What's Kim Cooking?

Bean Up Those Burgers!

2011-02-07T17:27:00.000-08:00

So, I really only use ground turkey at home. It's cheaper (and leaner) than ground beef because I can get it at Sam's in 5 pound packages. When making burgers, I always feel like they get tough and dry. I can't remember where I heard it, but I added black beans to our burgers tonight. The result was delicious! No one complained (Bryan even had a 2nd one!) or hardly noticed for that matter!

All I did was drain and rinse a can of black beans. You can then mash them, but I ran them through the food processor (adding a little water as needed) so that they were better "hidden". I would suggest using about half of a can per pound of ground meat. I did use the entire can, but I always forget the "you can always add more, but you can't take away" rule. They were still good with the entire can, but you definitely lose the "beefy" texture.

I seasoned as I normally do with 1 T worchestershire, 1 1/2 t seasoned salt, and 1/2 t pepper.

Baked Cafe Sandwiches

2011-02-01T11:24:00.000-08:00

Ok, this is a super easy recipe from my friend Amy. I take them to every luncheon I have to go to!

Baked Cafe Sandwiches

12 dinner rolls (Sara Lee, King's Hawaiian, etc.)
1 pound thin sliced honey ham
1/2 pound sliced swiss cheese
1 stick butter
1 T mustard
1 t worchestershire sauce
1/2 onion, minced
1 1/2 t poppy seeds

Slice rolls in half and place bottoms in a 9x13 baking dish. Chop up ham and spread over rolls. Lay cheese slices over ham. Put roll tops on top of cheese.

Put remaining ingredients in a microwaveable dish. Heat in microwave until butter is melted, stirring occasionally. Pour over sandwiches. Let sit for at least 5 hours. (I usually let them sit out until the butter is cooled and then cover and throw in the fridge overnight.)

If refrigerated, bring to room temperature. Preheat oven to 350. Bake 15-20 minutes or until cheese is melted.

I'm gonna get back to it!

2011-02-01T08:48:00.000-08:00

Ok, so a recent message line from some Facebook friends got me remembering that I have this blog and should get back to using it to keep track of some of my favorite recipes! So, hopefully, coming soon, more recipes!

Southwest Couscous Salad

2008-09-18T13:38:00.000-07:00

This is a tried and true favorite. It's great for potlucks, picnics, casual get togethers...pretty much anything!!

Southwest Couscous Salad

1 cup uncooked couscous
1 1/4 cups chicken broth
6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
4 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon ground cumin
4 green onions, chopped
1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 cups frozen corn kernels, thawed
2 (15 ounce) cans black beans, drained
salt and pepper to taste

Bring broth to a boil. Add couscous and stir. Cover and remove from heat.

Whisk together vinegar, oil, lime juice, and cumin. Add onion, bell pepper, cilantro, corn, and beans. Toss well.

Break up couscous with a fork. Add to vegetable mixture. Stir until well mixed.

Halibut with BBQ Tomato Sauce

2008-06-02T12:27:00.001-07:00

Oh my deliciousness! This is my new favorite fish recipe. My changes were that I only made 2 fish fillets instead of 4...we like it saucy! I also skipped the EVOO in the pan with the bacon. I just used the bacon drippings to cook all the veggies in! Finally, I cut the hot pepper sauce in half and it was spicy enough for this TX girl's taste!

Really though, this was awesome, awesome, awesome!

Halibut with BBQ Tomato Sauce

Turkey Tortilla Casserole

2008-05-29T18:36:00.000-07:00

Ok, I know, I know...it's been a while! This is another Rachael Ray inspired recipe. Her's called for a pound of cheese and a pound of tortilla chips. Huh? I love ya Rach...but OH MY GRAVY!

Turkey Tortilla Casserole

1 pound turkey cutlets, pounded thin
1 lime
salt
1 diced yellow squash
1 c frozen corn
1/2 diced red bell pepper
2 cloves minced garlic
4 corn tortillas, diced small
2 14.5 oz cans fire roasted tomatoes
1 Tablespoon diced jalapeno
4 oz 2% shredded mexican cheese blend

Heat pan over medium heat. Squeeze lime juice over turkey cutlets and salt them. Cook until done...about 3 or so minutes on each side. Remove from pan...do not drain juice!

Add squash, corn, bell pepper, and garlic to pan. Saute about 5 minutes. Add tomatoes
and jalapeno peppers.

Chop turkey into bite sized pieces. Mix veggies, tortillas, and turkey in a 9x13 baking dish. Bake at 375 about 20-30 minutes...until cheese is bubbly and most of liquid has been absorbed.

Vegetable Soup

2008-01-21T17:58:00.001-08:00

I do have a few recipes to get up here, but I'll start with a simple staple!

Vegetable Soup
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 c shredded carrots, I use the bagged shredded and run a knife through them
2 zucchini, diced
1/2 head cabbage, diced
1/2 bag frozen green beans
8 c chicken broth
2 cans italian flavored diced tomatoes
1 T italian seasoning

Spray a large pot with cooking spray. Add onion, garlic, and carrots and saute until soft. Add remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Cover and let simmer for 20 minutes.

This is a recipe with endless possibilities. You can change up the soup just by changing the seasonings. Use mexican flavored tomatoes and cumin for a mexican inspired soup. You can also add beans, pasta, or any other veggie you can think of! You can also cook some cubed chicken or ground beef with the onion/carrot/garlic.

Big Beef and Veggie Burgers

2008-01-07T11:32:00.001-08:00

Big Beef and Veggie Burgers

1 lb lean ground beef
1 zucchini
1 c mushrooms, I use portabellos
1 small onion
2 cloves garlic
1 jalapeno (seeded if you don't like the spice)
1 teaspoon dill
1 tablespoon seasoned salt
1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce

Process zucchini, mushrooms, onion, garlic, and jalapenos in a food processor. I process until the consistency of pesto. Mix ground beef, veggie mixture, and remaining ingredients in a bowl. Form into 4 big patties. Cook immediately. If you wait, the juice will start to come out of the squash and mushrooms and you will have a soupy mess!

These can be grilled, pan fried, or broiled. Just know that they are a little on the fragile side. If you grill them, use care when flipping them over b/c they will be soft until fully done.

The best part is that all of your points are in the ground beef! These burgers were a huge hit!

Zesty Mexican Fish

2008-01-04T12:37:00.000-08:00

Zesty Mexican Fish

2 4oz fillets of white fish (any fish should be fine, we used flounder)
1 T minced cilantro
1 T dijon mustard
1 T water
1/4 c seasoned breadcrumbs
2 T salsa
2 t grated parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 350. Spray a baking dish with cooking spray.

Mix cilantro, mustard, and water in a bowl. Set aside. Place breadcrumbs on a plate and set aside. Dip fish in mustard mixture and then in breadcrumbs, coating all sides. Place in baking dish.

Top with salsa and grated cheese. Bake for 15 minutes or until fish flakes easily with a fork.

Note: This recipe will also work if you mix all of the toppings together and top the fish with it before baking. It also makes less mess that way!

Product Kudos

2008-01-03T11:21:00.000-08:00

First of all, I apologize dear blog for leaving you astray for a few months. We have been traveling up a storm...which leads to lots of eating out or eating things that don't require a lot of cooking.

So, for today, I'm going to start with a couple of product raves!

Just a big kudos for Trader Joe's. TJ Everything! Growing up in TX, and now living in AR, I've never gotten to experience the joy of TJ's. While visiting a friend in AZ a couple of years ago, I did get the chance to step foot in one. Well, being in GA over the holidays, I got to go TWICE! The big purchases 2 cases of Two Buck Chuck and cans of black bean and lentil soups. Yum. If you live near a TJ's, do yourself a favor and shop there often!

Next, upon visiting Jason's Deli a few weeks ago, I scoped out a new cracker. An organic flatbread covered in seedy goodness. Well, I was very pleased to be perusing The Fresh Market today and saw Dr. Kracker Crackers! They are low point and come in all kinds of yummy flavors. And, if you can't find them in a store near you, you can order online!

Ok, recipes to come in the next couple of days. I did try a new one last night but it was not so great.

Hummus Stuffed Chicken

2007-09-12T18:39:00.000-07:00

This is an adaptation from another RR recipe in October's issue. I made it a little healthier by omitting butter. I also garlic to the filling and used regular breadcrumbs instead of panko. It was good and even Bryan liked it. I was worried since he doesn't like hummus or spinach separately, but imagine my surprise when he liked them together!

Hummus Stuffed Chicken
Serves 2

Stuffing:
5 oz frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed
2 tablespoons pine nuts, lightly toasted in pan, chopped
1/3 c hummus
1 clove garlic, pressed
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
salt and pepper

Chicken:
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (4 oz each), pounded to 1/4 inch thickness
1/4 c flour, seasoned with salt and pepper to taste
1 egg, slightly beaten
1/3 c breadcrumbs

Preheat oven to 350. Combine stuffing ingredients. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Place half of stuffing mixture on one side of each chicken breast. Fold over and secure with toothpicks. Set up an assembly line with the flour, then the egg, and finally the breadcrumbs. I do this on one long sheet of wax paper. I have a pile of flour, the egg in a bowl, and then a pile of breadcrumbs...this equals less dishes to clean up! I also set them up moving towards the pan on the stove...that way, once I'm done dipping in breadcrumbs, I can put them straight in the pan.

Heat pan over medium-high heat and spray with cooking spray. Dip the chicken packets into the flour and shake off the excess. Then dip in egg, followed by breadcrumbs. Put into pan and cook 3-4 minutes on each side. This helps the crust to brown up a little.

Transfer chicken to baking dish (sprayed with cooking spray) and put in oven for 10 minutes. Let rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Greek Gryos

2007-09-11T18:13:00.000-07:00

Ok, you know the drill...the new RR magazine came. I highly recommend everyone pick up this issue. I usually dog ear recipes that I want to try...I dog eared the entire magazine! I adjusted this recipe a bit, so here goes. It was so good, but I will add more seasonings next time. I was eyeballing it, and we ended up adding more salt and pepper. The recipe calls for ground lamb which is very high in points (to the tune of 4 pts per 2 oz). I did use lamb tonight. I think it would be awesome with ground chicken or turkey, which is how I will probably make it next time.

Greek Gyros
Serves 4

Sauce:
8 oz light sour cream
1/2 cucumber, finely diced
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
salt and pepper

Gyro:
1 lb ground lamb
1 slice light bread made into crumbs
2 1/2 teaspoons cumin
1/2 teaspoon ginger
2 poblano or cubanelle peppers, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons dried parsley
salt and pepper to taste
4 flatbreads or pitas (I used flatout brand wrap bread)

Mix ingredients for sauce together and put in fridge.

Combine lamb, bread, 1 1/2 teaspoons cumin, and ginger. Form into 4 patties. Spray pan with cooking spray. Cook burgers on medium high heat (about 6 minutes each side). Remove from pan and set aside.

Add the peppers, onion, garlic, parsley, 1 teaspoon cumin, salt, and pepper to the pan. Cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes. During that 5 minutes, wrap pita bread in foil and place in low heat oven and chop up the lamb patties. Add the lamb back to the pan, increase to medium-high heat and cook a few more minutes.

Place 1/4 of meat and 1/4 of sauce in each pita or flat bread. Add lettuce and tomatoes if you so desire.

Basic Crockpot Pork (or Chicken if you fancy)

2007-09-10T18:19:00.000-07:00

Ok, so after my last post...we got hit with some crap of a stomach bug. And we seem to have eaten out a lot or have a lot of simple things like grilled chicken and the sort. Today was the first time I've "cooked" in a while. This is a very quick versatile recipe that has unlimited possibilities

Basic Crockpot Pork
Serves 4

1 lb frozen boneless pork chops, trimmed
1 can flavored diced tomatoes (tonight I used Italian)
1 small can mushrooms
1 tablespoon cornstarch

Spray crockpot with cooking spray. Toss in porkchops. Top with tomatoes and mushrooms.

I cook on high for 3 hours. I find that cooking from frozen ensures that your meat won't dry out. I wouldn't do it for more than 8 hours on low though.

When done, sprinkle in cornstarch and wisk quickly to avoid lumps. Recover and allow "sauce" to thicken.

Upcoming Meals for the Week

2007-08-20T13:18:00.000-07:00

Sunday: baked red snapper
Monday: Beefy Tomato Mac
Tuesday: Chicken and Dumplings
Wednesday: S/B pork chops
Thursday: Chicken Cacciatore
Friday: Slow Cooker Brisket
Saturday: out or leftovers

Paella

2007-08-20T13:12:00.001-07:00

This is a really easy recipe that ends up being pretty fancy schmancy. I was always scared to try and cook mussels, but this one is foolproof!!

Paella
Serves 2

1 teaspoon EVOO
3 ounces turkey sausage, cut into rounds
1 small onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 tomato, seeded and chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon saffron threads, crushed
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme

1 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup white rice
1/2 cup frozen peas
10 mussels, scrubbed and debearded
1/4 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined

Heat EVOO in a pan over medium high heat. Add ingredients through thyme. Cook about 5 minutes or until veggies are softened. Add broth, rice, and peas. Bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes. Stir and add mussels and shrimp. Increase heat to medium high and cook 8-10 minutes more (when rice is done). Discard any unopened mussels.

Warm Potato Salad

2007-08-16T12:14:00.000-07:00

We are grilling italian sausages tonight...a super easy thing when you don't feel like cooking. I discovered this recipe in a cheap-o magazine this month and made some changes to suit this household's tastes. YUM!

Warm Potato Salad
Serves 2

3/4 lb red potatoes
1 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons olive oil
1/2 finely chopped shallot
2 teespoons Dijon mustard
1 Tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1/2 teaspoon red wine vinegar

Cut potatoes in quarters. Put potatoes and salt in a pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil, lower heat and simmer until potatoes are fork tender. Drain when potatoes are done.

While potatoes are boiling, saute shallot in 2 teaspoons olive oil. In a small bowl, mix shallot, oil, mustard, parsley, and vinegar together. Toss potatoes with dressing. Serve immediately.

Deviled Chicken Strips

2007-08-16T12:02:00.000-07:00

I fould this recipe in my Good Housekeeping this month. I adapted it, of course!

Deviled Chicken Strips
Serves 4

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips
2 Tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 clove garlic, pressed
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/3 c panko crumbs (Japanese style breadcrumb, can use regular bread crumbs)
1/4 c loosely packed parsley, chopped

Heat broiler in oven. Line broiler pan with foil. Mix mustard, sauce, garlic, and pepper. Add chicken strips and mix until all chicken is covered. Place strips on pan and broil for about 8 minutes. While chicken is baking, combine panko and parsley. Remove pan from oven and top with parsley/crumb mixture...do not flip chicken. Pop back in broiler just until crumbs start to brown.

Upcoming Meals for the Week

2007-08-16T12:01:00.001-07:00

I'm back from TX. It was a wonderful trip! I even came back with recipe ideas.

W: Deviled Chicken
Th: Grilled Italian Sausage with warm potato salad
F: Paella
Sa: either out or beefy tomato mac

Monkey Bread

2007-08-05T19:10:00.000-07:00

I'm headed back to the homeland on Tuesday! So, there won't be much from me this week. I did make breakfast this morning though. We usually have some type of "cooked" breakfast on Sundays, but we didn't have any cinnamon rolls and I didn't feel like eggs, so I modified a very not healthy recipe for monkey bread. Now, it's still not all that healthy, but it's better. Kinda.

Monkey Bread

2 tubes biscuits (just the cheap ones, 10 to a tube)
1/4 c sugar
1 t cinnamon
1/2 stick margarine or butter, melted
1/4 c brown sugar

Heat oven to 350. Spray a glass baking dish with nonstick spray. I used a round deep Pyrex bowl. The original recipe calls for it to be done in a bundt pan...so have at it if you'd like!

Cut biscuits into quarters. Mix cinnamon and sugar. Coat biscuits in cinnamon/sugar mixture and put into baking dish. Mix butter and brown sugar. Pour over biscuits. Bake 30 minutes.

Contests!

2007-08-02T11:04:00.000-07:00

Uhm, yeah, so who doesn't like free stuff?

Over at Ashwin’s blog, you will find one crazy blog owner!! You can win $2500!! To enter just copy this text and paste it in your blog!! But hurry, this competition will not last long! So get posting!

We are giving away an Insignia® 37″ Flat-Panel LCD HDTV!!! This incredible prize is valued at $799.99 and is courtesy of Best Buy. Just visit 5 Minutes for Mom! You can also get a genius new light called a Babeebrite!

And finally, visit Love Shak to win a $250 gift card to Gymboree!!!

Chicken Enchiladas

2007-08-01T17:57:00.000-07:00

These are quick and simple and yummy! They are a favorite at our house...Nicky included. The Goya seasoning is usually found in the Hispanic foods section of your grocery store...but, I don't know if your store will carry it b/c we can't get it here in Arkansas. I had to stock up when we went to Florida the last time. It's a very good all purpose seasoning. I use it to make my taco meat as well. If you can't find it, you can always just use a blend of salt, cumin, coriander, pepper, etc.

Chicken Enchiladas

1 lb chicken breasts, cut into bite sized pieces
1 can diced tomatoes with green chilis (Rotel)
1 packet Sazon Goya with coriander and annato
1 c frozen chopped spinach
1 can green chili enchilada sauce (I use Old El Paso brand)
8 oz reduced fat sour cream
8 flour tortillas (We use the carb balance Mission fajita size)
1 c cheese (I use whatever we have on hand...usually mozzarella or monterey jack)

Preheat oven to 375. In a skillet, cook chicken, tomatoes, and spinach until the chicken is done. Add the seasoning. You should simmer this until most of the liquid is absorbed. If it has too much liquid, thicken using cornstarch or flour. You don't want it runny b/c it will make your tortillas fall apart.

Mix the enchilada sauce and sour cream in a separate bowl. Pour a little of the mixture in the bottom of a glass baking dish. I usually use 2 8x8 square dishes...4 enchiladas in each. Divide the chicken among the tortillas. Roll up and place in baking dish, seam side down. Once you have all 8 rolled and in the dish, top with the rest of the sauce. Sprinkle cheese over the top.

Put in oven and bake until cheese is melted.

Kim's Comfort Casserole

2007-07-31T19:24:00.000-07:00

This is a comfort in 2 ways. First, we all know and love tator tot casserole...well, this is a healthier version. Second, it reminds me of something my mom used to make called "One Dish Meal" that had to bake for an hour...this one doesn't take that long!

Kim's Comfort Casserole

1 lb ground beef
1 T olive oil
1/2 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can cream of celery soup
1 T Italian seasoning
Salt and Pepper
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 of a 30 oz bag of frozen shredded hash brown potatoes

Preheat oven to 400. Brown ground beef with oil, onion, and garlic. Add soups and seasonings. Put in bottom of 9x13 baking dish. Top with cheese and then potatoes. Bake until the top starts to turn golden...about 30ish minutes. If you let them bake too long, they get chewy, so just keep an eye on it.

Chicken Biscuit Cups

2007-07-30T18:13:00.000-07:00

This is one of those recipes that has endless possibilities! You can also add cheese to these, but I don't think you miss it, so I save those calories.

Chicken Biscuit Cups

10 oz can chicken, drained
1 can cream of soup of your choice (we prefer chicken or celery)
2 teaspoons italian seasoning
1 can 10 count biscuits

Preheat oven to 375. Mix chicken, soup, and seasonings in a bowl. Flatten biscuits and place one in each hole of a muffin tin forming a "cup". Divide filling among cups. Bake 12 minutes.

Upcoming Meals for the Week

2007-07-30T18:10:00.000-07:00

All right, I should be cooking most of this week. Yippee!

S: Chicken Biscuit Cups
M: Shake and Bake porkchops
T: Kim's Comfort Casserole
W: Chicken Enchiladas
T: Shrimp Stir Fry
F: Steak on the grill
S: out

Meatloaf Brasciole

2007-07-30T18:02:00.001-07:00

This is a great RR recipe. In my house, we call it "better than sex" meatloaf. I will copy and paste it because I make quite a few substitutions. I've done the recipe as listed, but have tweaked it to be even better! We also usually serve it with the pasta she uses in the recipe.

Meatloaf Brasciole

1 pound ground beef
1/2 pound pork pan sausage (you know, Jimmy Dean breakfast stuff in the chub)
Salt and pepper
1/2 cup Italian bread crumbs
1/4 cup eggbeaters
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 small white onion, grated
3 tablespoons pine nuts, chopped very, very, very fine
3 tablespoons grated Parmesan
1 tablespoon dried parsley
1 cup baby spinach
6 slices prosciutto
6 slices deli sliced provolone
Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling

Preheat oven to 450. Mix meat and next 9 ingredients as if you were making meatloaf.

Flatten meat out on a silpat mat or waxed paper lined cookie sheet into a thin layer, about 1/2-inch thick. Cover meat with spinach, prosciutto and cheese. Roll the meat, using the mat or waxed paper to help roll up into a large log. (Roll it so that it is long, not short.) Drizzle the log with extra-virgin olive oil to coat lightly.

Roast meatroll 20 minutes. Let sit a few minutes before serving

Tomato Basil Salad

2007-07-24T09:00:00.001-07:00

This is a super simple, throw together take on a Caprese salad.

Tomato Basil Salad

1 lb tomatoes, cut up
1/4 lb fresh mozzarella, cut into bite size pieces
1/2 c fresh basil, cut into strips
1 T olive oil
1/2 T red wine vinegar
salt and pepper to taste

Throw it all together in a bowl. Allow to sit for at least 15 minutes before serving. The longer it sits, the better it is.

Upcoming Meals for the Week

2007-07-24T08:57:00.000-07:00

This is a mostly non cooking week here. I have stuff, Bryan has stuff, and we have a ton of leftovers from the weekend and all the eating out we did.

Sunday: chicken from Sam's, Tomato Basil Salad
Monday: leftovers
Tuesday: leftovers, I have Bunco
Wednesday: Meatloaf Brasciole; Pasta, Broccoli, and Ricotta
Thursday: leftovers, Bryan going to baseball game
Friday: leftovers, I have a Thirty-One party
Saturday: wedding

Sloppy Cubanos

2007-07-18T18:34:00.000-07:00

Yet another RR. This was super good. I halved the recipe, but still used the full cup of chicken broth and tomato sauce (accidentally forgot to half them) and ended up having to thicken it up with cornstarch. But, this made it super saucy and more sloppy...which we loved!! I also use provolone cheese since we are not swiss eaters.

I also didn't have allspice and wasn't going to spend the money on it for one recipe, so I just used a bit of cinnamon and nutmeg, which was perfect. It gave it the right amount of "hmmm, what is that in the background?" Hee hee!

Sloppy Cubanos

PS. I won't be baking anytime soon. It seems our oven is setting off our carbon monoxide monitor when I bake all of a sudden, so we must get that looked at before I attempt the corn bacon muffins.

PPS. Never, ever look at the ingredient list for chorizo. It may make you gag. I had to really think about how good it tastes to forget what I saw.

Stuffed Chicken Breasts and Banana Pupcakes

2007-07-16T18:17:00.000-07:00

Stuffing chicken breasts is an easy elegant looking meal. It's my go to when I'm on burn out with chicken. The possibilities are endless with stuffings. I'll list a few others that I've done at the end of the recipe.

Stuffed Chicken Breasts

2 chicken breasts
2 T feta cheese
2 T frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed
1 T sundried tomato paste
2 T breadcrumbs
1/2 t Italian seasoning, plus some for sprinkling

Preheat oven to 375. Spray a baking dish with cooking spray. Cut slits in the chicken breasts. Mix all other ingredients. Stuff chicken breasts evenly with the mixture. Place in baking dish. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning. Bake 20 minutes or until chicken is done.

Other variations:
Goat cheese, sundried tomatoes, shallots, balsamic vinegar
thin sliced ham and laughing cow cheese

Now, on to the banana pupcakes...and no, that isn't a typo! This is a RR recipe. They are delish!!! Or, in the words of Rachael....YUM-O!! The simple sprinkling of powdered sugar is great, but cream cheese frosting would be even greater! Oh, and I did use lowfat buttermilk and egg beaters.

Banana Pupcakes

Upcoming Meals for the Week

2007-07-16T09:59:00.000-07:00

The week ends early b/c my in-laws will be coming into town on Thursday. I do not usually cook when they are here! One day this week I'm also going to make banana cupcakes. You will also see a lot of Rachael Ray this week b/c I finally got around to this month's magazine.

Sunday: Tacos
Monday: Stuffed Chicken breasts
Tuesday: Sloppy Cubanos
Wednesday: Shake and Bake pork chops and bacon corn muffins

Creamy Pesto Chicken and Pasta

2007-07-11T17:49:00.000-07:00

This was a huge hit all around. Very quick, simple, and healthy to boot! Even better...This is probably about a 20 minute start to finish recipe.

Creamy Pesto Chicken and Pasta
Serves 4

1 lb chicken breasts, cubed
1 T olive oil
1 can RF cream of chicken soup
1/2-3/4 cup FF milk
1 package Knorr Basil Pesto sauce mix
8 oz uncooked pasta (I used mini penne)

Prepare pasta according to box directions.

While pasta is cooking, season chicken with salt and pepper and brown in skillet in olive oil. Add soup and 1/2 cup milk. Stir to combine. Add sauce mix and stir. Now, when it starts to get bubbly, you may have to add more milk b/c the sauce mix thickens. Then, mix the pasta with the chicken and sauce.

WW points: 8

Ham and Pea Casserole

2007-07-10T20:06:00.000-07:00

This is yet another Rachael Ray recipe. The only problem...Bryan doesn't like cornbread. Now, mind you, I have a rule. If I make something you don't like, tell me. Be honest, or else it will show back up in the rotation. I made this before, Nicky ate it, Bryan didn't say he didn't like it, so I made it again.

Well, guess what. I don't think I have to tell you.

Ham and Pea Casserole
8 servings

What I did differently was using 1% milk, 4 eggs worth of eggbeaters, and dried thyme. When I made the cornbread, I omitted the butter and used 1% milk.

Sea Bass alla Fiorentina

2007-07-09T08:05:00.001-07:00

I found this recipe last night. I actually had everything on hand to make it...which usually doesn't happen. It was really, really good.

Sea Bass alla Fiorentina

The only adjustments I made were that I added a shallot to the sauce and used dried basil and parsley.

Upcoming Meals for the Week

2007-07-09T07:56:00.000-07:00

Last week was quite a cooking disaster. Nothing went right. One day I forgot to take something out. Another day I went to grill, and we ran out of gas. Here's to a better week!

Sunday: Sea Bass alla Fioretina
Monday: out b/c Bryan won't be home for dinner
Tuesday: Ham and Pea Casserole
Wednesday: Creamy Pesto Chicken Pasta
Thursday: Grilled Shrimp
Friday: Steak on the grill
Saturday: out

Upcoming Meals for the Week

2007-07-02T16:37:00.001-07:00

Not a lot of "cooking" on my part this week. I wasn't in the mood to look through my recipes, so I went with easy and quick this week.

Sunday: General Tso's Chicken (uh, from the freezer section at Sam's)
Monday: Rotissere Chicken (also from Sam's)
Tuesday: Tacos
Wednesday: ??
Thursday: shake and bake pork chops
Friday: parmesean baked fish of some sort
Saturday: out

Mini Caramel Pecan Rolls

2007-07-01T18:14:00.000-07:00

Ok, you are all going to start thinking that I am seriously addicted to crescent rolls. I made these this morning for breakfast. Super easy and tasty!

Mini Caramel Pecan Rolls

1 tube crescent rolls
1/2 stick butter, softened
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
cinnamon
sugar
chopped pecans

Mix butter, brown sugar, and syrup. Spread in the bottom of an ungreased 8 or 9 inch cake pan. Unroll crescent rolls and leave in 4 rectangles. Press along seam to seal. Sprinkle with cinnamon, sugar, and pecans. Roll up and press along edge to hold roll together. Cut each roll into 4 pieces and place in cake pan, leaving a little room around each roll for them to bake up. Bake 15 minutes or until golden brown.

Remove from oven and invert cake pan onto a plate. If the caramel hardens on the plate, simply throw it in the microwave for a few seconds to soften it.

Buffalo Chicken Pinwheels

2007-07-01T18:09:00.001-07:00

I have a little appetizer recipe book, and this is one of those recipes that is always a hit. I did fix it up a little to suit my tastes, but no one ever complains!

Buffalo Chicken Pinwheels

1 10 oz can chicken
2-3 teaspoons of hot sauce
4 oz cream cheese, softened
1 tablespoon chives, chopped
1 tube crescent rolls

Heat oven to 375. Mix chicken and hot sauce in a bowl. Unroll crescent rolls and leave in 4 rectangles. Pinch along seams to seal. Spread 1 oz of cream cheese on each rectangle. Sprinkle evenly with chives. Divide chicken mixture and spread out. Roll up and press on the seam a little to keep the roll together. Cut each roll into 6 pieces. Place on a baking sheet and bake for about 15 minutes or until golden brown. Serve with ranch or blue cheese dressing.

Pork Chops and Stuffing

2007-06-29T17:56:00.000-07:00

This is a favorite in our house. It's quick, simple, and tasty. I bought some fresh corn at the farmer's market earlier in the week that I also cooked. AND, guess who ate some of that...PICKY NICKY! He actually ate corn. And liked it. I think it's a cold day in hell. Or maybe he figured that I won't ever take him to get shots again if he starts eating veggies. Hee hee!

Pork Chops and Stuffing
Serves 4

4 boneless pork chops
1 T olive oil
1 T butter
1 can cream of celery soup (or mushroom)
1 box stuffing

Heat oil and butter in a skillet until melted. Season pork chops with pepper and italian seasonings. Turn up the heat and sear pork chops on both sides. Remove from skillet. Add soup and 1/2 can of water to the skillet and deglaze the skillet. Place pork chops on top of sauce. Dump stuffing in a bowl and add a cup of water. Stir all around until the water is absorbed. Pour stuffing over chops and sauce. Cover, reduce heat to low, and let cook for 20 minutes.

Caramelized Beef Skewers and Tuscan Pasta Salad

2007-06-28T21:40:00.000-07:00

Ok, for those that don't know, Kraft has a free magazine you can get at home. Sure, some of the recipes are really, really uh, duh, but there are others that catch my eye. So, sign up if you don't already get it! The first recipe comes from there. The recipe makes a ton of sauce, so after basting, I threw it in the microwave until it boiled to kill any germs and served it with the beef. It was darn good, but I wasn't very careful when choosing my steaks. A few of them had a lot of fat in the middle which made the meat tough. So, lesson learned there.

Caramelized Beef Skewers

Then, this is a recipe that the hubby picked up at Sam's Club. I don't get what's so Tuscan about it except the Italian dressing. I'm typing it here with the substitutions I made. Nicky loved this stuff.

Tuscan Pasta Salad
Serves 6-8

1/2 box rotini, prepared according to directions
2 regular tomatoes, chopped
1/2 green bell pepper, chopped
1/2 red onion, chopped
1/2 cup FF Zesty Italian dressing
3/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
salt and pepper to taste

Throw it all in a bowl and stir.

Shrimp Scampi-ish

2007-06-24T15:19:00.000-07:00

This is kinda a "fly by the seat of your pants" recipe. I don't really like to cook on Sundays, so I just throw something together. I call it "scampi-ish" b/c I'm not using lemon, adding some tomatoes, and serving it over couscous.

Shrimp Scampi-ish
Serves 2

1/2 pound shrimp, peeled an deveined
2 cloves garlic, pressed
1 tomato, seeded and chopped
2 tablespoons butter
sprinkle of crushed red pepper
couple dashes of salt
1/2 cup couscous
chicken broth

Prepare couscous according to directions, substituting chicken broth for the water. While couscous is sitting, heat butter and garlic in skillet over medium heat just until it starts to bubble. Add tomatoes, shrimp, salt, and red pepper and cook until shrimp are opaque.

Fluff couscous with a fork. Serve shrimp and sauce on top.

Upcoming Meals for the Week

2007-06-24T15:14:00.001-07:00

I've decided to post the plan for the week so that I don't forget what we had on those nights that I didn't "cook". You know, like steaks on the grill or shake and bake pork chops. So, here's what's up for this week...

Su: Shrimp Scampi-ish
M: Grilled Chicken (marinated in FF Zesty Italian dressing)
Tu: Fend for yourself, I have Bunco
W: Caramelized Beef Skewers and Tuscan Pasta Salad
Th: Fend for yourself again, I have a Thirty-One party
F: Grrr...Bryan had pork on Thursday, so I have to figure out something out
Sa: Probably out to eat

Chicken Spaghetti and Grandma's Squash

2007-06-20T12:40:00.001-07:00

These are two of my old favorites from growing up. Well, I guess mom started making the spaghetti when I was around 13 or so, but what can get better than pasta, cream sauce, cheese, and a little bit of spice? Oh, and it's so freaking easy. I'll be serving it with green beans, my grandma's squash recipe (dad's side), and a salad...mainly 3 veggies b/c my dear hubby will not eat squash. But, this recipe has been known to turn squash haters into squash lovers!

And, Nicky liked both dishes! Well, he didn't want the pasta, just the chicken and tomatoes, but he couldn't get enough of those. But, the kicker...he ate squash. That's a vegetable people, a vegetable!

Chicken Spaghetti
Serves 4

1 rotissere chicken, meat picked off and chopped up
1 can Ro*tel (tomatoes with diced chilis), drained
1 can diced or crushed tomatoes (use crushed for a thinner texture)
1 can cream of mushroom soup
8 oz velveeta
1/2 box spaghetti, cooked to al dente

Combine the Ro*tel, tomatoes, and soup. Heat until bubbly. Melt in the velveeta. Add the chicken and pasta. Toss and serve.

Grandma's Squash
Serves 4

1 1/2 pounds yellow squash, cleaned and cut into rounds
1 tablespoon butter or margarine
4 oz velveeta
1 egg

Boil squash in water until way overdone. Drain and mash lightly with the back of a spoon to make sure all of the water is out of the squash. In the pot you boiled the squash in, heat butter and velveeta over medium heat until melted. Add mashed up squash and stir. Crack the egg into the squash mixture and whip, whip, whip. The squash gets really fluffy and yummy! Cover and let sit for a few minutes. Salt and pepper to your liking.

"Nacho" Ordinary Burgers

2007-06-18T18:27:00.000-07:00

This is one of my favorite burger recipes. I adapted Rachael Ray's Turkey Nacho Burgers to fit what I have on hand all the time. I served them on light buns with lettuce and tomatoes and Alexia salt and pepper crinkle fries and corn. Surprisingly, Nicky liked the burger! I didn't expect him to since it's a little spicy. He wouldn't touch the mac and cheese I made for him, so I offered some of the burger. He gobbled it right up!

Note that I shred my cheese instead of cubing. I find that when you cube it, most of it melts out of the meat when you cook the patties. When you shred the cheese, you don't lose as much.

Nacho Ordinary Burgers
Serves 4

1 lb ground sirloin
4 oz shredded pepper jack cheese
2 teaspoons dried cilantro
2 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
2 1/2 teaspoons cumin
2 1/2 teaspoons grill seasoning
1 grated shallot

Combine ingredients and form into 4 patties. Heat just enough olive oil to cover the bottom of your skillet over medium-high heat. Cook patties 6 minutes on each side, or until done to your liking.

WW points: 5 per patty

Just so you know.

2007-06-12T06:51:00.001-07:00

Kim hasn't been cooking b/c she's on a 10 day vacation in the Bahamas.

Ham and Cheese Crescent Rolls

2007-06-05T18:49:00.001-07:00

This is one that I threw together based on what was in the fridge and what would go bad while we are on vacation. It was a hit for all, even the picky Nicky. They reminded me a bit of Hot Pockets, but better and tastier. I served them with mashed potatoes, peas, and green beans...of which Nicky ate none...he had applesauce instead.

Serves 2-3

1 pkg reduced fat crescent rolls
6 slices deli ham
2 slices ff american cheese

Preheat oven to 375. Unroll crescent rolls and separate into 4 rectangles...each made up of 2 crescent rolls. Pinch along dividing line of crescent rolls. Place 1 1/2 slices of ham and 1/2 slice of cheese in middle of crescent roll. Roll up and pinch ends closed. Place on baking sheet, seam side down. Bake 11-13 minutes or until golden brown.

WW Points: 5 per roll

I also want to pay homage to my favorite peanut butter...Peanut Butter & Company. My favorite is the cinnamon raisin swirl. When my hubby and I visited NYC, we went to the sandwich shop. Oh my heavens...I enjoyed my crunch time pb with cream cheese and chocolate chips on wheat bread more than I should have!

I also want to add that I talked with my mom this morning. They will be watching Nicky while we are on vacation. She asked what veggies Nicky ate. I just laughed. She said that he will eat them while he's with them. We shall see.

Baking Mix Chicken Nuggets

2007-06-04T13:46:00.000-07:00

Ok, this is a favorite recipe of mine that was given to me at my Pampered Chef bridal shower by my cousin. I'll post it as she gave it to me with my modifications in parenthesis. I tend to forget about it, but since I can only get Nicky to eat his chicken "fried", I'm sure I'll start to use it more often.

Serves 3-4

1 - 5.5 oz package of All Purpose baking mix
1 stick butter (1/2 stick)
1 teaspoon seasoned salt
1/2 teaspoon lemon pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt (powder, I don't keep garlic salt on hand)
1 lb chicken breasts, cubed

Preheat oven to 425. Place butter in glass baking dish and melt in oven while it is preheating. Mix baking mix and seasonings in a zippered plastic bag. Add chicken and shake until well coated. Place in baking dish on top of melted butter. Bake for 15 minutes. Flip and bake until golden brown.

We'll be having this with the leftover scalloped potatoes from the other night and green beans. I'll update how the nuggets go over with Nicky...since I know that he'll eat the potatoes and cry when he sees the green beans.

Update: Nicky was hungry before dinner was even ready. So, he got a turkey dog. We did give him some chicken, potatoes, and green beans, but he was only about the turkey dog. I did manage a couple of slivers of green beans in there with those bites. He did eat a container of banana/grape/plum, so I don't feel so bad.

Tomorrow night: Ham and Cheese Crescent Rolls (a Kim creation)