Homemade Pizza

So to welcome the new boys in our life to our house we.... sorry I mean I made pizza from scratch this weekend.  Well, at least I made the dough.  Which I must say was the first time making any bread product from scratch.  Not exactly the greatest experience.  After the 3rd pizza I got the hang of it.  I used the following recipe for the crust, adapted a bit.

1 1/2 cups warm water (105°F-115°F)
1 package (2 1/4 teaspoons) of active dry yeast (
4 cups bread flour
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon sugar

Pizza Sauce:
tomato sauce
diced tomatoes
olive oil
garlic cloves, crushed and minced
onion
fresh basil, oregano, and parsley
salt and pepper to taste

In saute pan, saute onion and garlic in olive oil.  Simmer with tomato sauce and diced tomatoes.  for 30 minutes.  Add fresh herbs and salt and pepper. 


Topping we used:
mushrooms
sausage
pepperoni
green peppers
red onions
mozzerela
Italian blend cheese

Making the Pizza Dough:
1 In the large bowl of a Kitchen Aid, add the warm water. Sprinkle on the yeast and let sit for 5 minutes until the yeast is dissolved.
2 Attach a mixing paddle to the mixer. Mix in the olive oil, flour, salt and sugar on low speed for about a minute. Remove the mixing paddle and replace with a dough hook. Knead using the mixer and dough hook, on low to medium speed, until the dough is smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes. If you don't have a mixer, you can mix and knead by hand. If the dough seems a little too wet, sprinkle on a bit more flour. 
3 Place ball of dough in a bowl that has been coated lightly with olive oil. Turn the dough around in the bowl so that it gets coated with the oil. Cover with plastic wrap. Let sit in a warm place (75-85°F) until it doubles in size, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours (or several hours longer). Place the bowl of dough in this warmed oven to rise.
At this point, if you want to make ahead, you can freeze the dough in an airtight container for up to two weeks.

Preparing the Pizzas 

1 Place a pizza stone on a rack in the lower third of your oven. Preheat the oven to 450°F for at least 30 minutes, preferably an hour. 

2.. Remove the plastic cover from the dough and punch the dough down so it deflates a bit. Divide the dough in half. Form two round balls of dough. Place each in its own bowl, cover with plastic and let sit for 10 minutes. 

3 Prepare your desired toppings. Note that you are not going to want to load up each pizza with a lot of toppings as the crust will end up not crisp that way. About a third a cup each of tomato sauce and cheese would be sufficient for one pizza. One to two mushrooms thinly sliced will cover a pizza 

4 Working one ball of dough at a time, take one ball of dough and flatten it with your hands on a slightly floured work surface. Starting at the center and working outwards, use your fingertips to press the dough to 1/2-inch thick. Turn and stretch the dough until it will not stretch further. Let the dough relax 5 minutes and then continue to stretch it until it reaches the desired diameter - 10 to 12 inches. Use your palm to flatten the edge of the dough where it is thicker. You can pinch the very edges if you want to form a lip 

5 Brush the top of the dough with olive oil (to prevent it from getting soggy from the toppings). Use your finger tips to press down and make dents along the surface of the dough to prevent bubbling. Let rest another 5 minutes.

Breakfast Empanadas

This morning I made brunch with a new recipe I came up with for the Cream Cheese Contest.  I made breakfast Empanadas and they were yummy.  I made 2 different versions.... Not sure which one is the best, so here they are both.

Original Flavor
1/2 lb bulk sausage
1/2 cup cheddar cheese
1/2 green or red bell pepper, chopped fine
1/2 cup onion, chopped fine
2 oz cream cheese, softened
5 eggs, separated
1 tbsp butter
2 refridgerated pie crust
salt and pepper to taste

Brown sausage in medium sauce pan and drain, reserving drippings in pan.  Saute onions and peppers in reserved sausage dripping until tender, about 5 minutes.  In another pan, melt butter.  Whisk 4 eggs in bowl and add to pan, mixing constantly to scramble.  Combine sausage, cheese, cream cheese, eggs, pepper, onion, and salt and pepper to taste.  Mix until cream cheese incorporated.  Roll pie crust out on floured surface.  Using a 3 inch round cookie cutter cut out circles from pie crust.  Place 1 tablespoon egg mixture in the center of each circle.  Fold each circle in half, using a fork to seal the edges.  Whisk one egg in a bowl.  Brush each empanada with egg mixture.  Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until browned. 


Breakfast Quiche Flavor
1/2 lb bulk sausage maple flavor
1/2 cup Swiss cheese
1/2 cup onion, chopped fine
2 oz cream cheese, softened
5 eggs, separated
1 tbsp butter
2 refrigerated pie crust
salt and pepper to taste


Brown sausage in medium sauce pan and drain, reserving drippings in pan.  Saute onions in reserved sausage dripping until tender, about 5 minutes.  In another pan, melt butter.  Whisk 4 eggs in bowl and add to pan, mixing constantly to scramble.  Combine sausage, cheese, cream cheese, eggs, onion, and salt and pepper to taste.  Mix until cream cheese incorporated.  Roll pie crust out on floured surface.  Using a 3 inch round cookie cutter cut out circles from pie crust.  Place 1 tablespoon egg mixture in the center of each circle.  Fold each circle in half, using a fork to seal the edges.  Whisk one egg in a bowl.  Brush each empanada with egg mixture.  Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until browned.

Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup

We have a new addition to one of our favorite families.  Roger, Jenny, and Wyatt Adams welcomed Owen into the world this Friday.  So, to celebrate I am making the new mama chicken noodle soup, pretty much from scratch.  I don't have a noodle maker so those are not from scratch, but I made my own broth, and since I usually add cream of mushroom soup to my chicken soup to make it creamy, I made my own cream of mushroom soup as well.  Needless to say this was a 2 day process.  I also made homemade croutons for the soup.  I made an insane amount because it will be our dinner as well, and I can always freeze it.  I don't really have a recipe for most of this, just throw stuff together, but I will list what I did... 

Chicken Broth

Bones and skin from 3 roasted chickens (use the meat for the soup)

3-4 carrots, peeled and chopped into large pieces

3-4 stalks of celery, cut into large pieces

1 onion, cut into large pieces

Place all in large stock pot.  Cover with water.  Simmer on medium heat for 5-6 hours, skimming any fat off the top every hour or so.  Strain broth through colander using cheese cloth.

Cream of Mushroom Soup (adapted from Taste of Homes)

6 cups mushrooms, roughly chopped

1/2 onion, finely chopped

6 tbls flour

2 tbls butter

4 cups milk

12 oz (1 and 1/2 packages) cream cheese

1 cup beef broth

Saute mushrooms and onion in butter in large pan until tender.  Add flour and stir until dissolved.  Slowly add milk and beef broth, stirring until boiling and thickened.  Add cream cheese and stir until melted.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  Makes about 6 cups.  

Soup

Chicken Stock(see above)
Additional water

Chicken from 3 roasted chickens

carrots

celery

onion

cream of mushroom soup (see above)

Amish egg noodles

I hate to put numbers on this recipe because it is really up to the cook.  If you like more broth, add less veggies and chicken.  If you like it creamier, add more cream of mushroom soup.  It is really up to taste at this point.  I dump it all in a  stock pot and let it cook all day.  Add the mushroom soup a closer to the end, you don't want to curdle the milk.  Yummy!!!

Bacon Pimento Stuffed Jalapenos

We tried our hand at a garden for the first time this year.  Some things turned our good, others not so much.  One thing that took off was our jalapeno plants.  Dan picked about 20 peppers and I decided to whip up a mixture to stuff it with.  Now, keep in mind that I have gained a ton of weight back this summer, so I made all of these with lower fat ingredients.  Enjoy!

About 20 small to medium jalapeno peppers
4 oz. "Neufchâtel" cream cheese
1/4 cup reduced fat sharp cheddar cheese
1 2oz jar pimentos
15 slices turkey bacon, separated
toothpicks

Crisp 5 slices on bacon in pan or oven and crumble.  Slice one side of the peppers and take seeds out, being careful not to separate both sides of the peppers (it is alright if you do, it just makes in more difficult later).  Blanch peppers for 2-3 minutes.  (Boil in water and immediately place in cold water to stop cooking process).  I do this to take a bit of the heat from the jalapenos.  If you like them hotter, skip the blanching step, but make sure to rinse the peppers thoroughly.  Mix cream cheese, pimentos with juice from jar, cheese, and crumbled bacon.  Stuff each pepper with cheese mixture so that the pepper can be closed.  Wrap each pepper with 1/2 slice of bacon, using a toothpick to keep in place.  Wrap 4-5 peppers in aluminum foil, well sprayed with cooking spray.  Grill over medium heat 10-15 minutes, or until bacon crisp.

Cream Cheese Goodness

So, I have been concocting cream cheese recipes for a Philly Cream cheese recipe contest I found.  Tonight I made Sauteed Chicken with Curry Pecan Cream Cheese Sauce.  It was pretty yummy.  I plan on writing up the recipe soon, once I figure out the right amount of everything.  I have been on vacation the past few but am back now, full of new recipes to try out.  Stay tuned.....

Michigan Burger take 1

So, as stupid as it sounds, I am trying to perfect a signature burger for an entry in a competition.  That is what food network does.... makes you think you can play with the big dogs.  I want to preface this with the fact that I realize I am not in the same league (or even close) as those people, but I believe in challenging myself, so here I go...  I decided to make this burger in ode to Michigan, my home state.  I instantly thought of apples and Vernor's ginger ale.  I am not going to post the recipe, not because it is a big secret, but because I was not super happy with the results.  The idea was to have a pork burger (made from ground pork, shredded apples, and panko bread crumbs), topped with provolone, bacon, spinach, apple and onion chutney (made with apples and onions sauteed with butter, ginger ale, and brown sugar), and ginger ale reduction mayonnaise (made with reduced Vernors, mayo, and green onions) on top of a toasted bun.  The bread I chose was not great, and the pork needed a ton more flavor.  I was happy with the way it looked, and the best thing I can say is that it didn't taste bad.... just not as good as I wanted.  As you can probably guess there was a bit more work than the average burger for it to taste just okay.....  Stay tuned for more burger ideas... hopefully better than this one!

Frozen Lemonade Pie

I forgot to post this recipe when I made it for the 4th of July.  It was a perfect light sweet dessert for a warm summer day.  It is a really strong flavor, so you could cut the lemonade down a bit for a more subtle flavor.  I found this recipe on Food Network site from the Neely's. I think the measurements are off a bit.  I doubled the recipe and had a ton of filling left.  So if anything, double the crust and make 2 pies out of the original recipe.  Hope you enjoy as much as we did.

Crust:
2 cups graham cracker crumb
1/4 cup sugar
7 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted 
Filling:
2 cups heavy cream
1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk, chilled
1 6-ounce can frozen lemonade concentrate (do not thaw)  
Topping:
1 cup blueberries
1 cup raspberries (I used blackberries)
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. 
Crust: In a medium bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs, sugar and melted butter. Press firmly on the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch pie plate. Bake for 7 minutes; cool completely.
Filling: In a cold medium bowl, whip the cream until stiff peaks form. In another bowl, stir together the condensed milk and frozen lemonade. Gently fold the lemonade mixture into the whipped cream. Pour the filling into the crust; freeze overnight. 
Topping: Toss the berries in a medium bowl with the sugar and lemon juice. Set aside until ready to serve.

Let the pie come to room temperature for 10 minutes before cutting. Top each slice with berries.

Chicken and Black Bean Empandas

My husband had his 30th birthday Friday and I decided to make a Mexican/Spanish themed menu instead of the staple bbq for his party.  I have to say, it all was pretty good, but the biggest hit of the night were the empanadas.  They were super yummy.  They were a little time consuming since I was making a big batch, but not difficult and well worth it.  Everyone's favorite.  It is a Paula Dean recipe I found in a recent magazine.  Thanks Paula!!

Empanadas
1 1/2 cups chopped cooked chicken breasts
1 can black beans, drained but not rinsed
1 cup shredded Mexican blend cheese
3 oz cream cheese, softened
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp fresh ground black pepper
1 pkg refrigerated pie crust
1 large egg, lightly beaten

Chipotle Dipping Sauce
1 cup mayonaise
1 cup whole buttermilk
1 pkg buttermilk salad dressing mix
1-2 tsp adobo sauce from chipotle peppers

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Spray 2 baking sheets with nonstick cooking spray.  In large bowl, combine chicken, beans, Mexican cheese, cream cheese, salt, and pepper.  Place pie crust on flour surface and cut into rounds, using a 3 inch cookie cutter.  Place 1 heaping tablespoon of the chicken mixture in the center of each round.  Fold the dough over the filling, pressing the edges together with a fork to seal.  Brush each with beaten egg using a party brush.  Bake 17-18 minutes or until golden brown (mine took longer).  For dip, mix mayo, buttermilk, dressing mix, and adobo sauce.  Chill for at least 1 hour.  Serve with warm empanadas.

Stuffed Strawberries

So, 4th of July is one of our favorites, and I love cooking for it.  I usually make some sort of staple fruit salad, but this year I tried a recipe from Paula Dean.  I have to admit, they are yummy.  Mine didn't look as good as this picture from her site, but they tasted pretty darn good.

20 medium strawberries.
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1/4 teaspoon almond extract (or vanilla)
3/4 cup chopped pecans

Slice the tops off of the strawberries so that they sit flat on serving tray cut side down.  Slice the strawberries in a criss-cross cut careful to not cut all the way through the berry.  Fan out the wedges, taking care not to break the sides.  Mix the cream cheese, powdered sugar, and almond extract until smooth.  Fill the strawberries with cream cheese mixture using a pastry bag or teaspoon.  Top with chopped pecans.  Cover and refrigerate until use.

Homemade Southwest Chicken Salad

So I love southwest salads in restaurants but don't love the price of having to go out to eat to get them.  So, this is my newest version of a southwest chicken salad with homemade tortilla strips and homemade guacamole.  Pretty yummy......

Chicken (from a Taste of Homes cook book)

4 tsp garlic powder

2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp salt
4 tbls lime juice
4 chicken breasts
olive oil for cooking

Mix seasonings together.  Rub mixture into chicken.  Brown chicken on both sides in skillet with olive oil.  Pour lime juice over chicken.  Cover and cook for 7-10 minutes until chicken no longer pink in the middle.

Tortilla Strips
1/2 package flour tortillas
olive oil
coarse salt

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Cut tortillas in half and then in strips.  Place in jelly roll sheet.  Drizzle with olive oil and salt and toss to coat (you may have do this this step again).  Bake20 minutes, checking every 5 minutes, until brown and crispy.

Guacamole
4 ripe avocados, chopped
Juice of 2 limes
2 tsp salt
1 tsp garlic powder
2 garlic cloves minced
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 can Rotel, drained

Mix all together and refrigerate 30 minutes. 

Salad 
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can corn, drained
iceberg lettuce, chopped
Mexican blend cheese
sour cream
salsa

In microwave, cook black beans in bowl with water until tender, about 2 minutes.  Drain.  Top lettuce with corn and black beans, cheese, chicken, guacamole, sour cream, salsa, and tortilla chips.  Or mix salsa with ranch dressing to make a mexi-ranch dressing.

Rainy Day Bobby Flay California Burger

So, I had all of the fixings for a yummy burger courtesy my secret crush Bobby Flay.  The plan was to have Dan grill, but the weather did not cooperate.  However, I made these inside tonight and they were YUMMY.  It is all about the avocado spread (aka guacamole).  For the original recipe click here, I tweaked a few things.

Burgers
1/2 lb ground turkey
1/2 lb lean ground beef
3 dashes Worcestershire sauce
1 garlic clove, minced
salt and pepper to taste
4 slices cheddar cheese
tomato, sliced
watercress

Avocado Relish
2 avocados, chopped
1/2 diced small onion
juice of 1 lime (taste after put in half)
salt and pepper to taste
(the recipe calls for 1 minced jalapeno which I didn't think my 2 year would appreciate and 3 tablespoons chopped cilantro which I HATE with a passion)

Mix turkey burger and lean ground beef, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, salt and pepper to taste.
Shape into a uniform patty, no more than 3/4 inch thick (don't overwork the meat). Make a depression in the center with your thumb so the burger won't bulge; the indent will rise as the patty cooks. Preheat a grill or cast-iron grill pan to high. Brush the burger with canola oil.  Grill until golden brown and slightly charred, turning once (7 minutes for medium-rare). Avoid pressing with a spatula! Add cheese for the last minute of cooking. (since I was inside, I browned the patties in a skillet with corn oil, then baked in oven for 30 minutes at 375 degrees.  Mix remaining ingredients together for avocado spread.  Top burger with avocado relish, watercress, and tomato slice. Serve on toasted buns. 

Photograph by Steve Giralt

Grilled Pork Tenderloin Satay

This recipe came from my new Taste of Home GRILL IT! cookbook.  I have to say it is very yummy.  No leftovers from this one.  I did increase the amounts it told me because I used a 3 lb prk tenderloin instead of the 1 lb it called for.  Which, I know we are a bigger folk, but when has 1 lb of meat ever been enough for 8 servings?  Maybe as an appetizer, but not dinner portions.  Enjoy!

1 large onion, chopped
3/4 cup packed brown sugar (I used 1/2 cup Splenda brown sugar blend)
3/4 cup water
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
3/4 cup canola oil
6 garlic colves, minced
3/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1 pork tenderloin (3 lb)

In saucepan, bring the first 8 ingredients to a boil.  Reduce heat; simmer uncovered, for 15- 20 minutes or until thickened.  Reserve half of the sauce for dipping.

Cut pork in half width-wise; cut each half into 10 strips.  Pound each piece of pork under plastic wrap until thin.  Thread pork strips onto metal skewers or soaked wooden skewers.  (I used 5 metal skewers with 4 pieces each).  Grill, uncovered, over medium heat for 5 minutes on each side or until no longer pink, basting with sauce throughout grilling. 

Yield: 5 - 6 servings

Flint Michigan Coney Island Dogs

So I am originally from Michigan but I have spent most of my life in Kansas.  We are planning a trip in July to visit family and to celebrate our trip I invited my truly Michganer parents over for some Coney Island dogs, which actually came from Michigan.  I choose to make the Flint sauce as opposed to the Detroit version, which is much soupier than Flint's.  I got this recipe from Recipezaar, Chef Larz in Pennsborro, WV. Every one seemed to like it, especially my husband who scarfed down 2 dogs before I was half way done with my one.  This recipe should be used with Koegel hotdogs, which you can't get around here.  I used Finestil Das Coney dogs made in Emporia Kansas which I found at Dillons.  They are not exactly Koegel, but they are in the casing, which made them better than most.  

1 tablespoon butter

1 tablespoon margarine

1 1/2 lbs lean ground beef

2 medium onions, minced

1 garlic clove, minced

3 tablespoons chili powder

1 tablespoon prepared mustard

1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste

1 (6 ounce) can water (I used more than this based on how thick I wanted it)

12 ounces skinless hot dogs

salt and pepper

Do not brown ground beef before using.  Combine all ingredients except hot dogs and simmer until thick.  Grind the hot dogs very fine (or chop fine in food processor) stir in to beef mixture and cook 15 minutes longer.  Serve over good casing hot dogs with chopped onion and mustard.  

Tuna Burritos

I like tuna, and I like burritos. But tuna burritos? Sounds interesting. Got this recipe from school mates Mini Gourmet recipe book.

2 - 6oz cans tuna drained
1 cup frozen peas, thawed
1 can french-fried onions
2 cups Monterrey jack cheese
1/2 cup sour cream
2 cans cream of mushroom soup
8 medium flour tortillas
1 cup milk
salt pepper to taste

In a bowl, mix tuna, peas, half of the french-fried onions, 1 cup cheese, sour cream, and 1 can soup. Place tuna mixture in tortillas. Roll tortillas and place seam-side down in greased 9x13 pan. Mix 1 can soup, milk, and salt and pepper; pour over tortillas. Cover with remaining cheese. Cover with foil and bake 45 minutes at 350 degrees. Sprinkle remaining onions on top and bake 10 minutes more.

Lower fat version I made: I substituted light sour cream, 98% fat free soup, skim milk, and low carb tortillas in my version.

Review: I actually liked this a lot. If you like tuna salad and want a twist this is great for that. I didn't notice any difference with using low fat ingredients. Although, I would definetly use regular flour tortillas, as the low carb ones, which are really actually good for wraps and fajitas, did not work with this. They got really tough when baked. Should have figured, but I wanted to try!

TurkeyBurger Cake

So this recipe came from a Betty Crocker Contest Winner recipe book from 1992. No name was given for who originally made this creation, but it sounded yummy. I was in the mood for meatloaf but wanted to make it a bit different and this was what I found.

1 lb ground turkey (originally called for ground beef)
1 cup chopped onion
1 can (4 oz) green chilies, drained
2 cups baking mix
1/2 cup light mayo
1/2 cup ketchup
2 tablespoons mustard
2 teaspoons seasoned salt
1 egg
8 oz sliced American or Cheddar cheese
2 tablespoons sesame seed

Preheat over to 375 degrees. Grease springform pan. Cook turkey and onion until turkey is brown and onion tender. Drain. Mix turkey, onion, and remaining ingredients except cheese and sesame seed. Spread half of the mixture in pan. Top with cheese. Spread remaining turkey mixture over cheese. Sprinkle with sesame seeds. Bake 35-40 minutes until edges are brown and pull away from the side of the pan. Let stand 10 minutes. Loosen from edge of pan and take away side of pan.


Review: After making this, I would definitely make some changes. It needs to cook a bit longer. Also, there was way too much cheese. I used American, but it might be better with cheddar and about half of what it calls for. It was a very strong taste, so maybe a little less ketchup or mustard. Probably like 1/3 cup ketchup and 1 tablespoon mustard. Might make it again, but with the changes.

BBQ Beef

So, I LOVE slow cooker recipes. I take this to a ton of different events, so I thought I should put it on here. It is a favorite.

1 boneless beef chuck roast (about 3 lb)
1/4 cup ketchup
2 tbs brown sugar
2 tbs red wine vinegar
1 tbs Dijon mustard
1 tbs Worcestershire sauce
1 clove crushed garlic
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp liquid smoke
1/8 tsp black pepper

Pour sauce over beef and cook on low heat in a crock pot for 8-9 hours. I usually double the sauce only because I like to have mine a little juicier. I usually make the sauce the night before and then all I have to do is dump everything in the pot. Don't use the bigger crock pots though. I have found they don't cook the same way and the meat is never as tender, so use the normal size. Enjoy!

Baked Rotini

I got this recipe off of the website momswhothink.com. I have gotten some new ideas from that site. This is Johnny Marzetti's Casserole. I changed it up a little bit, but the majority of it is from that site. I am trying to do low carb, low fat cooking as much as I can, which I know sounds like an impossible feat. Ever since I was diagnosed with diabetes, I have really been trying to change up traditional recipes to make them more what I need them to be. This was a hit with my husband and 2 year old.

12 ounces rotini pasta (about 4½ cups)
1 Tablespoon olive oil
2 celery ribs, finely chopped
1 onion, minced
1 green bell pepper, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 tsp dried parsley
2 tsp garlic salt
pepper and salt to taste
1 pound ground turkey
½ pound bulk sausage
1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce
1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes
3 cups shredded Italian cheese blend

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 13x9 inch baking dish. Cook pasta according to package and drain. Meanwhile, saute garlic, celery, onion, and pepper until tender (5-10 minutes). Stir in oregano, basil, dried parsley, pepper, and garlic salt. Add turkey and sausage and cook (breaking up large pieces) until all brown. Stir in diced tomatoes and tomato sauce and bring to a simmer. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat. Layer pasta, 1 cup of the Italian cheese blend, meat mixture, and top with remaining cheese. Cover dish with heavy aluminum foil. Bake in preheated oven for 45 minutes; until the sauce is bubbling. Remove the foil and bake an additional 10 minutes until the top is slightly browned. Cool for 10 minutes before serving.

*I used Dreamfields pasta for this dish. We really like this, and it only has 5 grams of digestible carbs. Try it, you won't be disappointed.

Crock Pot Chicken Enchiladas

I made this the other day on a whim. Not sure how it was going to turn out, but I have to admit is was pretty good. And if you have a fondness of the slow cooker like me, you will really like it, because it is really easy.

6 chicken breasts (can be frozen)
1 can corn drained
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can Rotel
1/2 jar salsa
1 package taco seasoning
8 oz low-fat cream cheese
Garnishes: cheese, sour cream, salsa, guacamole, lettuce, tomatoes

Place chicken in crock pot. Mix corn, black beans, Rotel, salsa, and taco seasoning together. Pour over chicken. Cook on low 7-8 hours. Mix in cream cheese until melted. Shred chicken and replace in slow cooker. Serve on tortillas with garnishes.

Note: I do have to say this has kind of a weird texture and not easy to eat with your hands, so make sure you have a fork ready. But the taste is pretty good.

If at first you don't succeed.....

So, I have been gone for a while. Started this blog at Christmas and then this semester kicked my butt. My diet has been up and down. In December I was diagnosed with diabetes, so what I eat has been all over the place. But I have lost 40 lbs this semester, so that is something. And now the kids are gone and the last day for me is tomorrow!!!! I will be able to keep up with this much better now.