Slow Cooker Ropa Vieja

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Are you ready for an easy dinner?  This is a classic Cuban dish and is a cinch to throw together, turn on the slow cooker, and forget about it.  The only thing you need to do besides that is cook some white rice to serve it on and you have a complete meal.  My whole family loved this!  This could easily work as a freezer meal as well.  Just put all the ingredients in a freezer bag, uncooked.  When ready to prepare just thaw partially and add to the slow cooker. 

SLOW COOKER ROPA VIEJA
Food Network Magazine

1 (15 oz) can crushed tomatoes
3 TB ketchup
1 TB apple cider vinegar
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 jalapeno pepper, thinly sliced (remove seeds if you don't want spicy)
1 tsp Kosher salt
1 1/2 lbs skirt or flank steak
2 bell peppers (1 red, 1 green) sliced 1/2 inch thick
1 small onion, thinly sliced
3 TB chopped pimiento-stuffed green olives, plus 1 TB brine from the jar

Cooked white rice, for serving.

1. Combine the tomatoes, ketchup, vinegar, garlic, cumin, jalapeno, and salt in a 5-6 quart slow cooker.  Add the steak, bell peppers, and onion and toss to coat.  Cover and cook on low, undisturbed, for 8 hours.
2. Uncover and skim off any excess fat.  Coarsley shred the meat with 2 forks, then stir in the olives and olive brine.  Serve over rice.

Serves 4 adults

Sausage Stuffed Zucchini Boats

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Wow, sorry for the absence of posts!  It has been a super busy summer for us and I have devoted almost every second of my time to my kids and having fun.  Once baseball season ended for my son, I took all 3 kids (ages 9, 7, and 5) on a road trip to my home state of Texas all by myself (I live in Utah now).  Family and friends, including my husband, thought I was nuts wanting to do this but we had a blast.  My last 4 trips home have been for funerals and I really needed to go on a fun trip home to Texas.  I wanted to show my kids that it is actually fun there!  We had such a great time visiting family and made so many wonderful memories.  The rest of the summer has been spent camping, swimming, and playing with cousins and friends.  I love summer! 

We planted our very first garden this year not expecting it to be great but it has flourished and is just beautiful!  We planted cucumber, zucchini, acorn squash, lemon cucumber, jalapenos, green peppers, tomatoes, watermelon, and pumpkin.  Much to our surprise we are being bombarded with all of these delicious vegetables and fruits!  We definitely learned our lesson to only plant 1 zucchini plant, though.  We planted 2 and have it coming out of our ears!!!  We have eaten it grilled, fried, roasted, sauteed, and in sweets and there's more coming. 

When I was growing up my mom used to make what she called Zucchini Boats and I LOVED them!  Unfortunately she has passed away and I never got her recipe from her.  I made this one up from memory and I think I did a great job.  These were so so good and even my kids ate them.  Only my youngest claims to like zucchini so when the older 2 said that it was "pretty good" I was happy with myself.  I hope you love them as much as we did! 

SAUSAGE STUFFED ZUCCHINI BOATS
serves 4-6 adults

Ingredients:

4-5 medium sized zucchini (I used 2 ½  huge ones)
1 lb ground pork sausage
1 small onion, finely diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 C shredded mozzarella cheese
2 TB chopped fresh parsley
1 large tomato, seeded and diced
1 large egg, beaten
Salt and Pepper to taste
1 C Italian breadcrumbs
4 TB melted butter
1/3 C shredded parmesan

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375°.  Brown and crumble sausage in a skillet over medium heat.  When sausage is almost cooked through add the onion and garlic and continue cooking until sausage is done and onions are transparent.  Drain grease from sausage mixture and allow to cool. 

Meanwhile, slice zucchini in half lengthwise.  Using a spoon, scoop out the insides, leaving about ¼ inch of the flesh.  Don’t scoop all the way to the ends as you want to make it a “boat” shape so the filling stays put. 

Save about half of the scooped out flesh and discard the rest.  In a large bowl combine scooped out zucchini, cooled sausage mixture, mozzarella cheese, parsley, tomato, and egg. 

Place zucchini boats into a 9x13 pan (may have to use 2 pans) and add just enough water to the pan to cover the bottom of it.  Add salt and pepper to the boats to taste then add sausage filling to them.  Don’t be shy, fill them up! 

In a small bowl, combine melted butter, breadcrumbs, and parmesan.  Add this mixture to the top of the sausage mixture and pat down.  This will form a delicious crust while baking. 

Carefully place the pans into the oven because you don’t want to slosh any water onto the zucchini boats.

Bake for 40 minutes in the preheated oven.  If you want the crust extra crispy, turn on your broiler for the last 5 minutes of cooking time. 

Enjoy! 

Tomato and Olive Penne

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Here's a recipe for you that is quick, vegetarian, and low fat.  I love quick meals like this!  Baseball season has started here and our weeknights are so crazy busy that dishes like this are lifesavers.  Monday nights are piano practice, Tuesdays we have dance for the girls and a baseball game for Ethan, Wednesdays are baseball practice and cub scouts, and Thursdays we have another baseball game.  By Friday we just want to do nothing! 

I used regular penne in this but if you want to make it even lower in calories you could easily substitute whole wheat pasta.  This was very filling and kid-friendly too! 

TOMATO AND OLIVE PENNE

Ingredients

Salt and pepper

1 pound penne, or other short pasta

1/4 cup olive oil

2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

2 cups cherry or grape tomatoes, halved or quartered

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper (optional)

1/4 cup Kalamata olives, pitted and sliced

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving

Directions

1.  In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook penne according to package instructions until al dente, about 13 minutes. Drain.

2.  Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add garlic, and cook, stirring, until just golden, about 1 minute. Add cherry tomatoes, oregano, crushed red pepper, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Reduce heat to low, and cook, stirring, until tomato juices run, about 3 minutes.

3.  Add penne, olives, parsley, and 1/4 cup Parmesan to the skillet and toss to combine. Serve with more cheese if desired.

Pork Chops with Pineapple Fried Rice

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Pioneer Woman, Ree Drummond, is such a genius.  I would have never thought to put grilled pineapple in fried rice!  This dish is so so good that I could hardly believe that I made it.  We all gobbled it up and will definitely make it again.  I know I've made something good when my kids say, "Mom this needs to be on your blog!"  Try this because you will love it too!

PORK CHOPS WITH PINEAPPLE FRIED RICE

www.pioneerwoman.com

Ingredients

• 1/2 whole Pineapple, Cut Into Spears And Skewered
• 2 cups White Or Brown Rice, Cooked
• 6 whole Pork Chops
• 1 Tablespoon Butter
• 1 Tablespoon Peanut Oil Or Canola Oil
• 1 whole Large Onion, Sliced
• 6 Tablespoons Soy Sauce (more To Taste, Or If More Liquid Is Needed)
• 1 Tablespoon Rice Wine Vinegar
• 2 Tablespoons Honey
• 1 Tablespoon Sriracha, Or Other Hot Sauce
• Salt To Taste
• 3 cloves Minced Garlic
• 2 whole Eggs
• 1 jar (small) Drained Pimentos
• 1-1/2 cup Frozen Peas
• 2 Tablespoons Soy Sauce (additional)

Preparation Instructions

Cook rice according to package instructions. Set aside.

Grill pineapple spears until they have good marks/color on the outside. Slice, then set aside.

Heat butter and oil over medium high heat, then add the pork chops to the pan. Saute on both sides until they have nice color.

Throw in the sliced onions and work them into the crevices between the chops. Shake the pan and move the onions around and let them cook for a good couple of minutes.

When the onions are starting to soften, add soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, honey, and hot sauce. Shake the pan, stir it around, and let it cook and bubble up for a good couple of minutes until the pork chops are completely cooked and the sauce is thicker.

Remove the pork chops to a bowl, then let the sauce bubble up and cook for another 30 to 45 seconds. Pour it over the pork chops. Set aside.

Add a small amount of oil to the same pan (without cleaning it) and return it to the stovetop over medium-high heat. Add garlic and stir it around, then crack in the eggs and immediately stir them to scramble them a bit. Add peas, pimentos, and a couple of tablespoons (additional) soy sauce. Add cooked rice and stir it around to cook for a couple of minutes.

To serve, pile rice on a plate, then top with a pork chops and onions from the sauce. Drizzle a little bit of sauce over the top. 

Stuffed Shells with Italian Sausage

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The next couple of weeks are going to be CRAZY so I thought I'd better get this awesome recipe up before then.  We are going to Disneyland and San Diego then I'm starting a new job as the PE teacher at my kids' elementary school.  I'm so excited!  I don't want you to have to wait another day before seeing this recipe though.  This is my "company dinner" recipe and one of my favorite meals ever.  I'm also proud to say that this is MY recipe :)  It makes so much too!  When I make this for just my family of 5 I'll do one 9x13 pan then 2 smaller pans to put in the freezer (it freezes great!).  We have leftovers with the big pan so actually you could get 4 meals out of this.  If I make it for company I'll just go ahead and make two 9x13 pans and sadly there are never leftovers.  It is THAT good! 

STUFFED SHELLS WITH ITALIAN SAUSAGE

1 (12) oz box uncooked jumbo pasta shells
1 pound Italian sausage-cooked, crumbled, and drained
2 cups fresh chopped spinach
1 small onion finely chopped
2 cloves garlic minced
1 (15 oz) container ricotta cheese
2 (8 oz) packages cream cheese softened
1 (5 oz) package shredded Parmesan cheese
1 large egg lightly beaten
1 T dried parsley flakes
1 t Italian seasoning
1/2 t salt
1/2 t pepper
2 cups (8 oz) shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
32 oz of prepared spaghetti or marinara sauce (about 1 1/2 jars)

Cook shells according to package directions, drain and
set aside. (add a little oil to the cooking water so the shells don't stick together)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl,
combine cooked sausage and next 11 ingredients. Stir
in 1 cup shredded mozzarella. Spread half of the
spaghetti sauce into prepared baking dishes.
Spoon mixture into shells and arrange them over sauce
in the dishes. Top with remaining sauce. Cover
tightly with aluminum foil. Bake covered for 40
minutes. Uncover, sprinkle with remaining 1 cup
mozzarella. Bake for 5-10 more minutes.

Spanish Spaghetti with Olives

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Do you need a new take on that same boring spaghetti dinner?  If so, I have the answer right here with my Spanish Spaghetti with Olives.  This was fun to make (yes I said fun) and turned out delicious!  The rich meaty marinara sauce pairs perfectly with the tang of the olives and the subtle hint of heat that comes from the crushed red pepper.  My 3 picky kids even gave this a thumbs up!  I used ground beef but ground turkey would be great too I'm sure.  Oh, and how do you like the picture?  I finally dragged out my awesome photography light and love how this turned out.  Those little S&P birdies look like they want some spaghetti too! 

SPANISH SPAGHETTI WITH OLIVES

Ingredients:
8 oz thin spaghetti
1 TB olive oil
3/4 C chopped onion
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp celery salt
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/4 tsp crushed saffron thread (OPTIONAL)
16 oz extra-lean ground beef
1 jar marinara sauce (about 32 oz)
1/2 C sliced pimiento-stuffed green olives
1/4 C water or chicken broth
1 TB capers, drained
1/4 C chopped fresh parsley, divided

Directions:
Cook pasta according to package directions, drain.

While pasta is cooking, heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add onion to pan; saute 4 minutes or until tender.  Add garlic; saute 1 minute.  Add beef and cook until browned.  Stir in oregano, celery salt, red pepper, black pepper and saffron.  Stir in marinara sauce, olives, broth, capers, and half of the parsley.  Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes. 

Either add pasta to meat mixture and combine or serve sauce over the pasta.  Whichever you prefer!  Sprinkle with remaining parsley.  Serves 4-6

Egg and Sausage Casserole

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Happy New Year!  I can't believe it is already 2012.  I am so ready for a new year and know that there are so many good things to come!  The last two months have been so crazy busy for me that I didn't realize I hadn't blogged in so long.  December was especially busy because I was asked by my kids' elementary school principal to make Cake Pop gifts for the entire faculty as Christmas gifts.  I ended up making about 400!  I was happy for the opportunity but I was so glad to be done with it.  We had a wonderful Christmas and were so thankful to spend it with our family here in Utah. 

One of my kids' (especially Ethan's) favorite dinners is this Egg and Sausage Casserole.  I don't remember where the original recipe came from but I've been making it for years and have changed it a bit.  It is so easy and quick too!  We always have it for dinner but it would, of course, make a great breakfast too.  It makes a whole 9x13 pan but it reheats great.  It is easy to lighten this up too by using Jimmy Dean's Low Fat pork sausage, low fat crescent rolls, and low fat cheese.  I hope you enjoy this easy recipe!  

EGG AND SAUSAGE CASSEROLE

Ingredients:

1 lb ground pork sausage

1 (8 oz) tube refrigerated crescent roll dough

10 eggs, beaten

2 C shredded mozzarella cheese

1 1/2 C shredded cheddar cheese

1 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp ground black pepper

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.  Lightly grease a 9x13 inch baking dish.

Place sausage in a skillet and cook over medium high heat until evenly brown.  Drain and set aside.

Line bottom of prepared baking dish with crescent rolls dough and sprinkle with crumbled sausage.  In a large bowl, combine beaten eggs and the rest of the ingredients.  Pour over sausage and crescent rolls.

Bake in prepared oven for 35-45 min, until eggs have set and top is golden. 

Makes 8 servings.

Grilled Cilantro Lime Chicken with Poblano Spinach Vinaigrette

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Wow the name of this recipe is super long but I promise it isn't complicated!  I love grilled chicken.  We have it once a week during the summer months.  It is so flavorful and easy and my whole family loves it!  I came across this recipe in an ad for Kashi in my Real Simple magazine a while back.  It doesn't use any Kashi ingredients so I thought it was kind of random but it looked good enough to give it a try.  It was so delicious and fresh tasting!  I think we will be enjoying this one all year round. 

GRILLED CILANTRO LIME CHICKEN WITH POBLANO SPINACH VINAIGRETTE

Ingredients:

Chicken Marinade:

4 TB extra virgin olive oil

4 limes, juiced (about 2 TB)

4 garlic cloves, minced

4 TB fresh cilantro, chopped

1/2 tsp kosher salt

pinch black pepper

3 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Vinaigrette:

1 medium poblano pepper, roasted

1 C baby spinach, steamed for 2 minutes and squeezed to remove excess liquid

1 garlic clove, minced

1 small shallot, minced

1/2 C cilantro, minced

2 limes, juiced

1 heaping TB Dijon mustard

pinch kosher salt

pinch black pepper

Directions:

1.  Place chicken breasts between 2 layers of plastic wrap or in a sealed ziploc bag.  Using a meat mallet or heavy cast iron skillet, pound the breasts out until they are evenly about 1/2 inch thick. 

2. To make marinade: Whisk together olive oil, lime juice, garlic, cilantro, salt, and pepper.  Pour into container, add chicken, and put in fridge to marinate for at least 30 minutes.

3. To make vinaigrette: Preheat oven to 375 F.  Lightly coat poblano pepper with olive oil.  Place in oven safe dish and bake in oven until its skin is covered by dark brown and black spots.  (About 25 minutes).  Remove from oven and let pepper cool.  Then, remove stem, skin and seeds.  Add pepper and all vinaigrette ingredients in to a blender or food processor; puree until smooth. 

4. To make dish: Heat grill pan or grill to medium high heat, add chicken.  Grill for approximately 6 minutes on once side, 4 minutes on the other, until chicken is cooked through. 

5. Place chicken on serving plate and drizzle with a few TB of the vinaigrette.  Serve with extra vinaigrette on the side.  Garnish with cilantro and lime slices if desired. 

* You can also roast the poblano pepper over an open flame on your gas cook top if desired.  Just hold it over the flame using tongs turning it over until the skin is all black and brown.  No oil necessary for this method. 



Creamy Fettuccine with Leeks, Corn, and Spinach

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Are you ready for an easy and delicious main dish?  This is it!  I love summer meals because I tend to make lighter, fresh dishes and this one was a hit all around in my family. 

CREAMY FETTUCCINE WITH LEEKS, CORN, AND SPINACH

Serves 4-6

16 oz fettuccine

1 TB olive oil

2 leeks (white and light green parts) cut into thin half-moons

4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced (or minced if you prefer)

Kosher salt and black pepper

1 C corn kernels (from 1-2 ears, or frozen)

1/2 C low sodium chicken broth

1 C heavy cream

3 C baby spinach

1/3 C grated romano or parmesan cheese

Cook the pasta according to the package directions.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add the leeks, garlic, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, 3 to 4 minutes.  Add the spinach, corn and broth and simmer until the corn is tender and spinach is wilted, 2 to 3 minutes; stir in the cream.

Add the pasta, season with 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper, and toss to combine.  Sprinkle with the cheese before serving. 

TIP ON LEEKS: Leeks tend to be pretty dirty and gritty if not washed properly.  After chopping your leeks, place them in a bowl filled with cold water and allow to soak for about 5 mintes, occassionally breaking them up and moving around a bit with your hands.  After 5 minutes take them out of the water by skimming them off the top.  Just place them on a towel to drain.  You don't want to drain them by pouring it all in a colander because the bottom of your bowl will have all the dirt in it.  Gets them nice and clean!

Thai Turkey Tacos

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Happy New Year!  I can't believe another year has come and gone.  I don't know about any of you but I just feel icky after all the sweets and rich foods I've been eating the last few weeks.  I am going to start posting healthier recipes (not all of them of course!) for you all to enjoy. 

Ok, so raise your hand if you're scared of ground turkey?  I know lots of people who are but I'm here to tell you that it is so good.  I used to be skeptical and the kids hated it at first but now I substitute it for any recipe that calls for ground beef.  Most of the time the kids can't tell a difference!  This recipe has to be my favorite way to have ground turkey.  It's so flavorful, low fat and low carb!  

THAI TURKEY TACOS



1 pound lean ground turkey
2 tablespoons grated ginger or 1/2 tsp dry ginger
1-3 garlic clove, peeled and crushed
1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
1 small onion, thinly sliced
2 cups coleslaw mix with carrots
½ C lightly salted peanuts, roughly chopped
Cilantro for garnish
Lettuce (iceberg and romaine work well)

Thai Cooking Sauce

Combine:
4 tsp sesame oil
8 Tablespoons of soy sauce (I use low sodium)
4 Tablespoons of lime juice
4 Tablespoon of honey
1 tsp of crushed red pepper (I use a little less for the kids’ sake)

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Add turkey; cook, crumble and stir until meat is no longer pink. Add ginger, garlic, onion, pepper, and slaw mix; stir-fry with meat for 2-3 minutes until vegetables are wilted. Add ½ of the Thai cooking sauce, stirring constantly to blend all ingredients, about one minute. Wrap in lettuce leaves and garnish with peanuts and cilantro. Use extra sauce for dipping.

Italian Mac-N-Cheese

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Are you ready for some major comfort food?  Pasta is definitely a comfort food to me and this dish is up there in my top favorite pastas.  I started making this years ago when Rachel Ray was just getting popular and everyone was in love with her.  I must say that I've tried many many of her recipes and pretty much hated most of them but this one was exceptional.  This is one of her "30 Minute Meals" too which makes it even better!  Honestly, though, it only takes 30 minutes IF you have everything chopped and prepped before you start.  So misleading!  Italian sausage, mushrooms, creamy sauce, tomatoes, cheese...mmmm!!!  I love how the parmesan gets crispy on the top.  Ben and I fight over the crunchiest pieces!  I looked up this recipe on the net just for ease of putting it on the blog but it's been changed a little.  I wouldn't change a thing so I am giving you the original version.  This is the perfect meal for a cold winter night! 

ITALIAN MAC-N-CHEESE

Source: Rachel Ray

1 lb Penne pasta

1 lb bulk Italian sausage (not the sweet kind!)

2 TB Extra virgin olive oil

1 TB butter

3-4 garlic cloves, minced

12 fresh button or baby portabello mushrooms

Salt and Pepper

2 TB all purpose flour

1 C chicken stock or broth

1 C heavy cream

8 oz shredded Italian 4 Cheese Blend cheese

1 can (15 oz) plain diced tomatoes, drained

3/4 C parmesan cheese

Cook pasta 9 minutes or until it is al dente (not quite done).  Brown and crumble sausage, drain, set aside.  Add EVOO to the same pan over medium heat and add butter, garlic, and mushrooms.  Season with S&P liberally.  Saute 3-5 minutes until mushrooms are golden brown.  Add a little more olive oil if the mixture gets too dry while browning.  Preheat broiler to high.  Add flour and stir to make a roux.  Whisk in chicken stock and heavy cream.  Bring to a bubble then stir in half of the cheese blend.  When cheese melts, add tomatoes.  When sauce boils add pasta and sausage then transfer to a baking dish.  (9x13) Add remaining cheese and grated parmesan to the top.  Cook until browned.  This will only take about 5-10 min on top rack under broiler so keep an eye on it.  Serves 6-8

Chicken Pot Pie

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I have been making this amazing chicken pot pie for about 7 years now.  It is so delicious that I don't bother trying a different version.  The first time I made this was the first time I'd ever made a sauce from scratch and I remember being so proud of myself.  I practically have this memorized now!  You could replace the chicken with leftover turkey which would be a great and yummy way to use up leftover turkey from your holiday meal.  You can even make these and freeze them before baking for a quick meal later on.  I rarely have frozen mixed veggies so I usually just add frozen corn, frozen peas, and finely chopped fresh carrots.  I also think rotisserie chicken is the best in this.  If I don't have one, though, I just throw some chicken breasts in the crock-pot with seasonings (salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, poultry seasoning, rosemary) and a little water and cook on high for 4 hours or low for 6.  Enjoy!

CHICKEN POT PIE

Ingredients:

2 pie crusts (I use Pillsbury pre-made)

1/3 C butter

1/3 C flour

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

1 1/2 C water

2/3 C milk

2 chicken bouillon cubes
2 C cooked chicken, cubed or shredded

1 heaping C frozen mixed veggies

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425.

Melt butter in saucepan.  Stir in flour, garlic, and S&P until blended.  Gradually stir in water, milk, and bouillon.  Bring to a boil and stir for 2 minutes.  Mixture will be thick.  Remove from heat and stir in chicken and veggies.  Pour into pie crust and bake for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown. 

Oven Chicken Risotto

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This is such an EASY dinner!  I was really hoping it would turn out to be a winner because of how quick and simple it was.  I love finding ways to use rotisserie chicken because they are always so flavorful, moist, and versatile.  You're probably thinking what I was thinking, "Risotto?  But that is time consuming!"  This isn't your traditional risotto that you have to stir, add liquid, stir, add liquid and so on.  My kids liked this too so it was a winner all around at our house!  Just serve with a veggie (I did green beans) and some kind of bread and you have the perfect busy weeknight meal. 

OVEN CHICKEN RISOTTO
(Southern Living Magazine)

Ingredients:
2 TB butter
2 1/2 C chicken broth
1 C uncooked Arborio rice (short grain)
1/2 small onion, diced finely
1/2 tsp salt
2 C chopped rotisserie chicken, any flavor
1 (8 oz) package FRESH mozzarella cheese, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 C cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
1/4 C shredded fresh basil
Freshly cracked black pepper (optional)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Place butter in a 9 x 13-inch baking dish; bake 5 minutes or until melted.  Stir in broth and next 3 ingredients. 
Bake, covered, for 35 minutes.  Remove from oven.  Fluff rice with a fork.  Stir in chicken, mozzarella, and tomatoes; sprinkle with shredded basil and pepper.  Serve immediately. 
*Make sure the chicken is heated before adding it!

Shrimp Avacado Pasta Salad

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 I found this recipe  a couple of weeks ago and was so excited to try it.  We ate it as our main dish because it is very hearty and filling.  My kids liked it!  I love the combo of bacon and avacado then add the shrimp and creamy dressing and this is just perfect to me.  It makes a lot and would probably feed 6-8 adults.  It was way too much for us even with Ben and I eating it for lunch the next day.  It doesn't keep long either because of the avocado.  Read the instructions well beforehand so you don't make the same mistake that I did.  I chopped the lettuce and threw it in before realizing that I was supposed to served the salad ON TOP of the lettuce. I'm seriously the biggest clutz in the kitchen!  It was an easy save though.  Oh, and I added chopped fresh basil which was delicious but definitely optional.  Hurry and try this before the warm summer days are over!

SHRIMP AVOCADO PASTA SALAD

(http://www.allrecipes.com/)

Ingredients

1 (16 ounce) package uncooked penne pasta
1/4 pound bacon
1 pound cooked shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 avocados - peeled, pitted and diced
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
1 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 tomatoes, diced
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
4 cups shredded lettuce
1/4 C chopped fresh basil (optional)

Directions
1.Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Place pasta in the pot, cook for 8 to 10 minutes, until al dente, and drain. Rinse under cold running water to cool.

2.Place bacon in a skillet over medium high heat, and cook until evenly brown. Drain and crumble.

3.In a large bowl, gently toss together the pasta, bacon, shrimp, avocados, Cheddar cheese, mayonnaise, lemon juice, tomatoes, and red pepper. Serve over lettuce and garnish with basil.

Herb Roasted Pork

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This isn't my picture but the one with the recipe online.  I forgot to take a picture because we were so hungry and ready to eat!  I have tried many many pork loin recipes and this is now our #1.  My search is over!  I used 2 smaller one pound tenderloins (instead of the roast in the recipe).  A good pork tenderloin is better than any kind of chicken in my opinion.  You have to use a meat thermometer and it will come out perfectly. 

HERB ROASTED PORK
(adapted from http://www.allrecipes.com/)

Ingredients
2 teaspoons rubbed sage
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 (5 pound) boneless pork loin or 2 lbs of pork tenderloin
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/4 cup vinegar
1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons soy sauce

Directions
1.Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
2.In a bowl, combine sage, salt, pepper, and garlic. Rub thoroughly all over pork. Place pork in an uncovered roasting pan on the middle oven rack.
3.Bake in the preheated oven approximately 3 hours, or until the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees. (A roast could take hours but my 2 little tenderloins took about 45 min)
4.Meanwhile, place sugar, cornstarch, vinegar, water, and soy sauce in a small saucepan. Heat, stirring occasionally, until mixture begins to bubble and thicken slightly. Brush roast with glaze 3 or 4 times during the last 1/2 hour of cooking. Pour remaining glaze over roast, and serve.

Curry Kebabs

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This picture is terrible but I really want to have a picture with every recipe. I am learning how to use my camera now though! This recipe is so simple and delicious! Don't be afraid of the mayo because my sister hates it but loved these. You'd never know that they were marinated in it!

CURRY KEBABS
serves 4

Ingredients:
1/2 cup light mayonnaise
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon curry powder
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 1/2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - cubed
8 oz whole button or baby bella mushrooms

Directions:
1.In a large ziploc bag, mix the mayonnaise, garlic, curry powder, chili powder, ginger and S&P. Place the chicken in the mixture, zip the bag and massage it until it is all coated. Refrigerate for 2 to 4 hours.
2.Preheat the grill for medium-high heat.
3.Thread chicken pieces and mushrooms onto skewers and discard marinade.
4.Lightly oil the grill grate. Grill skewers, turning often, for 5 to 10 minutes, or until chicken juices run clear.

Shrimp Enchiladas

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Yes, you read that right, SHRIMP ENCHILADAS! I had my first shrimp enchiladas a couple of years ago at one of my favorite restaurants, Cafe Sabor, in Logan UT. After I had them I just had to find a recipe for them. I couldn't find one just like them but this one is just as amazing. We're going to Logan in a few weeks and I think I'll have to get those shrimp enchiladas at Cafe Sabor and disect them to try to make up my own recipe for them. I found this recipe on one of my favorite blogs and the only things I changed were the addition of cilantro and I use canned diced tomatoes instead of fresh. I hope you love these as much as we all do!

SHRIMP ENCHILADAS
adapted from www.melskitchencafe.com

1/2 cup sweet red pepper, chopped
1/2 cup onion, minced
1/2 cup green pepper, chopped
1/4 cup butter
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
3/4 cup whipping cream
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
3 cups Monterey Jack cheese, divided
1/2 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons butter
1 1/2 pounds shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/2 cup onion, chopped
1 can (15 oz) plain diced tomatoes, drained
1/2 C chopped, fresh cilantro-divided
8 (9-inch) flour tortillas

Saute red pepper, onion and green pepper in 1/4 cup butter until crisp-tender. Add oregano, salt, garlic powder, pepper, cayenne pepper, cream and flour; blend well. Continue cooking for 3 minutes or until slightly thickened. Add 1 1/2 cups cheese; stir until melted. Add sour cream and 1/4 C cilantro, stir to blend. Set aside.

In another skillet, melt 2 tablespoons butter. Saute shrimp and 1/2 cup onion until shrimp are pink. Remove shrimp and chop; return to butter and onion. Add tomatoes and 1/2 of the cheese sauce. Spoon 1/3 cup shrimp mixture into each tortilla. Sprinkle cheese on top of shrimp mixture. Roll up tightly. Arrange seam side down in a 9X13-inch glass baking dish. Spoon remaining cheese sauce over tortillas and sprinkle with remaining cheese.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes. Garnish with remaining 1/4 C cilantro.

Spring Shells and Cheese

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I got this recipe in my Food Network magazine back in April. Ben is the one who actually made it! I was still recovering from my oral surgery and could still only eat soft foods. Ben saw this recipe sitting out when he got home and ASKED if he could make it. He said it sounded fun to make. Aren't I a lucky lady? He did a great job and we all loved it!

SPRING SHELLS AND CHEESE
Food Network Magazine

Ingredients
2 pounds medium zucchini
Kosher salt
1 stick unsalted butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
Pinch of cayenne pepper
Freshly ground black pepper
6 cups whole milk
4 sprigs fresh thyme
3 bay leaves
Grated zest of 1/2 lemon
1 pound medium pasta shells
4 shallots, minced
2 large egg yolks, lightly beaten
4 ounces parmesan cheese, grated (about 1 cup)
4 ounces gruyere cheese, grated (about 1 1/4 cups)
4 ounces baby spinach

Directions
Grate the zucchini into a colander using the large holes of a box grater. Toss with 1tablespoon salt, then place in the sink to drain, about 15 minutes. Squeeze out the excess liquid.

Meanwhile, melt 4 tablespoons butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour, nutmeg, cayenne, 2 teaspoons salt, and black pepper to taste and mix with a wooden spoon to make a paste. Cook, stirring, until the paste puffs slightly, about 3minutes. Slowly whisk in the milk, then add the thyme, bay leaves and lemon zest and bring to a boil, stirring. Reduce the heat and simmer until thickened slightly, about 25 minutes. Strain into a bowl; discard the herbs.

Meanwhile, position a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat to 425 degrees F. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil; add the pasta and cook until al dente, about 8 minutes. Drain and add to the sauce.

Melt the remaining 4 tablespoons butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the shallots and cook until translucent, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the zucchini and cook, stirring, until almost tender, about 4 minutes. Add the zucchini mixture to the pasta along with the egg yolks and all but 3 tablespoons of both cheeses; stir to combine, then add the spinach.

Transfer the mixture to a 9-by-13-inch baking dish and sprinkle with the reserved cheeses. Bake until browned on top and heated through, 25 to 30 minutes. Let rest 10 minutes before serving.

Slow Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup

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I've had this recipe forever and finally made it a couple of weeks ago. Why oh why did I let that recipe sit there for so long? It is soooo good! I've tried many tortilla soup recipes and haven't found one yet that I loved, until now. This is fast prep and easy to make. The best thing was that my kids liked it! They are the pickiest kids when it comes to soups, casseroles, chili or anything that has lots of "stuff" in it. Most of the time my kids like all of the ingredients individually but when it's all mixed up they are scared to try it. When they saw their bowl of soup topped with tortilla chips, cheese, sour cream and cilantro they were all for it! All of 3 of my kids love cilantro. When they smell it or see me chopping it up they come running for their own little stem of it to munch on. It just warms my heart since I'm in love with cilantro too! I'm training them well aren't I? At least I'm trying to anyway. I used rotisserie chicken because it is easy, flavorful and moist and I didn't have to cook it. I didn't have frozen corn that day so I just used canned but added it in the last 30 minutes. Oh, and I did not make my own tortilla strips. Who has time for that? I just grabbed some tortilla chips from the pantry and crunched them up over the top. The directions are here, though, if you decide to venture that far.

SLOW COOKER CHICKEN TORTILLA SOUP
(www.allrecipes.com)

Ingredients

1 pound shredded, cooked chicken
1 (15 ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes, mashed
1 (10 ounce) can enchilada sauce
1 medium onion, chopped
1 (4 ounce) can chopped green chile peppers
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups water
1 (14.5 ounce) can chicken broth
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 bay leaf
1 (10 ounce) package frozen corn
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
7 corn tortillas
vegetable oil

Directions

1.Place chicken, tomatoes, enchilada sauce, onion, green chiles, and garlic into a slow cooker. Pour in water and chicken broth, and season with cumin, chili powder, salt, pepper, and bay leaf. Stir in corn and cilantro. Cover, and cook on Low setting for 6 to 8 hours or on High setting for 3 to 4 hours.
2.Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
3.Lightly brush both sides of tortillas with oil. Cut tortillas into strips, then spread on a baking sheet.
4.Bake in preheated oven until crisp, about 10 to 15 minutes. To serve, sprinkle tortilla strips over soup.

Sweet and Sour Chicken

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No need for Chinese take-out with this recipe in your file! It's a little time consuming but worth the effort. All of my kids LOVE it! I just serve it with rice and egg rolls or pot stickers (my faves are from Schwan's).

SWEET AND SOUR CHICKEN
www.melskitchencafe.com

Chicken:
3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Salt and pepper
1 cup cornstarch
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup canola oil

Cut boneless chicken breasts into chunks. Season with salt and pepper. Dip chicken in cornstarch and then in egg. Fry in a little oil until brown but not cooked through. Place in a single layer in a baking dish. Mix sauce ingredients (below) together and pour over chicken.

Sauce:
1 1/2 cup sugar
8 tablespoons ketchup
1 cup vinegar
2 tablespoon soy sauce
2 teaspoon garlic salt

Bake for one hour at 325 degrees. Stir chicken every 15 minutes.