Mini Lasagnas

These were so fun to make! AND super tasty.

12 oz lean ground beef
salt/pepper
1 c chopped onion
14.5 oz can tomato sauce
2 cloves of garlic, minced
3 tsp dried oregano, divided
1 tsp dried basil, divided
1 1/2 c part skim ricotta cheese
24 small square wonton wrappers (you can find them in the produce dept)
1 1/2 c red-fat shredded mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the ground beef, onions, and sprinkle some salt and pepper. After the meat has browned, add the garlic and stir constantly for 30 sec. Add the pasta sauce and 2 tsp oregano. Bring the pan to a gentle boil, reduce the heat, and simmer for 10 min.

In a separate bowl, combine the ricotta with some salt and pepper, 1 tsp of oregano, and 1/2 tsp basil. Stir together.

Spray a 12 cup muffin pan with nonstick cooking spray. Place one wonton wrapper in each of the 12 cups, pressing firmly in the bottom of the cup and up the sides. Using half the ricotta mixture, divide it among the 12 muffin cups. Next, using half of the meat sauce, spoon it evenly over the ricotta. Sprinkle a little mozzarella on top of that. Then press another wonton on top of the mozzarella layer. Repeat - ricotta, meat sauce, mozzarella. Bake for 15 min, or until the cheese has melted and wonton wrappers are crispy. Let cool in the pan, sprinkle a little basil on top, then enjoy!

Original recipe found here. Great step-by-step pictures.

Italian Cream Bundt Cake

I bought a bundt pan back in December so I could make sticky buns Christmas morning. So, when I saw a recipe for Italian Cream cake (which I love) in a bundt pan... I knew it was time to pull out the bundt pan for the second time. Glad I did. This is wonderful!

1 stick of butter
2 c sugar
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
5 egg yolks
1/2 c olive oil
2 c flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 c low fat buttermilk
1/2 c shredded coconut
1 c finely-chopped walnuts
5 egg whites (beat until stiff peaks)

For the icing:
1 block red-fat cream cheese
1 stick butter
2 c powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. With a mixer, cream together sugar and butter, then add vanilla extract. Then, add the 5 separated egg yolks and olive oil, and mix and beat until fluffy. In a separate bowl, prepare the dry ingredients-  the flour and baking soda. Add the dry ingredients a little at a time, alternating with the buttermilk - add about 1/4 c at a time. Next, mix in the walnuts and coconut.

In another bowl, beat the egg whites until they have stiff peaks - I had no clue what that meant so I googled it. :) Then, with a spatula, gently fold the egg whites into the batter using the figure 8 pattern. Spoon the batter into a greased bundt pan as evenly as possible. Bake for about 1 hour.

To make the icing: Beat together all the ingredients, then drizzle over cake. Sprinkle with chopped walnuts.

Original recipe found here.

Jerk Grilled Chicken

Those of you that know me well, know that I don't like huge chunks of meat... unless it's a filet mignon. No matter how good chicken breasts are, I never eat the whole thing and I just don't like it. I also pick all the meat out of Lean Cusine-type dishes. Anyway, that being said, I ate ALL of this chicken. It was amazing! I usually wouldn't post a marinade/grilled chicken recipe, but I feel it's my duty to share this with everyone. ENJOY.

3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 c wood chips (for smoking on the grill) - optional

For the marinade:
1 bunch green onions, chopped
1 small white onion, chopped
2-3 habanero peppers, quartered with seeds removed
1/2 c lime juice
1 tbsp olive oil
1  tbsp brown sugar
1 tbsp whole allspice berries
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground nutmeg
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp fresh thyme leaves

For the marinade, place all the ingredients in a blender and mix well. Place chicken in a glass dish and rub both sides of chicken with marinade (the marinade will be thick). Transfer the rest of the marinade into a small glass dish, cover, and refrigerate. You can marinate the chicken 2-24 hours. We marinated ours for almost 24 hours.

Grill: Soak wood chips in a small bowl of water for 10-15 min. Fold a 12x20" piece of foil in half to create a double-sided 12x10" thick piece. Transfer wood chips to center of the foil, allowing as much water as possible to drip off. Create a packet with the foil by folding in the ends. Make some holes in the top of the foil.

Put the foil packet until the grill rack and on top of the burners. Close the grill and heat it to medium-high until the packet smells smokey and you start to see smoke come out from under the grill. Grill the chicken, turning and basting occasionally (with the rest of the marinade), until cooked through - about 20-30 min.

You don't have to use the wood chips, it's just an option and it added flavor. If you don't have a grill, there is a broiler variation on the original link to this recipe (below).

Original recipe found here.

Slow-Cooker Honey Sesame Chicken

Made this for dinner tonight and it was awesome. The chicken was juicy and the sauce was delicious.

1 lb chicken breasts (I used thinly-sliced)
salt/pepper
1 c honey
1/2 c lite soy sauce
1/2 c diced onion

1/4 c ketchup
1 tbsp canola oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
4 tsp cornstarch dissolved in 6 tbsp water
sesame seeds & green onions, for garnish

Season chicken with salt/pepper and place in crock pot. Sprinkle diced onion on top. In a bowl, whisk together honey, soy sauce, ketchup, canola oil, garlic, pepper flakes, and sesame oil. Pour over chicken and onions. Cover and cook on low 3-4 hours. Remove chicken breasts from crock pot. Dissolve 4 tsp cornstarch in 6 tbsp water and pour into sauce. Cover and let sauce cook 10 more min. Shred the chicken into bite size pieces. After sauce has thickened, put shredded chicken back in crock pot and stir together with sauce. Serve over rice. Don't forget the sesame seeds and green onions!

Original recipe found here.

Chicken & Biscuits Alfredo Bubble Up

Ohhhh man. Now this was good. Obviously not the most healthy dish, but it would be amazing for a treat every now and then! Super easy, super delicious.

2 cans Grands biscuits
1 jar Alfredo sauce (16 oz)
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp garlic salt
1 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
1 lb chicken, cooked and cubed
2 c mozzarella cheese, divided

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Cut each biscuit into 6 pieces and place into a bowl. Mix seasonings with Alfredo sauce in a large bowl. Stir biscuit pieces into the sauce, then add the cooked and cubed chicken and stir. Add half the cheese and toss until well blended. Grease a 9x11" baking dish and pour mixture into dish. Cover with the remaining cheese. Bake for 35-45 min or until biscuits are done.

Original recipe found here.