Tikka Masala

My sister introduced this to me and I LOVE it! It's a super easy way to get a taste of Indian food without actually having to know how to make Indian food! I use Patak's but I know there are other brands out there. Patak's has lot of different sauces, too. I have only tried the Tikka Masala and the Mango Curry and I loved both. The Mango Curry was a little sweeter and not as spicy as the Tikka Masala. You can find these sauces at just about any grocery store. I've bought them at Broulim's and Walmart. Anyway, all you do is saute some chicken, pour in the sauce and let it all simmer together 10 minutes or so. I serve it over rice and with Na'an. Na'an is an Indain bread that is sssoooooo yummy! If you don't want to make Na'an, you can use tortillas. Here is the recipe I use for Na'an:
Ingredients
1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast
1 cup warm water
1/4 cup white sugar
3 tablespoons milk
1 egg, beaten
2 teaspoons salt
4 1/2 cups bread flour
2 teaspoons minced garlic (optional)
1/4 cup butter, melted
Directions
In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Let stand about 10 minutes, until frothy. Stir in sugar, milk, egg, salt, and enough flour to make a soft dough. Knead for 6 to 8 minutes on a lightly floured surface, or until smooth. Place dough in a well oiled bowl, cover with a damp cloth, and set aside to rise. Let it rise 1 hour, until the dough has doubled in volume.
Punch down dough, and knead in garlic. Pinch off small handfuls of dough about the size of a golf ball. Roll into balls, and place on a tray. Cover with a towel, and allow to rise until doubled in size, about 30 minutes.
*During the second rising, preheat grill to high heat.
At grill side, roll one ball of dough out into a thin circle. Lightly oil grill. Place dough on grill, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, or until puffy and lightly browned. Brush uncooked side with butter, and turn over. Brush cooked side with butter, and cook until browned, another 2 to 4 minutes. Remove from grill, and continue the process until all the naan has been prepared.
*I made this last night and since it was 10 degrees outside I didn't want to grill outside... so I did it in the oven. This is how I did it:
Preheat oven to 500 degrees. Put a cooling rack on a cookie sheet. Using my hands and fingers I streched and pulled the ball into a thin circle - not too thin or it will be crunchy. I do it about how I'd do a scone. Brush both sides with melted butter and place on wire rack on cookie sheet. Bake 3-4 mintutes per side. While cooking last side turn the broiler on high and cook until bread has a nice brown color.
That's it. This is so easy and such a fun change to the everyday meal. I hope you enjoy it!

Steak Burritos

This is a super easy slow cooker recipe. I had a cheap steak in my freezer that needed to be used up so I tossed it in the crock pot along with a couple chipotle peppers in adobo sauce - careful, they are pretty spicy so go easy on 'em - and a can of diced tomatoes and let it go. It was a thin steak so I only cooked it on low for 6 hours or so. When it was done I removed the peppers and diced them. Then I shredded the steak right in the crock pot, returned the peppers and mixed it in with all the yummy cooking juices and tomatoes. Then, because the steak was small, I cooked a little bit of white rice and heated up a can of black beans. Top with lettuce, cheese, sour cream, etc. and your done!

Ravioli

(please ignore the massive orange flowers on the plate, Jaxon insisted on using "Great Grandma's plates" tonight.)
I saw someone use wonton wrappers to make ravioli once, so... I thought I'd give it a go. And they were so easy, and so yummy! And the wonton wrappers are pretty cheap. I only paid $2.78 for them. I don't know how much it costs to buy frozen ravioli but I'm pretty sure its a little more expensive than that. I'll tell you how to make them and then I'll tell you what I put in them and on them. There are a couple different ways/shapes you can make. You can make a square: place a teaspoon or two -be careful not to fill them too full or they won't seal tight and if they don't seal tight they will make a big mess! - of filling in the middle of a wrapper, dip your finger in water and brush along edges of wrapper, place another wrapper on top, press edges together and seal tightly. You can make triangles using one wrapper and folding in half. You can also make a triangle and then bring the long side corners together, like a wonton. After you make your ravioli, place them in water that has been brought to a gentle boil. Cook them in batches, only put a few in at a time so they are not over crowded. Let them boil for a bout 3 minutes or until the wrapper is slightly translucent.
Now, the filling. This is the best part about making your own ravioli because you can put WHATEVER you want in them! I used shredded chicken and mixed it a little cream of mushroom soup, sour cream, salt, pepper, parsley, garlic powder, onion powder, and a handful of a blend of Italian cheeses.
***Other options: Ricotta cheese, chopped mushrooms, ground beef, sausage, ground turkey, spinach.... the list goes on and on! Get creative and use whatever sounds good to you!
***Jaxon helped me make the ravioli and he had so much fun! If you feel brave enough, let your little ones help out!

The sauce I used on top is actually a recipe I got from my sister that I use on wide egg noodles and sauteed chicken. It's very versatile and can be used and altered to fit lots of different foods. It is SO easy and SO quick! Here is the recipe
1 pkg cream cheese - low fat or the nufchlalala....(I don't remember the name or how to spell it!) they work just fine in this so go ahead and save yourself some fat
1 pkg mushrooms
garlic
a little milk
salt
pepper
Directions: saute mushrooms in a little drizzle of olive oil and a pat of butter till tender. Add garlic, however much you like and cook another minute or two. Add the pkg or cream cheese. Stirring constantly, so it doesn't burn, allow cream cheese to melt completely, adding milk along the way to desired consistency. Add salt and pepper to taste and voila! You have a creamy, rich sauce to top your ravioli with!

Remember, there are lots of different fillings and sauces out there. Give it a try!

Manacotti Enchiladas

Tyler loves creamy enchiladas. I hate the texture of flour tortillas when they get soggy from all the gooey filling. And I can't use corn tortillas because Tyler doesn't really like them. So, my solution..... manacotti noodles! My recipe for my filling is not really a "recipe", it's just some of this and some of that. But this is what I use: cubed or shredded chicken, sour cream, cream cheese, cream of chicken soup, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper, parsley, diced green chilies, green enchilada sauce, and a little milk if it's too thick. On the top and bootom of the manacotti I use the filling mixture minus the chicken and a little extra green enchilada sauce, all topped with cheese of your choice. Be careful when you cook the manacotti to make sure you don't overcook them or they will split. Follow the directions on the back for al dente noodles, I think it's like 7 minutes. Fill cooked noodles with filling, spread sauce on bottom of 9x13 casserol dish, arrange filled noodles in pan, top with sauce and cheese, bake till bubbly. This is one of my new favorite dishes! It's a wonderful compromise for Tyler and I. He still gets his enchiladas, but I don't have to gag on soggy tortilla!

Super Easy Chicken Tacos

This is a really easy quick fix dinner idea. I boil chicken from frozen, enough to feed my family plus extra for left overs. (You don't have to cook from frozen, it's just faster and easier for me because my chicken is already frozen.) I hardly ever boil my chicken in straight water. To this chicken I added worchester sauce, lime juice, salt and garlic. I put everyting in a pot first, chicken included, then bring to boil. Depending on how big your peices are it will take 20-30 minutes-ish. When its done drain the chicken but save some liquid. Shred the chicken, or dice it if you prefer, then flavor however you like. You could make a bbq style chicken with a bbq sauce or make your own with ketchup, vinegar, garlic powder, brown sugar, onion powder, worchester sauce, salt, pepper and mustard. Or just add lime juice, garlic powder, salt and pepper. To this I added worchester sauce, brown sugar, a little lime juice, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper and a little of the left over cooking liquid. It was sweet and savory. Heat chicken and sauce together. Then you are ready to assemble your tacos. You can keep it simple with just cheese and lettuce or you can go big. Here are some optional toppings: tomatoes, lettuce, cheese, cilantro, avacado, green onions, olives, lemon or lime juice.
**Tip: Rice and beans are very cheap. To make my filling go farther I add white rice and beans to my tacos. Calrose rice is my favorite, it's sticky and plump and cooks pretty quick. For this taco I like to use black beans.
**This shredded chicken is also perfect for salad. Chop lettuce and top with chicken, black beans, cheese, corn, and ceasar dressing for a southwestern ceasar salad. I sent the leftover chicken from last night along with salad fixin's with
Tyler for his lunch today.

Hot Dogs ala Rose ala Aarti ala Melissa

So Aarti from Food Network made this hot dog dish that her mom, Rose, made for her growing up. I thought it would be a really fun dish to make for the boys since they would eat hot dogs all day, everyday if I let them. It was really easy. As you read the recipe think of what you can add to it to fit you family's likes. First she sauteed some onions. Then she added grated carrots and let them cook a bit. Then she added diced tomatoes, sliced ginger and garlic, a bunch of Indian spices, ketchup, sliced hot dogs, and a bit of water. I don't have many Indian spices and my boys are not really fans of onions or tomatoes so here is what I did for me and my boys.
1/2 onion diced
1 carrot, diced or grated
1/2 cup pinto beans roughly chopped
a little garlic
1/4-1/2 cup ketchup, depends on how tomatoey you like it
dash apple cider vinegar
3 hot dogs, halved length wise then sliced into 1/4ish pieces
curry powder
ginger powder
salt
pepper

Saute onions a few minutes in olive oil then add carrots and beans. Saute till carrots are tender crisp. Add garlic. If you want tomatoes add diced tomatoes now. Allow tomatoes to soften a bit. You could also just add fresh tomatoes to individual dishes when you serve it. Add ketchup, vinegar, curry to taste, ginger to taste (every one's tastes are different, especially with spices like these), salt, pepper and hot dogs. You will need to add a little water and maybe more ketchup to make it saucy. It should be like a thick gravy for the hot dogs. Aarti served hers in pita halves but I didn't have any so I put it over rice. You can serve it on Na an, or another flat bread. You can use all beef hot dogs, brats, or sausages. Or, skip the hot dogs altogether and use chicken. If you find something that makes it better or a different way to do it, let me know!

Over due

I know I haven't posted in quite a while so I thought I'd throw a couple recipes on here to make up for it. So here you go!

FLY OFF THE PLATTER PANCAKES
I got this recipe from my step-mom. They are some of the best homeade panckaes EVER!
It's really easy to remember, it's just one of everything. I usually double it for my family if I have something else to serve with it. If we are eating only pancakes I will often triple it. Leftovers keep just fine in the fridge for a couple of days, too.

1 egg
1 c. buttermilk
1 Tb melted butter
1 c flour
1 Tb baking powder
1 Tb sugar
pinch of salt

Mix wet ingredients together. In separate bowl mix dry ingredients. Combine wet and dry ingredients, do not over mix! Let batter rest a few minutes to allow the baking powder to activate. Someitmes I add applesauce or use buckwheat flour instead. I have also read of people adding a packet or two of flavored instant oatmeal. Get creative, find out what your family likes best!


APPLE PEAR CHIMICHANGAS
I got this recipe from Ingrid Hoffman on the Food Network. It's a fun and different dessert.
wash, core, and slice 1 large pear and 1 large apple... or use 2 large apples.

1/4 c butter
1/3 c sugar
melt in a saute pan then add
1 tsp cinnamon
pears and apples
Cook till tender, about 5-7 minutes then add 1/4 c water and cook till browned, another 5-7 minutes. Roll fruit and sauce in tortillas like you would roll a chimichanga or burrito and secure it with a toothpick. Heat 1 Tb oil in a skillet and fry chimichangas lighly on each side. Serve with vanilla ice cream.

Now, I don't have a recipe for this, it's just a suggestion. A couple in our ward came over last night to welcome us to the ward and they brought huckleberry cinnamon rolls. They were AMAZING! Instead of using raisins, she used huckleberries. Genius? I think so! It got my thinking about what else you could add instead of the traditional raisins... If you have a fun twist to something traditional, I'd love to hear what it is!

Food Combos

Ok, I found some great tips in a Family Circle magazine for maximizing the health benefit of some foods. These are some great combinations that will help you get the most out of your food!

1. Vinegar and high-carb foods like bread, pasta and potatoes. This can help with easier weight loss. When we eat high-carb foods it causes a spike in the glucose in our blood and then drops quickly making us feel hungry, so we eat more. Vinegar helps to moderate that spike in glucose, so we feel full longer. A recent study showed that people who ate 4 tsp of apple-cider vinegar with bagels and juice consumed 200 less calories during their day then people who ate the exact same meal minus the vinegar. I personally know that this works. I took apple-cider vinegar in a pill form every morning and within just a few short weeks I lost 5 pounds.I know its not huge but... if we could keep ourselves from gaining weight by splashing a little vinegar on our bread or pasta, why not?!

2. Tomatoes, olive oil, and broccoli. These simple foods eaten together can mean fewer colds. Tomatoes and broccoli are packed with vitamin c and beta-carotene that help strengthen your immune system. However, to be properly absorbed, beta-carotene must be consumed with fat. Hence the olive oil. According to a study, adding 1/2 tsp of monounsaturated fat allows our body to absorb 5 times more beta-carotene from the veggies we eat. Steaming is the best way to get those veggies to let out their beat-carotene and are also easier to digest after a quick steam bath.

3. Bananas and yogurt. Everyone talks about how yogurt has great probiotics and can help with tummy and digestive trouble, but what most don't know is that in order for probiotics to be reach their full potential, they need prebiotics. Probiotics feed on prebiotics so when we consume probiotics we need to feed them. This is where the bananas come in. Bananas supply inulin and ologofructose, prebiotics to feed the probiotics thus providing our intestines with the stuff they need to replenish good flora.

4. Spaghetti and red peppers. Iron gives oxygen to our brain which in turn gives us much needed energy. 12% of women are iron-deficient. Grains are great sources of iron but iron from plant foods are not easily absorbed. Vitamin C helps iron to be absorbed. By adding vitamin C rich food like red peppers (or tomatoes or broccoli), it creates a chemical reaction that allows the intestines absorb the iron.
~~~ So, if you make a pasta dish with great veggies like roasted tomatoes, steamed broccoli, roasted red peppers, throw in some chicken for protein, drizzle with olive oil for some good fats, add a dash of vinegar (you'll want some acid anyway) and add garlic and whatever else you like (onions, spinach, salt, pepper, etc.). Now with this dish we have moderated the spike in glucose causing us to be fuller faster. We have boosted our immune system. And we have more energy from all the iron we allowed to absorbed. Look at all the good we can do with one delicious meal!

I hope some of these tips will help you as you plan your meals and think about what you eat!

Monte Cristo Hot Dog

I just realized that I haven't posted in a really long time so I thought I'd throw a recipe on here really quick, I don't have a picture and this is kind of a different thing but it's really easy and a fun change from your everyday hot dog.
You start by slicing a hot dog in half. Then fry it flat side down. After it's browned turn it over and top it with cheese, any kind of cheese you like and let it melt while the other side cooks. You can put a metal bowl on top if it needs a little help melting the cheese. Meal while toast your buns in the pan along side your frying hot dog. Then when everything is browned, melted, and toasted being the assembly. Lay the buns open and top with strawberry jam then top that with your hot dog with melted cheese. That's it! I know it sounds a little weird but the salty form the hot dog and the sweet from the jam and the savory from the cheese is amazing! You can also top with hot chili, onions, crumbled bacon, the list is endless! I promise to post more recipes of REAL meals later!

Dessert from the Grill

My step-mom gave us this amazing grilling cookbook and I've loved experimenting with all the fun recipes in it. The next three recipes are from the grilling cookbook. I don't have a picture to show this one and I wish I did because it is so pretty! Its called Dessert from the Grill. I made it for a BBQ we had out at my parent's house last Sunday. It was AMAZING!
Ingredients:
1 can (20 oz) sliced pineapple
1 TB butter
1 tsp brown sugar
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
1/8 tsp nutmeg
1/8 tsp cinnamon
*1 loaf pound cake
Vanilla ice cream
Caramel ice cream topping
*The recipe calls for 6 slices but I used a whole loaf, about 8 or 9 slices. I used a box mix for the pound cake and cooked as directed on the box EXCEPT I added about 1/2 cup of homemade raspberry jam and just swirled it through the batter a bit.

Directions:
Drain pineapple reserving about 1/2 cup of juice. In a microwave-safe dish combine pineapple juice, butter, brown sugar, vanilla, nutmeg, and cinnamon. Microwave on high for 1-2 minuted until bubbly. Brush half the mixture on both sides of the sliced pound cake and the pineapple rings. Grill cake and pineapple, uncovered, over medium heat for 1-2 minutes on each side or until golden brown, brushing occasionally with butter mixture. To serve, top each slice of cake (you can cut them in half) with a pineapple ring, scoop of ice cream and drizzle with caramel topping. I combined the remainder of the butter sauce with caramel topping, heated it again and drizzled that over the top instead of the regular caramel topping.

Grilled Fish Sandwiches

Ingredient:
4 4oz cod fillets
1 TB Lime juice
1/2 tsp lemon pepper seasoning
1/4 cup mayo
2 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp honey
4 hamburger or hoagie buns
lettuce
tomato slices

Directions:
Pat fish fillets dry with paper towels. Brush both sides with lime juice (I also brushed them with a little olive oil) and sprinkle with lemon pepper. Coat grill with non-stick cooking spray or oil before starting grill. Grill fillets, covered, over medium heat for 5-6 minutes on each side or until fish flakes easily.
In a small bowl combine mayo, Dijon mustard, honey and a pinch of salt. I also added a dash of lime juice. Spread mayo on buns, top with fish lettuce and tomato.

Potatoe Skins

This is a super easy and tasty side to almost any entree. Wash potatoes, about 1 per person. Cut in half long ways and then in half long ways again. Cut off the middle white part of the potato, leaving about 1/4 inch on the skin. I put my middles in a freezer bag to use later. Put potato skins on a microwave-safe plate and cook in microwave 8-10 minutes, till cooked through. Brush both sides of each slice with olive oil or melted butter and sprinkle with salt, pepper and rosemary. Grill skin sides up (or bake on a cookie sheet at 350) on direct, medium heat 3-5 minutes or until lightly browned. Turn over and move to indirect heat, top with cheese and crumbled bacon, grill (or bake) another 3-5 minutes till cheese is melted.

Chili & Breadsticks

I know chili is usually served with cornbread but I was craving breadsticks and they were actually Really good together! Chili is another one of my go-to meals. You just use whatever you have.
I had some cooked ground beef in the freezer that was left over from a few weeks ago when I made dinner in a roll. It had ground beef, celery, onions and a bit of gravy with it. So I tossed that in a big pan then I went to the pantry. I dumped in a can of chili beans, kidney beans and corn. I added tomato juice till it had the right amount of liquid. I seasoned it with chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Let it simmer as long as you can. Top with cheese.
You could also add black beans, baked beans, sausage, bacon, diced tomatoes, shredded beef etc. Or do a white chili with chicken, great northern beans, green chilies, diced tomatoes and seasonings.

Breadsticks
I got this recipe from my visiting teacher. They are SO good! I would like to eat them with every meal from now on!
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cup warm water
1 heaping TB Yeast
1/4 cup honey
1 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp salt

Directions: Combine water and yeast in bowl and let raise a few minutes. Than add all other ingredients and mix well. Add 1 1/2 cup more of flour, mix well. Continue adding flour while stirring and kneading till dough is no longer sticky. Let raise till double. Roll out dough and cut into strips with a pizza cutter. Melt 1/2 cube butter on cookie sheet. "Flop" strips of dough around on butter till coated and place on cookie sheet. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and salad supreme. (I didn't have Salad Supreme so I just used garlic powder, onion powder and parsley for color) Let them Raise while the oven preheats to 425 degrees. Bake for 8-10 minutes.

Baked Potato Soup

Okay, this is a favorite in our house and my go-to meal. It is one of the easiest and cheapest meals you can make! Plus its easy to change up a bit every time!
Ingredients:
3 potatoes
1/2 cup butter (You can get by with 1/4 cup)
1 small onion diced
1/2 cup flour
2 cups hot water with 2 cubes chicken bullion dissolved in it OR 2 cups chicken stock
2 cups milk
Salt and Pepper
Optional other seasonings like garlic powder, parsley, or a bay leaf.

Toppings: shredded cheese, sour cream, bacon bits, chives

Directions:
Bake potatoes. If you don't have time to bake them in the oven, toss them in the microwave for 10 minutes or so to bake. Saute onion in butter in a pot till tender. Add flour. Slowly add water with bullion or chicken stock. Add milk. Dices potatoes leaving the peel on or taking it off. I usually leave mine on for sake of time and added fiber! Stir with whisk till thickened. I also season with parsley and garlic powder. Add salt and pepper to taste. This is an easy one to stretch. Simply add more flour at the beginning and more liquid. I also sometimes add corn, peas, carrots, or broccoli, whatever I have on hand. Top with shredded cheese, bacon bits, sour cream and chives.

Pasta

My brother Josh made this for my Grandma's birthday dinner last night and it was amazing! He made a complete meal with an appetizer and dessert that was delicious! I wish I had pictures of all the things but I forgot my camera. Anyway, this is the pasta recipe. It is very simple and has very clean, bright flavors. I don't know exact measurements, sorry. We made this for 7 people and had half left over, it made so much so I will list the amounts as half of what we used, then you can half it again if you want depending on how many people you are cooking for and how much you want for left overs the next day.

Ingredients:
uncooked shrimp 1 pound
Penne pasta 1 pound
tomatoes, the smaller the better 1 pound
Arugula half pound - 1 pound, depending just add a little at a time till it looks good to you.
Garlic
Olive Oil

**Substitutions: If you don't like shrimp or you don't want to spend that much money use Chicken
Arugula is a little bitter and peppery, if you don't like it or aren't sure, use spinach or half arugula and half spinach.
Of course you can always add other things too, zucchini, asparagus tips, artichokes, etc.

Directions:
Boil water for penne. Add lots of salt as this is the only time to really season the noodles.
Drizzle olive oil on tomatoes and roast in oven till they begin to split. If you don't have cherry or grape tomatoes cut the tomatoes into bite size pieces.
Saute shrimp (or chicken) in olive oil and minced garlic, start with a couple cloves of garlic then add more to your liking.
When everything is done toss it all together adding your greens a handful at a time. Add salt and pepper to taste. If you want more acidity you can squeeze a bit of lemon juice on top. Serve and enjoy!

Bambinos

Amy worked at La Pizzeria for a long time so she told me how to make these. I don't have the pizza dough recipe though.
2 cans refrigerated pizza dough OR a recipe of your own (1 can makes 3 Bambinos)
Pizza sauce (from the store or a recipe of your own)
Pizza toppings of your choice.

I used the pizza dough out of the can for sake of time. They tasted fine but next time I will use a homemade dough. I laid it on a cookie sheet, one can at a time, and pressed it out, but don't press the dough too thin. Cut the dough with a pizza cutter in half the long ways, then into thirds. You should now have 6 even squares of dough. Put pizza sauce and toppings on one row of three, leaving the other three empty. Be careful to leave the edges bare so you can seal the bambino. Brush the edges with a beaten egg. Carefully fold the empty pieces of dough over onto the topped pieces. Seal edges tightly. If you have a hole in one or it is not sealed good it will make a mess in your pan. Fry in 375 degree oil one at a time till golden brown, turning once. Remove from oil and set on paper towels.
*If you use your own dough you can roll it out and cut out big circles or squares, what ever is easiest for you to do.

Doughnut Holes

I couldn't stop eating these!
1 cup sugar
6 TBS melted shortening
3 cups flour
1 tsp soda
1/2 tsp nutmeg
3 eggs
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 cup buttermilk

Mix everything together and drop by scanty tsp in 370 degrees hot oil.
Cool on paper towels then roll in sugar
*This makes a TON! I made 3 dozen and still had at least 3/4 of the batter left over. Maybe cut it in thirds if you don't want that much or try freezing it.

White Chocolate No-Bake Cookies

Tyler loves white chocolate and we love no-bake cookies so I came up with this little gem. They are pretty rich and sweet but SO good!

Boil:
1/2 cup butter
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup milk

Add:
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cups white choc chips (can also use milk chocolate if you want regular chocolate)
When Choc chips are melted add:
3 1/2 - 4 cups quick oats (depending on how gooey you like them!)
*You can also add extracts like orange, raspberry or mint or add colors for hollidays!

Quickly spoon on to wax paper, cool and devour!

Chicken Tortilla Soup

2 large chicken breasts
2 Tb olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
1 cup chicken broth
1 can corn
1 can black beans
1 can diced tomatoes OR 1 small can tomato sauce if you don't like chunks of tomato
1/2 - 1 tsp minced garlic
1/4 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp chili powder
2 Tb Lime Juice
2 Tb cilantro, chopped
7-8 small corn tortillas cut into small slices
Salt and Pepper to taste

In a large pot cook chicken, onion, and garlic in olive oil. Add cumin, chili powder, salt and pepper. Then add chicken broth, corn, beans, tomatoes, lime juice and cilantro. Add most of tortilla strips but reserve some to broil in the oven to top soup with. Allow soup to simmer for about 10 minutes, the tortilla strips will thicken the soup. Top with shredded cheese, sour cream, cilantro and broiled tortilla strips.

Pork Tenderloin

Tyler and I hadn't really had pork tenderloin until just recently while eating at Outback. They had this amazing sauce on it that I love but I'm not good enough to figure out what's in it. Anyway, I have a couple sauces that I've used that you can try, or come up with your own!

The tenderloin is super easy. Just marinate it overnight in whatever marinate you like. I often use lemon juice, garlic, maple syrup, and whatever else catches my eye at that moment. Then, take it out of the marinate and place it in a shallow baking pan, a 9x13 is fine, bake at 350 for 40-50 minutes until done. Top with sauce or gravy. That's it! Way easy!

Honey Grape Sauce: 2 teaspoons olive oil
1/4 cup minced shallots
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 cups seedless red grapes, halved
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger root
**I also add a bit of brown sugar, and a dash of Worcester sauce. Add what you want to make it your own.
Heat olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook shallots and garlic in oil until tender. Stir in grapes, soy sauce, honey, ginger, and five-spice powder. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer for 15 minutes. Set aside to cool for 10 minutes. Process cooled sauce until smooth in a blender or food processor. Serve over sliced tenderloin.

Roasted Red Pepper Sauce
I just kinda made this up and didn't really measure anything, sorry! Its a lot like the grape sauce.
2 red peppers roasted - broil peppers till skin is dark, remove from oven and cover with plastic wrap or put them in a plastic bag. Let them cool about 45 min. Remove skins, they should peel off easily. Remove seeds and cut into chunks.
Put in sauce pan with oil, (the peppers will have a bit of natural oil and juice inside of them, you can use this too) garlic, Worcester sauce, brown sugar, a little honey, onion powder, Italian seasonings, salt and whatever else you think it needs to taste better! Simmer for 10-15 minutes, allow to cool a bit then put in blender or food processor. Serve hot over sliced tenderloin.

Chicken with Mushroom & Balsamic Vinegar Sauce

I got this recipe from allrecipes.com, greatest website ever! It was a super easy recipe and only took about 25-30 minutes to make! We really liked this and the mushroom sauce was so good! I served it with mashed potatoes and added some of the sauce to the gravy. You could also serve this over pasta.

4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
salt and pepper to taste
3/4 pound fresh mushrooms, sliced
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons olive oil
6 cloves garlic
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
3/4 cup chicken broth
1 bay leaf
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1 tablespoon butter

* Before you start: The only thing I would have done different is that the chicken breasts were a bit to thick so next time I will either slice them, like butterfly them, or pound them flat with a mallet. Also, I only used 2 chicken breasts and the sauce was just about the right amount so if you do 4 chicken breasts you might want to add a bit more broth and vinegar.
Directions
1.Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Rinse the mushrooms and pat dry. Season the flour with salt and pepper and dredge the chicken breasts in the flour mixture. Heat oil in a skillet over medium high heat and saute the chicken until it is nicely browned on one side (about 3 minutes).
2.Add the garlic. Turn the chicken breasts and scatter the mushrooms over them. Continue frying, shaking the skillet and stirring the mushrooms. Cook for about 3 minutes, then add the vinegar, broth, bay leaf and thyme. Cover tightly and simmer over medium low heat for 10 minutes, turning occasionally.
3.Transfer the chicken to a warm serving platter and cover with foil. Set aside. Continue simmering the sauce, uncovered, over medium high heat for about 7 minutes. Swirl in the butter or margarine and discard the bay leaf. Pour this mushroom sauce mixture over the chicken and serve.

Chicken Ranch Burritos

Sorry, no picture for this one. Tyler and I love the Crispy Chicken Ranchero from Taco Time so this a spin off of that. Its another one of those things you can add whatever you like to make it how you like it. This is how I made it:

~Fresh uncooked flour tortillas (They should be by the cheeses in the refrigerator section) they cook up in just a couple minutes in a frying pan or griddle and they are AMAZING!
~Chicken - you use any type: grilled, sauteed, fried, baked, pre-made chicken strips, whatever you fancy
~Cheese
~Rice
~Black Beans
-I cheated and used a rice and black bean mix from a box by Zataran's.
~Ranch - your favorite ranch dressing. I used Chiz's.
~Lettuce
~Fresh tomatoes or salsa

You can also add avocado, corn, olives, onion, jalapenos, peppers, etc.
Cook the tortilla, fill it, roll it, and enjoy!

This is a great leftover meal. You can use chicken or rice from the night before and just go from there!

Chicken Cacciatore Stoup

This is one of Rachael Ray's Thirty Minute Meals. (I just copy and pasted the recipe from Food Network) Because I can't chop as fast as her it takes me about 40-45 minutes. This is a cheap meal and you can just use whatever you have in your pantry.

Ingredients
1 package boneless, skinless chicken breasts, 1 to 1 1/3 pounds, diced
Coarse salt and black pepper
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
3 to 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, 3 turns of the pan
2 russet potatoes, peeled and cubed into 1-inch squares
4 portobello mushroom caps or 16 cremini mushrooms, sliced or chopped
4 ribs celery hearts, chopped
1 medium onion, peeled and quartered lengthwise then thinly sliced
1 red or green bell pepper, seeded and quartered lengthwise then thinly sliced
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 cup dry Italian red wine, eyeball it
1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 (28-ounce) can fire-roasted crushed tomatoes
2 cups chicken stock
3 tablespoons fresh rosemary, finely chopped, 3 or 4 sprigs
1 cup basil, arugula or baby spinach leaves, shredded or torn
Grated Parmigiano-Reggiano or Romano, to pass at table
Crusty bread, to pass at the table
**Just a couple of Melissa notes:
*I leave out the wine and just deglaze the pan with chicken stock.
*I add 2 carrots, chopped added at the same time as potatoes
*Choose tomatoes according to what flavor and how much heat you like. I really like chipotle so I will usually use 1 can of tomatoes with chipotle(1 can provides plenty of heat). If you don't like any heat, choose plain or tomatoes with lime or garlic.
*I have never added the rosemary, greens, or cheese and it tasted just fine without it. Those items can be a bit pricey so if you don't have them, it will turn out great without them too.
*For the bread we just use toast or bread and butter.

Directions
Heat a deep skillet or a medium soup pot over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons EVOO, 2 turns of the pan, and the chicken. Season it with coarse salt and pepper and red pepper flakes.

While the chicken cooks, chop up the veggies.

When the chicken is evenly and lightly browned all over, 3 or 4 minutes, remove it to a plate and reserve. Add another tablespoon of extra-virgin olive oil, 1 more turn of the pan. Add the potatoes to the pan. Cook a couple of minutes, then add in the mushrooms, celery, and onion and cook another couple of minutes. Add in the peppers and garlic and cook another 1 to 2 minutes. Season the vegetables with salt and pepper. Add chicken back to the pan. Toss it with the vegetables. Add red wine to the pan and deglaze it, picking up drippings. Add tomatoes and stock to the stoup and stir to combine. Stir in rosemary and reduce heat to low. Cover and cook 8 to10 minutes.

Turn off stoup and ladle into shallow bowls. Top with basil (for a sweet finish and balance to the spice in the soup) or arugula (for a peppery finish) or with spinach (for a woodsy finish). At the table, pass grated cheese for sprinkling on top of the stoup and bread for mopping up the bowl.

Dinner in a Roll

I love this one! Its so easy to make and I think its kinda pretty! But I will warn you, I don't really have a recipe and the measurments I use are ones like, a handful of this and some of that, sorry!

Start with the rolls. I usually use Rhodes rolls because they are so easy but you use your favorite roll recipe too. For our family I usually make 6-8 and will have a couple left over. If you are using rhodes rolls, flatten and strech the roll out till its about 3 inches across, as if you were making a scone. Add 1-2 TB of filling (recipe below) then pull all edges up and seal on top. Put filled rolls into a greases cupcake tin. Brush tops with one beaten egg and sprinkle with parmasean cheese. Bake at 350 for about 20 minutes.
**(Optional)Serve with appropriate gravy (if you like gravy) chicken, sausage, or any other sauce you like

I have a few different filling recipes and you can use whatever you want or change them to your liking.

Filling 1: Is the same filling I use for creamy white enchiladas.
12-16 oz cooked chicken cubed or shredded.
sour cream about 1 cup
cream cheese half cube, 4 oz
1/2 can cream chicken soup
whatever seasonings you like; onion powder, crushed garlic, pepper, salt,

Filling 2: Sausage and veggies
1 lb sausage
1 cupish carrots chopped very fine
1 cupish celery chopped very fine
Saute sausage and veggies in saute pan till sausage is done and veggies are tender.
Add a few TB of flour and combine well. Then add a few TB of water, just to make a bit saucy, but not watery.

Filling 3: Chicken Alfredo
I'll be honest, I haven't made this one but I just thought of it and it sounds amazing! I will make this one next time. Since I haven't made it I don't have measurments so you will have to play with the flavors and adjust as needed.
12-16 oz cooked chicken, cubed or shredded
1 Jar of garlic alfredo sauce - this often don't have enough garlic for me so I add a little more.
OR a homeade alfredo sauce (Its so easy to make your own! Most cookbooks will have a recipe)
fresh tomotoes diced maybe 1/2-3/4 cup

StoveTop Chicken

This is a favorite in our house.
1 box StoveTop Chicken Stuffing
2 large chicken breasts
1/2 can cream of chicken soup
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup milk
onion powder, garlic poweder, salt & pepper to taste

prepare stovetop as directed. Cube chicken. drizzle olive oil or butter on bottom of a 9x9 baking dish. Put Chicken in pan. Combine soup, sour cream, milk, and seasonings. Pour mixture on top on chicken. Top with prepared stoptop. Cover and bake at 350 for 30-40 minutes or till chicken is done.

*You can add swiss cheese to the top of the chicken if you like swiss cheese.

Serve with veggies of chioce.

Meal #1 Crock Pot Ribs with Roasted veggies

Sorry, no picture.
I made this last night and it was AMAZING! Plus, you can't really screw this one up!
I bought boneless Texas style ribs, country style works great too. Throw as many as you need to feed your family (I eat 2, my husband eats 3, my toddler eats 2 bits) into a crock pot. Give an onion a rough chop and throw that in to. Completely cover with any tomato sauce, juice, paste, etc. It just needs to be tomato base. Throw in whatever seasonings you like. I tossed in some garlic, bay leaves, and salt. Set to low and cook 8 hours. Pull them out of the cooking juices and cover in your favorite BBQ sauce. If you have access to a grill you can grill the ribs to caramelize the BBQ sauce onto them, but if not, that's okay too.

For the veggies: cut up into bit size pieces any of your favorite veggies. I use potatoes, carrots, zucchini, yams...whatever I've got. Toss in olive oil, garlic powder, onion powder, Italian Seasoning, salt, pepper, a little cayenne if you want a kick. Put in 9x13 or sheet pan and bake on 400 for about an hour or until veggies are tender, stirring a couple of times. (If I need it to cook quicker I turn heat up to 425 and bake about 35-45 minutes)