Corn & Bacon Chowder

Ingredients
2 bacon slices
1/2 cup refrigerated prechopped celery, onion, and bell pepper mix
2 (16-ounce) packages frozen baby gold and white corn, thawed and divided
2 cups 1% low-fat milk, divided
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3/4 cup (3 ounces) reduced-fat shredded extra-sharp cheddar cheese (such as Cracker Barrel)
Freshly ground black pepper (optional)
Preparation
1. Cook bacon in a Dutch oven over medium heat until crisp. Remove bacon from pan; crumble and set aside. Add celery mixture and 1 package corn to drippings in pan; sauté 5 minutes or until vegetables are tender.
2. Place remaining 1 package corn and 1 cup milk in a blender, and process until smooth. Add pureed mixture to vegetables in pan; stir in remaining 1 cup milk, salt, black pepper, and cheese. Cook over medium heat (do not boil), stirring constantly, until cheese melts. Ladle chowder into bowls. Top each serving evenly with reserved crumbled bacon. Sprinkle with additional black pepper, if desired.

Beefy Corn and Black Bean Chili

Ingredients
1 pound ground round
2 teaspoons salt-free chili powder blend (such as The Spice Hunter)
1 (14-ounce) package frozen seasoned corn and black beans (such as Pictsweet)
1 (14-ounce) can fat-free, less-sodium beef broth
1 (15-ounce) can seasoned tomato sauce for chili (such as Hunt's Family Favorites)
Reduced-fat sour cream (optional)
Sliced green onions (optional)
Preparation
1. Combine beef and chili powder blend in a large Dutch oven. Cook 6 minutes over medium-high heat or until beef is browned, stirring to crumble. Drain and return to pan.
2. Stir in frozen corn mixture, broth, and tomato sauce; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes. Uncover and simmer 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Ladle chili into bowls. Top each serving with sour cream and onions, if desired.

If your grocery store offers turkey Italian sausage in the butcher case, purchase one or two links to equal 4 ounces. If starting with a package of several sausages, freeze leftover links up to two months to use later.

Ingredients
1 1/3 cups 1% low-fat milk
1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
1 large egg white
8 (1-ounce) slices day-old French bread, cut into 1-inch cubes
Cooking spray
2 cups chopped yellow onion
1/4 cup apple juice
4 ounces turkey Italian sausage
3/4 cup (3 ounces) shredded sharp cheddar cheese, divided
Directions
1. Combine first 5 ingredients in a large bowl; stir well with a whisk. Add bread; toss gently to coat. Let bread mixture stand 20 minutes.
2. Preheat oven to 350°.
3. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add onion to pan; cook 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add juice; cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove casings from sausage. Crumble sausage into pan; cook 5 minutes or until browned, stirring frequently. Remove from heat; let stand 5 minutes.
4. Add sausage mixture and cheese to bread mixture; stir well to combine. Spoon into an 8-inch square baking dish coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 40 minutes or until set and lightly browned. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

Grown-Up Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

Ingredients
Cooking spray
1 cup vertically sliced red onion
1 large garlic clove, minced
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded reduced-fat sharp white cheddar cheese (such as Cracker Barrel)
8 (1 1/2-ounce) slices hearty white bread (such as Pepperidge Farm) 2 cups fresh spinach leaves
8 (1/4-inch-thick) slices tomato
6 slices center-cut bacon, cooked
Preparation
1. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add 1 cup onion and garlic; cook for 10 minutes or until tender and golden brown, stirring occasionally.
2. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons cheese over each of 4 bread slices. Top each slice with 1/2 cup spinach, 2 tomato slices, 2 tablespoons onion mixture, and 1 1/2 bacon slices. Sprinkle each with 2 tablespoons cheese; top with the remaining 4 bread slices.
3. Heat skillet over medium heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Place sandwiches in pan, and cook for 3 minutes on each side or until golden brown and cheese melts

Zesty Chicken Enchiladas

Ingredients
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 pound tomatillos (papery skins removed), chopped
1 onion (preferably white), chopped
1 poblano pepper, seeded and chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
kosher salt and black pepper
1 cup heavy cream
1 2- to 2 1/2-pound rotisserie chicken, meat shredded
1 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes, drained
1 1/4 cups grated Monterey Jack (5 ounces)
8 6-inch corn tortillas
Pico de Gallo or salsa
Directions
1.Heat oven to 400° F. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the tomatillos, onion, poblano, garlic, cumin, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer to a food processor, add the cream, and puree.
2.In a large bowl, combine the chicken, tomatoes, 1 cup of the cheese, 1/2 cup of the tomatillo sauce, and 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper.
3.Warm the tortillas according to the package directions. Spread 1 cup of the remaining sauce in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Roll the chicken mixture in the tortillas and place them in the dish, seam-side down.
4.Top with the remaining sauce and cheese. Bake until beginning to brown, 10 to 15 minutes. Serve with Pico de Gallo.

Honey Chicken Skewers With Grilled-Corn Salad

Ingredients
1/2 cup ketchup
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
kosher salt and pepper
canola oil, for the grill
6 ears corn, shucked
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, cut into pieces
2 scallions, sliced
Directions
1.Place twenty 8-inch wooden skewers in water to soak. Heat grill to medium-high. In a small bowl, combine the ketchup, honey, and Worcestershire sauce; set aside.
2.Slice the chicken lengthwise into twenty 1/2-inch-thick strips. Thread each strip onto a wooden skewer. Season with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
3.Lightly oil the grill. Cook the chicken, turning occasionally, until cooked through, 6 to 8 minutes, basting with the ketchup mixture during the last 2 minutes of cooking.
4.Meanwhile, grill the corn, turning occasionally, until slightly charred, 3 to 4 minutes. Cut the kernels off the cobs, place in a medium bowl, and toss with the butter, scallions, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Serve with the chicken.

Southwestern Chicken and White Bean Soup

Ingredients
2 cups shredded cooked chicken breast
1 tablespoon 40%-less-sodium taco seasoning (such as Old El Paso)
Cooking spray
2 (14-ounce) cans fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1 (16-ounce) can cannellini beans or other white beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup green salsa
Light sour cream (optional)
Chopped fresh cilantro (optional)
Preparation
1. Combine chicken and taco seasoning; toss well to coat. Heat a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add chicken; sauté 2 minutes or until chicken is lightly browned. Add broth, scraping pan to loosen browned bits.
2. Place beans in a small bowl; mash until only a few whole beans remain. Add beans and salsa to pan, stirring well. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer 10 minutes or until slightly thick. Serve with sour cream and cilantro, if desired.

Spicy Poblano and Corn Soup

Ingredients
1 (16-ounce) package frozen baby gold and white corn (such as Birds Eye), thawed and divided
2 cups fat-free milk, divided
4 poblano chiles, seeded and chopped (about 1 pound)
1 cup refrigerated prechopped onion
1 tablespoon water
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (2 ounces) reduced-fat shredded sharp cheddar cheese
Preparation
1. Place 1 cup corn and 1 1/2 cups milk in a Dutch oven. Bring mixture to a boil over medium heat.
2. Combine chopped chile, onion, and 1 tablespoon water in a microwave-safe bowl. Cover and microwave at HIGH 4 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, place 2 cups corn and 1/2 cup milk in a blender; process until smooth. Add pureed mixture to corn mixture in pan. Stir in chile mixture and salt, and cook 6 minutes over medium heat. Ladle soup into bowls, and top each serving with 2 tablespoons cheddar cheese.

last-minute lasagna

Ingredients
1 26-ounce jar pasta sauce
2 30-ounce bags frozen large cheese ravioli, unthawed
1 10-ounce box frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed of excess water
1 8-ounce bag shredded mozzarella
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
Directions
1.Heat oven to 350° F. Coat a 13-by-9-inch baking dish with cooking spray and spoon in a third of the sauce.
2.Arrange 12 ravioli on top and scatter the spinach over them. Top with half of each cheese. Cover with another layer of ravioli and the remaining sauce and cheese.
3.Cover with foil and bake 25 minutes. Uncover and bake 5 to 10 minutes more or until bubbly.

Summer Squash Casserole

Never ever browse the Southern Living website for recipes. It might make you drool a little. Prep: 25 min., Cook: 5 min., Bake: 35 min., Stand: 10 min.
Yield
Makes 8 servings
Ingredients:
1 1/2 pounds yellow squash
1 pound zucchini
1 small sweet onion, chopped
2 1/2 teaspoons salt, divided
1 cup grated carrots
1 (10 3/4-oz.) can cream of chicken soup
1 (8-oz.) container sour cream
1 (8-oz.) can water chestnuts, drained and chopped
1 (8-oz.) package herb-seasoned stuffing
1/2 cup butter, melted
Preparation:
1. Preheat oven to 350°. Cut squash and zucchini into 1/4-inch-thick slices; place in a Dutch oven. Add chopped onion, 2 tsp. salt, and water to cover. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, and cook 5 minutes; drain well.
2. Stir together 1 cup grated carrots, next 3 ingredients, and remaining 1/2 tsp. salt in a large bowl; fold in squash mixture. Stir together stuffing and 1/2 cup melted butter, and spoon half of stuffing mixture in bottom of a lightly greased 13- x 9-inch baking dish. Spoon squash mixture over stuffing mixture, and top with remaining stuffing mixture.
3. Bake at 350° for 30 to 35 minutes or until bubbly and golden brown, shielding with aluminum foil after 20 to 25 minutes to prevent excessive browning, if necessary. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.
Note: For testing purposes only, we used Pepperidge Farm Herb Seasoned Stuffing.

Apricot-Lemon Chicken

Prep: 4 minutes; Cook: 14 minutes; Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 chicken breast half and about 1 1/2 tablespoons apricot-lemon sauce)
Ingredients:
1 teaspoon curry powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
Cooking spray
1/3 cup apricot spread (such as Polaner All Fruit)
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons water
2 teaspoons grated lemon rind
Preparation:
1. Combine first 3 ingredients in a small bowl; rub mixture over chicken.
2. Place a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Cook chicken 6 minutes on each side or until done. Remove chicken from pan, and keep warm.
3. Add apricot spread, lemon juice, and 2 tablespoons water to pan, stirring until smooth. Cook over medium heat 1 minute. Spoon sauce over chicken; sprinkle with lemon rind.
Nutritional Information:
Calories:
245 (8% from fat)
Fat:
2g (sat 0.6g,mono 0.5g,poly 0.5g)
Protein:
39.4g
Carbohydrate:
14.5g
Fiber:
0.3g

Quick Chicken & Dumplings

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: about 1 1/2 cups)
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 cup prechopped onion
2 cups chopped roasted skinless, boneless chicken breasts
1 (10-ounce) box frozen mixed vegetables, thawed
1 1/2 cups water
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 (14-ounce) can fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 bay leaf
8 (6-inch) flour tortillas, cut into 1/2-inch strips
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
Preparation:
Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion; sauté 5 minutes or until tender. Stir in chicken and vegetables; cook 3 minutes or until thoroughly heated, stirring constantly.
While chicken mixture cooks, combine water, flour, and broth. Gradually stir broth mixture into chicken mixture. Stir in salt, pepper, and bay leaf; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 3 minutes. Stir in tortilla strips, and cook 2 minutes or until tortilla strips soften. Remove from heat; stir in parsley. Discard bay leaf. Serve immediately.
Nutritional Information:
Calories:
366 (23% from fat)
Fat:
9.3g (sat 3.1g,mono 3.9g,poly 1.4g)
Protein:
29.8g
Carbohydrate:
40.3g
Fiber:
5.3g

Rolo Cake Cookies

Got this recipe from my friend Shalyce. Made them last night. Easiest cookies ever & so good!

1 Chocolate Cake Mix (we used Betty Crocker Tripple Chocolate Fudge)
2 Eggs

1/3 Cup Oil

1 bag of Rolos

DON'T follow the recipe on the box of the cake mix! Just put in these ingredients.

Take the dough, wrap it around a rolo & shape it into a ball.

Bake at 350 degrees for 8 minutes.

And that's it!

Scandinavian Almond Bars

made these last night for a birthday gathering.

i already handed out the recipes for two of them:

get the ginger snap recipe here.

get the pumpkin choco chip here. Now we're gonna make these yummies.
1 3/4 cup all purpose flour
2 tsp. banking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup butter or margarine
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 Tablespoon almond extract
milk
confectioners sugar
Stir together flour, baking powder & salt. In large bowl beat butter until softened. Add sugar and beat until fluffy. Add egg and extract and beat well. Add flour mixture and beat until well mixed.

Form dough into log, flatten, cook at 350 for 12-14 min. I cut it lengthwise (while hot), then diagonally (1" strips) with a pizza cutter.

Cool-drizzle with icing.
Icing: 1 cup confectioner sugar, 1/4 tsp. or more almond extract and 3-4 or more tsp. milk.

Marshmallow Popcorn Bars

Makes 24 bars

Hands-On Time: 10m

Total Time: 20m
Ingredients
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for the dish
1/2 cup popcorn kernels or one 3.5-ounce package plain microwave popcorn
1 10-ounce bag marshmallows
Directions
Butter a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Pop the popcorn according to the package directions.
Melt the butter and marshmallows in a large saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring until smooth, 5 to 7 minutes.
Fold in the popcorn until coated. Press into the prepared dish and let sit for 10 minutes before cutting into 24 bars.

Happy Halloween!

Sweet Potato Fries & Dipping Sauce

Made this after church today. Grand. Plus, this week in my health class I discovered sweet potatoes were the best veggies! Who woulda thunk?

P.S. I'm a "little bit of this & little bit of that" cooker. I don't measure & I eye ball my stuff in the oven. So this is going off of what I think I put together. Hopefully you can trust me on this one...

Directions for fries:

Cut up sweet potatoes into fries.

I put them into a pot of boiling water to soften them up for a little over 10 minutes.

Lay them out on a cookie sheet.

Put a little olive oil, salt & pepper on top.

Set the oven to 375 & stick them in for about 15 minutes. Once again, I would keep checking to make sure they don't burn!

Dipping Sauce Ingredients:

3/4 Cup Sour Cream

1/4 teaspoon lime zest

1/4 teaspoon lime juice

1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon minced garlic

cilantro

Mix all together.

Chomp down.

This was good guys.

Quick Fall Minestrone

Yield: 8 servings
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 cup chopped onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
6 cups vegetable broth
2 1/2 cups (3/4-inch) cubed peeled butternut squash
2 1/2 cups (3/4-inch) cubed peeled baking potato
1 cup (1-inch) cut green beans

1/2 cup diced carrot
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 cups chopped kale
1/2 cup uncooked orzo (rice-shaped pasta)
1 (16-ounce) can cannellini beans or other white beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup (2 ounces) grated fresh Parmesan cheese
Preparation:
Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic; sauté 2 1/2 minutes or until tender. Add broth and the next 7 ingredients (broth through salt); bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 3 minutes. Add kale, orzo, and beans; cook 5 minutes or until orzo is done and vegetables are tender. Sprinkle with cheese.
Nutritional Information
Calories:
212

Fat:
5g
Protein:
9.6g
Carbohydrate:
36g
Fiber:
3.9g

Ginger Snaps

You guys, these really are divine and my roommate nailed it, "It's like Christmas in your mouth..."
So it's only October... but I was aching to make these bad boys for our picnic today & for more Mason Jar give aways. I'll admit, they make me a little homesick because my family makes them every Christmas Eve & they're still the cookies I give to Santy Claus. Here it is:

1 1/2 cups veggie oil
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup molassas
4 cups flour
4 tsp Baking Soda
1 tsp salt
1 Tab. ginger
2 tsp. cinnamon
sugar for coating
Beat first three ingredients together. Add dry ingredients. Chill for 1 hr. Roll 1 12" balls-roll in sugar...cook 6-8 minutes @ 350.

Tip 1: Take the cookies out of the oven when they're starting to "crack" on top or else they'll be crunchy. No bueno.

Tip 2: When adding the molassas to the recipe, spray the measuring cup first with Pam and then the molassas will slip right instead of STICKING to the measuring cup which is totally annoying.

Enjoy!

Parmesean Zucchini Sticks with Smoky Roasted Romesco Sauce

My love for zucchini will never die.

*to save time, use your own marinara sauce instead of making the one from the recipe. Yield 8 servings (serving size: 6 zucchini sticks and 1/4 cup sauce)
Ingredients:
Sauce:
3 medium red bell peppers
2 plum tomatoes, halved lengthwise
1/2 cup (1/2-inch) cubed French bread baguette, crusts removed
1 1/2 tablespoons smoked almonds
1 tablespoon extravirgin olive oil
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar
1/4 teaspoon Spanish smoked paprika
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
1 large garlic clove
Zucchini:
3 large zucchini (about 1 1/2 pounds)
1 cup dry breadcrumbs
1/2 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
1/4 cup (1 ounce) grated fresh Parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup egg substitute
Cooking spray
Preparation:
1. Preheat broiler.
2. To prepare sauce, cut bell peppers in half lengthwise; discard seeds and membranes. Place bell pepper halves and tomatoes, skin sides up, on a foil-lined baking sheet; flatten bell peppers with hand. Broil 10 minutes or until blackened. Place in a zip-top plastic bag; seal. Let stand 15 minutes. Peel and coarsely chop, reserving any liquid.
3. Combine bell peppers, reserved liquid, tomatoes, and next 8 ingredients (through garlic) in a blender or food processor; process until smooth.
4. Preheat oven to 400°.
5. To prepare zucchini, cut 1 zucchini in half crosswise; cut each half lengthwise into 8 wedges. Repeat procedure with remaining zucchini. Combine breadcrumbs, panko, cheese, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and black pepper in a shallow dish. Dip zucchini in egg substitute; dredge in breadcrumb mixture. Place zucchini on a wire rack coated with cooking spray. Lightly coat zucchini with cooking spray. Bake at 400° for 25 minutes or until golden brown. Serve immediately with sauce.

*recipe from cooking light

Southwestern Soup

LOVE the Southern Living Magazine. I devour our stack everytime I go home. The January 2009 issue had a little gem. Southwestern Soup. MMMhMMM good. It has a lot of ingredients but is totally worth it. For all you Provo dwellers, make it on a depressingly cold day. It is a COZY COMFORT food.

Prep: 15 min., Cook: 45 min.
Yield
Makes 6 servings
Ingredients:
1 pound ground beef
1 cup coarsely chopped onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 (16-oz.) cans light red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 (15-oz.) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (14.5-oz.) can petite diced tomatoes and jalapeños, undrained
1 (14.5-oz.) can diced tomatoes and mild green chiles, undrained
1 (14-oz.) can beef broth
2 cups frozen yellow and white whole kernel corn
1 (1-oz.) envelope taco seasoning mix
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
Toppings: sour cream and chopped fresh cilantro
Preparation:
1. Brown ground beef, onion, and garlic in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat, stirring often, 10 to 12 minutes or until meat crumbles and is no longer pink and onion is softened; drain.
2. Stir in kidney beans, next 8 ingredients, and 4 cups water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer 30 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Stir in cilantro just before serving. Serve with desired toppings.

so obsessed with....

Halloween cupcakes right now.

Ms. Stolworthy will have so many Halloween cupcakes in her classroom next fall.

Quick King Ranch Chicken

Made this one last night. Not healthiest, but quick & easy.

Ingredients:

1/4 cup margarine
1 medium green bell pepper, diced fine
1 medium yellow onion, diced fine
1 can condensed cream of mushroom soup
1 can condensed cream of chicken soup
2 cans Milder Rotel diced tomatoes and green chiles
2 cups cooked chicken, cubed (i use the canned chicken)
12 whole wheat tortillas, torn into bite-sized pieces
2 cups shredded cheddar or velveeta cheese
preheat oven to 325 degrees. in a large saucepan, saute the bell pepper and onion in the margerine until tender (about 5 minutes). add both soups, the rotel and chicken pieces and stir until the mixture is well-blended. in a 10x10 lightly oiled casserole dish, start making thin layers with the corn tortillas first, then the cooked chicken mixture and last the cheese. repeat about 3 times with the cheese on top. bake for 40 minutes, covered, or until hot and bubbly. Serve over rice with sour cream on top.

cookie monster

Don't worry, Sara & I have still been doing our weekly Mason Jar give away. I've just been bad with updates. These are our projects for the last two weeks:

Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Cookies

Ingredients:
4 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 (16 ounce) can solid pack pumpkin
1 cup vegetable oil
2 eggs
2 tablespoons milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup chopped walnuts
Directions: In a mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, cinnamon, baking soda and salt. Add pumpkin, oil, eggs, milk and vanilla; beat on medium speed until well mixed. Stir in chocolate chips and nuts. Drop by tablespoonfuls onto greased baking sheets. Bake at 375 degrees F for 13-14 minutes or until edges just begin to brown. Cool for 2 minutes; remove to a wire rack to cool completely.

*The cookies are baked in the exact shape you put them on the pan. Since the batter is sticky, Sara & I put a little oil on our fingers & smoothed out the cookies before baking.

White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies

Ingredients:

2/3 cup butter, softened
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups rolled oats
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/4 cups dried cranberries
2/3 cup coarsely chopped white chocolate
Directions: Preheat oven to 375 degrees F
In a medium bowl, cream together the butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time. Put oats in the blender & blend until a they are fine. Combine oats, flour, salt, and baking soda; stir into butter mixture one cup at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in dried cranberries and white chocolate. Drop by rounded teaspoons onto ungreased cookie sheets.
Bake for 10 to 12 minutes in preheated oven, or until golden brown. Cool on wire racks.

mason jar love

Anyone that knows me knows that I love Mason Jars. There's so much to do with them.

Sara & I have recently decided every Sunday we would make a treat for someone in need & deliver it to become more selfless :)

(i'm not gonna lie, it really bothers me that the pinkish ribbon clashes with the red salsa, but it's all i had & i couldn't send it plain. don't worry, my mama sent more ribbon this week to me. babe.) This Salsa is so good. My mom always makes it & now I make it weekly because everyone loves it so much.

JD even made it as one of Ashley's favorite foods when he proposed.Salsa
1 can diced tomatoes (undrained)
1 can black beans (undrained)
1 can white corn (undrained)
1 packet of Italian Dry Dressing Mix
Cilantro
Green Onions (optional)
Mix all things together in a bowl. There you have it folks! Easy as can be.

Hamburger Cupcakes

These are just funny. Make some yellow cupcakes & chocolate cupcakes first. (Hint: When making the yellow cupcakes, don't put as much batter in the pans so when you cut them in half they look more like buns!)Make "condoments" out of icing (we just used "ketchup" & "cheese"). Dye some cocunut light green for shredded lettuce. And there you have it! Perfect for your kids when they refuse to eat real hamburgers, wink wink!

Cumin-Spiced Chicken with Chunky Tomato Sauce

Prep: 2 minutes; Cook: 15 minutes; Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 chicken breast half and about 1/4 cup tomato sauce)
Ingredients:
Cooking spray
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
3/4 teaspoon ground cumin, divided
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 (10-ounce) can mild diced tomatoes and green chiles, undrained
3/4 cup (3 ounces) preshredded reduced-fat Mexican blend cheese
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
Preparation:
1. Preheat broiler.
2. Heat a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat; coat pan with cooking spray. Sprinkle both sides of chicken evenly with 1/2 teaspoon cumin and salt; cook 6 minutes on each side or until done. Remove chicken from pan; keep warm.
3. Add 1/4 teaspoon cumin and tomatoes to pan; cook 1 minute. Return chicken to pan; spoon tomato mixture evenly over chicken. Sprinkle evenly with cheese; broil 2 minutes or until cheese melts. Top with cilantro.
Nutritional Information:
Calories:
253
Fat:
6g
Protein:
45.9g
Carbohydrate:
2.7g
Fiber:
0.9g

Grilled Chicken and Pineapple Sandwiches

Prep: 6 minutes; Cook: 10 minutes
Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 sandwich)
Ingredients:
4 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Cooking spray
1/4 cup fresh lime juice (about 2 limes)
4 (1/2-inch-thick) slices fresh pineapple
4 (1.5-ounce) whole wheat hamburger buns, toasted
Light mayonnaise (optional)
4 large basil leaves
Preparation:
1. Prepare grill.
2. Sprinkle chicken evenly with salt and pepper. Place chicken on grill rack coated with cooking spray; grill 5 to 6 minutes on each side or until done, brushing occasionally with lime juice. Grill pineapple 2 to 3 minutes on each side or until browned.
3. Spread mayonnaise on bottom halves of buns, if desired. Top each with 1 chicken breast half, 1 pineapple slice, 1 basil leaf, and 1 bun top. Serve immediately.
Nutritional Information:
Calories:
333 (11% from fat)
Fat:
4g (sat 0.9g,mono 1g,poly 1.4g)
Protein:
43.4g
Carbohydrate:
30.5g
Fiber:
4.1g

Grilled Chicken with Rustic Mustard Cream

I'm finding treasures on the Cooking Light site right now. All chicken, all 5 ingredients or less...

Prep: 6 minutes; Cook: 12 minutes; Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 chicken breast half and 1 tablespoon mustard cream)
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon whole-grain Dijon mustard, divided
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
4 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
Cooking spray
3 tablespoons light mayonnaise
1 tablespoon water
Rosemary sprigs (optional)
Preparation:
1. Prepare grill.
2. Combine 1 teaspoon mustard, oil, and next 3 ingredients in a small bowl; brush evenly over chicken. Place chicken on grill rack coated with cooking spray; grill 6 minutes on each side or until done.
3. While chicken grills, combine 1 tablespoon mustard, mayonnaise, and 1 tablespoon water in a bowl. Serve mustard cream with grilled chicken. Garnish with rosemary sprigs, if desired.
Nutritional Information:
Calories:
262 (34% from fat)
Fat:
10g (sat 1.8g,mono 4g,poly 3g)
Protein:
39.6g
Carbohydrate:
1.7g
Fiber:
0.2g

Pear-Walnut Sandwiches

mmmmmmazing.

Prep: 15 minutes
Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 sandwich)
Ingredients:
1/2 cup (4 ounces) tub-style light cream cheese
8 (1.1-ounce) slices cinnamon-raisin bread, toasted
2 tablespoons finely chopped walnuts, toasted
2 Bartlett pears, cored and thinly sliced
1 cup alfalfa sprouts
Preparation:
1. Spread 1 tablespoon cream cheese evenly over each of 8 bread slices. Sprinkle 1/2 tablespoon walnuts evenly over each of 4 bread slices. Top each evenly with pear slices, sprouts, and 1 bread slice. Cut each sandwich in half diagonally.
Nutritional Information:
Calories:
335 (29% from fat)
Fat:
11g (sat 3.7g,mono 0.4g,poly 1.8g)
Protein:
8.7g
Carbohydrate:
52.2g
Fiber:
5.9g

*for a healthier option, replace raisin bread with whole wheat bread.

*i'll replace the pears for green apple slices sometimes & add turkey. it's all good in the hood. mix it up.

Chicken-Tortilla Pie

So many good things about this. Fast, healthy & only calls for 5 ingredients. WOOT WOOT!

*from cooking light website

Prep: 13 minutes; Cook: 10 minutes
Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 wedge)
Ingredients:
2 cups shredded cooked chicken breast
1/4 cup Fresh Salsa
1 cup spicy black bean dip (such as Guiltless Gourmet)
4 (8-inch) whole wheat tortillas (such as Tumaro's)
1/2 cup (2 ounces) reduced-fat shredded Monterey Jack cheese
Cooking spray
Preparation:
1. Preheat oven to 450°.
2. Combine chicken and salsa in a medium bowl.
3. Spread 1/4 cup black bean dip over each tortilla. Top each evenly with chicken mixture and 2 tablespoons cheese. Stack tortillas in bottom of a 9-inch springform pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 450° for 10 minutes or until thoroughly heated and cheese melts. Remove sides of pan. Cut pie into 4 wedges. Serve immediately.
Nutritional Information:
Calories:
380
Fat:
11g
Protein:
39.9g
Carbohydrate:
28.7g
Fiber:
12.2g