Baked Spaghetti Pie

I got this recipe from my mom, who got it from a family friend, who also was my kindergarten teacher. I really like this, and it was easy enough to make after work, however it made a TON for just Bill and I, so next time I will definitely cut it in half. However, since it makes so much and is pretty easy, it would be great for a big group.



Baked Spaghetti Pie
From: Mrs. Arndt


Ingredients:
8 oz spaghetti
1 cup cottage cheese (small curd)
2 eggs
1 - 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 lb ground beef
1/2 chopped onion
1 jar spaghetti sauce
1 pkg Mozzarella cheese

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cook the spaghetti as directed on the box. While the noodles cook, brown and drain ground beef with onion. Mix in spaghetti sauce.

2. Combine cooked spaghetti, cottage cheese, eggs, and cheese. Press mixture in greased 9x13 pan or 2 pie plates. Add sauce mixture.

3. Sprinkle top with mozzarella and cheddar cheese.

4. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes.

5. Serve with spaghetti sauce to pour over the top if desired.

Cilantro-Lime Chicken with Avocado Salsa

I absolutely LOVE avocados, and basically put them on anything I can. Unfortunately, usually here in the midwest, avocados are never in season and usually very expensive. However, last week they were $.59 each, and this week they were $1 each, so I bought a bunch and we have been eating them every day and using lots of recipes with avocados. This is a recipe I cut out of a Cooking Light magazine a while back, but never tried it. It was really tasty! I didn't have enough limes, so I used lemon and lime, and it worked just as good.




Cilantro-Lime Chicken with Avocado Salsa
From: Cooking Light

Ingredients:
2 Tbsp minced fresh cilantro
2 1/2 Tbsp fresh lime juice, plus 2 tsp for the salsa
1 1/2 Tbsp olive oil
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
2 plum tomatoes chopped
2 Tbsp finely chopped onion
1 avocado, peeled and chopped
salt and pepper

Directions:
1. Combine cilantro, olive oil, and 2 1/2 Tbsp fresh lime juice in a bowl. Toss with chicken and let stand 3 minutes.

2. Remove chicken from marinade; discard marinade sprinkle chicken evenly with salt.

3. Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add Chicken to pan; cook 6 minutes on each side or until done.

4. While chicken is cooking, prepare salsa by combining tomato, onion, 2 tsp lime juice, 1/4 tspn salt, and 1/8 tsp black. Add avocado and stir gently to combine.

5. Serve salsa over chicken

Chicken and Biscuits

My mom used to make this for us when I was growing up. It is great on those cold winter nights and feel like you just want a warm casserole that is comforting, but also has a bunch of veggies! I usually use a 8x8 inch pan and cut the recipe in half since I'm usually just cooking for Bill and I, and it is plenty for us.




Chicken and Biscuits
From: My Mom

Ingredients:
2 can cream of chicken soup
2/3 - 1 cup milk
1/4 tsp thyme
1/4 tsp pepper
4 cups cut up cooked vegetables (can use frozen) Broccoli, carrots, peas, corn, potatoes (whatever you have)
2 cups cooked chicken or turkey (cut up)
2 pkgs crescent rolls

Directions:
1. In a 9x13 pan, combine soup, milk, seasonings. (Preheat oven to 375)

2. Stir in vegetables and chicken (I often use the rotisserie chicken and pull off what I need).

3. Bake at 375 until mixture for 20 minutes (until Mixture bubbles). At 20 min stir lay flat crescent rolls on top and bake about 8 more minutes (until golden brown).

Oreo Truffles

The other Truffles I made for the gift bags are Oreo Truffles. I got this recipe from my friend Cessie, and they are very easy to make and they compliment the Green Tea Truffles well!




Oreo Truffles
From: Cessie Wright

Ingredients:
1 8oz package of cream cheese
1 pk of double-stuffed Oreos
1 pk of candi - quick (milk chocolate) --- I actually didn't use candi quick, just bought some milk chocolate melting wafers.


Directions:
1. Chop/smash entire package of Oreos into fine pieces

2. Place 8 oz cream cheese into microwave for 1 min.

3. Mix cream cheese into oreo pieces until well blended

4. Place mixture into freezer for 15 min

5. roll mixture into small balls

6. Melt chocolate in microwave

7. Dip each ball into chocolate and let dry on wax paper.

Green Tea Truffles

Last February I made these cute little bags of truffles for a Valentine's dinner at church. I made two different types of truffles, one was the Green Tea Truffles I got from a recipe in a South Beach Diet cookbook. They definitely don't taste like something you would expect to find in a diet cookbook! I love chocolate, so I love these, and luckily they are pretty easy and look really nice presented. They are rich though, so one usually is enough, but luckily they store for up to 2 weeks so you don't feel like you need to eat them all in one sitting. They do make nice little gifts or a fun 'fancy' treat. Maybe a gift for your Valentine?



Green Tea Truffles
From: South Beach Diet

Ingredients:
3/4 cup fat-free half-and-half
4 decaffeinated green tea bags
1/2 pound bittersweet chocolate (the cookbook said to use 65% cocoa but as you can see I used 60%), finely chopped
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

Directions:
1. Heat half & half in a small saucepan over medium heat. When it comes to a simmer, remove from heat and add tea bags; allow tea to steep for 5 min.

2. Gently squeeze bags over half & half to extract extra flavor and discard. Return to a simmer and pour over chopped chocolate in a medium bowl. Stir to combine.

3. Place bowl in freezer until set, about 10 minutes, removing and stirring every 2 minutes. Chocolate is ready to roll into truffles when it is no longer a pudding-like consistency and is starting to harden.

4. Scoop out about 2 teaspoons chocolate mixture and roll in the palms of your hands to form a 1-inch ball. Repeat with remaining chocolate.

5. Place cocoa powder in a shallow dish. Roll balls in the cocoa powder to coat. Shake off any excess cocoa powder. Serve or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

Chicken Turnovers

This is one of our favorite recipes that I got from my sister who got it from her mother-in-law. It is so easy and really tasty!




Chicken Turnovers
From: My Sister Carrie

Ingredients:
4 Chicken breasts (cooked) or 1 rotisserie chicken
1 Pk Cream Cheese (softened)
1/2 Onion (Chopped Small)
1/4 cup Butter (melted)
1 tube of Croissants
1 can cream of chicken soup
dash of Garlic powder
dash of Salt and pepper

Directions:
1. Shred chicken and place in a bowl. Mix with softened cream cheese, onion, garlic powder, salt and pepper, and melted butter. Preheat oven to 350.

2. On a cookie sheet spread out croissants, two together to make a rectangle. Spoon in large scoops of chicken mixture in each section of croissant. Pull croissant up and around mixture and pinch together all seams.

3. Bake at 350 for 18-23 min (until golden brown). While cooking, heat soup (mixed with milk).

4. Serve with soup on the side to drizzle over Turnovers.

Cheesy Couscous Stuffed Peppers

I decided to make these tonight as a side for a steak and while one whole stuffed pepper was quite a lot for one person, it was tasty. I think next time I will add a little Italian seasoning to the couscous to add a little bit of flavor.

I got this recipe here at Tasty Kitchen, which is a great site where people can go and share their recipes and see others. I really like it, and it is from the Pioneer Woman, who's recipes I also like making.



Cheesy Coucous Stuffed Peppers
From: Me and My Pink Mixer via Tasty Kitchen


Ingredients:
3 whole Green Peppers
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
1/2 cup Uncooked Couscous
1/8 tsp Black Pepper
1 clove Minced Garlic
1/2 -3/4 cup Chicken Broth
1/2 cup Onion, chopped
1 Zucchini, Cubed
1 cup shredded Cheddar Cheese
Parsley

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut tops off of green peppers and discard Tops.

2. Boil Peppers in water for 5 minutes, Drain and set aside.

3. Heat oil in a pan over medium heat and add onions and garlic. Saute 2-3 Minutes or until tender.

4. Add chicken broth and bring to a boil. Stir in couscous, zucchini, parsley, and pepper.

5. Remove from heat. Cover and let stand 5 minutes.

6. Stir in Cheddar Cheese. Spon mixture into green peppers and top with a little more cheese.

7. Bake in a casserole dish covered loosely with foil for 25 minutes.

 Update:  I have made these several times and have added black beans, salsa, and/or tomatoes in addition to Italian Seasonings.

Meal Planning

I don't usually post anything but recipes, but Sunday I went through, organized my cook books and recipes I wanted to try from the web, and decided I needed to do a meal plan. I hate grocery shopping, and even more hate staring into the fridge with a whole lot of nothing staring back at me, which results in us eating frozen pizza, or going out. So I decided to come up with several meals for the next 3-4 weeks, and then last night I went to the grocery store and spent quite a lot of time and money there, and stocked up on everything I would need. I'm hoping this cuts back on my trips to the grocery store (although about 10 minutes after I got home I realized I forgot tortillas).

In order to keep me accountable I wanted to post what I intend to make in the next month or so. Some of them are new recipes I wanted to try from cookbooks and online, and some are old favorites already on my blog (indicated by *). Hopefully, I will have the recipes for the new ones up somewhat soon after making them. Obviously this isn't enough for 4 whole weeks, don't worry, we will still have some frozen pizza nights, or grabbing something quick, but the goal is to not have that happen too often!

Shepherds Pie *
Easy Steak Fajitas
Fettuccine w/ Ham and Peas
Steak w/ Mushroom Risotto
French Toast Bites
Quick Chicken w/ Lime Butter
Spaghetti Pie
Picadillo *
Southwestern Chicken Chili
Jackie's Quick Quiche
Creamy Chicken Enchiladas *
Tagliolini w/ Asparagus
Fisn in a bag *
Coconut Chicken Tenders
Turkey Lettuce Wraps *
Mexican Egg Salad
Scalloped Corn
Chicken Tacos *
Lemon-Herb Chicken
Stromboli *

Picadillo

Happy New Year! This is a traditional Cuban dish that Bill's Mom often makes, and when I found it in a cook book we had called Three Guys from Miami Cook Cuban, I knew I had to make it. The recipe below is a little bit of the recipe from the book, and a little bit of my mother-in-law's recipe, and it will warm you up on those cold winter nights!


Picadillo
From: My Mother-in-Law and Three Guys from Miami Cook Cuban


Ingredients:
1 Onion (chopped)
1 Green bell pepper (chopped)
2 Large Tomatoes (peeled, seeded, and chopped)
Olive oil
2 cloves of Garlic (minced)
1 lb of ground beef
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1 small jar of green olives
Small jar of tomato sauce/traditional pasta sauce
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
1. Saute onion and green pepper in olive oil in large frying pan. (about 5 min)

2. Add garlic and ground beef, and brown together (about 5 min). Drain a little bit of the oil off.

3. Add tomatoes, cumin, and cinnamon. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for about 15 min.

4. Add olives and sauce, and simmer for 5 min longer. Salt and pepper to tast

5. Serve Hot over rice.