#1,258: Clean Eating Cauliflower Hash

Actually, the name of this recipe that I found was Cauliflower Fritters.  But I used less eggs in mine and it would not stay together.  So instead of tossing it, I just used a spatula and made it into a hash.  It was still delicious.  :)

Here's the recipe to the fritters:

2 c cooked cauliflower
3 eggs, or 6 egg whites (I used 2 egg whites)
1 tsp dried tarragon (I used dried basil)
1/2 tsp garlic powder
salt and pepper to taste
olive oil for cooking (I used a little bit of ghee)

In a large mixing bowl, mash all ingredients together (except olive oil) with a potato masher.  It can be slightly lumpy.  Put a small amount of oil in a skillet (unless using a non-stick pan) and cook like you would a pancake.  OR...do what I did, and throw it on a griddle and mash it all up to turn into a hash! 

#1,257: Pizza Balls

Oh my goodness, did my family LOVE this recipe.  I used 2 cans of Grands buttermilk biscuits and this made enough for them to eat for dinner one day and for lunch again the next day.  (I got 15 biscuits squished into the pan).  They took a lot longer to cook though because of the Grands size.  I had to cover them with foil loosely half-way through so the tops wouldn't burn.  Didn't matter to my family though because the devoured them.  I made most with just ground turkey, but a few had pieces of pepperoni for my 5 year old.  :) 

The original recipe for this was supposed to be for bacon cheeseburger balls, but my husband wouldn't have eaten them.  So I just changed them to be pizza flavor.  Here is the link to the original recipe for bacon cheeseburger balls.

Here's how I made these pizza balls:

2 cans of Grands biscuits
1/2 cup (or slightly more) shredded mozzarella
3/4 -1 lb ground turkey (or beef)
1/2 onion, diced
2 cloves, minced garlic
1 tbsp Italian seasoning
1 jar pizza sauce
2 egg whites, beaten
parmesan cheese, grated

Additional filling: black olives, diced peppers, diced tomatoes, pepperoni, etc.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  In a pan cook the onion and ground turkey until cooked through and no longer pink.  When ground meat is done, add in garlic, Italian seasoning and pizza sauce.  Continue cooking for about 2 minutes, until heated through.  Add in mozzarella and stir to combine.  You can also add in any additional filling ingredients at this point.  Stir well to combine all ingredients.
Flatten refrigerator biscuits and top them with about 1 heaping tablespoon of the meat mixture/filling.  I put as much filling as I could without breaking the biscuit as I tried to close it.  Gather the edges up around the toppings and pinch together at the top. Place the pizza balls into a greased pie pan with the seam on the bottom. Brush the tops with a beaten egg white.  Sprinkle the tops with grated Parmesan cheese. Bake at 400 degrees for about 20 minutes or until the dough is cooked through.  

#1,256: Paleo Enchilada "Pasta"

I have tried and tried to enjoy spaghetti squash but have often not been successful.  I might enjoy it for one meal but then not the next.  I won't give up on this stuff though!  So when I found this recipe for enchilada "pasta" it looked too good not to try.  

Happily, I really loved this pasta.  Even Matthew ate a little bit of it (but only b/c he was eating it out of my bowl and thought he was being sneaky.  Whatever...he ate it! I changed up the recipe just a little bit to make it healthier but I still loved it.  I will definitely make this again. 

Sauce
1 medium onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
3 large organic tomatoes, remove stems (I used a can of petite diced tomatoes)
2 tbls ghee
3 tbls chili powder
1 tbls cumin
1 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp oregano
1/2 cup chicken stock
Meat
1 tbls ghee (I omitted)
2 lbs ground beef
1 can hatch chilies, mild or hot (I used a can of diced green chilies)
Extras
4 eggs, whisked (I omitted)
5lb spaghetti squash or 2.5 lb, cut in half an deseeded

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Cook spaghetti squash on a baking sheet rind side up for 20 minutes. (I had to cook mine for about 40 min).  Remove and turn oven down to 350 degrees. Once cooled, run a fork lengthwise to create noodles.
For the sauce, pulverize tomatoes in a blender (I did not do this step). In a large saucepan, melt 2 tablespoons ghee and cook onions until they turn light brown. Add in garlic and cook until fragrant. Mix in spices and cook for 30 seconds. Add in pureed tomatoes (petite diced) and chicken stock. Bring to a boil then simmer for 10-15 minutes.
In a large skillet, melt 1 tablespoon ghee (I omitted) then add in meat. Brown meat then toss in hatch chilies. In an extra large bowl, mix together meat, spaghetti squash noodles and sauce. Then stir in eggs (I omitted). Place in a large greased baking dish or two small dishes. Bake for 50-60 minutes.
Garnish with cilantro and serve with salsa.

#1,255: Stuffed Pepper-Tomato Soup

I found a recipe for stuffed peppers served IN tomato soup, but I do not like peppers cooked whole so I changed this recipe a little bit to make it an all-in-one dish.  I absolutely loved this soup and have been enjoying eating it as a meal or as a side to something else.  So simple, so delicious.  

Here is the link to the original recipe which I altered.

Stuffed Pepper-Tomato Soup
28 oz can crushed tomatoes
1 c chicken broth
1/2 onion chopped
2 cloves minced garlic
2 tsp basil
2 tsp oregano
3 bell peppers (any color) diced
1/2 lb ground turkey
4 oz mushrooms, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste

In a large pot, combine the crushed tomatoes and chicken broth.  Turn heat to low and simmer the sauce while the ground turkey is cooking and you are chopping the rest of your vegetables.  Sautee onion and ground turkey until turkey is cooked through, breaking into smaller pieces as it cooks.  Just before the turkey is finished cooking add the garlic, basil, oregano, peppers and mushrooms.  Stir to combine and continue cooking for the final few minutes until the ground turkey is done.  Add the turkey/vegetable mixture to the tomato soup and stir to combine.  Season with salt and pepper. 

Turk the heat on the tomato mixture up to medium-high and bring to a low boil.  When it begins to bubble, turn the heat down to medium and continue cooking until peppers are slightly softened and flavors have combined (about 20 minutes).  

#1,254: Balsamic Glazed Pork Tenderloin

Sorry, I couldn't find my camera at the time (I left it in the car!) so I had to use my iPhone instead.  :(  This was a delicious dinner that we all enjoyed.  The kids personally liked their pork on bread and made little sandwiches.  It was easy and so good.  I will definitely be making this again for us.  This is simple, yet slightly elegant, so this would be a great meal to serve when company is coming over. 

3-4 lbs pork tenderloin (I used about 1 1/2 lbs I think for our family of 5)
2 tbsp coconut oil
sea salt and pepper to taste
2 tbsp herbs de Provence
1 tbsp garlic powder
1 onion, sliced
1 bell pepper, sliced
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F.
Heat the coconut oil in a cast iron skillet (or other oven safe skillet) over high heat on the stove top.

Season all sides of the pork with sea salt, pepper, garlic powder and herbs de Provence.
When the oil is hot, sear the pork on all sides until evenly brown. The pork should sizzle when you put it in the pan! If it doesn't, it's not hot enough. Searing the meat will lock in the moisture so don't skip this step!

When the pork is browned, remove it from the pan and add in the onions and peppers. Season with sea salt and pepper.  Add the pork back in to the skillet. The onions and peppers serve as a bed so the pork doesn't burn.  Transfer the skillet to the oven and roast uncovered for 20 minutes.

Remove the pork from the oven and let it rest before slicing for 10-15 minutes.
While the pork is roasting, make the balsamic glaze. In a small saucepan, heat the balsamic vinegar over medium heat. Let it simmer until it has reduced by half. As you let it cool, it will thicken.  Drizzle the glaze over the pork or serve on the side as a dipper! Enjoy!

PS: I served this with pureed cauliflower with onion and turkey bacon, and mixed baby greens w/pomegrante vinegar.  Ooh, was it all delicious! 

#1,253: Quick Skillet Steak with Onions and Mushrooms

I never in a million years, thought that not only would I like this, but my kids would too.  Granted most of them enjoyed their steak between two thin pieces of Italian loaf bread, but hey, they ate it (minus the onions and mushrooms of course). Really enjoyed this too and ate it over my kale and brussel sprouts.  Yum.  The kids even requested it again for tomorrow!  So, so easy to make!!

1/2 lb thin cut beef round sandwich steaks (I used flat steaks)
1/2 large onion, sliced into rings
1/2 tsp olive oil
8 oz sliced mushrooms
cooking spray (I used a little bit of olive oil)
garlic powder to taste
salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste

Slice beef into thin strips. Season with salt, garlic powder and fresh pepper to taste. Heat a large skillet over high heat. When the skillet is very hot, spray with cooking spray and add half of the beef. Cook one minute, then turn steak and cook an additional 30 seconds. Set aside in a large dish.

Spray the skillet again and when it gets hot add the remaining steak, cooking one minute, then turning and cooking 30 seconds more. Add remaining steak to the dish. 

Return skillet to heat and spray once again with cooking spray; add onions and season with salt and pepper. Cook one minute, then turn and cook onions an additional 30 seconds or until onions are golden.

Lower heat to medium and add 1/2 tsp olive oil to the skillet, add mushrooms, salt and pepper and lightly spray the top of the mushrooms with cooking spray. Cook 1 1/2 minutes,then turn mushrooms and cook another minute and a half. Add to dish with steak and onions and stir to combine. Serve over rice.

#1,252: Picadillo

I don't know what this recipe means, or how it got it's odd name, but I like it!  Granted I left off the olives so that would completely change the flavor, but I still like it.  I'm going to be eating this over kale and shaved brussel sprouts, but this would be really good over rice or on potatoes too.  Or just as is (like I'm sure it's intended to be!).

3 lbs ground beef (I used ground turkey)
1 tablespoon ghee 
2 small onions, chopped 
4 cloves, garlic crushed 
½ cup beef stock 
4 chopped tomatoes (I used a can of petite diced)
2 tbsp tomato paste 
1 jalapeño pepper, finely chopped 
1 bell pepper, chopped (I omitted...but will add in next time!) 
½ lb pitted green olives (I omitted) 
1 tsp dried oregano 
1 tsp dried basil 
1 tsp cumin 
Salt and pepper just before serving

Heat ghee over medium in a heavy pan and saute onions for 5 minutes or until translucent.  Turn heat to medium high, add the garlic and the meat. Brown the meat for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally to make sure the onions and garlic don’t burn.  Place meat, garlic and onions in the slow cooker with all the other ingredients, except the olives.  Cook on low 6-8 hours. Add olives in the last hour of cooking. Salt and pepper to taste.

#1,251: Kale and Brussel Sprout Salad

This recipe was supposed to have bacon and Pecorino cheese on it.  Both of which are my favorite things and would seriously make this salad even better.  But I didn't want to start making bacon and I currently am not eating cheese so I was left to add just a tiny bit of cashews and red onion on mine.  It was still really, really good.  I will be eating this again tomorrow, so that's a good sign!  But if you make this, please add the bacon and cheese....you will thank me for it! 

For dressing:
2 Tbs fresh lemon juice
1 Tbs dijon mustard
1 tsp shallot, finely minced
1 small clove garlic, finely minced
1/8 tsp kosher salt
Pinch black pepper
1/4 c extra virgin olive oil

For salad:
2-3 c thinly sliced kale (approx 1/2 a bunch)
1 lb brussels sprouts, finely shredded using a mandolin or sharp knife
3-4 slices turkey bacon, baked and chopped
1/4 c roasted almonds, chopped
1/2 c Pecorino cheese, finely grated

Combine all dressing ingredients in a small bowl and mix. Add in olive oil, whisking until combined.  Mix sliced kale and shaved brussels sprouts in a large bowl. Throw in bacon, almonds, and cheese. Pour dressing over the top and toss salad until all ingredients are distributed throughout.

#1,250: Cashew Beef Stirfry

I honestly wasn't sure I was going to like this meal, but I not only like it, I LOVE it.  I've eat it 3 times already now.  I've been cutting out/omitting the cashews though because I'm trying to cut down on my cashew consumption!  :)  This is so easy to make too. 

1½ lbs grass fed ground beef (I used ground turkey)
1 large bell pepper, sliced
1 medium onion, sliced
1 can water chestnuts, drained and sliced
½ cup raw cashews (toast on a dry pan for a few minutes until browned)
2 tbsp fresh ginger, grated
1 tbsp fresh garlic, grated
4 tbsp coconut aminos
salt and pepper to taste

Stir fry beef until lightly browned.  Add ginger, garlic and coconut aminos. Saute until fragrant.  Add bell pepper, onions and water chestnuts. Cook until vegetables are soft.  Adjust seasonings by adding salt and pepper.  Turn off heat and mix in toasted cashews.

#1,249; Radish and Cucumber Salad

I am a new lover of radishes.  I even planted them in my garden this year and they are growing the fastest and the best (so far!).  So I was excited to try this salad.  It is super easy and I really enjoyed it.  I will definitely be making this again this summer! 

12 radishes w/tops (radishes sliced thinly; tops washed, sliced thinly and reserved) (I omitted the tops)
1 English cucumber, washed and cut into thin rounds
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 c rice vinegar
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp lime juice
In a large bowl toss the radish and cucumber slices w/salt.  Toss with vinegar, olive oil, and lime juice.  Let stand at room temperature for 1 hour.  Just before serving fold in radish tops. 

#1,248: Pink Velvet Salad

This photo does not even come close to doing this recipe justice!  I think everyone should make this dessert/side dish and stick it in their freezer so you have it ready for when unexpected company comes over this summer.  I made this for a birthday party and put the leftovers in a big bowl for my family to eat and my kids enjoyed this for several days afterwards.  They all loved it and literally cheered when they saw it on their plates.  It may not be super healthy, but it sure is delicious!!

16 oz cherry pie filling
13.5 oz crushed pineapple
14 oz sweetened condensed milk
13.5 oz cool whip
2 c mini marshmallows
1 c pecans (optional) (I omitted)

In a large bowl mix all of the ingredients together in the order listed.  Transfer to a 9x13 baking dish and freeze.  Serve frozen.  

#1,247: Oven Roasted Artichokes

Sorry no photo...I can't find it on my camera!

The only way I’ve ever eaten a fresh artichoke, if when my aunt stuffs it with breadcrumbs and bakes it.  It’s delicious, but I was always intimidated by this veggie and figured it wasn’t worth my time or effort to make.  Then I went grocery shopping this weekend and artichokes were 49 cents each!  How can you pass that up?!  Obviously I didn’t.  So I found this recipe which roasts it in the oven.  It was very, very easy to put together, but it takes over an hour to bake.  A little long in my opinion, but VERY worth the wait.  This was DELICIOUS.  I can’t wait to make it again.  I’ll probably make it several times this week.  I made the girls try it, and they ate it because I made them, but they didn’t really like it.  We’ll try it again though and see if I can convert them into artichoke fans. 

1 artichoke (or more if you want to make several at a time)
Olive oil

3 garlic cloves, peeled
1 Lemon
Salt

Slice off the top third of the artichoke with a sharp knife.  Next, cut off the stem right at the base of the artichoke.  Next tear off a large square of heavy duty aluminum foil, drizzle it with a few drops of olive oil, and smear it around a bit.  Place one artichoke in the middle of the foil and open up the leaves a bit with your fingers.  Tuck a few peeled garlic cloves into the artichoke.  Sprinkle kosher salt all over it then squeeze lemon juice and drizzle olive oil over the top.  I used half a lemon per artichoke and probably drizzled a tablespoon or so of oil (maybe more).

Once you’ve seasoned it, wrap the foil up around the artichoke, sealing it well.  If you don’t have heavy duty aluminum foil, wrap it with an extra sheet of the regular kind.  Repeat with as many artichokes as you want.  Place wrapped artichokes in a pan and roast in a preheated 425 degree oven for one hour and 15 minutes.  If you are using small artichokes, one hour is good.  Jumbo artichokes might take an hour and a half.

After removing them from the oven, let artichokes sit until cool enough to handle, then unwrap.  The garlic will be soft and sweet and delicious – you’ll probably want to eat that first.

Next, start peeling off the leaves one by one, and enjoy the garlicky, lemony, salty olive oil as you scrape each one with your teeth. 

#1,246: Taco Sweet Potato Bites

This recipe came from a love of two different recipes and ideas.  I had leftover taco meat which had peppers, spinach and petite diced tomatoes in it and I had sweet potatoes needing to be used.  So I sliced the sweet potatoes and roasted them in the oven and then topped them with the taco mixture.  Oh my is was delicious!!  Love!  Love! Love it!!  I had to stop buying sweet potatoes so I stopped eating these.  Otherwise I could literally eat it for every meal.  :)

Wash and thinly slice your sweet potatoes.  Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.  Lightly brush some olive oil (or use olive oil spray) on top of the sweet potatoes.  Roast in a 425 degree oven for about 40 minutes, flipping once.  Be careful to keep an eye on your sweet potatoes so they don't burn.  The thicker the slices, the longer it will take to cook.

In the meantime, heat up leftover taco meat so it is hot when the sweet potatoes come out of the oven.  When the potato slices are done, top with the taco mixture and enjoy.  

#1,245: Bacon-Sage Cauliflower "Au Gratin"

Did you ever make a recipe that you were truly scared to serve because you weren’t sure if it would actually turn out tasting good or not?!  This is one of those recipes for me.  I have to apologize to the original author/post because I should not have doubted the yumminess of this recipe!  It isn’t healthy by any means with the addition of the alfredo sauce, but it sure is good.  I also cut down on the amount of alfredo sauce used (actually I just used 2 heads of cauliflower instead!) so it wasn’t so over-powering.  This got rave reviews from my family.  I was greedy and wouldn’t share any of the leftovers either.  I LOVED this. 

1 head large cauliflower, stem and leaves removed and cut into small florets
2 cups of alfredo sauce
1 tbsp fresh sage, chopped
1/4 cup bacon bits
1/4 cup almond meal
1/4 cup parmesan (reggiano) cheese, grated

Place a large pot full of water on the stove to boil.  Pre-heat your oven to 425 F. If your Alfredo sauce is cold, warm it in a medium sized sauce pan. Once your water is boiling, add a healthy amount of salt to the water. Add your cauliflower florets to the water and simmer for about 3 minutes. Strain the cauliflower, so that all the water is removed. Stir the cauliflower into the alfredo sauce. Add the sage and bacon bits, as well. Once the cauliflower is evenly coated with the cheese sauce, pour it into a greased baking pan. I used a 9 inch round silicone baking pan, but a 9x13 casserole pan will work, as well. All we're really doing is browning the top. It's all already mostly cooked, at this point.

Dust the top of the cauliflower with the almond meal and parmesan cheese. Bake in the oven for about 15 to 20 minutes, or until the top is nice and toasty brown.

#1,244: Funfetti Yogurt Dip

I was looking for a recipe for the kids to enjoy with our Easter menu and came across this recipe.  I loved that it used Greek Yogurt in it, although that pretty much just get null and void with the addition of the Funfetti Cake mix.  :)  I LOVED this.  The kids did too, but I really enjoyed eating this with a spoon, right out of the bowl.  I will definitely make this again....soon.  

1 package of Funfetti or vanilla cake batter mix (box variety)

2 cups of vanilla nonfat Greek yogurt

1 1/2 cups of non fat Cool Whip (or any other whipped cream freshly made or store-bought)

1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

2 tablespoons of rainbow sprinkles (I omitted)
Graham crackers for serving

In your stand mixer, paddle attached, blend all of the ingredients.  Place in a tupperware container, cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.  Serve with graham crackers.

#1,243: Brussels Sprouts with Maple Buttered Pecans

After trying brussel sprouts again these last several months, I can't seem to get enough of them.  This is one reason I love farmer's markets and CSA's.  I got brussel sprouts in my Thanksgiving basket and have been eating them ever since.  I wasn't sure anyone else would love these at Easter, but they went over really well.  I will be making these again for sure!

1/2 cup pecan halves
2 Tbsp. butter
1 Tbsp. pure maple or golden syrup
sea salt, to taste
2 lb. small Brussels sprouts, stem ends trimmed
canola or olive oil, for cooking
1-2 garlic cloves, finely squished
a squeeze of fresh lemon juice

Preheat oven to 350°F. Spread the nuts in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet and toast for about 8 minutes, until deep golden and fragrant. Transfer to a bowl and quickly toss with 1 Tbsp. butter and syrup; it should coat the nuts and be partially absorbed. Sprinkle with salt and set aside for up to a day.

In a saucepan with an inch of simmering water, cook the Brussels sprouts until just tender, 5 to 6 minutes, drain and pat dry. If you want to do this ahead, store them in the fridge for up to a day.

When you’re ready to finish them, heat a drizzle of oil and 1 Tbsp. butter in a heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Sauté the sprouts for about 5 minutes stirring occasionally, until starting to caramelize. Add the garlic and cook for another minute. Add a squeeze of lemon juice, season with salt and pepper, then stir in the pecans, transfer to a serving dish and serve immediately. Serves 6-8.

#1,242: Raspberry Vanilla Jello Salad

I am SO late in posting the recipes I made for Easter.  And it's getting late, so I'll have to post the rest tomorrow still (hopefully!).  But I figured it was better to at least post one than not at all.  This is a very delicious, sweet yet refreshing, EASY side dish/fruity-salad to make.  I will definitely be making this one again for a future party/gathering.

The only change I made was to use fresh raspberries instead of frozen.  Personally, I prefer fresh and they are close to in-season so I figure it was an okay substitute. This would be good with just about any berry (fresh or frozen).

1 box (5.1 oz) instant vanilla pudding
32 oz. container vanilla yogurt
8 oz. container Cool Whip (thawed)
1 pkg. frozen raspberries

Combine the pudding mix and the vanilla yogurt, stirring until well mixed.  Fold Cool Whip into the mixture. Lastly, fold in the raspberries.  I had set mine out for about 10 minutes before making the salad, but you can put them in frozen and they will thaw very quickly so you can serve the salad right after mixing.   If you don't serve the salad immediately, the raspberries will thaw more and the juices will add a raspberry flavor to the entire mixture.

#1,241: The Perfect Hamburger (Is it??)

I hate when recipe claim to be the best at something...it gives the recipe a lot to measure up to.  This recipe was called, "The Perfect Hamburger" so we gave it a try.  Do I think this was the best or most perfect burger I've ever eaten?  No.  Was it good and did we all enjoy it?  Yes!  This recipe did not have any egg in it, like most of the burgers we eat do, but it held together better because of that.  I wasn't sure my family would love all of the onion in it, but they never even noticed.  I'd make these again.  They sure were easy.  Not the world's best, but easy and good. 

1 lb. ground chuck or ground lean beef
2 Tbs. finely chopped yellow onion
1 tsp. minced garlic
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground pepper
4 slices cheddar or Swiss cheese (optional)
4 hamburger buns, split
Sliced tomato for serving
Sliced sweet white onion, such as Maui, Vidalia or Walla Walla, for serving
Torn lettuce for serving
Sliced dill pickle for serving
Ketchup, mayonnaise, mustard or other condiments of your choice for serving1 or 2 dashes of Worcestershire sauce

Prepare a charcoal or gas grill for direct grilling over medium-high heat.  In a large bowl, mix together the beef, yellow onion, garlic, salt, pepper and Worcestershire sauce. Form the mixture into 4 patties, each 3/4 inch thick.

Grill the hamburgers directly over medium-high heat, turning once, 3 to 5 minutes per side. Check for doneness by cutting into a hamburger near the center or testing with an instant-read thermometer. No pink should show on the inside, and the internal temperature should register at least 160°F on an instant-read thermometer. If making cheeseburgers, place a slice of cheese on top of each hamburger during the last 3 minutes of cooking.

During the last 2 to 3 minutes of cooking, toast the hamburger buns, cut side down, on the grill. Serve the hamburgers on the buns with tomato, white onion, lettuce, dill pickle and condiments. Serves 4.

#1,240: Crockpot Artichokes

Coming soon is a super delicious recipe for making oven roasted artichokes.  But as I was looking for a recipe to follow, I came across this recipe which cooks the artichokes in a crock pot.  Genius!  So I figured I’d make them both ways and see which one I preferred.  Unfortunately I preferred the oven method.  Not that these were bad, but just not as good…at least not to me.  But if you like artichokes and don’t want to heat up your kitchen/oven, this might be the recipe for you. 

4-6 large artichokes. ( I have a 6 QT oval crockpot and was able to five 5 large)

2 cups vegetable broth

4-6 cloves of garlic, minced

fresh juice from 1 large lemon (about 2 TBS)

3 TBS olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

  

First, wash artichokes. Trim each artichoke by cutting off stem at the base of the artichoke, and the top inch of the artichoke.  Place trimmed artichokes in your crockpot. Brush the lemon juice over each artichoke.   Next place minced garlic on top of each artichoke. Rub in with a spoon. Drizzle olive oil evenly over each artichoke top. Pour in 2 cups of vegetable broth. 

Cook on HIGH for 3-4 hours.  Depending on the size of your artichokes, you might want to cook a little less or more. 

#1,239: Mexican Casserole

This may not be the healthiest thing I've made for my family, but they LOVED it.  I'll admit, I was a little bit shocked they liked it as much as they did considering it has cream of chicken soup in it (weird!).  But, it was a huge hit.  I had to leave out the ranch style beans, and I had to puree the tomatoes, but other than that, they liked it a lot.  :)

1 pound lean ground beef
1 can Ranch Style beans (I omitted)
1 10-12 ounce bag tortilla chips, crushed
1 can Ro-tel tomatoes (I used salsa and pureed it)
1 small onion, chopped
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided
1 package taco seasoning
1 can cream of chicken soup
1/2 cup water
sour cream and salsa for serving

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. In a large skillet, brown meat and drain off fat. Stir in beans, tomatoes, onion, taco seasoning, soup and water. Simmer over medium-low heat until everything is well combined and heated through.

Grease a 9×13 casserole dish. Put down a layer of crushed tortilla chips, followed by a layer of the meat/bean mixture, then half of the cheddar cheese. Repeat layers. Cover with foil and bake for 20-30 minutes, or until bubbly.

Let sit for 5-10 minutes before serving. Top with sour cream and salsa.