Muffin Tin Monday--Kebabs

For more information on Muffin Tin Mondays, or to join in the fun, click on the button above or visit Michelle's blog at Her Cup Overfloweth.

Well, I didn't really have any "Kebab" type food, so I just used what I had available. And, instead of using skewers, I used toothpicks. I made this for my son's dinner last night (Sunday). From top left to bottom right I have cheese and meatball kebabs, pizza bite kebabs, sweet potato and broccoli kebabs, and of course, banana kebabs. I am sure you already know which one my son enjoyed the most... Bananas! He touched all of the foods to his mouth, then would spit out the ones he didn't like... *sigh*! I'm hoping maybe some of the nutrients from the meat, cheese, and veggies got into his system just from that small time of being in his mouth... even just a tiny bit! Oh well, I tried! :)

Enjoy!

Muffin Tin Monday--Kebabs

Muffin Tin Monday--Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs

For more information on Muffin Tin Mondays, or to join in, click on the button above.

This week's theme was Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, from the children's book by Judi Barrett, and now there's a movie coming out in its honor. The movie looks really fun, but I just don't think my son could sit through a whole movie yet, so we'll probably wait until it comes out on DVD. I do remember the book, though. It was fun flipping through the pages to find ideas for this meal, and also reminiscing about the first time I read the book... I think one of my teachers read it to the class. It was fun and exciting when I was a kid, and now that I'm a mama, it is fun to be able to read books like this to my son. I am so glad he loves to read! So, if you haven't read the book in a while (or ever... gasp!), go read it for yourself or to your kids. It's really a cute, imaginative story, and makes for a great food theme! You could probably have an entire party based on this book! I'll just explain what my foods are from the book. Pretty much anything was fair game, since all different types of food were pouring from the sky. From top left to bottom right... I have mashed potato clouds with peas, bananas (this was my "I don't have anything else to put in this tin" tin), a cup of milk (since it would rain juice or milk from the sky), meatballs... gotta have 'em, spaghetti, and broccoli. I don't know if anyone else noticed this about the book, but why is it when the "storm" comes, all the foods that are good for you end up being the "bad guys"? Why do broccoli and brussels sprouts always get such a bad rap? I think they are both delicious if cooked the right way! Anyways, that's my 2 cents. This was another fun muffin tin meal to make for my son, but he only ate the bananas, meatballs, and spaghetti... and, of course he drank his milk. I guess 4 out of 6 is progress... :) Enjoy!

Muffin Tin Monday--Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs

Chicken and Roasted Tomatoes

I guess I'm having a "food" week... I've been posting mostly recipes this week! :) This dinner was inspired by a half-dozen tomatoes that I didn't know what to do with. My father-in-law is always bringing us food when he comes to visit us, and most of the time he brings too much! It is very sweet of him, I know. But, this week I had six tomatoes, and no idea what to do with them... as they were continuing to ripen on my counter. There wasn't quite enough tomatoes for a soup, plus I didn't have tomato paste. So, I searched online and found a delicious recipe from Ina Garten from Food Network. Mmmm... roasted tomatoes. My hubby was a little annoyed that the roasting was a little "smoky" from the oil, etc. But, they tasted so good, so I think he forgave me. ;) I was actually thinking of making a chicken cacciatore, but most of the recipes I found called for a big can of tomatoes, and that just wasn't going to work for me... So, after I borrowed Ina's roasted tomato recipe, I did my own thing with them. The tomatoes are so good just by themselves. Roasting them with the oil, balsamic vinegar and garlic really gives them a whole new flavor, and they were delicious mixed with the chicken and pasta. This meal is actually two recipes, combined later. You can serve the chicken and tomatoes over pasta or rice, or just eat them plain! Ina's recipe called for 12 tomatoes, but since I just had 6, I halved the recipe. Enjoy!

Serves 2 to 3

Ina Garten's Roasted Tomatoes

Ingredients:

6 plum tomatoes, halved lengthwise, cores and seeds removed

2 tbsp good olive oil

3/4 tbsp balsamic vinegar

1 clove garlic, minced

1 tsp sugar

3/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 450 F.

Arrange the tomatoes on a sheet pan, cut sides up, in a single layer. Drizzle with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Sprinkle the garlic, sugar, salt, and pepper over the tomatoes. Roast for 25 to 30 minutes, until the tomatoes are concentrated and beginning to caramelize. Serve warm or at room temperature.

*Note: I didn't roast my tomatoes all the way, since I knew I was going to be cooking them further along with the chicken. But, they were still delicious!

My Easy Chicken Recipe with the addition of Ina's tomatoes:

Ingredients:

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 tbsp olive oil

1/4 tsp dried Italian seasoning

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tbsp low-sodium chicken broth

Salt and pepper to taste

Heat oil in non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper on both sides. Cook chicken in skillet for 3 to 4 minutes per side. Place chicken on a separate plate. Return skillet to heat, add garlic and cook for 1 minute, or until slightly browned. In the meantime, cut chicken and roasted tomatoes into big chunks or cubes. Return chicken to skillet, cooking until no longer pink. Add broth, Italian seasoning, and tomatoes, and cook another 1 to 2 minutes or until all flavors are combined.

Chicken and Roasted Tomatoes

Chicken Salad Mini Pitas... Makeover

So, I made some Chicken Salad for my son a while back, and I wanted to do something different this time. I got some ideas online, but ended up doing my own thing. I think it tasted better than my first recipe. My son enjoyed it too! Things I like about this recipe: I really like using the mini pitas because they're the perfect size for his little hands! I like that when the chicken salad is put with some kind of bread, pasta, or grain, it makes a complete, well-rounded meal. You have grain, protein, veggies, and fruit in this recipe! I also like that it is relatively easy to make since you put most of the ingredients in the food processor. If you are used to a chunkier chicken salad, you don't have to use the food processor. You can just chop up your ingredients to the size you prefer, or only pulse a couple of times using the food processor. :) 

Ooh! I almost forgot... I also mixed some of this salad with some pasta and my son loved it that way too! 

Enjoy! 

Makes about 2 cups 

Ingredients:

1 boneless, skinless chicken breast

1 apple, peeled and cored

1/2 cup celery

1 carrot, shredded

1-1/2 tbsp mayo

1/4 tsp poultry seasoning*

1/8 tsp freshly grated nutmeg*

1/8 tsp garlic powder*

1/8 tsp onion powder*

1 tbsp orange juice (lemon juice would be good here too)

Salt and pepper to taste

Cook chicken breast as desired. I put mine in a steamer basket over a pot of boiling water and I sprinkled it with the dried spices. Once chicken is cooked, let it cool, then chop it. Also chop apple and celery. Add all ingredients to a food processor and pulse until you achieve your desired consistency. Cool salad in the fridge until ready to serve. You can also serve this warm. You can serve this as a sandwich, in pitas, as a wrap, or mixed with pasta or rice. 

*Note about spices: You can use any spices you like, or none at all and it will still taste good. I don't really measure my spices when I add them, so the measurements listed are approximate. I usually just do a sprinkle or a pinch here and there, until I think it tastes good. ;) 

Chicken Salad Mini Pitas... Makeover

Thank you, Julia and lululu!

So, the other day, I was catching up on my comment love, and was visiting lululu's lovely blog when I saw that she had posted Julia Child's recipe for Boeuf Bourguignon. Well, I have no way of knowing if it's really her recipe or not, since I don't own Julia's book yet, so I just took lululu's word for it. ;) Nevertheless, I was excited to see the recipe, having recently seen the movie Julie & Julia. Of course, the meal looked delicious in the movie, so I really wanted to try it! So, try it I did, and it is a delicious recipe! I think this may have been one of the best meals I've ever made! Either that or I was really hungry after taking the time to make this. I won't lie... it takes a long time to prepare... but, the directions are easy to follow, and it is so worth it! My husband loved it too, and he even had a stuffy nose that night! So, since I didn't come up with this recipe, I'm sending you over to lululu's blog to check it out. I only added one thing extra to this... a few leaves of fresh sage, finely chopped, in addition to the other herbs. Probably my three favorite herbs for turkey, chicken or beef are thyme, rosemary and sage... and I love using them together! Plus, they're readily available in my backyard garden! :) I served the beef over some homemade garlic mashed potatoes. Sorry, no recipe for these either, I just added some milk, sour cream, garlic and salt to the flavor and consistency that I wanted. 

Enjoy!

Thank you, Julia and lululu!

Muffin Tin Monday

Since there was no theme for Muffin Tin Monday this week, I just did my own thing... My son ate his muffin tin meal on Sunday for lunch. I had made some Pumpkin-Banana Muffins that morning, so I decided to fill a cup with one of them (stay tuned for a muffin recipe later this week). I also made some spinach and ricotta filled tortellini (the easy packaged kind) with pasta sauce, and some dinosaur-shaped quesadillas. In the second row, there are some dino-nuggets, chopped apples, and bunny crackers. My son enjoyed three out of the six cups this week. I bet you can probably guess which ones... 

Yep... Muffin, apples, and crackers. Great lunch! Oh, well... I tried... 

I enjoyed his leftovers... :)

Have a great week, everyone!

For more information on Muffin Tin Monday, visit Michelle's blog at Her Cup Overfloweth, or click on the button above. 

Muffin Tin Monday

Soft Taco Night...

So, my husband was craving some tacos, and since we had just bought some tortillas, he apparently felt the need to use them all up right away... I actually wanted them to make some quesadillas for my son. But, instead I ended up making some delicious soft tacos for dinner! I usually use a packet of taco seasoning, but I didn't have any, and I also didn't feel like going back to the grocery store in a hot car just for a small packet of seasoning. So, I made up my own "taco seasoning" and it tasted pretty good with the ground beef. It was a little bit spicy, but still yummy! :) When you have the beef mixture made, you can add any toppings you want. We had some tomatoes, green chili and shredded cheddar on hand. I also like sour cream, but we didn't have any. The beef mixture can be used in any kind of tortilla you want. Since we just had flour tortillas, we made soft tacos. But you can certainly use corn tortilla taco or tostada shells, or make your own corn tortilla tacos if you have a deep fryer. Yum! :) Enjoy!

Ingredients for beef mixture:

1 tbsp olive oil

1 lb ground beef

1 green bell pepper, diced

1/2 onion, diced

1 tbsp garlic, minced

Ingredients for taco seasoning:

2-1/2 tsp onion powder

2 tsp New Mexican chili powder

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp red pepper flake

In a small bowl, stir together all taco seasoning ingredients until combined. Set aside. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add onion, garlic and bell pepper and cook until tender. Add beef and combine with the other ingredients while browning. When beef is browned, add taco seasoning mixture. You can add as much or as little as you want until it is to your preferred taste. Mix all ingredients well. Serve in a warm flour tortilla or a crunchy corn tortilla with your favorite toppings. :)

Soft Taco Night...

Muffin Tin Monday

This is my first time participating in Muffin Tin Monday. When I saw the idea at Her Cup Overfloweth, I thought it was so cute! And what a great way to mix things up and add some extra variety for a picky eater... like my son (occasionally). Anyways, since this week there is no theme, I thought this Monday would be the perfect day to start! So, I gave my son a mix of four different things in my 6-cup muffin tin. I think next time I'll use all 6 cups to give him even more variety...  In this muffin tin, I put some strawberries, bite-sized chicken-apple sausage, cut up string cheese, and Banana Nut Cheerios. Excuse the shabby muffin tin... it's been used. If you've been following my blog, you know that I love making muffins, so I definitely make good use of all my muffin tins! :)

Well, this was one of my son's "picky" weeks, so... much to my dismay he wouldn't touch the sausage or the cheese (big sigh...). But of course, he loved the Cheerios and the strawberries! Hmmm.... I wonder why...  Anyways, like I said, I will keep trying, and maybe we will be a little more successful next time. I still think this is a super cute idea and it is great to make things a little different for meal time. I think my son really liked picking the food out of the little cups. :)

Muffin Tin Monday

Different Chicken Noodle

When my son is feeling under the weather, I make him some homemade chicken noodle soup. It is such a healing natural remedy for colds, and I think it just makes you feel better by keeping your insides warm! Normally I like to use the typical onion, celery, and carrots, but I didn't have any celery on hand. So, I decided to make my own version using ingredients that I had. You can really use any kind of vegetables you like, and I'm sure it will taste delicious no matter what. I usually steam the chicken and vegetables first to soften them before I stick them in the broth with the noodles. When my son was younger, I would puree the chicken and vegetable mixture with a little bit of broth, then use it as a sauce over small pasta (elbows, wheels). It makes a great finger food! Nowadays, he is becoming more independent and likes to feed himself, so I just give it to him the same way we eat it! It is so much healthier this way without all the added sodium and preservatives that the canned versions have. The best part is my son LOVES it! :) Enjoy! 

Ingredients:

1 boneless, skinless chicken breast, cubed and cooked

6 oz whole wheat egg noodles

1 cup chopped broccoli florets, cooked

1 cup chopped carrots, cooked

1/2 cup chopped onion

1/2 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes

1 tbsp minced garlic

3 cups water

3 cups low-sodium vegetable or chicken broth

Salt and pepper to taste

1/4 tsp cumin

1 tsp poultry seasoning

In a large pot, bring water and broth to a boil. Add pasta, and cook until al dente, about 7 minutes. Add remaining ingredients, stir, and simmer for another 1 to 2 minutes, or until heated through, tender, and the flavors are combined. Serve hot, or at room temperature for toddlers. Makes about 6 cups. 

Different Chicken Noodle

"Barbeque Chicken Buns"

So, in my previous crescent roll recipe, I had said that I would try to make my own barbeque pork buns. Well, this is sort of my take on that, with some slight differences. I took the meat idea, and used chicken instead, since I didn't have shredded or diced pork in my fridge. I also used my Better BBQ Sauce recipe which I had frozen into ice cube trays... and I must say, it freezes and defrosts very nicely! So, besides the chicken that I had to cook, I basically had most of the ingredients (rolls and BBQ sauce) already prepared, so this was a very easy recipe for me to put together. But, I realize that if you are going to try to make my version of barbeque sauce, then there is a little bit more work involved for you. :) Otherwise, to make it easier (and faster), you can certainly use the store-bought barbeque sauce and you'll have these "buns" prepared in no time! In case you missed the BBQ Sauce post, here's a little background info on my barbeque sauce: My son LOVES barbeque sauce, and I know that if I drench his meats in it, he will definitely eat more protein! However, my problem with store-bought barbeque sauce is that they are loaded with sugar! Obviously, this is the reason why my son likes it so much! So, I tried to make a healthier version for him. We both think it tastes pretty good, and I snuck in some veggies too! :) Needless to say, my son LOVED these barbeque buns! Yay! Enjoy!

Ingredients: 

1 boneless, skinless chicken breast, cooked and shredded

1/2 cup Better BBQ Sauce (recipe below)

1 tube refrigerated crescent rolls (I used the Pillsbury Big and Flaky)

Preheat oven to 350 F. Combine barbeque sauce and chicken and stir until sauce is evenly distributed throughout the chicken. Unroll and separate crescent rolls onto a baking sheet. Place about 2 tbsp of meat mixture onto each crescent roll, and spread all along the inside of the roll. Starting at the wide end, roll up the crescent all the way to the tip, making sure meat stays in place. Curl the two ends of the roll to make the crescent shape, and lay on the baking sheet. Space rolls about 2 inches apart from each other on the baking sheet. Bake at 350 F for about 15 to 19 minutes, or until golden-brown. Makes 6 to 8 rolls. 

Better BBQ Sauce

Ingredients:

1/2 cup vegetable broth

1/2 cup sweet potato puree

1/2 cup carrot puree

1/2 cup cider vinegar

3/4 cup tomato paste

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp garlic powder

2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

1 tbsp molasses

1 tbsp agave nectar

2 shakes Tabasco

pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients in medium saucepan over low heat, until combined and heated through. Makes about 2 cups. Extra sauce freezes nicely. Enjoy!

"Barbeque Chicken Buns"

Ham and Cheese Crescent Rolls

So, my son was having one of those weeks, where he wasn't eating very much protein... He goes in phases--good protein weeks, and bad protein weeks. I guess he eventually gets what he needs, but I would really like him to eat more meats! We were having Dim Sum the other day, when a lightbulb went off in my head. My son loves Cha Siu Bao (barbeque pork buns), so I thought I would wrap some meat up in bread with some other yummy ingredients. Crescent rolls to the rescue! I suppose I could make my own rolls, but it is soooo much easier to just buy the refrigerated crescent rolls! So I rolled up some ham and cheese and some crushed dried herbs, baked them, and voila! Protein time! Success! He LOVED them! Hee hee hee... (my sneaky laugh). I'm sure this recipe exists elsewhere, and I know that Pillsbury has some recipes online too. So check them out as well if you're looking for an easy snack or side to make. I'm thinking of making my own "barbeque pork buns" next time... Enjoy!

Ingredients:

1 tube refrigerated crescent rolls (I get the Pillsbury Big and Flaky type, 6 crescents per tube)

3 slices lunch meat, chopped into small size bites for toddlers (I used ham, but any kind is fine)

6 tbsp shredded cheddar cheese

1 tbsp crushed dried Italian seasoning (or crushed dried herb of choice)

Preheat oven to 350 F. Unroll and lay crescent rolls flat on a baking sheet. Sprinkle a little bit of the Italian seasoning over each crescent roll, and lightly press the herbs into the dough. Place lunch meat dices over crescent rolls, distributing evenly on the roll. Sprinkle about 1 tbsp shredded cheddar cheese evenly over each crescent roll. Carefully roll up the crescent rolls from the wide side to the angled side, then curve the ends into a moon shape. If desired, sprinkle a little more dried herbs on the tops of the rolls. Space the rolls about 1-2 inches apart on the baking sheet (no need to spray/grease the sheet). Bake for 15 to 19 minutes or until golden brown. 

Ham and Cheese Crescent Rolls

Stuffed Mushrooms

Okay, so I kinda stole this recipe from my aunt, but it is so yummy! I did mine a little bit different, but they still turned out delicious. My husband and I LOVE these stuffed mushrooms! I normally make this with the smaller white stuffing mushrooms, but this time I wanted to make it more of a meal instead of an hors d'oeuvre. So, I used Baby Portabella caps. They were so delicious with the filling! I think I'll make them like this all the time! For most of my recipes that call for cream cheese, I use neufchatel instead because it has 1/3 less fat. But, you can use regular cream cheese if you like. I just served mine over some wild rice, and it was super filling! I was full after one mushroom! :) 

Ingredients:

5 to 6 Baby Portabella caps*

1 lb breakfast sausage*

1 pkg (8 oz) Neufchatel (or Cream Cheese)

1/2 cup green onions, finely chopped

1 tsp (2 cloves) minced garlic

Preheat oven to 350 F. Spray a 9 x 13 inch baking dish with non-stick spray, and set aside. Clean mushroom caps by wiping with a damp paper towel. Make sure to remove any stems that are left on the mushrooms. Place mushrooms open side up in the baking dish. Cook sausage in a skillet over medium-high heat until browned. Add garlic and onions and cook another 1 to 2 minutes. Reduce heat to medium, and add neufchatel or cream cheese. Stir until cheese is soft, melted and combined well with other ingredients. Remove from heat. Spoon sausage mixture into mushroom caps, patting down to make sure it is "stuffed". You will probably have leftover sausage mixture. Bake in oven at 350 F for about 20 minutes. Recipe makes about 6 big stuffed mushrooms or 12 smaller sized mushrooms. 

*Note: The name "Baby Portabella" or "Baby Bella" is misleading. The ones I found were a much larger size than the white mushrooms that I normally get. You could also use regular Portabella mushrooms if you want an even bigger mushroom! I prefer to use the Owens Hot breakfast sausage since it adds a little "zing", but you can use regular breakfast sausage or even Italian sausage if you like. You can serve these big mushrooms over rice or some yummy steamed vegetables. I bet it would taste delicious over cooked spinach too! I have also used this same sausage mixture to stuff Bell Peppers, and it tastes just as delicious! :) Enjoy!

Stuffed Mushrooms

Sausage and Grits

I found this recipe in an old Everyday Food magazine, and my husband and I LOVED it! I changed it a little bit based on what I had and also, since the original recipe was only for 1 serving, I doubled it. My husband and I love grits and I thought this recipe used a great mix of flavors in a unique and delicious way! Enjoy!

Ingredients:

1 tbsp olive oil

2 precooked chicken-apple sausage links, halved and sliced

1 small white onion, thinly sliced

1 bunch asparagus, tough ends removed, cut into 1-inch lengths

2 tsp fresh thyme, or 1/2 tsp dried

2 tsp fresh lemon juice

Salt and pepper to taste

1/2 cup grits or yellow cornmeal

1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese

Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Cook sausage until browned, tossing occasionally, 1 to 2 minutes; transfer to a plate. Reduce heat to medium. Cook onion until softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Add asparagus, thyme and 1/3 cup water. Cover, and steam until asparagus is just tender and water has evaporated, about 6 minutes. Add sausage and lemon juice; toss. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat. 

In a small saucepan, bring 1 cup salted water to a boil; gradually whisk in grits. Reduce heat to low; cook, stirring frequently, until thickened, about 6 minutes. Stir in cheese; season with salt and pepper. Serve sausage and asparagus over grits. 

Sausage and Grits

Three-Meat Meatloaf with Sun-Dried Tomatoes

Wow! My husband and I were in San Francisco when we stopped at some diner and had a delicious meatloaf. It was a chilly day, so the warm meatloaf and mashed potatoes really hit the spot that day. When we came back home to AZ, I had to find a recipe that was similar. So I searched online and found one, and I have been using this recipe for a few years (with some of my own special touches). As I was feeling exceptionally creative the other day, I decided to change it up and hopefully improve it... Oh my goodness! This was delicious! My husband and I loved it! Meatloaf is not very photogenic, but it sure does taste good! :) Enjoy!

Ingredients:

1/4 cup olive oil

1-1/2 cups onions, finely chopped

1/2 cup celery, finely chopped

2 tbsp garlic, minced

1 tbsp dry Italian seasoning, crushed

1 pound ground beef

1 pound Italian sausage, casings removed

12 oz Chorizo, casings removed

1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, drained and coarsely chopped

1/2 cup cilantro, finely chopped

2 eggs, beaten

1/2 cup Panko bread crumbs (regular or Italian bread crumbs are fine)

Pepper as desired

1/4 to 1/2 cup sun-dried tomato spread (as needed to cover the loaf)

In a large skillet, warm olive oil over medium heat. Add onions, celery, garlic, and Italian seasoning. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature. 

Preheat oven to 350 F. In a large bowl, mix together ground beef, sausage, chorizo, onion mixture, sun-dried tomatoes, cilantro, eggs, bread crumbs, and pepper. Transfer meat mixture to a large but shallow baking dish and shape it into a flat loaf about 2-1/2 inches thick. There will be a large amount of mixture at this point. You may also use a loaf pan if desired. Smooth the top of the loaf with the back of a spoon. Spread sun-dried tomato spread on top of loaf, coating evenly.

Bake about 1-1/2 hours, or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of the loaf registers 165 F. Let rest on a rack for 10 minutes before slicing. Add more sun-dried tomato spread atop your loaf as desired. Serve hot with mashed potatoes and veggies. Serves 6 to 8. 

Three-Meat Meatloaf with Sun-Dried Tomatoes

Tortilla Soup

I found this recipe for Tortilla Soup in my 101 Things to Do with a Slow Cooker cookbook, but I adjusted it a little based on what I had available, and things I wanted to add to my soup. :) My husband loves corn, so I had to add it to this soup, along with a couple of other special ingredients. It is starting to get kind of hot for soup right now, so I probably won't make this again until winter. :) If you like a lot of heat, you can increase the spicy-ness by adding extra chili powder, red pepper flake, or hot sauce to this. I prefer a milder heat. :)

Ingredients:

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, diced

1 tbsp minced garlic

1 can (14 oz) chicken broth

1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes, with liquid (I used the Italian kind)

1 can (4 oz) diced green chiles

1 can (14 oz) whole kernel corn, drained

1 cup salsa (mild or medium)

1 handful fresh cilantro, finely chopped

1/2 tbsp ground cumin

1/4 tsp chili powder

Salt and pepper to taste

2 flour or corn tortillas, cut into 1/2-inch strips

Cheese, shredded

Spray inside of Slow Cooker with non-stick spray. Add all ingredients except tortillas and cheese to the Slow Cooker. Cook on high for 4 to 6 hours. About 10 to 20 minutes before serving, make the tortilla strips. Spray a baking sheet with non-stick spray and spread tortilla strips evenly on the tray. Bake at 300 F for 15 to 20 min or until crisp. Pour soup into bowls, then add shredded cheese and tortilla strips on top. Makes 4 to 6 servings. Enjoy! :) 

Tortilla Soup

Chicken Salad Mini Pitas

I originally made these mini pitas with my son in mind, but he hasn't been very fond of meats right now... So my husband and I gobbled them down! :) They are pretty easy to make, and they are a great little snack or hors d'oeuvre to serve at your next lunch or dinner party. You can easily serve this in a normal-sized pita, maybe with some crunchy lettuce! I just had the mini pitas on hand for my son. :)

Ingredients:

1 boneless skinless chicken breast, cooked and shredded

Pita bread

2 tbsp light mayo

1 tbsp lemon juice

Zest of 1 lemon

1 tsp honey

1 tbsp fresh dill, chopped

Salt and pepper to taste

Combine mayo, lemon zest, lemon juice, honey, dill, salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Add chicken and stir to coat. Stuff into pita pockets, and enjoy! :) 

Chicken Salad Mini Pitas

"Grown-up" Grilled Cheese

Sorry, I know this isn't the best picture. I didn't have my camera handy, so I had to use my cell phone camera. :) This is one of my husband's favorite meals! He LOVES it! I have made this many times for him, so I thought, I might as well put it on my blog! You could probably give this meal to your kids too and they would probably enjoy it as well! I use prosciutto, which is an Italian type of bacon/ham. It is available in most supermarkets in the deli section. We get a large pack at Sam's or Costco. It is rather salty, so you definitely don't need to add any salt to this sandwich. I have a special "Stuffed Sandwich Maker" from Williams-Sonoma, but I'm sure you could cook this sandwich just as you would a regular grilled cheese sandwich (over a non-stick pan or skillet, and flip). Just be careful that all the "insides" stay together. ;) You could also use a panini press if you have one. We both love dipping the sandwich in some delicious (and easy) tomato soup, but I like to add a little extra spice to my soup. Try it on a cool night sometime! :)

Ingredients for 2 sandwiches:

4 slices sourdough bread (I used wheat in the picture, but it's better with sourdough)

6 slices prosciutto (you can use regular ham if you don't have prosciutto)

4 slices tomato

4 slices mozzarella cheese

2 tbsp fresh chopped basil

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 tsp or so fresh ground pepper

Ingredients for soup: 

Canned Tomato Soup, condensed (if you have time, you can make homemade tomato soup)

1 full can water

1 tsp or so Italian seasoning

Fresh ground pepper to taste

Fresh chopped basil leaves (for pretty)

Putting it all together:

In a small bowl, combine olive oil and pepper. Brush only one side of each slice of bread with oil mixture. On the dry side of the bread, pile your ingredients... I put 3 slices of prosciutto per sandwich, then add tomato slices, a sprinkling of pepper, then 1 tbsp basil leaves per sandwich, then 2 slices mozzarella each, then place the other slice of bread on top (oil side up). "Grill" in pan over medium to medium high heat until cheese is melted and both sides are golden brown and crispy. You can use a spatula to "smash" all the ingredients together, then flip carefully. :) To make the soup, mix together tomato soup and water over medium to medium high heat. Add Italian seasoning and pepper (I like to crush the dry herbs in my fingers before sprinkling in the soup, to get more flavor out of them). Mix well, and heat until warmed through. Dip sandwich and enjoy! 

Note: If you have a nifty "Stuffed Sandwich Maker" like me, preheat to high while putting the sandwiches together. When the machine is ready (green light), open, spray with non-stick spray, then place sandwiches in their designated areas. Close, lock, and cook for 3 to 5 minutes. Use a spatula to remove the sandwiches. Cut and enjoy! 

"Grown-up" Grilled Cheese

Easy Kids Recipes

I recently found this site online while surfing the web, and I think it is great! It has a bunch of recipes for kids, and you can also enter your own favorite recipes to the site! I'm hoping to visit this site more often so I can get some great ideas for meal time! :) 

Easy Kids Recipes

Better BBQ Sauce

In the quest to get my son to eat more meats, I learned that he LOVES barbeque sauce! Hmmm... I can't imagine why..? Probably has something to do with how sweet it is... In fact, by adding barbeque sauce to any meat, I can pretty much guarantee that my son will eat his meat! He's gotta have his protein! :) Anyways, I didn't want to buy just any old barbeque sauce from the store. Those are loaded with sugar! So, I began researching "healthy" barbeque sauces on the web. There aren't very many out there that don't include ketchup (also loaded with sugar). But I found one, and modified it to suit my son better. It tastes great, and he LOVES it! He kept saying "num num num" after each bite! It also has some veggies in it, which makes it much better for him. I am one happy Mama! I poured my sauce over some shredded chicken and put it in a mini whole wheat pita for my son. I'm sure you could make a big batch for your family and serve up some delicious sloppy joes for dinner! Yum! 

Ingredients:

1/2 cup vegetable broth

1/2 cup sweet potato puree

1/2 cup carrot puree

1/2 cup cider vinegar

3/4 cup tomato paste

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp garlic powder

2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

1 tbsp molasses

1 tbsp agave nectar

2 shakes Tabasco

pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients in medium saucepan over low heat, until combined and heated through. Pour over your favorite shredded meat for a great barbeque sandwich, or brush over whole cuts of meat before grilling. Makes about 2 cups. Extra sauce freezes nicely. Enjoy!

Better BBQ Sauce

Shrimp Pasta

My husband and I LOVE this recipe! I actually found the idea in his P90X diet cookbook, but tweaked it a little. I love the freshness and aroma that the lemon adds to this dish! It is delicious and still healthy! It is also a pretty simple recipe since it only has 9 ingredients. It makes a great lunch or dinner! We both love a lot of garlic, so if you're not a big fan, feel free to reduce the amount you put in your recipe. :) 

Ingredients: 

2 tbsp olive oil

2 tbsp minced garlic

1 large tomato, diced (I like to de-seed mine too)

2 tbsp low-sodium, fat-free chicken broth

About 1/2 pound shrimp

Zest and juice of 1 lemon 

2 tbsp basil leaves, chopped

4 ounces whole wheat pasta

Pepper to taste 

Heat oil in pan and add garlic. Saute for several minutes until lightly browned. Add chicken broth and tomatoes. Simmer for 5 to 10 minutes or until tender. Cook pasta per package directions. Drain. Add shrimp to pan and cook for several more minutes, or until shrimp are opaque. Add lemon zest and juice, pepper, and basil. Toss shrimp mixture with cooked pasta. Enjoy!

Shrimp Pasta