Thursday, October 27, 2011

Homemade Pizookies



Mmmmm, pizookies are AMAZING! They are SOO good that they do not even require an intro... A slightly undercooked cookie topped with ice cream and hot fudge. My mouth is watering more than the Bellagio fountains! ENJOY!!!

INGREDIENTS

Chocolate chip cookie dough (I made my own 'recipe to follow soon', but you can easily use your favorite store bought brand...try other flavors too, yum)
Vanilla Bean Ice cream
Hot fudge
Whipped Cream (optional)

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 375 degrees
Lightly grease a round pie dish (may have enough dough to make two pie pans)
Press dough in dish and bake for about 10-15 minutes. The trick is to underbake it by a minute or so. I check on mine at 6 minutes and every minute after that.
Take out of oven and top with a large scoop of ice cream and drizzle with hot fudge and whipped cream.
Serve immediately with spoons and eat right out of the dish...WARNING: this may create a feud over the last bite. :)

Friday, October 21, 2011

Chicken Tortilla Soup with Homemade Salsa

Holy cow! I am shocked that I haven't posted this recipe until now. My family eats this probably once a week, but my husband would gladly eat it EVERDAY! It is amazing! Promise me one thing: do not attempt to make this unless you pinky promise me that you will make the salsa (below) with it. I promise you that it is NOT the same with ANY store bought salsa. Been there once and will NEVER do that again. I came up with the soup recipe. The salsa recipe was graciously given to me by a friend. Enjoy! :)




*just a note: when making the soup, make sure to taste test often. If you need more spice/salsa then add some...

CHICKEN TORTILLA SOUP
INGREDIENTS:

2-4 Chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
1/2 tsp olive oil
1/2 tsp minced garlic
1/4 tsp ground cumin
2 cups (or cans) chicken broth
1/2 tsp chili powder
1 TBL lemon juice
1 cup HOMEMADE EASY SALSA...recipe below
(I have tried it with store bought and it is NOT the same)

DIRECTIONS:

Place/mix all in the crockpot and warm until ready to serve.
Serve with tortilla chips, cheese, green onions, and extra cilantro for garnish.

*Easily be doubled...recommended! Leftovers taste even better the next day.

HOMEMADE EASY SALSA
INGREDIENTS

1 (14oz) can diced tomatoes (make sure it has garlic in it. I buy the basil, onion, garlic one)
1/4 of an onion sliced
1 bunch of cilantro, cut off stems
1 capfull of lemon juice
1 jalopeno, diced with seeds or without seeds (depending on personal preference. I do one half seeded.)
1/2 tsp salt

DIRECTIONS

Drain the juice from the tomato can into a serving bowl (do NOT throw away).
In a food processor, pulse the cilantro and jalopeno.
Add the tomatoes (without the juice) and onion and pulse again.
Carefully pour all into the serving bowl with the tomato juice.
Add the lemon juice and salt and mix.
Cover and refrigerate at least a few hours until ready to serve.

*Can also be made in the blender, but wont be a chunky salsa.
*This salsa is a MUST for my Chicken Tortilla Soup Recipe...and of course with warmed chips, YUM!!!

Thursday, October 20, 2011

Hannah's Stuffed Peppers



These babies were featured on a recent episode of The Biggest Loser. I am a "so-so" fan when it comes to stuffed peppers, so I was a little leary about them. I am HAPPY to say that these were a HUGE hit with ME, MY HUBBY, AND THE KIDS!!! The flavor is amazing and we ate every last bite...including the peppers themselves. The best part? Each serving is only 140 calories! :)

INGREDIENTS

olive oil
1/2 cup finely diced onion
1 tsp minced garlic
1 lb extra-lean ground turkey
Salt to taste
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp cumin
1/4 cup tomato sauce
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth DIVIDED
1 Tbl chopped cilantro
3 large sweet red peppers, washed
1/4 cup reduced-fat shredded cheddar cheese

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 400 degrees
Lightly coat a large skillet with olive oil; heat over medium heat. Add onion and garlic to the pan and saute for about 2 minutes. Add the turkey and break meat apart. Season with salt, garlic powder, and cumin. Cook for about 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned, no longer pink, juices run clear and internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F. Add 1/4 cup tomato sauce and 1/2 cup chicken broth to the pan. Reduce heat, simmer over low for 5 minutes. Add chopped cilantro. Set aside.

Cut bell peppers in half lengthwise and remove seeds and stem. Place in baking dish and add spoonfuls of turkey mixture in each one. Pour the remaining 1/2 cup chicken broth to the bottom of the pan and tightly cover with foil. Bake 35 minutes and when done sprinkle each pepper with some cheese.

*This can be made ahead. When ready to serve, bake in the oven. :)

**original recipe found on nbc.com under The Biggest Loser