~Chocolate Chip Blondies~

Chocolate Chip Blondies

1 1/2 c. packed brown sugar
1/2 c. melted butter
2 eggs lightly beaten
1 t. vanilla
1 1/2 c. flour
1/2 t. baking powder
1/2 t. salt
1 c. chocolate chips

~In a large bowl combine brown sugar, melted butter, eggs and vanilla mix just until blended. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt; add it to the brown sugar mixture. Stir in the chocolate chips.
~Spread in greased 13 X 9 baking dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool on a rack and cut into bars.
Sometimes it can be hard to spread, I use a little flour on the spatula to help.

~Macaroni Chili Casserole~

Macaroni Chili Casserole

• 1 lb. ground beef
• 1 lb. hot Italian sausage
• 1/4 cup chopped onion
• 2 can black beans, drained
• 1 little can of hot tomato sauce
• 2 can sweet corn, drained
• 1 cans dice tomato, undrained
• 2 can tomato soup
• 1 tbsp chili powder
• 1 can chopped green chili
• 2 tsp cumin
• 1 box of macaroni, cooked and drained

Cook and drain the macaroni according to box instructions. Then in a skillet, brown beef and sausage with the chopped onions. We added sea salt and pepper to the meat and onion mixture while it cooked along with the chili powder. I let it simmer while we waited for the pasta to finishing cooking. Then we put all the ingredients in a big soup pot over the stove and heat it through until hot.

Just before serving add cilantro and shredded cheese.

This was a HUGE hit!!! Our little picky eater, Jolene, not only helped "sample" but had two bowls at dinner time! This is one we will be making lots. It is the perfect winter meal on those cold days.

~Apriot Chicken~aka Hawaiian Chicken~

 Apricot Chicken
(aka: Hawaiian Chicken)

Crock pot

 

.

 

 

~Ingredients~

1 Cup Apricot Jam
8 oz. Russian Dressing (Catalina will work if you can’t find Russian)
1 Pkg. Lipton onion soup mix
8 Chicken Breast (5-6 if you are using Sam’s clubs large defrosted-frozen breasts)
1 Can pineapple rings, drained (or fresh pineapple cut into rings if it is on sell)
Uncle Ben's Wild and long grain rice

 

~Directions~Mix Jam, dressing, and soup mix together. Place chicken in crock pot, pour mixture over top. Place pineapple rings on top. Cook on low for 6-8 hours. (This was way to long, the chicken got over done) 1 hour prior to serving, shred chicken with fork and continue to cook in crock pot so that the chicken absorbs additional juices. Serve over a prepared batch of wild and long grain rice. Serve with a fruit salad or a fresh green salad.

 

Southwest Chicken Nachos

Crock pot

Southwest Chicken Nachos

~Ingredients~
1 small back frozen corn
1 can black beans-drained
1 {16 oz} jar medium salsa {I used half medium and half hot}
2 large frozen, boneless chicken breast
shredded cheese
avocados
sour cream
chopped cilantro
tortilla chips

~Direction~
Pour bag of frozen corn in bottom of crock pot. Place frozen chicken breast on top of corn and cover with rinsed and drained black beans and your salsa. Cook on high for 1 hour, and then on low for 4 hours. {It took mine 2 hours on high to be able to shred} Shred chicken with forks. {After we shredded the chicken we let it cook anther hour to soak in the flavors} Serve with tortilla chips and add toppings to individual servings. The salty crunchy chips make this so good!!

~Stuffed Bell Peppers~

Stuffed Bell Peppers

 

 

Ingredients~6 large bell peppers

1lb ground beef

2 T. finely chopped onions

1 c. cooked rice {measured dry, before cooking}

1t. salt

1 clove garlic, finely chopped

1 {15 oz.} can tomato sauce {0r can of diced tomatoes

3/4 c. shredded mozzarella cheese

 

Directions~

~Cute thin slices from stem of each pepper. Remove seeds and membranes; rinse. Cook peppers in enough boiling water to cover for 5 minutes; drain.

~Cook ground beef and onion in a skillet, stirring frequently, until beef is browned; drain. Stir in salt, garlic, cooked rice, and tomatoes {or sauce}

~Heat through.

~Stuff each pepper with hamburger mixture; stand upright in backing dish. Pour remaining sauce over peppers. {I don't do this}.

~Cover with foil, cook at 350 degree F oven for 45 minutes. Uncover; cook 15 minutes longer.

~Remove from oven and sprinkle with shredded mozzarella cheese.

~Enjoy!!

~Chicken Cordon Blue~

Chicken Cordon Blue

Crock Pot Style

~Ingredients~
8 boneless, skinless chicken breast {We had left overs, I put my
chicken in frozen}
1 t. salt
1/8 t. white pepper {or black}
1 t. dried thyme leaves
8 thin slices of ham
2 onions, chopped {I only did 1}
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 {16oz} jar Alfredo sauce
1 {10oz} cream of chicken soup
2 c. shredded Swiss cheese

~Directions~
1. Sprinkle chicken breast with salt, pepper, and thyme. Wrap a slice of ham around each breast and secure with toothpicks.
2. Place onion and garlic in the crock pot. Top with wrapped chicken breast.
3. Ina medium bowl combine remaining ingredients. Pour into the crock pot. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or until chicken is thoroughly cooked.
I served my chicken with rice and poured the sauce over them

~Italian Baked Penn~

 

Italian Baked Penne

1 package (16oz) penne rigate

1 package (1lb) ground mild Italian sausage

1 c. chopped onion

2 garlic cloves, crushed, or 1/2 garlic powder

1 package {8 oz} sliced fresh white mushrooms

1/4 t ground black pepper

1/2 t. Italian seasoning

1 can {14.5 oz} Italian style diced tomatoes

2 cans {14.5 oz} crushed tomatoes

3 c. fresh spinach, roughly chopped {optional}

8 oz. mozzarella cheese, grated

1 c. grated Parmesan cheese, divided

Preheat oven to 425 degrees

Bring water to boil in large pot of salted water.

Add penne pasta and cook until al dente, about

8 minutes. Drain and return to pan.

While pasta is cooking, heat large skillet over

medium-high heat. Add sausage, onion and garlic

and saute, until sausage is cooked through,

breaking up meat with back of spoon, about 10 minutes.

Add mushrooms and saute 3 minutes. Add pepper,

Italian seasoning and tomatoes to pan.

Simmer, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes.

Combine sausage mixture to pasta, spinach, mozzarella

cheese and 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese.

Pour into 13 X 9 inch glass baking dish. Sprinkle

remaining 2/3 cup Parmesan cheese over.

Bake 15 minutes or until cheese is melted

and sauce is bubbling.

~Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Cookies~

I love this picture with Jolene, she not only has one spoon to lick clean, but two!! These are her favorite cookies.  We got the recipe from our great friend Liz.  We were at her home and she had made these cookies, Jolene had one and before we knew it she had eatten several and still wanted more!! Jolene will request these during the Fall when everything pumpkin is so very yummy!!! 

Cream~

• 1c. can pumpkin
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1/2 c. butter
• 1 c. brown sugar
• beat in 1 egg

Stir in the dry ingredients~

• 2 c. flour
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. nutmeg
• chocolate chips

Bake at 375 degrees for 8-10 minutes.

~Perfect Pumpkin Pancakes~

Perfect Pumpkin Pancakes

I love new recipes!!

This time of year anything pumpkin is a winner.

I found this super yummy recipe idea on a

friend of a friends blog and had to try it.

{wendyshat.blogspot.com}

The whole family loves it!!

Huge hit, and super yummy!!

The whole house smelt incredible!!

3 T. melted butter

1 cup milk

2 eggs

1/2 cup pumpkin puree

3 T. brown sugar

1 t. ground cinnamon

1/2 t. ground nutmeg

1/4 t. ground ginger

1/4 t. ground cloves

1/4 t. salt

1/2 t. baking soda

1 t. baking powder

1 and 1/4 cups flour

In a medium bowl mix all of the wet ingredients

together and then the spices, followed by the flour.

Cook on a griddle like normal pancakes.

Top with warm syrup, and or whip topping

~Chicken Tacos~

Chicken Tacos

Alright, I have found another great recipe. I found this one

on another blog that I love. {jandaandco.blogspot}

The lady is on the quest to drop a few pounds and is helping

her blogging friends with great ideas and recipes. I have

recently lost 15 pounds,

so this low calorie meal sounded perfect

to help keep the weight off!!!

These are only 300 calories for 2!!!!

The best part about these are the

whole family LOVES them!!!

Chicken Tacos

spray butter

white corn tortillas {must be corn}

fat free refried beans or black beans

low fat Mozzarella cheese

bag of Tyson Frozen grilled chicken {pre-cooked}

lettuce

tomatoes

fat free sour cream

green salsa from La Victoria {we used our salsa}

Use a skillet or a griddle and place on stove top

at medium heat. Spread a small layer like a table spoon of

either beans on your corn

tortillas. Spray the bottom of them with the

spray butter and place butter

side down on the skillet.

Add 1 T. of cheese to each tortilla

In the meantime warm the chicken in the microwave.

Once it is warm add it to the tortilla. Let it cook

until it starts to get crispy on the bottom.

Remove from the skillet and place on a plate.

Add your lettuce, chopped tomato, sour

cream and salsa.

So Yummy!!