Slow Cooker Wheat Chili

Ingredients
5 cups water
2 1/2 cups uncooked wheat berries
2 tsp paprika
1 Tbsp chili powder
2 tsp oregano
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp pepper
2 tsp salt
2 tsp onion powder
2 tsp garlic powder
1 (14 oz) can stewed tomatoes
4 (8 oz) cans tomato sauce
1 lb ground beef
1 1/2 cups diced onion
Shredded cheese and chopped cilantro, for garnish

Directions
1. Start browning the ground beef in a skillet and add in the onions. Stir often.
2. While meat is browning, add water, wheat, paprika, chili powder, oregano, sugar, pepper, salt, onion powder, garlic powder, stewed tomatoes and tomato sauce to slow cooker.
3. Drain the meat of excess grease and add the onions and beef to the slow cooker.
4. Cover and cook on LOW for 11-12 hours or on HIGH for about 7-8 hours (or until wheat is soft and plump).
5. Season to taste with additional salt and pepper and seasonings.
6. Ladle into serving bowls and top with cheese and cilantro, if desired.

Notes: Makes 8 servings, ideal for a 6 quart slow cooker. This is from the source: "This is one of those recipes that you can add or subtract ingredients. I think next time I'll add in some green pepper and maybe swap out a can of tomato sauce and add a can of diced tomatoes." Also: "you may use hard white wheat, soft white wheat, hard red wheat...often found at health food stores or in the bulk section of the grocery store".

Source: 365 days of slow cooking

One-Pan Enchilada Pasta

Ingredients
2 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 of a small onion, diced
1.25 pounds of taco seasoned ground turkey meat or 1.25 pounds of lean ground beef and packet of low-sodium taco seasoning
2 cups of low-sodium chicken broth
1 19oz can of red enchilada sauce
8oz (about 2 1/2 cups) of dried rotini pasta
2 cups of freshly shredded Colby Jack cheese
green onions
black olives

Instructions

1. In a large skillet or sauté pan, sauté garlic and onions in olive oil over medium low heat until softened.
2. Add ground turkey meat and cook, breaking meat up with a wooden spoon until browned.
3. Once turkey meat is cooked through, add pasta, chicken broth and enchilada sauce to pan.
4. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and cover.
5. Cook on low, with pan covered for about 15 minutes.
6. Remove lid and let simmer for additional 5 minutes until pasta is tender and sauce has reduced.
7. Remove from heat and stir in 1 cup of cheese.
8. Top pasta with additional cup of cheese and melt under broiler for a minute or two, or place lid back on pan and let heat from the pasta melt the cheese.
9. Garnish with black olives and green onions.

Notes: It has only been 3 months since we tried this recipe, but I really don't remember what I thought about it. So that means it was somewhere in the middle - I didn't dislike it and I didn't think it was amazing.

Source: My Loved Recipes

Crockpot Cashew Chicken

Ingredients
2 chicken breasts, cut into smaller pieces
1-2 cups frozen broccoli, cut into bite-size pieces
1 cup carrots, sliced
1/2 cup cashews, chopped or whole (unsalted works best )
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup soy sauce
4 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
3 tablespoons ketchup
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tablespoon ginger paste
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup water or chicken broth

Directions:

1. Layer chicken, cashews and vegetables in the crockpot.
2. Combine remaining ingredients except water and pour over chicken in crockpot. Add water or broth if necessary so mixture is almost completely covered.
3. Cook for 2-4 hours on high or 4-8 hours on low.

Notes: I didn't like this as much as I wanted to. The flavor of the vinegar was a bit too dominant, so I think if we try this again I would go with less vinegar.

Source: Sally Cooks

Chicken Bacon Ranch Tortilla Pockets

Ingredients

3 cups shredded chicken (rotisserie chicken works great!)
8 slices bacon, cooked and chopped
8 ounce package cream cheese, room temperature
1 packet (1 ounce) ranch dressing mix
1 cup monterey jack cheese, shredded
1/4 cup green onions, chopped
8 – 8″ flour tortillas
1 egg, beaten with 1 teaspoon water
1 tablespoon olive oil
coarse salt

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees and line a baking sheet with foil. 
2. In a large bowl, mix the room temperature cream cheese and ranch seasoning. 
3. Add chicken, cheese, bacon, and green onions. Stir to combine. 
4. Spoon 1/8 of the chicken mixture (about 1/3 cup or so) down the center of the tortilla. Fold up both short ends of the tortilla and fold over one of the long ends. Brush the open edge of the tortilla with beaten egg and fold over creating a rectangular tortilla pocket. 
5. Repeat with remaining tortillas and place seam-sides down on the baking sheet. Brush pocket tops with oil and sprinkle with salt. 
6. Bake at 425 degrees for 15-18 minutes until golden brown. 
7. Serve ranch dressing on the side to dip tortilla pockets.

Notes: Another tasty recipe! We had these a while ago but I remember liking them.

Source: Uncommon Designs

Stuffed Bell Peppers

Ingredients
5 assorted bell peppers, tops cut off and seeds removed
1 pound of ground Italian hot sausage.
1/2 head of cauliflower, grated or chopped into a rice consistency.
1 small (8 ounce) can of tomato paste.
1 small white onion, medium dice.
5 cloves of garlic, minced.
2 tsp. dried basil
2 tsp dried oregano.
2 tsp dried thyme.

Directions
Mix all ingredients and stuff into seeded bell peppers. Place in gallon zip lock bag and freeze. On cooking day, place in slow cooker and cook on low for 6 hours.

Notes: If you don't pay attention, the cauliflower can fool you into thinking it is rice. I remember Brittany was excited that the kids ate the cauliflower without realizing it was cauliflower. These held up well in the freezer, and we liked them, but Southwest Stuffed Bell Peppers is still our preferred recipe.

Source: Loving My Nest

Roasted Red Pepper Alfredo

Ingredients
12 ounces linguine
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 onion, diced
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup heavy cream
4 ounces crumbled goat cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan, plus more for garnish
1 (12-ounce) jar roasted red peppers, drained and chopped
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Directions

1. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta according to package instructions; drain well.
2. Heat olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic and onion, and cook, stirring frequently, until onions have become translucent, about 2-3 minutes. Stir in milk, heavy cream, goat cheese and Parmesan until cheeses have melted, about 1-2 minutes.
3. Add red peppers and puree with an immersion blender. Stir in pasta and gently toss to combine; season with salt and pepper, to taste.
4. Serve immediately, garnished with Parmesan, if desired.

Notes: I think Brittany like this more than I did. Perhaps it was the goat cheese, an ingredient that I am not used to.

Source: Damn Delicious

Grilled Lime and Chile Chicken with Mango and Red Bell Pepper Salsa

Ingredients

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/2 cup peanut oil
1/4 cup fresh-squeezed lime juice
2 tsp chile powder
1 tsp. garlic puree (also called ground garlic)
1/2 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. ground cumin (or less to taste)
2 T Worcestershire sauce

Mango and red pepper salsa

Directions

1. Trim all visible fat and tendons from chicken breasts. If desired, cut small slits crosswise down the length of each breast. Put chicken in single layer inside Ziploc bag. Mix marinade ingredients and pour into bag. Let chicken marinate in refrigerator 4-8 hours, turning occasionally if possible.
2. Spray grill grate with non-stick spray or wipe with paper towel dipped in olive oil. Preheat gas or charcoal barbecue to medium high. (You can only hold your hand there for 2-3 seconds at that heat.) Put chicken on grill top side down. To get nice grill marks, cook about 4-5 minutes, then rotate 45 degrees and cook 4-5 minutes more on same side. Turn chicken over and cook until it feels firm, but not hard to the touch when you press it with your finger, about 15-20 minutes total cooking time, depending on the exact temperature of your grill.
3. This chicken could also be cooked in a stove-top grill pan with ridges or a George Foreman Grill with good results.
4. Serve hot, with mango salsa if desired. 

Notes: The source suggests this recipe for the mango salsa, but there are lots of others to try online. We used some that Brittany had previously made with a different recipe. Also see this page for suggestions on how to get nice, juicy grilled chicken breasts every time.

Source: Kalyn's Kitchen

Slow Cooker Salisbury Steak

Ingredients
2 Pounds lean ground beef
1 Package onion mushroom soup mix
1/2 Cup crushed saltine crackers
1 egg
1/4 Cup milk
2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
1/4 Cup flour
2 Cans cream of mushroom soup
1 Package brown gravy mix

Directions

1. In a large bowl, mix together beef, onion mushroom soup mix, crushed saltine crackers, egg, and milk.
2. Using your hands, shape beef mixture into 8 patties.
3. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium high heat.
4. Dredge the patties in flour to coat and brown on both sides.
5. Place the browned patties into the slow cooker (overlapping is ok)
6. In a medium bowl, prepare the brown gravy according to package instructions.
7. Mix in both cans of mushroom soup; pour gravy mixture over the patties.
8. Cook on LOW for 4 to 6 hours, or until beef is done.

Notes: This recipe was easy and very tasty. We needed the full 6 hours to cook the beef through.

Source: The Crockin' Girls

Chili-Beef Stuffing Bake

Ingredients
1 pkg (6 oz) Stove Top Cornbread Stuffing Mix
1 lb. lean ground beef, cooked & drained
1 can (15 oz) kidney beans, undrained
1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce
1 Tbsp chili powder

Directions

1. Mix contents of Stuffing Mix pouch, 1 1/2 cups hot water and 1/4 cup margarine, cut-up, in large bowl just until moistened; set aside.
2. Mix remaining ingredients in 12 x 8-inch baking dish. Top with stuffing.
3. Bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Makes 4 to 6 servings.

Notes: Quick, easy, and tasty. I also like this recipe because I came up with something similar on my own while attempting variations on Chicken Stuffing Casserole during my college days.

Source: Cut out from a box of Stove Top Stuffing several years ago.

Crockpot Orange Chicken

Ingredients
4 – 5 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts, thawed
3/4 cup Smuckers Sweet Orange Marmalade
3/4 cup of Sweet Baby Ray’s Original BBQ Sauce
2 tbsp. Soy Sauce

Directions

1. Cook chicken in crockpot on HIGH for 3 hours.
2. After 3 hours, drain juices from crockpot.
3. Mix together BBQ sauce, orange marmalade, and soy sauce.
4. Pour mixture over chicken, and cook on high for 30 more minutes.

Notes: We both thought this recipe was okay, but it did not have the flavors we expected from its name. The barbecue sauce makes this reminiscent of the Tangy Chicken we've got on the blog, and I think I would pick that one over this one.

Source: TheFrugalGirls.com

Mozzarella Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

Ingredients
8 slices rye bread
4 quarter-inch slices of fresh mozzarella
3 plum tomatoes, cut into thick slices
1 cup fresh basil pesto (see recipe below or use the store-bought stuff)
Freshly ground black pepper
Extra-virgin olive oil

Basil pesto:
1/2 cup pine nuts
2 cups fresh basil leaves
1 cup fresh Italian parsley leaves
1/2 cup Parmesan or Romano
2 garlic cloves
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Directions:

1. Toast pine nuts in a skillet over medium heat until fragrant, about 5 minutes. Combine pesto ingredients in a food processor and pulse until well combined but still rough-textured.
2. If you have a panini press, turn it on to warm up; otherwise, set a skillet over medium heat. 
3. Assemble sandwich by smearing insides of bread slices with pesto. Arrange a layer of sliced tomato and season with a few turns of fresh pepper. Layer the mozzarella slices over the top and then place another piece of bread on top to make the sandwich.
4. Drizzle olive oil over skillet's surface and place sandwiches on the hot skillet or panini press. If using a skillet, place another heavy skillet over the top to form a "press". Turn after 2 to 3 minutes and replace weight. The sandwich is ready when golden brown and mozzarella has melted around the edges.

Notes: I really like pesto sauce, so I really enjoyed these grilled cheese sandwiches.

Source: An Edible Symphony

Ranch Chicken Tacos

Ingredients

3 cups cooked chicken, cut up
1 pkt. taco seasoning (chicken or beef)
1/2 cup Ranch dressing
taco shells
lettuce
cheese
Ranch dressing
tomatoes
other toppings as desired

Directions

1. Heat a skillet over medium high heat. Add chicken & warm it for a few minutes. Sprinkle on the dry taco seasoning. Do not add any water! Heat for 5-7 minuted until all heated through & powder is stuck to the chicken.
2. Add Ranch dressing, heat an additional 2-3 minutes to warm through.
3. Serve in taco shells with more Ranch dressing and other desired toppings.

Notes: We've had a LOT of different taco recipes, and sometimes it is hard keeping them straight. I remember liking these, but I think there are others I would prefer (like Wild West Sizzlin' Chicken Tacos, for example).

Source: Do You Smell That!!?

Baked Italian Sandwiches

Ingredients
French bread
Butter or margarine
Provolone cheese
Deli ham (or other lunch meat)
Italian bread crumbs
Parmesan cheese

Eggs (1 or 2)

Milk (1 or 2 Tbsp)

Onion (optional)

Green pepper (optional)

Spaghetti sauce, for dipping

Directions

1. Turn on your oven to 425 degrees. Put a chunk of butter or margarine in the bottom of a 9x13 (or larger) baking dish, and put it in the oven as it’s pre-heating so the butter can melt. Use enough butter to lightly coat the bottom of the dish.
2. While your butter is melting, take the bread and slice it to desired thickness.  
3. Mix some bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese in a dish. 
4. Beat the eggs and milk in another dish.
5. Optional: Saute some onion and green pepper to add.
6. Dip one side of one piece of bread in the milk mixture.
7. Coat it well in the crumb mixture.
8. Set it in the pan, making sure it gets coated with some of the melted butter.
9. Add a slice of cheese.
10. Add desired amount of lunch meat.
11. Add the sauteed veggies (optional).
12. Top it off with another slice of cheese and another slice of bread coated in bread crumbs and melted butter.
13. Put the assembled sandwiches in the oven for about 5-8 minutes on each side, or until the cheese melts and the bread gets toasted. 
14. If desired, broil them on high for 1-2 minutes at the very end to get a nice brown crispy finish on the bread. 
15. Serve with warm spaghetti sauce in individual dishes for dipping.

Notes: We had this over two years ago, but I remember liking it a lot. If I had posted this recipe when we first had it, instead of leaving the photo forgotten in a folder, I'm sure we would have made it again. See source for step by step photos.

Source: Fun, Cheap, or Free

Mushroom Pork Chops

Ingredients
4 pork chops
salt and pepper to taste
1 pinch garlic salt, or to taste
1 onion, chopped
1/2 pound fresh mushrooms, sliced
1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup

Directions

1. Season pork chops with salt, pepper, and garlic salt to taste.
2. In a large skillet, brown the chops over medium-high heat. Add the onion and mushrooms, and saute for one minute. Pour cream of mushroom soup over chops. Cover skillet, and reduce temperature to medium-low. Simmer 20 to 30 minutes, or until chops are cooked through.

Notes: This was a tasty recipe. Our pork chops were a bit thicker than I like, but I didn't have any complaints about the sauce.

Source: allrecipes.com

Tangy Chicken Stir-Fry

Ingredients
3/4 cup Miracle Whip
3-4 chicken breasts, cubed
Garlic salt or 1 clove fresh garlic
1 bag frozen California blend veggies
3-4 Tbsp soy sauce
Rice

Directions
Mix chicken and Miracle Whip in frying pan. Sprinkle with garlic salt or pressed clove. Saute for 5 minutes (or until chicken is cooked). Then add bag of frozen vegetables and soy sauce and cook for 5-10  more minutes. Serve over rice.

Notes: We halved the recipe and used a 12 oz bag of vegetables. I'm not sure that 12 oz was enough. I'm also not sure if the end product lived up to its name - I didn't find it very tangy. It was good but there are other stir fry recipes I prefer.

Source:  At one of Brittany's bridal showers, everyone that attended wrote down a favorite recipe as a gift. I think this was from one of my sisters.

Spinach Quiche

Ingredients
1 recipe Pastry for Single-Crust Pie (I think we used this one)
1/2 cup chopped onion (1 medium)
6 slices bacon, chopped
8 beaten eggs
1/2 cup dairy sour cream
1/2 cup half-an-half, light cream, or milk
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp white pepper
Dash ground nutmeg (optional)
3 cups lightly packed chopped fresh spinach
2/3 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup shredded Swiss cheese (2 oz)
Cherry tomatoes, cut up (optional)

Directions

1. Prepare and roll out Pastry for Single-Crust Pie. Line a 9 inch pie plate with the pastry. Trim; crimp edge as desired. Line unpricked pastry shell with a double thickness of foil. Bake in a 450 degree oven for 8 minutes. Remove foil. Bake for 4 to 5 minutes more or until pastry is set and dry. Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees.
2. Meanwhile, in a large skilled cook onion and bacon until onion is tender and bacon is crisp. Drain on paper towels.
3. In a bowl stir together eggs, sour cream, half-and-half, salt, pepper, and, if desired, nutmeg. Stir in onion mixture, spinach, and cheeses.
4. Pour egg mixture in hot, baked pastry shell. Bake in the 325 degree oven 45 to 50 minutes or until a knife inserted near center comes out clean. If necessary, cover edge of crust with foil to prevent overbrowning. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving. If desired, garnish with cherry tomatoes.

Notes: We had this recipe in April 2013. I remember enjoying it, though I may have liked Aztec Quiche a bit more. Both were tasty.

Source: Better Homes and Gardens New Cook Book 12th Edition

Corn Frittata with Cheese

Ingredients
8 slightly beaten eggs
1 Tbsp snipped fresh basil or 1 tsp dried basil, crushed
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 cup frozen whole kernel corn or cut fresh corn
1/2 cup chopped zucchini
1/3 cup thinly sliced green onions (3)
3/4 cup chopped plum tomatoes (2)
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese (2 oz)

Directions

1. In a medium bowl combine eggs and basil; set aside. Heat oil in a large broilerproof skillet; add corn, zucchini, and green onions. Cook and stir for 3 minutes; add tomatoes. Cook, uncovered, over medium heat about 5 minutes or until vegetables are crisp-tender, stirring occasionally.
2. Pour egg mixture over vegetables in skillet. Cook over medium heat. As mixture sets, run a spatula around edge of skillet, lifting egg mixture so uncooked portion flows underneath. Continue cooking and lifting edges until egg mixture is almost set (surface will be moist). Sprinkle with cheese.
3. Place the skillet under broiler 4 to 5 inches from heat. Broil for 1 to 2 minutes or until the top is just set and cheese is melted.

Notes: We made this recipe over 2 years ago, before we upgraded the camera, so I'm not very fond of the photo. I think I would enjoy this recipe, but it has been long enough I don't remember what I thought about it when we had it. We need to try it again.

Source: Better Homes and Gardens New Cook Book 12th Edition

Homestyle Southwest Skillet

Ingredients
1 lb ground beef
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 tsp chili powder
1 1/3 cups water
3/4 cup milk
3 Tbsp margarine or butter
1 (5.8 oz) package PASTA RONI Creamy Garlic Flavor
1 cup thick and chunky salsa
1/2 cup frozen whole kernel corn
1/2 cup (2 oz) shredded Mexican cheese blend

Directions

1. In large skillet, brown ground beef with onion and chili powder. Remove from pan to drain; set aside.
2. In same skillet, bring water, milk, margarine, pasta and Special Seasonings to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low. Gently boil uncovered 6 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Return beef to skillet. Stir in salsa and corn; return to a boil. Cook an additional 1 to 2 minutes or until pasta is slightly firm. Combine cheese with Topping; sprinkle over top just before serving.

Notes: Makes 4 servings.  This is what it is: Pasta Roni with mix-ins.  Probably not a recipe you'd want to serve to company, but I liked it all the same. 

Source: I clipped this recipe off a box of Pasta Roni several years ago when I was in college and I ate this stuff regularly. 

Tacos Dorados

Ingredients
corn tortillas
chicken
sour cream
Parmesan or cheddar cheese
lettuce
enchilada sauce (optional)
guacamole (optional)

Directions

1. Cook the chicken.
2. When the chicken is ready, shred it and set it aside.
3. Heat up the tortillas in a frying pan or microwave to make them flexible and less likely to break.
4. Heat up some oil in a frying pan.
5. Line one side of the tortilla with shredded chicken, and roll the tortilla in a burrito shape. (If it doesn't stay rolled, stick it with a tooth pick.)
6. Place rolled tortilla in the oil until it is fried. When it is golden brown and crunchy, remove it and stick it in a colander or on some paper towels so the excess oil can drain off.
7. Serve topped with sour cream, cheese, lettuce, etc.

Notes: I thought these were pretty tasty. They reminded me somewhat of Navajo tacos. I got this recipe in an email recipe exchange several years ago. The original didn't have any amounts, so I haven't put any here. Brittany didn't have any luck with rolling the tortillas, so she folded them in half instead.

Source: Email recipe exchange.

Baked Chicken Nuggets

Ingredients
3 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
1 cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 tablespoon dried basil
1/2 cup butter, melted

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Cut chicken breasts into 1 1/2-inch sized pieces. In a medium bowl, mix together the bread crumbs, cheese, salt, thyme and basil. Mix well. Put melted butter in a bowl or dish for dipping.
3. Dip chicken pieces into the melted butter first, then coat with the breadcrumb mixture. Place the well-coated chicken pieces on a lightly greased cookie sheet in a single layer, and bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes.

Notes: This is for 6 servings. When we made it we scaled the recipe down to 4 servings. I don't think we had any left over, though.

Source: allrecipes.com

Fritos Casserole

Ingredients
1 lb. ground beef
1 15-oz can chili con carne
2 8-oz cans tomato sauce
1 Tbsp minced onions
1 can mild enchilada sauce (13-15 oz)
8-12 oz Fritos corn chips
1 1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese
1/2 c. sour cream

Directions
Saute ground beef and add onions, chili, enchilada sauce, and tomato sauce. In 9x13 pan place layer of Fritos. Top with meat sauce mixture. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Mix together sour cream and grated cheese. Top casserole. with sour cream mixture and circle with Fritos. Bake 5 more minutes.

Notes: We were organizing recipes recently and found this one on a piece of paper. We're not really sure where we got it. It was labeled "Shauna's Kids' Favorite Mexican Dish". Since I'm not sure who this Shauna was or why this would be considered a Mexican dish, I renamed it.  It was quick and easy to make, though apparently my kids didn't like it as much as Shauna's - mostly they just wanted to eat the chips.

Source: Printed out on a random piece of paper among many other recipes.

Cheese and Bacon Frittata

Ingredients
9 eggs
1 1/2 cups milk
2 green onions, minced
3 Tbsp margarine, melted
3/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
8 slices bacon, cooked and torn in small pieces

Directions
In medium bowl with wire whisk, beat eggs, milk, onion, margarine, salt, and pepper until well blended. Pour mixture into greased 9x13 baking pan. Sprinkle cheese and bacon evenly over top.  Bake at 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until set and golden brown. Makes 6 servings.

Notes: Tasty, although the onions were slightly stronger than I care for.

Source: Binder of freezer meal recipes that we received as a wedding gift (3rd month section).

Three Cheese Zucchini Stuffed Lasagna Rolls

Ingredients
8 lasagna noodles, cooked
1 tsp olive oil
3 cloves garlic, crushed
2 medium zucchini (7 oz each), grated and squeezed dry
1 cup + 2 tbsp part skim ricotta cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 large egg, beaten
1/2 tsp kosher salt
fresh cracked pepper
1 3/4 cups Marinara sauce
1/2 cup part skim mozzarella cheese, shredded
fresh basil for garnish (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Ladle about 1 cup sauce on the bottom of a 9 x 13-inch baking dish.
2. In a medium nonstick skillet, sauté garlic and olive oil over medium heat for about 1 minute; add zucchini, salt and pepper to taste and cook about 4-5 minutes, until soft.
3. In a medium bowl, combine the zucchini, ricotta cheese, Parmesan cheese, egg, salt and pepper in a medium bowl.
4. Lay out the lasagna noodles on a clean work surface. Make sure noodles are dry. Take 1/3 cup of ricotta mixture and spread evenly over the noodle. Roll carefully and place seam side down onto the prepared baking dish. Repeat with remaining noodles.
5. Ladle the remaining sauce over the lasagna rolls and top each one with 1 tbsp mozzarella cheese. Put foil over baking dish and bake for about 40 minutes, or until the inside is heated through and the cheese is melted. Top with fresh basil if desired and eat hot.

Notes: After a long hiatus due in part to a new baby in the family, we're back. These were tasty, although I would recommend being generous with the sauce. See the recipe at the source for some step-by-step photos.

Source: skinnytaste.com

Crunchy Black Bean Tacos

Ingredients
2 cups black beans, cooked
½ cup red onion, minced (we only used 2-3 Tbsp)
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. paprika
2 Tbsp. cilantro, chopped
4-6 ounces pepper jack cheese, grated
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 avocado, sliced
Pinch of salt and pepper
8 corn tortillas
Hot sauce
Salsa
Sour cream

Instructions
1. In a medium bowl, add beans along with red onion, cilantro, and spices. Add a pinch of salt and lightly mash all of the ingredients together. Grate your cheese and have it ready as well.
2. In a large, non-stick skillet or cast iron skillet, add a few tablespoons of oil and heat over medium-high heat.
3. Add one corn tortilla at a time and let each get hot in the oil for a few seconds. Then add about 1/4 cup of the bean filling to one half of the tortilla. Top with a sprinkle of grated cheese.
4. Using a spatula, carefully fold the tortilla over so it forms a shell. Press down lightly on the tortilla so it holds its shape.
5. As the first tortilla cooks, move it to the side and do a second one. Depending on the size of your pan, you should be able to get 2 or 3 tacos at once. If you have a griddle you can do even more at once.
6. Cook each taco for about 3 minutes per side until they are nicely browned and crispy.
7. When flipping the taco to cook on the other side, use a spatula and flip the taco toward the fold so the filling doesn’t fall out.
8. Serve tacos with toppings like hot sauce, salsa, avocados, and sour cream.

Notes: We were missing a couple of the ingredients, but still enjoyed these tacos. From the source: "Corn tortillas are resilient to heat. Don’t worry about burning them. They are very flexible. Just be sure to cook them on each side long enough to get them really crispy." 

Source: Endless Simmer

Ramen Noodle Upgrade

Ingredients
1 package Ramen noodles
1 pack noodle flavoring
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 tablespoons chunky peanut butter
2 teaspoons Sriracha chili sauce
1/2 scallion, thinly sliced (optional)

Directions

Boil noodles with flavor pack and drain off most liquid. Toss with soy sauce, peanut butter, and Sriracha. Garnish with scallion. 

Notes: Brittany tripled the recipe to have enough for our family (except for the scallions). She also added peanuts. The 2 year-old and I enjoyed this but the 5 year-old did not.

Source: martha stewart

Cinnamon Toast French Toast

Ingredients

1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
16 slices (from a 1-pound loaf) white sandwich bread
1 stick (4 ounces) unsalted butter, softened
3 cups whole milk
6 large eggs
1/4 teaspoon table salt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Whisk the cinnamon and sugar together in a small dish. Line two large baking sheets with foil. Place the bread slices on the baking sheets in one layer. Spread each slice of bread with 1 teaspoon of butter, then sprinkle each slice with one teaspoon of the cinnamon-sugar mixture. Toast the trays of bread in the oven until the bread is golden, and until the cinnamon-sugar makes a caramelized crunch on top, for about 7 to10 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 375 degrees and let the toast cool slightly.

Generously butter a 9×13-inch baking dish. Cut two slices of the cinnamon toast in half horizontally. Arrange the cinnamon toast down in two rows along the width of the pan. Begin with the bottom half of one slice of toast, then fan 7 more slices in a row, finishing with the top half of the slice. Repeat with another 7 full slices and 1 halved slice of cinnamon toast in the second row. Whisk the milk, eggs, salt and vanilla in a medium bowl and pour evenly over cinnamon toast in baking dish. Let sit for 15 minutes (or overnight, if you’re preparing this ahead of time) so that the custard absorbs a bit.

Before baking, if you’ve got any extra cinnamon-sugar (you’ll likely have a tablespoon or two), sprinkle it over the French toast. Bake for 30 minutes, until puffed and golden and until no liquid seeps out of the toasts when they are nudged about in the pan. Cut into squares and serve plain, or with a dollop of plain yogurt and fresh berries, or maple syrup.

Notes: It has become somewhat of a tradition in our family to have baked French toast for breakfast on birthdays.  We've tried several (although this is only the 4th I've posted here). I've liked them all! The toast on this one was pretty crunchy on the top, so we either needed a bit more custard or we needed to let it sit longer.  Still tasty, though.

Source: smitten kitchen

Taco Bowls

Ingredients:
10 (6 inch) flour tortillas
1/2 lb ground beef or turkey
5/8 ounce reduced-sodium taco seasoning mix
4 ounces shredded reduced-fat monterey jack cheese
4 ounces shredded low-fat cheddar cheese

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Trim about 1/2 inch from the edge of each tortilla. Push the tortilla into nonstick muffin tin and bake for 15 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, in a nonstick pan, sauté beef/turkey over medium heat, breaking apart large chunks and stirring occasional until the meat is cooked through, about ten minutes. Add taco seasoning mix and 1/3 cup water and simmer meat about 5 minutes.
3. Fill each tortilla cup with 2 tablespoons of cooked ground meat and top with a large pinch each of shredded Monterey Jack and cheddar cheese. Bake 10-12 minutes, until cheese is melted and cups start to brown.

Notes: We made these taco bowls after seeing a recipe in Parents Magazine. I wasn't able to find the recipe again, so I've posted something I found online that looks similar and is also from Parents Magazine. The recipe we used was likely in a late 2011 or early 2012 issue. This recipe is from a 2006 issue. We used the bottom of the muffin pan to make the taco bowls, as seen in the image below, and I don't think we cut any of the tortilla off.

Source: Parents Magazine (originally), but recipe here is from Food.com with ingredients scaled to make 10 taco bowls instead of 20.

Crispy Cheddar Chicken

Ingredients

Chicken:
4 large chicken breasts
2 sleeves Ritz crackers
1/4 t salt
1/8 t pepper
1/2 C milk
3 C cheddar cheese, grated
1 t dried parsley

Sauce:
1 14 ounce can cream of chicken soup
2 T sour cream
2 T butter

Directions
1. Cut each chicken breast into 3 large chunks.
2. In a small food processor grind up the ritz crackers.
3. Pour the milk, cheese and cracker crumbs into 3 separate small pans. Toss the 1/4 t salt and 1/8 t pepper into the cracker crumbs and stir the mixture around to combine.
4. Dip each piece of chicken into the milk then the cheese and finally the cracker crumbs.
5. Spray a 9x13 pan with cooking spray and lay the chicken inside the pan.
6. Sprinkle the dried parsley over the chicken.
7. Cover the pan with tin foil and bake at 400 degrees for 35 minutes. Remove the tin foil, bake for an additional 10 minutes, or until the edges of the chicken are golden brown and crispy.
8. Into a medium sized sauce pan combine the cream of chicken soup, sour cream and butter with a whisk. Stir it over medium high heat until the sauce is nice and hot. Serve over the chicken. Yield: 7 servings.

Notes: We made this back in February 2012 and I remember liking it.  Check out the source for better photos.

Source: Jamie Cooks It Up

Thai Chicken Stir-Fry

Ingredients
12 ounces skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
3 tablespoons dry sherry (we used water instead)
2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon water
1 tablespoon fish sauce (optional)
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 tablespoon cooking oil
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup bias-sliced carrots
2 cups fresh pea pods, tips and strings removed, or one 6-ounce package frozen pea pods, thawed
4 green onions, bias-sliced into 1-inch pieces (1/2 cup)
1/3 cup dry roasted peanuts
Hot cooked rice

Directions
1. Cut chicken into 1-inch pieces; set aside.
2. For sauce, stir together sherry, soy sauce, water, fish sauce (if using), cornstarch, and red pepper. Set aside.
3. Pour oil into a wok or large skillet. (If necessary, add more oil during cooking.) Heat over medium-high heat. Add ginger and garlic to wok; cook and stir for 15 seconds. Add carrot; cook and stir for 2 minutes. Add pea pods and green onions; cook and stir for 2 to 3 minutes more or until vegetables are crisp-tender. Remove vegetables from wok.
4. Add chicken to hot wok. Cook and stir for 3 to 4 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink. Push chicken from center of wok. Stir sauce; add to center of wok. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Return vegetables to wok. Stir in peanuts. Cook and stir for 1 to 2 minutes more or until heated through. Serve with rice. Makes 4 servings.

Notes: I enjoyed this stir fry quite a bit, but for our kids I think Thai Peanut Chicken is still the winner. There is an updated version of this recipe of the BHG website that replaces the sherry with rice wine and modifies some of the amounts and directions slightly. Compare also with Thai Peanut Noodles.

Source: Better Homes and Gardens New Cook Book 12th Edition.

Slow Cooker Chicken Adobo

Ingredients:
4 medium yellow onions, halved and thinly sliced
4 medium garlic cloves, smashed and peeled
1 (5-inch) piece fresh ginger, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 bay leaf
3 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
3/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup rice vinegar
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Steamed rice, for serving

Instructions:
1. Place the onions, garlic, ginger, and bay leaf in an even layer in the slow cooker.
2. Remove and discard the skin from the chicken. Arrange the chicken in an even layer on top of the onion mixture.
3. Whisk the soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, and pepper together in a medium bowl and pour it over the chicken.
4. Cover and cook until the chicken is cooked through and falling off the bone, about 4 to 5 hours on high or low. Remove and discard the ginger pieces and bay leaf. Serve with steamed rice.

Notes: Adobo is a traditional Filipino dish, but this probably isn't the traditional way to make it. I was introduced to adobo by one of my college roommates who served a mission in (and eventually married a girl from) the Philippines. This recipe was super easy and I really liked it. The leftovers were even better. Check out the source for a better photo.

Source: CHOW