Chicken Parmesan Bake

Here is another quick, shovel it in type of food, rather than having a meat sauce, this one is chicken, with lots of cheese.  Use the same idea as the meat sauce, but cook the chopped up chicken with olive oil, garlic, onion, and spices to taste, then add the tomato sauce/tomatoes/tomato paste, some parmesan cheese, and then add in the cooked noodles, plop it in a pan, top with lots of cheese, and bake for about 25 minutes.  I gave this a 6, because I didn't feel like there was enough flavor, but everyone else gave it an 8, so a hit with the guys :).  The calories for 1/6 of the total are 413 the way I made it, but I think it could use more flavor, so amp up the cheese, spices, whatever.

Spaghetti Bake

I get comments from my husband a lot that he doesn't want fussy food.  He is the shovel it in kind of guy, and if I want to make food that pleases him, that's what I make.  Enter baked spaghetti.  I have made this most of our married life, because it is so easy, and is even easier to eat than regular spaghetti with meat sauce.  Plus, you get the cheesy baked top, which always makes everything better, right?  Just take your favorite meat sauce recipe, mix it with your al dente pasta, and place in a greased 13x9 inch pan, then top with cheese and bake until the cheese is melted and browning on top.  So easy, and a really easy meal to eat.  Aaron gave this a perfect 10, Noah and I gave it a 9, and Owen gave it an 8.  The calories are dependent on what kind of meat you use, how much pasta and cheese you use, as well as cheese type. Anyway, it's about 400 calories per serving, so serve it up and enjoy!

Picky Palate's Mini Bean and Cheese Burrito Cups

This is such an easy and kid-friendly recipe.  My kids loved these, Noah gave them a perfect 10, and Owen gave them a 9.  I gave them an 8, and Aaron gave them a 6, he felt like they were boring.  Again, kid-friendly :).  Anyway, Picky Palate has great fun ideas or kid foods, and this was a hit with mine.  Plus they are fast and easy to make, and I send them in the kids' lunch box for school as well.  Each muffin is only 97 calories.  Here's what to do:

2 cans refrigerated French bread loaves, cut into 24 pieces total
1 16 oz can refried beans
1 c shredded cheddar cheese, divided
1/2 c salsa
salt

Preheat oven to 350 and spray 2 12 count muffin tins with cooking spray.  Press each slice of bread dough into the muffin cups, then form them into little cups.  Mix together the beans, salsa, 1/2 c cheese, and salt.  Divide the bean mixture evenly between each muffin, and sprinkle with cheese.  Cook for 15 minutes in the prepared oven, and let cool a bit and then serve.  Yum!

Our Best Bites Beef Enchilada with Red Sauce

Our Best Bites Beef Enchiladas with Red Sauce

So I made these easy enchiladas the other night, but I didn't count how many tortillas I had, so we had enchilada casserole rather than regular enchiladas.  This was tasty, and not super high in calories, only 309 calories for 1/12 of the pan.  The boys liked these better than Aaron and I did, we gave it a 7, and Owen gave it an 8, and Noah a 9.  This was filling and not too much work, so it was a great meal over all.  Here's what I did.

1 lb ground beef
1 medium onion, minced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 4 oz can diced green chilies
1 T chili powder
1/2 t cumin
1/2 t coriander
1/2 t oregano
salt to taste
1/2 c sour cream
1 lime, juiced
4 c pepper jack cheese, grated
2 T chopped fresh cilantro
1 8 oz can tomato sauce
6 corn tortillas
14 oz red enchilada sauce (more or less to taste)

Tear up tortillas and dip them in the enchilada sauce.  Layer some on the bottom of a greased 9x13 pan.  Preheat the oven to 350.  Brown beef, then add the onion and spices and salt to taste.  Cook until onion is softened and meat is brown.  Remove the pan from the heat, mix in the lime juice, sour cream, cilantro, tomato sauce, and 1 c of the pepper jack cheese.  Place that over the tortilla layer, then add some more tortillas to the top.  Pour the remaining enchilada sauce over the top of the tortillas, then put the cheese over the top and bake for about 25 minutes.  Serve.

Absolutely Avocado's Chipotle Guacamole

Easy peasy and a nice change of pace, this guacamole recipe from Absolutely Avocados was fun.  We had this with some chips and enchiladas, and the boys and I liked it.  Aaron, Noah and I gave it an 8, and Owen gave it a 6.  The calories for 1/6 of the recipe are 147.  The smoky flavor of the chipotle peppers was so delicious, I love cooking with them.  I will feature a recipe soon with shrimp and chipotle peppers.  Anyway, here is the way easy recipe:

3 Haas avocados
1/3 c chopped fresh cilantro
1 lime, juiced
1 chipotle pepper chopped with a little of the sauce
Salt

Mix all ingredients together and serve.

Picky Palate's Apple-Spice Puff Pancake with Caramel Syrup

This is a delicious breakfast treat!  We loved this.  The boys and I all gave it a 9, and the real high point was the caramel sauce.  Picky Palate's puff pancake with syrup is easy and delicious, but the calories are crazy!!!  For 1/4 of the pancake and syrup, the calories are 835, gulp.  We had this with bacon and fresh fruit for dinner, and I had to watch my calories all day to be able to eat it.  I like that I don't have to stand and watch and flip a bunch of pancakes, it is all just one big pancake that we slice at the end.  Anyway, this was delicious, and here's what to do:

9 T butter, divided
1 c plus 1 T packed brown sugar
2 granny smith apples peeled, cored and chopped
1/2 t cinnamon
1 c flour
1/3 c sugar
1/4 t plus 1/8 t kosher salt
5 large eggs
1/3 c milk
1 t vanilla
1/4 c heavy cream
1/4 c sour cream

Preheat the oven to 425.  Melt 1 T of the butter and 1 T of the brown sugar over medium heat.  Add the apple and cinnamon and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes.  Remove from the heat.
Add the flour, sugar, and 1/8 t salt into a medium bowl.  Add the eggs, milk and vanilla into a separate medium bowl, whisking to combine.  Stir into the dry ingredients until well combined.  Add the apples, stirring to combine.
Melt 4 T of the butter in a large skillet over medium heat.  Pour the pancake batter into the skillet.  Bake for 18-22 minutes until puffed and golden.
While the pancake is baking, melt the remaining brown sugar and salt, and 2 T of water in a saucepan over medium heat.  Cook, stirring, until bubbly and smooth, about 5 minutes.  Add the remaining butter and stir until melted.  Add the heavy cream and sour cream, stirring until well combined.  Reduce the heat to low until ready to serve.  Cut the pancake into four wedges and drizzle each wedge with the caramel syrup.

Weelicious' PB&J Cupcakes

I bought myself this lunch cookbook from Weelicious, and it has been a great resource to inspire me to make better lunches for my kids.  Not everything has been a hit, but a lot of things have, like cheesy waffle sandwiches, and this recipe for pb&j cupcakes.  They are more like muffins, and they are pretty healthy.  For 1 muffin, the calories are 195, and they make a great lunch box sandwich/muffin. Here's what I did, and I got 18 regular sized muffins from the recipe.

1 c flour
3/4 c whole wheat flour
2 t baking powder
1/2 c brown sugar
3/4 c smooth peanut butter
1/4 c canola oil
2 t vanilla
2 large eggs
1 c milk
1/2 c jam of choice

Preheat the oven to 350 ad spray a muffin tin with cooking spray.
Whisk together the flours, baking powder, and brown sugar.
Whisk together the peanut butter, oil, vanilla, eggs, and milk. 
Pour dry ingredients into wet ones and stir until just combined. 
Fill muffin tins 2/3 full, and bake for 20-25 minutes for full sized muffins.  Cool, then when ready to serve, cut the muffins in half and spread on jam.  Serve or send in the lunchbox :).

 

Aren't they fun looking?  Owen and I gave them a 9, and Noah gave them a perfect 10.  He said they are his favorite muffins ever :).