Foil Packet Tilapia

This is so easy, and the flavor is divine! You can use this method with any fish or chicken. Tilapia is so good for you, super high in protien and low in fat. You can get it frozen or fresh, and often for a great price. I threw this recipe together and LOVE it! Often a strong taste comes through with frozen talapia, but with this recipe, it was masked perfectly.

Ingredients:
2-4 Tilapia portions
Aluminum Foil
1 Bell pepper cut into thin strips
1/2 onion cut into thin strips
olive oil- to taste
1 tsp Basil
1 tsp garlic powder
Salt and Pepper to taste
1 Tbsp Capers- optional, but tons of flavor
1 lemon, sliced thin, reserve some juice too



Rinse and pat Tilapia portions dry with paper towel. Salt and pepper both sides. Put Tilapia in large piece of foil, drizzle with olive oil and lemon juice. Sprinkle with basil, garlic powder and capers, layer on the pepper and onion strips. Top with lemon slices. Wrap up in a rectangular packet shape, place in 400 degree oven for 20 minutes. Fish is done when it flakes and is solid white in color. Yummy! Serve with steamed broccoli and rice!

Freezer Bag Meals!

Simplify your life by making Freezer Bag Meals!

For me, this method of freezer meals is a life saver! There are a few days out of the week that are the hardest, due to our schedule, for meals to get on the table. So, I needed something always ready to pull from the freezer and put in the crock pot. NO prep mess, EASY clean up!I take one day in the beginning of the month to do my freezer bag meals. I put together anywhere from 5-8 meals in only a few hours. Get your meat on sale, chicken or chuck roast, and save for your freezer meals.


All you do is trim meat, rinse and pat dry with paper towel, then place in a freezer bag. Add all your ingredients (except cheese, beans, corn, etc.) Anything you want cooked the full amount of time in the crockpot will do.
Place bags laying flat into the freezer. Take bag out of freezer the night before and let it defrost in the fridge. The next morning dump contents into crock pot, or place on grill, or in casserole dish for the oven! Some of these recipes you can use for grilling or baking as well. Thats the great part about it, you can use whatever method of cooking you want, or that your recipe can work for.


Here are some of my favorite recipes. Just prep your meat the way you want it to be in your crockpot or grill etc. Depending, I will sometimes cut mine up in chunks,for beef stroganoff, or Creamy italian chicken) or leave chicken the way it is for other recipes, like grilling.




Make sure you label your bags with the date and recipe, you could also add any other special cooking instructions.

Italian crock pot chicken- (Add all ingredients to bag, just dice up cream cheese and butter into cubes)-serve over rice or noodles-
Creamy Southwestern chicken -(just salsa and chicken, add black beans and corn later!) Use leftovers for tacos,burritos, tortilla chicken soup, quesadillias
Cafe Rio Chicken- (Mix together all ingredients, then pour overn chicken in the freezer bag)- Burritos, nachos, quesadillas, soups
Cheesy crock pot chicken- (Mix all ingredients together, then pour over chicken in freezer bag)Over rice or noodles
Roast chicken- Along side baked or roasted potatoes
Beef Stroganoff or Roast- (Mix all ingredients together, then pour over chicken in freezer bag)- Serve Along side mashed potatoes or over rice or noodles
BBQ Chicken- serve with rice or potatoes
Thai BBQ chicken (Mix all ingredients together, pour over chicken, I love this one for an all ready to grill chicken dinner!)

Click here for Grilling Freezer Bag meals and more recipes!

Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup

This is very good version of Chicken Noodle that I got from my friend, yum-o and of course its the best with my homemade rolls!

Ingredients:

6 Chicken bouillon cubes
4 Cups chicken stock

1-2 Bay Leaves
2 Cups chopped carrots
2 Cups chopped celery
3/4 Cup chopped onion
2 Cans cream of chicken soup
1 Cup milk
2 Cups cooked chicken cubed
2 1/2 oz Cooked noodles - thick Amish kind

*For Food storage use 2 cans chicken and dehydrated veggies.

Directions:

* you can add all ingredients and leave it in crock pot all day!

OR:

Boil Noodles and set aside.

Put veggies with stock and boil until soft. Add bouillon. Whisk in soup until creamy.
Add milk and bay leaf. Add chicken and noodles. Simmer at least 30 minutes. Add more broth if
wanted for consistency.
Salt and Pepper to taste

BLT Salad

Looks like more work than it really is. Just assemble all the ingredients according to directions, then when ready to start putting together- it will go very fast. It's Heaven!

Ingredients:

8 Slices of Bacon, cut into 1/2 inch pieces

1 ripe avocado, pitted and skinned

1/2 C Buttermilk (or just add 1T vinegar to you milk and let sit 10 min!)

1/4 C Chopped red onion

2 tsp Lime Juice

3/4 tsp Salt

1/2 tsp Pepper

1/2 tsp Cayenne Pepper

1/2 C Cornmeal

1/3 C All-Purpose Flour

1 Egg, lightly beaten

2 Med-size firm, unripened tomatoes (about 3/4 pound), cored and cut 1/2 inch slices

2 T Canola oil

3 Romaine lettuce hearts, chopped

Directions:

1. Cook Bacon in a large skillet and over med heat until crisp. Remove bacon and drain on paper towel-lined plate. Wipe out skillet.

2. While cooking bacon, prepare dressing; place avocado, buttermilk, onion, lime juice, 1/4 tsp each of salt, black pepper and cayenne pepper in a blender and puree until smooth; set aside

3. Stir together cornmeal, remaining 1.2 tsp salt and 1/4tsp each black pepper and cayenne pepper in a shallow dish; place flour and egg in their own separate shallow dish as well

4. Dip tomato slices in flour, then egg, then cornmeal mixture to coat

5. Heat Canola oil and 1T of the reserved bacon drippings in a skillet over high heat. Fry tomatoes in a single layer for about 2-3 minutes on each side, or until golden brown.

6. Place Romaine lettuce in a large bowl and toss with bacon and 2/3 C of the avocado dressing; place about 2 cups salad on each plate and top with 2 or 3 fries tomato slices, Dollop with a little of the remaining dressing and serve.

P.F. Changs Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Pickett Family Favorite! I had to find a recipe that was exactly like it. This one is amazingly close if not just as dang good! Looks like a lot of work, but really not much at all. Just do your prep and then it will take 10 minutes to cook and serve!

Ingredients:

3 T. E.V.O.O

13-15 Chicken Tenderloins (Or you can use 2 large Boneless Chicken breast)

1 C Water Chestnuts

2/3 C Mushrooms

1 T. Chopped Onions

1 tsp. Garlic, minced

Ice burg Lettuce Leaves (Take apart and let soak in cold water while you prep this meal. It will get them real crisp)

Special Sauce

1/4 C Sugar

1/2 C Water

2 T Soy Sauce

2 T Ketsup

2 T Rice Wine Vinegar

1 T Lemon Juice

1/8 tsp Sesame oil

1 T Water

1 T Hot Mustard (I leave this out for my kids sake)

2 tsp Water

1-2 tsp garlic and red chile paste (also leave out for the kidos)

Stir Fry Sauce

2 T Soy Sauce

2 T Brown Sugar

1/2 tsp Rice Wine Vinegar

Directions:

1. Make special sauce by dissolving the sugar in water in a small bowl.

2. Add soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, Ketchup, Lemon Juice and sesame oil

3. Mix well and refrigerate this sauce until you are ready to serve

4. Combine the hot water with the hot mustard and set this aside as well

5. Eventually add your mustard and garlic chili sauce to the special sauce mixture when your ready to serve.

6. Chop water chestnut, mushrooms, and onions into small pea sizes. Set aside.

7. Mince garlic, set aide. Have the stir fry sauce mixed and set aside.

8. Now place the Chicken, Water Chestnuts, Mushrooms, Garlic and Stir Fry Sauce in the Wok. Add the T of Oil, let flavors combine

9. Place this mixture in the lettuce and top with special sauce. YUMMO

Left over sauce- We never have any left over chicken but the special sauce makes more than we eat. So I make brown rice and place in romain lettuce, drizzle the special sauce over it and roll it up. It fills me up and makes great lunch for the next day!

Fruit Pizza

A classic must have dessert!

Easy way is to use store bought sugar cookie dough, roll it out and bake. I have to use my own sugar cookie recipe, just can't do store bought. So it takes a little longer but you know what they day about those who wait? I don't remember, what do they say?heehee

Ingredients:

Sugar Cookie Dough

8oz package of Cream cheese

1/3 C Sugar

1tsp Vanilla

Fresh fruit in season

Directions:

Roll out cookie dough onto pie shape stone. (obviously you can do this on a cookie sheet as well)

Bake at 350 and take out a little before done, just like you would regular cookies.

Let cookie cool.

Meanwhile, beat cream cheese, sugar and vanilla until nice and smmoooth!

Slice up your fruit

Once Cookie is cooled off spread mixture and then top with your yummy fruit

I like to chill mine before serving.

Cut into pizza slices and watch them disappear.

Low- Fat Banana Bread Is The Bomb!

I L-O-V-E this recipe. Just tried it out and I can't stop eating it. It is low in fat so, I can eat double right?

Ingredients:

4-5 Large Ripe Bananas

2T. Applesauce

2T Butter, softened

1 Egg

1 1/2tsp. Vanilla

1/2 C Brown Sugar

1/4 C White Sugar

1 C All Purpose Flour

1/2 C Whole Wheat or White Wheat Flour- I used my hard white wheat that I ground up.

(if you don't have either, just substitute with other flour)

1tsp Baking Soda

1/2tsp Baking Powder

1tsp Salt

Directions

Combine all the wet ingredients except the bananas. Don't over mix.

Add dry ingredients just until combined.

Mash up bananas in separate bowl, then add to your mixture. Mix one minute.

I baked it in an 8x8 glass pan.

Bake 350 /50-60 min

Tortilla Chip Casserole

I got this recipe off Utahdealdiva.com
We loved it! Everything was on hand in our panrty, it was delicious.... its a keeper for us! This recipe comes to about 4 dollars for the whole casserole!

Jessica's Chicken Tortilla Chip Casserole

Ingredients:

1 can diced tomatoes
about 1 cup diced cooked chicken- I used 1 can costco chicken
1 small can green chilies
1 can beans- pinto, kidney, black- whatever you have
1 can cream of chicken soup
1/4 cup sour cream
3/4 cup milk
2 cups crushed tortilla chips
1/2 cup shredded cheese
1/2 tsp Cumin
1/2 tsp taco seasoning
salt to taste

Directions:

Pour tomatoes in casserole dish, add can green chilies and seasonings. Crush tortilla chips and layer over tomato mixture. Mix together chicken, soup, beans, milk and sour cream. Spread over chip layer. Bake in oven at 350 for 20 minutes. Top with cheese, cilantro, avacado etc. Bake for 5-10 more minutes Enjoy!

Fried Rice

This is what mom would always make in the skillet with left over rice! Yum!
You can be flexable "to taste" and with the measurments. Great to make with leftover rice or meat.

2-3 cups rice- I use left over brown rice
2 eggs
frozen peas
1-2 chopped green onion
left over bacon, ham, or chicken diced finely
grated carrot
1 tsp ginger, fresh or powder
1 tsp garlic, fresh minced or powder
3 Tbsp soysauce
butter

Melt 2 Tbs butter in skillet. Add rice stir and add seasonings, Add carrot, peas, and meat. Push rice to the sides leaving a large circle space in the middle of pan. Add some butter to the space and add two beaten eggs. Stir till cooked, mix eggs in with rice.

Bagels

This is a basic bagel recipe that's pretty darn good. I have made bagels with my bread recipe I'll let you decide which you like better.

Ingredients:

2 tsp. Active dry yeast

1 1/2 T. Sugar

1 1/4 C. Water

3 3/4 C Bread flour, plus more for kneading purposes

1 1/2 tsp. Salt

Directions:

*Sprinkle yeast and sugar into 1/2 cup of the water in a bowl. (water is to be 100 degrees) and let stand for 5 minutes. Mix flour and salt in your mixer. Turn it on and slowly add the yeast mixture. Pour in the rest of the warm water and mix until it forms a dough ball. You may need to add flour to get it from being sticky.

*Turn dough out onto a floured board and knead until smooth. (don't hate the kneading!)

When the dough is firm and stiff put in to an oiled bowl and let rise until double.

*Turn dough out onto board again and punch down, then let it rest 10 minutes. This rest will help it keep shape when forming so dont cheat.

*Cut your dough into equal pieced. If you have a scale I like to weigh out 2 1/2 oz. pieces.

Shape each piece in to a ball and then form the ring by taking your floured finger and stick into the middle of the dough. Work your finger in a circle to stretch the hole, remembering that the dough will rise and make that hole smaller so i get it a pretty good size at first.

*Place the bagels on a lightly oiled baking sheet, cover and let rest 10 minutes or so. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, add 1 T sugar, then reduce to a simmer. Using a perforated spoon (large spoon with holes in it) carefully lower the bagels into the water. You can do two at a time if you be sure not to let them touch.

*Boil bagels about one minute on each side then remove and place on the baking sheet.

*Bake 20 min. at 425

*Makes about 8 bagels.

Pizza Fondue

My new favorite fondue!

Pizza Fondue

1 cup pizza sauce (I liked Ragu the best, but whatever you have)
10 pieces of pepperoni diced
1 tbs italian seasoning
1-2 cups cheese ( I used mozzerella and cheddar)
Put all ing in crockpot or saucepan top with cheese.

For best flavor cook in a crock pot. The little dipper is perfect for this recipe. I doubled it and put it in my reg sized crockpot for 3 hours.
Dippers: toasted bagel peices, sour dough, french bread

Ratatouille

Ingredients:

1/2 cup evoo

2 large onions, sliced

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 medium eggplant, cut into 1' cubes

2 green peppers, chopped

1/2 cup chopped mushrooms- if desired, I don't!

3 zucchini, cut into 1/2' slices

1-28 oz can tomatoes, drained

1 t salt and pepper, oregano and thyme

Directions:

In a med pot, saute onion and garlic in oil for 3 min. Add eggplant and stir-fry fr 5 min. Add peppers and cook 5 minutes. After adding zucchini, cook for 5 min more. Add seasonings and tomatoes and simmer for 30 minutes. Serve

Baked Apples

Don't forget this healthy little treat!

Core apple and peel top third only. Blend a few T of water with 1 tsp brown sugar (or brown rice syrup) and drizzle the combination into center and over the apple. Sprinkle with cinnamon. Add chopped nuts if desired.

Bake 350 for 20 min, or until tender.

You can also put these in the crock pot! And of course you can stuff with cherries and top with whip cream!

Beans and Greens Soup

Can't get any healthier than this!!

Ingredients:

2T evoo

1 Large onion, chopped (I like leeks if I have them)

2 med cloves garlic, crushed

1 bay leaf

1-2 stalks celery, diced

1-2 med carrots, diced

1 t salt

Black pepper to taste

5 cups water or vegetable stock

2 cups cooked white beans

1/2 lb fresh chopped mixed greens: kale, collards, spinach, arugula

fresh ground nutmeg

Directions:

In saucepan, add oil and saute the onions and garlic over low heat. When onions are soft, add celery, carrots, salt and pepper. Stir and saute another 5 minutes. Add stock or water and bay leaf. Cover and simmer about 20 min. Add cooked beans and greens. Cover and continue to simmer over very low heat. another 20 min. Garnish with grated nutmeg.

Cocunut-Red Curry Pumpkin Soup

This is dairy free and gluten free inspired

Ingredients:

3 Cups Chicken broth

1 (15oz) can pumpkin

2 t chili sauce with garlic

t salt

1/8 t curry powder

1 c light coconut milk

1 T fresh lime juice

Chopped fresh cilantro

Directions:

Combine first 5 ingredients in the medium saucepan, stirring until smooth. Bring to boil; reduce heat, and add coconut milk, stirring with a whisk. Cook 1 minute or until thoroughly heated. Remove from heat, and stir in lime juice. Ladle soup into bowls and sprinkle with cilantro.