Original Pancake Recipe

This is a large recipe.
3 cups flour
3 cups milk(may need to add up to 1/2 cup for desired thickness.)
1 Tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 Tablespoon oil
1 Tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
Mix all ingredients together in large bowl. Batter will be lumpy. Add additional milk if batter is too thick. Pour circles of batter onto a hot griddle. Turn over when edges start to dry and bubbles on the surface start to pop. Cook other side a minute or two until browned, then remove from griddle. Top as desired with butter, syrup or fruit.
Cook all batter, any leftover pancakes will freeze and reheat well.

Biscuits and Beef

This name is boring, if you try this recipe, please give me ideas for better names!

1 pound ground beef
3 potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2" cubes
2 Tablespoons oil
1 large onion, diced
1/2 teapoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper(or to taste)
2 cups shredded cheese

Biscuit Batter:
2 cups flour
1 Tablespoon Baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup shortning
1 1/2 cups milk


Preheat oven to 450.  Cook potatoes in oil 5 minutes on medium heat or until tender.  Add onions and cook until they are also tender, the potatoes will brown a bit, that is good.  Add ground beef and season with salt and pepper, brown.  Drain that mixture well.  While it is cooking, put the flour, salt and baking powder in medium mixing bowl with shortning.  Cut it with a fork or pastry cutter until the shortning is all mixed into the flour.  Stir in milk, it will be a lumpy.  Spray 9x13 pan with cooking spray and place ground beef mixture in the bottom of it.  Top with cheese and then batter over everything.  Bake for 20-30 minutes or until it is golden brown on top.  Cut and serve.

Taco seasoning from scratch

You can use this as a base for seasoning your Mexican food when you don't have the store bought kind.

2 Tablespoons ground cumin
2 Tablespoons red chili powder
1 Tablespoon garlic salt

Mix together, store tightly sealed if you don't use it all.  Season to taste tacos, burritos and sauces.

Chicken and Eggplant Tostadas

1 eggplant, cubed
3-4 yellow squash, peeled and cubed
1 large onion, diced
2 teaspoons garlic salt
1 large can green chile
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 can cream of chicken soup
------
2 chicken breasts
1/2 cup water
taco seasoning, see my recipe if you don't have it on hand.
------
precooked tostada shells
cheese, salsa and sour cream, if desired

Saute onion and squash in large pot for 10 minutes.  Add eggplant and saute until tender.  Add cream of chicken and simmer 10 minutes.
-----
Cube chicken breasts and simmer 20 minutes or until they are cooked through.  Shred and season with taco seasoning.
-----To serve:
Top one tostada shell with eggplant, then 2 Tablespoons or so of chicken, then top with desired toppings.

Pizza Pasta

1/2 pound Penne

1/2 jar  of your favorite pasta sauce

2 cups Mozzarella cheese

12 pepperonis

Boil Penne according to package directions, drain and place in skillet with a lid(I also boiled mine in this deep skillet.)  While the pasta is draining, pour the sauce into the skillet and bring it to a simmer.  Add pasta and gently fold in.  Top with cheese and pepperoni.  If you have an oven-friendly skillet you can place it in the oven to melt the cheese.  I did not, mine has a plastic handle I would like to keep, so this is what I did:  After placing pepperonis on top, put the skillet lid on and put the heat on as low as it will go.  Heat for 5-10 minutes or until cheese melts.  Be careful not to have the heat on too high, you don't want the pasta to stick on the bottom.

Another Attempt to Replicate Grandpa's Chili Beans

2 pounds dry beans

2 large onions, diced

1 7oz can green chile, diced

1 can tomato sauce

1 Tablespoon ground cumin

1 Tablespoon chili powder

1 Tablespoon garlic salt

2 teaspoons ground black pepper

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1 or 2 Tablespoons corn starch

Water

1. Soak beans according to package directions.  Drain the liquid out.  Saute onions with cooking spray in skillet.

 2. Place beans in Crock-Pot with onions and chiles and about 11 cups water, set it on high. Simmer without lifting lid for 8 hours. 

Pay attention: if the water starts to run out, you may need to add more boiling hot water, but try not to add too much water or lift the lid unless necessary. 

3. After 8 hours in the slow cooker, brown the ground beef with the spices and add it and the tomato sauce.  4. Dissolve one tablespoon of cornstarch in 1/4 cup water and add it to thicken.  You may need to add another tablespoon depending on the thickness desired.  Taste it and add more salt if desired.

You want it spicy?  I roasted 3 fresh jalepenos and another green chile from the garden, chopped them and added them as well.  I let them cool after roasting and peeled them wearing gloves.

Quick Creamy Noodles

1 pound ground beef
1 large onion, diced
garlic salt and pepper, to taste
1 pound egg noodles
1/4 cup(1/2 cube) butter or margarine
1 cup milk
2 cans cream of mushroom soup

Brown ground beef and onions together, season with the garlic salt and pepper.  Boil egg noodles  in large pot according to package directions, drain well.  When ground beef is done and onions are tender, add butter, milk and soup.  Simmer while egg noodles finish cooking.  After draining noodles, place them back in the pot and add skillet contents.  Fold in gently, simmer a few more minutes if desired, and serve.

Hot Jalepeno Squash

Hot, hot, hot!!

4 small yellow squash
2 small onions
1/4 cup bottled or canned jalepenos, chopped(use half for medium heat)
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1/4 cup seasoned bread crumbs
Cooking spray

Preheat oven to 425. Peel squash, quarter lengthwise and slice in 1/4" slices.  Dice onions, chop jalepenos.  Mix squash, onion and jalepeno in a large mixing bowl with garlic salt.  Spray 9x13 casserole dish and add contents of the bowl.  Sprinkle breadcrumbs on top and cover with foil.  Bake 45 minutes, then remove foil and bake for 15 minutes more or until breadcrumbs brown.  Leftovers are even hotter the next day.

Andy's Chicken(Cream Cheese Chicken)

A huge hit from the last family reunion...my cousin Andy and his wife's contribution

4 chicken breasts, cubed
1 package dry italian dressing mix
1 can cream of mushroom soup
milk(enough to fill soup can halfway)
1 8 oz pkg cream cheese
Place chicken in crock-pot with italian dressing mix. Let cook for one hour. Stir. Add the can of cream of mushroom soup, then fill the can halfway with milk and add that to the crock-pot. Stir. Cut up the cream cheese into a few pieces and add that to the crockpot, then cover and cook on high for 3-4 hours. Serve over rice. Serves 4.

Alternate quick cooking method: Brown chicken on stove with seasoning mix. Add other ingredients and simmer on low for 30 min.

Sweet and Sour Chicken

3-4 chicken breasts
1 cup cornstarch
salt/ pepper
2 beaten eggs
1/4 cup oil

Sauce:
3/4c brown sugar
1 tablespoon soy sauce.
4 tablespoon ketchup
1/4 cup vinegar
1 tablespoon garlic salt

1 can pineapple chunks, with juice, optional.

Cut chicken into cubes and season with salt and pepper and dip in cornstarch, then egg. Fry until brown, not cooked through. Place in single layer in baking dish. Mix sauce and pour over. Bake 1/2 hr. @ 325 degrees. Turn over every 15 minutes. Make another batch of sauce. Add 1 can pineapple- boil 6-8 minutes. To thicken dissolve 1 tbsp cornstarch in cold water and add to sauce. Bring to boil, boil another minute.

Optional: Thinly slice and lightly steam 4 carrots and 1 bell pepper. Add to sauce just before serving. As seen in picture.

Serve over rice.

Butternut Squash Soup

We saw a cooking show where they made a Butternut squash soup, this is my healthy version, sorry the measurements are not exact, but it also depends on the size of your squash.
4 Butternut Squash, peeled and cubed
2-4 cups chicken broth(maybe more)
1 onion
4-6 cloves minced garlic
1 teaspoon parsley
1 teaspoon basil
Spray large pot with cooking spray. Saute garlic and onion. Add Butternut Squash cubes and saute 6 more minutes. Add parsley and basil. Add chicken broth, enough just to cover cubes. Simmer 40 minutes. Blend with hand blender until smooth.

Cornbread

2 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 cups cornmeal
1/2 cup sugar
1 Tablespoon Baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups milk
1/2 cup oil
2 eggs
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine dry ingredients. Add wet ingredients, mix just until wet, do not overmix. Pour batter into greased 9x13 pan and bake about 20 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Easy Chili Beans

I differ every time I make Chili Beans in my attempt to make them just like Grandpa's, but they are never just like his. This is one really easy version anyone can make.
2 pounds ground beef
2 onions
1 Tablespoon Garlic salt
1 Tablespoon Cumin
1 Tablespoon Chili powder
2 cans Rotel tomatoes and green chiles
2 cans green chile
2 cans tomato sauce
2 cans kidney beans
2 cans pinto beans
Brown Ground beef and onions together, add seasonings. Add rest of ingredients, bring to a boil and simmer 30 minutes.

WW Jello Cake

I did not make up this recipe, but I don't know who did :)

White cake mix
3 Tablespoons applesauce
1- 12 oz diet cream soda
1 package sugarfree Jello
Fat Free Reddi or Cool Whip

Mix Cake mix with Applesauce and soda. Bake according to package directions. Mix Jello according to package directions and pour hot Jello over cake. Refrigerate cake several hours to set Jello. After set, top cake with Fat free Reddi or Cool whip. 12 servings, 4 points each.

Mexican Chicken and Rice

4 chicken breasts
1 Tablespoon garlic salt, or to taste
1 Tablespoon cumin
1 Tablespoon chili powder
1 onion, chopped
1 can green chile

2 cups chicken broth

1 can cream of chicken soup
4 cups cooked rice

Spray large pot or Dutch oven. Brown chicken breasts in pot with onions and green chile. Add seasonings while browning. Add chicken broth, simmer one hour. Add cream of chicken soup and rice, heat through and serve.

Cornmeal Enchiladas

My mama's recipe. I will not take credit for something I did not invent :)
Batter: 2 cups milk
2 eggs
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup flour
1 cup cornmeal
Mix Batter and pour onto griddle to make pancake sized circles, cook on both sides and remove. Keep warm.

Sauce: 1 jar red chile paste
4-5 cups water
2 Tablespoons oil
2 Tablespoons flour
3 tsp powdered boullion
1 can cream of chicken soup to make milder, optional
Heat oil in pan. Add flour, then water, chile paste, and rest of ingredients. Simmer 15 minutes or while "pancakes" are cooking.

Top "pancakes" with sauce, then cheese and lettuce.

Yadira's Spanish Rice

My sweet Sister-in-Law gave me this recipe, I am not taking credit for it, I just post it here so I can find it again. :)
1 cup white rice
1/4 cup tomato sauce
1 1/2 cube beef boullion
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon onion
2 teaspoons oil
2 1/2 cups water
Heat oil in pan, add rice. Toast rice until it begins to brown lightly. Add rest of ingredients and simmer 5 minutes. Reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes covered. Let stand 5 minutes uncovered.

Strawberry Dip

1 package cream cheese(can use lowfat)
5 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
Blend cream cheese, add vanilla. Add powdered sugar a little at a time until it is all incorporated. Serve with fresh strawberries.

New Format

Hello, loyal readers...
I apologize if you have been patiently waiting for new healthy recipes from me. I have not had any good new ones cross my path lately. All the good new recipes I have tried have been...not so healthy. But I decided to reorganize and label recipes to make them easier for me and you to go back and find them. And I am not just limiting myself to healthy recipes. Because I bake and cook for company sometimes and I have some "wow" recipes that are too good not to share. So I am still trying to be on the wagon, but I don't have calorie counts for all my new recipes(nor do I want to know for some of them) but I just tell myself, all things in moderation. So enjoy the new ones, make them for company, and share some more healthy ones with me! Happy Wednesday!

Streusel Topping

This works well on top of muffins, coffee cake, pies, any baked good that could use a little oomph.

3 Tablespoons Flour
3 Tablespoons Brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon Cinnamon
2 Tablespoons Butter or margarine
cut together until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add on top before baking.

Amish Friendship Bread

start with a portion of batter, called the starter. Use no metal bowls, pans, or utensils. This recipe takes 10 days to complete. You can freeze starter, just count thawing day as Day 1.
Day 1-5 stir once.
Day 6 add one cup each of flour, milk, and sugar.
Days 7-9 stir once.
Day 10 add one cup each of floup, milk and sugar. Remove 1 cup starter to make bread, give 2 cups to 2 friends with recipe, and store remaining cup to start process over again.

To make Bread:
2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup starter
3 eggs
2/3 cup oil
1 Tablespoon vanilla

Heat oven to 325 degrees. Place in greased 9x13 glass baking dish. Top with cinnamon and sugar or streusel topping, if desired. Bake for 50 minutes or until done.

Streusel topping:
6Tablespoons Flour
6Tablespoons Brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 cup butter or margarine
cut together until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle over bread before baking. Some will sink into bread.

Danish Oven Pancake

For Batter:
8 eggs
2 cups milk
1 tsp vanilla
2 teaspoons white sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups flour
Beat eggs, add milk and vanilla.  In a separate bowl, combine dry ingredients.  Add wet mixture slowly to the dry while stirring. It may be lumpy still, that is ok. Let sit 30 minutes.
Other ingredients: 1/4 cup butter or margarine
2 Tablespoons Lemon Juice
Powdered Sugar
Fresh berries and Whipped Cream, or Jam

Heat oven to 500 degrees.
Place 1/4 cup butter or margarine in 9x13 glass pan. Put it in the hot oven until butter is melted.  Brush butter all around edges and sides of pan, then pour batter into pan. Bake 15 minutes. Sprinkle with lemon juice and dust with powdered sugar. Serve with syrup, warm jam or berries and cream.

Cowboy Caviar

2 cans black beans

2 cans black eyed peas

2 bell peppers, chopped (I like to use different colors)

1/2 onion, chopped

2 T Fat free Italian dressing

optional(however you want to mix it up)

1 small can green chile OR 1/2 jalapeno, finely chopped

dash of any kind of hot sauce

Drain beans, reserve a little liquid. Mix all ingredients together, add a bit of the bean liquid if it seems too dry. Serve with chips or on tostada shells. 1/2 cup=1pt

This makes a lot and is great to make for a crowd. Cut it in half if you need to.

P.S. They were out of blackeyed peas when I went to the store, so I substituted white beans and some pintos in the batch in the picture, same point count.

Yummy Drummies

Oven 425
4 chicken drumsticks
1/2 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp garlic salt
1 T seasoned breadcrumbs
nonstick spray

Arrange drumsticks in sprayed pan. Sprinkle with oregano, then garlic salt, then breadcrumbs. Bake 45-60 minutes until skins are crispy.
2 pts each drumstick.
easy, kid-friendly and diet friendly!

{sigh}

I have been MIA for a while...both from this blog and from my weight loss. I am still cooking healthy, but I have not been as careful about my portions and have been indulging in some unhealthy snacks. Often. Much more often than would be helpful in weight loss, or weight maintenance for that matter.



I have a confession. I am a stress/emotional eater. When my life is going bananas, I don't exactly reach for a banana, if you know what I mean. I am aware of this fact, but that knowledge has not stopped me from myself.



Is anyone else out there going through this? Anyone want to help me hold myself accountable? I'll help you hold yourself accountable, too, in return. My biggest support system thus far has been my sweet L. The problem with that is: he loves me whether I am fat or thin. He loves me too much to yell at me when I need a drill sergeant. I don't want a drill sergeant, (yikes) but I do need someone who will not let me off the hook and is not afraid to hurt my feelings when they need to crack down on me.



Here is my commitment to you: Starting tomorrow, I am going to document my food intake. If you want to encourage me, I will love you for it. And I forgive you for hurting my feelings when they need to be hurt, I'll actually thank you for it.

 Wish me luck and see you soon(or not.)