Baked Manicotti

This is my altered recipe from Americas Test Kitchens. Not that their recipes aren't perfect, I just found a few shortcuts and added a vegetable.

1 jar TJ's Marinara sauce 28 oz
2 tubs of low fat cottage cheese 16 oz each
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
1 cup chopped spinach - I used frozen that I defrosted first
black pepper
No boil lasagna noodles

Pour 1 inch boiling water into 13 by 9-inch broiler safe baking dish, ( I used a sheet pan so I could soak 6 at a time) then add noodles one at a time. Let noodles soak until pliable, about 5 minutes, separating noodles with tip of sharp knife to prevent sticking. (I had to soak them twice with boiling water) Remove noodles from water and place on a plate one at a time.

Spread bottom of 13 X 9 inch baking dish evenly with 1 1/2 cups sauce. Using soup spoon, spread 1/4 cup cheese mixture evenly onto bottom three-quarters of each noodle (with short side facing you), leaving top quarter of noodle exposed. Roll into tube shape and arrange in baking dish seam side down. Top evenly with remaining sauce, making certain that pasta is completely covered.

Bake at 375 for 45 min or until pasta is tender.

Crock Pot Pork Chops

4-5 small pork chops
1/2 chopped onion
4-6 small apples or 3 -4 large Apples, Peeled & Chopped into small pieces
3 Tbsp of butter
1/4 Cup of brown sugar
Few splashes of OJ
Few shakes of Cinnamon and Nutmeg

Sear the pork in a hot pan. Brown outside to seal in moisture. Transfer into crock pot. Add fresh apples, chopped onion, brown sugar, orange juice,butter, seasonings, salt & pepper. Cook for 2-4 hours. Cook side of garlic mashed potatoes if you can.

Beef Teriyaki

Americas test kitchen Beef Teriyaki, reminded me of PF Changs Mongolian Beef. Very tasty.

Beef TeriyakiFrom America's Test Kitchen Family Cookbook
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/3 cup sugar
2 tablespoons mirin, sherry, or white wine
2 teaspoons grated ginger
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 teaspoon cornstarch
1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 pounds top blade steak, trimmed and sliced 1/4" thick (you can also used 1 1/2 pounds of flank steak if you can't find top blade steak)
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted
2 scallions, sliced thin

Whisk the soy sauce, sugar, mirin (sherry/wine), ginger, garlic, cornstarch, and red pepper flakes together and set aside.

Pat the meat dry with paper towels, then season with salt and pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Brown half of the meat, about 5 minutes, then transfer to a clean bowl. Repeat with the remaining 1 tablespoon oil and meat.

Briefly re-whisk the soy sauce mixture to recombine, then add to the skillet. Simmer, scraping up any browned bits, until thickened, about 2 minutes.

Return the meat with any accumulated juice to the skillet and toss to warm through. Transfer the meat and sauce to a serving platter and sprinkle with the sesame seeds and scallions.

Tuscan White-Bean Stew

I hear there's no copyright laws I'm violating by posting a recipe from Cookie Magazine, so here it goes.... it comes from a section in the October edition entitled "peasant food."

Tuscan Ribollita
Serves 6 | 20 minutes active time | 1 1/2 hours total

• 3 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
• 1 small onion, peeled and roughly chopped
• 1 carrot, peeled and chopped
• 1 celery stalk, chopped
• 4 ounces pancetta or ham, chopped
  
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1 15-ounce can whole peeled tomatoes
• 3 15-ounce cans cannellini or great northern beans,
  drained and rinsed
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1 sprig fresh rosemary
• 1 bunch kale, roughly chopped
• 1/2 cup toasted bread crumbs
• Grated Parmesan

1. In a large pot over medium heat, sauté the first five ingredients in 2 tablespoons of the olive oil for 5 minutes.
2. Add the tomatoes and their juices, along with the beans, broth, and rosemary. Simmer, covered, until the beans break apart, about an hour.
3. Add the kale and cook for 5 to 7 minutes more. Stir in the bread crumbs and serve, drizzled with the remaining olive oil and sprinkled with the cheese.

TIP: If you don't have a Dutch oven, use a shallow metal baking pan covered with foil.

My customizations to this recipe are that I used prosciutto once and normal ham another time. I also recommend doubling the carrots and celery. After you serve the soup (it's very thick) in bowls is when you drizzle on the olive oil. It makes for great dipping if you also have a baguette. Oh yeah, and it doesn't really serve six. I doubled the recipe and it served 5 adults and 4 kids.

Homemade sloppy joes

3 C shredded leftover pork or chicken, OR 1 lb ground meat browned
14 oz can petite-cut diced tomatoes (or not petite-cut)
1/2 C ketchup (I think I'll use maybe 3/4 C next time so it's messier!)
1 T dijon mustard
1 t liquid smoke
1 t dry basil or 1 cube TJ's frozen basil
1 t chili powder
1 t cumin
1/4 t salt
1/4 t black pepper
1 C frozen corn kernels
1 C frozen chopped bell pepper or 1 fresh pepper

kaiser rolls to serve


In saucepan, combine meat through black pepper, waiting to add corn and bell pepper. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Add veggies and simmer 5 minutes more until heated through. If you like your veggies softer then just add them in the first place and simmer for 10 minutes.

Spoon mixture onto warm rolls and serve hot.

Stove-top macaroni and cheese with ham

1 lb elbow macaroni
1/2 C sour cream
1 1/2 C milk
3 C shredded cheese, mix and match
2 t dijon mustard
1/2 t black pepper
1/4 t salt
1/8 t nutmeg
1 C diced ham

optional: dry bread crumbs and grated parmesan, about 2T each

Cook pasta in salted water according to package directions. Drain and transfer to large bowl. While still hot, stir in sour cream and set aside. I would wait about 1 minute after it's in the bowl.

Scald milk by heating over medium heat until tiny bubbles just appear around the edges, about 3 minutes. Reduce the heat to low and add the cheese, mustard, pepper, salt, and nutmeg and simmer until the cheeses melt, stirring gently and constantly. Fold the cheese mixture into the pasta, along with the ham, and transfer to a serving dish.

Optional: combine bread crumbs and parmesan, then add to a dry skillet and set over medium heat. Cook 1 to 2 minutes until both are golden brown. Sprinkle evenly over macaroni and serve.

Also optional: I browned the cubed ham before adding to macaroni because it tastes better that way.

Tortellini Salad

We had this at Emma's birthday party and it was a hit-at least among the people that eat salads or pasta with more than one ingredient ;)

It's great to make ahead and tonight, I didn't have all of the ingredients so I improvised a bit and it was still delish.

6T olive oil
1/2 c chopped fresh basil
3 T fresh lemon juice
1 shallot, minced (I used some minced red onion this time around since I didn't have a shallot)
1 garlic clove, minced
salt and pepper
1 lb asparagus trimmed and sliced into 1/2 inch pieces (I had to leave these out this time since I didn't have any :( )
2 9oz pkgs of fresh cheese tortellini (you could probably use dried ?)
1/4 c toasted pine nuts
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved (I added extra this time since I didn't have asparagus)
1/2 c grated parmesan cheese

1. whisk oil, basil, lemon juice, shallot, garlic, salt and pepper together in the bowl you will make the salad in

2. cook asparagus in boiling, salted water unti ltender (3 min). Transfer to a colander using a slotted spoon (don't dump cooking water) and run under cold water until cooled off. toss with dressing.

3. return water to boil, add tortellini and cook until tender. drain thoroughly and toss while hot with the asparagus and dressing. refrigerate until chilled.

**** if you're making it ahead of time, stop here****

4. just before serving, add pine nuts, tomatoes and parm. (if you made the salad the day before, you might want to freshen it with a bit more oil and lemon juice before serving)

Beef Stroganoff

I forgot how good this is!

1 lb beef -- cut into bite size pieces or use ground beef, season with s&p
1 onion, chopped
8 or so mushrooms, cut (I use Cremini)
2 packages brown gravy (dry)
2 C water
1 C sour cream

Start cooking onions in large pot with some oil, butter or mixture. When they start to turn translucent, add the meat and cook thoroughly. Add mushrooms at any time depending on how soft you like them. I add them when the meat is nearly cooked. Add brown gravy mix and two cups of water. Bring to a boil and lower heat, cook intil thick and opaque. Remove from heat and stir in sour cream.

Stir in about 8 oz of cooked wide egg noodles.

Very easy, very fast

Southwestern Pasta Salad

So this recipe is a takeoff from Jamie's Southwestern Salad recipe. I didn't have enough fresh ingredients to do a salad justice, and Grandma doesn't really do well with lettuce so I turned it into a pasta salad. I think it's delicious!

1lb pasta
1/2 c frozen corn (fresh would be better)
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
Some cubed cheddar cheese
Cooked Chicken cut into pieces
1 c or so fresh salsa (jarred would probably be okay too)
Ranch dressing

Make pasta. In the last minute or so of cooking, add in frozen corn
In large bowl, mix together some salsa and ranch dressing until desired flavor and consistency. Add in beans & chicken.
Drain pasta/corn and add to dressing mixture.
When it's all mixed up and cooled a little bit, add in cheese chunks and stir those in.
Mix up and enjoy room temp or cold.

Note: fresh vegis are always better so you could add cucumber, fresh tomatoes, fresh corn, fresh bell pepper, cilantro, etc and this would only get better!

Hot Ham and Cheese Sandwiches

24 dinner rolls
1 lb ham
1 lb sliced cheese
1 cup buter
4 TBSP brown sugar
2 TBSP Worcester sauce
2 TBSP poppy seeds

Cut ham and cheese to fit inside buns. Place close together in a 9x13 pan. Melt butter, brown sugar, Worcester sauce, and poppy seeds together. Pour mixture over the sandwiches. Cook in oven on 350 until cheese is melted.

Philadelphia Cheese Steaks

Another super easy and good weeknight dinner...

2 1/2 Tbsp. olive oil, divided
2 yellow onions, thinly sliced
2 medium bell peppers (any color), thinly sliced
2 large soft baguettes
1 1/2 lbs. sliced roast beef (such as all-natural Applegate Farms)
6 slices provolone cheese, (or you can always use Philly's favorite, Cheez Whiz!)
1/4 cup ketchup, or to taste, for serving (optional)
2 tsp. hot pepper sauce (such as Tabasco), or to taste, for serving (optional)

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Heat 2 Tbsp. olive oil in a large heavy skillet over medium heat. Sauté the onions and peppers, stirring occasionally, until they are very soft and the onions are starting to brown, 8 - 10 minutes. After about 5 minutes, put the baguettes in the oven to warm them.

Transfer the onions and peppers to a bowl, cover them, and set them aside. In the same skillet, heat the remaining oil over medium heat. Cut the roast beef into thin strips and sauté it in the oil, stirring frequently, until it is heated through, about 5 minutes. (Meanwhile, make the smoothie, if you are serving it.)

Remove the baguettes from the oven and slice them lengthwise, cutting them most of the way through. Line the bottoms of the sandwiches with the cheese, and top it with the beef, onions and peppers. Cut each baguette into 3 sandwiches, and serve them warm, topped with the ketchup and hot pepper sauce, if desired.

Polenta mash with roasted tomato salsa

I made this this week for the first time and it was really good, the kids loved it too. I didnt mash the polenta but left it cubed.

2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 yellow onion, diced (about 2 cups)
18-24 oz. prepared polenta (sold in a tube with grains), diced into 3/4-inch cubes
15 oz. canned cannellini or pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup mild roasted tomato salsa
1/2 cup nonfat or low fat sour cream
2 Tbsp. fresh cilantro, chopped (optional)

In a large nonstick skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until they are lightly browned, 5-7 minutes. (Meanwhile, prepare the guacamole, if you are serving it.)

Add the polenta and beans and cook them, flipping gently and occasionally, until the polenta is softened, about 5 minutes. (At this point you can mash the polenta with the spatula or a potato masher, if desired, or keep it diced.)

In a measuring cup, combine the salsa and sour cream, and add it to the polenta mixture. Reduce the heat to medium-low so the sour cream won't curdle. Stir it gently until it is warm throughout. Top the polenta with the cilantro, if desired, and serve it immediately.

Lasagna in 30 minutes- seriously!

This recipe is adapted from Cook's Illustrated The Best 30 Minute Recipes book. It's your basic lasagna ingredients, but made in a skillet on the stove top. It cooks in 30 minutes AND you only have 1 pot to clean. This recipe is a suggestion but you could do your own flavorings as you like. Pretty amazing if you ask me!

1 lb ground meat (I used Light Jimmy Dean sausage b/c that's what I had around, but you could
use turkey, beef, or any combo)
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/3 t red pepper flakes
6 oz (8 noodles) curly edged lasagna noodles, broken in to 2-inch pieces. Do not use no boil noodles.
1 26 oz jar tomato sauce/marinara sauce
2 cups water
1/2 bag frozen, chopped spinach
1/2 c grated mozzarella cheese
1/2 c grated parmesan cheese
3/4 c ricotta cheese
1/2 c minced fresh basil (optional)

1. Cook meat in a large 12 inch nonstick skillet over high heat. Drain fat out of meat and return to skillet.
2. Stir in garlic, pepper flakes, and 1/2 t salt and cook over medium high heat for about 30 seconds.
3. sprinkle broken noodles into skillet, then pour in tomato sauce and water over top and add in frozen spinach. Cover and cook, stirring often and keeping at a vigorous simmer until noodles are tender (about 20 minutes)
4. Turn off heat, stir in half of mozarella and parmesan cheeses. Dot heaping spoonfuls of ricotta over noodles, then sprinkle with remaining mozzarella and parmesan cheeses. Cover and let stand off heat until cheeses melt (3-5 minutes)
5. Sprinkle with basil and eat up!

Mexican Breakfast Shake

Milk
Uncooked oats
Banana
Orange juice
Other fruit (i like berries)
Honey

Put them all in a blender with whatever proportions you feel like and drink up! It's Mexican because it is what Luz drinks every morning.

Shredded Pork Tacos (Bonus Recipe!)

I made Bryana's Rosemary Dijon Pork Tenderloin for dinner this week and we had a pretty big chunk of pork left over so I shredded it up and put it into tacos. You could make this recipe completely from the beginning by roasting any type of pork and pulling it apart/shredding it when it's done cooking.

(all of these measurements were eyeballed)
1 lb (approx) shredded pork
1/2 onion chipped pretty small
T canola oil
4 oz (half small can) on tomato sauce/paste
T cumin
T chili powder
3 T worcheshire sauce
1 small red bell pepper diced small
(red pepper flakes, chili paste, or other spice optional if you want some heat)
corn tortillas/taco shells

Saute onion in oil until soft. Add in tomato sauce and saute until thickened a little bit. Add in spices and worcheshire sauce and saute for a few minutes until flavors are all melded together. Add bell pepper, shredded pork and some water and simmer covered for 5 or so minutes until the bell pepper is soft. Add more water if needed and simmer on low uncovered for 10 more minutes or so until the sauce is thickened a little bit and the pork has absorbed the flavor.

Serve in taco shells with sour cream, diced tomatoes, shredded lettuce.....

Calzone

Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes
Makes: 4 calzones

1 pizza dough
flour (for dusting)
olive oil
1 pound mushrooms (cleaned and sliced)
4 cloves garlic (peeled and finely sliced)
4 sprigs fresh thyme
1/4 cup butter
sea salt and ground black pepper
1 cup tomato sauce
11 ounces spinach leaves
8 ounces mozzarella cheese

*You can use a store-bought pizza dough or make your own. I added chicken when I made these.

1. Preheat oven to 450 to 500 degrees F.
2. Make 4 balls of dough from the uncooked pizza dough. Roll each ball out on a floured surface, making them roughly circular, about the thickness of a silver dollar, and about 12 inches across.
3. Pour a large glug of olive oil into a hot frying pan.
4. Add the mushrooms, garlic, and thyme. Fry until mushrooms are cooked.
5. Drop in the butter. Season with salt and pepper.
6. Add the tomato sauce to the pan and stir. Cook for a few minutes, then add the spinach in batches and stir again.
7. Simmer away the liquid until you're left with a thick mixture that's not too moist (otherwise it will burst through the dough when you're cooking the calzone).
8. Divide the mushroom and spinach mixture evenly between the 4 pizza bases and spread it out nicely.
9. Top with mozzarella, salt and pepper.
10. To make your calzone, carefully lift the far edge of the pizza dough and pull it over the top towards you--you basically fold it in half. Pinch the edges so none of the filling can spill out.
11. Place the calzones side by side on a floured baking sheet or pizza stone.
12. Cook for 10 to 15 minutes on the bottom of the preheated oven until the dough is puffed up and golden on top and the filling is hot.

Enjoy!

Greek Chicken Sandwiches with Yogurt-Cucumber Sauce

*We tried this recipe last week and I really liked it. I dont do cucumbers so I left those out and added tomatoes, I used the flatbread from TJs as its softer than pitas.

This is a summery meal with cooling cucumbers and creamy yogurt. For a vegetarian alternative, use garbanzo beans (also called chickpeas) in the sandwiches instead of the chicken. Serve it with Greek-Style Green Beans (you can also peel, slice and serve the 1/2 cucumber that wasn't used in the recipe).
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts or canned garbanzo beans, if using the beans, drain and rinse them
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1/4 tsp. salt, or to taste
1/8 tsp. black pepper, or to taste
1 cup plain nonfat or lowfat yogurt, preferably Greek yogurt
1 tsp. minced garlic, (1 - 2 cloves)
2 tsp. fresh oregano, mint or dill, chopped
1/2 tsp. honey
1/2 cucumber, peeled and finely diced or shredded (1 cup total)
4 whole wheat or white pita breads
1 tomato, diced
(If you are making the green beans, start them first.) Cut the chicken into 1/2-inch wide strips and toss it with the oil, salt and pepper. (If using garbanzo beans, warm them in the microwave or on the stovetop with the oil and black pepper, and omit the salt.)
Heat a large heavy skillet over medium heat. Cook the chicken until it is browned on the outside and no longer pink in the middle, turning occasionally, 5-7 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a medium serving bowl, combine the yogurt, garlic, oregano, mint or dill, honey and cucumber.
Warm the pita in the microwave or conventional oven (10 - 15 minutes at 300 degrees, wrapped in foil) to soften it.
Assemble the sandwiches at the table by stuffing or wrapping the chicken (or garbanzo beans) in the pita pockets and topping it with the yogurt sauce and tomato. Serve the sandwiches warm.
Scramble Flavor Booster: Use lots of fresh herbs in the yogurt sauce, and season the chicken with freshly ground black pepper before cooking it.
Tip:
If your market carries a range of yogurts, look for Greek yogurt, such as Fage, which has a much richer and smoother taste and texture than American yogurts.

Rio Grande Black Bean Soup

1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 yellow onion, diced
15 oz. canned black beans, drained and rinsed
28 oz. whole tomatoes, with their liquid
15 oz. tomato sauce
1 1/2 tsp. chili powder
1 dash ground cloves or cinnamon
2 Tbsp. Marsala wine, or 1 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
1 cup quick-cooking brown rice or quinoa
1 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese, for serving (optional)
1 cup nonfat or low fat sour cream, for serving (optional)
In a large Dutch oven or stockpot, heat the oil over medium heat. Cook the onions, stirring occasionally, until they are translucent, about 5 minutes.
Add the beans, tomatoes, tomato sauce, chili powder, cloves or cinnamon and wine or vinegar. Bring it to a low boil and simmer it for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add the rice or quinoa, cover, reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Test the rice to make sure it is tender, and serve it topped with cheese and sour cream, if desired.
Scramble Flavor Booster: Double the chili powder or use chipotle or hot Mexican style chili powder. Serve the stew with hot sauce.
Tip: Quick-cooking brown rice is a great way to get whole grains in your family's weeknight meals. Another quick-cooking whole grain alternative is quinoa, which has a light flavor and texture and is a great addition to stews.


* After I made this I was thinking you could add a lot more veggies to it- red pepper, corn etc

Rosemary Dijon Pork Loin

Lots of us have rosemary growing in our yards; here is a great recipe for it:

• 4 lb boneless pork loin
• 2 T Dijon mustard
• 2 T chopped red onion
• 2 t kosher salt
• 1/2 t coarse black pepper
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 2 T coarsely chopped rosemary leaves
• Equipment: roasting pan or broiler pan...something to keep it from sitting in the drippings

Preheat oven to 350 F. Trim excess fat from pork loin, leaving a thin layer on top.

Mix other ingredients together except for rosemary; rub evenly and well into pork, then sprinkly rosemary on top. Roast for 20 minutes, then reduce temp. to 300 and roast for another hour or so.

Goes great with potatoes and salad :)

***See bonus recipe: Shredded Pork Tacos***

(Salmon) Corn Chowder

Joy and I made this for our mom's birthday dinner. We used fresh Salmon instead of the canned that the recipe called for. I'm sure it would be delicious without the fish also. The soup was hearty and a big hit and most of the ingredients are pantry staples. Courtesy of Allrecipes.com

Salmon Chowder, serves 8, ready in about 45 minutes
3 T butter
3/4 c chopped onion
1/2 c chopped celery
1 t garlic powder
2 c diced potatoes
2 carrots, diced
2 c chicken broth
1 t salt & pepper
1 t dried dill weed
2 cans salmon (we used approx. 1 lb fresh salmon, cut into small cubes)
1 can evaporated milk
1 can creamed corn
1/2 lb cheddar cheese, shredded

1. melt butter in large pot over medium heat. Saute onion, celery and garlic powder until onions are tender. Stir in potatoes, carrots, broth, salt, pepper and dill. Bring to a boil and reduce heat. Cover and simmer 20 minutes.
2. stir in salmon, evaporated milk, corn and cheese. Cook until heated through.
3. ours didn't seem very thick when we were done, so I added in some dissolved corn starch and it helped thicken it right up

Notes: this soup didn't taste "fishy" at all. The salmon flavor didn't really meld into the soup so when you had a bite of soup, if you didn't get a salmon piece, you might not even know that it was fish chowder at all. If you want it to be more fish flavored, you could add fish stock or clam juice instead of the chicken broth. Also, if you used the canned salmon and didn't drain the liquid out, it would add a little more of that flavor.

Thai Chicken Pasta (or rice)

This dish seems a little complicated because it has a lot of ingredients but you dump them in all at once and I usually have all of them on hand, except for the half-and-half...and please don't try to use whole milk and cornstarch instead, it does not work!

Everyone in my family loves this and, even though it seems special, it takes hardly any time to make.

Ingredients:

1 pound any kind of noodle (or you can serve over rice)
enough chicken to feed your family, shredded/cubed/or however

Sauce:
1/2 C chicken broth
1 T minced ginger root OR 1/2 t ground ginger
3 T soy sauce
4 T peanut butter (smooth or chunky)
3 T honey
1-2 t hot chili paste**
3 cloves minced garlic
1/2 C half-and-half

Cook pasta until al dente or rice according to package. Drain. Meanwhile, in medium saucepan combine all sauce ingredients. Cook and whisk over medium heat until mixture is fully incorporated and heated through. Add noodles and chicken, toss to coat. I top mine with chives if I have them and chopped peanuts "for a nice crunch!" (little food network reference there)

**In the ethnic foods/Indian section of the grocery store I found a jar of Patak's Original Vindaloo Curry Paste "hot" It says to use within six months of opening but I didn't read that until just now and I've been keeping mine in the fridge and using it for at least a year now with no problems :)

Southwestern salad

Seems like there are a few recipes with these ing already, but here is a new twist

Lettuce- we use spinach
1 can corn
1 can black beans
few chopped tomatoes
shredded cheese
tortilla chips
low fat ranch
salsa

Add the first 5 ing to the bowl. Mix the low fat ranch and salsa. Smash tortilla chips up as a garnish.

Balsamic chicken with noodles and tomatoes

*disclaimer, this is a very lose recipe as I make it different every time and never write anything down.

Chicken Breasts
Cherry Tomatoes
Balsamic Vinegar
Noodles
Basil
Salt
Pepper

Season the chicken breast with salt and pepper on both sides. Cook the chicken breasts in a frying pan over med heat until done. Once they are done take them out and deglaze the pan with the balsamic vinegar- about 1/3 cup?? Get all the flavor off of the bottom of the pan. Slice the cherry tomatoes in half, add them to the vinegar along with the cooked chicken and basil. Cook for a min or two just to warm the tomatoes. Serve over noodles.

** I use the frozen basil from TJ's and whole wheat angel hair pasta. You can also serve it with fresh parmesan cheese.

Chicken Fajitas, BBQ Chicken Pizza

This is a recipe that is easy, fresh, and delicious. You could also substitute the chicken for shrimp or steak. The leftovers can be morphed into bbq chicken pizza later in the week.

1-2 lbs chicken cut into strips
2-4 bell peppers, a variety of colors, cut into strips
1 med-large onion, cut into strips
taco seasoning
T oil
lime juice
salt
pepper
toppings
tortillas

In a large bowl, combine ingredients. Add any spices that you think would be tasty. Let sit for at least 10 minutes but up to 1 hour.
Heat large grill pan or skillet over medium high heat. Add fajita stuff and cook, stirring occasionally. When chicken is cooked through and vegis are tender, you're done. (if you're using a grill pan, you should get nice char marks!)

Serve with guacamole, shredded cheese, sour cream, beans, rice, fresh lime juice, etc. Roll up into a warmed tortilla and enjoy!

Bonus Recipe:
Use leftover fajitas and create bbq chicken pizza

Pizza dough
Fajita mix
BBQ sauce
Shredded mozzarella cheese
Green onions, chopped
cilantro, chopped

Preheat oven to 375. Roll out pizza dough onto baking sheet or pizza stone. Spread bbq sauce over dough. Sprinkle with leftover fajitas, cheese and green onions. Bake for about 20 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly.

Easy shredded chicken

In a large pot, lay as many chicken breasts as will fit snugly in one layer--with or without bones is fine. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper, minced garlic (one clove per piece), sliced onion, and any other spices you like. Tip: if you plan to use in mexican food, season with cumin, mexican oregano, red pepper flakes, etc. For italian use greek oregano or mixed italian seasoning..., you get the idea. Press the seasonings down into the chicken, then carefully pour one can of chicken broth over the chicken, then add water just to cover.

Bring to a boil on high, then partially cover and reduce to low so liquid just simmers. Simmer for 7 minutes, then cover completely and remove from heat. Let chicken cool, covered, for 30 minutes to 1 hour. Remove from liquid and hand shred.

You could freeze in one or two cup portions and use in Julie's Chicken Tortilla Soup, or I often use it in enchiladas and taco salad.

Easy Mini Meatloaf

I love meatloaf, but I seldom plan ahead enough to have it ready for dinner by the time we need to eat. Perhaps that will change now that I'm meal planning but, until I get into the swing of things, I make mini meatloaves in my muffin pan that takes 35 minutes to cook instead of 1 hour and 35 minutes.

Ingredients:
meatloaf mix (recipe suggestion here that uses a bag of stuffing mix)

Preheat oven to 375. Spray inside of twelve-cup muffin pan with cooking spray. Make meatloaf mixture. Scoop and form into balls and place inside of muffin cup. Bake for about 35 minutes!

Chicken Tortilla Soup

Ingredients:
2 cans chicken broth
1 cup shredded or cubed chicken
1 jar of salsa
1 can of black beans
1/2 cup frozen corn kernels
*1 cup cooked brown rice optional
*1 can diced tomatoes optional
tortilla chips, cheese, sour cream, avocado for garnish

In large pot, brown corn over medium heat (5 minutes).
Once corn is browned, add other ingredients and simmer 20+ minutes. Serve topped with crushed tortilla chips, shredded cheese, sour cream and avocado.

Notes: We eat this soup A LOT. It can be spicy or mild depending on the salsa that you use. We use a southwestern salsa that is kinda sweet and has corn in it.

In the beginning

Hi Girls (and anyone else who stumbles across this blog),

In 2009, I have resolved to cook for my family. Well, I already do that, but now I'm on a strict budget and am attempting to meal plan. I figured that once in a blue moon I have a good recipe or dinner idea that I'm dying to share and you might too. So, this blog is one that you can post to whenever that lightbulb goes off in your head and help combat starvation and boredom at dinnertime.

After you post, you can write labels for your recipe at the bottom ("labels for this post") and include key words that will help us to search for your recipes in the future.