Breakfast for Dinner!

This was one of my favorite dinners. First of all, I am a sucker for any and all pancakes. But these were LEGIT. Beats any pancake house I've been to! And they are healthier. Go figure. That USUALLY doesn't happen! Second of all, most of you who really know me, know that eggs essentially make me GAG. Pregnancy has changed that. I could have eaten this whole thing if I was a little further along and had the excuse ;)

ENJOY THIS! Make it for dinner, or go ahead and make it on a Saturday for breakfast!

Ellie Krieger's Broccoli Frittata

• 2 tsp Olive Oil
• 1 medium red onion, sliced (I used a yellow onion)
• 2 cups broccoli, steamed and chopped (I bought 1 bag of chopped frozen broccoli and steamed it in the bag in the microwave)
• 4 eggs
• 4 egg whites (Yes, that's a total of 8 eggs folks!)
• 2 T water
• 1/2 cup sharp cheddar cheese
• (Not in original recipe, but I used): 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper)
• (Not in originial recipe, but I used 1/2 tsp salt)
• (Not in original recipe, but I used 1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper)

Directions:

1. Heat olive oil in large, cast-iron skillet (or any oven safe skillet you have). Saute onion in hot oil for about 5 minutes, until soft
2. Beat eggs and egg whites together with water  (I used a whisk)
3. Add broccoli to the skillet with the onion and mix together. Cook another 2 minutes.
4. Pour egg mixture over the onions and broccoli and make sure it spreads evenly. 
5. Cover and reduce heat to low. Cook about 8 minutes. Edges should be firm, but center will be a little runny
6. Top center with cheese, and pop in the broiler for only about 2 minutes (uncovered)
7. Slice into 8 wedges and serve

*Variations are possible here. You could do mushrooms and spinach. You could go the Greek route with olives and spinach and top with feta. Possibilities are endless! Experiment and let me know what works!

Ellie Krieger's Whole Wheat Buttermilk Pancakes

• 3/4 cups all purpose flour
• 3/4 cups whole wheat pastry flour OR whole wheat flour
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup buttermilk, low fat
• 3/4 cups milk, fat-free (I actually used soy milk here)
• 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 T honey
• Cooking Spray

Directions

1. In a large bowl, whisk together the flours, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. 
2. In a medium bowl, beat together eggs, buttermilk, milk, honey, and vanilla (I used a whisk)
3. Coat a large nonstick skillet or griddle with cooking spray and preheat over a medium-low heat/flame.
4. Stir wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, mixing only to combine. Batter WILL be lumpy
5. Use a 1/4 cup measuring cup to ladle batter into griddle or skillet
6. Flip pancakes when they are golden brown on bottom and bubbles form on top (about 1 1/2 minutes per side). Cook other side until golden brown. Keep pancakes warm in oven while you finish the remaining ones

Roasted Butternut Squash over Arugula

Watch out men, its another vegan entree! Nick liked this one better! It was super easy, very light, but very yummy (Especially if you are a butternut squash fan.. which.. I am!) My college roommates can vouch for me on that!

Ingredients for Salad:

1 small-medium butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cubed

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp cinnamon

2 tsp olive oil

6 oz arugula

1/2 cup toasted almonds

Ingredients for Dressing:

1 tsp olive oil

1 T honey

1 T red wine vinegar

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

Directions:

1. Toss butternut squash with oil, salt, and cinnamon. Spread on baking sheet and roast for 20 minutes at 400 degrees.
2. Meanwhile, toast your almonds if you haven't already and whisk together the dressing. Set both aside.
3. Place a mound of arugula on each plate. When squash is done, top with squash, almonds, and then pour dressing over each serving.

Enjoy :)

Roasted Brussel Sprouts and Chick Peas over Spaghetti Squash

First and foremost, forgive me for not posting in over a month! Why has no one held me accountable? I have actually made probably 5-6 tasty dishes that I would love to share, but the photographs are not worthy of the blog. Yes, I have standards... But alas, the reason for this post!

This is not a meal that will satisfy your "Meat and Potatoes" man. This is a vegan recipe that is very healthy and most girls will LOVE it. Men will search anxiously to no avail for some kind of chicken, beef, etc. Nowhere to be found. I loved this... and since I'm selfish.. I will share with you!

The List

1 medium to large spaghetti squash

1 pound brussels sprouts 

1 medium onion, thinly sliced

3 gloves of garlic, pressed

1/2 cup vegetable broth (you could use chicken)

15 oz can chickpeas, rinsed and drained

2 tsp dried basil

1/4 tsp red pepper flakes

salt and pepper to taste

1 1/2 tsp. lemon juice

Sliced or Slivered almonds if desired

The Rules  Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Pierce squash 8-10 times with a skewer all the way through to the flesh. Place on a baking sheet and roast in the oven at least an hour, turning every 25 minutes. I probably baked mine closer to an hour and a half. Skin should soften and get brown. A knife should slide through like butter. Allow to cool and set aside until ready to handle.

2. While squash is nearing the end of its cooking time, trim and discard the ends of the sprouts. Cut sprouts in half and place on a baking sheet. Spray them all with cooking spray. Once the squash comes out, pop these babies in and bake about 15 minutes until starting to brown.

3. Meanwhile, cut squash in half, seed it, and then start shredding the squash with a fork into a large bowl. Cover and keep warm.

4. In a large skillet, cook the onions on medium-high heat until they start to become golden (5 or 6 minutes). Add sprouts, garlic, and vegetable broth and cover. Cook about 5 minutes, adding broth as necessary. Add chickpeas, basil, and red pepper flakes. Cook until heated through. Add salt, pepper, and lemon juice. 

5. Toss everything with the squash in the large bowl and then serve it up with almonds as a garnish!

Enjoy :)

Amanda's Steak Tacos ... (Originally from Weight Watchers, but I'll give her all the credit!)

So, this is an EASY, EASY recipe that is absolutely wonderful. If you haven't noticed, I am into using the slow cooker lately. I have one more slow cooker to post, but I'm determined to post something else before it! Anyways, this was out of a Weight Watcher's Cook Book, but I will always know these as Amanda's Steak Tacos from now on. If you want to read about the girl who inspired me to quick drinking Diet Coke cold turkey, check out her blog!

So, here is the recipe. Come home to a dinner that cooks all day, but takes about 10 minutes to put on the table!

Ingredients

• 1 pound flank steak (picture below if you aren't sure what to look for)
• 1 t chili powder
• 1.5 cups low sodium beef broth
• 3/4 cup chunky salsa
• 2 T diced green chiles (drained if necessary)
• 1/2 cup black beans (drained and rinsed)
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
• Whole Wheat Flour Tortillas (got some AWESOME ones from Trader Joes)
• Low Fat/Reduced Fat Sour Cream

Directions

Whisk the beef broth and the chili powder in the slow cooker. Add flank steak and cook on low 8-10 hours.

Transfer steak to a cutting board and shred with 2 forks. Reserve 1/4 cup of the cooking liquid from the crock pot and get rid of the rest. Wipe out crock pot with a paper towel. Return meat to slow cooker.

Stir in reserved cooking liquid, salsa, beans, cilantro, and chiles. Cook on high for 5 minutes.

How good does that look? Here is what you'll need to finish this off:

Top each tortilla with some beef, a spoon full of salsa, and a little dollop of sour cream!

Enjoy :) SO GOOD!

Apricot Smothered Seared Chicken

This is delightful! I found this on eatingwell.com in their 500 calorie or less chicken dinner menu archive! SO, SO tasty. Sweet and savory. We served it with some spinach and brown rice and Nick declared, "It's a keeper!" I must say, it has been quite awhile since I've heard those words come out of his mouth in regards to my cooking. Anyways, here is the recipe!

Ingredients

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts- I only used 3- but really you just need 1 per person!
• 3/4 teaspoon salt, divided
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• 3/4 cup dry white wine
• 1 medium shallot, minced
• 4 fresh apricots, pitted and chopped
• 2 tablespoons apricot preserves
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh tarragon , or 1/2 teaspoon dried

Directions

• Place chicken breasts between 2 pieces of plastic wrap. Pound until flattened to an even thickness, about 1/2 inch or a little larger. Sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper. Place flour on a large plate or shallow dish. Dredge the chicken in the flour, shaking off excess. (Discard any leftover flour.)
• Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chicken and cook until browned and no longer pink in the center, 3 to 5 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate, cover and keep warm. (If necessary, cook the chicken in two batches with an additional 1 tablespoon oil.) To be honest, I didn't like how slow it was cooking in the skillet, so after about 5 minutes per side, I popped them in the oven at 350 and let them finish baking for about 10 minutes while I did the next step!

• Off the heat, add wine and shallot to the pan. Return to medium heat and cook, scraping up any browned bits, until slightly reduced, about 3 minutes. Add apricots and cook until the fruit begins to break down, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in preserves, tarragon and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt. Return the chicken to the pan and cook until heated through, 1 to 2 minutes. Serve the chicken with the sauce.

• On this last step, I just pulled them right out of the oven, placed the chicken in the pan to let it soak up some of the juice in the sauce and then smothered them when I put them on our plates. 

I already cannot wait to have this meal again! Try it out, and enjoy!!

Slow Cooker Chicken Curry- It's a Cinch!

This has minimal ingredients, but major flavor! Loved it. Very budget friendly!! You could definitely add your own flair to this to "beef it up." Next time I think I'd add some sweet potato, maybe even some green beans.. you'll see!

My pictures didn't come out so well- mainly because I just wanted to EAT it... but... either way- make this and then decide for yourself. Don't judge this book by its cover!

Ingredients:

1 large onion sliced

1 large green pepper chopped into 1 inch peices

1 can stewed tomatoes, chopped up

1 lb chicken, cut into 1 inch peices

1/2 cup mango chutney (Couldn't find this, so I bought mango salsa)

2 T cornstarch

1 1/2 tsp Curry Powder

1/4 cup water

(Brown rice is optional for serving)

Directions:

Place onions, peppers, tomatoes, chicken, and chutney/salsa in a slow cooker.

In a separate bowl, whisk cornstarch, curry powder, and water. Pour over chicken and toss to coat.

Cook on low for 4 hours.

Serve over brown rice :)

Enjoy! Its TOO easy!

Old Fashioned Chicken n' Dumplin Stew/Soup!

This is the best soup ever. And I can say that because its my Mom's recipe and everything she makes is wonderful... The dumplings are light and healthy whole wheat! This was perfect for a potential ice storm. Luckily we have leftovers for tomorrow should weather be as bad as they say! You'll want to make this.. its delightful and warms you up from the inside out. I truly hope you enjoy it as much as I do! The ingredient list looks long, but I promise its a cheap meal that lasts more than 1 night!

The actual recipe is pretty lose. I'll give you the exact measurements, and then let you know what I did!

Soup Ingredients:

2 cans of chicken broth

1.5 cups water

1 bay leaf (fresh or dry)

1 1/2 tsp dried thyme

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

1 large onion chopped

2 large carrots sliced (I used 3)

3 stalks of celery sliced (Not in the original recipe)

10 oz frozen peas (I used a whole 12 oz bag)

6 oz yolk-less noodles (I used the whole 8 oz bag)

2 cup pre-cooked cubed chicken

Dumpling Ingredients:

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/8 tsp ground red pepper

1 T butter

1 egg white

1/2 cup buttermilk

2 T fresh parsley

First, combine all ingredients for the soup except for the noodles. They suck up a lot of water/broth! Bring to a boil and let cook until you are about 15 minutes away from "dinner time." I let mine simmer about 1 hour.

Add noodles and let cook while you make the dumplings.

For the dumplings, mix together your dry ingredients. Cut in the butter until well mixed. Add your egg white, buttermilk, and parsley then stir to combine.

Drop dumplings by heaping tablespoons into the soup (they will float)

Cover for about 5-7 minutes until cooked through

Ladle into bowls and seriously, ENJOY!

 

Less than $10 Dinner Salad

This was a recipe I pulled out of a Rachael Ray Magazine. It advertised a dinner for $10 or less and it was not a lie. This salad is so simple. You could swap out a couple of the ingredients to change it up if you want, but its good as is! Roasted tomatoes, grilled chicken, fresh dressing... enjoy!!

Ingredients:

5 T EVOO

2 T fresh lemon juice

1 T balsamic vinegar

Salt and Pepper

15 oz can cannellini beans, rinsed

4 plum tomatoes, halved lengthwise and seeds discarded

3 skinless, boneless chicken breasts (about 1.25 pounds)

1 bunch scallions, sliced

1-2 bags of fresh lettuce (chose whatever varieties you like!)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees

2. In a large bowl, whisk together 3 T EVOO, lemon juice, and balsamic vinegar. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in cannellini beans

3. Place tomatoes cut side up on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Drizzle with 1 T of the EVOO and season with salt and pepper. Bake until very soft, about 30 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, preheat grill, or grill pan over medium-high heat. Brush chicken with remaining T of EVOO. Season with salt and grill, turning once until chicken is cooked through, about 8 minutes per side.

5. Add lettuce to the bean mixture and toss to coat. Divide salad among plates and top with the roasted tomatoes and scallions. Thinly slice the chicken on the diagonal and divide among the plates.

Enjoy :)

BBQ Beans and Kielbasa in a Pot

This was another easy recipe. Cooks in less than 20 minutes but leaves you satisfied as if it cooked all day!

Ingredients:

1/2 cup BBQ Sauce (Go for low sodium if possible)

1/2 cup water

1 T Molasses

2 T Tomato Paste

Fresh Ground Pepper

1 whole white onion, chopped

1 T Olive Oil

8 oz spinach or other leafy green

2 Kielbasa, halved lengthwise then sliced

2 15-oz cans navy beans

Directions

1. Whisk BBQ sauce, water, Molasses, tomato paste, and fresh ground pepper. Set aside.

2. Rinse and drain your beans. Set aside

3. Heat oil in a medium soup pot over medium high heat. 

4. Saute onion and spinach until wilted.

5. Add Kielbasa and cook 3 minutes

6. Add sauce and beans, cook 3 more minutes until heated through

Dish up and enjoy :)

Pulled BBQ Pork Sliders

We finally had our first holiday guests over for dinner. We got to use my holiday plates and enjoy a lit Christmas Tree, our first fire, and the joys of celebrating Christmas with others! Not that this dinner is "Christmas-y" at all- but it was blog worth for sure! A slow cooked, come home to it and serve it dinner!

Ingredients:

2 pounds of pork sirloin roast (lean roast)

1/2 small white onion, chopped

3 small cloves of garlic, minced

1 cup of BBQ Sauce (try to shop for lower sodium sauce)

1 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp fresh ground pepper

Directions:

Lay your pork in the center of the crock pot

Mix remaining ingredients together and pour over the meat

Cook on low 6-7 hours. 

When you come back to it, the meat will be done and the sauce will all be on the bottom of the pot. Take two forks and shred meat and constantly mix the sauce in until it is well combined.

Serve on rolls, toasted bread, or however you like it!

Enjoy :)

Tomato Bread Soup! For Warming Up!

This is a soup I've made for awhile and just realized today that it never made the blog! It's so easy, its so good, and its pretty cheap for your grocery bill! You'll have leftovers for the week, but you'll finish them off! Perfect for when the cold weather sets in!

Ingredients:

3 T Olive Oil

1 small-medium onion, finely diced

6 cloves of garlic, minced

32 oz crushed tomatoes

15 oz petite diced tomatoes

2 cans small white beans, drained (navy)

1 quart chicken broth

4 cups chopped stale bread (or torn)

Fresh ground pepper

Shredded or grated Parmesan/Parmesan Regiano

Fresh basil (optional- i left this out today)

Directions:

1. Heat a large soup pot over medium heat. Add oil to pan.

2. Saute onion and garlic for about 5-6 minutes until soft.

3. Add crushed and diced tomatoes.

4. Add chicken broth and bring to a boil.

5. Reduce heat and add bread and beans

6. Simmer until soup thickens to stew consistency and bread has really sucked up the soup.

7. Ladle into serving bowls and top with fresh ground pepper, cheese, and basil if you chose!

 

Enjoy :)

Autumn Apple-nut Soup

This is a winner. I am a true sucker for anything with butternut squash in it. Apples are like the icing on the cake for me! So this soup was sure to please!

Ingredients:

2 T Olive Oil

2 cups chopped yellow onion (about 1 medium onion)

1 T curry powder

2.5 pounds butternut squash (about 1 large squash)

2 sweet apples

1 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

1 cup chicken stock

1 cup apple cider or apple juice

Directions:

1. Slice butternut squash in half and roast on a baking sheet for 30-45 minutes, flesh side down.

2. Warm the oil, onions, and curry powder in a large soup pot over low heat for about 15-20 minutes. Onions should start to soften. Stir often to ensure nothing sticks to the bottom of the pan

3. Peel, quarter, and core the apples. Cut into chunks.

3. When squash comes out of the oven, remove the seeds and stringy pulp, then scoop flesh into the soup pot.

4. Add apples, salt, pepper, and chicken stock to the pot. Bring to a boil, cover, and cok over low heat for 20 minutes until apples are very soft.

5. Process the soup through a food processor.

6. Pour soup back into the pot. Add apple cider and enough water to make the soup consistency the way you like it. It should be quite thick. Add more salt and pepper to taste

Serve and enjoy :) Another perfect soup ending to a long fall/winter day!

Tortellini Soup in TWENTY!

Yes, I just posted a tortellini soup about 2 weeks ago! This one takes a little longer to cook, and a little longer to prep, but its packed with veggies, and we have fallen in love with cheese tortellini. So here you go! Another. I like this one a little better, but Nick ranks them exactly the same!

Ingredients:

2 T EVOO

1 whole onion, chopped

2 whole zucchini, chopped

1.5 cups carrots, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 pint cherry tomatoes, halved

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp pepper

32 ounces chicken broth

9 ounces fresh tortellini

1 cup frozen corn

1/4 cup parmesan cheese

Fresh basil for garnish (optional)

Directions:

1. In a large soup pot, heat your oil until hot over medium heat. Add onion, zucchini, carrots and garlic. Cook, stirring often, until onion softens (5ish minutes)

2. Add tomatoes, salt, and pepper

3. Add chicken broth and heat to boiling

4. Next, add in your tortellini and corn. Here is a quick picture of the rainbow cheese tortellini we used!

5. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until tortellini are tender (about 5-6 minutes).

6. Serve with a sprinkling of Parmesan cheese and some fresh chopped basil!

Enjoy :) This is sooo good. A perfect soup after a long day at work!

Balsamic Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Shrooms!

This is a delicious, very "fall/autumn" side! Easy to make. Healthy and delicious-very cheap to make. Try it!

What it takes:

2 large sweet potatoes

3 T chicken stock

2.5 T EVOO

2 T Balsamic Vinegar

1 tsp dried thyme

Salt and Pepper

12 oz mushrooms

2-3 T chopped parsley for garnish (optional)

 

How to Bake:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. 

2. Spray a large baking sheet with nonstick spray. 

3. Peel sweet potatoes and cut into 1 inch cubes

4. Whisk together the chicken stock, oil, balsamic, and thyme. Toss sweet potatoes with half of the balsamic mixture, then spread into a single layer onto baking sheet and season with salt and pepper. 

5. Roast in the oven for about 20-25 minutes until beginning to slightly brown.

6. While sweet potatoes cook, wash your mushrooms and dry them. Cut into thick slices and toss with remaining balsamic mixture.

7. Once sweet potatoes are getting tender, (after you 20ish minutes)- remove from oven and turn them. Add mushrooms to the baking sheet and spread everything to one single layer with mushrooms distributed among the potatoes. 

8. Roast about 20-25 minutes more until sweet potatoes are very tender and mushrooms are done.

9. Remove to a serving bowl and season with salt and pepper again if desired. Sprinkle with parsley and serve!

Enjoy :)

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 :)