Creamy Ziti

This was so cool!!!! It tasted okay but I loved the green color from the spinach. Hunter didn't like this but everyone else gave it about a 7.

Creamy Ziti

1 pound ziti, penne or other medium-size pasta
1/2 teaspoon olive oil
12 ounces lean turkey ham, cut into bite-size pieces
1 red bell pepper(about 1 cup), diced
1 cup non-fat sour cream
1 10-ounce package frozen spinach, thawed and drained well
3/4 cup skim milk
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons minced fresh dill
1 tablespoon lemon juice
3/4 teaspoon hot sauce

Salt and pepper to taste.

Prepare pasta according to package directions. While waiting for the water to boil or while pasta is cooking, warm the oil over medium heat in a large skillet. Add the ham and red pepper and cook until browned.
Meanwhile, puree the sour cream, spinach, milk, mustard, parsley, dill, lemon juice and hot sauce in a food processor or blender until very smooth. Add the puree to the ham mixture and heat to a simmer.

When pasta is done, drain it well. Toss pasta with sauce, season with salt and pepper and serve.

Mexican Stuffed Pitas

These were so good! 

Mexican Stuffed Pitas

1 avocado, sliced into sixths

6 whole-wheat pitas

6 ounces cooked turkey, diced

2 cups lettuce, shredded

1 medium tomato, chopped

3/4 cup Monterey Jack cheese(3 ounces), shredded

Sour Cream Salsa

Mix together the following:

3 tablespoons sour cream

1 tablespoon salsa

1 tablespoon green onions, chopped

Place slice of avocado in pita bread. Then top with turkey, lettuce, tomato and cheese. Finish your masterpiece with sour cream salsa and garnish with green onions.

Low Country Beef and Rice

This was okay...I think I'm burning out on having so many bell peppers though LOL Everyone ate it but no one was thrilled.

Low Country Beef and Rice

1/4 pound extra-lean ground beef

1 stalk celery, chopped fine

1 large onion, chopped

1 small green bell pepper, chopped

1 teaspoon Cajun or Creole seasoning

1 cup oats

3 cups brown rice, cooked

3 medium tomatoes, chopped(1 1/2 cups)

2 11 1/2 ounce cans V-8 juice

In a skillet over medium high heat cook beef, celery, onion, bell pepper and Cajun seasoning in skillet about 4 minutes, stirring frequently, until beef is brown and vegetables are tender. With paper towels, blot any excess grease. Stir in oats well. Then add remaining ingredients. Reduce heat to medium low. Keep uncovered and simmer about 5 minutes.

Pepper Steak

This was really good! We'll definitely be having it again! I love the way bell pepper smells when it's cooking and you're hungry. I served it over brown rice with yummy bread=)

Pepper Steak

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 pound flank steak, cut in 1/4 inch strips

2 cups green pepper strips

1 medium onion, thinly sliced

1 27-28 ounce jar spaghetti sauce(your favorite)

3/4 cup beef broth

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

In a large saucepan over medium-high heat, heat 1 teaspoon of olive oil and cook meat, stirring frequently until done to your liking. Remove meat and pan juices and set aside.

In that same saucepan, add remaining oil and stir in peppers and onion, cooking 5 minutes or until tender, stirring frequently.

Stir in pasta sauce, broth, Worcestershire sauce and meat(plus all those wonderful pan juices) and heat to boiling. Reduce heat and let simmer about 10 minutes or till the sauce reduces slightly.

Mexican Torta

I don't know that any of us just adored this but it was a healthy alternative to the usual fatty mexican dishes and nobody complained too loudly. Salsa and sour cream(low fat) is a must!

Mexican Torta
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 medium onions, chopped
2 cloves garlic, pressed
1/2 pound ground turkey
1 envelope taco seasoning
1 4-ounce can chopped green chiles, drained
16 corn tortillas, cut into wedges
2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1 16-ounce can refried beans(fat-free)
1 7-ounce jar roasted red bell peppers, drained
Salsa, optional
Low-fat sour cream, optional

In a skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat and cook onions till translucent. Add garlic adn cook another minute. Then add turkey, and cook until browned, breaking into small pieces as you go. Add the taco seasoning according to package directions, mixing well and allowing to simmer for a couple of minutes until slightly thickened. Stir in the chilies and set aside.
Heat oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly grease a 10-inch pie plate. Place one-fourth of the tortilla pieces on the bottom of the pie plate(till covered). Spread with half of the turkey mixture; sprinkle with 1 cup of the Jack cheese. Place another one-fourth of the tortillas on cheese; spread with beans. Place yet another one-fourth of the tortillas on beans; top with roasted peppers. And finally , place the remaining tortillas on the roasted peppers and spread with remaining turkey mixture. Top with remaining 1 cup cheese. Cover and bake 30-40 minutes or until cheese is melted and center is hot. Let sit 10 minutes before cutting into your masterpiece.
Can be served with salsa and sour cream, if desired.

Teresa's Hobo Potatoes

I've saved this recipe for two years and finally got around to making it. It was really good! I would definitely have to put the carrots in first next time because just covering it didn't get the carrots to cook right for me. Shar typed up the recipe here.

Turkey Wraps

I want to make these again...the recipe didn't specify what size cream cheese and I only had one size. I would use a 3 oz block next time for sure which would leave room for lots more of the cabbage which was really good in this. I used chicken in these instead of turkey.

Turkey Wraps

6 Tablespoons low-fat Cheddar cheese, shredded

1 Tablespoon thinly sliced green onions

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

1 low-fat cream cheese

6 flour tortillas

1 1/2 cups cooked turkey breast, diced

1 1/2 cups shredded napa cabbage

Combine first 4 ingredients ina bowl; stir well. Spread 3 Tablespoons cheese mixture over each tortilla. Top each with 1/4 cup turkey, 1/4 cup cabbage. Roll up and serve.

Blackened Salmon

This is another recipe from Saving Dinner. I don't like fish and usually it doesn't seem cooked but I figured we could handle blackened fish. I didn't love it but it was good and the seasonings were great.

The kids loved it too so I'll definitely have to make it again someday.



Blackened Salmon



1 Tablespoon paprika

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 teaspoon white pepper

1 teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1 dash cumin

1/4 cup butter (I used 1/2 cup)

6 salmon fillets, (1/2-3/4 inch thick)



Mix dry ingredients on large plate.



In a skillet, melt butter over medium high heat. Pour off all but 3 tablespoons into an 8 inch square pan.

Turn on hood vent and turn heat to high. Dip each fillet in the melted butter(very lightly) and then dip in the dry ingredients, patting the fillets by hand.

In the same skillet, cook fish on each side for 2-3 minutes, being careful when turning over. The fish will look charred-"blackened"-and there may be some smoke, but not enough that you need to call the fire department.

Succotash Soup

When I put this on the menu I really wasn't sure what we'd think of it... I served it with Pumpernickel bread. The kids ate it too but I don't think either was all that thrilled with it.

I am replacing all my old spices as recipes call for them so the cayenne and thyme were freshly opened and tasted fantastic! My only substitution in this recipe was a green bell pepper instead of red for price sake.

Succotash Soup

1 bag frozen lima beans

1 cup water

2 14 1/2 ounce cans chicken broth

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 cup chopped onion

3/4 cup chopped red bell pepper

1/2 cup chopped celery

3/4 cup chopped green onions

2 1/2 teaspoons dried whole thyme

Salt and pepper to taste

Dash cayenne pepper

1 14 1/2 ounce can whole tomatoes, drained and chopped

1 11-ounce can whole kernel corn

Place beans in a large Dutch oven. Cover with water to 2 inches above beans, bring to a boil, and cook 2 minutes. Remove from heat, cover and let stand 1 hour.

Drain beans; add 1 cup water and broth. Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat, and simmer 40 minutes or until beans are tender.

Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, saute 2 minutes. Add bell pepper and celery, saute 2 minutes.

Add green onions; saute 1 minute. Add onion mixture, thyme, and remaining ingredients to bean mixture; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes.

Chicken Pasta with artichokes

I am trying some more recipes from the Saving Dinner cookbook. I had an extra can of artichokes so this one was first. I subbed ww macaroni instead of a medium sized pasta because I had it on hand.

The kids had other things for dinner but we really enjoyed it.

Chicken Pasta with Artichokes
3 cups uncooked fusilli pasta(or other medium-size pasta)
1 6 ounce jar marinated artichoke hearts, undrained
3 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, cut into 1/2 inch slices
2 cups sliced mushrooms
1 clove garlic, pressed
1 7-ounce jar roasted red peppers, sliced
3/4 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup dry white wine, optional(substitute apple juice if not using wine)
1 tablespoon cornstarch
Salt and pepper to taste

Cook and drain pasta as directed on package. Drain liquid from artichokes into 10 inch skillet; heat over medium-high heat. Cook chicken in liquid for 3 minutes, sitrring occasionally. Stir in mushrooms and garlic. Cook about 4 minutes or so, stirring occasionally, until chicken is light brown and no longer pink. Stir in artichokes and peppers.
In a medium bowl, mix broth, wine and cornstarch together till well blended. Gradually stir the borth mixture into the chicken mixture. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly. Boil and stir 1 minute, till thickened. Toss with pasta, salt and pepper to taste and serve.

Chicken Stuffed Poblano Chilies

I bought poblanos that were way too big so the only problem I had was not enough filling but these were really good!!  I've never cooked with poblanos before but wanted to try...cutting the seeds out was the hardest part...especially when Justin wanted to play in the seeds as I was trying to throw them away=)

Recipe came from Mandi's blog here

4 medium poblano chiles
1 large onion, finely chopped
2-3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, diced in 1/2 inch cubes
1/2-1 teaspoon seasoning salt
2 roma tomatoes, finely diced
1/2 cup mushrooms, sliced
2 ounces monterey jack cheese, cut into 1/4 inch cubes (approximately 1/2 cup)
While using gloves, wash the poblano chilies and using a sharp paring knife, cut a slit lengthwise from stem to tip of chile leaving stem in tact. Carefully cut away the seeds and membrane rinse the inside of the chilies and set aside.

In a large skillet over medium high heat, warm 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, add chopped onions and garlic. Cook until onions begin to turn golden, stirring frequently.

Add the diced chicken, sprinkle with seasoning salt and cook until chicken is almost cooked through; add tomato and mushrooms, continue to cook until chicken is done.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and spray a 2 quart casserole dish with non-stick cooking spray. With remaining tablespoon olive oil, lightly oil the outside of the chilies and place them cut side up in casserole dish.

Pack the chicken mixture into chilies and push cheese into mixture along the slit.

Cover dish, place in preheated oven and bake for 35 to 40 minutes; remove cover the last 5 to 10 minutes of cooking.