Wednesday, July 15, 2009

Pasta Caesar Salad

This is one I've made several times and I love. I got this recipe from a church thing.

Bow Tie Pasta, cooked and drained
Roman Lettuce, washed and chopped
Grilled chicken, cut up
Croutons
Caesar Salad dressing

Mix together the proportions you like, I do about an equal amount of noodles and lettuce.

Monday, July 13, 2009

Orange Slush

This is one my mom used to make and I love it. It's so yummy and great treat when it's hot outside.

Juice from 3 lemons
1 1/2 quart apricot nectar
46 oz. crushed pineapple
30 oz. orange juice concentrate, thawed
3 bananas, mashed
6 c. water
4 c. sugar

Mix water and sugar together until most of the sugar is dissolved. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well. Freeze.
To serve, thaw enough so you can scoop some out, put in a cup and pour cold ginger ale over top.
I hope you enjoy it!

Sunday, July 12, 2009

Summer Favorites

I'm sure with all of you summer has been a little more crazy and hectic. Cori and I have had a wedding and family trips and other things going on which is why you haven't heard from us. I figured I'd put out an assignment and see if anyone is still around and will post.
Since we are in the full swing of summer, I want to know what your favorite foods to make during the summer, it can be desserts, salads, bbq, whatever you can think of.
I hope your summer is going well.

Erin

Monday, June 1, 2009

Dutch Oven Potatoes to Die For

In my house these potatoes are a must at a BBQ!! The go great with steak or chicken. I'm sure they would work with anything. I am a huge fan of dutch ovens. You can put the stuff in it and forget about it. I just flip over one of my cookie sheets cover with aluminum foil and put your coals and dutch oven on top of it!!




Use different kinds of potatoes sliced ¼ inch thick (I like to combine red and golden and regular potatoes together).
2 medium onions chopped.
1/3 cup parmesan cheese
1 cup grated sharp cheddar
1 cup grated mozzarella cheese
1 lb. bacon cooked and crumbled
¼ cup butter
1 Tbs. fresh or dried chives
1-2 tsp. seasoning salt
½ tsp. pepper

Line Dutch Oven with foil ( i hardly do this, i just spray with pam)– toss the potatoes with ¾ of the cheddar and ¾ of the mozzarella, and the parmesan cheese and seasoning salt.
Top with bacon, butter and chives. Also salt and pepper.
No liquid
Bake covered 1 hour then sprinkle with remaining cheese.

enjoy!!!!!

Grilled Zucchini

This is one of our favorites and it's super simple, and if you have a garden and plant zucchini you always have tons.

Zucchini
Kosher Salt
Fresh Ground Pepper
Olive Oil
Freshly Grated Parmesan (none of that stuff that you buy on the shelf that doesn't need refrigeration before you open it)

Slice zucchini length wise in long 1/4 inch pieces. Drizzle olive on both sides of the zucchini, then salt and pepper each side. Put on the grill 5-10 minutes each side, depending on how much of a bite you want to it. Grate cheese over zucchini and enjoy.

This weeks theme


Well after a weeks break I thought we better get back to it. The idea I had for this week was Recipes you would take to a BBQ or picnic. Anything from main dishes to sweet treats. I have been loving the weather and have been wanting some good recipes to make so I have lots of excuses to BBQ!!! Even some good dutch oven recipes would be great!!!

Tuesday, May 26, 2009

Penne Pasta

Ok so there isn't much of a recipe for this one just more like a list, but I hope you feel brave enough to try it.

Penne Pasta
Chicken
Olive Oil
Red Pepper Flakes
Garlic
Mushrooms
Tomatoes
Black Olives
Carrots
Onions
Spinach

Get a pot boiling with water to cook the pasta, when it is boiling cook the noodle according to the directions.
Heat a skillet to medium heat, coat lightly with olive oil. Put a pinch of two of red pepper flakes into the oil along with a few cloves of garlic minced. When it's hot add chicken that has been cut into bite size pieces. When the chicken is cooked remove from pan. In the same pan add veggies that have been chopped (wait to add the tomatoes until the end). Saute until they are done according to your liking, don't forget to salt and pepper the veggies while they are cooking. When the veggies are done add the chicken and cooked pasta. Stir in a 1/3 to a half of a block of feta cheese (the 4 oz kind or whatever size it is, not the Costco size) that has been crumbled, so maybe 1/2 c. or so and some parmesan cheese. Taste it and if it needs more flavor add more cheese or salt.

Friday, May 22, 2009

Moons Pizza Dough

My mom has been making this pizza dough for as long as I can remember!! This is one of my great memories growing up. My mom always made a bunch of dough then we would each get to pick a pan (usually a round cake pan, or an 8x8 ) and make our own pizzas. My mom would have all the topping in bowls lined up and we would just make our own creations and do weird designs so we could tell who's was who's in the oven!!!! We make it in our kitchen aid turns out great!!!


Moon’s pizza dough

2 tablespoons active dry yeast
2 cups warm water
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons oil (vegetable or olive oil)
4 ½ -6 ½ cups flour

Mix water, sugar and yeast together, let stand for 5 minutes. Add salt, oil, and 4 cups of flour. Knead together for 2 minutes. Add remaining flour ½ cup at a time if needed. We like the dough really soft. After you have the desired amount of flour in, Knead for 5 more minutes. Cover and let rise until doubled. Punch down. Grease pizza pans (this recipe make 2 large cookie sheet pizzas, or a bunch of small individual pizzas) spread dough out onto pan. Poke holes in the dough before you put any toppings on to prevent air bubbles. Top with desired sauce and toppings. Bake at 375 degrees for 15 -20 minutes!!

enjoy!!!

Thursday, May 21, 2009

Garlic Chicken Pizza

1 Tbs. olive oil
2 Tbs. onions, diced (I like to just use half of an onion sliced, for bigger pieces)
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. dried basil
1 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. salt
6 oz. chicken breast, cut into bit sized pieces
mushrooms
chopped tomato
Pizza Dough
Alfredo sauce
Grated Parmesan
Shredded Mozzarella and Cheddar Cheese

Saute chicken with oil and herbs, onions, and salt, until chicken is cooked.
Spread alfredo sauce on pizza dough, top with shredded cheese. Top with meat, tomatoes, and mushrooms. Grate Parmesan on top. Bake at 475 for 10-12 minutes.

Alfredo Sauce

This is an easy one that using things I have on hand, so if I need something last minute it works well, I also use this for my Garlic Chicken Pizza.


4 Tbs. butter or margarine
4 Tb.s flour
1 1/2 tsp. dry parsley flakes
1/2 tsp. onion powder
3/4 tsp. salt
3/4 tsp. pepper
3 c. milk (if you want you can do half milk half half and half)
1/2 - 3/4 c. parmesan cheese

Melt butter in a sauce pan, add flour and cook for a couple minutes. Then add all the rest of the ingredients except the milk and cheese and stir together. Slowly add milk, whisking together. Bring back to a boil and allow to thicken. Then slowly stir in cheese. Serve over noodles or allow to cool and use as a sauce on pizza.

Wednesday, May 20, 2009

Christie's Calzones

So this recipe came from one of my sisters-in-law and it is a little different than your normal calzone, but kind of fun at times.

Pizza dough (can use refrigerated dough, but I like them better with homemade pizza dough).
Italian Dressing
Mozzarella Cheese
Toppings: ham, pepperoni, olives, mushrooms, peppers, whatever else you like.

Roll the dough out on a flat cookie sheet. Spread about a Tablespoon of dressing down the center of the dough. Cover with cheese and toppings. Pull the sides of the dough up toward the center and press together to form a seam. Cut slits to let steam "escape" and cook at 350 for 15-20 minutes or until light golden brown on top. Serve with alfredo, marinara, or ranch to dip in (or all three if you are us).

Favorite Alfredo Sauce-Ever!

So here is my favorite alfredo sauce. I have tried so many recipes (seriously probably at least 10) and although some were okay, I didn't LOVE any of them. This one is by far the best one so far!
1 1/2 c. milk
1 1/2 c. heavy cream
1/2 c. parmesan cheese
1/2 c. romano cheese (I didn't have this so I subbed parmesan)
6 egg yolks from jumbo eggs (I used extra large)
salt, pepper, onion powder, and garlic powder to taste

Heat milk and cream in a heavy bottom saucepan until it begins to simmer. Turn off heat. Slowly whip in cheese, then remove from heat. Combine the egg yolks in a separate bowl and slowly whip in a portion of the hot milk and cream mixture. Slowly add egg yolk mixture back into cream mixture. Place back on very low heat and continually stir until simmering. Take sauce off heat so it thickens. (This will increase temperature of egg yolks, or temper them). Season with salt and pepper and I like to add some onion powder and a tiny bit of garlic powder. Serve with your favorite pasta. Happy Eating

Easy Calzones

1 package of Rhodes white bread(comes with 3 in a pack)
Mozzarella cheese
Long horn cheese(use whatever cheese you prefer)
Sliced pepperoni or ham(canadian bacon)
1 can of spaghetti or pizza sauce
favorite toppings, olives, green peppers,etc.

Preheat oven to 350. Follow directions on thawing bread dough on the pkg. Roll out each loaf into rectangles and sprinkle both kinds of cheese on half the dough. Then layer the ham or pepperoni and favorite toppings as much as desired. Fold dough over and pinch around edges. Spray Pam on cookie sheet, place calzones on cookie sheet and bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown. Brush with melted butter and let them sit for 5 minutes, slice pieces and dip them in heated sauce.

Tuesday, May 19, 2009

California Pizza Kitchen's BBQ Chicken Pizza

Got this from a copy cat site...very good! Make sure you use real smoked gouda...I got some cheap, processed stuff once, and it completely ruined the pizza!

Ingredients:

Pizza crust for a large pizza
1/2 c. + 2T. Tony Roma's original bbq sauce (or your favorite)
1.5 c. shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 c. shredded smoked gouda cheese
1/4 small red onion, sliced into rings
2 T. fresh cilantro, chopped (I love cilantro, so we always use a lot more than 2 T...I just sprinkle it liberally over the pizza)
10 oz. boneless, skinless chicken breast, cooked (I like the flavor best if it is grilled)

-Cut chicken breasts into pieces and coat with 2 T. bbq. sauce
-Spread crust with bbq sauce, top with chicken, onions, and cheese.
-Bake at 400 degrees 15-20 minutes or till crust is browned and cheese is melted. Top with cilantro.

You can also make this pizza on the bbq grill:

-Heat grill, covered, on high, for 5-10 minutes.
-REDUCE HEAT to med-low, and add crust
-spread with bbq sauce, chicken, onions, and cheese.
-cook, covered, till cheese is melted...watch it carefully so it doesn't burn!
-top with cilantro

Cajun Chicken Pasta

Okay, had to add this one. This is one of Todd's favorite meals, and it's one of our best. So yummy!


Ingredients:

2-3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips
2 T. cajun seasoning (my favorite is actually a cheap brand...blue label..."Spice Classics" brand)
1-2 cloves minced fresh garlic (I think I've already made my opinion clear about the bottled garlic! :) )
2 T. butter
2 bell peppers thinly sliced (makes a nice presentation if you use a red and a yellow or orange)
6-8 large mushrooms, sliced
3 green onions, minced
2 c. whipping cream (it's also good with half and half, fat-free half and half, or evaporated milk...but let's face it...cream is always better! I make it that way for special occasions)
1 t. dried basil
1/2 t. dried thyme
1 t. dried oregano
1/2 t. lemon pepper
1/2 t. salt
1 t. garlic powder
1/2 t. freshly ground black pepper
1.5 c. freshly grated parmesan cheese
1/2c. chicken broth
1-2 T. cornstarch
32 oz. linguine pasta, cooked according to package directions


-Shake chicken and cajun seasoning together in a large ziploc bag to completely coat the chicken.
-Mix the other dried spices (basil through black pepper) together in a small bowl and set aside
-Melt butter in a large, deep pan over med-high heat. Saute chicken with minced garlic 5-7 minutes or until browned.
-Add the other veggies and saute till crisp-tender, 2-3 minutes
-Add spices, saute 1 minute
-Add cream. Gradually add cheese, stirring well, until melted. Bring to a mild boil
-SLOWLY add the broth/cornstarch mixture until desired consistency. YOU WILL NOT USE ALL OF IT!!! IF YOU USE ALL OF IT, IT WILL BE THE CONSISTENCY OF GLUE!!! JUST ADD IT UNTIL IT IS THICKENED TO THE POINT THAT YOU LIKE IT!!!
-Add additional cajun seasoning, a dash at a time, if desired, to increase the spiciness.
-Serve over cooked linguine

Tomato Basil Pizza

My friend Jill in Florida used to make this and I LOVE IT! She made it on dough she got at Sam's Club...apparently you can buy balls of dough from their concession place at the front of the store that sells pizza, or at least you could in Florida! If not, any pizza crust that you like would be great.

Ingredients:

Crust for 1 large pizza
2 c. Mozzarella cheese
1/2 c. freshly grated Parmesan cheese (I really think that fresh, good quality Parmesan makes a difference, but it's your choice!)
2 T. chopped fresh basil (tried it once with dried basil...nowhere NEAR as good!)
2/3 c. Mayonnaise
2 cloves fresh garlic, pressed (please don't use the bottled garlic for this!)
4-6 roma tomatoes, thinly sliced

-Mix 1.5 c. of the mozzarella with the parmesan, basil, mayo, and garlic. Spread over crust.
-Top with the tomato slices and the rest of the mozzarella
-bake at 400 degrees for 10-12 minutes

Whole Wheat Pizza Dough

I love this pizza dough...I think it's a lot better if you use freshly ground wheat (I like the white wheat better than red) instead of the stuff you buy at the store. I think this recipe usually makes 2 pizzas...

1 t. brown sugar
1.5 cups warm water
1 T. yeast
1 T. olive oil
1 t. salt
3-3.25 c. whole wheat flour
1 t. garlic powder
1.5 t. Italian seasoning
1.5 t. dried basil

-Dissolve sugar in water. Add yeast. Let proof till frothy.
-Add oil and salt, then flour
-Knead 8-10 minutes (preferably in a Kitchen Aid or Bosch mixer)
-Turn dough out into an oiled bowl and let raise 1 hour
-Punch dough down, divide in 2, let rise 45 minutes (this rise is optional...I think it makes it taste better, though)
-Roll out (I like to roll it out either on corn meal, or coat my oiled pan with corn meal to make the dough a little chewier), place on oiled pan (at this point you can let it rise again for 10-30 minutes if you like a softer crust, or don't bother if you like a thinner crust)
-Bake at 425 for 10 minutes, remove from oven, top with desired toppings, and bake another 10-15 minutes till toppings are cooked to desired done-ness.

Spaghetti Bake

This recipe is not so good for you, but it is so good. I love to make 2 and freeze 1. I have a picky eater in my house who will not eat anything with sauce, but he will eat this--so I guess he is at least getting some tomatoes!

Cook 16 oz. thin spaghetti according to directions. (I like using the whole wheat spaghetti that you can get from Costco)

Make white sauce:

3 Tbsp. butter, melted

4 Tbsp. flour

1 tsp. salt

dash onion powder

2 pints heavy cream

1 c. milk

Make red sauce:

½ Italian Sausage (mild or hot) and ½ ground beef (probably 2 lbs. total)

2 15 oz. cans Prego Italian style pasta sauce

1 8 oz. can tomato sauce

1 4 oz. can mushrooms (or fresh)

dash of onion salt

Place cooked spaghetti in 9x13 pan

Pour white sauce over spaghetti

Top with ¾ cup Parmesan cheese

Pour red sauce over cheese

Top with another ¾ c. Parmesan cheese

Bake 350 for 30 minutes uncovered


Tea's Creamy Chicken & Broccoli Pasta Bake

I got this of of Sparkpeople.com. We tried it tonight, and it was super yummy! Todd even liked it, and the kids gobbled it up. I'm trying to be healthier, but I've been craving Chicken and Broccoli Alfredo. This satisfied the craving! Yay! I'm posting it with the modifications I made.


Ingredients


1.5 LB Chicken Breasts - Boneless, Skinless

3 Cups - Albertsons Whole Wheat Rotini Pasta

12 OZ Broccoli Florets (I just estimated the amount)

3/4 Cup - Onions, raw, chopped (I completely forgot to add this...woops)

8-10 mushrooms, sliced

2 TBSP - Country Crock, Shedd's Spread Country Crock Plus Calcium & Vitamins (just used butter)

3 Cups - Albertsons Fat Free Mozzarella Shredded Cheese (couldn't find this so I used Weight Watcher's brand reduced fat mozzarella)

6 OZ - 1/3 Less Fat Neufchatel Cream Cheese

12 oz - Chicken Broth - Low Fat - Low Sodium (I just used one can MINUS 1/3 cup)


Directions

(Instead of the directions below, I grilled the chicken on the grill, cut it up, and added it at the end with everything else...really added to the flavor!)

Prep - Cut raw chicken into bite-size chunks. Cut broccoli into bite-size florets.

Heat oven to 375*F.

Cook pasta in large saucepan as directed on package, adding broccoli the last 3 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat large nonstick skillet on medium-high heat. Melt butter, and add chicken, onions, and mushrooms. (if you're grilling chicken, just saute the mushrooms, garlic, and onions and add the broth and cheese to that); cook 3 minutes or until no longer pink, stirring frequently.

Stir in garlic, saute 1 minute

Stir in broth; simmer 3 minutes or until chicken is done.

Add cream cheese; cook and stir on low heat 1 minute or until cream cheese is melted. Stir in 1.5 cups mozzarella.

Drain pasta and broccoli. Add to chicken mixture, mix lightly (add chicken now if using grilled). Spoon into a 9x13 pan coated with PAM.

Bake 15 minutes or until heated through. Sprinkle with remaining mozzarella cheese. Bake 3 minutes more or until cheese is melted. Remove from oven and let stand 5 minutes. Serve.


Number of Servings: 4

Nutritional Info (not sure how they figured this or how accurate it is)
  • Servings Per Recipe: 4
  • Amount Per Serving
  • Calories: 338.9
  • Total Fat: 8.7 g
  • Cholesterol: 37.5 mg
  • Sodium: 988.1 mg
  • Total Carbs: 30.5 g
  • Dietary Fiber: 4.4 g
  • Protein: 30.7 g


Recipe submitted by SparkPeople user MOUSESB.
Number of Servings: 4

Olive Gardens Alfredo Fettuccine

Olive Gardens Alfredo Fettuccine

** this is a copy cat recipe but so good**

8 oz Cream cheese; cut in bits
3/4 c Parmesan cheese; grated
1/2 c Butter or margarine
1/2 c Milk
8 oz Fettuccine; cook; drain
In large saucepan combine cream cheese, Parmesan, butter and milk, stirring constantly until
smooth. Toss pasta lightly with sauce, coating well. Leftovers freeze well. I usually will add soem garlic and other spices if I feel like it!!

We like to serve with chicken we have grilled on our grill or during winter our george foreman!!

Rachel Rays Speghetti and Meatballs

Spaghetti and Meatballs

We got this from a Rachel ray cookbook and we love it. The sauce has a kick ( to much for my kids but the hubby and I love it), so sometimes I just make the meatballs and then use with regular sauce!!

** I really like to put any of my spaghetti sauces in the crock pot for a few hours to let simmer. And if I am making meatballs with it I will make them an hour or 2 before dinner and throw them in the sauce in the crock pot. This really bring out the flavors it the sauce, try it, it is so yummy :)


Salt, for pasta water
Meatballs: 1 pound spaghetti

1 1/4 pounds ground sirloin
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce, eyeball it
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup Italian bread crumbs, a couple of handfuls
1/4 cup grated Parmesan, Parmigiano-Reggiano or Romano cheese
2 cloves garlic, chopped
Salt and pepper
*** I have this thing with touching raw hamburger, don't like it at all, so I dump all my ingredients in to my kitchen aid and turn it on for a few minutes to mix it together. Then I use my cookie scoop to make the meatballs!! This way I avoid any touching. ***

Sauce:
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, 2 turns of the pan
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
4 cloves garlic, crushed or chopped
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 cup beef stock, available on soup aisle in market in small paper boxes
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
A handful chopped flat-leaf parsley
10 leaves fresh basil leaves, torn or thinly sliced



Preheat oven to 425 degrees .
Place a large pot of water on to boil for spaghetti. When it boils, add salt and pasta and cook to
al dente.

Meatballs-
Mix beef and Worcestershire, egg, bread crumbs, cheese, garlic, salt and pepper. Roll meat into 1 1/2 inch medium-sized meatballs and place on nonstick cookie sheet or a cookie sheet greased with extra-virgin olive oil. Bake balls 10 to 12 minutes, until no longer pink.

Sauce-
add oil to pan, then add your garlic and onions. Saute till onions are translucent. Add rest of ingredients and simmer till ready to serve. Once the meatballs are cooked you can add them to your sauce and let them simmer with the sauce to give your sauce the beefy flavor!!

Monday, May 18, 2009

BBQ Chicken Pizza

This one is so quick and easy. I have heard that you can even bake your pizzas on the grill but I for one have not tried it. If anyone has, let me know how it worked out!

1 chicken breast cut into bite size pieces
1 boboli pizza crust
your favorite BBQ sauce - we LOVE Sweet Baby Ray's
1/2 green pepper sliced and diced how you like it
1/2 onion sliced
1 bag pizza cheese blend

Spread BBQ sauce all over pizza crust. Top with remaining ingredients. Bake at 350 for about 15 minutes, as directed on package, or until it looks good to you! Simple as that!

cup cake pizza's

My kids love these. We fix them for lunch and they are a big hit. The best part is you don't have to let the dough rise! its quick and easy!

1 cup water
2 1/4 tsp yeast
1 tbsp oil
2 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp. salt

mix dough ingredients together. Put small amount of dough in each circle, flatten, add toppings sauce, cheese peperoni's. put in oven and cook until dough is done and cheese is melted. 350 for about 15 min give or take depending on your oven! I usally just watch it take them when they "look" done!

Basic Pizza Dough

I figured I'd start with my basic pizza dough, which a lot of people seem to like. Cori I promise I'll post the recipe for the Chicken Alfredo pizza later, so hopefully we'll have a post almost every day.

Pizza Dough (makes 2 12-inch pizza or one large rectangular cookie sheet size)

2 1/4 tsp. yeast
1 1/3 c. warm water
1 Tbs. sugar
3 1/2 to 3 3/4 c. flour
2 Tbs. olive oil
1 tsp. salt

Combine yeast, water, and sugar in mixing bowl. Let stand 10 minutes. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix them together. Knead the dough by hand for 10 minutes, if you are using a machine 5 minutes, so dough is smooth and elastic. Transfer dough to a bowl that has been lightly coated with olive oil and turn it over once to coat the dough with oil. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise 60-90 minutes, until doubled in size.
Preheat oven to 475. Grease and dust 2 cookie sheet with cornmeal (I usually don't use cornmeal, I just grease it). If you are using a baking stone preheat it in the oven for 45 minutes. Punch the dough down and divide it in half (for 2 round pizza) or don't divide if you want to make a large rectangular pizza. Roll each piece into a ball and let rest covered loosely with plastic wrap for 10-15 minutes. At this point get your toppings ready.
Flatten each ball and form into the shape you want. Place dough on prepared pan, if you are using a stone place it on the paddle dusted with cornmeal. You can brush the top of the dough with olive to prevent crust from getting soggy, I usually don't do this.
Use your fingertips to push dents in the surface of the dough to prevent bubbling. Let rest for 10 minutes.
Top the pizza and bake for 10-12 minutes (I'm not sure how long to cook it with a pizza stone, so you'll have to check on it and figure it out if you are using one.

New theme....

This weekend I went down to Utah for my soon to be sister in laws bridal shower. If was a lot of fun. But my sister in law Erin made this fabulous Chicken Alfredo pizza. It was so yummy. So I was thinking that I would make the theme this week Pizza and Pasta, this way Erin ( hopefully) will share her great recipe. I also know that Heather you and Todd have a great pizza recipe as well. Laura you have a great stuffed shells recipe. So lets have them ladies!! Share your pizza dough recipes, your favorite topping combos, what sauce you like best for the sauce (same with the pasta). Happy cooking!!!

Thursday, May 14, 2009

BBQ beef brisket

So apparently my brain is a week behind because I just posted last week's recipe forgetting all about this week's theme. So here is a crockpot recipe for ya'll.

1 roast 2.5 lbs.
3/4 c. water
1/4 c. Worcestershire sauce
1 Tbsp. vinegar
1 tsp. beef bouillon
1/2 tsp dry mustard
1/2 tsp. chili powder
1/4 tsp. ground red pepper
2 cloves garlic minced
1/2 c. catsup
2 T. brown sugar
2 T. butter or margarine

Combine everything but catsup, brown sugar, and butter. Keep 1/2 c. of mixture out to use in sauce, set aside in fridge. Place roast in crockpot and pour remaining liquid over it. Cover and cook on low heat for 10-12 hours or high for 5-6/ For sauce combine reserved liquid, catsup, brown sugar, and butter. Heat and pass with the meat. We also use a jar of bbq sauce because we like the texture and added flavor with the meat. This makes great sandwiches or is great over rice.

Peanut Butter Fingers

These have been my favorite since elementary school! They are delicious! The only problem is that you may eat the whole pan yourself (I have probably come close quite a few times).

1/2 lb. margarine
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 c. white sugar
1 1/4 c. flour
3/4 c. packed brown sugar
2 c. oats
2 eggs
1 c. peanut butter
3/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt

Either chocolate chips or extra peanut butter and chocolate frosting

Mix butter (margarine), sugar, eggs, peanut butter, soda, salt, and vanilla. Stir in flour and oats. Spread on greased 9x13 pan. Bake at 325 for 10-12 minutes. It will be just turning brown. Remove from oven and sprinkle with chocolate chips OR as I like them let the bars cool a little bit, heat up some extra peanut butter so it spreads easily and spread a thin layer of pb on bars. Then after they cool spread on chocolate frosting.

My Favorite!!

This is my most favorite soup ever!!!

Cheesy Creamy Vegetable Soup

1 quart water
3-4 medium potatoes diced
1 c. Chopped celery
1 c. chopped onions
4 chicken bouillon cubes
Combine above ingredient and cook 5 minutes.

Then add
1 package frozen vegetables –broccoli, cauliflower, carrot blend
Cook 5 minutes, then add
2 cans Cream of chicken soup
Stir well, add ½ pound of Velveeta cheese, cubed.
Let cheese melt and cook until veggies are tender.
Serve!!

Hint: best to let stand one day and then reheat

I made this for super Saturday lunch and it got rave reviews!! I made it the night before. Then put it in a Crockpot and into the fridge. I pulled it out like 3 hours before serving and heated it up in the Crockpot!! So yummy!

Taco Soup with Black Beans

This is one I got from my local grocery store. It's more like a chili, whereas my other recipes were more of a soup. My kids ate it up at the store so I figured it was one to keep.

Taco Soup with Black Beans

1 lbs. ground beef, browned and drained
15 oz. can black beans, rinsed
15 1/2 oz. can red kidney beans, rinsed
28 oz. can crushed tomatoes
12 1/4 oz. can corn, undrained
1 pkt ranch dressing mix
1 pkt taco seasoning
1 small onion, chopped

Combine all ingredients in crock pot. Cover and cook on low 4-6 hours. Serve with shredded cheese, sour cream and corn chips.

Side note, I cooked my onions up with my hamburger since I was browning a large batch of hamburger for multiple dinners, and I made my black beans in my crock pot and boiled them with onion and garlic.

Tuesday, May 12, 2009

Creamy Italian Chicken

I love this recipe but don't make it very often due to the richness/high calorie content.

WW points for entire recipe - 85 (YIKES!)
Serves 8
WW points/ serving - 11 (don't forget to factor in what you serve it over!)

2lbs. chicken breast cut into 1 inch pieces
1 stick of butter (1/2 cup if you buy the brick from costco)
1 packet dry Italian dressing mix
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 package of cream cheese

Turn slow cooker on high. Add butter. When butter has melted, stir in the dry Italian dressing mix. Add cubed chicken and mix to coat. Cook on high for 2 hours or until chicken is cooked through (this only took my slow cooker 1 hour last time I made this).
Once chicken is done, remove from slow cooker, leaving butter Italian dressing mix in slow cooker. Add soup and cream cheese, stirring until creamy. Stir in chicken.
At this point I usually turn my cooker down to low and let it sit until I'm ready to serve. Serve over rice, mashed potatoes, or noodles. Our favorite is rice!

Sweet Pulled Pork

For those of you that like Costa Vida or places like that and their sweet pulled pork, here you go. When I first tried it I wasn't sure how well it compared (but then again I had never ate their meat plain), once I made a salad out of it, I won't be spending that kind of money going out to buy one, unless someone else is paying.

Sweet Pulled Pork

3-5 lbs. pork roast (bone in or boneless it doesn't matter, I used a picnic butt roast I think, with the bone in because it was on sale for SUPER cheap)
1 c. salsa
1 c. packed brown sugar

Place ingredients in a greased crock pot. Cover and cook on low heat 8-10 hours. Shred meat with a fork or potato masher before serving. Use meat in salads, burritos, or tacos.

A side note my baby brother used to work at Costa Vida and he said they put Coke in theirs, so I think next time I make it I'll a can of Coke in the crock pot with it.

I also have a good salad dressing that is pretty comparable to Costa Vida's that I'll post on a upcoming salad week.

Monday, May 11, 2009

This week's theme

We've been debating on what the theme should be this week and since Laura posted a crock pot recipe and that was one of the topics lets go with that. Lets see your favorite crock pot recipes. Happy Cooking!

Chicken Adobo

Chicken or Pork Adobo


3 chicken breast
2 dry bay leaves
1 chicken bouillon cube
3/4cups soy sauce
3 Tablespoons vinegar
Pepper to taste
2 cloves garlic chopped
5 Tablespoon water


Combine in crock pot. Simmer until chicken is tender about 4 hours. Roll chicken in the sauce once in awhile so the soy sauce flavor spreads over the chicken.

I like to cook this in the crock pot so that it simmers all day; however you can let it simmer on your stovetop until the chicken is done about 30-40 mintues


Serve over rice.

This is so yummy and easy to do!~

Thursday, May 7, 2009

Homemade Laundry Soap


So my sister is the one who introduced this to me. I made my first batch about a 2 months ago and I Love it. It a little weird but it wash clothes great and it is so cheap to make. This last batch I added some essential oil to it. So now it smells so much better. If you are looking for a way to save some money this is the way to go.

I also found pretty much the same recipe but it stays as a concentrate. It sounds way easier and take up less room. I am gonna give it a try my next time I run out.

** the size of the boxes of soap in the picture will last to make a few batches!!!**


Liquid Laundry Soap
1 bar Fels Naptha soap grated
1 1/2 c. Washing Soda
1 1/2 c. Borax
3 gallons water

3 gallon milk jugs, rinsed well

Boil 1/2 gallon hot water and then add grated
Fels Naptha soap. Heat to a boil and stir until totally dissolved. Add the other soaps and continue heating until dissolved. (Taking the time to make sure that the soaps are well dissolved saves time once you start adding the cold water.) Add another 1/2 gallon warm water and stir over low heat. Once the mixture is emulsified, remove it from the heat and add another gallon cold water. If your pot it not big enough, transfer the soapy mixture to a 5 gallon bucket before adding the additional water. Again, once the mixture is able to stay emulsified, add the last gallon of cold water bringing amount of water to total to 3 gallons. Keep stirring until the mixture stops separating and transfer it to milk jugs or other smaller containers. When you are ready to use it, give it a good hard shake and use 1/4 c. of soap per normal load. This is safe for front loaders as it is low sudsing.



Home-made laundry soap - concentrate

This recipe for home-made laundry soap is a concentrate --- no water added to this mix--- that is why you use such a small amount of the mix.... Easier to store than the recipes with the water added.

  1. 1 bar Fels Naptha soap, grated (comes out to about 2 cups)
  2. 1 c. Borax
    Comes from the grocery store laundry aisle and some hardware stores.
  3. 1 c. Washing Soda
    Can be found in little grocery stores, online, or Mexican markets.
  4. 1/4 c. OxyClean (optional)

Mix it all together into a bumpy, granular mix. Don't worry about stuff getting correctly dispersed, even if it doesn't quite look like it does.

Use 1 Tbsp. for a light load
Use 2 Tbsp. for a large or dirty load (It's true! Only 2 Tablespoons per load!)

Lemon Squares

My dad is a huge fan of lemon squares, and I remember him making recipes doubling the filling or adding more lemon juice to try to make it more tart and lemon tasting and have more of the custard filling. I was watching the Foodnetwork Channel and saw this one and felt I needed to try it. I loved them and have had people request them. For me there was the right amount of tartness and custard. I hope you enjoy them.

Lemon Squares

For the crust
  • 1/2 pound unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 cups flour
  • 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
For the filling
  • 6 extra-large eggs at room temperature
  • 3 cups granulated sugar
  • 2 tablespoons grated lemon zest (4 to 6 lemons)
  • 1 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 1 cup flour
  • Confectioners' sugar, for dusting

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

For the crust, cream the butter and sugar until light in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Combine the flour and salt and, with the mixer on low, add to the butter until just mixed. Dump the dough onto a well-floured board and gather into a ball. Flatten the dough with floured hands and press it into a 9 by 13 by 2-inch baking sheet, building up a 1/2-inch edge on all sides. Chill about 15 minutes.

Bake the crust for 15 to 20 minutes, until very lightly browned. Let cool on a wire rack. Leave the oven on.

For the filling, whisk together the eggs, sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice, and flour. Pour over the crust and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the filling is set. Let cool to room temperature. Dust with powdered sugar.

Tuesday, May 5, 2009

Utah Tacos

Utah Tacos

Ingredients:
20 frozen rolls, thawed
2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded
6 cups chili
Shredded lettuce
Green onions, sliced
Diced tomatoes
Salsa
Sour Cream

Method:
Thaw rolls, but do not allow to rise. Heat chili and place in a 9x13 pan. Place thawed rolls on top of chili(it is ok if they are touching). Sprinkle with cheese and bake at 350F for 25-30 minutes. Do not cover with tinfoil. To serve, shred lettuce and place on individual plates. Top with sliced green onions and diced tomatoes. Place a generous serving of chili and bread on top of lettuce. Top with salsa and a dollop of sour cream.
Recipe serves 8

My Mother In -Laws Beef Stroganoff

This is one of those recipes that is so easy but taste so good. My mother in law has served at a wedding luncheon, I often take this to people who have just had a baby and need dinner. Or I will make something else and bring them the ingredients and the recipe to this for them to make for dinner the next night. Plus my kids and Hubby devour it!!

11/2 lbs Rounds steak (I use stew meat)
1 envelope onion soup mix
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 cup fresh mushrooms
1/2 can Campbell's beef consomme
1/2 container of sour cream
** I usually double this for my family of 5 also so I can use the whole can of beef consomme**

Stir all ingredients together except sour cream, put into crock pot all day on low, or on high for 4-5 hours( I usually do this at lunch time) an hour or so before eating add in sour cream, stir well. Serve over egg noodles or rice.

HINT- If you like you mushrooms to be big and still in tact hold of putting them in till the last hour or so. If you not a huge fan of mushrooms put them in from the start you wont even know they are there when you eat :)

Cammie's Pork Chops and Jungle Rice

I got these recipes together from my friend Cammie. She got them from her sister-in-law who is a gourmet chef, and I love them! Everyone who I make it for always asks for the recipe! I usually serve this with glazed baby carrots.

Cammie's Pork Chops

4 good quality boneless pork chops, about 1" thick (I'm not sure what they're called, but they're all one shade and just have a ribbon of fat around the outside...they are not the kind that are marbled with fat)
2 t. cinnamon
1 t. cumin
1 t. salt
1 t. freshly ground black pepper
1 T. real butter
1 T. canola oil
1/2 c. chicken or vegetable broth
1 t. sugar

-combine cinnamon, cumin, salt, and pepper in a shallow dish
-rinse pork chops and pat dry with a paper towel (important to pat dry!)
-press all sides of the pork chops into the spices and rub to coat thoroughly. Make sure to press the spices into the meat.
-refrigerate pork chops 1-2 hours
-remove pork from fridge and heat butter and oil together in a large skillet over medium-high heat until it turns nut brown
-Add pork and brown one minute on each side. Reduce heat and cover and cook until done, turning once. Do NOT over cook the pork. It will still look SLIGHTLY pink when you remove it from the heat...it continues to cook as it rests.
-Remove pork from the pan to a plate. Pour oil out of the pan, but do NOT scrape out all of the drippings. Return pan to heat and add broth. Cook broth over high heat while scraping the bottom of the pan. You want it to come to a boil and then boil it for several minutes until it reduces to a syrupy texture. After it is boiling for a few minutes, add any juice that has accumulated on the plate with the pork. Once the broth has reduced to a syrupy texture, quickly stir in the sugar, for just a second, just until it is dissolved. Put the individual pork chops on plates and spoon the reduction sauce over them.


Jungle Rice

I ALWAYS TRIPLE THIS RECIPE because then it uses almost a whole can of coconut milk, and it freezes really well. I just divide the left overs into freezer ziploc bags. When I want it again, I thaw it slightly and then put it in a glass bowl with a lid and sprinkle with a couple tablespoons of water and microwave, covered, until heated through.

Not sure why this is called jungle rice, but it has a very rich, exotic flavor...almost a thai flavor...seriously yummy and addictive.

1 c. white rice (the original recipe calls for basmati, but I actually like it better with just regular white rice)
2 t. canola oil
2 cloves garlic, finely minced (use FRESH garlic, not the jarred stuff for this one...it makes a big difference!)
1 1/2 t. fresh ginger root, finely minced (again, FRESH, not the dried stuff...I tried to substitute once, and YUCK!)
1 c. chicken broth
1/2 c. coconut milk
1 t. dried basil
1 t. dried cilantro or 1 T. fresh cilantro, finely minced
1 t. salt
1/4-1/2 t. freshly ground black pepper

-Preheat oven to 350
-Rinse rice in a sieve until water runs clear. Drain.
-Heat oil in saucepan over medium heat till hot. Add garlic and ginger and saute about 2 minutes. Add rice and saute just until grains are coated lightly and evenly with the oil...about 1 minute.
-Add all other ingredients and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally.
-Once it comes to a full boil, cover the rice and transfer it to the oven. If you are using a pot that can go in the oven, this is easy...if not, transfer the rice to a glass oven dish sprayed with pam, and cover tightly with foil.
-bake 15 minutes, stir rice, then bake for 15 more minutes. FYI, I usually start cooking my pork chops about the time I stir the rice.

Symphony Bar Fudge

I'll post another later, but I'm on my way out the door and this is my quickest one to type up.
This is a recipe I got from a lady in my previous ward. Every time I make it for the holidays I always get people commenting on it. I've also had someone say it's better than someone's fudge who they know that considered themselves to be a great fudge maker.


Symphony Bar Fudge

2 c. heavy cream
4 c. sugar
3 King Size Symphony bars (the one's with almonds and toffee, but if you don't like that you could use plain, also at my local store they usually have the medium sized ones on sale, so just use somewhere between 24-25 oz.)
1 c. butter, softened (real butter on this one)

Mix together cream and sugar. Bring to a boil. Boil until soft ball stage.
Mix together butter and chocolate bars that have been broken up in a big bowl.
Pour cream and sugar mixture over butter and chocolate. Stir until glossy. Pour into a greased 9x13 and refrigerate.

Theme for this week.... a day late

Sorry yesterday was a crazy day for me. So we will start our week off a day late. This week I was thinking for the theme that I want your best. Not the most difficult, not the prettiest when its done, but the recipe that you make over and over cause your family loves it and always is a crowd pleaser. Those good ol' dependable recipes. If you have already posted some of those give us some good runner ups. Happy cooking!!!!

Friday, May 1, 2009

Country Style Ribs

3 lbs. Country style pork ribs (boneless or bone in)
2/3 cups Chili sauce
1/2 cup grape jelly
1 tsp. dry red wine(you can leave this out or buy the alcohol free cooking wine, or the real deal.
1 tsp. mustard (any kind)

Heat oven to 325 degrees. Place ribs(if bone-in) bone down, with meaty side up in pan(smaller glass casserole dish) with not a lot of extra room. Cover with foil. Bake ribs(no sauce) for 1 1/2 hours. Drain all juice from the pan. Heat the ingredients for the sauce until melted all together. Pour over ribs. Put tin foil back over the ribs and cook for another 1 1/2 to 2 hours spooning the sauce over the ribs frequently. Don't over cook because it will make the meat tough.

I know the ingredients are interesting, but trust me it is yummy.

Hawaiian Pineapple Chicken

Hawaiian Pineapple Chicken

1/2 c. soy sauce
1/2 c. sugar
juice from a 20 oz. can of pineapple
5 slices of fresh ginger, with the outside peeled off
2-3 lbs. of chicken parts (I used a couple boneless skinless chicken breast cut into pieces)

Mix the first four ingredient together in a pot, add your chicken. Bring to a boil, then simmer until chicken is cooked all the way through. Mix 2 Tbls. of cornstarch with a little water and pour it in with chicken to thicken the sauce.
Serve over rice and add some of the pineapple from the juice you used.

I know at first it looks like there is only 5 ingredients but there are a couple more if you count the rice and water and cornstarch but I figured it was close enough. I hope you enjoy it!

Thursday, April 30, 2009

Banana Bran Muffins

Okay, sorry I didn't post this last week, but life is crazy. I have more "healthy" recipes I'll try to post soon, and I'll try to find some 5 ingredient ones, but I always make things too complicated and honestly don't think I have anything with only 5 ingredients! :) In the meantime, here's a yummy muffin recipe that I found that is actually pretty good considering how healthy it is, and the kids love them! They're MUCH better the next day than they are right out of the oven...I know, seems backwards, but it's true! :)

Banana Bran Muffins

1/2 c. natural applesauce (sweetened with apple juice...I used cinnamon flavored)
1/4 c. packed light brown sugar
3 very ripe bananas
1/4 c. milk (I used 1%)
1 t. vanilla extract
2 eggs
1 1/2 c. whole wheat flour (we have a mill, so I ground my own...you could use the stuff from the store, though)
1/4 c. wheat germ ( I buy this in bulk at WinCo...TONS of fiber and filling)
1/4 c. crushed bran flakes ( I crushed it until it was all crumbs and then measured 1/4 c. crumbs)
1 t. baking soda
1 t. baking powder
1/4 t. salt

Preheat oven to 375 for regular muffins or to 400 for mini muffins ( I made mini muffins because they're a great size for my kids)
Grease muffin tins or spray with PAM or line with liners
Beat bananas, applesauce, and brown sugar until smooth. Add vanilla, milk, and eggs and mix well.
Mix dry ingredients together and add to wet ingredients, beat until smooth. Add nuts if desired (walnuts might be yummy).
Pour into prepared tins
For regular sized muffins, bake at 375 for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. For mini muffins, bake at 400 for 10-12 minutes.
Let cool on a rack and then place completely cooled muffins in a gallon sized ziploc bag overnight.

Hope you like them if you try them...I think they're pretty good, the kids love them, and Todd took one bite and spit it out! :)

Wednesday, April 29, 2009

Easy Enchiladas

These beef enchiladas are super easy and pretty quick to make.
1 packet Western Family (or whatever brand) Enchilada sauce
1 6 oz. can tomato paste
2 c. water
1 lb. hamburger
2-3 c. cheese
corn tortillas

Cook the hamburger and while you are cooking the hamburger combine the tomato paste, water, and sauce packet in another pan. Bring to a boil and simmer for 15 minutes. Combine 1/2 the sauce with the hamburger and about 1 c. cheese. Put a few spoonfuls of sauce in the bottom of a 9x9 pan. Fill the tortillas with the meat mixture, roll them, and place them in the pan seam down. If the tortillas are tearing, just rip them and layer tortillas and the meat in a lasagna fashion. Then top with the remaining sauce and cheese. Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes.

Cori's Favorite Rice

Really I'm not to sure when My name became involved in the name of this recipe but for as long as I can remember it has been called this and I love this rice. My mom always made it with meatloaf, and now so do I. I love the fact that you can put both the meatloaf and rice in the oven at the same time!!! My sister Laura isn't so big on the meatloaf so she makes it with barbecued chicken. Whatever you make with it, it so yummy!!!

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

3 cans of Campbell's beef broth ( 10.5 oz)
3 cans of Campbell's beef consomme (10.5 oz)
3 heaping cups of rice
1 onion chopped
4 tablespoons of butter ( slice it and let it float around on the top)

Mix all together in a 9x13 pan, dot with butter last. Cover and bake for 1 hour.

You can make a smaller recipe, 2 cans of each soup and 2 cups of rice, or even go down to one. But this rice is also great the next day as left overs for lunch.

This recipe also works good in a dutch oven. We have done a few times while camping. So yummy!!!! Enjoy

Tuesday, April 28, 2009

Dari's Picante Chicken

So here is yet another one from the Biggest Loser Cookbook. It's one we like and it only has 4 ingredients!

1/3 + 1/2 c. salsa
4 medium boneless skinless chicken breast, trimmed of visible fat
6 Tbs. light cream cheese, softened
1/2 c. finely shredded cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 350. Spread 1/3 c. salsa in the bottom of a 9x13 pan. Set aside.
Lay chicken breast on a cutting board. Use the flat side of a meat mallet to pound the chicken breast to a uniform thickness.
Spread the chicken evenly with the cream cheese. Lay the chicken, cream cheese up, in a single layer in the prepared baking dish. Spoon the remaining 1/2 c. salsa evenly over the breasts. cover the pan with tin foil.
Bake for 15 minutes. Remove the tin foil. Sprinkle the cheese evenly over the breasts. Bake, uncovered, for 15 minutes or until no longer pink. Serve immediately.

Erin, UT

Monday, April 27, 2009

Easy Pleasing Meatloaf

I never had meatloaf until I was older. It quickly became one of my favorites. This is by far my very favorite meatloaf recipe. Sweet Baby Ray's BBQ sauce makes all the difference. I'm a Weight Watcher so if no one minds, I'm going to start including the points for the recipes I add.

Total WW points: 56 if you eat the whole thing
Serves: 8
WW points per serving: 7

2 lbs. lean ground beef
1 6oz pkg. stove top stuffing for chicken mix
1 cup water
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup, sweet baby ray's BBQ sauce divided

Heat oven to 375. Combine, meat, stuffing mix, water, eggs and 1/4 cup sauce just until blended in bowl. Shape into loaf in a 13x9 baking dish. Top with remaining BBQ sauce. Bake for 1 hour.

Ta Da! So easy and yummy. I recommend getting the leanest meat you can so that it's not too greasy when it bakes. You can really use just about any size pan you want to make many small loaves. What ever suits your fancy.

Calories:290 Fat:11g Sat. Fat: 4g Carbs:21g Fiber: 1g

Chicken Rice Casserole

This is a family favorite, my kids LOVE it, its simple and easy to do it! ( I know it looks like more then 5 ingredients but I didn't count the water or the margarine... they don't count ;)

Chicken Rice Casserole

7 cups of water
6 chicken bouillon cubes
2 skinless boneless chicken breast ( I don't like a lot of meat you can add more)
3 heaping cups long grained white rice
1 T margarine
½ onion chopped fine
1 cup or handful of grated medium cheddar Tillamook cheese

Simmer chicken breast in water with bouillon for at least twenty minutes. Meanwhile chop onion and saute in margarine until onion starts to look clear. You can do this in the pan you intend to bake the casserole in. While the onion is sauteing, gather the rice and cheese in an 9 x13 baking dish. As soon as the chicken is cooked, drain it (fork it out of the broth, reserving broth),

Eliminate any fat or gristle and chop it up and put it in the casserole with the rice, cheese and onion. Toss with a fork and add 6 cups broth that the chicken cooked in. It may need some water added to make it 6 cups exactly.

Cover tightly with tinfoil. Bake 1 hour at 375 degrees.

Yakisoba Noodles

This is probably my favorite thing to eat right now because my kids will eat the vegetables, and I can cook it without meat and it still tastes great (I'm pregnant right now and do not like the sight of or smell of meat). So this recipe doesn't exactly have 5 ingredients--you can put as many in as or as little as you want. It's a lot like a stirfry, but I like the noodles better than rice and that way I don't have to be picking up rice after my 2 year old for days afterwards.

Cube and cook 2 chicken breasts. When cooked, add in some Yoshida sauce. Simmer on low, stirring once in awhile. Add carrots, broccoli, celery, peppers, onions. Cover and cook until the desired texture on the vegetables. Add 1 bag of Yakisoba noodles (you can buy these at Costco in the meat department). Add more Yoshida sauce to taste.
Enjoy!

This weeks theme

This weeks theme for recipes is 5 ingredients or less. So lets get out our recipes that will be so yummy but hopefully nice to the pocket books!! I think that if your recipe calls for 2 cans of cream of mushroom or something like that we will count that as only one ingredient. Happy Cooking!!

Friday, April 24, 2009

Frozen Gramwiches

Since no one has posted today I thought I would add one I am planning on making very soon. Another one from the Biggest Loser Cookbook

Graham Crackers
Fat free whipped topping

Break each graham cracker in half. Spread 2 TBS. of whipped topping on half of graham cracker, then top with the other half. Freeze at least 2 hours. I like to freeze it for a few days, because the crackers get soft like an ice cream sandwich. You even use chocolate graham crackers.

One serving is two sandwiches
150 calories, 2 g. protein, 28 g carbs, 4 g fat (2 g saturated), 0 mg cholesterol, less than 1 g fiber, 150 mg sodium

Thursday, April 23, 2009

Crockpot Italian Chicken

This one is one our family favorites. I love it cause it is so easy, and my family loves the taste. I found it off the Spark People (a place to help you get started on a healthy life style. lots of cool resources) recipe page.


6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut in half (I always put my chicken in frozen so I don't cut them in half until they have been cooking for an hour or two)
1 can cream of chicken soup ( can use the healthy request reduce fat version)
1 8oz package of cream cheese cubed into 8 pieces ( can use reduced fat version)
1 package of good seasoning dressing ( found on the salad dressing isle, usually close to the ranch dip mixes. There are a few different flavors, the recipe calls for the Italian one but we have used the herb and garlic one and it so yummy)
4 cloves of garlic diced


Cut chicken in half, cover chicken with cubed cream cheese. Mix garlic, good seasoning mix, and soup. Pour over the chicken. Put in the crock pot on low for 6-8 hours.
Serve over brown rice or egg noodles!!

** the sauce stays pretty thick if you like thinner sauce add a little water, or chicken broth to the soup mix**


Says it serves 12 we never get more then 6-8

Fat 7.2 g Carbs 4 g Calories 210.5 protien 29.5 ( it will be less if you you reduced fat soup and cream cheese)

Penne Macaroni with Peppers and Grilled Chicken

I got this recipe off of a Penne pasta box and my family has loved it. We have been trying to do more recipes with whole wheat and this one is a good one. I don't know about you, but when I hear whole wheat in a recipe I automatically think yuck, but I promise it is really good in this recipe. Give it a whirl!

Ingredients:
13.25 oz. Whole Wheat Penne
1/3 cut extra virgin olive oil
1 cup sweet onion, diced
4 cloves fresh garlic, minced
1 oz. fresh basil, chopped
1 cup(8oz.)chicken, grilled and sliced into strips
1 cup roasted red peppers, diced
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions:
Cook the Penne according to package directions. Heat olive oil in a large skillet on medium heat; add onions and garlic, cook until onions are transparent. Add basil, chicken(already grilled) and red peppers. Cook 2 more minutes. Add chicken broth and hot Penne to skillet and toss together until all the ingredients are evenly distributed. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and season with salt and pepper as needed. Serve immediately.

Serves: 4-6

Frozen Yogurt Pie

This is one of my favorite summer treats and I don't feel guilty eating an extra slice. I am not sure on the nutritional facts, but do you really want to know on yummy treats? :)

Ingredients:
1 tub of cool whip(fat free)
1 32 oz container of your favorite yogurt
1 graham cracker crust(I just buy it from the store, but you could make your own)
(Makes two pies)

Directions:
In a large bowl mix the cool whip and the yogurt together until it is mixed well. Pour into the crust and then put it into the freezer until it is frozen. It is super easy, but I love it. I hope you will enjoy this frozen treat!

New-Fashionsed Meat Loaf

This is another one from the Biggest Loser Cookbook (I think most people in my family have it, hence Cori and I both sharing from it).
Also I hope you guys aren't losing interest already we just started. Maybe the healthy recipes aren't ones we have a lot of. I hope to see the rest of the contributors back.
So here is the recipe

2/3 c. old fashioned oats
1/2 c. fat free milk
1 lbs. 96% lean ground beef
1/2 c. chopped fresh spinach leaves
1/4 c. minced onion
2 large egg whites, lightly beaten
1 Tbs. prepared horseradish (I usually leave this out because I don't like it)
2 tsp. Italian seasoning
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 c. mushrooms, finely chopped (this is something that isn't in the original recipe, and my kids have no clue they are eating them)
1/3 c. reduced-sugar or unsweetened ketchup (I usually use normal but that will affect the nutritional info)


Preheat oven to 350. Lightly spray a bread pan with cooking spray.
In a medium mixing bowl, combine oats and milk. Let stand for 3 minutes. Add the meat, spinach, onion, egg whites, horseradish, Italian seasoning, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, salt, and mushrooms. Mix well. Transfer the mixture to the prepared pan. Press into the pan, patting the top flat. Spread the ketchup over the top.
Bake for 30 minutes, or until a thermometer inserted in the center registers 160 and the meat is no longer pink. Let sit for 10 minutes. Cut into 8 slices. Serve immediately.

224 calories, 29 g protein, 14 carbohydrates, 5 g fat (1 g saturated) 91 mg cholesterol, 2 g fiber, 552 mg sodium

Erin, Utah

Tuesday, April 21, 2009

Better Blueberry Pancakes

This recipe is one of my kids favorites, they love pancakes!! I got it from my Biggest Loser Cookbook. I ordered a huge box of frozen blueberries from my grocery store last September and those work great in this recipe.

1/2 cup reduced-fat buttermilk
1/2 whole grain oat flour
1 large egg white lightly beaten
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup fresh or frozen( not thawed) blueberries


In a small bowl combine the buttermilk, flour, egg white, baking soda, vanilla and salt. Whisk until just blended. Stir in the blueberries. Let stand fro 10 minutes. In the mean time heat your skillet, when the 10 minutes is up pour the batter in 1/8th cup dollops. Cook and top with your favorite pancake topping. If you are wanting to keep with the healthy theme serve with low cal, low sugar syrup, and use I cant believe it not butter spray. It is still so yummy!!!

** this recipe makes 8 pancakes. We always double for my family of 5!! **

1 serving = 4 pancakes
140 calories , 8 g protein, 20 g carbs, 3 g fat ( less then 1 g saturated) 3 g fiber.

Sugar Free Hot Cocoa

I know this is out of season, but I"ll post another one later.
Who doesn't love a nice cup of hot chocolate when your cold? Well we do, but recently my husband found out he was diabetic so normal hot chocolate mix he shouldn't do, and lets face it it would be a lot better for all of us in our family. We looked around for options at the store, but sugar free anything isn't always the cheapest and can be hard to find. So we found a recipe online, which we have adapted a little. Here is a heads up though, it's not your rich and creamy chocolaty hot chocolate we are used but still good. And since you are saving calories you feel a little better adding a handful of marshmallows. We found that it tastes best when you use chocolate and vanilla pudding, originally the recipe just calls for vanilla but felt like it was missing something. We just use a blender when we make it but we have to do two batches so we do half the ingredients with one pkt of pudding and then the other half with the other and then mix them together in the container we are storing them in.

Sugar Free/Fat Free Hot Cocoa Mix

6 c. nonfat dry milk powder
2 c. splenda
1 c. cocoa
1 (1 oz.) pkg sugar free instant vanilla pudding
1 (1 oz.) pkg sugar free instant chocolate pudding

Mix together in a food processor or blender.
To make use 1/4 c. of mix with 1 c. water

Erin, Utah

Monday, April 20, 2009

So this is more of a request than a recipe post, but I'm wondering what everyone's favorite healthy recipes are. I love those recipes that are healthy but you wouldn't guess it because they taste so good! I'll be posting a few of my favorites sometime this week, but wanted to pick your brains as well. Try to make one of the labels applicable to how the recipe is "healthy"...("low-fat", "low-carb", etc.) Hope everyone has a great week!

Friday, April 17, 2009

Honey Mustard Chicken Fingers

I don't think it comes easier than this recipe! Amounts don't really matter it is all just how much you want to make so I usually do:

2-3 chicken breasts cut into strips
2 parts honey (about 1/4 cup)
1 part mustard (big squirt to cover the honey)
bread crumbs

Mix the honey and mustard together and dip the chicken pieces in.
Then roll the chicken in the bread crumbs.
Fry at 350 (in a deep fryer) for 5-7 minutes or bake at 350 in the oven for about 20 minutes.

Then mix together more honey and mustard for a dipping sauce!

If there are leftovers you can use on a salad or make a "snack wrap" like McDonald's or add some mozzarella cheese and whatever else you would like for a sandwich.

Eady Cheesy Chicken Bake

One of my aspirations in life is to be able to create my own recipes. Unfortunately, my brain just doesn't think that way and I end up always using a recipe from family, friends and the back of labels.
This one came from the back of the Kraft Stovetop for Chicken and has turned into one of our little family favorites.

1pkg (6oz) Stovetop Stuffing Mix for Chicken
1-1/2 lb boneless skinless chicken breast, cubed or shredded (however you like it in casseroles)
1 bag (14oz) frozen broccoli florets, thawed, drained
1 can (10-3/4 oz) condensed cream of chicken soup
1/2 cup milk
1-1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
Jex family touch: 1 cup frozen peas and 1 cup frozen corn. I don't ever thaw or drain the frozen veggies and never have had a problem with soggy or watery casseroles. If anything, it helps the peas not turn to mush!

1. Preheat oven to 400. Prepare stuffing mix as directed on package; set aside.
2. Mix chicken and veggies in 13x9-inch baking dish. Stir in soup, milk and cheese ( I like to mix these together in a separate bowl before hand so that it's all blended); top with the prepared stuffing.
3. Bake 30 min or until heated through.

My husband has a thing for on the verge of being burned main dishes so I let mine bake for about 40-45 minutes or until the stuffing on the top is looking crispy. Can't get much easier.

Enjoy!

Shannon Jex
Black Diamond, WA

Low Fat Granola

This is one we like at our house and I happened to make a fresh batch this week. The kids love and I love it. Just having a bowl of granola with milk, or with yogurt or just to snack on. This is a recipe I got from my mom and the great thing about it there is no oil in it, and most of the stuff are things you would have around your house. and besides the nuts it only cost a couple dollars to make. I hope you like it as much as as we do.

Granola

1 c. packed brown sugar
1 c. water
1 tsp. salt
4 tsp. vanilla
7 c. oats
3-5 c. add ins (sesame seeds, nuts, coconut, etc.)

Preheat oven to 275
Combine brown sugar, water and salt in a small pot and heat up and stir until most of the brown sugar is dissolved. Stir in vanilla.
In a large bowl combine oats and add ins (if you want to add raisins or any other dried fruit, do that after it bakes). Stir in the liquid. Pour onto 2 cookie sheets sprayed with cooking spray. Cook for an hour stirring every 15 minutes and rotating pans half way through. I usually just put everything on one pan, for less dishes and I stir it every 30 minutes and bake it for 90 minutes.
Let cool and then put in a container to store (if you don't have a big enough container I usually put mine in the old 2 lbs. oatmeal container, one recipe fills it up)


Erin, Spanish Fork, Utah

Wednesday, April 15, 2009

Favorite Recipe This Week: Chili's Southwestern Egg Rolls and Tomatillo Cilantro Dressing

Wow, was that a long enough title or what??!! ;)

So Todd and I love going to Chili's for their Southwestern Egg Rolls. We found a copycat recipe on allrecipes.com and altered it a little. I can't remember where we got the dressing recipe...I think from one of Todd's sisters. I made these when we were living in Spokane once, and it became a tradition for the married siblings in Todd's faimily to come over for these and a game night...lots of fun! I prefer them fried, but when I was dealing with Gestational Diabetes I made these with the Mission Carb Balance tortillas, sprayed them with Pam and baked them. This is one of our favorite recipes, and after you've made it once or twice, it's actually pretty quick.

Egg Rolls:

4-5 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, cooked and shredded
1/2 c. minced green onion
1 bell pepper (I prefer red, but green is fine too), minced
1 can corn, drained
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 c. frozen chopped spinach, drained (I squeeze to get rid of all the moisture BEFORE measuring, and then measure it "packed", if that makes sense)
1 (4 oz.) can of diced jalapenos if you like things spicy, or 1 (4 oz.) can of diced green chilis if you like things more mild
1/4 c. finely chopped cilantro (we use a lot because we love cilantro...you could use less if you want)
2 t. ground cumin
2 t. chili powder
1 1/4 t. salt
1/8 t. cayenne pepper (optional...add to taste)
3 c. shredded Monterey Jack cheese
20 flour tortillas (the smaller ones)

Directions:

Saute green onion and red pepper in about 1 T canola oil until tender. Add in all other ingredients except for the cheese (and tortillas, of course!) and cook until heated through.

Stir in the cheese until mostly melted.

Heat tortillas a few at a time in the microwave wrapped in a moist towel until they are pliable.

Divide the filling evenly among the tortillas, making sure not to over-fill...probably about 1/3 c. filling per tortilla. Fold in tortilla ends and roll to close them completely. Secure with a couple of toothpicks. You can wrap them in tin foil at this point and freeze them in plastic bags for later use...just thaw most of the way and cook.

To fry them, you can either deep fry frozen egg rolls at 375 for 10 minutes (we don't have a deep fryer, so I've never personally tried this), or you can just fry the fresh or thawed egg rolls in about an inch of oil over medium to med-high heat, turning and cooking until golden brown. Serve with Tomatillo Cilantro Dressing (recipe follows).

Tomatillo Cilantro Dressing:

1 (0.4 oz) Pkg. Hidden Valley Buttermilk Ranch Dressing Mix
1 C. Buttermilk
1 C. Mayo
1 to 2 tomatillos
1/2 to 1 clove garlic, minced
1/3 to 1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped
1/2 t. lime juice (or more to taste...I always give a generous squeeze!)
1/2 to 1 small jalapeno, seeds removed!

Directions:

Throw all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. This will be nice and thick at first, but gets runny after sitting in the fridge, so I usually make it up just before I start making the egg rolls so that it has time for the flavors to blend, but so it's still thick.

UPDATE!!
I made these this week and only used enough filling for what we needed for our family. We still had about half of the filling left, so I've been keeping it in my fridge and making them up for lunches...Today I tried baking them...sprayed both sides with Pam and baked at 425 for 15 minutes, flipping them at 8 minutes. they turned out great! Much healthier this way, especially if you use a high-fiber tortilla!

My Husband was Craving Lasagna.....

Last week my husband was carving lasagna. I did not have a recipe that I was impressed with. I have some issues with lasagna. In my head if my lasagna layers do not stay together on my plate then I think its a failure even if it taste great. Then I found this recipe. It title is "Worlds best lasagna". I don't know if I would go that far, but we really liked it. And you know what the layers stayed. I have learned the trick with lasagna is to let is sit after it comes out of the oven for at Least 15 minutes. That way it wont be falling apart on your plate. This sauce is from scratch and it takes a while to cook, but really I was able to do other things while it cooked and just stir it once and while!! It was really good the next day as well!!!

Ingredients
* 1 pound sweet Italian sausage (I didn't have any and it was fine with out)
* 3/4 pound lean ground beef
* 1/2 cup minced onion
* 2 cloves garlic, crushed
* 1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
* 2 (6 ounce) cans tomato paste
* 2 (6.5 ounce) cans canned tomato sauce
* 1/2 cup water
* 2 tablespoons white sugar
* 1 1/2 teaspoons dried basil leaves
* 1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds
* 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
* 1 tablespoon salt
* 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
* 4 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
* 12 lasagna noodles
* 16 ounces ricotta cheese
* 1 egg
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 3/4 pound mozzarella cheese, sliced
* 3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Directions
1. In a Dutch oven, cook sausage, ground beef, onion, and garlic over medium heat until well browned. Stir in crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, tomato sauce, and water. Season with sugar, basil, fennel seeds, Italian seasoning, 1 tablespoon salt, pepper, and 2 tablespoons parsley. Simmer, covered, for about 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally.
2. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook lasagna noodles in boiling water for 8 to 10 minutes( I just soaked mine In hot tap water for 10-15 minutes, it just is easier). Drain noodles, and rinse with cold water. In a mixing bowl, combine ricotta cheese with egg, remaining parsley, and 1/2 teaspoon salt.
3. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
4. To assemble, spread 1 1/2 cups of meat sauce in the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish. Arrange 6 noodles lengthwise over meat sauce. Spread with one half of the ricotta cheese mixture. Top with a third of mozzarella cheese slices. Spoon 1 1/2 cups meat sauce over mozzarella, and sprinkle with 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese. Repeat layers, and top with remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheese. Cover with foil: to prevent sticking, either spray foil with cooking spray, or make sure the foil does not touch the cheese.
5. Bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes. Remove foil, and bake an additional 25 minutes. Cool for 15 minutes before serving.

Enjoy!!!!

Cori Rexburg Idaho