Honey Sauced Chicken with Brown Rice

(Crock Pot or Oven depending on how much time you have!)

1 1/2 lbs chicken breast cut up small

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

1 cup honey

1/2 cup soy sauce

1/4 cup chopped onion

1/4 cup ketchup

2 tbs vegetable oil

1 clove garlic minced

1/4 tsp red pepper flakes

Spray crock pot with Pam. Season both sides of chicken with salt and pepper, put in crock pot. In a small bowl combine remaining ingredients. Pour over chicken. Cook on low 4 hours or on high 1 1/2 - 2 hours. Serve over brown rice.

To bake chicken:

Follow steps above but place chicken "seasoned with salt and pepper" in a 9 x 13 pan spayed with Pam. Bake at 375 degrees for 45 minutes - stir after 15 minutes. Serve over brown rice. (Note: both the chicken and rice take 45 minutes.)

Enjoy - even better the next day!

Lentil Soup (Crockpot)

1 c dry lentils

1 1/2 c carrots, chopped

1 1/2 c celery, chopped

1 1/2 c onions, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp basil (dry)

1 tsp thyme (dry)

1 Tbs parsley (dry)

2 bay leaves

1 can diced tomatoes

3 1/2 c vegetable broth (2 cans)

1 1/2 c water

fresh ground pepper, to taste

Rinse lentils.

Place all ingredients in a 4-6 qt. slow cooker, with bay leaves on top. Cover and cook on low 12+ hours or high 5+ hours. Remove bay leaves before serving.

Serves 4-6.

Spaghetti Squash

-Allrecipes.com


1 Spaghetti Squash, halved lengthwise and seeded
2 Tbs oil
1 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 1/2 c. tomatoes, chopped
3/4 c. crumbled feta cheese
3 Tbs black olives
2 Tbs basil, chopped (less if you're using dry)

Cook spaghetti squash in oven in tray/dish, cut side up at 350F for 30 min. Let cool a bit.
Saute onion and garlic in oil then add tomatoes til they get warm.
Grate spaghetti squash out with a fork into a medium bowl, add sauteed ingredients and feta, olives, and basil. Toss and serve warm.
Serves 6.

Vegetable Parmesan Quiche

-Heart Healthy Cookbook

The beauty of quiche is that is doesn't really matter what veggies you put in. If your Mr. Picky doesn't like mushrooms, try bell pepper or spinach or ham. The green onions really add to this, so try not to substitute for that.... just don't let your Picky know it's in there....

I WILL recommend though, after trying this recipe, if using canned tomatoes, drain as much juice out as possible, and use a DEEP pie dish- mine was too shallow and it went spilling over the edges. Still good, but not very pretty.

Pie crust (scratch or store bought)

1 c. chopped mushrooms

3/4 c. chopped green onion

1/4 c. flour

1/4 tsp. black pepper

1/4 all-purpose seasoning

6 ripe tomatoes, thickly sliced (I used a can of diced tomatoes)

2 oz. grated parmesan cheese

2 eggs

1 c. milk

Preheat oven to 400F. Bake piecrust alone in 9" dish for 5 minutes. Cool completely and lower oven temp to 350F. (NOTE** My mom's note in here says to skip this step entirely- I didn't, and my pie crust shrank a bit... I'll try her advice next time).

Saute mushrooms and green onions in a tiny bit of water until tender- set aside.

Mix flour, pepper, and seasoning in shallow bowl and "dredge" tomatoes in mixture (learned from this recipe that "dredge" means essentially "coat it"...) Arranged coated tomatoes as bottom layer in pie crust.

Add vegetable mixture- make sure to cover all the tomatoes up. Next layer with cheese, then mix eggs and milk and add as top layer.

Bake 40-45 min or until cooked through middle.

Serves 8 slices. Serve hot or cold.

Tomaattiperunakeitto (Tomato Potato Soup)

-Finnish Cookbook

This is one my mom found when trying to think up a thematic dish for my brother's farewell party to Finland. So darn good, and very simple. I also gained my testimony of immersion blenders from this recipe, as transporting batches of scalding hot soup into my blender wasn't doing it for me anymore. Invest in one if you get the chance- they are heaven sent.

1.5 lb fresh tomatoes, peeled (I left skins on)

6 c. vegetable broth OR water

3 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed (I left peels on)

4 medium onions, peeled and diced

3 tbs. butter

3 tbs. flour

salt pepper

1 c. heavy cream

chopped parsley (I feel it's optional)

In a LARGE pot (a deep stock pot works) combine tomatoes, broth/water, potatoes, and onions. Cook over medium heat til tender. Use immersion blender to blend it all together (or pulverize it in batches in a real blender...) until smooth. Melt butter in separate saucepan and add flour to make a white paste- add to blended veggies and mix again til smooth and dissolved. Cook til thickened, add salt and pepper to taste. Just before serving, add cream and parsley. Serves 6.

Tater Tots

This is a photo of what we had for dinner tonight:

Tater tots. (with the hubby's artistic dollop of ketchup.)

Why?

Because I get lame about dinner sometimes.

Definitely not worth a post, but Mr. Picky reminded me that in truth this IS something his other picky brothers WILL eat.

Cafe Rio Pork, Salad Dressing, and Pico

If you are from Utah, you probably find yourself from time to time craving some Cafe Rio. For me it is their pork tacos or salads. When I came across this recipe I went into it a little skeptical, but it is so good that you don't notice whether its the real thing or not. You have to try this recipe!!!

Pork

Ingredients

• 3 - 4 lb pork roast
• 1 onion, chopped
  
• 1 small can green chilies
  
• 1/4 can coke or Dr. Pepper (3.0z I used Caffeine Free Dr. Pepper. DO NOT use diet)
• 1/2 jar salsa (I used plain old pace picante sauce)
• 1 c. brown sugar
• 1 jar Red Taco sauce

Directions

Put onion and pork into crock pot for 6 hours. Drain the liquid and the onions, clean the pot a bit, and shred up the pork. Put the pork back into the crock pot along with the other ingredients and cook for an additional 3 hours (I put mine on the 8 hour setting and let it cook 3.5 hours)

Sorry, all pictures are of leftovers; I forgot to take them day of

Cafe Rio Dressing (makes a lot. You could easily half this recipe and have more than enough dressing)

• 1 pkg. Ranch dressing mix
• 3 tomatillos (remove papery skin), rough chop
• 1 cup mayo
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 cup (or more) cilantro, rough chop
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
• 2 tsp green Tabasco sauce
• juice from 1 lime

Dump everything in a blender and blend until smooth. Refrigerate in air-tight container.

Pico De Gallo

• 3 tomatoes, diced
• 1/2 bunch of cilantro, minced
  
• 1/2 sweet onion, minced
• 3-4 cloves garlic, minced
  
• about 1/3-1/2 cup vinegar (use your best judgment)
  
• salt and pepper

Mix it up really well and refrigerate. (I forgot the onion and it was still good. Next time I'll remember it and add a jalapeno).


Jordan doesn't like chunky tomatoes so I put it in the blender and it was excellent that way as well.


Lime Cilantro Rice

• 3 cups water
• 3 cups instant rice
• juice from 1-2 limes
• chopped cilantro

Boil water and lime juice. Add rice and cilantro, cover and remove from heat.

Additional Ingredients

• Uncooked tortillas (This is a must!!!! You can find them at Costco or your regular grocery store in the refrigerated section.)
• Lettuce
• Sour Cream
• Black Beans
• Cheese
• Avocado
• Tortilla Chips

Cook your tortillas (usually 30 second s per side), put meat, salad dressing, pico, rice, sour cream, black beans, cheese, avocado, and lettuce on. Enjoy with a side of chips and salsa!