Beef Barley Soup

This is my favorite soup and I don't know if I've already put it on here, but I want to make it over Thanksgiving.

1 lb stew meat
2 T oil
4 cans beef broth
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 T parsley
1/2 c pearl barley
1 1/2 c chopped carrots
1/4 c chopped onions
1/2 c chopped celery
1 can diced tomatoes
1 c frozen peas

 Brown meat in oil.  Place meat, broth, tomatoes, seasoning and barley in pot.  Cover and cook for 1 hour.  Add veggies.  Simmer 45 minutes and add peas.  Cook until peas are done.

Homemade Fajitas

This meal was amazing.  It totally hit the spot.  I told Brett this will be a weekly meal because it was that good.  The tortillas were the best part.  And the salsa.

Homemade Tortillas

2 c. whole wheat flour
1/2 c. oil (I used coconut oil...and I think I used a little less than 1/2 c.)
1 tsp salt
1 c. warm water (microwaved 1 min)

Mix flour, oil and salt.  Add warm water as it's mixing.  Separate into 12 pieces.  Roll it out really thin into a circle that will fit your frying pan.  Put it on a already warm/hot frying pan.  The first time I let it sit til it was firm.  Mistake.  Keep flipping it over and over just until it's firmed up a bit.  Too long and it will get hard once its cooled.

1 lb chicken
1 green pepper
1 onion

Cut up the veggies and chicken into strips and stir fry them.  Add cumin. (1/2 tsp?)

Salsa:

3 ripe tomatoes
1 jalapeno pepper (I didn't add any seeds)
handful of cilantro
1/2 red onion
dash of salt

Mix it all up.  I could eat this by the spoonfuls.  Actually, I sure as heck did.

Serve with avocado, cheese, sour cream.

Yum yum yum.

Scones and Icing

My friend made these and they were so good. Not healthy, but delicious.

2 T. yeast
1 qt. buttermilk-warmed
3 T. sugar
1 1/2 t. salt
2 eggs-beaten
3 t. baking powder
2 t. oil
1/2 t. baking soda
8-9 c. flour
Soften yeast in 1/4 c. water and a little sugar. In large bowl, combine everything except half of flour. Beat until smooth. Add rest of flour until dough pulls away from sides of bowl. Allow to rise. Punch down and put in fridge until ready to eat. Roll out on counter, cut in small rectangles and fry in hot oil.
**My own note: I let the yeast soften for an hour or so, until it's spilling over the side. I also let the dough rise a long time. They turn out the best this way. If you wanted to have them for dinner I'd start them at about 2PM that day.

Honey Butter
1 c. butter1 1/4 c. honey
Mix with electric mixer until smooth.

Maple Icing
1 package powdered sugar or 4 cups1/4 c. hot water (sometimes a little more depending on smoothness)3 T. butter2 t. maple flavoring or Mapeline Extract

Healthy Snacks

These are my two new favorite snacks.  Seriously, the best.

Red Pepper Feta Dip


1 red pepper
1/2 onion
Tbsp garlic
1/4 c feta cheese + a little more for sprinkling
Oil
Sliced cucumber

1. Dice up red pepper and onion into tiny pieces.  Add garlic and cook with oil until soft/onion is clear.
2.  Add in feta cheese and let it melt.
3. Remove from heat, sprinkle some more feta cheese so it becomes soft but not melted.

Dip sliced cucumber and enjoy!  You could use pita bread, or chips or whatever you want, but cucumbers make it delicious and 100% healthy.

Microwave Popcorn

Did you know you can cook popcorn using a brown paper bag?  How did I not know this until last week??

First try I put 1/2 c kernels in a brown paper bag and set it for 2 min.  They popped so much that the bag ripped open from being so full before the time was even up.

Second try, 1/4 c kernels for 2 min.  Burnt.

Third try, somewhere between 1/4 and 1/2 c kernels for 2 min.  Perfection.

Sprinkle some garlic salt, or some EVOO and salt, whatever you want.  It's healthy and easy and delicious.

Harvest Soup

1 Tbs. oil
1/2 cup chopped carrot
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/3 cup chopped onion
1 1/2 pounds butternut squash, seeded and cut into 1 inch cubes (about 3.5 cups)
2 medium apples, cored and cut into .5 inch pieces
4 cups low sodium chicken broth
Whole rain croutons

1) In a big pot, heat oil on medium. Add carrots, celery, and onions. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 8 to 10 minutes or until tender and starting to brown. Add squash, apples, and broth. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat. Simmer uncovered for 20 minutes or until squash is tender.
2) Puree soup, in two batches if needed, in a blender or food processor. Add pepper and croutons. Makes about 6 cups.

White Chicken Chili

1 lb chicken breast, chopped
1 med onion chopped
2-3 red or  1 sweet potato cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1/2 c carrots chopped
1 tsp garlic powder
1 T oil
___
2 cans great northern beans, rinsed and drained
1 can chicken broth
2 cans diced green chiles
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp pepper
__
1 c sour cream
1/2 c whipping cream

Saute first section.  Add section (starting with beans).  Bring to light boil and cook till potatoes are soft, about 30 minutes.  Before serving add sour cream and whipping cream.

Delicious.

Honey Lime Chicken Enchiladas

These are yummy!

4 T honey ( My friend said she puts a little more)
3 T lime juice
1 T oil
2 tsp chili powder (it does have a kick to it)
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1 can mild green enchilada sauce
1-2 lbs cooked chicken, shredded
cheese (she didn't say what kind, but hers was white)
tortillas

Mix honey, lime juice, oil, chili powder and garlic powder.  Then add shredded chicken.  Fill tortillas with chicken mixture, add cheese and roll up.  Put a tiny layer of enchilada sauce on the bottom of a 9x13 pan before placing tortillas.  After all tortillas are filled and in the pan, cover the enchiladas with the enchilada sauce.  Bake covered about 30 minutes at 350.  Uncover and sprinkle cheese over top, return to oven uncovered to melt the cheese.


Does anyone have a favortie green enchilada sauce??

Walking Tacos

We are big fans of the nacho type of food...  I took the recipe for walking tacos from picky palate and adjusted it a bit...

2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

6-8 little sweet peppers or 1 green and 1 red bell pepper, chopped (( I only used 1 yellow pepper))

4 cloves fresh garlic, minced

1 lb lean ground beef

Pinch of kosher salt and black pepper

2 cans diced tomatoes  ((I only used 1 can of diced tomatoes with green chilies))

1 Cup Herdez Salsa or your favorite salsa

1 small can tomato paste  ((didn't use this))

1 Cup warm water  ((didn't use this))

3 cans of beans, drained.  ((I used one can of black beans))

1 can black olives sliced  ((I just put a bowl of olives out for Bryce - which he ate the entire thing in 5 minutes - yuck))

2 Tablespoons chili powder

1 Tablespoon ground cumin  ((I just put some of our taco seasoning in))

1 Tablespoon hot sauce, Tabasco ((I used taco bell sauce))

1 Tablespoon fresh lime juice  ((didn't use this))

Pinch of Kosher salt, fresh cracked black pepper and Lawry’s Garlic Salt with Parsley (to taste)

1/2 Cup fresh chopped cilantro

Bags of Fritos

Shredded cheddar cheese

Sour cream

Jalapenos, or green onions

1.  Heat oil in a large dutch oven over medium heat.  Saute onion and peppers for 5 minutes or until softened.  Add garlic and cook for 1 minute.  Add ground beef, salt and pepper.  Cook until browned.  Drain if needed.  I usually don’t need to for the lean beef.  Pour in tomatoes, salsa, tomato paste then stir to combine.  Add 1 Cup warm water to thin out slightly then add in beans, olives, chili powder, cumin, hot sauce, lime juice, salt, pepper and garlic salt.  I start with just a pinch of salt then keep tasting until it’s to my liking.  Add chopped cilantro and reduce heat to low to simmer until ready to serve.

2.  Open bags of fritos.  Spoon in chili, cheese, sour cream and jalapenos.  Stick a fork in it and eat!!

(( seriously it was SO YUMMY!!!! and so easy.  We ate it for lunch and dinner.  This is going to be added to our normal meals ))

Pretzel bites

I made these tonight. They turned out great! Super easy.


Texas size Rhodes Frozen roll dough
*as many as you like – each roll makes four bites
coarse salt, parmesan, garlic, cinnamon & sugar
Vanilla glaze (optional)
Take a thawed roll.  Cut it in four equal sections.  Place dough bites on greased sheets. I placed five across and five down on large baking sheets.  Cover with plastic wrap that has been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray, and let dough rise until double in size. (about 35-45 minutes) Bring a large pot of water to a gentle boil.  When dough has risen, plop about 10 pieces into the boiling water, tossing gently for about 45 seconds. Remove with slotted spoon, and place bites on paper towels to drain slightly.  Move bites to greased baking sheets, and bake at 375 degrees for about 15 minutes or until done and golden brown. 
Brush bites with melted butter, sprinkle with Kosher or Sea Salt, garlic and toss in Parmesan cheese.  You can also make Cinnamon and Sugar bites. Make a mixture of Cinnamon and sugar:  About 1 cup sugar and 1 1/2 tsp. of cinnamon, and mix together well. After you butter the pretzel bites, toss in cinnamon and sugar mixture.
You can serve the Parmesan Pretzel bites with a cheddar dip, and the Cinnamon and Sugar Pretzel bites with Vanilla glaze.  So yummy . . . so simple!

Here is the link...
http://www.justgetoffyourbuttandbake.com/?p=932

Skillet Ziti with Chicken and Broccoli

I think this meal is going to be a staple in our house.  So easy and we ate every last bit of it.

tasteofhome.com

Ingredients

• 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2-inch strips
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon salt, divided
• 2 tablespoons butter, divided
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
• 2 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 1 cup fat-free milk
• 2-1/2 cups uncooked ziti
• 1 bunch broccoli, cut into florets
• 1 cup julienned roasted sweet red peppers
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

• Sprinkle chicken with pepper and 1/8 teaspoon salt. In a large skillet, saute chicken in 1 tablespoon butter until no longer pink. Remove and keep warm.
• In the same skillet, saute onion in remaining butter until tender. Add the garlic, pepper flakes, oregano and remaining salt; cook 1 minute longer. Stir in broth and milk; bring to a boil. Add ziti; cook for 7-8 minutes or until ziti is tender, adding broccoli and red peppers during the last 5 minutes of cooking.
• Return chicken to skillet; heat through. Sprinkle with cheese. Yield: 4 servings.

Avocado Chicken Burgers

I loved this recipe.  Mom liked it too.  We gobbled it up.  I skipped the blender step and just mashed it with a fork instead.  Worked just fine.  Mom & I ate it without the buns and the cheese.  

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 medium ripe avocado, peeled
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 4 green onions, coarsely chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 
  BURGERS:
• 1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
• 2 tablespoons prepared pesto
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 pound ground chicken
• 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 1/2 pound fresh mozzarella cheese, cut into 4 slices
• 4 slices Italian bread (3/4 inch thick)
• 2 cups fresh arugula or baby spinach
• 8 slices tomato
• 1/4 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper

Directions

• In a blender, combine the first eight ingredients; cover and process until smooth. Chill until serving. For burgers, in a small bowl, combine the Parmesan cheese, pesto, garlic and salt. Crumble chicken over mixture and mix well. Shape into four patties.
• In a large skillet over medium heat, cook burgers in 2 tablespoons oil for 5-7 minutes on each side or until a meat thermometer reads 165° and juices run clear. Top with cheese; cover and cook 1 minute longer.
• Meanwhile, brush bread with remaining oil; place on a baking sheet. Broil 3-4 in. from the heat for 1-2 minutes on each side or until toasted.
• Spread each slice of toast with 2 tablespoons avocado spread (refrigerate remaining spread for another use). Top with arugula, a burger and sliced tomato. Sprinkle with basil and pepper. Yield: 4 servings plus 1/4 cup leftover spread.

Weeknight Chicken & Pasta

• Delish.  From tasteofhome.com
• 
• 
  
• 2 cups uncooked whole wheat bow tie pasta
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 small sweet red pepper, chopped
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1-1/2 cups cubed cooked chicken breast
• 1/2 cup reduced-fat sour cream
• 1/4 cup fat-free milk
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon dried tarragon
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 2 tablespoons shredded Parmesan cheese
• 2 teaspoons minced chives

Directions

• Cook pasta according to package directions.
• Meanwhile, in a large nonstick skillet, saute onion and red pepper in oil until tender. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Stir in the chicken, sour cream, milk and seasonings; heat through. Drain pasta; stir into skillet. Sprinkle with cheese and chives. Yield: 4 servings.

Honey and lime enchilladas

Ok so I havent actually eaten these yet but they are currently in the oven. Plus Katie and Amy requested I post the recipe.

6 tablespoons honey
5 tablespoons lime juice (1 large lime)
1 tablespoons chili powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 pound chicken, cooked and shredded (I used 3 small chicken breasts)
8-10 flour tortillas
1 pound monterey jack cheese, shredded
16 ounces green enchilada sauce
1 cup heavy cream (to lighten them up, I have substituted sour cream with good results)

Mix the first four ingredients and toss with shredded chicken. Let it marinate for at least 1/2 hour (I tossed mine together in a ziploc bag in the morning and let it sit in the refrigerator all day). Pour about 1/2 cup enchilada sauce on the bottom of a 9X13 baking pan. Fill flour tortillas with chicken and shredded cheese, saving about 1 cup of cheese to sprinkle on top of enchiladas. Mix the remaining enchilada sauce with the cream and leftover marinade. Pour sauce on top of the enchiladas and sprinkle with cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes until brown and crispy on top.

*Freezable Meal: Freeze prior to baking. To bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees and bake enchiladas, covered (without thawing first) for 1 hour. Uncover and bake 30 minutes longer, until brown and crispy on top.

More Coconut Bars

INGREDIENTS
10 Tbsp. unsalted butter, room temperature
¾ cup light brown sugar, packed
2 ½ cups flour
½ tsp. fine sea salt
28 ounces of sweetened condensed milk
28 ounces shredded coconut
1 tsp. vanilla extract
5 cups Bittersweet Chocolate Baking Chunks
*
DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350° F . Line a sheet pan with aluminum foil and coat with canola or vegetable spray.
In a small bowl, cream butter and brown sugar until combined. Add the flour and salt. Carefully mix to combine until it resembles chunky bread crumbs. Transfer into the prepared pan and evenly press the batter into an even layer. Bake for 8 minutes. Cool while preparing the coconut topping.

In a large bowl, combine the condensed milk, coconut, and vanilla. Spread over the crust and bake for another 20-25 minutes, until it begins to brown.

Melt the chocolate over a double boiler. Stir until melted and smooth. Pour over cooked coconut bars and spread into an even layer. Allow to cool then refrigerate until hardened, about 1 hour. Cut into 36 squares.

**I halved the recipe and cooked it in a casserole dish. But I forgot to halve the salt and it was yucky... so don't do that!

Peanut Butter and Banana Muffins

Peanut Butter and Banana Muffins

1 C firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 C natural peanut butter
1/2 C White Puree **
1/2 C mashed bananas
1 egg
1 C wheat flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Coat 12 muffin tin with cooking spray or line with baking cups.

Mix 1/2 c of the brown sugar with the peanut butter, the vegetable puree and banana puree, and the egg.

Mix the flour, baking powder and soda, and salt in an another bowl. Add to the wet ingredients and stir just to combine. It will be lumpy, don't over mix. Add the remaining 1/2 cup brown sugar and barely mix.

Put in muffin cups and bake for 15-20 minutes.

**White Puree
2 cups cauliflower, cut into florets
2 small to medium zucchini, peeled and roughly chopped
1 tsp lemon juice
3-4 tbs water, if necessary

Cook cauliflower however you like until tender. Puree Raw zucchini with lemon juice in blender or food processor. Add drained, cooked cauliflower a little at a time. Add 2 tbs water. PUree on high until smooth.

Chocolate Coconut Bars

Bars

1 cup butter
4 squares (1 ounce each) unsweetened chocolate, broken up
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups flour
4 eggs
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. coconut extract

Topping

1 cup sweetened flake coconut
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
2 cups powdered sugar
1/4 tsp coconut extract

Melt butter with chocolate for 1 minute. Stir, microwave for 30 more seconds. Mix together and poor in 9X13. Recipe said to line with foil and spay foil with cooking spray. 350 for 30 minutes. Let cool completely.

When making frosting, beat in coconut extract with 2 Tbsp. of water. Toast coconut in oven at 350 for about 6 minutes. It burns quickly! Spread frosting over chocolate, top with toasted coconut. Refrigerate until serving.

Yogurt Cake

My friend gave me a healthy way to make a cake... it also makes it SUPER moist.  I don't think I will ever go back to making it the normal way.

1 Cake mix
2 yogurt cups
water the cake calls for
3 egg whites

my favorites are to do a french vanilla cake with french vanilla yogurts or to do a chocolate cake with raspberry yogurts - yummm

Bake it however you like - cupcakes, round cakes, bundt (my favorite) and bake it according to the box.

Basil Chicken Pasta

Ingredients
1 (8 ounce) package angel hair pasta
2 teaspoons olive oil
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1 clove garlic, chopped
2 1/2 cups chopped tomatoes
2 cups boneless chicken breast halves, cooked and cubed
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

Directions
In a large pot of salted boiling water, cook angel hair pasta until it is al dente, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain, and set aside.
In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Saute the onions and garlic. Stir in the tomatoes, chicken, basil, salt and hot pepper sauce. Reduce heat to medium, and cover skillet. Simmer for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until mixture is hot and tomatoes are soft.
Toss sauce with hot cooked angel hair pasta to coat. Serve with Parmesan cheese.

Baked Creamy Chicken Taquitos

TaquitosRecipe by OurBestBites.com
1/3 C (3 oz) cream cheese
1/4 C green salsa
1T fresh lime juice
1/2 t cumin
1 t chili powder
1/2 t onion powder
1/4 t granulated garlic
3 T chopped cilantro
2 T sliced green onions
2 C shredded cooked chicken1 C grated pepperjack cheese (I use regular colby jack or cheddar cheese to make it less spicy for the kids!)

small corn tortillas (I have used regular flour tortillas too)
kosher saltcooking spray

Heat oven to 425. Line a baking sheet with foil and lightly coat with cooking spray.

Heat cream cheese in the microwave for about 20-30 seconds so it's soft and easy to stir. Add green salsa, lime juice, cumin, chili powder, onion powder and granulated garlic. Stir to combine and then add cilantro and green onions. Add chicken and cheese and combine well.
You can prepare up to this step ahead of time. Just keep the mixture in the fridge.

Work with a few tortillas at a time and heat in the microwave until they are soft enough to roll without cracking. It helps to place them between damp paper towels. Usually 20-30 seconds will do it. If you find yours are cracking when you roll them or come unrolled right away, just try heating them longer and try the paper towel thing.

Place 2-3 T of chicken mixture on the lower third of a tortilla, keeping it about 1/2 inch from the edges.
Then roll it up as tight as you can.
Place seam side down on the baking sheet. Lay all of the taquitos on the baking sheet and make sure they are not touching each other. Spray the tops lightly with cooking spray or an oil mister and sprinkle some kosher salt on top.
Place pan in oven and bake for 15-20 minutes or until crisp and the ends start to get golden brown.
top with salsa, sour cream, guacamole, or this dressing.


Tomatillo Dressing Sauce....
1 pack (1oz) Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing Mix (regular or buttermilk, and ignore directions on the packet)
1C mayo
3/4 C milk (or buttermilk depending on which packet you buy)
1 lime 2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
1/2 C roughly chopped cilantro3 tomatillos

Place milk, mayo, and ranch mix in a blender. Juice the lime in there too, you should get about 2T juice. Toss in the garlic, cilantro and tomatillos. Blend it up.

Kale Chips

Tear kale into bite size pieces. Put in a ziploc and put 1/2 to 1 Tbsp. olive oil. Spread on baking sheet and sprinkle a little salt.

Bake at 350 for about 10 minutes, until edges start to brown.

Taste kind of like chips and I think they are good.

Green Smoothie

We drink this almost every day!

2 bananas
2 cups frozen fruit (pineapple, strawberries, mango, whatever)
2-4 cups spinach
1/2 to 1 orange
Little juice
2 tsp. vanilla

Blend it good. Can't taste the spinach. I think the vanilla is the key.

Lemon Loaf Cake

1 Yellow cake mix (duncan hines preferable)
1 small pkg lemon Jello (not pudding)
4 eggs
3/4 cup canola oil
3/4 cup water

Mix and bake.  Out of oven about 10 minutes poke 40 times with fork.  (serving fork better because of longer tines).  Drizzle icing onto warm Cake

Icing:
2 cups sifted powder sugar
6 Tbsp lemon juice
Add lemon zest after mixed.

Barbecued Porkchops

6 pork chops.  Brown and season with salt and pepper.  Cover with sauce.  Bake 350 until done.  (depend on thickness of chops).  Check with butcher.

Smoky Sauce:

8 oz tomato sauce
1/2 ketchup
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp onion salt.

Pumpkin Bread

Mix Together:
1 1/2 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 cup white sugar
1 cup canola oil
4 eggs

Add:
2 cans pumpkin
2/3 cup water
3 1/2 cups flour
2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cloves
1 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp cinnamon
1tsp allspice
1 tsp ginger

pour into greased and floured loaf pans.  Bake 350.  Makes 2 large or 4 small loaves.

Banana Nut Bread

1 1/2 cup flour
2/3 cup sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/3 cup canola oil
2 eggs slightly beaten
1/4 cup sour cream
1 tsp vanilla
2/3 cup mashed bananas
1/3 cup chopped walnuts

Bake 350 until done - cracked on top and toothpick comes out clean.

Basic Bread Machine Bread

1 cup water
1 Tbsp yeast
1Tbsp sugar
1 tsp salt
1 Tbsp oil
2 3/4 cup flour

Holiday Jello

The FAMOUS holiday Jello!  I could go for some of this right now.

Completely dissolve:
1 small pkg black cherry Jello (or cherry is fine)
1 small pkg raspberry Jello
1 cup hot water
pour into an 8x11 container

Add:
1 small can crushed pineapple (partially drained)
1 can sprite (12oz)
12 oz can-orange relish (ocean spray)
Put in the fridge for a partial set.

Add:
Chopped walnuts (about 1/2 cup).  (if Jello is partially set when adding nuts, it distributes them throughout instead of just on top)

Return to fridge to finish setting.

Moms Lasagna

Fry together:
1 lb hamburger
Chopped Onion

Stir in:
1 can tomato sauce (small)
1 can tomato juice (small)
1 can tomato soup (about 2/3 of it)
Little bit of parsley flakes
Little bit of garlic salt
Pepper

Let simmer on stove for a bit.

In casserole dish, layer:
Hamburger mixture
cottage cheese (small curd, low fat)
sprinkled cheese
Lasagna noodles (I use the precooked)

Repeat the layers two more times ending with sauce and cheese on top.

Bake 350 degrees about 35 minutes.

Root Beer Cookies

1 cup unsalted butter
2 cups dark brown sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp. root beer extract
3 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1/4 cup water (optional - only use if dough is too dry)

Cream butter and dark brown sugar until very light and fluffy.  Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.  Add the root beer extract.  Whisk dry ingredients together.  Add a little at a time to the creamed mixture.  The dough should be slightly sticky.  Chill for at least an hour.

Preheat the oven to 350 F.  Lightly grease several baking sheets and roll into small balls.  Place htem on the pan, gently press the tops of the dough.  Bake for 6-8  minutes, rotating cookie sheets halfway through.

Frosting Recipe:
1 cup butter
3 cups powdered sugar
2 tsp. root beer extract
a few tablespoons of hot water

Beat butter on high with an electric mixer until fluffy.  Add a little powdered sugar and the root beer extract.  Add a little powdered sugar and the root beer extract.  Beat until smooth.  Add remaining powdered sugar alternately with a little hot water.  You can leave out the root beer extract and you'll have a tasty soft brown sugar cookie.  I have substituted maple extract, added pecans and even made chocolate chip cookies out of this recipe.

Oatmeal Refrigerator Cookies

1 cup shortening (or 1 cube butter softened plus 1/2 cup shortening)
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup sugar
2 well beaten eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cup flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
3 cups quick cooking oatmeal
1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Cream shortening and sugars.  Add eggs and vanilla.  Add dry ingredients.  Finally add oatmeal and nuts.  Mix well.  Shape into rolls on wax paper and chill.  After firm, slice with sharp knife.  Bake on ungreased  cookie sheet 350 about 10 minutes.

Kimberly's Herb Bread

Amy requested this.  Here is the best bread recipe EVER.  Its just like the bread from Macaroni Grill - delicious.

1 package of yeast
1 Tbsp. sugar
2 tsp. salt
2 cups of warm water
1 Tbsp. Italian Seasoning (I usually add more, it's up to you to see how much you want to add)

Stir together until dissolved

Add 4 cups of flour

Cover and let rise for 1 hour.
Make two loaves and let rise for 1 hour.
Brush with butter and sprinkle with garlic salt
Bake at 425 for 10 minutes, reduce heat to 400 for another 10 minutes.

Seriously, it is amazing.

Vegetarian Burritos #1

Ive been trying to come up with some more dinners without meat... here is an awesome one!  Kurt requested that I add chicken for him next time, but I was completely full after eating two.  I totally forgot to take pictures, so I will tomorrow when I eat it for lunch!

1 tbs Olive oil
1 med onion, thinly sliced
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced (I use 1/2 tsp from a can)
1 tbs chili powder
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp dried oregano leaves
1stp ground cumin
1tsp salt
1 can black beans or pinto beans, riced and drained
1 cup frozen corn, thawed and drained
1 green bell pepper, chopped
2 tbs lime juice
3/4 cup shredded Monterrey jack cheese
flour tortillas
sour cream (optional)
avocado
tomatoes

1.  Preheat oven to 350.  Heat oil in large pan over medium high heat.  Add onion and Cook, stirring often, 10 minutes or until golden.  Add jalapeno pepper, chili powder, garlic, oregano, and cumin.  Stir 1 minute more.  Add 1 tbs water and stir; remove from heat.  Stir in beans, corn, bell pepper and lime juice.
2.  Spoon 2 tbs cheese in center of each tortilla and add filling.  Fold all 4 sides around the filling to enclose.  Place burritos seam side down on baking sheet. Makes about 8 soft taco size burritos.  Cover with foil and bake 30 minutes or until heated through.  Serve with sour cream if desired.
3.  Cut up avocado and tomato, sprinkle with salt, garlic powder, pepper and lime juice.  Spread over the top or instead just use salsa.  Tastes good served with Rice.

Crockpot Tortilla Soup

1 cup sour cream
1 can black beans (drained)
1 cup frozen corn
1 can refried beans
1 cup shredded cheese (more if you want more though)
1 package taco seasoning
1 package ranch
2 tbsp taco bell sauce (they sell it at the store)
1 lb of browned hamburger or 3 cooked chicken breasts
1 cup of water
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can green chilies

Cook the chicken or the hamburger meat (we do chicken because I don't like hamburger meat very much).  Put everything in the Crockpot (in the book I put crackpot - I think Amy and I caught it though and left it in because it was funny) and let it cook!

Roma's Salad

I am going to post some of the recipes that are not online but are in our books.

ROMA'S SALAD

Lettuce mix plus baby spinach leaves (can use spring mix, european mix, etc.)
Sliced mushrooms
sliced fresh strawberries
sliced red seedless grapes
sliced almonds
a couple of chopped green onions

Dressing:
1 1/2 cup sugar.
2 tsp. salt
1/2 Medium red onion
2 Tb. dry mustard
2/3 c. cider vinegar
Blend the above 5 ingredients through a blender.  With blender on low, slowly add in 2 cups of oil. (This thickens the dressing)  Stir in 1 Tb. poppy seeds (the original recipe calls for 3 Tbs. but I think that's too much)

Why do my recipes keep clumping into a paragraph? Not cool.

Grilled Asparagus

1 pound fresh asparagus spears, trimmed 1 tablespoon olive oil salt and pepper to taste Directions Preheat grill for high heat. Lightly coat the asparagus spears with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Grill over high heat for 2 to 3 minutes, or to desired tenderness.

Grilled Salmon

1 1/2 pounds salmon fillets lemon pepper to taste garlic powder to taste salt to taste 1/3 cup soy sauce 1/3 cup brown sugar 1/3 cup water 1 Tbsp. vegetable oil Directions Season salmon fillets with lemon pepper, garlic powder, and salt. In a small bowl, stir together soy sauce, brown sugar, water, and vegetable oil until sugar is dissolved. Place fish in a large resealable plastic bag with the soy sauce mixture, seal, and turn to coat. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Preheat grill for medium heat. Lightly oil grill grate. Place salmon on the preheated grill, and discard marinade. Cook salmon for 6 to 8 minutes per side, or until the fish flakes easily with a fork.

Vegetable Lasagna

• Absolutely Delicious.  Seriously, loved it.  I skipped the Romano Cheese and the brown sugar.  Still divine.
• 
• 5 plum tomatoes, chopped
• 1-1/2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms
• 1 medium sweet red pepper, julienned
• 1 small yellow summer squash, cut into 1/4-inch slices
• 1 small zucchini, cut into 1/4-inch slices
• 1 medium carrot, shredded
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 can (12 ounces) tomato paste
• 1 cup vegetable broth
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 2 teaspoons dried basil
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1 egg
• 1 cup (8 ounces) ricotta cheese
• 6 lasagna noodles, cooked and drained
• 1 cup (4 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
• 1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
• 2 tablespoons grated Romano cheese
• 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning

Found this on Tasteofhome.com