Chicken & Corn Chowder

This is another recipe I just threw together with ingredients I had on hand.  It turned out really yummy!  I plugged the ingredients into the recipe app on Fitness Pal and a one cup serving comes out to 219 calories and only 19 carbs.  I will definitely be making it again in the future.

Ingredients:

• 1 - 12 oz. Bag Frozen Sweet Corn
• 1 - 15 oz. Can Sweet White Corn
• 2 - 12.5 oz. Canned Chicken Breast, Drained
• 4 Cups Chicken Broth
• 1 Block Cream Cheese
• 1 Packet Taco Seasoning
• 1 Packet Dry Ranch Dip/Dressing Mix
• 1/2 tsp. Ground Red Pepper

Directions:

• Place all ingredients in crock pot on high.  Cook for at least 4 hours.  Stir occasionally to break up and blend cream cheese.

Pepperoni Pizza Spaghetti Squash

I came up with this recipe last night.  I had originally planned to make a spaghetti squash pizza crust from a recipe I found on Pinterest, but it was going to require more time than I had.

Ingredients:

• 1 spaghetti squash, cooked
• 1 jar pizza sauce
• 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
• about 24 (more or less) pepperonis, quartered 

Instructions:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• Spray a 9 x 13 dish/pan with cooking spray.
• Remove the squash from it's skin and spread in the bottom of dish/pan.
• Sprinkle a handful of cheese over squash.
• Sprinkle on half the pepperonis.
• Pour pizza sauce over the pepperonis.
• Sprinkle the rest of the pepperonis over the pizza sauce.
• Top with the rest of the cheese.
• Place a few whole pepperonis on top to finish off.
• Cook for about 20 to 25 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and starts to brown a bit.

This received the seal of approval from my guys so  I guess it was a success!

Spaghetti Squash

Now that my family is eating healthier, I am trying to find ways to make our favorite dishes more figure friendly.  One of my guys menu favorites is spaghetti.  The problem is all those calories and carbohydrates in that pasta.  So this week I swapped out regular pasta noodles for spaghetti squash.

The first time I heard about replacing pasta with a spaghetti squash I thought it would be complicated.  I couldn't have been more wrong.  It is so simple to prepare and it tastes really good, even my son likes it.

I won't lie to you; it doesn't taste like pasta, but it really is good.  And it gives you that great base you need for your spaghetti sauce.

So, without further ado, here are the instructions for cooking perfect spaghetti squash.

• Cut the spaghetti squash in half lengthwise.
• Place, face down in a microwave safe dish.
• Cook on high for 12 minutes.
• Let it cool just a bit, until you can handle it.
• Scoop out seeds and discard.
• Hold up by stem and scrap out the "noodles."
• Repeat with other half.
• Sprinkle with some season salt.

Does it really get any more simple than that?  You can serve any kind of sauce over your squash "noodles."  I usually just stir my "noodles" into my sauce.

As for servings:  There are three of us and my guys are pretty hearty eaters.  One medium to large spaghetti squash provides plenty and we usually have leftovers.  

One cup of spaghetti squash has 31 calories as compared to one cup of regular pasta spaghetti noodles, which contains 211 calories.

Chicken Taco Soup

My family really likes this soup and it is also low calorie.  Because I am trying to lose weight and get healthy; I will be posting some lighter, healthier recipes.

Chicken Taco Soup

Ingredients:
2 12.5 oz. cans chicken breast meat, drained
1 12 oz. bag frozen sweet corn
1 can Rotel
4 cups chicken broth
1 can white beans
1 can light red kidney beans
1 packet of ranch seasoning mix
1 packet of taco seasoning mix

Directions:
Place all ingredients in a crock pot and cook on high for 4 to 6 hours.

110 calories per 1 cup serving

Note:  You can serve this with tortilla chips and shredded cheese.  Of course, that will add calories.

Three Bean Chili

We love chili at our house.  So, needless to say, we have tried many recipes throughout the years.  I recently happened upon a new recipe on Pinterest for Three Bean Chili.  I did tweak it a bit, but it was so good it has earned a place on our recurring meals list.

So without further ado, here is the recipe, with my tweaks.

Three Bean Chili

• 1 pound lean ground beef
• 1 small sweet onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 (15 ounce) can light red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 (15 ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 (15 ounce) can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 (14 ounce) can diced tomatoes
• 1 cup vegetable juice
• 1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon cyan pepper
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 2 teaspoon cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• sea salt to taste
• 2 cups water

Directions:  In a large sauce pan, add ground beef and cook over medium heat, breaking up meat with a spoon.  Just when it starts to lose its pink color, add onion and garlic and cook until onions are tender.  Drain fat.

Add additional ingredients and bring to a boil.  Turn down to simmer and let cook for 1 hour.  

This recipe can also be done in the crock pot.  After browning meat, onions and garlic in a sauce pan place all ingredients in your crock pot and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours.

Enjoy! :)

12 Dates of Christmas Cherry Chip Loaf Recipe

Okay people, the 12 Dates of Christmas Cherry Chip Loaf turned out great.  It is so moist and yummy.  I was so excited to make this recipe and am so happy with the way it turned out.  So, as promised, here is the recipe.  I hope you enjoy it as much as I have.  If you haven't seen the movie before, you should check it out. It's a great feel good movie, The 12 Dates of Christmas, it's on Netflix!

Ingredients:
2 cups flour
2 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
2 Tbs. honey
2 eggs
1/2 cup apple sauce
1/4 cup maraschino cherries, chopped

Directions:
In medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.  Set aside.

In large bowl, cream butter and sugar until well combined.  Add vanilla and honey.  Gradually add eggs and apple sauce.

Gradually stir in flour mixture.

Stir in cherries.

Pour into greased and floured 9x5 loaf pan.  Bake at 350 for 50-60 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean.

12 Dates of Christmas Cherry Chip Loaf

I am absolutely in love with the "12 Dates of Christmas" movie.  I just watched it again last night.  Yes, I know it's August; I'm just a sucker for Christmas movies.  I seriously could watch them year around.

Anyway, I have watched this movie over and over and every time Kate's neighbor gives her the Cherry Chip Loaf I want to jump inside my television and have a piece.

So, last night, after watching the movie for the 50th time, seriously, I decided to look up a recipe for a Cherry Chip Loaf.  I was so excited to see that there were several recipes on Pinterest.  What delighted me the most was that the recipes were based off the movie.  How cool is that!!?

I'm so excited to try one of these recipes.  I have made my grocery list and I will be making it later today.  I can't wait to see if it's as good as it looks and sounds.

I will be checking back in to let you all know how it turns out.  If it's good, I will share the recipe I use.

Stay tuned...

Easy Chicken & Rice Casserole

Ingredients:

• 2 cups instant brown rice
• 1 3/4 cups water
• 12.5 oz. can of premium chicken in water
• 1 can of cream of mushroom soup
• 1/2 cup of milk 
• 1/2 sweet onion chopped
• 2 tbsp of butter
• 2 tsp of chicken flavored broth base (I use Orrington Farms)
• 1 cup of shredded cheese

Directions:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees.
• Place medium size sauce pan on medium heat.  Add 2 tbsp of butter and chopped onion.  Saute onions until almost clear.  Add 1 & 3/4 cups of water and 2 tsp of chicken broth base.  Let the water come to a boil and add 2 cups rice.  When it comes back to a boil, turn down heat, cover and simmer for 5 minutes.
• Drain water from chicken.  Combine chicken and soup.  Add cooked rice to soup and chicken.  Stir in 1/2 cup of milk, more or less, depending on the consistency desired.
• Cook uncovered in a casserole dish for 20 minutes.
• Sprinkle on the cheese and return to the oven until cheese is melted and starts to brown.

Beef Goulash

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds lean ground beef
• 1 medium sweet onion, chopped
• 3 cups water
• 2 (15 oz) cans tomato sauce
• 2 (15 oz) cans petite diced tomatoes
• 12 oz bag of frozen green beans (steam in bag before adding)
• 3 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp salt
• 1 tbsp Lowry's Seasoning Salt
• garlic power to taste
• salt to taste
• pepper to taste
• 2 cups cooked instant brown rice

Directions:

• In a large pot, cook ground beef over medium heat until browned, remove any extra grease.  Add onion and saute until transparent.  Add 3 cups water, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, cooked instant brown rice, steamed green beans, all seasonings, and soy sauce.  Allow to simmer for 15-20 minutes. 

This was a Paula Deen recipe that was going around on Facebook, but I made so many alterations to it that I didn't think I should call it "Paula Deen."  My family loved this and I plan on making it a regular menu item at our house.  There were also leftovers that tasted even better the next day!

Easy Crock Pot White Bean Chicken Chili

This is a quick and simple recipe that can be prepared in the crock pot.  You can also throw this together on the stove and have it ready quickly.  I like putting it in the crock pot for about four hours; giving the spices time to blend.

Ingredients:

• 2 Cans White Chicken Breast Chunks (I use a fork to shred and break up the meat)
• 1 Can Mild Rotel
• 1 Envelope of Chili Seasoning (I have used both regular Chili Seasoning Mix and White Chili Seasoning Mix.  Both work equally as well.  So just use what you have on hand.)
• 1 Can of Chicken Broth
• 2 Cans of White Northern Beans (drained and rinsed)

Directions:

• In crock pot; add two cans of White Chicken Breast Meat.  Use a fork to shred/break up the meat, so it's not a bunch of big chunks.
• Add Rotel, chicken broth, chili seasoning and beans.
• Mix well and  cook on high for about two hours, then turn down to low until ready to serve.  

If you should decide to cook this on the stove top; place all the ingredients in a large pot, mix well, bring to a boil, then turn down and let simmer for at least 30 minutes before serving.