More Peas, Please!

It's 9pm and I've got the munchies.  Am I craving, like usual, the chips I buy "for Allen,"  the cookies I made "for Rachel," or the 100 calorie popcorn packs I get for myself?  Nope, I'm craving peas.  Yup - raw, cold, peas.  Now, before you think I'm a total weirdo and quit reading altogether, notice I didn't say plain peas.  No, I'm craving the creamy, crunchy, bacon-y pea salad I made a few days ago and have been eating nonstop ever since.  I think any dish that makes me crave vegetables has got to be a good thing, so this salad has become one of my favorite summer side dishes.  Plus, it comes together in practically no time at all and makes a ton so it would be great for a potluck or BBQ, or for your 9pm snack -5 days in a row. = )

Crunchy Pea Salad
link to original recipe
prep time: 15 min
serves 12

1/2 cup Italian dressing
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/8 cup sugar
1 (10 oz) bag frozen peas, thawed
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped peanuts
1/4 cup chopped red onion
5 slices of bacon, cooked and crumbled 

Mix together Italian dressing, mayonnaise and sugar in a medium size bowl. Fold in peas, celery, peanuts, onion, and bacon until well mixed. Refrigerate until serving.

I haven't tried this with lite dressing or mayo, but I think it would probably taste almost as good.  I probably wouldn't sub them both out for lite versions, but maybe one or the other.  I'll update this post to let you know how that turns out if I ever try it!

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

Benn-agains Baked Potato Soup

I remember the first time I tried baked potato soup.  It was probably 15 years ago and they had just opened up a Bennigan's in my town.  Their soup was so delicious it instantly became my favorite dish at my new favorite restaurant.  Sadly, no one else in my family developed such an intense appreciation for Bennigan's cuisine, so I figured if I wanted to have baked potato soup more than once a year or so, I better figure out how to make it myself.

I don't remember where I found this recipe, it was so long ago, but it tasted so much like the Bennigan's version I knew it was a keeper, and I've been making it ever since. With this recipe, I can have Bennigan's again whenever I want it.  In fact, I don't think I've even been back there since then, which is sad because they have some great southwestern egg rolls, too, but that's another blog post!  I've made this for friends, family, even important company, and everybody loves it, but the best part is, I don't think any of them would ever guess just how easy it is!

It does require a tiny bit of pre-planning since it's made with baked potatoes, but I've even microwaved the potatoes in a pinch and they tasted fine.  For best results though, lube up your taters with some olive oil, prick them all over with a fork, season with salt and pepper and bake them for about an hour at 350. Don't wrap them in foil - that just traps in the steam and makes them mushy.  You can bake them ahead of time if you need.  When you add them to the soup they'll warm right up.

I always serve this with a nice salad, but I never eat the salad, opting instead for a second bowl of soup.  Actually, I usually make a double batch because I know I'm gonna want some more for lunch the next day.  This makes 5 servings, but that's never quite as much as I want to eat!

Baked Potato Soup

Prep time: 1 hr (to bake potatoes)
Cook time: 15 min
Serves 5

1/4 cup butter or margarine
1 small onion, chopped
1/4 cup flour
1 (14.5 oz) can chicken broth
1 (12 oz) can evaporated milk
3 baked potatoes
Salt & pepper, to taste
4 strips bacon, cooked and crumbled
1/2 cup shredded cheddar
1/3 cup green onion, chopped

Melt butter in a large saucepan.  Add onions and saute 1-2 minutes, till tender.  Whisk in flour.  Gradually whisk in broth and evaporated milk till smooth.  Scoop pulp from one baked potato and mash.  Add to pan.  Cook over medium heat till boiling.  Dice remaining potato skin and potatoes and add to soup.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  Top each serving with bacon, cheese and green onions.

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

A Mouthful of Mmmm

Sometimes, a girl just needs a break from the kitchen. Organized mama that I am, I tend to plan my breaks well in advance--like last night, for instance. I get home from work around 5:15 on a good day, and yesterday we had to be at Rachel's school by 6pm for a back-to-school orientation meeting that could last till 9 for all I knew.  Practically no time to even eat, let alone cook a meal. So I wrote "grab fast food on the way" on my menu and expected to scarf down burgers and fries in the car.

We don't go out to eat a lot, but more than my frugal husband would like, so I should have known he'd have something to say about this grand plan, especially since we just went out to eat like, a month ago and all! Sure enough, he says, "Can't you make a Crock-Pot meal or something?"

Sigh.

"I suppose," I say, dreaming of a nice, juicy McDouble. So, instead of making a run for the golden arches, I scoured my Pinterest Crock-Pot page looking for a recipe I could make without having to go to the store again.

Cans of corn, beans, and tomatoes? Check, check, and check. Cream cheese? You betcha. Boneless skinless chicken breasts? Always. I tell ya, it pays to keep your pantry stocked with the basics! Even better, Allen just happened to bring home a bag of Fritos the other day, and I knew they'd add the perfect touch of crunchiness at the end.

So I tossed it all in the slow cooker and came home that night to a gorgeous bowl of yumminess. I didn't miss the drive-thru even a little bit. Crock-Pot Cream Cheese Chicken Chili is the original name of this recipe, but that is one humdinger of a name, so I prefer to just call it a mouthful of mmmm.

Crock-Pot Cream Cheese Chicken Chili 
Prep time: 5 min  Cook time: 5-8 hrs
Serves 5

2-3 chicken breasts, still frozen
1 (10 oz) can tomatoes with green chilies
1 (15 oz) can corn kernels, undrained
1 (15 oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 (1 oz) pkg. Ranch dressing mix
1 Tbs cumin
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp onion powder
1 (8 oz) pkg. cream cheese, cubed

Serve over rice and topped with Fritos and chopped fresh cilantro, if desired. (And, yes, my cilantro plant is still alive and kicking!)

Pour all ingredients (except rice and Fritos) into Crock-Pot and cook on high for 3-4 hours or low for 6-8 hours.

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

A Better Bagel Bite

Have you ever bought those frozen bagel bites before?  Every time I see them in the store, the picture on the front of the box looks so yummy I can't resist them.  Unfortunately, they don't taste nearly as scrumptious as they look.  Plus, they want like $4 for only a dozen or so bites!  Outrageous.  Especially when I can make them myself in practically no time at all and they taste awesome!

You can make this with mini bagels if you want them as a snack or appetizer, but I like to make them with regular size bagels and serve them for dinner.  Add a veggie or salad and you've got a super quick meal that everybody likes.  Cheesy, chewy, bacony - perfection!  You can also make a pizza version of this by subbing pizza sauce for the mayo and using your favorite pizza toppings.  Yumm-o!

Ham & Cheese Bagel Bites
Prep time: 10 min  Cook time:5 min
Serves 4

1 cup shredded Colby Jack cheese
1/2 cup diced cooked ham
1/2 cup mayonnaise
4 bacon strips, cooked and diced
3 bagels, halved (or 8 minis)

Combine cheese, ham, mayo, and bacon.  Spread evenly over cut side of bagels.  Place on ungreased baking sheet and broil till lightly browned and bubbly.

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

Presto Parmigiano

It's Friday night and that means it's Rachel's turn to make dinner!  I envision relaxing on the sofa while the kiddo happily creates her masterpiece, then tucking into a tasty meal on par with the delicacies I typically dish up myself.  This always ends up being slightly less relaxing for me than I anticipate, what with constantly having to help her find a utensil or an ingredient, incessantly worrying about whether she's about to catch the house on fire, and endlessly answering a million and one inquiries about the tenderness of the pasta or the internal temperature of properly cooked pork.  It usually takes her a lot longer than I expect it to, and it never turns out quite as good as I hope, but gradually she is learning to create a great meal all by herself!

I normally require her to come up with her own ideas, but this recipe I intended to make yesterday and never did, so she happily took the reins when she found out how easy it was going to be.  All she had to to was toss a few ingredients in a pan, let it bake awhile, and voila! Homemade chicken Parmesan!

Chicken Parmesan Casserole
link to original recipe
Prep time: 5 min  Cook time: 40 min
Serves 6

2 Tbs olive oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed
Red pepper flakes, to taste
6 boneless skinless chicken breasts
Salt and pepper, to taste
2 cups marinara sauce
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
8 oz mozzarella, shredded
4 oz Parmesan, grated
1 (6-oz) package garlic croutons (smaller cubes are best)
  
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spread oil, garlic, and pepper flakes in the bottom of a 9 x 13 in pan.  Top with the chicken.  Season chicken with salt and pepper.  Top chicken with the pasta sauce and basil.  Sprinkle 1 cup of the mozzarella and one ounce of the Parmesan evenly across the top.  Add the croutons then the remaining cheese. 

Bake, uncovered, for 35-45 minutes or until chicken is done(155 degrees.)  

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

Wings Easy as Sunday Evenin'

Why is it that dinnertime always comes so fast on Sundays?  I go to church for a couple hours, eat some leftovers, call my momma, and the next thing I know it's dinnertime!  You'd think I'd spend the afternoon whipping up some culinary masterpiece for my family to enjoy, but usually I just watch some mindless TV then panic when 5 o'clock rolls around and I haven't even thawed my meat yet.

This dish is perfect for a lazy Sunday evening because it's practically prep-less and ready in just a half an hour.  Plus, all I have to do is throw it in the pan and let it bake, which gives me a little more time on the couch!  Can somebody say EASY?!  There's only 3 ingredients!  A little heat, a little sweet, and a very unique flavor makes these my new favorite wings.

Honey Garlic Herb Chicken Wings
link to original recipe
Prep time: 2 min  Cook time: 30 min
Serves 5

• 2 1/2 pounds chicken wings 

• 1 pkg McCormick® Garlic & Herb Buffalo Wings Seasoning Mix 

• 1/4 cup of honey

Preheat oven to 450°F.

Place the honey and seasoning mix into a resealable plastic bag.  Place wings into the bag.  Seal bag and shake to coat evenly. (I let my wings marinate in this for an hour just because mine weren't quite thawed yet, but it's not really necessary.)

Arrange wings in single layer on a foil-lined 15x10x1-inch baking pan. (I sprayed my foil with Pam just to make sure they wouldn't stick.)  Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until cooked through.

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

Blueberry Breakfast Bliss

Well, I did it again. I bought WAY too much fruit at the grocery store yesterday. But how can I resist when the blueberries are big and beautiful and only $1.29?!

Blueberries are my hubby's favorite fruit, probably because the tiny town he grew up in had no less than five blueberry farms and you could buy a 10 lb box of them for just a couple dollars in the summer. But he's more of a fruit purist and rarely wants me to waste his precious berries by baking them in a muffin. He likes them plain, sometimes floating in a little cream and sugar, and occasionally in a pie. The problem is he forgets we have them and before we know it they have turned into a pile of blueberry mush.

Well, there's not much you can do with them once they reach the mush stage, but if you find them buried in the fridge just a few minutes before total mushiness, they are still in fine shape to shine in this blueberry delight. Of course, I barely got this week's bounty of berries unpacked before I decided to bake up a pan of this scrumptiousness for breakfast because I prefer my fruit surrounded by cake!

This recipe is called a breakfast cake, probably because it's not super sweet and there's no frosting, but it could totally fill in for dessert in a pinch because the buttermilk keeps it extra moist and rich-tasting. It tastes better than a muffin, and it's easier! In fact, this whips up so fast, I wouldn't even mind waiting for it to bake on a weekday. The kid likes it, the hubs likes it, and occasionally I even save some for them.

Blueberry Buttermilk Breakfast Cake 
Prep time: 10 min Cook time: 35 min
16 servings

½ cup unsalted butter, softened

2 tsp lemon zest (zest from 1 lemon)
1 cup + 1 Tbs sugar
1 egg, room temperature
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups flour, divided
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
½ cup buttermilk*
2 cups fresh blueberries

Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Cream butter with lemon zest and 1 cup of the sugar until light and fluffy. 

Add the egg and vanilla and beat until combined.

Meanwhile, toss the blueberries with ¼ cup of flour, then whisk together the remaining flour, baking powder and salt. 

Add the flour mixture to the batter a little at a time, alternating with the buttermilk. Fold in the blueberries.

Grease a 9-inch square baking pan with butter or coat with non-stick spray. Spread batter into pan. Sprinkle batter with remaining tablespoon of sugar. Bake for 35 to 45 minutes. Check with a toothpick for doneness. If necessary, return pan to oven for a couple of more minutes.  Let cool before serving. (Yeah, I just ate it right away.)

* I like to buy a half gallon of buttermilk, freeze it in ice cube trays, and then just thaw a few cubes as I need them.  To make homemade buttermilk, place 1 tablespoon of vinegar or lemon juice in a liquid measuring cup. Fill cup with milk until it reaches the 1-cup line. Let stand for five minutes. Use only 1/2 cup of the prepared mixture for this recipe. 

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