#738: Black Bean Taco Soup

I was looking for a recipe to make for my lunches this week that was 1. Easy.  2.  Healthy.  3. Would last most of the week. 4. I had all of the ingredients on hand because I've gone to the grocery store way too many times this week.

I was excited to try this (even though I had to send Brian to the store for black beans and ground turkey...I swore I had everything on hand until I started cooking and realized that was NOT the case) but does this picture look like an exciting lunch to you??  No?  Me either!  I'm going to eat this but I'm not super excited about it.  Maybe I'll give most of it to Matthew.  :)  

Don't get me wrong, this isn't bad...it's just lacking something.  Not sure what yet.

1 lb ground beef
1 medium onion, chopped
1 package mild taco seasoning mix
1 16 oz can corn (undrained)
1 16 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 14 oz can stewed tomatoes (I used diced)
1 14 oz can diced tomatoes
1 8 oz can tomato sauce
1 4 oz can diced green chilis
tortilla chips
Other taco toppings you like (cheese, sour cream, avocado, etc)

Brown meat and onion, drain.
Stir in taco seasoning, corn, black beans, tomatoes, tomato sauce, and green chilis. Simmer on low heat for 20 to 30 minutes.
Serve with tortilla chips and your favorite toppings.

#737: Parmesan Chicken

This is another recipe that hasn't been bookmarked on Pinterest for very long (11 days to be exact).  This one looked too good (and family friendly) to hold off on making.  This was delicious!  It was so good in fact, Brian referenced a similarity to Culvers (totally doesn't but I appreciated his enthusiasm).  We all really enjoyed this one.

2-3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (I used about 8 chicken tenderloins)
1/2 cup Italian style bread crumbs
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp dried basil
Sea salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste
2 eggs, mixed thoroughly
2 tsp butter, divided
2 tsp olive oil, divided
Cooking spray

Place the chicken breasts between two pieces of plastic wrap and pound them, with a mallet, until they are 1/4 inch thick, cut in half.

Heat 1 tsp olive oil and 1 tsp butter in a skillet over medium heat. Combine breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, garlic powder, dried basil, salt and pepper and mix thoroughly.

Beat the two eggs in a separate bowl. Dip the chicken in the egg mixture then the bread crumbs, making sure to coat evenly, then place in the hot skillet.

Cook the chicken 3-4 minutes on each side, until cooked through. Remove from heat and serve.

#736: Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad

I can tell you with 100% certainty this recipe has too much ranch dip/sauce. It is super, super thick and personally, over powering.  Next time I will either cut down on the sour cream and mayo or I'll add a lot more pasta and veggies.  Other than that, I thought this was good, not great, but good.  Did you ever have the boxed BLT pasta salad?  It actually tastes a lot like it, except with real veggies instead of freeze-dried ones.  Would I make this again?  Yes.  Would I make this often?  No.

1 lb medium shell pasta
1 pint grape tomatoes
1 lg cucumber
1 1/2 cups frozen peas, thawed
1-1 1/2 cups cooked and chopped bacon
1 pk dry Ranch mix
1 1/2 cups mayonnaise
1/2 cup sour cream

Cook pasta according to package directions. Rinse with cold water until pasta is cool. Drain and pour into a large bowl. 

Halve the tomatoes and add to the pasta. Peel the cucumber and cut it in half lengthwise. Using a teaspoon, remove all the seeds. Cut each half of the cucumber in half lengthwise again and give it a small/medium chop. You want it to be slightly smaller than your shells. Add your cucumber and thawed peas to the pasta. 

In a small bowl, mix together dry Ranch mix, bacon bits, mayonnaise and sour cream together. Pour over pasta mixture and toss until well combined. Cover and chill until ready to serve. 

#735: A.M. Rush Espresso Smoothie

Fruit, coffee and chocolate to start out my morning?  Yes please!  Now this is a recipe I was excited to try.

Not being one for going out and buying an ingredient just to use once, I decided to use pure maple syrup in place of the vanilla flavoring syrup.  I thought that would taste weird, it didn't!  You couldn't taste it at all.  Next time I might try pure honey instead.

The cocoa was a little over powering for me, so next time I would cut back on this, but otherwise I would make this again.  It might be a nice change of pace from a regular iced coffee in the morning.  (I must be getting old, coffee is becoming a regular thing for me). 

1/2 cup cold fat-free milk

1 tablespoon vanilla flavoring syrup (I used pure maple syrup)

1 cup ice cubes

1/2 medium banana, cut up

1 to 2 teaspoons instant espresso powder

1 teaspoon ground flaxseed (I used chia seeds)

1 teaspoon baking cocoa

Yield: 1 serving.

#734: Smothered Beef Burritos

This recipe hasn't been pinned very long on my pinterest board.  I was super excited to try it when I saw another friend pin it.  This recipe did not disappoint.  I was trying to hide the beans in it from Brian, but he is so suspicious of my cooking, he was peeking around me as I was trying to quickly, sneakily put these together.  Didn't matter though, he ate them, enjoyed them, and took them for leftovers.  (Although if you ask him he can taste the beans and they hurt his stomach...not true!)

This is a great make-ahead recipe.  I let the meat cook all day in the crockpot on Sunday, shredded it and put it in the fridge.  Then on Tuesday, I just put it all together when I got home from work and heated it in the oven until hot.  So simple, so delicious.

1 1/2 to 2 pounds stew meat or other beef cubed (top sirloin is great)
1 large can mild (red) enchilada sauce (at least 19 oz.)
2 beef bouillon cubes
1/2 can refried beans
5-7 burrito size flour tortillas
2 cup or so of shredded cheddar cheese, divided)

Directions:
Put beef, bouillon, and enchilada sauce into a crock pot and cook on low for 7-8 hours, or until meat is very tender. When beef is done, shred with 2 forks and return to the crockpot to stay warm. 

Warm tortillas in the microwave for about 20 seconds to warm and soften.  On each tortilla spread some of the refried beans and spoon about 1/4-1/2 cup of the meat (depending on how full you want them), drained by using a slotted spoon.  Add some shredded cheese and roll into a burrito.  Pour some of the remaining enchilada sauce from the crock pot over the burrito to cover it. Sprinkle with some remaining cheddar cheese. Broil until cheese is bubbly, about 2-4 minutes.

#733: Chicken Teriyaki Burger with Grilled Pineapple

My photo of this recipe (to the left) is NOTHING like the original photo (at right).  Let's be honest, which one would you rather try?  Yeah, I'd choose the original photo on the right too. 

I am not a big fan of chicken sandwiches, but if my sandwich looked like that, I would probably order it in a restaurant.  Regardless of my photo, this sandwich is actually pretty darn good. 

3-4 chicken breasts, trimmed of any fat
1-2 cups of your favorite teriyaki sauce

Place chicken breasts, 1 at a time, between 2 pieces of plastic wrap. Pound to an even thickness. Marinate in the teriyaki sauce for 6-24 hours in a Ziploc bag.

1 can of pineapple rings (or fresh pineapple if you prefer)
Low fat Swiss cheese slices
Low fat mayonnaise
Hamburger buns (whatever flavor you like)
Additional topping ideas:
Lettuce
Tomato slices
Sweet yellow onion slices
Extra teriyaki sauce

Spray cooking spray in a grill pan over medium heat. Add pineapple rings & cook for 3-4 minutes on each side. Remove from grill pan & set aside. Add more cooking spray to the pan; add chicken and cook over medium high heat for 4-5 minutes on the first side. Turn over and add the pineapple rings and low fat Swiss cheese. Cook for an additional 3-4 minutes. Heat the bun in the broiler for 1-2 minutes. Add low fat mayonnaise to the bun, chicken/pineapple/cheese, and all the fixings you want

#732: Bacon Quiche Tarts

I was looking for something easy and healthy to make for breakfasts this week.  I really need make ahead meals otherwise I end up skipping breakfast and then snacking all morning on cereal or muffins.  This recipe looked easy and I had all of the ingredients on hand. 

Holy cow are these good.  I ended up making a few without the crescent rolls and they were really good too.  Without the crescent rolls they would be healthier and a great low carb meal.  I cut some up into tiny pieces for Matthew and he loved it as well.  Allison liked the first bite I gave her but the refused to eat any more.  Not only did I eat this for breakfast, but I ate it cold for lunch too.  I'm so going to enjoy these for breakfast this week!

6 oz cream cheese, softened (I used light cream cheese)

5 teaspoons 2% milk (I used skim milk)

2 eggs

1/2 cup shredded Colby cheese

2 tablespoons chopped green pepper

1 tablespoon finely chopped onion

1 tube (8 ounces) refrigerated crescent rolls (I used light crescent rolls)

5 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled (I used turkey bacon)

In a small bowl, beat cream cheese and milk until smooth. Add the eggs, cheese, green pepper and onion.  Separate dough into eight triangles; press onto the bottom and up the sides of greased muffin cups. Sprinkle half of the bacon into cups. Pour egg mixture over bacon; top with remaining bacon. Bake, uncovered, at 375° for 18-22 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Serve warm. Yield: 8 servings.

#731: Mummy Mia Pizza Bread

Yes, I should have made this recipe at Halloween instead of Thanksgiving.  :)  But on my Pinterest board I have one called "Halloween and Thanksgiving" and every time I look at it for Thanksgiving ideas I see it and figured I might as well make it so I can delete it.  MOST people keep pins on their boards to use to remember recipes.  I use my boards to keep recipes until I try them, then I delete. 

Okay, I took the girls to church and Brian made this while we were gone.  I told him how to make it and suggested he MIGHT want to follow the directions in case by doing it his way, the cheese would all melt together.  You can see from the photo he did not heed my advice.  Does this totally look like a mummy...no.  Did it taste good...yes. 

3/4 pound thinly sliced mozzarella cheese

1 loaf Italian bread

1 cup pizza sauce

1/4 cup sliced black olives

 

Preheat broiler. Line 2 cookie sheets with aluminum foil; set aside.  Cut the sliced cheese into 3/4-inch tapered strips.  Slice off the rounded ends of the bread. Cut the bread in half lengthwise. Cut each half crosswise into 4 pieces. Place the bread, cut side up, on the prepared cookie sheets. Toast the bread slices slightly, 1 to 2 minutes.

 

Spread some of the pizza sauce on top of the toasted bread to cover. Arrange the cheese slices, overlapping slightly, on top of the sauce to look like the bandages. Add 2 olive slices for the eyes. Place another slice of cheese over the olives to cover slightly.  Working with one pan at a time, broil the pizzas until the cheese is slightly melted, 1 to 2 minutes longer. Makes 8 pizzas.

#730: Crock Pot Mexican Corn and Bean Soup

I love making soup for lunches because it makes such a big batch and I can eat it during the week.  I am in desperate need to start eating healthier so I made a batch of this vegetable soup to help me get started.  I added some cilantro to the soup to make this more "Mexican" tasting.  I also added (just a little) some mexican blend cheese to mine to give it some more flavor, texture and depth as well.  This recipe needs something else...more spices maybe...but overall it was a good soup and I will enjoy eating it for lunches this week.

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 medium onion, diced

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 teaspoon chili powder

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 -28 ounces can diced tomato

2 -15 ounces cans red kidney beans, drained and rinsed

1 -1 pound bag frozen corn kernels

1 medium zucchini, grated

1 large orange, yellow or red bell pepper, chopped

1 -32 ounces box vegetable stock

1/3 c chopped cilantro

Heat oil in a sauté pan over medium heat.  Add onions and cook for 3 minutes.  Add garlic, chili powder, and cumin, cook for an additional minute and then transfer to a crock pot.  Add the remaining ingredients and stir to combine.  Cook on low 6-8 hours or on high for 3-4 hours.  Add cilantro and serve.

#729: No Flour Black Bean Brownies

I just found my new favorite, healthy cooking blog.  It's called "Chocolate-Covered Katie" and her facebook page is called "The Chocolate-Covered Diet."  How can I NOT like her blog?!?! 


Anyway, she mainly posts healthy, vegan desserts and this sugar addict is always looking for healthier ways to satisfy her (and our family) sweet tooth.  :)

So when I found this recipe I thought two things: 1.  I could make a healthy dessert.  And 2. I can't wait to sneak these past Brian to see if he can tell these are vegan (and have black beans in it).  Now, before I even try to get him to eat these, I can pretty much guarantee he WON'T eat them because he knows I never just make brownies (from scratch no-less) for no reason.  It'll be obvious that I'm trying to sneak something over on him.  He knows me too well I suppose! 

Chloe wanted to help me make them and as usual, asked to lick the batter when done.  I was happy to oblige but figured she would take one lick and say she didn't like them...NOT true.  She licked that batter clean!!

These are soft, but these are GOOD.  I would absolutely, definitely make these again!!

1 1/2 cups black beans (1 15-oz can, drained and rinsed very well)
2 tbsp cocoa powder- dutch or regular
1/2 cup quick oats
1/4 tsp salt
1/3 cup honey
2 tbsp sugar
1/4 cup coconut or vegetable oil
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup to 2/3 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 F. Combine all ingredients except chips in a good food processor, and blend until completely smooth. Really blend well. (A blender can work if you absolutely must, but the texture—and even the taste—will be much better in a food processor.) Stir in the chips, then pour into a greased 8×8 pan. Cook 15-18 minutes, then let cool at least 10 minutes before trying to cut. Makes 9-12 brownies.

#728: Soft Caramel Popcorn

This is NOT caramel corn.  You know, that hard, crunchy, sweet popcorn.  No, this is CARAMEL popcorn.  It soft, it's sticky, it's gooey...and it is yummy!  This was really easy to make.  By the time I was done popping all of the bags of popcorn, the caramel was just about done. 

1 C. Brown Sugar
1/2 cup butter
1 C. light corn syrup
1 can sweetened condensed milk
3 bags popped popcorn
Melt all the ingredients in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Once caramel is boiling cook for approximately two minutes stirring constantly.  Pour over popcorn and still to cover.  Store in an airtight container for up to 2 days.

#727: Apple Cinnamon Pull Apart Rolls

I've had this recipe bookmarked for over a year now.  I've almost made it several times and for one reason or another it didn't happen.  I had to bring a few treats to our breakfast staff meeting this week and figured it was about time I made it.  I made it the night before and served it cold the next morning.  Although it was still really good, this is definitely when eaten still warm. 
4 packages cans refrigerated biscuit dough (7.5 oz)
3 cups white sugar (divided)
1/4 cup ground cinnamon
1/2 cup melted butter
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup applesauce
1 cup apples, peeled and diced


Lightly grease a 9 x 13 dish pan. In a large zippered bag, mix together 2 cups sugar, cinnamon and apples. Open biscuits and cut each biscuit into 4 pieces. Put the biscuit pieces into the mixture, and shake/mix, until they are all completely coated. Add in the applesauce and shake until covered again. (I had to add a little more sugar and cinnamon to make sure it was all coated).  Pour into 9 x 13 pan. 

Stir pecans and 1 cup sugar into the melted butter. Pour butter mixture evenly over the pan. Bake at 375F for 45 minutes, until top is golden brown.

#726: Savory Romano Sticks

These bread sticks were super, super easy and so delicious.  We all enjoyed these!  A package of frozen puff pastry makes 18-20 thin bread sticks.  We made half for dinner one night, and half for dinner another night.  These would be great with a variety of different spices/herbs to change up the taste depending on what you were serving it with.  Totally make these!

1 package (17.3 ounces) frozen puff pastry, thawed

1 egg, lightly beaten

1-1/2 cups grated Romano cheese

1 tablespoon dried basil

Brush one side of each puff pastry sheet with egg; sprinkle with cheese and basil. Cut each sheet into ten 1-in. strips. Place 1 in. apart on greased baking sheets.  Bake at 400° for 10-13 minutes or until golden brown.

#725: Pumpkin-Pecan Spice Cookies

I made these cookies to take to a family Thanksgiving dinner.  I have to admit, I probably ate most of them...obviously I enjoyed them...a lot.  (So did Allison).  These were really easy to make.  I had most of the ingredients on hand too, especially with it being fall and having pumpkin always on hand. 

The only thing I changed about this recipe was that I didn't put the frosting on top.  Honestly, it didn't need it!  I would definitely make these again.

1 1/2 c packed light brown sugar
1/2 c butter, softened
2 eggs
1/2 c canned pumpkin
3 tsp vanilla
2 3/4 c flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1 1/3 c finely chopped pecans
1/2 c white vanilla baking chips (I used semi-sweet chocolate chips)
4 oz vanilla-flavored candy coating (almond bark) chopped) (I omitted)

Heat oven to 350°F. Grease cookie sheet with shortening or cooking spray, or line with cooking parchment paper or silicone baking mat.

In large bowl, beat brown sugar, butter, eggs, pumpkin and vanilla with electric mixer on medium speed. Stir in flour, baking powder and spices. Stir in pecans and baking chips. Drop dough by tablespoonfuls onto cookie sheet.

Bake 10 to 14 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Remove to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 30 minutes. 

(I omitted this step) Place candy coating in small resealable freezer plastic bag; seal bag. Microwave on High about 1 minute or until softened. Gently squeeze bag until coating is smooth; cut off tiny corner of bag. Squeeze bag to drizzle coating over cookies. Let stand until set.
 

#724: Hearty Lentil Soup

A co-worker shared this recipe with me!  I saw her version of this and it was super thick (very little liquid in the mix) but mine was definitely more "soupy."  That's okay with me though.  Maybe I didn't let mine cook down as much as hers.  Not only did I enjoy this, but Matthew enjoyed eating the lentils too!  (Couldn't get any one else in the family to try it).

1 tsp olive oil
1/2 medium onion, finely chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped (I omitted)
1 clove minced garlic
1 large carrot, peeled and chopped
1 c brown lentils, rinsed, picked over and drained
14 oz can beef broth
1/2 tsp liquid smoke
6 oz turkey kielbasa
1/4 tsp salt
1 tbsp tomato paste
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
1/4 c chopped parsley

Heat the oil in a large soup pot over medium heat.  Add the onion and celery and cook for 5 minutes or until slightly softened.  Add the garlic and cook another 2 minutes. 

Add the carrots, lentils, beef broth, 4 1/2 cups of water, and liquid smoke.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 20-30 minutes, partially covered, until lentils are soft but not mushy.  Stir occasionally.

Slice sausage link in half horizontally and then into half-moon slices.  Add to pot with salt, tomato paste, parsley and vinegar, and simmer 10 minutes. 

#723: Dill and Chive Peas

This recipe was in a recent Taste of Home magazine and I figured would be a perfect Thanksgiving side dish to make for my family.  I figured I better try it out first though so I made it for dinner just for my family.  The girls were not fans, Brian wouldn't even attempt to try it, but Matthew loved it in his mesh feeder bag!  He and I will enjoy the leftovers this week for sure!

Because I was making this (pretty much) just for myself, I couldn't justify buying all of the fresh ingredients when I had all of the dried versions already at home. I figured if I liked this with dried ingredients, I would surely love it with fresh ones.  I look forward to trying/making this again with the real stuff!

1 package (16 ounces) frozen peas

1/4 cup snipped fresh dill

2 tablespoons minced fresh chives

1 tablespoon butter

1 teaspoon lemon-pepper seasoning

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

 

Cook peas according to package directions. Stir in remaining ingredients; serve immediately.

Product Review: Alexia Brand Sweet Potato Fries

I was lucky to be invited into a new BzzAgent Campaign for Alexia Brand foods. I was able to purchase, try and review one of their sweet potato fries.  The Alexia Brand wants you to be able to have simple, healthy side dishes to accompany your meals, and not spend hours in the kitchen cooking it.  This busy mom appreciates that attitude!

Alexia is an all-natural company that uses real ingredients and believe that taste and quality are the most important aspect of their foods. 

As I mentioned above, I was able to purchase, try and review one of their sweet potato fries.  There are 5 different kinds of sweet potato fries, but my grocery store only had the julienne cut sweet potato fries.  That's probably the one I would have picked to try anyways, but they also have sweet potato fries in crinkle cut, spicy julienne, puffs and waffle cut. 

My family was not willing to try the french fries, but that didn't surprise me.  I've tried to pass sweet potatoes off as regular french fries before and they didn't buy it.  Chloe at least put the sweet potato fry to her mouth, although it never made it INTO her mouth.  It's a start right?  Bonus for me though because I didn't have to share these! 

I was really impressed with how many sweet potato fries were actually in the bag.  See the photo of the bowl of fries?  I got 2 bowls full of these...minus a few that I might have had to try while cooking to make sure they were done. 

The outsides were nice and crispy and the insides were a little soft.  I personally would have liked them a little more done, but I was afraid they were going to burn and then I wouldn't have been able to enjoy them at all.

I loved these.  They were SO good.  The only thing I thought that was missing was a dipping sauce.  Dipping these in ketchup just didn't seem right.  After I was done eating these, I noticed on their website that Alexia has recipe ideas for dips!  Next time I make these I'll plan on making the Caramelized Onion and Roasted Red Pepper Ranch dip too.  I think that's just what these fries need. 

Now here was the most exciting thing about these fries (at least to my girls)...the french fries are HUGE.  I mean HUGE!  Look at the picture of Chloe holding one.  If they would have actually tried eating these, we would have been fighting over all of the super long ones!  They must use great, large potatoes for these fries.  

Would I buy and make this again? Yes, definitely!  However, please note these might not be in your regular freezer section in your grocery store.  I shopped for mine at Kroger and was about to give up trying to find them (I searched the frozen food section with no luck!).  But as I was walking past the ORGANIC FREEZER SECTION I noticed the brand's logo on another product.  And hooray...I found them!!  Thank goodness. 

So go try these fries.  You won't be disappointed.  And while you're at it, like them on Facebook and sign up for  their newsletter.  And if you join their rewards program you can earn points and eventually redeem them for prizes such as coupons, kitchen gear and gift cards.  After signing up, I quickly earned 400 points...and counting!

#722: Pork Chops with Carolina Rub

I thought about making these pork chops for dinner this week and then they were on sale at the grocery store, so that solidified my decision about making them!  Yes, the photo above looks a little burnt.  If you've followed this blog at all, you probably realize by now that's how I like (and is the only way I'll eat) our grilled meat. 

I thought these might be too spicy with the chili powder but they weren't at all.  Usually I have to drown my meat in bbq sauce, but tonight I ate them as is with no sauce!  These were really good.  Brian and I loved them.  I would definitely make these again.

1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon sugar

1 teaspoon paprika

1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon salt

4 (4-ounce) center-cut pork loin chop
1/4 cup barbecue sauce

 

Combine first 7 ingredients in a small bowl. Rub pork with spice mixture; let stand 10 minutes.

 

Place pork on grill rack coated with cooking spray. Grill 4 minutes. Turn pork; grill 2 minutes. Brush each chop with 1 tablespoon barbecue sauce (we skipped this step), and grill 2 minutes or until desired degree of doneness. 

#721: Macaroni and Beef with Cheese

Okay this is NOT a very healthy recipe, but I made it a LITTLE healthier by using ground turkey and cutting down on some of the cheese.  Unfortunately my choice of using crushed tomatoes completely ruined it for the rest of my family (Brian included) because "it has too many tomatoes!"  Seriously?!  Grrr..personally I LOVED it.  I thought it was best piping hot, and was not as big of a fan of it reheated (I ate it all week for lunch since there was SO much leftover).  Would I make this again, yes.  Would I make this again for my family...no.  

1 large onion, diced
1 tablespoon canola oil
salt to taste
Seasonings to taste:
     black pepper
     oregano
     chopped garlic
28-ounce can whole tomatoes, pureed (I used crushed tomatoes instead)
2 pounds lean ground beef
1 box macaroni
1 cup each grated cheddar and mozzarella cheeses

Brown the ground beef with the onions.  Add the tomatoes and desired seasonings.  Bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat to low and cook for an hour. (I totally skipped this step....I simmered for about 10 minutes.)

Cook the macaroni in boiling water till it’s half done. Drain it and add it to the ground beef and tomatoes.

Bake it in a 400 degree oven till it’s heated through (about 45 minutes if it’s cold to room temperature). Just before you’re ready to eat, remove the foil, cover macaroni with the cheese and broil till it looks beautiful.

#720: Brown Sugar and Balsamic Glazed Pork Loin

Well I was putting this recipe off for quite a while because I am NOT a pork fan.  I try to like it but I just don't like the taste of it most of the time.  When I went to the grocery store this week it was on sale (a lot!) so I couldn't put off trying it any longer.  I figured the girls would not eat this so I reheated them some of the chicken fajitas we had in the fridge.  But I wanted them to try it so I put a little bit on each of their plates.  Well before I even had a chance to sit down, Allison had put her pork into her bread (made a little sandwich) and exclaimed, "This pork is SO good."  And then asked for more!  3 sandwiches later, I had to cut her off!!  I'm adding this recipe to her "Favorite Recipes" book that I'm making for her.  She claimed that it's better than her favorite Cornflake Chicken...she must really like this then!! 

By the way, Brian and I also really enjoyed this recipe too.  SO easy.  I loved the glaze, Brian thought it was okay.  I definitely added more of the sauce/glaze to my pork!!

Ingredients:

1 (2 pound) boneless pork loin

1 teaspoon ground sage (I used fresh sage)

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 clove garlic, crushed

1/2 cup water

Glaze:

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

1/2 cup water

2 tablespoons soy sauce

Directions:

Combine sage, salt, pepper and garlic. Rub over roast. Place in slow cooker with 1/2 cup water. Cook on low for 6-8 hours. About 1 hour before roast is done, combine ingredients for glaze in small sauce pan. Heat and stir until mixture thickens. Brush roast with glaze 2 or 3 times during the last hour of cooking. Serve with remaining glaze on the side.

#719: Sweet Potato and Black Bean Tacos with Lime

I was super excited to try this recipe out because it was made it the crockpot AND it was healthy.  Oh my goodness these are really good.  I wasn't so sure as I ate the first one, but then I soon realized I was on my 3rd taco for breakfast...so yes, obviously I enjoyed this!  (PS these are small corn shells, and yes, I stopped after 3!) 

I pureed the filling for Matthew for dinner and he devoured it!  This is going to make a super healthy, yummy lunch.

1 can (15 oz.) black beans
2 large orange-fleshed sweet potatoes, diced in 1 inch cubes
1/4 cup vegetable stock or canned vegetable broth (I used 1 can of broth)
2 T fresh squeezed lime juice
1 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. ground coriander (I used fresh cilantro..a lot of it!)
2 tsp. minced garlic
salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
medium-sized flour tortillas (I used small corn tortillas)

Optional toppings: shredded cheese, olives, cilantro, sour cream, avocado, etc.

Drain the beans into a colander placed in the sink, rinse well until no more foam appears, and let beans drain while you prep other ingredients. Peel sweet potatoes and cut into 1 inch cubes.

Spray the slow cooker crock with olive oil or non-stick spray. Put beans, sweet potatoes, vegetable stock, lime juice, ground cumin, ground coriander, and minced garlic in slow cooker and cook on high for about 3 hours, or until sweet potatoes are soft to your liking. Season the filling to taste with salt and fresh ground black pepper.  (I had so much liquid in mine that I had to drain it all before storing the rest in the fridge.  I didn't want super soggy tacos!)

When the filling is nearly through cooking prepare toppings as desired: chopped fresh cilantro, shredded mozzarella, shredded lettuce, sour cream, and lime pieces. Heat tortillas using the microwave or by wrapping them in foil and heating in the oven.

#718: Cinnamon Roll Waffles

This is the EASIEST and fastest recipe I've probably ever made and my family LOVED it.  Granted it wasn't one bit healthy (besides the fruit and turkey bacon I served with it) but they surely didn't care.

All you need is refrigerated cinnamon rolls (like Pillsbury in the tubes) and a waffle iron.  Okay you need non-stick cooking spray too. 

Spray a heated waffle iron, and place 3 or 4 cinnamon rolls in the center of the waffle iron.  Close the waffle iron and in about 2 or 3 minutes your cinnamon roll "waffles" are done.  Be careful they burn quickly!

Spread some of the frosting on top and let melt.  Delicious!!

#717: Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Balls

Since I found this recipe a few weeks ago, I've been dying to try it.  But I didn't have any natural peanut butter in the house.  Well I made sure to pick some up at the store tonight.  These were super, super easy to make.  I was afraid they weren't going to "roll" into balls and be too sticky to deal with, but that wasn't the case at all.  I was even able to use my pampered chef cookie scoop. 

These are quite good warm.  They aren't as good cold/room temperature, but the original recipe/post mentioned you need to reheat them in the microwave for a few seconds for them to taste good.  I'd have to agree. 
1 can chickpeas, well-rinsed and patted dry with a paper towel

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons natural peanut butter

1/4 cup honey

1 teaspoon baking powder

a pinch of salt if your peanut butter doesn't have salt in it

1/2 cup chocolate chips

Preheat your oven to 350°F. Combine all the ingredients, except for the chocolate chips, in a food processor and process until very smooth. Make sure to scrape the sides and the top to get the little chunks of chickpeas and process again until they're combined.

 

Put in the chocolate chips and stir it if you can, or pulse it once or twice. The mixture will be very thick and sticky.

With wet hands (mine didn't have to be wet!), form into 1 1/2" balls. Place onto a Silpat or a piece of parchment paper. If you want them to look more like normal cookies, press down slightly on the balls. (These do not spread out or rise at all)  Bake for about 10 minutes.

#716: Cauliflower Soup with Artichoke Hearts and Bacon

I almost didn't make this recipe because I brought home the cauliflower and Chloe was so excited to have it for dinner.  My plans for saving it for this soup were almost foiled...however I tempted her with the Cinnamon Roll Waffles instead and she completely forgot about the veggie!

I was a little worried about this recipe and afraid I would make it and end up throwing most of it away, but I have to admit, I'm already looking forward to lunch tomorrow...it's pretty good!  The only thing I would do differently next time is to leave a little bit of the cauliflower whole to have some cauliflower "chunks" in it along with the chopped artichoke hearts. 

Yep, I'd make this again!  Let's hope it reheats well.

1 large head cauliflower, broken into florets

2 cans (14-1/2 ounces each) chicken broth (I used 1 can of broth and 1 can of water)

1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

1 can (14 ounces) water-packed artichoke hearts, rinsed, drained and coarsely chopped

1/3 cup shredded Asiago cheese or Parmesan cheese

6 pieces bacon strips, cooked and crumbled (I used half a bag of real bacon bits)

 

In a large saucepan, combine cauliflower and broth; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 10-15 minutes or until cauliflower is tender.

 

Cool slightly. In a blender, process soup in batches until smooth. Return all to the pan. Stir in the cream, nutmeg, salt and pepper; heat through. Serve with artichoke hearts, cheese and bacon. (I just threw the artichoke hearts, cheese and bacon in with the other ingredients and stirred to combine).