Poppy Seed Chicken

I just tried this last night. Definitely a keeper! 

recipe found via blog and pinterest

5 cups chicken breasts, cooked and cubed (4 or 5 chicken breasts)

1 cup sour cream (I used fat free)

2 cans condensed cream of chicken soup

2 cups crushed Ritz crackers (about 1 1/2 rolls of crackers)

1/2 cup melted butter

1 T poppy seeds

Additional Ingredients to make it fancy:

1 tsp Worchestire sauce

1 tsp celery salt

1 tsp minced garlic

1 T lemon juice

1/4 tsp pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Boil raw chicken breasts with salt and pepper until done. I like to boil it with half an onion cut into large chunks to give it more flavor. Let chicken cool slightly and cut into one inch cubes. Place cubed chicken in a 9x13 casserole dish.

Stir together the condensed soup and sour cream. If you wish to add the additional flavorings stir in the worchestire, celery salt, garlic, lemon juice, and pepper to the soup and sour cream mixture. Pour over the chicken.

In a separate bowl, stir together the crushed crackers, poppy seeds and melted butter. Sprinkle over the chicken and sauce.

Bake for 30 minutes in the preheated oven, until the top of the casserole is browned and the sauce is bubbly. Serve plain or over rice or with mashed potatoes. 

Best Chocolate Chip Cookies Ever!

If you know me, I LOVE cookies....well the cookie dough mainly. This is a recipe a friend just gave me. It was the BEST one I have tried yet. It tastes like something from a bakery. I just made it for our Vegas Ragnar trip (for a little sugar high) and everyone gobbled them up!

2 c. Crisco (this is probably why it tastes so good)

1 1/2 c sugar

1 1/2 c brown sugar

4 eggs

2 tsp vanilla (I like the pure vanilla extract)

Mix and add:

3 tsp baking soda

2 tsp salt

4 1/2 c flour

Bake at 350 for 7-9 minutes.

Delish!!!

Hot Spinach Dip

I found this recipe via Pinterest. It came from THIS website. This recipe is for a healthier spinach dip and is so so good and super easy! Enjoy!!

• 10 oz frozen chopped spinach, thawed and excess liquid squeezed out
• 1/2 cup light sour cream
• 5 tbsp light mayonnaise
• 1/3 cup Parmigiano Reggiano (I used grated Parmesan & Ramano blend and it turned out yummy!)
• 1/4 cup scallion, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• 1 cup (4 oz) shredded part skim mozzarella cheese
• fresh pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 375°.

Combine all the ingredients in a medium bowl. Place in an oven-proof dish and bake at 375° for 20-25 minutes, until hot and cheese is melted. Serve right away.

Can be made one day in advance and stored in the refrigerator before baking. Makes about 2 1/2 cups.

Mandarin Pasta Salad

A lady Steve works with made this for a boating activity this summer and I have been begging her for the recipe because it was so yummy! She gave it to me yesterday so here it is.... It can be eaten for a complete meal too!

Dressing:

1 tsp finely chopped ginger

1 pressed garlic clove

1/3 c rice vinegar

1/4 c orange juice

1/4 vegetable oil

1 tsp sesame oil

1 envelope onion soup mix

2 tsp sugar

Salad:

8 oz uncooked bow tie pasta

1/2 c cut cucumbers

1/2 c diced red bell pepper

1/2 c diced red onion

1- 16 oz package spinach leaves

1 can mandarin oranges drained

2 c diced cooked chicken

1/2 c sliced almonds toasted

Mix dressing and refrigerate.

Cook pasta. Toss with the rest if salad items. Before serving toss with dressing. Serve immediately.

Fish Tacos

I LOVE fish tacos! They are my favorite, especially if they're done right. This recipe is so delish I just had to share! Enjoy!!!

Ingredients:

Cream sauce:

1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

3 tablespoons fat-free mayonnaise

3 tablespoons fat-free sour cream

1 teaspoon grated lime rind

1 1/2 teaspoons fresh lime juice

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 garlic clove, minced

Tacos:

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1/2 teaspoon paprika

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

1 1/2 pounds red snapper fillets (I used salmon because that's all we had and it was good!)

cooking spray

8 (6-inch) corn tortillas

2 cups shredded cabbage

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees (I did 350 because that's what the directions said for the salmon on the package. Do according to the type of fish you're cooking). 

To prepare cream sauce, combine the first 8 ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.

To prepare tacos, combine cumin, coriander, paprika, salt, and garlic powder in a small bowl. Sprinkle spice mixture evenly over both sides of fish. Place fish on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Back for 9 minutes or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork or until desired degree of doneness (I did 20 minutes with my salmon).  When fish is cooked, place fish in a bowl and break into pieces with a fork. Heat tortillas according to package directions. Divide fish evenly among tortillas. Top each with cabbage and cream sauce. 

Protein Crepes

EASY!! I found this on the Internet as I was searching for good protein recipes. I decided to give it a whirl and its probably one of my favorites.

This is it.......3-4 egg whites, 1 tbsp water, and a scoop of protein powder (I have tried both chocolate and vanilla and both are great)!

Whisk it together and pour into a frying pan sprayed with Pam. Cook until solid enough to flip it and cook the other side. I like to spray butter and drizzle sugar-free syrup and roll it up. You could do jam, fruit, or whatever you like in your crepes.

Homemade Hummus

This recipe is from Key Arena in Seattle. It's the hummus they make there and is so good and super easy!

- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 (19 oz) can garbanzo beans, half the liquid reserved
- 4 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons tahini paste*
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- garlic salt to taste

Blend all ingredients together in a blender. I had to add a little water because my blender was having a hard time blending all of it together and it turned out fine.

Use hummus as a dip for crackers, chips, veggies, and more!!

* We found the tahini paste at Fred Meyer by the organic/ natural foods like nut butters, almond butters, etc.  It comes in a container like peanut butter.