Roll Me Out the Door Roll-ups

If you are a big fan of health food, you might as well quit reading this post right now.  Opposed to processed meats and prepackaged convenience foods?  Turn away quickly.  Vegan?  Run screaming in terror.  This recipe is pure, unadulterated junk food.  Perfect, greasy, cheesy, meaty deliciousness.  And some days, that exactly what I want.  I think this recipe was supposed to be an appetizer, divided into 12 small servings, but I served it as a main dish cut into only 5 pieces and still wanted more.  Definitely not my best diet day, but it sure tasted good.  If it hadn't been for my extreme self control, you'd be rolling me out the door right about now.  That, and I had to share with the rest of my equally desirous family.  Next time, I'm making 2.

Club Roll-ups
link to original recipe
Prep time: 15 min  Bake time: 25 min
Serves 5

1/2 lb bacon
1 (11-oz.) can Pillsbury® Refrigerated Crusty French Loaf
4 oz shredded sharp Cheddar or Swiss
2 oz thinly sliced cooked deli turkey 
2 oz thinly sliced cooked deli ham

Heat oven to 350°F. Spray cookie sheet with nonstick cooking spray. Cook bacon until crisp. Drain on paper towel; crumble.

Meanwhile, unroll dough and sprinkle with cheese. Top with turkey, ham and bacon. Starting with long side, roll up dough; press edges to seal. Make 3 to 4 slits in top of loaf. Place on sprayed cookie sheet.

Bake at 350°F. for 23 to 28 minutes or until golden brown. Cool 5 minutes.

509 calories per serving.  Click here for more nutritional info and shopping list! 

Score One for Salad

My child does not like salad in any form.  To be honest, I'm not a big fan myself, but I make it and eat it and try not to whine too much about it because I know it's good for me, but Rachel snubs her nose at anything with the name salad - even fruit salad!  I personally love fruit salads.  Fruit by itself is okay, but there's something about mixing a bunch of it all together with a sweet sauce that elevates it to something extra special.  I've posted several great fruit salads on here in the past, but all of them have had fluffy, creamy, high-calorie fillings that pretty much negate any of the health benefits of eating a big bowl of fruit.  But this salad is actually pretty light, yet still super yummy!  Even better, Rachel ate a whole bowlful without one complaint.  Score one for salad! 

Strawberry Cantaloupe Salad
link to original recipe
Total time: 15 min.
Serves 6

2 cups sliced strawberries
2 cups diced cantaloupe
4 oz diced mozzarella
1 cup raspberries
2 Tbs sunflower kernels
4 Tbs light raspberry vinaigrette
1/8 cup sugar (if desired)
1 Tbs thinly sliced mint leaves (if desired)

In a large bowl, combine strawberries, cantaloupe and cheese. Drizzle with vinaigrette.  Add sugar, if desired, and toss to coat. Just before serving, gently stir in raspberries; top with sunflower kernels. If desired, sprinkle with mint.

172 calories per serving.  Click here for more nutritional info and shopping list!

Bubblicious

Some recipes are just so easy it's almost embarrassing when somebody asks you for them.  I made this recipe several times before I decided to post it on my blog, simply because it's so darn EASY it's practically not even a real recipe.  I mean, come on, there are only 3 mandatory ingredients!  But, my family and I enjoy it so much I knew I had to share it with you.  Of course, you can add anything to it that you like.  I usually divide ours between two pans - one with just pepperoni for the kid and another with lots of meat and veggies for me and the hubs.  It takes almost no time at all to assemble and bakes in about a half hour, so it's great for weeknights, and who can complain about pizza for dinner?  Not this girl, that's for sure.

Bubble Up Pizza
Prep time: 5 min  Bake time: 25 min
Serves 6

2 cans biscuits
1 (15 oz) jar pizza sauce
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1 cup pepperoni (optional)
1/2 cup diced onions (optional)
1/2 cup diced green peppers (optional)
2 Tbs chopped basil leaves (optional)
other toppings as desired


Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cut biscuits into quarters and place in medium bowl. Toss biscuits with pizza sauce. Add pizza topping and half of the cheese. Toss until well blended. Spray a 9x13 pan with cooking spray. Pour biscuit mixture into pan and top with remaining cheese. Bake at 375 for 25-30 minutes, or until biscuits are done.

366 calories per serving (with listed ingredients.)  Click here for more nutritional info and shopping list!

Liquid Taco Love - Taco Soup

We love tacos at our house. Of course, who doesn't like tacos, right? I mean, seriously, what's not to love about spicy beef and cheese, wrapped up in a crispy shell. Tacos are pretty easy, too. Brown some meat, put out some fixings, and let the fam assemble their own dinner. Sounds like a winner to me!

When we first adopted our daughter, Rachel, I remember how excited she would get whenever we were having tacos for dinner, and any time I asked her what she wanted me to make her face would light up with a great big, cheesy grin and she'd yell, "Tacos!!!" But, just like her taste in music has matured from Justin Bieber to One Direction, tacos have lost some of their specialness and we're on the lookout for something new and exciting that will rekindle the thrill of our weekly taco night.

The weather turned a little cooler this week, and I felt the need to break out my fuzzy socks and flannel pj's, so a thick, bubbly soup seemed like just the thing to warm me up. I wasn't planning on making this soup, but when I saw how easy it was and knew I had all the ingredients already in my pantry, I dumped all my taco fixings in a pot and voila! my new favorite form of tacos was born!

Cheesy Taco Soup

Total time: 25 min.

Serves 6

Meat Mixture:

1 lb lean ground beef

Salt & pepper, to taste

1/2 cup diced onion (optional)

1/2 cup diced green pepper (optional)

1 (1 oz) envelope taco seasoning 
1 (10 oz) can tomatoes with green chilies, undrained
1 (15 oz) can of pinto beans or black beans (or a combo)
2 cups frozen corn

1.5 cups milk

Cheese Mixture:

2 Tbsp butter 

2 Tbsp flour
1 cup milk
Salt & pepper, to taste
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Cayenne pepper, to taste

Topping suggestions: Mexican blend shredded cheese, sour cream, diced green onions, corn chips (Fritos)

Season ground beef with salt and pepper to taste (I use about 1/2 tsp each) then brown in a large soup pot over medium-high heat until no longer pink. Add onions and peppers, if using, and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Drain off grease and return to pot.

Add taco seasoning, tomatoes, beans, corn, and 1-1/2 cups milk into beef mixture and stir well to combine. Cook over medium-high heat until almost boiling (you should see just a few bubbles) then turn heat down to low and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Meanwhile, melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat then whisk in flour and cook for one minute. Slowly whisk in 1 cup milk. Switch to a rubber spatula to cook and stir mixture until thickened, about 3-4 minutes. Remove from heat then stir in shredded cheese until smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste (I use about 1/4 tsp each).

Add cheese sauce to meat mixture and simmer a few more minutes until heated through. Add cayenne pepper to taste, if desired (I use about 1/2 tsp.)

I serve this with Mexican blend shredded cheese, sour cream, green onions, and corn chips for topping.

442 calories per serving.  Click here for more nutritional info and shopping list!

Curry-licious Shrimp

I've told you before how the rest of my family does not appreciate curry in any form.  But curry is one of my favorite flavors!  Is it bad that I continue to make curry dishes, hoping they will eventually like one of them?  Maybe it's just selfishness, but I prefer to think of it as my attempt to broaden their taste horizons.  Either way, I don't intend to stop anytime soon.  Fortunately, I think I've finally found a curry dish we can all enjoy!  Everybody cleaned their plates and I even got a compliment out of Allen, my most adamant curry opponent.

This recipe calls for shrimp and rice, but now that I know my family likes it, I will definitely try it with other meats and starches.  You could also add additional vegetables if you wanted.  I served this with a side of sugar snap peas which are one of my favorite veggies.  If you haven't tried them, you absolutely must - they are great raw, steamed, or simmered.

Coconut Shrimp Curry

link to original recipe
Total time: 20 min
Serves 8

For the marinade:
1/2 tsp kosher salt

1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
2 Tbs lemon juice
1 1/2 pounds shrimp, peeled and deveined

For the sauce:
1 Tbs canola oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 tsp ground pepper
1 Tbs minced fresh ginger
1 tsp kosher salt
2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely minced
2 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp turmeric
1 tsp curry powder
1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 (13.5 oz) can coconut milk
1 cup chopped fresh cilantro
8 cups hot cooked rice for serving, if desired

 

For the shrimp marinade, toss the shrimp with the salt, pepper, cayenne and lemon juice in a resealable large bag or in a bowl. Refrigerate for 15-20 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a medium-sized pot, heat the canola oil over medium heat until rippling and hot. Add the onion and cook for 2-3 minutes. Stir in the pepper, ginger, salt, garlic, coriander, turmeric and curry powder. Continue cooking over medium heat, stirring often, until the mixture is very fragrant and the onion is soft and translucent, about 5-7 minutes.

Add the undrained tomatoes to the pot and cook, stirring and scraping up the browned bits from the bottom, for about 1 minute. Increase the heat to medium-high and simmer for 5-10 minutes, stirring often.

Add the coconut milk, stirring to combine. Bring the mixture to a boil and add the shrimp and any accumulated juices from the marinade. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook until the shrimp are curled, lightly pink and cooked through, about 4 minutes. I prefer my sauce a little thicker, so I stirred in a tablespoon of cornstarch dissolved in cold water at this point.

Stir in the cilantro. Serve over hot, cooked rice, if desired.
 
283 calories per serving.  Click here for more nutritional info and shopping list!