Chicken and Dumplings

This is one of my all time favorite comfort foods. One that's perfect for warming you up on a cold winter day! It's easy to make- just takes a little bit of time- but is so worth the effort!

3-4 large chicken breasts
2 t salt
1/2 t pepper
2 cups flour
1/2 t baking soda
1/2 t salt
3 T shortening
3/4 cup buttermilk


Place chicken in a Dutch oven. Add water and 2 teaspoons salt. Bring to a boil. Cover, reduce the heat, and simmer for 1 hour or until tender and almost falls off the bone. Remove the chicken from the broth and cool being sure to reserve broth. Bone the chicken and cut meat into bite-sized pieces. Bring the broth to a boil and add pepper. Combine the flour, baking soda, and salt in large bowl. Cut in the shortening. Add the buttermilk, stirring with a fork just until moistened. Knead the dough 4 to 5 times and roll out flat on floured surface. Cut dough into small rectangular pieces using a butter knife and drop into boiling broth (or simply pinch off small pieces for less uniform dumplings). Reduce the heat to medium-low, and cook for about 30 minutes, stirring often but gently. Stir in the chicken and serve.

Mexican Chicken

This is an easy and yummy Weight Watchers recipe that is a good dinner served with Spanish rice and a salad.


1 package taco seasoning
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 cup salsa
1/4 cup fat free sour cream


Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place chicken breasts and taco seasoning in a seal able plastic bag; shake to coat well. Spray casserole dish with cooking spray. Place chicken in casserole dish. Bake 30 minutes. Top with salsa about 5 minutes before breasts are done. Top with sour cream before serving. One serving is 4 points.

Oriental Pepper Steak

This is a fabulous WW dinner recipe that is healthy, tasty, and can be thrown together very quickly!


1 t cooking oil
1 pound flank steak trimmed and cut into strips
1 onion, sliced
1 green bell pepper, sliced
½ yellow bell pepper, sliced
½ orange bell pepper, sliced
2 T reduced sodium soy sauce
1 ½ T cornstarch
1 ¾ cup beef broth

Heat a large nonstick skillet or wok over high heat until a drop of water sizzles. Add the oil, swirl to coat the pan, then add the steak. Stir-fry until lightly browned, about 4 minutes. Transfer to a bowl. Add the onion and bell peppers to the skillet. Reduce the heat and cook, covered until the veggies are softened, about 6 minutes. Uncover and stir-fry until the veggies are browned, about 4 minutes. Meanwhile, whisk together the soy sauce and cornstarch in a medium bowl until smooth; whisk in the broth. Return the steak to the skillet, along with the soy sauce mixture. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce boils and thickens- about 3 minutes. Serve with brown rice.

TIP OF THE DAY: To save even more time, buy stir- fry frozen onions and bell peppers.

Rosemary Parmesan Chicken

This recipe was in the Real Simple magazine this month (my favorite magazine) and we had it for dinner the other night. It was super quick and YUMMY! So yummy that even my chicken hating husband loved it!

12 ounces (3 cups) pasta (any type)
3 1/2- to 4-pound rotisserie chicken
2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
3/4 cup grated Parmesan
salt and pepper

Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Shred the chicken, using a fork or your fingers, while the pasta cooks. Discard the skin and bones. Drain the pasta, reserving 1 1/4 cups of the water. Return the pasta to the pot. Add the reserved pasta water, chicken, rosemary, 1/2 cup of the Parmesan, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper to the pot. Stir over medium-low heat until the sauce has thickened slightly, about 2 minutes. Divide among individual bowls and sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan.

Pasta Carbonara

4 eggs
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1/4 cup cream
1 lb fettuccine or spaghetti
1 large package sliced turkey pepperoni
1 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
1/4 cup snipped fresh parsley


Let eggs, butter or margarine, and cream stand at room temperature for 2-3 hours. Beat together eggs and cream just until blended. Add pasta to a large amount of boiling, salted water. Cook 10-12 minutes or until tender, but firm. Drain well. Heat an ovenproof serving dish in a 250 degree oven. Turn pasta into heated serving dish. Toss with butter mixture and pepperoni. Add cheese and parsley; toss to mix.



Tomorrow's Daily Special: Pear Cheesecake

Easy Stromboli

1 can Pilsbury pizza crust
1/4 cup pizza sauce (or tomato sauce with garlic and oregano)
1/2 lb thinly sliced ham
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup chopped green and/or red pepper
1/4 t dried Italian seasoning



Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Unroll dough and place on cookie sheet sprayed with cooking spray. Press dough into 12 x 18 inch rectangle. Spread sauce on dough to within 2 inches of long sides and 1/2 inch of short sides. Top with ham, cheese, peppers and Italian seasoning. Fold long sides of dough over filling; pinch to seal. Pinch short sides to seal. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown.



TIP OF THE DAY: Substitue pepperoni for the ham for a more Italian flavor.



Tomorrow's Daily Special: Peanutty Chocolate Truffles

Ham and Noodle Casserole

This is a great main dish that can be made to use up any left over ham you have.

8 ounces noodles, cooked and drained
3 T butter
3 T flour
1 T prepared mustard*
1 ½ cups milk
2 cups cooked ham, diced
salt and pepper, to taste
1 T butter
½ cup bread crumbs

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine the butter, flour and mustard in a saucepan. Add milk gradually, stirring constantly. Cook until thick. Slowly add the ham, salt, and pepper till well combined. Stir in noodles. Spray a 2 quart baking dish with cooking spray and pour into dish. Sprinkle with bread crumbs and dot with butter over the top. Bake for 30 to 45 minutes.

*Edited to add: If, like my sweet sister, you don't like mustard, you can either leave it out or add a tiny bit of horseradish for flavor.

Tomorrow's Daily Special: Crock Pot Minestrone

Mom's Pizza

My mom used to make this pizza and we always thought it was a 1,000 times better than any delivery pizza.


Crust:
1 package dry yeast
1 cup warm water
2 1/2 cups flour
2 T oil
1 t sugar
1 t salt


Sauce:
1 6 ounce can tomato paste
1 t Italian seasoning
1 t onion powder
1/2 t garlic powder
1 8 ounce can of tomato sauce


Dissolve yeast in warm water. Stir in flour, oil, sugar, and salt. Beat about 25 strokes. Cover and let rest about 5 minutes. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Divide dough. Pat thinly onto 2 well greased pizza pans.


Mix all sauce ingredients well. Cover pizza dough with sauce and then add your favorite toppings and cheese. Bake for 15-20 minutes.


*For crisp crust, bake 8 to 10 minutes before adding sauce and toppings, then bake 10 more minutes.


TIP OF THE DAY: When working with sticky dough like this, grease your hands with a little cooking oil before starting to work with the dough.



Tomorrow's Daily Special: Blueberry Amaretto Squares

Mushroom Chicken with Peppercorn Sauce

4 medium boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 t oil
3 cups sliced fresh mushrooms
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 t dried green peppercorns
1 cup low salt chicken broth
1/2 cup evaporated skim milk
3 t flour
2 cups cooked small pasta


Rinse chicken and pat dry. Spray large skillet with cooking spray. Cook 10 minutes turning to brown. Remove and add oil, onions, mushrooms, and peppercorns. Cook 4-5 minutes. Stir in broth and add chicken. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Remove chicken. Add milk and flour and stir well. Cook till bubbly- stirring often. Return chicken and heat till warmed. Serve over pasta.


Tomorrow's Daily Special: Mom's Pizza

Mojo Pork Roast

Our family loves pork and I'm always on the lookout for new recipes using it. I found this recently in my mother's recipe box and it is fabulous!

1 lb. boneless pork loin- trimmed
1/3 cup orange juice
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1 t sugar
1 t dried oregano, crushed
3 cloves garlic, minced


Place pork in plastic bag in shallow dish. Combine juices, sugar, garlic and oregano. Pour over pork. Seal bag and refrigerate over night- turning several times. Drain marinade and place roast on rack in shallow pan. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake at 350 degrees for 60 minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes before slicing.


Tomorrow's Daily Special: Mushroom Chicken with Peppercorn Sauce

Creamy Tacos

This is a recipe from my Aunt Tootsie. She used to make these tacos whenever she had a large crowd at her house and they were yummy!


1 lb hamburger meat
1 small onion, diced
1 lb brick chili
2 cans Ranch Style Beans (my aunt's recipe called for El Rancho Beans but I can't find them here so I substituted regular ranch style beans)
1 can Rotel tomatoes
1 lb Velveeta cheese, cubed
Frito's


Brown and drain hamburger meat and onion. Add chili, beans, and tomatoes and mix well. Add cheese and stir till cheese melts. Serve over Frito's.


Tomorrow's Daily Special: Toffee Treasure Cake

Italian Style Meatloaf

This is a great alternative to your typical meatloaf recipe!


1 cup of your favorite marinara sauce, divided
1/2 cup Italian-seasoned breadcrumbs
2 ounces fresh grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup diced onion
1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 t garlic powder
1/2 t dried basil
1/2 t dried oregano
1/2 t salt
1/4 t black pepper
1 large egg
1 1/2 pounds ground beef or chicken
1/2 cup mozzarella cheese


Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl bowl, whisk together 1/2 cup marinara sauce, breadcrumbs, Parmesan, onion, parsley, garlic powder, dried basil, oregano, salt, pepper and egg. Add ground beef and gently mix just until combined. Spray a loaf pan with cooking spray. Press mixture into loaf pan. Brush the remaining 1/2 cup sauce over top of meat loaf. Bake for roughly 60 to 70 minutes. Remove from the oven, sprinkle with mozzarella cheese and let sit for 10 minutes before slicing.


TIP OF THE DAY: To cut down considerably on cooking time, make this meatloaf in muffin tins sprayed with cooking spray. Cooking time will be only about 20-25 minutes.


Tomorrow's Daily Special: Slow Cooker Tex Mex Chicken

Baked Rigatoni

This is great alternative to the traditional lasagna and spaghetti. An easy and quick weeknight dinner you can have on the table in less than an hour!

1 lb lean ground beef
1 lb mild Italian sausage
1 cup onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 jar (32 ounces) meatless spaghetti sauce
1 cup chicken broth
1 t dried oregano
1 t garlic powder
1 t minced onion
1 t basil
1 (16 ounce) package rigatoni, cooked and drained
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In large skillet cook ground beef, sausage, onion, and garlic until meat is browned; stirring frequently. Stir in spaghetti sauce, chicken broth, and spices. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Stir 1 cup of the sauce into the cooked rigatoni noodles. Spray a 9 x 13 pan with cooking spray. Layer 1/2 of the rigatoni mixture into the pan. Sprinkle with 1 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese and 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese. Top with 2 cups sauce, then remaining rigatoni mixture and remaining sauce. Cover and bake for 20 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Return to oven and bake for 10 minutes more.

Tomorrow's Daily Special: Sugar Free Peanut Butter Cookies

Turkey and Rice

This is a great way to use up leftover Christmas turkey!


2 cans cream of mushroom soup
3 cups water
3 cups converted long-grain white rice (uncooked)
1 cup thinly sliced celery
2 to 3 cups diced cooked turkey
2 cups frozen mixed vegetables (peas & carrots, etc.)
1 t poultry seasoning
1 T dried minced onion


Combine soup and water in crock pot. Add remaining ingredients and mix well. Cover and cook 6 to 7 hours on low or about 3 to 3 1/2 hours on high, until rice is tender but not mushy.

Tomorrow's Daily Special: 1, 2, 3 Cookies

Greek Pasta Shrimp

This is a quick and easy dinner to make if you like shrimp. The oregano, tarragon, and feta cheese are a great combination. It’s also a healthy dinner which is so great this time of year- with all of the fabulous holiday treats around!

12 shrimp
1 t oregano
½ t tarragon
2 t olive oil
2 cloves garlic
1 cup chopped, diced tomatoes
1 ½ ounce feta cheese
Fettuccine – cooked and drained

Shell and devein shrimp. In large non stick skillet, heat olive oil. Add garlic and sauté till tender. Add shrimp, tomatoes, oregano, and tarragon. Sauté 5-6 minutes stirring till shrimp is pink and opaque. Remove skillet from heat. Stir in feta and spoon over pasta.

TIP OF THE DAY: If you don’t have fresh tomatoes on hand, you can use canned petite diced tomatoes instead.

Tomorrow’s Daily Special: Homemade Cocoa Mix

Taco Casserole

This is quick weeknight meal that is yummy on a warm fall night!


1 lb ground beef or chicken
1/2 onion, diced
salt, to taste
pepper, to taste
1 packet low sodium taco seasoning
3/4 cup water
1 can pinto beans
1 small package whole wheat penne pasta, cooked and drained
1 cup 2% shredded cheddar cheese


Brown onion and ground beef in large saucepan after seasoning with salt and pepper. Add taco seasoning and 3/4 cup water. Bring to a low boil over medium heat. Add beans and simmer for about 5 minutes. Turn down heat to low and add drained pasta and cheese. Stir well and serve!



TIP OF THE DAY: This can be a super quick dinner if you cook your ground beef or chicken ahead of time. If I know that I am going to cook two different things in a week that require ground beef, I'll brown it all at once. I did that on this past Sunday when we had lasagna, and then was able to get this dinner made in a jiffy!



Tomorrow's Daily Special: Gingerbread Pumpkin Bars

Kindergarten Texas Chili

When I first started teaching I was teaching kindergarten in Waco. Each spring we had a TEXAS unit where we taught the kids about all things TEXAS. It was a week full of bluebonnets, yellow roses and mockingbirds. Of course no TEXAS week would be complete without a chili cook off so of course we had one- between the kindergarten classes! It was a hoot- the teachers really got into it, typed up lists of ingredients, and the kids brought them in. I taught with some highly competitive, experienced teachers so of course I was motivated to beat them, and did with the recipe below!


1 lb lean ground beef
1 large onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, diced
1 small can tomato paste
1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce
1 (15 ounce) can diced tomatoes (I love the petite diced)
1 t cumin
1 t paprika
2 t chili powder
1 t oregano
1 t salt
1/2 t red pepper
1 t pepper
1 can hot chili beans
Frito's
shredded cheddar cheese


Brown meat, onions, and garlic in large cooking pot. Add remaining ingredients and simmer for 2 hours. Serve over Frito's and top with cheese.


TIP OF THE DAY: If you like thicker chili, omit the can of tomato sauce. If you are in a pinch, instead of all of the seasonings, use a chili mix packet.


Tomorrow's Daily Special: Breakfast Pizza

Jeanie's Hamburger Casserole

Growing up we had some fabulous neighbors that lived across the street- Reagan and Jeanie. Jeanie made this casserole for us one time and it turned into a family favorite. I think of her every time I make this super simple but yummy recipe!

1 lb ground beef, turkey, or chicken
1/2 cup onion, chopped
1 (8 ounce) package noodles
1 (16 ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 can corn (optional)
1 (10 ounce) can condensed tomato soup
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
1 t salt
1 t pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt


Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Brown onions and meat. Season meat mixture with salt, pepper and garlic salt. Boil the noodles in water for 6 minutes and drain. Drain corn. Mix all ingredients and turn into a two-quart greased casserole dish. Bake 30 minutes.

Tomorrow's Daily Special: Strawberry and Cream Cupcakes

Lemon Lime Salmon

I absolutely ADORE salmon! It's so easy to prepare, so good for you, and so yummy! This is my favorite way to prepare it. When Kroger puts salmon steaks on sale, you can guarantee this is on our table!


olive oil
1 small lemon
1 small lime
4 salmon steaks
lemon pepper
garlic salt


Preheat oven to low broil. Spray broiling pan with cooking spray. Brush tops of salmon steaks with olive oil. Drizzle with lemon and lime juice. Sprinkle with lemon pepper and garlic salt. Carefully flip steaks over and repeat process. Place in oven and broil on low for approximately 10 minutes- flipping after 5 minutes. The salmon should be flaky inside. Watch the salmon carefully so that it does not over cook. I usually leave the oven door cracked a bit and the light on so I can see it.


TIP OF THE DAY: Fish should NOT smell super fishy. I cook all fish within 24 hours of purchasing it just to be on the safe side.


Tomorrow's Daily Special: Rosemary Potatoes

Mini Meatloaves

Madison and Tony absolutely LOVE meatloaf so I make it fairly often. Although it's easy to make- it used to drive me crazy that it took so long to bake. So one day I decided to make it in a muffin tin instead of a loaf pan to cut down on the cooking time. It worked fabulously and in less than 30 minutes I had dinner on the table!


1 lb lean ground beef or chicken
1/2 cup diced onion
1/2 cup herbed bread crumbs
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 egg
1 can (15.25 oz ) Hunt's Family Favorites Seasoned Tomato Sauce for Meatloaf
1 T brown sugar
1 t oregano
salt, to taste
pepper, to taste


Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray 12 cup muffin tin with cooking spray. In large bowl mix ground beef, onion, bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, egg, 1/2 can tomato sauce, brown sugar, oregano, salt and pepper with hands. Form into large balls and place one in each muffin tin cup. Press down till flat. Spread remaining tomato sauce on top of each mini meatloaf. Bake at 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes. Serve on top of brown rice for a yummy, quick dinner!


TIP OF THE DAY: You can adapt your favorite meatloaf recipe to be made into mini meatloaves. Just cut the cooking time by 2/3 and check to make sure the center of each one is cooked all the way through.


Tomorrow's Daily Special: Lemon-lime Salmon