Sep 29, 2014

Crockpot White Chicken Chili


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Cook's Note: I love white chicken chili and I ran across this recipe one day when I was trying to decide what to make for dinner. It looked easy enough, so I tried it and I must say it was very EASY and very TASTY! I love all recipes from Six Sisters Stuff, so I knew this would be a success. I have modified the recipe slightly, but I hope you will try this recipe - it's great for a BUSY WEEKDAY.


What You Will Need: 

3 boneless skinless chicken breasts (frozen is OK)
Salt and Pepper to taste
1 medium onion, chopped
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 cloves minced garlic
2 cans of Great Northern Beans, rinsed and drained
3 cups fat free organic chicken broth
1 tablespoon of Texas Pete (or about 8-10 dashes)
1-1/2 cups (6 ounces) low fat shredded cheese
Fat free or light sour cream dollop for garnish


Directions

Spray slow cooker with non-stick cooking spray. Place chicken (fresh or frozen) in crock pot and add salt and pepper to each breast, to test.  Next add onion, garlic, oregano, cumin and Texas Pete on top of the chicken.

Next add white beans and pour the chicken broth over entire mixture. Cover and cook on low for 6-7 hours or 4 to 5 hours on high.

Before serving, remove chicken and shred. Add chicken back into soup and mix well. Sprinkle with cheese and garnish with sour cream if desired.

Serve with a side of CORN BREAD for a scrumptious meal! 

This "Pinspiration" comes from Six Sisters Stuff

Enjoy!

Aug 31, 2014

Italian Meatloaf

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Cooks Note: I have made the same meatloaf my mom makes for years. I love it, my family loves it and it rocks. But, since I am Italian, this Italian Meatloaf intrigued me. I figured it would taste like a giant delicious meatball smothered in sauce and cheese and I was pretty much right. This was a huge hit with my family (kids included) and will become part of our "Do again" list, one that has formed since I have started cooking my way through Pinterest. Make this one, it will not disappoint! Enjoy!


Ingredients:

1 yellow onion diced
1 fire roasted red pepper, diced (I used a couple roasted red peppers from a jar)
Olive Oil for sauteing
5 cloves of garlic, minced
1 vine ripened tomato, diced
1 Tablespoon dried Italian seasoning
1 egg
3/4 cup tomato sauce
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 1/4 lb ground beef or turkey
1/2 cup Italian breadcrumbs
1/4 tsp black pepper
2 Tablespoons Parmesan, grated
1 1/2 cups mozzarella, grated (I used 2 cups)




Directions:

1. Cut up all of your veggies
2. Heat your skillet with enough olive oil to cover the bottom of the pan, over medium heat
3. Add the onion and the peppers, saute till tender.Add garlic, saute till fragrant and and Italian seasoning and tomato, saute 3-4 minutes then set aside to cool. 
4. Preheat oven to 400 F. In a bowl whisk together egg, 1/3 cup tomato sauce and Worcestershire sauce. Add ground meat, bread crumbs and black pepper, Parmesan and vegetables. Combine with a fork and mix in 1 cup of mozzarella. 
5. In a large roasting pan, form the meat into a loaf. Spread the remaining sauce and mozzarella over the top of the meatloaf. Bake 45 min or till no longer pink in the middle. Let sit 5 min before serving. 


This recipe comes from Cinnamonspiceandeverythingnice.com






Aug 27, 2014

Chocolate Zucchini Bundt Cake


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Cook's Note: I went to my favorite local farm stand and bought some Zucchini (thanks Moonfire Orchard!) with the intent of making chocolate zucchini bread. I ran upon this recipe on Pinterest (where else?) and thought I'd make a cake instead and boy am I glad I did! I changed the ingredients only slightly by adding additional chocolate! 

This cake is made with yogurt instead of oil, which makes it light and moist. This is a MUST TRY while zucchinis are in season!


What You Will Need:

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup unsweetened natural cocoa powder (like Hershey’s)
2 Squares of Baker’s Chocolate (semi-sweet chocolate), melted
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup gently packed light brown sugar
3 large eggs
1/2 cup Greek-style plain low-fat yogurt
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup gently packed, peeled and grated zucchini
1 cup (6 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips
Confectioners’ Sugar for dusting


Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray Bundt pan with non-stick cooking spray like Coconut Oil Non-Stick Cooking Spray.
Sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon into a bowl. Set aside.
In your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the softened butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar on medium speed until light and creamy. Add the melted chocolate squares. Mix in the eggs, one at a time, beating well and scraping down the bowl after each addition. Mix in the greek yogurt and vanilla. On low speed, add the flour mixture and beat until nearly combined. Use a spatula to stir in the zucchini and chocolate chips.

Transfer the batter to the Bundt pan and spread evenly. Bake about 50 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Let cool in the pan on a wire rack for 30 minutes. Let cool completely before releasing the cake from the Bundt pan.

Dust with confectioners’ sugar. 



Thanks to Moonfire Orchard for the yummy Zucchini 

This "Pinspiration" comes from Serious Eats


ENJOY!










Aug 25, 2014

Bacon and Chard Frittata



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Cook's Note: I went to a local farm stand where I found Swiss Chard. I have never had Swiss Chard, but I have been on a kick this year - challenging myself to try new foods. So, I bought the chard and brought it home and went to my trusty Pinterest to find a yummy recipe. I stumbled upon this one and of course tweaked it to make it my own. 

This was delicious, easy to make and super healthy and I HIGHLY recommend this to you for breakfast, lunch or dinner. 

What You Will Need:

 4 large eggs
4 large egg whites
¼  cup grated Parmesan Cheese plus another ¼ cup set aside
½  bunch Swish Chard, washed well  and chopped
6 slices of Turkey Bacon (cooked & crumbled)
½ large white onion, chopped
2 tsp light butter
Sea salt and fresh cracked black pepper to taste

Directions:

 Preheat oven to 400°.

In a medium bowl stir together the eggs & egg whites. Add the parmesan cheese and a pinch of salt and pepper to taste. Set this aside.

Separate the chard stems from the chard leaves. Roll the leaves up and chop.

Heat a 10-inch skillet on low heat; melt half of the butter and add the onions with a pinch of salt and pepper. Slowly cook the onions, stirring occasionally until the onions become translucent, about 8-10 minutes. Bring the heat up to medium and cook until the onions caramelize.

Add the remaining butter and add the chard leaves to the pan. Cook until wilted and bright green (about 3 minutes). Season with salt and pepper.

Reduce heat to low; pour egg mixture into the skillet and mix well to blend. Reduce heat to low and cook until the edges set, about 6 minutes. Then immediately pour this mixture into a pie plate (sprayed with non-stick cooking spray) and sprinkle bacon crumbles on top and also sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup of  parmesan cheese on top.

Place in the oven and bake until completely set through, about 8-10 minutes.

Cut into pie shaped wedges and serve!

This "Pinspiration" comes from SkinnyTaste and the yummy swiss chard from Potomac Vegetable Farms




ENJOY! 





Aug 20, 2014

The Pioneer Woman-Bowtie Lasagna

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Cooks Note: I always know that a recipe from The Pioneer Woman will be a great one. And I always know that a pasta dish is a pretty safe bet with my kiddos. I was wondering though, without ricotta cheese if it would really taste like lasagna, but it does! Although this is The Pioneer Woman's recipe, I used the adapted version by Katie Cooks Dinner. I promise this recipe will not disappoint, it is creamy, flavorful and very family friendly. Enjoy!

Ingredients: 

1 lb Bowtie Pasta
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
1 lb ground beef
1 jar spaghetti sauce (your fave) or 3 Cups of your own
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 heaping teaspoon Italian Seasoning
1 Cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1 Cup sour cream
Parmesan for topping

Directions:

1. Cook pasta to al dente', strain and pour over top of cooked and drained ground beef.
2. Add olive oil and stir well
3. Add sauce and spices and stir well
4. Add cheese and stir well
5. Add sour cream and stir well. Reheat slightly if needed. 

Top with Parmesan to taste and serve

This Pinspiration comes from Katie Cooks Dinner and The Pioneer Woman



Aug 14, 2014

Delicata Squash and parmesan Chicken Bake


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Cook's Note: I frequent a local farm stand in our area during the summer time and I ran upon this DELICATA squash that I was not familiar with at all. 

The person there told me it was a fall squash and delicious and tasted like a butternut squash or acorn squash, so I thought I'd give it a try. GOODNESS ME! It is even better than butternut squash - it will knock your socks off! This recipe is devine and you just HAVE to give it a try! 


What You Will Need: 

2 Delicata Squash (washed, seeded and chopped)
3-4 Chicken Breasts, chopped
Package of Cherry Tomatoes - chopped
2 cloves of garlic - chopped
3 Tbps of Olive Oil
1 cup of shredded Parmesan cheese
Sea Salt and Ground Black Pepper to taste

Directions: 


Once you've chopped your delicata squash, tomatoes and chicken, place in a large freezer bag and add olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper and cheese. Shake the bag well to coat and mix. Pour contents of bag into an oven safe dish sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Sprinkle with a little more of the Parmesan cheese, just to give it a coating and bake at 400 degrees for 60 minutes. 


Here is the Delicata Squah, chopped - doesn't it look amazing!?



ENJOY!


A special thank you to Moonfire Orchard for the delicious squash and tomatoes! 

Jul 29, 2014

Babycakes Donuts



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Cook's Note: I bought a Babycakes Donut Maker from someone (used, yes, we need to be frugal when we can!) and I decided I needed recipes for it. Of course, where did I go for a recipe? (drum-roll please..... PINTEREST!) 

I made these for my daughter's birthday breakfast. She LOVED it! It does take a little bit of effort, but well worth it. They are DELICIOUS and will be gone in minutes!

Please note that you will need a Babycakes Donut maker for this recipe. You could also do the recipe with a donut pan if you have one! 


Spray the inside of your Babycakes Donut Maker with non-stick spray (I prefer Coconut Oil Spray), and heat the Donut Maker according to the instructions.

In your Kitchen Aid Stand Mixer (or hand mixer) – combine:
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt

Next Add:

1/4 cup half and half
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 Tablespoons vegetable oil

Directions: 

Spoon dough into each little donut crevice. Close the lid and bake for 3 to 5 minutes. Remove donuts from the Donut Maker and rest on a wire rack or plate. Sprinkle with a cinnamon/sugar mix.
This recipe makes about: 8-9 doughnuts (Babycakes Donutmaker makes 6). If you are making breakfast for a large brood – you may want to double or triple this recipe!) 

This "Pinspiration" comes from The Undecorated Cookie

Enjoy!


Paleo Turkey Veggie Meatloaf




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Cook's Note: So, we are trying to go low-carb when we can and get healthy! I found this recipe on Pinterest and thought I'd try it. I have modified the recipe to make it my own and this version is pretty good. I used coconut flour, but you can use almond flour instead. 

You don't even miss the carbs of the usual breadcrumbs in this meatloaf. Even my toddler ate it - that is the true taste test! ENJOY!


What You Will Need: 


1 cup almond or coconut flour
1 lb ground turkey breast
1/2 cup coconut milk
3 cloves of garlic, minced
2 carrots, minced
1/2 onion, minced
1 zucchini, minced
2 egg
3 tbsp Italian seasoning
Sea salt and Cracked Black pepper - to taste


Directions: 

Preheat  oven to 350 degrees.
Combine flour and coconut milk in a bowl and mix.
Sauté onions, carrots, and zucchini stirring often until cooked.
During the last minute of your sautéing – add in your garlic.
Combine sautéed vegetables with the flour/milk mixture.
Add ground turkey, egg, Italian seasoning, and salt and pepper. Using your hands or a good spoon, mix well.
Place meatloaf in a pan sprayed with non-stick cooking spray (I prefer Coconut Oil Spray)
Bake in the oven for 50 minutes or until temperature reaches 165 degrees internally.



This “Pinspiration” comes from Civilized Caveman Cooking


ENJOY!