White lightning Chili

My mom sent me this recipe and it is a winner! It has few ingredients and very simple to make. It would also be easy to double for a crowd. I served it with rolls. It also can be a bit spicy but for my kids I either add sour cream to tone down the spice, or I had the thought that before I add the cheese to divide some out for them and add a cheddar cheese or something with less kick!

2 C. cooked, shredded chicken

(I sear my chicken for 2 minutes on each side in a skillet on the stove and then immediately place the whole skillet in a 350 degree oven for 12-15 minutes. This is by far the best way I have found to have really moist chicken. I've always overcooked my chicken. If your skillet is not oven safe because of the handles (mine aren't) just wrap the handle with two layers of foil and they will be fine. I promise. I have done it several times.)

2 cans corn, partially drained

2 cans white beans, not drained
1/4-1/2 c. grated onion
1/2 lb. pepper jack cheese
1 small (6-7 oz.) salsa Verde (green salsa)
salt and pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients in a crock pot and and cook on low for 6-7 hours or

on the stove top for 1 hour on medium.

Enjoy!

Jamie :)

Fall is here!

Ladies, I LOVE fall! The football games, the cold nights, soups, stews and boots! If you have a favorite fall food (finger food for games, soups, stews, crock pot ect.) PLEASE post it, and spread the word, I am in a cooking rut and need some inspiration. If you are reading this and would like to contribute email walkerfamily2002@gmail.com and I will add you so you can post your own recipes! Thanks and YEAH for fall!

Cheesy Garlic Bread Swirls

I love this food site! Kristy asked me to post these after I made them the other night. They were so good and so easy. Not really on the healthy side but everything in moderation right? Instead of retyping the whole recipe you can find it HERE

Peanut Butter and Nutella Truffles

Nutella is the bomb! It's in the peanut butter isle at the grocery store. It's made of hazelnuts, skim milk, and cocoa. If you've never tried it, go get some NOW! There are lots of Nutella recipes online, if you want to make other desserts with Nutella.

1 (18.25 ounce) box yellow cake mix
8 ounces peanut butter
8 ounces Nutella
1 package chocolate bark (regular or white chocolate)

Sprinkles or colored bark for decoration

Bake cake according to package directions for a 13 x 9-inch cake. As soon cake is baked, split the cake into two halves and crumble each half into a large bowl. Mix each bowl of crumbled cake thoroughly with peanut butter in one and Nutella in the other. Roll each mixture into quarter size balls and lay on cookie sheet lined with wax paper (should make about 40). Chill for several hours.

Melt chocolate in microwave in 30 second intervals stirring in between. When chocolate is completely melted, roll balls in chocolate and lay on wax paper until firm. Use a fork to roll the balls in chocolate and then gently tap off extra. If you chose to decorate with sprinkles, immediately sprinkle the balls after you have rolled them in chocolate.

To decorate with drizzled chocolate, place chocolate in a sandwich bag on a microwave safe dish and microwave in 30 second intervals moving the chocolate around between. Using scissors, cut the very tip off the sandwich bag. Use the sandwich bag to pipe the chocolate back and forth over the hardened chocolate covered pretzels until you reach the desired look. When the drizzle has hardened (you can put them in the freezer to speed up the process) break off any extra chocolate with your fingers.

Pasta with Chicken and Asparagus

My friend Julie gave me this recipe and it's sooo good! It's fast and easy and lick the bowl yummy!


Ingredients:


8 oz any dry pasta (elbows, rotini, penne, whatever)


5 tablespoons olive oil, divided (you can easily use less to reduce the fat)


2 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - cut into cubes


salt and pepper to taste


garlic powder to taste


3/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth


1 bunch slender asparagus spears, trimmed, cut on diagonal into 1-inch pieces


3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced, and divided (2 for the chicken, 1 for asparagus)


1/2 cup diced onion


1/2 cup Parmesan cheese



Directions:



Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to boil. Add pasta, and cook as directed. Drain, and set aside.


Warm 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Stir in chicken, 2 cloves of garlic, and onion and season with salt, pepper. Cook until chicken is cooked through and browned, about 5 minutes. Remove chicken to a plate and cover.


Pour chicken broth into the skillet. Then stir in asparagus, garlic, salt, and pepper. Cover, and steam until the asparagus is just tender, about 7 mins. Return chicken to the skillet, and warm through.


Stir chicken mixture into pasta, and mix well. Let sit about 5 minutes. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons olive oil, stir again, then sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

The Best Banana Pudding

This recipe is from Paula Deen. I love it....it's sooooo good! The only thing I do different is use 1 small box of Banana Cream pudding and 1 small box of Vanilla pudding, with 3 cups of milk. You can also use Nilla Wafers instead of Chessmen cookies.



Ingredients

2 bags Pepperidge Farm Chessmen cookies
6 to 8 bananas, sliced
2 cups milk
1 (5-ounce) box instant French vanilla pudding
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
1 (large) container frozen whipped topping thawed, or equal amount sweetened whipped cream


Directions
Line the bottom of a 13 by 9 by 2-inch dish with 1 bag of cookies and layer bananas on top.
In a bowl, combine the milk and pudding mix and blend well using a handheld electric mixer. Using another bowl, combine the cream cheese and condensed milk together and mix until smooth. Fold the whipped topping into the cream cheese mixture. Add the cream cheese mixture to the pudding mixture and stir until well blended. Pour the mixture over the cookies and bananas and cover with the remaining cookies. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Party Chicken and Pasta Salad

This a great salad to serve as a main dish for a lighter meal or it can also compliment other main courses. If you choose to serve it as a side I would recommend adding half the amount of chicken.

Salad:
5 cups uncooked Rotini pasta (16 0z)
4 cups cubed cooked chicken (rotisserie or seasoned meat)
1 cup thinly sliced celery
1/2 cup chopped green onions
12 oz fresh snow pea pods, trimmed, halved crosswise
2 cups seedless red and green grapes, halved
1 can (80z) pineapple tidbits in juice, drained, reserving liquid
1 cup slivered almonds, toasted if desired (optional- I omit)
6 to 8 leaves leaf lettuce (put salad on top of if serving as a main course)

Dressing
1 cup mayonnaise or salad dressing
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh ginger root
1 teaspoon garlic salt
2 tablespoons reserved pineapple liquid
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons honey

1. Cook and drain pasta as directed on package. Rinse with cold water to cool, drain well.

2. Meanwhile, in large bowl, mix remaining salad ingredients except almonds and lettuce. In small bowl, mix dressing ingredients until well blended.

3. Add pasta and 1/2 cup of almonds to salad; stir gently to mix. Add dressing, toss to coat. Liner serving bowl or platter with lettuce. Sprinkle with remaining almonds.

Chili Pasta Bake

10 oz. penne pasta (you could probably use most kinds of pasta though)

1 lb. ground beef

1 c. chopped onion (optional)

2 T. chili powder

1 can diced tomatoes (14.5 oz)

1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce

1 c. salsa

1 can diced green chilies, drained (I don't use these)

2 c. shredded cheese

Cook pasta; drain. Cook meat and onion. Add rest of ingredients, except for pasta. Cook 5 min. Toss pasta with mixed ingredients. Spoon into 13x9 dish and top with cheese. Bake 350 for 20 minutes.

**The great thing about this recipe is you can play with the ingredients without messing it up. It just depends on what you like. I made it the other day with 1/2 the meat, only had 1/2 c. salsa and a smaller amount of tomato sauce and it still tasted great. Just depends on your taste, for a chunkier or runnier type of sauce. It's super yummy!!

Amazing Bran Muffins

This recipe is really easy and takes almost no time at all. It took me an hour to make and bake 18 muffins.

1 1/2 cups wheat bran

1 cup buttermilk

1/3 cup vegetable oil

1 egg

2/3 cup brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup raisins

1/3 cup walnuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 375* and grease muffin tins or line with paper muffin liners.

Mix together wheat bran and buttermilk; let stand for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, beat together oil, egg, sugar and vanilla. In a separate bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt.

Add egg mixture to bran mixture and mix together. Then add the flour mixture and mix until just blended together. (I used a spoon, not a mixer)

Fold in raisins and nuts.

Bake for 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

I didn't have buttermilk and used regular milk with 2 teaspoons of lemon juice. You add the juice to the milk and let it stand for 5 minutes so that it can get thick.

These are delicious, I am pretty sure kids would like them too!

Chicken and Wild Rice Casserole OR Stuffed Bell Peppers

2 (6.2 oz) Boxes of fast cooking long grain and wild rice mix
1/2 cup butter or margarine
1 small onion, chopped
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
3 cups chopped cooked chicken (I seasoned the chicken with lemon pepper and thyme)
1 1/2 cups fat free half-and-half
1 (4.5-ounce) jar sliced mushrooms, drained
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1 (2.5-ounce) package sliced almonds
Preparation
Cook rice mix according to package directions; set aside.
Melt butter in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion, and saute until tender. Add flour, and cook, stirring constantly, 1 minute. Add broth, and cook, stirring constantly, 1 to 2 minutes or until mixture is thickened and bubbly.
Stir in rice, chicken, and next 7 ingredients. Spoon into a lightly greased 11- x 7-inch baking dish. Top with almonds. Bake 350 for 15 to 20 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Yummy!!

Stuffed Bell Peppers
Clean out bell peppers. Spoon chicken and wild rice casserole inside. Cook 350 for 15 to 20 minutes or until peppers are tender.