Crab Pockets

Ingredients:

1 (6-oz.) can crab meat, rinsed, well drained
1 (3-oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened
2 tablespoons sliced green onions
1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
2 (8-oz.) cans Pillsbury® Refrigerated Crescent Dinner Rolls
1 teaspoon sesame seed

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 375°F.
2. Spray large cookie sheet with nonstick cooking spray.
3. In small bowl, combine crab meat, cream cheese, onions and garlic salt; mix well.

4. Unroll both cans of dough; separate into 8 squares.

5. Place 1/4 of crab mixture on center of 4 of the squares about 1 inch from edges.

6. Place the remaining 4 squares over the tops, and pinch edges down.

7. Place on sprayed cookie sheet.

8. Sprinkle with sesame seed.(For this step it said to do an egg wash but I saw no need)

9. Bake at 375°F. for 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown

DELICIOUS!

Mystery Mocha

Ingredients:

¾ cups Granulated Sugar
1 cup Sifted All-Purpose Flour
2 teaspoons Baking Powder
⅛ teaspoons Salt
1 piece Unsweetend Chocolate (1 Square)
2 Tablespoons Butter
½ cups Whole Milk
1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
½ cups Brown Sugar
½ cups Granulated Sugar (additional)
4 Tablespoons Powdered Cocoa (Not Drink Mix)
1 cup Cold Strong Coffee (I used Starbucks Mocha Via Yummy!)

Directions:

1. Sift together 3/4 cup sugar, flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

2. Melt square of unsweetened chocolate and butter in the microwave.
3. Add to dry ingredients alternately with the milk and vanilla, blend.
4. Pour into a greased 8×8 pan.
5. Combine brown sugar, the 1/2 cup additional granulated sugar and cocoa powder.
6. Sprinkle over the cake batter.
7. Pour the one cup COLD coffee on top.
8. Bake 350 degrees for 40 minutes.
9. Serve warm with ice cream or sweetened whip cream or whipped topping.


Tasty, again shared with friends. Great coffee and chocolate flavor, had the consistency of a lava cake.

Avacado Pesto Pasta

Ingredients:

1 pound of Pasta (I used frozen tortellini)
1 whole Avocado
½ whole Lemon
2 cloves Garlic
½ teaspoons Kosher Salt
¼ cups Basil
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
1 Tablespoon Fresh Grated Parmesan

Directions:

1. Boil water, cook pasta

2. Roughly chop avocado
3. In a food processor blend, avocado, lemon zest and juice, garlic, salt, and basil
4. Blend for a few seconds then slowly add in olive oil
5. Blend until creamy
6. Drain pasta
7. Mix pesto into pasta and serve with a garnish of Parmesan


Shared with many friends it was deliciously light and healthy. Could be made even healthier with whole grain pasta of some sort. All the creaminess comes from the avocado so it's really great for you. This is the first dish I've made where the lemon isn't completely overpowering.

(The original recipe called for 1/2 a lb of pasta but I spread it out a little more and I think it tasted better that way)

Turmeric Chicken and Broccoli Stir Fry.

Ingredients:

1 Pound Chicken
1 Large Head Broccoli(2 cups)
1 Onion
5 Cloves Garlic
2 Inches Ginger
1 Heaping Tablespoon Turmeric
1 Teaspoon Cumin
S+P
2 Tablespoons Butter(evoo)

Directions:

1. Slice the onions into strips.(I diced)
2. Slice the chicken into strips.
3. Cut the broccoli into bite size chunks(I used frozen so it was already in chunks)

4. Mince the garlic and ginger together into one chunky paste.

5. Saute the onions in the butter until softened. 5 minutes.

6. Add the Ginger and Garlic Paste. Cook 1 minute

7. Add the Spices. Cook 1 minute

8. Add the chicken and broccoli and cook until the chicken is no longer pink in the center and the broccoli has reached your desired texture.

9. Serve over rice

Very delicious and very healthy all of us liked it. It could have used a bit more salt the original recipe never called for it but I had to add it in.


09/27/12 update
I made this same recipe with halibut instead of chicken for my dear friend S who doesn't eat chicken. It was just as yummy as the original. We paired it with a rocket salad with butternut squash. Made for a wonderful meal together!

Sloppy Joe Pizza

Ingredients:

1 lb ground beef

1 can (15.5 oz) sloppy joe sauce (or one packet: follow directions)
1 can Pillsbury® refrigerated classic pizza crust
1/4 cup sliced green onions
1 cup shredded cheese

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 425°F
2. Cook beef over medium-high heat 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thoroughly cooked; drain.
3. Stir in sloppy joe sauce.(or packet and ingredients)
4. Reduce heat; simmer uncovered 5 minutes.
5. Unroll dough

6. Spoon hot beef mixture over dough.

7. Top with onions and cheese.

8. Bake according to package directions or until crust is golden brown

Crock Pot Taco Soup

Ingredients:

½ pounds Hamburger

1 whole Onions, Diced
1-½ stalk Celery, Diced
24 Oz Chicken Broth
16 Oz Can, Diced Tomatoes With Juice
½ jar 16 Oz Salsa
½ can 10 Oz. Cream Of Mushroom Soup
2-10 Oz Cans, Of Your Favorite Chili (I used Walla Walla Onion Chili with no beans)
¾ cups Frozen Corn
½ envelopes Taco Seasoning, 1 Ounce Packet
Garnishes: Your Favorite Taco Toppings

Directions:
 
1. Brown hamburger, onion, and celery over medium heat until hamburger is cooked through and onions and celery are soft.
2. Drain grease, add the hamburger mixture to your 6 to 7 quart crock pot
3. Add all the remaining ingredients to the crock pot (except for the garnishes)
4. Cook for 4 to 6 hours on low.

5. Serve in bowls with your favorite taco toppings


Very easy, very yummy

Onion Strings

Ingredients:

1 whole Large Onion

2 cups Buttermilk (or 2tbsp white vinegar and just under 2 cups milk, or just milk)
2 cups All-purpose Flour
1 Tablespoon (scant) Salt
¼ teaspoons (to 1/2 Teaspoon) Cayenne Pepper
1 quart (to 2 Quarts) frying oil (I used veggie)
Black Pepper To Taste

Directions:
 
1. Slice onion very thin.
2. Place in a baking dish and cover with buttermilk and soak for at least an hour.

3. Combine dry ingredients and set aside.
4. Heat oil to 375 degrees.
5. Grab a handful of onions, throw into the flour mixture, tap to shake off excess, and PLUNGE into hot oil. 6. Fry for a few minutes and remove as soon as golden brown.
7. Repeat until onions are gone.


HB and I couldn't stop eating them as I pulled them out of the pot! Absolutely delicious and the house smelled of yummy fried onions for days(This was a good thing) I put them on top of Blue Cheese Stuffed Buffalo Burgers! Oh man pure delicious decadence!

Muffaletta-Stuffed Pizza Pockets

Muffaletta-Stuffed Pizza Pockets

Ingredients:

For the olive salad:


1/2 cup pimiento-stuffed olives or pitted Sicilian olives
1/2 cup pitted black olives
1 roasted red pepper, homemade or store-bought
2 large clove garlic, grated
A few leaves of basil
A small handful of flat-leaf parsley

For the pizza:

2 containers of crescent rolls
2 cups(ish) of Italian blend shredded cheese
About 1/2 lb of any Italian sandwich meat, Salami, Sopressata, Pastrami(yum)


Directions:

(Heat oven to package specifications)
1. In a food processor, add olives, roasted pepper, garlic, basil and parsley. Pulse to form a finely chopped relish.

2. Separate crescent rolls into rectangles, they should naturally come apart into 4 rectangles
3. Top with a layer of olive salad
4. Top with cheese
5. Top with sliced meats
6. Bake 9-10 min
 
I really liked this and had a second one for lunch today, TB however was not impressed. So this one goes in the Faithly only file!

Our Valentine's Day dinner!

We had our Valentine's dinner on Saturday since TB had to work on Monday.

Pasta ai Quattro Formaggi

I got this recipe from Pioneer Woman she explains here where she got the recipe.

Ingredients:


1 pound Angel Hair Pasta
½ cups Grated Fontina Cheese (I left this out b/c I couldn't find it)
½ cups Grated Parmesan Cheese
½ cups Grated Romano Cheese
½ cups Goat Cheese (chevre)
2 Tablespoons Butter, Softened
1 cup Heavy Cream
1 whole Garlic Clove, Peeled
½ teaspoons Salt, More To Taste
Freshly Ground Black Pepper
Minced Fresh Parsley

Directions:

1. Heat cream in a small saucepan on the stove over low heat.

2. Rub garlic clove all over the inside of the bowls you are using.
3. Cook pasta according to package directions in lightly salted water, leaning toward the al dente side.
4. Drain pasta, saving a little bit of the water, then return to the cooking pot.
5. Pour in cream, add butter, and add cheeses and salt and pepper.
6. Stir gently to combine, adding hot pasta water as needed for consistency. Don’t overmix
7. Taste and add more salt if needed.
8. Put pasta into bowls.
9. Sprinkle with parsley and serve immediately
(Can use whatever four cheeses you’d like!)


Steak

Ingredients:

Thin sliced steak
1 bottle of any bbq sauce or marinade
1 Ziploc freezer bag

Directions:

1. Place steak into plastic bag
2. Pour in sauce
3. Smush around to cover the meat and leave in the fridge for an hour or so or even overnight
4. Let meat come to room temp
5. Heat a skillet over med-hi with some oil (veggie, olive, whatever)
6. Put steak into skillet sear about 1-2 min a side, a little longer if you prefer your steaks well done
7. Let the steak rest for a few minutes before slicing
8. Enjoy!

Buffalo Chicken Pizza

Sticking with the buffalo chicken theme this was a yummy easy recipe! The original called for mozzarella cheese but I forgot and didn't even notice till I was almost done with the pizza it definitely didn't need it!

Ingredients:

2skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - cooked and shredded
2 tablespoons butter, melted
hot sauce(I used about 5-10 dashes)
bottle blue cheese salad dressing
2-3 celery stalks diced
1 (16 inch) prepared pizza crust

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 425
2. Roll out pizza dough-I use Pillsbury
3. Spread dressing on dough
4. Mix butter, hot sauce and chicken then layer onto the pizza
5. Sprinkle with celery-carrots would also make a nice addition
6. Bake for about 5-10 min until crust is done

you could also add some crumbled blue cheese it all depends on how much you like it

Super Bowl Edition

I made two dishes to take to the SB party we went to Buffalo Chicken Dip and Nantucket Cranberry Pie. Both were delicious the dip was a big hit!

Buffalo Chicken Dip
(I doubled this recipe to serve about 8 people and had plenty left over)

Ingredients:

8 oz cream cheese
½ cups Blue Cheese Dressing

½ cups Hot Sauce(I acually used only about 10 dashes or so)
½ cups Crumbled Blue Cheese
2 cups Shredded, Cooked Chicken

Directions:
 
1. Heat oven to 350
2. Mix all ingredients together
3. Put into dish bake for 20 min till mixture is heated through
4. Stir and serve
 
 
Nantucket Cranberry Pie
(it's really halfway between a cake and a pie)
 
Ingredients:
 
Butter, For Greasing

2 cups (heaping) Cranberries
¾ cups Pecans, Chopped (measure, Then Chop)
⅔ cups Sugar
1 cup Flour
1 cup Sugar
1 stick Unsalted Butter, melted
2 whole Eggs, Lightly Beaten
1 teaspoon Pure Almond Extract
¼ teaspoons Salt
Sugar For Sprinkling

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 350
2. Grease a cake pan or pie plate
3. Layer in the cranberries (I just measured over the pan so that the extras just fell in)
4. Sprinkle nuts and the 2/3 cup of sugar
5. In a mixing bowl add flour, sugar, butter, eggs, almond extract, and salt
6. Mix until smooth
7. Pour batter evenly over cranberry mixture
8. Bake 45-50 min
9. 5 min before it's done sprinkle sugar over the top and then finish baking

Cheeseburger Mac

A favorite in our house, this is really simple since I use Velveeta shells and cheese instead of making my own cheese sauce!

Ingredients:

Shells and cheese
Hamburger
S+P
Evoo
Yellow mustard
Ketchup
Onions

Directions:

1. Cook pasta according to box directions
2. Heat evoo in a skillet
5. Add onions and cook for a few minutes
4. Add ground beef and S+P
5. Once the beef is cooked stir in mustard and ketchup about 1/2 a cup each
6. When pasta is cooked mix cheese and hamburger mix into the pasta
7. Serve as is or with pickles, relish, or any other burger toppers you like

Sour Cream Enchiladas

Ingredients:

Flour tortillas(or corn if you prefer)
Oil to fry tortillas(I used veggie)
1 (20 oz) can of enchilada sauce
2 cups sour cream
2 cups shredded cheese, plus some for sprinkling
1/2 tsp cumin
Green onions
1/2 tsp cayenne(I didn't use this)

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 375
2. Mix sour cream, cheese, cumin, cayenne(if using) and green onions
3. Heat oil in a skillet and enchilada sauce in a 2nd skillet(or saucepot)
4. Fry up a tortilla till it gets a bubbly 5-10 sec
5. Dunk it in the sauce, make sure you get good coverage
6. Put some on the sour cream mix into the tortilla, wrap and lay in  a greased dish
7. Repeat process till sour cream mix is gone
8. Pour remaining sauce over rolled enchiladas
9. Top with more cheese
10. Bake 15-20 min till bubbly and yummy!

TB LOVES enchiladas of all sorts so he was ecstatic when I said I made them! He wolfed down his and half of mine!(I did like them I just gave myself too much)

Lazy Chicken Sandwiches

The first picture is of my sandwich the second is not my picture it's from this site Tasty Kitchen Blog where I got the recipe

Ingredients:

Frozen chicken(not thawed)
Spices of your choosing
I used:
Paprika
Celery Salt
Pasilla Chili Powder
Garlic

Directions:

1. Heat your oven to 350
2. Put frozen chicken on your broiler pan
3. Coat once side with your spice blend
4. Bake for 30 min
5. Flip chicken and coat 2nd side in spices
6. Bake for another 30 min

I made a 'McChicken' sandwich with lettuce and mayo, I also put it on pasta and plan on using this as a base for many recipes.

TB and HB loved it, it's got so much flavor it's crazy!

Day 18: Chili Mole!

My house smells amazing right now!



Ingredients:

1 Lb ground beef
1 Onion, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cans (14-1/2 ounces each) diced tomatoes, undrained
1 can (4 ounces) tomato paste
3 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tbsp pasilla or ancho chili powder
1 tbsp brown sugar
S+P
1 Tsp cinnamon
1 Tsp cloves
 
Directions:
 
1. Brown beef in a dutch oven
2. Add onion and peppers and let cook 5 mins(I actually used a couple sweet peppers. You should also add any jalapeno now if you like the spicy)
3. Add 2 cans of tomatos water and all
4. Add tomato paste (You can add beans here if you like 2 cans w/ the water)
5. Add all dry ingredients
6. Put lid on and simmer for 1 hour
7. Serve with your choice of toppings (I used cornbread and cheese)
 
For anyone who does not know what a pasilla or ancho chili you shall learn! They are moderately spicy if you like a little spice you'll love it. The ancho is the dried version of the pasilla. They taste like spicy raisins! I'm serious they are amazing try it!

Day 16: Bison Blue Cheese Burgers

AMAZING!!!!

I had to add two pics just to show you how yummy

Ingredients:

Ground Bison

Blue Cheese

Seasonings

Apple

Hamburger Buns

Hamburger Toppings

Evoo

Directions:

1. Peel apple

2. Grate 1/2 the apple into the meat (eat the other half)

3. Season meat however you like

4. Mix it all together (use your hands!)

5. Shape into balls 

6. Create a bowl in each one

7. Fill with blue cheese and seal up

8. Form patties (neat trick: Make the patty thinner in the middle so when it plumps up they're even)

9. Place in skillet with heated evoo

10. Cook until desired doneness

11. Top however you like! I used Cheddar cheese, bacon, onion, ketchup and mustard. TB had cheese and bacon

12. Put on bun and enjoy this yuminess!



Day 11: Beef with Snowpeas

We both really liked this one!

(Sorry no pic forgot I was that into eating it!)

Ingredients:

Steak (whatever cut you prefer just make sure it can be sliced thin)
Teriyaki sauce
Evoo
Snow peas
Mushrooms
Scallions

Directions:

1. Marinate thinly sliced steak in sauce for at least 15 min
2. Heat evoo in a pan
3. Put steak and sauce in pan and cook until desired doneness (shouldn't take very long since they are so thin)
4. Remove
5. Add veggies stir fry with left over sauce (you can add some if you like)
6. Mix veggies and steak sprinkle with scallions

Make this, then you will know why I forgot to take a picture!

Day 10: Chicken w/ Onion and Olives

(Sorry I skipped a few I forgot what we ate and didn't take pics)
Pretty yummy! Friend K came over and he ate two whole bowls (he tells me it's because he's a teenage boy). TB liked it and I thought it was pretty good, would have been better over stuffing.

Ingredients:

Evoo, S+P
6 Chicken Breasts
1 Medium Onion, diced
5 cloves Garlic
2 Green Bell Peppers, chopped
1 28-ounce can Tomatoes, drained and chopped
1 Cup Chicken Stock
1 Cup Black Olives
1/4 Cup Coconut milk

Directions:

1. Brown chicken, remove
2. Cook onion, garlic, and bells for a few min
3. Add tomatoes cook a few more min
4. Season with S+P
5. Add Stock
6. Add chicken back in and cook in oven for 45 min
7. Add olives and milk, stir and cook 15-20 more min

Day 7: Curried Shrimp w/Slaw Salad and Sauteed Squash

TB and I have decided to tweak the diet. Straight out denying oursleves of things didn't feel right at all. I spent an entire day craving sugar worse than anything I'd ever craved. That had never happened before. So we adjusted things:

1. No processed foods in the house or at work
2. Limited use of bread and pasta but must be whole grain
3. Treats are few and far in between and must be the serving size

Sounds better yes? Easier to follow at least!

Ok so on to dinner! Very yummy all of us,(TB, HB(best friend)and I) loved it.

Ingredients:

2 lbs of shrimp
2 carrot
coleslaw mix
1 lime
Curry powder
1/2 tbsp flour
1 tbsp butter
2 yellow squash
Garlic powder
Salt
Evoo

Directions

Slaw Salad:
1. Slice one carrot very very thinly(I used a veggie peeler) and add to coleslaw mix
2. Add juice of one lime
3. Set aside for flavors to mix

Shrimp:
1. Toss shrimp into skillet with evoo
2. Add curry powder to taste
3. In one corner of the skillet melt butter and add flower, stir till mixed
4. Mix flour and butter into shrimp and curry (This will just make the curry into a bit more of a sauce)
5. Serve over Slaw Salad

Sauteed Squash:
1. Dice carrot, nuke 1-2 min to soften
2. Slice yellow squash
3. Add both into a skillet with evoo
4. Add garlic powder and salt to taste
5. Heat through until squash is a soft enough for you


Enjoy!

Day 6: Turkey Egg Drop Stoup

Ingredients:

2 Bell Peppers

1 Small Onion
1 Large Carrot
2 cloves Garlic
1/2 Package Frozen Spinach
1 1/2 Cups Chopped Turkey
3 Large Eggs
3 Cups Water
3 Cups Chicken Stock
Paprika
Thyme
Pepper

Directions:

1. Boil water and stock
2. Roughly chop and add peppers, onion, and spinach cook until soft
3. Nuke carrot to soften, chop and add
4. Add turkey
5. Add eggs, stirring constantly
6. Reduce heat
7. Add garlic and herbs

Pretty yummy but it took the flavor out of the turkey. Oh well.

Day 5: Slow Cooker Turkey

Ingredients:

1 Turkey breast
Paprika
Poultry Seasoning
Garlic Powder

Directions:

1. Place turkey into slow cooker
2. Cover with spices
3. Cook on low 9-10 hours


The most flavorful turkey I have had other than TB's Thanksgiving bird. A little dry so maybe a cup of stock would help that. This will be making a repeat showing in tomorrows dinner!

Day4: Pork Ribs with Cauliflower and Olives

(I forgot the picture again so this is after I had already put the leftovers away! Doesn't the cauliflower have such a delicous golden color to it?)

Ingredients:

1 Pound Pork ribs
1 Head Cauliflower
1 Can Olives
1 Small Red Onion
16 ounces Chicken Stock
Evoo
Yellow Mustard
Garlic Powder
S+P
Tumeric


Directions:

1. Chop onion and cauliflower
2. Season pork with S+P, garlic, and yellow mustard
3. Coat dish with Evoo
4. Arrange pork ribs on bottom
5. Layer cauliflower and onion
6. Sprinkle with a thick dusting of tumeric
7. Add olives and water from can
8. Add chicken broth
9. Cover and bake 60 min

It took a longer than 60 min more like 90 min, but I'm pretty sure I had more than 1 pound of ribs. This recipe was absolutely yummy! Our company consisting of two children and their parents, TB and I all loved it!

Day 3 yummy steak!

Cinnamon Steak with Green Veggie Salad!

Ingredients:

Steak! whatever cut you like we used flank steak I think
Cinnamon
Grated ginger
Any other spices you want, I used garlic powder and paprika

1 Cucumber
1 Green bell pepper
2 Avacados

Handful of cilantro

Evoo
S+P

1. Dice all veggies and mix with cilantro, Evoo, and S+P, chill
2. Preheat oven to 400
3. Sprinkle steak with spices and drizzle with Evoo, both sides
4.  Place on baking sheet and bake 15-25min (our steak was done after 15)

Enjoy!

The steak could have used marinating, so choose your marinade.

New Year, New Diet, Old Me!

Starting the first of the year TB(=hubby don't ask) and I started a new diet. Day one ended up being a salad and some left over steak cause I was lazy but still healthy! Here is Day 2 (Sorry no picture):

Pan Seared Cod with Grapefruit Slaw

Ingredients:

Cod
Old Bay seasoning
1 Grapefruit, chopped
1-2 cups(roughly) Coleslaw Lettuce mix
1/2-1/4 of a Red Onion, diced
Evoo
1 Med. Carrot, shredded

1. Preheat pan of choice with Evoo
2. Sprinkle cod with Old Bay to taste
3. Place in pan seasoned side down and season the other side
4. Cook till the fish are done
5. Mix grapefruit, onion, carrot, coleslaw mix, with evoo and S+P

Enjoy!

Pan seared fish is always a favorite in this house and leaves the house smelling very yummy for a day or so!