Famous Green Beans

 

This is such a yummy side dish for almost any meal! A great way to sneak in some veggies with kids, too! Thanks to In Jamie's Kitchen for this recipe!

Ingredients

  

• 16 oz bag of fine green beans frozen
• 2 TBSP olive oil
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• salt to taste
• 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

Instructions

 

• Preheat oven to 400
• Into a casserole dish add the frozen green beans, olive oil, garlic powder, and salt
• Toss to coat
• Bake at 400 for 35 minutes
• Add cheese and toss to coat
• Serve hot

Fridge Pickles

I saw this video of how to make fridge pickles on a random ASMR video, so I don't know who to give credit to, but it had to be saved! Our jar hasn't even lasted three days!

Ingredients:

1-1/2 cups vinegar

1/2 cup water

1 Tbsp. sugar

1 Tbsp. salt

1 Tbsp. mustard seed

1 tsp. peppercorns

Fresh Dill

Fresh garlic, 4-6 cloves

Baby Cucumbers

Directions:

Slice cucumbers and put in jar. Add garlic cloves and fresh dill. In saucepan, add vinegar, water, sugar, salt, mustard seed, and peppercorns and bring to a boil. Once boiling, remove from heat and cool completely. Once cool, add to jar and refrigerate at least 24 hours before eating.

Viral Cucumber & Sweet Pepper Salad

 Thank you to rachLmansfield for this good one...I've been making it on REPEAT! Give it a try-I don't even love cucumbers! I have been putting this on the side of every meal!

Ingredients

3 small mini cucumbers, sliced in small rounds

1 red bell pepper, orange red bell pepper and yellow bell pepper, sliced into small pieces

Ginger miso dressing, to taste

Everything bagel seasoning, to taste

Chili crunch oil, to taste

Instructions

Add cucumbers and peppers to a large bowl then add in desired amount of dressing, seasoning and oil, keeping in mind this tastes best day off so add however much you are eating then and enjoy!

Notes

*Store leftovers in fridge for 5 days but tastes best day off or it can get soggy

Canning Salsa Recipe

Okay this is officially my favorite salsa for eating and canning!! Sooo delicious and tastes just like an authentic restaurant salsa!!

INGREDIENTS

8 cups tomatoes, peeled, chopped and drained

2 1⁄2 cups onions, chopped

1 1⁄2 cups green peppers

1 cup jalapeno pepper, chopped

6 garlic cloves, minced

2 teaspoons cumin

2 teaspoons pepper

1⁄8 cup canning salt

1⁄3 cup sugar

1⁄3 cup vinegar

1(15 ounce) can tomato sauce

1 (12 ounce) can tomato paste

DIRECTIONS

Mix all together and bring to a slow boil for 10 minute.

Seal in jars and cook in hot water bath for 10 minute.

This is a medium salsa. This is also a chunky salsa so if you want a smoother salsa cut your veggies into smaller pieces.

Yields 3-6 quarts or pints.

Pressure Canning Chicken Soup

This one is from Canning Crafts. It was my first time using a pressure canner! This soup was full of flavor and turned out delicious! 

Makes about 8 pint jars or 4 quart jars

• 16 cups chicken stock (store bought or homemade)

• 3 cups cooked chicken cut into small, uniform pieces

• 1 ½ cups diced celery

• 1 ½ cups diced carrots

• 1 cup diced onion

• 2 bay leaves

• 1 tablespoon dried basil

• Salt and white pepper to taste

• 3 chicken bouillon cubes (optional)

1. Prepare weighted gauge pressure canner, jars and lids according to manufacturer’s instructions.

2. In a large stainless steel saucepan, combine chicken stock, chicken, celery, carrots, onions, bay leaves, and dried basil. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat and boil gently for 30 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add bouillon cubes if using. Remove bay leaves.

3. Ladle hot soup into hot jars, leave 1-inch headspace. Tamp the mixture down using an air bubble remover tool or wooden skewer and add additional broth if necessary to maintain the 1-inch of headspace. Wipe jar rims with a moistened towel and screw on lids to fingertip-tight.

4. Place jars in pressure canner. Adjust water level, lock lid and bring to boil over medium-high heat. Vent steam for 10 minutes, then close vent. Continue heating to achieve 10 lbs of pressure. Process pint jars for 75 minutes, quart jars for 90 minutes. Carefully monitor your dial the entire time. If the reading dips below 10 pounds you must get your reading back up to 10 pounds and start your timer to zero again.

5. Turn off heat. Let pressure return to zero naturally. Wait 2 minutes longer, then open vent. Remove canner lid. Wait 10 minutes, then remove jars onto a towel placed on your counter. Allow jars to cool completely undisturbed. 

6. After 24 hours, check lids for seal. Remove screw bands and check seals.  Wash jars with warm, soapy

water. Apply canning labels and date. 

7. To serve, heat soup with your favorite add-ins (cooked rice, cooked pasta, dumplings, orzo, etc.) for a

heartier meal.

NOTE: Jars are shelf-stable for up to one year. Jars that have not sealed should be refrigerated immediately

and contents eaten within a week.

Mexican-Style Acorn Squash

 

Recipe and photo from Sweet & Spice Blog. What a great meal this time of year! I love this healthy alternative to pasta. It's full of good stuff and lots of flavor!

Ingredients

• 1 Acorn Squash
• 4 tbsp Olive Oil
• 1 lb Ground Beef
• 1 tsp Paprika
• 1/2 tsp Cumin
• 1/4 tsp Cayenne Pepper (or more to taste!)
• 1/4 tsp Salt
• 2 tbsp fresh Cilantro finely minced
• 1 small Yellow or Spanish Onion
• 1 clove Garlic minced
• 1 can Black Beans
• 1 can Whole Kernel Corn
• 1 cup Cherry Tomatoes quartered
• 1/2 cup Cheddar Cheese grated
• 1 Avocado sliced

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 400°F.

2. Cut your acorn squash in half (either length-wise or width-wise). Scoop out the seeds. Coat with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place in a linked baking dish and roast for 30 minutes until fork tender.

3. While the acorn squash cooks, mince your onion and place into a sauté pan with olive oil, cumin, cayenne, and salt and pepper to taste.

4. Sauté the onion until softened. Add in ground beef and cook until done. Add in the paprika and cilantro. Cook for 5 more minutes.

5. Add in the beans, corn, tomatoes, and 1/4 cup cheese. Stir to mix.

6. Remove the acorn squash from the oven when tender. Fill the whole in each squash with your beef and veggie mixture. Top with the remaining cheddar cheese.

7. Place stuffed acorn squash back into the oven for 10 minutes until the cheese is melted and sizzling.

8. Serve immediately with sliced avocado and remaining minced cilantro on top.

Paula Deen's Corn Casserole

This has become a must-have side dish for major holidays. You'll love it! Recipe and photo from Food Network.

Ingredients
1 (15 1/4-ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained
1 (14 3/4-ounce) can cream-style corn
1 (8-ounce) package corn muffin mix (recommended: Jiffy)
1 cup sour cream
1/2 stick butter, melted
1 to 1 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar


Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large bowl, stir together the 2 cans of corn, corn muffin mix, sour cream, and melted butter. Pour into a greased 9 by 13-inch casserole dish. Bake for 45 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove from oven and top with Cheddar. Return to oven for 5 to 10 minutes, or until cheese is melted. Let stand for at least 5 minutes and then serve warm.

BBQ Chicken & Roasted Sweet Potato Bowls

This is a new staple in our house...it's super easy to throw together, healthy, and tastes amazing! My kids all love it. I like changing up the veggies, too! Recipe and photo from The Creative Bite.

Ingredients:

2 medium sweet potatoes
1 large yellow onion
2 Tbsp. olive oil divided
1/2 tsp. salt divided
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. chipotle powder or chili powder
1 head broccoli
1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts
1/2 c. BBQ sauce divided
salt

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 400°.

Peel and chop the sweet potatoes into 1/2" chunks. Chop onion into 1 inch pieces and add to a lined sheet pan along with the sweet potatoes. Toss the sweet potatoes and onions with 1 Tbsp. olive oil, 1/4 tsp. salt, garlic powder and chipotle powder and toss until well combined. Bake at 400° for 20 minutes.

Toss the sweet potatoes and push to one side of the pan. Add the broccoli and toss with 1 Tbsp. olive oil and 1/4 tsp. salt. Add the chicken breasts and brush with 1/4 c. BBQ sauce. Bake an additional 15-20 minutes at 400° until the chicken is done.

Remove the pan from the oven and shred the chicken breasts using two forks. Toss the chicken with the remaining BBQ sauce. Add to bowls along with the roasted vegetables and serve immediately.

Biscuit Chicken Pot Pie

This is a regular at my house! I have made two big dishes of it when we have company several times because I know everyone will like it! It's full of flavor and you don't have to worry too much about side dishes since this has your veggies and your biscuits! Recipe and photo from No Biggie!

Ingredients

• 1 can Pilsbury Grands Biscuits 8 biscuits
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 small package frozen veggie mix: carrots, peas, corn and green beans
• 2 chicken breasts cooked and shredded
• 1-2 cups chicken broth adapt to your preference
• 1 can Cream of Chicken Soup regular size
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
2. In a large sauce pan heat the butter on medium heat. Add the veggie mixture to the pan and saute until the veggies are tender, about 5-7 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
3. Whisk in the chicken broth and the Cream of Chicken soup. Let the sauce simmer for 1 minute to thicken. Season with more salt and pepper to taste.
4. Turn off the heat and add the cooked shredded chicken to the mixture, stirring until the filling is well-combined. If the filling is too thick, stir in extra chicken broth.
5. On a parchment lined sheet pan bake the biscuits for half of the time listed on the can for a “pre-bake”. Take them out of the oven.
6. Pour the filling into a buttered 13x9-inch baking dish. Top the filling with the 8 biscuits (partially baked), flip them over top to bottom to unsure even baking on the other side. Bake for an additional 10 minutes, until the biscuits are golden brown and the filling is bubbly. Cool for 5 minutes before serving. Enjoy!

Green Bean Casserole

This really is the best green bean casserole! Thanks to Life in the Lofthouse for the picture and recipe! We loved it--next time I'll be making 2 batches for Christmas!

Ingredients

1. 1-1/2 pounds fresh green beans, rinsed, trimmed then halved
2. 2 Tablespoons butter
3. 2 cloves garlic, minced
4. 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
5. 3/4 cup chicken broth
6. 1-1/4 cups half-and-half (or use whole milk)
7. 1/2 teaspoon salt
8. 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
9. 1 cup French's fried onions

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
2. In a large pot of salted boiling water, cook green beans for 5 to 7 minutes. Drain water. Pour cooked green beans in the prepared dish in an even layer.
3. In a medium saucepan, over medium heat, melt butter. Once melted add garlic and stir for 30 seconds. Whisk in flour until smooth. Cook for 1 minute while constantly stirring.
4. Pour in chicken broth. Stir and cook for 3 minutes.
5. Next, pour in half-and-half or whole milk. Decrease heat to low and continue to stir and cook until sauce thickens. About 10 minutes. Season sauce with salt and pepper.
6. Pour sauce evenly over the green beans in dish. Sprinkle the fried onions on top.
7. Bake in preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes. *Place a piece of tinfoil over the top the last 10 minutes to prevent onions from burning.*
8. Remove from oven and let rest 5 minutes or so before serving. Enjoy!

Cheeseburger Soup

This is one of our new favorites! Thanks to The Recipe Critic for this recipe! (I tweaked it just a little by omitting the onions)!

Ingredients

• ½ pound ground beef (use 1 pound)
• ¾ cup chopped onion
• ¾ cup shredded carrots
• ¾ cup diced celery
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
• 4 tablespoons butter, divided
• 3 cups chicken broth
• 4 cups peeled and diced potatoes
• ¼ cup all purpose flour
• 2 cups of Velveeta processed cheese cubed (I used 16 ounce) or- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
• 1½ cups milk
• ¾ teaspoon salt
• ¼ to ½ teaspoon pepper
• ¼ cup sour cream

Instructions

1. Brown the ground beef in 3 quart saucepan. Drain and set aside.
2. In the same saucepan add 1 T butter and add onion, shredded carrots, parsley flakes, basil and celery. Saute until tender.
3. Add the broth, potatoes and beef and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer 10-12 minutes or until potatoes are tender.
4. In small skillet melt remaining butter (3 T) and add the flour. Cook and stir for 3-5 minutes or until bubbly. Add to the soup and bring to a boil. Cook and stir for 2 minutes. Reduce heat to low.
5. Stir in the cheese, milk, salt and pepper. Cook and stir until cheese melts. Remove from heat and blend in sour cream.

20 Minute Broccoli Cheddar Soup

I adapted this recipe from Spend With Pennies. I liked the addition of red potatoes to bulk up the soup and feed my big family. It was really yummy and perfect for this snowy day!

• 1 tablespoon butter
• 5 red potatoes, diced (unpeeled)
• 1 small onion, diced
• 1 cup diced carrots
• 3 cups fresh broccoli
• 4 cups chicken broth
• ½ teaspoon each thyme and garlic powder
• salt & pepper to taste (I added 1tsp of each)
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 1½ cups light cream
• 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese
• ⅓ cup fresh parmesan cheese

1. In a large saucepan, cook butter, onion and carrots over medium heat until onion softens (about 3 minutes). Add chicken broth, potatoes, broccoli and seasonings. Simmer until broccoli is softened, about 8 minutes.
2. Remove 1 cup of soup and set aside. Using an immersion blender, blend remaining vegetables and broth.
3. Place flour in a small bowl. Add in cream a little at a time stirring until smooth. Bring blended vegetable mixture to a boil and whisk in cream mixture. Continue whisking until thick and bubbly, about 3-4 minutes.
4. Remove from heat, stir in cheeses & reserved soup and serve immediately. You could also crumble some bacon over the top, too. :)

Sausage Tortellini Soup

This recipe was adapted from Party In My Kitchen and is a keeper! Great filling soup for this fall/winter season!

Ingredients:
3 cups cooked Italian sausage
3 cups uncooked tortellini
4 cups water
16 oz. half & half (or milk)
3 chicken boullion cubes
1 tbsp. oregano
1 tbsp. parsley
1 tbsp. chives
Fresh veggies--mushrooms, diced red peppers, broccoli florets, etc (optional)

Parmesan cheese

Put all ingredients except tortellini in medium size sauce pan and bring to boil.  Allow to simmer about 15 minutes.  Add tortellini and allow to boil according to pasta pkg. instructions.  Sprinkle with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and kale before serving.

Chicken Broccoli Bake

Okay so there are a lot of variations to this recipe, but I know I can always use another broccoli recipe in my life! This is a great way to get kids to eat their veggies! Recipe from My Name is Snickerdoodle.

3 cups cooked and shredded chicken
2 cups cooked and chopped broccoli
2 (14 oz) cans cream chicken soup
3/4 cup sour cream
1/4 tsp pepper
2 1/2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded and divided
3/4 of a sleeve of Ritz Crackers, crushed or 1 1/2 cups dry bread crumbs
6 tsp butter, melted

Preheat oven to 375.  In a large bowl combine chicken, broccoli, cream soup, sour cream and pepper.  Add in 1 cup cheddar cheese and mix.  Pour into a 2 qt baking dish.  Top with remaining cheese.  In a small bowl, combine melted butter and crackers (or bread crumbs).  Sprinkle evenly over casserole.  Bake at 375 for 30-35 minutes, until bubbly and cheese is melted. Serve over rice.

Sauteed Yellow Squash

So so amazing! You'll love it!!

Recipe courtesy of Rachael Ray

Ingredients
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
2 small to medium yellow squash, sliced
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons chopped parsley leaves
2 tablespoons chopped chives or 2 scallions, optional
Add Checked Items To Grocery List

Directions
Preheat skillet over medium high heat. Add oil, then butter. When butter melts, add red peppers and squash. Saute 12 to 14 minutes until squash is tender. Add salt, pepper and parsley. Add chives or scallions if you would like a layer of light onion flavor on the dish as well.

Tropical Green Smoothie

I cannot find where I got this recipe on pinterest, so hopefully I don't forget anything, but it is quite tasty! A great way to quickly get in some veggies and fruit for the day!

1-2 cups spinach leaves
1 cup milk
1 cup frozen pineapple
1 cup frozen mango
1 banana
Agave, to taste
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 c berries, optional

Blend and serve!

Crockpot Beef Vegetable Soup

Recipe & photo from New Leaf Wellness. Such a hearty meal, perfect for fall or winter nights!

Ingredients:
8 medium sized carrots (1 lb), peeled and sliced
2 medium sized zucchinis, chopped
1 medium yellow onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
1 can (15 oz) cannelini beans (white kidney beans)
24 oz of your favorite pasta sauce
1 lb. lean ground beef
4 cups chicken broth--needed ON COOKING DAY

*Throw everything into the crockpot (or a gallon ziploc bag if freezing for later). Cook on low 6-8 hours or until carrots are tender and beef is cooked through.

Homemade Salsa {For Canning}

This recipe was super easy and I was able to knock out 6 quarts in about an hour! (I doubled the recipe). Definitely going to use this as my go-to for salsa from now on! Recipe from Simply Recipes, with just a few tweaks. :)

Ingredients

• 5 lbs of tomatoes
• 1 lb large Anaheim green chiles (5-6 chiles)
• 3 jalapeno chilies, seeded and stems removed, chopped (I left the seeds because I wanted it spicy)
• 1-1/2 cups chopped onion
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1/2 cup loosely packed fresh chopped cilantro (including stems)
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1-2 teaspoons sugar or more (to taste)

Canning equipment needed:

• Canning jars, with rings and new lids
• A very large stockpot or canning pot (16-qt)
• A flat steamer rack on which to place the filled jar for the water bath canning, so that they don't touch the bottom of the pan and crack from excess heat

Canning equipment recommended:

• Canning tongs to make it easy to lift the jars in and out of boiling water
• Rubber or latex coated gardening gloves to make it easier on your hands for handling hot jars

Method

1 Prepare for canning. Put jars in dishwasher on "sterilize" to heat, start boiling water in canner, heat jar lids in a separate pot.
2 Chop up peppers and cilantro and add all ingredients into a bowl. I used the easy way for this and just pulsed everything in my food processor a few times.
3 Prepare the tomatoes. To blanch them, score the ends of the tomatoes and place them in boiling water for a minute. Remove and discard the peels. Cut away any cores if you haven't done so already. Chop the tomatoes taking care to save any juices that may come out of them. Starting with 5 pounds of tomatoes you should end up with about 8 cups of chopped tomatoes and juices. (You must use at least 7 cups of tomatoes.) Place them in a bowl and set aside.
4 Put all of the ingredients into a large (8-qt) stainless steel pot. (Do not use aluminum or the acidity of the sauce will cause the aluminum to leach into the sauce.) Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer. Cook uncovered for about 10 minutes.
5 While the salsa is cooking, place the jar lids in a bowl and cover with hot (not boiling) water to sterilize.
6 If you want your salsa to be more smooth than chunky, use an immersion blender to pulse it a few times, or working in batches ladle about half of it into a blender and purée.
7 Adjust seasonings. If too acidic to taste, you can balance it with a little more sugar. If too sweet, add a bit more vinegar.
8 Ladle salsa into canning jars, leaving 1/2-inch head space. Wipe the rims with a clean, dampened paper towel so that there is no residual food on the rims. Place canning lids on the jars. Screw on the lid rings. Do not over-tighten or you may not get a good seal. Air does need to escape from the jars during the next step, the water bath.
9 Place the filled and lidded jars back onto the rack in the large stock-pot of hot water you used to sterilize the jars in step one. You may need to remove some of the water from the pot to prevent it from overfilling. Cover the jars with at least 1-inch of water. Bring to a rolling boil and process for 15 minutes (20 minutes for altitudes 1000 to 6000 ft, 25 minutes above 6000 ft). Then turn off heat and let the jars sit in the hot water for 5 minutes. Remove jars from the water bath and let sit on a counter for several hours until completely cool. The lids should "pop" as the cooling salsa creates a vacuum under the lid and the jars are sealed. If a lid has not sealed, either replace the lid and reprocess in a water bath for another 15 minutes, or store in the refrigerator and use within the next few days.
Remember to label the cans with the date processed. (I use a Sharpie on the lid.) Canned salsa should be eaten within a year.

Spinach Pancakes

My kids woofed these down and none of us could even tell the difference between these and regular pancakes! Totally worth it if you can squeeze in some greens somewhere with your kids, am I right?

1 cup packed fresh spinach (I had a bag of frozen and that worked, too)
1 cup buttermilk
1 large egg
1 T. oil
1 cup white whole-wheat flour
1 T. sugar
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt

*In a blender, combine spinach, buttermilk, egg, and oil until smooth, 30 seconds.
*In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Whisk wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until just combined.
*Cook over greased griddle! 

Hawaiian Haystacks (Freezer-Friendly)

This is one from our freezer exchange, recipe comes from Freezer Meals For Us! This is a great meal to make when you're having a big group and can spread out all the toppings buffet-style!

2 ½ lbs. of chicken breast
1 cup diced carrots
1 t. salt
1/8 t. pepper
1 T. parsley
½ t. basil
1 quart water
Cut chicken into chunks. Add chicken to water and other ingredients. Boil until chicken and carrots are tender. Pour all but 1 ½ c. water out.
Additional Items:
3 Cans, Cream of Chicken Soup
2 chicken bouillon cubes
2-3 cup Long grain rice, cooked
Add 2 chicken bouillon cubes and mix in 3 cans of cream of chicken soup. Let simmer until warm. Add additional seasonings if desired. 
 
If freezing, at this point let cool then bag into a ziploc gallon bag labeled “Chicken Gravy”.  Freeze flat.
 
To eat NOW: Put warm chicken gravy over rice and add the following:

Toppings:
mandarin oranges
cheese
dry chow mein noodles
green pepper
coconut
pineapple
tomatoes
raisins
green onion

Maggie’s Tips:
*This recipe freezes very well. Double the amount of the chicken gravy and place in freezer for later. For a meal group: make the gravy and include a can of pineapple tidbits or mandarin oranges, a baggie of chow mein noodles, baggie of onion and tomato. Write additional topping suggestions on baggie for each family to finish getting toppings.
**I have also been in a rush and cooked my chicken in a Crockpot until tender. Then I just placed it in the gravy mixture. Both ways taste great. Keep this meal simple because it’s a delicious recipe and very easy!