"Chicken" Bacon Ranch Pizza

It's Pizza Friday! This is another awesome pizza from Stephanie Cooks. There should be chicken in here too, but yours truly forgot to defrost the chicken in time. The accidental omission didn't matter, however; the pizza did just fine without it (though I can't wait to try it again with the chicken). We ate this outside on the patio and my husband repeatedly requested that I make two of these next time.


Chicken Bacon Ranch Pizza
from Stephanie Cooks; originally from Annie's Eats

• 1 batch of pizza dough
• Olive oil
• 1/4 cup ranch salad dressing
• 4 ounces grilled chicken, diced small
• 3 slices of bacon, cooked crisp and diced small
• 1 tomato, seeded and diced small
• 2-3 green onions, chopped
• 3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 1/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Preheat the oven to 450.

Prepare your pizza dough, leaving a thicker edge around the side for the crust. Prepare it on either parchment paper or on a pizza peel topped with corn meal. Drizzle olive oil lightly over the crust and rub it all over the dough, over the edges as well. Bake for 7 minutes.

Top with the ranch salad dressing, spreading evenly over the crust.

Next, arrange your chicken, bacon, and tomato evenly over the dressing.

Top with the cheddar cheese. The sprinkle the mozzarella evenly over top.

Transfer the pizza to the stone. Bake 10-12 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the crust is golden.

Top with the green onions as soon as you pull it from the oven. Serve hot.

Pesto Chicken Thighs with Italian Cream Sauce

I have been trying very hard to significantly cut back on the amount of processed foods I serve my family. However, when Philadelphia introduced their new line of cooking cremes, I admit I was intrigued. This curiosity only increased when I saw this recipe on Picky Palate.

My sauce didn't really come out like hers, but this was still a delicious dinner (and the leftovers for lunch were just fab). The flavors just exude summertime, and this meal was filling and satisfying without being heavy.


Pesto Chicken Thighs with Italian Cream Sauce
from Picky Palate

• 1 pound boneless chicken thighs, fat removed
• 1/2 cup prepared pesto sauce
• 2 cups cooked couscous
• 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 cup freshly shredded Parmesan cheese
• 1 cup Philadelphia Italian Cheese and Herb Cooking Creme

Place chicken thighs and pesto into a large ziplock bag, seal and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place chicken thighs onto a large baking sheet that has been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Bake for 25 to 35 minutes, until chicken is cooked through.

Place cooked couscous, olive oil and parmesan cheese into a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring to combine. Cook until heated through, about 5 minutes. Reduce to heat to low.

Warm Philadelphia Italian Cheese and Herb Cooking Creme into a small saucepan over medium-low heat until warmed. Reduce heat to low.

To serve, place couscous onto a serving plate and top with chicken. Drizzle with warm cooking cream.

Makes 4 servings

Crockpot Chicken Stroganoff - Revisited

A few months ago, I participated in a really fun blogging event - the March Madness of crockpot cooking, hosted on 365 Days of Slow Cooking. One of my assignments was to make Chicken Stroganoff, and I loved it - but I really wanted to try to find a lighter version.

So, with some help from some ladies on an online forum, I adjusted this a bit to include a little less guilt without losing the flavor. Then, instead of egg noodles, I served it over some Israili couscous. Yum!

• 2-3 tablespoons butter
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup low sodium chicken broth
• 1/2 cup low-fat or fat free milk
• 1 1/2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• 1/4 cup chopped onion
• 8oz sliced mushrooms
• 1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce
• 1/2 cup plain lowfat Greek yogurt
• 2 tsp dried parsley
• salt and pepper to taste

In a small saucepan, melt the butter and add the flour. Stir constantly until the flour is incorporated and the mixture is bubbly and thick. Add the milk and broth and stir until thoroughly combined, heated, and thick.

Combine the chicken, onion, mushrooms, broth mixture, and tomato sauce in slow cooker. Cover and cook on LOW for 5-6 hours or on HIGH for 3 hours. Shred the chicken and add in the parsley, yogurt, and and season with salt and pepper. Stir and turn to HIGH. Let sit without lid for 10-15 minutes. Serve over couscous.

Overnight French Toast

I love making fun breakfasts for my families on holidays, but I also don't want to spend my mornings in the kitchen when there are stockings to dig into or eggs to find. This Overnight French Toast was just perfect; I threw it together the night before Easter and then put it in the oven in the morning. By the time the last egg had been uncovered, breakfast was ready!

I can't even begin to articulate how amazing this is. I think it's going to become a permanent brunch staple for me. I was afraid it would be too soggy or sticky, but that's not an issue at all. The texture is mushy, but not in a bad way - in a delightful way!

Overnight French Toast
from Bite This!; adapted from Pillsbury

• 2/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup maple-flavored syrup
• 1 tablespoon margarine or butter
• 10 (1-inch-thick) slices Challah bread
• 4 eggs
• 1 1/2 cups skim milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 teaspoon cinnamondash of nutmeg
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1 to 2 tablespoons powdered sugar1
• 1/4 cups sliced strawberries (optional)

Spray 13x9-inch pan with nonstick cooking spray. In medium saucepan, combine brown sugar, syrup and margarine. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Boil 1 minute.

Pour syrup mixture evenly in bottom of sprayed pan. Arrange bread slices in even layer over syrup mixture. Set aside.

In large bowl, combine eggs, milk, vanilla and salt; beat with wire whisk until smooth. Pour evenly over bread in pan. Cover; refrigerate at least 8 hours or overnight.

To bake, heat oven to 350°F. Uncover pan; bake 30 to 35 minutes or until lightly browned.

To serve, top each serving with 1/4 cup sliced strawberries; sprinkle with powdered sugar.

Pesto Meatballs

I really wish I had photographed these BEFORE putting on the sauce so you can see the amazing color of these Pesto Meatballs from The Food Network Magazine.

I usually bake my meatballs and am not used to frying - I had a few casualties. But the flavor of these meatballs is so intense and powerful that it's worth it. I used store-bought pesto but can only imagine the punch of homemade. What a great summery twist to a go-to comfort meal!

Pesto Meatballs
from The Food Network Magazine, by way of Carrie's Sweet Life

• 2 pounds ground meat
• 1 cup breadcrumbs
• 1 cup pesto
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan

Form into small balls. Cook in a nonstick skillet with olive oil, 10 to 12 minutes.

Carrot Apple Coconut Mini Muffins

My friend Brooke often talks about Weelicious and makes their recipes for her toddlers.  I finally remembered to add it to my Google Reader, and immediately I starred a bunch of stuff.

I made these Carrot Apple Coconut Muffins a few days ago, and my entire family devoured them.  They were so easy to throw together and were absolutely delicious.  I'm normally not a fan of coconut, but it goes so well with the carrot and apple that you can't help but love them.  They definitely didn't last long in my house!

I didn't intend to make any changes, but my grocery store only had sweetened coconut, not unsweetened - but I kind of liked the sweetness they added!

Carrot Apple Coconut Mini Muffins

from Weelicious

• 1 1/2 Cups All Purpose Flour
  
• 1 Tsp Baking Powder
  
• 1/2 Tsp Baking Soda
  
• 1/2 Tsp Salt
  
• 1/2 Cup Unsweetened Coconut Flakes
  
• 2 Carrots, peeled & grated, about 1 cup
  
• 1 Apple, peeled & grated, about 1/2 cup (gala, fuji, pink lady or red delicious are good choices)
  
• 2 Large Eggs
  
• 1 Tsp Vanilla Extract
  
• 1/3 Cup Milk
  
• 1/4 Cup Vegetable or Canola Oil
  
• 1/2 Cup Honey
  

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine the first 7 ingredients in a bowl.

In a separate bowl, combine the remaining ingredients.

Slowly add the dry ingredients into the wet and stir to combine.

Place 1 tbsp of batter into greased mini muffin tins.

Bake for 15 minutes.

Serve.

Cheesy Bacon Pierogie Bake

I have never, before this meal, eaten a pierogie.

I don't know why... I just don't think we ever had them growing up, which means they weren't something I actively sought out in my own cooking.

That will change, though, because this Cooking Light meal was too good to leave as a one-hit wonder.  It's been popping up throughout my food blog world, and for good reason.  This was barely enough for all four of us, though; next time I will double.

Cheesy Bacon Pierogie Bake

barely adapted from Cooking Light

• 1  (16-ounce) package frozen potato and onion pierogies (such as Mrs. T's)
  
• Cooking spray
  
• 3  slices turkey bacon,  chopped
  
• 2  garlic cloves, minced
  
• 1/3  cup  (3 ounces) 1/3-less-fat cream cheese
  
• 1/2  cup  fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth
  
• 1/2  cup  (2 ounces) shredded sharp cheddar cheese
  
• 1/4  cup  thinly diagonally sliced green onions
  
• 1 tomato, seeded and diced
  

1/2  teaspoon  freshly ground black pepper

1. Preheat oven to 400°.

2. Arrange the pierogies in an 11 x 7-inch glass baking dish coated with cooking spray. Cook bacon in a saucepan over medium heat until crisp; remove from pan. Set aside.

3. Add garlic to drippings in pan, and cook for 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Add 1/3 cup cream cheese to pan, and cook for 1 minute or until cream cheese begins to melt, stirring frequently. Gradually add chicken broth to pan, stirring with a whisk until smooth. Pour the cream cheese mixture evenly over pierogies. Top evenly with 1/2 cup cheddar cheese. Bake at 400° for 20 minutes or until bubbly and thoroughly heated. Remove from oven, and sprinkle with bacon, green onions, tomato, and pepper.

Chicken and Veggie Soup with Pasta and Dumplings

As much as I enjoy photography and take pride in what I am learning, I certainly recognize there are plenty of food bloggers with shots that far outshine mine. One thing I do try, however, is to not even bother taking pictures of a recipe if I don't have natural light - in the winter, of course, this means I'm doing most of the snapping on the weekends, and therefore my posting rate drops.

When I made this soup a few days ago, I initially wasn't planning on taking any pics. I figured that if the soup was that good, I'd make it again, and I would just blog about it then. After all, the days are finally starting to get longer here in the northeast!

I changed my mind, though, as soon as the spoon hit my mouth. This is just so freaking delicious that I had to share it immediately, bad photo or not.

This made a ton, which was awesome because I devoured it for lunch for a couple of days. It won't be long before I make this again, and I'll probably throw some in the freezer for the next time I'm sick.


Chicken and Veggie Soup with Pasta and Dumplings
slightly adapted from Everyday with Rachael Ray, March 2011

• 2 tablespoons EVOO
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 3 carrots - peeled, halved lengthwise, and thinly sliced
• 1 rib celery, chopped
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• salt and pepper
• 2 rounded tablespoons flour
• 6-8 cups chicken or vegetable stock
• 1 rounded tablespoon dijon mustard
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh tarragon, dill, or parsley
• one 8-oz box biscuit mix, batter prepared according to package directions
• 3/4 cup tiny pasta (I used stelline), cooked
• 1 1/2 cup cooked shredded chicken

Heat a couple of tablespoons EVOO, two turns of the pan, over medium0high heat in a large soup pot or dutch oven. Add the butter to melt, then add the carrots, celery, and onion; season with salt and pepper. Cover the pot and cook, stirring occasionally, until the carrots soften, 7-8 minutes.

Sprinkle the flour on the vegetables and stir for a minute, then whisk in the stock until thickened. Stir in the mustard and peas. Add a cup or so of water if necessary to reach your desired consistency.

Add the chopped herbs to the biscuit batter and combine. When the soup is bubbling, form the batter into small dumplings using two spoons or an ice cream scoop, then drop onto the surface of the soup. Cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid and cook the dumplings, gently stirring occasionally, until just firm, 8-10 minutes. Gently add the chicken and pasta until warm, and serve.

Crockpot Creamy Wild Rice and Chicken Soup

Poor Ryan woke up with a fever this morning, so I had an unexpected day off with my guy. It's usually little Danny whose illnesses keep me home from work, but today was Ryan's turn.

Between the sickness and the fluffy snowflakes that fell gracefully for most of the morning and afternoon here in NJ, today was the perfect day to double-up on crockpot cooking.


On the right in the bigger pot, I set up some beef stew for dinner, and I used my brand new 4-quart for some delicious creamy soup.

This soup was so unbelievably delicious. I had two bowls for lunch (okay, FINE - three) and even ditched the stew in favor of another big bowl. This might not be the healthiest soup out there, but when it's snowing and you're fending off some kind of cold and your four-year-old has a fever, it hits the spot.

I slightly adjusted the timing/steps of this soup (the original appears below) because I cooked a whole chicken the night before and wanted to use some of that. So I set up the crockpot without the chicken, and added it when I added the roux.


Crockpot Creamy Wild Rice and Chicken Soup
from 365 Days of Slow Cooking

• 4 cups chicken broth
• 2 cups water
• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1 package of long grain and wild rice rice-a-roni
• 1 cup grated carrots
• 1 cup diced celery
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1/4 cup all purpose flour
• 1/4 cup butter
• 2 cups half and half (I used whole milk)

Combine broth, water, carrots, celery, chicken and rice (along with seasoning packet) in a large slow cooker. Cook on low for 6-8 hours.

Take out chicken and shred with two forks and then add back into slow cooker.

In a small bowl combine salt, pepper, and flour. In medium saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Stir in flour mixture by tablespoon to form a roux. Whisk in cream, a little at a time, until fully incorporated and smooth.

Stir cream mixture into slow cooker and then let cook on low for 15 more minutes.

BBQ Turkey Meatloaf

I love Pioneer Woman's BBQ meatballs and a few weeks ago I tried to turn it into a meatloaf recipe.

It did not go well.


Then I suddenly remembered that Brooke made an awesome BBQ meatloaf (thanks to the Neelys!) for us a couple of years go and I went right to her blog to find the recipe.

This meatloaf was really full of flavor and satisfying. While the photos leave much to be desired, rest assured that this was a dinner of comfort.


Ingredients

• Pinch paprika
• Pinch sugar
• Pinch onion powder
• 1 teaspoon crab boil seasoning, (recommended: Old Bay)
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 1 1/2 cups BBQ sauce, reserving 1/2 cup for the top
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 cup chopped red onion
• 1 medium red bell pepper, chopped
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 pounds lean ground turkey
• 1 1/2 cups bread crumbs

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large bowl, mix BBQ seasoning, crab boil seasoning, soy sauce, beaten egg, 1 cup of the BBQ sauce and Worcestershire sauce.

In a saute pan over medium-high heat, add olive oil. Add onion, bell pepper, salt and pepper and garlic. Saute until tender. Remove from heat and add to wet mix.

Pour mixture into bowl with the ground turkey. Add bread crumbs and mix all together with your hands.

Transfer the meat mixture to a cookie sheet or baking pan. Using your hands, shape the meat into an oblong or rectangular shape. *Cook's Note: Alternately, you can pat the meat into a 9 by 5-inch loaf pan and pour 1/2 cup of BBQ sauce on the top of the loaf.

Bake for 35 minutes. Remove and add the reserved 1/2 cup of BBQ sauce to the top and continue to bake for 20 more minutes.

Creamy Spinach and Tortellini

As you know, I love pasta, but really enjoy doing things a little differently once in awhile. I made this tortellini dinner from Cooking for Comfort, and it was indeed comforting. The spinach and tomatoes really rounded out the dinner and made me feel slightly less guilty for consuming a ginormous bowl of tortellini. This was nice and fast - boiling the water for the tortellini was the "long" part. The rest came together as the tortellini were cooking. Delicious, and I will for sure make this again.


Ingredients

• 20 ounce family size package fresh cheese tortellini
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 3 garlic cloves, pressed
• 1 (9 ounce) package frozen chopped spinach in pouch, thawed
  
• 14 ounce can fire roasted tomatoes
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried basil
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 cup whipping cream
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Cook tortellini to desired doneness as directed on package. Drain and return to pot.

Meanwhile, heat oil in large skillet over medium heat until hot. Add onion and garlic; cook until tender and lightly browned, about 4 minutes. Add spinach, tomato, basil, salt, and pepper, cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in whipping cream and Parmesan cheese; cook until mixture just comes to a boil. Pour sauce over tortellini and stir gently to coat. Serve with additional grated parmesan cheese.

Red Velvet Chocolate Drenched Heartcakes

I love making little holiday-themed treats, and Picky Palate has really been my go-to site for this. She's so creative yet her recipes are very easy and fast. I would never think of some of her concoctions, but I love them!


These little red velvet hearts completely fit in with what I was looking for - something easy, yummy, and a little different.

I had a little bit of drama with this recipe, however. I was in Target and stopped to pick up the cake mix and condensed milk. I was going to buy a little heart shaped mold (I had the package IN MY HAND!), but when I saw it, I remembered that I already had one. Score - I saved myself $10.

Then I was all set to make them but the hearts looked much smaller than in the store. Hmm. Sure enough, I realized that what I had was a silicone ice cube tray in heart shapes, and not an oven-save pan.

By now it was two days before Valentine's Day, and by then Target was, of course, sold out of the pans. A couple of different Targets later (made by my wonderful husband and son), however, I was the proud owner of silicone heart-shaped cupcake liners.


Ryan of course helped me make this little treat, and we brought most of them to my parents' house for a pre-Valentine's-Day dinner. I really liked the chocolate ganache, and I used some leftover funfetti sprinkles from our Valentine's Day cupcakes before the chocolate set.


The only thing I did differently was not adding in the extras to the batter that Jenny did - but that was purely because I didn't read the whole recipe. I saw "cake mix" and "eggs" and "oil" and I assumed she was listing the ingredients from the box. It wasn't until later that I realized that she enhanced the cake even more. I'd love to try her version next time - but for now, these straight-out-of-the-box hearts were pretty good!


Ingredients

• 1 box red velvet cake mix, plus the ingredients listed on the box
• 1 small can sweetened condensed milk
• 1 cup chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a stand of an electric mixer prepare the cake mix as directed. With a cookie scoop or spoon, place cake batter into well greased little heart molds or paper lined cupcake tins, just over 1/2 full. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean from center. Remove and let cool. With the help of a plastic knife, carefully remove hearts from molds. If you are using regular cupcakes, remove wrappers. Place little cakes onto a cooling rack placed over a rimmed baking sheet.

2. To prepare chocolate sauce, pour sweetened condensed milk into a small saucepan over medium heat. When hot, pour in chocolate chips and stir until smooth. Pour chocolate sauce over cupcakes and use a little plastic knife to frost the sides of hearts. Let chocolate set slightly or eat immediately if you like it gooey!

about 24 heartcakes

Sweetheart Cinnamon Rolls

I love making special breakfasts for holidays so I really appreciate when these holidays fall on a weekend! We really enjoyed the Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls that I made for Halloween, so I was set on making a Valentine's Day version for this morning.


After some perusing online, I came up with this little creation myself, and if I may pat myself on the back, it was pretty fantastic. When I tasted the icing, I feared it was too sweet, but when spread on the warm rolls, it was perfect.

I loved that they were mini-sized; that made me feel dainty. We devoured these in no time and I can't wait to try different variations.


Ingredients

• 1 tube crescent rolls
• 6 tablespoons of butter, divided
• cinnamon for sprinkling (I probably used about 2-3 teaspoons total)
• 4oz strawberry cream cheese
• 1 1/4 cup powdered sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• pinch of salt

Preheat the oven to 375.

Unroll the rolls so the rectangle is horizontally facing and press the seams together. Melt 2 tablespoons of butter, and then brush it over the dough. Sprinkle with the cinnamon.

Carefully roll the dough into a long cylinder, rolling away from you. Slice into 16 even mini rolls and place in a greased pie plate. Bake for 11-13 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter along with the rest of the ingredients and whisk together (or use your mixer) until smooth.

Spread over warm rolls and enjoy!

Incredible Bundt Cake

As soon as Brooke posted this cake months ago, I went right out and bought the ingredients. So easy and simple and delicious!


I've made it several times since then, and it's always a hit. If I'm serving it during the day, I usually don't even frost it - it makes for a nice pound-cake style treat. For a more decadent dessert, it's frosting all the way!


Ingredients

• 1 yellow cake mix
• 1 small box vanilla pudding
• 1 cup sour cream
• 3 large eggs
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1/4 cup applesauce
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips, divided
• 1 cup chopped pecans, divided

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Using and electric mixer, blend the cake mix, pudding, sour cream, eggs, oil and applesauce 5-6 minutes. Grease and flour a bundt or tube pan. Pour 1/3 of the batter into pan and sprinkle one half of chocolate chips and nuts over it. Pour in remaining batter and top with remaining chips and nuts. Bake 50 to 55 minutes. Cool about 5 minutes, then turn out onto a serving plate; cool completely.

Valentine's Funfetti Cupcakes

When Ryan's preschool class has a party, I like to try to bring in something somewhat healthy for the kiddies. For the Valentine's Day party, I was the first to sign up - and all thoughts of fruits and vegetables escaped from my head and I nabbed the cupcake spot.


Though I used canned icing, I was excited to try a homemade version - I even bought pink and white sprinkles to use. I tried to track down this cake's origin, and I think it started at Baking Bites. But I got it from Amber who got it from Annie... so I hope I'm properly giving credit!

They were, of course, nice and easy to put together, and they were rather yummy! I do think I would make more next time, though - I barely got the 20 I needed (17 kids + 2 teachers + 1 for me to try!) and some were rather dinky. I would probably double this if I were feeding a large crowd.


Of course, it wasn't until I was about to make these that I realized I had only 1 egg. I subbed an individual serving cup of applesauce instead, and they were perfect! And it made me feel better about giving these to a group of 3-year-olds. :)

As usual, I had my trusty helper in the kitchen with me - cowboy pajamas and sticker collection and all!


Ingredients

• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 cup sugar
• 3 large egg whites
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/4 cup rainbow sprinkles

Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour the sides of two 5-inch round cake pans, and line the bottom of the pans with parchment paper.

2. In a small bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Stir together and set aside. In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the egg whites to the bowl and beat until combined. Add in the vanilla and almond extracts and mix until incorporated. Mix in the dry ingredients in three additions, alternating with the milk, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix just until incorporated. Fold in the sprinkles with a spatula.

3. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean (about 30-40 minutes for pans - 20 minutes for cupcakes). Allow to cool in pans 10 minutes, then remove to a wire rack to cool completely. Frost cooled cakes as desired.

Chicken Enchilada Soup

Like many people, I get tons of use out of my crockpot in the winter. What's better than warm, comforting meals that require hardly any effort?

This soup from Brooke is no exception. Aside from a couple of quick chops, this baby was cooking away in no time. And like Brooke, I saved even more time by using Perdue Short-Cuts.

I absolutely loved this, and can't wait to make it again. It's so filling and delicious, and I really don't feel guilty about having seconds. This makes a complete dinner, and the leftovers make for great lunches.


Ingredients

• 1 15-ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes, drained
• 1 10-ounce package frozen whole kernel corn
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1/2 cup chopped yellow, green, or red bell pepper
• 1 10-ounce can enchilada sauce
• 1 10.75-ounce can condensed cream of chicken soup, low-sodium
  
• 2 cups milk (I used skim)
• 4 chicken breasts
• Optional toppings - shredded cheese, sour cream, green onions...
  

In a 3 1/2 to 5 quart slow cooker, combine drained beans, drained tomatoes, corn, onion, and bell pepper. In a large bowl, whisk together enchilada sauce and soup. Gradually whisk in milk until smooth. Pour sauce mixture over ingredients in cooker.Cover; cook on low heat for 6 to 8 hours or on high for 3 to 4 hours. Cut chicken into bite sized cubes. Cook over medium heat until cooked all the way through. Add into soup. Can be topped with avocado, sour cream, or crushed tortilla chips. Sprinkle a little cheese on top before serving.

Healthy Chicken and Mushroom Quesadillas

I think I may have found my new favorite quesadilla. Thanks, Ellie Krieger!

I found these over at Macaroni and Cheesecake awhile ago and am sorry I waited so long to make them. They were nice and quick, and absolutely delicious! There's something hearty yet light (I know, that doesn't make sense!) about the chicken-and-spinach combo, and they even appealed to my picky three-year-old, who is still asking for them.

I cooked these on the panini press, because, well, I feel that everything tastes better coming from the little appliance!

(Confession: I used store-bought grilled chicken which made this meal even faster!)

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• 1 large onion, chopped (about 2 cups)
• 8 ounces white button mushrooms, (about 3 cups)
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 cups cooked chopped skinless, boneless chicken breast (1 breast half)
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 2 cups baby spinach leaves, sliced into ribbons
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
• 4 (10-inch) whole-grain flour tortillas
• 1 cup shredded Mexican cheese mix or Cheddar
• 1/2 cup salsa
• 1/4 cup reduced-fat sour cream

Heat the oil in a large skillet over a medium heat. Add the onions and mushrooms and cook until the mushroom water is evaporated and they begin to brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute more. Add chicken, cumin, chili powder and oregano and stir until all spices are incorporated. Add spinach, salt and pepper and cook until spinach is wilted, about 2 minutes.

Lay 1 tortilla on a flat work surface and sprinkle with 1/4 cup shredded cheese. Spoon 1/2 chicken and vegetable mixture on top of cheese, then top with an additional 1/4 cup cheese. Top with another flour tortilla. Heat a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray over medium heat. Carefully place 1 quesadilla in pan and cook 3 minutes. Using a large spatula, gently flip quesadilla and cook an additional 3 minutes until lightly browned and cheese is melted. Repeat with second quesadilla. Slice each quesadilla into quarters. Place 2 quarters on a plate with 1 tablespoon sour cream and 2 tablespoons salsa.

Marshmallow Swirl Brownies

When I was at Jen's Pampered Chef party last weekend, Brooke brought these awesome Marshmallow Swirl Brownies that she found on, get this, the Pillsbury box. I don't think I've ever even thought to look right below where the directions end - clever! :)

They were so ridiculously delicious (not to mention EASY!) and I couldn't wait to make them myself for our baby-playdate with Colleen. I made them in my Pampered Chef "large bar pan," but any pan would do. Actually, I will probably make them in my 9x13 next time so that they're slightly thicker. Or, I can just use two boxes...



Ingredients

• Cooking Spray
• 1 pkg family-sized fudge brownie mix (plus whatever ingredients are listed on the box)
• 1 (7 oz) jar marshmallow creme
• 1/3 cup chocolate frosting

Heat oven to 350. Prepare brownies as indicated on package with oil, water and eggs. Cool completely.

Spread a thin layer of marshmallow creme over brownies. Place frosting in microwave-safe bowl and microwave on high for 10-20 seconds. Stir until smooth. Drizzle frosting over marshmallow creme. Swirl with knife.

Refrigerate 15 minutes. To cut cleanly, spray a knife with non-stick cooking spray as needed. Store loosely covered in the refrigerator.

Hungry Girl's Lean, Bean Cheesy Enchiladas

Mmm, another victory from Hungry Girl's 200 Under 200 book! These enchiladas make a perfect lunch - yummy, filling, and healthy.

I actually doubled the recipe below so I had 4 of these. One was enough for lunch for me, so I saved the rest and ate them for lunch over the next few days.


Ingredients

• 2 large corn tortillas
• 1 slice fat-free cheddar cheese, cut in half
• 2/3 cup enchilada sauce
• 1/3 cup fat-free refried beans
• 1/4 cup shredded fat-free cheddar cheese
• 1/4 cup chopped onions
• 1 tbsp. taco sauce
• 1/2 tsp. taco seasoning mix, dry
• Optional toppings: fat-free sour cream, chopped scallions

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a pan sprayed with nonstick spray, cook onions over medium heat until they begin to brown (about 2 minutes). In a small dish, combine the onions with the refried beans, taco sauce, and taco seasoning. Mix well. Spray a small baking dish with nonstick spray. Heat tortillas in the microwave until slightly warm. Lay the tortillas on a clean, dry surface, and then spread about 2 tbsp. of the enchilada sauce onto each one. Place one half of the cheese slice on each tortilla. Then, evenly distribute the bean mixture into the center of each tortilla. Wrap the tortillas up tightly, and place them in the baking dish seam side down. Pour the rest of the enchilada sauce over the enchiladas. Bake in the oven for about 10 minutes (until the enchiladas are hot). Remove dish from the oven, sprinkle shredded cheese over the enchiladas, and then return it to the oven for about 5 minutes (until the cheese is nice and melty). Plate those babies and, if you like, top with some of the optional ingredients. Enjoy!

Pastor Ryan's Bolognese Sauce

I am a sucker for trying new sauces. I don't know if it's the bitterness of winter or what, but I've really been in the mood for hearty, chunky bolognese recipes. I remembered that Pioneer Woman had posted a version from her pal Pastor Ryan, and I dug through my reader until I could find it.

And I might never make another version again.


This was just so comforting and warm and cozy and perfect. I honestly had to fight off the urge to just eat this by the spoonful.

The first night, I made a baked gnocchi with it and had plenty of sauce leftover to freeze. I've used it since with tortellini, ravioli, penne... you can make it with anything. It's absolutely fantastic.


Ingredients

• ½ cups Olive Oil
• 1-½ cup Grated Carrots
• 1 cup grated celery
• 1 whole Large Red Onion, Diced
• 2 pounds Ground Beef
• 2 Tablespoons Dried Oregano
• 2 Tablespoons Dried Basil Flakes
• 1 can (6 ounce) tomato paste
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup (to 2 Cups) red wine
• 2 tablespoons worcestershire
• 2 cans (28 Ounce) tomatoes - sauce, puree, crushed, a combination... whatever you want
• 1 cup milk
• Salt And Pepper, to taste
• Fresh Parmesan Cheese

Heat oil in a large Dutch oven or skillet over medium heat. Add grated carrots and onions and cook for a few minutes. Make a well in the center of the mixture, and then add in the ground beef. Cook for a few minutes until brown, gradually stirring it into the carrot mixture.

Throw in oregano and basil. Use fresh if you have it; if you don’t, it’s fine. When the meat is browned and combined with other ingredients, make another well. Add tomato paste and let it heat. Add garlic and stir to combine.

Make a well in the center of the mixture and add red wine. Stir together. Add Worcestershire and stir. Add canned tomatoes. Finally, pour in milk, stir, and let simmer for 30 minutes to 2 hours—however long you need.

Serve with pasta and a generous sprinkling of Parmesan cheese.