Mexican Pizza

1/2 pound Trader Joe's Ground Beef or Ground Turkey
1 medium onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 15-oz can Trader Joe's Traditional Style Fat Free Refried Beans
4 9-inch flour tortillas
1/2 cup Trader Joe's Chunky Salsa, or your favorite salsa
2 cups Trader Joe's Lite 3 Cheese Blend
2 green onions, chopped
2 roma tomatoes, diced
1/4 cup Trader Joe's Extra Large Black Pitted Olives, sliced

Preheat oven to 350°F.
Place meat, onion and garlic in a skillet over medium heat. Cook until beef is evenly browned. Drain off grease. Season the meat with chili powder, cumin, paprika, salt, and pepper.
Coat 2 pie plates with non-stick cooking spray. Place one tortilla in each pie plate and cover with a layer of refried beans. Spread half of the seasoned meat over each tortilla and then cover with a second tortilla. Bake for 10 minutes in the preheated oven. Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly.
Spread half of the salsa over the top tortillas. Top each pizza with half of the cheese, tomatoes, green onions, and olives. Return the pizzas to the oven, bake until the cheese is melted, about 5 to 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly. Slice each pizza into 4 pieces and serve.

Salsa Chicken

1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts

1 can cream of chicken soup

1 cup salsa

1 taco seasoning packet

1 cup sour cream (I would start out with less and add to your liking)

1 can black beans, rinsed

shredded cheese

green onions

cilantro

rice

 

Put chicken, soup, salsa and taco seasoning in slow cooker.  Cook on low for 6 hours.  Shred chicken, if desired.  Stir in sour cream and heat until everything is combined. Serve over rice, top with cheese, black beans, green onions, and cilantro. Works great as a burrito, rolled in a tortilla shell or  served with tortilla chips.

Hawaiian Haystacks

2 cans cream of chicken soup

1 C. chicken broth (water, salt, dried onions, shredded carrots & parsley used to boil chicken)

2 C. shredded chicken

Rice

Chow Mein Noodles

Grated cheddar cheese

Diced tomatoes

Chopped celery

Chopped green pepper

Sliced green onions

Pineapple tidbits, drained

Slivered almonds

 

Boil Chicken with salt, dried onions, shredded carrots, and parsley until done.  Shred Chicken and set aside. Combine 2 cans cream of chicken soup and 1 cup of broth that the chicken was boiled in (I include the onions, carrots and parsley for added flavor in the gravy), stir to blend.  Add a scoop of sour cream if desired.  Add shredded chicken and simmer about 8 to 10 minutes or until heated through.  Serve over rice and top with cheese, chow mein noodles and desired veggies.

Marvelous Shells 'N' Cheese

1 package (16 oz) medium pasta shells

1 package (8 oz) process cheese (Velveeta), cubed

1/3 cup milk

2 cups (16 oz) cottage cheese

1 can (10 ¾ oz) condensed cream of onion soup, undiluted

3 cups shredded Mexican cheese blend

2/3 cup dry bread crumbs

¼ cup butter, melted

Cook pasta according to package directions.  Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, combine process cheese and milk; cook and stir over low heat until melted.  Remove from the heat.  Stir in cottage cheese and soup.

Drain pasta and add to cheese sauce; stir until coated.  Transfer to a greased 13-in. X 9-in. baking dish.  Sprinkle with Mexican cheese blend.  Toss breadcrumbs with butter; sprinkle over the top.

Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes or until heated through. 

Serves 6-10

Ghiradellli Choclate Crackle Cookies

1 package Ghirardelli Double Chocolate Brownie Mix

1 cup all-purpose flour

3 eggs

1/3 cup vegetable oil

¾ cup powdered sugar (reserve for coating dough)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Place brownie mix, flour, eggs and oil in medium bowl.  Stir until blended. Place powdered sugar in separate bowl.  For each cookie, scoop 1 rounded tablespoon dough and place in powdered sugar.  Roll dough gently into balls, coating thoroughly with powdered sugar.  Place 2 inches apart onto greased cookie sheet.  Bake 11-13 minutes.

Makes 2 1/2 dozen

Chicken Stuffed Crescent Rolls

1 pkg crescent rolls

3 oz soft cream cheese

1 ½ chicken breasts, cooked & shredded

1 onion, chopped fine

Dash of salt and pepper

1/2 tsp seasoning salt

1 Tbsp parsley flakes

1 clove garlic, minced

Gravy:

½ cup milk

1 can cream of chicken soup

Optional:

Stove Top dry mix

2 tbsp Butter, melted

Mix cream cheese, chicken, onion and seasonings together. Roll out rolls, fill with chicken mixture (approx. ¼ cup) and roll up.

Optional - Roll in melted butter and in dry Stove Top mix.

Bake at 375 for 12-15 minutes.

Mix milk and soup in pot over low heat. Pour over cooked chicken rolls.

This would be great to do with your leftover Turkey after Thanksgiving.

Zupa's Tomato Basil Soup

1-14oz. can of chopped tomatoes

olive oil

salt & pepper

1 stalk celery, diced

1 carrot, diced

1 yellow onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 c. chicken stock

1 bay leaf

2 tbs. butter

1/4 c. chopped fresh basil

1/2 c. heavy cream

Strain the chopped canned tomatoes, reserving the juices, and spread onto a baking sheet.  Season with salt and pepper, drizzle with olive oil, roast in 400 degree oven until caramelized, about 15 - 20 minutes.  Meanwhile, in a saucepan, heat olive oil over medium-low heat.  Add celery, carrot, onion, and garlic, cook until softened, about 10 minutes.  Add the roasted chopped canned tomatoes, reserved tomato juices, chicken stock, bay leaf and butter.  Simmer about 15-20 minutes.  Remove bay leaf. Add basil and cream.  Puree with a hand held immersion blender until smooth. 

makes 4 - 3/4 c. servings

Turkey Meatballs with Tomato Basil Cream Sauce

Turkey Meatballs

1 pound ground turkey
1 cup bread crumbs
½ cup Parmesan Cheese
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. dried basil
1 tsp. Johnny’s Garlic Seasoning (Costco)
½ tsp. pepper

Heat oven to 375 degrees, spray a 9X13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Combine all ingredients and mix thoroughly. Shape into 1-inch balls. Place in prepared baking dish. Bake 15 minutes or until fully cooked.
Yields: approximately 24 meatballs

For another healthy alternative twist: add 1 cup loosely, packed fresh spinach, finely chopped

Tomato Basil Cream Sauce

1 Jar (24oz) Spaghetti Sauce
4 oz. Cream Cheese
Basil to taste

Soften cream cheese in microwave for 15 – 20 seconds. Place in saucepan with spaghetti sauce and heat through, stirring occasionally. Serve over spaghetti.

Hershey's Perfect White Chip Chocolate Cookies

1 cup (2 sticks) butter or margarine, softened
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups (12-oz. pkg.) HERSHEY'S Premier White Chips

Directions

1 Heat oven to 350°F.

2 Beat butter and sugar in large bowl until creamy. Add eggs and vanilla; beat until light and fluffy. Stir together flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt; gradually beat into butter mixture. Stir in white chips. Drop by rounded teaspoons onto ungreased cookie sheet.

3 Bake 8 to 9 minutes. (Do not overbake; cookies will be soft. They will puff while baking; flatten upon cooling.) Cool slightly; remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool completely. About 4-1/2 dozen cookies.

Chicken & Apricot Bagel Sandwiches

2 Chicken Breast, cooked and chopped
1/2 -1 cup Dried Apricots, chopped
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/4 cup sliced green onions
2 Tablespoons Sunflower seeds
2/3 cup Miracle Whip
Pepper to taste
6 - 10 Bagels

In small bowl, combine all ingredients except bagels; mix well. Serve on Bagels.

Mom's Chicken & Steak Marinade

2 Parts 7Up or Sprite
1 Part Soy Sauce
2 or 3 Pressed Garlic Cloves
Pepper
Oil (optional)

Mix together, add meat, let sit over night.
Place meat on hot grill, discard marinade, grill meat until done.

Chicken & Tomatoes over Rice

4 Chicken Breasts
2 cans sliced stewed tomatoes
1 pk. dry spaghetti mix
Rice

Put the chicken in baking dish, sprinkle and rub the spaghetti mix over the chicken. Pour the cans of tomatoes over chicken. Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees about 45 mins. or until chicken is done. Serve over cooked rice.

Chicken & Sour Cream Enchiladas

4 Chicken breasts, cooked, and diced
2 cans cream of chicken soup
1 pt. (16 oz.) sour cream
1 can (7 oz.) diced green chiles
Flour tortillas (approx. 20-24)
Shredded cheddar cheese
3-4 green onions, sliced

In a saucepan, mix diced chicken, soup, sour cream, and chiles together. Cook, stirring constantly, until it boils. Reduce heat and simmer about 5 mins. Put 2 heaping tablespoons chicken mixture on each tortilla. Roll up and place in a lightly greased baking dish. Pour remaining mixture on top. Sprinkle with grated cheese and top with green onions. Bake 350 degrees, uncovered, about 30 mins.