Baked Pesto Sandwiches

from my friend Joriel who presented at MOPS in November. VERY YUMMY!
coming soon!

White Lasagna

from Healthy Meals for Less
coming soon! like whenever I have a chance to sit down with the computer (and not working on knitting christmas gifts...it might be a while!)
but it's GOOD!

Baked Chicken Nuggets

from Healthy Meals for Less
I have tried several recipes for baked chicken nuggets, and this one so far is my favorite.
Coming Soon!

Black Bean Hummus with Plaintain Chips

from Viking Cooking School
INGREDIENTS:
Hummus
3T evoo
1 small white or yellow onion, peeled and chopped
1/2 medium green bell pepper, chopped
2 cloves garlic minced
1 tsp dried oregano
4 cups cooked black beans (or two 15 ounce cans rinsed and drained)
3T freshly squeezed lime juice (about 2 limes)
3T coarsely chopped fresh cilantro
2t hot pepper sauce (like tobasco) or to taste
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
warm water as needed to thin
green onions, green tops only, very thinly sliced for garnish
Plantain Chips
2 green plantains
canola or vegetable oil for frying
garlic salt to taste

1. for the dip: place a medium saute pan over medium high heat; add the oil and heat through. Stir in the onion and bell pepper and cook until tender, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic and dried oregano, and cook 2 minutes more. Pour in the beans and continue cooking, stirring often, until just warmed through about 2 minutes.
2. Remove the pan from the heat, then transfer the bean mixture to the work bowl of a food processor (I just used a hand blender). With the motor running, add the lime juice, cilantro and hot pepper sauce; continue processing until the dip is completely smooth. Taste and adjust the seasoning to taste with salt pepper and hot pepper sauce. If the dip is too thick for chips, thin with a little warm water, adding it one tablespoon at a time until the desired consistency is achieved.
3. Cover the dip with plastic wrap, and allow to sit, unrefrigerated, for one hour prior to serving to allow the flavors to develop. If it will be more than one hour before serving, cover tightly and refrigerate. Remove one hour before serving to bring to room temperature. Garnish with chopped green onions.
4. For the chips: Cut both ends off each plantain (at an angle) to facilitate easier peeling. Make one long shallow cut along the ridge of the plantain, being careful to not cut into the flesh. Run your fingers along the cut portion of the peel to loosen, slowly working off the peel. If you are having trouble removing the peel, rum a small amount of oil onto your fingers. Using a mandoline or v-slicer, cut the peeled plantains at an angle into 1/8 inch thick slices.
5. In a deep fat fryer (or a large deep sauce pan*), heat the oil to 350F degrees**. When the oil is up to temperature, carefully drop small batches of the plantains into the oil. gently stir with long tongs or a spider to prevent sticking together. When the plantains are crisp and golden brown, carefully remove from the oil, and place on a paper towel lined baking sheet in a single layer; sprinkle generously with garlic salt. Transfer to a serving bowl and serve with Black Bean Hummus.
*It is very important to use a deep sauce pan. When the plantains are added to the hot oil, the oil bubbles vigorously and rises up the sides of the pan very quickly. If a shallow sauce pan is used, the oil can easily rise up and over the sides onto the stovetop.
**Proper oil temperature is important for best results. To test the temperature, use a deep fry or candy thermometer. If a deep fry thermometer is not available, fry a one inch square of bread for one minute. If the cube browns, the temperature is about 365 degrees.

Sourdough Bread

I havent made this yet, but I have tasted it several times and it is YUMMY! Especially with a cream spinach dip!
This Link will send you to my friend Jena's blog with the recipe! Thanks for posting this Jena!
Enjoy! Sourdough Bread

Candy Corn Popcorn

from ParentLife
coming soon!

Cinnamon-Spice Berry Popcorn

from ParentLife
coming soon!

shepherds pie

INGREDIENTS:
2 or 3 boiled chicken breasts, cut into chunks
leftover cooked vegetables (broccoli, onions, green beans, carrots, corn, peas etc)
leftover (or fresh) mashed potatoes
leftover stuffing

1. combine chicken, stuffing, and vegetables. pour into the bottom of a greased casserole. Top with mashed potatoes. Bake at 350 until heated through.

**This recipe does well if split into 2 smaller casseroles and 1 is frozen until a later date. You can also use any leftover meat...I've even used leftover meatloaf!

taco chicken salad

INGREDIENTS:
2 cooked chicken breasts chopped (grilled is best, but boiled is ok)
1 can whole kernel corn
1 can rotel
1 can black beans
1 bunch cilantro, chopped
juice of 1 or 2 limes
1 avocado cut into chunks, optional
salad greens
salsa and sour cream to taste

combine first 6 (or 7) ingredients and serve over salad greens. dress with salsa and sour cream.
(the filling is also yummy over nachos!)

*I labeled this as toddler friendly...just make sure you child doesnt shove the black beans up his/her nose, like mine did! I had no idea until he sneezed it out during bathtime later that night! EEW!

Southwestern Stuffed Peppers

Ingredients
1 lb lean ground turkey
1 smal chopped onion
1-2 chopped jalapeno pepper, seeds and ribs removed
1/4 cup taco seasoning mix
1 egg, beaten
1 cup cooked brown rice
4 bell peppers
1 can tomato sauce
1 (15-16 ounce) jar salsa
shredded cheddar cheese
sour cream

Directions
1Combine turkey, onion, jalapenos, seasoning mix and egg in a large bowl.
2Add rice and mix well.
3Cut peppers in half lengthwise; remove seeds and membrane.
4Spread tomato sauce on the bottom of an ovenproof 12 X 9 inch baking dish. This helps make the peppers softer.
5Place peppers, cut side up, on top of the tomatoes.
6Spoon turkey mixture into peppers, mounding as necessary.
7Top each pepper with salsa.
8Bake in preheated 375°F oven for 40-45 minutes or until turkey mixture is cooked thoroughly and peppers are soft.
9Cover each pepper with cheese and return to oven, under the broiler, until the cheese melts- less than a minute, so watch carefully!
10Serve with sour cream and additional salsa

I served it with a side of cheese quesadillas, YUM!

Kool-Aid Play Dough

Ingredients
1 cup flour
1 package Kool-Aid (any color, makes it smell good)
1 tablespoon cream of tartar
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/4 cup salt
1 cup boiling water
Directions
1Mix all dry ingredients in bowl then oil, then pour boiling water in and mix thoroughly.
2Wrap in cellophane or air tight container and store in fridge.
3. Should keep for a few months.

This is what fruit punch flavor looks like!

And this is "Berry Blue"

It smells really good, and I think both he and the dog were a bit disappointed that it doesnt taste as good as it smells...btw...DON'T let your dog "clean up" what falls on the floor....eew! Learned that one the hard way!

jalapeno pepper freezer jelly

Ingredients
2/3 cup jalapeño peppers, seeded and finely chopped (or more if more spice is preferred)*
2-1/2 cups bottled apple juice
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1 drop green or red food coloring
5-1/2 cups sugar, measured into separate bowl
3/4 cup water
1 box SURE.JELL Fruit Pectin

RINSE clean plastic containers and lids in boiling water. Dry thoroughly.
MEASURE exactly 2/3 cup prepared peppers into large bowl. Add apple juice, vinegar and food coloring; mix well. Stir in sugar. Let stand 10 min., stirring occasionally.
MIX water and pectin in small saucepan. Bring to boil on high heat, stirring constantly. Boil and stir 1 min. Add to fruit mixture; stir 3 min. or until sugar is dissolved and no longer grainy. (A few sugar crystals may remain.)
FILL all containers immediately to within 1/2 inch of tops. (This filled up 8 of those small plastic containers with the purple screw on lids fyi) Wipe off top edges of containers; immediately cover with lids. Peppers may float to the top....the will eventually settle...don't worry about it! Let stand at room temperature 24 hours. (The recipe claims that it could take up to 1 week to set...) Jelly is now ready to use. Store in refrigerator up to 3 weeks or freeze extra containers up to 1 year. Thaw in refrigerator before using.

*Remember, leaving the seeds and ribs will cause the flavor to be much hotter...I took the seeds and ribs out of at least 1/2 the peppers I used and my jelly still had plenty of ZING...but wasnt painful to eat!


****PS-This recipe didn't work for me the first time I made it....but I THINK I screwed it up in that I may have jostled it too much just after I poured it into the jars. If your jelly stays syrupy here is how to redo HALF of the recipe:
Pour 4 containers of thawed unset pepper jelly into a large bowl. Add 1 1/2 cups sugar and 3 more chopped peppers. Mix well and let sit for at least 5 minutes. In a saucepan mix 3/4 cup water with pectin and bring to a boil. Stir constantly at a rolling boil for 1 minute. Add to pepper mixture and stir 3 minutes or until sugar is dissolved. Pour into clean containers (it took 5 of the same containers this time) and allow to sit at room temperature for 24 hours. (This time it set IMMEDIATELY!!)


**My favorite way to eat this is poured over a block of cream cheese served with crackers as an appetizer! YUM!!

Jamaican Pork Tenderloin

This marinade would be delicious on chicken or even fish..simiar to Jamaican Jerk seasonings.
6 servings
INGREDIENTS
1/3 cup orange juice
1/3 cup soy sauce
3 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion chopped
1 cup chopped green onions
1 jalapeno pepper
2 teaspoons dried thyme (or 3 Tbsp fresh)
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 teasoon EACH ground allspice, sinnamon and nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger (or 2 teaspoons minced fresh gingerroot)
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 pork tenderloins (1 pound each)

In a food processor combine all ingredients (EXCEPT the pork). cover and process until smooth. (I dont have a food processor so I combined all the marinade ingredients into a large bowl and used a hand blender to combine) Pour marinade into a large resealable plastic bag and add pork. Seal bag and turn to coat. Refrigerate overnight (or at least 8 hours). Coat grill rack with nonstick grill spray before startingthe3 grill. Drain and discard marinade from pork. Grill covered over indirect medium heat for 20-25 minutes or until a meat thermometer reads 160 degrees (it took us around 30 minutes.) Let stand for 5 minutes before slicing.

Tomato Bruschetta

INGREDIENTS:
10 cherry or large grape tomatoes
3 Tbsp evoo
2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
16 fresh basil leaves shredded
3 cloves of garlic peeled
8 slices of fresh ciabatta bread
salt and pepper to taste

Chop tomatoes into small pieces. Place in a bowl with evoo, balsamic vinegar and basil leaves. Mince one of the cloves of garlic and add to bowl. Toss to mix well. Season with salt and pepper. Allow flavors to meld while you cook the rest of dinner.
Cut remaining garlic cloves in half and with cut side down, rub over both sides of lightly toasted ciabatta bread. I like to serve the bruschetta in a bowl with at spoon and the bread to the side so that people can construct their own. Be sure you eat this with loved ones who won't mind your garlicky breath! :)

chicken pineapple stirfry

tweaked from a Mr. Food Cookbook
2 servings
INGREDIENTS
1 large onion cut into wedges
1 large red bell pepper cut into 1 inch chunks
2/3 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into 1 inch chunks
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1 8 ounce can pineapple chunks, drained (or fresh pineapple)
2 servings steamed rice

Coat large skillet with non stick cooking spray and heat over high heat. Add the onion and red pepper. Cook for 3-4 minutes or until browned stirring occasionally. Season the chicken with the garlic salt and ginger. Add to the skillet and cook for 3-4 minutes or until the chicken is browned, stirring occasionally. Add the pinaeapple chunks and mix well. Cook for 2-3 minutes or until heated through and the chicken is no longer pink inside. Serve immediately.

steak and potato soup

tweaked from a Mr. Food cookbook
6-7 servings
INGREDIENTS:
2 tablespoons butter
one 8 ounce strip steak well trimmed and thinly sliced
1 large onion or 2 small
5 cups beef broth or stock
1 package (24 ounces) frozen steak fries, broken into bite sized pieces
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
shredded mozzarella cheese

1. Melt the butter in a soup pot over high heat. Add the steak and onions and cook for 5-6 minutes or until the steak is no longer pink. Add the remaining ingredients; mix well. Bring to a boil and boil for 6-8 minutes or until heated through. Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese before serving.

Creamy Chicken Enchiladas

tweaked from my friend Tish C.
Ingredients:
1 Tbsp butter
1 medium onion chopped
1 small can chopped green chiles, drained
8 oz cream cheese softened
3 1/2 cups chopped grilled chicken breast
1/2 box of chopped frozen spinach thawed and drained
8-8 inch flour tortillas
2 cups mexican blend shredded cheese
1 small carton whipping cream

1. Melt butter in large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and saute 5 minutes. Add green chiles, saute one minute. Stir in cream cheese, chicken, and spinach, cook, stirring constantly, until cream cheese melts.
2. Spoon 2-3 tbsp chicken mixture down center of tortilla. Roll tortillas and place, seam down, in a lightly greased 9x13 dish. Sprinkle with cheese and drizzle with whipping cream.
3. Cover with foil and bake 30 minutes. Then take off foil and bake an additional 15 minutes or until cheese is lightly browned.

Sometimes these seems a bit bland to me, so I serve with salsa....might also be good with a chopped fresh jalapeno or a bigger can of chopped green chiles.

Black Bean "Hummus"

from a cooking Class at the Viking Store (which I tweaked a bit..)

serves 4-6

INGREDIENTS:

3 Tbsp evoo

1 small white onion peeled and chopped

1 small green bell pepper

4 cloves of garlic, minced (recipe only called for 2, but we like garlic....)

1 tsp dried oregano

two 15-ounce cans of black beans, rinsed and drained (or 1/2 pound dried beans that have been soaked and cooked and drained)

3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice (about 2 limes)

1 small bunch of cilantro coarsely chopped (recipe only called for 3 Tbsp, but we also like cilantro!)

2 tsp Tabasco sauce, or to taste

salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

warm water as needed to thin

green onions, green tops only very thinly sliced for garnish

1. Place a medium saute pan over medium high heat; add the oil and heat through. Stir in the onion and bell pepper and cook until tender, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic and dried oregano, and cook two minutes more. our in the beans, and continue cooking, stirring often until just warmed through, about 2 minutes.
2. Remove the pan from the heat, then transfer the bean mixture to the work bowl. Using a hand blender pulse to combine. While still blending, add the lime juice, cilantro, and hot pepper sauce; continue blending until the dip is completely smooth. Taste and adjust the seasoning to taste with salt, pepper and hot pepper sauce. If the dip is too thick for chips, thin with a little warm water, adding it one tablespoon at a time until the desired consistency is achieved.

I served this with baked plantain chips which were very disappointing! I'm going to try again with the plantains and hopefully post the recipe once it is perfected. In the meantime, this is good with store bought plantain chips, tortilla chips or veggies such as baby carrots! ENJOY!

Onion-Basil Grilled Vegetables

6 servings
Ingredients
3 medium ears fresh corn, cut into 2 or 3 pieces
1 pound new potatoes cut into small pieces
1 cup fresh baby carrots
1 large green pepper, cut into 1 inch pieces
1 large red pepper, cut into 1 inch pieces
1 envelope onion soup mix
3 tablespoons minced fresh basil or 1 tablespoon dried basil
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon butter

1. In a large bowl combin the first 9 ingredients. Toss to coat.
2. Tear 4 large pieces of heavy duty foil. Divide mixture onto 2 pieces. Dot with butter.
3. Fold other pieces of foil over veggies and seal tightly.
4. Grill covered over medium heat for 25-30 minutes turning once.

Balsamic Grilled Asparagus

Grilled Balsamic Asparagus

from Recipe Zaar

Ingredients -serves 4

1 lb fresh asparagus

1/2 cup balsamic vinegar

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce

2-4 garlic cloves, minced

1 teaspoon kosher salt

fresh ground black pepper, to taste

Directions

1. Snap off tough ends of asparagus and wash well through 2-3 changes of cold water.

2. Combine all ingredients in a large zip-top plastic bag, seal and marinate for 30-60 minutes. (I actually poured it into a large cup and placed the asparagus spears upside down in the cup to marinade)

3. Preheat grill on high heat.

4. Remove asparagus from bag/cup and place on preheated oiled grill rack.

5. Grill 5 minutes on each side or until asparagus is done.

6. You can either discard the marinade or place it in a small saucepan and bring it to a boil, reducing it down for a while and spoon over asparagus before serving.

Yellow Squash Soup

from eatingwell.com
Pureed summer squash makes a delicious base for this summery squash and corn soup. Start your meal with the soup or enjoy it as a light lunch. Fresh thyme and briny feta cheese give it fabulous flavor. For a variation, try the soup with any herb you have on hand or goat cheese in place of feta.

Makes 4 servings

ACTIVE TIME: 30 minutes
TOTAL TIME: 30 minutes
EASE OF PREPARATION: Easy
2 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 medium shallots or 1 large onion, chopped
3-4 medium summer squash (about 1.5-2 pounds), diced
6 teaspoons chopped fresh herbs, such as thyme or oregano, divided or 3 teaspoons dried italian seasoning
1 32-ounce box reduced-sodium chicken stock
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 cup frozen corn kernels
3 teaspoon lemon juice
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
1. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add shallot and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add squash and 2 teaspoon herbs and cook, stirring occasionally, until the squash starts to soften, 3 to 5 minutes.
2. Add broth and salt; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook until the squash is soft and mostly translucent, about 5 minutes more.
3. Transfer to a blender and puree until smooth. (At this point I divided the broth into smaller containers and froze 1/2...then added the corn while reheating the thawed soup and continued with the directions)
4. Return the soup to the pan and stir in corn. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until the corn is tender, 3 to 5 minutes more. Remove from the heat; stir in lemon juice (don't forget...we found it too bland without the lemon juice). Serve garnished with the remaining 1 teaspoon herbs and feta.

Zucchini Bread

from recipezaar.com

SERVES 16 , 2 loaves

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups sugar
• 3 eggs
• 3 cups flour
• 3 tablespoons vanilla
• 1 cup oil
• 2 cups zucchini, grated
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 cup shredded coconut (optional)
• 3 teaspoons cinnamon

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Combine all dry ingredients in small bowl. Combine all well ingredients in larger bowl, then add dry ingredients to wet. Try not to overmix.

3. Pour into two greased loaf pans.

4. Bake for one hour.

Hawaiian Zucchini Bread

from recipezaar.com

Ingredients

• 3 eggs
• 2 cups shredded zucchini
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 8 ounces crushed pineapple, drained
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 3 cups flour
• 2 cups sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 cup shredded coconut

Directions

1. In lg bowl, mix the eggs, zucchini, oil, pineapple and vanilla.

2. Mix dry ingredients; add to egg mixture just until moistened through.

3. Pour into 2 greased and floured loaf pans.

4. Bake at 350° for 60 minutes or until pick comes out clean.

5. Cool 10 minutes before removing from pans

bisquik zucchini bread

from Recipezaar.com
Ingredients

• 2 cups Bisquick or low-fat biscuit mix
• 1 1/2 cups shredded zucchini, drained and patted dry
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil,
• 3 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons ground nutmeg
• 1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Directions

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

2. Grease bottom of loaf pan 9x5x3, I use Pam.

3. Beat all ingredients at low speed for 30 seconds, scraping constantly.

4. Beat at medium speed, scraping constantly for 1 minute.

5. Pour into loaf pan.

6. Bake for 50-55 minutes.

7. Cool in pan for 10 minutes.

8. Remove from pan.

9. Wrap in plastic wrap or foil and store in refrigerator.

Refrigerator Pickles

courtesy my friend Cathy

Ice Box Pickles

(The quantities in this recipe fills about a quart sized container....but this recipe would be easy to double or triple or more!)
large cucumbers, sliced thinly
medium red onions, micro sliced
(hard to say how many...basically as many as it takes to layer and fill up the container you are wanting to fill)
1 rounded tsp. minced garlic
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup kosher salt
1 ½ cups apple cider vinegar
2 Tbs Pickling spices
1 tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp celery seeds
1/2 tsp ground mustard

1. Place cucumber, onion and garlic in a container of your choice...I used a plastic container with a screw top.
2. In a saucepan combine remaining ingredients. Heat and stir just until sugar is dissolved. Pour over cucumber mix.
3. Cover and chill at least 24 hours. Stir or flip occasionally to evenly distribute liquid. Store in frig for up to 1 month
**I've also heard longer....I guess it's up to you!
**I've also read in other recipes that the brine lasts for a while and if the supply of pickles gets low, just add more thinly sliced cucumbers!

Seasoned Burger and Potato Packets

ingredients
8 small potatoes, unpeeled, quartered
1 large sweet potato cubed
1 packet onion soup mix
1 teaspoon seasoned salt
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1 tablespoon olive or vegetable oil
1 pound lean ground beef made into 4 equal patties
1 cup (or more) frozen cut green beans

1. heat grill. Cut 4 18x12 inch sheets of heavy duty foil. spray foil with cooking spray
2. in medium microwavable bowl toss potatoes in onion soup mix and oil. microwave uncovered on high 4 minutes or just until potatoes are fork tender
3. Place 1 beef patty, 1/4 cup or more of green beans on each sheet of foil. sprinkle patties with seasoned salt and Italian seasoning. top each evenly with potatoes. Bring up 2 sides of foil so edges meet. seal edges, making tight 1/2 inch fold and fold again, allowing space for heat circulation and expansion. fold other sides to seal.
4. place packets on grill and cover. cook over medium heat 30 minutes turning packets over halfway through cooking, until meat thermometer inserted in center of patties reads 160 degrees and potatoes are tender. Carefully open packets to allow steam to escape.
**If you wish to bake instead of grill bake at 400 degrees for the same amount of time, turning packets over once halfway through baking.

fajita enchiladas

ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2 inch strips
1 each green bell pepper and red bell pepper cut into thin bite size strips
1/2 large onion thinly sliced
1 small can chopped green chiles
3 cups shreded cheddar cheese
1 can red enchilada sauce
12 flour tortillas
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. In 12 inch skillet heat oil over med-high heat. Add chicken, onions and bell peppers and cook for 4 minutes stirring frequently until chicken is no longer pink in center. remove from heat and drain
2. stir in chiles 1 1/2 cups of cheese and 1/4 cup of the enchilada sauce.
3. In bottom of ungreased 13x9 glass baking dish, evenly spread 1/2 cup of the enchilada sauce.
4. Spoon about 1/2 cup chicken mixture down cetner of each tortilla and roll up the tortilla. Place each seam side down on red enchilada suace in baking dish, arranging in 2 rows. Pour remaining enchilada sauce over enchiladas. Cover tightly with foil.
5. Bake 220-25 minutesor until hot and bubbly. Sprinke with remaining 1 1/2 cups cheese and bake uncovered about 5 minutes longer or until cheese is melted. Sprinke with cilantro before serving.
makes 6 servings.

Easy weeknight enchiladas

INGREDIENTS
1 pound ground beef
1 small onion
1 can tomato soup, undiluted
1 can mild enchilada sauce
8 flour tortillas
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese (I usually dont measure this out, I just use as much as I need)
sour cream-optional
sliced ripe olives-optional

1. Cook beef and onion in large skillet ove medium high heat until meat is browned, stirring until it crumbles. Drain and return to skillet.
2. stir soup and enchilada sauce into meat mixture. Spread 1/4 cup meat mixture into each tortilla; sprinkle tortillas evenly with 1 cup cheese. (I usually construct each enchilada one at a time)
3. Roll up tortillas and place seam side down in a greased 9x13 baking dish. When all are rolled and placed, pour remaining meat mixture over tortillas and sprinkle with remaining cheese.
4. Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. Serve with sour cream and olives if desired.

chicken tortellini soup

6 1/2 cups water
3 cans (10 1/2 oz each) condensed chicken broth or 2 boxes of broth
1 can condensed cream of chicken soup
2 cups cubed cooked chicken
1 cup chopped onions
1 cup sliced carrots
1/2 teaspoon dried basil leaves
3 cloves garlic finely chopped
1 package (7 oz) dry cheese tortellini
1 box (9 oz) frozen chopped broccoli, thawed
1/4 cup grated parmesan

1. In 5 quart saucepan heat all ingredients except tortellini, broccoli and cheese to boiling. Stir in tortellini. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
2. Stir in broccoli; simmer 5-10 minutes longer or until broccoli is crisp tender. Sprinkle each serving with cheese.

ps-this is NOT very toddler friendly as a soup (I'm sure every mother of a toddler knew that already...but just in case...), but drain off the broth, and all the little tidbits are quite toddler friendly.

cheesy stuffed squash

Ingredients

2 squash
1/4 lb bacon
1/8 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup breadcrumbs
1/3 cup shredded cheddar cheese
paprika
salt and pepper

Directions

1. Boil the squash 10 minutes until softened.

2. When cooled enough to handle, remove the stems and cut in half lengthwise.

3. Remove the pulp.

4. Cook the bacon until crisp.

5. Saute the onion in 2T bacon drippings.

6. Add crumbled bacon, breadcrumbs and squash pulp.

7. Fill the squash shells

8. Top each shell with cheese.

9. Broil until melted.

10. Sprinkle with paprika.

open faced hamburger phillies

1 pound ground beef
1/2 medium green bell pepper, cut into 1/2 inch strips
1/2 medium red bell pepper, cut into 1/2 inch strips
1/2 medium yellow bell pepper, cut into 1/2 inch strips
1 small onion cut into thin wedges
1/2 cup creamy ceasar dressing
4 hoagie buns
8 slices thinly sliced provolone cheese

1. in 12 inch skillet, cook beef, bell peppers and onion over medium high heat, 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until beef is thoroughly cooked and drain, then stir in 1/4 cup of the dressing.
2. Spread remaining 1/4 cup dressing on cut sides of bread. Place all buns, cut sides up, on ungreased large cookie sheet. Broil 5 minutes or until lightly toasted. remove bread from broiler. Spread beef mixture on cut halves of bread. Top with cheese.
3. Return to broiler; broil 5 inches from heat 2-3 minutes or until cheese is melted.
Makes 4 sandwiches.

taco soup

from my friend Cynthia J.
1 lb ground beef or ground turkey
1 onion, diced
1 package dry taco seasoning
1 package dry ranch salad dressing mix
1 cans pinto beans
1 can kidney beans
1 can black beans
1 can whole kernal corn
2 cans Rotel tomatoes with green chilis

Brown ground beef with onion and drain. Add remaining ingredients and simmer until hot. Serve with sour cream, cheese, and tortilla chips.

ground beef stew over mashed potatoes

Ingredients
1/2 pound lean ground beef
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/2 bag frozen mixed vegetables
1 can diced tomatoes
1 jar beef gravy
1/4 teaspoon oregano
1/4 teaspoon pepper
6 peeled and diced potatoes
2 tablespoons margarine
1/2 teaspoon garlic and herb Mrs. Dash
1 small can evaporated milk

1. In 12 inch nonstick skillet, cook beef and onion over medium high heat, stirring frequently, until beef is thoroughly cokoed and drain
2. Stir in mixed vegetables, tomatoes, gravy, oregano, and pepper. Heat to boiling, Reduce heat to low; simmer 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally until vegetables are tender.
3. In 2 quart saucepan boil potatoes until tender and drain. Place potatoes, margarine, Mrs. Dash and 1/2 can evaporated milk. Mash with potato masher or whip with blender, adding more evaporated milk until desired consistency.
4. Serve beef mixture over potatoes
Makes 4 servings

a well stocked pantry explained...

I realize your pantry may look different than mine...but the meals that are labeled well stocked pantry are recipes that can be put together completely out of my pantry/fridge/freezer, or with only purchasing a select few specialized ingredients. I'm a big fan of stocking up, especially with freezing chicken breasts, ground beef and ground turkey, cheese and veggies/fruit. Hopefully these recipes will be helpful to you too when you need a back up plan or need to spend less money at the store this week etc.

a toddler friendly label explained

I'm a little picky about what foods I let my toddler son eat...not as picky as some moms....since we don't do organic, free range, pasture fed (probably should...I'm looking into figuring out the "dirty dozen" at least....). I try to make his meals well balanced as far as food groups, colors, etc. I also try to stay away from too many strong flavors and spices and greasy foods for him...although he is showing me more and more that he enjoys foods with more flavor. When a post is labeled as "toddler friendly" I am meaning that, to me, the dish is fairly well balanced, not too greasy or spicy, and can be made into finger food easily. I don't know about you, but while my son is having a bit more success with using a fork and spoon, we still have a long way to go!

Turkey Meatballs

Follow this link to our family blog where I posted the recipe for turkey meatballs
for some reason blogger won't let me copy and paste the actual text...wierd!

Ravioli with Garlic Sauteed Vegetables

coming soon

green bean casserole

coming soon

the perfect carrot cake

from my friend Cathy M.
coming soon

Easy Calzones

coming soon!

chicken fried rice

a Josh and Melanie original
coming soon

italian vegetable soup

coming soon

chicken burrito soup

coming soon

tofu fried rice

a Melanie and Josh original
coming soon

sausage blobs

from my Mom, Ruth D.
coming soon!

fresh salsa

coming soon

apple berry crisp

6 servings
Ingredients

5 cups (total) sliced peeled cooking apples, and/or fresh or frozen berries
4 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons all purpose flour

1 cup regular rolled oats
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg, ginger, and/or cinnamon
1/2 cup melted butter
1/2 cup coconut

1. For filling thaw fruit if frozen. Do not Drain. Place fruit in a 2 quart square baking dish. Stir in 4 tablespoons granulated sugar and 3 tablespoons all purpose flour.
2. For topping in a medium bowl combine the oats, brown sugar, flour, spices. Stir in melted butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in coconut. Sprinkle topping over filling.
3. Bake crisp in a 375 degree oven for 30-35 minutes (40 for thawed fruit) or till fruit is tender and topping is golden. If desired serve warm with ice cream.

zuchinni ricotta pasta

coming soon

Island bird

coming soon

Ravioli with sauteed vegetables

coming soon

freezer jam

coming soon

sloppy joes

coming soon

Sweet and Sour meatball kabobs

coming soon

Teriyake Beef and Pineapple Lettuce Wraps

coming soon!

Ground Beef and Spinach Lasagna Roll-ups

coming soon!

Three cheese beef pasta shells

24 uncooked jumbo pasta shells
1 pound ground beef
1 jar chunky tomato pasta sauce
1/4 cup water
1 container chive and onion cream cheese spread
1 1/2 cups shredded italian cheese blend
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
1 egg

1. heat oven to 350. Cook and drain pasta shells as directed on package
2. in 10 inch skillet, cook beef over medium high heat 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally until thoroughly cooked and drain. Cook slightly about 5 minutes.
3. In large bowl, mix pasta sauce and water. Pour 1 cup of pasta sauce mixture in bottom of ungreased 12x9 inch glass baking dish. In medium bowl mix cheese spread, 1 cup of italian cheese blend, the parmesan cheese, egg and cooked beef. Spoon heating tablespoon mixture into each shell. Arrange stuffed shells over sauce in baking dish. Pour remaining sauce over top, covering shells completely. cover with foil
4. Bake 40-45 minutes or until bubble and cheese filling is set. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup italian cheese. Bake about 10 minutes longer or until cheese is melted.

Easy Deep Dish pizza pie

1 pound ground beef
1 small onion chopped
1 can pizza sauce
1 can refrigerated french loaf
1 cups shredded italian cheese blend
1 package canadian bacon slices
1 egg
1 tablespoon water
pizza sauce if desired

1. Heat oven to 350. Spray 9 inch glass pie plate with cooking spray. In 10 inch skilled cook beef and onion over medium high heat, stirring frequently until thoroughly cooked. Drain. Stir in pizza sauce until well mixed.
2. carefully enroll dough in pie plate so edges extend over side. Spoon beef mixture into crust. Top with half of the cheese, canadian bacon slices, and the remaining cheese.
3. In small bowl slightly beat egg and water. Fold extended edges of dough up and over filling. Seal all edges. Brush crust with egg mixture.
4. Bake 38p48 minutes or until deep golden brown. Cool 15 minutes. Cut pizza unto wedges and serve with additional pizza sauce.

Italian Pasta and Beef Bake

1 1/2 cups uncokked penne or rotini pasta
1/2 pound ground beef
1 15 ounce can italian style tomato sauce
1 14.5 ounce can diced tomato with italian spices
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

1. Heat over to 350. Spray 8 inch glass baking dish with cooking spray. Cooke and drain pasta as directed.
2. Meanwhile in 12 inch nonstick skillet, cook beef over medium high heat 5-7 minutes stirring frequently until thoroughly cooked and drain. Stir in tomato sauce and tomatoes. Heat to boiling. Remove from heat and pour into baking dish.
3. Add cooked pasta and stir gently to mix. Spray sheet of foil with cooking spray and place prayed side down over baking dish and seal tightly.
4. Bake 15 minutes. Uncover and sprinkle with cheese. Bake uncovered 5-6 10 minutes longer or until casserole is bubbly and cheese is melted.

Ground Beef and Twice Baked Potato Pie

1 pound ground beef
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup seasoned break crumbs
1 egg
5-6 Idaho potatoes peeled and chopped, ready to boil.
1 can evaporated milk
1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 cup chopped fresh tomato
2 slices bacon, cooked and chopped
2 medium green onions.

1. Heat oven to 350. In large bowl, mix beef, onion, bread crumbs, egg until well blended. Press in bottom of ungreased 2 quart baking dish.
2. Boil potatoes until soft. Drain and mash with evaporated milk and butter. Spread evenly over ground beef mixture in baking dish. Sprinkle evenly with cheese.
3. Bake uncovered about 50 minutes or until mean thermometer inserted in the center of beef mixture reads 160. Sprinkle with tomato, bacon and green onion.

Beef and Bean Taco Casserole

1 pound ground beef
1 can refried beans
1 jar salsa
1 package taco seasoning
2 1/2 cups broken tortilla chips
1/2 medium green bell pepper chopped
4 medium green onions sliced
2 medium tomatoes chopped
1 cup shredded mexican cheese
1/4 cup sliced ripe olives
1 cup shredded lettuce

1. Heat oven to 350. In 12 inch skillet, cook beef over medium high heat 5-7 minutes or until thoroughly cooked and drain. Stir in refried beans, salsa and taco seasonings. Reduce heat to medium. Heat to boiling, stirring occasionally.
2. In ungreased 2 quart casserole place 2 cups of the tortilla chips. Top evenly with beef mixture. Sprinkle with bell pepper, onion, cheese and olives.
3. Bake uncovered 320-30 minutes or until hot and bubble and cheese is melted. Top baked casserole with lettuce, tomato and remaining 1/2 cup of chips.

Mediterranean Chicken Panini

1 loaf sourdough or bread of your choice
1/4 cup pesto 2 medium tomatoes sliced
8 slices mozzarella or provolone cheese
1 medium green bell pepper sliced
1 red onion thinly sliced into rings
2 cups chopped purchased rotisserie chicken

1. Spread pesto on insides surfaces of bread.
2. Layer bread with cheese, tomatoes, bell pepper chicken, onion, cheese and 2nd slice of bread.
3. Brush outside surfaces of bread with olive oil. Repeat steps and place 2 completed sandwiches in warm skillet.
4. Place a slightly smaller skillet on top of sandwiches and filled tea kettle on top of smaller skillet to act as a panini press. Let sandwiches brown on one side and flip, replacing weights.
5. Cut in half, serve and enjoy!

Chicken Phyllo Bundles/Rolls

makes 4 or 5 servings
INGREDIENTS:
1/2 cup matchstick cut carrots
2 cups cut up cooked chicken (I used left over rotisserie chicken YUM!)
1/2 cup provolone or mozzarella cheese
4 medium Green onions thinly sliced
1 box frozen chopped broccoli, thawed and drained
1 tub garlic-and-herbs spreadable cream cheese
1/2 box phyllo pastry sheets, thawed
butter flavored cooking spray

1. Heat oven to 375. In small microwavable bowl, place carrots. Cover and microwave 1-2 minutes, until tender. Meanwhile in medium bowl, gently mix chicken, cheese, onions, broccoli and cream cheese. Stir in carrots
2. to make 1 bundle, layer 6 pastry sheets generously spraying each with cooking spray. Place about 2/3 cup chicken mixture in center of sheets. With both hands, lift stack of pastry sheets toward center and twist in center to make bundle. (sheets may tear a little) Spray each bundle generously and place on ungreased cookie sheet. Repeat to make 3 or 4 more bundles...there may be some filling left over, it's yummy to eat alone too!
3. Bake 20-25 minutes or until pastry is browned and crisp. Serve over rice pilaf.

Variation for a freezer meal:
1. Prepare filling as directed above in step #1. (I tripled the ingredients and ended up with 8 rolls, 64 servings total.)
2. Place one sheet phyllo dough on large cookie sheet and brush with butter (or spray). Top with remaining five sheets, brushing (or spraying) each lightly with butter. Place chicken mixture along one esge of dough, leaving 1 inch margin. Fold in short ends of phyllo dough, and then roll, starting with side containing filling. Seal edges with butter. Brush entire roll with remaining melted butter. Wrap roll in foil, label and freeze.
3. To Thaw and Cook: Partially unwrap and thaw chicken roll overnight in refrigerator.  Brush with 1 tablespoon melted butter. Bake in preheated 375 oven for 40-50 minutes until pastry is crisp and golden brown and filling is thoroughly heated. Let stand 10 minutes before serving. Slice carefully on the diagonal using a serrated knife.

Speedy Sweet and Sour Chicken

INGREDIENTS:
1 1/2 cups cooked rice and water needed for cooking
1 package stir fry vegetables
1 jar sweet and sour sauce
1 package breaded cooked chicken nuggets
1 can of pineapple tidbits

1. Cooke rice as directed on package.
2. Meanwhile, cook chicken as directed on package until thoroughly heated.
3. In 10 inch skillet, cook stir fry vegetables according to directions. Stir in cooked chicken, sweet and sour sauce, and pineapple. Cook until heated through.
4. Serve over rice.

Green Bean and chicken casserole

INGREDIENTS
1 can condensed cream of chicken soup
1/4 cup milk
1 cup herb seasoned stuffing crumbs
1/4 cup butter or margarine melted
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into 1 inch wide strips
2 cups frozen green beans, thawed.

1. Heat oven to 350. Lightly spray 11x7 inch glass baking dish with cooking spray. In small bowl, mix soup, and milk until well blended. In another small bowl mix stuffing crumbs and melted butter.
2. In baking dish layer chicken, green beans, soup mixture and stuffing mixture.
3. Bake uncovered about 45 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink in center and mixture is hot and bubbly.

Nacho Chicken Casserole

INGREDIENTS:
4 cups diced cooked chicken
1 15ounce can pinto beans drained and rinsed
1/2 cup salsa
1 can condensed nacho cheese soup
1 1/2 cups cheddar cheese
1 cup shredded lettuce
1 medium tomato chopped
1 can sliced ripe olives, drained (optional)

1. Heat oven to 375. In large bowl mix chicken, beans, salsa and soup. Spoon evenly into ungreased 8 inch square (2 quart) glass baking dish. Sprinkle with cheese.
2. Cover with foil and Bake for 30-40 minutes. Uncover and bake 5-8 minutes longer. Top with lettuce, tomato and olives.

greek turkey pitas

Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
1-1/2 pounds ground turkey
1 medium onion, chopped
1 large clove garlic, minced
1 medium bell pepper (red or green), chopped
1-1/2 teaspoons dried oregano leaves, crushed
1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves, crushed
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
4 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1/2 cup cucumber, cubed into small pieces
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 fresh tomato, thinly sliced into 6 slices
3 scallions, split in half
6 white pitas, 6" size
Preparation
In skillet, heat oil and brown ground turkey; separate larger pieces with fork.
Add onion, garlic, bell pepper, oregano, thyme and black pepper; cook until onion is soft.
Add vinegar. The turkey mixture can be refrigerated at this point until ready to serve pitas.
In a separate bowl, gently mix the cucumber into the sour cream; let stand while the pitas are prepared.
In a skillet lightly coated with olive oil, brown the pitas on both sides; stack pitas on a plate and cover to keep warm. Cut pitas in half.
Stuff each half with the meat mixture, and top with the sour cream mixture; serve with a scallion half and a tomato slice as a garnish.

this is another way to make the yogurt sauce from Rachael Ray:
mix 1 cup greek (or just plain) yogurt, grated one clove of garlic, 1/4 cucumber peeled and grated, juice of 1 lemon and 1/2 teaspoon cumin

tabbouleh

Ingredients
1/2 cup dry couscous
3/4 cup water
1 cup cucumbers, thinly sliced and quartered
1/2 cup red bell pepper, chopped
1/4 cup sweet onion, chopped
2 tablespoon black olives, chopped
1/4 cup flat-leaf parsley, chopped
4 teaspoons olive oil
1 tablespoons white wine or unseasoned rice vinegar
2 tablespoons feta cheese crumbles
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper

Preparation
In a medium saucepan heat water to a boil and add couscous. Return to boiling. Remove pan from heat, cover and let stand for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork and let cool while preparing vegetables.
Add cucumber, bell pepper, onion, olives and parsley to couscous.
Combine olive oil, wine or vinegar, feta cheese, basil, salt and pepper to make dressing. Mix with the couscous salad.
Refrigerate at least 1 hour. Serve chilled.

pretzel salad

Ingredients

Crust
2 cup salt-free pretzels, crushed coarsely
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup unsalted margarine, melted

Filling
8 ounce package fat free cream cheese, softened
1 cup sugar
1 medium container Cool Whip® lite dessert topping

Topping
1 large box dry strawberry gelatin (8 serving size)
2 cups boiling water
16-ounce bag unsweetened frozen strawberries (I actually like to use one and a half bags....)

Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 375º F.
2. To make the crust, combine pretzels, sugar and margarine in a bowl. Press into a 9” x 13” pan. Bake for 8 minutes. Set aside in a cool area.

3. In a mixing bowl, stir hot water into dry gelatin until dissolved completely. Add frozen strawberries and stir until berries are separated. Chill in refrigerator while making filling and crust is cooling.

4. To make filling, blend together cream cheese and Splenda® sweetener. Add Cool Whip® dessert topping. Spread over cooled pretzel crust.

5. Pour partially set gelatin and strawberries over cream cheese mixture.
6. Chill at least 2 hours before serving. Cut into 12 equal-size portions.

smoothies

a Melanie original
INGREDIENTS:
1/2 cup yogurt
handful ice cubes
handful frozen fruit (mixed berries are my favorite)
1/2 banana
honey for desired sweetness
enough milk for desired consistency

1. Place all ingredients into blender or magic bullet in this order:
ice, frozen fruit, banana, yogurt, milk, honey.
2. Blend until desired consistency, adding more milk if needed.

(you can also substitute 1/4 cup yogurt with 1/4 cup silken tofu..you might need more honey for sweetness, and maybe even a touch of vanilla...)

french toast

a Melanie original...with a little help from Food Network.com
INGREDIENTS:
4 eggs, beaten
1 small can evaporated milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons honey (warmed in microwave for 10 seconds)
6 pieces texas toast
syrup

1. Preheat large skillet over medium heat. Combine eggs, milk, vanilla and honey in small, shallow square dish (I use tupperware).
2. Soak 1 piece of texas toast in egg mixture, about 30 seconds on each side. Place on hot skillet.
3. Cook on each side about 2 minutes or until nicely browned.
4. Serve with warmed syrup.

quick and easy salsa

from my friend Sharon G.
1 bunch cilantro
1 bunch green onions
2 cans petite diced tomatoes drained
1 can rotel drained

1. wash and coarsley chop cilantro and green onions. Place in chopper with rotel and chop to desired consistency.
2. Combine with the cans of diced tomatoes for a chunky salsa.

lemon drop cookies

from my mom, Ruth D.
1 box duncan hines lemon cake mix (the kind with pudding in the mix)
1 egg
1 medium container cool-whip
powdered sugar

1. Preheat oven to 350. combine cake mix, egg and cool whip until well blended.
2. Scoop powdered sugar into a small shallow container. Scoop a tablespoonfu batter into powdered sugar and roll around until well coated.
3. Place on well greased cookie sheet. Repeat with remaining batter. Dont place cookies too close together, as they will spread.
4. Cook 10-12 minutes. Try NOT to let them brown.
ENJOY!

Italian Chicken Pizza

1 premade pizza crusts
4 or 5 leave of fresh basil
mozzarella cheese
1 chicken breast cut up into small cubes
1 small onion chopped
2 small tomatoes chopped
Mrs Dash garlic and herb flavor spice blend
olive oil

1. sautee chicken in olive oil and onion until fully cooked. season with Mrs. Dash.
2. Preheat oven to 350. drizzle a small amount of olive oil on crust.
3. layer pizza crust with 1/2 the cheese, chicken, basil, tomatoes, rest of cheese, and small amount of Mrs. Dash. Drizzle top with a bit more EVOO.
4. Cook in oven for 15 minutes or until cheese is melted.

chicken pot pie

from my friend Sharon G.
2 pie crusts.-frozen or refrigerated...whichever you prefer
2 cans mixed vegetables
2 cups boiled chicken, cubed
1/4 cup shredded cheese
1 tablespoon diced onion
2 cloved garlic minced
1/4 cup milk
1 can condensed cream of chicken soup
salt and pepper to taste
(last time I made this, I also sprinkled fried onion rings..the kind you put in green bean casserole...on top before putting on the top pie crust...added a little extra flavor!)
1. preheat oven according to pie crust directions. Prick 1 pie crust and bake according to package.
2. combine vegetables, chicken, cheese, onion, garlic, milk and soup in a bowl. Spoon into baked bottom crust. Top with 2nd crust.
3. bake 20 minutes or until crust is golden brown and delicious.
4. ENJOY!

Cranberry Chicken

from my friend Martha H.
INGREDIENTS
4 frozen boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 can whole berry cranberry sauce
1 packet onion soup mix

1. Combine all ingredients in slow-cooker.
2. Cook on low 6-8 hours or on high 4-6 hours.
I like to serve with mashed potatoes and use the sauce from the chicken as gravy. YUM!

chipolte chicken kabobs

a Melanie original
2 chicken breasts, cubed
1 bottle lawrys chipolte marinade
1 each red and green bell peppers cut into 1 inch pieces
1 small zuchinni cut into thick slices
2 small yellow squash cut into thick slices
1 red onion, cut into wedges

1. Marinate chicken at least 30 minutes ahead of time.
2. Light grill. Allow to preheat.
3. Arrange all ingredients on skewers, I usually use 6-8 skewers.
Some suggest putting only like ingredients on each skewer, but I just alternate ingredients on the same skewer.
4. Place on grill and cook for 20 minutes, turning occasionally, until thoroughly cooked. You may wish to baste with leftover marinade.

oven fried zucchini sticks

from eatingwell.com
Our oven-baked zucchini sticks taste every bit as good as their deep-fried brethren with only a fraction of the fat and calories. Serve with a side of your favorite marinara sauce for dipping.
(I also tried horseradish sauce, which was ok, but the marinara was better)

Makes 4 servings

ACTIVE TIME: 20 minutes
TOTAL TIME: 30 minutes
EASE OF PREPARATION: Moderate
Canola or olive oil cooking spray
1/2 cup whole-wheat flour
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons cornmeal
2 teaspoons seasoned salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 1/2 pounds zucchini (about 3 medium), cut into 1/2-by-3-inch sticks
2 large egg whites, lightly beaten
1. Preheat oven to 475°F. Coat a large baking sheet with cooking spray.
2. Combine flours, cornmeal, salt and pepper in a large sealable plastic bag. Dip zucchini in flour mixture then dip zucchini in egg white. Return the eggy zucchini to the flour mixture and thoroughly coat, one stick at a time. Arrange the sticks, not touching, on the baking sheet. Coat all exposed sides with cooking spray.
3. Bake on the center rack for 7 minutes. Turn the zucchini and coat any floury spots with cooking spray. Continue to bake until golden and just tender, about 7 minutes more. Serve hot.