The Grateful Girl Cooks!

11
Jan
2016

Tuna Avocado Cup

categories: Lunch - Quick and Easy, Salads

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If you need a quick, healthy lunch on the go, why not try a yummy Tuna Avocado Cup? Tuna salad, served in it’s own edible “bowl”.

The other day I made a Tuna Avocado Cup for lunch. I really didn’t want to make a sandwich (didn’t want the bread calories), so I made this instead… and it tasted GREAT! I thought I would post this idea for a quick, filling lunch, to keep the old body “fueled up” on busy days!

It’s SO EASY To Make A Tuna Avocado Cup!

No written recipe is needed for this “quick-and-easy-to-throw-together” lunch. All you need is some tuna salad (already made up – mine had light mayo, celery & dill pickle).You will also need a half an avocado cup per serving, a slice of tomato, a little salt and pepper to taste, and some lettuce or spinach leaves for the base.

Using a spoon, completely scoop out one half of an avocado in one piece. Run the spoon around the edges of the avocado and remove it carefully to a lettuce or spinach lined plate.

Scoop tuna salad into avocado half, mounding it up in the middle. Top with a slice of ripe tomato. Season to taste, with salt and pepper… and boom! Instant lunch! Do you know just how GOOD avocados are for you? Very good.

I used a fork to cut the tuna avocado cup, then actually scooped the bite up with spinach leaves which held it together very well. This was a nice, filling nutritious lunch without the calories from using bread.

The plus was that the tuna avocado cup only took a couple minutes from start to finish to make. Any time you can make lunch that quick is a good thing! Thought I would share this easy idea for a tuna avocado cup, in the hopes that you might consider trying it, as well! Have a fantastic day, friends.

Looking For More TUNA Recipes?

You can find ALL my recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. I have several recipes featuring tuna that you might enjoy, including:

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08
Jan
2016

Roasted Delicata Squash with Maple and Sage

categories: Side Dishes, Vegetable Dishes

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You’re gonna love this easy and delicious side dish, featuring oven roasted delicata squash, glazed with maple syrup, butter, and sage.

Have you ever tried Delicata squash before? The truth is, I had never even HEARD of delicata squash before I saw a recipe on Pinterest that I wanted to try.

I bought two delicata squash at the grocery store and made a wonderful side dish! It was so good, I am posting the recipe for Roasted Delicata Squash with Maple and Sage! It was really GOOD.

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

What IS A Delicata Squash?

I did a little research on this cylinder shaped winter squash via good ol’ Wikipedia. These vegetables are between 6-8 inches long, cream-colored with stripes, have a very thin rind, and belong to the same species as zucchini, pattypan squash, and yellow crookneck squash.

It’s believed they were first introduced to North America in 1894, and are a good source of fiber and potassium. Now, don’t you feel much more intelligent now that your brain is packed with all that squash knowledge? Ha Ha!

How To Make Roasted Delicata Squash

I used two delicata squash for this recipe (which makes 4-6 servings). The photo below shows what they look like. This recipe for roasted delicata squash can be easily cut in half or doubled, depending on the amount needed.

How To Make Roasted Delicata Squash

Slice each delicata squash in half, lengthwise, using a very sharp knife. Scoop out the seeds with a spoon. Slice off the ends of each squash half. They should look like this when done (NOTE: this picture was taken before ends were cut off).

After both ends have been sliced off, cut each half into one inch thick slices, straight across. Place all the the slices into a large bowl, and toss them gently with the olive oil and salt.

Cook The Squash

Put the oiled and salted squash slices onto a foil covered baking sheet in a single layer. The roasted delicata squash is then baked at 425° F. for 10 minutes. TIP: You will definitely want to use aluminum foil under the roasted delicata squash. It will make your clean up so much easier!!!

After the squash has baked for 10 minutes, flip the pieces over, to cook the other side. Can you see how the squash is caramelizing from the roasting? This is a good thing. Continue baking the roasted delicata squash for another 15 minutes, or until tender. You can pierce the squash with a knife or fork, to test for tenderness.

Making A Maple Sage Sauce For The Roasted Delicata Squash

While those pretty squash slices are roasting in the oven, make the Maple Sage sauce. Heat the butter, real Maple syrup and sage in a pan or skillet (on low heat) for a few minutes. Heating the sauce will infuse the the ingredients. This helps the maple and sage to permeate the butter with wonderful flavor!

Putting The Dish Together, To Serve

When the roasted delicata squash is finished cooking, remove it from oven. Place the squash into a heatproof bowl. Drizzle the baked squash all over, with the Butter, Maple & Sage sauce.

Gently stir, to coat the roasted delicata squash with the sauce. Arrange the squash on a serving platter, and serve it while hot!

Time To Enjoy Roasted Delicata Squash With Maple And Sage

Here’s the finished dish! The roasted delicata squash with maple and sage sauce looks good. More important than the way it looks is the way it TASTES… DELICIOUS!

Interesting Fact About Eating Roasted Delicata Squash

Here’s an interesting tidbit: The rind of this particular variety of squash is so thin, it is OKAY to eat it with this dish if you want! It becomes very tender when cooked. Who knew???

I LOVE finding new side dishes to try. The roasted delicata squash was very economical to make, as well, because I only paid .99 cents for each squash. Sure do hope you will consider trying this recipe. It was really delicious. Have a GREAT day!

Looking For More Vegetable Side Dishes?

You can find all of my vegetable side dishes (and others) in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. A few favorites include:

Interested In More Recipes?

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Recipe Source: http://www.afamilyfeast.com/maple-sage-roasted-delicata-squash/

0 from 0 votes

Roasted Delicata Squash with Maple and Sage

Prep Time

15 mins

Cook Time

25 mins

Total Time

40 mins

You're gonna love this easy and delicious side dish, featuring oven roasted delicata squash, glazed with maple syrup, butter, and sage

Category: Side Dish, Vegetables

Cuisine: American

Keyword: roasted delicata squash

Servings: 6 servings

Calories Per Serving: 346 kcal

Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Ingredients

2 delicata squash (whole)
3 Tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons salt
2 Tablespoons butter
2 Tablespoons fresh sage (cut into pieces- may substitute 1 1/2 Tablespoons dried sage)
2 Tablespoons real Maple syrup

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees.
Wash the outside of the squash. Using a sharp knife, cut the squash in half from top to bottom. Scoop out the seeds with a spoon (discard the seeds).
Cut off the ends of each squash half. Discard ends.
Slice across the squash; cutting it into one inch slices. Leave the skins on (they are so thin, you can eat them, as well)
Put the squash slices in a large bowl; drizzle with olive oil and salt. Mix well, to coat the squash.
Place the squash on an aluminum foil lined baking sheet. Bake them at 425 for 10 minutes.
Flip the squash over to other side and bake for 15 minutes (or until tender- test with a knife or fork).
While squash is baking, make the sauce: Cook the butter, sage, and maple syrup for a few minutes in skillet or pan, to help the flavors of maple syrup and sage permeate the melted butter.
When squash is done, drizzle with Butter/Maple and Sage sauce and stir to combine(I transferred them to a large bowl to do this!). Place glazed quash on serving platter, and serve while hot!

Nutrition Facts

Roasted Delicata Squash with Maple and Sage

Amount Per Serving (1 serving)

Calories 346 Calories from Fat 99

% Daily Value*

Fat 11g17%

Saturated Fat 3g19%

Cholesterol 10mg3%

Sodium 836mg36%

Potassium 2403mg69%

Carbohydrates 63g21%

Fiber 10g42%

Sugar 18g20%

Protein 6g12%

Vitamin A 9455IU189%

Vitamin C 83.9mg102%

Calcium 209mg21%

Iron 4.2mg23%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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06
Jan
2016

Sweet Fire Chicken (Panda Express Copycat)

categories: Asian, Chicken, Copycat Recipes, Main Dishes

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It’s easy to make Sweet Fire Chicken (Panda Express copycat) at home, with chicken breast, bell peppers and pineapple in a sweet Thai chili sauce.

We recently had a day of snow, followed by 2 days of ICE here in Portland, which made trips to the grocery store nearly impossible. While searching my cupboards, I realized we had all the ingredients for a copycat version of Sweet Fire Chicken from Panda Express, so I made it for my husband and myself. It was fantastic (which made the whole “iced in” thing not so bad)!

This sweet fire chicken dinner was absolutely delicious! A little sweet, and a little spicy! Even though we were “house-bound”, it was just as good (if not better) than getting takeout! Yummy good!

It was a very easy recipe to prepare (even if my fingers got a bit messy during the process!) Here’s how you make this dish:

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

How To Make Sweet Fire Chicken

Cut up boneless skinless chicken breasts into bite sized cubes. I used two large chicken breasts for 4 servings.

Chop and slice the red pepper and green onions, and then set them aside until you are ready to use.

Dredge all of the chicken pieces in flour, making sure to to coat all sides.

Dip the flour coated chicken pieces in beaten eggs. THIS is the “kind of messy” part! I started with tongs, then switched to using my fingers for this step.

Once the flour coated pieces of chicken has been dipped in the egg mixture, dredge them again in the flour mixture. Got it? Flour. Egg. Flour. Amen.

Cooking The Sweet Fire Chicken

Cook the chicken in batches. Cook about 2 minutes per side until brown and crispy. Try to not let the pieces touch each other (or they will bond and cook together).

When done, place cooked chicken pieces on paper towels to drain. Repeat this step until all of the chicken is cooked.

Clean out the skillet, then heat the olive oil in it. Cook the red bell pepper and pineapple for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the Thai sweet chili sauce to the skillet, and stir to combine.

This is the sweet chili sauce I used for the sweet fire chicken. It can be found in most grocery stores Asian Food specialty sections.

Ready To Serve The Sweet Fire Chicken

Add in the pieces of chicken and gently stir, to coat the chicken, bell pepper and pineapple with the sauce. Heat through and garnish with sliced green onions. Remove the sweet fire chicken from the heat, and serve!

Serve the sweet fire chicken with rice or noodles, and ENJOY! It tastes wonderful (and it’s really not too spicy… honest!). The flavors are wonderful!

The recipe makes 4 generous servings of sweet fire chicken. The dish is easy to prepare, economical, and tastes DELICIOUS! Who needs take-out when you can make it yourself? Sure hope you will give this recipe a try.

Have a great day. Be a positive influence today, in a world that’s hurting in so many ways. Take care, friend.

Looking For More ASIAN-INSPIRED Recipes?

You can find all of my recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. A few favorites include:

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Recipe Source (and with thanks to) Chungah An, at http://damndelicious.net/2014/08/02/panda-express-sweet-fire-chicken-copycat/

↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓

0 from 0 votes

Sweet Fire Chicken (Panda Express Copycat)

Prep Time

15 mins

Cook Time

15 mins

Total Time

30 mins

It's easy to make Sweet Fire Chicken (Panda Express copycat) at home, with chicken breast, bell peppers and pineapple in a sweet Thai chili sauce.

Category: Entree

Cuisine: Asian

Keyword: sweet fire chicken

Servings: 4 servings

Calories Per Serving: 565 kcal

Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Ingredients

For chicken:

1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 pound boneless , skinless chicken breasts (I use 2 large), (cut into one inch cubes)
1 cup all purpose flour
2 large eggs , beaten

For sauce, etc:

1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 red bell pepper , chopped into one inch pieces
1 1/2 cups pineapple chunks (fresh or canned/drained)
1/2 cup Thai Sweet Chili Sauce (note: I added 1/4 cup more!)
2 green onions , sliced thinly

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Dredge chicken chunks (a few at a time) into flour, coating all sides. Place each floured piece into beaten egg mixture (a few at a time), then back into the flour again, coating all sides. Repeat until all chicken is coated and ready to cook.
Heat vegetable oil on medium-high in a large skillet. When oil is hot, add the chicken pieces in batches (try to not let the pieces touch). Cook for about 2 minutes per side until golden brown. Remove cooked chicken to a paper towel covered plate, and repeat process until all chicken is cooked.
In a large skillet (if using same skillet, clean it first), heat the olive oil on medium-high heat. Add chopped red bell pepper chunks and pineapple chunks. Cook these for 3-4 minutes (this will help soften the peppers).
Add Thai chili sauce. Add chicken pieces. Stir gently, to fully combine ingredients and coat with sauce. Cook for 1-2 minutes, until heated through.,
Garnish with green onion slices, and serve while hot on a bed or rice or noodles! Enjoy!

Nutrition Facts

Sweet Fire Chicken (Panda Express Copycat)

Amount Per Serving (1 serving)

Calories 565 Calories from Fat 144

% Daily Value*

Fat 16g25%

Saturated Fat 7g44%

Cholesterol 154mg51%

Sodium 463mg20%

Potassium 825mg24%

Carbohydrates 73g24%

Fiber 4g17%

Sugar 45g50%

Protein 31g62%

Vitamin A 1250IU25%

Vitamin C 60.5mg73%

Calcium 61mg6%

Iron 3.1mg17%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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04
Jan
2016

Mushroom Risotto with Pan-Seared Shrimp

categories: Main Dishes, Seafood, Side Dishes

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You’ll love delicious, creamy mushroom risotto, with arborio rice, mushrooms, butter, wine and Parmesan, topped with seasoned, pan-seared shrimp.

In all my years of cooking, I have NEVER made risotto, even though I’ve thought about it many times. So- I recently tried a mushroom risotto recipe I found on Pinterest, added some pan-seared shrimp to it, and LOVED it!

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

Mushroom Risotto Is Not As Hard To Make As You Might Think!

This mushroom risotto with pan-seared shrimp was far easier to make than I originally thought it would be… I will make it again!!

The only hard thing about making risotto (and it’s not hard at all), is the continual stirring of the rice as you add in broth and wine as you cook. If you have all the ingredients ready to go before beginning this recipe, it’s really no big deal! Here’s what you do to make this absolutely delicious mushroom risotto dish:

How To Make Mushroom Risotto with Pan-Seared Shrimp

Clean and cut the mushrooms into quarters. Melt butter and olive oil in large saucepan. Sautè mushrooms until lightly browned (several minutes).

Salt the mushrooms, then continue cooking for a couple additional minutes. Remove the mushrooms from the pan, and set aside. The salt helps moisture to be released from the mushrooms. Here they are, cooking and looking good. They will make the mushroom risotto taste really good!

After removing the mushrooms from the pan, add and melt the additional butter and olive oil. Sautè the chopped onion in this butter/oil mixture for 5 minutes on medium-high heat, stirring often.

Time To Add The Rice

Now add the ARBORIO rice to the pan. YES, you have to use arborio rice to make this risotto, folks.

Stir the rice in with the onions. Cook this for a couple minutes, stirring often, until rice begins to turn a light brown.

Cooking The Risotto

Now here’s the important step. Add wine to the pan, and let the liquid boil and be absorbed. Then add a cup of the broth into this mixture, while stirring constantly. Continue to stir the rice. When almost all of liquid has been absorbed, add more broth 1/4 cup at a time.

Cook and stir the risotto, adding 1/4 cup broth at a time to the rice as the liquid is absorbed. Continue doing this, until finally all the broth has been incorporated into rice. This will take about 25-30 minutes in total, and the finished risotto should be nice and creamy.

When done, all the broth should have been used, and the risotto should be tender, but not smushy. There should still be a tiny bit of liquid left in pan.

Finish Making The Mushroom Risotto

Add the cooked mushrooms to the risotto. Now you are almost done making your delicious mushroom risotto!

Add the grated fresh Parmesan cheese, and some salt and pepper (to taste). Stir ingredients well, to combine. Remove the pan from the heat.

Cover the pan, and let the mushroom risotto sit for 4-5 minutes. While the risotto is “resting” (such hard work being stirred so much, right?), cook the shrimp.

Pan-sear The Shrimp

While the risotto “rests”, cook the cleaned, de-veined, and seasoned shrimp in butter and olive oil in a separate skillet. Cook for abut 2-3 minutes per side on medium high heat.

Serve Mushroom Risotto With Pan-Seared Shrimp

Spoon out individual serving portions of the mushroom risotto into (or onto) serving dishes and place 4-5 pan-seared shrimp on top of each serving. Garnish with some parsley, and additional grated Parmesan cheese. Serve the mushroom risotto while hot, and ENJOY!!

Sure hope you will give this mushroom risotto a try. This dish is so creamy, full of flavor… and EASY! I am so glad I tried making mushroom risotto (finally), and am excited to now be able to create even more risotto dishes. I am thankful to have learned the original technique for making risotto from Martha, at “A Family Feast”.

Have a great day, and thank you for stopping by. Please come back soon, and don’t forget to check out ALL my recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page.

Make This Dish Your Own!

This mushroom risotto dish is such a versatile recipe. If you want the risotto as a side dish, simply omit the shrimp! If you want it to be a vegetarian dish, simply omit the shrimp! If you don’t like shrimp… how about using pan-seared chicken pieces? There are so many ways to enjoy this dish! You might enjoy my recipe for chicken and asparagus risotto, too!

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 (1^st and 15^th) 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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Have a fantastic day, friends. Make it a good one!

Mushroom Risotto Recipe Source: http://www.afamilyfeast.com/mushroom-risotto/

0 from 0 votes

Mushroom Risotto with Pan-Seared Shrimp

Prep Time

15 mins

Cook Time

45 mins

Total Time

1 hr

You'll love delicious, creamy mushroom risotto, with arborio rice, mushrooms, butter, wine and Parmesan, topped with seasoned, pan-seared shrimp.

Category: Entree

Cuisine: American

Keyword: mushroom risotto

Servings: 4 servings

Calories Per Serving: 595 kcal

Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Ingredients

For mushrooms:

1 8 ounce pkg. mushrooms (baby bella or white button-I used white button)
1 Tablespoon butter
1 Tablespoon olive oil
Salt

For Risotto:

2 Tablespoons butter
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1/2 large brown onion , finely diced (total of 1 cup diced onion)
1 cup Arborio rice (no substitutes!)
1/3 cup dry white wine
2 1/2 cups chicken stock or broth
3/4 cup grated fresh Parmesan cheese
Salt and Pepper , to taste

For Shrimp:

1 Tablespoon butter
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1/2 pound medium shrimp (about 12-16)
Garlic powder , dried parsley (enough to lightly season shrimp)

For Garnish:

Dried parsley flakes
Grated Parmesan cheese

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Have all ingredients ready/prepped before beginning.
Prepare Mushrooms: Clean mushrooms, then cut into quarters (include stems). Melt 1 T. butter and 1 T. olive oil in medium skillet. Cook mushroom (stirring often) on medium-high for several minutes until lightly browned. Sprinkle with a bit of salt, then cook for another minute. Remove pan from heat, and set aside.
Prepare Risotto: Melt olive oil and butter in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add rice; cook and stir for a couple minutes until rice begins to turn a light brown color. Pour in white wine. Let liquid come to a boil, then be absorbed into rice.
Pour one cup of broth into rice, and stir constantly. Make sure to keep the heat at a medium simmer. Each time almost all (but not all) of the liquid has been absorbed, add 1/4 cup more broth, stirring constantly. Continue this process (rice absorbs liquid, adding more liquid) until broth is gone. This will take about 25-30 minutes. When done risotto should be tender (and there should be only a little bit of liquid remaining). Turn off heat, then add mushrooms, freshly grated Parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper. Stir well, to combine. Put a lid on pan, and let sit for 5 minutes. While risotto is resting, cook the shrimp.
Sprinkle shrimp lightly with garlic powder and dried parsley flakes and mix together, to coat shrimp. Melt butter and olive oil in hot, medium-high skillet. Add seasoned shrimp. Cook quickly, about 2-3 minutes per side, until done.
Spoon risotto into (or onto) individual serving dishes. Place 3-5 pan-seared shrimp on top of each portion. Garnish with additional grated Parmesan cheese and parsley flakes. Serve hot, and enjoy!

Nutrition Facts

Mushroom Risotto with Pan-Seared Shrimp

Amount Per Serving (1 serving)

Calories 595 Calories from Fat 297

% Daily Value*

Fat 33g51%

Saturated Fat 13g81%

Cholesterol 108mg36%

Sodium 825mg36%

Potassium 469mg13%

Carbohydrates 49g16%

Fiber 2g8%

Sugar 4g4%

Protein 21g42%

Vitamin A 495IU10%

Vitamin C 3.6mg4%

Calcium 278mg28%

Iron 3.5mg19%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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30
Dec
2015

Looking Ahead To 2016

categories: Inspiration

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I am looking ahead to 2016. Now, 2015 was a good year in many ways, but it also had a fair share of heartache. My husband and I were saddened to have several friends pass away (including my husband’s best friend), as well as having several friends be diagnosed with life-changing illnesses, and others that dealt with (and still are dealing with) great personal hardship.

Do you make New Year’s Resolutions”? I don’t call them die-hard “resolutions”, but I do try to set some personal goals each year, as I seek to better myself. I am so very grateful God’s plans are so much better than any of my goals (which I fail at meeting so often).

As I look ahead to 2016, I am encouraged by one of my very favorite verses in the Bible, which reminds me of God’s good plans for me this year. We have a framed piece of art with this verse hanging in our living room, and I wear a bracelet with this verse on my wrist each day. I love it!

In the midst of an ever-changing (and a bit scary) world, I am going to intentionally choose to trust the very God who created me, to help me face life’s daily challenges and victories. I look forward to this New Year… with HIM.

I sincerely hope you will be able to look ahead to 2016 with faith, hope, love and encouragement. See you in 2016 with more family-friendly recipes from our home to yours!

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21
Dec
2015

Merry Christmas 2015!

categories: Holidays!, Inspiration

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Merry Christmas 2015!

I love this quote from “How The Grinch Stole Christmas”, by Dr. Seuss:

“And the Grinch, with his Grinch-feet ice cold in the snow, stood puzzling and puzzling, how could it be so? It came without ribbons. It came without tags. It came without packages, boxes or bags. And he puzzled and puzzled ’till his puzzler was sore. Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn’t before. What if Christmas, he thought, doesn’t come from a store. What if Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more.”

Thank You!

Just a quick note to say thank you to all who have visited this blog in 2015. I am taking a two week break over the holidays to narrow my focus onto the TRUE meaning of this blessed season… the birth of Jesus.

My life has been forever changed because of His mercy, grace and unconditional love for me. I am so very GRATEFUL. My hope and prayer is that this Christmas season holds special meaning for you, as well.

I look forward to a new year and sharing many delicious recipes in 2016 with you. God Bless!

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18
Dec
2015

Chili Spaghetti

categories: Beef, Main Dishes, Mexican / Southwestern, Pasta

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Looking for a quick and easy pasta dinner with a Mexican twist? How about making a batch of Chili Spaghetti, with chili, green onions, cheese and sour cream?
When you really think about it, traditional spaghetti has tomatoes, meat, tomato sauce, onions, garlic and cheese (Parmesan). It’s a straight up, not too hard ITALIAN-INSPIRED meal to prepare. Well- guess what? Many of those same ingredients are found in Chili (homemade or purchased), but with a completely different spices. So why NOT make a MEXICAN-INSPIRED spaghetti meal, right? Right.

If you enjoy chili, and you enjoy spaghetti, read on! This easy meal will be a perfect combo meal for you! Making chili spaghetti is super simple, and it tastes so very good! The pasta dish is very filling, and full of flavor. My hubby and I love having this meal occasionally. If you are more into “regular” spaghetti, be sure and check out my recipes for Easy Spaghetti Sauce with Italian Sausage or Easy Meatballs for Spaghetti.

I make my Mom’s recipe for homemade chili so I always seem to have some extra in the freezer. I use that for this recipe, but for crying out loud… if you don’t have homemade, just buy some good quality chili (meat and beans) to make this EASY!

How To Make Chili Spaghetti

Prepare pasta according to package directions. While the spaghetti noodles are cooking, heat up the chili in a large skillet. A couple minutes before the spaghetti has finished cooking, ladle out about 1/4 cup pasta water (this has starch in it), and stir it into the chili.

Remove pasta from pan about one minute before it is done. Drain pasta well without rinsing, then add it to the skillet with the chili in it. Stir well or use tongs, to fully combine the chili and the spaghetti noodles.

Continue to cook the chili spaghetti for a couple minutes until well coated and pasta is fully cooked through.

Serving Chili Spaghetti

When done, transfer the pasta onto individual serving plates. Spoon a little leftover chili from pan onto pasta. Garnish the spaghetti chili with grated cheddar cheese, sliced green onions and a dollop of sour cream. Serve piping hot, and enjoy!

Note** If you are using store bought canned chili, be sure you have enough chili in the skillet to completely coat the spaghetti! You will also need to have some extra chili in the skillet to spoon on top of the pasta when you plate it!

No recipe is really needed for chili spaghetti. IT’S WAY TOO EASY! Sure hope you will give this a try. It is a very easy meal to “throw together” on a busy day, when you are pressed for time, and the family is starving! Have a great weekend, friends. May you find moments of love, laughter, peace, and great JOY!

Looking For More PASTA Recipes?

You can find ALL of my recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. I have lots of pasta recipes, including:

Interested In More Recipes?

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Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
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16
Dec
2015

Chex Mix Munchies – Made In The Microwave!

categories: Appetizers, Holidays!

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Chex Mix Munchies are a classic treat that has been updated to make in a microwave oven. Before you know it, you’ll be enjoying this crunchy snack!
My Great Aunt used to make Chex Mix every year. It was a treat, as a young girl at Christmas time, to grab a big handful from what seemed like a never empty bowl of this snack when we visited her home.

My Great Aunt would make then bake her chex mix for hours before we arrived, then serve it to all of us hungry kids. That seems like a lot of work, so I am thankful for a much quicker method to make this delicious, classic snack!

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

It’s Now A LOT Easier To Make Chex Mix Munchies!

Well, nowadays we can make Chex Mix Munchies in a microwave oven, in under 15 minutes! Ah yes… the wonders of modern technology! Instant satisfaction for those munchie cravings, without all the time it used to take to make them!

Making this great snack is as easy as mixing the ingredients together, mixing melted butter and spices, stirring, and cooking it in the microwave. Boom! Instant chex mix munchies! Our family polished off a huge bowl of chex mix munchies while playing cards! Holy cow! They are soooo yummy! Here’s how to make this classic appetizer in the microwave!

How To Make Chex Mix Munchies

Put ingredients in a large microwavable bowl. Bet you won’t even break into a sweat doing that!

Melt the butter in a small microwave-safe dish in the microwave.

Mix up the spices and Worcestershire sauce in a separate bowl. Add this mixture to the melted butter, and stir to combine.

Pour this seasoning mixture over the Chex mix munchies. Stir really well, and distribute sauce evenly over all the ingredients.

Time To Cook Them In The Microwave

Microwave the chex mix on high for 5-6 minutes, stirring the mixture well, every 2 minutes. When done, spread the Chex mix munchies out on paper towels, so they can cool completely.

Storing This Snack Mix

Once they’re completely cool, store the Chex Mix Munchies in an airtight covered container. That’s it, and see how easy it is to make this scrumptious, addictive snack?

The recipe for chex mix munchies makes about twenty four 1/2 cup servings. That’s plenty for everyone to eat, OR to package part of it up and give as gifts!! I really hope you enjoy these addicting snacks, and don’t say I didn’t warn you. They are scrumptious, and it will be hard to keep out of them!

Have a great day, and please come back again soon, for more yummy recipe ideas. Take care.

Looking For More SNACK Recipes?

You can find ALL my recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. A few favorite snack recipes include:

Interested In More Recipes?

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:

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

Have a fantastic day!

Recipe Adapted From: General Mills Recipe, “Original Chex Party Mix” (recipe on cereal box)

0 from 0 votes

Chex Mix Munchies - Made In The Microwave!

Prep Time

5 mins

Cook Time

6 mins

Total Time

11 mins

Chex Mix Munchies is a classic treat that has been updated to make in a microwave oven. Before you know it, you'll be enjoying this crunchy snack!

Category: Appetizer/Snack

Cuisine: American

Keyword: chex mix munchies

Servings: 24 servings (1/2 cup each)

Calories Per Serving: 212 kcal

Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Ingredients

3 cups Corn Chex cereal
3 cups Rice Chex cereal
3 cups Wheat Chex cereal
1 cup Cheerios (I used Team Cheerios)
1 cup mixed nuts
1 1/2 cups stick pretzels (bit size)
6 Tablespoons butter
2 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons seasoning salt
3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Put the cereals, nuts, pretzel sticks, and Cheerios in a large microwavable bowl. Set aside.
Melt butter in a small microwavable bowl until melted (about 35-40 seconds on high). Stir in Worcestershire sauce, seasoning salt, garlic powder, and onion powder. When completely blended, pour this over the bowl of cereal mix.
Microwave on high for 5-6 minutes (UNCOVERED). Every 2 minutes, stir the ingredients to continue coating everything. When done, spread the Chex Mix out on paper towel and let them cool completely.
Once cool, store Chex Mix Munchies in a covered container.

Nutrition Facts

Chex Mix Munchies - Made In The Microwave!

Amount Per Serving (1 (1/2 cup serving))

Calories 212 Calories from Fat 54

% Daily Value*

Fat 6g9%

Saturated Fat 2g13%

Cholesterol 7mg2%

Sodium 483mg21%

Potassium 179mg5%

Carbohydrates 37g12%

Fiber 4g17%

Sugar 4g4%

Protein 5g10%

Vitamin A 620IU12%

Vitamin C 6mg7%

Calcium 99mg10%

Iron 12.2mg68%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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14
Dec
2015

Mom’s Refrigerator Fruitcake (it’s not THAT kind of fruitcake!)

categories: Candy, Desserts, Holidays!

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So, let’s just say this right off the bat… I don’t like “traditional” fruitcake. You know – the “door-stopper” kind, the unfortunate victim of many jokes. My Mom’s Refrigerator Fruitcake is not that kind of fruitcake. THIS fruitcake is chewy and tastes more like candy. Amen.
When I thought about what to name this post, I thought long and hard about calling it “fruitcake”, because many people despise fruitcake. My mom has been calling it fruitcake for as long as I can remember… BUT it tastes like candy!

Mom’s refrigerator fruitcake is chewy, and yes, it has bits of cherries, pineapple and raisins in it, but it also has marshmallows, butter, pecans and graham cracker crumbs. It is dense, chewy and AMAZING…and most importantly, is not baked, and tastes NOTHING like that other stuff. Oh yeah- it’s gorgeous, also (like stained glass)! If you can melt butter, chop things, and know how to stir, YOU can make this recipe!

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

Here’s How To Make Mom’s Refrigerator Fruitcake

You will need candied cherries (red and green), plus some candied pineapple. These are sold in most grocery stores around the holidays. The containers look like this:

Chop up the red and green cherries, most of the pineapple and some pecans. Make sure to set aside a few red and green cherries (whole) to use for garnishing fruitcake later. Add the chopped fruit and pecans, along with raisins to a large bowl. Set it aside, and then admire it’s beauty!

Pulverize the graham crackers into very fine crumbs. I used a food processor, but you can put them in re-sealable bag and use a rolling pin to crush them, as well. Just think of it as cooking therapy! Set the graham cracker crumbs aside.

Get The Loaf Pans Prepared

Wrap 4 miniature loaf pans with aluminum foil. Note: My mom has always used empty juice cans to mold the fruitcake loaves (both ends removed, heavily buttered inside). I use aluminum foil covered mini-loaf pans.

Melt butter and really coat the inside surface of the foil (bottom AND sides). Cover it really well (to help prevent sticking). You will thank me. If using empty juice cans, no need to melt butter… just thoroughly coat entire inside of juice can with it. Set aside.

Making The Fruitcake

To make the fruitcake, melt 2 cubes (1 cup) of butter in a large, heavy bottomed stock pot.

Once butter has melted, add a 16 ounce bag of marshmallows, and cook on medium low, stirring frequently until melted.

Time To Add In All The GOOD Stuff!

When the marshmallows have fully melted, remove the pan from the heat. Add the candied fruit, nuts and raisins. Stir well to fully combine. This mixture WILL be thick. Just keep on stirring…

Now add the graham cracker crumbs, and stir well. Now it will be REALLY thick. Mix until totally combined!

It should look like this once your arms have gotten a great workout from stirring it up! All the ingredients should be combined, and Mom’s refrigerator fruitcake mixture will be THICK.

Divide The Fruitcake Mixture Into Prepared Loaf Pans

Divide the mixture evenly between containers while mixture is still warm. Pack it into the molds tightly to help shape the loaves. I find it really helpful to butter my fingers to help pack it in. Cover Mom’s refrigerator fruitcake with plastic wrap, and refrigerate at least 12 hours or overnight, to solidify the loaves.

Decorate And Serve Mom’s Refrigerator Fruitcake

After refrigerating, carefully pull the fruitcake out of the pans and remove the foil. Mom’s refrigerator fruitcake should look like the fruitcake shown in the photo below. It will be a solid loaf.

Garnish each loaf with cherry halves like this, shown in the photo below. To serve, use a sharp knife to cut the fruitcake into thin slices. Yum! It is so good! Store Mom’s refrigerator fruitcake wrapped tightly in plastic wrap, in the refrigerator.

I really hope you will consider making this delicious Christmas “fruitcake”. I think you will be pleasantly surprised at just how GOOD it is and how much NOT LIKE FRUITCAKE it really is! Mom’s refrigerator fruitcake makes wonderful gifts for friends, as well. Merry Christmas!

Thank you for stopping by, and I hope you will come back again soon. Take care, and have a wonderful day!

Looking For More “Christmas Goodie” Recipes?

You can find all of my Christmas goodies in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. I have a LOT you will enjoy, including:

Interested In More Recipes?

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:

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

Recipe Source: My Mom (she’s been making this for over 50 years… have NO IDEA where she got this recipe!)

5 from 1 vote

Mom's Refrigerator Fruitcake (it's not THAT kind of fruitcake!)

Prep Time

30 mins

Cook Time

0 mins

Total Time

30 mins

Refrigerated, non-baked, non-traditional fruitcake, with pecans, cherries, pineapple, marshmallows, and graham crackers. This is more like CANDY!

Category: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: refrigerator fruitcake

Servings: 24 4 mini-loaves total

Calories Per Serving: 363 kcal

Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Ingredients

1 (8 oz.) container red candied cherries (chopped-but save a few whole ones for garnish)
1 (8 oz.) container green candied cherries (chopped-but save a few whole ones for garnish)
1 (8 oz.) container candied pineapple, chopped
16 ounce bag mini marshmallows (or 48 large marshmallows)
1 cup raisins
1 1/2 cups chopped pecans (or walnuts)
2 cubes butter (one cup total)
graham crackers (3 "sleeves" of graham crackers-1 pound)
Additional butter for "greasing" loaf pans.

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Have all ingredients chopped, crushed, etc. before beginning recipe. Line loaf pans with aluminum foil (completely cover bottom and sides). Butter the bottom and side of each foil covered loaf pan with butter. Do not skimp on this part. A well buttered loaf pan will help the foil to NOT stick to the fruitcake at the end when ready to remove it! Set aside pans and prepped ingredients.
Melt 2 cubes butter in a large heavy bottomed saucepan.
Add marshmallows; continue heating (and stirring) on medium low heat until marshmallows are fully melted. Remove from heat.
Add red and green cherries, pineapple, raisins, and nuts. Stir well.
Add graham cracker crumbs. Stir really well, until all ingredients are fully combined (mixture will be very thick).
Divide the mixture evenly (while still warm) into 4 prepared mini-loaf pans. Butter your fingers, press down and tightly compact the mixture into the loaf pan. When done (and mixture is tightly packed into pans), cover the pans with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 12 hours. When done, remove each loaf from pan. Carefully remove aluminum foil. Garnish top of each fruitcake with half a red cherry and two halves green cherries.
Slice with sharp knife into thin slices, serve and enjoy! Store fruitcakes in plastic wrap (in the refrigerator).

Recipe Notes

Each mini loaf = 6 slices. Prep time does NOT include 12 hours refrigeration necessary to solidify and firm up the fruitcake!
If using juice cans as forms for fruitcake, butter insides very well with softened butter. No aluminum foil necessary!

Nutrition Facts

Mom's Refrigerator Fruitcake (it's not THAT kind of fruitcake!)

Amount Per Serving (1 slice)

Calories 363 Calories from Fat 126

% Daily Value*

Fat 14g22%

Saturated Fat 5g31%

Cholesterol 20mg7%

Sodium 208mg9%

Potassium 113mg3%

Carbohydrates 57g19%

Fiber 2g8%

Sugar 31g34%

Protein 2g4%

Vitamin A 240IU5%

Vitamin C 1.7mg2%

Calcium 29mg3%

Iron 1.3mg7%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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11
Dec
2015

Florentine Lasagna Roll

categories: Italian, Main Dishes, Meatless Meals, Pasta

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Florentine Lasagna Roll is a delicious, easy, meatless dish with spinach and cheese filled pasta, rolled & baked, covered in an Italian tomato sauce.
I’ve been making this meatless Florentine Lasagna Roll for almost 20 years… for potlucks and delicious dinners with our family! Filled with spinach, three kinds of cheese, garlic and onion, then covered in a simple Italian flavored tomato sauce, this recipe is easy and FABULOUS!

Even though this meal is “meatless”, you don’t need it with three cheeses, spinach and fantastic Italian flavors shining through in this meal!

The recipe is “simple”; all you do is cook lasagna noodles, mix together a cheese and spinach filling and spread it over the noodles, roll it up, cover with an Italian-flavored tomato sauce and bake. Easy, right? Right. Anyone can make this great dish! Here’s how:

Scroll Down for A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of the Page

How To Make This Lasagna Roll

Cook the spinach according to package directions, and then drain it very well, to remove as much liquid as possible.

In a medium sized bowl, combine cream cheese, Parmesan cheese, cooked and drained spinach, chopped onion, garlic cloves, black pepper, and egg.

Mix well, to completely combine ingredients. Set aside.

Cook The Pasta

Cook the lasagna noodles according to package instructions. You need 10 cooked lasagna noodles for this recipe. I cook 12, in case any of them split or break. Think of it as pasta insurance. Once cooked, drain the noodles, then arrange them on a large sheet of wax paper, overlapping the long (curly) sides to form a rectangle.

Prepare The Florentine Lasagna Roll

Once noodles are fully arranged, carefully spread the filling over the noodles. I put spoonfuls of the spinach filling over the noodles, then use the back of a spoon to spread out the filling.

Roll It Up!

Spread grated Mozzarella cheese all over the cheese/spinach filling, then carefully roll up the pasta and filling.

To roll it up: Using the wax paper to help, begin tightly rolling the noodles up (starting with the side of rectangle with straight pasta edges). Use the wax paper to help roll noodles tightly as you go. Tuck the noodle edges under as you complete the first roll, so you have a tight, firm roll to begin with.

I pulled back some of the wax paper as I rolled to show you what it should look like.

When pasta is completely rolled up, place the finished roll on a large baking sheet (one with rimmed edges). Carefully remove the last bit of wax paper from underneath the roll. The lasagna roll should look like this (see photo below).

Make The Sauce For The Florentine Lasagna Roll

Combine the sauce ingredients (tomato sauce, sugar, basil and oregano) in a medium bowl, and then stir to combine. .

Spoon the sauce over the entire surface (top and sides) of the Florentine lasagna roll. Use all of the sauce.

When completely covered with sauce, grate Parmesan cheese all over the top and sides of the roll.

Time To Bake The Florentine Lasagna Roll

Bake in a preheated, 350 degree oven for 35 minutes. Remove the baking sheet from oven, and let the Florentine Lasagna Roll stand for 5 minutes before attempting to slice it.

With a sharp knife cut slices of the Florentine Lasagna Roll, and place on individual serving plates with a large spatula. Serve with some crusty bread and a great salad, and BOOM! You’ve got yourself a great Italian “meatless” meal… just like that!

Trust me… this meal is DELICIOUS. You won’t even miss having meat in it. The flavors are amazing, it’s really EASY to make, and looks quite nice, too! Sure hope you will give this recipe a try. I think you will be pleasantly surprised! If you enjoy Italian food, you might also be interested in Florentine Manicotti, which is delicious, and uses ricotta cheese in the filling.

Have a great day during this busy holiday season. My husband and I made an intentional decision to NOT fill up this holiday season with “busy-ness” and looking for “things” to entertain us, as our culture tends to promote. Instead, we are enjoying a simple holiday season this year, trying to focus on what Christmas really means to us… the birth of our Savior, Jesus. His humble birth changed everything, and for that we are GRATEFUL.

Looking for More ITALIAN Recipes?

You can find all of my recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. I have a lot of great Italian dishes you’ll enjoy, including:

Interested In More Recipes?

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:

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

Recipe Source: unknown (wrote recipe on a 3×5 card over 20 years ago- didn’t note where I got it from)

5 from 1 vote

Florentine Lasagna Roll

Prep Time

20 mins

Cook Time

35 mins

Total Time

55 mins

Florentine Lasagna Roll is a delicious, easy, meatless dish with spinach and 3 cheeses filled pasta, rolled, then covered in an Italian flavored tomato sauce.

Category: Entree

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: lasagna roll

Servings: 6 servings

Calories Per Serving: 420 kcal

Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Ingredients

10 cooked lasagna noodles

For The Filling:

10 ounces package frozen spinach , cooked, and well drained.
8 ounces package cream cheese (room temp.)
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese , grated
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 clove garlic , minced
1 large egg , slightly beaten
1 cup grated Mozzarella cheese (do not add to filling-keep separate!)

For The Sauce:

24 ounces tomato sauce
1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano

For garnish:

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

To Make The Filling:

Cook spinach according to package instructions. Drain well. In small bowl, combine cream cheese, cooked spinach, 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, chopped onion, black pepper, minced garlic and egg. Stir well until mixture is fully combined. Set aside.

To Make Lasagna Roll:

Cook lasagna noodles according to package instructions. Remove from heat; drain.
On wax paper, arrange the noodles overlapping the long (curly) sides to form a large rectangle.
Spread cheese/spinach filling over surface of noodles. Spread grated Mozzarella cheese over the cheese/spinach filling.
Starting at short ends of the pasta (non curly), roll up the pasta (in jelly roll fashion), using the wax paper to help. Tuck the ends under and firm up the roll, as you roll it up, continuing to use the wax paper as a guide. When it is roll completely, carefully transfer (might have to use two spatulas) the roll to a large (9x13) baking sheet. Carefully remove the wax paper. Seam side should be down on the sheet.

To Make Sauce:

In a small bowl, combine tomato sauce, sugar, basil and oregano. Stir to combine.

To Finish Roll:

Spread the sauce over top and sides of entire lasagna roll. Grate Parmesan cheese over top of the roll. Bake in preheated oven at 350 degrees for 35 minutes. Remove baking sheet from oven. Let Lasagna Roll stand for 5 minutes before attempting to slice. Using a sharp knife, slice into serving sizes, and using a spatula, place slices onto individual serving plates. Enjoy!

Nutrition Facts

Florentine Lasagna Roll

Amount Per Serving (1 serving)

Calories 420 Calories from Fat 180

% Daily Value*

Fat 20g31%

Saturated Fat 11g69%

Cholesterol 85mg28%

Sodium 693mg30%

Potassium 469mg13%

Carbohydrates 39g13%

Fiber 4g17%

Sugar 5g6%

Protein 19g38%

Vitamin A 6495IU130%

Vitamin C 6.8mg8%

Calcium 351mg35%

Iron 3.2mg18%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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