Crockpot Cheesy Tortellini

Ingredients:

1 lb. of roll sausage
1 clove garlic
1/4 tsp. oregano
1/4 tsp. dried basil
1 small bag of fresh spinach
2 cans of italian style diced tomatoes
1 box or 4 cups or chicken broth
1 block of cream cheese (1/3 low fat works)
1 bag of frozen tortellini

Brown the sausage and garlic. Drain. Put all ingredients in crockpot chunking up the cream cheese.  I put tortellini's on top so they don't over cook. Cook on low for 3-4 hrs. Serve with italian bread (bruchetta if you're ambitious). Yum! Serves 5-6

Protein power balls

Okay, these are so yummy and the perfect little snack to grab during crazy busy days, which I'm pretty sure all of us have crazy busy days EVERY day!

In a big bowl, combine:

1 C dried old fash oats
1/2 C peanut butter - Jif Natural is a good one (organic isn't sticky enough)
1/2 C almond butter
1/3 C Agave (I use Blue Organic)
2 T Honey
1 C coconut flakes (I use unsweetened organic)
3/4 C flaxseed (ground or seed - I do half and half)
1/4 C Chai seeds
1/4 - 1/2 C mini choco chips (I use sweetened organic)
1 tsp vanilla
2 scoops of protien powder (I use Elite chocolate or vanilla)
Optional: dried berries or nuts (I use dried blueberries)

Mix everything well together in a bowl. Refridgerate for 30-40 min. Once chilled, roll into whatever size balls you want, and store in fridge in airtight container. YUMMY and HEALTHY!

Saute`d Mushrooms

A simple but yummy recipe for mushrooms!  Even my picky eaters like these.  Perfect for steak or just as a side dish.

INGREDIENTS:

2 Tbsp. butter

1/2 Tbsp. Olive Oil

1/2 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar

1 clove garlic, minced

1/8 tsp. dried oregano

1 Lb. Button mushrooms, sliced

DIRECTIONS:

Melt butter and oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Stir in balsamic vinegar, garlic, oregano, and mushrooms.  Saute for 20-30 minutes, or until tender.

Brown Sugar Pound Cake

This Makes TWO 8×4-inch loaves
(The caramel frosting itself, is divine!  My hubby was trying really hard to eat it by the spoonful)

You can make this cake in one 9 or 10-inch bundt pan, but I love the idea of having two cakes out of one recipe.  I served one cake the day I made it and wrapped and froze the other one.  The cake should be frozen unglazed, so if you do this, be sure to cut the glaze recipe in half.

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp. baking powder

½ tsp. salt

1½ cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature

3 cups firmly packed dark brown sugar

5 large eggs, at room temperature

1 cup whole milk

1 tsp. vanilla

Preheat oven to 325ºF.  Butter and flour two 8×4-inch loaf pans, knocking out excess flour.  Mix the flour, baking powder, and salt together in a bowl.  Set aside.

Beat the butter in the bowl of an electric mixer on medium speed for 3 minutes, until whipped looking.  Slowly add the sugar and beat for another 3 minutes, increasing the speed to medium-high.  The mixture should look very light and fluffy.  Add the eggs one at a time, beat well after each one.  Scrape down the sides of the bowl and beat again.

Combine the milk with the vanilla.  Add the flour in 3 portions alternately with the milk, beginning and ending with the flour.  Fold the last flour addition in by hand with a rubber spatula.  Turn the batter into the prepared pans.  Bake for 1 to 1½ hours, checking after 55 minutes and every 5 to 10 minutes thereafter, until a toothpick inserted near the center of the cake comes out with just moist crumbs attached.  If the cake is very brown after 55 minutes but not yet fully baked, cover the top with a sheet of aluminum foil.  When done, the cake will be springy to the touch and pulling away from the sides of the pan.  Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely before glazing.

Brown Sugar Glaze

Remember, this amount will glaze both cakes.  If you are only glazing one, cut the recipe in half.

½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter

½ cup firmly packed ligbrown sugar

¼ cup whole milk

¼ tsp. salt

1 tsp. vanilla

1 to 1½ cups confectioners’ sugar

Melt the butter in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over low heat, then add the brown sugar and raise the heat to medium.  Boil, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes.  Add the milk and return to a boil, stirring constantly.  Remove from heat and stir in the salt and vanilla.  Let cool for 10 minutes.

Sift 1 cup of the confectioners’ sugar over the mixture, stirring with a whisk until smooth.  If the glaze is thick enough for your liking, you can stop there.  If not, sift the additional ½ cup sugar in.  Place the cake (still on the wire rack) over a wax paper lined baking sheet.  Pour the glaze over the cooled cake and allow it to drip down the sides.  Allow the glaze to set completely before slicing and serving.  Wrapped carefully, this cake will keep for several days at room temperature.  If you happen to have some homemade caramel sauce on hand, it is amazing poured over top.

Coconut crusted chicken w/ orange dipping sauce

I am such a saucy girl! I love a sauce with a side of entree! :) This was SO easy and so tasty!

Ingredients for 6 chicken breasts:

1 egg
1.5 C sweetened coconut flakes
3/4 C flour
3/4 tsp garlic powder
3/4 tsp salt
a little less than 1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 C melted butter
3/4-1 C orange marmalade
3-4 Tbs Dijon mustard

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Beat egg in medium bowl; set aside. Mix the coconut, flour, garlic powder, salt and peeper in a shallow bowl. Working with one chicken breast at a time, dip the chicken in the bowl with the beaten egg and then coat with the coconut mixture.

Place on the baking sheet. Once all the chicken breasts are coated and on the baking sheet, evenly drizzle with the melted butter. Bake for 30 minutes, or until cooked through.

Prepare the orange sauce by combining the marmalade and the mustard together. Serve with rice or quinoa.

GRANDMA'S EASY CHICKEN POT PIE

Ingredients:
1 2/3 C. frozen mixed vegetables
1 C. cut up chicken (or canned)
1 can cream of chicken soup
milk or broth
garlic powder, poultry seasoning, rosemary to taste

1 C. baking mix (like Bisquick)
1/2 C. milk
1 egg

Directions:
Heat oven to 400*. Mix veggies, chicken, soup and seasonings of choice in an ungreased pie pan or baking dish. Add a bit of milk or broth to thin it to the consistency of a thick chowder. Mix remaining ingredients in a bowl and pour over the top. Bake 30 minutes until golden brown. Serves 5-6.
This is a super easy dish and takes about 40 minutes to make and bake. You can substitue whatever veggies you might want to use from the fridge, but chop and saute' for 5-10 minutes. This is a good "whatever you have on hand" recipe.
Linda Hicks

Easy Fried Ice Cream

Ingredients

• Container Vanilla Ice cream (I am using 48 oz size)
• 3 Cups Honey bunches of Oats Cereal or a mix of this and corn flakes
• 3 Tablespoons butter
• 3 Tablespoons sugar
• 1 Tablespoons cinnamon

Instructions

1. Scoop frozen ice cream (abt tennis ball size) out onto waxed paper lined baking sheets and place in freezer for at least an hour, or until hardened.
2. During that time, place cereal in gallon zipper bag and crush. Melt butter in microwave and stir in sugar and cinnamon, pour into bag with cereal and seal. Knead with hands until well mixed. Pour out onto lined baking sheet and place in oven at 350 just until toasted, about five minutes. Keep close watch as cereal will burn easily.
3. Remove from oven and allow to cool. Roll hardened ice cream balls in mixture, pressing lightly as you do so. Place coated ice cream in 9x13 dish and return to freezer or serve immediately.
4. For serving, drizzle with chocolate syrup and caramel sauce and top with whipped cream and a cherry.
5. Yields about ten scoops of ice cream.