There is a new woman in my kitchen

Pioneer Woman is here!  Well, at least her cookbook is.  :) 

Thanks to Kristin for my Christmas gift I have already opened this book up and started with the Chicken Pot Pie!  Yummy!!  Next up is the Artichoke Dip and Guacamole for New Years Eve. 

Gro Baby Biodegradable Soaker Pads

As many of you know I am an avid cloth diaperer! I love my diapers. One of the newer diaper systems on the market that I am excited to try is a Gro Baby Biodegradable Soaker Pads. I am excited to get a free sample of this new diaper system and give it a try. I will come back and tell you what I think once I try it.

http://www.thenaturalbabyco.com/gro-baby-biodegradable-soaker-pads-p-745.html

Mashed Potatoes

I think I just found the trick to homemade mashed potatoes, chicken stock!

2 cups chicken stock
1 cup water
5 medium sized potatoes
2 tablespoons butter

Bring the chicken stock and water to a boil. While that is boiling peel the potatoes. Add potatoes to water and boil for 40 minutes, depending on the size of the potatoes. Remove potatoes from the chicken stock, add butter to the potatoes and begin to mash with an electric mixer. Add small amounts of chicken stock back to the potatoes as you are mixing them. Enjoy!

Green Chili Pork

Another fabulous recipe from Jesi!! I am glad I know this girl!!!!

Mmm, this is so easy and yummy and makes a ton of food!

1 Frozen 2-3 Pound Pork Roast
2 Cans Green Enchilada Sauce
2 Fresh Jalapenos-deseeded and diced
1-2 Bell Pepper sliced (or frozen bell pepper strips)
2 Onions Sliced

Seasonings I used
Garlic Garlic, Cumin, Seasoned Salt, Black Pepper

Throw it all in your crock pot and cook all day. Since our meat was frozen we did about 8 hours on high. Shred the meat and enjoy! We have eaten this in tortillas, with chips and cheese, you could add canned veggies and make a taco soup, use in enchiladas, tacos, or on top of nachos. Also great with scrambled eggs, salsa and diced breakfast potatoes made into burritos, or migas!

I skipped the jalapenos and used the pork in tacos.....my new favorite meal!! Lots of leftovers.

Salmon Bites

Mark went fishing and brought home a bunch of salmon and trout. We usually like our salmon baked or grilled and served with rice but since we had a good amount of it (like 5 dinners worth) I decided to try something different and we liked it!!

4 Salmon fillets cut into fourths
1/2 cup flour
1 egg
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1 tbsp of your favorite seasonings, I used Tastefully Simple Onion Onion, garlic powder, salt and pepper.
1/4 cup vegetable oil


1. Add vegetable oil to a large pan and turn heat to medium high.

2. Use three shallow bowls and put the flour in one, eggs in another and bread crumbs mixed with the seasoning into the third. Add a touch of salt to each bowl.

3. Coat the salmon with flour, then egg and finally the bread crumb mixture letting the excess fall off at each step.

4. Add salmon to heated oil and let cook 5 minutes until a golden brown, then turn over and repeat on the other side.

Enjoy!

I made tarter sauce with mayonnaise and relish.

Strawberry Pretzel Salad

My friend Nicole introduced me to this wonderful recipe! The exact recipe I use came from Allrecipe.com

INGREDIENTS (Nutrition)

* 2 cups crushed pretzels
* 3/4 cup butter, melted
* 3 tablespoons white sugar
* 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
* 1 cup white sugar
* 1 (8 ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed
* 2 (3 ounce) packages strawberry flavored gelatin
* 2 cups boiling water
* 2 (10 ounce) packages frozen strawberries


DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
2. Stir together crushed pretzels, melted butter and 3 tablespoons sugar; mix
well and press mixture into the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish.
3. Bake 8 to 10 minutes, until set. Set aside to cool.
4. In a large mixing bowl cream together cream cheese and 1 cup sugar. Fold in
whipped topping. Spread mixture onto cooled crust.
5. Dissolve gelatin in boiling water. Stir in still frozen strawberries and allow
to set briefly. When mixture is about the consistency of egg whites, pour and
spread over cream cheese layer. Refrigerate until set.

Texas Caviar - Biggest Loser

I just borrowed Kristin's Biggest Loser cookbook and this is the first recipe I tried. Super yummy! I am serving it with tortilla chips as a snack and I may try it over grilled chicken and rice for dinner.

1 - 15 oz can of low sodium black beans
1 - 15 oz can of low sodium corn
3/4 c fresh pico de gallo
2 tbl chopped fresh cilantro
1 1/2 tbl red wine vinegar
1 tsp cumin
salt and pepper to taste

1. Drain the corn and black beans and rinse with cool water.
2. Add all the ingredients in a large bowl and mix.
3. Allow to chill at least 2 hours, preferably overnight.

Meatloaf

I tweaked it just a little bit but this is basically a Betty classic!! Enjoy.

1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef
1 cup milk
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon chopped fresh sage leaves or 1/4 teaspoon dried sage leaves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground mustard
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 garlic clove, finely chopped or 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
1 egg
1 cup dried bread crumbs
1/2 cup Kraft parmesan cheese
1 small onion, chopped (1/4 cup)
1/2 cup ketchup, chili sauce or barbecue sauce


Total Time: 1 hour 25 min
1. Heat oven to 350°F.
2. Mix all ingredients except ketchup. Spread mixture in ungreased loaf pan, 8 1/2x4 1/2x2 1/2 or 9x5x3 inches, or shape into 9x5-inch loaf in ungreased rectangular pan, 13x9x2 inches. Spread ketchup over top.
3. Insert meat thermometer so tip is in center of loaf. Bake uncovered 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes or until thermometer reads 160°F.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

I found this on the side of a can of Hormel Chicken. It was super easy, consisted of stuff I already had in my house and was YUMMY!!!

4 - 6 inch flour or wheat tortilla
3 - cups water
2 - chicken bullion cubes
1 - package of taco seasoning
1 - 16 oz jar of medium salsa
2 - 10 oz cans of chicken
1 - 15 oz can of black beans
1 - 11 oz can of corn with green and red peppers

Place tortilla strips onto baking pan. Lightly spray strips with nonstick cooking spray. Bake at 400°F until crisp, about 5 minutes. Meanwhile, in large saucepan, combine water, bouillon, taco seasoning mix and salsa. Bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Add chicken, black beans and corn. Heat until warmed through, about 10 minutes. Ladle into warm bowls and top with tortilla crisps and sour cream.

Pioneer Woman's Mexican Lasagna

Here is what I am making for dinner tonight......it looks really yummy!!

http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2008/08/cooking-with-pastor-ryan-delicious-mexican-lasagna/

Jesi's Slow Cooker Chicken Cacciatore

Ingredients
1 pound frozen chicken breasts
1 large jar of Marinara *your favorite, we use TS Everything Italian marinara*
2 onions cut into slices
2 green bell peppers sliced
and sliced fresh mushrooms if your husband allows it (mine doesn't)

Throw it all in your crockpot and cook on low for 8 hours. Then shred the chicken. I made noodles and rice to serve it over but you can also make mashed potatoes.

This came from my friend and fellow Tastefully Simple Consultant Jesi!

Thanks!

Tastefully Simple Stuffed Chicken Breast

2 large boneless skinless chicken breast, thawed
4 oz cream cheese
1 tablespoon of seasoning of choice
1/2 c mozzarella cheese

I soften 4 oz of cream cheese by microwaving it for 15 seconds and then beating it with a fork. I add a Tastefully Simple mix Dried Tomato and Garlic Pesto to the cream cheese but really any seasoning mix of your liking would work. Then I take two thawed boneless skinless chicken breast and slice them so I can stuff them with the cream cheese. Put the stuffed chicken in a 9X13 pan and bake on 350 uncovered for 45 minutes. During the last couple of minutes in the oven add some mozzerella cheese on top just to melt. Very very easy and very good! What I really like about it is that you can add any seasoning mix to change it up! I usually make rice or potatoes with it but you could also add some veggies to the pan for a side dish!