Salsa Chicken

Salsa Chicken:

2 Boneless skinless chicken breast
1/2 jar favorite salsa (I like chunky picante)
4 tbs cream cheese (as much or as little as you like)
salt, pepper
Cumin

Preheat oven 400 degrees
Heat oven safe skillet with 1 tbs oil
Sprinkle both sides of chicken with salt, pepper, and cumin. Cook until brown 5-7 minutes each side. Top each with 2 tbs creamcheese and then spoon salsa on top. Place in oven for 10-12 minutes so chicken can finish cooking. I like to serve this with a side of fiesta corn (found in canned vegetables section) and mexican rice.

Shrimp and Wild Rice bake

Shrimp and Wild Rice Bake for 2:

10 large shrimp shelled chopped

1 boxes Uncle Ben's original wild rice

1/2 can cream of mushroom soup

1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Cook rice according to package directions.

Preheat oven 400 degrees

When rice is done add cream of mushroom soup and shrimp. Mix and put in small baking dish. Top with cheese and bake until cheese is bubbly, about 12 minutes. Ready to Serve!!

Caramel Apple Cake

Caramel Apple Cake:

5 green apples

1 10oz jar caramel sauce

1 box yellow cake mix
1 orange
1 tsp cinnamon
deep round cake pan

preheat oven to specified temperature on cake box.

Spray cake pan with non stick spray. Pour caramel sauce in bottom of pan till thickly coated. Slice apples in 1 inch slices and layer on top of caramel. 

Prepare cake mix according to package directions. Squeeze juice from half an orange into batter and mix in cinnamon. Pour on top of apples careful not to move them. 

Bake according to package directions. Remove from oven and let cool completely.

Once cool, pour near boiling water in a larger pan and place cake pan into water to loosen the caramel. Leave for a few minutes. Run a knife around edge of cake then turn cake over onto plate and carefully wiggly loose.  

Seared Cod and Sauted Spinach

Seared Cod and Sauted Spinach:

2 cod filets

1 tbs blackening seasoning

1 tbs olive oil

1 tsp italian seasoning

1 tbs butter

1 large bag fresh baby spinach

Pat fish dry sprinkle with salt all over and generously coat one side with blackening seasoning. Heat oil and butter in a fry pan on high with italian seasoning and incorporate well. When pan is hot and place cod in seasoned side down and let cook 3-4 minutes until a crust forms. Flip and cook on other side 1 minutes. Reduce heat to low, pour bag of spinach in and cover. Leave for 5 minutes until spinach is wilted. Remove Cod, then mix spinach with the oil and butter in bottom of pan before serving. 

Pasta Bake

Pasta Bake:
1 10 oz can favorite spaghetti sauce (i like to use chunky vegetable)
1 small can cream of mushroom soup
1 lb penne
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
1/2 italian blend cheese
salt and pepper

Preheat oven 400 degrees
Cook pasta a couple minutes less than package direction (Will finish cooking in oven). Drain pasta and return to pot. Add spaghetti sauce and cream of mushroom soup, pinch of salt and pepper and gently mix. Once well combined dump into casserole dish and top with cheeses. Bake for 10-15 minutes until top in golden brown.

Salmon Topped with Creamy Spinach

Salmon Topped with Creamy spinach:
2 salmon filets (6-8oz each)
3 tbs cream cheese
1 tbs mayo
1 tbs milk
1 cup cooked spinach (frozen or fresh)
3 tbs parmesan cheese
1 tsp tarragon
1/2 tsp worcestershire
2 gloves garlic
buttery crackers or bread crumbs and butter
Pinch of salt, pepper, cayenne, and nutmeg

Preheat oven 425 degrees. Sprinkle salmon with salt, pepper, and tarragon and bake in the oven while preparing topping, about 5 minutes (will finish cooking later).  First make sure all liquid is squeezed out of spinach. Combine cream cheese, mayo, milk, parmesan, tarragon, worcestshire, minced garlic, pinch of salt, pepper, cayenne, and nutmeg. Stir then add spinach. . Remove salmon and pile spinach mixture on top. Sprinkle cracker crumbs and more parmesan then return to oven and bake 10 minutes until salmon is cooked through and crumbs are golden brown.
Bon Appetit!!

Red Rice and Sausage

This recipe serves alot. Use a large stock pot.


Red Rice and Sausage:
1 large onion
2 garlic gloves
1 tbs oil
3 tbs butter
1 lb sausage (ground)
1 lb smoke sausage (link) cut into thin slices
1 29oz can tomato sauce
3 tbs tomato paste
6 dashes hot sauce
Fill tomato sauce can 1/2 way with chicken stock
Fill tomato sauce can with water
Fill tomato sauce can  with rice
2 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper

In a large pot heat butter and oil. Add chopped onions and garlic. Then add sausage. Cook until brown and break into little pieces. Mix in paste, hot sauce, salt and pepper. Add tomato sauce, then stock, then water. Bring to boil and add rice. Bring back to a boil for 5-7 minutes. Turn off heat, cover and let sit for completely undisturbed for 35-40 minutes. Do not open lid even a little! Stir and enjoy.  

Pepper Crusted Pork Loin and Honey Carrots

I buy a huge pork loin from sams and cut into servings for 2 before freezing. You can use pork tenderloin as well.

Pepper Crusted Pork:
1 tbs Whole pepper corns crushed or coarsely ground
(4) 1 inch thick cuts of pork loin
1 tbs olive oil
1 small onion copper
2 garlic gloves chopped
2 tsp tomato paste
1/4 cup stock or white wine
1 cup apple juice
1 tbs dijon mustard

Heat olive oil in large frying pan. Press on side of pork cuts into peppercorns and lay pepper side down in oil. Cook until brown about 3 minutes then flip and cook through about 6 minutes or to 145 degrees on a meat thermometer.  Remove and cover with foil to rest. In same pan add garlic and onions. Cook for 1 minute and add stock and paste. Reduce till almost dry and add juice. Reduce by half and add mustard. Serve over pork!

Honey Carrots:
Add fresh or frozen carrots to an inch of water. Cook covered until carrots are tender. Drain out water and add 2 tbs honey and 1/2 tsp pepper.

Barbeque shrimp, Rice, Corn on the cob

Barbeque shrimp:
12 shrimp per person shelled
1 cup bbq sauce
half and orange
1/8 tsp red pepper flakes
salt and pepper

Squeeze half the orange into the bbq sauce and add red pepper flakes. Set aside half and pour remaining half onto shrimp. Add a pinch of salt and pepper. Heat grill to medium high. Meanwhile put shrimp on skewers. (If using wood make sure to soak in water for an hour so they wont burn) Place shrimp on hottest part of grill and cook only a couple minutes each side until grill marks. Basting with remaining sauce several times on each side. Remove and serve immediately.

Rice:
1 1/2 cups rice
3 cups water
1 onion chopped
2 garlic gloves chopped
salt and pepper
2 tbs butter

Bring water to a boil, add rice, onions, garlic, salt and pepper. Cook according to package directions. When done add butter and let sit covered until melted. Ready to serve.

For even more flavor cook rice in chicken, beef, or vegetable stock instead of water.

Corn on the cob:
frozen corn on cob
1-2 tsp old bay
1 tsp salt
1/2 pepper
1 tsp sugar

Put corn in large pot and cover with water. Add seasoning and bring to a boil for 10 minutes, reduce to a simmer for 20 minutes and ready to serve.

Carbonara Pasta

Carbonara is rich and heavy meal when made the authentic way with lots of bacon, cheese, and egg yolks. A little fat goes a long way so with a few adjustments this recipe has a major reduction in fat and calories but still have that rich and decadent flavor we love. Serves 4 as a meal or more as a side.


2 slice bacon
1 small onion
2 garlic glove
2 egg
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 box cooked  whole wheat penne
1/8 tsp red pepper flakes
salt, pepper

Add cooked and chopped chicken, shrimp, or slices of steak 

While pasta is cooking, brown chopped bacon, onion, and garlic in a large skillet. In a large bowl beat eggs, parmesan cheese, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes (consistency should be thick). Drain noodles and return to pot you cooked them in on medium-low heat. Pour bacon mix over, then pour egg mixture. Fold together until all noodles are coated for about 5 minutes and until you can see a thick egg coating on noodles and no liquid remains. Add your meat to the pasta or serve as a side.
Bon Appetit!

* You have to work quickly so you don't end up with scrambled eggs *