Cinnamon Muffins, The Easy Way

A little girl in my class brought in some cinnamon muffins for her snack day. Let me tell you, I don't usually eat the kid's snack but the muffins looked so good that I had to try one. They were SO good. In fact, I liked them so much I wrote her mom a note asking for the recipe, I thought I would make them for Thanksgiving morning because my in-laws don't keep breakfast food at their house.
On Monday, the little girl came in to school with a box that I thought was for the food drive. Then she told me that it was for me. Upon closer inspection I saw what the box was, it was a box of Cinnamon Strusel muffin mix.

This was the recipe for the muffins she brought in! HA! I thought it was great!
I still decided to make them for Thanksgiving morning. I am not against mixes, in fact, I am all for them. I have been so busy this week getting ready for two Thanksgivings and making sure my students are doing enough Thanksgiving turkey crafts to sustain them. I was more than happy to add egg whites (for a healthier version) some oil and milk to the mix and pop it in the oven. They look and smell DELICIOUS! You should consider this mix because it tastes great!
We are leaving right after work tomorrow for our Thanksgiving whirlwind so I won't be blogging before the big holiday. So, HAPPY THANKSGIVING! Enjoy your turkey day!

Taco Pie!

Tonight we went grocery shopping and Chad suggested that we get the ingredients for one of his favorite dinners, Taco Pie. When Chad and I first met and after I proved to him that I could actually cook he asked me to make taco pie. His friend, Geni, used to make it when he was in college and he just loved it. So he emailed her for the recipe and he printed it off for me to make. It seemed weird to me but I decided to try it. I have entertained with it and everyone always asks for the recipe. It is way too much for just Chad and I but we make it anyway! Without further ado . . .

Taco Pie
Ingredients
1 tube cresent rolls
1 lb ground beef (we use sirloin or X-tra lean)
1 packet of taco seasoning mix (and the water called for on packet)
Taco flavored Doritos
1 2cup package of taco shredded cheese

Directions
Preheat oven to 350* F
Unroll cresent rolls and piece together to form a crust in the bottom of a 8 or 9 inch pie pan
prick with a fork and put in the oven for 6 minutes just to start it to be sure it is cooked through at the end.
Meanwhile brown the meat on the stove and follow the taco seasoning directions.
Crush some of the taco Doritos on top of the cresent crust
Next top the Doritos with the meat
Then put 1/2 of the cheese on the meat
Next add another layer of crushed Doritos
Top with the remaining cheese.

Put the pie in the oven for 15-20 minutes
Enjoy the deliciousness!

Thankful

My friend Becky on Parenting with Whine has started listing reasons to be thankful as she counts down to Thanksgiving. It reminded me of Oprah's thankfulness journal. So it got me thinking about what I should be thankful for. I usually find myself complaining about certain aspects of my life so I am going to turn those complaints into reasons to be thankful.

I hate getting up early - but I am thankful everyday to have my dream job. There are literally thousands of teachers in Michigan who cannot find work. I found a job my first summer searching and I have a wonderful group of co-workers and students. I feel at home in my school district and I have a certain amount of freedom with my teaching that I am very thankful for.

I am so sick of writing papers and doing homework - but I am thankful that I have the opportunity to get a master's degree. There are many people who would love the opporunity to get a high school diploma and thousands who aspire to get a bachelor's degree and here I am complaining about getting a master's.

My husband bugs me sometimes - but I am thankful to be in a marriage blessed by God. I truly believe that Chad and I were made for each other and that the Lord has a great plan for us in our lives. I love my husband more than I knew I could love anyone.

I am sick of my car needing repairs - but I am thankful that my very generous parents gave me that car for about $1000 when I started teaching. I have such great parents. They have been so supportive for my entire life and I count my mom as one of my closest friends.

I am tired of being pulled in so many different directions during the holidays - but I am thankful that so many people want to celebrate with Chad and I. It is hard to complain about too many people loving you.

I hate that I have to constantly struggle with my weight - but I am thankful that I always have enough food to eat and that I don't have to worry about making ends meet. We live a very blessed life, now if I could only stop eating!

I hate cleaning my house and doing laundry - but I am thankful that my husband and I can live in such a big house at such a young age. We don't even know what to do with all of this space, we are so blessed to live in our dream home in our 20s. And that laundry, I am thankful that I have so many clothes to wear. (Every Thanksgiving my sister would say the things she was thankful for and she would say our house, food, our family, and clothes, don't forget clothes!) Good ole' sis!

So, the next time I find myself b*tching and complaining, I will just remember all of the wonderful things I have to be thankful for! As it turns out, I have it pretty good!

Alfredo - hold the fat

I really love alfredo sauce but once I looked at a full fat recipe and I have never again ordered it at a restuarant. I also looked at the fat grams etc. of traditional alfredo sauce and I nearly passed out! So I was so happy to find a cooking light version of alfredo sauce to try.
I got the recipe from Melanie's Favorite Recipes. She got it from Cooking Light.
I am going to post this on Presto Pasta Night on Ruth's wonderful blog.

I changed the recipe a little bit to suit our tastes and because I took out the cream cheese to soften and then I forgot that I did that and thought I was out of cream cheese. No problem, I used some ricotta instead. I also halved the recipe because only two people live at my house.

Chicken Radiatore Alfredo - Hold the Fat
Serves 4

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon butter
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 1/3 cups 1/2% low-fat milk
1 1/4 cups (5 ounces) grated fresh Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, divided
2 tablespoons 1/3-less-fat cream cheese (I used ricotta)
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 cups hot cooked pasta(I used Radiatore)
1 can pre-cooked canned chicken or leftover chicken breast
1/2 cup broccoli florets, cooked

Directions
Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic; cook 1 minute, stirring frequently. Stir in flour. Gradually add milk, stirring with a whisk. Cook 6 minutes or until mixture thickens, stirring constantly. Add 1 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano, cream cheese, and salt, stirring with a whisk until cheeses melt.
Meanwhile heat chicken on stove and heat broccoli in microwave if desired.
Toss sauce with hot pasta. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and chopped parsley. Garnish with black pepper, if desired. Serve immediately.

This was quick, easy, and delicious. I loved getting the alfredo flavor without all of the fat. Honestly, between the two of us we had 1/2 tablespoon of butter, less than a cup of 1/2% milk, a bit more than 1/2 a cup of parm cheese, and a tablespoon of lowfat ricotta. Seriously, no large amounts of fat anywhere. What a great way to get the yummy taste without the extra time on the treadmill.

Michigan vs. Michigan State

So this was Michigan/Michigan State weekend and we had a couple of people over to watch the game. Now, I live pretty close Michigan State's campus but wouldn't you know that we were all Michigan fans at my house. The game was exciting, our team won, and we had PLENTY to eat! I think the coolest thing was the military jets that did the fly over at MSU's stadium were killing time all by our house. So we got to see (and hear) them making lazy circles in the sky until they ZOOMED off toward the stadium. It was very cool!
So, when I have people over the first thing I think about is, what will we eat? I always have new recipes to try so I gave a few new recipes a whirl. I will post them each seperately to make it easier to find the recipes later. I made BBQ pulled pork sandwiches, cheesy potato soup, and spinach artichoke dip.

BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwiches

I made BBQ pulled pork sandwhiches for the football party because I knew I could make it ahead and have it in the crockpot for whenever people were hungry for it. This has been an extremely popular recipe on my What's Cooking board on The Nest, so that is where I will credit this recipe. I don't really eat BBQ sauce or much pork so I had a taste or two but I didn't eat a sandwich. Honestly, I was so full from spinach artichoke dip and soup that I couldn't have fit one in my tummy! When I had the porkloin in the crockpot with the rootbeer I couldn't believe how STINKY it was. I had two candles around it at all times because I couldn't stand the smell. It gave it a good flavor, however, when all was said and done! Also, I didn't have any idea that pork tenderloin was so expensive! Luckily, it was buy one get one free at Meijer so I threw one in the freezer. So, without further ado . .

BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwiches
Ingredients
2 lbs. Pork Tenderloin
12 oz. Rootbeer
1 18 oz. bottle BBQ sauce (Chad likes Sweet Baby Ray's)
Hamburger buns

Directions
Put pork tenderloin in crockpot.
Pour rootbeer over pork.
Set crockpot on low for 6 hours.
After 6 hours take the meat out and shred it with two forks, it was so tender that the shredding was extremely easy.
Clean out the crockpot, empty the rootbeer.
Mix shredded pork with the bottle of bbq sauce.
Cook 1 1/2 hours more in crockpot on low.
I kept mine on low for longer than that and then put it on low during the game.
Serve on hamburger buns (toast if desired).

Cheesy Potato Soup

Honestly, what is better than a crockpot full of delicious soup on a cool fall day? Oh I know, add a bunch of cheese to it!
I got this recipe from Good Eats and Sweet Treats. The original recipe called for broccoli too but I wanted Chad to eat it. As it turns out he didn't eat any anyway, so I guess I could have had some yummy broccoli in there too! I also added some bacon, because really bacon makes almost anything better! This soup was so incredibly easy that I could totally make it on a weeknight after work. I always have these ingredients at my house! Its good to know I can have this delicious soup whenever I want. MMMMMM!

Cheesy Potato Soup

Ingredients:¼ cup all-purpose flour
2 (14.5 oz) cans low sodium, fat-free chicken broth, divided
3 cups peeled, cubed potatoes (about 1.25 lbs)
2 cups broccoli florets, chopped (I omitted this)
1 small onion, chopped
1 ¼ cups 2% reduced fat milk (I used 1/2%)
1 (8 oz) block 2% reduced fat sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (I bought a 2 cup bag of shredded cheese and used about another handful from another bag. We like it cheesy)
2% reduced fat sharp cheddar cheese, shredded, for topping (optional)
chopped green onions for topping (optional)
Freshly ground pepper (to taste)
Salt (to taste)

Directions:
Whisk together flour and 1/3 cup chicken broth until smooth. **Set aside**

Combine remaining chicken broth, potatoes, broccoli and onion in a Dutch oven (or large saucepan). Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat, and simmer 8 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Gradually stir in flour mixture. Cook, stirring often, 5 minutes.

Stir in milk & 8 oz. of freshly shredded cheese. Cook mixture over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until cheese melts. Add salt & pepper to taste. Top each serving of soup with shredded cheese and green onions as desired.

I then put it in a Crockpot on warm and it was good in there for several hours!

Cheesy Spinach Artichoke Dip

Cheesy Spinach Artichoke Dip
From Kraft Food and Family Magazine
Ingredients
1 can (14 oz.) artichoke hearts, drained, finely chopped
1 pkg. (10 oz.) frozen chopped spinach, thawed, drained
3/4 cup KRAFT 100% Grated Parmesan Cheese
3/4 cup KRAFT Mayo Light Mayonnaise
1/2 cup KRAFT 2% Milk Shredded Reduced Fat Mozzarella Cheese
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
Directions
PREHEAT oven to 350°F. Mix all ingredients until well blended.
SPOON into 9-inch pie plate or quiche dish.
BAKE 20 min. or until heated through. Serve with TRISCUIT Reduced Fat Crackers and assorted cut-up fresh vegetables.

I served mine with Tostitos Gold chips, pretzel sticks and Tostitos Scoops! YUMMY!

Delicious Cresent Chicken Bundles

In my constant cruzing of food blogs I found a yummy looking recipe from Good Eats 'n Sweet Treats
It was originally from Pilsbury and won their recipe contest. It was SO good and easy. It would have been even easier if I used canned chicken but I was a good little cook and baked my own chicken.

Cresent Chicken Bundles
taken from Savory Cresent Chicken Squares

Ingredients
2 cups cooked chicken, cubed (one could easily use the canned chicken)
3 oz. softened cream cheese (I used 1/3 less fat)
1 tbsp butter or margarine softened
Salt and Pepper
Original recipe asked for pimento and chives but we don't eat those
1 8 oz. tube of cresent rolls
1 tbsp melted butter
3/4 cup crushed croutons (I used garlic and onion flavor which probably made up for my lack of other spices)

Instructions
Preheat oven to 350*F
Mix cream cheese and butter in a bowl. Beat until smooth.
Add cooked chicken (I salted and peppered it well before baking) Mix well.
Put cresents onto cookie sheet in four rectangles. Pinch perforations to seal them closed.
Spoon 1/4 of mixture onto each rectangle.
Bring up the sides to make a bundle.



Pinch it all together at the top.
Brush with melted butter and sprinkle crushed croutons on top.
Bake at 350*F for 30 minutes.

Enjoy the deliciousness!