Macadamia Caramel Clusters

I've never made this, but my sister-in-law says it's SUPER yummy and tastes like Snickers bars. They are low glycemic (don't cause a spike in blood sugar), vegan, and gluten-free.

-½ cup almond butter
-½ cup agave nectar
-1 tablespoon vanilla extract
-½ tsp celtic sea salt
-1 cup macadamia nuts, toasted
-1 cup dark chocolate 73%

Combine almond butter and agave in a medium saucepan over low heat. Stir in vanilla and salt, then add macadamia nuts. Allow mixture to cool a few minutes. Drop mixture by the tablespoonful onto a parchment lined dish. Place dish in freezer for 10 minutes. Melt chocolate in a medium saucepan over lowest heat possible, stirring continuously to avoid scorching. Remove dish from freezer and drop chocolate over each caramel cluster, spreading gently to coat. Store macadamia caramel clusters in freezer. Remove from freezer just before serving (if left out for long they become quite messy).

Crockpot Stroganoff

I usually double this recipe and then freeze the leftovers for any easy dinner down the road.  If I have them on hand, I will throw in fresh or canned mushrooms as well.

-1 inch chunks or strips of sirloin or sirloin tip (approx. 1 pound)
-1 can Golden Mushroom Soup
-1 can French Onion Soup
-1 can Cream of Mushroom Soup

Combine all ingredients and cook in crockpot on low for about 8 hours. Serve over rice or noodles.

From the kitchen of Cheri Midagliotti

Coke Roast

I haven't tried this one yet, but plan to as soon as I dig my crockpot out from all these boxes!

-1 pot roast (or other crock pot beef of your choice)
-1 packet french onion soup mix
-2 cans regular coke

Mix the soup and coke together. Put in the beef and cook for 10 hours! Serve over egg noodles.

From the kitchen of Michele Toman.

Potato and Corn Chowder

-1 bag (16 oz.) frozen hash brown potatoes, thawed (4 cups)
-1 can (15 1/4 ounces) whole kernel corn, undrained
-1 can (14 3/4 ounces) evaporated milk
-1 can (12 ounces)evaporated milk
-1 medium onion, chopped (1/2 cup)
-8 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
-1/2 t salt
-1/2 t Worcestshire sauce
-1/4 t pepper

Mix all ingredients in a crockpot. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours (or on high for 3-4 hours) to develop flavors. Sometimes I add a little water to make it a little more "soupy."

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Stromboli

One of our favs...

-1 loaf frozen Rhodes bread dough, thawed - you'll find it over in the freezer section near the frozen garlic bread and rolls (lately I've been using a tube of refrigerated pizza dough and it works just as well)
-¼ lb. sliced ham
-¼ lb. sliced pepperoni
-½ lb. sliced provolone cheese
-½ lb. sliced American cheese
-Oregano and garlic powder

Lightly grease a cookie sheet. Spread thawed dough out to fit the cookie sheet (this takes a lot of stretching of dough and patience). Down the middle 3rd of the dough, layer the following:

1st – all the ham
2nd – ½ of each of the cheeses (tear cheese in pieces before layering)
3rd – all the pepperoni
4th – the rest of the cheeses

Sprinkle with oregano and garlic powder. Fold sides of dough over center to cover middle. Pinch dough together to seal. Cover with wax paper and let rise for 30-40 minutes. Bake at 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes. Slice in pieces and serve with marinara sauce for dipping.

This is the original recipe that I grew up eating.  However, you can EASILY swap out any of the meat or cheeses.  Italian sausage (cooked and sliced thin) is fab in this.  Mozzarella would also be an obvious choice to add to stromboli.  I have no idea how the American cheese ended up in this recipe...but it is good!

Apple Pie Spread

-8 ounces cream cheese
-1 T seltzer water
-2 T brown sugar
-1/2 t cinnamon
-1/4 c chopped pecans
-1 red crisp apple (skin on), chopped

Mix cream cheese and seltzer water with mixer on medium until smooth. Add sugar and cinnamon. Fold in the pecans and apples. Refrigerate. Garnish with cinnamon, chopped pecans, and sliced apples. Serve with crackers.

Lemon Burgundy Pork Chops

-4, 1 1/2" boneless porkchops
-1-2 t lemon pepper
-1 T olive oil
-1/2 c dry red wine
-2 t lemon juice

Season chops with lemon pepper and brown in oil. Add remaining ingredients and simmer (covered) for approximately 30 minutes or until cooked through.

Beef Goulash

-3 pounds of stewing beef
-12 ounces bacon
-3 small onions, chopped
-2 tablespoons paprika
-Salt
-1 teaspoon caraway
-4 tablespoons flour, mixed with a a 1/4 cup water
-Marjaram
-Garlic
-1 tablespoon hot pepper (I use McCormicks Fiery 5 Pepper seasoning)

Saute the chopped onion and bacon in a pan. Add the meat, brown it and sprinkle with paprika. Stir and pour on a little hot water, add salt and simmer for 1 hour. Boil off the liquid until only fat remains.  Mix in the flour mixture and some additional water and stew about 30 more minutes. Season the meat with marjaram, mashed garlic and hot paprika to taste, then stew an additional 20-30 minutes. Serve with noodles or dumplings. Top with sour cream.

From the kitchen of Lisa Stone.

Kim's Quiche

This is an adaptation and combination of a few quiche recipes to the "way I like it." Hope you enjoy....

-2 cups shredded Swiss or Cheddar cheese (I usually have the best luck with Swiss)
-2 T flour
-1 1/2 cups half & half
-4 eggs, slightly beaten
-1 pound of ground sausage, browned and drained
-Refrigerated (or frozen) pie crust
-Salt and pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients and pour into a 9 inch unbaked pie crust. Bake at 350 degrees for 50 minutes or until a knife comes out clean.

Pineapple Limeade

This is one of my favorites to serve at a shower!

-½ cup sugar
-3 cups pineapple juice
-½ cup lime juice
-1 liter sparkling water, chilled
-Lime slices, if desired

Mix sugar and juices in large pitcher. Refrigerate until chilled. Just before serving, stir in sparkling water. Serve over ice. Garnish with lime slices (I just let the lime slices float in the pitcher).

Pepper Steak

Another one of my Mom's yummy recipes...

-2 pounds chuck roast, cut into thin strips
-1 can bean sprouts
-1 small can water chestnuts
-2 red peppers, cut into strips
-2 green peppers, cut into strips
-2 T soy sauce
-3 T oil
-3 T corn starch
-2 beef bouillon cubes
-Hot cooked rice

Brown meat in oil. Add 2 cups of water and bouillon cubes and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer for about an hour or until meat it tender. Add peppers and water chestnuts. Simmer for 3 minutes. Add bean sprouts and cook another 2 minutes. Mix cornstarch, soy sauce, and 1/2 cup water in a bowl - add it to meat mixture and cook until thick. Serve over rice.

This one freezes well!

Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

-6 cups boiling water
-6 chicken bouillon cubes
-1 box long grain and wild rice (the kind with seasonings in it)
-Onion, celery, and carrot cut into small pieces
-½ cup butter or margarine, melted
-½ cup flour
-2 cups milk
-1 ½ cups cubed chicken, cooked
-½ tsp. salt
-1/8 tsp. pepper
-Bacon, fried and crumbled

Cook rice according to directions on box and set aside. Sauté onions, celery, and carrots for 1-2 minutes. Add bouillon to water in pot. Make sure bouillon is dissolved and add vegetables. Simmer until veggies are tender. In bowl, add flour to melted butter and mix until smooth, then add milk. Add to pot. Then add chicken, salt, pepper, cooked rice, and bacon. Simmer until hot and serve.

From the kitchen of Rebecca Rivinius.

Sausage Dip

So, so easy. A great last minute dip you can throw together in a pinch. I love making this because it reminds me of drinking beer on our back patio with our neighbors in when we lived in Del Rio. Good times, good times.

-1 pound Jimmy Dean ground sausage (I use HOT)
-1 8 oz. block of cream cheese
-1 can of Rotel

Brown and drain sausage. Combine sausage, cream cheese, and undrained Rotel in a microwave safe dish and microwave (stirring occassionally) until combined. Alternatively, you can put the browned sausage, cream cheese and Rotel in a crockpot and cook (stirring occassionally) until combined. Serve with tortilla chips.

From the kitchen of Michelle O'Neil.

Bacon Wrapped Water Chestnuts

I'm sure many of you already have versions of this recipe in your recipe collection. Here's my favorite version...

-2 cans of whole water chestnuts
-1 package of bacon, cut each slice in half
-Brown sugar

Cut water chestnuts each in half. Coat bacon slices in brown sugar. Wrap bacon around a water chestnut and secure with a toopick.

Broil until bacon is done.

Breaded Artichoke Hearts

A yummy Italian fav. Makes a great appetizer or side dish.

-1 can whole artichokes
-A couple eggs slightly beaten with a little water
-Italian seasoned breadcrumbs
-Olive oil
-Salt and pepper

Drain off liquid in artichokes and cut into halves or quarters. Dip each artichoke into the egg/water mixture. Coat with breadcrumbs, season with salt and pepper to taste, and then fry in oil until golden.

Baked Apples

This is a Thanksgiving favorite that goes back on my mom's side. I can never get them cooked perfectly like hers, but they are yummy just the same.

-Baking apples
-1/2 cup margarine
-1 cup sugar
-2/3 cup flour
-1 t vanilla
-Cinammon

Peel, half, and core apples. Place core side up in a baking dish.

Cream together margarine and sugar. Add in the flour and vanilla and stir well to mix. Spoon the mixture evenly into the core section of each apple. Sprinkle with cinammon and bake at 350 degrees for about an hour.

Test "doneness" with a fork, apples should be slightly soft and tender.

Like I said before, this is a great side dish for Thanksgiving or any turkey dinner. The apples also go well with pork.

Best Ever Chicken Pot Pie

This is the first time I've made a Chicken Pot Pie from scratch...thanks to the prompting of my sister-in-law with her scrummy recipe! This recipe is worth the work...it makes 2 pies, one to bake now and one to freeze.

-2 Refrigerated pie crusts** (you will need 2 pie crusts if making one deep dish pie, or 4 pie crusts if you will be making 2 regular sized pies)
-1 T olive oil
-6 Boneless/skinless chicken tenderloins (or 2 large boneless/skinless chicken breasts), cut into 1/2" cubes
-1/2 large sweet onion, diced
-4 small red potatoes, peeled and cut up into small cubes/chunks
-1 cup frozen corn
-1 cup frozen peas
-1 cup frozen carrots (crinkle cut style)
-2 T butter
-1/2 cup flour (give or take)
-1/2 cup milk
-1 can chicken broth (low sodium)
-1 T honey mustard dressing (I had regular honey mustard at home and just used this)
-1, 8 oz. package neufchatel cheese (low fat cream cheese)
-1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
-Salt
-Pepper
-Sprinkle of olive oil

Preheat oven to 400 degrees; line cookie sheet with foil. Saute cubed chicken and diced onions in olive oil in a frying pan, just until onions are tender and chicken is white (not browned) - set aside. Melt butter in a medium saucepan - add the flour to make a roux; stir with a whisk until well blended (will be almost like a farina consistency). Add milk, chicken broth and honey mustard to saucepan and keep whisking (heat should be high to create a boil). Add the neufchatel cheese - stir until melted. Add the cheddar cheese to the mixture and keep whisking until everything is melted and well blended (consistency should be thick and creamy); add a few dashes of salt and pepper; set aside.

In a deep dish pie plate** lay out the first pie crust, flour side down. Microwave cubed potatoes on high for a few minutes (time depends on wattage and altitude) - I do about 5 minutes. Combine frozen veggies, potatoes, sauteed chicken and onions and cheese mixture in a large bowl - mix together with a large spoon. Fill pie crust(s) with the filling, just about to the top of the crust. Lay the remaining pie crust on top - tucking it over the bottom crust and pressing, to make a seal. Sprinkle a few drops of olive oil on pie crust (I used a pastry brush for a smooth coating) - dash some pepper and rub over the top. Place pie plate onto foil lined cookie sheet (aids in the clean up if there are any spillovers) and bake for about 40 minutes, or until crust is golden brown around the edges and on top.

Let cool a few minutes before serving, so juices can set. Slice and enjoy!

COOKS NOTES:
**Filling mixture will fill a deep dish pie plate, or two regular 9-10 inch pie plates. If using a regular pie plate, buy 4 pie crusts t make 2 pies, or simply freeze remaining mixture for up to one month and use in a future pot pie.

*If you want this as a freezer meal - just prepare everything, but don't bake it. The pie will keep for up to one month in the freezer - just thaw before you bake it.

*If the cheese mixture is a too thick - add some more milk gradually until you get the creamy consistency you want.

From the kitchen of Kelley Midagliotti.

Chicken Cutlets

One of Scott's favorite things to eat. Anytime we go home to visit or my mom is with us, we beg her to make these for us and eat sandwhiches for days! For some reason, hers always turn out a little tastier than mine.

-Frozen boneless chicken or turkey breasts (or veal filets)
-Eggs, beaten with a little water
-Seasoned bread crumbs

Take partially thawed chicken breasts and slice in half to make two thin pieces. Once chicken is completing thawed, pound meat slices until very thin (about ¼” thick). Dip each slice into the egg mixture and then dredge in the seasoned bread crumbs. Fry in oil on the stovetop, seasoning with salt and pepper. Great with fresh Italian bread for a sandwich, sliced and in a salad, a quick chicken parmesan, or just right out of the fridge with your fingers!

Corn Pudding

-3 or 4 green onions with tops, chopped
-4 tbsp. margarine, melted
-1 can whole kernel corn, drained
-1 can cream style corn
-1 cup sour cream
-1 pkg. corn muffin mix (7 oz.)
-2 large eggs

Combine onions, margarine, corn, sour cream, and corn muffin mix and mix well. Whisk eggs in a separate bowl and then add them to corn mixture and mix until moistened. Spoon batter into a greased 1 ½ quart baking dish and bake at 325 degrees for 45-60 minutes until set. Serve immediately.

From the kitchen of Tava Musial.

Baked Potato Soup

This one is worth the effort. Freezes well. You may as well double it and freeze half while you are putting in the work!

-2 ½ lbs. red potatoes, cut up after scrubbing
-½ lb. diced bacon
-Diced yellow onion
-¼ bunch celery, diced
-2 oz. chicken base
-1 qt. milk
-1 tsp. salt
-1 tsp. pepper
-1 ½ sticks butter
-2/3 cup flour
-1 cup whipping cream (or half & half)
-¼ bunch chopped parsley
-1 qt. water

Boil cut up potatoes for 10 minutes and set aside. Sauté onion, celery, and bacon. Drain grease. Add milk, water, chicken base, salt and pepper. Heat until very hot – DON’T BOIL! Melt butter in pan – add flour and cook for 1 minute. While stirring soup, add flour mixture – cook until soup thickens (only stir gently & be patient until it gets thicker). Add potatoes, parsley, and cream. Garnish with green onions chopped, cheese, and bacon crumbles.

Veggie Pizza

I'm sure most of you have a similar recipe in your files, but here's my version...

-2 pkgs. crescent rolls
-2 pkgs. (8 oz. each) cream cheese
-¾ cup Miracle Whip
-1 envelop Hidden Valley Ranch dressing mix
-Various chopped vegetables of your choosing (broccoli, carrots, peppers, olives, mushrooms, celery, etc.)
-Shredded cheddar cheese

Unroll crescent rolls onto an un-greased cookie sheet and pinch all seams together to form a pizza crust. Bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes until golden. Let cool! Meanwhile, cream together the cream cheese, Miracle Whip, and dressing mix. Spread mixture onto cooled crescent crust and then top with various chopped vegetables. Refrigerate for 2 hours and then cut into squares.

Hot Artichoke and Crab Dip

-1 pkg. (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
-1 cup mayonnaise
-1 garlic clove, pressed
-1 can (14 oz.) artichoke hearts, drained & chopped
-1 pkg. (8 oz.) imitation crabmeat, chopped
-3/4 cup fresh Parmesan cheese, shredded
-1/3 cup thinly sliced green onions with tops
-1 tsp. lemon zest
-1/8 tsp. ground black pepper
-1/3 cup chopped red bell pepper
-Additional sliced green onions

Combine cream cheese and mayonnaise in bowl and mix well. Add pressed garlic. Add artichokes, crabmeat, cheese, onions, lemon zest, and black pepper to bowl and mix well. Spoon mixture into baking dish (a pie plate works well). Bake 25-30 minutes at 350 degrees or until golden brown around edges. Sprinkle with red bell pepper and additional green onions. Serve hot with tortilla chips or crackers.

I think this is a Pampered Chef recipe...can't remember where I found it. It's become a holiday fave though!

All American Trifle

A little something in honor of Independence Day! It's super easy and yummy. Happy 4th of July!

-2 cups cold milk
-1 pkg. vanilla Jello pudding (4 serving size)
-1 pound cake, cut into 1/2" cubes
-2 cups strawberries, sliced
-1 cup blueberries
-1 tub Cool Whip topping

Pour milk into large bowl and add pudding mix. Beat with whisk until well blended. Place half of the cake cubes in a serving bowl (approx. 3 quart - I like to use a trifle dish) and top with half of each of the fruits. Spread all of pudding mixture over fruit. Repeat layers of cake and fruit. Top with Cool Whip. Refrigerate at least 1 hour before serving. Refrigerate any leftovers.

Beef Stroganoff

This is one of the recipes my mom has passed down to me. It's a favorite in our house (and was when I was younger too) and one that freezes well. I usually double it so I can freeze some for the next time.

-1 lb. beef tenderloin, cut into fine strips (I always use tenderloin and swear it makes all the difference. However, you can use a cheaper cut of meat if you want.)
-1 stick of margarine
-2 boxes fresh mushrooms, sliced
-½ cup chopped onion
-2 cloves garlic, chopped
-Garlic powder to taste
-1 tbsp. tomato sauce or paste
-1 can beef broth
-Salt and pepper to taste
-Flour as needed to thicken
-½ cup sour cream
-Egg noodles

Brown beef in the margarine. Add the mushrooms, onion, garlic, tomato paste, and broth and bring to a simmer. Whisk a little flour in as needed to thicken sauce (start with a tablespoon and go from there). Cook slowly (covered) for 1-1 ½ hours on stovetop until meat is tender. Stir in sour cream just before serving to make the sauce creamy. Serve over thick buttered egg noodles.

**If you are going to freeze the stroganoff, do so without adding the sour cream. After defrosting and reheating, stir in your sour cream and then serve.

Moroccan Chicken X 2

Grilled Moroccan Chicken - here's a recipe Scott recently came across in a newspaper. It's one we'll be adding to our regular recipe circuit!

-1/3 cup plain nonfat yogurt
-1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
-1 T EV olive oil
-1 T minced garlic
-1 t sweet paprika
-1 t ground cumin
-1/4 t salt
-1/4 t freshly ground pepper
-1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts

In a small bowl, mix together the yogurt, cilantro, oil, garlic, paprika, cumin, salt and pepper. Place the chicken in a shallow dish and spread with half the yogurt mixture. Turn the chicken over and spread with the remaining yogurt mixture. (We just dumped the chicken and marinade in a ziploc baggie and squished around until it was covered well). Cover and refrigerate for 6-10 hours.

Preheat a gas grill to high or prep your charcoal fire. Grill the chicken until it's cooked through, about 5 minutes per side.

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Thrown-together Couscous

To accompany the grilled chicken, I started with a box of couscous and added in some more ingredients for a little more substance. Turned out pretty good...

-1 box of couscous, such as Near East (I like to use the roasted garlic kind)
-1 tomato, chopped
-1/4 of an English cucumber, chopped
-Mushrooms, sliced
-Feta cheese

Prepare your box of couscous. Put into a bowl and allow to come to room temperature. Meanwhile, saute mushrooms in a little margarine for a few minutes. Add tomato, cucumber, and mushrooms to couscous. After couscous is room temperature, add in your box of feta cheese and stir to combine all ingredients.

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If you don't have time to marinade and want some Moroccan flavor without as much fuss, this is another good one...

Moroccan Chicken

-1 tsp. cumin
-1/2 tsp. kosher salt
-1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
-4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
-1 T. vegetable oil
-1 pkg. (6 oz.) couscous, such as Near East (I used the garlic flavored one)
-1 pkg. (6 oz.) fresh baby spinach

Stir together cumin, salt, and cinnamon in a small bowl and then sprinkle over the chicken. Heat the oil in a large skillet on medium. Add the chicken and cook 10-20 minutes or until done, turning once.

Meanwhile, prepare couscous according to the directions on the package.

When done, transfer the chicken to a serving plate. Then start cooking the baby spinach in the same skillet, stirring often, for 1-2 minutes or until it begins to wilt. Blend it in the cooked couscous. Serve the couscous and spinach as a side dish with the chicken.

Per serving:
-341 calories
-40 g protein
-6 g fat
-33 g carbs
-79 mg calcium
-3 g fiber

Pesto Potato Salad

Thanks to my friend Dori for introducing this dish to me at a dinner party a couple years back. Since then, it has become a staple in our household and is definitely preferred over traditional potato salad (it's probably a little healthier too).

Pesto:
-3 cups packed fresh basil leaves
-2 to 3 cloves garlic, to your taste, peeled
-2/3 cup olive oil
-¼ cup walnut pieces or pine nuts (optional)
-1/8 tsp. salt
-¾ grated Parmesan cheese

In a blender or food processor, process the basil, garlic, olive oil, nuts (if using), and salt until smooth, stopping occasionally to scrape down the sides. Scrape the mixture into a small bowl and stir the Parmesan. Cover and refrigerate, tightly covered, until using. If you’re not using within several days, freeze the pesto. It will keep for 2 to 3 months.

Salad:
-2 ½ lbs. red skinned potatoes (7 medium-size ones), scrubbed
-Salt
-1 lemon, halved
-¾ prepared pesto
-Freshly ground
-Black pepper to taste
-1 pint cherry tomatoes
-4 ounces feta cheese, coarsely crumbled

Put the potatoes in a large saucepan and add enough lightly salted water to cover. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to moderately low, and simmer, covered, until potatoes are just tender (check with the tip of a paring knife), 20 to 25 minutes. Drain. When cool enough to handle, cut into bite-size pieces (peeling the potatoes, if desired) and spread the pieces on a baking sheet. Squeeze lemon juice over the pieces. Let cool. When the potatoes have cooled, transfer to a medium-size bowl. Add about two thirds of the pesto and toss well to coat evenly. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a shallow serving dish. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or as long as overnight. When ready to serve, halve the tomatoes and scatter them over the top. Top with the cheese, then dot the top with the remaining pesto. Toss gently, then serve.

From the kitchen of Dori Spaulding.

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Here's my quick "CHEATER VERSION" of it...I know, I know, could I be any lazier...

-2 ½ lbs. new potatoes, halved or quartered
-1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
-1 packet of McCormick's pesto seasoning
-6 oz. container feta cheese
-Olive oil

Boil pre-cut potatoes for 20-25 minutes or until fork tender. Drain and let sit out to cool. Empty pesto packet into a tupperware container (about 10 cup container) or a large bowl, add 3-5 tablespoons olive oil to the seasoning and mix to create a paste/sauce. Once potatoes are completely cooled, put potatoes, tomatoes, and feta into the tupperware container. Seal with the lid and give it a gentle shimmy and shake until all the ingredients are coated with pesto. Drizzle with additional olive oil if needed and shake again. Refrigerate and enjoy!

Scott's Famous Buttermillk Pancakes

I am not the breakfast cooker in this family, but thought I'd share Scott's yummy pancake recipe.

-2 cups all-purpose flour
-2 t baking powder
-1 t baking soda
-1/2 t salt
-3 T sugar
-2 large eggs, lightly beaten
-3 cups buttermilk
-4 T unsalted butter, melted plus 1/2 t for the griddle

Heat griddle to 375 degrees. Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and sugar in a medium bowl. Add eggs, buttermilk, and 4 T butter, whisk to combine. Batter should have small to medium lumps.

Test griddle by sprinkling a few drops of water on it. If water bounces and spatters off griddle, it is hot enough. Brush griddle with butter or some bacon grease. Wipe off excess.

Using about 1/2 cup of batter, pour pancake batter onto griddle about 2 inches apart from one another. When pancakes have bubbled on top and are slightly dry around the edges (about 2 1/2 minutes) flip over. Cook until golden on bottom, about 1 minute.

Enjoy!

Freezer Meal Ideas

With a baby due in just 7 weeks, I'd like to get some freezer meals made over the next month or so. I'll do my typical lasagna, chicken chili, and beef stroganoff because I know they freeze well, but I'm looking for some other ideas too. If you have a recipe that freezes well (and isn't too complicated for my non-Betty Crocker cooking self), please e-mail me the recipe or post it in the comments section.

THANKS!

Turkey Enchiladas

-12 ounces turkey from the deli, chopped
-1 can (8.75 ounce) corn, drained
-1 container (8 ounce) reduced-fat sour cream
-1 1/2 cups shredded reduced-fat Mexican cheese
-2 T. chopped fresh cilantro
-10 (6 inch) corn tortillas (I used 6 large whole wheat tortillas instead)
-1 can (10 ounce) enchilada sauce
-1 cup mild salsa
**We must just love black beans around here! I also added in 1 can of black beans, drained and rinsed.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray 9"X13" baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.

In a large bowl, combine turkey, corn, sour cream, half the cheese, and half the cilantro (and beans if you want them). Microwave tortillas on a microwave-safe dish for about 30 seconds to soften them.

Place about 1/3 cup (more if you are using the large tortillas) turkey mixture on each tortilla and roll up tightly. Arrange in prepared baking dish, seam side down. Repeat with remaining tortillas and filling. In a bowl, stir enchilada sauce with salsa; pour over tortillas to cover. Top with remaining cheese and bake 15-20 minutes or until cheese melts and enchiladas are heated through. Sprinkle with remaining cilantro.

Per serving:
-445 calories
-34 g protein
-42 g carbs
-16 g total fat (7 g saturated)
-6 g fiber
-98 mg cholesterol
-725 mg sodium

Artery Clogging Potato Casserole

This recipe is by no means waistline friendly. However, it is still one of our favorites (especially Scott's). Scott will eat this stuff for breakfast, lunch, and dinner for the next couple days until it's gone! I had to make it for his birthday dinner today. This casserole is the perfect mate to the grilled flank steak that I posted a recipe for way back on 9 July 06. It seems we never make one without the other.

-2 lbs. frozen cubed hash brown potatoes, thawed
-1 stick margarine, melted (for casserole)
-1 can cream of mushroom soup
-2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
-1 pint sour cream
-1 small onion, chopped
-Salt and pepper to taste
-2 cups crushed cornflakes
-1 stick margarine, melted (for topping)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine all ingredients (except cornflakes and last stick of margarine) and mix well. Pour into a greased 9"X13" pan. Mix crushed cornflakes with melted margarine and then spread on top of the potato mixture. Bake at 350 degrees for 60 minutes (30 minutes covered with foil and then 30 minutes uncovered) or until hot. Enjoy!

Baked Chicken and Penne

This is one of the best baked pasta dishes I've had in a while. It's a Weight Watchers recipe, but it is packed with flavor! It was a hit with the whole fam. Preparation takes about an hour from start to finish.

-1/2 pound skinless boneless chicken breasts, cut into 1/4" strips
-1 onion, chopped
-2 cloves garlic, chopped
-1 (28 ounce) can low sodium crushed tomatoes
-1 tsp. Italian herb seasoning
-1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
-2 cups penne or ziti
-2/3 cup non-fat ricotta cheese (I use the full fat good stuff!)
-1/3 cup part-skim shredded mozzarella cheese (I use a heck of a lot more)
-2 tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese

Spray a large non-stick skillet with cooking spray (I just use a drizzle of olive oil); heat skillet. Add the chicken and cook, turning as needed until lightly browned, 5-6 minutes. Transfer to a plate.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Add the onion and garlic to the skillet (after spraying more nonstick spray if that's what you used), stirring as needed until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, Italian seasoning, and pepper (I also add in some fresh chopped basil and a can of mushrooms, drained). Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, stirring as needed until the mixture is thickened slightly, 8-10 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to the package directions. Drain and then mix with the ricotta cheese.

Pour half of the tomato mixture into a 9"X13" baking pan, layer with the pasta mixture, the chicken, and then the remaining tomato mixture. Sprinkle with the cheeses (I used a lot more mozzarella than the recipe called for because we LOVE cheese!). Bake until hot and bubbling and the cheese is melted, about 15-20 minutes.

I don't believe in non-fat anything and typically don't use low sodium products so the "per serving stats" below are without any of my substitutions/additions.

Per Serving:
-381 calories
-5 g total fat
-2 g saturated fat
-40 mg cholesterol
-209 mg sodium
-52 g total carbs
-3 g dietary fiber
-31 g protein
-371 mg calcium
-7 Weight Watchers points

Chicken Tortilla Soup

I tried this one for the first time last night. So easy!

-2-3 cups cooked shredded chicken (I was lazy last night and just threw in some canned chicken - 2 cans, drained)
-2 cans chicken broth (low sodium)
-2 cups instant white rice (I used brown)
-1 jar of salsa con queso
-1 can of cream of chicken condensed soup (low sodium/fat free)
-1 cup of corn
-1/2 cup milk
-1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
-Baked tortillas (I served with tortilla chips)
-Sour cream
-**I felt a little guilty about all that processed cheese so I also added a can of black beans, drained and rinsed

Combine the first seven ingredients in a slow cooker - set on high for quick cooking, low for a slower simmer. Stir every 20 minutes to "marry" ingredients.
When just about done (approx. 1 hour on high; 2 hours on low) - add the shredded cheese; stir until thoroughly melted. Serve warm with crushed tortillas and a dollop of sour cream on top (scallions optional).

From the kitchen of Kelley Midagliotti

Blueberry Scones

This is my favorite scone recipe...I need to dig out my scone pan and get baking. So, so yummy!

-2/3 cup buttermilk or plain yogurt (I use buttermilk)
-1 large egg
-3 cups all-purpose flour
-4 tsp. baking powder
-1/2 t baking soda
-1/4 t salt
-8 T cold, unsalted butter
-1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries (I use frozen blueberries instead)
-1/2 cup sugar

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Coat a scone pan with cooking spray (or just coat a cookie sheet with spray). Beat egg with buttermilk and set aside. In a large bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add butter, cuting with a pastry blender or rubbing with your fingers (I use my fingers) until mixture looks granular. Lightly stir in cranberries/blueberries and sugar. Stir in buttermilk mixture with a fork until a soft dough forms. Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead 5 times. (I do this on some wax paper because blueberries will stain your countertop!). Separate dough into eight equal pieces and press into scone pan. If you don't have a scone pan form into 8 triangle scone shaped pieces and place on baking sheet. Bake 20-25 minutes or until medium brown. Let cool 20 minutes in pan. Remove from pan and cool completely. SCRUMMY!

Sausage Calzones

From start to finish, this usually takes me about 30 minutes to make.

-1 1/3 pounds Italian bulk sweet sausage (I use 1 pound of turkey sausage)
-2 cups ricotta cheese
-Handful of fresh parsley, chopped (I cheat and just sprinkle in a good dose of some mixed Italian seasonings)
-2 cloves garlic, chopped
-Handful of Parmesan cheese
-1/2 tsp. nutmeg
-Freshly ground black pepper
-2 tbsp. chopped pimento (I omit this)
-2 tubes of prepared, refrigerated pizza dough (10 ounces each)
-2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
-Marinara sauce (for dipping)

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Brown sausage in a skillet. Transfer crumbles to a paper towel-lined plate to drain.

Combine sausage with ricotta cheese, parsley, garlic, Parmesan, nutmeg, pepper, and pimento. Roll both tubes of pizza dough out on 2 separate nonstick cookie sheets and cut each dough in half across. Spread 1/2 cup of mozzarella and then up to 1/4 of the ricotta filling on half of each rectangle (I never seem to use all of the filling). Then, fold dough over top of filling and pinch edges firmly to seal.

Bake 12-15 minutes or until golden brown. (I can usually get a salad made during this time). Serve with warm marinara sauce for dipping.

Makes 4 good-sized calzones.

Pasta with Ricotta and Peas

In case you didn't see this one posted in the comments section....

Adam and I had it for dinner tonight. Very simple and Adam actually helped me prepare it (well, he did some stirring). We both devoured it.

-12 oz. whole wheat pasta (I used about 8 oz. pasta)
-1/2 cup part-skim ricotta
-3 tbsp. olive oil
-1 clove garlic, chopped
-1 cup fresh peas (I used frozen peas)
-1 tsp. salt
-1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
-1 cup halved yellow grape tomatoes (I used cherry tomatoes)
-1 lemon, zested

Boil a large pot of salted water and cook pasta according to package directions. Drain, saving 1 cup of cooking liquid. In a bowl, toss hot pasta and the ricotta cheese until combined.

Warm olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic first, then the peas, salt and pepper; saute for about 4 minutes. Add reserved cooking liquid and contine cooking until peas are tender and bright green, about 4 more minutes.

Add the ricotta pasta to the pan; toss over low heat to combine. Add tomatoes and mix. Transfer to a serving bowl and sprinkle with lemon zest. Makes 6 servings.

323 calories
11 progein
10 fat
48 carb
5 fiber

From the kitchen of Michele Toman.

Michele's notes:
When I make, I just wing it. I just make the amount of pasta I need - and cook a ton of peas. I add some mushrooms and grilled chicken, too. I zest a 1/2 lemon and just mix in some ricotta cheese to taste. Another variation is to add some tomato sauce to make a "pink sauce".

Three Pepper Pork Cutlets

-1 (1 lb.) pork tenderloin (I use boneless pork chops instead)
-1 t paprika
-1 t dried thyme
-1/2 t dried oregano
-1/2 t dried rosemary
-1/4 t salt
-1/4 t ground white pepper
-1/4 t black pepper
-1/8 t ground red pepper
-1 t olive oil
-2 cloves garlic, crushed
-vegetable cooking spray

Cut pork lengthwise into 12 slices and pound with meat mallet until 1/4 inch thich (or pound the boneless pork chops to 1/4 inch thick). Combine paprika and next 9 ingredients; rub over both sides of pork. Place pork on pan coated with cooking spray. Broil 5 1/2 inches from heat (with door partially opened) 3-4 minutes per side or until done.

The BEST Banana Bread

-1/2 cup golden raisins (I omit this)
-6 T bourbon or dark rum (I omit this)
-1 cup plus 2 T all-purpose flour
-2 t baking powder
-1/2 t baking soda
-1/2 t salt
-1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
-1/2 cup sugar
-2 large eggs
-4 small, very ripe bananas, mashed
-1/4 chopped walnuts
-1 t vanilla extract
-9X5 inch loaf pan, buttered and floured

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Put the raisins and rum/bourbon in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat, cover, and leave for an hour or until raisins have absorbed most of the liquid, then drain. (I completely omit this step, but you can try it if you'd like).

Put the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium mixing bowl and combine well with wooden spoon. In a large bowl, mix the melted butter and sugar and beat until blended. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then the mashed bananas. Then, with your wooden spoon, stir in the walnuts,** raisins (if you are using them), and vanilla extract. Add the flour mixture, a third at a time, stirring well after each bit. Scrape into the loaf pan and bake in the middle of the oven for 1-1 1/4 hours. When it's ready, and inserted toothpick should come out clean. Leave in the pan on a rack to cool.

**Since not everyone likes nuts, I've also tried this...I've chopped the nuts and then just sprinkled them on top just before putting in the oven. This way there are only nuts on top (not throughout) for those who don't care for them.

From the kitchen of Annie Hafermann (courtesy of Nigella Lawson).

Hot Italian Beef Sandwiches

Here's a new one that I just tried tonight and it gets an A+!

-1 roast (I use a 3 pound shoulder roast or chuck roast so I can freeze the additional meat and use for additional sandwhiches or shredded beef tacos)
-1 packet dry Italian dressing mix
-1 packet dry onion soup mix
-3 c. water or beef broth (I use 1 can beef broth and 1 cup water)

Cook all day (crockpot or low in the oven), shred and serve on buns/hoagies with the broth as a dipping sauce.

From the kitchen of Kristen Rife.

Tilapia, Broiled Broccoli, & Rice

This is one of my favorite last minute dinners...you can get it all done from start to finish in about 15 minutes and it's very healthy.

I am NOT a fan of fish, but I will eat (and actually love) tilapia and orange roughy. They are both very mild, white fish and don't taste too "fishy."

TILAPIA
-Tilapia or Orange Roughy filets
-Butter or margarine
-Lemon pepper seasoning

If needed, defrost your tilapia or orange roughy filets. Lay on a baking dish (sprayed with Pam) and dot each filet with a couple small pats of margarine. Sprinkle generously with lemon pepper seasoning. Place under broiler for 8-12ish minutes or until fish gently flakes with a fork.

BROILED BROCCOLI
A friend of mine who does Weight Watchers introduced this to me a couple years ago and I think it's been the only way we have made broccoli since. It's so much better than steamed broccoli (in my opinion).

Cut up a head of broccoli into bitesize pieces and lay on baking sheet. Spray the broccoli with olive oil. (I have one of those handy sprayers that you fill with oil and them pump with air courtesy of Pampered Chef. I'm sure you could also just drizzle a little olive oil and that would be fine.) Season with some salt, freshly ground pepper, and a little garlic powder. Place under broiler and broil until the tops of the broccoli get a little brown...about 10 minutes. Make sure to check it after 5 minutes...you don't want to burn it. You can broil this at the same time as the fish!

RICE
I am lazy and finish this meal off with some 5 minute brown "Minute Rice." Can't beat it.

Pasta e Fagioli (Pasta and Beans)

I was just scrapbooking some photo's from our trip to Italy last fall and was inspired to add something Italian...

Growing up in an Italian family, this was a staple! Served with some crusty Italian bread it is a full meal. I had a FABULOUS version of this soup while we were in Rome and it seems to be similar to Giada De Laurentis' recipe below.

-4 sprigs of fresh thyme
-1 large rosemary sprig
-1 bay leaf
-1 T olive oil
-1 T unsalted butter
-1 cup chopped onion
-3 ounces of pancetta or bacon, chopped (I use bacon)
-2 garlic cloves, minced
-5 3/4 cups reduced sodium chicken broth
-2 (14 1/2 ounce) cans red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
-3/4 cup elbow macaroni
-ground pepper
-1/3 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
-1 T extra virgin olive oil

Wrap thyme, rosemary, and by leaf in piece of cheesecloth and tie with kitchen twine. Heat the olive oil and butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, bacon, and garlic and saute until the onion it tender, about 3 minutes. Add the broth, beans, and aschet of herbs. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat, then decrease the heat to medium and simmer until vegetables are very tender, about 10 minutes. Discard the sachet.

In a blender, puree 1 cup of the bean mixture until smooth, then return the puree to the saucepan. Cover and return the soup to a boil over high heat. Add the macaroni, cover, and boil, stirring occassionally, until the macaroni is tender but still firm to the bite, about 8 minutes. Season the soup with pepper.

Ladle the soup into bowls, sprinkle with parmesan cheese and drizzle with EV olive oil.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Although the extra time and fresh herbs really do make the difference in the recipe above, I also make a more basic version. You really can't beat this easy and healthy recipe...it takes minutes!

-1/2 cup ditalini pasta, cooked and drained
-2 cans of beans (any kind), drained and rinsed
-1 can diced tomatoes
-1/2-1 can water
-garlic powder to taste
-salt and pepper to taste
-oregano/italian seasoning to taste
-Parmesan cheese

In large pot, combine all the ingredients and simmer for approximately 30 minutes. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and seve with warm bread.

Chicken Cacciatore

This is a new one I tried this week and it turned out great. It's a Weight Watchers recipe so it's not too bad for the waistline either.

-2 t olive oil
-4, 4 oz. skinless chicken thighs (I used 4 boneless/skinless chicken breasts cut into bite size pieces)
-1 onion, chopped
-3 garlic cloves, minced
-3 cups sliced mushrooms
-1 can diced tomatoes (14 1/2 ounce)
-1 green bell pepper, chopped (I used green and red peppers)
-6 ounce container tomato paste
-1 teaspoon oregano
-1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
-4 cups hot cooked spaghetti, pasta, or rice

In a large skillet, heat the oil. Cook the onion and garlic, stirring as needed, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the chicken and brown 2 minutes on each side.

Add the mushrooms, tomatoes, bell pepper, tomato paste, oregano, and pepper. Bring to a boil, stirring as needed. Return the chicken to the skillet. Reduce heat to a simmer, covered, stirring as needed, until chicken is cooked through, about 20-25 minutes. Serve over pasta or rice.

*419 calories, 8 g fat per serving.
*8 Weight Watcher's points

Playdough

We made playdough this morning so I thought I'd share the recipe. This is the same good ole recipe my mom used for me while I was growing up.

Mix together in a medium saucepan:
-1 cup salt
-2 cups flour
-4 T cream of tartar

Add:
-2 cup water
-2 T oil
-Food coloring of your choice

Stir to mix. Heat on medium stirring constantly until very thick. Knead until smooth.

Mixture starts out really runny...

...but clumps up fast.  Keep stirring!

At this point, scrap the mixture all together and place it on your counter.

Knead the "dough" until it is throughly combined.

I separate the dough into 3 different balls so we can do a few different colors.

Drip food coloring drops onto the ball and knead the dough until the color is consistent throughout. Make sure you do this on a cutting board or wax paper so you don't stain your countertop.

Black Bean Chicken

This is my favorite recipe to make for new moms.  Super easy to put together and I can drop it off already cooked or ready for them to put into the oven themselves.

-4 boneless/skinless chicken breasts
-salt
-pepper
-garlic powder
-8 oz. salsa ( I use a 16 ounce jar to provide for extra sauce for the rice)
-15 oz. can of black beans, drained and rinsed
-can of corn, drained *this isn't in the original recipe, but I love adding this in.
-Monterey Jack or Mexican Mix shredded cheese

Season each breast with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Place in a 9X13 pan that's been sprayed with cooking spray. Pour salsa over chicken. Add the can of black beans...a little over each breast. Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for about 35 minutes. Remove from oven and add cheese to top of each breast. Place back in oven for about 10 minutes or until cheese is melted. I serve with brown rice...the salsa and beans make a great sauce for the rice.  Add a dollop of sour cream to the top when serving...I also love jalapenos on mine.

From the kitchen of Alison Pardee.

Strawberry Chicken Salad

-4 skinless & boneless chicken breast halves
-Raspberry Vinaigrette, divided
-8 cups mixed salad greens
-1 quart strawberries, sliced
-2 pears, sliced
-2 avocados, peeled and sliced
-½ small sweet onion, diced
-½ cup pecan halves, toasted

Combine chicken and ½ cup Raspberry Vinaigrette in a large zip-top freezer bag. Seal and chill 1 hour. Remove chicken from marinade, discarding marinade. Grill chicken covered with grill lid over medium-high heat (350 – 400 degrees) 4 minutes on each side or until done. I use my George Foreman grill! Let chicken stand 10 minutes; slice. Place salad greens and next 5 ingredients in a large bowl, and gently toss. Divide mixture evenly between 4 serving plates; top with grilled chicken slices. Serve with remaining Raspberry Vinaigrette.

From the kitchen of Dori Spaulding.

Fiesta Pasta Bake

-8 oz. rotini pasta, cooked and drained
-1 lb green, red, and yellow peppers, cut into strips (I use fresh)
-2 jars (16 oz. each) salsa, divided
-½ lb. cooked ground beef or turkey, drained
-1 ½ cups shredded Monterrey Jack cheese, divided
-Jalapeños if desired

Combine pasta, pepper strips, and 3 cups of salsa. Spoon 3 cups pasta mixture into a 9X13 baking dish. Toss ground meat with the remaining salsa. Spread meat mixture over pasta and sprinkle with ¾ cup cheese. Top with remaining pasta and sprinkle with remaining cheese. Cover with foil and bake 30 minutes at 350 degrees. Uncover and bake 15 minutes more or until sauce is bubbly and cheese has melted. Very easy with just a few basic ingredients! I usually have most of these ingredients on hand so easy to throw together if I have nothing planned.

Arizona Chili

-2 chicken breasts cut into 1” pieces
-½ cup chopped onion
-3 garlic cloves, chopped
-1 can chicken broth
-1 cup water
-2 tsp. cumin
-1 can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
-1 can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
-1 can black eye peas, drained and rinsed
-1 can hominy, drained (you'll find it near the canned corn)
-1 can Rotel
-Tabasco sauce to taste
-Salt and pepper to taste

Saute chicken pieces, onion, and garlic in large pot. Add in all other ingredients and simmer for at least 30 minutes to allow flavors to blend. Serve with sour cream, shredded cheese, and tortilla chips (or homemade toasted tortillas)! THIS ONE FREEZES WELL.

From the kitchen of Kristen Rife.