.
Top with shredded lettuce, diced onions, diced tomatoes, sour cream, guacamole etc. or just eat them as is.

Cilantro Lime Rice

Cilantro Lime Rice
adapted from My Kitchen Cafe

This is a great side dish for your Mexican dishes. I really liked this recipe over others that I have tried because you cook the rice in chicken broth instead of water. It just gave it a lot more flavor, if you prefer the more simple flavor that you would find at Qudoba just cook it in water instead of the broth. Also, the recipe said to cook the cilantro with the rice but I like the flavor of the cilantro to be fresh, so I stirred in the chopped cilantro after the rice cooked.

2 tablespoons butter
1 1/4 cups rice
2 1/4 cups chicken broth
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
juice and zest of 1 large lime
1/4 teaspoon cumin
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro

In a skillet, melt butter and add rice. Let cook for 1-2 minutes. Add remaining ingredients except for the cilantro and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and cook for 18-20 minutes. Stir in choped cilantro and serve.

My favortie recipes!

I have had so much fun making recipes from other great food blogs that I have decided to make a blog of my favorite recipes to share with others in hopes that they will enjoy them too!