Cod en Papillote aka Fish in a Bag

Prep time about 20 min and cook time 20 min.
Serves 4

INGREDIENTS:

Parchment paper
1 bulb fennel, cored and thinly sliced (may be labeled sweet anise)
1 large onion, thinly sliced
1 Green Bell chopped or thinly sliced
4 large cloves garlic, chopped (I use the minced cloves from a jar)
1/2 cup good quality black and green olives, pitted and chopped (the quality here makes a big difference I get a variety of different black and green from our olive bar at the store)
2 pounds cod fillets, cut into 4 portions (get thick pieces from the center cuts rather than tail-end pieces)
Pepper
Tony Chachere's (I use the salt free). Or Salt but I don't use salt.
1/4 cup flat leaf parsley (a generous handful), chopped (Make sure it is flat head!)
Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO), for generous drizzling
2-3 lemons
Crusty bread for soaking up the juices :)

We skipped the bread and went with a rice and side of almond green beans.

PREPARATION:
Pre-heat the oven to 400°F.
Rip off four sheets of parchment paper, each a little over a foot long. Make layered stacks, dividing the fennel, onion, garlic, olives and cod among the parchment pieces, working in the center of each piece of paper. Season the cod with salt and Tony Chachere's and top with parsley. Squeeze a bit of lemon juice on each and then drizzle EVOO liberally over the fish portions. Fold the top and bottom edges together and crease several times, then crease up the ends of the packets. Arrange the packets on the baking sheet and place in the center of the hot oven.

Bake the packets for 20 minutes. Serve one packet per dinner plate and cut open at the table. Cut the lemon into wedges and serve to squeeze down over the hot fish.
Pass bread at the table to mop up the cooking juices in the sack.

This will work with really any fish and any choice of seasonings or veggies. I found this on Rachael Ray's website and the tweaked it to fit our family. I don't cook with salt and we like a bit of spice hence the Tony Chachere's. If you don't like olives maybe try capers. I thought it would be good with some cut up artichoke pieces too.

A link that shows how to wrap the fish (no right way really this was just the easiest for me) and another yummy fish in a bag recipe there too. http://www.dinneralovestory.com/fish-presents/

Fettuccini Carbonara by Bex

I *think* I got this out of a Taste of Home magazing years ago. Super good...but not for those who are watching calories, unless you use a lowfat cheese.

Ingredients:
Ready Serve cooked bacon
1 clove garlic, minced
16 oz spinach fettuccini
2 C colby cheese
1 C parmesean cheese
1/2 heavy cream
3 TB parsley
Pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Start cooking fettuccini.

2. As pasta cooks, combine cheeses, cream, and parsley in a large bowl. Crumble bacon and add to mixture. Stir until combined. Add cooked pasta to cheese mixture, and toss to coat evenly.

3. Exercise. :)

Cheese Ravioli with Zucchini and Red Pepper by Bex

Think you can't make a homemade sauce? You can. This one is super easy, and the results are awesome. I'm known to slurp it off the spoon as i'm waiting for the ravioli to cook! :)

Ingredients:
1 C heavy whipping cream
1/2 C chicken broth
1 package cheese ravioli (I used the frozen kind)
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 TB butter
1 red bell pepper, julienned
1 zucchini,julienned
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp garlic powder
3/4 C Parmesean Cheese
basil
parsley

Directions:
1. In a large saucepan, bring the cream and the broth to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until reduced to about a cup or a little more (I eyeball it). Meanwhile, cook ravioli.

2. In a skillet, saute onion in the butter for 2 minutes. Add the red pepper, zucchini, salt, and garlic powder; saute for additional 2 minutes or until the veggies are crisp-tender.

3. Stir parmesean cheese, basil, and parsley into cream sauce and cook for a few more minutes until the cheese is melted into the sauce.

4. Toss the ravioli, sauce, and veggies together...and eat! :)

Notes:
The sauce is VERY thin. If you like a thicker sauce, do the cornstarch trick of dissolving one TB of cornstarch into some cold water, then add that mixture to the sauce while its cooking. Stir until desired thickness.

Perfect with crunchy garlic bread, especially if you leave the sauce thin! Bread soaks it all up! Yum!

Chicken Paninis from Bex

This recipe was orginally inspired by The Pioneer Woman (shocking, I know), but I made it a bit friendly for us. Who has time to marinate chicken in a sundried tomato mixture?

Not me.

So, here it is. Perfect for lunch, it takes about 5 minutes to prepare...which also makes it AWESOME for dinner. Enjoy!

Sourdough bread, sliced for sandwiches
Rotisserie chicken with the meat shredded
roasted red pepper (I buy these in the pickle isle already roasted for me)
pesto (I use Classico's premade kind)
mayo
provolone OR mozzerella
Panini Maker OR a George Foreman. You could even use a pan, using a heavier pan to smoosh the sandwich together.

1. Butter the sides of the bread that will touch the pan.
2. Mix some pesto and mayo together. Spread on one side of the bread.
3. Lay one piece of bread, butter side down, on the pan. Smear pesto mayo mixture on bread...be generous, its GOOD!
4. Add chicken.
5. Add red peppers. I love them, so I do a lot. You have to do at least *some*, so you decide. It really adds a nice flavor.
6. Sprinkle with mozzerella or slices of provolone. I like lots of cheese. Mmmmm.
7. Lay last piece of bread down, butter side up. Use whatever method you have to smoosh the goodness into that sucker. Grill until nice and crunchy and golden brown.
8. Eat, and thank me later. :)

Dipping Chips

So, I made the cinnamon version of these for Jackson's birthday party and they were a hit! Super easy, and I think they'd be great in a lot of different variations! Bex

Cinnamon Dipping Chips:
Flour tortillas (fajita size0
cinnamon/sugar mixture
butter

Butter flour tortillas and sprinkle cinnamon sugar on them. Use a pizza cutter to cut wedges. Bake at 350 for 10 minutes or until golden brown.

-The cinnamon version is awesome with fruit. Cut up your favorite fruit, sprinkle some powdered sugar on it, and dip away! Perfect for kid treats. Also, I think they'd be great as an alternative to strawberry shortcake! Just use these as your base, top with strawberries and whipped cream.

-Use these to make your own nachos for taco night. Brush with butter and season with some red pepper or something like that.

-Season with garlic powder to use alongside spaghetti or lasagna!

Weelicious Huevos Rancheros Posted By: Heather

Love this website http://weelicious.com/

Serves 4

Ingredients:
1 Tsp Vegetable or Canola Oil
4 Large Eggs
4 Corn Tortillas
1 Cup weelicious Healthy “Refried” Beans (or other refried beans you enjoy)
1 Cup Mild Chunky Salsa
1 Cup Mexican Cheese Blend, shredded

Directions:
1. Heat a large skillet over medium heat with 1 tsp of oil. Add the eggs, one at a time and cook undisturbed for 2 minutes or until the white is set. Then, cover and cook for an additional minute (you can also scramble the eggs if you prefer).
2. Warm tortillas in a 250 degree oven, in a sauté pan over medium heat for 20 seconds OR between two paper towels in a microwave for 10-15 seconds.
3. Place a warm tortilla on a plate and spread 1/4 cup of beans on top.
4. Place one cooked egg on top of the beans and top with 1/4 cup salsa and 1/4 cup cheese.
5. Continue to make the remaining Huevos Rancheros and serve.

Accompaniments: sliced avocado or guacamole

Corn Casserole From Heather

One of my favorite Side dishes

Ingredients:
2 cups Cheese
2 cans Cream Stlye Corn
1 onion
1 stick butter
1 box jiffy corn muffin mix
tinsy bit of garlic (I use the jar stuff on just put a teeny tiny bit)
Chopped Green Chilies small can for some spice (Optional)
Sliced Jalapenos (Optional)

Directions:
1. Preheat Oven to 350
2. Melt butter and saute in Onion & Garlic, till onion is soft.
3. Mix in a large bowl. Butter mixture with everything but Jalapenos.
4. Pour in greased 9 x 12 or simliar size baking dish. do not fill to top becuase it will rise.
5. here is where you can place some additional cheese on top and the sliced Jalapenos on top.
6. Bake for about 50-60 miutes till top is golden brown and middle is not to mushy.

Artichoke Chicken from Heather

If you love artichoke/spinach dip, you'll love this chicken (very tender and juicy).

1 can (14 oz) water-packed artichoke hearts, well drained and chopped
¾ cup grated Parmesan cheese
¾ cup mayonnaise (regular – not low fat or fat-free)
Dash garlic powder
4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves

In a bowl, combine the artichokes, cheese, mayonnaise and garlic powder. Place chicken in a greased 11x7x2 baking dish. Spread with artichoke mixture. Bake, uncovered at 375 degrees for 30-35 minutes or until chicken juices run clear.

Note: You can also throw in some spinach

Turkey Crockpot Chili From Heather

Ingredients:
1 lb ground turkey breast (you can sub ground chicken)
1 small onion, chopped
1 (4 1/2 ounce) can chopped chilies, drained
1 (14 1/2 ounce) can black beans, undrained
2 (14 1/2 ounce) can kidney beans, undrained
1 (28 ounce) can diced tomatoes, with juice
1 (16 ounce) can tomato sauce
1 packet of McCormick’s Chili seasoning

Instructions:
1. Cook turkey and onion in a medium fry pan over medium high heat, scramble fry until no longer pink.
2. Drain off fat and transfer cooked meat and onion to crock pot.
3. Add all remaining ingredients and mix well.
4. Cook on high 6 to 8 hours.

NOTES:

**if you do not like black beans just substitute another can of pinto beans. Also instead of 2 cans of Kidney beans we use 2 cans of pinto beans, or you can add a can of Garbanzo beans.

**I like to prepare mine the night before, stick it in the fridge. So in the morning I just take it out and turn it on.

Servings - I think it makes about 6 servings.

Taco Meat Pie From Heather

Ingredients
• 1 box of Pillsbury pie crusts
• 1 can ranch style beans mostly drained
• 1 lb ground beef
• 1 small onion
• 1 can Campbell’s fiesta cheese soup (we use the regular cheddar soup cause Hannah does not like spicy)
• 1 pack taco seasoning
• 1 can of sliced carrots drained
• 1 can corn drained

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350
2. Place one of the pie rounds in a pie dish
3. In a large pan Brown the meat and onion, drain off the fat.
4. Add in the cheese soup and taco seasoning
5. Add in the ranch beans, corn and carrots, mix well
6. Add beef mixture to pie crust in the pie pan
7. Place the other pie crust over the top, pinch the edges closed
8. Bake in the oven till pie crust is golden brown (not sure the time maybe 15-20 minutes) just keep any eye on it. Also sometimes it may boil over so good to have a pan underneath or foil.

**Note: I sometimes cook the bottom pie crust by itself for about 5 minutes until it starts to slightly brown then add the meat mixture, and top crust and continue cooking.

Turkey Tater Tot Casserole From Heather

Ingredients:
• 1lb ground turkey breast
• 1 chopped small onion
• 2 minced garlic cloves
• 2 tbl spoons whorschestire sauce
• 3 tbl spoons light sour cream
• 2 cans Healthy Request cream of mushroom soup (you can use other healthy choice varieties if you like)
• 2 cups 2% shredded cheddar cheese or fat free
• 1-2 lb tater tot rounds I used about 1lb
• Season Salt
• Salt and Pepper

Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 375
2. In large skillet sauté onion, once onion is translucent add garlic for a few minutes.
3. Add turkey to onion and garlic and salt and pepper, little bit of season salt, brown meat.
4. Once the turkey is brown add 2 cans of soup, whorschestire sauce, sour cream, ¼ cup of cheese, stir together and let cook till hot about 5 minutes.
5. Pour meat mixture in a 9x13 pan, sprinkle about a 1.5 cups of cheese over mixture, then place tater tots over cheese.
6. Cook for about 45 minutes till tater tots are golden brown. remove sprinkle about 1/4 cup cheese over top place back in oven till melted and remove.

***Note: You can add corn or green beans to recipe too, just add to meat mixture then cover with tater tots. Also if you want to make it cheesier I sometimes add a slice of fat free american cheese to the meat mixture and let it melt.

Cream Cheese Chicken

submitted by Christiana

4 chicken breasts - skinless, boneless,
1 stick butter, divided in half softened, half melted
1-2 packages of cream cheese (I usually use the Neuchatel that is less fattening)
Garlic salt
Light flavored herbs (I like either Thyme or Italian herb mix, but you can use a variety. The original recipe calls for chopped green onions, but I'm not a big fan)
2 packages of Pillsbury cressent rolls (the original size)
1/3 cup bread crumbs (optional)

Preheat oven to 350
1. Boil chicken until cooked through. Do not over cook, as it will still be going into the oven. Shred or cut up into very small chunks.

2. Mix cream cheese and softened butter, add garlic salt and herbs

3. Mix in chicken

4. Pinch 2 cressent rolls together to make a "rectangle"

5. Divide mixrure on rectangles. Fold up corners into "pouches" and pinch closed.

6. Pour melted butter over tops of pouches.

7. Sprinkle bread crumbs over pouches.

8. Place pouches on cookie sheet and bake 15-20 minutes


You can turn it into a casserole by placing the entire cream cheese mixture into a casserole dish and spreading the cressent dough on top.

Quick and easy homemade biscuits by Megan

This recipe is so yummy and it only takes ~20 minutes TOTAL.

I got the original recipe from http://www.allrecipes.com/, but I have switched it up based on comments and my own ideas. so, here ya go!

Ingredients:

2C all purpose flour

4 tsp baking powder

3tsp sugar

1tsp table salt

1/2 C shortening (if you sub salted butter, reduce the salt to 1/4 tsp or less)

1 egg

2/3 C milk

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 450*F

2. Combine flour, baking powder, sugar and salt in a bowl. Cut in shortening until it looks like coarse bread crumbs--here is how to do this quick and easy: Dump the shortening in the bowl and use your hand mixer to 'cut in' the shortening. It takes 5 seconds.

3. Combine the milk and the egg, use the same hand mixer you used to cut in the shortening to beat them together for a few seconds (no need to wash) then dump the egg mixture into the bowl with the flour mixture. Use a rubber scraper/spatula to combine.

4. Here you have the option of kneading a few times and rolling out and using a biscuit cutter to make biscuits. But that is not quick and easy! Instead, I mix it really well with the spatula and 'knead' it a few times using the spatula (getting my hands messy would not be quick or easy) and then use an ice cream scoop to get biscuit sized batter balls on my cookie sheet.

5. Bake 8-10mins or until golden on top. Serve with jam or (my personal fave) apple butter. yum!

**also, if you sub butter, make sure it is COLD and i'm not sure using the hand mixer to cut it in will work quite as well. I haven't tried it, if you do let me know!

Bex's Dijon Pork Loin

*This recipe is taken from "Don't Panic, Dinner's in the Freezer". It is our FAVORITE out of the book so far (my picky husband even gives this an A+). I've changed things up a little. If you want to make and freeze ahead, just make the marinade and put it in a Ziploc. Put your pork loin in the bag, squeeze out all the air, and freeze.* I highly recommend this book!

Ingredients:
1 pork loin roast
1/2 C dry white wine
1/4 C vegetable oil
6 T. Honey Dijon mustanrd
2 T. soy sauce
2 T. fresh lemon juice
2 T. minced onion
2 T. butter, melted
1/2 tsp. salt
1.2 tsp. pepper

Just mix all the ingredients together, throw your pork in the bag to marinade, and wa-la! I usually make the marinade in the morning, pull out a frozen pork loin, and let it defrost in the marinade all day. Reserve the marinade.

Roast at 350 degrees for 2.5 hours. Baste the pork frequently during the last hour with the reserved marinade.

Tex-Mex Tortilla Lasagna

1lb Lean Ground Turkey

1/2 a large Onion, small dice

1tsp minced Garlic

1pkt Taco Seasoning (or from scratch)

1 Can Diced Tomatoes-Drained (I used the ones w/ Garlic, Basil & Oregano)

1 Can Black Beans-Drained & RINSED

1 Can Fat Free Refried Beans

1/8 cup diced green onion

2 large handfuls FRESH Baby Spinach-chopped

1lb Shredded Mozzarella Cheese

Fresh Lettuce

Fresh chopped Tomato

cooking spray

Taco Size Tortillas

Sour Cream

Pre-heat oven @ 350*

Directions:

1-Add diced onion & garlic to frying pan on Med-High, cook until translucent.

2-Add ground turkey to frying pan and cook until browned; about 6 minutes.

3-Add in Taco Seasoning pkt & cook according to pkt directions. (this is when I pop the refried beans in the microwave for about 2 minutes.)

4-Mix in the black beans & canned tomatoes with the meat, stir & turn off pan.

5-Get out your ceramic oval shaped deep dish baking dish ;) & spray lightly w/ cooking spray.

6-Lay 2 taco sized tortillas in the bottom of the dish, cover w/ a light layer of refried beans, meat mixture, sprinkle w/ cheese, chopped baby spinach, green onions and a bit more cheese.

7-Repeat this until you've used all of the incrediants or run out of room.

8-Your last layer will just be tortills and topped with cheese.

9-Bake for about 20 minutes or until your desired crispiness is reached.

Let stand for 5 minutes after removed from the oven.

Cut into desired shape and top with lettuce, tomato, sour cream and whatever else you want or like! :)

This was SO GOOD! Could be an easy meatless meal, too!

Bex's Crouton Chicken

Taken from the Taste of Home, this dish is delicious, easy, and has a super easy cleanup!

4-6 chicken breasts
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 C white wine
4-6 slices of swiss cheese
seasoned croutons, crushed

1. Mix cream of chicken soup and wine together in a small bowl. Lay chicken breasts in a 9x13 pan and pour soup mixture over chicken.
2. Lay a piece of swiss cheese on top of each chicken breast.
3. Sprinkle chicken breasts with crushed croutons.
4. Cover with foil and bake at 400 degrees. 5-10 minutes before serving, remove foil to allow croutons to brown.

Enjoy!