Simple Cheese Straws

Ingredients

• Servings: 2


• 1 (8 ounce) package shredded cheddar cheese


• 1/2 cup butter, softened


• 1 cup all-purpose flour


• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Recipe

Preparation Time: 15 mins
Cook Time: 8 mins
Ready Time: 45 mins



• preheat oven to 450 degrees f (230 degrees c).


• in a mixing bowl, combine the cheese and butter. blend in the flour and salt. form the mixture into 6 balls. roll the balls into slender "snakes." cut each "snake" into 4 straws. bake the straws for about 8 minutes, or until golden brown.

slow cooker pumpkin steel cut oats

Ingredients

• Servings: 6


• cooking spray (such as pam®)


• 6 cups water


• 1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree


• 1 1/2 cups steel-cut oats


• 1 cup brown sugar replacement (such as splenda® brown sugar blend)


• 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon


• 1 tablespoon spice

Recipe

Preparation Time: 5 mins
Cook Time: 6 hrs


Ready Time: 6 hrs 5 mins



• prepare the crock of your slow cooker with cooking spray.


• stir water, pumpkin puree, oats, brown sugar replacement, cinnamon, and spice together in the prepared slow cooker.


• cook on low for 6 hours. stir before serving.

Creamy Summer Squash Soup

Ingredients

• Servings: 6


• 6 small yellow summer squash, trimmed and coarsely chopped


• 1 large zucchini, trimmed and coarsely chopped


• 2 cups vegetable stock


• 1 cup half-and-half cream


• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon


• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese


• ground white pepper to taste


• coarse sea salt to taste


• 2 tablespoons lemon juice, or more to taste


• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh tarragon

Recipe

Preparation Time: 15 mins
Cook Time: 20 mins
Ready Time: 35 mins



• place the summer squash, zucchini, vegetable stock, half-and-half, and tarragon into a large soup pot; bring to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer, and cook until the vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes.


• pour the soup into a blender, filling the pitcher no more than halfway full. hold down the lid of the blender with a folded kitchen towel, and carefully start the blender, using a few quick pulses to get the soup moving before leaving it on to puree. puree in batches until nearly smooth, and pour into a clean pot. alternately, you can use a stick blender and puree the soup right in the cooking pot.


• sprinkle the cheddar cheese into the hot soup, and allow to melt; stir until thoroughly mixed. stir in the lemon juice, and top with a sprinkling of tarragon to serve.

Healthier Chicken Enchiladas I

Ingredients

• Servings: 8


• 4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves


• 1 onion, chopped


• 1 cup light sour cream


• 1 cup shredded reduced-fat cheddar cheese


• 1 tablespoon dried parsley


• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano


• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper


• 1/2 teaspoon salt (optional)


• 1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce


• 1/2 cup water


• 1 tablespoon chili powder


• 1/3 cup chopped green bell pepper


• 1/3 cup chopped red bell pepper


• 1 clove garlic, minced


• 1 (15 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained


• 8 (10 inch) whole wheat flour tortillas


• 1 (12 ounce) jar taco sauce


• 3/4 cup shredded reduced-fat cheddar cheese

Recipe

Preparation Time: 35 mins
Cook Time: 30 mins
Ready Time: 1 hr 15 mins



• preheat oven to 350 degrees f (175 degrees c).


• cook chicken in a nonstick skillet over medium heat, until no longer pink and juices run clear, about 10 minutes per side. an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read at least 165 degrees f (74 degrees c). drain excess fat. cube chicken and return to skillet. add onion, sour cream, 1 cup cheddar cheese, parsley, oregano, and ground black pepper. heat until cheese melts, about 3 minutes. stir in salt, tomato sauce, water, chili powder, green bell pepper, red bell pepper, garlic, and black beans.


• roll even amounts of mixture into tortillas. arrange in a 9x13-inch baking dish. cover with taco sauce and 3/4 cup cheddar cheese.


• bake uncovered in preheated oven until cheese is melted and sauce is bubbling, about 20 minutes. cool 10 minutes before serving.

lamb chops over rice

Ingredients

• Servings: 3


• 4 slices bacon


• 3 (6 ounce) lamb chops


• salt and ground black pepper to taste


• 1 cup rice


• 1/2 cup diced onion


• 1 tablespoon minced garlic


• 2 cups chicken broth


• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper


• 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary


• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

Recipe

Preparation Time: 10 mins
Cook Time: 40 mins
Ready Time: 50 mins



• cook bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until crisp, about 10 minutes. remove the bacon slices to a plate lined with paper towels to cool, retaining bacon drippings in the skillet. crumble the cooled bacon.


• lay lamb chops into the reserved bacon drippings in the skillet; season with salt and black pepper. cook lamb chops until completely browned, 3 to 5 minutes. remove lamb chops to the paper towel-lined plate.


• stir rice, onion, and garlic into the drippings remaining in the skillet. cook and stir until the onions are tender and the rice is slightly browned, 5 to 7 minutes. pour chicken broth over the rice mixture; add crumbled bacon and cayenne pepper.


• bring the mixture to a boil. return the lamb chops to the skillet. sprinkle rosemary and thyme over the lamb chops. reduce heat to medium-low and cook at a simmer until the broth is absorbed into the rice and the lamb chops are no longer pink in the middle, about 20 minutes.

Manda's Seven Layer Taco Dip

Ingredients

• Servings: 16


• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese at room temperature


• 1 (8 ounce) container sour cream


• 1 (1 ounce) packet dry taco seasoning mix


• 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved


• 2 avocados - peeled, pitted, and diced


• 1/4 cup red onion, minced


• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice


• 1/2 teaspoon salt


• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper


• 1 (15 ounce) can refried black beans


• 1 1/4 cups salsa


• 1 (8 ounce) package shredded mexican blend cheese


• 1 1/2 cups shredded iceberg lettuce


• 1/3 cup pickled jalapeno pepper slices

Recipe

Preparation Time: 30 mins
Ready Time: 30 mins



• with a handheld or standing mixer, beat together cream cheese, sour cream, and taco seasoning in bowl until light and fluffy; set aside.


• in a separate bowl, stir together the cherry tomatoes, avocados, red onion, lime juice, salt, and black pepper; set aside.


• spread the refried black beans out into the bottom of a 9x13-inch glass baking dish in an even layer. spread the cream cheese mixture over the black beans; top with layers of salsa, mexican cheese blend, lettuce, cherry tomato mixture, and jalapeno slices.


• cover the dish tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate until serving time. serve cold or at room temperature.

cindy's snappy sensational superfood soup

Ingredients

• Servings: 2


• 3 yellow potatoes (such as klondike goldust®), cubed


• 1 (10 ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained


• 2 large carrots, chopped


• 2 turnips, diced


• 3 cloves garlic, minced


• 3/4 cup dry lentils


• water, or amount to cover


• cindy's magical motorvatin' spice mix:


• 1/4 teaspoon chopped fresh basil


• 1 teaspoon chili powder


• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon


• 1/4 teaspoon dried basil


• 1/4 teaspoon paprika


• 1/8 teaspoon ground turmeric


• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper


• 1/8 teaspoon ground ginger


• sea salt and ground black pepper to taste

Recipe

Preparation Time: 25 mins
Cook Time: 8 hrs


Ready Time: 8 hrs 25 mins



• combine the potatoes, spinach, carrots, turnips, garlic, and lentils in a slow cooker. pour enough water over the mixture to cover.


• in a bowl, stir the fresh basil, chili powder, cinnamon, dried basil, paprika, turmeric, cayenne pepper, ground ginger, sea salt, and black pepper; stir into the slow cooker.


• cover the cooker, and cook on high for 8 hours.