Roasted Red Pepper Hummus

Hummus is one of those things that I could eat just about every day. Actually, I DO eat it just about every day.  I usually eat either hummus, carrots, and crackers for lunch...or I eat a vegetable sandwich with hummus used in place of mayo or mustard. I pack my Hubs a vegetable sandwich almost everyday in his lunch too.  He would have never gone for it if he had been asked if he would like one, so being the kind wife I am...I just snuck it in there one day.  To my surprise he loved it, and now he asks for one all the time. Yep, my husband begs for a veggie sandwich. Be jealous :)

Roasted Red Pepper Hummus

1 can garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained

1/4 cup olive oil

1/4 cup tahini paste (this is ground sesame seeds and you can find it easily in most grocery stores)

1/4 fresh lemon juice

3-4 strips of roasted red peppers from a jar

1 garlic clove, pressed or grated

1/2 tsp salt

1 1/2 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp paprika

Pulse all ingredients in a food processor, adding water 1 tsp at a time until you reach the consistency you love!

Like I said before, I eat this all the time on just about anything.....You can serve it with veggies, crackers, on sandwiches, etc...

Enjoy!

Black Bean Summer Salad

        My girlfriends and I were talking about this recipe at the park the other day, and it got me in the mood to make it.  I make this just about every week during the summer.  It is healthy, cheap, totally easy to make, and oh-so-tasty!  There are many variations of this recipe, mine is a simple one, but it has SO much flavor you would never know it is so simple.  To most people, this would be considered a side dish, but in our house, we eat it as a meal.   It is really filling (did you know corn is considered a carb?!?!?)  and since it has veggies in it, I consider it perfectly acceptable as a meal :-)

Black Bean Summer Salad

2 Cans black beans, drained and rinsed

1 Can corn, drained

2-3 large tomatoes, chopped

1 small red onion, finely chopped

1/2 cup cilantro, chopped

Mix all ingredients together and set aside

Dressing:

 2 tbsp white vinegar

2 tbsp sugar

juice of 1 lime

1/4 tsp cumin

1/4 tsp garlic powder

1/4 tsp salt 

1/4 tsp pepper

 whisk together dressing and pour over salad, mix.

Enjoy!

 

Roasted red pepper pasta sauce

As most of you know, I love a good vegetarian dish! I am not really a big fan of meat, so whenever I come across a great meatless pasta sauce, I usually give it a try.  I had never tasted a roasted red pepper sauce, but I had heard amazing things, so I decided to give one a try.  I am soooo pleased with the results! 
The first one that caught my eye when I started looking up recipes was the red pepper pasta sauce from the Pioneer Woman Cooks website, (my idol)....but hers just seemed a bit to heavy for what I was in the mood for.  So I kept looking and couldn't really find just the right one, so I took ideas from all of them and created my own! 
I am happy to report that the taste and texture was exactly what I thought a red pepper sauce should be :-)  The only change I will make next time, is to make a LOT more!

Roasted Red Pepper Pasta Sauce

~ 1  12oz jar Roasted red peppers 

~ 1  14.5oz can diced tomatoes

~ 1  medium white onion, diced

~ 4  cloves garlic, minced

~ 1 tsp dried basil

~ 1/2 tsp salt

~ 1/2 tsp pepper

~ 2 tbsp dark brown sugar

~  2 tbsp olive oil

Drain red peppers and chop to about 1 inch pieces

Drain about 1/2 of the juice from the diced tomatoes
Saute onion in olive oil over medium heat for about 4 min

Add garlic and saute for another 2 min

Add red peppers and tomatoes(with about 1/2 of the juice),  remove from heat

Add mixture to food processor or blender and then add spices (basil, salt, pepper, and brown sugar)

Blend just until creamy with a bit of texture left

Serve over your favorite pasta

Enjoy!

 

Frozen Hot Chocolate

Here in Utah we drink a lot of hot chocolate from about October through March-ish (sometimes mother nature tends to give us "hot chocolate weather" in April or May). But a lot of places around here serve frozen hot chocolate all year round.  I had never actually tried it until moving to Utah....I had heard of it, just never actually tasted it. Its super good, so when I a came across a recipe for a homemade version in a recent issue of my Every Day with Rachel Ray  Magazine, I thought I would give it a go.  I changed up the recipe quite a bit. My family tends to like white chocolate much better than good ole fashioned milk or dark chocolate (they take after their father...I do not claim any part of the dark chocolate haters), so I made mine with semi-sweet and white chocolate.  I am actually really happy with the way it turned out, though I am not a white chocolate lover, it did make it nice and creamy.  My kids and I pretty much demolished it right out of the blender, so I guess that pretty much speaks for itself....it was GOOD!

Missy's Frozen Hot Chocolate

Two cups milk

1/2 cup of your favorite hot cocoa mix

4 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips

6 oz white chocolate chips

1tsp vanilla 

about 24 ice cubes (I used two trays worth)

whipped cream

chocolate shavings for garnish

Combine milk and hot cocoa mix over medium heat just until it gets hot,

Add both kinds of chocolate chips, and stir until melted

Remove from heat and stir in vanilla

Pour into blender (if using a glass blender, wait until it cools a bit)

Add ice and blend until smooth.

Pour into dessert cups and garnish with whipped cream and chocolate

Enjoy!

 

Pasole

Have you tasted Pasole?  I think it probably my favorite soup.  It tastes like a tamale and an enchilada all mixed up in a delicious soup......

My friend Susy first got me hooked with her authentic, yummy version.  Mine is a little more "white girl trying to cook Mexican food"....but it is still good.  It is a simple recipe to make, but you would never know it because it has SO MUCH flavor!  Seriously, people will think you spent hours making it....

My version is made in a crock pot, but you could just as easily cook it on your stovetop.

Missy's Pasole

2 cans beef broth

1 can italian style diced tomatoes (do not drain)

1 Large can Hominy, drained

1 small can diced green chilies

1 cup cooked, shredded chicken

1/2 tsp Cumin

1/2 tsp Onion Powder

1 tsp Garlic Powder 

Mix all ingredients in a crock pot and cook on low for two-three hours. 

Serve with lemon wedges and tortilla chips for the best flavor!

Enjoy! 

 

Creamy Roasted Garlic Tomato Soup....

I have been meaning to try and create a yummy homemade tomato soup for quite some time now.  Its one of my daughters favorite soups and she has been begging....

I poured over tons of recipes and couldn't find one to suit my fancy..so I created this one hoping it would turn out good and it did! I am a garlic fan (or fanatic if you will), so I was naturally drawn to the most garlicky of recipes. Don't be afraid of the amount of garlic the recipe calls for, it really added to the taste and wasn't overwhelming at all.

Oh, and please forgive my picture. I meant to take a more "finished" one, but my soup got gobbled up so fast that I didn't have time :)

Roasted Garlic Tomato Soup

1 tsp butter

1 medium onion, chopped

1 bunch of garlic, roasted

2 15oz cans of chopped tomatoes, drained

1 cup whole milk

1 cup vegetable broth 

~Roast garlic, set aside

~Saute onion in butter until soft (about five min)

~Pour tomatoes, milk, and broth into saucepan and heat until just warm

~Remove all cloves of garlic from the bunch and add to the tomato mixture

~Add the onion

~Pour the tomato mixture into a blender and blend until smooth

~Pour mixture back into saucepan and heat just until it starts to simmer

~Serve with hot rolls

~Enjoy!

How to roast garlic:

~Cut the top off of an intact bunch of garlic, exposing just the tops of the cloves

~Place in foil and twist the top closed

~Bake at 350 degrees for 30 min

~(Do this when company is coming so your house smells wonderful and they think you are an incredible cook)

~Enjoy in your favorite recipes 

Vegitarian Chili

This is a thicker chili with no meat. I have often thought that chili would taste much better without all the meat...and now I know that its true ;-)

Ok, ok..I know most people prefer chili with meat, but this meatless one is quite good. I basically made up the recipe using my basic meat-filled version (omitting the meat of course) and then took a few things from a handful of recipes that I liked parts of. It is starting to get cold around these parts...and chili served with my sour cream cornbread (recipe to come) makes my house smell delicious and as a bonus it tastes wonderful!

 

VEGETARIAN CHILI:

 

2 28oz cans of crushed tomatoes

1 pkg chili seasoning

1 can black beans drained and rinsed well

1 can pinto beans drained and rinsed well

4 medium carrots, chopped small

1 yellow,green, or red bell pepper, chopped small (I used 1/2 green and 1/2 red)

1 medium onion, chopped fine

3 or 4 cloves of garlic chopped fine

2 stalks (are they called stalks?) of green onions, chopped all the way to bottom. (The onion-y part)

1 tbsp of butter

Sour Cream

~Add tomatoes, chili packet, and beans to pot

~Turn heat on low and bring to a simmer

~In a separate pan, saute the carrots, bell pepper, onions, and garlic in the butter for about 5-8 min..or until the carrots are slightly soft.

~Add mixture to the first pot and simmer on low for one hour

~Garnish with sour cream and green onions

~Enjoy!

 

Nutella-Peanut Butter Cookies

I have a Nutella addiction.  Its true.  If Nutella can be added to a recipe, i've probably tried it. 

My daughter and I were wanting a snack after church and she came with the idea of adding Nutella to our peanut butter cookie recipe.  Um.....OK!  (Yes, my daughter is coming up with her own recipes at 4!).  This is the same peanut butter cookie recipe found here, only I added a bit less sugar and exchanged the Hersey Kiss for Nutella.

Nutella Peanut Butter Cookies

1 Cup Peanut Butter

3/4 Cup sugar

1 egg

Nutella (not sure exactly how much total)

~Mix peanut butter, sugar, and egg

~Roll dough into 1 inch balls and place on an ungreased cookie sheet about 2 inches apart

~With the back of a teaspoon, make a small indent

~Add 1 tsp of Nutella to each cookie

~Bake for 10 min in a 350 degree oven

~Eat cookies warm with glass of milk  :)

Heavenly chocolate cookies

This recipe is from my friend Camille.  I begged the recipe off of her :)   Thanks, Camille for letting me share.

Chocolate, chocolate chip cookies

1 cup butter

1 cup white sugar

1 cup brown sugar

2 eggs

2 tsp vanilla

1 cup white flour

1 cup whole wheat flour 

1 tsp baking soda

2 tsp salt

1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

~Combine the butter and sugars

~Add eggs and vanilla and stir well

~In a separate bowl combine flours, baking soda, salt, and cocoa

~Slowly stir into sugar mixture

~Add chocolate chips

Place on cookie sheet in 1 inch scoops

Bake at 350 degrees for 10 min

Enjoy! 

(And you should really share some...even though they taste great, it is not healthy to consume them all yourself).

Muffin Pan Quiche

Sometimes you just can't worry about the fat content/ calories in a recipe.  You just have to rely on your taste buds. As a warning, your butt and thighs will not like you for consuming this food.  Just sayin....

Muffin Pan Quiche

1 pkg store bought pie crusts (comes with two)

6 large eggs

1 cup milk

1 cup chopped broccoli florets

1 cup cooked sausage

1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

1/2 cup chopped onions

1 garlic clove minced

1 tsp ground mustard

salt/pepper

~Spray muffin tin with cooking spray

~Cut pies crusts with a four inch biscuit cutter (I actually have no idea if they even make biscuit cutters that big, I just used the top of a four inch cup)

~Gently place each piece of pie crust in each muffin cup

~Evenly distribute the broccoli, sausage and cheese in each muffin cup

~In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, mustard, salt and pepper (just use your judgment with the salt and pepper...I added quite a bit of salt and it tasted great)

~Pour egg mixture evenly over the top of the other ingredients

~Saute the onions and garlic in a bit of butter and then evenly distribute over the tops of the muffin cups.

Bake in 400 degree oven for 22 min. Enjoy!

 

Vegitarian Stuffed Bell Peppers

As I mentioned in my last post, we are trying to incorporate more fruits and vegetables into our diets and limiting the amount of meat we eat. So I have been trying to find yummy alternatives to our usual dinners. I came across this recipe and decided I would try it. (Although the Hubs doesn't like black beans OR bell peppers, I thought I would try anyway). I thought these were delicious...my kids loved the filling, and it passed the Hubs test (although he said they would be better with pinto beans next time.....um, YUCK). Here is the recipe...without pinto beans ;-)

3 bell peppers (I used orange)
2 cups prepared rice (I used brown, but I think any kind would work fine)
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained well
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup salsa
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp garlic powder

wash and cut the bell peppers in half length-wise

mix rice, beans, cheese, salsa, and spices together

fill the peppers up to the brim and then place them in a glass baking dish covered with foil

cook at 300 degrees for 1 hour and 30 min.


This recipe is super versitile...the original recipe called for green chilies and 1/2 cup frozen corn, but I didn't have either so I omitted both. Enjoy!

Butternut Squash Soup

My husband and I decided that we are going to incorporate more fruits and vegetables into our diet and get rid of most of the meat (more on this later). Anyhow, I have been looking for great recipes to make and I came across this Butternut Squash soup recipe....I tweaked it a bit and it turned out delicious! The only change I would make next time is making it a bit thicker and adding some heat to it (couldn't add the heat this time because of the kiddos). Also, the original recipe called for celery, but I don't necessarily like the flavor of cooked celery, so I omitted it. Enjoy!

2 tablespoons butter
1 small onion chopped
two garlic cloves, chopped
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
2 medium potatoes peeled and cubed
1 medium butternut squash - peeled, seeded, and cubed
1 32 ounce container of chicken stock
Salt, garlic powder, and pepper to taste

Bake the squash at 350 degrees for 1 hour,
once its cool, you should be able to just peel off the skin and pull the squash away from the seeds.

In a medium saucepan, melt butter and saute the garlic, onion, carrots and potatoes for five minutes
Add 1/2 of the container of chicken stock and simmer for about 20 min

Once the squash and the simmered veggies are cool (this is important so that the glass in your blender doesn't crack) put all ingredients into blender with another cup of chicken stock
and blend until smooth, adding more chicken stock as needed. Also, the chicken stock will either make your soup runny or thick depending on how much/little you add, so keep this in mind as you blend it.

This soup is usually served with sour cream on top, but I forgot it at the store and wasn't willing to go back out :) I served it with a fresh baked loaf of white bread and it was delicious!

Super Simple Peanut Butter Blossoms...(also Gluten Free)

These peanut butter blossoms are SUPER easy! They are really, really good too.



1 cup peanut butter

1 cup sugar

1 egg

Hershey kisses or Reeses miniature peanut butter cups

Mix the first three ingredients and roll into one inch balls.

Place about an inch apart on ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake at 350 for 10 min.

When you take them out of the oven, push a Hershey kiss or peanut butter cup down into the cookies immediately.

Let cool on the cookie sheet and then transfer (to a serving plate, or straight to your mouth).

Cake Mix Cookies

Yes, I realize that everyone knows how to make a version of cake mix cookies. But since cake mixes go on sale ALL the time (I can usually find them as low as .70 cents)...they are a cheap and yummy option for cookies. The version I use is super simple....

1 box cake mix (any flavor)
2 eggs
1/2 cup oil
Mix, rolls into balls (I have found the size doesn't matter too much, they always come out fine for me regardless of the size)
Pat down slightly with hand and Bake at 350 for 8 min.

Thats it! Super easy!!

The one I have pictured is a strawberry cake mix with cream cheese frosting, but my family has other favorites that are delicious....

Banana Nut:
1 box spice cake mix (made into cake-mix cookies using recipe above)
1 banana, smashed
3/4 cup chopped walnuts

Our other favorite is:
1 box devils food cake mix (made into cake-mix cookies using recipe above)
1/2 cup semi-sweet choc chips
1/2 white choc chips

There really is no end to how creative you can be....and since they are so much cheaper and easier than baking up "homemade" cookies, they are a perfect option for a quick dessert!

Black Bean Brownies

Black bean brownies. They.Are.Good.
Because of the low fat diet I am on, I was having brownie withdrawls. I seriously LOVE brownies!!! So, I googled low fat brownies and tons of recipes for black bean brownies came up. I was a skeptic, but I thought I would at least give them a try.....To my surprise they were actually good. In my 4 yr old's words "Mom, can you make this recipe every time you make brownies from now on"? I mean, who can argue with a 4 yr old? Here is the awesome recipe....


1 box low fat or fat free brownie mix
1 cup warm water
1 can black beans
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Mix the black beans and warm water in a blender for about a min
In a mixing bowl...stir the bean mixture into the brownie mix
Stir in 1/2 cup chocolate chips
Pour into a greased 8x8 pan
Sprinkle the remaining chocolate chips on top.
Bake at 350 for 28 min.


I did find that these brownies tasted really, REALLY good cold...so I would recommend chilling them in the fridge before cutting into them :)

If you are really feeling like going low-fat you could omit the chocolate chips....

6 Can Soup

This recipe is from my friend Tiffany....Super easy and super yummy! Its made with ingredients that are usually on hand. So, if your ever having "one of those days" where dinner isn't thought about until the kids start telling you their hungry (I personally never have those days "wink wink")...you can get this soup together in about 20min.

1 Can Chicken Broth
1 Can Cream of Chicken Soup
1 Can Chicken
1 Can Black Beans (these will taste soooo much better if you rinse them really well)
1 Can Tomatoes with Green Chilies
1 Can Corn

Thats it! Just simmer until heated through and dinner is served!

German Pancakes with the BEST syrup ever!

A little background about these recipes....
First of all, if you have never been to Delta, Utah you should go. The peeps are wonderful and they cook FANTASTIC! I mean seriously, I could get very fat in that place :)
Second of all, my AMAZING friend (we will call her Shar Shar) grew up there and she grew up eating German Pancakes. I had never had them so when she introduced them to me and my kiddos, we fell in love. Hubby not so much...so I have had to tweak the recipe a bit to his liking....so here is the easy-as-pie recipe:

4 eggs
1 cup of white flour
1 cup milk
3 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp butter

Preheat oven to 375 degrees...put butter in a 9x13 cake pan and place in the oven while it's preheating
In a mixing bowl combine eggs, flour, milk, and sugar.
Take pan out of oven and spread butter around
Add egg mixture and bake in preheated oven for 15 min (it will puff up while cooking, this is normal)


BEST SYRUP EVER:

A little background about the best syrup ever...so one time while I was staying at my friends in Delta, her Momma (who is also amazing) served my family this syrup. I was immediately in love and asked for the recipe. She showed me the cookbook that she got the recipe out of. (Worldwide Ward Cookbook). I thumbed through the cookbook and mentioned to my friend what a great cookbook it was and the next week one showed up for me compliments of you-know-who (told you she was amazing). So without further ado, here is the wonderful recipe:

1 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup butter
1 tsp. Baking soda
2 cups sugar
3 tbsp white corn syrup
2 tsp vanilla


In a six quart saucepan, combine all ingredients except vanilla. Boil for 5 min, Add vanilla.
(be sure to use a six quart pan...I forgot this step the first time I made it and made a huge mess of my stove).
Serve over your German pancakes and enjoy!

Kid~Friendly Chili

So my kids rarely (if ever) eat my chili...this used to bum me out...(you know, chili is super cheap to make and pretty healthy I would say). BUT.....I created a new recipe last week that my kids gobbled up! Yes, even my 1 yr old asked for seconds......and thirds. :). So here is my super simple, kid friendly, chili recipe:

1/2 lbs lean ground beef
1 large carrot chopped into really small pieces
1/2 onion chopped really fine
2 cloves garlic minced
1 McCormick mild chili seasoning packet
2 28 oz cans of crushed tomatoes...(this is IMPORTANT, make sure you get crushed)
2 tbsp sugar
1 can black beans
1 can pinto beans
1 jar baby food sweet potatoes

~Brown meat, about halfway through cooking...add carrots, onions, and garlic. Drain off fat.
~Add crushed tomatoes, chili packet, sugar, beans, and sweet potatoes.
~Simmer on low for 1-2 hours


Couldn't be easier! I serve it with cornbread and a dollop of sour cream!

Wrap me up!!

I love wraps...I think they are delish...BUT, I have learned the best trick to making them (not the healthiest, just the best)....FLAVORED CREAM CHEESE!! I made these with garden vegetable cream cheese. They were so good!

A Slice of Heaven

A friend gave me this recipe...she had gotten it off of allrecipes.com and tweaked it a little...I tweaked it a little more and waaalaaa :) DELICIOUS carrot cake.


Missy's Must Eat Carrot Cake
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 3/4 cups white sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups shredded carrots
1 cup flaked coconut
1 8 oz can crushed pineapple

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350
Mix flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Make a well in the center and add sugar, oil, eggs and vanilla. Mix, stir in carrots, coconut, and pineapple. Pour into two 8 inch pans and cook for about 21 min.
Frosting:
Mix 1/4 cup softened butter, 1 8oz pkg cream cheese, and two cups powdered sugar until creamy. Spread on cooled cake and eat (but not too much, it probably has around a million and a half calories).