Southwestern Sloppy Joes with Honey Lime Coleslaw

It seems like I've started most of my posts lately with "I don't normally like such-and-such" or "Ben doesn't usually eat yada-yada". This post is no different.....

Ben is not a fan of sloppy joes. I think I've asked him why about 10 times in the course of our relationship. Do I remember? Nope. Either I'm a very bad wife or the answer was just that vague.

Anyway, when I saw this recipe on Debbi Does Dinner I was fairly sure that this sloppy joe would be the exception. And I was RIGHT! Boo-yah! In fact, Ben's review, simply stated, "This is good. And not just for a sloppy joe."

I didn't take a picture, sorry, but Debbi has two yummy pictures on her post.

enjoy!

Southwest Sloppy Joes with Honey Lime Coleslaw

Honey Lime Coleslaw:

2 tbsp. mayonnaise

2 tbsp. sour cream (or use all mayo)

3 tbsp. honey

2 tbsp. lime juice

2 tbsp. chopped cilantro

Salt and pepper

Pinch of cayenne

about 4 cups of coleslaw mix

Sloppy Joe

1 lb. ground turkey

1 onion, chopped

1/2 cup ketchup

1 can black beans

1/2 cup frozen corn

1 can diced green chiles

1 tbsp. brown sugar

2 tsp. mustard

1 tsp. ground cumin

Salt and pepper

Combine coleslaw mix and coleslaw ingredients, mix and refrigerate until ready to use.

Cook ground turkey and onion. Add the rest of the ingredients, stir to combine. Let simmer for about 10 minutes or until it thickens and is the desired consistency. Serve on sandwich thins with coleslaw on top if desired.

Crockpot BBQ Country Ribs

These were so yummy! They rekindled my desire to us my CrockPot more often. I pulled this recipe off of the 365 Days of Crockpot blog, which, I recently discovered, is written by a girl who lived in my Freshman dorm at BYU. You can see the original recipe here. Below is how I made them.

(Sorry I have no picture. Go to the link above if you want one.)

Crockpot BBQ Country Ribs

2 lbs boneless country-style pork ribs


1/4 cup red wine vinegar

2 tsp ground mustard

2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

1/4 cup brown sugar

8 oz BBQ sauce (I used Sweet Baby Ray's because that's what I had on hand).
In a small bowl, stir together the vinegar, mustard, onion seasoning, salt, pepper, brown sugar, and bbq sauce. Place the pork ribs in the bottom or your slow cooker. Spoon the sauce over the top of the ribs and coat really well. Cover and cook on LOW for 6-8 hours or on HIGH for 3-4 hours.

Mint Chocolate Chip Cake Mix Cooies

These are so yummy! Super fast and easy to make. We gobbled them right up!

1 box chocolate cake mix (any variety)
2 Tbsp brown sugar
1/3 C oil
2 eggs
2 Tbsp water

1 (10 oz) bag Nestle dark chocolate and mint morsels

Mix cake mix, eggs, oil, and water until soft dough forms

Fold in morsels. Drop by spoonful onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes.

Carrot Cookies with Orange Glaze

These are the cookies I brought to the cookie exchange. I decided to try a new recipe. I thought they were just so-so.

This recipe came from The Daily Dish blog.

Batter:

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

3/4 cup sugar

1 1/2 cups shredded carrots (about 3 medium carrots)

1 egg, beaten

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2 teaspoons baking powder

2 cups flour

Icing:

1 cup powdered sugar

grated zest of one orange

2 T freshly squeezed orange juice

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a mixing bowl, beat together the butter and sugar. Add the shredded carrot, egg and vanilla and mix well. Sift in the baking soda and flour and stir until combined.

Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 10 minutes. Remove from oven and let rest for a minute on the cookie sheet. Remove to a wire rack to cool completely.

To make the icing, measure the powdered sugar into a small mixing bowl. Add zest and juice and stir until a glaze consistency. Spread, drizzle or pipe onto cooled cookies.

Molasses Cookies

As most of you know my mom died in December. She went in the hospital 7 years ago today and never came back home. I wanted to do something in her memory so I baked one of her most favorite cookies. She would have loved to have shared them with you. I wish you all could have known here. She was a pretty special person.

Molasses Cookies

Beat together well:
1 1/2 cups Vegetable Oil
1/2 cup molasses
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs

Here's a hint I think I learned from Martha Stewart - spray your measuring cup with PAM before you measure the molasses and it will slide right out.

Add:
4 cups flour
1 teaspoon cloves
1 teaspoon ginger
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons cinnamon
4 teaspoons baking soda

Roll into balls and drop into some granulated sugar. Place approximately 2 inches apart on cookie sheet and bake in a 375 degree oven until cookies have definite cracks and the edges aren't burnt. 6-7 minutes.

Cookies People... We need the Cookie recipes

Everyone in the cookie swap please post your cookie recipes.  They were all delicious and it seems I need to make them all to satisfy my husband's poor little sob story and how he didn't get any.
I'll start with my recipe:

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookie Treats

Cookies-
1 pouch betty crocker peanut butter cookie mix
3 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tbsp water
1 egg
Coating-
1 cup semisweet choco. chips
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1/4 cup peanut butter
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

1. Heat oven to 375.  In large bowl stir cookie mix, oil, water and egg until soft dough forms (or you can use your own peanut butter cookie recipe and make the dough from scratch)
2. Shape dough into 1 inch balls.  On ungreased cookie sheets, place balls 2 inches apart.
3. Bake 8-9 minutes or until edges are light golden brown.  Cool 2 min.  Remove from cookie sheets to cooling racks.  Cool completely, about 15 min.
4. In small microwavable bowl, melt choco. chips, butter, and peanut butter uncovered on high 1 min. to 1 min 30 seconds; stir until smooth.  Stir in vanilla.
5. Frost the cooled cookies with the chocolate frosting and then immediately place the cookie in a bowl of the powdered sugar and toss around to coat (or you could do this in a ziploc bag and shake it around).
6. Repeat until all cookies are frosted and then coated in powdered sugar.  Right before serving I always top each cookie with a little more sugar because it tends to be absorbed by the chocolate rather quickly.

White Chicken Chili with Tomato Garnish

A friend from High School posted this recipe to her blog. Now, before I list the ingredients and directions I need to put on record that I am a picky eater. One of the things I do not like is uncooked tomatoes. I also have never been a fan of white chili, mainly because I don't like white beans. My husband is not a picky eater, but he has never liked white chili and was skeptical and slightly disappointed when I told him that this dish was on the menu. With that said, we both LOVED this chili. After this picture was taken, we both crushed up some tortilla chips and added it in. YUM.

Jean's White Chili with Tomato Garnish

Soup:

3 cans white navy beans, drained and rinsed

1 white onion, diced

6 cups chicken broth

4 cups chicken breast, cooked and cubed

7 oz can diced green chiles

4 tsp cumin

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

2 tsp dried oregano

1 cup sour cream

3 cups Monterey Jack cheese, shredded

In a large pot, slightly saute onion until tender. Add beans and broth. Cook until onions and beans are tender. Add chicken, chiles, and seasonings; continue to simmer until the sauce is thickened. (Approx. 30 min. - 1 hour). Take the pot off the heat and add the sour cream and cheese. Stir until the cheese melts. Serve with tomato garnish.

Garnish: (there are no measurements, it's to your taste.)

tomatoes, chopped

cilantro, chopped

sweet and sour dressing

Sweet and Sour Dressing:

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

juice from 1 lemon

1 tsp dried onion powder

1 tsp salt

1 tsp paprika

1/3 cup vegetable oil

2 tsp celery seed (optional, and I opted not to use it)

In a small saucepan, combine the sugar and vinegar and bring to a boil, stirring until sugar is dissolved. In a dressing container, combine lemon juice and seasonings. Add vinegar mixture and then add oil. shake to combine. Dressing will keep up to a week n the refrigerator. Add only enough to coat the tomatoes and cilantro.

Lettuce Wraps

I have a chopper that I use to chop up my veggies. You will need 3 mushrooms, I use 1/2 of the medium bag of carrots, 3 celery stocks, and 2 cans of water chestnuts.

You will need 1 can of chicken broth to a pot. Add celery, water chestnuts, carrots and mushrooms. Cover and simmer for about 20 minutes or until most of the broth is gone.

Meanwhile cook 2 breasts of chicken and then dice. Also make your 2 cups of rice. Once your chicken, rice and veggies are done. Combine them together. Add Soy Sauce and Peanut Sauce to taste. The peanut sauce is spicy so depending on your level of spiciness.

Spicy Buffalo Chicken Wings

1/2 Cup butter

1/2 Cup Louisiana Hot Sauce

2 pkg Dry Italian Dressing

2 TBSP Lemon juice

4 lb bag of chicken wings and thighs

I like my wings to be extra crispy. I just deep fried my wings one time and when I bit into it. It was still raw. It totally grossed me out so I bake my chicken on a cookie sheet at 400 degrees until they are a light brown. Then I deep fry them to get the crispiness. Add the ingredients above in a sauce pan on low heat. Dip chicken in sauce. I usually let it sit in the sauce for about 5 minutes then put them on a plate to eat.

Food Network

I think most of us are aware of The Pioneer Woman. If you aren't, you need to check her out, you will be a big fan in no time.

I was reading her blog today and was so excited to see that she's doing an episode of Throwdown with Bobby Flay. I'm mostly just excited to see her ranch and the Lodge where she cooks and entertains. Just a heads up for those of you who are interested. You can read her blog post here.

Wednesday, November 17th at 9PM (8 central).

Oh why don't I have cable? Will someone please DVR it for me?

Creamy Ham and Potato Soup

3 1/2 Cups peeled and diced potatoes

1/3 Cup diced celery

1/3 Cup finely chopped onion

1/2 Cup diced carrots

1 Cup diced cooked ham

3 1/4 Cup chicken broth

1/2 Teaspoon salt

1 Teaspoon pepper

5 Tablespoon butter

5 Tablespoon flour

2 Cups milk

Combine all the vegetables (I actually put in a little bit more of the veggies than what was called) ham and broth in a stockpot (because I added a little more veggies, I also added a little water to the stockpot.) Bring to a boil and cook over med heat until potatoes are tender (about 10-15 min.)

In a separate saucepan, melt butter. Whisk in flour with a fork, and cook, stirring constantly until thick. Slowly add in milk so lumps don't form. Continue stirring over med-low heat until thick, 4-5 minutes.

Stir in milk mixture to stock pot, cook until heated through.

Top with shredded cheese, green onion, and bacon, if desired.

Menu Planning

I already sent out an email to some of you, but since I don't have everyone's email I thought I would post on here as well.

I saw this great menu calendar craft online and in my attempt to find a clear acrylic 12x12 calendar sheet found the best deal at oriental trading which means I now have 16 sheets. I only need a few, but I bought them anyway. If any of you are interested in making one or want some sheets for your own projects, let me know (it works out to $0.75 apiece). I'll also be purchasing the magnetic paint - enough for about 20 frames - so if you want to paint your frame at my house we can split the cost of that, too.

Pumpkin Doughnut Muffins

Kristen asked me to post this recipe, so here you go, dear friend! :) I saw the recipe on The Picky Apple and knew I had to try it. They are quite yummy and I'm always willing to try a new way to bake pumpkin. Next time I make them I will bake them in a mini-muffin pan so that they are more like doughnut holes. Mmmm.

Pumpkin Doughnut Muffins

from Everyday Food, November 2010

Makes 12

For the Batter:

• 10 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for pan
• 3 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled), plus more for pan
• 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon coarse salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice (I didn't have any on hand, so I used pumpkin pie spice in place of the nutmeg and allspice)
  
• 1/3 cup buttermilk
• 1 1/4 cups pure pumpkin puree
• 3/4 cup light-brown sugar (I only had dark-brown and it turned out fine)
  
• 2 large eggs

For the Sugar Coating:

• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 2 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour 12 standard muffin cups. Make batter. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, nutmeg, and allspice. In a small bowl, whisk together buttermilk and pumpkin puree. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time, scraping down bowl as needed. With mixer on low, add flour mixture in three additions, alternating with two additions pumpkin mixture and beat to combine.

Spoon 1/3 cup batter into each muffin cup and bake until a toothpick inserted in center of a muffin comes out clean, 30 minutes. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine granulated sugar and cinnamon. Let muffins cool 10 minutes in pan on a wire rack. Working with one at a time, remove muffins from pan, brush all over with butter, then toss to coat in sugar mixture. Let muffins cool completely on a wire rack.

Pineapple Enchiladas

(the innards- look at the lovely colors!!)

Pineapple Enchiladas

2 teaspoons olive oil

1 large yellow onion, chopped

1 medium red bell pepper, chopped

1 (20-ounce) can pineapple, drained (save juice)

1/3 cup pineapple juice (reserved)

1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained

1 (4 1/2-ounce) can chopped green chilies

1 teaspoon salt

1 t. cumin

1 t. chili powder

1 t. garlic powder

1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

3 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided

1 (10-ounce) can green enchilada sauce

8 flour tortillas (8 or 9 in) 1 cup cooked chicken, chopped (optional)

Heat oil in a large skillet. Add onion and bell pepper, cook 4 to 5 minutes or until softened. Stir in pineapple, beans, chilies, and spices. (Add chicken.) Cook and stir until thoroughly heated. Remove from heat and stir in cilantro. Spread a thin layer of enchilada sauce on the bottom of the 9x13 pan. Spread 1 tablespoon enchilada sauce on each tortilla, then spoon about ¾ cup vegetable/meat mixture and cheese on each. Roll up tortillas and place in baking dish. Mix reserved pineapple juice and remaining enchilada sauce and pour over enchiladas. Sprinkle with remaining 1 cup cheese. Bake tightly covered for 30 minutes, then remove foil and bake for 5-10 more minutes, until cheese is melted and sauce is bubbly. Top each enchilada with a dallop of sour cream and a sprinkling of fresh chopped cilantro. *VEGETARIAN OPTION: Omit chicken and add another can of black beans instead.

Broccoli Cheese Soup

If we were giving prizes away at Fabulous Friday I think this soup would have been a blue ribbon winner for sure. I'm pretty sure I saw people licking their bowls and weeping over the empty crockpot. :)

Thanks Alyssa for sharing this yummy recipe with us.

Cheesy Cream of Vegetable Soup

2 cups diced potatoes
1 cup diced onion
1 cup diced carrots
1 cup diced celery (I replaced with broccoli)
6 teaspoons or cubes of chicken bouillon
Simmer above to semi-soft.

1/4 cup butter
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon powdered mustard
3 Tablespoons flour
2 cups milk

Do not drain vegetables. Add the white sauce to cooked vegetables. Add 2 1/2 cups grated cheddar cheese. Heat together but do not boil.

Thai Peanut Chicken

I first tried this dish at my sister's house and FELL. IN. LOVE. I crave it often. It is not for people watching their waistline, but if you ever give yourself a "free day", I suggest you make this.

Thai Peanut Chicken

Dressing
1 1/4 cup sugar
2 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
1/2 cup oil (I use olive, but any will do)
1/3 cup + 2 tbsp rice vinegar
1/8 cup soy sauce

Chicken
1 lb chicken, cubed
3/4 cup carrots
3/4 cup onion, diced
2 tbsp honey
2 tbsp peanut butter
8 oz angel hair pasta
crushed red pepper flakes, to taste

Garnishments- optional
Peanuts
Lime
Cilantro

Directions:
Mix ingredients for dressing. Use 1/4 cup to marinate the chicken and marinate 3 hours.

Cook chicken. Drain of excess liquid and brown the meat. Cook vegetables until tender. Add to chicken. Add honey, peanut butter and red pepper flakes to remaining dressing. Cook Pasta. Mix everything together. Garnish with cilantro and peanuts as well as squeeze lime juice over the dish, if desired.

Sausage Soup

Here's another soup recipe from Fabulous Friday. This one comes from Teresa Throop.

Sausage Soup

3-4 large potatoes
4 -6 tsp. chicken bouillon
4-6 cups water
1 lb. sausage
2 cups chopped kale
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup crumbled bacon (about 8-10 slices) *
Salt to taste

Cube potatoes and place in sauce pan. Cover with enough water to boil, about 4-6 cups and add chicken bouillon. While potatoes are boiling, brown sausage and bacon. When potatoes are tender, add sausage, bacon and kale to sauce pan. Boil for 2 minutes and then add cream and salt if desired.

*I use Hormel real bacon bits for ease.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

{I got this yummy soup recipe from Jacque Edwards and made it for the Fabulous Friday soup assortment.}

1 small onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 4oz. can chopped green chilies, undrained
2 cans chicken broth (You can use bouillion and make your own broth)
1 can beef broth
2 cans cream of chicken soup, undiluted
1-1 1/2 lbs. cooked chicken (cubed or shredded)
1 cup water
2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. chili powder

Toppings on the side: avocados, shredded cheese, tortilla strips, and cilantro.

Saute onion and garlic in hot oil in a large sauce pan. Add remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes.

Porcupine Meatballs

This is a family favorite that my mom made when I was younger. I now make it all the time for my own family!

1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef (although, I always use ground turkey.)
2/3 cup rice
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
1 teaspoon seasoned salt
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon pepper
15 ounce tomato soup
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

Mix ground meat with rice, water, onion, seasoned salt, garlic powder, and pepper. Shape into 1 1/2 inch balls.

Place meatballs in ungreased baking dish. Mix soup and Worcestershire sauce and pour over meatballs. Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Uncover and bake for 15 more minutes.


*When I don't have enough time, I will use my electric frying pan to cook them. I brown the meatballs first then add the sauce and cover. Once I have added the sauce, it usually only takes about 20-30 minutes. Cook covered until the meat is cook all the way through!

Cornmeal Crusted Chicken with Peach Salsa

My parents visited recently and left behind a few peaches. And, to be honest, I've been wanting to actually cook lately instead of just thawing a frozen meal or throwing stuff into the crock pot. This meal was quick and easy to make and tasted yummy. The recipe is from Betty Crocker

Cornmeal Crusted Chicken with Peach Salsa

Salsa-
5 medium peaches, peeled and chopped (3 cups)
1 large tomato, chopped (1 cup)
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
3 tbsp vegetable oil
2 tbsp white vinegar
1/4 tsp salt

Chicken-
1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1 1/4 lb)
2 tbsp vegetable oil

In large bowl, mix all salsa ingredients. Cover and refrigerate until serving time. In shallow dish, mix cornmeal, salt and pepper. Coat chicken with cornmeal mixture. In 10-inch skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Cook chicken in oil 15-20 minutes, turning once, until juice is clear when center of thickest part is cut. Serve with salsa.

Taco Soup

Here is the soup I made for our Fabulous Friday. This is Tammy Thompson's recipe, but I have tweaked it a little bit.

1 lb ground beef
chopped onion
2 cans petite diced tomatoes
1 can kidney beans undrained
1 can corn undrained
1 cup salsa (I use Pace Chunky Salsa, Medium)
1 packet taco seasoning

Brown ground beef with onion. Drain. Add remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil. Ladle into bowl. Top with cheddar cheese and sour cream. Serve with tortilla chips.

I put mine in a crockpot and cooked on high for about 2 hours.

Dream Cake

• Prepare one white cake mix according to directions on box.



• Combine 1 cup powdered sugar, 8 oz softened cream cheese, and 8 oz thawed cool whip.



• Spread cream cheese mixture over cooled cake.



• Combine one container strawberry glaze and sliced strawberries, fresh or thawed. Spread over white layer. (I spread the glaze first then covered it with the sliced strawberries.)



• Refrigerate at least 2 hours before serving.

Ranch Chicken

This is one of my favorite chicken recipes. So easy and yummy!

3/4 c. cornflakes, crushed

3/4 c. Parmesean cheese, grated

1 pkg. ranch salad dressing mix

4-6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut in half

1/2 c. butter or margarine, melted

In a shallow bowl (I use a pie tin) combine the crushed cornflakes, Parmesean cheese, and salad dressing mix. Dip chicken in butter, then roll in cornflake mixture to coat. Place chicken in 9x13 baking dish. Bake uncovered at 35o for 45 minutes or until chicken juice runs clear.

Chicken Zucchini Casserole

Sometimes I have way too much zucchini, and I don't have any idea what to do with it all. I stumbled across this recipe & thought I'd share. It's really yummy!

Chicken Zucchini Casserole

6 C. chopped zucchini/summer squash

1 chopped onion

1 C. chopped carrots

1 16oz. container sour cream

1 can Cream of Chicken soup

1 C. Shredded cheddar cheese

4 C. cooked chicken cubes (3-4 chicken breasts, or I just buy a whole rotisserie chicken & shred it.)

1 6oz. pkg Stuffing

1/2 C. melted butter

salt & pepper

Put zucchini, carrots, and onions in a large pot. Cover with water and add 1 tsp. salt. Bring to a boil and boil for 5 min. Drain. Put vegetables back into pot. Add sour cream, soup, cheese and chicken and stir until combined. In a separate bowl, stir together the stuffing & butter. In a 9 x 13 pan spread 1/2 the stuffing mixture. Pour on the zucchini mixture. Top with the other 1/2 of the stuffing mix. Sprinkle w/ salt & pepper. Cover with foil and bake at 325 for 1 hour. (Take foil off for the last 15 minutes.)

Posole Mexican Lasagna (Rachael Ray)

Jeremy told me there was no way I would be able to take a really appetizing photo of this dish. He was right, but I have to say my picture isn't any more or less appetizing than the one on Food Network's website....Regardless, this dish is AH-MAZING.

Rachael Ray's Posole Mexican Lasagna

Ingredients


•2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

•2 pounds ground pork

•1 tablespoon ground cumin

•1 tablespoon ground coriander

•Salt and freshly ground black pepper

•1 (15-ounce) can hominy

•1 large red onion, chopped

•4 cloves garlic, grated or chopped

•2 jalapeno or serrano peppers, chopped

•12 large tomatillos (14 to 16 if small), peeled and coarsely chopped

•A handful cilantro or parsley leaves

•3 avocados

•2 limes

•2 tablespoons honey

•1 package large flour tortillas

•1 pound pepper Jack cheese, shredded

•Sour cream, to pass at table

Directions

Place rack in oven in middle of oven and heat broiler or place oven on 400 degrees F.





Heat 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, a turn of the pan, in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add pork and crumble up as it browns. While pork browns, season the meat with cumin, coriander and salt and pepper. Once browned evenly, stir in hominy and reduce heat to simmer.





While meat cooks heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a sauce pot, add onions, garlic and peppers, season with salt and pepper and saute until softened 5 to 6 minutes. Place tomatillos and cilantro or parsley in food processor and process until almost smooth. Pour into onion and garlic mixture and simmer to mellow, 5 to 6 minutes more. Replace the processor bowl. Pit and scoop the avocado flesh into the processor, add the lime zest and juice. Add the honey, puree until smooth and season with a little salt. Stir the avocado mixture into the green sauce and remove from heat.





Char all of the tortillas over an open flame or in dry hot skillet.





In a baking dish layer sauce, tortilla, meat, cheese, tortilla, sauce, meat, cheese, etc. End with a layer of tortilla, sauce and finally cheese. Place baking dish in the oven and bake for 4 to 5 minutes until bubbly and cheese is brown. Pass sour cream at the table.

Easy Eclair Squares

This is one of my most favorite desserts!

1 pkg. (3.4 oz.) JELL-O Vanilla Flavor Instant Pudding
2 cups cold milk, divided
1 tub (8 oz.) Cool Whip, thawed
22 graham crakers
4 squares BAKER'S Unsweetened Chocolate
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter or margarine
1-1/2 cups Powdered sugar

BEAT pudding mix and 1-3/4 cups milk in large bowl with whisk for 2 min. Stir in Cool Whip. Layer about 1/3 of the grahams and half the Cool Whip mixture in 13x9-inch pan, breaking grahams as necessary to fit; repeat layers. Top with remaining grahams.

MICROWAVE chocolate and butter in medium microwaveable bowl on high 1-1/2 min., stirring after 1 min. Stir until chocolate is completely melted. Add sugar and remaining milk; stir until well blended. Immediately spread over grahams.

REFRIGERATE 4 hours.

Burrito Bake

1 1b ground beef (I usually use ground turkey)
1 small onion, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
1 pkg. taco seasoning
1 1/4 cup water
1 cup Bisquick
1 (16 oz) can refried beans
1 cup salsa
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Brown ground beef, onion, and pepper together. Drain and rinse well. Add taco seasoning and 1 cup of water. Simmer 2o minutes. Combine Bisquick, 1/4 cup water and refried beans. Mix well and spread bean mixture on bottom of 9x13 baking dish. Next, spread ground beef mixture, salsa, and then cheese. Bake at 400 degrees for 25-30 minutes. Cut into squares and top with lettuce, olives, tomatoes, and sour cream.

Wendy's Chili

We love Wendy's chili and this recipe is close the real thing!

2 lb. Ground Beef, Browned
1-29 oz. Tomato Sauce
1 29- oz. Can Kidney Beans, Rinsed and Drained
1-29 oz. Can Pinto Beans, Rinsed and Drained
1 C. Onion Diced
1 C. Diced Celery
1 Can Diced Green Chilies
3 Medium Tomatoes (I used a 29 oz can of diced tomatoes)
1 Tsp. Cumin
2 TBSP. Chili Powder
1 1/2 tsp. Pepper
2 tsp. Salt
2 C. Water

Add all ingredients into crock pot. Simmer for a a few hours, or until celery is tender. Serve with grated cheese and tortilla chips.

Red and White Mostaccioli

This is a Food Nanny recipe that she made on Good Things Utah last week. It's SO easy, and really yummy.

•1 pound uncooked mostaccioli or other tubular pasta
•Alfredo Sauce
•1 (26-ounce) jar meatless spaghetti sauce
•or 3 cups homemade sauce, divided
•3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided


1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Cook the pasta according to package directions; drain
3. Spread a thin layer of spaghetti sauce in a 9 x 13-inch baking dish. Layer
half the pasta, half the Alfredo sauce, half the spaghetti sauce, and
11/2 cups of the cheese. Repeat the layering with the remaining pasta,
Alfredo sauce, spaghetti sauce, and cheese.
4. Cover with aluminum foil and bake about 30 minutes or until it is hot and
bubbly.

**I used Classico brand Light Alfredo sauce (in a jar). It was delish!

Carmelitas

I hope, hope, hope that Heidi Cole doesn't get mad at me for sharing this recipe. It's in her Cole family cookbook she lent to me. I'm just telling you now, DON'T make these. They are of the devil. Well, OK, make them, cut yourself a 1/4 inch square and quickly give the rest away to unsuspecting neighbors. They are like crack I tell you. Crack!

Carmelitas - Heidi Cole

1 jar Mrs. Richardson's Butterscotch Caramel sauce (or other caramel topping)
1 tablespoon flour
2 cups flour
2 cups oatmeal
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
1 teaspoon soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups softened butter
2 cups chocolate chips - The recipe call for semi sweet. I used milk chocolate.

Seriously! Look at those ingredients. How could you possible go wrong with Mrs. Richardson's sauce and 3 sticks of butter!

Mix together caramel sauce and flour, set aside. Combine all other ingredients, except chocolate chips. Press half of this mixture in the bottom of a 9x13 inch pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. Remove from oven; sprinkle with chocolate chips then pour caramel mixture over the chips and sprinkle the other half of the dough mixture on the caramel. Bake 15 to 20 minutes at 350 degrees. Cool 1 to 2 hours and cut into bars.

We let ours sit overnight. Well, ok I snuck one around 10PM. Then again at 8AM and I think they are even better the next day. Also, don't go looking at Walmart for Mrs. Richardson's. They don't carry it.

Really - don't make these!

I have used many of your recipes and now it is my turn. This is a quick and easy one dish meal that we love.

Baked Chicken Fajitas

1 pound chicken breasts, cut into thin strips

1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes with green chilies, drained

1 medium onion, cut into thin strips

1 medium green pepper, cut into thin strips

1 medium red pepper, cut into thin strips

2 Tablespoons canola oil

2 teaspoons chili powder

2 teaspoons cumin

¼ teaspoon salt

Flour tortillas, warmed

In a 9 x 13 baking dish coated with cooking spray, combine the chicken , tomatoes, onion and peppers.
Combine the oil, chili powder, cumin and salt. Drizzle over chicken mixture, toss to coat.
Bake, uncovered, at 400° for 20 – 25 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink and vegetables are tender. Serve with tortillas. Serves about 6

This is what it looks like before the oven...........This is what it looks like after.

I rarely follow a recipe exactly so I changed this up a little. I used tomatoes and a jalapeno pepper from my garden to replace the canned tomatoes. I also I didn't have a ripe red pepper so used green ones, also from my garden. I like to add garlic to everything to that was added in too. We serve these with some sour cream and grated cheese (everything is better with cheese, right?) chips and salsa Enjoy!

Orange Chicken

ORANGE CHICKEN

12 CHICKEN TENDERS
3 EGGS, BEATEN
½ C. CORN STARCH
½ C. FLOUR
GARLIC SALT (SPRINKLE)

¼ C. CHICKEN BROTH
½ C. VINEGAR
¾ C. SUGAR
1 TBSP. SOY SAUCE
4 TBSP. KETCHUP

DIP CHICKEN IN EGGS THEN CORN STARCH, FLOUR AND GARLIC SALT MIXTURE AND FRY IN HOT OIL. PUT FRIED CHICKEN IN A BAKING DISH.

BOIL BROTH, VINEGAR, SOY SAUCE, AND KETCHUP. POUR OVER CHICKEN. BAKE AT 350 DEGREES FOR 45 MIN.- 1 HOUR. SERVE OVER RICE

BBQ Meatballs

I have had this recipe for years. I got it off Good Things Utah. I seem to forget about it and everytime I make it again I am reminded how much I like it. It has simple ingredients that are always on hand, the meatballs are really tender and the sauce is really good.

Barbecued Meatballs

1 egg lightly beaten

1 (5 oz) can evaporated milk

1 cup quick-cooking oats

1/2 cup finely chopped onion

1 tsp salt

1 tsp chili powder

1/4 tsp pepper

1 1/2 lbs. ground beef

In a bowl, combine all ingredients except beef. After ingredients are mixed well, crumble beef over mixture and mix. Shape into 1 inch balls. Place in a greased 9 x 13 pan. Bake uncovered at 350 for about 20 minutes. Remove from oven.

Sauce:

1 cup ketchup

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

1/4 tsp garlic powder

Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Pour over meatballs. Bake in oven at 350 12 minutes.

Serve over rice.

Chops and Bean

I got this recipe a few years ago from Good Things Utah. It is yummy and it's a crockpot meal. Got to love those!

Chops and Beans

Two 1lb. cans pork and beans
1/2 cup ketchup
2 slices of bacon, browned and crumbled
1/2 cup chopped onions, sauteed
1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
4-6 pork chops
2 teaspoons prepared mustard
1 Tablespoon brown sugar
1/4 cup ketchup
One lemon

1. Combine beans, 1/2 cup ketchup, bacon, onions, Worcestershire sauce and 1/4 cup brown sugar in slow cooker.

2. Brown chops in skillet. In separate bowl mix together 2 teaspoons mustard, 1 Tablespoon brown sugar and 1/4 cup ketchup. Brush each chop with sauce then carefully stack into slow cooker, placing a slice of lemon on each chop. Submerge in bean/bacon mixture.

3. Cover. Cook on low 4-6 hours.

I put the lemon on the chops the first time I made it. It was a very prominent taste in the final dish. I haven't put the lemon on the other times I have made it.

Thick and Chewy Chocolate Chip Bars

Why is it that I only am in the mood to bake when it is 100 degrees outside? I needed a chocolate fix and so I decided to try a recipe I found on My Kitchen Cafe.

Makes a 9x13 inch pan of bars

2 1/8 cups all purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) butter, melted and slightly cooled

1 cup light brown sugar

1/2 cup sugar

1 large egg

1 large egg yolk

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 cups chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Line a 9x13 inch pan with foil leaving a little hanging over the edges for easy removal. Spray foil with cooking spray.

Mix flour, salt and baking soda in a medium bowl and set aside. Whisk the melted butter and sugars together. Add eggs and vanilla and mix well. Add dry ingredients and fold in until just blended. Don't overmix. Fold in the chocolate chips and place in pan using a spatula to smooth out the top. **I, Kristen, found that it was a very thick batter. Don't be alarmed. It's ok.**

Bake until the top of the bars are light golden brown, slightly firm to the touch, and edges start to pull away from the pan. The recipe says about 24-28 minutes but I had to cook mine for about 33. I checked at 24 minutes and again at 29 minutes and then they were good to go at 33. Keep an eye on them. Cool completely and remove from pan.

These are oh so good and oh so rich. They have that slightly undercooked texture to them that I love so much because it's like eating raw cookie dough. My family gave it rave reviews as well.

Spaghetti Carbonara

I have so many versions of this in my recipes and I've never tried it. It wasn't until reading "Garlic and Sapphires" by Ruth Reichl (a food critic) that I found an easy enticing recipe that I had all the ingredients for. I didn't get a picture because my family ate it up SO fast. Proof that it was so YUMMY!!

1 pound spaghetti

1/2 lb thickly sliced bacon

2 cloves garlic

2 large eggs

Black pepper

1/3 cup grated Parmigiano cheese, plus extra for the table (I used much more than this because I love cheese)

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. When it is boiling, throw the spaghetti in. Most dried takes 10 min. to cook, and you can make the sauce in that time.

Cut the bacon into pieces about 1/2 inch wide. Put them in a skillet and cook for 2 min., until fat begins to render. Add the whole cloves of garlic and cook another 5 min. until edges begin to crisp. Do not overcook.

Meanwhile, break the eggs into the bowl you will serve the pasta in, and beat them with a fork. Add some grindings of pepper.

Remove the garlic from the bacon pan. If it looks like too much fat to you, discard some, but you're going to toss the bacon with most of its fat into the pasta.

When it is cooked, drain the pasta and immediately throw it into the beaten eggs. Mix thoroughly. The heat of the spaghetti will cook the eggs and turn them into a sauce. Add the bacon with its fat, toss again, add cheese and serve.

I threw on fresh diced tomatoes on top because I just love them.

Best Pancakes Ever!

My mom made these pancakes at our family reunion, and we all agreed they were the best homemade pancakes ever, plus you can freeze the mix and use all month long!

Makes about 6 cups of mix, enough for 3 batches of 8 pancakes each.

Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups cake flour
1 cup non-fat milk powder
3/4 cup malted milk powder
1/3 cup sugar
2 tablespoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon salt
12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter , cut into 1/2 -inch pieces

Instructions
•Process all ingredients in food processor until no lumps remain and mixture is texture of wet sand, about 2 minutes. Freeze in airtight container for up to 2 months.

•To make 8 pancakes: Whisk 2 cups mix, 2 lightly beaten large eggs, and ½ cup buttermilk in large bowl until smooth. Pour ¼-cup portions of pancake batter onto lightly oiled large nonstick skillet or griddle and cook over medium-low heat until golden brown, about 2 minutes per side.

Repeat with remaining batter as desired. Serve. (If you don’t have buttermilk, make clabbered milk by whisking ½ tablespoon white vinegar or lemon juice into ½ cup whole or low-fat milk and letting the mixture thicken for 10 minutes.)

Glazed Chicken with Apple Salad

This is another Pampered Chef recipe, but no fancy tools or exclusive spices are needed. I LOVED this. And, in fact, I'm craving it. Good thing I have all the stuff at home to make it again. The salad by itself is divine and would work well with any dish. The salad has a coleslaw-ish factor, so I also might add some shredded cabbage the next time I make it.


Glazed Chicken with Apple Salad

Dressing and Apple Salad Ingredients:
2 tbsp cider vinegar
2 tbsp apple jelly (I had no trouble finding this at wal-mart, but you can also use apricot preserves)
1/3 cup reduced-fat mayonnaise (I used fat free)
1 Granny Smith apple
1 red apple such as Jonathan, McIntosh or Gala (I used Gala)
1/2 cup lightly packed watercress, plus additional for serving (I would double this in the future)

Chicken and Glaze Ingredients:
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (I had tenders on hand, so that's what I used)
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp coarsely ground black pepper
1 tsp prepared stone-ground mustard
1 tbsp brown sugar

Directions:
For dressing, mix together vinegar, jelly and mayonnaise; set aside. For salad, slice apples into julienne strips. Remove leaves from watercress stems (discard stems); coarsely chop watercress leaves. Combine apples and watercress in medium bowl; set aside.

For chicken, heat a grill pan over medium-high heat 5 minutes. Meanwhile, flatten chicken to an even thickness with a mallet or meat tenderizer. Brush with oil and season with salt and pepper. Cook chicken 4-6 minutes or until grill marks appear. Turn chicken over; cook 4-6 minutes or until center of chicken is no longer pink.

While chicken is cooking, prepare glaze. Combine jelly, mustard and brown sugar in small bowl. Brush chicken with glaze during the last minute of cooking.

To serve, arrange additional watercress on serving plates, if desired. Pour dressing over salad just before serving; toss to coat. Top watercress with salad and chicken.

Serves 4

Nutritional info:
Calories 280, total fat 7g, saturated fat 1.5g, cholesterol 65mg, carbohydrate 28g, protein 26g, sodium 560mg, fiber 1g.

Diabetic exchanges per serving:
2 fruit, 4 low-fat meat (2 carb)