Easy everyday recipes

Double Chocolate Chunk Cookies

2009-07-10T17:09:00.004-04:00

These are the best cookies I have had in a long time! They are so chocolately and I love the white chocolate chunks in them the best.
Double Chocolate Chunk Cookies
1 bag (24 oz) semisweet chocolate chips (4 cups )
1 cup butter or margarine softened.
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 package (6 oz) white baking bars (white chocolate), cut into 1/4- 1/2 inch chunks(i used white chocolate chips)
1 cup pecan or walnut halves (I left these out as I feel nuts ruin a good cookie)
1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Melt 1 1/2 cups of the chocolate chips in 1 quart sauce pan over low heat, stirring constantly. Cool to room temperature, but do not allow chocolate to become firm.
2. Beat butter, brown sugar and vanilla in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs and melted chocolate until light and fluffy. Stir in flour, baking soda and salt. Stir in remaining 2 1/2 cups chocolate chips, white baking bar chunks and pecan halves.
3. Drop dough by level 1/4 cupfuls or #16 cookie/ice cream scoop about 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 12 to 14 minutes or until set. (centers will appear soft and moist). Cool 1 to 2 minutes; remove from cookie sheet to wire rack.

Wagon Wheel Taco Pasta Salad

2009-07-10T16:56:00.004-04:00

I tried this new recipe for company when I hosted the 4th this year. I couldn't find wagon wheel pasta at Walmart, Kroger or Publix. I didn't think to try Whole Foods but will next time. Anyway, this was definitely a winner! Mexican makes a different, spicy flavor for a pasta salad.

Wagon Wheel Taco Pasta Salad
from Cara's Cravings
1lb wagon wheel pasta
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 10oz package frozen corn (I don't even bother thawing it, because I always make this at least a few hours before serving, so it plenty of time to defrost)
2 medium tomatoes, seeded and diced
8oz shredded Mexican-blend cheese
1 1/2 cups salsa
1/2 cup olive oil
3-4 tbsp lime juice
1 tbsp cumin
1-2 tsp chili powder
2 garlic cloves, minced
freshly ground salt & pepper
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 avocado, diced

Cook the pasta al dente according to package directions. Drain and rinse with cold water.
In a large bowl, combine the black beans, corn, tomatoes, salsa, and cheese. Add the cooled pasta and mix well.
In another bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lime juice, garlic, cumin and chili powder. Pour over the pasta salad, add the cilantro, and mix well. Season to taste with salt & pepper.
Just before serving, stir in the diced avocado.

Lemon Yogurt Cake

2009-07-10T16:49:00.005-04:00

This cake is so summery and not heavy like pound cake. The lemon makes it so zesty! I'll definitely be making it again soon.

Lemon Yogurt Cake
Ina Garten
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup plain whole-milk yogurt (I used fat free)
1 1/3 cups sugar, divided
3 extra-large eggs
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest (2 lemons)
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
For the glaze:
1 cup confectioners' sugar
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Grease an 8 1/2 by 4 1/4 by 2 1/2-inch loaf pan.
3. Line the bottom with parchment paper. Grease and flour the pan.
4. Mix together the flour, baking powder, and salt into a large bowl.
5. In another bowl, whisk together the yogurt, 1 cup sugar, the eggs, lemon zest, and vanilla.
6. Slowly whisk the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients.
7. With a rubber spatula, fold the vegetable oil into the batter, making sure it's all incorporated.
8. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for about 50 minutes, or until a cake tester placed in the center of the loaf comes out clean.
9. Meanwhile, cook the 1/3 cup lemon juice and remaining 1/3 cup sugar in a small pan until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is clear. Set aside.
10. When the cake is done, allow it to cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Carefully place on a baking rack over a sheet pan.
11. While the cake is still warm, pour the lemon-sugar mixture over the cake and allow it to soak in. Cool.
12. For the glaze, combine the confectioners' sugar and lemon juice and pour over the cake.

Simple Baked Chicken Wings

2009-06-24T14:39:00.006-04:00

These are sooo easy and soooo good! There are many different ways you could make these; terayaki, honey soy, etc. I figured this was a good alternative to grilling and I'm glad I tried it.

Simple Baked Chicken Wings
from RecipeZaar.com
Ingredients
8 chicken wings (or drummettes)
1 dash onion powder
1 dash season salt
1 dash paprika
1 dash pepper
3/4 cup barbecue sauce
Directions
1Rub seasonings onto both sides of individual chicken wings.
2Place in glass casserole dish.
3Bake at 350°F for 30 minutes.
4Take out of oven and coat both sides of wings with barbecue sauce.
5Bake for another 7 minutes, flip wings.
6Bake for another 7 minutes, flip wings.
7Bake for another 7 minutes, flip wings.
8Enjoy!

Bow Ties with Pesto, Feta and Cherry Tomatoes

2009-06-24T14:34:00.004-04:00

Summer is definitely a time for salads. I love tomatoes, pesto and feta so this sounded yummy. I didn't make the pesto from scratch this time, just bought some as a grocery store to save time.
Bow Ties with Pesto, Feta and Cherry Tomatoes
courtesy Dave Lieberman, The Food Network
Show: Good Deal with Dave LiebermanEpisode: Salad Bar
Ingredients
1 pound bow tie pasta (farfalle)
3/4 cup Pesto, recipe follows
1/2 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
1 cup crumbled feta cheese
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Olive oil, as needed
Directions
Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Stir in the bow ties and cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente, about 10 minutes. Drain the pasta and run it under cold water just until it stops steaming. Bounce the pasta around to get rid of as much water as you can.
Dump the pasta into a large serving bowl. Stir in the pesto until the pasta is coated. Toss in the cherry tomatoes and the crumbled feta. Taste the salad and season it as you like with salt and pepper. You can make the salad up to about 1 hour before you serve it. Check out the salt and pepper just before you serve the salad. If it's looking a little dry, add some olive oil and stir it around.
Pesto:
5 big handfuls basil leaves (about 2 hefty bunches)
1/2 cup pine nuts or 3/4 cup walnuts
1/2 cup fresh grated Parmesan or Pecorino cheese
Juice of 1 small lemon
2 cloves garlic, peeled
Kosher salt
About 20 grinds freshly ground black pepper
3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Place all ingredients with 1/2 cup of the oil in a blender and blend. Gradually drizzle in the remaining 1/4 cup of oil until pesto is thick and smooth.
Yield: about 1 1/2 cups

Carrot, Zucchini and Potata Cakes

2009-06-24T14:29:00.004-04:00

I was very excited to try these but ultimately disappointed. They are basically hashbrowns with a different flavor. I'm not a hashbrown fan but if you are you will like these hashbrown type pancakes.
Carrot, Zucchini and Potato Cakes
Better Homes & Gardens
Ingredients
1 medium zucchini, shredded (about 1-1/4 cups)
1-1/2 lb. baking potatoes, peeled and shredded (about 4 cups)
1 large carrot, shredded (about 1 cup)
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
5 large eggs
2 tsp. chopped fresh thyme or 1/2 tsp. dried thyme, crushed
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
1 Tbsp. canola oil
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Lightly coat two small baking sheets with nonstick cooking spray; set aside.
2. Drain zucchini in a colander; press to squeeze out excess liquid. In large bowl combine zucchini, potatoes, carrot, flour, 1 of the eggs, thyme, salt, and pepper.
3. In extra-large nonstick skillet heat half of the oil over medium heat.
4. To make a pancake, spoon about 1-cup portion of potato mixture into skillet; evenly press and round edges with back of spatula to form a pancake.
5. Cook two pancakes at a time, 4 to 5 minutes each side or until golden brown, turning once.
6. Transfer to prepared baking sheet and place in oven until all cakes are made. Repeat with remaining oil and potato mixture.

Oatmeal Cookie Pancakes

2009-05-01T17:33:00.004-04:00

I wanted something sweet for dinner and it had been awhile since I made pancakes. I wanted something different, though and found this recipe online. These were so good!! I omitted the walnuts but might add chocolate chips next time.

Oatmeal Cookie Pancakes
from Rachael Ray
Ingredients
1/2 cup old fashioned oats
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 cup, chopped walnuts
1/3 cup sour cream
1/3 cup whole milk (I used skim)
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 really ripe bananas, mashed
1/3 cup raisins
1/4 stick butter, plus additional 1-2 TBSP for buttering skillet
Maple syrup or honey, for drizzling

Directions
1. Mix dry ingredients, the first 7, in a bowl.
2. In a another bowl, mix the wet ingredients, the next 4.
3. Whisk the wet ingredients into the dry until just combined, then fold in the mashed up bananas and the raisins.
4. Stir in the melted butter.
5. Heat a griddle over medium heat and brush with additional melted butter.
6. Cook pancakes, each about 1/3 cup, until bubbles form on the top, then turn.
7. Cakes will cook in about 2 minutes on each side. Keep pancakes tented with foil as they come off the griddle to keep them hot.
8. Serve with drizzled honey or maple syrup over the top.

This is a thin batter, just keep that in mind when pouring and spacing.

Stuffed Bell Peppers

2009-04-28T11:17:00.006-04:00

I remember the first time I had these at my Great Aunt Mary's farm. I was probably 5 or 6 years old. My mom uses this same recipe. I really don't have a specific recipe because it's one of those dishes that I just make.
Stuffed Peppers
Ingredients:
1 pound beef or turkey
4-5 bell peppers
1 onion
rice (however much you want to use - I just used a microwaveable pouch of Uncle Ben's Garden Vegatable rice to save time)
2 14.5oz cans of diced tomatoes
1 1/2 cup pasta sauce
cheese (however much you want to use.)
Dice onion and brown onion with ground beef. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Remove tops and insides of bell peppers, boil to soften while preparing the other ingredients. Once meat and onion is browned, add diced tomoatoes to the pan and heat through. Prepare rice and add rice to the mixture. Remove peppers from boiling. Stuff peppers with the mixture, pour pasta sauce over the stuffed peppers. Bake peppers for about 55 minutes, add cheese to tops of stuffed peppers and bake for 5 more minutes to melt cheese. Serve and enjoy!

Chewy chocolate chip cookies

2009-04-14T17:57:00.006-04:00

I have really beed craving something sweet and chewy. I googled chocolate chip cookies because the recipe I use now comes out crunchy - I wanted a more chewy cookie. I ended up cutting this recipe in half because I am almost out of flour. These did come out very chewy! Close to the best chocolate chip cookies I've had.

The Chewy
Alton Brown via The Food Network
Ingredients
2 sticks unsalted butter
2 1/4 cups bread flour
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 cup sugar
1 1/4 cups brown sugar
1 egg
1 egg yolk
2 tablespoons milk
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips (I only had ghiardelli milk chocolate chips on hand)
Directions
1. Heat oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Melt the butter in a heavy-bottom medium saucepan over low heat. Sift together the flour, salt, and baking soda and set aside.
3. Pour the melted butter in the mixer's work bowl. Add the sugar and brown sugar. Cream the butter and sugars on medium speed.
4. Add the egg, yolk, 2 tablespoons milk and vanilla extract and mix until well combined. Slowly incorporate the flour mixture until thoroughly combined. Stir in the chocolate chips.
5. Chill the dough, then scoop onto parchment-lined baking sheets, 6 cookies per sheet.
6. Bake for 14 minutes or until golden brown, checking the cookies after 5 minutes.
7. Rotate the baking sheet for even browning. Cool completely and store in an airtight container.

Creamy Tomato Basil Soup with Sausage

2009-04-12T19:18:00.004-04:00

We had some horrible storms with tornadoes the other night and it was prefect soup weather. I wasn't sure what kind of soup to make, though, because I didn't have many ingredients on hand. I did have Italian sausage and found this recipe via google. It tastes a lot like spaghetti. It was very good with French bread on the side.
Creamy Tomato Basil Soup with Sausage
Picky Palate
Ingredients
2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 small onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, pressed
1 lb Italian Sausage
10 fresh basil leaves, chiffonade (stacked, rolled and thinly sliced)(I just used dried basil)
1 26 oz jar of your favorite pasta sauce or homemade sauce
1 14.5 oz diced tomatoes, partially drained (don't drain and add less than a cup of water instead of a whole cup)
1 Cup water
1 1/2 Cups half and half
Pinch of salt and pepper
Directions
1. Place olive oil and onion into a medium sized dutch oven over medium heat.
2. Add sausage until browned, about 5 minutes. Add garlic.
3. Stir in basil leaves, pasta sauce, tomatoes, water, half and half, salt and pepper.
4. Cook until warm then reduce heat to low.
5. Simmer until ready to serve.

Chicken Burritos

2009-04-10T15:26:00.004-04:00

So, I wanted to make chicken, but not the usual baked chicken or chicken on the George Foreman grill, etc. I found this recipe and, since I just made tacos Monday night, was able to use the remaining tortilla shells, lettuce and tomatoes. I also added to these tacos some salsa from Trader Joes. Yum I love their salsa, it's like fresh pico.
Chicken Burritos
from Cook Like a Champion
Ingredients
2-3 chicken breasts (I used 2)
4 tablespoons minced red bell pepper (I used a whole red pepper)
1 small white onion, finely diced
2 cloves garlic
2/3 cup frozen corn (I used 1 can, drained and rinsed)
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
2 tablespoons canned jalapenos, diced (Omitted)
2 teaspoons fresh parsley, minced
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
dash red pepper flakes
2 cups shredded Mexican blend cheese
9 flour tortillas (I don't think we used 9)
lettuce
tomato
Directions
1. Drizzle the chicken breasts with olive oil and sprinkle with Kosher salt and freshly cracked pepper.
2. Grill until chicken is cooked through. (I cooked it in a saute pan and then used that same pan to cook the vegetables.)
3. Allow chicken to cool slightly and then shred.
4. In a medium skillet, add red pepper, onion and garlic and cook over medium high heat for one minute. (I cooked this for much longer, probably 7-8 minutes, adding the garlic towards the end.)
5. Add shredded chicken and remaining ingredients through red pepper flakes and cook until warmed through.
6. Meanwhile, microwave tortillas in a damp paper towel for 15-20 seconds.
7. Add cheese, mixing until incorporated. (I just topped ours with the cheese...I forgot to mix it in!)
8. Fill tortillas and eat immediately or wrap in foil to freeze. (If freezing, burritos take about 3 minutes to reheat.)

Velveeta Rotel Dip

2009-04-05T17:12:00.004-04:00

Sunday nights around here are for leftovers or frozen pizza. Since I'm not really cooking I've been making some kind of dip to eat with the pizza or the leftovers. I first had this dip at a friend's party and it's easy and yummy. I also got some of the new Hint of Jalepeno Scoops chips to eat with the dip this time.

VELVEETA ROTEL DIP
1 lb. ground beef (I usually omit this - it's good with or without meat)
2 lb. box of Velveeta cheese
1 med. onion (omit)
1 can Rotel tomatoes

Cook ground beef and drain off grease. Add chopped onion and let cook until onion is tender. Add Rotel tomatoes (break up tomatoes with your hand). Slice up Velveeta and add to other ingredients. After cheese is melted, remove from heat and let stand until thickened. Then serve with plain Doritos or Tostitos.
I usually heat the velveeta on the stove then add it to the crock pot to keep it warm.

Hamburger Casserole

2009-04-05T16:54:00.004-04:00

I desperately needed to go grocery shopping so I was trying to make something with the few ingredients I had on hand. After searching google I came up with this mixture of a few different recipes and it came out ok. It reminded me of kid friendly casseroles my mom made for us when we were growing up. It's not something I would make often but it worked in a pinch.

Hamburger Casserole
Ingredients
4 potatoes, boiled until tender (I used red potatoes because that's what I had, I didn't peel them but they can be peeled)
1/4 cup butter
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper (you could do less but we like it peppery)
1 pound ground beef (or turkey)
1/2 onion, chopped
1 (10.5 oz) can condensed tomato soup
1 (15 oz) can green beans, drained
Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 350F.
2. Blend potatoes with butter, salt and pepper. Set aside. Brown meat with onion. Drain grease. Stir in tomato soup and beans. Spoon into a lightly greased 2-quart casserole dish. Spoon potatoes on top. Bake for 35 minutes, or until top is lightly browned. Serves 6 to 8.

My Mom's Chili

2009-03-27T13:30:00.006-04:00

This is a basic chili recipe that is so easy to make and very adaptable if you ever want to change it up and make it differently. It's great on cold, rainy days like today. I think this is the first thing my mom taught me to make, other than fun little recipes out of my betty crocker kid's cookbook.

My Mom's Chili
1 pound beef or turkey
1 onion
chili powder (to taste)
1 can of stewed tomatoes
1 can of rotel
2 6oz cans of tomato paste
1 can red or white kidney beans
1 small can of mushrooms (optional)
Dice onion, brown beef with onion. Strain fat then add desird amount of chili powder. Add all of the other ingredients and add water until reaching desired thickness. I usually fill all of the empty cans with water except the beans can and maushrooms can but you can add more or less water. Stir while heating through. Serve when heated through or it can sit on low heat for a while if needed.

Spinach & Artichoke Dip

2009-03-22T17:26:00.004-04:00

I was craving this dip and since the Chilis nearby closed I decided to make some at home. I couldn't find a recipe I liked 100% so I adapted Paula Deen's recipe from the Food Network. It was so yummy and made a lot so next time I will probably cut it in half!

Spinach and Artichoke Dip
Ingredients
1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach
2 (13 3/4-ounce) cans artichoke hearts
1/2 cup mayonnaise (I used 8oz of cream cheese instead - mayo is yucky!)
1/2 cup sour cream (I used 8oz.)
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan
1 cup grated pepper jack cheese (I used mozerella cheese)
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a casserole dish with nonstick spray.
Heat the spinach in a microwave oven on high for 5 minutes and squeeze dry. Drain the artichoke hearts and coarsely chop in a food processor.
Combine all the ingredients except the jack cheese in a large bowl. Stir well. Scrape into the prepared casserole dish and sprinkle the jack cheese on top. Bake for 30 minutes. Transfer to a chafing dish and keep warm over a low flame. Serve with bagel chips.

Herbed Cheese-Stuffed Salmon

2009-03-21T18:06:00.004-04:00

This recipe is from Better Homes and Gardens and I found it while I was sitting at Kauffman's Tires waiting for my tire to be patched. It was really easy and very good dinner! I served it with roasted asparagus.

Herbed Cheese-Stuffed Salmon (I adjusted the recipe to feed 2 people)
6 6oz fresh or frozen (I used 2)
1 lemon (omitted)
1 5.2 oz container semisoft cheese with garlic and herbs (I found little triangles of Laughing Cow spreadable cheese and used 2 triangles for each piece of salmon)
sea salt or salt
1 cup soft bread crumbs (I actually used half of a hot dog bun)
1/3 cup freshly shredded Parmesan cheese (I used Parmesan from a bag and just about 1/6 of a cup)
1/4 cup butter melted (I used about 2 tbsp)
2 Tbsp pine nuts (omitted)

1. Thaw fish, if frozen. rinse fish, pat dry. Preheat oven to 425*F. Finely shred enough peel from lemon to make 2 tsps.; cut lemon in wedges and set aside. In small bowl combine semisoft cheese and lemon peel. In top of each fillet, from about 1/2 in. from one edge, cut a pocket, taking care not to cut all the way through the fish. (If fillet is thin, cut into the fish at an angle.) Spoon cheese mixture into pockets. Season fish with salt. Place in a shallow baking pan. Set aside.
2. In a small bowl combine bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, butter and pine nuts; sprinkle over fillets, pressing lightly. Bake, uncovered about 14 minutes or until salmon flakes with a fork. Serve with lemon wedges.

Grilled Salmon with Rosemary

2009-03-12T10:07:00.002-04:00

This is another South Beach recipe and was very good. I baked it at 350 for about 20minutes instead of grilling it, though. Next time I would use a little more lemon juice, but that's because I really like the citrus flavors.

Grilled Salmon with Rosemary
Serves 2
Ingredients
1/2 pound salmon
1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice (maybe use more than that)
1/8 teaspoon salt
Pinch freshly ground black pepper
1 clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon fresh rosemary leaves, chopped, or 1/2 teaspoon dried, crushed
Fresh rosemary sprigs (optional)
Capers (optional)
Instructions
Cut the fish into 2 equal-size portions. Combine the olive oil, lemon juice, salt, pepper, garlic, and rosemary in a bowl. Brush the mixture onto the fish.
To grill, arrange the fish on a grill rack or use a grill basket sprayed with olive oil cooking spray. Grill over medium-hot coals until the fish flakes easily (allow 4–6 minutes per 1⁄2" of thickness). If the fish is more than 1" thick, gently turn it halfway through grilling.
To broil, spray the rack of a broiler pan with olive oil cooking spray and arrange the fish on it. Broil 4" from the heat for 4–6 minutes per 1⁄2" of thickness. If the fish is more than 1" thick, gently turn it halfway through broiling.
To serve, top the fish with capers, if using, and garnish with rosemary sprigs, if desired.
Nutritional Information:
231 calories
15 total fat (3 g sat)
67 mg cholesterol
1 g carbohydrate
23 g protein
0 g fiber
213 mg sodium

Easy Slow Cooker Ham

2009-03-09T20:32:00.004-04:00

I had never made ham except for coca cola ham so I wanted to try something different when I found a ham on sale. I found the following recipe at allrecipes.com and it turned out very good and tender. It reminded me of a Christmas ham. I made smashed red potatoes on the side - yum!

Easy Slow Cooker Ham
INGREDIENTS (Nutrition)
1 (6 pound) bone-in country ham
30 whole cloves (I used about 5 tbsp minced garlic)
3 cups apple cider, or as needed (I used about 3/4 gallon of apple cider)
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup maple syrup
2 tablespoons ground cinnamon (omitted)
1 tablespoon ground nutmeg (omitted)
2 teaspoons ground ginger (omitted)
2 tablespoons ground cloves
1 tablespoon vanilla extract (optional) (omitted)
1 orange's peel(omitted)
DIRECTIONS
Press whole cloves into the ham so they are evenly distributed. You may score the ham for easier insertion if you wish. Place the ham in a slow cooker. Pour in apple cider until only about 2 inches of ham is above the surface. Pack the brown sugar on top of the ham, pressing into the cloves. This will get washed away in the next step but any that stays on is a bonus.
Pour the maple syrup over the ham. Season the apple cider with cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, ground cloves and vanilla. Add the orange peel to the pot. Fill the slow cooker as full as you can with apple cider without going over the fill line. Cover and set to Low. Cook for 8 to 10 hours.

Balsamic Chicken

2009-03-09T20:23:00.004-04:00

So I've been on this eating light and healthier than usual kick. I found the recipe below via google and it was actually very good. I made roasted asparagus on the side. I noted my (few) changes. By the way, this recipe also works with pork chops.

Balsamic Chicken
Try this age-old South Beach Diet™ chicken recipe, passed down through generations of home-style cooks-and non-cooks alike! A terrifically simple recipe to prepare, the baked chicken is flavored with a full-bodied, sweet balsamic vinegar recipe originating in Italy. Our version of this classic balsamic chicken is actually a baked chicken recipe, and different because it uses chicken breast (which cooks faster than chicken on the bone) and is baked for a short time in a hot oven, sealing in flavors. The chicken is marinated in a fresh rosemary and garlic recipe, with aromatics and herbs commonly used with pork and lamb - but equally fantastic with chicken. This South Beach Diet™ balsamic chicken recipe is the perfect dinner for you and your family.
Serves 2
Ingredients
2 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
1/2 teaspoon fresh rosemary leaves, minced (I used dried instead of fresh)
2/3 clove garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
2/3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1-2 tablespoons white wine (optional)(I left this out)
1 1/3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
Instructions
Rinse the chicken and pat dry. Combine the rosemary, garlic, pepper, and salt in a small bowl and mix well. Place the chicken in a large bowl. Drizzle with the oil, and rub with the spice mixture. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Preheat the oven to 450°F. Spray a heavy roasting pan or iron skillet with cooking spray. Place the chicken in the pan and bake for 10 minutes. Turn the chicken over. If the drippings begin to stick to the pan, stir in 3-4 tablespoons water or white wine (if using).
Bake about 10 minutes (I baked about 30 minutes) or until a thermometer inserted in the thickest portion registers 160°F and the juices run clear. If the pan is dry, stir in another 1-2 tablespoons of water or white wine to loosen the drippings. Drizzle the vinegar over the chicken in the pan.
Transfer the chicken to plates. Stir the liquid in the pan and drizzle over the chicken.
Nutritional Information:
183 calories
6 total fat (1 g sat)
65 mg cholesterol
4 g carbohydrate
26 g protein
0 g fiber
270 mg sodium

Tomato and White Bean Soup

2009-03-05T20:38:00.001-05:00

This is a lighter soup and is high in protein with yummy vegetables. I had french garlic bread on the side. I didn't follow the recipe exactly so my changes are noted

Tomato and White Bean Soup
Idea from: The Savory Notebook

Ingredients
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 cup chopped onion (1 medium onion)
2 stalks celery, diced
1 large carrot, diced (omitted)
3 garlic cloves, crushed (I used minced)
2 (14.5-ounce) cans no-salt-added whole tomatoes, undrained and chopped(I used diced tomatoes.)
2 (16-ounce) cans cannellini or other white beans, drained (I only used 1 can.)
1 (14 1/2-ounce) can fat-free chicken broth
Splash of white wine (omitted)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley (I used dried)
3/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Balsamic Vinegar
Parmesan cheese rind (omitted)
Green Onions, for garnish (omitted)

Directions
1. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat.
2. Add onion, celery and carrot. Saute for about 7 minutes, until soft. And garlic, and sauté 1 minute or until fragrant.
3. Add tomatoes and next 6 ingredients (tomatoes through pepper), and bring to a boil. (This is where I added the Parmesan rind.)
4. Reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes. (I simmered for at least 20 minutes.)
5. Ladle into bowls, and sprinkle with cheese. (I added green onions, parsley and a splash of balsamic vinegar here.)

**I didn't puree this and I added a lot more vegetables than called for, so it was sort of a chunky tomato soup. You could definitely puree it if you wanted a smoother soup.**

Moist and Delicious Whole Chicken in the Crock Pot

2009-02-27T17:05:00.004-05:00

When I found a Perdue chicken half price I looked online for a recipe to cook it in the crockpot. This recipe is from brainhoney.com and came out really good. I'm using the leftovers for chicken pot pie, too.

Moist and Delicious Whole Chicken in the Crock Pot
For this recipe you will need:

One whole chicken (frozen or fresh)
2 Tbs garlic paste (or 4 medium garlic cloves peeled and minced)
1 Tbs salt
1 Tbs olive oil
1 tsp lemon zest (I used lemon juice
I also added one small onion, chopped and two large carrots and two cans of chicken broth

I pulled the giblets out of the inside chicken, peeled the skin back, poked holes in the chicken with a fork and spread the garlic paste with olive oil and salt over the chicken. After I was done spread the mixture over the chicken, I put the remainder of the mixture inside the chicken. I placed the chicken in the crock pot surrounded by the onion and two carrots. I poured 2 cans of chicken broth over the chicken and cooked on low for 10 hours. Cut chicken, serve and enjoy!

The Best Baked Potato Soup Ever

2009-02-24T17:48:00.007-05:00

I was definitely craving some comfort food. It's been pretty cold outside and this soup did not disappoint! I had some red potatoes I needed to use and also some bacon and heavy whipping cream. At first I was just going to make baked potatoes but instead googled baked potato soup and found this recipe at recipezaar.com. It was simple to make.

The Best Baked Potato Soup Ever
SERVES 4 -6
Ingredients
2 medium potatoes (about 2 cups chopped) (I used 4 red potatoes; the largest 4 in the bag)
(added) 5 slices of turkey bacon
3 tablespoons butter (I only used about one tbsp and substituted bacon grease for the other 2 tbsp)
1 cup diced white onion
(added) 1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 tablespoons flour
4 cups chicken broth (2 cans)
2 cups water
1/4 cup cornstarch
1 cup instant mashed potatoes (I used two 4oz packets that were "loaded baked potato" flavor)
1 teaspoon salt (omitted - with the bacon, etc. it seemed salty enough to me)
3/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon basil
1/8 teaspoon thyme
1 cup heavy whipping cream or half-and-half
(ADDED) 40z of sour cream
(ADDED) 1/2 cup of milk
GARNISH
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 cup crumbled cooked bacon
1 chopped green onion (green part only)
Directions
1 Wash potatoes thoroughly and microwave until tender.
2 If you would like you can always bake in a 400 degree oven for one hour or until done.
3 As the potatoes are cooling, melt your butter in a large saucepan and saute your onions until light brown. (At this point I fried the bacon then cooked the onion and 1 tbsp of minced garlic in the bacon grease and 1 tbsp butter)
4 Add in your flour to make a roux.
5 Add in your chicken broth, water, cornstarch, instant mashed potatoes and spices and bring to a boil.
6 Reduce your heat and simmer for about 5 minutes.
7 Take your cooled potatoes and peel off the skin and chop up into desired pieces.
8 Add in your chopped up potatoes, bacon, milk, sour cream and the heavy whipping cream to your soup and bring it back to a boil.
9 Reduce heat and simmer for about 15 minutes or until it is thick.
10 Garnish with cheddar cheese, crumbled bacon and green onions.
11 ENJOY!

Lamb Meatballs with Garlic Tomato Sauce on Pitas

2009-02-19T20:24:00.004-05:00

After finding some ground lamb for $2.45 a pound I needed to find an Italian-style recipe to use it for. This one seemed perfect and I used the ground lamb meat instead of ground chicken. And it was SO good. Seriously, the homemade sauce and the meatballs are really good. Eight pitas were only $1.50 so by no means was this a pricey meal but it was very delicious!
Chicken Meatballs with Garlic Tomato Sauce on Pitas
from Good Things Catered
Ingredients
1 lb. ground chicken (I used ground lamb that I had, turkey or hamburger would also work)
1 medium sweet onion, grated
1 tsp fresh thyme
1 tsp fresh oregano
1 pinch fresh rosemary
1 Tbsp fresh breadcrumbs (I used Italian style, not fresh)
1 Tbsp low sodium soy sauce
2 tsp ketchup
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 recipe garlicky tomato sauce (see recipe below)
Pitas
Mozzarella, or cheese of choice
Directions:
1. In large bowl, combine chicken (lamb), onion, thyme, oregano, and rosemary.
2. To chicken mixture, add breadcrumbs, soy sauce, and ketchup.
3. Fold mixture to combine ingredients (do not stir as it will overwork).
4. In large skillet over medium low heat, add olive oil.
5. Meanwhile, roll chicken mixture into 2-inch balls.
6. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
7. When pan is heated through and almost smoking, carefully add meatballs to the pan, spacing one inch apart.
8. Let cook, untouched, until bottom of meatballs are browned, about 4-5 minutes.
9. Using tongs, gently flip meatballs being careful not to break, and let cook untouched until other side of meatballs are browned, about 4-5 minutes.
10. Remove meatballs from pan, set aside, and repeat cooking process with remaining meatballs.
11. Return all meatballs to the pan, add 1/2 c. of water and place in oven to cook. (I put the pitas in now to toast them for about 10 minutes).
12. Cook until internal temperature of meatballs reaches 165 degrees- this took about 20-25 minutes in my oven. Check the meatballs with a meat thermometer to measure doneness. (I didn't do that.)
13. Meanwhile, heat tomato sauce.
14. Remove meatballs from oven, drain off liquid and all fat.
15. Add heated tomato sauce to pan, scraping browned bits from the bottom.16. Heat through and serve on toasted pitas, topped with cheese.
Garlicky Tomato Sauce
Ingredients
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 small onion, finely diced
4 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
1 (14 oz) can whole tomatoes, lightly drained and coarsely chopped (I did not drain them)
1 (14 oz) can tomato sauce
1/4 c. water (omitted - instead don't drain tomatoes)
1 tsp fresh lemon juice
1/2 tsp balsamic vinegar
2 tsp fresh oregano, minced
1 tsp fresh thyme, minced
1 tsp fresh basil, minced
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 pinch raw sugar
Directions
1. In large stock pot over medium heat, heat oil and bring up to almost smoking.
2. Add diced onion and cook until translucent and just beginning to brown, about 5 minutes.
3. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 60 seconds
4. Add chopped tomatoes, scraping any browned bits from bottom of the pan, and heat until starting to bubble.
5. Turn heat to a simmer and add remaining ingredients, stirring to combine.
6. Let simmer for one hour, uncovered.
7. If storing, remove from heat and place in airtight containers in fridge once cooled.
8. If serving immediately, simmer until begins to bubble and serve.

Greek Chicken

2009-02-18T21:48:00.005-05:00

I always love Mediterranean style food and this recipe is no exception. It's easy and full of flavor.

Greek Chicken from For the Love of Cooking

Ingredients
2 tsp olive oil, divided
1-2 shallots, sliced into thin rings (I used yellow onion.)
1 clove of garlic, minced
4 boneless/skinless chicken breasts, fat removed
Garlic powder, to taste (I used garlic salt)
Dried oregano, to taste
Handful of grape tomatoes (I sliced in half)
Small handful of kalmata olives, sliced in half
1/2-1 lemon juiced
2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped (divided)
2 tbsp low fat feta cheese
fresh Parmesan cheese (I added this)

Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
2. Heat the olive oil in a an oven-safe skillet on medium heat.
3. Add the shallots and garlic and heat for about 2 minutes.
4. Remove from pan and set aside.
5. Season the chicken with salt, pepper, garlic powder and oregano.
6. Place the chicken into the skillet, seasoned side down, and cook over med-high heat until brown. (3-4 minutes).
7. Flip the chicken over and add the olives, tomatoes, lemon juice, half of the parsley, and the shallots with garlic.
8. Bake for 15 minutes or until done.
9. Remove from the oven, sprinkle the remaining parsley on top with the feta cheese and parmesean cheese.

Mary's Black Bean Soup

2009-02-14T17:28:00.003-05:00

This is my mom's black bean soup recipe and it's quick and easy. It's good with cornbread.

Mary's Black Bean Soup
5 or 6 cloves of garlic, minced
1 small onion, diced
6 or 7 baby carrots, diced really small
1 to 2 tablespoons of olive oil
1 small can of chicken broth
2 cans black beans
salt to taste

In a medium size pan with medium heat, cook garlic, onions, carrots, and olive oil. While this is cooking, take 1 of the cans of black bean and the chicken broth and put them in the blender. Blend together until smooth. When onions are transparent and carrots are soft, they are done. Add the chicken broth mixture to the pan and bring it to a simmer. Add last can of beans and cook 5 minutes more. Makes 3 to 4 servings. Enjoy!

Brown Sugar Cream Cheese Frosting

2009-02-12T17:03:00.004-05:00

I love making red velvet cupcakes and this is my favorite recipe for frosting them. It's sweet but not too sweet. I didn't have a lot of time this time so I cheated and used Duncan Hines cake mix instead of making the cake batter from scratch. I could tell the difference in the cake but I don't think that anyone else could and the frosting definitely my go-to for Red Velvet Cupcakes.

Brown Sugar Cream Cheese Frosting

1 1/2 cups butter, softened
8oz cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
pinch of salt
4-6 cups powdered sugar
2-4 tablespoons milk depending on desired consistency

Cream the cream cheese in an electric mixer for 1 minute. Scrape down the bowl and add the butter, beating for 1-2 minutes, or until incorporated. (Be sure that the two are at room temperature. Cold cream cheese or butter can make your frosting lumpy.) Add the brown sugar, pinch of salt and vanilla extract, and beat until incorporated. Turn off mixer and add 2 cups of powdered sugar. Turn the mixer on a low speed so the sugar doesn't fly out of the bowl. Slowly add more sugar alternately with the milk until you reach your desired consistency. I like my cupcake frosting to be slightly more thick than cake frosting, so it can hold its shape on the cupcake

Tortellini Soup

2009-02-10T21:30:00.003-05:00

This is one of my favorite soups and so easy to make! It is hearty and delicious. Trust me, you will want seconds.

Tortellini Soup
2 tbsp. olive oil
2 oz. pancetta or bacon, finely diced (I chopped 6 slices of turkey bacon)
1 medium onion, finely chopped (I used red onion)
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 can (49-1/2oz.) chicken broth (I used one 30oz box of stock)
2 tsp. Italian seasoning
1 package cheese tortellini (I used two 9 oz. bags)
1 can (8 oz) crushed tomatoes in puree (I used 2 cans of diced tomatoes for extra liquid since I didn't use as much broth)
8 oz. fresh spinach, rinsed, stemmed and chopped (I used a bag of spinach)
1 can (14.5 oz) white beans, rinsed and drained (OMITTED)
Salt and Pepper to taste
1 cup freshly shredded Parmesan cheese
Directions:
1. Heat the olive oil in a dutch oven over medium heat. Add pancetta. Cook until crisp.
2. Add onions; cook 3-4 minutes or until soft. Add garlic, cook 1 more minute.
3. Add broth and Italian seasoning; bring to a boil and simmer 5 minutes.
4. Meanwhile cook tortellini according to package directions; drain.
5. Add cooked tortellini to soup mixture.
6. Stir in tomatoes and beans and simmer 5 minutes.
7. Add spinach and cook just until wilted.8. Season with salt and pepper. Garnish with cheese

Smith Family Lasagna

2009-02-07T18:31:00.004-05:00

About 20 years ago, my mom and dad created this recipe together. My mom told me it took them about 5 different times of making it to get it right and the result is still a family favorite. This recipe makes 2 9x13 pans, but can also be put into 4 8x8 pans for smaller families. After it is made and before it is baked it can be frozen for a future meal. Just wrap it well to keep it from getting freezer burn. I cut the following recipe in half and it made enough for an 11x13 cake pan.

Our Lasagna
2 lbs lean hamburger or turkey
2 t Italian seasoning
1 onion finely chopped
2 t garlic powder
1 48 jar oz original prego
1 30 tub oz ricotta
3 T parsley flakes
3 eggs
3/4 c Parmesan cheese
2 lbs mozzarella cheese
12 lasagna noodles
In a large pan, brown meat, onion, seasoning and garlic. Drain fat off. Stir in prego.
In another pan boil water for the noodles and cook them according to the direction on the box. After they are cooked drain the noodle and have them waiting to be used. In a bowl mix ricotta, parsley, eggs and Parmesan cheese. In the greased pan layer 3 noodles then the cheese mixture then the meat mixture and top with mozzarella. Do this process (noodles, cheese mixture, meat mixture and mozzarella) one more time, and it will be ready to bake or to be frozen.
Bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes. Let it set 15 minutes before cutting.

Corn & Salmon Chowder

2009-02-03T21:07:00.008-05:00

This recipe is from Williams-Sonoma Cooking for Baby. I googled salmon chowder and this recipe honestly looked to be the best recipe that I found so I decided to give it a try. I slightly changed the amounts of some of the ingredients so I made those notes. It was really delicious soup! Even tho it's from a baby cook book. :-)

Corn & Salmon Chowder
1/2 lb red potatoes (I used 3)
1/4 cup diced onion
1 celery rib (I used 4)
1 medium carrot, peeled (I used half of a small bag of baby carrots)
1 clove garlic
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 bay leaf (omitted)
1 1/2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth (I used 1 can and a carton of V8 Southwestern Corn liquid soup mix)
3/4 lb skinless salmon fillet
1 1/2 cups whole milk
1 1/2 cups corn kernels, fresh or frozen (I used canned corn - only one can since I added the V8 liquid)
salt and pepper
Peel and dice potatoes and set aside. Dice onion, celery, and carrot. Mince garlic.
In a soup pot over medium heat, heat oil. Add onion, celery, carrot, garlic, and bay leaf and saute until vegetables turn golden, 5-7 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes. Add broth and potatoes, increase heat to high, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until potatoes are tender, about 12 minutes.
Cut salmon into 1-inch pieces.
Puree milk and 1 cup corn in a blender. Add corn puree, 1/2 cup corn kernels, and salmon pieces to pot. Return to medium heat and simmer, uncovered, until salmon is cooked through and soup is hot, 5-7 minutes. Discard bay leaf. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Note: If you are making this for baby, the recipe says that if the soup is too chunky to use a food mill or food processor for baby's portion.

Guacamole with Red Pepper

2009-01-29T20:18:00.008-05:00

This was so yummy! Seriously, most of it was gone in one sitting. It was tasty and a good flavor!
Guacamole with Red Pepper from Super Dips By Dorie Greenspan
Publication Date: 01/25/2009

Guacamole With Red Pepper
Get ready for next week's big game with this great dip—a classic guacamole with a twist.
Touchdown!
4 avocados, halved and pitted
Grated zest and juice of 1 limes (I just used lime juice)
4 slices red onion, diced (I used yellow onion)
1 jalapeno, finely diced (omitted - too spicy for me)
1/4 cup minced cilantro leaves (omitted because I didn't want to buy an entire bunch)
Salt and pepper, to taste
Tabasco (optional) (didn't add)
1/2 red bell pepper, finely diced

Scrape avocados into a bowl. Add lime zest and juice and mash with a spoon or fork until chunky or smooth—whichever you prefer. Stir in the onion, jalapeno, cilantro, and a good pinch of salt and pepper to taste. Next, add hot sauce, if desired. Fold in the red pepper. Serve with your favorite chips and wedges of bell peppers.
Serves 8. Per serving: 160 calories, 11g carbs, 2g protein, 13g fat, no cholesterol.

Crock Pot Beef Stew

2009-01-29T19:19:00.005-05:00

Crock Pot Beef Stew
Ingredients:
2 lbs beef stew meat
1 onion, sliced
handful of baby tomatoes (I used one 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes)
celery (1/2 a bunch)
carrots (half a bag of baby carrots and half a bag of shredded carrots I had in the frig)
2 cloves garlic, minced
green beans (I used one can)
mushrooms (omitted but only because I didn't have any fresh or canned)
2 cans beef broth (I used 1 can beef, 1 can chicken because that's what I had on hand)
1/4 cup red wine (I cook with the $3 wine from walmart since my wine of choice from Trader Joe's isn't closeby where I live)
1 t kosher salt
black pepper
1 t seasoning blend (whatever you have on hand for bbqing, stir-frying, etc. I used a grilling seasoning mix but even Seasoned Salt would work.)
1 t Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup frozen peas (omitted because peas are not always my thing)
Directions
1. Wash and chop all of your vegetables.
2. Put them into the Crock Pot.
3. Put the flour in a bowl with a little salt and pepper, and toss your meat in it to fully coat.
4. Put the meat into the Crock Pot.
5. Add dry seasoning and Worcestershire sauce.
6. Pour in the wine and beef broth.
7. Cover and cook on low for 8-12 hours.
8. Stir in the peas just before serving.

Honey-Soy Chicken

2009-01-24T20:10:00.006-05:00

This is my favorite way to make chicken breasts quickly. It has a sweet and sour tang to it that is so good! Just make the chicken as you normally would prepare it (on stove top or George foreman grill) then top with the mixture below. Use 2-4 chicken breasts.

From Woman's Day Food circa 2007
by Ellen Greene

Honey-Soy Chicken

Mix 1/3 cup soy sauce, 2 Tbsp red-wine vinegar, a Tbsp honey, a tsp minced garlic and 3/4 tsp crushed red pepper*
Heat 1 minute.

*3/4 tsp red pepper is too much for me, I use just under 1/4 tsp.

Antipasto Chicken

2009-01-24T20:03:00.003-05:00

This is a yummy and easy chicken recipe as well. Similar to the Mediterranean style tilapia recipe I love. Just make the chicken as you normally would prepare it (on stove top or George foreman grill) then top with the mixture below. Use 2-4 chicken breasts.

From Woman's Day Food circa 2007
by Ellen Greene

Antipasto Chicken

Mix an undrained 12-oz jar marinated artichoke hearts; drained 12-oz jar roasted red peppers, sliced; an 1/3 cup pitted kalamata olives. Heat 1 minute.

Mushroom Chicken

2009-01-24T19:56:00.008-05:00

This is super easy and pretty good, too. It would also be a good topping for thin steaks. Just make the chicken as you normally would prepare it (on stove top or George foreman grill) then top with the mixture below. Use 2-4 chicken breasts

From Woman's Day Food circa 2007
by Ellen Greene

Mushroom Chicken

Saute 8oz sliced mushrooms and 1/3 cup finely diced red onion until golden. Add 1/2 cup chicken broth, 2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar, 2 sliced cloves garlic, 1/2 tsp dried thyme, and 1/8 tsp each salt and pepper. Simmer 4 minutes. Off heat, stir in 1 Tbsp of butter.

Aunt Mary's Sloppy Joes

2009-01-09T19:40:00.010-05:00

Here I am with my great Aunt Mary from my recent visit home. She is spunky and feisty and has the best most practical recipes you will ever find. Of course I am biased because she is my great aunt!

Sloppy Joes (I cut this in half for 2 people and still have leftovers)

3 tsp shortening - omit if you want
3 lbs. ground beef or turkey
3 large onions chopped
1 clove garlic chopped
1 clove garlic minced
1 tbsp salt
1.5 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp red pepper - or add 1/4 tsp black and 1/4 red because red does give a kick
2 tsp chili powder
2 tsp worteschire sauce
1/4 c. flour
1 1/4 canned diced tomatoes
3/4 cup ketchup

so from here you just have to brown up all of it and voila serve on italian rolls or just hamburger buns.

Mac and Cheese Hot dogs

2009-01-09T19:22:00.006-05:00

So depending on the level of comfort you want from this comfort food and the ingredients you have on hand you have a variety of ways to make this. I only buy lil smokies if they are sale so I opt for cutting up turkey hot dogs, fat free if possible. this can be done in oven or crock pot depending again on the time you have. You can use mac in a box or make from scratch (so much better but you can doctor mac in a box to help it taste more homemade.) So this is a win win as long as you eat a healthy veggie etc since it's all carbs. But oh so good.

Mac and Cheese Smokies/Hot dogs/etc
adapted from a variety of different sources, mostly a cross between my mom's recipe and lil smokies official online recipe

Ingredients:
This one is a real comfort dinner meal but can be served at a party.
Keep it warm in a crock pot after cooking according to the directions.
1 macaroni and cheese dinner pack (7 ¼ oz. size)
1 pack of Lit'l Smokies (1 lb.) 1 lb. hot dogs chopped
1 standard size cream of mushroom soup (10 ¾ oz.) or cream of broccoli or cream of whatever you have in your pantry
1/3 cup of milk (whole milk) I used skim

Toppings (parley flakes and cheddar cheese) (low fat cheese)

Directions:
Mix up the mac and cheese according to the package directions.
Mix the macaroni and cheese with the Smokies, Soup, and milk. Sprinkle parsley over the top of the mixture and put some cheddar cheese on top(if you are serving this for a family meal). If you are baking this and then putting it in the crock pot to keep it warm, then reserve the parsley and cheese and sprinkle that on right before guests begin serving the Smokies.
* Note – This is a tasty dish but not as pretty as some of the other Smokie party dishes.

Nutrition Facts (these change a bit if you alter ingredients to low fat options)
Serving Size 1 (160g) Recipe makes 8 servings Calories 412 Calories from Fat 262 (63%)
Amount Per Serving % DV Total Fat 29.1g 44% Saturated Fat 13.3g 66%
Monounsaturated Fat 10.7g Polyunsaturated Fat 2.8g Trans Fat 0.0g Cholesterol 76mg 25%
Sodium 1212mg 50% Potassium 289mg 8% Total Carbohydrate 22.2g 7% Dietary Fiber 0.8g 3% Sugars 4.0g Protein 15.9g 31%

Directions
1 Preheat oven to 350°F.
2 cook for approx 20-25 min
3 eat and enjoy

Pumpkin Cobbler

2008-12-30T19:36:00.003-05:00

I made this as a dessert on christmas and it was so good! there wasn't much left to bring home.

Pumpkin Cobbler
from Gooseberry Patch Classics
Serves 15 -18

Ingredients
3 eggs, beaten
1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin
1 (12 ounce) can evaporated milk (didnt have this ingredient on hand so I used sweetened condensed milk)
1 cup sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 (18 1/2 ounce) package yellow cake mix
1 1/4 cups margarine, melted (I used butter.)
1 cup chopped nuts (omitted)
Directions
1. In a mixing bowl, combine the first 8 ingredients; stir well.
2. Pour mixture into an ungreased 13x9 inch baking pan.
3. Sprinkle cake mix over the top.
4. Drizzle with melted margarine.
5. Bake in a 350° oven for 25 minutes; top with nuts.
6. Bake 15 more minutes.

Zuppa Toscana Soup (Olive Garden Copycat recipe)

2008-12-12T19:41:00.005-05:00

I love soup in cold weather and this soup is soooo good and came out pretty close to tasting like the Olive Garden soup. I will definitely make this again!

Zuppa Toscana (Olive Garden Copycat Recipe)
Source: Robbie's Recipes

Ingredients
1 pound spicy Italian sausage - crumbled
1/2 pound smoked bacon - chopped
4 cups water
2, 14.5 ounce cans (about 3 2/3 cups) chicken broth
2 large russet potatoes - scrubbed clean, cubed (I used 3 and could have used more, maybe 4-5, I like potatoes though)
2 garlic cloves - peeled, crushed
1 medium onion - peeled, chopped
2 cups chopped kale OR Swiss chard (I used Swiss chard it turned out Whole Foods is the only store I found near here with either of these ingredients. Oh how I miss Woodmans)
1 cup heavy whipping cream (I used half and half)
salt and pepper - to taste

Directions
1. In a skillet over medium-high heat, brown sausage, breaking into small pieces as you fry it; drain, set aside.
2. In a skillet over medium-high heat, brown bacon; drain, set aside.
3. Place water, broth, potatoes, garlic, and onion in a pot; simmer over medium heat until potatoes are tender.
4. Add sausage and bacon to pot; simmer for 10 minutes.
5. Add kale and cream to pot; season with salt and pepper; heat through.

Cheesy bread with dill

2008-12-08T19:00:00.009-05:00

This was really yummy and so easy to make. I was wanting red lobster style cheddar biscuits and this was the next best thing I had ingredients for on hand. Most pantries would have all of these ingredients. I ate this bread with brunswick stew

Brethren Cheese Bread
Source: reading, 'riting and recipes
Ingredients
2 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 tablespoon sugar
½ teaspoon salt
¼ cup butter or margarine
1 cup grated, sharp cheddar cheese
1 ½ tablespoons dried dill weed
1 tablespoon grated onion (sub onion powder)
¾ cup milk
1 egg, slightly beaten

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease well a 9x5x3" loaf pan. Mix dry ingredients in a bowl and cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in cheese, onion and dill weed; mix well. Combine milk and beaten egg; pour into flour mixture and stir just to moisten. Turn into prepared pan. Bake 40-45 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Let cool in pan 10 minutes and turn out onto wire rack to cool.

Georgia-style Brunswick stew

2008-12-08T17:40:00.006-05:00

This is a Georgia-style Brunswick stew and was adapted from about.com, southern recipes and a recipe from a co-worker. Below are my adjustments. Yummy and simply southern tasting.

Ingredients:
1 pound ground beef (I used ground turkey)

1 pounds chicken or pork, or a combination, cooked and diced (omitted)

2 cans beef in bbq sauce (vietti brand available at walmart)
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon hot sauce, or to taste
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce (omitted)
1 or 2 tablespoons dried minced onion, optional (I used one small onion, diced and cooked with turkey)
3 to 4 tablespoons bacon drippings (I used 2 cans of chicken broth)
1/2 cup barbecue sauce, your favorite (I used a bit less than a small bottle)
1 1/2 cups ketchup (I used a small bottle)
2 to 3 cups diced potatoes, cooked (maybe next time, omitted this time because I didn't feel up to dicing and cooking them)

1 large can of crushed tomatoes (added)

3 cans (15 to 16 ounces each) cream-style corn (omitted, we aren't really corn fans)
Preparation:

Place all ingredients in a stockpot or Dutch oven. Cover and simmer until hot and bubbly. Taste and adjust seasonings with more salt and hot sauce, as desired. I cooked on h.igh in crock pot for about 2 hours.
Serves 6 to 8. Related Recipes

Creamy dill salmon steaks

2008-12-08T17:35:00.004-05:00

This was really good and can be served over pasta or egg noodles.

Creamy Dill Salmon Steaks
from Taste of Home
The moist salmon steaks and simple sauce are cooked in the same skillet for each prep and cleanup. "Friends have found this dinner to be elegant and delicious," says Valerie Hutson of Byron, Minnesota.

SERVINGS: 4
CATEGORY: Main Dish
METHOD:
TIME: Prep/Total Time: 25 min.
Ingredients:
1/2 cup chopped green onions
1 tablespoon butter or margarine
1 can (10-3/4 ounces) condensed cream of chicken soup, undiluted
1/2 cup half-and-half cream
2 tablespoons white wine or chicken broth
2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill or 2 teaspoons dill weed
4 salmon steaks (1 inch thick)
Directions: In a large skillet, saute the onions in butter. Add the soup, cream, wine or broth and dill. Place salmon steaks on top. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes or until fish flakes easily with a fork. Yield: 4 servings.

Nutrition Facts
One serving: (1 each) Calories: 866 Fat: 53 g Saturated Fat: 14 g Cholesterol: 262 mg Sodium:
858 mg Carbohydrate: 7 g Fiber: 1 g Protein: 82 g

Campbells Lemon Broccoli Chicken

2008-12-03T18:32:00.005-05:00

I've not gone grocery shopping since I came back from visiting family and friends in IL over Thanksgiving. I laid out chicken to thaw and I found a can of soup in the pantry. This recipe was on the back of the can. It was easy and good, too.

Campbell's® Lemon Broccoli Chicken
From: Campbell's Kitchen
Prep/Cook: 20 minutes
Serves: 4
Ingredients:
1 lemon (I just used lemon juice)
1 tbsp. vegetable oil
4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
1 can (10 3/4 oz.) Campbell's® Condensed Cream of Broccoli Soup (Regular or 98% Fat Free)1/2 cup milk
1/8 tsp. ground black pepper
4 cups hot cooked regular long-grain white rice

Directions:
CUT 4 thin slices of lemon.
Squeeze 2 tsp. juice from remaining lemon.
HEAT oil in skillet. Add chicken and cook until browned.
ADD soup, milk, lemon juice and pepper. Top chicken with lemon slices. Heat to a boil. Cover and cook over low heat 5 min. or until done. Serve with rice.
Nutrition Information
Using Campbell's® Condensed Cream of Broccoli Soup: Calories 451, Total Fat 10g, Saturated Fat 2g, Cholesterol 79mg, Sodium 539mg, Total Carbohydrate 55g, Dietary Fiber 2g, Protein 33g, Vitamin A 5%DV, Vitamin C 8%DV, Calcium 9%DV, Iron 18%DV
Using Campbell's® Condensed 98% Fat Free Cream of Broccoli Soup: Calories 438, Total Fat 9g, Saturated Fat 2g, Cholesterol 77mg, Sodium 509mg, Total Carbohydrate 53g, Dietary Fiber 2g, Protein 33g, Vitamin A 3%DV, Vitamin C 8%DV, Calcium 8%DV, Iron 16%DV

Crock pot Coca Cola ham

2008-11-11T16:12:00.006-05:00

When I found a 2 pound ham on sale, I remembered my mom making this when I was a kid. I never buy coke but had 2 bottles from a recent trip to the Coca Cola Museum so I figured that would be a good excuse to use them. I googled the recipe and just made adjustments to this one (my adjustments are in italics.) I stopped at the bakery for onion rolls to serve with this and made a veggie as well. Super easy dinner and good, too!

Slow Cooker Cola Ham
from About.com

This easy crock pot ham recipe is very popular, made with fully cooked ham, brown sugar and mustard, and cola.

Cook Time: 8 hours (I did 6 hours because I had only 2 pounds of ham)

Ingredients:
1/2 cup brown sugar (I only used a 1/4 cup)
1 tsp dry mustard (I used just about 1 tsp. of boar's head honey mustard)
1/4 cup cola (Coca Cola, Dr. Pepper, etc.) (1 bottle of Coca Cola)
3 to 4 pound pre-cooked ham (2 pounds)

Preparation: Combine brown sugar and mustard. Moisten with just enough cola to make a smooth paste. Reserve remaining cola. Score the ham with shallow slashes in a diamond pattern. Rub ham with paste mixture. Place ham in slow cooker/Crock Pot and add remaining cola. Cover and cook on high for 1 hour, then turn to low and cook for 6 to 7 hours. Serves 9 to 12.
A 5 pound ham could be cooked in a larger slow cooker. Cook for 1 hour on high, then 8 to 10 hours on low.

Apple Cake

2008-11-11T15:55:00.001-05:00

I wanted to make an apple-ish fall dessert other than apple pie (pie just sounded too rich and syrupy). I looked through recipes and decided this one. I wanted a cake that would be light and not too cake-y. I hoped that the spices in this recipe would compliment each other and not overwhelm the apple taste either. Above all I crossed my fingers that it wouldn't turn out like a coffee cake or crumb cake. And it didn't! It was simple and yummy, the apples were soft but crisp just enough and the fall spices are so yummy. Anyway, the recipe is definitely a keeper!

Apple Cake
Everyday Food
Serves 16

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted, plus more for pan (I used pam to spray the pan instead of butter)
2 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed light-brown sugar
1 1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
1 1/2 pounds apples, peeled, cored, and cut into 1-inch chunks (I used 4 small gala apples. Also, I cheated and did not peel them and the chunks were small enough that it didn't make a difference with the finished product)
1/2 c. chopped walnuts (omitted because I'm not a huge fan)
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
confectioners' sugar, for dusting

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9x13 inch baking pan; set aside.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugars, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg.
3. Add the apples, walnuts, butter, and eggs; stir just until combined.
4. Spoon into pan; smooth with a spatula.
5. Bake 40 to 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
6. Cool in pan. Dust with confectioners' sugar to serve

Note: Best apple for baking: Look for a hard, crisp variety that will retain its shape when baked. Gala and Golden Delicious are ideal.

Amish pumpkin bars

2008-10-19T20:09:00.001-04:00

I was in the mood for pumpkin bars today and could not reach my mom by phone to get her recipe. I googled pumpkin bars and found so many recipes online. I eventually decided to make this Amish recipe that I found because I figured you usually can't go wrong with Amish baking.
Loved it! It was just enough pumpkin flavor.

Delicious Pumpkin Bars
These bars are delicious by themselves or even better, topped with the heavenly cream cheese frosting included in this recipe.
BARS:
2 c. all-purpose flour
2 c. sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. each, baking soda, cinnamon and nutmeg
1/2 tsp. each, salt and cloves
1 c. oil
2 c. pumpkin
4 eggs
1/2 cup raisins (omitted because I didn't have any)

FROSTING:
2 c. powdered sugar
1/3 c. butter, softened
1 3-ounce pkg. cream cheese, softened (I used 6 oz. fat free cream cheese - I love cream cheese)
1 T. milk
1 tsp. vanilla

DIRECTIONS:
Heat oven to 350 degrees, grease 9x13 baking pan. To make the bars, combine all ingredients except raisins and beat on low until moistened. Beat 2 minutes at medium speed and stir in raisins. Pour into greased pan and bake for 45-50 minutes, until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. Let cool completely.

For frosting, combine all ingredients and beat until smooth. Frost after cooling and cut into bars. Store in refrigerator.

Crock pot pizza soup

2008-10-19T19:45:00.000-04:00

I found this on a crockpotting website and it was actually really good. I love soups and this one uses fresh veggies. I will definitely make this again.

Ingredients:
1 jar (14 oz) of pizza sauce (I used Ragu but next time I'm going to try a Trader Joes or whole foods sauce - basically an all natural brand to make it a better for you soup)
3 empty jars full of water
1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1/2 red onion, chopped (I used a whole red onion because we love onion)
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1 cup baby tomatoes, cut in quarters (I used 1 can diced tomatoes and didn't drain them)
2 already-cooked Italian sausage (I used chicken Italian sausage)
1 cup sliced pepperoni, sliced in quarters (Hormel turkey pepperoni is labeled gluten free)
8 fresh basil leaves, chopped (or 1/2 T dried)
1 T dried oregano
1/2 to 1/3 cup of dried pasta (if your pasta is tiny, use 1/3 cup. if it's big, do 1/2. I used 1/2 cup Trader Joe's brown rice penne)

shredded mozzarella cheese (to add later)

The Directions.
Use a 5 or 6 quart crockpot for this recipe. Serves 4-6
Wash and prepare veggies. Dump them into the crockpot. Cut up the sausage into small pieces--I sliced, then cut the pieces in fourths. Add to crockpot. Cut up the pepperoni, add it, too. Add basil and oregano. Pour in the pizza sauce, and follow with three empty jars of water.Cover and cook on low for 7-9 hours. Everything in this is already cooked, so you are really only heating through and allowing the flavors to meld.
Thirty minutes before serving, add the dry pasta, and turn to high. My pasta only took 20 minutes to soften quite nicely. Garnish/top with shredded mozzarella cheese.

Corn casserole

2008-10-19T19:42:00.000-04:00

This is a very easy side dish and yummy too. I found it online and took it to a couple cook-outs this summer and everyone had seconds and thirds and so on til it was gone.

Corn Casserole
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
8 oz sour cream
1/2 stick butter

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. In a large bowl, stir together the 2 cans of corn, corn muffin mix, sour cream, and butter.
3. Pour into a 9 by 13-inch casserole dish.
4. Bake for 45 minutes, or until golden brown.
5. Serve and enjoy!

Spinach and Jack Cheese Bread Pudding

2008-07-08T15:31:00.000-04:00

Spinach and Jack Cheese Bread Pudding from Good Housekeeping

I am not a huge quiche fan but wanted a breakfast-type casserole for dinner so I opted for a bread pudding since I needed to use up some bread. This was very easy. I cut it in half and will add more spices or salt next time or use a more full flavored cheese.

From Good Housekeeping triple-tested at the Good Housekeeping Research Institute

INGREDIENTS
6 large eggs
2 cup(s) (1%) low-fat milk
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon(s) salt
1/4 teaspoon(s) coarsely ground pepper
1 pinch(s)ground nutmeg
1 package(s)(10 ounces) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1 cup(s)(4 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack cheese
8 slice(s) firm white bread, cut into 3⁄4-inch pieces

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. In large bowl, with wire whisk or fork, beat eggs, milk, thyme, salt, pepper, and nutmeg until blended. With rubber spatula, stir in spinach, Monterey Jack, and bread.
Pour mixture into 13-inch by 9-inch ceramic or glass baking dish. Bake bread pudding 20 to 25 minutes or until browned and puffed and knife inserted in center comes out clean.
Remove bread pudding from oven; let stand 5 minutes before serving.

TIPS & TECHNIQUES
For a Mexican-style variation, replace Monterey Jack with pepper Jack cheese and add 4 ounces sliced pepperoni. Serve with salsa.

COOKING INFO
Recipe ingredient amounts have been adjusted. Cooking times and temperatures may be affected by increasing the amounts used, so please check food carefully during cooking.
NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION (per serving)
Calories
280
Total Fat
13g
Saturated Fat
6g
Cholesterol
233mg
Sodium
545mg
Total Carbohydrate
22g
Dietary Fiber
2g
Sugars
--
Protein
17g
Calcium

Pide with yogurt dip

2008-07-08T15:20:00.001-04:00

Pide with yogurt dip from Cooking Light

After visiting a Persian restaurant with some friends from that area of the world and loving the food, they made me some beef tongue, prepared in a Persian style. I decided I wanted to try making a traditional Turkish appetizer at home to go along with the beef tongue, which, by the way, was delicious and very tender. I love trying food from different cultures.

Ingredients
Dip: 1 cup fat-free plain yogurt
1/2 cup minced green onions
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons chopped fresh dill
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 (8-ounce) block
1/3-less-fat cream cheese, softened

Pide: 8 cups all-purpose flour (about 36 ounces)
2 teaspoons salt
1 package dry yeast (about 2 1/4 teaspoons)
2 1/3 cups warm water (100° to 110°)
Cooking spray
1 large egg yolk, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon nigella seeds (these you ususally have to purchase at a Turkisk/Persian market)

Preparation

To prepare dip, combine the first 8 ingredients, stirring with a whisk until blended and smooth. Cover and chill until ready to use.
To prepare pide (PEE-dah), lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, salt, and yeast in a large bowl. Add water; stir until a soft dough forms. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead until smooth and elastic (about 10 minutes). Place dough in a large bowl coated with cooking spray, turning to coat top. Cover and let rise in a warm place (85°), free from drafts, 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 500°.
Place a 13 x 15-inch baking sheet in oven; heat 10 minutes.
Place egg yolk in a small bowl; set aside. Remove baking sheet from oven; lightly coat with cooking spray. Quickly turn dough out onto preheated baking sheet. Pat or roll dough to edges of pan, being careful not to touch hot pan. Brush dough with egg yolk; sprinkle with nigella seeds.

Bake at 500° for 18 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven; release pide from baking sheet with a thin spatula. Place on a wire rack. Using a serrated knife, divide bread by making 4 lengthwise cuts and 3 crosswise cuts to form 20 equal portions. Serve warm or at room temperature with dip.

Yield
20 servings (serving size: 1 piece pide and about 1 1/2 tablespoons dip)
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Nutritional Information
CALORIES 224(14% from fat); FAT 3.4g (sat 1.9g,mono 0.9g,poly 0.3g); IRON 2.5mg; CHOLESTEROL 19mg; CALCIUM 44mg; CARBOHYDRATE 40.1g; SODIUM 353mg; PROTEIN 7.3g; FIBER 1.6g
Sabine Zempleni, Lincoln, Nebraska ,
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Cooking Light, JANUARY 2006

Tomato, Potato, Cucumber & Green Bean Salad

2008-06-10T16:23:00.001-04:00

I really don't have a recipe for this; it's just one of those summer salads that I love and I add whatever I want to eat when I'm making it.

Tomato, Potato, Cucumber & Green Bean Salad

White Potatoes 2-4, depending on how much you want to make
Fresh Green Beans, 1/2 to 1 pound
Onions 1-2, depending on how big (I use one small because I prefer less onion)
Roma Tomatoes 2-4
Cucumbers 1-2 large
Olive Oil (I used maybe 1 - 1 1/2 tbsp.)
White Vinegar (I used about 1 tbsp.)
Salt and Pepper
Dill (to taste, optional)
Oregano (to taste, optional)

1. Boil potatoes then peel skin off and cut into quarters or sixths then place in bowl.
2. Boil green beans (cut in half if they are long ones) then place in bowl.
3. Cut up onions and tomatoes place in bowl.
4. Add olive oil, just regular white vinegar (I use white wine vinegar if I have it.), salt and pepper to taste (I prefer sea salt and fresh ground pepper), add dill and oregano to taste if you want.
5. Mix and then taste to find out if it needs more of the olive oil, vinegar, etc.
The theory is less is more, you don't want to drench it with the oil and vinegar unless that's the way you like it.

Chicken Salad

2008-06-10T16:19:00.000-04:00

I was craving some chicken salad, it definitely is a summer staple! There are many different variations but this is the recipe I used and it can be altered to whatever works for you:

Chicken Salad

Ingredients
1 large cooked chicken breast, diced (about 1 cup)
1 stalked celery, diced
1/2 teaspoon sugar (optional)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
1/2 cup grapes, sliced or diced
1/4 - 1/2 cup mayonnaise (or miracle whip)
1/4 c. almonds, sliced or slivered

Directions
1Pull apart the chicken into large chunks and either cut it into a small dice or process in a mini food processor.
2Place chicken in a large mixing bowl and add all remaining ingredients (except bread).
3Mix well.

Easy Key Lime Pie

2008-06-05T14:24:00.000-04:00

I've been craving something tangy and this pie is very tart. It didn't firm up as much as I thought it would, though I am not sure why. I may try it frozen too because that would be delicious as well.

Easy Key Lime Pie
from Real Simple
1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
1 6-ounce can frozen limeade concentrate (not thawed)
1 cup heavy cream
1 6-ounce graham cracker pie crust
Zest of 1 lime

1. Place the condensed milk, limeade concentrate, and cream in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat until fluffy and soft peaks form.
2. Pour the filling into the pie crust and smooth the top.
3. Refrigerate until chilled and loosely set, at least 4 hours (and up to overnight).
4. Sprinkle the pie with the zest before serving.

Roasted Chickpeas

2008-06-05T13:50:00.000-04:00

Sometimes I crave something crunchy and this is a more healthy alternative to chips or even crackers as a snack. Next time I'm going to use some creole seasoning in place of the garlic salt to give it an extra kick.

Roasted Chickpeas
1 (12 ounce) can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained
2 tablespoons olive oil (I used a tsp. at the end.)
salt (optional)
(1 tsp.) garlic salt (optional)
(1/2 tsp.) cayenne pepper (optional) (Just a dash.)
Curry powder (dash)

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C).
2. Blot chickpeas with a paper towel to dry them. (I rinsed well and then dried in paper towels.)
3. In a bowl, toss chickpeas with olive oil, and season to taste with salt, garlic salt, and cayenne pepper, if using. (I did not toss them with anything until they came out, I put them on the baking sheet dry.)
4. Spread on a baking sheet, and bake for 30 to 40 minutes (I only cooked mine for about 17 minutes or so, and they were perfect for me.), until browned and crunchy.
5. Watch carefully the last few minutes to avoid burning.
6. After taking out, toss with olive oil and seasonings. Enjoy!

Chicken-Sausage (Turkey Kielbasa) and Asparagus saute over Cheese Grits

2008-05-16T17:03:00.000-04:00

This is definitely the most Southern dish I've cooked yet! But I have to admit, even the grits were yummy and this interesting combo actually is quite tasty!

Chicken-Sausage (Turkey Kielbasa) and Asparagus saute over Cheese Grits
from Every Day food, adjusted to serve 4 instead of 1
Serves 4

1 tbsp. olive oil
1 precooked chicken sausage, thinly sliced on the diagonal (I used 2 large links of turkey kielbasa.)
1 small red onion, halved and thinly sliced (I used yellow onion.)
1/2 bunch asparagus, tough ends removed, cut into 1-inch lengths (I used a whole bunch.)
1 tsp. fresh thyme or 1/4 tsp. dried
1 tsp. fresh lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 c. grits or yellow cornmeal (I used 1 c. grits.)
2 tbsp. crumbled fresh goat cheese (I used about 1 c. sharp cheddar.)

1. Heat oil in skillet over medium-high. Cook sausage until browned, tossing occasionally, 1-2 minutes; transfer to a plate.
2. Reduce heat to medium. Add onions and cook until softened, 3-5 minutes.
3. Add asparagus, thyme and 1/3 c. water (I used about a cup and that was too much liquid. I would start with half a cup and add more as needed.) Cover and steam until asparagus is just tender and water has evaporated, about 6 minutes.
4. Add sausage and lemon juice, toss. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat.
5. In a small saucepan, bring 1 c. salt water to a boil. (I used 4 cups of liquid. 2 c. beef stock (chicken stock would work fine, too) and 2 c. water.)
6. Gradually whisk in grits.
7. Reduce heat to low and cook, stirring frequently, until thickened, about 6 minutes.
8. Stir in cheese and season with salt and pepper.
9. Serve sausage and asparagus over grits.
I topped grits with a touch of shredded cheese, too.

Honey-Glazed Chicken and Roasted Carrots with Honey

2008-05-16T16:57:00.000-04:00

Honey-Glazed Chicken
from Good Thymes and Good Food and Everyday Food

Ingredients
Serves 4 (I cut the recipe in half - just split it down the middle)
1/2 cup honey
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
2 teaspoons dried thyme
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 chicken, (about 3 pounds) cut into 8 pieces
(I just used boneless skinless breasts)

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 475 (I cooked them at 450 with the carrots on the same baking sheet)degrees.
2. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil.
3. In a small bowl (or glass measuring cup), whisk together honey, vinegar, thyme, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
4. Place chicken pieces on prepared pan; brush with honey glaze to coat.
5. Roast, brushing twice with glaze (do not baste during last 5 minutes of cooking), until chicken is deep brown on the outside and opaque throughout, 20 to 25 minutes.

Roasted Carrots with Honey
Ingredients Serves 4 (I cut this in half, too)
1 1/2 pounds carrots, cut on the diagonal into 2-inch lengths and halved lengthwise if thick (I just used a small bag of baby carrots and cut them in half)
1 tablespoon olive oil
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 tablespoon honey

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
2. On a rimmed baking sheet, toss carrots with oil; season with salt and pepper. (I roasted them with the honey drizzled on them)
3. Roast, tossing once, until tender, 30 to 35 minutes.
4. Remove from oven, and toss with honey (I didn't do this since I roasted them in honey).

Zucchini, Sausage, and Feta Casserole

2008-05-05T10:49:00.001-04:00

Zucchini, Sausage, and Feta Casserole
from Cooking Light

This pasta casserole combines pantry ingredients with fresh summer produce for a hearty, family-friendly dish. Any leftovers are even better the next day as the flavors have time to meld.
Ingredients
2 1/2 cups uncooked ziti (short tube-shaped pasta)
8 ounces chicken sausage (I used as zesty habenero flavored sausage to add some kick and may try a tomato basil kind next time)
1 teaspoon olive oil
5 cups thinly sliced zucchini (about 1 1/2 pounds)
2 cups vertically sliced onion (about 1)
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt object2
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper object
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
1/2 cup (2 ounces) crumbled feta cheese object
1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

Preparation
Preheat oven to 400°.
Cook pasta in boiling water 5 minutes, omitting salt and fat; drain.
Remove casings from sausage. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add sausage to pan; cook until browned, stirring to crumble. Remove from pan. Heat oil in pan. Add zucchini, onion, salt, pepper, and garlic. Cook 10 minutes or until vegetables are tender and zucchini begins to brown, stirring occasionally.
Combine broth and flour in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk. Add broth mixture to pan; cook 1 minute. Combine zucchini mixture, pasta, sausage, and feta cheese in a large bowl; toss well. Spoon pasta mixture into an 11 x 7-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle evenly with mozzarella cheese. Bake at 400° for 20 minutes or until bubbly and lightly browned.

* I also sprinkled with a little olive oil when I pulled it out of the oven because the cheese dried out just a bit.

Yield
6 servings (serving size: 1 cup)

Nutritional Information
CALORIES 284(27% from fat); FAT 8.6g (sat 4.6g,mono 1.9g,poly 0.6g); PROTEIN 16.9g; CHOLESTEROL 35mg; CALCIUM 160mg; SODIUM 433mg; FIBER 2.6g; IRON 2mg; CARBOHYDRATE 35.3g
Lia Huber
Cooking Light, JULY 2007

Chicken Tortilla Soup

2008-04-30T11:12:00.000-04:00

This was very yummy! It reminds me of a Mexican Chili but with chicken and more flavors infused. Next time I may substitute ground turkey and see how that tastes. Friends ate almost all of it. It was a hit!

Chicken Tortilla Soup
From Good Thymes and Good Food

INGREDIENTS
1 onion, chopped
2 carrots, diced
1 stalk celery, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 tsp. cumin
1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
1 (10.5 ounce) can condensed chicken broth
1 1/4 cups water
1 cup whole corn kernels, cooked
1 cup white hominy (I don't like hominy so I used chickpeas)
1 (4 ounce) can chopped green chile peppers
1 (15 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro (omitted as I did not want to purchase a huge package of it)
2 boneless chicken breast halves, cooked and cut into bite-sized pieces (I roasted them at 425 for about 22 minutes.)
crushed tortilla chips
sliced avocado
shredded Monterey Jack cheese (I had cheddar/jack and just used that.)c
hopped green onions
chopped red onion
lime juice
sour cream

DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 425.
Drizzle chicken with a little olive oil, salt, pepper and a little chili powder.
2. Roast chicken for 22-25 minutes. When cooked, shred with two forks.
3. In a medium stock pot, heat oil over medium heat.
4. Saute onion, carrot and celery in oil until soft.
5. Add garlic and cook until fragrant.
6. Stir in chili powder, oregano and cumin. Coat vegetables.
7. Add tomatoes, broth, and water.
8. Bring to a boil, and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes.
9. Stir in corn, hominy, chiles, beans, cilantro, and chicken.
10. Simmer for 10 minutes.
11. Ladle soup into individual serving bowls, and top/garnish with crushed tortilla chips, avocado slices, cheese, chopped green onion, red onion, lime juice and/or sour cream.

Tortellini Sausage Salad

2008-04-30T10:49:00.000-04:00

This is my new favorite salad recipe and the best way to eat raw spinach. It's yummy and has a Mediterranean flare.

Tortellini Sausage Salad
from Good Thymes and Good Food

5 T. vegetable oil, divided (I use olive oil and only about 2 1/2 - 3 tbsp.)
1 pkg. Italian sausage links (I used Kielbasa.)
1 pkg. 9 oz cheese tortilli (I used a 16 oz. bag and I could have used more)
1 6 1/2 oz. jar marinated artichokes - reserve marinade
1/2 c. black olives - sliced
1/2 c. feta, crumbled
1 clove garlic minced
1 tsp. dried basil (For both the basil and the dill, fresh would be great if you have it.)
1/4 tsp. dried dill
1/4 c. green onion
1/2 c. torn/chopped fresh spinach leaves (I used a whole 5 oz. bag and chopped it roughly.)
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
1 tbsp. white wine vinegar (I added this)

1. Heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium high and add sausage. (I cut my Kielbasa up first.)
2. Brown 8 to 10 minutes, turning occasionally.
3. Reduce heat and cook 8 to 10 minutes more, turning once. (I cooked it for about 10 minutes total. I also used this pan to make a sauce, don't clean it yet!)
4. Cool and cut into 1/4 inch slices.
5. Cook tortellini and drain.
6. Toss the tortellini in 1 tbsp. oil.
7. Combine tortellini, sausage, olives, feta, artichokes, green onions, and tomatoes, spinach. (I also added the olives at this point)

**This is what I did differently from the recipe. I used the pan I cooked the Kielbasa in. It had a good amount of oil it in. I added the garlic and cooked that quickly. Then I added the other seasonings and about 1 tbsp. white wine vinegar to make the marinade. I whisked that together and gathered all the brown bits from the bottom of the pan. This is what I poured over the tortellini and sausage. The cooked garlic was better than raw garlic, in my opinion, and I plan it this way from now on.)

8. Which together 1/4 c. reserved marinade, 3 tbsp. oil, vinegar, garlic, basil and dill.
9. Pour over sausage mixture.
10. Refrigerate several hours. (I did not do this. I added the spinach and served immediately and it was fine)
11. Add spinach 20 minutes before serving.

Beef Pepper Steak

2008-04-17T08:25:00.000-04:00

This was fairly quick and easy, especially because I chopped up the peppers and onion the night before.

Pepper Steak (from Good Thymes and Good Food)
Prep Time:20 min
Total Time:35 min
Makes: 4 servings

1 green bell pepper, cut into strips
1 red bell pepper, cut into strips
1 yellow bell pepper, cut into strips
1 small onion, cut into strips (I used 1 medium)
1 lb. well-trimmed boneless beef sirloin steak, cut into strips
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. black pepper
3 Tbsp. lite soy sauce
1/2 cup KRAFT Original Barbecue Sauce (Omitted)
2 cups hot cooked brown rice (I used white rice because I didn't have whole wheat on hand.)
2 tbsp. olive oil
3 cloves garlic, pressed
1/2 tbsp. butter
1/2 tbsp. flour
1/2 c. (or so) beef stock

1. HEAT large nonstick skillet sprayed with cooking spray on medium-high heat. (I used about a tbsp. of olive oil.)
2. Add bell peppers and onions; cook and stir 6 to 8 min. or until vegetables are crisp-tender.
3. Transfer to large bowl; keep warm.
4. ADD meat, garlic and black pepper to same skillet (I added another tbsp. olive oil); cook and stir 3 min.
5. Add soy sauce; cook 1 min. or until meat is cooked through. Add barbecue sauce (omitted); cook until heated through.
6. SPOON meat mixture into bowl with vegetables; toss gently. Serve over rice.

I made a little sauce with what was left in the pan, as recommended by Good Thymes & Good Food. There was too much delicious, salty soy sauce and garlic to let it go to waste. I didn't want to just pour it over the meat and peppers. Here is what I did:
1. Add 1/2 tbsp. butter and let melt.
2. Add flour and cook for 1 minute. Stir to combine.
3. Add beef stock and bring to a slow boil til thickened.
4. Pepper to taste.
5. Serve over meat, rice and peppers. Delish! :)

Ham and Cheese Turnovers

2008-04-17T08:18:00.000-04:00

The recipe is from Real Simple magazine. It's very easy with hardly any prep time at all and all the ingredients compliment each other very well. It's something different but just as easy as making a pizza, etc.

Ham and Cheese Turnovers

1 1-pound package refrigerated pizza dough (I used a tube of pizza dough.)
8 ounces deli ham, thinly sliced (I used Boar's Head low sodium ham - yum!)
4 ounces Swiss cheese, thinly sliced
1/2 yellow onion, cut into thin rings
2 teaspoons whole-grain mustard (I used honey mustard.)
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 small head romaine, torn into pieces

1. Heat oven to 400° F.
2. Roll the pizza dough into a 14-inch circle and cut into 8 triangles.
3. Stack a piece of the ham, cheese, and onion (I spread a bit of honey mustard on each triangle.) on the bottom of each triangle and roll the dough up around the filling. (Some of the filling will stick out the ends.)
4. Transfer the rolls to a parchment-lined baking sheet.
(I sprayed the parchment paper with non-stick spray.)
5. Bake until golden and crisp, about 20 minutes.
6. Combine the mustard and oil in a medium bowl and toss with the romaine.
7. Serve with the turnovers.

Make Ahead: These turnovers can be assembled, wrapped tightly, and then refrigerated up to 12 hours in advance. Once cooked, they will last for up to 5 days in the refrigerator if sealed tightly in bags or containers. Reheat in a 350° F oven until warm.

Yield: Makes 4 servings NUTRITION PER SERVING CALORIES 561(36% from fat); FAT 22g (sat 7g); PROTEIN 28g; CHOLESTEROL 48mg; SODIUM 1346mg; FIBER 3g; CARBOHYDRATE 60g

My Darling Clementine Cookies

2008-04-14T15:45:00.001-04:00

This recipe was handed down to me by my great Aunt Mary who typed it up using an old fashioned typewriter on yellowed paper years ago.
They are delicious and simple to make. The recipe itself is charming because you sing it!

My Darling Clementine Cookies

1 cup brown sugar
1 cup soft butter
3 cups flour
1 1/2 t. baking powder
1/2 t. salt
1 egg, slightly beaten
3 T. milk
1 t. vanilla
1/4 cup sugar

Mix in bowl to the tune of "My Darling Clementine"

Mash the butter with the sugar,
stir in twenty times and then,
add the flour-baking powder
and the salt, and stir again.

Add the eggs and then the milk,
and add the vanilla, if you please.
Stir and scrunch well with your fingers
till you work the dough with ease.

Oh my darling, oh my darling
sugar cookies - you are fun!
You will soon be in the oven,
in my tummy when you're done.

Wash your hands, and with a teaspoon
round the dough on baking sheets.
Flatten each round with damp fingers,
top with sugar for a treat.

Bake at 400 deg. for 5 to 8 minutes or until lightly brown.

Spring Chicken and Vegetable Soup

2008-04-14T15:38:00.000-04:00

This soup is light and good for you yumminess. :) It makes a good rainy day meal.

Spring Chicken and Vegetable Soup
from Woman's Day
Happy Easter Dinner menu

Plan ahead: Slice veggies and chicken a day ahead and refrigerate.
3 cans (14 oz each) chicken broth
3 Tbsp orzo (rice-shaped pasta)
11⁄2 cups sliced baby or small zucchini and/or yellow squash
4 scallions, sliced, white and green parts separated
8 oz boneless, skinless chicken breasts, thinly sliced
1⁄2 cup frozen peas
1 Tbsp each lemon juice and snipped dill

1. Bring broth to a boil in a large saucepan. Stir in orzo; boil 9 minutes or until almost tender.
2. Stir in squash and white part of scallions; cook 1 minute. Add chicken and peas; reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, 1 minute or until chicken is cooked through and vegetables and orzo are tender.
3. Remove from heat and stir in lemon juice, dill and scallion greens.
Per serving: 82 cal, 11 g pro, 7 g car, 1 g fiber, 1 g fat (0 g sat fat), 22 mg chol, 413 mg sod

Hershey's Best Brownies

2008-04-14T15:31:00.000-04:00

Made from scracth brownies are definitely better than the box mixes. I didn't make the frosting though because I didn't want them to be so rich. These are yummy and gooey!

Hershey's Best Brownies from theNest.com recommendations

Ingredients:1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine, melted
1 cup sugar1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chopped nuts(optional) (I'm not a fan of nuts so I didn't add any.)
1/4 c. semi sweet chocolate chips dusted in flour (this made them more chocolate-y)

CREAMY BROWNIE FROSTING
(recipe follows)

Directions: Heat oven to 350°F. Grease 9-inch square baking pan.
1. Stir together butter, sugar and vanilla in bowl. Add eggs; beat well with spoon.
2. Stir together flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt; gradually add to egg mixture, beating until well blended. Stir in nuts, if desired. Spread batter evenly into prepared pan.
3. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until brownies begin to pull away from sides of pan. Cool completely in pan on wire rack.
Prepare CREAMY BROWNIE FROSTING; spread over brownies.
Cut into squares. About 16 brownies.

CREAMY BROWNIE FROSTING
3 tablespoons butter or margarine, softened
3 tablespoons HERSHEY'S Cocoa
1 tablespoon light corn syrup or honey
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup powdered sugar
1 to 2 tablespoons milk

Beat butter, cocoa, corn syrup and vanilla in small bowl until blended. Add powdered sugar and milk; beat to spreading consistency. About 1 cup frosting.

Mom's Basic Meatloaf

2008-04-13T15:54:00.000-04:00

A basic meatloaf with ground beef, cracker crumbs, ketchup, chopped onion, and seasonings.
From About.recipes. com. Simple and yummy!

INGREDIENTS:
1 pound lean ground beef
2/3 cup milk
1/2 cup cracker crumbs
1/4 cup ketchup
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1 egg, beaten

PREPARATION:
Mix all ingredients together gently. Form into a loaf and place in baking dish or loaf pan. Top with more ketchup if desired. Bake at 350° for about 1 hour. Serves 4.

Fruit Torte

2008-04-13T15:17:00.001-04:00

FruitTorte
Recipe from Lisa Waters
A close friend of the family always made this for us when we were kids, etc. It’s so good and not necessarily good for you but at least the fruit makes it feel like you’re eating something healthy!

Crust:
2 C. flour
2 sticks marg. or butter
½ C. sugar
1 C. chopped pecans

Blend together & spread evenly on a cookie sheet. Bake at 350* for 10-15 min. to a light brown.

Topping:
Mix 16 oz. cream cheese with 2 cups powdered sugar. Blend in 2 Cups Cool Whip. Spread over cooled crust. Top with favorite fruit: bananas, pineapple, blueberries, etc.
(If canned fruit is used, pat dry with paper towels.)

Chocolate Bread Pudding

2008-04-09T15:38:00.000-04:00

Chocolate Bread Pudding
Recipe courtesy Paula Deen
Show:
Paula's Home Cooking
Episode:
Comfort Food

1-pound loaf French or Italian bread, cut into cubes (about 15 cups)
3 cups milk
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup coffee-flavored liqueur
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 teaspoons pure almond extract
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
6 large eggs, lightly beaten
8 ounces semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

Lightly grease a 13 by 9-inch baking dish. Place the bread in the baking dish.
In a large bowl, whisk together the milk, cream, and liqueur.
In another bowl, combine the granulated and brown sugars with the cocoa powder and mix well. Add this to the milk mixture and whisk to combine.
Add the vanilla and almond extracts and the cinnamon to the beaten eggs. Combine the egg mixture with the milk mixture and mix well. Stir in chocolate chips. Pour the mixture evenly over the bread cubes; let stand, stirring occasionally, for at least 20 minutes, or until the bread has absorbed most of the milk mixture. Bake the pudding for 1 hour, or until set; a knife inserted into the center of the pudding should come out clean. Serving the pudding warm, or refrigerate it and serve chilled.
Serve it warm or cold, with whipped cream or a dessert sauce.

Notes: My manager brought this in and everyone devoured it. :) I had never made a bread pudding previously and was curious to try it. I used two long loaves of french bread which I sliced into quarters then tore apart with my hands. For the coffee liqueur, I used just under 3 mini bottles of Bailey's Irish Creme because I didn't need a whole bottle.
This is yummy cold with a glass of milk or can be served warm over vanilla ice cream.

Tex-Mex Gooey Casserole (Mexican lasagna)

2008-04-09T15:31:00.000-04:00

Tex-Mex Gooey Casserole
Recipe courtesy Emeril Lagasse
Show:
Emeril Live
Episode:
America's Wild West Texas Style

1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cups chopped onions
1 pound ground beef
1 pound diced stew meat
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 teaspoons cumin
Salt and pepper
1/4 cup tomato paste
4 cups peeled, seeded, and chopped tomatoes
3 cups beef stock
10 flour tortillas
2 cups grated Medium Cheddar cheese
2 cups grated Monterey Jack cheese

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Grease a 9 by 9 by 2-inch square baking dish.
In a large skillet, heat the oil. When the oil is hot, add the onions and saute for 3 to 4 minutes. Add the ground beef and continue to cook for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the diced meat and continue to cook for 3 minutes. Stir in the garlic, chili powder, and cumin. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in the tomato paste. Stir in the tomatoes and stock. Simmer the mixture for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat and cool. Spoon a couple of tablespoons of the chili mixture on the bottom of the prepared pan. Lay two tortillas on top of the chili mixture. Sprinkle the top of the tortillas with the Cheddar and Jack cheese. Repeat the layering process until all of the chili, tortillas and cheese are used. (The final layer should be cheese) Place the pan in the oven and bake until the cheese has melted, about 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool slightly before slicing.

Notes: Paula passed this recipe onto me because I had it at her house and loved it. There are a lot more flavors in this dish than in your typical mexican casserole. Daniel called it a Mexican lasagna because of all the layers and I like that name better than the gooey one. :)
I used turkey instead of beef and beef stew meat and the larger, burrito style rather than taco tortillas.
I served with restauraunt style tortilla chips, salsa and guacamole.

Shrimp Fra Diavolo

2008-04-09T15:22:00.000-04:00

Shrimp Fra Diavolo
adapted from Giada de Laurentiis, Everyday Italian

Ingredients:
1 lb. large shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 tsp. salt, plus more to taste
2 tsp. dried crushed red pepper flakes (adjust to taste)
3 TBSP olive oil1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 (14.5 oz.) can diced tomatoes with juice
1 c. dry white wine
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
chopped fresh basil, for garnish
fresh parmesan, for garnish

Directions:
1. In a medium bowl, toss the shrimp with 1 tsp. of salt and red pepper flakes.
2. In a large heavy skillet, heat the oil over a medium-high flame. Add the shrimp and saute until just cooked through, about 2 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the shrimp to a large plate and set aside.
3. Add the onion to the same skillet and saute until translucent, about 5 minutes.
4. Add the tomatoes with their juices, wine, garlic, and oregano, and simmer until slightly thickened, about 10 minutes.
5. Return the shrimp and accumulated juices to the tomato mixture and toss to coat.
6. Remove from heat and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Notes:
I served this over multi-grain, multi-colored farfalle pasta.
The next time make this I intend to use less of the ground red pepper. 1 tsp or like 1tsp and a 1/4 should be fine. 2 tsp. made it pretty spicy. This was actually better the next day because I stored the leftovers in the same container with the remaining pasta and it was less spicy.
Daniel tried this dish and he thought it was leftovers from Olive Garden! :) So it's good and pretty easy.

Turkey Meatballs

2008-04-09T15:17:00.000-04:00

Turkey Meatballs
Courtesy of Aimee's Adventures

1 lb. Ground Turkey Breast
1/2 Cup Seasoned Dried Breadcrumbs
1/3 Cup Chopped Parsley
1 Egg
2 Tablespoons Grated Onion
1 Garlic Clove, minced
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1/8 teaspoon Ground Pepper
1 Cup Spaghetti Sauce

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, mix all ingredients except spaghetti sauce. Roll into 20-22 meatballs. Place a meatball into each well of a mini muffin tin sprayed with cooking spray. Fill un-used wells with water. Bake until lightly browned, about 15-18 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl; add the spaghetti sauce and toss meatballs.

This reminds me of a meatloaf recipe divided into balls. :) It ended up making 24 pretty decent sized meatballs with this recipe. I rolled them on the counter and they actually ended up taking 25 minutes in a mini muffin tin in my oven.
I added some whole wheat pasta and a mix of red and vodka sauces to the meatballs. Yummy!

Onion Baked Pork Chops

2008-04-09T15:06:00.000-04:00

Onion Baked Pork Chops

6 pork chops
1 pckg. Lipton onion soup mix (I used an off brand mix)
2 eggs, well beaten
2/3 cup bread crumbs
1/2 stick butter, melted

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Combine soup mix and bread crumbs. Dip chops in egg and then in bread crumb/onion mixture, coating well. Place in a shallow pan and drizzle well with butter. Bake 1 hour, turning once. Makes six servings.

Notes:
While these weren't as moist as I would have liked, they were still really good. The combo of onions and breadcrumbs is a nice breading.
I added a few pieces of garlic and I also added a little olive oil to the pan before I stuck it all in the oven, just to infuse more flavor.
I also sauteed some onions and add them right before serving. The flavor of real onions added a nice touch to what was a good, hearty meal, not to mention easy! It is also easy to cut in half if you don't need to serve six. I always freeze extra food.
Sides: steamed veggies and rice.

Roasted Potatoes

2008-03-28T10:53:00.000-04:00

This recipe is off the Lipton Onion Soup mix box. It is very easy and good! I made this as a side with the George Foreman Chicken.

1 pack Onion Soup mix
1/3 cup olive oil
7-8 small Red Potatoes (use whatever potatoes you want...I wanted red and cut up enough to cover the bottom of the 9x13 pan)
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Cut the potatoes into 4-6 pieces (depending on potato size) and place in a 9x13 baking dish.
Drizzle olive oil and soup mix on top and mix together (I used my hands).
Place in oven for about 30 minutes or until done

George Foreman chicken (easy!)

2008-03-28T10:48:00.000-04:00

I love cooking on my George Foreman grill. This ia a healthy chicken recipe and very tasty.
I doubled the recipe and made substitutions. The chicken came out moist and tender and was very easy to make. I made the onion soup potatoes as a side.

Ingredients:
1 pack chicken breasts
2 Tbsp olive oil
3 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp garlic salt
1/2 tsp coarsely ground pepper
Montreal Chicken seasoning (it's made by McCormick)

Preheat the Foreman grill.
Mix olive oil, vinegar, garlic salt and pepper together in a bowl.
Pound chicken down to about 1/2 - 3/4 in. thick to tenderize and make the chicken faster to grill. Dip chicken in mixture on both sides, and place chicken on the grill (for me, one piece fit at a time.) Then, sprinkle the Montreal seasoning on top of the chicken and put the grill top down. Grill for 5 minutes, or until done. Repeat for the rest of the chicken.

Chocolate Chip Cheescake Bars

2008-03-20T11:37:00.000-04:00

These are a very sweet, yummy treat and not hard to make.

Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Bars

Cookie Dough Ingredients
3/4 cup shortening
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
1.5 tsp vanilla extract
1.5 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp salt
3/4 tsp baking soda
1.5 cups mini chocolate chips

Cheesecake Ingredients
2-8 oz. packages cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla

In a mixing bowl, cream shortening and sugars together. Beat in the egg and vanilla. Combine the flour, salt and baking soda; add to the creamed mixture and mix well. Fold in the chocolate chips. Set aside one third of the dough for the topping. Press the remaining dough into a greased 9x13 inch baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 8 min.
Meanwhile, in a small mixing bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Add eggs and vanilla; mix well. Spoon over crust. Drop teaspoonfuls of reserved dough over the filling. Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack. Cover and store in the refrigerator.

Green Bean Casserole (with a twist)

2008-03-18T09:56:00.000-04:00

Green Bean Casserole (with a twist)

This is the recipe off French's can but with broccoli cheese soup instead. I like it better that way!

Ingredients:
1 (10 3/4) oz. can CAMPBELL'S® Cream of Mushroom Soup (I used broccoli cheese soup)
3/4 cup milk
1 1/3 cups FRENCH'S® French Fried Onions
4 cups cooked whole green beans (I used 2 regular cans)

Directions:
1. MIX soup, milk, 2/3 cup French Fried Onions, and beans in 1 1/2-qt. baking dish.
2. BAKE at 350°F for 30 min. or until hot. Stir.
3. TOP with remaining onions. Bake 5 min.

Tilapia with bananas and macadamia nuts

2008-03-06T20:54:00.000-05:00

Tilapia With Bananas and Macadamia Nuts

Cuisine: Seafood

Hands on time: Total time: 30 minutes Serves: 4

Ingredients:
1 cup all-purpose flour4 (6-ounce) tilapia, sole or catfish fillets
1/4 cup ( 1/2 stick) plus 2 tablespoons butter
2 medium bananas, cut into 1/2-inch slices
1/2 cup chopped macadamia nuts OR chopped almonds (I used almonds)

Instructions:
Place flour on a plate, and season with salt and pepper. Lightly dredge the fillets in flour. In a large skillet over medium heat, melt 1/4 cup of butter. Saute the fish fillets for 5 to 6 minutes, or until cooked through, turning once. Transfer to a platter. In the same skillet, add remaining 2 tablespoons butter, bananas and macadamias and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Top the fillets with the banana mixture.

Nutrition:
Per serving: 508 calories (percent of calories from fat, 58), 23 grams protein, 32 grams carbohydrates, 4 grams fiber, 33 grams fat (14 grams saturated), 112 milligrams cholesterol, 226 milligrams sodium.

Cabbage Casserole

2008-03-04T18:14:00.001-05:00

I really don’t have an exact recipe for this, it was given to me word of mouth by via a friend's older sister. It's very simple and tasty!

You will need:
1 cabbage
Ground beef or turkey
Shredded cheese

Chop up 1 cabbage and cover with water
Salt and pepper
Cook until done
Drain the cabbage but, save the broth that you boiled the cabbage in.

In a deep skillet , brown 1lb of ground beef or however much you want to use

Remove from the skillet

Melt 1 stick of butter or margarine
Mix with 3/4 cup of flour until it is all incorporated
Salt and pepper to taste
Add the broth from the cabbage a little at a time until thickened

Layers for the casserole:

first layer of cabbage
Ground beef
Cheese
White sauce
Finish with cheese on top

Bake in a 350 degree oven for 30 mins

Crock pot beef stroganoff

2008-02-29T20:45:00.000-05:00

EASY BEEF STROGANOFF

1 1/2 lb. round steak (I used stew meat)
2 tbsp. flour
Salt & pepper to taste
10 oz. can cream of mushroom soup
1 small can of mushrooms
1 packet onion soup mix
1 sm. onion
sour cream (optional)
egg noodles

Tenderize and cut meat into serving pieces. Salt, pepper and dredge meat in flour. Place onions in bottom of crock pot, then add meat. Combine mixture of mushroom soup, canned mushrooms and onion soup mix and spread over meat. Cover and cook on low 8 to 10 hours.
Before serving I mixed about 1/4 cup of sour cream throughout the stroganoff for added flavor.
Serve over egg noodles.

Lime Baked Fish

2008-02-28T23:37:00.000-05:00

I believe this is a South Beach Diet recipe.

Lime Baked Fish
Serves 2

Ingredients
1⁄2 pound fresh fish fillets (I used tilapia)
1⁄4 cup fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon tarragon leaves
1⁄4 cup chopped green onion tops

Instructions
Arrange the fish fillets in a baking dish. Sprinkle with the lime juice, tarragon, and onion tops. Bake, covered, at 325°F for 15–20 minutes or until the fish flakes easily.

Nutritional Information:
114 calories1 total fat (0 g sat)65 mg cholesterol4 g carbohydrate22 g protein1 g fiber80 mg sodium

Quick Tater Tot Bake

2008-02-28T23:30:00.000-05:00

This is easy and good. :)

Quick Tater Tot Bake

3/4 to 1 pound ground beef or ground turkey
1 small onion, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
1 package (16 oz) frozen tater tot potatoes
1 can cream of mushroom soup, undiluted
1/2 soup can milk or water
1 cup (4oz) shredded cheddar cheese

In a skillet, brown the meat and onion. Drain any fat. Season with salt and pepper. Place in a greased 1-1/2 qt. to 2-qt. casserole. Top with potatoes. Combine soup and milk or water; pour over potatoes. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake at 350 for 30-40 minutes.

Oreo Truffles

2008-02-28T23:23:00.000-05:00

These are so yummy! I took them into work at Christmas time and my coworkers ate them faster than the other Christmas goodies I brought.

2 hours 2 hours prep

Ingredients:
1 package regular size Oreo cookies, crushed
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 package white almond bark
1 package chocolate almond bark

Using a blender or hand held mixer, mix Oreos and cream cheese together. Roll into walnut size balls. Chill for an hour. Melt approximately 3/4 package of white almond bark. Stick a toothpick in an Oreo ball and dip it in the melted white almond bark. Allow to harden on wax paper. Takes about 15 min. While waiting, melt about 1/4 package of chocolate almond bark. When Oreo balls are no longer sticky to the touch, decorate with drizzles of chocolate and white almond bark. I just use a sandwich bag with a tiny hole cut in one corner to drizzle the almond bark.

Chinese Food

2008-02-28T22:07:00.000-05:00

This definitely tastes like take out Chinese. Yum! The rice cooking wine and sweet chili sauce can be found in the international aisle of the grocery store where the soy sauce is. I served it over rice. Delish!

Chinese Style Tilapia

Ingredients:
1 lb tilapia fillets
3 Tbsp rice cooking wine
2-3 scallions, cut into 1 inch pieces
1 1/2 Tbsp low sodium soy sauce
1/2 Tbsp Sriracha chili sauce -- I used sweet chili sauce
2 cloves of garlic, diced
1/4 tsp dried ginger powder -- You can also use fresh ginger but it's much stronger
1 tsp olive oil

Directions:
In a medium sized skillet, heat olive oil over low-medium heat. Meanwhile, in a small bowl combine rice cooking wine, soy sauce, Sriracha chili sauce, garlic & ginger. Add fish to skillet, allowing to cook for a minute. Flip fish and add soy sauce mixture to skillet. Add green onion. Allow fish to simmer over low heat until cooked thoroughly and most of the sauce has cooked off.

Mediterranean-Style Tilapia

2008-02-28T22:04:00.000-05:00

I found this recipe online at the Atlanta Journal Constitutional. It is my new FAVORITE! Seriously it's so flavorful it was impressive. Yummy! Best recipe I've found in a long time!

Mediterranean-Style Tilapia
Cuisine: Italian Mediterranean Seafood Low fat: Low cal:
To make the meal: Herb couscous with chopped olives, green beans
Hands on time: Total time: 30 minutes Serves: 4

Ingredients:
4 tilapia fillets
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 (7 1/2-ounce) jar of quartered marinated artichoke hearts, drained and oil reserved
1 medium onion, quartered and thinly sliced
1 (12-ounce) jar of roasted red peppers, julienned

Instructions:
Season fish with salt, pepper and 1 garlic clove and set aside. In a skillet over medium-high heat, add 1 to 2 tablespoons oil from the artichoke hearts. Saute onion until softened. Add red peppers, drained artichoke hearts and remaining garlic clove and season with salt and pepper. Saute until everything is lightly browned. Remove topping from pan and set aside. Add fish to pan and cook for 5 minutes on one side. Turn fish and top with vegetable mixture. Turn off burner and cover for 2 to 3 minutes.

Notes: Pastrana adds a suggestion: "I know it's an extra ingredient, but sometimes after sauteing the veggies, I sprinkle rice wine vinegar on them for added zip." She also likes to cook the second side with the burner turned off: "The residual heat from the pan will continue to cook the fish without overcooking it or drying it out."
Nutrition:Per serving: 196 calories (percent of calories from fat, 21), 26 grams protein, 12 grams carbohydrates, 4 grams fiber, 5 grams fat (trace saturated fat), 42 milligrams cholesterol, 246 milligrams sodium.

Quick tuna stir fry

2008-02-28T22:03:00.000-05:00

I found the recipe below on the back of the StarKist sweet and spicy tuna pouch. I have adapted this recipe into the easiest dinner ever! Instead of using the vegetables listed below I use one bag of frozen stir fry or Japanese blend veggies. Other than that I follow the recipe and serve over rice and it is so easy and tasty! I also add more soy sauce than it calls for and have substituted regular vegetable or canola oil for the sesame oil.

StarKist Sweet & Spicy Vegetable Stir-Fry

Ingredients:
1 pouch StarKist Sweet & Spicy Tuna
2 cups Zucchini, cut in half lengthwise and diagonally sliced
1-15 oz. can Stir-fry baby corn pre-cut, drain saving 1/2 cup liquid
1/2 Tbsp. Cornstarch
2 Tbsp. Pure sesame oil
1 cup Carrots, match-stix cut
1/4 cup Soy sauce

Directions:
Heat oil in wok or large skillet. Stir-fry zucchini and carrots for 1-2 minutes. Add corn and tuna and stir-fry additional 1-2 minutes. Mix cornstarch with reserved corn liquid and soy sauce. Add soy sauce mixture to vegetables and tuna and mix until heated, 1-2 minutes. Serve over rice if desired.
Prep Time: 3-4 minutes Cooking Time: 5-6 minutes Serves: 2

20 Minute Quick Chicken Parmesean

2008-02-28T22:00:00.000-05:00

This is definitely the easiest chicken parm recipe I've ever come across. It was good, too. I served it over penne pasta with a salad on the side.

20-Minute Chicken Parmesan

This is so easy and fast, yet it tastes so good! Great for a quick weeknight dinner.
The recipe is enough for 4 people.

Ingredients:
4 chicken breasts
1 egg, slightly beaten
1/2 cup seasoned bread crumbs
2 tbsp. margarine
1 3/4 cup spaghetti sauce (you can use the stuff in a jar, or make your own marinara in advance and just reheat that)
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1 tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese

1. Flatten chicken with palm of hand. Dip into egg then into crumbs to coat.
2. Brown chicken in hot margarine in a skillet over medium heat. Add sauce. Cover and reduce heat. Simmer 10 minutes.
3. Sprinkle with cheeses, cover, and simmer 5 minutes/until cheese melts.
Serve with hot spaghetti and salad.

French Fry Casserole

2008-02-28T21:58:00.000-05:00

So this isn't the healthiest meal to make but it was good! I thought I would try it in place of the tater tot casserole I make and liked it better. It definitely has more flavor and is a quick, easy meal. I did use turkey to make it a little healthier as a meal.

French Fry Casserole
1 lb. ground meat (lean beef or turkey)
1/2 a medium onion - chopped
1 clove fresh garlic - chopped finely
salt & pepper to taste
1 can cream/mushroom soup
1 can cheddar cheese soup ----- (I could only find Campbell's Spicy Nacho Cheese Soup at the grocery store but it worked fine)
shredded cheddar cheese
frozen french fries ----- (I used the thin fast food style rather than the thick crinkle fries)

Brown beef, along with onion and fresh garlic. Drain, add back to pan along with salt, pepper, and soups. Heat through & pour into casserole dish. Top with frozen fries. Sprinkle top of fries with seasoning salt and pepper. Bake at 375 for 30 minutes or until fries are golden brown. Spread handful of cheese on top & put back in oven until melted.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Dip

2008-02-28T21:55:00.000-05:00

This dip is so yummy and easy to make! It's vey rich and does taste like cookie dough. Daniel is not much for sweets and he even dug into it. I tried it with graham crackers and vanilla wafers and liked it better with the graham crackers. Enjoy!

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Dip (adapted from Recipezaar)
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 (8-oz) pkg cream cheese
1/2 cup confectioner's sugar
3/4 cup semisweet mini chocolate chips

1. In a small saucepan, melt the butter with the brown sugar over medium heat. Stir continuously, until the brown sugar dissolves. (You can also do this in the microwave but watch it closely. The butter/sugar mixture will boil over fast. Stir every 30 seconds or so.)

2. Remove from heat, whisk in vanilla extract and set aside to cool.
3. Beat the cream cheese and confectioner's sugar for 1 minute.
4. Slowly beat in the cooled butter mixture and beat again for another minute.
5. Stir in the chocolate chips.
6. Pour into a serving bowl and refrigerate.
7. Garnish with additional chips, if you choose.
Serve with Nilla wafers or graham crackers.
**Note: after refrigerating the dip it will be pretty solid and un-dippable so make sure to remove it from the refrigerator about 15-30 minutes before you plan on serving it, so it has time to soften up.

Salsa Crock pot cornbread

2008-02-28T21:54:00.000-05:00

I made this with a pot of chili and it was something different and good. I'd never had anything like it before. I cut this recipe in half.

Salsa Crockpot Cornbread
INGREDIENTS:
2 boxes corn muffin mix, (8 oz each)
1 can creamed corn, (15 ounce)
2 eggs 1/2 cup sour cream
1 can chopped green chiles, (4 ounces) undrained
2 tablespoons soft butter
3 to 4 tablespoons chunky salsa

PREPARATION:
In a medium bowl, combine creamed corn, eggs, sour cream, chiles, and margarine. Whisk together until well combined. Add corn muffin mix, stirring well to combine. Generously grease a 3 1/2-quart slow cooker/Crock Pot with margarine or butter Pour batter into the slow cooker/Crock Pot. Spoon salsa over the top and cut into the batter. Cover and cook on high for about 2 1/2 hours. Turn heat off and let cool with lid ajar, for about 15 minutes. Loosen sides with a knife and invert onto a large plate. If a little of the top sticks to the bottom of the pot, dollop a little salsa on the top, or decorate with sour cream and chopped green onion. Delicious side dish! Serves 6 to 8.

Crunchy onion chicken

2008-02-28T21:50:00.000-05:00

This is very easy. I found it in the Atlanta Journal Constitutional. Next time, I would add a bit more of the mustard, just to give it more flavor, and maybe some salt and pepper before baking the chicken to give it a little more of a kick. it's baked but kind of tastes like chicken tenders.

Crunchy Onion Chicken
Dish From Market to Kitchen: 5:30 Challenge / 5 INGREDIENTS / 30 MINUTES

TONIGHT'S SOLUTION: Crunchy Onion Chicken

TO MAKE THE MEAL: Green beans and buttered pasta

Slicing the chicken breasts lengthwise to make them thinner and more uniform resulted in a more reliable cooking time. Alternatively, you can pound the chicken for more even thickness, and cut in half horizontally so it's easier to work with.

Hands on time: Total time: 30 minutes Serves: 4

Ingredients for Crunchy Onion Chicken:
1 (6-ounce) can French's French Fried Onions
1 egg, beaten
1 teaspoon mustard
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Instructions:Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Crush onions in plastic bag or with rolling pin. Mix egg and mustard until well-combined.
In 3 shallow bowls, separately place flour, egg mixture and onions. Dredge chicken first in flour, then egg and then onions, pressing firmly to get onions to adhere. Place on cookie sheet and bake for 20 minutes or until cooked through. Nutrition:Per serving: 314 calories (percent of calories from fat, 31), 31 grams protein, 22 grams carbohydrates, 1 gram fiber, 11 grams fat (4 grams saturated), 126 milligrams cholesterol, 327 milligrams sodium.

Thai Noodles and Shrimp

2008-02-28T21:49:00.000-05:00

I'm usually not a fan of thai noodles if the sauce is too sweet. This sauce mixture includes sugar but the soy sauce keeps it tangy. Next time I make this I'm adding chopped green onions or chives - just something to make it not so plain. It was good though!

THAI NOODLES AND SHRIMP
7 ounces (half a 14-ounce box) rice noodles (such as Thai Kitchen brand)
3/4 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
6 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
3 tablespoons fish sauce3
tablespoons granulated sugar

Instructions: In a bowl, cover noodles with 4 cups of boiling water and let sit for 5 to 7 minutes, or until softened but still firm. Drain well and rinse with cold water for 30 seconds and drain again. In a well-oiled skillet over medium-high heat, saute shrimp for 1 to 2 minutes. Add softened noodles, soy sauce, fish sauce and sugar and stir-fry for 3 to 5 minutes, or until combined and cooked through.

Crock Pot chicken with black beans and cream cheese

2008-02-28T21:47:00.000-05:00

This was an easy Southwest chicken recipe and has a good flavor! I only used 2 large chicken breasts. It's so easy cause you can put them in the crock pot frozen!

Crock-Pot Chicken w/Black Beans & Cream Cheese

4-5 boneless chicken breasts
1 (15 1/2 ounce) can black beans
1 (15 ounce) can corn
1 (16 ounce) jar salsa, any kind
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese (you can use Fat Free)
White or brown rice

Take 4-5 frozen, yes, frozen, 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 high for about 4-5 hours or until chicken is cooked. You can shred the chicken or leave it whole if you like. Add 1 package of cream cheese (just throw it on top!) and let sit for about 30 minutes to an hour. Mix and serve over white rice or brown rice.

Alfredo Pasta Bake

2008-02-28T21:44:00.000-05:00

This came out really good so I thought I would share it!

Alfredo Pasta Bake
(Source: Amber's Delectable Delights)

Ingredients:
8 oz pasta, cooked and drained
2 cups broccoli florets
1 cup mushrooms
1.5 cups chicken, cooked and shredded or diced
1 jar alfredo sauce
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
2 Tbls butter

Directions:- Preheat oven to 350 degrees - Coat the bottom of the two small or one medium baking dish with a thin layer of alfredo sauce. In a medium bowl, mix the pasta, broccoli, mushrooms, chicken, garlic and alfredo sauce until combined. Place mixture into baking dish and top with mozzarella and Parmesan cheese. Cut the butter into small pieces and scatter on top of the cheese. Bake for 20 minutes or until cheese is hot and bubbly.

Olive Garden Parmesan Crusted Tilapia

2008-02-28T21:40:00.000-05:00

well I kind of did my own version of this. I didn't do the vegetable part because I didn't have the ingredients and I only used 3 tilpia so it wouldn't be such a large amount. I started with defrosted tilapia and used a jar of alfredo sauce and put the amount of sauce suggested in the recipe on the tilapia. Then I used the crusting mixture on them. 10 minutes wasnt enough cooking time so I did 20 at 450 degrees. I heated the remaining alfredo sauce and made angel hair pasta. I served the finished tilpia over the pasta with alfredo sauce. Yummy!

Olive Garden Parmesan Crusted Tilapia
Author/Submitted by: http://www.olivegarden.com/ 2005 Featured Recipe Servings: 6Categories: Garlic / Seafood / Vegetables
Ingredients: 6 filets tilapia, approx. 6 ounces each
1 1/4 cups alfredo sauce, homemade or store-bought
8 ounces angel hair pasta, cooked
Fresh parsley sprigs
6 emon wedges

---Tilapia Crusting Mixture---
3/4 cup Italian bread crumbs
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
3 Tbsp vegetable oil

---Italian Vegetables---
4 cups zucchini, cut into 1/4 inch slices and halved
4 cups yellow squash, cut into 1/4 inch slices and halved
2 cups red bell peppers, cut into strips
2 cups red onions, cut into strips
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Directions:
1. Tilapia Crusting Mixture: Using a spoon, thoroughly mix all ingredients in a large bowl. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

2. Italian Vegetables: In a large bowl, combine all ingredients and mix thoroughly. Place onto a baking sheet, forming a single layer. Set aside until ready for baking with tilapia.

3. Assembling Parmesan Crusted Tilapia: Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Place Tilapia fillets in a non-stick, shallow, baking pan. Pour 3 tablespoons of Alfredo sauce onto each tilapia fillet. Use bottom of spoon to evenly coat top of fish. Sprinkle 1/3 cup of prepared tilapia crusting mixture onto each piece and firmly pat breading evenly over Alfredo sauce. Place pan of tilapia on top rack and at the same time, place baking sheet with vegetables on the center rack, in the oven. After approximately 10 minutes, or when the internal temperature of fish reaches 150 degrees F, remove fish from oven and transfer onto a large platter. The vegetables should bake for an additional five minutes, or until tender, and remove from oven. Toss the vegetables with angel hair pasta and place around fish. Sprinkle dish with parsley, garnish with lemon wedges and serve immediately.

Garlic Cheddar Chicken

2008-02-28T21:35:00.000-05:00

This is an easy chicken recipe that is yummy!

GARLIC CHEDDAR CHICKEN
2 tbsp butter
1 clove garlic, minced (I used 2 cloves)
3 tbsp dry bread crumbs (I used Italian Seasoned Bread Crumbs and omitted the seasonings below)
1/8 tsp dried parsley
1/8 tsp dried oregano
1/8 tsp ground black pepper
1/8 tsp salt
2 tbsp freshly grated Parmesan cheese
6 tbsp shredded Cheddar cheese
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, pounded thin

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
Melt the butter in a saucepan over low heat, and cook the garlic until tender, about 5 minutes.
In a shallow bowl, mix the bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, Cheddar cheese, parsley, oregano, pepper, and salt.
Dip each chicken breast in the garlic butter to coat, then press into the bread crumb mixture. Arrange the coated chicken breasts in a 9x13 inch baking dish. Drizzle with any remaining butter and top with any remaining bread crumb mixture.
Bake 30 minutes in the preheated oven, or until chicken is no longer pink and juices run clear.

Apples and Cream Pie

2008-02-28T21:34:00.001-05:00

I made this for a dessert at Thanksgiving and it was a hit.

Apples and Cream Pie

1/2 cup honey
3 apples, peeled and sliced
2 tablespoons lemon juice

Crust:
3/4 cup butter
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Filling:
2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
2 eggs
1/4 cup sugar
3/4 teaspoon vanilla

Topping:
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine honey and lemon juice in large skillet. Add apples and cook until tender.
Combine crust ingredients and press into bottom of a 9-inch springform pan.
In mixing bowl, combine cream cheese and sugar. Add eggs and vanilla. Mix well and pour over crust. Remove apples from skillet with slotted spoon and arrange on top of filling.
Combine topping ingredients and sprinkle evenly over top of apples. Bake at 350 for 50 to 65 minutes until center is set. (Use knife test; insert in center. If it comes out clean, it's done.)

Mexican Casserole

2008-02-28T21:30:00.001-05:00

A friend's brother forwarded this recipe on to me. I tried it and it was good - that's a lot of doritoes though! :)

Mexican Casserole

3 chicken breast
1 can of rotel
1 can of cream of mushroom soup
1 can of cream of chicken soup
1 bag of nacho cheese doritoes
shredded cheese(however much you want to put on it)

Uncle Bens 90 second mexican rice(if you want rice on on the side)

The layers for this are crushed doritos, the soup and rotel mixture, shredded chicken and cheese. Only do 2 layers for each in a sqare Pyrex pan.

Cut the chicken into pieces and cook. Put the Rotel, and soups together in separate pot and cook that. After everything is cooked you will follow the layers above. You will have to shred (pull apart) the chicken with your hands or you can cut it with scissors. After you have the layers done put in the oven on 350 for about 20 minutes or so. You kind of just have to guesstimate if it looks ready.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

2008-02-28T21:24:00.001-05:00

A friend found this recipe and emailed it to me. Looking at the recipe, I thought it would taste too rich but it was great for fall and thanksgiving cookies. The pumpkin is just spicy enough to off set the sweetness of the chocolate chips.
Sometimes, I lightly frost the cookies with a tub of whipped cream cheese frosting and put a piece of candy corn in the center of every cookie. At Paula's suggestion, I use ghiardelli milk chocolate chips.

Recipe courtesy George Duran

Show:
Food Network Specials
Episode:
Ham on Turkey

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup white sugar 1 cup light brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup canned pumpkin puree
3 cups all-purpose flour 2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
2 cups (12-ounce bag) milk chocolate chips, not semisweet
Nonstick cooking spray or parchment paper

Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray cookie sheets with nonstick spray or line them with parchment paper.

Using a mixer, beat the butter until smooth. Beat in the white and brown sugars, a little at a time, until the mixture is light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs 1 at a time, then mix in the vanilla and pumpkin puree. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves. Slowly beat the flour mixture into the batter in thirds. Stir in the chips. Scoop the cookie dough by heaping tablespoons onto the prepared cookie sheets and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the cookies are browned around the edges. Remove the cookie sheets from the oven and let them rest for 2 minutes. Take the cookies off with a spatula and cool them on wire racks.

Chicken pot pie

2008-02-28T21:19:00.000-05:00

This is one of my favorite comfort foods and it came out really good! I found this recipe at cooks.com.

CHICKEN POT PIE

2 (10 oz) cans Campbell's Cream of Chicken Soup orCampbell's Chicken or Turkey Pot Pie Soup
2 (about 9 oz) packages frozen mixed vegetables, thawed
2 cups cubed, cooked chicken
1 cup chicken broth combined with 2 tablespoons flour
2 Pillsbury pie shells
Preheat oven to 400°F.
Mix soup, vegetables, chicken, and broth. (The mixture should be sort of thick.) Place in pie shell.
Bake for 35 minutes until golden. (Cover pie edge if it begins to brown too quickly).

Online recipe book

2008-02-28T21:16:00.000-05:00

I'm going to use this as my online recipe book, rather than storing recipes in my email account. I plan to share new and easy recipes as I find them. Happy (easy) cooking!