What's Cookin'?.....SOUP!

Well, being pregnant has put a hold on my cooking. At first we were just eating out all.of.the.time! Then, my amazing husband stepped up to the plate. You see, when I am pregnant if I prepare food or smell food while it is cooking, it makes me sick and I can't eat it. Thankfully, Wes likes to cook, so he has saved us.

My original plan was to make crockpot meals, thinking that since there would be a gap of time from the time I "prepared" the meal until the time I ate the meal. I cooked a yummy (wishful thinking!) roast with carrots and potatoes in the crockpot and let it cook all day. By 5 o'clock the smell was so strong that it made me sick, so Popeyes chicken it was. :(

Plan B....we will see how this works! Next week I am going to plan several soups for dinner. I am going to try the first one in the crockpot. I am thinking that since soups are not as strong smelling as roast is, hopefully it will be ok. If not, I will just have everything ready for Wes to cook the soups on the stove.

Beef Stew             http://www.southernplate.com/2009/09/ground-beef-stew-with-a-secret.html

• 1-2 lbs ground beef, cooked and drained  (I am going to use stew meat)
• Carrots, diced
• Onion, peeled and chopped
• 5-6 potatoes, peeled and diced
• 2-3 Cups frozen green beans
• 29 ounce can diced or crushed tomatoes
• 1-2 Cans Spicy Hot V-8 juice (I use two)
• 2 C water
• 4 Beef Boullion Cubes
• 1 tsp salt (more or less to taste)

Instructions

1. Place everything in a pot except for ground beef. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to simmering. Cover and cook for an hour until vegetables are tender. Add ground beef, cook for another thirty minutes.

***I am going to cook mine in the crockpot (hopefully). I will brown the stew meat just a little and then add it into the soup with everything else so that it can continue to cook without getting too tough.

Potato Soup

• 1 block of cream cheese (regular not reduced fat. It makes a difference in the texture)
• 1 bag of diced frozen hash browns
• 1 can (16 oz) chicken broth
• 2 cans cream of chicken soup

Cook all ingredients in crockpot on low all day. Serve & top with real bacon bits, shredded cheese & chopped green onion.

***My kids LOVE this!

Puerto Rican Stew

• 1 T. Recaito cilantro cooking base
• 1 pkt of Sazon Goya
• Adobo Creolo to taste
• 1 lb stew beef seasoned with Adobo
• 1/2 onion, diced
• 1 can tomato sauce
• Carrots cut up
• Potatoes cut up
• 1 can light kidney beans
• 1/2 tsp vinegar
• 1 T. olive oil

Cook in pot for 1 hr (or crockpot all day). Serve over rice with cornbread. YUMMY!

Poppyseed Chicken & Spinach Casserole

This is one of our family's favorite meals. A dear friend brought this to us after I had Maddie....so that was 6 1/2 years ago. We've been enjoying it ever since. YUMMY!

Poppyseed Chicken

Shredded chicken (about 4 breasts)
Sour cream 16 oz.
2 cans cream of chicken
Poppyseed
salt to taste
Crushed Ritz crackers
Melted butter

Spread crushed Ritz crackers onto bottom of baking dish. Mix together chicken, sour cream, cream of chicken, poppyseed and salt. Spread mixture on top of crackers. Cover mixture with more crushed Ritz crackers. Drizzle melted butter over top of casserole. Bake for 30 mins or so at 350.

Spinach Casserole

2 frozen boxes of Chopped Spinach
1 block of cream cheese
1/2 stick of butter
salt and pepper to taste
Shredded parmesan cheese
1 C. of crushed Ritz crackers

Thaw spinach. Soften cream cheese and butter. Mix together spinach, cream cheese mixture, & crushed Ritz crackers. Spread in baking dish and top with shredded Parmesan Cheese. Bake at 350 for about 25 mins.

Don't be scared to give kids this thinking that they won't like it because it is spinach. Chloe LOVES it and we told Maddie that this had melted white chocolate in it and she has been eating it ever since. :) Hey, whatever works!

White Chicken Chili & Blueberry Crumble

Last night dinner was DELICIOUS.....and so EASY! This is definitely a meal that will be fixed often, well maybe just the chili. The blueberry crumble is oh so good, but oh so bad for you (which is why it tastes so good!).

White Chicken Chili
1 1/4 lbs boneless frozen or thawed skinless chicken (I just threw 3 breasts in the crockpot)
2 (15 oz) cans great northern beans or navy beans
1 (15 oz) can of hominy or white corn (I would suggest white corn. Hominy was not my fave)
1 (1 1/4 oz) envelope taco seasoning
1 (4 1/2 oz) can of chopped green chilies
1 (10 3/4 oz) can condensed cream of chicken soup
1 (14 oz) can chicken broth
1/2 C. sour cream
chopped green onion (optional, but I suggest!)
monterey jack cheese (optional, but I suggest!)

Directions:

Place chicken in a 4 qt slow cooker. Top with beans and corn. In a medium bowl, combine taco seasoning, chilies, condensed soup, and broth. Pur over top of ingredients in crock pot. Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours. Before serving, stir gently to break up chicken, then stir in the sour cream. Serve topped with green onions and jack cheese, if desired.

I found this recipe posted on Facebook and it is delicious!

Blueberry Crumble

2 cups of blueberries
1 can crushed pineapples
yellow cake mix
1 1/2 sticks butter
1 1/2 cups of sugar (could really use less)
pecans

Spread blueberries in 9x13 dish (not greased). Put can of crushed pineapples on blueberries. Pour 1 cup of sugar. Cover with cake mix. Sprinkle 1/2 cup of sugar on cake mix. slice the butter in thin slices and cover the cake mix. Cover with crushed pecans. Cook on 350 for 35-40 mins.

Crock Pot....Easy Peasy!!

If you have not checked this out on Facebook, you must!! Crock Pot Girls share recipes for breakfast, lunch, dinner, dessert, etc. YUMMO! I have chicken and dumplings in the crock pot right now. The recipe came from their site. It smells delicious!

French Toast Nuggets

Once I get used to the whole getting up early school routine, I am definitely going to try this. I found this in the Macaroni Kid newsletter.

 

Back to School Recipe

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French Toast Nuggets

By: By: Gena Morgan, Evansville, IN Macaorni Kid

Gena Morgan

Looking for something new for breakfast?  Try this easy kid size version of an old favorite!

French Toast Nuggets

Ingredients:

2 cups bread (white or wheat) cut into 1 inch cubes

6 eggs

2 teasooon vanilla

2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 cup milk

Directions:

To make even quicker, I normally cut my bread cubes the night before!

Using a whisk, beat eggs, vanilla, cinnamon and milk together.

Soak bread cubes in egg mixture, turning to coat evenly.

Preheat skillet to med heat and coat/spray pan with oil.

Shake off excess and put in pan.  Be sure to put in an even layer to allow to become golden.

Turn once remove when both sides are golden brown.

Serve with syrup, fruit, or powdered sugar. Just as you would with regular size french toast!  ENJOY!

Pork with Asian Peanut Slaw

Don't you just love going into the grocery store to get your weekly shopping done and getting stopped by all of the people passing out samples?! Even better, the ones where they are actually cooking the meals and give you the recipes for it! LOVE IT!

This is a recipe that was DELICIOUS!!! My kids even liked it, although the slaw was a little too spicy for them. We made it last night for dinner....YUMMO!

Pork with Asian Peanut Slaw
Prep time: 15 mins     Cook Time: 6-8 mins    Serves 4

1 lb. boneless center cut pork chops, cut 1/2" thick (we used a pork tenderloin grilled on the grill)
3 Tbs. vegetable or grape seed oil
2 Tbs. each fresh squeezed lime juice, soy sauce, & sugar
1 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
1 bag Fresh Express 3 color Cole Slaw
1/2 C. very thin sliced red bell pepper
1/2 C. roasted peanuts
1/4 C. chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 C. chopped green onions (or more), including green tops

1. Whisk oil, lime juice, soy sauce, sugar & red pepper flakes together in a small bowl. Remove 2 Tbsps. of dressing mixture and set aside. Toss remaining dressing mixture with coleslaw, cilantro, bell pepper, green onions and peanuts. Season to taste. Set aside or chill untill ready to serve.
2. Brush reserved dressing mixture over pork chops. Cook pork 3-4 minutes per side in heated grill pan, broiler or on the grill; pork should be done (150 degrees when tested with a thermometer) but still pink in the center.
3. Let stand 2-3 mins; slice into strips and serve pork over slaw.

You could also just serve the slaw as a side dish with another meat.

Enjoy!!

Easy Breakfast Ideas

I don't know about you, but I am always looking for new breakfast ideas. I feel like I fix the same things all of the time.....waffles, pancakes, cereal. etc. Breakfast is my least favorite meal of the day, unless it is the full coarse meal....eggs, bacon, grits, biscuts. You know...one that you have to actually COOK! Who has time (or wants to do that!) for that early in the morning.

This morning, McKenna New BraunFit gym (a local gym here) posted this on Facebook. I thought I would share because these are things that would actually be easy...and good!

It's almost back to school time which means mornings are about to get hectic for parents and kids... Don't skip breakfast in your hurry to get out the door! Check out these kid-friendly breakfast ideas from Carey (Registered Dietitian, Personal Trainer and Busy Mom) for busy families on the go...

- Toast two whole wheat toaster waffles and add a tablespoon of peanut butter and ½ a banana... Stick waffles together for portability! Whole grain pancakes work well, too!

- Toast one whole-grain English muffin and add a tablespoon of peanut butter and a little honey.

- Grab string cheese with 6 whole wheat crackers and a banana.

- Mix together a small carton of low-fat yogurt with ½ cup light cottage cheese and ½ cup berries.

- Grab a high quality breakfast bar: Nutrigrain or Nature’s Valley Trail Mix Bars are excellent choices.

- Crush cold cereal in a baggie, add a peeled banana, and coat with the cereal. Pair with a low fat cheese stick.

- Add 1-2 tablespoons of peanut butter to a package of low-sugar oatmeal.

- Create a “breakfast” taco by shredding 2% cheddar cheese on a 6” tortilla and popping it in the microwave for 20-30 seconds.

- Toast a whole wheat English muffin and cover each half with cheese.

Hey Parents: In case you need more evidence that eating breakfast is the way to go, kids who don't eat breakfast are less able to learn at school, get less iron in their diets and are more likely to have a higher body mass index (BMI), which is a sign they may be overweight.
On the other hand, kids who eat breakfast do better in school, are more likely to participate in physical activities and tend to eat healthier overall.
So tomorrow morning, don't run out the door on an empty stomach. Fuel up with a healthy breakfast!