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5-Minute Grapes in Honey-Lemon Sauce

5-Minute Grapes in Honey-Lemon Sauce

5-Minute Grapes in Honey-Lemon Sauce

1/4 C. green grapes

3/4 C. red grapes

2 tsp. lemon juice

1 tsp. lemon zest

2 T. honey

Optional: sliced almonds

 

Remove grapes from stem and place in two dessert dishes.  Mix honey with lemon juice and lemon zest in a small bowl.  Spoon over the grapes and serve.

Apple-Spice Dump Cake

Apple-Spice Dump Cake

1 can apple pie filling (21 oz)

1 box spice cake mix (18 oz)

1 C. melted margarine or butter

1/2 C. chopped walnuts or pecans

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Pour pie filling into greased 9 x 13-inch pan.  Sprinkle dry cake mix over filling.  Pour melted margarine over cake mix and top with nuts.  Bake for 30 to 40 minutes.

 

Yield:

Calories:

Fat:

Fiber:

Impossibly Easy Salmon Pie

Impossibly Easy Salmon Pie

 

1 can (7-1/2 ounces) salmon packed in water, drained and deboned

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1/4 cup sliced green onions

1 jar (2 ounces) chopped pimientos, drained

1/2 cup low-fat (1%) cottage cheese

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1-1/2 cups low-fat (1%) milk

3/4 cup reduced-fat baking and pancake mix

2 whole eggs

2 egg whites or 1/4 cup cholesterol-free egg substitute

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon dried dill weed

1/4 teaspoon paprika (optional)

 

Preheat oven to 375°F. Spray 9-inch pie plate with nonstick cooking spray. Combine salmon, Parmesan cheese, onions and pimientos in prepared pie plate; set aside. Combine cottage cheese and lemon juice in blender or food processor; blend until smooth. Add milk, baking mix, whole eggs, egg whites, salt and dill. Blend 15 seconds. Pour over salmon mixture in pie plate. Sprinkle with paprika. Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until lightly golden and knife inserted halfway between center and edge comes out clean. Cool 5 minutes.

Pierogi Skillet Dinner

Pierogi Skillet Dinner

1 Tbsp. olive oil

1 lb. smoked sausage or Keilbasa

1 box of mini pierogies (I use the potato and cheese but use whatever your family likes)

2 cups of frozen mixed vegetables.

 

Cut the smoked sausage diagonally into 1/2 inch thick slices. Put a large pot of water on high to start it boiling. Once boiling add the frozen vegetables. Stir to prevent sticking. Make sure you don’t overcook the vegetables. You will be adding them to the skillet and they will continue to cook there. You’ll want to bring the water back to a boil so you can add the pierogies into the same water with the vegetables. Heat oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium high heat. Add smoked sausage to oil and cook until browned. While the sausage is browning, it should be time to add the pierogies to the vegetables and water. Be careful…these cook quick. As soon as the pierogies float, strain the vegetables and pierogies. Add the vegetables and pierogies to the skillet and continue to cook until the pierogies brown a little.

Easy Nacho Skillet Dinner

Easy Nacho Skillet Dinner

1 lb. ground turkey or beef

2 C. Progresso® red kidney beans, drained, rinsed (from 19-oz can)

1 (15-oz.) can tomato sauce

1 (11-oz.) can Green Giant® Mexicorn® Whole Kernel Corn, Red and Green Peppers, undrained

1 tsp. chili powder

2 C. slightly broken tortilla chips

4 oz. (1 C.) shredded Cheddar cheese

 

In large skillet over medium-high heat, brown ground turkey or beef until thoroughly cooked; drain.  Stir in beans, tomato sauce, corn and chili powder. Reduce heat to low; simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Sprinkle tortilla chips evenly over beef mixture; top with cheese. Cover; simmer 2 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Easy Stromboli

Easy Stromboli

1/2 lb. lean ground beef

1 (13.8-oz.) can Pillsbury® Refrigerated Pizza Crust

1/4 C. pizza sauce

4 oz. (1 C.) shredded mozzarella cheese

1/4 C. chopped green and/or red bell pepper, if desired

1/4 tsp. dried Italian seasoning

 

Heat oven to 400°F. Spray cookie sheet with nonstick cooking spray. Brown ground beef in medium skillet over medium-high heat until thoroughly cooked, stirring frequently. Drain. Set aside.    Unroll dough; place on sprayed cookie sheet. Starting at center, press out dough with hands to form 12×8-inch rectangle.    Spread sauce over dough to within 2 inches of long sides and 1/2 inch of short sides. Place cooked ground beef lengthwise down center, forming 3-inch-wide strip and to within 1/2 inch of short sides. Top with cheese, bell pepper and Italian seasoning. Fold long sides of dough over filling; press edges to seal.    Bake at 400°F. for 15 to 20 minutes or until crust is golden brown.

Bow Ties with Bacon and Tomatoes

Bow Ties with Bacon and Tomatoes

4 slices bacon, cut into 1″ pieces

1 medium onion, finely chopped (1/2 C.)

1 14.5oz. can diced tomatoes with roasted garlic and onion, undrained

1 14oz. can Chicken Broth

3 C. uncooked bow tie (farfalle) pasta (7oz.)

1/8 tsp. Pepper.

 

In 12″ skillet, cook bacon over medium high heat 8 to 10 minutes, stirring frequently until bacon is brown.  Reduce heat to medium.  Add onion; cook 2 to 3 minutes, stirring often, until onion is tender.  Stir in tomatoes, broth, uncooked pasta and pepper.  Heat to boiling over high heat.  Reduce heat to medium; cook uncovered 10 to 12 minutes, stirring occasionally until pasta is tender and mixture is desired consistency.

Easy Cheesy Beef and Bow-Ties

Easy Cheesy Beef and Bow-Ties

2 1/2 C. uncooked bow-tie (farfalle) pasta (6 oz) 

1 lb lean (at least 80%) ground beef

1/2 C. chopped green onions (8 medium)

1 can (10 3/4 oz) condensed Cheddar cheese soup

1 C. Old El Paso® Thick ‘n Chunky salsa

1 1/2 C. shredded Cheddar-American cheese blend (6 oz)

 

Cook and drain pasta as directed on package. Meanwhile, in 12-inch nonstick skillet, cook beef over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until thoroughly cooked. Drain.  Reserve 2 T. onions for garnish; stir remaining onions, the soup and salsa into beef. Heat to boiling. Reduce heat to medium-low; cook 5 minutes.  Stir in cooked pasta; cook 3 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thoroughly heated. Sprinkle with cheese; cook just until melted. Sprinkle with reserved 2 T. onions.

Philly Cheese Steak Crescent Pizza

Philly Cheese Steak Crescent Pizza

1 (8- oz.) can Pillsbury Refrigerated Crescent Dinner Rolls

8 oz. thinly sliced cooked roast beef (from deli)

1 T. purchased Italian salad dressing

4 oz. (1 C.) shredded mozzarella cheese

2 T. olive or vegetable oil

1 C. coarsely chopped or thinly sliced green bell pepper

1 C. coarsely chopped or thinly sliced onions

½ tsp. beef-flavor instant bouillon

 

Heat oven to 375º F. Unroll dough in ungreased 13×9-inch pan. Press over bottom and ½ inch up sides. Firmly press perforations to seal. Wrap beef tightly in foil. Place both crescent dough and beef in oven. Bake at 375º F. for 10 minutes or until crust is light golden brown. Arrange warm beef over partially baked crust. Brush with salad dressing. Sprinkle with cheese. Return to oven; bake an additional 8 to 10 minutes or until edges of crust are golden brown and cheese is melted. Meanwhile, heat oil in medium skillet over medium heat until hot. Add bell pepper, onions and bouillon; cook and stir 3 to 5 minutes or until vegetables are tender, stirring frequently. Spoon cooked vegetables over melted cheese.

Asian Chicken ‘n Noodle Pouches

Asian Chicken ‘n Noodle Pouches

2 3oz. pkg. chicken-flavor ramen noodle soup mix

2 6oz. pkg. refrigerated grilled chicken breast strips

1 8oz. can pineapple slices in juice, drained and juice reserved

2 medium bell peppers cut into rings (any color)

2 T. soy sauce

Water

 

Heat grill for indirect grilling.  Cut 4 18″x18″ sheets foil; spray with cooking spray.  Insert fork or knife tip into each ramen noodle pad and break into two thinner pads.  Place 1 thin pad of noodles on each sheet of foil.  Top evenly with chicken, pineapple and bell pepper.  FOr each pouch bring up edges, leaving opening in top.  In 2 C. measuring C. mix contents of seasoning packet from 1 ramen soup package, reserved pineapple juice , soy sauce, and enough water to make 2 C.es.  Carefully pour about 1/2 C. into each pouch.  Bring all edges of foil together; pinch to seal tightly.  Place pouches over unheated area on grill; cover grill.  Cook with medium heat 20 to 25 minutes; rearranging pouches after 10 minuts, until chicken is fully heated.  TO serve, loosen edges of foil to allow steam to escape and serve in individual soup bowls.

Beef and Cheese Pasta

Beef and Cheese Pasta

1 bell pepper

1 tsp. oregano

1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning

1 tsp. dried parsley

4 oz. of lean, ground round beef

1/4 cup low fat or nonfat ricotta cheese

1 clove garlic

1 medium fresh tomato

1/3 tbsp. olive oil

 

Prepare pasta-according recipe provide. Angel Hair pasta or any thin spaghetti works well here. Chop tomatoes and bell pepper and mince garlic, set aside. Heat oil in a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Sauté garlic, tomatoes and bell pepper 2-3 minutes or until bell pepper is slightly softened. Add ground beef and cook until brown, stirring occasionally. Add cooked pasta along with oregano, Italian seasoning, parsley, and ricotta. Cook for about 2-3 minutes more. Serve.

Quick Beef and Rice

Quick Beef and Rice

 

1 pound ground beef or turkey

2 cups rice

1 package onion soup mix

4 cups water

1 15 oz. can cream of mushroom soup

 

Brown the ground meat and drain if necessary. Add soup mix, rice, soup, and water and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes, till rice is done.  Options: You can leave out the cream of soup if you don’t have it or just make a simple white sauce. If you don’t have any onion soup mix, sauté an onion and add 2 tsp. beef bouillon instead.

Easy Bleu Cheese Dip

Easy Bleu Cheese Dip

1 C. each Mayonnaise & Sour Cream
1/4 C. Bleu Cheese
1 tsp. Red Wine Vinegar
Dash of Tabasco

Dash of Worcestershire

2 Garlic Cloves Crushed

1 to 2 tsp. fresh herbs finely chopped (chives, parsley, cilantro)

Mix all ingredients and chill.

Snappy Joes

Snappy Joes

 

6 ounces lean ground beef or ground turkey

1/4 C. chopped green sweet pepper

2 T. chopped onion

1/2 C. pasta sauce

2 whole wheat hamburger buns, split and toasted

 

In a medium nonstick skillet cook the ground beef or turkey, sweet pepper, and onion over medium-high heat until meat is brown. Drain off fat. Stir in the pasta sauce. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, for 5 to 10 minutes or until desired consistency. To serve, spoon the meat mixture into buns.

Beef Tips & Noodles

Beef Tips & Noodles

Beef Tips & Noodles

 

1 Package of stew meat

3 packages of brown gravy mix

2 C. of water

1 (small) can of mushrooms – drained

Wide egg noodles

 

The night before, sprinkle stew meat with garlic powder and salt & pepper. Place stew meat in your crock pot in the morning. Add the 3 packages of gravy mix and 2 C. of water, and the mushrooms. Cook on low for about 6 to 7 hours. Serve over hot cooked noodles.

Ravioli Casserole

Ravioli Casserole

1 (25-oz.) pkg. frozen meat-filled ravioli

1 T. olive oil

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 small zucchini, cut into 2×1/4×1/4-inch strips

1 (28-oz.) jar three-cheese pasta sauce

1 (14 1/2-oz.) can Italian-style stewed tomatoes with garlic, oregano and basil, drained

1 (4.5-oz.) jar Green Giant® Sliced Mushrooms, drained

4 oz. (1 C.) shredded mozzarella cheese

 

Heat oven to 350°F. Spray 13×9-inch (3-quart) glass baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. In large saucepan, cook ravioli as directed on package. Drain; cover to keep warm.  In same saucepan, heat oil over medium-high heat until hot. Add garlic; cook and stir about 1 minute. Add cooked ravioli and all remaining ingredients except cheese; stir gently to mix. Pour into sprayed baking dish. Sprinkle cheese over top.  Bake at 350°F. for 25 to 30 minutes or until casserole is bubbly and cheese is melted.

Easy Pesto Pinwheels

Easy Pesto Pinwheels

1 can (8 oz) Pillsbury® refrigerated crescent dinner rolls

1/4 C. basil pesto

1/4 C. chopped roasted red bell peppers (from a jar)

 

Heat oven to 350°F. Unroll dough and separate into 4 rectangles; firmly press perforations to seal.  Spread pesto over each rectangle to within 1/4 inch of edges. Sprinkle with roasted peppers.  Starting with one short side, roll up each rectangle; press edge to seal. With serrated knife, cut each roll into 6 slices; place cut side down on ungreased cookie sheet.  Bake 13 to 17 minutes or until edges are golden brown. Immediately remove from cookie sheet. Serve warm.

Homemade Beefaroni

Homemade Beefaroni

 

1 lb. ground beef

2 14.5 oz cans tomato sauce

1/2 C. grated Parmesan cheese

1/4 C. water

1 T. sugar

1 t. each garlic powder, salt and Italian seasoning

1/4 t. black pepper

1 lb. cooked pasta (I used the new Barilla piccolini ziti, because of it’s closeness in shape to the traditional beefaroni noodles, but any shape would be fine.)

 

Brown ground beef in a sauce pan and drain. Stir in remaining ingredients, except the pasta. Simmer for about 10 minutes, to let the flavors combine. Stir in the pasta until coated. Enjoy!

Stuffed Muffin Recipe

Stuffed Muffin Recipe

You’ll need some sort of corn muffin mix (you can make your own or I use Jif), plus milk & an egg, whatever it calls for. Combine all that, per directions, then add one of the following:

 

1-1.5 C. of diced cooked chicken w/1 C. of frozen mixed veggies

Chopped pepperoni, mozzarella cheese, and a couple of Tsp. sauce for pizza muffins

Sautéed ground beef and cheddar for cheeseburger muffins

Diced hotdogs (about 3) and cheese of your choice for corndog muffins

Taco seasoned ground beef and quesadilla cheese for taco muffins

Leftover roast beef, cheese of your choice, and a couple of Tsp. of gravy

Ham and swiss (my favorite)

 

Basically, add as much or as little filler as you want. My kids prefer lots of filler so every bite has stuff in it. A T. of the mixture should have a bunch of stuff in it, not just be a T. of corn muffin. Spoon it into muffin pans and bake per package directions, yield about 12 regular muffins. These freeze very well. I bake 2-3 batches at once and toss them in the freezer for emergency meals. I put them in the fridge at night to defrost and they are pretty much done by morning, definitely done by lunchtime.

Easy & Creamy Italian Skillet Dinner

Easy & Creamy Italian Skillet Dinner

1/2 lb. ground beef

1/2 onion, diced

1/2 green pepper, diced

1 t. salt

1 t. garlic powder

1 T. Italian seasoning

1 80z. can tomato sauce

1 15oz. can diced tomatoes

1 16oz. container ricotta cheese

1/2 lb. pasta, cooked and drained (I used bowtie pasta)

1 C. mozzarella cheese, shredded

 

In a large skillet, cook ground beef with onions and green pepper. Season with salt, garlic powder and Italian seasoning. Drain when browned. Add tomato sauce and diced tomatoes to skillet. Simmer for 10 minutes. Stir in ricotta cheese until combined. Stir in pasta. Sprinkle cheese on top, cover and remove from heat. Let sit for 5 minutes, until cheese is melted. Serve and enjoy. This is super Stolen Moments friendly. After step 2, place in refrigerator. Warm over low heat on the stove, stirring occasionally. Sprinkle with cheese once warmed and serve.

Easy Salisbury Steak

Easy Salisbury Steak

1 pound lean ground beef
1/3 C. finely chopped onion
1/4 C. saltine cracker crumbs
1 slightly beaten egg white
2 T. 1 percent milk
1 T. prepared horseradish
1/4 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
1 (12-ounce) jar mushroom gravy

Combine beef, onion, cracker crumbs, egg white, milk, horseradish, salt and pepper; mix lightly but thoroughly. Shape into four oval 1/2-inch-thick patties. Heat large nonstick skillet over medium heat until hot. Cook patties 7 to 8 minutes or until centers are no longer pink; turn once. Remove from skillet and keep warm. Add gravy to skillet; heat through. Serve steaks with gravy.

Yield: 4 servings
Calories: 258
Fat: 12g
Fiber: 1g

Easy Meatloaves

Easy Meatloaves

Mix 2 lb. lean ground beef, 1 cup water and 2 beaten eggs and mix & match your recipe from these options …

Stove Top Stuffing Mix Sauce (divided use) Seasonings
Chicken 1/2 cup  Barbecue Sauce 1/2 cup chopped onion
Cornbread 3/4 cup  Salsa 1/2 cup chopped green pepper
Savory Herbs 1 jar (14 oz.) spaghetti sauce 2 cloves garlic, minced
Mushroom & Onion 1 jar (12 oz.) mushroom gravy 1 cup chopped mushrooms
 

Preheatoven to 400�F. Mix ground beef, water, eggs, 1 pkg. (6 oz.) Stove Top Stuffing Mix, 1/4 cup of the sauce and the seasonings. Shape meat mixture into 4 oval loaves on foil-covered baking sheet; top with remaining sauce. Bake 30 min. or until loaves are no longer pink in the centers.

 
  Chicken Cornbread Savory Herbs Mushroom & Onion
Servings 8 8 8 8
Calories 300 280 300 290
Fat 11g 11g 12g 12g
Fiber 1g 1g 1g 1g
Taco Twist Casserole

Taco Twist Casserole

1 lb extra lean ground beef
1 pkg taco seasoning mix
1 can tomato sauce (15 oz.)
1/2 C. chopped green pepper
2 1/4 C. corkscrew macaroni — (6 oz.) cooked and drained
1 C. shredded reduced fat cheese (4 oz.)
1/2 C. light sour cream

Brown beef; drain if necessary. Stir in seasoning mix, tomato sauce and green pepper. Bring to a boil and remove from heatsp. Combine cooked macaroni, 1/2 C. cheese and sour cream and place on bottom of 6×10 inch baking dish. Top with meat mixture and remaining cheese. Bake at 350�for 30 minutes.

Yield: 6 servings
Calories: 338
Fat: 12.7g
Fiber: 1.2g

Note: Serve this relatively high fat family favorite with a salad and a steamed vegetable to bring down the fat % for the entire meal.

Impossibly Easy Cheeseburger Pie

Impossibly Easy Cheeseburger Pie

1 lb. 7% ground Beef
1 C. chopped onion
4oz. shredded low fat cheddar cheese
1/2 C. reduced fat Bisquick
1 C. Skim Milk
1/2 C. Eggbeaters

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Spray 9″ pie plate with cooking spray. Cook ground beef and onion until beef is brown; drain off any fat. Spread in pie plate, sprinkle with cheese (1 C. grated, however many oz. that is). Stir remaining ingredients until blended. Pour into pie plate. Bake 25 minutes or until knife comes out clean.

yield 6 (242 calorie) servings or 4 (363 calorie) servings.

Dump Cake

Dump Cake

1 box (18.2 oz) white cake mix
12 ounce bag of frozen raspberries
12 ounce bag of frozen blueberries
2 cups of diet 7-UP or Sprite

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9 x 13 baking dish with non-stick
spray. Put the fruit while still frozen in the baking dish. Sprinkle the fruit with the cake mix. Pour the 2 cups of diet sprite or 7-UP over the whole dish. Do not stir the mix in, but if there are large clumps, you can break those up. Cover the baking dish with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Uncover the cake and bake for an additional 20 to 30 minutes. You can use any flavor of cake mix and fruit that appeals to you. If you use chocolate cake mix, you can use diet coke or one of the dark colas. 12 Servings.

Pineapple-Glazed Fish

Pineapple-Glazed Fish

1 (8 ounce) can unsweetened sliced pineapple

1 1/2 tsp. cornstarch

1/4 tsp. ground ginger

2 T. honey

2 T. reduced-sodium soy sauce

1 T. lemon juice

4 (6 ounce) fillets orange roughy or haddock

Drain pineapple, reserving juice; set pineapple aside. In a small saucepan, combine the cornstarch and ginger; stir in pineapple juice until blended. Add the honey and soy sauce. bring to a boil; cook and stir for 1-2 minutes or until thickened. Stir in lemon juice. Pour half into a small bowl for serving. Coat grill rack with nonstick cooking spray before starting the grill. Grill fillets, uncovered, over medium heat for 4-5 minutes. Spoon some of the glaze over fillets. Cook 4-5 minutes. Spoon some of the glaze over fillets. Cook 4-5 minutes longer or until fish flakes easily with a fork. Meanwhile, grill pineapple slices for 4-6 minutes or until heated through, basting frequently with glaze and turning once. Serve fish with pineapple and reserved glaze.

Sweet-Hot Coconut Shrimp

Sweet-Hot Coconut Shrimp

1 lb. shelled, deveined shrimp (21 to 31 per lb.), rinsed and well drained

1/2 C. coconut milk

Sweet-hot chili sauce

2 C. thinly sliced English cucumber

 

In a bowl, mix shrimp, coconut milk, and 2 T. sweet-hot chili sauce. Cover and chill at least 1 hour or up to 1 day (see notes).  Thread shrimp onto 8 to 10 soaked wooden skewers (see notes). Place on a rack in a 10- by 15-inch broiler pan. Broil shrimp 3 to 4 inches from heat, turning once, until shrimp are opaque but still moist-looking in center of thickest part (cut to test), 5 to 6 minutes. Arrange the cucumber slices on a platter. Set shrimp on top. Drizzle about 3 more T. chili sauce over shrimp. Serve shrimp hot or cool with remaining chili sauce to add to taste.

 

Yield:

Calories:

Fat:

Fiber:

 

 

Tomato Florentine Soup

Tomato Florentine Soup

1/3 C. diced onion
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 T. olive oil
1 can (14-1/2 oz.) diced tomatoes with basil, garlic and oregano
1 C. chicken broth
1 C. baby spinach, snipped

In saucepan, sauté onion and garlic in oil. Add remaining ingredients. Heat thoroughly and until spinach is wilted. 2-3 servings.

Red Snapper with Lemon and Parsley

Red Snapper with Lemon and Parsley

1 T. plus 1 tsp. olive oil
4 6-oz. skinless red snapper fillets
¼ C. lemon juice
¼ C. parsley, chopped

Heat oil in a heavy nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Season snapper with salt and pepper to taste. Sauté snapper 3 to 4 minutes per side or until fish flakes easily. Carefully transfer fillets to a serving platter. Drain excess drippings from skillet. Stir in lemon juice. Remove from heat and stir in parsley. Serve lemon sauce over red snapper.

Yield: 4 servings
Calories: 215
Fat: 6.8g
Fiber: .2g

Impossible Cheeseburger Pie

Impossible Cheeseburger Pie

1 lb. Ground Beef
1 1/2 C. chopped Onion
1 – 2 BBQ Sauce
1/2 tsp. each Salt & Pepper
1 1/2 C. Milk
3/4 C. Bisquick
3 Eggs
2 Tomatoes, sliced
1 C. Shredded Cheddar Cheese

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Spray 9″ pie plate with cooking spray. Cook ground beef and onion until beef is brown; drain off any fat. Stir in BBQ sauce, and spread into pie plate. Stir remaining ingredients until blended. Pour into pie plate. Bake 25 minutes or until knife comes out clean. Top with tomatoes, sprinkle with cheese; cook another 8 – 10 minutes. Allow to stand 5 minutes before serving.

Easy Baked Beef & Beans

Easy Baked Beef & Beans

2 14 oz. cans baked beans
1 lb. ground beef
1/2 C. diced onion
1/2 C. brown sugar, packed
2 T. ketchup
Salt & pepper, to taste

In a skillet brown the ground beef with the onions. Drain off any grease. In a crock pot or in a 350 oven safe pan place the canned beans, sugar and ketchup. Add browned meat and onions, stir well. Season to taste.

Polynesian Skillet

Polynesian Skillet

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/4-inch strips
1 medium onion, sliced
1 green pepper, chopped
1 tsp. oil
1 15-oz. can pineapple chunks
2 tsp., or two cubes of chicken bouillon granules
1 C. water
1/4 C. vinegar, any type
1/2 C. brown sugar
2 tsp. soy sauce
2 tsp. cornstarch
1 11-oz. can mandarin oranges, drained

In a large skillet, sauté chicken in oil until chicken is lightly browned. If you prefer not to use oil, just spray some cooking spray on the skillet and use the chicken’s natural juices to cook. (These gals are pros.) Add onion and green pepper. Stir fry until vegetables are tender. Add 1/2 C. pineapple juice from the can of pineapple chunks, bouillon, water, vinegar and brown sugar to the skillet and stir. In a small bowl, off to the side, combine soy sauce and cornstarch. Mix well to smooth out any clumps. Stir the cornstarch mixture in to the chicken, vegetables and sauce in the skillet. Simmer until mixture thickens, stirring constantly. This should take 5 to 10 minutes, and the mixture will turn more transparent as it thickens. Add pineapple and mandarin oranges. Serve over rice. Serves 6-8

Pulled Chicken BBQ Sandwich

Pulled Chicken BBQ Sandwich

1 large Rotisserie chicken
1 jar Kansas City BBQ Sauce
1 package of cole slaw mix
1 jar Marie’s Cole Slaw Dressing
6 Slices of Sourdough Bread
1 clove of garlic
3 T. butter
Cheese (optional)

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Chicken – Pull the meat off the chicken and place in a mixing bowl. Pull the chicken apart into chunks. Don’t cut it. It works better if you pull it apart with your hands. Pour 1/2 to 3/4 of the bbq sauce all over the chicken. Stir to coat. Place in lightly greased baking dish. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes, or until hot and bubbly. Cole Slaw – combine bag of cabbage (slaw) with about 1/2 cup of dressing. Let sit in fridge while chicken is in the oven. Texas Toast- Finely dice one clove of garlic. Place in dish with 3T butter. Melt in microwave for about 30 seconds. Brush on slices of sourdough bread. Top with a little bit of shredded cheese. Toast until bubbly and brown on the edges. ASSEMBLY: Toast + Chicken + Slaw That’s it. It’s so easy, and so delicious. This will be a regular in your repertoire. I promise. The slaw on top is what makes it. Don’t leave that part out. Don’t be a cole slaw wimp. Just do it. It makes the sandwich. I promise.

Make Ahead Muffin Melts

Make Ahead Muffin Melts

12 whole Hard-boiled Eggs, Peeled and Chopped
2 C. Grated Cheddar Cheese
1 C. Mayonnaise
12 slices Bacon, Fried and Crumbled
1 tsp. (heaping) Dijon Mustard
1/2 tsp. Garlic Powder
3 dashes Worcestershire Sauce
6 whole English Muffins Split

Combine eggs with all other ingredients. Fold together gently. Cover and store in the fridge overnight. Spread on English muffin halves, then broil for 3 to 5 minutes or until hot and bubbly. (Don’t set them too close to the heating element.) Serve immediately!

Beef & Onion Stir Fry

Beef & Onion Stir Fry

Beef & Onion Stir Fry

 

1 pound beef

1 T. soy sauce

1 T. oyster sauce

1 T. rice vinegar

1 T. sesame oil

1 T. cornstarch

1/2 tsp. sugar

1 T. cooking oil

1 medium onion

 

Slice beef and onions. Combine soy sauce, oyster sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, cornstarch, salt, and sugar in a large bowl or zip lock bag. If you are about to cook it, let it marinade at the very least 15-30 minutes. If you are making this ahead, cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes before cooking. In a large nonstick skillet, add 1 T. of oil over medium-high heat. Add the beef, and stir fry until mostly browned, and then add the sliced onions. Stir fry for about 4 minutes or until onions soften.

Pan-Seared Shrimp with Parsley Lemon-Butter

Pan-Seared Shrimp with Parsley Lemon-Butter

Pan-Seared Shrimp with Parsley Lemon-Butter

 

3 T. butter, softened

1 medium garlic clove, minced

1 T. lemon juice

2 T. fresh parsley leaves, chopped

1⁄8 tsp. salt

2 T. vegetable oil

1 1⁄2 lb. shrimp, peeled and deveined (21/25 count)

1⁄4 tsp. salt

1⁄4 tsp. pepper

1⁄8 tsp. sugar

 

Beat butter with a fork in a small bowl until light and fluffy. Stir in garlic, lemon juice, parsley and 1/8 tsp. salt until combined. Set aside. Heat 1 T. oil in a 12-inch skillet over high heat until smoking. Meanwhile toss shrimp, salt, pepper and sugar in a medium bowl. Add half of shrimp to pan in a single layer and cook until spotty brown and edges turn pink, about 1 minute. Remove pan from heat; using tongs, flip each shrimp and let stand until all but very center is opaque, about 30 seconds. Transfer shrimp to a large plate. Repeat with remaining oil and shrimp; after second batch has stood off heat, return first batch to skillet along with flavored butter and toss to combine. Cover skillet and let stand until shrimp are cooked through, 1 to 2 minutes. Serve with lemon wedges if desired.