I found this recipe in my Better Homes and Garden Magazine. And, I gave it a try this week, and we loved this recipe. I did change one thing, instead of reserving some of the feta to put on top after cooking the chicken, I used all of the feta and lemon peel, and stuffed the chicken breasts extra full (I probably used a little more feta than it called for, but I LOVE feta). I can't wait to try this recipe on the GRILL....yum!
Ingredients:
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
1 tsp. finely shredded lemon peel
1 Tbsp. olive oil
Directions
1. Using a sharp knife, cut a pocket in each chicken breast by cutting horizontally through the thickest portion to, but not through, the opposite side. In a small bowl combine 1/4 cup of the feta cheese and the lemon peel. Spoon cheese mixture into each pocket. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper.
2. In a large skillet heat oil over medium heat. Add chicken. Cook for 18 to 20 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink (170 degrees F), turning once. Sprinkle with remaining feta cheese. Makes 4 servings.
Nutrition Facts
Calories 236, Total Fat(g)9, Saturated Fat(g)4, Monounsaturated Fat (g)4, Polyunsaturated Fat (g)1, Cholesterol (mg)99, Sodium (mg)447, Carbohydrate (g)1, Total Sugar (g)1, Protein (g)35, Vitamin C (DV%)4, Calcium (DV%)36
Recipe taken from Better Homes and Garden Magazine
Thursday, March 24, 2011
Saturday, March 5, 2011
Lemon Basil Pasta
I got this recipe from my Better Homes and Garden Magazine this month. I tried this recipe, and I LOVE how easy it was, and how fresh it tasted with the lemon and fresh basil. Because it's such a light and healthy recipe, this is a recipe that I am going to use a lot in the summer, when it's hot and I don't feel like cooking a huge filling meal! One tip I should pass on is this recipe calls for 10 oz of linguine...I buy the 16 oz. packages, if you do the same, make sure you double the pesto sauce or it will be too dry...enjoy!!
10 oz. dried linguine or desired pasta
1 19-oz. can white kidney (cannellini) beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 of a lemon
3 Tbsp. olive oil
1 cup packed fresh basil leaves
Directions
1. Cook pasta according to package directions, adding beans for the last 2 minutes of cooking time. Remove 1/2 cup of the cooking liquids; set aside. Drain pasta and beans; cover to keep warm.
2. Meanwhile, finely shred peel from the lemon half (about 2 teaspoons). In a small skillet heat 1 tablespoon of the oil over medium heat. Add lemon peel; cook and stir 1 minute, or until lightly golden.
3. In a food processor combine cooked lemon peel, basil, the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil, the juice from the lemon half, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Cover and process until smooth. Add reserved cooking liquid, 1 tablespoon at a time, until desired consistency, processing mixture after every addition.
4. To serve, toss hot cooked pasta mixture with lemon-basil mixture. Makes 4 servings.
Nutrition Facts
Calories452, Total Fat (g)10, Saturated Fat (g)1, Monounsaturated Fat (g)7, Polyunsaturated Fat (g)1, Sodium (mg)648, Carbohydrate (g)75, Total Sugar (g)4, Fiber (g)9, Protein (g)18, Vitamin C (DV%)21, Calcium (DV%)10, Iron (DV%)26, Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet
Recipe taken from Better Homes and Garden Magazine
Sunday, February 27, 2011
Carne Asada Pizza
We love going to California Pizza Kitchen in Salt Lake with Chris's family. Without fail, one of us always ends up ordering the Carne Asada Pizza..it's the best! Last month when we went we overheard one of the waiters saying this was the last day that this pizza was going to be on their menu. My mother law in and I decided that we could figure out how to make it...then she got a bright idea and googled the recipe and we found it. We made it for dinner tonight, and yum...to die for...we made a few changes along the way, I will put a note next to the things we changed. Don't get to overwhelmed by this post...for some reason California Kitchen Pizza really made this a wordy recipe. One of the best things about their pizza is their crust...it's so yum...but let's be honest, if your not up for cooking homemade dough, that premade stuff in the grocery store ain't bad....
Pizza dough recipe:
1 tsp Yeast
1/2 c Plus
1 Tbsp Warm waterm 105-110 degrees
1 1/2 c Bread flour, or all-purpose
2 tsp Sugar
1 tsp Salt
1 Tbsp Extra virgin olive oil
Plus 1tsp for coating
To prepare dough: Dissolve yeast in water and set aside for 5 to 10 min.. Be sure that water is not too hot: Temps over 120 will kill the yeast. UPRIGHT ELECTRIC MIXER: Use mixing paddle attachment because batch size is too small for the dough hook. Combine all other ingredients. Add dissolved yeast. Use the lowest 2 speeds to mix dough. Mix 2-3 min. until dough is smoth and elastic. Overmixing will produce tough, rubbery dough, and friction will cause dough to rise too fast. IF USING FOOD PROCESSOR: Use dough blade.proceed as in preceeding instructions. IF MIXING BY HAND: Place dry ingredients in a 4-6 qt mixing bowl , make a well in the middle and add liquids. Use a wooden spoon to combine. Lightly oil hands and knead for 5 minutes. When done the dough should be slightly tacky. LIGHTLEY OIL THE ball and the interior of a 1 qt. glass bowl. Place dough ball in bowl and seal bowl air-tight with clear food wrap. Set aside at room temperature to rise until double in bulk: 1-1/2 - 2 hrs. The dough could be used now BUT it would be NOTHING SPECIAL! To obtain that wonderful, chewy, flavorful dough that it will later become, punch down dough, reform a nice round ball and return it to same bowl; cover again with clear plastic wrap. Place bowl in refrigerator overnight, covered airtight. About 2 hours before you are ready to assemble pizza, remove dough from fridge, use a sharp knife to divde dough into 2 equal portions. Roll smaller dough into round balls on a smoothe surface; seal any holes by pinching . Place the dough balls in a glass casserole dish, space far enough to allow each to rise until doubled in size (about 2 hrs.). They should be smooth and puffy. To stretch and form dough for pizza, sprinkle flour on smooth surface. Use a spatula to carefully remove dough ball from casserol dish . Be very careful to preserve its round shape. Flour the dough liberally. Use your hand or rolling pin to press dough down forming a flat circle about 1/2" thick. Pinch dough between your fingers around edge forming a 1/4" rim. Continue this outward stretching until you have reaached a 9" diameter pizza dough. Yields ennough dough for 2- 9" pizzas. After topping pizza transfer to pizza stone in preheated oven. The stone should be preheated at 500 degrees for 1 hour. Bake 8 to 10 min. NOTE: I was really sorry I did not double this recipe the first time I made it!!!!!! It is sooo delicious we ate more (and wanted more)!
Makes two 9-inch pizzas
Cilantro Pesto
1/2 cup firmly packed cilantro leaves
1/2 teaspoon serrano peppers
1 1/2 tablespoons pine nuts
1 teaspoon raw minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon lime juice
Kosher salt to taste
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
1/3 cup olive oil
Carne Asada Marinade (or if you want to make this a quick supper...buy a frozen bag of pre-cut/cook fajita steak):
1/4 ounce chopped cilantro
3 ounces lime juice
1 ounce olive oil
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon red chile flakes
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon granulated garlic
Carne Asada Beef
1 pound raw beef (skirt steak)
Carne Asada Marinade
For the pizza
1 recipe California Pizza Kitchen Basic Pizza Dough
Cornmeal, semolina or flour for handling
1 tablespoon cilantro pesto
1 cup Monterey jack cheese (We used pepperjack, and it was great!)
20 to 25 half rings sweet white onion
1 recipe sliced Carne Asada Beef
1/2 cup canned Ortega brand chiles, cut into
1/4-inch strips, well drained
1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
To make Carne Asada marinade: Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl and set aside in the refrigerator for use with Carne Asada.
To make the pesto: Blend all the ingredients in a food processor for about 2 minutes until smooth. Set aside in the refrigerator.
To make the Carne Asada: Prepare a hot grill. Combine Carne Asada marinade with the raw beef and keep under refrigeration for one hour.
Grill the beef for 4 to 4 minutes per side. When done. remove from grill and chill thoroughly. Slice beef into 1/4 inch thick strips. Set aside in the refrigerator.
To make the pizza: Place the pizza stone in the center of the oven and preheat to 500 degrees F, for one hour before cooking the pizzas.
Use a large spoon to spread 1 tablespoon of cilantro pesto evenly over the surface of the prepared dough within the rim.
Cover the sauced area with half the Jack cheese. Distribute half of the onions over the cheese. Distribute half of the sliced Carne Asada beef followed by half of the chiles.
Transfer the pizza to the oven. Bake until the crust is crisp and golden and the cheese in the center is bubbly, 9 to 10 minutes.
When cooked through, carefully remove the pizza from the oven. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro over the hot, cheesy surface. Slice and serve.
---California Pizza Kitchen serves this pizza with a green salsa...I'm not a huge fan, so I used my Cafe Rio Tomatillo Ranch dressing to dip it in....yum!!!
Recipe taken from: California Pizza Kitchen
Pizza dough recipe:
1 tsp Yeast
1/2 c Plus
1 Tbsp Warm waterm 105-110 degrees
1 1/2 c Bread flour, or all-purpose
2 tsp Sugar
1 tsp Salt
1 Tbsp Extra virgin olive oil
Plus 1tsp for coating
To prepare dough: Dissolve yeast in water and set aside for 5 to 10 min.. Be sure that water is not too hot: Temps over 120 will kill the yeast. UPRIGHT ELECTRIC MIXER: Use mixing paddle attachment because batch size is too small for the dough hook. Combine all other ingredients. Add dissolved yeast. Use the lowest 2 speeds to mix dough. Mix 2-3 min. until dough is smoth and elastic. Overmixing will produce tough, rubbery dough, and friction will cause dough to rise too fast. IF USING FOOD PROCESSOR: Use dough blade.proceed as in preceeding instructions. IF MIXING BY HAND: Place dry ingredients in a 4-6 qt mixing bowl , make a well in the middle and add liquids. Use a wooden spoon to combine. Lightly oil hands and knead for 5 minutes. When done the dough should be slightly tacky. LIGHTLEY OIL THE ball and the interior of a 1 qt. glass bowl. Place dough ball in bowl and seal bowl air-tight with clear food wrap. Set aside at room temperature to rise until double in bulk: 1-1/2 - 2 hrs. The dough could be used now BUT it would be NOTHING SPECIAL! To obtain that wonderful, chewy, flavorful dough that it will later become, punch down dough, reform a nice round ball and return it to same bowl; cover again with clear plastic wrap. Place bowl in refrigerator overnight, covered airtight. About 2 hours before you are ready to assemble pizza, remove dough from fridge, use a sharp knife to divde dough into 2 equal portions. Roll smaller dough into round balls on a smoothe surface; seal any holes by pinching . Place the dough balls in a glass casserole dish, space far enough to allow each to rise until doubled in size (about 2 hrs.). They should be smooth and puffy. To stretch and form dough for pizza, sprinkle flour on smooth surface. Use a spatula to carefully remove dough ball from casserol dish . Be very careful to preserve its round shape. Flour the dough liberally. Use your hand or rolling pin to press dough down forming a flat circle about 1/2" thick. Pinch dough between your fingers around edge forming a 1/4" rim. Continue this outward stretching until you have reaached a 9" diameter pizza dough. Yields ennough dough for 2- 9" pizzas. After topping pizza transfer to pizza stone in preheated oven. The stone should be preheated at 500 degrees for 1 hour. Bake 8 to 10 min. NOTE: I was really sorry I did not double this recipe the first time I made it!!!!!! It is sooo delicious we ate more (and wanted more)!
Makes two 9-inch pizzas
Cilantro Pesto
1/2 cup firmly packed cilantro leaves
1/2 teaspoon serrano peppers
1 1/2 tablespoons pine nuts
1 teaspoon raw minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon lime juice
Kosher salt to taste
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
1/3 cup olive oil
Carne Asada Marinade (or if you want to make this a quick supper...buy a frozen bag of pre-cut/cook fajita steak):
1/4 ounce chopped cilantro
3 ounces lime juice
1 ounce olive oil
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon red chile flakes
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon granulated garlic
Carne Asada Beef
1 pound raw beef (skirt steak)
Carne Asada Marinade
For the pizza
1 recipe California Pizza Kitchen Basic Pizza Dough
Cornmeal, semolina or flour for handling
1 tablespoon cilantro pesto
1 cup Monterey jack cheese (We used pepperjack, and it was great!)
20 to 25 half rings sweet white onion
1 recipe sliced Carne Asada Beef
1/2 cup canned Ortega brand chiles, cut into
1/4-inch strips, well drained
1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
To make Carne Asada marinade: Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl and set aside in the refrigerator for use with Carne Asada.
To make the pesto: Blend all the ingredients in a food processor for about 2 minutes until smooth. Set aside in the refrigerator.
To make the Carne Asada: Prepare a hot grill. Combine Carne Asada marinade with the raw beef and keep under refrigeration for one hour.
Grill the beef for 4 to 4 minutes per side. When done. remove from grill and chill thoroughly. Slice beef into 1/4 inch thick strips. Set aside in the refrigerator.
To make the pizza: Place the pizza stone in the center of the oven and preheat to 500 degrees F, for one hour before cooking the pizzas.
Use a large spoon to spread 1 tablespoon of cilantro pesto evenly over the surface of the prepared dough within the rim.
Cover the sauced area with half the Jack cheese. Distribute half of the onions over the cheese. Distribute half of the sliced Carne Asada beef followed by half of the chiles.
Transfer the pizza to the oven. Bake until the crust is crisp and golden and the cheese in the center is bubbly, 9 to 10 minutes.
When cooked through, carefully remove the pizza from the oven. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro over the hot, cheesy surface. Slice and serve.
---California Pizza Kitchen serves this pizza with a green salsa...I'm not a huge fan, so I used my Cafe Rio Tomatillo Ranch dressing to dip it in....yum!!!
Recipe taken from: California Pizza Kitchen
Sunday, February 13, 2011
Homemade Corn Tortillas
Homemade corn and flour tortillas are THE BEST! Here is a quick tutorial on how to make the corn tortillas....my 4 yr old loves to help me make these!!
I apologize for the sideview of this picture, I was too lazy to turn it.
Start with some masa. You can find this in the Mexican/Ethnic isle. On the back of this bag, there is directions on how many to make and how much salt and water to add. It's really that easy.
Then you need a tortilla press. These are so fun. You can buy them at a mexican specialty store or online.
You roll the dough into small balls. Then you need to take a quart size ziplock bag, and cut up both sides so it opens up. You lay one side of the bag on the inside of the press, lay a ball of dough on top of it, then cover the top of the dough with the other side of the bag (so it doesn't stick to your press)
Press down and that's what makes your tortillas.
Then you can use a hot fajita skillet, a scookie skillet, or just a regular skillet and heat on med to med=high heat..Flip after about 15-30 seconds until both sides are light golden brown.
Then you throw them in a tortilla holder, I line the bottom with a paper towel and then keep one on top too. Cover and keep warm.
Have fun making these, it really is fun!
I apologize for the sideview of this picture, I was too lazy to turn it.
Start with some masa. You can find this in the Mexican/Ethnic isle. On the back of this bag, there is directions on how many to make and how much salt and water to add. It's really that easy.
Then you need a tortilla press. These are so fun. You can buy them at a mexican specialty store or online.
You roll the dough into small balls. Then you need to take a quart size ziplock bag, and cut up both sides so it opens up. You lay one side of the bag on the inside of the press, lay a ball of dough on top of it, then cover the top of the dough with the other side of the bag (so it doesn't stick to your press)Press down and that's what makes your tortillas.
Then you can use a hot fajita skillet, a scookie skillet, or just a regular skillet and heat on med to med=high heat..Flip after about 15-30 seconds until both sides are light golden brown.
Then you throw them in a tortilla holder, I line the bottom with a paper towel and then keep one on top too. Cover and keep warm.
Have fun making these, it really is fun!Carne Asada Tacos
These tacos are sooo easy to make
-Grilled steak (2 options: Grill the steak with basic salt and pepper or use the Mccormic
Peppercorn and Garlic marinade), cut into bite size cubes.
-Chopped jalepenos (these are the small green peppers, not the long anaheim peppers, cut down the center and remove core with seeds and discard.)
-Limes, cut into quarters
-green onions, chopped
-Fresh cilantro, chopped
-Corn Tortillas (Homemade or bought) Click here for my quick recipe for homemade corn tortillas. Make sure if you make or buy them, to serve them warm.
We like it simple, but if you want you can use my homemade salsa recipe, and top it with fresh salsa.
You are going to love how easy and insanely yummy this recipe is.
In tortilla, layer steak, jalepeno, onions, cilantro and then squeeze fresh lime juice over it.
This recipe is sooo healthy and so fresh and yummy-Enjoy!
Chicken Alfredo and Spinach Pizza
I LOVE watching Food Network, and one day I was watching at home with the Neely's, and they were making this pizza that looked insanely yummy. So I went to Food Network and grabbed the recipe, and then went shopping for the ingredients. When I looked at the nutritional value of heavy whipping cream, I about passed out. So, I took the ingredients of their version, and tweaked it a little to make it a little lighter. It was insanely yummy.
1 (3/4 pound) boneless skinless chicken breast
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
EVOO (Extra Virgin Olive Oil)
2 tablespoons butter
1 clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour, plus more for work surface
1 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
1 (16-ounce) ball pizza dough, store-bought
2 cups baby spinach, well washed and dried (I used way more than 2 cups, I completely covered my pizza with spinach because it cooks down.)
1 cup cherry tomatoes, sliced
1 cup grated mozzarella
Directions
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Put a pizza stone in the oven on the middle of the rack to preheat.
Preheat a grill pan over medium heat.
Season the chicken with salt and pepper, to taste. Put the chicken on the grill pan and grill until cooked through. Remove to a cutting board and dice. Set aside.
Flour your work surface and roll the pizza dough into a 13-inch diameter. Carefully remove the pizza stone from the oven and put the dough on top. Drizze with a little extra virgin olive oil. Evenly top with the baby spinach, tomatoes, grilled chicken and the mozzarella. Brush the edge of the crust with olive oil and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Bake the pizza until crisp and golden, about 20-25 minutes. Remove from oven and sprinkle a little bit of fresh parmesan on top. Slice and serve.
While pizza is cooking make the alfredo dipping sauce for the pizza (this is where I tweaked my recipe.) Originally you were suppose to cover the entire bottom of the pizza with this sauce. Instead we made this and put it in little cups to dip, we ended up having tons left over, which means we saved a lot of calories!!! Here is the directions for the alfredo:
Melt the butter in a medium-sized saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook until fragrant. Add the flour and cook until light blonde in color. Whisk in the cream, reduce the heat to low, and let simmer until thickened, about 2 minutes. Stir in Parmesan and season lightly with salt and pepper, to taste. This alfredo sauce has a kicked, it was a great dipping sauce for the pizza!
Recipe taken from:Food Network, at home with the Neely's
Southwest Egg Rolls
My cute friends Rosannne and Emily introduced me to this recipe, and my Family LOVED this recipe, it's just like the egg rolls from Chilli's. I drizzled these with a little bit of Extra Virgin Olive Oil and baked them, to make them really healthy. But my friends that have deep fried them in a little oil said they were insanely good! Try it both ways and see which way you like it!
My hubby did request that I make this at least once a month! Enjoy!
Also, the recipe didn't call for it, but I bought Large leaf spinach, washed and dried it really good. Then I took an eggroll wrap, layed a spinach leaf on it, and then put the filling in. It was a great way to sneak in some greens, and really yummy!
My hubby did request that I make this at least once a month! Enjoy!
Also, the recipe didn't call for it, but I bought Large leaf spinach, washed and dried it really good. Then I took an eggroll wrap, layed a spinach leaf on it, and then put the filling in. It was a great way to sneak in some greens, and really yummy!
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Ham Chowder
The Relief Society called me last minute and asked me if I could take a meal into a family, thank goodness I already had this on the menu for the day, because this recipe serves a lot of people. I made my homemade rolls, from last weeks recipe, to go along with this soup...yum!
4 large potatoes
1/2 cup green onion
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. paprika
2 cups milk
2 cups diced cooked ham
2 Tbsp. margarine
2 cups water
1/8 tsp. pepper
3 Tbsp. flour
1 15oz can whole kernal corn
Saute onion in butter. Set aside. Dice potatoes, add to the 2 cups of water and add all the seasonings and sauted onions. Cover and simmer until potatoes are tender. Make a paste of the flour and 1/2 cup of water. Add to potatoes. Add milk, cook until slightly thick. Stir in undrained corn and ham. Heat through.
4 large potatoes
1/2 cup green onion
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. paprika
2 cups milk
2 cups diced cooked ham
2 Tbsp. margarine
2 cups water
1/8 tsp. pepper
3 Tbsp. flour
1 15oz can whole kernal corn
Saute onion in butter. Set aside. Dice potatoes, add to the 2 cups of water and add all the seasonings and sauted onions. Cover and simmer until potatoes are tender. Make a paste of the flour and 1/2 cup of water. Add to potatoes. Add milk, cook until slightly thick. Stir in undrained corn and ham. Heat through.
Sunday, January 16, 2011
The Best Homemade Rolls Ever
My husband was in HEAVEN all weekend because I made him one of his favorite meals, turkey sandwiches on homemade rolls with chips and clam dip.....I can't even tell you how excited he was when he came home to this meal. I just bought a turkey breast and roasted it the oven for a couple hours, and then made Chris's mom's yummy homemade rolls, they are to die for: here's the recipe:
-1/2 cup melted butter (I used salted)
-2 eggs
-2 packages of active dry yeast (or 2 Tbsp. of active dry yeast if it's in a jar)
-6 cups flour
1/2 cup sugar
-1 tsp. salt
-2 cups warm water
-extra butter for dipping
I use my Kitchen Aid for this, it makes it so easy, but you can do it by hand mixer too. In a bowl add warm water, yeast and sugar, combine until all mixed. Add butter. Add eggs, flour, and salt, mix well. Stir in extra flour until it forms a soft dough. Turn onto floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 4 min's. Place in a bowl sprayed with non stick spray..let rise 45-60 min's. Punch down and roll out on floured surface. This is a guess, but I rolled it out probably 1/4" thick, you want it pretty thick. I used the biggest circle shaped cutter that I had (the size of a large glass)....cut out, dip one side into melted butter, place on greased sheet and fold top over. Let rise until doubled. Bake at 350 for 15 min's, and then continue to check every minute until light golden brown.
I wish I would have taken a picture, but we chowed these down too fast!
Enjoy, these are heavenly!!
-1/2 cup melted butter (I used salted)
-2 eggs
-2 packages of active dry yeast (or 2 Tbsp. of active dry yeast if it's in a jar)
-6 cups flour
1/2 cup sugar
-1 tsp. salt
-2 cups warm water
-extra butter for dipping
I use my Kitchen Aid for this, it makes it so easy, but you can do it by hand mixer too. In a bowl add warm water, yeast and sugar, combine until all mixed. Add butter. Add eggs, flour, and salt, mix well. Stir in extra flour until it forms a soft dough. Turn onto floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 4 min's. Place in a bowl sprayed with non stick spray..let rise 45-60 min's. Punch down and roll out on floured surface. This is a guess, but I rolled it out probably 1/4" thick, you want it pretty thick. I used the biggest circle shaped cutter that I had (the size of a large glass)....cut out, dip one side into melted butter, place on greased sheet and fold top over. Let rise until doubled. Bake at 350 for 15 min's, and then continue to check every minute until light golden brown.
I wish I would have taken a picture, but we chowed these down too fast!
Enjoy, these are heavenly!!
Thursday, January 13, 2011
Loaded Cream Cheese Quesadillas
My kids love quesadillas, and I always wished they were just a little more filling so I could make them for a quick supper....so, I invented this recipe this week, and we LOVED these. They ended up being so filling that I couldn't even finish a whole one by myself. That's not like me!!!!
-2 chicken breasts (boiled and ran through chop mode on food processor) or you can use canned chicken
-1 8oz. cream cheese (fat free or 1/3 less fat) at room temp.
-1/2 cup of homemade Ranch (I use fat free mayo to make my ranch)....you can use store bought ranch but it's not as good.
-2 green onions, chopped
-cheddar cheese and montery jack, shredded and mixed together
-dash of salt
-dash of fresh ground pepper
-flour tortillas
-cooking spray
-Blend together cream cheese, ranch, salt, pepper. Mix in onions and shredded chicken, and stir well. On a tortilla spoon chicken spread to cover entire tortilla (don't spread it on thick, just coat a thin layer on tortilla)....top with the cheese, cover with another tortilla. Spray a hot griddle with cooking spray and cook until both sides are light brown and lightly crisp and cheese is gooey.
Enjoy!
-2 chicken breasts (boiled and ran through chop mode on food processor) or you can use canned chicken
-1 8oz. cream cheese (fat free or 1/3 less fat) at room temp.
-1/2 cup of homemade Ranch (I use fat free mayo to make my ranch)....you can use store bought ranch but it's not as good.
-2 green onions, chopped
-cheddar cheese and montery jack, shredded and mixed together
-dash of salt
-dash of fresh ground pepper
-flour tortillas
-cooking spray
-Blend together cream cheese, ranch, salt, pepper. Mix in onions and shredded chicken, and stir well. On a tortilla spoon chicken spread to cover entire tortilla (don't spread it on thick, just coat a thin layer on tortilla)....top with the cheese, cover with another tortilla. Spray a hot griddle with cooking spray and cook until both sides are light brown and lightly crisp and cheese is gooey.
Enjoy!
Monday, January 10, 2011
Pasta Fagioli Soup
Well, I'm not much for jumping on the band wagon and dieting at the beginning of the new year, but I do love recipes that call for lots of yummy healthy ingredients. And, since my hubby is trying to eat better, I made this recipe this week. He doesn't usually like soups unless it's a HEARTY soup...and this soup has sooo much yummy goodness in it! Loaded with veggies! Enjoy on a cold night
1 lb. ground beef (I bought a lean beef to make it healthier)
1 small onion, diced
1 large carrot, cut
3 stalks celery, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 (14.5) cans diced tomatoes
1 (15 oz.) kidney beans with liquid
1 (15 oz.) Great northern beans with liquid
1 (15 oz.) tomato sauce
1 (64 oz.) V-8 juice
1 Tbsp. white vinegar
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. oregano
1 tsp. basil
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. thyme
Ditalini pasta
1 lb. ground beef (I bought a lean beef to make it healthier)
1 small onion, diced
1 large carrot, cut
3 stalks celery, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 (14.5) cans diced tomatoes
1 (15 oz.) kidney beans with liquid
1 (15 oz.) Great northern beans with liquid
1 (15 oz.) tomato sauce
1 (64 oz.) V-8 juice
1 Tbsp. white vinegar
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. oregano
1 tsp. basil
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. thyme
Ditalini pasta
Brown ground beef; drain and add onion, carrots, celery and garlic. Saute about 10 minutes. Add remaining ingredients, except the pasta and simmer for 1 hour. Fifty minutes into the simmer, boil the pasta until al dente. Drain and add to soup.
Recipe taken from: Neighbors-cooking with class cook book
Sunday, December 26, 2010
Lion House Caramels
This recipe is almost exact to my microwave caramels, the only difference is that this recipe takes a little more time and patience, but in the end is a little better than my microwave caramels because the consistency of the caramels are perfect. I take these caramels to all our Christmas parties, and everyone always asks for the recipe, this is for you uncle Dave. The recipe calls for 2 cubes of butter, but I have found that a little margarine makes caramels so much richer and yummier!
1 cube salted butter
1 cube margarine
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup white sugar
1 cup light corn syrup
1 14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk
Dash of salt (and since I use salted butter, I literally mean a dash, just a tiny tiny bit barely in the palm of your hand)...then throw it in.
Butter a 13x9 pan....I use at least 2 or 3 Tbsp to butter the pan really good, this will prevent any sticking. Combine butter, margarine, sugar, corn syrup, sweetened condensed milk, and salt in a heavy sauce pan. Bring to a boil over MEDIUM heat STIRRING CONSTANTLY to firm ball stage 245 degrees. Mixture forms a ball when dropped into cold water and won't flatten when removed). This will take 15 to 20 minutes. Pour into prepared pan. Cool, then cut into squares and wrap each piece in waxed paper.
Recipe taken from Lion House Cookbook
1 cube salted butter
1 cube margarine
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup white sugar
1 cup light corn syrup
1 14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk
Dash of salt (and since I use salted butter, I literally mean a dash, just a tiny tiny bit barely in the palm of your hand)...then throw it in.
Butter a 13x9 pan....I use at least 2 or 3 Tbsp to butter the pan really good, this will prevent any sticking. Combine butter, margarine, sugar, corn syrup, sweetened condensed milk, and salt in a heavy sauce pan. Bring to a boil over MEDIUM heat STIRRING CONSTANTLY to firm ball stage 245 degrees. Mixture forms a ball when dropped into cold water and won't flatten when removed). This will take 15 to 20 minutes. Pour into prepared pan. Cool, then cut into squares and wrap each piece in waxed paper.
Recipe taken from Lion House Cookbook
Saturday, November 20, 2010
Melt away cookies
I went to a Girls Night Out a couple of nights ago and my friend Janelle made these insanely cute and yummy cookies. I don't have a picture to post on my blog, she e-mailed me the recipe so I can make them.....let me just tell you that as soon as these cookies hit your tongue, they instantly melt....they are sooooo good. These would be a cute little cookie to put on a decorative plate during a holiday party for people to munch on...Enjoy!
Melt-away Cookies *
1 cup butter
3/4 cup corn starch
1/3 cup powdered sugar
*Beat then add:
1 cup flour
*Flour your hands and roll dough into balls slightly larger then marbles. Place onto greased cookie sheet and bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes. Top cookies with frosting when cool.
Frosting:
4 oz cream cheese
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 - 2 cups powdered sugar
*Beat together until smooth
Melt-away Cookies *
1 cup butter
3/4 cup corn starch
1/3 cup powdered sugar
*Beat then add:
1 cup flour
*Flour your hands and roll dough into balls slightly larger then marbles. Place onto greased cookie sheet and bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes. Top cookies with frosting when cool.
Frosting:
4 oz cream cheese
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 - 2 cups powdered sugar
*Beat together until smooth
Sunday, November 14, 2010
Arroz con Pollo
Arroz con Pollo......or chicken and rice to all you gringos. This is one of my favorite recipes, and it's soooo healthy. You will never want to order this at a Mexican resteraunt after tasting the homemade version!
1 chicken (Two options......I either buy a rotisserie chicken, or when Lee's put's their whole 3-4 Lb. chickens on sale. for 3.99 each, I pick a few up and freeze them. Either will work. But if you cook a whole chicken I season it with a little salt and pepper and garlic salt and cumin)
1 cup frozen peas
1 tsp. salt and pepper
1/2 tsp. dried leaf oregano, crushed
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 of an onion, chopped
1 cup uncooked long grain rice (non instant rice or brown rice.)
10 oz. can Rotel tomatoes (this is a can with tomatoes and jalepenos)
2 Cups Chicken Broth
Shred chicken with fingers. Add peas, salt, pepper, oregano, cumin, garlic, and onion. Mix.
Coat a non stick pan with non stick cooking spray, add the rice and saute until light golden brown. Add the Rotel tomatoes-undrained. Press into rice and let simmer 3-5 mins. (I added 1 couple Tbsp. of water so it didn't get too dry). Pour into 13x9 pan. Add the chicken and gently toss to mix. Pour 2 cups of chicken broth to cover the rice and chicken. Add more if necessary to complete cover the mixture. Cover and bake 1 hour on 350 degrees.
Note:When you pour the mixture into the pan, it won't look like a lot of food, but once that rice soaks up all the broth, it will fill the entire pan.
Serve with warm corn tortillas.....salt the arroz con pollo and corn tortillas well before eating....enjoy!
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Scared Shrekless Popcorn
Tonight is the premier of Scared Shrekless, and we are so excited to watch it. My 3 yr old and I whipped up some Shrek popcorn for the big event...we are going to have so much fun.
4 quarts popped corn (go through and pick out the unpopped kernals)
1 1/2 Cups sugar
1/2 Cup light corn syrup
2 Tablespoons butter
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon baking soda
green food coloring (Use alot, because when you add the baking soda afterwards, it will lighten up the color...so go overboard!)
In heavy saucepan on medium heat melt butter then add sugar, corn syrup, cream of tartar and salt. Increase temperature to medium high and bring mixture to a boil, stirring constantly to dissolve sugar. Once mixture boils, add in food coloring and stop stirring. Boil for 5 minutes (Do not stir). Mixture should be about 250-260 degrees. Remove from heat and carefully stir in vanilla and baking soda. Working quickly and while mixture is foamy, pour mixture over popped corn and gently stir to coat popcorn. Place popcorn into a large roaster or rimmed baking sheet (lined with parchment paper or sprayed with cooking spray) and bake at 200° F for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes.
Recipe from: Skip to my Lou.org
4 quarts popped corn (go through and pick out the unpopped kernals)
1 1/2 Cups sugar
1/2 Cup light corn syrup
2 Tablespoons butter
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon baking soda
green food coloring (Use alot, because when you add the baking soda afterwards, it will lighten up the color...so go overboard!)
In heavy saucepan on medium heat melt butter then add sugar, corn syrup, cream of tartar and salt. Increase temperature to medium high and bring mixture to a boil, stirring constantly to dissolve sugar. Once mixture boils, add in food coloring and stop stirring. Boil for 5 minutes (Do not stir). Mixture should be about 250-260 degrees. Remove from heat and carefully stir in vanilla and baking soda. Working quickly and while mixture is foamy, pour mixture over popped corn and gently stir to coat popcorn. Place popcorn into a large roaster or rimmed baking sheet (lined with parchment paper or sprayed with cooking spray) and bake at 200° F for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes.
Recipe from: Skip to my Lou.org
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Caramel Pumpkin Oatmeal Bars
I have 3 words for this recipe.....OH MY GOSH!!!
Enjoy!
Enjoy!
INGREDIENTS
2 cups flour
2 cups rolled oats
1 1/2 cups firmly packed light brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons Cinnamon, Ground
3/4 teaspoon Ginger, Ground
1/4 teaspoon Nutmeg, Ground
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, melted
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract
7 ounces (1/2 of 14-ounce package) caramels, unwrapped
2 tablespoons milk
DIRECTIONS1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Mix flour, oats, sugar, baking soda, salt and spices in large bowl. Add butter; stir until mixture is well blended and forms coarse crumbs. Reserve 1/2 (about 2 1/4 cups) for the topping. Add pumpkin and vanilla to remaining mixture in bowl; stir until well blended. Press evenly into bottom of greased foil-lined 13x9-inch baking pan. Set aside.
2. Microwave caramels and milk in medium microwavable bowl on HIGH 2 to 3 minutes or until caramels are completely melted, stirring after every minute. Let stand 1 minute. Pour over pumpkin mixture in pan, spreading to within 1/2-inch of edges. Sprinkle with reserved crumb mixture.
3. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool in pan on wire rack. Lift from pan. Cut into bars.
Here are the changes I made: Since I use salted butter, I only put in 1/4 tsp. of salt. I used 3/4 package of caramels instead of 1/2 bag (you can never have to much caramel....since I used 3/4 bag of caramels I used more mile and I used 3 Tbsp. milk. Instead of using the cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger, I used 1 Tbsp Pumpkin Pie Spice. Another tip I have is I never use imitation vanilla, I use PURE vanilla-you can find this in the mexican isle at the grocery store, it makes the biggest difference in your cooking.
Recipe taken from Mccormick Website
Sunday, October 24, 2010
Donuts
This weekend was our annual Halloween party, and I wanted to make something really fun for the kids. So, I got this recipe in my Better Homes and Garden Magazine a couple month ago and tried em' out! They were a hit!
Ingredients
3 -1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
3/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/3 cup milk
1/2 cup butter, melted
4 eggs, beaten
2/3 cup sugar
Vegetable oil for deep-fat frying
Cinnamon-Sugar or sifted powdered sugar
Directions
1. In a bowl combine flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt and nutmeg; set aside. In another bowl combine milk and melted butter. In a large mixing bowl combine eggs, and sugar; beat with electric mixer until thick (about 5 minutes). Add milk mixture; stir with a wooden spoon to combine. Add flour mixture and stir with a wooden spoon until smooth. Cover dough; chill at least 2 hours (dough will remain slightly sticky).
2. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Roll dough to 1/2-inch thickness. Cut dough with a floured 2-1/2-inch round cutter. Use a 1-1/4-inch cutter to cut the hole for the doughnut. (You can also use a standard doughnut cutter.)
3. Fry 2 or 3 doughnuts at a time in deep hot fat (375 degrees F) for 2 to 2-1/2 minutes or until brown, turning halfway through cooking with a slotted spoon. Drain on paper towels. Repeat with remaining doughnuts and doughnut holes. Makes about 15 doughnuts and doughnut holes
4. Shake warm doughnuts in a bag with Cinnamon-Sugar or powdered sugar. Serve warm (or reheat each doughnut 8 to 10 seconds in microwave on high).
Cinnamon-Sugar: Stir together 1/2 cup granulated sugar and 1 tsp. ground cinnamon.
Ingredients
3 -1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
3/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/3 cup milk
1/2 cup butter, melted
4 eggs, beaten
2/3 cup sugar
Vegetable oil for deep-fat frying
Cinnamon-Sugar or sifted powdered sugar
Directions
1. In a bowl combine flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt and nutmeg; set aside. In another bowl combine milk and melted butter. In a large mixing bowl combine eggs, and sugar; beat with electric mixer until thick (about 5 minutes). Add milk mixture; stir with a wooden spoon to combine. Add flour mixture and stir with a wooden spoon until smooth. Cover dough; chill at least 2 hours (dough will remain slightly sticky).
2. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Roll dough to 1/2-inch thickness. Cut dough with a floured 2-1/2-inch round cutter. Use a 1-1/4-inch cutter to cut the hole for the doughnut. (You can also use a standard doughnut cutter.)
3. Fry 2 or 3 doughnuts at a time in deep hot fat (375 degrees F) for 2 to 2-1/2 minutes or until brown, turning halfway through cooking with a slotted spoon. Drain on paper towels. Repeat with remaining doughnuts and doughnut holes. Makes about 15 doughnuts and doughnut holes
4. Shake warm doughnuts in a bag with Cinnamon-Sugar or powdered sugar. Serve warm (or reheat each doughnut 8 to 10 seconds in microwave on high).
Cinnamon-Sugar: Stir together 1/2 cup granulated sugar and 1 tsp. ground cinnamon.
Friday, October 22, 2010
Homemade Chicken Noodle
There's nothing better on a cold fall night than a hot bowl of soup....I have tried a bunch of different recipes and I took the best parts of all the recipes I have tried, and I concocted this ...enjoy! I served a side of breadsticks with this soup, and you can also get the breadstick recipe here.
2 large chicken breasts
2 Chicken Bouillion cubes
3-4 stalks celery, chopped
3 large carrots, chopped
1 onion
parsley
2 Bay leaves
2-3, 32 oz. containers chicken broth
1 Bag of Country Pasta (At Wal-mart I buy the Extra Wide Homestyle Amish noodles)
1 can 98% Fat Freed Cream of Chicken Soup
Salt and Fresh ground Pepper to Taste
-Fill a large pot with water, throw in 2 chicken bouillion cubes and add chicken. Cook until center is no longer pink. Cool. Run chicken through food processor on chop mode...it makes the perfect consistency for soup.
-Drain pot, and add 2, 32 oz.containers of chicken broth to pot. Add carrots, celery, onion, 2 bay leaves, and parsley (I don't measure my parsley, I just throw in enough to make it look pretty...it's atleast a Tbsp. or two...I use dried, but you can use fresh or dried). Add salt and fresh ground pepper. Add a little at a time and taste.
-Before the vegetables are completely tender, throw in the noodles to start cooking. Cook until noddles are tender. If the soup looks like it's getting dry, add a little bit of the 3rd container of Broth, I usually don't need to.... but, I don't like to add water, I like to keep the rich flavor of the chicken broth. Right before serving add a can of cream of chicken...it will thicken it a little and make it rich.
Remove bay leaves and serve.
Monday, October 18, 2010
Crispy Bean and Cheese Burrito
I got this recipe from my family circle magazine, and it was a really tasty dinner that my kids loved! And for those of you cutting back on meats...this was a meatless dinner.
Ingredients
1 bag (3-1/2 ounces) boil-in-bag brown rice (I just used brown rice from a box and cooked up enough to stuff 6 burritos....the instructions for 4 servings is plenty).
1 cup salsa
1/3 cup chopped cilantro
1 ripe avocado, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 tablespoon lime juice
6 soft taco-size flour tortillas
1 cup shredded pepper Jack cheese
1 can (15.5 ounces) black beans, drained and rinsed
Directions
Prepare rice according to package directions, about 10 minutes. Drain and place in a medium-size bowl. Stir in salsa and cilantro; set aside. In a small bowl, gently stir together avocado pieces with lime juice; set aside.
Place tortillas on work surface and sprinkle 2 tablespoons cheese in center of each, from left to right. Top cheese with a heaping 1/4 cup black beans. Place a heaping 1/3 cup rice mixture over beans then divide avocado pieces among tortillas. Fold up like an envelope; repeat with remaining tortillas.
Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat top and bottom of burritos with nonstick cooking spray. Place 3 burritos in skillet, seam-side down; cook for 1 to 2 minutes or until lightly browned and crisp. Turn burritos over and cook another 2 minutes. Repeat with remaining burritos, reducing heat if they get too browned.
Recipe taken from:Family Circle Magazine
Ingredients
1 bag (3-1/2 ounces) boil-in-bag brown rice (I just used brown rice from a box and cooked up enough to stuff 6 burritos....the instructions for 4 servings is plenty).
1 cup salsa
1/3 cup chopped cilantro
1 ripe avocado, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 tablespoon lime juice
6 soft taco-size flour tortillas
1 cup shredded pepper Jack cheese
1 can (15.5 ounces) black beans, drained and rinsed
Directions
Prepare rice according to package directions, about 10 minutes. Drain and place in a medium-size bowl. Stir in salsa and cilantro; set aside. In a small bowl, gently stir together avocado pieces with lime juice; set aside.
Place tortillas on work surface and sprinkle 2 tablespoons cheese in center of each, from left to right. Top cheese with a heaping 1/4 cup black beans. Place a heaping 1/3 cup rice mixture over beans then divide avocado pieces among tortillas. Fold up like an envelope; repeat with remaining tortillas.
Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat top and bottom of burritos with nonstick cooking spray. Place 3 burritos in skillet, seam-side down; cook for 1 to 2 minutes or until lightly browned and crisp. Turn burritos over and cook another 2 minutes. Repeat with remaining burritos, reducing heat if they get too browned.
Recipe taken from:Family Circle Magazine
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