Friday, April 24, 2009

Cheesy Mac and Beef
Christine0120

Ingredients:
1 lb ground beef chuck
1 (14.5-oz) can beef broth
1 cup water
8 oz elbow macaroni (2 cups)
1 (12-oz) can evaporated milk
1/4 cup processed cheese sauce
8 oz shredded sharp Cheddar cheese

Steps Preheat large sauté pan (or electric skillet) on medium-high 2–3 minutes. Place ground beef in pan (wash hands); cook 5–7 minutes, stirring to crumble meat, or until beef is brown and no pink remains. Stir in broth, water, and macaroni; bring to a boil. Cook 10–12 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until liquid is mostly absorbed and macaroni is soft and tender. Stir milk into pasta; remove from heat (or turn heat off). Stir in both cheeses until smooth and melted. Serve. (Makes 6 servings.)

Wednesday, April 22, 2009

smashed potato chicken potpie

Smashed Potato Chicken Potpie
*~Sandy~*

3 T butter or margarine (subbed olive oil)
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp seasoned pepper
1/4 tsp salt
1 14-oz can reduced sodium chicken broth
3/4 cup milk
2 cups frozen peas and carrots, thawed
2 cups frozen cut green beans, thawed
2 1/2 cups chopped cooked chicken or turkey
1 20-oz pkg refrigerated mashed potatoes (2 2/3 cups)
2 T grated Parmesan cheese
1 clove garlic, minced, or 1/2 tsp bottled minced garlic

1. In a large saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Stir in flour, 1/4 tsp of the seasoned pepper, and the salt. Add chicken broth and milk all at once [unless you care about lumps, in which case add liquid gradually]. Cook and stir over medium heat until thickened and bubbly. Stir in thawed vegetables and cooked chicken. Pour into an ungreased 3-quart rectangular baking dish (9x13).

2. In a medium bowl combine mashed potatoes, cheese, garlic, and the remaining 1/4 tsp seasoned pepper. Using a spoon, drop potato mixture in large mounds over chicken mixture in baking dish.

3. Bake, uncovered, in a 375º oven for 30 to 40 minutes or until heated through. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.

Sunday, April 19, 2009

ham and cheese roll ups

Ham & Cheese Roll-Ups

8-inch whole wheat flour tortilla 1 to 2 tbsp. light cream cheese, softened 1/2 small carrot, shredded 2 tbsp. preshredded, reduced-fat cheddar cheese 1 oz. thinly sliced lean deli ham Spread the cream cheese evenly over tortilla. Layer with carrots, cheese, and ham. Roll up tightly and slice in half. Serve with a dipping sauce (such as honey mustard or barbecue), sliced strawberries or melon, and a glass of milk.

Tuesday, April 14, 2009

bbq grilled steak wraps!

BBQ Grilled Steak Wraps
Amy – amylzKraft -
Makes: 4 servings
1 beef sirloin steak (1 lb.) 1 onion, sliced 1/2-inch thick 1 each: red and green pepper, quartered 1/2 cup Barbecue Sauce8 Flour Tortillas 1/2 cup KRAFT 2% Milk Shredded Reduced Fat Cheddar Cheese

PREHEAT greased grill to medium heat. GRILL steak 1 min. Add vegetables to grill. Cook 8 to 10 min. or until steak is medium doneness (160ºF) and vegetables are crisp-tender, turning occasionally and brushing frequently with the barbecue sauce for the last 5 min. of the grilling time. CUT steak and vegetables into thin strips. Spoon evenly onto tortillas; sprinkle with cheese. Roll up.

Calories 450 Total fat 13 g Saturated fat 4.5 g Cholesterol 70 mg Sodium 970 mg Carbohydrate 53 g Dietary fiber 3 g Sugars 15 g Protein 29 g Vitamin A 8 %DV Vitamin C 40 %DV Calcium 25 %DV Iron 25 %DV Healthy Living Information

lentils and sausage

Crockpot Lentils and Sausage(Missie)
8 oz dry lentils
1 16-oz can diced tomatoes
1 16-oz can tomato sauce
1 14-oz can beef broth
1 carrot, chopped
1/2 small onion, chopped
1/2 lb smoked sausage, cut into bite-sized pieces

(the original recipe calls for the whole pound, but I just cut the 1/2 lb. into really small pieces so that you get a taste of the sausage in every bite, but without having to consume so much meat! Also, I usually get the light sausage.)1 tsp rosemary1 tsp dried basilRinse lentils; do not soak. In slow cooker, combine all ingredients; mix well. Cover and cook on high for 3 hours or low for 6 to 7 hours. Stir well before serving. Top each bowlful with grated parmesan and serve with warm, crusty bread. Makes 6 really big servings.

goulash

Christine's Goulash (aka 20 minute dinner)
Christine0120
1.25 lb ground beef (1 small package)
1 medium onion chopped
1 red or green bell pepper chopped
2 cloves garlic minced
salt and pepper to taste (I use 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp pepper)
1/2 tsp garlic powder1
TB Worcestershire Sauce
1 TB sugar
1 small can tomato paste with oregano, basil and garlic
2 small cans tomato sauce
2 small cans of water (using empty tomato sauce cans)
3 cups uncooked elbow macaroni

In a sauce pan, brown ground beef with onion, bell pepper and garlic. Add salt and pepper, garlic powder, Worcestershire Sauce, tomato paste, tomato sauce, and water. Simmer for 15 minutes. Meanwhile cook elbows until desired tenderness. Stir pasta in sauce and serve!This can also be transferred into a 3 qt casserole, and topped with sharp cheddar cheese. Bake for 20 min at 350. (Undercook elbows slightly, around 6 minutes if using this application.

Sunday, April 12, 2009

diet info!

If you are both trying to keep your diet healthy and eating the right amounts of fruits, vegetables and lean meats. I think one of the biggest things you may be missing that would take up a considerable portion of your calories and is essential to a healthy diet is your "good" fats... 20-30% of your daily calorie intake should come from fats (the ones that promote heart health, brain function, etc) with no more than 10% of those being from saturated fat.
If you are on a diet of 1400 calories a day, you should be getting 280-420 calories from fats a day (no more than 140 cal from saturated fat). While protein and carbs are 4 calories per gram, fat is 9 calories per gram. This means, for your 1400 calorie goal, you should be eating between 31-46 grams of fats a day (with no more than 15g of those being saturated fat).
Avoid Trans Fats (none of them are good for you...) but below are some suggestions on small snacks you could add that would put the essential fats into your diet, and won't make you feel "full" like the meals you've been trying to pack in.
Low fat cheese (1/4 cup added to a salad will add 80 calories and 4.5g of fat, 2 of which are sat)
Avocado's (1/2 an avocado is 144 cal and 13g of fat, 1 of which is sat)
Raw Whole Almonds (1/4 cup is 180 cal, 15g of fat, 1 of which is sat)
Hazelnuts (1oz, 183 cal, 17.7g fat, 1.3 of which is sat)
Pecans (1oz, 201cal, 21g fat, 1.8 of which is sat)
Spectrum Organic Flaxseed Oil (1tbsp, 130 cal, 14g fat, 1.5 of which is sat)
Walnuts (30grams, 200 cal, 20g fat, 2 of which is sat)
Atlantic Wild Salmon cooked over dry heat (6 oz, 310 cal, 13.8g fat, 2.2 of which is sat)
Natural Peanut Butter (2tbsp, 210 cal, 16g fat, 2.5 of which is sat)
Olive Oil (1tbsp, 120 cal, 14g fat, 2 of which is sat
As you can see, if you take a handful of nuts and add a tbsp of olive or flaxseed oil and throw them into your salad, or even just eat the nuts as a little snack, you will add an extra 200-300 calories to your daily intake and ensure you get the healthy fats you need.
If you want to read more about the good fats and what they do for your body, read this article: http://www.helpguide.org/life/healthy_diet_fa ts.htm it has some really good information about how to pick the right fats in your diet and why they are SO important.