Creamy Lemon Veggies & Rice

This stuff is an awesome meal for vegetarians or side dish for meat-lovers. I used zuchinni, squash, and bell peppers, but use what sounds good to you.

Creamy Lemon Veggies and Rice

1-2 cups fresh mixed vegetables
1 cup brown rice, cooked
1 oz. cream cheese
1/2 c. milk
1 tbsp green onions, chopped
1/2 or 1 tsp. lemon pepper seasoning
Parmesan Cheese (optional)

Saute veggies with nonfat cooking spray, remove from heat. In same skillet, melt cream cheese-then add milk and seasoning to your taste. Add rice and veggies, then heat through. Before serving garnish with green onions and cheese.

This makes 1 HUGE meal or 2 sides.

Tuna Patties w/ Yogurt Dill Sauce

Salmon in a can is disgusting. Period. I was going to make these making salmon and almost threw up from the smell. So I threw it down the disposable and got a can of tuna instead. Amazing!

The best part is the sauce. If you make the patties you have to make the sauce to go on top.

Tuna Patties

1 sm. can tuna, drain well

1 egg white

1/2 c. wheat bread crumbs

Generous dash of each- Lemon Pepper seasoning, Dill, Garlic Salt

Combine all the stuff and form into 4 patties. "Fry" in cooking spray until lightly brown on both sides.

Each patty is 61 calories and 1 gram fat

Lemon Dill Sauce

1/2 cont. fat free plain yogurt

Juice of 1/2 lemon

Dash of dill

Pinch of sugar

Combine all and top on tuna patties.

I ate mine with a baked sweet potato and spinach salad. Yum-O!

Applesauce Oatmeal Bread

I started buying applesauce in a big jar because it's cheaper and I use it in the place of oil when I make cakes, muffins or sweet bread. Well, I had some applesauce that I needed to use and found this recipe for Applesauce Oatmeal Bread.

I love using oatmeal in breads so I gave it a try and it was delicious. I also had got boxes of oatmeal packets for less than a dollar a while back so I had plenty to use. I used Quaker Simple Harvest Vanilla, Honey and Almond oatmeal. I doubled it and got 1 loaf, 24 mini muffins, and 6 regular size muffins out of it.

Give it a try!

All Things Thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving is getting near! Here are some really great Thanksgiving themed things that I hope to get around to doing this year. The great thing about being a teacher is you get a whole week off!

These cute Pilgrims Hats are from Family Fun

These are filled with chocolate & peanut butter chips!

This handprint craft is perfect for small children.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

Holiday Recipes

I love to cook even more than usual around the holidays. Here are some recipes that I really want to try!

Spiced Sweet Potatoes (scroll down a little)

Bubble Pizza

Roasted Sweet Potatoes & Onions

Cheesey Bread (minus the olives. I had this at church one time & it was awesome. A friend made it and substituted pepperoni for the olives since she knew I was allergic)

Banana Zucchini Bread

Chicken Salsa Salad (to use up the free popcorn chicken & dressing I got recently)

Monkey Bread

Marble Buttermilk Pie

Marble Buttermilk Pie

1/2 cup flour
2 1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
6 eggs
1/2 cup melted butter
1 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups chocolate chips
2 unbaked pie shells

Place 1 c. each of chocolate chips in unbaked pie shells. Mix remaining ingredients well; pour into pie shells. Cover crust edges with foil to prevent burning. Bake at 375 for 45 to 60 minutes or until pies are set. Makes two pies.

Witch Hat Cookies

Here's our trial run of the Witch Hat cookies for Emmy's school party. Take a chocolate cookie, (I used oreo halves), dab a little icing in the middle and stick a hershey kiss on it. Then take icing and pipe around and make a bow. They are so easy!

PS-ignore the dirty counter!

Chili Beans Recipe

3 cups small red beans, rinsed
3 cups black beans, rinsed
1/2 onion, chopped
1/2 each green pepper, yellow pepper, and red pepper, chopped
1 beef bullion cube
2 tsp chili powder
1 can diced tomatoes
1 c. tomato juice
4 c. water

salt

Dump all ingredients in slow cooker. Cook on low 7-8 hours. I serve with sour cream, cilantro, cheese, & crackers!

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

I really wanted to buy some Kashi Dark Chocolate Oatmeal cookies, but it was $2.50 for only 8! So I bought some dark chocolate chips and decided to make some my self.

I found this recipe and they are wonderful!

The recipe makes 42 so cut in half or freeze half the batter like I did.

Cheesy Tuna Mac

Cheesy Tuna Mac

1 box macaroni & cheese dinner

1 can tuna, drained

1 pkg frozen California Veggie Mix

1 can cream of mushroom soup

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Boil macaroni in salted water 9-10 minutes or until al dente. Place Veggies in colander and pour macaroni over to drain & quick thaw the vegetables.



Return Veggies/macaroni to pot and add cheese mixture from box and 1/2 c. milk. The add mushroom soup and tuna. Pour into greased baking dish and bake 30 minutes or until heated thru.

Taco Soup

Taco Soup

3 c. pinto beans, cooked (I use leftovers, but canned are fine too)

1 can black beans, rinsed & drained
1 can sweet corn
1 can diced tomatoes with peppers
1 envelope taco seasoning
1 envelope dry ranch dressing
extra jalapenos (if you like it spicy)

Combine all ingredients in big pot. Bring to boil, then reduce to low for about 20-30 minutes. This makes enough for about 3-4 people with good sized appetites so double it if you have more. I serve this with tortilla chips, sour cream, cheese, and limes.

Baked Macaroni & Cheese

Baked Macaroni & Cheese Recipe

1 box macaroni noodles (I use whole wheat)
1 sm container (8 oz) sour cream
1 lb. shredded cheese, any flavor (cheddar & colby/swiss are our favorites)
1/2 c. milk

In big pot, cook macaroni noodles according to package directions. When done, drain and combine with sour cream, cheese, milk, and a little salt & pepper. Pour into 9 by 13 baking dish and cover with foil. Bake at 400 degrees for 30-45 minutes, uncovering foil during the last 5-1o minutes. This makes enough for our family of 2 adults/2 kids to have as a hearty side, leftovers the next day for me, and I put a big dish in the freezer to have as a side another day.

My first bread

So I'd been agonizing over baking my own bread. I'm not a great baker and I've wondered if it really is cheaper than storebought. I decided if I did make my own bread that I would do it with a breadmachine since I work full time.

When I picked up DD from my grandmother-in-law's today I asked her if I could borrow her's to see if I really liked it. She said I could have it! What a blessing. She asked if I would bring her a loaf now and again, and I said sure.

Now I did not have a lot of time to look for a recipe since we had church tonight, but I wanted to try it so we could have our first loaf tonight. I went with one of the first ones I found. Here's the recipe.

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Light-Oat-Bread/Detail.aspx

Now here's what we thought

Pro's- The flavor was great! I added about 1/2 tsp each of garlic, rosemary, and onion flakes. It was still warm when we got home so the butter melted perfectly. The texture on the inside was also tender & moist

Con's- The crust was very hard. I did put it on the medium setting, but I had a hard time cutting it. It also did not rise to the top. The breadmachine setting was on 1.5 lb loaf and it only rose about 3/4 the way.

I liked it and will try again, but I think I might look for a softer outside & taller loaf!

Our Favorite Cookie

I'm trying to cook more things homemade, starting with cookies. I adapted this recipes from the back of a chocolate chip bag to make it healthier. Try this first

Oatmeal Squash Cookies

1 c. all purpose flour

1 1/4 c. oats (I use the instant kind)

1 tsp salt

1 tsp baking soda

1 stick butter, softened

1/2 c. pureed squash ( I make my own, but you can use baby food or applesauce)

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 c. granulated sugar

1/2 c. brown sugar

1/2 c. M n M candies

Preheat oven to 350. Grease cookie sheets. Mix flour, oats, salt & baking soda, then fold in remaining ingrediants. Drop by tablespoon fulls on cookie sheet and bake 10- 15 minutes. Yields 3 dozen.

This is just one variation. Try chocolate chips, raisins, peanut butter, white chocolate chips & nuts, cranberries, or just plain. My kids love them and never know they have a vegetable in them! My next homemade tackle will be bread. If you know a good, easy starter recipe, let me know.

Dessert for DH birthday

These are so yummy, I just had to share the recipe. I add chocolate chips to the filling in mine. DH can't wait to eat them tomorrow!

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Cream-Cheese-Squares/Detail.aspx

Veggie Lasagna

Lunch was great today. I had half a pan of veggie lasagna leftover from last night's church gathering, (made with fresh veggies from my garden) so we had that, salad, & I tried a new recipe, Biscuit Sticks. Here's my recipe for Veggie Lasagna, (with no cheese for vegans) & the link for the Biscuit Sticks (I added garlic salt to mine.) With everything the meal cost about $1.00 per plate

Veggie Lasagna

1 zuchinni, diced
1 yellow squash, diced
1 bell pepper, diced
1 tsp chopped garlic
1 can crushed tomatoes
6 oven ready lasagna noodles, (I soak mine in hot water)
1/4 c. water
Italian seasoning
garlic Salt

In skillet, heat 1 tbsp olive oi, saute veggies until soft. Add tomatoes, salt, seasoning, & water. Layer in 2 quart baking dish, veggies & noodles, ending with veggies. Sprinkle top with cheese if desired. Bake at 425 degrees for 40-45 minutes or until noodles are done. Serves 4


Link to bread
http://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/recipe.aspx?recipeID=6576&Source=SearchResultPage

Cucumber Salad

I have a massive amount of cucumbers coming from my garden! In addition are cabbage, squash, tomatoes, zuchinni, & peppers. I don't can (need to learn) so what I don't cook I give our friends at church. And we have been going to lots of fish fry's & picnics so I always take my Cucumber Salad, it's great (if you like cukes!)

Cucumber Salad

2 large cucumbers, skin on, sliced thick
1/4 onion, sliced
1 c. vinegar
1 tbsp water
1 pkt Splenda (or use sugar)
1/2 tsp dry dill
pepper
garlic salt

Combine all together & let chill overnight for best flavor.