Ingredients: 4 boneless chicken breasts (1 lb), 4 garlic cloves- minced, 4 T brown sugar, and 3 t olive oil.
Preheat oven to 500 and grease a baking dish. Saute garlic with oil til tender. Remove from heat and stir in brown sugar. Place chicken breasts in prepared dish and cover with garlic and brown sugar mixture. Add salt and pepper to taste. Bake 15 - 30 minutes.
Lima Bean Dip
Kosher salt
1 10 oz box frozen lima beans
2 cloves garlic
1/4 cup loosely packed fresh parsley
grated zest and juice of 1/2 lemon
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 slices bacon cooked and crumbled (I just got the already cooked kind - easier)
1. Bring saucepan of salted water to a boil. Add the lima beans and garlic and simmer until tender, 18 to 20 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold water to cool slightly (the beans should be warm but not hot).
2. Pulse the lima beans, garlic, parsley, lemon zest, lemon juice and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt in a food processor (I used my magic bullet) until just combined. With the motor running, pour in the olive oil and process until incorporated but still slightly chunky. Transfer to a bowl and top with bacon. Serve warm or at room temperature with pita chips and/or veggie sticks.
Turkey and Vegetable Chow Fun
I didn't have any ground turkey so I substituted ground beef, and I couldn't find Japanese eggplant at the store so I left that out. It was quite yummy! Here is the recipe:
12oz fettuccine
2 t toasted sesame oil
1/4 C oyster sauce
2T rice vinegar (not seasoned)
3 T vegetable oil
1 small japanese eggplant sliced into rounds
4 oz mixed mushrooms cut into pieces (about 1 cup)
2 cloves of garlic chopped (I used 3)
3/4 lb ground turkey (I used 1 lb of ground beef)
1 bunch of scallions, sliced
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, roughly chopped (i left this out figuring it would be too much green for my kids)
Sriracha or other Asian chile sauce for serving (optional - I used a chile garlic sauce that was DELICIOUS and you can find it in the Asian section of grocery store)
Bring pot of salted water to boil. Add the noodles and cook as labeled. Reserve 1 1/4 C of cooking water, and then drain and rinse the noodles. Transfer to large bowl and toss with 1 t sesame oil. Mix oyster sauce and vinegar in a cup and set aside.
Heat 2 T vegetable oil in large skillet over high heat. Add mushrooms and cook til wilted, 1 minute. Push veggies to one side and add the remaining 1 T vegetable oil. Add garlic and cook 30 seconds. Add turkey and stir fry until cooked through (I cooked the turkey/beef separately and then tossed it in at this stage), about 3 minutes. Stir turkey and veggies together. Add scallions and half of the oyster sauce mixture and cook 1 more minute.
Add noodles, 1 cup of the reserved cooking water and the remaining oyster sauce mixture and 1 t sesame oil. Stir fry until heated through, 1 to 2 minutes, adding more cooking water as needed to loosen. Top with cilantro and serve with Sriracha if needed.
Pancakes with a little pizzazz
What you need:
Pancake mix
2 pears, peeled and chopped
2 apples, peeled and chopped
1 t cinammon
1 T brown sugar
1/4 t salt
Prepare the pancakes as directed. Combine remaining ingredients with 1/2 cup of water and bring to boil. Cover and cook for 20 minutes. Serve warm.
Cake Balls (got it from Jane Jarrell)
What you need:
box cake mix
can of cake icing
chocolate chips (can do white)
Bake cake as instructed. While it is still warm, add 3/4 can icing, stir til moist. Scoop into balls, freeze, dip in melted chocolate (use 2 prong fork to poke from bottom and dip), place on wax paper to set up. You can totally get creative with this. Roll them in whatever you want. Add flavoring like mint or almond - have fun with it!
Vanilla Rich Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients:
3 1/4 C flour
1 t baking soda
3/4 t salt
1 1/3 c butter, softened
1 1/4 c granulated sugar
1 c firmly packed lt brown sugar
2 eggs
4 t McCormick Pure Vanilla Extract
1 pkg (12 oz) chocolate chips
Mix flour, baking soda and salt in medium bowl. Beat butter and sugars in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla and mix well. Gradually beat in flour mixture on low speed until well mixed. Stir in chocolate chips. Drop by rounded T about 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheet. Bake at 375 8 to 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Makes about 5 dozen.
Sesame Pecan Chicken Strips
Ingredients:
1/4 c dijon mustard 1/2 c finely chopped pecans
1/3 c cup peach preserves 1/4 c sesame seeds
1/2 t chopped fresh thyme 1 t paprika
Kosher salt 1 c vegetable or peanut oil
2 large egg whites 1 1/4 lbs skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into 1" wide strips
1 c breadcrumbs
Whisk the mustard, peach preserves, thyme, 1 T water and a pinch of salt in small bowl. Beat the egg whites in a large bowl until frothy. Mix the breadcrumbs, pecans, sesame seeds, paprika, and 1 t salt in medium bowl. Heat the vegetable oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Dip the chicken breasts in the egg whites and then roll in the breadcrumb mixture, pressing it to help adhere. Working in batches, cook the chicken until golden brown, about 3 minutes per side. Drain on paper towels. Serve with the peach mustard sauce.
Baby Back Ribs in Slow Cooker
This is a fantastic recipe for having company over. It is so easy and you can put it on early in the day and they will be ready whenever you are ready to eat. You will need 4 lbs of pork baby back ribs, 1 onion, and 1 can or jar of your favorite bbq sauce (I try to use a brown sugar bbq sauce).
Set oven to broil on high. Cut ribs into chunks of 3 or 4 ribs each. Put them on a cookie sheet that is lined with aluminum foil (makes for easy cleanup). Rub ribs with salt and pepper. Put in the oven on broil for 10 minutes. Cut up onion and layer bottom of slow cooker with onion. Remove ribs and layer in slow cooker on top of onion. Pour bbq sauce on top and cook on low for 6 hours. DELICIOUS!
Easy Citrus Chicken
It doesn't get any easier than this. Buy one of those packets of baja citrus seasonings from the store - usually located by the taco seasoning, etc. The directions are on the back for marinating the chicken (or whatever meat you've chosen). After marinating, place in oven at 350 degrees for degrees for 25 minutes in a glass pan lined with foil. So easy and so good.
Slow Cooker Chili
Slow Cooker Chili
This is not even close to a gourmet chili, but my husband doesn't like beans and my kids don't like spice. I found this in a Betty Crocker slow cooker cookbook and all of the recipes only have 5 ingredients. Are you ready for the easiest chili EVER? Here's what you need: 2 cans condensed tomato soup, 1 - 2 lbs of ground beef, salt, pepper, water and chili powder.
Brown the meat. Add it to the slow cooker with the tomato soup, chili powder to taste, salt and pepper to taste, and 1 cup of water. Slow cook on low for about 4 hours. THAT'S IT. If you are a gourmet cooker you are probably rolling your eyes right now, but when your kids are little they like it simple! Add some fritos and cheese on top and you are good to go!
Chili Macaroni (makes A LOT)
Ingredients:
2 lbs grd beef
1 jalapeno (seeds out & chopped)
2 garlic cloves
1 onion
chili powder - palm full
cumin - half palm full
cayenne hot sauce - just a little
1 lb pasta (of choice)
course salt - pinch
1/2 bottle beer
1 can diced tomatoes
1 lg can crushed tomatoes
green onion
Coat hot pot with extra virgin olive oil and hear ground beef. Add onion (chopped). Add jalapeno and garlic. Mix up with beef. Make sure veggies make their way to bottom. Add chili powder, cumin, hot sauce, salt and mix. Add beer, tomatoes. Let cook.
Boil pasta but not all the way. add salt to water before adding pasta (big handful). Drop pasta in sauce and mix together. Turn heat low. Garnish with green onion.
Sloppy Turkey Joes
2 T EVOO
1 1/3 lbs ground turkey
1/2 red onion
1/2 red bell pepper
1 T grill seasoning blend
2 T brown sugar
1 T Worcestershire sauce
1 C (8 oz can) tomato sauce
Hamburger buns
Brown turkey in EVOO. Chop red onion finely. Pull seeds out of red bell pepper & white part - chop. Add veggies to cooking meat & add together. In small bowl, mix seasoning blend, brown sugar, worcestershire sauce, tomate sauce. Pour sauce over meat & stir. Turn to low to simmer & cook for 10 minutes.
Brown the meat. Add it to the slow cooker with the tomato soup, chili powder to taste, salt and pepper to taste, and 1 cup of water. Slow cook on low for about 4 hours. THAT'S IT. If you are a gourmet cooker you are probably rolling your eyes right now, but when your kids are little they like it simple! Add some fritos and cheese on top and you are good to go!
Chili Macaroni (makes A LOT)
Ingredients:
2 lbs grd beef
1 jalapeno (seeds out & chopped)
2 garlic cloves
1 onion
chili powder - palm full
cumin - half palm full
cayenne hot sauce - just a little
1 lb pasta (of choice)
course salt - pinch
1/2 bottle beer
1 can diced tomatoes
1 lg can crushed tomatoes
green onion
Coat hot pot with extra virgin olive oil and hear ground beef. Add onion (chopped). Add jalapeno and garlic. Mix up with beef. Make sure veggies make their way to bottom. Add chili powder, cumin, hot sauce, salt and mix. Add beer, tomatoes. Let cook.
Boil pasta but not all the way. add salt to water before adding pasta (big handful). Drop pasta in sauce and mix together. Turn heat low. Garnish with green onion.
Sloppy Turkey Joes
2 T EVOO
1 1/3 lbs ground turkey
1/2 red onion
1/2 red bell pepper
1 T grill seasoning blend
2 T brown sugar
1 T Worcestershire sauce
1 C (8 oz can) tomato sauce
Hamburger buns
Brown turkey in EVOO. Chop red onion finely. Pull seeds out of red bell pepper & white part - chop. Add veggies to cooking meat & add together. In small bowl, mix seasoning blend, brown sugar, worcestershire sauce, tomate sauce. Pour sauce over meat & stir. Turn to low to simmer & cook for 10 minutes.
