Mexican Lasagna
Source: Taste of Home
2 lbs. ground beef
1 can (16 oz.) refried beans
1 can (4 oz.) chopped green chilies
1 envelope taco seasoning
2 tbsp. hot salsa
4 cups (16 oz.) shredded Colby-Monterey Jack cheese, divided
9 lasagna noodles
1 jar (16 ounces) mild salsa
2 cups water
1. In a large skillet, cook beef over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. Stir in the beans, chilies, taco seasoning and hot salsa.
2. In a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish, layer a third of the noodles and meat mixture. Sprinkle with 1 cup of cheese. Repeat layers twice.
3. Combine mild salsa and water; pour over top. Cover and bake at 350° for 1 hour or until heated through.
4. Top remaining cheese. Bake, uncovered, 5 minutes longer. Let stand for 10-15 minutes before cutting.
Yield: 12 servings.
*****
I served this with a little bit of sour cream and some diced tomatoes. This was pretty good. We'll definitely be having it again, but will be splitting this in half and baking in an 8x8-inch pan instead. It's just way too much for our family right now.
Friday, February 22, 2013
Peanut Butter & Chocolate Bars (aka copykat Reese's bars)
Peanut Butter & Chocolate Bars (aka copykat Reese's bars)
Source: Bakerlady
Peanut Butter Layer:
1 cup butter melted
2 cups graham cracker crumbs (use the boxed kind, or grind them in a food processor. Tiny granules.)
2 cups confectioners’ sugar
1 cup peanut butter
Chocolate Layer:
1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
4 tbsp. peanut butter
In a medium saucepan, mix together the melted butter, graham cracker crumbs, confectioners’ sugar, and 1 cup peanut butter until well butter is melted and everything is blended well. Press evenly into the bottom of an ungreased 9×13 inch pan. In a metal bowl over simmering water, or in the microwave, melt the chocolate chips with the peanut butter, stirring occasionally until smooth. Spread over the peanut butter layer. Let cool until chocolate hardens. Carefully cut squares and then refrigerate for at least an hour before eating.
*****
OH MY GOODNESS!!!! This is absolutely perfect! If you have no will power when it comes to sweets, then you should probably cut this recipe in half and make it in an 8x8-inch pan. This has the absolute right taste of a peanut butter cup (the good ones, not the generic ones that never quite taste right).
Source: Bakerlady
Peanut Butter Layer:
1 cup butter melted
2 cups graham cracker crumbs (use the boxed kind, or grind them in a food processor. Tiny granules.)
2 cups confectioners’ sugar
1 cup peanut butter
Chocolate Layer:
1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
4 tbsp. peanut butter
In a medium saucepan, mix together the melted butter, graham cracker crumbs, confectioners’ sugar, and 1 cup peanut butter until well butter is melted and everything is blended well. Press evenly into the bottom of an ungreased 9×13 inch pan. In a metal bowl over simmering water, or in the microwave, melt the chocolate chips with the peanut butter, stirring occasionally until smooth. Spread over the peanut butter layer. Let cool until chocolate hardens. Carefully cut squares and then refrigerate for at least an hour before eating.
*****
OH MY GOODNESS!!!! This is absolutely perfect! If you have no will power when it comes to sweets, then you should probably cut this recipe in half and make it in an 8x8-inch pan. This has the absolute right taste of a peanut butter cup (the good ones, not the generic ones that never quite taste right).
Wednesday, February 20, 2013
Chocolate Popcorn
This probably sounds a bit weird, but it's yummy. Or at least I think it's yummy. I've been craving chocolate like crazy lately. Popcorn is a filling snack, and low calorie depending on how you cook/top it. Chocolate popcorn was the answer to my cravings. It satisfies that chocolate craving without me gobbling down several candy bars. Lol.
Chocolate popcorn
6 tablespoons popping corn (found near the microwaveable calorie dense popcorn in plastic bags or jugs)
1 paper bag, lunch sack size (found in the grocery store on the isle with trash bags/zip lock bags, etc)
1 square of chocolate almond bark (just one square, not the whole bar)
Put the 6 tablespoons of popcorn into the paper bag. Close the bag by folding the top over tightly, twice. Lay the bag on it's side in the microwave (or instead you could use a hot air popcorn maker instead of this method) and cook on high. With my microwave I normally set it for 3 minutes and when I stop it (when you have pauses between the popcorn popping you want to stop it so that it won't burn), I have about 15-45 seconds left. Pour out the popcorn and remove the unpopped kernels.
Now heat up your almond bark in the microwave for 10-15 seconds in a glass or ceramic bowl/cup. Stir and if still lumpy, heat for another 10-15 seconds. Put melted chocolate in a piping bag, or a sandwich bag with a very tiny (important!) hole cut in the corner.
Now what I do next is to start layering my popcorn in the bowl that I store it in. It's about a gallon size bowl. I pour a layer of popcorn to cover the bottom of the bowl. I then drizzle chocolate all over that layer. I then layer more popcorn and repeat with chocolate a second time. And I find that I'm done with this with three layers of popcorn/chocolate. Now all you have to do is put the lid on (so your popcorn doesn't go stale) and set it aside and wait for the chocolate to cool and solidify again.
So yummy! I find that I can make a bowl of this and just grab a handful here and there to satisfy my chocolate cravings and it'll last me about a week or so before it either starts to go stale or I have eaten it all.
Chocolate popcorn
6 tablespoons popping corn (found near the microwaveable calorie dense popcorn in plastic bags or jugs)
1 paper bag, lunch sack size (found in the grocery store on the isle with trash bags/zip lock bags, etc)
1 square of chocolate almond bark (just one square, not the whole bar)
Put the 6 tablespoons of popcorn into the paper bag. Close the bag by folding the top over tightly, twice. Lay the bag on it's side in the microwave (or instead you could use a hot air popcorn maker instead of this method) and cook on high. With my microwave I normally set it for 3 minutes and when I stop it (when you have pauses between the popcorn popping you want to stop it so that it won't burn), I have about 15-45 seconds left. Pour out the popcorn and remove the unpopped kernels.
Now heat up your almond bark in the microwave for 10-15 seconds in a glass or ceramic bowl/cup. Stir and if still lumpy, heat for another 10-15 seconds. Put melted chocolate in a piping bag, or a sandwich bag with a very tiny (important!) hole cut in the corner.
Now what I do next is to start layering my popcorn in the bowl that I store it in. It's about a gallon size bowl. I pour a layer of popcorn to cover the bottom of the bowl. I then drizzle chocolate all over that layer. I then layer more popcorn and repeat with chocolate a second time. And I find that I'm done with this with three layers of popcorn/chocolate. Now all you have to do is put the lid on (so your popcorn doesn't go stale) and set it aside and wait for the chocolate to cool and solidify again.
So yummy! I find that I can make a bowl of this and just grab a handful here and there to satisfy my chocolate cravings and it'll last me about a week or so before it either starts to go stale or I have eaten it all.
Sweet and Spicy Chicken
Sweet and Spicy Chicken
Source: Smashed Peas and Carrots
2.5 lbs. boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 tbsp. cooking oil
1/2 cup low-sodium soy sauce
1/4 cup honey
2 tbsp. brown sugar
1 tsp. ground ginger
4 tsp. minced garlic
1 tbsp. sriracha sauce (can use more, but proceed with caution!)
1 tbsp. cornstarch
Dice chicken into bite-size piences. Heat oil in a large skillet. Cook and brown the chicken in the oil. While chicken is cooking, combine remaining ingredients in a small saucepan. Heat over medium heat until sauce thickens. Once chicken is cooked throughout, pour sauce over top and mix until chicken is well coated. Serve over brown rice.
*****
You can reduce the sauce ingredients by half and still have plenty to cover the chicken. We liked having the extra sauce to blend into the rice some.
*The original recipe calls for half the amount of sauce ingredients, and 2 tablespoons of srirachi sauce. I made the mistake of doubling all of the sauce ingredients. This dish is awesome, but sriracha sauce is really really spicy. My husband who absolutely loves spicy food had a hard time finishing this dish. We loved it, but will definitely proceed with caution with any recipe that calls for sriracha sauce (aka "liquid fire" as I've renamed it) in the future.
Source: Smashed Peas and Carrots
2.5 lbs. boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 tbsp. cooking oil
1/2 cup low-sodium soy sauce
1/4 cup honey
2 tbsp. brown sugar
1 tsp. ground ginger
4 tsp. minced garlic
1 tbsp. sriracha sauce (can use more, but proceed with caution!)
1 tbsp. cornstarch
Dice chicken into bite-size piences. Heat oil in a large skillet. Cook and brown the chicken in the oil. While chicken is cooking, combine remaining ingredients in a small saucepan. Heat over medium heat until sauce thickens. Once chicken is cooked throughout, pour sauce over top and mix until chicken is well coated. Serve over brown rice.
*****
You can reduce the sauce ingredients by half and still have plenty to cover the chicken. We liked having the extra sauce to blend into the rice some.
*The original recipe calls for half the amount of sauce ingredients, and 2 tablespoons of srirachi sauce. I made the mistake of doubling all of the sauce ingredients. This dish is awesome, but sriracha sauce is really really spicy. My husband who absolutely loves spicy food had a hard time finishing this dish. We loved it, but will definitely proceed with caution with any recipe that calls for sriracha sauce (aka "liquid fire" as I've renamed it) in the future.
Crockpot Chicken Taco
Crockpot Chicken Taco
Source: Absolutely no clue
4 chicken breasts
1 pkt. taco seasoning (or 2 tbsp. homemade)
1 cup salsa
1 (10-3/4 oz) can cream of mushroom soup
Mix all ingredients together in slow cooker. Cook on low for 8 hours (or on high for about 4 hours). When chicken is done, shred the chicken and mix everything together. Serve over brown rice or in whole wheat tortillas.
Source: Absolutely no clue
4 chicken breasts
1 pkt. taco seasoning (or 2 tbsp. homemade)
1 cup salsa
1 (10-3/4 oz) can cream of mushroom soup
Mix all ingredients together in slow cooker. Cook on low for 8 hours (or on high for about 4 hours). When chicken is done, shred the chicken and mix everything together. Serve over brown rice or in whole wheat tortillas.
Sausage Gravy
Sausage Gravy
Source: allrecipes.com
1 lb. roll of breakfast sausage
1 lb. roll of hot breakfast sausage
1/2 cup all-purpose flour*
4 cups milk*
16 biscuits
Crumble and cook sausage over medium heat until browned and cooked throughout. Drain off fat; return sausage to pan. Stir in flour slowly until it dissolves. If needed, gradually start adding small amounts of the milk while mixing in the flour. Stir in the remaining milk slowly. Cook gravy until it becomes thick and bubbly. Season with salt and pepper as needed (we don't use any). Serve over hot biscuits.
*If you prefer a less meaty, more gravy sausage gravy, then double the milk and flour to make more gravy.
**This recipe can be frozen. Cool the gravy and divide into bags for freezing. Remove the air from the bags, and lay flat to freeze. To thaw, place bag in refrigerator overnight. To heat, remove from bag and place in a heat safe container. Warm it either in the microwave or on the stovetop.
***Most sausage gravy recipes tell you to make the gravy with the grease from the sausage. I do not do this because it leaves you with a very greasy gravy that is extremely visually unappealing to me, and I will not eat it because of all of the fat.
Source: allrecipes.com
1 lb. roll of breakfast sausage
1 lb. roll of hot breakfast sausage
1/2 cup all-purpose flour*
4 cups milk*
16 biscuits
Crumble and cook sausage over medium heat until browned and cooked throughout. Drain off fat; return sausage to pan. Stir in flour slowly until it dissolves. If needed, gradually start adding small amounts of the milk while mixing in the flour. Stir in the remaining milk slowly. Cook gravy until it becomes thick and bubbly. Season with salt and pepper as needed (we don't use any). Serve over hot biscuits.
*If you prefer a less meaty, more gravy sausage gravy, then double the milk and flour to make more gravy.
**This recipe can be frozen. Cool the gravy and divide into bags for freezing. Remove the air from the bags, and lay flat to freeze. To thaw, place bag in refrigerator overnight. To heat, remove from bag and place in a heat safe container. Warm it either in the microwave or on the stovetop.
***Most sausage gravy recipes tell you to make the gravy with the grease from the sausage. I do not do this because it leaves you with a very greasy gravy that is extremely visually unappealing to me, and I will not eat it because of all of the fat.
Quesadilla Sauce
Quesadilla Sauce
Source: Food.com
1 cup light mayonnaise
4 tsp. minced jalapenos (jarred)
4 tsp jalapeno juice (from the jar)
2-3 tsp. sugar
2 tsp. cumin
2 tsp. paprika
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. salt
Combine all ingredients until wel mixed. Refrigerate for several hours before using.
Spread approximately 1-2 tablespoon on one side (inside) of the tortilla and place your other quesadilla toppings on top.
Makes approximately 16 servings.
*****
We absolutely LOVE this sauce. It adds a certain zing to homemade quesadillas that was previously missing. I thought it was a bit too sweet but the husband thought it was perfect. I will probably use 2 teaspoons of sugar next time instead of the three teaspoons that the recipe originally called for. We like a lot of sauce on our quesadillas, and also use large tortillas when we make them, so there's no way this amount would cover sixteen quesadillas. I think that we made about twelve or fourteen though with the sauce before we used it all.
Source: Food.com
1 cup light mayonnaise
4 tsp. minced jalapenos (jarred)
4 tsp jalapeno juice (from the jar)
2-3 tsp. sugar
2 tsp. cumin
2 tsp. paprika
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. salt
Combine all ingredients until wel mixed. Refrigerate for several hours before using.
Spread approximately 1-2 tablespoon on one side (inside) of the tortilla and place your other quesadilla toppings on top.
Makes approximately 16 servings.
*****
We absolutely LOVE this sauce. It adds a certain zing to homemade quesadillas that was previously missing. I thought it was a bit too sweet but the husband thought it was perfect. I will probably use 2 teaspoons of sugar next time instead of the three teaspoons that the recipe originally called for. We like a lot of sauce on our quesadillas, and also use large tortillas when we make them, so there's no way this amount would cover sixteen quesadillas. I think that we made about twelve or fourteen though with the sauce before we used it all.
Monday, February 18, 2013
"Perfect" Brown Rice - Stovetop Method
Perfect Brown Rice Every Time
Source: Skinny Taste
1 cup natural brown rice
8 cups cold water
1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
Rinse the rice with cold water for 30 seconds. Bring the water and salt to a boil over high heat in a large heavy pot with a tight fitting lid.
When the water is boiling add the rice, stir and partially cover (don't cover completely or it will spill over) and cook on medium-high heat for 30 minutes.
Drain the rice in strainer, then quickly return to the pot and cover tightly for 20 minutes so the steam finishes cooking the rice. Uncover the rice and fluff with a fork.
Makes about 3 1/2 cups. Different rice varieties may yield different amounts.
Servings: 5 • Serving Size: 3/4 cup • Old Points: 3 pt • Points+: 4 pt
Calories: 150 • Fat: 0 g • Protein: 3 g • Carb: 32 g • Fiber: 1 g • Sugar: 0 g
***
I tried this method because I needed to make a small batch of brown rice and I didn't want to pull out my rice cooker just for a little bit. Plus, with my rice cooker, I swear I never know how long it's going to take for the rice to cook and I can never seem to get the water to rice ratio perfect (even with advice some "professional" rice cooker friends, lol).
This was perfect. I cooked the rice exactly as described above and I was very pleased with the outcome. I'm using this rice for my lunches this week in a chicken, bean and rice bowl. Recipe to follow soon.
Source: Skinny Taste
1 cup natural brown rice
8 cups cold water
1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
Rinse the rice with cold water for 30 seconds. Bring the water and salt to a boil over high heat in a large heavy pot with a tight fitting lid.
When the water is boiling add the rice, stir and partially cover (don't cover completely or it will spill over) and cook on medium-high heat for 30 minutes.
Drain the rice in strainer, then quickly return to the pot and cover tightly for 20 minutes so the steam finishes cooking the rice. Uncover the rice and fluff with a fork.
Makes about 3 1/2 cups. Different rice varieties may yield different amounts.
Servings: 5 • Serving Size: 3/4 cup • Old Points: 3 pt • Points+: 4 pt
Calories: 150 • Fat: 0 g • Protein: 3 g • Carb: 32 g • Fiber: 1 g • Sugar: 0 g
***
I tried this method because I needed to make a small batch of brown rice and I didn't want to pull out my rice cooker just for a little bit. Plus, with my rice cooker, I swear I never know how long it's going to take for the rice to cook and I can never seem to get the water to rice ratio perfect (even with advice some "professional" rice cooker friends, lol).
This was perfect. I cooked the rice exactly as described above and I was very pleased with the outcome. I'm using this rice for my lunches this week in a chicken, bean and rice bowl. Recipe to follow soon.
Sunday, February 3, 2013
Easy (Make Ahead) Garlic (Cheesy) Bread
We LOVE garlic cheesy bread. Problem is that we've been buying the premade frozen garlic cheesy bread at $3-$3.50/loaf of bread. That adds up and kills the grocery budget over time.
Easy (Make Ahead) Garlic (Cheesy) Bread
Source: Life As A Mom
1 large loaf bread, sliced lengthwise
1 stick of butter (1/2 cup), softened
2 tsp. minced garlic (jarred, or two cloves minced)
1/2 tsp. dried parsley flakes
*Shredded mozzarella cheese (if making cheesy bread)
Mix butter, garlic and parsley flakes together. Spread in a thick layer onto bread. If making cheesy bread, add a thin layer of shredded mozzarella cheese and flash freeze*. *If just making garlic bread, you don't have to flash freeze before proceeding. Place the two sides of the bread together (making it whole again) and wrap tightly with foil.
To cook from fresh or thawed out: Bake at 375* for 25 minutes (wrapped in foil still if only garlic bread. If cheesy bread, open foil and lay bread side by side on baking sheet and bake until cheese is melted and bread starts to crisp - I'm not sure how long that will take at this temperature).
To cook from frozen: Bake at 375* for 35-40 minutes (wrapped in foil), or if making cheesy bread, unwrap and place bread side by side on baking sheet and bake at 400* for 9-15 minutes until cheese is melted and bread is starting to brown/crisp on edges.
*I always make ours and then cook at 400* for about 10-15 minutes. When freshly made, it takes about 10 minutes to start becoming crisp on the edges and when frozen, it takes about 15 minutes.
Easy (Make Ahead) Garlic (Cheesy) Bread
Source: Life As A Mom
1 large loaf bread, sliced lengthwise
1 stick of butter (1/2 cup), softened
2 tsp. minced garlic (jarred, or two cloves minced)
1/2 tsp. dried parsley flakes
*Shredded mozzarella cheese (if making cheesy bread)
Mix butter, garlic and parsley flakes together. Spread in a thick layer onto bread. If making cheesy bread, add a thin layer of shredded mozzarella cheese and flash freeze*. *If just making garlic bread, you don't have to flash freeze before proceeding. Place the two sides of the bread together (making it whole again) and wrap tightly with foil.
To cook from fresh or thawed out: Bake at 375* for 25 minutes (wrapped in foil still if only garlic bread. If cheesy bread, open foil and lay bread side by side on baking sheet and bake until cheese is melted and bread starts to crisp - I'm not sure how long that will take at this temperature).
To cook from frozen: Bake at 375* for 35-40 minutes (wrapped in foil), or if making cheesy bread, unwrap and place bread side by side on baking sheet and bake at 400* for 9-15 minutes until cheese is melted and bread is starting to brown/crisp on edges.
*I always make ours and then cook at 400* for about 10-15 minutes. When freshly made, it takes about 10 minutes to start becoming crisp on the edges and when frozen, it takes about 15 minutes.
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