Slow Cooker Taco Soup

Hello there…

Thanks for stopping by! 

If you are like me, 

you are also hoping for some normalcy to be restored this week.  

No holiday breaks. 

No days trapped in doors because it is something-crazy below 0. 

Just a nice, normal week of winter would be great!

Kids can be outside to play in the snow and come in

to warm up with a nice cup of hot cocoa or 

this scrumptious and hearty soup. 

Taco soup is another favorite in our house.

It received rave reviews at deer camp in the fall and 

Ryker requested it to take to school for his Holiday Open House. 

I invite you to give this soup a try for an easy weeknight meal

or maybe for the big Packer game coming up this weekend. 

Starts with 3# of ground chuck, a chopped onion and 1 tbsp of seasoning salt.

I usually go with the leaner option as my family like to top just about 

everything with cheese or maybe some sour cream!  

Have you noticed that the price of ground beef is really going up?

I am thinking of conducting a yield study to see which grade gives the best value.

Once the meat is browned, add it all to the slow cooker

along with 1 packet of Taco seasoning and 1 packet of Ranch seasoning. 

Then top with 1 can of black beans, 2 cans of diced tomatoes and 1 16 oz bag of frozen corn. 

Finally, add 4 cups of tomato juice and 2 cups of beef broth 

and give it a good stir. 

Feel free to adjust the liquids according to your preferences. 

We eat most of these soups as meals, 

so I generally keep them on the thicker side. 

Lastly, I use this as a home for any open jars of salsa or taco/enchilada sauce in the fridge. 

All to often they start to grow something furry before I get back to using them, 

so they make a great addition to this taco soup! 

After 4-6 hours on high or 8-10 hours on low, 

dinner is ready and 

this recipe will almost certainly leave you with some leftovers, 

which, as you know, are always welcome in our house!

Serve it up and top with some freshly grated parmesan cheese for a 

perfect finishing touch. 

RECIPE:

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Bake Time: 4-6 hours on high or 8-10 hours on low

Serves: 12

Ingredients:

3# of ground chuck

1 chopped onion

1 tbsp of seasoning salt

1 packet of Taco seasoning

1 packet of Ranch seasoning

1 can of black beans

2 cans of diced tomatoes

1-16 oz bag of frozen corn

4 cups of tomato juice

2 cups of beef broth 

OPTIONAL - any open jars of salsa or taco/enchilada sauce

Freshly grated Parmesan Cheese

Directions:

Brown hamburger and onion over medium heat. Add salt. 

Pour browned ground chuck into slow cooker. 

Add seasoning packets. 

Add black beans, tomatoes and corn. 

Add tomato juice and beef broth, as well as any open jars of Mexican in the fridge. 

Set the slow cooker according to the amount of time before eating.

• low for 8-10 hours
• high for 4-6 hours

Serve and sprinkle with freshly grated parmesan cheese for the finishing touch. 

Best Recipes of 2014

Just want to start with a shout out to all of you who have joined me for this food blog adventure.  It is a very exciting and challenging endeavor for me. And one which would be nothing without you!

There are some parts of this journey that come easy for me…that would be the cooking part; and other parts that are more challenging, like writing down recipes, for example, as clearly I'm prone to improvising.

Beyond that, I am continually learning about marketing…like when and what you are more likely to read.  Unbeknowst to you, your reading behaviors are continually shaping the future of my blog.

And then there is the computer piece, which involves linking and connecting (spoken like a true IT amatuer), I even added my own code to my blog for the cookie exchange, which was pretty exciting for a novice like me.  So, I am ever-broadening my horizons and pushing my limits with this blog.

It was around last year at this time that the idea to start a blog dawned on me.  For the first few weeks, Jerry and I brainstormed name ideas and I wanted to get a head start on my recipe repertoire.  

I posted my first blog on Feb 19th and have been going strong ever since, posting 106 entries in 2014.

The best part of being a blogger is that it is something that I can do from home and that my family is actively apart of.  They love to help brainstorm recipe ideas, help out in the kitchen and happily take pictures whenever asked.  A mother's dream job.  

I always said that if I were to start my own business, I would want it to be family oriented and this blog has encompassed everything I was looking for into one exciting adventure.

Now, with that being said…there are lots of great recipes on this blog and it is interesting to let each one run it's course to see what is the most popular with readers.

I must admit that some of these that made the top ten, were a bit of a surprise to me and many of my favorites didn't resonate with you.  But that's what keeps this blogging interesting.

So, let's get this top 10 recipes of 2014 party started…

1.

Strawberry Cheesecake Salad

I was excited when I came across this inspiration in the Kraft Food & Family magazine. 

Cheesecake is daunting to me, but whipping up all of the flavors into 

a fruit salad is just my style!  

Can't wait to whip this up again next summer, 

although I'm sure I'll find a new spin to put on it.  

2.  

Sweet n Sour Chicken Meatballs

Crazy enough, I think this inspiration came from the Kraft Food & Family magazine as well. 

Although, I am just about always revising recipes to make them gluten free

and oatmeal as the binder in these meatballs works great!  

I love everything about them, 

the flavor, the texture and that they are a healthy appetizer. 

I know that Jerry is looking forward to another flavor profile for these as well.  

3.  

Slow Cooker Jambalaya

This is certainly one of those recipes that surprised me by it's popularity. 

Maybe it's because I have generally been turned off by the name Jambalaya…

not that I wouldn't eat it…

but it never even crossed my mind to make it.

Was it the slow cooker concept that caught your attention?

Inquiring minds want to know.  

4.  

Pumpkin Nutella Oatmeal Muffins

Thankfully, this one did not disappoint!  

I totally dreamt this one up as I went along just starting with pumpkin muffin concept.

I always love the texture that oatmeal brings to baked goods

and I was searching for something just a little different to make these standout.  

Kinda makes you want pumpkin season back,

doesn't it?

5.  

Corned Beef Casserole

I'm still pretty impressed with this recipe. 

Clearly it was before we decided to go the gluten free route…

Another recipe that Jerry and I just made up as we went along.  

Brainstormed foods and flavors that reminded us of Ireland.  

It has me excited to get something equally tasty in the works for this year.  

If you haven't tried it yet, 

come back for the recipe in mid-March!  

6.  

Marinated Steak Rolls

This was just my second recipe posted, 

so the fact that it has hung out in the top 10 for most of the year is an impressive feat!  

These were tasty and delicious, 

steaks seem to be one of my areas for improvement…

but these did not disappoint. 

7.  

Bacon Wrapped Stuff Chicken

I mean, really, this recipe speaks for itself!

Delicious crispy, smokey bacon wrapped around lean juicy and chicken

with crisp asparagus bundles nestled inside. 

It is like the perfect clash of healthy and indulgent. 

8.  

Cauliflower Alfredo Sauce

This recipe was very intimidating for me. 

We have all read about the cauliflower craze, but when it came down to making it,

I was a little nervous that it wasn't going to turn out.  

My family was impressed and

I know I heard from plenty of readers that their families couldn't even tell.  

9.  

Sausage, Egg and Cheesy Hashbrown Bake

Nothing against this recipe, 

it is delicious and all, 

but I'm going to chalk up this recipes success 

to some good marketing. 

(I'm finally learning some tricks!)

This bake is not limited to holidays, but anytime you want a nice hearty and easy breakfast. 

There is always room to incorporate some veggies in it as well. 

Might make this again for my family ice fishing tournament next weekend. 

10. 

Chicken, Broccoli and Rice

Last, but not least…

this recipe is just a fabulous, healthy, quick and easy

week night dish. 

Everything is one pot and under 30 minutes. 

I'm no Rachel Ray, 

but I know how to make a quick meal when I need to. 

Thanks for joining me on this trip down memory lane with the top recipes of 2014. 

Now you have all of these fabulous recipes in one quick place. 

MORE TO COME IN 2015!

Can't wait to see what makes the top 10 this year. 

What I've learned…(A Birthday Reflection)

Most of my family, the morning after my brother's wedding.  

Please pardon my belated greetings, but Happy 2015!

I certainly enjoyed a few weeks off with my kids and family, it was a nice blend of festive and relaxed.

Now, I'm ready to get back on the 2015 Food Blog bandwagon and provide you with all sorts of inspiration for delicious and healthy foods!

Before I get to new recipes though, I want to share with you some brief thoughts as to some of the lessons that I've learned and am continuing to learn as I embrace this adventure called life.

During this recent hiatus, in addition to the holidays that y'all celebrated, I also get to throw in the anniversary of my birth.  Which is what really prompted this list of learnings.

So, without further ado, please enjoy my own personal What I've learned…. one lesson for each year I've successfully completed.

1. I'm naive
2. Sometimes ignorance is bliss
3. Ultimately, we are responsible for who we trust
4. Don't over-think things
5. Own the consequences of our decisions
6. Respect other opinions, even when I don't agree with them
7. To hug more
8. To be thankful for everything
9. To always look for the silver lining!
10. To (try to) be content with what I have
11. To be present today, not worrying about yesterday or tomorrow
12. That I have the best of friends
13. That great neighbors make all the difference
14. If something makes you unhappy, make a change
15. And then, let it go...move forward
16. True love is worth the wait!
17. Taking a risk is hard, but always worth it.
18. Learn from everything and everyone.
19. Read more.
20. Don't forget to laugh
21. Collect memories, not things!
22. People matter the most
23. Try new things…
24. Go new places…
25. The world does not revolve around me.
26. Slow down to cherish each day!
27. Always believe that the best is going to happen.
28. Together is the best place to be.
29. Tomorrow is always a new day!
30. Don't cry because it is over, smile because it happened!
31. Honesty is always the best policy!
32. You will never go broke being generous. 
33. The world doesn't owe me anything. 
34. Be cautious as to what you allow disturb your peace of mind. 
35. Everyone we meet is for a reason, season or lifetime. 
36. Actions speak louder than words. 
37. Always believe in yourself!  

Since a new year of my life as well as a new calendar year both start around the same time every year, it is a great time to dually reflect on where I've been and where I'm going.

Thanks for joining me for the journey!

Sausage, Egg and Cheesy Hash Brown Bake

I don't know about you, but I can hardly believe Christmas is just three days away!  

There is so much anticipation and build-up, that when it actually gets close, it seems surreal.  

I am extremely excited and grateful to have the next two weeks off to be home with the kids.  

Although, I have one minor problem…I tend to be overambitious!  

Yesterday I sat on the couch with my hubby watching the Packer game making out a 

to-do list and scheduling the tasks for the next two weeks.

  I will still get up at 5 am to start laundry and get my workout in, 

I will be as efficient as possible, 

but there is no way that everything I put on my list is going to get done, 

but that won't stop me from trying!  

My goals are to use the first week to get caught up and the second week to get ahead!  

Tackle some projects that have been lingering (like wedding and honeymoon pictures!) 

but I can't forgot that I also have to finish some of the Christmas details…

like sorting presents to ensure that the kids all of the same number and wrapping them.

So, perhaps all of the bedrooms and bathrooms won't get deep-cleaned, 

but you can be sure that the presents and cooking will get done!  

Speaking of cooking, 

how do you plan your holiday meals?  

It has been the topic of multiple dinner discussions over the past week, 

giving each family member a chance to request something special.  

We received a ham from Jerry's employer, 

so that will be accompanied with some roasted baby reds, a nice salad, corn and

fruit cocktail jello made in individual crystal glasses.

(something I did once that has now become a hard and fast tradition!)

As far as Christmas morning, 

I have a easy and delicious breakfast bake for you to make

that will be done just in time for you to open any presents that may have arrived.  

Just brown up 1# of bulk Italian sausage over medium heat. 

Then, sautee a chopped onion right in the same pan,

picking up some of the sausage flavoring. 

Into the baking dish a 28 oz bag of THAWED* hash browns were layered

and sprinkled with salt.  

*Leave the hash browns in the fridge over night and that will cut your baking time in half!  

Next, layer the cooked sausage over the potatoes. 

For an even quicker option, 

diced ham can be used which doesn't require any additional time for browning. 

One dozen eggs, 1 cup of milk, the cooked onions, 1 tsp of salt and 1/2 tsp pepper

were all whisked together. 

The egg mixture was poured over the sausage and potatoes. 

Topped with 1-2 cups of shredded cheddar 

and bake at 350 F for about 30-35 minutes. 

Until the eggs are cooked and the cheese is browned. 

Let stand to cool for 5-10 minutes before serving. 

This was a perfect brunch on a busy sport morning and 

I made it again this past weekend 

for a Christmas gathering on my extended side of the family. 

RECIPE:

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Bake Time: 30 minutes

Serves: 10

Ingredients:

1# of bulk Italian sausage (diced ham could be substituted for a quicker prep)

1 onion - chopped

28 oz bag of THAWED hash browns

1 dozen eggs

1 cup of milk

1 tsp of salt

1/2 tsp pepper

1-2 cups of shredded cheddar 

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350 F. 
• Layer hash browns into 9x13 pan. 
• Brown sausage over medium heat, layer over hash browns. 
• Sautee onion in sausage pan. 
• Combine eggs, onion, milk, salt and pepper; whisk well. 
• Pour over hash browns and sausage. 
• Sprinkle with cheese. 
• Bake for 30-40 minutes. 
• Let stand before serving. 

Double Chocolate Peppermint Pudding Cookies

One dozen of these 

Double Chocolate Peppermint Pudding Cookies

will be given away!  

Just share the All Things Libby post

on Facebook to be entered into the drawing!

Happy Monday and Great Food Blogger Cookie Swap Recipe Post Day!  

My excitement for Christmas cookies has been elevated this year with my participation in the 

Great Food Blogger Cookie Swap.  

Thanks to Lindsay at Love and Olive Oil and Julie at The Little Kitchen

for coordinating this awesome swap and networking event.

So excited to make a connection with the people behind these awesome blogs.  

And, I want to thank to my dear friend Holly and her blog-reading prowess, 

as she turned me on to this event and it has been such a blast.   

All I had to do was submit my name and then 

received the names of 3 bloggers from around the country while 3 other bloggers received my name, 

all for us to ship off 1 dozen cookies to each other.  

I can't wait to tell you about the cookies I received!   

The first ones that were received and devoured were the Gooey Butter Cookies 

from Linz at Itz Linz based in St. Louis, MO.  

These cookies were so good, my kids and I were fighting over them. 

They were powdery and flavorful with a soft gooey center.  

I can't wait to see the recipe because they might just need to be whipped up pronto.  

The second box to arrive was some awesome 

Coconut Mac-Nut Biscotti 

from Amber at Loves Food, Loves to Eat out of Seattle, WA. 

I loved the coconut flavor of these when dunked in my coffee.  

Note to self, take time to enjoy biscotti more often!  

Finally, amazingly soft and perfectly spiced Snickerdoodles 

arrived from Shalon & Sam

at Palmer and Brown in New York.  

It was so fun to be the recipient of such a great variety of cookies from coast to coast.  

Now, onto my cookie!

As much as I create my own recipes for meals, cookies and baked goods are less of my forte, 

but that won't stop me from joining in the fun!

Brainstorming my cookie didn't take long. 

Peppermint is my absolute favorite holiday flavor, hands down. 

I started researching ideas and came across a pudding cookie. 

That was a brand new idea to me, 

so certainly a great place to start and build from there. 

After my first feeble attempt at the cookies, 

good flavor but almost no texture, 

I resorted to Kraft Recipes for their pudding cookie recipe

as the starting point.  

I knew I wanted peppermint extract and chips, as well as cocoa powder 

to be part of this creation. 

And then figured that some extra chocolate, in the form of chips, 

wouldn't hurt either. 

Thanks for following along this far, 

let's get to the recipe! 

Two stick of softened butter and 1 cup of brown sugar were the first two ingredients

in this cookie party. 

After being sufficiently mixed, 

two eggs and 1/4 tsp peppermint extract were added 

to complete the wet ingredients. 

Then, the dry ingredients were measured and mixed….

2 cups of all purpose flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 package of cream cheese pudding 

1/3 cup cocoa powder. 

After being gently combined, 

they were added to the mixing bowl. 

Mixed well and the final touches were added…

1/2 cup of chocolate chips

1/2 cups crushed peppermint candy

were all mixed together. 

Using a medium scoop, 

1 dozen cookie dough balls were placed on a baking pan

and popped into a 350 F oven

for just about 10 minutes. 

I hate over-cooked cookies, 

so always error on the side of chewy!  

Once baked, some additional crushed peppermint candies 

were sprinkled on top. 

I can't say enough good things about these…

amazing texture and flavors, 

but don't trust my word, 

whip up a batch for yourself!  

RECIPE:

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Bake Time: 30 minutes

Makes: 3 dozen

Ingredients:

2 stick of softened butter

1 cup of brown sugar

2 eggs

1/4 tsp peppermint extract

2 cups of all purpose flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 package of cream cheese pudding 

1/3 cup cocoa powder

1/2 cup of chocolate chips

1/2 cups crushed peppermint candy

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 F. 

Cream the butter and brown sugar together in a mixing bowl.

In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda, pudding and cocoa powder. 

Then, add the dry ingredients to the butter and sugar. 

Finally, fold in the chocolate chips and peppermint candy. 

Drop slightly larger than tablespoon balls of dough on baking sheet. 

Bake for 10 minutes. 

Sprinkle with additional peppermint candy immediately after removing from oven. 

Cool and serve. 

Bacon Wrapped Shrimp

As the holidays are fast approaching, 

I've been wanting to share with you fabulous recipes for parties and gatherings. 

This one is so easy, indulgent and delicious!

Shrimp, wrapped in bacon and topped with pizza sauce.

These little bites of Italian, smokey, crispy shrimp

are signature of my brother Nick and have quickly become a traditional staple

at holidays and family trips.  

Seriously, you can whip these up in less than 30 minutes

with just THREE ingredients! 

Bacon, Shrimp and Pizza Sauce,

that's it!  

Start by lightly pre-frying 1# of bacon. 

If you have read any of my bacon wrapped entries in the past,

you will already know that 

I prefer to get the bacon started before wrapping to enhance the texture and appearance. 

One pound of raw, peeled large shrimp. 

Shrimp gets so rubbery if over cooked, so I always start with raw. 

Using 1/2 slice, wrap the bacon around the shrimp,

securing with a toothpick from the side,

to allow for topping with the sauce. 

Finally, top with about a tablespoon of pizza sauce and

pop into a 350 F oven for just about 10 minutes. 

You will know the shrimp are cooked because they are pink and opaque,

no longer gray and translucent.  

These could be made be prepped ahead of time and just popped into the oven as the guests are arriving for a tasty appetizer. 

RECIPE:

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Bake Time: 10 minutes at 350 F

Makes nearly 30 individual bites. 

Ingredients:

1# Large Shrimp - raw, de-veined and peeled

1# Bacon

Pizza Jar - small

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 F. 

Pre-fry bacon until lightly browned. 

Wrap 1/2 slice of bacon around shrimp. 

Secure with toothpick from the side. 

Top with 1 tbsp of pizza sauce. 

Bake for 10 minutes, or until shrimp are thoroughly cooked. 

**Pin NOW, if you haven't already!**

Parmesan Pesto Broiled Fish

Welcome to a brand new week!  

Hope that your weekend was fabulous and you are re-charged for a new week!

Mine was a great combination of all of the wonderful things in my life!  

Friday night was our annual mom's Christmas shopping adventure, 

which is one of the best gifts in itself, to just have time together!  

In general, we are a pretty low key group, so the fact that we didn't get home until midnight 

speaks volumes about this tradition.  

Good clean fun and lots of laughter!  

The kids formed an assembly line on Saturday to help me with Christmas cards.  

They excitedly stuffed, stamped and labeled the envelopes, 

but no one was willing to seal, so that job came back to me.  

It was so great to see them all smiling and working together,

 even as they called 'switch' to change tasks. 

Another weekend highlight included the Nutcracker collection display at Milton College, 

where we saw a friend's collection along with a couple of the kids' classmates.  

It was also super cool to check out a bit of Milton College, 

something I had only seen or heard of from afar. 

Saturday was also a beautiful winter evening for the Janesville Jolly Jingle Holiday Lights Parade.  

To the best of my knowledge, this was Janesville's first holiday parade and 

we can't wait to see this grow!  

We were excited to check out the holiday events that were planned and 

see lots of familiar faces along the way.  

The flat tire when we got back to the car, however, was not part of our evening plans! 

While the tire was being changed, Alayna and I brainstormed the silver linings, 

including that we were with some wonderful friends who came to the rescue.  

He helped Jerry put on the spare while she dropped off another friend, scoped out dinner spots and ultimately picked up pizza to just hang out at home.  

Just can't complain about those little bumps in the road, when blessings are so abundant!

Now, here we are, back at the start again with another week of meals ahead of us.  

This broiled fish recipe was a huge hit with my whole family!  

The creaminess of the sauce along with the crispness of the cheese was a perfect combination 

to go with any white fish of your choice. 

Best part…it is quick! Ready in just about 10 minutes!  

The fillets of fish are just lightly seasoned with salt and pepper on a baking pan.  

I prefer to line my baking sheets with foil for ease of clean up. 

Pop the fish under the broiler for just about 5 minutes. 

While the fish are getting started, 

so shall the sauce. 

One half cup of mayonnaise, 

one tbsp of Pesto

(this can be store-bought or click here to make your own!)

and one quarter cup of grated Parmesan. 

Finally, add 2 tsp of lemon pepper seasoning.

After the first 5 minutes of broiling, 

top the fish with the sauce and spread into a thin layer, 

then back under the broiler it goes. 

While broiling, 

the sizzling of the cheese could be heard…

music to my ear! 

Love the gorgeous color and texture that came out of the broiler after just 

2-3 minutes. 

Just serve it up with some rice and edamame for a quick, fabulous, healthy weeknight meal!

RECIPE:

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Bake Time: <10 minutes

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

1# of fish fillets of your choice

Salt and Pepper - to taste

1/2 cup of mayonnaise, 

1 tbsp of Pesto

1/4 cup of grated Parmesan

2 tsp Lemon Pepper seasoning

Directions:

Preheat oven to broil. 

Lightly season thawed fish fillets with salt and pepper. 

Broil for 5 minutes or longer for thicker fillets. 

While broiling, mix up mayo, pesto, parm and lemon pepper sauce for topping. 

Remove fish and spread a layer of Parmesan Pesto sauce on top. 

Return to the broiler for 2-3 minutes until the cheese is lightly browned. 

Serve up with your favorite veggie and starch for a healthy, balanced, quick and easy meal.