I found this recipe on the KitchenMonki website. It's a great site that has a huge inventory of recipes as well as a meal planning guide and grocery shopping tips. This recipe sounded delicious and that's exactly how it turned out. It's a twist on your typical taco salad, using noodles instead of chips. I definitely recommend this one!
You will need:
1 lb ground chuck
8 oz. rotini noodles
1 pkg taco seasoning
3/4 c. water
1/2 white onion, chopped
1/2 bell pepper, chopped
Shredded cheddar cheese
Salsa
Sour Cream
Boil noodles according to package instructions. Meanwhile, brown the ground chuck until cooked through. Drain excess grease and add chopped onion and bell pepper. Saute for a few minutes and then add the taco seasoning and water. Simmer until sauce thickens. The original recipe says to layer your plate, noodles, meat mixture and then a mix of the salsa and sour cream. I decided to add my noodles into the skillet with the meat mixture to coat them all evenly. We topped our bowls individually with cheese, salsa and sour cream. Very good!
Two more recipes below!
Monday, July 12, 2010
Rice Bowl
This is a new one we tried out this week. Blake loves rice bowls and he gave me some ideas as to what to add to ours. It turned out very tasty. These ingredients can be changed depending on your likes/dislikes.
You will need:
1 lb. boneless/skinless chicken tenderloins (I use pre-trimmed ones)
Brown or White Rice (enough for six servings). I use Uncle Ben's brown rice. It takes 30 minutes to cook but it's better than instant.
1 small onion or 1/2 of a large onion
1/2 bell pepper
1 can yellow corn, drained
1 tsp minced garlic
Olive oil and seasonings for chicken
Salsa (optional)
Prepare rice according to the package instructions. While rice is cooking, begin cooking the chicken tenders in a large skillet, along with 2 tbsp olive oil and garlic. In addition, I added some seasoning salt, garlic powder, black pepper, dried basil and about 1/4 c. fat-free Italian dressing. It was incredibly flavorful! Once the chicken is done, remove and set aside. Using the same pan, add 2 more tbsp olive oil and saute the onion and bell pepper until tender. Meanwhile, cut the chicken into bite-size pieces. Return the chicken to the pan of sauted veggies and add cooked rice and corn. Mix well and heat through. You may want to add a little more salt and pepper during this process. My husband likes to add salsa to his but I preferred mine without. The picture is without salsa. I apologize for the bad picture. I took it when I packed up the leftovers.
This recipe is about 4 servings.
You will need:
1 lb. boneless/skinless chicken tenderloins (I use pre-trimmed ones)
Brown or White Rice (enough for six servings). I use Uncle Ben's brown rice. It takes 30 minutes to cook but it's better than instant.
1 small onion or 1/2 of a large onion
1/2 bell pepper
1 can yellow corn, drained
1 tsp minced garlic
Olive oil and seasonings for chicken
Salsa (optional)
Prepare rice according to the package instructions. While rice is cooking, begin cooking the chicken tenders in a large skillet, along with 2 tbsp olive oil and garlic. In addition, I added some seasoning salt, garlic powder, black pepper, dried basil and about 1/4 c. fat-free Italian dressing. It was incredibly flavorful! Once the chicken is done, remove and set aside. Using the same pan, add 2 more tbsp olive oil and saute the onion and bell pepper until tender. Meanwhile, cut the chicken into bite-size pieces. Return the chicken to the pan of sauted veggies and add cooked rice and corn. Mix well and heat through. You may want to add a little more salt and pepper during this process. My husband likes to add salsa to his but I preferred mine without. The picture is without salsa. I apologize for the bad picture. I took it when I packed up the leftovers.
This recipe is about 4 servings.
Trail Mix
Blake and I have been trying to eat healthier in addition to exercising daily (we're doing the P90X program and whew...it's tough but rewarding). We had some store-bought trail mix the other day and I thought it would be nice to have some home-made. That way it would have everything we like instead of picking through the pre-packaged stuff. Not to mention you get a ton more for the same price. And while this recipe is not completely non-fatty, it is a lot healthier than grabbing some chips or cookies. It's very versatile so feel free to substitute with one of your favorites.
4 c. Corn Chex cereal (you can also use Rice Chex or Wheat Chex)
4 c. Cheerios
2 c. raisins
2 c. peanuts
2 c. M&M's
Mix together and enjoy!
I think next time I may add some pretzel sticks and maybe Cheez-Its. If you don't want chocolate, mini marshmallows would be a nice sweet contrast instead. There are endless combinations to this yummy snack!
4 c. Corn Chex cereal (you can also use Rice Chex or Wheat Chex)
4 c. Cheerios
2 c. raisins
2 c. peanuts
2 c. M&M's
Mix together and enjoy!
I think next time I may add some pretzel sticks and maybe Cheez-Its. If you don't want chocolate, mini marshmallows would be a nice sweet contrast instead. There are endless combinations to this yummy snack!
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
Fruit Pizza
This recipe is from one of my awesome bunko girls and it's too yummy not to share. It's a great summer treat. I geared mine towards the 4th of July theme but you can use any fruit you like. Enjoy!
You will need:
20 oz pkg sugar cookie dough
8 oz. block cream cheese, room temperature
1/3 c. sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
Fruit of your choice (Favorites are strawberries, pineapple, kiwi and blueberries)
1/3 c. orange marmalade plus 2 tsp water (You could also use peach or apricot preserves)
Freeze cookie dough for one hour. Cut package open and slice the cookie dough into 1/8 inch slices. Lay slices on a round pizza pan, slightly overlapping each other. Bake at 375 for 12-13 minutes or until golden brown. While the cookie cools, blend the cream cheese, sugar and vanilla extract until smooth. Spread the cream cheese mixture on the cooled cookie. Arrange the fruit as you like. Mix the marmalade with 2 tsp. water to make a glaze and spread over the fruit and cookie. Cut into wedges and chill.
Keeping with the 4th of July theme, I only used strawberries and blueberries. I also used a square pan and cut into squares instead of pizza slices.
You will need:
20 oz pkg sugar cookie dough
8 oz. block cream cheese, room temperature
1/3 c. sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
Fruit of your choice (Favorites are strawberries, pineapple, kiwi and blueberries)
1/3 c. orange marmalade plus 2 tsp water (You could also use peach or apricot preserves)
Freeze cookie dough for one hour. Cut package open and slice the cookie dough into 1/8 inch slices. Lay slices on a round pizza pan, slightly overlapping each other. Bake at 375 for 12-13 minutes or until golden brown. While the cookie cools, blend the cream cheese, sugar and vanilla extract until smooth. Spread the cream cheese mixture on the cooled cookie. Arrange the fruit as you like. Mix the marmalade with 2 tsp. water to make a glaze and spread over the fruit and cookie. Cut into wedges and chill.
Keeping with the 4th of July theme, I only used strawberries and blueberries. I also used a square pan and cut into squares instead of pizza slices.
8 Months Old
Yep, here we are, another month old. Who knew time would fly so fast once you become a parent. I'm already getting birthday plans together. Preston is going to have one big shin-dig of a party :) Here goes this month's milestones, "firsts" and a few fun facts:
- Preston can now sit unassisted for a small amount of time. He still gets excited and ends up falling backwards so we have to be nearby to catch him.
- He is now taking one long nap a day, usually for 2-3 hours. I am so proud of him!
- We went to the doctor a few weeks ago for a rash and he weighed 21 pounds.
- He is now in his big boy carseat and loves it. He looks so grown up :)
- He now eats baby food 3 times a day and nurses 4-5 times.
- He says what we consider his first word, DaDa. He doesn't necessarily know that Blake is "DaDa" but it's still adorable to hear. Maybe MaMa will be coming soon :)
- He still loves to be walked around and see EVERYTHING. He will look around you if he's not interested in you to see what else is going on, ha ha.
- He sits straight up in his stroller so he can look out and inspect everything. He yells if I stop the stroller for more than 20 seconds.
- He still does the see-saw motion with everything he holds. It's so cute
- Whenever I break out the camera and call his name, he gives me this big "cheese!" grin. So funny.
- Preston has discovered that he can yell...and loudly. He loves to hear himself so he just does it for fun. I can't help but smile
- He loves to splash whether he's in the bathtub or the swimming pool. He loves the water.
- I'm adding a picture of Preston's first taste of watermelon. He loved it! There's also a collage of these pics on the 4th of July post. It's so cute I had to add a big one.
I think that's about it. Blake and I just think the world of our little boy and we are loving every moment of parenthood. We couldn't ask for more. I love my life!
Several new posts below!
- Preston can now sit unassisted for a small amount of time. He still gets excited and ends up falling backwards so we have to be nearby to catch him.
- He is now taking one long nap a day, usually for 2-3 hours. I am so proud of him!
- We went to the doctor a few weeks ago for a rash and he weighed 21 pounds.
- He is now in his big boy carseat and loves it. He looks so grown up :)
- He now eats baby food 3 times a day and nurses 4-5 times.
- He says what we consider his first word, DaDa. He doesn't necessarily know that Blake is "DaDa" but it's still adorable to hear. Maybe MaMa will be coming soon :)
- He still loves to be walked around and see EVERYTHING. He will look around you if he's not interested in you to see what else is going on, ha ha.
- He sits straight up in his stroller so he can look out and inspect everything. He yells if I stop the stroller for more than 20 seconds.
- He still does the see-saw motion with everything he holds. It's so cute
- Whenever I break out the camera and call his name, he gives me this big "cheese!" grin. So funny.
- Preston has discovered that he can yell...and loudly. He loves to hear himself so he just does it for fun. I can't help but smile
- He loves to splash whether he's in the bathtub or the swimming pool. He loves the water.
- I'm adding a picture of Preston's first taste of watermelon. He loved it! There's also a collage of these pics on the 4th of July post. It's so cute I had to add a big one.
I think that's about it. Blake and I just think the world of our little boy and we are loving every moment of parenthood. We couldn't ask for more. I love my life!
Several new posts below!
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
Happy 4th of July!
We had an awesome 4th of July. After church, we spent the day at my parents' house, grilling out and laying out by the pool. All the guys had a great time playing around in the pool while us girls watched in amusement. Even Baby Julie had her swimsuit on by the pool, although she napped in the shade on her Mommy :) My precious nephews are so funny - they love to swim and play. Uncle Blake likes to play too so he spent some time tossing the boys around in the pool. Fun times! Preston napped while we swam so he didn't partake in the pool that day. However, after he got up we let him get his first taste of watermelon! And the verdict? He loved it! I didn't let him get too much of it though - we didn't want a diaper disaster :)
That evening we headed off to watch the Trussville Freedom fireworks show. We really enjoyed hanging out and getting ready for the fireworks. However, we made the mistake of trying to get our dinner there and the lines were ridiculous! Blake stood in line at Dreamland for a short while and then they ran out of food. Then he got in the Papa Johns line for about 25 minutes when they ran out of food. Ah! So...we made a trip by Arby's after the show. Anyway, my whole family was there along with our friends Ryan and Amber so we really did have fun. I was a bit nervous about how Preston would react to the fireworks but he wasn't scared at all. He actually liked watching them. All in all, this Independence Day was probably the best I've ever had. The only thing we will need to do different next year is bring our own food to the firework show :)
That evening we headed off to watch the Trussville Freedom fireworks show. We really enjoyed hanging out and getting ready for the fireworks. However, we made the mistake of trying to get our dinner there and the lines were ridiculous! Blake stood in line at Dreamland for a short while and then they ran out of food. Then he got in the Papa Johns line for about 25 minutes when they ran out of food. Ah! So...we made a trip by Arby's after the show. Anyway, my whole family was there along with our friends Ryan and Amber so we really did have fun. I was a bit nervous about how Preston would react to the fireworks but he wasn't scared at all. He actually liked watching them. All in all, this Independence Day was probably the best I've ever had. The only thing we will need to do different next year is bring our own food to the firework show :)
Monday, July 5, 2010
Fun Five Days
The last five days have been busy and fun-filled. It all started with Blake's 27th birthday on Thursday, July 1st. We celebrated with dinner at PF Changs with Blake's family and finished off with a chocolate cake that I made for him (recipe to come later). Side note: I've never been a big fan of PF Changs for some reason and I must say, our dinner was fabulous! Blake and I had such great food that we went back on Saturday night, ha ha
On Friday, Blake had the day off so we loaded up Preston and took a family trip to Atlanta to visit the Georgia Aquarium. This was our first time to take Preston on a trip so it was exciting for us. Preston slept most of the way so he was ready to go once we arrived. And for a weekday, the aquarium was PACKED. I'm sure the holiday weekend had something to do with it though. One thing we learned: buy tickets online at home. We stood in line for nearly 30 minutes, ugh. Anyway, we loved looking at all the fish and animals. They were so beautiful. Due to the crowds, Preston couldn't see very much so he wanted to be held the majority of the time. We took some fun pictures of him by one of the large aquariums and he seemed to enjoy himself looking at the fish. We rounded out our trip by browsing through the gift shop and purchasing a new friend for Preston, a stuffed baby penguin. He has been affectionately named George, taken from his home state :) Preston LOVED him right away and slept with him on the way home.
Waiting in line. This is our new face when we see the camera
Wants to grab the shark
Loving his new friend, George
Saturday, Blake played some golf and then we hit the pool with our good friends, Ryan and Amber. After Preston took a much needed nap, we headed back to PF Changs and did a little shopping.
Sunday was Independence Day! I have a separate post coming for this day. Preston also turned 8 months old so that post is coming too!
Blake was off again on Monday for the holiday so we spent the day hanging around the house and then making a grocery store trip. It was so nice having Blake home for a four day weekend. We really had a blast hanging out with friends, family and of course, our sweet boy. July has definitely gotten off to a great start!
On Friday, Blake had the day off so we loaded up Preston and took a family trip to Atlanta to visit the Georgia Aquarium. This was our first time to take Preston on a trip so it was exciting for us. Preston slept most of the way so he was ready to go once we arrived. And for a weekday, the aquarium was PACKED. I'm sure the holiday weekend had something to do with it though. One thing we learned: buy tickets online at home. We stood in line for nearly 30 minutes, ugh. Anyway, we loved looking at all the fish and animals. They were so beautiful. Due to the crowds, Preston couldn't see very much so he wanted to be held the majority of the time. We took some fun pictures of him by one of the large aquariums and he seemed to enjoy himself looking at the fish. We rounded out our trip by browsing through the gift shop and purchasing a new friend for Preston, a stuffed baby penguin. He has been affectionately named George, taken from his home state :) Preston LOVED him right away and slept with him on the way home.
Waiting in line. This is our new face when we see the camera
Wants to grab the shark
Loving his new friend, George
Saturday, Blake played some golf and then we hit the pool with our good friends, Ryan and Amber. After Preston took a much needed nap, we headed back to PF Changs and did a little shopping.
Sunday was Independence Day! I have a separate post coming for this day. Preston also turned 8 months old so that post is coming too!
Blake was off again on Monday for the holiday so we spent the day hanging around the house and then making a grocery store trip. It was so nice having Blake home for a four day weekend. We really had a blast hanging out with friends, family and of course, our sweet boy. July has definitely gotten off to a great start!
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