WICTW: Episode 2

I tried four fantastic recipes from Creme de la Crumb before Spring Break.
Here's the lineup:

1. Spicy Korean Beef Noodles: This was SO good. So, so good. I made the noodle part again (minus the beef) for lunch another day when a friend came over to chat. It's a hit. Keeper recipe for our family. They're hot. Warning! But that didn't stop Jonah from eating them. The flavor is SO good!

I purchased a "value pack" size steak package (I'm not super picky about steak types...I'm kind of a wing-it girl) and refrigerated half of the pack for the next evening's dinner.

2. Garlic Steak and Potato Foil Packs: Great flavor and really easy to prep ahead of time! We love any kind of foil pack. I served with Roasted Brussels Sprouts.

3. Grilled Chicken Margherita: SO GOOD! Jeremy took the leftovers for lunch and raved about it the next day as well. He is NOT a leftovers kind of guy. At all. I served this with basic spaghetti noodles tossed with a couple TBSP of basil pesto (the kind in the jar). Was a huge hit! Definite do-over!

And, this week I found my way BACK to the same website and made this recipe in the crock-pot:
4. Cream Cheese Chicken Chili: I've had this a couple days for lunch leftover and it's delicious. I'll make this one again also!
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Thus far I've been super impressed with the Creme de la Crumb recipes I've tried. I found her randomly awhile back and wanted to mix up my weeknight SkinnyTaste rotation. Her recipes aren't as "light" as ST, but it's been great to try a few new things. My gang has all approved!

Now that I'm thinking about those Korean Noodles I'm going to add the ingredients to my grocery order for next week. SCORE.

WICTW: Episode 1

Ever wonder what other people cook for dinner? I certainly do! I'm always game to receive links to healthy, somewhat quick and simple dinners to make for my family. I try to cook at least four nights a week and coming up with a fresh menu each week can get... BORING. TIRING. You Momma's know how it goes! I thought I would share "what I cooked this week" and try to post at least once a month with new things we've tried and liked for easy, weeknight dinner ideas. These are my WEEKNIGHT WINNERS!

1. Crockpot Chicken Tortilla Soup:

https://www.cookingclassy.com/slow-cooker-chicken-tortilla-soup-2/?fbclid=IwAR3919XHgP9rVMscJwKDI46wj0uBznUC_oTI0GaH-isBGxb12jJTIhMjP4A

A friend shared this link, and I've made it multiple times. I shred cheese, slice limes into wedges and serve with sour cream, sliced jalapenos and tortilla chips, or crunchy tortilla strips. It is seriously SO good!

2. Crockpot Honey Garlic Chicken:

https://chefsavvy.com/slow-cooker-honey-garlic-chicken/

I serve this over a mixture of brown rice and cauliflower rice, and add sesame seeds, chopped scallions. This time I made it I also threw in a bag of sugar snap peas. Jonah LOVES them and the crockpot steams them!

I've also made this recipe a couple of times. Similar and also great:

https://www.skinnytaste.com/crock-pot-sesame-honey-chicken/

3. Crockpot BBQ Chicken (Baked Potatoes):

https://www.familyfreshmeals.com/2014/06/best-crockpot-bbq-chicken.html

Stuff this chicken into your baked potatoes! We add shredded cheese, sour cream, and chives!

4. Sheet pan Nachos (family style) & Shrimp Ceviche

Okay, so you're going to have to follow me. I kind of wing the Shrimp Ceviche! Here are my ingredients:

-1 package of COOKED baby/small shrimp, peeled and devained. Defrosted under running water!

-1 jalapeno, remove seeds and chop finely

-3 limes, juiced

-1 lemon, juiced

-1 bunch of cilantro chopped (I never chop the stems)

-1/2 red onion, finely chopped

-Add a couple Tbsp (however much you like, I probably use 3-4T) of Heinz Cocktail Sauce

-Dash of garlic salt

Mix everything together and taste. Similar to guacamole- if it needs more lime juice add it. If it needs salt, add here. Refrigerate for a couple of hours!

Grab your big sheet pan, layer tortilla chips in a single layer, and shredded cheese on top (whatever kind you have on hand!). Eat the nachos with the Shrimp Ceviche- and other salsa you have on hand!

Tasty Potato Soup

I love trying new recipes. If given the choice of an old faithful recipe or a new one- I'll take the new one. It helps that Jeremy is the least picky person on planet Earth! I had a craving for a bowl of potato soup and crusty french bread piled high with butter so I tried a new recipe for Potato Soup for dinner last night! It was so delicious!!

Best Ever Potato Soup by Taste of Home

Honestly, was there ever a potato soup recipe that went wrong?? (Please share if so!) I've tried almost every variation known to man- from frozen hash-browns dumped into the pan to different kinds of cheese (love gouda!). This recipe will be filed under "weeknight winners" because it was quick, and it's great! Also, I'd like to note that it's a Taste of Home recipe and I feel like they are pretty tried and true. I skipped the Velveeta and subbed gouda and sharp cheddar. I also skipped the bacon step because I was out. It was still wonderful! We added sour cream and chives as toppings to go into ours along with the toasted (and butt'ahed) french bread.

Happy Weekend, friends! I'm about to make my HEB grocery delivery list. It's the best thing since, uhm, buttered french bread!!

Weeknight Winners

Here's the lineup for the crock-pot this week:

SUNDAY:  Slow Cooker Chicken Marsala (this turned out SO good)
MONDAY: Slow Cooker Pork Carnitas (I modify this and changed pork to a lb of chicken breast. Have made this probably 20 times and it's one of our favorites for Chicken Taco night. So delicious!)
TUESDAY: Slow Cooker General Tso's (New recipe alert. I'll let ya know how it goes!)

Also tried recently and liked-
Thai Basil Chicken (not a slow cooker recipe, but quick and easy)
Crock Pot Sesame Honey Chicken

What are y'all cooking up??

Zuppa Toscana {Weeknight Winner}

Last night I made Spicy Sausage, Potato & Kale Soup. It is my new favorite soup, y'all!! I've never had sausage in a soup (that I can think of?), but I'm sooo glad I took the plunge and whipped it up. Jeremy gave it two thumbs up and went back for seconds.

Here is the original recipe that I made. Pioneer Woman makes a very similar recipe.

If you've ever had the Zuppa Toscana at Olive Garden this is very similar. It's very tasty!! Definitely a weeknight winner.

Comfort Food

Comfort food is salve for my overwhelmed self. I know that food shouldn't be the answer. Jesus is. Duh. But meatballs and mashed potatoes help. Food for the overwhelmed Momma. I promise. Don't hate. Appreciate. And, let's be real. Has Pioneer Woman ever disappointed you?? Me either.

Boom. Get in mah'belly!!!

Recipe Here.

ps. I used 1lb ground beef, and 1lb lean turkey and doubled the sauce. They turned out scrumptious. I will be having a meatball sammich for lunch, y'all...

pss. This would also work as a meatloaf. And it would take less time to make for a weeknight...

Sesame Noodles

I have a secret weapon weeknight winner. It takes 10 minutes to make and we LOVE it around here (yes, even Jonah loves it!!). I make Sesame Noodles anytime we're hungry for Asian food and need dinner ASAP. Here's the scoop...

Sesame Noodles

Step 1:  Boil 1 pkg linguine noodles (we prefer whole wheat)

Step 2:  In a bowl mix together:
1/4 c light soy
1/3 c rice vinegar
1 tsp brown sugar
1 clove of fresh garlic, minced
1 Tbsp sesame oil (I keep this on hand and use it often. Have you tried it?)
1/3 c vegetable oil

Once your noodles are finished mix them with the above ingredients. Add 1/2 bag of shredded carrots (you can also add sugar snap peas, or cucumber strips, or even zucchini! YUM!). Garnish with limes (sometimes I also add chopped scallions and cilantro if I have it on hand!)

This is super easy peasy and delicious if you love sesame + Asian noodles. WE DO!!

*Note- I've also added stir fried chicken to these noodles and I will often sear flank steak if I have a little more time + the ingredients on hand. I think it would be great with shrimp too!

Zucchini Enchiladas

You guys. I can't even tell you how much we enjoyed this recipe.

These. Are. The. Best.

I made 'em on Tuesday night and I had more than one. Or two. I had three. And, I didn't even feel guilty about it. The amazing thing about these enchiladas is they taste SO GOOD, yet they're super low in fat. High in veggies. You shred your zucchini up with fresh garlic, then add lots of cheese. One recipe made two pans of enchiladas so we ate one and froze the other. Win win, right?!

Cheesy Zucchini Enchiladas (modified by ME)

Ingredients: 

• cooking spray
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 4 medium zucchinis, grated
• kosher salt and fresh ground pepper
• 2 cups grated mexican blend cheese (Sargento)
• Corn Tortillas
• 2 cans enchilada sauce

Spray a baking dish with nonstick spray. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

In a medium nonstick skillet, sauté garlic and onions in olive oil over medium heat for about 3 minutes; add grated zucchini, salt and pepper to taste and cook about 4-5 minutes. 

Remove from heat and add 1 cup cheese; mix well.

Stuff filling into corn tortillas (I opened one can of enchilada sauce and dip my corn tortaillas in the sauce, stuff, then roll them in the pan). Continue stuffing until all filling is gone. Pour the other can of enchilada sauce on top of enchiladas. Sprinkle remaining cup of cheese on top.

Bake until hot and bubbly (about 25 mins).

Original Recipe

Buffalo Chicken Lettuce Wraps

We have a winner winner chicken dinner! On Monday night I worked up this tasty (and sooo easy) Buffalo Chicken Lettuce Wrap recipe. I've tried other Skinny Taste (just a low calorie + healthy cooking blog that I follow) recipes and I've been pleased with the majority of the ones we've tried. This one is our new fave. Spicy buffalo chicken breast and cool blue cheese? Count me in!!

For the chicken:

• 24 oz boneless skinless chicken breast
• 1 celery stalk
• 1/2 onion, diced
• 1 clove garlic
• 16 oz fat free low sodium chicken broth
• 1/2 cup hot cayenne pepper sauce (I used Frank's)

For the wraps:

• 6 large lettuce leaves, Bibb or Iceberg
• 1 1/2 cups shredded carrots
• 2 large celery stalks, cut into 2 inch matchsticks

Directions:
In a crock pot, combine chicken, onions, celery stalk, garlic and broth (enough to cover your chicken, use water if the can of broth isn't enough). Cover and cook on high 4 hours.

Remove the chicken from pot, reserve 1/2 cup broth and discard the rest. Shred the chicken with two forks, return to the slow cooker with the 1/2 cup broth and the hot sauce and set to on high for an additional 30 minutes. Makes 3 cups chicken.

To prepare lettuce cups, place 1/2 cup buffalo chicken in each leaf, top with 1/4 cup shredded carrots, celery and dressing of your choice. (we skipped the dressing and just added blue cheese crumbles! SO YUM!!) Wrap up and start eating!

Original Recipe Here.

Manic Monday

I have a hard time coming up with quick + easy weeknight meals. Do you guys? One afternoon last week I pulled some random ingredients from my fridge/freezer and miraculously dinner turned out great! Definite do-over. It was so great, I thought I would share with you. Just in case you like delish and easy peasy weeknight meals.

Meet the Hashbrown + Egg Bake. Your new best fran.

Ahhhhmazing Fish Tacos

Y'all. I made amazing Mahi Mahi fish tacos the other night and they're all I've been thinking about.

Lit-trah-lee. I picked up a package of Mahi fillets at HEB last week and stuck them in the freezer after googling "is it okay to freeze Mahi Mahi" (Yes, I did really google that. No. I am not ashamed to admit that I google the heck out of everything). Regardless, I was quite the skeptic because I haven't really cooked fish that much. Soo, the other day I defrosted the fillets in the fridge and prepped the rest of the ingredients.

(Forgot to mention that HEB was running one of those you buy this, you get that free, so we scored a bag of Dole shredded cabbage and Cilantro Cotija dressing FREE. Holllaaa.) Okay, so here's the line up of the crew...

Mahi Mahi Fish Tacos
1 pks Mahi Mahi Fillets (fresh or frozen)
2 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 clove garlic minced (fresh is best)
Cumin, Chili Powder, Salt & Pepper to taste (we like a lot of chili powder, and a little cumin)
*Brown in skillet or grill until white and flaky

Slaw:
1 pkg shredded cabbage (I used Dole)
1/2 small red onion thinly sliced
*I left this dry as I knew I had the dressing/and salsa to go on the tacos. You could add lime juice, or make a simple mayo sauce.

Avacado-Mango Salsa:
1 large avacado chopped
1 large mango chopped
1 clove garlic minced (fresh is again, best)
1/4 cup cilantro
1 tomato chopped (Hubs hates tomatoes so I left this one out)
1 lime squeezed over ingredients

Warm corn tortillas and layer fish, slaw and salsa on your taco. Top with Cilantro Cotija Dressing (or make your own!!). Eat. Delight in it.

And, if you have leftover slaw/salsa make yourself a delicious salad for lunch the next day!! I added a fresh peach to the mix and it was so. stinkin. good.

Overall I would rate these a 10. These are really, really good. Promise. These hips don't lie.