Guacamole

I had this at a BBQ a few weeks back and it was amazing! It was by far the best guacamole I have ever had. My friends mom was kind enough to share this recipe that her brother had given her.



Ingredients:

6 quartered green grapes
2 small tomatillos, rinsed and chopped and husked, I used the canned ones and liked them better last time
1 whole green onion, chopped using both green and white parts
1 jalapeno pepper, seeds removed finely chopped
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1 lime, the juice and zest
2 avocados, peeled and chopped
Salt to taste

Directions:

In small bowl combine grapes, tomatillos, jalapeño, scallion, cilantro, lime juice, and zest; Stir to combine completely.

In a separate bowl using fork gently mash avocado; do not over mash. Add mixture to small bowl of items in step 1and stir to combine; season with salt.

Serve with chips and enjoy!!

Shamrock Smoothie

This is a very flavorful, healthy smoothie! I will have to post a picture next time I make it.



Ingredients:

1 peeled banana
1 cup frozen green grapes
1 peeled Kiwi
1 cup washed baby spinach
8 oz lime yogurt
1/4 cup limeade

Blender Directions:

Put the frozen ingredients, kiwi and Spinach into the blender.

Add the yogurt and limeade

Blend until smooth

Serve

Number Of Servings:3



http://kidsblogs.nationalgeographic.com/littlekids/images/shamrock-smoothie-enlarged.jpg

Triple-Citrus Mojitos (Pampered Chef Recipe)

I love Mojitos and this is a great one to make when you are having guests and want to make a big batch. Every time I have made them or been somewhere someone else has made them they have went over very well.

Triple-Citrus Mojitos (Pampered Chef Recipe)

Ingredients:


1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
1 pkg (.75 oz) fresh mint leaves (about 1 1/4 cups leaves), divided ~can be omitted ~ Do NOT double mint when you double recipe
1 orange
2 lemons, divided
2 limes, divided
1/2 cup white rum (optional)
5 cups chilled lemon-lime soda



Combine sugar and water in Small Batter Bowl. Tear six mint leaves in half and place into Quick-Stir® Pitcher; set aside. Finely chop remaining leaves with Chef's Knife and place into batter bowl. Zest orange, one of the lemons and one of the limes using Zester/Scorer; add zest to mint mixture. Microwave on HIGH 2-3 minutes or until sugar is dissolved.


Slice orange, both of the lemons and both of the limes in half crosswise. Reserve half of one lemon and half of one lime for garnish. Juice remaining lemon and lime halves using Citrus Press; add juices to pitcher. Juice orange with Juicer; add juice to pitcher.


Pour mint mixture through Strainer into pitcher; discard chopped mint. Add rum, if desired. Carefully add soda to avoid overflow. Slice reserved lemon and lime halves with Ultimate Mandoline fitted with v-shaped blade; place into pitcher. Place lid onto pitcher and plunge gently

Broccoli-Bacon Salad

I found this recipe on the Eating Well site and it was great! I took this to a BBQ this weekend and it went over great! It is quick and easy. My husband is not a fan of dried cranberries, but loved this dish.



Yields: 6 servings, 1 scant cup each
Total Time: 20 min
Prep Time: 20 min

Ingredients

• 1 clove(s) garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup(s) low-fat mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup(s) reduced-fat sour cream
• 2 teaspoon(s) cider vinegar
• 1 teaspoon(s) sugar
• 4 cup(s) finely chopped broccoli crowns (see Tips & Techniques)
• 1 can(s) (8-ounce) sliced water chestnuts, rinsed and chopped
• 3 slice(s) cooked bacon, crumbled
• 3 tablespoon(s) dried cranberries
• Freshly ground pepper to taste
________________________________________
Directions
1. Whisk garlic, mayonnaise, sour cream, vinegar, and sugar in a large bowl. Add broccoli, water chestnuts, bacon, cranberries, and pepper; stir to coat with the dressing.

Carb Servings: 2 vegetable, 1 fat. Carbohydrate Servings: 1. Nutrition Bonus: Vitamin C (70% daily value), Vitamin A (30% dv).
________________________________________
Tips & Techniques
Most supermarkets sell broccoli crowns, which are the tops of the bunches, with the stalks cut off. Although crowns are more expensive than entire bunches, they are convenient and there is considerably less waste.

Calories 89
Total Fat 4g
Saturated Fat 1g
Cholesterol 8mg
Sodium 200mg
Total Carbohydrate 12g
Dietary Fiber 3g
Sugars --
Protein 4g
Calcium --

Everything You Need En”cheesy”iladas

It has been a while since I last added anything and I have not added much this year. The truth is I have been so busy that I have gotten stuck in a rut. All we seem to eat is the same 'ole stuff that includes a lot of baked chicken, rice/couscous, and veggies. I am going to try and make more things to get out of this rut and this recipe that I got from Leigh Peele's blog was a great start. I love listening to her and reading her blog, so I hope to get more recipes from there to try. This dish was great and full of flavor! I was a bit leery about trying it due to the tofu and how much spinach is in it, but I love it and will definitely make it again. My husband and I loved it! The kids saw the spinach and said no way. Maybe next time...



Ingredients:

For Sauce:
1 cup tomato sauce
1/2 cup water
1/3 cup onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp oregano
1 tbsp cornstarch
_________
For Filling:
1/2 cup refried beans, vegan/ vegetarian
1 lb fresh spinach – no stems (I used frozen spinach that was thawed and well drained)
14 oz light extra firm tofu, drained and mashed
1/2 cup canned green chilies, chopped
1 8-oz can corn, drained (For this, I also used frozen corn that was thawed a bit, we never eat canned veggies)
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 cup 2% cheddar cheese , shredded
6 8″ tortillas (45 g or 1 tortilla is 110-130 calories)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 F. Place all the sauce ingredients except for the cornstarch in a small covered pot and cook over low heat for 20 minutes. Stir in the cornstarch and cook until the sauce thickens.

2. Begin heating refried beans in a pan. As beans get hot add 1/3 cup of sauce to the beans.

3. Steam the spinach until wilted. While steaming grab a medium bowl and mix tofu, corn, chilies and spices together. Once mixed add to the bean mixture.

4. When spinach is finished, divide into 6 servings and begin making the enchiladas. Spread around 75 g (3 tbsp) sauce on each flat tortilla and then layer around 135 g (about 4-1/2 tbsp) bean mix, spinach and 28 g (1/4 cup) of cheese in the center of the tortilla. Roll up and place in an 8X8 baking dish (9X12 would work too). Line up enchiladas in baking dish and cover with remaining sauce.

5. Bake covered with foil over top for 20 minutes at 375 F. Uncover and bake an additional 10 minutes. This only takes 2-3 minutes depending on the size.

Tip- To make vegan use a vegan “cheese.” Make sure to adjust the calories and macros (112 g low fat cheddar cheese is roughly 315 cal, 31 g pro, 19 g fat, 4 g carbs).

Tip- To add a little more protein top with Tofu Sour Cream (pg 30) recipe.

Yields 6 servings

Serving: Calories- 302.7, Protein- 19.25 g, Fat- 6.27 g, Carbs- 42.3 g, Fiber- 4.91 g, Sodium- 763.89 mg

http://www.leighpeele.com/everything-you-need-en%E2%80%9Dcheesy%E2%80%9Diladas-recipe

Jen's Macaroni and Cheese

Here is a recipe for Mac n' Cheese the girls love and I make it often. Since I have been doing it this way, they refuse to eat it out of the box anymore! This makes a lot and it is ok with us, especially with summer vacation coming up. We use different types of pasta every time we make it, this happens to be our favorite when we can find it.

Macaroni and Cheese

Ingredients
• 1 package Fusilli (16 oz)
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 1 ¼ C milk
• 8 ounces Four Cheese Mexican cheese, shredded
• 8 ounces Nacho & Taco cheese, shredded
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

In a large pot of boiling, salted water cook the pasta to al dente, about 9 minutes, and drain.

White Sauce (base for Mac and Cheese)

Time Required: 15 minutes

Directions:

1. In a small, heavy saucepan, melt 3 tablespoons of butter over low heat.

2. Blend 2 tablespoons of flour into the melted butter.

3. Cook over low heat, whisking, for 4 to 5 minutes. Cooking for this length of time will minimize 'flour' taste.

4. Slowly add 1 cup of milk, whisking constantly, so there are no lumps, reserve ¼ cup of milk.

5. Continue cooking slowly until smooth and thickened.

6. For thin white sauce, follow the instructions above, but use 1 tablespoon of butter and 1 tablespoon of flour. Thin white sauce is used in cream soups.

7. Reduce heat to low and add cheese, stir until melted. May add reserved if you want it creamier.

8. Add pasta, stir thoroughly to make sure all is coated.

Tips:

1. Light stock, cream, evaporated milk, or a combination may be used in place of the milk.
2. Add more flavor by seasoning with celery salt, nutmeg, a teaspoon of lemon juice, onion juice, or sherry, or a few tablespoons of chopped chives or parsley.

Brownies

For me brownies are the devil, the devil I tell you. I could eat a whole pan and not even think twice. They are even better warm with ice cream. Now that I have shared one of my deep dark food secrets I will share my famous brownie recipe. Which I cannot believe I am doing in the first place. Some recipes should never be shared, but I am willing to take a risk with this one. Please do not share it with anyone else or else there may be some consequences to face. Muaaawww-aww-aww!


1 box of Duncan Hines Chewy Fudge Brownie mix (yup, you read it right, a boxed brownie mix. Oh, My!)

You Will Need:

Fudgy Brownies (I make it exactly how the recipe says, it is on the back of the box as well.) :

2 Eggs
1/4 Cup Water
1/2 Cup Vegetable Oil



Pan Size/Bake Time:

* Metal Or Glass Pan:
* 13"x9": 27-30 minutes
* 9"x9": 34-37 minutes
* 8"x8": 42-45 minutes
* Makes 20 Brownies

1. Prep: PREHEAT oven to 350°F for glass or metal pans, 325°F for dark or non-stick pans. GREASE bottom of pan with shortening or cooking spray.

2. Mix: EMPTY brownie mix, egg(s), oil and water in large bowl. STIR until well blended (about 50 strokes). SPREAD in greased pan and bake immediately.

3. Bake: BAKE following times listed. ADD 3-5 minutes for dark or non-stick pans. Brownies are done when toothpick inserted 1 inch from edge of pan comes out clean. COOL completely in pan before cutting and serving.




I have tried so many different brownie recipes and all are very good, but whenever I make these to take somewhere for a potluck or for a meal for someone they get rave reviews. So, I figure, why mess with something as good as these.