Turkey Chilli with a side of Pumpkin Cornbread

Sorry about the pictures... Iphone.. It's been too dark to take good pictures... so I just whip out my phone! Here's what we had last night! Fast, easy, delish, and healthy!... if you only have one piece of that cornbread you see... woops I had 5.. not good! haha


This turkey recipe is super easy:

1 package of lean ground turkey
1 can black beans drained (Black beans are really good for the brain!)
1 can corn drained
1 can rotel (I used medium) (rotel has tomatoes... so that's good for your heart!)
1 tbsp of taco seasoning (I used hot)
some cheddar cheese for topper

Cook turkey meat until brown then add the taco seasoning and mix. Then add all the cans, and let simmer for about 15 minutes.





Pumpkin Cornbread Recipe adapted from: Iowa Girl Eats

If you cut into squares it makes about 20 servings each serving comes in at about 71 cals..

Ingredients:

1/2 cup pumpkin puree

1/3 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 cup milk (skim, 2%, buttermilk or almond)

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup yellow cornmeal

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Combine pumpkin, sugar, eggs and milk in a bowl. Add salt, baking powder and flour. Whisk to combine. Add cornmeal and whisk to combine.

2. Pour cornbread batter into a greased, 8×8 baking dish and bake for 25 minutes, or until toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

This cornbread is more about the amazing texture, you can't really taste the pumpkin.. because there are none of those spices in it.

Pumpkin Woopies!!

These are always a hit on my side of the family so I finally asked my older sister for the recipe so I could bring some to my husbands family!! And I actually made them! And they actually turned out good!!! yes!! Most of the time I ask for a recipe I change my mind and do something different or nothing at all... not this time though! Everyone loved them and raved about them, makes a person feel good ya know?





These come in at about 300 calories for one woopie, so worth it! I think I had about... 3 of these christmas day.. woops!

Recipe
Pumpkin Cookies:
2 eggs
2 cups light brown sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin
3 cups flour
1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt

Filling/Cream Cheese Frosting:
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
4 to 5 cups confectioners’ sugar (I used 4 and it was just fine)

1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Beat the eggs, brown sugar, oil, and vanilla extract in a mixing bowl until smooth. Stir in the pumpkin. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, pumpkin spice, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the egg mixture a half cup at a time, blending each time until smooth.

2. Drop a heaping tablespoon of batter onto an ungreased cookie sheet, using a moist finger or the back of a spoon to slightly flatten each mound. Bake the cookies for 12 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.

3. Meanwhile, make the frosting. Beat together the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla extract in a bowl until light and fluffy. Mix in the confectioners’ sugar a half cup at a time, until the frosting is spreadable.

4. To assemble the pies, turn half of the cookies bottom side up and spread a generous amount of cream cheese frosting on each one. Top them with the remaining cookies (turned right side up). Makes 10 to 14 Pilgrim Pies. (mine made 24 with some frosting left over) (Oh and don't store in the fridge)

Cookies and Cream Fudge

This fudge was a huge hit at the christmas gathering!! yay!! I love how simple it was. I love the way it looks too!



Recipe Mostly adapted from: Fake Ginger

18 ounces white baking chocolate ( I used 2 bags of white chocolate chips)
1 (14-ounce) can of sweetened condensed milk
3 cups Oreo cookies, chopped (broken up by hand so the fudge comes out prettier! ;))

Line an 8 x 8 inch pan with parchment paper.

Put white baking chocolate and sweetened condensed milk in a saucepan over low heat and stir frequently until chocolate is completely melted. Stir in Oreo cookies. Pour mixture into the prepared pan. Refrigerate for 2 hours or until set. Slice and bring to room temperature before serving.

Shrimp Teriyaki Noodle Bowl

This is a healthy dish that comes together quick! yes!! And it turned out soo soo good!


Sorry about the horrible picture... I had to take it with my iphone.. Oh well I had to share this recipe with you all. It was my first time cooking shrimp and it turned out perfect! yes!!


Recipe serves 4 and runs about 290 cals per serving... but I think it may be less..

Ingredients

1/2 package of whole wheat spaghetti
2 cloves of garlic minced
1/2 cup low-sodium teriyaki sauce
frozen broccoli (enough to fill the bottom of a large skillet
16 oz of frozen shrimp
1 Tbsp of olive oil
crushed red pepper
cayenne pepper
onion powder

Directions: The second time I make this it will go alot smoother since I know what I'm doing now.. haha.

1. Get out a large sauce pan that has a lid. Fill the bottom up with frozen broccoli , then fill bottom with water just enough to steam the broccoli, bring it to a boil then cover with lid for 6 min, a bring down to med-high heat. Then add 1 tbsp olive oil and sautee garlic for 30 seconds til fragrant. Take off burner and add crushed red pepper, cayenne pepper, and onion powder.
2. Meanwhile mince the garlic and cook spaghetti according to the directions on the package.
3. Rinse the shrimp off with cold water in a colander. When the pasta has 3 more minutes left to cook add the shrimp in. Then empty pasta and shrimp in the colander.
4. Add pasta and shrimp to the broccoli and garlic pan. Then add the 1/2 cup of teriyaki sauce and toss till mixed in.
5. Enjoy!

Sweet Potato Sausage Skillet

Wow this dish was amazing! I was so scared at first because it's something different you know?.. and I added my own twist on it so I was even more scared.. haha you know how that can go. Anyways I'm so excited to share this dish with you! Because it's different and good! Can't beat that! and perfect for this time of year!








Recipe Mostly Adapted form: Healthy Cooking magazine pg 22 Sep 27,2010 issue

Ingredients : Got about 4 good servings out of this, says serves 8 with 1-1/4 cup equaling 253 cals, I could have got 6 good servings if I added another link of sausage.. oh well..

3 cups whole wheat spiral pasta
2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled
2 turkey sausage links (I'm definately going to add another link next time)
1 medium green bell pepper
1 Tbsp olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 can (14 1/2 oz.) diced tomatoes, undrained
1 cup half and half cream
2 tsp of light brown sugar
cayenne pepper
crushed red pepper
onion powder

Directions:

First preheat oven to 450 degrees, peel the sweet potatoes, slice into thin circles to make chips like these . Then toss in a bowl with 1 Tbsp of Olive oil. Place on a baking sheet covered in aluminum foil and spread out and sprinkle ground pepper and a little salt. Bake on 450 degrees for 8 min then flip and cook for 7 more min. Take out and set aside.

After you put the sweet potatoes in the oven, go over to a cutting board and chop up the green bell pepper and garlic cloves.

Cook pasta according to package directions.

And then in a large nonstick skillet, cook the green bell pepper till softer than hard.. then add the sausage links( I didn't remove the casing.. or cut them.. next time Im going to try and keep the casings on but definately slice the sausage up before cooking..) It actually said to do that in the original recipe.. to slice into 1/4 inch slices.. darn next time! Cook sausage until brown on both sides then add the minced garlic and cover with a lid for 5 min.

Stir in the tomatoes, cream, sweet potatoes ( I kind of cut each chip into two pieces so before putting them into the pan) , 2 tsp brown sugar, cayenne pepper, crushed red pepper, onion powder. Let heat through then add the drained pasta to the skillet and stir into skillet!

Enjoy! and tell me what you think !!

Chicken Quesadillas with Turkey Bacon and Avocados!

Wow!!! Talk about better than a restaurant!?... I think so!! These were so so good! Amaziness!





Now make sure you have that homemade hot sauce right by your plate with a spoon. It makes these even more special!







This was before the cheese was added, just wanted to show you the goods.. mm


And if you care to know... 1 tortilla turnover ( quesadilla cut into 3 slices ;)) clocks in at around 365 calories when you count that butta mmk ;)

Recipe Mostly Adapted from: Kevin and Amanda

4 medium-sized flour tortillas ( mine were 110 cals each)
1 lb chicken, cut into bite-sized pieces
salt and pepper
5 strips of turkey bacon, cooked & crumbled (35 cals each)
1 avocado, diced ( 1 oz equals 45 cals, there is about 2 oz in one)
mild cheddar cheese, shredded ( 110 for 1/3 cup, I used maybe 1/4 cup for each tortilla)
2 tbsp butter ( 1 Tbsp of smart balance is 80 cals, and I used 1/2 Tbsp for each tortilla)

With a side of easy hot sauce that my mother in law taught me!! :)))
Blender
1 can of hunts tomato sauce
1 can rotel
2 to 3 spoon fulls of sliced jalopenos
season with onion powder, garlic powder, and pepper.
Then blend all together!


First we need to cook the chicken (I used frozen boneless skinless chicken breast and dethawed for about 30 min in zip lock bags in hot water works great for me everytime) After breast are defrosted cut into strips so they cook faster. With non stick spray, spray a baking dish then season chicken with garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, and ground pepper and bake in a 375 degree oven for 15 min. When the chicken has about 8 min left, start cooking the bacon in a large skillet set aside when done and break into pieces. After the chicken is done cooking cut into bit size pieces.

Add about 1/2 tbsp butter to the skillet over medium heat. When foamy, add a tortilla and swirl it around to get it nice and buttery. Layer one side of the tortilla with chicken, bacon, avocado, and a little cheese. Use tongs to flip the other half of the tortilla over and press down. Cook the tortilla for about 1-2 mins on each side or until golden brown and crispy.

Repeat with the rest of the tortillas, adding a little more butter for each tortilla as needed. Eat & enjoy!

Makes 4 quesadillas.

Banana Pancakes

I was talking to my older sister this morning about how I hate that I can't sleep in when I'm starving! And she was like "well are you going to cook your usual instant oatmeal?"... umm yes... how did you know!?! I crave that stuff It's so good and it's easier than a big mess in the kitchen like I was about to make... ! It's the brown sugar maple oatmeal that I have posted on here before. Anyways I got online to see what I could find that would pull me away from my usual oatmeal.. and I found banana pancakes! yesss!!! And I had all the goods! The last time I made pancakes they tasted like a saltine, no joke. But no not these! yess!! They were pretty good, if only my banana was a little more ripe.. oh well next time. My husband gave them a 7 1/2.. that'll do people that'll do! He said if they had nuts in them the score would go up.. alright alright whatever.




I tried one with regular syrup and the other with honey.. cause I loooove peanut butter, banana, and honey sandwiches.. so I tried it.. and syrup won!


Let's take a closer look shall we! :)


Came in at about 124 calories each! yess!!!



Ingredients:
1/4 cup flour
1/4 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 tablespoon brown sugar
7/8 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 egg, beaten
1/4 cup skim milk
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 ripe bananas, mashed (leave a few chunks)

Directions:

1 Combine flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking powder and salt.
2 In separate bowl, mix together egg, milk, vegetable oil and banana.
3 Stir flour mixture into banana mixture; batter will be a little lumpy.
4 Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium high heat.
5 Pour or scoop batter onto pan, using about 1/4 cup for each pancake.
6 Cook until pancakes are golden brown on both sides.

The goods ;)


The batter ;)


1/4 cup into the skillet


Flip it

Paprika Chicken & mushrooms with a side of Mashed Garlic Potatoes

So I was hyperventilating about this dinner all day before making it, because I had never even thought about making mashed potatoes before. And I was like how am I suppose to make mashed potatoes AND chicken and mushrooms at the same time!!? I was thinking great!!! why didn't I ever feel like helping my mom make the mashed potatoes again..?? uhhh! Good thing I found a fabulous recipe to help calm my nerves. Man was it good for my first time!! I need to work on my timing though, because the mashed potatoes were mashed and ready to be served right before I started cooking the chicken and mushrooms. The chicken and mushrooms turned out sooo good! The mushroom sauce went so well with the spices. And it's always a good feeling when the person you are sharing the meal with finishes the whole thing :)



When my husband asked what was for dinner last night I said chicken marsala, and he goes isn't chicken marsala suppose to be kind of redish? I was like crap... Im the cook ok! haha. I just couldn't make my self spend $12.00 on an ingredient (marsala wine). Maybe one day I will, because I love chicken marsala at italian restaurants. Then I can just eat it all week for left overs so I don't feel so bad...




Hehehe you see that mushroom lookin at me? haha. Love stuff like that. Anyways this was my first time to even think about making mashed potatoes. And man did they turn out just the way I love them!! Yess!! They were creamy and not like a gritty dry texture which I was most worried about yuck!

Paprika Chicken and Mushrooms
Adapted mostly from: All Recipes

Ingredients
4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
1 teaspoon paprika (woops I used way more than just a teaspoon... alright next time I will fix this.. )
salt and pepper to taste
1 pinch garlic powder
1/4 cup butter
1 onion, sliced into thin rings (I didn't have an onion )
1 pound fresh mushrooms, sliced
1 can of condensed cream of mushroom soup

Directions
Pound chicken breasts to 1/2 inch thickness. Sprinkle both sides of each chicken breast liberally (doesn't liberally mean alot? I guess that's why I used more than a teaspoon.. woops!) with paprika, salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Arrange chicken breasts in the pan, cover, and cook for 10 minutes (I'm pretty sure my chicken was done after just 10 min because it did come out a tiny bit dry.. but still good). Turn chicken breasts over, and layer the thinly sliced onions (I omitted onions) and mushrooms on top of the chicken (and added 1 can of condensed cream of mushroom soup, because a reviewer said so.. ). Cover, and cook for 10 minutes.
Remove lid, and mix onions and mushrooms into the butter sauce. Reduce heat to low, and cook uncovered for 5 minutes (ummm I didn't cook for another 5 min.. I was hungry..).

Nutritional Information
Amount Per Serving Calories: 260 | Total Fat: 14.4g | Cholesterol: 91mg


Mashed Red Potatoes With Garlic and Parmesan Recipe Adapted from: Food.com

Servings Size: 6
203 calories per serving

Ingredients

2 1/2 lbs red potatoes, unpeeled,quartered ( I used 8 medium, and it made alot!)
3 cloves garlic, peeled (next time I'm going to roast these to really bring out the garlic flavor, to do that just drizzle olive oil over them and cook for 45 min in a 350 degree oven)
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup milk ( I used skim milk)
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

1 Put potatoes and garlic in lg pan.
2 Cover with water.
3 Bring to a boil.
4 Reduce heat and simmer for 25 minutes, until potatoes are tender.
5 Drain well.
6 Mash with the butter, milk, and salt.
7 Stir in the parmesan cheese.

Puffy Snickerdoodles!!

I did it I did it!! I have been wanting to make snickerdoodles for foreeever!!! Thanks to Jessica over at How Sweet It Is and her super simple yummy looking recipe I decided to give it a try! And they turned out great!







For the recipe go to: How Sweet It Is

Healthier Chicken Parmesan

My husband said he is liking my italian dishes!! :)) And so am I! We at this last night with a side of frozen broccoli and cheese.



Mostly Adapted from: tbwap off tastespotting

Ingredients:

2 Boneless skinless chicken breast cut in half (I used three, and attempted to cut in half but I'm not good at that yet.. but I tried and it kind of worked..)
3/4 cup of Panko bread crumbs (I used italian bread crumbs, and I think I used about half of this, because there was about half left.)
1/4 cup of gerated parmesan cheese
2 Tbsp smart balance melted

Directions:
Preheat oven to 450°(I wasn't sure about this so I put my oven on 350 . Spray a large baking sheet lightly with cooking oil.

Combine breadcrumbs and Parmesan cheese in a low bowl.

Melt the margarine in another bowl. Lightly brush it onto the chicken, then dip into breadcrumb mixture.

(next time I am going to season the chicken before adding the butter and breadcrumb mixture. It needed just a little bit more taste.)

Place on the (cooling rack) that's on the baking sheet and repeat with the remaining chicken. Lightly spray a little more cooking oil on top and bake in the oven for 20(my chicken was good to go at 15 min) minutes. Turn chicken over, bake another 5 (I did 3 min on the other side) minutes.

Remove from oven, spoon sauce over chicken and top with mozzarella cheese.

Bake 5 ( I probably should have done it for 8 min, my cheese was not all the way melted but I was hungry! woops! and it's probably because my oven was set at 350.. if it was at 450 it would have been good..) more minutes, until cheese is melted.