Cranberry Pumpkin Bread

I found THIS recipe in a cookbook I recently bought and made it just this morning and it was a HUGE hit with the family. It is beyond good!

A Recipe.

I found this recipe last week and made it last night for the family and it was a HUGE hit! It makes a nice summer meal. The dressing was incredible. My fourteen year old actually asked me to make the dressing again to dip chicken in.

Here is the link to the recipe: Oriental Chicken Salad.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

I LOVE this soup! It is so easy to put together in the crockpot and let simmer all day while you do other things. It tastes super yummy and you can add to it other things to make it just right for you!

In your crock pot add:
2 16 0z cans chicken broth
1 can diced tomato
1 can rotel(diced tomatoes with green chili)
6 oz can tomato paste
2 cups frozen corn
3 cups cooked chicken
2 tsp garlic powder
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tsp salt
tablespoon sugar
1/2 tsp dried oregano

Let simmer on low all day, and when ready to serve top with cheese and corn chips. I cheat and use corn tortilla chips, but if you want to make it really special, fry up your own! It tastes ten times more yummy that way I'll admit, but being a busy mom I am usually in a rush and looking for any short cut I can take!
Enjoy!

Crock Pot Sweet and Sour Meatballs

This recipe is a HUGE hit with my husband and sons! I must admit, though not a very big meat eater myself, I REALLY like this one!

For the Meatballs:
1 lb ground turkey(you can use beef I suppose)
about 1/2 cup of bread crumbs, I use fresh
1 egg
1 Tb cornstarch
1 Tb dried minced onion
salt and pepper
mix together in bowl and form into balls. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes turning once. Place in crockpot.

For the Sauce:
mix in bowl:
3 Tb cider vinegar
1/2 cups sugar
1 Tb soy sauce
3 Tb cornstarch

Pour this over meatballs in crockpot.

Cook on low 4-6 hours. I check on it after several hours to be sure the sauce isn't evaporating too much, if it is I add about 1/4 cup water.

About an hour before you plan to eat add some chopped fresh onion and green bell pepper. You can add it during cooking time, but I like mine a little firmer. Also add one can of pineapple chunks with juice.

Serve over rice.

Yummy, Chewy, Home-made Brownies!

I LOVE brownies! They are one of my few food weaknesses. Lucky for me, I don't get to indulge too much, as I had never found a home made recipe I really enjoy. UNTIL NOW!!

In most cases, nothing beats homemade, whether it be desserts, main meals, sauces, whatever. One of those few exceptions in my opinion, would have to be brownies. I just love how the box mixes come out chewy and slightly gooey. SO soft.

All the homemade recipes I've tried always came out dry or cakey rather than chewy. Until I found this recipe! (warning, they are SO good, you can't eat just one!)

2/3 cup butter(softened)
2/3 cup peanut butter
2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
4 eggs
1 cup flour
2/3 cup baking cocoa
2 tsp baking powder

In a mixing bowl, cream butter, peanut butter, sugar and vanilla. Add eggs. Then mix in flour, cocoa and powder.

Bake in a greased 13x 9 inch pan at 350 for 25 minutes. Do NOT over bake!

These are SO yummy! Hope you enjoy them as much as I do!

Chipotle Black Bean Avocado Burgers

The picture just doesn't do this yummy "burger" justice at all. I made these yesterday and even my meat loving husband said "I'd take this over a real hamburger any day." He also hinted the rest of the day how much he'd like another and even suggested we have them for dinner the same night!

I cheated and used Morning Star's pre-made burger as shown above. There are several great recipes on the web for black bean burgers, but I am fond of these, and they are great for those times you don't feel like cooking. The kids can even heat them up themselves. Also, our Costco had a coupon for these making them a great deal!

I also used the "Sandwich Thins" shown above just because they taste good and are so thin you can actually taste whatever you put on your sandwich and not just a lot of thick, fluffy, air filled bread. At 100 calories each, you don't have to feel guilty about eating them either.

First, I cooked the burgers in the microwave according to the directions(2 minutes!) and placed on bottom half of the bun. Then I scooped out an avocado and mashed it up and spread about 1/2 the avocado on top of each burger. I then placed some onions on top of the avocado, followed by a few slices of tomato, lettuce and topped off with a tablespoon or two of chunky salsa. No need for mayo or any other fattening condiments.

These have been a HUGE hit around here, and you can't get much easier for a fast, quick summer meal!

Chicken Breasts With Avocado Salsa

Here is another gem found in one of my old Weight Watchers cookbooks. I like to cook as directed, then break up the chicken and salsa and serve it in warmed corn tortillas. Super yummy!

1 1/2 tsp ground cumin

1/2 tsp garlic salt

1/2 tsp chili powder

4(4 oz) boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 tsp vegetable oil

1/2 cup bottled chunky salsa

1/2 cup diced peeled rip avocado

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro(I omitted this)

1. Combine first three ingredients; sprinkle over both sides of chicken.

2. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken; cook five minutes. Turn chicken, add salsa to pan. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer seven minutes or until chicken is done.

3. Transfer chicken onto individual serving plates. Stir avocado and cilantro into salsa in pan; cook just until thoroughly heated. Spoon salsa mixture over chicken.