Finally! All of my favorite recipes in one spot so that I don't keep losing them! Here are some of my favorites, and some of yours as well. Enjoy.
Sunday, June 19, 2016
Zucchini Boats
Saturday, March 15, 2014
Vegetarian Stuffed Peppers
Okay, so these were a date night invention. I thought they were pretty darn good. When we feed them to the missionaries, they asked for the recipe. Here goes...
1.5 cups wild rice, uncooked
6 sweet red peppers
2 red onions
1-2 tsp. olive oil
4 (or so) large cloves garlic
3/8 cup walnuts, chopped
2 oz. dried apricots, chopped
5 oz. gorgonzola crumbles
Prepare rice as directed.
While rice is cooking, caramelize onions in olive oil. Add garlic once onions begin to soften and turn a nice brown.
Preheat oven to 350F.
Once onions and garlic are nice and caramelized, cut tops off peppers. Hollow out seeds and rind.
Add rice to onions. Mix in apricots and walnuts and gorgonzola. Stuff peppers with rice mixture and place tops back on.
Put peppers in 9x13 dish and fill 1/2 inch full of water. Cover with aluminum foil. Bake 35 to 40 minutes. Remove aluminum foil and bake for 15 more minutes, or until tops are brown to black.
Tuesday, October 29, 2013
Roasted Vegetable Pasta in Lemon Cream Sauce
Before anyone freaks out about the word "cream" here, let me tell you this recipe is super low calorie. And it's filling! It's also really pretty, but my phone really doesn't do it justice. Leah and I made this up on my birthday (because that's what we do around here on birthdays), and it's absolutely lovely. Enjoy!
4 tsp. olive oil, divided
2 small onions or 1 large onion
10 cloves garlic (this number is negotiable, but we really like garlic)
1 head broccoli
1 bunch asparagus
1 pint cherry tomatoes
2 bell peppers (not green)
1/2 tsp. oregano
1/2 tsp. basil
1/2 tsp. thyme
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1/2 tsp. salt (or to taste)
1/4 cup flour
1 1/2 cup water
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
2 cubes chicken bouillon
5 oz. rotini pasta*
2 Tbsp. heavy cream
1. Chop the onions into small pieces. Add to skillet with 1 tsp. olive oil. Crush the garlic. Heat slowly, allowing onions to caramelize.
2. Chop broccoli, asparagus and peppers into bite sized pieces (as shown). Put all three into a bowl with tomatoes and remaining olive oil. Toss with a little salt and pepper to coat. Transfer vegetables to glass baking dish and roast at 450 for 30-40 minutes, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are nice and roasty.
3. While stirring onions frequently, add oregano, basil, thyme, pepper and salt. Once onions are caramelized, add flour (like a roux). Once flour is incorporated, add water, bouillon and lemon juice. Boil until mixture thickens and turn to simmer.
4. Cook pasta according to directions. (We do this simultaneously with step 3.)
5. Once vegetables are nice and roasted and pasta is soft, drain the pasta and remove vegetables from the oven. Add the cream to the sauce. Then add the pasta and vegetables and stir together. Serve hot with a tiny bit of parmesan sprinkled on top.
*We use Barilla white fiber pasta. Trust me, it's worth the extra couple cents (it's still cheap!). It has more protein and fiber than normal pasta but tastes just like your average rotini. It's seriously a miracle.
Calories per serving: 325. Fat: 8g. Carbohydrates: 54g. Protein: 9g. Fiber: 9g. (NOTE: Calories do not include parmesan. We calculated the calories using the Barilla white fiber pasta.)
Thursday, June 27, 2013
Taco Casserole
INGREDIENTS
- 1
- lb lean (at least 80%) ground beef
- 1
- can (16 oz) Old El Paso® refried beans
- 1
- jar (16 oz) Old El Paso® Thick ‘n Chunky salsa
- 1
- package (1 oz) Old El Paso® 40% less-sodium taco seasoning mix
- 2 1/2
- cups coarsely broken tortilla chips
- 1/2
- medium green bell pepper, chopped (3/4 cup)
- 4
- medium green onions, sliced (1/4 cup)
- 2
- medium tomatoes, chopped (1 1/2 cups)
- 1
- cup shredded Cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese (4 oz)
- 1/4
- cup sliced ripe olives (opt)
- 1
- cup shredded lettuce
- Heat oven to 350°F. In 12-inch skillet, cook beef over medium-high heat 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thoroughly cooked; drain. Stir in refried beans, salsa and taco seasoning mix. Reduce heat to medium. Heat to boiling, stirring occasionally.
- In ungreased 2-quart casserole, place 2 cups of the broken tortilla chips. Top evenly with beef mixture. Sprinkle with bell pepper, onions, 1 cup of the tomato, the cheese and olives.
- Bake uncovered 20 to 30 minutes or until hot and bubbly and cheese is melted. Top baked casserole with lettuce, remaining 1/2 cup tomato and remaining 1/2 cup tortilla chips. Makes 5 servings.
1 Serving (1 1/2 Cups)
- Calories
- 510 (
- Calories from Fat
- 220),
- Total Fat
- 24g
- (Saturated Fat
- 10g,
- Trans Fat
- 1g ),
- Cholesterol
- 85mg
- Sodium
- 1720mg
- Total Carbohydrate
- 44g
- (Dietary Fiber
- 7g
- Sugars
- 6g ),
- Protein
- 29g ;
% Daily Value*:
- Vitamin A
- 35%;
- Vitamin C
- 25%;
- Calcium
- 20%;
- Iron
- 25%;
Exchanges:
2 Starch; 0 Fruit; 1/2 Other Carbohydrate; 0 Skim Milk; 0 Low-Fat Milk; 0 Milk; 1 Vegetable; 0 Very Lean Meat; 0 Lean Meat; 0 High-Fat Meat; 1 1/2 Fat;*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.Carbohydrate Choices:
3
Breakfast Skillet
1 medium green pepper, coarsely chopped
1 small onion, coarsely chopped
4 large eggs
1 1/4 c. skim milk
1 (8.5 ounce) box corn muffin mix
1/4 c. drained sliced jalapeño peppers
2 c. shredded cheddar cheese
salsa or maple syrup, for serving
Directions
In a 12-inch cast iron skillet, cook sausage over medium heat on a camp stove, grill or on a cooking grate over a fire. When no pink remains, add green pepper and onion; cook about 5 minutes or until tender. Drain. Remove from heat.
In a bowl, beat together eggs and milk; stir in corn muffin mix and jalapeño peppers until combined. Pour over sausage. Return to medium heat, cover, reduce heat, and cook 10 minutes. Remove from heat; let stand 5 minutes. Sprinkle with cheese. Serve with salsa or maple syrup, if desired. Serves 8.
10% vitamin A
20% vitamin C
30% calcium
10% iron
Calories: 380
Carbohydrate: 27g
Cholesterol: 140mg
Dietary Fiber: 1g
Fat: 23g
Protein: 19g
Saturated Fat: 10g
Sodium: 880mg
Sugar: 9g
Trans fats: 0g
Saturday, January 26, 2013
Jamabalya
Sunday, August 19, 2012
Hamburger Stew
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 cup diced celery
3 c. water
3 medium carrots, peeled & slices
3 medium potatoes, peeled & diced
1 cup chopped cabbage (optional)
28 oz. can tomatoes
1/3 cup barley
1 beef bouillon cube
2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/8 tsp. basil
1 16 oz. can great northern beans (any white or red bean will work) (I didn't drain them but added juice with beans)
Brown ground beef. Add onion & celery and cook until soft. Add remaining ingredients & simmer until barley is tender about 45 min.
I made this tonight & it is so delicious. I'm going to make a big batch & freeze it in small containers for lunches. Only about 150 calories per cup. I only used 1/2 lb of ground beef and it was good. You could use small macaroni, rice or other grains in place of barley. I added the beans, cabbage & barley to the recipe so you can change things up depending on what you have.
Also would be good in a crock pot.
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
Coconut Chicken
Ingredients:
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 cup sweetened coconut
1/2 cup flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp pepper
3 chicken breasts
1/2 cup apricot jam (I used peach and just added a little lemon juice)
2-4 TBSP coarse ground mustard, to taste
cooked rice
canned apricots
Directions:
Preheat oven to 400. Mix coconut, flour, salt, garlic, and pepper. Cut chicken into large strips. Dip into egg mixture, then coat in coconut mixture. Place in a greased pan. Sprinkle any remaining coconut mix on top if desired. Spray top of chicken with Pam as well. Bake 30-40 minutes, until chicken is cooked and coconut is browned a little. For sauce, just mix the jam and the mustard to taste. To serve, pile rice onto plates. Place chicken on top, and pour sauce on top. Lastly, place apricots on the top and serve warm.
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
Zucchini Fritters
Leah and I made these last night and they were YUMMY! Remember, this is from a boy who doesn't even like zucchini. I ate half of them.
2 small zucchini (10 oz. each)
1 large carrot
1 egg
1/3 cup flour
1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. black pepper
Grate zucchini and carrots. With paper towels, dry vegetables well. Mix together all ingredients. Shape into 8 equally sized balls (this is messy). Put four balls in a greased frypan and press balls until flat. Cook them for five minutes, flipping once. Repeat with other four balls.
This makes two GENEROUS servings, each of which are about 270 calories. Yes, you get a lot of food for no calories. Leah and I didn't even eat sour cream on them like we used to on zucchini pancakes.
Note, these fall apart quite easily. In the original recipe, you're supposed to deep fry them in a skillet for five minutes instead of pan cooking them. This would surely crisp them up better, but it means that every two cakes (so four servings instead of two) have 245 calories. Again, this is hardly extravagant.
Monday, November 14, 2011
Michelle's Stuffed Pumpkin
Sunday, September 11, 2011
Pita Pizza (Revised)
Okay, here is the first in a series of healthy recipes that I'll be posting. Leah and I count calories, so I'll be posting calorie counts on these recipes. Leah and I love these, and so does everyone we've fed them to. You can also use it as a main dish or an appetizer. (Leah and I are full after one each.)
4 whole wheat pitas
1/2 cup sundried tomato pesto*
4 roma tomatoes
1 1/2 cup fresh spinach
1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
Salt and Pepper, to taste
Spread pesto on pitas. Top with spinach and tomatoes. Salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle cheeses on top. Cook in preheated oven at 350 for 10 minutes. Then, broil on high for 2 minutes, or until crispy.
That's it! Enjoy! Leah and I also put cubed chicken on these once. We liked it, but we go back to this old reliable version more often. Depending on your pita, tomato, etc., these range from 270 to 300 calories or so.
*What, you don't have a stash of sundried tomato pesto? Well, here's my recipe (revised).
Blend together in food processor until smooth:
8 oz. sundried tomatoes packed in oil, drained
1 Tbsp. minced garlic
2 tsp. dried basil (or fresh equivalent)
2 tsp. dried parsley (or fresh equivalent)
1 packet onion soup mix
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
Sunday, April 24, 2011
Herb Crusted Leg of Lamb

A side note, the sauce for this is REALLY strong, but it is really nice to dip the meat in!
At a traditional Greek Easter dinner, lamb is served medium to well done. If you like it rare, roast it for a shorter amount of time.
Ingredients
2 legs of lamb (9 pounds each), bone in, trimmed of excess fat
1 tablespoon plus 1/4 teaspoon olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 medium head garlic
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1/3 cup brandy
1 1/2 cups Homemade Chicken Stock Homemade Chicken Stock, or canned low-sodium chicken broth, skimmed of fat
Directions
1.Let lamb stand at room temperature for one hour. Heat oven to 325 degrees. Remove all but a thin layer of fat from the lamb. Rub lamb with 1 tablespoon oil; sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Place on a rack in a heavy roasting pan.
2.Meanwhile, rub head of garlic with 1/4 teaspoon oil; wrap loosely in foil. Bake until garlic is very soft, about 1 hour. Let cool.
3.Cut off top of garlic head; squeeze roasted garlic into a bowl. Using a fork, mash garlic to a paste. Add extra-virgin olive oil, lemon juice, oregano, parsley, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper; mix well.
4.Rotate pan after lamb has roasted 1 1/4 hours. After 30 minutes more, slather lamb with roasted-garlic paste. Roast an additional hour (for a total roasting time of about 2 3/4 hours), or until an instant-read thermometer inserted at the thickest part reads 160 degrees. Remove from oven, and let rest 20 minutes.
5.Transfer lamb to a carving board. Pour off fat from roasting pan; place over medium-high heat. Sprinkle with flour, and stir with a wooden spoon. Pour in brandy; scrape up brown bits from bottom of pan. Lower heat to medium; let liquid reduce by half. Add stock, stirring until incorporated. Add rosemary and salt and pepper to taste.
6.Slice lamb; serve with sauce on the side.
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
Thai Wraps
Wonderful recipe from Leah's friend! We made a half recipe tonight and have enough leftovers for two more dinners. They're fairly spicy, but the sauce really mellows that out. We'll surely be making these again!
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
Jamaican Chicken and Potatoes
Jamaican Jerk Seasoning (see recipe below)
3 to 3 1/2 lb whole chicken
2 Tbsp oil
3 medium baking potatoes, cut lengthwise into fourths (I always make extra potatoes)
DIRECTIONS
Make Jamaican Jerk Seasoning. Heat oven to 375. Line roasting pan with aluminum foil. Place chicken, breast side up, on rack in roasting pan. Brush 1 TBSP of the oil over chicken. Rub 2 TBSP seasoning into the chicken skin. Brush remaining Tbsp oil over potatoes and sprinkle with remaining seasoning (I do the potatoes in a Ziploc bag, or a container, and shake them). Place potatoes on rack around chicken. Roast uncovered 60-75 minutes, until potatoes are tender and meat has reached a temperature of 180. Let chicken stand 15 minutes, then carve.
Jamaican Jerk Seasoning
1 Tbsp instant minced onion
2 tsp dried thyme leaves
1 tsp ground allspice
1 tsp ground pepper
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground red pepper (cayenne)
Mix all ingredients. Can be stored in a cold, dry place for up to 6 months.
Thursday, January 13, 2011
Orange Chicken
1 1/2 lb boneless skinless chicken breast, cubed
2/3 cup warm water
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup orange juice
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup ketchup
2 Tbsp white vinegar
5 to 8 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes, or to taste
1/8 tsp cinnamon, or to taste
1/8 tsp cloves, or to taste
1/8 tsp black pepper, or to taste
2 tsp grated orange peel
4 tsp cornstarch
1/4 cup cold water
chopped green onions for garnish, if desired
3 cups cooked white rice
Directions:
Cook chicken in oil until outside is brown and inside is no longer pink, about 10-12 minutes.
Meanwhile, stir together warm water, brown sugar, orange juice, soy sauce, ketchup, vinegar, garlic, red pepper flakes, cinnamon, cloves, pepper, and orange peel until sugar is dissolved.
Add sauce to chicken and bring to a boil. Reduce heat. Cover and simmer 30 minutes stirring occasionally.
Mix the cornstarch and cold water, then slowly add to boiling chicken. Boil and stir 1 minute, or until thickened.
Serve over warm rice and garnish with green onions.
Sunday, April 4, 2010
Torta Rustica
1 lb. sweet Italian sausage, browned
1 large egg separated
8 oz. ricotta cheese
2 packages (10 oz. each) refrigerated pizza crust or regular pie crust (I put chopped fresh basil in mine)
8 oz. mozzarella cheese, shredded
1 jar (7 oz.) roasted red bell peppers
1/2 cup packed fresh basil leaves
Mix egg yolk with ricotta cheese. Set white aside. Take half us pizza dough (or pie crust) and roll it out; line piepan. Top with half of mozzarella cheese and half of sausage. Top with all of bell peppers, ricotta mixture, and basil leaves. Top with remaining sausage and mozzarella cheese. Now, top with other half or dough (or crust). Brush top crust with reserved egg white. Bake at 425 for 25 minutes. After about 15 minutes of cooking, you may want to cover with foil. Voila!
Monday, January 11, 2010
Crockpot Chicken Burritos
2-3 chicken breasts
2 cups salsa
2 cans beans, any kind
Drain and rinse beans. Place chicken, salsa, and beans in crockpot and cook for 5-6 hours. Shred chicken and return to crockpot. Cook another hour. Serve in warm tortillas with cheese, sour cream, more salsa, lettuce, tomatoes, etc.
This is super easy, and pretty good too. It doesn't really taste too salsa-ish, which surprised me. My kids both liked it.
Saturday, November 7, 2009
Carnival Corndogs
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons white sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 egg
1/2 cup milk
1 quart oil for frying
8-10 hotdogs of choice
In a medium bowl, combine cornmeal, flour, salt, sugar and baking powder. Stir in eggs and milk. Insert wooden skewers into hotdogs (I break mine in half so they're short; otherwise they don't fit in my pan). Dry hotdogs with paper towels and roll in batter until well coated. Fry 2 or 3 corn dogs at a time for 3-5 minutes, or until browned. Drain on paper towels.
Sunday, August 23, 2009
French Dip Sandwiches

We love this recipie at our house and have it often! It's easy and fast and makes the house smell sooo good!
1 beef chuck roast (3 pounds), trimmed
2 cups water
1/2 cup soy sauce
1 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 bay leaf
3 to 4 whole peppercorns
8 French rolls, split
Sunday, June 7, 2009
Lasagna Rolls
These were amazing. I think next time I'll try sprinkling a little mozzarella cheese on the noodles right before rolling up. Not hard, and even my kids ate them-spinach, mushrooms, and all!18 lasagna noodles
2 cups marinara sauce
1 Tbsp oil
2 portobello mushrooms, diced
1 cup frozen chopped spinach, defrosted
2 cups diced cooked chicken
1 (15 ounce) container ricotta cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon dried oregano
salt and ground black pepper to taste
2 cups Alfredo sauce
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup pine nuts


