Power Enchiladas

These were SO good!! You would never know there is zucchini in them!!

Power Enchiladas

Ingredients:
4 oz. fat free chicken broth

1 Tbs. Canola Oil
1 cup onion, chopped
1/2 cup green bell pepper, chopped
1 cup grated zucchini
2 cups boneless, skinless chicken breast, cooked and shredded
2 T. chopped cilantro
1 1/2 cups grated low fat, part-skim mozzarella cheese (I used a 2% Mexi cheese blend)
1 (4 oz) can diced green chilies
4 cloves garlic
1 (19 oz) can green enchilada sauce
8-10 whole wheat tortillas
Sliced black olives
Light or fat free sour cream

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare all ingredients for assembly. In a large frying pan, bring chicken broth and canola oil to just boiling. Add onion and green pepper to broth and saute until onions are tender. Add grated zucchini and saute until just cooked. Drain off liquid and remove pan from heat. Add cooked chicken to vegetable mixture and stir. Add cilantro, 1 1/4 cups of grated cheese (reserving 1/4 cup for later), green chilies, and garlic. Stir to combine.
Layer 1/2 cup enchilada sauce into the bottom of a 9 x 13 dish sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Fill tortillas with meat and vegetable mixture. Spoon about 1 T. enchilada sauce over meat mixture. Roll tortillas up and turn enchilada seam down. Ladle remaining sauce over enchiladas, making sure tortillas are completely covered in sauce (so they don't dry out). Cover with tin foil and bake 12-15 minutes. Remove foil and sprinkle enchiladas with remaining 1/4 cup (or a little more:) grated cheese. Bake 10 minutes more until cheese is melted. Then turn on broiler and place enchiladas nearer the top of oven. Let it broil until cheese is slightly brown and crispy. Garnish with olives and sour cream.

Crock Pot Country Chicken

Crock Pot Country Chicken

Ingredients:
◦8 Yukon gold potatoes, halved or quartered depending on their size
◦6 carrots, cut in half lengthwise and cut into large pieces
◦2 celery ribs, sliced
◦4-6 boneless skinless chicken thighs
◦3 Tbsp. cornstarch
◦1 1/4 cup chicken stock, cold or room temp
◦2 tsp honey dijon mustard
◦1 1/2 tsp. dill
◦1 tsp salt
◦pepper to taste

Directions:
1.Spray the crock pot with non stick cooking spray.
2.Place the vegetables in the bottom of the crock pot followed by the chicken.

3.In a bowl, whisk together the cornstarch and chicken stock until well blended.
4.Then whisk in the mustard, dill, salt, and pepper until blended.
5.Pour the mixture over the vegetables and chicken in the crock pot.
6.Cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 4 hours.

Crockpot Chicken Parmesan

Crockpot Chicken Parmesan

Ingredients:
-2-4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
-1/2 cup bread crumbs
-1/4 cup parmesan cheese
-1/2 spt Italian Seasoning
-1/4 tsp black pepper
-1/4 tsp kosher salt
-1 TBS olive oil
-1 beaten egg
-sliced mozzarella cheese or 1 cup shredded
-26 oz of your favorite marinara sauce
Directions:
Spread the olive oil into the bottom of your slow cooker. Mix the egg with a fork in a separate bowl and mix the bread crumbs with the seasonings and the parmesan cheese in another separate dish. Dip the chicken into the egg, then into the bread crumb mixture, coating both sides with crumbs, cheese and seasonings. Place the chicken breast pieces at the bottom of the crock pot. Layer 2-3 slices of mozzarella cheese on top (or top with shredded cheese. Top all the ingredients with the marinara sauce.
Cook on low for 6-7 hours or high for 3-4. Frozen chicken will take longer. Serve it with the pasta of your choice. I used whole wheat spaghetti.

French Chicken Brocolli Supreme

This one is definetly a keeper!!!!

FRENCH CHICKEN BROCOLLI SUPREME

Ingredients:

1 – lb. fresh broccoli Break in pieces, and steam for 2 minutes.
3 cups cooked chicken breasts – Break up in small pieces
3 cups Grated Cheddar Cheese divided
2 tubes Ritz Crackers
1 stick melted butter
1 tablespoon poppy seeds

SAUCE:
1/3 C. Butter melted
1/4 C. Cornstarch, dissolved in 1/2 C. COLD Water
1/3 C. Chicken Broth
1/4 tsp. Salt
1/4 tsp Pepper
2 Cups Milk
1 1/2 cups of the above Cheddar Cheese

In greased 13×9 pan, layer the broccoli and chicken, then set aside. In saucepan over medium heat, combine the melted butter, cornstarch dissolved in water, chicken broth, seasonings, and milk. Stir well, and continue stirring until sauce has thickened. Turn heat down to low, and add 1- 1/2 cups grated cheddar cheese. Stir until melted. Pour over the chicken and broccoli. Top with 1- 1/2 cups grated cheddar cheese.

Melt the butter, and add the poppy seeds, and stir well. Crush Ritz crackers in large zip-lock bag with a rolling pin. Don’t crush too small. Add crumbs to the melted butter. Sprinkle crumbs over the top of the grated cheese.

Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes, or until hot & bubbly.

Chicken and Spinach Pasta Bake

8oz uncooked rigatoni
1 tbs. Olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
1 10oz. Package frozen spinach, thawed
3 cups cooked chicken breasts cubed
114 oz. Can Italian style diced tomatoes drained
1 8 oz. Chive and onion cream cheese
1/2 tsp. Salt & pepper
1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella

Prepare rigatoni according to pkg directions. Spread oil on bottom of baking dish, add onion. Bake at 375 for 15 minutes. Drain chopped spinach well pressing between paper towels. Stir in rigatoni, spinach, chicken and next 4 ingredients into onion in dish. Sprinkle evenly with mozzarella. Bake covered at 375 for 30 minutes remove cover and bake 15 more minutes or until bubbly.

Slow Cooker Coconut Chicken Curry

Boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into large chunks
1 onion, peeled and halved
2 cloves garlic peeled
1 bell pepper seeded and quartered
1 can tomatoe paste
1 can coconut milk
1 1/2 tsp. Salt
1 tbs. Curry powder
1 tbs. Garam masala
2 whole dry red chili peppers (optional) I left them out.
2 tbs. Water
2 tbs. Cornstarch
1 bunch coriander (optional, for decoration)

Place chicken cubes in slow cooker. Place the rest of the ingredients (except chili peppers,cornstarch, water and coriander) in food processor and process until smooth. Pour over chicken and mix well, add hot peppers if using. Cook on low for 6 hours. An hour before done mix cornstarch and water and pour in crockpot. Stir to combine. Finish cooking. Serve over basmati rice with chopped coriander if desired.

Asian Sesame Salmon

This was really good. I served it with rice and fresh steamed green beans.

Asian Sesame Salmon
2 tsp. Toasted sesame seeds
1 tsp. Minced garlic
1 tsp. Minced onion
3/4 tsp. Ground ginger
1/2 tsp. Crushed red pepper flakes
1/3 cup honey
1/3 cup thinly sliced green onions
2 tbs. Soy sauce
Salmon

Combine spices, honey, soy sauce and green onions. Put salmon in baking dish and pour mixture over top. Bake at 375 for 20 minutes or until done.

Tortilla Chicken with Salsa Verde

Tortilla Chicken with Salsa Verde; serves 2; print recipe

• 2 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
• 1 egg white, beaten
• 1/2 cup tortilla chips, crushed
• 1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
• 1/2 cup salsa verde
• 1/4 cup pico de gallo (chopped fresh tomatoes and onions)
• 1-2 slices or 4 tbs. white cheese (ideally Mexican cheese, but provolone worked fine for me!)
• cilantro sauce: cilantro, oil, avocado, salsa verde

1. Sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper. Coat the chicken with the egg white. Combine the panko and the crushed chips. Dip/press the chicken into the panko mixture until well coated. Fry the chicken in 1-2 tbs. oil over medium-high heat, about 2-3 minutes on each side.
2. When the outside is nice and golden brown, transfer to the oven and bake for 15-25 minutes at 400 degrees (depending on the size and temperature of your chicken breasts).
3. Add the cheese; return to the oven for a few minutes until melted.
4. Spoon salsa verde on the plate; place chicken on the salsa verde, and sprinkle Avocado dip and pico de gallo over the top! ¡Que bueno!

Avocado Dip, adapted from What’s Gaby Cooking

• 2 avocados, seeds and skin removed
• zest and juice of 1 lime
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 tsp salt AND pepper
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 3/4 cup Roasted Salsa Verde
• a handful of cilantro

1. Mix the lime juice, zest, garlic, salt, pepper, and honey in a small bowl.
2. In a food processor, puree lime juice mixture, salsa verde, and herbs.
3. Add the avocados and puree until desired consistency.

Creamy Grape Salad

This sounded so weird to me that I had to make it. It was a winner!!

Creamy Grape Salad Gina's Weight Watcher Recipes
Servings: 8 • Serving Size: 1/8th • Old Points: 4 pts • Points+: 6 pts
Calories: 171.2 • Fat: 7.9 g • Protein: 5.3 g • Carb: 33.8 g • Fiber: 1.6 g

Ingredients:

• 1 lb green seedless grapes, washed and dried well
• 1 lb red seedless grapes, washed and dried well
• 8 oz fat free Chiobani Greek yogurt
• 4 oz light cream cheese, softened
• 1/4 cup agave (or sugar)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Topping:

• 2 tbsp brown sugar, packed
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts (or pecans)

Directions:

Cut grapes in half and set aside.

Mix yogurt, cream cheese, agave and vanilla until blended well. Stir grapes into mixture, and pour in large serving dish.

Combine brown sugar and crushed walnuts. Sprinkle over top of grapes to cover completely. Chill until ready to serve

Crockpot Chicken Tikka Masala

We love Indian food, so I was excited when I found this recipe. I found the garam masala and curry paste at Fiesta. I used bone in thighs, but next time will use boneless.



Chicken Tikka:
1 cup plain yogurt
1 tbsp lemon juice
2 tsp cumin
1/4-1 tsp cayenne (depending on how spicy you like it)
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp salt

6-8 chicken thighs (skin on, bone-in)

Stir all ingredients except chicken into the bottom of a large plastic container. Add the chicken and coat the chicken completely with the marinade, cover and place in the fridge for at least an hour or overnight.

Masala:
1 can 28 oz. diced tomatoes
1 can 5.5 oz tomato paste
2 inches fresh ginger, grated (store your ginger in the freezer and it will be super easy to grate)
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 onion, diced
1 tbsp garam masala
1 tbsp tikka paste (could use mild curry paste instead, but then also add about a tbsp of lemon juice)
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp dried coriander


1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp garam masala
Salt
1 cup cream
2 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped


Turn your oven to broil. Cover a baking sheet with aluminum foil and place a rack over top. Take the chicken out of the marinade and place on the baking rack. Place under the broiler about 6-10 inches from the heating element and broil on each side about 10 minutes. You don't have to worry about cooking the meat all the way through, you are just looking for a nice browned color.

While the chicken is broiling, in a pan over medium high heat, add about a tsp or two of oil. Add the onion and saute for a few minutes to soften. Add the garlic and ginger and saute for a few more minutes until the mixture is nice and fragrant. Place the mixture into your crockpot. To that, add the diced tomatoes, tomato paste, garam masala, tikka paste, cumin, chili powder and coriander. Stir together. When the chicken is done broiling, add them straight to the slow cooker and stir into the masala (sauce). I have cooked and experimented with this dish quite a few times, and it by far tastes the best when the chicken is first broiled and then slow cooks in the masala sauce. It gives the sauce a real richness of flavor. Slow cook on high for 4-6 hours or on low 6-8 hours.

Before serving stir in 1/2 tsp cumin, 1/2 tsp chili powder, 1/2 tsp garam masala and salt if it needs it. I find this just brightens up the spice flavors a bit. Then stir in the cream and fresh cilantro. Serve a chicken thigh with lots of sauce over basmati rice or Yellow Basmati Rice: 2 cups basmati, 4 cups water, salt, and 1/2 tbsp of turmeric. Stir together and prepare as you normally would. When the rice is done, stir in 1/2 cup frozen peas.

Chipotle Pork Chops and Spicy Side Salad

Pork chop marinade:
4 tbs. Olive oil
3 tbs. Fresh lime juice
1 tbs. Minced garlic
3 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce chopped with seeds
About a tsp. Adobo sauce
Pepper to taste

Combine and pour over pork chops, marinate at least an hour. Grill when ready.

Spicy Side Salad

2 cups frozen corn kernels
1 can black beans drained
1 can fire roasted diced tomatoes drained
1 or 2 large avocados diced
Chopped green onion
Chopped cilantro
Salt and pepper to taste
For the dressing I use the marinade recipe for the chops. Combine all and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Crunchy Onion Chicken and Noodle

Crunchy Onion Chicken and Noodle Dinner

Ingredients:

1 (10.75 oz.) can cream of chicken soup

1 ¼ cups milk

2 cups French Fried Onions

1 cup frozen vegetables of your choice

2 cups cubed cooked chicken

2 cups curly egg noodles, cooked and drained


Directions:

• Stir soup, milk, 1 cup French Fried Onions, vegetables, chicken, and noodles in a 2 quart baking dish.

• Bake at 400° for 30 minutes, or until hot. Stir.

• Top with 1 cup French Fried Onions.

• Bake an additional 5 minutes, until onions are golden.

Coconut Chicken Tenders

The dipping sauce for these was REALLY good!!

Coconut Chicken Tenders

12 chicken tenders (I used more than 12)
1-2 eggs (start with one and crack another if it runs out)
1/2 C flour
1 C sweetened coconut flakes
1 C panko bread crumbs
1 tsp garlic powder
3/4 tsp table salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp onion powder

preheat oven to 450 degrees.
Give coconut a rough chop so it's about the same size as the panko pieces.
Combine it with Panko and spices in a shallow dish. Mix well to distribute all of the spices.
Place the flour in another shallow dish, and the egg in another. Give the egg a quick beating.
Working with a few chicken tenders at a time, dredge in flour. Dip in egg, then finally coat in the coconut Panko mixture. Press in with your fingers to make sure the entire thing is well coated.
Place chicken tenders on a foil-lined baking sheet that has been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. You can drizzle or spray olive oil on top for a crispier tender.
Bake in 450 degree oven for about 20 minutes or until juices run clear. If tenders are on the small side, they could even be done in about 15 minutes. If they're big they can take more like 25. The coconut will be nice and golden and the panko crisp, but light in color still.

Pineapple Dipping Sauce

1 cup yogurt (I used pina colada yogurt)
1 cup crushed pineapple
2 Tbsp powdered sugar
1/4 cup coconut
2 Tbsp coconut milk (I used regular milk)

combine all, refrigerate until ready to use.

Hawaiian Meatloaf

Got this recipe from Kelly's Korner Blog. It was REALLY good.......everyone liked it!! Even Emily's friend Lexy who had dinner with us. I doubled the meatloaf recipe but not the sauce. I served it with sweet potato fries and roasted cauliflower.

Hawaiian Meatloaf

1 lb ground beef
1 egg
1/3 of a can of crushed pineapple (or tidbits if you aren't trying to hide them from the children like I am! :-) , Drain and save the juice
1 tbsp. chopped onion
2 tbsp. of pineapple juice
1/3 cup of breadcrumbs
1 tsp. of salt

Mix it all together. Bake it in the oven at 350 for 1 1/4 hours.

Hawaiian Meatloaf Sauce:

1/2 cup of pineapple juice (or as much as you can get from the can)
1/2 cup of brown sugar
1/2 cup of ketchup

Mix and warm on the stove-top over medium heat and ladle over the loaf. Enjoy

Feta Salmon

Feta Salmon

Ingredients:
salmon
feta cheese (I used reduced fat)
capers

Easiest directions ever: Put a slab o' salmon on a broiler pan, cover it heavily with feta cheese & capers (adds a salty touch that accents the feta perfectly,) and stick it in the oven at 375, cook it til the feta starts turning brownish, about 15 -20 mins. depending on the size of the slab.
I served it with brown rice and fresh green beans.

Crockpot Chicken & Eggplant Parmesan

This was really good!! I tried it because when I saw the recipe I thought it was weird that you could make this in the crockpot!! The recipe is definetly a make again for my family!

Chicken Parmesan with Eggplant

6 BLSL Chicken Breasts
2 eggs
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
1 cup Italian Bread Crumbs
3 Tbs. Olive Oil
3 Tbs. Butter
2 small eggplant sliced 3/4 in thick
20 ounces Tomato Basil Sauce
1 1/2 cups Grated Parmesan
1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded

Slice chicken breast in half and then in half again. In bowl, combine eggs and salt and pepper. Place bread crumbs in seperate bowl. In skillet heat butter and olive oil. Dip chicken in egg then crumbs, brown on each side in skillet, place on paper towel to drain.

Put a layer of eggplant in crockpot drizzle with sauce sprinkle with parmesan, then layer of chicken, sauce, and parmesan. Make another layer of eggplant, sauce, parmesan then chicken, top this layer with remaining sauce and parmesan . Cook on Low 6 hours or High 2-4 hours.

Top with mozzarella cheese and let melt before serving. I served it with spaghetti noodles.....YUM!

Back to Reality!!

Had a VERY relaxing time on the cruise! The weather was perfect the entire time. Jamie and I did some shopping in Progresso,  in Cozumel we did a swim with the dolphins excursion. It was SO cool!! Got to touch them and kiss them and ride on the belly of one.....truly memorable!! Mike did a fabulous job of holding down the fort! I sure missed them while I was gone but it was really a great trip. Kelly Minter was the speaker at the retreat and she really had a good lesson. She is such a good speaker, we really enjoyed hearing her!! Made it back on Saturday in time to see most of Blake's football game.

Had hamburgers Saturday night and steaks on Sunday.

Monday I made the stew meat and cabbage in the crockpot, the recipe is in an earlier post.

Tuesday was Blake's 12th birthday (man I'm getting old!!) and he requested fried chicken, mashed potatoes with gravy and 7 up Biscuits. I also made him an ice cream cake at his request!

Tonight we are having Stuffed Pesto Chicken. The recipe is in an earlier post but I am going to repost it just in case you don't feel like searching for it because you really should make it......your family will thank you!!

Stuffed Pesto Chicken

4-6 boneless skinless chicken breasts

1 c feta cheese

1/4 c paprika (this is NOT a typo, yes 1/4 CUP)

1/4 tsp cumin

1/4 tsp oregano

1/4 tsp thyme

1 1/4 tsp salt

1 c pesto

1-2 cloves garlic

2 1/2 T olive oil



Preheat oven to 350 degrees. With sharp knife cut a slit into chicken breasts not cutting all the way through, just creating a "pocket". Stuff with feta cheese and put into 9x13 baking dish. In small bowl combine: paprika, cumin, oregano, thyme and salt. Spread evenly over chicken. Spoon pesto over chicken. Sprinkle with garlic. Drizzle oil over the top and cover with aluminum foil (shiny side down). Put in oven for 35-45 minutes (chicken breast thickness vary greatly) until no longer pink inside.  I serve it with whole wheat pasta mixed with the leftover pesto.

Again.....Recipes from the week!!

Moroccan Chicken and Lentils

8 Cups Water
3 tsp. sea salt, divided
1 lb. dried lentils
1/4 cup plus 2 Tbs. olive oil
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
3 Tbs. Cumin
2 Tbs. plus 2 tsp. chili powder
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 large onion, sliced
2 lbs. skinless, boneless chicken breasts, thinly sliced
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

Combine water, 1 tsp. sea salt and lentils in stock pot, bring to a boil, cover reduce heat to medioum and simmer until soft about 25 minutes. Drain well and rinse under cold water. Set aside in large bowl.

Combine 1/4 cup olive oil,vinegar, 2 tbs. cumin, 2 tbs. chili powder, garlic and 1 tsp. sea salt. Pour over lentils and toss gently.

In a large skillet heat 2 Tbs. olive oil add onions and saute until well cooked. Add chicken and saute 2 minutes. Add 1 tsp. sea salt, 1 Tbs. cumin, 2tsp.chili powder and 1/4 tsp. cinnamon. Saute until cooked through. Serve over lentils sprinkle with fresh cilantro.

Roast Stuffed Pork Tenderloin

1/2 cup cooked broccoli
1/4 cup finely chopped parsley
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
1/4 cup fine oat bran
1/3 cup chopped walnuts
1/3 cup chopped apricots
2 tbs. water or chicken stock
2 pork tenderloins
1 tbs. peppercoarns, coarsely chopped
1 tsp. dried sage
1 tsp. dried rosemary
1 tsp. dried thyme
sea salt

In medium bowl combine first 7 ingredients mix well and set aside. Butterfly the tenderloins and spoon stuffing into each. Fold over and tie tenderloin with kitchen twine. Sprinkle with dried herbs. Place in shallow dish and bake at 350 for 25-40 minutes. Remove from oven, cover with foil and let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Thai Steak on Soba Noodles

1 1/2 lb. flank steak, flattened with a meat tenderizer
Juice of fresh lemon
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
Dash of Tabasco
3 tsp. agave nectar
1 tsp. sea salt
1 tsp. pepper
1/2 cucumber, chopped
1 8 oz. package soba noodles(I couldn't find these so I used whole wheat pasta)
6 cups fresh dark green salad greens(I used spinach)
1 cup sprouts
1/4 cup sesame seeds, toasted
1 bunch green onions, chopped coarse

Combine lemon juice, olive oil, cilantro, garlic, Tabasco, agave nectar, salt and pepper,(reserve 1/3 )and pour rest over flank steak and marinade several hours or overnight. Mix remining marinade with cucumbers.

Place 1 tsp. olive oil in oven proof skillet, brown steak on both sides then bake at 400 for 10 minutes. Cook noodles. Thinly slice the steak on the diagonal. Serve over noodles, salad greens and cucumbers. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and green onions.

Next week Mike will be on his own with the kids!!! Pray for him! Jamie and I are leaving on Monday for a CRUISE and won't be back until Saturday!!!!!!!!!!! It's a woman's retreat at my church, we are going to Progresso and Cozumel. We are SO excited. We booked an excursion to swim with dolphins!! Can't wait!! Thanks to my AWESOME hubby for encouraging me to go and paying for it!! Ha! Ha!

Recipes from the Week

Turkey Loaf to Live By

2 Tbs. Olive Oil
2 Purple or Vidalia onions, finely chopped
1/2 c. finely chopped celery
Sea salt and black pepper
6 cups Baby Spinach Leaves
6 cups baby arugula
1 tsp. water
1 cup basil leaves
1/4 cup cilantro minced
4 egg whites + one yolk
1 Tbs. Tomato paste mixed with 1 Tbs. of water
3/4 cup chicken stock
2 1/2 lbs. lean ground turkey breast
3/4 cup oat bran (if you don't have, you can use oatmeal that has been finely ground in blender)
1/4 cup ground flax seeds

Heat olive oil in non stick pan and cook onions and celery until translucent. Season with salt and pepper and transfer to bowl to cool.  Add spinach and arugala to the pan with 1 tsp. water. Cook until wilted. Remove from heat and let cool. Add basil and cilantro to the greens and mix well.  In a large bowl add egg whites, yolk, tomato paste mixture and stock. Mix well. Add turkey, oat bran and flax seeds along with the onions and celery. Mix well with hands.  Spray a 10 inch loaf pan with cooking spray and place half the turkey mixture into the pan, spread greens mixture over and then put remaining turkey over the greens. Bake at 375 degrees for 1 1/2 hours. Let sit 15 minutes before cutting.

I served roasted sweet potatoes and fresh green beans with it.

Chinese Chicken and Rice
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into julienne strips
1/2 tsp. sea salt
2 Tbs. olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 cups Broccoli florets
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1/2 cup sliced water chestnuts
1 cup penny-sliced carrots
1 cup green onions, sliced
Cooked Brown rice

Marinade
2 Tbs. olive oil
1 Tbs. minced ginger root
2 tsp. low sodium soy sauce
1 clove garlic minced
Dash of hot pepper sauce

Combine marinade ingredients with chicken and refrigerate 1 hour.  Heat olive oil in pan and saute' garlic until fragrant add chicken and cook until no longer pink. Add chopped vegetables and cook until soft. Serve over brown rice.

Turkey Meatballs
1 1/2 lbs. lean ground turkey or chicken
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 cup oat bran or whole wheat breadcrumbs
2 Tbs. fresh parsley, finely chopped
2 Tbs. fresh basil, finely chopped
2 Tbs. fresh oregano, finely chopped
2 cloves of garlic, pressed
1 tsp. sea salt
1 tsp. black pepper

Preheat oven to 400. In a large bowl place egg and breadcrumbs, add spices and mix well. Add remaining ingredients and mix well. Make meatballs and place on spray cookie sheet. Bake 20 minutes or until golden.

I made organic whole wheat pasta and organic sauce to go with them.

Blueberry Banana Oatmeal Muffins

3 large bananas, mashed
2 cups frozen blueberries
1 cup unsweetened coconut milk or skim milk
1/4 cup Stevia in the raw
2 eggs
1 Tbs. baking powdewr
3 cups quick oats

 Preheat oven to 400. Mix bananas, blueberries, milk, stevia, eggs and baking powder. Once it is well mixed add the oats and mix again. Let it sit for about 5 minutes and spoon into a 12 cup muffin pan that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Fill each cup to the brim. Bake for 20-25 minutes.  These were even good warmed up all week!! My kids LOVED them.

One night we had grilled chicken breasts and the Fiesta Rice Salad.

Greek Chicken and Potatoes

Lazy Baked Greek Chicken

Ingredients:

2 T EVOO

1/2 medium onion, finely shopped

3 large cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 10oz package frozen chopped spinach, thawed

salt and pepper

freshly grated nutmeg, to taste
3 T butter

1 c panko breadcrumbs

1 t dried oregano

4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts

1/2 c crumbled feta cheese



Directions:

-Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

-Heat 1 T EVOO in small skillet over med heat. Add the onion and 2/3 of the garlic and cook until softened, 3-4 minutes.

-Transfer to a bowl to cool, then add the spinach and season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg.

-Melt the butter in the same pan, turn off the heat and add the panko, oregano and remaining garlic; toss.

-Drizzle baking dish with remaining 1 T EVOO. Split each chicken breast across (but not all the way through) and open like a book. Stuff with the spinach and feta, letting the stuffing overflow at the edges.

-Place chicken pieces in the baking dish and top with the breadcrumbs. Bake until the juices run clear, about 20 minutes.

Greek Potatoes

Ingredients:

8 large potatoes, peeled, cut into large wedges (about 6-7 wedges per potato)

4 garlic cloves, minced (more garlic is a good thing, less garlic is a no-no for this recipe)

1/2 cup olive oil

1 cup water

1 tablespoon oregano (get the Mediterranean, it's the best!)

1-1 1/2 lemon, juice of

sea salt

fresh coarse ground black pepper



Directions:

Preheat oven to 440°F A reviewer has suggested spraying the baking pan with Pam - that sounds like a great idea!

Put all the ingredients into a baking pan large enough to hold them.

Season generously with sea salt and black pepper.

Make sure your hands are very clean and put them in the pan and give everything a toss to distribute.

The garlic will drop into the water/oil solution but its flavour will permeate the potatoes, and this way, it won't burn.

Bake for 40 minutes.

When a nice golden-brown crust has formed on the potatoes, give them a stir to bring the white underside up, season lightly with a bit more sea salt and pepper and just a light sprinkling of oregano.

Add 1/2 cup more water if pan appears to be getting dry, and pop back into oven to brown other side of potatoes.

This will take about another 40 minutes. (Watch them, mine only took about 20 min. on the other side)

Do not be afraid of overcooking the potatoes- they will be delicious.

Spring Break Week

Had a fun Spring Break!!! We did something every day with friends!  Went to the movies, the park for a picnic and fishing, hung out and played, and went for LOTS of bike rides now that Emily can ride her bike, it was a really fun and relaxing week. On Friday Mike took the day off and we headed to Galveston, it was PERFECT weather!! The water was still too cold for Mike and I but the kids loved it! We sat on the beach and enjoyed people watching, the waves and soaked up some sun!!

I didn't cook anything new except Fiesta Rice Salad, so here's the recipe:

Fiesta Rice Salad


Ingredients:

* 1/4 cup fresh lime juice

* 3 tablespoons olive oil
* 3 tablespoons roasted tomato salsa

* 1 teaspoon ground cumin

* 1/2 teaspoon salt

* 2 cups cold cooked brown rice

* 1 cup cooked fresh or thawed frozen corn kernels

* 2 15-oz. cans black beans, drained and rinsed

* 1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced

* 1 cup small cherry tomatoes, halved

* 3 scallions, thinly sliced

* 1 avocado

* 1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro (I used 3 T)



Directions:

1. In a small bowl, stir together lime juice, oil, salsa, cumin and salt. In a large bowl, stir together rice and corn, breaking up any rice clumps.

2. Pour lime-juice mixture over rice mixture and stir well to coat. Add beans, bell pepper, tomatoes and scallions, and toss gently to combine.

3. Just before serving, pit, peel and dice avocado, and stir gently into salad. Sprinkle with cilantro, if desired, and serve.

The Weekend

Mike cooked burgers Friday night while I took Emily to the eye doctor. He had it ready when we got home. That was REALLY nice. On Saturday we visited Paw Paw at the hospital, ran some errands and had lunch at our favorite Meditteranean Restaurant. Emily also conquered her fear of riding her bike Saturday morning......so proud of her!!! I took Emily to Katelyn's party that evening and Mike took Blake and Chance to the shooting range and then brought them to us at the party so the kids had pizza at the party, Mike had leftovers.

Sunday, Emily and I went to the Rodeo to see Selena Gomez with Judi, Katelyn, Theresa and Virginia Kate. That was lots of fun! Blake stayed at Chance's with his grandparents so they fed him dinner. Mike left early that morning for North Dakota.

With him being gone this week I will be cooking easy things for the kids. YAY!!

Shrimp Scampi

Last week I left on Thursday to go to Camp Tejas with Sherry, Theresa, Sue and Laurie. We got back on Saturday night at around 9:30 so I got a break from cooking all weekend. We had a FABULOUS time!! Lots of laughs and heard a really good speaker at the retreat. I am so grateful to have friends that are living for Him! God REALLY spoke to me at the retreat, funny how sometimes it is so obvious!

Monday night we had Spicy Honey Chicken, Tuesday I made Shrimp Scampi, Wednesday was Brown Sugar Chicken, Thursday was Spaghetti Casserole and Friday was Hamburgers. Here's the Shrimp Scampi Recipe, all the other recipes are repeats and can be found in previous posts.


Shrimp Scampi

Ingredients


1 (16 oz) package angel hair pasta (I use Barilla Plus)

1/2 cup butter
2 cloves garlic, sliced (I used like 5 cloves)

1 1/2 pounds shrimp, peeled and deveined

1/3 cup white wine

3/4 cup dry bread crumbs (I used Whole Wheat)

3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

1.Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add angel hair pasta and return pot to boil. Cook until al dente. Drain well.

2.In a large saucepan, melt butter, saute garlic until tender,add shrimp and cook until colored pink. Stir in white wine. The bread crumbs are used as thickening, so stir in a little at a time until desired thickness is reached.

3.Serve shrimp over angel hair pasta, sprinkled with Parmesan cheese.

Checkin in

Wow!! It has been a while since I posted any recipes.......I actually don't think I have cooked anything new lately, just repeats of things already posted.  I did however make some homemade coffee creamer that is really good!! I got them from a link on another friends blog. Thanks Christine ;) I made the Cinnamon Struedel and the Vanilla one.YUMMY!!

Homemade Coffee Creamer


I prefer to strain each of the creamers through a fine mesh sieve to prevent any spices floating in my coffee. If this doesn’t matter to you, then simply skip this step.

Each recipe makes 2 cups

Cinnamon Strudel Creamer

1 cup whole milk

1 cup heavy cream

4 tablespoons maple syrup

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 teaspoon almond extract

Whisk together milk, cream, maple syrup and cinnamon in a medium saucepan over medium heat. When the mixture begins to steam, remove from the heat. Stir in extracts. Strain through a fine mesh sieve, pour into a glass bottle and store in the refrigerator.

Chocolate Almond

1 cup whole milk

1 cup heavy cream

2 tablespoons cacao powder

4 tablespoons maple syrup

1 teaspoon almond extract

Whisk together milk, cream, cacao powder, and maple syrup in a medium saucepan over medium heat. When mixture begins to steam, remove from the heat and stir in almond extract. Pour in a glass container and store in the refrigerator.

Pumpkin Spice

1 cup whole milk

1 cup heavy cream

3 tablespoons pureed pumpkin

1 teaspoon pumpkin spice

4 tablespoons maple syrup

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Whisk together milk, cream, pumpkin, pumpkin spice, and maple syrup in a medium saucepan over medium heat. When mixture begins to steam, remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract. Strain through a fine mesh sieve, pour into a glass bottle and store in the refrigerator.

French Vanilla

1 cup whole milk

1 cup heavy cream

4 tablespoons maple syrup

1 vanilla bean

Whisk together milk, cream and maple syrup in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Cut vanilla bean in half, and scrape out seeds. Add seeds and vanilla bean to milk mixture. Turn off heat, cover the pot and steep for 30 minutes. After mixture has steeped, strain through a fine mesh sieve, pour into a glass bottle and store in the refrigerator. (If you don’t have a vanilla bean on hand, simply replace it with 1 tablespoon of vanilla extract)

Peppermint Mocha

1 cup whole milk

1 cup heavy cream

4 tablespoons maple syrup

3 tablespoons cacao

1 teaspoon peppermint extract

Whisk together milk, cream, maple syrup, and cacao in a medium saucepan over medium heat. When mixture begins to steam, remove from the heat and stir in the peppermint extract. Strain through a fine mesh sieve, pour into a glass bottle and store in the refrigerator.

Stuffed Pesto Chicken

I think Mike said "oh man", or "ummmmm" for about the first 10 bites of this tonight. He said it tasted like it came from Carraba's! I served it with whole wheat pasta mixed with the leftover pesto I used.


Stuffed Pesto Chicken

4-6 boneless skinless chicken breasts

1 c feta cheese

1/4 c paprika (this is NOT a typo, yes 1/4 CUP)

1/4 tsp cumin

1/4 tsp oregano

1/4 tsp thyme

1 1/4 tsp salt

1 c pesto

1-2 cloves garlic

2 1/2 T olive oil



Preheat oven to 350 degrees. With sharp knife cut a slit into chicken breasts not cutting all the way through, just creating a "pocket". Stuff with feta cheese and put into 9x13 baking dish. In small bowl combine: paprika, cumin, oregano, thyme and salt. Spread evenly over chicken. Spoon pesto over chicken. Sprinkle with garlic. Drizzle oil over the top and cover with aluminum foil (shiny side down). Put in oven for 35-45 minutes (chicken breast thickness vary greatly) until no longer pink inside.

The Weekend

As always.......Hamburgers on friday night.
Saturday night we went out to dinner with friends at my favorite mexican restaurant.....Chuy's!! YUMMY!!!
And Sunday night we grilled some ribeyes.

Having some remodel work done in my kitchen and it is still not done!! The mess is driving me CRAZY!!! I really wish he would get finished! It looks GREAT!! Hopefully it will be completed VERY soon!!

Butter Chicken

This was really good!! It called for 2 spices I didn't have so when I went grocery shopping I was shocked at how expensive ground coriander and cardamom were! It was worth it though. Will be making it again for sure!

Butter Chicken
Prep Time 12 Hours

Cook Time 40 Minutes Servings 4


Ingredients

•4 pieces Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts (cut Into Bite Sized Pieces)

•5 cloves Garlic, Minced

•1 teaspoon Salt

•½ teaspoons Black Pepper

•½ teaspoons Cayenne Pepper

•¼ teaspoons Ground Coriander

•¼ teaspoons Cumin

•¼ teaspoons Cardamom

•1 whole Lime, Juiced

•1 whole Onion, Diced

•¼ cups Butter

•1 can (14.5 Oz. Can) Tomato Sauce

•1 can (14.5 Oz. Can) Petite Diced Tomatoes

•1 pint Whipping Cream

•1 bunch Chopped Cilantro, to taste

•2 cups Basmati Rice (or However Much You Want)

Preparation Instructions

Combine first 9 ingredients and marinate overnight.



Saute the onion in the butter until soft. Add marinated chicken and cook about 10 minutes. Add the tomato sauce and diced tomatoes. Cook for 30 minutes over medium-low heat with the lid on. Add the whipping cream (I have used light cream or half-and-half also) and cilantro just before serving over Basmati rice.



Note: this is a little spicy, but you can cut back on the cayenne if you want.

Turkey Pot Pie

Made this with our leftover Turkey. I have enough in the freezer to make another one. My kids actually even ate the peas and carrots in it. Shocking!!

Hurry Up Chicken Pot Pie

2 cups chopped cooked chicken breast (I used leftover turkey)

1 - 2 hard-boiled eggs, sliced (optional)

1/2 cup thinly sliced carrots

1 - med/large potato diced and cooked

1/2 cup frozen green peas

1 (10 3/4-ounce) can cream of chicken soup

1 cup chicken broth

Salt and Pepper to taste

1 1/2 Cups Biscuit Baking Mix (Pioneer, Bisquick or Jiffy)

1 cup milk

1/2 - Stick Melted Butter





Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a greased 2-quart casserole, layer the chicken, eggs, carrots, and peas. Mix the soup, chicken broth, and season with salt and pepper, if desired. Pour over the layers. Stir together the biscuit mix and milk, and pour this over the casserole. Drizzle butter over the topping. Bake until the topping is golden brown, 30 to 40 minutes.

The Week

Can't believe it's already Thursday and I haven't blogged all week!!

Saturday night I was heading out to hang out with some girlfriends so I made some quick and easy Spaghetti with meat sauce.
Then on Sunday I made a Turkey! I cooked one for Christmas dinner and love having the leftover turkey but there was only enough left for the kids to eat it again for dinner Christmas night.....so I made another one. I stuffed it so we had that along with mashed potatoes, gravy and steamed broccoli. I have enough leftover that I will be making a Turkey Pot Pie in the next 2 weeks sometime.

Monday I made crockpot chops and gravy. The recipe can be found in an earlier post.

Tuesday I made baked chicken, boxed potatoes augratin (YUCK!! but everyone else likes them) and steamed mixed veggies. Then we headed over to Judi's for cake and ice cream to celebrate Kylie's 4th birthday......she is the cutest!!

Wednesday night we had Creamy Italian Chicken over noodles. Recipe is also in an earlier post.

Thursday night Mike and the kids will be eating leftovers. I am going to Perry's with some girlfriends to celebrate Robin and Vanessa's birthdays.

My mom had her Pet scan yesterday and they told her they would have the results to her Dr. on Friday so she wouldn't have to go through the weekend not knowing.....I am praying for good results!!

Crockpot Chicken Taco Chili and a Prayer Request

This is really good on a cold day! I have tried many cornbread mixes and I really think Jiffy has got to be the best! And it's only about .50 a box!!

Please be praying for my mom.......she was diagnosed last week with lung cancer :(  She has to have a PET scan to see if it is anywhere else and then he can stage it and make a plan of action. We have known for about a week but I haven't told many people.......it really makes me sad! I LOVE my mom!





Crock Pot Chicken Taco Chili



Gina's Weight Watcher Recipes

Servings: 10  Size: 10 oz  Prep Time: 5 minutes  Calories: 202 Points: 4 ww points

• 1 onion, chopped

• 1 16-oz can black beans

• 1 16-oz can kidney beans

• 1 8-oz can tomato sauce

• 10 oz package frozen corn kernels

• 2 14.5-oz cans diced tomatoes w/chilies

• 1 packet taco seasoning

• 1 tbsp cumin

• 1 tbsp chili powder

• 24 0z. (3) boneless skinless chicken breasts

• chili peppers, chopped (optional)

• chopped fresh cilantro

Combine beans, onion, chili peppers, corn, tomato sauce, cumin, chili powder and taco seasoning in a slow cooker. Place chicken on top and cover. Cook on low for 10 hours or on high for 6 hours. Half hour before serving, remove chicken and shred. Return chicken to slow cooker and stir in. Top with fresh cilantro. Also try it with low fat cheese and sour cream (extra points

Fool Proof Cheesecake

I was told I have to put this recipe on my blog!! So here it is. It is foolproof if you follow it exactly. Also it is best if your ingredients are at room temperature. I just make a basic graham cracker crusts following the recipe on the box of Graham Cracker Crumbs....I do add finely chopped pecans and a dash of cinnamon.

2 1/2 lbs. cream cheese
1 3/4 cups sugar
3 tbs. flour
5 eggs
2 egg yolks
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
1 Tbs. vanilla

Preheat oven to 475. Combine cream cheese and sugar and beat until combined, add eggs and yolks, flour and vanilla. Beat well. Add whipping cream and beat until combined. Pour into prepared crust. (I use a 10 in. springform pan).

Bake at 475 for 10 minutes. Reduce temperature to 200 and bake for one hour. Turn oven off and leave in for one hour. Remove and let cool completely. Cover and refrigerate overnight (this is imperative!!)
Top with your favorite fruit or serve plain.

To make a Triple Chocolate Cheesecake, use chocolate wafers for your crust, follow above directions but melt 8 oz. semisweet chocolate and beat that in last. Top with chocolate ganache after cheesecake is completely cool before refrigerating. To make ganache combine 6 oz. semisweet chocolate and 6 oz. heavy whipping cream, microwave 1 minute or until chocolate is melted, stir until it comes together.  I usually refrigerate the ganache for about 15 minutes before putting it on the cheesecake.

Beef and Cabbage

Not sure what this is called, my sister gave me the recipe years ago. It's the only way I can get the kids to eat cabbage.......every time I make it they think it's onions!!

1-2 lbs Stew Meat
4 cups shredded cabbage (I use the bagged slaw mix)
1 envelope onion soup mix
3 Tbs. quick cooking tapioca
1 12oz. can of beer
3 cups water
Place cabbage then meat in crockpot, sprinkle with tapioca and soup mix, pour beer and water over all. Cook on low 7 hours or high for 3 1/2. I serve it over rice or mashed potatoes.

The Weekend

Since I started this blog I have come to realize that I really don't cook much on the weekends!! I made hamburgers Friday night.  Saturday we went to Nanny and Pawpaws to celebrate Mike's dads birthday and we had tacos. Then on Sunday we went to Kingsland Baptist to see Judi and Chance get baptized then we all went to Sherry's house for lunch. We ordered fajitas from La Finca and Judi's sweet parents paid for it all!! I was in charge of dessert so I made a Triple Chocolate Cheesecake and Judi's favorite.......brownies!! We ended up hanging out at Sherry's until it was time to go to our Leadership Meeting at church. They served us Chili and cornbread for dinner but neither Mike or I ate any.....we were still full from lunch!!  Just a little tip here, we ordered fajitas for 12 and it fed 10 adults and 14 kids and there were leftovers!! It came with beans and rice and all the fixings! Easy and good!

Spaghetti Casserole

Spaghetti Casserole






Ingredients:

1 1/2 lbs. ground beef

1 med onion, chopped

1 (26 oz) jar tomato and basil pasta sauce
1/4 c butter

1/4 c all purpose flour (I used cornstarch)

1 (12 oz) can evaporated milk (I used 2%)

1/2 c grated Parmesan cheese

1/4 t pepper

8 oz uncooked spaghetti, broken into pieces (I used 12 oz gluten-free noodles)

3 c shredded sharp cheddar cheese



Directions:

-Cook ground beef and onion in a large skillet until beef crumbles and is no longer pink; drain and return to skillet.

-Stir pasta sauce into beef mixture.

-Melt butter in a saucepan over med-low heat; whisk in flour/cornstarch until smooth. Cook 1 min, whisking constantly. Gradually whisk in milk; cook over med heat, whisking constantly, 8 minutes or until mixture is thickened and bubbly. -Remove from heat, and stir in Parmesan cheese and pepper.

-Spoon 1/3 of meat mixture into a lightly greased slow cooker. Spread 1/2 of broken noodles over meat mixture; pour 1/2 of white sauce over noodles, and sprinkle with 1 c cheddar cheese.

-Repeat layers once (1/3 meat, rest of noodles, rest of white sauce, 1 c cheese). Spread remaining meat mixture over cheese. Top with remaining 1 c cheddar cheese.

-Cover and cook on LOW 4 hours. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

(mine got a little burnt around the edges...I wasn't home keeping an eye on it...so I would say 3-4 hours depending on the cooker and when the noodles are done cooking)

Tex Mex Chicken and Dumplings

Tex Mex Chicken and Dumplings






Ingredients:

For the chicken:

1 four-pound chicken (I used Bone In Chicken Breasts)

16 cups of water (1 gallon)
1 onion

9 cloves of garlic, divided

2 carrots, peeled and cut into quarters

4 celery stalks, cut into quarters

2 bay leaves

1 tablespoon dried or 1 stalk fresh epazote, optional (I didn't use)

1 leafy stem of cilantro, plus 1/4 cup of cilantro, chopped

1 can of Ro-Tel

2 jalapenos, sliced

1/4 cup cilantro

Juice of one lime

1/2 cup of cream

Salt, black pepper, cayenne and cumin to taste

For the cornmeal dumplings:

1 cup cornmeal

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 eggs

1/2 cup buttermilk

1 tablespoon melted butter

1 jalapeno, finely diced

2 tablespoons of minced cilantro



Directions:

-Clean and rinse your chicken and place in a large stock pot. Add water, onion, 8 cloves of garlic, carrots, celery, bay leaves, epazote and whole cilantro stem. Add salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil and then simmer for an hour and a half, occasionally skimming the foamy scum off the surface.

-Remove chicken from pot and turn off the heat. After it’s cooled, remove fat and pick the meat off the bones and either shred or cut into bite-sized pieces. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper to taste.

-Take cooled broth and strain and throw out the vegetables as they’ve done their duty. Now you need to remove the fat from the broth. If you don’t have a preferred way of getting rid of the fat or lack a gravy separator, you can try the plastic bag method. Take a quart-sized plastic storage bag, pour some broth into it. You will see the fat rise to the top. Snip a bottom corner of the bag and drain the broth, stopping when you get to the fat layer. (You will probably have to do this in batches).

-Place the broth back into the pot and add the shredded chicken and lime juice. In a blender, add the can of Ro-Tel, sliced jalapenos, chopped cilantro and garlic and blend. Add puree to the pot. Now add the cream. Add salt, black pepper, cayenne and cumin to taste. Bring to a boil. And while the soup is coming to a boil, make the cornmeal dumplings.

-Sift together the cornmeal, flour, baking powder and salt. Beat the milk with the eggs and add to the dry ingredients. Stir in the melted butter, cilantro and jalapenos.

-When soup is boiling, turn heat down to low and gently drop the dumpling batter into the pot, one tablespoon or so at a time. Do not stir. Place lid on top and steam dumplings for 20 minutes.

-Ladle the chicken and dumplings into bowls and sprinkle cilantro on top. Serves six to eight.

Notes: If you want a thicker broth, feel free to add some flour. I'd add it slowly, a quarter cup at a time.

Beef Stew

Sunday after church we went out for lunch.  So I didn't cook dinner.........just had leftovers or whatever.

Made Beef Stew for dinner last night. The recipe says cook it in the oven for 3 hours but I put it in the crockpot and let it cook all day instead. This recipe is from Our Best Bites blog.

Sunday Beef Stew

1 1/2-2 lb. lean stew beef, cut into even smaller bite-sized pieces (just pull out a pair of kitchen shears and cut anything that looks like you'd need to use a knife and fork on)

4-5 medium red potatoes, chopped

4-5 medium carrots, peeled and chopped

4 stalks celery, chopped

2 onions, chopped

4-5 cloves garlic, minced

2 12-oz. cans or 3 c. vegetable juice cocktail (like V8 or even Bloody Mary mix)

1 10-oz. can condensed tomato soup

10 oz. water (just use the can from the tomato soup to measure)

1 tsp. basil

2 beef bouillon cubes (or 2 tsp. beef base)

1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 350. Combine ingredients in a large oven-safe pot that comes with an oven-safe lid. Cook in heated oven for 3 hours. Remove from oven and serve

New Years Eve

Had a great New Years Eve. Mike and Virginia came in from Dallas to spend the New Years at the McMartins. We went there for dinner and Nate made a FABULOUS meal for us all. It was grilled red snapper with a shrimp and crab meat ponchatrain sauce, mashed red potatoes, green beans and garlic bread. It was SOOOOOO good. I wish I had enough money to give Nate to open his dream restaurant in Cinco.....I know he would be successful! He is a great cook!!!! I was in charge of dessert and I made a Key Lime pie and cannoli and rice krispy treats for the kids. The pie was REALLY good and easy to make. I followed the recipe on the bottle of Nellie and Joe's Famous Key west Lime Juice (got it at HEB). After dinner we went outside for the traditional fireworks and the kids danced for us. It was fun!!

Nellie and Joe's Key Lime Pie

one 9" graham cracker pie shell
one 14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk
3 egg yolks
1/2 cup Key Lime juice

Combine milk, egg yolks and lime juice, blend until smooth. Pour into pie shell and bake at 350 for 15 minutes. Allow to stand 10 minutes before refrigerating.

Looking forward to what this new year brings! 2010 was alot of change for us but it was really all good!! Quitting working was scary but the Lord has been faithful and continued to provide for our family and exceedingly meet ALL our needs.

May God richly bless you all this year!