Southwest Salad with Cilantro Dressing

You might be surprised to hear this, but I'm actually trying to get a little healthier.  I even (maybe) have every intention of giving up alcohol this next year… I'm still thinking it over though.  Either way today I was CRAVING healthy foods.
Now I fully believe if you are craving something, its probably because your body really wants it.  So if you crave salty foods, eat salty foods, if you crave water, or candy, or protein, eat it.  Its pretty simple.  But that's just what I think, and I am not a doctor so I could be totally wrong.  Anyways, my subway salad did not cut it for lunch so for dinner I wanted a huge salad. Only we are out of Ranch, and I also needed protein.

so here is what got created:

Cilantro Dressing

1 1/4 C chopped Cilantro

1 C. Olive Oil

5 T. White Wine Vinegar

2 Garlic Cloves

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon minced jalapeno 

toss in the blender, and then let cool in the fridge for an hour or two.  toss on your salad and ENJOY

I also tossed some salt and pepper to it!

Southwest Salad

For the salad i just tossed a few cups of lettuce, a can of black beans (washed). a few tomatoes, 1 avocado, some green onions, carrots, and corn. (or what ever else you have on hand). 

No Ordinary Chicken Tortilla Soup

mmm mm mmm… nothing like soup this time of year. this is great for freezer meals, or eat it tonight!

I just tried this, and let me tell you- its one of the best soups I have ever had!! Ill be making this again soon!

Chicken Tortilla Soup

1 medium onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic- minced

1-2 T. oil

2 lbs cooked chicken (any way, chopped or shredded)

14 oz diced tomatoes

5 oz RO TEL tomatoes

14.5 oz beef broth

14.5 oz chicken broth

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp chili powder

1tsp salt

2 tsp worcestershire sauce

1 T. hot sauce

saute onions and garlic in oil, cook until translucent, add remaining ingredients, and simmer for 30-45 minutes. 

Serve with tortillas, cheese, sour cream… you know the drill.

I made this as a freezer meal, in which case, just let it cool and toss in the freezer or eat it tonight! 

ENJOY 

Spicy Southwest Chicken

I have to be honest, I was given a blender as a wedding gift, and as much as I totally wanted one, I have yet to use it.  Personally blenders freak me out, its like the garbage disposal, your hand could easy be lost while using one.  That being said I was a little nervous to try this recipe that calls for a blender, but when i got done blending, and opened the lid, it smelt like Jesus' breath, or what I would guess his breath smells like…. amazing! I cannot wait to eat this!!! and from what I sneaked a taste at, it was AMAZING!

This picture turned out a bit yellower, than it actually is!

Spicy Southwest Chicken

1 medium sized tomato- quartered

1/2 onion- chunked

1/4 C. vegetable oil

1/4 C. soy sauce (oh shit, I forgot this!)

1/4 C. fresh cilantro leaves

1/2 Jalapeño- chopped

2 cloves of garlic

1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

4-6 boneless skinless chicken breasts

In a blender, or food processor, combine everything other than chicken.

In a bag (for freezer meals) or a bowl (if you are eating it tonight) pour the contents of the blender, add chicken, and marinate for 2-8 hours in the refrigerator.

Toss in the freezer, or cook the same day.

Grill over hot fire. 

Chipotle Chicken and Onion Wraps

This was one of my "freezer meals" for today. I was thinking how it was so awesome that they are individually wrapped, which would be great for meals on the go! but then, after making them, and tasting them, I tossed them in the fridge, because there is NO WAY these will last more than a day or two. (I was right, they lasted less than 5 hours. SO SO GOOD)   They are super good, and even with the chipotle they are a real mild spicy, which means EVERYONE can enjoy them (even those crazy people who can't take the heat).

Chipotle Chicken and Onion Wraps

1 T. butter or margarine

1/2 cup onion- chopped

6 cups cooked chicken- diced

8 oz cream cheese (it would be fine to half this)

2 T. chipotle chile peppers in adobo sauce (more if you like it hot)

1 t dried parsley

12 burrito sized tortillas

In a saute pan, melt butter, add the onions, cook until translucent. 

Combine in a bowl, chicken, cream cheese (softened), cooked onions, chipotle chile and adobo sauce, and parsley.  mix well.  

spread 1/2 cup of chicken filling down the center of each tortilla. and roll, folding in the ends.

put in a zip lock bag, and freeze.  when ready to eat just toss in the microwave for a minute or two! or you can toss them on the stove until crispy! 

Franks and BBQ Chicken Bites

HOLY COW- so I started this recipe, planning to follow it, but then I realized the recipe I had called for 1 tsp of hot sauce, and I was like "hold up, that's hardly HOT wings" so I changed it, completely!!
p.s these work great as a freezer meal, or more as a freezer treat!  just toss in the oven or microwave when ready to eat them!

Franks and BBQ Chicken Bites

1/2 C. BBQ sauce

3/4 C. Franks Red Hot

2 T vinegar 

1 bag of chicken breast strips

combine in a bowl BBQ sauce, franks, vinegar.  cook chicken breasts and then marinate them in the sauce. 

ENJOY

They say they are all natural, but I highly doubt it.  

That being said, they are super easy and I was making freezer meals, so why waste money on fresh chicken when I'm just going to freeze it anyways?

Red Pepper Lasagna

I was not going to blog about my Christmas eve dinner, but it was amazing.  I've always thought lasagna was one of my best recipes, but for some reason, this one was super good, I think its because I used more tomatoes than I usually would.  I also know this recipe looks like some pretty standard, boring lasagna, but its not, because there are crushed red peppers in them! and its amazing!

Crushed Red Pepper Lasagna

1 package of lasagna noodles

1 large container of cottage cheese

1 big can of crushed tomatoes

1 big can of diced tomatoes

1 can tomato paste

1 bag of Italian shredded cheese

1 C. Mexican shredded cheese

2 T. crushed red pepper

2. T. oregano

1 T basil

salt and pepper to taste

feel free to add meat to your tomato sauce- I just don't eat it!

in a large pot dump both cans of tomatoes, tomato paste, and seasoning.  Stir continuously until hot.

in a 9 x 12 pan layer lasagna noodles, tomatoes, cottage cheese, half of your Italian shredded cheese, then repeat: noodles, tomatoes cottage cheese, Italian cheese.

top with noodles and cheese

Cowboy Margaritas

Thank you to my amazing aunt for teaching me of this amazing recipe!!

I better give you a fair warning. These drinks do not taste like there is 12 oz of tequila in them- but they do.  Luckily for me, I 1. handle my alcohol like a champ, and 2. cannot take a whole lot of sweet anything so after two or so drinks my tummy tells me its time to cool it (although I wish it never told me!)

Cowboy Margaritas

12 oz- condensed limeade 

its that frozen juices in the freezer isle! the Ft Irwin commissary doesn't carry it so i used lemonade and it turned out perfectly fine, so yours will probably be greener than the picture

12 oz- squirt

12oz- beer

12oz- tequila

mix them all together and enjoy :) don't forgot to put salt around the edges! 

 8EFVMG6NDCNK 

Crock pot Fiesta Rice and Chicken

I actually totally forgot I made this meal, like 2 weeks ago, and then I accidentally hit "import all" when I hooked my camera up to my computer (which was like 5000 pictures) … Then I found these pictures and I was like "THAT WAS SO GOOD!" so I figure I'll upload it now!


p.s I have to admit that I accidentally forgot to use a crock pot liner- and that is why I have not posted a crockpot meal in a while-  this BURNED to the edges, and yeah. I had to soak it for a week! (ok I didn't HAVE too, I just didn't want to wash it)

Fiesta Rice and Chicken

1 package Fiesta Sides- Taco Rice

2 skinless boneless chicken breasts- diced 

1 onion-chopped

1 can black beans

1 can diced tomatoes

1 C. corn

olive oil (follow directions on the rice)

Toss everything in the crock pot for 4-6 hours on HIGH. top with cheese and sour cream, if you like. and ENJOY 

Undone Baked Tacos

I had no intention of creating this invention. I was actually just craving some beans and a tortilla (it makes me feel like I'm back in Kenya, with beans and chapati) but then my lovely husband reminded me that he NEEDED a snack to go with his football games, to which I told him, he needed to make some food then!

Anyways I then decided I would just make tacos, I already was gonna make the beans and the tortilla, so why not add chicken, salsa, cheese etc.

But like I have said a billion times, I am a VERY lazy cook, and so for as much as I love myself some tacos, I feel like by the time you get done, with the pan for the chicken, the pot for the beans, a bowl for cheese, a bowl for salsa, a bowl for sour cream, a cutting board and bowl for tomatoes…. you get my point, ain't no body got time for all those dishes!

so I decided to just toss them all together and see what would happen. and holy camoly IM BRILLIANT.
 these turned out AWESOME!

Undone Baked Tacos

2 cans of black beans - do not drain

1-2 chicken breasts- cooked and shredded

1/4 C. sour cream

1/2 C. shredded cheese

1/2 C. salsa

1 C shredded lettuce 

*add anything you on your tacos*

I had to cook my chicken breast, then shred it- but if you are using left overs or something skip this step.
  Then add the 2 cans of beans, and cook for about 20 minutes (or until beans are nice and hot) toss your cheese on top and set back in the oven until the cheese melts.  top off with your favorite taco toppings and scoop into tortillas!!

the best, and easiest way to make tacos!!

Franks Chicken

This wasn't really going to be a blog post, but then it turned out to be delicious, and I randomly took a picture of it before I cooked it (to send to Eric so he could get excited) and so you only get one picture, but let me tell you. this is YUMMY

Franks Chicken

2 skinless boneless chicken breasts

1/4 C Franks hot sauce

1 Tablespoon vinegar

1 Tablespoon butter- melted

1/4 Tablespoon pepper

In a bowl combine melted butter, vinegar and hot sauce. place chicken in a pan, pour sauce over the chicken.  add pepper and toss in the oven at 435 for 45 minutes, or until fully cooked!

ENJOY!

  please note my disposable pans, because like I said in my last post, my life is a hot mess right now, and I just couldn't be bothered to do ANY dishes.

bomb.com spaghetti

So…some times I just think I have my shit together, you know, great job, awesome husband, perfect (almost perfect) dog, lovely home, amazing friends and family. Sometimes my ducks are in such a wonderful row!

...and then sometimes, my life is a HOT MESS. and right now its SUPER messy.  I'm not sure when I got thrown this motivational curve ball, but the last 2 weeks or so, my life is a hot hot sweaty mess (which is funny because I haven't moved enough to sweat in 2 weeks either).  I think its because I thought I was getting the flu, I was super nauseous, and tired, and no I'm not pregnant.  And then I never got sick, and then I got a little bit of allergies (Eric says its a cold, but I never get colds so I'm sure its allergies) and yeah, somehow in the last 2 weeks my life went from neat and orderly, to an absolute pig sty. 

So this is my kitchen right now- well no, not any more.  I did finally clean, before I cooked, because that would be nasty to cook around all the diseases that I'm sure ended up growing in my sink.
Anyways I'm embarrassed, so Please tell me I'm not the only person who has let this happen (and no this is not the first time it has happened, but I swear its super rare!)


ok so now that you know a little background on my life, you should also know I'm a carb queen. which is why my gluten free diet lasted like, ermm 3 months?? I could NOT live that lifestyle, even though it gives me a terrible tummy ache, its so worth it.  

yeah well what makes life's little puzzle pieces come together more than spaghetti??
NOTHING!

Now I always add cottage cheese to my spaghetti, because I need protein, the joys of not eating meat.

OK this recipe is BOMB… and it may or may  not cause you to have a heart attack, but seriously, sometimes you just need to enjoy food, and not worry about it.

God must have loved calories, He made so many of them!

Bomb.com Spaghetti

1 package of noodles (cooked)

1 package (1lbs) cottage cheese

4 oz cream cheese (softened)

1/4 C. sour cream

1 jar spaghetti sauce 

shredded cheese to top

1/2 cup butter (feel free to use FAR less, I know I did)

Combine in a bowl, cottage cheese, cream cheese, and sour cream. and set aside.

In a 9x13 pan put a few slices of butter on the bottom, layer half of your noodles on top of the butter, layer half of your cheese mixture on top of the noodles, add more noodles, more butter, and then top with spaghetti sauce (feel free to use ground beef in your sauce, I just think cows are gross) 

put in the oven at 350 for 30 minutes, top with cheese and let it melt.

ENJOY!! 

Im going to be honest, I licked my plate clean on this one. LICKED IT!!

Double Protein Cowboy Chicken

I accidentally made this today- my original goal was to make chili, and then at the store I decided to change it to chicken stroganoff, and then when I got home I remembered stroganoff is like a heart attack waiting to happen, so I went back to the chili idea, but then I didn't have some things. so I just through together some of my favorite things and added chicken. Hope you enjoy!!

Double Protein Cowboy Chicken

1 can black beans

1 can diced tomatoes

2 chicken breasts -cubed

1 half onion- chopped

corn (I didn't have any but I know corn would be awesome in it) 

mix all the ingredients in a baking dish

cook at 350 for 45 minutes to an hour

ENJOY

Seriously, how easy?? 

p.s the double protein is because I put my two main protein sources together (beans and chicken!)

Hearty Vegetable Pasta Soup

At Ft Irwin (where I live) its about 60 degrees now in there 2nd week of December, but I still think its FREEZING! seriously what happened to my Minnesota blood.  So, when I remembered this recipe I was ecstatic.
          One of my first wedding gifts I got was a recipe book of soups, which was awesome, because I had just gotten back from Africa, and was so excited to eat ANYTHING and everything (but at the same time, so many foods made me sick, after 5 months of eating only rice and beans). This became my go-to meal, when I would wake up at 4 am still on Kenyan time thinking I was perhaps starving to death.

Hearty Vegetable Pasta Soup

1 cup bow tie pasta

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

3 cups vegetable broth (I usually use chicken broth, anything works)

1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes

1 potato- cubed

2 carrots- sliced

1 stalk celery- sliced

2 oz steamed spinach

1 teaspoon dried basil

salt and pepper to taste

heat oil in a pan, add onions- cook until translucent. add the broth, tomatoes (with juice) potato, carrots, celery, basil and salt and pepper.  bring to a boil over high heat, simmer for 20  min. stir in pasta, cook for 8 minutes than add spinach, cook until spinach is soft.

ENJOY!

p.s I ended up tossing some peas in there too, because I had just a little left over, so feel free to toss anything else you like in it!