Cheeseburger Quesadillas

It's been awhile since I've posted anything; school just started up and I got caught up in all the madness. I wanted to post this chicken pesto lasagna I was drooling over, but I totally messed up the noodles; lessoned learned, don't buy oven ready noodles. It was very sad because the mixture was amazing. We saved everything but the noodles and have been putting in a burrito and grilling it on the stove. Let me tell ya, that is one darn good burrito. Hopefully I'll get the chance to make it again and make it right, so I can share with you all.

Back to this recipe, this is not your average cheeseburger. But it sure is good. I of course found this on Pinterest which directed me to Tasty Kitchen. And boy was this tasty. It's very simple and oh so delicious. I enjoyed this because I would so much rather have a tortilla over a bun. This recipe is great; the good thing is you can add other toppings to it if you please and it would only taste better.

I hope y'all enjoy this as much as I do.

Ingredients

2 tbsp Olive Oil

1 whole Medium Onion

1 lb ground beef

2 tbsp Worcestershire Sauce

1/4 cups Ketchup

1/4 cups Real Bacon Bits

Salt and Pepper, to taste

2 tsp Garlic Powder

2 tsp Onion Powder

2 whole Large Flour Tortillas

2 cups Grated Sharp Cheddar Cheese

Vegetable or Canola Oil, for brushing

Red Crushed Pepper Flakes, for sprinkling

Directions

Oven: 350
In a large skillet on medium high, heat the olive oil.
Add the onions and allow them to cook for about 5-7 minutes until they become translucent.
Add the beef and break it up your cooking utensil.
Cook the beef and onions together for about 10 minutes or until thoroughly cooked.
Once the beef is cooked add the Worcestershire sauce, ketchup, bacon bits, salt and pepper, garlic powder and onion powder.
Stir until all is incorporated.
Simmer on low heat for 5-7 minutes.
On a large baking sheet, lay out the tortillas.
Take half of the burger mixture and spread it evenly on one half of each tortilla.
Top it with as much cheese as you like, then flip the other half on top of the burger mixture.
Brush the top with vegetable or canola oil and (if you're brave and love heat) sprinkle with crushed red pepper flakes.
Bake for 10-15 minutes until the tortilla shell becomes nice and crisp and the cheese is bubbly.
Remove it from the oven and let it sit for about 5 minutes.
Cut into triangles once cooled.
You should get 4 large pieces from each folded tortilla.

TATER RATER

Suggestions: If you do not like spice, I would not put any red pepper flakes on at all. We sprinkled just a little over the tortillas and you could definitely feel the kick of the flakes.

Time: 30 minutes                                                                   Serves: 8

It's my party and I'll bake if I want too

As of yesterday, I am a twenty year old!

It has been awhile since I've posted anything, so I thought I'd make myself a cake!

And if you know me, you know I LOVE lemon flavored anything! I came across this beauty on Pinterest and had to pin it. The recipe comes from the website my recipes. This will be probably the second time I've ever made a cake batter from scratch. I'm all for the cake from a box cuz I know for a fact that those cakes come out tasting delicious. Well thankfully this cake came out delicious and oh so moist. I'm not a huge fan of icing though. However I love me some cream cheese, so this cream cheese frosting was okay to eat in my book. And boy was it a great choice. It's nice and fluffy and delicious. All in all, this cake was pretty darn good.

Because I can, here is a step by step:

 Place first 5 ingredients in a large bowl;

beat with a mixer at medium speed until well blended (about 5 minutes).

Add eggs and egg whites, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda; stir well with a wisk. Add flour mixture and buttermilk alternately to sugar mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture; beat well after each addition.

Pour batter into 2 (9-inch) round cake pans coated with cooking spray;
sharply tap pans once on counter to remove air bubbles.

Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Cool on a wire rack

While the cake is cooking, start the frosting

Place 2 tablespoons butter and the next 4 ingredients in a large bowl;
beat with a mixer at high speed until fluffy. Add powder sugar, and beat at low speed just until blended (do not overbeat). Chill for 1 hour.

Place 1 cake layer on a plate; spread with 1/2 cup frosting.

Top with remaining cake layer.

Spread remaining frosting over top and sides of cake.
Store cake loosely covered in the refrigerator.

Ingredients

Cake:
1 1/3 cups granulated sugar
6 tbsp butter, softened
1 tbsp grated lemon peel
3 tbsp thawed lemonade concentrate 
2 tsp vanilla extract 
2 large eggs
2 large egg whites
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/4 cups fat-free buttermilk
   Cooking spray
Frosting:
2 tbsp butter, softened
2 tsp grated lemon peel
2 tsp thawed lemonade concentrate
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
8 oz 1/3-less-fat cream cheese
3 1/2 powdered sugar

Directions 

Oven: 350
To prepare cake:
Place first 5 ingredients in a large bowl;
beat with a mixer at medium speed until well blended (about 5 minutes).
Add eggs and egg whites, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition.
Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife.
In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda; stir well with a wisk.
Add flour mixture and buttermilk alternately to sugar mixture, beginning and ending with flour
mixture; beat well after each addition.
Pour batter into 2 (9-inch) round cake pans coated with cooking spray;
sharply tap pans once on counter to remove air bubbles.
Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
Cool completely on wire rack.
To prepare frosting:
Place 2 tablespoons butter and the next 4 ingredients in a large bowl;
beat with a mixer at high speed until fluffy.
Add powder sugar, and beat at low speed just until blended (do not overbeat).
Chill for 1 hour.
Place 1 cake layer on a plate; spread with 1/2 cup frosting.
Top with remaining cake layer.
Spread remaining frosting over top and sides of cake.
Store cake loosely covered in the refrigerator.

TATER RATER

Suggestions: Make the frosting while the cake is baking. You'll have time to spare in order to clean up while the cakes finish baking. Then both the cake and frosting will be chilled/cooled at the same time. The cake also wasn't lemony enough for me, so I personally would add more lemon to the cake and frosting. 

Can I have S'more please?

The other night a group of old high school friends come over for an annual christmas party. I planned on using the bonfire we have out back, but we ended up telling stories about school and catching up on life. Now I had all these marshmallows, chocolate, and graham crackers that needed to be eaten. Luckily, while scrolling through the oh so lovely Pinterest, I came upon this creation: S'mores Bites.

My best friend, Elizabeth, was over the other night and since I hadn't posted anything in awhile I figured it would be the perfect time to make these! 

~Here is Elizabeth~

Enjoy these! Let me just say, I am not a fan of s'mores. So, for someone who doesn't like s'mores, I sure enjoyed them. 

Ingredients

7 graham crackers 

1/4 c powdered sugar

6 tbs butter ~ melted

2  hershey's bars 

12 large marshmallows

Directions

Oven: 350

Before we start making the bites, place your kitchen scissors in cold water.

Now we can start:

 Finely crush the graham crackers into crumbs. 

~we put them in a plastic bag and smashed them~

~you could also use a food processor or even a rolling pin~

Then, combine the graham cracker crumbs, the powdered sugar and the melted butter into a small bowl.
Next, divide the crumb mixture evenly into each cup of the slightly greased 24 cup mini muffin pan.

Press crumbs down to form shallow cups.
Bake 4-5 minutes or until edges are bubbling.

While baking: 

Break the candy bars into the divided rectangle pieces.

Cut marshmallows in half using the scissors that have been sitting in cold water.

Remove the pan from the oven and place one chocolate rectangle into each cup.
Place one marshmallow half, cut-side down, into each cup.
Return to oven for 1-2 minutes or until marshmallows are just slightly softened.

Cool on a cooling rack for 15 minutes before carefully removing them from the pan.

TATER RATER

Since it is the holidays, Tater is with her family, so she was not able to rate this.

So, Elizabeth rated them! 

Suggestions: Preferably eat within 3 days of making.

This is more of a "don't do" rather than a suggestion ~ Do not freeze!

Adapted from The First Year