Coconut Banana Bread

Banana Bread
Ingredients
• 1/2 cup margarine or butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• Pinch of nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup mashed banana
• 1/2 cup chopped nuts (omit if you don't like nuts)
• 1/2 cup sour cream

This is not in the recipe, but today I added 1 cup of toasted coconut. I mixed it in after the sour cream additon. It gave it a tropical taste and it was very filling!

Directions
Grease 1 large loaf pan.
Cream margarine, sugar, eggs and vanilla.
Add dry ingredients, then bananas, nuts and sour cream.
Mix well.
Bake at 350 for 1 hour.

French Toast

French Toast
Makes 10 pieces
bread (I use raisin cinnamon bread)
8 eggs
1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 pinch of nutmeg
1/2 cup milk

Whisk all ingredients together and dip bread in egg mix before putting in grill pan. flip and toast both sides until browned. Top with butter, powdered sugar, and syrup.

Chocolate Chip Cupcakes with Seven Minute Frosting from Martha

Chocolate Chip Cupcakes

1 (18.25 oz) package devils food cake mix
1 (5.9 oz) package instant chocolate pudding mix
1 cup sour cream
1 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs
1/2 warm water
2 cups semi sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

In large bowl, mix together cake mix, pudding mix, sour cream, oil, eggs and water. Stir in chocolate chips. Pour into lined cupcake tins and bake about 25 minutes or until top springs back when lightly touched or use wooden toothpick test.

Seven Minute Frosting
Makes 10 cups.
1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
2/3 cup water
6 large egg whites, room temperature
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Heat 1 1/2 cups sugar, the corn syrup, and water in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly, until sugar dissolves. Raise heat to medium-high, and bring to a boil. Wash down sides of pan with a wet pastry brush to prevent sugar crystals from forming. Cook until syrup registers 235 degrees on a candy thermometer. Pour into a glass measuring cup.
Meanwhile, beat whites on medium speed until soft peaks form. Reduce to medium-low, and add remaining 2 tablespoons sugar. Pour syrup into whites in a slow, steady stream down the side of the bowl. Raise speed to medium-high. Beat until stiff peaks form, about 7 minutes. Beat in vanilla. Use immediately.

I added berries to complete them, but any decoration will do!

HAPPY 4th of JULY!!!

Salsa

1 28oz. can whole tomatoes
1 medium onion, slightly chopped
1 bunch of fresh cilantro, washed and ends cut off
2 1/4 teaspoon crushed garlic
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
2oz diced green chiles
3-5 tepin balls, 5 would be considered SPICY!
They are sold at Central Market in the area where you buy bagged mexican spices. Sometimes they are called petin balls too, Kroger sells them under this name.

Chop all ingredients together in a food processor until it's the consistency you like it.

Transformer's Cupcakes

Clayton wanted Transformer's on his cupcakes this year. Well, our a/c broke and so I did a quicker version but wanted to show pictures anyhow.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 cup softened butter
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 cups firmly packed brown sugar
2 large eggs
2 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
18 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350°.
In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter, sugars, eggs and vanilla.
In another bowl, mix together the flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda.
Combine the wet and dry ingredients.
Stir in chocolate chips.
With your fingers, place golf ball-sized dough portions 2-inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.
Bake 9-10 minutes or just until edges are light brown. (Leave them on the cookie sheet for another minute then remove to a wire rack)

S'mores Cookies

I made these tonight and they are so fun and YUMMY! They're perfect for when you want s'mores but don't want to go camping!

S'Mores Cookies from Everyday Food

1/2 c. old fashioned rolled oats
1 c. all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
1 c. whole wheat flour (spooned and leveled)
3/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 c. (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 c. light brown sugar
1 large egg
8 oz. bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate, but into 30 squares
(I used the snack-size Hershey bars and broke them in half)
15 large marshmallows, halved horizontally

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a food processor, pulse oats until finely ground.
Add flours, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt; pulse to combine.
In a large bowl, using and electric mixer, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
Beat in egg, scraping down side of bowl.
With mixer on low, beat in flour mixture just until combined.
Drop by tablespoons, 1 inch apart, onto two baking sheets.
Top each with a chocolate square.
Bake until just lightly golden, 11-13 minutes, rotating sheets halfway through.
Remove sheets from oven; heat broiler.
Top each cookie with a marshmallow.
One sheet at a time, broil until marshmallows are lightly browned, 1-1 1/2 minutes.
Transfer cookies to wire rack to cool.

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

Crunchy, yet chewy at the same time. Almost the perfect combination!

Vanishing Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
Oatmeal raisin cookie recipe from the Quaker Oats box. Bar cookie variation included.

25 min | 10 min prep

48 cookies

1 cup margarine or butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 cups Quicker Quaker Oats or Old-Fashioned Quaker oats, uncooked
1 cup raisins
Heat oven to 350°F.
Beat together margarine and sugars until creamy.
Add eggs and vanilla; beat well.
Add combined flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt; mix well.
Stir in oats and raisins; mix well.
Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheet.
Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown.
Cool 1 minute on cookie sheet; remove to wire rack.
Makes about 4 dozen.
Bar Cookies: Bake 30 to 35 minutes in ungreased 13x9-inch metal baking pan.

Taquito Casserole

This was delicious and really the easiest casserole I've ever made. We aren't really big on casseroles.......but when we are, this will be a favorite! Thanks Chaundelle for sharing your recipe that you got from Heather. So, thanks to Heather too.

1 can cream of chicken
1 can of Rotel, drain half
1 can of green enchilada sauce
1 box of taquitos
grated cheese

Mix soup, rotel and green sauce together. Lay out the taquitos in a pan. Pour the blended sauce over them. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Take out and add the cheese on top (as much as you like). Put back in oven and cook until cheese is melted (or under the broiler until browned). Enjoy!

Slow Cooker Lasagna

I made this today and it was yummy. I used all turkey products for the meat. I think I may add cottage cheese to it next time and a little parsley. It's an easy recipe to play around with. I was excited to see how it turned out......very pleased with the results!

Serves 8
Ingredients
1 pound Italian pork sausage, casings removed
1 pound ground beef sirloin
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 medium carrots, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 can (6 ounces) tomato paste
1 can (28 ounces) crushed tomatoes in puree
9 lasagna noodles
2 cups shredded part-skim mozzarella (8 ounces)
Directions
In a 5-quart Dutch oven or heavy pot, cook sausage and beef over medium-high, breaking up meat with a spoon, until no longer pink, 4 to 6 minutes. Add onion, carrots, and garlic; season with salt and pepper. Cook until onion has softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in tomato paste, then tomatoes; bring to a boil, and remove from heat.
Spoon 2 cups meat mixture into bottom of a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker. Layer 3 noodles (breaking them as needed to fit), 2 cups meat mixture, and 1/2 cup cheese; repeat with two more layers (refrigerate 1/2 cup cheese for topping).
Cover slow cooker, and cook on low, 4 to 6 hours. Sprinkle lasagna with 1/2 cup cheese. Cover until cheese has melted, about 10 minutes.

Parmesan Chicken

This is one of the easier recipes I have and it's tasty. Make a little angel hair pasta and asparagus or edamame (which we had with it)and it's simple yet tasty!

Saucy Parmesan Chicken

Prep Time: 10 min Total Time: 1 hr 10 min
Makes: 4 servings

What You Need!
4 small boneless skinless chicken breast halves (1 lb.)
1/4 cup Light Zesty Italian Dressing
1/4 cup Grated Parmesan Cheese

Make It!
PLACE all ingredients in large resealable plastic bag; seal bag. Turn bag over several times to evenly coat chicken with dressing and cheese.

REFRIGERATE 30 min. to marinate, laying bag flat so chicken pieces do not overlap in bag.

PREHEAT oven to 425ºF. Remove chicken from marinade; discard bag and marinade. Arrange chicken on foil-covered baking sheet. Bake 20 min. or until cooked through.

pictures................

I know I've been lacking on posting pictures with my recipes, I promise to start doing that again soon!

Smoky Beef Tacos

Smoky Beef Tacos (This is the original recipe, but I tweaked it a bit)

Prep: 15 minutes Total: 2 3/4 hours or 7-8 hours in crockpot

Ingredients
Serves 8.

2 to 3 tablespoons chopped canned chipotle chiles in adobo (but I used diced green chiles instead)
1/2 cup ketchup
8 garlic cloves, chopped
2 teaspoons dried oregano
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 boneless beef chuck roast (about 3 pounds), excess fat trimmed
16 corn tortillas (6-inch), lightly toasted

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a heavy pot with a tight-fitting lid, stir together chiles, ketchup, 1 cup water, garlic, oregano, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. (I used the crockpot on low for the day instead)
Cut beef into 4 equal pieces. Add to pot, and turn to coat. Cover, and bring to a boil; transfer pot to oven. Bake, covered, until beef is fork-tender, about 2 1/2 hours.
Transfer beef to a bowl. With a large spoon, skim off and discard fat from cooking liquid. Shred beef with two forks; moisten with cooking liquid as needed. Season with salt and pepper. Serve beef with tortillas and desired toppings.

This recipe was EXCELLENT on soft tacos!

Layered Enchilada Bake

I made this tonight and the whole family became a fan. It was easy!!!!!!

Layered Enchilada Bake

Prep Time: 15 min Total Time: 1 hr 10 min
Makes: 8 servings

1 lb. lean ground beef or turkey
1 large onion, chopped
2 cups Salsa
1 can (15 oz.) black beans, drained, rinsed
1/4 cup Zesty Italian Dressing
2 Tbsp. Taco Seasoning Mix
6 flour tortillas (8 inch)
1 cup Sour Cream
1 pkg. (8 oz.) Mexican Style Finely Shredded Four Cheese

HEAT oven to 400ºF.

BROWN meat with onions in large skillet on medium-high heat; drain. Stir in salsa, beans, dressing and seasoning mix.

ARRANGE 3 tortillas on bottom of 13x9-inch baking dish; cover with layers of half each meat mixture, sour cream and cheese. Repeat layers. Cover with foil.

BAKE 40 min.or until casserole is heated through and cheese is melted, removing foil after 30 min. Let stand 5 min. before cutting to serve.

Tortellini Soup with Pine Nuts and Bacon

I made this soup recipe up after being inspired by Chaundelle and her tortellini soup.

20 oz Mixed Cheese Tortellini
1 cup cooked/chopped bacon pieces (I use the bagged bacon in the salad dressing aisle)
1 large handful of pine nuts
sprinkles of dried parsley
chicken stock or broth
water
olive oil
garlic (1 clove)
any other spices you love

I boil in a large stock pan about 2 cups of water and 2 cups of chicken stock. While boiling I add some sprinkles of parsley, the garlic, and sometimes Italian seasonings. When the water is fully boiling I add the tortellinis and cook according to the package.
In another grilling pan I add a tablespoon of olive oil and saute the pine nuts and heat up the bacon.
When the tortellinis are done I add the bacon/pine nut mixture and the soup is ready. You could add shredded parmesan cheese to top it off.

It's a work in progress and I change it a lot. Sometimes I add polish sausage instead of the bacon.

Chocolate Cupcakes topped with a strawberry........

I made these cupcakes for a luncheon and the frosting was made up from cool whip, cream cheese, powdered sugar and butter. I may have added vanilla, I don't remember. All I know is they were pretty to look at and tasty to eat!

Harrison's Mickey Mouse Birthday

I made Disney cupcakes for Harrison's 4th birthday party. I couldn't find any cute toppers and decided to use Disney bottle caps instead. They were fun to make!

update on salmon......

I posted the recipe before I actually ate. WOW, it is so fabulously TASTY!!!! I want you all to try it! It's YUMMY!

Salmon with Maple-Lemon Glaze

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
1 tablespoon canola oil
4 (6-ounce) skinless salmon fillets
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Cooking spray


1. Preheat broiler.

2. Combine first 4 ingredients in a large zip-top plastic bag. Add fish to bag; seal. Refrigerate 10 minutes, turning bag once.

3. Remove fish from bag, reserving marinade. Place marinade in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave at HIGH 1 minute.

4. Heat a large ovenproof nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle fish evenly with salt and pepper. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add fish to pan; cook 3 minutes. Turn fish over. Brush marinade evenly over fish. Broil 3 minutes or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork or until desired degree of doneness.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 fillet)

CALORIES 287 ; FAT 14g (sat 2.7g,mono 6.7g,poly 3.6g); CHOLESTEROL 80mg; CALCIUM 23mg; CARBOHYDRATE 7.5g; SODIUM 363mg; PROTEIN 31g; FIBER 0.1g; IRON 0.7mg

Cooking Light, APRIL 2009

Chicken with mushroom sauce

I made this tonight and it was delicious!

Chicken Breasts with Mushroom Sauce


Butter and whipping cream add a wonderful lushness to this savory pan gravy, which features fresh morel and button mushrooms.


6 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
3 tablespoons butter, divided
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 ounces morel mushrooms
4 ounces button mushrooms, thinly sliced
2 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1/4 cup whipping cream
4 1/2 cups hot cooked egg noodles
Fresh flat-leaf parsley sprigs (optional)


1. Place each chicken breast half between 2 sheets of heavy-duty plastic wrap; flatten to 1/4-inch thickness using a meat mallet or small heavy skillet. Heat 2 teaspoons butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Sprinkle chicken evenly with salt and pepper. Add 2 breast halves to pan, and cook for 3 minutes on each side or until done. Repeat procedure twice with 4 teaspoons butter and remaining chicken. Keep warm.

2. Melt remaining 1 tablespoon butter in pan over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms to pan; sauté 5 minutes or until moisture evaporates, stirring frequently. Remove mushroom mixture from pan. Add broth to pan; bring to a boil, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Cook until reduced to 1 cup (about 5 minutes). Return mushroom mixture to pan. Stir in cream; cook 2 minutes or until slightly thick, stirring occasionally.

3. Place 3/4 cup egg noodles on each of 6 plates. Cut each chicken breast half into 1-inch-thick strips. Top each serving with 1 chicken breast half and about 1/3 cup mushroom mixture. Garnish each serving with parsley sprigs, if desired.



Yield: 6 servings

CALORIES 452 ; FAT 14.2g (sat 7g,mono 3.8g,poly 1.6g); CHOLESTEROL 162mg; CALCIUM 49mg; CARBOHYDRATE 32.2g; SODIUM 489mg; PROTEIN 47g; FIBER 2.2g; IRON 3.4mg

Cooking Light, MAY 2009

BROCCOLI AND CHICKEN NOODLE SOUP

This soup is fantastic! Easy too. Don't let all the ingredients intimidate you, it's an easy recipe. I boiled the chicken last night so it would be ready to chop and use today. ENJOY!!!!!



BROCCOLI AND CHICKEN NOODLE SOUP (COOKING LIGHT)

Cooking spray
2 cups chopped onion
1 cup presliced mushrooms
1 garlic clove, minced
3 tablespoons butter
1.1 ounces all-purpose flour (about 1/4 cup)
4 cups 1% low-fat milk
1 (14-ounce) can fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
4 ounces uncooked vermicelli, broken into 2-inch pieces
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded light processed cheese (such as Velveeta Light)
4 cups (1-inch) cubed cooked chicken breast
3 cups small broccoli florets (8 ounces)
1 cup half-and-half
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3/4 teaspoon salt


1. Heat a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add onion, mushrooms, and garlic to pan; sauté 5 minutes or until liquid evaporates, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to medium; add butter to mushroom mixture, stirring until butter melts. Sprinkle mushroom mixture with flour; cook 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Gradually add milk and broth, stirring constantly with a whisk; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; cook 10 minutes or until slightly thick, stirring constantly. Add pasta to pan; cook 10 minutes. Add cheese to pan, and stir until cheese melts. Add chicken and remaining ingredients to pan; cook 5 minutes or until broccoli is tender and soup is thoroughly heated.



Yield: 10 servings (serving size: 1 cup)

CALORIES 317 ; FAT 12.3g (sat 6.8g,mono 2.9g,poly 0.9g); CHOLESTEROL 74mg; CALCIUM 179mg; CARBOHYDRATE 23.8g; SODIUM 723mg; PROTEIN 27.5g; FIBER 1.9g; IRON 1.6mg

Cooking Light, MARCH 2009

Italian Bow Tie Pasta

This is a recipe I have used for awhile with good resuls everytime. One of my favorite people gave it to me (Chaundelle) and now I think you should try it too.
Sorry I don't have any fabulous pictures, but I am in a time crunch and feeling a little lazy. :) But, please enjoy this next time you need a tasty pasta dish!!!!!

Italian Bow Tie Pasta
1 ½ lbs ground meat
1 minced garlic clove
1 medium onion, chopped
1 15 oz can tomato sauce
1 14.5 oz can stewed tomatoes (cut-up)
1 tsp. oregano
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
Salt and pepper to taste
1 16 oz package of bowtie pasta (cooked and drained)
1 10 oz package frozen chopped spinach (thawed and drained)
½ cup parmesan cheese
1 ½ cups mozzarella cheese, grated

In a skillet cook meat, onion and garlic over medium heat, drain fat. Transfer to crockpot. Stir in tomato sauce, stewed tomatoes, and seasonings. Cover and cook on low for 7-8 hours (or until bubbly).

Increase heat to high and stir in cooked pasta, spinach and cheeses, cover and cook for 10 minutes.

Salsa Recipe

Salsa Recipe

1 28oz can whole tomatoes
1 medium onion
1 bunch cilantro
2 ¼ tsp garlic minced
½ tsp pepper
1 ½ tsp salt
2 oz diced green chiles
4-5 tepin balls (depending on how spicy you like it)

Chop in a food processor until you like the consistency.

Orange Chicken with Steamed Rice....Tasty!

Slow-Cooker Orange Chicken

Prep Time: 20 min Total Time: 3 hr 20 min Makes: 8 servings, one thigh each

What You Need
1/2 cup Barbecue Sauce
1/4 cup flour
1/4 cup orange juice
1/4 cup orange marmalade
3 Tbsp. soy sauce
1 tsp. grated gingerroot or ground ginger (1/4 tsp.)
8 bone-in chicken thighs (3-1/2 lb.), skin removed

Make It
STIR barbecue sauce and flour in small bowl with wire whisk until well blended. Add all remaining ingredients except chicken; mix well.

POUR sauce mixture evenly over chicken in slow cooker. (Do not stir.) Cover with lid.

COOK on LOW for 3 to 5 hours. Serve chicken topped with the sauce.

I served this with steamed white rice and sliced cucumbers.
YUMMY!!!!

Lasagna Casserole

Lasagna Casserole

1 lb. Italian sausage (I use turkey sausage)
1/4 cup chopped onion (I didn't add)
1/2 salt
1 tsp. pepper (divided)
1 lb. shredded Mozzarella cheese (about 4 cups)
1 carton (24oz) cottage cheese, I use lowfat, small curd
2 eggs, beaten
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 tbsp. dried parsley
1 box/bag pasta (medium shells, medium spiral, etc) cooked and drained
1 jar spaghetti sauce or alfredo sauce

In a skillet cook sausage until brown, drain. Sprinkle with salt and half of the pepper. In a large bowl combine pasta, 3 cups mozz. cheese, cottage cheese, eggs, parmesan cheese, parsley and remaining pepper, stir gently. Pour into a greased 13x9 pan. Top with sausage and sauce. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes. Sprinkle with the rest of Mozzarella cheese, cook for 15 minutes more. Let stand 10 minutes.

This takes a awhile to cook, but it's worth the extra work.

Sweet Potatoes....

We had some cubed sweet potatoes with our chicken the other night that were yummy. I cut them up into small cubes, grilled them in a pan of olive oil, salt, and pepper. It took about 30 minutes to get them tender. They were outstanding!

Pulled Chicken and Marinated Cucumbers.......

BBQ Pulled Chicken and Marinated Cucumbers

You can put this chicken on so many things. Tonight I put it on a tostada with the diced cucumbers and some slivers of avocado. You can also make soft tacos or a bbq chicken sandwich, just add extra sauce. It's limitless!


INGREDIENTS:
Chicken:
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1 tablespoon chili powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 pound skinless boneless chicken breasts
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 cup thinly sliced onion
1 cup fat-free less-sodium chicken broth
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
Cucumbers:
1/4 cup cider vinegar
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cucumber, peeled and sliced
Remaining Ingredients:
4 (2 ounce) hamburger buns
INSTRUCTIONS:
1. To prepare chicken, combine first 6 ingredients. Rub surface of chicken breasts with brown sugar mixture.
2. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken; cook 2 minutes on each side. Remove from pan. Add onion to pan; cook 2 minutes or until tender, stirring constantly.
3. Return chicken to pan; add broth. Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat, and simmer 30 minutes or until chicken is done. Remove from heat. Remove chicken from pan; shred with 2 forks. Return chicken to pan. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, and simmer, uncovered, 15 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. Stir in balsamic vinegar.
4. To prepare cucumbers, combine the cider vinegar and next 3 ingredients (cider vinegar through cucumber) in a large zip-top plastic bag; seal and marinate in refrigerator 10 minutes. Remove cucumber from bag; discard marinade.
5. Spoon 1 cup chicken mixture onto bottom half of each bun. Top each with 1/4 cup cucumber mixture and top half of bun.
NUTRITIONAL INFO:
Healthy Units: 7 per serving
373 cal, 6.4g fat, 32.7g pro, 45.3g carb, 3g

Chili

Here's a good chili recipe, I hope you enjoy it Natalie!

CHILI
1lb ground meat (I use turkey)
1 green pepper, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 tbsp. chili powder
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
290z can tomato sauce
3 (16oz) cans of kidney beans, drained
14 1/2 can stewed tomatoes
6 oz can tomato paste
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Bworn meat. Add chopped onion and green pepper halfway through the browning, drain when done. Pour meat mixture into crockpot, stir in the rest of the ingredients except the cheese. Cook on high for 3 hours or low for 7-8 hours. Serve with the shredded cheese on top.

I'm not a big cornbread fan so I don't have a good recipe, I like it with sourdough rolls instead.

Farfalle with Cauliflower and Turkey Sausage

We had this delicious dish for dinner tonight and every single one of my kids thought it was good. It's really easy to make as well.


Farfalle with Cauliflower and Turkey Sausage
recipe from Cooking Light (6 WW points)
Ingredients
2 (4-ounce) links mild Italian turkey sausage (I used 5, 2 wasn't enough)
3 cups small cauliflower florets
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
5 garlic cloves, sliced
4 cups uncooked farfalle (bow tie pasta)
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/2 cup (2 ounces) grated fresh pecorino Romano cheese
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 450°.

2. Pierce sausage several times with a knife. Combine sausage, cauliflower, and 1 tablespoon oil in a small roasting pan; toss. Sprinkle evenly with 1/4 teaspoon salt. Bake at 450° for 15 minutes. Add garlic to pan; toss. Bake an additional 5 minutes or until sausage is done. Let stand 5 minutes. Cut sausage crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices.

3. Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat; drain, reserving 2 tablespoons pasta cooking water. Combine pasta, reserved cooking water, remaining 1 tablespoon oil, remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, and crushed red pepper in a large bowl; toss. Add cauliflower mixture, sausage, and cheese; toss gently to combine. Sprinkle with black pepper.


Nutritional Information
Calories:436 (35% from fat)
Fat:16.8g (sat 5.2g,mono 7.5g,poly 1.8g)
Protein:24.1g
Carbohydrate:48.2g
Fiber:3.8g
Cholesterol:62mg
Iron:2.4mg
Sodium:830mg
Calcium:185mg

Chimichangas (from Cooking Light)

Tonight we had these for dinner with brown rice, a very easy and healthy way to eat a delicious Mexican dish.

Chimichangas
Ingredients
2 1/2 cups shredded roasted skinless, boneless chicken breasts
1 cup (4 ounces) crumbled queso fresco cheese
1/4 cup chopped green onions
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1 garlic clove, minced
1 (4.5-ounce) can chopped green chiles, drained
1 (16-ounce) can fat-free refried beans
6 (8-inch) flour tortillas
Cooking spray
1/2 cup bottled green salsa
Preparation

Preheat oven to 500°.

Combine first 7 ingredients in a large bowl; toss well.

Spread 1/4 cup beans down center of each tortilla. Top each tortilla with 2/3 cup chicken mixture; roll up. Place rolls, seam sides down, on a large baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Coat tops of chimichangas with cooking spray. Bake at 500° for 7 minutes. Serve with salsa. Yield: 6 servings (serving size: 1 chimichanga and about 4 teaspoons salsa)

Nutritional Information
Calories:380 (23% from fat),Fat:9.7g (sat 3.1g,mono 4.1g,poly 1.6g), Protein:28.8g, Carbohydrate:42.5g, Fiber:6.5g, Cholesterol:55mg, Iron:3.8mg, Sodium:728mg, Calcium:157mg

Cilantro Burgers with Garlic Fries

Tonight I made two recipes from Cooking Light, which is quite possibly the best magazine ever! I don't ever use buns for these burgers, they are good just to eat by themselves.
Here are the recipes....

GARLIC FRIES

Tossing the fries in butter and garlic after cooking makes them unbelievably rich.


3 pounds peeled baking potatoes, cut into 1/4-inch-thick strips
4 teaspoons vegetable oil
3/4 teaspoon salt
Cooking spray
2 tablespoons butter
8 garlic cloves, minced (about 5 teaspoons)
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese


Preheat oven to 400°.
Combine first 3 ingredients in a large zip-top plastic bag, tossing to coat.
Arrange potatoes in a single layer on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Bake at 400° for 50 minutes or until potatoes are tender and golden brown, turning after 20 minutes.
Place butter and garlic in a large nonstick skillet; cook over low heat 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add potatoes, parsley, and cheese to pan; toss to coat. Serve immediately.


Yield: 6 servings

CALORIES 256 (27% from fat); FAT 7.7g (sat 3.3g,mono 2g,poly 2g); IRON 1.9mg; CHOLESTEROL 12mg; CALCIUM 55mg; CARBOHYDRATE 42.3g; SODIUM 386mg; PROTEIN 5.9g; FIBER 3.5g

Cooking Light, APRIL 2002


CILANTRO BURGERS

1/3 cup dry breadcrumbs
1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro
1/4 cup (1 ounce) preshredded Parmesan cheese
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 pound ground turkey
Cooking spray

Combine first 6 ingredients in a large bowl. Divide turkey mixture into 4 equal portions, shaping each into a 1/3-inch-thick patty.

Heat a large grill pan or large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat. Add turkey patties, and cook 5 minutes on each side or until done.

Crepes!

I had the pleasure of making crepes this morning with a recipe from Scotty and Chaundelle. Well, they were scrumptious!
We used pineapple mango jam, strawberry jam and lemon and powdered sugar as the fillings. I wish I had chocolate chips, but we improvised.
Here's the recipe for you to try.......

Crepes

1 1/8 cups of presifted flour
1/4 cup granulated sugar
Dash of salt
3 eggs
1 1/2 cups of milk
1 TBS melted butter
Butter for pan

Into mixing bowl sift together flour, granulated sugar and salt.

Combine eggs and milk; add to flour mixture. Beat until smooth. Stir in butter. Batter should just coasts spoon.

Put 1/2 teaspoon butter in 5 or 6 inch skillet. Swirl pan over high heat to coat sides and bottom. Pour in about 2 Tablespoons of the batter; swirl pan to spread evenly. Cook for about 1 minute, or until set and browned on one side. Turn and cook on other side until browned.

Filling suggestions: choc. chips, blackberry preserves, apricot preserves, ham and cheese, nutella, etc.

Fill, roll and enjoy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This was a delicious dinner, thanks Kristen!

Tonight I made a couple of recipes my friend (whom I miss dearly) Kristen sent me. Well, I finally got all the stuff and tried them tonight. WOW, they were both so good and I wanted to share the recipes!


Crispy Pan Fried Chciken with Summer Sauce
Sauce ingredients:
2 cups fresh cilantro
3 garlic gloves, minced
1 jalapeno chile, seeded and finely chopped
2 tablespoons white vinegar
2 tablespoons water
1 cup mayonnaise (I used light)

Chicken ingredients:
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/2 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 eggs, lightly beaten
3/4 cup panko (find these by the breadcrumbs) or crushed tortilla chips
2 tablespoons vegetable oil

For the sauce:
Process the cilantro, garlic, jalapeno, vinegar, and water in a blender or food processor until pureed. Pour the misture into a bowl and whick in the mayop. chill, covered in the fridge.

For the chicken:
pound the chicken to 1/2 inch thickness between two sheets of plastic wrap with a meat mallet. Mix the flour, salt and pepper in a shallow dish. Coat the chicken lightly with the flour mixture, shake off excess. Dip in the eggs and coat with panko.

Heat the oil in a large skillet, add the chicken. Cook over med/high heat about 5 minutes on each side or golden brown and cooked through. Serve immediately with the sauce.

Roasted Red Potatoes with Artichokes
Ingredients:
2 lbs. small red potatoes
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh thyme, chopped
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1-2 cans artichokes, quartered. Drain first.
1 yellow onion chopped
1/2 cup crmbled feta cheese
paprika to taste

Line a 13x9 inch pan with foil, spray with nonstick spray. Combine the potatoes, olive oil, thyme and pepper in a ziploc bag, seal tightly and turn to coat. Pour the potato mixture into the prepared pan.

Roast at 425 degrees for 45-50 minutes or until they are tender. Add the artichokes and onions during the last 20 minutes of the baking time. When done, toss the potatoes with the feta cheese in a serving bowl. Sprinkle with paprika.

P.S. Don't be intimidated by the amount of work......it's so worth it!

Lasagna

So tonight I made lasagna, one for the Picketts and one for us. Instead of the usual garlic bread I bought some garlic flatbread (the brand is Tuscan Flatbread), and it is so good and soft, yet crunchy. I made a salad too with spring mix, cucumbers, carrots, bacon bits (the real stuff) and choice of dressing. Everyone raved about the dinner which makes me happy!

Lasagna Recipe

LASAGNA
10oz lasagna noodles (cooked according to package directions)
1lb. ground meat (I use ground turkey)
2 small cans tomato paste
1 (16oz) can tomatoes, diced
1 garlic clove, minced
dash of salt
1 tbsp. basil
2 eggs
3 cups cottage cheese or ricotta cheese, sometimes I mix them
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
2 tbsp. parsley flakes
1lb. cube mozzarella cheese (thinly sliced)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Boil noodles. Brown meat, drain the grease. Add tomato paste, diced tomatoes, garlic, salt, and basil to the meat. simmer on med/low for 30 minutes. While meat mixture is cooking slice mozzarella cheese, set aside. In amixing bowl slightly beat eggs first, then add cottage cheese, parmesan cheese and parsley, stir until blended. Use a 13 x 9 pan and layer starting with noodles, then half the egg mixture, add slices of mozzarella in a thin layer, then half the meat mixture. Repeat this process again, ending with the meat mixture. Cook for 30 minutes, let stand for 10 minutes. ENJOY!!!

Shepherd's Pie and Roasted Cauliflower

Tonight I made Susan's Shepherd Pie and Roasted Cauliflower from Everyday Food.
Both are so easy and yet so tasty. The roasted cauliflower has kind of a nutty flavor and the Shepherd's Pie can be altered however you like it. I used ground turkey as the meat and also reduced fat mushroom soup to lighten it all.

Here are before and after pictures of each......






Roasted Cauliflower

2 tbls. Olive oil
1 bunch cauliflower cored and made into to small pieces
Salt and pepper
1 ½ teaspoon paprika

Use a baking sheet lined with foil. Oven to 450. Place cauliflower on baking sheet. Toss with olive oil and paprika until all pieces are coated. Roast until tender and lightly browned (about 20-25 minutes, tossing once)


Susan's Shepherd Pie

1 Lb ground meat
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can corn, drained
1 package mashed potatoes, prepared
cheddar cheese to sprinkle on top before baking

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Brown meat and then add soup and corn, combine. Layer in a pie pan or casserole dish, start with meat mixture, then prepared mashed potatoes, then sprinkle cheddar cheese on top. Bake for 25-30 minutes.

Spaghetti

So, tonight we had spaghetti which is the easiest thing to make in the whole wide world. But, instead of ground turkey I used turkey italian sausage, it was super yummy and different.
I am inspired to make some new dishes this week....I'll let you know! Thanks Kristen for sending me some new recipes, they are greatness!

Blueberry Muffins......I added chocolate chips to experiment. WOW!

So I made these muffins today to bring to a friend's house and they turned out to be so delicious with the added chocolate chips!
You can just make plain blueberry muffins....but for that yummy twist add chocolate chips! The recipe is from Cooking Light, but they don't taste healthy at all!
Recipe:

Blueberry Cinnamon-Burst Muffins
Makes 18 muffins
¼ cup flour
¼ cup sugar
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
3 tablespoons chilled butter, cut into small pieces
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup butter, softened
2 large eggs
2 ½ cups flour
5 tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. salt
1 cup milk
1 ½ cup frozen blueberries
Cooking spray

1.preheat oven to 400 degrees
2.lightly spoon ¼ cup flour into a measuring cup, level with a knife. Combine ¼ cup flour, ¼ cup sugar, and cinnamon in a medium bowl, and cut in 3 tablespoons butter with a pastry blender or two knives until mixture resembles coarse meal. Cover and chill 30 minutes.
3.Place 1 cup sugar and 1/3 cup butter in a bowl; beat with a mixer at high speed 1 minute or until combined. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Lightly spoon 2 ½ cups flour, baking powder, and salt, stirring with a whisk. Add flour mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Fold in blueberries and cinnamon mixture (batter will be thick)
4.Spoon batter into 18 muffin cups coating with cooking spray. Bake at 400 degrees for 18 minutes or until muffins spring back when touched lightly in center. Cool in pans 5 minutes on a wire rack. Remove muffins from pans; place on wire rack.

Chicken and Dumplings.....perfect food for a cold night

Tonight I tried a new Chicken and Dumplings recipe from CL. Well, it was soooooo good and comforting on a cold night. It took a little longer than I thought it would but it was worth it. I would double it if Mike were home, this recipe is only 2 servings. But, I loved it!



Herbed Chicken and Dumplings

Cooking spray
8 ounces skinless, boneless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces
3/4 cup (1/4-inch) diagonally cut celery
1/2 cup (1/4-inch) diagonally cut carrot
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/8 teaspoon dried thyme
3 parsley sprigs
1 bay leaf
3 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
2.25 ounces all-purpose flour (about 1/2 cup)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup 1% low-fat milk


1. Heat a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add chicken to pan; cook 4 minutes, browning on all sides. Remove chicken from pan; keep warm. Add celery and next 5 ingredients (through bay leaf) to pan; sauté 5 minutes or until onion is tender. Return chicken to pan; cook 1 minute. Add broth to pan; bring mixture to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 30 minutes.

2. Weigh or lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine flour, chopped parsley, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Add milk, stirring just until moist. Spoon by heaping teaspoonfuls into broth mixture; cover and simmer 10 minutes or until dumplings are done. Discard parsley sprigs and bay leaf.



Yield: 2 servings (serving size: 2 cups)

CALORIES 285 (16% from fat); FAT 5.2g (sat 1.5g,mono 1.9g,poly 1.2g); IRON 3.4mg; CHOLESTEROL 55mg; CALCIUM 133mg; CARBOHYDRATE 35.2g; SODIUM 596mg; PROTEIN 25g; FIBER 3.1g

Cooking Light, OCTOBER 2008

Mac and Cheese.....the hard way.

I made the mac and cheese from Cooking Light tonight. It was good but not as cheesy as the Martha Stewart version. But I'm sure the calories are not the same. The kids all liked it which counts for me! Good for when you're craving it and don't want the boxed kind....which by the way is not good for you. I also added turkey polish sausage with it and then some berries on the side too.

Recipe:
Creamy Four-Cheese Macaroni


1/3 cup all-purpose flour
2 2/3 cups 1% low-fat milk
3/4 cup (3 ounces) shredded fontina cheese or Swiss cheese
1/2 cup (2 ounces) grated fresh Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded extra-sharp cheddar cheese
3 ounces light processed cheese (such as light Velveeta)
6 cups cooked elbow macaroni (about 3 cups uncooked)
1/4 teaspoon salt
Cooking spray
1/3 cup crushed onion melba toasts (about 12 pieces)
1 tablespoon reduced-calorie margarine, softened


Preheat oven to 375°.

Place flour in a large saucepan. Gradually add milk, stirring with a whisk until blended. Cook over medium heat 8 minutes or until thick, stirring constantly. Add cheeses; cook 3 minutes or until cheese melts, stirring frequently. Remove from heat; stir in macaroni and salt.

Spoon mixture into a 2-quart casserole coated with cooking spray. Combine crushed toasts and margarine in a small bowl; stir until well-blended. Sprinkle over macaroni mixture. Bake at 375° for 30 minutes or until bubbly.

Three-Pepper Variation: add these ingredients for a spicier version of our Creamy Four-Cheese Macaroni. Add 1 cup chopped bottled roasted red bell pepper, 1 tablespoon chopped seeded pickled jalapeño pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon ground red pepper at the same time the macaroni and salt are added.



Yield: 8 servings (serving size: 1 cup)

CALORIES 350 (29% from fat); FAT 11.2g (sat 6.3g,mono 2.9g,poly 0.9g); IRON 1.9mg; CHOLESTEROL 32mg; CALCIUM 306mg; CARBOHYDRATE 42.4g; SODIUM 497mg; PROTEIN 18g; FIBER 2.1g

Pizza Cupcakes (aka pouches)

Pizza Cupcakes
Makes 6 pouches, I doubled it.

1 can store bought pizza dough
6 tablespoons pizza sauce
6 fully cooked meatballs, you can use any cooked meat I think
6 tablespoons shredded mozzarella (I used more)
1 tablespoon grated parmesean (I used more than that)
1 egg
1 teaspoon milk

Preheat oven at 375. Roll dough out to 1/4 inch thick, cut into eighths (2 will be left over, I made a calzone) Grease muffin pan. Line each cup with a piece of dough, letting excess hang over sides. Fill each cup with 1 tablespoon sauce and a meatball cut into pieces. Divided cheeses equally among the cups. Gather the excess dough and cover the filling. Whisk the egg and milk and brush them on each pouch. Bake until golden, 15 to 20 minutes.


The whole family enjoyed these.

I feel like chicken tonight.....

Here's the recipe for the picture above.....the secret ingredient was the olive oil Mike brought back from Rome! I pity the day that stuff is gone. I also added green beans and long grain rice.

ENJOY!

Chinese-Style Glazed Chicken Breasts


1/4 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
1 tablespoon apricot preserves or fruit spread (I always use orange marmalade)
4 (4-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves (you can also cut these into bite size pieces)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon vegetable or olive oil

Combine first 3 ingredients in a small bowl; set aside.
Place each chicken breast half between 2 sheets of heavy-duty plastic wrap; pound to 1/4-inch thickness using a meat mallet or rolling pin. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper.
Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken, and sauté for 3 minutes on each side. Remove chicken from pan. Reduce heat; carefully stir in broth mixture. Return chicken to pan; cook 3 minutes or until done, turning to coat.

Birthday Cupcakes

Birthday Cupcakes I've made in the past.