Spaghetti with Sauteed Chicken and Grape Tomatoes

We had this for dinner tonight:

Find the recipe here:

I don't remember a time when I have seen 
my kids devour food that fast!

I will be honest when I say I didn't think it was going to be that good.  But it was seriously restaurant good!  Even better it was SO.DANG.EASY peasy!  I made it in about 12 minutes, start to finish!

Baked Southwestern Egg Rolls

Ok. These were SO easy and my new favorite. I LOVE this recipe. Next week I will tell you what I did with the left-overs....SO YUMMY!!!!!!

Want the recipe? Look here! It said to use mexican cheese but I just used Mild Cheddar.

Cashew Chicken

This really was SO so delicious. It is a definite do again! I found this recipe on Pinterest Here.

Just note that I used normal white vinegar instead of White wine vinegar. I would have used brown rice which would have also been delicious but I was sucking up to the hubby ;)

Penne with Roasted Asparagus

I found this recipe on Pinterest. The link for the original recipe is here. We absolutely SALIVATE for this dinner. It smells good and it is DIVINE! I.LOVE.IT! It is so full of flavor and since asparagus went on sale for 1.77 lb this week I am having this at least twice this week. My boys don't mind...they DEVOUR it! Of course I made some changes so here is my version of this deliciousness!

Penne with Roasted Asparagus

1 lb asparagus(cut into 1 inch pieces)

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

1 1/2 T olive oil (divided)

1/2 cup + 2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar

1/2 tsp brown sugar

1 lb penne pasta

3 Tbsp butter

1/3 cup grated parmesan

Directions: Roast 1/2 Tbsp oil, asparagus, 1/4 tsp both salt and pepper at 400 for 10 minutes. Put vinegar in sauce pan and cook on medium low until about 3 Tbsp remaining. Stir in the sugar and the rest of the pepper and take off heat. Cook pasta and add remaining ingredients. stir together and serve.

Butternut Squash Soup

Can I just tell you that while I was making this I thought it was going to turn out absolutely disgusting. I was SO pleasantly surprised! I doubled it and made 2 extra freezer meals of it. AND we have eaten them all and I am making more to freeze and eat this week. We LOVE it!

My kids snarf it too. That is a big deal! It is an awesome substitute for tomato soup on those cold days. It has that creaminess and that hearty goodness that just fills you up with warm fuzzy's!

2 lbs butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cubed (just use a peeler and go at it like a potato)

4 cloves garlic, peeled and quartered

3 1/2 cups chicken broth (low sodium of course)

2 slices stale wheat bread, cut in to pieces

1/4 tsp pepper

1 tsp dried basil

Directions: simmer the first three ingredients for about 20 minutes or until the squash is tender. Add bread, pepper and basil. Simmer 2-3 minutes longer. Puree in a blender until smooth. Put in a prettier bowl than mine and EAT IT UP!

Lemon Garlic Spaghetti

Holy Smokes y'all, this one is SO.GOOD!! Serious. Like restaurant good! We made this last night and my entire family (including 4 yr old, 2 yr old AND 1 yr old) DEVOURED it. I seriously should have made more. Serious YUMMINESS! (oh, and SO EASY peasy!)

I made some tweaks to her recipe so I will write them here. Go to her site (i nom things) for pictures of HOW to make it and everything. This picture is hers...I made min with thin wheat spaghetti noodles.

Lemon Garlic Spaghetti – serves 2

4 oz dry spaghetti (I used whole wheat, thin spaghetti noodles)
1/4 cup grated parmesan
2 tsp olive oil
1 clove garlic
1/2 lemon (I used the stuff in a little lemon bottle)
2 tbsp pine nuts (didn't even use these...didn't have 'em)
5-6 basil leaves, chiffonaded (I used 1 tsp of dry)

Start a small pan on low with the oil and minced garlic. Cook on low until the garlic begins to brown (mine took about 15 min). Once that is going boil your noodles.

When the garlic is done, add the garlic (with the oil) to the noodles. Add the rest of the ingredients and serve.

YUM!...I think I will make this tomorrow too....

Next Monday, my AMAZING Butternut Squash Soup...AND IT FREEZES!!! Get excited. I AM!

Green Chili Chicken and Lime Soup

OK y'all. This is my FAVORITE soup and my kids love it too. It is SO divine. I got it from here. I am going to post how I make it though. I make some very slight changes. We also freeze the left overs of this one. From one pot I fed my family and another family in need. THEN I made and extra batch without the cilantro to freeze. We have frozen it with the cilantro in it and it is just as good either way.

1 onion, chopped

4 cloves fresh or roasted garlic, minced

80 oz (10 c) chicken broth (I use the reduced salt bullion cubes)

10 oz can Rotel tomatoes, mild

7 oz can diced green chilies

4 medium chicken breasts, shredded

2 1/2 cups cooked rice

1/4 cup fresh lime juice

1 1/2 tsp ground cumin

Pinches Kosher salt

fresh cracked black pepper

1 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped

3 diced avocados, drizzled with lime juice

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1. Cook chicken in a crockpot; shred.

2. Spray a large skillet over medium heat. Saute onion for 5 minutes then add in garlic; cook for 1 minute. Stir in chicken broth, tomatoes, green chilies, chicken breast, rice, lime juice and seasonings. Cook for 5 minutes; taste and season according to your liking. Right before serving add chopped cilantro.

3. Serve soup with fresh diced avocado, shredded cheese.

10-12 servings

Black Bean Butternut Squash Crockpot Chili

For the life of me I cannot remember where I got this recipe so if you know, let me know so I can link it up. We love it though. My husband was shocked when he was mid-meal and I told him there was no meat in it. We had A LOT left so I stuck the rest of it in a gallon freezer bag and froze it for later. It was as good as the first time.

Here we go:

3 onions, chopped

4 cloves of garlic, chopped

1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped

1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped

2 jalapenos, seeded and minced

2 14.5 ox cans of diced fire roasted tomatoes (or regular)

4 15 oz cans of black beans, rinsed and drained (or 8 cups of your pre-made beans)

3 tablespoons chili powder

2 tablespoon cumin

1 tablespoon dried oregano

2lb butternut squash, peeled, seeded and shopped into 1/2 inch cubes

salt and pepper

Spray large skillet with pan spray and add onions, peppers and garlic until tender. Put in slow cooker and everything else, except the squash. Arrange the squash over the chili. Cover and cook on low for 6 hours.

Update: I found this recipe on Crockpot Girls site.

Pasta or Zucchini...you choose.

You can either pan fry it to eat with a different texture OR you can shred this zucchini with a peeler and use it in the place of noodles. That means you have the option of spaghetti squash OR zucchini as a veggie replacement for a car. Just peel it until you get to the seeds and discard the seeds. This is from 1 small zucchini. If I were to do it again I think I would make slices in the zucchini and THEN shred. I really liked this. The nice thing about Zucchini is it takes on the flavor of whatever you are cooking. LOVE IT!

Turkey Avocado Melts

This would be an AWESOME thing to make with your Thanksgiving leftovers

Have you tried the new sandwich thins??? I didn't think I would like them but I am IN.LOVE! We use them for sandwiches, hamburgers and...well anything else. They are actually cheaper than bread in some cases. These were scrumdillyumptious!

We used left over roasted Turkey we had in the freezer. You can use any kind of turkey your family likes (I am not big into lunch meats).

Avocado

Tomato

Slice of cheese

Laughing cow cheese (wedges of soft cheese we use in the place of mayo, they are 60 calories for each wedge, we used one wedge on 4 sandwiches)

Your choice of mustard

Just pile it all on there and broil until the cheese is melted. If you like crispier bread rather than soft bread just broil the bread until it is crispy before you add the other toppings, then RE broil it once the toppings are on.

Stir-Fry with Peanut Sauce

This is one of my hubbies FAVORITES! I actually REALLY love it too and it is SOOO easy! You gotta try it!

1 lbs chicken breast, cut into 1/2-inch chunks

1 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 cup brown rice, uncooked
3 cups veggies cut into bite size pieces
(broccoli, bell peppers, mushrooms, green onions)
¼ cup peanuts, chopped (optional)

Peanut Sauce:
2 Tblsp creamy peanut butter
1 ½ Tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
1 Tbsp brown sugar
1 Tbsp lime juice
1 tsp fresh garlic or ginger, minced
¼ cup water

Directions: Prepare rice. Prepare peanut sauce: place peanut butter, soy sauce, brown sugar, lime juice, garlic, ginger and water in microwave safe bowl. Microwave 30-60 seconds and then whisk until combine.
In a large skillet, heat oil at medium heat. Add chicken and sauté. Add veggies to pan and sauté in an additional 3-4 min. Serve over prepared rice and top with chopped peanuts, if desired.

Penne Pasta with Veggies

This is going to sound terrible but I have no idea where I got this recipe but I LOVE IT! My kids love whole wheat noodles! I would just recommend not OVER cooking the veggies.

¼ c balsamic vinegar
2 Tbsp minced garlic
1 cup diced onions
1 sm eggplant, diced
1 sm yellow squash diced
1 sweet red pepper, diced
2 cup diced tomatoes
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley or basil
1 Tbs olive oil
¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
½ tsp salt
½ tsp dried thyme
8 oz. Whole Wheat Penne pasta


Directions: In a large skillet over med-high heat, cook vinegar and garlic for 3 min. Add onions, eggplant, squash, and peppers. Cook for 3 min. Stir in oil, parmesan, salt and thyme. Cook for 3-4 minutes or until sauce thickens.

Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling water. Drain and return to pot. Add sauce mixture and toss well. For a more assertive flavor, substitute chopped fresh basil or parsley.

Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms (Roof's Recipe)

These were.....ahem.....absolutely amazing! YUM! They don't look NEARLY as delicious as they were. I have found the best price for these mushrooms at Sam's Club...if you know a better place, PLEASE let me know!

I got this recipe from ksl.com's website. Check it out!

1/2 c. diced red onion
1 clove garlic, minced
2 T. unsalted butter
1/2 c. diced yellow squash
1/2 c. diced zucchini
1/2 c. diced eggplant
1/4 c. diced Roma tomatoes
1/4 c. tomato puree (I just used tomato sauce and it worked out great)
Salt & pepper to taste
6 Portobello mushrooms
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1/4 c. Asiago cheese (I used feta)

1/2 tsp sugar

1 tsp. dried thyme

Directions:
Sauté onion and garlic in the butter and oil until onion begins to brown. Add the squash, zucchini, and eggplant and sauté until the squash is tender, but don't let it cook too long (about 2 min). Add the Roma tomatoes and the tomato puree. Adjust the flavor with salt and pepper. Remove from heat and set aside.

Remove the stem and ribs from the Portobello mushrooms. Spoon about ½ cup of the squash mixture into each mushroom and sprinkle with Asiago cheese. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 12-15 minutes or until the cheese become golden brown.

This dish is best served with a zesty marinara sauce.

Beef and Broccoli Stir-Fry

This is an excellent recipe to FREEZE so make doubles (or triple) and freeze for another day! This is an awesome way to have a quick healthy meal when you don't have time (instead of buying fast food!)

It was SO yummy. I love broccoli...and so does my boys! We will definitely be having this one again soon

1 cup brown rice, uncooked

1/2 Tbsp olive oil

1/2 lb beef sirloin steak or roast, THINLY sliced

2 cloves of garlic, minced

3 cups broccoli florets

4 green onions, thinly sliced (i used my frozen ones)

2 Tbs light soy sauce

Cook rice according to directions. In a frying pan, brown beef with garlic and oil over high heat (do not cook too long or beef will be firm). Stir in broccoli and onion. Stir for about 5 minutes or until veggies are tender. Add soy sauce and cooked rice.

This is an excellent recipe to FREEZE so make doubles (or triple) and freeze for another day! This is an awesome way to have a quick healthy meal when you don't have time (instead of buying fast food!)

Zucchini Chicken Nuggets

I don't know who has seen Cheeky Kitchens blog but I LOVE IT! Every once and a while she has some healthy recipe's. This is one of hers that you can find here. My kids LOVE it AND it is so easy to make.

1 ½ cup Zucchini, grated
1 lb ground chicken
1 egg
1 tsp onion salt
1 ½ cup crushed corn flakes,bread crumbs or crushed crackers

Directions: In a large bowl, mix together the zucchini, chicken, egg and onion salt until well combined. Form 1-2 tablespoons of the chicken mixture into small balls, then press until ½ inch thick and coat in bread crumbs. Transfer to a lightly greased cookie sheet. Once all nuggets have been formed and breaded, spray a light layer of nonstick spray over the nuggets. Cook in an oven preheated to 400 for 13-15 minutes, or just until nuggets have cooked thoroughly.

Spinach Packed Spaghetti

We eat LOTS of spaghetti...if you haven't noticed. This one is just like our other recipe sans the meat and instead we PACK it with either fresh or frozen spinach. I usually chop it up a little so we don't have loads of chunks....cause then the boys notice, otherwise they eat it up like crazy (just like usual)

Black Bean Quesadillas

½ cup bell pepper, finely chopped

½ cup black beans, cooked

1 cup grated cheddar cheese

4 wheat or corn tortillas

¼ cup salsa

¼ cup lettuce, chopped

Directions: Heat pan over medium heat. Spray pan with vegetable oil and place one tortilla into the pan. Place ¼ bell pepper, black beans and cheddar cheese onto the tortilla. When the cheese begins to melt, fold the melted tortilla in half. Press down slightly to seal the sides together, and then flip the quesadilla over to brown both sides. Repeat process with remaining tortillas. Spoon a little salsa and lettuce on top and enjoy.

Taco Crepes

Lately I have had issues with tortillas. Sometimes we forget to buy them and sometimes I can't find ones that aren't made with lard or crisco type stuff. Soooo, we make our own crepes in a matter of minutes and I LOVE them with tacos! I can actually taste the taco instead of just the tortilla! YOU GOTTA TRY IT!

Sandwich Crepes

Sandwich crepes. I prepped everything for these the day before. I cooked the chicken in the crockpot and then shredded it. I like the chicken cold. Then we just put everything we would put on a normal sandwich. I broke my rule though. I NEVER use iceberg lettuce. I would normally use spinach. These were delish and my 3 year old kept saying how much he liked them.

Crepes

Crepes

2 eggs

1 Tbs sugar

1 cup flour

1 1/2 cup milk

1/2 tsp salt
Directions: Cook on med heat. Makes 10-12 8” crepes. The batter will be SUPER runny. That is the way it is supposed to be.

This is what it looks like when it is done.

Spray pan and then add about 1/4 cup batter. Roll it around until it coats the bottom. As you see it cooking around the edges, lift it up with a spatula and then flip.

They are like super soft/thin tortillas but YUMMIER.

Throughout this week I will post what we do with them. STAY TUNED.