Turkey Enchilada Casserole

I found this recipe on tasteofhome.com. It was a little time consuming to make, so if you get home late from work I wouldn't recommend it as a weeknight meal, but it is worth the time!

Serves 8

Ingredients

 1 15 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 15 oz can tomato sauce
1 15 oz can diced tomatoes, drained
1 jar salsa
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp cumin
1 medium green pepper, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 lb ground turkey
2 cups mexican blend shredded cheese
8 to 12 corn tortillas


Instructions 

 Cook turkey meat, green pepper, and onion in a skillet until meat is browned. Drain.

 Add garlic and cook 1 minute longer.

 Stir in beans, salsa, tomato sauce, tomatoes, garlic powder, and cumin. Bring to a boil.

 Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes, uncovered.

 Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Pour 1 cup of mixture on the bottom of a greased rectangular baking dish. Cover in a layer of corn tortillas.

Pour on half remaining meat mixture to cover tortillas.

Sprinkle one cup cheese over the mixture. Repeat the layer of tortillas and then the remaining meat mixture. (Do not add the other cup of cheese yet).

Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Uncover and sprinkle 1 cup cheese over the casserole. Cook for 5 minutes more uncovered.
Slice and serve!

From one newbie to another, enjoy!
Lindsay

Ranch Chicken Pasta

This recipe is a mix of ranch, bacon, and pasta... three amazing things. Of course there is other good stuff in it, but those are my favorite. I found this recipe on plainchicken.com. My husband LOVED it.

Serves 2 to 4

Ingredients 

 8 oz penne pasta
2 tbsp butter
1tbsp flour
2 tbsp ranch dressing mix
2 cups milk
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/3 cup cooked and chopped bacon (I used bacon bits for times sake)
2 cups cooked and cubed chicken


Instructions 

 Cook penne pasta according to instructions.

Meanwhile, cook cubed chicken in a large skillet.

 When chicken is browned set aside and drain juices from skillet. Melt butter in same skillet.

 Add flour and cook for 1 minute, stirring.

 Slowly whisk in milk and continue cooking until sauce thickens.

 Stir in ranch dressing mix and cheese. Stir until the cheese melts.

Add chicken, bacon, and cooked pasta and toss to coat. Let sit longer if sauce needs to thicken more.



From one newbie to another, enjoy!
Lindsay

Buffalo Chicken Ring

This recipe is super delicious, and not that healthy. That is probably why it is so yummy though. Every so often you have to just go with your taste buds rather than your waistline... sorry! This dish would be a good football watching party food I think! I found the recipe through Pinterest on recipesweet.net. I apologize that these pictures were taken with my iPhone.

Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients 

1. 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
2. 1 packet ranch dressing mix
3. 1/2 cup celery, finely diced
4. 1/2 cup onions, finely diced
5. 1/2 cup Buffalo sauce
6. 1 1/2 cups cooked and cubed chicken
7. 2 tubes crescent rolls
8. 1/2 cup ranch dressing (for dipping), optional
9. 1 bunch green onions, finely chopped

Instructions

In a large bowl, stir together the softened cream cheese block, Ranch dressing mix, onions, celery, buffalo sauce, and chicken. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. 

Grease a pan and unroll the 2 tubes of crescent dough into 8 rectangles. Place in a star pattern like pictured. 

Spoon the chicken mixture onto the middle of the crescent ring evenly. 

Fold the rectangles over the mixture to completely close the mixture in, like pictured. Cook uncovered at 375 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes, or until golden brown. 

Sprinkle with green onions and allow to cool for about 5 minutes. Slice and serve! We had ours with ranch dressing for dipping sauce. 

From one newbie to another, enjoy!

Lindsay

Slow Cooker Pork Tacos

I found this recipe a long time ago through Pinterest on www.skinnymom.com. It is so easy to make and so delicious! You can make it as spicy as you want as well which is nice for me since I cannot handle pretty much any heat at all.

Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients 

 1 lb pork tenderloin

• 1 - 15 oz jar salsa
• 1 Tbsp ground cumin
• 1 Tbsp brown sugar
• 1 Tbsp garlic, minced
• 1 tsp cayenne pepper
• 8 whole-wheat or corn tortillas
• Crumbled mexican white cheese

Instructions 

Rinse the pork tenderloin and place in the slow cooker. I have a smaller slow cooker and had to cut my pork tenderloin to fit. You will be shredding the cooked meat later so this is fine if you need to do that.

In a medium bowl, stir together the salsa, brown sugar, garlic, cumin, and cayenne pepper.

Pour the mixture over the pork tenderloin. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours or on high for 5 hours. Shred the pork using a fork (it will just pull apart easily) and cook for another 20 to 30 minutes.




I apologize for not having the end result picture. I was having people over for this meal and forgot to take a picture at the end! We have ours with a little cilantro and white mexican cheese sprinkled on top. I recommend using a slotted spoon to scoop into tacos, otherwise the mixture may be running out the end as you eat!
From one newbie to another, enjoy!
Lindsay

Stuffed Zucchini Boats

I found this recipe on www.quickneasyrecipes.net through Pinterest. I think you can change up the ingredients pretty easily but this is the only way I have made it so far. I served mine with some white rice and it was a light and delicious meal. Super quick to make and really easy.

Serves 4

Ingredients

2 large zucchini
1/4 onion chopped
1/2 tomato chopped and seeded
1 tbsp sour cream
Dash of ground thyme
Bacon bits
Grated Parmesan cheese


Instructions

 Clean the zucchini and slice lengthwise.

 Scoop out the inside of the zucchini and set aside. Place the zucchini hallow sides up in a backing dish. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

 Chop up the zucchini meat and stir together in a bowl with the chopped onion.

Add as many bacon bits as you would like, a dash of ground thyme, and the sour cream.

 Add chopped tomato and stir together. Season with pepper.

 Scoop the mixture into the zucchini boats until they are each full.

 Cover each boat in parmesan cheese.

Bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes uncovered. You can sprinkle more parmesan cheese on top if you wish after you take the zucchini out of the oven.



From one newbie to another, enjoy!
Lindsay

Muffin Tin Pizza Rolls

I have lost the website that I found this idea from, but I originally found it in an article about food made in muffin tins. These are incredibly easy to make and super yummy. It can be an easy weeknight dinner or a great appetizer.

Ingredients

Pillsbury Pizza Dough
Pizza Sauce
Pepperoni
Mozzarella String Cheese



Instructions

 Lay out the pizza dough on a cutting board. Spread with the desired amount of pizza sauce. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

 Cover in pepperonis.

 At the front of the pizza dough, line up mozzarella string cheese sticks. You may do two rows if desired.

Roll up starting at the mozzarella sticks end, into a dough log.

 Cut the log into 1 to 2 inch thick slices.

 Spray a muffin tin with cooking spray. Place the cut pieces in the tin as pictured.

Cook at 400 degrees for 15 minutes or until brown.

Serve with marinara sauce or ranch dressing.

From one newbie to another, enjoy!
Lindsay

Creamy Shrimp Pasta

I found this recipe through Pinterest on www.natashaskitchen.com. It was very good! Just make sure that you give the sauce enough time to thicken completely otherwise it is a little too runny. Sorry that these pictures are not the best!

Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients
1 lb medium raw shrimp, shell removed
3/4 lb spaghetti pasta
1 tbsp olive oil
3 large tomatoes diced
1/4 cup green onion chopped
1/2 tsp dried basil
1 garlic clove, pressed
4 tbsp butter
1 cup DRY white wine
1/2 cup heavy cream
salt and pepper to taste
parmesan to serve

Instructions

Cook pasta according to box instructions.

Meanwhile, put green onions, basil, tomatoes, butter, and garlic in a large skillet. Season with pepper.

 Add white wine and cook over medium heat until most of the wine has evaporated. You want about 1/4 cup liquid remaining.

 Meanwhile in another skillet, lightly season the shrimp with salt and pepper and saute in 2 tbsp olive oil over medium/high heat, for about 3 minutes.

Once the sauce has mostly evaporated, stir in the cream and add the shrimp. Warm through for 2 minutes.






Toss the pasta with the sauce and shrimp. Sprinkle with parmesan and serve.



From one newbie to another, enjoy!
Lindsay