Dressing:
2 tsp olive oil
2 tsp white wine vinegar
1/2 tsp dried basil (I used about a Tbsp of Fresh)
salt & pepper to taste
3 Cups lettuce
6 black olives
1/2 c chopped tomatos
1/2 c chopped cucumbers
1 Tbsp feta cheese
1/2 c cooked whole wheat couscous
2.5 oz tuna
It is getting to be that time of year again! The cooler weather pushes us to make more casseroles, and crock pot meals and do less grilling. Many of these recipies call for “Cream of XX Soup”. I received a FABULOUS recipe from my trainer to healthy up the cream soup! I have used it alot, and it works really well!
Dry Cream Soup Mix
Mix together the following:
Store in an air tight container. To use mix 1/2 cup of the above mix with 1 1/4 cups water and cook until thick and bubbly, stirring often. Add 2-3 tsp smart balance or other butter substitute and melt. This amount makes equivalent of 1 can soup mix.
I have had a vegetable garden for several years now. Though I have a small space for a garden, I LOVE having fresh vegetables in the Summer and Fall. This year I planted ingredients for salsa (since I am out of the stuff I made 2 years ago). As well as a few other things.
Planted this year:
Tomatoes, Peppers, Hot Peppers, Onions, zucchini, cucumbers, lettuce, beets, basil, cilantro, oregano, parsley, sage, lavender, rosemary & Mint.
My Peppers and Zucchini have not been doing well so far this year. I have gotten a few hot peppers, but no regular ones(the plants don’t even have blooms). And One zucchini so far (though I see 2 more little ones growing) But the rest of my garden is thriving!
Today I mixed up my first batch of salsa. A couple of years ago I experimented with several recipes, and found a fabulous combination. Here is my recipe for Spicy Salsa:
Jill’s Spicy Salsa Recipe
Chop all Ingredients and add to a pot. Add a little salt. Simmer on stove over medium low heat for 30 minutes or so. Taste as you go, you may need to add a sprinkle of sugar to sweeten it up a bit.
Pour into pint jars while hot, and they will typically self seal.
Another Peterson family favorite recipe! Nowadays this only comes out on special occasions because it is definitely NOT a healthy recipe!
Put 2 loaves of frozen bread dough in a bag, and add 1/2 c warm water to the bag. Place the bag in a bowl of warm water and let dough rise until the bag is about ready to burst. Once dough has risen take out of the bag and put on a pan filled with sugar. (I use a large cutting board or cookie sheet). Stretch the dough out to fill the pan and sprinkle sugar and cinnamon on top. Roll the dough up the long way and cut into 12 pieces.
Take a 9×13 pan and melt butter in it. Mix in Brown sugar and karo syrup in with the butter. Mix in nuts if desired. Place the rolls on top of the caramel mixture.
Let raise at room temperature until rolls fill the pan.* (skip to baking section)
*Alternative method to raising at room temperature. You can put in the fridge overnight. Then, take out of fridge 2 hours prior to serving. Put in cold oven and turn oven to 300 degrees. After 5 minutes turn oven off. Let raise until 1 hour prior to serving. Continue to baking section
Baking Section: Turn Oven to 350 degrees and bake 30-40 minutes or until done.
You may have to cover the top with foil so the bottom of the rolls don’t get to dark!
This is just a recipe that I made up. Mike told me I should share this one with everyone..so here it is! It is an easy way to make chicken nuggets at home without having to eat the processed premade version you buy in the store. Much better for you!
Cut the chicken breasts into nugget sized pieces. Mix corn flake crumbs, salt and pepper and seasoning in a bowl. Roll nuggets in crumb mixture until they are fully covered. Put nuggets on a cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees for roughly 20 minutes (until chicken is fully cooked).
Feel free to experiment with seasonings..it is very much to taste!