Tortellini Soup in TEN!

Thats right. A soup you can throw together in about 10 minutes and enjoy as if you made the tortellini by hand!! This was delicious. Nick had 3 servings :) It's so healthy - you gotta try it!

• 2 cans (14 Oz. Can) Fat-free, Low-sodium Chicken Broth
• 3 cups Water
• ⅓ cups Sliced Green Onions
• ½ teaspoons Dried Basil
• 2 cloves Garlic, Minced
• 8 ounces, weight Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breast, Cubed
• 1 package (9 Oz. Package) Cheese-filled Tortellini
• 2 cups Fresh Spinach, Chopped

1. In a large stock pot, heat broth, water, onions, basil and garlic to boiling.
2. Stir in chicken and tortellini. Reduce heat to medium; simmer uncovered about 4 minutes.
3. Add spinach; cook about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until spinach is wilted, tortellini is tender, and chicken is cooked through. If desired, season to taste with pepper.

Enjoy :)

Tempt Yourself- Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Granola Bars!

Okay, these are a home run! I had some good feedback on the last granola bars I posted. Luckily, these new ones are EASIER and you will have more of the ingredients on hand compared to the last ones I posted! These are healthy, and SO yummy :) I found this recipe on one of the blogs I follow called Two Peas and Their Pod. Can't take any credit, but wish I could! Here we go!

If you aren't in love with these yet, the pictures only get MORE tempting!!

Ingredients:

3 1/4 cups old fashioned oats
1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice 

*If you don't have this, mix cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger together*
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
¾ cup brown sugar
½ cup pumpkin puree
¼ cup applesauce
¼ cup honey
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup chocolate chips  (I only used 1/2 cup and used dark chocolate)

Method:

Preheat your oven to 350.

In one bowl, mix together the oats, spices, and salt.

In a separate bowl, mix together the sugar, pumpkin, applesauce, honey, and vanilla. Stir until smooth.

Pour over the oats and fold together until all oats are "wet."

Stir in chocolate chips.

Pour into a greased 8X8 baking dish and pack it down tight!

Bake for about 30-35 minutes, until edges get golden brown:

Allow to cool for about half an hour, or stick in the refrigerator for about 10-15 minutes, then cut into sqaures/bars/whatever you like!

We have already eaten 2 of these. They won't last long. You may want to double the recipe :)

ENJOY!!

Pumpkin Chili.. It's Dinner in a Pumpkin!

This recipe for chili SCREAMS fall in so many ways! You can serve it in a pumpkin (or not)- plus.. the secret ingredient? Canned pumpkin! Don't worry if you aren't a fan of pumpkin, you can't even taste it. It just gives the chili a thicker-heartier texture, and of course, a pretty orange color! Serving it in the pumpkin just tops it off!

IF you do want to serve it in a pumpkin, make sure you get PIE PUMPKINS. Don't get carving pumpkins, won't be the same taste!

Ingredients:

Optional: 1 pie pumpkin PER person

·         2 T Olive Oil

·         ½ cup chopped onion

·         1 cup diced red bell pepper

·         1-2 cloves of garlic, minced

·         1 lb ground turkey

·         15 oz can pumpkin puree

·         2-14oz cans diced tomatoes

·         15 oz can tomato sauce

·         15 oz can kidney beans, drained and rinsed

·         4 oz can diced green chilies

·         ½ cup corn

·         1 T chili powder

·         1 tsp ground cumin

If you are going to use the pumpkins, you will want to cut the tops off (save them for baking)- and seed the pumpkins. Then place pumpkins (tops back on) on a baking sheet and stick them in a 375 degree oven for about an hour. Your knife should be able to cut through them like butter when they are done!

You can't tell, but these have baked for an hour and are ready to stuff with chili!

While they cook in the oven, cook your chili on the stove:

1. Heat oil in large saucepan over medium high heat. Add onion, pepper, and garlic. Cook 5-7 minutes until softened.

2. Add turkey/beef and cook until browned.

3. Add tomatoes with juice, tomato sauce, pumpkin, tomato sauce, beans, chilies, corn, chili powder, cumin, salt, and pepper.

4. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and cover. Cook, stirring occasionally, 30 minutes.

You could go to step 4, and then after the boil, transfer chili to the pumpkin and let them bake inside the pumpkins in the oven for the remainder of the time. I didn't, but you could!

Whichever way you chose, serve each person their chili inside of a pumpkin! The presentation is outstanding, and if you want you can even scoop some pumpkin flesh off of the wall of the pumpkin and eat it as you go! (For pumpkin lovers only!)

You could also top with some kind of Mexican cheese.  Or you could toast up some of the seeds you scooped out and serve those over top as well :) 

Enjoy this fall delight!

Kickin' Adobo Turkey Burgers!

So, I made these pretty simple turkey burgers that have a nice kick to them. Not too spicy, but enough to really make them earn the title! Super easy. Super cheap ingredient list. I think you'll love them!

Checklist:

1 lb ground turkey

1/2 cup finely chopped onion

2 T fresh chopped cilantro (or 2 tsp dried)

2 chipotle peppers in adobo, seeded and finely chopped

1 T garlic powder

1 T onion powder

1/2 tsp seasoned salt

1/4 tsp ground pepper

1 tsp cumin

Mix it all together and form into patties!

Throw these on the grill, or when off-season, bake them in the oven until juices run clear!

We polished off all but one! They were excellent :) Nick was a fan!!

ENJOY!

Slow Cooker CHICKEN TORTILLA SOUP!

This was so easy and so yummy! You'll have leftovers for the rest of the week, or enough to freeze and bring out later in fall/winter! You could easily add any veggies you have on hand to this- don't feel like you have to stick to the ingredient list!

What's in it?

3-4 chicken breast halves 

2 cans of 14.5oz black beans, undrained

2 cans Rotel 

1 14.5oz can tomato sauce

1 4oz can diced green chiles

1 cup of salsa (mild or hot)

1 onion, diced

2-3 cloves of garlic, minced

(Tortilla Chips and Cheese for Serving)

THATS IT! 

Directions:

Combine all ingredients (Except the chips and cheese) in a slow cooker. Cook on low heat for 8-9 hours. Remove chicken and shred apart

Put it all back into the pot.

Place a handful of chips at the bottom of each bowl

Add a ladle or two of soup and then crush some chips over top

Top with cheese, if desired

 

We loved this, and I know you will too!!

Enjoy :)

Saucy Spinach Slider Meatballs!

Throwing myself a mini party over here. This is the first recipe I created all by myself, without inspiration form anyone else, from any cookbook, or from any website! We both enjoyed these, but I was probably especially bias because my pride was at stake! Anyways, here they are. Smothered in cheese, of course, sorry!

The List:

1 pound ground turkey

1/2 cup parmesan cheese

1/2 cup whole wheat bread crumbs

1 egg, beaten

3/4 cup frozen chopped spinach, thawed

1/2 small onion finely diced, the other half roughly chopped

1 32-oz can whole tomatoes in puree

3 cloves garlic, crushed

Salt and Pepper

Dried Italian Spices (oregano, thyme, parsley etc.)- about 1 tsp total

The Meatballs:

Preheat oven to 400

Combine turkey, cheese, bread crumbs, egg, spinach, the finely diced onion, salt and pepper to taste, and dried herbs)

Make about 12-15 meatballs and place on greased pan

Bake 25 minutes until cooked through

Meanwhile, start on the sauce!

The Sauce:

Combine tomatoes with puree, smashed garlic, chopped onion, a dash of salt, pepper, and more oregano. Heat to a boil, then reduce and simmer.

Once meatballs are done, drop them in the sauce

Keep warm until ready to serve. We served them over couscous, but you can do pasta, rice, whatever starch you prefer!

Be careful with that garlic. It will end up on someone's plate! We don't mind it like that, but if you don't like garlic whole like this, pull it out before serving!

Not the best picture, but I wanted a close up for you!

Enjoy :) They are MIGHTY tasty!