Biscuit and Gravy Casserole

My husband absolutely loves biscuits and gravy. I figured why not try it in a casserole? This was a huge hit! It would be great for over night guests.

16 ounce can of flaky biscuits
8 eggs, beaten
1 pound of breakfast sausage, cooked
1 cup of shredded cheese
1/2 cup of milk
1 package McCormick peppered gravy, prepared according to package


preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a 9x13 pan. Take your uncooked biscuits and chop into bite size pieces and layer in the bottom of the pan. layer the sausage on the biscuits and then top with cheese. Whisk the milk into the beaten eggs, pour over layers in the pan. top with prepared gravy. Bake for 35-40 minutes until the eggs are set. Enjoy!

Skinny Smothered Chicken

I found this recipe a few years ago but my family wasn't very keen on it. I decided to make a few changes. The changes were a success! My hubby loved it this time around!

1 pound of boneless, skinless chicken (beat with meat mallet until even thickness is acheived)
1 green pepper, thinly sliced
8 oz mushrooms, thinly sliced
1/2 yellow onion thinly sliced
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon oregano
salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/2 cup shredded cheese
1 teaspoon of olive oil

Heat olive oil in pan. Once hot, saute veggies until crisp tender. add garlic and oregano. remove from pan and set aside. add chicken to pan and brown until nearly cooked through. put veggies on top of chicken, top with cheese and cover with lid. After 2 minutes remove from heat but keep the lid on. Let rest for 5 minutes with lid on before serving. Enjoy!

Marinated Mushrooms

I love mushrooms! I never thought about the fact that mushrooms are low in calories and could make the perfect snack! These are marinated in olive oil but most of the marinade is left in the bottom of the bag when you eat them. I recommend letting these marinate for 24 hours but a minimum of 6 is necessary.

1 pound of small white mushrooms, just the tips of the stem trimmed and cleaned
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon of water
1 1/2 teaspoons of Worcestershire
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons of fresh, chopped flat leaf parsley
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
3/4 teaspoon salt

Mix all of the ingredients, except mushrooms,  in a gallon ziplock bag. Add mushrooms. shake well to coat. Let chill in the fridge.

Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad

I LOVE suddenly salad, the bacon ranch is my favorite! However, I do not love that it's so salty and full of junk. So, why not make a version that's just as tasty, minus the junk and packed with fresh veggies too? This recipe makes a lot of pasta salad, I usually cut it half when I'm making it as a side for dinner. Keep in mind, you are welcome to use fresh bacon, cooked and chopped or even real bacon bits, I prefer to just use the imitation ones to save time and money and think they do the salad justice by adding just the right amount of bacon flavor!

1 pound large pasta (I like large elbows)
1 pint cherry tomatoes, quartered or halved
1 large cucumber chopped
1.5 cups frozen peas, thawed (I thaw mine quickly by tossing them in with my pasta just as it's finishing cooking)
1 cup mayo
1 cup sour cream
1 package hidden Valley Ranch mix (or 3 tablespoons from the Costco container)
2/3 cup imitation bacon bits (or 1 cup of real bacon cooked and crumbled)

Cook pasta, add frozen peas in the last 2 minutes of cooking. Drain and rinse with cold water. In a small mixing bowl, mix sour cream, mayo, ranch seasoning and bacon bits. In a large bowl mix pasta, peas, cucumber and tomato. Add dressing. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving. Enjoy!

Unstuffed Cabbage Roll Skillet

I've tried this dish several ways. The last way included rice. However, on my mission to eat better and keep track of my calories, I'm trying to avoid starches  (like rice,  pasta, potatoes, etc). I do still make a small pot of rice to serve this over for the other members of my family. This large skillet makes about 6 servings and comes in at under 250 calories for a large portion! So full of flavor!

1.5 pounds 93/7 ground turkey
1 small head of cabbage, cored and chopped
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup shredded or chopped carrots
2 stalks of celery, sliced thin
2 cloves of garlic, minced
2 cans of diced tomatoes, undrained
1 8 Oz can of tomato sauce
2 cups of shredded cheese
Salt and pepper to taste

In a large skillet or pot, brown meat. When half way through, add onion, garlic, celery,  and carrots. Continue cooking until meat is thoroughly cooked. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Add tomato sauce, cans of tomatoes and cabbage. Mix well. Cover with lid and cook over medium heat for 15-20 minutes until cabbage reaches desired consistency, stir occasionally.

Now, I do not like mine soupy. So, I quickly dump this in a strainer for about 60-90 seconds and then return to the pan. Place it back on the burner, heat off. Top with cheese and replace lid until cheese is melted!

Enjoy!