Hungry Mommas

Fresh Figs with Goat Cheese & Peppered Honey{Gluten Free Goodness}

2011-08-30T15:40:00.002-05:00

This is a perfect no cook recipe for any occasion.

Ingredients

1/4 cup honey
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
12 fresh figs
1/4 cup soft fresh goat cheese

Preparation

Combine honey and pepper in small pitcher; stir to blend.

Starting at stem end, cut each fig into quarters, stopping 1/2 inch from bottom to leave base intact. Gently press figs open. Spoon 1 teaspoon cheese into center of each. Arrange figs on platter; drizzle with peppered honey. (Okay, I started to do this but then I realized that it would be more fun to allow people to drizzle and stuff at their own discretion.)

Grilled chicken with spiced yogurt

2011-06-02T21:19:00.000-05:00

After Sammy told me how delicious this recipe was, I gathered up the ingredients and made it tonight. It was absolutely delicious and I'm so glad I tried something new! The recipe is from Epicurous and Sammy has great pictures on her blog from when she made it. Trust us, it is heavenly!

Ingredients

2 1/4 cups plain yogurt (18 oz; preferably whole-milk)
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon chili powder
3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
3/4 teaspoon ground coriander
3/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
6 skinless boneless chicken breast halves (2 1/4 to 2 1/2 lb total)
1 cup small fresh mint leaves
2 tablespoons minced shallot

Whisk together 1 cup yogurt, 2 tablespoons oil, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, salt, and spices, then add chicken and turn until coated well. Marinate at room temperature 20 minutes.

While chicken is marinating, prepare grill for cooking. If using a charcoal grill, open vents on bottom of grill, then light charcoal. Charcoal fire is medium-hot when you can hold your hand 5 inches above rack for 3 to 4 seconds. If using a gas grill, preheat burners on high, covered, 10 minutes, then reduce heat to moderate.

While grill is heating, whisk together remaining 1 1/4 cups yogurt and 1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice and salt to taste.

Grill chicken (discard marinade), covered only if using gas grill, on lightly oiled grill rack, turning over occasionally, until just cooked through, 10 to 12 minutes total. Transfer chicken to a platter.

Toss together mint, shallot, and remaining tablespoon oil in a small bowl. Drizzle chicken with yogurt sauce and top with mint salad.

Moroccan Winter Squash & Carrot Stew with Quinoa//Gluten Free Goodness

2011-02-25T13:59:00.000-06:00

I discovered this recipe in Epicurious a few weeks ago and fell in love. I added a half of a sweet potato, white beans to the stew and golden raisins to the quinoa. Here is how to make it:

Ingredients

Stew
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
3 garlic cloves, chopped
2 teaspoons Hungarian sweet paprika
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 can of white beans
Pinch of saffron
1 cup water
1 14 1/2-ounce can diced tomatoes, drained
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
3 cups 1-inch cubes peeled butternut squash (from 1 1/2-pound squash)
2 cups 3/4-inch cubes peeled carrots

Quinoa

1 cup quinoa*
hand full of golden raisins
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1/4 cup finely chopped peeled carrot
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
2 cups water
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro, divided
2 teaspoons chopped fresh mint, divided

For stew:
Heat oil in large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion; sauté until soft, stirring often, about 5 minutes. Add garlic; stir 1 minute. Mix in paprika and next 8 ingredients. Add 1 cup water, tomatoes, and lemon juice. Bring to boil.

Add beans, squash,sweet potato and carrots. Cover and simmer over medium-low heat until vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.)

For quinoa:

Rinse quinoa; drain. Melt butter with oil in large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and carrot. Cover; cook until vegetables begin to brown, stirring often, about 10 minutes. Add garlic, raisins,salt, and turmeric; sauté 1 minute.

Add quinoa; stir 1 minute.

Add 2 cups water. Bring to boil; reduce heat to medium-low. Cover; simmer until liquid is absorbed and quinoa is tender, about 15 minutes.

Rewarm stew. Stir in half of cilantro and half of mint. Spoon quinoa onto platter, forming well in center. Spoon stew into well. Sprinkle remaining herbs over(don't you dare forget the herbs-they make the dish!)

Tada:

Read More http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Quinoa-with-Moroccan-Winter-Squash-and-Carrot-Stew-233714#ixzz1F0BKNxGo

honey mustard stuffed chicken breasts

2011-02-01T20:39:00.004-06:00

Tonight I decided to recreate a yummy dish I had years ago. I love the combination of sweet and savory the mustard and brown sugar give the chicken. It has simple ingredients and is so good. Even my picky kids gobbled it up!

Ingredients

6 ounces cream cheese, softened (I used low fat and it worked great)
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup Dijon mustard (I used Grey Poupon)
1/2 cup chopped pecans

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees
2. Pound chicken breasts thin with a meat mallet. Spread with cream cheese and roll up. In a small bowl, mix together brown sugar and Dijon mustard. Press mustard mixture onto chicken. Roll chicken in chopped nuts. Place in a baking dish.
3. Bake in preheated oven for 20 to 30 minutes, or until chicken is no longer pink, and juices run clear.

Enjoy!

{Gluten Free} Baked Cod & Chorizo

2011-02-01T15:04:00.001-06:00

With an 11wk old and an almost 3year old, this hungry momma doesn't have tons of time to lounge in the kitchen. This baked cod recipe is so easy to make and DELICIOUS! Try it!!

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 ounces Spanish chorizo (cured sausage), thinly sliced
1 pound Yukon gold potatoes, sliced 1/4 inch thick
2 leeks (white and light green parts), cut into thin half-moons
1/4 teaspoon crumbled saffron threads
Kosher salt and black pepper
1 1 1/2-pound piece cod fillet
1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped ** i substituted cilantro

Preparation:

1.Heat oven to 400° F. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and cook, tossing occasionally, until browned, 2 to 3 minutes.

2.Add the potatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes. Add the leeks, saffron, ½ cup water, ¾ teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Bring to a boil.

3.Season the cod with ½ teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Place it on top of the potatoes and drizzle with the remaining tablespoon of oil.

4.Transfer the skillet to oven and bake until the cod is opaque throughout, 15 to 20 minutes. Sprinkle with the parsley before serving.

To see step by step mosey on over to my blog

Curried Chicken Salad

2010-12-07T19:31:00.004-06:00

After hearing about Rather Sweet's curried chicken salad from my friend Ellen, I just had to try it while we were in Fredericksburg. I must say, it was delish! When I got back home and was craving more, I decided to whip up my own version.

Mix the following ingredients together and chill:
1 cup mayo

2 tablespoons sugar

2 tablespoons Apple cider vinegar

2 teaspoons curry powder

1 1/8 ounces natural sliced almonds (toasted)

1/2 cup celery

1/2 cup Craisins

3 cups chopped chicken

It's savory, sweet and scrumptious! You can serve it on a bed of lettuce or it's great on a croissant. Save some of the sauce on the side before you add the chicken so you can have extra to dip or pour on your salad. YUM!

Nana's Banana Nut Bread

2010-11-01T19:58:00.002-05:00

1/2 cup softened butter
1/2 cup chopped nuts (pecans/walnuts)
1 cup sugar
2 cups flour
2 eggs
1 tsp. baking soda
2 medium spotted bananas (mashed)
1 tsp. salt

Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs and beat well. Add mashed bananas to flour, baking soda & salt mixture.
Bake 45 minutes to 1 hour at 325. After greasing loaf pan with butter, sprinkle with liberally with sugar instead of flour and sprinkle sugar on top before baking.
(Bake in 1 large loaf pan or 2 small)

ENJOY!

The Great Cake Debate from Hungry Girl

2010-08-08T15:49:00.005-05:00

I got this in a hungry girl email a few weeks ago. It's a bunch of different ways to make cakes with a mix that are healthier.

So most of us already knew about the pumpkin recipe. I actually like to add 1 can pumpkin and some egg substitute (equal to 1 egg). It comes out awesome that way. It's Logan's favorite cake!

I've done a chocolate cake with diet coke too. It comes out pretty good, but you can taste the aftertaste of the soda a little.

I tried the applesauce with a yellow cake mix a few weeks ago and it was good, but really moist and apple-y. The kids really liked it though. I served it with whipped cream and a little cinnamon on top! I think next time I would do 1/2 applesauce, 1/2 egg sub.

Today I'm making the chocolate cake with Greek yogurt. It mixed up pretty thick, but baked up nice and even. It's very fluffy and moist. Not as dense as with pumpkin. Delicious!! The kids like it too!
Here are all Hungry Girls Recipes:

Cake Mix + No-Sugar-Added Applesauce

PER SERVING (1 piece, 1/12th of cake): 179 calories, 3.25g fat, 299mg sodium, 36g carbs, 0.5g fiber, 21.5g sugars, 1.5g protein -- POINTS® value 4*

Ingredients:

One 18.25-oz. box moist-style cake mix

1 cup no-sugar-added applesauce

Directions:Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine ingredients in a large bowl and add 1 cup water. Whisk thoroughly and transfer to a baking pan sprayed with nonstick spray; bake in the oven until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean. (Refer to cake-mix box for pan size and approximate bake time.)MAKES 12 SERVINGS

Best Flavor: Yellow cake mix. It goes perfectly with the fruity taste of the sauce.

The Texture: VERY moist and fluffy. A+!

The Taste: AMAZING!!!! Sweet and slightly apple-y. Two YUMS up...

Cake Mix + Diet Soda

PER SERVING (1 piece, 1/12th of cake): 171 calories, 3.25g fat, 301mg sodium, 34g carbs, <0.5g>

Ingredients:

One 18.25-oz. box moist-style cake mix

One 12-oz. can diet soda

Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine ingredients in a large bowl. Whisk thoroughly and transfer to a baking pan sprayed with nonstick spray; bake in the oven until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean. (Refer to cake-mix box for pan size and approximate bake time.)MAKES 12 SERVINGS

Best Flavor Combo: Yellow cake mix + diet cream soda. Runners-up include lemon cake mix + diet lemon-lime soda and devil's food cake mix + diet cherry cola.

The Texture: Moist and light.

The Taste: Pretty darn impressive! However, if you're sensitive to the sweetener in diet soda, you may notice a slight aftertaste... especially if you use cola of any kind.

Cake Mix + Canned Pure Pumpkin

PER SERVING (1 piece, 1/12th of cake): 183 calories, 3.5g fat, 301mg sodium, 37g carbs, 1.25g fiber, 20.5g sugars, 2g protein -- POINTS® value 4*

Ingredients:

One 18.25-oz. box moist-style cake mix

One 15-oz. can pure pumpkin

Directions:Preheat oven to 400 degrees.Combine ingredients in a large bowl. Mix thoroughly -- batter will be VERY thick -- and transfer to a baking pan sprayed with nonstick spray; bake in the oven until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean. (Refer to cake-mix box for pan size and approximate bake time.)MAKES 12 SERVINGS

Best Flavor: Devil's food cake mix is CLEARLY a classic choice. (Hello?! Yum Yum Brownie Muffins!) But spice cake mix... WOW. Yellow and white cake mixes, sadly, do not work as well.

The Texture: Thick and dense in the BEST possible way. Brownie-like, in the case of the devil's food; the spice cake reminded us of pumpkin bread!

The Taste: No one would ever guess this is guilt-free in any way. It's delicious!

Cake Mix + Egg Substitute

PER SERVING (1 piece, 1/12th of cake): 181 calories, 3.25g fat, 337mg sodium, 34.5g carbs, <0.5g>

Ingredients:

One 18.25-oz. box moist-style cake mix

1 cup fat-free liquid egg substitute (like Egg Beaters Original)

Best Flavor: Egg sub is like the little black dress of cake companions; it goes well with everything.

The Texture: The first time we made this, we used only 1/4 cup of water; it was a little dry and dense, but it reminded us of pound cake, which isn't a bad thing. With a full cup of water, it came out light and fluffy. It had a more substantial, cake-like consistency than the applesauce and soda versions, but it wasn't quite as moist.

The Taste: Good! But it's not our favorite. That one's up next...

Cake Mix + Fat-Free Greek Yogurt

PER SERVING (1 piece, 1/12th of cake): 180 calories, 3.25g fat, 306mg sodium, 34.5g carbs, <0.5g>

Ingredients:

One 18.25-oz. box moist-style cake mix

1 cup fat-free plain Greek yogurt (like Fage Total 0%)

Best Flavor: Devil's food cake mix. Hands down.

The Texture: The word "velvety" comes to mind... Super moist and decadent! Kind of like a brownie-cake hybrid.

The Taste: YUMMY! Everyone who tried this loved it. There wasn't any yogurt taste at all... just pure cake-tastic deliciousness!

pork medallions with mustard sauce and roasted vegetables

2010-08-05T15:53:00.001-05:00

My friend Jennie made this yummy dinner on our Selvage Sisters getaway weekend and it is so good! Serve the pork medallions and roasted vegetables with long grain rice for a delicious meal. Thanks for this great recipe Jennie!

1990 Pork Medallions in Mustard Sauce

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons coarse-grained mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground pepper
1 1/2 pounds pork tenderloin
1/4 cup dry white wine or chicken broth
Mustard Sauce

Stir together first 4 ingredients. Rub mixture over pork, and place in a large heavy-duty zip-top plastic bag. Chill 8 hours. Place pork on a lightly greased rack in a shallow roasting pan.

Bake at 450° for 15 minutes. Reduce temperature to 400°, and bake 15 minutes or until a meat thermometer inserted into thickest portion registers 160°, basting with wine every 10 minutes. Slice and serve with Mustard Sauce.

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Mustard Sauce
1 3/4 cups whipping cream
1/4 cup coarse-grained mustard
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground white pepper

Cook whipping cream in a heavy saucepan over medium heat until reduced to 1 1/4 cups (about 20 minutes). Do not boil. Stir in remaining ingredients, and cook mixture 1 minute.

--------------------------------

Oven Roasted Vegetables
1 medium zucchini, cut into bite-size pieces
1 medium summer squash, cut into bite-size pieces
1 medium red bell pepper, cut into bite-size pieces
1 medium yellow bell pepper, cut into bite-size pieces
1 pound fresh asparagus, cut into bite size pieces
1 red onion
3 Tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
Heat the oven to 450 F. Place the vegetables in a large bowl. Toss with the olive oil, salt, and pepper to mix and coat. Spread in a single layer in a roasting pan. Roast for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are lightly browned and tender. Serves 4

power cookies

2010-04-29T22:20:00.001-05:00

2 cups dark brown sugar
2 tsp. salt
2 cups granulated sugar
2 tsp. baking soda
¾ c. butter, softened
3 cups uncooked oats
1 cups vegetable shortening
2 cups coconut
4 eggs
2 cups raisins
2 tsp. vanilla
1 cups chocolate chips
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cups chopped nuts

Cream together the brown sugar, granulated sugar, butter & shortening. Beat in the eggs & vanilla. Combine flour, salt, & soda and beat into first mixture. Add remaining ingredients & knead into first mixture. Drop by heaping teaspoons, 2 inches apart, on greased baking sheet. Bake in preheated 350 degree oven about 8 minutes or until cookies are nicely browned. Let cookies cool on baking sheet about 1 minute before removing to rack to cool. Store in airtight container. Makes 7 dozen cookies. For best results, shape dough into rolls, wrap and chill several hours; then slice and bake as above.

These are the BEST cookies ever!

Banana Chocolate Chip Cookies

2010-03-09T22:35:00.003-06:00

I usually have one or two bananas that get too ripe before we can eat them. Instead of making banana bread this time I tried something different!

1 3/4 C Flour

1 t Baking soda

1 t Salt

1 C (2 sticks) Butter, softened

3/4 C Sugar

3/4 C Packed brown sugar

1 t Vanilla extract

2 Large eggs (I used fresh!)

2 C Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips

1/2 - 3/4 C Nuts (optional)

1 Mashed banana

Preheat oven to 375. Combine flour, salt and soda and set aside. Cream butter, sugar, brown sugar and vanilla. Add banana. Once mixed add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each. Slowly mix in flour mixture. Once well blended, fold in chocolate chips.

Chill for 15 minutes to make dough easier to work with. Drop by spoonful onto greased cookie sheet. Bake 9-11 minutes. Cool on cookie sheet 2 minutes, then move to cooling rack.

SPINACH ARTICHOKE DIP

2009-12-30T14:47:00.005-06:00

1 bag fresh spinach
1 can broth
1 small sour cream (u can use a large to make it more fluffy & 86 the mayo))
3 tbs mayo (optional)
1 bag Italian Cheese Mix (can use 2 to make it extra cheesy!)
1 wheel Queso Fresco (Mexican cheese; by the quesadilla cheese)
2 jars artichokes in oil, drained (u can use any; these are my favorite!)
1 tbs minced garlic (u can use powdered)
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper

Reserve approx 1/4- 1 cup Italian cheese mix.

Boil Spinach & broth until reduced to approx 1/2 cup or broth. Chop artichokes while u wait! Crumble wheel of cheese into boiling hot mixture (cubing seems to not melt very well). Reduce heat & add garlic, salt & pepper. Remove from heat & add remaining ingredients.

Top with reserved cheese.

*Bake at 350-375 for 20-30 minutes. You can crank up the heat if you're in a hurry or just extend boiling time on the stove & just brown in the oven! I usually finish up with the broiler for a few minutes so the top gets nice & brown!

Serve with sturdy tortilla chips or a baguette is really good!

ENJOY!

24 Creative Birthday Cakes and Cupcakes for Kids

2009-12-27T20:25:00.000-06:00

Searching for a theme for Jacob's 2nd birthday and stumbled upon this link:

24 Creative Birthday Cakes and Cupcakes for Kids

I love the block cake!

Award Winning Carrott Cake

2009-12-11T22:40:00.002-06:00

Emily made this cake for the Williamson County Youth Fair and won Reserve Grand Champion with it. There was some tough competition but it was mighty tasty!

Carrot Cake

Ingredients:
2 ½ cups all-purpose flour, plus more for pans
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
¾ teaspoon coarse salt
½ teaspoon ground ginger
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
3 sticks (12 ounces) unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for pans
1 cup packed light-brown sugar
½ cup granulated sugar
3 large eggs
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
½ cup water
1 pound carrots (8 to 10 medium carrots), peeled and shredded on a box grater or in a food processor (about 2 ¾ cups)
2 cups pecans (1 cup finely chopped for batter, 1 cup coarsely chopped for decorating sides of cake)
White butter icing (recipe follows)

Cake directions:
1. Preheat over to 350°. Butter 3 9-inch cake pans. Line bottoms with parchment paper and butter parchment. Dust with flour, tapping out excess. Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, ginger, and nutmeg.
2. Beat butter and sugars with a mixer on medium speed until pale and fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat 3 minutes. Add vanilla, water and carrots. Beat until well combined, about 2 minutes. Reduce speed to low, and add flour mixture, then finely chopped pecans.
3. Scrape batter into prepared pans, dividing evenly. Bake, rotating pans halfway through, until golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Let cool in pans on wire rack for 15 minutes. Run a knife around edges of cake to loosen, and turn out cakes onto rack. Turn right side up and let cool completely.
4. Using a serrated knife, trim rounded top of 2 cakes. Place one trimmed cake, cut side up, on a serving platter. Spread 1 cup frosting over cake. Top with second trimmed cake, cut side down. Spread 1 cup frosting over cake. Top with remaining cake. Spread remaining frosting over top and sides. Gently press coarsely chopped pecans onto sides of cake. Refrigerate 1 hour (or up to 1 day, covered) before serving.

White Butter Icing:

Ingredients:
1/3 cup soft butter
3 cups sifted confectioners sugar.
About 3 tablespoon water
1 ½ teaspoon vanilla

Icing directions:
Blend butter and sugar thoroughly. Stir in water and vanilla until smooth.

Easy Pulled Pork

2009-09-17T20:00:00.008-05:00

3 lbs Boneless Pork Roast (I used Boston Butt)

1/2 C Firmly Packed Brown Sugar

1/4 C Apple Cider Vinegar

1 T Pepper Sauce (I used Frank's Red Hot)

1 Envelope Lipton Onion Mushroom Soup Mix

1 C Ketchup

8 Kaiser Rolls or Hamburger Buns

In crock pot, place pork. Combine remaining ingredients except rolls and pour over pork; turn to coat.

Cook covered on LOW 8-10 hours or HIGH 4-6 hours until pork is tender.

Remove pork; reserve juices. With two forks shred pork and return to juices. Serve on rolls or buns.

I served on toasted buns with potato salad as the side. Easy and tasty!

Cheesy Volcano Meatballs

2009-09-09T19:13:00.003-05:00

I know it's been forever since I posted here, but I wanted to share this recipe I tried from Kraft. Even Logan liked it and he NEVER likes meatballs or meatloaf or anything like that. He ate the whole sandwich with no complaint!

Cheesy Volcano Meatballs

1 lb. lean ground beef
6 RITZ Crackers, finely crushed
1/4 cup KRAFT Grated Parmesan Cheese
3/4 cup spaghetti sauce, divided
12 KRAFT Cheddar Cheese Cubes
4 hot dog buns

HEAT oven to 400ºF

MIX meat, cracker crumbs, Parmesan and 1/4 cup spaghetti sauce. Shape into 12 meatballs, using about 2 Tbsp. meat mixture for each.

PLACE, 2 inches apart, in shallow baking pan sprayed with cooking spray. Press 1 cheese cube deeply into center of each meatball.

BAKE 14 min. or until meatballs are done (160ºF). Meanwhile, microwave remaining sauce in microwaveable bowl on HIGH 30 sec. or until heated through; spoon into buns. Fill with meatballs.

Banamana Bread

2009-09-08T15:25:00.000-05:00

I found this yummy recipe for banana bread on http://www.graceviolet.com/ and have made it several times. I add chocolate chips to mine to make it even more heavenly. Even Ethan eats it! Enjoy!

camping omelets

2009-08-30T21:05:00.001-05:00

When we go camping with friends, we take turns making breakfast. Instead of dirtying up the electric skillet making pancakes, we have a new favorite thing to fix. Omelets in a baggie! It's quick, fun and oh so yummy!

Ingredients:

- quart size ziplock FREEZER baggies

- 2 eggs per person

- omelet fixings like bacon, ham, sausage, cheese, potatoes, peppers or jalepenos

Have everyone get their own baggie and fill with 2 eggs and desired fixings. Squish together with your fingers through the baggie to mix it all up. Label the baggies with a Sharpie so you know which one is which. Make sure all the air is out of the baggie and seal up. Put in a pot of boiling water for 13 minutes. When it's done, it slides out of the baggie as a perfect omelet. Yum!

crockpot shredded chicken

2009-08-29T15:44:00.000-05:00

For yummy shredded chicken, all you have to do is dump the following in a crockpot for 6 to 8 hours:

3 to 6 chicken breasts
1/2 to 1 packet taco seasoning
1/2 to 1 cup of salsa (like my precise measurements?)

That's it! The chicken literally falls apart and becomes perfectly seasoned. You can put it in tacos, enchiladas, nachos, quesadillas or whatever you can think of. It's a great go to meal when you can't think of anything else to make! Enjoy!

Plantainwhich!

2009-06-24T14:19:00.005-05:00

Recently I was experimenting with plantains and discovered a delicious lunch dish or snack.

1 Plantain(if it's black then it's going to be sweet, if it is yellow then it is going to taste starchy. I like them yellow with some black.

2 triangles of laughing cow spreadable swiss cheese

Thinly sliced turkey meat(to taste)

1 tablespoon of Olive Oil

Prepare:

Heat pan add oil

Slice Plantain in half and place in pan until golden brown

Add Swiss and Turkey

Enjoy!

Artichoke chicken

2009-05-19T17:54:00.004-05:00

Ingredients:

15 ounce can artichokes - drained and chopped

3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

3/4 cup mayo

garlic salt to taste

4 chicken breasts

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a medium bowl, mix together artichokes, cheese, garlic salt and mayo. Place chicken in a greased baking dish and cover with artichoke mixture. Bake uncovered for 30 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink and the juices run clear.

I found this recipe at http://www.kellyskornerrecipes.blogspot.com/. She has lots of good recipes on her blog and I'm planning on making more of them. I have made the artichoke chicken several times and it's a hit with my family. That says a lot! I used shakeable grated Parmesan cheese and it was great. It would be even better with fresh shredded Parmesan cheese. Yum!

lazy momma's toffee

2009-04-27T11:44:00.009-05:00

Ingredients: Saltines, one stick butter, one cup brown sugar, one bag chocolate chips.

Line cookie sheet with saltines

Melt butter in pan, add brown sugar, stir until slightly caramelized.

Pour over saltines and spread evenly. Cook at 350 for 5 minutes.

Take out of oven, pour chocolate chips on top. As they melt, spread over toffee. Stick in fridge to set. Break into pieces and enjoy!

Zucchini Bread

2009-01-21T00:31:00.003-06:00

1 c flour

1 Tb. ground cinnamon

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. baking powder

2 eggs

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup vegetable oil

2 tsp. vanilla

1 large zucchini (enough to make 1 cup coarsely grated) Wash, dry, trim and DO NOT PEEL

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and lightly flour bottom and sides of loaf pan.

Combine flour, cinnamon, baking soda, salt, and baking powder in mixing bowl and set aside. In another bowl, beat eggs, sugar, and oil with electric beater until thick and pale yellow in color. Beat in vanilla and flour mix. Stir grated zucchini into batter. Pour batter into pan and bake for 55-60 minutes, until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. Remove from oven and cool on rack. Enjoy!

This is one of my all time favorites, and a real crowd pleaser! Tye even loves it!

Sopapilla Cheesecake

2009-01-02T22:37:00.004-06:00

I know it's been forever, but my sister, Susan made these at Christmas and they were amazing. So delicious, yet so simple. I found a picture online since I didn't take one.

2 cans Pillsbury Crescent rolls

2-8oz Cream Cheese (room temperature)

1 1/2 cups Sugar, separated

1 tsp. Vanilla extract

1 tsp Cinnamon (I like a little more)

1 stick butter (1/2 cup real butter not margarine)

Spray a 9 x 13 pan with cooking spray. Unroll and press 1 can crescent rolls into the bottom of your baking dish press the seams together.

In a separate bowl blend the cream cheese, 1 cup sugar and 1 tsp vanilla spread over top of dough.

Unroll the second can of crescent rolls and place on top of the cream cheese mixture pressing seams together again. Melt butter and pour over top layer of crescents.

Mix the reaming 1/2 cup of sugar & cinnamon together. Sprinkle cinnamon sugar mixture generously over the top. If you don't think that's enough cinnamon sugar on top add more it’s really up to you there's no rules on this part of the recipe.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes until bubbly and bottom crust is slightly brown. Cool, slice and enjoy!

Yummy!!!!!!!

Chocolate Éclairs

2009-01-02T13:56:00.006-06:00

These take a little practice and some patience too, but they are well worth the effort!

Pastries:
1 Cup water
2 ½ oz butter
1 Cup plain flour (sifted)
Pinch salt
4 eggs (3 if you use Jumbo)
1 teaspoon grated orange rind (optional)
1 teaspoon grated lemon rind (optional)

Filling & Chocolate sauce
Heavy Whipping Cram
¼ C Sugar
1 C Powdered sugar
Hot water
Cocoa
Butter (melted)

Pastries:
Place water and butter in sauce pan over low/medium heat until butter is melted. Bring to boil, quickly add sifted flour and salt, stir quickly until mixture forms a ball and leaves side of pan. Remove from heat immediately, let mixture cool slightly. 3-5 minutes.

Place mixture into metal or glass mixing bowl. Beat on low/med speed with electric mixer – add eggs one at a time. Beat well after each egg. Mixture will be thick, smooth and glossy. If using Jumbo eggs, you may only need to add two and one white (total of three) the key is to have the mixture smooth, glossy and thick.

Drop rounded teaspoon full of mixture onto greased oven trays. I use baking paper instead. Bake 10 minutes at 400*. Reduce heat to 370* (without opening oven) and cook for another 35 minutes, until golden brown.

Allow to cool completely on wire racks before filling. Fill with cream and frost top with chocolate.

Filling:
Whip heavy cram with electric mixer. Add sugar a spoonful at a time until cream start to stiffen. Use piping bag to fill each pastry with cream.

Chocolate Sauce:
Pour powder sugar into mixing bowl. Add melted butter and hot water. Mix well. Sauce will be think. “frost” the top of each filled pastry.

Chill for one hour. Serve cold. ENJOY!

Easy peanut butter cookies

2008-11-18T10:16:00.004-06:00

Ingredients:
1 cup peanut butter (creamy or crunchy)
1 egg
1 cup sugar (plus extra to sprinkle on top)
1 teaspoon vanilla (optional)

Mix ingredients together and form into balls. Crisscross with a fork and sprinkle with sugar. Bake at 350 for 12 minutes.

These cookies are simple to make with ingredients always on hand and your kids will love them. They are gluten-free too!

Pumpkiny goodness

2008-11-15T19:48:00.007-06:00

Turtle Pumpkin Pie (from Kraft Foods Magazine)

1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp. caramel ice cream topping, divided
1 HONEY MAID Graham Pie Crust
1/2 cup plus 2 Tbsp. PLANTERS Pecan Pieces, divided
1 cup cold milk
2 pkg. (3.4 oz. each) JELL-O Vanilla Flavor Instant Pudding
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
1 tub (8 oz.) COOL WHIP Whipped Topping, thawed, divided

POUR 1/4 cup caramel topping into crust; sprinkle with 1/2 cup pecans.
BEAT milk, pudding mixes, pumpkin and spices with whisk until blended. Stir in 1-1/2 cups COOL WHIP. Spread into crust.
REFRIGERATE at least 1 hour. Top with remaining COOL WHIP, caramel topping and pecans just before serving.

*********************************************************

Pumpkin Cookies (more like perfect little pumpkin cakes than crunchy cookies)

1/2 cup Shortening
1 cup Sugar
1 cup Pumpkin
1 tsp. Vanilla
1 tsp. Soda
1 tsp. Baking Powder
1 tsp. Cinnamon
2 cups Flour

Cream together shortening and sugar. Add other cookie ingredients. Spoon out small amounts on cookie sheet (about the size of a walnut). Bake 8-10 minutes at 375 degrees. Remove from oven and remove from the pan because they continue to cook. Cool on wax paper, then frost.

Frosting
1/2 cup Margarine
8 oz. Cream Cheese
1 tsp. Vanilla

Cream three ingredients together and add a small bag of powder sugar.

Green Chile Mac & Cheese

2008-11-12T11:36:00.015-06:00

Green Chile Mac & Cheese

1 lb hamburger meat or ground turkey

1 jar Cookwell Green Chile Stew (can also use canned chile puree)

1 block Easy Melt Queso Blanco, cubed (by the Velveeta)

1/2 pkg. large elbow macaroni pasta

Shredded cheese, your choice (I like Colby jack)

Brown hamburger meat. Season with salt & pepper to taste. Mix hamburger with cooked pasta, cubed Queso Blanco & Green Chile Stew. Spray casserole dish with non-stick cooking spray. Pour mixture into casserole dish. Top with shredded cheese. Bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes or until cheese is brown and bubbly.

I served this dish with green beans & it was delicious! My picky 2 year old gobbled it up!

Chicken rings

2008-11-11T09:54:00.008-06:00

Spinach Chicken Ring

1 can (10 oz.) chunk white chicken, drained and flaked ( I use rotissery chicken and eyeball the amount)
1/2 cup red bell pepper
chopped 1 pkg (10 oz.) frozen chop spinach, thawed & well drained
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/3 cup mayonnaise
1 tsp. lemon zest
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg
2 pkg. refrigerated crescent rolls

Flake or shred chicken. Add chopped bell pepper, spinach, cheese and mayo, lemon zest, salt and nutmeg. Unroll crescent dough; separate into triangles. Arrange triangles in a circle with wide ends overlapping in the center and points toward the outside. Scoop chicken mixture evenly onto widest end of each triangle. Bring outside points of triangles up over filling and tuck under wide ends of dough at center. Filling WILL NOT be completely covered. Bake in a preheated 375F oven for 20-25 min. or until golden brown. Yield: 8 servings.
Approx. 400 cal. & 27 g of fat per serving.

I usually use a rotisserie chicken or leftover chicken breast instead of canned chicken. I never add in nutmeg or lemon zest and it's still yummy. I also usually simmer the spinach in some chicken broth so it's flavored well and my picky eaters will eat it. Both these chicken rings are Pampered Chef recipes. YUM!

Turkey Cranberry Wreath

2 pkg. (235g each) refrigerated crescent rolls
1/2 C. mayonnaise
2 T. honey Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp. coarsely ground pepper
2 C. cooked turkey or chicken, chopped
1/2 C. celery, sliced
3 T. fresh parsley, snipped
1/2 C. dried cranberries
4 oz. Swiss cheese, shredded (1cup)
1/4 C. walnuts, chopped (optional)
1 egg, separated

Preheat oven to 375°F. Unroll crescent dough; separate into 16 triangles. With wide ends of triangles toward the center. arrange 8 triangles in a circle on Large Round Stone. Corners of wide ends will touch and points will extend 1 inch beyond of baking stone. Arrange remaining 8 triangles in center. matching ends. Seal seams using pizza roller. (Points will overlap in center; do not seal.)
Measure mayonnaise, mustard and black pepper into a bowl. Grate cheese into a bowl. Mix filling. Scoop filling over seams of dough, forming a circle.
Coarsely chop walnuts; sprinkle over filling. Beginning in center, lift one dough triangle across mixture. Continue alternating with outer triangle, slightly overlapping to form wreath. Tuck last end under first.
Separate egg over bowl. Beat egg white lightly; brush over dough. Bake 25-30 minutes or until golden brown. Yields 10 servings.
Per serving: 363 calories; 17 g protein; 24g fat; 20g carbohydrates; 521 mg sodium

I usually use rotisserie chicken for this unless it's the day after Thanksgiving and I have leftover turkey. I never have celery and it's just fine without it. The savory chicken and Swiss combined with the cranberries is so yummy!

Tandoori Chicken and Mango Rice

2008-09-14T11:54:00.003-05:00

Tandoori Chicken and Mango Rice

Mangoes are used two ways in this Indian dish — grilled with the chicken and tossed into rice. This chicken and rice is so good you will be craving it the next day-trust me on this one!!

Makes 8 servings.

1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
4 garlic cloves
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon sweet paprika
1 tablespoon coarse kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 cup olive oil
1 cup plain whole-milk yogurt
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

2 (2 1/2-pound) chickens, quartered

2 large ripe mangoes, peeled; 1 cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices, 1 cut into 1/2-inch cubes

2 cups jasmine rice
3 cups water
1/2 cup pine nuts, toasted

6 fresh cilantro sprigs

How to Prepare and Cook:

Purée first 7 ingredients in processor. With machine running, gradually add oil through feed tube and process until blended. Transfer 1/4 cup herb mixture to small bowl; reserve. Add yogurt and lemon juice to remaining mixture in processor and blend.

Place chicken in 13x9x2-inch glass baking dish. Pour yogurt mixture over chicken; turn to coat. Cover and refrigerate 1 hour.

Prepare barbecue (medium heat). Place chicken, skin side down, on grill. Cover and grill until chicken is cooked through, turning every 5 minutes, about 30 minutes total. Grill mango slices 2 minutes per side; set aside. Meanwhile, combine rice, 3 cups water, and reserved 1/4 cup herb mixture. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer until tender, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat; let stand, covered, 5 minutes. Fold in mango cubes and pine nuts.

Arrange chicken on large platter; garnish with grilled mango slices and cilantro sprigs. Serve mango jasmine rice alongside.

Chicken Enchiladas with Green Salsa

2008-08-07T18:53:00.004-05:00

4 tablespoons canola oil
2 small zucchini, diced
1 small red onion, chopped
1 ear of corn, kernels cut off the cob (about 1/2 cup)
1 2 1/2- to 3-pound rotisserie chicken, meat shredded
1 1/2 cups (6 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack
Kosher salt and pepper
12 6-inch corn tortillas
1 pound tomatillos, husks removed
1 jalapeño, seeded
1 cup fresh cilantro leaves
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1/2 cup sour cream (optional)

Heat oven to 400° F. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add the zucchini, onion, and corn and cook, stirring, until the onion begins to soften, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl. Add the chicken, Monterey Jack, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Mix to combine.
Wipe out the skillet and heat the remaining oil over medium heat. One at a time, cook the tortillas in the oil until softened, 10 to 15 seconds per side. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. Divide the chicken mixture among the tortillas, roll them up, and place seam-side down in a large baking dish. Bake until heated through, 8 to 10 minutes.
In a food processor, pulse the tomatillos, jalapeño, cilantro, lime juice, and 1/2 teaspoon salt until finely chopped. Serve the enchiladas with the salsa and sour cream, if using.

This recipe is one I found in my Real Simple magazine. The dinner was awesome!

I did not follow the recipe completely. I am the only one in the family who likes zucchini so I left that out. And I did not mix the corn with the chicken- the little people in the house are quite picky. We had corn on the side.

Instead of softening tortillas in oil, I splashed some water on them, put them between two plates and stuck them in the microwave. I did 3 at a time for about 30-40 seconds. After I rolled the enchiladas, I sprinkled a tiny bit of olive oil on top of them.

And the last thing I changed up, I added one garlic clove and some red onions to the salsa. The salsa is really good.

I served these enchiladas with corn (since I did not mix it with the chicken) and black beans.

Breakfast ideas

2008-06-27T11:17:00.007-05:00

These are not really recipes, but just some different ideas of how to fix things and foods you may not have tried before.

First is a different version of pancakes. I discovered a whole wheat blend pancake mix (Aunt Jemima) that I really like. 100% whole wheat pancakes just don't taste very good, but I wanted to try and have them be as healthy as possible, so when I came across this mix I was very happy. It's delicious too. The different idea I wanted to share with you though came from the Deceptively Delicious cookbook. The idea is to add 1/2 cup of sweet potato puree to the mix. (You can buy a canned version a lot like canned pumpkin. It's pure mashed sweet potato with nothing added- at HEB in the canned vegetable aisle) I also like to add a little cinnamon and some vanilla. The pancakes are delicious and a lot healthier!

Tip: When you add the purees I find it works best to use a little less water in the mix or the batter becomes too thin.

Just the other day I saw on Jon and Kate plus 8 that she had made banana pancakes. I don't know why I had never thought of that or heard of it before, but I thought it sounded good, so I tried it just by mashing up a banana and adding to the mix. (I also wanted to add nuts, but didn't think the kids would like it, so I put some on top of mine.) They were awesome! They tasted just like banana bread!

Another one of my favorite finds is Weetabix. They are reportedly the most popular cereal in the U.K., but the English aren't known for their great food, right? I decided to try them after seeing commercials for them and being quite intrigued. When you first see them you may be taken aback. They are odd shaped cereal "biscuits". But I LOVE them. My favorite way to eat them is to toast them and then put peanut butter and chocolate hazelnut spread (like Nutella, only I found one with no partially hydrogenated oils and less fat and calories called Racconto Nocello at HEB) on them. Yummmm!!! Sometimes I do just chocolate and add some strawberries or a banana.

Another great thing to do with them is to break one up an put yogurt and cut up strawberries on it!! It's like a yogurt parfait. It's a delicious and filling, yet nutritious snack!

Another of my new faves is a granola Erica introduced me to called Bear Naked. I usually eat this as more of a snack though. The Heavenly Chocolate is to die for!! It's awesome just to munch on by itself. It's also great in a bowl with milk or with a banana!! Yummmmm!

It's the only flavor I've tried just because I love it so much and it's kind of expensive (almost $5 a bag), but I saw on their website some new flavors that look really good!!

Home-baked Mac N' Cheese

2008-06-24T20:12:00.005-05:00

This is a recipe from Kraft Foods magazine. It's super easy and really good, I think. I've tried lots of recipes that are much more complicated than this and aren't as good. I hope you agree. (I did take my own picture, but it didn't look very appetizing, so I went with the stock pic.)

Prep Time:20 min
Total Time:45 min
Makes:5 servings, 1 cup each.

1 pkg. (14 oz.) KRAFT Deluxe Macaroni & Cheese Dinner
1 cup KRAFT Shredded Cheddar Cheese, divided
1/2 cup BREAKSTONE'S or KNUDSEN Sour Cream
1/4 tsp. ground red pepper(cayenne) or black pepper
6 RITZ Crackers, crushed (about 1/4 cup)
1 Tbsp. butter or margarine, melted

PREHEAT oven to 375°F. Prepare Dinner as directed on package. Stir in 1/2 cup of the Cheddar cheese, the sour cream and pepper.

SPOON into greased 1-1/2 qt. baking dish; sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup Cheddar cheese and the combined cracker crumbs and butter.

BAKE 20 min. Let stand 5 min. before serving.

If your kids are going to eat it I would reduce the pepper to about an 1/8th tsp. The cayenne pepper gives it a really nice zip though. Also, I usually use the 2% reduced fat version of Kraft Deluxe and when I can't find that the 2% Velveeta shells and cheese does just as well. You can reduce the fat and calories by using light versions of sour cream and shredded cheese as well. We all really like this and like I said, it doesn't get any easier than this!

Roasted Nectarines with Buttermilk Custard

2008-06-19T21:20:00.003-05:00

I made these the other night and fell in LOVE!
Just make sure your nectarines or peaches are organic and if I could do anything differently, I would add a mint sprig. Other than that perfect-o!

Ingredients
Sauce:
1/8 teaspoon salt
4 egg yolks
1/3 cup sugar
1 cup 1% low-fat milk
2 tablespoons low-fat buttermilk
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Nectarines:
6 medium nectarines, halved and pitted (about 2 pounds)
Cooking spray
1 tablespoon sugar
Verbena sprigs (optional)

Preparation
To prepare sauce, combine salt and egg yolks in a medium bowl. Gradually add 1/3 cup sugar, beating 2 minutes with a mixer at medium-high speed.
Heat 1% low-fat milk over medium heat in a small, heavy saucepan to 180° or until tiny bubbles form around edge (do not boil). Gradually add hot milk to sugar mixture, stirring constantly. Return milk mixture to pan; cook over medium-low heat 5 minutes or until slightly thick and mixture coats the back of a spoon, stirring constantly (do not boil). Remove from heat. Stir in buttermilk and vanilla. Place pan in a large ice-filled bowl until mixture cools completely, stirring occasionally. Spoon mixture into a bowl. Cover and chill.

Preheat oven to 400°.

To prepare nectarines, place nectarines, cut sides up, in a 9 x 13-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle nectarines evenly with 1 tablespoon sugar. Bake at 400° for 25 minutes or until nectarines are soft and lightly browned. Serve with chilled sauce. Garnish with verbena sprigs, if desired.

Yield
6 servings (serving size: 2 nectarine halves and 1/4 cup sauce)

Nutritional Information
CALORIES 176(17% from fat); FAT 3.4g (sat 1.4g,mono 1.4g,poly 0.5g); IRON 0.7mg; CHOLESTEROL 138mg; CALCIUM 70mg; CARBOHYDRATE 32.8g; SODIUM 80mg; PROTEIN 4.3g; FIBER 1g

Jackie Mills , Cooking Light, JUNE 2007

Corn and Summer Vegetable Saute

2008-06-19T21:10:00.005-05:00

Corn and Summer Vegetable Sauté

We love all these ingredients so its a no brainer in our house.

Ingredients
1 tablespoon canola oil
1/2 cup chopped green onions (about 4)
1 garlic clove, minced
1 cup sliced fresh okra (about 4 ounces)
1 cup chopped red bell pepper (about 1)
1 finely chopped seeded jalapeño pepper
1 cup fresh corn kernels (about 2 ears)
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1/3 cup minced fresh cilantro
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Preparation
Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions and garlic; sauté 1 minute. Add okra; sauté 3 minutes. Reduce heat to medium. Add bell pepper and jalapeño; cook 5 minutes. Add corn; cook 5 minutes. Stir in beans; cook 2 minutes. Stir in cilantro; sprinkle with salt and black pepper.
Yield
6 servings (serving size: 2/3 cup)

Nutritional Information
CALORIES 90(27% from fat); FAT 2.7g (sat 0.2g,mono 1.5g,poly 0.9g); IRON 1.2mg; CHOLESTEROL 0.0mg; CALCIUM 43mg; CARBOHYDRATE 15.9g; SODIUM 232mg; PROTEIN 3.7g; FIBER 4.8g

Cooking Light, JUNE 2007

Cheez-it Chicken

2008-06-19T15:10:00.004-05:00

I was just talking to Lisa about what I could post and I totally forgot about this little treasure. I actually made it last night (and didn't take a picture, sorry Lisa). It's a delicious, unbelievably easy recipe that kids and adults love!! My sister, Susan told me about it. It's actually from Epicurious magazine, but it totally seems like a recipe from Kraft or something being so simple.

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 1/2 cups Cheez-It Cheddar crackers (3 oz)

3/4 teaspoon black pepper

1 1/4 lb chicken tenders (not coated or cooked)

1/3 cup Dijon mustard

Put oven rack in lower third of oven and preheat oven to 475°F. Brush a large shallow baking pan with oil (2 tablespoons).Pulse crackers in a food processor until finely ground, then transfer to a wide shallow bowl and stir in 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Toss tenders with mustard in a large bowl until coated, then dredge, 2 at a time, in cracker crumbs until evenly coated. Arrange tenders in 1 layer, without crowding, in oiled pan. Bake, turning over once, until golden brown, about 15 minutes total.

Last night when I made it I just sprayed the pan with cooking spray and omitted the oil. I also didn't do the pepper. It's good both ways, but I didn't want any complaints from the peanut gallery. I almost always have all the ingredients on hand, so it comes in really handy sometimes when you don't know what to make for dinner. Yummm!!

Mexican shrimp cocktail

2008-06-02T13:04:00.005-05:00

2 large tomatoes
1/2 yellow onion
1/4 cup cilantro to taste
3-4 avocados
1 pound cooked shrimp

Chop above ingredients and mix together.
Add:

salt and pepper to taste
2 limes squeezed on top

Serve with tortilla chips or make your own by frying corn tortillas until crispy.

2008-05-28T09:48:00.006-05:00

Grilled Pork Chops with Tomatillo, Corn, and Avocado Salsa

I have cooked this Cooking Light recipe several times. I love it. In the magazine they recommend serving this meal with a jicama salad which completes the meal perfectly.

Salsa:
3/4 pound tomatillos
1 ear shucked corn
Cooking spray
1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon minced seeded jalapeño pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 cup diced peeled avocado

Pork:
6 (6-ounce) bone-in loin pork chops (about 1 inch thick)
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt

PreparationPrepare grill.
To prepare salsa, discard husks and stems from tomatillos. Place tomatillos and corn on a grill rack coated with cooking spray; grill 10 minutes or until browned, turning tomatillos and corn occasionally. Place tomatillos in a food processor; process until smooth. Cut kernels from ear of corn. Combine tomatillo puree, corn, onion, and next 6 ingredients (through garlic) in a medium bowl; gently stir in avocado just before serving.
To prepare pork, sprinkle pork with 1 teaspoon black pepper and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Place pork on grill rack coated with cooking spray; grill 5 minutes on each side or until done. Serve pork with salsa.

~Grilling the tomatillos enhances their natural tartness and softens their tough skin. Serve over basmati rice.

Yield
6 servings (serving size: 1 pork chop and 1/3 cup salsa)

Nutritional Information
CALORIES 235(37% from fat); FAT 9.6g (sat 2.9g,mono 4.4g,poly 1.1g); PROTEIN 27.2g; CHOLESTEROL 69mg; CALCIUM 37mg; SODIUM 350mg; FIBER 2.7g; IRON 1.5mg; CARBOHYDRATE 10.4g
Joanne Weir , Cooking Light, JULY 2004

Citrus-Spiked Jicama and Carrot Slaw

Ingredients

4 cups (1 1/2-inch) julienne-cut peeled jicama (about 1 pound)
2 cups (1 1/2-inch) julienne-cut carrot
1/2 cup thinly vertically sliced red onion
1/4 cup fresh orange juice
1 teaspoon grated lime rind
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
Fresh cilantro sprigs (optional)

Preparation

Combine first 8 ingredients in a large bowl, and toss gently to coat. Let stand 10 minutes. Stir in the cilantro just before serving. Garnish with cilantro sprigs, if desired.
Yield
6 servings (serving size: 1 cup)

Nutritional Information
CALORIES 65(3% from fat); FAT 0.2g (sat 0.0g,mono 0.0g,poly 0.1g); PROTEIN 1.3g; CHOLESTEROL 0.0mg; CALCIUM 26mg; SODIUM 116mg; FIBER 5.7g; IRON 0.8mg; CARBOHYDRATE 15.5g
David Bonom , Cooking Light, JULY 2004

Banana Split Cake

2008-05-23T17:39:00.004-05:00

This is now my favorite summer dessert. It's cold and has the perfect mix of graham crackers, bananas, cream cheese, Cool Whip and pineapple. I got it from Kraft Foods magazine.

Prep Time:15 min
Total Time:5 hr 15 min
Makes:24 servings, one piece each

Ingredients:
1-1/2 cups HONEY MAID Graham Cracker Crumbs
1 cup sugar, divided
1/3 cup butter, melted
2 pkg. (8 oz. each) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened
1 can (20 oz.) crushed pineapple, drained
6 medium bananas, divided
2 cups cold milk
2 pkg. (4-serving size each) JELL-O Vanilla Flavor Instant Pudding & Pie Filling
2 cups thawed COOL WHIP Whipped Topping, divided
1 cup PLANTERS Chopped Pecans

MIX crumbs, 1/4 cup of the sugar and the butter; press firmly onto bottom of 13x9-inch pan. Freeze 10 min.

BEAT cream cheese and remaining 3/4 cup sugar with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended. Spread carefully over crust; top with pineapple. Slice 4 of the bananas; arrange over pineapple.

POUR milk into medium bowl. Add dry pudding mixes. Beat with wire whisk 2 min. or until well blended. Gently stir in 1 cup of the whipped topping; spread over banana layer in pan. Top with remaining 1 cup whipped topping; sprinkle with pecans. Refrigerate 5 hours. Slice remaining 2 bananas just before serving; arrange over dessert. Store any leftover dessert in refrigerator.

Marvelous Mini Meatloaves

2008-05-21T20:47:00.005-05:00

Hi! Sorry I'm so late to join this blog. It's fabulous!!!

These meatloaves are super easy, quick and delicious. I try and keep Stove Top stuffing in my pantry since it's so handy for so many recipes. You can do any of the variations they have. I usually do the Italian one with spaghetti sauce. We just had it tonight and everyone loves it. You can make it with pasta (since it's kind of like meatballs) or mashed potatoes or rice, whatever!

Take 1 lb. extra lean ground beef, 1 pkg. (6 oz.) STOVE TOP Stuffing Mix and 1 cup water and mix & match your recipe from these options...

seasoning options	add-in choices	cheese possibilities
1 tsp. Italian seasoning	3/4 cup spaghetti sauce	3/4 cup KRAFT Shredded Mozzarella Cheese
2 tsp. chili powder	3/4 cup TACO BELL® HOME ORIGINALS® Thick 'N Chunky Salsa	3/4 cup KRAFT Shredded Mexican Style Cheese
1 tsp. dried oregano leaves	3/4 cup chopped roasted red peppers	3/4 cup ATHENOS Traditional Crumbled Feta Cheese
1 tsp. garlic powder	3/4 cup KRAFT or BULL'S-EYE Original Barbecue Sauce	3/4 cup KRAFT Shredded Cheddar Cheese

Then follow our 3 simple steps:

PREHEAT oven to 375°F. Mix meat, stuffing mix, water and the seasoning until well blended. Press evenly into 12 medium muffin cups sprayed with cooking spray; make an indentation in center of each with back of spoon.

SPOON add-ins evenly into indentations in meatloaves.

BAKE 30 min. or until meatloaves are cooked through (160°F). Top evenly with cheese; continue baking 5 min. or until cheese is melted. Let stand 10 min. before serving.

sliced pork tenderloin

2008-05-19T12:23:00.006-05:00

I stole this idea from Eric's mom and I'm so glad I did.

All you need is:
1 pork loin

1/2 bottle KC Masterpiece Honey Teriyaki Marinade

Cut pork loin into 1 inch slices and marinate in a zip top bag for at least 20 minutes. Grill and enjoy! The meat is tender, flavorful and you don't have to mess with any bones. I served it with green beans and HEB loaded baked potatoes in the produce isle. Yum!

Oreo & Fudge Ice Cream Cake

2008-05-15T22:30:00.003-05:00

I made this ice cream cake again last weekend. It's sooooo easy to make, but it comes out looking exactly like it does in the picture. Whenever I serve it, someone always asks, "Did you make that?"

I do have one recommendation. Make sure you have some extra whipped cream in case you run out when you're frosting the cake. It seems like I always have a few thin patches that need some extra coverage.

Click here for how-to video.

Prep Time:10 min
Total Time:4 hr 10 min
Makes:12 servings

1/2 cup hot fudge ice cream topping, warmed
1 tub (8 oz.) COOL WHIP Whipped Topping, thawed, divided
1 pkg. (4-serving size) JELL-O Chocolate Flavor Instant Pudding & Pie Filling
8 OREO Chocolate Sandwich Cookies, chopped (about 1 cup)
12 vanilla ice cream sandwiches, unwrapped
POUR fudge topping into medium bowl. Add 1 cup of the whipped topping; stir with wire whisk until well blended. Add dry pudding mix; stir 2 min. or until well blended. Gently stir in chopped cookies; set aside.

ARRANGE 4 of the ice cream sandwiches, side-by-side, on 24-inch-long piece of foil; top with half of the whipped topping mixture. Repeat layers. Top with remaining 4 ice cream sandwiches. Frost top and sides of dessert with remaining whipped topping. Bring up foil sides. Double fold top and ends to loosely seal packet.

FREEZE at least 4 hours before serving. Store leftover dessert in freezer.

Smoothies

2008-05-15T08:42:00.004-05:00

Eric and I have these smoothies for breakfast every morning. You can use any fruit you like and can just eye ball the amounts. They taste amazing and are good for you too!

Mix the following ingredients in a blender to get two servings:

- 1 cup frozen strawberries
- 1/2 cup frozen pineapple
- 1/4 cup frozen blueberries
- banana
- 2 Tbsp flax seed oil
- 1 Tbsp green powder
- 4 Tbsp whey protein
- 3 heaping Tbsp non-fat plain yogurt
- 1 1/2 cups apple juice

2008-05-14T17:27:00.000-05:00

Crispy Salmon with Risotto

and Slow-Roasted Tomatoes

This Cooking Light recipe is one of my all time favorites. I have cooked it several times while entertaining and it has always been a hit. If you decide to cook this recipe be sure to include all three components (tomatoes,salmon and risotto) it's amazing how they all compliment each other. Also, set aside plenty of time to stand in front of the stove(about 30 min) for the risotto it is worth every minute!

Roasted Tomatoes:

Cooking spray
9 plum tomatoes, halved
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 garlic cloves, minced

Risotto:

4 1/2 cups fat free, less-sodium chicken broth
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 1/4 cups (1/2-inch-thick) sliced leek
1 1/2 cups uncooked Arborio rice
1/3 cup dry white wine
6 cups torn arugula or spinach
1/2 cup half-and-half
1 ounce grated fresh Parmesan cheese
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Salmon:

2 teaspoons olive oil
6 (5-ounce) salmon fillets, skinned
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Garnish: Thyme sprigs (optional)

PreparationPreheat oven to 350°.
To prepare tomatoes, coat a foil-lined baking sheet with cooking spray. Place tomatoes, cut sides up, on baking sheet. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon oil; sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon thyme, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and garlic. Bake at 350° for 1 1/2 hours or until very soft and slightly shriveled, turning occasionally.
To prepare risotto, bring broth to a simmer in a medium saucepan (do not boil). Keep warm over low heat.
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add leek; sauté 3 minutes or until tender. Add rice; cook 1 1/2 minutes, stirring constantly. Stir in wine; cook 30 seconds or until liquid is nearly absorbed. Stir in 1 cup broth; cook 3 minutes or until liquid is nearly absorbed, stirring frequently.
Add remaining broth, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring frequently until each portion of broth is absorbed before adding the next (about 25 minutes). Stir in arugula, half-and-half, cheese, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
To prepare salmon, heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle salmon with 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon thyme, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Place fillets, skin sides up, in pan; cook 5 minutes. Turn fillets over, and cook an additional 2 minutes or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork.
Arrange 3 tomato halves, cut sides up, in a spoke-like pattern in center of each of 6 plates. Mound 2/3 cup risotto in center of each plate (leaving about a 1 1/2-inch edge of tomatoes uncovered). Arrange fillets on risotto. Garnish with thyme sprigs, if desired.

Yield
6 servings

Nutritional Information
CALORIES 569(30% from fat); FAT 18.8g (sat 5.2g,mono 9.4g,poly 2.9g); PROTEIN 36.9g; CHOLESTEROL 81mg; CALCIUM 186mg; SODIUM 992mg; FIBER 3.1g; IRON 2.4mg; CARBOHYDRATE 58.1g
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Cooking Light, SEPTEMBER 2002

yummy pizza

2008-05-14T15:54:00.000-05:00

-1/4 cup mayo
-1 teaspoon dijon mustard
-Sliced spicy sausage links or other meat of choice
-Chopped green onions
-Chopped green pepper
-Shredded swiss cheese
-Boboli pizza crust
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Mix mayo and dijon together and spread on crust. Add remaining ingredients to pizza crust and bake for 15 minutes at 425.
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The mayo base may sound a little strange, but it is really yummy! You can add more veggies or a different meat to please any picky eaters in your family.