Chicken Caesar Wraps

This summer I had the opportunity to take a cooking class that was offered through the U of M extension offices. It was fantastic! It was a small group of ladies that got together once a week for 6 weeks and made quick healthy recipes. I have remade a few of them a couple of times, a few of them at least once a week and they have went over well with my family. Love to be able to get new ideas for healthy recipes that everyone will enjoy!

Chicken Caesar Wraps
(recipe found at Simply Good Eating)

4 cups shredded romaine lettuce
1/3 cup fat free caesar salad dressing
1 1/2 cups grilled chicken, chopped
4 whole wheat tortillas
parmesan cheese, to taste
black pepper, to taste

Combine lettuce with caesar dressing. Add chopped chicken and stir together. Spoon mix onto tortillas, sprinkle with parmisan cheese and black pepper. Fold bottom up and wrap.

Broccoli Slaw Salad

I was in search of gluten free recipes when my brother in law came into town for a visit and this one caught my eye. We had a potluck to go to and I knew this would be a great dish to bring along that he would be able to eat! Although they ended up being late enough that they didn't get to eat with us, this was a hit at the potluck and I'm definitely going to make it again!

Broccoli Slaw Salad
(recipe found at www.justapinch.com)

1-2 pounds broccoli, peeled & chopped small
1/2 red onion, finely chopped
2-4 carrots, grated
1/4-1/3 cups bacon bits
1 apple, peeled & chopped small
craisins, raisins, or chopped dates, to taste
walnuts, chopped, to taste
marzetti slaw dressing, to taste

Mix all ingredients together and refrigerate to chill. Stir before serving.

Cajun Shrimp and Cucumber Wraps

Like I have said in the past, shrimp is a favorite around the Connor house and we like it a whole variety of ways... Bella was craving cucumbers one day, so I thought that I would whip up this quick and easy snack. Definitely a hit! Although the hubs isn't too found of anything on a tortilla shell, the kids and I like wraps of all kinds...

Cajun Shrimp and Cucumber Wraps
(recipe found in Taste of Home)

1/4 cup lemon juice
4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 1/2 teaspoon cajun seasoning, divided
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 pound uncooked large shrimp, peeled and deveined (tails removed)
8 lettuce leaves
4 flatbread wraps (I used tortilla shells)
2 small cucumbers, cut lengthwise into quarters
4 thin sliced red onions
1/4 cup fresh parsley leaves

In a small bowl, whisk lemon juice, 3 tablespoons oil, 1 teaspoon cajun seasoning and pepper. Toss shrimp with remaining cajun seasoning. In a large skillet, heat remaining oil over medium high heat. Add shrimp mixture; cook and stir until shrimp turn pink. Place lettuce on flatbread wraps; top with cucumbers, onion, parsley and shrimp. Drizzle with dressing; roll up and chow down!

Sknny Pool Dip

Okay, okay, I know that you are not necessarily thinking "pool" weather right now, but still - it's good stuff and you can eat it wherever you please... We had a couple of weekend gatherings that required me to make something to bring along and I was pretty "dippy" that weekend. The spinach and artichoke dip that I blogged about yesterday was one of them and today's recipe was the other. While I preferred the spinach and artichoke, this one was pretty good too and I would definitely make it again! Love the quickness of this recipe and the fact that I can make it up early and pop it into the fridge until we are ready to roll... I skipped the raw veggie suggestion on this recipe because I was looking for quick and easy, so I went with the wheat thins and it was fabulous!!

Skinny Pool Dip
(recipe found on pinterest via hometrendsutah.blogspot.com)

1 red pepper
2 jalapenos (unseeded)
1 can of corn
1/2 can diced olives
16 ounces fat-free cream cheese (softened)
1 packet Hidden Valley Ranch dip seasoning mix.

Mix ingredients together. Serve with crackers or raw veggies.

Spinach and Artichoke Dip

My first experience with artichoke hearts was at a restaurant, where some friends ordered up spinach and artichoke dip. I didn't think that it would be all that wonderful, until I tasted it... I couldn't get enough! I think that I could easily eat this whole recipe on my own and still want more! This is super tasty and the jalapenos give it a kick that goes well with it. Love it! And since there wasn't any left for me to take home, I'm guessing everyone at the party enjoyed it too!

Spinach and Artichoke Dip
(recipe found on pinterest via natashaskitchen.com)

8 ounces cream cheese
16 ounces light sour cream
1 stick butter
1 1/2 – 2 cups shredded Parmesan cheese
14 ounces quartered artichoke hearts, drained and coarsely chopped
4 ounces can diced jalapeños, drained
10 ounces frozen spinach (thawed and drained)
2-3 garlic cloves, pressed


In a medium pot over medium heat, melt together cream cheese, sour cream, butter and parmesan cheese, stirring frequently until melted and an even consistency. It should start to bubble. Stir in coarsely chopped artichoke hearts, jalapenos, spinach and garlic cloves. Serve hot with chips or crackers.

Mushroom Stuffed Cheeseburgers

I made these this summer when my father-in-law came into town for a visit. It was a beautiful summer night and perfect for grilling up burgers! Remember, you can still make these now, doesn't matter how cold or wintery it is, burgers and grilling can still happen! :) The kids thought that these were fantastic and barely even noticed the mushrooms that filled the middle... Love when that happens!

Mushroom Stuffed Cheeseburgers
(recipe found in Taste of Home)

2 bacon strips, finely chopped
2 cups chopped fresh mushrooms
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup chopped sweet red pepper
1/4 cup chopped green pepper
2 pounds lean ground beef
2 tablespoons steak sauce
1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt
4 slices provolone cheese, halved
8 kaiser rolls, split

In a large skillet, cook and stir bacon over medium heat until crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon; drain on paper towels. Cook and stir mushrooms, onion and peppers in bacon drippings until tender. Using slotted spoon, remove to a small bowl; cool completely. Stir in bacon. In a large bowl, combine beef, steak sauce and seasoned salt, mixing lightly but thoroughly. Shape into 16 thin patties. Top eight of the patties with cheese, folding over cheese to fit within 3/4" of the edge. Spread with mushroom mixture. Top with remaining patties, pressing edges to enclose filling. Grill the stuffed burgers, uncovered, over medium high heat or broil 4" from heat 5-6 minutes on each side. serve on rolls.

Ghost Pops

Since I was going the cookie route with the Witch Hats, I decided I needed something a little healthier to go with it. I found these fabulous Ghost Pops on pinterest and couldn't resist. They were a little more difficult to transport since you need to keep them frozen. They get pretty slimy and gross if you leave them out too long! They turned out super cute and the kids LOVED them!! I might have to make another batch for at home...

Ghost Pops
(recipe found on pinterest via skinnytaste.com)

banana(s)
white melting chocolate
mini chocolate chips
popsicle sticks

Place waxed paper on a cookie sheet. Cut banana(s) in half and then slice each half lengthwise. Insert a popsicle stick into each quartered banana. (I found it easiest to keep the two lengthwise halves together and squeeze at the top while you are sliding the popsicle stick inside, otherwise the banana seemed to crack down the sides.) Place prepared bananas onto waxed cookie sheet and place in freezer until frozen through. Melt white melting chocolate over a double boiler. Working quickly, coat banana(s) in white chocolate, place two chocolate chips on for eyes and place back onto cookie sheet. Refreeze until chocolate is firm and you are ready to eat.