Zucchini sausage soup

1 tsp garlic powder/salt
5 fresh zucchini
16 oz. can tomato sauce
16 oz. can diced peeled tomatoes
1 regular can chicken stock
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp onion powder
4 carrots, peeled and chopped
1 medium onion, diced
1 pkg mushrooms, chopped
salt and pepper to taste
1 lb. ground sausage
16 oz. shredded colby jack cheese

Cook ground sausage with onions, drain. Cut up fresh zucchini, carrots and mushrooms into cubes. Throw into cooked sausage, ad tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, and chicken broth, add seasonings to taste. Simmer until vegetables are cooked. Add shredded cheese at the end just before serving

Egg Casserole

Going for low carb, high protein?  Check this out:

6 slices turkey or ham lunch meat

8 eggs

1 pkg Steam Fresh broccoli

1/2 pkg Steam fresh spinach

1/3 green pepper, finely chopped

1/4 onion, finely chopped

1/2 c. low fat shredded cheese

1 TBLS low fat cream cheese

salt, pepper, Mrs. Dash

spray 8x8 pan with non-stick spray.  Thaw the broccoli and spinach and add to bottom of pan.  Next, sprinkle the chopped green pepper and onion and spinach.  Salt and pepper the vegetables.  Sprinkle on the lunch meat and 1/2 of the cheese.  Dab the cream cheese around evenly.  Beat the eggs and pour over the top, let it sink in.  Season the egg layer.  Add remaining cheese to the top.   

Bake at 350 for approx 45 min, or until knife comes out clean. 

230 cal. and 24 g. protein for 1/4 of the entire dish!!! 

Delicious Garlic and Herb Dip

I have some wonderful crackers, but nothing to put on them!  So I decided to create a dip.  It is SO good.. I will definitely be making this again, and I think it would be magical on baked potatoes!  You can add or remove any spices you desire!  Chopped fresh herbs or chives would be amazing!

1/2 cup cream cheese
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 TBSP chopped garlic (mine was from a jar)
dash of the following:
Italian seasoning
Mrs. Dash table blend
garlic powder
lemon pepper

YUMMO!

Low fat, low sugar, light as air mousse

I originally saw this as a pie, but realized that you could use it for a few different dessert ideas.  You can serve it in little dishes as a mousse, you could layer it with whipped cream and graham cracker or Oreo crumbs as a parfait, or you can pour it into a pie shell.  Its so light, fluffy, and LOW CALORIE, low carb, and low fat!  If you are not as concerned with calories or fat, you can add 1/2 block of room temp cream cheese to the yogurt before adding the Jello.

Here is some Key Lime mousse (left over from the pie I made)

Ingredients:
2 individual size yogurts. Your choice of flavor.  I would use one that has no fruit chunks, and I do not recommend 'whipped' yogurts.  Get fat free, or low fat.  Greek would be great!
1 container sugar free whipped topping, thawed.
1 box sugar free Jell-O corresponding to the yogurt flavor you chose.

Pie crust, graham cracker crumbs, or other toppings of your liking.

Directions:

Heat 1/2 cup water to simmer, dissolve Jell-O into the water.  Add 1/2 cup cold water, and stir.  Set aside.

In a large bowl, add the yogurt. Using a hand mixer,  (Now is where you would cream the yogurt and cream cheese together if desired)  slowly add Jell-O (It will still be liquid).  Once it's all incorporated (will be quite runny) add the tub of whipped topping, slowly beat until all ingredients are smooth and mixed.  It will be runny, but it firms up in the fridge.

Pour into individual ramekins, parfait it with cookie crumbs and whipped topping, or pour into a pie shell.

Refrigerate at least 2 hours, or until firm, and fluffy.

Recommended flavors:  Key Lime w/ graham cracker crust, Raspberry with Oreo crumbs, Strawberry with graham cracker or Oreo!, Cherry, Orange

Green Chili Roast

I love this recipe, because you can select how hot you want it, and you can season it to your liking!

Ingredients:
1 large roast (Beef or pork)
2 cans green enchilada sauce
2 small cans green chilies
3 cloves crushed garlic
salt and pepper
1-2 TBLS Corn starch (mix w/ hot water and whisk)

In a crock pot, pour 1/2 can of enchilada sauce on the bottom.  Place the roast in the crock pot.  Season the roast very well.  (You can also sear it first if you prefer).  Pour the remaining sauce, and green chilies over the roast.  Cook on LOW for 8 hours.
Remove meat, set aside in large bowl.  Add a corn starch slurry to the liquid in the crock pot, and turn to high.  Whisk until desired thickness, if it gets too thick, add a little water.

Shred the meat, and pour the sauce over the meat, stir all together.  Season to taste.

Serve in warm tortillas with white cheese and sour cream, or make tacos, nachos, enchiladas, chimichangas, or anything you want!

Garlic Dill Pickles

MMM These are so crispy and crunchy and salty and tart and garlicky!  With a dab of spice!

This recipe will make 4 large or 8 small mason jars.

6-8 cucumbers
2 jalapeno peppers - seeded and sliced
4 cups vinegar of your choice (I used apple cider vinegar)
4 cups water
5 TBLS pickling salt
8 spoonfuls black pepper corns (1 per small jar, or 2 per large)
Fresh dill sprigs (2 per small jar, or 4 per large)
1 jar chopped garlic (1 TBLS per small jar, 2 per large jar) You can use fresh chopped garlic too. :)

Start by simmering the vinegar, water and salt.  While this comes to a simmer, add the pepper, garlic, jalapeno and dill to each jar.  Then, tiger stripe the cucumbers, and slice them however you want.  I usually slice it down the center, then cut into 1/2" thick chunks.  Fill each jar to the very top, packing the cucumbers in the best you can.

Once the liquid comes to a simmer and all the salt is dissolved, pour into each jar, leaving about 1/2" at the top.  Put the lid on, and shake them up to get the garlic and peppers mixed in really good.  Place in the fridge.  Best after about a week, they get more spicy and more tart the longer they sit :)

Enjoy!!

Zucchini and vegetable pancakes

2 medium zucchinis
1 medium red potato peeled
1/2 medium yellow (sweet) onion
1 large carrot
2 xlarge eggs, or 3 regular
1/2 cup flour
salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, garlic powder

Shred the vegetables, including the onion..  Squeeze out excess moisture.  Add the beaten eggs, mix.  The mixture will be very wet.  Add seasonings, mix well.  Slowly sprinkle in the flour while stirring until thick enough to hold shape in a pan.

Heat large skillet, using the oil of your choice, spoon mounds into the hot pan, smooth them out so they are about 1/2" thick.  These cook pretty fast, but you want them to cook about 3 minutes per side, flipping often.  I lay them on a paper towel to soak any excess oil, and salt while they are hot.  Enjoy!

Yellow Squash Taco Casserole

This is an adaptation of a pin I saw on Pinterest.

4-6 Yellow squash cubed.
1 lb. ground beef or turkey
taco seasoning
1 can diced tomatoes with green chile - drained
1 can black beans rinsed and drained
2 cups shredded cheese (I used Colby Jack)
1 small onion - chopped
1/2 bag Doritos chips (about 2-3 cups crushed)

Prepare taco meat according to directions.  Once done, add the black beans and tomatoes.  Set aside.

Meanwhile, saute squash and onion in a little olive oil until about half done cooking. (You may need to steam them with a little water and put the lid on)

Once the squash and onion are barely tender, pour them into a 9x13 glass baking pan.  Sprinkle half the cheese over the squash, followed by half of the crushed Doritos.

Next, layer the meat/bean/tomato mixture on the squash.

Sprinkle remaining cheese over the meat, followed by the rest of the crushed Doritos.

Bake at 350 for half hour.

Serve with lettuce, tomato, sour cream and your other favorite taco toppings!

Pulled Hawaiian Crock Pot Chicken

I threw some chicken thighs in the crock pot, i made a sauce myself using soy sauce, honey, a dash of sesame oil, a little EVOO, a splash of rice wine vinegar, lots of garlic and ginger, crushed red pepper flakes and a can of crushed pineapple. . then I have some green onions to chop on the top as a garnish.

The measurements are not exact, so use your taste buds to gauge your own sauce :) 

It looked kinda scary until I took the meat off the bone, but mmmm it was so moist and FULL of flavor.  The meat was turned brown all the way to the bone with the marinade!!  And it just fell apart and melts in your mouth.  

Cheesy Quinoa with spinach and chicken

Quinoa is a new food that I am experimenting with, and this turned out amazing!

Ingredients:

1 cup uncooked Quinoa
2 cups water or chicken broth
1 small onion, minced
1 red pepper minced
1 package frozen spinach, thawed and drained (Or you can use fresh~!)
2 cups cooked, shredded chicken
1 TBLS minced garlic
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
4 TBLS light cream cheese
1/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
salt, pepper, garlic powder, poultry seasoning of your choice
Olive oil


In a pot, add 2 cups water, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and poultry seasoning (if using broth, use less salt).  Once it comes to a boil, add dry quinoa, minced onion and peppers to the pot.  Boil until tender (about 15-20 min) stirring occasionally.

Meanwhile, in a skillet, heat a few tsp olive oil.  Add chopped spinach, garlic, salt pepper and stir.  Add chicken.  Sautee until warmed through.  Season to taste.

Once the Quinoa is fully cooked, add the parmesan cheese and mix it in.  Then add the chicken mixture, the cream cheese and mozzarella.  Stir well.  Serve hot.  Delicious!

This recipe would also make wonderful patties and sauteed until golden...  or rolled into balls and fried.

Garlic cheese 'cauliflower' biscuits

1 head cooked, riced cauliflower - I used food processor

2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

3 eggs, beaten

1 tsp dried oregano - optional

1 -1/2 tsp crushed garlic (I used garlic powder)

 salt to taste

Mix all ingredients in food processor, then put small mounds on sprayed cookie sheet. 

Top with a little extra garlic powder and cheese.  

Bake at 350 for20 min. or until golden.

Cauliflower pizza crust

I have been hearing about this, and wanted to try this ZERO carb pizza for several months.  You use cauliflower mixed with a few things as the crust!!!!!  AMAZING!

First, you take an entire head of cauliflower and put it in a food processor until its rice sized.  Do it in batches.

Next, boil the 'rice' in about 2-3 inches of salted water about 6 minutes.  The strain in a mesh strainer.  I did not have one, so I used a clean pillow case!  It worked beautifully.  Then wring it out and get as much water out that you can.  (I ran cold water over it first).

Once you have wrung out as much water as possibly, put into a large mixing bowl.  Add one egg, 1 cup shredded mozzarella,  1/3 cup cream cheese (warmed in the microwave to be very soft), and 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese.  Also add 1 tsp garlic powder and 1 tsp oregano. Salt and pepper to taste.
Mix thoroughly with wooden spoon

Preheat oven to 400.  Spray cookie sheet with cooking spray, and press the mixture onto the sheet about 1/2 inch thick.
Bake for 40 minutes, or until golden brown and crispy around the edges.  (I prefer mine well done)

Once cooked, remove from oven, add your favorite pizza sauce, cheese and toppings.  Bake about 10 minutes or until desired meltiness.

ENJOY!

Enchilada Pasta

This is pretty easy, and super tasty!  You can use chicken, shredded beef, even ground beef or turkey.

1 box rigatoni pasta
3-4 chicken breasts shredded (or your choice of other meat)
1 can Rotel tomatoes
2 cans green chili enchilada sauce
1/2 can red enchilada sauce
1 cup sour cream
1 pkg cream cheese
2 cups shredded Mexican blend cheese
1 onion chopped
garlic powder, salt, pepper
Garnish: sour cream, green onion, fresh tomato and avocado (optional)


Cook pasta according to directions.  Meanwhile, put chopped onion into large saucepan with a little oil, cook on medium until tender.  Add chicken, seasoning, sauces and Rotel to the pan.  Mix.  Add cream cheese and sour cream, stir until creamy.  Add cheese and stir.  Finally, add pasta and fold into sauce, until coated.  Serve with sour cream, green onion, fresh tomato and avocado.

Ritzy Chicken

4 chicken breasts
2 sleeve Ritz crackers - smashed into crumbs
2 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp either Italian seasoning or Mrs. Dash garlic & Herb
3 TBLS butter melted
Salt & Pepper

Mix together the crackers, seasonings.  Melt the butter, set aside.
Pound the chicken so it is all the same thickness. Salt and pepper each breast.  Dip each chicken in the dry crumbs, pressing into the chicken to coat it.  Lay in a greased pan.   Next, add the melted butter to the remaining crumbs and spoon the mixture onto the chicken.  Pat the coating down slightly to stay on the chicken.

Bake at 400 for 25-30 min.

Awesome Asian Pot sticker sauce

No, I am not making homemade Chinese Pot Stickers.  BUT, I am making awesome sauce to go with them.  and it is SO EASY!  3 ingredients!

1/4 cup Soy sauce
1/ 4 cup Hot water
1/8 to 1/4 cup sugar (depending on your taste - some people like it sweeter than others)
fresh chopped green onion
fresh minced ginger
mix all together.  Microwave 1 minute.  make sure all the sugar is dissolved.

I usually steam/saute the frozen pot stickers in a pan, and then add them to the sauce so they are almost submerged.  mmmm

My spin on Goulash

Ok, here is my own spin on goulash.  The picture doesn't so it justice..

1 box large macaroni noodles
1 lb. ground beef
1 green pepper
1 sweet yellow onion
1 jar of your favorite thick spaghetti sauce
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella
Italian seasoning (2-3 tsp)
Smoked paprika (about 2-3 tsp)
minced garlic (1-2 cloves)
salt / pepper

Dice pepper and onion , saute in oil until tender.  Add ground beef.  Season with salt, pepper, Italian Seasoning and about 1 tsp. paprika.  (I usually add a little water, and cover it until the meat is cooked)  Drain.  Add the jar of sauce, add more Italian seasoning, garlic, Parmesan cheese, and another tsp of paprika.  You can add more or less depending on your own taste.  I tested it a few times and added more paprika until it tasted smokey and rich.

Cook macaroni noodles, and drain.  Add to the beef mixture.  Then add in the mozzarella and stir until melty, smokey and rich, ready to enjoy!

Chocolate mug cake.. so EASY

Yummm! Got a chocolate craving?? All you need is 5 minutes, a few simple pantry ingredients and a mug!

4 TBLS flour
4 TBLS sugar
3 TBLS cocoa powder
pinch salt
pinch baking powder
1 egg
3 TBLS milk
3 TBLS oil

In a bowl mix dry ingredients. In large mug combine wet ingredients. Slowly stir in dry ingredients until completely mixed. Microwave approx 2 minutes.

 Sprinkle with powdered sugar, chocolate or caramel sauce, serve with ice cream, or whipped cream...

 ***Optional, Add 3 TBLS choc chips before microwaving.. :)

Best Ever Split Pea Soup w/ ham

All the fresh herbs really make this soup rich and savory!

1 pound dried split peas
5 carrots peeled and chopped
1 onion chopped
3 cloves garlic minced
1 sprig rosemary
1-2 thyme sprigs (take leaves off)
3 bay leaves
8 cups chicken broth/stock
salt/pepper
1 ham bone (try and have it with a lot of meat left)
extra ham - chopped

Put all ingredients in a stock pot / simmer 2 hours. Remove ham bone, and take meat off, chop. add back to soup.

Sweet & Spicy Caramel Chicken with peanuts

This is a delicious chinese dish. Sweet and spicy!!! Very easy!!
INGREDIENTS
8-10 boneless skinless chicken thighs, quartered.
1 TBLS oil

SAUCE (below)
3/4 cup dark brown sugar
1/3 cup cold water
1-2 tsp soy sauce
1/3 cup fish sauce
1/3 cup rice vinegar
1 TBLP ginger paste, or fresh grated ginger
4 cloves garlic minced
1 dash hot Chinese sauce or any hot spice
(mix everything together in a bowl)

ALSO NEED
peanuts
chopped green onion

OPTIONAL
chopped green or red peppers
chopped onion
Diced Jalapenos
Any other veggies you desire, or cashews

In a LARGE skillet or wok, add a little oil and start to brown chicken. Once chicken is about half cooked, add about 1/3 cup of the sauce. Sautee about 5 minutes (on high heat). Add the rest of the sauce and the raw vegetables. Keeping on high, allow the sauce to reduce into a glaze. (will take about 10 minutes at least). Just before the dish is complete add the green onions, peanuts and jalapenos. Serve with rice, or fried rice. ENJOY!



**note. It will seem like a lot of sauce at first, and really watery. Keep it on high heat, boiling - stir every couple minutes. Once it is nearly reduced, it will go fast, so keep a close eye on it, stir constantly. Remove from pan immediately, so it stops cooking. :)

Southwest green chili tater-tot casserole

Just threw this together, hope its good!!

1 pound ground beef
1 green pepper chopped
1/2 medium onion chopped
1 can green enchilada sauce
1 can green chilies
1 can corn
1 bag tater-tots
2 cups shredded cheese (Mexican blend or cheddar)
1/2 cup sour cream
Salt, pepper, garlic salt.

Preheat oven according to tater-tot directions. Cook the tater-tots half way according to package. Meanwhile, Sautee the ground beef with the onions and green pepper until vegetables are soft and meat is browned. Drain. In separate bowl, mix enchilada sauce, sour cream and green chilies. Add to beef mixture (in pan). Add corn. Mix well. Add to baking dish (I sprayed with non-stick spray first). Sprinkle 1/2 of the cheese over the beef mixture. Lay tater-tots in a single layer over the mixture, make sure the whole thing is covered. Sprinkle remaining cheese on top. Bake at same temp another 15-20 minutes. Let sit 5-10 minutes before serving.