#1,323: Crockpot Green Beans

I'm totally in a green bean recipe mood (as you can tell by the number I'm posting recently), so I was eager to try this recipe when allows me to make fresh green beans in the crockpot.  I had very low expectations for this recipe expecting them to come out mushy and over done.  These remind me a lot of canned green beans, except better.  They are slightly more firm and don't have all of the preservatives or sodium.  I didn't like the bacon in this at all, so I picked it out, but it did give it some nice flavor so I will continue to add them again next time...along with some garlic.

I WOULD make this again for my family for dinner...ok, for me as a side dish.  The girls, who like canned green beans didn't love these but it is a great way to have veggies ready for me when I get home from work.  

2 lbs. fresh green beans
6 strips of bacon
1 medium yellow onion, rough chopped
1 tablespoon kosher salt or salt to taste

Clean the green beans by snapping off the ends and then snapping longer ones in half.

Cut the bacon strips in half, and rough chop the yellow onions.

Add the green beans, bacon, yellow onion and salt to the slow cooker.

Add enough water to just cover the green beans.

Set the slow cooker to low and cook for 8 hours.

#1,322: Banana Oat Greek Yogurt Muffins

I had a helper in the kitchen making these muffins with me.  Allison (7) was very happy to help put this recipe together.  She did almost all of it on her own too!  Since she helped make the recipe and since I am not eating muffins these days, I thought I would also let her be a guest "blogger" and give her opinion on these.  :)
"These were good!  It tastes a lot like bananas and I barely tasted the oatmeal.  The banana and chocolate chips mixed together were really good.  If I could, I would eat them everyday."

Final verdict: All three kids loved these, and are already asking if they can have one with their dinner.  I'd say that's a win!  Plus, I like that they are a healthier, protein packed breakfast that they can enjoy before school!!

Since there is no oil in this recipe they are SO hard to get out of the paper liner.  Even with spraying each liner with non-stick spray, some of the muffin stuck to the bottom and sides.  It wasn't too bad, but just be prepared if you are making these to take to an event or serve to guest.  The kids though, didn't mind a bit!

1 cup plain Greek yogurt
2 ripe bananas
2 eggs
2 cups rolled oats (old fashioned or quick)
¼ cup brown sugar
1½ tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. baking soda
½ cup chocolate chips, mini or regular

Preheat oven to 400F and prepare a muffin pan by spraying cavities with cooking spray or lining them with paper liners (spray the liners with spray as well). Set aside.

Add all ingredients except for chocolate chips to a blender or food processor and process on high until oats are broken down and batter is smooth and creamy. Stir in chocolate chips by hand.

Pour batter into prepared muffin pan, filling each cavity until it is about ¾ full. Optional: sprinkle a few chocolate chips over the top of each muffin.

Bake for 15-20 minutes, until the tops of your muffins are set and a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean. Allow muffins to cool in pan for ~10 minutes before removing. Store in an air-tight container for up to a week.

#1,321: Bacon Roasted Green Beans

There isn't actually any bacon in this recipe.  I know, the name is a little deceiving.  BUT, it does use bacon fat...so it's kind of true.  I happened to be making bacon for another recipe so I happily saved some of the grease to use with the green beans in this recipe.  Although I totally loved these green beans, it really didn't give it much of a bacon flavor, so if I don't have any bacon fat/grease on hand (which I never do), I'll just use some olive oil instead.  The only thing I will also do differently with this recipe next time is to add a little bit of sliced onion and some garlic.

Now if you really want to make these unhealthy but SO good, go ahead and use some of that bacon you were frying up in the first place and add some crumbled on top. Now that would have made for an even better side dish!  ;) 

1 lb Green Beans, end trimmed

2 Tbsp Bacon Fat (melted, slightly cooled)

Sea Salt, to taste

Fresh Ground Black Pepper, to taste

Preheat your oven to 425F. Line a large rimmed baking pan with parchment paper.

Make sure that your green beans are washed and completely dry. Place them on the parchment-covered baking pan.

Pour the bacon fat over the green beans and add your salt and pepper.

Using your hands, mix everything so that all the green beans are evenly coated. Arrange in a single layer on the pan.

Roast in the oven on the middle rack for 15-20 minutes.

#1,320: Easy Garlic Green Beans

This was such an easy, delicious recipe that I ate for dinner tonight.  I will definitely be making this one again...and again! I loved that I could cook this one up so quickly.  

1 lb. fresh green beans 

2 T peanut oil (I used about 1 tbsp of olive oil)

2 T chopped garlic

1/2 large yellow onion, cut into slivers 

1/4 tsp. salt

1 T water (plus a bit more if you check and the pan seems dry)

2 T oyster sauce (I omitted)

Trim both ends of green beans, and cut nto 2 inch lengths.

Heat the wok or a heavy frying pan over high heat for 1-2 minutes, until it's too hot to hold your hand over it.  Add the oil and heat about 30 seconds more, then add the garlic and onion slivers and cook for 20-30 seconds, stirring the whole time.

Add beans and salt and cook about 2 minutes, stirring several times. Then add water, cover wok, and let beans steam for 5 minutes. 

Uncover the pan and add oyster sauce, then cook 2 minutes more, stirring so all the beans are uniformly covered with the sauce. Beans should still be slightly crisp when they're done. Serve hot.

#1,319: Calzone Dip

Of all of the meals I've made for my family, THIS is apparently the one that they liked the best.  My kids RAVED about this super simple meal.  It's almost embarasing how simple this recipe is.  My kids told me it was so good, I should enter Master Chef.  Uh, yeah right.  Bwahahah.  This would make for a good appetizer, but it was also a great dinner when paired with some yogurt and fruit...I guess! 

2 12" Boboli® Original Pizza Crusts

2 5-oz. pkgs. Boboli® Pizza Sauce

1 15-oz. container ricotta cheese (I used about half of this)

1 c. mozzarella cheese, shredded (I omitted)

3/4 c. Parmesan cheese, grated

20–25 slices pepperoni, roughly chopped

1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes, crushed

1/2 tsp. black pepper

Preheat oven to 450° F.

(I didn't layer this as suggested in the next step, I just mixed it altogether): In a small mixing bowl, combine 1 pouch of pizza sauce, Ricotta cheese, Mozzarella cheese, 1/2 cup of Parmesan, pepperoni slices, red pepper and black pepper until well blended. Transfer the mixture to a small, shallow baking dish; top with remaining sauce pouch, spreading evenly; and sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup of Parmesan cheese. Bake alongside the crusts for 10 – 12 minutes until dip is bubbly and crusts are crisp. Cut crusts into 1"x 4" strips and serve alongside dip.

#1,318: Cookie Dough Greek Yogurt

This is a super simple, tasty recipe that I found and made for my kids to add to their Greek Yogurt.  I give the kids yogurt and Greek yogurt often, especially since I don't give them many carbs at dinner anymore.  I especially give it to Matthew who is a very picky meat/protein eater.  They all loved this recipe and I've probably made it 3 times now.  So simple,yet so good. 

The recipe below is for one serving and is suggested to be added to an individual serving (6 oz cup??) of plain or vanilla flavored Greek Yogurt.  I tend to use more yogurt than the recipe calls for so that it's even healthier.  In my opinion one single serving of yogurt does not need an additional 3 tablespoons of sugar/sweeteners (nut butter, sugar, chocolate chips).  So alter the recipe as you see fit. 

To an individual serving of plain Greek yogurt, add:
1 tbsp nut butter (we use peanut butter or Nutella)
1 tbsp sweetener (I used a little organic sugar)
1 tbsp mini chocolate chips
1/4 tsp of vanilla

Throwback Thursday: Sausage Roll-ups

This may truly be one of the ugliest photos I ever took.  BUT this was one of my very first recipes I made/reviewed/posted on a different blog and we hardly ever eat these anymore, but whenever I make them, my family devours them!  They look like cigarettes, which is not appealing as I look at this photo, but the kids (and hubby) love these and I like that it requires only 3 ingredients:

1/2 small onion diced (sometimes I just used the dried minced onion flakes)

1 lb bulk pork sausage

1 package of phyllo dough sheets 

Take the phyllo dough out of the freezer the night before you need it and put it in the fridge to thaw. 

In a pan, brown the sausage and onion. Break up the sausage into small, crumbled pieces as it cooks. Drain off the excess fat when done. (I always do this the night before so it's ready to go when I get home!)

Take 3-4 sheets of phyllo dough and cut it in half width-wise. Put about 3 tbsp or so of the mixture onto each roll and roll up around the sausage mix. (I really don't measure this.  I just eye ball it).  Put on a lightly greased baking sheet...or save yourself the clean up time and put it on some parchment paper! Spray the tops of the roll-ups with buttered (or whatever you have!) cooking spray. 

Continue rolling up sausage in sheets of phyllo dough until you have used up all of your filling.  I can usually get about 6-8 roll-ups depending on how much sausage filling I put in each one.  

Bake in a 375 degree oven for about 12 minutes or until golden brown. 

#1,317: Nutella Banana Popsicles

We may be back in school and technically summer is over for us, but that didn't stop me from trying to squeeze in another summer bucket list item!  (Summer isn't officially over yet for a few more weeks, so this counts right?!).  I made Nutella Banana popsicles for 2 of my kids, and a Peanut butter banana popsicle for Allison who has a tree nut allergy.

The kids LOVED these, and I loved that I got a protein and dairy into them all the while they were thinking they were having dessert.  

These are so easy to make, but the original recipe suggest swirling the ingredients together...that's one more step that I don't think is needed.  So I threw everything into a blender and combined it all.  The kids really loved these so we will definitely be making these again!

Four 5.3-6 oz containers Vanilla Greek Yogurt (I thought this was A LOT of yogurt, so I used about 1 cup total)

1 overripe banana, mashed (1 used 2 bananas)

½ c chocolate hazelnut spread (like Nutella)

In a small bowl, combine two of the containers of Greek yogurt and the mashed banana, and stir until thoroughly incorporated.

In a small bowl, combine the remaining two containers of Greek yogurt and the chocolate hazelnut spread, and stir until thoroughly incorporated.

Fill popsicle molds or small paper or plastic cups by layering the two yogurt mixtures (swirl with a knife, skewer or chopstick, if desired), or, to create swirls, place alternating large dollops of the yogurt mixtures in a large plastic storage bag, cut off the corner for about a ½-3/4 inch opening, and pipe into the molds or cups.

Insert sticks and place in freezer several hours, until frozen.

#1,316: Beer Can Chicken

Although my kids really enjoyed this dinner, this was not my favorite meal and I personally ate very little.  If you like the skins off chicken though, this just might be the recipe for you!  I am not a fan of the skins and had to get it away from my plate because I kept sneaking pieces of it (it was so good).  Last week I made a chicken in the crockpot and personally, I think that is easier to make, easier to get the meat off the bones, and more flavorful.  Plus, my chicken fell over at one point and started to scorch.  It is much easier to throw it all in a crockpot and let it do it's thing for an entire day.  This recipe/version is definitely faster though.  :) 

Would I eat this again?  Yes.  Would I make this again for my family?  Probably not.  Although we have a lot of shredded chicken leftover now for another meal, so at least we got 2 dinners out of one bird/meal/recipe. 

1/3 c brown sugar
3 tbsp chili powder
1 tbsp paprika
2 tsp dry mustard
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
Can of beer or root beer with about 4 oz in the can
1 whole chicken  (about 3 lbs)

Clean chicken (rinse with water and pat dry).  In a small bowl combine all of the seasonings.  Place about 1 tbsp of seasoning inside the chicken cavity.  Rub the rest of the seasoning on the outside.  Place the can of beer with 4 oz of the liquid inside the chicken so the chicken can stand up on its own.  Place on a preheated grill, which should be around 400 degrees.  Cook for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until a meat thermometer reads 180 degrees.  Remove from grill and let sit for 10 minutes.  

#1,315: Paleo Banana Chocolate Shake

I've been looking for some easy, fast, healthy breakfast ideas for the kids and I came across this recipe for Paleo Banana Chocolate Shakes.  Chloe (age 5) loved making this with me and being my non-smoothie drinker, drank the most of any of the kids.  I took a tiny sip of this and immediately fell in love.  Chloe has already requested this again for breakfast tomorrow!  

2 frozen bananas
1 1/2 tsp dark cocoa powder
1/2 c coconut milk (I used unsweetened chocolate almond milk)
1/2 c cold water (I omitted)

1 tbsp almond butter (I used nutella)
pinch of cinnamon

In a blender combine all of the ingredients and blend until smooth.  Add water if necessary to reach desired consistency.  Serve immediately.  

#1,314: Cake Mix Banana Bread

Do not judge this recipe by the extreme over-doneness of this cake/bread.  I'm going to blame my mom for this one!  I was talking to her on the phone and completely forgot that this was in the oven.  I wasn't sure my kids would eat it because it is obviously over-done, but they loved this cake.  Unfortunately as you can see from the photo, the chocolate chips (minis) all sank to the bottom.  That's okay though because the kids were not complaining!  

I tried the tiniest piece of this cake so that I could review it and I thought it was very, very good.  I love banana bread though AND I'm not eating carbs so I'm sure I loved it just because it was a cake/bread/carb.  :)  

I had to cut the kids off after their second piece and promise them they could eat more for breakfast tomorrow.  This recipe makes 2 of these loaves, so we are sharing one with Matthew's daycare friends tomorrow.  

1 box Betty Crocker™ cake mix (I used a yellow cake mix)
1/3 cup oil (I used vanilla flavored Greek yogurt instead)
3 eggs
1 ½ cups mashed bananas (3 to 4 medium)
½ c mini chocolate chips

Heat oven to 350°F. Generously spray 2 (8x4-inch) loaf pans with cooking spray. .

In a large bowl, beat all ingredients until well mixed. Divide batter evenly between pans.

Bake 45 to 55 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center of loaves comes out clean and inside of cracks do not look wet. 

Cool 15 minutes in pans on cooling racks. Remove loaves from pans to cooling racks. Cool completely, about 2 hours, to prevent crumbling when slicing. For easier slicing, store loaves tightly covered 24 hours. Cut with serrated knife, using a light sawing motion.

#1,313: Balsamic Green Bean Salad

I have a huge love/hate relationship with fresh green beans.  I think I'm probably just bad at cooking/steaming them because one meal I love them and the next I end up throwing the whole batch out.  So I was super leery about making this recipe.  The picture really doesn't do it justice, it was SO good.  This called for crumbled feta on top, which I would have absolutely loved, but am not eating at this time.  Feta would be great to give it that salty/creamy texture and flavor.  But, I practically licked the bowl clean with this one.  The fresh green beans, tomatoes (from my garden) and red onion with the balsamic dressing were to die for.  I can't wait to eat this for lunch tomorrow!  

1 lb. green beans
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered
1/2 small red onion, diced
Feta cheese (I omitted)

{For the dressing}
2 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
Salt/pepper


Make the dressing: in a small bowl, whisk together all dressing ingredients.

Trim ends off green beans and rinse. Steam (or boil) for about 3-4 minutes until crisp-tender. In a colander, rinse well with cold water to stop cooking, then pat dry. Cut green beans into 1 to 2 inch pieces.

Place onion and green beans in a bowl. Drizzle dressing over top and toss to coat.
Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour to marinate.  When ready to serve, add in tomatoes and feta and lightly toss.

#1,312: Veggie Loaded Sloppy Joes

As you can tell by the many sloppy joe recipes I post, this is a meal/main dish that I enjoy making and eating.  As a family we have two favorite versions that we gravitate towards often (Diet Coke Sloppy joes and Myrtyle's Sloppy Joes), but this one might be my new favorite one.  I say that with 100% certainty that my family will not touch this recipe/meal.  I however am loving eating this over zucchini noodles instead of on a hamburger bun or roll (which would be good too).  I loved this one!!  

1kg mince (ground beef) (I used 1 lb ground turkey)

1 large onion, finely chopped

2 large leeks, washed and finely chopped (I omitted)

3 large carrots, peeled and finely chopped

2 celery spears, finely chopped

250g mushrooms, finely chopped (I used about 4 small baby portobello mushrooms)

3 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1/2 tsp each ground cumin, coriander and cloves

2 tsp paprika

2 tins chopped tomatoes (I used about 15 cherry tomatoes from my garden)

1 tbsp tomato paste (I used more like 2 1/2 tbsp)

1 1/2 cans of beef stock 

2 tsp sugar (I omitted)

salt and pepper to taste

To serve (I omitted)

Fresh bread rolls, toasted

grated cheese

Fry the mince (ground beef or turkey) in a large, hot pot until browned all over. Remove from the pot and set aside.

In the same pot, fry the onion, leeks, carrots and celery until soft and fragrant, about 10 minutes.

Add the mushrooms and garlic and fry for another 5 minutes before adding the spices and tomatoes and tomato paste.

Allow to simmer for 5 minutes before adding the mince back into the pot with the beef stock and sugar.

Reduce the heat and allow to simmer for 30-45 minutes covered.

If the sauce looks very watery, remove the lid from the pot and turn up the heat. Allow to simmer for 15 minutes uncovered until the sauce has reduced slightly. Season to taste.

Serve the mince on the toasted bread rolls with some grated cheese.

#1,311: Grilled Sweet Balsamic Steak Bundles

My weightloss/life changing coach does not like me eating much pork or beef.  Typically I try to stay away from it.  I hadn't intended to eat much of this recipe, but once I took a bite of one, I couldn't stop eating these.  Holy cow were these good!  My text to my coach at the end of the night also noted "even if I don't lose tomorrow, this meal was worth it!"  I don't think he liked that one.  It sure was good though!  

Sweet Balsamic Marinade
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 teaspoon rosemary
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1/4 teaspoon pepper, freshly ground

Combine all the ingredients in a large Ziploc bag with your meat and or veggies. Allow to marinade for several hours in the refrigerator before grilling. While grilling, brush the marinade over the meat and or veggies for extra flavor.

For Bundles:
Thin Slices of Steak (Flat Iron or Flank recommended)
Toothpicks
1/2 Red, Yellow, Green Pepper, cut into thin strips
12-13 Asparagus Spears, cut into thirds.

Begin by marinating your steak in the refrigerator for 6-8 hours (or even overnight) in Sweet Balsamic Marinade in a large Ziploc bag.

When you are ready to cook, remove the steak from the marinade and cut into slices large enough to wrap around your veggies.

Lay each slice of steak out on your cutting board, place your veggies in the middle, wrap the steak around the veggies, and then secure with a toothpick.

Preheat your grill and spray grill rack with non-stick spray. Place all steak bundles on the grill and rotate to cook evenly. Remove when cooked thoroughly.

#1,310: Spinach and Avocado Dip

This recipe was so easy to make and I loved eating it for lunch a few days this week!  It is healthy and I loved eating it with carrots and celery.  I will definitely be making this again to take with me for my lunches.  I think the dip would also be good on top of some taco meat (and taco salad). 

5 cups raw spinach
1 Large avocado
1/2 onion
1 - 2 clove garlic, freshly crushed
1/2 teaspoon pink himalayan salt (I used kosher salt)
1  lemon, freshly squeezed

Optional
pinch organic cayenne powder (I used a few dashes of hot sauce)

Put all ingredients into a food processor and process until well combined and creamy.

#1,309: Princess Punch (and Summer Bucket List Item)

This recipe was sitting on our summer bucket list so the girls were excited to help me make it (I think they were more excited by the name than the fact it was on our bucket list!).  The kids really enjoyed this punch and I will definitely make it again...especially for a crowd because it makes a ton! 

46 oz can pineapple juice
6 oz frozen pink lemonade
2 1/2 c water
3 (28 oz) bottles of ginger ale
1 quart strawberry ice cream (I used raspberry sorbet)

Mix all ingredients and stir until all frozen ingredients dissolve.  

#1,308: Bacon Avocado and Tomato Lettuce Wraps (Or salad...)

I came across a recipe for Bacon Avocado and Tomato Lettuce Wraps...I think the recipe is pretty self explanatory.

Lettuce wraps/leaves
Cooked, chopped bacon
Diced avocado
Chopped tomatoes

But I decided to make this recipe as a salad and grabbed some kale from my garden.  I also felt it needed a little dressing so I poured some balsamic vinegar on it too.  It was delicious, but nothing super special.  BUT this is a great low-carb meal that I can prep mostly ahead of time and take to work for my lunches.  (That's win!)

#1,307: Peruvian Grilled Chicken

Typically I like chicken marinade recipes that I can just mix in a bowl and then pour over the chicken.  This one requires heating up the mixture to bring out the flavor and I had a very hard time pouring a hot marinade over the raw chicken breasts and then letting it sit for 8+ hours in the fridge.  So I did not heat this up and just mixed it all together and poured over the chicken instead.  Although this was very good, I think it lost some of the flavor/heat by not heating it up first.  If I make this again, I will heat up the marinade, but then let cool to room temperature before pouring over the raw chicken.  

Overall, my family really enjoyed this recipe though and the photo above was all that was left by the time I got back from the gym and sat down to eat dinner.  :)  That's always a good sign.

juice of 2 medium limes
2 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 Tablespoon pure maple syrup (I used honey)
2 teaspoons kosher salt
4 large cloves garlic, crushed
1½ Tablespoon organic virgin coconut oil
2 teaspoons smoked paprika
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ancho chili powder (I omitted)
1 teaspoon mexican chili powder
4 pounds chicken parts, on the bone (I used 5 boneless, skinless chicken breasts)

In a large bowl, combine lime juice, apple cider vinegar, salt and maple syrup. In a small saucepan, combine garlic, coconut oil (doesn't need to be liquid), smoked paprika, cumin, ancho chili powder and mexican chili powder. Heat over medium heat 2 to 3 minutes, stirring constantly until fragrant and well combined. Combine garlic mixture with lime juice mixture and whisk until well mixed.

Use a fork to puncture fork holes into chicken pieces and place chicken in a ziploc bag. Pour marinade over. Seal and massage marinade around until well covered. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours but no longer than 24 hours.

Remove chicken from fridge about 30 minutes prior to grilling. Set grill to medium heat. Cook for 32 to 34 minutes (if using bone-in chicken!), turning at least once or until internal temperature of 165F.

#1,306: Slow Cooker Lasagna Rolls

This recipe was so easy to make, and honestly the worst/hardest part was pre-boiling the noodles (I usually by the no-boil kind).  This recipe does not make this a meat filling, but next time I will probably add some cooked ground turkey to make this even more lasagna-y, rather than just a cheese lasagna.  My family really enjoyed this one!

The recipe calls for 12-13 noodles, which I cooked, but then you cut them in half.  I got about 16 roll-ups out of the filling so I had extra cooked noodles.  Of course I couldn't throw them away, so I whipped up another batch of the filling and made and 8x8 pan of lasagna to throw in the freezer.

Also, I under cooked the noodles a little bit since I knew it would continue cooking in the crockpot.  I think that was a good idea.

Yep, I will definitely make this one again.  

12-13 lasagna noodles (Since you cut these in half this makes a lot)

15 oz container ricotta cheese

2 cups shredded cheese

1/3 cup parmesan cheese

2 eggs

Italian seasoning grinder

1 cup shredded cheese

2 jars of spaghetti sauce (I only used about 1 1/4 jars)

Cook 12-13 lasagna noodles (depending on what size your Crock Pot is) according to the instructions on the box.

Mix together ricotta cheese, eggs, shredded cheese and parmesan.

Pour one jar of spaghetti sauce in the slow cooker and turn on low. (I did not need that much on the bottom.  I only used about 1/3 - 1/2 a jar)

Lay the lasagna noodles on a cutting board a couple at a time. Spread 2 ½ to 3 tablespoons of the ricotta mixture over the noodles. Sprinkle with Italian seasoning.

Roll up the lasagna noodles and carefully cut them in half.  Place the lasagna rolls in the sauce in the slow cooker. Continue until the slow cooker is full.  Top with 1 cup shredded cheese.  Cook on low for 4-6 hours.  Most of the sauce is soaked up while cooking so serve with more spaghetti sauce.

#1,305: Tater Tot-Chos

I have been dying to try this recipe, even though I can't and don't eat tater tots (or any carbs) right now. Brian was leery of eating this because he doesn't like mixing his foods, so he did not eat this recipe as described.  The girls however, loved this.  If I was eating carbs, I would have loved this too!  It looked so good, even with the girls just eating cheese and sour cream.  There is great potential for this recipe especially if you like traditional nacho toppings such as olives, tomatoes, guacamole, etc.

4 c frozen mini tater tots (I used regular ones)
1 lb ground beef
1 envelope taco seasoning
2/3 c water
1/2 c shredded cheddar cheese
2 c shredded lettuce
1/4 c slice ripe olives
1/4 c taco sauce
1/2 c sour cream

Bake tater tots according to package directions.  Meanwhile in a large skillet, cook beef over medium heat 6-8 minutes or until no longer pink, breaking into crumbles; drain.  Stir in taco seasoning and eater.  Bring to a boil, cook and stir 2 minutes or until thickened.

To serve, top tater tots with beef mixture, cheese, lettuce and olives, or other desired "nacho" toppings.  Serve with taco sauce and sour cream.   

#1,304: Cola Burgers

A little surprisingly, my family really enjoyed these burgers.  The girls both asked for seconds and Chloe almost never finishes an entire burger. I only had a few bites because I wanted to try it and be able to review it but it wasn't something that was really on my plan so I couldn't eat the whole thing.  This will be a recipe our family makes again!
1 egg
1/2 c cola, divided
1/2 c crushed saltines
6 tbsp french dressing, divided
2 tbsp grated parmesan cheese
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 lb ground beef or turkey
hamburger buns

Combine the egg, 1/4 c cola, saltines, 2 tbsp dressing, parmsaan and salt.  Add the ground meat and mix well.  Shape into 6 patties.

In a bowl combine the remaining cola and dressing.  Grill patties uncovered for 3 min per side Brush with cola mixture.  Grill 8-10 minutes longer, or until juices run clear, basting and turning as needed.  Serve on buns.

#1,303: Chipotle Bacon Sliders

I was for sure that I would absolutely love this recipe, but shockingly I was not a fan at all.  I don't know if it's because I used turkey bacon instead of delicious regular bacon, but it was just too much meat flavor and not enough flavoring in the burgers.  Thumbs down for me with this recipe.  

1 large yellow onion, sliced into thin rounds
2 TBS butter, ghee, or coconut oil
1 pound ground meat (I used ground turkey)
4 strips of precooked bacon
1 tsp unrefined sea salt
1/2 tsp chipotle chili powder
1/2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp cumin powder
1 TBS butter, ghee, or coconut oil for cooking burgers
1 avocado
lime juice
unrefined sea salt

OPTIONAL: a few dashes of your favorite hot sauce
lettuce for garnish

To make carmelized onions: Melt the ghee, butter, or coconut oil on medium heat.  Add onion rounds and saute slowly until golden brown.  Push the onions around a bit to make sure they cook evenly.  You can add a tablespoon of water if they begin to stick to pan (20-25 minutes).

Mash together avocado, lime, and salt in a small bowl.  Add optional hot sauce for some heat. Set aside.

Combine ground meat, chopped bacon, salt, and spices in a medium bowl.  Mix to combine.  Form into 9 small patties.

Heat 1 tbsp of fat of choice in skillet on medium to medium high heat.  Cook patties 4-5 minutes on each side, or until cooked the way you like it.

Serve over a bed of fresh lettuce.  Top with caramelized onions and avocado.

August Dinner Menu Plan

Back to school means back to freezer cooking!  The last two weeks I've been slowly making my dinner menu for the rest of August and early September, and have also been making as much ahead of time to have ready in the freezer.  As you can see by the list/calendar below, almost all of our meals are super simple ones and ones we've had before.  We also keep spaghetti and breakfast for dinner in our rotation weekly to keep our grocery bill down just a little.  Sadly, I can't/won't/don't eat most of these meals so I've also got veggie burgers, chicken burgers, and taco meat in the freezer for me to pull out as a protein if needed.  And it will be needed since I can't eat the dinner's I'm preparing for the next 3 nights!  I'm ok with that though...staying on my food plan is more important (i.e. weightloss!).

As you can also see I have a few meals already ready for the 2nd week of September as well.  That week Brian and I both have birthdays, so we will probably eat out on those nights, and I'm sure some of the menu items for August will get bumped to another night if we have a lot of leftovers after a particular dinner.  So hopefully I'm ready through mid-September at least! 

Fortunately I don't have to plan for breakfasts b/c the kids eat at school, Brian eats cereal every morning and I only eat fruit.  That makes it simple.  I also have a separate menu for lunches, but that varies by my mood each week and what I have in the house.  Brian either takes a sandwich or leftovers, M eats at daycare (food provided), and the girls will do hot lunch almost every day.  So really I only have to plan lunches for me and that pretty much consists of protein and veggies so no point in making too detailed of a menu/list. 
  

#1,302: Homemade Crockpot Garden Spaghetti Sauce

I  planted a garden for the first time this summer and it is doing very well, especially my cherry tomatoes.  I eat as much as I can, I give away a bunch, but sometimes I still have a ton to eat/use.  So I searched the internet for a super easy way to make spaghetti sauce when I came across this recipe that required me to put everything in a crockpot and then blend it when done.  I didn't even have to peel the tomatoes.  I am loving this sauce...BUT since I didn't peel the tomatoes there are some long tomato skins throughout this recipe.  It doesn't bother me in the least, but this is not a recipe I could give to my family without them picking those pieces out.  So for me, this is a good recipe, for my family, I need to keep searching for another one.

6 cups diced tomatoes, skin left on or taken off (I used large cherry tomatoes and threw them in the crockpot whole, with the skins on...so easy!)
4 cloves garlic
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
1 large red onion, diced
1/4 c fresh basil
2 t dried oregano
salt and pepper to taste
crushed red pepper to taste
3-6 oz tomato paste (to thicken sauce if needed)

Combine all the ingredients in a crockpot and cook on low for 8-10 hours.  Place all ingredients in a high speed blender.  Blend until well combined.  If you blend longer it will make a thinner, smoother sauce.

#1,301: Yum Yum Chicken

I hate when I make a recipe with a stupid name.  This is one of those recipes because I'll never remember this recipe since I can't find it without the tag "yum yum."  Although the name is forgettable, this is a recipe I will be making for my family again.  I wasn't sure they were going to enjoy this one because of the "creamy" mixture in the middle, but they loved it.  Allison had thirds of this recipe I think and Brian wanted me to save the leftovers for lunch the next day (always a very good sign).  I used a rotisserie chicken and chopped up the meat ahead of time.  Then I froze the chicken until we were ready to make this recipe (I defrosted it over night in the fridge).  This is such an easy, prep ahead of time meal (at least the chicken part) and then whip together the night you are ready to make it.  

1 to 1 ½ lb. chicken, cooked and cut up (I shredded one rotisserie chicken)
8oz sour cream
1 can Cream of Chicken soup
1 can Cream of Celery soup
1 box Cornbread stuffing, uncooked (Stove Top)
1 cup chicken broth
1/2 stick melted butter

Preheat oven to 350.

In 9x13 baking dish, lay chicken in the bottom of the dish.  In separate bowl, mix together the cream of chicken soup, cream of celery soup and sour cream. Spread over the chicken.

Sprinkle the uncooked stuffing over the soup mixture, (note: if herb packet is not mixed with stuffing mixture, top stuffing with herb packet).  Mix together the broth and the melted butter and pour evenly over all.

Bake at 350° for 30 minutes.