April 9, 2012 · 6:43 pm

Baked Cream Cheese Spaghetti Casserole

Yes, it’s as good as it sounds and better. Anything with cream cheese is going to be good and this yummy dish is no exception!

Ingredients:
12 oz spaghetti
1 (28 ounce) jar spaghetti sauce
1 lb ground beef, turkey or chicken
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1 clove garlic, minced
8 ounces cream cheese
1/2 cup parmesan cheese, grated

Ingredients:
Preheat oven to 350 F degrees.

In a skillet, brown the ground beef until cooked through; drain fat and stir in spaghetti sauce. Set aside.

Cook spaghetti according to directions on package. Drain and place cooked spaghetti in bowl. Add cream cheese, Italian Seasoning and minced garlic. Stir until cream cheese is melted and the spaghetti is thoroughly coated.

Lightly grease a 9×13″ pan. Spread a small amount of meat sauce in the bottom of the dish. Put spaghetti on top of sauce and top with remaining meat sauce. Sprinkle parmesan cheese on top.

Bake for 30 minutes, until bubbly.

What did the family think? Yum, yum, super yum!

Where did this recipe come from? Plain Chicken

photo from Plain Chicken

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Filed under Definitely Making it Again, Easy, Everybody Ate It, Italian

April 5, 2012 · 8:48 am

Mini Frittatas

We are back from vacation which means I am back in the kitchen. I love going on vacation and eating out a lot just as much as the next person, but it’s good to be home again eating home cooked meals, too. We all love breakfast for dinner and this meal was an easy way to get back in the swing of cooking again.

Ingredients:
8 large eggs
1/2 cup half-and-half
Assorted mix-ins (such as shredded cheese, diced vegetables, and cooked and chopped bacon, ham, or sausage)

Instructions:
Heat your oven to 350º F and coat a muffin pan with nonstick cooking spray.

Whisk together the eggs and half-and-half then evenly distribute the egg mixture among the muffin cups. (The recipe makes about 8 frittatas so make sure your muffin tin is big enough.)

Add about 2 tablespoons of mix-ins to each cup.

Bake the frittatas until they are puffy and the edges are golden brown, about 20 to 25 minutes. (If necessary, run a butter knife around the edge of each one to loosen them before removing them from the pan.)

What did the family think? They loved them!

Where did this recipe come from? Family Fun

photo from Family Fun

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Filed under After School Snacks, Breakfast, Definitely Making it Again, Easy, Everybody Ate It, Lent, Six Ingredients or Less, Vegetarian

March 26, 2012 · 8:31 pm

Pineapple and Strawberry Smoothie

Both strawberries and pineapples were buy one get one free at the store this week, which is awesome, but now I have a lot of pineapple and strawberries and I have to figure out what to do with all of them before they go bad. This was part of our breakfast yesterday…it’s a great way to use produce and a great way to get a bunch of fruit into your kids (and you) all at once.

Ingredients:
6 oz. low-fat vanilla or plain yogurt
1 large banana
1/2 cup chopped pineapple
1/2 cup strawberries
2-3 tbsp. ground flax seed
1/4 cup milk

Instructions:
Combine all ingredients in a blender or food processor. Process until thick and smooth.

Add more milk if it’s too thick.

What did the family think? Only three of us were home when I made these, but we all liked it.

Did I change anything? This isn’t going to come out super cold. Blend some ice in too if you want it colder.

Where did this recipe come from? adapted from a recipe at Annie’s Eats

photo from Kelsey’s Apple a Day

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Filed under After School Snacks, Beverages, Breakfast, Definitely Making it Again, Desserts, Easy, Everybody Ate It, Six Ingredients or Less, Super Easy to Make, Vegetarian

March 25, 2012 · 8:24 pm

Honey Yogurt Waffles

I use my waffle maker all the time. My husband gave it to me for Christmas about three years ago. I didn’t use it a lot right away, but I use it at least 2-3 times a month now. We love having breakfast for dinner and that usually includes homemade waffles. These honey yogurt waffles were on the menu this week and they were a hit.

Ingredients:
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 cup old-fashioned oats
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 1/4 cups skim milk
3/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
1/3 cup honey
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Maple syrup or honey-for serving

Instructions:
Melt the butter in the microwave and set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together flours, oats, baking powder, baking soda and cinnamon.

In another bowl, whisk together the milk, yogurt, honey, eggs and vanilla until smooth. Pour the liquid ingredients over the dry ingredients and whisk until just combined. Gently fold in the melted butter.

Preheat and lightly grease the waffle iron.

When the waffle iron is hot, pour batter into the wells of the waffle iron. (Fill according to the manufacturer’s instructions).

Close the lid and bake until the waffle is golden and set.

Carefully remove waffle from iron and serve warm with maple syrup or a drizzle of honey.

What did the family think? These were super tasty. We all loved them.

Where did this recipe come from? I got it from Two Peas and Their Pod and they got it from Williams-Sonoma.

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Filed under After School Snacks, Breakfast, Definitely Making it Again, Desserts, Easy, Everybody Ate It, Lent, Vegetarian

March 23, 2012 · 9:17 am

Coconut Chicken Satay

I have a child who will not eat chicken. He just won’t. I think it’s a texture thing for him. So you can imagine my delight, shock and surprise when he not only ate this, but did it happily. It was a huge night at our dinner table.

Ingredients:
1 lb chicken breasts
1/2 cup smooth peanut butter
1/2 cup unsweetened whole coconut milk
1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon fresh-squeezed lime juice
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoon honey
3 cloves garlic
1/2 fresh jalapeno, seeds & stem removed
1/8 teaspoon chili powder
1/3 cup unsweetened shredded coconut, lightly toasted (note: I used the broiler to toast it. Watch it closely because it can burn quickly. I learned this the hard way.)

Instructions:
Preheat the oven broiler on high.

Cut the chicken breasts into strips and place them on a foil-lined baking sheet and set aside.

In a food processor or blender puree the peanut butter, coconut milk, lime juice, vinegar, honey, garlic, jalapeno, and chili powder together. Remove ¼ cup of the peanut mixture and drizzle/brush it over the raw chicken strips.

Place chicken under the broiler to cook. After 4 – 5 minutes take the baking sheet out, turn the chicken strips over, drizzle another ¼ cup peanut sauce on top, and cook for 4 or 5 more minutes or until cooked all the way through.

Once the chicken is done take it out, drizzle on the remaining peanut sauce, serve it as extra dipping sauce on the side, or mix it in with some rice to serve on the side. Sprinkle the toasted coconut on top. Serve warm and enjoy!

We had this with brown rice and some fruit on the side.

What did the family think? This wasn’t my husband’s favorite dish ever, but the kids lapped it up.

Did I change anything? The original recipe called for putting the chicken on skewers. I opted not to do that.

Where did this recipe come from? I got it from 100 Days of Real Food and they got it from the National Chicken Cooking Contest’s Chicken Cookbook.

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Filed under Chicken, Definitely Making it Again, Everybody Ate It

March 21, 2012 · 10:27 pm

Ravioli Lasagna

Yep, that’s right, another pasta dish. We do love our pasta around here and this one was no exception. Yum!

Ingredients:
1 pound ground beef, turkey or chicken
1 jar (28 ounces) spaghetti sauce
1 package (25 ounces) frozen ravioli
1-1/2 cups (6 ounces) shredded mozzarella cheese

Instructions:
In a large skillet, cook beef over medium heat until no longer pink; drain.

In a greased 2-1/2-qt. baking dish, layer a third of the spaghetti sauce, half of the ravioli and beef and 1/2 cup cheese; repeat layers. Top with remaining sauce and cheese.

Cover and bake at 400° for 40-45 minutes or until heated through.

What did the family think? They loved it and it made enough for lunches the next day, too.

Where did this recipe come from? Taste of Home

photo from Campbell Kitchen

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Filed under Definitely Making it Again, Easy, Everybody Ate It, Italian, Six Ingredients or Less

March 20, 2012 · 8:44 am

Clean Eating Fajitas

I came across this site recently and fell in love with so many of their recipes. This is the first one I have tried; I just tweaked it a bit to fit our family.

Ingredients:
1 tsp. olive oil
1 large bell pepper, sliced thin lengthwise
1 lb.boneless, skinless chicken breasts, sliced thin lengthwise
1/2 large red onion, slice thin
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. ground cumin
Flour tortillas
Garnish with shredded cheese, guacamole, sour cream, salsa, etc.

Instructions:
Heat olive oil over medium high heat and add chicken. When chicken is almost cooked through add peppers, onions and spices.

Serve on tortillas with garnishes.

What did the family think? Hubby and I liked these. The boys usually have cheese quesadillas when we have fajitas.

Did I change anything? The recipe above is how I made it. I wish I would have added the juice of a lime to it though. Next time…

Where did this recipe come from? The Gracious Pantry

photo from Mexican Food Recipes

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Filed under Chicken, Definitely Making it Again, Easy, Mexican

March 19, 2012 · 12:06 pm

CrockPot Macaroni and Cheese

Full disclosure…this is NOT health food. As I was making this I was thinking to myself that this might be something that Paula Dean might make…butter, cheese, milk…and oh so good. Also, just a heads up, this makes a lot of mac and cheese.

Ingredients:
1 (16 oz.) pkg. macaroni
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 (13 oz.) can evaporated milk
1 1/2 cups milk
1 teaspoon salt
4 cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
1/2 cup melted butter

Instructions:
Cook macaroni following package directions. Drain well.

Grease bottom and sides of 3 1/2 to 5-quart crockpot.

Toss hot macaroni in slow cooker with the vegetable oil then add all remaining ingredients. Stir gently to combine then cover and cook on LOW for 3 to 4 hours, stirring occasionally.

What did the family think? Yum!

Where did this recipe come from About.com

photo from About.com

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Filed under Easy, Everybody Ate It, Lent, Make Ahead of Time, Side Dish, Super Easy to Make, Vegetarian

March 16, 2012 · 10:28 am

Easy Lasagna Skillet

Everyone in our house loved this recipe and I feel like that hasn’t happened in a really long time. This was also super, duper easy which was also awesome.

Ingredients:
1 lb. lean ground beef
1 jar (24 oz.) spaghetti sauce
2 1/2 cups water
12 lasagna noodles, broken
1 tub (10 oz.) PHILADELPHIA Tomato & Basil Cooking Creme

Instructions:
Brown meat in a deep large nonstick skillet; drain.

Stir in spaghetti sauce and water. Bring to boil. Stir in noodles; cover. Simmer on medium-low heat 18 to 20 min. or until noodles are tender, stirring occasionally.

Stir in cooking creme. Remove from heat. Let stand covered for 3 minutes.

What did the family think? Everyone loved this and most of us went back for seconds.

Did I change anything? The original recipe called for some chopped green and red peppers. I left those out. Next time I might add some chopped zucchini or some spinach though. Also, I have a feeling that any sort of macaroni/penne-type noodle would probably work just fine.

Where did this recipe come from? The back of the carton of the tomato and basil cooking creme

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Filed under Definitely Making it Again, Easy, Everybody Ate It, Italian, Six Ingredients or Less, Super Easy to Make

March 15, 2012 · 8:56 am

The Weekly Meal Plan: How I Grocery Shop

I have had several people ask me recently how I plan for grocery shopping or if I plan at all. I do have a plan, I wouldn’t call it a budget so much, but definitely a list and a plan. Here’s how it works…

Usually on Saturdays I scour the internet and my cookbooks looking for recipes that sound like something we might like to eat. These might include dinner ideas, snack ideas, breakfast, side dish or dessert ideas. Then I take a piece of paper and I start making a list of all the things I know we need just off the top of my head. The list usually starts with milk, soy milk, bananas and Kashi. I then begin to add the items I need based on the recipes I’ve decided to try for the week.

On the other side of the piece of paper I write down the menu for each dinner meal we are going to have that week. I don’t assign a day to each meal, but I generally plan for four meals (Sunday-Wednesday) with the main dish and a side or two. Then on Sunday we head to our favorite local grocery store and pick up everything on the list.

Why do I only plan through Wednesday? Well, I used to buy the entire week’s worth of groceries on Sunday, but I usually ended up having to go back sometime during the week to pick up something. There was also the problem of meat and some fruits and veggies not being very fresh by the end of the week.

I solved that problem by only buying things for Sunday through Wednesday, then on Thursday I go to our grocery store that’s just down the street (not my favorite place to shop, but it’s close and convenient) with a new (and much shorter) list and pick up things that we’ve run out of (usually milk, soy milk and bananas) as well as things we need for dinner on Thursday and Friday, lunch stuff for the weekend and anything else we need. We usually go out to dinner on Saturdays.

photo from Family Shopping Bag

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