Recipe Updates

I am feeling super under the weather but that's not stopping me from continuing on this blog challenge I have dove into to help improve my blogging. And with my new latest addiction of planning and what not I am able to be more in tune to my blog then before. It's helpful when here are those times when I feel like I have nothing to write about but now I just open my brain dump and look for all the topics I have jotted and it gives me a sudden wind of inspiration. I am content with it all.

These are previous recipes but I will try to post more once I am officially well and not still having a stuffy nose and headache baring down on me. I have posted that got lost in the shuffle of hardly being read. Hope if you try any of my recipes that you tag me on instagram @fourxblessed.

• polvorones & vegan cake recipe
• Passion Pancakes Recipes
• Spanish food by me

Stay blessed, Vanessa.


p.s don't forget to peep at my youtube for all my planner videos :)  My Youtube

www.etsy.com/shop/ReyesBoutique

Spanish food. Two recipes of the day

Today for dinner I made Spanish rice with chicken breast that was left over from yesterday in it. I tend to always use the left overs because I don't like to see anything being wasted. I also made beans on the side. Enjoy the recipe (after the photos for each dish)

Xo, Vanessa 

Chicken Rice: 

Used two cups of rice 

3 cups water 

Left over chicken breast meat that was made in the crockpot yesterday but you can use fresh chicken breast cut up 

1 tablespoon of garlic 

2tablespoons of olive oil 

2 tablespoons of sofrito 

1 tablespoons tomato paste 

Pinch of paprika 

Adobo seasoning to taste1 envelope of sazon

Leave it uncovered till it dries 

Once dried stir. Lower flame to lowest possible and let it steam cook till tender about 30 more minutes 

My stewed beans: 

1 can pink beans 

Half a can of carrots or cut fresh ones 

1/3 cup of water 

1/4 cup of tomato sauce

1 tablespoon garlic minced 

1 tablespoon olive oil 

Half an onion

1teaspon paprika, cumin, black pepper

1 tablespoon sofrito 

1 envelop of sazon

Let it cook for 30 minutes on low heat. 

Stir every 15 mins to prevent sticking 

Enjoy!

Regrowing vegetables DIY

I found this very interesting to do on PINTEREST of course. I just had to try it out for myself.

Now I'm even more eager to regrow even more vegetables. Not only does it save you $$ but it also is nice to watch how nature can regrow after its been used and a fun thing for the kiddies to see and learn about as well.

Here are my photos of the two romaine lettuces I've began to regrow.

This is after a week!

I hope this inspires others to look up what else you can regrow! The possibilities are endless. Help the earth and not waste food.

XO, Vanessa

Homemade Pancakes From Scartch oh so easy!

Sometimes it's always good to get in the kitchen and not pull out the generic box of pancake mix that you just add water (yuck). Today I opted in making my own pancake mix and  I was so shocked at how simple, quick and easy it is to make. This is a fun thing to do with your older kids if they like to help mommy/daddy in the kitchen. Who says we can't use the extra lil' helping hands anyway?

Here's the recipe I used below and I hope you enjoy making it and that the kiddies enjoy eating em cuz who doesn't love pancakes?

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3 1/2 tsps baking powder (Quick Pro-tip: If this stuff has been sitting aroundtoo long, you'll get flat pancakes).
• 1 tsp salt *
• 1 tbs granulated sugar
• 1 1/4 cups Milk (Note: I use whole milk, but 2% works as well. I've never tried this recipe with 1% or skim, so I don't know if the much lower fat content has any effect)
• 1 egg
• 3 tbs butter, melted

* Don't worry, these don't taste salty. Salt helps make the insides fluffy. Science!

Directions

1. In a large mixing bowl, sift together all the dry ingredients -- the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. Or, just dump everything in there. Lumps in the batter actually make for better pancakes.
2. Mix the dry ingredients
3. Make a well in the center and pour in the milk, egg and melted butter; mix until just combined. Don't worry about lumps (see above).
4. Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium high heat.
5. Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle, using approximately 1/4 cup for each pancake. Note: If you want a lot of little pancakes, use about 1/4 cup of batter per pancake. If you want fewer large pancakes, use about 1/2 cup of batter per pancake. Or use any amount inbetween or above or below. They're your pancakes. Go nuts (But don't put nuts in them. Well, unless you want to)
6. Cook the first side until bubbles have formed uniformly over the top surface. Flip, and cook the 2nd side for about 2 minutes.
7. Brown on both sides and serve hot.

Enjoy your pancakes!

the mix. ( i added a touch of cinnamon)

(puree strawberry preserves to go on top)

nice and fluffy!

Hubby helping me out while i blog and photograph. my awesome helper.

ta-da! finished product

xo, vanessa

Chocolate chocolate chip cake -recipe

Every girl has her little chocolate fits, I know I sure did last night. So I decided to make a chocolate chocolate chip cake and it was oh so delicious. Here's the recipe I found and enjoy xo!

Chocolate cake mix: 

1 cup flour 

1 cup sugar 

1/4 cup cocoa powder 

1 tsp of baking powder

1/4 tsp of baking soda

1/4 tsp salt 

3/4 cup of milk 

1/4 cup of butter softened

1/2 tsp of vanilla

1 egg

Mix all dry ingredients first and then the rest. 

Bake at 350 for 45 mins

Enjoy 

Savory Saturday- donut muffins and lasagna rolls recipes

Even despite the gloomy weather I opted off a hearty meal that wasn't in the crockpot. Shockingly I wanted to give the crockpot a break today. So I had some left over ground meat that I had made empanadas  with so I decided why not lasagna rolls? Good choice I might add because it was very quick and easy. 

I out the sauce with three spoonfuls of ricotta and blended it into the meat and warmed it all. My kids are picky with cheese so if they don't see it they don't know it's there. 

Then I had boiled the lasagna pasta and waited until cool so I can roll. I used just a spoon spread on the pasta and some cheddar cheese and rolled which was easy but don't put too much cuz then it will make a mess and leak out. 

Line the bottom of the casserole dish with the sauce and place rolls on top. Put sauce and cheese on top and bake in oven for 15/20 mins at 375

Now we get to what I made for dessert which is the donut muffins. Oh yum these were a big hit! 

Dough:

1/2 cup sugar 

1/4 butter melted

1/4 nutmeg

1/2 cup milk

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract 

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 cup flour

Mix the sugar, melted butter and nutmeg. 

Then add the rest and mix well. 

Place in a muffin tin which I lined with baking cups.

Oven at 375 for 15 mins. 

Then on top melt butter and sprinkle cinnamon sugar on top. 

Enjoy xo

Recipe: Cincinnati chili with a twist

It's a gloomy day in my neck of the woods so I opted for some chili. Here's my recipe, enjoy.

A pack of ground beef or turkey 

McCormick cholo package 

Pink beans or any beans you have on hand

Two cans on tomato sauce 

And a tsp of cinnamon

Brown the meat and cook. 

Add the chili seasoning 

Add the tomato sauce

Then add the beans and the cinnamon 

I then made some whole wheat spaghetti or you can use any pasta you have on hand.

Kids loved it and definitely was a belly filler, 

Savory Saturday

This Saturday I had prepared sweet Hawaiian chicken. I was extremely nervous making this because I had never made it and I was worried the kids wouldn't like it but I was wrong! They all loved it and ate every little last piece of it. Here's the recipe and enjoy! 

Chicken breast cut into cubes

1 cup of pineapple juice (if you'd like u can throw in some pineapple chunks I did) 

1/3 cup of soy sauce 

1/2 cup brown sugar 

Cook in the crock pot low for 6-8 hours

I recommend to always put your stuff to cook as soon as you wake up. Do your chores and let the smells engulf your home which was amazing. 

Here Re the photos and I hope you try it because I'm going to do it again ASAP. Xo

Savory Saturday

Meatloaf is a big hit in my home. Take ground beef or turkey whichever you prefer place in a bowl and season to your liking. I love putting parsley and a packet or the meatloaf mix seasoning with a hint of adobo and sazon. Beat one egg and mix well. I also add some Italian bread crumbs into the mix batch. Then I make it look like a loaf. Do not over cook it because this cooks in 30 mins. I sprinkle a little bit of bread crumbs on top with some ketchup. Preheat the oven at 350 and cook for 30/45 mins. Here's my finishing results. Enjoy 

Savory Saturday

Every Saturday I will try to post one of my recipes. Either that I found and revamped or something I would like to try. I found on Pinterest a great beef sirloin recipe that we loved a lot. So far this is my second time making it. I made it in my crockpot. Here's my version of the recipe I found 

2 lbs beef sirloin cut into strips

Season with garlic powder and adobo 

3tablespoons of vegetable oils

1 cube beef bouillon

1/4 cup of water

1 tablespoon cornstarch 

1/2 chopped onion 

2 green peppers chopped

1 can stewed tomatoes 

3 tablespoons of soy sauce 

I had precut and put into a freezer bag then beef sirloin with onions and peppers. Let defrost do a bit and put into the crockpot n high and cover. Take the water and beef bouillon and let it break down with the corn starch and stir till dissolved. Put those contents into the crockpot over the beef and add the can of stewed tomatoes and the soy sauce and let it cook for four hours on high or on low for six.

Here's the picture of my finished product. Try it and definitely enjoy on my behalf.