Baked Potato Casserole

I found this recipe through Pinterest on inspiredreamer.com/loaded-baked-potato-chicken-casserole. I tweaked it a little since there is just my husband and I. It is just as good left over as it is fresh though.

Serves 2 to 4 

Ingredients

 2 or 3 potatoes
2 chicken breasts
4 slices of bacon
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
Bunch of green onions
2 tablespoons butter
1/3 cup heavy cream
Salt and Pepper to taste

Instructions

 Cook and crumble the bacon.

 Cut up one potato into bite size pieces and scatter over a greased square baking dish.

 Cut up both chicken breasts into bite size pieces and place over the potato evenly.

 Scatter half the bacon and chopped green onions over top the chicken.

 Pour half the cheese over top.

Put the second cut up potato over top, followed by the rest of the bacon and green onion. Season with salt and pepper. Pour rest of cheese over top. Pour the heavy cream on top evenly. Cut up the butter and scatter over top.
Cover with aluminum foil and bake in oven at 350 degrees for one hour. Uncover and bake for another 30 minutes.

Let cool for 5 to 10 minutes and serve.


From one newbie to another, enjoy!
Lindsay

Mozzarella, Tomato, Avocado Salad

This is a great snack or side dish. It is really easy, and does not require any tools besides a knife and a bowl! I will say though, it was not great after a day or so, so just make as much as you will eat in one sitting. I found this recipe on foods-exclusive.blogspot.com.

Serves 2 to 4

Ingredients 

1 large tomato
1 avocado
1 large ball of mozzarella
Dried basil to taste
Olive oil to taste
Salt and pepper to taste


Instructions

 Cut up all of the tomato, avocado, and mozzarella into bite size cubes.

 Add dried basil, olive oil, and salt and pepper to taste.

Stir altogether and it is done! It is that easy!


From one newbie to another, enjoy!
Lindsay

Taco Calzones

These were super easy, super delicious, and fun to make! My husband loved them. They were also good reheated as left overs.

Serves 2 to 4

Ingredients

1 lb ground turkey
Taco seasoning
1 tube of big and flaky biscuits
1 can refried beans
1 can rotel
1 can black olives
1 bunch green onions
Shredded mexican cheese


Instructions

 Cook ground turkey meat, and stir in seasoning.

 Take one biscuit and stretch out to a large circle. Spread with refried beans.

 Add ground turkey meat.

Add rotel, olives, cheese, and green onions.

 Take another biscuit and stretch over the top of the toppings and first biscuit. pinch the outer edges together to create a large taco "pocket". Repeat 4 times.

Cook at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 min, until slightly browned like so.

Serve with mexican rice, queso, salsa and chips!

From one newbie to another, enjoy!
Lindsay

Southwestern Goulash

I found this recipe in the cook book Busy Family Favorites. I think you could easily substitute the ground beef for turkey meat for a lighter option.

Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients

 1 lb ground beef
1 cup uncooked pasta
1/2 medium onion, chopped
1 can (28 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained
2/3 cup frozen corn (not pictured)
1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce (not pictured)
1/2 can (2 oz) chopped green chilies
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
3 tablespoons cilantro
Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

 Cook pasta according to package instructions. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, brown ground beef and onion until the meat is no longer pink. Drain the fat.

Stir in the tomatoes, corn, tomato sauce, chilies, cumin, cilantro, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil then reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, for 3 to 4 minutes.

Drain the pasta, add to meat mixture. Stir and serve!


From one newbie to another, enjoy!
Lindsay

Tortellini Soup

We are not big soup eaters in our house. This recipe is a little less like soup and more like a pasta dish with a heavier sauce to me, but it is called tortellini soup. It is made in a slow cooker, so naturally it is an easy recipe. I found it through Pinterest on heatherlikesfood.com.

Serves 6 to 8

Ingredients 

24 oz pasta sauce
3 or 4 cups chicken broth
8 oz cream cheese
1/2 large onion, chopped
16 oz frozen tortellini
1 lb ground beef
8 oz sliced mushrooms
4.5 oz fresh spinach
Meat seasoning blend



Instructions

Brown ground beef with seasoning in large skillet.

 Cut up the cream cheese block into small cubes. In the crock-pot, put the cream cheese, mushrooms, pasta sauce, onion, and chicken broth. Stir together. Cook on low for 6 hours.

 Stir in the spinach and tortellini and cook on low another 30 minutes.

Serve with crackers as a soup. You can also freeze any left overs.


From one newbie to another, enjoy!
Lindsay

Turkey Spinach Meatballs

I have never been a big meatball eater, so I was worried about making these. I have this pact with myself though that I will keep trying the same foods eat year that I may have disliked before, and that way some day I may chance my mind and enjoy them. These meatballs are delicious! They are good on a hoagie roll as a meatball sub or just on their own with a little marinara sauce poured on top. You can also freeze the leftovers and save them for later. I found them through Pinterest on homecookingmemories.com and tweaked it just slightly.

Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients

 2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 large onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves minced
1/4 tsp ground thyme
1/4 tsp ground oregano
9 oz fresh spinach, chopped
2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1/3 cup chicken broth
1 lb ground turkey
3/4 cup bread crumbs
2 large eggs

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line baking sheet in foil and spray with cooking spray. In a frying pan on medium heat, heat olive oil until hot. Then add onion, garlic, thyme, and oregano. Sauté until onion is tender, about 5-6 minutes.

Add spinach to pan and combine with onion mixture. Add Worcestershire sauce and chicken broth and mix well to combine. Cook until most of the liquid has cooked out. Remove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature if have time.

 Meanwhile, mash the turkey meat together with eggs and bread crumbs. I used my hands here.

 Add the onion and spinach mixture to the turkey meat. I started to combine with a spoon and then just used my hands because it was a lot easier.

Form 1 to 1 1/2 inch balls and place on the baking sheet an inch or two apart.

 Bake for about 20 minutes at 400 degrees.

I used when in a meatball sub I made for my husband, with some marinara sauce and mozzarella cheese.


From one newbie to another, enjoy!
Lindsay

Orange Chicken

This recipe is delicious! It is also super easy to make, and super quick. I found it through Pinterest on gimmesomeoven.com.

Serves 2 to 4

Ingredients

 1 or 2 large chicken breasts, cut into bit size pieces
2 tbsp olive oil
3 cloves garlic minced
1/2 cup orange juice
1/2 cup honey
1/3 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
3 tbsp corn starch
1/2 tsp ground ginger
salt and pepper to taste
toasted sesame seeds
thinly sliced green onions

Instructions

Heat the oil in a large skillet. Season the cut up chicken with salt and pepper and cook until no longer pink in the middle, about 5 or 6 minutes.

 Whisk together the honey, soy sauce, corn starch, rice wine vinegar, orange juice, garlic, and ground ginger.

 Once the chicken is cooked, add the orange sauce mixture.

Bring to a boil and let simmer for a couple minutes, or until the sauce is a glaze.

Serve over rice and garnish with sesame seeds and green onions.


From one newbie to another, enjoy!
Lindsay