Taco Stuffed Peppers

Ingredients:
3 Bell Peppers
1 lb lean ground meat (I use half turkey half ground beef)
Package of low sodium Taco Seasoning (can be Gluten Free)
1/3 cup water
3 Tbsp cornstarch
1/2 to 2/3 cup crushed tortilla chips

Directions:
1.) Preheat oven to 375 degrees and line a baking dish with foil for easy clean up
2.)  Cut peppers in half and scoop out seeds, set aside
3.)  Brown meat in pan and drain any excess grease (should only have a very small amount from ground beef)
4.)  Stir in packet of taco seasoning, water and 3 Tbsp cornstarch and chips until fully mixed.
5.)  Spoon equal amounts of taco mixture into pepper shells and place in lined dish.
6.)  Bake uncovered for 20 minutes, sprinkle with a little shredded cheese and bake an additional 5 minutes for cheese to melt.
7.)  Serve topped with a dollop of guac!

Brown Sugar Chicken and Pineapple Kabobs

Ingredients:

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into bitesize pieces

1 packet dry Italian dressing mix

1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 pineapple

Directions:
1.) Slice pineapple in half and score each side by making vertical and horizontal slices through fruit without cutting through to the shell.  
2.) Using a strong spoon (and maybe a knife as well if some slices are stubborn) scoop out cubes of pineapple and set aside. 
3.) Skewer alternating pieces of chicken and pineapple. (You will have plenty of extra fresh pineapple another recipe or just noshing on!)
4.) In a small bowl, mix italian seasoning and brown sugar and generously coat kabobs with about 2/3 of seasoning.
5.) Grill until chicken is fully cooked sprinkling on the remaining seasoning throughout as needed. Serve over asian rice inside hollowed out pineapple shell for added flair!

Shared with Thinking Out Loud at Running with Spoons found here

BBQ Chicken Enchiladas

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

Shared with 
Tasty Tuesday: Favorite Recipes found here 
 Two Cup Tuesday at Pint Sized Baker found here
Creative Ways at Posed Perfection found here
Welcome Home Wednesday at Suburban Simplicity found here
Thinking Out Loud at Running with Spoons found here
Full Plate Thursday at Miz Helen's Cottage found here
Weekend Potluck at The Country Cook found here

Philly Cheese Steak Stuffed Spaghetti Squash

Ingredients:
One medium spaghetti squash
Bag of precooked, seasoned fajita beef strips (gently warmed)
grilled peppers and onions
slices of provolone cheese (but Jimmy likes swiss so I use that)


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.)  Fill each spaghetti squash half with your beef strips, peppers and onions.
7.)  Lastly, top with slices of cheese.
8.)  Place back in the oven and bake for another 8-10 minutes or until cheese begins to brown.  Enjoy!

Honey Buffalo Chicken

(slow cooker style)
Ingredients:
4-5 chicken breasts
2 -3 Tablespoon Buffalo sauce
1/4 cup apricot preserves
1/4 cup honey
2 Tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon garlic
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Directions:
Place chicken breasts in slow cooker and cook on low (5-7 hours) or high (4-5 hours).  
Meanwhile, whisk all remaining ingredients in a small bowl to make honey buffalo sauce. *tip* heat ingredients in microwave for 30-45 seconds to help melt preserves
After chicken is fully cooked, remove from crockpot and discard liquids from slow cooker (or save to use in a stock)
Place chicken back in slow cooker, stir in sauce,  mix, reheat and serve.

BBQ Chicken Enchiladas

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

Shared with Tasty Tuesday: Favorite Recipes found here

Turkey Zucchini Meatballs

Turkey Zucchini Meatballs

"na-dassa-gu meatball"

Meatball Ingredients:
1 lb lean ground turkey

2/3 cup shredded zucchini
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

Sweet and Sour Crockpot Chicken

 

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!!!



Mexican Meatloaf with Honey Enchilada Glaze

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.

Baked Chicken Parmesan

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

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

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

Lasagna Soup

Slow Cooker Lasagna Soup

Ingredients:

1 lb ground turkey
1/2 onion (chopped)
4 cloves minced garlic
2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1 small can tomato paste
1 can of diced tomatoes
1 can tomato sauce
1 small can diced mushrooms
2 bay leaves
1 can of chicken stock
1 1/2 - 2 cups fusilli pasta (cooked al dente)
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil (not pictured with ingredients)
salt and pepper to taste
Parmesan and Fat free cottage cheese for topping

Directions:
Brown ground turkey and onions in a pan; drain any grease; add all ingredients except for pasta to crockpot and cook at least 2-3 hours or until hot and bubbly; during last 30 minutes, add in pasta; serve with a scoop of cottage cheese on top and garnished with fresh basil and parmesan.







Italian Stuffed Peppers

Ingredients:
3-4 green peppers
1 lb lean ground turkey
1/4 cup chopped green pepper
1/2 cup chopped onion
tsp beef granules
1/2 can diced tomatoes (drained)
1 egg white
1/2 cup marinara
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 cup cooked brown rice or quinoa
*additional marinara for bottom of dish, shredded mozzarella and parmesan for topping*

Directions:
*Preheat oven to 375 degrees*
1.)  Cut the tops off each pepper; remove and discard seeds.  Also cut bottom tips off peppers to create a flat base.
2.)  In a medium bowl, combine all remaining ingredients except for topping.
3.)  Spread a thin layer of extra marinara on bottom of baking dish
4.)  Carefully fill each pepper with filling and place in baking dish.
5.)  Top each pepper with desired amount of shredded mozzarella and parmesan
6.)  Bake on 375 for approximately 40 minutes.  Enjoy!

Hummus Chicken

 

 Ingredients:

4-5 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

salt and pepper

1 cup hummus (store-bought or try my homemade Roasted Red Pepper Hummus recipe here )
paprika
cumin
chili powder

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees, place chicken in an oven safe dish and season with salt and pepper.  Drop spoonfuls of hummus evenly over chicken and spread to coat each breast evenly.  (I recommend scooping cup of hummus into a separate container to ensure you do not to contaminate unused hummus.)  Lightly sprinkle with paprika, cumin and chili powder and place in oven.  Bake for 25-30 minutes.

Devotional:
"Blessed are those whose lawless deeds have been forgiven, and whose sins have been covered.  Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord will not take into account." - Romans 4:7-8

   Every day I feel grateful that Jesus forgave my sins and made me a new person.  He covered my sins with His ultimate sacrifice so that one day when I stand before God, it will be His work on the cross that make me acceptable into God's kingdom, not anything done on MY part! And every day I am thankful that His spirit changes me into the woman I was always longing to be!

To think little of sin is to think little of the savior

Ranch Turkey Burgers

Ranch Turkey Burgers

 

Ingredients:

1 lb lean ground turkey

1 package dry ranch dressing mix

1/2 cup finely chopped onion and green pepper 

1 tsp minced garlic

1 tsp onion powder

2 tsp Worcestershire

 

Directions:

Place all ingredients in a bowl and mix just until combined.  Form into patties and cook accordingly.

 

Strawberry Balsamic Chicken Pizza

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

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.

Caramel Pecan Monkey Bread

Caramel Pecan Monkey Bread

 

 

Ingredients:

16 frozen Rhodes dinner rolls

1 3.5 oz package of cook and serve butterscotch pudding (cannot be instant)

1/2 cup chopped pecans

3/4 cup brown sugar

1 stick butter, melted

 

Overnight Directions:

1.)  Thaw frozen rolls in a pan covered with saran wrap for approximately 2 hours (rolls should be thawed but not fully risen)

2.)Cut each roll into fourths.

3.)Generously spray or coat the inside of a bundt pan; sprinkle chopped nuts evenly on bottom of pan.

4.)In a medium bowl, mix brown sugar and melted butter until combined.

5.)Layer half the rolls on top of nuts, sprinkle on half the box of dry pudding mix and evenly pour half the brown sugar/butter mixture over the rolls.

6.)Repeat one more time with remaining half of rolls, dry pudding mix and brown sugar/butter mixture.

7.)Cover with saran wrap that has been sprayed with nonstick spray and let rise on the counter overnight.

8.)In the morning, preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Remove saran wrap and bake for 30 minutes.

9.)After baking, let pan cool for 5 minutes but not longer before turning out on a serving plate or cake stand.  Carefully, remove pan from monkey bread using a butter knife to loosen from sides if necessary (it won't be necessary ; ).  Slice, serve and delight your guests!

 



Easy Breakfast Casserole

Easy Breakfast Casserole

 

 

Ingredients:

1 package (8) crescent rolls

16 oz package turkey sausage (browned and drained)

6 eggs well beaten

1/4 tsp dry mustard powder

1/4 tsp pepper

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 cup milk

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

 

Directions:

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

2.)  Unroll crescent dough and spread on bottom of pan; pinch seams in dough to close any gaps.

 

 3.)  Evenly spread layer of cooked sausage crumbles over dough.

 

 4.)  In a medium bowl, whisk eggs, spices and milk, pour over sausage layer.

 
5.)  Sprinkle evenly with layer of cheese.

 

6.)  Bake for 30 minutes. Serve warm