Chicken Taco Rice

This was a recipe I tried this summer that was handed down by a friend.  Super good and easy and my picky eater loved it!  (Yes, Taylor is still picky!)

1 lb boneless chicken, cut into strips
1 1/2 TBSP oil
1 1/2 cup water
1 (8oz) can tomato sauce
1/2 pkg taco seasoning mix
1 cup frozen sweet corn, thawed and drained
1 medium red bell pepper, cut into small strips
1 1/2 cups original minute rice, uncooked
1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1. In a large skillet, cook and stir chicken in hot oil until lightly browned.
2. Add water, tomato sauce and seasoning mix.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer 5 minutes.
3. Add corn and red bell pepper.  Bring to a boil.
4. Stir in rice.  Cover; remove from heat and let stand 5 minutes.
5. Fluff rice with a fork.
6. Sprinkle top with cheese.
7. Serve with tortilla chips or hot floured tortillas, if desired.

Maggie's Decadent Brownies

I'm back!  What a crazy, busy summer this has been.  We were non-stop when Jon was home on vacation and I just didn't have the energy to blog.  Football season is here so it's time to start trying some new tailgating foods!!!

I made these brownies last year and blogged about it but never put a picture up.  Don't they look divine!  Click here to get the recipe. 

Honey Mustard Pork Chops

Here's a yummy marinade for pork chops that I found in my Weight Watchers cookbook.  Anything with honey mustard satisfies my husband so he just loved this marinade!

4 tsps honey
1/4 cup dijon mustard
1 tsp cider or wine vinegar
1/4 tsp salt
freshly ground pepper, to taste

I mixed it all together, poured over the pork chops, and threw them in the fridge (for at least 8 hours) until Jon threw them on the grill.  They came out pretty tasty!

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cupcakes

I have stumbled upon a fabulous website thanks to my fellow foodie, Brandi.  It's called Tasty Kitchen.  So many new recipes to try and I'm so excited!!!!  I was looking for a cupcake recipe so Jon can bring to Taylor's class tomorrow (it's grandparents day/special person day) and didn't want your typical cupcake.  While looking for cupcakes the words "cookie dough" just popped out at me.  Who can refuse cookie dough????  and inside a cupcake????  Let me tell you....it's as good as how it sounds.  Good thing I'm getting my wisdom teeth pulled tomorrow or I'd be diving into the remaining ones all weekend!

Ok....So I can't lie...I'm super impressed about this picture.  Doesn't it look pretty awesome!  I found some food photo hints and this was my first shot.  It's a little yellow but I'm still impressed. :-)

1 1/3 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup unsalted butter
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
16 oz chocolate chip cookie dough (this will be enough if you double the recipe.)
16 oz chocolate icing (this will be enough if you double the recipe.)

1. Scoop cookie dough in teaspoon sized balls and place in the freezer in a ziplock bag or airtight container.  The cookie dough has to be completely frozen.
2. Preheat oven to 350.
3. Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt.
4. Beat butter until smooth and add sugar beating until light and fluffy.  Add eggs one at a time, beating until combined each time.  Mix in the flour mixture, alternating with milk and vanilla, beginning and ending with flour.
5. Using an ice cream scoop, scoop batter into prepared cupcake pan.  Get cookie dough balls out of the frezzer and place into the cupcake, pushing down into the center of the batter.
6. Bake for 20 minutes.
7. Transfer to cooling rack.  Once cool top with chocolate icing.
8. Yield: 12 cupcakes (I doubled the recipe to make 24.)

Italian Chicken

When I went to the grocery the other day I hit the jackpot.  Y'all know how much I love my crockpot.  Well, Taste of Home has a wonderful magazine out with tons of slow cooker meals.  Now I have a question....

Do you say crockpot or slow cooker???

6 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 can Italian stewed tomatoes (I bought the "no salt added" but think I'll buy regular next time or just add extra salt to the meal.)
3/4 cup plus 3 TBSP water, divided (I used chicken broth.  I always replace chicken or beef broth when a recipe calls for water.)
2 TBSP dried minced onion
2 tsps chicken bouillon granules
2 tsps chili powder
1/2 tsp dried tarragon
1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
1/4 tsp garlic powder
3 TBSPS cornstarch
Hot cooked rice

1. Place chicken in your crockpot.  Combine the tomatoes, 3/4 cup water, onion, bouillon and seasonings; pour over chicken.
2. Cover and cook on low for 3-4 hours.
3. Transfer chicken to a serving platter; keep warm.  Pour cooking juices into a small saucepan.  Combine cornstarch and remaining water until smooth; stir into cooking juices.  Bring to a boil.  Cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened.  Serve with chicken and rice.

Servings: 6

Lemon Chicken Marinade

Jon and I have been grilling a lot lately on the weekends.  When we lived in GA and TX that's all we ate year round.  We love the grill!  Needless to say, since it has been gorgeous here now we are using the pit a ton!

1  tsp lemon zest
Juice of 1 lemon
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
1 TBSP honey
1 TBSP Dijon mustard
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
Chicken breasts

Put chicken and ingredients in a zip-lock bag and refrigerate 2-8 hours.  I turn mine over at least once while marinading.  Discard marinade and grill.  Don't even ask me how long to grill for.....that's my hubby's job! :-)

Brown Sugar & Oats Muffins

Here's another fabulous recipe that I got from From My Kitchen to Yours!.  I made these for breakfast this morning and Jon and I just can't stay out of them.  Next time I think I'm going to add cut up apples and nuts in them.  So yummy!

(Just ignore the only purple muffin cup.  It was the last colored one left and I don't like to waste. :-))

1 cup oatmeal

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

3/4 cup brown sugar

2 tsps baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp cinnamon

2 eggs

3/4 cup milk

1/4 cup oil

1 tsp vanilla

1. Preheat oven to 400.
2. Line a dozen muffin tin with paper liners.
3. In a mixing bowl, combine the first six ingredients.  In a seperate bowl, beat the eggs, milk, oil, and vanilla together.  Stir the wet ingredients into the dry until moistened. (Don't over mix your mixture .  It'll make it more dense if you do and you won't get the nice air pockets muffins have.)
4. Fill each muffin cup 2/3 full and bake for 15-17 minutes.

Jambalaya pic

Doesn't that look so yummy?!?!?  I made jambalaya for a pot luck I went to last night and it was gobbled up really fast! 

Click HERE for the recipe.

Cheese Muffins

Mandi found this cheese muffin recipe on The Pioneer Woman website.  If you've never gone to her website before you need to go.  Such wonderful recipes!!!  Anyway, Jon went volunteer in Taylor's class yesterday so I decided to make them a little treat.  She's been telling me about these muffins and about how good they are so I decided to make them.  Wow....they are so good and so cheesy!!!!  I'm just glad I had to send them to school because I could have gobbled these up easily!!!

I should have taken a better picture than this but I was in such a rush that this is what you get. :-)

1 1/2 cups flour

1 1/2 TBSPS sugar

1 TBSP baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

3 cups shredded colby-jack cheese

1 cup milk

1 egg

1/4 cup melted butter (1/2 stick)

1. Wisk together dry ingredients then stir in cheese.
2. In a seperate bowl, wisk egg, milk, and butter together.  Pour milk mixture into dry ingredients and stir with a spoon to combine.
3. Bake in greased muffin tin at 375 for 20-25 minutes. (it took mine 25 minutes.)
4. Serve warm.  Makes 12 muffins.

Pizza on the Grill

Last night we tried something we never did before....pizzas on the grill.  It was so much fun.  Jon, Taylor, and I each had our own to create.  What a fun way to end a weekend!

Jon's pizza is on the far left.  It consisted of bacon, meatballs, pepperoni, mushrooms, ricotta cheese, mozzerella cheese, regular shredded cheese, and pizza sauce.  I'm sure I'm missing something b/c it was huge!!!

Mine is on the right.  It had pizza sauce, mozzerella, and tomatoes.  When we pulled it off the grill I drizzeled it with olive oil and sprinkled fresh basil on top.

The little one on the front was Miss Taylor's pepperoni pizza that she made all by herself.

Dump Cake

Dump Cake.....doesn't that name sound so appetizing?!?!?  Well, don't let it fool you.  It is so good and so very easy!!!!  This was a staple at our Supper Club, thanks to Monica, when we lived in Texas.  I made this along with the Cookies-N-Cream chess bars for Teacher Appreciation Day on Thursday and it took everything out of me not to take a bite!!!  Now listen to how easy this is.....

Take a large can of crushed pineapple and dump it, liquid included, into a 9x13 pan.  Don't forget to spray with Pam!

Next, dump pie filling on top of the pineapple.  You can use any type of pie filling.  Here I used cherry because that's my favorite and find it's the best.

Now put a box of vanilla cake mix on top of the pie filling. The next step Paula Deen would love.  Take 2...yes, 2 sticks of melted butter and pour on top of the cake mix.

Now stick it in a preheated 325 degree oven for 1 hour and Enjoy!!!!

Asian Shrimp, Snow Peas, and Rice

This was my very first attempt to cook Asian food and it wasn't hard at all!  It has such a great flavor to it.  My only complaint is about the snow peas.  I've never cooked with these before so I didn't know there were "strings" involved.  I found some in the produce department so I put those in my buggy and continued on getting my other groceries.  I did find some prepackaged Asian snow peas, after I had the others, that stated it was without strings.  I had no clue what that meant so I continued on b/c I didn't feel like putting the others back.  Bad decision!!!!  Jon and I ended up taking the peas out of the dish b/c you can't chew those strings.  I decided to still share the recipe b/c it truly is good.....with or without snow peas.

1 1/4 cups reduced sodium chicken or vegetable broth
1 TBSP cornstarch
1 tsp vegetable oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 carrots, finely chopped
2 cups snow peas....WITHOUT STRINGS!!!!
2 TBSPS reduced sodium soy sauce
2 tsps Asian (dark) sesame oil
1 1/4 lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper
3 cups hot cooked long grain rice (we only used about 1 cup)

1. In a small bowl, combine 1/4 cup of the broth and the cornstarch; stir until the cornstarch dissolves.  Set aside.
2. In a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat, heat the vegetable oil;  add the garlic and saute about 1 minute.  Add the carrots and 1/3 cup of the remaining broth; cook 2 minutes, then stir in the snow peas, 1/3 cup of the remaining broth, the soy sauce, and sesame oil.  Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, until the snow peas are tender crisp, about 5 minutes.
3. Add the shrimp and the remaining 1/3 cup of broth; cook, stirring occasionally, just until the shrimp turn pink, 3-4 minutes.  Increase the heat and bring to a boil.  Stir in the dissolved corn starch and add the red pepper; cook, stirring frequently, until thickened, about 2 minutes.  Serve over the rice.

Cookies-N-Cream Chess Bars

Today is Teacher Appreciation at Taylor's school so I volunteered to bake a dessert.  Normally I like to bake something that I have already made before because I know it is delicious but this time I decided to try something new.  After making them I was kicking myself because they just didn't have that "wow" factor.  My plan was to sneek into the Teacher's Lunchroom and drop it off before anyone saw who made these. LOL  The recipe says to keep them refrigerated so I stuck them in there and hoped this would help them.  Luckily they did.  Jon came home and did a taste test for me.  He said they tasted like a cream cheese brownie.  Thank goodness!!!  The recipe doesn't say how long to refrigerate them but my suggestion is to at least keep them in the fridge for an hour or two before serving them to help the cream cheese set.

1 fudge or chocolate cake mix

4 eggs, divided

1 stick butter, melted

1 (8 oz) package cream cheese, room temp

2 3/4 cups confectioners sugar

1 tsp vanilla

8 to 12 Oreo cookies

1. Mix cake mix with 1 egg and margarine; press into greased and floured 13x9 pan.
2. In a mixing bowl with an electric mixer, beat confectioners' sugar with cream cheese, vanilla and 3 eggs until smooth.  Pour about 2/3 of the topping mixture onto the cake mixture;  sprinkle with crumbled oreos (or chocolate chips for polka dot chess squares) then pour remaining mixture evenly over crumbs.  Bake in a preheated 325 over for about 50 to 60 minutes, or until topping is lightly browned. (took mine 50 minutes)  Cool thoroughly and cut into bars.
3. KEEP REFRIGERATED!!!!!

Mississippi Mud Cookies

I made these cookies for Santa this year and couldn't remember why I didn't post it on my blog.....until now.  Yes they are yummy but goodness they're a pain to get off the pan and a pain to figure out if they are done or not.  If anyone has a trick of what I need to be looking at to tell when they are done please tell me!!!  These cookies are the type that harden as they cool so it's really hard for me to figure this out.  They are very good b/c as a couple crumbled when I tried to place them on the wire rack I was able to taste it.  I was actually making these for another bake sale they are doing at Taylor's school tomorrow.  Good thing they aren't judging me on presentation!!!!  The recipe does call for you to put the dough on a parchment paper lined baking sheet so I'll be sure to do that next time. 

1 cup semisweet chocolate morsels
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup milk chocolate morsels
1 cup plus 2 tbsp miniature marshmallows

1. Microwave semisweet chocolate morsels in a small microwave safe glass bowl at HIGH 1 minute or until smooth, stirring every 30 seconds.
2. Beat butter and sugar at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy; add eggs, 1 at a time, beating until blended after each addition.  Beat in vanilla and melted chocolate.
3. Combine flour, baking powder, and salt; gradually add to chocolate mixture, beating until well blended.  Stir in chopped pecans and 1/2 cup milk chocolate morsels.
4. Drop dough by heaping tablespoons onto parchment paper lined baking sheets.  Press 3 marshmallows into each portion of dough.
5. Bake at 350 for 10 to 12 minutes or until set.  Remove to wire racks.

Makes 3 dozen.

Chicken Fajitas

Last night we had a little Mother's Day celebration and a belated Cinco de Mayo celebration with our neighbors.  Chicken Fajitas and Margaritas it was for us!  I got the marinade for the chicken out of my Weight Watchers cookbook.  It called for the chicken to be cooked in a skillet but we grilled ours.  I love grilled veggies!

I didn't get a pic of our fajitas but I did get a great pic of my dear friend, Chris, and I enjoying our margaritas (recipe below)!  Thanks to my friend Amy for her mom's wonderful margarita recipe!

Chicken Fajitas

2 TBSP fresh lime juice

1 TBSP reduced sodium soy sauce

1 tsp chili powder

Pinch crushed red pepper

10 oz skinless boneless cihcken breasts, cut into thin strips

4 tsps vegetable oil

1 green bell pepper, seeded and thinly sliced

1 red bell pepper, seeded and thinly sliced

1 onion, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced

4 (6 in) fat free flour tortillas

1/2 cup salsa, for garnish

1/4 cup fat free sour cream, for garnish

fresh cilantro, for garnish

1. To prepare the marinade, in a zip-loc bag, combine the lime juice, soy sauce, chili powder, and red pepper; add the chicken.  Seal the bag, squeezing out the air; turn to coat chicken.  Refrigerate, turning bag occasionally, at least 2 hours or overnight.  Drain and discard marinade.
2. In a large nonstick skillet over medium heat, heat 2 tsps of the oil.  Saute the bell peppers and onion until softened, 8-10 minutes.  Transfer to a plate and keep warm.
3. In the skillet, heat remaining 2 tsps oil.  Saute the chicken until cooked through, 3-5 minutes.
4. To assemble fajitas, soften tortillas according to package directions.  Divide chicken and sauteed vegetables among tortillas; garnish with salsa, sour cream and cilantro.

Margaritas

The recipe is for a frozen margarita but Chris and I just put it over ice instead.  It is delicious any way you like it!  I'll give it to you like Amy gave it to my friends and I.

12 oz Minute Maid Limeade Frozen Concentrate

Empty into the blender and then use the container for the rest of the measurements.

Fill 1/2 container with tequila and pour in.

Fill 1/4 container with Triple Sec and pour in.

Squeeze in whole lime.  Add ice then blend!!!  (or pour margarita over ice.)

Say It with Pictures

Let's face it....when you find a recipe it's a lot easier and appealing making it when there is a picture involved.  So I've decided to start taking pictures of the outcome of the recipes I make.  Now, I'm not a professional photographer and it's not a hobby of mine.  I just point and shot.  Done deal.  You'll probably see toys on the floor and kids eating the food but hey....that's my life. :-)

This week is another bake sale at school so I've baked the chocolate cream cheese filled cupcakes and also applesauce muffins.  Both recipes are already on the blog.  Look below and the delicious results!

Chocolate cream cheese filled cupcakes

(yes, there is a cupcake missing.  Taylor Brooke was in them.)

Applesauce Muffins

Rosemary Chicken with Wild Rice

43 days left until we leave for Disney World which means lots of Weight Watcher meals! 

This one was really good.  I was a little hesitant at first because it calls for quite a bit of rosemary and rosemary and I haven't really agreed in the past.  When I was pregnant with Taylor, Jon made a chicken meal with tons of rosemary and well....lets just say it didn't sit well with me.  Since then I've stayed away from the rosemary until now. :-)

1 cup wild rice (I used a whole box of Uncle Ben's Long Grain & Wild Rice)

1 TBSP olive oil

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 1/4 lbs skinless boneless chicken breasts, cubed

2 carrots, diced

2 TBSP finely chopped fresh rosemary, or 1 TBSP dried

1/4 cup & 2 TBSP orange marmalade

1/4 cup Dijon mustard

1/8 tsp freshly ground pepper

1. Cook the wild rice according to the package directions.
2. In a large nonstick skillet over medium heat, heat the oil.  Add the garlic and saute until golden, about 2 minutes.  Add the chicken and carrots and saute, stirring frequently, 3-4 minutes.  Stir in the rosemary; cook until chicken is cooked through, 3-4 minutes longer.
3. Stir in the marmalade, mustard, and pepper; cook, stirring frequently, until heated through, about 3 minutes.  Add the rice; toss to combine.

per serving: (1 generous cup): 304 calories, 6 g fat, WW points: 6

The BEST Kabobs!!!!

Here's a recipe for a wonderful steak marinade for kabobs.  Seriously....my friend Jenny made these kabobs for me years ago and I've been dreaming of them ever since.  I finally dragged (JK!) this top secret recipe out of her a couple of weeks ago and made them on Saturday.  Pair this with the Artichoke Bread and you'll have yourself one amazing meal.  I just may make them again this weekend.  Wait....I take that back....Jon may make it again this weekend for Mother's Day. :-)

1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup olive oil
1 tsp black pepper
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1 1/2 TBSP parsley
2-3 garlic cloves
1/3 cup lemon juice
2 tsp dried mustard
2 1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup soy sauce

Soak steak overnight or at least 8 hours in the marinade.  Per Jenny's suggestion, I used sirloin steak.  For the actual kabobs I used red and green bell peppers, onion, pineapple, and Baby Bella mushrooms.

Enjoy!!!!

Baked Pineapple, Berry Trifle, Artichoke Bread....Put the burgers on the pit!

Sunday all the scouts had a much needed day off after a weekend of draft events so Jon threw a few burgers on the pit and we had ourselves a little party.  What a fabulous time!  It's always good to see the guys that live away from Foxboro.

Here are a few recipes that are old favorites of mine and a new one that is now on the top of my list.  Lets start with the new one....Artichoke bread.  Oh my word it is unbelievable!!!!  Jon put some sausages on the pit and I cut up this bread to have as apps.  I couldn't keep my hand out of the platter.  I can't wait to make it again!  Thanks Mandi for, yet again, another great recipe!!!!

Artichoke Bread
1/4 cup butter
4 garlic cloves, pressed
1 (14 oz) can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
4 oz shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/2 cup sour cream
2 oz shredded cheddar cheese
1 french bread
salt & pepper to taste or Tony's

1. Preheat oven to 350.  Melt butter and add garlic, cook about 30 seconds.  Add artichoke, Monterey Jack cheese, parmesan cheese, and sour cream.  Stir to blend, remove from heat and cool.
2. Slice bread lengthwise and scoop out some of the center.  Crumble the pieces of bread and add to the mixture.  Spoon the artichoke mixture on the bread and sprinkle with the cheddar cheese.  Place each half on the baking sheet and cover lightly with aluminum foil.  Bake for 25 minutes then remove foil and bake for another 5-8 minutes until the cheese melts completely.  Cut into slices and serve warm.

Baked Pineapple
2 (20 oz) cans chunk pineapple, drained (I may use 3 cans next time.)
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup sugar
2 cup medium shredded cheddar cheese
2 cups Ritz crackers, crushed
1 stick margarine

Place pineapple in baking dish.  Mix flour and sugar and spread over pineapple.  Spread cheese over pineapple.  Melt margarine and mix with Ritz crackers.  Spread over top.  Bake at 325 for 30 minutes or until hot and bubbly.

Berry Low Fat Trifle
1 pkg (9 oz) angel food cake
3 TBSP orange juice
1/4 tsp almond extract
2 1/2 cups fat free milk
2 pkg (4 serving size each) Vanilla instant pudding
1 1/2 cups thawed Lite Cool Whip, divided
2 pkg (12 oz each) frozed mixed berries, thawed, well drained (about 4 cups frozen or 2 1/2 cups thawed berries)

1. Cut cake into cubes; place in large bowl.  Combine OJ and almond extract.  Drizzle over cake cubes; toss lightly.
2. Pour milk into another large bowl.  Add dry pudding mixes.  Beat with wire whisk 2 minutes or until well blended.  Gently stir in 1 cup of the whipped topping.
3. Layer half the cake cubes in bottom of trifle bowl.  Reserve a few berries for garnish.  Top with layers of half each of the remaining berries and pudding mixture.  Repeat layers.  cover with plastic wrap.  Refrigerate 2 to 6 hours before serving.  Top with remaining 1/2 cup whipped topping and reserved berries just before serving.

Chocolate Cream Cheese Filled Cupcakes

OMG.....these cupcakes are so good!  Especially when you're a cream cheese lover like we are in our family.  I know what I'm making for our next bake sale at school!

I got this recipe from Brandi....blogger of From My Kitchen to Yours.  Check out her blog for wonderful recipes!  I have a list of them already to try!!!!

Cream cheese filling:
1 (8 oz) package cream cheese
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1/8 tsp salt
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Ingredients for Cupcakes:
3 cups all purpose flour
2 cups sugar
2/3 cup cocoa powder
2 tsps baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 cups water
2/3 cup vegetable oil
2 tbsp white vinegar
2 tsp vanilla

1. Preheat oven to 350.  Line a muffin tin with paper liners.
2. In a medium sized bowl, beat the cream cheese, sugar, egg, and salt until smooth and creamy.  Stir in the chocolate chips and set aside.
3. In a large bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, and salt.  Add the water, oil, vinegar, and vanilla.  Beat on medium speed for two minutes.
4. Fill the muffin tins 1/2 full and then add on level TBSP of the filling into the center of each cup.  Bake 20-25 minutes.

It makes approx 30 cupcakes.

Sweetheart Salad

I love, love, love this salad.  The dressing makes a lot so you can either half it or save the other half for another time.  Super easy!

Dressing:
6 TBS. Honey
1 Tsp. mustard (yellow)
1 cup oil
1 tsp. salt
1tsp. paprika
4 Tbsp. Vinegar

-Whisk together or put in a salad shaker

Salad:
1 Bag of Salad greens or spinach
1/2 cup Cashews or almonds (or more if you like more nuts)
1 can Mandarin Oranges drained or Sliced Strawberries

-Toss greens, nuts and fruit.
-Toss with the dressing right before serving

Bacon N Veggie Pasta

I've turned into such a pasta lover.  I have no clue why!  This is another that is really good.  I paired it with a Sweetheart salad and it was a nice, easy meal.

2 cans stewed tomatoes
2 cups brocolli florets
2 medium carrots, thinly sliced
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp dried basil
4 bacon strips, diced (I used 5 pieces of turkey bacon)
 1/2 lb fresh mushrooms, sliced
1/3 cup chopped green pepper
1/4 cup chopped onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
16 ounces uncooked medium shell pasta
1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

1. In a large saucepan, combine the first seven ingredients.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 25-30 minutes or until brocolli and carrots are tender.
2. In a skillet, cook bacon over medium heat until crisp.  Remove to paper towels; drain, reserving 1 TBSP drippings. (Since I used turkey bacon, I didn't get a lot of drippings so I added a little olive oil to the pan.)  In the drippings, saute the mushrooms, green pepper, onion and garlic until tender;  add to tomato mixture and heat through.  Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to package directions.  Drain and place in a serving bowl; top with vegetable mixture.  Sprinkle with bacon and Parmesan cheese.

Cheddar Macaroni Beef Casserole

This recipe is super kid-friendly!  Taylor and her friends loved this for lunch....as did I!

1 pkg Kraft Macaroni & Cheese Dinner
1 lb lean ground beef (I used turkey)
1 can Italian style stewed tomatoes, undrained
1/2 tsp dried oregano or basil
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1. Preheat oven to 400.  Prepare macaroni in large saucepan as directed on package, omitting butter.  Meanwhile, brown meat in large nonstick skillet on medium-high heat; drain.  Add tomatoes and oregano; mix well.  Bring to a boil.
2. Add meat mixture to dinner; spoon into 9 inch square baking dish.  Sprinkle with cheese.
3. Bake 10 minutes or until cheese is melted and casserole is heated through.

Italian White Bean and Spinach Soup

It was pretty chilly here in Wrentham, MA so instead of a nice Spring meal I decided to stick with a nice warm soup and a good panini.  At first Jon and I swore we would be hungry an hour after eating it because it was so light but it's really filling.  The sandwich helped in that department too.  For the sandwich I did pancetta with mozzerella and a tomato slice with a sprinkle of Italian seasoning.  My new favorite salad is fresh mozzerella and tomato with balsamic vinigerette.  At first I didn't understand why a slice of tomato and cheese would be good but a friend of mine made me try it for my birthday and I've been hooked ever since. :-)

1 (1 oz) package of dried shiltake mushrooms (I used a package of fresh shiltake mushrooms and it was fine.)
2 cups boiling water
2 tsps olive oil
1 cup chopped yellow onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 cups chopped fresh spinach (I used escarole since Jon isn't a spinach fan.)
1 tsp chopped fresh rosemary
1 tsp chopped fresh thyme
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 (16 oz) can cannellini beans, or other white beans, rinsed and drained
1 (14 oz) can vegetable broth
Fresh thyme (optional)
Crushed red pepper (optional)

1. Combine mushrooms and 2 cups boiling water in a bowl; cover and let stand 15 minutes.  Drain mushrooms in a colander over a bowl, reserving liquid.  Chop mushrooms; set aside.
2. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat.  Add onion, garlic, and mushrooms to pan; saute 5 minutes or until tender.  Add the reserved mushroom liquid, spinach, and next 5 ingredients; bring to a boil.  Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes.  Garnish with thyme and red pepper.

Quick and Easy Banana Bread

This is such a great recipe.  Only 6 staple ingredients and voila....you have yourself some yummy banana bread on a chilly, rainy Saturday. :-)

1/2 cup softened butter
1 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 cup ripe mashed bananas (approx 3 bananas)
1 tsp baking soda
2 cups flour

1. Preheat oven to 350.  Grease and flour a 9x5 loaf pan.
2. Cream butter and sugar until smooth.  Beat in eggs, then bananas.  Add flour and soda, stirring until just combined.
3. Pour into pan and bake at 350 for about an hour or until toothpick comes out clean.

Turkey Macaroni

Are you surprised when I say this is from my Fix it and Forget it Lightly cookbook???  I'm always on the go with the girls so when I plan my meals I almost always have at least one crockpot recipe.  It's just so easy to throw the ingredients in the crockpot in the morning and not to mention the smell when I walk in the house after being gone for hours.  Love it!!!!

1 tsp vegetable oil (I omitted)
1 1/2 lbs ground turkey
2 (10 3/4 oz) cans condensed low sodium tomato soup, undiluted
16 oz can corn, drained
1/2 cup onions, chopped
4 oz can sliced mushrooms, drained
2 TBSP ketchup
1 TBSP prepared mustard
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp garlic powder
2 cups dry macaroni, cooked and drained

1. Heat oil in medium skillet.  Brown turkey.  Drain.
2. Combine all ingredients except macaroni in slow cooker.  Stir to blend.  Cover.
3. Cook on high 3-4 hours or on low 4-6 hours.  Stir in cooked and drained macaroni 15 minutes before serving.

Chicken Enchilada Casserole

Here's another Holly Clegg recipe that is pretty darn tasty.  This one is also freezable and she says that there is no need to bake before freezing.  How easy is that!

1/2 cup chopped onion
1 TBSP minced garlic
1 (14 1/2 oz) can diced tomatoes, drained
1/2 cup thinkly sliced green onions, divided
1 (4 oz) can chopped green chilies, drained
3 cups cooked chicken breasts chunks
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 (12 oz) can evaporated skimmed milk
1/2 cup canned fat free chicken broth
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp ground cumin
6 (6 in) flour tortillas, quartered
1 cup shredded reduced fat Monterey Jack cheese
1 cup shredded reduced fat Cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 350.  In a skillet coated with nonstick cooking spray, saute onion and garlic until tender.  Add tomatoes and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and cook for 10 minutes.  Add 1/4 cup green onions, green chilies, and chicken, stirring until mixed.  In a saucepan, place flour and gradually add milk.  Heat over medium heat, whisking constantly, until mixture is thickened and bubbly.  Add broth, chili powder, and cumin.  In a 2 1/2 quart round dish, spread 1/2 cup sauce.  Layer tortillas, chicken mixture, sauce, and cheeses.  Repeat layers twice.  Bake for 40 minutes or until heated thoroughly.  Sprinkle with remaining green onions before serving.

Swedish Meatballs

This was the first time I've made these and it was pretty good.  This is another recipe from my Fix It and Forget it Lightly cookbook.  I love my crockpot!!!  It only calls for 1/2 pound of ground meat so today I'm making another batch to freeze.  Bailey just loved them!  Taylor, on the other hand, didn't even want to touch one.  Oh my picky child!!!! 

3 slices bread, cubed
1 cup evaporated skim milk, divided
1 TBSP low cal margarine
1/4 cup shallots, minced (approx 1 shallot)
1/2 lb lean ground turkey
1 egg, slightly beaten
1/2 tsp salt
1/4-1/2 tsp black pepper, according to your taste preference
1/4 cup, plus 2 Tbsp flour
1 cup chicken broth
1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce

1. In a mixing bowl, toss bread cubes and 1/2 cup milk.  Let stand 5 minutes.
2. In a skillet, melt margarine.  Add shallots and cook 2 minutes over medium heat.
3. Add shallots, meat, egg, salt, and pepper to bread and milk mixture.
4. Mix well; then shape into equal-sized balls.
5. Place 1/4 cup flour on waxed paper.  Roll meatballs in flour, coating evenly.
6. Place meatballs in slow cooker.  Add chicken broth and Worcestershire sauce.
7. Cover.  Cook on low 4-6 hours.
8. Mix remaining 2 Tbsp flour with remaining 1/2 cup milk (and a small amount of water if desired) until smooth.  Remove meatballs to warm platter.  Stir thickened milk into cooking juices until smooth.  Cover and cook on high for 10 minutes, or until juices are thickened.
9. Stir meatballs back into sauce and heat through.  Serve over noodles or rice. (I use No Yolks.)

Louisiana Shrimp Creole

Here's another recipe I found on All Recipes.com.  Super easy and quick!!!  It really doesn't make a lot though so I suggest to double it if more than 2 of you are eating from it.  It was just the right amount for Jon and I.  Taylor wasn't complaining at all b/c she got to eat fish sticks for supper. LOL

1/2 cup finely diced onion (approx 1/2 onion)
1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper (approx 1/2 bell pepper)
1/2 cup chopped celery (approx 2 stalks)
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 TBSP butter (I only put 1 1/2 tbsp to cut down on the fat and it worked fine.)
2 TBSP cornstarch
1 can stewed tomatoes
1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce
1 TBSP Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp chili powder
1 dash hot sauce
1 lb medium shrimp, peeled and deveined

1. In a 2 qt saucepan, melt butter over medium heat.  Add onion, green pepper, celery, and garlic; cook until tender.
2. Mix in cornstarch.  Stir in stewed tomatoes, tomato sauce, Worcestershire sauce, chili powder, and hot sauce.  Bring to a boil, stirring frequently.  Stir in shrimp, and cook for 5 minutes.

Chicken Pomodoro

I found this recipe years ago on the Body for Life website.  Its really good and healthy for you.  I love the crust the seasonings make on the chicken.  Jon and I also did fish this way and it was very tasty and satisfying!

8 oz angel hair pasta (I used whole wheat pasta.)
2 egg whites
4 tsp Mrs. Dash Tomato Basil Garlic Seasoning
1/4 cup reduced fat Parmesan cheese, grated
1 lb chicken breasts
2 TBSP olive oil
3 tomatoes, diced (or one 15 oz can)
1 green bell pepper, sliced
1 yellow bell pepper, sliced
3/4 tsp Italian herb seasoning
4 Tbsp red wine or chicken broth

1. Prepare angel hair pasta according to its package directions.
2. In a medium mixing bowl, lightly beat the egg whites.  In a pie plate, combine the Mrs. Dash seasoning and Parmesan cheese. (I actually put my seasoning into a gallon sized zip lock bag, threw the chicken in after dipping in the egg whites and smooshed together to coat.  Easier and less of a mess!)
3. Dip chicken into egg whites then into the seasoned Parmesan, coating both sides.
4. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Place chicken breasts in skillet; cover and cook for approx 6 minutes; turn and cook for 6 more minutes until no longer pink in the center.  Then reduce heat to low.
5. Lightly coat another large skillet with cooking spray; saute tomatoes and bell peppers over medium heat until the peppers begin to soften, approx 3 minutes. (It took me a lot longer than 3 minutes!)   Stir in Italian seasoning and red wine, continue to cook for 2 minutes.
6. Add pasta to the skillet with sauteed tomatoes and peppers; mix gently.
7. Remove chicken from skillet, let cool slightly, then slice. (I cut my chicken in slices before I put in the egg whites and seasoning and cooked them in the strips.)
8. Put over the pasta and Enjoy!!!!

Mexican Chicken Casserole

Here's a pretty easy recipe I found on Allrecipes.com.  Pretty good and quick!  I served it with sour cream and chips.  In my opinion, anything Mexican and cheesy is good.  Just wait until you see the Tortilla Pie recipe my friend Monica gave me.  :-)

4 teaspoons olive oil
6 tablespoons sour cream
4 ounces shredded Cheddar cheese (I used the 4 oz as called for in the recipe but then put another cup on top as a topping.  Delicious!)
2 cups fresh sliced mushrooms
1 (16 ounce) jar salsa (I used Medium but may use the Mild next time to give it a bit more flavor.)
2 cups cooked white rice (I used brown.)
8 ounces boneless chicken breast halves, cooked and diced (I shredded mine.)
 

1. In a skillet over medium heat, heat oil and saute the mushrooms.
2. Combine mushrooms, sour cream, cheese, salsa, rice and chicken.  Place in greased casserole dish. (Put the extra cheese on top now if you like.)
3. Bake at 350 for 25-35 minutes.

Linguine with Shrimp and Lemon Oil

This is such an easy and delicious recipe!  Its a Giada de Laurentiis that my neighbor discovered.  The lemon oil gives the shrimp a wonderful flavor.  I feel like I've rediscovered shrimp again.  You would think that being from South LA I'd be in love with shrimp but thats just not the case.  It's almost as if I had too much growing up that I've gotten tired of it.  In other words, it's not like me to order shrimp in a restuarant.  Well, after eating this recipe I realized how much I do love shrimp and can't wait to have it again!  In fact, after eating it with her I made it the same week for Jon. 

Ingredients

For the lemon oil:
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 lemon, zested

For the pasta:
1 pound linguine pasta
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 shallots, diced (I used 1)
2 garlic cloves, minced
16 ounces frozen shrimp (I used extra jumbo shrimp.  Next time I may use more extra jumbo or smaller shrimp so we'll have more.)
1/4 cup lemon juice (about 2 lemons)
1 lemon, zested
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 ounces arugula (about 3 packed cups) (omitted. couldn't find in the grocery store.)
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Directions

For the lemon oil:
Combine the olive oil and the lemon zest in a small bowl and reserve.

For the pasta:
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain pasta, reserving 1 cup of the cooking liquid.

Meanwhile, in a large, heavy skillet warm the olive oil over medium heat. Add the shallots and garlic and cook for 2 minutes. Add the shrimp and cook until pink, about 5 minutes. Add the cooked linguine, lemon juice, lemon zest, salt, and pepper. Toss to combine.  Add the remaining cooking liquid. Turn off the heat and add the arugula. Using a mesh sieve, strain the lemon zest out of the reserved lemon olive oil and add the oil to the pasta. The zest can be discarded. Add the chopped parsley to the pasta and toss to combine. Serve immediately.

Yummy Apps and Punch

Friday night me and 2 other friends hosted a baby shower where we served nothing but appetizers.  Here are my dips I made and as soon as I get the recipes of my friend's apps I'll post those too.  We had such yummy food here!!!

Crab Dip
1 lb lump crabmeat
1/2 cup butter
1 (8 oz) cream cheese
2 tsp minced onion
2 tsp minced garlic
10 drops Tabasco

Melt cream cheese and butter in microwave. (It will be seperated.)  Fold in crabmeat.  Add onion, garlic, and Tabasco sauce.  Serve hot.  Good in slow cooker.

Seven Layer Tex-Mex Dip
1 can refried beans
1/2 cup salsa
1 cup sour cream
1 cup (4 oz) Monterey Jack cheese
2 medium tomatoes, chopped
1 avocado, seeded, peeled and diced
1/4 cup sliced green onions
2 TBSP chopped ripe olives

In a medium bowl, stir together the refried beans and salsa.  Spread the bean mixture on a 9 inche platter or pie plate.  Spread the sour cream on top of the bean layer.  Then layer the cheese, tomatoes, avocados, green onions, and olives on top.  If desired, cover and refrigerate for up to 4 hours.  Serve with tortilla chips.

Baked Cheese ****SO YUMMY!!!****

2 (8 oz) cream cheese
1 small sour cream
1 cup smoked ham, chopped
2 cups sharp cheddar cheese
1 can chopped green chilies

Mix all ingredients and bake at 350 until hot and bubbly.  Serve with Ritz chips. 
I can't remember exactly how long I stuck it in the oven.  At least 20-30 minutes I'm sure.  I just watched the top and as soon as it was bubbly I took it out.  This is amazing and so addicting!!!

Vodka Fruit Punch
12 oz can frozen lemonade concentrate
12 oz can frozen orange juice concentrate
1 large can unfrozen pineapple juice
6 cups water
1 cup sugar
1/5 vodka
2 liter ginger ale

You can make this punch 1 of 2 ways.  I make it like #2 b/c its really slushy.

1) Mix lemonade, OJ, pineapple juice, water, and sugar and freeze well.  Defrost about 5 hours before use.  Put into a punch bowl and break it up with a fork.  Add vodka and gingerale.

2) Mix lemonade, OJ, pineapple juice, water, and sugar and place in large bowl in the freezer. (approx 24 hours before serving.)  Stir occasionally so it doesn't freeze in a block. (that's how it stays slushy.)  Before serving, place in punch bowl and add vodka and gingerale.

Pineapple Margarita

What a delicious, refreshing drink!!!  My mom and I are thoroughly enjoying these margaritas pretending we are on a deserted island and not in the dead of winter.  BTW...I escaped Wrentham, MA thinking I was coming down to Texas to enjoy some warm, fresh air but all I got is a record breaking snowfall all over the DFW area.  I was not a happy camper!  Another margarita for me please....:-)

2 cups lime juice, about 20 limes (we just did the lime in a bottle)
2 cups tequila
2 cups Triple Sec
2 1/2 cups pineapple juice

Combine it all together and enjoy with your favorite person.  I am!!!!

Italian Wedding Soup.....Soup of the Year!

This week has been a rough week in our house for having the ickies.  Jon, Bailey, and I all have been ill with one thing or another but I'd have to give Jon the gold medal with being the sickest.  Well, the one thing that would make him feel better is the Italian Wedding Soup that he would get in the cafeteria at the stadium.  Now, I've never heard of this soup so when he asked me to find a recipe for it I was skeptical b/c I've never eaten it so how would I know what a good recipe would be.  Off to the Food Network I go and found a recipe by Giada de Laurentiis.  It had to be good, right.  I mean, it's Giada for goodness sake!

This soup was amazing!  I'm serious.  This has made the top of my list for favorite soups.  Goes to show that you have to go outside the box and try something you would never consider making before.  There's two things I would do different but that's b/c I'm trying to replicate the stadium's soup.  Next time I will cut the endive smaller and make smaller meatballs.  This time around I did add 1 cup of orzo pasta which she didn't call for but it's something that Jon really liked so I have to please the hubby! :-) 

So let's see....I'm from LA so I have the gumbo down pat, lived in TX so got my Mexican soups down pat, and now that I'm up in Boston I've got my Italian soup down pat.  Can't wait to eat supper tonight!!!

Oh and CLICK HERE to watch the video of her making it.  It actually came in hand to be able to watch her do certain steps like adding the egg at the end.  Enjoy!!!

Meatballs:
1 small onion, grated
1/3 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
1 large egg
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon salt
1 slice fresh white bread, crust trimmed, bread torn into small pieces
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
8 ounces ground beef *
8 ounces ground pork *
Freshly ground black pepper


Soup:
12 cups low-sodium chicken broth (equals to the 3 large containers of broth.)
1 pound curly endive, coarsely chopped (1 pound of escarole would be a good substitution) **
2 large eggs
2 tablespoon freshly grated Parmesan, plus extra for garnish
Salt and freshly ground black pepper


Directions
To make the meatballs: Stir the first 6 ingredients in a large bowl to blend. Stir in the cheese, beef and pork. Using 1 1/2 teaspoons for each, shape the meat mixture into 1-inch-diameter meatballs. Place on a baking sheet.


To make the soup: Bring the broth to a boil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the meatballs and curly endive and simmer until the meatballs are cooked through and the curly endive is tender, about 8 minutes. Whisk the eggs and cheese in a medium bowl to blend. Stir the soup in a circular motion. Gradually drizzle the egg mixture into the moving broth, stirring gently with a fork to form thin stands of egg, about 1 minute. Season the soup to taste with salt and pepper.

Ladle the soup into bowls and serve. Finish soup with parmesan cheese if desired.


*Instead of buying two different meats, I found a "meatloaf mixture" in the meat department.  It was a pound of beef, pork, and veal.  Made it easier.
**I used escarole or also called chickory.  I just wanted to make a side note that if you are like me and never cooked with this before make sure you wash it good.  I happened to read it on another website so I paid close attention to it when I got home.  It is really dirty and the sand gets caught in the leaves.  Even with the produce department cleaning it for me it was still sandy.

Granny's Chili, Chicken Spaghetti.....What Could Be Better!

One of my BFF's from high school, Blair, gave me some fabulous recipes that are favorites in her house. 

Lets start with Granny's Chili.  This is her husband's grandmother's recipe....you seriously couldn't get easier.  There are very few ingredients in this chili and you just throw it together and let it simmer on the stove for an hour or more.  I seriously kept looking at the recipe thinking, "There isn't much to this but if Blair says it's good it must be good."  Sure enough....it's wonderful!!!

2 lbs ground meat (I used turkey)
1 lg. onion chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 bell pepper chopped
1 can tomatoes (Rotel if you like some spice)
1 can tomato paste
1 can beef broth (I used chicken broth since I used ground turkey.)
3 T chili powder
2 T oregano
1 T cumin
1 T salt
2 cans pinto beans

Brown meet. Add onion, bell pepper and garlic, saute and drain off fat. Add all other ingredients and simmer 1 hour. (Of course, the longer you simmer, the better it tastes, but in a pinch, 1 hour works great)


Now onto the chicken spaghetti.  This was really, really good.  She told me about this spaghetti she had at her supper club but said she can't seem to duplicate it and that something was missing.  On the other hand, her friend Anne has also remade the same recipe and still really liked it.  I think we figured out that it's b/c of the types of tomatoes and sauce that we used.  You see, it calls for the big can of crushed tomatoes and tomato sauce.  Both of us used the generic cans, whereas Anne bought the name brand, and you know how some things you just can't buy the "off brand"....well, this is that case.  When I opened my can of crushed tomatoes, it was sauce.  Seriously, nothing crushed about it.  The next day it was even better.  Jon actually added a little Italian seasoning to it and shredded the chicken (he's the king of adding ingredients to things that aren't supposed to be there and it drives me insane!) and it was even yummier.

Chicken Marinera
saute together:

1 cup olive oil (you can only use 1/2 cup and it'll be fine)
2 cloves minced garlic
2 cups diced onions
1/2 cup chopped parsley (fresh)
1/4 cup sweet basil (fresh)
2 tbs oregano (dried)

Add:
1 lb 12 oz can whole tomatoes, crushed
1 lb 12 oz can tomato sauce
1 cup tomato paste
bag of raw chicken strips (I used 8 chicken breasts cut into strips. Next time I'll probably shred too.)
salt & pepper to taste
1/4 cup sugar

Simmer for 1 or more hours.

Not So Sure About This One

Back when I was pretty faithful to my Mommy....Football Widow blog, I posted a Lobster Dip recipe that someone gave me at a 4th of July party.  At the party it was amazing!  I'm serious....my friend Monica and I would not get up from our seats because we didn't want to leave the dip.  So of course I asked for the recipe before I left.  Now that was 2008.....

Fast forward to NYE 2009.....My neighbors were coming over so I decided to make the dip.  I was so excited about it and bragged on it all day.  Once they arrived I took it out of the oven and we all dug in.  My first bite I thought to myself....Self, this doesn't taste as I remember.  So I took another bite and sure enough it wasn't too tasty.  In the meantime I see Chris, my neighbor, taking a bite and slowly eating it.  I started cracking up laughing b/c I knew what she was thinking.  We both came into agreement that the dip wasn't too good.

I'm thinking that the "1 cup of mayo" isn't correct.  That's my guessing b/c it tasted a little too creamy.  So, until I talk to my friend to get the correct recipe.....DON'T MAKE IT!!!!!  If you already had, you have my apologizes. LOL