With Blonde Ambition: Dinner and a Devotional

Ingredients:

1 lb ground turkey

1/2 chopped onion

1/2 cup chopped green pepper

1 cup of pizza sauce

1/3 cup ketchup

1/4 cup brown sugar

2 Tbsp flour

1/2 Tbsp Chili Powder

1/4 tsp garlic powder

1/2 Tbsp apple Cider Vinegar

1 Tbsp yellow mustard

1/2 Tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
shredded mozzarella
turkey pepperoni slices
black olives

I recommend Ragu's Pizza Sauce when using this recipe, it has a robust flavor that pairs well with the sweetness of the brown sugar giving this combo a freshness and twist on two traditional family favorites.

Stovetop Directions:

1.) Brown ground turkey in a pan and add in chopped onion and pepper during last 2-3 minutes of cooking; cook until meat is done and veggies are tender.

2.). Stir in ALL remaining ingredients and simmer on stovetop for at least 20 minutes.

3). Serve on freshly grilled buns topped with shredded mozzarella, pepperoni and olives.

Ingredients:

Corn tortillas

4 cooked and shredded chicken breasts (I cooked mine in a slow cooker on low for 5-6 hours)

1 Pouch of Campbell's Apple Bourbon BBQ sauce

1 large can diced green chilis

1 15 oz can enchilada sauce

shredded cheddar cheese

Directions:

1.) Preheat oven to 375 degrees and lightly spray or grease a 9x13 baking dish.

2.) In a medium bowl, mix Campbells sauce pouch and enchilada sauce, set aside.

3.) In a large bowl, place shredded chicken, diced green chilis and 1 cup of BBQ Enchilada sauce and gently mix until chicken is fully coated.

4.) Place approximately 2 tablespoon of chicken in the center of a corn tortilla (you can also add some shredded cheese in as well but we are not big cheese eaters), roll and place in baking dish seam side down. Repeat with remaining chicken (I was able to make about 8 enchiladas)

5.) Spoon remaining sauce over enchiladas and spread to cover each nook and crannie.

6.) Top with a layer of shredded cheese and bake for 25-30 minutes.

Serve topped with yogurt based slaw, green onions and cilantro.

Ingredients:

5 chicken breasts

1 cup apricot preserves

1/2 cup chili sauce

1 cup chopped veggies (I used green and red peppers, celery and onion)

8 oz can of pineapple tidbits (undrained)

green onions for garnish

Directions:

In a small bowl, combine preserves and chili sauce.

Place chicken, veggies and pineapple in crockpot and pour sauce over all ingredients.

Cook on high for 4-6 hours or on low for 6-8 hours.

Using a fork, break chicken into large chunks.

Serve over rice or my favorite....Cauliflower Rice!!!

Meatloaf

1 lb lean ground turkey

1 egg white

1/2 tsp chili powder

1/4 tsp cumin

1/4 tsp salt

2 cloves of minced garlic

1/8 tsp onion powder

1/8 tsp paprika

1/4 cup salsa (I recommend a sweet, fruit flavored salsa like a peach or pineapple to match the honey enchilada glaze)

1/4 cup low fat Mexican cheese blend

4 oz can diced green chilis (drained)

1/2 cup crushed baked tortilla chips

1/2 tsp fresh, chopped cilantro

1/2 cup finely chopped veggies

For Honey Enchilada Glaze:

1 cup enchilada sauce

1/4 cup honey

1/4 cup stevia

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees and lightly spray a loaf pan with nonstick spray. Mix all meatloaf ingredients in a medium bowl until well incorporated (do not overmix) and transfer to loaf pan. Pack to create a loaf shape and bake for 45 minutes to an hour. During last 10 minutes, pour 1/2 of glaze mixture over meatloaf and finish baking. Serve with remaining glaze.

Ingredients:

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts

1/2 cup panko

1/4 cup reduced fat grated parmesan cheese

tsp italian seasoning

4 tsp Greek yogurt

Baking spray

Fresh chopped parsley

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees and lightly spray or foil line your baking dish.

Pat dry your chicken breasts with paper towels.

Place panko, parmesan and Italian seasoning in shallow dish and mix to combine.

Place a teaspoon of Greek yogurt on each breast and massage in to create a base.

Roll each breast in panko crumbs to fully coat and place in baking dish one at a time.

Pour leftover crumbs over breasts and bake for 40-45 minutes.
Sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve over a bed of spaghetti with marinara.

Light and Lovely Lasagna

Ingredients:

With Blonde Ambition's Spaghetti sauce found here

1 zucchini (sliced lengthwise and gently browned on both sides and salt and peppered)

8 lasagna noodles cooked al dente (might need to be cut down if using an 8x8)

1/2 cup nonfat or low fat cottage cheese

1/4 cup nonfat or low fat shredded mozzarella

1 egg

1/2 tablespoon Italian seasoning

additional shredded mozzarella and parmesan sprinkles for topping

freshly chopped parsley

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees and lightly spray an 8x8 baking dish. (You can also use a 9x12 but your lasagna won't stack as high obviously)

In a small bowl, combine cottage cheese, mozzarella, egg and Italian seasoning and set aside.

You can now begin layering your lasagna in the following order:

Layer 1

1/3 of the meat mixture

4 lasagna noodles

1/2 of cottage cheese mixture

Layer 2

1/3 of the meat mixture

zucchini slices

1/2 of cottage cheese mixture

Layer 3

4 lasagna noodles

Remaining meat sauce

top with desired amount of shredded mozzarella and parmesan sprinkles

Place uncovered in oven and bake for 40-45 minutes until hot and bubbly. Let cool 5 minutes before cutting and serve with freshly chopped parsley to garnish the top.

Sloppy Joe Deep Dish Casserole

Ingredients:

1 lb ground turkey

1/2 chopped onion

1/2 cup chopped green pepper

8oz can tomato sauce

1/2 cup ketchup

1/4 cup brown sugar (I used less)

2 Tbsp flour

1/2 Tbsp Chili Powder

1/4 tsp garlic powder

1/2 Tbsp apple Cider Vinegar

1 Tbsp yellow mustard

1Tbsp Worcestershire Sauce

11 oz can of refrigerated pizza dough ( I used Pillsbury Thin Crust)

Light shredded mozzarella and parmesan sprinkles

Directions:

1.) Preheat oven to 425 degrees and lightly coat a 9x13 dish with nonstick spray.

2.) Brown ground turkey in a pan and add in chopped onion and pepper during last 2-3 minutes of cooking; cook until meat is done and veggies are tender.

3.). Stir in ALL remaining ingredients (except for pizza dough and cheese)and simmer on stovetop for a few minutes more.

4.). Unroll pizza dough and spread onto the bottom of casserole dish. Spread until dough slightly climbs the inside of dish to create a rim.

5.) Spoon meat mixture over dough and spread evenly.

6.) Bake uncovered for 12 minutes.

7.) Remove from oven, sprinkle evenly with desired amount of mozzarella and parmesan sprinkles and return to oven for additional 5 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly.

serves 10-12

Strawberry Balsamic Chicken Pizza

Ingredients: (desired amounts for all)
Whole grain pizza crust or flatbread
Fruit flavored salsa (peach, mango, raspberry, etc)
Onion
Peppers (I used roasted red from a jar)
Sliced Chicken
bacon
Mozzarella
Sliced strawberries
Arugula
Fresh, chopped basil
Feta or goat cheese crumbles

Strawberry Balsamic Glaze:
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/4 strawberry preserve
1/2 tsp sriracha chili sauce

Strawberry Balsamic Glaze Directions:
Place vinegar in a small pot on stove and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and let simmer until mixture reduces by about half (approx 5-10 minutes). Remove from heat and stir in preserves and chili sauce until blended.

Pizza Directions:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees and place prepared pizza crust or flatbread on baking sheet.
Spread a layer of fruit flavored salsa over crust and top with mozzarella, onion, peppers, sliced chicken, bacon and sliced strawberries.
Bake for 10 minutes or until crust is golden and toppings baked. Remove from oven, sprinkle with basil, feta and a handful of arugula. Drizzle with Strawberry balsamic glaze just before serving.

Citrus Chicken Carnitas

Ingredients:

4-5 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

2 Tbsp lime juice

2 tsp minced garlic

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp chili powder

1/2 tsp pepper

1/2 tsp oregano

1/8 tsp cinnamon

1/4 cup orange juice

6 oz broth from cooked chicken

1 small can diced chilis

Directions:

Place chicken breasts in a slow cooker for 4-6 hours on high or 5-7 hours on low. Drain liquid from slow cooker reserving 6 oz of juice. In a small bowl, mix broth with all remaining ingredients and pour over chicken. Shred chicken with forks and allow sauce to combine with chicken. Allow chicken mixture to warm in slow cooker for additional 20 minutes before serving.

Caramelized Italian Chicken

Ingredients:

4-6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 packet dry Italian dressing mix

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees and line your baking dish with foil (trust me, you'll thank me later ; )

In a small bowl, mix dressing mix and brown sugar and place in a shallow dish.

Coat each breast thoroughly with seasoning and place in dish. Sprinkle remaining seasoning over chicken.

Bake for 15 minutes, flip chicken and bake for an additional 15 minutes.

Finally, chicken right side up and broil for approximately 3 minutes or until glaze begins to caramelize.

Let chicken rest for 5 minutes before serving to allow juices to redistribute.

Suggested scripture reading for dinner devotional- Daniel 3:
Just like this delicious dinner, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were thrown into the furnace to be "broiled"; however, God miraculously saved them and in the process turned an evil King as well as an entire nation back towards the heart of God!

Sweet and Sour Turkey Meatballs

Ingredients:

Meatball Ingredients:

1 lb lean ground turkey

2 Tbsp dry onion soup mix

1/4 cup panko

1 egg white

1 tsp Worcestershire

1/2 tsp liquid smoke

1/2 tsp pepper

1 tsp Italian seasoning

Sauce Ingredients:
1 cup chicken stock
1/2 cup pineapple juice (reserved from can of pineapple chunks)
3 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 Tbsp low sodium soy sauce
1 Tbsp ketchup
1/4 cup packed, brown sugar
2 Tbsp cornstarch
dashed of red pepper flakes

Additional Ingredients:
20 oz can pineapple chunks
optional* - approx. 2 cups chopped veggies ( I used peppers, zucchini and onion)

Meatball Directions:

1.) Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2.) Mix all ingredients in a medium bowl and with well-greased hands, form into balls.

3.) Place meatballs in a baking dish and bake for approximately 25-30 minutes.

For Sauce Directions:
1.) In a mixing bowl, combine all sauce ingredients and whisk well.
2.) Sautee veggies in a little olive oil over medium high heat. When veggies are barely tender, pour in sauce mixture and pineapple chinks and bring to a boil. When sauce thickens to preferred consistency, remove from heat and stir in cooked meatballs and a few dashes of red pepper flakes. Serve over brown rice.

Super Fine "Restaurant Style" Taco Meat

"I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth." - Psalm 34:1

Ingredients:
1 lb raw lean ground turkey
8oz broth
1 can rotel with liquid
1 package low sodium taco seasoning

Directions:
Place all ingredients in a slow cooker (including raw meat) and stir until fully mixed. Cook on low (5-7 hours) or on high (4-5 hours). After meat is fully cooked it will form a loaf-like mixture and separate from the liquid.....break meat apart and stir until once again fully combined to form a delicious, crumbly dish!  Can be used in burritos, tacos, nachos, taco salad.....any Mexican dish!!

Slow Cooked Polynesian Pork

Ingredients:

2 lbs Pork Tenderloin

20 oz can pineapple chunks

2 cloves minced garlic

2 Tbsp liquid smoke

1/2 cup soy sauce

1/3 cup brown sugar

1 1/2 Tbsp cornstarch

Directions:

Place pork in slow cooker and pour can of pineapple with juice, garlic and lquid smoke over pork. Cook in low 6-8 hours or on high 4-6 hours. When fully cooked, whisk soy sauce, brown sugar and cornstarch in a sauce pan and Bring to a boil until sauce thickens. Stir sauce mixture into crockpot and carefully shred meat making sure sauce is fully incorporated.

Taco Turkey Loaf with Honey Enchilada Glaze

Ingredients:

1 lb lean ground turkey

1 cup low fat or fat free refried beans

1 egg white

1/4 cup crushed baked tortilla chips

1 can rotel (drained)

2 Tbsp low sodium taco seasoning

optional shredded cheese

For Honey Enchilada Glaze:

1 cup enchilada sauce

1/4 cup honey

1/4 cup stevia

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees and lightly spray a loaf pan with nonstick spray. Mix all ingredients in a medium bowl until well incorporated and transfer to loaf pan. Pack to create a loaf shape and bake for 45 minutes to an hour. During last 10 minutes, pour glaze mixture over meatloaf and finish baking.

"Good Girl" Chicken and Waffles

Ingredients for chicken:

4 boneless chicken breasts

1/4 cup whole wheat flour

1/4 cup white flour

1/4 cup panko crumbs

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

1/2 Tbsp seasoning salt (I used Lawry's)

2 tsp paprika

Ingredients for 8 small waffles:

1 cup Hungry Jack whole wheat pancake mix

1/2 cup water

1/4 cup skim milk

1 egg white

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees and line a baking dish with foil for easy clean up. Rinse chicken and pat dry. Place all ingredients except for chicken in a gallon size ziplock bag and stir to mix. Place chicken in bag, seal well and shake vigorously to evenly coat each breast. Remove chicken from bag and place on lined dish (discard bag and remaining crumb mixture).   Spritz tops of each breast with baking spray, place in oven and bake on 375 for 50-60 minutes.

Meanwhile, make your waffles like normal. After chicken is done, build chicken and waffle sliders drizzled with a small amount of maple syrup.

Lasagna Stuffed Spaghetti Squash

Ingredients:

1 spaghetti squash

salt and pepper

approximately 1/2 cup low fat cottage cheese

meat sauce

shredded light mozzarella cheese and sprinkle parmesan

Directions:

1.) Preheat oven to 400 degrees and cover a baking sheet with foil.

2.) Cut your spaghetti squash in half, length-wise and scoop out all seeds and fibers.

3.) Lightly spray the inside of each squash with baking spray and salt and pepper lightly.

4.) Place squash "face-side" down on sheet and bake for 45 minutes.

5.) When squash is done, remove from oven and carefully turn over. Using a fork, scrape the surface of the squash and watch the strands magically form! : )

6.) Evenly spread approximately 1/4 cup cottage cheese over spaghetti squash. Top with a hearty layer of meat sauce.

7.) Lastly, top with sprinkle cheese and mozzarella.

8.) Place back in the oven and bake for another 20 minutes or until cheese begins to brown. Enjoy!

Cornbread Casserole
(Whole Grain and from scratch)

Ingredients:

1/2 cup whole grain corn meal

1/2 cup broth (chicken or vegetable)

1 cup milk

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 cup stevia plus 1 Tablespoon honey

1 can whole kernel corn (drained)

2-3 Tablespoon non-fat plain greek yogurt

Directions:

Bring first four ingredients to a boil over medium high heat in a medium pot whisking continually to prevent lumps or burning.

Once "batter-like" consistency is achieved, remove from heat and stir in remaining ingredients.

Pour mixture into a well sprayed baking dish and bake for approximately 20-25 minutes on 375 degrees.

Casserole will have more of a porridge like consistency rather than cakey since it does not have the more refined flours found in the popular boxed mix recipe.

Spinach Smothered Chicken

Ingredients:

4-5 boneless skinless chicken breasts

Cavendar's Greek seasoning

2 cups fresh spinach (approx)

1 cup chopped fresh mushrooms

1/2 onion (diced in large pieces)

2 cloves minced garlic

Salt and pepper

Shredded light cheese (mozzarella or Swiss is best)

Direction:

1.). Preheat oven to 375 degrees

2.) Place chicken in a lightly sprayed baking dish and season both sides well with seasoning.

3.). Place in oven and bake for first 20 minutes.

4.). While chicken is baking, sautée mushroom and onion over medium high heat until mushrooms begin to golden and onions turn slightly translucent.

5.). Add in spinach and garlic and sautée until barely wilted. Remove from heat and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

6.). After 20 minutes of baking, remove chicken from oven and top each breast with spinach mixture followed by desired amount of shredded cheese.

7.) Return to oven to bake an additional 20 minutes. Enjoy!

And now, a bible verse to hold onto when YOU are feeling "smothered". It was written by Paul who understands better than anyone what it feels like to be smothered with problem after problem after problem! For more on his, read what he has to say in 2 Corinthians 4.

"We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed." - 2 Corinthians 4:8-9

Cabbage Roll Casserole (crockpot)

Ingredients:

1 lb lean ground turkey

3 cloves minced garlic

1/2 onion (diced)

1 celery stalk (chopped)

1/2 green pepper (diced)

14.5 oz can tomato sauce

1 cup beef broth

1 can condensed tomato soup

1 can stewed tomatoes, undrained

1 tsp paprika

1 tsp thyme

3 Tbsp apple cider vinegar

2 tsp worcestershire

2-3 Tbsp stevia or sugar or brown sugar

dash of chili powder

3/4 cup uncooked brown rice

salt and pepper to taste

1/2 head of cabbage (chopped into approx. 1 1/2" chunks)

light shredded mozzarella and parmesan sprinkles

Directions:

1.)Brown ground turkey in a large pan. (Drain any fat but there should be very little if using a good, lean meat)

2.)Stir in all remaining ingredients EXCEPT for cabbage chunks and cheese.

3.) Layer your ingredients in the following order in a crockpot.....1/3 of the meat sauce mixture, 1/2 cabbage chunks....1/3 of the meat sauce mixture, 1/2 cabbage chunks....ending with final 1/3 meat sauce mixture.

4.) Cook on low 4-6 hours.

5.) Sprinkle with mozzarella and parmesan 30 minutes before serving.

BBQ Chicken Chili

Ingredients:

3-4 chicken breasts

1 can diced tomatoes

2 cups chicken broth

1 can tomato paste

1 can diced green chilis (undrained)

1 can black beans (rinsed and drained)

1 can kidney beans (rinsed and drained)

small jar roasted red peppers in water (drained and sliced)

1/2 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp paprika

1/2 tsp chili powder

2 cloves minced garlic

1/2 cup BBQ sauce

salt, pepper and sugar to taste

Directions:

1.) Cook chicken breasts with 3/4 cup of water in slow cooker ( 4-6 hours on high or 6-8 hours on low) When done, shred with fork.

2.) During last hour, place all remaining ingredients in slow cooker, stir and heat until just bubbly.

3.) Serve with your favorite chili fixins!

Slow Cooker Salisbury Steaks

Ingredients:

1 lb lean ground turkey or beef

1/2 onion finely diced

3 Tbsp dry onion soup mix

1/4 cup Italian bread crumbs or Panko with Italian seasoning

3 Tbsp skim milk

1 Tbsp Worcestershire

1 can cream mushroom soup plus 1/2 can of water

au jux mix (prepared as directed)

pepper as desired

Directions:

1.) In a medium bowl, combine first six ingredients and form into patties (approximately 5)

2.) In a well sprayed pan over medium high heat, sear both sides of each patty for a few minutes, just long enough to brown and crisp them. You don't need to cook them all the way through because they will finish in the crockpot!

3.) Place patties in slow cooker.....In a small bowl, combine can soup, water and enough au jux to create a gravy consistency. (I used about half but keep the rest in case you need to add more liquid during the cooing process)

4.) Pour gravy over patties and cook on high for at least 4 hours or on low for at least 6 hours.

seen here topped with grilled mushrooms and onions and served with mashed "faux-tatoes"

Thanksgiving Turkey Meatloaf

Ingredients:

1 lb ground turkey

1/2 white onion (chopped)

1 celery rib (chopped)

1/2 green apple (chopped)

Tsp minced garlic

1 egg or 3 egg whites

1/2 cup crushed cornbread stuffing

1/2 cup of cranberry ketchup ( 1 part whole berry cranberry sauce and 1 part ketchup)

1 tsp Worcestershire

1/2 tsp poultry seasoning

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix all ingredients in a medium bowl until just combined, spoon mixture into a lightly sprayed loaf pan and form into a loaf shape. Bake for 50 minutes, remove loaf from oven and top with additional cranberry ketchup. Return to oven for an additional 10 minutes.

Peach BBQ Meatball Sliders

Meatball Ingredients:

1 lb lean ground turkey

1/4 cup panko
1/4 cup old fashion oats

1 egg white

1 tsp Worcestershire

1/2 tsp liquid smoke

1/2 tsp pepper

1 tsp Italian seasoning
1/4 cup BBQ sauce

All Other Ingredients:
can of chicken broth
18 oz jar BBQ Sauce
18 oz jar peach preserve
1 (12 count) bag of Hawaiian Rolls
Coleslaw

Directions:
Mix all meatball ingredients in a medium bowl and roll into 12 balls. Place meatballs in slowcooker, pour in can of chicken broth and cook on high (3-4 hours) or low (4-6 hours). Once cooked, remove meatballs from slow cooker and discard all liquid. I n a small bowl, mix BBQ sauce and preserves; return meatballs to slow cooker, pour Peach BBQ sauce mixture over meatballs and simmer on low until fully heated. Serve over a bed of coleslaw on Hawaiian rolls or let guests build their sliders themselves.

Slow Cooked Cider House

Pork Chops and Apples

Ingredients:

4-5 pork chops

1/2 Tbsp fresh sage

1/2 tsp garlic powder

salt and pepper

1 granny smith apple (sliced and seeds removed)

1/2 white onion (sliced)

3/4 cup apple cider

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

2 Tbsp brown sugar

Directions:

Salt and pepper both sides of pork chops and place in slow cooker. Mix sage and garlic powder and sprinkle over chops. Top with sliced apples and onions. In a small bowl, combine cider, vinegar and brown sugar; once sugar is dissolved, pour over chops. Cook on high 4-6 hours or on low 6-8 hours.

Pulled Pork BBQ Pepper Nachos

Ingredients:

Fully cooked Pulled Pork in BBQ sauce (approximately 2 lbs or so)

1 bag mini sweet peppers

light shredded cheddar cheese

BBQ sauce

1 cup black beans (rinsed and drained)

chopped tomatoes

chopped green onion

chopped, fresh cilantro

fresh jalapenos (sliced and seeded)

dollop of nonfat plain greek yogurt

Directions:

1.)Preheat oven to 400 degrees and line a baking sheet with foil.

2.)Cut tops off all peppers, cut in half and discard seeds.

3.)Arrange peppers "Insides" facing up on pan, spoon approximately a teaspoon of BBQ pulled pork into each cavity.

4.)Sprinkle with desired amount of cheese and all of black beans and bake for approximately 10-15 minutes in the oven or until cheese is melty.

5.)Top with additional ingredients and serve immediately.

Malibu Chicken on a bed of

Grilled Pineapple Steaks

Marinade ingredients:

1/2 cup pineapple juice

4 Tbsp nonfat plain Greek yogurt

1 Tbsp plain yellow mustard

1 Tbsp honey

1Tbsp molasses

2tsp Worcestershire

3/4 tsp chili powder

Ingredients:

BBQ seasoning

4-5 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

5 slices of thick cut ham

or

10 Slices of deli ham

5 grilled pineapple steaks

5 slices light Swiss cheese

Directions:

1.)Place chicken in a gallon ziplock bag. Mix marinade, pour over chicken and let marinate in fridge for preferably 4 hours or more.

2.)Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line or spray a baking dish.

3.)Place chicken in dish and season both sides well with BBQ seasoning.

4.)Bake uncovered for 30 minutes.

5.)Place 1-2 slices of ham on top of each breast, bake for 10 additional minutes.

6.)Top each with a slice of Swiss and return to oven for a final 5 minutes(cheese should be melty). Serve on a bed of grilled pineapple steaks and drizzled with honey mustard.

Light Chicken Cordon Bleu Bundles

Ingredients:

4-5 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

10 slices of thin deli ham

5 slices of light swiss cheese

4 Tbsp panko bread crumbs

1/2 tsp Cajun seasoning

Sauce:

1 can cream of chicken soup

1/4 cup nonfat plain greek yogurt

1/4 cup skim milk

1 heaping Tbsp Dijon mustard

pepper to taste

Directions:

1.) Preheat oven to 375 degrees

2.) Flatten chicken breasts with a mallet or rolling pin and place face down.

3.) Place two slices of ham and a slice of cheese on each breast, roll up tightly and secure with a couple of toothpicks (be sure to place them where they can easily be found after cooking!)

4.) Place each chicken bundle seam side down in a lightly sprayed baking dish.

6.) In a small bowl, mix panko and seasoning and sprinkle evenly over chicken.

7.) Lightly spritz each bundle with cooking spray and bake for 35-40 minutes.  Serve topped with warmed sauce.

Crockpot Cranberry Turkey Tenderloin

Ingredients:

2 lb Turkey Breast Tenderloin

optional diced onion

1 cup whole berry cranberry sauce

1/3 cup apple cider

1/3 cup orange juice

1/2 tsp dried thyme

salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1.) In a small bowl, combine cranberry sauce, cider, juice, and thyme; salt and pepper to taste.

2.) Place 1/3 of sauce mixture on the bottom of your crockpot and spread evenly.

Place turkey on top of sauce and add in diced onion if desired.
3.) Cook on low (5-7 hours) or high (3-5 hours).

Turkey Black Bean Butternut Squash Enchiladas

Ingredients:

1 lb lean, ground turkey

1 cup diced onion

1 can rotel (undrained)

1 cup black beans (rinsed and drained)

1 1/2-2 cups cooked and cubed squash

tsp cumin

tsp onion powder

tsp garlic salt

1/2 tsp chili powder

tsp minced garlic

corn or whole grain tortillas

1 can enchilada sauce

light shredded cheese

Directions:

1.) Preheat oven to 375 degrees and place approximately 1/4 cup of enchilada sauce on bottom of a 9x13 baking dish.

2.)In a skillet, brown ground turkey. Stir in onion, rotel, and all spices including minced garlic.

3.) Let simmer for 4-5 minutes; gently stir in black beans and cubed squash.

4.) Fill each tortilla with 2-3 tablespoons of meat mixture, roll and place seam side down in baking dish. Repeat until all remaining mixture is used.

5.) Pour remaining enchilada sauce evenly over enchiladas, sprinkle with a light layer of cheese and bake uncovered for 25-30 minutes.

top with fresh cilantro, green onion, avocado and a dollop of nonfat greek yogurt!

Chicken Parmesan Casserole

Ingredients:

4-5 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (cooked and diced)

1 can Italian diced tomatoes (drained)

1 jar marinara sauce (Sundried Tomato Basil was delicious!!!)

shredded mozzarella cheese (desired amount)

1/2 - 3/4 cup panko or Italian flavored bread crumbs

sprinkle parmesan cheese (desired amount)

Directions:

1.) Preheat oven to 350 degrees and lightly spray a 9x13 dish.

2.) Layer ingredients evenly and in order listed above (diced chicken, diced tomatoes, marinara, cheese, bread crumbs, sprinkle parmesan)

3.) Bake uncovered for 40 minutes; top with freshly chopped basil and parsley

Chicken Teriyaki Stir Fry

with Zoodle Lo Mein

Ingredients for sauce/marinade:

1/2 cup reduced sodium soy sauce

2 Tbsp brown sugar

2 Tbsp honey

3 Tbsp rice wine vinegar

1 tsp ground ginger

1 tsp minced garlic

1 Tbsp minced onion

Ingredients for Stir Fry:

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into bite size chunks

1 yellow squash (spiraled using a zucchini spiraler like the "Veggetti" and sautéed for 4-5 minutes)

1 bag frozen stir fry veggies (steamed)
Green onions
Sesame seeds

"Ooooodles of Zoodles"!

Directions:

1.) Whisk sauce/marinade ingredients in a small bowl. Place chicken pieces in a large ziplock baggie and pour marinade over chicken. Seal and marinate in the fridge for at least 3 hours.
2.). Remove chicken from marinade bag using a slotted spoon but KEEP THE MARINADE!!! This will be your sauce. Using a small amount of coconut or sesame oil, sautée chicken over medium-high heat for 5-7 minutes or until fully cooked. Transfer to a separate dish and cover.
3.). In the same skillet, pour in your marinade mixture and bring to a full boil. Cook at a rolling boil for 4-5 minutes stirring continuously. Mixture will thicken and turn into a delicious teriyaki sauce.

4.). Once thickened, stir in your cooked chicken, steamed bag of veggies and sautéed zoodles until all is well coated. Top with sliced green onions and sesame seeds.

Cool Ranch Crockpot Chicken Tacos

Ingredients:
4-5 Chicken Breasts
1 package low sodium taco seasoning
1 package dry ranch dressing mix
14 oz can chicken broth

Directions:
1.) Place all ingredients in crockpot and give a little stir to combine.
2.) Cook on low (6-8 hours) or high (4-6 hours)
3.) Shred chicken with forks and serve with your family's favorite taco fixins!

Hawaiian BBQ Pulled Pork (crockpot)

Ingredients:

1 pork tenderloin (approx. 3 lbs)

1 diced onion

2 cloves minced garlic

20 oz can pineapple chunks

1 tsp reduced sodium chicken bouillon
1/4 cup ketchup
1 cup favorite BBQ sauce
1 Tbsp liquid smoke
pepper to taste

Directions:
1.) Place pork tenderloin in crockpot.
2.) In a small bowl, mix remaining ingredients and pour over pork.
3.) Cover and cook on low (6-8 hours) or high (4-6 hours). When done, shred with fork.
4.) Serve on fresh buns with additional BBQ sauce.

Taco Squash Casserole

Ingredients:

1 lb lean ground turkey

3/4 cup chopped onion

can of rotel (undrained)

3 Tbsp reduced sodium taco seasoning

1/4 tsp cumin

can of black beans (rinsed and drained)

2 yellow squash

reduced fat shredded cheese

taco bell mild sauce

Directions:

1.) Preheat oven to 375 degrees

2.) Brown meat in a pan until no longer pink.

3.) Stir in chopped onion, rotel, taco seasoning, cumin and 1/2 of the can of black beans and simmer for five minutes.

4.) Slice squash into disks; layer disks from one squash on the bottom of a casserole dish; spread 1/2 of meat mixture evenly over squash layer.

5.) Repeat layers with remaining squash and other 1/2 of meat mixture.

6.) Top with a light layer of shredded cheese and remaining half of black beans.

7.) Bake uncovered for 40-45 minutes

8.) Serve with a generous drizzle of mild sauce, nonfat greek yogurt, green onions and chopped cilantro. Enjoy!

Turkey Meatballs and Mushroom Gravy

with Mashed "Faux-tatoes"

Meatball Ingredients:

1 lb lean ground turkey

2 Tbsp dry onion soup mix

1/4 cup panko

1 egg white

1 tsp Worcestershire

1/2 tsp liquid smoke

1/2 tsp pepper

1 tsp Italian seasoning

Meatball Directions:

1.) Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2.) Mix all ingredients in a medium bowl and form into balls.

3.) Place meatballs in a baking dish and bake for approximately 30 minutes.

Sauce Ingredients:

1/2 cup onion (sliced and diced)

1/2 cup fresh mushrooms (sliced)

1 can reduced fat cream of mushroom soup

1/3 of a soup can of milk

1 Tbsp nonfat plain greek yogurt

Sauce Directions:

1.) Sautee onions and mushroom until tender.

2.) Add in can of soup, milk and yogurt.

3.) Cook over medium heat until fully heated.

Mashed "Faux-tatoes" Ingredients:

2 medium bags frozen cauliflower

tsp minced garlic

tsp swanson chicken flavor boost

1/2 tsp pepper

1/2 tsp salt

Mashed "Faux-tatoes" Directions:

1.) Boil cauliflower until completely tender; strain in a colander to remove ALL WATER and let cool. ( Cauliflower will turn "soupy" if you do not drain it well)

2.) Place cooled cauliflower in a blender or food processor (I like to do this in two increments, only blending half the cauliflower at a time)

3.) Pulse and blend until cauliflower is smooth but not liquefied which can happen VERY QUICKLY so watch mixture and move cauliflower around to blend evenly.

4.) Repeat with 2nd half of cauliflower; place blended mixture in a pan; stir in all remaining ingredients and heat over medium low until fully heated.

Chipotle Chicken Burrito Bowls

Chicken Marinade:

3 cloves minced garlic

2 teaspoons cinnamon

2 Tablespoons chopped chipotles in adobo sauce (REMOVE THE SEEDS) plus 2 Tbsp of the adobo sauce it comes in

2 Tablespoons honey

1/4 cup vinegar

2 Tbsp lime juice

Build your Burrito Bowls:

bed of romaine

rice

black beans

red and green peppers

tomatoes

corn

green onions

avocado

garnish with light cheese, fresh salsa, chopped cilantro and a dollop of nonfat greek yogurt

Directions:

Marinate chicken in fridge for 2-3 hours; grill until fully cooked and serve with fresh burrito bowl ingredients.

PF Chang's Style Lettuce Wraps

Ingredients:

1 lb ground turkey

2 cloves minced garlic

1/2 onion, diced

1 celery stalk, diced

1 cup fresh mushrooms, sliced and diced

1/4 cup hoison sauce

2 Tbsp soy sauce

1 Tbsp rice wine vinegar

1 Tbsp freshly grated ginger

1tsp sriracha

1 small can water chestnuts, drained and diced

2 green onions, sliced

Lettuce leaves (butter or romaine)

Directions:

1.). Brown ground turkey in a pan, add in garlic, onion, celery and mushrooms during last 5 minutes of cooking and cook until veggies are tender

2.) In a small bowl, combine hoison, soy sauce, vinegar, ginger and sriracha.

3.) Add sauce and water chestnuts to meat mixture and heat fully.

4.). Spoon meat mixture into lettuce leaves and top with green onions.

* serve with a sweet chili or sweet and sour sauce*

Ingredients:

4 chicken breasts

1/2 cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs

1/4 light Parmesan cheese

1/4 tsp pepper

1/4 tsp salt

1 egg or 3 Tbsp egg beaters

4 slices light mozzarella cheese (optional)

Jar of favorite spaghetti sauce

Directions:

1.)Beat egg and pour into a pie plate or shallow dish.

2.)Mix bread crumbs and Parmesan in another shallow dish

3.)Dip chicken in egg and then in bread crumb mixture making sure to fully coat each side and place in crockpot.

4.)Repeat with all remaining chicken breasts.

5.)Top each breast with a slice of cheese ( optional)

6.)Cover chicken and cheese with entire jar of marinara.

7.)Cook on low (5-6 hours) or on high (3-4 hours).

Serve over your favorite whole grain pasta.

Southwest Chicken Salad

Ingredients:
2 large cans chunk chicken
6 oz container nonfat plain greek yogurt
2 heaping Tbsp taco seasoning
1/2 cup each of diced green pepper, red pepper, corn, black beans, green onion
can of rotel (drained)
1 jalapeno (seeded and chopped)
handful of chopped cilantro

Directions:
In a large bowl combine canned chicken, yogurt and seasoning. Fold in all remaining ingredients. Keep refrigerated.

Can be served as a sandwich, wrap or a dip



Philly Cheesesteak Sloppy Joes

Ingredients:
1 lb lean ground turkey
1/2 onion (chopped or sliced)
1/2 green pepper (chopped or sliced)
1 cup beef broth
1/4 cup steak sauce
whole grain buns
sliced swiss cheese

Directions:
Sautee peppers and onion in a pan until tender and set aside. In the same pan, brown ground turkey; stir in beef broth and steak sauce. Serve on wheat buns topped with peppers, onion and slice of cheese.

Stuffed Zucchini Boats

Ingredients:

3 large Zucchini (washed and dried)

1 lb lean ground turkey

1 package onion soup mix

2-3 Tbsp nonfat plain greek yogurt

1 1/2 cups chopped veggies (I used onion, mushroom and the pulp from the zucchinis)

sprinkle parmesan

Directions:

1.) Preheat oven to 350 degrees and lightly spray a a baking dish.

2.) Slice zucchini length wise and using a spoon, scoop out center to create boats. (reserve pulp)

3.) Sautee veggies until golden brown and remove from pan.

4.) Using same pan, brown ground turkey and drain grease (not necessary if using lean meat!) Stir in dry soup mix, greek yogurt and sautéed veggies.

5.) Fill zucchini boats with meat mixture and sprinkle with parmesan cheese.

6.) Bake for 30 minutes (covered for 20 minutes and uncovered for 10 minutes). Enjoy!

Chicken Tamale Pie

Ingredients:

3 cooked chicken breasts or 12 oz canned chicken (shredded)

10 oz can enchilada sauce

2 egg whites

1/3 cup skim milk

1 can cream style corn

4 oz can diced green chilis

1 Tbsp taco seasoning (divided)

8.5 oz box jiffy corn bread mix

Shredded cheddar cheese

fresh, chopped cilantro

Directions:

1.) Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2.) In a medium bowl, combine egg whites, milk, canned corn, green chilis, 1/2 Tbsp taco seasoning and corn bread mix.

3.) Pour batter into a lightly sprayed 9 in pie plate.

4.) Bake for 20-25 minutes or until cornbread is golden.

5.) While cornbread is baking, season shredded chicken with remaining 1/2 Tbsp of taco seasoning.

6.) Remove cornbread from oven and pierce all over with fork to make indentations.

7.) Pour enchilada sauce over pierced cornbread and top with shredded chicken and sprinkle with preferred amount of shredded cheese.

8.) Return pie to oven and bake for 10-15 minutes or until cheese is melted.

9.) Top with fresh, chopped cilantro and serve with fresh Mexican toppings like green onions, nonfat greek yogurt and sliced avocado



Maple Dijon Chicken

Ingredients:

3-4 boneless skinless chicken breasts

1/2 cup Dijon mustard

1/4 cup maple syrup

1 Tbsp red wine vinegar

salt and pepper

Directions:

1.) Preheat oven to 400 degrees

2.) Pat chicken dry with paper towel, generously salt and pepper and place in a lightly sprayed baking dish.

3.) In a small bowl combine mustard, syrup and vinegar and pour over chicken breasts.

4.) Bake uncovered 35-40 minutes.

Meatball Sub Casserole

First Layer: Slices of French bread

Second Layer: Cream Cheese Mixture

Third layer: Meatballs

Fourth Layer: Marinara and Cheese Sprinkles

Ingredients:

1 loaf french bread cut into 1 inch slices

8 oz fat free cream cheese

1/2 cup nonfat plain greek yogurt

1 tsp Italian seasoning

1/4 tsp pepper

1-2 cups fat free shredded mozzarella cheese (divided and depending on how much you like cheese)

Meatballs (frozen 1 lb bag or my homemade recipe listed below)

1 28 oz jar marinara

parmesan cheese sprinkles

Homemade Turkey Meatballs:

1 lb ground turkey

1 pkg dry onion soup mix

1 tbsp. Worcestershire

1/4 cup panko bread crumbs

1/2 Tbsp Italian seasoning

1 egg white

combine all ingredients and form into balls; bake at 375 for 30 minutes

Directions:

1.) Preheat oven to 350 degrees, place slices of bread on bottom of lightly sprayed 9x13.

2.) Toast bread for approximately 5 minutes.

3.) In a small bowl, mix cream cheese, yogurt, Italian seasoning, pepper and 1/2 of cheese and spread over sliced bread

4.) Place meatballs evenly over cream cheese layer.

5.)  Cover with jar of marinara; top with remaining shredded cheese and some sprinkle parmesan cheese.

6.) Bake uncovered for 30 minutes.

Teriyaki Turkey Burgers

4 Easy Ingredients:

1 lb lean ground turkey

1 pkg dry onion soup mix

1 heaping Tbsp Teriyaki baste and glaze

approx. 1 cup chopped veggies (I used pineapple, onion and green and red peppers)

Directions:

In a medium bowl , mix all ingredients and form into patties. Grill until fully cooked. Remove from grill and glaze with a layer of teriyaki baste and glaze. Build your turkey burger!



Honey Chipotle Pork Tacos
Ingredients:
1 Pork Roast or Tenderloin
Salt and Pepper
1 onion (chopped)
3 cloves minced garlic
2 teaspoons cinnamon
2 Tablespoons pureed chipotles in adobo sauce (REMOVE THE SEEDS)
2 Tablespoons honey
1/4 cup vinegar
1 cup of chicken broth

Directions:
Salt and pepper the pork and place in slow cooker Top with chopped onions. In a medium bowl, mix remaining ingredients and add to slow cooker. Cook on high (4-5 Hours) or on low (6-8 hours).

Serve with whole grain tortillas, fresh Mexican toppings and a sweet salsa

Creamy Chicken and Broccoli

over Quinoa Rice
(slow cooker)

Ingredients:

3-4 boneless chicken breasts

1 can cream of chicken soup

1 can of cheddar soup

1 cup chicken broth

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp Cajun seasoning

1/4 tsp garlic salt

1 cup nonfat plain greek yogurt

6 cups broccoli florets (fresh, steamed or frozen and thawed)

cooked quinoa, brown rice or both

Directions:

1.) In a medium bowl, mix soup cans, broth and seasonings.

2.) Place chicken in crockpot and pour sauce mixture over.

3.) Cook on low (6-8 hours) or high (4-6 hours).

4.) During last 30 minutes of cooking, shred chicken with a fork and stir in greek yogurt and broccoli. Heat until bubbly.

5.) Serve over quinoa, rice or a combination of both. Enjoy!

Cranberry BBQ Pork Chops (slow cooker)

Ingredients:
1 can whole berry cranberry sauce
1 cup BBQ sauce
4-6 pork chops

Directions:
1.) Mix BBQ and cranberry sauce in a small bowl.
2.) Place pork chops in slow cooker and top with BBQ cranberry sauce mixture.
3.) Cook on low (6-7 hours) or on high (4-5 hours)
4.) Pretend to still be busy cooking dinner for the next two hours when in actuality you are "pinning" while watching the episode you dvr'd and never got a chance to watch ; )



Ingredients:

15 Shells (cooked as directed)

parmesan cheese for topping

Filling:

3-4 Chicken Breasts (cooked and diced)

1 pkg boxed spinach (thawed and VERY well drained)

1/2 cup sundried tomatoes

1/2 cup chopped mushrooms

1/2 cup chopped onion

4 oz fat free cream cheese (room temperature)

1/2 cup low fat shredded mozzarella

1/4 cup fresh chopped basil

2 cloves minced garlic

1/2 tsp pepper

1/2 tsp salt

Sauce:

1 can drained diced tomatoes (I recommend basil, garlic oregano flavor)

1/2 cup marinara

Directions:

1.) Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

2.) Sautee your mushrooms and onion in a small pan over medium heat until tender.

3.) In a medium bowl, combine cream cheese and mozzarella until smooth.  Add in all remaining filling ingredients until well combined.

4.) In a small bowl, mix can of drained tomatoes and marinara and spread half of sauce mixture on the bottom of your baking dish.

5.) Stuff approximately 2 tbsp. of filling into each shell and place in baking dish.

6.) Cover shells with remaining half of sauce mixture and top with desired amount of parmesan cheese.

7.) Bake uncovered for 35-40 minutes or until hot and bubbly. Enjoy!

Pork Tenderloin French Dips

Ingredients:
3 lb pork loin
2 cups water
1 Tbsp beef bouillon granules
2 Tbsp minced garlic
1 Tbsp Worcestershire
teaspoon garlic powder
teaspoon onion powder
teaspoon dried thyme
Ground black pepper to taste

Directions: place pork loin in slow cooker; in a small bowl, mix all remaining ingredients and pour over pork; cook on high (4-6 hours) or low (6-8 hours)

Serve on a crusty French baguette with Swiss cheese and a ramiken of au jus for dipping

Turkey Sloppy Joes

Ingredients:

1 lb ground turkey

1/2 chopped onion

1/2 cup chopped green pepper

8oz can tomato sauce

1/3 cup ketchup

1/4 cup brown sugar

2 Tbsp flour

1/2 Tbsp Chili Powder

1/4 tsp garlic powder

1/2 Tbsp apple Cider Vinegar

1 Tbsp yellow mustard

1/2 Tbsp Worcestershire Sauce

Stovetop Directions:

1.) Brown ground turkey in a pan and add in chopped onion and pepper during last 2-3 minutes of cooking; cook until meat is done and veggies are tender.

2.). Stir in ALL remaining ingredients and simmer on stovetop for at least 20 minutes.

3.). Serve on freshly grilled buns.

Greek Chicken Pitas

with Cucumber Dill Greek Yogurt

Ingredients:

Pita pockets/gyro bread

3-4 chicken breasts

1 1/2 tsp lemon pepper seasoning

1/2 tsp oregano

1/4 tsp ground allspice

tsp minced garlic

1/2 green pepper (sliced)

1/2 red pepper (sliced)

1/2 white onion (sliced)
Oikos Cucumber Dill dip carton

Directions:

Place chicken in slow cooker and sprinkle with garlic and spices. Cook on low (6-8 hours) or high (3-4 hours). During last hours place sliced veggies on top of chicken. ( you can add them at the beginning but they will be a little mushier)

Serve in pita pockets or gyro bread with lettuce, fresh sliced tomatoes, cucumber, onion and Oikos Cucumber Dill yogurt dip

Devotional

Paul In Athens

          One thing I like to do from time to time for my family is to really bring the bible to life! I've found that a common consequence from our ultra-busy lifestyles is the inevitable separation of ourselves from the reality of biblical history. In other words, its hard to remember that Jesus was a real person who really walked around modern day Israel when we live in rural America and are just trying to remember what is on our grocery list that we left taped to the fridge because we are in a hurry and can't be late ONE MORE TIME for karate!  See what I mean?

       So, when at all possible, I try to help my family, and myself, make a connection between the stories of the historical figures in the bible with our 21st century lives today. And usually, food plays a major role in these faith-filled associations! And for tonight's lesson, we're going GREEK!

           Greece was a well-known country in ancient times, just like it is today. The apostle Paul spent a lot of time preaching to the Greeks in Athens as we will see in Acts 17. On this occasion, Paul had observed during his time in Athens that the people there were eager to worship but ignorant as to who to give their worship to. In fact, they had even built an idol to "A name-less God"! They didn't know who the God was, they just felt like they should worship someone!  Seem bizarre to anyone else? But apparently, this was the way of life in Greece at that time. So Paul, during his journey, pleaded with the Greeks to see that the God that they were searching for was the one true God, the God Jesus called "Abba" or "father". Take a look at his plea to the people of Athens below.....

   "The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by human hands. And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything. Rather, he himself gives everyone life and breath and everything else. From one man he made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands. God did this so they would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from anyone of us. For in him we live and move and have our being. As some of your own poets have said, 'We are his offspring.'" - Acts 17:24-28

       If we are really honest with ourselves, we might admit that we too need to be reminded of this from time to time. That we are here for more than just work and daily duties. We were born at this specific time, for a very specific reason and it is a calling we can only find when we look past ourselves and seek the one whom created us and calls us his children. In a sense, modern day America is not that different from ancient Greece. And Paul's message rings just as true today as it did over 2000 years ago. Listed below are some questions to answer as a family to help you remember that the same God that Paul pleaded with the Greeks to recognize and give proper worship to is the same loving God that wants to draw near to us in our lives! I've also included some maps of Paul's missionary journeys through ancient Greece!

1.) If God does not live in temples built by human hands, where does he live?
      A-He lives anywhere and everywhere; but, his favorite dwelling place is in our hearts.
2.) If God does not need anything from us, why are we called to serve him?
      A- God can do ANYTHING he wants to do....period! But, he likes to work through his people. Not because he needs us or for his sake, but for our sake...because he knows how it molds and changes us!
3.)  What does the verse mean when it says "God did this so they would seek him and perhaps reach out for him" ?
     A-God is revealing himself through every situation in our lives, good and bad, so we will be drawn closer to him throughout different circumstances we encounter and experience. He is CONSTANTLY using the occurrences in our lives to bring us closer to him!

We were born for a specific reason at this specific time! Pray as a family that God can every day reveal HIS will in your lives individually and as a family. God bless you this week!

Eggplant Lasagna Stacks

Ingredients:

1 large eggplant

Meat Sauce ( try my "With Blonde Ambition" spaghetti sauce seen here)

Cheese mixture

-8oz low fat cottage cheese

      - 1/2 cup low fat mozzarella

- 1 egg white

- 1/4 tsp Italian seasoning

Extra mozzarella sheds and Parmesan for topping

Directions:

1.)Preheat oven to 375 degrees

2.) in a lightly sprayed sautée pan, toast eggplant disks until both sides are golden brown and seasoned with salt, pepper and garlic powder

3.). Layer ingredients in the following order.....

Layer 1- 1/3 of With Blonde Ambition's Spaghetti Sauce

Layer 2-  1/2 of eggplant disks

Layer 3- 1/2 of Cheese Mixture

4.) repeat all three layers again and finish with last 1/3 of spaghetti sauce

5.) top with a light layer of low fat mozzarella shreds and Parmesan

6.). Bake uncovered for 40-45 minutes or until hot and bubbly and delicious!

Chicken Spinach Artichoke Bake

Ingredients:

4-6 Chicken Breasts

1 can artichokes (whole or quartered)

1 box spinach (thawed and drained)

1 cup sliced mushrooms (fresh, not canned is best)

1/2 onion cut into large chunks

2 Tbsp course brown mustard

2-3 cloves minced garlic

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

1/4 cup chicken broth

1/4 tsp basil

1/4 tsp thyme

1/4 tsp tarragon

1 bay leaf

salt and pepper

sprinkle parmesan cheese (approximately a tablespoon for each chicken breast)

Directions:

1.) Preheat oven to 375 degrees

2.) Place sliced veggies on bottom of a lightly sprayed 9x13 baking dish and top with chicken breasts; salt and pepper each breast

3.) Mix mustard, garlic, vinegar, broth and seasonings and pour over chicken

4.) Sprinkle a little grated parmesan over each chicken breast and bake for 45 minutes

garnish with fresh chopped parsley or basil

Smothered Pork Carnitas Burritos

(slow cooker)

Ingredients:

3-4 lb lean pork loin

1 packet of Campbell's Slow Cooker Sauce ("Hawaiin Luau" for a sweeter, tangier flavor which is what I used..... or Mexican Red Chile for a more traditional flavor)

5-7 tortillas

1 can low fat or fat free refried beans

1 can enchilada sauce

cheddar cheese shreds for topping (low fat or fat free)

Directions:

1.) Place meat and slow cooker sauce in crockpot and cook on low (6-8 hours) or high (4-6 hours)

2.) When meat is done, shred lightly with a fork (personally I like to leave some big chunks though) and preheat oven to 400 degrees

3.) In a small microwavable bowl, heat beans thoroughly

4.) Place approximately 2 heaping tablespoons of beans on tortilla; top with approximately 1/2 cup of meat mixture; roll tightly into a burrito and place seam side down in a lightly sprayed 9x13 baking dish; repeat with remaining torillas

5.) When all burritos have been placed in dish, gently pour enchilada sauce over them carefully coating each one

6.) Top with desired amount of cheese and bake until cheese is melted and dish is bubbly (approximately 20 min)

garnish with green onions, cilantro, avocado, and nonfat greek yogurt

Devotional: "Remaining Watchful for His Return"

memory verse - "Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour." -Matthew 25:13

I have a confession to make....our dog, Eli, sleeps with us. He always has, he always will. And I'm not talking about a curled up at the foot of the bed kind of sleep....I'm talking about a sprawled out, paws in your back all night long kind of sleep! And to tell you the truth, we enjoy it as much as he does. But there's been a change in his sleeping habits lately and I think I know why.

        My husband travels a lot for work. This time of year, his travel schedule is sporadic.....no, make that ERRATIC! When he leaves for a trip, he could be gone anywhere from two days to ten days. We, of course, know how long he'll be gone but Eli doesn't! And that's where it all started.

     The change occurred when Jimmy had a few back to back trips that brought him home at night after everyone was in bed. Eli heard the garage door open and bolted downstairs, eager to greet his master. After two of these "middle of the night returns", Eli will no longer sleep in the bed with me. Rather, he now positions himself in the big chair in the living room or perched at the top of the stairs overlooking the entry door from the garage. And he is VIGILANT about it, refusing to come sleep next to me no matter how sweetly I try to coax him. Because, in his little canine mind, he wants to remain poised and ready for the return of his master which he knows could be at any moment. To him, nothing would be worse than having his master come home to find him "sacked out", un-alert and ill-prepared!

As I told this story to my husband, I began to think about my own relationship with MY master. And I began to wonder....what would it look like for me to await the return of my master with the same fervor?

    Jesus speaks about this exact principle in his Parable of the Ten Virgins in Matthew 25:1-13. In it, he lays out a story of ten virgins; five wise, five foolish, all awaiting the return of their bridegroom. The wise ones brought extra oil in their lamps to the designated meeting place. The five foolish, however, brought no extra oil. As they waited for the bridegroom, the hour grew late and they all fell asleep. Suddenly, they were awakened by the booming voice of the bridegroom calling for them. The wise ones quickly refilled their lamps and went out to meet him. They were ready when he came. The foolish, however, did not have any oil to refill their lamps and were forced to go into town and buy some. Verse 10 states "while they were on their way to buy oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet and the door was shut." By the time the foolish virgins got back, everyone was gone. They had missed the very thing they were waiting for....like so many...they thought they would have more time.



"Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour." -Matthew 25:13

      So, I asked myself, "how can I keep extra oil for my lamp?" What would that look like? Or, put in another way, "what would I want my master to find me doing when he returns?" For me, personally, that means taking care of my husband and daughter with a smile and a cheerful heart, even when I don't feel like it. It means when given the option, putting someone else....ANYONE else...before me. It means a continual state of gratitude for the blessings that God has placed in my life. It means asking God daily to make me more like his Son and more aware of how I can serve him by serving others around me. And it means attacking my day with excellence, no matter how big or small and medial the task is on my agenda.

       So my challenge to you is this...are you packing extra oil? Are you living in a constant state of readiness as you go from day to day? Or are you going through each day as if the groom is never coming back? Remaining ever watchful for Jesus' return may look different for each one of us, but the result will be a faithful life built day by day the one day we will be proud to present before the master. And THAT is the goal....apparently one that even my dog understands.

May God bless you this week,

         Tiffany

"With Blonde Ambition"



Chicken Tortilla Soup

(Slow Cooker)

Ingredients:

3-4 Chicken breasts

1 can chicken broth

2 cups chopped onion, green peppers and red peppers

1 Tbsp minced garlic

1 can rotel (undrained)

1 can corn (drained)

1 can white beans (can be whole or rinsed and drained either one!)

1 Tbsp chili powder

1 Tbsp ground cumin

1 heaping teaspoon dry ranch seasoning mix from packet

1/2 teaspoon garlic salt

optional 1/2 -1 cup cooked brown rice/quinoa/pasta shells

Directions:

1.) Place chicken breasts and can of broth in slow cooker and cook on low (6-8 hours) or high (4-6) hours

2.) During last hour, sautee onion and peppers in lightly sprayed pan until tender

3.) Add sautéed veggies and all remaining ingredients to slow cooker and heat throughout

Serve with tortilla chips, fresh cilantro, shredded cheese, avocado, green onion, etc.

Biblically Themed Party Food

(Perfect for a Baptism Party)

     Last Spring, our daughter made the decision to ask Jesus into her heart! We spent the summer talking with her about the decision she had made, making sure she understood exactly what that meant and the significance of a personal relationship with Jesus Christ in a person's life. And after a few months, she asked to be baptized in our church so she could publically share her step of faith in front of all her friends and family. We, of course, were elated and proud beyond words having seen and felt personally what placing your faith in Jesus Christ can do in your life. We had always hoped and prayed she would experience that for herself one day. And now that she had, it was TIME TO CELEBRATE!!!

     We met with our children's ministry director, scheduled the baptism and invited all our family over for a Baptism Party and lunch after the church service. I wanted to create a themed dinner to capture the moment as well as pay tribute to some of our most beloved bible stories so I came up with this fun, festive and kid-friendly menu for the joyous occasion! I hope you enjoy it and that it might be a blessing to you next time you are looking for a fun way to serve a meal honoring a great day and an even Greater God we serve!

   Sincerely,

      Tiffany - "With Blonde Ambition"

Menu

"Faith like a honey mustard seed" Ham

"Heavenly Streets of Golden" Corn

"Joseph's Salad of Many Colors"

"Seventh Day" Seven Layer Dip

"John the Baptist's Locust with Wild Honey" Dip

Fresh "Fruit of the Spirit"

"Roll the Stone Away" Rolls

"Faith like a honey mustard seed" Ham

"Heavenly Streets of Golden" Corn

"Joseph's Salad of Many Colors"

"Seventh Day" Seven Layer Dip

"John the Baptist's Locust with Wild Honey" Dip

Fresh "Fruit of the Spirit"

"Roll the Stone Away" Rolls

We also made a cookies and cream flavored "Ombre Rose" cake and decorated it with sprinkles in the shape of a cross using a cookie cutter as a stencil!

Baked Panko Pretzel Chicken Strips

with Honey Mustard Sauce

Ingredients:

4 - 5 chicken breasts
2 cups panko crumbs
2 cups pretzel crumbs (crush in a ziplock bag or run through food processor)
1/2 cup nonfat plain greek yogurt
1/2 cup Dijon mustard
1/3 cup of honey
3 Tbsp red wine vinegar
salt and pepper

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees; lightly spray a cookie pan with nonstick spray; in a medium bowl, mix panko and pretzel crumbs; in a separate small bowl, mix yogurt, mustard, honey and vinegar; salt and pepper sauce to taste (you can also add more honey or mustard to suit your liking); slice chicken breasts into strips; pour approximately 2/3 of honey mustard sauce into a shallow bowl; place all of panko pretzel crumbs on a clean plate;

Dredging: carefully dip each strip first into honey mustard sauce, allow excess to drip off, roll in panko pretzel crumbs to fully coat, carefully place on baking sheet; bake for 20 -25

minutes. Serve with reserved 1/3 honey mustard sauce for dipping.

Dinner Devotional:

"Saul and Ananias"

Tonight, we're going to learn about two great men from the Bible........Saul and Ananais. Saul is a well known character throughout the New Testament but his great story would never have played out as it did had it not been for one of the greatest unsung biblical heroes in history......Ananais. His story has always been a favorite of mine and gives an incredibly powerful testimony as well as an even more commanding challenge for us today. But first, a little back story.
After Jesus died, was resurrected and ascended back into heaven, the region in that time was at a crossroads. The power of the Gospel and Jesus' story was spreading throughout the early world like wildfire thanks to the dedication of the disciples and the early believers. However, this movement was being met with great opposition chiefly from one zealous man named Saul. Saul had made it his mission in life to wipe every Christian off the face of the earth. And he was having great success in this effort as he was known for hunting down, torturing and killing believers. But one day God decided He had had enough! Jesus appeared to Saul on the road to Damascus in a bright light. So bright it literally blinded Saul. His traveling companions didn't know what to do with a blind leader so they left him in Damascus (great friends, huh?) which is where our friend Ananais finds him. While all this had been occurring, God had appeared to Ananais in a vision and told him to go find Saul and touch him so he would receive his sight back. Ananais, with good reason, did not want to go do this! The very NAME of Saul struck fear in the hearts of believers so Ananais answered, "Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much harm he has done to your saints in Jerusalem. And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on your name." But the Lord said to him, "Go, for he is a chosen vessel of Mine to bear my name before gentiles, kings and the children of Israel." - Acts 9:13-16 So Ananias did as the Lord commanded and Saul received not only his sight but a new found purpose in life.
I can't imagine how hard that must have been for Ananais. This was not a friend he was asked to help, this was an enemy. And not just any enemy, but someone who wanted to kill him! It was not just his pride that was at stake, it was his life too! But Ananais was committed to obedience...even to the point of death.
Ananais did just as the Lord commanded and many were blessed because of this one act of obedience. You see, after Saul received his sight he became a changed man. He had seen the power of God and had received his mercy when he prayed and was healed. He took on a new mission in life that day, rather than traveling the world to wipe out believers in Christ, he began traveling the world to spread Jesus' message to every man, woman and child. He became one of the new testament's most effective and determined apostles and authored many of the new testament's books. But you would only know him by his new name....Paul. And all of this was a direct result of one man's single act of obedience to show kindness to an enemy.
We probably won't have to risk our lives for the Lord's sake like Ananais did, but we are asked to often give up other things like our pride when we are faced with the choice of how to treat an enemy. As a family, look over the questions below and talk about how you can show kindness to someone who is "less than kind" to you!

Questions:

1.) Is there someone you can think of that is unkind or hurtful to you?

2.) How have you responded to them so far?

3.) What could you do to show them kindness?

God's word can be a very helpful tool when tackling one of life's challenges like loving an enemy. Memorize the following verse to help you when you are called to be kind to the unkind.

Memory Verse

"But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you."

- Matthew 5:44

Turkey Sliders





Ingredients:

1 lb lean ground turkey

1 packet of dry lipton onion soup mix

3 Tbsp non fat greek yogurt or low fat mayo

1/4 cup fat free shredded cheddar (or more for cheese lovers ; )

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees; Brown ground turkey; drain off any excess grease; sprinkle on dry onion soup mix; mix well to coat all of the meat; add in yogurt and cheese and combine. Place a large spoonful of meat mixture on buns; Cover with foil and heat for 10-15 minutes in oven to warm sandwiches; serve immediately

World's Greatest Spaghetti Sauce

in a crockpot

Ingredients:

1 lb lean ground turkey

28 oz can diced tomatoes (Italian flavored)

14 oz can tomato sauce

6 oz can tomato paste

1 tsp minced garlic

1 tsp oregano

1/2 tsp basil

1 bay leaf

2 Tbsp brown sugar

1 tsp worchestershire

1/4 - 1/2 onion (diced)

2 ribs of celery (diced)

can of sliced mushrooms (drained)

1 cup diced green pepper

salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Sautee veggies in light cooking spray until tender; add in ground turkey and brown completely; place in crockpot along with all remaining ingredients; cook on low (6-8 hours) or high (4-6) hours

Dump ALL ingredients in crockpot (yes, even the raw ground turkey) and stir until combined; cook on low (6-8 hours) or high (4-6 hours). The meat will fully cook in the sauce and create an ultra fine texture....it's delicious and a time saver!!!!

Devotional

"Choosing Friends Wisely"

*Memory verse*

"As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another." - Proverbs 27:17

One of our favorite Disney movies is Tarzan. We all know the main concept but what makes this story so intriguing is the fact that a human being was being raised by apes. Not surprisingly, and in very little time, the young boy begins to act like an ape. He communicates by making ape sounds and gestures, he walks o his hands, swings thru the trees and consumes a daily diet of bananas and fruit. Ultimately, he becomes like those he is around. It makes fir a great Disney flick but its far from realistic....or is it? Contrary to what you might think, this is a common occurrence in life. Human beings and even animals are easily influenced by those around them in their environment. It's only natural for us to take on the behaviors and characteristics of our peers, no matter how strong our nature is. Just look at wild animals who are raised by other species. Over time, they all in some way take on he behavior of their adopted brothers and sisters, regardless of their opposing DNA. Sometimes this is to their benefit, like when a chimp in captivity can learn how to communicate with it's handlers by learning sign language. But unfortunately, many times it can be to their detriment; like when wild animals in captivity lose their natural instincts and can no longer be released into the wild to live among their fellow species. . It all comes down to what type of influences are placed around an individual. Will others in their environment influence them to be better or worse?

Let's look and see what the bible says about this issue. Proverbs 27:17 states "As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another." There are many stories and examples of people who were influenced by individuals which they placed themselves around. For instance, take a look at the relationship of Samson and Delilah. Samson had been set apart by God from birth and had been given the gift of incredible strength. However, with that gift, he was also given specific instructions on how he was to live his life in order to keep his gift and best glorify God. But he chose a Philistine woman (a people at that time known for sin, cruelty and violence especially towards Samson's own people the Israelites) , named Delilah to be his wife. Not surprisingly, when Delilah was offered eleven hundred shekels of silver from the Philistine rulers if she would find out the secret of Samson's strength, she betrayed him ultimately leading to his demise. Samson was the strongest man ever to live on this earth, but even HE wasn't strong enough to withstand the effects of bad influences in his life.

So now that we see how important it is to choose our friends and peers wisely, let's take a moment to stop and evaluate the personal influences in each of or lives. And this goes for parents too! As you can see with the story of Samson, even adults can struggle with this! Choosing your friends wisely is a life long commitment, but one that will bless and reward you ten fold!!

here are some other verses on this topic........

"Do not be deceived: Bad company ruins good morals." - 1 Corinthians 15:33

"Blessed is the man who walks not in the council of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers." - Psalm 1:1

"Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm." - Proverbs 13 :30

Questions to discuss as a family:

1.) Who are my closest influences?

2.) What are some positive characteristics that would "sharpen" me in my life?

3.) Who in my life displays these characteristics?

4.) What are some negative characteristics that could "dull" my character?

5.) Is there anyone in my life who displays these?

6.) How can I be more purposeful in placing positive influences around me? (be specific)

7.) How can I avoid negative influences without hurting someone's feelings?

*pray as a family about choosing influences wisely and ask for God's help in the specific areas you have discussed*

Spinach Stuffed Chicken Breasts

(serves 4)

4 chicken breasts

1 pkg frozen chopped spinach (thawed and drained)

4 oz softened cream cheese

1/2 cup shredded mozzarella

4 Tbsp panko bread crumbs

1/2 to 3/4 tsp Cajun seasoning

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Butterfly chicken breasts and flatten with mallet to about 1/2 in thickness. In a small bowl, mix together spinach, cream cheese and mozzarella. Place 1/4 of spinach filling in center of each of the four chicken breasts. Roll tightly and secure with toothpicks (approximately 3-4 toothpicks per breast). Place seam side down in a baking dish lightly sprayed with nonstick spray and lightly salt and pepper chicken. In another small bowl, combine breadcrumbs and Cajun seasoning. Sprinkle evenly over chicken breasts. Lightly spray the tops of each chicken breast with nonstick spray and bake for 40-45 minutes. Remove toothpicks before serving.

BBQ Glazed Turkey Meatloaf

1 lb ground turkey

1 egg

1/4 cup oatmeal

1/4 cup panko

1 cup chopped red peppers, green peppers and onion

1 tsp beef bouillon concentrate

8 oz can tomato sauce

1 tsp worcestershire

1/2 tsp pepper

1/2 tsp salt

BBQ Glaze

mix equal parts of bbq sauce and ketchup

(approximately 1/4 cup of each)

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Mix all ingredients together in a medium bowl. Place in a loaf pan and form into meatloaf shape. Bake for 35-45 minutes. During last 5 minutes, glaze with bbq glaze and finish baking. Enjoy!

Thursday, June 6, 2013

Slow cooker Creamy Chicken Chili

Slow cooker Creamy Chicken Chili

1 can black beans (rinsed and drained)
1 can corn (undrained)
1 can rotel (undrained)
1 package Ranch dressing mix
1 tsp cumin
1 Tbsp chili powder
1 tsp onion powder
1 8 oz package Fat Free cream cheese
2-3 chicken breasts

Directions: Place chicken breasts in crock pot; pour undrained can of corn and undrained can of rotel over chicken; drain and rinse black beans, add to slow cooker; Stir in seasoning and ranch mix. Lastly, top with cream cheese. Cook on high for 4-6 hours or on low for 7-8 hours. Just before serving, remove chicken and shred with forks; return to slow cooker and stir just until everything is combined. Serve with tortilla chips.

Garnish with:
shredded cheese
greek yogurt/sour cream
avocado slices
green onion
cilantro

Devotional

Fear

Memory Verse: "For God did not give us a spirit of fear, but of power, and love and self discipline."
- 2 Timothy 1:7

Imagine you're a little kid. You've just learned that your Dad has been transferred which means that the whole family is starting new schools and a new chapter in life. Now imagine its your first day at your new school. No matter how brave and confident you are, it's only natural that you are going to feel a little nervous and fearful when you walk into your new classroom full of strange, new kids, people and surroundings. And this is where you make a choice...are you going to walk in scared, shy, with your head down trying not to make eye contact with anyone? Or, are you going to hold your head high, boldly ready to face this new challenge? You see, many times we can't change the situtation but we can change how we react to it.

In 2 Timothy 1:7, Paul writes to Timothy encouraging as well as reminding him that "God did not give us a spirit of fear, but of power, and love and self discipline." But it is up to us which spirit we choose! Just like we choose which channel to watch on TV, we can choose which attitude to tune our hearts and minds to. So when you feel nervous, anxious or fearful, remember that God has already given you a spirit of power, love and self discipline. We just have to change the channel and tune into God!

Questions:
1.) what makes you anxious, nervous or fearful?
2.) in those times, what can you remind yourself of to help you not feel afraid?
3.) Will it always be easy to choose a spirit of power over a spirit of fear?
4.) how can memorizing God's word help me when I'm afraid?

God's word is alive a powerful! I'n fact, the word of God is so powerful that it is referred to as "the sword of the Spirit" in Ephesians 6:16. The very word of God is a weapon.....our weapon! Whenever we feel nervous or afraid, it is a wonderful blessing to know we have God's promise of power and courage to lean on. Lets pray and thank Godforsaken that promise and ask for his help in choosing that spirit over a spirit of fear.

*memorize 2 Timothy 1:7 as a family *

"Fresh Fruit Cake"

We love fresh fruit...we love dessert....really, it was only a matter of time. By combining the best of both worlds we proudly bring to you....."Fresh Fruit Cake"!!!!

We made this for my husband and father-in-law's birthday party but it was simple enough to do for any occasion even on a school night!

"Fresh Fruit Cake"

Ingredients:

Watermelon

Cantelope

Strawberries

Grapes

Kiwi

Blueberries

Candles and toothpicks

Directions:

Carve watermelon into the shape of a round cake; carve cantelope into the shape of a smaller round cake; insert tooth picks into bottom of cantelope round and center on top of watermelon round. Decorate with remaining fruit using toothpicks. Slice and serve!

Helpful tip: use as few toothpicks as possible and only insert to hallway mark for easier removal upon serving.

Devotional

There are an abundance of verses that reference fruit so feel free implement your own lesson but here are a few verses that go really well with the "Fresh Fruit Cake" recipe.

Memory Verse

"The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, And he who wins souls is wise."

- Proverbs 11:29-31

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Against such there is no law." - Galatians 5:22-23

Fruit was a very popular food in biblical times just like it is today. Many times, Jesus used common items and foods in order to teach a new concept in a way that the people in that time could easily understand. In Matthew7:16-20, Jesus uses fruit as an example of how the father wants to "grow" his children and how He inspects or judges his crop.

^"You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles? Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Therefore by their fruits you will know them." - Matthew 7:16-20

Questions:

1.)What is your favorite fruit and why?

2.) If you picked that fruit from it's plant/vine and all of its fruit tasted bad.....what would you think about that plant it came from?

answer-It is not a healthy plant.

3.) How do you know if a plant is good and healthy?

answer-By tasting its fruit; good fruit comes from good, healthy plants and bad fruit comes from bad, unhealthy plants.

4.)What does it mean for a person to "bear fruit"?

answer-Your actions, thoughts, words and attitude that you give off is your fruit. In other words, your fruit is your character!

5.) Name some characteristics that could be considered "good" fruit.

Name some characteristics that could be considered "bad" fruit.

6.)What kind of "fruits" do you want to be known for?

examples: kindness, generosity, loyalty, honesty, wisdom, love, etc.

7.)How can we produce good fruit?

The answer to that can be found in John 15:1-8 where Jesus says...

“I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.

“I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples. - John 15:1-8

Questions:

1.) What does "abide" mean?

answer- To remain in, to dwell, live or "hang out" in and around!

2.) What happens to a branch that stays close to and "abides" in the vine?

answer-It is nourished by the vine and grows bigger, stronger and better because the vine is its source for nutrients.

3.) Can the branch get its nutrients from anywhere else?

answer - no

4.) What happens to a branch that breaks away from the vine?

answer-it shrivels up an dies.

5.) Why?

answer- because it now has now source for food and nutrients.

6.) So how can we abide in the Father?
answer-spend time with Him by reading the bible, praying to Him, worshipping
Him at church and talking as a family about Him.

We are A LOT like fruit! We need to be nourished and fed in order to grow! Not just our bodies, but our spirits too! And God is the only source that can feed our hearts with what we need. If we stay connected to Him, He will grow us, guide us and help us bear "good" fruit...for our sake and for His glory!!! What an amazing promise! And all we have to do is stick close by His side and we will get everything we need!

Pray with your family about what you have learned and how God can help you stay close and "abide" in Him.

Chicken and Spinach Enchiladas

Ingredients:
1/2 cup chopped green onion
1/2 tsp garlic powder
4 oz canned, diced green chilis
can cream of mushroom soup
1/3 - 1/4 cup nonfat plain greek yogurt
large can shredded chicken
box of thawed and drained frozen spinach
shredded low fat Mexican cheese blend
6 corn tortillas
1/4 cup milk
salt and pepper

Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees; lightly spray a 9x9 baking dish; over medium heat, sauté green onions in pam until; tender; stir in garlic powder, green chilis, soup, and sour cream; mix well; reserve 3/4 of sauce and set aside; to remaining 1/4 stir in chicken, spinach, and desired amount of shredded cheese; season with SALT and pepper to taste; fill each tortilla with equal amounts of chicken mixture, roll and place seam side down in baking dish; add 1/4 cup milk to reserved 3/4 sauce mixture; spoon sauce over tortillas and top with a sprinkle of shredded cheese; bake 30-35 minutes!

Complimentary garnishes include:

shredded lettuce, chopped tomato, cheese, green onion, cilantro, non fat greek yogurt, avocado slices, salsa, pico de gallo, diced jalapenos

Devotional

"In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven." - Matthew 5:16

Tonight we're going to learn the meaning of Jesus's message on salt and light. As a matter of fact, both were needed to make this meal tonight! I used salt when preparing our dinner in order to add flavor; I didn't want our meal to be bland and tasteless so I added just the right amount of seasoning to make the flavor stand out and make your taste buds say " oh yeah"! And obviously I needed light to prepare dinner. It would make no sense to have perfectly good lights in our home and not turn them on and cook dinner in the dark! That's just crazy!!! Well you know what, Jesus says that we are like salt and light! Let me read you a story where Jesus compares his followers to salt and light. Pay close attention because I want to ask you questions at the end.

Salt and Light ( Matthew 5:13-16)

“You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.

“You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. ¹⁵Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven."

Questions:

1). Why do we use salt in our cooking?

answer- to add flavor

2). What do we need light for?

answer- to help us see, to light the way

3). What do you think Jesus meant when He said "you are the salt of the Earth"? ( think about what salt is used for)

answer- We are supposed to add flavor to our world; we are supposed to stand out!

4). But how can we add flavor and stand out for Jesus?

answer- we can follow His ways and be a good example for others to do the same!

5). And what do you think Jesus meant when He said " we are "the light of the world"? (Think about what light is used for)
answer- We are supposed to light the way for others, and to help others see

6). But what are we lighting the way for? What are we wanting others to see?
answer- we are lighting the way to a life with Jesus and helping others see that Jesus loves them more than they could ever imagine and wants to have a relationship with them.

We we were created to make a difference! To stand out and light the way! We were never meant to blend in with this world! God is calling each and everyone of us to be leaders for the people He has placed around us. Standing out in this world does not mean however that we are called to be harsh, difficult and judgmental with others and "calling everyone out" on all their faults! But instead, Jesus meant for us to "light the way" using our actions! And when others see that your actions are full of joy, peace, love, truth, mercy, wisdom, kindness and grace.......well, why wouldn't they want to follow your lead!!!! That is the kind of salt and light Jesus was talking about! And just like it would be crazy for me to have perfectly good salt and light in our kitchen and not use it, it would be just as crazy to have God's salt and light inside us and not use it! So get out there and let that light shine!!!!

*discuss as a family how you can specifically be "salt and light" in YOUR world*

*pray as a family about how God can help you individually and as a family do this*

Memory verse

"In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven." - Matthew 5:16

With Blonde Ambition

Featured on

Dinner and a Devotional

World's Greatest Spaghetti Sauce

in a crockpot

Ingredients:

1 lb lean ground turkey

Spinach Stuffed Chicken Breasts

Spinach Stuffed Chicken Breasts

(serves 4)

4 chicken breasts

1 pkg frozen chopped spinach (thawed and drained)

4 oz softened cream cheese

1/2 cup shredded mozzarella

4 Tbsp panko bread crumbs

1/2 to 3/4 tsp Cajun seasoning

Directions

BBQ Glazed Turkey Meatloaf

BBQ Glazed Turkey Meatloaf

1 lb ground turkey

1 egg

1/4 cup oatmeal

1/4 cup panko

1 cup chopped red peppers, green peppers and onion

1 tsp beef bouillon concentrate

8 oz can tomato sauce

1 tsp worcestershire

1/2 tsp pepper

1/2 tsp salt

BBQ Glaze

mix equal parts of bbq sauce and ketchup

(approximately 1/4 cup of each)

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Mix all ingredients together in a medium bowl. Place in a loaf pan and form into meatloaf shape. Bake for 35-45 minutes. During last 5 minutes, glaze with bbq glaze and finish baking. Enjoy!

Thursday, June 6, 2013

"Fresh Fruit Cake"

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Post a Comment

Featured on

Dinner and a Devotional

World's Greatest Spaghetti Sauce

in a crockpot

Ingredients:

1 lb lean ground turkey

Spinach Stuffed Chicken Breasts

﻿

﻿

Spinach Stuffed Chicken Breasts

(serves 4)

4 chicken breasts

1 pkg frozen chopped spinach (thawed and drained)

4 oz softened cream cheese

1/2 cup shredded mozzarella

4 Tbsp panko bread crumbs

1/2 to 3/4 tsp Cajun seasoning

*Directions*

BBQ Glazed Turkey Meatloaf

BBQ Glazed Turkey Meatloaf

1 lb ground turkey

1 egg

1/4 cup oatmeal

1/4 cup panko

1 cup chopped red peppers, green peppers and onion

1 tsp beef bouillon concentrate

8 oz can tomato sauce

1 tsp worcestershire

1/2 tsp pepper

1/2 tsp salt

BBQ Glaze

mix equal parts of bbq sauce and ketchup

(approximately 1/4 cup of each)

*Directions*

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Mix all ingredients together in a medium bowl. Place in a loaf pan and form into meatloaf shape. Bake for 35-45 minutes. During last 5 minutes, glaze with bbq glaze and finish baking. Enjoy!

﻿

﻿

Thursday, June 6, 2013

"Fresh Fruit Cake"

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Post a Comment

Directions

Directions