Slow Cooker Turkey Tacos

In one of my latest cooking magazines, there are a lot of recipes listed for healthy eating after the new year. This was one that I came across that sounded delicious because A) I love ALL Mexican food, B) I've never made tacos in the crock pot, and C) Turkey tacos sounded different and kind of fun. So I threw everything in the crockpot (which took a total of about 8 minutes) and enjoyed these delicious tacos when I got home from work. I had some tomatillos in the fridge so I diced those up to put on top for a "fresh" crunch to the tacos and I will definitely make sure I have those next time I make these too. Although fresh diced tomatoes would also be a nice addition. (By the way...each taco is approximately 360 calories!)

Ingredients
1 15 oz can diced tomatoes, drained
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
4 scallions, diced
2 TBS. peanut butter
1.5 TBS. soy sauce
1 TBS chili powder
2 tsp. cocoa powder
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 skinless, boneless turkey breast (about 1.5 - 2 lbs.)
Corn or Flour tortillas

Optional: diced tomatillos for the topping

1. Combine in a slow cooker the tomatoes, green pepper, cilantro, scallions, peanut butter, soy sauce, chili powder, cocoa powder and cinnamon. Stir ingredients together.

2. Add the turkey breast and stir everything to coat. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours.

3. When finished, take the turkey breast out and shred in a bowl. Add shredded turkey back into the crockpot to coat with the juices.

4. Serve in warm flour tortillas and top with more cilantro and diced tomatillos or other of your favorite taco toppings.

Like us on Facebook!

Cous Cous Stuffed Peppers

I was looking for a healthy recipe to add to my new year's resolution recipes...this was the first one I came across that I wanted to add to my recipe box! Its a healthier version of traditional stuffed peppers that have tons of meat, cheese and rice! The cous cous I used was whole wheat and you could really put any combination of vegetables inside the peppers, but I decided to use onions, zucchini and tomatoes. This is a great dish for vegetarians and you could also eliminate the feta cheese to make it vegan. Very yummy and felt good to eat! 

Ingredients

3 Bell peppers, halved and seeded

1 small zucchini, chopped

½ onion, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

Cherry tomatoes, about 10, halved

1 cup dried Cous Cous

¼ cup feta cheese

½ cup chickpeas

1 15 oz. can tomato sauce

1 TBS. dried Basil

½ tsp. pepper

1. Prepare the cous cous according to the box directions, mine says to boil 1 cup of water with a TBS. of olive oil. Once the water is boiling, add in 1 cup of cous cous and stir. Cover and remove from heat, fluff with a fork after 5 minutes.

2. In a large pot, bring water to a boil. Add in pepper halves and boil for 10 minutes. Remove and set aside. 

3. In a medium saucepan, sauté onions, zucchini and garlic for about 5 minutes. Add in cherry tomatoes and sauté for another 5 minutes. Remove from heat.

4. In a large bowl, mix together cooked cous cous, chickpeas, onions and zucchini mixture, dried Basil, pepper, ½ cup tomato sauce and feta cheese.

5. In a glass baking dish, pour the rest of the can of tomato sauce and placed in finished boiled pepper halves. Fill each pepper with cous cous mixture.

6. I had extra of the cous cous mixture because I could only fit 5 pepper halves in the pan, so I poured the extra cous cous mixture all around the peppers.

7. Cover with aluminum foil and cook in a 350 degree oven for 50 minutes.

Like us on Facebook!

Basil Thai Chicken

There is a restaurant I love to go to that has this amazing dish with ground chicken, peppers onions and a tasty brown sauce. I started to wonder if I could make something similar at home, but I had no idea what might be in the brown sauce. While strolling the grocery store, I found this bottled sauce that I thought might have a similar taste and it turned out to be great when I mixed it with some soy sauce.

If you can't find this exact sauce, something that has a sweeter taste and a thicker consistency would work too. The Basil leaves make the dish different and give it a nice flavor at the end. Also, we like things a little spicier so I used half of a hot cherry pepper and for me it was perfect but my husband said he would have liked a little more spice, so make it to your own taste!

Ingredients
1 pound ground chicken
1/2 red bell pepper, diced
1/2 yellow bell pepper, diced
1/2 onion, diced
1 clove of garlic
1 cup Thai Basil sauce
1/4 cup soy sauce
4 Basil leaves, minced

Optional: For extra spice, add 1/2 of a hot cherry pepper, diced

1. In a medium heat skillet, brown the onion, peppers, garlic and the hot cherry pepper if you decide to put it in the dish.

2. Once the onions and peppers get a little browned, add in the chicken, Thai Basil sauce and soy sauce. Be sure to break up the chicken with your spoon.

3. Put a lid on the pan until the chicken is fully cooked. Right before serving, stir in the minced basil leaves.

4. Serve over white rice. Enjoy!

Like us on Facebook!

Stuffing and Tomatoes

This is an awesome dish and could be made in the winter, but I never do because I always want summer tomatoes.  Making this recipe always reminds me of my Mom.  She always had fresh homegrown tomatoes in the summer from her garden.  Plus, the smell of celery, onions and basil browning in butter also reminds me of her stuffing at Thanksgiving.  It's funny how certain smells bring back such great memories.  This one's for you Mom <3

INGREDIENTS:
1/3 cup butter
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon basil
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup diced celery
1/2 chopped onion
1 cup seasoned stuffing mix
4 tomatoes, cut in wedges
2 teaspoon sugar


1.  In skillet, melt butter and add seasonings, celery and onion.  Under medium heat, saute until crispy tender. 

2. Add stuffing mix and toss.  Add tomatoes and sugar; toss gently.

3. Reduce temperature slightly.  Cover and continue to cook until tomatoes are hot, yet firm.  About 10 minutes.

Like us on Facebook!

Baked Parmesan Chicken

This is a great chicken dish and when cooked in the oven it is very moist. The crust from the breadcrumbs and Parmesan cheese keeps all the moisture in. Before cooking, spray the bottom of your baking dish with Pam so it won't stick.

Ingredients:

4 chicken breasts

1 cup of flour

1 tsp. paprika

2 eggs

2 TBS milk

1 cup bread crumbs

3/4 cup Parmesan cheese

Salt & Pepper

1. Set three bowls out, one with the mixture of flour and paprika, one with eggs and milk, and one with bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese and salt and pepper.

2. Clean the chicken pieces. Dip first in flour mixture, second in egg mixture and then in the breadcrumb mixture.

3. Bake in 350 degree oven for 35 to 40 minutes.

Like us on Facebook!

Black Bean and Corn Salsa

This is one of my favorite things to make in the summer time. For this recipe, I grill the corn and it gives the salsa an extra summery flavor. 

Ingredients:

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed

3 ears of corn

1/3 cup diced red onion

1/3 cup chopped cilantro

1 tsp cumin

1 TBS olive oil

Juice of 1 lime

Dash of pepper

1. Brush olive oil on the corn and grill on all sides until cooked with nice grill marks.

2. Cut the corn off the cob and mix will all other ingredients. Serve with tortilla chips, enjoy!

Like us on Facebook!

Veggie pizza...or whatever you want to call it!

I like to make this in the summer and munch on for lunch or even dinner. This is a great thing to take to a large gathering, because it makes a whole cookie-sheet. This weekend, I was hungry for this, but with just two of us it seemed like too much, so I shared it with our neighbors.  Their daughter said it tastes like salad!

My neighbor said the name "Veggie Pizza" was deceiving.  This got me thinking that maybe we should name this something different?  

Comment on the blog post and come up 

with a new name for this dish!  

We will vote on the names submitted and the winner will be mentioned in the blog!  Since we have so many viewers from so many different countries, this will be a way for us to get to know you!  

INGREDIENTS:
2 packages crescent rolls
8 oz. cream cheese-softened
Small sour cream (8 oz)
1 package dry ranch dressing mix
1 cup mayonnaise (I used Miracle Whip)
Finely chopped vegetables as desired.  I used broccoli, carrots and cauliflower (I chopped them in the food processor)
Shredded cheddar cheese

1.  Spread rolls on cookie sheet.  Cook "crust" per directions on package. - Cool

2.  Mix the cream cheese, sour cream, dry ranch dressing and mayonnaise.  





3.  Spread the cream cheese mixture on the cooled crust.  Top with vegetables and cheddar cheese.  Refrigerate and cut into serving size pieces.  

Like us on Facebook!