Potato Crisps(NO Fat!)

Hello all! I had another little computer issue, but nothing bad, I'm just not a computer whiz and couldn't figure it out for the life of me.   I'm back though, and ready to share some more delicious recipes!

We all like potato chips now and then right??  Some like them more often then others, but what if we could make them at home, fairly quickly, and without the FAT?! Alright I know you are listening now. 

I had a craving for potato chips the other day, but knew if I went to the store and bought a bag, it would mean bad news.  I'd most likely eat more than the serving size...by a lot, so I decided to make my own at home!  With these not having any fat added to them and potatoes are VERY low in fat(if any at all) anyways, makes these potato crisps FAT FREE!  Can't get any better than that, can it?  My Dad is a lover of potato chips, and kettle cooked potato chips, he was a little leery about trying these, and seeing if they compare, let me just say he asked me for a BIG bag of them! These are THAT good, and if you cook them long enough they resemble Kettle Cooked potato chips almost to the T, but without all the fat!  Try these!



Cheddar Bay Biscuits

Mmmm...garlic cheese biscuits-that's all I need to say right?!  How about I add that these biscuits taste darn close to the delicious melt in your mouth biscuits you get at Red Lobster...nuff said now.  Who doesn't go to Red Lobster just for the biscuits??? They have some pretty good other food too, but man oh man they are good, and these are so close it's not even funny.  Now I can stay home, whip these up, sit on the couch and have my biscuits for dinner...ha just kidding, but that's what I want to do.  These are unbelievably simple too!  I shared(surprisingly:)) these with my family, and they all LOVED them!  Huge hit.  I bet these would even be great at a Super Bowl party!  These definitely don't fall on the healthy side, but it's alright once in awhile, so go ahead, whip these out, and thank me later. :)

By the way, if you have leftovers, store them in a Ziploc bag, or container-throw them back in the oven before serving, and they will crisp back up on the outside, and be amazing.

Say it with me "OH MY GOODNESS!"

Winter Garden Polenta

This blog is really helping me try new foods and recipes, I'm thankful for that, and thankful for all you won
derful readers out there!  I have never made Polenta, nor eaten it.  I wish I would have tried this gem earlier, because I really do like it.  I love the texture.  I wasn't sure how it would taste or if it would turn into a pile of mush which it sort of is, but definitely has a texture to it.  I want to try more recipes with it for sure.  When I first made this recipe I thought it was a "girl food" as in something men wouldn't want-thinking that way because it doesn't have any meat in it.  Men I know like meat.  Surprising enough my husband really enjoyed this meal!  I'm lucky that he will try(and most of the time like) anything I make. Thank goodness.  This is SO easy to prepare, and most of the work is done in the Crock Pot! Score!  It takes very little time, and has great flavor, give this a try!



Naked Chicken Burrito(mock Qdoba's)

I'm finally back in business! Just got my computer back today, and I hope I never get a virus again. Ugh, what a pain.  I am happy to be blogging again that's for sure!
The day is finally here to share my homemade mock Naked Chicken Burrito that I LOVE from Qdoba Mexican Grill!  My husband and I love this Naked Burrito which obviously means everything that Qdoba packs into a burrito but without the tortilla.  This is the closest I have come to their recipe, and it is so darn close it's not even funny.  I now will stick with this recipe every time, because you can't tell much of a difference.  I'm proud of myself. ;) If you have ever been to either Qdoba or Chipotle's and have fallen in love with their burritos, be sure to try this recipe at home.  It does take a little bit of time because of the few different recipes that go with it, but it is worth it, and I ate a naked burrito here at home for over a week.  I didn't get tired of it either, and I am ready to make it again.  Let me know if you try this, or any of the recipes, and let me know what you think!



Homemade Flour Tortillas

First off, HAPPY NEW YEAR!  I hope you all had a great New Years Eve, and I hope this year will be the best yet!  Let's start the new year off with a simple recipe shall we?! And a great one at that! Like I have said before my hubby loves flour tortillas, and we have always bought them at the store.  Truthfully, I've never even thought about making them at home.  I am so glad I ran across this recipe while I was browsing online.  I literally read the recipe, jumped up, and whipped them right out.  So few ingredients, and easy to make.  I didn't even know what I was going to make with them, I just knew I wanted to eat one warm right out of the pan, so you will see at the end of the recipe, what I did with my first warm tortilla!  By the way, we loved these.  Of course they have a totally different taste then store bought tortillas, and that is the best part, not to mention fewer ingredients(as to which you can pronounce).  I am determined to make these whenever I need tortillas at home.  I can't wait to stuff these full of all sorts of food!  Try them!

Don't mind the tortilla on the bottom that has pieces missing...I couldn't keep my hands away! NOM!

Homemade Pizza from Scratch

I am a total pizza lover at heart.  No joke.  I have a pizza craving at least once a week.  I don't allow myself to eat it that often, but I definitely give into the cravings here and there.  Why not?!  Everything in moderation is what I tell myself. :)  I have recently fallen in love with semi homemade pizzas at home made with the store bought Boboli...most of you know, and have tried these right?  They are SO simple, and such a quick meal.  I also LOVE the sauce that comes with them!  It has a sweetness to it that I love.  I am usually not a marinara lover, it always seems too intense flavored for me.  I like a lighter sauce.  I will choose a white garlic sauce for my pizza any day over marinara. 
I finally explored the world of true homemade pizza, and not to my surprise, I fell in love with it.  Go figure right?!  If I have a little more time on my hands when the "pizza craving" strikes, there is NO DOUBT I will make my own homemade pizza/dough.  Amazing.  If you haven't made a pizza totally from scratch, you are missing out, and I can't believe I went so long without making one.  Geez.  PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE make your own, you will be changed forever :)  I'll show you how I made it!


Homemade Pizza from Scratch

WOW! YUMMO!

Hot Italian Hoagie

Whenever my Husband orders a sandwich from a deli, it's main components usually are Italian inspired.  He always seems to gravitate towards pepperoni, and salami.  Maybe it's a "man thing?"  Today's lunch is another meal inspired by my Husband.  Once again I asked him what he wanted for lunch(these Fajita Turkey Melts were his idea last time) and he said "I'm thinking a sandwich, with Italian flavors, and an Italian dressing-not a red sauce, but a white sauce, or oil and vinegar.  I want red onion, and peperoncinis on it."  Wow huh?  I guess it was one of those days where he knew exactly what he wanted.  Those days are fun because we go back and forth with ideas as to what also sounds good.  This sandwich was REALLY good too!  It is packed full of flavor!  My husband was pretty darn proud. :)

Hot Italian Hoagie(my husband also chose the name)

Caesar Shrimp and Pasta

Good morning! It's Friday! :)  Woohoo!  I know sometimes the last thing you want to do when you get home from work is cook a meal.  It would be nice to get home, put the comfy clothes on, and put your feet up!  I want to share the recipe I made last night because it was a cinch!  You could have your feet up in no time, and a delicious meal on the table(please restrain from putting your feet on the table-at least we save that for the couch in my house :))  This meal is simple, and requires very few ingredients.  It's wonderful.  My kind of meal for sure!  Might be yours too, try it out!!

Caesar Shrimp and Pasta

oh YUMMO!

Turkey Meatballs in Cream Sauce

Good morning!  I have a confession...I don't like meatloaf...:( Well I should say I have only eaten it a few times, and made my decision based on that.  I think it's the way it is usually smothered in ketchup??  I like ketchup but only a little bit, once in awhile.  My husband shares the same dislike as me, so thankfully I haven't been forced to make it, BUT I really want to try making it my own way, to give it one last shot.  If you have any amazing meatloaf recipes that aren't smothered in ketchup, and you think I would like, please let me know! :)  For some reason I got a hankering for meatballs the other day, don't ask me why, because I have NEVER made them before(crazy I know!) and have only eaten them maybe twice in my life.  I have always known the base ingredients, so I just went for it.  They turned out AMAZING, and full of flavor! My husband agrees that they were awesome.  I always feel good when I make something for the first time, and hear from my hubby that he loves it.  Makes me feel good.  Makes everyone feel good when their hard work pays off. :)  This recipe can be altered so much to fit every ones taste buds.  I realized that there are so many different spices you could add, and cheeses...I definitely didn't leave out the cheese! I'm a cheese freak! ;)  These meatballs were so simple to make, and the easy cream sauce went perfectly with them! I served them over whole grain noodles.  Enjoy!

Turkey Meatballs in Cream Sauce

Delish!

Baked Spinach and Artichoke Dip

Football Season is upon us, and what does that mean?! Hmm...it means FOOD! Or does is mean FOOTBALL???  Truth is, I don't watch much football anymore, and I think I need to at least pretend I do, so I can go to all the parties with the yummy food!  OR, I can use it as an excuse to just make it at home?!  Yep, okay, I feel better now.  I talked myself right into it. 
My husband is a HUGE chips and dip fan.  I swear he would eat that for every meal.  He is simple though, with his favorite being chips and salsa.  I on the other hand love the creamy dips(go figure) the most.  He LOVES them too, but they take more work then chips and salsa where it's "fridge to face" :) That is how he rolls in the cooking department. Chips and salsa are by far the healthier choice, which is my main reason I very seldom bake creamy dips.  BUT it's FOOTBALL season, so I have an excuse! ;)

Baked Spinach and Artichoke Dip

I'm sorry I don't have any "prettier" photos of the final product.  I made this at my friend's house for our dinner get together, and we were all ready to dig in once this came out of the oven! I even had to tell one of them "hands off!" until I snapped a picture. :) 

Broccoli Potato Cheese Soup

Yesterday I had a real craving for some sort of broccoli cheese soup, and I needed to have it ASAP. :)  I have only made it once in my life, but have eaten it from restaurants.  I looked all over the Internet to get a basic idea on how to do it.  It seemed simple enough, so off to the grocery store I went, and picked up a couple things I needed.  I whipped out my own version, and boy was it tasty!!! It is so good and creamy without using processed cheese, or half and half.  Which means it is better for you, and not as fattening.  If you like broccoli cheese soup, you really have to try this! This is for sure my new favorite!

Broccoli Potato Cheese Soup

Oh my this is GOOD!

Grilled Zucchini Roll Ups

A few weeks ago while grocery shopping at Safeway, I browsed through the free recipe cards they have in the produce section, and I ran into a recipe for Grilled Zucchini Roll Ups that looked delicious!  I snagged the card, and got all the ingredients to make them.  I made them the other night, and they turned out yummy.  I made them at my parent's house to share with them and my husband.  They all loved them, and they were perfect as an appetizer before dinner.  I didn't want to start the barbecue to grill them because they only take about 5 minutes to grill and the barbecue my parents have is charcoal, so instead I took my little George Forman grill with me.  It was a great idea grilling them with the George, but next time I make them I will use my bigger George Forman grill because it took way too long grilling the zucchini and red peppers.  If you have an indoor grill that would be the ideal way to do this, but if not you can use the George Forman grill too.  Also, my Mom didn't have a vegetable slicer, so I had to cut the veggies with a knife, and I ended up losing quite a bit, because I am not perfect, and my slicing skills didn't work out the best, but I did take a picture of the best way I found to cut a zucchini lengthwise to get the best slices.  If you are looking for a yummy appetizer for dinner or any get together, these would be a great dish to make.  They are very good, and if you have the right tools, and grill, they are simple to make, and fun to eat.

Grilled Zucchini Roll Ups

Don't they look pretty?! So appealing to the eye and the stomach!

Creamy Meat and Cheese Wrap

The other day while making muffins at my friend Melissa's house, we were running out of fuel, and needed to eat something quick. Taking care of three children all under the age of 3 1/2 is a daunting task, and sure does drain your energy. Melissa does and awesome job though, and her kids are totally worth all the energy I have. :)  We re fueled by going through her fridge, and trowing together these wraps that are simple, but were SO GOOD.  I like posting simple recipes like these, for ideas for you all.  I know they are simple enough for anyone to figure out on their own, but it may have ingredients you wouldn't normally think to add, so I just have to show you. :) I will make these again!

Creamy Meat and Cheese Wrap

Crockpot Chili

Crock pot season is just about here!  I secretly admire my crock pot. :)  I love how you cook dinner in the morning...is that weird?? Well I should say you do all the prepping in the morning, and your crock pot does all the rest.  It really is an amazing thing throwing everything together, and ending up with a delicious dinner at the end of the day.  Oh, and the smell while it is working it's magic throughout the day is divine.  MmmMmm.  My crock pot has yet to fail me with a delicious dinner, which is pretty darn amazing since I throw almost anything in there together.  Get ready to see more crock pot dishes coming up! 
I have made this chili for quite some time now, and have shared it with family and friends, and they all love it.  It is one of my favorite crock pot meals, and because of that, I am sharing it with you today!  This is my homemade chili, but I do have to admit I take all the shortcuts possible. :)  I used canned beans...gasp! I know, I know, but just try it, and you will love how simple it is, and delicious!

Crock pot Chili

Canned Tomato Soup Dressed Up

Hi ya all!  Hope you are all having a great Saturday!  Today is my friend's wedding that I am a bridesmaid in.  I am so excited for her, and her future husband!  They make a great couple, and this wedding will be amazing I know it.  I am also loving this cooler weather!! Might not love it too much when I have to put on the spaghetti strap dress for the wedding though! :) Oh, well I will make it!  This cooler weather is the perfect time to whip up a batch of my Canned Tomato Soup Dressed Up!  It warms the soul, and the belly! It is SO simple, and really does taste homemade! 

Canned Tomato Soup Dressed Up

Ingredients:(serves 2-4)

• 1 can(10 3/4oz) Tomato Soup, condensed



• Milk(1 tomato soup can full)
• a sprinkle of dried oregano
• a sprinkle of dried basil
• a sprinkle of a garlic and herb blend(I used a Safeway brand)
• salt and pepper to taste
• 2 tbls grated parmesan cheese

First prepare tomato soup from instructions on can.  I used Milk, you can use water if you want, it wont be as thick.  Add seasonings, stir, and simmer.  You need to stir frequently to prevent the soup from sticking to the bottom, and burning.  I let mine simmer for about 15 minutes to let the dried herbs come to life.  Serve with parmesan cheese on top.  My husband and I shared the can of soup, but you can easily divide it into smaller portions.  Enjoy this simple and yummy soup! One day I WILL make homemade!

Question of the Day:



Do you dip sandwiches in tomato soup? If so, what kind of sandwich?

Of course I dip sandwiches in tomato soup! I was just thinking how it is a standard fare, and how that would be a no brainer, BUT I may be the only crazy one out there who does dip!  I ALWAYS dip my grilled cheese sandwich in tomato soup, YUM.  The Fajita Turkey Melts my husband and I made yesterday were too flavorful to dip, we enjoyed the individual flavors of the sandwich and soup alone. 

Fajita Turkey Melt

Hello blog readers!  I have been missing in action...My husband and I finally made it back home!  The last two days were filled with emptying out the RV and moving it to a storage unit.  It is so much work, we were working on it from 7:00AM yesterday until about 3:30PM, then we had to drive another three hours home! Whew, sorry, I know it is NO excuse to be absent from blogging. ;)  I hope I am here to stay and blog up a storm for quite awhile! Life may get in the way here and there, but we will all be alright. :)  I am so excited to be cooking again in our house, and excited that my sous chef(aka hubby) will be here to cook with me.  He is a chopping, dicing, slicing, grating machine! Have I mentioned that I really dislike grating cheese??? Well, I do, but my husband doesn't mind it.:) Perfect match if I do say so! When I first asked my husband to help in the kitchen, I think the only reason he jumped up to help, was so he would be eating that much sooner.  After he helped a few times, he decided that WE HE needed a nice new knife.  Now that we have a few new knifes, he sort of thinks he is a pro. :) That's alright with me, if I can get help in the kitchen!
 Let's get on to our masterpiece we had for lunch today! We were brainstorming on ideas for lunch, and the old fashioned grilled cheese, and tomato soup combo sounded delicious, but we were craving a twist on the classic.  A new twist we achieved!  Introducing....

Fajita Turkey Melt

Oh my goodness this was so good!  We both loved this sandwich! It is filled with flavor!  This is my new favorite go to grilled cheese sandwich.

Scrambled Egg and Turkey Sandwich

Hello!! I am back, and ready to get cooking. :) Sorry I didn't post much AT ALL while I was away.  I was busy visiting family, friends, and attending a bachelorette party, and bridal shower.  I had a blast all week, but am glad to be back to cooking for my husband and I again.  I hope you all had a great week! I can't wait to catch up on blogs, and make some delicious food of my own!

This morning I was craving something savory because all week I had oatmeal for breakfast.  Don't get me wrong, I LOVE oatmeal, and one of these days I will share my go to simple oatmeal breakfast with all of you.  Since I had been gone all week, I had few ingredients to work with this morning, but my Scrambled Egg and Turkey Sandwich was AMAZING.  It is a VERY simple breakfast you can make on the go anytime.  It took very little time, and was SO good, and healthy.  It kept me full for a good amount of time, and I believe my non egg eating husband will even like it! 

Scrambled Egg and Turkey Sandwich

Green Machine Shake

Hi blog friends! I hope you had a wonderful weekend! This blog I created on Friday before we headed home for the weekend/week(for me).  I knew I had to plan a post or two for while I was away. :) I wont forget about all you friends!

This Green Machine Shake is what I have enjoyed for lunch the past week or two.  I just LOVE it, and if you try it, I am sure you will too! It is good for you, and fills me up for awhile!  The reason why it is called my Green Machine Shake, secret is... it is filled with SPINACH!  I SWEAR you can't taste it ONE BIT!! IF you don't believe me, try it!!! :) MmmMmm it's thick, sweet, and has all healthy ingredients! Introducing my Green Machine Shake(IN my green cup!)

Sooooo GOOD!

Tilapia Tacos with Lime Slaw

Hello blogger friends!  It's Wednesday, which means Friday is right around the corner for those of you who can't wait! I hear ya!  It will be here before you know it! :) 

WARNING!!! This post contains FAT, the stuff that is bad for us...but so good sometimes! We all can handle a little bit right??  If not, then my blog isn't for you ;)  I try to cook healthy for the most part, but I can't always do that completely... These pictures I will show you are greasy and shiny, but oh so good. :) Hope you guys stick around to see my dinner from last night!

Tilapia Tacos with Lime Slaw

This would be my husband's first taco, with his hand in the back ground.  I paid him for his time...joking!

Wowee doesn't that look delish! 

BTA Wraps(Big twist on the BLT)

Good Afternoon everyone!  Hope you are all doing great!  I got out and did a little shopping today, but it was so hot, I'm glad to be back home in the air conditioning!  I had some leftover bacon from my breakfast quesadilla yesterday, so I thought I would use it up today, and not have to cook until dinner tonight! I came up with a BTA Wrap.  Bacon Tomato, and Avocado Cream.  YUM! Boy am I glad I did! :) That means TWO recipes today, hold on to your britches! Here is the final product to get your mouth watering.

BTA Wraps