Christmas Grinch Cookies

These are really fun for Christmas parties, or I suppose they'd work on St. Patrick's Day... with your green eggs and ham. They're fast and taste great.

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1 pouch (1 lb 1.5 oz) Betty Crocker® sugar cookie mix
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon mint extract
6 to 8 drops green food color
1 egg
1 cup mint baking chips
1 cup semisweet chocolate chunks
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1. Heat oven to 350°F.

2. In large bowl, stir cookie mix, butter, extract, food color and egg until soft dough forms.

3. Stir in mint baking chips and chocolate chunks.

4. Using small cookie scoop or teaspoon, drop dough 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet.

5. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until set.

6. Cool 3 minutes; remove from cookie sheet to wire rack.

Serve warm or cool completely. Store tightly covered at room temperature.

Chicken Tikka Masala

This is a work in progress, but I'm getting closer. This combines two recipes, a healthier one and a more authentic one. It's not Bombay House, but it's still very tasty, and a lot cheaper (in calories and $$).

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2/3 cup Greek yogurt
1 Tbsp fresh lime juice
1 tsp ginger root, fresh, grated
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 pound uncooked boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips

2 tsp olive oil
1 onion, minced
1 jalapeño pepper, minced (to taste)
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbsp ginger root, fresh, grated
2 Tbsp Garam Masala (important! You can find it in the spices section; it's a specific mix of spices)
1 can (28 oz) Diced tomatoes
1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce
Sugar, to taste
1 can (12 oz) evaporated milk
1 1/2 cups Jasmine or Basmati rice, uncooked
1/4 cup cilantro, minced
Turmeric spice
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To prepare chicken, whisk together first 6 ingredients; add chicken and toss to coat. Cover bowl and marinate in fridge for 1-24 hours.

Preheat oven or outdoor grill.
    *If cooking in oven, skewer the chicken on metal skewers and place on a metal cooling rack over a foil-lined baking sheet and place it about 10-12 inches below a broiler for 5 minutes per side. Watch carefully so as not to char the chicken much.
   *If grilling on outdoor grill, skewer the chicken on metal or wood (soaked in water for 30 minutes) skewers. Cook the skewers in the grill until cooked through, turning frequently, about 5-7 minutes. (You can also grill the skewers on a hot skillet over the stove)

Start cooking the rice in your rice cooker or on the stove.

Dice the onion and add it to the preheated skillet with the olive oil and saute until it is slightly browned.

Add the ginger, garlic, and diced jalapeno to the skillet. After a minute add the garam masala spice.

Add the cans of diced tomatoes and tomato sauce. Continue cooking over medium heat for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add sugar to offset the acidity of the tomatoes (I use 1 Tbsp)

Add the evaporated milk and chicken. Once that is stirred together, add the cilantro.

For the rice, add as much butter as you like, as well as salt and turmeric spice to taste. You can add some cilantro to the rice as well.

Serve with naan (or tortillas, if you can't find naan at the store. Has anyone found it before? I haven't been able to.)

Cream of Zucchini Soup

This soup has a great flavor, and it's very fast and easy to make. If you have squeamish eaters, this is a great way to get veggies into their diet. We spiced it with parsley, but you can do whatever fits your taste. This was adapted from a recipe on the blog SkinnyTaste, which has a lot of great healthy eating recipes.

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3 zucchinis, chopped into large pieces
1/2 onion, quartered
3 garlic cloves
32 oz chicken broth (fat free)
4 Tbsp sour cream (fat free)
salt and pepper to taste
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Put the zucchini, onion, garlic, and chicken broth in a medium stockpot on medium heat.

Bring to boil and boil, covered for 20 minutes.

Add the sour cream, put the mixture in a blender and puree until smooth.

Add salt and pepper and other desired seasonings.

Serve with grilled cheese sandwiches or something else tasty.

Southwest Pasta Salad

I don't usually like pasta salads, but this one is delicious! We made it without chicken, and didn't miss it; it was plenty filling. Another Our Best Bites recipe.

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1/2 lb bowtie pasta
1 14oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
2 roma tomatoes, diced or about 3/4 C or halved cherry tomatoes
1 large red, yellow, or orange bell pepper, diced
1/2 C sliced green onions
1/2 C frozen fresh corn
zest from 2 limes
optional: 8 oz diced cooked chicken
optional: 1/2 C Queso Fresco or another cheese of your choice
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6 Tbs fresh lime juice (about 3 juicy limes)
1/4 C white wine or rice vinegar
4-5 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
1 1/2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp coriander
1/2 tsp kosher or sea salt
2 tsp sugar (add a touch more if your limes are extra sour/bitter)
3/4 C canola oil
1/2 C roughly chopped cilantro

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Boil pasta in salted water until cooked.  While it’s cooking, prepare dressing.

First zest your limes and place the zest in a large salad bowl.

Place the lime juice, vinegar, garlic, chili powder, cumin, coriander, salt and sugar in a blender.  (Basically everything except the cilantro and oil)  Process until smooth.  With the motor running slowly, add the oil in a steady stream until incorporated.  Add the cilantro and pulse so it gets broken up, but some pieces still remain in tact.

When pasta is done cooking, drain and rinse immediately with cold water to cool.  Place the pasta in the large salad bowl with the lime zest.

Add black beans, tomatoes, diced pepper, green onions, corn (no need to thaw the corn),  and chicken if desired.

Toss with dressing.

Taste, and add additional salt and pepper to taste.

For best results, chill for 1 hour before serving.  Right before serving, sprinkle cheese on top.  Serve with extra lime wedges if desired.

Makes about 4-6 dinner sized servings or 10-12 side servings

White Chicken Chili

Very fast, and very tasty. Leave out the chicken for a vegetarian dish. Could be made in a crockpot.
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1 T Extra virgin Olive Oil
1 lb boneless chicken, cubed (about 3-4 boneless, skinless breasts)
1 medium onion, diced
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
2 cans Great Northern Beans
1 3.5 oz can green chilies
1/2 t cumin
1/2 t dried oregano leaves
1/2 t coriander
1/2 t salt
1/8 tsp smoked paprika
fresh cracked pepper
1 lime
1/2 C chopped cilantro
32 oz chicken broth
1 lime
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Sour cream
Chopped cilantro
Pepperjack or Jack cheese, shredded
Avocado
Tortilla Chips
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In a large pot, heat olive oil.

Add chopped onion and cook for about 2 minutes- just until it starts to become translucent.

While onions are cooking, prep chicken and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Add chicken and garlic to pot.

Cook until there’s no more visible pink on the chicken, probably 3-4 minutes.

While chicken is cooking, drain beans and rinse with cold water and set aside

Add green chills to the chicken - along with all of the juices in the can.

Add beans, cumin, oregano, coriander, salt, and a few turns of fresh cracked pepper.

Stir to combine and then add chicken broth.

 Bring to a boil and reduce heat to a simmer. Simmer uncovered for 10-15 minutes.

Remove from heat and add the juice from one lime and the 1/2 C chopped cilantro.

Add salt and pepper to taste.
 
Ladle into bowls and top with sour cream. Serve with condiments.

If you don’t have all those condiments- at least have sour cream! But honestly, it’s best with everything.

Makes about 8 cups of soup.

Caribbean Rubbed Pork Chops w/ Mango Salsa

This is a recipe from Our Best Bites that we really liked. It went great with a side of cooked Jasmine rice mixed with chopped cilantro, lime juice, and salt and pepper to taste. You'll want to double or triple the mango salsa so you'll have enough to eat with chips later. You could also make this with chicken or steak. This is fast to make and very healthy.

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1 1/2 tsp ground coriander
1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
3/4 tsp sugar
3/4 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground allspice
1/8 tsp ground red pepper
4 (6 oz) bone-in center cut pork chops (about 1/2 in thick)
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1/2 cup diced peeled mango
1/2 cup diced plum tomatoes
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
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1. Combine first 7 ingredients in a small bowl. Rub pork chops well with spice mixture.

2. Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. (Or heat an outdoor bbq grill and lightly brush grates with vegetable oil) Add pork to pan; grill 3 minutes on each side or until a thermometer registers 145° (slightly pink.)

3. Combine mango, tomato, cilantro, red wine vinegar, and olive oil in a small bowl; toss gently. Serve salsa over pork.

Nutritional info: 1 pork chop and 1/4 cup salsa = 197 calories and 7 grams fat.

Garlic Bread Seasoning

This is another gem from Our Best Bites. It makes way more than you need for a loaf of french bread, so it's nice to keep the leftovers in the fridge in a sprinkle jar and use them when you want delicious Italian flavoring in something. It is great in pizza sauce (use 1 Tbsp per pizza), or sprinkled over soup before serving, or on veggies before roasting/steaming. The flavor is delicious. Just don't use too much or you'll have some major garlic breath.

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1/2 c. powdered Parmesan cheese
2 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. garlic powder
2 tsp. oregano
2 tsp. basil
2 tsp. marjoram
2 tsp. parsley
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Combine all ingredients in a jar with a lid and shake.

"Sprinkle on top of breadsticks or combine 1 1/2 Tbsp. seasoning with 1/2 c. of softened real butter and spread on a loaf of French bread (cut in 1/2 lengthwise). Wrap in foil and bake at 375 until butter’s melted. If you want, you could also pop it open-faced under the broiler for a few minutes so it gets brownish and crispy."

Greek Style Pitas

This one had the tastiest meat, and the cucumber combined with the meat was delish. You can use pork, chicken, or flank steak. I have yet to find a good pita that doesn't just fall apart or taste nasty, so I'd recommend just serving these in tortillas, unless you want to be authentic. Oh, and this is another Our Best Bites recipe. If you haven't looked through their recipes, you really should.

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12 oz boneless pork loin chops, or boneless skinless chicken, sliced into 1/4″ slices
1 Tablespoon olive oil
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 1/2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons minced fresh oregano
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 tsp black pepper

1/4 C diced tomato
1/4 C diced cucumber
2 Tablespoons diced red onion

6 Tablespoons Greek Style Yogurt
1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
1/2 Tablespoon fresh minced parsley
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

4 Lettuce leaves
4 pita bread halves (or tortillas)
2-3 Tbs crumbled Athenos Feta cheese
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1. Combine pork, olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, oregano, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a shallow dish and set aside.

2. Heat a medium skillet to medium high heat.

3. While pan is heating, combine Greek yogurt, lemon zest, parsley and 1/4 teaspoon salt and set in fridge to chill.

4. Add pork mixture to pan and cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring frequently, until pork is cooked through and then remove from heat.

5. Combine tomato, cucumber, and red onion.

6. To assemble, place one lettuce leaf in each pita. Divide pork mixture between pitas, add cucumber and tomato mixture and then top with yogurt sauce and a sprinkle of feta.

Serves 4

Buttery French Toast

 This is SOOOO good. If you want a healthier version, use wheat bread, splenda, and butter spray.
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1/4 c. butter
2 eggs
2/3 c. milk
1/3 c. sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
8 slices bread
Vanilla, optional
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Melt butter in a 10" x 15" pan.

Mix sugar and cinnamon.

Sprinkle evenly into pan.

Mix eggs and milk.

Dip bread, soaking well.

Bake at 400 degree oven for 10 to 15 minutes.

Let stand 1 minute.

Lift out sugar side up on serving platter.

Layered Taco Casserole

This is yet another Tex-Mex recipe. Personally, I will never get sick of Tex-Mex its easy and delicious what more can you ask for?

INGREDIENTS

1 lb ground beed or pork
3/4 cup water
1 package McCormick original taco seasoning
1 tsp garlic powder (up to 3 tsp if you like garlic)
2 cups cheddar cheese shredded (or taco cheese that comes already shredded)
1 cup onion or sliced green onion chopped
12 6-inch corn tortillas ( I used flour tortillas and it worked just fine)
4 cups lettuce shredded
2 medium tomatoes chopped
4 tablespoons sour cream
2 cups cottage cheese

Optional:
diced green chiles, beans, and olives.

PREPARATION
Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Lightly coat a 13 x9 bakin pan with nonstick cooking spray; set aside

In large skillet cook meat until brown. Drain fat, stir in water, taco seasoning and garlic powder. Bring to a boil; reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, about 5 minutes or to desired consistency; set aside. (I add in olives and beans at this point)

In mixing bowl combine cottage cheese, cheddar cheese and onion. ( I add drained and diced green chilies in this mixture).

Place 6 tortillas in prepared pan. Top with half of the meat and dollop with half of the cheese mixture. Repeat layers. Bake, uncovered for 40 to 5 minutes or until heater through.

Top with lettuce and tomatoes. Serve with sour cream, if desired.

Asian Lettuce Wraps

Another gem from Our Best Bites. We decided these were as good as the fancy ones you get at the restaurants. But the difference is they're VERY healthy. One of the toddlers wasn't a fan of the lettuce wrap idea, so we just put the filling over rice, and she ate it right up.

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2 tsp canola oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
1 lb ground chicken*
3 ounces mushrooms, finely chopped (about 8 small mushrooms)
1/2 tsp kosher salt
4 C bagged coleslaw mix or thinly shredded cabbage
1 8oz can sliced water chestnuts, drained, rinsed, and finely minced
1/2 C thinly sliced green onions
4 Tbs soy sauce
1 tsp sesame oil
1 lemon, zested and juiced (about 3-4 Tbs juice)
Hot sauce, to taste
1/3 C roughly chopped cilantro
1-2 heads iceberg lettuce

*To prepare your own ground chicken, cut boneless skinless chicken breasts into large chunks and pulse in a food processor until ground.

Dipping/Drizzling Sauce
4 Tbs soy sauce
4 Tbs rice vinegar
3 Tbs water
2 tsp honey
1-2 tsp finely minced fresh ginger
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Heat a very large skillet to medium-high heat on the stove top.

When hot, add vegetable  oil and then garlic and ginger.

Saute for about 30 seconds, until fragrant, and then add ground chicken, chopped mushrooms, and kosher salt.

Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring often, until chicken is cooked through.  (*If you get a lot of extra liquid from the chicken, tilt the pan and spoon it out so the chicken can cook and not boil.)

Add cabbage/coleslaw, water chestnuts, and green onions.

Cook for about 2 minutes, until cabbage starts to wilt.

Add soy sauce, sesame oil, the zest from the lemon and the lemon juice, and hot sauce to taste.

Remove from heat and stir in cilantro.

To prepare dipping sauce, combine all ingredients and whisk to combine.

To serve, carefully remove the individual leaves from the head of lettuce.  (The closer you get to the center, the easier it becomes) Place chicken mixture in the leaves and serve with sauce.

Yield: about 5 C chicken mixture.  Makes 14-16 lettuce wraps.

Taco Soup

This was very tasty and fast. The leftovers tasted great too, so it's a good healthy snack to keep in your fridge. You can also put it all in a crockpot if you want to do it that way. It uses a lot of food storage ingredients, so it's a cheap meal too. This is another one from Our Best Bites.

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1 lb. extra lean ground beef (93% lean or or leaner)
1 onion, chopped
4-5 cloves garlic, minced
1 1.25-oz. packet taco seasoning (about 1/4 c.)
3 c. water, divided
2 28-oz. cans diced tomatoes
2 15-oz. cans tomato sauce
2 15-oz. cans kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 can corn, drained

Toppings: Pico de Gallo, light sour cream, shredded cheese, crushed tortilla chips, tortilla strips, guacamole, etc.
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1. Heat a large soup pot over medium heat.
2. When ready, brown the ground beef with the onion and garlic.
3. When almost brown, add the taco seasoning and 1 c. water.
4. Add the remaining ingredients, including the remaining 2 c. water, bring to a medium boil, then, cover and reduce heat. Simmer for at least 15 minutes.
Serve with desired toppings.

Makes 10 12-oz. servings.

Slow Cooker Instructions: After browning the meat, place all the ingredients into a slow cooker and cook on low for about 6-8 hours.

Nutritional Information: Calories: 188 Fat: 3.6g Fiber: 8.6g Protein: 15.8g

Soda Cake

A great option for a low calorie dessert. It tastes even better the next day. There are many combinations you can try. We used a yellow cake mix and Sprite.

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Box Cake Mix
2 egg whites
10 oz. diet soda
Fat free whipped cream
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1. Beat the egg whites till slightly fluffy.

2. Combine the ingredients, pour into baking dish and cook according to directions on the cake mix.

Creamy Pesto Pasta

Heaven. And not nearly as bad for your waist as it looks. You can add diced chicken to make it more filling. This comes from the Our Best Bites Blog.

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1 cup milk
1.5 oz low fat cream cheese
1 Tbsp flour
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 Tbsp butter
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1/2 lb Pasta (that’s 1/2 a 16oz box or a little over 3 cups dry pasta)
3.5 oz Pesto (that’s about 1/3 cup, or 1/2 of a 7oz container they sell in stores)
1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes
8oz mushrooms (about 3 C sliced)
Parmesan cheese
No stick olive oil spray
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1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees

2. Combine milk, cream cheese, flour, and salt in blender and blend till smooth.

3. Melt butter in pan and sauté garlic for about 30 seconds.

4. Add the milk mixture and let simmer for about 4 minutes, stirring constantly.

5. Add the Parmesan cheese, stir, remove from heat and cover. Set aside.

6. Start cooking pasta

7. Cover a pan with tin foil and spread tomatoes and mushrooms over it. Spray with no stick olive oil spray. Roast in the oven for 12-14 minutes.

8. Spoon the pesto into the sauce.

9. Combine the cooked pasta, sauce, and roasted vegetables in a large bowl.

10. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

Summer Garden Soup

This wonderful soup uses a lot of vegetables and still tastes really rich and creamy. It's delicious as is, but you could definitely get away with adding diced ham or chicken.

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3 medium zucchinis, chopped into bite sized pieces, or grated if your kids like that better
4 medium tomatoes, chopped into bite sized pieces
2 T. minced fresh parsley
1 t. basil (dried)
2 T. butter
1 onion, chopped
1/4 c. flour
1 t. salt
1/4 t. pepper
3 c. chicken broth
1 t. lemon juice
1 (12oz.) can evaporated milk
1 1/2 c. frozen, fresh, or canned corn kernels
1/4 c. parmesan cheese, grated
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In a large pot, melt the butter over medium heat.

Add the zucchini, basil, parsley and onion and saute, stirring occasionally, for 2-3 minutes.

Add the flour, salt and pepper and stir and cook for one minute.

Gradually add the chicken broth, whisking or stirring constantly.

Add the lemon juice; mix well.

Bring the soup to a simmer, stirring to prevent sticking, and cook for 2-3 minutes, until the zucchini is tender but still has some bite to it (it will continue cooking for a few more minutes).

Add the tomatoes, evaporated milk, and corn.

Bring the soup to a boil and reduce the heat to medium-low.

Cover the soup and simmer until the corn and zucchini are tender.

Stir in the cheese just before serving.

Serves 6

Southwestern Egg Rolls w/ Avocado Dipping Sauce

These are tasty, and fast. Kids will probably like them too.
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1 chicken breast fillet, diced
1 red bell pepper, finely minced
2 T. green onion, minced
¼ c. white onion, finely minced
1 can corn (or frozen about 1 c.)
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
2 T. spinach, sliced very thinly (optional)
1 small can green chilies
½ T. parsley
½ t. cumin *
½ t. chili powder *
¼ t. salt
dash cayenne pepper
1 c. Ceddar Cheese, shredded
10 Flour Tortillas
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Avocado-ranch dipping sauce:
1 c. ranch (any style)
cilantro to taste
1 clove garlic
1 whole avocado, mashed (Or more if you like it)
1 tsp. minced onion
Salt & Pepper
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Cook chicken and dice.

In large pan, mix all ingredients together.


Sauté all ingredients (including chicken) until warm.

Remove from heat and add shredded cheese. Mix well.

Warm tortillas in microwave or on stovetop.

Place ½ c. or so of mixture inside a tortilla.

Fold completely together so mixture can not escape.

Place inside a panni grill or George Forman to grill and melt cheese.

You can also make it like a quesadilla.

While they are grilling, put all the dip ingredients together in a blender and blend until smooth.

Serve together as a main dish or as appetizers on a fancy platter for a party.

Teriyaki Pulled Pork and Veggies Rice Bowl

 Super easy, and tastes similar to the Teriyaki Stix rice bowls. Needs to cook for 4-5 hrs
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1 1/2 cups soy sauce
4 cups water
1 cups white sugar
1 Tbsp cornstarch
2 cloves garlic
1 Tbsp ginger (fresh or powdered)
1 Tbsp sesame seeds (optional)
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4-5 lbs pork tenderloin
2 Green peppers
1 Red pepper
1 cup fresh string beans
2 cups mushrooms
Jasmine rice (or brown, or white)
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Mix the soy sauce, water, sugar, cornstarch, garlic, sesame, and ginger in a sauce pan.

Bring to boil.

Put the pork in a crockpot and cover with 1/2 of the teriyaki sauce mixture.

Cook on high for 4-5 hours.

An hour before it is done, dice up veggies, and stir fry them with some of the teriyaki sauce.

Put them in the crockpot with the pork during the last 1/2 hour.

Shred the pork, then serve with Jasmine rice along with the rest of the teriyaki sauce.

Serves 6+

Serve over Jasmine rice

Chicken Tortilla Soup

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes

Servings: 6

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1 Tablespoon vegetable oil
1 small onion, chopped
3-4 garlic cloves minced
1 (4-ounce) can of chopped green chilies (the recipe says drained, but the green chilies I buy have a sauce that I like to keep).
1 cup chopped fresh tomatoes (I actually use the canned ones that have green chilies and lime, chipotle, or mexican stewed).
1 finely chopped jalapeno pepper (optional)
1 (12 ounce) can spicy V8 juice (I put in a little more than that and a little less water)
4 1/2 cups water
1 beef bouillon cube
1 chicken bouillon cube
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
vegetables (such as zucchini, corn, black beans, etc)
fried tortillas, in strips for garnish ( or tortilla chips)
avocados, cubed, for garnish
shredded cheese, for garnish
cilantro, for garnish
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1. Heat some of the water in the microwave until almost boiling. Add the bouillon and stir to dissolve.

2. In a large pot, saute first four ingredients until tender.

3. Add the remaining ingredients in the ingredients list up to and including the chicken (also include the bouillon water and the remaining water).

4. Cover and bring to a boil.

5. Reduce heat to low and simmer for about an hour.

6. Add any additional vegetables that you want in the soup.

7.Simmer until the vegetables are tender, about 30 more minutes.

8. If you are using corn tortillas, fry them in some vegetable oil until they are slightly crisp, then cut them into pieces and serve with soup.

* This is easily converted into a crock-pot meal, just follow the directions and put it into a crock-pot instead of the pot and don't worry about bringing it to a boil and then a simmer. Just throw everything in. 3-4 hours on low should be good.*

Slow Cooker Chipotle-Lime Chicken with Jamaican Rice

Prep Time: 20 min

Cook Time: 3 Hours

Serves 4
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1 cup sliced onion
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped carrots
4 pounds skinless chicken thighs (I just use Chicken Breast cut up into bite sizes... its less messy to eat).
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce
1/4 cup lime juice (I put in more because I like it citrusy)
1 tablespoon minced chipotle chiles in adobo sauce with 1 teaspo0n sauce from can
2 cloves garlic, minced (This wasn't enough for my liking, I double the garlic)
1 avocado, diced
lime wedges, for garnish
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves, for garnish
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Arrange onion, celery and carrots in bottom of slow cooker. Season chicken with salt and pepper and arrange over vegetables.

In a medium bowl, whisk together tomato sauce, lime juice, chipotle chiles with sauce, and garlic. Pour mixture over chicken.

*Instead of putting the garlic in the tomato sauce, I like to saute the onions and the garlic together before putting them in the crockpot.*

Cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours or high for 3 to 4 hours. (Mom says that if you follow these instructions your chicken will dry out, at least with chicken breast that is. I put it on low for 3 or 4 hours and it was nice and tender).

Jamaican Rice:
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2 cups instant white rice
1 (14-ounce) can of coconut milk
1 cup water
1 (15-ounce) can red beans, drained
1 teaspoon dried thyme ( I substitute marjoram for thyme, because thyme is too strong for me).
1/2 teaspoon finely grated lime zest
1/4 cup chopped scallions ( I leave this out, because I don't like them... )
salt and freshly ground black pepper
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In a medium sauce pan combine rice, coconut milk, water, beans, thyme, and lime zest. set pan over high heat and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer 5 minutes, until liquid is absorbed. Fold in scallions and season to taste with salt and pepper.

* I don't use instant rice. I just cook it in the rice cooker than place it in a pot and add the other ingredients.

Roasted Vegetable Dip

We love this dip. It's very flavorful and a good way to get in a serving of vegetables with picky eaters.

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2 large sweet red peppers, cut into 1" pieces
1 large zucchini, cut into 1" pieces
1 medium onion, cut into 1" pieces
1 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 pkg. (8oz) reduced-fat cream cheese
Crackers or chips
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1. Place the red peppers, zucchini and onion in a 15"x10" baking pan coated with cooking spray. You'll have a big mess if it isn't sprayed.

2. Combine the olive oil, salt and pepper; drizzle over vegetables and toss to coat. (I used a rubber glazing brush - much easier)

3. Bake, uncovered at 425* for 25-30 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally. Cool.

4.  Place cream cheese and vegetables in a food processor or blender. Cover and process until blended.

Chill until serving. Serve with crackers or chips.

Easy Mango Chicken

This easy crock pot dish was very popular with the whole family. It's mainly veggies and protein, so it's also a very healthy dish, especially if you use brown rice. We used mango salsa from Costco, which was $4.99 for 4 cups. Also, we preferred Jasmine rice because it has a more authentic Thai taste. You can find that at WalMart. It's great over quinoa as well.

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4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 can canned corn
1 can black beans, drained & rinsed
3 c. mango salsa (store bought or homemade)
1 tsp. cumin
Montreal Steak Seasoning
Cilantro, chopped as garnish
Rice, cooked
---------------------------------

Place chicken breasts in crock pot. Sprinkle the cumin & Montreal Seasoning over the chicken. Put in a couple inches of water, cover and cook until tender (about 3 hours on high or 5 hours on low) time will vary depending if your chicken is frozen or fresh.)

When the chicken is cooked, shred into large pieces. Drain most of the juices from the crock pot.

Add the corn, beans, and salsa. If the mixture seems dry, add some of the reserved juices back to the pot.

Serve over rice and garnish with cilantro.

Texas Breakfast Casserole

This delicious dish is great for a hearty breakfast or if you want more variety for dinner. It is really fast to prepare, but make sure you leave enough time for baking.

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2 cups frozen hash brown potatoes, thawed
1 cup corn, drained
1 cup pepper strips, frozen or fresh
8 oz raw turkey sausage
1 cup milk
3 large eggs
1/4 tsp table salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
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1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat a medium square or rectangular baking dish with cooking spray.

2. Place potatoes and then vegetables in baking dish; top with sausage.

3. In a small bowl, beat together milk, eggs, salt and pepper; pour mixture over sausage and then sprinkle with cheese.

4. Bake until casserole is hot and cheese is browned, about 45 minutes. Cut into 6 pieces and serve.

Caribbean Rice

A great side dish for roasts.
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1 1/4 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1 cup light coconut milk
1 cup long-grain rice
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
1 3/4 cups cubed peeled butternut squash
1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh or 1/8 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
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1. Bring broth and coconut milk to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat.

2. Add rice.

3. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes or until liquid is absorbed.

4. Remove from heat; keep warm.

5. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.

6. Add onion; sauté 5 minutes.

7. Reduce heat to medium. Add squash; cook 8 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally.

8. Stir in thyme and remaining ingredients; cook 3 minutes or until thoroughly heated, stirring occasionally.

9. Add rice to squash mixture, stirring to combine.

Serves 6

Nutritional Facts: Calories 186, Fat 3g, Protein 5g, Carbs 37g, Fiber 3g

Caribbean Pot Roast

I got a new recipe book that we're loving. This one is very flavorful. Great served with Caribbean rice.
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2 medium sweet potatoes, cubed
2 large carrots, sliced
1/2 cup chopped celery
1 boneless beef chuck roast (2-2 1/2 lbs.)
1 Tbsp canola oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 Tbsp flour
1 Tbsp sugar
1 Tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp ground cumin
3/4 tsp salt
 3/4 tsp ground coriander
3/4 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/8 tsp ground cinnamon
3/4 tsp grated orange peel
3/4 tsp baking cocoa
1 can (15oz) tomato sauce
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1. Place potatoes, carrots, and celery in a 5 qt slow cooker. In a large skillet, brown meat in oil on all sides. Transfer meat to slow cooker.

2. In the same skillet, saute onion in drippings until tender. Add garlic; cook 1 minute more. Combine the flour, sugar, brown sugar, seasonings, orange peel, and cocoa. Stir in tomato sauce; add to skillet and heat through. Pour over beef.

3. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or until beef and vegetables are tender.

Serves 10

Nutritional facts: 3 oz cooked beef with 1/2 cup vegetables equals 278 calories, 12 g fat, 16 g carbs, 3 g fiber, 25 g protein.

Corn, Bacon & Chowder Soup

This soup has some wonderful flavors because of the interesting combination of veggies. It's very filling and healthy (almost fat free!) as well. I just used a can of corn and turkey bacon to simplify things. It also worked well to double the celery, onion, and red pepper to give it more servings of veggies.

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1 medium uncooked Yukon Gold potato
1 spray cooking spray
1/2 cup celery, chopped
1/4 cup onion, chopped
4 piece corn on the cob, kernels removed with a knife
1 cup sweet red pepper, diced
4 oz Canadian-style bacon, diced
2 cup(s) milk
1/2 tsp table salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/8 tsp hot pepper sauce, or to taste
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1. Pierce potato in several places with a fork; microwave on high power until tender, turning over once, about 8 minutes. Allow to cool; peel and mash.

2. Meanwhile, coat a large saucepan with cooking spray. Add celery, onion, corn and red pepper; sauté over medium-high heat for 5 minutes.

3. Stir bacon and milk into saucepan; stir in mashed potato and mix well.

4. Season with salt, pepper and hot pepper sauce; stir to combine.

5. Cover and simmer 10 minutes (do not allow to boil).

Yields about 1 1/2 cups per serving.

Pizookies

These desserts were indescribably yummy. The name is a play on Pizza and Cookie, because it's a giant gooey cookie topped with ice cream and ice cream toppings.

I used our favorite chocolate chip cookie dough recipe, and halved it to make 4 pizookies in ramekins. A lot of restaurants will cook the dough in a big circular pan, then put the ice cream on top and serve it that way for a group. The ramekins make it so everyone has their own individual serving. But both variations are drool-worthy.

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Make up your favorite cookie dough recipe, chocolate chip is preferred. (If you need a pizookie fast, buy some cookie dough at the store)

3. Divide the cookie dough into 4 pre-buttered ramekins. They should be about halfway full.

4. Put them in the oven, and bake for 12-14 minutes or until golden around the edges but still soft in the middle.

5. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes.

6. Scoop on the vanilla ice cream and use your preferred toppings.

Picture and recipe courtesy of OurBestBites.com, a very awesome recipe blog.

Italian Sausage Soup

This was so easy, and ready in an hour. Plus it tasted great! Similar to that sausage soup you get at Olive Garden. You can add your own combination of veggies, beans, and spices.

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1 pound Italian sausage
1 clove garlic, minced
2 (14 ounce) cans beef broth
1 (14.5 ounce) can Italian-style stewed tomatoes
1 cup sliced carrots
1 (14.5 ounce) can great Northern beans, undrained
2 small zucchini, cubed
2 cups spinach - packed, rinsed and torn
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
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1. In a stockpot or Dutch oven, brown sausage with garlic.

2. Stir in broth, tomatoes and carrots, and season with salt and pepper.

3. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer 15 minutes.

4. Stir in beans with liquid and zucchini.

5. Cover, and simmer another 15 minutes, or until zucchini is tender.

6. Remove from heat, and add spinach.

7. Replace lid allowing the heat from the soup to cook the spinach leaves.

Soup is ready to serve after 5 minutes. Serves 6

Peach Cobbler for Two

Yet another dessert for the records! This was very flavorful. It makes enough for two, so you're not left with a bunch of tempting leftovers; so, if you think about it, it's great for dieting.

Make it as a special dessert for you and the hubby after the kids go to bed. Go ahead, you earned it!

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3 tablespoons brown sugar
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1/4 cup water
1-1/2 cups sliced fresh or frozen peaches
1 tablespoon butter
1 teaspoon lemon juice
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Topping:
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
Pinch salt
2 tablespoons milk
4-1/2 teaspoons butter, melted
1/4 teaspoon grated orange peel
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1. Preheat oven to 400°

2. In a small saucepan, combine brown sugar, cornstarch and water until smooth.

3. Add peaches; bring to a boil.

4. Cook and stir for 2 minutes.

5. Reduce heat to low; stir in butter and lemon juice.

6. For topping, combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a bowl.

7. Stir in milk, butter and orange peel.

8. Transfer hot peach mixture to an ungreased 1-qt. baking dish.

9. Spoon topping over peaches.

10. Bake, uncovered, at 400° for 25 minutes or until golden brown.

Makes 2 servings


Nutrition Facts: 1 serving (1 piece) equals 402 calories, 15g fat (9g saturated fat), 40mg cholesterol, 334mg sodium, 66g carbohydrate, 3g fiber, 4g protein.

Fast Dinner Rolls

These are great when you need to make rolls and don't have time for them to rise for 2 hours. This only makes 12 rolls, so you may want to double it.

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2 1/4 cups unbleached flour
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 package regular or quick active dry yeast
1 cup very warm water (120°F to 130°F)
2 tablespoons shortening
1 egg
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Mix 1 1/4 cups of the flour, the sugar, salt and yeast in large bowl.

Add water, shortening and egg; beat with spoon until smooth.

Stir in remaining flour until smooth.

Scrape batter from side of bowl.

Cover and let rise in warm place about 30 minutes or until double.

 Grease 12 regular-size muffin cups.

 Stir down batter by beating about 25 strokes.

 Spoon into muffin cups.

 Let rise 20 to 30 minutes or until batter rounds over tops of cups.

 Heat oven to 400ºF.

 Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown.

Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

You can tell I'm dieting, because this is the second cookie recipe I've posted in a row. These were gone very quick, and let me tell you, they were DELICIOUS.

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2 C plus 2 T flour
1/2 t baking soda
1/2 t salt
12 T butter (1 1/2 sticks) melted and cooled until warm
1 cup brown sugar (light or dark)
1/2 C white sugar
1 large egg + 1 egg yolk
2 t vanilla extract
1 to 1 1/2 C semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate chips
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Heat oven to 325 degrees. Mix flour, salt, and baking soda together in medium bowl; set aside.

Either by hand or with electric mixer, mix butter and sugars until thoroughly blended. Mix in egg, yolk, and vanilla. Add dry ingredients; mix until just combined. Stir in chips.

Place dough on cookie sheet in the size you want. Bake until cookies are set around outer edges start to harden yet centers are still soft and puffy, 10-13 minutes.  Make sure you don't over do it. They should look not quite done when you pull them out, because they'll bake a little more and set up while they're cooling on the cookie sheet. Serve or store in airtight container. Makes 40-50 cookies.

Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies

Everyone asks us for this recipe when we bring these cookies to gatherings. It's the best oatmeal cookie recipe that we've found.

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3/4 cup butter
1/3 cup shortening
3/4 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1 Tbsp water
1 tsp vanilla
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2 1/4 - 2 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 cups oatmeal
1/2 bag (6 oz) chocolate chips (or peanut butter chips, or butterscotch)
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Mix the first group of ingredients well, then add the next grouping of ingredients. Bake at 350* for 9 minutes. They'll seem extra gooey when they come out, but they set up nice after a few minutes. Makes 4 dozen cookies.