Colby-Pepper Jack Cheese Dip

Colby-Pepper Jack Cheese Dip

1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese, softened

2/3 cup sour cream

1/3 cup mayo

1 T finely chopped canned chipotle pepper in adobo sauce

2 T chili powder

2 cups chopped cooked chicken (I didn't include chicken in mine)

2 cups shredded colby-Jack cheese blend

1 (4 oz.) can chopped green chilies

NOT 4 green onions, finely chopped

2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and minced

1/4 cup fresh cilantro

Tortilla and sweet potato chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Stir together first 5 ingredients in a large bowl until smooth. Stir in chicken and next 5 ingredients until blended. Spoon cheese mixture into a lightly greased

8-inch square baking dish.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until bubbly. Spoon into a serving bowl. Garnish with cilantro if desired. Serve with tortilla and sweet potato chips.

(Southern Living, November 2008)

Too Much Time on My Hands

An old post I never published...not because I'm eating this right now.  But boy, I'd sure like to!!!

I'm checking out food blogs from others blogrolls and finding all kinds of goodies! I'm posting to share (and so I can find them again later, when I can be in my own kitchen). Hope this is as fun for you as it is for me...YUMOLA!

The blogs I really love I'm adding to my blogroll over there to your right. Wheee!


Piece of Cake's Chocolate Dipped Coconut Macaroons
(I think I love anything with Coco Lopez in it!)

Sausage Cheese Scone from King Arthur's Flour



Alton Brown's Chocolate Chip Cookie
(because we're all searching for the best recipe)

Hummus

I've always liked hummus, but it's not been my go to dip.  Now it is because it's the only one I can eat.  I didn't want to buy one that contained processed foods, so I emailed my trusty friend Greta, knowing that she would have a good one.  It is!!  I'm glad I have it, this one's a keeper.

Greta's Hummus

2 cups chick peas, soaked and cooked (equals 1 cup of dry)
3 cloves of garlic, minced
3 T lemon juice
1/4 cup water
3 T tahini
1 t. cumin (I probably used 1T)
1/2 t. paprika
1 jalapeno--seeded and veined and diced (optional)

Place all ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth.  Use a variety of ingredients to make different flavors (kalamata olives, pesto, sun dried tomatoes, fresh herbs, etc.)  Great on toast, with veggies, on sandwiches to replace fattening mayo, with crackers, and of course on toasted pita!

*I made mine with kalamata olives and love it!  Best hummus ever!  I eat it with cucumber slices.*

Thank you, friend!!

Asian Edamame and Carrot Salad

This recipe is from Family Fun magazine.  I clipped it long ago because it was pretty (bright green and orange)! I thought my boys would eat it.  Well, I made it for the cleanse and I loved it!!

Asian Edamame and Carrot Salad

1 pound edamame (frozen, shelled)
3 grated carrots
pinch of salt
3 T rice vinegar
2 T soy sauce
2 tsp. toasted sesame oil
1 T sugar (I omitted for cleanse and used Stevia)

Cook edamame according to package directions.  Drain, rinse in cold water and blot dry with a paper towel.  Toss in large bowl with grated carrots and a pinch of salt.

In a small bowl, mix 3 tablespoons of rice vinegar, 2 T of soy sauce, 2 tsp. toasted sesame oil, and a tablespoon of sugar.  Pour this dressing over vegetables, tossing well.  Serve immediately or refrigerate--it's even better the next day.

**To fill me up as a main dish for lunch, I added a small can of tuna right on top of it and could eat this one often!**

(www.familyfun.com)

Italian Fish and Veggie Pockets

Randomly saw this episode of Giada's show a day or two before the cleanse was starting.  I found the recipe so we could add it to our menu.  Delish!

Italian Fish and Veggie Pockets

1 lemon, zested
1 1/2 tsp. salt plus more for seasoning
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper, plus more for seasoning
1 1/2 pounds sugar snap peas, stemmed
1 yellow bell pepper, sliced
1 orange bell pepper, sliced
1/2 cup white wine (I omitted this because of the cleanse)
1/4 cup lemon juice
4 tsp olive oil
4 4 ounce trout fillets, skinned (or other fish about 1/2 inch thick)
8 thin slices lemon
1/4 cup chopped mint leaves (I skipped this one)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a small bowl, mix together lemon zest, salt, and pepper.  Set aside.

Lay out the 4 sheets of aluminum foil.  Place 1/4 of the sugar snap peans, 1/4 of the yellow bell peppers, and 1/4 of the orange bell peppers on each sheet of foil.  Over each pile of vegetables drizzle 2 T of white wine, 1 T lemon juice, and 1 tsp. olive oil.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper and gently toss.

Top each pile of seasoned vegetables with a piece of fish.  Sprinkle the fish with some of the reserved zest mixture.  Top each fish with 2 slices of lemon.

Fold up the foil into an air-tight packet.  Place the foil packets in the oven and bake for 15 to 18 minutes depending on the thickness of the fish.  Sprinkle the fish with mint just before serving.

(www.foodnetwork.com--Giada De Laurentiis)
(Serves 4)

Turkey Meatloaf Muffins

I inappropriately renamed these Turkey Balls.  Don't let that sway your opinion.  These were great!

Turkey Meatloaf Muffins

2 lbs ground turkey (or chicken)
3 egg whites
1 cup quick cooking oats
1/2 tsp cumin (I probably used over 1T)
1/2 tsp dried thyme
2 tsp. dry yellow mustard
2 tsp black pepper
1 tsp salt
2 T garlic powder or 2 cloves minced
NOT 1 small onion (finely chopped)
2 celery stalks (I used 3 because I certainly didn't put that onion in my turkey balls!)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Spray muffin pan with canola or olive oil.  Mix all ingredients together in large bowl.  Roll mixture into balls and place in muffin pan.  Muffins should be about the size of a racquetball.  (No they won't fill up the pan OR look like muffins).

Bake 40 minutes.

I'm a dipper and had mine with ketchup or mustard.

Women:  2 muffins
Men:  4 muffins

(80 calories, 2 grams fat, 4 grams carbs, 11 grams protein)
(www.bodybuilding.com)

Oven Fried Sweet Potatoes

Oven Fried Sweet Potatoes

4 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/4 inch slices (about 1 1/2 pounds)
1 T olive oil
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
Olive oil cooking spray
1 T finely chopped fresh parsley
1 t. grated orange rind
1 small garlic clove, minced

Combine the first 4 ingredients in a large bowl; toss gently to coat.  Arrange sweet potato slices in a single layer on a large baking sheet coated with cooking spray.  Bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes or until tender, (probably about 40 minutes for me), turning the potato slices after 15 minutes.

Combine parsley, orange rind, and garlic in a small bowl; stir well.  Sprinkle parsley mixture over sweet potato slices.

www.myrecipes.com
(Serves 7)

Clean Eating

I have a backlog of recipes to share, but right now my focus is on clean eating.  My husband and I (yes, he was coerced) are doing a 10 day cleanse.  It's not anything over the top, just back to the basics.  It's a mild cleanse and we're eating fruits, vegetables, and fish mostly.  No dairy, no sugar, no beef, no pasta, no bread, etc.  It's been easier than I thought...and easier (for us) than some other cleanses where you only drink veggie/fruit smoothies.

Breakfast has been a shake with fruit.

Lunches have been salads or tuna.

Dinners have been pretty fantastic.

I've come across some recipes that we did on this 10 day cleanse from some of my usual sources like www.foodnetwork.com, www.myrecipes.com, but also my eyes have been opened to some new clean eating food blogs (www.mygraciouspantry.com, www.cleaneatingmama.com) and I'm so thankful for these new resources.

Keep in mind, I had to find something my family would eat.  Kids and all.  These were hits and will be recipes I make again.

It's been a learning experience and I've definitely gained more (knowledge) than I've lost (chocolate, Chuy's, and 5 pounds so far)!!

Ham and Cheese Egg Cups

Found this recipe on Tasty Kitchen and thought it would be great because the ingredients are simple, it's quick, easy, healthy, and delicious...and it's a great way to use up deli meat before it gets nasty in the fridge!!

Ham and Cheese Egg Cups

12 slices deli ham (I used turkey; they were large slices, so I halved them)
1 box frozen spinach, thawed
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese (I didn't use near this much...a large pinch in each cup)
12 eggs
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray muffin tin with cooking spray.

Press a slice of ham into each muffin cup. On top of ham, place some spinach into each cup. On top of spinach, add some cheese. Crack an egg on top of each cup and season with salt and pepper.

Bake 25 minutes or until done.

Slow Cooker Orange Chicken

Perfect time of year to try a crockpot recipe. It's SO hot and I'm busy at work getting ready for my new students AND busy at home with my family! I thought these flavors would be appealing to all of us. A little Asian for me, sweet for the boys, and BBQ for the hubby.

Slow Cooker Orange Chicken

8 small boneless skinless chicken thighs (1 lb.)
3 T flour
1/3 cup orange marmalade
1/3 cup BBQ sauce
2 T soy sauce
1 T freshly grated ginger

Toss chicken with flour in slow cooker. Stir in all remaning ingredients; cover with lid. Cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 3-4. **I cooked on low (10 hours on mine AND put in frozen chicken thighs and it was done in 6-7 hours.)**

Serve with brown rice and steamed green beans.

(Serves 4)
(www.kraftfoods.com)

Spinach Bacon Egg Bake

It's been so long since I've posted and I've made so many yummy things.  I must get back on track!  My favorite season is here and I have to get back into my food blog and other food blogs to find exciting new soup recipes, pumpkin recipes, etc.  I love fall!! 

It's been so long since I've actually been able to make breakfast on Saturday morning because of our t-ball schedule and church Sunday morning.  Today our game isn't until 4:00, so last night was my chance to put together this "Do Ahead Egg Bake" (that is it's original recipe title, but it's not interesting enough for me) I've been wanting to try.

Riley had seconds...and asked for some hot sauce on it too! 

Spinach Bacon Egg Bake

8 eggs
3 cups milk
8 cups French bread cubes (3/4 inch....this was almost an entire loaf)
1 pkg. frozen, chopped spinach (thawed, squeezed dry)
12 slices bacon (cooked and crumbled)
1 (8oz) shredded sharp cheddar cheese, divided

Whisk eggs and milk in large bowl until well blended.  Stir in bread.  Add spinach, bacon, and 1 1/2 cups cheese; mix lightly.

Pour into 13x9 inch baking dish (I used a 2.5 quart Pyrex) sprayed with cooking spray; top with remaining cheese.  Cover; refrigerate overnight.

Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 50 minutes, or until top is puffed and golden brown.

(http://www.kraftfoods.com/)

(Serves 12)