Black Bean Chilaquile

I got this recipe from my sister Courtney and my family really liked it. It's easy to make, packed with veggies and still tastes really good.

1 cup onions, chopped
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 cup tomato, chopped
1 can corn kernels, drained
1 can black beans, drained
2 Tbsp lime juice
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
2 cups spinach - rinsed, steamed & chopped (or frozen)
2 cups tortilla chips, crushed
grated cheddar cheese
2 cups salsa

preheat oven to 350. saute onions in olive oil for about 8 minutes or until translucent. stir in tomatoes, corn, black beans, lime juice, salt & pepper and continue to saute for another 5 to 10 minutes, until heated through. meanwhile in another saucepan, blanch greens in boiling water for 1 to 3 minutes, until just wilted but still bright green. drain immediately and set aside. (I just skipped this step and added them right in, you can also use defrosted frozen spinach).

lightly cover an 8x8 baking dish in cooking spray. spread half the chips on the bottom and then spoon the vegetables over the chips - sprinkle about 2/3 of the cheese over the top. arrange the spinach over the cheese and spoon half the salsa on top of this. spread the rest of the chips over the this and then top with the remaining salsa & cheese. bake for about 35-40 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbling and beginning to brown.

Sweet German Waffles

One of our German girls and her mother taught us how to make these at our YW activity last week. There is nothing healthy about them, but they are SO good!

1 cup butter, softened

1 cup sugar

5 eggs; add one at a time and mix well

1 heaping Tbs. cornstarch, mixed with 3 cups flour

1-1 1/2 cups milk

Mix and pour into heated waffle iron, batter will be thick.

topping:

bottled (sour) cherries, add 2 Tbs. cornstarch to cherry juice and heat until thick, add cherries.

-can also use canned pie filling

These waffles are served as a dessert. Top with cherries (or whatever) and ice cream while warm. Yum.

Jambalaya

I got this recipe from Lyndi Briggs, and we love it and make it often. It's great for taking dinner in or having friends over because it makes a lot of food!

celery (I sometimes use celery seed)

onion

peppers (can use frozen)

olive oil

1 lb. ground beef

1 package Jimmy Dean hot sausage

2 eggplants, peeled and cubed

4 c. rice

Ranch Style beans

salt, pepper

red pepper }to taste, if desired

garlic

-Start rice cooking.

-Brown sausage and ground beef. }combine

-Sautee celery, onions and peppers in olive oil until soft.

-Boil eggplant until tender (can be mashed with a forK). Drain well.

-Mash eggplant and combine with meat/vegetable mix. Cook on low.

-Combine cooked rice with eggplant, meat, vegetable mixture.

-Serve with heated Ranch Style beans on top.

My Top 4 favorite Sugarless Snacks

1. Bagged Sugar Snapped peas

can always find at Walmart and if you're lucky at the commissary

2. Wilson's mini sweet peppers

again, Walmart

3. Emeralds Cocoa Roast Almonds

great when you need a chocolate fix

4. My shaved ice machine

I add the individual crystal light packs (sorry patty) to a cup with just a little bit of water or I pour over a no carb chocolate shake

What are your ideas?

Lime Coconut Cupcakes with White Chocolate Frosting

This almost makes me want to break my ban on ever making cupcakes again. Or eating sugar. I'm considering making these for Bry's bday, so someone else try them and tell me how they are! I found and copied this recipe from CuisineNie.blogspot.com

Lime Coconut Cupcakes with White Chocolate Frosting

{adapted from Food Network}
Makes a whole lot.
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs, at room temperature
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 tsp grated key lime zest
1 1/2 Tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 cup loosely packed sweetened coconut flakes (3.5 ounces)

The Frosting:
5 ounces good quality white chocolate, chopped into small chucks 1/2 cup
(1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
3 1/2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
Pinch salt
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 Tbsp lime juice (bottled or freshly squeezed)
1/4 cup sour cream Fresh lime slices, for garnish

* Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar on high speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. With the mixer on low speed, add the eggs, 1 at a time, scraping down the bowl after each addition. Add the vanilla extract, key lime zest and juice and mix well. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In 5 parts total, alternately add the dry ingredients and the buttermilk to the batter, beginning and ending with the dry. Mix until just combined. Fold the coconut into the cupcake batter.

Line a muffin pan with paper liners and fill each liner almost to the top with batter. A spring loaded 1/4 cup ice cream scoop works great for this and ensures the cupcakes are all the same size. Bake for 25 minutes or until the tops begin to brown and a toothpick comes out clean. Remove cupcakes from oven and allow to cool in the pan for 10 minutes and then transfer cupcakes to a baking rack to cool completely.

While the cupcakes are cooling you can make the frosting. In a small heat proof bowl set over a pot of simmering water, carefully and slowly melt the white chocolate. Remove from heat and let cool until just slightly warm. Meanwhile, in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter until light and fluffy. With the mixer on low, gradually add the powdered sugar until well combined. Add the salt, vanilla extract, key lime juice, and sour cream and mix until very smooth. Add the melted white chocolate and mix just until incorporated. Frost the cupcakes and garnish with a bit of grated key lime zest. * If you don't want to place fresh lime slices atop, you can always candy your lime slices so they are more edible. Google "candy limes" to find the how-to.

Easy Easy breakfast bake

My fabulous friend Cara cooked this for me when we were on an overnight visit and it has become a Saturday morning (and sometimes evening) favorite. It's so simple, I usually have John fix it up for us.

Ingredients:

1 pkg. crescent roll dough

10-12 eggs

1 pkg. cooked bacon

Shredded cheese (maybe a cup? IDK)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spread dough in 11 x 13 greased pan. Mix eggs with little bit of milk and salt and pepper. Pour over dough. Top with bacon. Top with shredded cheese. Cook for 30 min.

(You could change the bacon to canadian bacon. I have plain taste, so I like this recipe the way it is, but Bryan thinks we should put corn tortillas on the bottom and mix rotel in. But then the dough wouldn't rise into the eggs so IDK?? I like the idea of adding veggies to the eggs-I think it would be good with tomatoes, mushrooms, onion and green peppers. Rotel or salsa to spice it up. Let me know if you try it with something else)

Baked Ziti with Sausage, Spinach and Tomatoes

I found this recipe posted here at stephmodo.com. Totally worth trying.

Ingredients

3/4 pound hot Italian sausages, casings removed
1 medium onion, chopped
3 large garlic cloves, chopped
1 28-ounce can diced peeled tomatoes
1/4 cup purchased pesto sauce

10 ounces ziti or penne pasta (about 3 cups), freshly cooked (I used whole wheat)
8 cups ready-to-use spinach leaves (about 2/3 of 10-ounce package)
6 ounces mozzarella cheese, cubed
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese (about 3 ounces)

Directions
Heat heavy large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add sausage, onion and garlic and sauté until sausage is cooked through, breaking up meat with back of spoon, about 10 minutes. Add tomatoes with juices to pan. Simmer until sauce thickens slightly, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Stir in pesto. Season sauce with salt and pepper. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Bring to simmer before continuing.)

Preheat oven to 375° F. Lightly oil 13 x 9-inch glass baking dish. Combine pasta, spinach, mozzarella and 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese in large bowl. Stir in hot tomato sauce. Transfer mixture to prepared baking dish. Sprinkle remaining 2/3 cup Parmesan cheese over. Bake until sauce bubbles and cheeses melt, about 30 minutes.

easy yummy queso dip

My sis-in-law made this at new years and i've been meaning to post it ever since. So easy, and good, and dangerous.

Ingredients:

1 cube cream cheese
1 can no beans chili (make it spicy if you like it that way)
grated cheddar cheese

Directions:

Melt cream cheese and chili in a pot. Add as much cheese into it as you want (I did about a cup when I made it)