Taco Dip

This taco "dip" is more like a meal. I made it for dinner, and it went over really well with Brent.


Ingredients:
4 oz cream cheese
4 oz sour cream
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/2 lb ground beef
taco seasoning packet
4oz tomato sauce
4 oz cheddar cheese
2 cups shredded lettuce
1 cup salsa
tortilla chips

In a bowl, beat the cream cheese, sour cream, and mayo together until smooth. Meanwhile, cook the beef over medium heat. Drain, and stir in the taco seasoning and tomato sauce. Cook and stir about 5 minutes.

To mix: In a bowl, pour the lettuce, followed by the cream cheese mixture, then the meat mixture. Finally, top it off with the cheddar cheese and salsa. Use the chips to dip.

4 - 6 servings.

Chicken Roll-Ups

I was planning to make chicken quesadillas, but the tortillas I bought were two thin. These turned out great, and sauce really gave them an extra zing.

Ingredients:
4 flour tortillas (I used low carb)
2 large boneless skinless chicken breasts
1/4 onion, diced
1 tomato, diced
1/3 lb pepper jack cheese, diced into small pieces
1 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
1/4 cup sour cream
1 Tablespoon lime juice
1/8 cup barbecue sauce

Season chicken with chili powder, salt, and cumin. Heat olive oil in pan over medium high heat. Cook chicken in pan until done. Add onions and cook until done. Dice chicken into 1 inch pieces.
In blender, puree sour cream, lime juice, barbecue sauce, and dash salt and pepper. On each flour tortilla, place 1/4 diced chicken and onions and 1/4 diced pepper jack cheese pieces. Cook in microwave for 30 seconds or until cheese melts. Add 1/4 diced tomatoes and top with 1/4 of sour cream mixture. Roll up tortillas and slice in half. Repeat with remaining 3 tortillas.

Servings: 4

Skinny Girl Margarita

This is wonderful and only about 100 calories per serving, all from the liquor. I got this off Real Housewives of New York City's Bethenney Frankel.

Ingredients (per serving):
Ice
1 shot clear tequila
1/2 to 1 shot triple sec
2 shots lime juice
Dash grated lime rind
Sugar free lemonade
Limes

Fill glass with ice. Add tequila, triple sec, lime juice, and rind. Fill the glass to the top with lemonade. Pour into blender and mix well. Serve with sliced limes.

Crostini

These make a great appetizer or a side dish with pasta.

Ingredients:

6 slices of bread
1/4 cup EVOO
6 oz cream cheese
1 clove garlic, minced
2 Tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
2 Tablespoons basil
1 cup diced tomatoes
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
Optional: 1 cup chopped black olives

Directions:

Mix EVOO and garlic. Spread over one side of bread. Bake 8 - 10 minutes at 400. Cool for 10 minutes. Mix cream cheese, Parmesan, (and black olives). Spread over bread. Top with tomatoes, basil, and mozzarella cheese. Return to oven for about 5 minutes, until cheese melts.

6 servings.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Rice Crispy Treats

I made this for DH, because he said he was craving "something sweet." It turned out great, and I got to combine DH's two favorites - chocolate and peanut butter - with ingredients I already had around the house.

Ingredients:

4 cups (30 large) marshmallows
3/4 cup peanut butter
4 cup Rice Crispy's
4 Tablespoons butter
1/2 cup chocolate chips

Directions:

Melt butter, peanut butter, and marshmallows in pan over medium heat. Grease a casserole pan. When everything melts, add the rice cripsy's and chocolate chips. Mix and pat into greased pan.

Chicken Fingers with Honey Mustard Sauce

I also made these chicken fingers for family. The recipe I got for these looked good, but I made several changes to the recipe. The dipping sauce is also delicious. I doubled the recipe listed below.


Chicken Fingers:

1 lb boneless skinless chicken tenderloins
1 Tablespoon honey
2 egg whites, beaten
2 cups crushed honey graham crackers (I put them in a bag and hit with a hammer)
1/2 teaspoon pepper


Preheat oven to 450. Mix egg whites and honey in shallow bowl. In another shallow bowl, mix graham cracker crumbs and pepper. Dip each tenderloin into the egg/honey and then into the graham cracker crumbs. Shake off any excess. Lay on greased cookie sheet. Bake for 11 - 13 minutes or until done.
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Serve with honey mustard sauce.
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Honey Mustard Sauce:
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1/4 cup honey
4 Tablespoons Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

Mix all ingredients together and chill for at least one hour.
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Serve with chicken fingers.
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Source: Adamswife.blogspot.com

Homemade Salsa

I made homemade salsa as an appetizer for my family before my brother's football game. It turned out pretty good, but it wasn't very hot - I would probably characterize it as mild. Add more crushed red pepper flakes to make it hotter.

Ingredients:

2 tomatoes, diced into small pieces
1/2 - 3/4 can corn, drained
1 small red or purple onion, diced
1/3 cup lime juice
1/8 cup EVOO
1 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup cilantro
1/8 cup chopped parsley flakes
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Optional: 1 can black beans, drained
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Directions:
Mix all ingredients together and chill over night.
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Serve with tortilla chips.

Farmhouse BBQ Muffins

This is not low fat, but these are so delicious!! My little brother won a 4H cooking contest with these years ago. DH loves these, and can't get enough. They are so easy to make!

Ingredients:

10 oz can buttermilk biscuits (the flaky biscuits or extra large biscuits don't work as well)
1 lb extra-lean ground beef
1/3 cup ketchup
3 Tablespoons brown sugar
1/3 teaspoon chili powder
1 Tablespoon cider vinegar
1 cup cheddar cheese

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375. Separate the dough into twelve biscuits. Flatten the biscuits into 5 inch circles. Press into the bottom and sides of greased muffin cups. Meanwhile, brown the beef in a skillet. Drain the beef and pour into mixing bowl. To the bowl, add ketchup, brown sugar, vinegar, and chili powder. Mix well. Divide among the biscuits. Top each "muffin" with cheese. Bake for 18 - 20 minutes. Makes 3-4 servings

These muffins go great with most vegetables, including corn, carrots, or a nice ranch salad. No bread required.