Dragon Noodles

I stumbled upon this blog http://budgetbytes.blogspot.com/ and have been very impressed with the concoctions she comes up with. They may not be the healthiest but they are simple and cheap. She breaks down the cost per serving so it will help you feel better about cooking at home rather then eating out!  I made this asian dish tonight. It was sooo good and literally from start to finish took 15 minutes. The best part is  I only needed to go get one thing (the noodles) from the store.

*I doubled the recipe and have great left overs for tomorrow
* If you don't like spicy things or are cooking for kids I would half the siracha sauce. Mine and Beaus mouths were on fire by the end but that's the way we like it.
* I also added peanuts but it is good without just a fun twist.

Spicy Noodles 

Total Recipe cost: $2.04 
Servings Per Recipe: 2 
Cost per serving: $1.02 
Prep time: 5 min. Cook time: 10 min. Total: 15 min. 

INGREDIENTS		COST
4 oz.	lo mein noodles	$1.13
2 Tbsp	butter	$0.20
1/4 tsp	crushed red pepper	$0.02
1 large	egg	$0.25
1 Tbsp	brown sugar	$0.02
1 Tbsp	soy sauce	$0.02
1 Tbsp	sriracha (rooster sauce)	$0.08
1 handful	fresh cilantro	$0.22
1 sliced	green onion	$0.06
TOTAL		$2.04

STEP 1: Begin to boil water for the noodles. Once the water reaches a full boil, add the noodles and cook according to the package directions (boil for 5-7 minutes). 

STEP 2: While waiting for the water to boil, prepare the sauce. In a small bowl stir together the brown sugar, soy sauce, and sriracha.

STEP 3: In a large skillet melt 2 tablespoons of butter over medium-low heat. Add the red pepper to the butter as it melts. Whisk an egg in a bowl and then add to the melted butter. Stir gently and cook through. Once the egg is done cooking, turn off the heat.

STEP 4: When the noodles are tender, drain the water and then add them to the skillet with the cooked egg. Also add the prepared sauce. Turn the heat on to low to evaporate excess moisture, and stir until everything is coated well with the sauce. Sprinkle the sliced green and cilantro leaves (whole) on top and serve!

Healthy Banana Blueberry Muffins

I pinned this as soon as I saw it on Mel's Kitchen Cafe (my fave cooking blog) because it looked so yummy and healthy too! I'm not a big muffin person- I'd rather have a cupcake! But, these looked justifiable. So, this morning, I had some bananas that were getting brown so I whipped up a quick batch. And, they were SO good! And, I felt okay about eating them for breakfast because they were 100% whole wheat!

Healthy Banana Blueberry Muffins

*Note: You can sub the equivalent amount of wheat germ for the oats, if you like. Also, I prefer white whole wheat to red whole wheat due to it’s lightness, but either kind of whole wheat flour can be used here.
*Makes 12 muffins
INGREDIENTS:
1/4 cup (4 tablespoons) butter, room temperature
1/4 cup plain yogurt
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 3/4 cups whole wheat flour
1/4 cups quick or regular oats
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 ripe bananas, lightly mashed
1/3 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup frozen blueberries
2 teaspoons flour
DIRECTIONS:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly grease a 12-cup muffin tin with cooking spray. Set aside.
In a large bowl (or the bowl of an electric stand mixer), beat together the butter, yogurt and sugars until the mixture is light and fluffy. Add the eggs and beat well. In a blender or food processor, process the oats until they are finely ground. Add the wheat flour, baking soda and salt and pulse one or two times until the dry ingredients are lightly combined. Pour the dry mixture into the wet mixture and mix until just combined. Mix in the lightly mashed bananas. Stir in the milk and vanilla. Toss the blueberries with the 2 teaspoons flour and then gently fold them into the muffin batter. Divide the batter evenly among the 12 muffin cups. Bake for 20-22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean (watch the muffins carefully since each oven may vary slightly in temperature affecting exact baking time). Let the muffins rest in the pan for about 5 minutes and then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Bell Green Smoothie

I've had a few requests for our family's "green" smoothie. We have been eating this EVERY SINGLE morning for months and months and months and I can honestly say it's expanded my children's palates and also given me more energy during the day. Even Eloise loves it! By the way, it's not always green-colored. It's often a brownish-purplish-greenish hue. Oh, and this isn't an exact science- the measurements are very estimated! So, here it is:

Bell Green Smoothie
serves 5

 2 c spinach leaves
3/4 c kale
1/2 to 3/4 c carrots
1 tomato
2 Tbl ground flaxseed
1/2 c water (or a little less)

Blend all ingredients on high until very blended. Then add:

1 1/2 bananas (not too ripe- it makes it very yucky)
1/2 peach
1 to 1 1/2 c frozen strawberries
1  to 1 1/2 c frozen tropical fruit OR frozen berries (we alternate every other day)

I usually pile all the frozen fruit on a plate and microwave it for about a minute and a half until only slightly thawed (this makes is easier/faster to drink b/c it's not as thick and cold). Add all the fruit to the veggie mixture and blend on high until well blended. Enjoy!!!

Chicken Taco Rice

This is such a yummy meal and a different turn on taco night. I don't have a pic, but you'll get the idea, I think. You can prepare this so many ways and eat it so many ways- it really is very versatile. For example, tonight I made it with black beans instead of corn but you could easily sub the black beans for chicken. I also only use regular brown rice and cook it almost all of the way and then add it in. So yummy.

Chicken Taco Rice
adapted from Blogging: It's what's for Dinner

1 lb. chicken (about 2 chicken breasts)
2 Tb. oil
1 can chicken broth
1- 8 oz. can tomato sauce
1 pkg. mild taco seasoning
1- 12 oz. can drained corn
1 med. red pepper sliced in strips
1 1/2 cup minute rice (or mostly cooked regular rice)
1 cup shredded cheese
1 bag tortilla chips
some sour cream
Some guacamole

Cut chicken in to bite size pieces and saute in oil in a big skillet (big enough to hold all of these ingredients). When chicken is done, add broth, tomato sauce, and seasoning. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, simmer for 5 minutes. Add drained corn and sliced pepper. Bring to a full boil. Stir in uncooked rice. Cover and remove from heat. Let stand for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork. Sprinkle with cheese. Cover again and let stand for just a little while. Serve with chips, sour cream and guacamole. This is even better hours after you make it so you can make it one night have it the next day or make it in the morning and have it that night.

Slow Cooker Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

Now that school has started, I've formed a closer relationship with my slow cooker because I have ZERO extra time (those of you who don't have school-aged kids yet, soak up the hours of deciding your own schedules).  While our weather in Texas hasn't started cooling off yet, soup season is beginning to slowly creep in and I've found a few that I'm dying to try.  This one was top of my list and I'm glad I put it to the test.  It was easy, kid-friendly, full of flavor, and made a lot of hungry mouths happy.

courtesy

Slow Cooker Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

Chef Mommy

4 1/2 cups chicken broth

2 cups water

1 cup diced carrots

1 cup diced celery

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, thawed

1 pgk. Rice-a-Roni long grain and wild rice

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. pepper

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup butter

2 cups half and half (I used fat free)

Combine broth, water, carrots, celery, chicken, rice (with seasoning packet), salt and pepper in the crock pot.  Cook on low for 4 hours, or high for 6 hours.  With about 30 minutes left on slow cooker, melt butter in saucepan over stovetop, add salt and pepper and then flour by tablespoons and mix to make a roux.  Then, whisk in the half and half, a little at a time, until combined and smooth.  Set roux aside while you remove the chicken from the crock pot, shred it, and then put it back in crock pot, along with the roux.  Mix to combine and continue to cook until time is done.  Enjoy!

Roasted Red Pepper and Asiago Caesar Salad

On our recent girls' trip to Utah, we ate at Cafe Zupas and I ordered this salad and their amazing Cauliflower Soup (if you ever go, you MUST try this soup).  It was a perfect combination.  I kept thinking that I could make this same salad at home and so I went home and did just that.  Its so delicious and so easy to throw together.  What I loved about it too is that you can make it into a meal by  adapting it to what you and your kids like (see suggestions below).  My kids LOVED this when I added pasta to it and we all ate it for dinner.

courtesy

Roasted Red Pepper and Asiago Caesar Salad

Adapted from Cafe Zupas

Head of Romaine Lettuce, chopped

Jar of sweet Roasted Red Peppers, diced small (add desired portion)

Asiago Cheese, shredded

Brianne's Asiago Caesar Dressing (found in dressing aisle)

Garlic Croutons (we like Texas Toast Garlic & Butter flavor)

Shredded Chicken (optional)

** Preparation Suggestions: you can prepare this however you like, whatever proportions you like.  Leave out the croutons, add shredded chicken, add a box of cooked pasta, make it into a wrap, whatever you like! We made it without chicken and added cooked pasta and ate it as a main course. 

DIY Reeses Peanut Butter Egg

Get in my belly! Oh my gosh....this is food heaven. Food at its best people. If you like the Reeses Eggs (the ratio of PB is a little higher) or any combination of PB and Chocolate...this recipe will be your thang. Its phenomenal. I am so making these for Christmas treats. Just so ya know. A little labor-intensive with having to form each ball (I did balls not eggs b/c its not Easter!) but easy at the same time. You all think a Reeses can't get better? Well...have you ever had a homemade one? Yes. It can get better. I swiftly gave away as many of these as I could (my newest trick for not over-eating) and have only eaten two this whole day. Kudos to me! I pinned this on pinterest weeks ago and after a week full of epic pinterest recipe fails, I was skeptical. But boy, my faith is restored! This is from thewhimsicalprincess.blogspot.com.

Ingredients: (lets just pretend- for our conscience's sake that these are low cal/law fat ingredients mmkay?)
-4 cups of powdered sugar
-1.5 cups of smooth peanut butter
-1/4 cup butter, melted -2-3 T milk
-1 T shortening
-3 c. semi-sweet chocolate ( I am not a huge fan of semi but milk would be disgustingly sweet...never thought I would say that but the semi is delicious!)

Directions: Mix sugar, peanut butter and butter with hand mixer. Add milk one tablespoon at a time until you reach desired consistency. Should look like dry play dough. Form each individual ball/egg in your hand and place on cookie sheet. No need to spray. Place in the freezer for at least an hour. Combine chocolate and shortening in microwaveable bowl and microwave in 30 second increments, stirring between each interval until chocolate is smooth (It only took about 2 min for mine). Line a cookie sheet with wax paper.The blogger recommended using a skewer but I didn't have any so I just used a spoon and rolled it around then put it on the wax paper. It worked great.

Oatmeal Chocolate Cookie Pancakes (and vegan to boot!)

I usually workout in the morning. So, I really aim to get a lot of protein and something very satiating that will get me through til lunch. This fit the bill and was delicious to me. If you are used to really sweet things, this might not do it for you. Its a healthy pancake. My kids wouldn't eat it but I swear they won't eat anything with less than 100 g of sugar in it. Its a problem.

Ingredients:

1 very ripe banana

1 t baking powder

1 flax egg (1 T flax seed + 2.5 T water...let sit for 3-5 min!)

pinch of salt

1/2 t vanilla extract

1 T almond butter (I am sure you could use peanut butter!)

1 T canola oil or coconut oil

3 T almond milk (I used regular)

1/2 c rolled oats

1/4 c whole wheat flour

3 T semisweet choc.chips (non-dairy for vegans!)

Heat skillet. Mash banana with baking powder then add remaining ingredients except for chocolate chips. Combine. Then fold in chocolate chips. Cook on sprayed skillet. Top with your choice of syrup or agave.

*Makes 5-6 small pancakes. 3.5 pancakes= 400 cals, fiber-6.5g, protein-7g. I was stuffed after two!

Strawberries and Cream Pie

I made this for Seth's birthday. Mom and dad were here the next day and said this was the best pie they have ever tasted! That's saying something... 

Strawberries and Cream Pie (Adapted from Crumbly Cookie’s recipe)

Ingredients:(Crust)
- 1-1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs (About 9 full/long crackers — just throw them in a gallon bag, zip, and crush with a rolling pin.)
- 5 tbsp butter, melted

(Filling)** Crumbly Cookie’s original recipe called for only 1 block of cream cheese and 1 cup of cream, but that didn’t fill my pie dish all the way and I wanted a really thick/deep-dish pie, so I doubled the recipe.
- 2 8oz blocks of cream cheese, room temperature
- 2 cups heavy cream + 1 tbsp
- 2/3 cups sugar
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 carton strawberries, sliced into thirds or halves
- 1/2 cup chocolate chips (optional)

Steps:(1) Preheat oven to 375.
(2) In a small bowl, mix together graham cracker crumbs and melted butter until a crumbly, moist mixture forms.
(3) Gently but firmly press the graham cracker mixture into the bottom/sides of a pie dish.
(4) Bake for 10 minutes. Set aside to cool completely.
** This is the only baking that you need to do for this recipe, so don’t forget to turn the oven off!
(5) In a medium bowl, use an electric mixture to beat your cream until it holds firm peaks. Set aside.
(6) In a separate, larger bowl, mix cream cheese, vanilla, and sugar until smooth and creamy.
(7) Fold about 1/3 of the whipped cream into your cream cheese mixture to lighten it, then add the rest. Gently fold until evenly incorporated and smooth.
(8) Spoon filling into your cooled pie crust, and spread it out in an even layer.
(9) Layer sliced strawberries in an overlapping rows around the top of the cream.
(10) Melt chocolate + 1 tbsp cream, and stir until smooth and liquid. Drizzle melted chocolate over the top of the strawberries.
(11) Stick the pie in the fridge for a few hours to allow the creamy filling to firm up.
(12) Slice and serve immediately. Enjoy!
** Strawberries go fast, so this won’t keep very long. Try to eat everything within 3-5 days.

Crockpot Chicken Fajitas

Crockpot Chicken Fajitas

1 yellow onion, sliced
3 sweet peppers, sliced
1 ½ pounds boneless chicken breast or thighs
1/4 to ½ cup chicken broth, depending on preference
½ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons cumin
1 ½ tablespoons chili powder
Squirt of lime juice
Tortillas
Fajita fixings

Combine sliced onion and peppers in the bottom of a greased crockpot. Lay chicken on top of veggies. Pour chicken broth over top. Sprinkle everything with cumin, salt, and chili powder. Give a nice quirt of lime juice over the top. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours (or on High for 4-6 hours). When meat is done, shred with two forks and stir back into juices. Serve meat mixture with slotted spoon on tortillas with your choice of fixings.

Crock Pot Cream Cheese Chicken Chili over Rice

I found this recipe through pinterest and made it for dinner last night...everyone LOVED it.  And, its ridiculously easy to make, despite the humongous recipe title.  So, make it!  :)

courtesy

Crock Pot Cream Cheese Chicken Chili over Rice

Adapted slightly from Rita's Recipes 

2 frozen chicken breasts

1 can Rotel tomatoes (with diced green chilies)

1 cup of frozen corn (or one can)

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 pkg. Ranch dressing mix

1 Tbs. cumin

1 tsp. chili powder

1 tsp. onion powder

1/2 cup water (skip this if you're using canned corn)

1-8oz. package 1/3 less fat cream cheese, cubed

Put all ingredients besides cream cheese into the crock pot.  Stir to combine.  Place cream cheese over the top.  Cook on low for 6-8 hours.  After 2-3 hours, stir in cream cheese until combined.  Shred chicken before serving.  Top with cilantro, if desired.  You don't have to serve it over rice- you can just serve as a chili.

Autumn Chopped Salad

photo from espressoandcream.com

A lovely little salad to throw together.  I loved the combination of the poppyseed dressing and the balsamic vinaigrette.  My new favorite item in a salad: pears!

Autumn Chopped Salad

From espressoandcream.com

Ingredients

*6 to 8 cups chopped romaine lettuce

*2 medium pears, chopped

*1 cup dried cranberries

*1 cup chopped pecans

*8 slices thick-cut bacon, crisp-cooked and crumbled

*4 to 6 oz. feta cheese, crumbled

*Poppy seed Salad Dressing (I like T. Marzetti)

*Balsamic Vinaigrette (I like Newman's Own Light Balsamic Vinaigrette)

Instructions

*On a large platter, combine the lettuce, pears, cranberries, pecans, bacon and feta cheese. Drizzle generously with poppy seed dressing, followed by some of the balsamic vinaigrette. (I would estimate that I used about a cup of dressing: 70 percent poppy seed dressing and 30 percent balsamic vinaigrette) If you prefer your salad to have more dressing, feel free to experiment with the combination.

Favorite Buttermilk Syrup

This is just a slightly different recipe from the other Buttermilk syrup on this blog, but I think I like it a little bit better.  The other one sometimes doesn't work out for me.  If you have that problem, too, give this one a try!

1 stick butter

1 1/2 cups sugar

3/4 cup buttermilk

2 Tbs corn syrup

1 tsp vanilla

1 tsp baking soda

Melt butter in a 4 qt pot over stove, add other ingredients except baking soda.  Turn on medium high and bring to a bubble of a boil, then add soda.  Remove from heat.

Bobby's Lighter Lasagna Soup

With the personal on-set of pinterest and a even more personal vendetta to live a healthier lifestyle...I have been on a quest. A quest for healthy, tasty, kid-friendly recipes. I have been disappointed over and over again. I have tried numerous recipes lately and this is the only one I have posted in months. So....its safe to say its pretty good. Its from the thedeenbrothers.com (as in Paula Deen's sons) but adapted by me. Apparently they have all been on the same hunt as I have- that of HEALTHY recipes!

INGREDIENTS:
-1 pound Italian turkey sausage, casings removed (I think a GREAT sub. would be ground turkey if that's what you are into...my husband LOVES sausage)
-1 onion, chopped (I used dried minced onions)
-1 green bell pepper, chopped
-3 cloves garlic, minced
-1 (32-ounce) container chicken broth
-1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce
-1 (14 1/2-ounce) can petite diced tomatoes ( I blended these because my family does not like tomato chunks!)
-1/2 teaspoon salt
-1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
-4 ounces broken whole-wheat lasagna noodles (I used reg. b/c I could not find WW)
-1/2 cup chopped fresh basil (I used about 2 T of dried basil)
-3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese (The fresh stuff that comes in the jar)
-1/2 cup reduced-fat shredded mozzarella cheese
-Crustinis to liking

CRUSTINI RECIPE:
Slice one baguette of the thin, crusty french bread. Slice in 1/2 inch pieces. Brush lightly with olive oil. Shake on garlic powder and Mrs.Dash (my new favorite spice selection for bread!) then top with a few shreds of Mozzarella. Bake for 5 min or until cheese is melted and bread is slightly brown.

DIRECTIONS:
Place meat, onion, bell pepper and garlic in pot and brown. (There won't be much grease if you are using turkey so you don't have to worry about using another pan!). Add broth, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, salt, and red pepper. Bring to boil. Add uncooked broken up lasagna noodles. Cook on high for about 10-12 min. Then add basil and two cheeses. Garnish with a sprinkle a fresh Parmesan and crustinis!

Cream of Anything Soup

We have all used cream of (fill-in-the-blank) soups that are filled with sodium and other hard-to-pronounce ingredients.  Now, you can make your own from common ingredients and its much healthier, twice as tasty, and very easy.

courtesy google images

Cream of Anything Soup

Eating Well Living Thin

1 cup cold milk

2 Tbs. cornstarch

1 1/2 Tbs. butter

1 tsp. chicken bouillon

1/2 tsp. salt

dash of pepper

In a small saucepan, whisk milk and cornstarch until well blended.  Stir in remaining ingredients.  Heat to a boil, stirring frequently.  Simmer on low for one more minute to thicken.  See below for some more optional ingredients.  

CONDENSED CREAM OF MUSHROOM SOUP:
Stir in a drained 4 ounce can of mushroom pieces to the recipe above.
Use in recipes in place of one can of Cream of Mushroom Soup.

CONDENSED CREAM OF CHICKEN SOUP:
Stir in 1/2 cup cooked chicken pieces to the recipe above.
Use in recipes in place of one can of Cream of Chicken Soup.

CONDENSED CREAM OF CELERY SOUP
Stir in 1/2 cup sautéed chopped celery to the recipe above.
Use in recipes in place of one can of Cream of Celery Soup.

Cheesy Chicken and Rice Bake

by HowSweetEats 

4.19 Mitt(s)21 Rating(s)

Prep Time 15 Minutes

Cook Time 30 Minutes

Difficulty Easy

Servings 

This is an easy recipe and most ingredients are on hand! And for someone that doesn't do leftovers this one was good the next day! 

A quick, easy and healthy casserole to throw together when you’re pressed for time!

Preparation Instructions

Preheat oven to 350F. In a large bowl, combine all ingredients except for cilantro and mix thoroughly to combine. Make sure the yogurt and cheese are stirred in throughout the entire bowl. Season with salt and pepper if desired. Transfer to an oven-safe dish and top with extra cheese if you would like. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until heated through. Garnish with chopped cilantro.

To make this process easier, I always have cooked chicken on hand, and use Uncle Ben’s Ready Rice. If you have those two things, this can be throw together in a matter of minutes! It can also easily be made ahead of time and reheated.

Ingredients

• 2 whole Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts
• 4 cups Cooked Brown Rice
• ¾ cups Frozen Corn
• 15 ounces, fluid Can Black Beans, Drained And Rinsed
• 1 cup Plain Greek Yogurt (or Sour Cream)
• 4 ounces, fluid Can Green Chilis
• ½ cups Salsa
• 1 cup Low-fat Cheddar Cheese, Plus More For Topping
• 2 Tablespoons Fresh Cilantro For Garnish

My Brothers Chicken Tacos

So I'm always looking for a way to mix up salads. I just made the chicken from this recipe and  topped it on top of a green salad with black beans, corn, and little ranch. We loved it! I'm sure the tacos are amazing though.

Prep Time: 10 Minutes  |  Cook Time: 30 Minutes  |  Difficulty: Intermediate  |  Servings: 8

Ingredients

• 16 whole Corn Tortillas (small Size)
• 4 whole Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts, Cut Into Pieces
• Salt, Cumin, Chili Powder To Taste (or Use Taco Seasoning)
• 2 Tablespoons Canola Oil
• 2 cans (4 Ounce) Diced Green Chilies
• 1-1/2 cup Finely Grated Cheese (cheddar Or Cheddar/jack Mix)
• Sour Cream
• Hot Sauce (Chulula Or Other Brand)
• 2 cups Thinly Sliced Romaine Lettuce (or Any Lettuce)
• 4 whole Roma Tomatoes, Diced
• Canola Oil, For Frying Tacos

Preparation Instructions

*Be careful frying with hot oil!*

Season diced chicken liberally. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook for a couple of minutes. Dump in the diced green chilies. Stir and cook until chicken is totally done inside. Turn off heat and set aside.

Have all other ingredients---grated cheese, sliced lettuce, diced tomato, sour cream, and hot sauce---ready.

Also have a plate ready, as well as a stack of five or six paper towels to hold in your hand.

TO FRY

To fry the tacos, heat a couple of inches of canola oil in a heavy skillet over medium-high. Place some chicken in the middle of a tortilla, then fold tortilla in half. Clamp the tortilla shut with a pair of heat-proof metal tongs, then carefully lay the taco---one side down---in the oil. As you lay it in the oil, use the tongs to hold the top side down for a few seconds to form it in place. Once it stays put, repeat with two other tacos. Turn tacos after 30 to 45 seconds, or when each side gets light golden brown (not too brown.)

One at a time, remove tacos from the pan with tongs, holding sideways as you remove them to allow oil to drip out of the sides. Place the taco in the stack of paper towels. Fold the sides and corners around the taco to tightly hold it, then give it three or four shakes to remove excess oil. Remove it from the paper towels and place on a plate. Repeat with other tacos in the pan.

As you continue frying the other tacos, have someone carefully place some grated cheese inside the tops of the tacos (gently pry them open just enough to place the cheese in). Then just let them sit until ready to serve---the cheese will melt as it sits in the warm taco.

To serve, garnish in this order: a smear of sour cream, dashes of hot sauce, shredded lettuce, diced tomato. You'll need to slightly open up the tops of the tacos to get all the garnishes in there.

Tacos will be hot for a minute or two after frying, so don't rush into eating! They'll stay nice and warm for a little while after frying.

Baked Penne with Chicken, Broccoli and Smoked Mozzarella

We just ate this and here I am- already posting it. It's really, really good and a surprisingly fast meal to prepare. I halved the recipe for our family of 5 and it was perfect with one serving of leftovers. I made a few changes from the the original recipe on Mel's Kitchen Cafe .

Baked Penne with Chicken, Broccoli and Smoked Mozzarella

adapted from Mel's Kitchen Cafe 

*Note: See the asterisk below the recipe for make-ahead directions.

*Serves 6-8

INGREDIENTS:
Topping:
3/4 cup bread crumbs (store-bought or make your own)
2 tablespoons butter, melted
Filling:
1 bunch broccoli (about 1 ½ pounds), stalks cut off, florets trimmed into 1-inch pieces
12 ounces penne pasta
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, minced
6 medium garlic cloves, finely minced or pressed through a garlic press
1 teaspoon dried thyme
¼ cup all-purpose flour
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
1 ½ pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 3), trimmed and cut into bite-size pieces
3 ounces smoked mozzarella, shredded (I used regular mozzarella b/c smoked is pricey)
8 ounce jar roasted red peppers, chopped (Mel used sun-dried tomatoes but I don't really like them)
DIRECTIONS:
In a small bowl, combine the bread crumbs and butter and set aside. Lightly grease a 9X13-inch baking dish and set aside.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and make sure the oven rack is placed in the middle of the oven. In a large pot, bring the water for the pasta to a boil. Stir in one tablespoon salt and the broccoli. The broccoli cooks quickly so stay close! Cook the broccoli for 1 minute, until it is bright green. Quickly remove the broccoli with a slotted spoon to a plate. Return the water to a boil and add the pasta and cook until al dente, about 1-2 minutes less than how you would eat it normally (it will cook a bit more in the oven while baking). Drain the pasta in a colander and toss with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Leave it in the colander and set it aside.
Wipe the pot dry. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil and return to medium heat until shimmering. Add the onion and cook until softened and beginning to brown, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and thyme; cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Add the flour, salt and pepper, and cook, stirring constantly, until golden, about 1 minute. Slowly whisk in the broth and cream; bring to a simmer, whisking often. Add the chicken and cook, stirring occasionally, until cooked through, about 6-7 minutes. Stir in the roasted red peppers and (smoked) mozzarella.
Add the cooked pasta and broccoli to the sauce; stir to combine. Transfer the pasta mixture to the prepared baking dish and sprinkle with the bread crumb topping. Bake until the casserole is bubbling and the crumbs are lightly browned, about 15 minutes. Serve immediately.
*The casserole can be prepared in advance with the following steps: after the broccoli is removed from the boiling water, plunge it into a bowl of ice water and cool completely. Assemble the casserole following the directions in the recipe. After the casserole is spread in the prepared baking pan, let it cool for 5-10 minutes before covering with plastic wrap and refrigerating for up to 8 hours. To bake, preheat the oven to 375 and bake uncovered for 30 minutes.

Vegetable Lasagna...in a crock pot!

This meal was so good that I wanted to stop mid-meal and post it.  But, I couldn't pull myself away from the plate.  And, who doesn't love a crock pot meal?  So easy.  We loved it.

courtesy google images

Vegetable Lasagna

Adapted from Eatingwell.com

1 large egg

1 15-oz. container cottage cheese (or ricotta, if you prefer)

1 5-oz. package baby spinach, coarsely chopped

1 pkg. sliced fresh mushrooms, chopped

1 zucchini, quartered lengthwise and thinly sliced

2 28-oz. diced tomatoes

3 cloves garlic, minced

Pinch of crushed red pepper

Salt, Pepper as desired

1 Tbs. dried basil

1/2 Tbs. dried oregano

Garlic Salt, as desired

3 cups mozzarella cheese, divided

Favorite Pkg. of Noodles (I used penne)

Combine egg, cottage cheese, spinach, mushrooms, zucchini, salt, garlic salt, and pepper in a large bowl.  Combine tomatoes, and all remaining spices and minced garlic in medium sized bowl.    Coat your crock pot with cooking spray.  Pour 1 1/2 cups of tomato mixture in bottom, followed by half of cottage cheese mixture, then another 1 1/2 cups of the tomato sauce, half of the package of noodles, and then 1 1/2 cups of the mozzarella.  Repeat all previous layers.  Cook on high for 4-5 hours, mixing entire meal together HALFWAY through to allow all noodles to cook evenly.  Enjoy!

Crispy Southwest Chicken Wraps

Made this for dinner tonight and we all loved this meal...it was seriously delicious.

courtesy

Crispy Southwest Chicken Wraps

Mel's Kitchen Cafe

1 cup cooked rice, warm or at room temperature

1 cup cooked, shredded chicken (or other leftover meat, like shredded pork or beef)
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 green onion, finely sliced (white and green parts)
1/2 red or green pepper, diced
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
juice of 1 lime
1/2 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
2 cups shredded cheese (I use a combination of Monterey jack and sharp cheddar)
Sour cream (optional)

Mix rice together with chili powder, cumin and garlic salt. Add remaining ingredients except for cheese and sour cream. Sprinkle cheese over tortillas, leaving 1/2-inch border around edges, then arrange chicken and rice mixture down the center of each tortilla. (Optional: I like to dollop little bits of sour cream over the cheese before arranging chicken and rice mixture down the center – it makes the wraps delightfully creamy.) Roll stuffed tortillas, leaving edges open and slightly flatten the wraps with the palm of your hand. Spray seam-side of the wrap lightly with cooking spray.

Heat a large non-stick skillet (or griddle) over medium heat for 1 minute. Arrange wraps, seam-side down, in pan or griddle and cook until golden brown and crisp, about 2-3 minutes per side. Cooking them seam-side down first helps seal the long edge so they don’t fall apart. Transfer to a plate and repeat with remaining wraps. Serve warm.