Turkey Meatloaf - Ellie Krieger

I just bought her new cookbook and so far it's really great, I've posted a couple of recipes so far (chicken w/ balsamic and chicken tenders). Everything is really healthy and delicious. The ingredients may seem a little strange but it was very good, I think I'll use this recipe from now on because it's much healthier. Enjoy!

3/4 cup(s) oats, rolled, quick cooking
1/2 cup(s) milk, fat-free
2 pounds turkey, ground
1 medium onion(s), peeled
1/2 cup(s) pepper(s), red, bell, seeded and chopped
2 large egg(s), beaten
2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup(s) ketchup
1/2 teaspoon salt
pepper, black, freshly ground
8 ounce(s) tomato sauce, low sodium

Preparation
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
In a small bowl, stir together the oats and milk and allow to soak while you get the rest of the ingredients together, at least 3 minutes.
Thinly slice one-quarter of the onion into rings and set aside. Finely chop the rest of the onion. In a large bowl, combine the turkey, oatmeal mixture, chopped onion, bell pepper, eggs, Worcestershire, ketchup, salt, and a few grinds of pepper. Mix just until well combined.
Transfer the mixture to a 9 x 13-inch baking dish and shape into a loaf about 5 inches wide and 2 inches high. Pour the tomato sauce over the meatloaf and sprinkle with the sliced onions. Bake until an instant-read meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part registers 160 degrees, about 1 hour.
Remove from the oven and let rest for 10 to 15 minutes before slicing.

Marinated Chicken Pita Sandwich

"This is a very tasty and extremely simple sandwich if you like lemon chicken, I found it somewhere on the Internet a while back. You do need to marinate the chicken at least 3 hours. If I'm giving it to the kids I only marinate theirs for about 1 hour and leave the rest to cook later for adults.

INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup lemon juice
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon dried oregano
4 cloves garlic minced
1/4 teaspoon pepper
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts sliced into strips
4 pocket bread round, cut in half
2 small onion, sliced
Red Peppers
Romaine lettuce (optional)

DIRECTIONS
1. Combine the olive oil, lemon juice, salt, oregano, minced garlic , and pepper in a large resealable bag. Add chicken, mix well, and allow to marinate in the refrigerator 3 hours or overnight. Pour the chicken and marinade into a frying pan over medium-high heat. Cook until the chicken is no longer pink. Stuff each half of the pocket bread with chicken, onion, red peppers and lettuce serve while still hot

Introduce Myself...right on!

Ok, so I just finally posted something here...Yay for me! Then I read that I was supposed to introduce myself, so here ya go:

My name is Amber Marinez, and I am Bec and Pam's cousin on their Dad's side. I'm still stuck in Fresno, California! I have been married to my husband, Jason for almost 3 years and we have an adorable son, Jackson, who is almost 18 months old. I am a full time student at Fresno State working on a Master's Degree in Social Work. The program is only 2 years (I have almost completed 1), but during the course of it I am also required to work an internship (which means no money, honey!). We are a super busy family always running from one end of town to another, and planning dinners is sometimes difficult. We often eat the same things...so, in an effort to broaden our variety I have been trying some recipes from these cookbook things I just discovered in my kitchen (lol), from the internet, and from this blog. Some of my old tried and true recipes I will share, but totally welcome NEW stuff! Thanks for inviting me to this blog...we need it!!

Super Bowl Cheese Dip

An appetizer that is sure to please....

1 lb ground beef or ground turkey
2 blocks Mexican Velveeta
2 jars of salsa

Brown and drain meat
Add meat and cheese to a crockpot on high for about 30-40 minutes
Add in salsa (type of salsa will determine "spiciness" of dip)
Mix it all up, serve with Frito's Scoops...YUM

SUPER Easy Crockpot Chicken

Hello all! I am Bec and Pam's cousin, Amber. I wanted to add a REALLY easy crockpot chicken recipe that I just learned.

2-4 Boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 packet italian salad dressing mix
1 can chicken broth

Put it all in the crockpot in the morning, and cook on low all day.
THAT'S IT! No pre cooking the chicken or anything. Just throw it in and let it cook.
It is really good over pasta or rice. You don't need to salt or pepper anything, it comes out VERY flavorful...Enjoy!

Balsamic Chicken with Baby Spinach & Couscous

This is a new recipe I recently tried and it was awesome. It looks really pretty on the plate, and is super easy. Enjoy!

• 3 T olive oil
• 4 Boneless chicken breast halves
• 1/4 t salt
• 1/4 t pepper
• 3 cloves of garlic, chopped
• 8 oz. baby spinach leaves (8 cups lightly packed)
• 2 T balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 C low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 C canned no-salt added chopped tomatoes with their juices
• 2 C hot cooked whole-wheat couscous

1. Heat 1 T olive oil in a large skillet over med-high heat. Season the chicken on both sides with S&P. Add the chicken to the pan and cook until browned and just cooked through, about 4 min. per side. Remove chicken to a plate.
2. Add the remaining 2 T of oil to the pan and add the garlic, cook 1 minute. Add the spinach and cook until wilted, 1-2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, then transfer the spinach to a bowl and set aside.
3. Add the vinegar, broth, and tomatoes to the same pan and stir, scraping any browned bits off the bottom. Bring to a simmer and cook until the sauce is slightly thickened, 3-5 minutes.
4. Divide the couscous between 4 plates. Top with some of the spinach, then a piece of chicken and the balsamic tomato sauce and serve.

Serves 4. Per Serving: 342 Calories, 12G Fat, 32G Protein, 27G Carbs

Crispy Baked Chicken Fingers

This was a request from Becca. It's a really simple recipe and kids will love it. I served it over a salad with a nice creamy dressing. You can use whatever you like, I included a recipe for a light ranch dressing below.

• 1-1/4 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, cut lengthwise into 1/2" slices
• 1/2 C lowfat buttermilk
• Cooking Spray
• 4 C whole-grain corn cereal (Corn Chex or Corn Flakes)
• 1/4 tsp Salt
• Pinch of Pepper

Preheat Oven to 400 Degrees

Combine the chicken and buttermilk in a shallow dish, turning the chicken to coat both sides. Cover and chill for 15 minutes. Coat baking sheet(s) with cooking spray.

Put the cereal in a sealable plastic bag and crush with a rolling pin. Transfer the crumbs to a shallow dish and season with salt and pepper. Dip each piece of chicken in the cereal to fully coat both sides and arrange on prepared baking sheets. Bake until cooked through, about 8 minutes. Leave the chicken on the baking sheets to cool slightly, it will become crispier.

Serves 4, Per Serving: 262 Calories, 2 G. Fat, 35 G Protein, 23 G Carb

De-Light-Ful Ranch Dressing

• 1/2 C plain nonfat yogurt or 1/3 C plain Greek Style nonfat yogurt
• 1/3 C lowfat buttermilk
• 3 T mayo
• 1-1/2 tsp. fresh lemon juice
• 1 t dijon mustard
• 1/2 t onion powder
• 1/4 t finely chopped fresh chives
• Salt to taste

If using regular yogurt, place in a strainer lined with a paper towel and set the strainer over a bowl. Let the yogurt drain and thicken for 20 minutes. In a medium bowl, wisk together the strained or Greek yogurt with the remaining ingredients. Will last for 3 days in the fridge.

Quiche Lorraine

I love this, it's super easy and perfect for brunch.

Pastry for 9-inch pie dish (I use store bought)
8 slices of bacon, crisply cooked and crumbled
1 cup shredded Swiss cheese
1/3 cup finely chopped onion
4 eggs
2 cups heavy cream (I have used half and half)
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper

Heat oven to 425
Sprinkle bacon, cheese and onion in pastry lined quiche dish.
Beat eggs slightly, then beat in remaining ingredients. Pour into quiche dish.
Bake 15 minutes
Reduce oven to 300, bake another 30 minutes or until knife inserted in middle comes out clean.
Let stand 10 minutes before cutting.

There are so many different ways to make this, I love using Gruyere cheese.
I also make a veggie quiche using mushrooms, freshly chopped tomatoes, spinach, and cheddar.
As long as you have the basic ingredients- the eggs, cheese, and cream- you really can't mess it up!

THE BEST chocolate chippers EVER!

I found this recipe on a blog when I was trying to look up paradise bakery cookie recipes (which don't exist really)...and this one said it was a close second. I was doubtful, but I made them last night for our Bible Study, and everyone was raving about them.

1 3/4 cups flour (I used 2 cups)
1 3/4 cups cocoa powder
1 cup white sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 tsp. baking soda
1 cup butter
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1/4 tsp. salt (I left the salt out)
2 cups white chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease cookie sheet.

2. In large bowl, cream together the butter, brown sugar and white sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well with each addition. Add the salt and vanilla.

3. In another bowl, combine the flour, cocoa and baking soda and gradually add to the creamed mixture. Fold in chocolate chips. Drop by rounded spoonfuls onto the prepared cookie sheet.

4. Bake for 8-10 minutes, until fluggy but still soft. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before removing.

Creamy Chicken Chipotle Stroganoff-only ONE skillet to clean

I found this on kraftfoods.com today. My husband was working late and Diane was trying to figure out what she could make with Chicken breasts. So I went on Kraftfoods.com and put in my three ingredients and searched. This is what I found that we LOVED!!! I am posting it as it was on the website, then I'll say what we did to it.

Prep Time:10 min
Total Time:30 min
Makes:6 servings, 1-1/4 cups each

1 Tbsp. oil
1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips
1 medium onion, cut into thin wedges
1-1/2 cups water
1 can (8 oz.) mushroom pieces and stems, undrained
2 chicken bouillon cubes
8 oz. medium egg noodles (4 cups), uncooked
1 Tbsp. finely chopped chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
1 container (8 oz.) Sour Cream

HEAT oil in large skillet on medium-high heat. Add chicken and onions; cook and stir 5 to 7 min. or until chicken is cooked through.

ADD water, mushrooms with their liquid, the bouillon cubes and noodles; mix well. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; cover. Simmer 10 to 12 min. or until noodles are tender and only a small amount of liquid remains. Stir in peppers. Cook an additional 2 min., stirring occasionally. Remove from heat.

STIR in sour cream.

So we used fresh mushrooms, a whole pint that were sauteed in garlic EVOO.
This was a really great meal. It wasn't too spicy, just had a tiny bit of kick to it. So yummy and really easy as well.

http://www.kraftfoods.com/kf/recipes/RecipeDetail?recipe_id=64314

Coupon Day

This is in response to the post regarding coupons and store sale ads. I really thinkif we all worked together we could really make the most out of our time, and efforts....
What does everyone think about having a Coupon Tuesday, or a different day if it works better. The idea would be that we could each post the must have's at each store. This obviously would work for those of us living in AZ, which the majority of us are I think.....
Starting tomorrow Safeway has red grapes for .75/lb

What about sharing App ideas?

With the mention of Easter and knowing that most of us with be with large groups of family/friends what about sharing some appetizer ideas?

I'll start

Sausage Dip
1 lb hot jimmy dean sausage
1 can rotelle tomatoes w/chopped green peppers
1 lg and 1 sm pkg cream cheese- yes this one isn't so good for you ;)

Brown Sausage, pour in tomatoes (chillies) mix, Stir in cream cheese until melted. Reduce heat to warm. Serve with Chips.

This is one of the things my husband grew up with . It was a tradition on New Years.

Bountiful Baskets

Has anyone (who lives in Arizona) ever tried Bountiful Baskets? It's a produce co-op? It is supposed to be over $50.00 worth of produce for $15.00. I just joined and ordered my first basket, the next pick-up is March 22nd. I will post again to let everyone know how good it is, I am pretty picky about produce, but for $15 It is worth a shot!
Check it out: http://eastaz.bountifulbaskets.org/

Going Greek-chicken pitas

So, as I have stated before, I am always all about fast, easy, and healthy. I just can't seem to find the time to cook with an 18 month old and a 4 year old (I know some of you have more kids than that, and I constantly wonder how you do it). :) This is a "to taste" recipe...in other words, season how you like it!

Pita Bread (I buy whole wheat, but you can buy whatever kind)
chicken breasts-seasoned and grilled
tomatoes
cucumbers
red onion
chopped lettuce

Cut up the tomatoes, cucumbers, and red onion for the pita. After the chicken is grilled, cut into slices. I warm the pitas, then add the chicken, tomatoes, cucumbers, and lettuce. I top it off with tzaziki(I know I probably spelled that wrong) sauce and hummus.

Tzaziki Sauce: (my own made-up recipe...once again everything "to taste")
garlic cloves-finely chopped
garlic powder
chopped cucumber (about 1/4 cup)
dried dill (can use fresh too)
salt
pepper
plain yogurt (can use low-fat/no fat)
lemon juice

Mix all the above ingredients to taste...we like ours super garlicky, so I use several cloves and teaspoons of garlic.

Hummus:
1 can chick peas slightly drained
lemon juice
garlic cloves
salt
pepper
garlic powder (optional)
Olive oil

Place all ingredients in a blender, magic bullet, or processor, and blend until smooth. Add olive oil either to blend if you choose, or a TBLS or so on top as you serve it.

This is my made up version of going Greek! If you are truly Greek and know better options, please post...we just love going out for Greek food and truly can't afford to do it all the time, so this is our fresh option for second place.

Diane, aka Boss Lady

Hello everyone!

I'm Diane, aka Boss Lady.....don't ask :) I'd add a photo, but I am always the one taking the pictures! I just don't have one to share. I am thrilled to join all of you here, I am sure we all share some of the same challenges with meal planning.
Every morning I get my coffee and check ths blog to try to figure out what's for dinner. It really does inspire me. I have a few tried and true favorites in my house, I have two boys at home who will eat just about anything, then there is my daughter who is my picky eater- needless to say, mealtime is not always easy.
I am not a great cook, but I do love to bake. I am looking forward to sharing and trying recipes with everyone.

Hi, I'm Meghan

I was invited to the blog by my sister in-law Becca and her sister Pam. I'm Conal's sister and one of two remaining siblings still living in NY. I've been married to Greg for almost 17 years and our kids are the furry kind - that don't talk back :) I work in real estate and enjoy cooking as long as I have the time to go food shopping, which is my least favorite chore. This is a great site because although I try a lot of recipes, I rarely remember what I've made in the past, and often find myself in a rut. I enjoy trying new recipes and if they are a keeper I can post them onto the site. I'm interested in trying some of the crockpot recipes on the site, that's nice to have on a cold wintery day. I enjoy baking too, I find it very relaxing since it doesn't have to be done within a particular time frame. I also have a sweet tooth which may have something to do with it. I hope you enjoy the recipes I posted, I will look for some healthy recipes to post as well.

Baked Ziti

This recipe is a little different because you layer it like lasagna, it comes our really good. I tried for years to get my mother in-law's recipe but she didn't follow one - this comes pretty close. Enjoy!

Serves 4

• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 8 ounces ziti rigate (ridged) or other short pasta
• 1 cup part-skim ricotta
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 3/4 cup finely grated Parmesan
• 1 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella
• 1 jar (24 to 26 ounces) best-quality tomato sauce (about 3 1/2 cups)
  **if you use jarred sauce I swear by Rao's - their eggplant sauce is awesome

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta until al dente, according to package instructions; drain and reserve.
2. In a small bowl, combine ricotta, egg, 1/4 cup Parmesan, and half the mozzarella; season with salt and pepper.
3. In the bottom of a shallow 2-quart casserole dish, spread half the tomato sauce. Top with ziti, then ricotta mixture and remaining sauce. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup Parmesan and remaining mozzarella.
4. Place casserole on a rimmed baking sheet, and bake until top is browned and sauce is bubbling, 20 to 25 minutes.