#931: Apple Bread

I had quite a few bananas ripening on my counter and I wanted to make something other than a traditional banana bed with it.  So since this one had apples in it as well, I figured we'd give it a try.  It definitely was easy to prepare, although most banana bread recipes are.  After this cooled, I cut it into slices and then stuck it in the freezer.  Now we'll have apple bread ready to add to breakfasts or for snacks for quite a while. 

Although we enjoyed this (and it's even better with a little butter on it), it's kind of dry and dense.  It could be a result of the cook and not the recipe.  Regardless, it's nothing super special so I don't know if I would make this again.  Will we eat it and enjoy it, for sure.  Will I go out of my way to dig this recipe out again, probably not. 

8 Tbsp butter
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 apples (I used 1 apple and 1 mashed banana)
2 Tbsp milk
1 tsp cinnamon
2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
4-6 oz chopped walnuts (optional)

Peel and core the apples. Dice into small cubes.  Soften the butter and mix in the sugar. Add in the eggs and milk and mix completely.  Combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon and salt in a large bowl and add to the wet ingredients.  Mix in the apples.  Don’t over mix; just break up any large clumps of flour and get everything moist.  Lightly mix in the optional walnuts.

Carefully pour into a greased and floured loaf pan and bake at 350 F for one hour.  Remove from oven and let rest in the loaf pan for 10 minutes before turning it out onto a wire rack to cool.

#930: "Skinny" Hash Browns, Bacon and Eggs Breakfast Casserole

I love breakfast.  I used to not be a breakfast eater but the older I get the more I enjoy eggs and egg/breakfast dishes.  I wish I could get my family to enjoy it as much as I do, but they really aren't egg fans.  I can't blame them.  Growing up the only way I would eat eggs was if they were scrambled and had at least 1 1/2 slices of American cheese melted on top.  I've tried giving it to my kids multiple times and they just don't like it.  Oh well, more for me. 

Although I definitely enjoyed this recipe, I think I enjoyed it more because I added some veggies.  Next time I'm adding some shredded cheddar cheese too.  It needs it. 

12 slices bacon or turkey bacon, cooked and crumbled
1½ cups onions, chopped and sauteed
½ cup fat-free sour cream
½ cup fat-free cottage cheese
½ cup fat-free milk
2 eggs (I used 1/2 cup of egg substitute)
2 egg whites
¾ teaspoon Lawry’s seasoning salt or salt
Fresh ground pepper, to taste
4 cups frozen hash browns, not defrosted
Broccoli and yellow bell peppers, cut up/diced

 Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a 9 x 9 inch baking pan with cooking spray.

In a large bowl, add cooked onions, crumbled bacon, sour cream, cottage cheese, milk, eggs, egg whites, broccoli and bell peppers, ¼ teaspoon seasoning salt or salt and pepper.  Mix well.

Pour mixture into baking pan. Spread evenly.  Cover the top evenly with frozen hash browns.  Make sure to break up the chunks of potato. Spray the top generously with cooking spray.  Sprinkle top with ½ teaspoon seasoning salt or salt and a little pepper.  Cover casserole with foil and bake in oven for 30 minutes.

Remove cover and bake an additional 30 minutes. To crisp the hash browns, place under broiler for 2-3 minutes until golden brown. Be sure to keep an eye on it while broiling to not burn.  Remove from oven and let set for 10 minutes to set. Cut into 6 slices.

This casserole can be reheated and it freezes great too!  It can be easily doubled and made in a 13 x 9 inch baking dish.
Makes 6 serving (each serving, 1 slice)

According to the original website, 1 slice is 6 ww+ pts.

#928 and #929: Chickpea Salad with Cilantro-lime Vinaigrette

This post is actually going to be 2 recipes in one.  Normally I would split this into two separate blog posts, but I figured it would just be easiest to combine them.  The recipe for the Chickpea salad really isn't much a of recipe; it's just a long title name:   "A refreshing and healthy cold salad made with corn, chickpeas, cucumber, cherry tomatoes, green pepper and red onion with a cilantro-lime vinaigrette." 

I can handle that recipe, and it fits well with my just-throw-it-all-together-and-forget-about-measuring-mantra! 

The problem with the chickpea non-recipe was that it called for cilantro-lime vinaigrette but didn't give a recipe for it.  So I took to the internet and found one with good reviews.  Then I added it to my chickpea salad and I had a whole complete recipe.

I actually, really enjoyed this salad.  I made it on Sunday and enjoyed it almost all week for lunches.  It's a great store-in-a-mason-jar meal.  I would definitely make this again.  It did need something though, but I'm still trying to figure out what.  I'm definitely adding some black pepper next time and I might add a little jalapeno too.

So, here's the ingredients.  Feel free to use as much or as little as you like.  The amounts listed below is what I used.  You don't have to use the same amounts I did.  Make it your own.

1/2 bag frozen corn
1 can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1/2 cucumber, diced
7 cherry tomatoes, diced
1 green pepper, diced
1/4 of a red onion, finely chopped
Cilantro-lime Vinaigrette:
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

1 garlic clove, minced

1/2 teaspoon sugar

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/8 teaspoon ground coriander

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro

 

Place all of the salad ingredients in a bowl.  Set aside.  Combine the ingredients for the vinaigrette.  Add to the salad and toss to combine.

#927: Quick & Easy Tabbouleh

Quinoa is one of my favorite foods right now.  I am desperately trying to find red quinoa, which my friend Lora claims she finds at Kroger, but I cannot find it.  Anyhow, I was super excited to try this recipe because it contains quinoa and feta...two favorites in one!

This was delicious.  I loved it.  It wasn't as filling as I had hoped but I just ate it as a side dish to something else.  I will definitely be making this again.  Yummy!!

2 cups cooked Quinoa, cooled
2 tablespoons Light Italian Dressing (I used Greek salad dressing)
1 tablespoon fresh Lemon Juice
1/4 cup Feta Cheese
1 large tomato, chopped
1 medium size cucumber, chopped

Combine all ingredients, cover and refrigerate 1 hour to allow all the flavors blend in with the quinoa.
 Makes four 1 cup servings,  4 points+ each

#926: Skinny Pineapple Teriyaki Pork Chops

 
I really planned on making crockpot pork chops today make with chicken and rice, but I decided that since that recipe/meal is literally ready to go into the crockpot (but in the freezer) I better save that for during the week when I have less time to cook.  So I made these Skinny Pineapple Teriyaki Pork Chops instead. 

Brian and I both thought these were just okay and a little dry.  I don't think these need to be cooked for 40-50 minutes as directed.  If I make this again I'll also put the pineapple directly onto the cookie sheet so it browns up more and lets the pork chop brown as well. 

The girls (particularly Allison) loved this.  She out ate all of us. 

4 4oz boneless, 1/2 inch thick, trimmed pork chops
2 tablespoons thick teriyaki sauce
2 tablespoons sweet Asian chili sauce (I used spring roll dipping sauce so it wasn't spicy)
8 pineapple rings packed in juice
Dash cayenne pepper, or more to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a bowl, mix teriyaki sauce with chili sauce.  Spray a large sheet of foil on a baking sheet and spray with nonstick spray. Place the pork chops on the sheet and top with the teriyaki-chili sauce. Flip pork over, and coat evenly on both sides. Top pork chops with pineapple slices and sprinkle with your desired amount of cayenne pepper. Cook for 40-50 minutes.

#925: Buttermilk Roast Chicken

I am not one to enjoy (or make) chicken with the bone-in or skin on.  But this recipe claimed it would be worth it to make the chicken this way.  AND bone-in chicken pieces are SO much cheaper than boneless, skinless chicken breasts.  So I gave it a try.  Yep, I should have listened to my instinct that I don't like bone-in chicken.  The girls and I were not big fans.  Brian enjoyed it but I definitely prefer boneless, skinless chicken instead. 

Would I make this again for my family, no.  If you like chicken legs, then you might enjoy this. 

2 cups buttermilk

5 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon table salt (use a bit more if using kosher salt)

1 tablespoon sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons paprika, plus extra for sprinkling

Freshly ground black pepper

2 1/2 to 3 pounds chicken parts

Drizzle of olive oil

In a bowl, whisk together buttermilk, garlic, salt, sugar, paprika and a generous amount of black pepper. Place chicken in a gallon-sized zip-top bag or lidded container and pour buttermilk brine over them. Make sure that all of the parts are covered. Refrigerate for a minimum of 2 and a maximum of 48 hours (24 hours being preferable).

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Line a baking dish with foil (for easiest clean-up). Remove chicken from buttermilk brine and place in the dish. Drizzle lightly with olive oil, sprinkle with additional paprika and salt.

 

Roast for 30 minutes for legs (approximately 35 to 40 minutes for breasts) until brown and a bit scorched in spots. (Or, alternatively, until the internal temperature of the meat reaches 165 degrees.)

#924: Philly Cheese Steak Sloppy Joes

I thought this recipe looked delicious, but I was a little nervous about serving it to my family.  I was right to be concerned.  When I put it on the table, my normally Sloppy-Joe-loving family all turned their noses up at it.  No that's not fair, Brian was willing to try it but the girls were not happy.  I made it very clear that I was NOT making something else for dinner so they could eat it or leave.  Fortunately they made a good decision to try it...and what a shock, they LOVED it.  I'm not kidding, after one bite Allison said, "This is the BEST Sloppy Joes ever!" 

We will definitely be making this again.  My family wasn't as big of fans of the cheese sauce and I thought it was a little gritty, so next time I'll probably just put a piece of provolone cheese on the bread and toast it so the cheese melts.  Oh, and don't eat these on hamburger buns.  They are too juicy/drippy and get the buns all soggy.  This is definitely better served on a crusty roll. 

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1lb ground beef
1 medium onion, chopped
1 medium green bell pepper, seeded and chopped (I omitted)
¼ cup steak sauce
1 cup beef broth
salt and ground black pepper, to taste
4 hamburger buns
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon flour
1 cup milk
1 cup shredded provolone cheese

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add ground beef and cook while breaking the ground beef up into chunks with a spatula or spoon until browned. Add the green bell pepper and onion and cook for 3-4 minutes, until the onions start to become tender. Drain an excess liquid. Stir in steak sauce and beef broth, season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and cook until the mixture is thickened and bubbly.

While the meat is cooking, split the hamburger buns and butter each of the cut sides. Heat a large skillet to medium heat. Place split hamburger buns cut side down into the skillet and cook until lightly browned on the bottom. Remove from the pan and set aside.
Melt butter in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Stir in flour and cook for 1 minute. Whisk in milk and cook until the mixture is thickened and bubbly. Remove from heat and stir in the cheese until it is melted and incorporated into the sauce.
To assemble sloppy joes- pile the meat mixture onto the top of the bottom half of each bun, top with the provolone cheese sauce, and place the top half of the hamburger bun onto the sandwich.
(Makes 4 Servings)

#923: Taco Casserole

Taco Casserole is a bit of a stretch for this recipe name (in my opinion)...it's basically nachos.  Regardless, this is delicious.  I mean it's really, really good.  I knew the tortilla chips wouldn't reheat well so I only saved a little bit to try the next day and threw the rest away.  I shouldn't have done that because I enjoyed it the second day too (not as well but still good).  It was so good in fact, I ate it cold.  (No shock coming from me right?!)  For Brian and the kids, I made this as directed.  On my quarter of the casserole though I added corn, salsa, black beans, peppers and onions!  SO much better than their side! 

2 ounces Tortilla Chips (about 24), (yeah, I used baked chips and I used way more than 2 oz!)

1 Tbsp Chili Oil (I used PAM spray)

1 Onion, chopped

2 cloves Garlic, minced

1 pound Ground Chicken ( I used ground turkey)

2 Tbsp Taco Seasoning

1 can Black Beans, drained

1 cup Salsa

1 cup shredded Reduced Fat Cheddar Cheese

Heat oven to 350.  Heat oil in a large skillet. Add the onion and garlic and sautee until soft. Add meat and taco seasoning. Cook, breaking up meat with a spatula, for about 5 minutes. Add beans and salsa. Mix well and continue to cook until salsa thickens.

 

Line the bottom of a large baking dish with tortilla chips, pressing down on them lightly to break them into bite-sized pieces. Spread the meat and bean mixture over the chips and top with cheese. Bake for 20 minutes or until cheese is melted and gooey. 

#922: Skinny Creamy Italian Chicken Skillet

This recipe is supposed to be served over a really delicious looking light pasta, but it had too many ingredients in it that my family wouldn't eat so I figured I'd just make the chicken part of this recipe.  It was definitely easy to make.  I whipped together some pesto in the morning before work and then just let it marinade all day.  It cooked up really quickly in a skillet when I got home so dinner was on the table in no time. 

We all really enjoyed this chicken dish.  I will definitely make this again.  Best part is, my family had no idea it had pesto in it. 

So since I didn't make the pasta, I'm not going to post the recipe instructions for it.  But if you want the actual recipe, go here. 

4 small chicken breasts
1/2 bottle Lowry’s Garlic Herb Marinade
2 Tablespoons prepared pesto

Combine marinade and pesto in a large Ziploc bag then add chicken breasts and squish to coat. Marinade in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes, or up to 8 hours.

Saute marinated chicken in a large skillet sprayed well with non-stick spray over medium heat for 5-6 minutes a side, or until no longer pink in the center.

#921: Layered Salad with Buttermilk Ranch Dressing

This salad looked like it was the perfect recipe to make ahead of time and assemble in mason jars so I could take one for my lunches this week.  And, it has a lot of ingredients that I love in a salad (I saw sunflower seeds...that alone was enough to make me want to make/eat this!)

(By the way, sorry for the bad photo...apparently I was in too much of a rush to eat this and didn't realize all the veggies were on one side of the bowl!)

This salad is very good fresh and ,if stored in a mason jar, eaten the very next day.  The salads I tried to eat on days 3 and 4 were awfully wilty, but that could have been my fault and had the lettuce a little wet when I assembled it. 

1/2 cup buttermilk (I used skim) 

1/4 cup mayonnaise

2 tablespoons sour cream

1 teaspoon white wine vinegar                               

1/4 teaspoon dry mustard

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh chives

Salt and pepper

1 pound fresh or frozen peas                

2 yellow summer squash, cut into 1/2-inch dice (I omitted)             

2 zucchini, cut into 1/2-inch dice                               

6 cups mesclun greens or mixed baby lettuces (I used romaine)                              

2 red bell peppers, seeded, cut into 1/2-inch dice

10 scallions, thinly sliced

1 large cucumber, seeded, cut into 1/2-inch dice

2 large tomatoes, seeded, cut into 1/2-inch dice

1 cup roasted, salted sunflower seeds

 

In a medium bowl, whisk together buttermilk, mayonnaise, sour cream, vinegar, mustard, garlic powder and chives until well combined. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

Bring a large pot of salted water to boil over high heat. Add peas and boil until tender, about 2 minutes. Drain, run peas under cold water and drain again. In a medium bowl, toss together squash and zucchini.

In a large bowl, layer peas, 3 cups greens, red bell peppers, scallions, squash-zucchini mixture, 3 cups greens, cucumber and tomatoes. Pour dressing over top and set aside until layers are soaked through, about 5 minutes. Before serving, top with sunflower seeds.

#920: Parmesan Meatloaf

I had about 1 1/2 lbs of ground turkey in the fridge so I decided to use it on this recipe.  I was going to make it as described with the combo of ground beef and chicken, but then decided it wasn't worth an extra trip to the grocery store.  This was definitely an easy recipe to make.  I made it the night before and then just stuck it in the fridge until we were ready to make it. 

This is quite a delicious meatloaf.  I don't think I would call it my favorite one, but we definitely all really enjoyed it.  I would definitely make this again. 

1 lb ground turkey (I used 1 1/2 lbs)
1 lb ground beef (I omitted)
2 eggs
1/4 cup breadcrumbs
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1-2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 small onion, grated
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup marinara pasta sauce 
1/2 cup shredded Italian cheese blend
minced parsley for garnish

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a loaf pan with cooking spray, set aside.

In a large bowl, combine the ground turkey and beef, eggs, breadcrumbs, thyme, oregano, basil, garlic, onion, salt, pepper and Parmesan cheese. Try not over handle the mixture otherwise it will get tough. Place the mixture in the greased loaf pan and form into a loaf. Top the meatloaf with pasta sauce.

Place filled loaf pan on a baking sheet and bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes - 1 hour. Remove the meatloaf from the oven and sprinkle the top with the remaining shredded cheese. Place the meatloaf back in the oven and bake until the cheese is melted.
Remove the meatloaf from the oven and allow to rest for 5-10 minutes before serving/slicing. Garnish with parsley if desired.

#919: Toddler (Veggie) Muffins

Last night I pulled some frozen pumpkin muffins out of the freezer and the kids ate them up very quickly.  So I decided that it's been a while since we had fresh muffins, so I whipped these up this morning for the kids (particularly Matthew) to eat with his meals this week. 

I let the girls try one shortly coming out of the oven and Allison proclaimed, "These are DELICIOUS!  Can I eat all of them??"  I have to admit, these are very good.  I love the added fruit/veggies in it too.  I will definitely be making these again.  In fact, I plan on making another batch and sticking them right into the freezer so we have some on hand for next week as well! 

1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup brown sugar, or to taste
2 large bananas, mashed
1 (4.5 ounce) jar baby food squash
2 carrots, grated
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup oat bran (I used 1/4 c wheat bran and 1/4 c ground oatmeal)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1/2 teaspoon salt

Preheat an oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease 24 mini muffin cups or 12 standard muffin cups. In a mixing bowl, cream together the butter and brown sugar until smooth. Mix in the mashed bananas, squash, carrots, and eggs. Stir in the flour, oat bran, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, and salt until just combined. Spoon the batter equally into the prepared muffin cups.  Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 15 to 20 minutes. Cool in the pans for 10 minutes before removing to cool completely on a wire rack. Store at room temperature for up to two days, or freeze.

#918: Mexican Chicken Soup

I love when I find a recipe and make it easier by throwing it in the crockpot.  I'm sure it loses some of it's flavor that way but I'm all about quick and easy and will sacrifice a little taste/flavor for convenience.  I just don't have the time to stand over the stove!

I did not have a habanero pepper, so I omitted it.  This could definitely use a little heat, but I'm not a huge spicy food fan so I don't mind it not being in there.  If you like heat though, definitely use it!

I quite enjoyed this soup.  I think it would be even better with a little sour cream and crushed tortilla chips on top, but that's just how I like to eat my soups.  I love the rice in this because it gives it some nice texture.   I think some quinoa would be good in this too.  I might have to try it that way next time!

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 cup (dry) brown rice
1 can black beans, rinsed
2 ears of corn, kernels cut off
1 medium onion, diced
2 stalks of celery, washed and diced (I omitted)
1 habanero pepper, washed and diced (I omitted)
juice of 2 limes
4 cups low sodium chicken broth
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
3 tbsp tomato paste
1 tbsp smoked paprika
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp salt
1/4 cup cilantro chopped

Here is my version, made in the crockpot:
Cook rice according to package directions, set aside. 

Heat olive oil on medium-high heat and sear chicken breasts on both sides (you just need to brown them, they don't need to cook all the way though).  When done, place in crockpot.  Add chicken stock, paste, lime juice, paprika, cayenne, cumin, corn, black beans, salt and pepper. I also added about 2 more cups of water.  Stir to combine and cook on high for 4 hours.  Remove chicken and shred with 2 forks.  Return the chicken to the crockpot.  Add cilantro and cooked rice. 


Here are the original, stove top directions. 
Cook rice according to package directions, set aside.
Saute onion, celery and habanero in olive oil on medium heat until soft 4-5 minutes. Add chicken breast and brown each side for 2 minutes.  Add 2 cups of stock, paste, lime juice, paprika, cayenne, cumin, salt and pepper.  Reduce heat to med-low and braise chicken until cooked through, 8-10 minutes. Remove chicken and shred, set aside.  Add remaining broth,  fresh corn and rice, cover and simmer on med-low for another 10 minutes. Add beans and shredded chicken, cook an additional 8-10 minutes.  Serve with a lime wedge. 

#917: Layered Broccoli Salad Recipe

As you can see from the photo above, this recipe surely doesn't look "layered" as it says in the recipe title.  If you were making this for a crowd and taking it to an event, it would be a great, layered recipe served in a clear bowl of trifle dish.  I was making this for myself so layering it just didn't seem like a necessary step. 

Regardless of your presentation though, this salad is delicious.  I don't like uncooked broccoli but I loved this.  Shockingly, so did Matthew.  (He just ate the broccoli tops, but at least he ate it!)  I will definitely make this again and would make again for a family party.  I'm going to try throwing this into my small mason jars and eat for lunch this week.  Yum!

6 cups chopped fresh broccoli florets

1 small red onion, thinly sliced

2/3 cup dried cranberries (I used raisins)

1/2 cup plain yogurt

2 tablespoons mayonnaise

2 tablespoons honey

2 tablespoons cider vinegar

1-1/2 cups (6 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese

1/4 cup sunflower kernels

2 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled (I used real bacon bits)

In a large glass bowl, layer the broccoli, onion and cranberries. Combine the yogurt, mayonnaise, honey and vinegar; drizzle over salad. Sprinkle with cheese, sunflower kernels and bacon. Yield: 8 servings.

According to the original website 3/4 c = 6 ww+ pts.  But you could easily make this lighter by using non-fat/low-fat ingredients, and cutting down on the cheese, nuts and bacon.

#916: Crockpot Chicken Cacciatore

This recipe was very easy to make and smelled wonderful as it cooked in the crockpot on the counter.  It required minimal ingredients, so there's a good chance you might already have everything on hand.  I'm not a fan of bone-in chicken so I used boneless, skinless chicken breasts instead. 

Oh and my family won't eat crushed tomatoes, so I used diced tomatoes and pureed it in the blender, then added a can of tomato sauce to it to thicken it up.   

This went over just okay with my family.  The kids didn't like the chicken, and Brian and I thought it was okay.  I served this over whole wheat spaghetti noodles which pretty much was the only thing the kids ate.  I'd would eat this again, but I don't think I would make this again for my family.  It just wasn't a crowd pleaser in this house.

8 chicken thighs, with the bone, skin removed
28 oz can crushed tomatoes (see my note above)
1/2 red bell pepper, sliced into strips
1/2 green bell pepper, sliced into strips
1/2 large onion, sliced
1 tsp dried oregano 
1 bay leaf
salt and fresh pepper to taste
1/4 cup fresh herbs such as basil or parsley for topping

Heat a large skillet over medium-high, lightly spray with oil and brown chicken on both sides a few minutes, season with salt and pepper. Add to the slow cooker. To the skillet, spray with a little more oil and add onions and peppers. Sauté until juices release and the vegetables become golden, a few minutes.

Add to the slow cooker. Pour tomatoes over the chicken and vegetables, add oregano, bay leaf, salt and pepper, give it a quick stir and cover. Set crock pot to LOW 8 hours or HIGH 4 hours.

Remove bay leaf, adjust salt and pepper and enjoy!

According to the original website, 1 chicken thigh, 1/2 cup sauce and veggies = 4ww+ pts.

#915: Oven Tacos

These tacos are a nothing-special kind of meal, but they are delicious.  You have to like hard shelled, corn tacos to like this recipe (which my girls do not enjoy). The girls were not big fans, but Brian and I loved these.  Well, Brian loved the ones I made with mozzarella cheese, when he ate one with a Mexican blend cheese on top he didn't think they were as good (but he's a picky cheese eater). 

These fell apart a little bit on the bottoms so this is not something I would serve to company, unless you are very good friends and they don't care that it lacks a little in presentation.  As a family meal though I thought they were good and I would definitely make these again.

Also, as you can see by the photo in the middle I added corn and black beans to mine before baking.

2 lbs ground beef (or turkey/chicken)
1 small onion diced
1 small can diced green chilies (I used salsa)
1 packet of taco seasoning
1 (8 ounce) can low sodium tomato sauce (I omitted)
1 (16 ounce) can fat free refried beans
2 cups shredded reduced fat Colby-jack cheese
18-20 hard taco shells

Optional Condiments-
Lettuce (shredded), Tomato (diced), Salsa, Guacamole, Sour Cream, Olives, sliced, etc.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  In a large skillet brown ground beef and onion over medium-high heat. Drain off any excess liquid. Return to pan, add chilies, refried beans, tomato sauce, and taco seasoning. Mix well and cook for a few minutes if mixture seems runny.

Spoon the taco meat mixture into the taco shells and place into a 9 x 13 inch baking dish, standing up. Sprinkle cheese over the top of the taco meat in each shell. Place into the oven and bake at 400 degrees for 10-12 minutes or until the cheese has melted and the tacos are heated through.
Remove from the oven and top with any optional condiments for serving.

Homemade Idea: Hanging Kitchen Towels

(Photo on left courtesy of Pin.Sew.Press.  Photo on right is my towel.)

I have been begging my mom to let me borrow her sewing machine.  That is one area of my life that I haven't attempted yet and really think I need to.  :)  After months of asking, she finally gave it to me this weekend and since I had about 2 yards of fabric left from the girls "pillow case" dresses I made them for Easter, I knew I was ready to start sewing. 

So after Face-Timing my mom for about 30 minutes as she walked me thru how to set up the sewing machine, I was on my way.  Okay that made it sound easy. It actually involved both Brian and I holding the I-pad, 12 dropped calls, and multiple return phone calls still asking for help! 

Anyhow, I found these cute towels on Pinterest and wanted to give them a try.  How hard could it be right?  Let me tell you what I've learned in my very short time sewing...I don't have the patience for accuracy.  I don't measure hardly at all, and using a ruler to make straight lines is WAY too time consuming.  I eye-ball everything: length, straight lines, hems, so far, pretty much everything.  Oh and I don't care if it's not perfect.  It's just for me so if I double back two, or three times on the stitching and it's totally on an angle, I'm okay with that!  (Am I making any of you sewing perfectionists uncomfortable yet??)


 
So the picture on the right are two photos from Pin.Sew.Press.  This is what these are supposed to look like.  Pretty?  Yes!
Mine aren't exactly perfect but they aren't too bad for my first attempt.  After taking me about 1 1/2 hours to do the first towel I decided I didn't like everything about the sample (the fabric on the bottom is cute but it is taking away from actually using all of the towel to dry our hands!), and I figured I could do a shortcut on this and it still be functional for our family.  So I set out to make another one.  This time using my own design (of course modeled after the original still). 

Instead of putting 2 strips of fabric on the top (one is in front of the bar and one is behind), I sewed one strip of fabric and just put 2 pieces of ribbon thru the same strip.  Works for me!

By the time I did my third and final towel, I was able to crank that baby out in about 20 minutes. As you can see from the photo (on left) my version is much longer (these are the same exact towels) and gives us more surface area for drying our hands.  No it's not as cute and it hangs down a little bit but I'm okay with that.  I'm going for function here! 

Overall I'm super proud of myself for making these all on my own.  Now if I can just get my family to wipe their hands on the BACK of the towels so the fronts stay white......

#914: Sesame Chicken

See these golden brown nuggets of chicken?  They are wonderful.  They are so good in fact, Allison proclaimed, "Mama, this is the BEST chicken ever."  Needless to say, this recipe went straight into her future recipe book.  This sesame chicken was really, really easy to make.  You need to have an oven proof skillet though because you end up baking it after quickly searing on the stove top.  I assume you could have baked it on a cookie sheet though if you didn't have a cast iron skillet.  I don't see why you couldn't. 

This recipe calls to be dipped in ONE TABLESPOON of flour.  I'm not sure what good that did.  It just made my chicken all gummy.  So I added about 1/4 cup of flour to get it all lightly coated.  I say either use more or omit completely (and see what happens). 

I made 4 chicken breasts for my family (of 5) cut up into pieces and it really was barely enough.  Next time I will make at least one more if not 2!

1.5 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into pieces

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

1 tbsp whole wheat flour

1 tbsp toasted sesame oil

.5 tablespoon olive oil

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce

1 tbsp brown sugar

1 tbsp white vinegar

1/2 cup low-sodium chicken stock

1 tbsp sesame seeds (I omitted)

1 tbsp black sesame seeds (I omitted)

 

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  In a small bowl, whisk the chicken stock, brown sugar, sesame oil, garlic, soy sauce, and white vinegar together. Set aside.

 

In another bowl, toss the chicken with salt, pepper, and flour.  In a large pan (make sure it’s oven safe) heat the olive oil over medium heat. Once hot, add the chicken in one layer. Cook for three minutes on one side until seared and then flip and cook for another three minutes on the other side.

 

Turn off the heat and pour the chicken stock mixture over the chicken, stirring to combine. Place the entire pan in the oven and cook for 20 minutes. Then toss the chicken with sesame seeds and serve.

 

According to the original website/recipe: 1/5 of this chicken is 5 ww + pts.

#913: Corn and Black Bean Stuffed Peppers

 
I needed a healthy, filling recipe to make for lunches this week and this was the recipe I decided to go with.  Doesn't that look yummy?  Normally I don't love stuffed peppers, (although I love peppers and the filling for it) but I'm not a huge of the cooked peppers.  These are drizzled with olive oil and it gives it a great flavor.  I loved it.  I can't wait to eat these reheated for my lunch tomorrow (and the next day too I think!)

 

1/2 pound ground turkey

1/2 large onion, diced

1 cup black beans, rinsed and drained

1 cup frozen corn

1 tbsp. taco seasoning

3 large bell peppers, halved, de-seeded

1 cup of shredded cheese

 

On a large baking sheet, place your pepper halves on them, upright and drizzle olive oil all over them and bake them in the oven at 375 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until peppers are blistering and getting slightly translucent around the edges. Set aside.

 

In the meantime, in a large skillet, saute your onions in a tbsp or two of olive oil until soft. Then add in the ground turkey. Cook the turkey and onions all the way through and then add the taco seasoning. Stir to combine then add in the beans and corn.

 

Cook for about 5 minutes longer then remove from heat.  Take the (cooled) halves of peppers and place them in a small casserole dish then using a spoon, scoop the filling inside the peppers. Over stuffing is a good thing

 

Sprinkle a good amount of cheese on top of the filling, enough to cover it all, then place under the broiler on high until cheese is melted and bubbly. 

#912: Biggest Loser White House Salad

I wanted to make this recipe for my lunch this week but I didn't want to make a new one everyday.  AND it says to serve immediately, so I made this into a mason jar salad instead.  I made 3 salads in the jars on Sunday night (but I already ate one with my dinner) and now I have a few more for lunches this week.  If you are unfamiliar with mason jar salads you just layer your ingredients, starting with the dressing and add rest on top.  Shake to combine just before serving. 

My mason jars were layered as follows (from the bottom to the top): dressing, cucumber, tomato, red onion, basil, romaine.

This salad was really good.  I think I had a little too much dressing in my first jar, but that's okay.  It also needs crunch (like bacon bits!) and some cheese or Greek olives would be great too...wait, this is getting away from the "Biggest Loser" aspect of this salad.  Okay so w/out the bacon and olives it is still good. I still really enjoyed it and I'll enjoy it the next two days  for lunches too.   

1 head of fresh lettuce (I used romaine)
1 cucumber
2 tomatoes
1/4 red onion
1 bunch fresh basil

Dressing:1/3 cup olive oil
4 tbsp lemon juice 
1 tsp honey
salt and pepper, to taste 

For the salad: wash and dry the lettuce. Tear it into bite-size pieces. Peel the cucumber and cut it into bite-sized bits. Wash the tomatoes and cut them into bite sized pieces. Peel the onion and slice it as thin as possible. Wash and chop the basil into large pieces.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the lettuce, cucumbers, tomatoes, onions and basil. Toss together so the ingredients are well mixed.

For the dressing: place the dressing ingredients in a container with a tight-fitting lid. Cover the container and shake vigorously.  Add the dressing to the salad, toss and serve immediately.