Thai-Style Ground Beef

I am no fan of Thai food. Sorry, maybe I just haven't had the right stuff. I really don't like curry and it saddens me. It always sounds and looks so good to me, but I cannot even tolerate the smell, let alone the taste.

This is the best thing I've eaten in a long time. Of course I think you could use ground turkey or a substitute to make it healthier. I did not love it so much on rice, but really liked it as lettuce wraps. We're making it again tonight! I have to give a shout out to this cooking blog "Just Cook Already." I came upon it by accident and they are really good about consistently updating unlike ourselves. Here is the link to the recipe. Enjoy!

Nutty Caramel Cookie Tart

We made this on Sunday because I saw it on the Food Network Pillsbury challenge. It was not a winner on the show, but a winner in my book. So good! I did not put chopped peanuts on it, though, just because that didn't sound very good to me. I also put a few butterscotch chips just because I had them. I thought I had overcooked the cookie, but it turned out perfect. It was super easy too.
Go here for the recipe and eat it up, yum!

Pineapple Chicken

(Weight Watcher friendly)

8 oz. crushed pineapple, undrained (1 small can)
2 TBSP Apple Cider Vinegar
2 TBSP Soy-sauce
1 tsp garlic, minced
1/4 tsp. black pepper
2 TBSP Splenda (sugar optional)
1 1/2 c. cooked rice
1-2 lb. breast, cubed

Combine all ingredients except rice in large ziplock bag. Marinate in refrigerator for 30 minutes or longer. Place chicken and all marinade in a sprayed baking dish. Bake 30 minutes or until done @ 350 degrees. Serve over rice.

Serves 6
Weight watcher points: 6 points each
By: Lindsey Simon

Chocolate Mint Pinwheel Cookies

I was searching online for cookies and came across this recipe. It uses a Betty Crocker sugar cookie pouch and is very tasty.

http://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes.aspx/chocolate-mint-pinwheels

What you'll need:
1 pouch of Betty Crocker Sugar Cookie mix
1 egg
1/2 C. softened butter
2 Tbs. flour
1/2 tsp. mint extract (peppermint)
green food coloring
wax/parchment paper

First, mix the sugar cookie pouch with 1 egg and 1/2 C. softened butter. Divide the dough in half. Mix 1/4C cocoa to one half. Mix flour, 1/2 tsp. mint extract and 2-3 drops of green food coloring to the other half of the dough.

Roll the chocolate dough between two sheets of wax paper to about 8 in. x 14 in. Set aside. Roll the mint dough between 2 new sheets of wax paper to about the same size. (I used parchment paper and it worked fine too.)

Remove the top sheets from the mint dough and the chocolate dough and carefully lay the mint dough on top of the chocolate dough. Slowly roll the dough starting at the long side. (note: if you do it too quickly, like me, you'll end up with air pockets -- see below. Also, I rolled from the short end -- more design, less cookies). Wrap rolled dough in wax paper and freeze for at least 2 hours.

After 2 hours, cut dough into slices 1/4 in. wide.

Bake at 375 for 9-11 minutes.

Enjoy!

Blueberry Smoothie

A couple weeks ago we went blueberry picking and got this recipe for a smoothie. We tried it this morning and it was delicious!!




2 cups plain or vanilla yogurt
1 ripe banana
1 cup fresh blueberries
1/2 cup orange juice
ice (we added this ourselves to make the smoothie a little more thick - so just add as much as you want or feel free to leave it out)

Add all ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth and frothy. Enjoy!

Yummy Sugar Free Snack

I found this idea on Sparkpeople and tried it today. It was so good.

• 1 banana, sliced
• 1 chocolate, sugar free pudding snack pack
• 1 very large dollop of lite whipped topping

= about 200 calories. I love it! I also added strawberries and raspberries, but think it would have been better just with the above ingredients.

Cream of Tomato and Artichoke Soup

I know what you are thinking, we should not be having soup in the summer, but it's been cold enough here to do so.

I found this recipe blog and tried this soup. It was yummy. I hope to be a little more on top of it in a few weeks and get some new recipes to ya!

Texas Sheet Cake

Texas Sheet Cake

Melt:
2 TBSP cocoa
2 cubes margarine
1 cup water

Prepare:
2 cups flour
2 cups sugar
1 tsp. soda

Pour hot mixture into dry ingredients

Add:
1/2 cup sour milk (to make sour milk - do milk less 1 TBSP vinegar)
2 eggs beaten
1 tsp. vanilla

Bake in large sheetcake pan at 350 for 18-20 minutes

Frosting:
1 square margarine
4 TBSP cocoa
6 TBSP milk
4-5 cups confectioners sugar

When cake is done, layer a bag of miniature marshmallows over top and put back in oven till marshmallows start to brown. Take out and let cool. Spread frosting over top. Enjoy!

Blintz Pancakes

It is finals week for my husband. That means I am not going to be seeing him. Dinner is going to be fast and easy. This recipe is one that my kids love. Honestly, who doesn't love breakfast for dinner?

Blintz Pancakes:

1 C. flour
1 T. sugar
1/2 t. salt
1 C. sour cream
1 C. small-curd cottage cheese
4 eggs, lightly beaten

topping of your choice: strawberry or blueberry syrup or jam are our favorite.

Combine the dry ingredients.
add everything else.
mix until combined.
I use a 1/4 C. measuring cup to scoop and pour on a greased hot griddle.
Turn when edges are set.

These are REALLY good and super easy!

Make them.

You'll be glad.

I got this recipe from "Taste of Home: Good Food Kids Love". Santa put it in my stocking.

Chicken Italiano

This is one of mine and my husband's favorite recipes. It's super easy and so yummy! It's our favorite meal to make on Sundays because it's a crock pot recipe. When we get home from church dinner is practically done! My kind of cookin!!!

Chicken Italiano (crock pot recipe)

Ingredients:
- 4 pieces boneless skinless chicken breasts (I usually put mine in frozen)
- 1 can cream of chicken soup
- 1 8oz cream cheese (I either use the fat free or 1/3 less fat)
- 1 package dry italian dressing mix
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 can mushrooms, drained (this is optional. If you're like us and love mushrooms, try putting in fresh cut ones. It's yummy!)

Directions:
Place chicken in the crock pot. Mix together the water and dry italian dressing mix. Pour over chicken. Mix together (I use an electric hand held mixer) cream cheese and cream of chicken soup. Fold in mushrooms. Pour over chicken (this mixture doesn't really pour because it's so thick, but it will liquefy as it cooks). Place crock pot on high for 4 hours. Before serving, shred the chicken with a fork or knife. Best served over rice.

Dulce de Leche Cheesecake Squares

I dedicate this post to my cousins, who have asked for this recipe long ago and I was a slacker and never passed it on. I have made these for 2 baby showers and they were a hit. My mom found them and they are from this website.

This is one of those recipes you have to go slow and read all the directions carefully. I had trouble my first batch and then my second was decent. My third and fourth I made simultaneously with ease with the new love of my life, my food processor. It is a very rich dessert - really not one of those you can eat a huge piece of. Delish - enjoy!

Dulce de Leche Cheesecake Squares
Adapted from Gourmet, December 2003

Time: 9 3/4 hr (includes chilling) (45 minutes active time)
Makes 64 (1-inch) petits fours

Ingredients:

For crust
3 1/2 oz graham crackers, crumbled (1cup)
2 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

For filling
1 teaspoon unflavored gelatin (from a 1/4-oz envelope, will just about half of envelope)
1/4 cup whole milk
8 oz cream cheese, softened
2 large eggs
3/8 teaspoon salt
1 cup dulce de leche (12 1/2 oz) (recipe follows)

For glaze
3 oz fine-quality bittersweet chocolate (not unsweetened), coarsely chopped
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
2 teaspoons light corn syrup

Directions:

Make crust: Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 325°F. Line bottom and sides of an 8-inch square baking pan with 2 sheets of foil (crisscrossed), leaving a 2-inch overhang on all sides.

Finely grind crackers with sugar and a pinch of salt in a food processor. With motor running, add butter, blending until combined. Press mixture evenly onto bottom of baking pan. Bake 10 minutes, then cool in pan on a rack 5 minutes.

Make filling: Sprinkle gelatin over milk in a small bowl and let stand 2 minutes to soften. Beat together cream cheese, eggs, salt, and gelatin mixture in a bowl with an electric mixer at medium speed until well combined, about 2 minutes, then stir in dulce de leche gently but thoroughly. Pour filling over crust, smoothing top, then bake in a hot water bath (I was able to fit mine in a 9×13-inch baking pan) in oven until center is just set, about 45 minutes. Cool cheesecake completely in pan on rack, about 2 hours. Chill, covered, at least 6 hours.

Glaze cake within 2 hours of serving: Heat all glaze ingredients in a double boiler or a small metal bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water, stirring until smooth, then pour over cheesecake, tilting baking pan to coat top evenly. Chill, uncovered, 30 minutes.

Lift cheesecake from pan using foil overhang and cut into 1-inch squares with a thin knife, wiping off knife after each cut. (Don’t skip this step! A clean knife is essential for uber-neat squares.)

Note: Cheesecake (without glaze) can be chilled up to 3 days.

Dulce de Leche (Milk Caramel)

Pour 1 can (14 oz.) sweetened condensed milk into top of double-boiler pan; cover. Place over boiling water. Cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, for 40 to 50 minutes, or until thick and light caramel-colored.

Remove from heat. Whisk until smooth.

Wheat Rolls and Orange Rolls

In honor of Carrie C. giving up white sugar and flour, I am posting a wheat roll recipe. :) I made these Cloverleaf Honey-Wheat Rolls Sunday and they turned out great. I think they would be great for kids because they use whole wheat flour and they are cloverleaf shaped so kids can pull them apart easily. I hope you like them. Go Carrie, Go!! You're my hero!

http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=344092

Also, if you are feeling a little less healthy and don't have the will power of Mrs. Chilton, I made these orange rolls for Easter dinner and they were yummy. They use reduced fat sour cream as a butter subsitute so they aren't too bad -just a lot of sugar. And really, what's so wrong with that? :)

http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=701088

The best pancakes

Don't let the name fool you, even though these are slighltly healthier than regular old pancakes, they taste so good!

Hearty Pancakes

1 cup all purpose white flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup cornmeal
1/2 cup quick cooking oats
2 Tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 egg
2 1/2 cups buttermilk
3 Tbsp butter, melted

Combine dry ingredients. Stir in egg, buttermilk, and butter. Pour batter 1/3 cup full onto lightly greased hot griddle. If using electric griddle temp approx 340 degrees.

Buttermilk Syrup

1 cup buttermilk
1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks)
2 cups sugar
1 tsp vanilla

Melt buttermilk and butter together, add sugar, bring to a boil. TAKE OFF HEAT, add vanilla.

Enchiladas galore

Here are a few Mexican recipes I have found and loved as of late:
Maniladas

• 1 (8-ounce) package manicotti shells
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 Vidalia onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 rotisserie chicken, shredded
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 4 Roma tomatoes, seeded and diced
• 3 tablespoons chopped cilantro leaves
• 1/2 cup sour cream

For the Tomatillo sauce:

• 1 pound tomatillos, quartered
• 1 small red onion, quartered
• 1 jalapeno, halved
• 2 garlic cloves
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the cheese sauce:

• 3 tablespoons butter
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 cups heavy cream, room temperature
• 2 cups grated fontina cheese
• 1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg
• Salt

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Boil manicotti in salted water for 8 minutes. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup of pasta water and set pasta aside.

In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Saute onion until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add garlic and saute 1 minute more. Remove pan from heat and mix in chicken, tomatoes, cilantro and sour cream. Set aside.

To make the Tomatillo Sauce:

Place tomatillos, onion, jalapeno and garlic in a baking dish. Toss with oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast until tomatillos turn golden around the edges and are soft, about 45 minutes. Remove from oven and blend ingredients together until smooth. Use reserved pasta water to thin sauce, if necessary. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

To make the cheese sauce: In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium-high heat. Add flour and cook 2 minutes. Whisk in heavy cream and bring to a simmer. Add cheese and nutmeg and stir until melted. Season sauce with salt, to taste.

To assemble: Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F. Stuff manicotti tubes with chicken mixture and assemble in a 9 by 12-inch baking dish. Pour cheese sauce over the top. Bake 30 minutes until cheese is bubbling. Drizzle tomatillo sauce on Maniladas before serving.

My notes: I actually just did enchiladas because my manicotti shells kept falling apart and also I just used monterey jack cheese because it was much cheaper than fontina. I also put a little cream in the salsa because it was too spicy for me. Delish - my new favorite chicken enchiladas:

Kaye Briggs' Chicken Enchiladas:
These are super easy and there are two ways to do them. The first:
Stir together:

• 2 cans of cream of chicken soup
• 1 tub of sour cream
• 1 can of diced green chiles, drained.
• 1 lb. chicken (I'm guessing, I usually use 2 breasts)

• plenty of cheese

Fill tortillas with mix above mixture and with cheese. Put in greased 9x13 pan and top with remaining sauce and more cheese. Bake at 375 degrees until golden brown and bubbly.

Next version is new and improved of the last version:
Stir together:

• 1 can of cream of chicken soup
• 1 tub of sour cream
• 1 can of diced green chiles, drained
• 1/2 of rotisserie chicken, shredded
• 1-1 1/2 cups of chicken broth.
• lime juice and cilantro (optional)

Fill tortillas with above mixture and shredded cheese Top with remaining sauce and plenty of cheese. Bake at 375 degrees until golden brown and bubbly. Yum!