Smoothie Addiction

The hubs and I recently decided to purchase a new blender. This makes blender number 4 or 5, I believe, since we've been together. We don't have good luck with them. I blame the hubs and his manhandling. So we opted to try again... with a new rule. I'm the only one allowed to use it. 
With summer on the way, and pinterest filled with delicious blended drink recipes, this became a very important purchase. 
So once we selected the machine, we decided to grab a few ingredients for one of our favorite treats. Smoothies. After grabbing some fresh fruit, vanilla yogurt, etc, we headed home to try out our new toy. 
Now, my hubs likes his smoothies to have a lot of icy crunch. (Think Slush Puppy texture.) Me, I prefer to stay true to the smooth in smoothie. But that's the beauty of smoothies... there is no wrong way to make them. So I proceeded to cut up some fruit and whip some up. They were delicious. And healthy! Over the next few days, I did a little research into popular recipes and discovered TONS of new ingredients and mixes. I have a grocery list a mile long of things I want to try. Peanut butter, kale, spinach, oats, various fruit combinations... the list is endless. Now I know the green smoothies are all the rage right now, and that's great and all, but I prefer my smoothie to be sweet and dessert-like. And not green. So I will try adding small amounts of various healthier things to the fruits (and maybe veggies) I love, but I'll have to be extra sneaky if I want the hubs to drink it. 

I really like the idea of breakfast smoothies. Especially when I'm pressed for time. I rarely eat breakfast, and I know how bad that is, so smoothies are a great solution. I can even make them the night before and keep them in the fridge. And so far, I've found they stick with me much longer than my other fast grab options, like donuts, Pop-Tarts, or a Snickers. 
If you haven't realized it by now, I have a rather enlarged sweet tooth. And the hubs makes mine look dainty. We like our sugary treats. But the older we get, and the slower our metabolism gets, we know we need to start making better, healthier choices. So we're trying to replace ice cream with a fruit smoothie. I may even buy some frozen yogurt or sherbet and try some sweeter recipes. Or add a little alcohol for a tasty adult drink. The possibilities are endless. And I want to try them all. Having been blender-less for the last several years, I feel obligated to make up for lost time. And luckily for me, there is an entire world of smoothie addicts out there, ready to share their tried and true custom blends. So I will happily join them, and share my newest (and favorite so far) concoction. This is what I am currently sipping away at while I type, and the smoothie pictured above. Try it and let me know what you think.

My Berry Best Smoothie Yet
1/2 cup Five Alive juice (orange juice will work, also)
Generous handful of fresh raspberries
Generous handful of fresh blueberries
Generous handful of fresh strawberries
1 chunked banana
A large scoop of low fat vanilla yogurt
A large scoop of unsweetened apple sauce
Blend until smooth and enjoy! 
*I wanted to add some honey, but was sadly all out. 

Mini Cheesy Chicken Pot Pies

This in another muffin pan dish (yes, I love these) although I  will definitely use my jumbo muffin pan the next time. They are delicious either way though. So if you don't have a jumbo size pan, no worries.

Ingredient List:

1 can biscuits
1 package boneless, skinless chicken breasts/tenderloins
1 bag frozen veggies, thawed
 (I used california mix, but any will work.)
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 can cream of chicken soup
salt & pepper

Heat oven according to biscuit directions. Cook your chicken however you prefer. I did mine in the crock pot with a packet of dry soup seasoning for several hours, but you could boil it, grill it, fry it, etc. Whatever works for you. Once it is cooked, shred the chicken & place into a large mixing bowl. Add the can of soup, salt & pepper, cheese and veggies. I cut my veggies up into smaller chunks, but that might not be necessary, depending on your choice of vegetable. Stir everything up together and make sure it is well blended. Press a biscuit into each well greased muffin cup (use 2 biscuits if you are using jumbo muffin pans) making sure to work it up the sides. Fill up each biscuit with your chicken/veggie mixture and bake for about 15-20 minutes or until biscuits start to brown & cheese is melted. Pop them out & they are ready to enjoy.
***The cost of this meal is about $8 and easily feeds 4. Leftovers are so easy to store and reheat and make great adult lunches. This is another easy to make ahead & freeze dish for busy folks. Hope you like it! XOXO

Mufffin Pan Pizzas!!

Perfect mini deep dish pizzas. Who knew?! All these years, I have been using my muffin pan for, well... muffins. Well, not anymore! All this week I have been making Pinterest inspired dinners, and if you haven't noticed, I am loving these muffin pan, individual serving dishes. Not only are they quick and easy, but clean up is a snap and they are so fun to serve. Leftovers? Perfect! Grab 1 or 2, heat them in the microwave, and you have a fast and delicious lunch, dinner or snack.
Planning a Super Bowl party? How great would these be? You can make all different styles to suit many tastes, and kids and adults would love them.

Ingredient List:

1 package pizza crust (any kind will work, or use biscuits)
pizza sauce
shredded mozzarella cheese
your choice of toppings

Grease your muffin pan very well. Press a small amount of dough into each cup. Make sure to work it up the sides, but try not to go over the top of the cup, or it may burn. I opted to brush each one with melted butter and sprinkled parmesan cheese & italian seasonings on top, but that is up to you. Drop a spoonful of sauce into each cup, top generously with your mozzarella cheese, then add your toppings. I made pepperoni & hawaiian style. For the hawaiian, I sliced up lunch meat syle ham and added crushed & drained pinapple. The best part about these is that there is no wrong way. If you are making them for a party, make several different styles. Or let guests pick their own toppings before you bake. It's up to you.
Once you have your toppings on, bake according to your pizza crust directions. Once done, they should pop right out of the pan and be ready to serve. Yum!

***Do you have kids? Make several of these ahead of time & freeze them in individual portions. When kids want a snack after school, all they have to do is grab a couple & heat them up. No one will want pizza rolls again after they've had these tasty treats.

Homemade Mac & Cheese! (My version)

Let me start by saying I LOVE macaroni and cheese! Seriously. But I'm not a huge fan of the box ones. (Velveeta Shells & Cheese being the exception.) So I decided I'd roll up my sleeves and make my own. From scratch. Yes, you read that right. The problem was, every recipe I found was made with fancy cheeses or weird sauces. Fancy cheese is great for appetizers, but I like my mac & cheese old school. So... here is my version. It is as basic & easy as can be, but it is DELICIOUS! I'd like to note that this is a comfort food. It is not a healthy recipe, so if you are looking for low fat, fat free, heart healthy, etc. You are going to want to look somewhere else...

Ingredient List:

1/2 box pasta (I use cellentani style, because I like the shape, but any pasta will work.)
1 stick of butter (or margarine)
1 can cheddar soup
Milk (1 can full)
1/4 cup of parmesan cheese
salt & pepper
Shredded cheddar cheese (however much you like)
1/2 sleeve of crackers, crushed (I use town house style.)

Start by cooking your pasta per package instructions.
While pasta is cooking, in a large bowl, mix your soup, milk, parmesan cheese, salt & pepper, and stick of butter (melted).
Make sure it is blended very well. Once pasta is cooked and drained, put it back into the hot pan & pour your soup mix over top. Stir it together very well & pour it into a 2 quart baking dish. Sprinkle a generous helping of the shredded cheddar cheese on top, followed by your crushed crackers. Bake in a 400 degree oven for about 25 minutes, or until cheese is melted & begins to brown.
This is very creamy & the crushed crackers add a nice buttery crunch. Serves at least 4.
**Try using broccoli cheddar soup instead, along with added veggies for a different twist. Or add chicken or beef for a casserole style meal. There is no wrong way to make this, so feel free to mix it up. It's your dinner, make it how you want it. :)

Corn Dog Muffins!!

Not only are these delicious, but they are incredibly easy to make. Since I rarely (and by rarely, I mean never) cook from scratch, I made these using a box corn bread mix. If you love to cook or have an awesome corn bread recipe, use it.

Ingredient List:

1 box Jiffy Corn Bread Mix (this mix requires milk & an egg)
5 hot dogs cut in half

I used paper baking cups in my muffin pan, because it makes clean up a snap, but feel free to grease yours & skip the cups.
Start by making your corn bread following the directions on the package. Fill cups about halfway. Place one half of hot dog in the center of each cup & bake per corn bread instructions.
That's it! No really, that's it. This couldn't be simpler and the cost was about $1.50. It makes 10 muffins and a great meal for kids or parties.
I served mine with my homemade mac & cheese and had the best comfort food meal EVER! Enjoy!

Crock Pot Chicken & Dumplings!

This is a recipe I found on Pinterest, but made very minor changes to. I never follow a recipe exactly, but this one is as close as I've ever come. :)
It's another 5 ingredient dinner, which I love, but also a Crock Potter, which I LOVE! Cost for this meal is less than $10 and would feed a family of 4. Because it's made in the crock pot, it's a great dinner for working parents.

Ingredient List:

1 package of boneless, skinless chicken breasts or tenderloins
2 cans cream of chicken soup
1 can of biscuits
2 Tbsp butter or margarine

**I added diced onion, sea salt & pepper, also. Feel free to add veggies or any seasonings you prefer.

Place chicken, soup, butter and seasonings into the crock pot, blend together well. Add water until chicken is well covered. It will cook down, so don't worry if it seems thin/watery. 
I added my chicken frozen, so if you forgot to thaw it out the night before, no worries. Cook on High setting for a minimum of 5 hours. If you work and are worried about leaving it for more than 6 hours, use the Low setting and it will be just fine.

About an hour or so before you are ready to eat, open your can of biscuits & tear them into chunks. (I tore mine in half, because I like my dumplings a little bigger.) They will fluff up as they are cooking, so keep that in mind. Toss them into the crock pot, stir the mixture to get your biscuit chunks well covered so that they absorb the juices for better flavor. Put the lid back on and if you haven't already, I recommend adjusting your heat setting to Low. In about 45 minutes to an hour your meal will be ready to eat. (I left my dumplings in for about an hour and a half & they were perfect, but some people prefer them a bit less done. This is entirely up to you.)

Your finished meal should look something like this.
This is one of the BEST chicken & dumpling recipes I've ever tried and by far the easiest. Having been raised in a southern cooking family, I am a bit fussy when it comes to my favorite comfort foods, and I give this dish 4 stars. My hubby also loved this and he's not even much of a chicken & dumplings fan. (Had I known this earlier in the relationship, I might have reconsidered. I mean who doesn't like C & D?)
This is also a great meal to make in larger quantities for family gatherings and parties. Just double or triple the ingredients and you are good to go. So try this one out today & I guarantee you will be adding it to your family's meal rotation. Enjoy! XOXO

Super Healthy Vegetarian Lasagna Rolls

This is a 5 ingredient meal that is healthy and delicious!

These are your 5 ingredients:
Whole Grain lasagna noodles
Frozen (chopped) spinach
shredded mozzarella cheese (low fat is better)
1 can of pasta sauce (your choice)
16 oz. container of cottage cheese

Start by cooking the pasta as directed on package. (About 10 noodles for a 13x9 dish) While pasta is cooking, combine the spinach (thawed & drained) with the cottage cheese. I added some low fat parmesan cheese to mine as well, but it is up to you. Once the pasta is cooked, make sure it is dry, then lay the noodles out on a sheet of wax paper. Scoop a spoonful of your cheese & spinach mixture onto the end of each noodle, then roll them up. I poured a little of my pasta sauce in the bottom of my baking dish, then placed each roll (seam side down) into the dish. Then pour the remainder of your sauce on top, cover with a generous layer of  shredded mozzarella cheese and bake in a 400 degree oven for about 30-35 minutes. (Or until cheese begins to brown on top.)
Each roll is a perfect little serving, no cutting or mess. I served mine with some garlic bread and we had a delicious, healthy dinner. Even my meat eater hubby gave this recipe 2 thumbs up. :)

This is a great recipe for a family on a budget, as well. Total cost for ingredients was around $8 and would easily feed a family of 4. Also, great meal to make ahead & freeze individual portions for adult lunches. Try adding shredded chicken for a different twist. :)

Ultimate Kitchen Helper!

OK, so anyone who knows me, knows I love to eat, but hate to cook. I am all for shortcuts and quick meals. As we all know, the prep work can be the biggest time consumer. This is a great product & it makes cooking a snap.

Kroger brand All Natural Recipe Beginnings. They come in many varieties (these are my faves) and are chopped, cut and ready to go. No time, no tears! (Insert angels singing here) They are inexpensive and so delicious. I use them in the skillet, oven and crock pot and they make any meal better. Try them today!

Berry Favorite Salad

This is my absolute FAVORITE salad and it has become a favorite among my friends & family as well. I hope you like it as much as I do, and feel free to mix it up and make it your own.

Berry Favorite Salad

Ingredients:
Iceberg lettuce
Baby spinach leaves
Diced cucumbers
Strawberries (cut into bite sized chunks)
Raspberries
Feta cheese
Sliced almonds
Tri-color tortilla strips
Top with Light Raspberry Vinaigrette dressing

*I didn't add measurements or quantities because it varies, depending on how much or how little you are making and since there's no wrong way to make a salad, just use your best judgement. Enjoy!