Parmesan Crusted Chicken (lightened up)

Parmesan crusted chicken is a favorite of ours. However, it's full of mayo which is not good for you. So, I've lightened it up! This definitely has a different taste but is yummy in it's own way!

3-4 chicken breasts
2/3 cup of plain Greek yogurt
1/3 cup of parmesan cheese
1/8 teaspoon of black pepper
3/4 teaspoon of season salt
1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder

Preheat over to 425. Trim your chicken breasts and use a meat mallet to make them uniform in thickness (about 1/2 an inch). Please in a 9x13 dish). Mix up the other ingredients. Spread evenly over chicken. Cook for 25 minutes.

If you are needing to make more chicken, it is very easy to bump up to 1 cup Greek yogurt and 1/2 cup of parmesan. Just sprinkle a little more of each seasoning to compensate.

Enjoy!

Cheeseburger Soup

I found this recipe online, bought everything to make it, then went back for the recipe and the blog is gone! So, I winged it. It is pretty darn good! Just like  a burger without the bun, and all warm and comforting,  perfect for that "burger fix" in winter!

1 pound hamburger
1/2 of an onion, chopped
3 cuos beef broth
4 tablespoons of tomato paste
1.5 tablespoons of yellow mustard
3 tablespoons of worschteshire
8 Oz of velveeta, diced
1/2 a head of iceberg lettuce, chopped
3/4 cup  (give or take ) of cherry tomatoes, halved
Bacon, nice and crispy and crumbled
1/4 cup of pickle slices, chopped

Brown hamburger with onion, drain and set aside. In a large pot, mix broth, tomato paste,  mustard, worschteshire,and Velveeta. Hest over medium until cheese is melted and it is bubbling. Add lettuce and cook for 1 minute. Remove from heat. Let cool slightly and add tomatoes,  pickles and bacon. Serve and enjoy!!!

Asian Beef

I found this recipe on Pinterest. I of course made  a few changes. Dinner was awesome! The sauce in this dish is the perfect mix of sweet and tangy. In order to slice your beef super thin, wrap your meat tightly in saran wrap and place in the freezer for 30 minutes, remove and slice immediately.

1 pound of beef (any sort of steak will do, I used a petite sirloin)
10 Oz mushrooms, sliced about 1/4 inch thick 8 Oz snow peas

1/2 cup of soy sauce
1 tablespoon sesame oil
6 cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon ginger  (grated or pureee)
2 1/2 tablespoons of brown sugar
2 teaspoons rice vinegar

Mix the lower set of ingredients in a bowl and microwave for a minute and a half. This gently cooks the garlic so it's not as sharp of a flavor. In a large pan, heat a tablespoon of oil until HOT and add veggies. Saute until mushrooms are done and peas are crisp-tender. Remove from pan and add another tablespoon of oil. Heat over medium high. Very carefully put half of your meat in the pan,  be sure to lay your slices flat and not touching. You want to really brown them. Cook 3 minutes or so on each side. Remove the first batch of meat and cook the second. Return meat and veggies to pan and pour the sauce over. Stir well and remove from heat. Serve over brown or white rice.

Enjoy!

Tomato Breakfast Muffins

These are a favorite of mine so I just had to share! I'm amazed at how well tomato and hard boiled egg blend together, the juicy tomato offsets the dry egg yoke. So delicious! You could find a gluten free or whole grain option to replace the sourdough English muffin.

1 sourdough English muffin
1 hard boiled egg,  sliced into 6 slices
Tomato slices
Teaspoon of butter or margarine
Sprinkle of shredded cheese
Salt and pepper to taste

Toast muffin and spread just enough butter to moisten it. Layer tomato and egg, sprinkle with salt and pepper. Top with cheese and put in the oven on BROIL until cheese melts.

Enjoy!

Chili Mac and Cheese Soup

I love, love,  love finding a dish the whole family loves (and has seconds of). This was the perfect, hearty, warm fall meal! I found this recipe online and then made and few changes to it. I will point out that it turned out very thick, like chili which is what our family likes. If you want more of a soup,  I recommend adding about 1.5 cups of water or chicken broth.

1 pound lean ground beef
1/2 onion, chopped
3 cloves of garlic, minced
4 1/2 cups of chicken broth
1 can petite diced tomatoes, undrained
1 can white kidney beans,  undrained
1 can red kidney beans, undrained
1 1/2 teaspoons cumin
2 teaspoons of chili powder
Salt and pepper to taste
12 Oz elbow macaroni
1 1/2 cups  shredded cheese (Monterey jack, cheddar,  whatever suits your fancy)

Brown ground beef with the onion and garlic. Drain and return to pot. Add chicken broth, tomatoes,  beans and seasonings. Bring to a boil. I highly recommend letting it simmer at this point  (I let mine simmer for about an hour, covered) However, you can just skip the simmering and add your pasta now. If you simmer, bring it back up to a boil before adding pasta. Boil with pasta over medium to medium high heat, stirring frequently, until pasta is cooked. If it is too thick for your liking,  you can add some water or chicken broth now. Add the cheese and stir until melted.

That's it! Feel free to garnish with  a little extra cheese if you desire. Enjoy!

Creamy Crock Pot Chicken and Stuffing

I don't even remember where I got this recipe from. However, it's fall which means it's crock pot season! This recipe is inexpensive, easy and filling! I love to serve it up with a side of green beans!

3-4 chicken beasts
1 box stuffing (like Stove Top)
1 can of cream of chicken soup
1/2 cup of sour cream
1/4 cup water

Put your chicken in the crock pot. Dumb the box of dry stuffing evenly over the top. Mix the soup,  sour cream and water together and spread that evenly over the stuffing. Cover and cook for 4 hours on low. At the end, I like to remove the chicken, thoroughly mix the soup mix and stuffing and cover and let cook another 5 minutes, just to ensure the stuffing is cooked evenly.

Enjoy!

Red Pepper Pesto

Have you ever roasted a pepper? No? Me either! Until today.... it was far easier than I expected and definitely beats the flavor of the ones you buy in a jar,  not to mention the price! 2 years ago I bought a jar of red pepper pesto at Costco. I've never been able to find that same pesto since then. I figured I'd make my own! I pulled up  a list of ingredients online of the red pepper pesto from Costco and went from there. This awesome pesto is much lighter than traditional pesto and is slightly sweet from the red peppers and balsamic vinegar while the fresh garlic gives it a little bite and adds some fantastic flavor! I like to use this on top of grilled chicken and then toss a little of it with some hot pasta. So delicious!

So, to roast the red peppers, preheat your oven to 400°. Simply place your peppers on a foil lined cookie sheet and bake for 20 minutes,  then flip over and bake another 25. The end result should be soft peppers,  slightly charred on the outside. Once they have cooled,  remove the stem and seeds.

2 roasted red peppers (see above for directions )
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1/4 cup (loosley packed) fresh basil leaves
1/4 cup grated parmesan
1 tablespoon olive oil
1.5 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon rice vinegar
Salt to taste

Put garlic and olive oil in magic bullet or blender. Pulse. Add the rest of the ingredients and continue to pulse until everything is well blended and it reaches your desired consistency.

I firmly believe this should be chilled for a minimum of 2 hours to let the flavors blend. I personally make mine on the morning and use it in the evening.

Now toss with your favorite pasta,  spaghetti squash or top your chicken with it... enjoy!

Green Chili Enchilada Quinoa Bake

Nothing beats being able to take a classic and remake it! This recipe takes the wonderful flavor of green chili enchiladas and amps up the nutritional level, all in a warm and creamy casserole! Don't let the word casserole turn you off, gone are the days of grandma's bland tuna casserole full of peas,  this takes casseroles to a whole new level!

1 large chicken breast, cooked and shredded
1 cup dry quinoa,  rinsed and cooked
1 bag baby spinach,  chopped
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves of garlic , minced
1/3 cup cilantro, chopped
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon cumin
Salt and pepper to taste
3 tablespoons lime juice
2 10 Oz cans mild or medium green chili enchilada sauce
1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt (or sour cream)
2 cups shredded Monterey cheddar

In a large pan, saute your onion in a little bit of olive oil. Once it's translucent,  add garlic and saute another 30 seconds. Add spinach, yes it looks like a ton of spinach but it will cook down a lot. Saute spinach until slightly wilted. Remove from heat. Add lime juice, cumin, chili powder and salt and pepper. Mix well. Add black beans, enchilada sauce and Greek yogurt. Mix well. Add cheese and quinoa and mix together. Spray a 9x13 glass dish and pour the mixture into it. Cover with foil. Bake at 375 for 45 minutes.

Enjoy!!!

Minestrone Soup

Minestrone soup is an awesome blend of vegetables,  beans and pasta. You really could add anything you'd like to this soup!  The great thing is, even if you're not a fan of one of these ingredients, you can't really tell it's in there but you still get the nutritional value of it. After simmering, all of the flavors blend together wonderfully!  This makes a big batch, possibly my enough to freeze half for another meal, depending on how many mouths you're feeding. (Note: if possible use canned goods with no salt added or reduced sodium, it is also possible to replace the canned vegetables with frozen)

1 can kidney beans (drained and rinsed)
1 can cannellini beans (drained and rinsed)
1 can diced carrots (drained and rinsed)
1 can green beans (drained and rinsed)
2 cans diced tomatoes, UNDRAINED
3 stalks of celery, sliced
1 onion,  chopped
1 small bunch of kale, chopped
1/2 cup pesto sauce
8 Oz pasta
8 cups of water (plus 5 teaspoons of chicken bouillon)

In a large soup pot, heat up some olive oil. Cook the onions and celery until they lose their crunch. Add kale and continue cooking until lightly wilted. Add all other ingredients and bring to a boil. Season with salt, pepper and garlic powder to taste. After bringing to a boil, cover and let simmer for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. After 45 minutes your soup will be done. Sometimes I find that I need to add a cup or two of water at the end because the pasta absorbs more than expected. Be sure to add another sprinkle of bouillon if you add extra water!

Sprinkle each bowl with parmesan and enjoy!

Sweet and Tangy Quinoa Salad

I love quinoa salads. They're so healthy and when served cold they're perfect for the summer! I thought I'd whip one up off the top of my head today and holy moly, I have impressed myself!  The sweet and tangy dressing put this salad over the top!

1 cup quinoa, rinsed
1 orange pepper, chopped
1 can of black beans, drained
1 cup frozen white corn,  thawed
1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
3 green onions, chopped
1/2 cup cilantro, chopped

For the dressing:
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon honey
1/2 teaspoon cumin
2 cloves of garlic, minced

Cook the quinoa according to THESE directions. Then spread it out on a cutting board to cool. Mix all chopped veggies, herbs and beans in a large mixing bowl. Once the quinoa has cooled, add that. In a small bowl, mix all ingredients for the dressing. Pour over the salad and toss! Chill for at least 30 minutes.

Enjoy!

Freezer Breakfast Burritos

I know there's  a ton of recipes out there for freezer burritos. I figured I'd share mine! My recipe makes 12 large burritos. Instead of having a line of ingredients to fill each burrito, I prefer to mix then all together and then just place one big scoop in each burrito. The batch I just photographed does not include wax paper which is an important step for freezer burritos since you can't microwave foil. You wrap the burrito in wax paper first, then in a piece of foil (this helps keep it's shape and protects it from freezer burn). I then place 4 burritos in a gallon zip lock back for extra protection against freezer burn. I also only use one pan for cooking, I cook each thing one at a time and then dump it in a large mixing bowl. Less dishes!

1 lb Ground breakfast sausage
1 package smoked sausage (12-14 Oz depending on the brand), diced
18 eggs
1 package tater tots
1 16 ox container Pico DE Gallo salsa (drain the excess juice, you only want the chunky stuff)
1 8 oz package shredded cheese
10 inch tortillas

I start with cooking the breakfast sausage and smoked sausage together then place on paper towels to drain. Next, I add a little oil to the pan and add my frozen tater tots . I cook them until they get slightly golden, breaking up the tater tots into those tiny little potato pieces they're made of. When done, add those to your large mixing bowl and the meat too. Dump the Pico DE Gallo in too. Now scramble up your 18 eggs, make sure they're cooked thoroughly.  Add the eggs and bag of cheese to the bowl too.

Now, set up your prep area. I use the previous cut foil sheets. For the perfect measurement, I use my large soup ladle, leveled off at the top. Lay down a piece of foil, a piece of wax paper, then your tortilla. Add one scoop of your breakfast fillings,  roll tightly,  then roll it in wax paper,  then the foil and you're done! Keep going until your filling is all gone. Place them in freezer bags and freeze!

I highly recommend letting your burrito defrost before microwaving for even cooking but that's not necessary. These are great to take camping! You can skip the wax paper step while assembling them. Don't bother freezing them either, or freeze but defrost first. You can put the burrito straight on your BBQ grill to heat it up!  Again,  do not use wax paper if that is how you will be heating them!

Enjoy!

Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad

I love suddenly salad, that bacon ranch kind.  However, it's so salty and full of junk! Here is a version not filled with that junk and packed with yummy veggies! Instead of using a package of ranch mix, I buy the container of hidden valley mix for about $7 a bottle at Costco, this saves a lot of money overtime!

1 lb pasta,  cooked, drained and cooled (I rinse with cold running water to speed up the process)
1/2-3/4 a package of cherry tomatoes halved or quartered
1 1/2 cups frozen peas,  defrosted
1 cucumber, peeled and diced

1 cup sour cream
1 cup mayonnaise
1 package ranch dressing mix (or 3 tablespoons from the large jar)
1/2 cup imitation bacon bits

Toss the first 4 ingredients in a large bowl. Mix the bottom 4 ingredients together in a separate bowl. Then add to the pasta mixture. Once it's mixed well, chill for at least an hour before serving!

Enjoy!

Shrimp Macaroni Salad

We had this salad at a good friend's house awhile ago. It was so good, I had to ask for the recipe!  I did make a couple of slight adjustments but I'm posting the original recipe so you can decide for yourself :-) my favorite part about this is it doesn't have a strong seafood taste to it  (which means even picky little kiddos will eat it).

1 lb. Macaroni noodles, cooked and drained (I prefer large elbow but you could use shells or those tiny circular macaroni salad noodles )
1 or 2 cans of tiny canned shrimp drained  (I prefer 1)
4-5 stalks of celery, diced
3-4 green onions,  sliced thin
1 can of olives,  drained and finely chopped
1 3/4 cup of mayo (I prefer 1 1/4 cup of mayo plus half a cup of plain Greek yogurt or sour cream)
Salt and pepper to taste

Simply toss everything together, mix well and chill for a couple of hours before serving!

Enjoy!

Mexican Macaroni Salad

I am on a serious pasta salad kick lately! Do they have a 12 step program for that? If so, I need to find myself a meeting. At least I've admitted my problem,  that's the first step, I think. Anyways, back to the pasta... This is a recipe from the Pioneer Woman that I changed very slightly and absolutely love! It's  fun and colorful too!

For the salad:
1 lb pasta cooked, drained and cooled (I prefer large macaroni noodles)
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 1/2 cups frozen corn, thawed
4 Roma tomatoes,  diced
1/2 cup chopped olives (I use more )
3-4 green onions,  thinly sliced
Cilantro, about 1/3 cup chopped

For the dressing:
1 cup chunky salsa (feel free to make it spicy )
1 cup sour cream
1/4 cup mayo
2 cloves of garlic, pressed
2 tablespoons lime juice
1/2 tsp cumin

Prep your ingredients  (that's the hardest part). Toss your salad ingredients together. Mix your dressing ingredients together. Pour the dressing over the pasta and toss to combine. Chill for at least an hour before serving.

Enjoy!

Mac and Cheese Salad

Fred Meyer sells this fantastic salad in their deli called mac and cheese salad. They don't have it in their deli case very often but when they do,  I'm in heaven! I thought I'd make an attempt at recreating it at home and I hit the nail on the head, first try!!

1 lb cavatappi pasta, cooked and drained and rinsed with cold water
1 very large handful of spinach leaves  (about 1/4-1/3 of  a 10oz bag), chopped into large pieces
3 green onions,  thinly sliced
2/3 cup feta cheese, crumbled

3/4 cup of mayo
3/4 cup sour cream
2 teaspoons lemon juice
2 cloves of garlic, pressed
Salt and pepper to taste

Toss your cooked,  cooled pasta with the spinach, onions and feta. Mix the mayo, sour cream, lemon juice, garlic and salt and pepper. Add that to the other ingredients and toss to coat. Chill for at least one hour before serving.

Enjoy!

Fried Rice

I love fried rice! I make it at home occasionally but I always use a seasoning packet for the flavor in my rice. Well, I went on a mission the other day to find a few fried rice recipes online and adapt them to make my own. I'd say my mission was successful! You could add pork, chicken or shrimp to this to suit your fancy but it really does rock all on it's own! Do not skip any of the ingredients, please... seriously.  Okay , maybe the green onion or swap some veggies out but don't mess with the butter, sauces or oil!

2 cups of uncooked rice (prepare then chill)
4 eggs scrambled (I just do mine in a bowl in the microwave and then chop them up a bit)
2 cups veggies (I like to use frozen peas,  carrots, and edamame)
3 cloves minced garlic
3-4 them sliced green onions
3 tablespoons of butter (this is the secret to good fried rice)
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
4 tablespoons of soy sauce (more to taste)
3/4 teaspoon sesame oil
Salt and pepper

Heat your large pan up, just a bit higher than medium heat. Make sure it is completely hot. Add 1 tablespoon of butter. In the melted butter, saute your vegetables for about 5 minutes. Add garlic and sauté another minute or so. Remove vegetable and place aside. Give your pan another few minutes to hear back up again. Melt the last 2 tablespoons of butter. Add cold rice, oyster sauce,  soy sauce, salt and pepper. Stir well and let rice brown slightly (hence the "fried " in the title). After it's done browning slightly (5 minutes or so) add egg, vegetables,  sliced green onion and sesame oil. Mix well and serve!!!

To make chicken fried rice, dice 2 chicken breasts up and marinate in a little sesame oil and soy sauce. Cook and add to the rice.

Enjoy!

Sonoma Salad

I had this years ago at my best friends baby shower. I went to costco today on a mission to find it to pack for game night at the field. Well, I had no luck finding it.  So,  I scoured the Internet trying to find a similar  recipe and couldn't settle on one. I took a little from each and came up with this!

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts boiled and chopped
1 cup grapes, chopped
1 cup craisins (dried cranberries )
3-4 stalks of celery, chopped
3/4 cup chopped pecans

1 cup mayo
5 teaspoons honey
4 teaspoons of apple cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder

Mix the top set of ingredients in a bowl (note: after I chopped my chicken into small pieces I squished them up a bit to make them less uniform in shape and more suitable for chicken salad). In a small bowl,  mix the ingredients for the dressing. Pour this over the chicken mixture and mix well. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.  Serve on a croissant or in a lettuce wrap!

Cheesy Pesto Spaghetti Squash

I have never made or had spaghetti  squash before and after a friend posted her spaghetti squash meal I had to try some!  I took what  she did and added pesto and baked it in a casserole dish rather than back in the squash skin. It was delicious! A piece of advice,  warn people  it's  not real noodles or they won't  like it, if they're  expecting real pasta,  it just won't  be the same!

2 medium-small spaghetti squash
2 cups shredded Monterey jack cheese
2 tablespoons butter melted
2 tablespoons pesto sauce
1 tablespoon olive oil
1.5 cups small chopped broccoli
3 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
Salt and pepper  to taste

I cooked my spaghetti squash whole. 375 for 1 hour 15 minutes. After it was done, I cut in half  and let cool. I then scooped the seeds out and shredded the squash with a fork. I used only 3 out of the 4 halves and saved the last half for leftovers. Place that into a 9x13 pan.

Dice your chicken into small pieces and saute in olive oil with the garlic.  When it's  nearly done, add the broccoli and 2 tablespoons of water. Cover with lid and cook until broccoli is tender, stiring it a couple of times. When it's  done, add that to the squash.

In a small bowl,  place butter and pesto  and heat until butter is melted. Pour it over the squash and chicken mix. Then add your cheese and salt and pepper and mix well. Bake for 15-20 minutes on 350 until cheese is thoroughly melted.

Enjoy!!!

Cilantro Lime Shrimp

I've  seen various recipes for this before but was always hesitant to mess with the way I like my shrimp. I'm  so glad I decided  to step  out of my shrimp comfort zone! I had this over salad topped with an avacado dressing  but I'm  also snacking on the leftover shrimp all by themselves! I highly  recommend serving these cold!

1 pound of peeled,  cooked shrimp
3 tablespoons of lime juice (or the juice of one lime)
2 teaspoons  olive oil
1/4 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon  garlic powder
Salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup chopped cilantro

In a jar, combine lime juice, oil, cymin, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Shake vigorously. Pour over shrimp, top with  cilantro and mix well. Let chill in the fridge for awhile  before serving. This gets  better the longer  it  marinates! Enjoy!

Edamame Quinoa Salad

So, I tried an Edamame Quinoa Salad from the deli the other day and it was awesome! I was determined to come home and find a recipe to replicate it. I searched online and found something fairly similar.  I made a few changes and came up with this, it's delicious!!! I can't wait for warmer weather and fun summery salads every day!

Ingredients:
3 cups frozen, shelled edamame
2 cups frozen white corn
1 red pepper
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
6 chopped green onions
1 can black beans drained and rinsed
1 cup cooked quinoa (1/3 uncooked) cooled

Dressing
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons dijon mustard
3 cloves minced garlic

Put your frozen corn and edamame in a strainer,  dump the black beans in and rinse for about 2 minutes with luke warm water (this will defrost the corn and edamame). Toss edamame, corn, beans, pepper, quinoa, cilantro and onions in a bowl. In a small jar (I like to use my magic bullet with the lid) combine all dressing ingredients and shake like crazy. Pour over the salad ingredients, mix and let chill. Enjoy!

Simple GREEK Pasta Salad

This pasta salad is everything I love! Light and easy and full of feta and kalamata olives.  Yum! I like making half of th we recipe and splitting it with my oldest child for lunch!  

8 oz pasta ( I prefer cavatappi)
1 can garbanzo beans drained and rinsed
1/2 cup kalamata olives quartered
1/2 cup feta cheese crumbles
1 6 oz jar of artichoke hearts (cut into small pieces) reserve liquid for dressing
4-6 sun dried tomatoes diced
1/2 tsp dried oregano
Dash salt
Dash black pepper

Cook pasta, drain and rinse with cool water. After removing the artichoke hearts from the jar,  add the oregano, salt and pepper and shake well. Put all ingredients in a bowl and pour the dressing over. Toss well to coat. Let chill for an hour before serving.

Slow Cooker Kalua Pork

Have you ever been to Hawaii? Have you ever had pig roasted in the ground, wrapped in banana leaves with that wonderful smokey flavor and the tenderness from slow cooking? Yeah? Me neither. However, from what I've been told, if you can't make it to a hawaiian luau anytime soon, this is the next best thing!

Pork roast, bone out (4-6 pounds)
1 tablespoon liquid smoke
1 teaspoon hawaiian salt (pink salt) or sea salt

Stab your roast all over with a fork, place in crock pot, pour over the liquid smoke and sprinkle with salt.  Cook on low 10-12 hours. I prefer to serve this by itself but you could serve it on a bun or in lettuce wraps.

Enjoy!

Greek Turkey Tacos

These tacos are fun, light and so darn delicious. They could be served as lettuce wraps I stead of in tortillas for a healthier meal. I like to prep the tzatziki and cucumber salsa a few hours ahead of time so they have plenty of time for the flavors to meld.

Cucumber Salsa:
1 large cucumber peeled and diced
3 roma tomatoes,  diced
1/4 red onion diced
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1/4 tsp salt

Tzatziki:
1 6 oz container plain Greek yogurt
1/2 cup light sour cream
2 teaspoons fresh dill, minced
3-4 cloves of fresh garlic, minced
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 medium cucumber very finely diced (about 1 cup)

Turkey:
1 lb ground turkey
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
1 tsp oregano
1/8 cup white wine
3 tablespoons tomato paste
1/4 cup chicken broth

Tortillas
Romaine lettuce
Feta cheese

Mix all ingredients for salsa and refrigerate. Mix all ingredients for tzatziki and refrigerate. Brown ground turkey and season with garlic, onion and oregano.  When it's about 3/4 of the way cooked, drain off any liquid, add wine and turn up to medium high.  When meat is cooked thoroughly, reduce heat to medium and add tomato paste and broth. Cook until most liquid is gone.

Serve with a romaine lettuce leaf om a tortilla, fill with turkey,  cucumber salsa and tzatziki.  I also like to add a good sprinkle of feta! Enjoy! !

Mediterranean Orzo Pasta Salad

I found this recipe from Pioneer Woman. Of coirse, I couldn't leave it as is, so I had to make some adjustments and make it "my own". After making it, there's still a couple of adjustments needed (like less pasta) so I'm going to post this with those corrections already made. I absolutely loved this dish,  my husband could take it or leave it and the kids weren't big fans but picked out what the liked. This is definitely a great summer dish!

Ingredients:
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1-2 cloves of garlic,  minced
1/2 tsp oregano
Salt and pepper to taste

8 oz orzo pasta, cooked (original recipe called for 12)
1 cup yellow cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered
1 cup red cherry tomatoes,  halved or quartered
1 cup Kalamata olives, pitted and halved or quartered
1 can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup feta cheese
1 cucumber peeled and diced
1/3 cup finely diced red onion
3 tablespoons fresh parsley

Pour the top set of ingredients into a jar and shake like crazy to make your dressing.
Combine the bottom set of ingredients,  top with dressing and toss to coat. Refrigerate for at least an hour to let the flavors meld but I prefer about 3-4 hours.

Enjoy!!!

Loaded Potato Soup

This is easy and cheap, my two favorite things! It turns out so thick and creamy, it's delicious!!! Perfect for this winter weather!

Ingredients:
3 cans chicken broth
1 can cream of chicken
1 block cream cheese (not fat free)
1 30 oz bag of cubed Hash browns (I used a little more)
Half of an onion chopped
Black pepper to taste
For garnish:
Shredded cheese, green onion, bacon

Saute onions slightly (they won't cook thoroughly in the soup). Add broth, soup,  hashbrowns, onions , and cream cheese (cut into chunks) and pepper to crock pot.  Cook on low 5-8 hours. Stir well until cream cheese is melted.

Garnish how you see fit and enjoy! !