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Showing posts from 2011

Macaroni and Cheese

I made this recipe for the second time tonight.  As I was eating cold leftovers after my workout, and still thinking it was pretty delicious, I decided it was post worthy.  I got this from allrecipes.com, but I didn't keep the original link.  This is pretty quick to make, and doesn't require any baking.  A very yummy alternative to fake cheese!  I'm not sure how many calories are in this, but probably a lot. Ingredients: 2 large eggs 1 (12 ounce) can evaporated milk 1/4 tsp hot pepper sauce 1/2 tsp salt 1/4 tsp black pepper 1 tsp dry mustard, dissolved in 1 tsp of water 1/2 pound dry elbow macaroni (about 2 cups) 4 Tbs unsalted butter 12 oz cheddar cheese (about 3 cups) Directions: 1. Mix eggs, 1 cup evaporated milk, pepper sauce, salt, pepper, and mustard mix in a bowl, set aside. 2. Heat 2 quarts water to boil.  Add macaroni and cook until almost tender, but still a little bit firm.  Drain and return to pan over low heat.  Add butter and toss to melt.  3.

Quick Prep Lasagna

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If you haven't noticed, I really like to make simple, easy, Italian food. This lasagna is super easy and my kids love it. I usually make two 8 x 8 pans of it, one for that day and then I stick one in the freezer for later in the month. 1 lb. ground beef 1/2 cup chopped onion (if I don't have an onion I just sprinkle the meat with some onion powder, to taste) 1/8 tsp garlic salt (I usually use chopped garlic that I buy in bulk, but we really like garlic) 1 jar spaghetti sauce 3/4 cup water 3/4 pkg. noodles 2 cup cottage cheese 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese (I just use the kind from the can) 1 T. parsley 3 cups mozz. cheese Brown meat in skillet. Add onion and garlic. Cook and add spaghetti sauce and water. In 9 x 13 baking dish place 1/3 sauce mixture on bottom, noodles next (uncooked) and half of cottage cheese and shredded cheese. Repeat layers. Finish with last third of sauce. Top with Parmesan cheese and parsley. Cover with foil and bake at 375 for 1 hour. Unc

Fajita Seasoning

I meant to post this a while ago, because this works great with the Southwest Chicken Salads.   This is really easy to make and I just store it in a plastic bag with my other seasonings.  I make chicken fajitas a lot and this is really tasty and easy.  3 Tbsp cornstarch 2 Tbsp chili powder 1 Tbsp salt 1 Tbsp paprika 1 Tbsp sugar 2 1/2 tsp crushed chicken bouillon 1 1/2 tsp onion powder 1/2 tsp garlic powder 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (or less if you like it less spicy) 1/2 tsp cumin 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes Combine all ingredients in a small bowl.  Pour into a glass or plastic container, seal tightly and store in a cool, dry place.  Makes equivalent of 3 packets of Fajita Seasoning Mix (about 3 TBS each).  

Parmesan Sage Pork Chops

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I don't remember eating pork chops growing up, but we eat them about once a week in our house,  partly because I found this tasty recipe on allrecipes.com.  The only down side in summer is that I hate cooking anything in the oven when it's hot weather because it makes our house extra hot.  But today is rainy and in the 70s so we are having these tonight. Ingredients 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour 1/4 teaspoon salt Dash pepper 3/4 cup soft bread crumbs 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese 1 1/2 teaspoons rubbed sage 1/2 teaspoon grated lemon peel 1 egg, lightly beaten 2 bone-in pork loin chops 1 tablespoon olive or vegetable oil 1 tablespoon butter or margarine Directions In a shallow dish, combine the flour, salt and pepper. In another shallow dish, combine the bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, sage and lemon peel. Place egg in shallow bowl. Coat pork chops with flour mixture, dip in egg, then coat with bread crumb mixture. Let stand for 5 minutes. In a skille

Grilled Shrimp Tacos

So I don't usually like to brag, but sometimes I do a little bit.... I just made the most incredible dinner tonight. The kids ate every bite, including Jane, and Matt couldn't stop groaning.....it got kind of awkward there for a minute. Anyway, what makes this recipe delicious is the plethera of lime, cilantro, avacado and garlic. Best four ingredients out there. Hands down. If you like them, you will like this. Try it! Grilled Shrimp Tacos (from the Real Simple magazine) Ingredients 1/2 cup sour cream 3 tablespoons mayonnaise 3 tablespoons milk 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin 1 1/2 pounds large shrimp, peeled 3 tablespoons butter, melted 2 large garlic cloves, minced 4 limes, cut into quarters kosher salt 8 6-inch corn tortillas  to 3 cups finely shredded green cabbage bottled green tomatillo salsa ( I used fresh mango salsa instead) Directions Heat grill to medium-high. In a small bowl, whisk together the sour cream, mayonnaise, milk, and cumin.

Lemon Garlic Tilapia

When I was making the tilapia recipe of Bethany's, I bought 4 pounds of tilapia.  In an effort to change things up and use all of our tilapia, I went in search of another recipe.  I found this recipe on allrecipes.com , but I have modified it quite a bit.  We had this last night and it was sooooo good.  I guess anything will taste pretty good if you put that much butter and garlic on it, but I'm okay with that.  The original recipe called for tilapia, but I think I will also try it with salmon.  It would probably work with any kind of fish. 4 Tilapia Fillets 3-4 cloves of garlic, crushed 4 Tbs butter 2 Tbs freshly squeezed lemon juice 1 tsp of dried parsley salt pepper 1/2 Tbs butter 1/2 cup crushed corn flakes 1. In a saucepan, melt butter and saute garlic for about 5 minutes over medium heat.  Turn off heat and add lemon juice and parsley. 2. Place fish fillets in a baking dish and sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Drizzle sauce over fish.  3. Melt 1/2 Tbs

Southwest Chicken Salad

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This is mom's recipe of course, but I have asked her for it at least twice recently so now I am putting it here so I will always have it to reference. :-) The toppings (we didn't do onion or olives, personal preference) Southwest Chicken Salad 6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts 1 head lettuce 1 pkg. Fajita seasoning 3 T oil 2 T plus 1 1/2 tsp lime juice 1 1/2 tsp garlic powder 1/2 med red onion, thinly sliced 1 large tomato, cut in wedges 1-2 1/2 oz can sliced olives, drained 1 avocado, thinly sliced   Dressing: 3/4 cup Italian Dressing 2 sp chopped fresh cilantro 1/2 tsp hot pepper sauce or to taste 1/2 tsp lemon pepper 1/2 tsp chili powder   Combine in small bowl: 1 pkg Fajita seasoning, oil, lime juice and garlic powder. Place chicken breasts in large Zip-lock bag. Add seasoning mixture, seal and marinate in fridge at least 30 min or overnight. remove chicken from marinade. Grill or broil until chicken is no longer pink in center. Cool slightly. C

Oven Cooked Barbecue Pork Ribs

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Country style pork ribs were on sale this week, so I bought some.  I didn't know what to make with them, so I looked up a recipe on the internet.  Finding random recipes doesn't always turn out well, but this one was awesome.  Pork is often tough when I cook it, but this was really tender and delicious.  The original recipe is from here , but I modified it a little bit since I had country style pork ribs instead of ribs with the bone in.  4 lbs country style pork ribs   3/4 cup light brown sugar 1 tablespoon paprika   1 tablespoon garlic powder   1/2 teaspoon ground red pepper (optional)   1 tablespoon liquid smoke 2 cups of your favorite barbecue sauce (mine is Sweet Baby Ray) 1. Preheat oven to 275 degrees f. 2. Mix together sugar and spices to make a rub. 3. Lay ribs on two

Scalloped Potatoes (aka Funeral Potatoes)

I figure everyone knows how to make these, but they are a family favorite, so I thought I would share it. Ingredients: 8-9 potatoes 1/2 cup melted butter 2 cans cream of chicken soup 1 pint sour cream 1/3 cup green onions, chopped 1 cup crushed corn flakes 2 tablespoons melted butter Preparation Instructions: 1. Boil potatoes in jackets until tender when pierced with a fork, about 30 minutes.  When cool, peel potatoes and then slice or dice.  Put potatoes in a greased 9x13 pan. 2. Mix together 1/2 cup melted butter, cream of chicken soup, sour cream, and green onions.  Poor mixture over potatoes.  Sprinkle corn flakes over top and top with 2 Tbs melted butter. 3. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.  Can be prepared and stored in the refrigerator for two or three days before being baked.

Baked Asparagus

1 bunch fresh asparagus, trimmed cooking spray 2 Tbsp. Butter 1 Tbsp. Soy Sauce 1 tsp. Balsalmic Vinegar Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Coat asparagus with cooking spray. Add salt and pepper. Bake 12 minutes or until tender. Melt butter over medium heat. Remove from heat and stir in soy sauce and vinegar. Pour over baked asparagus to serve.

Broccoli Cheese and Carrot Soup

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I think there are a million versions of this recipe out there, but I love this one because it has really simple ingredients that I pretty much always have on hand.  Plus, it is super delicious.  I make it all the time. This feeds maybe 3 or 4 people, so you might want to double/triple it according to your family size. If you wanted to make it lower sodium, you could use 1 1/2 cups low sodium chicken broth instead of the bouillon and water.  2 cups fresh broccoli 1/2 cup carrot, sliced 1/4 cup onion, chopped 1 1/2 cups water 1 1/2 teaspoons instant chicken bouillon 1 1/2 cups milk 3 tablespoons flour 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon pepper 1 tablespoon butter 3/4 cup grated cheese 1. Separate broccoli florets and trim stalks.  Combine broccoli florets, carrots, onion, water and chicken bouillon in a large saucepan. 2. Cover and cook on medium heat until vegetables are tender, about 8 minutes. 3. With whisk, combine milk, flour, salt, and pepper until smooth.  Stir into veg

Easy Stuffed Shells

1 box Jumbo pasta shells 1 small pakage of frozen spinach, steamed and drained 2 cups shredded mozzarella 1/2 cup shredded parmesan 2 cups cottage cheese lemon pepper 1 jar spaghetti sauce Cook shells according to package directions. Let cool (enough that you can handle them). Steam spinach and drain. Combine cheeses and spinach. Mix well and add lemon pepper to taste (the original recipe calls for 2 tsp. but measuring is a pain).  I usually make 2 8x8 pans of this, one for dinner that night and one to stick in the freezer for later. It can also be made in a 9x13 casserole. If making 2 pans fill the shells a little bit less in order to fill both pans. Pour a thin layer of sauce on the bottom of the pan. Stuff shells with desired amount of cheese mixture and place in a single layer. Spoon the rest of the sauce over the top and then top with a little extra mozzarella. Bake at 375 for 30 minutes. Let sit 5 to 10 minutes before serving.

Crunchy Oven-Fried Fish

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First of all, I think this is a great idea and I hope everyone will post lots of their favorite recipes.  I feel like I call for recipes all the time, especially mom, so this is a good way to share and keep them organized in one place too, so thanks Rachel! I'm making this fish tonight, and it's really yummy so I thought I would post the recipe for you guys to try.  I love, love, fried fish and it's really tempting to order it all the time with all the great seafood we have out here in MA, but it's not the healthiest choice.  I found this recipe in a recent Weight Watchers magazine and decided to try it, as it claims is is just like the "reel" deal, and I have to say, it is about as close as you can get. Enjoy! Prep: 20 min - Bake: 20 min - Serves: 4 1/4 C all-purpose flour 3 large egg whites 1/3 C fat-free mayonnaise 2 T all-purpose flour 3/4 t paprika 1/2 t garlic powder 4 high-fiber crispbreads, crushed 1 1/2 t olive oil 1/4 t salt 1/4 t black

Spaghetti Sauce

Here is my spaghetti sauce recipe for those of you who thought it was so good.  1 pound ground beef (optional) 1 tablespoon olive oil 1/2 cup onion chopped 1 small zucchini chopped 4 mushrooms chopped (or however many you like) 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder 1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste 2 (8 ounce) cans tomato sauce* 1 1/4 cups water 2 teaspoons salt 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce 1 tablespoon sugar 1/2 teaspoon basil 1/2 teaspoon black pepper 1 tablespoon parsley flakes 1. In a saucepan, heat olive oil and cook onion, zucchini, and mushrooms until onion is transparent.  Set aside. 2. Brown ground beef. Drain.  Add vegetables to the beef. (or if you want vegetarian just skip the meat.) 3. Add garlic powder, tomato paste, tomato sauce, and water. 4. Add remaining ingredients. 5. Simmer uncovered for 30 minutes. 6. Serve over cooked pasta of choice with grated Parmesan cheese if desired. *You can do 2 cans tomato paste with 2 1/2 cups of water if you prefer, or you

Chocolate Chip Cookies

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This is by far my favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe.  We make them all the time and they always turn out delicious. I find that the 10 minute cooking time is perfect, any longer and they get a little too crispy.  2½ cups rolled oats 2 cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon baking soda 3/4 teaspoon salt 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature 1 cup granulated sugar 1 cup brown sugar 2 eggs 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 8-12 ounces chocolate chips (we prefer a mix of semi sweet and milk chocolate) 1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. 2. Blend the oats in a food processor or blender to a fine powder. Mix together the blended oats with the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside. 3. Cream together the butter and both sugars until light and fluffy, 3-4 minutes. Beat in the eggs and vanilla extract. On low speed gradually mix in the flour mixture, beating just until incorporated. Gently mix in the chocolate chips. 4. Roll t