Oct
2020

Lemon Ginger Salad Dressing

categories: Sauces and Dressings
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It’s easy to make flavor-filled Lemon Ginger Salad Dressing in a few minutes! This light dressing will compliment most mixed green salads.
It's easy to make flavor-filled Lemon Ginger Salad Dressing in a few minutes! This light dressing will compliment most mixed green salads.

Making homemade salad dressings at home is a simple way to most often save money, and KNOW exactly what is going into the finished product. Best of all, most homemade dressings are a cinch to make, including this Lemon Ginger Salad Dressing.

This light salad dressing is not only easy to make, it’s packed with flavor! I first tried it on a carrot salad, but have found the dressing is just as good on a mixed green salad. It has become a permanent member of the ol’ salad dressing rotation in our home. Here’s how easy it is to make:

Scroll down for a printable recipe card at the bottom of the page.

What Is In Lemon Ginger Salad Dressing?

The recipe uses easy to find, common ingredients. The ingredients are extra virgin olive oil, rice vinegar, salt, honey, ginger, garlic and the juice and zest from one lemon.

Ingredients for the salad dressing, ready to be mixed together.

How To Make Lemon Ginger Salad Dressing

Making this salad dressing is simple and pretty straightforward. Measure all ingredients EXCEPT FOR THE OLIVE OIL into a medium bowl. Stir well, to combine these ingredients. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil, whisking with a fork or wire whisk the entire time you are adding the oil. Pour oil with one hand, and whisk with the other!

Continue to whisk until the dressing has emulsified. Emulsified means that the olive oil has been incorporated so well into the other ingredients that it doesn’t separate (kind of like oil and water).

Olive oil is slowly drizzled into salad dressing while whisking.

And just like that, your lemon ginger salad dressing is ready! Serve it on your favorite mixed green salad right away, OR you can cover the bowl and store it in your refrigerator until ready to serve.

Once refrigerated, the olive oil will thicken up slightly, so take it out of the fridge a few minutes before serving and whisk it, before drizzling it on a favorite green salad.

Lemon ginger salad dressing is emulsified and waiting to drizzle on a salad.

You don’t have to only use this salad dressing on green salads. Actually, one of my favorite ways to enjoy this dressing is drizzled onto a spiralized carrot salad. Wow… is THAT ever good!

The lemon ginger salad dressing is drizzled on a spiralized carrot salad.

I hope you enjoy this recipe for simple lemon ginger salad dressing. It makes a small amount (1/2 cup) of fresh dressing, but can easily be doubled. Thank you for stopping by, and I hope you visit again soon. Take care, and have a wonderful day, full of adventure and possibilities!

Looking For More SALAD DRESSING Recipes?

You can find all of my salad dressing recipes in the Recipe Index, located in the MENU toolbar at the top of the page. I have quite a few delicious ones, including:

Interested In More Recipes?

Thank you for visiting this website. I appreciate you using some of your valuable time to do so.  If you’re interested, I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with all the latest recipes, and other fun info. I would be honored to have you join our growing list of subscribers, so you never miss a great recipe!
There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right side (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use, where you can easily submit your e-mail address (only) to be included in my mailing list.

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Author's signature

Original recipe source: http://girlinthelittleredkitchen.com/2015/06/spiralized-carrot-salad-with-lemon-ginger-dressing/

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Lemon Ginger Salad Dressing
Prep Time
5 mins
Cook Time
0 mins
Total Time
5 mins
 

It's easy to make flavor-filled Lemon Ginger Salad Dressing in a few minutes! This light dressing will compliment most mixed green salads.

Category: Salad Dressing
Cuisine: American
Keyword: lemon ginger salad dressing
Servings: 6 (1 Tablespoon per serving)
Calories Per Serving: 86 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
  • 1 large lemon (juice and zest)
  • 1 teaspoon honey
  • 1 inch piece of fresh ginger (peeled, finely minced)
  • 1 medium garlic clove (peeled, finely minced)
  • 1 Tablespoon rice vinegar
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
US Customary - Metric
Instructions

  1. Measure all ingredients EXCEPT FOR THE OLIVE OIL into a medium bowl. Stir to combine. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil, whisking with a fork or wire whisk the entire time you are adding the oil. Pour oil with one hand; whisk with the other! Continue to whisk until the dressing has emulsified.

  2. Serve it right away, OR cover the bowl and store it in your refrigerator until ready to serve. Once refrigerated, olive oil will thicken slightly; take it out of the fridge a few minutes before serving and give it a good whisk before drizzling it on your favorite green salad. Enjoy!

Nutrition Facts
Lemon Ginger Salad Dressing
Amount Per Serving (1 Tablespoon)
Calories 86 Calories from Fat 81
% Daily Value*
Fat 9g14%
Saturated Fat 1g6%
Sodium 194mg8%
Carbohydrates 2g1%
Sugar 1g1%
Protein 1g2%
Vitamin C 2mg2%
Iron 1mg6%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!It's easy to make flavor-filled Lemon Ginger Salad Dressing in a few minutes! This light dressing will compliment most mixed green salads.


Oct
2020

Sweet Spicy Salmon

categories: Main Dishes, Seafood
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Sweet Spicy Salmon is an easy-to-make, delicious seafood dish! Seasoned fillets are covered with a pineapple/Asian-inspired sauce and baked.
Sweet Spicy Salmon is an easy-to-make, delicious seafood dish! Seasoned fillets are covered with a pineapple/Asian-inspired sauce and baked.

I really think you’re gonna love this totally EASY salmon dish. It is so simple to prepare in only a few minutes, and then into the oven it goes. The end result is a flaky and delicious, baked salmon fillet, covered in a “not too sweet and not too spicy” delicious sauce. YUM! The recipe as written serves two, but can easily be doubled or tripled.

Basically you will lightly season the salmon, cover it with a simple flavorful sauce, bake it, and then put it under the broiler to crisp it before serving. Truly, it could not be any more simple than that! We love salmon, and love this recipe for it, too, so I wanted to share it with you. Here’s how easy it is to make sweet spicy salmon:

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

Prepare The Salmon For Baking

Preheat your oven to 425° F. Line a baking dish (or small cookie sheet) with a large piece of aluminum foil. You will want the piece of foil to be much larger than the pan, so the edges can be turned up to “hold the sauce in” later. Spray the foil lightly with non-stick baking spray. **NOTE: If doubling the recipe, you can use a rimmed cookie sheet to have room for the additional pieces of salmon.

Place skinless salmon fillets in the prepared dish, leaving about an inch between each one. Lightly sprinkle the top of the salmon fillets with salt and black pepper.

 Drain pineapple rings, RESERVING THE JUICE FOR LATER. Slice pineapple rings in half. Place the halved rings around the long sides of the fillets, and in between the pieces. Pull the foil up to “snuggle” the salmon so that any “runaway” sauce will be “held captive” in the pan, once added. Set the salmon aside while you make the sauce.

Skinless salmon fillets are lightly seasoned with salt and pepper.Pineapple rings (cut in half) are wedged around the salmon fillets in pan.

Make The Sauce 

The sauce is a cinch to make. Place sweet Thai chili sauce (I use Mae Ploy), rice vinegar, soy sauce, brown sugar and pineapple juice (reserved from the can) in a small bowl. Whisk well, to combine the ingredients.

Spoon or pour the sauce over the top of each piece of salmon, to fully cover the surface of the fish. The foil will help “catch” any runoff sauce. Now the sweet spicy salmon is ready to bake!

An Asian-inspired sauce is whisked together to pour over salmon before baking.The seasoned salmon fillets are covered with a sauce before baking.

Cooking The Sweet Spicy Salmon

BAKE the sweet spicy salmon, uncovered, at 425°F. for 12-15 minutes. This amount of time will vary due to the thickness of the fish YOU use. Check it at 12 minutes. The fish should be easily flaked with a fork when finished baking. Immediately switch your oven to the BROIL setting.

Place the pan under the broiler heating element. Broil the fish for 2-3 minutes or just until the top and edges begin to blacken and crisp up slightly. Remove the pan from the broiler. If desired, garnish the salmon with chopped cilantro before transferring to serving plates. I recommend this, as the cilantro not only adds color, but additional flavor to this dish, as well.

Baked then broiled salmon is garnished with chopped cilantro before serving.

Time To Serve The Sweet Spicy Salmon

Carefully transfer the sweet spicy salmon fillets (use a spatula) to serving plates when ready to serve. Place pineapple rings around the edges of the salmon. Spoon some of the sauce from the pan over each piece of salmon.

The salmon will be nice and flaky, and is so yummy I think you will gobble it up! You will also find that the fish (with the sauce) isn’t too spicy, after all. The first time I made this dish, I thought it would be really spicy… NOPE! It’s perfect, and the sweet/spicy sauce compliments the salmon very well.

Sweet Spicy Salmon, served on a white plate with steamed rice and green peas.Chopped cilantro is a colorful garnish when serving Sweet Spicy Salmon fillets.

I really hope you have the opportunity to try this recipe for sweet spicy salmon. The recipe can be EASILY DOUBLED, and has a wonderful flavor. Thanks for stopping by today. Have a wonderful day, and I sincerely hope you will come back for a visit again soon.

Looking For More SALMON Recipes?

You can find all of my salmon recipes in the Recipe Index, which is located at the top of the page. I have quite a few (we love salmon!), including:

Interested In More Recipes?

Thank you for visiting this website. I appreciate you using some of your valuable time to do so.  If you’re interested, I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with all the latest recipes, and other fun info. I would be honored to have you join our growing list of subscribers, so you never miss a great recipe!
There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right side (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use, where you can easily submit your e-mail address (only) to be included in my mailing list.

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:

Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Instagram: jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

Author's signature

Original Recipe Source: Danelle, at: https://letsdishrecipes.com/sweet-and-spicy-pineapple-salmon/

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Sweet Spicy Salmon
Prep Time
5 mins
Cook Time
15 mins
Total Time
20 mins
 

Sweet Spicy Salmon is an easy-to-make, delicious seafood dish! Seasoned fillets are covered with a pineapple/Asian-inspired sauce and baked.

Category: Entree, Main Dish, Seafood
Cuisine: All Cuisines
Keyword: sweet spicy salmon
Servings: 2
Calories Per Serving: 335 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
  • 2 6 ounce salmon fillets , no skin
  • salt/pepper, to season
  • 4 canned pineapple rings , cut in half (JUICE RESERVED)
  • chopped cilantro (Optional, for garnish)
For Sauce:
  • ¼ cup sweet Thai chili sauce (I used Mae Ploy)
  • 1 Tablespoon rice vinegar
  • ½ Tablespoon low sodium soy sauce
  • 2 teaspoons brown sugar
  • ⅛ cup reserved pineapple juice (from can)
US Customary - Metric
Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 425° F. Line a baking dish (or small cookie sheet) with a large piece of aluminum foil (larger than pans so edges can be turned. Spray lightly with non-stick baking spray. **NOTE: If doubling recipe, use rimmed cookie sheet to have room for additional pieces.

  2. Place salmon in prepared dish; leave 1" between each one. Lightly sprinkle salmon with salt/pepper. Drain pineapple rings, RESERVING JUICE FOR LATER. Slice rings in half. Place halved rings around long edges of fillets, and in between. Pull foil up to "snuggle" salmon so that any "runaway" sauce will be "held captive" in foil, once added. Set aside.

  3. Make sauce: Place sweet chili sauce, rice vinegar, soy sauce, brown sugar and pineapple juice (reserved from can) in a small bowl. Whisk well, to combine the ingredients. Spoon or pour sauce over the top of each salmon fillet, to cover surface.

  4. BAKE, uncovered, at 425°F. for 12-15 minutes. Cooking time may vary slightly, due to thickness of fillets used. Check it at 12 minutes. The fish should easily flake with a fork when done. Immediately switch oven to the BROIL setting. Broil salmon for 2-3 minutes or just until the top and edges begin to blacken and crisp up slightly. Remove pan from oven. If desired, garnish each piece with chopped cilantro before transferring to serving plates.

  5. Carefully transfer salmon (use a spatula) to plates to serve. Place pineapple rings around the edges. Spoon sauce from the pan over each piece. Serve, and enjoy!

Nutrition Facts
Sweet Spicy Salmon
Amount Per Serving (1 fillet)
Calories 335 Calories from Fat 99
% Daily Value*
Fat 11g17%
Saturated Fat 2g13%
Cholesterol 94mg31%
Sodium 529mg23%
Potassium 853mg24%
Carbohydrates 22g7%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 21g23%
Protein 34g68%
Vitamin A 68IU1%
Vitamin C 1mg1%
Calcium 20mg2%
Iron 1mg6%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Sweet Spicy Salmon is an easy-to-make, delicious seafood dish! Seasoned fillets are covered with a pineapple/Asian-inspired sauce and baked.


Oct
2020

Frosted Pumpkin Bars

categories: Bar Cookies, Desserts, Holidays!
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Frosted Pumpkin Bars are easy-to-make delicious treats, with cream cheese frosting, cinnamon, ginger and cloves, for a true taste of FALL!
Frosted Pumpkin Bars are easy-to-make delicious treats, with cream cheese frosting, cinnamon, ginger and cloves, for a true taste of FALL!

I can’t say enough great things about these yummy pumpkin bars. They’re SO GOOD. I’ve made them for many years (over 20), since my good friend Carla gave me her recipe way back in October, 1999. This year I realized I hadn’t ever posted the recipe on my blog, so I whipped up another batch a few weeks ago, and took photos as I made them.

Our oldest son was staying with us for just over a week, because of the horrible Oregon wildfires and hazardous smoke that saturated our area. We have air conditioning/air filtering, and since he lived right at the evacuation zone, it was “easier for him to breathe” here. We were glad to have him here, so he could enjoy his “Mom’s cooking”, AND gobble up several of these frosted pumpkin bars.

They are ALWAYS a huge hit (especially this time of year), and are incredibly simple to prepare. Today I want to share the recipe with you, so you can enjoy them, too! Here’s how to make 16 frosted pumpkin bars:

SCROLL DOWN FOR A PRINTABLE RECIPE CARD AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS PAGE

Prepare The Batter

In a large bowl, beat softened butter for about 30 seconds until creamy. Add granulated sugar, and beat until the mixture is rather “fluffy” (about 2-3 minutes).

Add pumpkin puree (NOT pumpkin pie filling), an egg, and vanilla extract to the bowl. Beat well, until fully incorporated. These are your “wet” ingredients for the pumpkin bars.

Butter is beaten until creamy, then sugar is added.Pumpkin puree, egg, and vanilla are added to creamed butter mixture.The pumpkin batter of wet ingredients, after being mixed together

In a separate medium-sized bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients. This dry ingredient mixture includes flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger and cloves.

Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, and beat until the ingredients are fully blended together. Now your batter for the frosted pumpkin bars is complete. Time to bake!

Flour, cinnamon and other spices are whisked together for dry ingredients.The dry ingredients are added to the wet pumpkin ingredients and mixed together.

Time To Bake!

Evenly spread the pumpkin batter in an 8″x8″ greased or sprayed baking dish (bottom and sides). Bake the bars at 350°F for about 20-25 minutes. You will know the bars are done when a toothpick inserted into the top center comes out clean.

Once done, remove the pan from the oven, and place it on a wire rack to let the pumpkin bars cool. Let the bars FULLY cool before attempting to frost them! Trust me on this – if you try to frost them too soon, the heat will melt the butter and cream cheese in the frosting, which is not good. Just be patient and WAIT.

Batter for frosted pumpkin bars is spread in a greased 8x8" pan for baking.A pan of pumpkin bars, cooling on wire rack after baking.

Make The Frosting For The Pumpkin Bars

While the pumpkin bars are cooling, whip up the cream cheese frosting. In a medium bowl, beat together cream cheese and softened butter until fully combined. Add vanilla extract and powdered sugar to the bowl, then beat on low, until smooth.

Once the pumpkin bars have TOTALLY COOLED, spread the cream cheese frosting over the top of the bars. Lightly sprinkle the frosting with ground cinnamon. Cover the pan, and place the pan of frosted pumpkin bars in the REFRIGERATOR to chill completely, in order to give the frosting time to firm up slightly.

Cream cheese frosting is mixed together to frost the pumpkin bars.The pan of frosted pumpkin bars, ready to cut and enjoy!

Let’s Eat Some Frosted Pumpkin Bars!

After the frosting has chilled and had time to firm up a bit, slice the bars into 16 portions, and serve. Get ready to enjoy a yummy treat! The bars are filled with the flavors of Fall, thanks to the wonderful “warm” spices of cinnamon, cloves, and ginger.

YUM… they are soooo good. And the simple cream cheese frosting – don’t even get me started on that, cause I could eat it with a spoon! Store any uneaten frosted pumpkin bars, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, IF they last that long.

Long platter of stacked, frosted pumpkin bars, ready to enjoy!Delicious frosted pumpkin bars, ready to eat!

I really hope you will have the opportunity to try these absolutely delicious frosted pumpkin bars! They are a wonderful tasting dessert your family and friends will love.  Thank you for stopping by, and have a GREAT day.

Looking For More BAR COOKIE Recipes?

You can find all of my recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. I have quite a few, delicious bar cookie recipes I think you will enjoy, including:

Interested In More Recipes?

Thank you for visiting this website. I appreciate you using some of your valuable time to do so.  If you’re interested, I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with all the latest recipes, and other fun info. I would be honored to have you join our growing list of subscribers, so you never miss a great recipe!
There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right side (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use, where you can easily submit your e-mail address (only) to be included in my mailing list.

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:

Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Instagram: jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

Author's signature

Original recipe source: my dear friend, Carla Merrill

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Frosted Pumpkin Bars
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
20 mins
Total Time
30 mins
 

Frosted Pumpkin Bars are easy-to-make delicious treats, with cream cheese frosting, cinnamon, ginger and cloves, for a true taste of FALL!

Category: Dessert, Snack
Cuisine: American
Keyword: frosted pumpkin bars
Servings: 16
Calories Per Serving: 167 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
  • ¼ cup butter , softened
  • ¾ cup granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • ¾ cup canned pumpkin puree , NOT pumpkin pie filling
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1¼ cups all purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon ground ginger
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
For Frosting:
  • 1½ ounces cream cheese (light)
  • ¼ cup butter , softened
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
US Customary - Metric
Instructions

  1. In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to beat softened butter for 30 seconds until creamy. Add granulated sugar; beat until mixture is "fluffy" (2-3 minutes). Add pumpkin puree, egg, and vanilla. Beat well, until fully incorporated.

  2. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger and cloves. Add to the wet ingredients, and beat until fully blended. Spread batter in an 8"x8" greased or sprayed baking dish (grease bottom and sides).

  3. Bake at 350°F for about 20-25 minutes. Bars are done when a toothpick inserted into the top center comes out clean. Remove pan from oven; place pan on wire rack. Let bars fully cool before attempting to frost them!

Make Cream Cheese Frosting While Bars Cool:

  1. Beat cream cheese and softened butter in a medium bowl until fully combined. Add vanilla extract and powdered sugar; beat until smooth. Once pumpkin bars have TOTALLY COOLED, spread frosting evenly on bars. Lightly sprinkle with cinnamon. Cover pan, and place frosted pumpkin bars in the REFRIGERATOR to chill completely.

  2. Once frosting firms up and bars have chilled, they are ready to serve. Slice into 16 bars, serve, and enjoy! Store leftovers, covered in refrigerator, for up to 5 days.

Nutrition Facts
Frosted Pumpkin Bars
Amount Per Serving (1 pumpkin bar)
Calories 167 Calories from Fat 63
% Daily Value*
Fat 7g11%
Saturated Fat 4g25%
Cholesterol 28mg9%
Sodium 176mg8%
Potassium 45mg1%
Carbohydrates 26g9%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 17g19%
Protein 2g4%
Vitamin A 1996IU40%
Vitamin C 1mg1%
Calcium 13mg1%
Iron 1mg6%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Frosted Pumpkin Bars are easy-to-make delicious treats, with cream cheese frosting, cinnamon, ginger and cloves, for a true taste of FALL!


Oct
2020

Lemon Hazelnut Green Beans

categories: Holidays!, Side Dishes, Vegetable Dishes
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Lemon Hazelnut Green Beans are a delicious, flavor-filled side dish, and are a perfect choice for either a casual meal or a holiday feast!
Lemon Hazelnut Green Beans are a delicious, flavor-filled side dish, and are a perfect choice for either a casual meal or a holiday feast!

I’m always looking for different ways to prepare green beans. Each summer I harvest a bumper crop of them in our little backyard raised garden. I can a lot of them, putting aside 15-20 jars each year in our pantry for the coming Fall and Winter. The rest we enjoy in a variety of different recipes as summer progresses.

We eat a LOT of green beans in the summer, and this recipe is one I came up with (after experimenting), and have enjoyed ever since. Lemon hazelnut green beans are a simple side dish, but let me tell you… there’s a LOT of flavor to enjoy in every bite. Freshly grated lemon zest adds a pop of fresh, bright flavor, shallots, garlic and red chili flakes give them a bit of zing, and the hazelnuts give the dish CRUNCH.

Lemon Hazelnut Green Beans are a perfect side for any “average” dinner of beef, chicken, pork or seafood. “These beans plays well with others”, as they say. However, this dish would also be absolutely wonderful served for Thanksgiving, or any other special celebration. Here’s how easy it is to make them:

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

How To Make This Veggie Side Dish

Measure a Tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil into a large skillet, and spread it around to cover the bottom of the skillet. Heat the oil on medium heat. Once hot (but not smoking), add chopped shallots (milder than a red onion). Cook, stirring often for 1-2 minutes.

TIP: If you do not have access to shallots, use a yellow onion as a substitute (same measurement).

Chopped shallots are cooked in hot olive oil in a large skillet.

Cooking The Lemon Hazelnut Green Beans

Add the green beans and the vegetable (or chicken) broth to the skillet. The liquid will steam and sizzle when it hits the hot skillet. Stir to combine, and let the green beans cook (uncovered) for approximately 10 minutes. When done, the broth should have dissipated, and the beans should be crisp-tender (not mushy).

NOTE: I recommend using FRESH green beans, without apologies. There’s just something about crisp FRESH green beans for this dish, versus using frozen beans. Just my humble opinion…

Green beans and vegetable (or chicken) broth are added to the skillet.The green beans are cooked about 10 minutes until broth has dissipated.

Immediately add minced garlic, red chili flakes, lemon zest, and roughly chopped roasted hazelnuts to the skillet. Give everything a good stir to incorporate all the ingredients.

TIP: The hazelnuts give the dish a nice crunch, which we really love. Remember- you can always substitute sliced, roasted almonds if hazelnuts are difficult to find in your area. They will add a wonderful crunch, as well!

Cook for about one minute, stirring OFTEN (so garlic doesn’t burn), until the lemon hazelnut green beans are fully heated through. Season to taste with salt and pepper, if desired. Remove the skillet from the heat source, and transfer green beans to a serving dish.

Minced garlic, chili flakes, lemon zest and hazelnuts are added to green beans.

Time To Serve The Lemon Hazelnut Green Beans

As soon as you remove the lemon hazelnut green beans from the heat, it is time to serve them while HOT! Transfer everything to a serving bowl, and dish it up.** If desired, a simple garnish of a few roasted hazelnuts and some pretty thinly sliced lemon peel looks nice (but is totally optional).

Lemon Hazelnut Green Beans are garnished and ready to serve.

The green beans have so much flavor, I’m confident you will enjoy them. The recipe makes enough for 4 side servings, but can be EASILY doubled! The lemon hazelnut green beans pair wonderfully with chicken, beef, pork OR fish, so it’s a versatile side dish for all occasions.

A look at the Lemon Hazelnut Green Beans, up close in a white bowl.

I really hope you enjoy this easy, but absolutely DELICIOUS veggie dish. Easy to prepare, and packed with bright flavors, you’re gonna love them. Have a great day, and come back for a visit again soon.

Looking For More VEGGIE SIDE DISH Recipes?

You can find ALL of my side dish recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. I have quite a few delicious veggie side dishes, including:

Interested In More Recipes?

Thank you for visiting this website. I appreciate you using some of your valuable time to do so.  If you’re interested, I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with all the latest recipes, and other fun info. I would be honored to have you join our growing list of subscribers, so you never miss a great recipe!
There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right side (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use, where you can easily submit your e-mail address (only) to be included in my mailing list.

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:

Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Instagram: jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

Author's signature

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Lemon Hazelnut Green Beans
Prep Time
12 mins
Cook Time
13 mins
Total Time
25 mins
 

Lemon Hazelnut Green Beans are a delicious, flavor-filled side dish, and are a perfect choice for either a casual meal or a holiday feast!

Category: Side Dish, Vegetable Dish
Cuisine: American
Keyword: lemon hazelnut green beans
Servings: 4
Calories Per Serving: 120 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
  • 1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 Tablespoons chopped shallots
  • 1 pound green beans , trimmed/snapped or cut into 2" pieces
  • ½ cup vegetable OR chicken broth
  • 1 large clove garlic , minced
  • ½ large lemon (ZEST OF) , zest only
  • ¼ teaspoon red chili flakes
  • 3 Tablespoons roughly chopped roasted hazelnuts
  • salt & black pepper , to season to taste
US Customary - Metric
Instructions

  1. Measure olive oil into a large skillet, and spread around to cover bottom of skillet. Heat on medium heat. Once hot (but not smoking), add chopped shallots. Cook, stirring often for 1-2 minutes.

  2. Add green beans and broth to skillet. Stir to combine; cook (uncovered) for 9-10 minutes. When done, broth should have dissipated, and beans should be crisp-tender.

  3. Immediately add garlic, red chili flakes, lemon zest, and hazelnuts to skillet. Stir, to combine. Cook for one minute, stirring OFTEN (so garlic doesn't burn), until beans are heated through. Season to taste with salt and pepper, if desired. Garnish with additional hazelnuts and thinly sliced lemon peel, if desired. Serve immediately.

    TIP: Substitute sliced, roasted almonds if hazelnuts are difficult to find in your area. Enjoy!

Nutrition Facts
Lemon Hazelnut Green Beans
Amount Per Serving (1 g)
Calories 120 Calories from Fat 72
% Daily Value*
Fat 8g12%
Saturated Fat 1g6%
Sodium 10mg0%
Potassium 307mg9%
Carbohydrates 11g4%
Fiber 4g17%
Sugar 5g6%
Protein 4g8%
Vitamin A 820IU16%
Vitamin C 16mg19%
Calcium 51mg5%
Iron 2mg11%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!

Lemon Hazelnut Green Beans are a delicious, flavor-filled side dish, and are a perfect choice for either a casual meal or a holiday feast!


Oct
2020

Classic Pimiento Cheese

categories: Appetizers, Lunch - Quick and Easy
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Need a delicious, EASY, quick appetizer or sandwich? Make a small batch of classic pimiento cheese to serve on crackers or a favorite bread.
Need a delicious, EASY, quick appetizer or sandwich? Make a small batch of classic pimiento cheese to serve on crackers or a favorite bread.

True story. I used to cringe when my mom made or talked about pimiento cheese. She is from the South, and this is something she grew up with, and has great memories of eating. Growing up, she would occasionally make it, and I thought it was disgusting! It’s basically a cheese spread, commonly used on crackers or sandwiches, especially in the South.

In January of this year, I helped my mom move from Southern California to Georgia. Once of the things she wanted on our first quick visit to the store to get a few necessities was PIMIENTO CHEESE. Pre-made pimiento cheese in a carton to have around. Ugh.

HOWEVER…(this is where it gets interesting)…one late evening after helping unpack her moving boxes (and not eating dinner) I was quite hungry. Mom didn’t have much food in her pantry because she eats most meals in the dining room at her retirement community. That’s when I saw it. That carton of pre-made pimiento cheese in her refrigerator, taunting me.

Well, against my better judgement, I spread a couple spoonfuls on a piece of bread (desperate times call for desperate measures). Guess what? I LIKED IT. Whaaat?  Ever since then, I’ve thought about that pimiento cheese, and now I’ve found a wonderfully delicious recipe to make it from scratch on my own (with a couple tweaks). I LOVE IT! My husband wasn’t sure he would like it when he first saw it, and HE LIKES IT TOO. Here’s how to make it (adapted from a Paula Deen recipe):

Scroll down for a printable recipe card at the bottom of the page.

What Ingredients Are Used In This Recipe?

To make pimiento cheese, you will need mayonnaise, diced pimientos, yellow onion, Tabasco sauce (or other hot sauce), Worcestershire sauce, and SHARP cheddar cheese. I use light mayo, but feel free to use regular fat mayo, if that’s what you have. No problem.

NOTE: For this recipe I prefer to use sharp cheese that I grate myself with my box grater. I feel like it blends better than the bagged versions (which have added stabilizers), but it’s up to you which you decide to use. Sharp cheese is a must for the best flavor!

Ingredients used to make pimiento cheese, ready to go.

How To Make Classic Pimiento Cheese

This recipe is so super easy to make you won’t believe it! Place all of the ingredients EXCEPT THE CHEESE in a medium sized mixing bowl. This will be mayo, finely chopped and drained pimientos, finely grated onion, Worcestershire sauce, and hot sauce. Stir them together well, until they’re fully combined.

Mayonnaise, pimientos, Worcestershire, onion, and Tabasco sauce in mixing bowl.

Add the grated sharp cheddar cheese to the bowl, and stir really well. Keep on stirring until the pimiento cheese is completely mixed  together. This only takes a minute or two (with no special equipment needed), and BOOM- your classic pimiento cheese is DONE!

Grated sharp cheddar cheese is added to the ingredients in the mixing bowl.The pimiento cheese ingredients are stirred together until it forms a cheese spread.

Serving Classic Pimiento Cheese

You can eat the pimiento cheese right away if you want, OR you can cover it and let it chill in the refrigerator for an hour or so (whatever you want). This classic pimiento cheese will stay “good” for up to a week, if covered and stored in the refrigerator.

If you want to use it for an appetizer, simply transfer the cheese to a small serving bowl or crock. Serve with a variety of crisp crackers, and let your family or guests gobble it up.

The recipe as written below will yield about 1¼ cups ( which comes out to about 20 servings, at 1 Tablespoon each). It is VERY easy to double this recipe, if serving more guests.

Classic pimiento cheese can be served with crackers for an appetizer.

My Mom’s absolute favorite way to enjoy classic pimiento cheese is to simply spread it on a fresh piece of white bread. She is in her “happy place” when she can enjoy a pimiento cheese sandwich for a quick lunch (or dinner, at times!).

A quick and delicious sandwich can be made with classic pimiento cheese.

If you’ve never made pimiento cheese before, I would urge you to give it a try. It makes a wonderful appetizer, and only takes 6 ingredients and 5 minutes to prepare. That’s a winner in my book! Hope you enjoy it, and thanks for stopping by. Hope you come back soon.

Looking For More APPETIZER Recipes?

You can find all of my appetizer recipes in the Recipe Index, located in the Menu at the top of the page. I have some wonderful appetizer recipes you’ll enjoy, including:

Interested In More Recipes?

Thank you for visiting this website. I appreciate you using some of your valuable time to do so.  If you’re interested, I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with all the latest recipes, and other fun info. I would be honored to have you join our growing list of subscribers, so you never miss a great recipe!
There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right side (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use, where you can easily submit your e-mail address (only) to be included in my mailing list.

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:

Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Instagram: jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

Author's signature

Recipe adapted from: pauladeenmagazine.com/classic-pimiento-cheese-recipe/

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Classic Pimiento Cheese
Prep Time
5 mins
Cook Time
0 mins
Total Time
5 mins
 

Need a delicious, EASY, quick appetizer or sandwich? Make a small batch of classic pimiento cheese to serve on crackers or a favorite bread.

Category: Appetizer
Cuisine: All Cuisines
Keyword: classic pimiento cheese
Servings: 20 Tablespoons (1.25 cups)
Calories Per Serving: 60 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
  • ½ cup light mayonnaise
  • 2 ounces jarred, diced pimientos , drained
  • 1 teaspoon finely grated yellow onion
  • ½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
  • ¼ teaspoon Tabasco sauce , or other hot sauce
  • 8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese , grated (fresh is best)
US Customary - Metric
Instructions

  1. Place all ingredients EXCEPT CHEESE in a medium sized mixing bowl. Stir together, until fully combined.

  2. Add grated sharp cheddar cheese, and stir really well. Keep on stirring until pimiento cheese is completely mixed  together. This only takes a minute or two.

  3. To serve, transfer pimiento cheese to a small bowl or crock. Serve with crackers, or use as a sandwich spread. Store leftover pimiento cheese in covered container for up to a week. Enjoy!

Nutrition Facts
Classic Pimiento Cheese
Amount Per Serving (1 Tablespoon)
Calories 60 Calories from Fat 45
% Daily Value*
Fat 5g8%
Saturated Fat 3g19%
Cholesterol 13mg4%
Sodium 115mg5%
Potassium 16mg0%
Carbohydrates 1g0%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 1g1%
Protein 3g6%
Vitamin A 193IU4%
Vitamin C 2mg2%
Calcium 82mg8%
Iron 1mg6%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Need a delicious, EASY, quick appetizer or sandwich? Make a small batch of classic pimiento cheese to serve on crackers or a favorite bread.

 


Oct
2020

Black Beans And Rice

categories: Main Dishes, Meatless Meals, Mexican / Southwestern
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Black Beans and Rice is a scrumptious, budget-friendly, meatless meal for the family! A lot of flavor, fiber, and protein in this easy dish!
Black Beans and Rice is a scrumptious, budget-friendly, meatless meal for the family! A lot of flavor, fiber, and protein in this easy dish!

If you’re looking for a “meatless Monday” kind of meal, may I suggest this easy recipe for black beans and rice? Not only is it meatless, it is fairly inexpensive to prepare, and tastes fantastic! My husband and I recently began setting aside at least one night a week for meatless meals. We are true meat-eaters, but find it to be a wonderful break for us. I originally found this recipe while searching for meatless meals online. I only “tweaked” the original recipe I used very slightly.

This recipe features black beans, brown rice, veggies and spices, which are great options in any tasty meal. Black beans are a wonderful source of protein and have lots of fiber, which helps add to a feeling of fulness. Brown rice also has more fiber, antioxidants, vitamins & minerals than white rice, so it will also help “fill you up”. That’s a win-win, in my book. Here’s how to make black beans and rice:

Scroll down for a printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Prepare The Spice Mixture

Before beginning to cook this simple dish, I start by getting the spices together, so they’ll be ready to dump into the skillet later! The spices used add wonderful flavor (and is not too spicy) to the black beans and rice.

The spices you will need for this dish are dried parsley, onion powder, garlic powder, thyme, oregano, cayenne pepper, salt and black pepper. Measure them into a small bowl, and give them a stir, to combine. Set the spice mixture aside until later.

Spices for the black beans and rice are combined in a small bowl.

A Note About Cooking The Brown Rice

You will need to cook the brown rice in broth (vegetable OR chicken). Brown rice tends to take a bit longer to cook than white rice, so plan a bit ahead on this one, ok? I try to get the rice almost fully cooked before preparing the rest of the dish. You can make it ahead to save time, and then fluff it with a fork before adding it to this dish, if that’s more convenient.

Cook the rice according to the package instructions, but substitute vegetable or chicken broth for the water needed. The broth adds another layer of flavor. It is not absolutely essential to do this, but I highly recommend it! Once the rice is fully cooked, and the liquid has been absorbed, remove it from the heat source, fluff it with a fork, and set aside.

Brown rice is cooked in vegetable or chicken broth.

Preparing The Black Beans And Rice

Now it’s time to put this meal together. Heat olive oil on medium heat in a large skillet until very hot. Add chopped green peppers and yellow onion to the hot oil. Sauté the veggies for 4-5 minutes, stirring often to prevent sticking or burning.

Once done, add drained black beans, minced garlic, diced fresh tomatoes, and the spice mixture to the skillet. Stir well, to fully combine all the spices with the ingredients. I was happy to be able to use a jar of my homemade canned black beans in this meal (YAY).

Chopped green pepper and onions are cooked in olive oil in skillet.Green peppers, tomatoes, black beans and spices are added to the skillet to cook.

Add one more cup of vegetable or chicken broth to the skillet. Cook the mixture, uncovered, on medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring often. This just adds in another layer of flavor. When finished cooking, the liquid should be reduced/absorbed.

The ingredients are cooked for 10 minutes before adding rice.

Add the cooked brown rice to the skillet, and stir well, to incorporate it into the veggies. Cook on medium heat for a couple minutes, stirring often, until the black beans and rice are heated through. Remove the skillet from the heat source.

Cooked brown rice is added to the skillet, and stirred in, to combine.All the black beans and rice ingredients are combined in skillet... time to eat!

Time To Serve The Black Beans And Rice

Now the black beans and rice are ready to serve immediately, while hot. The recipe make 3 good sized servings, or 4 smaller servings, and can be easily doubled. When we enjoy this meal, we like to top each portion with a few fresh avocado slices, and a dollop of sour cream (optional). These toppings add color, extra flavor, creamy texture and taste to perfectly complete this yummy, filling meal!

Black beans and rice is served, topped with sour cream and avocado slices.

We really love flavor-filled black beans and rice, and I hope you have the opportunity to try this meal soon! Pretty sure you won’t even miss the meat! Thanks for stopping by, and I hope you will come back for a visit again soon.

Looking For More MEATLESS MEALS?

You can find all of my recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. I have a variety of meatless meals you might enjoy, including:

Interested In More Recipes?

Thank you for visiting this website. I appreciate you using some of your valuable time to do so.  If you’re interested, I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with all the latest recipes, and other fun info. I would be honored to have you join our growing list of subscribers, so you never miss a great recipe!
There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right side (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use, where you can easily submit your e-mail address (only) to be included in my mailing list.

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:

Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Instagram: jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

Author's signature

Original recipe source:  Ginny, at https://veganinthefreezer.com/acadian-black-beans/

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Black Beans and Rice
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
20 mins
Total Time
35 mins
 

Black Beans and Rice is a scrumptious, budget-friendly, meatless meal for the family! A lot of flavor, fiber, and protein in this easy dish!

Category: Entree, Meatless Entree
Cuisine: American
Keyword: black beans and rice
Servings: 3
Calories Per Serving: 352 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
Spice Mix:
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon dried parsley
  • ½ teaspoon onion powder
  • ½ teaspoon dried thyme
  • ½ teaspoon dried oregano
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
For Remainder Of Dish:
  • 1¾ cup vegetable or chicken broth , low sodium
  • ¾ cup uncooked brown rice
  • ½ Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • ¼ medium yellow onion , peeled and chopped
  • ½ medium green bell pepper , seeded and chopped
  • 15 ounces canned black beans , rinsed and drained
  • ¼ cup diced fresh tomatoes
  • 1 large garlic clove , minced
  • 1 cup vegetable or chicken broth (additional) , low sodium
US Customary - Metric
Instructions

  1. Measure spices into small bowl. Stir to combine/set aside.

  2. Cook rice according to pkg. instructions, substituting 1¾ cups vegetable or chicken broth for water called for. Once done, and liquid has fully reduced, remove from heat; set aside.

  3. Heat olive oil (medium heat) in a large skillet until hot. Add green peppers and onion. Sauté 4-5 minutes, stirring often to prevent sticking/burning. When done, add black beans, minced garlic, diced tomatoes, and spice mixture to skillet. Stir well.

  4. Add one add'l. cup of broth to skillet. Cook uncovered, on medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring often. When finished, liquid should be fully reduced/absorbed. Add brown rice. Stir well. Cook on medium heat 2-3 minutes, stirring often, until heated through.

  5. Serve immediately, topping each portion with avocado slices/sour cream dollop, if desired, Enjoy!

Nutrition Facts
Black Beans and Rice
Amount Per Serving (1 g)
Calories 352 Calories from Fat 36
% Daily Value*
Fat 4g6%
Saturated Fat 1g6%
Sodium 936mg41%
Potassium 641mg18%
Carbohydrates 66g22%
Fiber 13g54%
Sugar 2g2%
Protein 14g28%
Vitamin A 246IU5%
Vitamin C 22mg27%
Calcium 71mg7%
Iron 4mg22%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Black Beans and Rice is a scrumptious, budget-friendly, meatless meal for the family! A lot of flavor, fiber, and protein in this easy dish!


Sep
2020

Banana Chocolate Chip Bars

categories: Bar Cookies, Desserts
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It’s easy to make Banana Chocolate Chip Bars (w/ cream cheese frosting) for those you love! They’re moist & delicious- you’re gonna love ’em!
It's easy to make Banana Chocolate Chip Bars (w/ cream cheese frosting) for those you love! They're moist & delicious- you're gonna love 'em!

Today I want to share with you a yummy recipe I use to make banana chocolate chip bars. I’ve made other recipes over the years, but this one is my “go to” now. I made a very slight “tweak” to a great banana bar recipe (CAN YOU SAY CHOCOLATE?), and have gotten rave reviews for these dessert treats ever since!

The addition of mini chocolate chips, plus using 4 ripe bananas and sour cream in the batter, adds to the flavor, and the “moistness” of these yummy bars. They are so good, so I wanted to share the recipe here on the blog. They don’t take too long at all to prepare (only about 20 minutes prep.) Here’s how to make them:

Scroll down for a printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Prepare The Batter

Beat butter and granulated sugar together in medium sized mixing bowl (or in a stand mixer). Once it’s creamy and well-blended, add the eggs, ONE AT A TIME to the bowl, beating well after each egg is added. Now add vanilla extract and sour cream to the batter, and beat well, to fully incorporate these ingredients.

Butter, sugar, eggs, cream cheese and vanilla are mixed for the batter.

In a separate small bowl, whisk together all purpose flour, salt and baking soda. STIR the flour mixture into the batter, a little at a time, until all the flour has been added.

Dry ingredients are stirred into the batter for the banana bars.

Time To Add The Bananas!

Place four really ripe bananas into a mixing bowl. You know… the browned ones with lots of spots (the ones you forgot about!). They are nice and soft… and SWEET! Mash them up with a fork until fully “smooshed”, and then add them to the batter, along with mini chocolate chips. Give the batter a good stir, to ensure all ingredients are fully combined.

Ripe bananas are smashed then added with chocolate chips to batter.

Bake The Banana Chocolate Chip Bars

Now it’s time to bake ’em!  Pour the batter, spreading evenly into a greased (or sprayed) 13″ x 9″  baking pan (or 15″ x 10″ jelly roll pan). Bake the banana chocolate chip bars at 350°F. for 35-40 minutes (mine took 35), if using a 13″ x 9″ pan. NOTE: If you’re using a 15″ x 10″ jelly roll pan, bake the bars at 350°F. for 22-27 minutes.

When done, the bars will be golden brown on top, and a toothpick inserted into the top/middle of the bars should come out clean. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let the banana chocolate chip bars cool completely. You can make the cream cheese frosting while they cool.

Batter is spread evenly in a 13"x 9" baking pan before baking.Banana chocolate chip bars cooling in pan on wire rack, after baking.

Frost The Banana Chocolate Chip Bars

While the bars cool, make the frosting. It’s easy! Place softened cream cheese, softened butter, and vanilla in a medium mixing bowl. Beat these three ingredients together until fully blended. Add the powdered sugar, a little at a time, and continue beating as you add it, until the frosting becomes creamy. This only takes a few minutes.

Spread the frosting over the top of the completely cooled banana chocolate chip bars, and then sprinkle with additional chocolate chips, if desired.  I can’t resist, so I sprinkle about 3 Tablespoons of mini chocolate chips over the top. It’s an optional step, but it sure looks yummy. Let the bars sit for a few minutes to let the frosting slightly firm up, then slice them up!

A cream cheese frosting is beaten together to frost the dessert bars.Frosting is spread on cooled banana bars, then garnished with chocolate chips.

Time To Eat!

If making these banana chocolate chip bars in a 13″ x 9″ pan (that’s how I make ’em), you can cut them into 24 small portions. If making in a jellyroll pan, you will get approx. 36 servings. The banana bars are moist, absolutely delicious, and filled with flavor. And that cream cheese frosting… whoa… it’s absolutely scrumptious!

I filled several plates with a few of these bars, and delivered them to four of our neighbors as a surprise treat. They got rave reviews! Trust me… I could have eaten the entire batch (they’re sooo good), but decided to share with others, rather than sharing with my hips (wink, wink)!

Banana chocolate chip bars are cut into portions and served!Plates full of banana chocolate chip bars, ready to deliver to our neighbors.

We love these yummy dessert bars, and I am confident you will, too. I hope you have the opportunity to make them for those you love. Thank you for stopping by, and I hope you will visit again soon. Have a great day!

Looking For More BAR COOKIE Recipes?

You can find all of my bar cookie recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. I have quite a few you will enjoy, including:

Interested In More Recipes?

Thank you for visiting this website. I appreciate you using some of your valuable time to do so.  If you’re interested, I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with all the latest recipes, and other fun info. I would be honored to have you join our growing list of subscribers, so you never miss a great recipe!
There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right side (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use, where you can easily submit your e-mail address (only) to be included in my mailing list.

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:

Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Instagram: jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

Author's signature

Recipe adapted from Terri, at: greatgrubdelicioustreats.com/banana-bars-with-cream-cheese-frosting/

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Banana Chocolate Chip Bars
Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
35 mins
Total Time
55 mins
 

It's easy to make Banana Chocolate Chip Bars (w/ cream cheese frosting) for those you love! They're moist and delicious- you're gonna love 'em!

Category: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: banana chocolate chip bars
Servings: 24
Calories Per Serving: 292 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
  • ½ cup butter softened
  • 1⅓ cups granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • 2 cups all purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 4 medium RIPE bananas , mashed
  • ½ cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
For Frosting:
  • 8 ounces cream cheese softened
  • ½ cup butter softened
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 3 cups powdered sugar
US Customary - Metric
Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a 13 x 9 baking pan or 15 x 10 jelly roll pan with non-stick spray.

  2. Beat softened butter and sugar in medium bowl until creamy. Add eggs (one at a time), beating well after each addition. Add vanilla and sour cream; beat well.

  3. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, salt and baking soda. STIR flour mixture into the batter, a little at a time, until combined. Next, add mashed bananas and chocolate chips to batter; stir until fully combined.

  4. Spread batter evenly into prepared 13" x 9" pan (or 15" x 10" jelly roll pan). Bake at 350°F. for 35-40 minutes (for a 13x9 pan) or for 22-27 minutes (in jelly roll pan). When done, the bars should be golden brown on top, and a toothpick inserted into the top of the bars should come out clean. Transfer pan to a wire rack; let bars cool completely before frosting.

Make Frosting:

  1. Place (softened) cream cheese, butter, and vanilla in a large bowl. Beat together until fully combined and smooth. Add powdered sugar, a little at a time, beating after each addition, until creamy.

  2. Spread frosting over cooled banana bars; sprinkle with additional chocolate chips (optional), if desired.  Let rest for a few minutes to let frosting slightly firm up, then cut into bars and serve! (24 servings for 9 x 13 pan, and 36 servings for 15 x 10 pan). Enjoy!

Recipe Notes

NOTES: Caloric calculation was made based on 24 servings (9 x 13 pan). If making 36 servings (in 15 x 10 jelly roll pan), the calorie calculation reduces to approx. 195 calories per serving. **Additional 3 Tbsp. mini chocolate chips (for garnish on top) are optional, and were not included in either caloric calculation.

Nutrition Facts
Banana Chocolate Chip Bars
Amount Per Serving (1 bar)
Calories 292 Calories from Fat 117
% Daily Value*
Fat 13g20%
Saturated Fat 8g50%
Cholesterol 45mg15%
Sodium 196mg9%
Potassium 159mg5%
Carbohydrates 43g14%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 31g34%
Protein 3g6%
Vitamin A 358IU7%
Vitamin C 2mg2%
Calcium 38mg4%
Iron 1mg6%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!It's easy to make Banana Chocolate Chip Bars (w/ cream cheese frosting) for those you love! They're moist & delicious- you're gonna love 'em!


Sep
2020

Pumpkin Vinaigrette

categories: Sauces and Dressings
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It’s easy to make pumpkin vinaigrette in 5 minutes with a few ingredients! It’s a delicious salad dressing for mixed green or rice salads.
It's easy to make pumpkin vinaigrette in 5 minutes with a few ingredients! It's a delicious salad dressing for mixed green or rice salads.

Last year I made an absolutely delicious wild rice salad, with pumpkin vinaigrette for the dressing. It was fantastic, so today I want to share the recipe for the salad dressing. This vinaigrette is delicious on most mixed green salads, too, which is why it is good to have the recipe in my salad dressing “toolbox”.

You can use canned pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie mix) OR your own homemade pumpkin puree, which is what I typically use to make this vinaigrette. Obviously the canned pumpkin puree is very convenient, but since I usually have several bags of homemade puree stored in our freezer, homemade is my “go to”.

The recipe is super easy to make in 5 minutes or less, with a few simple ingredients. Here’s how to make this delicious dressing:

Scroll down for a printable recipe card at the bottom of this page.

How To Make Pumpkin Vinaigrette

Measure 1/4 cup of pumpkin puree (canned or homemade) into a small bowl. NOTE: Remember to NOT use pumpkin pie filling, or you probably won’t like this dressing!

Homemade or canned pumpkin puree is used as the base for this vinaigrette.

To the pumpkin puree add white wine vinegar, honey, salt, pepper, and some dried thyme. (Exact measurements are found in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post).

Spices, white wine vinegar and pumpkin puree are measured into a small bowl.

Whisk these ingredients together until they are fully blended, and the vinaigrette is creamy. The mixture will be fairly thick.

The ingredients for pumpkin vinaigrette are whisked together until blended.

Slowly drizzle olive oil into the pumpkin vinaigrette mixture. Be sure to whisk continuously as you slowly drizzle the olive oil in, because slow drizzling and whisking continuously helps the vinaigrette to emulsify. That basically means you mix the ingredients so well that ingredients that normally don’t combine well (like oil and water), can “come together” in a way that disperses them into a stabilized unit.

Most vinaigrettes are emulsified, to fully blend the various vinegars and oils. It’s a simple process, and you end up with a great dressing for your salads. Once the pumpkin vinaigrette is fully blended, then it is ready to serve on your favorite salad.

Olive oil is whisked into the pumpkin vinaigrette before serving.

Time To Dress A Salad With Pumpkin Vinaigrette

The photo below shows the pumpkin vinaigrette being added to my wild rice salad. This dressing is really delicious, full of unique flavors, and is a great addition to most salads.  I think you will really enjoy it.

Store any leftover salad dressing in a covered container in the refrigerator. After it has been refrigerated, bring it back to room temperature, because the oil will have slightly solidified. Shake or stir the vinaigrette vigorously before using again.

The finished pumpkin vinaigrette is poured over wild rice salad and then served.

Hope you enjoy this simple pumpkin vinaigrette. Thanks for stopping by, take care, and have a GREAT day!

Looking For More SALAD DRESSING Recipes?

You can find all of my salad dressing recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. I have several, which include:

Interested In More Recipes?

Thank you for visiting this website. I appreciate you using some of your valuable time to do so.  If you’re interested, I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with all the latest recipes, and other fun info. I would be honored to have you join our growing list of subscribers, so you never miss a great recipe!
There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right side (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use, where you can easily submit your e-mail address (only) to be included in my mailing list.

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:
Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Instagram: jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

Author's signature

Original recipe source: My “Southern Living 2009 Annual Recipes Cookbook”, published 1999 by Oxmoor House, Inc., page 195

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Pumpkin Vinaigrette
Prep Time
5 mins
Cook Time
0 mins
Total Time
5 mins
 

It's easy to make pumpkin vinaigrette in 5 minutes with a few ingredients! It's a delicious salad dressing for mixed green or rice salads.

Category: Salad Dressing
Cuisine: American
Keyword: pumpkin vinaigrette
Servings: 10 Tablespoons (approx. 2/3 cup total)
Calories Per Serving: 73 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
  • ¼ cup canned pumpkin puree (or homemade) , NOT pumpkin pie filling
  • ¼ cup white wine vinegar
  • 1 Tablespoon honey
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
  • ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
US Customary - Metric
Instructions

  1. Measure pumpkin puree (canned or homemade) into a small bowl. Add white wine vinegar, honey, salt, pepper, and dried thyme. Whisk these ingredients together until fully blended and creamy.

  2. Slowly drizzle olive oil into vinaigrette. Whisk continuously as you drizzle the olive oil, because slow drizzling and whisking continuously helps the vinaigrette emulsify. Once pumpkin vinaigrette is fully blended, it is ready to serve on your favorite salad.

  3. Store leftover salad dressing in a covered container in refrigerator. After it's been refrigerated, bring it back to room temperature, because oil will have slightly solidified. Shake or stir vinaigrette vigorously before using again. Enjoy!

Nutrition Facts
Pumpkin Vinaigrette
Amount Per Serving (1 Tablespoon)
Calories 73 Calories from Fat 63
% Daily Value*
Fat 7g11%
Saturated Fat 1g6%
Sodium 117mg5%
Potassium 13mg0%
Carbohydrates 2g1%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 2g2%
Protein 1g2%
Vitamin A 953IU19%
Vitamin C 1mg1%
Calcium 2mg0%
Iron 1mg6%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!It's easy to make pumpkin vinaigrette in 5 minutes with a few ingredients! It's a delicious salad dressing for mixed green or rice salads.


Sep
2020

Caramel Apple Cider

categories: Beverages
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Fall and Winter are perfect seasons for easy-to-make delicious, hot Caramel Apple Cider, with whipped cream and caramel sauce!
Fall and Winter are perfect seasons for easy-to-make delicious, hot Caramel Apple Cider, with whipped cream and caramel sauce!

Fall is here… and with it comes the gorgeous foliage (on the trees AND on the ground), crisp air, cooler temperatures, and in our area of the Pacific Northwest… RAIN. When Fall arrives, I love to wear sweatshirts, sweatpants, curl up by our fireplace each morning, AND drink a lot of HOT beverages, to keep me WARM!

Fall leaves and cooler temperatures encourage us to enjoy hot apple cider!

Fall and Winter are also the perfect seasons to enjoy Apple Cider Bundt Cake, Valencia Orange Hot Chocolate, Mom’s Apple Cake, and a big, hot bowl of Grandma’s Southern-Style Chicken n’ Dumplings! YUM! And now, here’s a wonderful hot beverage to enjoy, too!

The cider recipe I am sharing today is a delicious twist on “typical” apple cider. I discovered it in one of my old cookbooks from Southern Living (a Christmas edition). Tried it and loved it, so it’s now a lovely recipe to enjoy, especially during cool weather. With a few additional (simple) ingredients, you can transform a simple mug of apple cider into a delicious, glamorous looking, hot beverage treat!

This recipe for caramel apple cider is really easy to make, and is done in just under 15 minutes. The recipe yields four, one cup servings. Here’s how to make this yummy drink:

Scroll down for a printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.

How To Make Caramel Apple Cider

Place heavy whipping cream and light brown sugar in a large saucepan. Stir the two ingredients together, and cook, on medium heat, stirring constantly. Cook for  a total of two minutes (stirring constantly), until the liquid is very bubbly.

Whipping cream and brown sugar are cooked in saucepan.Brown sugar and heavy whipping cream cook until bubbly.

Pour in the apple cider and vanilla extract. Stir well, to fully combine the ingredients. Cook the caramel apple cider for ten minutes, or until the cider is fully heated through. Once it is really hot, remove the pan from the heat source. Now it’s time to garnish, and enjoy this yummy hot drink.

Apple cider and vanilla are added to the saucepan and heated through.

Serving Caramel Apple Cider

Ladle the steamin’ hot caramel apple cider into four mugs (approx. 8 ounces per mug). Top each mug of cider with aerosol whipped cream (really spray it on there!), and then drizzle the whipped cream with room temperature caramel sauce. You can also sprinkle each cider with ground cinnamon, if desired.

Serve the caramel apple cider immediately, and enjoy this tasty hot drink. The addition of the vanilla, cream and light brown sugar, give the cider a surprising, caramel-like twist, which I think you will enjoy! And the whipped cream and caramel sauce topping? YES, please!

A mug of caramel apple cider, topped with whipped cream and caramel sauce.

I hope you enjoy the sights, sounds, and experiences this Fall season. Make yourself (and those you love), a nice hot mug of caramel apple cider, sit back, and enjoy the changing of the seasons!

Whipped cream and caramel sauce top a mug of hot caramel apple cider.

Thank you so much for stopping by today. I hope you have a wonderful day, and pray God provides you with encouragement, wisdom and grace for everything you encounter today. Come back soon, okay?

Looking For More FALL-INSPIRED Recipes?

You can more of my recipes in the Recipe Index, located in the MENU bar at the top of the page. I have quite a few recipes perfect for this season, including:

Interested In More Recipes?

Thank you for visiting this website. I appreciate you using some of your valuable time to do so.  If you’re interested, I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with all the latest recipes, and other fun info. I would be honored to have you join our growing list of subscribers, so you never miss a great recipe!
There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right side (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use, where you can easily submit your e-mail address (only) to be included in my mailing list.

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Author's signature

Original recipe source: The cookbook “Christmas with Southern Living 2010”, published by Oxmoor House, page 145

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Caramel Apple Cider
Prep Time
3 mins
Cook Time
10 mins
Total Time
13 mins
 

Fall and Winter are perfect seasons for easy-to-make delicious, hot Caramel Apple Cider, with whipped cream and caramel sauce!

Category: Beverage
Cuisine: American
Keyword: caramel apple cider
Servings: 4 (8 oz. servings)
Calories Per Serving: 250 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
For Caramel Apple Cider:
  • ⅓ cup heavy whipping cream
  • ⅓ cup light brown sugar
  • 4 cups apple cider
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For Topping (optional, but good!)
  • aerosol whipped cream, caramel sauce, cinnamon
US Customary - Metric
Instructions

  1. Place whipping cream and light brown sugar in a large saucepan. Stir to combine ingredients. Cook on medium heat 2 minutes (stirring constantly), until very bubbly.

  2. Add apple cider and vanilla to pan. Stir well, to combine ingredients. Cook (stirring occasionally) for 10 minutes on medium-low heat, or until cider is fully heated through. Remove pan from heat source.

  3. Ladle hot cider into 4 mugs (approx. 8 ounces per mug). Top each cider with aerosol whipped cream (really spray it on there!), then drizzle with caramel sauce. Serve immediately, Enjoy.

Recipe Notes

NOTE: The optional toppings (aerosol whipped cream, caramel sauce & cinnamon) are not included in the caloric calculation, because amounts used may vary from person to person.

Nutrition Facts
Caramel Apple Cider
Amount Per Serving (1 cup (8 oz.)s)
Calories 250 Calories from Fat 72
% Daily Value*
Fat 8g12%
Saturated Fat 5g31%
Cholesterol 27mg9%
Sodium 22mg1%
Potassium 278mg8%
Carbohydrates 45g15%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 41g46%
Protein 1g2%
Vitamin A 292IU6%
Vitamin C 2mg2%
Calcium 47mg5%
Iron 1mg6%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Fall and Winter are perfect seasons for easy-to-make delicious, hot Caramel Apple Cider, with whipped cream and caramel sauce!


Sep
2020

Chicken Pasta Casserole

categories: Casseroles, Chicken, Main Dishes
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You’ll enjoy this Chicken Pasta Casserole, with rotini pasta, zucchini, onions, red bell peppers, Parmesan and mozzarella, in a creamy sauce!
You'll enjoy this Chicken Pasta Casserole, with rotini pasta, zucchini, onions, red bell peppers, Parmesan and mozzarella, in a creamy sauce!

I don’t know about you, but we enjoy a tasty casserole every now and then. Casseroles seem to have a little bit of everything in them, feed a crowd, and the leftovers are great the next day! THAT’S a win-win, in my book. This chicken pasta casserole (which is also easy to make) is no exception to that theory. Years ago I made a few changes to the original recipe, and have been happy with the results.

Filled with chicken breast, veggies, curly rotini pasta, spices and two kinds of cheese, it practically has all the food groups represented (except for fruit or dessert, wink wink!). I found my handwritten recipe on an index card in a very old recipe box. I made this casserole several times many years ago (at least 15), and had written “GREAT” on the recipe, so I decided to cook it again, photograph the process, and share it here on my blog. Here’s how to make this delicious casserole:

Scroll down for a printable recipe card at the bottom of the page.

Prepare The Pasta

Cook rotini pasta (or rotelle) according to the package directions in boiling, salted water. Once the pasta is fully cooked, drain the pasta, and then set it aside. TIP: Make the sauce for the casserole while the pasta is cooking, to save time! 

Adding pasta to boiling water to cook.

Make The Sauce For The Chicken Pasta Casserole

To make the sauce, first melt butter in a large skillet on medium heat. Add chopped onions, red bell peppers, and sliced zucchini halves to the skillet. Sauté the veggies just until they become crisp/tender (approx. 3-4 minutes). Stir in flour until it’s combined with the veggies.

Bell peppers, zucchini, and onion are cooked in butter.Flour is stirred into the veggies to help thicken sauce later.

Cook The Sauce Until Thickened

Now add milk, chicken broth, tomato paste, salt, pepper, and basil to the skillet. Stir to combine all ingredients. Continue cooking, stirring often, on medium heat until the mixture has thickened and is bubbly. Once thickened, add 2 Tablespoons of grated Parmesan cheese, and stir again, to combine.

Milk, chicken broth, tomato paste and spices are added to make the sauce.The sauce for the chicken pasta casserole has thickened.

Stir in the cooked pasta and the chicken. Make sure to get everything covered with the sauce. Now you’re ready to put it all in a greased casserole dish, and bake!

Cooked pasta and chicken are added to the creamy sauce.Ingredients are stirred until fully incorporated.

Bake The Chicken Pasta Casserole

Spread the casserole mixture into a greased 3 quart casserole dish evenly. Sprinkle the top of the pasta with the remaining 2 Tablespoons of Parmesan cheese, followed by the grated mozzarella cheese.

Cover the pan with aluminum foil, and bake, in a preheated 400°F. oven for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, remove the foil, and continue baking for 15 additional minutes. It’s done when the cheese has melted and the casserole is fully heated through.

Parmesan and mozzarella added to top of the chicken pasta casserole, before baking.Cheese has melted and casserole is bubbly when done.

That’s it! Once it comes out of the oven, the chicken pasta casserole is ready to serve, and eat! You can add additional Parmesan cheese to the top as a garnish (if desired), but it really isn’t necessary. This dish is really quite tasty, fresh from the old oven!

A bowl of chicken pasta casserole, ready to enjoy!

I truly hope you enjoy this delicious casserole. You can store leftovers covered in the refrigerator, for up to 3 days. Reheat in a microwave for a quick lunch the next day!

Thank you for stopping by… I hope you come back soon! Have a wonderful day.

Looking For More CASSEROLE Recipes?

You can find all of my casserole recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. I have quite a few, including:

Interested In More Recipes?

Thank you for visiting this website. I appreciate you using some of your valuable time to do so.  If you’re interested, I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with all the latest recipes, and other fun info. I would be honored to have you join our growing list of subscribers, so you never miss a great recipe!
There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right side (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use, where you can easily submit your e-mail address (only) to be included in my mailing list.

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:

Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Instagram: jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

Author's signature

Original recipe source: unknown

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Chicken Pasta Casserole
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
25 mins
Total Time
40 mins
 

You'll enjoy this Chicken Pasta Casserole, with rotini pasta, zucchini, onions, red bell peppers, Parmesan and mozzarella, in a creamy sauce!

Category: Entree - Casserole
Cuisine: American
Keyword: chicken pasta casserole
Servings: 5
Calories Per Serving: 428 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
  • 8 ounces rotini pasta , cooked and drained
  • 1 cup yellow onion , chopped
  • 1 large zucchini , sliced, then slices cut in half
  • ½ cup red bell pepper , seeded and chopped
  • 3 Tablespoons butter
  • ¼ cup all purpose flour
  • 1½ cups chicken broth
  • ½ cup lowfat milk
  • 1 Tablespoon tomato paste *See note
  • ¾ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon basil
  • ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 4 Tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese , divided
  • 2 cups cooked chicken breasts ,cut in bite-sized pieces
  • ⅓ cup grated mozzarella cheese
US Customary - Metric
Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Cook pasta according to package directions. Once done, drain pasta; set aside. TIP: Make the sauce for the casserole while pasta cooks, to save time! 

  2. Melt butter in large skillet. Add onions, red peppers, and zucchini. Sauté veggies until crisp/tender (approx. 3-4 minutes). Stir in flour.

  3. Add milk, chicken broth, tomato paste, salt, pepper, and basil to skillet. Stir to combine. Continue cooking on medium heat, stirring often, until mixture thickens and is bubbly. Add half (2 Tbsp.) of grated Parmesan cheese, and stir again. Stir in cooked pasta and chicken until ingredients are coated with sauce.

  4. Grease a 3 qt. baking dish with non-stick baking spray. Spread casserole evenly in dish. Sprinkle pasta with remaining 2 Tbsp. of Parmesan cheese, followed by grated mozzarella. Cover dish with aluminum foil, and bake in a preheated 400°F. oven for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, remove the foil, and continue baking for 15 additional minutes. When done, serve, and enjoy!

Recipe Notes

NOTE: You can substitute spaghetti sauce or tomato sauce if you do not have access to tomato paste, but increase amount needed to 1.5 Tablespoons.

Nutrition Facts
Chicken Pasta Casserole
Amount Per Serving (1 1/5 of total))
Calories 428 Calories from Fat 117
% Daily Value*
Fat 13g20%
Saturated Fat 7g44%
Cholesterol 74mg25%
Sodium 864mg38%
Potassium 623mg18%
Carbohydrates 47g16%
Fiber 3g13%
Sugar 7g8%
Protein 30g60%
Vitamin A 993IU20%
Vitamin C 39mg47%
Calcium 171mg17%
Iron 2mg11%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!You'll enjoy this Chicken Pasta Casserole, with rotini pasta, zucchini, onions, red bell peppers, Parmesan and mozzarella, in a creamy sauce!