Tastefully Done

Cherry Limeade

2012-01-15T19:48:00.001-05:00

This is such a easy, yummy punch. I've made it for birthday parties, bridal showers, and most recently a baby shower. Since the colors for the baby shower were pink & green, it was the perfect choice.

Sometimes I make it just to keep in a pitcher in the fridge for hot summer days!

It's an easy recipe to double or triple as well.

Cherry Limeade

1 can frozen limeade (found with the frozen juices at the grocery store)

1 (2-liter) lemon-lime soda

1 jar maraschino cherries, do not drain

sliced limes, optional

Combine all ingredients. Stir until limeade dissolves.

Chicken Tortilla Casserole

2011-12-30T13:33:00.000-05:00

Chicken Tortilla Casserole

4 Tbsp butter

1/4 c. flour

1 can tomatoes with green chilies, drained

1 can chicken broth

1 can cream of chicken soup

8 oz. sour cream

1 lb. chicken, cooked & cubed

8 oz. shredded cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese

1 pkg. 6-8" flour tortillas

Preheat oven to 350. Melt butter in saucepan and stir in flour. Cook for 2-3 minutes and whisk in broth. Bring to a boil and let it thicken slightly. Add tomatoes, soup, and sour cream. Stir in cooked chicken. Spread small amount on the bottom of a 9x13 dish and top with tortillas. Spoon 1/2 of mixture over tortillas. Repeat layers ending with chicken mixture, and top with cheese. Bake for 30 minutes.

Warm Christmas Punch

2011-12-10T08:19:00.001-05:00

I found this recipe in a magazine about 10 years ago. I love to make it for our family brunch on Christmas morning. It is so warm, comforting, such a pretty color red, and most importantly...Christmas-y!!

Just a little note -- I used to find the red hot candies at the grocery store, but the past few years I haven't found them there. These days I usually can find them at the d0llar store. Last year I used hot tamales because I couldn't find the red hots. The tamales worked fine, but the red hots dissolve much faster and have better flavor. If you can find the red hots, definitely use those over hot tamales!

Warm Christmas Punch

1 bottle (32 oz) cranberry juice

30 oz. unsweetened pineapple juice

1/3 cup red hots candies

1 (3-1/2 inch) cinnamon stick

In a 3 or 4 qt crock pot, combine the juices and candies. Add the cinnamon stick. Cook on LOW for 2-5 hours. Discard the cinnamon stick before serving.

Turkey Breast in Crock Pot

2011-12-05T11:42:00.003-05:00

I have wanted to try cooking a turkey breast in the crock pot for a long time. It was SO easy and yummy!!

It tasted like it was oven roasted, but it didn't dry out at all! This is the way I will make all my turkey breasts from now on!!

I didn't thaw it first, just tossed it in frozen. It was in the crock for 8 hours and completely fell apart when I took it out.

I cooked a 7 lb turkey in my 7 qt crock pot. Once I unwrapped it, I realized that the turkey was too tall and the lid didn't fit. Crud!

To solve the problem, I used foil as a lid. I wrapped two sheets over the pot and then placed the lid on top. After a few hours, the turkey had shrunk down enough that the lid fit perfectly, so I removed the foil and placed the lid back on for the remainder of the cooking time.

Crock Pot Turkey Breast

Turkey breast (small enough to leave room on the sides of the crock); no need to thaw

Half stick of butter or margarine
salt & pepper

Liberally coat turkey with butter. Generously salt and pepper turkey.

Place breast side down in crock pot. Cook on high for 1 hour; reduce heat to Low and cook for 7-8 hours.

Baked Cream Cheese Spaghetti

2011-12-03T06:00:00.003-05:00

Here's another pinterest find! Yummy!! I loved this because with my diet for gestational diabetes, I was able to have pasta with lots of protein added in! Mmmmm....

This is another recipe that I doubled...one to bake that night and one to freeze. I cooked my own sauce in the crockpot all day and used it instead of jarred sauce. The recipe only calls for a 1/2 cup of sauce, so I was able to freezer the rest of the sauce for future meals!

Baked Cream Cheese Spaghetti

8 oz uncooked spaghetti

1 lb. ground beef (I use ground turkey)

1 (26.5 oz) jar spaghetti sauce

1 Tbsp. butter or margarine

1/2 cup green peppers, chopped

1 small onion, chopped

8 oz cream cheese

2 Tbsp. milk

grated Parmesan cheese

Small can of French Fried Onions

DIRECTIONS:

Cook spaghetti; drain and set aside.

Brown ground beef; drain grease. Add sauce to beef and heat.

Combine onions, peppers, and butter in microwavable bowl. Cover and microwave for 4 minutes until soft.

Add cream cheese and milk to veggies and mix well.

Assemble casserole in 10x6 dish. Place a thin layer of sauce on the bottom of the dish. Place spaghetti on the sauce. Top spaghetti with cream cheese mixture. Add the rest of the spaghetti sauce. Top with your desired amount of Parmesan cheese.

Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. Top with fried onions and bake an additional 5 minutes. Don't let them burn!

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To freeze: Prepare casserole ahead of time and freeze without the fried onions.

Recipe Source

Turkey Parmesan Meatloaf

2011-12-01T09:06:00.003-05:00

With our second baby due to arrive in 9 weeks, I've been working on stocking our garage freezer with meals. I have found so many recipes through pinterest lately, and they have all been new favorites! This one is no exception. I made it last night and put another loaf in the freezer for later.

The original recipe calls for ground chicken, but we like and use ground turkey at our house.

Turkey Parmesan Meatloaf

1 lb. ground turkey (or ground chicken)
1 egg
1/4 cup breadcrumbs
1/2 tsp. dried basil
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 small onion, grated
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup pasta sauce (either homemade or store bought)

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a loaf pan with cooking spray, set aside.

In a large bowl, combine the ground chicken, egg, breadcrumbs, thyme, oregano, basil, garlic, onion, salt, pepper and Parmesan cheese. To not over handle the mixture otherwise it will get tough. Place the mixture in the greased loaf pan and form into a loaf. Top meatloaf with pasta sauce.

Bake for 40-45 minutes. Remove the meatloaf from the oven and sprinkle the top with the remaining shredded cheese. Place the meatloaf back in the oven and bake until the cheese is melted.

Remove meatloaf from oven and let it sit 5-10 minutes before slicing.

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To Freeze:

Prepare meatloaf and place in loaf pan. Do not top with pasta sauce. Freeze loaf and sauce separately.

Thaw completely, top meatloaf with sauce and bake per directions above.

Recipe source

White Chicken Chili

2011-11-28T06:00:00.002-05:00

This is a simple white chicken chili that can easily be doubled! I doubled the batch the other night and I got 3 separate meals for our family...we ate the chili that night and I froze two more batches for future meals!

White Chicken Chili

1 onion, chopped

3 cloves of garlic, crushed

1 (4 oz) can chopped green chilies

2 tsp. ground cumin

1 tsp. dried oregano

1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper (more if you like it really spicy)

1 (14.5 oz) chicken broth

1 can cream of chicken soup

3 chicken breasts (no need to thaw or cook, toss them in frozen)

3 (15 oz) cans white beans

shredded cheese

Place all ingredients in a 4-5 qt crockpot. (Use a 6 qt if you are doubling the recipe)

Cook on low for 7-8 hours. Remove chicken and shred with two forks.

Serve with cheese.

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NOTE: You can puree one can of beans before cooking to make the chili thicker.

Mini Pumpkin Pies

2011-11-25T06:00:00.002-05:00

I made these mini pumpkin pies for Thanksgiving yesterday. They turned out so cute, like little tarts. I saw these on pinterest and thought they looked like a fun spin on original pie.

They're unique and the perfect serving size, but I think baking an entire pie is the easier way to go! I spent a lot of time cutting out the crusts and arranging them in the muffin tins.

I used 3 premade pie crusts & this pumpkin pie recipe.

Unroll pie crust. Using a 4" round cookie cutter or bowl, cut out 4 circles per crust. I took the scraps from the crusts and rolled them out again to cut more circles. I ended up with 20 mini pies from 3 crusts.

Preheat oven to 425*.

Generously spray muffin tins with cooking spray. Place each crust into muffin tin and press down on the bottom and sides. Using a fork, prick the bottom of each crust to keep it from bubbling while cooking.

Prepare your pumpkin pie filling of choice. (For 20 mini pies, I used a recipe for one 9" pie. I still had a little filling left over, but ran out of crust)

Pour filling into each crust, filling to the top.

Bake at 425* for 15 minutes. Reduce temp to 350* and bake for additional 25-30 minutes.

Cool on wire rack. Store pies in refrigerator.

Mallow-Topped Sweet Potatoes

2011-11-23T11:34:00.001-05:00

I got this recipe out of a Taste 0f H0me magazine many years ago. Since then, I make it every year for Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner! It really tastes like a dessert!

One year, I crumbled oatmeal cookies over the casserole before putting the marshmallows on...YUMMY!!

I believe the original recipe called for baked sweet potatoes, I always use canned.

Mallow-Topped Sweet Potatoes

2 (29 oz) cans sweet potatoes

1 c. milk

6 Tbsp. margarine

1/2 c. brown sugar

1 egg

1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1 1/2 tsp. vanilla

3/4 tsp. allspice

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. nutmeg

marshmallows (either mini or large...your choice)

Drain potatoes. Using an electric mixer, mix all ingredients (except the marshmallows) together until smooth. Put mixture in a greased 2.5 qt. baking dish.

Bake, uncovered, at 325 degrees for 40-45 minutes. Top with marshmallows and bake for another 5-10 minutes.

Rotel Chicken Spaghetti

2011-11-09T12:36:00.000-05:00

I found this recipe on Pinterest. Honestly, I was hesitant at first because I'm not a big fan of velveeta cheese.

However, this was really good and very simple to prepare!

The original recipe didn't specify whether or not to drain the Rotel. I did drain most of the liquid out because I didn't want it too spicy for my 13 month old. It turned out great; just a little kick of spice. If you want it spicy, I wouldn't drain the tomatoes at all.

Rotel Chicken Spaghetti

3-4 large boneless chicken breasts

1 can (10 3/4 ounce) Cream of Chicken Soup
1 can (10 ounce) Rotel Diced Tomatoes with Green Chilies
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. onion powder
1 tablespoon Margarine or butter
1 (8 ounce) Velveeta cheese, cubed
8 ounces spaghetti, cooked and drained

Cut up chicken into bite size pieces. In a large skillet, melt butter or margarine. Add cubed chicken, garlic & onion. Cook over medium-high heat until chicken is no longer pink and no liquid is left in skillet. Stir in soup, cheese and Rotel Tomatoes. Reduce heat to low, and cook until the cheese melts, stirring constantly. Stir in spaghetti and pour into a lightly greased 2 quart casserole dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until heated through.

recipe source

Crunchy Chicken

2011-10-18T20:16:00.000-04:00

I wish I had remembered to take a picture, but when you have a toddler who is ready to eat sometimes that's all that seems to be important!

I modified this recipe tonight from a few I found on allrecipes.com.

The Dijon really added the extra boost of flavor that made this a keeper!

Crunchy Chicken

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

French fried onions, crushed

Dijon mustard

4 slices provolone cheese

Spray baking sheet with cooking spray. Place each piece of chicken on sheet. Spread a fine layer of Dijon on the top of each chicken breast. Top each chicken with a generous topping of fried onions -- press them gently into the Dijon so they "stick".

Bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until juices run clear. Top each chicken with a slice of cheese. Bake for additional 5 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Pepperoncini Beef Sandwiches

2011-09-17T09:09:00.000-04:00

I have seen this recipe all over the internet, but the first place I saw it was here.

I love pepperoncinis, but wasn't sure how their pungent flavors would work as only one of two ingredients in this recipe. Well, after cooking in the crockpot for 8+ hours, they are amazing!!

The peppers are not spicy (especially after cooking all day), so don't worry about little kids eating it. My 11 old month ate the meat and loved it!

Pepperoncini Beef Sandwiches

2 lb. beef chuck roast (no need to thaw if it is frozen)

1 jar (16 oz) pepperoncini, whole or slices (if whole, cut off stems before cooking)

hoagie rolls

swiss or provolone cheese

Place roast in crockpot. Add jar of peppers, including juice from the jar.

Cover and cook on low for at least 8 hours. Shred the meat and serve on rolls with cheese.

Crockpot Chicken Tacos

2011-08-14T20:26:00.000-04:00

Crockpot Chicken Tacos

4 chicken breasts (no need to cook them, toss them in frozen or thawed)

1 can Rotel

1 can black beans, rinsed and drained

1 can whole kernel corn, drained

1 packet taco seasoning

Place chicken breasts in crockpot. Sprinkle chicken with half of the taco seasoning. Top chicken with corn, Rotel, and beans. Sprinkle remaining seasoning on top.

Mix slightly and cook on low for 8-10 hours. Remove chicken and shred with two forks; return to pot and stir.

Serve in your favorite taco shell with cheese, sour cream, and salsa.

Pioneer Woman's Best Baked Beans Ever

2011-07-31T19:27:00.000-04:00

When it comes to baked beans I used to dump them in a crock pot, add a few extra ingredients, stir it, and then heat them for a few hours. They always turned out good, but I never knew they could be better!

When I found PW's recipe for The Best Baked Beans Ever (click the link for more detailed directions), I knew I wanted to give them a try. Let me tell you, they did not disappoint!! Baked beans always seem to be the ho-hum side item that you take, but aren't always a favorite. The sauce runs all over the plate, the beans aren't well flavored, etc.

These cook at a low temp for 2 hours thus turning them into something so yummy! Give them a try....I promise, they are that good!

The Best Baked Beans Ever

Serves up to 18

8 slices bacon, halved

1 medium onion, cut into small dice

1/2 medium green pepper, cut into small dice -- I use a whole green pepper

3 large cans (28 ounces each) pork and beans -- I use 6 (15 oz) cans

3/4 cup barbecue sauce

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup distilled or cider vinegar

2 teaspoons dry mustard or 2 tablespoons Dijon

Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Fry bacon in large, deep sauté pan skillet until bacon has partially cooked and released about 1/4 cup drippings. Remove bacon from pan and drain on paper towels. Add onions and peppers to drippings in pan and sauté until tender, about 5 minutes.

Add beans and remaining ingredients bring to a simmer. (If skillet is not large enough, add beans and heat to a simmer then transfer to a large bowl and stir in remaining ingredients).

Pour flavored beans into a greased 13-by 9-inch (or similar size) ovenproof pan. Top with bacon, then bake until beans are bubbly and sauce is the consistency of pancake syrup, about 2 hours. Let stand to thicken slightly and serve.

Beefy Shells & Cheese

2011-07-14T19:09:00.000-04:00

Hubby loves shells & cheese, but I don't care for them. Soon after we got married, I decided to improvise so he could have his shells & cheese and I didn't have to eat them plain.

I came up with this quick meal that has been a staple since early in our marriage.

Beefy Shells & Cheese

1 box shells & cheese (like ve1veeta brand)

1 lb ground beef

1 can kidney beans (or canned beans of your choice), rinsed

1 small onion, diced

1 tsp. minced garlic

taco seasoning

salsa

Boil the shells according to box directions.

While the shells are boiling, brown ground beef with onion and garlic; drain grease. Add taco seasoning to the meat -- to your liking. Over medium-low heat, add beans to meat mixture.

Drain shells and add to the meat. Mix cheese packet with the shells and meat. Mix salsa into the mixture.

Enjoy!

Taco Salad

2011-07-12T17:36:00.000-04:00

This recipe is from my friend, Heather, who insisted it was "the best taco salad EVER, and you have to try it!" Sure enough...it is!

One word of warning, this makes a HUGE amount of taco salad. Be sure to mix it in the largest bowl you own! :)

Taco Salad

1 lb. ground beef

1 large head or bag of shredded lettuce

3 large tomatoes, chopped

1 medium onion, chopped

1 bag (13 oz.) Doritos, crushed

2 c. shredded cheddar cheese

2 pkg. taco seasoning

1 pkg. Hidden Valley Ranch dressing mix

1/2 c. Italian dressing

Prepare ranch dressing according to directions on packet, add Italian dressing and chill.

Brown, drain, and cool ground beef. Add taco seasoning (without water!), mix well.

Add lettuce, tomato, onion, and cheese to ground beef. Refrigerate until serve time. Just before serving, add dressing. Mix well, stir in Doritos.

Feeds a HUGE crowd!

Crock Pot Chicken & Dumplings

2011-07-09T17:01:00.000-04:00

I love my recipe for made-from-scratch Chicken & Dumplings. The only problem is it can be time-consuming and messy.

I had heard of chicken & dumplings cooked in the crockpot, but it didn't sound like it would be as good as made-from-scratch ones. This recipe is thisclose to being just as good!!

I love that I can toss everything in the pot in the morning and not have to roll out the dough, cut it, and stand over the stove while the dumplings cook. I wasn't sure how the biscuits would taste as dumplings...they are SO good!!!

To make this a more complete meal, you can add in a can or two of mixed veggies or some frozen mixed veggies with the other ingredients.

Crockpot Chicken & Dumplings

4 chicken breasts (no need to cook them first, toss them in frozen or thawed)

2 cans cream of chicken soup

1 small onion, diced

water or chicken broth (the broth gives it much more flavor)

2 cans refrigerated biscuits

Place the chicken in the crock pot. Mix together the soup and onion and place over the chicken. Pour enough water or broth in the crock pot to completely cover the chicken and soup mixture. Cook on low for 5-6 hours if your chicken is thawed; if chicken is frozen, cook on low for 7-8 hours.

Once chicken has cooked completely, remove the chicken from the pot and shred with a fork. Return chicken to the pot.

1 - 2 hours before serving, tear the raw biscuits into pieces and drop in the pot. Let the biscuits cook for an hour. (The liquid will cook the raw biscuits and turn them into dumplings). The biscuits will absorb the extra liquid.

Bruschetta Chicken Bake

2011-05-07T17:04:00.000-04:00

This is such a flavorful main dish that is so simple to throw together at the end of a long day!

My favorite part about this recipe is that you do not cook the chicken first. For some reason, I don't like recipes where you have to cook the chicken first (even though I do still make them from time to time).

Bruschetta Chicken Bake

1 1/2 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts; cut into bite-size pieces

1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained (I sometimes use the Italian ones)

1 pkg. stuffing mix (like St0vet0p)

1/2 c. water

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp. dried basil leaves

1 c. shredded mozzarella cheese

Heat oven to 400 degrees F. Grease a 9x13 baking dish and place chicken on the bottom of the dish. Sprinkle basil and cheese over chicken.

Mix together tomatoes, dry stuffing mix, water, and garlic until moistened. Place mixture over chicken. Bake 30 minutes or until chicken is done.

Butterfinger Ice Cream Sandwich Dessert

2011-04-30T17:05:00.000-04:00

I made this dessert for Easter. I knew the weather was going to be in the 80's, so I thought something cold would be perfect and it hit the spot after our great meal.

There are lots of versions of this recipe, but I made up my own with butterfinger and hot fudge. You can use peanut butter, carmel, peanuts, peanut butter cups....there are many options!

Butterfinger Ice Cream Sandwich Dessert

18 ice cream sandwiches

1 large container of whipped topping

1 jar hot fudge topping

Butterfingers, crushed (I think I used 12 of the fun size bars...I used a lot for extra crunch and flavor)

In a 9X13 glass dish, put one layer of sandwiches. You will probably be able to use 6 whole and cut a few into halves and quarters. Don't worry about how it looks, just make sure the bottom is covered in sandwiches.

Top the sandwiches with half of the whipped topping. Drop all the hot fudge by spoonfuls over the whipped topping. Put a generous layer of crushed Butterfingers on the fudge. Repeat a layer of sandwiches and whipped topping; top dessert with crushed Butterfingers. **The pan will be very full**

Freeze for at least 4 hours. Remove from freezer 20 minutes before serving.

Cheesy Broccoli Rice

2011-03-22T12:54:00.000-04:00

This is a great side dish that could easily be made into a main dish by adding chicken.

Cheesy Broccoli Rice

1/3 sleeve buttery round crackers, crushed

1/4 c. margarine, melted

1 (10 oz) pkg. frozen chopped broccoli, thawed

1 small onion, chopped

2 c. shredded cheddar cheese

1 c. uncooked instant rice

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1 cup milk

Preheat oven to 350. Pour crackers into a bowl and add the melted margarine; stir until combined. Stir the broccoli, onion, cheese, rice, mushroom soup, and milk together and place in a greased 2 quart baking dish. Sprinkle with cracker crumbs.

Bake until bubbly and brown, about 45 minutes to 1 hour.

Cowboy Beans

2011-02-28T09:00:00.000-05:00

This recipe is my mother-in-law's. It's one of Hubby's favorite meals, and ever since I joined their family it's become a favorite of mine. It's great served with corn bread.

Cowboy Beans

1/4 lb. (4 oz) crumbled bacon
1 1/2 lb. ground beef or turkey (no need to cook it first, toss it in frozen or thawed)

small onion, chopped

1 can (16 oz) pork & beans, undrained

1 can (16 oz) lima beans, undrained

1 can (16 oz) kidney beans, undrained

1/2 c. brown sugar

1/2 c. ketchup

1 tsp. mustard

Microwave bacon & crumble. Brown meat and onions. In large crockpot add all ingredients and stir until blended. Cook in crockpot on LOW for 6-8 hours, stirring occasionally.

**Note: If you put the groud beef/turkey in raw and let it cook, you will probably have to skim the grease off the top before serving. However, if you cook the beef/turkey in the crock pot the results are so much better!

Chicken Fajita Tortilla Soup

2011-02-27T17:09:00.000-05:00

Hubby, my sweet non-soup eater, has declared this "the BEST soup you've ever made!"

The changes I made are at the bottom of the recipe...because as we all know, I rarely follow a recipe completely! :)

Chicken Fajita Tortilla Soup

(Recipe courtesy of The Food Network)

2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
2 packages chicken tenders, 1 1/2 to 2 pounds
1 Tbsp. coriander, a palm full
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh thyme leaves, 5 to 6 sprigs
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 large onion, quartered and thinly sliced
1 large bell pepper, quartered & thinly sliced
1 jalapeno, seeded & thinly sliced
1 (28-ounce) can fire roasted diced tomatoes
1 quart chicken stock
1 bag white corn tortilla chips
1 cup shredded pepper Jack or sharp white Cheddar
1 ripe avocado, diced
1 lime, juiced
4 scallions, chopped
Handful fresh cilantro leaves or fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped

Heat a large skillet with extra-virgin olive oil, 2 turns of the pan, over medium-high heat. Add chicken, begin to brown 4 minutes, add coriander, thyme, salt and pepper, to taste, onions, bell pepper and jalapeno, season with salt and pepper, to taste. Cook 8 to 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Add tomatoes and stock, heat through.

While the soup is working, lightly crush some tortilla chips and divide among 4 bowls. You need a couple of handfuls per bowl. Top the chips with a little cheese. Toss the avocado with lime juice. Top the chips with ladles of soup. Garnish soup with avocado, scallions and cilantro or parsley.

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My changes:

used 3 chicken breasts, next time I'll use a rotisserie chicken for even more flavor.
I didn't have coriander so I omitted it
added cumin and garlic powder
added a can of yellow corn
used dried thyme
omitted scallions, parsley, and cilantro
used cheddar cheese

Caramel Pecan Pie

2011-02-27T16:54:00.000-05:00

I normally only make this during the fall, but it's such a great recipe that I thought I'd share it with you. It's a ridiculously easy pie to make and so very YUMMY!

Caramel Pecan Pie

3 eggs
2/3 cup sugar
1 (12 oz) jar of caramel ice cream topping
1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted
1 1/2 cups pecan halves
1 (9 in) unbaked pie shell

In mixing bowl, beat the eggs with a fork. Add sugar, stir until dissolved. Stir in topping and butter; mix well. Stir in pecans. Pour filling into pie shell.

Bake at 350 for 45 minutes or until set. Cool completely before serving. Store left overs (if there are any!) in the refrigerator

Chunky Taco Soup

2011-02-27T16:33:00.000-05:00

Chunky Taco Soup

1 1/2 lbs. ground beef
1 onion, chopped
2 cans (15 oz each) pinto beans, rinsed and drained
2 cans (14.5 oz each) diced tomatoes with green chilies, undrained
2 cups water
1 can (15 oz) black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can (14.5 oz) cream-style corn
1 envelope ranch salad dressing mix
1 envelope taco seasoning

In a large pot, brown beef and onion; drain fat. Add remaining ingredients; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 20 - 30 minutes.

Spicy Cheese Soup

2011-02-27T16:28:00.000-05:00

This recipe is a must for the fall and winter. It doesn't get any easier for a crock-pot recipe! Just brown the meat, open the cans and dump it all in!! The juices from the canned veggies give all the liquid needed for the soup, so don't drain them!

I don't add the jalepeno because we don't like it super spicy.

Spicy Cheese Soup

1 lb processed cheese cube (like Velveeta)
1 lb ground beef, cooked & drained
1 (8.75 oz) can whole kernel corn, do not drain
1 (15 oz) can kidney beans, do not drain
1 jalepeno pepper, seed & dice
1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes with green chilis, do not drain
1 (15.5 oz) can stewed tomatoes, do not drain
1 envelope taco seasoning

Combine all ingredients in a 4.5 - 5.5 qt crock pot.

Cover and cook on LOW for 4-5 hours or on HIGH for 3 hours.

Serve with sour cream and corn chips.

Slow Cooker Pulled Pork

2011-02-27T16:19:00.000-05:00

You must make this just for the simple fact of using only 3 ingredients!

I put the pork on buns, but feel free to serve in whatever way your heart desires. It freezes great too!

Slow Cooker Pulled Pork

1 (2 lb) pork tenderloin

1 can or bottle of root beer

1 bottle of your favorite BBQ sauce

Place the pork in the crock pot; pour root beer over the pork. Cover and cook on LOW for 6-7 hours or until well cooked and shreds easily.

Drain well. Shred meat; stir in BBQ sauce.

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Updated 6/22/11: I recently made this with a pork butt (which is actually a pork shoulder). This is SO much better using the shoulder than a tenderloin. You will have to remove the bone, but it is only one and it's pretty large. The meat is so much more flavorful and tender...also, pork butts are much cheaper than tenderloins! :)

Chicken Tortilla Soup

2011-02-27T16:14:00.000-05:00

This is such a yummy, perfect-for-winter soup. Beware, this is not exactly friendly for your New Year's resolution to lose weight...but, it is SO worth it! :) It's that good!

Chicken Tortilla Soup

4 whole Chicken Breasts (no need to cook them first, toss them in frozen or thawed)
4 cans Cream Of Chicken Soup (10 Ounce Cans)
1 can Rotel Tomatoes And Chiles (10 Ounce Can)
2 cups Milk
2 cups Half-and-half
1 pound Mexican (or Regular) Velveeta
Tortilla Chips

This makes a lot, so use at least a 5 qt crock pot.

Mix all ingredients (except tortilla chips) together in crock pot and cook on low for 7-8 hours or high for 4-6 hours. Before serving, remove the chicken and shred with two forks. Return chicken to pot and stir into soup. Serve over tortilla chips.

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My changes:

Added taco seasoning

Easy Chicken Divan

2011-02-27T13:24:00.000-05:00

Here's a great recipe for an easy weeknight meal!

Easy Chicken Divan

2 (10 oz) pkgs. frozen broccoli spears

3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts; cooked and cubed

2 (10 oz) cans cream of chicken soup

3/4 c. mayonnaise

1/2 c. chicken broth

1 tsp. lemon juice

1 c. shredded cheese

Preheat oven to 350 F. Cook broccoli (either steam or boil) until tender; drain. Place broccoli in a greased 9x13 baking dish. Put chicken over broccoli. Combine soup, mayo, broth, and lemon juice; pour over chicken. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake for 35 minutes or until bubbly.

Ground Beef Stroganoff

2011-02-26T19:30:00.000-05:00

This very easy recipe that can be made in less than 30 minutes. It serves three but can easily be doubled or tripled.

Ground Beef Stroganoff

1/2 lb. ground beef

1 cup sliced mushrooms

1 medium onion, chopped

1 garlic clove, minced

1 can condensed cream of mushroom or cream of chicken soup, undiluted

1/4 tsp. ground pepper

3 cups cooked egg noodles

1 cup (8 oz.) sour cream

In a large skillet, cook the beef, mushrooms, onion and garlic over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Stir in the soup and pepper. Cook for 2-3 minutes until heated through. Reduce heat. Stir in noodles and sour cream; heat through.

3 Servings

Applesauce Muffins

2011-02-26T19:25:00.000-05:00

Applesauce Muffins

4 cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

1 tablespoon ground allspice

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 cup butter or margarine, softened

2 cups sugar

2 eggs

2 cups applesauce (I use unsweetened)

2 tablespoons vanilla extract

1 cup raisins

In a bowl, combine flour, cinnamon, allspice and baking soda; set aside. In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Beat in eggs, applesauce and vanilla; stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Fold in raisins. Fill greased or paper-lined muffin cups three-fourths full. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until muffins test done. Cool in pan 10 minutes; remove to a wire rack.

This reciped makes 2 dozen so there will be plenty to freeze.

Monterey Chicken and Potatoes

2011-02-26T15:36:00.000-05:00

I received this recipe from my friend, Heather.

Monterey Chicken with Potatoes

6 medium red potatoes, cubed

1/2 cup butter, melted and divided

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves

1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

1 1/2 cups shredded Mexican blend cheese
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1/2 cup salsa

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Line a 9x13 inch baking dish with aluminum foil.

Toss potatoes with about 1 tablespoon of melted butter until coated. Arrange in a single layer in the bottom of the baking dish.

Bake for 10 minutes in the preheated oven. Remove pan from oven, and push potatoes out to the sides of the dish. Place the chicken breast halves in the dish. Stir together the remaining butter and lime juice. Brush onto chicken. Return to the oven.

Bake for 20 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the chicken is no longer pink and the juices run clear. In a small bowl, toss together the cheese, cilantro and salsa. Sprinkle over the chicken and potatoes. Return to the oven for a few minutes, until the cheese is melted. Serve with lime wedges.

**************

My changes:

*Hubby doesn't care for cilantro so I usually put in on only one half or just omit it

*I dice the chicken before cooking

*I use russet baking potatoes and leave the skins on (just wash them really well)

*I don't separate the baking time; I add the potatoes and chicken at the beginning and let it cook

Roasted Brussel Sprouts

2011-02-05T17:09:00.000-05:00

Hubby told me a long time ago that he really liked Brussel sprouts. Of course, he hadn't had them since he was little but wanted to try them again. I hadn't had them since I was young too, but I didn't really remember thinking they were that great.

I decided to give them a try so a while ago I steamed some and added cheese. The results? Not that great. Some were bitter and they were just OK.

Well, I started seeing and hearing about roasted Brussel sprouts. I read lots of recipes online and I decided to give them another try. The results? AMAZING!!!

These are SO good! I've made them many times now and they just keep getting better. Most of the recipes I read said to roast them for about 40 minutes. I've found that is too long...they burn. 25 minutes works great for me.

ROASTED BRUSSEL SPROUTS

Fresh brussel sprouts

Olive Oil

Salt

Pepper

Preheat oven to 400 F. Cut off the ends of the Brussel sprouts and slice them in half. Place on a baking sheet and drizzle with oil. Season with salt & pepper. Place in the oven for 25 minutes or until tender.

Crockpot Chicken & Rice Casserole

2010-10-05T17:20:00.000-04:00

This recipe came from a Slow-Cooker recipe book that I have. All the recipes are low-fat, healthy versions of popular and new meals.

I found this to be a little too thick. Next time, I may thin it some with a little water or chicken broth.

Chicken and Rice Casserole

1 (10¾ oz) can Healthy Request Cream of Chicken soup

1 c. skim milk

½ c. (2.5 oz jar) sliced mushrooms, undrained

1 c. finely chopped celery

1 medium onion, chopped

1 c. uncooked instant rice

16 oz. boneless, skinless uncooked chicken breast, cut into small pieces

Spray crock pot with cooking spray. In pot, combine soup, milk, and undrained mushrooms. Stir in celery, onion, and uncooked rice. Add chicken. Mix well to combine. Cover and cook on LOW for 4 to 6 hours. Mix well before serving.

Serves: 4 (1 full cup)

WW points: 6

Sausage Dip

2010-07-01T17:47:00.000-04:00

I received this recipe a few years ago at a Recipe Swap Party. It's such a easy appetizer and always a hit. My family requests it any time I'm in charge of the appetizer.

Sausage Dip

2 lbs. sausage, cooked & drained

2 blocks of cream cheese (I use reduced fat and it turns out great)

2 cans of Rotel

Combine all ingredients together. Put in a 9x13 pan. Cook at 350 for 30 minutes or until bubbly. Serve with tortilla chips.

Pepperoni Stromboli

2010-05-04T18:03:00.000-04:00

This is a very easy and good recipe that can be made in no time at all!

I added mushrooms, green pepper, and onions. It was quite fabulous if I do say so myself!

Pepperoni Stromboli

1 (1 pound) loaf frozen bread dough, thawed

1/2 cup spaghetti sauce

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

4 ounces sliced pepperoni

2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Punch dough down. On a lightly floured surface, roll loaf into 20x8 inch rectangle. Place dough on a greased baking sheet. Spread spaghetti sauce in an 18x4 inch strip down the center. Sprinkle with oregano, pepperoni and mozzarella cheese. Fold long sides of dough up toward filling; pinch ends to seal. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes, or until golden brown.

Tomato & Bacon Quiche

2009-10-08T17:18:00.000-04:00

This recipe is so simple to prepare, toss in a freezer bag, and freeze for a later date. My cookbook had two versions, a regular quiche in a pie crust or a low fat version without the crust. I did a combination of both recipes.

The only differences were a reduced amount of cheeses, egg substitute, and using sliced potatoes on the bottom of a pie pan instead of a pie crust.

This is the reduced fat version.

Tomato & Bacon Quiche

1/4 c. bacon, cooked & chopped (I used precooked bacon)

1/2 c. onion, chopped

1 c. tomatoes, diced

1 tsp. butter or margarine

1 c. lowfat cottage cheese

1 1/2 c. fat-free egg substitute (I used 3 eggs instead)

1/2 c. Swiss cheese, grated

1 Tbsp. flour

1/4 tsp. basil

1/4 tsp. oregano

1/2 tsp. salt

1/8 tsp. pepper

Saute onion in butter/margarine until soft. In a separate bowl or freezer container, mix remaining ingredients. Add onions and mix well. Freeze.

To prepare with pie crust: Thaw quiche mixture. Pour mixture into crust. Bake at 375 for 45 minutes or until set. Let stand 5 minutes.

To prepare with potato crust: Thaw quiche mixture. Slice potatoes and place on the bottom and sides of greased 9-inch pie plate. Pour quiche over potatoes. Bake at 375 for 45 minutes or until set. Let stand 5 minutes.

Blueberry Buckle

2009-09-27T17:33:00.000-04:00

This is very easy and great served with vanilla ice cream. The perfect summer combination.

Blueberry Buckle

5 cups ripe fresh blueberries, washed

3/4 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup flour

3/4 cup rolled oats

1/2 cup butter, softened

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Heat oven to 375°. Place blueberries in a 13x9 baking dish and set aside.Stir remaining ingredients in a bowl until well combined. Sprinkle mixture over berries. Bake until golden brown about 30-40 minutes.

I must give credit where credit is due and say that I found this recipe at Fried Okra's blog.

Saucy Italian Chicken

2009-07-12T17:22:00.000-04:00

Anything cooked in a crockpot always tastes good! I think it's because you didn't have to slave away over a stove or oven to make it :)

Hubby has deemed this "the best chicken you've ever made". I served it over rice and added garlic, salt, and pepper.

According to the cookbook, the secret to this recipe is in the spices. Make sure your's are not too old!

Saucy Italian Chicken

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast, halved (no need to cook them first, toss them in frozen or thawed)

1 cup (8 oz. can) tomato sauce

1 tsp. Italian seasoning

I Tbsp. Splenda

1 tsp. dried onion flakes

Spray slow-cooker with cooking spray. Place chicken on the bottom of the crock. Mix together the remaining ingredients and spoon evenly over the chicken. Cover and cook on LOW for 6 - 8 hours.

Serves 4

WW points: 3

Deep-Dish Pizza Casserole

2009-07-08T17:24:00.000-04:00

This is a great simple recipe that I recently came across. I used shredded mozzarella and added onions, green peppers, and mushrooms. I couldn't find the Italian style tomato sauce, so I just got regular and doctored it up with herbs & spices.

Deep-Dish Pizza Casserole

1 lb. ground round

1 (15 oz can) chunky Italian-style tomato sauce

cooking spray

1 (10 oz) can refrigerated pizza crust dough

6 (1 oz) slices part-skim mozzarella cheese, divided

Cook meat in a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat until browned, stirring until it crumbles. Drain, if necessary and return to skillet. Add tomato sauce, and cook until heated.

While meat cooks, coat a 9 x 13 baking dish with cooking spray. Unroll pizza crust dough and press into bottom and halfway up the sides of dish. Line bottom of crust with half of the mozzarella. Top with meat mixture (and any added ingredients).

Bake uncovered at 425 degrees for 12 minutes. Top with remaining cheese and bake 5 more minutes or until browned and melted. Let sit 5 minutes before serving.

Servings: 6

WW points: 8

Cracker Barrel Dumplings with Chicken

2009-03-04T18:01:00.000-05:00

Chicken & Dumplings are my absolute favorite meal. They are the perfect comfort food. I searched high and low for the perfect recipe.

Then one day I found it. They were perfect. Hubby claims it's his favorite meal.

Warning: This recipe takes some time to make and can be messy! However, it's very worth it!

To turn it into chicken and dumplings, I shred a rotisserie chicken instead of cooking a chicken. To really save on time, I sometimes use canned chicken. I add the chicken at the very end into the sauce.

Cracker Barrel Dumplings

2 C Flour

2 tsp Baking Powder

1/2 tsp Salt

1 C whole Milk (I use skim)

4 Tbsp Vegetable Oil

3 chicken bouillon cubes

Mix above ingredients, blend them well and turn out on to a floured surface. Knead 4 or five times and divide dough into two parts. Roll out one piece of dough to 1/8" thick and cut into 1"x1 1/2" strips. Place into a large sauce pan that you have place 8 cups of water and 3 chicken bouillon cubes that has been brought to boil and the bouillon cubes have been dissolved. Cook 1 half of dumplings until just about done and strain and set aside. Next finish the other half of the dumplings in the same way. While cooking the dumplings you can prepare the sauce.

Dumpling Sauce

3 Tbsp Butter

4 Tbsp Flour

1/4 tsp Salt

1 C Whole Milk

2 Chicken Bouillon Cubes (crumbled)

1/2 tsp sugar

1/2 -3/4 C Dumpling Cooking Liquid (after dumplings have been cooked)

Place butter in medium sauce pan and melt, add salt and flour, stir until thick. Mix sugar with milk, and add to flour mixture a little at a time and stir constantly with a whisk until thick and smooth. Remove from heat. Place cooked dumplings in dumpling sauce and add 1/2 cups of cooking liquid in which the crumbled chicken bouillon cubes have been added and stir gently, Simmer dumplings until blended on low heat. More cooking liquid may be added if needed.

Swiss Medley (veggie casserole)

2008-11-29T17:11:00.000-05:00

This casserole is a tradition in my family. It's the perfect side dish that's different from your typical dishes.

I made this for Thanksgiving and the HUGE casserole dish was just about cleared out. My brother said he only eats this at holidays, but I think it's great any time of the year!!

Swiss Medley

1 (16 oz) pkg. frozen California veggie blend (broccoli, carrots, & cauliflower), thawed

1 cup sour cream

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1 cup Swiss cheese, shredded

French fried onions

Combine all ingredients except for the onions. Place in a 2 quart casserole dish. Top with onions and bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

Tips:

I use sliced swiss cheese and tear into small pieces.
I steam the veggies first and then combine with the other ingredients. This make the casserole more smooth with the cooked down broccoli & cauliflower.

Vegetarian Chili

2008-11-15T17:13:00.000-05:00

This recipe was given to me years ago by a former co-worker. For some reason, I put it aside and didn't make it for a while. When I finally did, I realized I'd wasted a lot of time not eating this great meal!

Since marrying my meat-eating Hubby, I've now begun to add meat...shh, don't tell! In addition, I'm not one to follow the recipe so I tend to dump a little of this and a little of that in as well. This is the perfect recipe to play around with!

You can make this in a stock pot or toss it all in a crock pot for a few hours. It's also easy to double or triple if you really need to feed a crowd or want some to freeze.

While I normally eat it in a bowl with cheese & sour cream, my co-worker swore that the best way to eat this chili was to serve the chili over brown rice and scoop it up with Fritos.

Vegetarian Chili

6 cups canned kidney beans, drained & rinsed

1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes

1 can (15 oz) tomato puree

1 tsp. chili powder (or to taste)

1 Tbsp. cumin (or to taste)

1 Tbsp. dry mustard

1 Tbsp. garlic powder

1 tsp. cayenne pepper (or to taste)

1 tsp. honey

2 Tbsp. soy sauce

1 medium onion, diced

1 green pepper, diced

1/4 lb. fresh mushrooms, diced

Place all the ingredients in a large stock pot. Mix well; bring mixture to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat and simmer until the veggies are tender, about 2 hours.

Sweet & Sour Chicken (freezer recipe)

2008-10-25T17:16:00.000-04:00

This is a great recipe to make ahead of time and then store in your freezer.

Sweet & Sour Chicken II

Meat Mixture

2 1/2 cups chicken or pork, baked or boiled, cut into pieces

1 cup celery, sliced

1 cup green pepper, cut into pieces

1 cup onion, cut into pieces

1 (4 oz) can pineapple chunks, reserve juice

1 (5 oz) can sliced water chestnuts, drained

Sauce

1 clove garlic, minced

1/2 tsp. fresh ginger, finely chopped

Reserved pineapple juice from can

3 Tbsp. cornstarch

1/4 cup soy sauce

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup white vinegar

1/2 tsp. paprika

1/2 tsp. salt

In a freezer container (casserole dish or ovenproof pan), layer meat, veggies, and fruit.

In a medium saucepan, combine the sauce ingredients; bring to a boil. Simmer over low heat, stirring constantly until thick and bubbly. Pour sauce over meat mixture. Freeze.

Bake: If thawed, bake uncovered at 350 for 45 minutes. If frozen, bake uncovered at 350 for 1 1/4 hours.

Serve over rice.

Apple Pound Cake

2008-10-04T17:48:00.000-04:00

This pound cake is so easy to make and, of course, yummy!

Apple Pound Cake

1 1/2 cups vegetable oil

2 cups sugar

3 eggs

3 cups flour

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. baking soda

2 tsp. vanilla

1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon

3 large apples, peeled & cubed

1 cup chopped nuts

1 stick butter

1/2 cup brown sugar

Combine oil, eggs, & sugar. Beat for 3 minutes. Blend in flour, salt, baking soda, cinnamon, & vanilla. Fold in apples & nuts. (The batter will be very thick)

Bake in a greased bundt pan for 1 hour and 20 minutes at 350.

Remove from pan immediately. Melt together butter & brown sugar. Pour over cake while hot.

Buffalo Chicken Dip

2008-08-30T16:55:00.000-04:00

We had a family cookout this evening, and I was in charge of the appetizer. Instead of making our usual dips, I decided to branch out a little. And I'm so glad I did!

This recipe comes from http://www.allrecipes.com/. I made a few adjustments of my own.

This makes a lot of dip, so it's perfect for a game day appetizer! And much cleaner than wings :)

Buffalo Chicken Dip

2 (10 ounce) cans chunk chicken, drained

2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened

1 cup Ranch dressing

3/4 cup pepper sauce, such as Franks® Red Hot®

1 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese

1 bunch celery, cleaned and cut into 4 inch pieces

1 (8 ounce) box chicken-flavored crackers

Heat chicken and hot sauce in a skillet over medium heat, until heated through. Stir in cream cheese and ranch dressing. Cook, stirring until well blended and warm. Mix in half of the shredded cheese, and transfer the mixture to a slow cooker. Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top, cover, and cook on Low setting until hot and bubbly. Serve with celery sticks and crackers.

My Changes:

Used a rotisserie chicken instead of canned chicken
Used 1/2 c. Ranch and 1/2 c. Blue Cheese dressing (instead of 1 c. Ranch)
Did not use all the shredded cheese it calls for. It really doesn't need any at all.
Used the entire bottle of wing sauce
I couldn't find chicken flavored crackers (thank goodness, they don't sound appetizing!) We had just plain Club crackers and celery. Celery is a must with this dip!
I did not use my crock pot for this. I move the dip from the skillet to a baking dish and baked on 350 for 25 minutes.

Sweet & Sour Chicken

2008-08-06T17:37:00.000-04:00

I am not a big fan of sweet and sour chicken, however it's Hubby's favorite. I thought I'd give this recipe and whirl and see what I thought. It actually is very good. It doesn't have the typical bright red sauce and it's not as pungent as most. I was going to take a picture of the plate all pretty, but then by the time I got the food to the table we ate and I forgot! UGH!

I love it because it allows me to use my electric wok which is one of my favorite kitchen appliances!

Sweet and Sour Chicken

1 Tbsp + 2 tsp soy sauce, divided

1 Tbsp sherry or chicken broth

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp ground ginger

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into cubes

1 can (20 oz) unsweetened pineapple chunks

2 Tbsp + 1/3 cup cornstarch, divided

2 Tbsp sugar

1/4 cup cider vinegar

1/4 cup ketchup

1 Tbsp canola oil

2 cups hot cooked rice

In a large resealable plastic bag, combine 1 Tbsp soy sauce, sherry or broth, salt, garlic powder and ginger; add the chicken. Seal bag and coat chicken; refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Drain pineapple, reserving juice; set pineapple aside. Add enough water to the juice to equal one cup. In a bowl, combine 2 Tbsp cornstarch, sugar, and pineapple juice mixture until smooth; stir in the vinegar, ketchup, and remaining soy sauce. Set aside.

Drain the chicken and discard marinade. Place remaining cornstarch in bag. Add chicken and shake to coat. In a large skillet or wok, heat oil until hot; stir fry chicken until no longer pink. Remove and keep warm.

Stir pineapple juice and add to pan. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thick. Add chicken and pineapple chunks. Heat through. Serve with rice.

Easy Chicken Stir Fry

2008-07-12T17:26:00.000-04:00

I recently began receiving the Kraft magazine. This is a FREE magazine that features great recipes and cooking tips. I tried to find the link to sign up but couldn't find it...try www.kraft.com to see if you can sign up. It took a few months to receive my first issue, but it was worth it!

As soon as I found this recipe, I knew I wanted to try it. We love stir fry at our house. It's one of Hubby's favorite meals so we eat it a lot! The problem with stir fry though is it can be loaded down with sodium and sauces.

This is a great, healthy version that cooks up quickly in my wok (one of my favorite kitchen appliances!) I added a little ground ginger and hoison sauce for extra flavor.

Chicken Stir Fry

1 lb. chicken breasts, cut into strips

1 Tbsp. soy sauce

2 Tbsp. minced garlic

1/4 c. Kraft Zesty Free Italian dressing

1 (each) yellow, red, green pepper; chopped

2 green onions, chopped

1 Tbsp. olive oil

cooked rice

Combine soy sauce, dressing, and garlic. Pour mixture over chicken and let sit for 5 minutes.

Heat oil on medium-high heat in non-stick skillet or wok. Add chicken and cook for a few minutes. Once it begins to cook, add peppers and onions. Cook until chicken is no longer pink and the peppers are to your liking.

Serve over rice.

4 servings; 1 2/3 cups

WW: 4 points (w/o rice)

Crock Pot Salsa Chicken

2008-06-08T17:28:00.000-04:00

Crock Pot Salsa Chicken

1 - 1.5 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts (no need to cook them first, toss them in frozen or thawed)

1 (15.5 oz) can black beans

1 (15 oz) can corn

1 (15 oz) jar salsa (whatever kind suits your fancy)

1 (8 oz) pkg cream cheese

Place chicken in crock pot. Cover with corn, beans, and salsa. Cook on high for 4-5 hours. Shred the chicken in the pot, and then toss the brick of cream cheese on top in one big piece. Replace cover and cook another 30 minutes. Stir in melted cheese and serve.

Quick-and-Easy Macaroni & Cheese

2008-05-17T17:40:00.000-04:00

If you're looking for an easy side dish, here it is!

Quick-and-Easy Macaroni & Cheese

8 ounces elbow macaroni, cooked

1 (8 oz) package shredded sharp cheddar cheese

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1/2 sour cream

1/2 milk

Stir together all ingredients in a lightly greased 2 1/2 qt. baking dish. Bake at 375 for 25 minutes.

Chicken in Mushroom Sauce

2008-04-19T17:43:00.000-04:00

I love my slow cooker. I always seem to be on the hunt for new recipes to try. I found this one recently and it's so easy. Just dump it all in and head off on your day.

I used precooked bacon and let it cook with the chicken all day. It really gave it a great flavor. I served the chicken and sauce over rice.

Chicken in Mushroom Sauce

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (no need to cook them first, toss them in frozen or thawed)

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1 cup sour cream

4 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled

Place chicken in slow cooker. Combine soup and sour cream; pour over chicken. Cover and cook on low for 4-5 hours. Sprinkle with bacon.

Beef Taco Skillet

2008-04-16T17:58:00.000-04:00

This extremely easy recipe was in a packet that came in the mail this past week. As usual, I didn't follow the recipe exactly as it was written. I added a few more things.

I couldn't believe how quick and easy this was. I told hubby that I was going to start dinner and 15 minutes later, I told him it was ready. He thought I was calling him to come help me!

Beef Taco Skillet

1 lb. ground beef

1 can tomato soup

1/2 cup salsa

1/2 cup water

6 flour tortillas (6 inch), cut into 1 inch pieces

1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Cook beef in skillet until browned; pour off fat.

Stir in soup, salsa, water, & tortillas. Heat to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Top with cheese.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Here's what I changed:

added taco seasoning to ground beef
added sour cream
added black olives

Yep, doesn't get any easier than that!

Next time, I'll add corn & use tortilla chips instead of flour tortillas.

Ice Cream Sandwich Dessert

2008-04-06T17:41:00.000-04:00

This dessert is so easy to make and perfect for warm weather!

Ice Cream Sandwich Dessert

19 Ice cream sandwiches

1 carton (12 ounces) frozen whipped topping, thawed

1 jar (11 3/4 ounces) hot fudge ice cream topping

1 cup salted peanuts

Arrange one layer of sandwiches in bottom of 9 x 13 pan. Spread with half of whipped topping. Spoon fudge by teaspoonfuls onto whipped topping. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup peanuts. Repeat layers with remaining sandwiches, whipped topping, and peanuts (pan will be very full). Cover and freeze. Remove from the freezer 20 minutes before servings. Cut into squares.

Yummy Dip

2008-03-05T17:44:00.000-05:00

This is a fabulous recipe! It is a staple when my family goes to the beach. There is nothing better than coming back from the beach all drained from the sun & sand and digging into a bowl of cold Yummy Dip. I'm telling you, it's pure perfection!

I received this recipe years ago from my friend, Jen. I believe a friend of her's made it up and the only name people could think of to call it was Yummy Dip. Thanks for the recipe, Jen!!!

Note: The longer this sits in the refrigerator, the better it gets!

Yummy Dip

Small bottle of Italian dressing (I think the best is Kraft's Free Zesty Italian)

Rinse & Drain:

2 cans black-eyed peas

1 can yellow corn

1 can white corn

Dice:

1 large tomato

1 jalepeno (I use 1/2)

1 bunch green onions

1 green pepper

Combine all ingredients together in bowl. Refrigerate overnight. Serve with tortilla chips.

YUMMY!