Oatmeal

I love oatmeal.  When the weather starts to turn cold my breakfast routine changes a little.  It is hard to get out of bed in the morning when it is dark and nasty outside.  I'm often a little slower to get moving and make up the time in the kitchen.  It is so easy to stick some oatmeal in the microwave and continue getting ready.  I buy the large containers of plain oatmeal and then eye-ball the measurements when I make it.

Oatmeal
Water
Brown sugar

That is all.  Combine water and oatmeal and stick in the microwave for 1-2 minutes. Stir in Brown sugar and some milk if it is too thick.

I usually add some brown sugar to sweeten it, but other options include: flavored coffee creamer, fruit like frozen blueberries or some sliced peaches, honey, nuts, yogurt, syrup, jam.  The possibilities are endless. 

This is a great breakfast when you are rushed for time but want something that will warm you up and stick with you past 10 am (read: cold cereal).

Ham and Cheese Breakfast Burritos

This easy recipe is good for breakfast or lunch and can be adjusted to personal preference and serving size.

Ham and Cheese Breakfast Burritos

1. Cook hash-browns in a large skillet. 
2. Add a few eggs and scramble them into the hash-browns.
3. Add meat- either left over bacon or ham or we usually just cut up some lunch meat ham and toss it in.
4. Top with some shredded cheese.
5. Wrap it up in a taco shell and enjoy.

Variations:

• Leave out the meat and add salsa on top.  
• If you don't have hash-browns just make scrambled eggs and add toppings. 
• Add any other variety of ingredients that you have around and sound good (ie: onions, peppers, etc)

Pot Roast

What a great Sunday dinner!   We love coming home from church to the smell of a pot roast cooking.  If I'm on top of my game I'll have remembered to get the bread machine going also.  My pot roast recipe is pretty simple.  It changes/adjusts depending on what I have on hand.  Usually my roast is frozen (because I don't often remember to think about those things the night before).  I've read that cooking frozen meat in the crock pot is frowned against because it might not get hot enough fast enough and/or it doesn't turn out as yummy, but I've never had a problem with it. 

Pot Roast

1. Stick the roast in the crock pot, add some carrots, potato chunks and some onion.  I just fill the pot up (about 2/3 full), but we usually end up with more veggies than meat.  So either I always make too much, or we just like the meat better than the potatoes and carrots.
2. Top it off with some sort of seasoning and a little bit of water.   Either a onion soup mix packet, or a beef gravy packet or today's choice was a beefy onion soup mix packet.  I've said it before, and I'll say it again.  I'm not too smart with spices, so I like these packets as a simple and easy way to add flavor.
3. Cook the meat on for 4 hours on high or 8 hours on low.  I check the meat temperature when we get hungry and it is usually plenty warm and falls apart easily so I know its done.

BBQ Chicken Salad

BBQ Chicken Salad

2 large chicken breasts, cooked and shredded

1 cup BBQ sauce

1/2 head Romaine lettuce, chopped

1/2 head Iceberg lettuce, chopped

1 can corn, drained

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 bunch green onions, chopped

1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped (optional)

4 Roma tomatoes, diced (optional)

2 Haas avocados, diced (optional)

shredded cheese, Mexican blend or cheddar

crispy tortilla strips (or chips)

1. Stir shredded chicken in with the BBQ sauce until well coated. I usually do this over heat so that flavor gets cooked into the meat.  Or cook the chicken with the BBQ sauce in a crock pot all day and then shred.

2. Toss together the lettuce, cilantro, corn, beans, and chopped veggies. 

3. Top with shredded chicken, cheese and crispy tortilla strips. 

4. If desired, drizzle ranch or cilantro lime dressing over salad and enjoy!

Chicken Enchiladas

 Chicken Enchiladas

1lb chicken
1 packet of Enchilada Sauce Mix (I usually buy the store brand, it is cheaper)
1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce
1-1/2 cups water
1/2 cup shredded cheese
8-12 flour tortillas

1. Boil the chicken then shred using two forks
2. Make sauce as directed on mix packet (using mix, water and tomato sauce)
3. Mix shredded chicken with 1/2 cup prepared sauce
4. Coat each tortilla with sauce, spoon meat/sauce mixture into tortilla and roll up
5. Place rolled tortillas, seam side down, in baking dish
6. Top with cheese and left over sauce
7. Bake in preheated 350* oven for 15 minutes

Chicken Corn Chowder

This soup is easy to make and relatively healthy but still has good flavor.

CHICKEN CORN CHOWDER:

2 slices bacon (I usually use Turkey bacon because that is what we have)
1/4 c. chopped onions
3 T. water
2 c. low-sodium chicken broth
1 package (10 oz.) frozen corn
2 potatoes, peeled and chopped
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
2 T. flour
2 c. skim milk
2 c. cooked chicken or turkey (light meat), chopped


Cook bacon till crisp in a large heavy saucepan. Drain bacon, wiping drippings from saucepan with a paper towel. Crumble bacon and set aside.
In same saucepan, cook onions in 3 T. water until tender. Add chicken broth, frozen corn, potatoes,  salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and summer until vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes.

Stir flour into milk until smooth. Pour into vegetable mixture and cook, stirring constantly until thickened. Add chopped chicken or turkey and stir over heat 2-3 minutes more, until heated through. Top with crumbled bacon. Makes 6 servings.

NUTRITION (PER SERVING): 235 calories

Total fat: 3 g (11% of calories)
Protein: 28 g (48% of calories)
Carbohydrates: 24 g (41% of calories)
Cholesterol: 50 mg
Sodium: 515 mg

This recipe would be great with other veggies added (celery, carrots, etc) or some added Ham chunks.  

Alfredo Sauce

Great over noodles, on pizza, or as a dip for bread sticks.

2 C low-fat milk
1/3 C (3 oz) low fat cream cheese
2 T flour
1 t salt
1 T butter
3 garlic cloves, chopped finely
1 C grated Parmesan cheese

1. Blend milk, cream cheese, flour and salt in a blender until smooth.

2. In a non-stick sauce pan melt the butter on med-high heat. Add garlic and saute for about 30 seconds.

3. Add milk mixture to pan and stir constantly 3-4 minutes or until it just comes to a simmer.

4. Keep stirring and let it cook for a few more minutes.  Sauce should begin to thicken.

5. Once it is nice and thick, remove from heat and add the cheese.  Stir and then cover immediately.  

6. Let it stand for about 10 minutes before using.  

Stick the left overs in the fridge.  It will thicken when cold, so just add some milk when reheating.  

Taco Soup

This soup can be made quick and easy on the stove top or in the crock pot.

1 lb. ground beef
1/2 c. chopped onion
1 c. water
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can kidney beans
1 can corn
1 8 oz. can tomato sauce
1/2 pkg. taco seasoning mix

STOVE TOP:
In a heavy saucepan cook ground beef with onion. Drain off fat. Then add water, tomatoes, un-drained kidney beans, corn, tomato sauce and seasoning. Simmer together for 20 minutes!

CROCKPOT:
First brown ground been and drain the grease. Then add ground beef and all the other ingredients in the crock-pot (undrained) and cook on low for 4-6 hours.

Top with cheese, sour cream, tortilla chips etc and enjoy!

Cheesecake Bars

Cheesecake Bars

RED, WHITE & BLUEBERRY CHEESECAKE BARS
www.RecipeGirl.com

1½ cups graham cracker crumbs
½ stick (4 Tbsp.) butter, melted
1½ packages (12 ounces) reduced-fat cream cheese
¾ cup granulated sugar
¼ cup lowfat milk
2 Tbs cornstarch
3 large eggs
1 cup fresh raspberries (more or less, as desired)
¾ cup fresh blueberries (more or less, as desired)


1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line an 8×8-inch pan with aluminum foil. Spray lightly with cooking spray.

2. In a small bowl, mix crumbs and melted butter. Press mixture firmly into the bottom of the prepared pan.
3. In a food processor (or with an electric mixer) blend cream cheese, eggs, milk, sugar and cornstarch, just until smooth. Do not overbeat.
4. Pour the cream cheese mixture on top of the crumb crust. Scatter raspberries and blueberries on top.
5. Bake 35 to 40 minutes, or until touch to center feels slightly firm and set.
6. Cool completely before cutting. Use foil to lift cheesecake out of pan and onto a cutting board. Use a thin, sharp knife to cut into clean-looking bars (wiping blade clean with a paper towel between cuts). Refrigerate until ready to serve.


Servings: 16
Yield: About 16 bars


Nutrition Facts
Amount Per Serving
Calories 197
Calories From Fat (51%) 101
Total Fat 11.33g
Saturated Fat 6.44g
Cholesterol 66.97mg
Sodium 128.77mg
Potassium 85.81mg
Carbohydrates 20.17g
Dietary Fiber 0.91g
Sugar 13.19g
Net Carbohydrates 19.26g
Protein 4.32g

WW Points: 5

Apple Crisp

My awesome coworker has an apple tree and "unloaded" a bag full of apples on to me this week.

I decided to take advantage and make some apple crisp.  YUMMY!

Because I had to call my mom to get the recipe and because I still need to figure out a recipe system so I stop "misplacing" recipes and because I still have enough apples to make 10 more dishes and because it is my blog and I can do what I want... here is the recipe in my own words.

1. Peel and core 4 cups of apples.  Place in cooking dish.
2. Mix together the following:
• 2/3 cup Brown Sugar
• 1/3 cup butter
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1/2 cup oats
• 3/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
3. Add mixture on top of apples
4. Bake at 375 for 30-35 minutes

Easy and Simple.



I am no chef and certainly no baker so its nothing fancy, but boy does it smell good!! Nutmeg and cinnamon always remind me of the holidays.  And it tastes yummy too!  Now I just need to get some vanilla ice cream to go with it.