Beefy Macaroni and Cheese

here are a few recipes i've made this week. more to come! enjoy!

Makes about 4 servings Ingredients: kosher salt 8 oz medium pasta shells 3 T unsalted butter 1 small onion, chopped 1 T tomato paste 1 T chili powder 8 oz ground beef 2 T all-purpose flour 1 C low-fat milk (1%) - I used skim, worked fine 2 1/2 C shredded Mexican cheese blend (8 oz) 2 T panko breadcrumbs 2 scallions, thinly sliced (i usually omit these :) Method: 1. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente. Reserve 3/4 cup of the cooking water, then drain the pasta. 2. Meanwhile, melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring, until soft, about 5 minutes. 3. Add tomato paste and chili powder and stir until brick red, about 2 minutes. Add the beef and cook, stirring, until browned, 4 minutes. Stir in 1/2 teaspoon salt. Spread mixture in a 3-quart baking dish. Preheat the broiler. 4. Melt remaining 2 tablespoons of butter in a pot over medium heat. Add the flour and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add the milk and reserved cooking water, bring to a simmer and cook, whisking, until thick, 2 minutes. 5. Add 2 cups cheese, the cooked pasta, and 3/4 teaspoon salt and stir until the cheese melts. Spread over the beef mixture. 6. Mix the remaining 1/2 cup cheese and panko. Sprinkle over the pasta mixture and broil until golden. Top with scallions.

Southwestern Chicken and Corn Chowder

Ingredients: 1 T EVOO 1 onion, chopped 2 carrots, peeled and chopped 2 celery stalks, chopped 3 garlic cloves, minced 1/2 poblano pepper, seeds, membrane, and end removed, chopped 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed and cubed 6 pieces bacon, cooked to a crisp and crumbled 2 C milk 2 T flour 2 15oz cans creamed corn 1 15oz can black beans, drained and rinsed 1/2 t dried thyme 1 t cajun seasoning - add more to taste salt and pepper to taste Method: 1. Drizzle olive oil in the bottom of a large soup pot. Heat over medium. 2. Add onion, carrots, celery, poblano, and garlic. Cover pot with lid and cook for about 5 minutes. 3. Add raw chicken to vegetables. Add enough water to slightly cover all ingredients. Cover pot with lid and cook for about 20 minutes until chicken is done. 4. Add cans of creamed corn, and black beans. 5. Combine milk and flour in a measuring cup, stir well. Pour into chowder. 6. Add thyme and cajun seasoning. Salt and pepper like crazy. 7. Sprinkle soup with bacon, cover soup with lid, and simmer about 20 minutes.

Easy Mini Cinnamon Rolls

Rolls: One package of Pillsbury Crescent Rolls 1/4 C brown sugar 2 T unsalted butter, softened 1/8 C mini chocolate chips 2 T cinnamon Drizzle: 1 t maple syrup 3/4 C powdered sugar 1 T skim milk Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Pop open your crescent roll package, lay them out together in a flat square, pinching together the seams so it's all one rectangular piece. Spread on your butter, then add as much brown sugar, cinnamon, and mini chocolate chips as you want. The ingredient measurements above are just to my taste, and what I used. So it's totally up to you. Roll it all up in a log - rolling from the small side of the rectangle. Spray your mini muffin tin. Slice the cinnamon roll log into about 1/2 inch slices and carefully put each cinnamon roll in each muffin cup. Pop 'em in the oven. Mine were ready at about 10 minutes. While your cinnamon rolls are in the oven, make your drizzle. Mix powdered sugar, maple syrup, and skim milk together in a small bowl until white pieces are broken down. Drizzle over your warm rolls.

Cake Batter Chocolate Chip Cookies

SO easy!!

After making these, I don't know how easy it will be to go back to the giant list of ingredients for such a simple chocolate cookie anymore:)


1 (18.25 oz.) box cake mix (I used yellow - Super Moist Betty Crocker)
1 tsp. baking powder
2 eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips


Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl, stir together the cake mix and baking powder. Add eggs and oil, then mix until well blended. Stir in chocolate chips, or your choice of additions. Drop by rounded spoonfuls onto cookie sheets. Bake for 10 minutes in the preheated oven. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheets for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Chicken Tacos

I'm a huge taco fan!!!

1 T EVOO (Extra Virgin Olive Oil)
1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into small cubes
1/2 large onion, chopped
1 cup tomato puree
1 large clove garlic, minced
2 t chili powder
1 t ground cumin
salt & pepper
8 jumbo corn taco shells

Toppings:
shredded cheese
diced avocado
diced tomato
chopped scallion
shredded lettuce

Heat a big skillet over medium heat, add EVOO, and brown chicken. Add onion and garlic and cook another couple of minutes to soften onion. Dump in tomato puree, chili powder, cumin, salt and pepper. Bring to a bubble, reduce heat to low, and simmer for about 20 minutes. Scoop filling into shells and have everyone add toppings at the table.

Crock Pot Beef Carnitas Tacos

My Mom made these tacos and I fell in love. So yummy!!! Had Quinn and Leesa over for dinner this week and I made them!

So easy!!!! Throw it all in the crock pot for 8 hours!

I took these pics off line cause we dug in and I forgot to take a pic :)

serves 6-8
Ingredients:
2 lbs flank steak
1 yellow onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 jalapeno, seeded and chopped
for spice rub—
2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
for serving—
corn tortillas
avocado slices
cilantro
your favorite salsa
limes
Directions:
Mix together all spices in a small bowl. Rub the spices all over your flank steak—be generous here! Then, place your steak at the bottom of your crock pot.
Cover the steak with the chopped onions, bell peppers and jalapeno pepper. Turn heat on LOW and cook for 8 hours.
After 8 hours, remove meat from crock pot and shred with a fork. It should be incredibly easy to shred. You can either stick the shredded meat back in the pot for another hour or serve as is.
To serve, heat your corn tortillas in a skillet on the stove. Spoon some carnitas on a tortilla then top with salsa, avocado, cilantro and a squeeze of lime.
*I left out cilantro and also added lettece, tomato, and cheese

Baked Spaghetti

This is a perfect fall meal. It makes a ton, but it's great as leftovers! You could also just halve the recipe and make it in an 8x8 pan. From Taste of Home

These are the alterations I do:

1-1/2-2 jars of meatless spaghetti sauce

low fat cottage cheese

Ingredients 

• 1 package (16 ounces) spaghetti
• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 jar (24 ounces) meatless spaghetti sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt
• 2 eggs
• 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 5 tablespoons butter, melted
• 2 cups (16 ounces) 4% cottage cheese
• 4 cups (16 ounces) part-skim shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions

• Cook spaghetti according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook beef and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Stir in spaghetti sauce and seasoned salt; set aside.
• In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, Parmesan cheese and butter. Drain spaghetti; add to egg mixture and toss to coat.
• Place half of the spaghetti mixture in a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish. Top with half of the cottage cheese, meat sauce and mozzarella cheese. Repeat layers.
• Cover and bake at 350° for 40 minutes. Uncover; bake 20-25 minutes longer or until cheese is melted. Yield: 10 servings.