EatYourHeartOut

Low-Fat Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread

2012-02-13T18:31:00.000-08:00

This is another delicious, low-fat recipe from Skinny Taste. We loved it! My kids ate a ton--we were left w/ only half a loaf after one sitting! Give it a try, you won't be disappointed!
Ingredients:

1 cup all purpose flour (I used unbleached)
1 cup white whole wheat flour (regular whole wheat flour would work)
1/2 cup brown sugar (not packed)
1-1/8 tsp baking soda
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup chocolate chips
1 large egg, beaten
2 tbsp melted butter
1 cup apple sauce
1-1/2 cups shredded zucchini (not packed)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325°.

Combine flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. Mix well.

Add chocolate chips and gently mix to combine.

In a medium bowl, mix egg, vanilla, melted butter, apple sauce and zucchini. Add to the flour mixture and stir until just blended.

Pour

batter into a large 9x5 inch loaf pan.

Bake

at 325° for 45-55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Cool

for about 10 minutes.

Remove

loaf from pan and let it cool before slicing.

Healthy Chicken Tikka Masala

2012-02-13T18:24:00.000-08:00

I went to my first Indian restaurant a few weeks ago, Taste of India, here in Utah, and absolutely loved it. It was spicy and so yummy. The only downside was that they use a lot of cream in their sauces, so I knew I was probably reaking havoc on my diet! Anyway, I came across this healthy Indian recipe at Get Off Your Tush and Cook and was so excited! It was so yummy! It was very spicy though, so if you have kids or want less heat, I would suggest adding an additional 6-ounce container of nonfat plain Greek yogurt to the sauce.

For the chicken marinade:

3 oz plain greek yogurt (just get one standard 6 oz container)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon garam masala
1 teaspoons cayenne pepper
1 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
3 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size chunks

For the sauce:

2 tsp canola oil
1 small onion, minced
2 tspn fresh ginger, grated
3 cloves garlic, crushed
2 cups crushed tomatoes
3 oz fat free greek yogurt (the other half of the 6 oz container)
1/2 cup 1% milk
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp garam masala
1 tsp turmeric
1 teaspoon chili powder
salt to taste (and cayenne pepper if you want it hotter)
4 tbsp fresh cilantro
Brown Basmati rice (or other rice to serve it over)

Directions: Cut the chicken breast into cubes and combine with all the marinade ingredients. Refrigerate for 30 mintues to an hour.

While chicken is marinating, work on the sauce. Heat oil in a large heavy skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and cook until golden (about 5 minutes). Add the crushed ginger, stir for one minute then add the garlic and cook another minute. Add cumin, garam masala, turmeric, chili powder, and salt; mix well until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Stir in tomatoes, yogurt and milk. Let sauce simmer on low heat until sauce thickens.

While sauce is simmering, cook your chicken. In traditional tikka masala, the chicken is skewered and grilled, but I was lazy and just threw the chunks right into my hot grill pan. Cook for about 3 minutes on each side or until chicken is cooked through and a bit charred. Add chicken back into the simmering sauce. Add a chopped cilantro and serve with Brown Bamati Rice or Naan. Enjoy!

Easy Beef Stroganoff

2012-02-09T11:53:00.000-08:00

This is really good! A rich, creamy sauce that tastes so yummy--one of my husband's favorite! Thanks to Life as a Lofthouse for the recipe!

8 oz extra wide egg noodles

1 lb ground beef

1/2 cup chopped onion

1 clove garlic, minced

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

1 cup beef broth

8 oz container of sour cream

1 (10 3/4 oz) can of cream of mushroom soup

2 tsp dried parsley

*Start by boiling your egg noodles as directed on their package. When done, drain and put back in the same pot and put the lid on to keep them warm and so they wont dry out.

*While the noodles are boiling, start browning your meat in a large skillet over medium high heat. Once cooked, drain the grease and then add the onion, garlic, salt & pepper. Give it a good stir. Then pour in the beef broth. Bring to a slight boil, then reduce heat and let simmer for 5-8 minutes.

*After it has simmered, add the sour cream and mushroom soup. Keep the temperature to medium heat and continue to stir often and bring the mixture back to a boil. Make sure mixture is thoroughly heated. Then add your dried parsley. Stir.

*Place your egg noodles on a plate, and then top with the beef mixture.

Glowing Green Smoothie

2012-02-07T11:39:00.000-08:00

Found this recipe on Linda Wagner's site. She is a nutrition and lifestyle coach in TX. She says she has had clients whose lives have changed because of adding this healthy smoothie into their diet. Anyway, it tastes great and is very healthy. Remember---strong is the new skinny!All you need is a blender and the following ingredients:

1-2 bananas
1/2 cup frozen peaches
1/2 cup frozen mango
a couple handfuls of spinach
water
ice (if desired)

Add enough water to blend and enjoy, that’s it!

Double Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies

2012-02-03T19:10:00.000-08:00

I am so excited to share this recipe with you! I told you I've been scouring the Internet for yummy, healthy snack foods for all of us trying to stick to a healthy diet! It seems that no one can make a cookie that is not either lacking in texture or taste when it's made somewhat healthy. Soooo I decided to make up my own recipe! I combined lots of things we love and voila! Cookies that don't taste like diet cookies! I have to tell you though; these are low-fat, but be careful because they taste good enough you could eat 6! Just look at that gooey chocolatey center! Enjoy :)

Makes 18 cookies with a 1.5" cookie dough scoop

1/4 cup Sun Crystals (all-natural sweetener w/ half the calories of sugar) or 1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 tbsp butter, melted
1 egg white
2 tbsp apple sauce
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 Tbsp. honey
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/8 tsp salt
1 Tbsp. cocoa powder
1/2 cup quick oats
1 tsp. ground flax seed
1 cup mini chocolate chips

*Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly spray cookie sheets with Olive oil cooking spray. In mixer, whisk the sugars, butter, egg white, applesauce, honey, and vanilla together until light and fluffy. In another large bowl, combine the dry ingredients and stir to blend.

*Slowly add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until the batter is very well blended. Fold in chocolate chips.

*Drop by level spoonfuls about 1 inch apart onto baking sheets. Bake 8 - 10 minutes. Remove from the oven, and let them stand 5 minutes before removing the cookies from the pans to cool on wire racks.

Healthy Baked Chicken Nuggets

2012-02-02T10:14:00.000-08:00

This picture turned out terrible, but just know these tasted delicious! I put little toothpicks on the table so my kids could stab their nuggets and dip them. We all loved how they tasted! Thanks, Gina at Skinny Taste for yet again, another great recipe that's healthy!

16 oz (2 large) skinless boneless chicken breasts, cut into even bit sized pieces
salt and pepper to taste
2 tsp olive oil
6 tbsp whole wheat Italian seasoned breadcrumbs
2 tbsp panko (these are Japanese-style bread crumbs. I found them in the ethnic aisle)
2 tbsp grated parmesan cheese
olive oil spray

Preheat oven to 425°. Spray a baking sheet with olive oil spray.

Put the olive oil in one bowl and the breadcrumbs, panko and parmesan cheese in another.

Season chicken with salt and pepper, then put in the bowl with the olive oil and mix well so the olive oil evenly coats all of the chicken.

Put a few chunks of chicken at a time into the breadcrumb mixture to coat, then on the baking sheet. Lightly spray the top with olive oil spray then bake 8 - 10 minutes. Turn over then cook another 4 - 5 minutes or until cooked though.

Baked Oatmeal

2012-02-02T09:37:00.000-08:00

This is really yummy! There sure are tons of recipes out there! Let me know if you substitute the brown sugar for honey/agave to tell me how it turned out. Enjoy! Thanks to Skinny Mom's Kitchen for the recipe!

Serving size: 1 baked oatmeal square (makes 9 servings)
Approximate nutritional information:
Calories: 210 * Carbs: 26 * Fat: 10 * Protein: 6 * Fiber: 2 *

Ingredients:

3 cups rolled oats

2 large eggs, beaten

¼ cup Olive oil

1 cup 1% milk

¼ cup brown sugar

½ cup applesauce (use homemade if you have it)

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon baking powder

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

In a medium to large bowl mix together oil, sugar, eggs, applesauce, cinnamon, and vanilla.
Add to the bowl rolled oats, baking powder, and milk. Mix until thoroughly combined.
Pour oat mixture into an 8 inch square baking dish and bake for 20 minutes. Let sit for about 3 minutes, cut into 9 squares, and serve warm. Top with fruit.

Super Bowl Favorites

2012-01-30T11:52:00.001-08:00

Philly SandwichesSouthwest SalsaCowboy QuesadillasCheese Ball & CrackersOreo Truffles

Skinny Macaroons

2012-01-28T10:00:00.000-08:00

I told you I was on the hunt for yummy, low-fat treats, so here's another one! Found this recipe on Gina's Skinny Taste and to me they taste a lot like macaroons, only they're much less fattening. When I figured out the nutrition facts, they are about 88 calories each, so you can eat 2 for a full serving. Not too bad!

3 egg whites
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 tsp cream of tartar (I was actually out of this so I substituted with 1/2 tsp lemon juice, which works as a substitute. 1/8 tsp cream of tartar=1/4 tsp lemon juice)
1 cup sweetened coconut flakes
3/4 cup cornflake crumbs (from 2 cups cornflakes crushed almost to powder)

*Preheat oven to 350°. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper or silpats.Whip the eggs whites, cream of tartar and sugar into a meringue until you form to form thick soft peaks, about 8 - 10 minutes. (I actually had mine beat in blender for more like 15 minutes).

*Fold in the coconut and cornflake crumbs.

*Drop by spoonful onto greased cookie sheets. Bake for about 18 minutes or until golden.

No-Bake Energy Bites

2012-01-20T07:14:00.000-08:00

Finally! A healthy treat that doesn't taste healthy! Since I just had my 3rd baby, I am working hard to lose this baby weight and this snack is perfect for me. It makes me feel like I am really eating cookie dough balls....except they are cookie dough balls loaded with lots of good stuff! And my husband and kids loved them, too! Seriously, go get the ingredients now and try these, for heaven's sake!! Thanks, Smashed Peas and Carrots for the recipe! I can't wait to start trying these with some different variations...raisins instead of chocolate chips, nuts instead of coconut, adding some chocolate protein powder to the mixture...oh the possibilities!

1 cup oatmeal

1/2 cup natural peanut butter (or other nut butter)--I use Adams

1/3 cup honey

1 cup coconut flakes

1/2 cup ground flaxseed--this is actually usually near the vitamins in the grocery store, by the way

1/2 cup mini chocolate chips

1 tsp vanilla

Mix everything above in a medium bowl until thoroughly incorporated. Let chill in the refrigerator for half an hour. Once chilled, roll into balls and enjoy! Store in an airtight container and keep refrigerated for up to 1 week. Makes 18-20 golf ball-sized treats.

A reader from Smashed Peas and Carrots figured out all the nutritional info, which I found helpful, so here you go:
Nutrition Facts
Serving Size 26 g
Amount Per Serving:
Calories-114
Calories from Fat-62
Total Fat-6.9g (11%)
Saturated Fat-2.3g (11%)
Cholesterol-0mg
Sodium-33mg (1%)
Total Carbohydrates-11.5g (4%)
Dietary Fiber-2.3g (9%)
Sugars-6.5g
Protein-3.1g
* Based on a 2000 calorie diet

Crock Pot Italian Turkey Meatballs

2012-01-15T11:46:00.000-08:00

Thanks to Gina over at Skinny Taste for another awesome recipe! We loved it!

Ingredients:
20 oz (1.3 lb) ground turkey breast 93% lean
1/4 cup whole wheat seasoned breadcrumbs
1/4 cup Reggiano Parmigiano cheese, grated
1/4 cup parsley, finely chopped
1 egg
1 large clove garlic, crushed
1 tsp kosher salt + fresh pepper

For the sauce:
1 tsp olive oil
4 cloves garlic, smashed
28 oz cans crushed tomatoes (I like Tuttorosso)
1 bay leaf
salt and fresh pepper to taste
1/4 cup fresh chopped basil or parsley

Directions:
In a large bowl, combine ground turkey, breadcrumbs, egg, parsley, garlic and cheese. Using clean hands, mix all the ingredients and form small meatballs, about 1/8th cup each.

In a small saute pan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add garlic and saute until golden, being careful not to burn.

Pour crushed tomatoes into the crock pot with bay leaf. Add garlic and oil.

Drop meatballs into the sauce, cover and set crock pot to low, 4 to 6 hours. When meatballs are ready, adjust salt and pepper to taste and add fresh chopped basil or parsley.

Serve with ricotta, over pasta or enjoy with French bread.

Chicken Alfredo Pizza

2012-01-15T11:43:00.000-08:00

This pizza was delicious, even when I made it with low-fat options. My kids loved it, too!

pre-made pizza crust
jar of Alfredo sauce (I used low-fat)
bag of mozzarella cheese
cooked chicken, chopped
cooked bacon, chopped (I used turkey bacon)
Italian seasoning
Garlic
1. Follow the directions on the pizza crust container and preheat your oven.
2. Prepare your dough on your pizza pan/baking sheet.
3. Spread 1-2 cups of Alfredo sauce over the top of the dough (depending on how saucy you like your pizza).
4. Put a thin layer of mozzarella cheese on next.
5. Sprinkle on cooked chicken and bacon.
6. Top with more mozzarella cheese (use as much as you want depending on how cheese you like your pizza).
7. Season with garlic, Italian seasoning, pepper, and Parmesan cheese.
8. Bake as directed on dough container (mine took about 10 minutes).
9. Remove from oven and let cool.

Cat Cora's White Chocolate Pecan Pie

2012-01-10T10:28:00.000-08:00

I saw this recipe in People magazine and had to blog it so I wouldn't lose it. Pecan pie is my absolute favorite and this looks like an amazing variation! If you make it, email the picture to me at kleebre(at)hotmail(dot)com!

1 9-in. pie crust
2 c. pecan halves
1-1/2 c. white chocolate or vanilla flavored chips
3 eggs
1/2 c. firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 c. light corn syrup
3 Tbsp. all-purpose flour

*Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Layer pecans and chips in pie crust. In a large bowl, quickly hand-whisk the eggs until just combined.

*Add the brown sugar, corn syrup and flour. Stir with a wooden spoon until thoroughly incorporated. Pour over nuts and chips.

*Bake 40-45 minutes or until crust is golden brown and filling is set in the center. Cover with spray-coated foil after 25 minutes of baking. Cook completely, approximately 2 hours. Store in refrigerator.

French Silk Pie

2011-12-28T11:20:00.000-08:00

My mother-in-law made this pie for Christmas since it's my husband's favorite, and it was the best I've ever had! So I'm sharing with you so you can make it, too!

Oreo pie crust
3 squares unsweetened chocolate--melted and cooled
1 c. butter, room temperature
1 c. sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
4 eggs

*Melt chocolate in microwave 30 seconds, stir, then microwave 10 seconds more if needed.
*Beat butter until fluffy. Gradually beat in sugar (about 4 minutes). Stir in chocolate and vanilla. Beat in eggs one at a time, beating for 2 minutes on high after each egg. Pour into prepared pie shell. Refrigerate 6 hours or overnight. Garnish with whip cream and chocolate curls. (Go HERE for directions on how to make easy chocolate curls).

Cheese Ball

2011-12-24T21:10:00.001-08:00

Best cheese ball ever. My mother-in-law is amazing and this is what she gives out to neighbors each year as a New Year's treat. I am going to steal her idea because this tastes amazing and is so easy!

16 oz. cream cheese
2 bottles old English cheese (small glass jars of cheese as shown in above picture)
1/2 bottle Real Bacon Pieces
1 c. finely grated cheddar cheese
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
Chopped pecans (about 2 cups)

*Mix ingredients in mixer until smooth. Roll in chopped nuts to cover outside. (Makes one large or three small balls). Store in refrigerator.

Cinnamon Caramel Corn with Pecans & White Chocolate

2011-12-23T22:38:00.000-08:00

This popcorn is amazing! I found cute little plastic popcorn containers for $1 at Target so I filled them with this popcorn for my husband's co-workers' Christmas gifts. It was easy and delicious and everyone loved them.

Recipe by Our Best Bites

12 C popped popcorn (about 1/2 C kernels)
1 C pecan halves, roughly chopped
1 C brown sugar
3/4 t cinnamon
1/4 C karo syrup (or honey makes a good substitution)
1 stick real butter (1/2 C)
1t vanilla
1/2 t baking soda

3 squares almond bark (about 4 oz)

Preheat oven to 250 degrees

Place popcorn and chopped pecans in a large bowl and set aside.

Combine brown sugar and cinnamon in a 2 liter capacity microwave safe bowl. Mix well. Chop butter into chunks and place on top of sugar mixture. Pour corn syrup over the top of everything. Microwave on high for 30 seconds and then stir to combine. Return to microwave and heat for 2 minutes. Remove and stir and then microwave for 2 minutes more.

Remove from microwave and add in vanilla and baking soda. Stir to combine. Mixture will foam and rise. Pour caramel mixture over popcorn and pecans and stir very well so everything is well coated.

Spread popcorn mixture onto a foil-lined jelly roll pan. Place in oven and bake for 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes.

Remove from oven and spread out on a large piece of parchment, waxed paper, or foil.

Melt almond bark according to package instructions. Drizzle over popcorn mixture. When almond bark is hardened and popcorn is cool, break into chunks and enjoy!

Ranch House Crock Pot Pork Chops

2011-12-17T12:23:00.000-08:00

O.M.G. these are amazing! Best pork chops I've had yet and by far the easiest! Definitely a new favorite at our house! Thanks to Picky Palate for the recipe!

6 pork chops, 1/2 inch thick
1 packet dry Ranch Dressing Seasoning
10 oz can Cream of Chicken Soup

*Place pork chops, Ranch seasoning and soup into a medium sized crock pot over high heat for 4 hours or low heat for 6 hours.

Saltine Toffee

2011-12-17T09:39:00.000-08:00

This is the easiest holiday treat--thanks, Heidi for the recipe! We loved it!

1 c. brown sugar
1 c. butter
Saltine crackers
1 bag (12 oz) chocolate chips
Chopped nuts (optional)

*Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cover jelly roll pan with wax paper. Lay out Saltine crackers to cover pan. Meanwhile, combine sugar and butter in saucepan and bring to a boil; boil 3 minutes. Pour mixture over crackers and put in oven for 5-6 minutes or until bubbly. When finished, pour chocolate chips over crackers and spread when melted. Sprinkle with nuts, if desired (pecans are my fav). Store in the refrigerator when cooled. (You can put the cooled pan in the freezer for just a few minutes to speed up the process and make them harden faster). Enjoy!

Best Ever Crock Pot Roast

2011-11-21T20:48:00.000-08:00

Photo courtesy of Marie's Cooking Adventures

Okay seriously, this is the best roast I've had, hands-down. I love doing crock pot meals during church because the troops come home famished and I don't have to scramble to fix something. I am pleased and a little embarrassed to say that this whole meal only lasted my family of 4 one meal...My husband ate over half of the roast by himself. We've been married 6 years and I feel like that whole time I've been looking for the perfect roast recipe....he agreed I had finally found it. Anyway, give it a try! Thanks, Marie!

2-5 pound pot roast (any kind)--I used a 3-lb beef rib roast, bone-in, frozen
1 envelope ranch dressing (dried)
1 envelope Italian dressing
1 envelope brown gravy mix
Potatoes and Carrots
1 to 1-1/2 cup water (I actually added about 4 cups of water, just enough to cover the potatoes and carrots)

* If you wanted carrots and potatoes, cut them to your liking and put in the bottom of your CrockPot. Put Roast on top of vegetables. Sprinkle all 3 spice envelopes on top. Add the water. Cook on LOW for 6-10 hours until tender and veggies cooked through. (I cooked on high for about 5 hours, starting with a frozen roast).

Cheerio Treats

2011-11-19T19:40:00.000-08:00

I saw this recipe and had to try it--my mom makes this same treat, except she uses plain Cornflakes instead of Cheerios, presses them into a 9x13 and calls them "Energy Saver Bars". I actually used Honey Nut Cheerios for this and we loved them so much we couldn't stay out of them!! They are super fast and the recipe is really easy to memorize. Either way you try you'll love!

1 cup sugar
1 cup corn syrup
1 cup creamy peanut butter
1 tsp. vanilla
5 cups Cherrios

In a large sauce pan, combine sugar and corn syrup. Bring to boil over medium heat.
Allow mixture to boil for one minute and remove from heat.
Add peanut butter and vanilla to mixture and mix until smooth.
Add Cheerios and mix until all coated.
Drop mixture by spoonful onto waxed paper and allow to cool. Enjoy. (I get about 2 dozen from this recipe. It all just depends on how big you make them.)

Almond Roca Cookies

2011-11-10T15:13:00.000-08:00

Thought of my father-in-law as I made these today--he loves almond roca. I have to say, these are a great substitute! They taste awesome and look pretty when served.1 cup butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 egg yolk
1 tsp. vanilla
2 cups minus 4 Tbsp flour
1 Tbsp. cornstarch
1 package (about 2 cups) milk chocolate chips
3/4 cup finely chopped nuts (I used almonds)

*Cream together butter, sugars and egg yolk. Add vanilla, flour and cornstarch. Spread on greased jelly roll pan. Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes, or until edges are lightly brown. While still warm, cover evenly with chocolate chips. Return pan to oven for about 30 seconds to soften the chocolate chips, then spread them like frosting. Sprinkle with ground nuts. When cool, cut into small rectangular cookies. Enjoy!

Dinner In a Pumpkin

2011-11-10T12:08:00.000-08:00

This actually tasted really great--I'd never done a meal in a pumpkin before. My kids both had seconds and I liked how easy it was to make. Give it a try! Could be a Halloween dinner tradition!1 small to medium-sized pumpkin
1 small onion, chopped
2 Tbsp olive oil/butter
1-1/2 lbs. ground beef
1 Tbsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp brown sugar
1 can (4 oz) sliced mushrooms, drained
1 can cream of chicken soup
2 cups cooked rice

*Cut off pumpkin top and clean out all seeds and pulp. Saute onions in oil/butter in large skillet. Add meat and brown; drain off grease. Add soy sauce, brown sugar, mushrooms and soup. Simmer, stirring occasionally, for 8-10 minutes. Add cooked rice; simmer an additional 5 minutes. Pour mixture into prepared pumpkin. Replace top and place on a baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.

Pizza Stuffed Pretzels

2011-10-28T11:42:00.000-07:00

These were delicious! I will definitely double the batch every time to make more, but when we pulled them out of the freezer and baked them they tasted so fresh. We all loved them. Thanks, Jolene! **Recipe adapted from Rachael Ray**

Pizza Dough:
1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 package quick-rising yeast (2 1/4 teaspoons)
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1/2-2/3 cup hot water (120-130°F)
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil

Combine flour, yeast, salt and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer to mix fitted with a dough hook.

Combine hot water and oil in a measuring cup. With the stand mixer is running, gradually pour in enough of the hot liquid until the mixture forms a sticky ball. The dough should be quite soft. If it seems dry, add 1 to 2 tablespoons warm water; if too sticky, add 1 to 2 tablespoons flour. Continue mixing until the dough forms a ball, then process for 1 minute to knead.

Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl. Coat a sheet of plastic wrap with cooking spray and place it, sprayed-side down, over the dough. Let the dough rest for 10 to 20 minutes.

Filling:
1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese
1 cup pepperoni slices
1/4 cup chopped mushrooms
1 egg slightly beaten
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/2 cup marinara or pasta sauce (homemade or store bought)

Preheat oven to 400ºF.

Cut the prepared pizza dough into 4 equal pieces and roll each out into a rectangle. Scatter the cheese, pepperoni and mushrooms over the dough. Brush the one of the long sides with a little egg wash then, starting with the opposite side, roll the dough up into a log, enclosing the toppings inside. Shape the log into a pretzel and transfer to a baking sheet.

Brush the top of the pizza pretzel with olive oil and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and Italian seasoning. Bake until golden brown, about 15-20 minutes.

While the pizza pretzel is baking, place a medium pot over medium-high heat to heat up marinara or pasta sauce, until warm. Serve the pizza pretzel with the marinara/pasta sauce dipper alongside.

* To make ahead/freezer meal - Prepare the pretzels as directed above and do not bake. Instead, wrap prepared pretzels in plastic wrap and foil. Place in a freezer bag and freeze. When ready to prepare, preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place frozen stuffed pretzel on a baking sheet and bake in the preheated oven for 20-30 minutes. No need to defrost pretzel before baking.

Giveaway Closed

2011-10-20T12:45:00.000-07:00

I've never done a giveaway before, but this should be fun! Shutterfly is where I order all of my prints, Christmas cards, thank you cards, and my husband’s graduation announcements. They seem to have the best quality at a great price, plus they do lots of discounts and promo codes.

Last year I made our Christmas cards from their site and was so impressed! The cards I chose were 5x7 Christmas photo cards to show off our new family pictures. This year I plan to order from Shutterfly again and we will have a brand-new little baby boy to show off, so I will probably pick another photo card to show our cute kiddos. My favorite Christmas cards are the ones where I can see what our friends/family looks like and how big their kids are getting—those are the cards that get hung on the door. You will really be impressed with the high quality of the cards, especially for the price.

If you would like to give Shutterfly a try, leave a comment telling me why you’d like to win free Christmas cards and three lucky winners will get 25 COMPLETELY FREE! Leave your email address in your comment so that I can contact the winners. Giveaway will close Monday, Oct. 24th!

Chicken Cacciatore

2011-10-19T11:00:00.000-07:00

My friend gave me this recipe and it was a big hit at our house. I loved having such a healthy meal loaded with lots of veggies.

4-5 large chicken breasts, frozen (shred once cooked)
1 large bell pepper
1 large onion
1 bunch sliced mushrooms
1 can tomato paste
1 cans tomato sauce
2 cans diced tomatoes
2 bouillon beef cubes
1 garlic clove

*Throw everything in the crock pot and cook on low about 6 hours. Serve over egg noodles.

Edible Cookie Dough

2011-10-19T10:22:00.000-07:00

This is amazing! We love dipping it in chocolate almond bark after the cookie dough balls have been hardened in the freezer for about 20 minutes. Recipe compliments of My Computer Is My Canvas. Click on recipe card to enlarge.

Homemade Butterfingers

2011-10-08T13:41:00.000-07:00

I'm sure you've seen this recipe floating around Pinterest lately--I kept seeing it over and over until I finally gave in and made some. Let me tell you, they were definitely worth it! They taste just like the real thing!

1 lb. candy corn
16oz jar peanut butter (about 2 cups)
16oz pkg. chocolate candy coating or milk chocolate chips

*Melt candy corn in microwave on high 1 minute. Stir and continue cooking in 15-second intervals til melted, stirring after each interval. Stir in peanut butter. (At this point, yes, it is supposed to look like throw up). Spread mixture in an 8x8 pan lined with parchment. Cool completely. I refrigerated mine to speed up the process. Cut into squares. Dip in melted chocolate candy coating. Lay on waxed paper to set.

Mini Sausage Calzones

2011-10-08T08:23:00.000-07:00

I forgot to take a picture of these before freezing them, but we didn't forget to taste them--they are delicious! I found this recipe on food.com. You and your kids will love them!! To freeze, prepare them completely; cool and then wrap each individually in saran wrap and foil and place in a labeled ziploc bag. When you are ready to serve from the freezer, thaw and reheat for 10 minutes or until heated through. Easy!

1 lb frozen bread dough, thawed
4 ounces sweet Italian sausage
1/2 cup chopped onions
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 cup pizza sauce
1/2 cup grated lowfat mozzarella cheese
2 teaspoons parmesan cheese
1 eggs
2 tablespoons milk

Divide dough into 16 portions.
Preheat oven to 425°F.
Grease a baking sheet.
Heat a large skillet over medium heat, add sausage.
Cook until brown and crumbly, drain fat.
Stir onion, garlic, basil, oregano, and pizza sauce into skillet, simmer for 10 minutes.
Roll each dough piece into a 5in circle.
Spoon sausage mixture onto each circle, sprinkle with cheeses.
Moisten edges of dough with water.
Fold dough over to enclose filling, press to seal.
Place on prepared baking sheet.
Beat eggs with milk.

Chicken Enchilada Soup

2011-10-06T12:46:00.000-07:00

My friend was raving about this recipe on her blog, so I had to share it with you! She swears that it is super easy and delicious so give it a try! I'm going to make this for dinner because here in Utah it's freezing and rainy today--perfect circumstances for soup. The recipe and picture are from Real Mom Kitchen.

1 15-ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes (I used the kind with sweet onion in it)
1 10-ounce package frozen whole kernel corn
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped yellow, green, or red bell pepper (I used red, which is my favorite pepper)
1 10-ounce can enchilada sauce (I used mild)
1 10.75-ounce can condensed cream of chicken soup
1 1/2 cups milk (I used skim)
1 cup shredded Pepper jack cheese (4 ounces)
2 chicken breasts

In a 3-1/2 to 5-quart slow cooker, combine drained beans, tomatoes, corn, onion, and bell pepper. Place 2 chicken breasts on top of mixture. In a large bowl, whisk together enchilada sauce and soup. Gradually whisk in milk until smooth. Pour sauce mixture over ingredients in cooker.Cover; cook on low heat for 6 to 8 hours or on high for 3 to 4 hours. Remove chicken and cut or shred into bite sized pieces. Add chicken back into soup. Top with pepper jack cheese and serve. Can also be topped with avocado, sour cream, or crushed tortilla chips. Note: if the soup is too thick for you, just add a little more milk after it’s all cooked.

Plum Butter In a Slow Cooker

2011-10-04T16:22:00.000-07:00

This turned out AWESOME! I have to say I was a little hesitant--I've never done anything with plums before, nor have I ever made any types of butters, but this was easy and so tasty! I did adjust the recipe a little bit, especially after reading comments of people who had already tried it and had some trouble. Here's the link for the original recipe though. Feel free to adjust it to the amount of plums you have...

6 lbs. plums (about 12 cups)
2-1/4 c. sugar
2 tsp. cinnamon
2 tsp. vanilla

*Wash plums. Cut them in half and remove pits. (You do not need to peel them). Place in crock pot; stir in sugar. Cook overnight or about 12 hours on low heat. In the morning, prop lid open a little bit and cook on high about 4 hours, stirring frequently. (If you are going to be gone or need more time, leave on low for about another 8 hours). As soon as your plum mixture thickens to desired consistency, add vanilla and cinnamon. Place jars in a water bath for 10 minutes, cool on rack until lids seal. Enjoy!

Oreo & Peanut Butter Brownie Cakes

2011-09-17T19:08:00.000-07:00

Today is my birthday and to celebrate I made these bad boys. One of my favorite treats are oreos dipped in peanut butter, so this was the ultimate treat for me. They are rich and unique and just perfect. Plus, they are so easy I will probably never have to look up this recipe again...

1 box brownie mix, 8×8 inch size

24 Oreo Cookies

1/2 cup creamy peanut butter

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a 12 muffin cup baker with paper liners.

2. Prepare brownie mix according to package directions. For each cupcake cup spread 1 teaspoon of peanut butter over 2 Oreo cookies and stack them on top of each other. Spread another layer of peanut butter on the top Oreo in the sandwich. Spoon 2 Tablespoons of brownie batter over each stacked Oreos and let it run down the sides of the cookies. Bake cookies and brownies for 18 to 20 minutes, until brownies are cooked through. Let cool completely then serve.

Cheesy Chicken Lasagna

2011-09-15T18:16:00.000-07:00

These were DELICIOUS! I usually am not a fan of chicken in my lasagna, but this really was tasty and super easy to make. I found this recipe on Real Mom Kitchen and just made a few adjustments.

2 cans (12 oz) evaporated milk (not fat-free)
1 (1 oz) pkg. dry Ranch dressing mix
3 C. cubed, cooked, chicken
1/8 tsp pepper
12 oz. lasagna noodles, cooked
2 cups cheddar cheese, grated
2 cups mozzarella cheese, grated

*Cook the chicken and noodles first at the same time. Once noodles are done–rinse in cold water and set aside (it keeps them from sticking together).

*Combine evaporated milk (don’t use fat-free version) and Ranch dressing in a 3 quart heavy saucepan. Heat over low heat, stirring frequently until dry ingredients are dissolved. Stir in chicken and pepper. Simmer, uncovered, 25 minutes (don’t do any less), stirring frequently.

*Layer half of lasagna noodles (criss-cross pattern), chicken and sauce, and cheese in well-buttered 9×13 pan. Repeat layers again. Bake at 350 for 35-40 minutes or until hot and bubbly. Let rest 10 minutes before serving.

PB&J Quesadilla

2011-09-15T11:45:00.000-07:00

I saw this idea on Good Morning America a few months back. They had kids on the show cooking different variations of the peanut butter and jelly sandwich. I gave this one a try this afternoon for lunch and it was great! I even liked it!

1 Tbsp. Olive oil
Tortillas
Peanut butter--we used crunchy
Jam

*Heat oil in skillet. Spread peanut butter and jam on half of a tortilla and fold in half. Put in skillet until lightly browned. The jam gets warm and gooey--so good!

Watermelon Jam

2011-09-10T14:12:00.000-07:00

I found a recipe for watermelon jelly! I was so excited to try it and am so excited that it tastes delicious and is so pretty! It actually tastes like watermelon Jolly Ranchers! I got the recipe off of this site but made some changes to make it a little better consistency.1 medium watermelon (6 cups pureed, seedless or with seeds removed)
1/2 cup bottled lemon juice
5 cups sugar
2 packages regular pectin

*De-seed and cut up watermelon; place in blender until you have 6 cups of puree. Place in large stock pot and add lemon juice and sugar.
*Bring mixture to a boil over medium-high heat; once your liquid reaches 220 degrees, add pectin. Bring to a boil again and boil for 15 minutes, stirring constantly.
*Finish canning process by pouring into sterilized canning jars and then putting jam into a water bath for 5 minutes. Allow to cool and enjoy! This is a beautiful red color and would be perfect as Christmas gifts with a bright green ribbon around it and some fresh baked bread--just an idea :)

Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

2011-08-23T16:45:00.000-07:00

Photo & recipe courtesy of Jamie Cooks It Up

These are divine...Seriously, I had to give some to my neighbors so I wouldn't eat the entire pan!
2-1/8 C flour
1/2 t salt
1/2 t baking soda
12 T butter (1 1/2 sticks)
1 C brown sugar
1/2 C white sugar
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
2 t vanilla
2 C chocolate chips (I used semi sweet, buy you can use what ever suits your fancy)

1. Melt your butter in the microwave. Add the brown sugar, white sugar, egg, egg yolk, and vanilla to the butter. Whisk it around until well combined.
2. In a separate bowl combine the dry ingredients.
3. Add the butter mixture to the dry ingredients and stir just until combined.
4. Fold in your chocolate chips.
5. Line a 9x13 pan with tin foil. Spray it down with some cooking spray and press your cookie dough into the pan. The tin foil is going to make it super easy to pull these bars out of the pan.
6. Bake at 325 for 24-28 minutes.
7. Let your pan cool on a wire rack for a bit. I didn't let mine get all the way cool before I cut them, and it worked out fine. I like to eat my cookies warm!
8. Pull the tin foil out of the pan and on to a cutting board. Cut the bars as desired. ENJOY!

Mexican Chicken Alfredo

2011-08-23T16:29:00.000-07:00

This is one of my new favorite pasta dishes! It was easy to throw together and had lots of great flavor. This recipe is for 2-8x8 dishes of pasta; one to serve and one to freeze. Or if you need to make a meal for someone else, make one for your family and one for them! If you would rather just make one casserole, just cut the recipe in half!

16 oz. gemelli or spiral pasta
2 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cubed
1 medium onion, chopped (I used 3 green onions, chopped instead)
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 Tbsp. olive oil
2 jars (15 oz each) Alfredo sauce
1 c. grated Parmesan cheese
1 c. medium salsa
1/4 c. 2% milk
2 tsp. taco seasoning

*Cook pasta to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large skillet over medium heat, cook the chicken, onion, salt and pepper in oil until chicken is no longer pink. Stir in Alfredo sauce; bring to a boil. Stir in Parmesan cheese, salsa, milk and taco seasoning.

*Drain pasta; toss with chicken mixture. Divide between two greased 8x8 inch square baking dishes. Cover and freeze one casserole for up to 3 months. (To use the frozen casserole, thaw in the refrigerator for 30 minutes before baking. Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 50-60 minutes or until bubbly).

*Cover and bake the remaining casserole at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes or until bubbly.

Upside-Down Pizza Bake

2011-08-21T12:27:00.000-07:00

This is delicious! Next time I will double it though, to make a 9x13, instead of an 8x8, so keep that in mind if you have a bigger group to feed.

1/2 lb. Italian sausage
1 c. spaghetti sauce
1/2 c. sliced mushrooms, fresh
1/2 c. chopped green pepper
1 c. shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
1 c. biscuit/baking mix
1 egg
1/2 c. milk

*In a large skillet, cook sausage over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain.
*Pour spaghetti sauce into a greased 8x8 inch square baking dish. Top with mushrooms, green pepper, sausage and 1/2 c. cheese.
*In a small bowl, combine the biscuit mix, egg, and milk until blended. Pour over top. Sprinkle with remaining cheese.
*Bake, uncovered, at 400 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown.

Tropical Pancakes

2011-08-21T12:24:00.000-07:00

I had a friend tell me about making these and decided to give them a try. It's always nice to spice up our usual boring breakfast routine...These were really easy to make but tasted delicious.

Pancake mix
Banana, thinly sliced
Coconut

*Prepare pancake mix as directed on package. Add in coconut, depending on how much batter you have--I prepared enough mix to make 12 pancakes, so I added about 3/4 cup.
*Pour batter onto preheated griddle and arrange banana slices on top. When you flip them the bananas will caramelize. Yummy! Top with syrup and cool whip or fresh fruit.

Key Lime Tarts

2011-08-21T12:18:00.000-07:00

These are so yummy and so cute! I made them when we had friends over and lots of kids, that way they could each have their own little pie. Super easy to make and they look like they took lots of time--give them a try!!

1 pre-made graham cracker pie crust
12 foil baking cup liners
1-23 oz. jar Private Selection Key Lime Fruit Filling
1/2 c. sweetened condensed milk
2 eggs
cool whip

*Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
*Fill muffin pan with 12 foil liners. Divide the graham cracker pie crust among baking cups. Press to bottom and slightly up sides of cup. Beat together key lime fruit filling, sweetened condensed milk, and eggs until well mixed. Fill the cups to the top. Bake 25 minutes. Top with cool whip.

Summer Snack Idea

2011-07-16T11:50:00.000-07:00

Ever put these babies together?? Holy cow. Amazing. Go try it now! (Whipped cream cheese is best)!

Elegant Smoked Salmon Strata

2011-07-07T20:35:00.000-07:00

I made this for our late Father's Day breakfast. It was delicious, but I have a couple of notes--first of all, it makes a ton, so unless you have at least 8-10 people to serve, I would suggest cutting the recipe in half and cooking it in an 8x8 dish. Also, you better really like EGGS, otherwise you'll hate this. But if you do, this is a great breakfast or brunch idea, especially if you have company or a large group to feed. It's very fancy looking and seems like you spent a lot of time on it ;) I seriously felt like Bree Hodge from Desperate Housewives when I made this!

4 c. cubed ciabatta/French bread
2 Tbsp. butter, melted
2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 c. (8oz) shredded Gruyere or Swiss cheese
2 c. (8oz) shredded white cheddar cheese
10 green onions, sliced
1/2 lb. smoked salmon, coarsely chopped
8 eggs
4 c. 2% milk
4 tsp. Dijon mustard
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
Creme fraiche or sour cream and minced chives

*In a large bowl, toss bread cubes with butter and oil; transfer to a greased 9x13 baking dish. Sprinkle with cheeses, onions, and salmon. In another bowl, whisk eggs, milk, mustard, salt, and pepper; pour over top. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

*Remove from the refrigerator 30 minutes before baking. Cover and bake at 350 for 30 mins. Uncover; bake 25-30 mins longer or until knife inserted comes out clean. Let stand for 10 mins before serving. Serve with creme fraiche/sour cream and chives.

IKEA Swedish Meatballs

2011-07-07T20:32:00.000-07:00

These are TO DIE FOR!! Seriously, my family is hooked! I found this recipe on Just Cook Already and have made it several times. I serve this with a side of pasta and veggies. Seriously, go try it now!

Meatballs:

1 pound ground sausage (low-fat version works great too)

1 pound ground hamburger

2 eggs

1/2 cup Italian bread crumbs

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

1 TBSP dried minced onion

1 tsp all-spice

A few dashes of salt and pepper

Gently mix all the ingredients with your hands in a bowl. Form 1 -1.5 inch balls and place on a cookie sheet. (I was able to fit 30 larger balls on one cookie sheet.) Bake in a 400 degree oven for 20 minutes until no longer pink in the middle.

The Sauce:

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1/2 cup sour cream

1/2 cup water

1 tsp paprika

1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

1/4 tsp nutmeg

1/4 tsp salt

A few dashes pepper

*Heat ingredients in a small sauce pan until combined and warm.

*Serve the meatballs and sauce over a bed of noddles or mashed potatoes.

***The meatballs are also great served as an appetizer. Just make the balls small and serve them covered in the sauce on toothpicks.

Green Enchiladas

2011-07-07T12:21:00.000-07:00

This recipe is also from Becoming Betty. These enchiladas have a really unique taste and were really yummy. Give them a try!

1 lb. lean ground beef/turkey
1/3 cup chopped onion
1 garlic clove, minced (I used 2)
3/4 cup salsa
1 Tbs. cornmeal
2 tsp. chili powder
1-1/2 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. dried oregano
salt/pepper to taste
12 tortillas, warmed
shredded cheese

Sauce:
1-1/2 cups frozen white corn, thawed
1 (4 oz) can green chilies
1 cup fresh cilantro
1/3 cup heavy whipping cream
salt/pepper to taste

*Saute beef, onion and garlic until beef is no longer pink. Remove from heat and stir in salsa, cornmeal and seasonings. Spoon about 1/4 cup of meat mixture down the center of corn tortillas, sprinkle some cheese and then roll up and place seam side down in a 9x13 greased pan.

*Put all of sauce ingredients in a food processor and pulse until well blended. Spoon over enchiladas and top with more cheese. Cover and bake at 350 for 30 minutes, then uncover and bake for 5-10 more minutes.

Crockpot Stew Meat

2011-07-07T12:19:00.001-07:00

This recipe is from Becoming Betty and we LOVED it! It is a great Sunday dinner over potatoes and you'll have lots of leftovers!

1-1/2 pounds stew meat
1 envelope brown gravy mix
1 envelope onion soup mix
1 can cream of mushroom
1 can cream of chicken
2 cups water
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped carrots

*Put in crockpot and cook on low for 6-8 hours. Mix well before serving over mashed potatoes.

Chicken Croissants

2011-07-07T12:16:00.000-07:00

Got this recipe from Made Famous By and we really liked it! It was a nice, quick lunch that we took on a picnic, without a mess. Enjoy!

1 can Pillsbury Croissant dough

3 cups cooked diced chicken

3 carrots

1 onion

1 Tbsp basil

1 Tbsp butter

1 Tbsp Olive oil

In a pan put the olive oil and butter. Next add the diced carrots and onion and saute for a couple of minutes. Add the chicken. When the vegetables are soft and the chicken warmed through add the basil.

In each triangle of Pillsbury Croissant dough put 1/2 a cup of the chicken mixture in the middle and then roll it up. Pinch together the dough to seal in the chicken mixture.

Bake according to the croissant directions. 350 for 10 minutes.

Crockpot Cheesecake

2011-05-19T20:40:00.001-07:00

My cousin put this up on her blog, so naturally, I had to steal it for my recipes! It looks so good and I love utilizing my crock pot however I can. Enjoy!!

Crust
- 1 cup graham cracker crumbs
- 2 T brown sugar
- 3 T melted butter

Filling
- 16 oz cream cheese, room temperature (You can nuke it for 30 seconds to get it soft)
- 3/4 cup white sugar
- 2 large eggs, room temperature (Put the eggs in a bowl of hot water for a few minutes)
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 1 t good vanilla
- 1 T flour

Find a heat-resistant dish that will fit into your crockpot for the cheesecake. You are going to create a bain marie, or water bath. I used a 1.5 qt Corning Ware dish and it fit nicely into 6qt oval.

In a plastic zipper bag, beat the graham crackers into crumbs with a rolling pin. Put a cup of the crumbs into a medium bowl, and add melted butter and brown sugar. Stir until it's wet and crumby. Press the crumbs into the bottom of the dish you are going to use.

In a separate bowl, cream the cheese, sugar, eggs, flour, cream, and vanilla with a hand-mixer or Kitchen Aid.

Add 1/2 to 1 cup of water to the bottom of your crockpot. Lower the dish inside, being careful not to slosh water into your cheesecake.

Cover and cook on high for 2-3 hours. Check after 1 hour, just in case. The cheesecake is done when the edges are no longer shiny and have set. Touch lightly to see that you don't get a bunch of stuff on your finger---then you know it's done. My cheesecake wasn't perfectly set in the middle, but I unplugged the crock anyhow.

I cooked it for exactly 2 hours. Let the cheesecake sit in the cooling crockpot for an hour, before removing and transferring to the refrigerator. Chill in the refrigerator for about 2 hours before cutting and serving.

Luscious Lemon Bars

2011-04-15T19:44:00.000-07:00

These really are "TO DIE FOR!" They're hands-down the best lemon bars I've had!

Crust:
1 c. butter, softened
1/2 c. powdered sugar
2 c. flour
dash of salt

*Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine all ingredients, and mix well. Press dough into a 9x13 ungreased pan. Bake for 15 minutes, or until edged start turning golden.

Filling:
4 eggs, beaten
1/4 c. flour
2 c. sugar
6 tbsp. lemon juice

*Combine flour, and sugar; Mix with beaten eggs and lemon juice. Pour mixture onto partially baked crust. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes or until set. Dust with powdered sugar, and let cool completely before cutting them into squares.

Crockpot Meatloaf

2011-04-15T19:40:00.000-07:00

This was surprising tasty, especially since we aren't huge fans of meatloaf at our house. I love crockpot meals, especially when I'm out and about all day with my kids, we can come home to a warm meal and a house that smells great! I served this with steamed broccoli and biscuits.

2 lbs. extra lean ground beef
2 eggs
2 slices bread, cut into small cubes
Milk
Ketchup
Salt and pepper

*Beat eggs - add bread cubes. Add enough milk to moisten all. Add hamburger....squish all together with your hands. Season to taste. Place in slow cooker or Crock Pot....shape to fit, flatten. Pour ketchup on top (enough to cover completely) Crock on low all day 8 - 12 hours.

Crockpot Turkey Chili with Apples

2011-04-15T19:23:00.000-07:00

It seems like I've been posting a lot of SOUPS lately! Probably because of this crazy cold weather we've been having--cozy soups have sounded really yummy, especially when they're loaded with lots of veggies. This one has a very unique flavor and lots of fun ingredients, and it comes from my aunt who is an amazing cook.

1 each: onion, carrot, celery stalk, chopped
2 cups each: apples, cored peeled and chopped and butternut squash, diced
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 lb. ground turkey, cooked
1-2 tbsp chili powder (depends on how much spice you like)
1 tbsp cumin
1/2 tsp salt and pepper
1 can (10 oz.) undiluted chicken broth
1 can light coconut milk
4 tbsp tomato paste
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed

*Combine in your crockpot and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours.

Chicken Pot Pie Soup

2011-04-15T19:20:00.000-07:00

Gina over at Skinny Taste has done it again--created a recipe that is so full of flavor that you'd never guess it was HEALTHY!! We all know that classic, buttery, full-of-sodium chicken pot pie dish that our grandmas always made....well here's her twist on that. Same flavor without all the fat! Only 169 calories for 1 cup!
1/4 cup flour (to make gluten-free use 2 tbsp cornstarch instead)
2 cups water
4 cups fat free milk
1 large celery stalk, chopped
1/2 medium chopped onion
8 oz sliced baby portabella mushrooms
2 chicken bouillons
fresh ground pepper
pinch of thyme
10 oz frozen classic mixed vegetables (peas, carrots, green beans, corn)
2 potatoes, peeled and cubed small
16 oz cooked chicken breast, diced small
salt

*Create a slurry by combining 1/2 cup of the cold water with flour in a medium bowl and whisk until well blended. Set aside.

*Pour remaining water and milk into a large pot and slowly bring to a boil. Add celery, onion, mushrooms, chicken bullion, thyme, fresh pepper, frozen vegetables and return to a boil. Partially cover and simmer on low until vegetables are soft, about 20 minutes. Remove lid, add potatoes and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Add chicken, and slowly whisk in slurry, stirring well as you add. Cook another 2-3 minutes, until soup thickens, adjust salt and pepper to taste and serve.

"Mock" Garlic Mashed Potatoes

2011-04-15T19:16:00.000-07:00

These tasted great to me--I could barely tell the difference! Give them a try!

1 medium head cauliflower
1 tablespoon cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
1/8 teaspoon straight chicken base or bullion (may substitute 1/2 teaspoon salt)
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh or dry chives, for garnish
3 tablespoons unsalted butter

*Set a stockpot of water to boil over high heat.

*Clean and cut cauliflower into small pieces. Cook in boiling water for about 6 minutes, or until well done. Drain well; do not let cool and pat cooked cauliflower very dry between several layers of paper towels.

*In a bowl with an immersion blender, or in a food processor, puree the hot cauliflower with the cream cheese, Parmesan, garlic, chicken base, and pepper until almost smooth. Don't blend too much or it will be like baby food :) Garnish with chives, and serve hot with pats of butter.

Minestrone Soup

2011-04-09T20:09:00.001-07:00

Ugh! Again with the turning of the pictures! What the heck?
My mom emailed me this recipe last week and I couldn't wait to give it a try! It was SOOOO yummy and all healthy stuff. And just so you know, this batch could feed an army, so you can either freeze some of it or cut the recipe in half...

3 tablespoons olive oil
3 cloves garlic chopped
2 onions, chopped
2 cups chopped celery
5 carrots, sliced
2 cups water
4 cups chicken broth
4 cups tomato sauce (2 cans)
1/2 cup red wine (optional)
2 cans canned kidney beans drained
1 (15 ounce) can green beans
2 cups baby spinach rinsed
3 zucchinis, quartered and sliced
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano or 1 teaspoon dried oregano
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil or 2 teaspoon dried basil
2 teaspoon salt
Pepper to taste
1 cup seashell pasta
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese for topping

1. In a large stock pot, over medium-low heat, heat olive oil and saute garlic for 2 to 3 minutes. Add onion and saute for 4 to 5 minutes. Add celery and carrots, saute for 1 to 2 minutes.

2. Add chicken broth, water and tomato sauce, bring to boil, stirring frequently. If desired add red wine at this point. Reduce heat to low and add kidney beans, green beans, spinach leaves, zucchini, oregano, basil, salt and pepper. Simmer for 30 to 40 minutes, the longer the better.

3. Fill a medium saucepan with water and bring to a boil. Add macaroni and cook until tender. Drain water and set aside.

4. Once pasta is cooked and soup is heated through place 2 tablespoons cooked pasta into individual serving bowls. Ladle soup on top of pasta and sprinkle Parmesan cheese on top.

Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars

2011-04-09T20:04:00.000-07:00

We had company over for dinner the other night and I wanted to make sort of a fancy dessert and boy did these do the trick--I couldn't stay out of them! They will be worth your trip to the store! Thanks Girl Who Ate Everything for the recipe!!

Crust:

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened

Cheesecake Filling:

3 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened

3/4 cup sugar, plus 2 tablespoons, divided

3 large eggs

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Apples:

3 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and finely chopped

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Streusel topping, recipe follows

1/2 cup caramel topping

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a medium bowl, combine flour and brown sugar. Cut in butter with a pastry blender (or 2 forks) until mixture is crumbly. Press evenly into a 9x13 baking pan lined with heavy-duty aluminum foil. Bake 15 minutes or until lightly browned.

In a large bowl, beat cream cheese with 3/4 cup sugar in an electric mixer at medium speed until smooth. Then add eggs, 1 at a time, and vanilla. Stir to combine. Pour over warm crust.

In a small bowl, stir together chopped apples, remaining 2 tablespoons sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Spoon evenly over cream cheese mixture. Sprinkle evenly with Streusel topping. Bake 40-45 minutes, or until filling is set. Drizzle with caramel topping and let cool. Serve cold and enjoy!

Streusel Topping:

1 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup quick cooking oats

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened

In a small bowl, combine all ingredients. I like to really combine it by using my clean hands to thoroughly combine the butter into the mixture.

Caramel Corn

2011-04-09T19:59:00.000-07:00

I found this recipe on Sister's Stuff and we LOVED it! It stayed super soft and gooey, which was my favorite part!
1 C. brown sugar
1/2 C. Karo Syrup
1 Cube Butter (half cup)
1 Can Sweet Condensed Milk
1 Tsp. Vanilla
20 C. Popped popcorn

*Add brown sugar, karo syrup, and butter. Cook it until it comes to a rolling boil. Add 1 can sweet condensed milk. Bring to rolling boil again. Add one tsp. vanilla. Pour over popcorn and mix.
(You may need more or less popcorn depending on how much Carmel you like on your popcorn!)

Mexican Beef & Vegetable Skillet

2011-04-09T19:49:00.000-07:00

Not sure why this picture keeps turning that way....Anyway, I came up with this the other night when I desperately needed to buy groceries but didn't want to brave the terrible Utah weather with my two little kids. It turned out really yummy and was super easy!

2 lbs. extra lean ground beef
2 large carrots, chopped
3 stalks celery, finely chopped
1 onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped or grated
Salt and pepper
1 small can green chilies
1 can (15 oz.) diced tomatoes
2 c. chicken broth
1 c. shredded Mexican-blend cheese
Banana peppers, sliced
*Cook meat until brown, stirring to crumble. Do not drain--you'll want that little bit of grease to cook your veggies. Add the carrots, celery, onion, and garlic; season with salt and pepper. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened. (About 10 mins).

*Puree diced tomatoes and green chilies in blender; when the vegetables are tender, add to the skillet. Sprinkle cheese on top and garnish with sliced banana peppers.

Jamie's "Heck Yeah" Jell-O Salad

2011-03-26T11:27:00.000-07:00

This salad came from one of my husband's co-workers, Jamie. She brought this to a work lunch and my husband was raving about it forever unitl I finally made it when my in-laws were in town. I took a picture of this salad late at night and it just looks awful, so you'll just have to trust me when I say it turned out to be a bright, beautiful pink and was almost too pretty for me to break into! You'll love it--this makes a huge bowl and it only lasted 2 days at our house!

1 large box raspberry jell-o
1 large box vanilla pudding, cook and serve
2 small boxes tapioca pudding, cook and serve

*Mix all together with 6 cups water and boil for 5 minutes. Let set overnight and then add 1 small container of cool whip and 1 cup of raspberries. (You could easily switch this up and add different fruits, or even a combination. Next time I'm going to use blueberry jell-o with fresh blueberries).

Pink Lemonade Cupcakes

2011-03-17T21:51:00.000-07:00

I found this recipe over at Sweet Tooth and was so excited! They were perfect "Pinkalicious" cupcakes for my daughter's 3rd birthday! And best of all, they were hands-down the best tasting cupcakes I've ever had, too! They were moist and unique and just plain delicious....Enjoy!

For Pink Lemonade Cake:
1 box white cake mix
3/4 c. frozen pink lemonade concentrate
1/2 c. water
1/3 c. vegetable oil
4 egg whites

*Preheat oven to 350 and line 24 muffin tins with liners.
*Combine all ingredients in mixer and begin by mixing on low for 30 seconds, then on medium for another minute.
*Divide batter evenly, filling 24 tins about 2/3 full.
*Bake about 25 minutes or until cake tester comes out clean. Cool before frosting.

For Pink Lemonade Frosting:
Okay any of you who follow this blog know that I am all about keeping my sanity in the kitchen with two little ones and simplifying where I can. Having said that, the amazing Erica over at Sweet Tooth has a great recipe/tutorial on homemade buttercream frosting for these cupcakes. I did a super easy way that still tasted amazing....You decide which works for you!

1 container fluffy white frosting
2 Tbsp. frozen pink lemonade concentrate
Red and yellow food coloring, if desired

*Blend frosting and lemonade concentrate until extra fluffy. Divide frosting in half and color each--one pink, one yellow. FROST! (I piped yellow in the centers, pink on the outside, but you can also do a two-toned frosting if you want to get fancy!)

Crockpot Fiesta Chicken

2011-03-04T19:05:00.000-08:00

I really loved this recipe from The Girl Who Ate Everything because of how easy it is....you don't even have to thaw the chicken! I mean, c'mon! That's a perfect "mom recipe!" You'll love the creamy taste and I love that it's packed with good stuff for my kiddos.

4 chicken breasts, frozen or thawed

1 (15 1/2 ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 (15 ounce) can corn, drained
1 (15 ounce) jar of your favorite salsa
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese

Take 4 frozen, yes, frozen (or thawed), boneless chicken breasts put into crock pot. Add 1 can of black beans, drained, 1 jar of salsa, 1 can of corn drained. Keep in crock pot on low for about 4-5 hours or until chicken is cooked. Once it is cooked, take it out and shred it. Return shredded chicken to the crockpot.

Add 1 package of cream cheese (just throw it on top!) and let sit for about 1/2 hour. It may look at little strange at this point. Don't worry. Stir in the cream cheese.

Serve over rice or in warm flour tortillas.

Oreo-Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies

2011-03-04T19:00:00.000-08:00

Do you really need me to convince you that these are amazing? They are so ingenious, too! The girl over at Picky Palate comes up with all of these really creative recipes! Give them a try, they're really easy and well worth your time! She also has pictures for each step of this recipe, in case you get confused. :)

2 sticks softened butter
3/4 Cup packed light brown sugar
1 Cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 Tablespoon pure vanilla
3-1/2 Cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
10 oz bag chocolate chips
1 bag Oreo Cookies, I used the double stuff

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a stand or electric mixer cream butter and sugars until well combined. Add in eggs and vanilla until well combined.

2. In a separate bowl mix the flour, salt and baking soda. Slowly add to wet ingredients along with chocolate chips until just combined. Grease up your hands with Pam cooking spray. Using a cookie scoop take one scoop of cookie dough and place on top of an Oreo Cookie. Take another scoop of dough and place on bottom of Oreo Cookie. Seal edges together by pressing and cupping in hand until Oreo Cookie is enclosed with dough. Place onto a parchment or silpat lined baking sheet and bake cookies 9-13 minutes or until cookies are baked to your liking. Let cool for 5 minutes before transferring to cooling rack. Serve with a tall glass of milk, enjoy!

Chocolate Chip Cookie Cheesecake Bars

2011-02-26T19:45:00.000-08:00

Oh my gosh you have got to try these Chocolate Chip Cookie Cheesecake Bars! They are to die for! I decided to just link up the recipe so you can check out the Cookbook Queen's awesome picture-by-picture tutorial (just scroll down under the pizza rolls)...

16.5 oz roll of chocolate chip cookie dough (I just made up a homemade batch of my Butter Crisco Cookie dough and separated out 16.5 oz, which is about 2 cups)

1 8oz package cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup sugar

1 egg

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 350. Line an 8x8 pan with foil so that it hangs over the sides of the pan and spray well with nonstick spray.

*Cut your roll of cookie dough into four equal pieces.

*Set one section of cookie dough aside. Press the rest of the cookie dough evenly into the pan.
In a medium mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Add sugar, egg, and vanilla, beating on low speed until smooth and well combined.

*Spread the filling evenly over the cookie dough crust. Dot with the remaining portion of cookie dough.

*Bake for 25-30 minutes or until top is light brown and filling is set. Cool completely before peeling off foil and cutting into bars. Store in the refrigerator--these taste so much better cold because the cheesecake-y part is set up! Mmmm...

Flemings Chocolate Lava Cake

2011-02-25T17:57:00.000-08:00

My friend swears that these are to die for and I have always wanted to make them because they look so fancy! Perfect Valentine's Day dessert!

1 lb. butter
1 lb. semi-sweet chocolate
8 whole eggs
8 egg yolks
1 C. sugar
2 Tbs. flour
Optional: 2 tsp. vanilla

*Cut butter and chocolate into small pieces. Heat on low heat in the microwave or over a double boiler until melted, stirring occasionally. While chocolate is melting combine whole eggs and egg yolks in mixing bowl and whip until slightly thick, about 5-6 minutes. Mix flour into sugar then pour into eggs and whip for 1 minute to blend. Lightly whip the chocolate and butter until smooth. Add to egg mixture. Add vanilla if desired.

*Pour into ramekins (sprayed with non-stick spray or shortening and flour) to about half an inch from the top. Chill for 2-3 hours. Place in a 400 degree oven and bake for 12-15 minutes. (Center will be a bit jiggly.) Remove cake from oven and cool for 1 minute or more. Place cup on serving plate, cake side down and remove ramekin. Serve with ice cream. Garnish with fresh fruit, chopped nuts or whipped cream.

P.S. Keep your eyes open at thrift stores for ramekins, I see them all the time!

Easy OREO Truffles

2011-02-18T12:47:00.000-08:00

My friend told me about these and the recipe was so easy I didn't even have to write it down! They are absolutely the best thing ever, too! Go ahead and give them a try!

8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 package OREO cookies
8 squares of chocolate almond bark, melted

*Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or wax paper. Crush 20 Oreo cookies in a food processor or by hand. Add to mixer and blend with cream cheese. Scoop mixture into balls of desired size. (I used a cookie dough scoop that is 1.5" across). Dip
Oreo balls into chocolate almond bark. Put on cookie sheet and cool in the refrigerator for 1 hour. Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container. Makes about 20 truffles in the size that I made. I also made these with white chocolate, drizzled with milk chocolate, but my husband ate them all before I could take a picture! He liked those even better though, so you have a couple of variations. Enjoy!

Cafe Rio Pulled Pork

2011-02-16T13:28:00.000-08:00

The Girl Who Ate Everything has done it again--this recipe is A.MAZ.ING! Give it a try, it's way easy, too! The only thing is I will probably add a little less root beer next time...

7-8 lbs. pork roast (Do a 3-4 lb pork roast if you are just doing your family)
4 cups root beer
5 (8oz) cans tomato sauce
4 T molasses or honey
3 tsp. minced garlic
½ tsp. salt
2 - 3 cups brown sugar
pepper to taste
4 tsp. cumin

Recipe Note: The above sauce makes a ton! So if you have a 3-4 lb pork roast, half the sauce.

Salt and pepper roast and cook in crock pot 8 hours or overnight on low in water. In the morning remove the roast from the crockpot and pull apart with fork, removing fat. Drain all the water in the crockpot. Don't overshred the pork or it will turn mushy. Add the rest of the ingredients to the crockpot and add shredded pork. Cook another 4 hours in crockpot on low. Serve as a burrito, over rice, on a salad, or even on a bun!

Easy Peach Cobbler

2011-02-06T08:25:00.000-08:00

This is hands-down the best cobbler I have ever had! And I have tried the famous peach cobbler at "Peach Days" in Brigham City, Utah!

1/2 cup unsalted butter
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar, divided
1 tablespoon baking powder
Pinch of salt
1 cup milk
4 cups fresh peach slices
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Ground cinnamon or nutmeg (optional)

*Melt butter in a 13- x 9-inch baking dish.

*Combine flour, 1 cup sugar, baking powder, and salt; add milk, stirring just until dry ingredients are moistened. Pour batter over butter (do not stir).

*Bring remaining 1 cup sugar, peach slices, and lemon juice to a boil over high heat, stirring constantly; pour over batter (do not stir). Sprinkle with cinnamon, if desired.

*Bake at 375° for 40 to 45 minutes or until golden brown. Serve cobbler warm or cool.

Rachael Ray's Lazy Baked Greek Chicken

2011-02-06T08:18:00.000-08:00

My mom's a big Rachael Ray fan and tried this recipe right away after seeing it on her show. She said it was AMAZING. Picture courtesy of Rachael herself :)

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (EVOO), divided
1/2 medium onion, finely chopped
3 large cloves garlic, finely chopped, divided
1 box organic chopped spinach (10 ounces), thawed
Salt and pepper
Freshly grated nutmeg, to taste
3 tablespoons butter
1 cup panko breadcrumbs
1 teaspoon dried oregano (about 1/3 palmful)
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/2 cup crumbled Greek feta cheese

-Pre-heat the oven to 425°F.

-Heat 1 tablespoon EVOO, one turn of the pan, in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and two-thirds of the garlic and cook until softened, 3-4 minutes. Transfer to a bowl to cool, then add the spinach and season with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Melt the butter in the same pan, turn off the heat and add the panko, oregano and remaining garlic; toss.

-Drizzle a baking dish with the remaining 1 tablespoon EVOO. Split each chicken breast across (but not all the way through) and open like a book. Stuff with the spinach and feta, letting the stuffing overflow at the edges. Place the chicken pieces in the baking dish and top with the breadcrumbs. Bake until the juices run clear; about 20 minutes.

Glazed Carrots

2011-02-06T08:11:00.000-08:00

I actually had this recipe but had never made it, so I was glad that my friend did! She even sent me a picture! Thanks, Heidi! I'm glad they were yummy!

1 lb. baby carrots
1/4 c. orange juice
3 Tbsp. brown sugar
2 Tbsp. butter
Pinch salt

*Place carrots in a shallow saucepan, and cover with water. Boil until tender. Drain, and return carrots to pan.
*Pour orange juice over carrots, and mix well. Simmer over medium heat for about 5 minutes. Stir in brown sugar, butter, and salt. Heat until butter and sugar melt.

Butter Crisco Chocolate Chip Cookies--THE BEST!

2011-02-01T20:05:00.000-08:00

3/4 stick Crisco® Baking Sticks Butter Flavor All-Vegetable Shortening, OR 3/4 cup Crisco® Butter Flavor All-Vegetable Shortening
1-1/4 cups firmly packed light brown sugar
2 tablespoons milk
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 large egg
1 3/4 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 (6 oz.) package semi-sweet chocolate chips (1 cup)
1 cup coarsely chopped pecans (optional)

HEAT oven to 375ºF.

COMBINE shortening, brown sugar, milk and vanilla in large bowl for a good 2-3 minutes. (This is the SECRET to making them amazing!) Beat at medium speed of electric mixer until well blended. Beat in egg. Combine flour, salt and baking soda. Mix into shortening mixture until just blended. Stir in chocolate chips and nuts.

DROP by rounded measuring tablespoonfuls 3 inches apart onto ungreased baking sheet.

BAKE 8 to 10 minutes for chewy cookies, or 11 to 13 minutes for crisp cookies. Cool 2 minutes on baking sheet on a cooling rack. Remove cookies to rack to cool completely.
* If nuts are omitted, add an additional 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips.

White Bean Turkey Chili

2010-12-20T08:09:00.000-08:00

Gina over at Skinny Taste has done it again--THIS white bean turkey chili is amazing and super healthy!! Hands down, my new favorite chili! I couldn't get enough of it and neither could the rest of my family! Here's the picture, recipe, and nutritional information from Gina's site:Servings: 14 • Serving Size: 1 cup • Old Points: 4 pts • Points+: 5 pts
Calories: 211.5 • Fat: 5.4 g • Protein: 22.5 g • Carb: 23.7 g • Fiber: 8.4 g

cooking spray
2 small onions, chopped
5 garlic cloves
2 tsp chili powder, to your taste
1 bay leaf
1/2 tbsp cumin
1/2 tbsp oregano
2 tsp red pepper flakes (to taste)
3 lbs 99% lean ground turkey
4 16 oz cans of cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
2 cups of fat free chicken broth
1/2 cup of fat free sour cream
salt and pepper to taste

Heat a large heavy bottomed pot over medium flame. When hot, spray oil. Add onions, garlic, saute about 5 min. Add meat and cook, breaking it up until white, about 5 minutes. Add salt, chili powder, cumin, oregano, red pepper flakes and cook for 2 minutes. Add beans, broth, cook uncovered about 10 minutes.

Lower heat and cover, simmer about 45 minutes mixing occasionally. Add sour cream and cook 5 more minutes. Adjust seasoning and salt to taste.

Top with chopped red onion, chopped fresh cilantro, light sour cream, jalapeños and reduced fat cheddar if desired.

Broccoli Chicken Stir-Fry

2010-12-17T12:08:00.000-08:00

This was eaten up pretty dang fast at our house; everyone loved it, even my 2-year-old.

16 oz. spaghetti noodles

Sauce:
1 c. chicken broth
3 Tbsp. soy sauce
2 Tbsp. sugar
2 Tbsp. cornstarch
2 Tbsp. cider vinegar
1/8 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes

Stir-fry:
1 egg
1 Tbsp. soy sauce
1/2 c. cornstarch
1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch cubes
1/4 c. canola oil
2 c. fresh broccoli florets
1 medium onion, chopped

*Cook noodles as directed on package. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the broth, soy sauce, sugar, cornstarch, vinegar and pepper flakes until smooth; set aside.

*In a shallow bowl, whisk egg and soy sauce. Place cornstarch in another shallow bowl. Dip chicken in egg mixture (a handful at a time), then coat with cornstarch. In a large skillet or wok, stir-fry in oil until no longer pink. Remove and keep warm.

*Stir-fry broccoli and onion for 2-3 minutes or until crisp-tender. Stir the sauce mixture and add to the pan. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 1-2 minutes or until thickened. Add the chicken; heat through.

Pumpkin Cheesecake

2010-12-17T12:03:00.000-08:00

I'm sure you've been seeing this recipe all over the web like I have, and let me tell you, there is a reason! It is delicious! I do not even like pumpkin pie but this tasted heavenly!

2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs
1 (9 inch) prepared graham cracker crust
1/2 cup pumpkin puree
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 cup whipped cream

*Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
*In a large bowl, combine cream cheese, sugar and vanilla. Beat until smooth. Blend in eggs one at a time. Remove 1 cup of batter and spread into bottom of crust; set aside.

*Add pumpkin, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg to the remaining batter and stir gently until well blended. Carefully spread over the batter in the crust.

*Bake in preheated oven for 35 to 40 minutes, or until center is almost set. Don't worry if there are a couple of cracks; when you refrigerate it they will close up. Allow to cool, then refrigerate for 3 hours or overnight. Garnish with whipped topping before serving.

Homemade Marshmallows & Hot Cocoa Mix

2010-12-17T11:57:00.000-08:00

These are spoons to stir your hot chocolate. Just dip a plastic spoon into melted chocolate and immediately sprinkle with crushed candy canes.

Here's where I found these recipes--they are amazing! I gave these as gifts this year and everyone loved them! I thought the marshmallow recipe looked a little daunting, but they only took me about 20 minutes to make, not counting the time to cut them the next day!

Homemade Marshmallows

1 cup cold water, divided

3 envelopes unflavored gelatin (found in the baking isle of your grocery)
2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup light corn syrup
pinch salt
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Garnish: 4-5 cups confectioners sugar

Spray (with a non stick vegetable spray) either a half-sheet pan or a 13x9x2-inch baking dish. Then, line it with parchment paper. Sift a few tablespoons of confectioners sugar onto the the parchment paper (this is important as it will help to keep the marshmallow from sticking to the paper too much as they set).
Place 1/2 cup cold water into the bowl of your electric mixer (fitted with a whisk attachment). Sprinkle the gelatin over the water and let stand until gelatin softens, about 15 minutes. You can leave this while you make your sugar syrup.

Sugar syrup: place the sugar, corn syrup, salt, and remaining 1/2 cup cold water in a small saucepan. Stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves and the mixture comes to a boil. Cover the saucepan and let it come to a full boil. Uncover and attach a candy thermometer to the side of the pan. Increase heat to high and boil, without stirring, until the syrup reaches 240 degrees F (Softball stage), about 10 minutes. Remove from heat.

With mixer running at low speed, slowly pour the hot syrup into the gelatin mixture in a thin stream down the side of the bowl. Gradually increase the speed to high and beat until mixture has tripled in volume and is very thick and stiff, about 10 minutes (looks like thick creme of marshmallow - imagine that!). Add vanilla extract and beat to combine, about 30 seconds longer.
Note: if you want to add color or flavor extract (like peppermint) to your marshmallows, I mix in the food coloring to the vanilla and then add. You will see it gradually change color.

Scrape marshmallow mixture into the prepared pan and spread with a damp offset spatula or rubber spatula. The mixture is very sticky! Smooth it out as best as you can keeping your spatula damp. Resist touching the spatula with your fingers or you will enter into a never-ending web of marshmallow that you can't get out of! Although, if you do, it easily cleans up with warm water.

Dust the top of the marshmallow with another few tablespoons of confectioners' sugar and let stand, uncovered, at room temperature until set, about 12 hours. Overnight is fine.

Remove the marshmallow from the pan by first running a small sharp knife around the edge of the marshmallow to loosen it from the pan. Invert the pan onto a large cutting board that has been dusted with confectioners' sugar. You might have to use your fingers to help loosen the marshmallow from the pan. Peel off the parchment paper (the marshmallow will be sticky) and dust the top of the marshmallow with more confectioners' sugar.

Cut the marshmallow into squares using a pizza roller or sharp knife. Dip the cut sides of the marshmallows in additional confectioners' sugar. Shake off excess sugar and store the marshmallows in an airtight container, at room temperature, for up to two weeks. Its important to make sure any tool you use to cut marshmallows is dusted in confectioners' sugar to prevent sticking.

Makes about 24 marshmallows, or more depending on how you cut them.

Homemade Hot Cocoa Mix
2 cups powdered sugar
1 cup cocoa (Dutch-process preferred)
2-3 cups powdered milk
pinch salt
2 teaspoons cornstarch
Mini chocolate chips

Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl and incorporate evenly by using a whisk until all ingredients are well-blended together. The mixture will be super light and fluffy. Mix in the chocolate mini morsels here and distribute evenly, they are just an added touch for a bit more chocolate flavor.

Fill your mug 1/3 - half full with the cocoa mix (about 1/4 cup) and pour in hot water. Stir to combine. (I printed these instructions on a label and stuck it on the jar).

Homemade Snickers Bars

2010-12-17T07:29:00.000-08:00

Need a Snickers? Why wait? Make up a batch! I cannot believe I didn't take a picture of these! I paired these with my molasses sugar cookies for neighbor treats this year and it was perfect. These snickers bars are so rich you just need tiny squares to serve, so they go a long way. There are 5 layers, so this recipe will look a little different...

1st layer
Melt:
2 c. milk chocolate chips
1/2 c. butterscotch chips
1/4 c. peanut butter
Press into a 9x13 baking dish. Cool in fridge while making next layer.

2nd layer
In a saucepan, combine:
2 c. sugar
1/2 c. butter/margarine
1/2 c. milk
Boil for 5 minutes, then add:
1/2 c. marshmallow cream
1/2 c. peanut butter
Pour this layer over the first layer.

3rd layer
Sprinkle 2 c. peanuts in pan.

4th layer
Melt 40 caramels and 2 tablespoons of hot water in microwave or on stove. Pour over peanuts.

5th layer
Repeat the first layer. Chill in fridge until solid. Cut into small squares.

Molasses Sugar Cookies

2010-12-17T07:26:00.000-08:00

These turned out amazing and are one of our family's favorites now. Not too strong with the molasses taste. Perfect neighbor cookies for Christmastime!

3/4 c. shortening
1 c. sugar
1/4 c. molasses (Brer Rabbit brand)
1 egg
2 c. flour
1/2 tsp. ground cloves
2 tsp. baking soda

*Melt shortening over low heat in a small pan. Set aside and let it cool.

*Place sugar, molasses and egg in mixer and add cooled shortening. Sift dry ingredients and add to mixture. Chill dough for about 30 minutes in fridge.

*Form into 1-inch balls and roll in sugar. Bake at 375 for 8-10 minutes. Enjoy!

Mexican Chicken Corn Chowder

2010-12-09T07:35:00.000-08:00

My sweet grandma sent me this recipe and I cannot wait to try it!

3 T butter

1/2 c. chopped onion

1 clove garlic (used 1 tsp. refrigerated minced garlic)

4 c. chopped cooked chicken

1c. chicken broth

1/2 tsp. cumin

2 c. half & half

1 - 4.5 oz. chopped green chilies

2 - 14.75 oz. cans cream style corn

2 c. (8 oz.) shredded Monterey Jack Cheese w/ peppers ( I used 1 c.Krogers Hot Pepper Blend Cheese and 1 c. mild chedder cheese to keep it less spicey)

*Saute onion & garlic in butter. Add chicken, broth, & cumin. Bring to boil. Cover, reduce heat & simmer 3 min.

Add half & half, chiles, corn & cheese. Cook over low heat until heated.Don't let it boil. Makes about 2-1/2 quarts.

Pecan Rolls

2010-11-19T08:54:00.000-08:00

To make these you will use the POTATO CINNAMON ROLLS recipe, too.

Mix:
2/3 c. brown sugar
1/4 c. melted butter
2 Tbs. Karo syrup.

*Put in the bottom of a 9x13 pan. Top with pecans and then put the cinnamon roll slices on top. Bake the same way as regular cinnamon rolls. Let cool about 5 minutes when you take them out of the oven and them turn over onto a platter or jelly roll pan so pecans are on the top.

Potato Cinnamon Rolls

2010-11-19T08:47:00.000-08:00

This is my mother-in-law's recipe and it is DIVINE! Seriously, throw any of your cinnamon roll recipes away because this one is better!

3 c. warm water

1/2 c. sugar

1/2 c. potato flakes

2 Tbs. yeast

2 eggs (room temperature)

1 stick melted butter

1 Tbs. salt

1/2 c. powdered milk

8 c. flour divided (this can be a combination of whole wheat, white, and bread flour)

*Mix sugar and potato flakes in a bowl with warm water. Then sprinkle the yeast on and stir gently. Set aside and let "grow" for a few minutes.

*Combine salt, powdered milk and 4c. flour and set aside.

*Melt butter let cool a little bit. Mix eggs and butter in the mixer and add yeast mixture.

*Add flour mixture a little at a time until well mixed. (I use the regular beater to this point) Change to dough hook and add 4c. more flour a little at a time. After all the flour is mixed in "knead" in the mixer with the dough hook for 10 minutes. Don't be tempted to add more flour...the dough is a soft dough.

*Place the dough in a large oiled bowl, turn over to oil top of dough and cover with a damp cloth. Let rise until double. (Usually about 1 to 1 1/2 hour) Punch down and divide in half.

To make cinnamon rolls:

1 stick melted butter

1-1/2c sugar

1 Tbs. cinnamon

*Mix sugar and cinnamon.

*On a floured surface roll out dough to about a 9x13 size. Spread half of the butter and half

of the sugar mixture on the dough. Roll up and cut in 12 slices. Place in a greased 9x13 pan. Repeat with second half of dough. Cover and let rise. (about 1/2 hour) Bake at 375 for 15 - 20 minutes until just golden brown. (If you want smaller rolls you can use a jelly roll pan and cut each half into 16 pieces)

Frosting:

3 Tbs. softened butter

1 c. powdered sugar

1Tbs. milk (or a little more for desired consistency)

1/2 tsp. vanilla

*Cream butter and sugar together. Add vanilla and milk and beat until creamy.

Jeannette's Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cupcakes

2010-11-17T19:26:00.000-08:00

I totally stole this picture and recipe off of my friend, Jeannette's, blog. Totally worth it though. :) She is amazing, creating her very own cupcakes! And perfect for Thanksgiving w/ the pumpkin! Thanks, Jeannette!

1 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1-1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp cloves(optional)
2 eggs
1 cup pumpkin
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup oil
*Preheat oven to 350. First combine all dry ingredients and sift/mix. In separate bowl combine all other ingredients and mix. (The recipe doesn't call for vanilla, but I added just a little bit) Next combine dry and wet ingredients and mix. Add chocolate chips- however many you want. Set cupcake batter to the side.

Cream Cheese Cupcake Filling
8 oz. cream cheese
1/3 cup sugar
1 egg
*Mix room temperature cream cheese with sugar thoroughly. And then add the egg and mix.

*Spray your cupcake tin with cooking spray and put in a spoonful of pumpkin mix, then a small spoonful of cream cheese mix, and then top with another small spoonful of pumpkin mix. Bake for 20-25 minutes. Cool for 20 minutes. This next step is completely optional, but oh sooo good!

Chocolate Gan ache
1/2 cup heavy cream
8 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips
*Stir the ingredients over a pot of simmering water until melted and creamy. Once your cupcakes have cooled dip the tops of the cupcakes into the ganache and let dry for 10-15 minutes. And then ENJOY!!

Dough for Bread/Pizza Dough/Breadsticks/Cinnamon Rolls, etc.

2010-11-12T19:53:00.001-08:00

This turned out awesome! I actually made a batch of cinnamon rolls and a loaf of bread and halved the recipe. (I have put the halved amounts in parentheses). It turned out perfect! Thanks, Heidi for this awesome recipe!

10 1/2 c flour (5-1/4 c)

1/2 c sugar (1/4 c)

1 tsp salt (1/2 tsp)

3 rounded tbsp saf instant yeast (1-1/2 Tbsp)

---mix together---

add
3 tbsp lecithin (1-1/2 Tbsp)

4 c hot water (2 c)

knead for 5 min. in mixer or by hand.

It is not necessary to let the dough rise, but I have found that if I let it sit for 15 min then the bread is a little softer. Depending on what you are cooking you cook at 400 for 12-20 min. Breadsticks usually about 12 min. Pizza about 20 min and bread about 15 min. Just kind of keep an eye on it.

***I've used this recipe for pizza dough, breadsticks, loaf of bread, stuffed braided bread, cinnamon rolls, etc.

***Also this recipe makes 4 different batches of whatever. If you have a very large kitchenaid, it will make this whole recipe. Mine is just regular size so I cut the recipe in half and make either two pans of pizza, or like last night i did 1 pan of pizza and a loaf of bread.

***Lecithin you can buy at kitchen kneads. It is a great food storage item because it never expires! And it is only $8 for a big bottle of it and you don't use very much at once so it lasts a long time. But when you do buy it make sure you get the lid that goes with it for like 20 cents cause the stuff is very sticky and the lid helps you squeeze out the amount you need. (Don't try and measure it, cause you'll never get it off your measuring spoon. Just eyeball it)

Chicken Spaghetti

2010-11-11T21:24:00.000-08:00

This is a great alternative to the classic spaghetti dish. My family loved it, especially my two kids. Enjoy!

3 cups cooked, finely cubed or shredded chicken meat
1 (8 oz.) pkg. spaghetti noodles
1/4 cup chopped green bell pepper
2 (10.75 ounce) cans condensed cream of chicken soup
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
salt and pepper to taste

*Boil spaghetti in a large pot of salted boiling water. Let simmer, stirring occasionally, for 8-10 minutes or until pasta is al dente. Drain.

*Coat a 9 x 13 inch pan with cooking spray. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

*In a large bowl combine the chicken, cooked spaghetti, bell pepper, cream of chicken soup, chicken broth and cheese. Season with salt and pepper to taste and mix all together.

*Spread mixture into the baking dish and bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes.

SHUTTERFLY!

2010-11-08T12:41:00.000-08:00

Okay so I saw this great deal on my friend's blog and had to do it! I love Shutterfly and have used them to order cards, prints, and calendars--and I have never been let down. They are the best quality and will even address and send out your Christmas cards this year! Crazy cool, huh? I already have my card all picked out for this year to plug our new family pictures in to and send out to family and friends! Isn’t the best card one with a photo?? I love the simplicity and practicality of not having to hand-write notes to everyone and print off separate pictures to include in the envelope. If you’d like to see their line-up of Christmas cards this year, click HERE. And if you would rather have a more religious theme to your Christmas card, click HERE. And after Christmas, the next best holiday coming up is Valentine’s Day! They have the cutest stuff for that holiday, too! Click HERE to see their lovey dovey-themed stuff!

What are you waiting for?! Hurry up and schedule some family pictures so you can plug them into your cards, too!

P.S. Bloggers get 50 free holiday cards from Shutterfly, follow the arrow-->http://bit.ly/sfly2010 . YAY!

Peach Pie

2010-11-04T20:25:00.000-07:00

This was our dessert tonight--a beautiful peach pie with a crumbly, buttery crust, perfect for fall. It was SOOO good and really, really easy!

1 (15 ounce) package pastry for a 9 inch double crust pie
1 egg, beaten
5 cups sliced peeled peaches
2 tablespoons lemon juice (Do not use this if your peaches are canned or if you have thawed some frozen ones)
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup white sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons butter

*Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Line the bottom and sides of a 9 inch pie plate with one of the pie crusts. Brush with some of the beaten egg to keep the dough from becoming soggy later. Place the sliced peaches in a large bowl, and sprinkle with lemon juice (only if they are fresh peaches). Mix gently. In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Pour over the peaches, and mix gently. Pour into the pie crust, and dot with butter. Cover with the other pie crust, and fold the edges under. Flute the edges to seal or press the edges with the tines of a fork dipped in egg. Brush the remaining egg over the top crust. Cut several slits in the top crust to vent steam.

*Bake for 10 minutes in the preheated oven, then reduce the heat to 350 degrees and bake for an additional 30 to 35 minutes, until the crust is brown and the juice begins to bubble through the vents. If the edges brown to fast, cover them with strips of aluminum foil about halfway through baking. Cool before serving. Enjoy!

Tilapia Parmesan

2010-11-04T20:22:00.000-07:00

Yet another recipe from The Girl Who Ate Everthing...Tilapia Parmesan. Tastes really good, we all loved it! And it's super healthy, too!

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup butter, softened
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon onion powder
1/8 teaspoon celery salt
2 pounds tilapia fillets

*Preheat your oven's broiler. Grease a broiling pan or line pan with aluminum foil.
In a small bowl, mix together the Parmesan cheese, butter, mayonnaise and lemon juice. Season with dried basil, pepper, onion powder and celery salt. Mix well and set aside.

*Arrange fillets in a single layer on the prepared pan. I like to sprinkle the fillets with salt, pepper, and a little Cajun seasoning for some kick. Broil a few inches from the heat for 2 to 3 minutes. Flip the fillets over and broil for a couple more minutes. Remove the fillets from the oven and cover them with the Parmesan cheese mixture on the top side. Broil for 2 more minutes or until the topping is browned and fish flakes easily with a fork. Be careful not to over cook the fish.

Western Omelet Potato Skins

2010-11-04T20:16:00.000-07:00

This recipe is from Gina's Skinny Recipes, one of my new favorite sites, and it was delicious! About 300 calories for two!

2 medium russet potatoes (I actually used red potatoes)
olive oil spray (or Pam)
2 large eggs
3 egg whites
2 tbsp fat free milk
2 thin slices lean ham, chopped (I used chicken, finely chopped)
2 tbsp chopped onion
1/2 cup bell pepper, chopped
salt and pepper
4 tbsp cheddar cheese

*Pierce potato with a fork a few times all around. Place in microwave and cook about 5 minutes per potato. When finished, allow to cool enough to handle. Cut potatoes in half horizontally. Scoop out potatoes leaving about 1/4 inch thick wall.

*In a large bowl, whisk eggs, milk, salt and pepper. Add onion, pepper and ham/chicken and mix well. Spray a medium nonstick skillet with olive oil spray and cook the eggs, mixing often.

*Heat oven to 450°. Lightly spray potato skins on both sides with oil. Season both sides with salt and pepper. Fill with eggs and top each one with 1 tbsp cheese. Place on a baking sheet and bake 5-10 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Chicken Parmesan

2010-11-04T20:12:00.000-07:00

I found this recipe over at Gina's, too, and absolutely love it! You'd never know that it's only 231 calories for each serving!

4 (8-oz) chicken breast halves, sliced in half
3/4 cup seasoned breadcrumbs
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 tbsp butter, melted
3/4 cup reduced fat mozzarella cheese
1 cup marinara or Filetto di Pomodoro (I just used spaghetti sauce)
cooking spray

*Preheat oven to 450°. Spray a large baking sheet lightly with spray.
*Combine breadcrumbs and Parmesan cheese in a bowl. Melt the butter in another bowl. Lightly brush the butter onto the chicken, then dip into breadcrumb mixture. Place on baking sheet and repeat with the remaining chicken. Lightly spray a little more cooking oil on top and bake in the oven for 20 minutes. Turn chicken over, bake another 5 minutes. Remove from oven, spoon sauce over chicken and top with shredded cheese. Bake 5 more minutes or until cheese is melted.

Apple Pie Caramel Apples

2010-10-28T10:49:00.000-07:00

I've seen this recipe floating around a few blogs lately and decided it was time to try it. And let me tell you, we were not disappointed!

Granny Smith apples
Caramels
White almond bark
Sugar & cinnamon mixture

*Grease wax paper and lay over a plate. Wash and dry apples and insert popsicle stick into tops. Dip in melted caramel and place on plate in fridge until set up. Take out and dip in white chocolate; let it sit for about 30 seconds and then sprinkle with cinnamon sugar mixture. Put back in fridge and let them set up for a few minutes. Enjoy!

Lemon & Garlic Fresco Chicken

2010-10-27T15:15:00.000-07:00

I got this recipe at the grocery store checkout the other day and we all loved it! It was a little too spicy for us, though, so next time I'll add a little less cayenne pepper and basil.

1 lb. skinless chicken tenders/breast
1/4 c. olive oil
2 green onions, finely chopped
2 Tbsp. chopped garlic
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
2 lemons, juiced
1/4 c. chopped fresh basil
salt & pepper to taste

*Heat olive oil in a large frying pan. Add chicken, green onions, garlic and cayenne; stir fry for 5 minutes or until lightly browned and cooked through. Add lemon juice and basil, then salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with fresh cilantro or parsley and a lemon slice. Great over rice or inside tortillas.

Cowboy Quesadillas

2010-10-27T15:09:00.000-07:00

I found this recipe on Best Bites and thought it was a great, quick dinner. I did not add everything that they did, but used the same idea. You can use lots of variations for this and add whatever you have leftover in your fridge, too!

-Cooked, cubed chicken
-Beans (I used pinto and black)
-Green onion, sliced
-Tomatoes, cubed (I used yellow and red)
-Corn
-BBQ sauce, about 1/2 cup

*Put everything in a bowl and gently stir. Place about 1/3 cup of the mixture onto tortillas and fold in half. Place on nonstick skillet until cheese is melted. Cut into triangles with a pizza cutter.

Tortellini Salad

2010-10-27T15:01:00.000-07:00

I found this recipe on Just Cook. It was light and healthy, perfect for a light lunch. Just a warning, though, it is pretty spicy. Next time I'll tone it down for my little kids.

1 (9-ounce) package fresh three-cheese tortellini
2 teaspoons olive oil

2 teaspoons bottled minced garlic
1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
1/4 cup chicken broth or vegetable broth
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 (6-ounce) package fresh baby spinach

*Cook tortellini according to pkg directions. While it's cooking, heat oil in large nonstick skillet over med-high heat. Add garlic and red pepper; saute 30 seconds.
*Add tomatoes, chicken/veg broth, basil, salt, and spinach to skillet; cook 2 minutes or until spinach wilts. Stir in tortellini; cook 1 minute. This is only 254 calories for a 1-1/2 cup serving!

Homemade Hot Cocoa Mix

2010-10-27T14:58:00.000-07:00

I LOVE having this recipe--it is super easy and so cute for gifts! Just put this mix in a cute jar, dip a couple of plastic spoons in chocolate almond bark, and voila!

4 c. instant nonfat dry milk
2 c. sugar
1 c. unsweetened cocoa (I used the dark chocolate cocoa, yum!)
1/2 tsp. salt

*Combine all ingredients and mix thoroughly. Store in airtight container. (I put ours in a big ziploc bag). For hot chocolate, use 1/4 cup mix per cup of boiling water.

Creamy Cauliflower Soup

2010-10-11T10:42:00.000-07:00

I love fall for so many reasons, but one of them is that it's the time for SOUPS! I love making healthy soups that even my husband will eat! This one is chucked full of veggies and our dinner table was very quiet with all the busy mouths gobbling it right up! I didn't have my camera when we were eating this, so no picture.

1 head cauliflower or 16 oz. frozen
1 c. sliced carrots (I substituted with a can of corn)
3 Tbsp. dried minced onion
1 Tbsp. chicken bouillon granules
2-1/4 c. water, divided
2 c. 2% milk
1 can condensed cream of potato soup, undiluted (I used cream of chicken)
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg
4 tsp. cornstarch
1 c. shredded cheddar cheese
1 c. cooked, cubed chicken, optional

*In a large saucepan, combine the vegetables, onion, bouillon and 2 cups water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer 6-8 minutes or until vegetables are tender.

*Stir in the milk, soup, garlic powder and nutmeg. Combine the cornstarch and remaining water (1/4 c.) until smooth; gradually stir into soup. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until slightly thickened. Stir in cheese until melted and chicken to warm.

Perfect Pulled Pork

2010-10-07T16:10:00.000-07:00

This is the BEST pulled pork! It is a little spicy, though, so you may want to tone it down if you have little ones. Enjoy! I promise you'll love it!

5 lbs boneless pork butt shoulder (I have also used a boneless picnic pork)
1-1/2 tsp. smoked paprika
2 tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 tsp. dried thyme
1 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 c. water

*Combine all seasonings and rub evenly over roast. Place meat in a slow cooker. Add water. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 4-5 hours or until pork is very tender.

*Place pork on large cutting board or platter and let rest for 10-15 minutes. Pull, slice or chop to serve. Serve in buns with BBQ sauce. (We also like it in tortillas or over salad).

Taco Fajitas

2010-09-07T19:26:00.000-07:00

This recipe is from one of my good friends. She just made it up! I wish I could do that! It turned out awesome, my whole family loved it!

1 lb ground turkey meat
seasoned salt to taste

1 tsp. chili powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1 red bell pepper chopped

1 banana pepper chopped

1/2 of an onion chopped

Brown the turkey meat in a frying pan and season with Seasoned Salt. Once meat is browned, add chili powder and salt. Stir together and set aside in a bowl. Using the same pan with all the seasoning in it still, add a little bit of oil and saute the peppers and onion. Once cooked, add the meat to the pan and stir together until heated through.

We put the meat on top of tortilla chips and added sour cream, lettuce, salsa, olives and cheese. But I also think it would be great on tortillas like a fajita or on taco shells:)

Check it out...

2010-08-13T20:49:00.000-07:00

Look what I found at the thrift store today! It is a chocolate fondue fountain. It's brand new and I only paid 5 bucks! I looked it up online and it's list price is $61.99. I'm pretty psyched. I figured all you foodies/bargain hunters could appreciate my amazing find!

Frozen Strawberry Delight

2010-08-12T21:09:00.000-07:00

This dessert was perfect for summertime. I loved that it was a great alternative to ice cream cake, but was much lighter and has fresh fruit. Definitely a great birthday/special occasion treat because it looks fancy but it's really so easy!

1 can (14 oz.) sweetened condensed milk
1/4 c. lemon juice
4 c. sliced fresh strawberries, divided
1 carton (8 oz.) frozen cool whip, thawed and divided
8 oreos, crushed

*Line an 8x4 inch loaf pan with foil, letting edges hang over the sides; set aside.

*In a large bowl, combine milk and lemon juice; fold in 2 cups strawberries and 2 cups cool whip. Transfer half of the mixture to loaf pan. Sprinkle with oreo crumbs; top with remaining strawberry/cool whip mixture. Cover and freeze for 6 hours or overnight.

*To serve, using foil, lift dessert out of pan. (Don't worry; this part is easy!) Invert onto a serving plate; discard foil. Spread remaining cool whip over top and sides of dessert; garnish with remaining strawberries. Cut into slices. Enjoy!! We sure did at our house!

Honey-Mustard Chicken Salad

2010-08-12T21:06:00.000-07:00

This salad tasted awesome; a really unique flavor. You can never have enough salad recipes!
1 c. cubed cooked chicken breast
3/4 c. seedless red grapes, halved
1/2 c. chopped water chestnuts
1/2 tsp. grated lemon peel
Dash pepper
1/4 c. fat free honey Dijon salad dressing
3 c. fresh baby spinach (I used Romaine lettuce)
1/4 c. shredded smoked Swiss cheese
2 Tbsp. coarsely chopped walnuts

*In a small bowl, combine the chicken, grapes, water chestnuts, lemon peel and pepper. Drizzle with dressing; toss to coat. Divide spinach between two plates; top with chicken mixture. Sprinkle with cheese and walnuts.

Cider Pork Chops

2010-08-11T12:14:00.000-07:00

Pork chops are one of my husband's favorite meals but I try to limit buying them to when we have company. These were a HUGE hit with our family this week! I served them w/ rice (half brown, half white) and broccoli.

2 Tbsp. flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
4 bone-in pork loin chops (7 oz. each)
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 c. sliced celery
4 green onions, sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 tsp. dried thyme
1 c. apple cider or apple juice

*In a large ziploc bag combine the flour, salt and pepper. Add pork chops and toss to coat. In a large skillet, brown chops in oil. Remove and keep warm.

*In the same skillet, saute the celery, onions, garlic and thyme for 2-3 minutes or until crisp-tender. Return pork to the pan. Add cider. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 7-8 minutes or until a meat thermometer reads 160 degrees.

Poppy Seed Chicken

2010-08-11T12:07:00.000-07:00

This tastes awesome and was really easy to throw together! I've been sampling recipes from The Girl Who Ate Everything this week and this is hers. So good and it made my house smell de-lish!

5 cups chicken breasts, cooked and cubed

1 cup sour cream

2 cans condensed cream of chicken soup

2 cups crushed Ritz crackers (about 1-1/2 rolls of crackers)

1/2 cup melted butter

1 Tbsp poppy seeds

1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

1 tsp celery salt

1 tsp minced garlic

1 Tbsp lemon juice

1/4 tsp pepper

*Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

*Boil raw chicken breasts with salt and pepper until done. Let chicken cool slightly and cut into one inch cubes. Place cubed chicken in a 9X13 casserole dish.

*Stir together the condensed soup, sour cream, Worcestershire sauce, celery salt, garlic, lemon juice, and pepper. Pour over the chicken.

*In a separate bowl, stir together the crushed crackers, poppy seeds and melted butter. Sprinkle over the chicken and sauce.

*Bake for 30 minutes in the preheated oven, until the top of the casserole is browned and the sauce is bubbly. Serve plain or over rice.

Baked Creamy Chicken Taquitos

2010-08-09T11:47:00.000-07:00

These are seriously TO DIE FOR. They got eaten up so fast at our house! I got the recipe from The Girl Who Ate Everything, and as usual, made a few changes...such a non-conformist :) Anyway, enjoy!

1/3 c. (3 oz) cream cheese
1/4 c. salsa
1Tbsp. fresh lime juice
1/2 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. chili powder
1/4 tsp. granulated garlic or garlic powder
3 Tbsp. chopped cilantro
2 c. shredded cooked chicken
1 c. grated Pepperjack cheese
about 16 small flour tortillas
salt
cooking spray

*Heat oven to 425. Line a baking sheet with foil and lightly coat with cooking spray.

*Heat cream cheese in the microwave for about 20-30 seconds so it's soft and easy to stir. Add salsa, lime juice, cumin, chili powder and granulated garlic. Stir to combine and then add cilantro. Add chicken and cheese and combine well. (You can prepare up to this step ahead of time. Just keep the mixture in the fridge).

*Place 2-3 Tbsp. of chicken mixture on the tortilla, keeping it about 1/2 inch from the edges, then roll it up as tight as you can. Place seam side down on the baking sheet. Lay all of the taquitos on the baking sheet and make sure they are not touching each other. Spray the tops lightly with cooking spray or an oil mister and sprinkle some salt on top.

*Place pan in oven and bake for 15-20 minutes or until crisp and the ends start to get golden brown. Makes around 16 taquitos.

Petite Turkey Meatloaves

2010-08-05T11:42:00.000-07:00

I really love this recipe. My husband supposedly "hates turkey", but he ate these right up and loved them. (I waited until he was finished to tell him that they were super healthy)! To see the original recipe and nutritional facts, go to Skinny Taste. You'll love them!

1/2 small onion, minced

1 tsp. olive oil

1.3 lb. lean ground turkey

1/2 c. oats

1/4 c. ketchup + 2 Tbsp.

2 tsp. worcestershire sauce

1 large egg

1 tsp. marjoram

1/2 tsp. salt

*Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Saute oil and onion on low until translucent.

*In a medium bowl mix turkey, onion, oats, egg, ketchup, salt and marjorm. Divide into 3 equal loaves and place each loaf into a nonstick mini loaf pan or shape into small loaves onto an un-greased nonstick baking pan.

*In a small cup mix remaining 2 Tbsp. ketchup with worcestershire sauce and brush onto loaves to give it a nice glaze. Bake, uncovered, for 40 minutes. Let sit 5 minutes before serving.

Funeral Potatoes

2010-08-05T11:36:00.000-07:00

I have had SO MANY variations of these, but this recipe is my fav! It makes a ton, so next time I'm going to cut the recipe in half for our family of four.

1 (2-lb.) bag of frozen cubed hashbrowns

2 c. sour cream

2-1/2 c. shredded cheddar cheese, divided

2 cans cream of chicken soup

1/4 c. green onions, sliced

2 c. cornflakes, lightly crushed

*Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix sour cream, 2 cups of cheese, cream of chicken soup and green onions in a large bowl. Add hashbrowns and mix well.

*Bake potatoes for 35-40 minutes or until soft. While baking, mix 1/2 cup cheese with cornflakes. After potatoes are done baking, top with cornflake mixture and bake an additional 15 minutes or until bubbly. Enjoy!!

EatYourHeartOut

Low-Fat Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread

Healthy Chicken Tikka Masala

Easy Beef Stroganoff

Glowing Green Smoothie

Double Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies

Healthy Baked Chicken Nuggets

Baked Oatmeal

Super Bowl Favorites

Skinny Macaroons

No-Bake Energy Bites

Crock Pot Italian Turkey Meatballs

Chicken Alfredo Pizza

Cat Cora's White Chocolate Pecan Pie

French Silk Pie

Cheese Ball

Cinnamon Caramel Corn with Pecans & White Chocolate

Ranch House Crock Pot Pork Chops

Saltine Toffee

Best Ever Crock Pot Roast

Cheerio Treats

Almond Roca Cookies

Dinner In a Pumpkin

Pizza Stuffed Pretzels

**Giveaway Closed**

Chicken Cacciatore

Edible Cookie Dough

Homemade Butterfingers

Mini Sausage Calzones

Chicken Enchilada Soup

Plum Butter In a Slow Cooker

Oreo & Peanut Butter Brownie Cakes

Cheesy Chicken Lasagna

PB&J Quesadilla

Watermelon Jam

Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

Mexican Chicken Alfredo

Upside-Down Pizza Bake

Tropical Pancakes

Key Lime Tarts

Summer Snack Idea

Elegant Smoked Salmon Strata

IKEA Swedish Meatballs

Green Enchiladas

Crockpot Stew Meat

Chicken Croissants

Crockpot Cheesecake

Luscious Lemon Bars

Crockpot Meatloaf

Crockpot Turkey Chili with Apples

Chicken Pot Pie Soup

"Mock" Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Minestrone Soup

Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars

Caramel Corn

Mexican Beef & Vegetable Skillet

Jamie's "Heck Yeah" Jell-O Salad

Pink Lemonade Cupcakes

Crockpot Fiesta Chicken

Oreo-Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies

Chocolate Chip Cookie Cheesecake Bars

Flemings Chocolate Lava Cake

Easy OREO Truffles

Cafe Rio Pulled Pork

Easy Peach Cobbler

Rachael Ray's Lazy Baked Greek Chicken

Glazed Carrots

Butter Crisco Chocolate Chip Cookies--THE BEST!

White Bean Turkey Chili

Broccoli Chicken Stir-Fry

Pumpkin Cheesecake

Homemade Marshmallows & Hot Cocoa Mix

Homemade Snickers Bars

Molasses Sugar Cookies

Mexican Chicken Corn Chowder

Pecan Rolls

Potato Cinnamon Rolls

Jeannette's Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cupcakes

Dough for Bread/Pizza Dough/Breadsticks/Cinnamon Rolls, etc.

Chicken Spaghetti

Giveaway Closed