Ooey Gooey Bean and Cheese Dip

Bean and Cheese Dip

2 cans beans - drained

8oz cream cheese

8oz sour cream

1/2 package of taco seasoning

1 tsp garlic salt

2 cups of shredded cheese

let me first say, You could and maybe should cut the cream cheese and sour cream in half, it was a bit too much for me. also I think refried beans may have been better- and perhaps you could add shredded chicken. just ideas- it was excellent just the way I made it too

mix everything other than the shredded cheese, pour into a pan- top with cheese and throw into the oven at 400 degrees until the cheese is hot and melty! 

see it was a bit creamy- for me, if you like it creamy keep it creamy :) 

I did not measure my cheese, I just used 1 handful of cheese. 

Homemade Chia seed Protein Bars

I recently bought this massive bag of chia seeds… and I have NO IDEA how to use them all up, other than I take little "chia seed shots" in the morning.  so I created my own recipe to try and use some of them up, and it turned out awesome… about 200 calories and 12 grams of protein in each bar, depending on what brands you use, and how big you cut them.

Protein Bars

1 cup of peanut butter

2 cups instant oatmeal (uncooked)

1/4 C chia seeds

2 scoops of your favorite protein shake powder

raisins- as many as you like

mix all ingredients in a bow, pour into a pan and refrigerate.  I also added half a scoop of protein powder on the top of my bars.  

oatmeal! 

totally wish I had more raisins on hand than I did and tossed in the Chia Seeds! 

I used Chocolate Cake Batter protein,  150 Calories, 22 Grams of Protein. 

optional topping of protein powered

Hot Wing Pizza

So you may see a change in some of the foods I post.  Mostly my "Sunday Snack Heart Attacks" will stay the same. But with my "honeymoon" (is it still a honeymoon?? lets call it an anniversamoon) coming up, id like to at least TRY to loose a few stubborn lbs.  - this whole flu thing really kick started my weightless goals, I was down 7 lbs, until I had to get an IV full of fluids… and my 7 lbs came right back (can you believe that much of us is WATER!?!)

Anyways, this is not one of those new meals I'm talking about- I mean maybe it is. because usually if i were to order pizza and hot wings, id have both a couple slices of pizza, and a couple hot wings-  last night Eric and I decided to have a date night to make homemade pizza, and we just tossed the hot wings on top.  and let me tell you it was AMAZING!!!

One handsome man making pizza! 

our entire date night cost us, I don't know, maybe $10?? that would be stretching it, but that damn red box upped their prices so that just ticks me right off.. what happened to 99 cent movies?!! either way- we saved probably $90 but staying in and renting a movie and making pizza, than we did going out for dinner and going to a movie… that's like a 90% off coupon… and honestly it was much more fun (and we could stay in our jammies!)

set a timer, Eric ended up having to go back to the commissary for more pizza crust! lol

Before the oven

Hot Wing Pizza

2-3 skinless boneless chicken breast- cooked, and shredded

franks or other hot wing sauce- to taste

pizza crust- we used Pillsbury

cheese- to taste

green onions to garnish

Pillsbury pizza crust tells you to preheat your dough, so just follow the directions for dough making, don't forget to set a timer! 

once your chicken is cooked and shredded (feel free to use leftover chicken, or get some from the deli, or cook it up using whatever method you like best) place it in a bowl and slowly add your hot wing sauce.  tasting frequently to make sure you don't put too much in.

as a guide, we used roughly 3/4 Cup, although we like it HOT

once you have it to a flavoring you like. toss it on top of the pizza crust. top with cheese and green onions.  cook according to pizza crust directions.

and then ENJOY

no more of that terrible "should we get hot wings or pizza?" argument- please tell me other adult couples actually fight over this?? maybe?

coming up later today:  Philly Chicken Sandwiches in the slow cooker

Baked Enchilada Chicken

So since Monday have I have been hit by a terrible flu bug… my first time getting the flu, ever, I mean, as far as I know, ever.  I'm sure at one point when I was like 7 that i don't remember I probably had it, but I NEVER get sick… so basically I figured I was dying. But by this afternoon I was feeling like (nearly) a million bucks… and that's when I decided I just had to so SOMETHING, I could not lay on the couch for 1 more second, but I also didn't have the energy (I guess I haven't eaten since I had string cheese at 4:30 on Monday) to just stand around in the kitchen for more than a few minutes. so WALLAH  bomb chicken

Baked Enchilada Chicken

2 skinless boneless chicken breast

1/4 package of taco seasoning

1/4 can of enchilada sauce 

(feel free to pour the whole can on their, it won't hurt, its just not needed)

Put your chicken in a baking pan, rub on taco seasoning and pour enchilada sauce over the entire breast.  bake in the oven at 400 for about an hour.  (your oven may be different I'm not sure) 

its so yummy, and easy, and the enchilada sauce makes the chicken so moist! it was great!

Also I topped it with a little salt and pepper.

don't mind my picture. I forgot to take an "after" photo before I took a few bites out of it. 

Chicken Enchilada Pasta

This may be the best pasta known to man kind. Olive Garden is about to go out of business.. HOLY SMOKES!!

Chicken Enchilada Pasta

2-4 chicken breasts

1 box of pasta noodles (penne or similar)

1 red pepper- chopped

6 green onions- chopped

1/4 C. flour

3 Tablespoons butter

2 C. shredded cheese

1 Large can enchilada sauce

4 oz cream cheese

First spray the largest pan you have with Pam, toss on the chicken, and cook through.  Remove from pan and cut into chunks (I usually cut before I cook just because its faster).

In a pot, cook noodles to ALMOST done (they will continue to cook in the oven)

and set the oven to 350

in the same pan you cooked the chicken, add the butter, when melted add the flour and mix-  add enchilada sauce and cream cheese, cook and stir until creamy and smooth.  Add the onions, red pepper, chicken and noodles.  toss into a 9 x 13 greased pan. top with shredded cheese and cover with aluminum foil.  

Bake for 20 minutes

cook the chicken in the pan. top with salt and pepper if you would like!

Cut up one red pepper and 6 green onions, set aside for later

melt butter and add flour, mix. 

add enchilada sauce, and cream cheese.

stir until smooth (ok, I gave up before it was totally smooth)

mix all the ingredients together, toss into a casserole dish.  top with cheese (not pictured) and bake for 20-30 minutes!

Seasoned Olive Oil for Bread

when I was little, my mom and I would go out to plays or dances, or what ever else down town Minneapolis, and there was a restaurant that had this amazing oil dip for bread, and I have never been able to find anything like it, until now… and to prove how good that oil dip was, I still remember it nearly 20 years later. Haha. 

The husband and I are having an "Italian" date night, and by "date night" I mean, he is watching football and I am writing this, but we will actually make it to the dinner table to eat, instead of sitting on the couch.  So we started out our date night with this amazing hors d'oeuvre. and I mean can it get any easier? just dump a few seasonings together! 

 Seasoned Olive Oil for Bread

1/2 teaspoon basil

1/2 teaspoon parsley

1/2 teaspoon garlic

1/2 teaspoon thyme

1/4 teaspoon oregano

1/4 teaspoon rosemary

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper

olive oil

mix all the seasonings on a plate and slowly add the olive oil to the consistency you would like (I like more flavoring and less oil, but to each his own) 

Two- Minute Dip

Nothing says football to me, quite like chips and dip… and with it being the start of playoffs, I thought I had to share one of my all time favorite, and all time easiest dip recipes… two ingredients, two minutes, and it tastes like you slaved away for it!

 Two Minute Dip

1 jar of salsa (mild, medium or hot doesn't matter)

4 oz cream cheese- softened

soften the cream cheese (I do this with hot water, but I'm sure there are a billion other ways to do this)

 Mix the cream cheese and the salsa together in a bowl.

 SERVE AND ENJOY

If you think it looks to "pink" which is a strange color, I know, feel free to cut some of the cream cheese or add more salsa! it will still be delicious! 

Creamy Spinach and Tomato Tortellini

I have been, attempting, to eat healthier… and then I saw this recipe and I lost all ambition, and I told myself "it can't be THAT bad…" and I was right! now maybe its not good for the body, but it is good for the soul… and I believe the soul lives a lot longer than the body anyways.. so HA.  (plus I mean, there is spinach in it!)


P.s I also found that you could probably half the creamy part of this recipe.. and it would still be equally delicious, and slightly more nutritious  ( left all the sauce at the bottom anyways!)

if thats all not the best part of this recipe- I swear it took like 15 minutes to cook the whole thing.-- feel free to add chicken or shrimp to this recipe!

        Creamy Spinach and Tomato Tortellini

• 1 bag frozen cheese tortellini
• 2 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1-2 cups chopped fresh spinach
• 1 (14.5 ounce) can petite diced tomatoes
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried basil
• 1/4 onion- chopped
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups half-and-half
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 Tablespoon oil

In a large pot cook Tortellini as directed on the back of the bag. (mine says boil 3 minutes) .

In a large pan, add oil, garlic and onion,  sauté until translucent. add the can of tomatoes, salt, pepper, basil, Parmesan cheese and spinach.

In a bowl whisk half and half and flour until smooth.

add the creamy mixture and tortellini to the spinach and tomato mixture. lower heat to medium low and cook an additional 5 minutes, or until thick.