Chicken Lettuce Wraps

These were fantastic!  I love it when a recipe is everything it states to be.  No disappointment with the finished product here.  These are a little lighter and healthier than the famous PF Changs lettuce wraps but have just as much fantastic flavor.  My kids even gobbled them up.  Yay!

Chicken Lettuce Wraps  Serves 8-10
adapted slightly from Pip & Ebby

2 lbs. lean ground chicken
1 small onion, chopped
salt and pepper, to taste
6 cloves garlic (or 1 T. garlic in a jar)
1/4 c. soy sauce
2 T. rice vinegar
2 T. sesame oil
2 T. creamy peanut butter
2 T. water
2 T. honey
2-3 T. chili garlic sauce (found in the Asian aisle)
6-8 green onion, sliced
1-2 8 oz. can water chestnuts, chopped (according to taste)
1/2 c. salted peanuts, chopped
Butter/Iceberg/Romaine lettuce leaves

Directions:

Heat a large skiller over medium heat.  Add chicken, onion, salt and pepper.  Cook, breaking apart chicken with a spatula, until the meat is almost cooked through.  Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for an additional 3 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a microwaveable bowl, combine the soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, peanut butter, water, honey and chili garlic sauce.  Microwave on high in 30 second intervals until melted, stirring after each one.  Add the liquid mixture to the chicken and stir until combined.

Add green onions and water chestnuts.  Stir until combined and cook over medium heat for 3 minutes, or until heated through.  Remove and divide the chicken mixture between lettuce leaves.  Top with chopped peanuts and serve.

Ham and Broccoli Quiche

A delicious, quick and easy dinner tonight.  Also a great way to use up leftover ham!  Add salad and fruit to complete the meal.


Ham and Broccoli Quiche (adapted from Wilson Farm)
Serves 6-8

1 9-inch pie shell, partially baked (475 degrees, 6 min.)
1-1 1/2 c. frozen broccoli, warmed and finely chopped
1 c. cooked ham, chopped (about 1/3 lb.)
1 c. lightly packed shredded Swiss cheese
3 eggs
1 1/3 c. half and half
1 t. dried minced onion
1/2 t. salt
1/8 t. pepper

Layer broccoli, ham, and cheese in the bottom of the partially baked pie shell.  Sprinkle over the top the dried minced onion, salt, and pepper.  Whisk together the eggs and half and half and pour into the pie shell.  Bake at 375 degrees for 40-45 min or until set.  Test by inserting knife, when it comes out clean the quiche is done.

Clam Chowder

This clam chowder is a recipe of my Grandma's.  I remember eating this as a child.  When I got married and my husband and I were trying to combine our Christmas traditions, we settled on this soup as the perfect fit for our family's Christmas Eve candlelight dinner.  It is especially fitting since we are raising our children in New England, home of clam chowder!  I have made a few alterations from Grandma's original recipe (more clams and potatoes.....a bit less butter and half and half!) but it is essentially the same.  It is simple but so creamy and delicious. 

Clam Chowder
Serves 8-10

3 (6 oz.) cans minced clams
1 c. chopped onions
1 c. celery
3 c. diced potatoes
1/2 c. butter
1/3 c. flour
2 c. milk
2c. half and half
1 1/2 t. salt
1/4 t. pepper
1/2 t. sugar

Chop vegetables and place in stockpot.  Drain juice from the clams and pour over chopped vegetables.  Set aside clams.  Add enough water to just cover the vegetables.  Cook until potatoes are tender.  In a separate saucepan, melt butter.  Add flour, blend well and cook for 1 minute.  Add milk and half and half and sir until smooth and thick.  Add cream mixture and clams to undrained vegetables.  Heat through. 

Potato Bacon Breakfast Casserole

I have made this casserole many times over the past year as we've celebrated our new 12 year old girls at church who join our youth program.  We hold a surprise breakfast for them after we go to their house early in the morning, wake them up by singing "Happy Birthday" and then bringing them with all the rest of the girls to my house for breakfast.  All the girls seem to like it and it is fast and easy to throw together the night before.

Potato Bacon Breakfast CasseroleAdapted slightly from Our Best Bites

6 c. (32 oz. pkg) Southern/country-style hash browns (cubes), completely thawed (if they’re not thawed, they won’t cook correctly)
1 (16 oz.) pkg bacon
1 1/2 c. pepper jack cheese
1 1/2 c. cheddar cheese
1 bunch green onions, chopped

5 eggs

2 c. milk

1 t. salt

freshly ground black pepper

Begin cooking bacon.  While the bacon is cooking, place the potatoes in a 9×13″ baking dish. Mix the cheeses together and sprinkle it over the potatoes. When the bacon is done cooking, drain it on a paper towel and reserve 2 tablespoons of the drippings. Cook the onions in the drippings for 2-3 minutes or until they’re tender and fragrant. Spread the onions over the cheese mixture and then sprinkle everything with the crumbled bacon.  Whisk together the eggs, milk, salt, and pepper and, whisking constantly, pour the egg mixture evenly over the potato mixture.  Cover and refrigerate overnight or for 7-8 hours.

When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350.  Bake, uncovered, for 40-45 minutes or until the cheese is bubbly but not brown. Allow to stand for 15 minutes before cutting. Serve with fresh fruit.

Taco Pizza

Taco Pizza

1 pound lean ground beef
1 envelope taco seasoning mix
1 (10 ounce) can refrigerated Pillsbury pizza dough
1 (16 ounce) can refried beans
2-3 cups shredded cheddar cheese (I used colby and monterey jack cheese)
1/2 cup chopped tomatoes
1/4 cup sliced black olives
4 green onions, chopped

Directions: Heat oven to 375 degrees. Brown ground beef in a large skillet, over medium-high heat. Drain grease. Add taco seasoning to the ground beef according to package directions.

Unroll pizza dough onto an ungreased cookie sheet. (I used a 10x15 inch cookie sheet). Let dough sit at room temperature for 5 minutes. Press dough over the bottom and up along all 4 sides the of cookie sheet. Bake pizza dough for 8-10 minutes, or until lightly golden. Remove from oven.

Place refried beans into a microwavable-safe bowl. Microwave for 1 minute. Stir well and then spread beans evenly over the top of the warm pizza crust. Top with the cooked ground beef mixture, sprinkle with cheese and then add the tomatoes, black olives and green onion.

Return to oven and bake another 5-7 minutes, or until cheese is melted. Garnish with lettuce and salsa if desired.  Serve immediately and enjoy!

Store any leftovers in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.

Hearty Bean and Kielbasa Soup

This soup is so yummy!  It has the perfect combination of color, flavor and texture.  It is very hearty and filling and delicious on a cold day. 

Hearty Bean and Kielbasa Soup
Makes about 6 servings (1 3/4 c.)

1 c. baby carrots, chopped
1 1/2 c. chopped onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 t. garlic paste
16 oz. Hillshire Farms Polska Kielbasa, cut into small pieces
5 c. fat free, less sodium Swanson's chicken broth
1/2 t. dried Italian Seasoning
1/4 t. black pepper
2 cans (15.8 oz.) Great Northern beans, drained and rinsed
1 (6 oz.) bag fresh baby spinach leaves

Heat a large pan over medium high heat.  Add carrots, onion, minced garlic, garlic paste and kielbasa; saute 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Reduce heat to medium and cook 5 minutes.  Add broth, Italian seasoning, pepper and beans.  Simmer 5 minutes.

Place 2 1/2 c. of the soup in a blender and process until smooth.  Return the purred mixture to the pan.  Simmer and additional 5 minutes.

Add the spinach, stirring until it wilts.

This soup freezes well.

Energy Bites

These are super simple and super delish.  They are the perfect quick and healthy snack.  My kids gobble them right up and don't seem to mind that they are good for them.  Yay!

Energy Bites

1 c. old fashioned oatmeal
1/2 c. peanut (or other nut) butter without sugar
1/3 c. honey (preferably raw)
1 c. raw coconut flakes
1/2 c. ground flax
1/2 c. mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 t. vanilla

Mix all until well incorporated and let chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.  Then roll into 1-inch size balls.  If it seems too dry, add more peanut butter and/or honey.  Store in an airtight container for up to one week.