Homemade Taco Seasoning

Posted June 23, 2020

Filed under Main Dish

During our weeks of staying at home and lots of experimenting in the kitchen, I decided to make my own taco seasoning. If I’m being honest, I ran out of taco seasoning and I needed taco seasoning. After a few times of playing with seasoning and measurements, I found a combination that made my guys say “throw out the pre-made stuff.” Complete Win in the Kitchen.

When I make tacos, I usually prepare 2 lbs of ground beef, turkey or chicken. I DOUBLE the following recipe to add to our tacos. BUT, when you have time you need to make up extra just to sprinkle on your black beans, scrambled eggs, popcorn, you see where I’m going. This has such a yummy flavor you will add it to lots of things.

Happy Taco Tuesday,
Amanda

Make your own Taco Seasoning

1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon smoked paprika (you can use plain paprika)
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (add more if you want more kick)

Combine all the seasonings. Add to your ground beef for tacos. Add a few shakes to your black beans. Add to your scrambled eggs. Yum!! Store in a sealed container if you don’t use all.

Porcupine Meatballs

Posted May 28, 2020

Filed under Main Dish

Me: “Whitaker, we need to look for 3 porcupines for dinner tonight!”

W: (His Face) “Wait, What?”

Me: “We are having Porcupine Meatballs for dinner. I need to find 3 porcupines on our walk to use for dinner.”

W: (His Face, Again!) “Mom, I don’t think that’s a very good idea.”

Ok, you don’t use real PORCUPINES but these fun meatballs studded with rice will remind you of little porcupine quills. Our weather in Atlanta has been a bit rainy and gloomy. These little meatballs add a little fun to dinner.

At dinner, it gave us a great time discussing the creativity of God. I mean look at a porcupine. How cool!

Keep Singing and Dancing,
Amanda

Porcupine Meatballs

1 1/2 lb. ground beef

3/4 c. uncooked long grain white rice

1/2 c. whole milk

1/2 yellow onion, finely chopped

2 T finely chopped parsley, plus more for garnish

2 t Worcestershire sauce, divided

1/2 t garlic powder

⅛ t cayenne pepper

Kosher salt

2 T extra-virgin olive oil

1 (28-oz.) can whole peeled tomatoes, pureed

Freshly ground black pepper

Grated parmesan cheese

Preheat the oven to 350°. In a large bowl, combine ground beef, rice, milk, onion, parsley, 1 teaspoon Worcestershire, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, and 1 teaspoon salt. Shape beef mixture into 1 ½” meatballs.

In a large skillet over medium heat, heat oil. Add meatballs in a single layer and cook until golden, turning occasionally, about 10 minutes. Remove meatballs to a plate.

In a 9”-x13” baking dish, whisk together pureed tomatoes and remaining teaspoon Worcestershire. Season with salt and pepper. Add meatballs to the baking dish and cover with foil.

Bake until rice is tender, about 40 minutes. Remove foil and bake until sauce is thickened and meatballs are cooked through, about 15 minutes more. *Be sure to cook rice until tender or your family will experience a porcupine situation in their mouths.*

Sprinkle with more parsley and parmesan before serving.

Business/Party Nacho Cheese Dorito Chicken

The last ten weeks have been like nothing we have ever experienced. I have used the words “quarantine”, “shelter-in-place”, “Covid19”, “Coronavirus” so much that even my 6 year old understands everything is completely different because of one of those words.

I have been introduced to Zoom calls. While not my favorite thing, I understand it is a way to connect and get to “see” others. I also understand like many that you only have to be presentable from the waist up! Business/Professional/Put Together on top and Party/Whatever/PJ pants I have been wearing for three days on the bottom.

During this ten weeks of our “Corona Chronologicals”, Will (14.5) and Chris, my hubby, have talked about the idea of a Mullet. (Like “Business in the Front, Party in the Back” haircut.) Will had no where to be and why not go for this look during his time off. Chris watched a few Youtubes and felt confident that he could make this look happen. So, a couple Saturday nights ago, on our outdoor deck, Chris and Will proceeded to make a memory with hair clippers. Within a few minutes, Will was ready for business and party! I will admit that Will could pull off any haircut. (The kid has good hair!)

This whole experience of Zoom calls in PJ pants and teenagers with mullet reminded me of a meal. A meal that says, “I look like a hot mess with the ingredients I bring to the table but trust me. I mean business!” A meal that says, “Yes, I have Nacho Cheese Doritos all over me but guess what Fancy Pants? You are going to be drooling over the business I bring to your mouth.”

In all seriousness, my boys loved that this momma brought a little party to the dinner table. Don’t knock it until you try it. Seriously, we are all trying new things right now. Go for it!

Looking Forward,
Amanda

Nacho Cheese Dorito Crusted Chicken

4 chicken breasts, pounded
1 cup mayo
1 t Italian seasoning
2 cups Nacho Cheese Doritos, crushed
¼ cup butter, melted

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Put chicken breasts in a zip-lock bag and pound to flatten.
Combine mayonnaise and Italian Seasoning in a pie plate.
Crush Doritos in a zip-lock bag. You want chips small.
Dip chicken breast into mayo mixture and then roll in Dorito crumbs.
Place in a casserole dish and drizzle with melted butter all over the chicken.
Bake uncovered for thirty minutes.

Blood Orange Mimosas

Posted May 8, 2020

Filed under Beverages

🌸It’s Mother’s Day Weekend!🌸

Mommas out there will be celebrated. On my list of ways to be celebrated is a yummy Blood Orange Mimosa. Thought I would share how we do it over here.
(Is it a recipe if there are two ingredients?🤷🏼‍♀️)

You need 3 or 4 Blood Oranges and 1 bottle of Prosecco/Cava/Champagne

1. Juice the blood oranges.
2. Place 2 tablespoons of blood orange into your glass.
3. Slowly fill glass with champagne, prosecco, or cava.
4. Serve, Toast, Drink & Repeat

Quarantine Mother’s Day

Posted May 7, 2020

Filed under on mission in the kitchen

Mother’s Day is Sunday! If we are honest, it is different this year. For the past two months everything has been different. When chatting with a momma recently, she told me that this year Mother’s Day is just another day. She said it was not going to be special because of everything going on. HELLO, WHAT?!? Yes, I agree that things are different and might not be the dream Mother’s Day you had envisioned with your children all gathered (well behaved all day), an amazing meal out, a day of pampering at the spa, time with other mommas to sip mimosas, and that special moment at church where you get to stand up and everyone claps because you are mom! Oh and then there might be that amazing photo op that was setup and your children dressed up with fresh haircuts and all smile with you at the camera. Then you post that picture and say #BlessedMomma. You are correct my friend, all that special will not be happening this Mother’s Day! So do you want to wallow in that or Momma Up! Put on Your Cute Momma Britches and Let’s know that we are honored and loved.

A few tips of my 14 ½ of being a momma:

My husband and children cannot read my mind. I can get frustrated or I can just say “you know I would like….” This is what I did. I love having brunch out on Mother’s Day. I have already done the research and set my guys up for success. I told them the place that is offering takeout brunch and when they need to have it ordered. This year’s pick is: Little Rey’s. I’m already craving their breakfast tacos. I also know I want something sweet so I have an order in to A Piece of Cake. There is no shame in picking our your own cupcakes.
I know I will not be having a pampering day at the spa this year. That’s ok! I have learned during this time that just having a little time to myself goes a LONG way. Again, I told my hubby that I would like to get out of the house. You can take a walk or a drive. Listen to your favorite podcast, read a book, or just listen to silence.
Rediscover yourself. IS there something you have been wanting to try? Paint by number, baking, growing your own herbs, or playing the ukulele. This is a great time to do this. Tell your family that you want this for Mother’s Day. You might need to send the links from Amazon but who cares. You are getting what you want.
Don’t be a brat on Mother’s Day! This is not the year to pull this. Everyone is doing the best they can. Your family wants to celebrate with you. You don’t want them to remember the year that mom pouted because she didn’t get the day she wanted.

Proverbs 31:28 says “Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her.” Right there. Proverbs 31:28 is the momma that I want my husband and children to find. I want my heart and mind to focus on Jesus on Mother’s Day. I want my family to see that I feel honored that I was chosen for them.

Let’s Momma Up this year! You can have your Mimosa. (I have a recipe coming!) Use your voice. Focus your heart and mind on Jesus. You got this.

Love You Mommas!

Amanda

Last year’s Mother’s Day post looked a little different! 🙂

Rotisserie Chicken Tacos

Posted April 28, 2020

Filed under Main Dish

Have you ever made a meal and then you feel like you completed cheated because it was so easy? Those are my favorite meals! Let me introduce to Rotisserie Chicken Tacos. Guys, this is so easy. First off, I am the girl that will always pick up a rotisserie chicken at the store. I mean all the work is done for you for 5 bucks.

Now you will take that magic chicken you bought and create chicken tacos that will have your family thinking you are a goddess in the kitchen. Chop up your favorite toppings and you are ready to roll. You have just changed the Taco Tuesday Game.

Rotisserie Chicken Tacos
2 cups salsa (I used Mateo’s Salsa)
1 cup water
2 T tomato paste
½ t coriander
1 t chili powder
1 t ground cumin
1 small rotisserie chicken (picked up from Costco), meat removed from the bones (you’ll want about 1½ pounds of picked chicken meat)
6 T vegetable oil
12 white 6” corn tortillas
8 ounces pepper jack cheese, shredded
4 cups shredded iceberg lettuce (I cheated and bought the bag)
8 ounces Monterey jack cheese or Cheddar Cheese, shredded

Toppings

Guacamole Homemade or My go-to
Sliced pickled jalapeños
Diced tomatoes
Thinly sliced red onion
Avocado wedges
Sour cream
Lime juice
Fresh cilantro

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
Use baking sheets with high sides ready that can hold 12 completed folded tacos (or 2 pans with 6 each). Brush both baking sheets with oil. This will prevent sticking. Lay out the corn tortillas, 6 per tray and brush the tops with the other half of the oil. Set pans aside.
In a large skillet, place salsa, water and tomato paste. Using medium heat, stir and combine. Add the coriander, chili powder and cumin seasonings. Stir together completely.
Shred the cooked chicken pieces into the salsa mixture and heat to hot then hold to keep warm.
Beginning working on taco assembly, divide the pepper jack between the 12 tortillas.
Divide the warm chicken mixture between the 12 tortillas, on top of the pepper jack. Leave some room around the edges so your tacos will not be too full (yet!) Now top the tacos with Monterey jack cheese.

Place in the oven for 12-15 minutes or until the edges start to get a little crispy and the mixture is hot and bubbly. Rotate halfway through for even browning.
Remove tacos from the oven. Then pick up each tortilla, fold in half and place in the reserved dish or pan, letting each taco stay folded by leaning on the one next to it. Add the lettuce at this time.

Serve hot with whatever toppings you want including diced tomatoes, pickled jalapeños, thinly sliced red onion, avocado wedges, sour cream, guacamole, lime juice, fresh cilantro, etc.

I Needed a Social Media Fast and I’m Back

Posted January 16, 2020

Filed under Memories in the Kitchen

It’s hard for me to come back after a long break. I don’t consider this a bad thing. Almost every vacation I have ever taken, I begin to get sad the last couple days. I begin to feel that I don’t want the time off to end. My mind begins to plan the next break or get away. There is joy and rest in a break.

Over the past seven weeks, I gave myself a break. I pulled the cord on social media. My Social Media Fast began the weekend before Thanksgiving and was intended to last until the first part of January.

I knew I needed this fast for so many reasons.

I needed to stop scrolling. There would be times I would find myself scrolling through picture after picture. Looking at these squares before me and paying no attention to the actual faces and conversations happening right in front of me. I was using social media as an escape, as a filler, and as a source of recharging. As I pulled myself from the scrolling, I realized how much unnecessary time I spent on social media. Not only was I scrolling through the pictures, I was scrolling through the comments and the links and clicking on other’s profiles to figure out how I knew them. These investigations would lead me into multiple hours a day on social media. I had to ask myself, FOR WHAT?

I needed to focus on the season. I timed my social media fast during the busiest, craziest time of the year. My fast began the Sunday before Thanksgiving and ended after the New Year. This year was going to be different. While preparing for a Bible study, I was reading about the birth of Jesus. It became so clear that no one in that story was in a hurry except the shepherds. In Luke 2:15-16, after the angel told the shepherds that Jesus had arrived, they hurried off to find Him. This really struck me. What if that is what I was hurrying towards this season? Just hurrying for Jesus. Unplugging from social media, made me realize the free time I actually had. I spent more time reading my Bible and devotions, listening to podcasts, and playing worship music in my house. I committed each day to be a day that I would hurry towards Jesus. This time was full of lows and highs but there was such a peacefulness knowing that each day I had handed it over to God.

I needed to reevaluate why I do what I do and WHO I’m doing it for. I started my blog about nine years ago. Sing and Dance in the Kitchen was a place for me to share my recipes with family and friends. Simple as that. Facebook was something I used to stay in contact with everyone since we moved around so much. I would post pictures from the weekend to share with out of town grandparents. On my blog I would share the latest creation I had whipped up in my kitchen. Within the past few years, Instagram and blogging have grown. It seems like so many are using Instagram to share their stories and their lives. Very quickly, I was coached that I needed to push my Instagram more. I needed to post more pictures and push for the likes. Quickly I learned if I was not going to continue to engage on Instagram, I would lose followers and connections. There are goals, algorithms, leverage, hashtags, giveaways, geotags, and the list goes on of things you need to focus on to have a social media account that is worthy to be considered. This all started making my head spin because my heart just wanted to share a piece of my world with others.

This fast was the perfect time for me to ask myself these questions,

“Why am I posting this?”

“Who am I posting this for?”

“Who’s approval am I seeking?”

“What’s my motive?”

During my social media fast, there was no posting, no scrolling, no seeking approval, no comparison, no thinking behind posts, no second guessing comments or wondering why I was not included or invited. I was not ON to be part of any of it. It was so freeing. It gave me true rest and peace. In mid December, God made it so clear to me. It was like He was sitting right there on the couch with me and I was reflecting. I’m His Daughter (2 Corinthians 6:18). There is no one’s approval that is needed besides His. As much as I love my husband and children, their approval does not have comparison to God’s. My family and friends are wonderful and support me in so many ways but they are human and will let me down. Their approval will not hold a tiny spark to what Jesus holds for me.

It became so clear that my small, little platform of whatever I want to call it can only and will only be based to point to Jesus. Jesus wants to use my love of hosting, cooking, baking, gathering, telling long stories, building up mommas, encouraging others wives, find deals, punching boxing bags, crazy dancing, and off pitch singing for HIS GLORY! He wants everything that makes Amanda be Amanda to point to HIM! (all the feels and chills as I write this)

So, as I dip my toes back in to this year of 2020 and all that God has in store, I want you to know that my social media fast was one that changed my trajectory for Sing and Dance in the Kitchen. I’m so honored and humbled that you are part of this journey with me. Thanks for hanging on and waiting on the other side.

Looking Forward!

Amanda

Smoky Pumpkin Spice Hummus

Posted October 18, 2019

Filed under Memories in the Kitchen, Simple Beginnings

My Smoky Pumpkin Spice Hummus is a versatile dip that you could have any time of year, but tastes especially great as the season of pumpkin spice everything is upon us. At our house, we enjoy throwing in popcorn, pretzels and pita chips along with the usual veggies.

Smoky Pumpkin Spice Hummus

1- 16 ounce can chickpeas drained and rinsed
1- 15 oz can pumpkin puree
1/4 cup tahini
2 garlic cloves
½ teaspoon olive oil
4 teaspoons agave
1/2 teaspoon Chipotle Chile Pepper
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons pumpkin seeds

Place all the ingredients (except the pumpkin seeds) into a food processor and blend until smooth. If your hummus is a little thick, add more olive oil.

Place your hummus in a serving bowl. Garnish with a light sprinkle of chipotle chile pepper and pumpkin seeds. Serve with popcorn, pretzels, pita chips, veggies, etc.

Amanda’s Apple Crisp

Posted October 7, 2019

Filed under Sweet Tooth, Sweet Tooth- Desserts

Whether you have already been apple picking or it’s on your “apple bucket” list, you will want to save some apples for this crisp recipe. All the ingredients play together to make fall come alive. My boys believe it must be topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. This Apple Crisp is the perfect fall dessert.

Keep Sing and Dancing in the Kitchen, Amanda

Warm Apple Crisp

Yields: 12 servings

6 Granny Smith apples, peeled and chopped (other varieties can be used)

2 Tbsp. granulated sugar

1 3/4 tsp ground cinnamon, divided

1 1/2 tsp lemon juice

1 cup light brown sugar

3/4 cup old fashioned oats

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup cold unsalted butter, diced into small cubes

1 tsp of vanilla

pinch of kosher salt

Preheat oven to 350 F degrees. Butter an 8×8 baking dish. Set aside.

In a mixing bowl, add chopped apples, granulated sugar, 3/4 tsp of cinnamon and lemon juice. Stir to combine. Transfer to prepared baking dish.

In a separate mixing bowl, add crisp ingredients (brown sugar, oats, flour, 1 tsp cinnamon, vanilla, salt, and diced cold butter). Use a pastry cutter to mix the butter into the oat mixture, using a slight downward twisting motion, until mixture is in small crumbs. If you don’t have a pastry cutter, you can use two forks or even your hands to cut butter into the mixture.

Spread topping over apples in baking dish, and gently pat to even it out. Bake uncovered for 40-50 minutes, until golden brown and bubbly.

Serve warm. We like to add a scoop of vanilla ice to our Apple Crisp. Enjoy!

I thought we were just having coffee

Posted October 2, 2019

Filed under Memories in the Kitchen, Sweet Tooth

Back in July, I received a text from a friend who I had not seen in awhile asking to meet up for coffee. We became friends several years ago sharing elementary PTA adventures. Now our kids were a little older and in different places. I was excited to see her name pop up on my phone. Also completely thrilled to actually get to share coffee and a conversation with her. We had so much to catch up on.

Our anticipated coffee date arrived. We started with catching up and she quickly moved to the reason she called the coffee date. My friend had recently became editor of a local magazine. She shared how the oppopportunity came up and her vision for the future of the magazine.

Then she dropped her big idea! Without a pause in her conversation or thoughts, my friend throws out “and in the magazine we will feature a monthly recipe. I WANT YOU TO WRITE THEM.” (WHAT!?! ME? Amanda Fuller, girl from small town Texas?). She goes on to tell me she needs my headshot. (What, again?) She gives me deadlines and criteria. Then she smiles, says she is so excited to work with me, and cannot wait to see my work.

So lots of details in between: One hour with my favorite photographer, a few test products and pictures, and my first article was ready.

I share all this with you because it was a big step for me to take and to believe in myself when others already had. This is my first time to be published for my work in the kitchen. I’m beyond thrilled to be a contributing recipe writer for Our Milton Neighbor.

As I publish my monthly recipes, you will find them added to my blog as well. Thanks for sharing along with me in this new adventure. Here’s my first published article:

imagejpeg_0(15)6294932579955430164.jpg

Looking Forward,
Amanda