Pinterest Half-Fail :)

Here is another installment in the (likely to be long) list of Pinterest Fails. I am calling this one a Half-Fail because they tasted DELISH, but looked...well, not so delish. ;)  I found these beauties here from McCormick, and thought "I can do this..can't be that hard". Well, this is what they are supposed to look like...

 

Pretty, right? Sounded easy enough, but here is what mine looked like:

Not quite the same, huh? Again, I stress, they tasted GREAT. Looked...well, I am pretty sure my oldest described them as "reindeer poop". 

If you decide to try these, and are more successful than I am, please let me know. I am always astounded by other people's talents, while completely comfortable with my own shortcomings. ;)

Honey Sesame Chicken (Clean if modified)

Okay, so I have made this recipe before, but just didn't remember it being as AWESOME as it is. This is my oldest child's favorite meal, and he's been doing really great in school, so I decided to make this for him tonight. It tastes even better than I remembered.  May not be the healthiest, but I made it with ingredients from home, so I consider that a success. We buy  that Simply Ketchup that has no high fructose corn syrup (which is one of my least favorite ingredient). I also use honey from the farmer's market. So I am going to just pretend this is healthy.  

It is really easy to put together, so that is always a plus for me. It also goes in the slow cooker, so plus number 2. (I know what you are thinking, but even though I am home all day, I still hate standing in the kitchen for a long time. :) 

Now, I made a lazy change or two, but mostly because a) I was also trying to make my lunch and I was hungry and b)It is easier to use dried minced onions that will disappear than to pick them all off my children's chicken. 

Honey Sesame Chicken

4 Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts (or any you prefer)

1 Cup Honey

1/2 Cup Soy Sauce

1/4 Cup Ketchup

2 TBS dried minced onions

3 Cloves Garlic, minced (or grated)

1 TBS Avocado Oil (or olive/vegetable, whatever you have)

Several healthy shakes of red pepper flakes

4 tsp cornstarch stirred into 6 TBS water

Sesame seeds for garnish

Place the chicken breasts in the slow cooker. Mix together all other ingredients, except for the sesame seeds, and pour over the chicken. Cook on low for approx 3 hours. Original recipe calls for 3-4, but I went 4 and I think it was probably a little too much. At the end of the cooking time, take the chicken out and add the cornstarch to the liquid in the slow cooker. Cook in the crock for about 10 minutes on high. I did not see a visible difference for this step, but without comparing, I don't want to leave that step out. :) Meanwhile, cut the chicken into bite size pieces and put back in slow cooker and stir up. When serving, sprinkle sesame seeds on top. (Now my kids don't like the sesame seeds...no clue why, so I just leave it off theirs)

I served this with brown rice and asparagus. It looks like a lot of rice, but I really just spread it out to make it look fancy. I usually make quinoa, but forgot that I am out until it was too late. :(

Taco Seasoning (Clean)

I have been searching and searching for a taco seasoning alternative. I have tried a couple of different ones that either didn't taste right, or the kids wouldn't eat...which just won't do. We really like our Taco Night in this house. I found this one from He and She Eat Clean, and it was AWESOME! My oldest (and pickiest) actually said "If I didn't know you made this yourself, I wouldn't have known the difference". Which is a major accomplishment for me. I tried to not let him in the kitchen while I was making it. He will automatically refuse to like it if I change it...brat! ;) But luckily he loved it, and it will now be made in bulk so there is no reason to ever buy taco seasoning again. :)


Clean Taco Seasoning

1TBSP Chili Powder
1 1/2 tsp Cumin
1 1/2 tsp Paprika
1 tsp Oregano
1 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Garlic Powder
1/2 tsp Onion Powder
1/4 tsp Cayenne Pepper (more or less, of course, depending on taste)

Mix all the ingredients together and use for 1 lb of meat. We use it in turkey, but it can be used in ground beef, chicken, whatever you like. 

Next time I will try their Ranch dressing recipe. I have tried a few, and didn't like, but since this one worked out... I feel good about trying another. 

Chicken Marinade (CLEAN) ala Teriyaki

In trying to help my husband remain on his clean eating path, but still getting my marinated grilled chicken, I had to be alittle creative the other night with my ingredients. I was looking for a Teriyaki-type of marinade, but most called for sugar (white and/or brown). Otherwise, they would call for orange/pineapple juice, and we just never have that in the house. Well, I was NOT going to the store, so I just started throwing some ingredients into a baggie, and here's what I came up with:

Clean Chicken Marinade

1/2 cup Bragg's liquid aminos (or low sodium soy sauce)
1/2 cup of water
1/4 cup raw honey (give or take...depending on your preference)
2 TBSP avocado oil (or olive oil)
3 tsp onion powder
3 tsp garlic powder

I just threw this in with my frozen chicken breasts and let them marinate while defrosting. Had the hubby throw them on the grill, and paired his with the cauliflower "rice" and asparagus. Mine, of course, was paired with quinoa and broccoli. I am NOT a fan of the white asparagus. Too bitter for me. :)

CLEAN Dessert Pops!!

So, the other day my kids begged me to make Popsicles. But of course, I forgot to buy any healthy juice to make them out of ... Waaawaaaa. So I started digging on the Internet, and thinking of what was in my fridge, etc, and came up with these. HUGE success. (Except with my oldest, who refuses to believe that ground up fruit is not going to suck, but I will share his version at the end)

Clean eating fruit pops

1 cup Greek yogurt

1 cup frozen cherries (or whatever fruit you like)

1 TBSP honey

Stevia (to taste)

Blend first 3 ingredients in the blender, add stevia to your liking, and pour into molds. I put a few mini chocolate chips in the bottom of a few for the kids. You can also use ice cube trays. I did find them hard to get out of the molds, but a little warm water and they popped right out. :)

Now, for my oldest, I used vanilla yogurt with chocolate chips. He thought they were good, but would rather have juice pops ;)

Now my molds are tiny...maybe 3 or 4 inches, so when I plugged the ingredients into myfitnesspal, the calorie count came to 45. The only sugars are naturally occurring, so I think they are guilt-free. :)

Chicken with Capers (Low Carb)

This is a recipe I have wanted to make for a long time, but most recipes for Chicken Piccata have SO many steps. Ugh, I don't want to WORK at dinner in the kitchen. ;)  Plus, most recipes for Piccata call for the chicken to be dredged in flour, and that just won't work for me. So I found this one, and it looked so easy, that I just had to try! It was as easy as she promised, and DOUBLE yum. This is not "healthy" because of the cream, but is low carb. So don't yell at me for not posting a healthy recipe today. Clean recipe next time, I promise. :) Just use this one as a cheat meal. 

Chicken with Caper Cream Sauce

4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves
1 tsp lemon pepper (check your brand for sugar in the ingredients or make your own.)
1 tsp salt (you might want to leave this salt out if you are sensitive)
1 tsp dried dill weed
1 tsp garlic powder
3 TBSP butter (I used a bit less than this. Just enough to cover the bottom of pan)
1/2 cup whipping cream
2 TBSP capers, drained and rinsed (you don't have to rinse, I didn't. I like the flavor)

Melt the butter in the skillet. Mix together all the spices, and sprinkle both sides of the chicken and place in the pan. Sear on both sides on medium high heat, and then lower the temperature to medium and cook until breasts are cooked through. Remove chicken from the skillet and add cream to deglaze the pan. Whisk and cook over medium low heat until reduced.  Add capers and remove from heat. Pour sauce over the chicken and serve. 

Honestly, this tastes even better reheated the next day. Pair with a vegetable and you are set. :)

And what about those goals?

That's what they always ask.  Always. I went to a gym a couple years back, and got the "3 free training sessions". Riiiigggghhhhtttt...Free? The first session is just them "assessing" your fitness level. And as always, she asks "So what are your goals?"  I want to be skinny! What do you think my goals are? Is there another goal people come in here with? "Uh.. I would like to work out endlessly with no positive results".  Well, it has taken a few years, and ALOT of soul searching, but I think I finally understand why it's important to have more specific goals. Just wanting to be skinny is not enough. So I have been coming up with my own list of reasons I want to get healthy, lose weight, and ultimately be in better shape.

1. I want to enjoy clothes shopping again.  I hate trying on clothes...all clothes. HATE IT! I remember, once upon a time, when I didn't even have to try clothes on. Just went in, picked out what I wanted, straight to cashier and paid. Now, I get to drag a small child (or two) into the dressing room with me (as if that isn't humiliating enough) and try until multiple sizes of the same item (all the while fielding a million questions), only to come out of the dressing room with little to nothing that fit. This is my number one goal. To enjoy shopping for clothes.

2. I want to like the clothes already in my closet. I stand in there for I don't know how long, staring at each item. Round and round in circles looking at my clothes and hating each and every item in there because I know how it looks on.  (Don't even get me started on all the clothes I have in a box for "someday"). I would like to just pop into my closet and pick anything, and not change my clothes 3-4 times every time.

3. I want to be healthier. I realize this one should be first, but if I am being honest, this is, at best, third.  I consider myself pretty healthy in most aspects of my life. I eat good-for-me food. I don't drink alcohol very often anymore (and definitely not as often as I would like). I walk on that damn treadmill a few to several days a week. But I don't feel healthy. I have a few weaknesses. Like popcorn, chips and the occasional inability to pass up a dessert, especially if it is cheesecake. So, if I could get myself into a healthier place, it wouldn't matter if I had an occasional glass of wine (or 5). ;)


This is as honest as I want to be for now. But I knew that if I didn't write them down, I would never face what is really bothering me. I will save that for a future entry. ;)

And the truth of the matter is...

So I am going to write this out, mostly because I want to remember it. I am hoping that writing it all down will remind me not to get myself to this point again. Here is the truth of it...

Tuesday I decided to try a workout DVD. I am the kind of person that can't just exercise. I need someone to tell me what to do. Like literally. I would use a trainer except that would A) cost extra money that I do not want to spend right now, and B) Would play into some of my worst fears (most of which I will not spell out for you here -gotta keep some of my crazy to myself). So, anyway, I went to the store and picked out a DVD with Gunnar Peterson. It is from Shape magazine, and is broken up into nice (short) individual workouts. I decided to the the 20 minute strength/toning portion. No biggie. I won't say it was easy, but I could do most of the exercises without altering them in any way. I did pretty good, if I do say so myself. I even thought "Hmm..wonder if I should do another portion", but went on about my day without a care in the world. Aside from some residual jelly-ish feelings, I was feeling pretty good about myself. :)

Now when night came on Tuesday, I noticed some stiffness in my legs. Didn't think too much of it, figured it came with the territory. WELL...boy howdy does it. I woke up on Wednesday morning and was sure I would not be able to walk. I was right. Spent ALL of Wednesday in extreme pain. The stairs were torture, and wouldn't you know that it seemed like EVERYTHING hit the floor and required me to pick it up. Now to admit how extreme the pain is is embarrassing. I can no longer hide from the truth of how out of shape I am. The number of the scale is one thing - seeing, errr..feeling, it is another. It always proves to me, once and for all, that walking on the treadmill is not going to be enough. I will need to bust my a$$, and not for a short amount of time, in order to get myself to the shape I want to be. But, I believe that admitting it is the first step. 

I sincerely hope that I can look back on this week (soon) and laugh. :)

And a letter than I wish I could send...

To my 20 year old self

Dear Me,

I know, I know...you are in your 20s and you can eat whatever you want, or not eat and just "drink" whatever you wanted and still be a stick? Eating right isn't something you have to think about...you eat okay. No major red flags in the diet, and skinny is a given - no work required. 

Unfortunately, this will not always be the case. Eventually you will find that you slow down. You will get married to the love of your life, you will start cooking more - have a few kids. Just life... And you will allow life to get in the way of taking care of yourself. Perhaps eating out too much, drinking too much. Could be that you move from city to city and stop leaving the house. Where are you going to go with three kids anyway? The mall? CFA? Chuck E Cheese? You name it, you will find a reason to become out of shape, overweight, and unhappy. It's what you decide to do next that will make all the difference in the world. 

Get off your butt. Get moving. Eat better - or in this case, just remember how you ate when you ate right. Don't let it go too long, because I am here to tell you...it just gets harder as you get older. Ideally, you will never allow yourself to get heavier, but since this is my letter to my 20 year old self, I know that you did... 3 kids and 3 states later, you did. 

Now get up. And get moving...never slow down because when you do...well, just take my word for it. :) 

Stay tuned for my workout fiascoes and all the funniness that comes with that.

Turkey Stuffed Peppers (Healthy)

I remember when I was little, and my Mom would make stuffed green peppers. I loved the flavor, but didn't like the actual pepper. So when I saw this recipe on the Skinny Ms website, I thought "I can do this. Sort of". :) To be clear, I have NO idea what a Patty Pan squash is...none. But I did have an acorn squash I wanted to try in an actual recipe, and 1 lb of ground turkey I wanted to use, so I made a few adjustments and then off I went! 

Stuffed Peppers

1 cup of beef broth

1/2 cup of quinoa

6 Bell Peppers (any color you like)

2 TBSP avocado oil (or olive oil)

1 acorn squash - diced

1 small sweet onion-chopped

3 cloves of garlic-minced

1lb Ground Turkey (Or lean ground beef if you don't like turkey)

1 cup Parmesan cheese (leave out if Paleo or pure Clean)

Salt and Pepper to taste

Bring 1 cup of beef broth to a boil. Add quinoa and cook for 10-15 minutes until all liquid is absorbed and then set aside while preparing the rest of the recipe. 

Heat 2 TBSP of oil in a pan. Add onions, acorn squash and garlic and cook until tender...about 5 minutes. Add turkey and cook until completely browned.  Turn the pan off and add quinoa, parm cheese and salt/pepper and stir until combined. Spoon into peppers (approx 3/4 cup per pepper). Place into a greased baking dish and cover with foil. Cook for 20 minutes or until bell peppers are as soft as you like. Eat up! 

You could also make this a meat-free dish if you just use more squash in place of the meat.  We have only prepared acorn squash on the grill with a little olive oil and garlic salt, but it was great in this dish. Added some bulk and veggie content without actually changing the flavor. I read somewhere that the smaller the acorn squash (smoother ridges), the milder the taste. I plan to use acorn squash in place of potatoes in another recipe soon, and of course I will share :)

Salmon for the Hubby (Clean)

So my husband likes salmon. Me, not so much. But he had bought one at the grocery store the other day and asked me to make it. Since I have NO clue about cooking fish that isn't cod or tilapia, I took to the Internet. This recipe came up several times, so I figured it had to be good :) It called for Trout, but I think it worked fine for the Salmon.  He gave it two thumbs up, so I am sharing ;)

Broiled Steelhead Trout With Rosemary, Lemon and Garlic

Now, I do not have fresh rosemary, like ever, so I used dried. I added it to the olive oil/lemon juice mixture and let it sit for a few minutes. Worked out fine (same goes for fresh lemon if you don't have it.)

I put all the ingredients into a small bowl, and let it sit together for about 10 minutes. I used dried rosemary, so I wanted the flavors to mix together well before I brushed it onto the salmon. 

I lined a baking pan with foil, sprayed it with Olive Oil, and placed the salmon in the oven. Broil it on one of the highest rack settings for the first 5 minutes and then move the rack down to the middle setting and bake the rest of the way. 

Baked Steelhead Salmon

1lb Steelhead fillet (Salmon or Trout)

2 cloves garlic (minced/grated)

1/2 TBS dried Rosemary or 1 1/2 Fresh

Juice of half a lemon

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp fresh ground pepper

1 TBS Avocado Oil

Spray a foil lined baking sheet with olive oil and place salmon skin side down. Mix remainder of ingredients together and let sit for a few minutes. Move your top oven rack up to the second highest setting. Cover top of the salmon with the olive oil mixture and broil in the oven for 5 minutes. Then move the rack down to the middle setting and bake for an additional 10-15 minutes until fish is cooked through. 

I served it with creamed cauliflower and broccoli. (I had normal fish ;)

Creamed Cauliflower is my FAVORITE! (Cheat)

So I love cauliflower more than any other vegetable..EVER. Seriously, I cannot name another veggie I love more. So I keep trying to come up with new and interesting ways to serve it so my husband doesn't get bored. (Cauliflower is not his favorite ;) )

This recipe is based loosely on my Mom's Cauliflower Soup. It is basically the same theory, only on a smaller scale. It is not extremely low carb because of the milk and flour, but I think you could probably revamp it if you are adventurous with coconut flour and almond milk. If I try it out that way, I will definitely update this entry. :)

Creamed Cauliflower Recipe

1 small head of cauliflower

2 TBSP butter

1 TBSP flour (coconut flour if low carb)

1/2 cup of milk

smallest pinch of nutmeg

salt,pepper,garlic to taste

Boil the florets in a pot of water until mashable.  Put aside, reserving a small amount of water (about 1/2 cup).  Then put the butter into the pot, and melt over medium to medium low heat. When the butter is melted, add the flour, and completely whisk together. Before it can get too clumpy, start adding the milk, alittle at a time, constantly whisking. Once you get all the milk added in, it should be a very thick roux in the pan. Add nutmeg.  At this point, I add a small amount of the cauliflower water until it is the consistency of porridge. Add cauliflower back to pot, and mash until it looks like this:

Not the prettiest, but yummy!

Then start seasoning until it tastes right to you. I hesitate to actually advise on this because to some people it would be way too salty, and to others it would be too bland.  You know your family's tastes, so just add whatever seasonings sound right to you. :) 

And Beer Chicken it is...

This sounds awesome, right? Anything that adds beer to my meal...lol. Now since I grew up in the South, this would not be my first "Beer can chicken", but this is a great alternative to using the grill. Especially when it's SUPER cold outside. ;) And it really couldn't be any easier. Which seems to be a running theme in my blog, huh? 

Now, like the original poster writes, you can use a whole chicken, cut up chicken pieces, or chicken breasts. I used chicken breasts, and it came out great. You can also play with the spices. I am not a huge fan of Basil, so I just put in a shake of that, but I  believe that you can never have too much garlic, so I added extra of that. Here's how I did it:

Beer Can Slow Cooker Chicken

6 Boneless Chicken breasts

1 Can of any beer of your choice (Organic if you want to "clean" it up) 
1/2 tsp Sea Salt

1/2 tsp Garlic Powder

1 clove of Garlic minced

1/2 tsp Black Pepper

1/2 tsp Paprika

Shake of Basil ;)

Put all these ingredients in the slow cooker, and cook on low for 6-8 hours, or 4 on High. (I rarely cook anything on high...I feel like it toughens whatever meat I am using, but I will do it if I am in a pinch)

You can just eat these straight out of the crock with a veggie side dish, or you can shred the meat and put it back in the slow cooker to soak up the liquid. Then serve on rolls or over rice. You can't go wrong no matter what way you choose to eat it. It's delicious! :) 

Cauliflower "Rice" (Clean)

Now, do not get too excited. Does it taste like rice? No. But does it taste good enough to replace rice for the good of your health? Definitely. I LOVE cauliflower! Probably more than any other vegetable,so this is easy for me. I sneak it into mashed potatoes, completely undetected by my kids. One of which does not eat any vegetables AT ALL. So, that's something. Anyway...this could not be easier. Actually, it could be easier if I weren't scared of my food processor, but I digress. Here are the only items you need to do this:

Grater
Head of cauliflower
Skillet
Oil of choice
Salt and pepper

Basically you grate up the cauliflower florets into small bits. Heat up TBS of oil in the pan, and "dry" fry the cauliflower with salt and pepper. Just stir it around until it is halfway done and there you go. I served this to my husband with my Shrimp Creole because quinoa is not his preference. I think he was really surprised that he liked it as much as he did.

I also posted my Creole recipe, so check it out! (Please) :)

Looks like rice, doesn't it? :)

And it's time for Creole... (Healthy modifications)

Shrimp Creole

I have been making this recipe for years.  One of the few things I have been able to make for years and make well. Only problem is, none of the kids like it...actually, I guess that is not a problem. More for me ;) 

There are alot of Shrimp Creole recipes out there, but when I was younger, I wouldn't make any recipe with stewed tomatoes in it, so I adapted the recipes to my picky tastes. I guess I should be a big girl soon and try the normal recipes :) Until then, here you go:

Ingredients

1 TBSP butter (or oil, I guess)

1 medium onion, diced

1 green onion, diced

1 tsp red pepper (or chili powder - whatever you have)

2 (8oz) cans of tomato sauce

1 can of water

1 bay leaf

1 lb Uncooked Shrimp (cocktail shrimp are the best)

   cleaned and deveined

Melt butter in a saucepan. Add onion and green onion and cook until soft. Add red pepper,  2 cans of tomato sauce and 1 bay leaf, and cook for about 15 minutes all together. Remove bay leaf and add shrimp. Cook until shrimp are pink. Now at this point, I decide if it is too runny. Sometimes it is, and sometimes it is not, so it just depends. (on what, I have NO idea). If it is too runny, you can make a paste? of cornstarch and water and then add it to the mixture. I rarely find that it is too runny, but I wanted to add that, just in case. 

You can serve this over rice, unless you are cutting out rice like me, and then you can put it over quinoa or "riced" cauliflower.  I have added a short blog about that too. :)

Parsnip (not so) Chips...(Clean)

Parsnip "Chips"

So in our quest to find suitable chip replacements, I stumbled across someone talking about different root vegetables that you can slice into chips. Well, after the kale and zucchini chips debacle (different story all together), I decided to try parsnips. If you've never seen or tried parsnips, they are a little like a spicier carrot. Same shape and appearance, just white instead of orange. I have actually also put these in my Sausage and Potato Soup, in addition to potatoes, with great success. You just have to get used to the flavor and accept that they will never taste like potatoes. :) These are one of my husband's favorites that I  make here recently. I have to make at least 2 just for him. 

This is simple. Peel and slice some parsnips, at least one per person that is going to share these with you. Put in a bowl with Olive Oil and seasoning of your choice. I like to use Mrs Dash no salt Garlic and Herb seasoning and a little bit of sea salt. Bake at 400 for 10-15 minutes, or to desired crispiness. These are not actually "chip like". It really depends on the thickness, and length of time in the oven. I will update after I try these at a lower temp for longer to see if that helps. 

Parsnip "Chips"

1 parsnip per person, peeled and sliced

Olive Oil (just enough to coat slices)

2 turns of a sea salt dispenser

Tbs seasoning of choice

Stir all ingredients in a bowl and lay out on a piece of parchment in a single layer. Bake at 400 for 10-15 minutes.

Seasoning suggestions: 

Cajun spices

Ranch dressing mix

Mrs Dash (any flavor)

Garlic salt and pepper

Sky's the limit on this one. Just experiment with your favorite flavors. I would love to hear if you try something that ROCKS. Please let me know. :)

My Favorite - Baked Buffalo Chicken Eggrolls (Cheat)

Baked Buffalo Chicken Eggrolls

This recipe by CanYouStayForDinner  for Buffalo Chicken Egg Rolls is by far my favorite addition to my family's "Appetizer Night". Appetizer night started a while back, when we decided that eating out constantly was expensive for what you get. So my oldest and I would go to the grocery store and pick out all of our favorite appetizers that we can get at the restaurant, and then make our own. Well, fast forward to our "healthy eating initiative", and I had to go on a hunt to replace frozen apps and add some that are healthier. Enter "Buffalo Chicken Egg Rolls". These not only satisfy a need for buffalo flavor, but help on the low carb front too. I changed a few things from the original recipe, but you can definitely add or subtract anything you don't like. I leave out the broccoli slaw, but if you are a slaw lover - please put it back in. :)

So first things first:  Go to the grocery store and buy egg roll wrappers. You can find them in the Produce department. (You could also do wontons, but I haven't tried out the cook time yet) You also need to cook up some chicken and shred it into a bowl. Add buffalo sauce (I use Frank's, but just use whichever one you like best). There is no magic amount to add, just add it up to your heat tolerance level ;)

Next, I put a cookie cooling rack on my largest baking sheet. I also use one of those grill racks you can buy to put fish on to grill out. Then start laying out the wraps to get started. 

Next place your ingredients in the middle on the wrap as shown. This time around I used real blue cheese crumbles, but most of the time I use Laughing Cow Blue Cheese wedges and just smear some on the wrap before placing the buffalo chicken on.. Now, if you have family members that don't like blue cheese (I KNOW!!! Shocking, right?), you can use any cheese they like inside. I just use whatever I have on hand, and then separate those with and without, so as not to mix them up... 

Now start folding the wrap...kinda like an envelope? First the bottom corner up, then fold both sides in. Be careful not to rip the wrap. They are VERY durable, but I manage to rip at least one. And if I do rip one, I just wrap another one around it. Works fine. 

Lastly, you need to wet the edges so they will stay sealed when you fold the top down. Line them up on the rack and spray with cooking spray. Bake at 400 for approx 15 minutes...give or take a few. I keep an eye on them, and if they are starting to burn without crisping, I take them out and spray them again just to keep from burning. I don't have a good After picture, but even if I did, they would never look as awesome as Andie's do. :)

Buffalo Chicken Egg Rolls

• Shredded chicken (use as much or as little as the amount of egg rolls you are making)
• Buffalo Sauce (I alternate between the "buffalo" and the "hot" sauce depending on what I have) 
• Blue cheese crumbles or Laughing Cow blue cheese wedges
• Egg Roll wrappers
• Cooking spray

Assemble wraps as shown in pictures, and bake at 400 for 12-15 minutes. Serve with Ranch dressing or Blue cheese dressing, if you like. But caution! These are smoking hot inside. So if your family is planning Appetizer Night, you can definitely bake these first...they will stay hot longest! 

Update: I messaged the blogger to let her know how much we loved these, and that I was planning on putting this recipe on my blog, and she actually messaged me back to say thank you. To me, that is super nice! :)

And now for the Norwegian waffles...

Norwegian Waffles

When visiting my family in Norway, these yummy waffles are usually served with coffee, sodas for the kids, and an assortment of chocolates. Most Norwegian families serve these when guests come over as an after dinner treat.  My kids love them no matter the time of day, so learning to make them has been a quest for a while. 

This recipe has taken most of my adult life to get right, but I am happy to say that I have finally done it! I had done an internet search of "Norwegian waffler", and could not believe the amount of different recipes there are out there. So last time my Mom and I were together, I showed her the one I thought sounded right, and she gave me her thoughts, and this is what I came up with in the end. :) 

Norwegian Waffles - makes 12 sets

6 Eggs
1/2 cup of sugar (give or take depending on preferences)
1 tsp Cardamom
1 1/2 cups of flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 cup sour cream
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup butter (totally forgot this step today, but no one complained) 

Mix together all the eggs, sugar and cardamon until well blended. Next add in the flour, baking soda and salt. Last, add the sour cream and butter and mix very well until the batter is smooth. Easiest way is to get out the mixer, but I am usually in a hurry, so I just mix it all up. Then I let the batter rest while I heat up the waffle iron. Traditionally these are heart shaped, but you can use whatever waffle iron you have. :)  Once ready, use a ladle and put about a ladle's worth into the center of the iron and close the lid.  These waffles are best served slightly soft - not crispy like American waffles.

I wholeheartedly recommend the waffle iron from Bed Bath and Beyond. It has a "doneness" dial that allows you to change the time and whether you want a crispy exterior or uniform texture, etc.

I am going to try to "lighten" these up soon, and will post if it passes the "KID TEST". :)

And just 4 ingredients to YUMMY fish:

Parmesan Baked Fish

I was extremely skeptical of this recipe at first, but I now LOVE it!  Fish can get boring, and this is an excellent way to change things up. We use the olive oil mayo to keep it a little healthier and low carb. 

Simple instructions - mix together mayo, parm cheese, Worcestershire and green onions. Spread over fish and bake at 400 for 20 minutes, or until fish is flaky. Then enjoy. :)

Parmesan Baked Cod

2/3 cup mayo

1/4 cup parmesan cheese (grated cheese)

1 tsp Worcestershire 

handful of green onions

4 pieces of Cod (or any thick fish)

Mix 4 ingredients together and spread over fish. Bake at 400 for 20 minutes - give or take, depending on thickness of fish

And our favorite soup...with a low carb option

Sausage and Potato Soup

My husband LOVES Zuppa Toscana soup that Olive Garden serves, and I have been trying for a long time to replicate that recipe with little success. I have this one , which he says is not quite the same, but still tastes good, so we'll stick with it. Zuppa Toscana has Kale in it, and I rarely remember to buy that at the store. It tastes fine without it, so don't worry if you don't have it. I can say, from experience, that putting celery in it...not so yummy. And I am a big fan of celery in soup. :(

Sausage and Potato Soup

1 small onion

6 potatoes (have also used turnip/parsnips..tastes great)

1 Tube of Spicy sausage (if you are sensitive to spicy food use regular sausage)

3-4 cloves of garlic - minced (or grated)

1-2 containers of chicken broth

Half a stick of butter

Dash of heavy cream

Start the onion cooking in a large skillet with butter. Meanwhile, I cut up the potatoes/turnips/parsnips..usually a combination of them all.  (If you are skipping carbs like potatoes, turnips are best option. They take on the soup's flavor best.) Sometimes I also add more because I really like the bulk. Put those in a stock pot large enough to cook soup in.

Once the onions are softened, I put those into the pot with the potatoes and get the sausage started browning in the same skillet. I grate the garlic into the sausage and cook both together until sausage is cooked through. Add to pot with potatoes and onions.

Next add enough chicken stock to the pot to cover all the ingredients and cook until potatoes are soft.
Add the butter, kale (if using) and cream and cook until Kale is ready. Usually only a few minutes. 

Serve it while it's hot (but be careful IT'S HOT) :)

Thank you to my friend Lori for getting me started on this one. She makes a TON of it and would bring it to work for everyone to enjoy. :)

This is before cream and butter is added. 

And after butter and cream are added in.

And now for the not so healthy:

Easy Cheese Danish

I hope that you will all forgive me for what I am about to post. It is not in the slightest bit healthy, and is downright addicting. When we were in Norway last year, my grandmother had made a coffee cake that my kids fell in love with and raved about for days...still even. Well, I hate buying them in the store, and when I found this recipe, I knew I had found a quick fix that takes a lot less time than flying to Norway to have my grandmother make us one. :)

Okay, when I say this is easy you know that I am telling the truth. I don't make any recipe that is hard. Seriously. If it has more than 10 ingredients, I am usually out. lol. I found this recipe here,  and could not love it more.

Here is my oldest, helping me out. First we mix together cream cheese, sugar, vanilla and flour. Just smear it around really good until all ingredients are completely incorporated. Next is the hard part...and when I say hard part, the hardest part to me is getting the tube open without tearing all the crescent rolls to pieces. ;) Roll the crescent rolls out onto a nonstick baking sheet in one long piece. Smoosh the perforations together so that it appears to have no holes or gaps. 

Then put the cream cheese mixture down the center of the dough, leaving about an inch at either end and about two inches on the sides. You will then cut diagonal slits in the dough as pictured. It does NOT have to be perfect (as you can see lol), just approximate and try not to rip the dough like I did several times. Luckily this recipe is very forgiving. Now you'll start "braiding" the dough. 

I wish I had thought to take pictures along the way, but the original blog can help you out there. Basically, you will just start alternating sides, and overlapping the pieces as you go. Honestly, mine was less than pretty going into the oven, but the dough puffs up and makes it pretty. You'll see.

Bake at 375 for about 20 minutes, or until it looks golden brown like a crescent roll should look. :)

Mix together the final ingredients to make the frosting. Drizzle over and then try to take a picture before the entire family is in the kitchen taking pieces.

So yummy! Oh, and try almond extract to give it a really tasty, unique flavor.

Easy Cream Cheese Danish

Ingredients:

1 8-oz. package cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract 
3 tablespoons all purpose flour
1 tube crescent rolls

1 cup powdered sugar
4+ tablespoons heavy cream (last time I didn't have heavy cream and used milk. use less)
splash vanilla extract(almond is really good too)

Mix together cream cheese, sugar, vanilla and flour until smooth. Roll out crescent rolls. Smear cream cheese mixture down the middle, cut slits, and braid together. Bake at 375 for 20 minutes or until crescent appears cooked.

And the night I decided to try making Scampi:

Shrimp Scampi 

So last night we were in the mood for shrimp, but digging through my Pinterest boards for the recipe I used last time was proving more difficult than my hungry belly was going to allow. So I decided to just put in what sounded good, which for those who know me know that this could be a recipe for disaster. I may cook alot, but it is out of necessity, not because I have a talent for it. :) Here is what I decided to put in it (which turns out to be a pretty standard scampi recipe):

I started with about a pound of raw shrimp, peeled. I then put a stick of unsalted butter into my casserole dish and put it in the oven to melt while I peeled 4 cloves of garlic. 

After the butter is melted, I grated the 4 cloves of garlic into the dish. I use a handheld  grater ala Rachael Ray. I have TERRIBLE knife skills, so mincing this much garlic would take me forever. :)
To  this I added some white wine and white pepper. I didn't measure the white wine, but after looking up a Red Lobster copy afterwards, it says a cup of white wine. 

We plated this with spaghetti squash and Parmesan cheese. You could serve over rice or noodles too. Or just eat it in a bowl with nothing. However you like it best. 

Shrimp Scampi

1lb Raw shrimp - peeled and deveined

about 1 cup white wine

1 stick of butter - melted

4 cloves of garlic

pinch of white pepper

Combine all in a glass Pyrex dish and bake at 350 for 7-10 minutes, or until shrimp turns pink. Serve with noodles (or spaghetti squash to save carbs)

ENJOY!