From the Kitchen of Brook Zimmerman

Dinner

2012-01-23T21:42:00.001-05:00

Tonight's dinner was so good we had tuna and arctic char. The tuna was for Shane because he is super picky and the char was all mine! The girls had both and they need to give seafood more of a chance. They ate it but not willingly! I think today the only thing I had with gluten was the soy sauce that the tuna marinated in. I also worked out for 45 minutes! Yay! If you like to track your food and activity myfitnesspal is a great app/website. Check it out and add me BrookRene!

Bread!

2012-01-21T20:09:00.001-05:00

This bread was 6 bucks but it was worth it! It is about 2/3s the size of a normal loaf. I will be attempting my own though in hopes of more quantity! But this bread was really good!

Quinoa

2012-01-20T16:34:00.002-05:00

Hmmmm what to say about this....it's earthy. If you think about what dirt would taste like while eating it then you will think that someone may have sprinkled some in while it was cooking.

I bought some Quinoa at Kroger to replace my go to rice for a side dish. It was interesting. DO NOT, I repeat DO NOT try to cook it according to the microwave instructions on the bag and use a Pampered Chef steamer bowl! I so wish I would have taken a picture of the result, it was bad. It burnt to a crisp! I took the lid off and thought to myself, surely this is not how it is supposed to turn out!

I cooked it on the stove top and it turned out much better. I sauteed up an onion, the leafy part of a celery stalk, garlic, butternut squash and crushed red pepper and stirred it in the quinoa when it was cooked. I also stirred in some chopped dried cherries and slivered almonds. Like I said it kind of had an earthy taste but I think I can handle it. Shane swears it did something bad to his insides but I think he is crazy. His system probably does not handle anything without gluten very well!

I do recommend a really good book if you are interested in this gluten free phenomenon it is called Wheat Belly- it's really well written and the guy has a good sense of humor.

Dressing

2012-01-20T16:30:00.002-05:00

So my all time favorite dressing is Ken's Lite Honey Mustard, but guess what was lurking on the label....GLUTEN!!! Of course.

So I did a little research on how to make Honey Mustard Dressing and came up with this:

1/4 cup Light Mayo

1 heavy tablespoon Dijon mustard

1 1/2 tablespoon honey

a few shakes of white balsamic vinegar (vinegars are GF unless it is malt vinegar)

lots of fresh cracked pepper

Whisk all of this up and it is even better than Ken's!! Yum-o

I used this on a salad and also dipped my naked sandwich (aka a sandwich with no gluten riddled bread) of cheddar, turkey and ham. Totally satisfied my need for Honey Mustard.

Gluten free!

2012-01-20T16:23:00.002-05:00

So in an attempt to be gluten free, or as close as I can be, I thought I would share my recipe successes (and flops!) here and share some food finds and what not.

I found that A LOT of the food I consume has gluten in it- sheesh! Oh wait, the reason I am going GF is because I had some blood work and my Vitamin D level was at 17 and it should be closer to 50 and my doctor also saw that my body was not processing sugar the way it should and she suggested that I try to cut out as much gluten as possible. In her words- are there going to be days where you still eat carrot cake, yes- but don't eat a slice every day.

Blegh- this means my cooking style has GOT to change- I realize at about every meal I was consuming gluten! Yikes. So here we go, please join me in my attempt to go GF.

Oh also my doctor did say that I am NOT diabetic....yet but in 5-10 years if I do not make changes now I definitely will increase my chance of being a diabetic and have increased risk of heart disease. No time like the present to start working on being healthy- plus it will benefit my family as well! If you have any tips please email me or post a comment.

Thank GOD coffee is gluten free :)

Caramelized Onion & Prosciutto Pizza

2010-10-24T19:56:00.002-04:00

Mmmmm, I made this a while back and it was sooo soooo good it's from the Pioneer Woman, she is the BEST. These onions are so good and they make the pizza really sweet. Try it, you'll thank me!

Ingredients

■1 whole Pizza Crust
■Olive Oil, For Drizzling
■1 whole Large Red Onion, Halved And Thinly Sliced
■¼ cups Brown Sugar
■Kosher Salt To Taste
■Parmesan Cheese, Grated
■10 ounces, weight Fresh Mozzarella Cheese, Thinly Sliced
■8 slices Prosciutto (more To Taste)
Preparation Instructions
Preheat oven to 500 degrees.

Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet. Add onions and brown sugar and toss/stir for several minutes, or until onions are brown and cooked. Set aside.

Roll out pizza dough to a rectangular shape. Drizzle on olive oil, sprinkle on a little salt, followed by a little Parmesan.

Lay slices of mozzarella evenly over the top of the crust. Arrange caramelized onions over the top of the mozzarella. Randomly lay slices of prosciutto over the onions.

Bake for 15 to 17 minutes in the lower half of the oven, or until crust is golden brown. Remove from oven and cut into squares. Serve immediately.

Cheesy Chicken Skillet

2010-04-17T21:20:00.000-04:00

So this was good- I think the only thing I did differently was to use Velveeta Shells and Cheese and you can now get that using whole wheat pasta so that makes it half way better right? This is also a very bright orange dish so be sure to NOT serve it with carrots and mandarin oranges because your plate will look freakishly orange...not to mention it makes for some interesting things later on....most of you know I have a 2 and a half year old and a 13 month old so I think you get my drift here! Mix it up serve with strawberries and green beans or broccoli! Oh yeah, I did stir in some shredded sharp cheddar too.

1 Tbsp. oil 1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
1/2 tsp. dried thyme leaves
1 cup milk
1 cup water
1 pkg. (14 oz.) KRAFT Deluxe Macaroni & Cheese Dinner
2 cups frozen peas
2 Tbsp. KRAFT CATALINA Dressing

HEAT oil in large skillet on medium-high heat. Add chicken and thyme; mix well. Cook 5 min. or until chicken is browned, stirring frequently.

ADD milk, water and Macaroni; cover. Cook 10 min. or until macaroni is tender, stirring occasionally.

STIR in Cheese Sauce, peas and dressing. Cook an additional 2 min., stirring occasionally.

Chicken Lo Mein

2010-04-17T21:11:00.000-04:00

This is straight up from the Kraft Foods website and I did not tweak it, I just gobbled it up- this was so good and the fresh cilanto and chopped peanuts were totally a must- however if you are lazy and just want to go to the baking aisle and pick up the "nut topping" packet instead of walking over 10 aisles to the peanut aisle then that works too! Then you can use the left over "nut topping" for it's intended purpose, to top your ice cream that you have for dessert! Enjoy, this dish was de-lish! Even the girls loved it- both of them! Oh and I did use fresh onion (red actually) and fresh red pepper because I think the frozen ones get mush and that just wigs me out. I also may have used a tad bit more PB.

1/2 lb. spaghetti, uncooked
1/4 cup KRAFT Asian Toasted Sesame Dressing
1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 pkg. (16 oz.) frozen bell pepper and onion strips, thawed, drained
1/2 cup fat-free reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 Tbsp. peanut butter 1/4 cup lite soy sauce
2 Tbsp. chopped cilantro
2 Tbsp. chopped PLANTERS COCKTAIL Peanuts Make It!

COOK spaghetti in large saucepan as directed on package.

MEANWHILE, heat dressing in large nonstick skillet on medium-high heat. Add chicken and garlic; stir-fry 3 min. or until chicken is no longer pink. Add vegetables, broth and peanut butter; stir-fry 3 to 4 min. or until chicken is done.

DRAIN spaghetti; return to pan. Add chicken mixture and soy sauce; mix lightly. Spoon onto platter; top with cilantro and nuts

Tuna Cakes with Wasabi Cream Sauce

2010-04-17T20:56:00.000-04:00

For the longest time I did not think that I was "making" my own recipes because I always tweak existing recipes, but the more I thought about it that is pretty much making my own! Right? Anyways I have been trying my hardest to stay away from Hamburger Helper and frozen chicken nuggets so that has resulted in some creative cooking on my part, I will try to share them on here.

Tuna Cakes with Wasabi Cream Sauce

1 large can chunk WHITE tuna packed in water
2 green onions
1/4 orange/yellow/red bell pepper
2 Tbls Mayo
1 Tbls dijon or coarse ground mustard
1 egg
1/4-1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
Lemon
cracked pepper
kosher salt

1/2-1 cup extra panko for dredging

Heat a skillet with some butter and olive oil- enough to get a nice crust on these but not so much to give yourself a heart attack

Drain and flake tuna in a bowl
Chop up onion and bell pepper to a fine dice- be sure you use the green and white of the onion
Add mayo, mustard and egg
Add salt and pepper to taste
Cut lemon in half and squeeze juice on top of everything

Mix together

Make sure you have the extra panko around in a bowl to dredge each "patty" before putting in the hot pan

Form into patties using your hands- you will have to be quick because these things do not really "stick" together like a hamburger patty so handle quickly and with care. Once the patty is formed dredge it in the panko on both sides and place in hot pan. Cook 4-6 min on each side- depending on how hot you had your pan will determine how long you need to cook them- I waited until each side had a nice crust on them. Give them a squeeze of the other half of the lemon once you have them on a serving platter if you are fancy- or on the plate that you are about to deliver to your husband if you are me!

Top them with this awesome Wasabi Cream Sauce and these puppies will melt in your mouth!

1/2 cup mayo
1/2 Tbls wasabi paste (see pic below- this can be found in most Asian supermaker aisles nowadays)
squeeze in the last little bit of juice from the lemon half that you put in the tuna cakes
stir it up and serve on top of the tuna cakes

Also as a side note you can use this wasabi paste in a lot of different ways- one way is for wasabi mashed potatoes- Google it. I swear.

I scream you scream!

2010-02-06T20:01:00.005-05:00

This is my trial run of making ice cream! I must admit that I have started reading the Pioneer Womans blog and I have fallen in love- so here is my disclaimer I am posting in hopes of one day being as cool as her! I have a long way to go for sure! So I will try to start posting pictures with my recipes, here goes! Shane got me the ice cream attachement for my Kitchen Aid mixer for my 30th birthday so this is my first go at making it, it is quite the process let me tell you! You must put the "bowl" in the freezer for at least 15 hours, I put mine in at about noon today and will be using it at half time during the Super Bowl (Go Colts!). The following pictures documents my journey of blowing Ben and Jerry out of the water. Enjoy. I will let you know how the final product turns out tomorrow!

Lots of half and half, 2 1/2 cups to be exact

8 egg yolks, I learned why The Pampered Chef actually sells an egg separator- when I was a consultant I did not see the point in this gadget and never bought it- note to the wise they sell it because it speeds up the process of separating 8 egg yolks!! It is a very handy tool for custard/ice cream/creme brulee makers indeed!

COmbine egg yolks with one cup sugar and whirl it up in your mixer. My mind knows how to spell yolk but my fingers want to type youlk?

You then pour the cooled half and half mix in the blender and transfer it back to the saucepan, heat until small bubbles form at sides of pan. This was tricky, this was what the mixture looked like as soon as I poured it in the pan, ahhhh small bubbles everywhere, so I just heated it until I thought it might start to boil and removed it from the heat!

Then 2 1/2 cups whipping cream. If you have never whipped your own cream you need to, oh that sounds bad, I mean if you have never made fresh whipped cream you need to, oh dang it that sounds bad too, you know what I mean!

For this recipe we will just add it to the half and half mixture, unwhipped please.

Stir in 4 teaspoons vanilla.

Please for goodness sakes use pure vanilla extract not the artificial stuff. Yes I will call you a cheapskate if you try to pull out that fake stuff. Seriously it was like 2 bucks cheaper than the real stuff, just splurge! Now you will note that I have store brand in the pic, only because it was cheaper than McCormicks and I can't tell a diference- however I would have much rather used Pampered Chefs or something from Penzey's but we southsiders to do not have that down here!

Don't forget the salt, I love the flavor that salt gives to sweet things so don't forget the salt!

This needs to chill for a while, you know relax in the fridge for a while.

All set, now I just need to find a home for a little bit....

I can't believe I am showing you the inside of my fridge- that is like one of the most private things a person could do- and it's a hot mess right now!

Ah, this will do right by Abbey's juice and Mommy's juice. Perfect. See you in a few hours my friend.

Copy Cat- Starbucks Cranberry Bliss Bars

2009-12-12T14:37:00.002-05:00

INGREDIENTS:

3/4 cup Crisco® Butter Shortening
OR 3/4 stick Crisco® Butter Shortening Sticks
1 1/4 cups firmly packed light brown sugar
2 tablespoons milk
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 large egg
1 3/4 cups Pillsbury BEST® All Purpose Flour
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 (6 oz.) package white chocolate chips (1 cup)
1/2 cup cranberries

Topping
1 can cream cheese icing
handful or so of chopped dried cranberries
melted white chocolate

PREPARATION DIRECTIONS:
1.
HEAT oven to 375ºF.
2.
COMBINE shortening, brown sugar, milk and vanilla in large bowl. Beat at medium speed of electric mixer until well blended. Beat in egg. Combine flour, salt and baking soda. Mix into shortening mixture until just blended. Stir in white chocolate chips and cranberries.
3.
Spray pan (I used the large Pampered Chef bar pan so it is a little bigger than a 13 x 9 and I think it worked quite well)
4.
Bake 11-17 minutes until top is golden brown
5.
Let cool then frost with cream cheese icing, sprinkle on cranberries and drizzle with melted white chocolate. Enjoy!

BBQ Chicken Pizza

2009-03-05T19:31:00.002-05:00

This was a Pampered Chef recipe

Refrigerated Pizza crust
1/2 red onion
4 slices bacon
2 cloves minced garlic
1 cup shredded chicken (cooked)
BBQ seasoning
1/2 cup BBQ sauce
2 Roma Tomatoes
Cheese (depends on how much you want, I probably used 1 1/2 cups colby/mont jack blend)

Heat oven to 425

Slice red onion very thin, mince garlic, and dice bacon and saute in skillet over medium heat until onions start to carmalize and bacon gets crisp

Spread out pizza dough

To the skillet add BBQ seasoning (I did not have any prepared on hand so I used a few shakes of each of these- paprika, cayenne pepper, chili pepper, onion powder and a generous dash of Montreal Steak seasoning)
Add BBQ sauce and chicken to skillet just long enough to make warm

Add mixture to the pizza crust and top with thinly sliced tomatoes and top with cheese

Bake 18-22 min

This was SO good, we had salad and that rounded off the meal, it was one of the best BBQ pizzas I have had. I think next time I will also add some fresh pineapple, yummy!

New Present!

2009-03-02T16:02:00.003-05:00

Our little Colts cheerleader!

"Helping" Daddy and Pappy put together her new rocking horse
Mimmy helping Abbey ride her horse!

She absolutley LOVES her horse.

Pappy helping her bounce!

This is Abbey's "mean" face

In the process of trying to get her to make her "mean" face

This one is just silly!

Evil eye!

She is totally a "mini-me"

Cooking up a storm!

2009-03-02T12:09:00.004-05:00

The last few days I have really been cooking some great meals! I don't know what has happened to me I was so lazy that I did not even want to step foot into the kitchen, nesting is kicking in I suppose!

I made fish tacos- I seasoned some tilapia fillets with chili pepper, cayenne pepper, grill seasoning, and paprika and cooked them in a little bit of olive oil and then shredded them and put them in a tortilla shell with a broccoli slaw mixture (the slaw, lime juice, all of the seasoning that was on the fish, sliced green onion) then top the tortilla with sliced avocado and shredded radish- sooo good.

I also made egg foo young, which I had never made before. I sauteed celery, green onion, mushrooms, bean sprouts and bok choy in a tsp or so of sesame oil then added shrimp for a few minutes and then poured in about 10 or so scrambled eggs and stirred every so often to break up the eggs I served with a little soy sauce and fried rice and an egg roll. Really good.

Another Rachel Ray Fav

2009-01-11T21:12:00.002-05:00

Chicken Salsa Verde Bake

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 1/4 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breasts
Two 16-ounce jars salsa verde
One 15-ounce can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 onion, finely chopped
1 cup sour cream
3 cups crushed tortilla chips
One 8-ounce bag shredded Mexican-style cheese

1. Preheat the oven to 375°. In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the chicken and cook, turning once, until cooked through, 10 to 12 minutes. Let stand until cool, then shred the meat into a large bowl. Stir in the salsa, kidney beans, onion and sour cream.2. Grease a 9-by-13-inch baking dish, scatter 1 cup tortilla chips on the bottom and top with half of the chicken mixture and half of the cheese. Repeat the layers and cover with the remaining 1 cup tortilla chips. Bake until the cheese is bubbly, about 30 minutes.

Darn I tried posting this once already...but anyways I just said it was fantastic love the new flavor the salsa verde had and I love anything with beans- gotta love Rach!

Pig Eatin' Cake

2009-01-11T21:00:00.002-05:00

Pig Eatin' Cake

One boxed cake mix (white or yellow, but this time I used coconut and it was tasty)
4 eggs
1/2 c oil
1 can mandarin oranges

Mix together and bake at 350 for about 30 min or until cake is done

Topping
1 tub cool whip
1 large can of crushed pineapple
1 box instant vanilla pudding

Mix and spread on top of cooled cake

Sooooo yummy!

At Home Take Out

2008-12-12T20:06:00.002-05:00

So this is what we had tonight and it was fantastic- I did chicken instead of shrimp only b/c I had chicken on hand I just diced it up I only did the noodle part of this second recipe but the rest sounds really good. I did have to go to the Health food store on 31 & stop 11ish to get the shelled edamame, but I was at Wal Mart today and they had it in the produce section- it was more expensive at Wal-Mart by about 2 bucks, and I found the health food store is pretty cool! It is all by Rachel Ray and it really did take me only 30 min! I LOVE her:

Hot and Spicy Chicken Wraps
Ingredients
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
1 (1-inch) ginger root, peeled and thinly sliced
2 tablespoons vegetable or other light oil
1 red onion, chopped
2 small red chili peppers, very thinly sliced
1/4 pound shiitake mushrooms, stems removed and chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 1/2 pounds medium shrimp, deveined, tails off
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 head iceberg lettuce, cored and quartered
Directions
Combine sugar, vinegar and ginger in a small pot and bring to a boil, dissolve sugar and turn off heat, reserve.
In a skillet heat the oil over medium-high heat. Saute the onions, chili peppers, mushrooms and garlic 3 to 4 minutes then add shrimp and toss 3 to 4 minutes more until pink and firm. Douse the pan with the sweet vinegar, season with salt and pepper, to taste. Serve with cold lettuce for wrapping the hot-sweet shrimp

Ingredients
Salt
1 pound whole-wheat or whole-grain spaghetti
5 tablespoons vegetable or light oil
5 boneless pork loin chop 1 1/2-inches thick
Freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons orange marmalade
6 tablespoons teriyaki sauce
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 bunch scallions, thinly sliced on an angle
1 cup shelled, frozen edamame
1 tablespoon black sesame seeds or toasted sesame seeds, optional

Directions
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil for pasta, and cook pasta to al dente.
While pasta cooks, heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season chops with salt and pepper and cook 6 minutes on the first side, 4 to 5 on the second. Remove chops to a plate and reserve, cover with foil. Add 3 tablespoons orange marmalade, a couple tablespoons teriyaki sauce and a 1/4 cup of water to the pan, bring the sauce to a bubble and combine 1 minute, stir in sesame oil remove from heat.
While the chop cooks, heat a second skillet with 3 tablespoons oil over medium high heat. Stir-fry the scallions and edamame a couple of minutes. Drain pasta and toss with scallions and edamame and remaining teriyaki sauce, about 1/4 cup. Sprinkle noodles with sesame seeds, if desired.
Slice pork or leave chop whole and top with orange-sesame glaze. Serve teriyaki noodles alongside.

Turkey Kabobs

2008-06-25T08:50:00.002-04:00

My sister in law made these this weekend and they were fab-o! Again from Rachel Ray, I love her! At first her recipes intimidated me because of the number of ingredients but I did start to notice many of them were things I had in the cupboard that I just never used! Anyways bon appetit!

1 pound ground turkey
1/4 cup bread crumbs
1 bunch scallions, half finely chopped, half cut into 1-inch pieces
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup sesame seeds
1/3 cup lemon-lime soda
1 tablespoon sesame oil
2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 large Asian pear, cored and cut into 8 wedges

1. In a medium bowl, combine the turkey, bread crumbs, chopped scallions and 1 tablespoon soy sauce. Form into 16 meatballs; transfer to a large plate and sprinkle with the sesame seeds.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining 3 tablespoons soy sauce, the lemon-lime soda, sesame oil, ginger and garlic powder. Transfer half of the mixture to another small bowl for serving.
3. Preheat the grill to medium. Thread the turkey meatballs, scallion pieces and Asian pear wedges onto skewers. Grill, turning occasionally and basting with the soy mixture, until the kebabs are browned, 10 to 12 minutes. Serve with the reserved sauce for dipping.

Paradise Black and White Chipper Recipe

2008-06-25T08:47:00.002-04:00

I love Paradise Bakery's Black and White chippers and this is the recipe I found online...we shall see I am making them on Sunday for a cook out!

Chewy White Chocolate, Chocolate Cookies
1 3/4 cups flour
1 1/4 cups cocoa powder (I used Hershey's Dark Chocolate Cocoa Powder)
1 cup white sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 tsps. baking soda
1 cup butter
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1/4 tsp. salt
2 cups white chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease cookie sheet. (I used a cookie sheet with a silpat liner)
2. In a large bowl, cream together the butter, brown sugar and white sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well with each addiction. Add the salt and vanilla.
3. In another bowl, combine the flour, cocoa and baking soda and gradually add to the creamed mixture. Fold in chocolate chips. Drop by rounded spoonfuls onto the prepared cookie sheet.
4. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes until fluffy but still soft. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely

Buffalo Chicken Dip

2008-06-25T08:44:00.001-04:00

Buffalo Chicken Dip- from allrecipes.com This is a great dip and I always get requests for the recipe so here it is! Enjoy!

INGREDIENTS:
2 (10 ounce) cans chunk chicken, drained
2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1 cup Ranch dressing
3/4 cup pepper sauce, such as Franks®
Red Hot®
1 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese

1 bunch celery, cleaned and cut into 4 inch
pieces
1 (8 ounce) box chicken-flavored crackers
DIRECTIONS:
1.
Heat chicken and hot sauce in a skillet over medium heat, until heated through. Stir in cream cheese and ranch dressing. Cook, stirring until well blended and warm. Mix in half of the shredded cheese, and transfer the mixture to a slow cooker. Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top, cover, and cook on Low setting until hot and bubbly. Serve with celery sticks and crackers.

Yum-O

2008-06-17T10:14:00.001-04:00

Ok so I tried this recipe from Rachel Ray a few weeks ago and we really liked it! I added red pepper flakes to it of course because we like to kick things up a notch!

Hope this link works

http://www.rachaelraymag.com/recipes/chicken-turkey-recipes/chicken-plum-and-red-onion-kebabs/article.html

Thai Pizza

2008-02-12T20:47:00.000-05:00

I made this with the wonton soup and both were so amazingly good! I cut this into 8 pieces and each piece is 8 WW pts. Great combo of sweet and savory!

1 pizza dough, any brand
1/2 cup duck sauce or plum sauce
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 package (2 cups) shredded provolone or Monterey Jack cheese
1/2 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 rounded tablespoonful peanut butter
2 teaspoons hot sauce
2 teaspoons grill seasoning (recommended: Montreal Steak Seasoning) eyeball it
4 chicken breast cutlets, 1/2 pound
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar or cider vinegar
1/4 seedless cucumber, peeled and cut into matchsticks
4 scallions, chopped
1 cup bean spouts,
a couple of handfuls Palm full cilantro leaves, chopped
1/4 cup chopped peanuts, 2 ounces

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
Form pizza crust on pizza pan or cookie sheet. Top with duck or plum sauce - spread it around like you would pizza sauce. Sprinkle the pizza with some crushed red pepper flakes then top with cheese and peppers. Bake until golden and bubbly, 15 to 17 minutes.
Preheat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Combine vegetable oil, soy sauce and peanut butter with hot sauce and grill seasoning. Use the microwave to loosen up peanut butter if it is too cold to blend into sauce, 10 seconds ought to do it. Add chicken and coat evenly with mixture. Let stand 10 minutes then grill chicken cutlets 2 to 3 minutes on each side, until firm. Slice chicken into very thin strips.
While chicken cooks, mix honey and vinegar and add the cucumber. Turn to coat evenly.
Top the hot, cooked pizza with chicken, scallions, sprouts and cilantro. Drain cucumbers and scatter over the pizza. Garnish pizza with peanuts, cut into 8 wedges and serve.

Wonton Soup

2008-02-12T20:30:00.000-05:00

This was totally amazing, I can't wait to eat it again!!

Wontons
¼ pound ground skinless chicken breast
2 scallions, finely chopped
1 teaspoon minced peeled fresh ginger
1 teaspoon reduced sodium soy sauce
1 teaspoon cornstarch
¼ teaspoon Asian (dark) sesame oil
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
16 (3 inch) square wonton wrappers

Soup
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 tablespoon reduced-sodium soy sauce
½ pound bok choy, coarsely chopped (about two cups)
4 scallions, cut into ½ inch pieces

1. To prepare the wontons, combine the chicken, scallions, ginger, soy sauce, cornstarch, sesame oil, salt, and pepper in a bowl’ set aside.
2. Arrange 8 wonton wrappers on a work surface. Place 1 teaspoon of the chicken mixture in the center of each wrapper. Moisten the edges of each wonton wrapper with water and pull one of the top corner diagonally over the filling to make a triangle. Press the edges firmly to seal. Bring left and right corners together above the filling. Overlap the tips of these corners, moisten with water, and press together. Place completed wontons on a baking sheet lightly covered with cornstarch and cover with a damp paper towels. Repeat with the remaining filling and wrappers, making 16 wontons.
3. To prepare the soup, bring the broth and soy sauce to a boil in a large saucepan. Reduce the heat to medium low and add the wontons and bok choy; simmer, stirring occasionally, until the wontons are cooked through and the bok choy is tender, about 10 minutes. Sprinkle with the scallions and serve.

Portabello Lasagna Roll Ups

2008-01-14T09:33:00.000-05:00

This was so good, I would cut the ricotta in half and add cottage cheese. Also add garlic while sauteeing the mushrooms and then when mushrooms and sauce mix is done I mixed it with the cheese mixture instead of doing two steps and it worked out just fine! 6 WW pts for one roll!

12 whole-wheat lasagna noodles (about 3/4 pound)
2 teaspoons olive oil
12 ounces portobello mushrooms, chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 cups Easy Tomato Sauce, recipe follows, or store bought marinara sauce
1 (15-ounce) container part-skim ricotta cheese
1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
1 egg, lightly beaten Freshly ground black pepper Pinch ground nutmeg
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
3 ounces grated part-skim mozzarella cheese (about 2/3 cup)

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Cook the noodles al dente according to the directions on the package. Drain them well and spread them out onto aluminum foil or waxed paper to prevent them from sticking.
Heat the oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned and all the liquid has evaporated, about 5 minutes. Season with 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Stir in 1 1/2 cups of the tomato sauce and simmer for 2 minutes. In a medium bowl combine the ricotta cheese, spinach, egg, the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, a few turns of pepper, and nutmeg.

Spread 1 cup of tomato sauce on the bottom of a 9 by 12-inch baking dish. Spread about 2 tablespoons of the ricotta mixture onto a lasagna noodle. Top with about 1 1/2 tablespoons of the mushroom mixture, roll the noodle and place it into the baking dish. Repeat with the remaining noodles. Spread the remaining 1 1/2 cups of sauce over the lasagna rolls. Top with grated cheeses, cover loosely with foil, and bake for 45 minutes. Uncover and bake for 15 minutes more.

Butternut Squash Ravioli

2008-01-10T10:24:00.001-05:00

Ok so for lunch I have been bringing my lunch and it is normally a Smart One or Lean Cuisine. I thought about doing reviews for the ones I am eating!

Yesterday I had LC Butternut Squash Ravioli (10 WW pts) and it was SO good. You get about 5 raviolis and then lots of veggies- sugar snap peas, red and yellow pepper strips, julienne carrots and a creamy garlicy sauce. The veggies stay crisp so they are really good. I add crushed red pepper to almost everything I eat because I like the heat! It was very good on the ravioli!

Two thumbs up, I will be buying more of these for sure. Stay tuned for more reviews- hopefully! :)

Chai Tea

2008-01-10T10:21:00.000-05:00

This is SO good! One cup is 1 point on WW

If you like Chai Tea but hate paying the price for it at Starbucks or Panera try this recipe!
Chai Tea
1 cup nonfat dry milk powder
1 cup powdered non-dairy creamer
1 cup French vanilla flavored powdered non-dairy creamer
2 cups white sugar
1 1/2 cups unsweetened instant tea
2 teaspoons ground ginger
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
1 tsp allspice
1 tsp nutmeg

Combine all ingredients, then divide in batches and put in food processor to make it smooth and combine really well. Each cup needs 2 Tbls of mix. I make mine with water and sometimes top with a little milk. If you have a steamer wand that would make it really really good! The whole recipe makes 36 servings at 1 HU a cup!! Not too bad! You could possibly cut it down a little by using Splenda? The cardamom flavor was really strong so next time I will probably cut that down a little.

Tuscan Soup

2007-10-31T20:22:00.001-04:00

This soup was so good we used spicy sausage and added great northern beans. I also used the whole can of evaporated milk, it was the small can.

INGREDIENTS
· 6 cups chicken broth
· 1 onion, chopped
· 3 (3.5 ounce) links spicy Italian sausage
· 3 large potatoes, cubed
· 1 bunch fresh spinach, washed and chopped
· 1/4 cup evaporated milk
· salt to taste
· ground black pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS
1. Remove skin from sausage and crumble into frying pan. Add chopped onion, and cook over medium heat until meat is no longer pink. If you are trying to cut fat, remove meat from pan, place in a colander, and rinse under cold water.
2. Place meat in a large pot; add stock and potatoes. Boil until potato is cooked.
3. Add spinach. Continue boiling until spinach is lightly cooked.
4. Remove soup from heat, stir in evaporated milk, and season to taste. Do not add any salt if using canned stock.

Chicken Kiev

2007-08-06T10:15:00.000-04:00

3 Chicken breasts
1 stick of butter
assortment of herbs (I used dried- rosemary, thyme, bay, salt, pepper, garlic and onion powder)
panko (Japanese bread crumbs)
2 eggs beaten
vegetable oil

A few hours or a day ahead of time combine butter which should be at room temp and herbs- roll in waxed paper and place in fridge to get hard again.

Pound out chicken breasts (I used 2 pieces of saran wrap, put the chicken between and pounded thin) slice butter and place 3 slices on each breast- roll up tucking the ends in as you roll. Place chicken in fridge for 2 hours.

Heat 1/2 inch oil in skillet- dredge chicken in egg then panko- place in oil and cook 5-6 min on each side.

Vary the stuffing-
Cream cheese and herbs would be good
Ham and Swiss
spinach and ricotta

Pasta Weesie

2007-06-18T10:35:00.000-04:00

If you like Carrabba's Pasta Weesie try this! *Warning* this is not a healthy meal- if you did not put it over the alfredo then it would be tons better for your waistline!

Alfredo Sauce
One stick of unsalted butter
One Pint of Heavy Cream
1 1/2 Cups Parmesean Cheese- DO NOT use bottled grated cheese- you have to splurge and get the real stuff or you will taste it in the end! I used the bagged kind and it was good but the block that you would shred yourself would be ideal!
1-2 cloves of garlic minced

Combine over LOW to Med Low heat- this will take a while but be patient because if you speed this process up the cream will curdle and it will be GROSS!!!

Shrimp Part
16-18 raw shrimp (i use tailess)
1 lemon (zest lemon before cutting it open) I also popped mine in the microwave for 15 secs and you get a lot more juice
1 1/2 cup mushrooms
2 green onions (sliced in small slivers)
8 basil leaves (roll them up and cut so that you have long strips)
1/4 cup butter (unsalted)

Melt butter and sautee mushrooms for a few min, then add shrimp and lemon juice and lemon zest- cook until shimp turn pink and add the green onion and basil. Spoon over pasta with alfredo sauce. Yummy!!!

Spicy Shrimp Pasta

2007-03-12T11:30:00.000-04:00

This is great for Friday's during Lent!

1 pound linguine
6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup small diced onion
3 tablespoons minced garlic
2 to 3 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes
1 1/2 cups canned tomato sauce
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 1/2 pounds shrimp, peeled and deveined with tails removed
1 teaspoon salt, plus more for pasta water
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
1/2 cup grated Parmesan, optional

Bring a large 1-gallon pot of salted water to a boil, and place the pasta in the pot. Cook for 5 minutes and then drain; pasta will be only partially cooked. As the pasta cooks, set a 14-inch saute pan over medium-high heat and add the olive oil. Once the oil is hot, add the onions to the pan and cook until lightly caramelized and wilted, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add the garlic to the pan and saute until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the red pepper flakes and saute briefly before adding the tomato sauce and tomato paste. Cook the sauce until reduced by about half, about 5 minutes. Add the shrimp to the pan and cook for 2 minutes. Add the partially cooked pasta to the pan along with 1 cup of the pasta cooking water and continue to cook the pasta in the sauce until al dente, about 3 to 4 minutes. Season the pasta with the salt and garnish with the parsley. Toss to combine and serve with grated Parmesan, if desired

Tortellini Soup

2007-02-28T11:09:00.000-05:00

Tortellini Soup

One Large Plastic Bottle V8
One 28 ounce Italian Diced Tomatoes (I had to get two small)
Italian Sausage links (like brats)- you will cut the casing off and cut into chunks and brown
1 Tbls Italian Seasoning
then i put in about 1-1 1/2 tsp of basil, parsley, and oregano and crushed red pepper use this one according to how hot you want it and then i used a few shakes of garlic garlic from tastefully simple and some onion powder
One bag of barrillia spinach and ricotta tortellini in the pasta section (boil and add to soup mixture)

So very good!!

Mock Panera Broccoli Soup

2007-02-28T11:07:00.000-05:00

INGREDIENTS
2 cups fresh broccoli, cut into bite size pieces
3 cups chicken broth
1 cup milk
1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of celery soup
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 cup cold water
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
1/4 brick of Velveeta cubed

DIRECTIONS
In a large soup pot, cook broccoli in broth until tender, about 10 minutes.
In a medium bowl, mix together milk and condensed celery soup. Blend cornstarch with cold water, then stir into soup mixture. Pour into the pot with the broccoli. Cook over medium heat, stirring steadily until thick and bubbly. Stir in cheeses, and simmer, stirring until hot. Do not boil.

I added lots of black pepper and also pureed half of the soup in a blender. So good!

Chicken Pot Pie

2007-02-28T11:00:00.000-05:00

This is so easy and soooo very good!

2 pie crusts (refrigerated type)
1 can cream of chicken
1 large can chicken meat (I used all white meat)
1/2 cup milk
16 oz bag of frozen veggies for soup (boil before mixing with other stuff)
1/4 tsp thyme
1/4 tsp rosemary

Lay one pie crust in dish, mix veggies, spices, soup and milk, pour into pie crust. Lay other pie crust on top, seal edges and make slits in the top of the crust to vent.

I messed up on baking but I baked 30 min in a 350 degree oven- realized that the pie shells were different than the original recipe called for and they needed to bake in a 450 degree oven, so I baked them at 450 for an extra 10 min or so. I am sure you could just bake this at 450 for 20 min or so! Enjoy

Faux Fried Chicken

2007-02-01T19:20:00.000-05:00

So Shane and I really enjoy fried chicken but it is rather unhealthy, so here is a faux recipe:

Just use enough flour and cornflake crumbs to cover how many chicken breasts you are using.

One bowl with 1-2 eggs, maybe more depends on how many you are making (I used 1 and had left over for 2 breasts) -beat egg

One bowl for flour, to that add a few shakes of garlic salt, cayenne powder (we use a lot of this, but we like spicy food!), fresh cracked pepper, stir

One bowl for cornflake crumbs

I also butterflied the breasts and stuck in a few pads of butter, it helps keep the chicken moist
Then dip chicken in egg, flour, egg again, and cornflakes
Bake at 425 for about 25-30 min. Quick and easy fried chicken!

Italian Beef

2007-01-26T12:06:00.000-05:00

Super easy, super good!

One cut of roast
Beef Broth- enought to cover at least half maybe a little more
2 Tbls Italian Seasoning
Few Shakes of each, oregano, parsley, onion and garlic powder or salt, fresh black pepper, basil
One onioin, but into slices
Half green pepper cut into chunks
I also used a few shakes of Tastefully Simples Garlic Garlic (could also use fresh garlic cloves minced or chopped)

Put in crock pot cook until roast is done.

I took the meat out and sliced with an electric knife, and put it back in the broth for about an hour, then cut a hoagie bun, put on some mayo and provolone cheese and I was set.

Mac and Cheese

2006-11-26T19:47:00.000-05:00

I also made this for Turkey Day at the Zimmermans!

INGREDIENTS
2 (8 ounce) packages elbow macaroni
2 (8 ounce) packages shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
2 (12 ounce) containers small curd cottage cheese
2 (8 ounce) containers sour cream
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
salt and pepper to taste
2 cups dry bread crumbs
1/2 cup butter, melted

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil, add pasta, and cook until done; drain.
In 9x13 inch baking dish, stir together macaroni, shredded Cheddar cheese, cottage cheese, sour cream, Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper. In a small bowl, mix together bread crumbs and melted butter. Sprinkle topping over macaroni mixture.
Bake 30 to 35 minutes, or until top is golden

I also sprinkled with salt and pepper then cut up thin layers of velveeta and arranged on top, VERY GOOD!

Pumpkin Cheesecake

2006-11-26T19:45:00.000-05:00

I always get compliments on this...

Pumpkin C
rust1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/3 cup butter or margarine -- melted
1/4 cup granulated sugar

Cheesecake
24 ounces cream cheese -- softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 eggs
1 3/4 cups solid pack pumpkin
2/3 cup evaporated milk
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 1/4 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Topping
2 cups sour cream -- room temperature
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Crust: Combine graham cracker crumbs, butter and sugar in a med. bowl. Press onto bottom and 1" up side of 9" springform pan. Bake in preheated 350 degree oven for 6-8 min. Do not allow to brown. Cool on wire rack for 10 min.

Cheesecake: Beat cream cheese and sugars in large mixer bowl until fluffy. Beat in eggs, pumpkin and milk. Add cornstarch, cinnamon and nutmeg. Beat well. Pour into crust. bake at 350 degrees for 55-60 min., until edge is set but center still moves slightly.

Topping: Combine sour cream, sugar and vanilla in med. bowl. Spread over surfaceof warm cheesecake. Bake for an additional 5 min. Cool on wire rack. Chill for several hours or overnight. Remove side of springform pan before serving

Cranberry Salad

2006-11-26T19:43:00.000-05:00

I made this for one of our Thanksgiving dinners

INGREDIENTS
1 cup sliced almonds
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1/3 cup olive oil
1/4 cup fresh cranberries
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 tablespoons water
1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
4 ounces crumbled blue cheese
1 pound mixed salad greens
DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Arrange almonds in a single layer on a baking sheet. Toast in oven for 5 minutes, or until nuts begin to brown.
In a blender or food processor, combine the vinegar, oil, cranberries, mustard, garlic, salt, pepper, and water. Process until smooth. In a large bowl, toss the almonds, onion, blue cheese, and greens with the vinegar mixture until evenly coated

Note- I used Pecans and Feta cheese (not a big fan of blue cheese!!)

Solo Dining

2006-11-16T10:54:00.000-05:00

Sorry Folks this week its just me Zeke and the two fatties so we are not eating anything special. Zeke gets his Lamb blended dog food and Otis and Jezebel get IAMS weight control. I was planning on using the George Foreman grill but it went out last night, I was pretty sad! I will be making meals again next week as I am going to the dreaded grocery store Saturday and Shane will be home Sunday! I am currently in search of a good, and I mean really good, mad and cheese recipe for Thanksgiving. If you know of any please pass it along!

Colorful Corn Chowder

2006-11-09T17:39:00.000-05:00

This is from my Allrecipes newsletter that I subscribe to. I think I may try it tomorrow if I feel like it!!

Colorful Corn Chowder
Submitted By: Margo CollinsRed and green bell peppers and carrots give color to this chowder made with half-and-half and frozen corn kernels. Serve sprinkled with grated cheese, if desired

Prep Time: 10 Minutes
Cook Time: 25 Minutes
Ready In: 35 Minutes
Yields: 10 servings

INGREDIENTS
2 tablespoons butter
1 large onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
2 (10 ounce) packages frozen corn kernels, thawed
1 1/2 cups dry potato flakes
2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
3 cups water
2 cups milk
1 cup half-and-half
1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

DIRECTIONS
In a large saucepan, melt butter over medium high heat. Cook onion, red and green bell peppers, and carrots until tender.
Stir in thawed corn, potato flakes, salt, ground peppers, and 3 cups water. Bring to boil. Reduce heat. Cover, and simmer for 10 minutes.
Stir in milk and half and half. Warm only. Do not boil. Serve sprinkled with grated cheese

Chicken Salad

2006-11-01T14:47:00.000-05:00

So I copied this from when I worked at Mrs. Fields its called "Oriental Chicken Salad" only because it uses soy sauce I guess!

I made it for two people so you can adjust accordingly

One large can of all white meat chunk chicken
Enough mayo to make it creamy
2 green onions (white part and green part)
1 stalk of celery
1 tbls of soy sauce

combine, stir, eat!

I think this would also be good with water chestunts, grapes and walnuts!! Yummy

Coconut Chicken

2006-10-26T10:15:00.000-04:00

Now don't turn your nose up at this- if you like coconut shrimp give this a whirl- it is so very very good- and it is Weight Watcher friendly at 7 pts a serving!

COCONUT CHICKEN
1 tblsp fresh lime juice
1 tblsp hot pepper sauce
1 14 oz can light coconut milk
1 lb (16 oz) boneless, skinless chicken breast
3/4 cup bread crumbs
1/2 cup flaked sweetened coconut
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground pepper cooking spray

PINA COLADA/PINEAPPLE DIP
3 oz. crushed pineapple
3 oz. fat free sour cream
4 oz pina colada mix (no alcohol)

1. Combine first 3 ingredients in a large zip-top plastic bag. Add chicken to bag; seal. Marinate in fridge 1 1/2 hours turn bag occasionally. 2. preheat oven to *400. 3. combine bread crumbs, coconut, salt, and pepper in a bowl. remove chicken from marinade; discard marinade. Dredge chicken, 1 pc. at a time into bread crumb mixture. Place chicken on a sprayed baking sheet. Coat top of chicken with spray also. You can re-spray & add more of the bread crumb mixture to get it all on the chicken. Bake at *400 for 30 minutes or until done. Turning over 1/2 way through

Chocolate Carmel Oatmeal Chews

2006-10-26T10:11:00.000-04:00

If you are a Zimmerman you should know these well, they have been a big hit at family gatherings! Enjoy

Chocolate Caramel Oatmeal Chews

2 cups quick or old-fashioned oats
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, divided
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup butter or margarine, melted
1 cup butterscotch caramel ice cream topping
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1 package (6 ounces) semi-sweet chocolate morsels

Preheat oven to 350. Spray 9x13 pan with nonstick cooking spray. Combine oats, 1 1/2 cups of the flour, brown sugar and baking soda in bowl. Add butter; mix until crumbly. Reserve 1 cup crumb mixture. Press remaining crumb mixture onto bottom of pan. Bake 15 min.Combine ice cream topping and remaining 1/4 cup flour in small bowl; whisk until smooth. Drizzle over bottom crust; carefully spread to edges of pan.Combine pecans and reserved crumb mixture in small bowl. Sprinkle crumb mixture and chocolate morsels evenly over caramel mixture. Bake 15-18 min. or until golden.

Sorry

2006-10-26T10:09:00.000-04:00

Sorry for my hiatus I have been lazy and making lazy stuff- like canned soup- gasp!!! And even worse Tuna Helper (hey I like it so its ok). I will try to post something on here that I have tried in the past and know I like. Stay tuned!!!

3 Bean Chili

2006-10-08T10:53:00.000-04:00

It is definetly chili weather today! I am making this later today, I will post how it turns out. I am not a huge fan of smoky flavors but Shane is so we will see if he likes it! It is from Cooking Light. Enjoy!

1 1/2 tablespoons canola oil
2 cups chopped onion
2/3 cup chopped carrot
4 garlic cloves, minced
4 cups water
2 cups frozen whole-kernel corn
1 cup chopped red bell pepper (about 1 large)
1 cup chopped zucchini
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 teaspoons dried oregano
2 teaspoons ground cumin
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 (28-ounce) cans crushed tomatoes
2 (16-ounce) cans pinto beans, rinsed and drained
2 (16-ounce) cans kidney beans, rinsed and drained
2 (15-ounce) cans black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (6-ounce) can no-salt-added tomato paste
1 1/2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons to 1 tablespoon finely chopped chipotle chile, canned in adobo sauce 1 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded reduced-fat cheddar cheese
1 cup reduced-fat sour cream

Heat oil in a large stockpot over medium-high heat. Add onion, carrot, and garlic; sauté 5 minutes. Stir in 4 cups water and next 12 ingredients (through tomato paste); bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 25 minutes or until carrot is tender, stirring occasionally. Stir in vinegar and chipotle. Top with fresh cilantro, cheese, and sour cream.

Sticky Chicken

2006-10-04T15:56:00.000-04:00

I am not sure why this is called Sticky Chicken because it was not sticky at all. Good but not sticky in the least bit.

4 BS Chicken Breasts
1/2 c ketchup
2 Tbls applecider vinegar
2 Tbls Worchestireshire Sauce
3 Tbls brown sugar
1 Tbls Mustard (I used Honey Mustard)

Mix and spread on chicken and bake. Pretty good not outstanding.

Pork Chops with Pineapple Salsa

2006-10-03T16:45:00.000-04:00

Pork Chops with Pineapple Salsa

Submitted By: LAWRY'S(R)
A delicious Caribbean-style salsa enhances the island flavors of these tasty chops.

· Prep Time: 15 Minutes
· Cook Time: 10 Minutes
· Ready In: 55 Minutes
· Yields: 4 servings
INGREDIENTS
· 3/4 cup Lawry's(R) Caribbean Jerk Marinade With Papaya Juice
· 4 boneless pork loin chops, 3/4 inch thick
· 1 (20 ounce) can pineapple chunks, drained and cut into small pieces*
· 1/3 cup finely chopped red onion
· 1/2 small red bell pepper, finely chopped
· 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
· 1 medium jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely chopped (optional)
DIRECTIONS
In large resealable plastic bag, pour 1/4 cup Lawry's(R) Caribbean Jerk Marinade With Papaya Juice over chops; turn to coat. Close bag and marinate in refrigerator 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, in medium bowl, combine 1/4 cup Marinade with remaining ingredients. Let stand at room temperature up to 1 hour.
Remove chops from marinade, discarding marinade. Grill or broil chops, turning once and brushing frequently with remaining 1/4 cup Marinade, 10 minutes or until done. Serve chops with pineapple salsa

We had this before we went on vacation (that is why there have been no posts lately!!) I made rice pilaf and baked sweet potatoes with this. Very very good. The salsa could have been kicked up notch with a habenero or something but it was still very good!

Quick Chic

2006-09-18T19:05:00.000-04:00

So I adapted this recipe from the latest Kraft Food and Family magazine.

6 Red Potatoes quartered
1 medium onion sliced (not round, sliver like)
2 chicken breasts butterflied
1/4 cup zesty Italian dressing
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
few dashes of rosemary and parsley
cracked black pepper and salt to taste
layer in order in a baking dish, bake at 375 (cook chicken to temp, will vary with ovens and if you use bone in chicken too)

I don't know if this will be good but it sure was quick- I assembled this in under 7 min! I am going to have some green beans with mushrooms and minced onion as a side dish- maybe some garlic in the beans too, I love garlic! Now that I am getting over my cold I can actually taste food again and enjoy it! I will post later or tomorrow to tell you all how it turned out!

Chili

2006-09-12T15:29:00.000-04:00

Sorry for the hiatus I have been a busy girl! Here is the recipe for the chili I make, it was given to me by my Grandma Stewart.

1 lb ground beef
1 onion
chop onion and brown with beef

large can of V8
1 can tomato soup
2 cans tomatoes (chili style)
2 cans chili hot beans
pour all into a stock pot and simmer do not drain any cans
add beef and onion when drained

add cooked elbow macaroni just before serving- this will get really thick if you save it in the fridge for a day, I like mine thick but if you wanted to thin it out you can use more V8 or some beef broth

we also use a hot sauce called Stupid Hot and we only put in one drop per bowl and it is great we also add cheese and sour cream and eat with peanut butter crackers! we just had this on Sunday and leftovers last night!

Vegetable Beef Soup

2006-09-07T11:35:00.000-04:00

Good Afternoon! I am making a recipe this evening that was given to me by my husbands sisters. It is always really good when they make it so I threw it all in the crockpot in hopes of coming home to a house that smells really good!! I love fall/winter food, even though we are just on the verge of getting into fall I am ready!

Vegetable Beef Soup

1 1/2 lb beef stew meat (I cut mine up into small chunks)
1 large can of V8
half of one large can of beef broth
2 bags of frozen veggies for soup
lots of fresh ground black pepper
garlic salt (few shakes)
dried minced onion (this all depends on if you like onion!)

I threw it all in the crockpot and stirred and covered! I can't wait to go home! My friend is joining me this evening and she is a vegetarian but will be able to eat this because the meat is able to be picked around- see how nice I am I thought of her in advance. She is unlike most vegetarians who will not eat anything with meat in it- she is cool and just picks around what she does not want to eat!! She rocks!!

Dilly Cukes and Onions

2006-09-06T21:23:00.000-04:00

This is a recipe from my aunt that my grandma shared with me. I have had this before only I did not use dill. I think it would be a nice addition! Enjoy

Cucumber Salad with Dill

1 seedless European cucumber, or
2 American cucumbers.
3 Tbs. cider or white vinegar
1 Tbs. sugar
1 small red or white onion, sliced and
broken into rings
1 Tbs. dried dill
salt & freshly ground black pepper

Wash the cucumbers & partially remove the peel in lengthwise strips using a vegetable peeler
or fork, leaving a little skin between strips. Slice thinly.

Place the vinegar, sugar, salt & pepper in a bowl & wisk until sugar is dissolved. Add the cucumbers, onion,
dill and toss well.

Kudos to McDonalds

2006-09-06T14:30:00.000-04:00

I just had the dollar value fruit and yogurt parfait at McDonald's and it was great. I was really leery of yogurt from a fast food joint but I really enjoyed it! Can't beat it for a buck! Check it out! Oh and the Asian salad is tasty too!

Mediterranean Chicken Ring

2006-09-05T19:39:00.000-04:00

Also from the Pampered Chef. I just recently discovered I love feta and this is a great dish, all the flavors work really well- I left out the olives because I can't stand them but if you are an olive eater I am sure they would be quite tasty in this.

Mediterranean Chicken Ring

2 pkg. Pillsbury crescent rolls1 pkg.
"recipe ready" chicken breast (or some cooked, cooled chicken)
1/2 red onion
1 red pepper
1/2 cup Kalamata olives
1 8oz. container crumbled feta cheese
1 pkg. frozen spinach, thawed and drained well
2 cloves garlic

Lay out the crescents into a circle with the points out. Roll center of circle a bit to make it into 1 flat piece. Chop veggies and chicken. Put garlic through agarlic press. Mix everything up and spread onto the crescent rolls. Pull the points of the crescents up over the filling and tuck into center.Bake 25 minutes at 375.

Taffy Pizza

2006-09-05T19:34:00.000-04:00

This is from the Pampered Chef. I don't know about dipping the apple slices in soda but if you squeeze lemon juice over them they will not turn- I made mine about 2 hours ahead of time and they did not brown! I made this for a Zimmerman get together this weekend and it was a hit! Enjoy

Taffy Apple Pizza

1-10 oz. package of refrigerated sugar cookie dough
1 pk 8oz cream cheese softened
1/4 cup Creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup Brown sugar
1/2 tsp Vanilla
2 med Granny smith apples
1 cup Lemon lime soda
Cinnamon
1/4 cup Caramel ice cream topping
1/2 cup Chopped peanuts

Preheat oven to 350F. Shape cookie dough into a ball. Place dough in center of pizza pan; flatten slightly with palm of hand. Roll dough out to 14" circle, about a 1/4" thick. Bake 16-18 minutes. Cool 10 minutes. Carefully loosen cookie from sheet with serrated knife; cool completely. Combine cream cheese, brown sugar, peanut butter and vanilla; mix well. Spread mixture evenly over top of cookie. Arrange apples evenly over cream cheese mixture; sprinkle with cinnamon. To heat caramel topping, microwave on HIGH 30-45 sec or until warm; drizzle over apples. Sprinkle nuts on top.
NOTES : Dip apples in lemon-lime soda to prevent them from turning brown. ( I find a cheap can works the best.)

Cheese Soup

2006-09-05T19:05:00.000-04:00

This is what I am making as I type! This was given to me by a good friend Lindsey! It is a great quick potato soup with a few new ingredients! As a side note I boil my chicken and it stays really juicy, it is also really easy to shred with two forks! Shane is feeling a little under the weather and it is rainy so I think that this is a really swell choice for this evening! :)

Cheese Soup

Combine:
2 1/2 Cups Diced Peeled Potatoes
1 Cup Diced Onion
1 Cup Diced Celery
5-6 Cups Chicken Broth (I used 6)
3 Boneless/Skinless Chicken Breast, Cooked and Shredded

Boil until tender (About 15 minutes)

Add:
1 16oz. pkg. frozen California Blend Vegetables (Carrots, Broccoli, Cauliflower)

Boil 5 minutes longer

Add:
2 cans Cream of Chicken Soup
1 lb. cubed Velveeta

Lower heat. Stir until all is melted. Serve.

Intro

2006-09-05T19:02:00.000-04:00

Hello Everyone! I wanted an easy way to share recipes with others and thought that a blog might do the trick. My plan is to post a new recipe daily (or at least when I cook which is about everyday). I encourage anyone who has had the recipe (or made it) to leave comments good or bad everyone has different tastes!! I will take special requests too! I know that many people want to try new recipes but are scared to do so, I know scared in the kitchen funny right? But for those who are unfamiliar with the kitchen it can be scary! I picture myself in a garage with tools....what would I do with all of them besides just look in amazement! So I hope you enjoy this as much as I am sure I will!