Quinoa Pizza bites

Ingredients:

1/2 c. uncooked quinoa

1 large egg

1/2 c. chopped onion

1/2 c. fat free shredded mozzarella

1 t. minced garlic

1 T. dried basil

1 t. dried oregano

pinch of salt

pizza sauce for dipping

Directions:

1. Cook your protein-filled quinoa! Boil the quinoa and 1c. water and cover. Once boiling, reduce heat to low, and let it simmer for 15-20 minutes (until water is absorbed and quinoa is tender).

2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine all of your ingredients (except the pizza sauce) in a mixing bowl until it is well mixed.

3. Lightly spray the bottom of a mini-muffin tin with olive oil spray. Using a Tablespoon, scoop ~1T. into each muffin tin, it should fill almost all of them!

4. Bake them for 15-20 and let cool. Serve them warm with pizza sauce to dip in!

*You can also toss in 1/4 c. diced cherry tomatoes, mini pepperoni slices, diced peppers... 

Baking Powder Biscuits

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 2/3 cup buttermilk

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Lightly grease a baking sheet.
2. In a large bowl, mix together flour, baking powder and salt. Use a fork to blend in the oil. Add buttermilk and stir until the dough comes together.
3. Roll dough out on a lightly floured surface. Cut dough into biscuits.
4. Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes, or until golden brown.

Honey Butter

SO YUMMY!

3/4 cup butter
1/3 cup honey

1.In a small bowl mix butter and honey until smooth.
2.Store, covered, in the refrigerator.

Applesauce Oatmeal Muffins

1 1/2 c. oatmeal
1 1/4 c. flour
3/4 tsp. cinnamon
3/4 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1 c. applesauce (or grated apple)
1/2 c. milk
1/2 c. brown sugar
3 tbsp. oil
1 egg

Blend and sprinkle on top:

1/4 c. oatmeal
1 tbsp. brown sugar
1/8 tsp. cinnamon
1 tbsp. melted butter

Bake at 400 degrees for 20-22 minutes.

I made mine with the Motts Fruitsations applesauce cups, and they were YUMMY! Since the kids wanted icing on top of them, there is no topping on mine either...still tasty.

Tex Mex Sweet and Red Potato Salad

From Weight Watchers Turn Around Program Cookbook


1.lb each of Sweet and Red Potatoes
4 tsp olive oil
2 onions, chopped
6T fat free mayonnaise
3T chopped fresh cilantro
1tsp grated lemon zest
1/2tsp salt
1/2tsp cumin
1/4tsp ground coriander
1/8tsp cayenne

Cut potatoes into cubes. Toss with 2tsp olive oil and roast at 425 for 35-40 minutes. Meanwhile, cook onions in oil in skillet. Combine mayo, cilantro, lemon zest, and seasonings in small bowl. Combine potatoes, onions and sauce, mix well. Serve warm or at room temp. 2 points for 1/2 cup.

Chicken Fingers w/Honey Mustard Sauce

3c corn flakes
1/2 t poultry seasoning
1/4t black pepper
3 T fat-free egg substitute (you can also use 1 egg+2 egg whites)
3 T skim milk
1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast (4 breast halves)
Nonstick cooking spray

Sauce

1/4c +2T nonfat or reduced fat mayo (I just skip the mayo all together)
3T spicy mustard
3T honey
2T lemon juice



Blend the corn flakes in a food processor until crumbs. (Before I got a food processor I put them in a ziploc bag and smashed them up!) Combine the crumbs with seasonings. Combine the egg and milk and whisk together. Cut each chicken breast into 5 long strips. Dip the strips first in the egg and then the crumb mixture, coating all sides well. Coat baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray, and arrange the strips in a single layer. Spray the tops of the strips lightly with the cooking spray, and bake at 400 for 15 minutes or until the strips are golden brown and no longer pink inside. For the sauce, just stir all ingredients together. These are 1 point per strip with 2t of sauce.

Put those together with some oven fries and a salad and you have yourself a meal!

Crock Pot Chicken Nuggets

--4 to 6 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves

--4 T butter or olive oil (I used butter)

--4 eggs

--1 cup breadcrumbs, or a mixture of cracker, cereal, tortilla chip, etc. crumbs.

--1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt

--1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

--1 T flax seed meal (optional---I threw it in. They'll never know.)

The Directions

I used 6 chicken breast halves, and layered the cut up pieces in a 6 quart Smart Set Crock-Pot.

Make sure the chicken is fully thawed. Cut into child-size pieces. I found that the smaller pieces I made cooked better than the larger ones. The larger ones also didn't get crispy on top---stick to about 2 inch pieces.

In a bowl, mix the melted butter or oil with the egg. Blend up the cracker and cereal crumbs to make a fine bread crumb mixture and pour into a pie plate.

Spray your crockpot with cooking spray. I did not. You really should.

Dip each piece of chicken in the egg mixture, and then toss in the crumbs. Put a layer of battered chicken pieces in the bottom of the crock. When the bottom is full, add a piece of aluminum foil. Poke tiny holes in the foil to allow steam to escape. I found that the layer I did with the most holes worked the best, and the layer I skimped on resulted in soggy topping. The holes are important.

I made 4 layers with 6 cut-up chicken breast halves.

Cover your crock, but vent the lid with a wooden spoon or chopstick. Cook on high for 2-4 hours. Melissa's took 2 hours to cook, my batch took 4. After cooking, we both left our crockpots on warm for a few hours before eating.

Baked French Onion Soup

2 ounces of butter
1 pound of onions, sliced
1/2 clove garlic, crushed
1 teaspoon flour
4 cups beef stock
salt and pepper to taste
2 ounces of Gruyere cheese, grated
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
4 slices French bread

Melt the butter in a large saucepan and add the onions. Slowly brown the onions. It is important to brown the onions VERY slowly. It takes about an hour to do. Just check them every once in a while. They should end up very soft, golden brown and transparent. Add the garlic after the onions have been cooking for about 45 minutes.

After the onions are cooked, turn up the heat to medium, stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute or until the flour is golden brown.

Add the stock, and stir until it boils. Season with salt and pepper and simmer the soup for 20 to 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 400ºF. Mix the grated cheese with the mustard and pepper. Spread this on the bread slices and put one slice of bread on the bottom of each onion soup bowl, or put all of the bread in a large soup tureen. Pour the soup in. The bread will rise to the top.

Bake the soup in the oven, uncovered until the bread and cheese mixture is well browned and bubbling.

* at our house, we omit the mustard. It still tastes great, and that way everyone will eat it.

Sweet Potato, Corn and Kale Chowder Recipe

This vegetarian chunky soup filled with carrots, sweet potatoes, tomato, corn, and kale is hearty enough to be a main meal. The cashews add extra protein and thickening power. However, they may be omitted for those with nut allergies. The ingredient list may appear daunting, but this soup is extremely simple to make and does not take long. You do not have to be vegetarian to enjoy this one.

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 35 minutes

Ingredients:
•1 Tablespoon canola oil
•2 medium carrots, peeled and chopped
•1 medium red onion, chopped
•1 rib celery, chopped
•1 red bell pepper, chopped
•1 large sweet potato, peeled and chopped
•1 sprig fresh thyme, minced
•3/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
•1 medium tomato, chopped
•5 cups vegetable broth or water
•1 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels
•3 cups stemmed and chopped kale leaves
•Salt and ground white pepper, to taste
•Cayenne pepper, to taste
•1 Tablespoon cornstarch
•1 Tablespoon tepid water
•1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
•1/2 cup cashew pieces, optional

Preparation:


Heat oil in a large nonreactive pot over medium-high heat. Saute carrots, red onions, celery, bell peppers, and sweet potatoes 3 minutes. Add thyme and turmeric. Combine well with vegetables. Add tomatoes and broth; simmer 20 minutes.

Add corn, kale, salt, and white pepper. Simmer 5 minutes. Season with cayenne pepper.

Thicken either of two ways: Combine cornstarch with 1 tablespoon tepid water. With soup simmering, stir in cornstarch mixture. Continue to stir and simmer 3 minutes to thicken. Remove from heat and stir in parsley.

Or, if using cashews, place nuts in a blender or food processor fitted with the metal blade. Add cornstarch mixture and 3/4 cup warm soup broth; blend or process to combine. Return mixture to simmering soup, continue to simmer, stirring often, 3 minutes.

Yield: 6 to 8 servings

Per serving: (with cashew pieces) 162 calories, 35 percent calories from fat, 4 grams protein, 25 grams carbohydrates, 4 grams total fiber, 6 grams total fat, .91 gram saturated fat no cholesterol, 35 milligrams sodium.

Per serving (without cashew pieces) 114 calories, 18 percent calories from fat, 3 grams protein, 23 grams carbohydrates, 4 grams total fiber, 2 grams total fat, .22 gram saturated fat, no cholesterol, 34 milligrams sodium.

Recipe Source: The Whole Foods Market Cookbook by Steve Petusevsky (Clarkson Potter)

Meatloaf

2 Tbsp mustard
3 "squirts" hot sauce
2 eggs
1/4 c salsa
1/4 c quick cook oats
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp seasoning salt
2-3 lbs ground beef

Mix all ingredients BUT the ground beef together in a bowl.
Add the ground beef, mixing well.
Add mixture to the crock pot.
Cook on low for 6-8 hrs, or high for 2.5 - 3.5 hrs.

Chicken Curry with Rice

•4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut in 1 inch strips or chunks

•2 large onions, quartered and sliced thinly
•3 cloves garlic, minced
•1 tablespoon soy sauce or Tamari
•1 teaspoon curry powder
•2 teaspoons chili powder
•1 teaspoon turmeric
•1 teaspoon ground ginger
•1/3 cup chicken broth or water
•hot cooked rice

Mix all ingredients, except rice, together in the slow cooker/Crock Pot. Cover and cook on low from 6 to 8 hours, or until chicken is tender. Serve over rice.

Chicken Coconut Curry

This ingredient list looks long; but most of the ingredients are spices that are quickly added to the crockpot.

Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 9 hours

• 1 onion, thinly sliced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced 
• 1 Tbsp. grated fresh gingeroot 
• 2" cinnamon stick 
• 1 Tbsp. curry powder 
• 1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes 
• 3-1/2 lb. chicken, cut up 
• 1/2 cup low sodium chicken broth
• 2 Tbsp. cornstarch 
• 2 Tbsp. cold water 
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro leaves 
• 1/2 cup sliced green onions 
• 1/2 cup mango chutney 
• 1/2 cup chopped peanuts
• 1/2 cup chopped coconut

Combine the onion, garlic, ginger root, cinnamon, curry powder, and red pepper flakes in 3-4 quart crockpot. Rinse chicken pieces and pat dry with paper towels. Arrange on top of onions and spices in crockpot. Pour chicken broth over all.


Cover slow cooker and cook on low for 7-8 hours. Remove chicken and keep warm in low oven, covered. Skim fat from crockpot. Combine cornstarch and water in a small bowl. Stir into juices remaining in crockpot. Increase heat to high and cook, uncovered, for 15-20 minutes or until sauce is thickened. Serve chicken with sauce and chutney. Sprinkle with cilantro and green onions to serve, and serve with peanuts, and coconut. 6 servings

Citrus Chicken

4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts

1 3/4 cups Swanson® Chicken Broth (regular, Natural Goodness™ or Certified Organic)

1/2 cup orange juice

1 medium onion, chopped

1 cup (uncooked) regular long-grain white rice

3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Orange slices

1. Cook chicken in nonstick skillet over medium-high heat 10 minutes or until browned. Set chicken aside.


2. Add broth, orange juice, onion and rice. Heat to a boil. Cover and cook over low heat 10 minutes. Return chicken to skillet. Replace cover.


3. Cook 10 minutes or until chicken is done. Stir in parsley and top with orange slices.

Chewy Sauspan Blondies

There’s nothing as easy as this buttery blonde brownie recipe that you stir up in a saucepan in minutes.

Preparation time: 15 min Baking time: 22 min

Yield: 18 brownies

1 Half Stick of Butter (1/4 cup)
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 Egg
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup chopped pecans
Powdered sugar

Heat oven to 350°F. Melt butter in 2-quart saucepan over medium heat (2 to 3 minutes). Add brown sugar; mix well. Cool 10 minutes. Stir in egg and vanilla. Add flour and salt; mix well. Stir in pecans.

Spread batter into lightly greased 8-inch square baking pan. Bake for 22 to 27 minutes or until set. Cool completely. Sprinkle with powdered sugar.

Funeral Potatos

Ingredients

32 oz bag hash browns
2 (10 3/4oz) cans cream of chicken soup
2 cups sour cream
1 1/2 cups grated cheese
1/2 cup melted marg/butter
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 cups finely crushed corn flakes/ripple chips
2 Tbsp melted marg/butter

Directions

1. Grease 9x13 baking dish and preheat oven to 350 F


2. In large bowl, combine soups, sour cream, cheese, onions, 1/2 cup melted marg.


3. Gently fold in hash browns.


4. Pour into pan, and level out top with spoon.


5. Combine crushed corn flakes and 2 tbsp melted marg. Sprinkle on top of mixture.


6. bake for 30 minutes. remove foil for last few minutes to crisp top of flakes.

* You can use cubed potatoes in place of hash browns. Just increase cooking time to 55 minutes.

Crock Pot Chicken

This is a very simple, easy recipe for anyone to enjoy. I usually serve mine with rice, so I can use the left over sauce on it.

*8-9 chicken pieces of your choice or a small chicken cut into pieces
*1 bottle of your favorite BBQ sauce

1. Put about 1/2 the chicken pieces into the crock pot.
2. Pour about 1/2 the bottle onto the chicken. Mix to coat pieces.
3. Add the remaining chicken on top of the other pieces.
4. Our the remaining sauce on top of the chicken.
5. Cover and cook: low = 5-6 hrs High = 2-3 hrs

New England Clam Chowder

• 4 - 6 slices bacon
• 3 medium potatoes
• 2 stalks celery
• 1 small onion or 3 green onions
• 2 Tbsp flour or cornstarch
• 2 cups half and half or milk
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 cup clam juice or milk
• 2 x 500 mL Canned Clams, chopped is best

1. Fry bacon until crisp. While cooking bacon chop potatoes, celery and onion(s).


2. When bacon is cooked, remove from pan but leave grease in pan. Fry potatoes, celery and onions for 5 minutes. Sprinkle with flour to coat. Transfer to soup pot.


3. Add milk to pot contents, and bring to boil. Let simmer for 20 minutes, covered, stirring occasionally. Potatoes should be cooked.


4. Add clam juice, salt and pepper to taste, and clams. Keep cooking until warm. DO NOT return to boil, as this will make the clams tough. Serve and enjoy.

If you want to use a garnish, sliced green onions work nice, as will fresh parsley.

Orange Ice Cream Soda Drink

This can also be made using orange creamsicle ice cream instead of vanilla.

• Put 1 cup orange juice into each glass.
• Put one scoop vanilla Ice Cream into each glass
• Add 1/2 c Cream Soda to each glass.
• Stir and enjoy.

Chicken Fried Rice

• 2 Tb Oil
• 1 c Chicken, finely diced
• 1 med Onion, finely diced
• 1/2 c Water chestnuts, finely diced(opt)
• 1/2 c Celery, finely diced
• 1 c Fresh bean sprouts
• 1/2 c Frozen peas (opt)
• 1/2 c Sliced mushrooms (opt)
• 4 c Cooked rice
• Soy sauce
• Salt
• Pepper
  

1. Cut up and prepare all ingredients. Reserve.
2. Add 2 tablespoons more oil to wok. Heat until smoking.
3. Stir fry chicken and onion together until cooked. (If leftover meat is used, just heat through.)
4. Add bean sprouts, peas, celery. Stir and cook 2 minutes with wok covered. Uncover wok, add all the rest of the vegetables. Stir fry and cook covered for 2 additional minutes.
5. Add cooked rice, season with salt, pepper, soy sauce. Reduce heat to medium. Take your turner and break up clumps of rice as finely as possible. Make sure rice takes up soy sauce and does not remain white. Keep stir-frying until all rice is broken up and heated through.

NOTE: Leftover rice makes a better fried rice. If using leftover rice, place rice in sieve and rinse with hot water from the tap.

Best Blondies

I found this recipe on a friend's blog, and just had to try them. I made mine with 1/2 cup white chocolate chunks and 1/4 cup toffee pieces.

Basic Blondies
6-7 TBS butter, melted
1 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 tsp salt1 cup flour
1/4 tsp baking powder (optional, creates lighter Blondie texture)

1. Preheat oven to 350F.
2. Line an 8x8 pan with foil and lightly spray with PAM.
3. In a large microwave safe mixing bowl melt the butter.
4. Allow to cool for 5 minutes.
5. Mix the brown sugar with the melted butter and beat until smooth.
6. Beat in egg and then vanilla.
7. Add salt, stir in flour and baking powder (if using).
8. Mix in any additions (some ideas below).
9. Pour into prepared pan and use a greased spatula to evenly spread mixture in pan and level the top.
10. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until set in the middle. (I baked for 22 minutes) Cool on rack before cutting.

Add in ideas:
1/2 to 1 cup chocolate chips, peanut butter chips, white chocolate or butterscotch chips
1/2 cup chopped pecans, walnuts, almonds
1/2 cup M&M candies
1/2 chopped Reese's PB cups
1/4 cup toffee pieces
1/2 tsp mint extract in addition to, or in the place of vanilla extract