Turkey Chili

Ingredients:

1 lb ground turkey

1/2 small yellow onion

1 can tomato paste

1 can tomato sauce

1 can of black beans (drained)

1 can of chili beans

1 tablespoon garlic powder

2 tablespoons chili powder

1/4 cup of water

Directions:

Brown turkey & onions in a stove-top pan.

Drain grease from pan and add all other ingredients. 

Simmer on low for 2 hours, stirring occasionally. 

Serve with your favorite toppings!

**I did add about 1 teaspoon of cumin and cayenne pepper to mine to make it a little spicier   

BBQ Meatloaf

Printable Recipe

Ingredients:
1 Lb ground beef
1 Egg
1 small onion finely diced
1 cup of bread crumbs
1/2 cup mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup of milk
1 bottle of your favorite BBQ sauce

Directions:

Mix your beef, egg, onion, bread crumbs, cheese and milk together in a bowl. Mix until combined well. 
Place the mixture into your meatloaf pan and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. 
Remove meatloaf from oven and add as much of your favorite BBQ sauce as you would like, (make sure to save some for the end)
Put the meatloaf back into the oven and bake for 15 minutes.
Remove from oven and let sit for 5 minutes. 
Cut and Serve! Add more BBQ sauce for dipping :-)

Black Bean & Corn Salad

Printable Recipe

Ingredients:

1 Can of black beans drained

1 Can of corn drained

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

2 limes juiced

1 teaspoon of olive oil

1/4 cup red onion diced.

1/4 of a Jalapeno chopped

Directions:

Mix all ingredients and chill for an hour. :-) 

Chicken Mole

"That sounds disgusting"... Is usually the response I get when I try and describe this recipe. Chicken with Peanut Butter and Chocolate?? But I promise you it's quite delicious and very authentic. This is a 3 generation old recipe that comes right from my family in Mexico. :-) 

Printable Recipe

Ingredients
3 chicken breast 
1 Hershey chocolate bar
1 clove of garlic
3/4 jar of "Mole" stuff
1/4 cup chopped onions
1 piece of bread
2 tablespoons smooth peanut butter
1 tablespoon EVOO


Directions
Place your chicken breast in a pot of water. Boil approx 30 minutes until chicken is completely cooked. Then shred your chicken. SAVE YOUR WATER WHEN YOU'RE DONE! 


In a large saucepan add your EVOO. Once hot add your garlic and onions. Cook approx 2 minutes. Transfer the mix to a blender. Put the bread in your saucepan to soak up the oil, approx 30 seconds. 


In a blender add 1/2 jar of your "mole" stuff, the garlic onion mix, chocolate, peanut butter and a your bread. Take 1 3/4 cup of water from your chicken and add to the blender. Blend until you get a sauce (Picture below)


Add your shredded chicken to the saucepan and your mole sauce. Mix well, heat and serve! 


My husband eats his like a taco. I prefer mine just plopped on a plate with a little sour cream and cheese. :-) 

Black Beans

This is a great recipe to use as a side dish, in a Mexican dish or eaten all by itself. I never knew a can of black beans could taste to good! 

Printable Recipe


Ingredients
1 (16 ounce) can of black beans (do not drain)
1/2 a serrano chile diced (you can also use a jalapeno)
1/2 red onion diced 
1 glove of garlic chopped
1 tablespoon of fresh chopped cilantro


Directions
In a medium saucepan combine beans, onion and garlic and bring to a boil 
Reduce heat to medium low. Add cilantro and serrano and simmer for 5 minutes. Serve

Guacamole

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

2 Avocados peeled

1/2 Jalapeno pepper, chopped

1/2 cup chopped cilantro

1/4 red onion, finely chopped

1 tablespoon fresh lime- juice

1/2 lemon- juice

pinch of salt

Directions

Using a fork mash avocados in a bowl

Add cilantro, jalapeno, onion, lime juice, lemon juice and salt. 

Stir to combine. Cover and place in fridge for 30 minutes.

Pumpkin Spice Cookies

I think pumpkin is good all year round. Not just around the holidays! :-)

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

2 1/2 Cups all purpose flour

1 teaspoon of baking soda

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon of ground nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice

1/2 cup of butter softened

1 1/2 cups white sugar

1 can canned pumpkin puree

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Frosting

2 cups of confectioners sugar

3 tablespoons of milk

1 tablespoon of melted butter

1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, pumpkin pie spice and set aside.

In a medium bowl, cream together 1/2 cup of butter and white sugar. Add pumpkin, egg and 1 teaspoon of vanilla. Beat until creamy. Then mix in your dry ingredients.

Drop on cookie sheet by tablespoonfuls, slightly flatten them.

Bake for 15- 20 minutes. Cool cookies then drizzle your frosting over the top. 

To make the frosting: Combine all ingredients together. mix until you achieve a drizzle consistency.

Sausage and Beef Stuffed Shells

Printable Recipe


Ingredients
1 Package of uncooked shells
1 pound of hot turkey Italian sausage (you can use whatever kind of sausage you would like)
1 pound of ground beef
1 medium onion chopped
1 can diced tomatoes 
2 cups of shredded mozzarella cheese


Directions
Cook pasta according to package directions, rinse in cold water and drain. Set aside.
Remove casings from sausage and discard. Cook sausage, ground beef and onion in a large skillet until the meat is no longer pink. Drain and set aside. 
Mix your tomatoes and mozzarella cheese into your meat mixture.
Spoon mixture into shells. Arrange in a lightly greased baking dish. Bake, covered at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.
Top with your favorite sauce and bake for an addition 10 minutes.
I used my Mom's Alfredo Sauce 
I also paired it with Garlic Bread

Garlic Bread

Mmmmmmmm I love Garlic Bread. It makes a great side dish for pasta, salad, soup, as a sandwich or in my opinion as a meal itself. Plus it's so easy and cheap to make! 

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

2 cloves of garlic crushed

2 teaspoons of garlic powder*

4 tablespoons of butter

Fresh chopped parsley

1 cup of shredded mozzarella

1 loaf of your favorite crusty bread (I used Batard that I got at Wegmans)

*The garlic powder is an estimate. I usually just sprinkle more and more until my butter tastes really garlicky. You can use as little or as much as you prefer. 

Directions

Combine garlic cloves, garlic powder, butter and parsley in a bowl and mix well. 

Cut your bread in half length wise. Spread mixture over both sides of the bread

Broil at 350 degrees for approx 5 minutes (or until the butter is all melted)

Sprinkle mozzarella cheese over the bread and Broil until the cheese melts and browns a little 

Salsa Verde

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• I absolutely love making homemade salsa. My husband and I probably go through 2 jars of salsa a week. We use it to cook with, while entertaining and to snack on. Whenever you come over to our house you can always expect a jar of homemade salsa and chips to be on display. 
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Printable Recipe

• Ingredients
• 1 1/2 lb tomatillos (canned)
• 1/2 cup chopped red onion
• 1/2 cup cilantro leaves
• 1 Tbsp fresh lime juice
• 1 Jalapeño chopped
• Salt to taste

Directions

Drain the tomatillos from the can and then place them in the blender. Blend on high for approx 30 seconds. 

Meanwhile chop your onion, cilantro and jalapeno. Place in the blender with the tomatillos, then add your lime juice and a pinch of salt (to taste) and blend until all ingredients are mixed. (Add as much salt as you desire, i used a hefty pinch)

I prefer my Salsa Verde warm. So I placed the blended ingredients in a saute pan and cooked on high for about 5 minutes until it was warm. Place in a bowl and serve with your favorite tortilla chips!

Spinach Pesto

Most people use basil in their pesto. However when I arrived at the grocery store they were all out. So I needed to think of a backup plan. I ended up using spinach instead of basil and I thought it was very good! 

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

2 cups of spinach

3-4 cloves of garlic

½ cup olive oil

½ cup almonds

¾ cups parmesan cheese

Directions

Add spinach, garlic and almonds to your food processor. Blend together on high for approx 30 seconds. Add in olive oil and parmesan cheese. Blend for approx 1 minute. 

I used the pesto on a chicken burger and it was absolutely delicious! 

Chocolate Chip Cookies!

I love chocolate chip cookies! Everyone has their own recipe and their favorite way to make them. 

This one is mine :-)

Printable Recipe 


Ingredients
1 package chocolate chips
3/4 cups granulated sugar
3/4 cups brown sugar
1 cup butter/margarine softened
1 egg
2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda


Directions
Mix sugar, butter and egg into a large bowl.
Stir in baking soda and flour.
Stir in chocolate chips
Drop tablespoons of dough onto a cookie sheet
Bake at 350 degrees for approx 5 minutes. (My oven cooks very fast.)




I like to take my cookies out before they are completely done to let them slowly finish cooking. They always seem to be softer when done this way.

Buffalo Wing Hummus

I am a HUGE snack eater. Trying to kick-start a healthy lifestyle has been a little hard because of how much I crave snacks. So I surfed the internet to look for healthy snacks and came across this recipe for Buffalo Wing Hummus. I changed it a little bit to fit more of a flavor I like. It is absolutely delicious and full of fiber and protein! 

Printable Instructions

Ingredients

1 can of northern beans

2 Tablespoons of Franks Hot Sauce

2 Teaspoons of lemon juice

1 teaspoon of Cayenne Pepper

1 teaspoon of minced garlic

1 teaspoon of olive oil

Directions

Drain and rinse your beans

Place them in a food processor and puree until the beans are smooth and creamy.

Add all the remaining ingredients and puree for approx 30 seconds.

Remove and serve with your favorite veggies! I used carrots and celery. 

Southwestern Dip

This recipe is my take on a delicious appetizer my husband and I came across at Gordon Biersch. They have these delicious southwestern egg rolls. In an attempt to make the egg rolls someone in my family (I don't remember who) said that would probably make a good dip. So I decided to try it and it was a hit. Not only is it good for you, it's absolutely delicious! 

Ingredients 

1 box of Fat Free cream cheese- room temperature

3 chicken breasts

1 can of black beans drained

1 can of corn drained

1 small can of diced jalapenos drained

2 cups of cheddar cheese

1 pack of ranch dressing mix

1 teaspoon Cayenne pepper

Directions

In a large pot on the stove. Boil your chicken till cooked through. Approx 30-40 minutes.

In a large bowl combine your cream cheese,  cayenne pepper, and ranch dressing mix. Mix together well. Then add your jalapenos, black beans and corn.

Once your chicken is done. Shred it and add to your mixture. 

Place in a casserole dish and add some cheese on top, cover with foil and cook at 350 for approx 20-30 or until all your cheese is melted. 

Gramma's Meatball recipe

I love meatballs and am always on a hunt to find some delicious ones to eat! I like to make them and eat them just the way they are, with no sauce or anything. So I like them with a lot of flavor and great taste. This is a recipe from an amazing woman I attend church with. I did use the wrong cheese, ugh. But they still turned out absolutely amazing and are probably my favorite meatballs to make. The cheese and mint gives them an amazing BAM flavor that I can't get enough of. I am actually making them again tonight because I have been craving them since I made them last. 

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

1 lb ground beef

1 cup of cheese (asiago or fontinella cheese) I used Parmesan Romano cheese cause I forgot cheese while I was at the store. 

1/4 cup of breadcrumbs

1/2 tablespoon of garlic

1 dash of mint

1 egg

salt and pepper to taste

Directions

In a large bowl mix together all your ingredients. (Pretty Easy Right??)

Roll into 1 inch balls and bake at 350 degrees for approx 10 minutes then roll over and bake till cooked through approx 15 minutes. Then enjoy!

Turkey Tacos

With the start of 2012 I am trying to make my favorite food a little healthier. So this is my version of healthy taco's. 

Printable Recipe


Ingredients
1 lb ground turkey
Romaine Lettuce Leafs
Tortilla Shells 
Low fat cheddar cheese
Salsa or Taco Sauce
2 tablespoons Anna's Taco Seasoning (See Below)
1/2 cup water
1 can fat free re-fried beans
(You can use any of your favorite taco toppings for this recipe)


Directions
Brown your turkey in a stove stop skillet
Add 1/2 cup water and 2 tablespoons of the taco seasoning- Let simmer for 5 minutes
In a stop-top pan cook your beans until warm
Roll out your Lettuce leafs
Add your beans, taco meat, cheese, salsa and any other ingredients an  enjoy!


Homemade Taco Seasoning
1 tablespoon Chili Powder
1/4 teaspoon Garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon Onion powder
1/4 teaspoon Crushed red pepper
1/4 teaspoon Dried Oregano
1/2 teaspoon Paprika
1 1/2 teaspoons Ground Cumin
1 teaspoon black pepper

**If you have kids or family members who prefer their taco in a shell, you can use tortillas. Make sure you warm them up first so they are e

Beef Chimichanga

The yummy Chimichanga also known as a deep fried burrito, it probably one of my favorites. I have said this a million times but I love Mexican food, and because I can't get any really good authentic food where I am. I try to make it myself. Instead of deep frying the burrito I put it in the oven a healthy version of this crunchy dish.

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

2 Cups of Mexican/Taco cheese

Fajita style tortillas

1 lb ground beef or ground turkey

1 can of fat free re fried beans

1 can of diced tomatoes

Fajita seasoning

chopped onions

** You can use any taco condiments or toppings that you would like. 

Directions

In a stove top skillet brown your meat. Drain any excess fat. Add your fajita seasoning. You can use a store bought pack or you can make your own which is what I recently started to do. Below you will find a recipe for the Fajita Mix.  

Lay your tortilla out flat on the counter. Add any ingredients that you would like. I used meat, beans, a little cheese and some onions. 

Roll your Tortilla and tuck both ends in. Place seam side down on a baking dish.

Bake at 350 degrees for approx 10-15 minutes or until it is a crunchy as you like it.

Add all your favorite toppings and enjoy! 

Recipe: Fajita Seasoning- 2 tablespoons= 1 packet
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon onion powder
¼ - ½ teaspoon cayenne (amount depends on how much heat you want)
¼ teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon sugar
1 chicken bouillon cube, crushed