Tag Archives: cooking

Chicken Caesar Lasagna

  By Rachel | February 28, 2012 - 5:04 pm | Recipes
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I haven’t posted a recipe in a while.  I have been rather lazy with my cooking lately- relying on old favorites and throwing together hodge-podge meals.

But last night, I tried something new, and it was delicious.  We are not normally fans of Alfredo sauce, but I decided to try it and I am pleased to say this recipe has made the cut- and we will be having it again.

I found this recipe through a blog- Stop and Smell the Chocolates.

Here is the recipe:

Chicken Caesar Lasagna

9 dried whole wheat lasagna noodles
2 (10 oz) containers refrigerated light Alfredo sauce- (I used one jar and it still turned out great)
3 tablespoons lemon juice – (didn’t have this so I didn’t use it)
1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper
3 cups chopped, cooked chicken breast
1 (10 oz) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and well-drained
1 cup bottled roasted red sweet peppers, drained and chopped
1+ cup shredded Italian blend cheese (if you don’t have this blend, just use whatever cheese you have- that’s what I did)

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Cook noodles according to package directions. Drain; rinse with cold water; drain again. Meanwhile, in a bowl combine Alfredo sauce, lemon juice, and black pepper. Stir in chicken, spinach, and red peppers.

2. Lightly coat a 3-quart rectangular baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Arrange 3 noodles in bottom of dish. Top with one-third chicken mixture. Sprinkle 1/3 of the cheese over mixture. Repeat layers twice, topping with remaining cheese. Cover; bake for 45-55 minutes or until heated through. Uncover. Bake, uncovered, 5 minutes more or until cheese is melted. Let stand 15 minutes before serving. Makes 9 servings.

*** I did not have anything to cover the dish with in the stove- so I put it in for 30 minutes instead at 325 and kept an eye on it.  It came out great, the top did not burn, and it was nice and warm.

If you try it let me know what you think!

***Direct Link to original recipe post, click here.

Baby Food Basics

  By Rachel | February 13, 2012 - 4:05 pm | Random
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Learning to Eat Baby Food is a ChallengeI am not a natural cook- I must have a recipe- if I try to throw things together, it will be a total disaster.

So, I was a little intimidated when a friend talked to me about making baby food- it sounded really complicated.

She gave me two books to use, and I found them to be very helpful.

 

 

The Healthy Baby Meal Planner   by: Annabel Karmel

Cover of "Healthy Baby Meal Planner"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Super Baby Food    by: Ruth Yaron

Cover of "Super Baby Food"

I think both of these books are fantastic, and they gave lots of great ideas- but they both went above and beyond what I really wanted to do.

I don’t buy tofu- not because I don’t like it, but because we just don’t eat it that much.  I didn’t buy some of the more expensive and rare veggies- because when I cook I never make them.

I stuck with the basic foods- veggies like carrots, green beans, spinach, celery, peas, etc.  You know, the ones you find most often in frozen veggie mixes at the store- that type of thing.  And I didn’t do eggplant and butternut squash- or some of the seafood items- I skipped those two.

I just think I can introduce those foods when my kids get older, and if they like them- great- and if not- they are still getting a well-balanced diet- some foods are just based on preference.

 

This was just my philosophy- I have friends who went all out and I think that’s great too.  I just wanted to let you know if you are like me and don’t really want to and/or are on a budget where buying the more expensive things is a stretch- don’t sweat it.  :)

 

There are a few things I have always kept around when I have a baby in the house.

  • apple sauce
  • chicken broth
  • whole milk
  • whole milk yogurt
  • cottage cheese
  • sour cream

These foods are great for adding to make the consistency more appealing to a baby and also give an extra boost of flavor without being too strong.  With my kids, I have noticed they prefer more bland foods- they esp. didn’t like foods that were spicy or salty.  These are all great options that can make the food a little more “runny” or “lumpy” rather than thick and hard for them to chew and swallow.

I hope that this helps some of you Moms out there, or just encourages you to try to make baby food for your kiddo.  I would freeze the food after I cooked it in ice cube trays for ease in warming it up and when you make it in bulk you don’t feel like you are constantly having to prepare more baby food every week.  Usually in one day I could make food for the whole month.

Please post any questions or advice that you might have about making Baby Food.

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Spinach Mashed Potatoes

  By Rachel | February 11, 2012 - 9:22 pm | Recipes
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Spinach Mashed Potatoes

I was feeling desperate this week.  Dealing with my first somewhat picky eater- and it is so frustrating when I make something and he won’t eat it- and then I am scrounging through the kitchen trying to find something that I know he will eat.

So, I got online and starting looking for some recipes that had veggies and were similar to the consistency of baby food- hoping that I could then make something that the rest of the family could also eat and thereby cutting down on the amount of time I have to spend in the kitchen.

We tried this recipe on Tuesday this week and I LOVE it!  So simple and easy to whip up, all ingredients you probably have around the house already and makes enough for leftovers but you are not “swimming in it.”

I served this with chicken cooked on the stove top.

Here is the recipe from Allrecipes.

Ingredients

  • 1 (10 ounce) package frozen chopped spinach
  • 6 potatoes, peeled and chopped
  • 1/2 cup butter
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • 1 tablespoon chopped onion
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon dried dill weed
  • 1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

Directions

    1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a medium casserole dish.
    2. Cook spinach according to package directions. Place potatoes in a pot with enough water to cover, and bring to a boil. Cook 15 minutes, or until tender but firm. Drain, cool slightly, and mash.
    3. In a bowl, mix the spinach, mashed potatoes, butter, sour cream, onion, salt, and dill. Transfer to the prepared casserole dish. Top with Cheddar cheese.

Bake 20 minutes in the preheated oven, until bubbly and lightly brown.

 

***Link to original recipe, click here.

Apple Cinnamon Muffins

  By Rachel | February 8, 2012 - 6:47 pm | Recipes
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I love muffins in the morning.  They are a perfect mate for coffee, and especially on those days when we are leaving the house early, it is nice to have something to grab for myself and the kiddos so we can munch in the car on our way to the park or a friend’s house.

I have made this recipe for several years.  It is low calorie and made with whole wheat flour- no oil. So it feels good to have something healthy as well as fast and easy. This is a combination of several recipes that I have seen for apple muffins over the years.

Cooking

Ingredients:

  • 1 1/2 c. Wheat Flour
  • 3/4 c. white sugar
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 2 tsp. baking powder
  • 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
  • 1/3 c. applesauce
  • 1 egg
  • 1/3 c. milk
  • 1 apple, peeled, cored, and chopped

 

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Grease muffin cups. Stir together flour-cinnamon.  Mix in applesauce, egg, milk.  Fold in apples.  Spoon batter into muffin cups.

Bake 20-25 min until toothpick or knife comes out clean.

 

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Pot Roast

  By Rachel | February 7, 2012 - 5:09 pm | Recipes
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Pot Roast in the slow cooker is one of my all time favorite things to eat.  The meat is so tender and flavorful, perfect for young kiddos who are still getting their teeth.

It also involves very little prep time and with young kids- usually I just don’t have time- and don’t want to take the time- to prep a dish for dinner. I like simple and easy cooking.

A friend gave me this recipe years ago, and it has been served at our table regularly.

Ingredients:

  • 3-5 lb pot roast (chuck roast)
  • 1 pkg. dry onion soup mix
  • 1 can condensed cream of mushroom soup (or golden mushroom)
  • 6 potatoes (cut in chunks)
  • 2 cups baby carrots
    Pot Roast
  • 1 yellow onion, chopped
  • 2 stalks celery (cut in chunks)
  • 1 can beef broth
  • 3 cloves of garlic (or more if you like garlic)

Directions:

Place pot roast in slow cooker, top with all other ingredients, cook on low for 6-8 hours till meat is fully cooked and tender.

 

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Basic Baked Spaghetti

  By Rachel | February 6, 2012 - 10:00 pm | Recipes
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On those days when life is so crazy and I haven’t had time to think about dinner, let alone get to the grocery store, I love that I can fall back on this family favorite.  So simple, takes about 45 min. and then you are ready to eat- about 10 min prep time and then throw it in the oven.

Found this on Allrecipes.

Ingredients

  • 3/4 pound lean ground beef
  • 1 (16 ounce) jar spaghetti sauce
  • 1 pound spaghetti
  • 1 cup shredded mild Cheddar cheese

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). In large skillet, cook hamburger until brown. Mix spaghetti sauce into skillet. Reduce heat and simmer.
  2. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Mix in pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.
  3. Mix together spaghetti and meat mixture, pour into 9×13 pan. Top with cheese and bake for 30 minutes, or until heated through and cheese is bubbly.

***Direct Link to recipe, click here.

Taco Dip

  By Rachel | February 6, 2012 - 9:11 pm | Recipes
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All right, I know you all are getting ready for your superbowl parties tomorrow.  Head out to the store or scrounge in your cabinets and pull together these ingredients for an awesome dip to serve with your favorite chips.  This has been a family favorite of ours for years- I got this recipe from my Mom.

Ingredients:

  • 8 oz. can bean dip
  • 8 oz. cream cheese
  • 8 oz. sour cream
  • 1 lb ground beef
  • 1 package Taco Seasoning
  • 1/4 c. water (add water slowly, may not need it all)
  • 1-2 Tomatoes, finely chopped
  • 1 sm. onion (optional) chopped as fine as you desire
  • Black Olives (optional)
  • Guacamole (optional)
  • 3 cups cheddar cheese (any kind of cheese will work and use amount you wish)
  • Your favorite Chips for dipping

Method:

Preheat oven to 325.

Mix bean dip, cream cheese, and sour cream- layer in the bottom of 9×13 pan.  Brown meat, drain.  Add taco seasoning and water to meat and mix.  Layer meat over cream cheese layer. Chop tomatoes and onion, layer over meat mixture.  Add any other extras- black olives, guacamole.  Top everything with layer of cheese.

Put in oven and warm until cheese melts and heated all the way through.  Eat and Enjoy!

Tortellini Soup

  By Rachel | February 6, 2012 - 8:49 pm | Recipes
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I have no idea who the original person was who thought up this delicious recipe.  My friend Erin shared it with me years ago, and I don’t know where she heard of it- but she raved about how delicious it was so I decided to give it a try.  This quickly became a favorite for the whole family.  Very easy to make and only six ingredients!

Ingredients:

  • 1 T butter
  • 1 rounded tsp. minced garlic (or more if you love garlic like we do)
  • 32 oz. chicken broth
  • 1 block frozen spinach, thawed
  • 1 15 oz. can diced tomatoes
  • 8 oz. dried tortellini

Directions:

Saute garlic in better until browned. Add chicken broth and bring to a boil.  Add tortellini and reduce heat. Simmer for 10 minutes. Add spinach and tomatoes and simmer 5 more minutes. Top with Parmesan if desired.

Calories per serving: 275, 6.5 grams of fat–This recipe makes 6 servings.

Stir Fry Soup

  By Rachel | February 6, 2012 - 2:21 am | Recipes
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I found this delicious recipe through The Frugal Girls on FB.  But the original poster of this recipe was actually a blog called BruCrewLife.  I was pleasantly surprised with how delicious and simple this soup turned out to be.  I chose it b/c of the veggies included in the recipe and the ability to be flexible in choosing a mix that appeals to my kiddos.
It also comes to together very quickly with minimal prep time.
Stir Fry Soup
2 Tbsp. Italian dressing
1 lb. sausage
1 carton chicken broth (32 oz)
1 pkg. (16 oz.) frozen stir fry veggies (use what you like)
1 can white kidney beans, rinsed
1 can Italian style diced tomatoes, undrained
1 c. macaroni noodles, uncooked
dash of oregano
cheese for topping
Place sausage and dressing in a large saucepan and cook on medium heat until meat is cooked, stirring occasionally. Add oregano, broth, frozen veggies, beans and tomatoes and bring to a boil on high. Stir in macaroni. Reduce heat to medium and cook for 8-10 minutes. Serve topped with cheese. Makes 8 – 1 c. servings.
***Direct Link to this recipe, click here.

Tamale Pie

  By Rachel | February 5, 2012 - 5:06 am | Recipes
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This is another recipe brought to you by Crockin’ Girls.  The first time we had this dish, we had our first week of really cold weather and this was the perfect warm, soothing meal.  And, of course, the most important test- the kiddos loved it.  I made a few changes and will make a note of that in the recipe.

Ingredients:

1/2 pound lean ground beef

1 medium onion, chopped (1/2 cup)

2 cups red kidney beans (from 19-oz can), drained, rinsed (**I used black beans instead)

1 can (10 ounces) enchilada sauce (**my kids don’t like spicy so we got mild sauce)

1 pouch (6.5 ounces) cornbread & muffin mix

1/3 cup milk

2 tablespoons margarine or butter, melted

1 egg

1/2 cup shredded Colby-Monterey Jack cheese (2 ounces)

1 can (4.5 ounces) chopped green chilies, undrained

1/4 cup sour cream

4 medium green onions, chopped (1/4 cup) (**not an essential ingredient- I have left it out)

Directions:

1. In nonstick skillet, cook beef and onion over medium heat about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until beef is brown; drain. Stir in beans and enchilada sauce.

2. Place beef mixture in 3 1/2- to 4 1/2-quart slow cooker. In medium bowl, stir cornbread mix, milk, margarine and egg just until moistened (batter will be lumpy). Stir cheese and chiles into batter. Spoon over beef mixture in slow cooker.

3. Cover and cook on low heat setting 5 to 6 hours or until toothpick inserted in center of cornbread comes out clean.

Serve with sour cream and green onions.