Super Bowl!!

I'm trying to find something good from Indiana--I have heard of this "Sugar Cream Pie" so I think I'll make that in honor of the Colts:

Sugar Cream Pie #1
Ingredients

* 1 (9 inch) pie crust, baked
* 4 tablespoons cornstarch
* 3/4 cup white sugar
* 4 tablespoons butter, melted
* 2 1/4 cups half-and-half cream
* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
* 2 tablespoons butter, melted
* 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions

1. Mix cornstarch and sugar. Add 4 tablespoons butter and half and half. Cook, stirring constantly, until thick and creamy. Add vanilla.
2. Preheat oven broiler to high.
3. Pour mixture into pie crust. Drizzle 2 tablespoons butter over top and sprinkle with cinnamon. Put under broiler until butter bubbles--watch it carefully as it doesn't take long. Refrigerate.

Sugar Cream Pie #2

Ingredients

* 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
* 1/2 cup white sugar
* 7 tablespoons all-purpose flour
* 2 cups evaporated milk
* 1 recipe pastry for a 9 inch single crust pie
* 1 tablespoon butter, diced
* 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Directions

1. Mix the sugars, flour, and milk. Pour into crust. ( Grandma always mixed the ingredients directly in the unbaked pie crust, but I have better luck mixing it with a mixer and transferring it to the crust. )
2. Dot with butter and sprinkle with nutmeg to look pretty. Bake 300 - 325 degrees F (150 - 165 degrees C) for 1 hour.




In honor of the Saints, I'll have a King Cake, probably.
And lots of beads.

For dinner, I'll have traditional Texas football cuisine: little smokies, sausage balls, meatballs, Wonder bread (which I heard was also from Indiana), fruit and veggie tray, chocolate-almond-cherry drops, football-shaped sugar cookies (or I may even have Louisiana and Indiana shaped cutters...or maybe a horse shoe and a fleur de lis?)

Cheeseburger Tacos

There is a restaurant in my building called Tin Star, and they make the yummiest Cheeseburger Tacos. I eat mine with a side of tortilla soup (instead of the fries that usually come with it) and chips/salsa. Yummy, and surprisingly easy to duplicate.

4 Hamburger patties, cooked
8 flour tortillas
Tomatoes, sliced
Purple onion, sliced
8 Cheddar cheese slices
Mustard and mayonnaise

Assemble with a flour tortilla, 1/2 a hamburger patty, slice of cheese, tomatoes and onion, mustard and mayonnaise. I think they add seasoned salt, too, which tastes great if you have it. You can also add lettuce if you want.

Apple Crisp

2/3 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. flour
1/2 c. oatmeal
3/4 tsp. nutmeg
3/4 tsp. cinnamon

Mix dry ingredients with 1/3 c. melted butter. Pour over 4 c. of sliced apples or one can of apple pie filling. Bake at 375 for 30 minutes.

Crunchy Chicken Casserole

3 cups of cooked chopped chicken
1/2 c. slivered almonds
1 can of water chestnuts (drained and sliced thinly)
1/4 c. chopped pimento
1/4 tsp. celery salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
1/8 tsp. paprika
1 tbsp. chopped parsley
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1/2 c. French-fried onion rings, crumbled
1/2 c. shredded cheddar cheese

Combine all ingredients except onion rings and cheese. Pour in a casserole dish. Top with onion rings and cheese. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

Chicken Enchilada Casserole

1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can of Rotel
1 small can of evaporated milk
1 medium onion, chopped
2 lbs. chicken, cooked
1 lb. grated cheddar cheese
1 package of nacho Doritos
1 green pepper

Mix the soups, Rotel, milk, onion and pepper. In a baking dish, layer Doritos, chicken, soup mix and cheese. Refrigerate for 24 hours and bake at 350 for 30 or 40 minutes.

Green Enchiladas

1 lb. ground beef, browned
1 onion, chopped
2 c. grated cheddar cheese

Roll beef, onion, and cheese into softened corn tortillas. Place rolled enchiladas in a casserole pan.

Sauce:
3/4 c. canned milk
1/2 lb. Velveeta cheese
1 can chopped green chilies
1 small jar of pimento
1 package of green onion dip mix

Mix sauce until cheese is melted. Pour over rolled tortillas. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

Make Ahead Mexican Casserole

1 lb. ground beef
1 onion, chopped
10 oz. Rotel
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can cream of chicken soup
10 oz. enchilada sauce
24 corn tortillas cut into eighths
2 c. shredded cheddar cheese

Brown ground beef with onion. Stir in other ingredients except tortillas and cheese. Layer meat mixture and tortillas, beginning and ending with meat. Sprinkle with cheese and bake at 350 for 35 minutes.

Seven Layer Magic Bars

1/2 cup butter
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
14 oz. Eagle brand milk
6 oz. butterscotch chips
6 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 1/3 cups flaked coconut
1 cup chopped nuts

Line a cookie sheet with aluminum foil. Pour melted butter in the pan and sprinkle graham cracker crumbs on top of the melted butter. Pour Eagle brand milk on top of the crumbs. Top with other ingredients. Press down firmly. Bake at 350 for 25 minutes until browned. Cool and cut into bars.

David's Pasta Salad

I also call this "Finger Salad" because one time when I was making it, I chopped off part of my finger. Yuck.

1 lb. small shell pasta
1/2 lb. salami
1 lb. provolone cheese
1/2 lb. Mortidella or cajun turkey
1/2 lb. ham
20 pitted black jumbo olives, sliced
20 green queen olives (stuffed), sliced
1/2 c. minced yellow onion
1 or 2 tbsp. minced garlic
1/2 c. chopped celery
1/2 c. chopped fresh parsley
1/4 c. chopped fresh thyme
salt and ground pepper to taste
1 c. EVOO

Dressing:
6 tbsp. apple cider or balsamic vinegar
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp or 1 tbsp. Tabasco sauce
Garnish:
1/4 c. green onions, sliced
1/4 c. Parmesan cheese, shredded

Chop cheeses and meats into 1/4" cubes
Mix the salad ingredients in a large bowl
Season with salt and pepper
Wisk dressing ingredients and pour over pasta.

Liz Mertz's Chocolate Cherry Cake

1 box of chocolate cake mix
1 can of cherry pie filling
1/3 cup of oil
2 eggs

Mix all ingredients and bake at 350 until the cake is done (maybe 35-45 minutes). Mix by hand and the batter will be very thick.

Cool and ice with chocolate frosting. YUM!

Shepard's Pie

Ingredients
• 1 1/2 lbs ground round beef
• 1 onion chopped
• 1-2 cups vegetables - chopped carrots, corn, peas
• 1 1/2 - 2 lbs potatoes (3 big ones)
• 8 tablespoons butter (1 stick) (there is no way I’ll use this much)
• 1/2 cup beef broth
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• Salt, pepper, other seasonings of choice
Directions
1 Boil potatoes and prepare them as you would for mashed potatoes.
2. Saute onion and carrots in butter, and then add in mixed veggies, corn, and peas.
3. Add ground beef to the veggies and cook until the beef is no longer pink.
4. Add salt, pepper, worcesterchire sauce and beef broth. Cook uncovered over low heat for 10 minutes.
5 Place beef/veggie mixture in baking dish. Distribute mashed potatoes on top. Rough up with a fork so that there are peaks that will brown nicely.
6 Cook in 400 degree oven until bubbling and brown (about 30 minutes).

Review:
YUM! Natalie said that it should be in the rotation.

Flaxseed Wheat Bran Muffins

INGREDIENTS
1 C.flaxseed ground
1 C whole wheat flour
1 C. Oat Bran
1 C. Brown sugar
2 tsp. Baking soda
1 tsp Baking Powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 tbsp. Cinnamon
1 1/2 C. shredded Carrots
2-3 Apples, cored and chopped up or shredded
1/2 C. Chopped nuts (optional)
1/2 c. Raisins (optional)
3/4 C. 2 % milk
2 Eggs, beaten
1 tsp. Vanilla

DIRECTIONS
Mix flour, flaxseed, bran, sugar and dry ingredients together. Shred carrots and apples and add these along with optional raisins and nuts to dry ingredients. Mix well. Stir together milk eggs and vanilla and stir this into batter until well moistened. Fill cupcake papers until 3.4 full and bake at 350* for 20 to 25 minutes.

Updated Review:
Made these this morning. Other than the bruise on my hand from having to chop so much stuff with my PC chopper, and having to keep fetching more carrots and apples because my little helper kept eating them all, not too hard to throw together. Neither my mom nor I could find the oat bran at the store, so I crunched up some Cracklin' Oat Bran cereal (yum!) and threw it in there.

These taste yummy, and my kids even ate them. HOWEVER, they are not big fluffy muffins like you'd see at Starbucks or somewhere--they don't rise at all (so you really don't need to stick to that 3/4 full thing), and they are pretty dark brown. So, more utilitarian than decorative.

Kim's Peanut Butter Pie

9" graham cracker pie crust or chocolate crumb crust
One 8 oz pkg of cream cheese or neufchâtel cheese
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup peanut butter
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup whipping cream

Beat together the sugar and peanut butter on medium speed. Mix in the peanut butter and vanilla. In a chilled bowl, beat the cream until soft peaks form. Fold the whipped cream into the peanut butter mixture. Pour into pie crust. Top with chopped peanuts or shaved chocolate, if desired. Refrigerate at least three hours before serving.

Keema

INGREDIENTS
1.5 lbs lean ground sirloin
1 cup chopped onions
2 cups canned crushed tomatoes
1 cup frozen peas
1 cup diced potatoes
1/2 teaspoon each cinnamon, tumeric, ginger
1 tbsp curry powder
salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS
Brown ground sirloin in pan with onions until browned.
Add tomatoes, peas, potatoes and spices along with salt and pepper to taste.
Bring to a simmer and cook for 25 mintues.
Add water if it becomes too thick. It should have the consistency of chili.
Serve over brown rice or whole wheat couscous.

Red Beans & Rice

INGREDIENTS
2 T canola oil
1 large onion, diced
1 yellow or red pepper, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 bunch green onions, sliced, green part reserved for garnish
1 lb. smoked sausage
3 (15 oz) cans of kidney beans
1 ( 14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes with basil and garlic
1/2 t red pepper flakes
1 T oregano, dried flakes
1 t thyme, fresh or pinch dried
1 bay leaf, whole
1 pinch salt
1 t black pepper
1 c brown rice
1 c water


DIRECTIONS
Slice sausage Heat oil in a large saucepan. Once hot, add onions, diced pepper, garlic, and white parts of green onion. Cook until tender. Add sausage. Cook just until browned. Add spices, beans, and tomatoes. Stir to combine. Add rice, stir to combine and cook for 1 minute to coat the rice. Add water. Bring to a boil and immediately reduce to a simmer. Cover and continue to cook for 25 minutes or until rice is tender. Remove bay leaf before serving and finish with hot sauce and sliced green onions.

Chicken Escondido

INGREDIENTS
1 lb chicken breasts, boneless & skinless
15 oz can black beans, drained
16 oz jar salsa verde
1/3 cup sundried tomatoes
2 cloves garlic
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar

DIRECTIONS
Cut chicken into bite-sized pieces.
Saute' tomatoes and garlic in olive oil and vinegar until tender.
Add chicken and cook until done.
Add salsa and black beans.
Simmer 5 minutes.
Serve over brown rice and with fresh tortillas.

REVIEW: Not too difficult to make, and tasted really great! The girls ate it well, and everyone seemed to enjoy it. This will enter the rotation, I believe!

This week's Menu

We'll be doing dinner from around the world, including Chicken Escondito from Spain, Red Beans & Rice from the Cajuns, Keema from Pakistan, and Shepherd's Pie from Ireland. Can't wait!

Websites with Great Recipes

I love to try new recipes, and get a lot of them emailed to me from:

SparkPeople.com
What I love about this website is you can say "don't email me recipes with fish in them, because I won't make them" and set other parameters, so you don't get a bunch of junk that you won't ever cook.
There are a couple of drawbacks: you can get the same recipe over and over (usually once every six months or so) and some of the recipes aren't that great (not horrible, just lack a little flavor)

Goop.com
This is Gwyneth Paltrow's website where she posts her favorite stuff--sometimes it is stuff she makes, and sometimes it is places to go, and sometimes it is stuff she buys...there are some pretty snazzy recipes in there, too. And you know if Gwyneth is supporting it, they are all healthy and vegan and wonderful.

SugarbustersForum.com
There are some super recipes in there from people who are very talented. There is great whole wheat pizza crust that my family loves, and some yummy chicken dishes that are super, too.

I find great recipes in Cooking Light, Real Simple, Better Homes & Gardens (although I don't get this anymore--they have some good stuff that I have torn out from years past), and Weight Watchers (I get these forwarded from friends a lot since I'm not a WW member).

Three of my favorite dessert recipes

Banana Split Cake
2 C. graham cracker crumbs
1 stick of butter
2 8 oz. packages of cream cheese
1 tsp vanilla
2 c. powdered sugar
4 to 5 bananas
Large can of crushed pineapple (drain)
8 oz. Cool Whip

Mix graham cracker crumbs and butter together to make a crust. Mix the cream cheese, vanilla and powdered sugar together for the filling. Top with pineapple and bananas. Layer Cool Whip on top. Can also top with cherries if you want.



Forgotten Cookies
Heat oven to 325
Beat 2 egg whites until stiff
Slowly beat in ¾ cup sugar.
Fold in 1 c. nuts (optional)
Add 6 oz of chocolate chips
Drop onto cookie sheet
Put in the oven
Turn the oven off
Leave all night or all day.
Makes 50 tsp size cookies.



Neiman Marcus Cookies
2 c. butter
4 c. flour
2 tsp soda
2 c. sugar
5 c. oatmeal (blend in chopper until a fine powder)
24 oz. chocolate chips
2 c. brown sugar
1 tsp salt
1 8 oz. Hershey bar (grated)
4 eggs
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp vanilla
3 c. chopped nuts (optional)

Cream butter and two sugars. Add in eggs and vanilla. Mix together with flour, oatmeal, salt, baking powder, and soda. Add in chocolate chips, Hershey bar and nuts. Roll into balls and place on a cookie sheet. Bake 10 minutes at 375. Makes 112 cookies!!

Get to Crock-in!

Some crock pot recipes that I found on my home computer. I haven't made any of these for a while, but they all look great, and look like they need to be in the rotation again!

Basil Chicken

1 lb baby carrots

2 medium onions

1-2 cups celery

3 lb chicken

½ cup chicken broth

3 tsp salt

½ tsp black pepper

1 tsp dried basil

Cook 7-10 hours, or until chicken is finished

Creamy Chicken & Vegetables

1 can cream of mushroom soup

4 chicken breasts

16 oz package of frozen veggies

½ tsp salt

¼ tsp pepper

1 cup cheddar cheese

Layer and cook until chicken is all the way cooked

We served this with/over mashed potatoes.

Pork Cops

4 pork cops *Recipe calls for boneless, but we used ones with bones--but boneless is much better!!

½ tsp dry mustard

¼ cup flour

½ tsp sugar

1 tsp vinegar

½ cup water

½ cup ketchup

½ tsp salt

Cook on high 2-3 hours, and then low 3-4 hours, or on low 8 hours.

Turkey Chili

2 lb ground turkey, browned

16 oz can of pinto or kidney beans (I drained them)

2 cups fresh tomatoes

2 cups tomato sauce

1 clove of garlic

1 small onion

16 oz Rotel

1 package chili seasoning

Cook on low 6-8 hours

*I only used 1 lb ground turkey. If it is too saucy, I may add another can of beans.

Italian Chicken Stew

1-3 pounds of chicken, cut up

2 T olive oil

1 tsp. salt

1/3 tsp black pepper

1 medium onion, chopped

2 cloves minced garlic (or about 1 tsp or 1 T of garlic)

16 oz can of diced tomatoes

2 T basil

1 tsp. oregano

1 lb fresh mushrooms (I omit this)

1 green pepper, cut in strips

2 medium zucchini cut in 2 inch chunks

Put salt, pepper, olive oil and chicken in a skillet and cook until chicken is cooked through. Put everything in the skillet in the crock pot. Sautee garlic and onion in the same skillet. Add tomatoes and basil. Stir occasionally and cook for 5 minutes. Add the vegetables to the crock pot and then pour the tomato mixture over it. Cook on low for 6 to 8 hours. Check on it every few hours, and sometimes if it looks dry, I add another can of diced tomatoes or some water. You can also use Italian-style stewed tomatoes for some of the diced tomatoes, if you want. We serve over whole wheat pasta.

Crock Pot Pinto Beans

Take a package of beans and wash them. Put the beans in a glass bowl and cover with water. Let them soak over night. Put the beans in the crock pot (in the water in which they soaked) and add some more water until the beans are covered with about ½ inch of water. Add in some ham or bacon to season. Add salt, a T or so of minced garlic, and a pinch of baking soda. Cook on low in the crock pot all day. Serve with cornbread or biscuits, and you can use the extras in other recipes (like Taco Soup).

Taco Soup *GREAT for cold weather and healthy too!

1 lb ground turkey or beef

1 large onion chopped

1 can of Rotel diced tomatoes with chilies

1 can black beans

2 cans Mexican-style stewed tomatoes

1 can pinto beans

1 can water

1 can yellow hominy

1 package taco seasoning

1 package of Hidden Valley Buttermilk (or Ranch) dressing mix

1 small can green chilies (4 oz)

Cumin, salt, and pepper to taste

Brown meat and onion together. Drain. Mix all other ingredients in crock pot. Cook on low all day or all night. You can also use Ranch Style beans instead of pinto beans. If it is too hot, put in only half of the taco seasoning or leave out the small can of green chilies.

Cauliflower Gratin

My calendar this year is "French Women for all seasons" based on the books by Mireille Guiliano (French Women Don't Get Fat). It has fun notes and also some yummy looking recipes. This is one--have not tested it yet, but I am sure it will be lovely!

1 medium sized head of cauliflower
2 cups of milk
1/2 tsp salt
1 egg
1/2 cup of grated cheese (Gruyere, Swiss, Jarlsberg, Comte, Parmesan, Pecorino or mix of two)
1 tablespoon of butter
salt and pepper

Trim the cauliflower, separate the florets, and cook in a pan with milk and 1/2 tsp of salt until tender. Drain, reserving 1/3 cup of milk. Arrange the cooked florets in a lightly buttered baking dish. Beat together an egg and reserved milk. Add chese and spread over the florets. Add salt and pepper on top and dot with butter. Broil (I'll bake) the gratin until browned and bubbly.

Review:
Not a hit in my house. There were even some tears when I made Rachel eat a few bites of it. Natalie ate it best of all but I think that is because she helped make it. I enjoyed it, in small bits, but probably won't make again.

Dinner Next Week

Next week we are having two different groups of people come visit, and I have planned yummy easy meals that will allow us to spend little time in the kitchen and more time with our guests!

Monday: Cheeseburger Soup (recipe already posted) and Hot Sandwich Rolls (recipe coming)
Tuesday: Sloppy Joes in the crock pot (recipe coming), chips and dip, baked beans
Wednesday: Onion "fried" chicken (recipe coming), pesto rice (already posted), salad, cauliflower gratin (recipe coming)
Thursday: Taco soup (recipe coming), chalupas, salad, guacamole and yummy fresh flour tortillas from the market at my neighborhood Kroger.

I'll also keep around whole wheat bread, lunch meat and cheese, and pita chips and baked chips/crackers to eat with fancy hummus from Kroger (or the leftover from Whole Foods).

I'll edit this later with the shopping list

Cincinnati Turkey Chili

This was a big hit at home, and quite yummy! From Cooking light, so only 400 calories per serving (not too terrible, I guess).

Pam
8 oz. ground turkey
1 1/2 cups chopped onion
1 cup chopped green bell pepper
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon chili powder
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. oregano
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp. allspice
1/2 cup fat free chicken broth
15 oz. kidney beans (drained)
14.5 oz. diced tomatoes (un-drained)
2 1/2 tablespoons of chopped semisweet chocolate (I used the mini chocolate chips)
1/4 tsp. salt
cheddar cheese to top
Spaghetti (cooked and set aside)

Cook turkey until crumbly. Add in 1 c. of onion, bell pepper, garlic and saute. stir in chili powder, tomato paste, cumin, oregano, cinnamon, and allspice. Add chicken broth, beans and tomatoes and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 20 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in chocolate and salt. Serve over spaghetti and top with cheese and remaining onion (we didn't top with the onion).

Italian Chicken

1 lb. chicken breasts
8 oz. sliced mushrooms (I leave this out because I think that mushrooms look like brains)
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 zucchini, diced
1 onion, chopped
26 oz. spaghetti sauce (I use the Classico Tomato & Basil because it is sugar free)
Spaghetti or other pasta

Combine all ingredients (other than the pasta) in the crock pot and cook on low for six or eight hours. Serve over cooked pasta.

Holly's Bean Soup

Add the following to a crock pot and cook on low for 4 to 8 hours (however long you need!)

2 cans yellow hominy (drained)
2 cans kidney beans (drained)
2 cans black beans (drained)
2 cans pinto beans (undrained)
2 large cans of diced or stewed tomoatoes
minced garlic (I add a tablespoon, but I really love garlic!)
sliced smoked sausage (I use a pound of kielbasa or other sausage)
1 jar of jalapenos (I leave this out!)

Serve with grated cheese

Cheeseburger Soup

This is so yummy and is actually a Weight Watchers recipe

2 sprays of Pam
1 clove of minced garlic
1 medium onion, chopped
1 stalk of celery, chopped
1 pound of uncooked ground beef (lean!)
2 tablespoons flour
3 cups of chicken broth
1 cup evaporated milk
8 oz. velveeta light, cubed
1/2 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper

Saute the garlic, onion and celery in the Pam in a skillet. Add the veggies to a crock pot that has been sprayed with Pam. Brown beef and drain off fat. Add the meat to the crock pot. Mix the flour and 1/2 cup of chicken broth until it is not lumpy, and pour into the skillet. Add the rest of the chicken broth and bring to a simmer, scraping the browned bits in the bottom of the skillet. Pour chicken broth mix into the crock pot. Stir in evaporated mil, cheese, paprika, salt, and pepper. Cover and cook on low for 2 hours. Serve with crumbled tortilla chips or fresh tortillas.

Pesto Rice & Beans

This was not a huge hit with my family, but I really liked it. I'd serve it with some spinach salad and grilled/baked chicken breasts.

15 oz. great northern beans, drained and rinsed
14 oz. chicken broth
3/4 cup uncooked long-grain rice or wild rice
1 1/2 cups frozen green beans, thawed
1/2 cup prepared pesto (Classico has some yummy stuff in a jar)

Combine beans, broth, and rice in a crock pot. Cook on low for 2 hours. Add in green beans and cook on low for another hour. When the rice is finished, stir in the pesto and let it stand (covered) for five minutes.

Chicken and Stuffing

Yummy comfort food in the crock pot

1/2 cup flour
3/4 tsp. seasoned salt
3/4 tsp. black pepper
4 chicken breasts
1/4 cup butter
2 cans of cream of mushroom soup*
12 oz. of seasoned stuffing mix

Combine flour, seasoned salt and pepper in a large ziplock bag. Add chicken. Shake to coat. Melt butter in a skillet and brown chicken in the skillet. Put the chicken in a crock pot, pour soup over the chicken. Prepare the stuffing according to to the directions (decreasing liquids by half). Layer stuffing over the chicken. Cover and cook on high for 3 to 4 hours or low for 6 to 8 hours.

*I am not a fan of cream of mushroom soup, so I would use cream of chicken soup...or cream of celery if it was what I had.

Chicken and Dumplings

I love love love this comfort food! Here are a couple of variations:

Simple Chick and Dumplings

1. Mix together four celery tops, one carrott, one onion, parsley, 1/8 tsp. pepper, and 4 cups of chicken broth in a pot. Bring to a boil, cover, and then reduce heat. Simmer until veggies are soft (15 minutes or so), and then remove veggies and set aside.
2. In a new pan, melt 1/2 c. butter and stir in 1/2 c. Bisquick until the mixture is smooth and bubbly. Remove from heat.
3. Stir in broth, heat to boiling, and boil for one minute.
4. Add in chicken and veggies and heat.
5. In another bowl, mix 2 cups of Bisquick with 2/3 cups milk until it becomes a soft dough. Drop the dough by spoonfuls onto the mixture (don't mix it in). Cook for 10 minutes. Cover, and cook 10 more minutes.

Crock Pot Chick and Dumplings
2 cups of cooked chicken
10 3/4 oz. of cream of mushroom soup
10 3/4 oz. of cream of chicken soup
2 soup cans of water
4 tsp. flour
2 tsp. chicken bouillon
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 can of refrigerated buttermilk biscuits

Mix all ingredients (except biscuits) in the crock pot. Cut the biscuits into quarters and gently stir into the mix. Cover and cook on low for four to six hours.

White Bean Chicken Chili

I have two recipes for this, and we tried one of them tonight. It was different...good, but different. My mom suggested using the one we had tonight as the one we eat more regularly (because it is healthier) and saving the other recipe for when we take meals to people who are ill/have a baby/etc. or when we have guests. I agree.

My adaptation of the
Pioneer Woman White Bean Chili
3 c. cooked chicken
1 onion, diced
4 cloves minced garlic
Cook these together in a pot
Add:
8 oz. chopped green chilies
1 1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp Cayenne pepper
Add:
1 lb. great northern beans (dry)
8 c. chicken broth

Cook covered for two hours

Mix 1 c. milk (we used skim) and 2 tablespoons of corn meal (or masa)
Pour over the chili after the beans are cooked
Cook 10 more minutes

We topped with low fat sour cream and ate with a fresh spinach salad and crescent rolls.

Frontier Camp White Chicken Chili
1 lb. chicken breasts
1 medium onion, chopped
1 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1 tablespoon EVOO
Saute in a large pan.
Add:
2 cans of rinsed 15 1/2 oz. great northern beans
14 oz. chicken broth
8 oz. chopped green chilies
1 can white shoepeg corn
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. oregano
bring to a boil and let simmer and cook covered for 30 minutes
Remove from heat and add in 1 cup sour cream and 1/2 c. whipping cream.

Some Cooking Keys

There are a few things little tools that make my life a lot easier:

1. My Crock Pot Cookbook (a Christmas gift from my MIL last year)
2. My Fix it and Forget It cookbook (a gift from my mom, I think)
3. Homemade gourmet (which I believe any of the recipes can be adapted to crock pot)

I'd say these are the staples for a busy mom who makes dinner a priority. Homemade gourmet is a mix of a lot of spices that really you could do on your own if you were so inclined, but I don't have the knowledge or the energy to measure out a bunch of stuff and keep it on hand. They offer their mixes in "Pantry Staple" size, which is a great value and can be scooped out and added to chicken or ground beef to make something kind of exciting for dinner (and they come with recipes, too!)

Things we always have on hand for last minute dinners:

1. Spaghetti sauce and whole wheat noodles. My favorite spaghetti sauce is Classico Tomato & Basil because it does not have any sugar in it. Sugar hides out in spaghetti sauce (and ketchup, too)--read the labels and you'll be surprised. You can always spice it up with black olives, chopped tomatoes, beef/sausage/chicken, or steamed zucchini or squash.
2. Taco seasoning, tortillas and cheese. You can make tacos, chalupas, burritos, quesadillas, taco soup, or taco salad.
3. Stuff to make Chicken Pie (can of Vegall or frozen mixed vegetables, chicken breasts-cooked and diced, frozen pie crusts, cream of chicken soup)
4. Giant jar of minced garlic (every recipe needs this...you can even sprinkle it over chicken breasts and serve with a box of mashed potatoes or a box of cous cous--which our favorite is whole wheat mixed with pine nut)



And, as I said before, the mountain of frozen meat that we have in the freezer, which I think is essential to making this all work.

Not-so-terrible-for-you Chocolate Clusters

The other night at the gym, I saw this recipe and noticed that all the ingredients were not horrible (low sugar, etc.) so I thought I would give it a try. The only problem was, I was reading one of the magazines that was property of the Y, so I couldn't just rip out the recipe and take it with me (unless I wanted to be a jackass). So I tried to remember the recipe, and think I screwed up the amounts, but made it today and it turned out pretty yummy!

Chocolate cherry nut clusters

10 oz. almonds (I used salted and threw them in the oven for a few minutes to roast them a little more)
6 oz. dried cherries
11.5 oz. bag of 60% (or more) cocoa chips (Ghiradelli has some yummy ones)

Coarsely chop the almonds and mix with the cherries. Melt half of the chocolate chips in the microwave or double boiler (I did microwave). Stir in the remaining half of the chips until melted. Add the cherry/almond mixture. Drop by spoonful on wax paper and let set. Voila!

Sausage Balls

I messed up my normal sausage ball recipe when we were getting ready for a New Years party, but when we got there, the sausage balls disappeared so quickly that I think I will keep the messed up recipe!

2 1/2 cups Bisquick (light)
1 lb. hot (as in spicy) Jimmy Dean sausage
2 lb. sharp cheddar cheese, grated

Mix these three together until well blended. Roll into balls, put on a cookie sheet and bake at 400 for 20 minutes or so.

These are a great appetizer, snack, or breakfast.

Baked Potatoes

Don't forget these! They are great to eat and easy to top. Although SugarBusters is not a fan of potatoes, I happen to think that they are not bad to mix in every once in a while. Plus they are cheap, relatively quick, filling, and easy to keep around.

I read somewhere this week that you should store your potatoes at room temperature and not in the fridge, because refrigerating them causes the sugar in them to be more sugary or have a higher glycemic index. Also, if you notice green splotches or eyes, just cut those parts off and move on.

The recipe:
Scrub the potato, pierce with a knife and microwave until soft (but not until the skin is wrinkly, unless you like a tough part to your potato like I do!). Top with butter, sour cream, cheese, salsa, chili, beans, ham, or whatever you have left over!

If you have tons of time, you can wash the potato, rub unsalted butter on the outside of the raw potato, rub a small handful of kosher salt on the skin, wrap in aluminum foil and bake until done (350 for 30 minutes or so--depending on the size of the potato).

Serve with green salad/fresh spinach and whatever else you have lying around. I served with 1/2 a turkey and cheese sandwich on wheat bread, tomato slices, fresh spinach and leftover black eyed peas from New Years.

1.3.10

Healthy breakfast option

I made my own granola (from a recipe I found) and now I eat it with some low fat vanilla yogurt and a chopped up banana or apple for a healthy start to my day.

Granola:

6 cups of oats (not the fast cooking kind--the old fashioned ones)
6 oz. of sliced almonds
6 oz. of dried apricots (chopped up)
6 oz. of dried cranberries, craisins, or cranberries mixed with raisins
1 cup of brown sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt

Mix together

Melt 1 1/2 sticks of unsalted butter
1/2 cup honey

Pour over the oat mixture and mix it together to make sure the oat mixture is all coated. Lay the oat mixture out on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet and bake at 350 for 20 or 30 minutes. You can turn it once to make sure the bottom does not get too done.

Taco Salad-EASY dinner

1 lb ground beef
1 pkg taco seasoning
1 can refried beans
1 can Ranch Style beans
grated cheddar cheese
sour cream (low fat, of course)
tortillas and/or tortilla chips (whole wheat tortillas, corn tortillas, or baked chips are the healthiest choices)
salsa

Brown ground beef. Add taco seasoning and Ranch Style beans. In the meantime, warm the refried beans.

Serve with lettuce/spinach on the bottom, beef/beans on top of that, sour cream, cheese, and salsa. Crunch chips on the top or bottom, or use to dip.

FAST and EASY.

1.4.10

Black Eyed Peas for New Years Good Luck

One large bag of dried black eyed peas
1/4 or 1/2 pound of ham (I used turkey ham because it was on sale)
1 tsp of minced garlic

Rinse beans. Cover the beans with 1" to 2" of water and soak in a glass bowl overnight. Watch them because they might soak up all the water--in which case you need to add more water!

In the morning, add the garlic, ham, beans and their water to a crock pot. Throw in some Kosher salt (a small handful--maybe 3 tablespoons?) and turn on high for three or four hours. After that, switch it to low until you are ready to eat.

Serve with corn bread (we used Corn Kits) and some kind of a green vegetable (I think we used bagged fresh spinach).

Yield-10-15 servings.

1.1.10

Purpose of the Blog

I'm a working mom who lives with two elementary-aged girls involved in extra-curricular activities, a husband and a mom, all of whom are pretty good eaters. Dinnertime is important and we do the "everyone sits down to dinner together" deal, and I want them to have healthy dinners. To make this work, I must have a lot of advance planning---so here I'll share my planning with you.

Some caveats-we don't eat a lot of fish, and I steer clear of recipes that call for exotic things such as lamb or duck or bison. I tweak recipes to make them low sugar/low fat/low calories (in that order). I love my crock pot and use it as much as possible. I don't have to hide healthy stuff for anyone, and my girls are fans of fresh and frozen veggies (which I work into each meal, usually)

My cooking theories: I have about 30 pounds to lose, so my dinners will try to reflect a healthy choice in eating. About seven years ago, we made the switch to a lower-sugar way of life, so many of the recipes I use, I substitute in whole-grain or sugar-free components. Also, I believe you should have something green with each meal, so I mix that in there, too.

I realize that I have it a little bit easier than others, because my kids and husband will eat pretty much anything I dream up, and I have a mom around who can help with cooking, too. Also, we order a bunch of our food on a six month basis, so at any given time I have a freezer at least half full of frozen chicken breasts or ground meat, so grocery shopping is not a huge chore every week. That said, I travel a lot (A LOT) so I try to have a plan, the recipe, and the ingredients in place at the beginning of each week so that we don't have to run out and pick up dinner (which, thankfully, we don't have to do during the week---the weekends are another story, though!).

The purpose of this blog is to keep track of the meals I am loving and hating, and to give y'all ideas of what I am cooking and what I do that works or doesn't work. And, because I'd love to publish a cookbook (which will likely never happen), so at least I can have an online cookbook of sorts.

One last thing--since seeing Julie and Julia, I have become more adventuresome with my cooking--estimating more and following the recipe less--so I will try to give good descriptions (but make no promises).