Sausage Red Beans and Rice

This was super easy! I came across an image if this dinner, on pinterest, but the recipes was just too much for me at this time.. dealing with holidays, I wanted something easy, and because of the holidays I wanted to slim it down on the calories!

Ingredients:

• 2 bags of the "boil in bag" brown rice. (Or 2-4 cups of cooked brown rice) Cook rice as directed.
• 1 Turkey sausage link (i used Hillshire Farm Turkey Polska Kielbasa)
• 2 cans of red beans (i used one that had cajun seasonings added.)
• 2 tablespoons of Cajun powder
• 1 tablespoon of onion powder (or 1/4 cup diced white onion)
• cooking spray

Directions:

1. Cook rice as directed
2. Slice sausage into quarter size pieces, 
3. Heat skillet to medium (spay cooking spray, saute onions if you added them) then brown sausage.
4. Drain one can of beans and rinse them
5. Add both cans of beans, and seasonings. cook until bean have begun to open.
6. You can add the rice to the pot, or serve the beans and sausage over the rice (which I did).

You can use white rice, if you hate brown. Normally white rice is what you use. This served a family of 4 plus left overs for lunch the next day!

Im addicted to sriracha. and I love things spicy, so I did put sriracha on my serving!

Bacon Cheese Burger Soup (crock pot)

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 3 medium garlic cloves, minced
• 1 pound ground beef
• 1/2 bag of frozen hash browns (the small square ones)
• 4 strips of cooked crumble bacon (reserved some for topping)
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 3 cups canned chicken broth, divided
• 1 cup 1/2 and 1/2 cream
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 1/2 tablespoons Worchestershire sauce
• 1/2 cup shredded carrots
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
• 8 ounces cubed cheese (I used Velveeta)
• shredded cheese for topping
• 1 small white onion (optional.. husband HATES onions.. so I had to use onion powder, about 2 tablespoons.If you use it, saute with garlic and meat)

Instructions

1. Preheat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic. saute, then brown your hamburger meat. Drain, and add meat to your slow cooker.
2. In a small cup, combine flour and 1/2 cup of broth. Whisk to combine, making sure it’s smooth. Add the mixture to your skillet, and then slowly pour in the remaining 2 ½ cups of broth. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly, and allow to cook until just thickened. Pour over meat in slow-cooker.
3. Stir in your remaining ingredients, through the black pepper. Cook on low for 2-4 hours. Just before serving, add in your cheese and stir until it is melted. Top with additional shredded cheese, and bacon if desired.

Serve with some crusty bread! (french loaf)

Bacon Parmesan Fettuccine

• Ingredients:
• 1 (9-ounce) package fettuccine pasta
• 2-4 slices smoked center-cut bacon
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 1/2 cup frozen green peas
• 1/3 cup half-and-half/ heavy cream
• 2 teaspoons butter
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/3 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

• Directions:

  1. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain pasta, reserving 3/4 cup cooking liquid.
  2. Cook bacon in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat until crisp. Remove bacon from pan, reserving drippings in the pan; crumble. 
  3. Add  minced garlic to drippings in pan; sauté 2 minutes. Stir in green peas; sauté 1 minute.  
  4. Add pasta, reserved cooking liquid, and half-and-half to pan; cook 1 minute or until thoroughly heated, tossing to combine. 
  5. Add Parmesan cheese and bacon (leaving some out for garnish) 
  6. Remove from heat. Add butter, salt, and pepper to pan; toss until butter melts. Sprinkle with crumbled bacon and Parmesan cheese.

Eggnog French Toast

 

 

My favorite flavor of the holidays is Eggnog! I will not usually buy it until after thanksgiving. Just like Pumpkin, I wont buy until Halloween, Peppermint Mocha, not till after thanksgiving also. This year, I did it all wrong. I couldn't wait. Already drinking peppermint mocha coffee, and bought my first carton of eggnog! Im actually excited to decorate for Christmas, and the only thing really holding me back is that we are trying to move! Last year was not a good holiday season for me, and this year is the opposite, so Im excited!

 

 Ingredients:

• 3/4 C of eggnog. I get the light one.. but Im sure the other is amazing too
• 1tsp on Nutmeg I used a little more, cause I love it!
• 1tsp Vanilla
• 6 slices of think cut bread. I found this "French toast cut" at Vons

Directions:

1. Beat the eggs, add the eggnog, nutmeg and vanilla, and stir!
2. Heat skillet with a little butter or non stick spray *butter is better, gives it a nice crisp edge*
3. Cook low and slow! Never turn the heat on high! Even if your in a rush to feed a bunch of hungry boys!
4. Cook all pieces of bread the same.

I made a glaze for the French toast. I mixed eggnog, powdered sugar, nutmeg and plain syrup.

Creamy Potato Soup

 

This recipe is so easy. I looked around on pinterest for some ideas. I looked in my freezer and pantry to see what I had and went from there. I didn't have potatoes at the house. and some recipes called for instant mashed potatoes.. didn't have that either. All I had was a large bag of shredded hash browns.

So I used them. Also many recipe called for onions, and as much as I LOVE them, my husband is home now.. and hates them...

Ingredients:

• Large bag frozen hash browns
• 1 large Chicken broth (the boxed one, or 2 16 oz cans)
• 1 can cream of chicken
• 1 tbs of onion powder
• 1 tsp or more of cracked black pepper
• 8oz of cream cheese

Directions:

Toss all in except cream cheese to crock pot. Cook on high for 4-5 hours.

Then I used a potato masher, to mash up potatoes, leaving some whole.

Stir it, and add cream cheese. Cook for 30 more minutes, stir occasionally. 

Serve with crusty bread, top with cheese, bacon, green onion, sour cream, or whatever else you like!

 

 

Monkey Bread: PIZZA

 2 cans of grands biscuits. 
 
one jar of pizza sauce (your choice) the jar is about 16oz. 
 
1/2 package of pepperoni (or toppings of your choice).
 
1 stick of butter.
 
2 crushed garlic cloves.
 
a palm pull of Italian seasoning mix.
 
one bag of pizza mixture of cheese.

heat oven to 350.
 
Cut each biscuit into quarters
 
Melt butter with garlic and seasons in it.
 
Toss all biscuit pieces into butter mixture.
 
Place about one can of seasoned biscuits pieces into greased 9x13 pan. then toss in your 

favorite pizza toppings. sprinkle cheese (1/2bag) drizzle 1/2 jar of pizza sauce over the 

pieces.
 
layer the rest of the seasoned biscuits, and toppings. Then the rest of the pizza sauce.

cover the top with cheese. I sprinkled a little more of the Italian seasons on top. bake until

 the middle is cooked. I cooked for 20 minutes, then covered with foil, and cooked for about

  15-20 minutes more.

Blogger issues

Having some issues with blogger?.. Unable to upload pics.. Recipes soon to come once I figure this out.

Honey Mustard Chicken

Ingredients:

• Honey Mustard dressing, or dipping sauce of your choice. I used French's Honey Mustard 
• 2 Boneless skinless chicken breasts (pounded out.. and cut into 4 pieces of chicken (you dont need to pound it out..but I like to)
• 1 cup to 1 1/2 cups Bread crumbs 
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 1 T of flour
• 2 T EVOO (or cooking oil of your choice)
• salt and pepper

Directions:

1. Place chicken breasts in a zip lock storage bag. Pour mustard in to coat breasts. Shake it up, so all breast are coated. Then place bag in fridge for 30 minutes.
2. Pour bread crumbs in shallow dish. Season with salt and pepper if you wish.
3. Heat oven to 325 degrees
4. Heat oil in skillet on stove top.
5. Coat each chicken breast with the bread crumbs, and place in skillet. Only browning chicken in skillet. Once each side is browned, place chicken on a cookie sheet, then place in heated oven. Cook chicken until no longer pink. about 30 minutes,(depending on if you pound the chicken or not.)
6. In the skillet pour in about a Tablespoon of the chicken broth to scrape up drippings.
7. Sprinkle in the flour, cook for a few minutes, then pour in 1/2 cup honey mustard.
8. Stir in the rest of the chicken broth. Sauce will thicken. you can add more mustard or ore broth depending on consistency you want.
9. Plate cooked chicken and pour mustard sauce on top!

My oldest son does not like mustard, or honey mustard.. but LOVED this chicken and got more! He asked me to make this more often! He said he likes honey mustard now.

Chicken With Sun Dried Tomato Sauce

I got this from my favorite place.. PINTEREST! which lead me to --> Gabbi's Kitchen<--

I didnt copy it exactly when I was cooking.. The measuring thing when I cook.. its not something I like to do. I got the ingredients for the most part..but to be honest I didnt measure anything. Came out amazing!

Ingredients:

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts 
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• Fresh ground pepper, & salt
• 1  tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 1/2 cup onions, chopped finely
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup sun dried tomatoes, chopped 
• 1 1/2 cups reduced sodium chicken broth
• 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

Directions:

1. Heat oil in pan, season chicken with salt and pepper
2. Cook chicken until no longer pink
3. Remove chicken, set aside and cover
4. Melt butter in same pan
5. Saute onions and garlic until soft
6. Add sun dried tomatoes to pan
7. whisk flour over vegetables, stir and cook flour down
8. Slowly add chicken broth, stirring constantly  
9. Add cream, stir until it thickens.
10. Add chicken back to pan, in the sauce. 
11. Plate and eat! 

The original recipe, said to make pasta with it, and I am sure that would be great with it, I did mashed potatoes  and it was amazing!

Crock Pot Goulash & 7up Biscuits

I got this recipe from "Paula Deen!" But I wanted it to go in the crock pot. I also didnt make as much as her recipe called for. and I omitted some ingredients, and added some of my own.

Ingredients:

• 1 pounds lean ground beef
• 1 large yellow onions, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1 (15-ounce) cans tomato sauce
• 1 (15-ounce) cans diced tomatoes
• 1 tablespoons Italian seasoning (Mrs dash)
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon seasoned salt
• 1 1/2 cups elbow macaroni, uncooked

Directions:

saute the ground beef over medium-high heat until no pink remains. Break up the meat while sauteing. Spoon off any grease. Add the onions and garlic to the pot and saute until they are tender, about 5 minutes. 

A water, along with the tomato sauce, Meat mixture, diced tomatoes, Italian seasoning, soy sauce, and seasoned salt. to crock pot. Stir well. Place a lid on the pot and allow this to cook on low for 6 hours. Add the elbow macaroni, stir well, return the lid to the pot, and simmer for about 30 minutes. Turn off the heat, and allow the mixture to sit about 30 minutes more before serving.
 

I also made these super yummy biscuits!!

I got his after a search for the popeyes biscuit recipe! I added the sugar glaze myself though. Because after tasting popeyes biscuits I know they have something sweet on top!!

 Ingredients:

 2 cups bisquik baking mix 

1/2 cup light sour cream 

1/2 cup Sprite

T Melted butter and T sugar (I used splenda)

 Directions: 

Mix Bisquick and sour cream with pastry blender. Stir in Sprite. Pat lightly on a floured surface. Cut out biscuits and place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet at 400°F for 10 minutes. Brush with melted butter/sugar mixture  place back in oven for 2 minutes, and enjoy!

I did not roll them out. I was too hungry to wait. I just spooned them to the pan.

Salisbury Steak

Ingredients: 

• 1 lb Ground Beef
• Onion Soup Mix
• 1 egg
• 1/3 cup bread crumbs
• 2 T Worcestershire sauce
• 1 can of cream of mushroom soup (16oz)
• Salt and Pepper 
• 1-2 T flour
• 1/4 cup beef stock 

Directions: 

1. Mix top 5 ingredients and make into patty's
2. preheat oven to 350
3. heat non-stick skillet, and lightly coat with cooking spray
4. brown patty's on each side (you are only browning the patty's, not cooking them through)
5. Place browned patty's in a oven safe baking dish, (9x13 casserole dish)
6. After the patty's are browned, sprinkle flour in pan, and whisk all the drippings, cook flour down.
7. Pour in cream of mushroom soup, whisk. Then add beef stock. Just stir to get all the drippings up.
8. Pour soup mixture over patty's in the baking dish.
9. Cook at 350 for 15 minutes-20 minutes. Until patty's are cooked through.

Plate the patty's and use the sauce as a gravy!

Jalapeno Turkey Burger

I didnt use hot Jalapeno's, so my kids ate it and liked it! 

Copy-Cat Zupas Chicken Pesto Panini

I lived in Utah from 2003- 2012. I had eaten at this place called "Cafe Zupas" It is so yummy! My fav sandwich is the Chicken Pesto Panini! I now live in the Vegas area, and was unable to eat there until recently. They just opened one in Henderson. I wanted to make the sandwich and so I googled it and came across.. this website: http://bakingwithblondie.blogspot.com/
and so here it is:

I dont like cheese or tomatoes so I left it out. But here is the recipe:

Zupas Chicken Pesto Sandwiches Copycat Recipe:

makes 4 sandwiches

 4 ciabatta rolls, sliced in half 

1 large tomato, stem removed, sliced (I left this out)

 about a cup of alfalfa sprouts 

4 slices muenster cheese (I left this out)

1 chicken breast, cooked, cubed 

1 roasted red pepper (I used the ones from the jar = easiest), sliced into small cubes 

1/2 C slivered almonds, toasted

 1 batch of my homemade basil pesto sauce (recipe below) 

1 cup real mayonnaise  

In a bowl, mix together chicken breast, roasted red pepper, slivered almonds, basil pesto, and mayo until just combined. 

Slightly broil your ciabatta rolls in the oven so they're warm and a teeny bit crispy (or, if you're one of those people with a panini-maker... use the heck outta that thing after assembling the sandwich).

I used my George Foreman grill!

Heres the Video of her making it on a local Utah show:

http://studio5.ksl.com/?nid=126&sid=23915429 

The basil Pesto sauce recipe:

*Fresh Basil Pesto: 1 cup basil (loosely packed)

 2 small cloves garlic 

2 T toasted pine nuts 

3 T EVOO 

1/4 cup parmesan cheese 

1 t lemon juice salt and pepper to taste 

Stick it in a food processor. Blend.

It was SOOO good! Just like Zupas!! 

Weight Watchers Chicken Pot Pie

I found this on Pinterest! Which took me to -->here<--

“4-6 points per serving”

Ingredients

• 1 cup Bisquick reduced-fat baking mix
• 1/2 cup skim milk (fat free)
• 1/4 cup egg substitute
• 2 cups frozen mixed vegetables
• 1 small yellow onion (diced, and sauteed)
• 2 cups cooked chicken breasts, chopped (I shredded it)
• 2 (10 3/4 ounce) cans reduced-fat reduced-sodium condensed cream of mushroom soup

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400.
2. Spray 8×8 casserole dish with cooking spray. (I used an 8x11.5 dish..cause it was the first dish I saw)
3. Mix together veggies, chicken and soup. Pour into casserole dish.
4. In another bowl, mix Bisquick, milk, and egg. Pour over top of chicken mixture. ( I actually rolled this out, and layed it across the food. I rolled it out pretty thin, to cover the dish)
5. Bake for 30 minutes, or until crust is golden. (mine didnt take as long due to the dough being rolled thin)
6. 6 servings=4.5 points.
7. 4 servings=6.5 points.

This was so good, and so easy to make! I had to refrain from getting seconds! 

"Spicy" Sausage Pasta

I found this on pinterest, which directed me to: "EmilyBites.com", She got this recipe off another blog, who got it from a book...

 I put spicy in " " because its no way spicy. I was afraid it would be and my kids wouldn't eat it..but they ate seconds. I love spicy, so I was disappointed. It was super good though!

Ingredients:
1 t extra virgin olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
13 oz Smoked Turkey Sausage, sliced 
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 ¼ cups low sodium fat free chicken broth
10 oz can Ro-Tel tomatoes & green chiles
½ cup fat free half and half
½ t salt
½ t black pepper
10 oz uncooked wheat pasta
4 oz reduced fat Pepper jack cheese, shredded
2 medium green onions, diced

Directions:
1.    In a large skillet or sauté pan, add the olive oil and bring over medium heat. Add the onions and sausage to the pan and cook, until sausage is browned and onions are tender. Add the garlic and stir. Continue to cook for another 30 seconds until fragrant.
2.    Add the broth, Ro-Tel, half and half, salt and pepper and mix together. Add the uncooked pasta and stir together until the liquid covers the pasta. Cover the skillet and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and keep covered. Simmer for 15 minutes or until the pasta is cooked.
3.    Set your oven to broil. Remove the pan from the heat and mix in half of the shredded cheese. If your skillet is oven-safe, you may continue to use it in the following steps. If it isn’t, or you aren’t sure, transfer the pasta into a baking dish. I used a 9X13
4.    Sprinkle the remaining shredded cheese over the top of the pasta. Place the dish under the broiler for a few minutes until the cheese is melted and beginning to brown (keep checking because broiling can happen really fast!). I topped it with the green onions after serving, because I'm the only who likes them.

Yields 6 (1 ¼ cup) servings. WW P+:  9 per serving

Chicken with a lemon & white wine sauce

Ingredients:

• 4 skinless boneless chicken breasts (pound them out)
• 1/4 cup flour
• 2 large eggs beaten
• 1/2 cup bread crumb ( I love Panko style)
• 1 lemon juiced (then sliced)
• 1/4 cup oil (vegetable, or olive oil)
• 1/2 stick of butter
• 1/2 cup white wine (if you wont drink it, dont cook with it)
• 10-20 fresh parsley leaves chopped
• Salt and pepper 

Directions:

1. Pound chicken 
2. Heat oil in skillet on medium-high heat
3. Mix flour with some salt and pepper, dip chicken to this mixture
4. Dip floured chicken into egg wash
5. Dip flour and egg chicken into bread crumbs 
6. Cook chicken in heated oil, (about 4 minutes on each side).
7. Remove chicken and set aside, Add butter to the pan, scrape up any drippings.
8. Add wine, and lemon juice, heat to a boil (stirring frequently) then reduce heat to low.
9. Add Parsley and sliced lemon to sauce.
10. Plate chicken and pour sauce over top

I served with pasta, which I put some of the sauce on too!