Sour Cream Chicken Enchiladas

This is another simple, but delicious recipe I found, and had added to our meal plan this week. I have to admit that most homemade "creamy enchilada's" I've had usually use some type of "cream of..." soup...which I don't like. To me, the enchilada's take on the flavor of the cream of mushroom, or cream of chicken- and that's not a taste I want in my mexican food! So when I found this recipe that DIDN'T use a cream of something soup- I knew I had to try it. The original recipe did not use the green chili enchilada sauce, or garlic- so if you want to try the original- just omit those two ingredients. I also put more chicken stuffing into my enchilada's, but only used 4 tortilla's since it's just two of us eating it.


Ingredients

* 1 lb chicken breast, diced
* 1 medium onion, chopped
* 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
* 8 (8 inch) flour tortillas, softened
* 1 1/2 cups grated monterey jack cheese or Mexican blend cheese, divided
* 1/4 cup butter
* 1/4 cup flour
* 1 (15 ounce) can chicken broth
* 1 cup sour cream
* 1 (4 ounce) can chopped green chilies
* 1 can Green chili Enchilada sauce
* 2 cloves garlic, minced

Directions

1.In frypan, cook chicken,onion, and garlic together in oil over medium-high heat until chicken is just done. Add can of Enchilada sauce, and let simmer for 10-15 minutes.


2.Divide cooked chicken evenly between 8 tortillas; add 1 1/2 tablespoons cheese to each tortilla.
3.Roll enchiladas and place seam-side down in 9x13" baking dish that has been lightly sprayed with no-stick cooking spray.
4.Melt butter in a medium saucepan; stir in flour to make a roux; stir and cook until bubbly; gradually whisk in chicken broth then bring to boiling, stirring frequently.
5.Remove from heat; stir in sour cream and green chiles; pour sauce evenly over enchiladas.
6.Top with remaining 3/4 cup cheese (baking dish may be double-wrapped and frozen at this point) and bake at 400° for 20 minutes until cheese is melted and sauce near edges of baking dish is bubbly.
7. Top with green onions, tomatoes, or salsa- whichever your heart desires!

Oatmeal Scotchies

Oatmeal Scotchies have been a favorite of mine since I was a little girl. This is the third recipe I've tried for them, and this is the only one I've found so far that I like. The dough sticks together, and isn't crumbly- and once they've been baked- they don't fall apart like the other two recipes did. Substitute chocolate chips, or white chocolate chips for the butterscotch- and you have a whole new cookie!
Ingredients

* 3/4 cup butter, softened
* 3/4 cup sugar
* 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
* 2 eggs
* 1 teaspoon vanilla
* 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
* 1 teaspoon baking soda
* 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 3 cups quick oats or oats
* 1 (10 ounce) package butterscotch chips

Directions

1.Preheat over to 350.
2.Cream butter and sugars.
3.Add eggs and vanilla.
4.Add flour, soda and spices.
5.Stir in oats and morsels.
6.Drop by teaspoons onto cookie sheet.
7.Bake 8 minutes for chewy cookies, 10 minutes for more crisp cookies
9.Let cool slightly on sheet before allowing to cool on cookie rack.

Tuscan Pasta with Tomato Basil Cream

So I kind of feel bad about posting this recipe- only because there's not a lot of "from scratch" cooking required with it. But I will tell you- that this was AMAZING. I made it last night for my husband and three of his friends- and they all loved it too. I used canned Italian petite tomatoes, and fresh basil- which really made the sauce stand out.


Ingredients
*1 (20 ounce) bag of 4 cheese ravioli
* 1 (16 ounce) jar sun-dried tomato Alfredo sauce
*14 1/2 ounces petite tomatoes, chopped or 2 medium tomatoes, chopped
* 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
* 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

1.Cook Ravioli as instructed on package.
2. Combine next four ingredients in separate pan.
3.Cook over med-low heat until thoroughly heated.
4.Top Ravioli with sauce.
5.Top with Parmesan cheese.

Source: Kraft magazine

Sausage and Peppers

This is another one of those recipes I came up with when I hadn't planned out lunch for the day. I thought it was perfect since it was low carb, and it was FREEZING outside. There's nothing better than a hot meal on a cold day. I didn't have any loaf bread, so I just toasted up some Garlic bread. I think this would also be good served on a hot dog bun, just don't cut up the sausage into such small pieces.



Ingredients

* 1-2 lb sausage (about 8 links, we prefer sweet, you may use hot)
* 1 large sweet onion, sliced and chopped
* 1 large red pepper, sliced and chopped (or any other sweet pepper)
* olive oil
* salt
* pepper
* 1 loaf Italian bread ( or garlic toast, or any bread you have on hand)
* 1 Tblspn spicy mustard (optional)
Directions

Heat approximately 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large frying pan.
Brown the sausage in the oil until you get a nice color on the outside and you no longer see any"pink".Add onions and peppers.
Cook the onions and peppers approximately 5 minutes or until onions start to become translucent. Add salt and pepper, and spicy mustard, stirring to evenly distribute the mustard. Turn heat down to simmer.
Simmer for approximately 15 minutes or until sausage is cooked through.
Serve on Italian Bread.

Recipe adapted from www.recipezaar.com

Hot Cocoa and Marshmallow Cupcakes

First, I need to give credit where credit is due. My little eight year old sister made these one night for dinner- and I instantly fell in love. Who knew an 8 year old can tap into such amazing recipes? I think I may have a little protege on my hands.
These are kid friendly AND adult friendly. Even my husband who doesn't like chocolate had 3 cupcakes.




Ingredients

* 1 (18.25 ounce) package devil's food cake mix
* 2 cups JET-PUFFED Miniature Marshmallows, divided
* 4 (1 ounce) squares BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Baking Chocolate, coarsely chopped
* 1/4 cup milk
* 1 (8 ounce) tub COOL WHIP Whipped Topping, thawed
* 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder

Directions

Prepare and bake cake batter as directed on package for 24 cupcakes; cool completely.
Meanwhile, place 1 cup of the marshmallows, the chocolate chunks and milk in large saucepan; cook on low heat until marshmallows and chocolate are completely melted and mixture is well blended, stirring constantly. Cool at least 30 minutes. Gently stir in whipped topping.Frost cupcakes with the whipped topping mixture; top with the remaining 1 cup marshmallows. Sprinkle evenly with cocoa. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. Store leftover cupcakes in refrigerator.

Creamy Garlic Penne Pasta

SO in my last post- I talked about how I TRY and cook low carb, and my next recipe is all about pasta!! A little ironic...
I made this one night when I had NO idea what to make for dinner, and I just happened to have all of the ingrediants on hand. It was very simple, and very good. The flavors are pretty mild- so I think it would be pretty kid friendly. I'll find out in about a year when my baby can actually start eating "people food." :)




Ingredients

*1 (1 lb) box penne or penne rigate, cooked as directed, drained and kept hot
* 2 tablespoons butter or margarine
* 2 garlic cloves, minced
* 2 tablespoons flour
* 3/4 cup chicken broth or beef broth
* 3/4 cup milk
* 2 teaspoons parsley flakes
* salt and pepper, to taste
* 1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
* 1 tomato, chopped



Directions

1.Melt butter and add garlic in a medium sauce pan.
2.Cook over medium for 1 minute.
3.Add flour and cook 1 minute, stirring constantly.
4.Stir in broth and milk and cook, stirring frequently, until sauce boils
and thickens.
5.Add parsley, salt, pepper,cheese and tomato.
6.Stir until cheese is melted.
7.Toss hot pasta with sauce and serve immediately.

Parmesan Tilapia

My husband was diagnosed as a Type 1 diabetic when he was 18 years old ( several years before we started dating). Because of that, I try and cook low carb meals...and this is one of our favorites. Even if your not a "fish person"- this recipe is REALLY good. Tilapia is one of those fishes that takes on the flavor of what you cook it with, so in this recipe, it absorbs a lot of the lemon/parmesan flavors, and is honestly- very very good.


(photo borrowed from www.recipezaar.com. My camera crapped out on me the night I made this.)

Ingredients

* 2 lbs tilapia fillets (orange roughy, cod or red snapper can be substituted)
* 2 tablespoons lemon juice
* 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
* 4 tablespoons butter, room temperature
* 3 tablespoons mayonnaise
* 3 tablespoons finely chopped green onions
* 1/4 teaspoon seasoning salt (Old Bay would be good! Or Lemon Pepper)
* 1/4 teaspoon dried basil
* black pepper
* 1 dash hot pepper sauce

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In buttered 13-by-9-inch baking dish or jellyroll pan, lay fillets in single layer.Do not stack fillets, but brush top with juice.

In bowl combine cheese, butter, mayonnaise, onions and seasonings.Mix well with fork.
Bake fish in preheated oven 10 to 20 minutes or until fish just starts to flake.
Spread with cheese mixture and bake until golden brown, about 5 minutes.
***Baking time will depend on the thickness of the fish you use.

Recipe adapted from www.recipezaar.com