ProzacPoet Cooks

Santa Fe Soup

2010-08-21T16:31:00.000-04:00

Sometimes we just call it Taco Soup around here, easy for the kids to relate to that! It's yummy, and makes a lot, enough for a meal plus lunch leftovers PLUS enough to freeze for another meal or more. Please note ahead of time: you do not want to drain any of the canned items! You need to add the entire can along with the juices!

2 lb. ground beef or turkey (I use ground turkey)
1 large onion, chopped
2 pkg. taco seasoning mix
2 pkg. dry Ranch Dressing mix (or 0.8 oz from a jar if you happen to have a jar of it like I do :P)
1 can diced tomatoes (16 oz), undrained
1 can (16 oz) diced tomatoes and chiles (Rotel), undrained
1 can kidney beans (16 oz), undrained
1 can pinto beans (16 oz), undrained
1 can black beans (16 oz), undrained
2 cans white corn (16 oz each), undrained

Cook ground meat and onion in large soup pot until meat is brown and onion is transparent. Drain and return to pot. Sprinkle dry seasoning mixes over the meat and stir. Add all canned ingredient; do not drain any liquids! Reduce heat and simmer, covered, about 2 hours. Serve with any combination of: shredded cheese, a dollop of sour cream, diced tomato, or even diced avocado. And it's even better when you add some corn chips on the side for dipping. Cornbread is also good with this.

Weight Watchers Angel Hair Pasta with Prosciutto and Mushroom Cream Sauce

2010-07-10T02:04:00.002-04:00

Makes 4 servings of 1 and 1/2 cups each. Per serving: 377 calories, 10.5g fat, 8 points, 20.9g protein, 51.4g carbs

1 package (9 oz) refrigerated angel hair pasta
olive oil cooking spray
1 package (8 oz) mushrooms, quartered
1/4 cup julienne-cut ready to eat sundried tomatoes
1 1/2 tbsp minced garlic
2 oz very thinly sliced prosciutto (about 4 slices), sliced crosswise into 1/2 inch strips
1/2 cup dry white wine or fat free reduced sodium chicken broth (I used sauvignon blanc)
1/2 cup fat free reduced sodium chicken broth (if you use chicken broth instead of wine for the ingredient above this one, you will still also need this amount of chicken broth in addition to the broth used as the wine substitute)
1 cup frozen baby green peas, thawed
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 container (10 oz) refrigerated light alfredo sauce (such as Buitoni)
1/4 cup shredded fresh Parmesan cheese (I completely forgot to add this at the end! and it tasted just fine without that addition)

Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat (keep in mind, fresh pasta only takes a couple of minuted to cook). While pasta cooks, heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, coating pan with cooking spray. Add mushrooms, saute' 5 minutes or til tender. Add sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, and prosciutto; saute' 2 minutes. Add wine and broth; bring to a boil. Boil 3 minutes or til liquid is reduced to 1/2 cup. Stir in peas, pepper, and alfredo sauce. Drain pasta, and return to pan. Add sauce and toss gently to coat (or if your skillet is big enough, just add the pasta directly to the skillet with the sauce in it). Spoon into individual bowls and sprinkle with 1 tbsp cheese each.

Weight Watchers Gnocchi with Pumpkin and Sage

2010-07-10T01:51:00.003-04:00

This might sound a little weird or gross, but trust me, it is DELICIOUS. It does not taste like pumpkin, I promise! It's just nice and creamy and mushroomy and just good. Makes 4 servings, 1 cup is a serving. Per serving: 7 points, 324 calories, 8.9g fat, 9.3g protein, 53.6g carbs

1 package (16 oz) vacuum packaged potato gnocchi
1 tbsp olive oil
1 oz pancetta, finely diced
1 package (8 oz) sliced baby portabella mushrooms
1 1/2 cups chopped leek (about 1 medium)
1 tsp minced garlic
1/2 cup refrigerated light alfredo sauce (such as Buitoni)
1/3 cup canned unsweetened pumpkin
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 black pepper
1/2 cup fat free, reduced sodium chicken broth
1/4 tsp rubbed sage
Fresh sage leaves (optional)

Cook gnocchi according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. While gnocchi cooks, heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add pancetta, and cook 3 minutes or til crisp. Add mushrooms, leeks, and garlic; saute' 7 minutes or til tender. Reduce heat to low. Stir in alfredo sauce, pumpkin, salt, and pepper; cook 2 minutes or til thoroughly heated. Stir in broth and rubbed sage. Drain gnocchi. Add gnocchi to sauce in pan, and toss gently. Spoon into individual bowls, and garnish with fresh sage if desired.

Weight Watchers Hamburger Mushroom Pizza

2010-07-10T01:40:00.002-04:00

The recipe says to crumble the ground beef onto the bread without cooking first, however, I'm not down with that, so I cook it a few minutes in a skillet first. It is so so so good! It's supposed to make 6 servings, 1 slice each, but we normally eat 2, so sue us :P Per serving: 6 points, 301 calories, 15.1g protein, 9.7g fat, 35.4g carbs, 2g fiber, 542mg sodium.

1 loaf (16 oz) unsliced Italian bread
1/2 cup bottled traditional pizza sauce (our favorite "pizza sauce" is actually a spaghetti sauce, it's either Bertolli or Barilla, I can never remember til I see it, Marinara with Burgundy Wine)
8 (1/8 inch thick) slices onion, separated into rings
1 cup presliced fresh mushrooms
6 oz ultra lean ground beef
1 tsp dried Italian seasoning
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper
1 1/2 cups (6 oz) preshedded pizza double cheese (a blend of part skim mozzarella and cheddar)...I just use shredded mozzarella or some type of Italian or pizza blend

Preheat oven to 500. Yes, 500. Cut Italian loaf in half horizontally. Place both halves, cut side up, on a large baking sheet. Spread 1/4 cup pizza sauce over each half of bread. Divide onion rings and sliced mushrooms evenly over bread halves. Crumble ground beef and divide evenly over bread halves. Sprinkle Italian seasoning, garlic powder, and crushed red pepper evenly over bread halves. Top each with 3/4 cup cheese. Bake at 500 for 9 minutes or til ground beef is done and cheese is melted. Cut each pizza half into 3 pieces. Makes 6 servings, 1 piece per serving.

Weight Watchers Peach Cobbler

2010-07-10T01:31:00.002-04:00

You would never know this was light just by tasting it! Makes 6 servings. Per serving: 244 calories, 5.2g fat. 2.5g protein, 50g carbs.

Cooking Spray
1/4 cup light butter or reduced calorie stick margarine, melted
2 (16 oz each) cans sliced peaches in light syrup, undrained
3/4 cup all purpose flour
2/3 cup sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 cup fat free milk

Preheat oven to 375. Coat a 9 inch square baking dish with cooking spray. Add melted butter, and set aside. Drain peaches, reserving 1/2 cup syrup; set aside. Combine flour, sugar, and baking powder in a medium bowl. Add the reserved peach syrup and fat free milk to the flour mixture, stirring just until moist. Pour batter into prepared dish, and top with peaches (do NOT stir). Bake at 375 for 35 minutes or til golden.
I like to top each serving with a scoop or 2 of some type of vanilla ice cream: regular, light, sugar free, frozen yogurt....whatever. It's all good.

Creamy Chicken Manicotti

2010-07-10T01:19:00.002-04:00

This is a family favorite, but I don't make it too often, coz it's not the best for you lol! This was something my mom used to make when I was a teen, and it has always been a favorite of mine. It has manicotti in the title, but we have always used jumbo shells. Much easier than stuffing manicotti.

About 15 jumbo pasta shells
1/2 cup sour cream (I use reduced fat)
1 can (10 3/4 oz.) creamy chicken mushroom soup, undiluted
2 cups chopped cooked chicken (I bake 2 chicken breasts, and dice them, small pieces, when they've cooled)
1/4 cup chopped onion
2 tbsp butter or margarine (I use light stick butter)
1 can (4 oz) sliced mushrooms, DO NOT DRAIN!
1 cup (4 oz) shredded sharp cheddar (can use reduced fat, but it doesn't melt quite as well)

Cook shells according to package directions, omitting salt; drain and set aside. In the meantime, combine the soup and sour cream; mix well. Put half the soup mixture in a separate bowl, and add in the cooked chopped chicken; mix well. Set aside remaining soup mixture. Stuff shells with the chicken mixture; place in a greased 13x9 baking dish. Melt butter in large skillet, add onion and saute' until tender but not browned. Add mushrooms WITH the juices in the can. Stir in the reserved soup mixture and mix well. Spoon over the stuffed shells. Bake uncovered at 350 for 15 minutes. Sprinkle with cheese and bake another 5 minutes or til cheese is melted.
I like to serve with warm buttered bread to soak up all the sauce!

Best. Fucking. Pancakes. EVER.

2010-06-28T23:44:00.002-04:00

These were so good that after dinner, I made another batch to heat up for breakfast tomorrow. So good that my children each ate 4, and proclaimed them to be the best pancakes they had ever eaten, better than IHOP even. They're like a bowl of warm, soft, oatmeal wrapped up in a pancake. Make these. Trust me. Hell, make a double batch. Now, I'll warn you, these cook a little differently than most pancakes. They don't cook as fast, and the consistency can make them tricky to flip but if you let them cook long enough before flipping, it isn't too bad. They need to go a few minutes per side. Probably takes about twice as long as regular pancakes.

Oatmeal Buttermilk Pancakes
2 cups quick oats (I ran them through the food processor for about 10 seconds)
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 1/2 cups buttermilk
1 cup all purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 Tbsp sugar
1/3 cup veg oil
2 eggs, beaten
Combine oats, soda, and buttermilk. Let stand 5 min. In another bowl combine flour, baking powder, salt, & sugar. Combine oat mixture, oil, & eggs. Add dry ingredients & stir till blended. Cook on lightly greased griddle or skillet. Yield 14-16 Pancakes.

Key Lime Cake

2010-06-20T15:59:00.002-04:00

Cake:
1 (3 oz) package lime jello
1 1/3 cups granulated sugar
2 cups sifted all purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
5 large eggs, slightly beaten
1 1/2 cups veg oil
3/4 cup orange juice
1 tbsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Glaze:
1/2 cup key lime juice (from about 25 small key limes or 4 large regular limes)
1/2 cup confectioner's sugar

Cream Cheese Icing:
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, room temperature (i'm using light real butter)
1 (8 oz) package cream cheese, room temperature (i'm using light)
1 (1 lb) box confectioner's sugar

Preheat oven to 350. Grease and flour three 9 inch round cake pans. In large mixing bowl, combine jello mix, flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, baking soda. Stir to mix well. Add the eggs, oil, orange juice, lemon juice, and vanilla. Stir well. Divide batter evenly amongst pans, and bake 35-40 minutes on middle rack (you'll want to keep your eyes on the cakes, mine did not take this long. I rotated them after 15 minutes and the one in the back was almost done. So I rotated, cooked another 5, then removed that one, and cooked the other 2 for another 10 minutes). Test for done by lightly touching cake, or by inserting a toothpick in center. Cool the layers for 5 minutes in pans, then turn them out onto racks. While layers are still hot, mix the lime juice and 1/2 cup confectioner's sugar and pour over the layers on racks. You can pierce the layers before pouring on the glaze to allow the glaze to soak in better. Allow layers to cool completely as you prepare the icing.
For the icing, cream the butter and cream cheese. Beat in the confectioner's sugar until mixture is smooth and easy to spread. Spread the icing between the layers and on top and sides of cake.
Note: The cream cheese icing is optional. This cake is beautiful and tastes great with just the glazed poured over it.
Makes 12 servings.

Cheesy Spinach Treats

2010-06-20T15:48:00.002-04:00

This was a recipe from a magazine that G gets, High Five from Highlights, for younger kids. So it's a recipe for kids to make with help from parents. You can let them do the "easy" stuff that doesn't involve cooking. G cracked one of the eggs, though that didn't go too well lol so I did the rest of the eggs. She scooped all the sour cream into the bowl, and did all the mixing. It has a very strong sour cream flavor, considering there is 2 whole cups in it...I wasn't sure about it, but she wanted to make it, and it turned out really good. It didn't call for the ham, but I added it, coz I can never make a damn recipe the way it calls for it to be made!!

Ingredients:
Cooking spray
4 cups baby spinach
1 tbsp olive oil
3 eggs
2 cups sour cream
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/3 cup of your favorite cheese, shredded
few slices ham, diced

Heat oven to 350. Spray a muffin tin with cooking spray. Tear spinach into small pieces. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in skillet, saute' for about 4 minutes or til wilted. Remove from heat and cool. In large bowl, whisk eggs, add sour cream, salt, and pepper. Stir well. Add cooked spinach, and 1/3 cup of cheese. Fill 12 muffin cups with mixture. Top with additional shredded cheese. Bake on middle rack of oven for 25 minutes. Wait 5 minutes before removing from muffin tray. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Brown rice

2010-06-17T23:54:00.003-04:00

This is a common side dish at my house. It goes with just about anything, I like it best with fish or chicken. It's nothing fancy, just an easy way I figured out to make rice a little more flavorful.

1 cup brown rice
2 1/4 to 2 1/2 cups water
2 chicken bouillon cubes
2 tbsp butter (I use land o'lakes light salted sweet cream stick butter)

Add all to pot. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to low. Cover and cook 40-50 minutes, til tender and water is absorbed.
You need to stir it every 10 minutes or so. I don't care what the package says, it normally says to not lift the lid and do not stir for the entire cooking time. Fuck that. Do you know how many damn pots I have burned up by following those directions?? Rice is the only thing I have ever burned. And I have done it more than once. But not since I started stirring the shit more often during the cooking process! Also, keep an eye on the water amount. If the water seems to be absorbing too quickly, add a little bit, about 1/4 cup or less. The water should not be gone at the 20-30 minute mark, for instance.

Shredded Thai Chicken Salad

2010-06-17T23:46:00.002-04:00

Made this a couple of weeks ago. Everyone loved it. Very good peanut flavor. G has wanted green onions almost every day since I made this lol! The leftovers were good as well.

Ingredients:
Salad:
2 cups shredded deli rotisserie chicken (from 2- to 2 1/2-lb chicken)
1 cup julienne (matchstick-cut) carrots (I didn't use quite a cup, but about 3/4, and then added an extra 1/4 cup of the broccoli slaw mix to make up the difference. Thought it would be a more even ratio, didn't want the carrot to be overpowering)
1 cup broccoli slaw mix
1 large green onion, chopped (I don't know why they thought 1 onion would be sufficient, but I used a few)

Dressing:
2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 tablespoon honey
4 teaspoons soy sauce
1/8 teaspoon red pepper sauce
Fresh cilantro, if desired (you DO desire!! lol)

In large bowl, toss salad ingredients. In small bowl, beat dressing ingredients with wire whisk. Just before serving, drizzle dressing over salad; toss until evenly coated. Garnish with cilantro.

Buttermilk Herb Dressing/Salad

2010-06-17T23:37:00.002-04:00

I made this last night to go with the salads that we had for dinner. A simple main course salad- I used part of a head of green leaf lettuce, cucumbers, on-the-vine tomatoes, avocado, shredded parmesan, smoked honey turkey, red onion, shredded carrots, and fat free herb croutons. It was soooooo good, and really hit the spot with this freakin heat we've been having!!!

Ingredients:
3/4 cup buttermilk (I used lowfat)
1/2 cup RF mayo
1/4 cup chopped fresh chives (I didn't have any, so I used 2 green onions instead)
2 tbsp chopped fresh flat leaf parsley (I ended up using more like 4 tbsp)
1 tbsp chopped fresh thyme (didn't have, so I used just a few shakes of dried)
2 tbsp white wine vinegar
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper (I used 1/4 tsp)
1 garlic clove, minced (I used about 1 tsp of garlic in a jar)

Directions:
Place in blender, blend about 30 seconds or til herbs are finely chopped.

Taco Ring

2010-06-17T23:26:00.003-04:00

This was tonight's dinner. Yummy. I haven't made it in years! I don't think I have made it since I had G! The kids loved it though! I believe this is a Pampered Chef recipe, my mother gave it to me several years ago after I got married.
To the ground beef, I added about 1/2 can of drained and rinsed black beans.

Ingredients:
3/4 lb ground beef (I used lean)
1 (1.25 oz) package taco seasoning mix
1 cup (4 oz. weight) shredded cheddar cheese
2 tbsp water
2 (8 oz each) pkgs. refrigerated crescent roll dough ( I used the reduced fat, and they taste the same as regular!)

Optional for serving:
shredded lettuce
chopped tomato
chopped onions
sliced black olives
salsa
sour cream (of course I used light lol)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cook ground beef. When done, drain (if you use lean or extra lean, you probably won't have to drain it). Turn off heat, remove from burner and stir in seasoning mix, cheese and water. Arrange crescent triangles in a circle on a 13" round pizza pan, with bases overlapping in center and points to outside (there should be a five inch diameter circle in center). Spoon meat mixture over rolls, in the wide area. Fold points of triangles over filling and tuck under base at center (filling will not be completely covered). Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown. Cut and serve with desired toppings/accompaniments.
*I like to spread a little sour cream on mine, then top it with some shredded lettuce, black olives, and tomatoes.

Restaurant Style Smashed Potatoes

2010-06-07T23:39:00.003-04:00

We had these with steak a few nights ago, and it is my new favorite way to eat potatoes!!!

6 whole Large Red Potatoes
1 stick Butter, Softened And Cut Into Pieces (I used light butter)
5 slices Bacon, cooked and crumbled
2 whole Green Onions, Sliced
3/4 cups Sour Cream (I used reduced fat)
Salt To Taste (add Plenty!)
Freshly Ground Black Pepper To Taste (ditto!)
3/4 cups French Fried Onions, More For Topping ( I didn't use these, didn't think that sounded good. I shredded up some sharp cheddar instead to use as a topping!)

Instructions
Microwave potatoes or bake in the oven until fork-tender (don't forget to pierce them!). Add to a large bowl and smash with a potato masher, leave them chunky, you don't want smooth. Immediately add softened butter, green onions, bacon, and sour cream and stir with a rubber spatula. Add salt and pepper to taste. Add french fried onions and fold in (like I said, I left these out). Serve hot, sprinkling on extra french fried onions and green onions (I sprinkled on cheddar and more green onions instead).

Fish with Lemon and Caper Sauce

2010-06-07T23:33:00.002-04:00

I've only made this once so far, just a couple of weeks ago, and it was delicious! We used mahi mahi and I think it was perfect. If you've ever had chicken piccata, this is like fish piccata!

Ingredient:s
2 teaspoons capers
4 mahi mahi or other firm white fish fillets, each 6 to 8 oz
salt & freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 shallots, minced (I didn't have shallots on hand, so I just used very finely chopped white onion)
1 garlic clove, minced
2/3 cup dry white wine (also didn't have any wine, so used chicken broth)
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (used juice from a bottle)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 grated lemon, zest of (didn't use at all, didnt have lemons)

Season the fish lightly with salt and pepper. In a large, nonstick fry pan over medium heat, melt the butter with the olive oil. Arrange the fish in the pan and cook, turning once, until browned on both sides and opaque throughout but still moist looking in the center when tested with a knife, 6 to 8 minutes total. Using a slotted spatula or spoon, transfer the fish to a warmed platter and cover loosely with aluminum foil. Add the shallots and garlic to the pan and cook, stirring often, until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add the wine and lemon juice, increase the heat to medium-high and boil until the sauce thickens slightly, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the parsley, capers and lemon zest, and season with salt and pepper. Pour the warm sauce over the fish and serve immediately.
We had this with brown rice to soak up some of the yummy sauce, but pasta would work good too- we always have pasta when I make chicken piccata!

Shrimp Creole Au Gratin

2010-06-07T23:09:00.002-04:00

Or something lol This is something I learned from my friend Gelena, and it is delicious. Anyone I have made it for instantly drools over it. It sounds a little weird, and it isn't exactly good for you lol but sonofabitch is it ever tasty!! Some measurements are approximate, because I don't have an actual recipe for it, just learned it by watching her make it! If you are the kind of cook that needs an exact recipe to follow to cook, this might not be the recipe for you lol! But if you're cool with winging it and throwing shit together, then gets to cookin'!!

2 box Zatarain's dirty rice (there is a low sodium variety available)
3 stalks celery, diced
about half a medium onion, diced
butter (you'll need a good 4 tbsp or so)
about 1 and 1/2 lbs ground beef ( i get the biggest package over 1 lb I can find but you don't quite need 2 lbs)
2 lbs shrimp (i get 2 bags frozen shrimp, 1 lb each), thawed, peeled
2 egg yolks
flour (you'll use the same amount of flour as butter, to make a roux, so about 4 tbsp)
milk (this one is a tricky measurement...you probably need at least a cup, maybe up to 2 cups. You have to add it in a little at a time til the sauce is a saucy consistency lol)
Tony Chachere's creole seasoning
salt and pepper to taste
1-2 bags sharp cheddar (enough to cover top of 13x9 casserole)

Cook rice per package directions, with ground beef. In skillet, saute celery and onion in 2 tbsp butter til tender, push to side. Add 2-3 more tbsp butter, melt, then equal amount of flour to make roux (remember you already added 2 tbsp of butter to cook the onion and celery in, so add those 2 tbsp of flour too. So if you add 2 more tbsp of butter after cooking the onion and celery, you'll need a total of 4 tbsp flour. Got it? Hope so!). Cook til golden and bubbly, using a whisk to stir often. Whisk in milk- start slowly, about 1/2 cup at a time. Keep that whisk moving to get the milk into your roux. You want the sauce to be thick, but creamy, so add small amounts of milk, stirring between each addition, to get the right consistency. Add the 2 egg yolks, stir well. Bring to boil. Stir in a handful or 2 of shredded sharp cheddar, allow to melt. Now for the seasonings- I'd say start with a teaspoon of creole seasoning, stir well. Give it a taste. If you don't taste the spice, which you probably won't at that point (I probably add about a tbsp or more of seasoning), add another teaspoon. Again, stir and taste. If you want more flavor, then keep adding little bits of seasoning at a time. The salt and pepper are optional, it may be salty and peppery enough for your tastes with just the creole seasoning. Once you get the consistency and flavor right, add shrimp and stir. Pour sauce mix into a 13x9 casserole dish, top with cheese to cover (we like lots of cheese). Bake at 350 for about 30 minutes, or til cheese is melty and casserole is bubbly. Serve over the prepared dirty rice.
This makes a lot, you could halve the recipe easily. When I make it just for us at home, I only make half.

Light Shrimp Fettucine Alfredo

2010-06-07T23:06:00.001-04:00

6 oz uncooked fettucine (I used wheat the first time, it was ok, but we prefer this one with non-whole wheat noodles)
2 tbsp butter (I use light real butter)
4 1/2 tsp All Purpose flour
1 cup Fat Free half and half
1 lb cooked medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/3 cup grated parmesan
1/2 tsp salt
2 tbsp minced fresh parsley

Cook fettucine according to pkg directions. Meanwhile, in large saucepan, melt butter. Stir in flour until smooth; gradually add half and half. Bring to boil; cook and stir for 1 min. or til thickened.Drain fettucine; stir into pan. Stir in the shrimp, cheese, and salt; heat through. Sprinkle with parsley just before serving.

Chicken Fajita Tostadas

2010-06-07T23:02:00.001-04:00

It's been awhile since I have made this, but was looking through my recipes and I think I might have to make it soon!! It's really tasty!

Ingredients
2 med. onions, thinly sliced
2 bell peppers (ribs and seeds removed), thinly sliced
1 box (10 oz) frozen corn
1 cup prepared fresh salsa
2 tbsp olive oil
coarse salt and ground pepper
2 cups shredded cooked chicken breast
4 corn tortillas (6 inch)
1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar

Preheat oven to 450. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil. On foil, combine onions, peppers, corn, 1/4 cup salsa, and 1 tbsp oil; season with salt and pepper. Roast, tossing occasionally, til veggies are tender and lightly browned, about 15-20 minutes. Add chicken; stir to combine, and continue to roast til warmed through, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a serving bowl, discarding foil. Arrange tortillas on sheet.Brush with oil and top with cheese. Bake til edges are golden and cheese is melted, 5-8 minutes. Dividing evenly, top tortillas with chicken-veg mix and remaining 3/4 cup salsa.

Chicken Tamale Casserole

2010-06-07T22:57:00.000-04:00

Ingredients
1 cup (4 ounces) preshredded 4-cheese Mexican blend cheese, divided
1/3 cup fat-free milk
1/4 cup egg substitute
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
1 (14 3/4-ounce) can cream-style corn
1 (8.5-ounce) box corn muffin mix (such as Martha White)
1 (4-ounce) can chopped green chiles, drained
Cooking spray
1 (10-ounce) can red enchilada sauce (such as Old El Paso)
2 cups shredded cooked chicken breast
1/2 cup fat-free sour cream

Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 400°.
2. Combine 1/4 cup cheese and next 7 ingredients (through chiles) in a large bowl, stirring just until moist. Pour mixture into a 13 x 9–inch baking dish coated with cooking spray.
3. Bake at 400° for 15 minutes or until set. Pierce entire surface liberally with a fork; pour enchilada sauce over top. Top with chicken; sprinkle with remaining 3/4 cup cheese. Bake at 400° for 15 minutes or until cheese melts. Remove from oven; let stand 5 minutes. Cut into 8 pieces; top each serving with 1 tablespoon sour cream.

Shredded Thai Chicken Salad

2010-06-07T22:55:00.001-04:00

Had this for dinner the other night. Mmmmm mmmmm goooood!!

Salad:
2 cups shredded deli rotisserie chicken (from 2- to 2 1/2-lb chicken)
1 cup julienne (matchstick-cut) carrots
1 cup broccoli slaw mix
1 large green onion, chopped

Dressing:
2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 tablespoon honey
4 teaspoons soy sauce
1/8 teaspoon red pepper sauce
Fresh cilantro, if desired

1. In large bowl, toss salad ingredients. 2. In small bowl, beat dressing ingredients with wire whisk. Just before serving, drizzle dressing over salad; toss until evenly coated. Garnish with cilantro.

WW Chicken or Turkey Tettrazini

2010-02-20T17:19:00.002-05:00

10 oz uncooked vermicelli
2 tsp veg oil
1 lb turkey breast cutlets or chicken breasts
3/4 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp salt, divided
1/4 tsp pepper, divided
2 tbsp dry sherry or white wine
2 (8 oz each) pkg sliced mushrooms
3/4 c frozen peas, thawed
3/4 c FF milk
2/3 c FF sour cream
1/3 c grated parm
1 can RF cream of mushroom
cooking spray
1/3 c dry breadcrumbs
2 tbsp melted butter
sauteed celery and onion

Preheat oven to 450. Cook pasta according to pkg directions. Drain. Heat a little butter or oil in a skillet, saute a little bit of onion and celery (the recipe is weird, it doesn't specify an amount, nor does it have the oil or butter needed for this step listed in the ingredients. I just use 2-3 stalks of celery and about 1/2 an onion, diced). Put celery and onion in a bowl and set aside. Heat oil on med-hi. Sprinkle turkey with 1/2 tsp onion powder, 1/4 tsp salt, and 1/8 tsp pepper. Cook in oil til done, remove from pan. Add1/4 tsp onion powder, sherry, and mushrooms to pan. Cover and cook til tender, about 4 minutes. Combine peas, milk, sour cream, cheese, and soup in large bowl. Chop turkey (or chicken). Add 1/4 tsp salt, 1/8 tsp pepper, pasta, turkey, celery and onion, and mushroom mixture to soup mixture, tossing gently to combine. Spoon into greased 13x9 baking dish. Combine butter and breadcrumbs; sprinkle on top. Bake at 450 for 12 minutes or til bubbly and hot.

Baked Potato Soup

2010-02-20T17:09:00.002-05:00

Made this a few weeks ago, best potato soup I've ever had!

3 bacon strips, diced
1 small onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon dried basil (I did not add this, it just didn't sound like a tasty addition to me)
1/2 teaspoon pepper
3 cups chicken broth
2 large baked potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 cup half-and-half
1/2 teaspoon hot pepper sauce (looking at the recipe, I don't recall adding this, I think I forgot to)
Shredded Cheddar cheese
Minced fresh parsley (also didn't use this, didn't have any on hand)
In a large saucepan, cook bacon until crisp. Drain, reserving 1 tablespoon drippings. Set bacon aside. Saute onion and garlic in the drippings until tender. Stir in flour, salt, basil and pepper; mix well. Gradually add broth. Bring to boil; boil and stir for 2 minutes. Add the potatoes, cream and hot pepper sauce; heat through but do not boil. Garnish with bacon, cheese and parsley.

Fall Apart Crockpot Chicken

2010-02-20T17:06:00.001-05:00

This is from Hillbilly Housewife. Sounds a little weird, but it seems that some of the weirdest combinations make the most delicious food. We had it over rice, and it was tasty.

3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 stick butter
1 pkg. dry Italian salad dressing mix

Cook on low in crock pot for 3-4 hours. Shred chicken. Then add:
1 8 oz. pkg. cream cheese
1 can cream of chicken soup
1/2-1 can of water (measure in the soup can)
Heat through; about an hour. Serve over noodles, rice, whatever you like.

2010-02-20T16:52:00.002-05:00

In honor of my German heritage, I'll share a few of my favorite German recipes. I'll just keep them all in this one post.

Bratkartoffeln (Pan Fried Potatoes)
2 lbs potatoes, peeled and cooked
3 tablespoons oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 pinch black pepper
3 ounces bacon, diced (optional)
1 medium onion, diced (optional)
For garnish, 1 tablespoon parsley, chopped
Cut potatoes into evenly thick slices (about 3/16 in ). Use a large pan that will hold potatoes in a single layer or use two pans. Heat oil over medium high heat. If using bacon and onion, fry together until onion is translucent. Add potatoes, stir once to mix and then be patient! DON'T stir until potatoes are nicely golden brown on the bottom, 3-5 minutes, only check for color occasionally. Sprinkle with half the salt. Use less salt when using bacon. Turn and fry the same way on the other side until nicely gold-brown. You might need to add a little more oil to the pan if all the oil is soaked up by the potatoes. Taste with salt and pepper. Serve sprinkled with parsley.

German Meatballs with Cream Dill Gravy
1 1/2 lbs ground round
1 cup soft breadcrumbs (2 slices bread)
1/3 cup water
1/4 cup minced green onion
1 egg
2 teaspoons salt, divided
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup butter or margarine
3 tablespoons flour
2 cups milk
2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill or 2 teaspoon dill weed
Combine beef, breadcrumbs, water, onions, egg, 1 1/2 teaspoon of the salt, and pepper in a large bowl; mix lightly. Shape into 24 meatballs. Place on a jelly-roll pan. Bake in a hot oven (400°) for 15 minutes, or until browned. Meanwhile, heat butter in a medium-size saucepan. Add flour; cook until bubbly. Remove from heat; gradually stir in milk until smooth. Return to heat; cook until thickened, stirring constantly. Stir in dill and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt. Spoon over meatballs. Serve with hot buttered noodles, if you wish.

German Potato Pancakes:
6 lg Potatoes, cooked and mashed
2 Well-beaten Eggs
1 1/2 tb Flour
1/4 ts Baking powder
1 1/2 ts Salt
1 sm Grated onion
Mix above ingredients. Drop by spoonfuls into 1/4 inch cooking oil. Turn to brown on both sides. This makes about 12 (3 inch) cakes. Good served with applesauce.

Frikadellen (German Meat Patties):
1 lb ground beef
1 lb ground pork
3 small onions, diced and sauteed
1 tbl oil
8 tbls breadcrumbs
1/2 cup milk
2 tsps basil
2 tsps salt
2 tsps pepper
2 tsps flour
5 tbls oil
Mix ground meats together in a mixing bowl. Peel and dice the onions, then saute in oil until transparent. Add sauteed onions to meat mixture. Stir together breadcrumbs and milk and add to meat mixture. Add basil,salt and pepper and mix well. Dampen hands and form meat mixture into a palm-sized patty. Fry on both sides in oil until golden brown.

Rindergulasch (Beef Goulash):
3 tbsp Vegetable oil
3 Onions; medium, chopped
1/4 tsp Pepper
1 tsp Paprika
2 c Water; hot
1/4 c Water; cold
1 lb Round steak; cubed
1/2 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Garlic salt
1/4 tsp Sugar
1 tbsp Unbleached flour
1/2 c heavy cream
Heat vegetable oil in a large fry pan or Dutch oven. Add meat cubes and brown well, approximately 10 minutes. Stir in onions; cook until soft. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, garlic salt, paprika, and sugar. Blend thoroughly. Pour in hot water; cover and simmer gently about 1 1/2 hours. In a small jar or container, shake or blend flour with cold water. Be sure to break up all lumps. Add to meat about 7 minutes before the end of the cooking time. Stir constantly until sauce is thickened and bubbling. Remove from heat; stir in cream. Serve with noodles.

2010-02-20T16:46:00.002-05:00

Haven't been posting, completely forgot I had a food blog lol.
This is a tasty soup. I've only made it once so far, and I actually made it on the stovetop as opposed to slow cooker coz I had some already cooked and shredded chicken, so this was easy to throw together and not have to wait all day to eat!

Chicken Enchilada Soup
15-ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained
14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes
10-ounce package frozen whole kernel corn (I used a drained can)
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped yellow, green, or red bell pepper (I used green, hate red)
10-ounce can enchilada sauce
10.75-ounce can condensed cream of chicken soup
1 1/2 cups milk
1 cup shredded Pepper jack cheese (I used cheddar or monterey jack, I don't remember which, but any will do)
2 chicken breasts (I used about 2 cups of shredded, cooked chicken that I had from leftovers)

In a 3 1/2 to 5 quart slow cooker, combine drained beans, tomatoes, corn, onion, and bell pepper. Place 2 chicken breasts on top of mixture. In a large bowl, whisk together enchilada sauce and soup. Gradually whisk in milk until smooth. Pour sauce mixture over ingredients in cooker.Cover; cook on low heat for 6 to 8 hours or on high for 3 to 4 hours. Remove chicken and cut or shred into bite sized pieces. Add chicken back into soup. Top with pepper jack cheese and serve. Can also be topped with avocado, sour cream, or crushed tortilla chips. Note: if the soup is too thick for you, just add a little more milk after it's all cooked.

Pecan Pie Cheesecake

2009-12-06T13:48:00.002-05:00

Prep: 15 min., Bake: 55 min., Cool: 1 hr. Makes 8 servings

Ingredients
1/2 (15-oz.) package refrigerated piecrusts (so just one 9 inch pie crust)
1 (8-oz.) package cream cheese, softened (I used reduced fat)
4 large eggs, divided
3/4 cup sugar, divided
2 teaspoons vanilla extract, divided
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups chopped pecans
1 cup light corn syrup

Preparation
1. Fit piecrust into a 9-inch pie plate according to package directions. Fold edges under, and crimp.
2. Beat cream cheese, 1 egg, 1/2 cup sugar, 1 tsp. vanilla, and salt at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth. Pour cream cheese mixture into piecrust; sprinkle evenly with chopped pecans.
3. Whisk together corn syrup and remaining 3 eggs, 1/4 cup sugar (I only used about 1/3 cup in thispart, figured the corn syrup would be sweet enough), and 1 tsp. vanilla (I did not use the vanilla in this step, I ran out. It still turned out tasty); pour mixture over pecans. Place pie on a baking sheet.
4. Bake at 350° on lowest oven rack 50 to 55 minutes or until pie is set. Cool on a wire rack 1 hour or until completely cool. Serve immediately, or cover and chill up to 2 days.

Classic Herbed Bread Dressing

2009-11-21T16:57:00.002-05:00

This is not the dressing I am making for Thanksgiving, but it is already in my recipe files on my computer, so I'm pasting it here. I'll try to get around to typing up my dressing recipe later, or in the next few days.

8 cups (3/4 inch cubed) french baguette (about 12 oz)
3 tbsp butter, divided
8 oz sliced cremini mushrooms (baby portabellas)
1 1/2 cups chopped onion
1 1/2 cups thinly sliced celery
1 1/2 tbsp chopped fresh sage
1/2 tsp dried marjoram
1 tsp kosher salt (use less if using canned broth)
1/2 tsp pepper
2 cups homemade turkey or chicken broth (or low fat, low sodium canned chicken broth)
1 large egg, lightly beaten
cooking spray

Preheat oven to 325. Place bread on baking sheet, bake for 25 minutes, stirring once. Place bread in large bowl; increase oven temp to 375. Melt 2 tbsp butter in large skillet over medium heat. Addmushrooms, onion, and celery; cover and cook 5 min. Uncover; cook 17 min. or til tender. Stir in herbs.Add mushroom mixture, salt, and pepper to bread. Bring broth to boil in small saucepan; boil 15 min. or til reduced to 1 1/2 cups. Cool to room temp. Combine broth and egg in medium bowl, stir with whisk.Add to bread mixture, tossing to coat. Spoon bread mixture into a 3 quart baking dish coated with cooking spray. Cover and bake at 375 for 15 min. Melt 1 tbsp butter. Uncover dressing; brush with butter. Bake uncovered, 25 min. or til top is lightly browned. Makes 12 servings, about 3/4 cup per serving.

Party Ham Sandwiches

2009-11-21T16:55:00.000-05:00

2 pkg (17 oz each) attached baked dinner rolls (24 rolls), cut in half
1/2 cup mayo
2 pkg (6 oz each) Oscar Mayer Deli Fresh shaved smoked ham
1 pkg (8 oz) cracker Barrel Cracker Cuts 2% Extra Sharp Cheddar
1/2 small red onion, cut into 24 thin slices
2 tbsp butter, melted
1 tbsp dijon mustard
1 tsp poppy seeds

Heat oven to 350. Place bottom halves of rolls in 15x10x1 inch pan; spread with mayo. Top with ham, cheese, onions, and tops of rolls. Mix remaining ingredients; brush onto sandwiches. Cover with foil.Bake 20 minutes or til heated through.

Scalloped Potatoes

2009-11-21T16:37:00.000-05:00

1 large onion, halved and thinly sliced
2 1/2 lb red potatoes, peeled and sliced
1 tsp salt, divided
1 tsp pepper, divided
1 cup shredded Gruyere, divided
4 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
1 1/4 cups milk

Preheat oven to 425. Grease a 9 inch round baking dish. Arrange half of onion slices in a circular pattern in dish, overlapping slightly. Repeat with potato, then sprinkle with 1/2 tsp salt and pepper,and 1/2 cup Gruyere. Drizzle with 2 tbsp butter. Repeat with remaining ingredients, finishing with a toplayer of potato slices. Bring milk to boil and carefully pour over potatoes. Bake til tender and golden,45-55 minutes.

Cheesy Hash Brown Casserole

2009-11-21T16:35:00.001-05:00

2 lbs frozen shredded hash brown potatoes, thawed
1/2 C margarine or butter, melted
1 can Cream Of Chicken Soup
1/2 C onion, chopped
2 C cheddar cheese, grated
1/2 tsp pepper
1 tsp salt

Combine soup, onion, melted butter, and seasonings, stir well. Stir in cheese and frozen hash browns. Place in 9×13 dish and bake at 350 for thirty minutes, or until bubbly. Very similar to Cracker Barrel's hashbrown casserole.

Southern Chess Pie

2009-11-21T16:33:00.000-05:00

1 1/2 c. sugar
3 eggs
5 tbsp. cream
1 stick butter, melted
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tbsp. flour
2 tbsp. lemon juice
9 inch pie shell

Mix sugar and flour together. Beat eggs lightly with cream, lemon juice, and vanilla. Add this to the sugar and flour. Add melted butter and mix well. Put in a 9 inch pie shell and bake at 325 for 45 minutes or til done.

Pumpkin Cheesecake

2009-11-21T16:29:00.002-05:00

This is the dessert I'll be making for our family this Thanksgiving.

Crust:
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
3 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons melted butter
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Filling:
2 (8 ounces each) packages cream cheese, softened
1 cup half-and-half or whipping cream
1 cup canned pumpkin
3/4 cup granulated sugar
4 eggs, separated
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt

Topping:
1 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Combine crust ingredients; press into bottom and about 2 inches up the sides of a 9-inch springform pan. Bake at 325° for 5 minutes. In a large mixing bowl, combine cream cheese with cream, pumpkin, sugar, egg yolks, flour, 1 teaspoon vanilla, spices, and salt. Beat until smooth. Beat egg whites until stiff; fold into the pumpkin mixture. Spoon batter into crust. Bake at 325° for 1 hour.
Combine topping ingredients; spread over cheesecake and bake 5 minutes longer. Chill thoroughly before serving, and store leftovers in the refrigerator.

Chocolate Chip Buttermilk Pie

2009-11-21T16:28:00.001-05:00

1/2 cup flour
2 1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
6 eggs
1/2 cup melted butter
1 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups chocolate chips
2 unbaked pie shells

Place 1 c. each of chocolate chips in unbaked pie shells. Mix remaining ingredients well; pour into pie shells. Bake at 350 for 30 to 40 minutes. Makes two pies. If you only want one pie, then split all ingredients in half.

Caramel-Pecan-Apple Pie

2009-11-21T16:26:00.001-05:00

Crust:
1 box (15 oz) Pillsbury® refrigerated pie crusts, softened as directed on box

Filling:
6 cups thinly sliced, peeled apples (6 medium)
3/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 tablespoon lemon juice

Topping:
1/3 cup caramel topping
2 to 4 tablespoons chopped pecans

1. Heat oven to 425°F. Make pie crusts as directed on box for Two-Crust Pie using 9-inch glass pie plate. 2. In large bowl, gently mix filling ingredients; spoon into crust-lined pie plate. Top with second crust;seal edges and flute. Cut slits or shapes in several places in top crust. Cover edge with 2- to 3-inch-wide strips of foil to prevent excessive browning; remove foil during last 15 minutes of baking. 3. Bake 40 to 45 minutes or until apples are tender and crust is golden brown. Immediately after removing pie from oven, drizzle with caramel topping; sprinkle with pecans. Cool on cooling rack at least 2 hours before serving.

Caramel Nut Cheesecake

2009-11-21T16:25:00.000-05:00

2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1 cup cocktail peanuts, chopped, divided
1 1/4 cups sugar, divided
6 tbsp butter or marg, melted
4 pkg (8 oz each) cream cheese, softened
2 tsp vanilla
1 cup sour cream
4 eggs
1/4 cup caramel ice cream topping

Heat oven to 350. Line 13x9 inch pan with foil, with ends etending over sides. Mix crumbs, 1/2 cup nuts,1/4 cup sugar, and butter; press onto bottom of pan. Bake 10 min. Meanwhile, beat cream cheese, remaining sugar and vanilla with mixer til well blended. Add sour cream; mix well. Add eggs, 1 at a time,beating after each just til blended. Pour over crust. Bake 35 min. or til center is almost set; coolcompletely. Refrigerate 4 hours. Top with remaining nuts and caramel topping. Use foil handles to liftcheesecake from pan before cutting to serve. Makes 16 servings.

Buttermilk Congealed Salad

2009-11-21T16:20:00.002-05:00

Yes, it sounds disgusting. No, it is not disgusting. Some people call these things jello salads, or jello fluff, or something similar. I try to call it jello fluff around here, coz hubby gets all grossed out by "congealed salad".

1 can crushed pineapple (20 oz, DO NOT DRAIN)
2 C buttermilk
8 oz tub of whipped topping
2 small boxes jello (any flavor, strawberry is my fave)

Heat Pineapple in juice, bring to a boil. Add jello and mix well. Remove from heat and add Buttermilk, stir. Stir in whipped topping. Pour into a sizable container, something around 13x9 sized or a bowl that will hold about the same amount. Refrigerate, preferably overnight so it has enough time to set up, but at least 4-6 hours. Low fat buttermilk and low fat cool whip both work just fine in this recipe.

Thanksgiving

2009-11-21T16:00:00.003-05:00

With Thanksgiving coming up, I figured I'd put up some recipes that could come in handy for that- lots of desserts, and side dishes, and anything else that seems holiday/get-together like, in case anybody actually looks at this thing and can get some good ideas.
My husband has told his single troops/troops without any family that they are welcome in our home for Thanksgiving. He told me there are only about 6, so it wouldn't be too many people. So far, we don't have any takers. And honestly, I'm kind of glad. I really don't think I'm up for cooking for a crowd this year, especially with the problems I've had with my back all week. Now don't get me wrong, I love to cook for people and take care of others- it's what I do. One Thanksgiving in Japan, I had broken a bone in the top of my foot just a few days before Thanksgiving, and had already planned on cooking a full Thanksgiving meal for the cops that were having to work that day, PLUS cooking another full meal for our family. And instead of crapping out on them at the last minute and leaving them hanging with no meal while they were working hard, I hobbled around my kitchen with a giant cast on my leg and I cooked them a feast. A whole turkey, homemade mashed potatoes and gravy, green beans, dressing, corn, carrots, dumplins, rolls, a few desserts, and I can't even remember what else there might have been. Aaron and I loaded it all up in the car (and I had to navigate up and down a very steep flight of stairs to and from our apartment) and drove it over and set it all up. They were very grateful, Aaron even got a coin from the Commander for it. And I went home and did it all over again for us. And it made me feel good. But I just don't really feel like entertaining a bunch of folks that I don't even know, in my own home, while cooking them a feast. Too much pressure for me right now. We are usually back home with my parents for Thanksgiving, but that didn't work out this year. But so far, here is what I plan on cooking:
-a whole turkey breast (not worth it to me to do a whole turkey this year, GI Joe doesn't care much for turkey and wanted ham instead, but I have to make some turkey)
-a spiral sliced glazed ham
-green bean casserole
-dressing (we don't generally do "stuffing" in the South. You just don't go shoving food up the hind-end of a turkey. You cook it on the side, it usually involves cornbread, and it is delicious)
-dumplins (yes, DUMPLINS, not dumplings with a "G", again with the Southern-ness, you just gotta say it right! And it isn't those long flat things in a box that you cook up, it's biscuit dough boiled in chicken broth. Mmmmm)
-jellied cranberry sauce in a can. The stuff that's shaped like a can. That alone says Thanksgiving!
-glazed carrots
-homemade rolls
-pumpkin cheesecake

And that's what it looks like so far. Probably won't change, unless people decide to join us. Then it will just be larger amounts of that stuff, and I'll probably also add in a big pot of homemade mashed potatoes and gravy, and another dessert. And some appetizers (maybe cheese/crackers/veggies/fruit, and sausage balls).
Now, I'm off to post some recipes.

WW Chinese Hot and Sour Soup

2009-11-14T13:31:00.002-05:00

This is part of dinner tonight along with the recipe that is posted after it, Sesame Tofu.

3 cups fat free, less sodium chicken broth
1 tbsp low sodium soy sauce
1 1/2 tsp chili garlic sauce (such as Lee Kum Kee)
1 (4 oz) package gourmet blend mushrooms (baby bella, shiitake, and oyster mushrooms), sliced (I can find these at Publix with no problem, but haven't seen them anywhere else where I live)
1/2 of a 16 oz. package firm tofu, drained and cubed (if you don't know how to drain tofu, then read through the next recipe for sesame tofu, it tells you how)
1/4 cup drained sliced bamboo shoots, cut into julienne strips
1/4 cup rice wine vinegar (I've used both seasoned and unseasoned and both work fine)
1/4 tsp ground white pepper (this isn't something I keep on hand, so I just use black pepper)
1/4 cup water
1 1/2 tbsp cornstarch
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 tsp sesame oil
sliced green onions, optional

Bring first 4 ingredients to a boil in a Dutch oven. Reduce heat, and simmer, uncovered, 10 minutes. Add tofu and next 3 ingredients. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, and simmer, uncovered, 5 minutes. Combine water and cornstarch in a small bowl; stir well with a whisk. Add cornstarch mixture to soup. Bring to a boil, and cook 1 minute or til soup begins to thicken. Reduce heat to medium. Pour egg in a slow, steady stream into simmering soup, and stir. Stir in sesame oil. Garnish with green onions, if desired. Serve immediately. Makes 5 servings, 1 cup each.

Sesame Tofu

2009-11-14T13:16:00.003-05:00

Tonight for dinner is Sesame Tofu and weight watchers Hot and Sour Soup. Each recipe uses a 1/2 block of tofu so it works out well together. If you've never had tofu and it freaks you out, don't let it scare you, give it a try. The irst time I ever had tofu was when we lived in Japan, and I thought it was a very moist and tender chicken for the first several bites when it finally clicked- "hey, I think this is tofu".

1/2 lb. firm tofu
3/4 cup soy sauce
2 tbsp sherry or marsala
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
6 green onions
1 1/2 cups broccoli florets
1 cup sliced carrots (thin sliced coins, or shredded, or however you want 'em)
10 mushrooms, cut in thick slices
1 tbsp grated fresh ginger (I don't use fresh ginger, and I don't use much of the powdered stuff...just not a ginger fan)
2 cups cooked Chinese vermicelli (I have never actually seen Chinese vermicelli in any store. I either use a couple of packs of Ramen without the seasoning, or a pack of these thin Japanese noodles I can find at the commissary, or even angel hair pasta works)
2 tbsp toasted sesame seeds

Cut the block of tofu into 3/4 inch thick slices. Line a cookie sheet with several paper towels and place the tofu in a single layer on them. Cover with another layer of paper towels, and a second cookie sheet. Recipe now says to press it and slice into matchsticks, but what you really need to do get it drained well is place some heavy stuff on top of the 2nd cookie sheet- a few large canned goods, a few books, a brick if you have those laying around....whatever. Let it sit about 20 minutes or so while you prep all your other stuff. Then proceed to the rest of the recipe as such: Cut your drained tofu into 1/2 inh matchsticks and place in a bowl. In a small bowl, mix the soy sauce, sherry or marsala, and the garlic together and pour over the tofu. Let marinate for 10 minutes. Drain tofu and set aside 2 tbsp of the marinade. In a large heavy saucepan, heat the butter and sesame oil over medium heat. Finely slice the white ends of the green onions and saute' for 1 minute. Add the broccoli and carrots, and stir-fry til tender. Add the mushrooms and ginger, and stir-fry til tender. Slice the tops of the green onions on an angle and add to the pan along with the tofu. Stir-fry til heated through. Add the vermicelli, the reserved marinade, and the sesame seeds. Stir gently, heat through, and serve.

Apple Cheese Casserole

2009-11-14T13:12:00.003-05:00

Sounds disgusting, right? But damn, it's good.

2 cups canned, sliced apples, drained (not apple pie filling, and not sweetened)
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup all purpose flour
8 oz. grated velveeta
1/2 cup butter, melted (do not use margarine)

Put apples in bottom of 8x9 baking dish, or similar size. Mix together flour, sugar, cheese, and butter to make a "dough". Pat out on top apples and sprinkle with cinnamon. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes. If doubling the recipe, use only 12 oz. velveeta instead of 16 oz.

Greek/Vinaigrette salad dressing

2009-10-19T17:43:00.003-04:00

I found this recipe online for a Greek dressing, but of course I had to tweak it a bit to fit what I had on hand and/or to suit my tastes. It's darn right tasty. As follows is how I make it. I put everything in one of those salad dressing cruets and shake it up. If you've got a Mason jar, that'll work too.

Ingredients:
1/2 olive oil
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried basil
3/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon onion salt
1/2 teaspoon yellow mustard
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon grated Parmesan
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1-2 teaspoons sugar (use one, then taste. If the acidity is still too high for your tastes/if it's too tart, add another teaspoon).

Stove Top One Dish Chicken

2009-10-19T17:38:00.002-04:00

This is in the oven right now for dinner tonight. There are 2 methods, either in the oven or on the stove top, I'm going for in the oven tonight, but have made it both ways. Gonna have a can of wax beans and salad with it, with homemade Greek/vinaigrette dressing (recipe to follow in new post).

Stove Top One Dish Chicken
1 1/2 cups hot water
1/2 stick melted butter
1 pkg chicken flavored Stove Top
6 small bnls sknls chicken breast halves (1 1/2 lbs... I just use whatever pack of about 1 1/2 pounds I have on hand in the freezer, there are never 6 pieces in the packs I buy, but most are big enough that I slice them lengthwise in half to make thinner pieces)
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1/3 cup sour cream (I use reduced fat)

Mix hot water, butter, and stuffing mix. Cook chicken in nonstick skillet on med-hi 5 minutes each sideor til browned. Mix soup and sour cream; pour over chicken. Top with stuffing; cover. Cook on low 10 minutes or til chicken is done.
Oven method: Heat oven to 375. Prepare stuffing as directed. Place chicken in 13x9 baking dish. Mix soup and sour cream; pour over chicken. Top with stufing. Bake 35 minutes or til chicken is done.

WW Broccoli Cheese Soup

2009-10-09T00:21:00.002-04:00

For a lighter broccoli cheese soup, give this one a try. It isn't as thick and rich as the previous broccoli cheese soup entry, but is just as good. Again, gotta have hot, fresh bread with it.

Ingredients:
2 tsp olive oil
1/2 cup onion(s), minced
16 oz frozen chopped broccoli
29 oz canned chicken broth
4 oz Kraft Velveeta Light Reduced-Fat Pasteurized Processed Cheese Product, cut into cubes
1/2 cup fat-free skim milk
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup cornstarch

Instructions:
Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook 3 minutes, until soft. Add broccoli and broth and bring to a boil; reduce heat to medium and simmer 3 minutes, until broccoli is tender.
Reduce heat to low, add cheese and stir until cheese melts; stir in milk and garlic powder.
Whisk together water and cornstarch. Add mixture to pan and simmer 2 minutes, until thick. Serve hot. Yields about 1 1/2 cups per serving.

Velveeta Broccoli Soup

2009-10-09T00:05:00.003-04:00

Very simple, very tasty. J has been asking me to make this again so I'm going to have to break down and make it soon, it just feels more like a strictly cold weather soup to me. It's really thick and rich, it really fills you up. I make a loaf of fresh, hot, homemade bread to go along with it to dunk in the soup. I've used the light velveeta in this as well as regular, both worked fine. I also add some garlic powder, I think that little hit of flavor really ties it all together, but I left the recipe listed as it was written. If you want a little extra flavor, just shake in some garlic powder while it's cooking, probably about 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon. Start with 1/4, then taste, add more to your taste.

2 Tbsp. butter or margarine
1/4 cup chopped onion
2 Tbsp. flour
2-1/2 cups milk
3/4 lb. (12 oz.) VELVEETA Pasteurized Prepared Cheese Product, cut up
1 pkg. (10 oz.) frozen chopped broccoli, thawed, drained
1/8 tsp. pepper

MELT butter in large saucepan on medium heat. Add onion; cook and stir 5 minutes or until onion is tender. Add flour; cook 1 minute or until bubbly, stirring constantly. STIR in milk. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer 1 minute. ADD remaining ingredients. Cook until VELVEETA is melted and soup is heated through, stirring occasionally.

2009-10-08T17:27:00.003-04:00

Recipe tonight is for applesauce. Tonight's dinner will be shake 'n bake pork chops, homemade applesauce, can of green beans, and a box of Betty Crocker skillet hashbrowns. Applesauce is cooking right now and smells so good. I love how it makes the house smell like fall, even though it's like 86 outside. This is the doubled version of the recipe coz I like to make a bigger pot so we can have some leftovers. Here we go:

2 tbsp butter
6 apples, peeled, cored, and coarsely chopped (I use 3 granny smith and 3 braeburn, a little tart and a little sweet)
1 cup water
6 tbsp sugar
4 tbsp fresh lemon juice (usually 1 1/2 to 2 lemons)
1/4 tsp salt

Melt butter in large saucepan over medium heat. Add apples; cook about 6 minutes, stirring frequently. Add water, sugar, lemon juice, and salt; cover and cook 30 minutes or til apples are tender, stirring occasionally. Mash gently with back of a spoon. Perfect with pork!

Pepperonci slow cooker Roast and homemade dinner rolls

2009-10-06T21:16:00.004-04:00

Meals are all pushed up a day...we were out and about Monday, and decided since it was getting late to just stop by and pick up some Chinese. So tonight was spaghetti (noodles that were already cooked and thawed from being in the freezer as leftovers, jar of sauce, and frozen garlic bread). Tuesdays always have to be easy nights, nothing too involved, coz it's Cub Scouts night. Tomorrow night is crock pot Pepperoncini Roast (recipe at the end of this post), carrots (not sure if I'm gonna steam them, or just throw them in the crock pot with the roast), rice, and homemade rolls (recipe also at end of post). This recipe kinda sounds gross, actually. I wasn't too sure about trying it, but my mother claimed it was very good and I should just suck it up and try it, so I did. And we love it. It's one of J's absolute favorite meals, he even requested I make it for his birthday one year. So regardless of the strange combination of ingredients, give it a shot, it's delicious. It gives your same old average roast with gravy a new little twist. It has a nice little bit of tangy, and a touch of spice. I actually use jarred sliced banana pepper rings instead of the whole pepperoncini peppers. I think they're a little sweeter so I figured it would work better for the kids, and it worked out well so that's how I always do it.

Pepperoncini Roast:

1 beef roast (any roast, about 3-4 lbs, and remember it's going in the slow cooker so a cheaper cut of meat will still cook up tender)
1/2 package Good Seasons Zesty Italian dressing mix
1 envelope Lipton onion mushroom soup mix
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1/2 jar pepperoncini peppers, with 1/2 of the liquid (as I said, I use sliced banana peppers)

Add all ingredients to slow cooker and stir. Place roast in slow cooker with gravy/sauce mix. Cook on low about 8 hours or low 4-5 hours.

Also, here is our favorite dinner roll recipe, that I'll be making along with the roast. This is for a bread machine.

Dinner Roll Dough:

1 room temperature egg plus enough slightly warm water (about 80 degrees F) to equal 3/4 cup PLUS 3 tbsp
2tbsp veg oil
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 tsp salt
2 1/4 cups bread flour
1 1/2 tsp bread machine yeast

Place in bread machine in order recommended by manufacturer. Select dough cycle and press start. When finished, turn out dough onto lightly floured surface. Divide into pieces and shape. Place in a greased baking pan. Cover and let rise in a warm place or 1 hour or until doubled in size. Bake at 350F for 20-30 minutes or til done. Makes about 12-15 rolls.

Meal Plan for the week of Oct 4-Oct 10

2009-10-05T01:00:00.002-04:00

This is always subject to change, but I try to stick to the meal plan each week.

Sun Oct 4- whole roasted chicken, mushroom couscous (recipe has been posted, search for "side dishes" in search box to the side), roasted carrots, baby spinach salads, Hawaiian rolls
Mon Oct 5- spaghetti, garlic bread, salad
Tues Oct 6- crock pot pepperoncini roast, rice, carrots, homemade rolls (recipes for roast and rolls to come in the next few days)
Wed Oct 7- veggie burgers on homemade buns (recipe posted for buns, I'll figure out how to link to one of my own posts later :P), boxed macaroni, steam in the bag frozen corn
Thurs Oct 8- pork chops, homemade applesauce, green beans, some kind of rice or potato dish, leftover homemade rolls
Fri Oct 9- Fridays are normally an open day. We sometimes watch a movie together as a family or play video games, so we sometimes do something fun like order pizza or chinese, or I make frozen or homemade pizzas. I don't know what we'll decide on this Friday yet.
Sat Oct 10- tacos, refried beans, mexi rice (recipe for rice to come)

BBQ and Hoe Cakes

2009-10-04T23:58:00.001-04:00

If you don't know what a hoe cake is, it's pretty much fried cornbread. This BBQ recipe makes A LOT, the recipe says 10-14 servings and it might even be more. I think we could get at least 4 meals out of it, but the leftovers are tasty so it only stretches to about 2-3, but even then it's a good deal. I like recipes like that, where it makes so much that you can eat it, and then freeze the rest for another time. And this one freezes very well. And the hoe cakes, well one day I decided I didn't want no stinking buns for my BBQ, that I wanted hoe cakes. Now it's J's favorite way to have BBQ.

Betty's Barbecue (I don't know who the hell Betty is, but she makes damn good BBQ!)
1 boneless beef rump roast (3-4 lbs)
1 pork tenderloin (1 lb)
2 cups water
1 envelope onion soup ix
1 garlic clove (minced)
1/4 cup finely chopped celery
1/2 cup barbecue sauce (your choice, but recipe calls for Kraft "Original" and that is what I always use, makes a nice simple flavor)
1/2 cup ketchup
1 tbsp brown sugar

Place beef and pork in Dutch oven. Combine water, soup mix, and garlic; pour over meat. Cover and bake at 325F for 2 1/2 to 3 hours or til meat is very tender. Remove meat and cool; use 2 forks to shred the meat. Skim fat from drippings; discard fat. Saute' celery in drippings til tender. Add barbecue sauce, ketchup, and brown sugar; bring to boil. Stir in shredded meat, heat through. Serve with buns or bread or.....Hoe Cakes, recipe below!

Hoe Cakes:
2 cups corn meal
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups boiling water
oil for frying
Boil water in microwave or on stovetop. In a large bowl combine the corn meal and salt. When the water boils, measure it in a metal or tempered-glass measuring cup. Pour the boiling water over the cornmeal and stir it up. The cornmeal will swell up, absorbing the water, and making a very thick batter. Heat some oil in a large skillet over med-high heat, enough to coat bottom of pan good. Now scoop up a little of the cornmeal mush (about 1/4-cup) and shape it into a patty. It will still be warm from the boiling water, so be careful not to burn yourself. You can let it cool down some more first if you like. Plop the patty into the hot fat, and get it to frying. Make some more, until you have a whole pan full. When the underside is crispy brown, turn them and cook the other side. When both sides are crispy and brown, transfer them to a plate to keep warm, and start another batch. This recipe makes about 12 hoe cakes.

WW Tortellini-Tomato Soup

2009-10-04T23:44:00.001-04:00

If you haven't figured out already, WW is weight watchers. This is my favorite soup EVER. So, so, SOOO good. It calls for a 9 ounce package refrigerated 3 cheese tortellini (cheese ravioli also works), but I buy a bigger package of the frozen stuff, coz J doesn't care much for the soup part so I just add in some extra tortellini for him. I love a big bowl with some crunchy, buttered French bread to dip in it. Yum. Can't wait for fall!

2 tsp olive oil
1 1/4 cups chopped onion (about 1 medium)
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 (14 oz each) fat free reduced sodium chicken broth
1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes
1/2 cup water
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp dried basil
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 (9 oz) package refrigerated 3 cheese tortellini
1/4 cup (1 oz) preshredded fresh Parmesan cheese (don't use the grated stuff, if you don't shred it fresh yourself at least buy the shredded kind in a can, Kraft makes some in the refrigerated section)

Heat oil in Dutch oven over med-high heat. Add onion; saute' 5 minutes or til tender. Add garlic; cook 1 minute. Add broth and next 5 ingredients. Bring to boil; cover, reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes. Add tortellini; simmer, uncovered, 5-7 minutes or til pasta is tender ( frozen might take a few minutes longer, it floats when it's done). Ladle soup into bowls; sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Yield: 6 servings (serving size 1 1/4 cups soup)

WW Rosemary-Feta Chicken with Cherry Tomato-Olive Sauce

2009-10-04T23:30:00.000-04:00

This was one of the very first weight watchers recipes I tried. I absolutely love this recipe. It is definitely one of my all time favorites. I can't even describe how good this is. Just make it. Trust me.

1 (1.5 oz) slice hearty white bread (I just use a slice or 2 or 3, depending on the size of the slices, of whatever white bread I have on hand. )
1/4 cup (2 oz.) crumbled feta (I've used reduced fat with success)
1 tbsp chopped fresh rosemary (I'm pretty sure I've always used dried rosemary)
1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper, divided
1/4 tsp salt
4 (6 oz.) boneless skinless chicken breast halves
1 tsp olive oil
cooking spray
1/2 cup pitted kalamata olives
1/3 cup minced shallots (about 3 large)
1/3 cup fat free reduced sodium chicken broth
1 pint grape tomatoes (called cherry tomato-olive sauce, but calls for grape tomatoes in the recipe. Whatever)
Rosemary sprigs, optional

Preheat oven to 375F. Place bread in food processor; pulse 10 times or til coarse crumbs measure 1/2 cup. Combine breadcrumbs, cheese, and rosemary in small bowl. Toss well; set aside. Sprinkle 1/4 tsp pepper and salt evenly over chicken. Heat oil in nostick skillet coated with cooking spray over med-high heat. Add chicken, cook 3-4 minutes on each side or til browned (it will continue cooking in the oven so don't cook it all the way through). Place chicken in an 11x7 baking dish; top evenly with breadcrumb mixture, pressing down slightly. Sprinkle olives, shallots, and tomatoes around the chicken, then pour the chicken broth around the chicken (not on top of the breadcrumbs). Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 tsp pepper. Bake at 375F for 27 minutes or til chicken is done and breadcrumbs start to brown. Garnish with rosemary sprigs, if desired. Yield: 4 servings

WW Chicken Piccata

2009-10-04T23:20:00.002-04:00

Yes, another Weight Watchers recipe. I made this just the other night. I hadn't made it in quite some time, and GI Joe requested it, it's one of his favorites. The kids don't like the sauce, but that's ok, more for us! And I actually double the sauce ingredients, it's really yummy and we like to have enough to go over egg noodles with the chicken.

4 (6 oz.) boneless skinless chicken breast halves
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup all purpose flour
1 tbsp olive oil, divided
1 tbsp minced shallots (I double this)
1/4 cup fat free reduced sodium chicken broth (I double this)
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice (I double this)
1 tbsp capers (I double this)
2 tsp chopped fresh parsley, divided (I double this)

Place each chicken breast half between 2 sheets of heavy duty plastic wrap; pound to 1/2 inch thickness with meat mallet or rolling pin. Sprinkle chicken evenly with salt and pepper; dredge in flour. Heat 1 1/2 tsp olive oilin large nonstick skillet over med-high heat. Add half of chicken; cook about 3 minutes each side or til done. Remove chicken from pan; keep warm. Repeat with remaining olive oil and chicken, removing chicken when done. Add shallots to pan; saute' 1 minute or til tender. Add broth, lemon juice, and capers. Increase heat to high and cook 1 minute. Stir in 1 teaspoon parsley (I probably use a tablespoon or more). Spoon sauce evenly over chicken (we spoon it on ourselves on our plates, like I said the kids don't like it so I don't need the sauce on all of the chicken). Sprinkle with remaining teaspoon parsley. Yield: 4 servings.

Lipton's Onion Mushroom Meatloaf

2009-10-04T23:14:00.000-04:00

I'm not the biggest fan of meatloaf. I'm very picky about my meatloaf. I don't like it to be topped with sauce (though I have to have ketchup on my plate to dip it in). I don't like green peppers in it. Actually, I pretty much only like this meatloaf. I actually love this meatloaf. Sometimes I make into a loaf and cook it in the oven as a normal meatloaf, but sometimes I shape it into patties instead and cook the patties in a skillet, that way every piece is like a crusty, yummy "end piece".

2 lbs. ground beef
1/3 cup ketchup
2 eggs
3/4 cup water
1 1/2 cups fresh bread crumbs (I've used fresh and I've used the stuff from the grocery store, either way works)
1 envelope Lipton's onion mushroom soup mix.

Combine all in a large bowl, form into a loaf. Bake at 350 for 1 hour or til done. Or form into patties, heat up a skillet, spray skillet with cooking spray, and cook 'em up in the skillet.

Crustless Smoked Turkey and Spinach Quiche

2009-10-04T23:02:00.000-04:00

I make this for dinner, it is very filling and rich, and it even heats up wonderfully. I actually think I have some of this turkey ham in the freezer, so I might have to make it again soon, all this food talk is makin' me hungry :P Oh, and this is a lower fat version of quiche, from a Cooking Light magazine I believe.

3/4 cup (4 oz.) cubed smoked turkey ham (such as Jennie-O)
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/8 tsp black pepper
1/2 cup fat free evaporated milk (NOT sweetened condensed milk....some people get them confused)
3/4 cup shredded Swiss, divided
1 cup fresh baby spinach
1 cup fat free cottage cheese
1/4 cup shredded reduced fat cheddar
2 large eggs
2 large egg whites
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup all purpose flour

Preheat oven to 350F. Heat large nonstick skillet on med-high. Coat with cooking spray. Add ham, onion, and pepper; saute' 4 minutes or til ham is lightly browned. Sprinkle 1/4 cup swiss cheese in 9 inch pie plate coated with cooking spray. Top with ham mixture. Combine remaining 1/2 cup swiss, spinach, eggs, egg whites, evaporated milk, cheddar, and cottage cheese in a large bowl; stir with a whisk. Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cup and level with knife. Combine flour with baking powder in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk; add to egg mixture. Pour egg mixture over ham mixture. Bake at 350F for 45 minutes or til knife inserted in center comes out clean. Makes 8 servings

Nanny's Chicken Casserole

2009-10-04T22:47:00.001-04:00

I'm gonna share something that is near and dear to my heart. This is one of my great-grandmother's (I called her Nanny) recipes. For those that don't know me that well, my Nanny was very special to me. My mom was a teen mom, and we lived with my great-grandparents (along with my mom's brother) up until I was about 13, and at that time my mom and I just moved across the street to live with her boyfriend/fiance/now common-law husband or whatever, but anyways....so growing up, there was always super yummy southern granny food on the table. A lot of these she never wrote down, so many have been lost as she got older and has since passed away (though I was very lucky to have her in my lfe until I was about 28). So the handful of her recipes that I have are very important to me, it's like preserving a special part of my past. This is by far my most favorite thing she ever made, next to her apple pie turnovers.
1 chicken (boiled and deboned. You can either boil it whole, adding enough water just to cover, or cut it in pieces and add enough water to cover. Either way, reserve the cooking liquid coz you can use it for the chicken broth that the recipe also calls for instead of canned)
1 1/2 cups chicken broth (you can use canned or just strain the chicken cooking liquid coz hey, that's chicken broth!)
1 bag herb Pepperidge Farm dressing
1 can cream of chicken
1 can cream of mushroom
1 stick butter

When chicken is done, remove from pot, reserving liquid if desired, and set aside to cool slightly. When cool enough to handle, remove from bones (discard skin and bones or save them to boil up to make even more chicken broth) and shred into large but fairly bite sized pieces. Melt butter; pour over dressing in large bowl and let sit about 10 minutes. Layer dressing, chicken, 1 can soup, and 3/4 cup broth (if using the broth from the cooked chicken, be sure to strain through a fine strainer to remove any bits and pieces); repeat layers and sprinkle with remaining dressing on top. Bake at 350 F for 35 minutes.

Hamburger buns

2009-10-04T18:00:00.000-04:00

Recipe says it makes 12 large hamburger buns or 30 small dinner rolls. I get about 14-16 buns.

1 1/4 cups milk, slightly warmed ( I make it with powdered milk and hot water)
1 large beaten egg
2 tablespoons butter (I melt it)
1/4 cup white sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
3 3/4 cups bread flour (I use 2 cups bread flour, and 1 1/4 cups wheat flour)
1 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast (I use bread machine yeast)

1. Place all ingredients in pan of bread machine according to manufacturer’s directions.
2. Select “Dough” setting.
3. When cycle is complete, turn out onto floured surface.
4. Cut dough in half and roll each half out to a 1 inch thick circle.
5. Cut each half into six 3 1/2 inch rounds with inverted glass as a cutter.
6. Place on greased baking sheet far apart and brush with melted butter.
7. Cover and let rise until doubled, about one hour.
8. Bake at 350° for 9 minutes.
9. Note: Oven temperatures vary so check after 9 minutes to see if done. These can take anywhere from 9 to 15 minutes (mine usually take about 12 minutes).

WW Mushroom Couscous

2009-10-04T17:42:00.000-04:00

This is part of dinner tonight. Along with a whole roasted chicken seasoned with Tuscan chicken seasoning and a sliced lemon stuffed inside, sliced carrots roasted along with the chicken, salad, and Hawaiian rolls. Another weight watchers (WW) recipe. Mmmmm.

Butter cooking spray
4 cups fresh sliced mushrooms (about 3/4 pound)
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp minced fresh thyme
1 cup fat free, reduced sodium beef broth
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp fresh ground black pepper
2/3 cup uncooked couscous

Heat a 4-quart saucepan over med-hi heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add mushrooms and next 3 ingredients; coat veggies with cooking spray. Saute' 2-3 minutes or til tender. Stir in broth, salt, and pepper; bring to boil. Stir in couscous and remove from heat. Cover and let stand 5 minutes; fluff with fork. Yield: 4 servings (serving size about 3/4 cup).

Low Fat Corn Casserole

2009-10-04T17:40:00.000-04:00

You may know this as corn casserole or corn souffle. This is a lower fat version, may have been weight watchers but I can't remember, but tastes just like the full fat version. It's a favorite of the boys.

1/4 cup egg substitute
1/4 cup melted butter
1 can no salt cream corn
1 can no salt whole kernel corn
1 pkg. corn muffin mix
1 (8 oz.) carton plain FF yogurt

Preheat oven to 350. Combine in a medium bowl; stir well. Pour into an 8 inch square baking dish coated with nonstick spray. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes or til set. 8 servings.

Venison Stroganoff

2009-10-04T17:34:00.000-04:00

Ok, ok, I know...... Bambi. I used to think of that every time I heard "deer meat" or "venison", but forget all that you ever heard about deer meat. If you get your hands on some (I've only made it with ground venison, not cubed), try it in this recipe. I promise you will never know it is deer meat. Hell, if you can't get deer meat, just use ground beef or cubed beef, it's a great stroganoff recipe.

1-2 pounds of trimmed and cubed or ground Venison
1 whole Onion
1 clove of crushed Garlic
2 cups of fresh Sliced mushrooms..or more if you'd like.
2 TBSP of Olive Oil
Salt to taste
White Pepper to taste (I use black pepper)
2 Cans of Golden Mushroom Soup
1 cup of sour Cream
Egg Noodles

Heat frying pan
Add your Olive Oil and let it come to heat.
Now, add your Venison, Garlic, Mushrooms and Onions and brown for about 2 minutes
Add your Mushroom soup and sour cream and stir thoroughly while adding salt and pepper to taste.
Bring to a low boil.
Turn heat to low, and allow to simmer for at least 1/2 hour with a lid on. Stir ocassionally.
Boil Noodles and Strain.
Ladle your stroganoff over noodles and there you have it.

WW Shepherd's Pie

2009-10-04T17:16:00.000-04:00

This is a weight watchers recipe. You'll probably end up seeing a lot of these, and trust me, just because it's "diet food" or "healthy food" does not mean it sucks! Quite the contray!! I have about 10-12 WW cookbooks, and have tried many, many recipes, and I am serious when I say that every single one has been absolutely delicious. I've used ground beef and ground lamb in this, the ground beef tastes just fine, but I'm a purist and I prefer ground lamb. It's personal preference, and price can definitely make a difference sometimes on whether or not I buy beef or lamb.

1 tsp olive oil
1 small onion, diced
1 1/2 lbs ground round or lamb
2 cups frozen mix veg (I don't like frozen mixed veggies. I just use a couple of handfuls of frozen peas and dice up a few fresh carrots to equal about 2 cups)
3 tbsp tomato paste
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 (14 oz) can Fat Free Reduced Sodium beef broth
2 tbsp AP flour
1 (20 oz) pkg refrig mashed potatoes (such as simply potatoes, or make your own)

Preheat oven to 375. Heat oil in large skillet on med-hi. Add onion and carrots, saute 5 minutes. Add meat, cook til done, then drain. Returnto skillet. Add peas, tomato paste, salt, and pepper, cook on medium 5 minutes or til veg are hot, stirring frequently. Combine broth and flour, stirring with a whisk. Add broth mixture, bring to boil, and cook 3 minutes or til thick, stiring constantly. Spoon into an 11x8 baking dish. Spread potatoes on top, sprinkle with cheddar (ok, this isn't in the ingredient list, but I gotta have cheese on my shepherd's pie!) . Bake at 375 for 20 minutes or til browned.

Marinara Magnifica

2009-10-04T17:07:00.000-04:00

This is delicious. It works for any pasta dish, and is even great on pizza.

2 tbsp. olive oil
6 cups chopped onion (about 3 medium)
1 tbsp. sugar
1/2 cup dry red wine
2 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
1/2 tsp. dried marjoram
1/2 tsp. dried basil
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper
6 crushed garlc cloves
2 (28 oz. each) cans crushed tomatoes (do not drain)
2 (14.5 oz. each) cans diced toatoes (do not drain)
2 (6 oz. each) cans tomato paste

Heat oil in Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion and sugar. Cook 30 minutes or til golden, stirring occasionally. Stir in wine and cook 1 minute. Add remaining ingredients; bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer 3 hours, stirring occasionally. Makes 9 cups.

Boboli style Pizza Crust

2009-10-04T17:03:00.000-04:00

1 cup water
3 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons Red Star active dry yeast I have a jar of bread machine yeast, so I just used 2 tsps of that)
1 teaspoon minced garlic
2 teaspoons parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
parmesan cheese to sprinkle

Add all ingredients (except second parmesan cheese) to breadmaker in order listed by your manufacturer. It is a good idea to put the garlic down inside the flour so it does not slow the yeast. Set breadmaker on dough setting. When complete, form two crusts on pizza pans, sprinkle with parmesan cheese, cover and let rise again (about 1 hour). Bake 5-10 minutes at about 450 F until light brown (mine usually go about 7-8 minutes). Let cool slightly, then top with your favorite pizza toppings, then bake an additional 10-20 minutes at 425 depending on how much you want your cheese to brown.

Slow Cooker Hearty Chicken Noodle Soup

2009-10-04T16:59:00.000-04:00

This is the best chicken noodle soup I've ever had. It makes enough for 2 meals for us plus leftovers. While it cooks, bake up a loaf of bread to dip in the soup!

2- 2 1/2 lbs. chicken parts, skinned if desired
6 cups water
1 medium onion, chopped
6 carrots, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
5 ribs celery, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
14 1/2 oz. can whole tomatoes, undrained, cut up
1 1/2 tbsp. instant chicken bouillon
1 tbsp. dried parsley flakes
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. dried rosemary leaves
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 cup uncooked fine egg noodles

Cook on Lo 8-10 hours
Cook on Hi 5-6 hours

Combine all ingredients, except noodles, in slow cooker. Cover and cook at desired heat setting for time given or til chicken and vegetables are tender. Remove chicken from pot and set aside to cool slightly. Set control to Hi and add noodles, stirring to combine. Cover and continue to cook for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, remove chicken from bones and cut into bite sized pieces. Return meat to cooking pot and cook til noodles are tender.
Serves 6-8

Blueberry Muffins

2009-07-23T17:07:00.000-04:00

Had a bunch of blueberries that needed to be used within the next 2 days before vacation, so decided on muffins. Picked the first recipe I found online (after checking out a couple of others, this first one won out with no questions). It was called To Die For Blueberry Muffins. My son proclaimed them to be "perfect", while my daughter said "mmmmmmm, dese are goooooood!".
The recipe makes 8, but I doubled it and made 16 (and still had blueberries leftover!! Those became smoothies with the addition of frozen strawberries, half a large container of vanilla yogurt, OJ, and a little milk). So I present you with the recipe. Now go forth and gather ye ingredients, and bake!!

INGREDIENTS:
for muffins:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup white sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 egg
1/3 cup milk
1 cup fresh blueberries

for topping:
1/2 cup white sugar
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup butter, cubed
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Grease muffin cups or line with muffin liners.
Combine 1 1/2 cups flour, 3/4 cup sugar, salt and baking powder. Place vegetable oil into a 1 cup measuring cup; add the egg and enough milk to fill the cup. Mix this with flour mixture. Fold in blueberries. Fill muffin cups right to the top, and sprinkle with crumb topping mixture.
To Make Crumb Topping: Mix together 1/2 cup sugar, 1/3 cup flour, 1/4 cup butter, and 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon. Mix with fork, and sprinkle over muffins before baking.
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes in the preheated oven, or until done. (mine were done in 20 minutes)