Chicken and Rice Stuffed Peppers for Two

So I wanted to try something a little different with the Stuffed Peppers Recipe that I did last month. Instead of using ground beef, I decided to use ground chicken. It was a great success! The boyfriend and I loved it so I felt that I should share it :D

2 Sweet Bell Peppers
1/4 lb of ground chicken, pulled apart into smaller chunks
2/3 cups of rice
1 spoonful of jarred minced garlic
1 spoonful of minced onion
2 spoonfuls of Italian Seasoning
2 pinches of paprika
1/2 jar of Tomato Sauce

Preheat oven at 350.

Place rice in a small sauce pot with water. Bring to a boil and cook until rice is tender. Drain.

Meanwhile, cut the tops off of the peppers. Hollow out the inside by removing seeds and some of the membrane; also cut out the stem from the tops.  Finely chop up what is left of the top; set aside.

Coat the bottom of a medium-size pan with a tablespoon of olive oil. Turn burner onto medium heat. Place chicken in pan along with garlic, onion, and spices. Stir until evenly coated and cooked evenly. Once cooked thoroughly, add tomato sauce, pepper tops, and rice. Cook for about 2 minutes then turn off burner.

Stuff peppers with mix from pan. Place peppers in a baking dish that is sprayed with cooking oil. Coat the tops of the peppers with extra tomato sauce. Place in oven and baste with tomato sauce every 10 minutes for 30 minutes.

Lita's Minestrone

1/2 can (10 3/4 oz) of garden vegetable broth
1 cup of water
1-2 spoonfuls of cornstarch
2 pinches of dried basil
3 pinches of oregano
4 shakes of black pepper
2 tsp of paprika
2 stalks of celery, chopped
1 medium-sized potato, peeled and chopped
1 carrot, chopped
1 cup of dark red kidney beans
1/2 cup of black beans
4 cherub tomatoes, quartered

In a medium-size saucepan, combine broth, spices, and water. Turn onto medium heat and add in potatoes, celery, and carrots. Cook for about 15 minutes then add tomatoes and beans.
Meanwhile, place 1 spoonful of cornstarch in a mug. Take out some of the broth from the pot and pour it into the mug.  Stir until it isn't lumpy then pour it into the soup. Repeat for the second spoonful.* Cook for another 10 minutes or until potatoes can be pierced easily with a fork. Enjoy!

*Tip* It's easier to separate the cornstarch with the broth mix in a mug so that it doesn't get lumpy. If you add the cornstarch directly into the pot with all the soup it get lumpy and isn't very appealing. This way it is gradually added in and the lump are already worked out!

Hearty Tomato Soup for Two

1 can of Low Sodium Tomato Soup
1 can of milk
3-4 cherub tomatoes, chopped
2 scallions, diced
2 teaspoons of crushed red pepper flakes
2 teaspoons of dried basil
3 teaspoons of dried oregano
2 pinches of paprika

In a small saucepan pot, pour in tomato soup from the can; then fill the can with 1% milk. Add in spices. Stir until well blended, add vegetables, and then cook over medium heat. Cook for about 20 minutes or until tomatoes are soft. Serve with toasted whole wheat bread or unsalted crackers. Delicious!

*Optional* Add peppers and/or celery to make the dish even more chunky and flavorful!

Tuna Macaroni Soup

1 1/2 cups of macaroni
1 can (10 3/4 oz) of cream of mushroom soup
1 cup of milk
1 can of Albacore Tuna
1 cup of frozen peas
1 spoonful of jarred minced garlic
3 pinches of minced onion or 1/4 onion chopped
3 tsp of black pepper
2 splashes of soy sauce

Bring a medium-size saucepan of water to a boil. Once it has hit a rolling boil, throw in macaroni and cook until almost tender.

Meanwhile, in a small saucepan combine combine soup, milk, spices, soy sauce, and tuna (with juice) over medium heat. Stir until smooth then add peas. Continue to cook over medium heat and stir occasionally. If the soup is too thick then add in a little bit more milk.

Once macaroni is ready, drain in a colander and place back into the pot. Turn off heat on soup mix and place in the macaroni pot. Stir until macaroni is evenly coated. Allow for 5-10 minutes of soaking time so the macaroni can get tender then serve!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Just wanted to wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving; and I hope that everyone has a safe and fun holiday. Remember that this time of year is for the remembrance of good times and good people that take part in each one of your lives. And it is a holiday that we can take the time in our busy lives to be grateful for everything and everyone we have.

Lita's Thanksgiving Turkey and Gravy

 Enjoy and I hope everyone has a safe holiday season!

1 turkey (14-16 lbs)
3 tbsp of salt
3 tbsp dried marjoram
3 tbsp dried thyme
1 tablespoon whole peppercorns, crushed
12 fresh rosemary sprigs
12 garlic cloves
1/2 cup of butter/Smart Balance, softened, divided

Preheat oven to 325.

In a small bowl, whisker together salt, marjoram, thyme, and peppercorns until well combined; split the salt mix in half. Take half of the salt mix and coat the inside of the turkey's cavity.

Gently, loosen the skin of the turkey with your fingers; pour in half of the melted butter and gently rub underneath the skin. With the remaining butter, pour over the turkey and sprinkle the rest of the salt mix onto the turkey.

If desired, tie the legs together and/or skewer the turkey. If you don't it's completely fine (last year I didn't tie the legs together and the turkey did a spread eagle in the oven but it was still delicious). Place the turkey in the oven and cook from 3-3 1/2 hours, occasionally basting the turkey with the pan drippings. Once the turkey is at 180 on the meat thermometer you're all set!

Gravy: (measurements vary on how many people you're serving)

3 cups of pan drippings from the turkey
3-4 cups of water
2-3 spoonfuls of cornstarch

In a small sauce pan, pour/scoop in pan drippings from your turkey. Pour some of the pan drippings in a small mug, along with some water and some cornstarch; cook over medium heat. Meanwhile, in the mug stir ingredients until well blended and thicker, then add mix to saucepan. Stir in the mix from the mug. In small quantities, gradually add in cornstarch as needed to make the gravy thicker and smooth. Add more water and drippings if needed.

White Bean Soup

2 tablespoons of olive oil
1/4 of onion or 2-3 pinches of minced onion
2 spoonfuls of jarred minced garlic
2 (15 oz) cans of white kidney beans
2 stalks of celery
2 large carrots chopped
1 3/4 cups of chicken broth
2 cups of water
1 bundle of baby spinach, roughly chopped
1/4 cup of 6 blend cheese
Parmesan cheese
Black Pepper
2 pinches of thyme

In a medium size sauce pan, pour in oil and spread it so it evenly coats the bottom of the pan. Turn burner onto to medium heat. Once oil starts to warm up, throw in celery and onion. Cook celery and onions for about 5-10 minutes. Then add garlic; stir and cook for about 30 seconds then add broth and water. Add carrots, spices, and beans. Turn heat up but NOT on the high setting (in between medium and high). Cook for about ten minutes.

Remove as many of the vegetables as you can with a slotted spoon; place them in a bowl. Remove pan from heat and add cheeses. Stir with a whisk for about 30 seconds then place back on the burner. Return vegetables to the pan and stir often. Make sure the cheese doesn't stick to the bottom of the pan. Add spinach and cook for another 5 minutes. Turn off burner once the spinach has wilted and turned to a darker green. Add extra Parmesan before serving for topping if desired. ENJOY!

Lita's Manicotti

12 manicotti
Stuffing:
1 1/2 cups of cottage cheese
1/3 cup of ricotta cheese
2-3 handfuls of 6 blend cheese
2 spoonfuls of Italian Seasoning
2 spoonfuls of jarred minced garlic
2 pinches of minced onion
Topping:
A jar of Rinaldi's Tomato and Basil Sauce
Shredded Mozzarella for topping

Preheat oven at 350. Spray a large baking dish with cooking spray and set aside.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Once the water is boiling, throw in the pasta and cook until tender. Drain in a colander. Rinse in cold water for about 20 seconds and set aside.

While water is boiling,  combine cheeses and spices in a large bowl; stir until all ingredients are distributed evenly throughout the mix.Once pasta is cooked and rinsed, begin stuffing the cheese mix into the manicotti. Use all the cheese mix (if you need to make more then go for it. I guessed on the exact measurements because, as most of you know, the only time I measure is when I'm baking desserts). Once you've finished stuffing the manicotti, gently place them in the baking dish so they all fit. With a spoon, coat the pasta with the tomato sauce; then sprinkle mozzarella over the manicotti.

Bake for about 30-35 minutes and you are all set!

Lita's Linguine and Meat Sauce

1/2 box of whole wheat linguine
1 1/2 cups of Rinaldi's Tomato and Basil Sauce
1/4 lb of beef
1/3 cup of red wine
1/3 of an onion, finely chopped
2-3 pinches of garlic chips
2-3 pinches of parsley flakes
1 pinch of Italian Seasoning
Couple of shakes of grated Parmesan Cheese 

Bring a large pot of water to a boil.

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, brown the beef with onions and spices. Once beef is browned, add in tomato sauce, cheese, and wine. Stir until well blended then let simmer. Allow the meat and sauce to cook down a little bit.

Meanwhile, throw in pasta into the pot of hot water. Once tender, drain then serve with meat sauce. Delicious!

Stuffed Peppers for Two

2 bell peppers
1/3 cup of rice
3/4 cup of tomato sauce (I prefer Rinaldi's Tomato and Basil)
5 oz of ground beef
Garlic powder
Onion powder or minced onion
1 pinch of Italian Seasoning

Preheat oven at 375.

In a small pot of water, bring rice to a boil and cook until tender; drain. Meanwhile in a large pan, cook beef until brown all the way through. Set aside.

Cut the tops off the bell peppers. Throw out the stems, seeds, and membranes; chop the remaining of the tops into small chunks. Leave the rest of the peppers whole. Set aside.

In a large bowl, combine rice, beef, spices, and sauce. Once combined, stuff the peppers with the rice mix. Place in a small baking dish and add a little extra tomato sauce on top of the peppers. Place in oven and bake for about 40-45 minutes.

Lita's Cream of Mushroom Chicken

A simple recipe that I adapted from the back of a soup can!

1/2 cup of olive oil
1 tsp paprika
1 tbsp of minced onion
1 tsp minced garlic
1 tbsp parsley flakes
1 (10 3/4 oz) can of Cream of Mushroom Soup
3/4 cups of water
2-4 chicken breasts, cubed
1-2 cups of elbow macaroni or egg noodles

In a small bowl, combine olive oil and spices. In a medium size skillet or medium heat, throw in olive oil/spice mixture; add chicken and cooked until browned on all sides.Once chicken is browned, add soup and 3/4 cup of water into the skillet with the olive oil mix; heat to a boil then turn burner down to a low heat. Cook for about 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil; once the water is at a rolling boil, add pasta of your choice. Once pasta is tender, drain in a colander and dish onto plates. Serve chicken and soup mix over noodles and voila! Add pepper or other garnishes of your choice!

Getting the Word Out: Facebook, Twitter, and Google+

Hello everyone! Just a reminder that you can get updates about my blog post via Facebook and Twitter! I know a lot of people that follow my blog don't have a Blogger account but not to worry! I've reached out to other social media to help spread the word about my blog.

https://www.facebook.com/CookingWithLitaB

https://twitter.com/CookingWithLita

Olive Oil Spice Linguine and Chicken

For the Pasta:
1/2 box of whole wheat linguine
1/2 cup of olive oil
1 spoonful of thyme
1 pinch of paprika, optional
1 spoonful of oregano
1 spoonful of parsley flakes
2 pinches of crushed garlic
2 pinches of minced onion
2-4 shakes of black pepper or, with a grinder, 4 grinds of black pepper
Add salt to taste, optional


For the Chicken:
1 chicken breast, boneless and skinless
1/2 cup of olive oil
1 spoonful of thyme
1 pinch of paprika (optional)
1 spoonful of oregano
1 spoonful of parsley flakes
2 pinches of crushed garlic
2 pinches of minced onion
1-2 shakes of black pepper or, with a grinder, 2 grinds of black pepper

In a small bowl, combine the olive oil and spices for the pasta; set aside.

Cut the chicken into cubes. In a Tupperware bowl, combine oil and spices for the chicken breast. Place the chicken in the Tupperware bowl and securely close the lid. Shake until chicken is evenly coated; set aside and let marinate for 1-2 hours.


Spray a medium-sized frying pan with cooking spray. Once the chicken is marinated, cook the chicken in a frying pan with the olive oil mixture. Cook until it is golden brown. Cover and stir occasionally.

Meanwhile, bring a pot of water to a boil for the pasta. Once the water is at a rolling boil, throw in the pasta. After the pasta is fully cooked, throw in the oil and spices that were set aside for the pasta. Add chicken with cooked down olive oil-mix. Stir then serve!

**WARNING** Be cautious when cooking with oil. Oil has a tendency to pop and spritz all over the place so be careful not to burn yourself.

Italian Seasoned Home Fries

4-5 potatoes, cubed
1/4 onion, chopped
1/2 cup of olive oil
2 tablespoons of Italian seasoning
1 tablespoon of garlic chips
1 teaspoon of paprika (optional)

Preheat oven at 375. In a Tupperware container, mix all spices and olive oil; set aside. Cut up potatoes and onion into quarters (or smaller if desired). Place potatoes and onion in the Tupperware container with olive oil/spice mix. Tightly seal the lid to the Tupperware and shake until potatoes and onions are evenly coated. Then place seasoned potatoes and onions in a small baking dish (spray dish with cooking spray if desired). Cook in oven for 45-60 minutes, or until potatoes are soft. Then serve! Voila!

Rosemary Chicken

2 large chicken breasts, halved
3 spoonfuls of dried rosemary
2-3 shakes of black pepper
2-3 spoonfuls of paprika
2-3 tablespoons of olive oil
2 pinches of minced onion
2 pinches of crushed garlic

Preheat oven at 350. In a small bowl, combine all spices with a fork. Once combined, add olive oil (add more if needed) then stir. Apply to chicken by slowly pouring from the bowl and using your hands. Rub the spice mix all over the halved chicken until well coated with oil and spices. Place in a baking dish and cook in the oven for 25-30 minutes. Enjoy!

Meaty Macaroni

Sorry I haven't posted in a long time. Life has been crazy the past two weeks. Here's a simple recipe for those who don't have a lot of time to prepare large meals.

1/4 lb of ground steak
2 cups of elbow macaroni
1/2 a jar of Rinaldi's Hearty Tomato Basil sauce
Garlic Chips
Minced Onion
Italian Seasoning
Black Pepper
Crushed Red Pepper, optional
Parsley Flakes

Bring a large pot of water to a boil; when water is at a hard boil, throw in macaroni and cook until tender. Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, brown the ground steak. Once it begins to brown, add spices (amount of spice can vary on particular taste). Once spices and browned beef are well mixed, add in sauce. Serve sauce over macaroni and you're all set! For taste, feel free to add grated Parmesan cheese on top. Delicious!

Cheesy Egg Breakfast Burrito

3 eggs
2 handfuls of Mexican Shredded Cheese
1/2 Sweet Bell Pepper, finely chopped
Minced onion to taste, optional
Crumbled bacon, optional
3-4 small tortillas

In a small bowl, break egg yolks and beat with a fork. Add cheese and peppers (onions if desired) and stir until well mixed. Meanwhile preheat a medium skillet or frying pan over medium heat. Once heated, place egg mix in pan. Flip as needed. With spatula, break up egg mix into pieces and continue to flip as needed. Once eggs are done wrap in individual tortillas and you are all set! Add more cheese and bacon if desired.

Red Bean Chili Dip

1 can of red beans
1 cup of mild salsa
1 1/2 cups of Mexican shredded cheese
2 teaspoons of Taco Seasoning
Tortilla Chips

In a small soup pot, mix red beans, salsa, and taco seasoning over medium heat. Stir while mix heats up. Once bean mix begins to simmer, add in cheese gradually and stir. Continue to add cheese and cook over medium heat. Bean mix should begin to thicken and cook down into a sauce. Serve over chips and voila! Sour cream is also optional with this dish.

Green Bean Casserole

So I know that this is a dish that almost everyone knows how make because of Thanksgiving time but I figured I'd post it anyway just in case. I made this the other night for my boyfriend because it's one of his favorite dishes...that and we had green beans sitting in the freezer and needed to use them up but that's redundant.

1 bag of frozen green beans
1 (10 3/4 oz) can of cream of mushroom soup
1 cup of milk
1 tablespoon of soy sauce
2 handfuls of fried onions for the mix
1 handful of fried onions for the topping
Couple shakes of garlic powder, optional

Preheat oven at 350.
Spray a casserole dish or small baking dish with cooking spray. Then pour in cream of mushroom soup and milk into the casserole dish; stir until well blended. Then add green beans and 2 handfuls of fried onions; stir until evenly coated. Bake in oven for 25-27 minutes. Take out of oven and add the onion topping. Place back into the oven for another 5 minutes or until onions on top are lightly browned.

Blueberry Pie-Roll Dessert

Hello everyone! Sorry I haven't posted in a while. My Macy's schedule has me working nights mostly so I haven't been able to do a lot of cooking. Here's something that I came up with on the fly tonight.

Blueberry Mix:
1 cup of fresh blueberries
2 spoons of flour or cornstarch
1 tablespoon of vanilla
3 spoons of brown sugar

Pie-Roll Crust:
1 1/3 cups of flour
1/2 tsp of salt
1/4 cup of olive oil
1/4 cup of milk

Optional Final Touches:
Sprinkling of confectioner's sugar

In a small mixing bowl, whisk salt and flour together. Add milk and oil. combine until dough-like. Roll dough into two balls then flatten. Wrap in plastic wrap and place in refrigerator for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile in a small pot over medium heat, cook blueberries, vanilla, and brown sugar. Stir constantly. Once blueberries start to break down, stir in flour or cornstarch to thicken. Set aside once blueberries are a sauce.

Lay out a sheet of parchment paper on a flat surface. Take pie-roll crust out of refrigerator and unwrap; place on parchment paper. Flatten out each roll using your hands. Take a small portion of blueberry mix and place in the center of the roll. Fold each side so that the sides meet in the middle. Fold up a small section of the ends and pinch them to the side so they stay together and the blueberry mix doesn't spill out.
Preheat oven for 350 and bake for 20-25 minutes or until lightly browned.

Loaded Mashed Potatoes

One of my favorite foods is mashed potatoes! Here's a simple recipe that I'd like everyone to try :)


6-7 medium size potatoes
1/4 cup of Newman's Own Ranch Dressing
2-3 cups of milk
1 cup of peas
a handful of shredded mozzarella or cheese of your choice


Peel potatoes and chop into a large chunks. Place potatoes in a large pot of hot water. Turn burner on to high heat. Allow potatoes to soften.* Once they are softened, drain potatoes in a colander and put them back into the pot. Now add milk, cheese, and ranch dressing. With a hand-held mixer, beat potatoes until chunks are somewhat smooth. Stir in peas by hand and then you are done!

Easy-To-Make Chocolate-Peanut Butter Spread

A recipe so simple you'll just have to try it! This spread goes great with bananas and apples. So easy to make and it takes less than five minutes!


1 cup of Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
2 large spoonfuls of Natural Peanut Butter
1 tablespoon of vanilla extract
1/8 cup of milk


Spray a small sauce pot and preheat over medium heat. Once preheated, place chocolate, vanilla, and peanut in sauce pot. Once chocolate begins to melt, add milk and stir constantly until chocolate is melted completely and well blended with other ingredients (should be thick but not chunky). Spread a thin layer over your fruit of choice or have on a sandwich!

Lita's Mix-It-Up Hamburgers

Tired of regular hamburgers from fast food restaurants? I know I am! Try this hamburger recipe that I did this afternoon for lunch. Instead of just frying/grilling them, add some spice to them!

3-4 burger patties
3-4 potato hamburger buns
3-4 slices of Colby Jack Cheese or Pepper Jack Cheese

Spices (measurements vary on how many hamburgers you're making):
1 teaspoon of Chili Powder
2 teaspoons of black pepper
2 pinches of parsley
1 teaspoon of crushed red pepper (optional)

Condiments:
Spicy Brown Mustard
Mayo
Ketchup or BBQ sauce

Before cooking hamburgers, combine all spices in a small mug. Gently rub them into the hamburger patties.* Cook until burgers are medium well or well done then place on buns with cheese on the bottom half. Personal preference but I prefer my hamburgers well done otherwise I get sick, however, I know some people like their meat still mooing. Hope you enjoy this new and simple recipe!


*Tip* If you're making the patties from scratch then I recommend you combine the meat and spices in a bowl then making the patties.

Facebook Page Reminder!

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Almond Cookies!

Here's another sweet recipe for everyone that I hope you'll enjoy! This is another recipe that I adapted from an old cookbook that my mom gave.

3 cups of flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/4 cups of sugar
1 cup of olive oil or shortening
1 egg
1 teaspoon of almond extract
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
Almonds, halved (optional for decorating)

Combine all dry ingredients in a medium size bowl. In a smaller bowl combine all wet ingredients then fold them into the dry mix. Mix should be dough-like. Once the dough is made, roll dough into little balls and place them onto a baking pan that is covered with parchment paper. Bake at 375 for 15-20 minutes.

Chocolate Chip-Banana Pancakes

Hello everyone! Here's breakfast recipe for you :) I know, I know. I haven't done a breakfast recipe in a while but here's one I think you'll enjoy.


2 cups of pancake mix
2 eggs
1 cup of milk
4 tbsp olive oil or margarine
1/4 cup of brown sugar
1/4 cup of chocolate chips
1 banana, roughly chopped


Spray a iron frying pan or griddle and preheat over medium heat. In a medium sized mixing bowl, combine mix, sugar, olive oil, and milk. Once well blended add in chips and banana chunks. Once all ingredients are combined, slowly pour out a small portion of the mix into the pan. Flip as often as needed until lightly browned and cooked all the way through. Be sure to respray in between cooking each pancake. Enjoy!

Chocolate Chip Macadamia Cookies

This is a recipe that I adapted slightly. My mom gave me a bunch of old cook books before I moved out and this recipe is from the "St. Bartholomew's Anniversary Cookbook." St. Bartholomew the Apostle Church is located in Norwich, New York and has been around since 1919. The cookbook I have is from 1994 and was celebrating the church's 75th anniversary. Just think, in another seven years the church will be 100 years old! Very cool :)

The original recipe called for butter flavored Crisco but decided to substitute it with olive oil, a much healthier option, and I didn't use salt. Also when I first made this recipe I only had baking powder instead of baking soda. I didn't notice much of a difference but feel free to try it both ways. Oh, and instead of walnuts I used macadamia nuts....I swear that's the last change.

2 1/4 cups of flour
1 tsp. baking soda
3/4 tap. salt (optional)
1 cup of olive oil
1 cup of brown sugar
1/2 cup of sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. of vanilla
1 (12 oz) bag of chocolate chips
1 cup of macadamia nuts

Preheat oven to 350. Blend olive oil, sugar, eggs, vanilla, and baking soda. Add brown sugar and blend well. Gradually add flour and mix until smooth. Add chocolate and nuts. Bake on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned. Makes 6 dozen, depending on the size of the cookies you have. 

Facebook Page

Hello everyone! I recently created a Facebook Page  for my cooking blog! Some people use Facebook more than blogger so I thought this would be a quicker way for everyone to receive updates. Be sure to hit the "like" to stay in the loop: https://www.facebook.com/CookingWithLitaB

Deviled Eggs and Tuna Sandwiches

Ok, ok. So I know that this is kind of a repeat recipe (http://senorita-lita.blogspot.com/2012/03/litas-deviled-eggs.html) but as you all know I'm constantly updating and adding new spins on my recipes. That's the joy of cooking in my opinion! Tonight I decided I was going to make deviled eggs and tuna sandwiches for the boyfriend and I. I had a lot of the egg mix leftover and I figured that I use the same ingredients for  tuna sandwiches anyway (minus the eggs), so why waste it!


Deviled Eggs/Leftover Egg Mix:
2-3 big spoonfuls of mayo or Miracle Whip
1 tablespoon of spicy brown mustard
3-4 twists/shakes of black pepper
3 teaspoons of crushed garlic
3 teaspoons of minced onion
2 pinches of cayenne pepper
5 eggs, hard-boiled
pinches of paprika for decor


Tuna Sandwiches for two:
2 (5oz) cans of tuna
2 slices of Heidelberg Sourdough Bread, halved and lightly toasted
Leftover egg mix


In a small pot of water, place eggs and bring to boil. Boil the eggs for about 20 minutes.
In a small bowl combine mayo, mustard, and spices. Once eggs are fully cooked, slice each egg in half longways; gently, pop out the yolks into the small bowl with the mayo mix.* Use a fork to break the yolks into smaller chunks, then stir until well blended. Scoop out portions that are suited for each egg half. There should be plenty leftover after (about 1/3 of cups worth). Refrigerate for about half an hour or eat right away!


Open and drain both cans of tuna. Combine tuna and egg mixture. Toast bread and then spread tuna on. Voila! Done, easy as it gets!


*Tip: When popping out the yolk, hold the egg with both hands. Gently press on the back of the egg opposite of the yolk with your thumb. Should pop right out. If some of the yolk gets stuck to the inside, use your forefinger to gently scrape it out.

Sesame-Ginger Stir-Fry

Yes I know, another stir-fry recipe. I didn't realize how many different combinations you could do with stir-fry!


1 1/2 cups of Newman's Own Low-Fat Sesame-Ginger Dressing
2 boneless chicken breasts
1 1/2 cups of rice
Stir-fry vegetables


Marinate frozen chicken breasts in a small bowl of dressing overnight in the refrigerator. 


The next day when you're ready to start cooking, cube the chicken. In a medium-size frying pan over medium heat, throw in chicken and all the dressing.


In a large soup pot, fill pot half way with water. Add rice and stir-fry then start the boiling process. Once rice is tender, strain rice and veggies with a colander and place back inside the pot. Set aside.


When all the chicken turns white on the inside and is easy to cut with a fork, use a slotted spoon to take the chicken out of the pan and place it in a bowl on the side. Continue to cook down the sauce so that it becomes thicker and less watery (takes about 10 minutes). Once sauce is cooked down enough, throw it into the rice-veggie mix, along with the chicken. Stir until rice and veggies are evenly coated then you're ready to serve!

Apple Bake

I made a delicious discovery this afternoon! I decided to try something a little different than my normal apple crisp recipe. Instead of using butter and brown sugar like I normally do, I did vanilla and brown sugar. Also, instead of heating up the conventional oven, I used my boyfriend's little toaster oven which works just as well!

4 Macintosh Apples, chopped
1 very ripe banana (almost banana bread ready)
3 tablespoons of brown sugar
1 tablespoon of dark vanilla
2 shakes of ground cinnamon

Chop all fruit and place a medium-sized mixing bowl. Add brown sugar, vanilla, and ground cinnamon. Stir until evenly coated. Bake in oven at 350 for about 15-20 minutes. Once cooked, let stand for about 10 minutes then serve!

Revamped Lasagna Recipe!

12 lasagna noodles (enough to make 4 layers with three noodles across)

2 cups of cottage cheese

2 cups of ricotta cheese

1 tablespoon of Italian Seasoning

2-3 large pinches of minced onion

2-3 large pinches of garlic chips

3 pinches of parsley flakes

2 small spoons of crushed red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper

Rinaldi's Three Cheese Sauce or Original (add as needed)

1/4 lb of ground chicken or ground beef

1 small package of Mozzarella Cheese

1 cup of Grated Parmesan Cheese

Preheat oven at 375.

Fill a Soup/Stock Pot about halfway with water and bring to a hard boil. Then place Lasagna noodles into the pot (Add a little olive oil to help the noodles from sticking to each other).

In a large bowl, combine your cottage cheese, ricotta, 1/2 of your mozzarella and all your spices spices. Stir so that everything is evenly distributed throughout the mix. Add a small portion of the Rinaldi's (about 1/8-1/4 of a cup worth) to the cheese mixture and stir. Set aside.

While noodles are boiling, spray cooking spray onto a frying pan and place meat inside to start browning and breaking off into smaller chunks (so it can be spread out throughout the dish). Feel free to add additional spices (black pepper, garlic powder, chili powder, etc.). The meat doesn’t have to be completely brown because it’ll cook more in the oven. Remove from heat and set aside.

Once noodles are done, drain with a colander. Spray with cooking spray an 8x12 glassware pan.Using a spoon spread a thin layer of Rinaldi’s sauce in the bottom of the pan. Put three noodles in the bottom of the pan (long ways). Take a small amount of your cheese mixture and spread it along each noodle (doesn’t have to be even. The cheese mix is hard to work with so do the best you can. Add a small amount of sauce then cover with three more noodles. Press gently down onto the noodles. Add a thin layer of sauce. Then add your meat. Continue alternating the layers until you have three noodles left for the top.

For topping your lasagna, cover with leftover sauce and if there's more meat leftover use that then coat with leftover mozzarella. Shake some parmesan cheese on top as well. Wrap dish with aluminum foil and bake in the oven for about 35-45 minutes. 

*Goes great with a Romaine Salad Mixture! For dessert I recommend something of the chocolate variety!*

                           **This dish also freezes beautifully if you have a lot of leftovers**

Ginger Sesame Chicken Stir fry with Rice

Here's another infamous stir-fry recipe. When I was with my boyfriend this weekend we didn't have a lot of dinner options so I scrapped up some stir-fry.

1-2 chicken breasts, cubed
2-3 tablespoons Organic Full Circle Ginger-Sesame Sauce
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 cup of rice
1 bag of Peking Stir-Fry Blend
olive oil for pan

In a small pot, bring water to a boil then throw in rice. Meanwhile, in a medium size frying pan, heat olive oil for a couple of minutes before throwing in chicken. Once pan is heated, throw in chicken and pour in ginger-sesame sauce with soy sauce. Stir constantly. Once chicken is white, throw in frozen stir fry veggies (preferably frozen so that way the water will add to the sauce. Once rice and veggies are fully cooked you're all set!

Cajun Spiced (BBQ) Chicken

This is originally a BBQ recipe that my boyfriend found on Food.com but because of the poor weather we decided to cook inside instead. This is a recipe for two but there was a lot of spice leftover when we were done. Instead of a marinade (the original recipe called for soy sauce and apple cider vinegar), my boyfriend turned it into a dry-rub recipe. Instead of cayenne pepper, we used a homemade chili powder; plus instead of using vegetable oil, we used olive oil.

1/2 tablespoon of chili powder
1 tablespoon paprika
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1/2 tablespoon oregano
1/2 tablespoon ground thyme
1/2 tablespoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoons of black pepper
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/3 cup olive oil
2 boneless chicken breasts

Combine all spices in a bowl and whisk. Once combined, use a little olive oil to coat each chicken breast. Rub the olive oil all over so that the chicken is fully coated. Take large pinches of spice and sprinkle it on the chicken. Rub it into the chicken with your hands. Repeat until chicken fully seasoned (It took about 3-4 sprinklings for us).

Once chicken is seasoned, preheat a medium size pan over medium heat. Coat the pan with olive oil. Cook chicken until juices are clear. Be sure to continually flip the chicken so it doesn't burn.

Tip: this recipe is good the next day if you want to cut up the chicken and serve it over a salad. Also it works well with either rice or a broccoli medley.

Here's the original recipe if you want to try their version: http://www.food.com/recipe/cajun-spiced-bbq-chicken-437904

Creamy Salsa Dip

3 oz of Philadelphia Cream Cheese
3 tablespoons of Mild Salsa
handful of Fiesta Shredded Cheese (optional)
bowl of Blue Chips or Tostitos Scoops

In a small, microwavable bowl, place cream cheese and salsa together. Heat for about 30 seconds. Add cheese and stir. Heat again for another 15-20 seconds. Done! Dip with chips.

Citrus Chicken and Rice

Here's a really simple recipe that I made a really long time ago on a whim. Best thing about my cooking is a lot of it improvised. This is no exception!

3 chicken breasts, cubed
1/2 cup of orange juice
1/4 cup of soy sauce
4 tablespoons of Smuckers Apricot-Pineapple Preserves or Smuckers Mango Jam
1 1/2 cups of white rice
Stir fry vegetables (optional)

In a small saucepan bring water to a boil. Add rice once water comes to a hard boil.

In a medium size over medium heat, cook chicken until is white on all edges. Meanwhile, combine juice, soy sauce, and preserves in a small bowl. Once chicken has turned white, add juice mix and stir until chicken is evenly coated (add more to sauce if needed). Add vegetables if needed. Cover and let simmer for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Once chicken is fully cooked, serve over rice (and vegetables if you are using stir fry).

Best and Worst of Frozen Foods

Hello everyone.

For those of us that don't always feel like cooking dinner (guilty) we think it might be easier to just pop a frozen dinner into the microwave. However, we should be aware of what our healthier options may be. Here's an article from Yahoo! about what are the 10 Best and Worst Frozen Foods to eat. Eat this, not that:

http://shine.yahoo.com/healthy-living/10-best-worst-frozen-foods-184000008.html

Food article - Beware of scams!

Here's an article about foods that you should be cautious of paying too much for because you might be getting what you expect. Make sure you know what you're really getting!

http://tinyurl.com/cekt7tb

Salmon Noodle Casserole

2 cans (8oz) of salmon in water (undrained)
1 family size cream of mushroom soup
2-3 cups of milk
1 bag of egg noodles
2 cups of sweet peas
2 shakes of garlic powder
3 shakes of onion powder or 1/4 white onion chopped
3-4 shakes of black pepper

Preheat oven at 350.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Once water is at a hard boil, add egg noodles. Meanwhile combine soup with milk and spices. Once combined, add salmon. Stir over medium heat for about five minutes. Set aside. Once noodles are somewhat soft, strain water. Add soup mix to noodles and stir until evenly coated; add peas.

In large baking or casserole dish, spray with cooking spray. Pour in noodle mix. Wrap dish in aluminum foil and bake for 30-40 minutes.

Mexi-Beef Rice Mix

A simple creation that I made the other night for dinner. Quick and easy to do! Feel free to add more vegetables! I used whatever I had in the fridge at the time but feel free to explore!

1 lb of beef
1 package of Taco Seasoning
1 1/4 cup of white rice
1 can of mexi-corn (drained)
1/4 cup of black beans (drained)
3 shakes of crushed red pepper
1/2 cup of water (for beef)
Salsa (optional)

In a small pot, bring water to a hard boil then add rice. Meanwhile, in a large frying pan, cook meat in 1/2 cup of water. Once meat starts to brown, add taco seasoning. Break meat into chunks as you cook it. Stir til evenly coated. Once meat is thoroughly cooked add mexi-corn, beans, and crushed red pepper. Stir so corn and beans are evenly coated.

When rice is fully cooked, drain rice then place in a large tupperware container with beef mix. Place a lid on the tupperware container and shake until rice and beef mixture are well mixed. (I find that this is less messy than stirring...if the lid is closed correctly). Serve and enjoy!

*Try This* I had a lot of this leftover so I did some experimentation the next day for lunch. If you take this mix and put it in a wrap or burrito it is so good. Be sure not to over stuff the burrito though, otherwise it's a little messy. But feel free to add salsa and sour cream to the mix for the burrito. I added sour cream to the burrito I made and it's so good!

Amazing Thai Peanut Chicken

This is a recipe that my boyfriend and I got from food.com and it so delicious! We tried it both with rice and rice noodles and we found that we both liked it better with rice. The sauce is very watery and the rice soaks up the extra juices better than the rice noodles. Also we used the white wine vinegar instead of rice vinegar, olive oil instead of peanut oil, and we used the optional curry powder. However, as always, I recommend that you adjust the recipe as needed to suit your needs! Enjoy.

7 tablespoons soy sauce

4 tablespoons creamy peanut butter

5 teaspoons white wine vinegar or 5 teaspoons rice vinegar

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

3 tablespoons olive oil or 3 tablespoons peanut oil

4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves , cut into thin strips

3 tablespoons minced garlic

1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh gingerroot

3/4 cup chopped green onion

4 cups broccoli florets

1 green pepper , chopped

1 red pepper , chopped

1/3 cup dry-roasted unsalted peanuts

curry powder (optional)

Directions:

In a small bowl, stir together the soy sauce, peanut butter, vinegar, and cayenne pepper. Set aside.

Heat oil in a skillet or wok over high heat. Add chicken, garlic and ginger, and cook, stirring constantly, until chicken is golden on the outside, about 5 minutes.

Reduce heat to medium, and add green onion, broccoli, peppers peanuts, and the peanut butter mixture. Cook, stirring frequently, for 8 to 10 minutes, or until broccoli is tender, and chicken is cooked through.

Serve over rice or rice noodles.

Honey Mustard Chicken

Here's a really quick dish that's easy to make!

3 chicken breasts, cubed
1/2 cup of spicy brown mustard
1/2 cup of honey
1 teaspoon of cayenne pepper
1/4 of a red onion, finely chopped AND/OR 3 green onion stalks, chopped
1/4 of a sweet red bell pepper, cubed
1/4 of a sweet yellow bell pepper, cubed
1/4 of a sweet orange bell pepper, cubed
1 cup of jasmine rice OR 4-5 handfuls of egg noodles, optional

If making rice or noodles, start boiling rice in a sauce pot of water. Combine mustard, honey, and cayenne in a small bowl. Prep vegetables. Set aside. Cut up chicken breasts and place in a medium frying pan over medium heat with onions. When chicken starts turning white add mustard sauce and other vegetables. Stir until mustard mix coats everything evenly. Cook until peppers are somewhere between soft and firm; chicken should be easy to split with a fork. Once fully cooked, serve chicken over rice or noodles.

Chicken Taco Salad and Rice

3-5 chicken breasts, cubed
1 package of taco seasoning
1 can of mexi-corn, do not drain
1/2 cup of red sweet bell pepper, chopped
1/4 cup of black beans
1/8 cup of red beans (optional)
1 package of Romaine Lettuce
1 whole tomato, diced
2 cups of white rice
Sour cream (optional)
Medium Salsa (optional)
2-3 large handfuls of shredded fiesta cheese

Prep all vegetables and set to the side. In a medium saucepan or medium heat, put an 1/2 of a cup of water in the pan. Combine taco seasoning and water until somewhat blended. Add chicken cubes into the seasoned water mix. Cook until chicken turns white. Once chicken turns white, add mexi-corn, beans, and rice. Let cook covered for about 10 minutes. Then take cover off and continue simmering.

While chicken mix is simmering, combine lettuce, tomatoes, peppers, and cheese. Take salad and divide it out onto plates. Once the chicken and rice are fully cooked, spoon out chicken mix onto salads, then add any condiments (sour cream, salsa, more cheese, guacamole, etc.). Enjoy! Serves 4-6.

Tip: This recipe would also go well with Tortilla chips.

Lita's Deviled Eggs

4-6 eggs
3 large spoonfuls of miracle whip salad dressing or 2 large spoonfuls of ranch dressing
3 tablespoons of spicy brown mustard
2-3 shakes of onion powder or 1 tablespoon of crushed onions
2-3 shakes of garlic powder
3-4 shakes of chili powder
2 shakes of crushed red pepper

Placing eggs inside a small pot of water, bring to a boil. Boil eggs for 20-25 minutes. Yolks should be solid. While eggs are boiling, combine all the other ingredients in a small bowl (I normally combine the miracle whip and mustard first then add the spices but the order doesn't really matter). Once eggs are fully cooked, strain and run under cold water, shaking the colander up and down so the eggs crack. Peel shells off eggs then slice them longways. Once all the eggs are cut, gently pop out the center yolks into the mix bowl. With a fork, cut in the eggs yolks until blended. Once combined, spoon out appropriate portions for each egg slice (some yolks section are larger than others).

I prefer my eggs still warm when I eat them but some people prefer them cold so feel free to Saran Wrap them and chill for as long as needed. Enjoy!

Tip: I always make one extra egg as a tester to see if the eggs are ready. While keeping the water boiling, if its been 20 minutes I take out the extra egg and crack it, cut into the center then check to see if the center yolk is cooked all the way through. If it isn't completely solidified the let the cook for another 5-10 minutes.

Lita's Meatloaf

1 lb ground beef
2 cups of Quaker Oats
3 eggs
1/2 cup of spicy brown mustard
1/2 cup of ketchup
1/4 cup of soy sauce
1/2 cup of chopped onion or 2-3 shakes of onion powder
2 shakes of chili powder (optional)
3-4 shakes of garlic powder or a handful of dried garlic chips
2 large celery stalks chopped (optional)

Preheat oven at 350. Prep all vegetables. Set aside. In a small mixing combine eggs, mustard, ketchup, soy sauce, and spices until well blended. Put meat in a larger mixing bowl (make sure meat is all the way thawed). Using a wooden spoon, combine meat with oats and vegetables; then add in sauce. Make sure everything is combined thoroughly and evenly.

In a sprayed loaf pan, place meatloaf mix. Add extra ketchup to the top if desired. Place in oven for 35-40 minutes, or until loaf is cooked all the way through.

Tips: This is great for meatloaf sandwiches the next day! This recipe also goes well with mashed potatoes, macaroni salad, or potato salad. One thing about my cooking, as I've mentioned before, is that I don't normally measure when I cook so feel free to adjust the measurements as needed!

25 Diet-Busting Foods You Should Never Eat | Yahoo! Health

Here is another article I found on Yahoo! Some of the foods that they point out are not surprising in how bad they are for you, while others may surprise you....

25 Diet-Busting Foods You Should Never Eat | Yahoo! Health

Updated French Toast Recipe!

Makes for 2 slices of French Toast

2 eggs
1/8 cup of milk
2 tablespoons of ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
2 slices of Italian sourdough bread
2-3 tablespoons of brown sugar

Break eggs and beat with a fork until some what blended. Add milk, cinnamon, and vanilla; continue beating with a fork until blended. Spray a medium size frying pan with cooking spray, then heat pan over medium heat. Dip bread slices into egg batter one at a time, flipping the bread so it is evenly coated on both sides. Once coated, place bread into frying pan one at a time. Flip when needed until bread is golden brown. Repeat for each slice. When all the slices are toasted, lightly sprinkle toast with brown sugar instead of using syrup!

Hawaiian Baked Chicken

This is a recipe that I got from a Taste of Home cookbook a few years ago. It is so delicious and sweet! I prefer to use 6 chicken breasts instead of 12 chicken thighs but it's good either way! I like to serve this with couscous but it would go well with a salad. Here's the original recipes:

12 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
2 (8oz) cans unsweetened crushed pineapple, undrained
1/4 chicken broth
1/4 cup brown mustard
1/4 cup honey
2 tbspn butter, melted
1/2 tsp paprika

Arrange chicken in a shallow baking dish that is coated with non-stick cooking spray. In a small bowl combines pineapple, brother, mustard, honey, and butter; mix well.

Spoon pineapple mix over chicken; sprinkle paprika. Bake uncovered at 400 for 35-45 minutes or until meat thermometer reads 180.

Delicious French Toast

Simple recipe that my boyfriend uses a lot when he makes me french toast for breakfast. I'm so lucky that he spoils me so! The banana in this recipe is optional but I love eating my boyfriend's french toast with the banana topping :)

2-3 eggs
1/2 cup of milk or Silk brand vanilla soy milk
3 teaspoons of vanilla extract
3 teaspoons of cinnamon
4-6 slices of multi-grain bread
1-2 bananas, sliced (optional)

Preheat a medium size frying pan for about five minutes. In a small bowl combine eggs, milk, vanilla, and cinnamon until blended. Once blended, dunk one bread slice at a time in the eggs mix, coating evenly both sides. Once coated, put one slice in frying pan. Turn as often as needed until each side is golden brown or lightly browned (NOT BURNT). Once all the toast has been cooked, slice up the bananas into medium to thick slices. Then spread the banana slices randomly on the toast. Add maple syrup and you're all set!

Bagel Pizza Appetizer

Need to make something quick and easy for the family? Or need something for an appetizer for your guests? This is a fun favorite that I make when I don't want to make anything too elaborate and can be done in less than 10-15 minutes.

5-7 mini onion bagels
Classico sauce
Shredded mozzarella
mini pepperoni (optional)

Split apart the mini bagels. Take spoonfuls of sauce and thinly spread it across the bagel halves. Then take pinches of the shredded mozzarella and sprinkle them onto the bagel halves. Line toaster oven rack with tin foil or use a small cookie sheet to place bagels on. Set your toaster oven for about 5-7 minutes.* Toast until bagels are lightly browned and cheese is melted; then serve!

*My toaster oven is an older model so I set it to Toast and for timing I have it on Medium.

Dogs in a Blanket

This is something that my Grandma use to make for dad and his siblings when they were younger. It so delicious, but I don't recommend making it all the time because it is high in cholesterol.

4-6 hot dogs
4-6 strips of bacon
3-4 slices of cheddar cheese

Preheat oven at 350. Take your cheese slices and rip them into halves then fold them in half. Take each hot dog and cut a slit longways on one side. Make the slit about a quarter of an inch. place one of your folded cheeses into the hot dogs slits. Now take one slice of bacon and wrap it around the hot dog. Repeat for all hot dogs.

Once all hot dogs have been stuffed and wrapped, spray a cookie sheet with cooking spray and dogs in a blanket on the tray, then put it in the oven for 15-20 minutes.

Cooking Tips!

Here is an article that I read on Yahoo! recently about bad cooking habits that some people tend to do. (My apologies for the long URL).

http://shine.yahoo.com/shine-food/10-bad-cooking-habits-break-162400734.html;_ylt=AiXOvKGrfB.2IsylAbgPd9qjhaU5;_ylu=X3oDMTFjZnBiN25tBG1pdANGb29kIGJsb2dzBHBvcwM0NARzZWMDTWVkaWFCbG9nSW5kZXhUZW1w;_ylg=X3oDMTFva2pqdW0yBGludGwDdXMEbGFuZwNlbi11cwRwc3RhaWQDBHBzdGNhdANmb29kBHB0A3NlY3Rpb25zBHRlc3QD;_ylv=3

Here is another article that is featured on eatingwell.com that discusses other cooking no-nos. I hope that everyone finds these tips useful!

http://www.eatingwell.com/healthy_cooking/healthy_cooking_101_basics_and_techniques/how_to_break_your_bad_cooking_habits?utm_source=YahooBlog_Hilary_BadCookingHabits_022012

Feisty Scrambled Eggs

Just made this recipe on a whim. I more or less grabbed random things and threw them together. Turns out my improv with food is delicious once again!

2-3 eggs
1/4 cup of milk
2-3 handfuls of cheddar cheese
2-3 spoonfuls of mild salsa
1 1/2 teaspoons of paprika
1 1/2 teaspoons onion powder

In a small bowl, combine all ingredients. In a small pan over low-medium heat pour in egg mix. Constantly check the bottom of the eggs so they don't burn. Once the eggs start to solidify then start breaking up the egg mix and stir. When eggs are fully cooked then serve!

Apple Banana Crisp

2-3 Apples
1-2 Bananas
1/2 cup of Brown Sugar
4 tablespoons of butter
3 teaspoons of ground cinnamon (optional)

Preheat oven at 350. Slice apples and bananas into thin slices. Set aside. Melt butter in the microwave. In a medium bowl, combine butter and brown sugar. Throw in apples and bananas; stir until fruit is evenly coated. In a 9x9 baking dish (sprayed with cooking spray of course), place apple mix in dish. Bake dish for 20-30 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool for about 10 minutes, then serve!

Suggestions: Sometimes my mom and I like to use pears instead of bananas or we use pears with apples and bananas! If you use pears, however, I wouldn't use the ground cinnamon.

Hello everyone!

Sorry I haven't posted in awhile. This week has been a pretty hectic because not only is it the first week of the spring semester, but I've also been trying to get casting done for my Theatre Arts senior thesis (the show goes up in April). My apologizes! I will have a new recipe up for you this weekend at the latest. This time I'll do a dessert :) Mmmmm yum! Of course I won't tell you what one because, well, I want it to be a surprise :)

Spicy Orange Chicken Stir Fry

I was going to make this a video post for next week but I decided to just post the recipe today before I forgot. Perhaps later in the week I'll try to make another video :) It was fend-for-yourself-night with the roommates so I decided to cook up something quick that wasn't out of a box. This recipe is very simple and quick to make. I did it in less than 30 minutes.

1-2 Chicken Breasts, cubed
3-4 tablespoons of La Choy Orange Ginger sauce
1-2 tablespoons of Srirachi Hot Chili Sauce
1 small bowl's worth of Thai Stir Fry Vegetables

Spray a large frying pan with cooking spray; put pan on medium heat. Cube chicken and place in frying pan. When chicken starts to turn white, add Orange Ginger sauce and Srirachi. When chicken is 3/4 of the way cooked, add vegetables. Constantly stir and make sure the chicken and vegetables are evenly coated. Cover for about 5-8 minutes. Once vegetables and chicken are fully cooked, turn off heat and serve :)

Optional: I didn't do this the first time I made it but if you'd like feel free to add rice to the meal!

Tuna Noodle Casserole

Hello everyone! I'm back with another recipe :) This is another family favorite that goes quickly and is easy to make!

2 cans of tuna
1 Family-size can of Campbell's Cream of Mushroom Soup
2 cups of milk
1 bag of egg noodles
2-3 cups of frozen peas
Black Pepper
Parsley
Onion Powder
Garlic Powder
Paprika (optional)
6-8 Ritz Crackers or croutons (optional)

Preheat oven at 375. Bring a large pot of water to a boil; once water is in a rolling boil, throw in egg noodles. While water is heating up, combine soup and milk over medium heat in a medium saucepan. Add in spices and tuna. Strain noodles when they are just about tender. After straining, place noodles back into the pot and stir in soup mixture. Add peas. Stir so that the noodles and peas are evenly coated with the soup mix.

Spray a baking pan or casserole dish with cooking spray. Pour in casserole mix. Take out a rolling pin and a sheet of aluminum foil. Place crackers or croutons in the center of the foil. Fold tin foil like an envelope. Fold any edges where crumbs might escape. Make sure there are no open seams. Take your rolling pin and roll over the tin foiled croutons or crackers (pound on them if needed) until they are fine crumbs. Once crushed, open foil and spread your crumbs along the top of your casserole.

Wrap casserole in tin foil and place in oven for about 25-30 minutes.

Substitutions: If you don't like tuna, you can either use chicken or even canned salmon. I've made it with canned salmon before and it just as delicious! Chicken you can do almost anything with so I don't see why it wouldn't be just as good :)

Mango Chicken

Here's a personal favorite that is a little on the spicy side! This is a Thai dish that I acquired from an acquaintance of mine a couple of summers ago. I've adapted it a little so it isn't as spicy as the first time I tried it at his place but it still has some kick to it. In my videos I give some recommendations for those who have acid reflux or for those who like heat but not a lot of spice. Along with the recipe, I have videos of me making this if you'd like to see the cook in action! :)

2-3 chicken breasts (defrosted and cubed)

2 Mangoes

2 tbspns of Srirachi Hot chili sauce

2 tspn Paprika (optional)

2 tspn of Crushed Red Pepper

1-2 tspn Onion Powder

Stir fry veggies

1 1/2 cups of Jasmine Rice or White Rice

Start boiling water for rice in a small pot; after water boils throw in rice. Meanwhile, spray a medium-sized pan in with cooking spray then heat the pan over medium heat. While pan is heating, cube the chicken in a small-medium size chunks; place in pan. While chicken is cooking, slice the mangoes in chunks that are the same size as your chicken pieces. When chicken is starting to turn white in the pan, throw in mangoes. Let the mangoes cook down so they are soft. Add Srirachi Hot Chili Sauce and other spices. Constantly stir the mangoes and chicken so they are evenly coated. Once chicken is 3/4 of the way cooked, add in stir fry vegetables. Stir the vegetables so they are evenly coated in spices and chili sauce. After vegetables and rice are cooked, you're all set to enjoy this spicy dinner!

Part 1

Part 2


Part 3

The Final Product :)

Lita's Macaroni Salad

This is a pretty simple recipe and doesn't take too long to make. What takes the most time is boiling the eggs and the macaroni so set aside about 30 minutes (15-20 minutes of boiling and 10 minutes of vegetable prep). This recipe is something that my mom and I always make and have fun doing! I hope you enjoy it as well :)

Lita and Ma’s Macaroni Salad

• Sweet Bell Peppers (Red, Orange, Yellow, Green or all four) (chopped, finely)
• ½ can of Chickpeas (whole)
• ¼ Green Onion (diced)
• Cucumber slices (quartered)
• 3-4 big spoonfuls Lite Miracle Whip
• ½ a box of Elbow Macaroni
• 3-4 Hard boiled eggs (chopped)
• Black olives (diced)
• 1 5oz can of tuna in water (drained)
• Spicy Brown Mustard
• Cherry tomatoes (chopped)
• Baby carrots (chopped)
• Black pepper
• Dried Parsley
• Paprika

Bring a pot of water to a boil for the macaroni. Once it’s brought to a hard boil throw in the macaroni. Have a separate pot to boil your eggs and boil them for 15-20 minutes (If you’re feeling lazy or low on dishes, boil macaroni and eggs together but be careful of egg shell shards when draining). Meanwhile, chop and dice all your vegetables and set them aside. Once macaroni is semi-soft, drain with a colander and run it under cold water for about 10-15 seconds. Place in large mixing bowl along with all your vegetables. Once eggs are finished, drain and run them under cold water for about 30 seconds. Peel off shells and rinse them off to make sure you got all the shell shards. Roughly chop them up and thrown them into the mixing bowl. Add Miracle Whip and mustard. This amount may vary on how much you put it in. If you like mac salad to be a little dry, then do 3-4 big spoonfuls. If you like a little more creaminess then do 5-6 spoonfuls). Stir until Miracle Whip mixture is evenly distributed. Add spices and stir again. Put in the refrigerator for about 10-15 minutes. This will give the macaroni some more time to absorb but if you can eat it right away if you’d like!

Scalloped Potatoes! Yum!

Lita's Scalloped Potatoes

1 brick of sharp cheddar cheese ½ a brick of horseradish cheese Grated Parmesan cheese for topping Cornstarch Milk Pinch of Italian Seasoning Black Pepper 10-12 potatoes, sliced thin

OR

2-3 handfuls of shredded Monterey Jack and Cheddar ½ a brick of Pepper Jack ½ a brick of Horseradish Grated Parmesan cheese for topping Cornstarch Milk Pinch of Italian Seasoning Black Pepper 10-12 potatoes, sliced thin

Directions:

Slice up the brick cheeses into cubes. In a large saucepan, add two to three spoonfuls of cornstarch and add a small portion of milk. Turn on low heat and stir until cornstarch is well blended with milk (should be a different color tone and density). Then gradually add cheese cubes while still stirring (I normally grab a small handful at a time). Once all the cheese is added the sauce should be thick (if it’s too thick then add more milk until it’s the way you want it and easy for spread).

Spray a baking pan with olive oil cooking spray; then pour a small portion of the sauce into the bottom of the pan. Spread it so it evenly coats the bottom. Take your sliced potatoes and spread a thick layer in the pan. Pour some of the sauce then add more potatoes and sauce, alternating potatoes and sauce until sauce and potatoes are gone (If you notice that you have more potatoes than sauce, add a little more milk to the sauce before you run out). Once you are done filling in the pan with potatoes and sauce, sprinkle the Parmesan cheese over the top for a crunchy topping. Preheat the oven at 375. Cover the pan with tin foil and put it in the oven for 40-45 minutes. At the last five minutes, turn the oven off while the scalloped potatoes finish cooking. Potatoes should be tender and you should be able to pierce a fork all the way through. Yield 8-12 servings.

Fiber Food tips!

Fiber is very important in maintaining a healthy digestive system! Here's an article from Yahoo! that suggestions 20 different foods that are good sources of fiber. I incorporate a lot of these foods in my recipes so here are the benefits!

http://health.yahoo.net/articles/nutrition/photos/20-best-foods-fiber#0

Lita's Delicious Salmon Recipe

 I love salmon! It's up there with chicken as one of my favorite foods. This recipe is so simple and I've been making it for years. It's another family favorite. I tried grilling the salmon instead of baking it and it wasn't quite the same but I won't discourage my readers from trying it!

 1 1/2 - 2 pounds of salmon

 Wish Bone Italian Dressing (24 oz)

 2 cups Chatham Village Cheese & Garlic croutons (crushed)

 In a large mixing bowl, place the salmon into the bowl and pour at least 1/2 of the bottle of Italian dressing over the salmon. Wrap in Saran Wrap and place in the refrigerator so it can marinate. (You can marinate it over night OR you can marinate it for at least 45 minutes before cooking. It depends on how long you have to cook or prep for your meal). 

 Once you are finished marinating your salmon, spray an 8 x 12 baking dish with cooking spray. Try not to use olive oil because the italian dressing already has oils in it so a thin layer of cooking spray is best :) Place the salmon in the pan and pour the dressing over the top of the salmon.

 Preheat oven at 375.

Take out a rolling pin and aluminum foil. Place croutons in the center of the tin foil. Fold tin foil like an envelope. Fold any edges where crumbs might escape. Make sure there are no open seams. Take your rolling pin and roll over the tin foiled croutons (pound on them if needed) until they are a fine crumbs. Once crushed, open the foil and spread your crumbs along the top of your salmon.

 Once done coating the salmon, wrap the baking dish in tin foil and place in the oven for 30-40 minutes. To check if the salmon is done, take a fork and see if the meat flakes easily. If it's still a little tough, put it in the oven for a little longer :)

 Tip: This dish goes well with garlic mashed potatoes or a big salad! Enjoy. 


 Fun Suggestion: Sometimes I like to break up the leftover salmon and put it on a large salad the next day. I definitely wouldn't keep the salmon any longer than a day or two after it's made.

Lita's Kickin' Breakfast Sandwich

I'm not much of a morning person so I normally don't make anything too expansive outside of a bagel and a bowl of cereal; however, one morning I decided to make breakfast (more like brunch) sandwiches for my boyfriend and I. They were fantastic! My boyfriend and I loved them so much I made them for us again in the same week (with his assistance of course because he's hard to kick out of the kitchen). The second time around my boyfriend added sriracha hot chili sauce just to give it that extra final kick (which I highly recommend if you love spicy food like we do). Without further ado, here's the recipe!


 Recipe for two:

 2 eggs

 1 cup of milk

 handful of Shredded cheese (add more if needed)

 Paprika or Cayenne Pepper

 Garlic Powder

 Onion Powder 

 Crushed Red Pepper (optional)

 2 slices of Pepper Jack Cheese

 2 Whole Wheat Bagels

 3-4 Bacon slices (optional)

 Get a plate and layer it with 2 paper towels. Set aside. Heat a medium size frying pan (spraying with cooking spray of course). Once
 heated, add bacon slices. After the bacon is fully cooked, place it between the two paper towels on the plate. Meanwhile the bacon is
 cooking, in a small bowl combine eggs, milk and shredded cheese. Add in spices. In a small frying pan over medium heat, pour in egg
 mixture. Once the bottom of the egg mixture begins to soildify, flip one side over onto the other then break it up into smaller chunks  (essentially...scrambled eggs). Before the eggs are fully cooked start toasting your bagel. After the bagel has been toasted, put a slice
 of cheese on the bottom half of the bagel; this will craddle the eggs so they don't go through the bagel during consumption. Add eggs
 then bacon and voila! You got yourself a sandwich!

 Substitutions: Not everyone likes or has the stomach for spicy food like I do, so here are some milder substitutions that I'd
 recommend.

 - Cheddar for Pepper Jack

 - Chili Powder for Paprika and Crushed Red Pepper

Lita and Ma's Lasagna

Tonight for dinner I made a well-loved favorite back home and my college housemates love it as well! Everyone who has tried it has had nothing but good things to say about it. Instead of using Ricotta Cheese like most people do, my mom and I like to use Cottage Cheese because it's less fattening AND it gives the lasagna a sweeter taste (which is always a bonus for me. I have a terrible sweet tooth)!

1/2 a box of Lasagna

1 pkg of Shredded Mozzarella

1/2 cup of Parmesan Cheese grated (or you can use 1 pkg of shredded parm)

1/4 lb of ground beef (or you can use chicken)

1 (24 oz) container of Cottage Cheese

1 jar of Francesco Rinaldi's Tomato Sauce (they have a wide variety of flavors but my mom and I use either Original or Three Cheese)

Parsley

Black Pepper

Garlic Powder

Onion Powder

Thaw out any meat that you are using BEFORE you start cooking everything! Running frozen meat under hot water for 10 minutes usually helps speed up the process.

Fill a Soup/Stock Pot about halfway with water and bring to a hard boil. Then place Lasagna noodles into the pot (Add a little olive oil to help the noodles from sticking to each other).

In a large bowl, combine your three cheeses (use only ½ of the mozzarella pkg. You’ll need the rest for the topping) and spices. Stir so that everything is evenly distributed throughout the mix. Set aside.

While noodles are boiling, spray cooking spray onto a frying pan and place meat inside to start browning and breaking off into smaller chunks (so it can be spread out throughout the dish). You can add spices (black pepper, garlic powder, chili powder, etc.) if you like but most of the time my mom and I just let the sauce flavor the meat while the lasagna bakes in the oven. The meat doesn’t have to be completely brown (if there is some pink in the middle that’s ok!) because it’ll cook more in the oven. Remove from heat and set aside.

Preheat oven at 375.

Once noodles are done drain with a colander. Spray with cooking spray an 8x12 glassware pan, (or you can spread a thin, even coat of olive oil). Using a spoon spread a thin layer of Rinaldi’s sauce in the bottom of the pan. Put three noodles in the bottom of the pan (long ways). Take a small amount of your cheese mixture and spread it along each noodle (doesn’t have to be even. The cheese mix is hard to work with so do the best you can. Add a small amount of sauce then cover with three more noodles. Press gently down onto the noodles. Add a thin layer of sauce. Then add your meat. Continue alternating the layers until you have three noodles left for the top.

For topping your lasagna, cover with leftover sauce (if you have more than ½ of the jar left just use enough to make sure the top is covered). Sprinkle with leftover mozzarella and shake some parmesan cheese on top as well. Then use leftover meat to spread over the top layer. Wrap with aluminum foil and Bake in the oven for about 35-45 minutes (keep an eye on it though just in case).

*Tip! If you have sensitive fingers like I do, when working with the lasagna noodles run them under cold water for about 10 seconds before adding a new layer. That way you don’t burn your fingers too badly. Enjoy and if you have any questions, feel free to ask! :) As always, feel free to share the recipe with other people that love cooking.