Wednesday, October 10, 2012

Baked Penne

Another one found on pinterest....and this was pretty good too!
1/2 lb. extra-lean ground beef or Italian Sausage
1/2 cup chopped onions
1/2 cup green peppers (I left this out b/c I don't like green peppers)
1 jar(24 oz.) spaghetti sauce
1 tub(10 oz.) Philadelphia Italian Cheese and Herb Cooking Creme, divided (I used reduced fat)
1 cup Kraft Shredded Mozzarella Cheese, divided
3 cups cooked penne pasta

Heat oven to 350°F. Brown meat with vegetables in large nonstick skillet. Stir in spaghetti sauce, 3/4 cup cooking creme and 1/2 cup mozzarella; cook and stir 2 to 3 min. or until mozzarella is melted. Add pasta; mix lightly. Spoon into 2-qt. casserole; top with remaining cooking creme and mozzarella. Cover. Bake 20 min. or until heated through, uncovering after 15 min.

Sweet and Spicy Chicken

Found this on pinterest, and we thought it was really good...not spicy at all 1 teaspoon kosher salt 1/2 teaspoon black pepper 1 teaspoon paprika 1 tablespoon white sugar 1 teaspoon garlic powder 1 teaspoon onion powder 1 teaspoon dried parsley 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts 2 tablespoons butter 1 tablespoon olive oil juice of 1/2 lemon In a small bowl, combine all the spices. Flatten your chicken breasts with a meat mallet to allow for even cooking. Coat both sides of flattened chicken breasts with the spice mixture generously. In a pan, heat the butter and olive oil over medium heat. Saute chicken until golden brown, about 6 minutes on each side. While chicken is cooking, squeeze the lemon juice over the chicken. Continue cooking stirring frequently to coat evenly with sauce.

Sunday, April 1, 2012

Cheesy Enchilada Casserole

Ingredients
1 pound lean ground beef (90% lean)
1 large onion, chopped or season with Onion powder or minced onion
2 1/2 cups salsa
1 can (15 ounces) black beans or red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1/4 cup reduced-fat Italian salad dressing
2 tablespoons reduced-sodium taco seasoning
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
6 flour tortillas (8 inches)
1 small can of drained corn, or about 1 1/4 cups of frozen corn (optional)
3/4 cup reduced-fat sour cream *Note: I used 1/2 cup
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded reduced-fat Mexican cheese blend
1 cup shredded lettuce
1 medium tomato, chopped
1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro

Directions
In a large skillet, cook beef and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain.
Stir in the salsa, beans, dressing, sour cream, corn (optional), taco seasoning and cumin.
Spoon a generous layer of meat mixture on bottom of 2 quart baking dish. Sprinkle with grated cheese.
Place a flour or corn tortilla on top of meat mixture. Layer with half of the meat mixture, and cheese. Repeat as many layers as you like.
The last & final layer should be a healthy dose of grated cheese.
Cover with foil that has been sprayed with pam or other and bake at 400° for 25 minutes, or until hot & bubbly.
Let stand for 5 minutes before topping with lettuce, tomato and cilantro. Yield: 8 servings.

Saturday, March 31, 2012

Cheese Danish

2 cans ready to use refrigerated crescent rolls
2 8-ounce packages cream cheese
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 egg
1 egg white
Glaze: 1/2 cup powdered sugar
2 Tablespoons milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Method: Preheat oven to 350* degrees and grease a 13X9-inch baking pan. Lay a pack of crescent rolls in the pan and pinch the openings together. Beat the cream cheese, sugar, vanilla, and egg together until smooth. Spread the mixture over the crescent rolls evenly and then lay the second pack of crescent rolls on top of the cheese mixture and brush with egg white. Bake for 35-45 minutes until the top is golden brown. Top with glaze after cooling for 20 minutes.

Taco Cupcakes

1/2t chili oil (found near the Asian ingredients)
*I could not find this... it probably was right in front of my face but seriously, never found it. So I just used some Olive Oil... and I don't think I really even needed that!
1/2 lb 95% lean ground beef
1 T taco seasoning
3/4 c canned black beans, drained and rinsed
16 wonton wrappers (found in the produce section)
5 T + 1t of queso dip or salsa con queso
1 c chunky salsa
1 c reduced fat shredded Mexican cheese
Guacamole for serving


First, pre-heat the oven to 375. Lightly mist 8 cups in a muffin tin with cooking spray and set aside.
Heat chili oil (or Olive oil) in a saute pan or large skillet over medium-high heat, add the ground beef and taco seasoning and brown beef, breaking it with a spoon. Add black beans and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, for a few minutes until warm.

Push a wonton wrapper into the bottom of each of the eight sprayed cups in the muffin tin. Spoon a teaspoon of queso dip into each wonton wrapper and spread across the bottom.

Follow by spooning some of the meat/beans mixture into each cup (I would say about two teaspoons) and then spooning a teaspoon or so of salsa on top of that. Sprinkle a pinch of the cheese evenly over the top of each cup.

Now do it all again, one more time!
Press another wonton wrapper on top and repeat the layering steps with the remaining ingredients.

Bake for 18-20 minutes until golden brown. Let cool for 5 minutes before removing from muffin tin

Sunday, March 25, 2012

Taco Seasoning

I made this one night when I needed taco seasoning but didn't have any....I won't buy taco seasoning again

1 tablespoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
In a small bowl, mix together chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, red pepper flakes, oregano, paprika, cumin, salt and pepper. Store in an airtight container. Season to taste.
Notes
I like to make 3 or 4 times what the recipe calls for so I can season to taste and save some in a jar for next time.

For 1lb of ground beef, I added 2 TBSP of the taco seasoning mix and it was just the right amount of flavor and kick.

Oven Tacos

Not sure why I never thought about this....they were good! I halved the recipe

2 lbs ground beef
1 can refried beans
8 ounce tomato sauce
1 pkg taco seasoning or homemade taco seasoning
1 ½ cups shredded cheese
18-20 hard taco shells

lettuce, salsa, sour cream, etc for serving.
Brown ground beef. Drain off any fat and add refried beans, tomato sauce, and seasoning.
Spoon mixture into taco shells.
Place filled shells into a 9×13 pan, standing up. Sprinkle with cheese.
Bake at 400 for 10-12 minutes or until heated through.
Enjoy!
Note: For those of you with a smaller family you may want to half this recipe. You could also easily stretch this for a larger group and get a few more tacos out of it by adding extra beans.


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Cake Batter Puppy Chow

I had some left over chex mix from christmas and found this. It is SO GOOD....and addicting!

Makes 5 cups

5 cups Chex cereal (I prefer the Rice Chex)
10 oz (5 squares) vanilla flavored Almond Bark
1 1/2 cups yellow cake mix
1/2 cup powdered sugar
vegetable shortening, optional
1. Melt Almond Bark according to the package directions, adding vegetable shortening to thin if desired.
2. Pour the cereal, cake mix, and powdered sugar into a paper bag or container with a lid.
3. Drizzle melted Almond Bark over the cereal and fold down the top of the paper bag or put the lid on the container.
4. Shake bag or container until the cereal is evenly coated.

Tip - The above method worked just fine for me, but some people are having trouble with the Chex and Almond Bark clumping together. Try thinning out the Almond Bark a little with shortening and mixing the Chex with the melted Almond Bark before coating with the cake mix and powdered sugar.

Crock Pot Enchiladas

This was VERY good, a little spicy because I didn't have mild rotel, but very good!

8 servings

1 pound lean ground beef
1 tablespoon oil
1 small onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 can (15 ounces) Ranch Style beans, drained
1 can (10 ounces) rotel tomatoes mild, drained
1 teaspoon chili powder1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

2 cups (8 ounces) shredded colby jack cheese
8 flour tortillas
1 can (15 ounces) red enchilada sauce

Cook beef over medium heat until done; drain. Meanwhile saute onion and bell pepper in oil until tender. Add onion and pepper to beef. Stir in beans, tomatoes, chili powder, salt, cumin, pepper and garlic powder. In a slow cooker place two tortillas side by side, overlapping if necessary. Layer with a forth of the beef mixture and a fourth of the cheese. Repeat layers three more times. Pour enchilada sauce over all. Cover and cook on low for 2 to 2-1/2 hours or until heated through

Chicken Enchilada Pasta

2-3 chicken breasts, cooked & shredded {or shredded rotisserie chicken…I used the breasts}

2 tbsp. olive oil

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 medium onion, diced

1 red pepper, diced

1 {4 oz.} can diced green chiles

1/2 tsp. salt

2 tsp. chili powder

1 tsp. cumin

2 {10 oz.} cans green chili enchilada sauce

2/3 cups red enchilada sauce

2 cups shredded cheese {I used colby & monterrey jack}

1 cup sour cream

Penne pasta



Optional toppings

Avocado

Green Onions

Black Olives

Tomatoes

Sour Cream

Cook chicken, drain, and shred {or shred your rotisserie}. Meanwhile boil pasta according to package and chop the veggies. The most time consuming part of this recipe is the time spent chopping the veggies. Heat the olive oil in a deep skillet and cook onions for about 3-5 minutes. Add garlic & red pepper and cook for another 3-5 minutes.

Add cooked chicken, green chiles, cumin, chili powder, salt, & enchilada sauces. Let sauce simmer for about 8-10 minutes. Add cheese and stir until the cheese is melted and heated through. Now toss in the sour cream, but whatever you do, DO NOT bring to a boil! Cook on low heat or the sour cream will curdle. Gross. Stir until sour cream is well mixed and heated through. Drain pasta & return to pot. Pour sauce over pasta and mix well. Serve and garnish with avocado, tomato, green onion, and a dollop of sour cream.

The Best Broccoli of Your Life

Seriously, this is THE BEST broccoli I have ever had. Found on Pinterest, directions taken difectly from the website/blog it came from.


You preheat the oven to 425.

Take 4 to 5 pounds of broccoli (I just got two large bunches), cut into florets (but relatively big ones.) Here’s the key that she doesn’t mention in the recipe: dry them THOROUGHLY. That is, if you wash them. I saw an episode of Julia Child cooking with Jacques Pepin once when Pepin revealed he doesn’t wash a chicken before putting it in a hot oven: “The heat kills all the germs,” he said in his French accent. “If bacteria could survive that oven, it deserves to kill me.” By that logic, then, I didn’t wash my broccoli; I wanted it to get crispy and brown. If you’re nervous, though, just wash and dry it obsessively.

Now, it’s easy. Put the broccoli on a cookie sheet. Toss with olive oil, salt and pepper. (She says 5 Tbs olive oil, 1 1/2 tsps kosher salt, 1/2 tsp fresh ground pepper, but I just eyeballed it.) Now add 4 garlic cloves that are peeled and sliced and toss them in too.

Roast in the oven 20 to 25 minutes, until “crisp-tender and the tips of some of the florets are browned.”

I shook the pan around a bit as it went, but not sure that’s necessary.

When it’s done, take it out of the oven–and here’s where it gets really good–zest a lemon over the broccoli, squeeze the lemon juice over the broccoli, add 1.5 Tbs more olive oil, 3 Tbs toasted pine nuts (I left those out), and 1/3 cup of freshly grated Parmesan cheese. She also has you add 2 Tbs julienned fresh basil, but I left that out too.

Moist Parmesan Crusted Chicken

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/2 cup mayo
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
4 tsp talian seasoned bread crumbs; (panko bread crumbs are best, they have a real crunch to them)

. Preheat oven to 425

2. Combine mayonnaise with cheese in medium bowl.

3. Arrange chicken on baking sheet. Evenly top with mayonnaise mixture, then sprinkle with bread crumbs.

4. Bake 20 minutes or until chicken is thoroughly cooked. **if you have not flattened your chicken breast prior to this, you will need to cook it about 35-40 minutes total, thicker breasts take longer to cook**




Calories Per Serving: 388

Wednesday, February 29, 2012

Hot Stuff Chili

Hot Stuff Chili from Eating for Life - From a friend on FB

2lbs lean ground beef
1 white onion, chopped
8 cloves garlic, minced
1 green bell pepper, diced
1/4 cup fresh Italian parsley, chopped
3 jalapeños, seeded and chopped
1/3 cup red chili powder
1 1/2 tsp cumin
3 cans low fat reduced sodium beef broth
1 can crushed tomatoes
1 can kidney beans
1 can chili beans in sauce
2 cans of tomato sauce (optional)

Brown the meat and throw everything in crosckpot on low for 8 hours

Monday, February 27, 2012

Hot Chocolate Mix

1 box powdered carnation milk
1 1 lb box powdered sugar
1 2 lb box Nestle's Quik
1 7 or 8oz jar Coffeemate

Mix all ingredients together very well and store in large airtight container. To prepare, measure out 1/4 or 1/3 cup of mix and stir into 1 cup boiling water or hot milk.

For extra rich chocolate, add 1/4 c unsweetened cocoa

Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Bars

2 pkgs pillsbury refrigerated chocolate chip cookie rolls
2 cartons whipped cream cheese
2 eggs
1/2 C sugar
1 tsp vanilla

Slice one roll of cookies into 24 cookies and line bottom of 9x13 pan. Mix cream cheese, sugar, eggs, and vanilla. Spread on top of cookies. Slice the other roll into 24 cookies and place on top. Bake at 350 for 25 to 30 mintues. Slice into 24 bars when cool. Keep in refigerator

Chex Mix Puppy Chow

9 Cups Chex
1 cup chocolate chips
1/2 C peanut butter
1/4 C butter
1/4 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 C powdered sugar

Put cereal in a large bowl. Melt chocolate chips, peanut butter and butter. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.

Pour over chex cereal, put into a large plastic bag with powdered sugar and shake well to coat. Spread mixture evenly on wax paper and allow to cool

Queso Blanco Dip (White Cheese Dip)

1 1/4 lb block White American Cheese (Land O'Lakes brad perferred), cut into 1-inch cubes
1/4 cup diced green chilis
2 pickled jalapenos, chopped
1 ounce pickled jalapeno juice
2/3 cup whole milk
1/2 cup cold water
pinch of cumin(optional)

Toss all ingredients into a large microwave-able safe bow. Microwave on high for 5 minutes, stopping to stir after every minute. The mixture might seem watery during the first few stirs, but should come together as a nice runny dip after all the cheese is melted.

Serve immediately as a dip with tortilla chips or as a sauce over your favorite mexican dish

*White American Cheese is found at most deli counters in your local grocery store.

**Reheat Instructions: Store any leftover cheese dip in the fridge. Reheat in microwave, stirring every 30 seconds until creamy and hot.

Pumpkin Trifle

2 Packages of Gingerbread or Spice Cake mix
1 box vanilla pudding
1 can pumkpin
1/2 cups packed brown sugar
1/3 tsp pumpkin pie spice
Whip Cream

Bake cakes and let cool. Prepare pudding and stir in Pumpkin, brown sugar and pumpkin pie spice. Crumble 1 batch of bread or cake in a trifle or large bowl. Layer on half the pudding mixture, followed by a layer of whipped cream. Repeat with remaining layers.

Cinnamon Rolls

15 frozen Rhoades Rolls
1/2 pkg cook and serve butterscotch pudding
1/2 c brown sugar
1/2 c melted butter
1/2 tsp cinnamon
pecans

Grease bundt pan, sprinkle pecans in the bottom. Arrange rolls over pecans. Sprinkle pudding mix on top. In a sauce pan melt butter, brown sugar and cinnamon until caramel consistancy. Pour over rolls. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise overnight. Bake at 350 for 20-30 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes and invert.

These were really good. I didn't realize that I grabbed instant butterscotch pudding and not the cook and serve, so I sent Stephen to the store for some...but all he could find was vanilla cook and serve. It was okay, but I think the butterscotch would give it a little more flavor. And I used about 18-20 rolls, not realizing how much they would rise...Before I cooked them I had to take off a few, so next time I know to stick with the 15.

Thursday, February 23, 2012

WW Taco Casserole

Found this on Pinterest, I used extra lean ground turkey instead of chicken.

1 lb ground skinless chicken breast
1/2 c onions, chopped
1/2 c bell peppers, chopped
1 clove garlic
1 pkg taco seasoning mix
8 ozs taco sauce
1 c fat-free sour cream
1 c fat-free cottage cheese
1 c low-fat tortilla chips, whole or broken up
1 c low-fat cheddar cheese, shredded
3/4 c salsa

Directions:

Heat oven to 400. Spray cooking spray on bottom of a 2-quart casserole dish; set aside. In a skillet,
cook chicken, onion, peppers, and garlic clove until tender. Add seasoning mix and taco sauce;
set aside. In a medium bowl, combine sour cream and cottage cheese; set aside. Place half the
broken chips in the bottom of casserole dish. Add meat mixture to cover the chips, then cover the
meat with sour cream mixture. Sprinkle with cheese and remaining crushed chips. Bake,
uncovered, for 30 minutes or until cheese has melted. Top with 3/4 cup salsa if desired.

Makes 8 (1 Cup Servings)

Nutritional Info Per Serving:
287 Calories; 4g Fat; 25g Protein; 34g Carbs; 43mg Cholesterol; 2g Fiber; Points Plus+ 7

Saturday, February 18, 2012

Zesty Chicken and Brown Rice

2 cups brown rice
4 cups water
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, cut into 1-inch strips
1 can diced tomatoes, low-sodium
1 cup chili sauce, low-sodium
1-1/2 cups green pepper, chopped
1-1/2 cups cups celery, chopped
1/4 cup onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp. fresh basil, chopped (or 1 tsp. dried)
1 Tbsp. fresh parsley, chopped (or 1 tsp. dried)
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper
3/4 tsp. salt
3 Tbsp. olive oil
Heat 2 Tbsp. of olive oil in a large pot on medium heat. Add rice and stir until it starts to crackle (about 2 minutes). Add water and 1/2 tsp. of salt. Cover pot and bring to a boil, then reduce heat and allow to cook for about 30 minutes, until rice is soft. In a deep skillet, add 1 Tbsp. of olive oil and preheat over high heat. Cook chicken in skillet until no longer pink (about 4 minutes). Reduce heat and add all other ingredients. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cover for 10 minutes. Serve over the cooked brown rice. Makes 4 servings.

Preparation Time: 15 minutes

Cooking Time: 45 minutes

Nutritional Information: (per serving)

Calories: 310Protein: 31 gFiber: 5 gCarbs: 43 gFat Total: 6 gSaturated Fat: 1 g

Oven Fried Fish

From Beach Body

2 lbs. fish fillets
1 Tbsp. lemon juice, fresh
1/4 cup skim milk or 1% buttermilk
2 drops hot pepper sauce
1 tsp. fresh garlic, minced
1/4 tsp. white pepper, ground
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. onion powder
1/2 cup cornflakes, crumbled, or regular bread crumbs
1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1 fresh lemon, cut in wedges
Preheat oven to 475 degrees. Wipe fillets with lemon juice and pat dry. Combine milk, hot pepper sauce, and garlic. Combine pepper, salt, and onion powder with cornflake crumbs and place on a plate. Let fillets sit briefly in milk. Remove and coat fillets on both sides with seasoned crumbs. Let stand briefly until coating sticks to each side of fish. Arrange on lightly oiled shallow baking dish. Bake for 20 minutes on middle rack without turning. Cut into 6 pieces. Serve with fresh lemon. Makes 6 servings.

Preparation Time: 10 minutes

Cooking Time: 20 minutes
Nutritional Information: (per serving)


Calories: 183Protein: 30 gFiber: 1 gCarbs: 10 gFat Total: 2 gSaturated Fat: < 1 g

Whole Wheat Pizza Crust

From Beach Body

1 cup whole wheat flour
1 1/4 cup rolled oats
1/4 cup cornmeal
2/3 cup skim milk
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tsp. baking powder
Pizza toppings (your choice)
Optional: Basil, oregano, garlic, garlic salt
Preparation:
1. Spray a standard-sized cookie sheet with olive oil. Preheat the oven to 425.
2. Combine flour, oats, cornmeal, and baking powder in a medium-sized bowl. Mix well.
3. Add milk, olive oil, and spices to the mixture and stir until combined.
3. Place the dough on a lightly floured surface and and roll it until it is about the size of the cookie sheet. Transfer it to the cookie sheet.
4. Place the cookie sheet in the oven and bake for 12 to 15 minutes.
5. Remove the crust from the oven and add toppings.
6. Put back into oven for an additional 10 to 12 minutes or until the toppings are done.

Calabacita (spicy corn and squash medley)

From Beach Body website

1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 cup chopped onion (1/2 large)
2-3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
4 cups cubed fresh zucchini (about 3 or 4 medium)
1 10 oz. can diced tomatoes and green chilies (Rotel tomatoes)
1 11.oz. can whole kernel corn, drained

Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, and zucchini; stir and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Add tomatoes and corn; stir. Cover and simmer 5 to 10 minutes or until zucchini is tender. Drain juices from pan. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serves 6.

Wednesday, February 15, 2012

Coconut Chicken

Chicken Breasts
2 large eggs
1/4 cup Coconut Milk (optional, but I did use it)
1/2 cup flour
1 cup shredded coconut
1 cup panko breadcrumbs
1/2 tsp salt
vegetable oil
Sweet Chili Sauce (for dipping, found in the Asian section)

Cut chicken breast in strips. Prepare your dipping stations by combining flour and salt in one bowl, eggs and milk in another, and bread crumbs and coconut in the last bowl. Heat your oil, and dredge chicken strips in flour, egg, and then finally coconut/breadcrumb mixture. Cook, browning on both sides. Serve with Sweet Chili Sauce

Saturday, February 11, 2012

Chocolate Cake

2 cup flour
2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 stick butter
1 cup water
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup oil
5 tbsp cocoa
2 eggs
1/2 c buttermilk
1 tsp soda

mix flour, sugar, and salt in mixing bowl, then in saucepan, melt butter, water, oil and cocoa. bring to a boil and pour over dry ingredients. add eggs, buttermilk, soda and vanilla. beat. bake at 350 for 30 min. frost while hot

saucepan frosting:
1 stikc butter
5 tbsp water
1 lb powdered sugar
1 c nuts
3 tbsp cocoa
1 tps vanilla
in a pan, melt butter, water and cocoa. do not boil. pour over powdered sugar and vanilla. beat together, then stir in chopped nuts.pour over hot cake

Chocolate Buttercream

3/4 cup Crisco
3/4 cup butter, softened (6 ounces, 1 & 1/2 American sticks)
1 1/4 cups cocoa
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2 pounds powdered sugar
about 1/2 cup of water, give or take a little

(If you have a splash guard for your bowl, this is a good recipe to use it with.)

Mix the Crisco and butter at a slow speed until creamy.
Add the cocoa. Mix again until the cocoa is all incorporated.
Add the powdered sugar, vanilla, and most of the water. Beat at medium speed for a few minutes.
Test the spreadability and add water if necessary

Sopapilla Cheesecake

This is soooo good, and so easy to make!

2 cans of crescent rolls
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 (8 oz.) packages cream cheese, softened
1 stick butter

Preheat oven to 350F. Press 1 can of crescent rolls into bottom of 9 X 13 inch pan. Mix cream cheese, 1 cup sugar and vanilla until creamy. Spread over rolls in pan. Cover with other can of rolls. Melt butter and stir in rest of sugar and cinnamon. Pour over top. Bake for 30 minutes. Can be served warm or room temperature.

Root Bear Float Cake

A friend sent me this recipe, but have never made it

1 package white cake mix
1 3/4 cups cold root beer, divided
1/4 c vegetable oil
2 eggs
1 envelope of whipped topping mix

In a mixing bowl, combine cake mix, 1 1/4 cups rootbeer, oil and eggs. Beat on low speed for 2 minutes or stir by hand for 3 minutes. Pour into a greased 13x9 baking pan. Bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comesout clean. cool completely on a wire rack.
in a mixing bow, combine the whipped topping and remaining root beer. beat until soft peaks form. frost cake. store in fridge.

Chicken Tortilla Soup....another one!

This recipe came from a recipe card they have in HEB, you know when they have a certain product on sale and they have recipes? This was one of those, and it was very good!

1 Jar Canyon Tortilla Soup (HEB)
1 can Black Beans (RINSED AND DRAINED)
1 can whole kernel corn (DRAINED)
1 Jar Cookwell & Company Queso (HEB)
1 can Rotel Tomatoes
4 oz Velveeta
6 cooked chicken strips (or more if you want more chicken which I add extra)


Boil chicken and cut into bite size pieces
In large pot, combine the Tortilla soup, black beans, corn, Queso and Tomatoes over MED heat until hot. Add the chicken and velveeta cheese until velveeta is melted....stir constantly so the cheese does not stick to the bottom of the pot. Serve with tortilla chips

Belgian Waffles

I love waffles! Not sure I'll ever make them from scratch, but this is another recipe I had in my email that I saved....trying to clean out my inbox!

2 egg yolks
5 tablespoons white sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 teaspoon salt
2 3/4 cups self-rising flour
2 cups warm milk
2 egg whites

In a large bowl, beat together egg yolks and sugar. Beat in vanilla extract, butter and salt. Alternately mix in flour and milk until blended well.
In a separate bowl, beat egg whites until they have formed soft peaks. Fold egg whites into batter and let stand for 40 minutes.
Spray preheated waffle iron with non-stick cooking spray. Pour mix onto hot waffle iron. Cook until golden brown and fluffy.

Southwestern Turkey Soup

Got this in my email shortly after thanksgiving, something to use those leftovers for!

From Allrecipes.com

1 1/2 cups shredded cooked turkey
4 cups vegetable broth
1 (28 ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes
1 (4 ounce) can chopped green chile peppers
2 roma (plum) tomatoes, chopped
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tablespoon lime juice
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
salt and pepper to taste
1 avocado - peeled, pitted and diced
1/2 teaspoon dried cilantro
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese

Directions
In a large pot over medium heat, combine turkey, broth, canned tomatoes, green chiles, fresh tomatoes, onion, garlic, and lime juice. Season with cayenne, cumin, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, and simmer 15 to 20 minutes.
Stir in avocado and cilantro, and simmer 15 to 20 minutes, until slightly thickened. Spoon into serving bowls, and top with shredded cheese.
Nutritional Information
Amount Per Serving Calories: 184 | Total Fat: 9.8g | Cholesterol: 33mg Powered by ESHA Nutrient Database
Nutritional Information
Southwestern Turkey Soup
Servings Per Recipe: 8

Amount Per Serving

Calories: 184

Total Fat: 9.8g
Cholesterol: 33mg
Sodium: 632mg
Total Carbs: 11.9g
Dietary Fiber: 3.8g
Protein: 13.5g

Friday, February 10, 2012

Mini Cheese Stuffed Meatloaves

1 egg, Beaten
3/4 C milk
1/2 C 100% Whole Grain Quick Cook oats, uncooked
1 tsp Salt
1 lb Lean ground beef or ground turkey
12 cubes Mild Cheddar Cheese
2/3 C ketchup
1/4 c light brown sugar, packed

Preheat oven to 350. Spray 12 muffin tins with cooking spray. Combine the beaten egg, milk, uncooked oats and salt in a large bowl. Add the ground beef or turkey, mixing well. Divide mixture into 12 equal portions. Insert 1 cheese cube into center of meat and roll in hands to form a ball around the cheese. Place into muffin tin and continue with remaining meat and cheese. Conbine ketchup and brown sugar in a small bowl and spread over each meatloaf. Bake uncovered for 30 minutes

Thursday, February 9, 2012

White Chicken Enchiladas

I have seen this recipe several times on Pinterest and knew it had to be good. I made these as low fat as I could. I used low carb tortillas, and fat free sour cream. Very good!

10 soft taco shells
2 cups cooked, shredded chicken
2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
3 Tbsp. butter
3 Tbsp. flour
2 cups chicken broth
1 cup sour cream
1 (4 oz) can diced green chillies


1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9x13 pan
2. Mix chicken and 1 cup cheese. Roll up in tortillas and place in pan.
3. In a sauce pan, melt butter, stir in flour and cook 1 minute. Add broth and whisk until smooth. Heat over medium heat until thick and bubbly.
4. Stir in sour cream and chilies. Do not bring to boil, you don't want curdled sour cream.
5. Pour over enchiladas and top with remaining cheese.
6. Bake 22 min and then under high broil for 3 min to brown the cheese.

BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwiches

We've had pulled pork sandwiches before, not sure where I found the recipe but I've only made them once. I made these the other night and when Stephen saw me put the Diet Pepsi in the crockpot, he said 'We'll see how that taste!' He was pleasently suprised! Actually he said it was one of his favorites!


pork butt
1 can Diet Pepsi
1/2 bottle Sweet Baby Ray's Barbecue Sauce
Lawry's Seasoning Salt


Generally coat pork butt with Lawry's seasoning salt, don't be afraid to cover it all! Place in crock pot and pour in soda and barbecue sauce. Cover and cook on low for 4-5 hours. If you have a larger piece of meat, it will probably take longer. After 4 hours or so, take two forks and shred the meat into bite size chunks. Let it sit in the juice to soak up all that flavor. It can stay on warm in crock pot while serving, and can easily be reheated the next day. Serve on a kaiser roll (we used a wheat bun) and add more barbecue sauce if needed.

Baked Parmesan Garlic Chicken

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 package Good Seasons Italian Dressing mix
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
6 boneless skinless chicken breast halves

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

2. Mix cheese, dressing mix and garlic powder.

3. Moisten chicken breasts with water; coat with cheese mixture. Place in shallow baking dish.

4. Bake 20 to 25 min. or until chicken is no longer pink in the center.

Parmesan Chicken with Garlic and Herbs

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 tsp. crushed garlic (garlic puree from a jar is perfect here)
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp poultry seasoning
1/4 cup whole wheat Panko bread crumbs
1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese


Combine crushed garlic, olive oil, and poultry seasoning in small pan and heat 1 minute, until just warm.

Trim all visible fat and membranes from chicken breasts, then make small crosswise slits about 1/2 inch apart down the length of each chicken breast, being careful not to cut too far into the chicken. (This helps the garlic and herb flavor penetrate the chicken more.) Put chicken into zip loc bag, pour heated oil over, and marinate all day in refrigerator.

To cook, take chicken out of refrigerator and let it come to room temperature for a few minutes while you preheat oven to 425.

Mix bread crumbs and Parmesan (pulse a few times in food processor if the mixture isn't fine enough.) Place cheese/breadcrumb mixture in flat dish and dip each chicken breast into it, pressing on as much of the coating as you can.

Place each chicken piece in casserole dish which has been sprayed with nonstick spray. or olive oil. Bake until chicken is firm and cooked through, about 25 minutes, then put under the broiler to brown more if desired. (Original directions said to bake 30-40 minutes, but I wouldn't cook it that long. Actual cooking time will depend on the thickness of your chicken breasts, but chicken should feel firm but not hard when it's cooked.)

WW Bubble Up Enchiladas

1 pound ground turkey
1 (10 ounce) can enchilada sauce
1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
1 can reduced fat refrigerator biscuits
1 ¼ cups shredded low fat Mexican Cheese
Preheat oven to 350 F
Brown Turkey and drain juices if needed
Pour and mix enchilada and tomato sauce over browned turkey.
Cut refrigerated biscuits into fourths and stir into meat mixture.
Dump into a greased 9X13 casserole pan and bake for 25 minutes.
Take out of oven and sprinkle cheese on top. Bake for an additional 10 minutes.
Let stand for 5 minutes.

Nutrition Info: Calories 390 | Fat 11.5g | Carbohydrate 36g | Fiber 2g | Protein 33g
Serves 6

Healthy Baked Chicken Nuggets

These were SO good!

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 Italian seasoned breadcrumbs
2 tbsp panko
2 tbsp grated parmesan cheese
olive oil spray (I didn't have an olive oil sprayer, so I omitted this)

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.

Healthy Chicken Nachos

Corn tortilla chips
Refried Beans
Chicken, cooked and diced
Fresh tomatoes, diced
Mexican cheese blend [cheddar, Monteray, Asadero, Queso Blanco]
Toppings

Avocado, diced – or guacamole
Sour cream
Fresh tomatoes/Salsa
Hot Sauce

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Spray baking pan with non stick and line with chips. First layer, add refried beans, chicken and cheese.

Add a second layer of chips, refried beans, chicken and cheese. Top with fresh tomato.

Bake for 10-15 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Remove from the oven and top with desired toppings.

Enjoy!