Favorites from Pinterest

I've been loving the recipes I find on Pinterest and decided to share a few with you that I made this weekend. They were THAT good.

Coconut Chicken Salad with Homemade Honey Mustard Dressing - To. Die. For. I didn't have dijon mustard because I don't love it, so I added regular mustard and plain Greek yogurt instead. It was heavenly! Also, I used two medium-size chicken breasts and cut them into long strips before dredging them in the egg mixture.

Homemade Taco Seasoning - This would make a GREAT gift if you double or triple the recipe and put it in a cute little mason jar! I didn't add the red pepper flakes because I don't enjoy spicy foods all that much. The mild sauce at Taco Bell is "spicy" enough for me!

Taco Bake - Scrumptious! I had to improvise on this one, too, because I didn't have the queso salsa that she lists, so I used regular salsa and some nacho cheese sauce to make my own salsa queso. Also, I didn't like how chunky my ground beef turned out, so I put it through my mini food processor for a quick few seconds with the salsa and cheese to make the meat a bit finer. Turns out, doing so makes the meat mixture stretch! I love a good bang for my buck! (Used the taco seasoning I made from scratch!)

Cinnamon Roll Cake - Heaven on a plate! True to form, I chose to switch this up a tad, too. LOL. I made a cream cheese frosting instead of the glaze she recommends. Yum!

Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies - My new favorite recipe for the basic chocolate chip cookie!

Homemade FREEZER Spaghetti Sauce - I have the nicest neighbors and friends who gave me GOBS of tomatoes, so I decided to give this homemade spaghetti sauce recipe a whirl. It did not disappoint! It calls for 5 onions, but I just had 3 and it turned out really well! Also, I didn't peel my tomatoes, and you can't even tell. So, don't waste your time doing so. I just used my food processor to "chop" my onions and tomatoes instead of chopping them by hand. And, after it was in the crockpot simmering away for a few hours, I took my immersion blender to it to make it a little bit smoother. But, if you like chunky sauce, you don't need to do this step that I added.

30-Minute Dinner Rolls - My friend, Jessica, actually gave me this EXACT recipe that her grandma uses, but I found it on Pinterest, too, and decided to post the link instead of typing out ALL of the instructions. They aren't that hard, but I took the easy road. lol. Anyway, these rolls take 30 minutes to PREPARE and then another 15 or so to bake, so really they should be called 45-minute rolls.

What recipes on Pinterest would you recommend?

Quinoa Chicken and Broccoli Bake

I have seen a lot of recipes using quinoa on Pinterest, but I've never had it before so I was intrigued. It's basically like a rice and can be used instead of rice in a lot of dishes. Also, did you know it is SUPER expensive? Kindof a bummer, too, because it is actually pretty scrumptious.

I saw a recipe for a casserole that included broccoli, chicken, some sort of sauce, and quinoa, of course, so decided to try it. However, Pinterest (who spells is as quiOna) wasn't working when I made dinner tonight, so I had to wing it and make stuff up. Luckily, I had some saucy stuff in my fridge, so it all worked out.

Here is what you need:

• 3/4 cup dry quinoa
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 2 cups roasted broccoli (see the link for the ingredients needed to roast the veg)
• 1 cup diced, cooked chicken breast
• 4 oz fat free cream cheese
• 1/3 cup light sour cream
• 1 tsp minced garlic
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1/2 tsp garlic salt
• 2 tsp bouillon base, chicken flavor
• 1/4 cup shredded cheese (or more if you want it to be cheesier)

Here is what you do:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees
• Cut broccoli then roast for 25 minutes (See link in ingredient list for directions on how to roast them.)
• While broccoli roasts, put quinoa, water, and bouillon base in large pot and cook according to package so it is fluffy
• While broccoli roasts and quinoa cooks, dice chicken and saute with salt and pepper
• As those first three things are happening, combine cream cheese, sour cream, garlic, onion powder, and garlic salt until well combined
• Mix all broccoli, quinoa, chicken, and sauce together and place in a small baking pan
• Cover top with shredded cheese
• Bake for 15 minutes, or until cheese is melted and it starts to bubble a little
• Serve with a salad and side of your favorite fruit
• Serves 6 and each serving is 250 calories. (If you don't serve this with a salad and fruit, you could get 4 or 5 servings instead.)

It was delicious, so I'll make that again for sure! Plus, it freezes well. I just wish quinoa wasn't so DANG expensive. (Update: Evidently Good Earth sells it for a reasonable price in their bulk bins.)

Sandwich de Monte Cristo

(I am so funny. lol.) 

Have you ever had a Monte Cristo sandwich? I've always wanted to try one ever since I heard about them, so I ordered one on Thanksgiving. Yep, on Thanksgiving. (My family went out to eat on Thanksgiving this year, and I had already eaten a Thanksgiving dinner earlier in the week, so it was no big deal for me to NOT eat it on the actual day.)

Anyway, I brought some leftovers home and decided to see if I could make something similar to the one I ordered. Here is what I came up with:

YUM!!!

Here is what you need:

• 4 thick slices of meat (I used leftover turkey)
• 1/2 cup sauce (I used leftover cranberry sauce, but you could use raspberry or peach jam)
• 8 slices of cheese (I used smoked swiss/cheddar)
• veggie condiment (I used sliced red onion)
• smidge of mayo (just enough to spread on one slice of bread)
• 8 slices french bread
• 3 medium eggs
• 1/2 cup half & half or milk
• pinch nutmeg
• 2 tbs butter

Here is what you do:

• Put the eggs, half & half, and nutmeg in a shallow dish. Set aside.
• Put all remaining ingredients, excluding the bread and butter, in an assembly line.
• Slice bread and place in front of assembly line.
• Layer ingredients on bread and spread mayo on one piece.
• Heat skillet. Add butter.
• Whisk eggs until well combined.
• Place sandwich in egg batter and then into hot skillet; repeat with a second sandwich.
• Reduce heat to medium-low.
• Place heavy object over sandwiches, like a panini press. Cook for 2 minutes. (I used two large metal bowls and a piece of aluminum foil between so the bowls didn't get dirty.)
• Flip over and repeat.
• Repeat with last 2 sandwiches, adding 2nd tbs of butter to coat the skillet.
• Allow to rest on paper towel for 2 minutes before serving.
• Makes 4 servings.

Heavy object...

Seriously, you need to try this (or some variation that you come up with) soon. It is to die for!

Pinterest Recipes

For the past couple of weeks I haven't been posting recipes that I've come up with because I've been trying out some recipes that I've found on pinterest. And, can I just say that I have loved it! It has been so much fun to try new things, new cooking techniques, and new flavors. I thought I wasn't skilled enough to do certain cooking methods, but once I decided to TRY them, I found that they weren't so difficult after all. YAY!!!

Here are some recipes I've tried that I totally recommend. (I'll spare you from the ones I've tried that I don't recommend.) I haven't posted the complete recipes for these; instead, I've given you the link to the original blogger. The bullets below the pics of the dishes are what I did differently or something Iearned in the process. If you want to make the dishes, you'll need to click on the links.

Grilled Chicken Piccata

• I've already posted about this recipe.

Lime Chicken Tacos with Garlic Fried Rice
(This photo is of the lime chicken and it is from the original blogger.)

• I did not add cilantro to the chicken. 
• I added garlic salt, onion powder, and salt and pepper to the rice. (to taste)
• I made both of these recipes then combined them and it was delicious! Plus, it helps you use less chicken since you are adding rice to the taco (or burrito), which helps the budget.

Nutella Stuffed French Toast

• I used 2 slices of thick bread and just soaked one side of each, spread the nutella on one piece on the side that wasn't soaked and then combined the two like a PB&J sammie. 
• Then I added raspberries to the top with a bit of their natural juices.

Gnocchi Chicken Soup (like Olive Garden serves)

• The secret to making yummy gnocchi quickly is the shortcut of using potato flakes. (I used potato pearls from the LDS cannery.)
• Also, I learned that it is important to make the gnocchi SMALL. The recipe says 1/2" wide but it should be a little less than that, like 1/4" wide by 1/2" thick.
• For the soup, I doubled the recipe. 
• I used dried onions and dried carrots. (1/4 cup dry onions and 1/3 cup dry carrots)
• I also used an entire bag of fresh spinach instead of what it calls for. 
• I did not add celery.

Roasted Veggies

• I can't believe I've never roasted veggies before. I have been missing out! It is incredibly delicious and EASY.
• I roasted brussel sprouts that were once frozen in a bag and one bunch of fresh broccoli. 
• I also roasted some red potatoes and added a little bit of garlic salt to those because they are so bland.
• After I tasted the finished product, my preference in order is: broccoli, brussel sprouts, then potatoes.

I've said it before and I'll say it again... I should be paid for advertising pinterest. lol. If I had a dollar for every time I told someone about it, I'd have over $400 by now. lol.

ABC & S Pizza

"ABC & S" stands for Alfredo, Bacon, Chicken, and Spinach Pizza, which is synonymous with YUM!!!

Here is what you need:

• 1 pizza crust (I used one in a can from Pillsbury)
• 1 cup alfredo sauce (I used Ragu's roasted garlic flavor)
• 1 chicken breast, cubed
• 1 cup frozen spinach, thawed and drained
• 4 slices bacon
• 1 tsp garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup parm cheese
• 1 cup mozz cheese (or a little more...wink)
• salt and pepper, to taste

Here is what you do:

• Preheat oven according to instructions on pizza dough can
• Cook bacon; remove from skillet; place on paper towel to drain
• While bacon cooks, drain spinach and set aside; cube chicken
• Cook chicken in bacon fat; add a bit more veg oil if needed
• While chicken cooks, roll pizza dough out on pan, leaving a ridge around the edge
• Add spinach, salt, pepper, and garlic to cooked chicken
• While spinach cooks with chicken, spread alfredo sauce on pizza dough (add more if necessary)
• Cut bacon into bite size pieces and add to chicken and spinach; stir for about 1 minute
• Spread mixture over alfredo sauce
• Top with mozz cheese then parm cheese
• Bake according to the baking time on the pizza dough can

It is so DELICIOUS!!! I am already craving the leftovers. 

Spread mixture over alfredo sauce.

(Careful...its HOT!)

Top with cheese! 

Shredded Beef and Stuffing Bake

This casserole reminds me a lot of the Almost Thanksgiving casserole I made up last year when I was craving Thanksgiving food. However, it is slightly different because it uses shredded beef and you'll never guess what else...cheesy potato soup! Honestly, your taste-buds will thank you for making it!

9 x 9 casserole dish

Here is what you need:

• 1 box Stove-Top stuffing (chicken or turkey flavor will work)
• 1 1/2 cups corn
• 2 cups shredded beef (this is a great leftover recipe because it utilizes your roast leftovers)
• 2 cups crockpot potato cheese soup
• 1/2 cup grated cheese
• salt and pepper to taste

Here is what you do:

• Heat oven to 375
• Cook the stuffing according to the package instructions
• Cook the corn while the stuffing cooks
• Shred the roast and grate the cheese
• Layer the ingredients starting with the stuffing, then corn, then beef, then the soup, then the cheese
• Add salt and pepper to top
• Since everything is already cooked, all you do is heat it up in the oven for 15-20 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the sides are bubbling
• A 9 x 9 pan makes about 6 servings

It is so delicious and incredibly filling. It pairs nicely with salad...the lightness of the salad is refreshing against the heartiness of the casserole.

Crockpot Potato Cheese Soup

I accidentally discovered this recipe. lol. I was trying a new way to make mashed potatoes, and I ended up making soup instead because I added too much liquid. But, it is a happy little accident because the soup turned out delicious!

Here is what you need:

• 5 medium potatoes (red potatoes work best for a smooth texture, but any other potato will work, too--it just won't be as smooth)
• 4 cups water*
• 4 tsp chicken bouillon paste*
• 2 tbs butter
• 2 1/2 cups grated cheese, reserve 1/2 for topping
• 3/4 cup sour cream (I used fat free)
• salt and pepper, to taste
• bacon, to taste

*If you don't have bouillon paste, you can use 4 cups of chicken broth or stock instead of the 4 cups of water and paste. 

Here is what you do:

• Add water, butter, and bouillon paste to crockpot
• Set crockpot to med-high
• Cube potatoes with the skin on...it saves time and keeps nutrients in (of off if you prefer)
• Add potatoes to crockpot and cook for 2 - 3 hours, or until the potatoes are fall-apart tender
• Mash contents inside crockpot
• Cook bacon in skillet
• Add salt, pepper, cheese, and sour cream to crockpot; mix well
• If the soup isn't a consistency you want, add a little more cheese; it should be thicker than a normal soup and stick to the back of a spoon
• Serve with crumbled bacon and extra cheese sprinkled on top

Enjoy! This would be a wonderful soup to serve in a bread bowl. Yum!

Hearty Potato, Onion, and Chicken Soup

I've been looking at a lot of soup recipes this week since it has been in the 30's to 50's here in Utah (brr!) and I've found a handful that I want to try. But, I would need to go buy some miscellaneous ingredients but didn't want to brave the cold OR spend extra money when I had perfectly good food at home. So, this morning I had an idea of a soup I could create with some ingredients I already have: potatoes, chicken, onions, chicken stock, and onion soup mix! And it is SO easy! Plus, this is a perfect meal to start in the morning, forget about it, and eat it after a long day at work or on the slopes! 

It looks brownish because of the onion soup mix.
Trust me...it's delicious!

Here is what you need:

• 2 medium chicken breasts
• 1 regular can cream of chicken soup
• 2 cups chicken stock or broth
• 2 large red potatoes (or 4 small)
• 1/2 yellow onion
• 1 pkt onion soup mix
• 1/2 cup milk (I used fat free skim because that's what I buy)
• 1 cup grated cheese (only if you want to add it)
• 1 tbs butter
• 2 tsp salt

Here is what you do:

• Add cream of chicken soup, stock, and soup mix to crockpot; mix well
• Dice onions and cube potatoes
• Add whole chicken breasts, diced onions, and cubed potatoes, making sure all pieces are covered with broth mix
• Set for 8-10 hours on low
• After the 8-10 hours of cooking time, remove the chicken and shred it
• While chicken is still out of the crockpot, take an immersion blender and smooth out the remaining soup (if you want it a bit chunky, stop blending the soup when the potatoes are a chunkiness that you prefer)
• Add chicken back in and add the butter; mix until melted (this gives the soup the velvety, rich texture and flavor--it's a secret that restaurants do)
• Mix milk and salt in until well incorporated
• Serve with grated cheese and your favorite bread!

Add shredded chicken.

Add butter. 

Your tummy will be so happy and warm after eating this! It's prefect to eat while snuggled up with a blanket!

Bacon, Egg, and Cheese Quesadillas

Tonight I didn't feel like cooking so I wanted something quick and easy...and with bacon! So, I grabbed some eggs, bacon, cheese, and tortillas to see what they tasted like as a quesadilla. It was so delicious!

Here is what you need, for one adult serving or two kids servings:

• 2 wheat tortillas
• 3 medium eggs
• 2 slices bacon
• 1/2 cup grated cheese
• pinch of onion powder
• pinch of garlic salt
• pinch of pepper

Here is what you do:

• Cook bacon and set aside to cool a tad; break into small pieces
• Whisk onion powder, garlic salt, and pepper into eggs
• Scramble eggs in bacon drippings; add bacon pieces when eggs are almost done
• Transfer scrambled eggs to a small dish
• Place one tortilla in same pan and sprinkle half of cheese on top
• Layer scrambled eggs and top with rest of cheese and second tortilla
• Cover pan and let cook on medium-low heat until cheese on bottom is melted
• Flip and cover again, cooking until cheese is melted
• Serve with ketchup, if desired

It was YUM-O, and I bet your kiddos will love it! 

Orange Glazed Salmon

If you don't already love salmon, I bet you will if you try this recipe! I got the idea from MMM...Cafe. I had to switch out a couple of ingredients, though, because I didn't have what was called for.

Here is what you need:

• 3 tbs Asian seasoning (they used Cajun)
• 1 tsp brown sugar
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2 boneless, skinless, salmon fillets
• 2 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup frozen orange juice concentrate (they used marmalade)
• 1 tbs lime juice

Here is what you do:

• Mix Asian seasoning, brown sugar, and salt; rub over both sides of the salmon.
• Bring oil in pan to a nice, hot heat and then saute fillets on medium heat for 2 - 3 per side. Note: You want to make sure the pan and oil is super hot, but not smoking. The super hot heat will insure a nice flip when it is ready to turn over. Also, be sure to not move the salmon until it is ready. You'll know when it is ready because it won't flake apart when you try to turn it.
• Combine orange concentrate and lime juice. When salmon is cooked all the way, drizzle orange mixture in skillet until melted, flipping salmon over to get glazed all over. Note: Be cautious when adding the orange mixture. You want to make sure the salmon is finished cooking or the mixture will crystallize...

Seems like this would also be yummy with lemonade concentrate. Yum! 

Lemon Dill Salmon

I LOVE salmon! This is a newly acquired taste, however. So, I'm in a phase where I want to try salmon cooked various ways. My most recent endeavour was to make a lemon dill butter and put that on my salmon. It was subtle yet delicious!

Sorry--no pictures.

Here is what you need:

• 1/4 cup butter (I love butter)
• 2 tsp dill seasoning
• zest and juice from 1 small lemon, separated
• salt and pepper to taste
• 2 salmon fillets

Here is what you do:

• Mix the butter and zest together in a small bowl; mix and refrigerate
• Season fillets with salt and pepper then saute in butter
• After the fillets have cooked for 1 minute, drizzle a little juice over them
• After 2 more minutes, and if the fillet is easily removed from the pan, flip the fillets over to cook on the other side
• Repeat the process on this side
• Serve with your favorite vegetable side dish
• Put a dollop of the lemon dill butter on the hot fillet

YUM!!! What are some of your favorite ways to prepare salmon?

Teriyaki Ground Beef and Rice

Last night I needed to make two quick dishes for my lunches and dinners for the rest of the week, so I opened my freezer and pantry to see what I could whip up in a jiffy. For one meal, I saw rice and hamburger as my main ingredients and then browsed my fridge and pantry to see what else I could add. I didn’t want to do my usual cream of whatever soup with veggies, rice, and beef, so I looked deeper into my stash and found teriyaki sauce! I have made teriyaki chicken before, but I’ve never used it with ground beef, so I wasn’t too sure what the result would be.

You may have already tried something like this, but here’s what I came up with and how I did it. It was super simple!

Here is what you need:

• 3 cups rice, brown or white
• 1 lb ground beef
• 1/2 onion
• 1 tsp minced garlic
• 3/4 cup teriyaki sauce (I just guessed at this; you want it to be more liquid than beef and onion)

Here is what you do:

• Cook rice
• Chop onion into small pieces
• As rice is cooking, sauté the onion with the garlic
• Add ground beef and cook until beef is completely done
• Add teriyaki sauce and reduce heat to a simmer
• Simmer for 8 minutes (or so—this is a guess)
• Serve beef and sauce over rice
• If you want to make a bunch, freeze whatever you don't use and then you'll have an instant meal later!

It. Was. So. Delicious!

Here it is with all the sauce and beef mixed with the rice.

The pic makes it look dry, but it certainly WAS NOT!

Seriously! I loved every—single—bite!

Chicken, Carrots, Cabbage

Evidently today's blog post is brought to you by the letter C: Chicken, Carrots, Cabbage.

Now, the picture below is not pretty, I get that. But if you had capabilities to smell the food through the internet, your mouth would be watering for this deliciousness...I promise!

Here is what you need:

• slow cooker of choice
• 2 large carrots
• 1 small red cabbage
• 4 medium chicken breasts
• 1/2 medium red onion (or 1 small)
• chicken broth, enough to cover contents in cooker
• salt & pepper, to taste

Here is what you do:

• Peel carrots and slice into similarly sized sticks (say that 10 times fast)
• Chop onion into big chunks
• Slice cabbage into large sections, keeping all layers in tact
• Cut chicken breasts in half
• Load everything into the slow cooker and cover with broth
• Add salt and pepper
• Cook on high for 3 hours (disclaimer: depending on your slow cooker and the thickness of your chicken, you may need to cook it longer)

I added the red cabbage because I forgot to buy potatoes, and I wanted another veggie to throw in the mix. I have to tell you...the cabbage was my favorite part of the whole meal! I am SOOO glad I forgot the potatoes! It was serendipitous for sure!

What happy accidents have you stumbled across while cooking in your kitchen?

Three Ingredients = Flavorful Pork Chops

These pork chops could not be easier to make. All you need is 3 ingredients. THREE ingredients! That’s it—seriously!

Veggies haven't made it to the plate yet.

Here is what you need:

• 4 pork chops
• 1 pkg onion soup mix (Shake to make sure it is mixed up well.)
• 1/4 cup light mayonnaise

Here is what you do:

• Place pork chops in glass baking dish.
• Slather half of mayo on one side of pork chops.
• Sprinkle half of package over mayo and then spread with a spatula to make sure every inch is covered and really pressed into the pork chop.
• Use tongs to flip pork chops over then repeat mayo and soup mix on second side.
• Cover dish with foil and place in fridge for at least an hour so the mayo and soup mix can marinate the pork chops. (You can marinate it for longer, though. I did for 4 hours.)
• Cook on a grill for 3 ½ to 4 minutes per side, depending on how hot your grill is and how thick your pork chops are. Just be sure the juices are clear and not pink.
• Serve with one of my very favorite rolls and a side of veggies!
• Oh, and don't worry if the soup mix forms crusty areas...they are YUMMY! 

Slather the pork chops.

Spread in the soup mix.

Grill on one of these or your outdoor grill.

Three ingredients, one dish, and oh-so-easy! Give it a try and let me know what you thought!

Pigs in a Blanket?

Sorry, no pics for this post...the meal was too good to not gobble up right away.

Anyway, remember when you were little and you loved to eat pigs in a blanket? Well, I have a grown-up version for ya. Enjoy!

Here is what you need:

• 1 pkg crescent rolls
• 1 cubed steak
• 8 slices cheese, your choice
• seasoning, your choice

Here is what you do:

• Season and cook the cubed steak, as desired. Cook it until it is almost done. It will finish cooking in the oven. (I used lemon pepper and cooked it on a George Foreman grill.)
• Slice steak into 8 strips.
• Roll out crescent triangles.
• Place one piece of cheese across largest section of crescent triangle.
• Layer strip of steak.
• Roll up as usual to form a crescent.
• Cook according to package instructions.

Yum!!!

Mexi Steak and Potato

I've always loved steak and potatoes, but I haven't ever had steak and potatoes with a Mexican flair. But, when I saw the idea in my low-cal cookbook, it made my mouth water. I just had to try it!

Below is the cookbook that gave me the inspiration. I showed it to you in the Fajita Lettuce Wraps post I did last week.



This is the cookbook.

This is what I made. Yum!
The recipe called for ground beef, but I used steak instead because that's what I had on hand.

Here is what you need:

• medium red potato (I cooked three for the week)
• 1/4 refried beans
• 4 oz lean steak (or hamburger flavored with taco seasoning)
• shredded lettuce, as desired
• chopped tomatoes, as desired
• diced green peppers, as desired
• sprinkle of grated cheese
• dollop of mexi-sour cream
• taco seasoning, as desired

Here is what you do:

• Heat oven to 375 degrees. Clean and poke holes in potato and wrap in foil. Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes.
• At the end of the cooking time for the potato, cut steak into strips and lightly coat in a little taco seasoning. Cook in a little bit of butter spray.
• While steak cooks, chop tomatoes, green peppers, and lettuce.
• When potato is done, allow it to cool for 5 minutes and then open it and pile on the toppings.
• Sprinkle a little bit more taco seasoning on top of everything. It makes it pretty. :-)

Did you notice that I didn't use any butter on my potato? And, I didn't even miss it since I had so many other flavors going on. Delish and incredibly filling!

Fajita Lettuce Wraps

I'm participating in a weight loss contest at work for the next two months, so I've been on the hunt to find low-cal, but not low-flavor meals. Well, lucky me, I stumbled upon this bargain book last week and have been so happy with it. It was less than $10!!! YAY!

I marked a few recipes to try over the next week or two, and this (shown below) is the first one I tried. It's called Lettuce Wrap Enchiladas. I changed it up a bit, though. So, that's what I'll share with ya. I also made up my own sour cream concoction, and it is SO delicious! I'll give ya that recipe, too.

Here is what you need for the filling:

• 1/2 cup green bell peppers, sliced
• 1/2 cup onion, sliced
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 2 tbs water
• 5 oz. chicken breast, cut into 2" long strips
• 1/2 cup fat-free, low-sodium refried beans
• 1 tbs salsa (or a little more, if you'd like)
• taco seasoning, to taste; reserve a dash for refried beans
• fajita seasoning, to taste; reserve a dash for refried beans
• grated cheese, as desired
• diced tomatoes, as desired
• 2 large lettuce leaves

I made the sour cream in bulk so that I have it for the rest of my Mexican themed menu items. So, here is what you need for my mexi-sour cream:

• 1 medium container fat-free sour cream
• 1/2 packet taco seasoning
• 1 tbs fajita seasoning
• 2 tbs lime juice (or if you're like me and you LOVE lime flavor, add a bit more to taste)
• 1 clove garlic, minced

Here is what you do:

• Cut bell pepper and onion into strips. Mince garlic.
• Add water, bell peppers, onion, chicken, garlic, and filling seasonings in skillet. Cover with lid and cook on medium-high until chicken is done and veggies are tender but still have a little crunch. Stir occasionally. (You do NOT need to add oil or butter. The water steams inside the closed skillet and cooks the ingredients.)
• While fajita fixins cook, mix refried beans, salsa, and a dash of seasonings in bowl. When fajita fixins are almost done, heat refried beans in microwave.
• Mix all ingredients for mexi-sour cream.
• Layer beans in center of lettuce leaf then layer fajita fixins on top.
• Top with mexi-sour cream, cheese, and tomatoes.
• Wrap leaf around filling like a burrito. (The pic shows one, but it makes two!)
• Eat and enjoy! (Careful, it gets a little messy, but it is still delicious!)

I just had to share these next two pics with ya, too, because they are precious.

This is my puppy, Sullie. He is like my little shadow. As I was washing dishes, he came over and slept by my feet. Too cute!

And, here he is sleeping next to me as I type this blog post. I felt his little paw on the back of my neck as I sat in my chair typing. (Awe, he was saying he wanted to sit with me!) So, I picked him up, put his blanket on the table next to me, and put him up there. He immediately laid down to take a little nap while I finished typing. Precious! (Since he is all black, its hard to see where his face is. lol. Its on the far right of the pic.)

Mexican (Mildly) Spicy Chicken

Don't let the name of this dish fool you. Even though it has the word "spicy" in the name, it is not that spicy. In fact, if you don't want any kick at all, then you can leave out one of the ingredients. (I'll tell you which one.) Leaving it out will slightly alter the flavor, of course, but not so much that it ruins the dish. But trust me, I am not a spicy food lover and I LOVE this dish; that's how mildly spicy it is.

My friend and former roommate introduced me to her delicious recipe.

Thanks, Natalie! Now I make it all the time.



Here is what you need:

• 2 cups shredded chicken, pre-cooked and thawed
• 24 oz. whipping cream (The original recipe calls for 16 oz, but I like a lot of sauce so I add an additional 8 oz.)
• 2 cans cream of chicken soup, 98% fat free
• 3/4 tsp of each of the following spices: salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder, curry powder, and chili powder (The original recipe calls for 1/2 a tsp of each, but since I add more whipping cream I add more spices. Leave the chili powder out or reduce the quantity if you want an even milder flavor.)
• 1 bag No Yolk noodles

Here is what you do:

• Heat oven to 375 degrees.
• While oven is heating, mix whipping cream, condensed soup, and all spices.
• Place chicken in 9 x 13 baking dish.
• Pour creamy spice mixture over chicken.
• Bake creamy mixture for 25 minutes or until bubbly. Stir it half way through the cooking time.
• When the creamy mixture has been in the oven for 15 minutes, start boiling water for noodles. Add noodles to boiling water.
• When creamy mixture is finished baking, let it rest for a few minutes before serving it over the noodles.
• Serve with your favorite veggie side dish.

This dish makes a bunch, and I love that because then I have delicious lunches for the whole week!

Let me know what you think of it when you make it. I'm sure it will become a staple in your family like it has become in mine. (Thanks again, Natalie!)

Creamy Chicken Noodles and Bacon

Everything is better with bacon! Especially chicken and cheese. Sounds fattening, right? Well, it doesn’t have to be with this easy meal. Instead of using regular ingredients, try making this creamy noodle concoction with low-fat or fat free items.

The recipe is super simple to make, especially if you precook and shred your chicken on your prep day. Or, you can use a can of chicken. If you use canned chicken, be sure to rinse the chicken with water so that you remove some of the fluid from the can. (The fluid can be full of sodium, and rinsing it eliminates some of that.)

Here is what you need:

• 1 lb chicken, shredded from your shopping/prep day
• 1 bag no yolk noodles
• 2 cans condensed chicken soup, 98% fat free
• 1/2 cup sour cream, fat free
• 3 cups broccoli pieces
• 5 strips bacon (or turkey bacon)
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 2 cups cheddar cheese, grated and low-fat
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp pepper

Here is what you do:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Cook noodles in one pot and and warm your precooked, shredded chicken in a skillet.
3. While noodles and chicken cook, place bacon on baking sheet with grooves and bake for 12 minutes or until mostly crispy but not too crisp. 
4. Mix condensed soup, sour cream, broccoli, garlic, and seasonings. Set aside. 
5. By now, the noodles and chicken should be finished. (About 15 minutes should have passed by now.)
6. Run noodles under lukewarm water to bring their temperature down a bit and then combine with chicken and soup mixture.
7. Place mixture in 9 x 13 cake pan then sprinkle cheese on top.
8. Cut cooked bacon into pieces and drop over cheese.
9. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until cheese starts to bubble.
10. This makes 6 large servings or 8 medium servings.

Enjoy! And remember, everything is better with bacon, even if it is turkey bacon.

PS ~ Fair warning, you will CRAVE the leftovers.

Lemon Chicken and Pasta

I was craving pasta and broccoli, so I thought I'd play around with some ingredients and create a delicious, fresh dinner, all while pretending I worked as a chef in a restaurant. LOL. It was fun and the end result is phenomenal!

Here is what you need:

• 1 box garden spiral pasta (some will be for this dish and some will be for a pasta salad that I'll post about on another day)
• 3 medium heads broccoli, cleaned and cut into bite-size pieces
• 3 tbs extra virgin olive oil
• 4 tbs butter
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/2 red onion, diced
• 3 thick slices bacon, cut into strips
• 2 cups cooked chicken, shredded
• 1 lemon, squeeze all juice
• 1 tbs lemon zest
• lemon pepper, to taste

Here is what you do:

1. Cook pasta in well salted water in large pot. 
2. When pasta is half way done, add olive oil and 3 tbs of butter to skillet. Start cooking bacon then add chopped onions. Season with a little lemon pepper.
3. Fill large bowl with ice water. Set next to stove.
4. Remove pasta from water with slotted spoon, but keep pasta water boiling. Add broccoli to pasta water. Boil broccoli for 1 or 2 minutes then remove with slotted spoon and place in ice water. 
5. Drain pasta water. Add 3/4 of pasta back into large pot. (Save remaining pasta for that dish that I'll tell you about later.)
6. When bacon and onions are almost done, add garlic, lemon zest, half of lemon juice, and broccoli. Season with a little lemon pepper. Mix well and cook for 2 minutes.
7. Add chicken, remaining tbs of butter, and remaining half of lemon juice to skillet. Season with a little lemon pepper. Mix well and cook for 5 minutes.
8. Add veggie and meat mixture to pasta. Stir well, making sure all pieces are lightly coated with sauce. 

Here are some hints for making your cook time less than 30 minutes:

1. On shopping day, precook chicken, shred it, and then portion it and place in freezer bags for later. Chop onion and store in tightly sealed container in the fridge. You can then use the onion as needed during the week. And finally, clean broccoli, pat it dry, cut large stem off, and place broccoli florets in sealed plastic bag.
2. Use a food chopper to dice onions instead of slicing and dicing it with a knife and cutting board.
3. Start boiling pasta water as you get the rest of your ingredients ready.

I took one bite of this lemon chicken creation and was in heaven! The pasta is lightly coated with the flavor-packed sauce. Then you get fresh and tasty bites of chicken, bacon, and broccoli with a hint of the caramelized onions. YUM!

Let me know if you try it!

PS ~ You may want to crack open your windows while you cook the bacon and caramelize the onion; otherwise, your clothes may smell like the dynamic duo. It's not a bad smell, mind you, but your friends may want to eat your clothes because it will smell like delicious food. hahaha.