Taco Pork Chops

 Ingredients:
*4 bone-in pork chops (1/4" to 1/2" thick)
*1 taco seasoning packet
*1/2 Tablespoon unsalted butter
*1/2 Tablespoon canola oil

Directions:
1.  Place pork chops on a plate.  Sprinkle half of the taco seasoning on 1 side of the pork chops.  Use your fingers to press the seasoning down into the pork chops.  Flip over.  Do the same with the remaining seasoning on the other sides.

2.  In a large skillet heat butter and canola oil over high heat until very hot.  Place the pork chops in the skillet.  Let them sizzle for about 20 seconds.  Reduce the heat to medium.  Cook for about 4 minutes per side or until no longer pink in the middle.

Roasted Brussel Sprouts

Ingredients:
*cooking spray
*2 lb. frozen brussel sprouts, completely thawed, and DRY
*olive oil
*salt to taste
*ground black pepper to taste

Directions:
1.  Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Spray a large baking sheet with sides with cooking spray.

2.  Place DRY brussel sprouts in a gallon sized Zip Lock bag.  Pour in just enough olive oil to lightly coat them--about 2 Tablespoons or so.  Close the bag, letting out all the air.  Use your fingers on the outside of the bag to move the olive oil all around so that all the brussel sprouts are lightly coated.

3.  Pour the brussel sprouts onto the baking sheet in one layer.  Season with salt and pepper.  Stir.  Season the other sides with salt and pepper.

4.  Roast in the oven for 40-45 minutes.  We like it when they get brown.  We eat them even browner than this.

Italian Seasoned Lemon Butter Shrimp

Ingredients:
*1 bag peeled, tails on shrimp, thawed
*1 stick unsalted butter, melted
*1 lemon, sliced thin
*1 packet dry Italian salad dressing mix (If you keep a large container of this, 3 Tablespoons = 1 packet)

Directions:
1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Pour the melted butter into a casserole dish.  Spread to cover the bottom.

2.  Place lemon slices over butter, spreading them out evenly.

3.  Place the shrimp on top of the lemons in one single layer.

4.  Sprinkle dry Italian salad dressing evenly over the shrimp. 

5.  Bake for 15 minutes.

Serve with oven roasted asparagus and crusty bread for mopping up the buttery sauce.

Cheesy Hamburger Casserole

This is another successful Pinterest dinner.

Makes 12 servings

Ingredients:
* 1 large yellow onion or 2 small, finely chopped
* 2 Tablespoons canola oil
* 2 lb. lean ground beef
*salt
*cracked black pepper
*garlic powder
* 1 can (28 oz.) whole tomatoes
*1 box (16 oz.) elbow macaroni
* cooking spray
*1 1/3 cup shredded cheddar cheese (2%)
* 1 1/3 cup shredded mozzarella (part skim)

Directions:
1.  Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  Prepare pasta according to package directions in a large stock pot with salted water, but stop cooking about 2 minutes before done.  The pasta will cook more later.  Drain the pasta into a colander.  Rinse with cold water.  This will keep the pasta from sticking together.  Put the pasta back into the stock pot and set aside.

2.  Using a blender or food processor, puree the tomatoes.  Add a few good pinches of salt.  Blend.

3.  Heat a large skillet over medium heat.  Add canola oil and onions.   Season them with salt and pepper.  Saute until transparent.  Add ground beef with some more salt, pepper, and a few sprinkles of garlic powder.  Brown the meat over medium high heat.  Drain the fat.

4.  Return the beef mixture back to the skillet.  Add the tomatoes.  Bring to a simmer.  Simmer for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, letting the sauce reduce.

5.  Add the beef tomato mixture to the pasta into the stock pot and stir well.  Spray a deep 9 x 13 casserole dish with cooking spray.  Combine the mozarella and cheddar cheeses into a bowl.  Spread some of the macaroni mixture, about a 1/3, on the bottom of the dish.  Sprinkle a layer of cheese--approximately 1/3 of the cheese mixture.  Make another layer of macaroni and then another layer of cheese.  Spread the rest of the macaroni mixture on top.  Reserve the rest of the cheese in the fridge.

6.  Cover with foil and bake for 35 minutes on 400 degrees.  Remove from the oven, and remove the foil.  Top with the remaining cheese and bake uncovered for 5 to 10 minutes or until the cheese is hot and melted.

Crock Pot Fancy Mac & Cheese

This is from Pinterest.  My husband loved this.

Ingredients:
*water to boil pasta
*1/2 lb. elbow macaroni
*cooking spray
*1 1/2 cups milk
*12 oz. can skim evaporated milk (This ingredient keeps the eggs and milk from curdling)
*1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted, cooled to room temperature
*3 eggs
*1/2 teaspoon salt
*1 1/2 cups grated fontina cheese
*1 1/2 cups shredded Kraft Italian blend cheese
*fresh ground black pepper
*1/2 cup Parmesan
*2 Tablespoons olive oil
*1/4 cup seasoned bread crumbs

Directions:
1.  Par boil the pasta:  Put water in a pot, following the amount of water stated on the package directions.  Bring to a boil.  Add pasta.  Cook for ONLY 5 minutes.  It will not be cooked completely.  Drain.  Immediately rinse with cold water to prevent sticking.  Don't worry...it will not cool down your pasta.

2.  Spray the inside of the crock pot with cooking spray, including the sides.  Pour in the milk, evaporated milk, eggs, room temperature melted butter (make sure it's not hot because if it is, it will scramble the eggs), and salt.  Whisk until smooth.

3.  Add the fontina cheese and Italain blend cheese.  Add the pasta.  Sprinkle with black pepper.  Gently stir with a spatula to coat evenly.  Sprinkle the Parmesan on top.

4.  Cover and cook on HIGH for 30 minutes.  Reduce the temperature to LOW and cook for 2 1/2 hours, untl custard is set in the center and pasta is tender.  It can sit on the KEEP WARM setting for up to 30 minutes before serving.

5.  Just before serving, heat a small saute pan over medium-high heat.  Add the olive oil.  Once hot, saute the breadcrumbs (using more or less to get the desired consistency) until golden brown.  Sprinkle over the top of the mac & cheese.

Parmesan Roasted Green Beans

Another adapted recipe from Pinterest. I let mine get a tad too brown.  It wasn't pretty and bright green, but they tasted delicious.  I got my son to eat this too.  He'll eat anything if it has Parmesan cheese all over it.

Ingredients:
*cooking spray
*1 lb. fresh green beans, ends snapped off.  Make sure they are completely dry.
* 1 Tablespoon olive oil
*pinch of kosher salt
*fresh ground black pepper to taste
*1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
*3 Tablespoons shredded Parmesan

Directions:
1.  Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.  Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray.

2.  Place the dry green beans in a gallon size Zip Lock bag.  Pour in the olive oil.  Close the bag, letting out all the air.  Using your fingers on the outside of the bag, move the green beans all around so that they all get lightly coated with the olive oil.  Open the bag and dump in the kosher salt, black pepper, and garlic powder.  Close the bag again like before and move the green beans all around so that the seasonings are evenly distributed.
 
3.  Spread the green beans out on the baking sheet so that none overlap.  Roast for 10 minutes in the oven.

4.  Remove from the oven.  Shake the pan so that the green beans turn.  Return back to the oven for 5 minutes.

5.  Remove from oven.  Top with Parmesan.

Melinda's Crock Pot Buffalo Ranch Chicken

I got this recipe from my friend, Melinda B.  It's so easy!  It's spicy, so I serve it with a starch like canned new potatoes.

It calls for 3 ingredients.  That's right.  THREE.

Ingredients:
*4-6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
*1 packet of dry Ranch seasoning & salad dressing mix (I keep a container of this in my pantry because we use it on so many recipes.  If you do the same, 3 Tablespoons = 1 packet.)
*1 bottle of buffalo wing sauce

Directions:
1.  Place chicken in the bottom of the crock pot.

2.  Sprinkle evenly with the Ranch seasoning.

3.  Dump the wing sauce on top.

4.  Close the lid.  Cook on low for 6 hours.

Roasted Tomatoes with Basil and Parmesan

It's always hard to find a side dish to go with Italian dishes, other than a green salad.  I get tired of that.  I found this recipe on Pinterest and adapted it a tad.  The family loved it.

Ingredients:
*olive oil flavored cooking spray
*4 tomatoes, sliced to 1/4 inch slices
*1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
*1/4 cup provolone cheese, shredded
*3 Tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
*1 teaspoon dried oregano
*1/2 tsp salt
*ground black pepper to taste

Directions:
1.  Preheat oven to 450 degrees.  Spray a baking sheet with the olive oil flavored cooking spray.  Place tomatoes on the baking sheet.

2.  Top each tomato slice evenly with Provolone, then basil, Parmesan, oregano, salt, and pepper.  Spray the top of each tomato slice with the olive oil cooking spray.

3.  Roast in the oven for 15-20 minutes, until the tomatoes are tender.

California Chicken Club Quesadilla

When I make my fajita chicken salad with honey lime vinaigrette (pictured below), I always have leftover fajita chicken and red onion.  This is a great dish in which to use some of those yummy leftovers.

Ingredients:
*2 pieces bacon
*cooking spray
*2 Tablespoons red onion, finely chopped
*1 Tablespoon olive oil plus some for brushing
*2 flour tortillas
*leftover fajita chicken (from my fajita chicken salad with honey lime vinaigrette recipe)
*1/3 cup cheddar cheese
*1/2 avocado, sliced
*salt
*1 Tablespoon salsa

Directions:
1.  Cook bacon:  Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Spray a small baking sheet with shallow sides with cooking spray.  Lay bacon pieces flat on the baking sheet, making sure that they do not overlap.  Bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes until crispy.  Place on a plate lined with paper towel.  Set aside.

2.  Meanwhile, heat a small skillet over medium heat. Add the 1 Tablespoon of olive oil.  Saute the red onion until brown and caramelized.  Remove from heat.  Set aside.

3.  Heat a skillet over medium heat.  While it is getting hot, brush one side of both tortillas with olive oil.  Once the skillet is hot, place one tortilla flat into the skillet with the oil side down.

4.  Immediately add the red onion on top of the tortilla (spreading it out evenly), then the fajita chicken, the cheese, and the bacon (crumbled).  Place the second torttilla on top with the oil side facing up.  Once the bottom tortilla is a nice crispy golden brown on the bottom, use a spatula to carefully flip the tortilla.  Cook until that tortilla is crispy and golden brown.  Remove from heat.

5.  Remove the top tortilla.  Top with salsa.  (I used leftover Chuy's salsa because I like the fresh, chunky taste on quesadillas.)  Top with avocado.  Sprinkle avocado with a little salt.  Replace the top tortilla.  Press down with a spatula.  Use a pizza cutter to slice into quarters.

Sneaky Vegetable Spaghetti Sauce

My four year old is in a vegetable rut.  He will only eat the same vegetables over and over, and not many of them are green:  carrots, cauliflower, broccoli, sweet potatoes, corn, roasted green beans (sometimes) and canned Lasueur peas.  I invented this spaghetti sauce recipe as a way to get him to eat more green vegetables without being able to see them or taste them!  This sauce is chock full of zucchini and chopped spinach.  The particular sauce that I add the vegetables to also has more than 1 full serving of vegetables per half cup.  Because of the particular flavor of this jar sauce, there is not a hint of spinach or zucchini taste.  Sneaky, sneaky...


Ingredients:
*1 jar Robusto! Ragu Parmesan & Romano spaghetti sauce
*2 Tablespoons olive oil
*2 zucchini, chopped
*1/2 box of frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry

Directions:
1.  Heat a large skillet over medium heat.  Add the olive oil.  Once hot, add the zucchini and spinach.  Saute until the zucchini is very tender.  Remove from heat and let cool for 10 minutes.

2.  In a food processor, pour in the jar spaghetti sauce and the spinach/zucchini mixture.  Process until smooth and no chunks of vegetables remain.

3.  Pour into a pot.  Cover, and heat on medium-low heat until hot.  Serve over angel hair pasta.

Spaghetti Pizza Casserole

My mom gave me this recipe.  I'm not sure where she got it from originally.

Makes 9 servings

Ingredients:
*cooking spray
*1 package (7 oz.) angel hair past
*1/2 cup Egg Beaters or 2 eggs (1 egg = 1/4 cup Egg Beaters)
*1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
*1 lb. lean ground beef
*1 yellow onion, chopped
*1/2 cup green bell pepper, chopped
*1/2 cup yellow bell pepper, chopped
*2 large garlic cloves, minced or pressed
*1 jar (26 oz.) Prego Traditional spaghetti sauce
*1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
*1 teaspoon dried basil
*1/2 teaspoon salt
*1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
*1/2 lb. sliced button mushrooms
*1 1/2 cups (6 oz.) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

Directions:
1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray a 9 x 13 baking dish with cooking spray.  Cook pasta according to package directions until al dente.  Drain.  Immediately rinse with cold water in the colander to prevent the pasta from sticking together.  This will not make your pasta cold...don't worry.  Make sure the water is all drained out.  Transfer the pasta to a large bowl.

2.  In the large bowl, add the Egg Beaters and Parmesan.  Toss.  Spread evenly into the baking dish.  Set aside.

3.  Heat a large skillet over medium heat.  Brown the ground beef, onion, and bell peppers until the meat is no longer pink.  Drain.  Return the skillet back to the heat.  Add the garlic, and cook for 1 minute.

4.  Stir in the spaghetti sauce, Italian seasoning, basil, salt, and ground black pepper.  Spoon over spaghetti.  Top with mushrooms and then mozzarella.

5.  Bake, uncovered, for 30 minutes or until lightly browned.  Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.

Hominy Casserole

This is a recipe from the Taste of Home website.

Makes 8-10 servings

Ingredients:
*cooking spray
*1 yellow onion, chopped
*1 Tablespoon canola oil
*1 garlic clove, minced or pressed
*3/4 cup light sour cream
*3/4 cup 2% shredded cheddar cheese, divided
*1/4 cup milk
*1 can (4 oz.) chopped green chiles, drained
*1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
*3 cans (15 oz. each) golden hominy, drained

Directions:
1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees  Spray a 2 quart baking dish with cooking spray.

2.  Heat a small skillet over medium heat.  Add the canola oil.  Saute onion for a few minutes until tender.  Add the garlic, and cook for 1 minute.  Remove from heat.  Set aside.

3.  In a large bowl, combine the onion mixture, sour cream, half of the cheese, milk, chiles, and cumin.  Stir in hominy.

4.  Pour into the baking dish.  Bake uncovered for 30 minutes or until heated through.  Sprinkle with remaining cheese.  Bake 5-10 more minutes.

Scalloped Potatoes and Ham

This is the Pioneer Woman's scalloped potatoes and ham.  I added more ham to my recipe and added time to the baking.  I also leave out the parsley that she calls for and use lower fat ingredients.  It makes a great main dish because of the extra added ham.  We like to eat this with roasted rosemary acorn squash.  It's a great fall dish.

Ingredients:
*cooking spray
*3 lbs. Yukon Gold potatoes
*2 Tablespoons butter
*1 yellow onion, diced
*5 cups cubed ham (pre-cooked--I find this in the meat section)
*1 1/2 cups fat free half and half
*1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
*1/4 cup flour
*ground black pepper
*1 cup grated 2% cheddar cheese
*1 cup grated Monterey Jack cheese

Directions:
1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray a deep, large baking dish with cooking spray (including the sides).

2.  Heat butter in a large skillet.  Add the onions and saute for several minutes until transparent.  Add the ham and cook for 4 minutes until hot.  Remove from the heat and set aside.

3.  In a microwave-safe container, combine the half and half and heavy whipping cream.  Microwave on high for 1 minute or until it's no longer cold.  Whisk in the flour and ground black pepper to taste.  Set aside.

4.  Slice potatoes using a mandoline.  (I use Pampered Chef's mandoline which used to be called the ultimate slice and grate.  It makes this step so easy and fast.)  The potatoes should be very thin--about 1/8 inch thick. 

5.  Mix the two cheeses together in a large bowl.  Layer 1/3 of the potatoes on the bottom of the baking dish.  Top with 1/3 of the onion/ham mixture.  Top with 1/3 of the cheese.  Top with 1/3 of the cream mixture.  Repeat this 2 more times.

6.  Cover with foil and bake for 45 minutes.  Remove the foil and bake for 30-45 more minutes, until bubbly and hot all the way through.

Roasted Rosemary Acorn Squash

This is my adapted version of the Pioneer Woman's recipe.  I use way less rosemary and less brown sugar.

Ingredients:
*2 acorn squash, cut into 8 wedges each
*4 dashes olive oil
*salt to taste
*1 stick butter, room temperature
*1/4 cup brown sugar (lightly packed)
*1 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed (I use a mortar and pestle)

Directions:
1.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Place wedges in a baking dish and drizzle with the dashes of olive oil.  Sprinkle lightly with salt to season.  Roast in the oven for 20 minutes.

2.  In a small bowl, combine the butter, brown sugar, rosemary, and salt to taste.  Mix into a paste.

3.  Remove the squash from the oven.  Smear the paste over the squash wedges.  Put back into the oven for 15 minutes.  By this time the paste should now be a sauce.  Brush the sauce over the squash.  Roast for 15 more minutes or until brown and caramelized.

Walnut, Goat Cheese, and Honey Sandwich

This makes a good lunch with a side of fruit of strawberries and blueberries.  The sweetness from the fruit brings out the flavor in the goat cheese.

Ingredients:
*1 multi-grain sandwich thin, sliced in half
*2 Tablespoons goat cheese
*5-6 fresh basil leaves
*1/8-1/4 cup chopped walnuts
*honey

Directions:
1.  Preaheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spread the walnuts onto a baking dish in one single layer.  Toast the walnuts in the oven for just a few minutes until fragrant.

2.  Lightly toast the sandwich thins in a toaster.

3.  Spread half of the goat cheese on one sandwich thin and the other half on the other sandwich thin.  Set one half aside.

4.  On one sandwich thin half, spread the basil and then the walnuts.  Drizzle with honey.  Top with the other half of the sandwich thin.

Peanut Butter Honey Granola Roll-Ups

This snack makes me think of the beach and the Rocky Mountains.  When my family is on vacation at the beach, we always pack these up in the cooler to munch on throughout the day.  When we go hiking in the mountains, we pack these for picnics.

Ingredients:
*HEB fresh baked wheat tortillas
*Jif creamy reduced-fat peanut butter
*granola
*honey

Directions:
1.   Lay out the tortilla flat and spread it with the peanut butter.  Leave about 1/4 inch around the edges.

2.  Sprinkle granola over the peanut butter.

3.  Drizzle with honey.

4.  Roll up.  Either cool in the refrigerator and eat later or eat right away!  Or slice and eat!

South of the Border Frito Pie

When I make Liz's Chili, we always have a lot of left overs.  We use the leftovers for chili cheese dogs, Frito pie, and this South of the Border Frito Pie.  It's the traditional Frito pie with a twist.

Ingredients:
*Liz's chili (click link to see recipe)
*Fritos
*shredded 2% Mexican blend cheese
*salsa
*Romaine lettuce leaves, chopped
*1 small can diced black olives, drained
*sour cream

Directions:
1.  Assemble on plates:  Fritos on the bottom, Liz's chili, cheese, salsa, lettuce, black olives, and then sour cream.  (This is pictured without sour cream because I don't care for it.  But my husband loves to top his with a little sour cream.)

Chicken Fajita Salad With Honey Lime Vinaigrette

This is my FAVORITE salad.  Ever.  I can't eat many things over and over, but this is one of them.  Leftover chicken can be used to make fajitas or quesadillas.

Ingredients:
*3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
*1 teaspoon salt
*1 teaspoon black pepper
*1 teaspoon cumin
*1 teaspoon chili powder
*1/2 teaspoon onion powder
*1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
*2 Tablespoons olive oil
*8-10 corn tortillas
*cooking spray
*1 bag of Romaine pieces or 1 head of Romaine torn into pieces
*2 large firm tomatoes, seeded and chopped
*1/2 of a red onion, finely diced
*1-2 avocados, chopped
*1/2 wheel of cojita cheese, grated

Salad Dressing Ingredients:
*1/3 cup olive oil
*5 limes, juiced (about 1/2 cup)
* 1/4 cup honey
*2 large garlic cloves, pressed
*1/2 teaspoon salt
*1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Directions:
1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Prepare honey lime vinaigrette first so that the flavors can marry.  You can even make this the day before and store in the refrigerator:  In a pourable measuring cup combine the 1/3 cup olive oil, lime juice, honey, garlic, salt, and pepper.  Whisk together.  Set aside.

2.  In a small bowl make the chicken dry rub by combining the salt, black pepper, cumin, chili powder, onion powder, and garlic powder.  Place chicken on a plate and season both sides using all the dry rub.

3.  Heat a large skillet over medium heat.  Add the 2 Tablespoons of olive oil.  Once hot, add the chicken breasts.  Cook about 7 minutes per side until no longer pink inside.  Place on a plate to rest.  Give the dressing another good whisk.  Set aside.

4.  Prepare baked tortilla chips:  Spray a large baking sheet with cooking spray.  Holding several corn tortillas in your hand stacked together, tear the tortillas in half.  Tear each piece in half again.  Tear each piece in half one more time.  Place on a large baking sheet so that none overlap.  Spray the tops with cooking spray.  Sprinkle with a little bit of salt.  Bake in the 350 degree oven until crispy.  Watch them so that they don't turn brown.  It can happen all of a sudden!  Set aside to cool.

5.  Slice chicken into thin strips.

6.  Assemble salad:  baked tortilla chips on the bottom, Romaine, tomato, red onion, chicken, avocado, honey lime vinaigrette dressing (whisk one more time really well before pouring), topped with cojita cheese.  (I usually let our family assemble their own salads so that each person gets the amount of each ingredient that they prefer.  I lay out all the components buffet style.)

Garlic & Savory Herb Spicy Vegetable Saute

Ingredients:
*2 large yellow squash, diced
*2 large jalapeno, seeded and chopped
*1/2 yellow onion, sliced into strips
*1/2 red onion, sliced into strips
*2 Tablespoons olive oil
*1 packet Lipton Soup Garlic & Savory Herb (1 box has 2 packets)
*1/2 can (14.5 oz. can) diced tomatoes, drained
*salt to taste
*ground black pepper to taste

Directions:
1.  Place the squash, jalapenos, yellow onion, and red onion in a gallon sized Zip Lock bag.  Pour in the olive oil.  Close the bag, letting out all the air.  Using your fingers on the outside of the bag, move around the vegetables so that they are all lightly coated in olive oil. Pour in the Garlic & Savory Herb.  Close the bag and use your fingers on the outside to make sure all the veggies get coated with the seasoning.

2.  Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add the olive oil.  Once hot add the vegetables from the Zip Lock bag.  Stir in the tomatoes.  Season with a little salt and pepper.  Saute for a couple of minutes.  Reduce heat to medium.  Continue sauteing until the squash is tender.

Roasted Honey Balsamic Carrots

This is one of my go-to recipes for a vegetable side dish.  It's super easy.

Ingredients:
* 3 - 4 lb. baby carrots
* 2 Tablespoons olive oil, plus some for lightly coating
* salt
* fresh ground black pepper
* 2 Tablespoons honey
* 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  Place carrots in a gallon size zip lock bag.  Pour just enough olive oil in to coat the carrots very lightly--you will just need a tad.  Close the zip lock bag and let all the air out.  Move the carrots around in the bag using your fingers on the outside of the bag so that all the carrots will get coated.

Pour the carrots onto a baking sheet, getting them into as much of a single layer as possible.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper to season.  Bake in a 400 degree oven for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, in pourable measuring cup, whisk together the 2 Tablespoons of olive oil, honey, and balsamic vinegar.

At the end of the 20 minutes of roasting, remove the carrots from the oven.  Give the honey mixture one more whisk.  Pour over the carrots.  Stir the carrots so that they are all coated with the mixture.  Arrange into a single layer again.  Roast in the oven for 20 more minutes.  We like a little brown on them, but if you don't then roast them a little less.

Home Made Bean and Chicken Tostadas

Makes 10 tostadas
 

Ingredients:
*1 small package HEB fajita marinated chicken breasts
*1 can Mexican-style diced tomatoes, mostly drained (not Ro-tel, but Mexican style diced tomatoes)
*1 can fat-free refried beans
*1/2 can water
*shredded iceburg lettuce (I buy the small bags)
*2 cups shredded 2% cheddar or Mexican blend cheese
*1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
*10 corn tortillas
*olive oil flavored cooking spray
*salt

Directions:
Place the chicken in a crock pot with the can of diced tomatoes.  Cover and cook on low 6 hours.  Shred.

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.  Heat the refried beans in a sauce pan with the water stirred in over low heat, stirring often until hot.

Spray a large baking dish with cooking spray.  Line the tortillas in a single layer on the baking sheet.  Spray with cooking spray.  Sprinkle with salt.  Turn over.  Do the same thing.  Bake for several minutes until crispy.  Watch them the whole time.  They can go from flimsy to burned in an instant.  Remove from oven.

To assemble:  Spread some beans on the tostada.  Top with chicken, then lettuce, cheese, and tomatoes.

Greek Salad

This is not your traditional Greek salad because it lacks cucumbers.  My husband and I hate them.  If they are your thing, then just add them to the recipe.  This is an adaptation of the Pioneer Woman's Greek Salad.  For our taste we toned down the olives, played up the sugar just a tad, and got rid of the cucumbers and parsley.

Ingredients:
*1 bag Romaine lettuce leaves
*4 firm Roma tomatoes, cut into 6 wedges and then cut in half width-wise
*1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
*20 pitted whole Kalamata olives, 5 of them diced very small
*6 oz. reduced-fat crumbled feta cheese
*1/4 cup good extra virgin olive oil
*2 Tablespoons red wine vinegar
*2 teaspoons sugar
*1 garlic clove, pressed or very finely minced
*1/4 teaspoon salt
*fresh ground black pepper
*1 fresh lemon, cut in half

Directions:
In a large salad bowl combine the Romaine, tomatoes, red onion, whole Kalamata olives, and almost all of the feta.  Toss.

To make the dressing:  In a liquid measuring cup, combine the olive oil, red wine vinegar, sugar, garlic, salt, and black pepper to taste.  Whisk well.  Pour over salad and toss.

Top with the remaining feta.  Squeeze both halves of the lemon over the top of the salad.

Chicken Cattiatore

I recently discovered the Pioneer Woman on the Food Network.  She has had her own blog for some time now, and I cannot get enough of it.  Everything that I have made of hers is outstanding.  This is the Pioneer Woman's Chicken Cacciatore exactly.  If you have never been to her website, then do it now!  Her stuff is amazing, and her posts are very entertaining.  I love her!  Click here to get her recipe.  Her final version is much prettier than mine, and she explains everything perfectly.

Braising the chicken...I was so proud of myself!

The yummy sauce I made...thanks Ree for teaching me how to do this!

Salisbury Steak

This is the amazing Ree Drummond's recipe for Salisbury steak exactly.  Boy, howdy is this delicious.  I used Le Seuer peas and HEB brand already prepared mashed potatoes that I found in the refrigerated section instead of making her masked potatoes and peas to make this a quick weeknight dinner.  Her website is full of delicious recipes.  You should check it out!  Click here to get the Pioneer Woman's recipe for Salisbury steak...you will be soooooooo happy that you did!

My finished product!

BLT Wraps on Wheat Tortillas

Makes 8 servings

Ingredients:
* 8 wheat tortillas (I use the freshly baked wheat tortillas from the HEB bakery.  They have the texture of home made flour tortillas)
*4 Roma tomatoes, cut into wedges
*Romaine lettuce leaves
*1 package of bacon
*cooking spray
*salt
*black pepper

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  Spray a large baking sheet with cooking spray.  Line the bacon on the baking sheet in a single layer.  Bake for 20 minutes or until crispy.  Remove from oven.  Use tongs to transfer bacon to a plate lined with paper towel.  Baking bacon will give you crispy bacon every single time without the fuss of the bacon grease splattering everywhere.

Wrap tortillas up into a paper towel making sure all sides are sealed.  Microwave for 20 seconds or until warm.

To assemble:  Place a couple slices of bacon on a tortilla, top with lettuce and tomato wedges (use half a tomato per tortilla).  Sprinkle the tomato slices with salt and pepper.  Roll up.

Peanut Butter Crispex Apples

 

Makes 2 servings (4 slices each)

Ingredients:

*1 green apple, cored

*reduced-fat peanut butter

*1/2 cup Crispex cereal, crushed

*brown sugar

Directions:

Slice the apple into four wedges.  Slice each wedge in half so that there are 8 wedges total.   Spread a little peanut butter on each wedge.  Place the crushed cereal in a bowl.  Dip the apples into the cereal so that it sticks to the peanut butter.  Sprinkle each wedge with just a tiny amount of brown sugar.

Shredded BBQ Chicken Sandwiches on Wheat Buns

 Follow my recipe for BBQ chicken.  Use two forks to shred the chicken.  Place on wheat buns.  Enjoy!

The BEST Chicken Pot Pie Ever

Okay...I have made this recipe over and over, and I think I have finally gotten it to where I want it.  This is always a hit.  I've made this for agape meals, for my family and extended family at Easter, and for dinner parties.  Everyone always wants the recipe, so here it is.

Ingredients:
*4 Tablespoons unsalted butter
*1 small-medium yellow onion, finely chopped
*1 large baking potato, cubed
*5 carrots, peeled and chopped
*2 stalks celery, chopped
*Kosher salt to taste
*black pepper to taste
*4 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
*2 teaspoons dried thyme
*3 Tablespoons flour
*1/2 cup white wine
*2 cups chicken broth
*1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
*1 cup frozen corn, thawed
*1 cup frozen peas, thawed
*3 cups cooked shredded chicken or 3 cans chopped chicken breast in water
*corn starch
*cold water
*1 box refrigerated pie crust (there are 2 pie crusts per box)
*cooking spray
*1 egg
*splash of water

Directions:
Preheat oven to double pie crust directions.  Remove sealed pie crusts from the box and lay on the counter still in their packaging to allow them to come to room temperature.

Heat a large saute pan over medium heat.  Once hot, melt the butter in the pan.  Cook the onions and potatoes, seasoned with salt and pepper, until the potatoes are half-way tender.  Add the carrots and celery with more salt and pepper to taste, and saute until the carrots are tender.  Add the garlic and thyme, and cook for 1 more minute, stirring frequently.  Add the flour and cook for about two minutes, stirring frequently.

Turn the heat to medium-high.  Deglaze the pan by adding the white wine.  Stir well.  In a measuring cup, whisk together the chicken broth and Dijon mustard.  Whisk in the chicken broth-mustard mixture into the pan.  Add the corn, peas, and chicken.  Cook on a low simmer until the sauce thickens up to a thick gravy, stirring frequently.  (If it needs to be thickened even after it has thickened naturally on the stove for a while, pour about half a cup of cold water into a glass.  Mix in a tablespoon or so of corn starch, and whisk.  Gradually stir in a little of that mixture into the pan at a time, stirring until the mixture comes to a bubble.  After a minute or two, if it needs more, then add a little more from the glass at a time.  Once thickened, remove from the heat and set aside.

In a deep pie plate or deep baking dish, place one pie crust.  Trim off the edges.  Scoop chicken mixture on top of the pie crust.  Top with the other pie crust.  Flute the edges.

In a small bowl, whisk the egg together with a splash of water to create an egg wash.  Brush the top of the pie crust with the egg wash.  Cut four small slits in the top to let the steam escape when baking.  Cover just the fluted edges with foil to prevent them from over browning.

Bake for 30-45 minutes, or until golden brown.  Let it sit for 10 minutes.

*Note:  I usually make a double recipe, make one chicken pot pie, and freeze the other half of the filling.  It makes for an easy dinner later.  Just defrost the filling and bake in the pie shells in the oven.

Chicken Pot Pie Turnovers

This recipe is from Melissa d'Arabian from the Food Network.  Her recipe makes four turnovers, so I doubled the recipe so that we could have left-overs. I did not double the thyme and Dijon, though.  The amount was perfect.  The recipe below shows my adjustments.

Makes 8 turnovers.

Ingredients:
*4 Tablespoons unsalted butter
*1 onion, chopped
*3 carrots, peeled and chopped
*2 stalks celery, chopped
*Kosher salt to taste
*black pepper to taste
*4 cloves garlic, minced
*2 teaspoons dried thyme
*3 Tablespoons flour plus some for dusting
*1 cup white wine or white cooking wine
*2 cups chicken broth
*1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
*1 cup frozen peas, thawed
*3 cups cooked shredded or cubed chicken (I used canned, chopped up)
*2 sheets frozen puff pastry, thawed
*cooking spray
*1 egg
*splash of water

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Heat a large saute pan over medium heat.  Once hot, melt the butter in the pan.  Cook the onions, carrots, and celery with salt and pepper to taste, until the carrots are tender (about 10 minutes).  Add the garlic and thyme, and cook for 1 more minute, stirring frequently.  Add the flour and cook off the raw taste (about 1 minute).

Turn the heat to medium-high.  Deglaze the pan by adding the white wine.  Stir well.  In a measuring cup, whisk together the chicken broth and dijon mustard.  Whisk in the chicken broth-mustard mixture into the pan.  Add the peas and chicken.  Cook on a very low simmer until the sauce thickens up to a thick gravy, stirring frequently.  Remove from the heat and set aside.

On a lightly floured surface, unfold the puff pastries.  Cut each into 4 even squares (cut once vertically and once horizontally).  Gently roll out each square, increasing the size by about 20%.

Place the squares on a baking sheet sprayed with cooking spray.  Spoon the cooled chicken mixture in the center of the squares.  Fold the squares diagonally to make triangles.  Pinch the edges to create turnovers, using a little water on the edges if needed to make the dough stick together.  Press the edges with a fork.

In a small bowl, whisk the egg together with a splash of water to create an egg wash.  Brush the entire tops of the turnovers with the egg wash.  Cut a small slit in the tops of each turnover to let the steam escape when baking.

Bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes, or until golden brown.  Let cool for 10 minutes.

Apple and Dried Fruit Winter Oatmeal

I adapted this recipe from a recipe on foodnetwork.  It's perfect for a cold, rainy, winter's day.  It makes enough that you can store the leftovers in the fridge and just add a little milk and heat up each day for a quick, healthy breakfast.

Ingredients:
*3 Tablespoons unsalted butter
*2 Gala apples, cored and diced with the peel still on
*1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
*4 Tablespoons brown sugar
*8 cups water
*2 cups steel cut oats
*1/4 cup dried cranberries (like Craisins)
*1/4 cup golden raisins
*milk
*chopped walnuts (optional)
*extra brown sugar to add at the end
*extra dried cranberries to add at the end
*extra golden raisins to add at the end
*honey to add at the end (optional)

Directions:
1.  Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat.  Add the apples and saute until lightly golden brown, about 3 minutes.

2.  Stir in the cinnamon and brown sugar until it is dissolved.

3.  Add the water.  Turn the heat to high and bring to a boil.

4.  Once boiling, add the oats.  Stir well until the water begins to thicken a little.  Turn the heat down (I put mine on 3), and simmer for 30-35 minutes uncovered.

5.  About 3 minutes before the end of the 30 minutes, add the dried cranberries and golden raisins.  Stir well.  They will plump up.

6.  To serve, scoop some of the oatmeal into a bowl.  Stir in enough milk to make it creamy.  Top with some more brown sugar or honey.  Set out extra cranberries, raisins, and walnuts for people to add to their individual bowls of oatmeal if they would like.

Note:  I don't have to add extra brown sugar to my son's bowl, but I do to mine because I like mine a little sweeter.  Honey would be a healthier sweetener option also.

Note:  If you prefer old fashioned quick-cooking oats, then use 3 cups of water and 2 cups of quick-cooking oats instead of the steel-cut oats.  Once the water is boiling, add the quick-cooking oats and the dried fruit all at once.  Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring constantly until the oats are cooked and the fruit is puffed up.

Thai Sweet Plum Chile Stir-Fry

I got this recipe from a chef at the main cooking station at HEB.  I make it with steak, but it can be made with chicken or pork as well.  It's a perfect blend of spicy and sweet.  The rice helps tone down the heat a little bit.  This dish might be too spicy for little ones

Makes 6 servings

Ingredients:
*vegetable or canola oil
*1 lb. flank steak, cubed (or boneless, skinless chicken breast or boneless pork loin chops)
*Adam's grilling seasoning
*1 bag (16 oz.) frozen broccoli florets, thawed
*1 yellow onion, sliced into strips
*1 cup chicken broth
*2 teaspoons corn starch
*1 cup sweet chile plum sauce (I find this at HEB)
*cashews
*2 steamer bags of white or brown rice

Directions:
Preheat a large skillet over high heat.  Season cubed flank steak with Adam's grill seasoning.  Make sure every piece is seasoned well.

Once the skillet is very hot, add about 1 Tablespoon of oil.  Immediately add the steak.  Stirring constantly, cook the meat for just a minute or two--until cooked to medium doneness.  It will cook more later, so do not cook past medium.  Remove the steak from the pan and set aside.

Heat skillet back up to high heat again.  Once very hot, add a Tablespoon of oil again, and add the onion and broccoli.  Season well with the Adam's grill seasoning.  Stir-fry onion and broccoli by stirring constantly until the onions are tender and the broccoli is al dente.  Remove from heat.

Measure out the chicken broth, and add the cornstarch to the room temperature chicken broth.  Whisk it in well.  Place skillet back onto the burner over medium-high heat.  Pour the chicken broth into the skillet.  Add the sweet chile plum sauce.  Add the meat.  Add the cashews.

Bring to a boil.  Once to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until the sauce is thickened.

Meanwhile, microwave steamer bags of rice.

To serve, pour stir-fry over rice.

Pesto Chicken Pizza

I created this recipe a few days after I ate at Mellow Mushroom.  I had a pizza there that had an olive oil and garlic base instead of a traditional tomato sauce base.  It was delicious, so when I saw pesto marinated chicken breasts at HEB, I thought they would be great on an olive oil and garlic base pizza.  My husband doesn't care for a pesto spread on anything usually, much less pizza, because the flavor is very intense, so I thought this would still give the pizza a pesto taste without blowing him away with pesto flavor in every bite.  He loved it, and so did my son.  If you don't have an HEB near you, you can buy jar pesto (or make your own), and spread the pesto all over raw chicken breasts and marinate for 24 hours before making this pizza.

Makes 9 slices

Ingredients:
*a good extra virgin olive oil
*salt
*black pepper
*1 bulb of garlic (Yes, the whole thing, don't worry)
*cooking spray
*1 package of HEB pesto chicken breasts (I use 2 out of the 3 chicken breasts and freeze the last one)
*1/2 cup to 1 cup of water
*1 tube Pillsbury thin crust pizza dough
*1 bag (8 oz.) part-skim shredded Italian blend cheese (mozzarella, Romano, Parmesan, etc.)
*1 bag fresh pre-rinsed spinach leaves
*about 20 grape/cherry tomatoes (The HEB brand calls them "champagne tomatoes"), quartered

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Roast the garlic--Remove most of the the outer skin peel off the bulb of garlic, but leave enough skin to keep the cloves all together.  Cut about 1/4" off the top of the garlic bulb (the side with the pointy skin).  Place on top of a foil sheet, with the cut side facing up.  Drizzle with olive oil.  Sprinkle the tops with salt and black pepper.  Wrap the foil over the top, making a foil pouch.  Seal.  Place the foil pouch in a baking dish.  Roast in the oven for 35-45 minutes until soft.  Open the foil to let the garlic bulb cool.  When it is cool enough to handle, squeeze the garlic out of the bulb into a shallow bowl.  Mash well.  Pour about 1/4" olive oil over the garlic into the bowl.  Season with salt and black pepper.  Stir well.  Set aside and let the garlic infuse the olive oil for at least 20 minutes.  Stir occasionally.

Meanwhile, keep the oven on 400 degrees.  Place a pizza stone or cookie sheet in the oven so it can get hot.

Meanwhile, cook the chicken:  Heat a medium skillet over medium-low heat.  Once hot, spray with cooking spray.  Immediately place the chicken breasts in the hot pan.  Cook about 7 minutes per side until no longer pink inside.  When you flip the chicken, spray the pan with cooking spray again.  About 1 minute after flipping, start adding the water to de-glaze the pan and make a glaze.  When the pan starts to get dry again, add more water.  Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and drizzle with the glaze.  Set aside to let cool.

Meanwhile, roll out the pizza dough into a rectangle on the pre-heated pizza stone or cookie sheet.  (If using a cookie sheet, make sure you spray it with cooking spray first.)  Pre-bake the crust on 400 degrees for 5 minutes.

While the crust is pre-baking, slice the cooled chicken into thin slices, and then cut each slice in half lengthwise.  Set aside.

Brush the garlic infused olive oil onto the pre-baked crust liberally.  Using a fork, spread the mashed roasted garlic evenly on the crust.  Pour the remaining olive oil over the quartered tomatoes in a bowl.  Season with salt and black pepper.  Stir well.

Spread chicken evenly onto pizza crust.  Top with spinach leaves.  I use about half of a bag.  It cooks down a lot.

Top evenly with the Italian blend cheese.  Top with the garlic infused marinated tomatoes.

Bake on 400 degrees for 6 to 10 more minutes, or until the crust is golden brown.