Collard Greens

Oh how my family loves collard greens! My dad requests them almost anytime he comes over for dinner because he doesn't get to have them at home. This is how I like to make them!

Ingredients:

Collard Greens
1-2 can chicken broth
1 can Italian style diced tomatoes
1 tub sliced mushrooms

Directions:

*Wash your collards and cut leaves into large chunks. I usually cut across the veins. (I also often buy them in a bag already washed and cut!)
*Pour chicken broth into a pot. Add some greens and cover. Let them cook down a bit then add some more. Keep adding and cooking down and stirring until they are all in your pot.
*Add the rest of the ingredients and more broth if needed and let cook for a bit.

Once the greens are tender enough to your liking serve! Sometimes I serve in a bowl soup style, other times I put on a plate without extra broth. We like to top with pepper sauce or green tabasco!

Yum! I think I will make some this weekend!

Creamed Corn

My Aunt Sally just taught me how to make homemade creamed corn recently. It was so delicious and I have never been a big fan of creamed corn before, especially not from a can, but this was really good!

Ingredients:

*6 stalks or corn, cleaned
*Salt
*Pepper
*Butter

Directions:

Over a low to medium heated skillet, use your knife to cut the tips off a stalk of corn. Turn your knife around to the non cutting side and run it down the stalk to cream what is left on the stalk. Repeat for each stalk. Add salt, pepper and butter to taste and sir. Simmer until you feel it is how you want it. Enjoy!

Chili Lime Broiled Salmon with Avocado Corn Salad

This looks so yummy! I got the recipe from HERE.

Chili Lime Broiled Salmon
Drizzle both sides of thawed salmon fillets with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, cumin, chili powder, and juice from half of a fresh lime. Broil on the broiler pan for 5 minutes. Flip the salmon and broil for 5 more minutes. When it comes out of the oven, squeeze the other half of the lime over the fillets.

Avocado Corn Salad
4 ears fresh corn
2 ripe avocados
1/2 orange bell pepper
1/4 chopped cilantro
juice of 1 lime
salt and pepper

Cut the corn off the ears using a serrated knife. Steam the corn in a glass bowl covered with plastic wrap in the microwave for 5 minutes. You want the corn to remain slightly crunchy, Combine the avocado, corn, orange bell pepper, cilantro and stir. Add the lime juice (add more if the lime isn't very juicy) and salt and pepper.

Hot Spinach and Artichoke Dip

Oh how I love spinach and artichoke dip, and even better if it can save myself a few calories! Can't wait to try this one out taken from HERE.


Hot Spinach and Artichoke Dip
Gina's Weight Watcher Recipes
Servings: 15 • Serving Size: 1/4 cup • Old Points: 2 pts • Points+: 2 pts
Calories: 73.3 • Fat: 4.4 g • Carb: 3.4 g • Fiber: 0.9 g • Protein: 5.2 g • Sugar: 0.6 g
Sodium: 244.7 g


Ingredients:
13.75 oz artichoke hearts packed in water, drained
10 oz frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed
1/4 cup chopped shallots
1 clove garlic
1/2 cup fat free Greek yogurt
1/2 cup light mayonnaise
2/3 cup Parmigiano Reggiano
4 oz shredded part skim mozzarella cheese
salt and fresh pepper to taste
olive oil spray

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375°.

In a small food processor, coarsely chop the artichoke hearts with the garlic and shallots.

Combine all the ingredients in a medium bowl. Place in an oven-proof dish and bake at 375° for 20-25 minutes, until hot and cheese is melted. Serve right away.

Can be made one day in advance and stored in the refrigerator before baking. Makes about 3 3/4 cups.

CRISPY SOUTHWESTERN CHICKEN WRAPS

I found this recipe HERE. I love to read the recipes on this blog because I have found a few of my favorites here and like me, this girl loves her some mexican food! This looks like a winner in our house and will be tried out next week probably!

CRISPY SOUTHWESTERN CHICKEN WRAPS

recipe from Mel’s Kitchen Cafe

1 cup cooked rice

1 cup cooked, shredded chicken

1 can black beans, drained & rinsed

1 green onion, finely sliced {white & green parts}

1/2 green or red pepper {I used red}

1/4 cup cilantro, chopped

juice of 1 lime

1/2 tbsp. {equivalent to 1 & 1/2 tsp.} chili powder

1 tsp. cumin

1/2 tsp. garlic salt

2 cups shredded cheese {I used 4 cheese mexican blend}

Sour cream

6 burrito sized flour tortillas



I know it sounds like a lot, but it’s not at ALL!



First things first. Make sure your chicken is cooked and shredded {or use rotisserie}. Cook your rice, too. If you’re like me, then that means your doin’ it boil-in-a-bag style. It’s like cooking rice for dummies. Then go ‘head and chop your green onion, red pepper, and cilantro.

NOW…let’s toss the rice into a bowl and add spices {cumin, chili powder, & garlic salt}. Mix well.



Now add the black beans, chicken, onions, red/green pepper, cilantro, and lime juice. Mix until combined. {You might notice that I didn’t add the chicken in these pics. I forgot. I went back and added it after I snapped a few shots.}



Now let’s get this party started. Set out your burrito sized tortillas…



And top ‘em with cheese…and dot the cheese with sour cream {optional, of course. HOWEVER, I STRONGLY suggest you add it! SO creamy!} Make sure to leave about 1/2 inch around the edges.



Now take the rice & chicken mixture and spread a couple of spoonfuls down the center of the tortillas. I didn’t use an exact measurement on this…I just kinda eyeballed and guesstimated how much I thought we could eat :)



Roll the stuffed tortillas and leave the ends/edges open. Now spray the tortillas all over with cooking spray.



Place the wraps…two at a time…seams down in a large, non-stick skillet over medium heat. Cook for about 2 minutes or until the seam-side is crispy & golden brown. Flip the wrap over onto the opposite side and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes, or until crispy & golden brown.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bundt Cake

Man, I love the chocolate chip bundt cake I make, this looks super yummy as well, especially if you love pumpkin like Chris and I do! I got this recipe from HERE.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bundt Cake
Adapted from Bon Appétit

2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 1/4 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground allspice
¼ teaspoon fresh nutmeg
1 teaspoon salt
1 - 15oz can of pumpkin puree
3/4 cup well-shaken buttermilk
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
3 large eggs
2 cups of chocolate chips
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a 10 inch bundt pan, then dust with flour, knocking out excess.

Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, allspice, fresh nutmeg, and salt in a bowl.
Separately, whisk together pumpkin, buttermilk, and vanilla in a bowl.

Cream butter and sugar in a mixer. Mix in eggs, one at a time. On low, add flour and pumpkin mixtures in batches. Mix just until combined, do not over mix. By hand, fold in the chocolate chunks.

Spoon cake batter into pan, smoothing top. Pound the pan on the counter to settle the batter. Bake until a toothpick comes out clean in the center of cake, about 1 hour. Cool the cake in the pan, on a rack, for 15 minutes. Invert rack over cake and re invert cake onto rack. Cool completely before serving. Dust with powdered sugar, if desired.

Skinny Baked Brocoli Macaroni and Cheese

I saw this recipe on skinnytaste.com which is a blog I follow and this looks like a great family meal! I think you could even add in some cooked cubed chicken if you wanted to make it have a meat as well! I may also try adding the brocolli to my Chicken Macaroni and Cheese recipe I already make since it is an easier recipe to throw together. Since Devin has recently been eating casseroles and everything in them, this would be a great way to get a veggie in!

Skinny Baked Broccoli Macaroni and Cheese
Skinnytaste.com
Servings: 8 • Serving Size: 1 cup • Old Points: 6 pts • Points+: 8 pts
Calories: 314.9 • Fat: 9.8 g • Protein: 17.7 g • Carb: 44.3 g • Fiber: 6.3 g • Sugar: 4 g
Sodium: 215.7 (without salt)

Ingredients:


12 oz high fiber elbows like Ronzoni Smart Taste
1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp light butter
1/4 cup flour
1/4 cup minced onion
2 cups skim milk
1 cup fat free chicken broth
8 oz (2 cups) Sargento shredded reduced fat sharp cheddar
salt and fresh pepper to taste
12 oz fresh broccoli florets (I used pre-cut bag)
1/8 cup grated parmesan
1/4 cup seasoned bread crumbs
cooking spray

Directions:


Cook pasta and broccoli together in a large pot of salted water, according to package directions for al dente (or slightly undercook 2 minutes). Spray a baking dish with cooking spray. Preheat oven to 375°.




In a large, heavy skillet, melt butters. Add onion and cook over low heat about 2 minutes, add flour and cook another minute, or until the flour is golden and well combined. Add milk and chicken broth and whisk, raising heat to medium-high until it comes to a boil; cook about 5 minutes or until the sauce becomes smooth and thick. Season with salt and pepper.




Once the sauce is thick, remove from heat, add cheese and mix well until cheese is melted. Adjust salt and pepper to taste, add cooked macaroni and broccoli and mix well. Pour into prepared baking dish. Top with grated cheese and breadcrumbs. Spray a little more cooking spray on top.

Bake for 15-20 minutes, then broil for a few minutes to get the breadcrumbs golden.

Garden Pizza

This looks like a wonderful summertime pizza or even a great appetizer to take to a gathering! We love to make personal size home made pizzas on tortillas but I think I may have to make this one pretty soon too! I of course would probably add some pepporni or salami or chicken to add a little meat. :)

Ingredients:
•1 (10 ounce) package refrigerated pizza crusts
•2 garlic cloves, pressed
•2 tablespoons olive oil
•4 ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded
•4 ounces cheddar cheese, shredded
•1 medium tomato, sliced
•1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, dried
•1 medium zucchini, sliced
•1 small onion, sliced
•1 cup fresh mushrooms, sliced
•1/4 cup parmesan cheese, shredded
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

2. Place pizza dough on flat stone of your choice. Roll dough to fit stone. Combine garlic and olive oil and brush onto crust. Bake 7 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from oven.

3. Sprinkle with mozzarella and cheddar cheeses. Top with tomato and Italian seasoning. Layer zucchini, onion and mushrooms over tomato.

4. Sprinkle with parmesan. Bake 15 - 18 minutes more.

Macaroni Salad

Chris and I love pasta and love a good hearty salad...this one looks like a must try but I am going to make some changes to it to better fit our tastes since we aren't huge fans of mayo and tend to like a litte more meat!

Here is my adjusted version

Ingredients:

8 oz uncooked elbows
4 slices 25% reduced fat center cut bacon
2 large ripe tomatoes, beefsteak or vine ripe, diced small
4 tbsp reduced fat sour cream
few dashes of rice wine vinegar
1/2 cucumber deseeded and chopped
2 green onions chopped
salt and fresh pepper to taste
2 cups baby spinach
meat of your choice-see below for ideas.

Directions:

*In a large skillet cook bacon on medium-low heat until crispy on both sides.

*In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta according to package directions.

*Chop tomatoes and combine it along with any accumulated juice with sour cream,vinegar, green onions and pepper in a medium bowl. Drain pasta and rinse with cold water to cool. Combine pasta with tomatoes, cucumber and spinach mixing well. Toss in bacon right before serving.

*This could also be topped with shrimp or leftover chicken, diced up deli turkey or even some canned tuna.

Spicy Shrimp and Grits

Spicy Shrimp and Grits

Crank up the heat (in your weeknight meal, that is!) and serve a spicy version of this Southern favorite.

YIELD: 4 servings (serving size: 1 cup grits, about 1 1/2 cups shrimp mixture, and 1 tablespoon green onions)

Ingredients
3 cups 1% low-fat milk
1 cup water
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
1/4 teaspoon black pepper, divided
1 cup uncooked quick-cooking grits
1/2 cup (2 ounces) grated fresh Parmesan cheese
4 slices applewood-smoked bacon
1 pound peeled, deveined large shrimp
1 cup thinly vertically sliced white onion
2 cups grape tomatoes, halved
1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce or chopped chipotle chile, canned in adobo sauce
1/8 teaspoon ground or crushed red pepper
1/4 cup green onion strips
Preparation
1. Combine milk, water, butter, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon black pepper in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a simmer; gradually add grits, stirring constantly with a whisk. Reduce heat to medium; cook 4 minutes or until thick, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat; stir in cheese.

2. While grits cook, cook bacon in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat until crisp. Remove bacon from pan, reserving 2 teaspoons drippings; crumble bacon. Add shrimp to drippings in pan; cook 2 minutes on each side or until done. Remove shrimp from pan. Add white onion to pan; sauté 1 minute. Stir in bacon, tomatoes, remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, and remaining 1/8 teaspoon black pepper; sauté 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add shrimp, pepper sauce, and red pepper; cook 1 minute or until shrimp are heated. Serve over grits; sprinkle with green onions.

Nutritional Information

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Amount per serving
Calories: 510
Fat: 15.9g
Saturated fat: 7.5g
Monounsaturated fat: 4.9g
Polyunsaturated fat: 1.8g
Protein: 41.1g
Carbohydrate: 49.5g
Fiber: 2.4g
Cholesterol: 206mg
Iron: 5mg
Sodium: 972mg
Calcium: 481mg

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Cooking Light MARCH 2010

Taquito Brunch Skillet

I can't wait to try this recipe I saw on a forum I frequent. I think it will be breakfast for dinner one night!

Ingredients:
* 10 thawed chicken or beef taquitos
* 1/2 cup chunky red salsa
* 1/2 cup of chopped fresh onion
* 1/2 cup of chopped tomotoes
* 1/4 cup chopped black olives
* 2 cups of chopped red potatoes (I leave skins on)
* 2 tablespoons of olive oil
* 2 eggs
* about a cup of colby jack shredded cheese
* bacon bits
* fresh cilantro

Directions:
1. Cut thawed chicken taquitos into about 1/2 inch sized pieces and set aside
2. In a large pan cook the potatoes and onion in the olive oil until the onion is translucent and the potatoes are soft.
3. Mix in taquitos, tomatoes, black olives and salsa. Heat through completely.
4. In a bowl whisk two eggs, then add cheese to the egg mix and mix thoroughly.
5. Add cheese and egg mixture to the skillet and cook until the egg/cheese mix is cooked through.
6. Top with bacon bits and fresh cilantro and pepper if you like.

Mayo-Less Tuna Salad

I saw this recipe HERE and it is just the kind of thing Chris and I love! I often make us a hearty salad with lots of veggies and top it with lemon baked salmon or shrimp, but this looks like a nice twist of healthy, light but hearty!

I have seen a lot of recipes on this blog that I really like and have been great when I make them!

Mayo-less Tuna Salad
Gina's Weight Watcher Recipes
Servings: 2 • Size: 1/2 of recipe • Old Points: 6 pts • Points+: 7 pts
Calories: 271.7 • Fat: 10.7 g • Carb: 22.9 g • Fiber: 3.5 g • Protein: 24.6 g • Sugar: 1.4
Sodium: 462.9

Ingredients:

5 oz canned albacore tuna, drained
1 tbsp capers, drained
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
2 cups arugula
1 cup cooked pasta (from 2 oz dry)
fresh black pepper
.5 oz fresh shaved parmesan

Directions:

In a large bowl toss tuna with capers, oil, vinegar, arugula, pasta and pepper. Divide on two plates and top with shaved parmesan.

Chicken Drumsticks

Lately Chris has been making us chicken drumsticks for dinner and they are SO GOOD! He usually grills them for us and it make the skin a little crisp and is a lot like eating fried chicken. These have quickly become a favorite at our house and everytime we have served them to guests at our house, they have also raved! This is also a great way to feed a crowd for not a lot of money!

Ingredients:

chicken drumsticks
olive oil
Greek Seasoning

Directions:

Wash chicken drumsticks and place in a pan. Baste with olive oil on both sides. Season with Greek Seasoning. We have tried other seasoning combo's but this is by far our favorite!

You can either cook them on the grill or bake them in the oven. We much prefer them on the grill because they make the skin crispy and are so so yummy but have also made them in the oven when the weather was threatening storms, and although not as crispy, they were SUPER juicy!

For grilling:
We use a charcoal grill and this will vary per fire and grill but I think Chris cooks them over a medium fire (probably around 350-400 degrees) for about 12-15 minutes on each side.

For baking:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with foil, sprayed really well and put the drumsticks on the pan staggering end to end so they are not touching and have a little room between each. Bake for 20 minutes on one side at 375. Remove pan, increase temp to 400, turn all drumsticks and bake for another 25 minutes at 400.

Enjoy!

Beef Enchiladas

I saw this recipes here and it looks devine! I added a few things to my mix and they were really good!

Ingredients
1 lb hamburger meat
1 small onion, chopped
1 can of chopped black olives
1 small can reduced sodium corn
1 small can diced green chilis
1 can of cream of mushroom soup
1 can of Enchilada sauce
8 oz of shredded cheddar cheese
6-8 flour tortillas

Directions
Brown the meat and saute the onions in with it. Once that is done, add in the olives, corn and green chilis and let it heat and then add in 3/4 of the cheese and let it melt - mix it all together. Fill tortillas with the meat mixture and roll up. Combine the mushroom soup and enchilada sauce and pour on top. Top with remaining cheese. Bake at 350 for 30-40 minutes.

Serve with refried beans and spanish rice!

Aunt Sally's Breakfast Egg Casserole

Ingredients:

7 slices white bread with crust cutoff, cubed and buttered
1 lb ground sausage, fried and drained
garlic
1 tsp salt
1 tsp dry mustard
2 cups milk
9 eggs
1 lb grated cheddar cheese
5 slices white bread with crust cut off, butter top side and slice in half


Directions:

Layer a 3qt greased casserole dish with the cubed bread. Sprinkle sausage over the bread. Mix all of the other ingredients except for the cheese in a bowl and pour over the top. Top the mixture with the cheddar cheese. Place sliced buttered bread on top of cheese and mixture. Refridgerate entire thing overnight and then bake the next day at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.

Enjoy!

Fish Tostadas

I saw this on the Yahoo front page and would have to say, it is just the kind of thing we love and low calorie too!

Ingredients

1 lb. fresh tilapia or cod fillets
1/2 tsp. chili powder
1 lime, halved
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
8 6-inch tostada shells
2 cups shredded cabbage mix
1 avocado, halved, seeded, peeled, and sliced (optional)
1 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered (optional)
Bottled hot pepper sauce (optional)

Directions

1.Preheat broiler. Sprinkle fish with 1/4 teaspoon of the chili powder and 1/4 teaspoon salt. For chili-lime cream, in bowl squeeze 2 teaspoons juice from half the lime. Stir in sour cream, garlic powder, and remaining chili powder; set aside. Cut remaining lime half in wedges for serving.
2.Place fish on unheated greased broiler rack; tuck under thin edges. Place shells on baking sheet on lowest rack. Broil fish 4 inches from heat 4 to 6 minutes per 1/2-inch thickness, until fish flakes with fork. Break in chunks. Serve tostadas with cabbage, chili-lime cream, avocado, tomatoes, lime, and pepper sauce. Serves 4.

Nutrition Facts * Servings Per Recipe 4 servings * Calories278, * Total Fat (g)14, * Saturated Fat (g)5, * Monounsaturated Fat (g)2, * Polyunsaturated Fat (g)1, * Cholesterol (mg)67, * Sodium (mg)303, * Carbohydrate (g)17, * Total Sugar (g)2, * Fiber (g)2, * Protein (g)25, * Vitamin C (DV%)25, * Calcium (DV%)7, * Iron (DV%)6, * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Chicken Squares

=Amazingness in your mouth per my sweet friend Cailey! I can't wait to try these because they sound delicious!

Ingredients:
* 2 chicken breasts
* 1/2 small container of FF cream cheese
* Crescent Rolls(1 package makes 4 squares)
* Garlic Powder & onion salt (I used chopped garlic and green onion and added salt and pepper to the mix instead)

Optional:
Butter
Jalapenos
Red pepper
choopped spinach or chopped artichokes

Directions:
* Place chicken breasts in water on the stove and bring to a boil. Let boil for 10-15 minutes until cooked all the way through.
* Slice up the chicken so it is shredded.
* Mix cream cheese seasonings and optional ingredients together in the bowl with shredded chicken.
* Take cresecent rolls and lay them out in the square shapes(so just use two triangles together)
* Spoon the mixed ingredients onto bottom half of square and fold in half to cover chicken mixture.
* Bake in the oven per cresent roll package directions.

Honey Mustard Potatoes

Last week when I went to supper club, one of the girls brought some honey mustard potatoes that were do good! I looked around online and came up with my own adaption that was pretty good! I might make some adaptions to give it some extra kick!

Ingredients:

*Small baby red potatoes-as many as needed
*1 bottle of honey mustanrd dressing (I used the Ken's brand)-you will only use as much as you see fit
*Other seasonings of your choice (I use greek, dill and basil generously)

Directions:
* Preheat oven to 400.
* Wash and cut in half potatoes and place on a baking sheet.
* Spray sheet and potatoes generously with cooking spray.
* Season potatoes as desired and pour honey mustanrd dressing over potatoes generously.
* Use hands to mix potatoes with dressing.
* Bake 30 minutes then serve!

Pot Roast

I have been craving a good roast for the past few months so I finally made one and it was delicious! It has been years since I last made one so I decided to look for an easy fail proof recipe and this is just that!

Ingredients:

1 Roast (Around 5 lbs)
2 cans LF cream of muchroom soup
1 can reduced sodium beef broth
1 package of Onion Soup Mix
1 carton sliced mushrooms
1 small bag of baby carrots

Directions:

* Wash roast and place in bottom of crock pot.
* Pour all other ingredients over the roast. I used the entire small tub of mushrooms and about half a small bag of baby carrots.
* Cook on low for about 7-9 hours or high for about 3-5. I often cook on low for a bit and crank up to high for a few hours to finish it.
* You can also add potatoes to the crockpot but I decided to make them on the side this time!

Banana Bread

Adjusted from Southern Living by G Mama Stone! Her banana bread is one of my favorite treats!!!

Ingredients:

1 cup reg flour
3/4 cup wheat flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs slightly beaten
2 tbs canola oil
4 ripe bananas mashed
2 tsp vanilla
chopped pecans or toasted walnuts if desired

Directions:
Mix all ingredients together and put into a greased 9 x 5 loaf plan.
Bake 350 for 55 min.
Take from oven and let set for 5 or 10 min before taking out of loaf pan.
Test with your cake tester to make sure it is done.

This is yummy for breakfast with a little light butter.
If it is not eaten in 24 hours, wrap and put in frig.
Add a little love and you have the perfect bread.

Chocolate Chip Pound Cake

I saw this recipe on THIS blog and I must say, it looks devine!

Chocolate Chip Pound Cake

•1 (18.25 ounce) package yellow cake mix
•1 (3.9 ounce) package instant chocolate pudding mix
•1/4 cup water
•1 cup vegetable oil
•4 eggs, beaten
•1 cup sour cream
•1tsp vanilla
•1 cup milk chocolate chips
Mix together all ingredients. Stir in chocolate chips by hand. Bake at 325 degrees for 50 or 60 minutes in a bundt pan coated with Pam.

For something a little different and an extra treat if you have Kahlua on hand I decrease the amount of oil to 3/4 cup and use no water and add 1/2 cup of Kahlua instead. Yummy!!!

Chicken-Chili Cresent Bake

This recipe came from HERE and boy does it look good! I can't wait to make this one next week!

CHICKEN-CHILI CRESCENT BAKE

Ingredients:

Rotisserie chicken, shredded
1 can Bush’s Grillin’ Beans {Fiesta Black Beans}
1 can Rotel
2 tbsp. taco seasoning
1-2 cups shredded cheese {we used monterrey jack & colby}
1 can crescent seamless dough sheets

Directions:
Mix together chicken, beans, Rotel, and taco seasoning in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook for about 5 minutes or until heated through.

Transfer mixture to a 9x13 baking dish. Cover with cheese and top with the crescent seamless dough sheet.

Cook at 375 for about 18-25 minutes or until crescent topping is golden brown. Remove from oven and cool for about 10 minutes.

Now serve it up and prepare to be amazed.

Brocolli Salad

My boss sent this recipe to me from her sister who said everyone at their office lunch raved about it! I love broccoli and can't wait to try it!


Ingredients

• 5 cups broccoli florets, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1/2 cup red onion, chopped
• 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
• 1 cup cooked bacon, crumbled
• 1 cup sunflower seed
• 3/4 cup dried sweetened cranberries

Dressing

• 1 cup Hellmans mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper

Directions

Total Time: 20 mins
1. Combine all salad ingredients in a large mixing bowl and mix well.
2. Combine dressing ingredients in a small mixing bowl.
3. Mix until thoroughly combined using a fork or wire whisk.
4. Add dressing to salad and mix well.
5. Refrigerate 1 hour.

She said she added 2 times more of the dressing because it did come out dry the first time. It will be up to you after the first dressing to decide if it could use another round of it.

Baked Potato Soup-Round 2!

I saw this recipe on THIS blog and thought it looked so easy, hard to screw up, and oh so delicious! I can't wait to try it out!

EASY CROCKPOT POTATO SOUP


1 30oz. bag of frozen, shredded hash browns {I used Ore Ida}

3 14oz. cans of chicken broth

1 can of LF cream of chicken soup

1/2 cup onion, chopped

1/4 tsp. ground pepper

1 pkg. cream cheese {don’t use fat free. It WON’T melt!!! Not sure about reduced fat, I will let you try it!}

In a crockpot, combine everything EXCEPT for the cream cheese. Cook for 6-8 hours on low heat. About 1 hour before serving, add cream cheese and keep heated until thoroughly melted. Serve with cheese, sour cream, bacon bits, green onions, or whatever else you think would be good!!

If you don't have time to prepare in the crockpot, do it on the stovetop and allow for about an hour of cook time. I make mine on the stove top and put everything but the cream cheese in, bring to a boil, then bring back to a simmer and add the cream cheese that has been cut into chunks. The closer to an hour the cream cheese gets the better it will have a chance to melt.

Yum! And this one is even better the second day!

Baked Potato Soup

This colder time of year really makes me want baked potato soup. I am thinking this one will do! And I will probably serve with some grilled cheese sandwiches!


4 servings

Ingredients:
4 large potatos
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped onion
1 -2 cup milk or 1 -2 cup half-and-half or 1 -2 cup cream
salt and pepper, to taste


Directions:
1 Peel and cube potatoes.
2 Put in a saucepan along with the onions and celery.
3 Add water or chicken broth, but don't quite cover the vegetables.
4 Bring to a boil, lower heat, cover and simmer for 25 minutes, or until all of the vegetables are very tender.
5 Using a potato masher, coarsely crush the potatoes, but don't mash them--you want chunks left.
6 Add enough milk or cream to thin to desired thickness and add salt& pepper to taste.
7 (It will take a lot of salt!).
8 Top with cheese, green onions and bacon bits!

Taken from here:http://www.food.com/recipe/unbelievably-easy-potato-soup-74275?scaleto=4&mode=null&st=true

Chicken and Dumplings-Easy Version

Chicken and Dumplings

This is my rendition of easy and fairly healthy chicken and dumplings.

Ingredients:

1 TBS Garlic
Basil, Oregano, Parsley
1 large carton of chicken broth + 2 cans reserved
1 small can of small biscuits cut into quarters
Cubed raw chicken breasts or deboned Precooked chicken
2 TBS Corn Starch
1 carton of mushrooms
1 can of quartered artichoke hearts
1 bag spinach
Lemon Juice

Garlic Bread

Directions:
In a soup pot, add garlic, herbs and carton of chicken broth. Bring to a boil. Add biscuit quaters one at a time and stir to keep them from forming together. Once you have added all the biscuits, add chicken. If raw, boil for 10 minutes before moving to the next step. Add mushrooms and artichokes and turn down the heat to low. In a seperate bowl, mix together 2 heaping TBS cornstarch and cold water. Add the mixture to the broth and let simmer. If you want your soup thicker, repeat the cornstarch step with 2 more TBS. Once you are close to ready to serve, add a bag of spinach and as much lemon juice as you like plus 2 cans of broth if you need more juice. serve with garlic bread.

Pumpkin Cinnamon Chip Muffins

I saw this recipe HERE and it looks delicious! I can't wait to try it!

Pumpkin Cinnamon Chip Muffins

1 Box Spice Cake Mix
1-15 ounce can of Libby's 100% Pure Pumpkin
1 Bag of Cinnamon Chips or you can use chocolate chips if you can't find cinnamon chips


Add the Spice Cake Mix and the Pure Pumpkin together and MIX
after the above is mixed add in the cinnamon chips
(please note that you do not need to add eggs, oil or water just the three items above)
Put batter in a muffin or cupcake pan and bake as directed on the Spice Cake Box


They are the best warm out of the oven... Enjoy!

Weekly Menu

Sunday
Steaks, scalloped potatoes, sauteed spinach with lemon juice and garlic

Monday
Grilled chicken over rice covered squash, zucchini, mushrooms with lemon juice all baked
Tuesday
Spaghetti

Wednesday
Baked breaded fish, baked beans, frozen vegetable mix

Thursday
Taco Salad

Friday
Shrimp Jambalaya (I have been carrying this one forward for weeks now!)

Dip Mix to Die For

Tonight at Supper Club I had a dip mix that was to die for! I have to post it so I don't forget how to make it! And the best part is that it is made from already prepared things which makes it super easy!

Ingredients:

Equal Parts

Pimento Cheese
Pico De Gallo
Corn Salsa Mix

Mix ingredients together and serve with chips. Thank me later! :)

Weekly Menu

Sunday
Pork Chops, Baked Potatoes, Baked Asparagus

Monday
Grilled chicken over rice covered squash, zucchini, mushrooms with lemon juice all baked

Tuesday
Free Night

Wednesday
Tuna Rotini Casserole

Thursday
Salad topped with Baked Lemon Salmon

Friday
Sausage Jumbalaya

Weekly Menu

Sunday
Steak on the grill, baked beans, baked asparagus

Monday
Chicken Fried Rice

Tuesday
Free Night

Wednesday
Truley's Pasta Salad

Thurdsday
Salad topped with baked lemon salmon

Friday
Sausage Jumbalaya

Weekly Menu

Since I typically make my menu each Sunday before I go grocery shopping and always look through this blog for inspiration for something different, I thought I would start posting my weekly menu so I can also easily look back over my menu's for ideas. There are plenty of things I throw together each week that don't require a recipe!

I am going to start trying to post this each week but can't make any promises! Closer to the end of the week I typically make easier things, things that don't make a lot of leftovers, and things that if I don't make will still be a meal in a week or two when I decide to make it, so you will often see a meal recycled there.

Sunday
Pork Chops, Baked Potatoes, Spinach

Monday
Chicken over Rice covered squash, zuchini, mushrooms with lemon juice

Tuesday
Tuna Rotini Casserole

Wednesday
Tacos, beans

Thurdsday
Shrimp Jumbalaya

Friday
Tuna Sandwiches, Chips

Crockpot Ribs

I saw this on a forum I frequent and it looks really good and like a good alternative to the way we make ribs. I might even be able to make these myself!

Throw some sliced onions and a few cloves of garlic (if you like but still good without it) add the ribs (seasoned with salt and pepper) and about a 1/4 to 1/2 cup of water and a bottle of your favorite bar b q sauce. I add the sauce the last hour and used Sweet Baby Ray's this time. Had a nice little kick but not too spicy for my hubs who is tender mouthed. lol Cooked them for 8 hours on the low setting of my crockpot. They fall apart and make great pulled pork sandwiches.

Chicken Spaghetti-Ramped up

I haven't made this in awhile but it is a crowd pleaser every time I do! I ramped this one up a bit to add some veggies to the meal but you could make it without them if you prefer.

4 boneless chicken breast
8oz 2% Velveeta (cubed)
1 can Rotel
1 can LF Cream of Chicken Soup
1 can LF cream of Mushroom Soup
1 Bag frozen Mixed Veggies
1 package spaghetti noodles
1/2 cup shredded cheddar
salt, pepper, garlic- to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Boil or bake chicken.
Boil spaghetti noodles according to package directions.
Cut chicken into bite-sized pieces.
In pan combine Cream of chicken, cream of mushroom, Rotel, cubed Velveeta in pan and heat over low to medium heat until Velveeta melts.
Once heated through, combine with frozen veggies, noodles and chicken. Mix together.
Pour into a baking dish and mix up well. Sprinkle a little cheese on top. Cover and cook for 20 minutes. Remove cover and cook for 10 more minutes.

Easy Pico De Gallo

Pico de Gallo salsa

I saw this on a forum I frequent and thought it looked like a good easy recipe to make some salsa with!

*Drain three or four cans of RoTel
*add three or four chopped tomatoes, a big diced red onion and a bunch of cut up cilantro.
*Then toss in salt, pepper and garlic powder to taste.
*You can always throw in a jalapeno or two if you want to kick it up a notch

Hot Artichoke Dip

HOT ARTICHOKE DIP

1 cup mayonnaise
1 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
1 cup chopped canned artichoke hearts

Combine all ingredients. Transfer to a baking and serving dish. Bake at 425°F until bubbly.

Taken from HERE

Chicken Enchilada Ring

I saw this recipe on THIS blog and it looks so good! I will be trying this one out very soon!

Chicken Enchilada Ring


Ingredients:

2 cups cooked chicken
1/4 cup chopped block olives
1 cup cheddar cheese
1 small can chopped chilies, undrained
1/2 cup sour cream
1 package taco seasoning
2 rolls of crescent rolls
1 small chopped tomato
1 lime (juice)
2/3 cup finely crushed tortilla chips



1. Chop chicken and add olives, cheese, chilies, sour cream and taco mix. Seed and chop 1 tomato and add 2 tablespoons lime juice; add to chicken mixture. Reserve 2 Tblsp. crushed chips and add remaining chips to mixture.


2.Unroll crescent dough and separate triangles. Arrange on round baking stone or cookie sheet making a circle with wide ends OVERLAPPING in the center and points toward outside. ( I did lightly spray oil on the cookie sheet I used). There should be a 5 inch diameter opening in the center.

3. Spread chicken mixture evenly onto widest end of each triangle.

4. Bring points of triangles up and over filling and tuck under wide ends of dough at the center of the ring.

Sprinkle with 2 Tblsp. crushed chips. ( I put shredded cheese all on top!)

5. Bake @ 375 for 20-25 minutes. Garnish with tomato and serve with salsa and sour cream.

Crockpot Meatloaf

An easy one-pot meal from the slow cooker.

Ingredients:
2 pounds lean ground round or chuck
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 1/4 teaspoons seasoned salt
1 cup cracker crumbs or fine dry bread crumbs
1 egg
1 envelope brown gravy mix
1 cup milk
6 to 8 small potatoes, halved or quartered

Preparation:
In a large bowl, mix all ingredients except potatoes. Shape into a loaf. Place in Crock Pot. Place potatoes at the
sides of loaf. (If potatoes are peeled, wrap in foil to keep from darkening.) Cover and cook on low 8-10 hours or on
high for 4-6 hours.
Serves 6.

My friend that gave me the recipe added pearl onions, and used 1lbs ground turkey and a Jimmy Dean Sage sausage for the meat...and subb'd a packet of Onion soup for the gravy. It looks like it would be really good either way!

Chicken Rice and Veggie Casserole

I often make a casserole just like this with pasta but this week, I am already making pasta another night, so it will be rice! This would probably also be good with shrimp or even tuna! Enjoy!

Ingredients

- 3-4 cooked and cubed chicken breasts, skinless and boneless
- 2 cups instant brown rice, uncooked
- 1/4 cup milk
- 16 ounces frozen mixed vegetables
- 1/2 teaspoon chopped garlic
- 10 3/4 ounces LF cream of mushroom soup, undiluted
- 10 3/4 ounces LF cream of chicken soup, undiluted
- 2/3 cup shredded 2% cheddar cheese

Directions
Preheat oven to 400ºF. Coat inside of casserole dish with cooking spray.

Cook rice according to package instructions.

In a bowl, combine rice, milk, mixed vegetables, garlic, and cream soups and chicken. Pour mixture into prepared casserole dish and sprinkle with cheddar cheese. Cover and bake for 20 minutes. Remove cover and bake an additional 10 minutes.

Note: You can also make the same dish but substitute 2 cups of cooked pasta-I use tricolor rotini instead of rice.

Greek Chicken and Vegetable Ragout

I haven't made this yet but it looks delicious and like something I will be trying out next week!

Active Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 3 1/4-5 1/4 hours

Ingredients

1 pound carrots, cut into 1 1/4-inch pieces, or 3 cups baby carrots
1 pound (3-4 medium) yellow-fleshed potatoes, such as Yukon Gold, peeled and cut lengthwise into 1 1/4-inch-wide wedges
2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed
1 14-ounce can reduced-sodium chicken broth
1/3 cup dry white wine
4 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 15-ounce can artichoke hearts, rinsed and quartered if large
1 large egg
2 large egg yolks
1/3 cup lemon juice
1/3 cup chopped fresh dill
Freshly ground pepper, to taste

Preparation

1. Spread carrots and potatoes over the bottom and up the sides of a 4-quart or larger slow cooker. Arrange chicken on top of the vegetables. Bring broth, wine, garlic and salt to a simmer in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Pour over the chicken and vegetables. Cover and cook until the chicken is cooked through and vegetables are tender, 2 1/2 to 3 hours on high or 4 to 4 1/2 hours on low.
2. Add artichokes to the slow cooker, cover and cook on high for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, whisk egg, egg yolks and lemon juice in a medium bowl.
3. Transfer the chicken and vegetables to a serving bowl using a slotted spoon. Cover and keep warm. Ladle about 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid into the egg mixture. Whisk until smooth. Whisk the egg mixture into the remaining cooking liquid in the slow cooker. Cover and cook, whisking 2 or 3 times, until slightly thickened and sauce reaches 160°F on an instant-read thermometer, 15 to 20 minutes. Stir in dill and pepper. Pour the sauce over the chicken and vegetables and serve.

Tips & Notes

Make Ahead Tip: Cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days. Freezing is not recommended. | Prep ahead: Peel and cut potatoes; cover with water. Trim chicken thighs. Combine broth, wine and minced garlic. Refrigerate in separate covered containers for up to 1 day.

Nutrition

Per serving: 355 calories; 11 g fat (3 g sat, 4 g mono); 199 mg cholesterol; 27 g carbohydrates; 34 g protein; 4 g fiber; 629 mg sodium; 531 mg potassium

Taken from here:
http://shine.yahoo.com/channel/food/5-super-easy-spring-slow-cooker-recipes-1243250/

Greek Shrimp Pasta

I saw this recipe in a Cooking Light cookbook I have. I adjusted the recipe some. Here is our version and I must saw it was delicious! We love spaghetti but this was just different enough to have a very different flavor than my usual recipe! Chris and I both loved it! The original recipe called for chicken but we thought the shrimp was fabulous!

Ingredients:

1 bag of pealed, deveined raw shrimp
1 tbs garlic
8 oz pasta
1/2 small red onion, chopped
1 yellow bell pepper, chopped
1 tub mushrooms chopped
2 cans diced tomatoes (basil, garlic and oregano blend if available)
2 tbs lemon juice
herbs of your choice
1 bag spinach
feta cheese

Directions:

In a skillet, add cooking spray, shrimp and garlic. Cover and let cook until done.

In the meantime, cook pasta according to package directions.

Add onion, bell pepper, mushrooms, diced tomatoes, lemon juice and herbs to the skillet, cover and let simmer for about 15 minutes. Add about half a bag of spinach to pan, cover and let wilt then mix in and repeat until all spinach is mixed in.

Serve pasta in bowl topped with meat mixture and top generously with feta cheese! YUM!

Paula Deen's Shrimp Gumbo Casserole (Adjusted)

Ingredients
Gumbo:
1 cup finely chopped onion
1 cup finely chopped celery
Heavy spary of olive oil cooking spray
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon lemon-pepper seasoning
1 tsp garlic
1 cup chicken stock
1 (14 1/2-ounce) can diced tomatoes
10-ounce package frozen cut okra
2 cups shrimp, cleaned, peeled, and deveined
2 cups of cooked brown rice

Topping:
1 egg, beaten
1/3 cup milk
12-ounce package corn muffin mix

Directions
In a skillet, spray with cooking spray and then saute onion and celery. Add thyme, lemon-pepper seasoning and garlic. Pour in stock and add tomatoes and okra. Cover pot and gently simmer for 30 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in shrimp. Transfer to a 9 x 13 glass baking dish that is coated with cooking spray.

To prepare the topping, preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Mix together egg and milk, add to muffin mix, and combine until just well-blended. Drop by tablespoonfuls on top of hot shrimp mixture, leaving the center uncovered. Bake 15 to 20 minutes.

Chicken Rotini Casserole

We love this meal! Super easy, healthy and makes great leftovers. Chris and I love to put tabasco, green or red, on top of it! You could also make this recipe with a can of tuna instead of chicken.

Ingredients:
2 Cups cooked chicken cut into cubes
1 small box of cooked rotini pasta
approx 1/2 cup skim milk-just enough to thin mixture a bit
1 can LF cream of chicken soup
1 can LF cream of mushroom soup
1 bag frozen mixed veggies
1 8 oz bag 2% LF cheddar cheese (I never use an entire bag)
Bread crumbs


Directions:
Preheat over to 400 degrees.

In a 9 x 13 pan mix chicken, milk, soup, pasta and veggies. Add a little of the cheese to the mixture and seasonings as desired. Mix together well. Sprinkle the top with the remaining cheese and a light coating of bread crumbs and spray crumbs with cooking spray to help it harden a little bit.


Cover pan and bake for 30 minutes. Remove cover and bake for 10 more minutes. Remove from oven and let sit for 10 minutes and then serve!

Deviled Eggs

Ah, a holiday favorite....really an anytime favorite! My mother in law showed me how she makes hers a few years ago and I went with her recipe with some adjustments to fit out taste! Of course, I just measure by eye.

Ingredients:

eggs
pimentos
relish
mustard-I often use spicy
mayo
chopped green onion
salt
pepper
white/rice wine vinegar-just enough to add some tang

Directions:

Boil as many eggs as you decide to use. Slice eggs in half, peel, and separate the cooked yolks into a mixing bowl. Mash the yolks with a fork, then add all other ingredients with as little or as much as you would like. Mix together and dollop into the egg whites. You can add a little paprika or chipotle chili on top for color if you desire! Chill and serve!

Texas Caviar

I have had this before and it is so yummy! This looks like a good rendition of it and like something I will be making as an appetizer the next time we have company!

I took this from THIS blog, which I really enjoy reading.

Here are her instructions:

Texas Caviar is a great salad or a dip for chips.

Ingredients:
1 can of garbanzo beans

1 can of black beans

1 can of kidney beans

1 can of corn

2 avocados

1 small yellow onion

a bunch of cilantro

Italian dressing

sugar

lime juice

salt

Directions:

Drain the beans and corn well. Put them in a bowl.

Chop up the onion into very small pieces. Add them.

Add about 1/3 bottle of Italian dressing to the mixture. Squirt in a whole buncha lime juice. Add some sugar. Like a 1/2 cup or something. And then add some salt. I love salt. Stir well. Cover. Chill overnight in the refrigerator.

Before serving, drain the Texas Caviar quickly in a colander. Cube up the avocado and add it. Rip up as much cilantro as you want and add it too. Toss together.

Serve with blue corn chips. Or Fritos. Or do what I did when I had guests last week and add some shredded smoked chicken breast and eat it with a fork as a salad.

Yum. Yum. YUM!

Chicken Enchilada Casserole

It has been years since I made this dish. It used to be a favorite in our house but I think maybe we ate it too much. I recently made a modified version of it for my aunt who had just had surgery but I was really wanting it this week. Wow, it might have to make a regular appearance on our menu again for awhile. It was just as yummy as I remember it being!

Ingredients:
2 Cups cooked chicken cut into cubes
approx 1/2 cup skim milk-just enough to thin mixture a bit
1 can LF cream of chicken soup
1 can LF cream of mushroom soup
1 can rotel (undrained)
1 small can corn (drained)
4-5 green chopped green onions
6-8 tortillas, torn in strips
1 8 oz bag 2% LF cheddar cheese (I never use an entire bag)

Directions:
Preheat over to 400 degrees.

In a large bowl mix chicken, milk, soup, rotel, corn and green onion. Add a little of the cheese to the mixture. Mix together well. In a 9 x 13 pan, spray with cooking spray, place a layer of tortilla strips along bottom, half the soup mixture, a layer of cheese sprinkled, another layer of tortillas, the other half of the soup mixture, cheese sprinkled, another layer of tortillas and the rest of the cheese sprinkled on top.

Cover pan and bake for 30 minutes. Remove cover and bake for 10 more minutes. Remove from oven and let sit for 10 minutes and then serve!

Chicken Tortilla Soup

We recently had dinner at a friends house and they made us a delicious tortilla soup. With the weather starting to think about getting cool again, I always love to make a good soup. They are hearty, healthy, and warm your soul.

This is my rendition of tortilla soup and was delicious!

1 large container of low sodium/reduced fat chicken broth
1 (10 ounce) can diced tomatoes with green chile peppers
1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
1 can reduced sodium corn
5 chopped green onions
3-4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, sliced into cubes
1 cubed squash
1 cubed zuchini
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
2 cups of cooked brown rice
1 handful diced cilantro
1 lime-juiced
1 tbsp Chipotle Chili powder
salt and pepper to taste
tortilla chips
shredded Cheddar cheese
1 avacado chopped in cubes


DIRECTIONS
In a medium saucepan over medium high heat, combine the broth, tomatoes and chilies and tomato sauce, corn, and green onions. Bring just to a boil then add the chicken, squash and zuchini. Boil for 10 minutes until chicken is cooked. Add black beans, cilantro, lime juice, rice and chipotle chili powder along with salt and pepper to taste. Reduce heat.

Serve bowl of soup. Top with crumbled chips, cheese and avacado.

ENJOY!

Southwest Chicken Salad with Basil

I must say, this looks delicious. I think I might have Chris grill up some extra chicken this weekend so I can make it!

Southwest Chicken Salad with Basil

a bunch of shredded chicken

the corn off two corn on the cobs

1 can of Ro-Tel with cilantro and lime

1 can of black beans

the juice of 1/2 lime

salt

lots of torn, fresh basil

1/4 cup sour cream, plus an extra dollop

Mix all ingredients together, except the dollop of sour cream. Chill. Serve with more torn basil and the sour cream dollop on top.

Enjoy!


I got the recipe from HERE on MckMama's Blog

Grilled Stuffed Jalapeno's

This idea was thanks to my cousin Eddie who brought something similiar on the 4th of July. Mom asked me this weekend if I wanted some jalapenos she had and I couldn't pass up the offer! They were so delicious!

Ingredients:

Fresh jalapenos
cream cheese
mexican cheese
green onion-diced
salt
pepper
Chipotle Chili powder

Directions:

While wearing gloves, slice jalapenos in half and remove seeds and ribs. Place on a foil covered pan with olive oil drizzled along the bottom. In a bowl, mix the rest of the ingredients. Use as little or as much as you see fit. Place spoonfuls into each jalapeno. Sprinkle the top with a little more cheese. Grill over indirect heat until they look done.

You can change up the types of cheese and try different combinations!

Delicious Chicken Veggies and Rice

This is one of Chris and my favorite chicken dishes. It is always so yummy and healthy.

I was sending this recipe to my cousin in an email and I just copied it from there!

Directions:
I put chicken breasts on a cookie sheet and spray it with olive oil cooking spray then season it how I want to. Bake at 400 for 30 minutes.

I make 2 servings of instant brown rice per the box instructions.

I take squash and zucchini cut in large chunks, mushrooms, purple onion and saute in a skillet with garlic. I cover it and let it sort of steam itself stirring every once and awhile. Close to the end I add sliced tomatoes. (They cook fast). At the end I season up with whatever herbs I have, oregano, dill, basil and squeeze lemon juice on them.

We serve how much rice we want, put veggies over it and chicken on top. I always cut my chicken up and mix it all together in my bowl. I always have some extra lemon quartered and squeeze that on my serving. It is so yummy!

You could easily take all those veggies, put them in a casserole dish, season the same with the lemon juice as well, cover and bake on the top rack over your chicken. Covering it will help to steam it.
---------------------
Lately, I layer the veggies in the bottom of a glass dish and mix with olive oil, garlic, oregano, basil and dill, then cover with the cooked instant rice, then top with cubed chicken that was grilled the night before and cover with a good amount of lemon juice. Cover and bake for 30 minutes at 400.

I am all about taking shortcuts where I can!

Lebanese Chicken (Frarej)

I haven't actually tried this specific recipe yet but I am going to next week! I have made similiar ones but it has been a long long time ago.

There is a Lebanese place here that serves my favorite food of anywhere. Frarej is the chicken dish I like to get there! I will report back when I have actually tried this one with the verdict!

Ingredients

4 Chicken breasts, with skin
2 ts Salt
3/4 c Olive oil
3 lg Lemons, juiced
2 lg Potatoes
2 Garlic cloves
1 lg White onion, minced
4 Roma tomatoes
Pita Bread

Instructions
Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F.

Rinse in cold water 4 chicken breasts, with skins and ribs

Rub each with 1/2 tsp salt

Mix juice of 3 large lemons, 3/4 cup olive oil

Place into a 9x13 baking dish 2 large potatoes, skinned, cut into 1/2 cubes 2 garlic cloves, minced 1 large white onion, sliced into half-circles the lemon/olive-oil mixture

Stir the ingredients to coat the potatoes.

Bake in the oven for 10 minutes.

Add the chicken breasts and 4 roma tomatoes (or as many as desired) to the backing dish.

Generously spoon the hot lemon/oil/garlic mixture over the chicken.

Put the dish back into the oven and cook uncovered for another 20 minutes, or until the skins on the chicken turn a very dark brown and the chicken is firm and does not ooze when poked with a fork.

Baste the chicken breasts two or three times in the lemon/oil mixture during cooking.

Serve with pita bread.

Serve each breast with a helping of potatoes, some onions, and a tomato.

NOTE: Skinless breasts dry out too quickly. Remove the skins after the chicken is done.


Taken from: http://www.bigoven.com/105702-Lebanese-Chicken-(Frarej)-recipe.html

Chili Mac Casserole

We love Chili as well as Chili Mac around here. When Kortnee is in town, I am always challenged to try to find meals that she is willing to eat but that doesn't throw Chris and I completely off of our attempt at healthy dinners. She is a super picky eater and this is one that she can pick the things she doesn't like out. We normally have a vegetable with every meal so Chris and I would likely eat a frozen vegetable medly or maybe some green beans or spinach or even a little salad.

I make this recipe with lower fat ingredients where I can.

INGREDIENTS
1 cup uncooked whole wheat elbow macaroni
2 pounds 92% lean ground beef/sirloin
1 medium onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 (28 ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 (16 ounce) can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
1 (4 ounce) can chopped green chilies
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded 2% reduced-fat Mexican-blend cheese

DIRECTIONS
Cook macaroni according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large nonstick skillet, cook the beef, onion and garlic over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Stir in the tomatoes, beans, tomato paste, chilies and seasonings. Drain macaroni; add to beef mixture.
Transfer to a 13-in. x 9-in. x 2-in. baking dish coated with nonstick cooking spray. Cover and bake at 375 degrees F for 25-30 minutes or until bubbly. Uncover; sprinkle with cheese. Bake 5-8 minutes longer or until cheese is melted.

Taken from here:
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Chili-Mac-Casserole/Detail.aspx

Spicy Mustard Potato Salad

This year on the 4th of July I really wanted to try a new potato salad recipe that would hopefully have a little spice to it! Unfortunately, I had a sinus infection so I couldn't really tell how much zing there was but I do know that would I could taste, tasted good to me!

I picked this one b/c it had both spicy mustard and horseradish. I ended up with horseradish sauce. The salt probably would have had a stronger flavor!

Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Ingredients:
•5 large potatoes, chopped
•1 cup mayonnaise
•2 hard boiled eggs, chopped
•1/2 cup spicy mustard
•1/4 cup chives, finely chopped
•1/4 cup white wine vinegar
•1 tablespoon horseradish
•1/2 teaspoon red pepper
•1/2 teaspoon salt
•1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Preparation:
Boil potatoes in large pot for 13-15 minutes. Remove from heat, drain, and add vinegar to potatoes. Place garlic, onion, eggs, chives, and mustard to the potatoes. Be sure to coat thoroughly, but do this gently or else the potatoes will disintegrate.
Mix together mayonnaise, horseradish salt, red pepper, and black pepper together in a small mixing bowl. Pour mixture over potatoes and gently coat. Allow potato salad to cool before serving.

Taken from here: http://bbq.about.com/od/sidedishes/r/bl50816b.htm

Sopapilla Cheesecake Dessert

I recently had this dessert at a monthly dinner that I attend with my friends. It was delicious and so easy to make! I came home and made it that weekend. My advice, if you decide to try to make it lowfat, don't use Splenda! It made it too sweet! My friend's version though was fabulous!

SERVES 12 -20 (change servings and units)

Ingredients
2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese
2 (8 ounce) packages refrigerated crescent dinner rolls
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract or almond extract
1/2 cup margarine or butter, melted
1/2 cup cinnamon sugar

Directions
1Using a 9 x 13 baking pan, unroll one package of refrigerated crescent rolls and line the bottom of the pan.
2Flatten.
3Mix together the cream cheese, sugar and extract.
4Spread over the crescent rolls.
5Unroll the other can of crescent rolls and place on top of cream cheese mixture.
6Pour one stick of melted butter or margarine over the top and sprinkle with about 1/2 cup of the cinnamon sugar mixture.
7Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Taken from here: http://www.recipezaar.com/Crescent-Sopaipilla-Sopapilla-Cheesecake-88420

Shrimp Stir Fry

This has become a favorite go to meal for us lately!

Ingredients:

1 tbsp fresh garlic
1-2 squash, sliced in long strips
1-2 zuchini, sliced in long strips
1 yellow or orange bell pepper, sliced in long strips
1 small tub of mushrooms
1/4 red onion sliced in 1 inch strips
1 package 71-90 count cooked, peeled and deveined shrimp (defrosted in cold water)
8 oz fetucine
1/4 bottle Soy Vay Very Terriyaki

Instructions:

In a skillet saute vegetables and garlic until they are cooked. In another pot cook noodles according to package directions and drain when done. Add defrosted shrimp to veggies to warm through. Add noodles and soy vay, warm and serve!

Truley's Pasta Salad

This is a recipe I saw on a forum I like to frequent. This has quickly become a favorite for both Chris and I. We sure do LOVE a good pasta salad. I adjusted this to fit our tastes by adding a few items.

1 boxs of multi colored rotini pasta, cooked

1 yellow pepper chopped small

1 purple onion chopped small

1 tub mushrooms chopped small

1 tub grape tomatoes sliced in half

1 can of sliced olives

1 block of cheese, I use 2% sharp cheddar cut into small squares usually

1/2 lb of sliced salami, cotto, or hard, sliced into chunks and broken up

1 small bottle of your favorite Italian dressing.....add half and let sit for a bit, add more if needed.

Sautee onion, bell pepper and mushrooms.

Mix all together and chill for a bit.
EAT!

Sarah's Lasagna

Yum, lasagna, one of our favorites that we don't get to enjoy very often! One of the big changes I make to lasagna is that I use cottage cheese instead of ricotta. I really don't care for ricotta and the cottage cheese is so yummy!

Ingredients:
1 lb gound beef browned in the skillet
chopped garlic
chopped green or red onions
meat seasonings of your choice

2 tbsp corn starch
16 oz (1 lb) container LF 1% or FF cottage cheese

7 oz package 2% italian blend cheese
OR a 1/2 bag of paremssan and a 1/2 bag morarella

2 lb jar of Prego spagetti sauce
green herbs of your choice (oregano, parsley, dill and whatever else green I have)

approx 6-9 lasagna noodles (uncooked is fine)


Directions:
Preheat oven to 350*

Spray a 9 x 13 pan with pam. Pour a thin layer of spagetti sauce in the bottom.

In a LARGE skillet, brown the meat, onions, garlic and meat seasonings in pan. When done, add rest of spagetti sauce and herbs to pan and simmer for a few minutes.

In a small bowl mix cottage cheese, corn starch and a little cheese.

Layer in pan, noodles, half the cottage cheese mixture, thin layer of cheese, a little over half the sauce, noodles, rest of cottage cheese mixture, rest of sauce reserving a small amount, noodles, rest of sauce and rest of cheese as you like.

Cover with foil and bake for 50-60 minutes.

Bird's Chicken Salad

This is how I was told to make Bird's chicken salad. She used to always make this for me b/c she knew how much I love Chicken Salad.

chicken (I use 3 breasts that have been grilled or baked preiously)
celery
green onion (this is something I have added)
taragon
salt
pepper
mayo

The key is to finely chop everything with a food processor or chopper thing. When I made this tonight, Chris told me it is the best chicken salad I have ever made!

Campbell's Tuna Noodle Casserole (Modified)

Ingredients:


1 cans (10 3/4 oz. each) Campbell's® Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup (Regular, 98% Fat Free or 25% Less Sodium)
1 can Cream of Chicken
1 cup milk
1 bag mixed frozen veggies
2 cans (12 oz. each) tuna, drained
4 cups hot cooked medium egg noodles
2 tbsp. dry bread crumbs
1 tbsp. butter, melted



Directions:



Stir soup, milk, veggies, tuna and noodles in 3-qt. casserole.

Bake at 400°F. 30 min. or until tuna mixture is hot and bubbling. Stir tuna mixture.

Stir bread crumbs and butter in small bowl. Sprinkle over tuna mixture. Bake 5 min. or until bread crumbs are browned.

source: http://www.campbellkitchen.com/recipedetail.aspx?recipeSource=MealIdeas&recipeID=50684&rc=890&page=1&index=3&Lastindex=false

Marbled Chocolate Peanut Butter Treats

8-1/2 HONEY MAID Honey Grahams, broken in half (17 squares)
6 squares BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Baking Chocolate
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
3 squares BAKER'S Premium White Baking Chocolate



LINE 13x9-inch pan with foil, with ends of foil extending over sides of pan. Arrange grahams on bottom of pan, cutting as needed to completely cover bottom of pan; set aside.
MICROWAVE semi-sweet chocolate and peanut butter in medium microwaveable bowl on HIGH 1-1/2 to 2 min. or until chocolate is completely melted when stirred, stirring every 30 sec. Stir until well blended. Pour over grahams; spread with spatula to cover completely.
REPEAT microwave melting steps with the white chocolate. Drop spoonfuls of the white chocolate over chocolate-covered grahams. Immediately cut through the chocolate mixtures with knife several times for tiger-stripe effect.
REFRIGERATE at least 1 hour or until firm. Use foil handles to remove dessert from pan. Peel off foil. Cut dessert into bars. Store in tightly covered container in refrigerator.

Shrimp Enchiladas Verdes

1 pound peeled cooked shrimp (see Ingredient Note), tails removed, diced
1 cup frozen corn, thawed
2 4-ounce cans chopped green chiles (not drained)
2 cups canned green enchilada sauce or green salsa, divided
12 corn tortillas
1 15-ounce can nonfat refried beans
1 cup reduced-fat shredded cheese, such as Mexican-style cheese blend, Monterey Jack or Cheddar
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 lime, cut into wedges

1. Preheat oven to 425°F. Coat a 9-by-13-inch glass baking dish with cooking spray.
2. Combine shrimp, corn, chiles and 1/2 cup enchilada sauce (or salsa) in a microwave-safe medium bowl. Cover and microwave on High until heated through, about 2 1/2 minutes.
3. Spread 1/4 cup enchilada sauce (or salsa) in the prepared baking dish. Top with a layer of 6 overlapping tortillas. Spread refried beans evenly over the tortillas. Top the beans with the shrimp mixture, followed by the remaining 6 tortillas. Pour the remaining sauce (or salsa) over the tortillas. Cover with foil.
4. Bake the casserole until it begins to bubble on the sides, about 20 minutes. Remove the foil; sprinkle cheese on top. Continue baking until heated through and the cheese is melted, about 5 minutes more. Top with cilantro and serve with lime wedges.

Taken from here: http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/shrimp_enchilada.html

Upside Down Pumpkin Cake

This is absolutely delicious. I love pumpkin desserts but even people I know who aren't as fond of them love this dessert!

INGREDIENTS (Nutrition)
1 (29 ounce) can pumpkin puree
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
salt to taste
1 3/4 cups white sugar
3 eggs
1 (12 fluid ounce) can evaporated milk
1 (18.25 ounce) package yellow cake mix with pudding
1 cup chopped pecans
1 cup butter, melted

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
In a mixing bowl, blend pumpkin, cinnamon, cloves, salt, sugar, eggs and milk. Pour mixture into a 9x13 inch baking dish. Sprinkle dry cake mix and nuts over the batter. Pour melted butter over the cake.
Bake in a preheated 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) oven for 60 minutes and let cool. The cake will be "liquidy" at first, but will solidify as it cools.

Taken from here: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Upside-Down-Pumpkin-Cake/Detail.aspx

Chili Verde

It's our version of Chile Verde. You cook a pork roast (any kind will work, but the cheaper cuts actually work best) in the crockpot for 4 or 5 hours with a little veggie broth or water. Take the roast out and dump the liquid out. Cut any visible fat off the pork and then using 2 forks, shred it. In the crockpot, add one diced onion, 1 large jar of salsa verde. Toss the shredded pork back in and let cook another few hours. We serve it in tortillas with some cheese and sour cream and usually add beans or rice on the side.

Sarah’s Chicken Soup

This is a wonderful hardy low calorie meal, especially when it's cold outside! It is by far the favorite soup in our home!

1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp of chopped garlic
3 green onions, chopped
1 large or 2 small zucchini, cut in large chunks
1 large or 2 small squash, cut in large chunks
1 small tub of sliced mushrooms
1 bag of mixed vegetables (usually corn, carrots, green beans and peas)
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can quartered artichokes in liquid (not oil)
6-8 cans of low sodium chicken broth
3 boneless skinless chicken breasts, sliced into cubes
1 package of stuffed pasta
1 bag of spinach
2 small lemons
Basil
Oregano
Dill

1. In a large nonstick saucepan, add olive oil, garlic and chopped onion. Saute for a minute. Add squash and zucchini and mushrooms and continue to saute. Then add bag of mixed vegetables. Stir and cover for a few minutes until mushrooms start to cook.
2. Add diced tomatoes, and artichokes and 4 cans of broth, lemon juice from 1-2 lemons and herbs listed above. Stir, cover and bring to a boil.
3. Add cubed chicken, stir, cover and bring back to a boil.
4. Add stuffed pasta. Stir, cover and bring to a boil.
5. Reduce heat to low.
6. Add spinach and 2 more cans of broth.
7. Cover and let simmer for 10 minutes on low.

You can adjust this recipe by adding or removing vegetables you like or dislike. Add extra chicken broth if needed. I also add more or less lemon juice depending on how strong you like it. You can also cut up a lemon and add it directly to your bowl for a stronger flavor.

I serve with garlic bread.

Speedy Chili

This is perfect on a cold night when you want chili but don't have all day to make it. My hubby, the firm believer in cooking chili all day, absolutely approves of this version of chili!

2 pounds lean ground beef
1 tsp minced garlic
1 tbsp chili powder
1 tsp chipotle chili powder
1 tsp ground cumin
1 (16 oz) jar chunky salsa
1 can corn (drained)
1 (14 ½ oz) can fat free low sodium beef broth
1 (15 oz) can of red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 (15 oz) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can diced tomatoes
1 small can tomato paste

1. In a large nonstick saucepan, saute the beef and garlic over medium heat until browned, about 4-5 minutes.
2. Add the remaining ingredients and bring to a boil, then reduce heat and cook for 15 minutes.

This is great served with some avocado sliced on top and corn chips to scoop up the chili.

LF Chicken Pot Pie

1 cup cooked cubed chicken or canned cooked chicken
1 can LF cream of chicken
1 can LF cream of mushroom
1 bag of frozen mixed veggies
1/3 cup milk
1 egg
1 cup LF bisquick

Lightly grease pie plate or round dish. Mix together first 4 ingredients. In a small bowl mix together the next 4 ingredients and add any seasonings you want to this and pour over the chicken and vegetable mixture. Bake @ 400 for 30 minutes. (The directions say to bake at 350 but it never gets hot enough in the middle so I go for 400 and watch the crust.)

Chicken Macaroni and Cheese

2 Cups cooked chicken
2 cups skim milk
2 cups cooked macaroni (I measure 2 cups uncooked and cook it)
1 can LF cream of chicken soup
1 can LF cream of mushroom soup
1 8 oz bag LF cheddar cheese (2% is what I use)

Mix all ingredients and bake covered at 350 for 35-45 minutes. Uncover and bake another 10-15 minutes.

***On that last part, I save a little bit of cheese. I bake for about 30 minutes covered then uncover and sprinkle the rest of the cheese on top and bake uncovered for another 10 minutes.

LF Chicken Fried Rice

Servings 6
Serving Size 1 cup
Points Value 3 (I calculate approx 160 calories per serving)

Ingredients

2 sprays cooking spray
4 large egg whites or 1 eggbeaters
½ cup scallions, chopped, green and white parts
2 medium garlic cloves, minced
12 oz uncooked boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into ½ inch cubes
1- 16oz bag frozen mixed vegetables (carrots, peas, green beans, corn)
2 cups cooked brown rice, regular or instant, kept hot (I use 1 cup of uncooked to yield 2 cups of cooked)
3 Tbsp low-sodium soy sauce (I am much more generous than this with the soy sauce)

Instructions

Coat a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray and set pan over medium-high heat. Add egg whites ( or eggbeaters or medium heat) and cook, until scrambled, stirring frequently, about 2to 3 minutes.
Remove from pan and set aside.

Offheat, recoat skillet with cooking spray and place back over medium-high heat. Add scallions and garlic and chicken. Sauté until chicken is golden brown and cooked through, stirring frequently, about 5 minutes. Add mixed vegetables and saute. I often cover it to help it steam more and not get so dry.

Stir in reserved cooked egg, cooked brown rice, and soy sauce; cook until heated through. About 1 minute. I add generous amounts of Soy Sauce.
This is a Weight Watchers recipe that I adjusted to make easier and fit our taste buds.

4 Layer Delight

Preheat oven to 350.

1st Layer

1 ½ C flour
1 C chopped pecans
¾ C melted margarine = 1 ½ sticks
½ tsp cinnamon
½ tsp vanilla
egg white

Spray pan. Combine first 5 ingredients (everything but the egg white) and press into the bottom of the pan until spread across the bottom. Spread the egg white over the top of the unbaked crust and pour off the excess. Bake for 20-25 minutes at 350. Let cool completely.

2nd Layer

2 8oz packages of cream cheese—room temperature
1 C powdered sugar
1 C cool whip—you will save the rest for the last layer.

Stir powdered sugar and cream cheese then fold into the cool whip (under and over). Spread over the completely cooled crust and refrigerate.

3rd Layer

2 5oz boxes of instant chocolate pudding
5 ¼ C milk
1 tsp vanilla
1 C chocolate chips

Pour in some of the milk, pour in the pudding, stir, add the rest of the mil and stir it all. Add the chocolate chips. Microwave for 1 minute then stir. Keep repeating this until it thickens. It usually takes me about 5 times I think. (Don’t do it for more than 1 minute at a time without stirring or you will burn the chocolate chips.) Add the vanilla after you are through cooking it. Cover and let it stand at room temperature until it cools completely.

Once it has cooled you can get any water that has formed on the top off with a paper towel. Stir it up and then spread over the cream cheese layer. Refrigerate and cover.

4th Layer

Cover the top with the remaining cool whip just before serving.


Notes: I often make this less fattening by buying FF cream cheese and LF whip cream and no one has ever been able to tell the difference.

To make it easier to complete I often make each of the layers all at one time and then let everything cool and refrigerate the cream cheese while that is happening then put it all together later when it is all ready.

The Menu

Every Sunday I make a menu of what we will eat for the week and then I make my grocery list and go to the store for the week. We on average spend $150-$200 for all of our groceries, including added necessities like detergent, toilet paper, paper towels etc etc...you get the picture. I also buy mostly fresh vegetables and fresh meat which adds up fast. I cook enough so that I don't have to eat out for lunch each day so this in essence feeds me breakfast, lunch and dinner 5 days a week with a few meals eaten out here and there. And it feeds Chris breakfast and dinner for the same days.

When I make my menu I typically make it for Sunday through Thursday. I always have 2 meals that can mostly go without being eaten or can be eaten the next week or on the weekend for those nights that things come up or I just don't feel like cooking.

Here was my menu for this week:

Sunday
Steak, baked seasoned sweet potato chunks, fresh terriyaki green beans

Monday
Breaded baked chicken (Italian bread crumbs, yellow corn meal and sprayed with pam to crispen), baked beans, broccoli

Tuesday
Terriyaki Shrimp with fettuccine and veggies (squash, zucchini, orange bell pepper, mushrooms)

Wednesday
Sausage, scalloped potatoes, frozen veggie

Thursday
Baked salmon on top of a salad

The purpose

So for awhile now I have been keeping a word document in my email with a lot of my favorite recipes on it and have a bunch of others tucked away in an email folder or a page marked in a book. I figure this will be a better way to keep track of my favorites and add new ones...then on Sunday's when I make my grocery list, I will have an easy way to search my favorite meals and get inspiration for something new without have to thumb through them all. And in the meantime, if someone else is interested in making something I have made, I will share it here!

If you know me well, you know I am a fairly creative sole. I get an itch and have to go home and paint or sew or redecorate a room...or even just make something new for a room. Well, with a job that has me working extremely long hours 6 months of the year, and now a baby that we share our life with, there is little time for creativity. We do have to eat though everyday. I like to make mostly healthy meals and I also like to have leftovers for lunch for the majority of the week. I often feel that I can fulfill the need to be creative by doing it in the kitchen. I love to cook things with lots of colors and cut in a specific way, even though it will taste the same when I am done with it! So cooking is my most common creative outlet! I also love to eat so that helps!