Southwest Sliders

1 lb ground beef
slices of cheese
1 (8oz) can refried beans
shredded lettuce
sliced tomatoes
guacamole
sour cream
10 small buns or King's Hawaiian rolls

1. Divide beef into 10 small patties.  Grill until done.
2. Melt cheese on top of patties.
3. Cut buns in half.  Place a small amount of refried beans on the bottom of each bun.  Top with shredded lettuce.
4. Place beef patty on top of lettuce.
5. Add tomato and guacamole.
6. Top with sour cream and place other bun on top.

(Adapted from a Six Sisters' Stuff recipe)

Caesar Tortellini

I love this main dish salad.  It is so simple and delicious.  I feel like I'm cheating since it uses a bag of Caesar salad mix, but at this point in my life I need a few easy recipes.

1 package (9oz) refrigerated cheese-filled tortellini
1 bag complete Caesar salad mix
1 large tomato chopped
1/4 cup bacon bits (you can omit this if you don't like bacon, but it's really good)

• Cook and drain tortellini as directed on package.  Rinse with cold water; drain.
• Toss tortellini, salad mix ingredients, tomato and bacon. 
• Serve imediately.  It makes 4 servings.

Cheesy Stuffed Shells

1 container (16oz) Low-Fat cottage cheese
1 package (10oz) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and well-drained
1 cup shredded Mozzarella cheese, divided
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
20 jumbo pasta shells, cooked and drained
1 jar (26oz) spaghetti sauce
1 large tomato, chopped

1. Preheat oven to 400.
2. Mix cottage cheese, spinach, 1/2 cup of the mozzarella cheese, Parmesan cheese and Italian seasoning until well blended.
3. Combine spaghetti sauce and chopped tomatoes.
4. Spoon half of the sauce into a 9x13-pan. 
5. Spoon 1 heaping Tablespoon of the cheese mixture evenly into the pasta shells.
6. Place shells, filled sides up, in baking dish.
7. Spoon remaining sauce over the shells. 
8. Cover with tin foil.
9. Bake 25 minutes or until heated through.
10. Uncover; top with remaining cheese.
11. Bake, uncovered 2-5 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Crispy Coconut Chicken Fingers

Ricky made this for dinner tonight.  Even Merrick, our vegetarian, ate it.  He hasn't eaten meat in over 6 months and especially hates chicken - so this recipe is definitely a keeper for our family.

1 cup coconut
1/2 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1-1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breats halves cut into 1-inch strips
1 egg, lightly beaten

Preheat oven to 400.  Mix coconut, flour, salt, pepper and garlic powder in medium bowl.  Dip chicken strips in egg, then coat with coconut mixture.  Place on cookie sheet to bake.  Bake 25 minutes or until chicken is browned, turning after 15 minutes.  We dipped the strips in teriyaki sauce.  Yum!

Potato Turnip Ham Chowder

This soup is a great way to use up ham.  It is also a way great way to eat turnips.  They taste exactly like potatoes, so picky eaters will never even know.  I adapted this recipe from the Nelson Family Food Fare Cookbook.

2 large turnips (you can use potatoes instead if you don't have turnips on hand)
2 large potatoes
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 teaspoon salt
pepper
1/4 teaspoon paprika
3 tablespoons flour
2 cups milk
2-1/3 cup water
2 cups diced ham
1 can corn
parsley

• Peel and dice potatoes and turnips.
• In large pot, melt butter.
• Add onion and cook until tender.
• Add potatoes, 2 cups water and seasonings.  Cover and simmer until potatoes are tender.
• Make paste of flour and 1/3 cup water.  Add it to potato mixture.
• Add milk and cook until slightly thickened; stirring constantly.
• Stir in undrained corn and ham.  Heat thoroughly.
• Before serving, sprinkle with parsley.

Chard Tacos

I recieved chard in my bag of vegetables from my CSA this week.  I found this recipe and it was delicious.  I will definitely be making it again.  It's so easy, and as you can see from the directions you can play around with it and make it your own.  It's not important to use exact amounts. 

1-1/2 teaspoons olive oil
1/2 large onion diced or sliced (however you prefer)
1 or 2 cloves garlic, minced (you can put more if you want a stronger garlic flavor)
1/2 cup chicken broth (or veggie broth if you are vegetarian)
1 bunch swiss chard, tough stems removed leaves cut crosswise into 1-1/2inch slices
corn tortillas (I prefer white corn tortillas)
cheese, salsa, ranch (whatever taco toppings you like)

1. Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat.  Stir in the onion and cook until the onion is soft and golden brown (6-10 minutes depending on the size of your onion pieces).
2. Add the garlic, chard and broth.  Cover and reduce heat to low.  Simmer until chard is almost tender, about 5 minutes.
3. Remove lid and increase heat to medium.  Stir until the liquid evaporates, about another 5 minutes.
4. Warm the tortillas in another skillet until they are warm.  I like the small tortillas.  Fill with chard and taco toppings.

Mexican Haystacks

I got the basic idea for this meal from the Ivory Family Favorites cookbook. I changed a lot of ingredients to tailor the meal to my family's taste buds.

2 pounds boneless skinless chicken
1 large onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, diced
2 cans diced tomatoes
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
1 tablespoon cumin
1/3 cup lime juice

Put all ingredients except lime juice in a crockpot. Cook on high 4-6 hours or until chicken is done. Add lime juice just before serving.

Serve with: rice, chopped tomatoes, shredded cheese, sliced olives, sliced green peppers, sliced yellow peppers, salsa, sour cream, crushed tortilla chips, etc.

Cheesy Enchiladas

This is a tasty meatless enchilada.

1-1/2 cups cottage cheese
2 cups shredded cheese
3 small tomatoes, chopped (1-1/2 cups)
6 medium green onions sliced
1 teaspoon taco seasoning or chili powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 small garlic gloves, finely chopped
12 corn tortillas (6-inch diameter)
1 can green enchilada sauce

• Heat oven to 375. Spray an 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray.
• Mix cottage cheese, 1 cup cheese, the tomatoes, onions, taco seasoning, salt and garlic. Spread the cheese mixture on the tortillas (about 1/3 cup per tortilla). Roll up tortillas; place seam side down. Spoon enchilada sauce over tortillas.
• Sprinkle with remaining cheese.
• Bake uncovered 15-20 minutes or until hot and cheese is melted.

Easy Chicken and Broccoli

I have been trying to find meals that Merrick can eat easily along with the family. This one fits the bill. It's definitely not gourmet, but the kids polish it off. It sticks to baby spoons/forks so little ones can feed themselves. That makes Merrick very happy.

1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into chunks
3 cups frozen broccoli (I use the broccoli cuts instead of the florets so that it is easier for Merrick to eat)
1 can (10oz) cream of mushroom soup
1 soup can water
1-1/2 cups instant white rice, uncooked
1 cup shredded cheese

• Spray large skillet with cooking spray. Add chicken chunks and cook until chicken is done.
• Add broccoli, soup and water. Bring to a boil.
• Stir in rice. Sprinkle with cheese; cover. Reduce heat to low and cook for 5 minutes.
  

Southwest Salad

This is so easy to make. It tastes light and fresh - perfect for a hot summer day.

6 cups torn lettuce (choose your favorite kind - romaine, red leaf, green, etc.)
1 can (15-oz) black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can corn
3/4 cup salsa
1/2 cup shredded cheese
1/4 cup light Ranch dressing
1 cup tortilla chips, broken

• Arrange lettuce in the bottom of a glass serving bowl.
• Layer beans, corn, salsa and cheese over the top.
• Drizzle with dressing and sprinkle with chips.
  

Chicken Crunch

Weird, but true - the coating for this chicken is made with Cap'n Crunch. I guess something like this is served at Planet Hollywood. I found the recipe in a copycat recipe book I have and decided to make it for Father's Day since Ricky's a big fan of Cap'n Crunch.

Creole Mustard Sauce:
6 tablespoons dijon mustard
9 tablespoons mayonnaise
3 teaspoons yellow mustard
3 teaspoons cream-style horseradish
3 teaspoons honey

Vegetable oil for frying
6 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
4 cups Cap'n Crunch cereal
1 cup cornflake crumbs
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
2 eggs, beaten
2 cups milk

1. Preheat oil in a deep pan to 375. You want to use enough oil to completely cover chicken 1-2 inches deep.
2. Combine all of the ingredients for the creole mustard sauce. Chill the sauce while the chicken is prepared.
3. Cut each chicken breast, lengthwise, into 5 long slices (chicken fingers).
4. Smash the Cap'n Crunch into crumbs using a food processor.
5. Combine the cereals, onion powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper in a medium bowl.
6. Combine the egg with the milk in a separate bowl.
7. Dredge each piece of chicken in the milk mixture, then completely coat it with the dry mixture.
8. When the oil if hot, fry the chicken for 4-6 minutes or until golden brown and crispy. Remove to paper towels to drain. Serve hot with Creole Mustard sauce on the side for dipping.
   

Taco Stew

The boys and I adapted this from a recipe in the Friend magazine. All the boys loved it - even little M.

1 pound ground beef
2 tablespoons taco seasoning
3 tablespoons light ranch dressing
1 cup beef broth
1 cup water
1 (15-oz) can red kidney beans, including juice
1 (15-oz) can black beans, including juice
1 (15-oz) can corn, drained
1 (15-oz) can green beans, drained
1 cup chopped tomatoes or 1 (15-oz) can diced tomatoes, drained
tortilla chips
grated cheese
lettuce

1. Cook ground beef.
2. Put the meat into a large pot. Stir in the taco seasoning and ranch dressing. Add all the remaining ingredients and mix well.
3. Bring the soup to a boil. Put the lid on the pot and cook on low for half an hour.
4. Serve with tortilla chips, cheese and lettuce.
   

Homemade Mac 'n Cheese

Easy and cheesey. My mom used to make us homemade mac 'n cheese on the stovetop when we were growing up. I'm not a big fan of the store boxed macaroni's, so I like to make this for my boys.

macaroni noodles (one 12 or 16-oz box or however many noodles you want)
skim milk
cheese (choose your favorite - I use a cheddar/Monterrey jack blend)
pepper (or other seasonings of your choice)

Cook the noodles until they are done. Add 2-3 cups cheese depending on how cheesey you like it. Add about 1/4 cup milk. Add seasoning to taste. I love lemon pepper on it. Sometime we mix in ranch dressing for a different taste.

Fiesta Pasta Salad

This is one of my favorite pasta salads. I discovered this at my mother-in-law's house. She made this one night when E and F were just babies. Everyone in the family was secretly stealing bites of it even though it was supposed to be for a function at Madie's school the next day. When she brought home the leftovers Ricky and I had some and loved it. We have enjoyed making it at least once a summer ever since. It makes a HUGE amount, so make sure you have someone to share it with.

Dressing:

1 package Fiesta Ranch salad dressing mix (I can never find this kind so I just use the regular ranch dressing mix and add some taco seasoning)

2 cups buttermilk

2 cups mayonnaise

Salad:

16-oz package spiral pasta, cooked

1/2 small red onion, diced

16-oz can kidney beans, drained and rinsed

1 can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed

1 can corn, drained

1 can artichoke hearts, drained and cut up (these are expensive, but so worth it)

1 red pepper, diced

1 green pepper, diced

1 can sliced olives

cooked chicken, cut-up

grated cheese and crushed tortilla chips

Combine dressing ingredients. Set aside. Combine salad ingredients in LARGE bowl. Stir dressing into salad. Right before serving, add cheese and chips. Serves 20-25.

Grilled Pizza

Thanks to Ricky's cousin Heidi at tastysensations.blogspot.com we made this aweseme grilled pizza dough. You have to try it!

This pizza crust recipe is GREAT for grilling, but is just fine for oven pizzas too. Yields 6 individual crusts.

DOUGH:
1 1/2 cups very warm water
1 TBS sugar
1.5 TBS yeast
1 tsp salt
3 TBS olive oil
3 C. all-purpose flour
1 C. whole wheat flour

Mix yeast, sugar and warm water. Let sit until frothy (about 10 minutes). Add salt, oil and 1 c. whole wheat flour. Mix well. Let rest for 10 minutes. Add remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time, until it pulls from the side of your mixer (or if mixing by hand, until well incorporated). Knead for 8 minutes. Dough should become elastic.

Place in greased bowl and cover with a warm, damp cloth. Let rise until double in size. Meanwhile, flour a clean countertop and prepare your pizza toppings, cheese, and sauce in separate bowls so they are ready to go. Divide dough into 6 ball-sized portions (do not stretch out to pizza crust yet). Let sit for 15-20 minutes on floured surface. Preheat grill tto medium-high. Coat dough balls with flour, and with floured hands, stretch out crust - about 6-8 inches, depending on how you think you like it. Place it on well-oiled grill grates and grill one side for about 2 minutes. Flip. Add sauce, cheese and toppings. Close grill cover and cook for about 2 more minutes or until cheese is melted.

Baked Cheese Sandwiches

Once you have these you won't ever want to make regular grilled cheese sandwiches again. My boys were asking me to make them again before we were even finished eating. They are definitely worth the extra effort. I've posted the dough recipe before, but I thought I'd post it again since it is so versatile.
Mix: 2 Tablespoons yeast, 2-1/3 cup warm water, and 1/3 cup sugar. Let sit for 5 minutes.
Mix: 4 cups flour, 1/3 cup oil, 2 teaspoons salt, 3 Tablespoons powdered milk and the yeast mixture.
Add 2 cups of flour and knead.
Separate the dough in half. Put half in a greased bread pan and set aside. Take the other half and half it again. Take one of these pieces and spread it thinly in a greased 9x13-inch baking dish. Sprinkle two cups of your favorite cheese over the top. Roll the remaining piece of dough thinly and place it one top of the cheese. Lightly brush the top with olive oil. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and Italian seasonings. Let rise for 15 minutes. Then, bake at 350 for 28 minutes. When the baked cheese sandwiches come out put in the bread pan of dough and cook it for 28 minutes. Cut the baked cheese into strips and serve with tomato soup. I promise it tastes like heaven! You can use the loaf of bread however you wish.

Orange Chicken

This is an easy crock-pot recipe. I like to serve it with stry-fried veggies and rice. The ingredients might sound weird, but trust me it's good.

1 can (12oz) orange soda
1/2 cup soy sauce
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 1 pound)

Pour soda and soy sauce into crockpot. Add chicken and turn to coat. Cover; cook on LOW 5-6 hours.

Baked Chili with Cornbread Top

1 pound lean ground beef
1/2 teaspoon onion salt
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon Bisquick
3 tablespoons water
1 can (14.5oz) diced tomatoes (undrained)
1 can (15.25oz) whole kernel corn, drained
3/4 cup Bisquick
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup yellow cornmeal
2/3 cup milk
1 egg

Heat oven to 350. Cook beef and onion salt in skillet until beef in brown. Drain. Mix chili powder, 1 tablespoon Bisquick and the water to the beef. Stir in tomatoes and corn. Heat to boiling, stirring frequently. Pour into ungreased 8x8 square baking dish. Stir remaining ingredients together until well-blended. Pour over beef mixture. Bake uncovered 35-40 minutes or until golden brown.

Chicken Saute with Mushrooms and Peppers

Here is a delicious low fat, low calorie, low sodium meal that my family loves.

1 package (16oz) whole wheat spaghetti, uncooked
1 tablespoon olive oil
6 small boneless skinless chicken breast halves cut into strips
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 pound mushrooms, sliced
2 medium green peppers, diced
1 jar (26oz) marinara sauce
grated Parmesan cheese, optional

1. Cook pasta as directed on package.


2. Meanwhile heat oil in large skillet on medium heat. Add chicken, garlic and black pepper. Cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.


3. Add mushrooms and green peppers; stir. Cook 5 minutes or until chicken is cooked through and peppers are crisp-tender.


4. Stir in the marinara sauce. Simmer 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.


5. Drain pasta. Place pasta in serving bowl. Add half of the chicken mixture, toss lightly. Top with remaining chicken. Sprinkle with cheese.

Country Salisbury Steak

This was a hit one night for dinner this past week. 1 pound lean ground beef 1 package (6oz) stuffing mix (chicken flavor) 1-1/2 cups water, divided 3/4 cups chopped onions 1 package (8oz) fresh mushrooms, sliced 1/2 cup BBQ sauce

1. Preheat oven to 375. Mix meat, stuffing mix, 1-1/4 cups water and the onions until well blended. Shape into six 1/2-inch thick patties. Place on jelly roll baking pan.


2. Bake 25 minutes or until cooked through.


3. Meanwhile, spray skillet with cooking spray. Add mushrooms; cook on medium-high heat for 5 minutes or until lightly browned, stirring occasionally. Add BBQ sauce and remaining 1/4 cup water. Reduce heat to low. Cook 1-2 minutes or until sauce is heated through. Serve over the patties. (They are good without the sauce too)