Favorite Recipes for the Week of October 25th

It was so cold this week!  It was definitely a good time for soups and stews and the like.  Here are our favorite recipes for the week.

TOP FAVORITE BREAKFAST:

Sage Breakfast Patties.  These homemade sausage patties were delicious!  The lighter blend of 1/3 pork sausage and 2/3 ground turkey with some added spices gave the traditional flavor of pork breakfast sausage without all the fat.  You would never have guessed they contained so much ground turkey!  We were very pleased to enjoy one of these breakfast patties with a couple of slices of bacon, an egg, a slice of toast, and a small box of orange juice for a total of 311 calories!  We ate these for about 4 days and still had some leftover to put in the freezer for another time.  Personally, I stacked everything but the sausage together and folded it over into a half sandwich and enjoyed the sausage on the side.  Yum!  I would definitely make these breakfast patties again.

TOP FAVORITE LUNCH:

Zesty Sloppy Joes.  These were great for a quick and delicious lunch!  I served them with baby carrots, a pickle spear, and a piece of string cheese for a total of 388 calories.  I didn’t take a photo, so here’s a stock photo from the Taste of Home website.

TOP FAVORITE DINNER:

Chicken Mexican Manicotti.  This was an interesting twist on a traditional chicken enchilada!  All the flavors were there, but instead of being rolled up in a corn or flour tortilla, it was stuffed into manicotti shells!  We weren’t sure how to approach it the first night, so we didn’t add toppings that first night.  But after that, we realized it really tasted just the same as a regular enchilada, so we topped the leftovers with traditional toppings like tomatoes, lettuce, and sour cream. Delicious!  I never realized that tortillas and pasta were so interchangeable, but they truly are!  That’s a tip I’ll keep in mind for future reference.  My husband liked it because it was such a pleasant surprise and just a bit of a different take on an old favorite dish.  I served these with a tossed salad with light dressing and 1/2 garlic breadstick for a total of 465 calories.  Here’s a stock photo from the Taste of Home website.

Personally, I was a huge fan of this Three-Meat Spaghetti Sauce.  My whole family thought this was absolutely delicious.  In fact, I think it’s maybe the best spaghetti sauce recipe I’ve ever tried!  So many great flavors.  This one is definitely a keeper!

That’s it for this week!  I hope you try a new fall delight in your menu this week!

Favorite Recipes for the Week of October 18th

We had a crazy week of wild weather…started out 86 every day, but then an early morning storm blew through on Friday morning and brought with it a sharp cold front.  Today, it got so cold that we started a fire in our backyard firepit at sunset and sat outside for a while!  The air was very crisp, and I understand we will have some 30’s and 40’s early next week!  The weather in north TX always likes to catch you off guard.  I spent the afternoon switching out my son’s wardrobe and having him try on his fall and winter clothes to see what he has outgrown…turns out he outgrew at least half of his clothes and shoes!  I guess some shopping is in my future…

TOP FAVORITE BREAKFAST:

Lighter Blueberry French Toast.  My husband isn’t super fond of blueberries, but he will eat them if I put some in front of him.  He wished this recipe had less blueberries, but for me, it was delightful!  I love the blueberry syrup/sauce.  I made this up ahead of time and separated out the blueberry sauce into little cups that could be reheated in the microwave, and the French toast could be re-crisped in the air fryer so it wouldn’t be soggy.  After doing that each morning, I cut my French toast into bite sized pieces and then poured the hot blueberry sauce over the top.  Yummy!  I served this with a little box of orange juice on the side for a total of 345 calories.

TOP FAVORITE LUNCH:

Antipasto-Stuffed Baguettes.  These were absolutely delicious!  My sons ate them cold, but my husband and I ate them hot.  They were easy to reheat wrapped in foil and were still delicious left over.  I used take-and-bake French baguette bread loaves that came in a 2-pack from Walmart.  These sandwiches were a delightful combination of flavors that I served with baked chips and grapes for a total of 441 calories.  Each loaf of bread made 3 sandwiches, so the portion size was quite generous.  I didn’t slice them into tiny sections as the recipe suggested…instead I just sliced each loaf into 3 whole sandwiches.  We ate them so fast that I failed to take a photo, so here is a stock photo from the Taste of Home website. 

I have to give some honorable mention, though, to a delicious side dish we had with lunch one day this week.  It was a Honey-Dijon Potato Salad.  My husband and I were really surprised at how flavorful it was.  It’s one of the best homemade potato salads I’ve ever made.  We had it with turkey hot dogs.  My husband said it was so good that he saved it for last so the flavors would linger in on his palette. 

TOP FAVORITE DINNER:

Enchilada Casser-Ole.  This had to be the dinner winner for the week, just because you can’t go wrong with the classic flavor combination of enchiladas.  This casserole was so easy to make without the step of rolling up individual enchiladas.  It reminded us of the flavors of a taco pie that I used to make for my kids that was always a family favorite.  I served this with fresh toppings (lettuce, tomato, and light sour cream) and a 1/4 cup of Birds Eye Southwestern-Style Rice on the side for a total of 452 calories.  Again, we all dug right in and failed to get a photo, so here is the stock photo from the Taste of Home website.

Another fabulous dinner worth mentioning is these unique “Little Kick” Jalapeno Burgers.  This is more of a turkey slider, but it’s filled with fresh chopped jalapenos and topped with the unusual toppings of salsa and sour cream.  The flavors will surprise you!  It was absolutely delicious, and even my 12-year old son couldn’t wait to have them again.  It makes a really small burger, but it was full of flavor and very satisfying.  I served them on little Hawaiian slider buns with a salad and grapes for a total of 327 calories.

 

TOP FAVORITE DESSERT:

For dessert this week, I splurged and made our favorite chocolate chip cookies that I bake using my Perfect Bake system.  The recipe is called Neiman Marcus Chocolate Chip Cookies, and the espresso powder is what boosts and intensifies the chocolate flavor in these cookies.  They poof up and make perfect little domes that are chewy on the inside and crispy on the outside.  Fabulous!

I’m happy to report that I had my annual checkup this week and fasted for all of my blood tests.  My cholesterol was in the normal range for the first time in years (barely, but it’s in there!), and everything came out great!  So this goes to show that some regular exercise and eating reasonable portions of great homemade foods like the recipes I’ve been featuring can keep your health in check!  You don’t have to go crazy with extremes of eating and exercise…just keep it reasonable, use fresh foods, and make your meals from scratch.  I exercise 5 days a week for about 30 minutes plus a little extra for ab work.  That’s it!  And I do indulge in treats like those chocolate chip cookies and ice cream and such.  Just keep it reasonable!

That’s all for now!  Have a great week.

Favorite Recipes for the Week fo October 11th

We tried lots of new recipes this week, so I hope you’ll find something you’d really like to try from our favorites.

TOP FAVORITE BREAKFAST:

Silver Dollar Oat Pancakes.  My husband and tween son really liked these easy pancakes.  I found that it made less than the recipe says, so count on about 4 per serving instead of 5.  I served them with a slice of bacon, an egg, and 1/4 cup of fresh pineapple for a total of 346 calories.  Here is a stock photo from theTaste of Home website.

TOP FAVORITE LUNCH:

Anytime Turkey Chili.  This was a new take on chili for us…I’ve never before added pumpkin puree to any type of chili or soup, but I had heard it’s great for fall soups and stews, and I know it’s very good for you, so we decide to give it a try.  It wasn’t bad at all!  This is a super nutritious turkey chili, and we actually found that it tasted better the more days it was leftover.  I sprinkled a little shredded light cheddar on top and served it with 4 saltine crackers, a small salad with light dressing, and 1/3 cup red grapes for a total of 336 calories.  Even my tween son gobbled this up!  He kept saying he wanted to try it on chili dogs…maybe next time!

TOP FAVORITE DINNER:

Black Bean Chicken Tacos.  There’s nothing not to like about a good chicken taco recipe.  You just can’t go wrong!  This one was no exception.  I did not make the tortillas from scratch, as I was short on time that night, but the filling was absolutely delicious!  I served it with 1/2 cup fat-free refried beans and a salad with light dressing for a total of 357 calories.  Yum!  Here is a stock photo from the Taste of Home website.

For dessert this week, I made another batch of the Triple Berry Cobbler I shared in a previous post.  It was just too good not to have it again!

That’s it for now.  Enjoy!

Favorite Recipes for the Week of October 4th

This was week 2 of having my husband self-quarantine and work from home, so things were still a bit out of whack here.  On the upside, I was surprised during a webinar for work on Tuesday by being awarded a $50 Amazon gift card for being selected as the September Reviewer of the Month!  I’ve been on the Homeschool Review Crew for 9 seasons now, so I really appreciated the recognition!  I told my husband that will buy me about 5 more paint-by-number kits from Amazon!   

Now on to this week’s favorite recipes!

TOP FAVORITE BREAKFAST:

Monterey Quiche.  This was really good with a delightful, buttery pie crust.  I reheated leftover portions in the air fryer to keep the crust crispy and not soggy, and it turned out great.  Even my 12-year old son loved this!  I served it with 1 slice of bacon and 1/2 cup red seedless grapes for a grand total of 316 calories.

TOP FAVORITE LUNCH:

Red, White, and Blue Pita Pockets.  This is an old favorite of ours.  The marinated steak is superb in this meal!  All of the flavors meld together so well.  I’m not usually a big fan of blue cheese, but this can’t be beat.  Of course, we gobbled it up before I took a photo, so a stock photo from Taste of Home will just have to do.  I served this with 1/3 cup red seedless grapes for a total of 480 calories.

We did have a close second favorite lunch, though, that’s worth mentioning.  The Colorful Beef Wrap was also a fabulous steak wrap for a hearty lunch, which I served with sliced strawberries.  Yummy!  If the pita pockets above are too many calories for you or you don’t have time to marinate, this is a great alternative.  Here’s a stock image for you from Taste of Home.

TOP FAVORITE DINNER:

Garlic Lemon Shrimp.  This is a pretty basic dish, but who doesn’t love shrimp and pasta?  This lighter version of shrimp scampi can be a little bland compared to the real thing soaked in melted butter, so I sprinkled a little extra parmesan cheese on top, and that perked it up a bit. I would definitely make this again, because you really can’t go wrong, but I think some extra minced garlic may be in order next time around.  I couldn’t help but think how much better it would be with melted butter in the sauce, but I digress!  Healthier cooking is the key with all of these recipes.  I served this with some steamed broccoli and a small Hawaiian roll with a little light butter on the side for a total of 343 calories.

Now that fall is here, I made the family a big batch of my traditional Old-Fashioned Soft Pumpkin Cookies.  When we think of fall, we all think of these cookies first, which are really like soft little cakes with a drizzle of icing on top.  I make half a batch of icing and just drizzle it on, because a little goes a long way with these.  The pumpkin flavor really shines through.  You can’t go wrong!  It makes a lot…I think I got about 42 cookies out it…and yet they were gone in a flash!  My adult son’s girlfriend loves them, too, and usually takes some home with her.  These are great with my morning tea, too.  They are just great, period!  Definitely give them a try.  Thanks, Nestle’s Very Best Baking, for an awesome and timeless recipe!  Here is the stock photo from Libby’s/Nestle, because these surely aren’t around long enough for a photo from home!

I hope you find some wonderful here to make for your family this week.  Happy cooking!

Favorite Recipes for the Week of September 27th

We had an absolutely crazy week with lots of chaos, so I was really bad about taking meal photos this week.  It was all I could do just to get the meals prepped and prepared.  My husband’s close co-worker tested positive for coronavirus, so my husband was sent home to quarantine for 2 weeks.  In addition, he had to go today to get tested himself.  Thankfully, his rapid antigen test was negative, but we were on pins and needles all week!  Unfortunately, his co-worker’s wife tested positive by the end of the week, and so did the people he had been out to dinner with, which is how he had contracted it himself.  That being said, activities at home were in an upheaval, and I just failed to get photos of our favorite recipes this week.  So sorry!  I’m afraid you’ll have to be content with stock photos from the Taste of Home website.  Rest assured, though, that the meals were great!

TOP FAVORITE BREAKFAST:

Potato Egg Bake.  I really loved this recipe!  I used my veggie chopper to dice the potatoes really small.  The blend of flavors was fabulous, and the portion size was generous.  It was a very satisfying meal!  I served it with half a mini bagel with whipped cream cheese and a sliced golden kiwi fruit.  Refreshing!  All this was a total of 364 calories.  Here’s the photo from Taste of Home.

TOP FAVORITE LUNCH:

Chili Beef Quesadillas.  We all enjoyed these hearty quesadillas!  My adult son was particularly surprised at just how many good-for-you veggies were hidden in this delicious beefy quesadilla.  And the chili powder added a unique southwest flavor you don’t usually expect in a quesadilla.  We enjoyed it with a little salsa and light sour cream for dipping and 1/2 cup red seedless grapes for a total of 415 calories.  I have an actual quesadilla iron, so I used that to make these into perfect wedges rather than cooking them folded over in a skillet.  Here’s a photo from Taste of Home.

TOP FAVORITE DINNER:

Basil Tuna Steaks.  Wow!  This was such a surprise!  My husband is not a big fan of fish in general.  He’ll eat it if I give it to him, but that doesn’t mean he likes it.  This, however, was something he said he never wanted to end!  We’ve never had Ahi Tuna Steaks before, but I found some really thick 4 oz. portions individually wrapped and frozen in the Specially Selected brand at Aldi this week.  There were 3 per package, so I grabbed two packs.  This was such a simple recipe with basil as the predominant flavor, but it was the *perfect* complement to the tuna steaks! We all really loved this recipe, and cooking it on the gas grill gave it that nice smoky flavor from the grill.  I served it with some steamed brown rice, and some green beans for a total of 322 calories.  I highly recommend this recipe!  Here’s a photo from Taste of Home.

With this meal, we also had a really wonderful Triple Berry Cobbler for dessert.  It was so simple and easy to make, and it paired fabulously served warm with a scoop of churned vanilla bean ice cream on top.  I just used a whole 3-cup bag of frozen berry blend from Aldi for the filling, which was a nice blend of strawberries, blueberries, and blackberries.  I couldn’t resist running out as it was cooling just to get the ice cream to serve over the top, and it was worth the wait!  I will definitely be making this again.  Here’s a photo from Taste of Home.

I’m sure you’ll find something here you’ll absolutely love.  Happy cooking!