Real Food, Real Folks

Crispy-Chewy Oatmeal Cookies

2012-01-09T21:14:00.000-06:00

In my humble opinion, oatmeal cookies should be crispy on the outside and chewy on the inside. Delicious, if done right - and let me tell you, these babies are right. I modified this from Allrecipes and it is perfection. Enjoy them... we are!

Crispy-Chewy Oatmeal Cookies

1/2 cup shortening
1/2 cup butter (no substitutes), softened
1 1/4 cup white sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 eggs
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp maple extract
2 c all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 cup old-fashioned oats
1/2 cup toffee bits
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350. Line cookie sheets with parchment or lightly grease.

In a large bowl, cream together shortening, butter, white sugar, and brown sugar. Mix in egg, vanilla, and maple until well blended. In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; stir into batter until well blended. Mix in oats, toffee, and walnuts. Roll doll into walnut-sized balls (about one tablespoon) and place two inches apart on cookie sheets.

Bake for 12 minutes, or until edges are lightly browned. Allow to rest on cookie sheet two minutes before transferring to cooling racks. Cool completely before storing to retain the crispy edges.

Makes about 5 dozen.

Smothered Steak

2011-11-29T22:50:00.000-06:00

Mom has made this for years. I cut the amount of oil down by more than half and added onions, which made it a little healtheir but didn't add much to the prep. In fact, it's easy to make and is comfort food at its best. The extended baking time makes the meat fall-apart tender. This is wonderful with mashed potatoes.

Smothered Steak

1 1/2 lb round steak, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces
1/2 c vegetable oil
1/2 c flour, plus extra for dredging
black pepper to taste
3 c. beef broth
1 large onion, chopped

Preheat oven to 350. Spray a 8x11 glass casserole dish with cooking spray. Combine flour and pepper in a small bowl. Heat oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet. Dredge steak in flour mixture and cook in skillet until browned, about 3 minutes on each side. Use tongs to remove steak to prepared casserole dish. Cover steak with onions.

Whisk flour into remaining oil. If too dry, add a tablespoon of oil at at time until the lumps are out of the flour. Slowly stir in beef broth, stirring constantly. Cook over medium-high heat for about five minutes, or until thickened. Carefully pour gravy over steak and onions. Cover dish tightly with two layers of aluminum foil. Bake for one hour at 350. Reduce heat to 200 and bake another hour. Can sit, covered, for up to an hour before serving.

Serves 4.

White Bean & Bacon Soup

2011-11-04T06:20:00.000-05:00

I am nearing the end of my preceptorship at the hospital; because I'm working second shift, it means I'm staying up weird hours. To keep myself awake in the middle of the night, I've taken to cooking. This is what I made at 4am - and I can hardly wait to dig in when I eat it for supper tonight! It's yet another Pinterest find (from Centsational Girl), and besides being easy, it's also quite economical.

White Bean with Bacon Soup

1 lb dry cannellini beans (soaked as directed)
3 14.5 oz cans chicken or vegetable broth
1/2 onion, finely diced
2 tbsp butter
2 bay leaves
¾ cup diced peeled carrots
5-6 strips cooked bacon
¾ cup lowfat milk
salt & pepper to taste

Prepare dried cannellini beans as directed on package (with overnight or quick soak) in a large pot, drain any remaining water. Melt butter in a small skillet. Add onion and brown until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add broth and onions to beans in pot and bring to a low boil. Cook over medium low heat for 30 minutes.

Add carrots, bay leaves, bacon, and salt and pepper and cook for another 25-30 minutes on low heat until beans and carrots are soft. Remove bay leaves, add milk, then with a hand mixer or in a blender, puree half of the soup until it becomes creamy. Add salt to taste. Reheat in pot to desired temperature. Serve warm with breadcrumbs, croutons, and/or diced bacon on top accompanied by breadsticks or sourdough slices.

White Cheddar Chicken Pasta

2011-11-04T06:13:00.000-05:00

Lately, just about everything I've made has come from Pinterest. I just can't get enough. This recipe (and another that I will post soon) marks my first attempt at using wine in my cooking. Next time I will buy the real thing, instead of cooking wine, but when you're in a hurry, you do what you gotta do.

This delicious pasta from Homemade by Holman was a big hit. Well, B didn't like it, but he doesn't like anything, so I'm not counting him. Jeff thought it was wonderful. I made it with whole-wheat pasta, but next time I think I'll skip the healthy stuff and go for regular. Usually I don't mind whole-wheat, but this time it overpowered the subtle flavors of the white cheddar and wine. Plus it just doesn't look as pretty. I also made a couple of minor edits; adding Parmesan to the sauce and omitting some of the thyme and the red pepper flakes. This was easy to make and tasted divine. It's definitely on my make-again list!

White Cheddar Chicken Pasta

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed and cut into 1 inch pieces
1 tsp dry mustard
1/2 tsp thyme
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 T olive oil
1/2 onion, finely diced.

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Mix together mustard, thyme, salt and pepper and sprinkle over chicken pieces. When pan is hot, add chicken and onion and brown, stirring until cooked through. Remove to a plate and cover with foil.

1 pound rotini or macaroni
2 T butter
2 T flour
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup dry white wine
1 T Dijon mustard
8 oz sharp white cheddar cheese, grated
1/2 c. grated Parmesan
1 1/2 c milk
1/2 c heavy cream
1 T fresh oregano
Parmesan cheese to taste

Heat water to boil in a large stock pot for pasta, add salt and pasta and cook to al dente and drain according to directions. Meanwhile, melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add flour and whisk to combine. Add wine, garlic, and mustard. Cook until mixed and heated through. Reduce heat to low and slowly add milk and cream, stirring to combine. Cook about 5-7 minutes more until mixture begins to thicken. Add cheeses and stir to melt. Add chicken and pasta and toss gently. Add oregano and serve topped with Parmesan cheese.

Classic Chicken and Rice Soup

2011-10-28T03:06:00.000-05:00

Oh, Pinterest, how I love you! I've found several wonderful blogs to follow from the Pins on the site, which gave me even more stuff to pin! :D

This yummilicious - yet super-simple - chicken & rice soup came from the Picky Palate. I was a bit surprised at the Dijon mustard, but it just gives the soup a little depth. I used a lot more than 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper, and the soup has a nice, peppery, warm flavor. Otherwise, I pretty much followed the recipe as-is (except for the parsley. Too lazy to bother with it!). Good stuff, lemme tell ya!

Classic Chicken & Rice Soup

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 tbsp minced garlic
3 stalks celery, chopped
3 medium carrots, peeled & chopped
3 cups cooked, shredded chicken
7 cups chicken broth
2 cups cooked white rice
1 tbsp whole grain Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 c finely chopped fresh parsley

Heat oil in large Dutch oven or pot over medium heat. Add onions; cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring for 1 minutes. Add celery and carrots, cooking and stirring until tender, about 5 minutes. Add remaining ingredients. Stir and reduce heat to low. Simmer until ready to serve.

Seres 8

Buffalo Chicken Pasta

2011-10-04T10:05:00.000-05:00

This recipe was originally a pasta salad that I found on Pinterest. It evolved quite a bit after we realized how greasy the hot wing sauce made the dish (especially when you reheated the leftovers). It separates when it's heated and becomes rather icky. We solved the grease problem by holding the hot sauce until you're sitting down with a big bowl of the pasta. This also lets you control how much heat (and heartburn!) you want. Now it's just about perfect, and Jeff devoured the stuff. I don't like buffalo anything, and even I thought it was pretty good.

Buffalo Chicken Pasta

16 oz. penne
1 cup evaporated milk
1/4 cup milk
1 can cream of chicken soup, undiluted
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
3 cups cubed cooked chicken

10 oz blue cheese crumbles (2 small containers)
1 cup shredded mozzarella
Frank's hot wing sauce
Ranch salad dressing

Preheat oven to 350. Cook pasta according to package directions. In a large bowl, whisk together evaporated milk, milk, soup, garlic powder, and onion powder until smooth. Stir in chicken, blue cheese, and mozzarella. When pasta is cooked, draine (do not rinse) and pour into chicken mixture. Carefully stir to combine. Transfer to a 9x11 or 1.5-qt casserole dish sprayed with cooking spray. Bake for 20 minutes, or until the top turns golden brown. Serve with hot sauce and Ranch dressing.

Serves 6

Crock Pot Chicken

2011-09-05T15:29:00.000-05:00

I've been eating this since I was a kid. Mom edited a recipe from a book that (to me, at least) looked to be at least 100 years old. It's simple - both in content and preparation - and is one of the kid-friendliest meals I've ever made. Even Braeden eats it, and he doesn't like anything that isn't mac & cheese or peanut butter.

You can use reduced-fat soup and fat-free milk with no problem if you so choose.

One caveat - the milk in this will curdle if you cook it too long or too fast. It's a good idea to make it the first time on a day you can be home to keep an eye on it. My first slow cooker burned it if I cooked it longer than 4 hours, even on low. The one I have now does well on low for 6 hours. It's hit-or-miss, so give it a trial run before you leave it on all day while you're gone.

Crock Pot Chicken

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 10-oz can cream of chicken soup, undiluted
1/2 c butter or margarine
1/2 c flour
salt & pepper to taste
2 c milk
cooked rice

Spray bottom of slow cooker with cooking spray. Cut chicken into large cubes (2 inches is good) and place in slow cooker. Pour soup over chicken and stir well to coat.

In a saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Whisk in flour, salt, and pepper until smooth. Gradually whisk in milk, stirring constantly. Cook over medium heat until thickened, about 2 minutes (keep stirring!). Pour over chicken and stir to mix well. Cook on low 6 hours. Serve with rice.

Serves 6.

Chicken Enchilada Pasta

2011-09-02T23:11:00.000-05:00

Make this Pinterest Recipe #2 - tried and approved. (See, I am doing more than just look!) The recipe came from Pearls, Handcuffs, and Happy Hour (how hysterical is that?). I tweaked it ever so slightly - leaving out the pepper because I didn't have one, adding a can of kidney beans, and using the whole can of enchilada sauce - and ooooh, it was tasty! Super filling, too, especially since I used whole-wheat pasta. I also used a reduced-fat sour cream without any problem. You could try low-fat cheese, but it probably won't melt as well. I might give it a go next time, though. This is not the spiciest dish I've ever had, but you could use chipotle chili powder or cayenne to crank up the heat a notch or two.

For the record, this stuff makes a ton, but it sure is good!

Chicken Enchilada Pasta

2 tbsp canola oil
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 tbsp cumin
2 tbsp chili powder
2-3 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
1 10-oz can red enchilada sauce
2 10-oz cans green enchilada sauce
1 15-oz can beans, rinsed & drained (your choice - I used kidney but black or pinto would work too)
2 c shredded cheese (I used a Mexican blend)
1 c sour cream
16 oz penne
tomatoes, sour cream, avocado, and/or green onion for garnish

Cook penne according to package directions. Meanwhile, heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook onions in hot oil until nearly translucent. Add garlic and bell pepper; continue cooking until tender. Stir in cumin, chili powder, chicken, enchilada sauce, and beans. Bring just to a boil and stir in cheese until melted. Remove from heat and stir in sour cream. Add pasta. Garnish as desired.

Serves: at least 6, maybe 8.

Peanut Butter Pie

2011-09-02T21:52:00.001-05:00

This ain't your momma's peanut butter pie, y'all.

Actually, it would be more appropriate to say this ain't my momma's pie... because it was her recipe I overhauled. The original was great - a super summery treat that I haven't had in years but have been craving something awful. I decided it needed to be, shall we say, edited.

And here's what I did: swapped out the graham cracker crust for a Nutter Butter crust, added caramel ice cream topping (because it really does go fabulously with PB), and added chopped Reese's cups. Mmmm....

Peanut Butter Pie

24 Nutter Butters
7 tbsp butter, melted
8 oz cream cheese, room temperature
1 c peanut butter
2 c powdered sugar
2/3 c milk
8 oz Cool Whip, thawed
8 oz bag Reese's minis, coarsely chopped
caramel ice cream topping

Crush Nutter Butters in a ziploc with a rolling pin. Stir into butter and press into ungreased 8x10 glass dish. Sprinkle all but 1/2 cup Reese's over cookie crust. Cream together cream cheese, peanut butter, powdered sugar, and milk with a mixer on medium speed until fluffy. Fold in Cool Whip. Spread mixture over crust and sprinkle with reserved Reese's. Drizzle with however much caramel you want. Refrigerate at least an hour to allow it to set up.

Serves 1. (Cause I ain't sharing!!! Okay... realistically it could serve 12, no problem. It's pretty rich. But still, that's only if I'm feeling really generous - which I'm not.)

Peanut Butter Banana Bread

2011-08-30T22:18:00.000-05:00

A week or so ago, I saw a pin floating around on Pinterest that said something along the lines of "Thank you, Pinterest, for making me feel creative when I've actually been sitting at the computer for three hours." Let the record show that this recipe is adapted from one I found on Pinterest!

I am so not a slacker!

This came from this recipe at myrecipes.com, but I had to do some significant adjusting because I just didn't have all the ingredients. What you see below is my version I rarely do that when I'm baking, but I have to say the experiment worked pretty well. It's a tad dry, but that probably has as much to do with the fact that I'm still trying to get used to a new oven and all its quirks. Hey, if nothing else, I used up the bananas that were going to go bad, and I feel confident that the entire loaf will be eaten!

Peanut Butter Banana Bread

3-4 mashed ripe bananas
1/2 c no sugar added applesauce
1/3 c creamy peanut butter
1 tbsp butter, melted
2 large eggs
1/2 c sugar
1/2 c packed brown sugar
1 1/2 c flour
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp allspice
cooking spray

Preheat oven to 350. In a large bowl, beat together banana, applesauce, peanut butter, butter, and eggs, using a mixer on low speed. Add sugar and brown sugar and beat until blended. Stir in flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and allspice until just blended. Spray a 9x5 bread pan with cooking spray. Bake for 1 hour 5 minutes, or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. (dark pans may require less cooking time). Allow to cool in pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to cooling rack to cool completely.

Serves 12.

Mexican Grilled Cheese

2011-08-14T11:43:00.001-05:00

Don't run away screaming when you find out what's on this grilled cheese. Promise? Okay. Good.

I adapted the recipe from Jana Laurene's blog, which has been making the rounds on Pinterest. I have made these a couple of times, and learned a few things in the process. First, I have never been a fan of plain avocado, and even though I salted it to death, that part was still a little bland. So I tried it with my homemade guacamole (recipe here), and oh my word, it is heavenly!!!

Second, cook the bacon in the skillet, and wipe 95% of the fat out. Cook the grilled cheese in what's left. It adds to the sandwich, I promise.

Third, use a sweet, crispy apple - like Honeycrisp or Jazz. You really want that sweetness to offset the other flavors.

It's complex, but delicious. You gotta try it.

Mexican Grilled Cheese

bacon

sourdough bread
spray butter
guacamole
apple, thinly sliced
pepperjack cheese

Cook bacon in large skillet until browned. Transfer to paper towels to drain. Wipe out most of bacon fat, leaving a tiny amount to cook in. Spray one side each of two slices of sourdough and lay in skillet, sprayed side down. Layer enough pepperjack to fully cover each slice of bread. Spread guacamole on one piece. Press apple slices into guacamole. Layer bacon over apple, and turn the other piece of bread over the bacon. Cook the whole thing over medium heat until cheese is melted and bread is browned. Then enjoy the heck out of this awesome grilled cheese!

Guacamole

2011-08-14T11:29:00.001-05:00

Funny how taste buds can change with age. I had always been the person to have the kitchen hold the guacamole. That nasty-looking green stuff reminded me a little too much of the contents of a dirty diaper. Ew.

But not long ago, I tried the creamy guacamole concotion at Abuelos, and kinda fell in love. Then I had some homemade guacamole at a friend's house, and I decided I was hooked. But neither Jeff or I liked the store bought stuff, so I began the quest to make my own. I think this is perfect, so I will share! (Don't you feel lucky?)

Keep in mind that this is to taste; you might want to add more salt, less cayenne, more lime - I suggest starting with the amounts below, then adding to taste once it is all mixed up. Since I started with fairly conservative amounts, it should be adjustable for everyone. I mix this up in the container I plan to store it in, so it doesn't make much of a mess - just the cutting board, knife, fork, and bowl. Can't beat that!

Guacamole

1/4 red onion, finely chopped
7 grape tomatoes, finely chopped
juice of half a lime
dash cayenne
1 tsp Kosher salt
3 avocados

Combine red onion, tomatoes, lime juice, cayenne, and salt in a bowl. Mix well. Cut avocados in half, remove the pit, and scoop out the flesh with a spoon. Using a fork, mash avocado into onion mixture until desired consistency (I like mine really mushed, but others like big chunks.) At this point, you may want to add more lime, salt, and cayenne. Add it a little at a time until it suits you. Store in fridge.

Pumpkin Pie Cake

2011-08-14T10:04:00.000-05:00

This cake is out of this world, especially when it is warm out of the oven. It's ten times better than plain old pumpkin pie, and it has practically no calories. Okay, so maybe I exaggerated on that last part, but you can just have a Diet Coke to compensate. :)

Pumpkin Pie Cake

1 29-oz can pumpkin (not pie filling)
4 eggs
1 13-oz can evaporated milk
1 1/2 c sugar
1 tsp ginger
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 pkg yellow cake mix
1 c chopped nuts

1 c melted butter

Preheat oven to 350. Beat together pumpkin, eggs, evaporated milk, and spices in a large bowl. Pour into an ungreased 9x13 pan. Sprinkle dry cake mix over pumpkin mixture, then sprinkle nuts over cake mix. Pour melted butter over top. Bake for one hour. (It won't look done, but if goes longer, it will dry up.) Serve plain or with Cool Whip.

Peanut Butter Cup Cupcakes

2011-08-14T10:01:00.000-05:00

I got this recipe from a Taste of Home cookbook years ago, and these are officially my favorite cupcakes ever. The PB cups act as a frosting, so these are a nice quick & easy option. I actually prefer the Wal-Mart brand PB cups to Reese's, because I think the smoother texture of the peanut butter works better for this particular recipe. (Don't be hating, now!)

Peanut Butter Cup Cupcakes

1/3 c shortening
1/3 c peanut butter
1 1/4 c brown sugar, packed
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 3/4 c flour
1 3/4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 c milk
16 mini PB cups

Preheat oven to 350. In a mixing bowl, cream the shortening, peanut butter, and brown sugar. Add eggs and vanilla, mix well. Combine flour, baking powder, and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with milk. Fill paper-lined muffin cups with 1/4 cup batter. Unwrap peanut butter cups and place in center of batter till the top of the cup is level with the batter. Bake 22-24 minutes or until toothpick inserted at an angle toward the center comes out clean.

Butterfinger Cake

2011-08-14T09:56:00.000-05:00

This bad boy is rich! It is one of those that tastes better the longer it sits in the fridge - assuming, of course, that it lasts that long.

Butterfinger Cake

1 German chocolate cake mix
1 can sweetened condensed milk
3 large butterfinger bars, crushed
8 oz Cool Whip

Prepare and bake cake as directed. Remove from oven and punch holes in cake with the handle of a wooden spoon. Pour milk over cake. With oven turned off, place cake back in oven for a few minutes until milk soaks into cake. Sprinkle candy bars over cake. When cooled, top with Cool Whip. Refrigerate.

Mississippi Mud Cake

2011-08-14T09:54:00.000-05:00

I've found that there's more than one version of Mississippi Mud Cake. Ours is more like a brownie loaded with marshmallows and a thick layer of frosting. If the frosting is warm enough, it should be pourable. This will make it much easier to frost the cake. We like to use more than 12 marshmallows, though - in fact, we usually cover the cake in them!

Mississippi Mud Cake

2 c sugar
1 c shortening
4 eggs
1 1/2 c flour
1/3 c cocoa
1/2 tsp salt
2 c chopped pecans, divided
12 (or more) large marshmallows
1 box powdered sugar
1/3 c cocoa
1 c butter or margarine, melted
1/2 c evaporated milk

Preheat oven to 300. Cream sugar and shortening in a large bowl. Using a mixer, beat in eggs, one at a time. Add vanilla. In a separate bowl, sift flour, cocoa, and salt. Stir into first mixture. Stir in pecans. Pour into a greased and floured 9x13 pan. Bake 20 minutes. Remove from oven and place marshmallows on cake. Bake 10 minutes longer at 350. Remove from oven. While cake is still warm, mix remaining ingredients and frost cake.

Dad's Favorite Chocolate Cake

2011-08-14T09:49:00.000-05:00

This is the cake Dad likes best. His mother made it for years, and she always called it "Mrs. Pace's Chocolate Cake." Doesn't matter what you call it - it's rich and tasty and ooey gooey. :) Dad likes it with buttercream frosting; I personally prefer chocolate. You can use whatever you like.

Dad's Favorite Chocolate Cake

3/4 c water
1/2 c cocoa
1 tsp vanilla
2 c sugar
2 eggs
1/2 c vegetable oil
2 c flour
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 350. In a small saucepan over medium heat, whisk together water and cocoa. Stirring frequently, cook until mixture thickens, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Allow to cool while mixing remaining ingredients.

In a medium bowl, beat together sugar, eggs, and oil. Sift in flour, soda, and salt. Stir in well blended. Pour in lightly greased 9x13 pan. Bake 30 minutes.

Apricot Nectar Cake

2011-08-14T09:43:00.000-05:00

We've made this many times over the years, and although you could use other types of nectar, apricot is definitely my favorite. It can be a little difficult to find, though - usually it's with the fruit juices, but I have found it in ethnic foods a time or two.

The cake can be baked in an angel food cake pan, bundt pan, or, as we prefer, a 9x13 cake pan. You may need to adjust times accordingly. Either way, it comes out ridiculously moist and delicious.

Apricot Nectar Cake

1 pkg lemon cake mix
1/2 c sugar
1/2 c vegetable oil
1 can apricot nectar, divided
4 eggs
1 c powdered sguar

Preheat oven to 350. In a large bowl, combine lemon cake mix, sugar, vegetable oil, 1 cup of apricot nectar, and eggs. Mix on medium speed for 2 minutes. For angel food pan, bake 25-30 minutes. For 9x13, bake 30-35 minutes. Allow cake to cool 15 minutes. Meanwhile, whisk powdered sugar with approximately 1/4 c apricot nectar to make glaze. Add nectar or powdered sugar to achieve desired consistency. Pour over cake. Allow to sit an hour or so before serving.

Peanut Butter Crunch Cake

2011-08-14T09:39:00.000-05:00

This cake doesn't have frosting, and it doesn't need it. It had a streusel-like topping and is delicious warm.

Peanut Butter Crunch Cake

1 pkg. Duncan Hines Moist yellow cake mix
1/2 c brown sugar
1 c chunky peanut butter
1 c water
1/4 c vegetable oil
3 eggs
1/2 c semi-sweet chocolate chips (I prefer to use mini chocolate chips)
1/2 c peanut butter chips
1/2 c chopped peanut

Preheat oven to 350. Grease and flour 9x13 pan. In a large bowl, use a mixer to combine cake mix, brown sugar, and peanut butter at low speed until crumbly. Reserve 1/2 cup of the mixture. To the remaining mixture, add water, oil, and eggs. Beat for 2 minutes at medium speed. Stir in 1/4 cup each of the peanut butter and chocolate chips. Pour batter into pan. Combine reserved mixture and remaining chips; sprinkle over batter. Bake 40-50 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Miss Frances' Blueberry Surprise Cake

2011-08-14T09:35:00.000-05:00

One summer I interned at a Wal-Mart Distribution center in South Carolina. The customer service coordinator was Miss Frances, a precious older lady who liked to bake. She brought this cake in one day, and it is to die for, I promise.

Miss Frances' Blueberry Surprise Cake

1 can blueberry pie filling (Lucky Leaf, heavy syrup)
3 c. sifted cake flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 c sugar
1 c butter
2 eggs, beaten
1 c sour cream
1 tsp vanilla

Topping
1/4 c. cake flour
3 tbsp butter
1/4 c sugar

Preheat oven to 375. Line a 9x13 cake pan with foil and generously grease the foil. Sift flour once. Add baking powder, soda, and sugar and sift into mixing bowl. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add eggs, sour cream, and vanilla. Beat well to blend. Spread half the batter evenly in prepared pan.Spoon pie filling on top, spreading gently but evenly. Spread remaining batter over pie filling as evenly as possible. Combine flour, butter and sugar to make a crumb topping. Sprinkle evenly over batter. Bake 45 minutes. Cool in pan before serving.

Gooey Butter Cake

2011-08-14T09:31:00.000-05:00

This is a classic, made popular again by Paula Deen. Personally, I prefer my version to the slabs you buy at Wal-Mart, but hey - that's just me. :)

True story - this is the first cake I ever made by myself. I was about eleven years old, and I was so proud of my handiwork. I popped it in the oven, and waited... and waited... and waited... An hour later, it still wasn't done, and I couldn't figure out why.

That was when Mom kindly reminded me that you actually have to turn the oven on before items inside will get warm. :)

Gooey Butter Cake

1 pkg. yellow cake mix
1 egg, slightly beaten
1 stick melted butter
8-oz pkg cream cheese, softened to room temp
1 box powdered sugar
2 eggs, slightly beaten

Preheat oven to 350. Mix cake mix, one egg, and butter. Press into a 9x13 cake pan (light sprayed or greased). Cream together cream cheese, powdered sugar, and eggs. Pour over cake layer. Bake 30-40 minutes, or until slightly browned.

Taco Stuffed Peppers

2011-08-10T21:13:00.001-05:00

I needed a freezer-friendly recipe for a friend who'd just had a baby, and amazingly, I didn't have a single dish that fit that bill for the hot summertime. Everything I freeze is what I consider a winter dish - soups, chilis, etc. After a little digging, I finally settled on stuffed peppers, but I knew I didn't want to make the standard tomato soup version. I lumped together ideas from several different recipes and came up with this version. The picture only shows four peppers - I could have easily filled six. I had a little leftover filling, and it was wonderful on baked potatoes.

Taco Stuffed Peppers

6 bell peppers, any color
1 lb. ground beef
1 small onion, chopped
1/2 c. cooked rice
3/4 c. salsa or picante sauce
1/2 packet taco seasoning
1/2 c. shredded Mexican blend cheese

Preheat oven to 350. In a large skillet, brown beef and onion. Meanwhile, cut tops off peppers and scoop out seeds and membranes. Rinse thoroughly and drop in boiling water for no longer than two minutes. Remove with tongs and set upside-down to drain.

Once beef is cooked, drain excess fat. Stir in rice, salsa, taco seasoning, and cheese. Spoon into peppers. (If desired, top with extra cheese.). Place peppers in a cake pan lined with foil. Bake for 35 minutes. If tops are becoming too brown, lightly cover with foil.

Once cooled, these can be frozen. Wrap individually in foil or freezer paper. To reheat, microwave on high for 5 minutes, or bake 30 minutes at 425.

Serves 6.

Nutella-Mocha No Bake Cookies

2011-08-10T21:04:00.001-05:00

I confess: I have never been a fan of no-bake cookies. I know that's probably sacrilege at its worst, given that no-bakes are nothing more than a combination of the two greatest foods in the world - peanut butter and chocolate - but it's true. I just didn't care for them.

Lately, though, no-bakes have been popping up on Pinterest (you can follow me @ mandalee65). So has Nutella. And so has this funky coffee thing.

So I got to wondering... what if I swapped out the peanut butter in no-bakes for Nutella, and added instant coffee in place of some of the cocoa? In my head it sounded divine, but I wasn't sure it would play out that way in my mouth.

But oh, I was so right. Holy cow, they are incredible! So naturally, I must share. :) The only change I will make is cutting the butter down to 1/2 cup instead of one full cup.

Nutella-Mocha No Bake Cookies

1/2 c. butter
1 3/4 c. sugar
1/2 c. milk
2 tbsp cocoa powder
2 tbsp instant coffee granules
1/2 c. Nutella
3 c. quick-cooking oats

In a double boiler, heat butter, sugar, milk, cocoa powder, and coffee granules until thoroughly dissolved and right to the point of boiling, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and stir in Nutella until melted. Add oats. Drop by spoonfuls onto cookie sheets lined with wax paper. Cool in refrigerator, then store in airtight container with wax paper between each layer of cookies.

Chocolate Gravy

2011-08-08T09:54:00.000-05:00

I think this must be an Arkansas thing - I've never heard of it or seen it anywhere else. Nanny made it for us when we visited, and it was such a treat. She didn't leave a recipe, so Mom had to figure it out herself. Thankfully, she did, so this treat wasn't lost to us.

Chocolate Gravy

1 c sugar
3 heaping T cocoa powder
2 T flour
dash salt
1 tsp vanilla
1 c water

Whisk together all ingredients in a medium saucepan and stir over medium heat until slightly thickened. Serve immediately with biscuits and butter.

Crispy Coated Chicken

2011-08-08T09:52:00.001-05:00

This is a quick & easy recipe - but leftovers aren't great, so only make as much as you need.

Crispy Coated Chicken

1 pkg. onion soup mix, crushed
2/3 c. fine dry bread crumbs
dash pepper
1 egg or 2 egg whites
2 T water
6 boneless skinless chicken breasts
2 T margarine, melted (optional)

Preheat oven to 400. Combine soup mix, bread crumbs, and pepper in a small bowl. In a second bowl, beat together egg and water. Dip chicken into egg, then coat with crumbs. Transfer to ungreased baking sheet. Drizzle with margarine. Bake 30 minutes, or until juices run clear.

Red, White & Blue Salad

2011-08-07T11:35:00.000-05:00

I don't often post salad combinations (I feel weird calling a salad a "recipe"), but this is one of my very favorites, and truly worth posting. I'm not going to bother with amounts, because it just doesn't matter. Add as much or as little as you want. This is delightful when summer berries are at their best.

mixed salad greens (spinach, arugula, etc)
strawberries, sliced
blueberries
bleu cheese crumbles
cooked chicken, diced
bacon or real bacon bits
olive oil
white balsamic vinegar
1 packet splenda
black pepper
kosher salt

Top the greens with the berries and bleu cheese. In a small skillet over medium heat, cook chicken and bacon together until heated through. Transfer to salad. In the same skillet, add equal parts olive oil and vinegar (careful - it tends to splash. You may need to lift the skillet off the heat entirely.) Stir in splenda packet until dissolved, and add fresh ground pepper and kosher salt to taste. Drizzle evenly over salad.

Strawberry Daiquiri Cake

2011-08-06T20:41:00.001-05:00

Okay, so this is almost the same thing as the Lemonade Cake, but the taste is so different that I thought it warranted its own post. :)

Strawberry Daiquiri Cake

1 strawberry cake mix (I like Duncan Hines)
6 oz. frozen strawberry daiquiri mix, thawed (Bacardi)
3/4 c. powdered sugar
8-oz tub Cool Whip

Make cake according to directions. Allow to cool 15 minutes, then poke holes all the way through with a knife. Whisk together daiquiri mix and powdered sugar until smooth and pour over cake. Refrigerate until absorbed into cake, then frost with Cool Whip. Store in refrigerator.

State Fair Subs

2011-08-01T08:53:00.000-05:00

I think this recipe came from either a Taste of Home or Quick Cooking book. Jeff can't get enough of these. It's a great cold-weather sandwich, suitable for football parties and the like.

State Fair Subs

1-lb loaf French bread
2 eggs
1/4 c. milk
1/2 t pepper
1/4 t salt
1 lb sausage
1 lg onion, chopped
2 c shredded mozzarella

Preheat oven to 400. Cut bread in half lengthwise. Hollow out top and bottom of loaves, leaving a one-inch shell. Cube the bread you just cut out. In a large bowl, beat eggs, milk, pepper, and salt. Add bread cubes and toss to coat.

In a large skillet, brown sausage and onion. Drain excess fat. Add to bread mixture, stirring gently. Spoon into bread shells and sprinkle evenly with cheese. Wrap in foil, allowing a pocket at the top so the cheese doesn't stick. Bake 20-25 minutes.

Mrs. Betty's Strawberry Cake

2011-08-01T08:32:00.000-05:00

A super-sweet lady at Mom's church brought over this cake after Mom had surgery. It was a fantastic cake, and I promptly had to get her recipe. The note on the recipe said that it was best the longer it stayed in the fridge, but I wouldn't know - I think it only lasted two days!

Mrs. Betty's Strawberry Cake

2 c. self-rising flour
2 c. sugar
4 eggs
1 c. canola oil
1 c. milk
1/4 c. mashed sweetened strawberries
1 sm box dry strawberry jello

Preheat oven to 350. Mix all ingredients and pour into greased 9x13 pan. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean.

Icing
1/2 stick softened margarine
3-4 c. powdered sugar
1/4 c. mashed sweetened strawberries

Mix all until smooth - may need to add powdered sugar or strawberries to get an appropriate spreading consistency. Ice cake and store in refrigerator.

Joyce's Cheese Dip

2011-07-31T19:27:00.000-05:00

This recipe came from the sweet wife of one of Dad's coworkers. It is so good. Although the recipe calls for 8 oz of Velveeta, I typically use a whole pound. Sometimes, if I really want to crank up the heat, I'll use Mexican Velveeta. I've also combined half sausage and half ground beef, because it was what I had on hand. Either way, you can't go wrong. It makes a lot, but can be transferred to a 3-qt Crock-Pot pretty easily if you need to transport it.

Joyce's Cheese Dip

1 1/2 lb. sausage
1/2 onion, chopped
3/4 stick butter
4 tbsp flour
3/4 tsp paprika
3/4 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp garlic powder

1 Tbsp ketchup
2 c milk
1 -oz can Ro-Tel
8-16 oz. Velveeta, cubed

In a large skillet, brown sausage and onion. Drain and set aside. In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Whisk in flour until smooth. Add paprika, cumin, garlic powder, and ketchup. Stir until smooth. Slowly pour in milk, stirring constantly. Add Ro-Tel and sausage/onion mixture. Stirring constantly, heat through. Add cheese and stir until melted. Serve with tortilla chips or Fritos.

Sausage Balls

2011-07-31T19:19:00.001-05:00

Hooray for this old classic! Just in case you actually didn't have a recipe, here's our version - quick and easy. Can't beat that. Oh, and you can make these ahead of time and freeze them, too.

Sausage Balls

1 lb. sausage (hot or mild)
3 c. Bisquick
2 c. shredded cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 400. Allow sausage to warm to room temperature. Mix all ingredients together and shape into one-inch balls. (It is a good idea to wear gloves, since this is pretty messy.) Bake on ungreased cookie sheet for 10 minutes.

Meredyth's Mexican Dip

2011-07-31T19:16:00.001-05:00

Several years ago, Mom helped me write out recipes on 4x6 cards. We laminated them, and even made dividers. Over time, the box holding the cards fell apart, and I wound up with a disorganized mess. I finally bought a new box for them (this time, one that latches!) and in the process of sorting, realized that I had not posted a single appetizer recipe to the blog.

It is well past time to remedy that, methinks. :)

Up first: a delicious Mexican dip that came from my Aunt Meredyth. Since it needs a little time to sit before serving, it's wonderful for parties - just pop it in the fridge the night before and you're ready to go! Note: although you could get away with low-fat or fat-free cheese, don't try it with the sour cream. It will separate and get funky and ruin the dip.

Meredyth's Mexican Dip

1 15-oz can refried beans
8 oz sour cream
8 oz guacamole
1 4-oz can chopped green chilies, drained
1 4-oz can sliced black olives
1/2 pkg. taco seasoning
1/2 c. chopped green onions
1/2 - 1 c. chopped tomatoes
1 c. monterey jack cheese

Layer ingredients in order in a dish. (We use a #3 10-cup square Rubbermaid container.) Refrigerate at least two hours. Serve with tortilla chips or Fritos.

Lemonade Cake

2011-07-30T20:31:00.000-05:00

I've had this recipe sitting in a file for ten years or more, and finally decided I would make it. Oh. My. YUM! It was sooo moist and light and summery - couldn't be better for a hot weather dessert. I am going to experiment with using other kinds of fruit concentrate and cake mixes - like maybe a strawberry daiquiri frozen mix with strawberry cake. Mmmm...

Lemonade Cake

1 lemon cake mix (I used Duncan Hines Super Moist Lemon)
6 oz. frozen lemonade concentrate, thawed
3/4 c. powdered sugar
8 oz. Cool Whip, thawed

Prepare cake according to directions. Allow to cool 15 minutes. Poke holes in cake with a knife or fork. In a medium bowl, whisk together lemonade concentrate and powdered sugar. Pour evenly over cake. Refrigerate until completely cool, then spread Cool Whip over top.

Ranch Potato Salad

2011-05-28T16:57:00.001-05:00

So let me tell you about this incredible potato salad I made... Jeff's parents and grandmother came for a visit, so I thought I'd make burgers and tater salad. Thing is, I don't think I've ever made plain old potato salad - I always tried some weird recipe and it ended in an epic disaster. So I called Mom to see how she made hers and went to get the stuff. Problem: I forgot the relish. So I threw caution to the wind and instead came up with this version, which was sooooo good! I may wind up making it all summer, I liked it so much!

Note: as usual, ingredients are something of a guesstimate. I used both mayo and Miracle Whip because I didn't want to use up all of either of them - it could definitely be an either/or thing. Also, we buy the Ranch seasoning in big containers instead of little packets, so I'm guessing on the amount there, too. Doesn't really matter - just get it to a consistency you like. It's hard to mess it up, I promise. It's ridiculously simple. :)

Ranch Potato Salad

2 lb. Yukon Gold potatoes, diced in 1-in pieces
4 hard-boiled eggs, smooshed
3/4 c. mayonnaise
3/4 c. Miracle Whip
1/4 c. Ranch seasoning mix (probably about two packets)
1/2 lb. bacon
coarse ground black pepper

In a large saucepan, cover potatoes with water and boil until softened, about 15 minutes. Set aside to cool completely. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, coat bacon generously with black pepper and cook until crisp. Set aside to cool.

In a medium bowl, combine mayo, Miracle Whip, and Ranch seasoning. In a large bowl, combine potatoes and eggs. Stir mayo mixture into potatoes until thoroughly coated. Chill at least 1-2 hours. Just before serving, crumble bacon and stir into to potato salad.

Passion Bars

2011-04-01T23:24:00.000-05:00

I pulled this ultra-rich recipe from Allrecipes.com a few weeks ago. It is so good! It goes together pretty quickly, and seems to work best in a glass 9x13 pan. Cut it into very small squares - this stuff is rich!

Passion Bars

2 c. quick cooking oats
1 c. all-purpose flour
1 c. brown sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
3/4 c. butter, softened
1 14-oz can sweetened condensed milk
3/4 c. peanut butter
1/3 c. miniature chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350. Grease a 9x13 pan and set aside. in a large bowl, stir together oats, flour, brown sugar, salt, and baking soda. Cut in butter to form a crumbly mixture. Reserve 1 1/2 c. of crumbs and pat the rest evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan. In a medium bowl, stir together condensed milk and peanut butter (this is a little easier if you warm the peanut butter first). spread evenly over crumb layer. Sprinkle chocolate chips over peanut butter mixture, then crumble remaining crumbs over top. Gently press the top layer of crumbs into the peanut butter mixture just a bit. Bake for 30-35 minutes, until golden brown. Cool completely before cutting into bars.

Serves 24.

Lemony Fruit Trifle

2011-03-19T12:30:00.000-05:00

Ever messed up a recipe and realized the messed-up version was better? heh...This is the perfect spring dessert. You can use whatever fruits you like. My version is below. It originally called for coconut cream pudding and a can of crushed pineapple to mix into the topping. I liked the lemon better, and the whole thing was completely devoured. It was most definitely a hit. :) Amounts for the fruit are guesstimates. I didn't measure; I just layered them into the bowl until they looked pretty. Also, I don't recommend using fat-free half & half or sour cream; over time, the topping will start to separate if you do. Skim milk, however, is fine.

Lemony Fruit Trifle

2 c. red seedless grapes
1 fresh pineapple, chunked (or 2-3 cups canned & drained chunked pineapple)
1 pint blueberries
6 sliced kiwifruit
2-3 c. strawberries, sliced

topping:
1 1/4 c. milk
1/2 c. half & half
1/2 c. sour cream
1 + 1/2 3.4-oz pkg lemon instant pudding
1 c. shredded coconut

Layer fruit in large serving bowl as desired. In a medium bowl, whisk together milk, half & half, and sour cream until smooth. Add pudding mix and beat with a mixer on high speed for 2 minutes, or until it begins to thicken. Pour over fruit. Garnish with coconut.

Serves 10-12.

Asian Broccoli Slaw

2011-03-06T23:10:00.001-06:00

This is really good, easy to put together, and refreshing for hot summer days! You can sprinkle on chopped cashews right before serving, if you like.

Asian Broccoli Slaw

1 16-oz bag broccoli slaw
1 lb cooked chicken, shredded
1 red pepper, julienned
1 cup sliced scallions

1/3 cup soy sauce
2 tbsp rice vinegar
2 tbsp peanut butter
1 tbsp sugar (or 3 pkts splenda)
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp freshly grated gingerroot
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp sesame oil

In a large bowl, combine first four ingredients. In a medium bowl, combine all other ingredients and whisk until well-mixed. Stir into broccoli mixture until coated. Serves about 6.

Cajun BBQ Rub (for Pork Tenderloin)

2011-03-04T08:24:00.001-06:00

This rub is so good! I do leave out the sage because I don't care for the taste of it. It would work on chicken, too.

Cajun BBQ Rub

lime juice
2 tsp fresh lemon juice
2 tsp paprika
1 tsp packed light brown sugar
1 tsp celery seed
1 tsp ground cumn
1 tsp ground sage
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 1/4 lb lean pork tenderloin, fat trimmed away
2 sprays cooking spray

Rub lime juice over the pork tenderloin. Mix the remaining ingredients in a small bowl with a fork, then pat gently onto the tenderloin, coating evenly.

Broil 5-6 inches from heat, turning once, until meat thermometer reads 160, about 14 minutes

or

To grill, spray grill rack with nonstick spray and preheat grill to high. Set tenderloin directly over heat and grill, turning once, until 160, about 12 minutes.

Transfer tenderloin to a cutting board; let stand 5 minutes before slicing into 1/2-inch rounds. Serves 4.

Chicken with Sausage and Capers

2011-03-01T10:44:00.000-06:00

I bought my first-ever jar of capers for this dish. I had no idea the little buds were so salty! Be sure you rinse them well, or it will overpower the meal - which, by the way, is quite delicious. I added a bit more tomatoes than originally indicated, mostly because I looooove tomatoes, and I absolutely believe you can never have too many. I also couldn't find hot Italian sausage, so I used sweet sausage and added some cayenne. This reheats well, and although I ate it as is, it would be good with roasted potatoes or rice.

Chicken, Sausage, and Capers

2 tsp olive oil
3/4 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut in 1-inch pieces
1/4 lb hot Italian turkey sausage, cut in 1/2-inch slices
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
2 bell peppers, any color, seeded and cut into strips
1 onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp dried oregano
2 15-oz cans fire-roasted diced tomatoes
1/2 c low-sodium chicken broth
2 tbsp capers, rinsed and drained
2 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese, optional

In a large nonstick skillet over medium heat, heat the oil. Saute the chicken until golden and cooked through. Transfer to a bowl with a slotted spoon. In the skillet, cook the sausage, stirring frequently, until cooked through and browned. Pour in vinegar and cook until liquid evaporates. Add bell peppers, onion, garlic, and oregano; cook, stirring, until peppers are tender.

Stir in tomatoes, broth, and capers; bring to a boil. Return chicken to skillet and sprinkle in cheese. Reduce heat and simmer until sauce thickens slightly.

Serves 4.
220 Cal, 8g fat, 13g carb, 2g fiber, 24g protein.

Rice, Black Bean, and Corn Salad

2011-02-24T11:43:00.000-06:00

This recipe came from an older Weight Watchers book. I admit that I'd never eaten rice cold before, and was somewhat concerned about the taste and texture, but it turned out that I didn't need to worry. I really like this salad, although next time I may look for fresh cilantro instead of the dried stuff (all I could find). I adjusted ingredients slightly to suit my taste. It will definitely go into my "make this again" file.

Rice, Black Bean, and Corn Salad

1 cup cold cooked brown rice
1/2 cup cooked corn kernels
1/2 green bell pepper, seeded & chopped
2/3 cup canned black beans, rinsed & drained
1/2 red onion, finely chopped
2 tbsp finely chopped fresh cilantro (or 1 tsp dried)
1/2 jalapeno pepper, seeded & minced
2 tbsp red-wine vinegar
3 tbsp lime juice
1 tbsp olive oil
salt & pepper to taste

In a medium bowl, combine rice, corn, bell pepper, beans, onion, cilantro, and jalapeno. In a small bowl, whisk vinegar, lime juice, oil, and salt and pepper. Pour over rice mixture and toss to coat. Refrigerate, covered, at least 1 hour before serving.

Serves 4 (scant cup each). Points Plus value: 4

Cincinnati Chili

2011-02-22T11:48:00.000-06:00

I will never forget the first time I saw a bowl of chili - with spaghetti mixed in. We'd just moved from Arkansas to Indiana, and the school menus said they were having chili - not spaghetti. In my Southern-bred little mind, that was just entirely too strange to comprehend.

But I was hungry enough to eat it anyway, and it turned out to be okay after all. And although I never quite got used to the sight of spaghetti noodles worming their way through my chili, life went on.

Fast forward 20 years or so, and my constant search for new recipes led me back to an old one. I found a recipe for the classic Cincinnati chili (aka Skyline Chili) and decided to give it a go. It's quite tasty, though I think I will make a couple of changes next time I throw it together. First, I'm leaving out the pork. I can't really taste it, and it adds a lot of fat. Second, I'm going to cut down the cocoa powder by about half. It didn't dissolve well in the chili and it has a slightly powdery texture that I'm not crazy about. Otherwise - yum.

Even with the spaghetti.

Cincinnati Chili

1 lb ground beef
1 lb ground pork
1 large onion, chopped
6 garlic cloves, minced
2 cans kidney beans, rinsed & drained
1 28-oz can diced tomatoes
1 15-oz can tomato sauce
1/4 c white vinegar
1/4 cup baking cocoa (cut this down some)
2 T chili powder
2 T Worcestershire sauce
4 tsp cinnamon
3 tsp oregano
2 tsp cumin
2 tsp allspice
2 tsp hot pepper sauce
3 bay leaves
1 tsp sugar
hot cooked spaghetti

In a large soup kettle, cook beef, pork, onions, and garlic over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Add the remaining ingredients, except spaghetti. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 90 minutes. Discard bay leaves. Serve over spaghetti with typical chili toppings (sour cream, cheese, tomatoes, etc)

Serves 8.
NI (1 cup, without spaghetti): 421 calories, 16g fat, 38g carbohydrate, 11g fiber, 32g protein

French Dip Subs

2011-02-13T13:00:00.000-06:00

This one just left me speechless.

It is that good.

Nuttin' else to say, 'cept that they won't last long!

French Dip Subs

1 3-lb eye of round roast, trimmed of fat
1 can condensed French onion soup, undiluted
1 can beef consomme, undiluted
1 can beef broth (the Campbell's kind)
1 tbsp beef bouillon granules
pepper to taste
hoagie rolls

Cut roast in half and place in bottom of slow cooker. Pour soups and bouillon granules over the roast. Cook on low for 8-10 hours. Shred meat with forks and place on hoagie rolls. Strain broth if desired and serve with subs.

(I'm just guessing, but a 3-lb roast should serve at least 8-10 people.)

Taco Seasoning

2011-02-12T17:47:00.000-06:00

Have you ever thought you had an ingredient on hand, only to realize when you were halfway through making the dish that you were mistaken? Today I was in a pinch for taco seasoning, and I found this fantastic recipe on Allrecipes.com. I made a slight change, using half chipotle powder for the regular chili powder. It was excellent, and I will not likely buy taco seasoning in a package again.

Taco Seasoning

1/2 T chili powder
1/2 T chipotle chili powder
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp oregano
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp paprika
1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper

Mix ingredients well. Store in airtight container if not using immediately. Makes the equivalent of one package of taco seasoning.

Chicken & Wild Rice Soup

2011-02-04T12:14:00.000-06:00

I made some serious adaptations to a recipe I found online, and came up with a healthier, delicious, major comfort food soup. The flavors are mild but the soup is wonderful. The original called for turkey, which I didn't have, but chicken worked nicely, too.

Chicken & Wild Rice Soup

1 32-oz carton fat-free chicken broth
2 cups water
1/2 cup finely chopped green onions
1/2 cup uncooked wild rice
2 tbsp butter
1/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp salt, optional
1/4 tsp poultry seasoning
black pepper to taste
1 10-oz can evaporated skin milk
1 1/2 cups shredded chicken or turkey breast
cooked bacon strips, optional

In a large pot over medium heat, combine broth, water, green onions, and wild rice. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until rice is tender, 35-40 minutes. When rice is tender, melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir in flour, salt, poultry seasoning, and pepper all at once. Cook, stirring constantly, until smooth and bubbly. Stir in evaporated milk and cook until thickened. Add milk mixture and chicken to rice; heat through. If desired, serve with crumbled bacon.

Serves 6

Moo Shu Sloppy Joes

2011-01-17T22:13:00.000-06:00

Have I got your attention? I combined two recipes to come up with this really tasty - albiet rather unusal - sandwich. Don't knock it until you try it - the ingredients are easy to throw together, and it's got a nice, spicy kick. (I will try to post nutrition info once I figure it out.)

Moo Shu Sloppy Joes

1 lb. lean ground beef
2 tsp. cornstarch
1/2 c. cold water
1/4 c. barbecue sauce
1/4 c. hoisin sauce
1/2 c. soy sauce
3/4 tsp. ground ginger
3 c. broccoli slaw mix
8 8-in whole wheat tortillas

In a large skillet, brown beef until no longer pink. Meanwhile, mix all remaining ingredients except broccoli slaw in a medium bowl. Whisk until well blended. Drain any fat off beef. Add sauce mixture. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Cook 1-2 minutes, or until thickened. Stir in broccoli slaw and mix until coated well. Spoon 1/8 of mixture onto one tortilla.

Serves 4.

Snow Cream

2011-01-10T17:20:00.001-06:00

I live in southern Tennessee. We do not expect snow. Not ever. A light dusting, a mere half inch is cause for major excitement 'round here.

So when we got blasted with 6-8 inches (depends on where you live), it was occasion for a little culinary craziness - a. k. a., snow cream. I had no idea how to make it last night, but I set out a bowl anyway. With the help of a friend, I dug up the perfect recipe. It tastes a lot like the ice cream my family made when I was a kid. So should we get a lovely snow like this ever again in my lifetime, guess what I'll be doing? :)

Snow Cream

8 cups snow
14-oz can sweetened condensed milk
1 tsp vanilla

Mix it all in a big bowl. That's it. You may want to use more snow, depending on the consistency you want. Really, it's not about the perfect ice cream, it's about eating ice cream made from snow!

I burrowed a hole down into the snow to pour the milk. It sorta

globs up and this much snow only made about 3 bowls' worth.

Jerk Chops with Pineapple

2011-01-09T09:21:00.001-06:00

I modified a recipe from the Biggest Loser cookbook... and oh my word. It was incredible. I am trying to use my crockpot more often, and had learned some time back that pork chops are infinitely better when slow-cooked. With just three ingredients, prep is a snap. I dumped it in the crockpot last night and it's so good I'm eating it for breakfast this morning! Next time I'm doubling it. I can't recommend this enough - it's easy and delicious and healthy. What could be better?

Jerk Chops with Pineapple

1 lb. boneless pork chops, trimmed
1/2 c. jerk marinade (I used KC Masterpiece)
1 24-oz jar pineapple chunks in juice

Spray the bottom of a slow cooker with cooking spray. Layer chops evenly in bottom. In a small bowl, mix marinade and pineapple (with the juice) until well blended. Pour over chops. Cook on low 8-10 hours or until chops are tender. Serves 4.

Loaded Peanut Butter Cookies

2010-12-27T09:17:00.000-06:00

I dug up this recipe a few years ago from the internet, and it officially became my Favorite Peanut Butter Cookie recipe ever. :) You get a triple whammy from crunchy peanut butter and PB chips. This is one of those cookies that taste better the longer they sit; in fact, I don't like them much until they cool completely. I found that it's easier to shape the cookies if you put the batter in the fridge for a while before baking and in between cookie sheets. Once cool, they will be slightly crisp on the outside and chewy on the inside. These cookies do not spread much when baking, so you can cram quite a few on a single cookie sheet.

Loaded Peanut Butter Cookies

2 c. crunchy peanut butter

1 c. margarine
1 c. sugar
1 c. packed brown sugar
2 eggs
6 tbsp. milk
2 tsp. vanilla
2 ½ c. flour
1 ½ tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. salt
2 c. peanut butter chips

Preheat oven to 375. In a large bowl, cream together peanut butter, margarine, and sugars until well blended. Beat in egg, milk, and vanilla. Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt; stir into creamed mixture. Roll tablespoonfuls of dough into balls. Place cookies 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Press each ball with fork. Bake for 9 to 11 minutes on cookie sheets until edges are lightly brown. Let cool for 2-3 minutes before removing to cooling racks. Makes 10 dozen.

Mulled Cider

2010-12-27T08:55:00.000-06:00

This recipe came from my college roomie. She served this at her wedding (January) and every Christmas after I kept thinking I should make it. This year I finally did. I dumped everything in the slow cooker the night before, and we sipped on cider all day long Christmas Eve day. It was sooooo good! Her original recipe called for orange juice concentrate, which I didn't have, so I improvised and used regular OJ. There are no exact measurements - you can't really mess it up, so just add to taste. I did find that it needed more cinnamon sticks, so I added more in the morning for a total of about 10.

Mulled Apple Cider

apple cider (a gallon or so)
orange juice or orange juice concentrate (if OJ, use two cups. if concentrate, use less)
pineapple juice (optional, maybe a cup or so)
whole cloves (about 1 tbsp)
cinnamon sticks (about 10)

Dump it all in a slow cooker on "keep warm" setting the night before serving. Will keep in slow cooker for about 24 hrs - if it lasts that long!

Bubble Bread

2010-12-03T10:33:00.001-06:00

I can't tell you how often as a child I woke up on Sunday mornings to the smell of Bubble Bread in the oven. Because it is mixed the night before, it was frequently Mom's choice for a speedy breakfast on church days. It had been years since I last enjoyed it, but I suggested to Mom that we make it the day after Thanksgiving. It's completely unfriendly toward dieters, but oh-so-good anyway! Just a note - you need to eat this as soon as it comes out of the oven because the gooey topping hardens very quickly.

Bubble Bread

1 pkg frozen dinner rolls (we use Parkerhouse brand)
1 stick butter or margine, melted
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 c. brown sugar
2/3 c. chopped nuts, optional
1 pkg cook & serve butterscotch pudding (not instant)

Grease an angel food or bundt pan very well. In a small bowl, mix remaining ingredients until well blended. Place frozen rolls in pan and pour butter mixture over the rolls. Cover with a damp towel and allow to rise overnight. In the morning, bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Invert onto a plate and serve immediately.

Serves 6.

Cranberry Relish

2010-11-23T23:26:00.001-06:00

I will be making a double batch of this super-easy relish tomorrow. Though I prefer to make it with Splenda, feel free to indulge with real sugar. How much you need depends on how sweet the berries are. Mix in the sugar last, a little at a time, until you like it.

Cranberry Relish

1 bag fresh cranberries
1 orange, peeled
1 single-serving applesauce
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 - 1 c sugar or Splenda

Pulse the cranberries and oranges in a food processor until smooth. Stir in applesauce a d cinnamon. Add sugar to taste. Refrigerate a few hours before serving. Keep up to a week in fridge.

Thai Turkey

2010-11-22T18:56:00.001-06:00

This is wickedly good - wonderful for leftover Thanksgiving turkey, or you can always use shredded chicken. I actually combined them both this time, because I didn't have quite enough of either, and it tasted just fine. It goes together in 15 minutes or less, and reheats very well - if there's any left! (Leftovers would be wonderful in a burrito, by the way.) It's very low fat (about 4 WW points), too. Serve over a bed of fresh spinach leaves.

Thai Turkey

3 c. diced or shredded turkey
3 green onions
1 red bell pepper
2 garlic clove, minced
4 tbsp. soy sauce
2 tsp. Dried cilantro leaves
2 tbsp. honey
3 tsp. curry powder
2 tsp. sesame oil
1 tsp. cornstarch
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper
1 tsp. vegetable oil
Cilantro sprigs for garnish, optional

Coarsely shred turkey-breast meat. Thinly slice green onions; cut red pepper into 2-inch-long, matchstick-thin strips. In small bowl, mix garlic, soy sauce, cilantro, honey, curry powder, sesame oil, cornstarch, crushed red pepper, and 1/3 cup water until well blended. In a skillet over high heat, in hot salad oil, cook green onions and pepper, stirring frequently, until vegetables are tender and golden. Stir in liquid mixture and shredded turkey meat and cook, stirring to coat turkey well, until heated through. Garnish with cilantro sprigs.

Serves 4.

Italian Chicken Soup

2010-11-06T17:54:00.000-05:00

The original recipe for this elegant soup called for the cook to make her own broth. I did that - once. After that I decided to make the recipe considerably easier on myself, and started using vegetable broth instead. The chicken in this recipe is a good candidate for the slow-cooked Just Chicken, but I have used rotisserie with good success, too. It reheats and freezes quite well.

Italian Chicken Soup

1 carton (4 cups) vegetable broth
2 cups water
2 tsp low-sodium chicken bouillon granules
2 bay leaves
1 15-oz can diced tomatoes, undrained
6 green onions, sliced thin
1/2 c. chopped fresh parsley or 1-2 tbsp. dried parsley
1/4 c. ketchup
1 tsp. crushed rosemary
1/2 tsp basil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 tsp black pepper
2 5-oz cans kidney beans, rinsed and drained
3 c. shredded cooked chicken
Parmesan or Romano cheese, optional

Combine all ingredients except beans and chicken in a large soup pan.Bring to a boil. reduce heat; cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Add beans and chicken, heat through. If desired, garnish with cheese. Serves 6-8.

White Chili

2010-11-06T17:46:00.000-05:00

I adapted this recipe from one I found on the internet, and YUM! This uses chicken from the Just Chicken recipe, but you can use whatever you happen to have. It's a nice change from traditional chili, and if you want to kick up the heat, just add more cayenne and chipotle seasonings.

White Chili

1 tsp. canola oil
1 medium onion, chopped
3 cups shredded cooked chicken
2 cups chicken broth
1 7-oz can diced green chilies, undrained
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp cilantrao
1/2 tsp. chipotle chili powder
1/8 tsp cayenne
2 15-oz cans cannelinni beans (great northern), rinsed and drained
8 oz block pepper jack cheese, divided
sour cream, optional

Heat oil over medium-high heat in a large saucepan. Add onions and cook until tender. Add chicken, broth, and spices. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, cover and simmer for 15 minutes.

Cut block of cheese in half. Shred one half and set aside for garnish. Cut the other half into small cubes. Add cheese cubes and beans to chili. Stir well. Cover and simmer 5 minutes, or until cheese is melted and can be stirred thoroughly into chili.

Stir in beans and cook until warmed through. Garnish with sour cream and shredded cheese. Serves 6-8.

Just Chicken

2010-11-06T17:08:00.001-05:00

I enjoy chicken dishes, but I hate to cut and handle raw chicken. Gross. Recently I discovered a couple of tricks for cooking it that are a) relatively mess-free; b) super-duper easy; and c) produce jaw-droppingly tender chicken that falls apart when you touch it.

So... Tip One: freeze your chicken, and only thaw it enough to get a sharp knife through it. It's so much easier to handle this way, and considerly less slimy. (Though I will admit that your hands get pretty cold by the time you're finished!)

Tip Two: Cook that sucker in the crock pot! I have a 3-qt pot that will hold about 6 boneless skinless chicken breasts (cut up in big chunks). I drop it in the cooker just before bed. In the morning, it's nice and tender, and I pull out the chicken to cool just to the point that I can handle it without burning my fingers, and shred it in a large bowl. This will produce enough shredded meat for 3-4 recipes, or it will make burritos for a crowd of 20 or so. You always want some kind of liquid, but there doesn't have to be a lot of it, either.

Here are a few options for seasonings and liquids. For each one, cut the chicken in big chunks, mix up into the liquid, and cook on low for about 8 hours:

Spicy Chicken
1 jar salsa, your choice
1/2 c. chicken broth or water
chili powder to taste
(You can reserve the liquid if you want, or you can chunk it. I use about a cup and mix it back into the shredded chicken if I am using it for burritos or tacos.)

Generic Chicken (suitable for most any recipe)
1 1/2 c. chicken broth
pepper to taste
pinch garlic powder
salt, optional
(This makes delicious broth. Strain out the gook that floats to the top and save it for a later recipe.)

Italian Chicken
1 1/2 c. chicken broth
1 tsp. oregano
1 tsp. basil
1/2 tsp. crushed rosemary
1 bay leaf
black pepper to taste
(Another good one for broth, but make sure you use it in a dish it will complement)

FYI: one boneless skinless chicken breast will shred into about 3/4 cup of meat.

Bruschetta Tilapia

2010-09-24T11:38:00.001-05:00

Ever start to make something that sounded good in your head, but the actual execution was a disaster? I do that a lot. I'm trying to diet again, and I knew that fish would be good for me. It's something I usually enjoy, but a while back I had some that wasn't cooked all the way and I've struggled to eat it since then. But... big bags of tilapia were on sale, so I decided to try again. I had some Campari tomatoes that were going to go bad soon, so I thought I'd tried a bruschetta-inspired fish. I was not entirely confident in my idea, I must confess.

Lemme tell you... it rocked! Soooo good. Think I'm over my fish issues now. :) Even better, it only took a couple of minute to throw it in the oven. I made it for one, but you can easily adjust to make as much as you need - just make sure you give each piece of fish room to cook evenly.

Bruschetta Tilapia

1 tilapia filet
4 cherry tomatoes, quartered
1 tsp dried basil
salt & pepper to taste
1/4 c. reduced-fat mozzarella

Preheat oven to 380. Line a cookie sheet with foil and spray with nonstick cooking spray. Arrange tomatoes on top of fish and sprinkle with basil, salt and pepper. Bake for 12-18 minutes, or until fish flakes with fork (some people like it more done than others; use your best judgment. Just make sure it's cooked through.) Sprinkle with mozzarella. Serves 1.

Honey-Lime Chipotle Chicken

2010-06-03T21:05:00.002-05:00

It's been a bit too long since my last post. However, I have started Weight Watchers again for the umpteenth time, and decided to do a little experiment on the grill. The first recipe is for the marinade; I daresay it would be delicious on pork as well as chicken. The second is one version of a salad; and let me assure you that it's divine. I used some of the reserved marinade as a dressing, but a simple vinegar-and-oil treatment would also be tasty.

Chipotle powder adds a smoky heat; use more or less to suit your personal preferences.

Honey-Lime Chipotle Marinade

2/3 c. lime juice
1/4 c. honey
2 tbsp. olive oil
1 tbsp. chipotle pepper powder

In a small bowl, whisk all ingredients until well blended.

To marinate chicken, trim 3 lbs. boneless skinless chicken breasts and put them in a gallon-size ziploc bag. Pour in half of the marinade. Seal the bag and spread chicken evenly. Refrigerate two hours to overnight, and turn at least once to ensure marinade spreads evenly. Grill over medium-high heat, basting frequently with half the remaining marinade, until juices run clear.

Honey-Lime Chipotle Chicken Salad

1 boneless skinless chicken breast, grilled and marinated
2 tbsp. Honey-Lime Chipotle Marinade
1 medium tomato, diced
1 kiwifruit, diced
1 scallion, chopped
2 c. baby spinach or other greens

Combine all vegetables. Top with chicken and marinade. Serves 1.

Some Changes

2010-02-03T06:31:00.002-06:00

I apologize, but lately I seem to be getting a lot of spam comments. To help avoid it, I've turned on comment approval and word verification. I'm sorry, but it's driving me crazy and I don't want to subject what few readers I do have to the obnoxiousness of the spam.

Refrigerator Pickles

2010-01-22T22:21:00.002-06:00

I'm back on a diet (surprise, surprise!), and I'd bought tons of veggies, including a monster of a cucumber. Jeff won't eat them, and I'm not crazy about eating them plain, so I decided to experiment with a refrigerator pickle - no canning requiring. If I do say so myself, they are quite tasty. You can adjust the number of Splenda packets to your taste - I personally like them a little sweet.

Refrigerator Pickles

1 large cucumber, sliced as thinly as possible
1/2 c. white vinegar
3-5 splenda packets
1 tsp. celery seed
3 whole black peppercorns

Combine all ingredients in an airtight container. Seal and turn over container a few times to coat cucumber slices. Chill several hours before serving.

Sausage Spaghetti Pie

2009-07-28T10:06:00.002-05:00

I love spaghetti in all forms, and this recipe was especially intriguing because it is lower in fat and calories. I doubled it from the original and switched up the ingredients a bit. Nutrition is calculated for Ragu No-Sugar Added sauce and whole-wheat spaghetti.

Sausage Spaghetti Pie

8 oz uncooked whole wheat spaghetti
1 pound smoked turkey sausage, diced
1 26-oz jar spaghetti sauce
1 15-oz container reduced-fat ricotta cheese
3 egg whites
3/4 c. grated Parmesan cheese, divided

Preheat oven to 350. Cook spaghetti according to package directions.Meanwhile, in a nonstick skillet, saute sausage for 3-4 minutes or until browned; stir in spaghetti sauce.

In a small bowl, combine ricotta cheese and one egg white; set aside. Drain spaghetti; add 2/3 cup Parmesan and remaining egg whites. Press onto bottom and up the sides of a 9x13 casserole dish coated with nonstick cooking spray. Spoon ricotta mixture into crust. Top with sausage mixture.

Bake, uncovered, for 20 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining Parmesan and bake 5 minutes longer or until heated through. Let stand 5 minutes before slicing.

Serves 8.

Nutrition Info: 313 calories, 11g fat, 6g fiber

Chicken, Cheddar & Apple Toss

2009-07-14T21:40:00.004-05:00

Forgive me for another salad recipe. It's a slightly odd combination (or at least I thought so, but I might just be uncultured). This serves one, and the ingredients are not cut in stone - use however much or little you wish.

Chicken, Cheddar & Apple Toss

1 c. baby spinach, torn
2 oz. grilled chicken, diced
1/2 apple, diced
2 oz. cheddar cheese, cut into slivers
red onion, thinly sliced (to taste)
1 tbsp. dijon mustard
1 tsp. olive oil
2 tsp. vinegar
black pepper

Arrange first five ingredients on plate. Whisk together mustard, oil, vinegar, and black pepper. Drizzle over salad.

Caramel Apple Salad

2009-07-11T15:07:00.005-05:00

This particular little gem has been floating around the Weight Watchers message boards for some time, and I kept ignoring it because I thought I didn't like pineapple. Now that I've had a change of heart for that particular fruit, I decided to give it a try - and oh, my, is it a wonderful treat! Totally fat-free, it makes a great snack, side dish, or dessert, and I think I will take it to the next potluck dinner. It goes together in ten minutes or less, and I've had some in the fridge for five days and it still tastes fine.

Caramel Apple Salad

1 20-oz can crushed pineapple, undrained
1 box sugar-free fat-free butterscotch pudding mix (instant)
1 8-oz tub fat-free Cool Whip
4 Granny Smith apples, cored and diced (skins on)

In a large bowl, stir dry pudding mix into pineapple until well blended. Fold in Cool Whip. Stir in apples.

Serves 6-10 (depending how quickly they devour it!)

Spicy Chicken Heck-Yeah Soup

2009-06-06T22:03:00.004-05:00

I occasionally have one of those days when I'm hungry, and I know I planned menus, but can't remember where I left the list, so I just start throwing stuff in a pan, hoping for the best. Today was one of those days. What came out of the skillet was so delicious that Jeff can't quit ranting about it. I asked him what I should call it, and "Chicken Heck-Yeah" is what he came up with. Goofy as it is, I can't think of a more original name than that, so Chicken Heck-Yeah soup it is.

By the way, this is a Weight Watchers Core (or Filling Foods) recipe.

Spicy Chicken Heck-Yeah Soup

2 chicken breasts, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1 tsp salt-free southwest seasoning (i.e., Mrs. Dash)
1 14-oz can petite diced tomatoes
1 14-oz can tomato sauce
1 4-oz can diced green chilies
2/3 cup frozen corn
1 15-oz can black beans, rinsed & drained
2 cups water
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp oregano
3/4 cup uncooked instant brown rice

for garnish
lime juice, tortilla chip, shredded cheese, sour cream, etc.

In a very large skillet sprayed with cooking spray, brown chicken until juices run clear. Add tomatoes, tomato sauce, corn, beans, water, and spices. Bring to a boil. Add rice; reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 10-15 minutes. Serve with garnishes as desired.

Sweet & Sour Chicken Stir-Fry

2009-05-02T15:19:00.003-05:00

This delish concoction came from the Biggest Loser Family Cookbook. I added carrots and extra peppers for color, and think the result is yummy!

Sweet & Sour Chicken Stir-Fry

1 tbsp. cornstarch
1 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 salt
ground black pepper to taste
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed and cut into bite-size cubes
1 tbsp. toasted sesame oil, divided
1/2 each red, green, and yellow bell pepper, cut in half-inch pieces
1/2 onion, cut into half-inch pieces
3 carrots, cut into matchstick-size pieces
2 tbsp freshly minced garlic
1/2 cup bottled sweet & sour sauce

Heat half of the sesame oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add peppers, carrots, and onion. Stir frequently until tender. Transfer to a bowl and keep warm.

Meanwhile, combine cornstarch, garlic powder, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Add chicken and toss to coat thoroughly. Transfer to skillet. Spread into a single layer and cook until juices run clear, about 5 minutes. Stir vegetables back in to reheat. Remove from heat; stir in sweet & sour sauce. Serve with rice.

Serves 4.

223 calories, 5g fat, 1g fiber, 283 mg sodium (does not include rice)

Strawberry Salad

2009-04-13T12:01:00.003-05:00

Forgive me for yet another super-simplistic recipe. This combination is so simple, and yet so good, that I just had to share. (Besides, it looks so pretty on the plate!)

The amounts serve one person, but obviously it would be easy to double. I use Maple Farms brand dressing - it's very good.

Strawberry Salad

2 cups baby spinach leaves, torn a bit
1/2 grilled or baked chicken breast, sliced
4 large strawberries, diced
2 tbsp. raspberry viniagrette

Arrange on a plate and drizzle with dressing. Serves 1

Baked Brown Rice

2009-04-10T21:07:00.002-05:00

I will admit that cooking rice should be a no-brainer. But brown rice is trickier, because it gets gummy on the stovetop. I love the nutty flavor of brown rice, and when I found this method for cooking it (which I believe comes from Alton Brown's Good Eats), I will thrilled. It's easy, low-mess, and gives you perfect brown rice every time.

Baked Brown Rice

1 1/2 cups long-grain brown rice (not instant)
2 1/2 cups fat-free beef or chicken broth
1 tsp salt, optional

Preheat oven to 375. Put rice in a 2-qt casserole dish coated with cooking spray. In a saucepan, bring broth just to a boil. Pour over rice, stirring to combine. Cover tightly with heavy-duty aluminum foil. Bake on middle rack for 1 hour. Fluff with fork.

Sweet & Sour Ham Skillet

2009-04-10T20:10:00.004-05:00

As I get older, I have learned to try food that previously made me turn up my nose. On an impulse, I decided to get a pineapple, and then didn't know what to do with it. I found this recipe on AllRecipes, and, as usual, adapted it somewhat. This is my version - definitely a keeper. I did use the fresh pineapple, but it originally called for a 20-oz can of unsweetened pineapple tidbits, which you could easily use if pineapple is out of season.

Note: cornstarch-based sauces don't usually freeze well, so you need to plan on eating it all at once (it would be an excellent dish for guests) or getting leftovers from the fridge within 4 days.

Sweet & Sour Ham Skillet

2 tbsp. olive oil
1 onion, julienned
3-4 carrots, julienned
1 c. fresh pineapple, chunked (reserve juices from pineapple when cutting)
1 lb. fully cooked ham steak, chopped (97% lean)
2 tbsp. brown sugar
2 tbsp. cornstarch
1 1/2 cups cold water
2 tbsp vinegar
4 teaspoons prepared mustard
1 tsp. ginger
4 tbsp. soy sauce
hot cooked brown rice

Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add onion and carrots and saute five minutes, until just starting to soften. Add ham and cook five minutes longer, stirring frequently.

In a bowl, combine brown sugar and cornstarch. Whisk in water, vinegar, mustard, ginger, and soy sauce. Slowly pour into skillet. Turn heat to high and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Reduce heat and simmer 2 minutes. Stir in pineapple and cook 2 minutes longer, until sauce is thickened and bubbly.

Serves 6.

Not Your Average Tuna Sandwich

2009-04-05T22:57:00.003-05:00

I will admit that I feel a little strange putting a sandwich recipe on the blog. Seems like it should be obvious, right? Well, this is an adaptation from a recipe in the Biggest Loser Family Cookbook, and it is so weird that I had to try it. It's kind of like a Reuben sandwich - initially, the flavors sound icky, but it's actually pretty good.

I used homemade hummus, since the store-bought kind is hard to find around here. I also roasted my own peppers, but you can buy them jarred if you prefer.

Not Your Average Tuna Sandwich

1 whole-wheat English muffin, split & toasted
2 tbsp. hummus
3 oz. tuna, drained & flakes
4 strips roasted red pepper
1/2 c. baby spinach leaves

Spread both sides of muffin with hummus, then layer remaining ingredients. Serves 1.

Pasta Supreme

2009-03-16T11:58:00.002-05:00

I adapted a Quick Cooking recipe to add a lot more veggies and yummy goodness. It looks like a lot of ingredients, but it's actually not difficult to put together. I will often cook all the onion/pepper I need for multiple recipes at once. When I get a bag of chicken, I boil the whole thing and cut it up for future use. Same thing with the bacon - so most everything was already cooked and I just had to assemble it.

Pasta Supreme

2 cups uncooked penne pasta
1/2 each onion, green pepper, red pepper, orange pepper, and yellow pepper, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp each dried basil, oregano, and parsley flakes
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cooked and cut in 1-in pieces
8 turkey bacon strips, cooked and crumbled
1 10-oz package frozen spinach, thawed and pressed dry
cooking spray
2 14-oz cans diced tomatoes, undrained
1 6-oz can tomato paste
2 cups shredded part-skim mozzarella
1/2 cup grated Parmesan

Cook pasta according to package directions. Preheat oven to 350 and spray a 9x13 casserole dish with cooking spray.

In a large skillet sprayed with cooking spray, saute onion, peppers, garlic and seasoning until almost tender. Add chicken, bacon and spinach, stirring until heated through.

In a blender, combine tomatoes and tomato paste, process until well blended. Stir into chicken mixture. Simmer until slightly thickened.

Toss drained pasta with chicken mixture. Spoon half into casserole dish. Sprinkle with half of mozzarella. Repeat layers, topping with remaining mozzarella and all the Parmesan. Cover and bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake 15-20 minutes longer or until heated through.

Coconut Tilapia with Apricot Dipping Sauce

2009-03-12T18:46:00.003-05:00

Oh, my goodness - I had a wonderful supper tonight! This quick and easy fish was absolutely fantastic. (Sorry, no picture - I was too hungry and there wasn't enough light today for a good shot anyway.) The original (from All Recipes) called for more egg substitute than was needed, so I cut back the amount quite a bit to avoid waste. I was lazy and fried it in the skillet, but you could significantly lower the fat content by baking it for 25 minutes at 350. And don't skip the sauce. It sounds weird, but is incredibly tasty.

Coconut Tilapia with Apricot Dipping Sauce

1 c. flaked coconut, finely chopped
2 tbsp flour
1 tbsp Creole seasoning
4 4-oz tilapia filets
1/2 c. cornstarch
2/3 c. egg substitute
1/2 c. canola oil

Dipping Sauce
1/2 c. apricot preserves
2 tsp brown mustard
1 tsp horseradish sauce

Toss together coconut, flour and Creole seasoning in a bowl. In a separate bowl, toss the tilapia with the cornstarch. Shake off excess. Pour the egg substitute into a third bowl, and dip filets in egg. Press filets into coconut mixture, coating both sides.

Heat oil in a skillet. Fry filets 1-2 at a time on both sides until golden brown. Drain on paper towels.

Meanwhile, mix preserves, mustard and horseradish in a small bowl. Serve with tilapia.

Serves 4

Tarragon Chicken Casserole

2009-03-10T18:12:00.002-05:00

This is a nicely mild dish that is easy to put together. It's would be an excellent choice for a potluck, because the taste should appeal to most everyone and it makes enough for 12 people. If you just don't like tarragon, feel free to substitute any of your favorite spices. One piece of advice - skip the grated parmesan that sits in the pasta aisle. Parmesan is a highly flavorful cheese, and since a little goes a long way, it's well worth it to splurge on a block and grate it yourself. There is simply no comparison in the flavor.

Tarragon Chicken Casserole

2 cans low-fat condensed cream of chicken soup
2 cups evaporated skim milk
4 tsp dried tarragon
1/2 tsp pepper
16 oz linguine or spaghetti, cooked and drained
6 cups cubed cooked chicken breast
1/3 cup Parmesan cheese
paprika, optional

Preheat oven to 350. In a large bowl, combine soup, evaporated milk, tarragon and pepper. Stir in pasta and chicken. Transfer to a 4-qt casserole dish sprayed with cooking spray. Sprinkle with Parmesan and paprika. Bake, uncovered, for 30 minutes or until heated through.

248 calories, 5gm fat, 50mg cholesterol, 373 mg sodium, 31 gm carbohydrate

Sausage & Beans with Rice

2009-03-10T11:37:00.002-05:00

Mmmm... tasty! I love rice and beans, but it can easily turn into a very unhealthy meal. I used a low-fat turkey sausage to drop the fat and calories in this and cut the brown sugar down a bit from the 1/4 cup it calls for. You could use the Splenda brown sugar blend, but you wouldn't want to use more than a tablespoon or so - it's much, much sweeter than regular brown sugar. I really like the slight sweetness to this dish. It made for a nice change of pace from typical rice and beans recipes.

Sausage & Beans with Rice

2/3 c. chopped onion
1/2 c. chopped green pepper
1 tsp. minced garlic
1 tbsp. vegetable oil
1 lb. smoked sausage, cut into 1/4-in slices
1 16-oz can kidney beans, rinsed & drained
1 16-oz can great northern beans, rinsed & drained
1 cup instant brown rice
1 cup vegetable broth
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup ketchup
3 tbsp. corn syrup
1 tbsp Dijon mustard

Preheat oven to 350. In a large skillet, saute the onion, green pepper and garlic in oil until softened. Stir in remaining ingredients and mix well. Pour into a 9x13 casserole dish sprayed with cooking spray.

Cover and bake for 15 minutes. Uncover; bake 10-15 minutes longer or until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender.

Serves 6.

Waffles

2009-03-09T09:16:00.004-05:00

Who says breakfast on a diet can't be decadent? Who says you can't have chocolate for breakfast? :) I love our new house - for the first time, the lighting is good enough for me to take attractive pictures of the food I cook!

Seriously, y'all - this was good stuff! I found a recipe for light waffles, and though the batter looked incredibly thin, they puffed up beautifully. I make several at a time and freeze. Pop one in the toaster and top as desired. This morning I used fresh strawberries and about two tablespoons of Hershey's dark chocolate syrup (absolutely worth the calories, I promise!).

This recipe is easily doubled - in fact, I cut the original in half because it wasn't practical for me to freeze 32 waffles! To easily make your own buttermilk, use regular skim milk and add one teaspoon of white vinegar per cup. Allow it to sit a few minutes before mixing into batter.

Light Waffles

2 cups self-rising flour
1 tbsp sugar
1/8 tsp baking soda
2 cups nonfat buttermilk
1/4 c. vegetable oil
4 egg whites
cooking spray

Combine flour, sugar, and soda in a large bowl. Combine buttermilk and oil; stir well. Add to dry ingredients, stirring until just moistened. Beat egg whites until stiff peaks form; carefully fold into batter.

Coat a waffle iron with cooking spray before spooning in batter.

Makes about 16 waffles

105 calories each, 4 g fat (approximate)

Cheesy Peppered Crock Pot Chicken

2009-03-02T08:40:00.003-06:00

A slow cooker is a beautiful thing in terms of convenience. Prep time for this simple recipe is about 10 minutes, and then you're on to something else. I adapted this from the 2009 Quick Cooking book. Use pepper jack soup if you can find it, but fiesta nacho cheese will also work. You can also vary the amount of salsa to suit your tastes.

ETA: After this sat for a while, I wasn't so impressed. The taste is okay, but if I make it again, I will definitely saute the peppers to soften them before transferring to the slower cooker, because they just don't get soft enough to suit me in the crockpot. I'll probably add onions, too. It did help to add shredded cheese after reheating.

Cheesy Peppered Crock Pot Chicken

1 can condensed pepper jack soup
1/2 cup salsa
3 boneless skinless chicken breasts, uncooked
1 each red, green, and yellow bell pepper
1 small onion, halved & thinly sliced

Cut chicken into 1/2-in chunks. In a 3-qt slow cooker, combine soup, salsa, and chicken. Stir in pepper and onion. Cook on low for 4-5 hours, or until chicken juices run clear. Serve with hot cooked rice.

Serves 6.

(Un)Stuffed Cabbage Strata

2009-02-28T20:00:00.004-06:00

I picked up the Biggest Loser Family Cookbook this week, and I must admit, I am totally impressed - I will likely try 80% or more of the recipes in the book, which is a lot for me. This one had such a yummilicious picture that I wanted to try it, and even though I'm not normally a fan of cooked cabbage, this gets two thumbs up. It is absolutely outstanding. I'd like to try it with the ground chicken, but since I can't buy it locally, I used ground beef - which was fine. I also used turkey bacon instead of center-cut. I also cheated and used prepackaged coleslaw mix instead of shredding the cabbage myself.

Stuffed Cabbage Strata

Olive oil spray
8 slices center-cut bacon, cut into 2-in pieces
1 1/4 c. minced yellow onion
1 cup uncooked instant brown rice
6 cups shredded green cabbage
1 1/2 lb. extra-lean ground chicken bread (or ground beef)
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
2 8-oz cans no-salt added tomato sauce
3/4 cup hot water
hot sauce, to taste (optional)

Preheat oven to 400. Spray an 8x8 casserole dish (at least 3 inches deep) with olive oil spray.

Over medium-high heat, cook bacon until cooked and crisping on edges. Transfer to paper towels to cool. Discard all but 1 tbsp. of bacon fat from the skillet.

Add onions and rice to skillet. Over medium heat, cook in bacon fat, stirring, until onions are tender and rice is starting to brown, about 3-5 minutes.

Spread 3 cups of cabbage in an even layer on bottom of baking dish. Top with rice mixture, spreading evenly.

Add the chicken, salt, and pepper to skillet. Cook until no longer pink, 3-5 minutes. Transfer to baking dish with a slotted spoon. Spread remaining 3 cups cabbage over chicken.

Discard any liquid from the skillet and add tomato sauce and water. Bring to a boil over high heat. Spoon sauce evenly over casserole. Do not let dish overflow. Lay bacon pieces evenly on top of cabbage. Cover tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 45 minutes. Uncover and bake 10 minutes longer, or until the cabbage and rice and tender and the strata is heated through. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Serves 6.

271 calories, 32 g protein, 25 g carbohydrates, 5 g fat (2 g saturated fat), 75 mg cholesterol, 5 g fiber, 462 mg sodium

Cashew Noodle Casserole

2009-02-27T20:04:00.003-06:00

Did you think I had forgotten about you? Of course not - but I haven't done much cooking since the first of the year, when we realized we were going to move in a few weeks. I'm settled in my new place, and have done my first cooking in my new kitchen. Great fun. :)

I adapted this recipe from a Taste of Home cookbook. I changed quantities of most of the ingredients to make it healthier and more economical. It is mild, but quite tasty. If you want to keep some for leftovers, do not add the chow mein noodles before cooking.

Cashew Noodle Casserole

1 lb. lean ground beef
1 large onion, chopped
1 4-oz can mushroom pieces, drained
1 can cream of chicken soup
2/3 cup milk
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp. black pepper
8 oz. fine eggs noodles, cooked and drained
1 cup reduced-fat finely shredded cheddar
1 6-oz package chow mein noodles (I only used half the bag)
1 c. whole cashews

Preheat oven to 350. In a skillet, cook beef and onions over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Add the mushrooms; set aside. In a bowl, combine the soup, milk, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce and pepper. In a 2-qt baking dish coated with nonstick cooking spray, layer egg noodles, beef mixture, and soup mixture. Sprinkle with cheese and chow mein noodles. Bake, uncovered for 20 minutes or until heated through. Sprinkle with cashews. Serves 6-8

Coconut Banana Bread

2009-01-13T19:40:00.003-06:00

We operate on a tight budget, and I try not to waste anything. I often find myself hunting for banana recipes, because we never seem to make it through a batch of bananas before the last two or three are too brown to eat. This recipe came from Quick Cooking, and I adapted it just a bit to suit my preferences. Boy, is it good!!! Watch the cooking time, though - mine only needed 45 minutes.

Coconut Banana Bread

1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
1 c. sugar
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
2 eggs
1 c. mashed ripe bananas (about 2 medium)
1/2 c. butter, melted
1/2 c. flaked coconut
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 c. chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350. Grease a 9x5x3 loaf pan and set aside.

In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a small bowl, combine eggs, bananas, butter, coconut, and extract. Stir into dry ingredients until just moistened. Fold in walnuts.

Transfer to loaf pan and bake 50-55 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan to wire rack.

Chickpea Curry

2009-01-03T21:25:00.002-06:00

This recipe came from my friend Elle, and while it may be a carb overdose waiting to happen, it's gu-u-ud! If you can find light coconut milk, you can lessen the fat content a bit. Serve it with rice or couscous.

Chickpea Curry

1 tbsp. olive oil
1 onion, diced
1 tbsp. garlic
1 tbsp curry powder or curry paste
1 can coconut milk
1 15-oz can chickpeas, rinsed & drained
2-3 medium red potatoes, peeled & diced
1 c green peas (optional)

In a large skillet over medium heat, heat oil. Saute onion and garlic until softened. Stir in curry; mix well and saute 2 minutes longer. Add remaining ingredients. Simmer, covered, from 45-60 minutes, or until potatoes are soft.

Serves 4.

South American Harvest Stew

2009-01-03T21:15:00.003-06:00

Boy, it feels good to be cooking again, even though I'm sick and would rather be feeling sorry for myself in bed! I only made three dishes tonight, since spaghetti is on the menu for later this week and I don't like to make it until I'm ready to serve it. This stew, courtesy of my friend Elle, is chunky, low-fat, low-sodium, and unbelievably tasty. If you can find plain frozen winter squash, go for it - otherwise, cut it half and roast at 400 for 40-60 minutes. I used butternut, but acorn, carnival, sugar pumpkin, or golden nugget would work. Let it cool thoroughly before you try to cube it.

South American Harvest Stew

1 Tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 medium bell pepper, any color, diced
4 heaping cups cubed cooked orange winter squash
3 c. cooked corn kernels
28-oz can diced tomatoes, undrained
10-oz red or black beans, drained and rinsed
1 c. water
2 tsp. cumin
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
salt to taste
hot cooked rice

In a large soup pot over medium heat, warm oil. Add onion and pepper; saute until tender. Add all remaining ingredients except rice. Bring to boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer 15-20 minutes. Serve with rice.

Serves 8

Tropical Breakfast Quinoa

2009-01-01T10:45:00.002-06:00

In honor of my foray into the world of vegetarians, I tried quinoa (pronounced keen-wa, in case you were wondering). The seed/grain (not sure exactly how to classify it) doesn't have a great deal of flavor, but it is a complete protein, and tastes pretty good in this experiment I put together this morning. Next time I'm going to add bananas.

Tropical Breakfast Quinoa

1/2 c. quinoa
1 c. water
3 Tbsp. craisins
3 Tbsp. dried pineapple, chopped
1 Tbsp. coconut
1 Tbsp. chopped walnuts
Sugar or splenda to taste, optional

Thoroughly rinse quinoa (this is important - otherwise it can have an icky bitter taste). Bring quinoa and water to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat and simmer for five minutes. Stir in remaining ingredients and simmer until water is absorbed. If desired, add sugar or splenda to sweeten. Serves 2.

I Haven't Forgotten!

2008-12-31T23:07:00.003-06:00

Just been out of town and busy dealing with school. We've decided as a family to go vegetarian, so I'm having to shift gears a bit in my cooking. Recipes will start flowing again soon, I promise. In the meantime, enjoy your New Year!

Southern Sausage Muffins

2008-12-17T06:13:00.002-06:00

My weekend cooking got a little interrupted, and I wound up splitting the kitchen duty over two days this time. I had decided to make the Shepherd's Inn Breakfast Casserole again, but wanted something to use up the leftover 1/2 lb of sausage. I found this yummy little recipe that tastes very much like a sausage ball, but with a much lighter texture. I used reduced-fat cheese, turkey sausage, and reduced-fat Bisquick to lighten it up. Make sure to store any leftovers in the refrigerator.

Southern Sausage Muffins

1/2 lb. mild pork sausage
1/3 c. green onions, finely chopped
1 1/2 c. Bisquick baking mix
1 1/2 tsp. packed brown sugar
1/2 tsp. dry mustard
1/4 tsp. ground red pepper (cayenne)
2/3 c. milk
1/2 c. finely grated Cheddar cheese (2 oz.)

Heat oven to 400 degrees (375 degrees for dark nonstick pan). Grease bottoms only of 12 medium muffin cups, 2 1/2 x 1 1/4 inches. Cook and stir sausage and onions in 10 inch skillet until brown, crumbling sausage into small bits; drain on paper towels.

Mix baking mix, brown sugar, dry mustard, and red pepper in medium bowl. Stir in sausage mixture, milk, and cheese just until blended. Batter will be thick. Fill muffin cups about 2/3 full, spreading batter to edges of cups. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown. Cool slightly; remove from pan. Serve warm. 1 dozen muffins.

High altitude directions (3500 to 6500 feet) : Heat oven to 425 degrees. Bake about 20 minutes.

Cappuccino Brownies

2008-12-16T09:39:00.004-06:00

Courtesy of my friend Elle, here is a ridiculous easy and absurdly rich brownie recipe. Since they are so rich, I cut them into 1-inch squares to serve

Cappuccino Brownies

1/4 c. hot water
1 tbsp. instant coffee
2 eggs
1 Duncan Hines fudge brownie mix
1/2 c. oil
1 c. cappuccino chips (or semi-sweet chocolate chips if you can't find cappuccino-flavored)

Preheat oven to 350. Lightly grease pan for brownies (whichever size you prefer - use the box for reference). Using a whisk, blend coffee and water until completely dissolved. In a large bowl, stir all ingredients until just moistened. Pour in pan and bake according to directions.

Roasted Chickpeas

2008-11-17T12:43:00.002-06:00

This is a favorite snack of mine, going back to my early days on Core. It is a super-easy recipe, and I keep a can of chickpeas (aka garbanzo beans) in my pantry at all times just for this snack. Use whatever spice combination you like. I've used garam masala, cinnamon & chili powder, Cajun seasoning, and others.

Roasted Chickpeas

1 15-oz can chickpeas, rinsed & drained.
1 Tbsp. spice
olive oil spray

Preheat oven to 400. Line a cookie sheet with foil and spray generously with olive oil spray. Put the beans on the sheet and spray again, then shake the pan to ensure an even coating. Sprinkle with spices and shake again. Bake for 20-30 minutes, until outsides are crispy and insides are soft, checking every ten minutes to shake pan.

Chicken Roasted over Squash

2008-11-15T23:48:00.002-06:00

Lately I have discovered the joys of winter squash, and have been searching for recipes that feature it. This Weight Watchers Core bake was a simple but yummy option. You can use any winter squash you like in this recipe. I used Golden Nugget, but butternut, acorn, or kabocha would work just as well.

Chicken Roasted over Squash

1 onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 medium winter squash, peeled, seeded, and cut in 1/2-in pieces
2 tsp. chopped fresh thyme (or 1 tsp. dried)
1/2 tsp. salt
ground pepper to taste
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
2 tbsp. Dijon mustard
1 tbsp. unsweetened applesauce

Preheat oven to 350. Spray a large skillet with canola spray. Over medium-high heat, cook onion, bell pepper, and squash, stirring until slightly softened, about 7-8 minutes. Stir in thyme, salt and pepper, until mixed. Mound mixture in center of 9x13 baking pan.

Place chicken over vegetables, covering them as much as possible. Stir together mustard and applesauce; brush over chicken. Bake until chicken is golden, about 50 minutes. Cut chicken and serve with vegetables.

Serves 8.

224 Cal, 7g Fat, 2g Sat Fat, 78mg chool, 320mg sodium, 14g carb, 2g fib, 27g protein, 51mg calcium

Roasted Tomato and Wild Rice Soup

2008-11-15T23:42:00.003-06:00

Mmm... the picture in the Weight Watchers cookbook looked so good, I had to try it. I was not disappointed. The recipe calls for a fennel bulb, which I could not find. I substituted one leek, cleaned and diced, and a teaspoon of fennel seeds. The flavors are not intense, but they are complex. It's a very good soup, and easy to make.

Roasted Tomato and Wild Rice Soup

5 tsp. olive oil
2 carrots, diced
1 small fennel bulb, trimmed & diced
1 onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, sliced
7 1/2 cups water
1/2 cup wild rice
1 bay leaf
2 pints cherry tomatoes, halved

Heat 2 tsp of oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add carrots, fennel, onion, and garlic; cook, stirring frequently, until lightly browned, about 7 minutes. Add water, rice, bay leaf, and salt; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until grains start to pop and rice is tender, about 45 minutes.

Meanwhile, preheat oven to 475. Toss the tomatoes with the remaining oil and place cut-side down on a large cookie sheet. (Line with foil first.) Roasted until skins shrivel and just begin to brown, about 20 minutes.

Add roasted tomatoes and juices to skillet. Cook until heated through, about 5 minutes. Discard bay leaf before serving.

Serves 6.

144 Cal, 4g Fat, 1g Sat Fat, 530mg sodium, 24g carb, 4g fiber, 4g protein, 41mg calcium

New Orleans Red Beans and Rice

2008-11-15T23:37:00.003-06:00

This is another recipe taken from Weight Watchers, and it is Core. I like that I only have to use a skillet, knife, and cutting board. You can use leftover rice, or do what I did - use the steam bags of brown rice from the freezer section. Cooks perfectly every time, and tastes better than it does when I cook it. You can use Canadian bacon instead of ham if you prefer a smokier taste.

2 c. brown rice
2 tsp. canola oil
1 onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 lb. ham steak, trimmed of fat and diced
1 15-oz can red kidney beans, rinsed & drained
1 tsp. Cajun seasoning (I used Mrs. Dash to cut down on salt)
1/2 c. chicken broth

Cook rice according to package directions. In a skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add onion, bell pepper, and garlic; cook until softened, 4-5 minutes. Add ham and cook, stirring occasionally, until it starts to brown, 4-5 minutes.

Add beans and Cajun seasoning; cook until heated through. Add rice and broth. Cook until liquid is almost absorbed, about 2 minutes.

Serves 6.

Spiced Pot Roast

2008-11-15T22:28:00.002-06:00

When it comes to cooking a roast, I have tried a million different things, and I never make it the same twice. I've also never used a recipe, until now. I adapted this from a Weight Watchers cookbook to use my CrockPot. You can cook it with the vegetables, but I prefer to cook mine separately. Serve it with roasted potatoes and a salad. The leftovers are also perfect for vegetable beef soup (recipe to follow next week).

Spiced Pot Roast

1 1/2 pound lean eye of round roast, trimmed of all fat
1 14.5-oz can reduced-sodium beef broth
1 tsp. Tabasco sauce
1 tsp. ground coriander
3/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground ginger
1/4 tsp. ground pepper

Spray a skillet with olive oil spray. Sear roast over high heat on all sides. Transfer to slow cooker. Add remaining ingredients. Cook on low 8-10 hours, or until meat is cooked.

Serves 6-8

Crab Chowder

2008-11-15T22:22:00.004-06:00

This chowder goes together quickly, and has a gentle, mild flavor. It is also Weight Watchers friendly. I use imitation crabmeat, because it's hard to find the real stuff where I live. If you do use the real thing, be sure to carefully pick out all the cartilage.

Crab Chowder

1 tbsp. canola oil
1 large onion, diced
1 garlic clove, minced
2 medium red potatoes, diced in 1/2-in chunks
1 large carrot, grated
2 celery ribs, finely sliced
3 slices Canadian bacon, diced
1 15-oz can creamed corn
1 1/2 c. frozen corn
2 tsp. chicken bouillon
1 tsp. worcestershire sauce
6 drops Tabasco sauce
1 tbsp. lemon juice
4 c. water
ground pepper to taste
1 c. crabmeat, flaked
1 14-oz can fat-free evaporated milk
2 tsp. dried parsley

In a large pot, heat oil. Saute onion, garlic, potatoes, celery, carrot, and Canadian bacon. Cook until onion is softened, about 5 minutes. Add corn, creamed corn, bouillon, sauces, lemon juice, water, and pepper. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and cover. Simmer about 30 minutes, or until potato is cooked.

Add crab and cook until heated. Stir in evaporated milk and parley and cook one minute longer.

Serves 10.

Chililicious

2008-11-15T21:24:00.002-06:00

You've got to love the name of this recipe I hijacked from Cathy Zielske's blog. And if you don't know who that is, don't worry - it just means you aren't a scrapbooker. But I digress.

The ingredient list is long, but don't stress. It's pretty easy to put together, and can simmer while you're doing other things. Just make sure your pot is large enough - I used the biggest one I own and it was a squeeze to get everything in there.

This broth-based soup will freeze well. It is loaded with fiber, and is great for chilly winter afternoons.

Chililicious

2 tbsp. olive oil
2 onions, chopped
1 4-oz can chopped green chilies
4-5 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. ground coriander
1 tbsp. chili powder
salt & pepper to taste
3 c. cooked, shredded chicken
2 cartons chicken broth
1 1/2 c. frozen corn
3 15-oz cans navy beans, rinsed & drained
1 15-oz can black beans, rinsed & drained
juice of 1-2 limes
1/2 c. chopped fresh cilantro (or 2 tbsp dried)
1 c. shredded Monterey Jack cheese
lime wedges, tortilla chips (optional)

In a large pot, saute onions and green chilies in oil until soft, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, cook one minute longer. Add dry spices, stirring until mixed well.

Add chicken, broth, corn, beans, lime juice and cilantro. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer for 2-3 hours. Before serving, add cheese. Stir until melted.

Serve with cheese, lime juice/wedges, and tortilla chips.

Serves 12.

Butternut Squash Fries

2008-11-03T11:57:00.002-06:00

I have a new love... butternut squash! It's one of the great things about Weight Watchers. It has opened up an entire realm of foods I never considered - either because I didn't know how to cook it, thought I didn't like it, or just plain didn't know what it was.

Admittedly, the big squash a little hard to cut, but oh, my! it is good! I've been picking up butternut and acorn squash from the grocery store each week, and if all I do is bake and eat, I am one happy camper. I found this recipe from the Weight Watcher website, and adapted it a tiny bit to suit my spice preferences. It's soooo good, and good for you, too!

Butternut Squash Fries

1-lb butternut squash
1 tbsp. garam masala
1 tsp. sugar
cooking spray

Preheat oven to 450. Cut the neck of the peeled squash into 1/2-in strips. You can cut up the bulb part, or reserve it for something else. Line a cookie sheet with aluminum foil and spray with cooking spray. Arrange squash in rows so that they don't touch. Sprinkle with garam masala and sugar. Bake for 14-18 minutes, turning once, until fries are desired crispness. Serves 4

Sauerkraut Soup

2008-10-25T23:49:00.002-05:00

Perfect for cold weather, this is an inexpensive-but-filling stoup (to borrow a Rachael Ray term). It's pretty thick, so feel free to add extra broth if you like.

Sauerkraut Soup

1 lb. smoked turkey sausage, cut in ½-in pieces
5 medium potatoes, peeled & cubed
2 medium onions, chopped
2 carrots, cut in ¼-in slices
3 cans (14 oz) chicken broth
1 can (32-oz) sauerkraut, rinsed & drained
1 can (6 oz) tomato paste

In large saucepan or Dutch oven, combine sausage, potatoes, onions, carrots and chicken broth; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 30 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Add sauerkraut and tomato paste; mix well. Return to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer 30 minutes longer. If a thinner soup is desired, add additional water or chicken broth.

Serves 8-10.

Taco Casserole

2008-10-25T23:44:00.003-05:00

Here's another old favorite that I tweaked to make it lower in calories and fat. Of course, feel free to use regular Doritos, regular cheese, and regular soup, if that's your cup of tea. It will taste every bit as good.

Taco Casserole

¾ lb. ground beef
1 c. brown rice, cooked
3 100-calorie packs Doritos, crushed
1 can reduced-fat cream of chicken soup
1 can fiesta nacho cheese soup
½ c. water
1 can Ro-Tel
1 ½ c. reduced-fat grated cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 350. Brown hamburger. In a medium bowl, mix soups, Ro-Tel, and water. In a well-greased 2-qt casserole dish, layer hamburger, rice, cheese, chips, and soups. Bake 30 minutes.

Aimee's Mexican Chicken

2008-10-25T23:40:00.002-05:00

This quick-n-easy skillet recipe came from my college roommate. It was perfect for us, because it isn't terribly expensive (you can use canned chicken if need be), it's idiot-proof, and it goes a long way. I've cooked it many times over the years. Occasionally I use brown rice instead of white, but other than that, I've made no changes - it's quite good as is.

Aimee’s Mexican Chicken

2 tbsp. butter
4 chicken breasts, diced
1 small onion, chopped
1 can (14-oz) chicken broth
1 can (14-oz) tomato sauce
1 small can corn
1 pkg. taco seasoning
2 c. instant rice, uncooked
1 green bell pepper, chopped
2 c. shredded Cheddar cheese

Melt butter in large nonstick skillet. Brown chicken and onion in butter, until chicken is cooked through. Add chicken broth, tomato sauce, corn and taco seasoning. Simmer until heated through. Add rice; cover and simmer 10 minutes, until rice is thoroughly cooked. Add pepper and cook 5 minutes on low heat. Sprinkle with cheese and serve with tortilla chips (optional)

Reuben Casserole

2008-10-25T23:34:00.003-05:00

I really love a good Reuben. Sauerkraut, cheese, thousand island dressing, and corned beef doesn't sound like an especially good combination - but it's so yummy. This casserole is actually easier to assemble than a sandwich, and you can stick it in the fridge and eat from it for several days. Because there's no pre-cooking required, all you have to do is throw it in the dish and bake.

Word to the wise: get as much liquid from the sauerkraut as you possibly can so the dish doesn't become watery. Also, the stuff in the bag that's in the cooler section (usually by the hot dogs) is infinitely better than its canned counterpart. You can use low-fat 1000 Island dressing, but it doesn't taste as good. Reduced-fat Swiss is fine, if you can find it. I usually "butter" the bread with a low-cal butter spray instead of real butter.

Reuben Casserole

1 14-oz can sauerkrat, rinsed and drained
1 c. Thousand Island salad dressing
1 lb. thinly sliced deli corned beef, cut into strips
2 c. shredded Swiss cheese
4-6 slices rye bread, buttered

Preheat oven to 375. Combine sauerkraut and salad dressing; spread into a greased 9x13 dish. Top with corned beef and cheese. Place bread, buttered side up, over top. Bake, uncovered for 25-30 minutes or until heated through and bubbly.

Menu #1

2008-10-25T23:20:00.005-05:00

Since I am doing a week's worth of cooking in one day, I thought it might be nice to post my menus. Granted, I am new at this, and my technique needs refining. But still - spending 2-3 hours in the kitchen in one afternoon beats spending 45 minutes every night.

This is what I made today:

Chicken Crouton Hot Dish
Sauerkraut Soup
Taco Casserole
Aimee's Mexican Chicken
Reuben Casserole

And here's what I did to put it all together:

1. Put 1 lb chicken breasts in water to boil
2. Brown hamburger meat
3. Cook 1 cup rice
4. Assemble Reuben Casserole & put in oven.
5. Cut cooked chicken & assemble Chicken Crouton Hot Dish. Put in oven with Reuben Casserole. 6. Assemble Taco Casserole
7. Remove Reuben Casserole from oven and put in Taco Casserole.
8. Cut vegetables & sausage for Sauerkraut Soup & allow to simmer
9. Remove Chicken Crouton Hot Dish from oven
10. Clean skillet & dice chicken for Aimee's Mexican Chicken. Cook according to directions.
11. Remove Taco Casserole from oven
12. Add sauerkraut & tomato paste to soup
13. By now the Reuben Casserole has cooled enough to refrigerate
14. Start cleanup
15. Once cooled, all dishes can go into the fridge

It helps that I have made each of these dishes multiple times, so I am familiar with the process. I spent about 3 hours from start to finish. Thankfully, the dishwasher took care of most of the cleanup!

Pork Chop & Rice Casserole

2008-10-18T12:38:00.002-05:00

Mom first made this in my pre-teen years, and it's one of those rare recipes that I've never bothered to tweak. It's perfect as-is, and because it goes together easily and cooks in the oven for two hours, it's a good choice for company. You only need to add a salad and dinner rolls for a complete meal. We make it with pork chops or chicken - you can decide whichever you prefer. It will last a week in the refrigerator, and reheats beautifully. A word to the wise - make sure you grease the casserole dish very well, or the rice will be a sticky gooey mess that you won't enjoy cleaning up.

Pork Chop and Rice Casserole

2 c. uncooked long grain rice
1 pkg. dry onion soup mix
6 pork chops, thin loin
1 can cream mushroom soup
1 can chicken gumbo soup
Salt and pepper
3 c. water

Preheat oven to 350. Spread rice evenly in bottom of well-greased 9x13 dish. Sprinkle with ¼ soup mix. Place pork on rice. Sprinkle with remaining soup mix and salt and pepper. In a medium bowl, combine soups and water. Blend well and pour over pork chops. Cover with foil and bake two hours. Allow to rest 10 minutes before serving.

Amanda's Chili

2008-10-18T12:23:00.006-05:00

There aren't too many recipes for which I claim total credit, but this is definitely one of them. I've experimented for several years, and developed a chili recipe that is Weight Watchers Core, very filling, and somewhat reminiscient of the flavor of Wendy's chili. For you vegetarian-types, this is a great recipe for TVP or soy crumbles.

I make it at least once a month during the winter, and it freezes quite well. Dip two cups into a quart-size ziploc bag, squeeze out all the air, and lay it flat on a cookie sheet. Once frozen, stand the the bag on its side in the freezer and it takes up almost no room.

Amanda's Chili

1 onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1 lb extra lean ground beef
1 15-oz. can tomato sauce
1 15-oz. can diced tomatoes (fire-roasted is best)
1 15-oz. can pinto beans, undrained
1 15-oz. can dark red kidney beans, undrained
1 4-oz can chopped green chilies
Black pepper to taste
1 tbsp. chili powder
1 tsp. cumin to taste
1/8 tsp. cayenne

Spray a large skillet with cooking spray. Over medium heat, cook onion and garlic until transluscent. Transfer to large Dutch oven. Brown hamburger in skillet and add to onion. Stir in remaining ingredients. Bring to boil; reduce heat and simmer 30 minutes. Serve with sour cream and cheese.

Curried Turkey

2008-10-18T12:17:00.002-05:00

I've been busy today, folks - and this week I stuck mostly with the tried-and-true, and only made one new recipe. This particular recipe is easily one of my favorites. It has almost zero fat, and the smell wafting from the kitchen is postively divine. I use leftover turkey around Thanksgiving, and turkey cutlets the rest of the year. Serve it up with brown rice, and you have a delish recipe that fits the Weight Watchers Core program, and is plenty "fancy" to serve up to guests.

Curried Turkey

1 lb. turkey breast, diced
1 tsp. olive oil
1 red onion, chopped
1 yellow onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
2 cans (15-oz) petite diced tomatoes
2 tsp. curry powder
½ tsp. thyme
Black pepper to taste
½ c. water

Brown turkey in oil. Remove using slotted spoon. Sauté onion, pepper and garlic in juices until tender. Add tomatoes, seasonings and water. Cook until heated through. Pour into 2 ½ qt. casserole dish sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Cover and bake at 375 for 45-55 minutes. Serve with brown rice.

White Punch

2008-10-16T06:23:00.003-05:00

Perfect for a wedding, baby shower, or brunch, this punch is the easiest thing in the world to put together. Unlike other varieties, it doesn't stain clothing as easily, which makes it a good choice for events with small children running around. It's a light and refreshing punch, one that I could drink just about any day of the week. For you non-alcoholic types, it's a good choice for a "champange" toast at a wedding.

If you like, you can make an ice ring from fruit to decorate the punch bowl. Using a bundt or angel food cake pan, arrange fruit in a layer about two inches thick (choose the fruit to match your theme - anything goes). Gently pour enough water to just cover the fruit, and freeze overnight. In the morning, set the pan in hot water long enough to loosen the ice, and add it to the punch bowl.

White Punch

White grape juice
Ginger ale

Chill equal amounts of both liquids, and mix just before serving.