Who's Ready for a Giveaway? **TIME'S UP!**

The time has come once again for another giveaay - and this one's the best yet! I'm completely in love with this beautiful Catappa two-piece serving set from Hometrends:

So much so, I wanted to share it with you! Check out the giveaway below to enter. You can enter anytime between now and midnight EST on 3/21/13, and the best part? You can come back and enter each and every day!


    a Rafflecopter giveaway


Once chosen, the winner will be announced on my blog, so don't forget to check back and see if you won!



****EDIT**** Be sure that upon completion of each of the above, you choose it from the drop down menu and click the "enter" button to submit your entries! Thanks for participating! :)


TIME'S UP! Congratulations Jennifer P.S.! You're our winner! I'll be contacting you soon so you can claim your beautiful 2-piece serving platter set!

Slimmed Down Cheesy Mexican Rice

Remember awhile back when I posted that absolutely amaaaazing recipe for The Pioneer Woman's Mexican Rice Casserole? It was soooo freakin' good, man. Now that my family and I are making a transition into health, I thought it fitting to create a slimmed down version of this Mexican must-have that is so incredibly delish. Now, you might notice that there's an ingredient in my version of this recipe that seems....well, a little out of place. See, what had happened was, I was cookin' up the rice, jammin' to some tunes, singin' at the top of my lungs when I grabbed for the cumin. I just needed to add a little sprinkle more. I opened it, shook it onto the rice and noticed there was quite a bit more in the pan then I intended. I looked down at the cumin in my hand and realized............it wasn't cumin after all. No, it was an imposter! It was...cinnamon!? My stress level went through the roof as I realized I'd used my very last bag of brown rice....so I had to make a decision. Either dump the whole thing (since the entire batch was covered), or mix it in and hope for the best. I chose the latter, and to my surprise...it was excellent. In fact, it let the other spices shine and really added that extra something to the dish. I can't wait to hear how you like it.

What You'll Need:
2 1/2 cups cooked brown rice (I used minute rice microwaveable bags)
7 1/2 oz petite diced tomatoes, undrained
1 small can diced green chiles, undrained
1/4-1/2 cup vegetable broth
1/2 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp black pepper
small pinch tumeric (less than 1/8 tsp)
3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese, divided

Preparation:
In a medium skillet over medium heat, mix cooked rice, diced tomatoes, green chiles, and vegetable broth, stirring constantly until all liquid is absorbed. Add black pepper,cumin, garlic powder and cinnamon. Stir to combine. Mix in 1/4 cup of cheese, stirring until melted. Turn heat to low and top with remaining cheese. Cover and let sit until cheese is melted, about 5 minutes. Serve immediately.

*Click below to PRINT this recipe!*
Printable Version

Nutrition information:
Slimmed Down Cheesy Mexican Rice 
(calculations based on 4 servings)
Calories: 189    Fat: 6g    Protein: 9g    Carbs: 24g    Fiber: 2g     Sugar: 13g

Regular Mexican Rice Casserole
(calculations based on 6 servings, as this recipe makes more)
Calories: 265      Fat: 9g      Protein: 11g    Carbs: 37g    Fiber: 2g    Sugar: 6g

*Calories calculated using My Fitness Pal. Nutritional values may vary based on varied brands or amounts.

Tip: This recipe goes great with Slimmed Down Sour Cream Enchiladas!

Super Simple Skillet Lasagna

Can we have a moment of total honesty? Ok, good. I've never...ever... made lasagna before. *gasp* I've never even tried. And let me tell ya - I love me some lasagna. I've always looked up to a woman who can prepare the perfect lasagna, but the process looks long and I just picture myself spending hours preparing a gorgeous lasagna just to have it fall apart into a goopy mess when I cut into it. Lasagna...well, it intimidates me.

Lately, I've been seeing a lot of recipes around for Skillet Lasagna, and they all look so dang good. I figured this would probably be my safest option, so I started scouring the internet for the perfect one. They all looked amazing - but I had this picture in my head of how easy this process needed to be. I didn't want to add eggs to the ricotta, cook the noodles, drain the noodles, add the noodles and still have another 20 minutes 'til meal time.  I'm more of a "one-pot meal" kinda girl. Or maybe you could call me a "dump-everything-in-a-pan-and-pray-it-turns-out-well kinda girl. Either way, I decided to wing it. And folks, it turned out soooo well. It may not *look* as pretty as classic lasagna, but it is every bit as decadent. It's simple, saucy, cheesy, ooey, gooey, and just...well, heavenly. *sigh*

What You'll Need:
1 lb. lean ground beef
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 jar of your favorite spaghetti sauce (I like Ragu Chunky Garden Veggie)
1/2 cup water, divided
5-6 no-boil lasagna noodles, broken in half
1 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
salt and pepper to taste

Preparation: 
Season and brown ground beef and onions over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and add 1/4 cup of water and 1/3 of the spaghetti sauce to skillet. Stir to combine. Layer half of the lasagna noodles and top with another 1/3 of spaghetti sauce. Layer the rest of the lasagna noodles. Pour remaining water into spaghetti sauce jar and swirl around, then pour over the top of noodles, being careful to cover all surfaces. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes or until noodles are cooked. Evenly dollop ricotta cheese and sprinkle mozzarella cheese on top. Cover and continue simmering until cheese is melted. Serve immediately.

I'm already looking forward to leftovers for tomorrow's lunch! Download and print this recipe below!
Super Simple Skillet Lasagna

Pasta Alfredo w/Peas & Crab

Fettuccine noodles, creamy Alfredo sauce, crisp green peas and sweet lump crab meat will quickly make this dish a family favorite.

What you'll need:
1 (12 oz.) package Fettuccine Noodles
1 jar of your favorite Alfredo Sauce
1/2 bag frozen sweet peas
1 1/4 cups fresh cooked or imitation pre-cooked lump crab meat (Such as Louis Kemp)
Sprinkle of fresh Parmesan Cheese

Preparation:
Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside. In a medium saucepan, add Alfredo sauce, peas, and crab meat. Warm through over medium heat. Toss with cooked pasta, plenty of black pepper, and sprinkle with fresh Parmesan cheese. Serve hot. 

Slow Cooker Cheesy Chicken 'n Rice

We tried out a new Crock Pot recipe last night, and boy was it good! It's creamy, cheesy, stick-to-your-ribs, melt-in-your-mouth comfort food - the perfect end to a cool fall day. I put it in the Crock Pot around noon then ran out to do some errands for a bit. When I walked in the door an hour later it smelled absolutely heavenly. All of the juices from the chicken and the flavor of the onions had merged with the cream of chicken soup and I spent the rest of the day impatiently waiting for supper to roll around so I could dig in. When it was time to put the finishing touches on the dish, the chicken literally felt apart as I broke it up with a fork. It was tender, juicy and just all around amazing. It took me less hands-on time than most of my simplest, quickest recipes, has only six ingredients (can you say cheap!?), it made a TON of food (at least 6 servings) and cleanup was a breeze. Needless to say, this dish will be a new regular in our household. 
Original recipe here.

What you'll need:
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 small box Zatarain's Yellow Rice, prepared according to box directions
1 (12 oz.) bag frozen sweet corn
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese 

Preparation:
Place chicken in bottom of slow cooker.  Season with pepper (the soup and rice should add enough salt on its own). Scatter chopped onion over top. Spoon cream of chicken soup over top of that. Cover and cook on low 7-8 hours or on high 3-4 hours. A few minutes before serving, break up your chicken with a fork - it should just fall right apart. Add in cooked rice, frozen corn, and cheese. Stir to combine, heating throughout, about 5 minutes. Serve hot.

Have you tried this recipe? I'd love to hear how you liked it in the comment section!

Creamy Beef Stroganoff

This recipe originates from my great aunt, Maxine, and is still a family favorite around our house. Aunt Maxine referred to it as "Poor Man's Stroganoff", since it uses ground beef in place of thin-sliced sirloin or tenderloin. I love it because it has simple ingredients that I almost always have on hand and is a great throw together meal on nights that I just want something quick, easy and delicious. 

What you'll need:
1 pound lean ground beef (I use 97% lean)
1/2 cup onion, chopped
1 (8 oz.) block of cream cheese (I use the 1/3 less fat)
1 (10 3/4 oz.) can cream of mushroom soup, undiluted
3/4 cup milk
A few good shakes of Worchestershire sauce to taste
salt and pepper to taste
1 (8 oz.) bag egg noodles, cooked and drained


Preparation:
Brown the ground beef with salt and pepper; add onion and saute until tender. Stir in cream cheese until well blended. Add the soup and milk; stir until well mixed. Add salt, pepper, and Worchestershire sauce to taste. Spoon sauce over egg noodles and serve, OR put the noodles in a 9x13 pan and pour sauce over the noodles, then bake at 350° for 35 minutes

Guiltless Chicken Nachos

I've always had a "thing" for Mexican food. If it was humanly possible, I would marry it. Fajitas, tacos, rice and beans, I love it all. One of my all time favorites is nachos. I've spent many years depriving myself of this heavenly dish because lets face it, my taste buds love it, but my thighs? Not so much. Chili's Chicken Nachos pack 1640 calories, 101g of fat(!), 80g of carbs and 3,430mg of sodium - for 12 chips. So when I got an intense craving for them one night, I decided to experiment a little. There had to be a way for me to enjoy my guilty pleasure without all the guilt. What I came up with not only busted my nacho craving, it knocked it out of the park. The portion sizes are huge, the cheese is gooey and melty, and the chicken gives it the perfect kick of spice. Mackenzie told me it was the best thing I'd made in a long time, and she's a tough nut to crack. I could not tell in the slightest that these weren't the guilty pleasure I've come to know and love. I think I've found a new love of my life ;)

What you'll need:
64 Baked Tostitos Scoops (16/person)
1 pound of cooked, shredded chicken (I use boneless, skinless breasts)
2 1/2 tablespoons of homemade taco seasoning
2/3 cup of water
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (full fat)
1 cup shredded  low-fat Mexican cheese blend
1/2 can black beans, 
1 (2.25) oz can of black olives

Preparation:
Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Heat cooked, shredded chicken over medium-high heat until warm throughout. Add water & taco seasoning and stir until combined. Simmer until all liquid is absorbed, about 5 minutes. 


On two 9 x 13 cookie sheets, evenly distribute baked chips, leaving very little space in between. Spoon taco meat into chips, top with black beans and sprinkle with cheese. Add black olives. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-15 minutes, or until cheese is melted.

Servings: 4
Nutritional Information* (per serving):

Calories: 446  Fat: 19g  Protein: 37g  Carbs: 33.5g  Sugar: 1g  Sodium: 812

*Nutritional information is based on exact measurements above. Results will vary if the recipe is altered.

Pizza Bagel Thins

What kid doesn't love pizza? Especially pizza...on a bagel. Maybe not the most sophisticated of meals, but it's a quick, easy lunch and it's very kid friendly. This is always a hit with my kiddo...and I'd be lying if I didn't say I sometimes make extra with some veggies just in case I get hungry ;)

First, gather your ingredients (it's pretty complicated, y'all):

What you'll need:

2 Bagels, Sliced (we use Bagel Thins to keep it a little healthier)

4 Tablespoons jarred Pizza sauce (or if you like it fancy, you could make your own ahead of time.)

1/2 Cup Part-Skim Mozzarella Cheese 

Mini Pepperoni (I used 16 slices per bagel half, 32 slices total)

Sprinkle of Dried Parsley and/or Basil 

Preparation: 

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Separate your bagel halves. On each half, spread 1 tablespoon of pizza sauce.    Distribute 1/2 cup of cheese in equal amounts over each pizza bagel half. Sprinkle dried parsley and/or basil on each pizza half. Top with mini pepperoni - a smiley face is design is always a hit. :) 

Place bagel halves on a cookie sheet greased with Pam and bake for 10-15 minutes, or until bagels are crisp and cheese is bubbly. 

Servings: 2
Serving Size: 2 bagel halves

Nutritional Information* (per serving):

Calories: 235   Fat: 9g  Protein: 13g  Carbs: 27g  Sugar: 4g  

*Nutritional information is based on exact measurements above. Results will vary if the recipe is altered.