Super Quick and Easy Homemade Spaghetti Bolognese

This is one of the easiest spaghetti dinners I've ever made, and no, the sauce did not come from a jar, although...I guess technically that would be the easiest spaghetti dinner ever...but whatevs. This is awesome and so easy! I clipped this out of a newspaper food section YEARS ago and have manipulated it many ways and it always works! Absolute foolproof! ;) The sauce is a yummy thick bolognese and has so much flavor but takes only a few minutes to throw together for a yummy weeknight meal.

Super Quick and Easy Homemade Spaghetti Dinner:

• 8 ounces whole-grain thin spaghetti


• 1 tsp. olive oil


• 1 small onion, chopped (about 1/2 cup)


• 1 tsp. minced garlic (approx. 2 cloves)


• 1/2 pound mild or hot italian sausage (or ground turkey, but I love the flavor of the sausage!)


• 1/2 cup red grape juice, cranberry juice, apple cider OR chicken broth, I've tried many different ways and they all seem to work. (recipe I adapted calls for 1/2 c. red wine or dry white wine)


• 2 (14 ounce) cans no-salt-added diced tomatoes (I usually get petite diced because my kids hate big chunks of tomatoes)


• 1 (6 ounce) can no-salt-added tomato paste


• 1 tsp. sugar


• 1 tsp. dried italian seasoning


• 1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese, plus some for serving

Prepare the pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Peel and finely chop your onion and garlic and add to the pan. Cook until onion is softened, about 2 minutes and then add your sausage (or turkey), breaking it up as you stir. Cook until meat is cooked through and the onion and garlic are tender. Add the juice, broth, or wine to the pan and stir to loosen any brown bits on the bottom of the pan. Add the canned tomatoes and their juice, tomato paste, sugar, and italian seasoning. Stir to combine and then reduce heat to medium-low. Stir in the parmesan cheese and continue to cook until pasta is ready. (Sauce can simmer on low for up to 30 minutes, if necessary.) Serve over hot, cooked pasta with a little extra parmesan sprinkled on top. ENJOY!!

Crock Pot Cafe Rio Copycat Shredded Chicken

We LOVE Mexican food in this family. I think I make at least one Mexican dish a week. I especially love making copies of restaurant's versions at home. Not only does it save me the time of running to the restaurant to grab take-out, but most importantly, it saves so much money!! I kid you not, this Cafe Rio copy of their shredded chicken is so good and tastes so much like the original but costs a fraction of what the restaurant charges! Plus, you can double or triple this recipe and freeze the left-overs for meals in the future! It's so simple and easy. You're family will love this chicken, I know mine did!

Crock Pot Cafe Rio Copycat Shredded Chicken (recipe from here):

• 2 pounds chicken breasts


• 1/2 a small bottle of zesty italian dressing


• 1/2 Tbsp. minced garlic


• 1 packet ranch dressing mix - mixed with 1/2 cup water


• 1/2 Tbsp. chili powder


• 1/2 Tbsp. ground cumin

Place all ingredients in crock pot. Cook on high 5-6 hours OR low 8 hours. Shred with fork and use as filling for tacos, burritos, salads, etc.

Super Easy Crock Pot Creamy Ranch Pork Chops & Potatoes

I am a hardcore FAN of those 5 ingredient dinners that require hardly 2 minutes of my time to arrange in the crock pot and 7 hours later ~ VIOLA! Dinner is served! Well, THIS is one of those recipes! Genius, I tell you!! And on top of looking like a brilliant chef, high fives all around from my kids, no time spent laboring away on the stove, and hardly any dishes to wash - this dinner tastes delicious! Divine, actually. The pork chops are fork-tender and melt in your mouth and the sauce has the perfect seasonings that pairs so well with the pork and potatoes. Sunday dinner at its' finest. :)

Super Easy Crock Pot Creamy Ranch Pork Chops & Potatoes (recipe from Six Sister's Stuff):

• 4-6 pork chops


• 6-8 medium potatoes, chopped into bite-size pieces


• 2 cans fat free cream of chicken soup


• 2 packages dry ranch dressing mix


• 1 cup milk

Spray your slow cooker with non-stick cooking spray and put chopped up potatoes on the bottom. Place the pork chops on top of the potatoes. Stir together the cream of chicken soups, ranch dressing mixes and milk. Pour on top of the pork chops and cook on low for 6-7 hours or on high for 4 hours. There will be lots of yummy gravy to pour over the pork chops and potatoes when done. ENJOY!!

Raspberry FLUFF!

Growing up, my Mom almost always had some kind of fruit or jello salad on the table with dinner. It was always my favorite part of the meal because it was practically dessert! This recipe is different from any other fruit salads I've made but it tastes soooo good! Light and fluffy with chunks of berries. Mmmmm.

Raspberry Fluff (recipe from Six Sisters' Stuff):

• 1 large pkg. Cook and Serve Vanilla Pudding



• 1 large pkg. raspberry Jello (I use the sugar-free kind)



• 2 c. water



• 1 tsp. lemon juice



• 1 16-oz Cool Whip (I use the lite kind)



• 2 cups raspberries (frozen is fine, just thaw in the fridge for a bit before)
  

Mix together pudding, Jello, water, and lemon juice in sauce pan over medium heat until in boils. Remove from heat and pour into bowl. Refrigerate until mixture has thickened, about an hour. Beat until creamy. Fold in Cool Whip and raspberries. Chill about an hour before serving. ENJOY!!

BAKED Sweet & Sour Chicken + Yummy Fried Rice

I love Chinese food and so does my family. So when I saw this recipe over at Life as a Lofthouse, I HAD to try it!! And it did not disappoint. YUM. And the fact that this delicious chicken is baked and not fried gives it even bigger points in my book! :)
Baked Sweet & Sour Chicken:

The chicken coating:

• 3-4 boneless skinless chicken breasts


• salt and pepper


• 1 c. cornstarch


• 2 eggs beaten


• 1/4 cup canola oil

The sweet and sour sauce:

• 3/4 c. sugar


• 4 Tbsp. ketchup


• 1/2 c. vinegar


• 1 Tbsp. soy sauce


• 1 tsp. garlic salt

Preheat your oven to 325 degrees. Rinse your chicken breasts in water and then cut into cubes. Season with salt and pepper. Dip chicken into cornstarch, then egg. Heat your 1/4 cup oil in large skillet and cook your chicken until browned on the outside but not cooked all the way thru. Place the chicken in a sprayed 9x13 baking dish. Mix all of your sweet and sour ingredients in a bowl with a whisk and then pour evenly over the chicken. Bake for one hour, turning chicken every 15 minutes. This is how your yummy chicken will look when all cooked:

Fried Rice:

• 3 cups cooked white rice


• 3 tbsp. sesame oil (I used canola)


• 1 cup frozen peas (thawed)


• 1 small onion, chopped


• 2 tsp. minced garlic


• 2 eggs, slightly beaten


• 1/4 c. soy sauce

Heat oil in large skillet or wok on medium-high. Add the peas, onions and garlic. Stir fry until tender. Lower the heat to medium low and push the mixture to the side. Pour your eggs on the other side of the skillet or wok and stir fry until cooked & scrambled. Now add the rice and soy sauce and blend all together well. Stir fry until heated through. The best part about this rice is it's a totally basic recipe that you can mess around with and add what sounds good to you!

ENJOY!!

BEST CHOCOLATE CAKE EVER!!!!!

This is seriously the best chocolate bundt cake I've ever had! My sister Nicole makes it every year at Christmas in a wreath bundt pan and puts a single almond somewhere in the cake batter before putting in the oven. The person who gets the almond in their piece gets an awesome mystery gift that is wrapped and placed in the middle of the dinner table. Such a fun family tradition... HOWEVER, I can't just have this cake once a year!! My family LOVES this cake so I make it about once a month! For reals guys, this is the BEST! If asked what my favorite dessert is, this cake is my answer! :) Sooo good with a couple scoops of vanilla ice cream...yummmm! And you won't believe how easy it is! You probably have all the ingredients in your cupboard to make it right now!

And guess what? This amazing cake has been FEATURED on Classy Clutter!!! Check it out HERE!!!!!!!

TO-DIE-FOR CHOCOLATE BUNDT CAKE: (recipe from my sister, Nicole Mason)

• 2 c. sugar


• 1/2 c. cocoa


• 1/2 tsp. salt


• 2 c. flour


• 2 tsp. baking soda


• 1 c. oil


• 1 c. buttermilk (if you don't have buttermilk on hand, use 1 c. milk + 1 Tbsp. lemon juice OR vinegar and let stand for 5 minutes)


• 2 eggs


• 1 c. hot water

Icing ingredients:

• 1 c. sugar (granulated, not powdered)


• 1/4 c. cocoa


• 1/4 c. milk


• 1/2 c. margarine


• 1 tsp. vanilla

Combine cocoa, sugar, salt, flour, and soda (I just use my Kitchen-Aid mixer). Add the oil, buttermilk, and eggs. Mix well, then add the water. Put in a greased and floured bundt pan. Bake at 350 degrees for about 40 minutes. Remove cake from pan while warm, not hot.
FOR ICING: Boil the sugar, cocoa, milk, and margarine in a saucepan on the stove for 1 to 2 minutes. Add the vanilla. Stir until cool or thick enough to stick on cake. Put on quickly or it will get too thick.

LINKING THIS RECIPE ONTO THESE FUN PARTIES:

What I Whipped Up Wednesday, Crazy Sweet Tuesdays, Totally Tasty Tuesday, Sweet Treats Thursday,

Yummy Pretzel Jello Salad

This is one of those classic dishes that pairs salty and sweet ingredients to make one of the most delicious things around! It has a crushed pretzel crust with a middle layer of cream cheese and Cool Whip and a topping of Jello, pineapple and raspberries. Seriously dessert-like and amazing.

Mmmmmmm....

And my Justin will tell you how awesome this is! :)

Pretzel Jello Salad:

• 2 cups crushed pretzels (I use my food processor)


• 3 Tbsp. sugar


• 3/4 cup melted butter


• 1 (6-oz) pkg. rasperry jello (I use sugar-free)


• 2 cups boiling water


• 1 pkg. frozen raspberries


• 1 (6-oz) can crushed pineapple


• 1 (8-oz) carton Cool Whip (I use Lite)


• 1 cup sugar


• 1 (8-oz) pkg. cream cheese, softened (I use the low-fat kind)

Mix together crushed pretzels, 3 Tbsp. sugar and butter. Spread into 9x13 pan. Bake at 400 degrees for 7 minutes. Let stand until cool. Mix Jello with boiling water; add pineapple and juice and frozen raspberries. Chill until soft set. Mix together softened cream cheese, sugar and Cool Whip. Spread cream cheese mixture over cooled pretzel crust. Pour Jello and mix over top and spread evenly. Chill until firm. ENJOY!!

Awesome Hawaiian Marinated Grilled Chicken with Coconut Rice

I am a sucker for marinated & grilled chicken.
Just something about putting some chicken in with ingredients you know is gonna make a kick-butt marinade makes me feel like I'm the best cook ever. I know, that sounds totally stupid. I am a little weird. But whatevs. This chicken marinade is the bomb.
I marinated mine overnight and after my hubs grilled it up, just the smell of it was amazing. It's a combo of sweet, salty, garlicky yumminess. My kids really liked it. I have to admit, I was a little afraid of the chicken thighs. It's the first time I've ever cooked with them before but the recipe blog that I stole this gem of a recipe from said that the chicken thighs make this marinade. I served mine over delicious brown coconut rice, which sounds all fancy but really isn't. :)
Hawaiian Marinated Grilled Chicken (recipe from The Girl Who Ate Everything):

• 3 pounds chicken thighs (I just bought one of those frozen bags)



• 1 cup low-sodium soy sauce



• 1 cup water



• 1 1/2 cups brown sugar



• 1 bunch of green onions, chopped (reserve some for serving)



• 1/4 cup white onion, chopped



• 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic



• 1 teaspoon sesame oil (I didn't have sesame oil so I just used canola)



• 1 (13.5 oz) can coconut milk

Trim chicken thighs of any visible fat. Mix soy sauce, water, brown sugar, onions, garlic, sesame oil, and coconut milk in large Ziploc bag. Add chicken and marinate for at least 4 hours but preferably overnight. Grill chicken at a low heat so the marinade doesn't burn, for 5 -7 minutes per side or until chicken is cooked through. If you don't have a grill, you can use an indoor grill pan.

For the Coconut Rice, all you need to do is replace half the water in your rice recipe with coconut milk. I used brown rice in my rice cooker but you make it using your favorite rice and over the stove if you want. So easy and really moist and yummy! ENJOY!!

Yummy {Weight Watchers} Brownie Bites!

Soooo...I had to admit I was a little skeptical about Weight Watchers brownies. Those words just don't even go together in my head: Weight Watchers & Brownies. Yeah, no.
But I decided to give this recipe a go and I was quite surprised with how good they came out! Even my two older boys (10 & 7) liked them! They're somewhat dense and a little less sweet than traditional brownies. But if you're having a chocolate sweet-tooth, they're really simple to prepare and make a loaf size pan {probably so people like me who have brownie addicition won't eat an entire 9x13} and are only 2 WW Points and 103 calories per serving (1/8th of the loaf pan). And they taste great! Anywho, here's what you do:

In a small saucepan, melt 2 Tbsp butter or margarine, remove from heat and stir in 1/3 cup sugar, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla, and 1/4 cup cold water. It will look like this:
Then stir in 1/2 cup flour, 2 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder, and 1/2 teaspoon baking powder. Mix well and stir in 2 Tbsp chopped walnuts. Okay, okay. You got me. I added some chocolate chips to mine just because I love chocolate chips and not walnuts as much. ;)

Spray the bottom of an 8x4x2 inch loaf pan with cooking spray and pour mixture in. It's pretty thick stuff so you need to spread it around to cover the bottom. Bake at 350 degree for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool thoroughly, remove from pan and cut into 8 bars and sift powdered sugar on the top. Yum!

Yummy {Weight Watchers} Brownie Bites (recipe from Six Sisters Stuff )

• 2 Tbsp butter or margarine


• 1/3 cup sugar


• 1/4 cup cold water


• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla


• 1/2 cup flour


• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder


• 2 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder


• 2 Tbsp chopped walnuts


• nonstick cooking spray


• 1 teaspoon powdered sugar

In a small saucepan, melt margarine or butter. Remove from heat and stir in sugar, vanilla and water. Then stir in flour, cocoa powder, and baking powder. Mix well. Stir in chopped walnuts. Spray the bottom of an 8x4x2 inch loaf pan with cooking spray. Pour batter into pan and smooth out evenly. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool thoroughly and cut into 8 bars. Sprinkle with sifted powdered sugar. ENJOY!!

Easy Crock Pot Sloppy Joes!

When I make my weekly grocery list, sometimes I am totally stumped about things to fix that are healthy, easy to make, and that my kids will actually eat with no drama. ;)

And that's when I usually think: SLOPPY JOES!! It doesn't get much easier than a little ground beef (or turkey!) add in some spices and ketchup, throw it all in a crock pot and then in 4 - 6 hours you have an easy meal! I love serving mine on a whole wheat bun with a slice of cheese and a side of veggies. YUM!

(My new crock pot is hardly full with this recipe! Next time I'll double it since my kids LOVED it!)

Easy Crock Pot Sloppy Joes (adapted from The Happy Housewife)

• 1 pound ground beef (or turkey!)


• 1/4 cup chopped onion, about half an onion


• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder


• 1 teaspoon prepared yellow mustard


• 3/4 cup ketchup


• 1 tablespoon brown sugar


• 1 teaspoon salt


• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Brown ground beef or turkey. Add the meat and remaining ingredients to crockpot and cook on low for 4 - 6 hours. ENJOY!!

{Low Fat} Creamy Mushroom and Asparagus Chicken

This is one of those meals where (if you didn't know any better) you would feel soooo guilty after devouring it, thinking you'd just eaten your whole days worth of calories in one meal. EXCEPT - it's actually LOW FAT!! Plus loaded with lean protein, vegetables, and very few carbs! I'm a huge fan of low fat comfort foods that fill you up after one serving! :) Yep!
Here are the details to making this super easy, healthy, comfort food meal...

First, start out cooking your chopped up chicken breasts on medium heat in a little bit of olive oil (or cooking spray) in a saute pan. After the pieces are cooked through, no longer pink in the middle, set aside on a plate and add a little bit of olive oil to the same saute pan. Add in your chopped onions and stir until semi-opaque, al dente. Then add in your mushrooms and chopped asparagus.

When veggies are cooked through, add the chicken back into the pan and stir for a minute to re-heat the chicken.

Then add 1 can of low-fat or fat free cream of mushroom soup and 1/2 cup of fat free sour cream and 1 cup (or less if you like a thicker sauce) chicken broth.

Together this makes a yummy, lower calorie sauce that goes well over any rice, potatoes, or pasta that you and your family like. I put mine on couscous because my boys LOVE it and it's lower carb than pasta or rice. Make sure to season with salt and pepper! ENJOY!!

Low Fat Creamy Mushroom and Asparagus Chicken {adapted from The Realistic Nutritionist}

• 2 chicken breats, trimmed of excess fat and chopped into bite-size pieces


• 1 cup chicken broth


• 8 asparagus spears, chopped into bite-size pieces


• 1 large onion, chopped


• 2 cups of chopped mushrooms


• 1 can (12 oz) of fat free or low-fat cream of mushroom soup


• 1/2 cup fat free sour cream


• 1-2 Tbsp. olive oil


• salt and pepper to taste

Heat a little olive oil (or cooking spray) in saute pan over medium heat. Add chopped pieces of chicken and cook until no longer pink in the center. Put chicken onto seperate plate then add a little olive oil to the same saute pan and continue heating on medium heat. Add chopped onion and cook until semi-opaque (still a little crunchy) then add in mushrooms and asparagus. Cook until vegetables are al dente and add chicken back to the pan. Heat for about a minute then add the cream of mushroom soup, sour cream and chicken broth and stir until bubbly and thickened how you like. Make sure to season with S & P! Serve over rice, pasta, potatoes, couscous...just about anything you like! Enjoy!