Thursday, January 29, 2009

Guacamole with Red Pepper

This was so yummy! Seriously, most of it was gone in one sitting. It was tasty and a good flavor!
Guacamole with Red Pepper from Super Dips By Dorie Greenspan
Publication Date: 01/25/2009

Guacamole With Red Pepper
Get ready for next week's big game with this great dip—a classic guacamole with a twist.
Touchdown!
4 avocados, halved and pitted
Grated zest and juice of 1 limes (I just used lime juice)
4 slices red onion, diced (I used yellow onion)
1 jalapeno, finely diced (omitted - too spicy for me)
1/4 cup minced cilantro leaves (omitted because I didn't want to buy an entire bunch)
Salt and pepper, to taste
Tabasco (optional) (didn't add)
1/2 red bell pepper, finely diced

Scrape avocados into a bowl. Add lime zest and juice and mash with a spoon or fork until chunky or smooth—whichever you prefer. Stir in the onion, jalapeno, cilantro, and a good pinch of salt and pepper to taste. Next, add hot sauce, if desired. Fold in the red pepper. Serve with your favorite chips and wedges of bell peppers.
Serves 8. Per serving: 160 calories, 11g carbs, 2g protein, 13g fat, no cholesterol.

Crock Pot Beef Stew

Crock Pot Beef Stew
Ingredients:
2 lbs beef stew meat
1 onion, sliced
handful of baby tomatoes (I used one 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes)
celery (1/2 a bunch)
carrots (half a bag of baby carrots and half a bag of shredded carrots I had in the frig)
2 cloves garlic, minced
green beans (I used one can)
mushrooms (omitted but only because I didn't have any fresh or canned)
2 cans beef broth (I used 1 can beef, 1 can chicken because that's what I had on hand)
1/4 cup red wine (I cook with the $3 wine from walmart since my wine of choice from Trader Joe's isn't closeby where I live)
1 t kosher salt
black pepper
1 t seasoning blend (whatever you have on hand for bbqing, stir-frying, etc. I used a grilling seasoning mix but even Seasoned Salt would work.)
1 t Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup frozen peas (omitted because peas are not always my thing)
Directions
1. Wash and chop all of your vegetables.
2. Put them into the Crock Pot.
3. Put the flour in a bowl with a little salt and pepper, and toss your meat in it to fully coat.
4. Put the meat into the Crock Pot.
5. Add dry seasoning and Worcestershire sauce.
6. Pour in the wine and beef broth.
7. Cover and cook on low for 8-12 hours.
8. Stir in the peas just before serving.

Saturday, January 24, 2009

Honey-Soy Chicken

This is my favorite way to make chicken breasts quickly. It has a sweet and sour tang to it that is so good! Just make the chicken as you normally would prepare it (on stove top or George foreman grill) then top with the mixture below. Use 2-4 chicken breasts.

From Woman's Day Food circa 2007
by Ellen Greene

Honey-Soy Chicken

Mix 1/3 cup soy sauce, 2 Tbsp red-wine vinegar, a Tbsp honey, a tsp minced garlic and 3/4 tsp crushed red pepper*
Heat 1 minute.

*3/4 tsp red pepper is too much for me, I use just under 1/4 tsp.

Antipasto Chicken

This is a yummy and easy chicken recipe as well. Similar to the Mediterranean style tilapia recipe I love. Just make the chicken as you normally would prepare it (on stove top or George foreman grill) then top with the mixture below. Use 2-4 chicken breasts.

From Woman's Day Food circa 2007
by Ellen Greene

Antipasto Chicken

Mix an undrained 12-oz jar marinated artichoke hearts; drained 12-oz jar roasted red peppers, sliced; an 1/3 cup pitted kalamata olives. Heat 1 minute.

Mushroom Chicken

This is super easy and pretty good, too. It would also be a good topping for thin steaks. Just make the chicken as you normally would prepare it (on stove top or George foreman grill) then top with the mixture below. Use 2-4 chicken breasts

From Woman's Day Food circa 2007
by Ellen Greene

Mushroom Chicken

Saute 8oz sliced mushrooms and 1/3 cup finely diced red onion until golden. Add 1/2 cup chicken broth, 2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar, 2 sliced cloves garlic, 1/2 tsp dried thyme, and 1/8 tsp each salt and pepper. Simmer 4 minutes. Off heat, stir in 1 Tbsp of butter.

Friday, January 9, 2009

Aunt Mary's Sloppy Joes


Here I am with my great Aunt Mary from my recent visit home. She is spunky and feisty and has the best most practical recipes you will ever find. Of course I am biased because she is my great aunt!

Sloppy Joes (I cut this in half for 2 people and still have leftovers)

3 tsp shortening - omit if you want
3 lbs. ground beef or turkey
3 large onions chopped
1 clove garlic chopped
1 clove garlic minced
1 tbsp salt
1.5 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp red pepper - or add 1/4 tsp black and 1/4 red because red does give a kick
2 tsp chili powder
2 tsp worteschire sauce
1/4 c. flour
1 1/4 canned diced tomatoes
3/4 cup ketchup

so from here you just have to brown up all of it and voila serve on italian rolls or just hamburger buns.


Mac and Cheese Hot dogs

So depending on the level of comfort you want from this comfort food and the ingredients you have on hand you have a variety of ways to make this. I only buy lil smokies if they are sale so I opt for cutting up turkey hot dogs, fat free if possible. this can be done in oven or crock pot depending again on the time you have. You can use mac in a box or make from scratch (so much better but you can doctor mac in a box to help it taste more homemade.) So this is a win win as long as you eat a healthy veggie etc since it's all carbs. But oh so good.

Mac and Cheese Smokies/Hot dogs/etc
adapted from a variety of different sources, mostly a cross between my mom's recipe and lil smokies official online recipe

Ingredients:
This one is a real comfort dinner meal but can be served at a party.
Keep it warm in a crock pot after cooking according to the directions.
1 macaroni and cheese dinner pack (7 ¼ oz. size)
1 pack of Lit'l Smokies (1 lb.) 1 lb. hot dogs chopped
1 standard size cream of mushroom soup (10 ¾ oz.) or cream of broccoli or cream of whatever you have in your pantry
1/3 cup of milk (whole milk) I used skim

Toppings (parley flakes and cheddar cheese) (low fat cheese)

Directions:
Mix up the mac and cheese according to the package directions.
Mix the macaroni and cheese with the Smokies, Soup, and milk. Sprinkle parsley over the top of the mixture and put some cheddar cheese on top(if you are serving this for a family meal). If you are baking this and then putting it in the crock pot to keep it warm, then reserve the parsley and cheese and sprinkle that on right before guests begin serving the Smokies.
* Note – This is a tasty dish but not as pretty as some of the other Smokie party dishes.

Nutrition Facts (these change a bit if you alter ingredients to low fat options)
Serving Size 1 (160g) Recipe makes 8 servings Calories 412 Calories from Fat 262 (63%)
Amount Per Serving % DV Total Fat 29.1g 44% Saturated Fat 13.3g 66%
Monounsaturated Fat 10.7g Polyunsaturated Fat 2.8g Trans Fat 0.0g Cholesterol 76mg 25%
Sodium 1212mg 50% Potassium 289mg 8% Total Carbohydrate 22.2g 7% Dietary Fiber 0.8g 3% Sugars 4.0g Protein 15.9g 31%

Directions
1 Preheat oven to 350°F.
2 cook for approx 20-25 min
3 eat and enjoy