Crockpot Cheesy Chicken Spaghetti

This tasted a bit like tuna hotdish to me. I don't mind tuna hotdish, it was just not what I was expecting... The kids and the hubs devoured this and wanted more. Me, I wasn't that big of a fan. Maybe I just wasn't expecting the tuna hotdish taste - definitely low on the points if that is what you are looking for though! It was a very simple and filling dish to make.

Crockpot Cheese Chicken Spaghetti
(recipe found on pinterest via livingachangedlife.blogspot.com)

1 pound velveeta light cheese product
12 1/2 ounces canned chicken, drained
10 3/4 ounces cream of chicken, 98% fat free
10 3/4 ounces cream of mushroom, 98% fat free
10 ounces tomatoes with green chiles
4 ounces canned mushrooms, stems and pieces, drained
1/2 cup water
1 small onion, diced
1 medium green pepper, diced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
14 1/2 ounces whole wheat spaghetti, cooked

Spray crockpot with cooking spray. Add all ingredients and mix well. Cook for 2-3 hours on low. Stir before serving.

Serves: 8
Points: 7 points + per 1 cup

Parmesan Chicken Cutlets

My son is really getting into helping me in the kitchen. He comes home from school and asks immediately if he can help with supper. This was a great recipe for him to help with since it was so simple and didn't require any cutting. Plus it was a great time to talk about washing our hands after touching raw chicken! :) Everyone enjoyed this simple and delicious meal and we all made sure tell Beau how much we liked it !:)

Parmesan Chicken Cutlets
(recipe found on pinterest via www.food.com)

1/4 cup parmesan cheese, grated
2 tablespoons italian style bread crumbs
1/8 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon dried parsley
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon pepper
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts

Preheat oven to 400. In resealable plastic bag, combine cheese, bread crumbs, paprika, parsley, garlic powder and pepper and shake well to combine. Transfer mixture to a plate and coat chicken on both sides. Arrange on sprayed baking sheet. Bake 20-25 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink.

Serves: 4
Points: 4 per serving

Slow Cooker Hearty Beef Chili

As I sat down to finally blog a bunch of recipes that had been piling up, my mother in law walked in the door. She saw what I was doing and was quick to start talking about this chili recipe... "I REALLY liked that chili that we had the other night, it was sooo good!" She doesn't always care for the meals that we have, never complains, but doesn't always care for everything - so this is big endorsement for her! :) It was super easy to throw together before we went out galavanting and smelled delicious when we walked in the door.

Slow Cooker Hearty Beef Chili
(recipe found on pinterest via www.kraftrecipes.com)

1 1/2 pounds ground beef
2 (15 ounces) cans dark red kidney beans
1 (16 ounces) can tomato sauce
1 1/2 cups salsa
1 cup frozen corn
1 onion, chopped
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 cup cheddar cheese

Brown meat, drain and add to crockpot with remaining ingredients, except cheese. Stir and cover with lid. Cook on low 5-6 hours or high 3-4 hours. stir before serving and top with cheese.

Crockpot Honey Sesame Chicken

Another pinterest recipe! Did I ever mention how wonderful that site is? Love, love, love it! This was easy to throw together. Although it said to cook the chicken breasts whole in the crockpot, I cut them up before I threw them in to make it easier to work with... We also doubled this recipe and it was gone very quickly - we all enjoyed it!

Crockpot Honey Sesame Chicken
recipe found on pinterest via www.chef-in-training.com)

2 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts
salt and pepper
1 cup honey
1/2 cup soy sauce
4 tablespoons diced onion
2 tablespoons canola oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional
4 teaspoons cornstarch dissolved in 6 tablespoons water
sesame seeds

Season both sides of chicken breast with salt and pepper, add to crockpot. In a small bowl combine honey, soy sauce, diced onion, canola oil, garlic and red pepper flakes. Pour over chicken and cook on low for 3-4 hours or on high 1 1/2-2 1/2 hours or until chicken is cooked through. Remove chicken from crockpot and cut into bite sized pieces. Pour sauce into saucepan and add cornstarch mixture, stir to combine with sauce. Boil until thickened. Return chicken to saucepan to coat with sauce. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve.

Unbaked Cookies

These were a simple quick cookie that I made at lunchtime the other day... I left them on the counter to set and then froze them for my Christmas cookie trays! They were easy to make and the hardest part was when I threw in some extra chocolate chips accidentally and had to add some more corn flakes! :) The kids definitely thought these were a winner!

Unbaked Cookies
(not sure where I got this recipe from - it's been in my stash for a while...)

1 (12 ounces) butterscotch chips
1 (6 ounces) chocolate chips
1/2 cup crunchy peanut butter
3 cups corn flakes
1/2 cup peanuts

Melt first three ingredients together. Remove from heat and add the rest of the ingredients. Mix together gently. Place small or medium spoonfuls on cookie sheet lined with waxed paper. Refrigerate. Eat or freeze when hardened.

Skinny Chimichangas

With all the baking I have been doing, I have been trying to make sure that we are having healthy yet scrumptious meals at night! :) This one fit the bill to a T. Although I swapped out the turkey for beef it was still quick, easy and healthy!

Skinny Chimichangas
(recipe found at recipegirl.com)

1/2 pound ground skinless turkey breast
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
8 ounces tomato sauce
2 tablespoons chopped mild green chiles
1/3 cup shredded reduced fat cheddar cheese
4 (8") fat free flour tortillas

Preheat oven to 400. Spray a nonstick baking sheet with nonstick spray. Cook turkey, onion, garlic, chili powder, oregano and cumin in skillet until turkey is browned, about 6 minutes. Stir in tomato sauce and chiles; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, until the flavors are blended and the mixture thickens slightly, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in cheddar. Spoon about 1/2 cup of the filling into the center of each tortilla. Fold in sides, then roll to enclose the filling. Place the chimichangas, seam side down, on the baking sheet. Lightly spry tops of the tortillas with nonstick spray. Bake until golden and crisp, about 20 minutes. Do not turn.

Serves: 4
Points: 4 1/2 points per

Candy Cane Pudding Cookies

Candy cane pudding? Were you aware of such a thing? Seriously, I found it and right next to it? GINGERBREAD pudding!! What is this world coming to? I have to definitely get out more... What fun flavors that I am definitely going to try on their own! :) For right now though, the candy cane pudding was a part of the new cookies that I tried. They were super good, even though I was missing the cake mix! Missed that one on my grocery list when I was looking at this recipe. So, I begged, borrowed and/or stole some german chocolate cake mix from my brother's house and these tasted fantastic! Chocolate and candy cane? How could it go wrong? Super yummy!

Candy Cane Pudding Cookies
(recipe found on pinterest via momscrazycooking.blogspot.com)

2 1/2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 cup butter
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup sugar
1 (3.4 ounces) candy cane pudding mix
3/4 cup vanilla, yellow or white cake mix
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 (12 ounces) package white chocolate chips
1/4 - 1/2 cup candy canes, crushed

Preheat oven to 350. Stir together flour, salt and baking soda, set aside. Cream together sugars and butter in a large bowl. Add pudding and cake mix and beat until well blended. Add eggs and vanilla and continue to mix until smooth. With mixer speed on low, add flour mixture and beat until all ingredients are incorporated. Add chocolate chips and combine. Scoop out 1" balls of dough and place on ungreased cookie sheet. Flatten and top with crushed candy canes. Bake 10-12 minutes or until set.

Turtle Cookies

Wow! Wow, wow, wow!! Such a yummy, decadent cookie... I was super excited to try this cookie and boy was it worth it. They were super delicious and I loved how easy they were to make. I mixed up the batch during morning naps and then baked them up during afternoon naps... I love being home during the day! :) These are definitely on my make again list! :)

Turtle Cookies
(recipe found on pinterest via www.thekitchenismyplayground.com)

Cookie:
1 cup flour
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 stick butter, softened
2/3 cup sugar
1 egg, separated
1 egg white
2 tablespoon milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/4 cup pecans, finely chopped

Caramel Filling:
14 caramels, unwrapped
3 tablespoons heavy cream, use more as needed to get a pourable consistency

Chocolate Drizzle:
2 ounces semi sweet chocolate
1 teaspoon shortening

Combine flour, cocoa and salt, set aside. Beat butter and sugar until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add egg yolk, milk and vanilla and mix until combined. Reduce speed to low and add flour mixture. Beat just until all ingredients are combined. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour. Whisk egg whites until frothy. Place pecans in another bowl. Roll dough into 1" balls, dip in egg whites and roll in pecans. Place on ungreased baking sheet. Using 1/2 teaspoon press press down on center of ball and create an indent. Bake at 350 for 12 minutes or until set.

To make caramel filling, combine caramels and heavy cream in microwavable bowl. Microwave 1-2 minutes, stirring occasionally until smooth. When removing cookies from oven press down again with 1/2 teaspoon. Fill in indentations with caramel and allow to cool on pan for 10 minutes. Remove from pan and finish cooling on wire rack.

If desired, melt chocolate and shortening together and drizzle over the top of cookies.

Chocolate Cherry Shortbread Cookies

I am turning into a big fan of shortbread... Usually I go straight for the chocolate but these sounded interesting with the chocolate and shortbread mix and then toss in some cherries? Not a super fan of cherries but I like them enough to give it a whirl. They were fantastic and I was not disappointed. Even the hubs, who is not a fan of anything different, inhaled about 4 of them before I could get them all the way cooled and into the freezer! :)

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Chocolate Cherry Shortbread Cookies
(recipe found on pinterest via www.bhg.com)

1/2 cup maraschino cherries, drained and finely chopped
2 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup cold butter
12 ounces white chocolate baking squares, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
2 drops red food coloring (optional)
2 teaspoons shortening
edible decorations (optional)

Preheat oven to 325. Spread cherries on paper towels to dry thoroughly. In a large bowl, combine flour and sugar. Add butter and cut in with pastry blender, or two forks, until fine crumbs are formed. Stir in cherries and 4 ounces (2/3 cup) of white chocolate and almond extract. Add food coloring at this time also if desired. Knead until dough is smooth. Shape into 3/4" balls and place 2" apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Using a glass dipped in sugar, flatten each ball. Bake 10-12 minutes or until edges are set. Transfer to wire rack and cool. After cookies are cooled melt remaining white chocolate and shortening together in a saucepan. Dip half of each cookie into chocolate and allow extra to drip off before placing back on wire rack or wax paper to harden. Roll or sprinkle on decorations before hardened.

Egg Nog Cookies

Oh, I am so excited!! Christmas is upon us and I have started my baking... I love this time of year and the chance that it gives me to bake, bake, bake and give it away so that I don't eat it all myself! I am trying a few new cookies again this year and so far, they have all be fabulous!! Here's the first of many recipes! :) These were definitely tasty - especially if you are like me and wait for the egg nog to come out each holiday season! :)

Egg Nog Cookies
(recipe found on pinterest via www.yourcupofcake.com)

1 1/4 cups sugar
3/4 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup egg nog
2 egg yolks
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 1/4 cups flour
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Glaze:
1 1/4 cups powdered sugar
3 tablespoons egg nog, plus more as needed to make glaze runny enough

Preheat oven to 300. Combine flour, baking powder, cinnamon and nutmeg. Set aside. Cream sugar and butter together until fluffy. Add egg nog, vanilla and egg yolks. Mix until well combined. Add flour mixture and mix until just combined. Use small scoop and place cookies onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 15-18 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from oven and allow to cool. While the cookies are cooling, mix together glaze. Glaze cookies.

Lasagna Corn Carne

I made this the other night when I had 4 of my nephews and nieces over for supper and my mother in law. I doubled it just in case one pan wasn't enough for the 11 of us... It wasn't needed, not because it wasn't any good, but because it was so delicious and filling! All the kids ate it, all 8 of them! and the extra pan was perfect for the daycare kids the next time they came over. It was a great meal paired just with a salad and of course an ice cream cone for dessert! :)

Lasagna Corn Carne
(recipe found in Taste of Home Healthy Cooking)

1 pound lean ground beef
16 ounces salsa
1 (16 ounces) can kidney beans
1 (14 3/4 ounces) cream style corn
1 onion, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
1 celery rib, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon chili powder
12 lasagna noodles
2 cups shredded part skim mozzarella
1/2 cup parmesan, grated

Cook beef until no longer pink. Add salsa, kidney beans, corn, onion, green pepper, celery, garlic, basil, salt and chili powder. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Spread a fourth of the sauce in a greased 13x9 pan; top with four cooked lasagna noodles. Repeat layers once. Top with half of the remaining sauce; sprinkle with 1 cup mozzarella and 1/4 cup parmesan. Layer with four more noodles, remaining sauce, 1 cup mozzarella and 1/4 cup parmesan. Cover and bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Uncover; bake 15-20 minutes longer or until heated through. Let stand for 15 minutes before cutting.

Serves: 12
Points: 6 per piece

Smore's Pockets

When I make crescent dogs for the daycare kids I always end up with a couple of of extra crescent rolls. So, the other day I was looking for a fun way to use them up and make a little treat for the kids after they were done eating. Seeing the 4 leftover marshmallows in my cupboard started this chain of events. Chocolate was just a given! :) Super yummy and easy to make - make 1, 2 or a whole batch!

Smore's Pockets
(all me baby, all me!)

crescent roll
sprinkle of chocolate chips
1 large marshmallow
cinnamon

Preheat oven at 375. Unroll crescent roll. Sprinkle on a few chocolate chips on large end of crescent roll. Place marshmallow on top and roll, tucking in sides as you roll so that the chocolate chips don't fall out. Sprinkle with cinnamon and bake for until browned and crescent rolls are done.