Thank goodness for Mom!

After a long day of running around and seeing old friends, the last thing I wanted was to come home and cook or clean.  I opened the door to a housewife's dream!  Someone else had cleaned up and prepared yet another lovely dinner.  I love that we've joined forces with my parents. 

So, here is tonights dinner.  Mom made salsbury steak, steamed broccoli, and banana squash.  The kids loved it!  I don't know what the woman does with squash, but it tastes so much better than anything I make.

For dessert we had Mom's banana-date bread and Butter pecan icecream.   YUM!

I'll have her post recipes later.

Grandma Teasdale's Picnic Cake!

1 heaping Cup cut up dates
Place in a bowl

1 1/2 C boiling water (very important that it is boiling and not just hot)
1 tsp baking soda
baking soda should fizz/bubble when boiling water is poured on it.
If soda fizzed, pour over dates


1 C sugar
3/4 shortening
Cream in mixer
Add date mixture

2 eggs
Beat in
Add in:
1 1/2 Cups four
1 T cinnamon
1 T vanilla
1/4 T Salt


Mix well
Pour into greased, floured pan, sprinkle with Pecans (optional), Chocolate chips, and Brown Sugar
Bake 40 min at 350

Chicken Tamale Casserole

Chicken Tamale Casserole - from Cooking Light Magazine

Yield: 8 servings

Ingredients

• 1 cup (4 ounces) preshredded 4-cheese Mexican blend cheese, divided
• 1/3 cup fat-free milk
• 1/4 cup egg substitute
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
• 1 (14 3/4-ounce) can cream-style corn
• 1 (8.5-ounce) box corn muffin mix (such as Martha White)
• 1 (4-ounce) can chopped green chiles, drained
• Cooking spray
• 1 (10-ounce) can red enchilada sauce (such as Old El Paso)
• 2 cups shredded cooked chicken breast
• 1/2 cup fat-free sour cream

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 400°.

2. Combine 1/4 cup cheese and next 7 ingredients (through chiles) in a large bowl, stirring just until moist. Pour mixture into a 13 x 9–inch baking dish coated with cooking spray.

3. Bake at 400° for 15 minutes or until set. Pierce entire surface liberally with a fork; pour enchilada sauce over top. Top with chicken; sprinkle with remaining 3/4 cup cheese. Bake at 400° for 15 minutes or until cheese melts. Remove from oven; let stand 5 minutes. Cut into 8 pieces; top each serving with 1 tablespoon sour cream.

Nutritional Information

Calories: 354 (36% from fat)

Fat: 14.1g (sat 7.1g,mono 3.3g,poly 1.2g)

Protein: 18.9g

Carbohydrate: 36.3g

Fiber: 2.5g

Cholesterol: 58mg

Iron: 1.7mg

Sodium: 620mg

Calcium: 179mg

Easy Chicken Alfredo

Is anyone else not cooking as much the last couple of weeks? I totally haven't been. We have been eating out a lot. So back to cooking this week. And I don't know why, but every time I start cooking again after I have stopped for a little while, it always reminds me how much I enjoy cooking.

So I had bought 2 jars of Classico brand Alfredo sauce about a month or two ago and they have sat on the self in my pantry since then. So I decided I should probably do something with them so they weren't just taking up space in my pantry.

3-4 chicken breasts cut into strips

olive oil and butter for cooking chicken

salt and pepper for cooking chicken

cayenne pepper for cooking chicken

Italian seasonings for cooking chicken

1 box of spaghetti, angel hair or fettuccine pasta (I used thick spaghetti)

2 jars of Alfredo sauce

1/2 cup mozzarella cheese

Boil water for pasta. Cook pasta while cooking chicken.

Salt and pepper chicken well. Sauté chicken in olive oil and butter. Just before chicken is done sprinkle about a tsp of Italian seasonings on the chicken. And then about 1/8- 1/4 - 1/2 tsp of cayenne pepper (whatever you and you family can handle) The cayenne pepper I actually added completely by mistake. I went to grab my seasoning salt which is about the same color but more orange the reddish. Anyway, so after about 3 shakes I realized it was cayenne. Oops! I said...and then decided it wasn't a lot so I just went with it. And I'm REALLY glad I did. It added a great spice to the dish. My kids still ate it, so luckily it wasn't too much.

Then when the chicken was cooked through, I added the 2 jars of Alfredo sauce. Stirred it well to combine all the olive oil, butter and spices on the pan and chicken. Then tossed in the mozzarella, cuz it sounded good. And I LOVE cheese. Everything is better with cheese. Stirred that to combine. Then added the drained pasta. Mixed it all together and then let it sit on low covered for about 15 minutes.

Don't you just LOVE my new dark eggplant purple colored plates?? I do. Got them at Ikea for only 25$!! And it is service for 6. I'm temped to buy another set so I have service for 12. Ya know...for whenever I will have special occasion dinners in my home ;-)

Beve's Stir Fry

My Mom made this last night and it was so easy and the whole family loved it....  I forgot to take pictures.

She doesn't measure so add enough for your family to eat.

Cut up chicken breast (She used the precooked grilled chicken strips from Costco)
Stir Fry Veggies
~Fry in Skillet till cooked all the way through.
~add:
Mandarin Oranges (Whole can, juice and all)
Brown sugar (About 2 Tb)

~add
Water or chicken broth and cornstarch (about a spoonfull of cornstarch to about a cup of water or chicken broth) mix water and cornstarch together seperately with no lumps. 

~Boil till cornstarch mixture turns thick and caramel colored.
~Serve over rice

(She says she adds cayenne pepper but didn't because of the kiddos.)

Campbell's Roasted Tomato and Barley Soup

1 can (about 28 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained

2 large onions, diced (about 2 cups)

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 tablespoons olive oil

4 cups Swanson® Chicken Broth (Regular, Natural GoodnessTM or Certified Organic)

2 stalks celery, diced (about 1 cup)

1/2 cup uncooked pearl barley

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

1. Heat the oven to 425°F. Drain the tomatoes, reserving the juice. Place the tomatoes, onions and garlic into a 17 x 11-inch roasting pan. Pour the oil over the vegetables and toss to coat. Bake for 25 minutes. 2. Place the roasted vegetables into a 3-quart saucepan. Stir in the reserved tomato juice, broth, celery and barley and heat to a boil. Reduce the heat to low. Cover and cook for 35 minutes or until the barley is tender. Stir in the parsley. Serving Suggestion: Serve with multi-grain flatbread crackers and Cheddar cheese. For dessert serve with peach and blueberry crumble.

I haven't tried this one but I want to and don't want to have to look that hard for it.  LOL

A borrowed article from Saving Dinner

 Copyright (C) 2010 www.savingdinner.com Leanne Ely, CNC All rights reserved.

Food For Thought

More Fiber Please!
By Leanne Ely, C.N.C.

Dear Friends,

Boosting the intake of fiber in the diet should be tops on the list of anyone hoping to improve their nutritional profile.

Getting enough fiber in the diet will absolutely keep you regular--especially if you remember the other corresponding component to filling up with fiber--water. Think for a moment about your garbage disposal. In order to get it flushed out, you must run the water before turning on the switch. This is how you get things moving and flushed out. Your own personal waste disposal isn't much different--you need both to make things work: fiber and water.

Fiber is much more than just oat bran or whole wheat bread. There are two types of fiber: soluble and insoluble fiber--one is soluble in water and the other is not. We need both in order to function optimally.

Soluble fiber sources includes apples, oranges, oatmeal, barley, dried beans and carrots. Insoluble fiber comes from bran, brown rice, popcorn, fruit and vegetable skins, and whole grains. No need to wring your hands over which fiber is contained in which food, just keep in mind that having a well-balanced diet with an assortment of fruits, vegetables and whole grains will help you get what you need fiber-wise.

The National Cancer Institute recommends 20-35 grams of fiber daily, but most Americans only eat 7-8 grams a day! So how do you get the fiber in? A part of the solution can be as simple as changing out the white stuff for the brown stuff: out with the white bread, white rice and white flour and in with the whole wheat bread, brown rice and whole wheat flour. This will pay off in huge dividends--you cannot afford to eat the white stuff. It's like pouring white glue into your intestines. Not only are you not getting the nutrients you need from your food, but you're also slowing digestion way down and setting yourself up for constipation and other fun stuff.

So bulk up--with fiber, that is. And don't forget the water!

Love,
Leanne

Chicken Basil Roll -Ups

1 pkg Crescent Rounds (these are new to me- they roll up round like a cinnamon roll, instead of triangular)

Filling:
1 can chunk chicken, drained (you could also use leftover chicken- just shred it)
1 cup ricotta
1-2 tablespoons basil pesto
1/2 cup- 1 cup grated mozzarella

(you could also mince up a mushroom or two and add into it, or even some green onion would be good)

Unroll each roll. Carefully spread a thick layer of filling on each section. Re-roll. Place filled rounds in a glass baking dish that has been sprayed lightly with non-stick spray. They will look like filled cinnamon rolls.
Bake at 350 until crescents are slightly browned, mine took about 20-25 minutes.

The "rolls" are great as is- or you can do what I did and make an accompanying "dip", using minced black olive and finely chopped tomatoes mixed together, seasoned with a dash or two of garlic salt.

Serve with a green salad.

(NOTE: Even my kids liked this one, and that is saying something...)

Slow Cooker Chicken Stroganoff

4-6 pieces of frozen chicken

16 ounces in weight of sour cream

2 packages of onion soup mix

2 cans of cream of mushroom soup (or 1 can cream of chicken, 1 can cream of mushroom)

your choice of noodles or rice

I salt and peppered the chicken, and also added 4 tablespoons of butter.

Put the chicken into the slow cooker. In a bowl mix together all other ingredients and then pour over chicken in the slow cooker. Cook on low for 6 to 8 hours. During the last hour cook your noodles or rice. I also took the chicken out on a place and shredded it with 2 forks and added it back. Then add drained noodles or fully cooked rice to the mixture. Cook for another 30 minutes to and hour.

I forgot to take a photo, but this dish was really yummy, and obviously very easy. The hubby and kids loved it so I will for sure make it again.

I'm really into my slow cooker lately! I love the ease of it and the food is really good. Enjoy!

I need help!!

Okay, so I am starting a newer healthier diet to help shed some of this back to school bulk I have put on while in nursing school. BUT after a 12 hour shift at the hospital I really want something fast which leads to not so healthy choices.
I am trying to pull out my healthier recipes but I don't want to get bored to quickly.
Any thoughts or suggestions?

Quick & Easy From Lexi

Prosciutto wrapped melon.

This is an Italian clasic it is sweet and savory all at the same time. Simple go tot he deli at the store and ask for a few pieces of thinnly sliced prosciutto (itallian salty aged lunch meat essentially only way better). Pick out a nice ripe melon. Dice and wrap small pieces of the prociutto around. Secure in place with a tooth pick or wrap and pop directly into mouth.


Italian grilled cheese

Foccia, farmers bread, regular bread or any day old bread at the store. Slice into pieces.
Add pesto (recipe in an earlier post of mine :-) to one side as a condoment.
Add slices of mozarella cheese.
(Optional) add a fresh slice of tomato or a few sun dried tomatoes.
Place under the broiler until the bread is crispy and the cheese is melty. If you have a really goo broiler then toast the bread first then add the topings and place back in for a few more seconds to melt the cheese without burning.
Eat warm and enjoy. To make a full meal add tomato soup, or a vegetable soup.


French Mac 'n' Cheese

2 pads butter
1-2 tbl flour
1/4 cup white wine (chardonnay, sauvignon blanc, or a dry pinot grigio)
1/4 cup reduced or sodium free chicken stock
1/4 cup cream
white cheddar cheese shredded
1/4 pkg of cream cheese
optional - dash of taragon
Pasta of your choice cooked per box instructions.

Make a traditional rue in the pan, add in the wine and chicken stock and reduce down to make a nice thick syrup (add taragon here if you are using it). Add cream and stir until it coats the back of the spoon , add cheese and stir in using figure 8 motion to prevent clumps. Add in pasta and stir to coat. Serve immediatly.


Fritata

1 runded loaf of bread (easter bread/wide loaf baggette/etc)
3 eggs
1 1/2 -2 cups cream
handfull finely chopped bell peppers
handfull cooked and diced breakfast sausage
frech diced tomatoes
diced asparagus
your choice of cheese (sharp cheddar shredded, mild cream cheese broken into clumps, etc)
S&P

Cut a hole out of top of bread and gut as if you were making a bread bowl for soup.
Combine all other ingred in a bowl and mix fully.
Pour egg, veggie and cheese mixture into bread bowl.
Place in 350 degree oven and bake for 25-30 min or until eggs are cooked through and firm (but not rubbery!)

Use bread inners for a side or toss in olive oil and your favorite spices, throw into the oven on a cookie sheet and make home made croutons for a salad!


Grilled PB&J

Make your standard PB&J sandwhich. Then either place in a toaster oven or grill in a pan like a grilled cheese sandwhich. The end result is a warm toasty sandwhich that is almost as good as desert! - The kids love this one!
- You can also do with peanut butter and banana sandwhiches for the kids!

Bakerella's Cake Pops

Bakerella is famous for her cake pops and cake balls and really just about any baked good. She has some yummy and cute ideas. My family and I have fallen in love with her cake pops and balls. I prefer the pops only cuz it is less messy.

Visit Bakerella here.

Last night I made strawberry cake pops, but I have made chocolate and red velvet. Red velvet is my absolute favorite cake flavor of all time. I liked it way before it became trendy. But I love that it is trendy, because now you can find red velvet cake mix by Duncan Hines in the grocery store. Also you can find cream cheese frosting in a can too! You can pretty much use any flavor of cake mix for these. Although, I don't think lemon, spice or carrot would be a good flavors with these...but I guess ya never know ;)

Here is the recipe:

Red Velvet Cake Balls
1 box red velvet cake mix (cook as directed on box for 13 X 9 cake)
1 can cream cheese frosting (16 oz.)
1 package chocolate bark (regular or white chocolate)
wax paper

To make them pops, you just insert paper sucker sticks after they have chilled. You can get those at any craft store, and sometimes the grocery store. Also the melting chocolate can be found at the craft store too. Usually in the same section as the sucker sticks. They have a rainbow of colors. I have only tried milk chocolate and white chocolate. But I think I'll make some for Easter and get some fun pastel colors :)

1. After cake is cooked and cooled completely, crumble into large bowl.
2. Mix thoroughly with 1 can cream cheese frosting. (It may be easier to use fingers to mix together, but be warned it will get messy.) I have found that you do not need the entire can of frosting. And each cake is different. Really moist cakes need less frosting and the dryer ones need more.
3. Roll mixture into quarter size balls and lay on cookie sheet. (Should make 45-50. You can get even more if you use a mini ice cream scooper, but I like to hand roll them.)
4. Chill for several hours. (You can speed this up by putting in the freezer.)
5. Melt chocolate in microwave per directions on package.
6. Roll balls in chocolate and lay on wax paper until firm. (Use a spoon to dip and roll in chocolate and then tap off extra.) If doing pops, then just insert the sucker stick and use that to dip and roll the cake balls in the chocolate. Also, you can stick them on wax paper to dry still, but if you want them to not have flat tops then you can stick them in a foam block thingy to cool and set.

Ranch Chicken- (perfect for the Lazy cook...)

In response to Carrie's request for meals for the LAZY  COOK, I submit the following...

First take out a large Ziploc bag.
Into it dump bread crumbs (about a cup or 2) and to them add a packet of Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing.
Take Chicken Breasts (or pieces, whatever you've got) and throw them into the bag to coat them.
Throw them on a cookie sheet or baking dish and bake until chicken is cooked through.
Add a Salad or Veggies or even Rice and call it good.
Quick. Easy. Tasty.

Help!

Maybe its the weather or something in the water, but I have been so unmotivated this week.  I need menu ideas for the SUPER LAZY cook.

Do you guys have those easy and fast but the family loves it recipes?  LETS HAVE 'EM!  Please?  Last night I was so lazy we ate a big dinner roll with colby jack cubes, strawberries, salad and a veggie platter.  On paper plates.  LOL

Tuesday Night Denver Dinner Post

Quiche Lorraine & Pear/Apple Crisp

Quiche Lorraine
1 fully cooked crust (home made or store bought I used Julia Child's recipe from mastering the art of french cooking)

In a bowl combine:
3 eggs
1 1/2-2 cups heavy cream or fat free half and half
S&P
dash nutmeg (it's the wow factor in the background trust me!)
Crumbled fully cooked bacon (I used the reduced fat turkey bacon)
1-2 handfuls shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Pour into fully baked crust and cook in 375 degree oven for 25-30min or until eggs are cooked through (but soft not rubbery) and the top is slightly golden brown. Serve warm ad enjoy!!
This is a french favorite and I love it. I just can't deny my french roots :-)


Pear/Apple Crisp
This recipe usually calls for a 1-2 cups sugar and 2-4 tbl of flour or starch and can be found in the joy of cooking under apple pie/crisp. Here is the version I cooked last night.

2 peeled and diced pears
1 peeled and dices apple
3-4 tbl sugar
1 tbl cinnamon (or as you like)
1 dash nutmeg
2-3 dash of arrowroot
Stir and let set while you prepare the pie crust.

Crisp topping:
equal parts flour, butter, brown or white sugar, and dry oats.
Dash of salt.
Combine with fingers lightly.

1 partially cooked pie crust cooled. All tossed fruit and all juices from bowl to crust. Sprinkle crisp topping over fruit and bake at 350 for 30min.

I am not a huge fan or overly sweet deserts so this really hit the spot for me. If you like the idea of a desert with less sugar but feel like you need a little something extra at serving time try serving it over vanilla frozen yogurt or your favorite vanilla, caramel or butterscotch ice cream.

Pioneer Woman's Chicken Spaghetti

Oh. My. This was so delicious!! My kids ate a lot of it and kept saying "Mmmm!" Well Mmmm is right! This was such an awesome dish. Easy and so yummy! It makes a lot too. So I'm excited for left overs for lunch this week. Here is the recipe: (Only I did 1 can cream of mushroom and 1 can of cream of chicken and just did boneless, skinless chicken breasts.)

Ingredients

• 2 cups Cooked Chicken
• 3 cups Dry Spaghetti, Broken Into Two Inch Pieces
• 2 cans Cream Of Mushroom Soup
• 2 cups Grated Sharp Cheddar Cheese
• ¼ cups Finely Diced Green Pepper
• ¼ cups Finely Diced Onion
• 1 jar (4 Ounce) Diced Pimentos, Drained
• 2 cups Reserved Chicken Broth From Pot
• 1 teaspoon Lawry's Seasoned Salt
• ⅛ teaspoons (to 1/4 Teaspoon) Cayenne Pepper
• Salt And Pepper, to taste
• 1 cup Additional Grated Sharp Cheddar Cheese

Preparation Instructions

Cook 1 cut up fryer and pick out the meat to make two cups. Cook spaghetti in same chicken broth until al dente. Do not overcook. When spaghetti is cooked, combine with remaining ingredients except additional 1 cup sharp cheddar.

Place mixture in casserole pan and top with remaining sharp cheddar. Cover and freeze up to six months, cover and refrigerate up to two days, or bake immediately: 350 degrees for 45 minutes until bubbly. (If the cheese on top starts to get too cooked, cover with foil).

**Make sure you make it over to her site to look at her step by step photos. They really help!

http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2007/06/chicken_spaghet/

Enjoy!

Chicken and Rice Casserole Variation

Long live casseroles! I am a busy mother of 4 and absolutely love the fact that
A.) casseroles are quick and easy to throw together with minimal dishes dirtied,
B.) they can be  assembled early and cooked at your convenience and
C.) they feed a lot fairly inexpensively and are pretty tasty. 

Sorry these are not exact amounts, I typically just dump it all together, sometimes even using leftovers.

Prepare to make your normal chicken and rice casserole. 

For me, that would roughly include rice,  1 can cream of chicken soup, cut up chicken and cheese. 

To "spice it up" add to that the following:

1 CAN STOKES GREEN CHILI SAUCE

FROZEN CORN

1 CAN DRAINED BLACK BEANS

FRESH CILANTRO

SEASONING TO TASTE (I used a little garlic and onion powder)

In the past I have even topped with a bit of Salsa before baking, but my kids aren't big Salsa fans, so I left it out this time. Goes well with a green salad and corn chips. YUM.

Honey Balsamic Chicken and Pasta

YUM!

I took a recipe and then altered it to make it a pasta dish. Cuz I LOVE pasta. No I think I'm obsessed. ;) Plus I know my kids will eat it if it has pasta in it. I also love sweet and savory dishes. There is just nothing better in life!

So here is my recipe:

1 sweet onion chopped

3 cloves of garlic minced or pressed (I have that handy dandy Pampered Chef garlic press. LOVE IT)

Olive Oil

3 tsp brown sugar

3 heaping Tablespoons of honey

3 heaping Tablespoons of balsamic vinegar

1/2 cup heavy cream

1 pound penne pasta

1 pound chicken (I used tenderloins)

Options: mushrooms, flat leaf parsley chopped, and fresh grated parmesean...maybe lemon.

So I put some extra virgin olive oil in the bottom of my skillet. (I have an awesome big skillet with high sides that I cook just about everything in. So use your biggest skillet) Then I dropped the onion into and sauted over medium heat. After they sweat for 2 minutes or so I added the brown sugar to caramelize the onion. I boiled my pasta at this time too. After 5 minutes of caramilizing I added the garlic. While that caramelized some more I cut up my chicken in bite sized pieces and then added them to the onions and garlic. When the chicken was almost cooked through I added the honey and the balsamic vinegar. It was at this point that I wished I had some mushrooms to add to this. Because that would be so awesome and delicious! I didn't like mushroom as a kid, but now as an adult, I love them. So I reduced the balsamic and honey by about half so it was syrup like (About 6-7 minutes) on medium heat. I drained my penne pasta and added a bit of olive oil to the pasta while it sat for flavor and so the pasta wouldn't stick together too much. Second to last I added the heavy cream (I eyeballed it but it was about 1/2 cup). Then let it come to a boil and thicken a bit (3-4 minutes). Last I added the pasta and mixed well and turned the heat to low/simmer. I let it simmer covered for about 2 minutes. It was also at this point that I wish I had some parmesean cheese and fresh flat leaf parsley too. (I would have made it to the store for mushrooms, parsley and parmesean but there was a freakish blizzard today. And I live on a mountain...so it is 10 times worse!) Next time :)

It is DIVINE I tell you! It is also really fun to create your own recipes. Enjoy!

P.S. If you think this is too sweet, then forget the brown sugar when you make it. But balsamic vinegar is naturally pretty sweet. Just FYI. Also I think next time I'll add something to help cut the sweetness a little. Maybe a little lemon?

Oh, my fantastic tips!

Crayola has tips on how to clean all of their products off of different surfaces!  Woot!

http://www.crayola.com/canwehelp/staintips/index.cfm

Denver Dinner Post

Oop's I fell behind on dinner postings and didn't take any pictures. Luckily these are already on the site. Hope you are all doing well. - Lexi

Sunday Dinner:
Chili made with turkey burger
Shredded cheddar cheese
Frito's scoops
Cup of Gatorade

Monday Dinner:
Green Chili Chicken Enchiladas
made with sharp cheddar and spicy jack cheeses
Cup of milk

Tuna Noodle Casserole

My mom would make this one regularly as my sisters and I were growing up. Now, I make it regularly! It is super easy and delicious as well. Simple substitutions make it more healthy for you and there really isn't much of a taste discrepancy.

Ingredients
2 cans Cream of Mushroom Soup (I use the 98% fat free kind)
2 cans of tuna
1 bag of egg noodles (I use the whole wheat kind)

Directions
Cook pasta; drain and return to pot
Add both cans of soup (NO WATER) and both cans of tuna; stir it up, baby!
Plop it all into an oven-safe bowl and bake at 350 for 20 minutes or so.
Sprinkle cheese (any kind...probably not parmesan, though) on top and let melt
before serving.

Serves 4...healthy, adult-sized portions.

Chicken Pesto Pasta

Every now and then I surprise myself with the concoctions I come up with. This was a bit of an experimental dinner, but to my surprise was actually pretty tasty... even the kids enjoyed it and that is saying something. Lately I have been experimenting with the jarred Pesto you buy in the store. (I used the Classico brand)

Pasta 

1 can chicken broth

2-3 tablespoons lemon juice
 2- 3 tablespoons basil pesto

Vegetables of choice...

2-3 tablespoons parmesan

1.) Cook pasta. Drain, set aside. (I used Rotini- and a lot, I have 4 kids... make as much or as little as you need)

2.) Make "sauce" in separate bowl- 1 cup chicken broth (set the rest aside, you'll use it later), your lemon juice, and pesto.

3.) While pasta is cooking brown chicken breasts in large skillet. (I used 3 chicken breasts and sliced then into strips later... use as much as is appropriate for the size of your family) 

When chicken is almost done, dump remaining chicken broth from the can into the pan with them, followed by your choice of vegetables. I used sliced carrots, broccoli and mushrooms, since that is what I had on hand, but any combo of your favorite veggies will work.)

Put the lid on and let the vegetables steam with the chicken and the broth. The vegetables will absorb their flavor and be extra tasty. (trust me... very flavorful!) Let the broth absorb and cook off.  Remove from heat. At this point I removed the chicken and sliced it into strips and returned it to the pan.

4.) Dump pasta into the skillet with vegetables and chicken and coat with sauce, tossing until sauce has coated everything. Sprinkle parmesan on top and serve.

yum.

Pioneer Woman's Mac n Cheese

I love the Pioneer Woman! Have you ever been to her site? She's awesome. If you haven't checked her out, do so right now. Not kidding...here is the link:

The Pioneer Woman Cooks OK you can wait until you check out my dinner post ;)

She just happened to be on Good Morning America today. I love homemade mac n cheese. It is just so yummy and comforting. Her recipe looked easy enough and I had all the ingredients already. So I went for it. Was not disappointed at all!

I used minature farfalle (bowtie) pasta instead of elbow macaroni. And I also put 1/4 tsp of nutmeg in for that little something that makes you go "what is that?" For sides I did fresh broccoli steamed in Ziplock's Steamer Bags you throw in the microwave. Have you tried them? They are so awesome! Then just buttered, salt and peppered the broccoli. My kids love broccoli. And crescent rolls. Yum.

Here is the recipe.

http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2009/04/macaroni-cheese/

I love the way she photo documents each step. She also is completely adorable and has a great sense of humor. She makes gourmet food look easy. And so far her recipes with the step by step photos have been fairly easy to follow. The other cool part is she has it set up so you can click to print out all of her recipes. I will probably do a lot more of her recipes to share here with you. As well as a few other of my favorite food people. Enjoy!

I don't know what to call it.... Trail mix?

Sunflower seeds, slivered almonds, craisins, and raisins. The kids love it and no salt added. I bought the big bags of the stuff and now when the kids get "snacky" this week, I just pull out the bag or put a handful in a baggie to go.

Denver Dinner Post

I've said it before and I'll say it again...Thank goodness for parents and grandparents. Ours have been a real blessing since Jeff and I went back to school. Once a week my grandparents and mom stop by and bring us portions from their fantastic meals to keep us eating decent while studying. Last night was German food (pictures above) and scalloped potato's and meat loaf which we'll have tonight.

German night- Goat cheese crustini's, German ham and green bean potato's, mushroom spatzels and pork schnitzel.

Schnitzel:
gently pound pieces of chicken, pork, beef or lamb out into thin pieces.
lightly bread and pan fry or bake (depending on your diet) - do not overcook you want the meat to remain tender.
Remove from pan and let sit under foil while making a quick gravy to go over top. (you can also dip in applesauce per German tradition)
Serve warm.

This weeks menu: ...What's yours?

Eating like this, Richard has gone down 5 pants sizes and I have lost at least 10 lbs. It has only been a couple of weeks and it tastes good too!


Balsamic chicken and pears
http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/recipefinder/balsamic-chicken-pears-ghk0208?click=recipe_sr

Pita pocket night

Boca burgers and butternut squash fries
http://www.hungry-girl.com/chew/chewdetails.php?isid=812

Baked macaroni
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/healthy-recipes/NU00365

Whole wheat tortillas Black beans and brown rice

Decked out green salad

Chicken Taco Salad
http://www.drgourmet.com/recipes/salad/tacosalad.shtml

Low sodium lettuce wraps

Help pages from the cookbook

Recipes from Grandma Stringham....

I had totally forgot about these pages I did a few years ago trying to make a cookbook of my grandma's recipes. I figured they have to have some place on here...

Denver Dinner

Quiche
3 eggs
1 1/2- 2 cups heavy cream or half and half (they now have fat free half and half)
S&P to taste
dash nutmeg
cheese
crispy crumpled bacon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Blend all ingredients together and place in a pre-cooked pie crust. (Even if your crust is home made you need to pre-bake in order to ensure it will be cooked through on the bottom). Place in upper two thirds of oven and bake 25-30 min or until quiche is firm and golden on top.

This is a traditional french quiche, but in truth they are wonderful with a multitude of ingredients including asparagus, diced ham, tomatoes, flaked salmon, green/yellow/red peppers etc. Really anything you like in an omelet!

Amuse Bouche-Kiddo style

I thought these were common in every house, but I have met some confused faces when I refer to apples and peanut butter.

Its about the same as "Ants on a Log" (Celery filled with PB and raisins or chocolate chips on top.) But with apples instead of celery.

The fruit kabobs are just small portions of fresh fruit you have around on a toothpick.

These are GREAT for snacks at kid parties... or any parties really. Particularly if you add a fruit dip.

Healthy Pumpkin-Apple Harvest Cake

Hi everyone! My name is Lauren. Carrie and I went to high school together and now I live in Fort Collins, Colorado with my husband, Jeremy and son, Jackson. Jackson turned 1 last week. I spent a while looking for a healthy cake recipe for him to have on his special day. This recipe, from a "green" parenting blog turned out wonderfully! It calls for several organic ingredients, but if you aren't into that thing, you can just use "regular" ones and it is still just as good...and way less expensive! This is also a great breakfast food...without frosting, of course!



Ingredients

• 1 cup canned pumpkin puree
• 2 large beaten eggs
• 3/4 cup organic sugar
• 3/4 cup all purpose, unbleached flour
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup chopped apple (I recommend dicing)
  

Directions

• Pre-heat your oven to 325 degrees. Grease and flour an 8" round pan. You can also use cupcake papers if you want to make individual cakes. This yields 8-9 standard sized cupcakes.
• Combine pumpkin, eggs, and sugar.
• Add flour, cinnamon, baking powder, ginger, and salt to the pumpkin mixture. Stir to combine.
• Add apples, stir again, and pour into pan (or cupcake papers...mostly full).
• Smooth batter out and bake for 20-25 minutes (cupcakes too).
• Cool in pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Then, invert onto the rack, remove pan, and cool completely. For cupcakes, pop out of pan and let cool on a wire rack.
  

• Note: Smoothing out the batter ensures a "nice" looking cake. Pumpkin bakes in whatever shape the batter is in when you bake it!
• When cooled, dust with powdered sugar or a frosting! Deeeelicious!

Layered Mexican Bake

Hello there! I'm Tristan, Carrie and I are cousins in law. Which means we married guys who are cousins ;) So here is my frist recipe contribution.

Layered Mexican Bake

I got the recipe and the photo from Kraftfoods.com. Sorry I didn't take my own photo, I forgot. I'll do better next time I promise. ;)

This dish is so yummy! My kids even like it. As long as I use mild salsa. Last night I accidently used Hot Salsa and didn't know it until I was cleaning up after I put it in the oven and looked at the jar. Ooops! So last night's version was pretty spicy. So I served my kids Campbell's chicken noodle soup. The hubby and I ate the dish for dinner and then again for lunch today. It is a great leftovers recipe. Warms in the microwave really well. So here is the recipe! Enjoy!

1-1/2 lb. extra-lean ground beef

1 large onion, chopped

2 green peppers, chopped (I use just one, cuz my kids are not big fans)

4 tsp. chili powder (I always just use a packet of taco seasoning)

2-1/2 cups chunky red salsa (I just pour a whole 16 oz jar in)

2 pkg. (10 oz. each) frozen corn (I only use one, cuz it is plenty)

6 high-fiber whole wheat tortillas (8 inch) (I have also used just 10 inch flour tortillas when I didn't have whole wheat ones)

1 cup Sour Cream (I always end up using more cuz it isn't the easiest to spread and it cools off some of the spice that my kids don't like)

1-1/2 cups Shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese, divided (I use the Mexican blend, and 2 cups...cuz well, who doesn't love cheese?)

HEAT oven to 375ºF.

BROWN meat with onions and peppers in large skillet on medium-high heat. Stir in chili powder; cook 1 min. Add salsa and corn; mix well. Simmer 5 min.

SPREAD 2 cups meat sauce onto bottom of 13x9-inch baking dish; top with layers of 2 tortillas, 1 cup meat sauce, sour cream and 1/2 cup cheese. Cover with 2 tortillas, 2 cups of remaining meat sauce and half of remaining cheese; top with remaining tortillas and meat sauce. Cover with foil.

BAKE 30 min. or until casserole is heated through. Top with remaining cheese; bake, uncovered, 5 min. or until melted.

Beve's Lemon Cake

Go find a sale on cake mixes and get a lemon flavored one. (If you are feeling the need to bake from scratch try this recipe.) I used Betty Crocker on sale for 5 for $5.

Poke holes into the cake with a toothpick:

Make the Lemon Glaze:

3-4 cups powdered sugar

Lemon juice-- eyeball it. It should make a gravy like consistancy when you mix it into the powdered sugar. I'd guess its about 3/4 cup but I don't measure this one.

Dash of salt (Brings out the sweet)
Water (optional) if its too strong for your liking.

Pour Lemon glaze onto the top while still warm
(let it set for about 5-10 min.):

Should look like this and will turn a bit white-ish
when it cools all the way.

Mmmm!

Chicken and Rice with Garlic and Mushroom Asparagus

The Chicken and Rice is actually a Campbell's recipe. You can get it HERE.



The Asparagus was a concoction of stuff I had around the kitchen. I hate mushy green vegetables, so I normally bring the asparagus just to a boil on Med heat in a bit of water. Today I added mushrooms and minced garlic with some Smartbalance butter.

Oh! and for those few who are as asparagus ignorant as I used to be: You need to break off the thick end of the spear. My rule of thumb is to hold the thick end with one hand and the base of the leafy part and bend. it breaks where it should.

Food report again

We had buttered noodles with chicken breast and parmesan cheese. On the side we had fresh asparagus with garlic and mushrooms.
(I got a screaming deal on the asparagus. $.99/lb!)

Sunday Denver Dinner Post - Baked Potato Stuff

Sunday dinner:
Broccoli (raw with dipping sauce or dressing)
Toasted Chicken & Provolone Sandwich
Baked Potato Stuff

Baked Potato Stuff:
Mashed Potato's (made your favorite way)
Broccoli quickly blanched and cut into very small pieces
Cheddar cheese - shredded
Reduced Sodium Turkey Bacon Cooked crispy and broken up

Combine broccoli, 2/3 of shredded cheddar cheese and bacon pieces into mashed potato's. Place in a casserole dish and sprinkle remaining cheddar cheese over the top of the potato's and bake in a 350 degree oven until cheese is melted and bubbly. Serve hot!
My mom used to make this out of left-over mashed potato's to prevent waste. Tonight I made it all from scratch because I had a craving for it. :-)

Saturday Denver Lunch Post -Panchetta

Went shopping for the week and was craving Carrie's Panchetta. Came home and immediately made it for lunch with only one small change. I substituted regular bacon for reduced sodium/reduced fat turkey bacon. If you swap, I recommend making the bacon in the microwave with a paper towel, it makes it really crispy and all the fat drains off.

Balsamic Chicken and Pears

With PB&J at the ready I braved this new cuisine all in the name of low cholesterol. It sounded weird, and my kids don't like weird. The first thing I noticed was the amazing smell. Then the flavor. O. My. Gosh. Very good. Its a hit with the kids too not weird. In fact I'd go as far as to say its like comfort food. I was surprised that the pears taste the same... just better. And the best part? I already had the Balsamic Vinegar and the rest was under $10. It took about 20 min to make.

Easy+Cheap+totally tasty= New regular Teasdale Menu item.

The recipe: Here

 

Denver Dinner Posts- Chicken 3 Ways

Thursday:
Roasted Chicken
Garlic & olive oil roasted potato's
Glass of milk and glass of water

Friday:
Left over makeover-
Use some of the left over meat from the roasted chicken to make mini chicken pot pies.

Shred 1-2 cups chicken
1-2 cups frozen vegetable mix
1 potato diced small and cooked through
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can chicken stock or water
1 can jumbo biscuits

Combine all ingred except biscuits. Pour into individual size ramekins or oven safe bowls. Top each ramekin with a biscuit and place on a cookie sheet. Cook in a 350 degree oven until biscuit is golden brown and cooked through and pies are bubbling. Serve warm.

Saturday:
Left over makeover
Use the remaining pulled pieces from the roasted chicken to make BBQ chicken sandwiches.

Toss chicken in BBQ sauce and serve on a warm bun/roll.
Serve along side a fresh green salad or your favorite cole slaw.


I love roasted chicken because they are really flavorful and great for leftovers. Our chicken was home-made which allows you to control the seasonings etc. However, if you find yourself short on time or you really like the pre-roasted/rotisserie chickens you can pick up at the supermarket, these can be great options too and would work for all of these left over makeovers and more.

Other roasted chicken leftover make-overs - recipes already on this site
Chicken enchiladas (multiple posting of this one)
Chicken tortilla soup (just add the shredded chicken to Carrie's green enchilada soup!)
Chicken chili
Chicken & broccoli Alfredo (posted by Tori)
Chicken and dumpling soup

The Mayo Clinic

Another wonderful and trusted site for healthy living and healthy eating is The Mayo Clinic. The recipe posted below is from their recipe spot which has a ton of wonderful recipes for breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, dessert and entertaining. AND all the recipes are healthy and approved by the health care staff at the Mayo Clinic.

Check it out at...
http://www.mayoclinic.com/
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/low-sodium-recipes/RE00101

Mayo Clinic Balsamic Roast Chicken

Balsamic Roast Chicken
By Mayo Clinic Staff
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/healthy-recipes/NU00366

Dietitian's tip: Balsamic vinegar has a dark color and rich flavor. Combined with a hint of brown sugar, this vinegar makes a sauce that's much healthier than traditional high-fat gravy.

Serves 6
Ingredients
1 whole chicken, about 4 pounds
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary or 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
1 garlic clove
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
8 sprigs fresh rosemary
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/2 teaspoon brown sugar
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 F.
Rinse the chicken inside and out with cold running water. Pat it dry with paper towels.
In a small bowl, mince together the rosemary and garlic. Loosen the chicken skin from the flesh, and rub the flesh with olive oil and then the herb mixture. Sprinkle with black pepper. Put 2 rosemary sprigs into the cavity of the chicken. Truss the chicken.
Place the chicken into a roasting pan and roast for 20 to 25 minutes per pound, about 1 hour and 20 minutes. Whole chicken should cook to an internal temperature of 180 F. Baste frequently with pan juices. When browned and juices run clear, transfer the chicken to a serving platter.
In a small saucepan, combine the balsamic vinegar and brown sugar. Heat until warmed but don't boil.
Carve the chicken and remove the skin. Top the pieces with the vinegar mixture. Garnish with the remaining rosemary sprigs and serve immediately.

Dietary Content
Calories 290
Cholesterol 127 mg
Protein 44 g
Sodium 108 mg
Carbohydrate 4 g
Fiber 0 g
Total fat 11 g
Potassium 625 mg
Saturated fat 3 g
Calcium 80 mg
Monounsaturated fat 5 g

AHA -Salmon with Tomato-Basil Salsa

Salmon with Tomato-Basil Salsa

The fresh tomato-basil salsa will have you “hooked” on this delicious salmon dish. Rich in omega-3 fats, salmon is good for your heart as well as your taste buds.

Serves 4; 3 ounces salmon and 1/4 cup salsa per serving

Start to Finish: 25 to 30 minutes

Salmon
Cooking spray
4 salmon fillets (about 4 ounces each), rinsed and patted dry
3 tablespoons light mayonnaise
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon paprika

Salsa
6 ounces grape tomatoes
1/4 cup fresh basil
1 to 1 1/4 ounces sweet onion
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

Preheat the oven to 375°F.

Lightly spray a shallow baking pan with cooking spray. Place the fish in the pan.

In a small bowl, stir together the remaining salmon ingredients. Lightly spread on each fillet.

Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the fish flakes easily when tested with a fork.

Meanwhile, chop the tomatoes, basil, and onion. Put in a small bowl. Add the vinegar, stirring gently to combine. Spoon over or beside the cooked fish.

Cook’s Tip: Some produce areas indicate “sweet onions” and others specify certain types, such as Vidalia, OsoSweet, Maui, Walla Walla, or Texas 1015. As the term indicates, these onions are less pungent than most other onions.

NUTRITION ANALYSIS (per serving)
Calories 200
Total Fat 8.5 g
Saturated Fat 1.5 g
Trans Fat 0.0 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 4.0 g
Monounsaturated Fat 2.0 g
Cholesterol 68 mg
Sodium 175 mg
Carbohydrates 5 g
Fiber 1 g
Sugars 2 g
Protein 26 g

Dietary Exchanges: 3 lean meat, 1 vegetable

This recipe is brought to you by the American Heart Association’s Patient Education program. Recipe copyright © 2008 by the American Heart Association. Look for other delicious recipes in American Heart Association cookbooks, available from booksellers everywhere, and at heart.org/recipes.