Hombres

When I was about 15 we had a covered dish at our church. One of the ladies brought this dish and I was in love. I begged her for the recipe and it has been a family fave ever since. Not sure why it is called Hombre (Spanish for man). Maybe because it is so good it will get you one! I no longer have the recipe but make it from memory. Sometimes I change it up and use shredded salsa chicken in place of the beef. Enjoy!

Hombre's:

1 1/2 pounds ground beef
1 taco seasoning packet
8oz sour cream
1 can condensed cream of mushroom soup (can also use cream of chicken)
1 small can diced green chilies (or jalapenos if you like a kick)
3 cups of cheese (I use a mexican blend)
8 flour tortillas

Preheat oven to 350. Brown ground beef, drain. Add taco seasoning packet and water (according to packet directions). Fill each tortilla with meat mix and a sprinkle of cheese (remaining cheese goes on top), roll up and place in a non-greased baking dish. Bake for 10-15 min. Remove. Mix sour cream, cream of mushroom soup, and chilies in a bowl. Spread mixture over tortillas and top with remaining cheese. Bake 20-30 min or till cheese is melted and bubbly.

Crock Pot Chicken Cacciatori

I found this recipe from a fellow What's Cooking Nestie, Erica from Erica's Kitchen Adventures. I took her advice and spiced it up with some red pepper flakes. If you do not like it spicy I would omit it.

Crock Pot Chicken Cacciatori:

1/4 c flour

1/2 t salt

1 t dried Italian seasoning

1/4 t fresh ground pepper

3 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs (I used boneless skinless chicken breasts)

1 medium onion, chopped

8 oz mushrooms, sliced (I omitted)

2 stalks celery, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 (14 oz) can diced tomatoes, with juices

1 c pasta sauce or tomato sauce

2 T dry white wine1 bay leaf

1/4 c fresh chopped parsley

2 T freshly grated Parmesan

1-2 T crushed red pepper flakes

In a heavy plastic bag, combine flour, salt, Italian seasoning and pepper. In batches, add chicken pieces to flour mixture and toss to coat. Place chicken into slow cooker. Add remaining ingredients. Cover and cook on Low for 5 to 7 hours or on High for 2 1/5 to 4 hours, until juices run clear when chicken is pierced with a fork. Can be serve over pasta or rice and sprinkled with Parmesan cheese.

Chicken Cordon Bleu

This is my variation for a very popular dish. The whole family enjoyed it. :)

Chicken Cordon Bleu:

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts

8 slices deli ham

4 slices mozzarella cheese

salt and pepper

1 can diced Italian style tomatoes

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Preheat oven to 350. Pound chicken to 1/4 inch thickness. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place one slice of cheese and two slices of ham and roll, securing with a tooth pick. Top with canned tomatoes and drizzle it with the evoo. Bake for 30-45 min or till done.

Moms Crock Pot Roast

This yummy recipe is part of a recipe exchange I participate in. I love doing these. I have never received a bad one yet! I also love any recipe involving the crock pot. I make an easier version that uses two packets of french onion soup and a can of cream of mushroom soup. :)

Moms Crock Pot Roast:

3lb. shoulder roast (or arm roast)

salt & pepper

1 chopped onion

1 package brown gravy mix

2 cups water

1/4 cup catsup

1/2 cup red wine

2 tsp Dijon mustard

2 tbsp Worcestershire

1 tbsp garlic powder

Place roast in crockpot, fat side up. Mix remaining ingredients in a bowl and pour over roast. Cook in crock pot on low 8-10 hours.

Chocolate Mint Bars

I received this recipe as part of a holiday sweets exchange. I am not much of a baker and was surprised at how easy and delicious these bars were. They are so good my teenage son came up and hugged me for making such an awesome treat. They taste like a peppermint patty to me!

Chocolate Mint Bars:

Bottom layer:
1 cup all-purpose flour (about 4 1/2 ounces)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup egg substitute
1/4 cup butter, melted
2 tablespoons water
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs, beaten
1 (16-ounce) can chocolate syrup
Cooking spray

Mint layer:
2 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup butter, melted
2 tablespoons fat-free milk
1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
2 drops green food coloring

Glaze:
3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips
3 tablespoons butter

Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 350°.

2. To prepare bottom layer, lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine flour and salt; stir with a whisk. Combine granulated sugar, egg substitute, 1/4 cup melted butter, 2 tablespoons water, vanilla, eggs, and chocolate syrup in a medium bowl; stir until smooth. Add flour mixture to chocolate mixture, stirring until blended. Pour batter into a 13 x 9–inch baking pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 23 minutes (mine was still "soupy" after 23 min and I cooked it for about 7-10 more min, checking on it after about 5 min) or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out almost clean (you want them to be fudgy, not cake-y). Cool completely in pan on a wire rack.

3. To prepare mint layer, combine powdered sugar, 1/4 cup melted butter, and next 3 ingredients (through food coloring) in a medium bowl; beat with a mixer until smooth. Spread mint mixture over cooled cake.

4. To prepare the glaze, combine the chocolate chips and 3 tablespoons butter in a medium microwave-safe bowl. Microwave at HIGH 1 minute or until melted, stirring after 30 seconds. Let stand 2 minutes. Spread chocolate mixture evenly over top. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve (refrigeration makes the glaze hard). Cut into 20 pieces.

Yield
20 servings (serving size: 1 piece)

Chicken Noodle Soup

My man was sick and asked me to make him some soup. What's better than chicken noodle soup when you are sick?? Nothing. :)

Chicken Noodle Soup:

Rotissere chicken
Carrots
Celery
Salt
Noodles

Boil chicken, cool. Remove meat from bones, discard waste. Chop carrots and celery. Bring broth to a boil, add noodles, carrots, chicken, and celery. Cook till noodles and veggies are soft. Add salt to taste.

Onion Ranch Porkchops

I had absolutely nothing in my house but about five things. This creation is a result of that. It was a hit! I love a dish with only 2-3 ingredients. This would also be good with chicken. :)

Onion Ranch Porkchops:

1 package rach mix
French's Fried Onions
Porkchops

Preheat oven to 350. Place porkchops in a baking dish. Sprinkle both sides with ranch seasoning packet. Sprinkle top with French's Fried Onions. Bake for 25 min. Remove, change temp to broil and adjust rack to higher level. Broil for 5-10 min or till onion top is crispy. Enjoy

Pancho Villa Baked Tilapia

I found this recipe on Allrecipes and made a few changes. My man really liked it although I thought it needed a little something extra. It wasn't spicy enough (at all) for me. I will make it again and update my post when I get it just right. :)

Pancho Villa Baked Tilapia:

Pam Cooking Spray
4 (4 ounce) fillets tilapia
Salsa (fresh is best)
1 lime, juiced
4 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro
1 lime, thinly sliced
Taco Seasoning

Preheat oven to 350. Coat one side of 4 (8x10 inch) pieces of aluminum foil with Pam. Center each fillet on a foil square. Lightly sprinkle taco seasoning on top of tilapia and spoon a generous amount of salsa over fish. Sprinkle with lime juice and cilantro. Position 2 slices of lime on top of each fillet. Close and seal foil packets, and place on a baking tray. Bake in preheated oven for approximately 20 minutes, or until fish flakes easily with a fork.

Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

I got this recipe from The Spice of Life. It is full of yummy food. Thanks for the delicious recipe. This is definitely a keeper in my house!

Pumpkin Seeds:

1 medium pumpkin
5 tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
Pinch of cayenne pepper, to taste
1 1/2 tablespoons peanut oil

Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Cut pumpkin open from the bottom, removing seeds with a long-handled spoon. Separate flesh from seeds, and reserve the flesh for another use such as pumpkin pie. Pumpkin should yield 1 cup seeds. Spread seeds on parchment/foil in an even layer. Bake until dry, stirring occasionally, about 1 hour. Let cool.

In a medium bowl combine 3 tablespoons sugar, salt, cumin, cinnamon, ginger, and cayenne. Heat peanut oil in a large nonstick skillet over high heat. Add pumpkin seeds and remaining 2 tablespoons sugar. Cook until sugar melts and pumpkin seeds begin to caramelize, about 45 to 60 seconds. Transfer to bowl with spices, and stir well to coat. Let cool. These may be stored in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

Beef Brisket

It was time for another recipe exchange on the cooking board I participate in. Lucky for me I got a yummy recipe that my entire family enjoyed (even my picky teen!). I also love any recipe that involves the crockpot. :)

Beef Brisket:

--Brisket. The size really depends on how many people you want to feed, because it shrinks a ton when you cook it. I usually get about 3# for my husband and I, and that will give us enough for the 2 of us and for him to take for lunch the next day. When I made it for 6 people, I got about 7# and it was just enough. Make sure you get a piece with a cap of fat on top!
--A small bag of baby carrots
--A medium-sized onion
--1 Tbsp. minced garlic
--Salt and pepper
--Bay leaves (optional)

Directions:--Cut all of the baby carrots in half, and rough chop the onion. Put in the slow cooker.--Rub the minced garlic into each side (top and bottom) of the brisket. Season each side with salt and pepper. Place the brisket on top of the veggies with the cap of fat facing up (this way the fat melts over the brisket and keeps it moist).--I sometimes add bay leaves on top, sometimes not. Depends on my mood. =)--Cook on High for 1 hour, then turn the heat down to Low for 5-6 hours.

Blackened Tilapia

I was in the mood for fish and decided to try it blackened. I found a basic recipe on Sparkrecipes and added a few of my own ingredients.

Blackened Tilapia:

3 tablespoons of paprika powder
1 tablespoon of salt
1 tablespoon of onion powder
1 teaspoon of ground white pepper
1 teaspoon of ground black pepper
1 teaspoon of cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon of dried thyme
1 teaspoon of dried oregano
½ teaspoon of celery seed
1 pinch of garlic powder
1 pound of Tilapia fillets
1 lemon

Preheat oven to 350. Create a spice blend by pouring paprika powder, salt, onion powder, white pepper, black pepper, cayenne pepper, thyme, oregano, celery seed and garlic powder into a large ziploc bag. Shake till will blended. Add tilapia, shake til coated, and allow them to sit for 30 minutes in room temperature. Cover with foil and bake for 20 min. Remove from oven, move oven rack to top level, and switch to broil. Remove foil and broil for 10 min. Squeeze lemon juice over the Blackened Tilapia. Enjoy!

Fat: 1.5g
Carbohydrates: 0.0g
Calories:79.3
Protein: 18.0g

Butternut Squash

I have never made a butternut suash and decided that since they are in season I would give it a try. I loved it and made an acorn squash the next day. I have a mini pumpkin that is begging me to make something yummy out of it. Maybe I will make it tonight. :)

Butternut Squash:

1 butternut squash

2 tbsp butter

1 tbsp brown sugar

Preheat oven to 350. Cut squash in half and remove the seeds. In a baking dish with one inch of water, place squash skin side up. Bake 20-30 min or til done. Remove from water and top with brown sugar and butter.

Ranch Chops

So easy and so delicious! These pork chops were moist, tasty, and required only 2 ingredients! I used 2 butterflied pork steaks and cut them in to 4 pieces. You can use bone in chops, too.

Ranch Chops:

2 boneless, butterflied pork steaks
1/2 packet Hidden Valley Ranch packet
1 tsp lemon pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Put chops in a baking dish and sprinkle ranch packet and lemon pepper evenly over chops. Cover with foil and bake for 30 min. Remove foil and bake and additional 10-15 min or till done.

Serves 2

Calories: 141.2
Total Fat: 8.0 g
Total Carbs: 0.3 g
Protein: 15.8 g

Peanut Chicken

I liked it! I didn't have creamy peanut butter so I put the sauce ingredients in my magic bullet and blended it. It was very thick, next time I might thin it out. I also think the sauce recipe needs to be doubled. I would have liked to coat the entire piece of chicken with it.

Peanut Chicken:

2 tablespoons reduced fat peanut butter
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
2 teaspoons soy sauce
1 clove garlic, chopped
1/3 teaspoon curry powder
1 dash ground cayenne pepper
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves

Preheat oven to 350. In a bowl, mix the peanut butter, lime juice, soy sauce, garlic, curry powder, and cayenne pepper. Place chicken in a baking dish and brush with the peanut sauce. Bake for 30-45 minutes, until chicken juices run clear.

Serves 4

Calories: 176
Total Fat: 5.6g
Cholesterol: 67mg
Total Carbs: 3.7g

Parmesan Dijon Chicken

Easy, quick, and delicious. All the things I love in a meal. :)

Parmesan Dijon Chicken:

2 Chicken Breasts

4 tsp Dijon Mustard

4 tbsp Grated Parmesan Cheese

Salt & Pepper to taste

Red Pepper Flakes to taste

Trim all excess fat from the chicken.Season with salt, pepper, and pepper flakes (if you desire)Spread Dijon on one side of the chicken breast, then sprinkle cheese.Put that side down on a pan sprayed lightly with non-stick spray and repeat on the other side.Bake at 350 for 30 minutes until done all the way through.

Serves 2

Fat: 6.0g
Carbohydrates: 0.4g
Calories:315.2g
Protein: 58.6g

Chicken Breasts Stuffed with Goat Cheese and Sun-Dried Tomatoes

My man raved about this chicken. It was my first time eating goat cheese and it tasted really good. The next time I make it I will bake it instead of in a pan on the stove. I hate the mess the oil makes!

Chicken Breasts Stuffed with Goat Cheese and Sun-Dried Tomatoes:

1/3 C sun-dried tomatoes, packed without oil, finely chopped
2 tsp olive oil, divided
1/2 C chopped shallots, divided
1 tsp Splenda3 garlic cloves, minced
2 1/2 T balsamic vinegar, divided
1/2 C (2 oz) crumbled goat cheese - to cut down on the fat, find the lowest-fat variety
2 T chopped fresh basil
3/4 tsp salt, divided
4 (6-oz) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper
3/4 C fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1/4 tsp dried thyme

Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add 1/3 C shallots, Splenda, and garlic; cook 4 minutes or until lightly browned, stirring frequently. Spoon into a bowl; stir in 1 1/2 tsp vinegar.Combine chopped tomatoes, shallot mixture, cheese, basil, and 1/4 tsp salt, stirring well.Cut a horizontal slit through thickest portion of each chicken breast half to form a pocket. Stuff about 2 T cheese mixture into each pocket. Sprinkle chicken evenly with 1/2 tsp salt and black pepper.Heat 1 tsp oil in pan over medium-high heat. Add chicken; cook 6 minutes on each side or until done. Remove chicken from pan; cover and keep warm. Add broth, remaining shallots, 2 T vinegar, and thyme; bring to a boil. Cook 1 minute or until sauce is slightly thick, stirring constantly. Serve sauce over chicken.

Serves 4

Fat: 7.0g
Carbohydrates: 8.9g
Calories:192.7
Protein: 23.1g

Ground Beef Ricotta Bake

Ground Beef Ricotta Bake:

1/3 box pasta
1 TBS margarine
1 pound lean ground beef
1 TBS minced onion
1/2 tsp garlic powder
3/4 c. part skim ricotta
1 TBS dried basil
1 TBS dried oregano
1 tsp dried rosemary
1 large tomato, chopped
4 TBS ketchup
1/2 c. part skim shredded mozzarella cheese

Cook pasta according to package directions. While waiting, brown ground beef. Drain. Add minced onion, garlic powder and salt and pepper to taste. After pasta is cooked and drained, add to an 8x8 square baking pan sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Mix 1 TBS of margarine into spaghetti. Spread in an even layer. Add ricotta to the ground beef in its skillet. Mix well. Spread beef and ricotta mixture evenly over spaghetti. Sprinkle basil, oregano, and rosemary over the top. Cover this layer with chopped tomatoes. Distribute ketchup evenly over tomatoes. Cover it all with the mozzarella cheese. Bake in 350 degree oven for 20 minutes.

Serves 4

Calories: 367.5
Fat: 21.2g
Carbohydrates: 20.1g
Protein: 23.1g

Chicken Capri

This is a really easy and tasty chicken dish that is low in calories. It is incredibly juicy and the flavor pops in your mouth.

Chicken Capri:

1 Cup Reduced-Fat Ricotta Cheese
1/2 tsp. Dried Oregano
1/4 tsp. Salt
1/4 tsp. Ground Black Pepper
4 Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breast Halves
1/2 tsp. Garlic Powder
2 Tbsp. Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
1 Cup Crushed Tomaotes
4 slices Reduced-Fat Mozzarella Cheese (or Provolone)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Blend ricotta, oregano, salt, and pepper in processor or belnder. Rub the chicken breasts with the garlic powder. Heat 2 T (all) extra virgin olive oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add chicken and cook for about 12 minutes per side. Remove from skillet and allow to cool in a large baking dish. When chicken has cooled, spoon 1/4 cup of chese mixture and 1/4 cup of crushed tomatoes on each breast half. Top each with slice of the reduced fat mozzarella and bake for 30-45 minutes or until chicken is done and juices run clear.

Serves 4

Calories: 377.1
Total Fat: 17.5 g
Cholesterol: 136.4 mg
Total Carbs: 9.2 g

Mexican Lasagna

I like to order Chilaquiles when we go to the Mexican restaurant and decided to try my own version of this dish in the form of a Mexican lasagna. I used flour tortillas because that is what I had on hand. Next time I will try it with the corn ones.

Mexican Lasagna:

1 pound lean ground beef
1 (1 ounce) package taco seasoning mix
1 (14 ounce) can peeled and diced tomatoes with juice
10 (6 inch) corn tortillas
1 cup prepared salsa
2 cups shredded Colby cheese

1 can refried beans

1/4 cup chopped onion

1 tbsp minced garlic

Black olives

Sour Cream

Lettuce

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a large skillet over medium-high heat brown the ground beef with onions and garlic, drain. Stir in the taco seasoning, refried beans, and tomatoes. Line a 9x13-inch baking dish with 1/3 of the tortillas. Spoon 1/3 the beef mixture onto the tortillas, then layer the remaining tortillas and meat mix. Spread salsa and olives on top, cover with cheese and bake for 20 to 30 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly. Top with lettuce and sour cream.

Kai Kang Dang (Chicken Curry with Coconut Milk)

We love Thai food. My husband is the one who normally makes it in our family but I decided to give it a stab tonight. It was FABULOUS!! I found the recipe from allrecipes and it is a keeper. Just as an FYI, we had an open bottle of red curry and it had lost its kick. In order for it to be spicy we had to triple the amount the recipe called for. Next time we make it we will but new curry.

Kai Kang Dang (Chicken Curry with Coconut Milk):

1 can coconut milk
1 tablespoon red curry paste
3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed
3 tablespoons fish sauce
1 tablespoon brown sugar
3/4 cup bamboo shoots, drained
2 cups frozen mixed vegetables, thawed
1/2 red bell pepper, sliced
1/2 orange bell pepper, sliced
3/4 cup fresh Thai basil leaves
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

Bring 1/2 cup coconut milk to a boil in a heavy saucepan. Whisk in the curry paste and cook until fragrant, about 5 minutes. Add the chicken and cook until browned, about 5 minutes. Stir in the remaining coconut milk, fish sauce, sugar, vegetables, bamboo shoots, and basil; simmer until the chicken is cooked through, about 15 minutes. Pour the lime juice over the dish and remove from heat. Serve warm over jasmine rice.

Pretzel Chicken

I was looking for a new way to cook chicken (who isn't!) and was given this recipe from a fellow foodie. My guy really loved it. He said it has everything a man wants in a meal.

Pretzel Chicken:

¼ cup spicy brown mustard
¼ cup homey
3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Pretzels

Combine mustard and honey in a bowl. Coat chicken with the mustard mixture. You can butterfly the chicken and coat with a layer of the mustard mix if desired.

Put the pretzels in a Ziploc bag and crush. Roll chicken in the pretzels to coat. Place in a baking dish.

Bake in a preheated 350 oven for 30-45 min or till done.

Wet Burritos

Here is another recipe I found on allrecipes. I topped mine with lettuce, tomato, sour cream, and black olives. I also added a dash of chipotle flavored Tabasco sauce. It was yummy!

Wet Burritos:

1 pound ground beef
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 (4.5 ounce) can diced green chile peppers
1 (16 ounce) can refried beans
1 (15 ounce) can chili without beans
1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed tomato soup
1 (10 ounce) can enchilada sauce
6 (12 inch) flour tortillas, warmed
2 cups shredded lettuce
1 cup chopped tomatoes
2 cups shredded Mexican blend cheese
1/2 cup chopped green onions

Crumble ground beef into a skillet over medium-high heat. Cook and stir until evenly browned. Add onion, and cook until translucent. Drain grease, and season with garlic, cumin, salt and pepper. Stir in the green chilies and refried beans until well blended. Turn off heat, but keep warm.

In a saucepan, combine the chili without beans, tomato soup and enchilada sauce. Mix well, and cook over medium heat until heated through. Turn off heat and keep warm.

Preheat oven to 350. Take tortilla and spoon a generous 1/2 cup of the ground beef mixture onto the center and top with some cheese. Roll up tortilla and place in a baking dish. Repeat with remaining mixture-should make 8 burritos. Spoon sauce over the top and sprinkle with remaining cheese and green onions. Heat in the preheated oven for 15-20 min, or until cheese is melted.

Angel Hair Pasta with Chicken and Peppers

I had some bell peppers on hand that needed to be used. I came across this recipe on allrecipes and modified it to my taste. The original recipe called for snow peas, water chestnuts, and deli chicken. Here is what I came up with.

Angel Hair Pasta with Chicken and Peppers:

1 teaspoon olive oil
1 tablespoon minced garlic
½ red bell pepper, julienned
½ orange bell pepper, julienned
¼ cup chopped onion
¼ cup chopped tomato
1 cup spinach
2-3 chicken breasts, cubed
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 pinch salt
½ cup chicken broth
¼ cup white wine
1 (8 ounce) package angel hair pasta

In a large skillet, heat olive oil to medium high heat. Add the chicken and cook till browned. Add garlic, bell pepper, and onion. Reduce heat to medium low and cover. Cook for 5 minutes.

Add the tomato, spinach, ground black pepper and salt to the skillet. Cover and cook for 5 more minutes.

In a separate small saucepan, heat the chicken broth and wine to a near boil. Pour the hot broth into the vegetable/chicken skillet. Toss and serve mixture over cooked angel hair pasta immediately. Top with parmesan cheese.

Cabbage Rolls

I had a pound of gound beef and was in the mood to do something different with it. After looking at a few recipes for cabbage rolls I came up with my own version. It was very good. My skeptical husband even liked it.

Cabbage Rolls:

1/3 cup cooked white rice
8 cabbage leaves
1 pound lean ground beef
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 egg, slightly beaten
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 can diced tomato w/basil and oregano

1/2 cup sauerkraut

1 tbsp soy sauce

1 tbsp minced garlic

1 tsp worcheshire sauce

1/2 tsp Italian seasoning

In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, chopped onion, rice, soy sauce, worcheshire sauce, garlic, Italian seasoning, 2 spoon fulls of diced tomato, egg, and salt and pepper.

Bring a large pot of water a boil. Separate 8 large cabbage leaves from the head, and place in boiling water. Boil until soft, approximately 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from water, and set aside.

Into the center of each leaf, place a small amount of the meat mixture. Fold in the sides, and roll up from the bottom.

Place a layer of sauerkraut in the bottom of a large pot. Arrange cabbage rolls in a single layer over the sauerkraut, seams down. Cover with remaining diced tomatoes. Bring to a boil, lower heat, and simmer for 40 minutes.

Crockpot Salsa Chicken

While looking for mexican dishes I can across this recipe from Lovestoeat's Weblog and decided to give it a go. Glad I did because this was super easy and very good.

Crockpot Salsa Chicken:

4 frozen boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 cup salsa-Fresh

1 package taco seasoning

1 can reduced fat cream of mushroom soup (condensed) or cream of chicken soup

1/2 cup reduced fat sour cream

Add chicken to slow cooker. Sprinkle taco seasoning over chicken. Mix salsa and soup; pour over chicken. Cook on low for 6 to 8 hours. Shred chicken with a fork. Stir in sour cream until heated, then serve over rice or tortillas. I topped mine with cheese, chopped green onions, and leftover green chile sauce from my chimichangas.

Chicken Chimichangas with Green Sauce

I was in the mood for mexican again and wanted to try something different. I found this recipe from Allrecipes. It was so good. I served it with a side of mexican rice and black beans with pico de gallo (recipe below). I forgot to top mine with cheese but did the next day on the leftovers. It was good without the extra cheese but definitely better with it.

Chicken Chimichangas with Green Sauce:

2 (10.5 ounce) cans condensed cream of chicken soup
2 (4 ounce) cans diced green chiles
5 pitted green olives
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
1 (8 ounce) package shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1/2 (1 ounce) package taco seasoning
1 pound shredded cooked chicken meat
8 (10 inch) flour tortillas
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 (8 ounce) package shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
1 cup chopped green onion
1 (8 ounce) container sour cream

Pour the cream of chicken soup into a blender along with the green chiles, olives, jalapeno, and lime juice. Puree until smooth, then pour into a saucepan, and warm over medium-low heat while proceeding with the recipe.

In a large bowl, stir together the cream cheese, Monterey Jack cheese, and taco seasoning until well blended. Fold in the chicken. Evenly divide mixture among the 8 tortillas. Fold each tortilla into a rectanglular packet around the filling.

Preheat oven to 350. Spray top of chimis with Pam and place in heated oven. Bake 10-15 min or till crispy. You may also fry them but I wanted a healtier alternative.

To serve, place a chimichanga on a plate, and ladle the warm sauce over top. Sprinkle with Cheddar cheese and green onions. Finish with a dollop of sour cream.

Black Beans w/ Pico de Gallo

Black Beans with Pico de Gallo:

1 large tomato, diced
2 tablespoons chopped red onion
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
1/2 teaspoon honey
1 teaspoon lime juice
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon bacon grease
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tablespoons minced red onion
1 (15.5 ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
2 tablespoons water

Stir together the tomato, onion, cilantro, and honey. Season with lime juice, vinegar, salt and pepper; set aside.

Melt bacon grease in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir in garlic and onion, cook until softened and translucent, about 3 minutes. Pour in the black beans and water, season to taste with salt and pepper, then simmer for 10 minutes or until hot. Serve topped with pico de gallo.

Crustless Spinach Quiche

Crustless Spinach Quiche:

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped
1 (10 ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
5 eggs, beaten

1 small red bell pepper, chopped
3 cups shredded Muenster cheese
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a 9 inch pie pan.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions and red bell pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are soft. Stir in spinach and continue cooking until excess moisture has evaporated.

In a large bowl, combine eggs, cheese, salt and pepper. Add spinach mixture and stir to blend. Scoop into prepared pie pan.

Bake in preheated oven until eggs have set, about 30 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes before serving.