Super Loaded Baked Potato

I made this for dinner one Sunday night.  Sure was yummy and fairly quick to make.You don't need a lot of ingredients and would guess you could put whatever you like in it.  I followed the post I saw the only change I made was that I added red sweet pepper and 3 oz of cream cheese too.  (I also made a much larger batch  - cooked 9 potatoes.  But the ingredients below are for the 4 potatoes

Ingredient:
4 large russet potatoes (cleaned and poked)
6 oz steak sliced or chopped into bite size peices
3 TBL Worcestershire sauce
1/2 - 1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 large green pepper - diced
1/2 large red sweet pepper - diced
1 large diced onion
salt and pepper
1 cup mozzarella cheese
2 oz cream cheese **optional**

Bake the potatoes for 45 minutes at 400 °.  Let cool the cut in 1/2 and scoop out insides
Place skins back on baking sheet and bake for another 8-10 minutes.  In a skillet heat 1 TBL oil,  add
steak, cook until almost done, add peppers, onions, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder and cook for another 2 or 3 minutes, don't overcook because they will cook a bit more when you put them back in the oven.  Fill potato skins, top with cheese and return to oven for about 10 minutes.  Serve with sour cream and green onions.

Thanks for stopping by, have a great week and always remember to Find the Time To Do All the Things You L♥ve.
Donna

skillet pizza

My daughter posted this recipe to my FB and asked if I would make it for dinner.  Well of course we comply.  I used my pizza dough recipe, which I perfected a while back and it's my go to.  This turned out exceptional and will make it again.  It is a doughy pizza so if you like the normal crust you may not like this.  But try it anyway and you decide.  Was a big hit.  I made this with Italian sausage, orange peppers, onions and basil.

 high-gluten flour bread flour, about 2 3/4 cups
1/2 cup semolina flour
1teaspoons kosher salt 3/8 of an ounce or .35 ounces
1 pkg yeast
1 1/2  cup warm water

2 tsp sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp evo

your favorite suace
your choice of toppings

Optional but tasty:

• fresh basil leaves for adding before and after baking

Instructions

Preheat oven about 45 minutes before making pizza to 500° or as high as your oven will go.

Put yeast and sugar in warm water, stir and let sit unitl foams

1. put flour and other dry ingredients into food processor.  pulse several times.  add evo and then slowly add wet mixture.  process until it forms a ball.  If you need to add more flour do a little at a time, you don't want it get to dry.  A little on the wet side is ok.

form a ball with dough and place is a slightly greased bowl and cover and let sit unitl double, takes about 1 hour.

Slightly grease the bottom of your iron skillet (don't over do you don't want your pizza soggy from the oil. Sprinkle bottom with a little bit of corn meal, take 1/2 the dough and spread it out in the pan until it reaches the sides.  Cover with plastic wrap and set aside at room temp for about 2 hours.

Spread a little sauce on bottom of pizza then put your favorite ingredients on top and then top with mozzarella cheese  (it's also good with a mixture of mozzarella and provolone)  Bake for about 15 minutes until golden.  Remove and let set for a couple of minutes.  If you can remove from pan and put into serving pieces.  Best of all Enjoy!!!!

Thanks for stopping by, have a great week and Always Remember to Find the Time to DO all the things You L♥ve.
Donna

Irish Soda Bread Muffins with a twist

Found this here and made these St. Patty's day because my son in law doesn't like raisins.  He loves spicy things so thought these would be a good choice.  She made 12 regular size muffins but I decided to do the 6 extra large.

3 cps flour
1 TBL baking powder
1 tsp salt
2 TBL sugar
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 3/4 butter milk
1/4 cup butter melted
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
4 chopped jalapenos

Preheat oen 375° line muffin tin or spray
sift dry ingredients .  in another bowl mix buttermilk and egg, stir into dry ingredients, fold butter into batter.  Stir in cheese and jalapenos but don't over mix.  Fill muffin tins 3/4 and then bake for 30-40 minutes until toothpick comes out clean.

He said they were really good so hope you give them a try.  Have a great week and always Remember to Find the time to do ALL the things you l♥ve.
Donna

Savory Ham/Cheese/green onion scones

I made these back in February for a good friend of mine.  I usually make him sweets but he said he was watching his weight so I told him I'd make him a nice treat he could eat for breakfast for his lunch break.  I also made another batch of these for the folks I work with, can't leave anyone out, ya know!  :)  I think these would be great if you were doing a brunch of make them during the holidays.  These were absolutely delicious and will make them again and again.

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/3 cup light brown sugar, packed
• 1 stick (4 ounces) unsalted butter, VERY cold and cut into tiny pieces
• 1 large egg, at room temperature, beaten
• 1/2 cup plain full-fat yogurt
• 2 tablespoons whole Milk
• 4 ounces cheddar cheese, shredded
• 4 ounces ham, diced
• 1/3 cup scallions, chopped

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400°(F). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside.
2. In a large bowl add the flour, salt, pepper, baking powder, baking soda, and brown sugar; mix well to combine. Cut the butter into small cubes then quickly work it into the mixture (using your fingers) until it resembles a coarse meal. Set aside. In a small bowl whisk together the egg, yogurt, and milk, beating well to combine. Add the liquid mixture to dry and use a fork to stir everything together until just moistened.
3. Add in the cheese, ham, and scallions and gently fold them into dough with a spatula.
4. Pour the shaggy dough out onto a clean, floured work surface and shape the dough into an 8-inch circle. Cut the dough into 8 wedges and carefully transfer to the prepared sheet.
5. Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until the tops are lightly golden brown.
6. Cool for 5 minutes on the tray, then serve warm.

Notes

*Add a little extra ham, cheese, and scallions on top of each scone before baking if you'd like yours to look like mine do in the photos. *These scones are best eaten the day they are baked. *You can flash freeze the baked scones for up to 2 months.

Thanks for stopping by, have a great and week and Always Remember to Find the Time to Do ALL the things YOU L♥ve.
Donna

Potato Lasagna

Someone posted this on FB and to me it looked so yummy and easy, so of course I had to make it.  It's so simple and yet so delicious.  The only thing I changed *seems I never really follow a recipe to a T have to always change something* ...so with that said I added steamed aldente broccoli.  Need a vegetable in the dish.

Potato Lasagna
Serves 4-5

INGREDIENTS
5 potatoes, peeled
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon pepper
8-10 slices ham
7-8 slices mozzarella cheese
5 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
¼ cup parsley, chopped
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1 cup heavy cream
2 eggs

PREPARATION
Preheat oven to 350°F / 180°C.
Slice the peeled potatoes into ½ centimeter slices.
Season the potatoes with salt and pepper, tossing them to make sure they’re coated evenly.
Press a layer of potatoes evenly into the bottom of a greased, square baking pan.
Place half of the ham slices evenly on top of the potatoes, followed by half of the sliced cheese.
Follow with another layer of potatoes, then the remaining ham and sliced cheese.
Sprinkle the bacon and parsley evenly on top of the sliced cheese, and place one final layer of potatoes on top.
Sprinkle the shredded cheese on top of the potatoes, then press it into an even layer.
In a small bowl, mix the heavy cream and eggs. Pour on top of the shredded cheese.
Bake for about 40 minutes, until the cheese is a deep golden brown.
Cool slightly, slice, then serve!

Thanks for stopping by, have a wonderful week and Always Remember to Find the Time to Do ALL the things YOU L♥ve.
Donna

Jalapeno Popper Chicken *low carb*

My grandson and son in law love hot spicy things so this one is  a perfect dish for them.  I made mine without the jalapeno's and my daughters without the bacon.  I also made brocolli  and  rice for the boys.  I've been trying low carb again to try and get some weight off.  It's been hard trying to walk with working and my hip.   This is a great low carb recipe so hope you give it a try.

without Jalapeno

adapted from here

Ingredients

5 Slices bacon, cooked crisp and chopped
4-6 boneless chicken breasts, trimmed of excess fat (If thick, flatten a bit with mallet)
1-2 Tablespoons olive oil
8 Ounce package cream cheese, softened
1/4 Cup mayo
1/2 Teaspoon garlic powder
1 Cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 Cup grated Parmesan cheese
4-6 fresh jalapeno peppers, finely chopped (seeds and ribs removed)
cilantro sprigs for garnish

Directions

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Cook bacon to crispy, set aside. Season chicken breasts with a little salt and pepper and cook over medium-high heat either in the same pan you used for the bacon (pour off all but 1 Tablespoon of grease) or use a different skillet and add about a tablespoon of olive oil. Depending on the size of the breasts, cook each side 3-4 minutes, or until juices run clear. While chicken is cooking, remove seeds/ribs from jalapenos. Chop peppers finely. Once chicken is done, move to plate and set aside. Add chopped jalapenos to pan and saute briefly. Turn off heat. In medium bowl, mix cream cheese, mayo, a little salt and pepper to taste, garlic powder. Add cheddar and Parmesan cheeses (I reserve a little for topping before baking), sauteed jalapenos, crumbled bacon. Place chicken back into skillet (or other ovenproof dish), top with cream cheese mixture, sprinkle a little additional cheddar and Parmesan if desired. Bake in oven until well heated (about 20 minutes). Thanks for stopping by, have a great week and Always Remember to Find the Time to Do ALL the things You L♥ve. Donna

Guy Fieri Loaded Baked Potatoe Soup

It's that time of year when we are craving comfort food and this is one of mine.  I love homemade soup during the winter.  This is one of my favorites.  A couple of years ago my daughter made potato soup that was so delicious and different from what I had been used to.  When I asked her how she made it she told me she had baked the potatoes instead of boiling them.  So from then on I have made my soup this way.  Hope you give it a try, it really is worth the effort...but really it's not that hard.
adapted from here

2 large baking potatoes (Idaho or russet)
6 slices  smoked bacon
1/2 cup all-purpose flour 

2 cups half and half

1 can chicken broth
3 ounces cheese of your choice , grated *I used taco blend that I had on hand*
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 ounces sour cream
1 small onion diced

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Place the potatoes on a roasting tray and bake for 45 minutes. When done, the tip of a paring knife should go through the potatoes easily.
  

Cook in a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat until crisp. Remove the bacon from the pot with a slotted spoon and set aside, leaving the drippings in the pot.

Add the flour to the drippings in the pot and stir to combine. Cook, without adding color, until the flour and fat has combined, about 1 minute. Pour in the milk while you whisk to incorporate. Cook over medium heat until bubbly and thickened, stirring frequently, about 15 minutes.

Scoop out the potato pulp from the skins and add to the milk mixture. Mash with the back of a wooden spoon leaving it a little bit chunky.

Add the cooked bacon (leaving a little out for garnishing the soup), 1 cup of the cheese, and season well with salt and pepper. Stir until the cheese has melted. Remove from the heat.

Ladle the soup in bowls, top with crumbled bacon, some cheese and a dollop of sour cream.  Then say YUMMMMMMMMMMMMMM!  ☺

Thanks for stopping by, have a wonderful week and Always Remember to Find the Time to Do All the Things you L♥ve.

Donna

Cheese, Chilli Chicken Taquito's (baked)

This is what we had for New Years Day.  Usually we have some sort of  big meal, either Ham, Roast Pork or sometimes even Turkey....but this year we just weren't in the mood for all that.  I myself was really craving something Mexican and I haven't made Taquito's in some time.  I also made some of these with white corn.  I used white corn tortillas, chicken breast and the list of other ingredients follows:

Ingredients:
4 large boneless skinless chicken breast
1 large onion diced
1/2 can of mild rotel
salt/pepper
2 tsp chilli powder
queso cheese for filling, didn't really measure
1/2 cup white corn (canned) drained)
4 oz cream cheese
Hatch green chilli
White Corn Tortillas (warmed, makes it easier to roll them)

***  warm the tortilla in a dry skillet, it makes them so much easier to roll and they don't break **
Directions:
Saute some chopped onion in pan, add chicken *I put the breast in and cooked then cut*, return the chicken to the pan  add seasoning, rotel, corn and the green chilli, if you use it.  Cook until all combined.  Warm tortilla and then fill, don't over fill, roll and place on a greased lined parchment paper baking sheet.  Spray the tops of tortilla then top with cheese.  Bake 375° for about 15-20 until
shells are golden and cheese is melted.  Serve with avocado and sour cream and of course more cheese.

Thanks for stopping by, have a wonderful week and Always Remember to Find the time to Do ALL the Things YOU L♥ve.
Donna

Arancini di Riso: Scilian Rice Balls

Last week my sister in law and I went to the movies and then after went to a new Pizza Place downtown.  Pizza was fabulous but we also tried two appetizers, one was just bread the other was these wonderful little rice balls with marinara sauce.  So after having them I of course went on a search for a good recipe.  I've adapted this one from here  .  I think these will become a staple around the holidays, the rice can be made the day ahead along with the sauce, so it would be just a matter of assembling and then frying.  I bet you could form the balls then just do the coating and they would stay together better.  Will try that and let you all know if that is a better way to do them.

3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 cups (15 oz) Arborio rice (the best rice to use is Carnaroli, but it may be hard to find)
4 oz white wine
approximately 30 oz chicken stock
salt
1 egg

FILLING:
mozzarella, cut into ½″ to ¾″ cubes
marinara or bolognese sauce

BREADING:
all-purpose flour
2 eggs, beaten
breadcrumbs
more tomato sauce, to serve
basil leaves, for garnish

Instructions

1. Make the risotto by adding the rice to the heated oil in a large saute pan, and stirring quickly for one or two minutes. Quickly add the white wine while stirring. With the heat on medium high, begin adding the chicken stock a little at a time, and continuously stirring, until all the stock has been used and the rice is cooked, yet still al dente (I have a risotto recipe here on my blog). Taste; adding salt if necessary. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
2. Add an egg to the risotto and mix well, then refrigerate for a few hours, or overnight.
3. To make the arancini:
4. Place some rice in your hand and flatten it into your cupped hand, but don’t make it too thin, or the filling will ooze out. Place a piece of mozzarella in the center of the cupped rice. Next, close the rice around the filling and shape into a ball.
5. If you’d like to make conical shapes, flatten the bottom of the ball, and make the top more pointed.
6. Now, roll the shaped arancini in flour, then roll them in the beaten egg, and finally the breadcrumbs. Set aside until all of the rice has been used.
7. Heat some oil in a deep fryer, pot or wok until it is very hot. Add the arancini, and cook quickly, turning often so they don’t brown too much on one side. If serving immediately, fry for a few minutes, so the cheese will melt in the center. Remove from oil and place on paper towel lined plate or tray. (If you’d like to serve them at a later time, remove them quickly after just browning; then, just before serving, place them on a baking sheet and re-heat in the oven at 400ºF for 5 to 10 minutes.)
8. Serve plain, or place on tray with a little tomato sauce and garnish with basil. You can also serve them with a little extra sauce on the side.

Here is a shot of the meal, it sure was yummy.  Something that I will make again.

 thanks for stopping by, have a wonderful day and Always Remember to Find the time to do ALL the things YOU love.
Donna

Faux Twice Baked Potato - LC

I belong to Atkins online and we have a wonderful group that shares life stories regarding weight loss, food and just everyday living. (group name on forum is 50-60's with 30-40 lbs to lose) One of the gals talked alot about Almost Twice Baked Potato and so I finally decided to give it a try.  I changed a few things from here  .  I roasted a turkey the other day and one of them meals I made this was the side along with sauteed snow peas.  The dinner was really good and best part is was all Low Carb.  If you are trying to lose weight and struggle you should give LC a try.  It's a very healthy way to eat and best of all you can lose weight and inches.  I have been LC'ing now for almost 2 years, my weight loss has been steady and slow and I have lost 31 lbs....feel fantastic and have lots of clothes that now fit.

printable

Ingredients:
1 large head of cauliflower
4 oz. soft cream cheese
3 TBL butter
green onion 3 or 4 tops included
3-5  slices bacon
1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese (or colby/jack)
1/2 cup muenster cheese, grated
4 heaping TBL sour cream (more if you like)

Directions:
Preheat oven 350°, grease a 8x8 baking dish or a 2 qt. casserole dish.  Cut the cauliflower and cook in the microwave in a large bowl for about 12-15 minutes.  (can cook on top of stove also) until tender.  Drain.  Cook the bacon until crisp, when done use the grease from the bacon to saute your onion.  Put cauliflower in dish and mash, but leave some small chunky pieces, mix in the cream cheese, sour cream, cheddar, and muenster.  Chop the bacon and add that and the onions to the cauliflower.  Mix well.  Bake for 20-40 minutes.  The last 10 minutes top with some more cheese and turn to oven til melted.  Serve.  YUM
 I served this with a roasted turkey and salad.

Makes about 6 servings
per serving:  approximately 324 calories; 27 g fat, 145g protein, 6 g carbohydrate, 2 g fiber, 4 net carbs.
Thanks for stopping by, have a wonderful day and Remember to Find the Time to Do ALL the things YOU L♥ve.
D♥nna

Broccoli and Cheese Soup (LC)

Well it's snowing here in KS ....again....am sooooooooooo ready for Spring and some decent weather.  I wrote this and also made the soup the day it snowed and that day was Feb. 4.    So with that said it was perfect weather for some soup and today's choice was Broccoli and Cheese.  Best part of this one is that it is LC too, and oh so yummy.

1/2 head of broccoli crowns (microwave in bowl with water for about 4 min)
1/2 onion diced
1 - 2 carrots (cook in microwave til almost tender)
3 pcs bacon
4-5 oz. velvetta
4 oz cream cheese
1/3 cup sour cream
1/2-1 cp half and half (can also use milk)
1 pkt chicken powder seasoning (makes stock)
2/3 cp water
salt and pepper

In stock pot cook bacon, when almost crisp add the onion and cook until translucent.  Add the half and half and start adding the cheeses, cook until melted.  Add 1/3 of broccoli and then use an immersion blender to make it nice
and smooth.  Add the rest of the broccoli and the carrots and simmer until done.
Serve with some sour cream on top and a little bit of fresh parsley.  Enjoy

Thanks for stopping by,  have a great week and Remember to Find the Time to do all the Things YOU L♥ve.
D♥nna

Cauliflower Bake

This is the side dish I made for Thanksgiving.  With all the great food there is to eat on that day it's always good to have a Low Carb choice too.  Eating the LC way I have found that eating tooooooooooooo much cheese does make my weight fluctuate, so I try to keep it to a minimum and only have about 2 oz maybe a couple times a week in my salad.  This is an easy recipe and one worth making.  You could change the veggie if you want.  This recipe is based on a potato recipe I used to make.  Sure hope you give it a try.

Ingredients:
2  heads of  cauliflower cut into  florets
4 oz shredded mild cheddar cheese
4 oz shredded mozzarella  cheese
4 oz block cream cheese, softened
1/2 - 3/4 cup half and half
2 bunches green onions, sliced (1 1/2 cups)
6 - 8 sliced bacon, cooked and crumbled
1 clove garlic chopped
1/2 stick butter
1/2 can cream of chicken and mushroom soup
4 oz velvetta cheese
1 - 1 1/2 TBL Garlic Herb seasoning
Salt & pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350° .
Steam cauliflower florets until tender. don't over cook it will cook more while in oven.  Drain to be sure you get as much moisture out as possible.
In a large skillet melt the butter, saute the onion and then add the garlic.  Add the cream cheese , when that is almost melted add 1/2 the half and half and add the rest of the cheeses and the rest of the half and half.  Cook until all melted.  Crumble the bacon into cheese mixture.  Butter a casserole dish and add the cauliflower and then pour cheese over the top.  Mix so it's all combined.  Top with LC pita pieces.

Cover dish with foil or put lid on if it has one   and bake for 25 minutes; remove foil and continue to bake until cheese is brown and bubbly.
Enjoy!
Thanks for stopping by and Remember to Find the Time to Do All the Things YOU L♥ve.
Donna

Eggplant Rollatini (LC) or not

While I was in NY I had eggplant for the first time.  WOW have I been missing out.  At our high school reunion one of the things on the buffet was this dish.  I had never had it and when I said that sooooooooooooo many classmates were in shock.  There was many kids of Italian decent so this food was a staple for them, and they just could not believe it was something I had never eaten.  So being brave I told them I would try it.  It was out of this world good.  So when we went to NYC to see Motown on Broadway we went out to eat afterwards and I decided I needed to try it again to be sure it was not just a fluke that I liked it.  :)  Again out of this world delicious.  After that meal I decided when I got home I was going to try to make it.  One of my best friends (from HS) helped me with instructions, etc.  Thank you Carole.  So here you have it, and I must say it's a must try.   Now you can make it with regular Italian bread crumbs but I wanted it to be LC so I adapted the recipe and it was just as good....no lie.

Ingredients:
2 eggplant
2 eggs
1 1/2 cup bread crumbs *see below for LC version*
1 15 oz container ricotta cheese
oil for frying
FILLING:

1 cup (4 ounces) shredded  mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan Reggiono  cheese
1/4 cup minced fresh parsley
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/8 teaspoon pepper
3 cups of fresh spinach finely chopped 
Mozzarella and provolone for topping
SAUCE:
your favorite or you could use this
  3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, 3 turns of the pan
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/3 cup  chicken stock or white wine, eyeball it(she uses white wine)
2 cans fire roasted tomatoes plus 1 can crushed tomatoes (recommended: San Marzano)
Several leaves basil, torn or chopped, a handful
2 tablespoons  butter, cut into small pieces

Directions

Heat a medium sauce pot over medium-low heat. Add extra-virgin olive oil,  garlic, and red pepper and let them cook 5 minutes, garlic will be soft and light golden. Remove garlic. Add stock or wine and stir 30 seconds, add tomatoes and combine. Season the sauce with salt, to taste, then stir basil in and reduce heat to low.

For low carb bread crumbs, 

2 -3 flatout flat bread Italian season (lc) can be found at most stores

1/4 cup coconut flour

1/4 cup almond flour

1-2 TBL oregano

1 TBL parsley

1 -2 tsp garlic powder

salt/pepper

Leave the flatbread out so it gets hard.  Process in food processor til you get a find crumb, combine almond and coconut flour and seasonings.  Use this to coat the eggplant when frying.

To make rollatini:

Slice the eggplant on a mandolin, place in a colander with some salt  and let sit for about 30 minutes to draw out moisture.  Pat dry.  Heat oil in skillet and then dip slices in egg then bread crumbs.  Fry until golden on each side.  DON'T over cook.  Place on wax paper and then fill each with mixture and roll up.  Place in a 9x13 pan lined with parchment paper  (easy clean up) and add sauce to the bottom.  When all rolled, put cheese on top and then top with more sauce.  You can then bake it or put in refrigerator until ready to cook.  You could also freeze at this point.

If baking then heat preheat oven 375° and bake for 30-35 minutes.  Serve with your favorite sides.  Enjoy.

The family really enjoy this so it will now become a dish that I will make often.

Have a great day and Remember to Find the Time to Do all the things YOU L♥ve.

D♥onna

 

Taco Stuffed Zucchini Boats

Doing Low Carb can be challenging at times.  I have never been a big vegetable eater and there had not been many veggies I would eat.  I had just a small list of veggies which were.....corn, green beans (canned not fresh and not Julianne style) asparagus, broccoli, cauliflower...that's it.  Well last month I had eggplant for the first time and just love it.  Also had some different types of zucchini and so far like all of those.  I'm going to try brussels sprouts again.  I've seen several recipes for them so thought what the hey!  I adapted this  recipe from here.   She has some really good recipes so take the time to look at her many recipes.
I had this with a salad and boy was it filling.  I will make it again for sure.  She has several versions of these stuffed boats so will try adapting them to my taste.

4 medium zucchinis, cut in half lengthwise
1/2 cup mild rotel
1 lb ground beef
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp kosher salt, or to taste
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp oregano
1/2 small onion, minced
2 tbsp bell pepper, minced
1/2 large tomato diced
1/2 cup shredded cheese (I used mild cheddar and velvetta mixed)
salt and pepper
chopped lettuce and sour cream for the top

Bring a pot of water of salted water to the boil.  Preheat oven to 400°
Cut zucchini in half then with a spoon or melon baller remove inside of zucchini leaving about 1/4 inch.  Put the zucchini 1/2's into boiling water and cook for about 1 1/2 minutes.  Remove and let drain on paper towel.   Dice the zucchini you removed and set aside.  Put the zucchini boats in a roasting pan lined with parchment paper (easy cleanup).  In a skillet, heat olive oil and saute the onions and garlic, add the meat and zucchini and cook until almost done, add spices, salt and pepper and continue to cook for about 15 minutes until meat is done.  Fill the boats, pressing meat into them so they are filled good.  Top with cheese and cover with foil and bake for about 35 minutes until cheese is melted and boats are tender.  Serve with sour cream and lettuce.  Enjoy
Hope you try this recipe, it's a great change from the norm.  Have a great day and Remember to Find the Time to Do all the Things you L♥ve.
D♥nna

Low carb bread sticks

I was pleasantly surprised at how good these were.  The family liked them too.  I didn't have my marinara sauce ready at the time so used Ranch to dip them in.  (Update I did make them again and we all agreed they are better with the marinara sauce, makes them like Mozzarella  sticks)
I found this here, she has some awesome recipes....want to try almost all of them soon.
Easiest Bread sticks Ever
1 packed cup cooked, minced chicken breast  (I used rotisserie chicken)
1 cup packed mozzarella, shredded
1 Tbsp parsley, dried
1 tsp basil  (I used fresh)
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Process chicken and cheese together. Mixture will resemble a meal/thick, dense crumb consistency.
3. Firmly press chicken/cheese mixture to 1/2″ thick  into non-stick, miniature bread pans, about 4X8″ (if you have a regular pan, you can spray and line with parchment for easy removal and use that instead).
4. Top with parsley, basil, onion and garlic powder.
5. Bake for 20 minutes.
6. Let cool for five minutes in pan.
7. Invert onto a cooling rack until fully cooled.
8. Slice and serve.
Makes a hell of a lot of breadsticks.
These are such a great addition to food that can be eaten when you are doing LC life style.  Hope you give them a try because they are well worth making and will be a hit with all that try them.  It's also so shocking to know they are made of chicken.
Thanks for stopping by, have a wonderful day and Remember to Find the Time to Do ALL the Things You Love.
Donna

Tilapia With Italian Cheese Sauce

When we were at Sam's last week I saw this cheese and had to buy it because I just knew it would be good on so many things.  It's called Bruschetta, it's Monterey cheese with italian seasoning mixed throughout.  Well I was right it's delicious on Tilapia, hamburgers, hot dogs, in omelets and makes a wonderful cheese sauce, so bet it would be good in  a Mac and Cheese dish.  This sauce is so quick to make and is also "Low Carb".  The recipe below makes enough for 2 pieces of fish.  The fish above I fried in a pan with some olive oil and butter and sprinkled Italian Seasoning on top.  Comes out nice and brown with a little crunch.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 oz of Bruschetta cheese
1 oz of cream cheese
1/4 cup or less of heavy cream

Melt all in sauce pan and serve over fish.

Now wasn't that easy.  This was one of those short, sweet posts.  This time of year it's too hot to be in the kitchen for long so finding quick recipes is wonderful.  Have a great day and Remember to Find the Time to Do ALL the things you love.
Donna

Ham and Provolone Braid

This is another fairly easy dinner  or party idea.  Just make your dough and fill it with your choice of meats and cheese.  I used deli have and provolone cheese in this one, I have made some with salami and cheese, meatballs and cheese but I think you choices are endless.

Dough

2 Pkgs rapid rise or instant yeast
1 3/4 cup warm water 115-125
2 TBL sugar
2 1/2 tsp salt
4 1/4 - 4 3/4 cups flour *I used 2 cups bread flour 2 1/2 cups ap flour*
2 TBL vegetable oil
Direction:
In the large bowl of mixer, place yeast, sugar, salt and two cups of flour. (I used 1 cup AP flour 1 cup bread flour) Mix to blend and add the 130 degree F water and oil. Mix on medium speed with regular beater for 3 minutes. Insert dough hook and beat for another 6:30 minutes, adding flour as needed to keep dough from being sticky.
Place dough on a floured board, cover with a cloth, and let rest for 10 minutes. Punch down dough and form into two long narrow loaves. Roll out dough to about 15x20 and place meat down the center, then cheese, then another layer of meat.  Cut stripes on each side then criss cross to make a braid. Place loaves on a greased pan or parchment lined, cover and let rise in a warm place for 30-45 minutes.  You can brush you loaves with an eggs wash and put seeds on top if you like.

Above is a picture of how you bread should look.  And this one is when it's braided.

Hope you give these a try.  I would love to hear if you try them.  Thanks for taking time from your busy day to stop by.  Have a wonderful Day and Remember to Find the Time to Do ALL the things YOU Love.
Donna

Hot corn Dip

 This is the other dip I made for Christmas Eve this year.  This is soooooooooooooooo good.  I didn't add the pickled Jalapeno's because I didn't want it to be hot,  but it has so much flavor.  You can make this ahead also, so it's a good time saver recipe if you're having a party.

Adapted from Trisha Yearwood
Printable
Ingredients

2 (11 ounce) cans of Mexicorn/Fiesta Corn, drained
2 (7 ounce) cans of chopped green chiles, drained
2 tablespoons of chopped, pickled jalapeno (omitted)
2 cups grated Monterey Jack cheese (can use pepper jack)
2/3 cup of grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup of mayonnaise
1 teaspoon of dried red pepper flakes, or to taste, optional
'Corn chips, for dipping Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray or butter a 9 x 13 inch baking dish.

Mix together everything but the corn chips in a large bowl. Transfer to prepared baking dish and bake, uncovered at 350 degrees F for 30 to 40 minutes, or until bubbly around the edges. Serve warm with the corn chips. Can also transfer to a 4 quart crockpot and cook covered on high for about an hour, or on low until warmed through and bubbly. Hold over low to keep warm.
Hope you try this recipe, it's quick and simple.  Thanks for taking the time to stop by, have a wonderful day and Remember to Find the Time to Do ALL the Things You Love.
Donna 

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas to all, hope your day and the coming years are filled with lots of Love, Happiness and Good Health.

Tomatoe Basil Pizza......YUM

This is a simple, but delicious dish.  The pizza crust recipe is the best I've found.  The topping is simple.

Dough

BEST PIZZA

1 1/2 cups very warm water

2 teaspoons yeast

2 teaspoons sugar

16 ounces (about 2 3/4 cups) bread flour

3 1/2 ounces (1/2 cup) semolina flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 tsp. olive oil

you will also need:

a food processor or Kitchen Aide type mixer

about a tablespoon of olive oil

a large bowl

Instructions:             Makes 2 Medium Pizzas

Using your food processor or mixer,   Place very warm water (about 115), yeast and sugar in food mixer stir.  While most recipes will tell you to use lukewarm water when making yeast dough, I find that by the time you take hot water, put it into a measuring cup and then into a food processor, it has cooled significantly.  I always use water that is almost too hot to the touch, and have always had great luck with this dough.  Let sit while you measure out the dry ingredients.

After 2-3 minutes you will see small bubbles forming in the liquid in the food processor, which indicates that your yeast is working.  Dump in the dry ingredients and turn on the food processor.  The machine will go all the work, including the kneading.  After about a minute the dough should form into a ball going around in your food processor.  Open the machine and take a look.  If you think the dough is too wet, you can add a bit a flour, but know that too wet is better than too dry, and the dough will loose some of its stickiness as it rises.

Place about a tablespoon of olive oil in a large bowl.  Take the dough out of the food processor or mixer (putting a little olive oil on your hands will keep it from sticking) and form it into a ball.  Place in the bowl and turn to lightly coat with the olive oil.  Cover with a clean kitchen towel and let dough rise in a warm, draft free place for about an hour or until doubled in size, before rolling out and baking.  For a crust with a perfect pizzeria taste and texture, I recommend baking on a pizza stone in a very hot oven (500 - 550EF for about 10 -12 minutes.   You can store this dough in the fridge for up to 5 days.  Just take out and let it come to room temp before baking.

 Topping:

Fresh Basil rough chopped.

you can use either fresh tomatoes sliced and arranged on top, or use you favorite sauce.  I also put dollops of cream cheese before covering completely with mozzarella cheese.

Looks Delish...right?  It does really taste as good as it looks. 

Hope you'll try this.  Let me know if you do.

Thanks for stopping by,  have a wonderful weekend and Remember to Find the Time to do ALL the things YOU love.

Donna