Jessica's Joyful Kitchen

Prep Time: 5 minutes Cook Time: 10–15 minutes Total Time: 15–20 minutes Servings: 4–6 Category: Breakfast / Side Dish Notes After Making Ingredients Dry Ingredients 1 cup (120g) self-rising flour Or 1 cup all-purpose flour + 1½ teaspoons baking powder + ¼ teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon baking powder ⅛ teaspoon baking soda Wet Ingredients Approx 1 cup whole milk (or combination of 1/2 almond milk and 1/2 half and half) For Cooking Bacon grease, as needed Instructions Combine the self-rising flour, baking powder, and baking soda. Gradually stir in ¾ cup milk, adding more as needed, until the batter reaches a thick but pourable consistency. Let the batter rest while hearing  a cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Add 1–2 tablespoons bacon grease and heat until medium hot. Drop the batter by spoonfuls or small dollops into the hot skillet, *making first one small as a tester.  Turn the heat down and cook until bubbles form on the surface and the bottoms are gol...

FOR THE CRUST 1 1/4 cup graham cracker crumbs, 16 sq  ( or 25  Oreo’s crushed, omit sugars) 2 Tbsp sugar 1 Tbsp brown sugar 5 tablespoons melted butter  FOR THE FILLING Optional rich peanut butter layer, below 8 ounces cream cheese softened 3/4 cup powdered sugar 1 cup creamy peanut butter 8 ounces cool whip, thawed 1 tablespoon vanilla FOR THE GANACHE TOPPING 1/2 cup heavy cream 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips Preheat oven 350. To prepare the crust, blend graham cracker crumbs, granulated sugar, brown sugar and melted butter in a bowl until fully combined. Press mixture into a 9″ pie plate or spring form, covering bottom completely and pushing the crumbs about 1-2 inches up the side of the pie plate. Bake for 10 minutes. Cool. In a large bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth. Add sugar and mix until blended. Add peanut butter and vanilla, mixing well. (Scrape the sides of the bowl as needed to ensure that the ingredients are fully blended.) Fold cool whip into the pe...

~1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts (boiled and shredded) 8 slices bacon, chopped 12 ounce bottle buffalo sauce 12 ounces cream cheese, softened  1/3 cup greek yogurt or sour cream  1 dry packet ranch dressing mix 1 cup green onions, chopped  8 ounces cheddar cheese, shredded  4 ounces blue cheese, optional Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a 10” cast iron skillet brown bacon, drain the fat off. Crumble and return bacon to pan, but reserve 2 slices for the top. Add the shredded chicken, buffalo sauce, cream cheese, greek yogurt, 3/4 of the green onions and ranch dressing mix. Stir until completely blended. Sprinkle on the shredded cheese, blue cheese, if using, reserved bacon and green onions.  Bake uncovered for 30 minutes, or until bubbling on top. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving. Serve with tortilla chips or crackers.

  3 tablespoons   butter 1/4 cup  flour 1/8 tsp nutmeg  1/8 tsp allspice  2 cups beef stock 1/4  cup   heavy cream or sour cream 1  tablespoon worcestershire or soy sauce 1/4   teaspoon   Kosher salt 1/4   teaspoon   white or black pepper 15-20 meatballs  Pre-made mashed potatoes, rice or egg noodles  Add the butter to a heavy bottom sauce pan, then add the flour and whisk until combined on medium heat. Cook the flour 1-2 minutes or until it just starts to brown a bit. Add in the beef stock and whisk well until combined. Add in the rest of the ingredients and whisk together. Add cooked meatballs and coat with the gravy until it is thickened, another 3-5 minutes. Serve potatoes, rice or noodles. 

  1 1/2 lbs chicken, cut into strips 2 cups pickle juice, favorite Famous Dave’s Spicy Pickles 2 bell peppers, sliced  1 red onion, sliced  Oil Chili powder Salt and pepper  Place chicken in a shallow bowl and cover with pickle juice (enough to cover completely). Marinate in the refrigerator 8-12 hours. Place the veggies on one baking sheet, drizzle with oil and seasoning, begin baking while preparing your chicken. After marinating chicken, drain and dry the chicken completely on paper towels; discard marinade. Preheat oven to 425F. Spray 2 large baking sheets generously with oil. chicken onto the prepared baking sheet, drizzle with oil and seasoning. Bake chicken approximately 15 minutes and vegetables approximately 30 minutes.  Serve with tortilla chips, shredded cheese, sour cream, prepared guacamole, and any of your other favorite toppings. 

Prep Time: 10 minutes Cook Time: 20 minutes Total Time: 30 minutes Servings: 6 Category: Main Dish ⸻ Notes After Making Add ⸻ Ingredients 1 tablespoon oil ½ large onion, diced 1 pound ground beef or ground turkey 2 teaspoons chili powder 1 teaspoon ground cumin ½ teaspoon salt 8 taco-size flour tortillas, cut into bite-size strips 1 (10-ounce) can red or green enchilada sauce ¼ cup water 1 cup shredded Mexican cheese blend Optional Toppings Plain sour cream or Greek yogurt Shredded Monterey Jack cheese Salsa or salsa verde Guacamole Chopped cilantro Diced avocado Sliced green onions Jalapeños ⸻ Instructions Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the diced onion and cook for 2–3 minutes until softened. Add the ground beef or turkey, breaking it apart as it cooks, until browned. Drain excess grease if needed. Stir in the chili powder, cumin, and salt. Add the tortilla strips, enchilada sauce, and water. Stir until all of the tor...

Prep Time: 30 minutes Cook Time: 1 hour 45 minutes Total Time: 2 hours 15 minutes (plus resting time) Servings: 8 Category: Main Dish ⸻ Notes After Making Add ⸻ Ingredients Crust Choose one option: Traditional Pie Crust 1 deep-dish pie crust, unbaked Cracker Crust ½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter, melted 1¼ cups (150 g) cracker crumbs, 1 1/2 sleeves Biscuit Topping Recipe here Roasted Tomatoes 2½ pounds heirloom, vine-ripened, or Roma tomatoes, sliced about ⅓-inch thick 3–4 garlic cloves, peeled Olive oil Kosher salt, to taste Freshly ground black pepper, to taste Custard Filling 1 large egg ¼–⅓ cup (60–75 g) Duke’s mayonnaise ⅓ cup (75 g) half-and-half 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard Roasted garlic cloves, minced 10 fresh basil leaves, torn 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves Cheese & Toppings 1 cup freshly grated Fontina or Monterey Jack cheese 1 cup freshly grated sharp cheddar cheese 2 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled (optional) ⸻ Instructio...