TexMex Lasagna
2 large flour tortillas, cut in half
1 cup salsa
1 can black beans, rinsed
1/2 each: red and green bell pepper, diced
1/2 cup sliced scallions, divided
1/3 cup diced red onion
2 cloves fresh minced garlic
1 seeded, diced jalapeno pepper
EVOO
2 cups shredded Cheddar Jack cheese
1/2 cup sour cream
2 cups cooked chicken breast, diced
1 bunch fresh cilantro
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Saute bell peppers, half of scallions, onions, garlic & jalapeno in about 1 tbsp EVOO (extra virgin olive oil).
Spread about 1/3 cup of salsa on bottom of 9×13″ baking pan.
Layer one halved tortilla. Cut the other half again and position in pan to cover bottom.
Spread bell pepper mixture on top. Spoon sour cream on top and spread evenly.
Sprinkle 1/3 of cheese on top of the bell pepper mixture.
Mix chicken, black beans, salsa, cilantro (to taste) in a large bowl. Mix well.
Spread in baking dish. Sprinkle 1/3 cheese on top. Layer with tortillas again.
Sprinkle remaining cheese on top.
Sprinkle with fresh cilantro and scallions.
Bake for 30 minutes.
Serve with fresh cilantro, scallions and sour cream.
Serves 6-8.
And is equally (if not more) delicious the next day!
Buffalo Wing Pizza
Ingredients
1 pizza crust (refrigerated dough or pre-made crust okay)
1 small onion, finely diced
2 tbsp butter
2 ribs celery, finely diced
1 clove garlic, finely diced/crushed/whatever you want
1/2 of each: red and green bell pepper, diced
1 bottle Frank’s Red Hot Buffalo Wing sauce
1.5 cups cooked chicken, cut into small pieces or shredded
2 cups pizza cheese
Bleu cheese crumbles, if desired
Follow pizza crust preparation directions, if needed.
Melt butter in a small sauce pan. Saute onion, celery, bell peppers and garlic.
Measure about 1/4 – 1/2 cup (depending on your love for heat!) of Frank’s sauce and mix into onion mixture.
Spread mixture on pizza crust.
Add chicken, cover with cheese. Sprinkle with bleu cheese, if desired.
Go on, splash on some more hot sauce — if you like the heat, that is! (We do!)
Bake according to the directions on your pizza crust; it’s usually about 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes.
Just watch for the cheese to melt and turn golden.
Once baked, give it a little taste test.
You might want to add more sauce. I usually do. I’ve been known to use an entire bottle of Frank’s on this pizza before.
It’s always easier to add a little bit at a time – so don’t overdo it if you’re sensitive to heat.
Enjoy!!!
ALTERNATE method
I prefer to put the pizza together myself.
However, when the craving hits, sometimes I improvise.
You can, too!
1 large four cheese pizza (I like DiGiorno’s version)
Frank’s Red Hot Buffalo sauce
Cubed, cooked chicken
Bleu cheese, if desired
Preheat oven according to package directions.
Douse that pizza with Frank’s sauce – about 1/4 – 1/2 cup. Just spread it right on top of the cheese/
Add chicken.
Add bleu cheese, if you wanna.
Bake according to package directions.
Once baking is complete, add more hot sauce if desired.
All done!
Enjoy!!!
Mexican Spaghetti Pie
Oh yummy, yummy, yummy!
I was a little skeptical about this recipe, but it turned out quite well. And it’s quite adaptable.
8oz thin angel hair pasta
1 tbsp oil
1/2 egg substitute or 1 egg, beaten
1 pound ground beef
1/2 cup chopped bell pepper
1 cup salsa
1 cup canned or frozen corn
cooking spray
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese, divided
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Cook spaghetti according to package directions; drain.
Return pasta to warm pan; toss with oil. Stir in egg.
Heat skillet over medium heat and brown beef and bell pepper.
Drain and stir in corn, salsa & 1/2 cup of cheese.
Coat a 9″ deep dish pie plate with cooking spray.
Press noodles into the bottom and sides of pie plate.
Top with beef mixture.
Top with remaining cheese.
Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes.
Let stand 5-10 minutes when done.
Enjoy!
This recipe could also be adapted into a more “traditional” Italian pasta dish.
Just swap out the salsa with pasta sauce and omit the corn. Substitute cheddar for mozzarella – and done!
Le Petite Lasagna
I love Italian. And so does everyone else in the Lanford household, so we eat it pretty often. We do get a little bored with the traditional weekday fare, so I spiced things up a a bit. The result was Le Petite Lasagna — a HIT for the kids! They thought it was absolutely delish, and they both wanted seconds thirds.
1 box jumbo pasta shells
1 -1.5 ground beef
seasonings for lasagna
pasta sauce to taste – your choice
(I take the fast way out & use Hunt’s tomato sauce
for lasagna in lieu of seasonings & pasta sauce)
1 small container of Ricotta
Mozzarella
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Prepare pasta as directed on box, drain & set aside.
While pasta is boiling, brown ground beef on medium heat. Drain.
Remove from heat and stir in pasta sauce, seasonings, and Ricotta.
Mix well.
Spray baking dish with cooking spray and
spread about 1/2 cup of pasta sauce on the bottom of the pan.
Transfer beef mixture to shells with a spoon, and place into dish.
Add desired amount of pasta sauce on top – I just spooned a little extra onto each shell.
Sprinkle with Mozzarella - the best part!
Bake at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes.
Enjoy!
Buffalo Chicken Chili
Fall is here -and so is comfort cooking!
My family had a chili cook off a few weeks ago, and we came in third with our spicy chili.
If you like buffalo sauce and chili – this is for you!
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
2 pounds chicken breast, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 large carrot, peeled and finely chopped
1 large onion, chopped
3 stalks celery, finely chopped
5 cloves garlic, chopped
5 tablespoons chili powder
2 tablespoons ground cumin
1 tablespoon ground paprika
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup Frank’s Red Hot Buffalo Wing Sauce, or to taste
2 (15 ounce) cans tomato sauce
1 (15 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
1 (15 ounce) can white kidney or cannellini beans,drained
1 (19 ounce) can red kidney beans, drained
Heat olive oil and butter in a large pot over medium-high heat.
Place chicken in the pot.
Cook and stir 7 to 10 minutes, until chicken is no longer pink.
Stir in the carrot, onion, celery, garlic, chili powder, cumin, paprika, and salt and pepper.
Cook and stir until the onion is translucent and the vegetables are beginning to soften, 3 to 4 more minutes.
Stir in the hot sauce, tomato sauce, crushed tomatoes, and white and red kidney beans.
Bring to a boil, and simmer over medium-low heat about 1 hour.
Or….you can brown the chicken & just throw everything in the crock pot.
I always take the easy way out 
Enjoy!
Cheeseburger Quesadillas
This meal came to me as I was craving a cheeseburger the other night.
I love good, all-American cheeseburgers — who doesn’t?!?
Diabetes slows me down a bit — I try to reinvent my favorite meals with less carbs. Sometimes I create something good. Sometimes, well. It’s just not quite as good. This little recipe is a win-win for everyone, though.
My husband loved this easy meal — and my kids couldn’t wait for me to make it again. And I got the meal I was craving without the insane spike in blood sugar.
I hope you enjoy!
Cheeseburger Quesadillas
1 pound ground beef
seasonings you would use for burgers on the grill
pickles, chopped fine
1/4 onion, chopped fine
tomatoes, sliced or chopped fine
shredded cheese, your favorite variety
flour tortillas
condiments
Crumble beef in a skillet. Add your favorite burger seasonings; A-1, steak seasoning, salt & pepper – whatever you like.
Brown completely, drain & set aside.
In a different large skillet or griddle, prepare tortillas. I like to spread a teeny layer of margarine on one side. Chad likes to use Pam. Whatever your preference.
Build quesadillas to your liking.
To keep everything in place during the flip, I found it helpful to spread a little mayo on one side on the tortillas, face up. Layer beef, pickles, onions, tomato. Sprinkle cheese. Squirt ketchup & mustard if desired.
Fold the other side of the tortilla over to form a half-moon.
Cook on medium heat until cheese is melted and tortilla starts to brown slightly.
Flip to the other side and brown it, too.
You can also add a little lettuce after you cook the quesadillas. Just lift one side & slide the lettuce in.
All done!
Yummo!!!
Lemondrop Cookies
I had a request for lemon sugar cookies for an event. I tried to lemonize my favorite sugar cookie recipe, but it didn’t quite turn out. After a little research and some trial and error, I have found a delectable lemon cookie – a perfect Summer treat. Cool, crisp and perfectly lemony! They’re slightly crispy on the outside and wonderfully tender on the inside.
And you won’t believe how easy they are to whip up.
Lemondrop Cookies
1 box lemon cake mix
1 small tub of Cool Whip (8oz)
1 egg
grated rind from 1 lemon
1 tsp almond or vanilla extract
powdered sugar for rolling
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
In a bowl, mix all ingredients except for the powdered sugar.
Drop by rounded teaspoon into a plate of powdered sugar.
Roll into a ball and place the dough on a greased cookie sheet.
You may flatten them if you wish, or they will bake into cute little mounds.
Bake for 11-13 minutes.
Cool on rack and enjoy!
Makes about 3 dozen cookies
Skye’s Steakhouse Chicken
Honey Mustard Marinade & Dip:
1/2 c. dijon mustard
1/2 c. honey
1 1/2 tsp oil
1/2 tsp lemon juice
The rest:
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 small carton fresh mushrooms
Seasoning salt to taste
6 slices cooked bacon, crumbled
1 c. shredded Monterrey-Jack cheese
1 c. shredded cheddar cheese
2 tsp parsely, optional
Combine marinade ingredients. Sprinkle chicken with salt, and pour 1/3 of marinade over chicken breasts and refrigerate at least 2 hours.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Saute mushrooms in bacon drippings. Set mushrooms aside. Cook chicken in the same pan – you want to use up all that yummy bacon fat! (What? I didn’t say this dish was low-fat – I said it was delicious…) Brush each chicken breast with marinade. Place chicken breasts in a baking dish, and top with crumbled bacon pieces. Spoon on mushrooms, and then top with cheese. Bake for about 15 minutes, or until cheese is thoroughly melted.
Serve with mashed potatoes and gravy, and fresh corn on the cob. Delish!
Strawberry Cake & Cream Cheese Icing
This is my daughter’s favorite cake. It’s chock full of strawberry goodness – and I promise there will be no leftovers!
Oil as directed on cake mix box
1 (3oz) box of strawberry Jello
2/3 cup frozen, chopped strawberries
4 eggs
1/2 cup milk
Cream Cheese Icing
1 (8 oz) bar of cream cheese at room temperature
1/2 cup margarine at room temperature
1 box (1 lb) confectioner’s sugar
1 tbsp vanilla extract
food coloring, optional
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Mix together cake mix and Jello. Add oil and milk.
Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each.
Stir in strawberries. Pour into greased pans and bake for 30-40 minutes.
Icing: Mix all ingredients until creamy and smooth.
Keep in the fridge until you’re ready to frost the cake.
Meatball & Pepper Penne
Meatball & Pepper Penne
1 box of Penne pasta
2 tsp olive oil
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 each: Red, yellow & green bell peppers, cut into thin strips
1 – 14.5oz can diced tomatoes with basil, garlic & oregano, undrained
1 – 8oz can tomato sauce with basil, garlic & oregano
1 – 16oz package of Italian style meatballs, thawed
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
Cook pasta, as directed. Set aside and keep warm.
Heat oil in skillet over medium, heat.
Add peppers and onions, cook about 5 minutes.
You want the peppers to be crisp-tender.
Stir in tomatoes, tomato sauce and meatballs.
Cover and cook about 10 minutes, or until heated through.
Toss pasta and sauce in a large bowl and sprinkle with cheese.
This was a new recipe for us this week – and it was delicious and easy! The girls licked their plates clean and the leftovers were even better the next day.
