Hamburger Biscuit Casserole

This is such a yummy southern comfort dish. As the weather starts cooling down its the perfect dinner.

1 lb Hamburger Meat
1 can whole kernel corn
1 can kidney beans
1 can tomato soup
4 oz cheese
1/2 cup milk
1 tsp minced onion
1/2 tsp chili powder
1 can of biscuits (I make my own)

Brown meat and drain. Mix rest of ingredients together (except biscuits) and put in a casserole dish. Put biscuits on top and bake 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes. (My recipe calls to dip the biscuits in butter but you can definitely omit that for health reasons)

Instead I make my own drop biscuits, here's a recipe i really like

2 cups all purpose flour
1 TBSP sugar
3tsps baking powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup shortening
1 cup milk (can do part sour cream rest milk)
Mix flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in medium bowl. Cut in shortening using pastry blender or criss-crossing 2 knives until mixture looks like fine crumbs. stir in milk until dough leaves side of bowl

Then just drop about 8-12 (depending on what size you want) spoon fulls of biscuit on top of the casserole and bake about 15 minutes or until biscuits are cooked, YUMMY!

Bran Muffins

Our Mom always made these growing up and they are so yummy and healthy. I just made them yesterday and was reminded of why I love them so much!

All bran muffins
3 C. Sugar
1 C. oil
1 qt Buttermilk
4 Eggs (beaten)
2C. Boiling water

2C. Nabisco 100%bran or bran buds
5tsp. Soda
1 tsp Salt
5 C. flour
4 C. kellogs all bran

Pour boiling water over 100%bran. In a separate bowl, beat oil and sugar. Add Buttermilk,eggs. and hot bran. Add flour, soda, and salt. Add all bran mix well. Bake 15 or so minutes @ 400 degrees ( I bake around 380 degrees in my oven)

Healthy Mozzarella Sticks

My friend Dyan made these for us Super Bowl Sunday and we love them. We make them all the time! They are baked instead of fried but I promise they are still SO yummy!

16 mozzarella sticks (a.k.a. string cheese)
1/8 cup flour
1 cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs
1 TBS oregano
2 eggs
1 TBS water
Marinara sauce for dipping

1. Mix eggs and water together
2. Mix dry ingredients together
3. Foil line a baking sheet
4. Coat cheese stick with egg
5. Coat with crumb mixture (make sure to get the ends and everything)
6. Place on cookie sheet
7. Place in freezer and let set for a bit (at least 30 minutes but you could do hours too)
8. Do a second coating of the egg and then crumbs
9. Bake at 400 for about 10 minutes--but check starting at 6 minutes to make sure they're not oozing out)

Eat them while still warm but if the cheese hardens throw them in the microwave for 5-10 seconds and cheese will melt again.

Granola bars

My friend Meghan introduced me to this recipe. I made them a couple days ago and they are so yummy! They taste like a dessert and I love that they use oatmeal, wheat germ and whole wheat flour.

INGREDIENTS
2 cups rolled oats
1/2cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup wheat germ
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup raisins (I did 1/2 cup raisins 1/2 cup chocolate chips)
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup honey
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup canola oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Generously grease a 9x13 inch baking pan.
In a large bowl, mix together the oats, brown sugar, wheat germ, cinnamon, flour, raisins and salt. Make a well in the center, and pour in the honey, egg, oil and vanilla. Mix well using your hands. Pat the mixture evenly into the prepared pan.
Bake for 18-20 minutes in the preheated oven, until the bars begin to turn golden at the edges. Cool for 5 minutes, then cut into bars while still warm. Do not allow the bars to cool completely before cutting, or they will be too hard to cut.

Citrus Summer Chicken

This is a great and easy Marinade for Chicken, and It is Citrus base so it is perfect for Summer!

Ingredients:
1 Lemon
1 Lime
1 Orange
2 Tbl Olive oil
2 Green Onion
2 Tbl Honey
Salt and Pepper

Preparation:
Zest the Lemon, Lime, and Orange into a bowl and then squeeze the juice from the 3 fruits and add it to the zest. Add Olive Oil, and Honey to the bowl and mix well. Chop the Green Onion and add it as well, mixing the entire mixture well. Season Chicken Breasts with Salt and Pepper and put Marinade over them in either a Ziploc or a glass dish. Marinade in the fridge for 2-4 hours, taking Chicken out 20 min prior to grilling. Grill the Chicken and Serve! Enjoy!

LITTLE THIMBLES SCIUE SCIUE (SHWEE-SHWEE)

This is my friend Chelsea's Recipe and it is so easy and delicious! I added Sauted Shrimp also for a little protein, grilled Chicken would be great too!

Ingredients:

1½ c ditalini pasta (I used Wheat Penne because that is what I had in the pantry, any would do)
¼ c good extra-virgin olive oil
2 t minced garlic (use fresh in a garlic press)
Plum tomatoes, chopped (I used a generous handful because I like tomatoes, use however many you like)
6 oz shredded (not grated) parmesaen cheese (I used a mix of Romano, Parmesean, and Mozzerella)
8 large fresh basil leaves, coarsely chopped
1 can of whole black olives
salt to taste

Preparation:

Bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook abut 8 minutes, al dente. Drain. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and saute until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the tomatoes & olives & saute until heated through. Add the cooked pasta. Remove the skillet from the heat. Add the cheese and basil and toss to coat.

Fruit Salsa

This is so good! I got this recipe from my mom & every time I make it some one always asks for the recipe. Try it, you will LOVE it!

2 apples peeled, chopped (gala, granny smith, braeburn-you want the crispy ones)
2 kiwis peeled, chopped
1 cup strawberries, chopped
1 orange (you only use the juice from the orange & grade 1 tsp of the rind)
Combine all the above ingredients in a bowl.

*When you chop all the fruit, do not use a blender or food processor. I use a fruit/veggie chopper.

When all mixed together in your bowl add:
1 T. apple jelly
2 T. brown sugar

Serve with cinnamon chips. I buy my cinnamon chips at Food City, they also carry them at some bakeries.