Roasted Pecans

We love this! In fact, it was part of my Christmas goodies this year to pass out, but my kiddos ate most of them before they made it out the door! They are not very sweet, but super yummy. Sometimes I half the sugar and add half splenda... it's up to you:)

2 egg whites
2 T. vanilla
2 1/4 cups pecan halves
1/2 c. sugar
1/4 t. salt
3 t. ground cinnamon

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 225*F. Lightly grease a rimmed baking sheet.
2. Combine the egg whites and vanilla in a mixing bowl. Beat until fluffy. Fold in the pecans to coat evenly. Combine the sugar, salt and cinnamon. Spread onto the baking sheet in a single layer. Dust pecans with sugar mixture.
3. Bake in preheated oven until toasted, stirring every 15 minutes. (I usually toast for about 1 hour 15 minutes). Cool on pan and enjoy!

Chocolate Avocado Pudding

Ok...I know. This sounds a little strange. But try it! It's a good way to use up avocados and your kids will never know.
Ingredients:
•3 ripe avocados, pitted and scooped
•1/3 cup milk
•1/3 cup maple syrup
•1 tablespoon arrowroot powder (optional thickener)
•Pinch of salt
•1 teaspoon vanilla extract
•1/2 cup cocoa powder
Directions:
1.Combine all ingredients in the bowl of a food processor. Process until completely smooth.
2.Refrigerate until cold. Top with berries, nuts or whipped cream.

Black-Eyed Pea Croquettes

* I love this recipe. They taste a bit like hush puppies but are a much more healthy version!

2 cups black-eyed peas, soaked overnight in water to cover

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (i used dried and it worked fine but I used 1 tablespoon)

1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

1 tablespoon shoyu (type of soy sauce)

1 teaspoon ground cumin

2 cups safflower oil for frying

Drain the soaked beans and transfer to a food processor. Add the parsley or cilantro, salt, shoyu, and cumin. Blend until the beans are chopped to fine shreds, but don't blend them to a pulp. The mixture will be slightly wet but should hold together. Form the bean mixture into something between football and UFO shaped croquettes in the palms of your hands.

Heat 1" of oil in a cast-iron skillet to about 350 degrees. To test the oil, drop in a tiny amount of croquette mixture. If it bubbles furiously and rises to the top, the oil is ready. Do not let the oil get so hot that it smokes. You may need to make little adjustment to the heat under the oil throughout the cooking process to avoid burning the croquettes.

Place 4 croquettes in the oil and fry for about 4 minutes on each side. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the fried croquettes to a plate lined with paper towels or a paper grocery bag to drain.

Serve croquettes while still hot.

 

Dipping Sauce:

1/2 cup barley malt syrup or rice syrup

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

* I used a Ceasar dressing I had in the fridge and it was good with the croquettes.

Pumpkin Bread

3 cups sugar
1 cup oil
4 eggs
2 cups pumpkin
3 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. cloves
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. nutmeg
1 tsp. allspice
1 tsp. salt

Mix in order given. Grease and flour three bread pans. Divide batter into thirds in pans and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes to an hour. You can also add nuts and chocolate chips and a glaze for a dessert.

Nut Loaf

I was a bit skeptical about this but it turned out great! I will make it again.

This hearty entree can easily be served instead of a meat loaf. Simply add gravy or a side of mixed vegetables.

Serves 10

• 4 cups mixed nuts (such as cashews, almonds and sunflower seeds)
• 1 jar Tomato Sauce (I used one small can)
• 1 onion, chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, pressed
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1-2 tablespoons Amino Acid (I omit)
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder, or to taste
• 1 teaspoon coriander, or to taste
• 1 teaspoon onion powder, or to taste
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup or honey, optional (I omit)

Directions

Grind nuts in food processor or blender. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.

In a small skillet, saute the onion and garlic in the olive oil. Mix sauteed veggies (onion & garlic), seasonings, tomato sauce and nuts in a bowl. Stir in honey and the Braggs Amino Acid.

Mold nut mixture into a loaf on a cookie sheet. Bake loaf for 20 minutes or until brown in a 400 F oven.

Peanut Soup

This one is from a bed and breakfast in Gettysburg, PA. If you like peanut butter this is really good and it freezes well.

Eggplant Steaks Parmigiana

This is super yummy!
I didn't have the Parm-Reg. , lemon zest or the pesto and it still tasted great!
Ingredients

• Extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO), for frying
• 1 cup flour
• 3 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 cup breadcrumbs
• 1 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, divided
• 1/4 cup (about a handful) parsley, chopped, plus extra for garnish
• Zest of 1/2 lemon (1 teaspoon)
• 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped or grated
• 2 medium eggplants
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 28-ounce can San Marzano tomatoes
• 1/2 cup store-bought or homemade pesto
• 3/4 to 1 cup shredded provolone (I used sliced prov.)

Preheat oven to 375ºF.

Heat 1/4 cup of the EVOO in a large skillet over medium-high heat.

Line up three pans (or shallow dishes) on your counter: Fill the first with the flour, the second with the eggs, and the third with a combination of the breadcrumbs, grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, parsley, lemon zest and garlic. Beat the eggs with a splash of water.

Cut the ends off each eggplant and slice a small piece off one side to give you a flat side to rest the eggplant on. With the flat side of each eggplant down so it doesn't roll, slice them each lengthwise into four thick slices each (eight slices total). Season the slices with salt and freshly ground black pepper and coat each of them with the ingredients in your pans/shallow dishes -- first in the flour, then in the egg, then in the breadcrumb mixture, making sure to thoroughly coat the surface of each slice with each ingredient.

Once all of your slices are breaded, carefully lay them into the hot oil and fry them until golden brown on both sides, 2-3 minutes per side. (You will need to work in batches to finish cooking all of the eggplant.) As they finish shallow frying, lay them on a baking sheet and place them in the oven to stay warm. When all the eggplant is fried, finish cooking through, about 10-12 minutes, until they're tender when you poke them. Once they're out of the oven switch on the broiler.

While the eggplant steaks finish cooking in the oven, place a small sauce pot over medium-high heat with the can of San Marzano tomatoes. Mash up the tomatoes with a potato masher or wooden spoon, season with salt and pepper and stir in the tomato paste. Once the tomatoes come up to a bubble simmer for 5 minutes, then remove from the heat. Stir in the pesto.

To finish the dish, on the baking sheet stack one eggplant steak topped with a little sauce then another steak, add another ladle of sauce, and one slice or one quarter of the provolone. Brown the eggplant stacks under the broiler to melt the cheese, about 1 minute. Serve immediately, garnished with parsley.

Creamy Rice Pudding

3/4 cup uncooked white rice

2 cups milk, divided
1/3 cup white sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 egg, beaten
2/3 cup golden raisins (optional)
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions


1.In a medium saucepan, bring 1 1/2 cups water to a boil. Add rice and stir. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 20 minutes.

2.In another saucepan, combine 1 1/2 cups cooked rice, 1 1/2 cups milk, sugar and salt. Cook over medium heat until thick and creamy, 15 to 20 minutes. Stir in remaining 1/2 cup milk, beaten egg and raisins. Cook 2 minutes more, stirring constantly. Remove from heat, and stir in butter and vanilla. Serve warm.

Grilled Chicken Souvlaki Gyros

 

Description:

Grilled chicken marinated in lemon and fresh herbs, served gyro-style on pita bread with tzatziki sauce, tomato, onion, and feta cheese

Yield:

4 servings

Ingredients:

Chicken souvlaki ingredients:
1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast or tenders, cubed for skewers
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 teaspoons fresh oregano, chopped
1 teaspoon fresh thyme
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon lemon pepper seasoning, optional
Oil
Tzatziki sauce ingredients:
1/2 cup grated peeled cucumber (seeds removed and juice drained*)
1/4 cup greek yogurt or plain yogurt
1/4 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon chopped oregano
1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
For serving:
4 pita rounds (regular pita bread or whole wheat pita bread)
2 tomatoes, sliced
4 slices of red onion
1/4 cup crumbled Feta cheese, optional
Lettuce (whole leaves or shredded), optional

Instructions:

1. Soak bamboo skewers. Toss the chicken chunks with the garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice, oregano, thyme, salt, and lemon pepper seasoning in a large bowl or Ziplock bag. Allow to marinate for 15 minutes.
2. While the chicken is marinating, make the tzatziki sauce by mixing the cucumber, yogurt, sour cream, oregano, lemon zest, lemon juice, and salt in a bowl.
3. Preheat grill on HI for 10 minutes (or prepare coals for charcoal). While grill is heating, put chicken on skewers and drizzle or spray with a little oil.
4. Reduce grill heat to medium and grill chicken with lid closed, rotating skewers every 5 minutes or so, until chicken is done (about 10-15 minutes depending on the size of the chunks and your grill).
5. Serve hot grilled chicken "gyro-style" -- with the pita bread, prepared tzatziki sauce, tomato slices, onion slices, and feta and/or lettuce if using.

Note: I didn't grill the chicken, but baked the whole breast  for an hour at 350 degrees and then sliced very thin. SO Yummy. We loved these!

Crab Cakes

I saw this one on TV and it looked really good. I haven't had time to make them yet but wanted to share.

Ingredients

nocoupons

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3/4 cup small diced red onion (1 small onion)
• 1 1/2 cups small diced celery (4 stalks)
• 1/2 cup small diced red bell pepper (1 small pepper)
• 1/2 cup small diced yellow bell pepper (1 small pepper)
• 1/4 cup minced fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1 tablespoon capers, drained
• 1/4 teaspoon hot pepper sauce (recommended: Tabasco)
• 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 1/2 teaspoons crab boil seasoning (recommended: Old Bay)
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 pound lump crabmeat, drained and picked to remove shells
• 1/2 cup plain dry bread crumbs
• 1/2 cup good Mayonnaise
• 2 teaspoons Dijon Mustard
• 2 extra-large eggs, lightly beaten
• For frying
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup olive oil

Directions

Place the 2 tablespoons butter, 2 tablespoons oil, onion, celery, red and yellow bell peppers, parsley, capers, hot pepper sauce, Worcestershire sauce, crab boil seasoning, salt, and pepper in a large saute pan over medium-low heat and cook until the vegetables are soft, approximately 15 to 20 minutes. Cool to room temperature. In a large bowl, break the lump crabmeat into small pieces and toss with the bread crumbs, mayonnaise, mustard, and eggs. Add the cooked mixture and mix well. Cover and chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. Shape into bite-sized crab cakes.
Heat the butter and olive oil for frying over medium heat in a large saute pan. Add the crab cakes and fry for 4 to 5 minutes on each side, until browned. Drain on paper towels; keep them warm in a 250 degree oven and serve hot.
 

NEW Chinese Chicken Salad

You know me... Chinese. Chicken. Salad. My three favorite words in that order:) I found a lovely new cookbook I happen to be completely in love with... This was my first experiment from the cookbook (Now Eat This)


1 cup Rockin Asian Stir Fry Sauce-see below- (or low calorie, low fat asian sauce)
Juice from 1 lime
1 tsp. chili garlic sauce
shredded chicken meat from 1 rotisserie chicken (abt 2 lbs- I think)
4 cups shredded red cabbage
4 oz. snow peas, strings removed
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 can water chestnuts, chopped (this was my addition and I think it was a good choice)
2 Tb. black sesame seeds
6 Tb. tvp for crunch

In a large bowl, whisk together the Asian sauce, lime juice and chili garlic sauce. Add the shredded chicken, red cabbage, snow peas, cilantro, sesame seeds and water chestnuts. Toss the salad to combine. Chill in the refrigerator. Add TVP right before serving for crunch:)
Serves 4

carbs for salad:  19 grams
Sodium:  mg
fat: grams
Calories: 221
Fiber: 5 g
Cholesterol: 44 mg
Protein:
25 g
Rockin Asian Stir Fry Sauce
1 Tb. toasted sesame oil
1/4 cup chopped fresh ginger
6 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 bunch scallions, chopped finely
1 Tb. cornstarch
6 Tb. soy sauce
3/4 cup chicken broth
3 Tb. rice vinegar (I used apple cider b/c I was out)
1/2 cup reduced sugar ketchup
salt and pepper

Heat a large nonstick pan over high heat. When the pan is hot, add the sesame oil. Add the ginger, garlic, and scallions and saute, stirring often until very fragrant, about 2 minutes.

Meanwhile, place the cornstarch in a medium bowl. Add the soy sauce, chicken broth, rice vinegar, and ketchup and whisk to blend.

Whisk the cronstarch mixture into the saute pan an dbring the sauce to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer, whisking constantly until teh sauce has thickened. Abt2 mintues.

Store the sauce in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week, or until it crawls out (if you're a Pieper) haha!

Thanks again to this awesome cookbook... more to come from Now Eat This. (I'm in love!)

Carbs for sauce: 1gram, Sodium: 233 mg

Banana Oatmeal Cookies

1/2 c. whole wheat flour
1/4 c. white flour
1/3 c. combined oat bran and wheat bran (ground flax included if desired)
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. baking soda

Mix all dry ingredients.

1/2 c. butter
1/2 c. brown sugar
1/4 c. white sugar
1/2 Tbsp. vanilla
1 1/2 Tbsp. milk
1 lg. egg
2 mashed bananas

Blend well. Combine with dry ingredients.

Add 2 1/2 c. rolled oats
1/4 - 1/2 c. coconut
raisins or choc. chips or both
Bake 350 degrees for 15 minutes.

Stuffed Acorn Squash

Ingredients
1 (6 ounce) package broccoli and cheese flavored rice mix
1 pound turkey breakfast sausage (I used antelope sausage because that is what we have)
1 medium acorn squash, halved and seeded
1/2 cup chopped apple
2 teaspoons crushed coriander seed
1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
Directions
1.Prepare rice mix according to package directions; cover, and set aside.
2.Place squash halves cut side down onto a plate. Cook the squash in a microwave oven for 5 minutes on High, until tender but firm.
3.In a medium skillet over medium heat, cook sausage until evenly browned; drain, and set aside.
4.In a large bowl, mix together the prepared rice, sausage, apple, and coriander. Stuff each squash half with the mixture.
5.Cover stuffed squash halves with plastic wrap, and heat in the microwave until squash is cooked through and soft, about 5 minutes. Remove plastic, and top stuffed squash with cheese. Continue to cook until cheese is melted, about 1 minute.

This is one of our favorites recently. It is fast and soo yummy!

Broccoli Breadzagna

I cut this recipe in half...

Ingredients:

• 1 large loaf semolina bread, sliced 1/2 inch thick (i used what I had on hand)
• 4 large cloves garlic, peeled and halved
• 1/2 cup plus 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO)
• 1 large onion—peeled, halved and thinly sliced
• 1 red bell pepper, seeded and thinly sliced
• 2 large heads (about 1-1/2 pounds) broccoli, trimmed and cut into small florets
• 1 cup chicken broth
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 3 tablespoons flour
• 3 cups milk
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 2 cups ricotta cheese
• 1 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
• 2 cups shredded provolone or Asiago cheese

Directions:

1. Preheat the broiler. Toast half of the bread slices at a time on a baking sheet. Rub both sides of the toast with the cut garlic and drizzle 1/2 cup EVOO over the slices.
2. While the bread is working, in a large skillet, heat the remaining 3 tablespoons EVOO, 3 turns of the pan, over medium-high heat. Add the onion and bell pepper and cook until slightly softened, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the broccoli florets and chicken broth and bring to a simmer. Cover the pan and cook until the broccoli is tender, about 8 minutes. Uncover and boil until the liquid evaporates, 1 to 2 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
3. In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute. Whisk in the milk, bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer, stirring often, until thick and smooth, about 5 minutes. Season the sauce with salt, pepper and the nutmeg.
4. Preheat the oven to 450°. Layer half of the bread in a 9-by-13-inch casserole; spread with half of the broccoli mixture and top with the ricotta, a few ladles of the sauce and the Parmigiano-Reggiano. Layer the remaining bread slices, broccoli mixture, remaining sauce and all of the provolone cheese on top. Bake until brown and bubbling, 10 to 15 minutes.

Chicken and Asparagus Saute

I have a bad, nasty habit. I do. Stop laughing:) I clip and save recipes from EVERYWHERE. my. whole. life. So, I have compiled a book of all these recipes I have thought were a good idea over the past and there. they. sit. Lucky for you (and me) I am trying to go through and "weed" out what I really will use and what isn't worth the time/money/effort/dietary fumble... I found this GEM from womansday magazine in 2006:)

1/4 tsp each salt and pepper
1lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut bite-sized
2 tsp. oil (I used olive)
1 1/2 tsp. minced garlic
8 oz. fresh asparagus, ends trimmed. Spears cut bite-sized
1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
2 Tbsp. each chopped scallions and dill

First things first, I pressure cook my asparagus. Cheating, I know. BUT, my kiddos will eat it ALL DAY LONG if it is nice and tender. So, I pressure cook it in 1 cup of water for 60 seconds. It is still crisp, and bright green, but tender.
   Next, coat chicken in salt and pepper. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet. Add chicken. Saute 5 minutes, or until cooked through. remove to a plate. In a cup mix remaining flour, the broth and garlic. Add asparagus to skillet and saute for one minute. Stir chicken broth mixture, add to pan and cook 1 minute until thickened slightly. Your asparagus should keep a bright green color. Stir in tomatoes; remove from heat. Stir in scallions and dill. Yumm!
    The boys ate this over whole wheat orzo, but I think it stands fine on its own and would be a great low carb option. So, there you have it! Now, go find some asparagus:)

Curry Chicken Salad

This salad is SOOOO good! It'll definitely be part of our permanent collection. I found it in a booklet from an enrichment night and adapted it to our family's likings...

2-3 cups cooked, chopped chicken (leftover rotisserie works great), otherwise season with garlic, lemon pepper, sea salt

4 cups cooked brown rice (I left this on the side and made mine over lettuce)

2 cups diced celery

1 can mandarin oranges, drained

1 can pineapple tidbits, drained (I left this off... seemed like a little too much)

1/2 c. chopped green onion

1/2 c. slivered almonds (I get the caesar flavored ones in the produce section at the store)

1/2 c. craisins

Dressing:
1 c. mayo (I use the fat free or just another cup of nonfat yogurt)

1 c. nonfat plain yogurt

1 Tbsp. soy sauce (reduced sodium, of course)!

2 tsp. curry powder

1 Tbsp. lemon or lime juice

Lettuce (I use a dark baby green mix from costco that we LOVE and it's cheap, but I think any dark green would work well).

Mix dressing ingredients. Toss with salad ingredients (with lettuce or rice...) chill and serve.

Low Carb Cabbage Lasagna

1 medium to large head of cabbage (i used shredded cabbage)
1 tbsp. olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
1 medium onion, chopped
1 Green bell pepper, chopped
3/4 lb. ground beef
1 6oz can hunt's tomato paste
1 8oz can hunt's tomato sauce
1 tsp. dried oregano
2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. black pepper
1 cup grated mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup ricotta or cottage cheese
1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 350. clean cabbage and remove tough outer leaves. cut head in half. carefully peel back to keep intact these are the 'noodles'. Arrange individual leaves on tray or steamer basket and steam until tender (3-5 min). This can be done in the microwave also. SET ASIDE.

Heat oil over medium/high heat in a large skillet. Sauté onion, garlic, green pepper until onion is translucent.

Add beef and brown thoroughly and drain. Add paste and sauce and seasonings, mix well.

Coat a 9x13x2 baking pan with a little olive oil. Line bottom with a layer of cabbage leaves. Top with half meat mixture. add 1/3 of mozzarella and 1/2 of ricotta. Add another layer of cabbage leaves, rest of meat mixture , another 1/3 of mozzarella, and remaining
ricotta.

Top with remaining mozzarella, and finish by scattering parmesan on top. Bake covered for about 20 min.

uncover and bake 5 more min or until done.

Makes 8 servings

Gluten-Free Banana Bread

This bread was made with quinoa flour and almond meal. You can easily replace the quinoa with rice flour if desired.
The butter used here can also be replaced with vegetable oil, if you want to make this dairy-free.

Dry ingredients:
1 cup quinoa flour (I just grind quinoa in the coffee grinder. This is much cheaper than buying the pre-ground flour)
1 cup ground almonds or almond meal
2 tsp (gluten-free) baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ground cardamon

a pinch of nutmeg
a pinch of salt

Wet ingredients:
3 eggs
3 very ripe bananas
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup melted butter, or vegetable oil

1/4 cup applesauce

Heat oven to 340F/170C.

Grease a bread pan and sprinkle some almond meal, or just line it with baking paper. This will make it easier to take the bread out of the pan.

Mix the wet ingredients and the dry ingredients together.
Combine these two without over mixing them.
Bake for approximately 1 hour or until a toothpick comes out clean.
The bread is edible right away, but it will be firmer after cooling.

* Serve with Honey.

Shrimp with Garlic Sauce

Tastes much better than it looks:) I'm thinking about taking a food photography class:)

1 stick butter
2 cloves minced garlic
1 t. oregano
1/2 t. red pepper flakes
1 lb. shrimp (I buy mine cooked, deveined, etc.)
1/4 c. olive oil
2 bay leaves
salt and pepper
dash lemon juice
Melt butter in 3 qt. pan. Remove from heat. Add all ingredients with shrimp. Toss well. Set aside for 30 minutes. Stir occasionally. Place over low heat. Allow gentle buggling. Stir. Coer and cook shrimp for 5 minutes (if they were raw to begin with) until they are pink.
I added broccoli to ours over whole wheat pasta.

Zucchini Fritters

4 Zucchini (about 1 1/2 pounds total)

Salt (i omit)

2 Large Eggs

Pepper

1/2 Cup Flour

* I remove the skin of the zucchini with a potato peeler

Using large holes on a box type grater, grate the zucchini into a large colander. Toss with 1/2 tsp salt and let stand for 10 minutes. Place the colander in the sink and press the zucchini firmly with paper towels to remove all the excess moisture.

In a large bowl, whisk the eggs with 1/2 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper until light and frothy. Using a whisk, stir in the zucchini, then the flour. Mix.

In a large nonstick skillet, heat 1 to 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium-high heat. Drop the batter by rounded tablespoons into the pan and gently flatten with the back of the spoon, cook, turning once until fritters are browned, about 1.5 to 2 minutes per side.

Optional Red Pepper Sauce:

In a food processor:

Puree a 12 oz jar of red peppers with 1 garlic clove (smashed and peeled), 1 tbsp of olive oil & hot pepper sauce to taste.

Serve with warm fritters.

Chimichangas... Arizona Specialty:)

It seems like since we've moved here our "local" friends all have a good recipe for Chimichangas, so we've given it our best shot, and here is our 3rd attempt... All have been yummy and are pretty much not good for you at all, but we had to try:)

1 lb. pork, beef or chicken roast
1 yellow onion, chopped
1 red pepper, chopped
1 large can chopped green chilies
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 c. refried beans
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. ground cumin
2 T chili powder
1/2 t. cayenne pepper
1 C (4 oz) jack cheese

Add roast (or chicken), onion, pepper, chilies garlic and spices in crockpot on high for 4-6hrs (until easily shreds). Fold in refried beans and cheese. Set aside to cool.
Place 1/4 c. filling in center of large tortilla (we get ours at Carolina's 12/$3- hot and fresh and huge!) Fold into square and fasten with toothpicks, if necessary. Fry in 3/4 inches oil, turning until brown (about 1 1/2 minutes).
*To reheat frozen, bake uncovered in pan for 25 minutes

Southern Crab Cakes

10 oz. fresh crabmeat (we use imitation)
1 c. fresh whole wheat bread crumbs, divided
1/4 c. chopped green onions
1/2 c. nonfat mayo
2 T. spicy brown mustard
1/4 t. hot pepper sauce
1 egg white, lightly beaten (I used the whole egg...)
2 t. olive oil
lemon wedges

Preheat oven to 350*. Combine crabmeat, breadcrumbs, and green onions. Add 1/4 c. mayo, 1 T. mustard, 1/2 t. pepper sauce and egg; mix well. Using 1/4 c. mixture per cake, shape eight 1/2 inch cakes.
You can either heat in a large skillet over medium heat with a little oil, or I baked them in the oven (they stay together much nicer) until crisp.
Dipping Sauce: combine remaining 1/4 c. mayo, 1 T. mustard and 1/4 t. pepper sauce in a small bowl.
Serve crab cakes warm with lemon wedges and dipping sauce.
Yum!

Peanut Butter Cookies

These are so Yummy (and ridiculously easy)- no reindeer accessories required:) We make these when we're in a pinch and need something to take...

1 egg
1 c. sugar
1 c. peanut butter
Can you believe that's it? You mix it all together and throw it in the oven at 350 for about 10 minutes (or so...) You'll be surprised how good they are for what they are! A little undercooked is best.

Pizza Cobbler

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 2 cloves garlic, smashed and peeled
• One 8- to 10-ounce package sliced mushrooms
• 1½ cups tomato sauce
• ½ cup sliced black olives
• 2/3 cup sliced pepperoni
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• One 7.5-ounce can refrigerated biscuits, separated and cut into quarters

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400°. In a large skillet, combine the oil, onion and garlic and cook on medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, for 2 minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in the tomato sauce and olives and bring to a simmer.
2. Spread the sauce mixture in a greased 2-quart baking dish. Arrange the pepperoni in a single layer on top and sprinkle with the cheese. Top with the biscuit pieces. Bake until the cheese is bubbly and the biscuits are browned, about 15 minutes. Let cool for about 5 minutes before serving.

Variations:
Swap sausage for the pepperoni and red peppers for the mushrooms
Add 1/2 lb. beef, and some real bacon bits and use pizza sauce instead of tomato sauce
Veg out:
Replace the pepperoni with thawed frozen broccoli.

Campfire Foil Dinners

Yep, that's right... we went CAMPING this weekend, January. Yes, my kid has short sleeves on after dark and no coat. January. Loving Arizona. Right About Now:)

Ok, no pictures of the actual meal, but these two really LOVED it! I actually wanted to post this so I remember for next time that THIS is our favorite Foil Dinner recipe...

1 lb. hamburger
5 pototoes, cut into pieces
5 carrots, peeled and sliced
1 onion, sliced
1 can cream of chicken soup (if you like cream of mushroom, this would be good too, we just don't really like it...)
1 packet onion soup mix (4 Tablespoons, if using bulk like we do)
Montreal Steak Seasoning
sliced, fresh mushrooms
Brown hamburger, drain. Add onions and mushrooms, if desired (I have done this both ways: precooking the onions and adding them uncooked at the end, both are good.) Add Onion soup mix, cream of chicken soup, set aside.
Boil cut, peeled carrots and cut potatoes (we never peel them, but do what you feel good about)! We used our pressure cooker and did it in 3 minutes, but if you want to boil them, go right ahead!
On a square of foil, add potatoes and carrots, layer beef mixture next and then top with sliced onions and mushrooms. Liberally sprinkle steak seasoning over all and wrap the foil over. Wrap with a second layer of foil and refrigerate until campfire is ready.
On hot coals, rest foil packets for 5 minutes (or less) per side. This part is Ben's job, so I don't know the exact skill involved... The greatest part is, that they are ready when they are hot-- no actual cooking involved at the campsite! AND they taste SO GOOD after a day of hiking/outdoor adventure!

Cheeseburger Soup

1/2 pound ground beef
3/4 cup chopped onion
3/4 cup shredded carrots
3/4 cup diced celery
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried parsley flakes
4 T. butter, divided
3 cups chicken broth
4 cups diced peeled potatoes
1/4 cup flour
8 ounces process American cheese, cubed
1 1/2 cups milk
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/4 cup sour cream

In a 3-qt. saucepan, brown beef; drain and set aside. In the same saucepan, saute onion, carrots, celery, basil and parsley in 1 T. butter until vegetables are tender , about 10 minutes. Add broth, potatoes and beef; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 1-2 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Meanwhile, in a small skillet, melt remaining butter. Add flour; cook and stir for 3-5 minutes or until bubbly. Add to soup; bring to a boil. Cook and stir for 2 minutes. Reduce heat heat to low. Add cheese, milk, salt and pepper; cook and stir until cheese melts. Remove from the heat; blend in sour cream.