#395: Lasagna Pasta Pies

I'll admit, I was very nervous about serving this recipe to my family.  I didn't think Brian would eat this.  No that's not true, I thought he would eat it, but not enjoy it.  We'll he didn't think they were too bad.  In fact, we all thought these were pretty good.  Different, a little odd, but good.
1 cup uncooked rotini pasta

1 lb ground Italian sausage

1 1/2 cups tomato pasta sauce

3/4 cup ricotta cheese

1 can (16.3 oz) Pillsbury® Grands!® refrigerated buttermilk biscuits

1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (4 oz)

Heat oven to 350°F. Cook and drain pasta as directed on package. Meanwhile, in skillet, cook Italian sausage until no longer pink; drain. Stir in pasta sauce, ricotta cheese and pasta; cook 1 minute.                   

 

Separate dough into 8 biscuits; press each biscuit to 5 1/2-inch round. Firmly press 1 biscuit in bottom and up side of each of 8 ungreased jumbo muffin cups, forming 1/4-inch rim. Fill with sausage mixture; sprinkle with mozzarella cheese.                   

 

Bake 28 to 32 minutes or until golden brown. Cool 1 minute; remove from pan.

#394: Chocolate Banana Bread

I had just about all of the ingredients on hand for this recipe and of course, I had several bananas sitting on the counter completely over ripe.  So I knew this was the prefect recipe to use these bananas with.  Instead of making this in one large loaf pan, I decided to make it into three smaller pans so I could make two to take to my sister, and one to keep for us.  I don't think I have perfected the skill of banana bread yet because this was awfully chewy.  Allison really enjoyed it, Chloe didn't like it hardly at all (Allison was more than happy to eat her piece) and I thought it was just okay.  I'm still giving it to my sister and her family though.  :)  Hopefully they won't think it's too bad.  Unfortunately this made very thin loaves...as you can tell from the photo.

2 cups Banana Nut Cheerios® cereal

3/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup canola or vegetable oil

3/4 cup buttermilk

2 teaspoons vanilla

1 egg

1 cup mashed very ripe bananas (2 medium)

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 cup unsweetened baking cocoa

1teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips

Topping

1/2 cup Banana Nut Cheerios® cereal

Heat oven to 350°F. Spray bottom only of 9x5-inch loaf pan with cooking spray. Place 2 cups cereal in resealable food-storage plastic bag or between sheets of waxed paper; crush with rolling pin to make 3/4 cup. Set aside.
In large bowl, beat sugar and oil with electric mixer on low speed until well mixed. Beat in buttermilk, vanilla and egg just until blended; beat in bananas. Stir in flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt until well mixed. Stir in 3/4 cup crushed cereal and chocolate chips. Spoon and spread evenly in pan.
Place 1/2 cup cereal in resealable food-storage plastic bag or between sheets of waxed paper; coarsely crush with rolling pin. Sprinkle over batter in pan; press lightly.
Bake 1 hour 10 minutes to 1 hour 20 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes. Remove from pan to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 2 hours.

#393: Brown Bag Burritos

I came across this recipe in a recent issue of Taste of Home and figured I'd give it a try.  I had to make some changes though because I knew I'd be pushing it if I tried to use two cans of refried beans with my family.  : )  This was SUPER easy to prepare and it literally took 2 minutes in the microwave to cook these.  I had dinner on the table SO fast!  I am definitely making these again to keep on hand for lunches or quick dinners. 

PS...My family enjoyed these!  The girls (especially Allison) loves burritos and Brian didn't seem to notice nor complain about the beans (he had no idea it was in there).

2 pounds ground beef

2 cans (16 ounces each) refried beans (I used 1 can)

3 cups (12 ounces) shredded Mexican cheese blend or cheddar cheese

1-1/3 cups enchilada sauce (I used 1 can)

1/2 cup water

1/3 cup chopped onion

2 tablespoons chili powder

1 tablespoon garlic powder

2 teaspoons dried oregano

1 teaspoon salt

16 flour tortillas (10 inches), warmed

Optional toppings: shredded Mexican cheese blend, sour cream, shredded lettuce, chopped tomatoes and sliced ripe olives

In a Dutch oven, cook beef over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. Return to pan; add the beans, cheese, enchilada sauce, water, onion and seasonings. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 10 minutes.

Spoon 1/2 cup filling off center on each tortilla. Fold sides and end over filling and roll up. Wrap individually in paper towels, then foil. Transfer to a resealable plastic bag. May be frozen for up to 2 months.

To use frozen burritos: Unwrap foil. Place paper towel-wrapped burritos on a microwave-safe plate. Microwave on high for 3-4 minutes or until heated through. Serve with toppings of your choice. Yield: 16 servings.


#392: Caramel Apple Biscuits

Oh.my.goodness!  Fantastic.  Delicious. Easy. Sweet.  Would you like me to keep coming up with adjectives to describe these little biscuit bites?  I think I just ate 7 of them.  Yes in one sitting.  Mmmmm...so yummy! 

These were supposed to be make in regular size muffin tins and with a popsicle stick sticking out of it.  It doesn't need the stick and these are super yummy as mini muffins.  EASY to make too!

Biscuit Cups

1 can (16.3 oz) Pillsbury® Grands!® refrigerated buttermilk biscuits

2 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted

1 medium apple, peeled, chopped (1 cup)

3 tablespoons granulated sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

 

Icing

1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1/4 cup whipping cream

3/4 cup powdered sugar

Heat oven to 350°F.  Place paper baking cup in each of 12 regular-size muffin cups.   Cut each biscuit into 6 pieces; place in large bowl.  Add butter, apple, granulated sugar and cinnamon; toss gently to mix.  Spoon mixture into muffin cups.                   

Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown.  Immediately remove from pan.  Meanwhile, in 1-quart saucepan, heat brown sugar and cream to a full rolling boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Remove from heat.  Beat in powdered sugar until smooth.  Spoon warm icing over warm biscuit cups.

#391: Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

Yummy...chewy...slightly crispy....mmmmm!  I am definitely going to be making these again.  DEFINITELY.  They are yummy!!  Hopefully my relatives enjoy these as much as I do!

3 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup raisins (I omitted)

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 cup margarine

1 cup granulated sugar

1 cup light-brown sugar

2 cups oatmeal, not quick cooking

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Heat oven to 350 degrees F.  In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, vanilla extract and raisins. Cover and allow to stand for 1 hour.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon.  In another large bowl, beat the margarine and sugars together until completely combined.  On low speed, gradually beat in the flour mixture.  Add the egg mixture and mix until combined.  Stir in the oatmeal and the chocolate chips.

Drop by heaping teaspoonfuls onto ungreased baking sheets.  Bake at 350 degrees F for 8 to 10 minutes, until set but still slightly soft.  Cool 2 minutes on the sheets and then remove to a wire rack to cool completely.  Cool cookie sheets before repeating with remaining dough.

#390: Ground Beef Minestrone Soup

The original recipe for this soup called for ground Italian sausage, but I'm not a huge fan of sausage in my soup, so I substituted ground turkey instead.  I love that this recipe can be frozen, so I can have lunches to take to school.  This recipe made a huge batch so I saved some for myself and put the rest together to send to my sister who is having a new baby.  Hopefully with some good crusty bread, this can be a quick, healthy meal for them for dinner.  This soup was supposed to have small ditilini pasta but I had gemilini instead...and obviously this picture has a lot of pasta in it!  I really did have a lot more veggies than this photo shows.  :)

1 pound bulk Italian sausage (I used 1 lb ground turkey)

2 large carrots, chopped

2 celery ribs, chopped (I used 1 zucchini instead)

1 medium onion, chopped

6 garlic cloves, minced

3 tablespoons olive oil

7 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth

2 cans (15 ounces each) cannellini or white kidney beans, rinsed and drained

2 cans (14-1/2 ounces each) fire-roasted diced tomatoes, undrained (I used petite diced tomatoes)

2 bay leaves

1 tablespoon Italian seasoning

1 tablespoon tomato paste (I used about 1/4 c tomato sauce)

1 cup ditalini or other small pasta

Shredded or shaved Parmesan cheese

In a Dutch oven, cook sausage over medium heat until no longer pink; drain.  In the same pan, saute the carrots, celery, onion and garlic in oil until tender. Stir in the broth, beans, tomatoes, bay leaves, Italian seasoning, tomato paste and sausage. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Cool soup; transfer to freezer containers. Freeze for up to 3 months
.
To use frozen soup: Thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Transfer to a Dutch oven. Bring to a boil. Stir in ditalini; return to a boil. Reduce heat and cook, uncovered, for 6-8 minutes or until pasta is tender. Serve with cheese. Yield: 13 servings (3-1/4 quarts).

#389: Grilled Balsamic Steak

I told Brian I was making this for dinner and he made a face at me.  I wasn't so sure he was going to like this...his reaction wasn't exactly promising.  :)  Funny thing though, I wouldn't eat it (the cut of meat was too thick) but Brian surely liked it.  The flavor of the marinade was good on the one piece I did attempt to eat.  I'll definitely try this again...with a different cut of meat. 

**The original recipe was from the Cooking Club of America...yes I am a member.  Don't make fun.  I only tell you this because if you try to see the original recipe you might not be able to. **
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 large garlic clove, minced
4 (4- to 6-oz.) beef flat-iron or shoulder top blade steaks (1 inch thick)
1 1/2 tablespoons cracked black pepper
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
Combine vinegar, oil and garlic in large bowl. Brush steaks with 1 tablespoon of the balsamic mixture; sprinkle with pepper and salt. Cover and refrigerate.  (I just put all of the ingredients in a Ziploc bag and let it marinade together).  Let stand at room temperature 30 minutes or cover and refrigerate 2 hours, stirring occasionally.

Heat grill.  Grill steaks covered, over medium heat or coals 8 to 12 minutes for medium-rare steak, turning and brushing occasionally with reserved marinade.  Remove steaks from grill. Cover loosely with foil; let stand 5 minutes.

#388: Ranch Flavored Baked Edamame

Oh my goodness, these are fantastic!  Make these.  In fact, make a double batch because one bag of shelled edamame won't last you long.  I'll be lucky if these last 2-3 days.  Unfortunately the girls were not fans.  Allison loves edamame too, but not this version.
 
12 oz. package of shelled edamame, thawed
2 tbsp dry ranch dressing seasoning mix
1 tbsp olive oil
Heat the oven to 375 degrees.  Place thawed edamame in a bowl and drizzle with olive oil.  Add the ranch dressing mix and stir well to combine and coat the edamame.  Spread the beans in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet.  Bake until brown, about 50 minutes.  Let cool.  Leftovers can be refrigerated in a covered container up to a week. They taste best at room temperature.

#387: Pepperoni Pizza Puffs

I made this pizza puff recipe to bring to a family gathering this weekend...I wanted something my husband would actually eat.  :)   These were super easy to make and popped right out of the muffin tin (total added bonus!).  These are yummy at room temperature or warmed up in the microwave if not eating right away.  I do think these have a little too much Italian seasoning though, so next time I'll cut back a little.  I doubled the recipe and got about 35 mini muffins out of it. 

3/4 cup flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
pinch of salt
pinch of red pepper flakes
3/4 cup whole milk
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup cubed pepperoni
1/2 cup store-bought pizza sauce
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Grease a 24-cup mini-muffin pan. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, Italian seasoning, salt and red pepper flakes (if using) ; whisk in the milk and egg. Stir in the mozzarella, Parmesan and pepperoni; let stand for 10 minutes.
Stir the batter and divide among the mini-muffin cups. Bake until puffed and golden, 20 to 25 minutes.
Meanwhile, microwave the pizza sauce until warmed through. Serve the puffs with the pizza sauce for dipping.

#386: No Bake Energy Bites

Doesn't that little nugget of goodness look divine?  This cookie was super easy to make (except it did NOT roll into little balls--I had to squish it into balls) and the girls and I loved them!  I made them for my sister, who is having a baby any second...I hope they make it to her house without all getting eaten!

1 cup oatmeal

1/2 cup peanut butter

1/3 cup honey

1 cup coconut flakes (I substituted crushed cornflakes)

1/2 cup ground flax seed (I used wheat germ)

1/2 cup mini chocolate chips (I used regular chocolate chips)

1 tsp vanilla

 

Mix everything above in a medium bowl until thoroughly incorporated.   Let chill in the refrigerator for half an hour.   Once chilled, roll into balls and enjoy!   Store in an airtight container and keep refrigerated for up to 1 week.

#385: Savory Pumpkin Dip

This week we had a pumpkin themed recipe swap.  I figured most of the people would bring a sweet  pumpkin recipe so I was in search for something a little more savory.  When I came across this recipe I wasn't sure it was going to go over well, and when I told some co-workers about it, they didn't think it sounded good at all.   Well I am very happy to report that this is super yummy and was completely gone about half way through the evening.  I'm making it again to take to ravioli day tomorrow with my family since I still have all of the ingredients on hand (minus a bread bowl).  You could be healthy and eat it with veggies, but I enjoyed this with Frito's.  :) 

PS...Don't know where to find dried beef?  It's in the canned meat aisle next to the tuna.  It is SUPER salty though so you have to rinse and drain it in cold water.

12 ounces cream cheese, softened

3/4 cup canned pumpkin

2 tablespoons taco seasoning

1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

1/3 cup chopped dried beef

1/3 cup chopped green pepper (I used yellow)

1/3 cup chopped sweet red pepper

1 can (2-1/4 ounces) sliced ripe olives, drained (I omitted)

1 round loaf (1 pound) Italian or pumpernickel bread

Fresh vegetables, crackers or corn chips

In a bowl, beat cream cheese, pumpkin, taco seasoning and garlic powder until smooth. Stir in beef, peppers and olives. Cover and refrigerate until serving.

Just before serving, cut top off bread; scoop out bread from inside, leaving a 1/2-in. shell (save the bread from inside to make croutons or bread crumbs or save for another use). Fill shell with cream cheese mixture. Serve with vegetables, crackers or corn chips.

#384: Spaghetti Squash Lasagna

One day at school last week one, I got a spaghetti squash from one of the other teachers.  It's been sitting on my counter because I haven't had time to make anything with it yet.  Right after I got the squash though, I found this recipe and knew it would be the perfect recipe to use it in.  I wasn't sure I was going to love this but I really did enjoy this and will be sharing it with my sister-in-law at dinner tonight!

2 cups marinara sauce
3 cups cooked roasted spaghetti squash
1 cup part skim ricotta
8 tsp Parmesan cheese
6 oz part skim shredded mozzarella

Preheat oven to 375°.  In four individual 5 x 7-inch oven safe baking dishes (or an 8x8 pan), ladle 1/4 cup quick marinara sauce on the bottom of each dish.  Top each with 3/4 cup of cooked spaghetti squash and spread evenly.  Top each with 1/4 cup ricotta.  Sprinkle 1 teaspoon of grated Parmesan cheese and .75 oz mozzarella on each.   Add the remaining sauce, Parmesan and mozzarella cheese.

Cover with foil and bake for 15 - 20 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and the edges begin to bubble; uncover and cook an additional 5 minutes.

#383: Butternut Squash and Lentil Soup

We went to the pumpkin farm yesterday with Barry, Angela and Amber (in laws and my niece).  Before we left I got 6 butternut squash for $1 each!  I totally couldn't pass up that deal and will be going back in a few weeks to get more and stock up for winter!  Anyhow, I wanted to make something with one of the squash besides just roasting it (which I love) and didn't want to go back to the store for ingredients so I tried to find a recipe for things I had on hand.  Happily, I had almost everything for this soup recipe. 

If you don't want to go out and buy garam masala (ingredient below), here is a link to make it yourself.  I however, was too lazy to do that so I just threw in as many of the ingredients that I could. 

I really, really enjoyed this!  It reminded me of my grandma's lentils but a little sweeter and without the noodles.  Although some ditalini noodles would be excellent in this as well (just a little less healthy and not as "soupy."  Looking forward to leftovers for lunches this week.

1 cup dried lentils
2 1/2 cups butternut squash cubes (3/4-inch)
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped carrot
1/2 cup chopped celery (I omitted)
2 garlic cloves — minced
1 teaspoon garam masala (I used a mix of cumin, cinnamon, pepper and cloves)
4 cups low sodium vegetable broth (I used chicken broth)

Rinse and drain lentils. In a 3 1/2 to 4-quart slow cooker place lentils, squash, onion, carrot and celery. Sprinkle garlic and garam masala over vegetables. Pour broth over all.  Cover and cook on low heat setting for 8 to 9 hours or on high heat setting for 4 to 4 1/2 hours.  Adjust seasoning to desired taste. 

#382: Garlic Cheddar Biscuits

Here's another recipe from Gina's Skinny Taste (I'm finding A LOT of recipes from her that I want to try!)  We ate these for lunch and Brian wished we had them again for dinner.  These are a snap to make and are a good addition to just about any meal!  DEFINITELY making this again.

2 tbsp butter, melted
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp fresh chopped parsley (I omitted)
2 cups baking/biscuit mix
3.5 oz shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
2/3 cup fat free milk

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Line cookie sheet with parchment paper. 
In a large bowl, combine biscuit mix, cheddar cheese, and remaining garlic.  Stir in milk and mix (do not over mix).  Drop batter by heaping tablespoonfuls (1.5 oz each) onto prepared cookie sheet.  Bake for 10 minutes.

Melt butter in a small frying pan, add half the garlic and saute on low heat about 1 minute.  Remove from heat and add parsley.  When biscuits are done, brush or drizzle biscuits with melted butter.  Bake for 5 more minutes, or until lightly browned on the bottom.

#381: Taco Spiced Grilled Chicken

Disclaimer: Brian took this picture.  I know I'm not good at taking "food" photos, but I think I do a little better than this one!  (PS that was just some of the chicken...this picture makes it look like I gave each one of us a really puny chicken breast).

Mmmm...Betty Crocker, this is quite a yummy recipe.  Allison and Brian really enjoyed this one.  Chloe and I were not big fans, but it wasn't because of the recipe, it's because of our love-hate relationship with chicken (not a love day for us).  I would definitely make this again...but next time I need to go grocery shopping first (I'm trying to avoid it as long as I can to use up stuff in our pantry and freezer).  Our choices of side-dishes included mashed potatoes or popcorn.  Brian chose popcorn.  :)  Odd combination!!

2 tbsp taco seasoning mix
1 tsp dried oregano
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 tbsp olive oil
1/4 c BBQ sauce
2 tbsp chili sauce (I omitted)1/2 tsp ground cumin
                                          
In shallow bowl, mix taco seasoning mix and oregano. Brush chicken with oil; sprinkle with taco seasoning mixture. (I only put it on one side...we thought that was enough but if you like heat to your meal, add it to both sides).  Place chicken on grill over medium heat. Cover grill; cook 10 to 15 minutes, turning once, until juice of chicken is clear when center of thickest part is cut (170°F).

Meanwhile, in small microwavable bowl, mix barbecue sauce, chili sauce and cumin.  Brush sauce over chicken when it is almost finished cooking .

#380: Healthy Chicken Fajitas

Here's another yummy, easy recipe from SkinnyTaste.  We love chicken fajitas, and this recipe is certainly no exception and will be on our semi-regular dinner rotation (okay let's be honest, it'll be at least six weeks before it gets back on the menu).  :)

16 oz boneless skinless chicken breasts (cut into small, bite-size pieces)
1 bell pepper, cut into strips
1 poblano chile, cut into strips (I omitted)
1 onion, cut into strips
3 tbsp lime juice
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp garlic powder
ancho chile powder or chipotle chili powder, to taste (I used regular chili powder) salt and pepper to taste
2 tsp olive oil
4 low fat, low carb tortillas

Marinate the chicken with lime juice, and season with chile powder, salt, pepper, garlic powder and cumin.  

Heat a saute pan over medium-high heat and add 2 tbsp olive oil.  Saute chicken, peppers and onion until chicken is cooked through and vegetables are crisp tender.  (I did this in two separate pans). 

Warm a tortilla, add chicken and peppers, and any desired toppings.  (I used shredded cheese, tomatoes, and sour cream).

Serve immediately with tortilla and toppings.

#379: Cinnamon Roll Pancakes

Oh my gosh, make this recipe.  You should hopefully have everything on hand to make these so just run to your kitchen right now and make these pancakes.  They are delicious.  DELICIOUS!!  I'm sure the original recipe is fantastic, but I figured I'm make it a step easier by using ready to use pancake mix (the kind where you just add water) instead of making the pancakes from scratch.  This was a wonderful breakfast for Brian and I to enjoy together. 

***The original recipe says that you can't eat more than one.  Apparently if you use store-bought pancake mix, you can eat way more than one!  I used 1 1/2 cups of pancake mix for the two of us and we got 5 large pancakes from it.  Double that!***
Pancakes:
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
1 Tablespoon canola oil
1 large egg, lightly beaten

Cinnamon Filling:
1/2 cup butter, melted
3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon

Cream Cheese Glaze:
4 Tablespoons butter
2 ounces cream cheese
3/4 cup powdered sugar1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Prepare pancake batter: In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt. Whisk in milk, oil and egg, just until batter is moistened (a few small lumps are fine).
In a medium bowl, mix butter, brown sugar and cinnamon. Scoop the filling into a small zip baggie and set aside. You don't want this to remain super-liquidy. It's best if it becomes a consistency similar to toothpaste.

In a medium, microwave-safe bowl- heat butter and cream cheese until melted. Whisk together until smooth; whisk in powdered sugar and vanilla extract; set aside.

Heat large skillet over medium-low heat. Spray

When ready to serve, spoon warmed glaze onto the top of each pancake.

#378: Sausage and Vegetable Calzones

I've had this recipe bookmarked for a while now, but kept putting off making it because I didn't think Brian would eat it.  Guess what, I was right!  Knowing this though, I made mine as the recipe describes below...Brian and the girls however, had their ground sausage with pizza sauce instead.  :) 

I loved this!  Loved it!!  Next time I'm going to make this with turkey breakfast sausage because I actually like it better than Italian sausage.  We'll see if it's just as good. 

1/2 lb. bulk Italian sausage

1/2 lb. sliced fresh mushrooms (I omitted)
1 large red pepper, cut into strips, halved
1 tub (10 oz.) Philly Savory Garlic Cooking Creme
1 cup Shredded Mozzarella Cheese
1 can (10 oz.) refrigerated pizza crust

Heat oven to 400°F.  Brown sausage with mushrooms and peppers in large nonstick skillet on medium-high heat.  Drain; return to skillet.  Stir in cooking creme and mozzarella.  Remove from heat.

Unroll pizza dough on clean work surface.  Pat out to 15x11-inch rectangle; cut lengthwise in half, then cut each piece crosswise into thirds.  Top dough rectangles with sausage mixture; fold in half. Seal edges with fork.  Place on baking sheet sprayed with cooking spray.  Bake 15 min. or until golden brown.

#377: Meat Balls and Mashed Potatoes

I absolutely love when I make a meal and THINK my husband is going to hate it, BUT when we try it, he loves it!  YES!!  Granted he did not eat this with the gravy--he so doesn't realize what he's missing!  This was extremely easy to make.  I made the meatballs ahead of time and froze them.  I just had to thaw and reheat the day I served it.  Sorry to disappoint, but these were instant mashed potatoes (did not have time to make real ones), but the gravy was delicious! 
Meatballs:
1 pounds ground beef
1 1/3 cups bread crumbs (I used ground oatmeal...shhh, don't tell Brian)
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 c onion, chopped
1 cloves garlic
1/2 Tablespoons dried parsley
1/4 Tablespoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Don’t mix too much, just enough to distribute ingredients throughout mixture.  Form into meatballs or divide into four parts and form four meatloaves. These are not very salty meatballs, since you will serve them with sauce or gravy.
Bake in 350° oven for 15 minutes or until cooked through for meatballs. Cool, label, and freeze.

Gravy:
1/8 cup butter or margarine
1/8 cup chopped onion
1/8 cup flour
1 cups beef or chicken broth
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
In medium saucepan, melt butter. Saute onion until clear. Whisk in flour and cook until bubbly. Whisk in broth. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until thickened. Stir in seasonings. Serve immediately or cool, package in plastic container with a lid, label, and freeze. Warm on the stove top and whisk to blend.

#376: Coconut-Fudge Bars

LOVED, loved, loved these bars!  MMMM....these were super yummy but also super rich!  Cut these into little squares and you can serve a lot of people!  I made a half batch as shown above (with walnuts and toasted coconuts) and half a batch plain.  Personally, the walnuts and coconuts on top were WAY better!!  Try these!

1 cup butter, divided

14 Honey Grahams, finely crushed (about 2-1/2 cups)

1 cup sugar

1 can (5 oz.) evaporated milk

6 cups Miniature Marshmallows (10-1/2-oz. pkg.)

1-1/2 pkg. (8 squares each) Baker's Semi-Sweet Chocolate, coarsely chopped

1 cup chopped Walnuts

1 cup Flake Coconut, toasted

Bring remaining butter, sugar, milk and marshmallows to boil in large saucepan on medium heat, stirring constantly.  Cook and stir 5 min.  Add chocolate; cook until melted, stirring frequently. Pour over crust.  Top with nuts and coconut.  Refrigerate 2 hours or until firm.   Store in airtight container in refrigerator.

#375: Pumpkin Pie Dip

I am SO sad that I forgot to take a picture of this.  I loved this pumpkin dip (served better with graham cracker sticks rather than apples as suggested!) and will definitely make this again later in the fall.  It was super, super easy to make and I loved that I could make it the night before and just toss in the cool whip before we were heading out the door to go to our family gathering.  I served the leftover dip at book club...I'm still sorry that we had to use Scooby Doo Graham Stick!

15 oz can pumpkin 3/4 cup brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1/8 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp pumpkin pie spice
6 oz fat free Greek yogurt
8 oz cool whip free
cut up apples to dip

Mix pumpkin with brown sugar, vanilla and spices, blend well.  Mix in yogurt.  Fold in cool whip and chill in refrigerator until ready to eat.  Makes about 6 cups.

#374: Baked Onion Rings

I stumbled upon this recipe kind of by accident, but realized that I pretty much had all of the ingredients on hand to make it right away for dinner.  (Bonus!)  Although I liked this recipe, I can't say that I loved it or will be craving it.  My picture (and onions for that matter) do not look like the picture from the original blog.  Not sure if I did something wrong, or if it was my choice of onions, but the breading did not stick to my onions as well as I had hoped. 

1 medium onion, sliced into 1/4 inch rings
2 1/4 cups low fat buttermilk
1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
1/4 cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs
1/4 cup crushed corn flake crumbs
salt to taste (I omitted)
olive oil baking spray (I omitted)

Place slices of onion in a shallow bowl with, pour buttermilk over the onion, and let soak for 1-2 hours (refrigerated).  Preheat oven to 450 degrees.  Coat cookie sheet with foil or parchment paper. 

Combine panko, bread crumbs and corn flakes in a large dish, season with salt.  Dip each soaked onion ring into the crumb mixture; coat well.  Place rings onto two cookie sheets.  Lightly spray with oil.  Bake about 12 minutes or until golden brown.  Serve immediately.

#373: Mini Meat Loaves

I haven't posted a recipe from my Betty Crocker 300 Calorie cookbook in a while, but here's another recipe from it.  This was very, very easy to make and I had a bunch of extra foil mini loaf pans leftover from last Christmas (which I had hoped to use as gift containers but they were too small).  So I balled this meatloaf mixture into 5 small loaves (I doubled this recipe) and froze them until we were ready to use them.  I pulled them out of the freezer this morning and put them in the oven mostly frozen.  This baked up pretty quickly since they were so small. 

We all enjoyed this meal, but Brian probably liked it best.  I think I must have added some dried Italian seasoning to the mixture, and I could really taste it, so next time I probably should add a little less seasoning to this!  :)

1 tbsp skim milk
1 egg white
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/2 lb lean ground beef
2 tbsp bread crumbs (any flavor)
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 tbsp BBQ sauce (I probably used closer to 1/2 cup!)

Heat oven to 350 degrees.  In a medium bowl, beat milk, egg white and Worcestershire sauce with a fork.  Mix in beef, bread crumbs, salt and pepper.  Shape into 2 loaves.  Place in ungreased 8 inch square pan.  Brush with BBQ sauce. 

Bake 18-22 minutes until meat thermometer inserted in center of loaf reads 160 degrees.  Let stand 5 min before serving.

#372: Non-Anchovy Caesar Salad

Caesar salads are so yummy but can be full of so much fat/calories because of the dressing.  Yes, this dressing does have oil in it, but there's a lot of other flavors so a little goes a long way.  Plus this was super, super easy to prepare, and I even took it with us to a tailgate (so it travels well...just mix it all together just before serving).  I loved this salad!  It needed some salt but other than that, it was good!

Romaine lettuce, washed and torn
Grape tomatoes, halved
Parmesan or Romano cheese, shredded
Caesar style croutons
Turkey bacon, cooked and crumbled

Dressing:
3/4 cup canola oil
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
1/4 tsp. black pepper

Mix dressing really well and drizzle over salad just before serving.

#371: Asian Chicken Marinade

Here's another super easy chicken marinade you can prepare ahead of time and freeze until ready to use.  This chicken was very moist, and cooked up really easily and well on the grill. 

6 Tablespoons rice vinegar
3 Tablespoons soy sauce
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper (I used very little)
1/4 cup oil
1 Tablespoon sesame oil (I omitted)

Mix all of the ingredients and pour over uncooked chicken breasts or tenders.  Marinate for at least 30 minutes if serving immediately.  If freezing, place chicken and marinade in a Ziploc bag, and remove as much air as possible.  Freeze until ready to use.  When ready, defrost in fridge overnight then grill until done. 

#370: Low-Fat Chocolate Chip Cookies

Thanks to my friend Jaime, I've been looking for an excuse to make these cookies for about a week now.  (Jaime, stop sending me yummy looking recipes!).  :) I was definitely interested when I saw that these cookies only require 2 tbsp of butter!  Although I typically like "thicker" cookies, these had an awesome texture (slightly chewy, slightly crispy).  I am DEFINITELY making these again!  YUM!!

1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 tbsp butter, melted
1 egg white
2 tbsp apple sauce
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour (I omitted)
1/2 cup all purpose flour (I used 1 c)
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/8 tsp salt
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350°.  Lightly spray cookie sheets with cooking spray.
In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking soda and salt and stir to blend. In another bowl, whisk the sugars, butter, egg white, applesauce and vanilla together until light and fluffy.

Whisk the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients in two additions until the batter is very well blended. If the batter looks more “crumbly” than smooth, add just a drop of water at a time (ONLY if needed) until it smooths out.  Fold in chocolate chips.

Drop by level spoonfuls about 1 inch apart onto baking sheets.  Bake 8 - 10 minutes. Remove from the oven, and let them stand 5 minutes before removing the cookies from the pans to cool on wire racks.  Makes 2 dozen cookies.

#369: Blueberry Cake

Sorry for the dark photo!

I found a recipe for Blueberry Cupcakes, and since we just got fresh blueberries from the store this weekend, I figured it would be the perfect recipe to make for the girls to take to school with them.  I am way too lazy to deal with cupcake liners though, so I decided to make this into an 8x8 pan instead.  Cupcakes would have definitely been cuter, but this worked for me!  Allison and I really enjoyed this...Chloe mainly enjoyed the fresh whipped cream.  :) 
Cupcakes
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened

3/4 cup sugar

2 eggs

3/4 cup milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3/4 cup fresh blueberries

Topping
1 1/3 cups heavy cream

3 tablespoons granulated sugar

2/3 cup fresh blueberries

1 tablespoon confectioners' sugar (optional)

1.  Heat oven to 375 degrees F. Line one 12-cup cupcake pan with foil or paper cupcake liners.

2.  In medium-size bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt. In large bowl, beat butter with an electric mixer until smooth. Add sugar and beat until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in eggs, one at a time. On low speed, add half the flour mixture. Beat in the milk and vanilla, followed by remaining flour mixture. Fold in fresh blueberries.
3. Spoon batter into pan, a scant 1/3 cup in each indent. Bake at 375 degrees F for 23 to 25 minutes, turning pan once. Cool in pan on wire rack, then remove cakes from pan to cool completely.
4. In large bowl, combine cream and granulated sugar. Beat until medium-stiff peaks are formed. Spoon onto cooled cupcakes, about 1/4 cup on each. Scatter 6 or 7 blueberries over each cupcake, and dust with a little confectioners sugar, if desired. Serve immediately or keep cool until serving.

#368: Pepperoni Pizza Casserole

This makes 2 casseroles, so I halved this recipe. (The recipe below is for the FULL recipe).  I made the meat filling on my freezer cooking day, and then just pulled it out last night and let it defrost in the fridge.  I reheated it in the microwave to get some of the chill out, added it to the cooked noodles and then baked it as directed.  We all really enjoyed this dinner...especially Chloe!  :)  We are definitely making this again!

1 package (16 ounces) egg noodles (I used penne)
2 pounds ground turkey
1/3 cup chopped onion
1 jar (26 ounces) meatless spaghetti sauce (I used 14 oz jar of pepperoni flavored pizza sauce + about 8 oz leftover spaghetti sauce)
1 can (10 ounces) diced tomatoes and green chilies (I omitted)
1 can (8 ounces) mushroom stems and pieces, drained (I omitted)
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese (I omitted)
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded Parmesan cheese
3 ounces sliced turkey pepperoni  (I omitted)

In a Dutch oven, cook noodles according to package directions; drain.  Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook turkey and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Stir in the spaghetti sauce and tomatoes. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes. Stir in noodles. Transfer to two greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking dishes. Sprinkle each with mushrooms, cheeses and pepperoni.

Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 30-35 minutes or until heated through and cheeses have melted. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving. Yield: 2 casseroles (6 servings each).

#367: Sassy Tailgate Sandwiches

For years my mom has made little sandwiches that we call "hammies and turkeys."  They are VERY similar to these little ham sandwiches, and although I did enjoy these, I have to admit, I love our hammies/turkeys better.  I'm not saying these aren't good though!  These are yummy, easy, and one of the few ways I'll eat heated lunch meat.  Originally, I didn't want to spend money on the Gruyere, but it was sweet and mild, and I loved it!  I would definitely use this again in this meal, and in the future!  PS...spray your foil with non-stick spray.  I sprayed the bottoms but as you can see from the picture, the tops stuck to the foil!

12 count Hawaiian bread rolls
1 lb shaved black forest ham
12 thin slices Gruyere cheese
8 oz Philly Chive and onion cheese spread (I used plain cream cheese)
1/2 c butter, melted
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp dried minced onion
1/4 c grated Parmesan cheese

Cut all rolls in half. Place roll bottoms in 9x13-inch pan.  Place equal amounts of ham on each roll bottom. Top with Gruyere.
On each of the roll tops, spread a generous amount of the cream cheese spread. Return the tops to the bottoms making sandwiches.

In a separate bowl, mix together the butter, Worcestershire sauce, onion and Parmesan cheese. Pour over your sandwiches and let sit for at least 20 minutes. (You can make these ahead of time and allow to sit in fridge overnight.)
Place sandwiches, covered in foil, in a preheated 350°F oven. Bake for 20 minutes or until warmed through.

#366: Pear and Bacon Grilled Cheese

Since this recipe called for jelly, bacon and fruit, I decided this would be a great breakfast meal!  :)  I found this recipe in my recent issue of Real Simple (along with a California Grilled Cheese recipe that I also plan to make eventually).  This was really good!  What a great updated version of grilled cheese!

2 tbsp unsalted butter
2 slices cheddar cheese (I used Gruyere since I had some on hand)
2 slices white bread
2 tbsp currant or fig jam (I used fresh cherry/raspberry jelly)
2 sliced cooked bacon (I used turkey bacon)
1/4 small pear, thinly sliced

Melt butter in a skillet over medium-low heat.  Form a sandwich using cheddar cheese, jam, bacon and pear.  Cook covered, 2-3 minutes per side, until the bread is toasted and the cheese is melted.