Spicy Avocado Chicken Enchiladas

I found these on Pinterest a while back, and finally got around to making them after a friend raved about how good they were. I feel like enchilada recipes are a dime a dozen, but these did not disappoint. I really like the sauce (especially how light it is!)) and the little spicy kick it has - I would eat it on its own! I wasn't sure how spicy they would turn out in the end, so just in case I made my 2 year-old a chicken quesadilla with no sauce, but I don't think these were so spicy where she couldn't have had one too.

But, even though I LOVE avocado I'm actually not a big fan of it when its cooked and warm, so when I make these again I will probably leave those out of the filling and just enjoy them as chicken enchiladas with some fresh mashed avocado or guacamole on top. Just a personal preference :)

Here is the recipe from The Novice Chef, with my changes noted.


Ingredients


for the sauce: 
1 Tbsp. butter
1 Serrano pepper, minced (remove the seeds first if you want it more mild)
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 Tbsp. flour
1 cup chicken stock
1 tsp. cumin
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. fresh ground pepper
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1 cup salsa verde
1/2 cup fat-free sour cream

Note: After these were done I wished I had more sauce on the enchiladas. Doubling would probably be too much, so next time I'll probably try doing an extra 1/2 batch

for the enchiladas: 
3 cups chopped cooked chicken breasts (about 4 breasts)
8 oz Monterrey Jack Cheese, shredded and divided (I was forced to use cheddar after my husband secretly ate the MJ I had reserved for this recipe)
1 small yellow onion, chopped (I used much less, maybe about 1/4 cup chopped)
3 avocados, peeled and chopped
8-10 flour tortillas (I used corn, and I softened by placing them one-by-one in a pan with a little hot oil for about 30 seconds, then drained on paper towels)

Directions

Preheat oven to 375°F.

In a medium sauce pan, melt butter over medium-high heat. Saute serrano pepper and garlic, for 1 minute. Stir in flour, constantly stirring, and cook for 2 minutes. Whisk in the chicken broth, cumin, salt and pepper and bring to a low boil. Once boiling, whisk in the sour cream, salsa verde and cilantro. Remove from heat. 

Spray/grease a 9×13 baking dish. Add 3/4 cup sauce to the bottom of the pan. Add chicken, cheese, onion and avocado to the center of each tortilla and roll, placing seam-side down in the dish. Pour the remaining sauce over the enchiladas. Top with leftover cheese and bake for 15-20 minutes or until bubbling. Serve immediately.

Spaghetti Squash with Chicken and Sun-dried Tomatoes

The combination of chicken and sun-dried tomatoes is what caught my eye with this recipe, because I usually love those two things together - especially in a pasta. I was therefore intrigued by the use of spaghetti squash as the base for this instead of a pasta, making it very low-carb and therefore super diet friendly! It was a hit with the entire family, the flavors were great and you wouldn't feel like you were missing anything even with how healthy this is.

My changes to the original included adding some onion, using more sun-dried tomatoes and cooking the chicken in the skillet as opposed to using already prepared grilled chicken. I liked doing this too because then you get that extra flavor of cooked chicken in the pan before you start cooking everything else. And, even with the extra step of cooking the chicken this was still a quick, easy meal to put together and enjoyed by everyone!

Recipe adapted from Tasty Kitchen

Ingredients

1 whole Spaghetti Squash
3 Tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil, divided
2 chicken breasts, pounded thin and seasoned with salt, pepper, garlic powder and onion powder
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1 cup chicken broth, divided
1 3.5 oz pkg. sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
2 cups broccoli florets
1 cup frozen peas
2 whole chicken breasts
1/4 cups grated Parmesan cheese
salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees (F).

2. With a sharp knife, cut spaghetti squash in half lengthwise. Scrape/remove seeds with a spoon. Place squash halves cut side down on a baking sheet covered with foil and bake for 45 minutes. Let squash cool.

3. Using a fork, scrape the inside of the squash with the tines to remove strands. Set aside.

4. In a large, deep skillet, heat 2 Tbsp. olive oil over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook about 4-5 minutes on each side, until golden brown and cooked through. Remove from pan and let cool slightly before slicing into thin strips.

5. Add remaining 1 Tbsp. oil to skillet. Add garlic and onion; saute 3-4 minutes. Add 1/4 cup of chicken broth, sun-dried tomatoes, and broccoli and saute 5 minutes. Add peas, sliced chicken, and remaining 3/4 cup of chicken broth. Shake about 1/4 cup parmesan cheese into mixture (just enough to thicken the chicken broth). Reduce heat to medium-low, cover skillet and simmer for about 3 minutes.

6. Serve on top of the squash strands with fresh shaved parmesan cheese.

Shepherd's Pie

Despite the fact that I'm not really a "meat and potatoes" kind of girl, I sure do love a good Shepherd's Pie. I love the saucy meat mixed with lots of veggies and creamy potatoes. Yum!

My go-to recipe is this one from Marci's blog, just like she says the fried onions really do add some fun pizazz to it. I've played around with that recipe, trying different combos and using whatever I happen to have on hand, and this is currently my favorite. The Italian sausage is a personal preference as it adds a extra flavor from plain ground beef, and I use mushrooms in place of some of the meat because I like the texture they add (and a great way to stretch the meal in a more healthy way!). This is one of the few things I get excited to enjoy as leftovers!

Ingredients


1 lb. mild Italian sausage
1/2 lb. fresh mushrooms, roughly chopped
2 cups french fried onions
1 can tomato soup
1/2 c. water
3/4 tsp. Italian seasoning
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp. each salt and pepper
1 package (16 oz) frozen mixed vegetables, thawed
3 cups hot mashed potatoes
1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese

Directions 

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Coat a 13x9 baking dish with cooking spray.

2. Cook and crumble sausage in large skillet. When almost cooked through, add the mushrooms; cook a few minutes more until tender. Drain any excess fat and return to pan.

3. Stir in 1 cup fried onions, soup, water, seasoning, Worcestershire, salt and pepper. Mix well to combine. Pour into the prepared baking dish. Spoon veggies over sausage mixture, then top with mashed potatoes.

4. Bake 30 min. or until hot. Sprikle with Parmesan and remaining 1 cup onions. Bake 5 min. more or until golden.

Poached Salmon in Orzo Broth

This was a fun and delicious new way to enjoy salmon! The fish gets poached in a mild broth so it keeps its great flavor, and all the rest of the goodies are cooked in one pot making this super simple yet super fancy-looking :) After this and our fish curry, eating fish in broth with a spoon is my new favorite way to enjoy it.

I'm going to post the original recipe here pretty much as written, although I did make some changes. I doubled the mushrooms (because I love them), used almost a full pound of salmon, and also a little more broth and orzo.

Poached Salmon in Orzo Broth
from Tablespoon.com

Ingredients

1 cup hot water
6 dried shiitake mushrooms (1/2 oz package)
2 cups chicken broth
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 Tbsp. uncooked orzo pasta
1 salmon fillet (1/2 lb), cut into 2 pieces
1/4 sliced roasted red bell peppers
1 cup thinly sliced spinach leaves
3 Tbsp. thinly sliced fresh basil leaves
2 green onions, sliced diagonally

Directions

1. In medium bowl, pour hot water over mushrooms. Let stand about 20 minutes or until soft. Drain mushrooms, reserving liquid. Rinse with warm water; drain. Squeeze excess moisture from mushrooms. Remove and discard stems; cut caps into 1/2-inch strips.

2. Strain mushroom liquid through fine wire mesh sieve or coffee filter into 4-quart Dutch oven. Stir in broth and garlic. Heat to boiling over medium-high heat. Stir in orzo; reduce heat. Add salmon. Simmer uncovered about 10 minutes or until salmon flakes easily with fork. Carefully remove salmon with slotted spatula; keep warm.

3. Stir mushrooms, bell peppers, spinach, basil and onions into broth mixture. Cook about 2 minutes or until spinach is wilted and orzo is tender.

4. Place a piece of salmon in each individual bowl; spoon vegetable-orzo broth over top.

Sausage and Spinach Rice Bowls

The rice bowl: so simple and unassuming, yet probably the most versatile dinner option out there! I love the concept of these because there are a thousand different ways to customize based on your tastes or what you happen to have in your pantry. You can use any type of meat or seafood, change up the flavor of the rice, use seasonal veggies and have one of these every week yet never have the exact same one.

For this particular one, I worked off a basic recipe that included sausage and spinach from Cooking Light and added a few embellishments - roasted red peppers and mushrooms - just because I had them on hand. Yum!

Oh, and did I mention this took less than 15 minutes to cook? Practically perfect :)

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups cooked rice (I used instant brown, but you can use any variety, flavor, etc)
1 tsp. olive oil
1 lb. hot Italian turkey sausage links, casings removed
1/2 onion, chopped
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 4-oz can sliced mushrooms
1/2 cup chopped roasted red bell peppers (jarred or fresh)
1 1/2 cups chopped fresh spinach

Directions

1. In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add sausage and onion; cook, stirring to crumble sausage, until sausage is cooked through and onion is tender. Stir in garlic; cook 2 minutes more. Add mushrooms and peppers, stir to combine, then add spinach. Cook until spinach is just wilted. Stir in rice, mix well to combine and continue cooking until heated through.

Foil-Baked Tilapia with Black Beans and Corn

There is something about a foil-packet dinner that seems more adventurous than the average dinner. This might be as good, but wouldn't be as fun without the foil. Plus, easy clean-up!

I really liked the flavors in this dish. You get a mellow heat from the chipotle and just a hint of sweet from the orange. It all worked so well on the mild fish - I think halibut would work great here too - and came together for a pretty-looking meal.

The only changes I made were to add in some cumin to the black bean mixture and a garnish of fresh lime juice at the end.

Foil-Baked Tilapia
adapted from Pink Parsley

4 tilapia fillets (any white fish will work)
4 Tbsp. unsalted butter
2 tsp. minced chipotle chiles in adobo
1 tsp. grated orange zest
2 Tbsp. freshly squeezed orange juice
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can corn, drained
1/2 red onion, minced
2 scallions, minced
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1/4 tsp. cumin
Fresh lime juice

Directions

1. Adjust the oven rack to the lower-middle position and heat to 450 degrees.

2. Pat the fish dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Using a fork, mix together the butter, 1 teaspoon chipotle, orange zest, half the garlic, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp pepper in a medium bowl until well-combined. Spread butter mixture over the fish.

3. Combine the beans, corn, onion, scallions, 2 tablespoons of cilantro, orange juice, remaining chipotle, remaining garlic, scallions, cumin, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a bowl.

4. Lay four 14-inch lengths of foil on the counter and divide the bean mixture evenly over the lower half of each piece of foil. Top with fish, and fold the foil over the fish, folding the edges to seal. (I used two large pieces of foil and put 2 pieces of fish in each) ).

5. Arrange the packets in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet and bake until the fish is just cooked through, 15 to 20 minutes. Carefully open the packets and sprinkle with remaining cilantro and fresh lime juice. Serve.

Ham Jambalaya

I love jambalaya, its a fantastic one-pot meal that's easy to make and full of lots of yummy stuff. I usually make it with smoked sausage and shrimp, but this was a great way to use up leftover Easter ham.

Ingredients

2 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 green bell pepper, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 28 oz. can petite diced tomatoes
1 can chicken broth
1 tsp. dried thyme
1 tsp. dried basil
1/2 tsp. smoked paprika
1/2 tsp. chili powder
1 1/4 cups long-grain white rice
2 cups diced ham

Directions

1. In a large stock pot, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion, celery, and bell peppers. Season with sale and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until vegetable begin to soften, about 8-10 minutes. Stir in garlic and saute another 2 minutes.

2. Add tomatoes, broth, and spices. Add salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil, then stir in rice and ham. Cover and simmer on medium-low heat 20-25 minutes until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender.

Smoky Buffalo-Style Chicken Chili Bowls

I found this recipe in a Rachael Ray mag and it sounded like something we would enjoy, and it was! It was a light, easy meal, too spicy for my little one but you could fix that by not adding so much chipotle. Not sure where the "buffalo-style" part comes in but it was good so I'm not gonna worry about that :) Quite healthy too, which is the best part...even with a few chips and some cheese on top it still fell well within my current eating guidelines - yay!

I was a little concerned when I went to make it that it wouldn't be hearty enough for my husband, so even though I made some plain white rice for him to mix with his - and he liked it that way - I honestly don't think it needed it!

Ingredients
from Everyday with Rachael Ray

2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
2 lbs. ground chicken or turkey breast (I used chicken, about 1.5 lbs)
2 carrots, chopped
3 - 4 stalks celery with leafy tops, finely chopped
1 onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped or grated
Salt and pepper
1 small can chipotle chiles in adobo sauce
1 15-oz. can tomato sauce
2 cups chicken stock
A couple of handfuls thin blue-corn tortilla chips, such as Xochitl brand, lightly crushed
1 cup shredded pepper jack cheese
3/4 cup blue cheese crumbles (I didn’t add this)
About a palmful pickled jalapeno chile pepper rings

Directions

1. Heat the EVOO, 2 turns of the pan, in a soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the meat and cook to brown, stirring to crumble. Add the carrots, celery, onion and garlic; season with salt and pepper. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened, 10 minutes or so.

2. Place the chipotles and adobo sauce in a food processor or blender and puree. Spoon 2 rounded tablespoons into a small bowl and combine with the tomato sauce to make a chipotle-infused tomato sauce.(Scoop the remaining pureed chipotle into a small, resealable plastic bag, then mark the bag and freeze--the next time you need chipotle, just cut off a piece.)

3. When the vegetables are tender, stir in the chile-tomato sauce and chicken stock. Simmer for a few minutes to thicken and combine the flavors.

4. Meanwhile, switch on the broiler and position a rack in the center of the oven. Arrange 4 bowls on a baking sheet and fill with the buffalo chili. Top with an even layer of the tortilla chips, cheeses and jalapeno rings. Broil for a couple of minutes to brown the cheese and crisp the chips. (Better than a basket of wings, and better for you!)

Cheese-stuffed Meatballs

You're going to want to make these meatballs. Trust me on this one. I'm not a meatball lover (unless they are albondigas, which is my only exception) and so if I'm telling you make these, you should listen! Adding some gooey cheese into the middle makes these oh-so much better than a regular old plain, boring meatball. Let's say it together: "No more boring meatballs!"

I made my meatballs pretty big and cooked them up in a 12-cup muffin pan, so they actually came out looking like little meat muffins. Wow, saying "meat muffin" our loud does not make them sound tasty, but trust me they are and you know, they looked pretty adorable. You can put them on a baking sheet if you prefer to keep a more rounded shape and don't want to have to say "meat muffin". I've already said it way too many times.

I served these with some yummy homemade tomato sauce, and over zucchini "noodles" for me and regular fettucine for everyone else. These would also be great for a meatball sandwich if that's your fancy. Any way you like, these are fantastic.


Ingredients

2 lbs. ground turkey (can also use ground beef)
2 eggs
1/2 cup finely chopped yellow onion
1/2 cup Panko bread crumbs
1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 Tbsp. deli (brown) mustard
1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
3-4 sticks string cheese, each stick cut into 5 pieces
* I made my meatballs quite large, and so got 12 big ones and 3 smaller ones out of the meat mixture, and used 3 string cheese. If you make them smaller, which I would actually recommend so you get a higher cheese-to-meat ratio, you can probably make at least 20 meatballs.

Directions

1. In a large bowl, combine turkey and all other ingredients except string cheese. Mix well to combine (use your hands to get the best results!).

2. Spray a large baking sheet with cooking spray (or each cup of a muffin tin, if using). Take 1/4 cup of meat mixture and roll into a ball. Press your finger into the center to make an indent, and place a piece of string cheese into it. Roll meat mixture again to cover the cheese completely and make a meatball shape. Place meatballs onto baking sheet or into muffin pan. Bake for 30 minutes or until cooked through and cheese starts to ooze out. Remember, in this case, ooze is a good thing! Cook them too long and the cheese will start to harden and not be melty (this happened to a few of mine). Serve immediately.

Baked Chile Relleno

I love me a good chile relleno, but the deep-fried cheesy goodness variety doesn't fit in well with my current healthy eating plan. I came up with this version so I could enjoy a spicy stuffed pepper without so much guilt! It was also much easier to prepare than a traditional chile relleno, because it was easier to remove the seeds since it didn't matter if the peppers split open too much because they weren't going to be fried.

I really liked the stuffing mixture on its own - you'll notice that I didn't even add any sort of spices or seasonings to it, because of the great flavors of all the veggies in it! You could also omit the chicken sausage for a great vegetarian meal, and if you don't want a spicy pepper this would also be great in a red or gold pepper instead.

Ingredients

4 poblano peppers
2 links chicken sausage (I used a green chile variety)
2 tsp. olive oil
1 red pepper, chopped
1/2 red onion, chopped
8 oz. cremini mushrooms, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 roma tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1 cup canned sweet corn
1 Tbsp. cilantro, chopped
2 Tbsp. reduced-fat sour cream
1 cup reduced-fat cheddar cheese

Directions

1. Preheat broiler. Place poblanos on a foil-lined baking sheet. Broil, turning every few minutes, until skin is completely blackened and blistered. Immediately place poblanos is a large bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Let steam at least 15 minutes. Peel charred skin from the peppers. Cut a slit down one side and carefully remove seeds. Set peppers aside. Turn oven down to 375 degrees.

2. Meanwhile, remove casing from chicken sausage and place in a large skillet. Break up into small pieces and stir frequently until cooked through, about 7-8 minutes. Remove from pan, drain any fat and set aside.

3. Heat olive oil in the same skillet. Add red pepper, onion, and mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is translucent and mushrooms are soft, about 6-7 minutes. Add garlic and tomatoes and cook 2 minutes more. Stir in corn, cilantro, sour cream, and chicken sausage remove from heat.

4. Place peppers on another foil-lined baking sheet. Stuff with the chicken sausage mixture and top with cheese. Bake 10-12 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly.

Biscuit Taco Cups - No Recipe Needed

These cute little guys are something I came up with as a fun alternative to a traditional taco. The best part is - no recipe needed!

Press biscuit dough (I use the large, Pillsbury "Grands" biscuits) into muffin tin, pushing into the bottom and up around the sides of each muffin cup.

Fill each biscuit cup with some prepared taco meat (the meat will help to hold the biscuit in shape). I like to add some salsa to the meat as well for a little extra flavor. Top with shredded cheese.

Bake until the biscuits are puffed up and golden. Pop out of the muffin tins, and top with shredded lettuce, black olives, sour cream, more salsa and cheese, etc.

Lemon Chicken Puff

I'd seen this recipe on Marci's blog and had always been curious about it (exactly how does that puff work?), but never got around to trying it until now. This dish is like two of my favorites...a chicken pot pie with just a bottom crust...or the chicken divan that I like to serve with biscuits or puff pustry cups on the side, but here the biscuit is built right in! I liked all the veggies and the filling had good flavor, just a hint of lemon. My curiosity about the puff was also solved, it just puffs right up as it bakes - wow :) This one is also so easy to put together, and I'm going to be on the hunt for more fillings for this fun puff!


From On My Menu

Ingredients

*Popover Puff:
3 T. butter, divided
1 c. milk
6 eggs
1 c. flour
1/2 t. salt

*Chicken and Veggie Filling:
2 medium carrots, peeled and thinly sliced
1 cup broccoli florets
1 medium potato, diced
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 Tbsp. butter
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 can cream of chicken soup
2 cups diced cooked chicken
1/4 cup sour cream
1 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. pepper (or more)
1/2 c. shredded cheddar cheese

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Melt 2 T. butter in microwave and whisk together with milk and eggs. Put 1 T. butter in bottom of baking dish and place in oven until melted.

2. Add flour and salt to egg mixture and whisk until smooth. Pour batter into dish (on the melted butter) and bake 20 min. (I take out the top rack in my oven - it's gets pretty "puffed")

3. Reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake 10-15 more minutes until puffed and golden brown.

4. While the shell is baking, melt 1 T. butter in large sauce pan and stir in carrots, broccoli, potatoes and onion. Cook until veggies are tender. Add lemon juice, chicken and cream of chicken soup. Stir in spices and continue stirring until heated through. Stir in cheese keep warm until the puff is ready.

5. Remove puff from oven and allow to cool and middle to fall, forming a shell.
Spoon filling into center of puff and enjoy.

Turkey Suiza Tamale Pie

As always, you'll have to excuse the less-than-stellar pictures. This time I not only blame my lack of photography skills, but also the fact that this one was just not very photogenic. It lookedp pretty in the pan but not so much served up on the plate. Luckily it made up for it in taste! I actually saw this recipe on an episode of Rachael Ray's talk show, and it sounded interesting and looked really good as she made it, so I had to look up the recipe and try it. I had never cooked with polenta before, and this was a good introduction to it. I'm definitely a fan...Must find more polenta recipes!

The final product has almost a shepherd's pie feel...meat mixture on the bottom, polenta subbing for the mashed potatoes, and lots (lots!) of cheese on top. It reheated very well the next day too. I definitely want to make this one again!

Note: I followed the recipe almost exactly as-is, but only used 1 lb. ground turkey. I would suggest using the 2 lbs. as written, because with one I did have to drain off some of the sauce so it wouldn't be so runny.

From Rachael Ray

Ingredients

3 poblano chili peppers
2 large jalapeño peppers
6 tomatillos, husks peeled
1 quart chicken stock, divided
A small handful cilantro leaves
Salt and pepper
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon cumin, 1/3 palmful
2 tablespoons vegetable or olive oil
2 pounds ground turkey breast or dark meat, patted dry
1 onion, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/2 bottle of lager beer
1/2 cup sour cream or heavy cream
1 cup milk
1 1/4 cups quick-cooking polenta or cornmeal
2 tablespoons butter
1 cup shredded Swiss cheese
1 cup Chihuahua cheese, queso Asadero or Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
Red onion rings, for garnish

Directions

1. Heat broiler to high with the rack in the upper third of oven. Char peppers and tomatillos, turning peppers occasionally to char evenly all over. Place in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap to cool. Peel and seed peppers.

2. Place charred peppers, tomatillos, 2 cups stock, cilantro, salt, pepper, honey and cumin in food processor and process until smooth.

3. Meanwhile, heat a large, cast-iron or other heavy pan over medium-high heat with oil, 2 turns of the pan. When oil smokes, brown and crumble meat then add onions and garlic. Season with salt and pepper, and cook to soften onions, 5 minutes. Deglaze with beer and stir in salsa. Bring to a bubble and reduce heat to simmer. Stir in sour or heavy cream.

4. In a saucepot, heat remaining 2 cups stock and milk. Whisk in polenta or cornmeal and let thicken 2-3 minutes until very thick but still pourable. Season with salt and pepper, and stir in butter. Spread the corn topping over the turkey filling, place under the broiler and char to set polenta. Top with cheese then melt cheese under broiler. Serve directly from skillet, topped with red onion rings.

Eggs in Purgatory with Salami

* Photo and recipe from Food Network

A little something different for dinner...I like throwing an egg dish in there every so often because then it feels like breakfast, and I can do breakfast all day every day :)

The salami isn't crucial so you could leave that out to make it more vegetarian-friendly - but definitely don't omit the crusty bread to eat it with!

Ingredients

2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, smashed
4 oz. deli-sliced salami, roughly chopped
1 medium onion, halved and thinly sliced
1 Italian green frying pepper, thinly sliced (I couldn't find this, so I used an Anaheim pepper)
1 small yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
1 cup tomato puree or marinara sauce
1/4 cup fresh parsley leaves
8 large eggs
2 Tbsp. grated pecorino romano or parmesan cheese
Crusty bread, for serving

Directions

1. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and cook until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Remove the garlic with a slotted spoon and discard. Increase the heat to high and add the salami, onion, peppers and red pepper flakes. Cook, stirring, until the salami starts to brown, about 5 minutes. Add the tomato puree and 1/2 cup water and cook until the vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes.

2. Reduce the heat to medium. Scatter the parsley leaves into the skillet. Make 4 indentations in the pepper mixture for the eggs. Break 2 eggs into a small bowl, then pour both into one of the indentations. Repeat with the remaining eggs. Sprinkle with the grated cheese. Cover and cook until the whites are set and the yolks are cooked to desired doneness. Serve with the bread.

Macaroni Mambo

I found this recipe on Eating Well, and although it seemed like a glorified hamburger helper, it had lots of good ingredients and was something even Baby Madyson could eat, so I went for it.

The only issue was that it was originally called "Hamburger Buddy". Seriously. How unappetizing is that name? It sounds like a toy from a happy meal or something, not dinner. So I decided that if I were going to take a chance with this one, it would have to be called something different. And that is how we came to enjoy Macaroni Mambo.

Its pretty good, and I think I'll be making it again because you can disguise lots of veggies in it (I added in some fresh spinach) and the overall flavor is mild enough for picky eaters.

Ingredients
adapted from Eating Well
3 cloves garlic, crushed and peeled
2 medium carrots, cut into 2-inch pieces
10 ounces white mushrooms, large ones cut in half
1 large onion, cut into 2-inch pieces
1 pound 90%-lean ground beef
1/4 tsp. ground thyme
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. freshly ground pepper
4 cups beef broth, divided
8 ounces whole-wheat elbow noodles, (2 cups)
1 cup fresh spinach, chopped
2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
2 Tbsp. tomato paste
2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
1/2 cup reduced-fat sour cream
1 Tbsp.chopped fresh parsley, or chives for garnish

Directions

1.Fit a food processor with the steel blade attachment. With the motor running, drop garlic through the feed tube and process until minced, then add carrots and mushrooms and process until finely chopped. Turn it off, add onion, and pulse until roughly chopped.

2.Cook beef in a large straight-sided skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, until no longer pink, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in the chopped vegetables, thyme, salt and pepper and cook, stirring often, until the vegetables start to soften and the mushrooms release their juices, 5 to 7 minutes.

3.Stir in water, 1 1/2 cups broth, noodles, spinach and Worcestershire sauce; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is tender, 8 to 10 minutes.

4.Whisk tomato paste with the remaining 1/4 cup broth in a small bowl until smooth, then whisk in flour until smooth. Stir into the hamburger mixture. Stir in the sour cream. Simmer, stirring often, until the sauce is thickened, about 2 minutes. Serve sprinkled with parsley (or chives), if desired.

Beef and Portobello Mushroom Stroganoff

I'm starting to like anything that ends with "Stroganoff". It means you can mix up some broth and a little reduced-fat sour cream and you get a nice, light cream sauce that you enjoy without feeling guilty!

This one, also from Jillian Michaels, was really good. I know a meal is a hit when my husband says "I'd have that again". We both agreed that this would be just as good meatless - all those portobellos certainly hold up enough on their own!

Ingredients

2 tsp. plus 1 Tbsp. canola oil
1 lb. beek flank steak, trimmed
4 large portobello mushrooms, stemmed and thinly sliced
1 large onion, sliced
3/4 tsp. dried thyme
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
3 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
14 oz. (1 can) reduced-sodium beef broth
2 Tbsp. liqueur, cognac or brandy (I didn't add this)
1 Tbsp. red wine vinegar (didn't add this either)
1/2 cup reduced-fat sour cream
4 Tbsp. fresh chives

Directions
1. Heat 2 tsp. oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add steak and cook until browned on both sides, 3-4 minutes per side. The meat will be rare but will continue to cook as it rests. (I had a pretty thick piece, so I needed about 6-7 minutes on each side). Transfer to a cutting board and let rest for 5 minutes. Cut lenghtwise into 2 long pieces, then crosswise across the grain into 1/4" thick slices.

2. Heat the remaining 1 Tbsp. oil in the pan over medium heat. Add mushrooms, onion, thyme, salt and pepper adn cook, stirring often, until the vegetables are tender and lightly browned, 8-12 minutes. Sprinkle flour over the vegetables; stir to coat.

3. Stir in broth, cognac and vinegar (if using) and bring to a boil, stirring often. Reduce heat to a simmer and continue cooking, stirring often, until the mxture is thickened, about 3 minutes. Stir in sour cream, chives, the sliced steak and any accumulated juices. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring, until heated through.

I served over brown rice.

Nutrition
4 servings
Each serving has 404 calories, 19g fat, 14g carbs, 37g protein

Monterey Spaghetti

Ingredients

6 oz. spaghetti, cut into 2" pieces
1 egg
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
1 cup sour cream
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
2 cups Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
1 (10 oz)package frozen spinach, thawed and drained
1 (4 oz) can sliced mushrooms
1 (2.8 oz) can french fried onions

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375.

2. Cook spaghetti according to package directions. Drain.

3. In a small bowl beat egg. Add Parmesan, sour cream, and garlic. Add spaghetti, Monterey Jack cheese, spinach, mushrooms and 1/2 the onions. Pour into greased 8x8 baking pan. Bake for 30 minutes. Top with remaining onions and bake 5 minutes more.

Cheesy Chicken and Broccoli Tator Tot Casserole

Sometimes you just want something comforting and not necessarily healthy...and for us tator tot casserole usually does the trick. I make a few different variations but I like this one because even though its extra cheesy, all that broccoli makes up for it, right?

Cheesy Chicken and Broccoli Tator Tot Casserole

Ingredients

1 - 26 oz. can condensed cream of chicken soup

1 cup nacho cheese sauce (I like Tostito's brand Salsa con Queso)

1 1/2 cups milk

1 Tbsp. hot sauce

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

1/4 tsp. onion powder

1/8 tsp. salt

1/8 tsp. black pepper

1/8 tsp. chili powder

1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided

6 cups ( 2 -12 oz. bags) frozen broccoli cuts

2 cups shredded cooked chicken

1 bag frozen tator tots

Directions

1. In a large pot, combine cream of chicken soup, queso, milk, hot sauce and spices over medium heat. Bring to a low simmer and add 1/2 cup of the shredded cheddar cheese; continue stirring until melted. Add broccoli, stir to combine, and let simmer 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in chicken.

2. Pour broccoli mixture into a greased 9x13 pan. Place tator tots in a single layer on top of the broccoli mixture (you probably will only use about 3/4 of the bag). Top with remaining 1 cup shredded cheddar. Cover with foil and bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake an additional 15 minutes.

*Notes: I made this last night, and even with the salsa con queso, hot sauce and chili powder, it wasn't spicy at all. But I've made it before and it had a little kick, so feel free to adjust those items to taste. Also, this works just as well if you mix the tator tots in with the broccoli, but I like putting them on top because they get crisper and hold their shape better.

Kielbasa and Kidney Beans

Adam and I both liked this, its certainly nothing spectacular but it was so quick and easy that it still makes the blog :)

Kielbasa and Kidney Beans
from Allrecipes - I made some changes so I'll indicate what I did differently

Ingredients

1 pound fully cooked kielbasa or Polish sausage, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 small onion, chopped
1/2 cup chopped sweet red pepper
1/2 cup chopped green pepper ( I only had red, so I just doubled up on that)
2 small russet potatoes, peeled and cubed (my addition)
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons steak sauce ( I didn't have this, instead I added about 1 tbsp ketchup and 2 tsp adobo sauce)
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 (15 ounce) can white kidney or cannelini beans, rinsed and drained (I used red kidney beans)

Directions

1. In a skillet, cook sausage for 2-3 minutes. Stir in onion, peppers and potatoes. Cook and stir until sausage is lightly browned and vegetables are tender; drain.

2. Combine brown sugar, steak sauce, vinegar and Worcestershire sauce; stir into skillet. Add beans. Cook and stir until heated through.

I served over plain white rice, and because of that I felt it was lacking in the sauce department. If I make it again I will definitely double up.

Chile Relleno

Chile relleno = ooey gooey cheesy goodness

The possibilities are endless, so I'll just provide the general details.

Ingredients

Poblano/pasilla chile peppers

Cheese of your choice (we like pepper jack)

Other stuffing ingredients of your choice, if desired (perhaps a shredded meat and rice mixture or a sauteed veggie combo)

1 large egg for every 2 peppers

Oil for frying

Sauce (A good, homemade ancho chile sauce is the best, but to save time I like to use this sauce, with a little hot sauce added for extra heat)

Directions

1. Seed, roast and peel peppers:

* I like to seed the peppers before roasting them; I find that its just easier that way. I

cut a slit across the top of the pepper about 1/2" down from the stem (almost cutting all the

way through, but not quite), and then flip the top up and pull the seeds out. Then you can

also use that opening in the top to slide in the cheese/stuffing.

* Set the oven to low broil and place the peppers on a baking sheet. Broil for 10-15 minutes,

turning frequently as they start to blister and brown, almost looking like they are getting

burnt. Once the peppers are browned on all sides, remove from the oven and place in a

resealable plastic bag or in a large bowl covered tightly with plastic wrap. Let sit and steam

for 20-25 minutes.

* Remove the peppers from the bag or bowl and place on a large plate or cutting board. Peel

the outer layer from the peppers.

2. Stuff the peppers. I like mine with just cheese (any good, melty cheese will work), but you can pretty much add in whatever you want! Last time we made these I did a few with leftover carnitas, spanish rice, and pepper jack and they were really good. You may need to use a few toothpicks to hold the chile together after its stuffed, just remember to pull them out before eating!

3. Prepare the egg batter. Separate the egg(s): place the whites in a large shallow bowl and the yolks in another, smaller bowl. Beat the egg whites using an electric mixer (you can do this by hand, but it takes forever) until frothy and stiff peaks start to form. Lightly beat the yolks, then fold the yolks carefully into the whites and stir just until combined.

4. Fry the chiles. Heat several inches of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat (or use a deep fryer). When oil is hot, dip chiles one at a time into the egg batter, and turn to coat. Fry in hot oil 2-3 minutes on each side, or until nicely browned. Remove and drain on paper towels. Serve with yummy sauce and more cheese on top!