Bean-&-Beef Enchilada Casserole

Ingredients

1/2 pound lean ground beef
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 15-ounce can pinto beans,drained & rinsed
1 4-ounce can diced green chili peppers
1 8-ounce carton dairy sour cream or light dairy sour cream
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
8 6-inch corn tortillas
1 10-ounce can enchilada sauce or one 101/2-ounce can tomato puree
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (4 ounces)


Directions

1.In a large skillet cook the ground beef, onion, chili powder,& cumin until onion is tender & meat is no longer pink; drain. Stir pinto beans & undrained chili peppers into meat mixture;set aside.

2. In a small mixing bowl stir together sour cream, flour,& garlic powder until combined;set aside.

3. Place half of the tortillas in the bottom of a lightly greased 2-quart rectangular baking dish, cutting to fit if necessary. Top with half of the meat mixture, half of the sour cream mixture,& half of the enchilada sauce. Repeat layers.Cover dish with plastic wrap; chill in refrigerator for up to 24 hours.

4. To serve:Preheat oven to 350F. Remove plastic wrap; cover dish with foil. Bake in preheated oven for 35 to 40 minutes or until bubbly.Uncover;sprinkle with cheese & bake 5 minutes more.Makes 6 to 8 servings.


Enjoy!

Double-Layer Pumpkin Cheesecake

Ingredients
2 pkg. (8 oz. each) PHILADELPHIA Fat Free Cream Cheese,softened
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs
1/2 cup canned pumpkin
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
Dash ground nutmeg
1/3 cup Graham Cracker Crumbs
1/2 cup thawed COOL WHIP Sugar Free Whipped Topping

Directions

1. Heat oven to 325

2. BEAT cream cheese,sugar & vanilla with mixer until well blended. Beat in eggs, 1 at a time, just until blended.Remove 1 cup batter; place in medium bowl. Stir in pumpkin and spices.

3. SPRAY 9-inch pie plate with cooking spray; sprinkle bottom with crumbs.

4. TOP with layers of plain and pumpkin batters. Bake 40 min. or until center is almost set. Cool completely. Refrigerate 3 hours. Serve with COOL WHIP.

Yummy!

I used low fat graham crackers & did not serve with cool whip which cut the fat even lower then the 150 cal/3 grams of fat it had.

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Spread

Ingredients

1 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup canned pumpkin
1/4 cup sugar
3/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Directions

Beat all ingredients in a medium mixing bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 24 hours. Makes 1-1/2 cups (24, 1-tablespoon servings).

Yummy!!!

If you use fat free cream cheese and Splenda on the sugar you are good to go!

Slow-Cooker Lasagna

1 lb. ground beef
1 jar (26 oz.) spaghetti sauce
1 cup water
1 15 oz. container Ricotta Cheese
1 pkg. (7 oz.) KRAFT 2% Milk Shredded Mozzarella Cheese, divided
1/4 cup KRAFT Grated Parmesan Cheese, divided
1 egg
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
6 lasagna noodles, uncooked


Directions

BROWN meat in large skillet; drain. Stir in spaghetti sauce and water. Mix ricotta, 1-1/2 cups mozzarella, 2 Tbsp. Parmesan, egg and parsley.

SPOON 1 cup meat sauce into slow cooker; top with layers of half each of the noodles, broken to fit; and cheese mixture. Cover with 2 cups meat sauce. Top with remaining noodles, broken to fit; cheese mixture and meat sauce. Cover with lid.

COOK on LOW 4 to 6 hours or until liquid is absorbed. Sprinkle with remaining cheeses; let stand, covered, 10 min. or until melted.

Enjoy!!

OK so this was my first attempt at lasagna and it was yummy if I don't say so myself. I added fresh spinach and mushrooms to mine and switched the ground beef for hot Italian sausage. I also switched the 1 cup water for 3/4 red wine and the rest water. Cooked fresh garlic with the sausage and added some Italian seasoning.

Awesome Slow Cooker Pot Roast

Ingredients

1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup
1/2 (1 ounce) package dry onion soup mix
1/2 cup and 2 tablespoons water
2-3/4 pounds pot roast

Directions

1. In a slow cooker, mix cream of mushroom soup, dry onion soup mix and water. Place pot roast in slow cooker and coat with soup mixture.

2. Cook on High setting for 3 to 4 hours, or on Low setting for 8 to 9 hours.

Enjoy!!

We added some potatoes and celery after it had been cooking about an hour. I also did the whole package of dry onion mix. As for the water I switched that with broth.
Also added a little flour to the sauce at the end to thicken it to make the gravy.Will be making over and over. I love dinner from a crock pot.

Slow Cooker Chicken Taco Soup

Ingredients

1 onion, chopped
1 (16 ounce) can chili beans
1 (15 ounce) can black beans
1 (15 ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained
1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
1 (12 fluid ounce) can or bottle beer
2 (10 ounce) cans diced tomatoes with green chilies, undrained
1 (1.25 ounce) package taco seasoning
3 whole skinless, boneless chicken breasts
shredded Cheddar cheese (optional)
sour cream (optional)
crushed tortilla chips (optional)

Directions

Place the onion, chili beans, black beans, corn, tomato sauce, beer, and diced tomatoes in a slow cooker. Add taco seasoning, and stir to blend. Lay chicken breasts on top of the mixture, pressing down slightly until just covered by the other ingredients. Set slow cooker for low heat, cover, and cook for 5 hours.

Remove chicken breasts from the soup, and allow to cool long enough to be handled. Stir the shredded chicken back into the soup, and continue cooking for 2 hours. Serve topped with shredded Cheddar cheese, a dollop of sour cream, and crushed tortilla chips, if desired.

This was good. I did buy diced tomatoes with habanero chilies instead of green so it was a little hot but other then that it was good.A lot like the chicken fajita soup.

"Healthified" Chicken Pot Pie

INGREDIENTS
1 bag (12 oz)frozen mixed vegetables
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon poultry seasoning
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 1/4 cups fat-free (skim) milk
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1 can (10 3/4 oz) condensed 98% fat-free cream of chicken soup
1/4 cup fat-free sour cream
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts(1 1/4 lb),cooked,cut into bite-size pieces (about 4 cups)
1 Pillsbury refrigerated pie crust (from 15-oz box), softened as directed on box



DIRECTIONS
1.Cook and drain vegetables as directed on bag.

2.Heat oven to 375°F. In 2-quart saucepan, mix flour, salt, poultry seasoning, pepper & milk with wire whisk until blended.Stir in onion.Cook over medium heat 4 to 6 minutes, stirring constantly, until thickened.

3.Stir in soup and sour cream. Add chicken and cooked vegetables; mix well. Cook, stirring frequently, until thoroughly heated. Pour into ungreased 2-quart round casserole. Unroll pie crust; place over hot filling. Seal edge and flute as desired. Cut slits in several places in crust.

4.Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until crust is golden brown and mixture is bubbly. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Enjoy!!

It was yummy! Not big on crust but this crust was light & flaky

Sushi

First off I really didn't follow any recipe. I looked info. up online and there was info. that came with the bamboo sheet & spoon. Everything I have read has said short grain rice or sushi rice.






We made ours with crab,avocado, & cucumber. I thought they were yummy. A little to much vinegar though. I think once I get the rice down I will be good. I made two cups which is what was called for but sushi feels me up so I think 1 cup next time. You have to roll tight and cut with a wet knife. It really wasn't as hard as I thought it would be but I can see why they cost so much. To get it just right you don't put to much in it or it won't roll right. You can do it Lacey!!!

Shrimp & Feta Cheese Pasta

3 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound shrimp, peeled & deveined
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon white wine
1 pound linguine pasta
2 tomatoes, chopped
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1 (6 ounce) package crumbled feta cheese


Directions

In a medium skillet over medium heat, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil. Cook shrimp, garlic and white wine for 5 minutes, or until shrimp is pink. Remove shrimp with slotted spoon and set aside.

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.

While pasta is cooking, cook tomatoes with remaining 1 tablespoon oil, oregano and basil over medium heat in wine mixture until tender, 10 minutes.
Toss hot pasta with shrimp, tomato sauce and feta. Feta will melt slightly. Serve.


Enjoy!!

Loved this one but the amount of pasta was a little much for 3 people. I added more white wine so there would be more sauce (about 1/2 cup) and added red pepper flakes. I only had 2 fresh tomatoes on hand so I added a can of tomatoes also. This is a keeper.

Drunken Crab

Bare with me as my husband threw this together. There was no recipe he followed which is nothing new for him. It was yummy and this meal was pre new lifestyle. I have had a hard time finding him in the same room as me to get this. It was great!!

In large pot or double boiler place 2 well rounded tablespoons of butter, 2 smashed cloves of garlic, 3 cans/bottles of beer (your choice). Bring to boil. Once it is boiling add crab and boil for 15 to 20 min.

* Apparently we bought frozen precooked crab so this was just to let the juices soak in. No thawing needed.

Easy Chicken Fajita Soup

Ingredients

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into strips
1 (1.27 ounce) packet fajita seasoning
1 red bell pepper, cut into thin strips
1 green bell pepper, cut into thin strips
1 poblano pepper, cut into thin strips
1 large onion, cut into thin strips
1 (14.5 ounce) can fire roasted diced tomatoes
1 (15 ounce) can seasoned black beans
1 (14 ounce) can chicken broth
1 dash hot sauce
salt and pepper to taste



Directions

1. Heat oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Place chicken in the hot oil; cook, stirring only occasionally, until brown, about 10 minutes. Sprinkle fajita seasoning over the browned chicken and stir well to coat. Add the red and green bell pepper, poblano pepper, and onion to the seasoned chicken. Stir and cook over medium heat until the vegetables are soft, about 10 minutes.

2. Pour the fire roasted tomatoes, black beans, and chicken broth into the pot with the chicken and vegetables. Bring the soup to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer uncovered for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

3. Season the soup with hot sauce, salt, and pepper to taste before serving.

Enjoy!!

I was nervous at first about the taste but after I let it simmer it was great. With the chicken we can get here it came in 1 & 1/2 lb. package so I doubled the chicken broth & black beans. We also can not get the poblano pepper here so I did jalapenos and some red chile. I also didn't do green pepper as we seem to just really enjoy the red pepper. As always I boiled the chicken till it was cooked then put it in the pan with less oil and went from there.

Wet Burritos

1 pound ground beef
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 (4.5 ounce) can diced green chile peppers
1 (16 ounce) can refried beans
1 (15 ounce) can chili without beans
1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed tomato soup
1 (10 ounce) can enchilada sauce
6 (12 inch) flour tortillas, warmed
2 cups shredded lettuce
1 cup chopped tomatoes
2 cups shredded Mexican blend cheese
1/2 cup chopped green onions


Directions

1.Crumble ground beef into a skillet over medium-high heat. Cook and stir until evenly browned. Add onion, and cook until translucent. Drain grease, and season with garlic, cumin, salt and pepper. Stir in the green chilies and refried beans until well blended. Turn off heat, but keep warm.

2. In a saucepan, combine the chili without beans, tomato soup and enchilada sauce. Mix well, and cook over medium heat until heated through. Turn off heat and keep warm.

3. Place a warmed tortilla on a plate, and spoon a generous 1/2 cup of the ground beef mixture onto the center. Top with lettuce and tomato to your liking. Roll up tortilla over the filling. Spoon a generous amount of the sauce over the top, and sprinkle with cheese and green onions. Heat in the microwave for 30 seconds, or until cheese is melted. Repeat with remaining tortillas.

Enjoy!

*We all loved this. I am not a fan of red sauce though. I am all about the green so I just added a can of green enchilada sauce to the chili no beans. I also did not put the lettuce and tomato on the inside. I have a thing about microwaving lettuce. I also made 4 of them put them in a oven safe dish topped with sauce and cheese and stuck them in the oven for about 20 min. I then placed them on lettuce and topped with tomato and green onion.

Homemade Pizza

Ingredients




Pretty much whatever you want. I did chicken, onion, spinach, garlic, red pepper, red chile, mushrooms, feta cheese and a German red pesto sauce.

I made sure to put the spinach down first (well above pesto sauce) so that my daughter who doesn't eat leaves wouldn't see it. Then I did the chicken and went from there. My daughter not only ate it but never saw the spinach or didn't realize what it was since it looked different coming out of the oven. She went back for seconds and then had left overs today and she tells me she hates veggies. If only she knew. I loved it and will be make it again. I wasn't sure since this was the first pizza I have ever made but we will see what I can come up with next time!!

Salsa

2 cup(s) cherry tomato(es), coarsely chopped
1/2 cup(s) scallion(s), chopped, green and white parts
1 small jalapeno pepper(s), cored, seeded & minced
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes, optional
2 Tbsp fresh lime juice
1/8 tsp table salt
1/8 tsp black pepper, freshly ground

Directions

In a medium bowl, combine tomatoes, scallions, jalapeno, red pepper flakes, lime juice, salt and pepper. Set aside to allow flavors to blend.

OK so this is OK. I miss my salsa that I make but without a 220v blinder I can't make that so I am looking for things to replace it until I a)break down & buy a blender that will be pointless to me when I move or b) live without fresh salsa which won't happen. Not bad just lacking something.

'Calabacitas Guisada' (Stewed Mexican Zucchini)

INGREDIENTS

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/2 small white onion, sliced thinly
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 zucchini, sliced 1/4-inch thick
1 (14 ounce) can stewed tomatoes
salt to taste
1 cup shredded mild Cheddar cheese

DIRECTIONS

Heat the vegetable oil in a saucepan over medium heat; cook the onion and garlic in the hot oil until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the zucchini slices and stewed tomatoes and stir gently. Cover and cook until the zucchini is tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat, season with salt, and add the Cheddar cheese; allow to sit until the cheese has melted.

Enjoy!

These were ok. Not what I expected. I doubt I will be making them again. They were missing something but I am not sure what.

To Bake or Not To

OK so the question is...Now that I have started a healthier lifestyle how am I going to bake? My daughter wanted to try all these recipes and I really don't want them around the house. My husband isn't into sweets and I am only once a month. My daughter sure doesn't need to eat whole cakes or anything.

Any suggestions would help. I was never really into cooking so when this is going to be an interesting ride.

Beef & Bean Chimichangas

1 pound lean ground beef
3/4 cup chopped onion
3/4 cup diced green bell pepper
1 1/2 cups whole kernel corn
2 cups taco sauce
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 (16 ounce) can refried beans
8 (12 inch) flour tortillas
1 (16 ounce) package shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1 tablespoon butter, melted
shredded lettuce
1 tomato, diced

DIRECTIONS

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C)

Brown the ground beef in a skillet over medium-high heat. Drain excess grease,& add the onion, bell pepper, & corn. Cook for about 5 more minutes, or until vegetables are tender. Stir in the taco sauce,& season with chili powder, garlic salt & cumin, stirring until blended. Cook until heated through, then remove from heat, & set aside.

Open the can of beans,& spread a thin layer of beans onto each of the tortillas. Spoon the beef mixture down the center,& then top with as much shredded cheese as you like. Roll up the tortillas,& place them seam-side down onto a baking sheet. Brush the tortillas with melted butter.

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes in the preheated oven, or until golden brown. Serve with lettuce and tomato.

Enjoy!

I decided to try these since they get baked and not fried. I am up to trying anything healthier. On that note I did not use the corn. I used a red pepper instead of green and also used black beans instead of refried beans. I did not have 2 cups of taco sauce so I used taco seasoning instead. It was yummy!!

Shrimp Avocado Pasta Salad

1 (16 ounce) package uncooked penne pasta
1/4 pound bacon
1 pound cooked shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 avocados - peeled, pitted and diced
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
1 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 tomatoes, diced
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
4 cups shredded lettuce

DIRECTIONS

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Place pasta in the pot, cook for 8 to 10 minutes, until al dente,& drain. Rinse under cold running water to cool.

Place bacon in a skillet over medium high heat,& cook until evenly brown. Drain & crumble.

In a large bowl, gently toss together the pasta, bacon, shrimp, avocados, Cheddar cheese, mayonnaise, lemon juice, tomatoes, & red pepper. Serve over lettuce

Enjoy!!!

We did not use the lemon juice because I added the avocados in at the end to each dish instead of mixing it in. I think the mayo was alittle over powering and we decided that we might do cut it down alittle then cut that in half with maybe ranch dressing.My husband also wonders what mustard would do to it. I also added green onion & mushrooms & skipped the lettuce because well my husband would not go for a salad for dinner. I paired this with salmon that I cooked in the stove.I added Old Bay Seasoning to both the pasta and salmon.

Baked Applesauce

2 large tart apples, peeled and sliced
3 tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract


DIRECTIONS

Place apples in a greased 1-qt. baking dish. In a small bowl, combine sugar, cinnamon and vanilla; mix well. Sprinkle over apples. Cover & bake at 350 degrees F for 40-45 minutes or until apples are tender. Uncover & mash with a fork. Serve warm.

Enjoy!!

Who doesn't like a recipe this easy. It was yummy and even better the next day. We did add alittle more cinnamon after it was done. This recipe is for a serving size of 2! Also made the house smell like fall.

*Added note. I warmed some & add a little ice cream with it. It was like apple pie without the crust only better because A)less calories without crust & B)I have never been a fan of pie crust!

Dirt Cake

1/2 cup butter, softened
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
2 (3.5 ounce) packages instant vanilla pudding mix
3 1/2 cups milk
1 (12 ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed
32 ounces chocolate sandwich cookies with creme filling
Gummy worms


Directions

1.Chop cookies very fine in food processor. The white cream will disappear.
2. Mix butter, cream cheese, and sugar in bowl.
3. In a large bowl mix milk, pudding and whipped topping together.
4. Combine pudding mixture and cream mixture together.
5. Layer in flower pot, starting with cookies then cream mixture. Repeat layers.
6. Chill until ready to serve.
7. Add artificial flower, gummy worms and trowel.

Enjoy!

This was the second cake chelle wanted to make. First off this thing is sweet. I mean sweet. She had to put some back in the fridge because it was to sweet for her. I don't have a food processor and I am not going to buy on to fit a 220V then have to see it when I move back. Instead we put some cookies in bags and hammered away! I would not use the full amount of sugar it calls for next time and I think alittle less butter. Like I said way to sweet for me but yummy!No flower pot either but you get the drift. Here in Germany we are cooking with what we have. You can also use chocolate pudding but I am not a fan of chocolate so I wasn't putting more then needed. Funny thing they have no gummy worms on base anywhere so we used ARMY men gummys. I am wondering if i cute out the butter and sugar and did 2 things off cool whip do you think it would be good still? I used cool whip free.

Philly Steak Sandwich

1 pound beef sirloin, cut into thin 2 inch strips
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 onion, sliced
1 green bell pepper, julienned
3 ounces Swiss cheese, thinly sliced
4 hoagie rolls, split lengthwise


DIRECTIONS

1. Place beef in a large bowl.In a small bowl,mix together salt,pepper,paprika,chili powder,onion powder, garlic powder, thyme, marjoram & basil. Sprinkle over beef.

2. Heat half of the oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Saute beef to desired doneness,& remove from pan. Heat the remaining oil in the skillet,& saute the onion & green pepper.

3. Preheat oven on broiler setting.

4. Divide the meat between the bottoms of 4 rolls, layer with onion and green pepper, then top with sliced cheese. Place on cookie sheet, and broil until cheese is melted. Cover with tops of rolls, and serve.

Enjoy!!


First off I did not use marjoram,or basil. I refuse to buy anymore spices at the moment and I used Chris's seasoning in place! I did not do the bell pepper because I have never had a Philly with bell pepper but I did add a green and red chili pepper. Also added mushrooms. Well I would of loved to broil it I have no clue what setting that is on the stove so I just stuck the cheese on the meat and let the heat melt it alittle! It was good. I think I want to try different meat next time though.

Easy Mexican Casserole

1 pound lean ground beef
2 cups salsa
1 (16 ounce) can chili beans, drained
3 cups tortilla chips, crushed
2 cups sour cream
1 (2 ounce) can sliced black olives, drained
1/2 cup chopped green onion
1/2 cup chopped fresh tomato
2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese


DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

2. In a large skillet over medium-high heat,cook ground beef until no longer pink. Stir in salsa, reduce heat,& simmer 20 minutes,or until liquid is absorbed. Stir in beans, & heat through.

3. Spray a 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray. Spread crushed tortilla chips in dish, and then spoon beef mixture over chips. Spread sour cream over beef, and sprinkle olives, green onion, & tomato over the sour cream. Top with Cheddar cheese.

4. Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes, or until hot and bubbly.

Enjoy!!

OK where to begin. I added 1 red pepper, 1 red & green chile. Well I was cooking the meat I added garlic powder and Chris's favorite seasoning! I also did not use chili beans. I used a can of black and pinto beans. I skipped the tortilla chips and took 2 tortilla's ripped them in half and placed them along the bottom. I was trying to make this healthier and having something along the bottom was nice. I also the sour cream on the side. It was so so. We have decided we are more chicken people them shredded beef so next time I make this I will do chicken and add white onion also. I am thinking about seasoning the chicken with taco meat. The hot one!! I am so into flavors lately that I have to spice it up alot!

It was easy and chelle ate seconds! I bet if she knew all the stuff I had in there she would of never touched it. It has great potental of being really healthy and sneaking veggies in!

I would like to thank Mud Pie For Mommys for this great award I recived from her. I just started following her and love the stories!!! I am supposed to pass this one but I think I will allow anyone who wants it to take it. I love so many blogs on here!!

Hope everyone has a great weekend!!!

Homemade Guacamole

OK so my ingredient list for homemade guacamole. had no set amounts. I am one that depending on what it is just throws together and mixes! I know I live when my mom tell me the same thing cuz I just look at her and ask well how am I to know if it is enough or not? I can't even watch her with her being in Colorado and me in Germany but here it goes anyway!

Avocados~ amount for us is based on the price!
Tomatoes
Onion
Garlic~minced
Splash of lemon juice
Tabasco sauce

Placed peeled avocado in bowl. I chop up some tomato, depending on how many avocados you use depends on how much tomato.Sometime a whole tomato and sometimes half. Onion is the same. I am not a fan of raw onion so I do 1/4 or half of a half. Garlic is the same. Tabasco sauce to taste. This last time I put in a red chile as well!! It was yummy but as you can see it really is based on what you like and how much. I always mash the avocados before I do anything else because there is nothing else worse then smashed tomato. Make sure you stir well!!Not alot of lemon juice either Lacey, this is meant to keep the avocados from browning, thats all!

Enjoy!!

Fruit Salad

Ok so this isn't Rachelles favorite fruit salad. That one would have homeade whipping cream but this one she loves and will get more of. Its a great healthy after school snack or she will take it to school. She also loves to eat it in the morning before school with alittle yorgurt.

All it is fresh peaches, banannas, diced pineapple & red raspberries. Of course I try and do it all fresh but as the seasons change some is frozen. The pineapple is always Dole so that I can use alittle juice.Then I sprinkle on some fruit-fresh and we are good to go!! One bowl is gone in a couple days.

Another combo that is loved it fresh strawberries, banannas and pineapple!

Enjoy!!

Just for fun

Rachelle with her first cake that she has made almost by herself. well about 98%. I didn't want to risk the chance of eating egg shell and I wasn't really in the mood to clean up egg so I did that part! We did a strawberry cake with cream cheese filling!

Spicy Lime Chicken Pasta

4 oz. thin whole wheat spaghetti
3 tablespoons light soy sauce
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon grated lime peel
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
2 teaspoons canola oil, divided
12 oz. boneless skinless chicken breast halves, cut into thin strips
1 red or yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 onion, thinly sliced
3 oz. fresh snow peas


Directions

1. Break spaghetti in half according to the package directions, omitting any salt or fat.

2. Meanwhile, combine soy sauce, lime juice, sugar, lime peel and crushed red pepper in a small bowl. Heat large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Add 1 teaspoon of the oil; heat until hot. Cook chicken 2 or 3 minutes or until no longer pink in center, stirring constantly. Remove chicken.

3. Heat remaining 1 teaspoon oil in the same skillet until hot. Cook bell pepper and
onion 2 to 3 minutes or until crisp-tender, stirring constantly. Add spaghetti, chicken and 1 tablespoon of the soy sauce mixture; toss until well-blended. Remove from heat.

4. Top with remaining soy sauce mixture.

Enjoy!

OK, so this one you can do a lot with. Next time I make it I am adding bean sprouts and maybe rice instead of noodles. Chris would also like to try this with shrimp or steak and we would also add mushrooms!! You could even throw those crispy noodles out of can to top it off! Love my description when I don't know the name!

Sweet N Sour Chicken

6 tablespoons olive oil
6 tablespoons soy sauce
6 tablespoons honey
3 tablespoons whit vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons paprika
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1 teaspoon pepper
4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
2 cups hot cooked white rice

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375. Combine oil, soy sauce, honey, vinegar, thyme, paprika, cayenne pepper, allspice & pepper in a shallow baking dish; mix well.

2. Pierce both sides of chicken breast with fork. Place in baking dish; turn chicken several times using tongs.

3. Bake chicken, basting several times with sauce , for 30 minutes.

4. Spoon rice onto serving platter. Arrange chicken over rice. Drizzle a small amount of sauce over chicken. Serve remaining sauce on the side.

Enjoy!

We liked this but without the dried thyme or maybe not as much. I enjoyed that I was able to mix everything in the dish I was cooking the chicken in. This meal was a dish for the rice and a dish for the chicken and if you hate doing dishes the way I do you will love this. I wasn't Sweet N Sour chicken that I am used to but it is easy and good so we will keep it!!

Savory Stuffed Zucchini

5 med. zucchini, halved lengthwise
3 tbsp. butter
1 med. onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/2 tsp. dried oregano leaves, crushed
1/4 grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

Preheat oven to 375. Scoop out pulp from 8 zucchini halves; set aside. Arrange zucchini halves on baking sheet. Meanwhile, coarsely chop remaining zucchini and pulp.


Melt spread in nonstick skillet over medium-high heat and cook chopped zucchini and onion, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender.

Add red pepper, garlic and oregano. Cook, stirring frequently. 1 minute; cool slightly. Evenly spoon vegetable mixture into zucchini halves.

Top with Cheese.

Bake 30 minutes or until tender.

Enjoy!

So this was a little much for a family of three. Will be making less but it was good.

Tony Chachere's Seasoning

OK so as i was thinking about what changes I may have made to any of the recipes I thought of one. One that went in the chili, on the fajitas, on the chicken. Pretty much every recipe I have made minus the potato soup (that I know of). This seasoning is the best. Chris has everyone hooked on it. My mom & grandma have some in there kitchen and they like to say that Chris was apart of the meal since he got them hooked on it. Scary huh? I will admit it's the best. I made french fries last night and out some on. Put it on the sloppy Joe's to. Don't use to much though if you have a weak mouth. My daughter claims it is hot and I will admit one morning well Chris was making eggs for us he did get alittle carried away but that's a man for you. We had to ship it to him in Iraq so he could make things yummy! Anyways you can buy this at Wal-Mart and most grocery stores. Even here in Germany!

Tex-Mex Corn Chip Chili

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 pd. lean ground beef
1/2 sweet onion, finely chopped (about 1 cup)
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tsp. ground cumin
One 15-ounce can black beans
One 15-ounce can pinto beans
One 15-ounce can tomatoes with green chiles
Salt & Pepper
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
12 ounces pepper jack cheese, shredded (about 3 cups)
One bag (about 10 ounces)corn chips,such as fritos


Directions

~In a dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the beef and cook 7 minutes. Add the oinon,garlic,chili powder & cumin & cook over medium-low heat for 5 minutes. Add the beans, with their liquid, and the tomatoes;bring to a simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally,until thick, about 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

~Stir in the cilantro, then top with cheese, cover & let stand until the cheese melts, 5 to minutes. Place a handful of corn chips in each of 4 bowls. Top with chili and serve.

Oh were to start on the changes. First we do not own a dutch oven. I have no clue what one even is and I haven't had the time(lol)well mainly I don't think about it till it's to late to goggle what it is. In that case I cooked the meat like it said. I then mixed all the ingredients it calls for in a big pot added the meat and let it simmer all day on very low. Would of put it in a crock pot but thats a whole other story. I also added a can of chili beans & the topping was left over from the Mexicali Chicken recipe I will put up soon. It made it yummy!

Enjoy!

Chipotle Shrimp Fajitas

1 small red or green bell pepper, julienned
1/2 small sweet or red onion, cut into thin wedges
2 tsp. canola oil
8 oz. shelled, deveined uncooked medium shrimp
1/4 chipotle-flavored salsa
4 tablespoons chopped cilantro,divided
4 (6 inch) corn tortillas, warmed
1/4 cup purchased guacamole
Lime wedges for garnish

Directions

~Cook bell pepper & onion in oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat 3 minutes. Add shrimp;cook 3 to 4 minutes or until shrimp just turn pink. Add salsa; cook 1 minute. Stir in 2 tablespoons of the cilantro.

~Spoon into warm tortillas; top with guacamole. Serve with lime wedges.

2 serving

OK so first off I did not serve with lime wedges but I am sure you figured that. Second I did not buy guac. that is wrong. I made mine homemade!! We loved this but Chris would love to add strips of steak to this. I married a man who LOVES MEAT! We only used the red peppers as I am coming to love them and never use green anymore.

Enjoy!

Strip Steaks Smothered with Red-Hot Mushrooms

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 lb. sliced mushrooms
1 to 2 red jalapeno chiles,chopped*
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. hot pepper sauce
4 boneless beef New York strip steaks (about 1 inch thick)
2 tsp. garlic powder
2 tsp. lemon-pepper seasoning


Directions

~Melt butter in large skillet over high heat. Add mushrooms; cook 2 to 3 min. or until browned at the edges. Add chiles, salt & hot peeper sauce; cook 1 to 2 min. or until chiles begin to soften.

~Heat grill. Sprinkle steaks on both sides with garlic powder & lemon-pepper seasoning.

~ Place steaks on gas grill over medium heat or on charcoal grill 4 to 6 inches from medium coals; cover grill. Grill 8 to 10 minutes for medium-rare or until of desired doneness, turning once.

~Warm mushrooms mixture; spoon over steaks.

Tip * crushed re pepper can be substituted for the chiles. Use 1/2 tsp.
Serves 4

We really wouldn't change this recipe. I loved it and it puts smothered mushrooms to sham. We had to cook our steaks in the oven because the grill is in Colorado but they still tasted fine. You really didn't expect me to go without steaks for 3 years did you? I just left the steak part to Chris.

Enjoy!!!

Beer -Battered Zucchini

1 1/2 cups all- purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 btl. (7oz) beer
1 egg
2 zucchini, 12 oz
2 tsp. Old Bay Seasoning
1 tsp. ground cumin
Oil
1/2 cup ranch or honey-mustard salad dressing
Chopped fresh parsley & lemon wedges, optional

Directions


~Combine flour, baking powder, & 1/4 tsp. salt; whisk beer & egg until smooth. Let batter stand 15 minutes.
Meanwhile quarter zucchini lengthwise;cut into 4"-long pieces. Toss zucchini with Old Bay & cumin.

~In a large skillet, heat 1" of oil over medium-high heat to 350 F on deep frying thermometer. Add zucchini to batter; toss to coat. Remove, letting excess batter drip off.

~Fry zucchini in batches, turning once, until golden, 2 min. per side. Drain on paper towels. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 tsp. salt. If desired, sprinkle with parsley & serve with dressing & lemon.


~Our changes we will make next time...We wont need as much oil. There was way to much to toss so we filtered it & will use it next time. We will cut the zucchini thinner & were thinking of doing it in circles. They were alittle to thick so I think thinner would make them taste better. Also we did not use the lemon or parsley or sprinkle the remaining salt. If you know me you know my issues with salt.

Please Enjoy!

Potato & Ham Steak Soup

Ingredients

3 medium potatoes peeled, finely chopped (about 2 cups)
1 cup chopped celery
1 medium onion, chopped (about 1/2 cup)
1 can (14.5 ounces) chicken broth
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter or margarine
1/3 cup all purpose flour
2 1/2 cups whole milk
1/8 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
1 Cook's Bone-in-Ham steak (about 1 lb.) finely chopped


Directions

1. Combine potatoes, celery, onion & broth in large saucepan. Bring to biol over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer 15 minutes or until vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally.

2. Add ham; cook an additional 2 minutes or until heated through, stirring occasionally.

3. Melt butter in medium saucepan over medium heat. Add flour; cook & stir 1 minute. Gradually stir in milk. Cook 5 minutes or until thickened, stirring constantly. Season with black pepper. Add to soup;mix well.

Chris and I double the recipe because one bowl is never enough and we always want some the next day. We have added bacon to ours and Chris went as far as adding the bacon grease to the soup well the veggies cooked. He LOVES this soup so I let him do what he wants to it. I also top it with cheese. Here they don't have Cook's ham but we did find some ham already cooked and chopped up with the lunch meant and it was yummy!!!We also don't use whole milk because we only have skim milk on hand! If I know I am going to make this and I'm at the market I'll buy whole but otherwise any milk will work just fine.

Enjoy!!