Breakfast Smoothies: Triple Berry Freeze, Frozen Banana Latte, Spicy Mango-Orange Slush

Breakfast Smoothies: Triple Berry Freeze, Frozen Banana Latte, Spicy Mango-Orange Slushhttp://pinterest.com/pin/63543044712345561/

Weight Watchers "caramel Apple Fluff" Recipe

Weight Watchers "caramel Apple Fluff" Recipehttp://pinterest.com/pin/254664553903251374/

Drunken Cheesy Bread recipe

Ingredients

• butter for the pan


• 1/2 baguette, cut into 2-inch slices


• 1/2 small yellow onion, thinly sliced


• 1/8 pound thinly sliced cooked ham


• 3/4 cup white wine


• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper


• 1 1/2 cups (6 ounces) grated Gruyere

Directions

1. Heat oven to 400° F. Place the bread in a buttered ovenproof skillet, a 9-inch square baking dish, or a casserole. Scatter the onion and ham over the bread. Pour the wine over the onion and ham and sprinkle with the pepper and Gruyère.


2. Bake until the cheese has melted and begun to brown at the edges, about 20 minutes. Spoon onto individual plates.

Nutritional Information

• Per Serving


• Calories 306Calories From Fat 29%

• Fat 10g


• Sat Fat 6g


• Cholesterol 38mg


• Sodium 373mg


• Carbohydrate 31g


• Fiber 1g


• Sugar 1g


• Protein 15g

Shrimp Scampi Recipe

Ingredients

• ¼ Cup of Butter


• 2 Teaspoons of Dijon Mustard


• 1 Teaspoon of Lemon Juice


• 1 Clove of Garlic – Minced


• Fresh Parsley


• ½ Pound of Jumbo Shrimp – Uncooked, deveined, Try and Keep Tails Attached

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 450


2. In a medium sauce pan – melt butter in the pan – add garlic, lemon juice , dijon mustard, and 1 teaspoon of parsley diced


3. Add Shrimp – lightly mix together and place into a 8×8 casserole dish


4. Bake uncovered for 15 minutes


5. Serve with pasta ( if you serve with pasta – in a low heated skillet add everything from the casserole dish and add cooked pasta) mix well together


6. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon of parsley over the dish and enjoy !

 

Zero Points Soup. A Weight Watchers Must.

This soup was a lunch time staple for me while I was on Weight Watchers. I am a little picky with my veggies but this is the version I make for myself. Feel free to add any of your favorite free veggies.

Ingredients:

6 cups nonfat beef broth
3 cups green cabbage, Diced
1 1/3 cups carrots, Sliced
1 cup onion, Diced
4 garlic cloves, Minced
1 cup green beans
2 tablespoons tomato paste
3 stalks celery, Diced
1 bell pepper, Diced
2 cups mushrooms, Sliced
2 cups broccoli, Chopped
Directions:

1
Add all the ingredients into a large pot or slow-cooker.
2
Feel free to add any other Zero Points Vegetables (Weight Watchers).
3
Simmer until Veggies are cooked.
4
Season to taste.
5
Note: Depending on my mood I will exchange the Beef broth for Fat-Free Chicken Broth or Fat-Free Vegetable Broth.

Healthy zucchini cakes

Each scrumptious morsel is totally satisfying and packed with vitamin-rich zucchini, yet strikingly low in calories, carbs, and fat.

Ingredients:

• 1 large zucchini, grated


• 1 large egg


• 1 c. panko bread crumbs


• Salt and pepper to taste


• 1 tbsp. Adobo spices


• 1/2 c. Parmesan cheese, grated

Instructions:

Remove excess liquid from freshly grated zucchini by placing them between paper towels and squeezing. In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients. Mix thoroughly. Heat a large pan on medium, and spray with Pam. Shape spoonfuls of the zucchini batter into 2-in. (diameter) patties, and drop onto the sizzling pan. Cook each side for about a minute and a half, or until the outside is golden brown. Finish the cakes off in the oven. Stick them on a baking pan and broil them for 1-2 minutes. Serve hot, alone or with ranch dressing.

Makes about 12 cakes.

Make-Ahead Roasted Vegetable Burritos

Makes 8 burritos

Ingredients:

1 small head broccoli (about 1/2 pound)
1 small head cauliflower (about 1/2 pound)
1 large carrot
1 yellow onion
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon chili powder, optional
1 cup rice, brown or white
1 15.5-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed (about 1 1/2 cups)
2 cups shredded cheese (5 to 6 ounces)
2 cups crumbled tofu, shredded chicken, or shredded beef (meat should be cooked prior to assembling the burritos)
8 large burrito-sized flour tortillas (9 to 10 inches wide)
Optional extras: sliced avocado, sour cream, salsa, hot sauce, sliced scallions

Instructions:

Pre-heat the oven to 450°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment or a Silpat.

Chop the broccoli and cauliflower into bite-sized florets and stems. Chop the carrot into small pieces. Slice the onion through the root into wedges.

Toss all the vegetables together with the olive oil and salt, then spread in a single layer on the baking sheet. Roast until the vegetables are tender but still have some bite and have developed brown spots, 15 to 20 minutes. Stir the vegetables occasionally while they're roasting.

Remove the wedges of onion and roughly chop them into small pieces. Return the onion to the vegetables. Taste and toss with chili powder (if using) and additional salt if desired. Set aside.

While the vegetables are roasting, prepare the rice according to your package directions or following our instructions for cooking brown rice or white rice. Once cooked, fluff and set aside.

To assemble the burritos, wrap one or more tortillas in a clean, damp dishcloth and microwave for about 20 seconds to soften. (This helps prevent the tortillas from cracking when you roll them.) Lay the tortilla on the counter and layer about 1/4 cup of cheese, about 1/4 cup rice, about 1/4 cup black beans, about 1/4 cup vegetables, and about 1/4 cup crumbled tofu on the lower third of the burrito. Any extras can go on top. Don't worry too much about the exact amount of each component: aim for 1 to 1 1/2 cups total filling per burrito.

Roll the burrito tightly by folding the sides over the filling, then rolling from the bottom up. (See How to Wrap a Burrito.) If you're not eating the burrito immediately, wrap it tightly in foil and refrigerate for up to 12 hours; don't refrigerate burritos for more than 12 hours or they start to get soggy. Burritos can also be assembled, wrapped in foil, and frozen for up to 3 months. Individual burrito components can be refrigerated for up to a week.

→ To heat just-prepared burritos or refrigerated burritos: cover with a damp paper towel and microwave at high power for 1 minute, until heated through. (Unwrap refrigerated burritos before heating.)

→ To heat frozen burritos, unwrap, cover with a damp paper towel, and microwave at high power for 2 minutes. Flip the burrito over, cover again, and microwave for another 1 to 2 minutes, until the burrito is heated through.

Cinnamon Chocolate Churro Cupcakes

Makes 12 cupcakes.

Ingredients:

Cinnamon Cupcakes:
1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons cornstarch
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup almond milk
1 teaspoon cider vinegar
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Mexican Chocolate Pudding Filling:
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 cup sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 1/2 cups whole milk
3 ounces good quality semisweet or dark chocolate, coarsely chopped
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Chocolate Whipped Cream Frosting:
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tablespoons whole milk
1 teaspoon meringue powder
Pinch of cream of tartar
Pinch of cinnamon
1 cup chilled whipping cream

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large bowl, sift together flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.

Combine almond milk and vinegar and stir to combine. Whisk in sugar, oil, and vanilla. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the wet ingredients. Mix until relatively smooth. Fill cupcake liners with a scant 3 Tablespoons of batter (cups should be just under 2/3 of the way full). Bake for 20-22 minutes or until set, and toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Transfer to cooling rack and allow to cool completely.

To prepare filling, combine the cornstarch, sugar, salt, and cinnamon in the top of a double boiler or a heatproof bowl set over a larger pot filled with 1 inch of water. Slowly whisk in the milk, scraping the bottom and sides with a heatproof spatula to incorporate the dry ingredients. Place over gently simmering water and stir occasionally, scraping the bottom and sides. Use a whisk as necessary should lumps begin to form. After 15 to 20 minutes, when the mixture begins to thicken and coats the back of the spoon, add the chocolate. Continue stirring for about 2 to 4 minutes, or until the pudding is smooth and thickened. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla. Transfer to a small bowl and cover, gently pressing a layer of plastic wrap against the surface before refrigerating (this will prevent a skin from forming). Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and up to 3 days (ahem, good luck with that).

For frosting, whisk powdered sugar, cocoa powder, milk, meringue powder, cream of tartar, and cinnamon in large bowl until smooth. Cover and refrigerate until well chilled and ready to use, 30 minutes to 1 hour. Using electric mixer or a stand mixer with a whisk attachment, gradually beat chilled cream into chocolate mixture. Continue beating until stiff peaks form.

With a small pairing knife cut out cones from the tops of cupcakes approximately 1 inch in diameter. Set aside but do not discard. Spoon approximately 1 tablespoon of filling into each cupcake (you'll have extra pudding, so grab a spoon). Replace top and press into place (it helps to remove a bit off the base of the cone piece to help it sit more level on the filling - tasties for you). Pipe on whipped cream frosting, taking care to cover up all seams. If desired, sprinkle with a bit of cinnamon sugar prior to serving.

Strawberry Eggnog Baked French Toast - French toast is so much better when drenched in eggnog for an effortless make-ahead breakfast!

Strawberry Eggnog Baked French Toast - French toast is so much better when drenched in eggnog for an effortless make-ahead breakfast!http://pinterest.com/pin/408138784952193462/

easy valentines cupcakes

easy valentines cupcakeshttp://pinterest.com/pin/66568900716050991/

How to stop the burning sensation after eating spicy food? (& Enter to Win a Spicy Giveaway)

How to stop the burning sensation after eating spicy food? (& Enter to Win a Spicy Giveaway) http://pinterest.com/pin/151926187404113381/

Keep Calm & Have a Cupcake

Keep Calm & Have a Cupcakehttp://pinterest.com/pin/146578162842521569/

Wine categories.

Wine categories.http://pinterest.com/pin/112238215687755071/

crockpot balsamic chicken - pinned this recipe already, but like how the whole recipe is listed in this version

crockpot balsamic chicken - pinned this recipe already, but like how the whole recipe is listed in this versionhttp://pinterest.com/pin/192247477817899049/

Inside Out S'mores Bars

INGREDIENTS

called eggs, oil and water for on brownie mix box

1 box Betty Crocker FAMILY SIZE (for 9x13 pan) Fudge Brownie Mix

7 sheets honey graham crackers

cooking nonstick spray

2 cups mini marshmallows

DIRECTIONS

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Coat a 9 x 13 pan with nonstick cooking spray.


• Prepare Fudge Brownie Mix according to package directions with eggs, oil, and water.


• Pour half of brownie mixture into pan.


• Top with sheets of graham crackers, breaking to fit as necessary.


• Sprinkle marshmallows on top of graham crackers, covering completely.


• Drizzle remaining half of brownie batter over marshmallows.


• Bake for 25-30 minutes, until edges are crisp and center is set. Note: The typical toothpick test will not work for these because of the marshmallow middle, but the top brownies should be solid to the touch, not gooey, when done. Bake for an extra 5 to 10 minutes, if needed for doneness (checking after 5 minutes).


• Remove from oven and let cool for 15 minutes to set completely. Slice into bars and serve.

Tons of Freezer Meal Ideas

Summer freezer cooking is SO much easier than doing it for the colder months!  It’s basically just a bunch of marinades and then you grill everything!  If you aren’t feeling up to making your own marinades, you can still buy a bulk package of meat, split it up between freezer bags and just add some pre-bottled marinades!  It’s still cheaper, your meal is prepared ahead of time and letting the meat marinate as it thaws will make it much more tender and flavorful!

This latest session of cooking took me about 4 hours and I got 46 meals out of it!! This is only about half of what I made today!!

 

Some of our favorites are:
Tomato Basil Soup
Sesame Chicken
Balsamic Roasted Chicken Thighs
Parmesan Garlic Chicken
Buttermilk Herb Chicken
Pesto Chicken
Cranberry Chicken
Dijon Pork Roast
Bourbon Brown Sugar Pork Chops
Hamburgers
Teriyaki anything!

If I have leftover carrots or onions when I’m done, I just freeze them in 1/2 cup increments and pull them out whenever I need them!

I didn’t get to it today, but I often will make huge batches of 40 or so waffles and freeze them so the kids can pull them out on a weekday morning!  All ends from the bread loaf get frozen for bread crumbs.  And I live by Chocolate World, so if I have time, I’ll stop in and buy their bags of day old cookies cheap and then freeze them for cheesecake crusts or crumb coatings.  I also try to always have some cooked sausage (w/peppers, onions and carrots) frozen that can be pulled out on the weekend for omelets or a quiche.

If I’m making casseroles or meatloaf, I line the pan with plastic wrap and then fill the pan.  Put the whole thing in the freezer and once it’s frozen solid, pop the plastic wrapped food out of the pan, put it in a freezer bag and now you still have your pan to use in the meantime.  Just remember, when it’s time to use it, take the plastic wrap off while it’s still a frozen block and put it back in the pan to thaw!

I also found some other deals that I won’t even do anything with until it’s serving day!

Not including these “ready-to-go” meats up above, I prepared 46 meal starters for us for the summer!  We have leftovers from nearly every meal, so this will actually get us much more than just the 46 meals. Add in these prepared meats above, the nights we’re away, cook-outs, etc… and I don’t really have to cook until about Sept.!  And trust me, the hubster loves this too!  If he gets home before me, dinner is thawing in the fridge with directions right on the bag. He plops it on the grill, throws the bag away and dinner is served with no mess to clean up afterwards!

Chili Cheese Corn

   This makes an absolutely delicious side dish for either tacos, enchiladas, fish or chicken.  This comes from the Taste of Home recipes and is super easy to make.  If you want to spice up your corn this summer, this is worth giving a try!  We loved it!

Ingredients:

1 8oz. package cream cheese

2 Tbsp. butter

4 cups fresh or thawed frozen corn.

1 4oz. can chopped green chilis

1/4 cup milk

1/4 tsp garlic salt

1/4 tsp salt

1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper (optional, I didn't have any so I made it without)

Directions:

In a large saucepan, combine the cream cheese and butter.  Cook and stir over medium heat for 4-5 minutes or until smooth.  Stir in remaining ingredients.  Cook for 5 minutes or heated through.

This makes 6 servings.

Bacon Guacamole Grilled Cheese Sandwich

Ingredients

• 2 slices bacon


• 2 slices sour dough bread


• 1 tablespoon butter, room temperature


• 1/2 cup jack and cheddar cheese, shredded


• 2 tablespoons guacamole, room temperature


• 1 tablespoon tortilla chips, crumbled (optional)

Directions

1. Cook the bacon until crispy and set aside on paper towels to drain.


2. Butter one side of each slice of bread, sprinkle half of the cheese onto the unbuttered side of one slice of bread followed by the guacamole, bacon, tortilla chips, the remaining cheese and finally top with the remaining slice of bread with the buttered side up.


3. Grill over medium heat until golden brown and the cheese has melted, about 2-3 minutes per side.

Baked Chipotle Sweet Potato and Zucchini Fritters (vegan, gluten-free)

Ingredients:

1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted (or vegan butter)

1 large egg (or egg replacer or flax egg)

2 teaspoons chipotle seasoning (I use Mrs. Dash Southwest Chipotle)

1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste

1/2 teaspoon black pepper, or to taste

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour (or almond, oat, or a gluten-free flour blend)

about 3 cups coarsely grated sweet potato (1 medium to large sweet potato, peeled and grated)

about 2 cups coarsely grated zucchini (1 large or 2 small zucchini)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375F and line two baking trays with Silpats, parchment paper, or aluminum foil and spray with cooking spray; set aside. I highly recommend lining your baking trays because the fritters will stick badly if you don’t.

In a large microwave-safe bowl, melt the butter, about 1 minute on high power. To the melted butter, add the egg and beat with a fork to combine. Add the chipotle seasoning, salt, pepper, and stir to combine. Add the flour and stir to combine. Add the sweet potato, zucchini, and toss to combine. Mixture will be loose and a bit soggy. Using a 1/2-cup measure, form fritters by transferring one heaping half-cup of vegetable mixture from mixing bowl directly to baking trays. My fritters were each about 4-inches in diameter and about 1-inch high and they weren’t traditional well-packed patties; rather I mounded the mixture into loosely packed circular shapes on the baking trays. I baked 4 fritters on one tray, and 3 on the other tray.

Bake fritters for 10 minutes at 375F and if fritters have “leaked” or released any liquids, either from the zucchini releasing water, or the butter-egg mixture, just “push” the liquid back into a fritter using a spatula.

Lower oven temperature to 350F and bake for about 15 minutes. Carefully flip fritters over (they will be soft and delicate; I used two spatulas to scoop-and-flip without breaking them) and bake for about 15 more minutes, or until browned. Fritters will be browned but soft upon removal from oven. Allow them to cool and firm up on the baking trays for at least 10 minutes before moving or serving them.

Serve fritters with Spicy Honey Mustard (gluten-free and to keep vegan, use agave in place of the honey) or a favorite mustard, ketchup, hot sauce, sour cream, salsa, or other favorite condiment. Fritters will keep in an airtight container for up to 5 days in the refrigerator. They can be wrapped individually in plasticwap and make for handy lunchbox food.

Caprese Avocado Breakfast Toast

To me nothing says summer like a Caprese salad. The smooth, milky mozzarella, the fresh sweet basil and perfectly sun ripened tomatoes just scream summer.

And while I can (and do) snack on mozzarella by itself, Caprese (a combination of mozzarella, basil, and tomatoes) is one of my all-time favorite combinations. The combination works well as a simple salad. It’s a great addition to pasta. It would make a fabulous pizza. And in this case, when it’s paired with crusty bread, mashed avocado and a fried egg, it makes one heck of a breakfast toast.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup grape tomatoes, halved


• 1 cup Galbani® Mozzarella Fresca™ Ciliegine, halved


• 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil


• 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon olive oil


• salt and pepper


• 1 avocado, pitted and mashed


• 4 slices crusty bread such as como


• 4 whole eggs

Instructions:

1. Combine tomatoes, Galbani® Mozzarella Fresca™ Ciliegine, basil and 1 teaspoon olive oil together in a bowl. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cover and let sit at room temperature for 25 minutes.


2. Heat remaining tablespoon of olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Cook eggs just until the whites are cooked, 1 - 2 minutes per side.


3. Toast bread if desired.


4. To assemble the toast, spread avocado on top of bread, top with a fried egg and top with 1/4 of the caprese mixture. Repeat with remaining ingredients until 4 toasts are made. Serve immediately.

Enjoy!