Chili-Beef-Stuffed Zucchini

Ingredients:

• 4 zucchini (about 2 pounds), halved lengthwise and seeded
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 3/4 pound ground beef
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• Salt and pepper
• 2 tomatoes, seeded and chopped
• 1 cup jarred pickled jalapeño chiles, finely chopped
• One 8-ounce bag Mexican-style shredded cheese

For a change
Stuff baked potatoes instead.

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 450°. Arrange the zucchini cut side up in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Add 1/2 cup water to the dish, cover with foil and bake until the zucchini begins to soften, about 15 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, in a medium skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook until softened, about 3 minutes. Add the beef and cumin and cook, breaking the meat up, until just browned, about 4 minutes; season with salt and pepper. Stir in the tomatoes and pickled jalapeños.
3. Uncover the baking dish, pour off the water and season the zucchini with salt. Fill with the beef mixture and sprinkle the cheese on top. Bake, uncovered, until the cheese is melted, about 10 minutes

Chicken Salad:

3 cups cooked, diced chicken (I buy a rotisserie and cut it up, lazy but yum!) 3 cups cooked white rice (we DO NOT add this, yuk LOL) 2 avocados, peeled, diced, and tossed with 1 tablespoon lemon juice 3/4 cup chopped onion (I use red) 1 cup mayonnaise (I use less because of omitting the rice, just eyeball it) 1 to 2 teaspoons pepper 1 teaspoon salt 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves (I dont use) I'll call this OPTIONAL: Avocado Dressing : (OK, we did this the first time, and it was good but overkill so we dont anymore) 1 large avocado, peeled and mashed with 2 tablespoons lemon juice 1 cup mayonnaise 1/2 cup sour cream 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce 1/3 cup chopped onion 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 teaspoon salt Dash cayenne pepper Thick, crusty bread, multi-grain or sourdough Salad: Mix all ingredients and chill. Pass with avocado dressing. Dressing: Place all ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth. Chill and serve alongside chicken salad. (again, I dont bother with this)

This is seriously the best chicken salad in our opinion! I just tweak it to taste with salt and pepper and mayo but we love it!!

Five Spice Beef and Pepper Stir-Fry

Five Spice Beef and Pepper Stir-Fry

Recipe Summary
Difficulty: Medium
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

Jasmine rice or short grain white rice, 1 to 1 1/2 cups, prepared to package directions
2 cups beef broth or stock, paper container or canned
2 tablespoons wok or clear oil, 1 turn of the pan
1 1/2 pounds beef sirloin or beef tenderloin tips, trimmed, placed in the freezer for 5 to 10 minutes then thinly sliced
2 green bell peppers, seeded and diced into 1-inch pieces
1 medium onion, diced
1/2 cup dry cooking sherry
2 tablespoons dark soy sauce, eyeball the amount (recommended: Tamari)
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder, found on Asian foods aisle of market
Cracked black pepper
3 scallions, thinly sliced on an angle, for garnish
1/2 cup smoked whole almonds, available on snack aisle, for garnish

Boil water for rice and prepare to package directions.

Place beef broth in a small pot over low heat to warm the liquid.

Heat a wok shaped skillet or pan over high heat. Add oil (it will smoke) and meat bits. Stir-fry meat 3 minutes and remove from pan or move off to the side of the wok. Return pan to heat and add peppers and onions. Stir-fry veggies 2 minutes. Add meat back to the pan. Add sherry and stir fry until liquid almost evaporates -- 1 minute. Add soy sauce to the pan. Dissolve cornstarch with a ladle of warm beef broth. Add beef broth to the pan, then add cornstarch combined with broth, the five-spice powder and black pepper. Stir sauce until it thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. Adjust seasonings. Add more soy or salt if necessary. Remove stir-fry from heat. Fill dinner bowls with beef stir-fry and top with a scoop of rice. Scoop rice with ice cream scoop to get a rounded ball. By placing rice on top of stir-fry, rice will stay firm and not soak up too much sauce. Garnish with chopped scallions and smoked almonds.

Creole Chicken I

Creole Chicken I

INGREDIENTS:

• 8 chicken thighs
• 1/4 pound cooked ham, cut into one inch cubes (I skipped this)
• 1 (16 ounce) can diced tomatoes
• 1 green bell pepper, chopped
• 6 green onions, chopped
• 1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 dashes hot pepper sauce
• 2 cups water
• 1 cup uncooked long grain white rice
• 1/2 pound Polish sausage, sliced diagonally (I did more than 1/2 lb of this)

---

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a slow cooker, place the chicken, ham, tomatoes, bell pepper, green onions, tomato paste, salt, and hot pepper sauce. Cover, and cook on Low for 4 to 5 hours.
2. Combine water and rice in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes. (I just cooked my minute rice according to the package)
3. Mix the cooked rice and sausage into the slow cooker. Cover, and cook on High for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the sausage is heated through.

Macaroni Grill's Penne Rustica

Gratinata sauce
1	teaspoon butter
1	teaspoon chopped garlic
1/2	teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2	teaspoon dill
1/2	teaspoon chopped rosemary
1/2	cup marsala wine (I used cooking wine)
1/8	teaspoon cayenne pepper
4	cups heavy cream
Penne Rustica
1/2	ounce pancetta or bacon or prosciutto (used bacon)
9	shrimp, peeled and deveined
6	ounces grilled chicken breasts, sliced
8-12	ounces penne pasta, cooked
1 1/2	teaspoons chopped pimiento (skipped this)
3	ounces butter
1/2	teaspoon chopped shallots (J couldn't find so I used green onions, IK totally different, next time I'll find shallots! lol)
1/2	pinch salt and pepper
1/2	cup parmesan cheese (used fresh)
1/4	teaspoon paprika
3	sprigs fresh rosemary (skipped this)

1. For Gratinata Sauce: Saute butter, garlic, and rosemary until garlic begins to brown.
2. Add Marsala wine and reduce by one-third.
3. Add remaining ingredients, reduce by half of the original volume.
4. Set aside.
5. For Penne Rustica: Saute pancetta until it begins to brown. (cooked & drained bacon, then did next step)
6. Add butter, shallots, and shrimp.
7. Cook until shrimp are evenly pink but still translucent.
8. Add chicken, salt, pepper, and mix thoroughly.
9. Add gratinata sauce and 1/2 cup parmesan cheese.
10. Simmer until sauce thickens.
11. In a large bowl, combine shrimp & chicken mixture with the cooked pasta.
12. Pour into a large casserole dish or roaster.
13. Top with remaining cheese, pimientos and sprinkle with paprika.
14. Bake at 475 degrees for 10 to 15 minutes.
15. Remove and garnish with fresh rosemary sprig.

Serve w/salad and bread, so good!

Broiled Tilapia Parmesan

Broiled Tilapia Parmesan

2 pounds tilapia fillets

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

1/4 cup butter, softened

3 tablespoons mayonnaise

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon dried basil

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/8 teaspoon onion powder

1/8 teaspoon celery salt

1. Preheat your oven's broiler, and grease a broiling pan, or line with aluminum foil.
2. In a small bowl, mix together the Parmesan cheese, butter, mayonnaise, and lemon juice. Season with dried basil, pepper, onion powder, and celery salt. Mix well and set aside.
3. Arrange fillets in a single layer on the prepared pan. Broil a few inches from the heat for 2 to 3 minutes. Flip the fillets over, and broil for a couple more minutes. Remove the fillets from the oven, and cover them with the Parmesan cheese mixture on the top side. Broil for 2 more minutes, or until the topping is browned, and fish flakes easily with a fork. Be careful not to over cook the fish.

Sausage & Rice Casserole

Sausage & Rice Casserole

1/2 lb 97% fat-free breakfast sausage (you dont have to use 97% FF, but it's still good with it)

1 cup chopped onion

1 medium red bell pepper, chopped (I've used green too)

1/2 cup thinly sliced celery (I don't use this)

4 garlic cloves, minced

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper (not too hot, just right, definitely add this!)

1 (10.75-ounce) can condensed reduced-fat, reduced sodium cream of celery soup, undiluted (mine is reduced-fat but not reduced sodium)

1 (8-ounce) can sliced water chestnuts, drained (I skipped this)

2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

2 tablespoons light soy sauce

1/2 cup frozen green peas

1 cup hot cooked long-grain brown rice

1. Coat a nonstick skillet with cooking spray; place over medium heat until hot. Add sausage; cook until meat is browned, stirring to crumble; remove from pan.

2. Add onion, bell pepper, and celery to sausage drippings; saute 4 minutes or until tender. Add garlic and crushed red pepper; cook 30 seconds. Add sausage, soup, and next 4 ingredients; stir well. Bring just to a simmer; cover, reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes. Stir in rice; cover, remove heat, and let stand 2 minutes.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: about 1 cup)

WW points: 3 per serving
Calories: 173 per serving

Chicken Rice Mexicana

Chicken Rice Mexicana
Layers of rice, a creamy mixture of chicken and peppers
and a Jack cheese topping make up the masterpiece that is
Chicken Rice Mexicana! This is a fast and easy way to get the
flavor of fajitas from your oven. It is especially good if
you grill the chicken meat. Prep Time: approx. 15 Minutes.
Cook Time: approx. 30 Minutes. Ready in: approx. 45
Minutes. Makes 4 to 6 servings.
Printed from Allrecipes, Submitted by Amy (altered by me!) Lol!

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 onion, thinly sliced
1 green bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced (Didnt have this)
1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed
cream of mushroom soup


1/4 cup milk
2 cups cooked white rice, divided (I did a little more & seasoned it)
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
6 (10 inch) heated flour
tortillas for serving
2 cups cooked, cubed chicken meat (** see below)

**For the meat, I boiled chicken breasts until done, then cut/shredded them and sauteed chicken in taco seasoning and 1/3 cup water on med-high until water absorbed.

Directions
1 Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
2 Heat oil in a medium skillet over medium heat; saute
onion and bell pepper until tender.
Remove from heat and stir chicken into skillet, then add soup
and milk and mix well. (I added a can of black beans here, drained/rinsed)
3 Spread 1 cup rice in the bottom of a lightly greased
9x13 inch baking dish, then layer with chicken mixture,
remaining 1 cup rice and top with cheese. (I added cheese in last 10 minutes)
4 Bake at 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) for about 30
minutes, or until heated through and cheese is melted. Serve
with heated flour tortillas, fajita style.

The great thing about this was the versatility (and taste of course!). The kids ate it as a casserole, DH ate it in flour tortillas, and I ate it in a bowl with corn tortilla chips, like chili! We served with sour cream and salsa of course! Let me know how it turns out- it really was easy- the chicken was the longest part and I did extra to make the meat flavorful!

-Steph