Chipotle Shrimp

5 oz Shrimp
Dash of Mrs. Dash Southwest Chipotle Seasoning
Dash of Garlic powder

Grill in a skillet, use water to keep moisture in the pan.
Serve over 
Romaine lettuce
1 Tbsp Feta
Top with
2 Tbsp Mango Peach Salsa
Serve with
1/2 cup Asparagus
1 cup Broccoli
1/2 Cup Strawberries

Meal Nutrition:
Calories: 300
Fat: 5.69g
Protein: 45.43g
Carbs: 17.72g
Fiber: 5.8g

*tip  2 Tbsp Mango Peach Salsa has 25 Calories 5g of carbs and NO fat! It is the perfect alternative for Salad Dressing, it is delicious and good for you!

Southwest Eggs

3/4 cup Egg Whites

1/4 Red Bell Pepper

1 Tbsp Onion

Saute Pepper and Onion in a pan (use water instead of oil or butter to keep moisture) add garlic and Mrs. Dash Southwest Chipotle seasoning.
Top with:

2 Tbsp Mango Peach Salsa (Costco)

2 Tbsp Wholly Guacamole or homemade

Serve with:

1/2 of an Orowheat Sandwich Thin or 1 mini Orowheat Sandwich thin
1 wedge Garlic and Herb Laughing Cow Cheese
1/2 Cup Strawberries

Nutrition (for entire meal):
Calories: 276
Fat: 7.3g (this may look high but 5g come from the guacamole which is a good fat)
Protein: 21.43g
Carbs: 28.6g
Fiber: 6.8g

Pasta Milano

Pasta Milano

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts cut up, or 10-12 large chicken tenders
8 cloves garlic, minced
1 med onion, minced or finely chopped
½ c. sun dried tomatoes (in olive oil)
2 T. butter
1 c. chicken broth
1½ c. parmesan cheese
olive oil
1 T. fresh basil
bow tie pasta
1 c. sliced mushrooms
2 c. cream
2 T. butter
Roasted pine nuts (optional)

Prepare bow tie pasta according to directions on the package. In sauté pan brown chicken in olive oil 3-4 minutes on each side. Remove from pan stir in a small amount of chicken broth to deglaze the pan. Add olive oil and butter and sauté the garlic and onion until transparent, add mushrooms and cook for a couple of minutes more. Add remaining chicken broth and sun dried tomatoes. In separate pan melt butter, add cream, and bring to a boil, add parmesan cheese and melt, mix with the vegetables and add bow tie pasta, chopped basil and roasted pine nuts.

Fish Tacos (Gourmet Guy)

I always like fish tacos, in fact, rarely do I order a traditional taco at a Mexican Restaurant if fish tacos are an option

So the other day, when Lauri and I decided we would have some fish for dinner, I suggested fish tacos and this is what happened.

Coat fillets with Spice Mix and grill until just done.

Mix mayonnaise, onion, Spice Mix and Chipotle Tabasco for sauce.

Grilled fillet ready to break into bite-size pieces and assemble tacos.

Shredded cabbage and chopped oregano.

Begin with two grilled tortillas. . .

add fish. . .

and sauce. . .

and oregano. . .

and finish with shredded cabbage. I added more Chipotle Tabasco sauce to mine for even more flavor. Delicious!! A little Pico would have been a good addition. Enjoy with sides of your choosing.

Fish Tacos

2 Cod fillets (Any ocean whitefish would work - Snapper would be excellent!)
Spice Mix
8 corn tortillas
1/4 c. onion chopped (1/4 inch cubes)
2-3 T. mayonnaise
1-1/2 cup cabbage shredded (we used purple)
1-1/2 T. fresh oregano minced
1 t. Chipotle Tabasco sauce
extra virgin olive oil

Coat fillets with extra virgin olive oil. Apply half of the Spice Mix to both sides of the fillets. Mix mayonnaise, onion, Chipotle Tabasco sauce, and remaining Spice Mix together in bowl to create the taco sauce. Grill fillets until just done, about 2-3 minutes per side - more for thicker fillets. Grill tortillas until warmed through and just beginning to toast - be careful not to dry them out.

Assemble tacos using two tortillas each, breaking fish into bite-sized pieces (1/2 fillet for each taco), place generous portion of sauce over fish, sprinkle with chopped oregano and top with generous portion of cabbage to fill taco.

Serve with spanish rice and corn or your favorite Mexican sides.


Spice Mix

2 t. chili powder
1 t. ground cumin
1/2 t. salt
1/4 t. pepper (preferably fresh ground)

Mix all ingredients together.

Raspberry Bars (Cydney)
1 pkg. yellow or white cake mix
2½ c. oatmeal
¾ c. melted butter
12 oz. jam (strawberry or raspberry)
1 T. water

Preheat oven to 375. Mix cake mix, oats and melted butter until evenly crumbly. Put 3 cups of cake mixture in 9x13 pan and press down evenly. Sprinkle remaining cake mixture on top and pat down. Bake for 20 minutes. Cool, then into bars.

Beef and Broccoli Stif Fry

I love to make Stir Fry because it is so easy. By marinating a round steak or sirloin steak for sometime the meat becomes very tender.

Cut the meat into thin strips, across the grain, and place in the marinade for at least an hour. Overnight is even better. Turn the meat occasionally. In a wok or deep frying pan heat oil until hot and then add the meat and brown. Add the onions, and mushrooms if desired, and cook until tender. Add the broccoli and continue to turn the meat and vegetables to soften. Finally add the zucchini, add the marinade with cornstarch added and cover to steam. When sauce is thickened remove from the heat. Serve over hot rice.

Stir Fry Beef and Vegetables

1 lb. lean beef (sirloin, top round) sliced thinly across the grain
½ c. soy sauce
¼ c. water
1 c. onions, thinly sliced
1 c. celery, sliced diagonally
2 c. broccoli florets
2 c. broccoli stems peeled and slice thin
½ c. vegetable oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
12 medium mushrooms, sliced
1 T. cornstarch prepared rice
Marinate beef in water and soy sauce for at least 30 minutes. Prepare vegetables and set aside. In a wok or large frying pan cook drained meat (reserve the marinade for later) over low heat until browned. Add onions, celery, broccoli, and mushrooms. Cover and steam for about 3-5 minutes. Mix the marinade with the cornstarch and pour into the pan. Stir and heat to boiling until sauce thickens. Serve over warm rice.

Italian Pasta Salad

One of my favorite salads to make is this Italian Pasta Salad, I just put it together one day for a party in the canyon.

I started with some tri-color macaroni, prepared, and one half of a red onion diced.

I love this new pepperoni that comes in small circles, they are great for the salad.

I add, hard boiled eggs, diced, sliced olives, Feta or Parmesan cheese. I have also added red or yellow peppers, chopped, cherry tomatoes and green peas.
Toss with Italian Dressing and chill.

Great for pot luck meals and summer barbeque's

Best Lasagna Ever!

Our daughter in Kansas City just had a little baby girl. I am here to help her out for a few days and to play with the her sweet little girls. I have been doing some cooking for her while she recovers and making doubles so that after I leave she can pull something out for dinner on her hectic days (with a 20 month old and a newborn there maybe a few!)

I made a marinara sauce several days in advance for several meals that I would be serving. I think sitting and marinating helped the sauce "mature!" At home I would use the tomatoes that I had canned for myself and I don't add sugar so the taste was a little different. But I made my usual recipe, below, only a smaller batch.

Lauri’s Italian Sauce
3 bottles whole tomatoes (4cans approx. 1 lb size)
2 8 oz. cans tomato sauce
1 6 oz. can tomato paste
3 8 oz. cans mushrooms

3 T. dried Oregano
3 T. dried Marjoram
3 T. dried Basil
1 ½ T. dried Thyme

1/2-3/4 c. chopped dried onion or two chopped fresh onions
2 T. minced dried garlic or 5 cloves fresh garlic minced (if using fresh onion and garlic saute them in olive oil until transparent and then add the remaining ingredients)
Combine all of the above ingredients and bring to a boil, simmer on low heat until thickened. (I usually simmer it for several hours)

Meat Sauce
4 lbs, lean ground beef
2 chopped onions
2-3 cloves garlic, minced

Brown the meat and add the onion and garlic and cook until tender. Add to the marinara sauce and simmer.

For Lasagna:
Place marinara sauce in the bottom of a 9x13pan. Place lasagna noodles (uncooked) on top and then layer with Cottage cheese, Cheddar cheese, Mozzarella cheese, and Parmesan cheese. Repeat layers again. Cover with foil and bake at 350 for one hour. If freezing cover with foil and freeze, thaw and bake, saves up to six months in the freezer.

The one thing that made this lasagna so good was the local Italian Sausage that I used along with the ground beef I just wish I could take a case of this home with me. Because the marinara sauce was being used in several things I didn't put as much sauce as I typically do and there was a lot of the meat mixture it all blended together so well.

Seriously one of the best Lasagnas I have ever made!

Coconut Cake

Chocolate Chip Macaroon Bars

1 roll premaid chocolate chip cookie dough
4 graham crackers, crumbled
1 oz bag caramel chips
1/2 c. walnuts or pecans, chopped
1/2 bag coconut
1 can sweetened condensed milk

In a 9x13 pan cover with parchment paper and sray with a cooking spray. Spread the dough evenly out in the bottom of the pan, top with graham crackers, then caramels, walnuts, coconut, and pour the sweetened condensed milk on top of it all. Place in a preheated 350 degree oven for 35-40 minutes.


Cydney loves to come up with these cookie bars and this is the latest one that she found. The are yummy and very rich.

Frittata

I love frittata's more all of the time! This was our latest.

Eight slices ranch style bacon, fried and crumbled

2-4 baby red potoatoes, sliced thin

2 mushrooms, sliced thin

Assiago cheese, grated

fresh Basil, chopped

4-5 eggs, beaten

1/4 onion, chopped

Fry the bacon until slightly crisp, cool and crumble. With the bacon grease fry the potatoes and the onion until softened. Mix the remaining indredients and cook until soft. Place in a 350 oven for 10-12 minutes until golden brown.

Corn Dogs

When I was a teenager in Arvada Colorado I remember the city having it's annual "Town Party" Our church always had a booth there as a fund raising event. They made corn dogs each year as a tradition and I loved them. Part of the biggest memory for me was that my dad loved to be a part of this tradition. He was such a character and everyone just loved to be around him so he was a popular person at the booth. I love corn dogs and they bring back lots of fun memories.

Natalie surprised us one Saturday and brought all of the fixings for making corn dogs. After a little paint project we set about making the corn dogs together.

Rebecca went about getting the "dogs" on a stick.

Blend the dry and wet ingredients together, without over mixing.
We decided mixing in a tall container would keep the batter on the hot dog better and easier.It did!

Putting the hot dog into the hot oil and gently dropping it in the oil helped keep the batter on better.

These turned out so yummy.

Carnival Corn Dogs

1 cup yellow cornmeal
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup white sugar
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 egg
1 cup milk
1 quart vegetable oil for frying
2 (16 ounce) packages beef frankfurters
16 wooden skewers

In a medium bowl, combine cornmeal, flour, salt, sugar and baking powder.
Stir in eggs and milk.
Preheat oil in a deep saucepan over medium heat. Insert wooden skewers into frankfurters. Roll frankfurters in batter until well coated.
Fry 2 or 3 corn dogs at a time until lightly browned, about 3 minutes. Drain on paper towels.

Broccoli Salad

This recipe has been around for a long time but I still have requests for it and so here it is. Usually we serve it in the summer but every now and then it tastes great no matter what season.

Broccoli Salad

Approx 1½ pounds Broccoli Florets
1 lb. bacon- cooked crisp and crumbled
½ lb. Swiss or Monterrey Jack cheese (grated)
1 red onion
raisins, optional

Dressing
1 c. mayonnaise
¼ c. sugar
2 t. vinegar

"Bunnies and Bears"

One of the things that we have done as a family tradition for the holidays over the years is to make "Bunnies and Bears." My sister brought some cute molds and this recipe to us when our girls were little. Over the years we have always made them at Christmas time. Now that our girls are all grown up it is one of the things that we don't do much anymore. I was missing this tradition this year and decided to expand it to the grandchildren, it was a lot of fun carrying on the tradition to another generation. We have since added some more Christmas type molds but we still call it the Bunny and Bear recipe.

Melt the butter.

Add the brown sugar,

stir in the Karo Syrup,

and finally add the sweetened condensed milk. Bring to a boil.

Add the puffed rice and or puffed wheat cereal and start the fun.

The Gourmet Guy with our four year old grandson making the Christmas Tree shapes.

All of us around the table working with the molds and the kids decorating with lots of different sprinkles. Even the one year old was having fun at the table with us.

She was too young to use the molds but not to entertain us while we made them.

Our six year old grandson really got into making these, it was a lot of fun

A family tradition lives on.

“Bears and Bunnies”

6 oz. bag puffed rice or wheat
2 c. brown sugar
2 sticks butter
1 c. corn syrup
1 can sweetened condensed milk

Boil butter, sugar, syrup and milk for about 6 minutes. Place cereal in a large bowl and pour the mixture over the tip, mix well. Spray mold with a vegetable spray and fill with the mixture. Remove from mold immediately.