Roasted Brussel Sprouts with Prosciutto & Walnuts Recipe

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Ingredients:

2 lbs brussel sprouts, trimmed of any discolored leaves and halved

6 oz prosciutto, coarsely chopped

1 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped

2-3 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

sea salt, to taste

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2. Combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl, and toss with olive oil. Place on a cookie sheet or roasting pan. Roast for 30 mins or until brussel sprouts are light brown.

2. Serve warm.

Yields: 8 servings

Original recipe found here

Organic Quinoa

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I could eat this stuff every day! And, the best thing about it is that the only ingredient in the quinoa is quinoa (!) and you can buy it bulk at Costco! Oh, happy day ;-)

{ Prep Time: 10 mins / Cooking Time: 25 mins / Difficulty: Easy / Yields: 4 servings }

Ingredients:

2 cups organic vegetable stock

1 cup quinoa

1/2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1/3 cup sun dried tomatoes, diced

1/2 large yellow onion, diced

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/3 cup fresh parsley or basil, (or a combination of the two) chopped

kosher salt and ground pepper, to taste

Directions:

1. In a medium sized saucepan, combine the quinoa and broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and lightly simmer for 15 minutes or until liquid is nearly absorbed and the quinoa is tender. Add the sun dried tomatoes to pot, cover and allow them to steam with quinoa for 5 mins. Meanwhile, in a medium skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions soften and become translucent, about 4 mins. Add garlic and saute until fragrant, but not brown. Fluff the steamed quinoa and tomatoes with a fork; add the onion/garlic mixture, pine nuts and herbs. Season with salt and pepper and serve as a side dish. Is great served chilled with a salad too!

Recipe borrowed from Nature's Earthly Choice Organic Quinoa

MAKE-IT-IN-THE-POT-MONDAY: Beef Stroganoff

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{ Prep Time: 30 mins / Cooking Time: 8 hours + 30 mins / Difficulty: Easy / Yields: 8 servings }

Ingredients:

2 pounds beef chuck, trimmed of excess fat and cut into slices (about 1/2" thick and 3" long)
1 large onion, chopped (about 2 cups)
1 pound white mushrooms, trimmed and halved (or quartered, if large)
1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp ground pepper
2 Tbsp water
2 Tbsp corn starch
1/2 cup reduced-fat sour cream
2 Tbsp Dijon mustard
Cooked thin egg noodles, for serving
chopped fresh dill, for garnish (optional)

Directions:

1. In a 5-6 quart slow cooker, toss beef, onion and mushrooms with 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt and pepper. Cover, and cook on low until meat is tender, about 8 hours (or on high for 6 hours). 
2. In a 2-cup measuring cup, whisk cornstarch with 2 Tbsp water. Ladle 1 cup cooking liquid into measuring cup; whisk to combine. Pour into a small saucepan and bring to a boil; cook until thickened - about 1 min. With slow cooker turned off, stir in cornstarch mixture, then sour cream and mustard. Serve beef over noodles; sprinkle with dill, if desired.

Recipe borrowed from http://www.marthastewart.com/336714/beef-stroganoff

MAKE-IT-IN-THE-POT-MONDAY: Lemon Garlic Chicken

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{ Prep Time: 15 mins / Cook Time 6 on low; 3 on high / Difficulty: Easy / Yields: 6 servings }

Ingredients:

1 tsp dried oregano

1/2 tsp seasoned salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

2 Lbs chicken breast halves, skinned and rinsed

1-2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1/2 cup water

3 Tbsp fresh lemon juice (about 3 lemons-worth)

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 lower sodium chicken bouillon cube

1 tsp fresh parsley, chopped

Directions:

1.Combine oregano, salt and pepper. Sprinkle mixture on both sides of the chicken breasts. Brown chicken in olive oil in a large skillet, about 3-5 mins on each side. Transfer to crock pot.

2. In the same skillet, combine the water, lemon juice, garlic and boullion cube. (I sometimes throw the squeezed lemon wedges right in there with everything else!) Bring to a boil, loosening the browned chicken bits from the skillet. Pour over the chicken.

3. Cover. Cook on high for 3 hours or low for 6 hours.

4. Add parsley the last 15-30 mins of cooking time.

Recipe adapted from a recipe found on www.sparkpeople.com

Chocolate Pretzel Bites

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{ Prep Time: 15 mins / Cooking Time: 5-7 mins / Difficulty: SUPER easy! / Yields: 3 dozen }

Ingredients:

1 bag of Snyder's square waffle-shaped pretzels

36 Hershey kisses (any flavor could work here!)

M&Ms of your choice (I used the regular ones on these guys - but I can't see why any of the other flavors wouldn't work!)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 175 degrees. Unwrap the 36 kisses and place them in a bowl. Lay 36 pretzels on an ungreased cookie sheet in a single layer (depending on the size of your baking sheet, you may have to do this multiple times). Top each with a hershey kiss.

2. Bake for 5-7 mins. The best way to test if they're done, is to carefully place an M&M in the middle of the kiss after the time is up - if it doesn't give easily, they may need to go in for another minute or two. Just enough to melt the chocolate, but you don't want a chocolaty mess! ;-)

3. Remove from the oven and quickly place an M&M onto each hershey kiss. Then press down lightly.

4. Remove from cookie sheet and allow to cool completely. I placed mine in a single layer on a plate and popped them in the oven for 10-12 mins to make sure they hardened. Just don't forget about them!

Recipe adapted from a recipe found on www.pinterest.com

MAKE-IT-IN-THE-POT-MONDAY: Greek Stuffed Peppers

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Here is a vegetarian dish for all you people who don't eat meat. These are super yummy and easy to prepare. { Prep Time: 15 mins / Cooking Time: 4 hrs 15 mins / Difficulty: Easy / Yields: 4 servings }

Ingredients:

4 large red or orange bell peppers

1 can (15 oz) cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

1 cup crumbled feta (4 oz)

1/2 cup prepared couscous

4 scallions (AKA green onions), white and green parts separated, thinly sliced

1 garlic clove, minced

1 tsp dried oregano

kosher salt

ground black pepper

Directions:

1. Slice a very thin layer from the base of each bell pepper to they sit flat in your crock pot. Slice off tops just below the stem. Discard stems; chop tops and place in a medium bowl. Remove ribs and seeds from all 4 peppers.

2. Add beans, feta, couscous, scallion whites, garlic and oregano to the bowl. Season with salt and pepper and toss to combine. Stuff peppers with bean mixture; and place upright in crock pot. Cover and cook on high for 4 hours.

3. Sprinkle peppers with scallion greens.

[Note: To prepare couscous, boil 1 1/4 cups of water. Meanwhile, measure out 1 cup of couscous and 1/2 tsp of salt in a medium bowl. Once water is boiling, pour over the couscous, and stir to combine; then cover bowl with saran wrap and let sit for 10 mins. Once water has evaporated, lightly rake the couscous with a fork to fluff. Serve warm or cold.]

Recipe borrowed from www.marthastewart.com

MAKE-IT-IN-THE-POT-MONDAY: Chili Chicken Tacos

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Another recipe that always pleases! Super easy to make - only takes a few mins to slice the garlic.

{ Prep Time: 10 mins / Cooking Time: 4 hours on high, or 8 on low / Difficulty: Easy / Yields: 4 servings }

Ingredients:

2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs (about 6 breasts)

4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

1/2 cup prepared tomato salsa, plus more for serving (optional)

1-2 Tbsp chopped canned chipotle chiles in adobo

1 Tbsp chili powder

1 tsp kosher salt

1 tsp ground black pepper

8 corn or flour tortillas (we prefer soft tacos, but you could also use the hard taco shells)

cilantro, shredded cheese, lime wedges and sour cream for serving (all optional - but great additions to the dish!)

Directions:

1. In your crock pot, combine the first 6 ingredients. Cover and cook on high for 4 hours - or low for 8 hours.

2. Transfer chicken to a serving bowl and shred using two forks. Serve in taco shells with additional toppings, if desired.

Recipe borrowed from www.marthastewart.com

"All Time Favorite" Beef Brisket

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I know I have mentioned this in one of my recipe posts a while back, but I would highly recommend purchasing a dutch oven if you don't have one already. I bought my Martha Stewart dutch oven from Macy's and it was less than $50! Macy's is always having sales on their kitchen items, so you can get one for a great deal. I haven't tried this recipe in the crock pot, although I'm sure it would turn out just as delicious. If anyone is willing to try it out - please comment on this post below and share with others on how it turned out ;-)

{ Prep Time: 35-45 mins / Cooking Time: 3 hours / Difficulty: Easy / Yields: 8-10 servings }

Ingredients:

1 (4-5 pound) beef brisket

4 strips thick-sliced bacon, cut into 1" pieces

4 cups yellow onions, chopped

3 cups carrots, chopped

2 cups celery, chopped

2 Tbsp fresh garlic, minced

1 1/2 Tbsp dried parsley

8 sprigs of fresh thyme

4 bay leaves

1/2 tsp black peppercorns

4 cups beef stock

1 cup of good red wine (merlot or cabernet both work well!)

Directions:

1. Trim excess fat off of your brisket. Then season generously with salt and pepper; set aside. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Make sure your shelf is positioned to the second rack from the bottom of the oven.

2. In a dutch oven, crisp the bacon pieces over medium high heat. Once bacon is brown and crispy, remove from pot, but leave drippings. Brown both sides of the brisket - about 7 mins per side - until deeply golden brown. With a pair of tongs, (possibly 2!) remove brisket and place in a pan; tent loosely with a piece of foil.

3. Meanwhile, saute the onions, carrots, celery and garlic in the drippings for about 5-7 mins. Add the parsley, thyme, bay leaves and peppercorns. Return the beef to the pot, and any juices rendered. Add the wine and beef broth and bring to a boil. Once it's boiling, cover the pot and transfer it to the oven.

4. Cook for 1 1/2 hours, flip meat, then continue cooking for another 1 1/2 hours. Remove pot from oven. Shred brisket with two forks if desired, or slice into larger pieces if using on a sandwich.

Enjoy! I'd love to get your feedback on this recipe! I am not a big fan of red meat, but this is one of my hubby's favorite dishes. I was extremely happy with the results and am so happy to share them with you. Hope your brisket turns out as good as mine did! Happy cooking ;-)

Recipe adapted from a recipe found in an unknown magazine - clipped it out at the gym, but I can't remember which one! ;-(

MAKE-IT-IN-THE-POT-MONDAY: Sausage Lasagna

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1 pound chicken sausage

1 pound ground beef sirloin

1 medium onion, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

kosher salt and ground black pepper

1 can (6 oz) tomato paste

2 cans (28 oz) crushed tomatoes in puree

9 lasagna noodles, uncooked

2 cups shredded skim mozzarella
crusty garlic bread

Directions:

1. In a dutch oven or large pot, cook sausage and beef over medium high heat, breaking up with a spoon, until no longer pink - about 4-6 mins. Add onion and garlic and season with salt and pepper. Cook until the onion has softened - about 3-5 mins. Stir in tomato paste, then tomatoes; bring to a boil, then remove from heat.

2. Spoon 2 cups meat mixture into the bottom of your crock pot. Layer 3 noodles (break off corners to fit into crock pot), 2 cups meat mixture, and 1/2 cup cheese. Repeat with two more layers (refrigerate the extra 1/2 cup of cheese for topping).

3. Cover crock pot, and cook on low 4-6 hours. Sprinkle lasagna with 1/2 cup of cheese. Cover until cheese has melted - about 10 mins.

4. Serve with crusty garlic bread.

Recipe borrowed from http://www.marthastewart.com/

In my opinion, you can't ever go wrong with lasagna. If you don't like meat, double the chicken sausage. Yum!

{ Prep Time: 25 mins / Cooking Time: 25 mins + 4-6 hours / Difficulty: Easy / Yields: 8 servings }

Ingredients:

MAKE-IT-IN-THE-POT-MONDAY: Corned Beef & Cabbage

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I really don't care for corned beef OR cabbage - but the hubby likes it. And this is what he requested for dinner ;-)

{ Prep Time: 15 mins / Cooking Time: 10-12 hrs on low; 5-6 hrs on high / Difficulty: Easy / Yields: 6 servings }

Ingredients:

2 medium yellow onions, sliced

2 1/2-3 lb corned beef brisket

1 cup apple juice

1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed

2 tsp orange zest

6 whole cloves

2 tsp mustard

6 red cabbage wedges

Directions:

1. Place onions in crock pot. Lay beef on top of onions.

2. In a small bowl, whisk together apple juice, brown sugar, orange zest, cloves and mustard. Pour over meat.

3. Place cabbage wedges over top of meat. Cover and cook on low 10-12 hours; or high 5-6 hours. (**I always seem to have better luck cooking it on low for the longer amount of time.**)

MAKE-IT-IN-THE-POT-MONDAY: Jambalaya

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{ Prep Time: 15 mins / Cooking Time: 7-8 hrs on low; 3-4 on high / Difficulty: Easy / Yields: 12 servings }

Ingredients:

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, cut into 1" cubes

1 pound andouille sausage, sliced

1 (28 oz) can diced tomatoes with juice

1 large onion, chopped

1 large green bell pepper, chopped

1 cup celery, chopped

1 cup chicken broth

2 tsps dried oregano

2 tsps dried parsley

2 tsps Cajun seasoning

1 tsp cayenne pepper

1/2 tsp dried thyme

1 pound frozen cooked shrimp without tails (optional)

brown rice

Directions:

1. In your crock pot, mix together all ingredients except the shrimp.

2. Cover and cook on low 7-8 hours or high 3-4 hours. Stir in shrimp during the last 30 mins of cooking time.

3. Cook rice according to package directions. Serve jambalaya over your favorite rice.

MAKE-IT-IN-THE-POT-MONDAY: Vegetable Soup

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{ Prep Time: 15 mins / Cooking Time: 10-12 hrs on Low / Difficulty: Easy / Yields: 12 servings }

Ingredients:

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1/2 cup onion, chopped

1/2 medium head of cabbage, chopped (about 3 cups)

2 small zucchini, chopped (about 2 cups)

1 cup carrots, diced

2 celery stalks, chipped (about 1 cup)

1 (28 oz) can tomatoes, undrained

1 can (15 oz) black eyed peas, drained and rinsed

1 can (15 oz) red kidney beans, drained and rinsed

1 pkg (10 oz) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry

6 cups low sodium chicken broth

2 tsp dried basil

1 tsp salt, plus extra to taste

1 tsp dried oregano

1/4 tsp pepper

hot sauce, optional

grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:

1. If desired, saute the onion in a 1/2 Tbsp of butter or olive oil before adding to crockpot. It's not necessary, but it does bring out a different flavor in the onions. Add all ingredients in your crockpot.

2. Cook on low for 10-12 hours.

Recipe borrowed from www.allrecipes.com

MAKE-IT-IN-THE-POT-MONDAY: White Beans & Rice

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Again, so sorry for not posting a photo of this recipe - have been seriously slackin on the photos!

{ Prep Time: 30 mins / Cooking Time: 4 hrs / Difficulty: Easy / Yields: 8-10 servings }

Ingredients:

2 tsps extra virgin olive oil

1 green bell pepper, chopped

2 small onions, chopped

4-5 garlic cloves, minced

1 1/2 stalks celery, chopped

1 lb. ham, diced

4 cups navy beans

2 bay leaves

2 Tbsp salt

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

6 cups cooked rice

Directions:

1. In a medium skillet, brown ham in 1 tsp of oil until just brown. Remove from skillet and add 1 tsp of oil, onion, celery, green pepper and garlic; cook until soft. (If sticky, add a little bit of water.)

2. Add ham back to skillet and cook for an additional 5-10 mins.

3. Add skillet mixture to crock pot, along with beans, salt, cayenne pepper and bay leaves. Adjust seasonings to suit your taste. Remove 1 1/2 cups of beans and mash. Add mashed beans back to the mixture.

4. Serve beans over cooked rice.

Recipe borrowed from www.food.com

Granola

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This is a tweaked version of my Homemade Granola Bar recipe - the only difference is that this granola is not in bar form. Very easy to prepare and is a great addition to yogurt parfaits. I also eat it like cereal - just add some milk - so tasty!

{ Prep Time: 5 mins / Cooking Time: 15 mins / Difficulty: Easy / Yields: 4 servings }

Ingredients:

2 cups old fashioned oats

1/2 cup sunflower seeds

1 cup almonds, slivered or finely chopped in food processor

1/2 cup wheat germ (optional, but adds lots of essential nutrients!)

1/4 cup raisins

3/4 cup unsweetened coconut (optional)

1/4 cup mini chocolate chips (optional)

1/4 cup dried cranberries (or apricots, dates, cherries; or your favorite dried fruit)

** the version shown in the photos above does not have coconut, chocolate chips or dried fruit - this reduces the calories and sweetness **

1/2 cup natural honey

1/2 cup natural creamy peanut butter

1 tbsp unsalted butter

1/4 cup dark brown sugar, packed

2 tsp vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Spread oats, seeds, almonds, wheat germ, and flax seeds in a thin layer onto a half sheet pan (preferably one with edges). Bake for 5 mins - stir - then bake 5 more mins. If desired, add coconut flakes to the mixture and bake another 5 minutes. Keep an eye on the coconut, as it tends to burn rather quickly!

3. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, combine the peanut butter, honey, sugar, butter and vanilla over low heat. Cook until the brown sugar has dissolved, about 5 minutes; stirring frequently.

4. Remove oats from the oven and reduce heat to 300 degrees. Pour oat mixture into a large bowl, then add liquid mix. Stir until mixture is completely coated. Add your fruits; and lastly, the chocolate chips.

5. Bake for 25 minutes.

6. Remove pan from oven, and allow granola to cool completely. (Granola can be stored in an airtight container for up to one week.)

Adapted from several granola recipes found online

Pesto Ravioli with Chicken Sausage

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Happy St. Patty's Day! The peas make this dish a perfect St. Patty's Day dish - don't you just love the colors?! Because we eat so much chicken, this was a nice break from the usual. Very easy to prepare and tastes great heated up the next day.

{ Prep Time: 5 mins / Cooking Time: 15 mins / Difficulty: Super Easy! / Yields: 4 servings }

Ingredients:

12 oz refrigerated ravioli

1 cup frozen peas

1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

6 oz (2 links) fully cooked Italian style chicken sausage links, thinly sliced

1/3 cup pesto

1/2 cup grated Parmesan

Directions:

1. In a medium pot, cook the ravioli according to the package directions, adding the peas about halfway through the cooking time. Reserve about 1/4 cup of the cooking water; drain the ravioli and peas, then return to the pot.

2. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken sausage and cook, turning occasionally, until browned - about 6-8 mins.

3. Add the pesto, Parmesan and the cooked sausage to the ravioli and peas and toss to combine.

Recipe adapted from a recipe found in Real Simple Magazine

"Cool" Oreo Trifle

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A friend of mine in NC refers to these tasty treats as "yummies" - Thanks to Anissa for introducing me to this super sweet & simple recipe!! These "cool" oreo trifles (this is my new name for them) are light and satisfying, but look like gourmet desserts. (Just a note - you may want to make a few extra - I know I wasn't the only one who wanted seconds!!) ;-) Try them out for yourself - this is definitely a crowd pleaser!

And, you will be pleased you didn't spend all day in the kitchen preparing them!

{ Prep Time: 5 mins / Difficulty: Easy / Yields: 6 servings }

Ingredients:

Oreo cookies (you will need about 15-20 Oreos - it's probably best to buy an entire package, just in case you or your children end up eating a couple while you're preparing these! I'm just sayin . . . )

1 (16 oz) container of Light Cool Whip (I did not use the entire container)

6-8 containers of sugar free pudding packs

Directions:

1. In a large ziplock bag, crush about 10-12 Oreos with a wooden spoon (I totally forgot to take notes the last time I made these - so I'm going off of memory here with the measurements - they may be a teensy bit off! Depending on how big your serving dishes are, you may need a few extra.)

2. Place your 6 serving dishes on a platter - I used martini glasses, but feel free to use any fun glasses you have in your kitchen - you may make a little bit of a mess here ;-) Evenly spoon out crushed Oreos into all 6 glasses - you can always crush s'more. Spoon out one pudding pack per glass, then add a couple dollops of cool whip. Top with remaining crushed Oreos. Again, you may have to add more Oreos here.

3. Place in refrigerator until ready to serve. Serve chilled.

Recipe from our old neighbor, Anissa Miller

Chicken Enchilladas

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{ Prep Time: 20 mins (+35 mins for cooking the chicken) / Cooking Time: 20-25 mins / Difficulty: Relatively Easy / Yields: 6-8 servings }

Ingredients:

corn or flour tortillas (I used corn, but it's totally up to you - use whichever you like best)

3 large boneless skinless chicken breasts

1 cup red enchilada sauce

1 cup Mexican shredded cheese

2 green onions, chopped

1/2 cup fresh cilantro, coarsely chopped

cooking spray

Directions:

1. In a large pot, boil chicken until cooked through. (I believe it takes about 30-40 mins or so to fully cook the chicken.) To do so, place chicken in a large pot and cover completely with water. Cover and bring to a boil. Continue cooking until chicken is no longer pink in the center. To shred, place warm cooked chicken breasts in a mixer and mix on low speed until the chicken is shredded to the consistency you like. Or, just shred using two forks to pull chicken apart.

2. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

3. Meanwhile, spray a 9x13" pan with non-stick cooking spray and set aside.

4. Pour a drizzle of enchilada sauce into the bottom of your prepared baking dish.

5. Add shredded chicken to a bowl with 1/2 cup shredded cheese. Add 1/2 cup of enchilada sauce to your chicken and cheese mixture and stir until combined.

6. Carefully, take a tortilla and fill with a few heaping tablespoons of your chicken mixture (be sure to not over fill the tortillas, as they will tear!). Roll each tortilla up and set it in the baking dish, seam side down. Repeat this step until your dish has as many enchiladas it can hold (see photo above). Pour another 1/2 cup of enchilada sauce over the top of the enchiladas, then sprinkle with remaining cheese. Cover with foil and bake for 20-25 mins. Remove foil during last few minutes of baking time. Garnish enchiladas with fresh cilantro and green onions.

* Serve with some fat free refried beans and Zatarain's Spanish Rice *

Recipe adapted from Preventionrd

MAKE-IT-IN-THE-POT-MONDAY: White Chili

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A simple easy recipe that doesn't require much hands-on time. Just give yourself at least 30 mins or so to cook the chicken before adding to your crock pot. Add your veggies and seasonings and you're ready to go!

{ Prep Time: 15 mins (+ 30 for cooking the chicken) / Difficulty: Easy / Yields: 8 servings }

Ingredients:

3 (15 oz) cans Northern beans, drained

2 medium boneless skinless chicken breasts

1 medium yellow onion, diced

1 yellow pepper, diced

1 red pepper, diced

2 jalepeno peppers - stemmed, seeded and diced (optional)

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 tsp ground cumin

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp dried oregano

3 1/2 cups chicken broth

Garnishes:

shredded cheddar cheese

sour cream

tortilla chips

Directions:

1. In a large pot, boil the chicken breasts. (I believe it takes about 30-40 mins to fully cook chicken.) To do so, place chicken in a large pot and cover completely with water. Cover pot and bring to a boil. Continue cooking until chicken is no longer pink in the center. To shred, place warm cooked chicken breasts in a mixer and mix on low speed until it's shredded to the consistency you like. Or, simply shred with two forks while the chicken is still warm.

2. Combine all ingredients (except for garnishes) in your crock pot.

3. Cover and cook on low 8-10 hours or on high for 4-5 hours.

4. Ladle into bowls and top with shredded cheese, sour cream and tortilla chips, if desired.

Recipe borrowed from Fix it and Forget it Cookbook

MAKE-IT-IN-THE-POT-MONDAY: Pork Chop Surprise

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I purposely did not photograph this pork chop surprise - I just couldn't make it look as delicious as it tasted. So, you will just have to use your imagination on this one ;-)

{ Prep Time: 15-20 mins / Cooking Time: 6-8 hrs on high / Difficulty: Easy / Yields: 4-6 servings }

Ingredients:

4-6 pork chops

10 red potatoes, quartered

2 (10 3/4 oz) cans cream of mushroom soup (I used the lower sodium kind - see photo below)

4 cups water

1 envelope Lipton Onion Soup Mix

1-2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Directions:

1. In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Sear pork chops until lightly brown on each side. Transfer to your crock pot. Add potatoes.

2. In a medium bowl, mix together soup and onion soup mix. Then pour over pork chops and potatoes. Add water, making sure to cover all of your ingredients.

3. Cover and cook on high 6-8 hours.

Recipe borrowed from The Fix It & Forget It Cookbook

Banana Bread Muffins

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I have posted this recipe before, but I recently made a couple of adjustments that I just had to share! These are so yummy!!

{ Prep Time: 12-15 mins / Cooking Time: 18-20 mins / Yields: 18 muffins }

Ingredients:

For the muffins:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup granulated sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp table salt

2-3 medium ripe bananas (I wait till the 'nanas are completely brown - but NOT MOLDY)

2 large eggs

1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce **

1/4 cup honey

1/4 cup water

Baker's Joy Cooking Spray (or muffin liners)

For the scrumptious sugary topping:

2 Tbsp sugar

2 1/2 Tbsp light brown sugar, packed

1 tsp cinnamon

** I have been substituting unsweetened applesauce in place of oil every chance I get, and no one can ever tell the difference! Makes a HUGE difference in calories and fat content in the muffins. **

Directions:

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Spray muffin pans with Baker's Joy (or spray with butter flavored non-stick cooking spray, then lightly sprinkle all-purpose flour into cups. Make sure to dump out extra flour). Or, take the easiest route: use cupcake liners.

2. In a small bowl, sift together the first 6 ingredients; then set aside. In a large bowl, mash the bananas with a fork or a potato masher; then add the eggs, applesauce, honey and water; mix just until smooth.

3. Add the dry ingredients to the wet, and stir until just combined. Pour the batter into your prepared muffin tins. Since you will have 6 empty muffin cups, fill them with about 1/4" water. (This will evenly distribute the heat over the pan, ensuring that all muffins cook the same.)

For the topping:

In a small bowl (with a lid), add the 2 Tbsp sugar, the 2 1/2 Tbsp light brown sugar, and 1 tsp cinnamon. Pop the top on, and shake it like a polaroid picture ;-) Using a small spoon, lightly sprinkle a thin sugary layer on each muffin. (The topping is optional, but strongly suggested as it gives the muffins a crispy, sugary finish!)

4. Bake the muffins for 18-20 mins, until a toothpick inserted into the center of the muffins comes out clean. Cool in pans for about 10 minutes. Gently slide each muffin out of pan (be careful not to dislodge the sugary topping) and place on wire racks to cool completely.

Adapted from a banana bread recipe found on www.vintagevictuals.com

MAKE-IT-IN-THE-POT-MONDAY: Chicken Parmesan

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I know I think all of my recipes are delicious, but there are some recipes that don't even make in on this site because they don't turn out well. I'd like to call them the "not-blog-worthy-recipes"! Ha. Soooo..that's why you will only find the good recipes on my site. ;-) Crock pot recipes are so easy!! I usually prep the recipes the day before; then all you have to do the morning of is throw everything into the crock pot, set the timer, and you're good to go! A delicious meal will be waiting for you when you get home. Not to mention, your house will smell delicious!

{ Prep Time: 15 mins / Cooking Time: 6-8 hours on low / Difficulty: Easy / Yields: 6 servings }

Ingredients:

6 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves

1 large egg

1 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

1 cup Italian bread crumbs

1-2 Tbsp butter or margarine

14 oz jar pizza sauce (I used spaghetti sauce and it worked just fine)

6 slices mozzarella cheese

grated Parmesan cheese

angel hair pasta (or pasta of your choice)

Directions:

1. In a small bowl, whisk together the egg, salt and pepper. Using tongs, dip chicken into egg, then completely coat breasts with bread crumbs.

2. In a medium skillet, melt the butter. Then saute the chicken breasts until both sides have a golden brown crust.

3. Arrange chicken in your slow cooker. Cover chicken breasts with pizza sauce. Place lid on the crock pot and cook on low for 6-8 hours.

4. Layer mozzarella cheese over the top of each breast and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Cook an additional 15 mins.

* Serving suggestions: angel hair pasta and crusty garlic bread *

Recipe borrowed from the Fix it & Forget it Cookbook

Zatarain's Spanish Rice

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{ Prep Time: 5 mins / Cooking Time: 21 mins / Difficulty: Easy / Yields: 4 cups }

Ingredients:

1 (7.4 oz box) Zatarain's Spanish Rice

1 (15 oz) can diced tomatoes, undrained

1 1/2 cups hot water

Directions:

STOVETOP:

1. In a 2 quart saucepan, bring water, rice mix (and butter or margarine, if desired) to a boil; stirring occasionally. Once mixture is boiling, reduce the heat to medium, then cover and simmer on low for 25 mins or until all the water is absorbed.

2. Remove from heat and let stand for 5 mins. Fluff with a fork and serve with chicken enchilladas!

MICROWAVE: (My personal preference - so much faster and less hands-on time! But, do what works best for you.)

1. In a 2 1/2 quart microwave safe dish, combine 1 1/2 cups hot water, one can of diced tomatoes and spanish rice mix; stir until combined. Cover and cook on high for 5 mins. Stir rice, then reduce power to 50% and cook for 16 more mins, stirring halfway through. (I set the timer on 8 mins; then stir. Then cook for 8 more minutes at 50% power.)

2. Leave dish in microwave for 5 mins after cooking. Remove and serve warm.

Recipe borrowed from Zatarain's

Cake Batter Pudding Cookies

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Stumbled upon this cake batter pudding cookie recipe and couldn't wait to try it out. This cookie dough is so tasty! I have been using a silicone baking mat when I bake cookies, and have noticed a significant difference in the consistency of the cookies. Just a suggestion if you have one handy ;-) Otherwise just bake on a greased baking sheet. Enjoy!

{ Prep Time: 15 mins / Baking Time: 10-12 mins / Difficulty: Easy / Yields: 3 dozen }

Ingredients:

1 1/2 sticks butter, (3/4 cup) softened

3/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup sugar/splenda

1 (3.4 oz) package instant vanilla pudding mix (I made one batch with sugar free and it tasted just as delicious! It reduces the sugar a good bit.)

3/4 cup yellow cake mix

2 large eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp baking soda

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp salt

1/3 cup sprinkles of your choice

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. In a small bowl, whisk together flour, salt and baking soda; then set aside.

3. In a large mixing bowl - with the paddle attachment - cream butter and sugars together. Add the pudding package and cake mix and beat until well combined.

4. Add eggs and vanilla. Slowly add the flour mixture and mix until just incorporated. Stir in your sprinkles.

5. Roll into 1" balls and place on a greased baking sheet. Bake for 10-12 mins.

Recipe adapted from a recipe found on Just a Pinch