Pesto Chicken Thighs

It has been awhile since I have posted!  I get SO busy with the holidays.  I cook a lot during the holiday season, but it's a lot of my favorite recipes and I don't get to experiment too often with new ones :)

I did find this easy recipe that turned out FANTASTIC!  Crock Pot recipes are always a huge plus in my book and if I can find a good one, I keep it and post it for you all to try!  This one is a recipe for pesto chicken thighs.  This one is Gluten free - but always read your labels!

This was a big winner at my house over the holidays.  My mom, husband and nephew raved over it!  This one is super easy to make and is perfect for that day you don't want to spend too many hours in the kitchen!  NOTE: If you are making this Gluten free, please read all your labels, especially the chicken broth and pesto jar!  Or make your own pesto sauce.

Enjoy!

Ingredients

• 8 chicken thighs
• 6oz jar pesto sauce
• 1 package of dry ranch seasoning mix
• 1/2 cup chicken broth 

Directions

• Turn crock pot to low.  
• Place chicken thighs on the bottom of the crock pot.  Pour the pesto, ranch dressing packet and chicken broth on top of the chicken thighs in the crock pot.
• Stir gently to combine all ingredients.
• Place the top on the crock pot and cook on low for 8 hours.

You can serve this with rice, mashed potatoes or pasta!  I loved this with a salad as a side dish!

Quick Peppery Cheese Bread

My friend at work shared this recipe with me, so I decided to try it this weekend!   This goes wonderfully with soups, but especially my potato cheese soup.  My friend sent me this recipe from "The Southern Lady Cooks!"  Their website is http://thesouthernladycooks.com/.  Being from the south, this site is right up my ally!  I love southern recipes!  Makes me feel like I'm home :)

You can make this bread gluten free if you use a gluten free flour.  The recipe is so easy my kids loved it!

Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour (or gluten free flour if you are gluten free!)
• 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese (or use your favorite cheese)
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1/2 cup butter or margarine or 8 tablespoons or 1 stick, melted
• 2 eggs

Directions:

• In a large bowl, combine the flour, cheese, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and pepper.
• In a smaller bowl, beat the eggs, melted butter and buttermilk together with a whisk.
• Add to flour mixture and mix with a spoon just enough to wet all the ingredients.
• Pour mixture in 9x5 inch loaf pan that has just the bottom sprayed or greased.
• Bake in a pre-heated over at 350 degrees for 35 to 40 minutes.
• Allow to cool for 15 minutes before removing from the pan.
• Makes one loaf.  Store in refrigerator.

Potato Cheese Soup

Tis the season for soups!!  I love fall!!  My mom used to make this recipe for me when I was a little girl.  I used to get strep throat a lot as a child and every time I did, she would make me her homemade potato cheese soup.

This is mom's recipe and I have no idea where she got it :)  This is NOT gluten free.  I don't know if you can make this with gluten free flour because you need the gluten to help the soup get thick. So if you are allergic or sensitive to gluten, this recipe is not for you.

However, if you love potato cheese soup this is an excellent one.  I make it for my husband and kiddos and they love it.  I use red potatoes instead of Idaho.  I'll be posting a Quick Peppery Cheese Bread recipe tomorrow that goes really well with this soup, so make sure you look for that one to post!

This is pretty fast to cook and it's super yummy.  Enjoy!

Ingredients:

5 Red Potatoes
1 Tablespoon Butter
1 Tablespoon Flour
1/4 Teaspoon Salt
1 1/2 Cup Milk
1/2 to 3/4 Cup Shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese (a block of sharp cheddar is best)

Directions:

• Peel and cut potatoes into cubes.  I half way peel my potatoes.  I like some of the skin on them. Cook the potatoes until they are ready to fall apart. Drain and then put them back in your empty sauce pan.
• When the potatoes are almost done, you can start your white sauce.  In a separate sauce pan, take the butter, flour, salt and milk and mix them up in a saucepan.  Turn the heat up on the stove and stir constantly until it thickens and bubbles.
• Once thick, add the sauce to your other sauce pan of potatoes.  Turn the heat back to medium and add in your shredded cheese.  
• Stir until the cheese melts.

You are ready to serve.  This recipe serves 2 to 3 servings.  Feel free to double for 4-5 people.

Crock-pot Shredded Beef Tacos

It's that time of year when my my husband travels a lot.  It's super hard to get off work, get the kids and cook dinner to eat by 6:00.  Being this is the month to be thankful - I'm so thankful for my crock-pot!

I specifically looked for crockpot recipes this week due to hubby's travels and found 3 that I wanted to try out.  The first one was from Eat.Live.Run (http://www.eatliverun.com/). If you haven't checked out their website, you should.  They have a lot of really good recipes.  So this is what I do...I find a lot of different healthy recipes from all over. I make them and if they pass the test, I post them on my blog to share with others (always giving credit where credit is due).  I tweak some of the recipes a bit if I feel they need it.  Like this one, the recipe called for 1 tsp of salt.  It needed more, so I added another 1/2 tsp and they were perfect.  This one passed the test. This recipe has a tiny little kick to it, so my kids didn't really dig it, but me and hubby chowed! And - it was even better the day after!  I had these for lunch today and after sitting in the seasoning all night...so yummy!

This one is Gluten Free and super easy to prep and make.  If you like crock-pot recipes, you should really try this one.  I ate tacos while my hubby made a burrito.  Super yummy recipe! and simple to put together! Hope you enjoy!

Ingredients:

2 lb Flank Steak
1 yellow onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped

Spice Rub

2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper

Directions:

Mix together all spices in a small bowl.  Rub the spices all over the flank steak front and back (be generous!)

Place the steak in the crockpot.  Cover the steak with the chopped onion and peppers.  Cook on low for 8 hours.  At the end of the 8 hours, your flank steak should easily tear apart with a fork.

Serve with your favorite toppings.  I chose cilantro, avocado, lettuce and line.  My husband added some cheese and sour cream.  You can make this into burritos, tacos or open faced tacos.  If you are Gluten Free, make sure you use corn tortillas!

Carrot and Zucchini Bars with Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting

It's that time of year again when you can enjoy all the fall scents and tasty treats!  I love the fall season!!  I am thoroughly enjoying all the the pumpkin flavors and fall spices! As I was searching for fall recipes to try and post here on my blog, I came across this one from Healthy Happy Helpers.  This recipe is super yummy and not overly sweet.  It goes great with coffee or as an after dinner light dessert. What I love about this recipe is that it calls for carrots and zucchini and I don't feel guilty eating it!  My kiddos loved these bars!

You can make a Gluten Free version if you substitute the all-purpose flour for a Gluten Free flour. Depending on your time, you may want to skip making the Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting from scratch and go buy the store bought version.  Your choice :)

Super easy and fits perfectly for the fall season!  Take these to your fall parties!  Happy baking!

Ingredients - Bars

• 2 eggs, slightly beaten
• 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup canola oil
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1 tsp honey
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 1/2 cups shredded carrot
• 1 cup shredded zucchini
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 1/4 tsp baking soda

Ingredients - Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting

• 1 (8oz) pkg reduced fat cream cheese
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp lemon zest

Directions

1. Preheat over to 375 degrees C.  in a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, brown sugar, oil, honey and vanilla.  Don't worry about clumps of brown sugar, those will dissolve as it sits while you prepare the remaining ingredients.  Then fold in the carrots, zucchini and walnuts.
2. In another bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, ginger, and baking soda.  Whisk to blend together.
3. Add the flour mixture to the wet mixture.  Stir just until combined.  Spread batter into an ungreased 13x9x2 inch baking pan.
4. Bake 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.  Cool completely in the pan on a wire rack.
5. Once the cake is cooled, prepare the frosting.  In a medium mixing bowl, beat the frosting ingredients with an electric mixer on medium speed until fluffy.  Spread or pipe the frosting over the cooled bars.  

Misty's Chili

I have struggled over the years to find a really good chili and I finally found one!!  My sweet friend, Misty, shared her recipe with me and it's fantastic!  For all of you yearning or feeling that fall season coming, this recipe will hit home because it calls for cinnamon and cloves.  I typically wouldn't think of putting a cinnamon stick and whole cloves in my chili, but this specific recipe is fantastic and has a wonderful taste for our approaching fall season!

This one if Gluten free and full of fiber. This recipe calls for 1 Packet of Hidden Valley Ranch Mix.  This is a Gluten Free product!  Read the labels to ensure your box says Gluten Free!

This recipe is super easy to make and my 4 year old son asked for seconds!  Now, what 4 year old asks for seconds when eating chili!!  That's how good it is!

Let's talk about the cloves for a minute.  These can be fun for your kiddos.  You want to ensure you dont eat the cloves.  If you opt to add water to this recipe (you can), the cloves will float to the top so you can easily pick them out when the chili is finished cooking.  But I like my chili on the thicker side.  If I dont see the cloves when serving the chili, I tell the kids to look for the "wishes" in the chili and if they find one they can pick it out and make a wish.  It's a fun way for the kiddos to eat :)

I love to eat my chili with noodles or rice (depending on my mood).  I typically put a 1/2 cup of cooked rice or Gluten Free noodles at the bottom of my bowl, pour my chili over it and top it with my favorite shredded cheese.  It's always best to use a fresh block of cheese!  My husband loves to top his off with a little sour cream.

Whatever toppings you like, you will love this chili recipe!  Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs Hamburger Meat
• 2-3 Cloves of chopped garlic 
• 1 Can Fire-Roasted Tomatoes - dices with chilies
• 2 Tablespoons Chili Powder
• 1-2 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1 Onion finely chopped
• 2 Cans Chili Beans
• 2 Cans Black Beans
• 1-2 Cans Dark Red Kidney Beans
• 1-2 Cans Light Red Kidney Beans
• 3 Small cans of Tomato Sauce
• 1 Teaspoon Cumin
• 1 Packet of Hidden Valley Ranch Mix 
• 4-5 Whole Cloves
• 1 Cinnamon Stick (Do Not Use Ground Cinnamon!)

Directions:

• Brown hamburger meat with onion and garlic.
• Add can of Fire Roasted Tomatoes with chilies.  Simmer for 5 minutes.
• Add Worcestershire sauce, chili powder to layer flavors.
• Add chili beans and simmer for 5 minutes.
• Rinse other beans and add to chili.
• Finish by pouring in tomato sauce, adding Cumin and Hidden Valley Ranch Packet spices to taste.
• Last - add the cinnamon stick and cloves.
• Simmer for 1 hour.

Curry Chicken Breasts

I have a really good friend (Mrs. Heather) who is a FABULOUS cook!  I get the BEST recipes from her!  I was over at her house for a scrapbooking weekend several months ago and went through her recipe cards.  I stumbled upon this recipe and finally made it tonight.  Oh...and it was soooo good!  Why did I wait so long!!!  My kids devoured it and my husband got seconds!

You can make this one mild or hot.  I chose to make the mild version for us tonight since my kiddos don't like spicy food, but if you like curry and Indian food - you'll love this one.

I served this over a bed of Basmati rice and a side of steamed broccoli, but a salad would go really well with this one.

This one is Gluten free regardless if you make the mild version or the spicy version.  You just need to read your ingredients labels.  Franks RedHot Original sauce and Tabasco Brand Pepper Sauce is Gluten free (be careful - not all Tabasco products are Gluten Free).  As far as the Chili Sauce, Thai Kitchen Sweet Red Chili Sauce is Gluten Free.  Just make sure you read your labels. Lea & Perrins Worcestershire Sauce is Gluten Free.

To make the mild version of this recipe, just leave out the hot pepper sauce and chili sauce.  If you like it hot - follow the recipe exactly as is below.

Enjoy!

Ingredients:

4 Chicken Breast Halves
1/4 Cup Worcestershire Sauce
2 Teaspoons Curry Powder
1/2 Teaspoon Hot Pepper Sauce
1 Tablespoon Oil (I used Olive Oil)
4 Teaspoons Chili Sauce
1 Teaspoon Garlic Salt
1/4 Cup Chopped Onion

Directions:

Heat oil in a large skillet.  Brown chicken on both sides.  In a bowl, combine remaining ingredients.  Pour over chicken.  Add onion.  Reduce heat; cover and simmer for about 20 minutes or until chicken juices run clear.  Serve with rice.

Clean Your Fruit Chemical Free!!

I just had to share this one because it works so well!  A lot of you probably have already seen this on the Internet, but I wanted to re-post.  I tried this today and it works!  When we buy fruit from the store, it's covered with chemicals and wax.  When we rinse them off, you only get a portion of the wax and substances off.  I have even seen some people take a scrubber and soap and water to their fruit to try to get them clean.

Try this instead.  This worked well for me today.   My strawberries taste so fresh!!


Steps:

1. Fill sink with cold water.
2. Add 1 cup of vinegar and stir.
3. Add any fruit you want and let it soak for 10 minutes.
4. Water will be dirty and fruit will be shiny and sparkly with no wax or dirty film.  
5. Rinse fruit with clean water and store as usual.
6. This is great for berries too - keeps them from molding as fast.  I tried this with my strawberries too and made a huge difference!

Sausage Balls - Southern Style

I was born and raised in the South.  There are many things I love about the South, but Southern food has to be in my top 5 list of favorite things.  I am a health fanatic.  I am huge on eating healthy and working out - BUT sometimes I just cant deny myself some of the best recipes I have encountered!

Anyone who is from the south knows about sausage balls.  They are ridiculously delicious and addicting!  You just cant eat only 1!  It's my turn to bring snack to church tomorrow and I'm about to introduce my west coast people to some southern yumminess!!

Now - you CAN make these Gluten Free because Bisquick makes a Gluten Free version!  YEAH! Thank you Betty Crocker!  You can order it here on this site: http://www.bettycrocker.com/products/bisquick/products/bisquick_gluten_free

Ok - these are super simple and great for baby showers, bridal showers, appetizers or a church get together.

Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 1 (1-pound) package ground sausage
• 3 cups of Bisquick (use the Gluten Free version if you are Gluten Free!)
• 4 cups grated sharp Cheddar cheese
• 1/8 tablespoon pepper

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
• Spray baking sheet with vegetable oil cooking spray (I lay down aluminum foil so it keeps my cookie sheets looking new).
• Combine all ingredients in a large bowl.
• Mix well with your fingers.  The mixture will be very crumbly.
• Form into 1 inch balls, squeezing the mixture so it holds together, then rolling it between palms of your hands to form balls.
• Place the balls on the baking sheet.
• Bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown.
• To prevent sticking, move the balls with a spatula halfway through cooking.

Boyfriend Cookies

These have to be the most delicious cookies I have ever made!  I found this recipe on Pinterest. Each month at church, I sign up to bring goodies at our greeting table. Last week I made these and they were gone in (no joke) about 3 minutes! The kids LOVED them and so did all the adults! These are super easy to make. This would be a good one to make for a Christmas Cookie Exchange.

Gluten Free Version - You can make these gluten free if you use a gluten free all purpose flour. I did and they turned are marvelous!  As for the Vanilla Pudding Mix, here is the research I have done:

"Jello is a Kraft company. Any gluten ingredients would be listed on the label. For Example, if the modified food starch was from wheat, it would say "Modified food start from wheat" or "Modified food starch (wheat)."  So if you dont see any wheat, rye, barley or oats, it is safe. Kraft will not hide anything."

But when in doubt, call the company.  These cookies didn’t bother me at all, but you should do additional research if you are still concerned. Also - read the labels on ALL your candy listed below.  I'm not sensitive enough to Gluten to have it effect me when candies are made in the same shop as other wheat products, but others are - so do your research!

Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 1 Cup Butter, softened
• 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 1 (3.5 ounce) package instant vanilla pudding mix
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 2 cups chocolate chips (1 cup milk chocolate and 1 cup semisweet)
• 1/2 cup white chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup peanut butter chips
• 1/2 cup M&M's
• 1/2 cup Reese's Pieces

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C)
2. In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugars.  Add pudding mix, eggs and vanilla.  Combine flour and baking soda; add to creamed mixture and mix well.  Fold in chocolate chips and remaining candy.
3. Drop by tablespoons onto ungreased baking sheets.  I usually use a small spring loaded cookie scoop.  Bake for 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned.  Cool on wire racks.

Lemon Blueberry Muffin Bread

I have been in the mood to bake since Thursday...and this is weird for me because I typically don't enjoy baking as much as I do cooking.  But I ran into a recipe that I have been dying to try so I made it today.  It taste SO incredibly good that I made 3 loaves.  2 regular loaves and 1 gluten free loaf. It tastes like a big Ole blueberry muffin!!!

I found this recipe from a woman by the name of Jenna Weber.  She is a pastry chef and you can read more about here at this site: EatLiveRun.com.

By far the BEST loaf of bread I have ever made and you CAN make this gluten free!!  For the Gluten Free loaf, I used Bob's Red Mill Homemade Wonderful Bread Mix.  For the regular loaves, I used King Arthur Bread Flour.  

I also have to take a minute and tell everyone about a new product I have fallen in love with. The bread came out as well as it did because of the bread pan I used. It will absolutely make your baking experience better.  The company is called Demarle.  You may have heard of this product because Martha Stewart made the silipat famous, but the cookware is amazing.  It's silicone and glass.  It bends and twists and I promise you will NEVER user another 13X9 Pyrex dish once you try this.

I get so sick of using the silver metal bread pans because they rust very easily.  When I found out about this bread pan, I had to try it.  Since it's silicone and glass, you don't have to use any cooking sprays or oils, butters or Crisco.  That makes me SUPER happy because if you read the ingredients in those products (like PAM)...it's a bunch of added preservatives we just dont need.  For my bread loaf, I poured the batter in and let it cook.  Took it out of the over, let it cool for 10 minutes, turned the bread upside down and it came out PERFECTLY!  No sticking, no crumbs, no breaking...it was perfect (see my 2nd picture below)!  The product is from France and I HIGHLY recommend it.  If you need to order one, message me and I can give you my consultant's number.

Anyway - enjoy the bread and remember that the products you use really do help your cooking/baking experience and the quality of the food!

Ingredients

• 2 cups all purpose flour (Or use Gluten Free flour if you are going Gluten Free)
• 1 ½ tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 cups blueberries (12 oz)
• 2 tsp lemon zest
• ½ cup vanilla yogurt, regular or lowfat
• Directions

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Spray a loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.
2. In a medium sized bowl, whisk together your flour, baking powder and salt. Add the blueberries and lemon zest and toss to combine.
3. Cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the yogurt then the dry ingredients, mixing only until incorporated and being careful not to crush the blueberries.
4. Scoop batter into your prepared loaf pan and bake for 1 hour 10 minutes, until golden brown. Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes before inverting gently onto a plate.
5. Yield: makes 1 loaf

Salmon Fillets in Dill-Pepperoncini Cream Sauce with Savory Mushroom Rice

My husband hates seafood.  Me and my kiddos LOVE salmon and other seafood dishes but we never get to enjoy it unless hubby is traveling.  Well guess what?  We got to enjoy it here tonight!  My good friend Heather made this salmon dish for me and I just had to get the recipe from her.  I'm so glad she shared it!!

This would be a great recipe for a special occasion.  Whether it's a date night for you and your loved one or you are having people over, this one would be perfect!

Tonight I'm giving you 2 recipes on this 1 blog because this rice recipe went well with the salmon.  I paired this up with my Roasted Vegetables, but a salad would go great with this, as well!  I also chose a Riesling wine and it all paired nicely together.

Both dishes are gluten free (read your labels...make sure your vegetable broth is gluten free).  And always use fresh ingredients if you can.  It makes a WORLD of difference!

Hope you enjoy!

Salmon Fillets in Dill-Pepperoncini Cream Sauce

Ingredients:
4 salmon filets, skinned
1 T Canola Oil
1 Shallot, finely chopped
3 Pepperoncini, seeded and minced
2 Cups half and half
1 T flat leaf parsley, chopped
2 T fresh dill, chopped
4 lemon wedges

Directions

• Pat salmon dry and season with salt and pepper.
• Heat oil in a large skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking.  Cook salmon, turning once, until just cooked through (about 7 minutes).
• Transfer salmon to a platter.
• Cook shallot in a skillet over moderate heat, stirring until softened.
• Stir in pepperoncini, half and half, parsley and 1 T off dill.
• Simmer until sauce is slightly thickened, about 3 minutes.
• Stir in remaining dill and salt and pepper to taste.
• Pour sauce over salmon and serve with lemon wedges

Savory Mushroom Rice

Ingredients:
1tsp Olive Oil
4 cups sliced mixed mushrooms (including baby bella, shiitake, oyster)
1/2 cup low-sodium vegetable broth
4 cups trimmed thinly sliced kale (optional)
1/4 cup Golden Raisins
2tsp chopped fresh thyme
4 cups cooked brown rice
1/4 cup reduced-fat feta (optional)

Directions:

• In a large nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat about 1 minute.  Add mushrooms; sauté 2 minutes.  Add broth and kale; cook and stir 3 minutes or just until kale wilts.
• Stir in raisins and thyme.  Season with pepper to taste. 
• Spoon rice evenly into 4 serving bowls.  Top evenly with mushroom mixture and (if desired) feta cheese.  Ready to serve.

Baja-Style Soft Chicken Tacos

This one is a keeper!!  I'm telling you...it may sound silly, but I find some REALLY good recipes from my local grocery store!  Yep - this one came from my local grocery!


I made this for my husband for Father's Day and he loved it!  I made a whole spread of his favorite Mexican foods (see photo).  My kiddos loved it too and asked for seconds! This was so easy to make.  It's very light but keeps you full.  This one is gluten free - but make sure you use soft corn tortillas if you are gluten free.

This one took 20 minutes to make start to finish.

Enjoy!

Ingredients:

1 lb rotisserie chicken pulled from bones, white and dark meat
1/2 cup of mild salsa (add up to a cup if you like more of a salsa taste)
6-8 (8-inch) corn tortillas, warmed
Lime wedges for serving

Cabbage and Cilantro Slaw
1 pkg shredded cabbage
1/3 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
3 Tbsp. Fresh Lime Juice
2 Tbsp Vegetable Oil
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)

Directions:

To make the slaw, combine all Cabbage and Cilantro Slaw ingredients in a large bowl.  Set aside.
Combine chicken with salsa.  To assemble the tacos, top each tortilla with 2 to 3 tablespoons of chicken and a spoonful of cabbage slaw.  Serve with fresh lime wedges.  Refrigerate any leftovers.

Makes 6 to 8 tacos.

Summertime Pasta Salad

Last weekend we had get together at my mother in laws house.  She's 91 years old and LOVES it when the family gets together at her house!  She has 13 children...so you can imagine how HUGE our get togethers are!

What we typically do is have a potluck style set up and this time we grilled burgers and hot dogs.  I was asked to bring a pasta salad. I found this recipe on allrecipes.com. This recipe is not gluten free.  Honestly - I have not tried to make pasta salad with gluten free noodles.  But this recipe is easy and is loved by everyone!    The veggies in this recipe match the tri-colored pasta and looks beautiful on the table! 

Ingredients:

1 lb tri-colored spiral pasta
6 Tablespoons Italian Salad Seasoning Mix (the dry packets)
1 (16 ounce) bottle Italian-style salad dressing
2 cups cherry tomatoes
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 red bell pepper, diced
1/2 yellow bell pepper, chopped
1 cup fresh broccoli (small bite sized pieces)
1 large can of whole black olives
1 packet of cubed cheese (your choice)

Directions:

In a large pot of salted boiling water, cook pasta until al dente.  Rinse under cold water.and drain.

Whisk together the salad spice mix and Italian dressing.  Chill for at least an hour.

In a salad bowl, combine the pasta, cherry tomatoes, bell peppers, cheese and olives. 

Right before serving, pour your Italian dressing with spice mix over pasta.  Your are then ready to serve!

Roasted Chicken with Fresh Herbs

How horrible am I!  I have not posted in awhile!  Sorry for the delay but life happens and you get busy...

I have a friend who i used to work with (sweet Rachel!!) who shared this wonderful recipe with me and it is so yummy and good for you!  This is GLUTEN FREE and reminds me of those Sunday afternoons when my mom used to cook all afternoon and the house would smell so good!  But this wont take you all afternoon!

Below is the recipe and I used fresh herbs.  HERBS -  you can use ANY combo.  I used thyme and Rosemary but you can do a combo of fresh herbs and it will be fantastic!
Enjoy!

Ingredients:
1 cut up roaster chicken
2 lemons, thickly sliced
5-6 cloves garlic, keep peels on and lightly smash so garlic is somewhat broken
2 medium onions, peeled and quartered
Fresh sprigs of herbs (see my comment above)
White wine
Salt and pepper
Olive oil

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350
Place chicken pieces in glass roasting dish
Liberally salt and pepper the chicken. Place garlic cloves and onions in the pan on top of chicken
arrange lemons on top, cover with herbs (keep on stalks so you can remove after roasting)
Drizzle (lightly) with olive oil.

Roast for about 40 minutes. Pour about a cup of wine over the top and turn temp to 400. Continue roasting until chicken is brown and done. (About half hour more).

Below is a picture of the chicken before I cooked it and of course, after I cooked it :)

 

Romaine Salad

Ok - this is the BEST SALAD EVER!  My sweet friend Lauren made this salad at a dinner for our sweet  Bible study group.  We were all blown away at the amazing taste!  She informed us she made her own salad dressing and it tastes like a gourmet salad.  I begged her for the recipe and 2 months later, she shared it!  LOL!

This one is Gluten Free and dairy free.  This goes great as a side salad to any meal (especially chicken or steak or white/cream based pasta).  

Enjoy!  This one is a definite keeper!

2 heads romaine lettuce
1 wedge Havarti cheese, crumbled
1 pkg precooked bacon--microwaved and cut in pieces
1/4 c. sunflower seeds
green onion tops, cut up, optional

Dressing:

1-1/2 c. salad oil
1 c. wine vinegar
10 T. sugar
1 T. salt
2 cloves garlic, crushed

Shake dressing and  toss salad with dressing immediately before serving. (Use as much of the dressing as you like.  I never use more than 1/3 to 1/2 of the dressing. It keeps and is good to use later on other salads.)

Bon appetit!

Breakfast Pizza

I love The Biggest Loser.  That is one of my all time favorite shows because it helps motivate people to eat healthy and get active!  This past week (I'm 2 weeks behind) I saw the episode where the Biggest Loser Chef made breakfast pizzas.  So I decided to try them and they are SOOOO good!  You have to try this!  You can make these gluten free or with just regular English muffins.  My family is not gluten free, so I made these this morning with sandwich splitz.  These are fast and full of protein and fiber!  These are great for your kids as they head off to school in the morning!  These will give them that energy they need to get through the morning!

Enjoy!

Ingredients:

4 eggs
3 turkey sausage links
1/4 cup (your favorite) salsa
English Muffins or Splitz Sandwich bread (or whatever gluten free bread you want to try.  I like Ezekiel English Muffins)
1/2 cup cheese

Directions:

Take your English Muffins and split them in half or if you are using sandwich splitz they are already halved for you.  Place the bread on a cookie sheet and bake them in the over on 350 until they become toasted.  While those are toasting, scramble your eggs.  While cooking the eggs, try to get them into the shape of thin squares.  Cut your sausage links into little chunks and warm those in a skillet until slightly browned.

Once the eggs and sausage are done and your bread is toasted,  start making your pizzas!  Place the eggs on top of each bread, then sausage, then a spoonful of salsa then sprinkle each one with cheese.

Place the pizzas back in the over until the cheese is good and melted.  When cheese is melted, take them out and they are ready to eat!

Nutritional Information:
This is limited because I calculated only calories:
Serving Size: 1 pizza
Calories: 237

Green Leaf, Pear, and Goat Cheese Salad

I found this salad years ago and I love it!  It's great as a side salad for lunch or as a salad with your dinner!  This is a south beach recipe and it's low calorie!  This one is gluten free and you'll love it!  Make sure you toast the walnuts because it gives it a smoky taste with the smooth and creamy goat cheese!  Delicious!

Ingredients:

1/3 cup walnuts

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1 head green leaf lettuce, torn into bite size pieces (6 cups loosely packed)

1/2 pear (I prefer Bosc) cored and thinly sliced

3 ounces plain reduced-fat soft goat cheese

Salt and fresh ground pepper

Directions:

Heat over or toaster over to 275 degrees.  Spread walnuts on a baking tray and bake until fragrant and lightly browned, about 10 minutes.  Roughly chop nuts.

Place oil, lemon juice, and a pinch of salt and pepper in a jar with a lid.  Close tightly and shake vigorously to combine.

Place lettuce and pear slices in a mixing bowl  Season with salt and pepper, add dressing, and toss.  Divide among plates, sprinkle cheese and nuts on top and serve!

Nutrition

Makes 4 (3-cup serving)

Per Serving - 200 calories, 18 g fat, 3.5 saturated fat, 4g protein, 7g carbs, 2g dietary fiber, 190 mg sodium

A Great Snack: Green Apple and Peanut Butter Sandwich

So I started working out pretty hard core at the start of the year.  I'm not trying to lose weight but I am working out 5 days a week in the gym with a trainer on certain days and I cut my calories to 1400 a day!  I want to focus on lean muscle and to get some of the fat off!  I'm at 20% body fat - which is not bad at all!  I'm 5'7, 130 lbs but I want to have more of a muscular build and get this flab off my belly so it's super flat!  So - with this new routine comes new and healthier recipes!!  I'm eating every 2-3 hours so I started my search of healthier snacks and betters meals!  I LOVE this one and had to share it!  This is a South Beach recipe and it's SO easy and super healthy!  With my BUSY schedule of a full time job, 2 kiddos under 5, hubby who travels and now 5 days of working out pretty hard core...I need fast, easy and healthy!  So here is my snack recipe.  Enjoy it!  It's holds you over great as a snack!

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon of creamy or crunchy trans-fat-free peanut butter
1 large whole-grain crispbread cracker (use 1 piece of Ezekiel bread if you are Gluten free)
1/8 Granny Smith apple, thinly sliced

Directions:
Spread peanut butter on cracker and top with apple slices.

Makes 1 serving.

Nutrition:
Per serving: Calories 130, 8 g fat, 1 g saturated fat, 5 g protein, 13 g carbs, 3g dietary fiber, 65 mg sodium

Chicken Spaghetti

 

It has been awhile since I posted!!  It's been busy with the holidays and all, but I'm still cooking and trying new recipes!!  One thing that my family does is participate in our church hospitality ministry and we make sack lunches for the homeless once a month.  We meet at a church member's home and have a dinner before we start preparing.  It's a GREAT ministry and I'll tell you - my kids are learning how to love and serve others!  This past Friday, the dinner menu was Chicken Spaghetti.  Now - this one isn't gluten free originally - but you can absolutely make this Gluten free or regular!  So try this below and let me know how much you love it!  My family sure did!  And this one freezes beautifully so you can eat it up later!

Gluten Free Ingredients:

2 cups Cooked Chicken

3 cups Dry Spaghetti (I recommend Quinoa), Broken Into Two Inch Pieces

2 cans Cream Of Mushroom Soup (Gluten Free)

2 cups Grated Sharp Cheddar Cheese

1/4 cup Finely Diced Green Pepper

1/4 cup Finely Diced Onion

1 jar (4 Ounce) Diced Pimentos, Drained

2 cups Reserved Chicken Broth From Pot

1 teaspoon Lawry's Seasoned Salt

1/8 teaspoon (to 1/4 Teaspoon) Cayenne Pepper

Salt And Pepper, to taste

1 cup Additional Grated Sharp Cheddar CheeseFree Ingredients:

If you are NOT Gluten Free - Regular Ingredients 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
• 1/4 cup Finely Diced Green Pepper
• 1/4 cup Finely Diced Onion
• 1 jar (4 Ounce) Diced Pimentos, Drained
• 2 cups Reserved Chicken Broth From Pot
• 1 teaspoon Lawry's Seasoned Salt
• 1/8 teaspoon (to 1/4 Teaspoon) Cayenne Pepper
• Salt And Pepper, to taste
• 1 cup Additional Grated Sharp Cheddar Cheese

Cook 1 cut up 1 whole chicken and pick out the meat to make two cups of cooked chicken. Cook spaghetti in same chicken broth until nearly done but 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).