Strawberry Margarita Pie

What a perfect day to be sharing a delicious, frozen dessert. We hit 80 today and it was beautiful outside!

I'm sharing this recipe now because it is perfect for a Cinco De Mayo celebration...but it's also perfect for any reason. I found it years ago on one of those Pillsbury goofy little cookbooks that you see at the grocery store checkout. I know a lot of you out there have tried the infamous strawberry jello-pretzel crust dessert and this is similar, but a little more tart...and deliciously frozen and cold on a hot summer day. As long as you give yourself enough time for freezing, it's easy enough to whip up even for a weeknight.

~Leah

Strawberry Margarita Pie

Recipe Type: Dessert

Author: Leah (from Pillsbury "Menus to Celebrate Spring")

Prep time: 25 mins

Total time: 25 mins

Serves: 10

Ingredients

• CRUST


• 1 1/4 c crushed pretzels


• 1/4 c sugar


• 1/2 c butter, melted


• FILLING


• 1 (14oz) can sweetened condensed milk


• 1/2 c frozen concentrated margarita mix, THAWED


• 1 (10-16 oz) pkg frozen strawberries in syrup, THAWED


• 1 c whipping cream, whipped


• Optional


• 1 c whipping cream


• 1 tsp vanilla


• 2 Tbsp sugar

Instructions

1. In small bowl, combine all crust ingredients; mix well. Press firmly in bottom of ungreased 8 or 9 inch springform pan. Refrigerate while preparing filling.


2. In large bowl, combine condensed milk and margarita mix; beat until smooth. Add strawberries; beat at low speed until well blended. Fold in whipped cream. Pour into crust-lined pan. Freeze at least 3 hours or until firm.


3. ***Optional***


4. Place a metal mixing bowl and metal whisk into the freezer for 10 to 15 minutes.


5. Place the sugar into the mixing bowl and add the whipping cream. Whisk on high just until the cream reaches stiff peaks.


6. Scoop dollops onto the pie or pipe with a pastry bag and large tip or with a ziplock with a hole cut out of the corner.


7. You can do this before or after freezing.

3.2.1230

Spring Asparagus Soup

I love "play outside" days. Everyone in my house is happier on "play outside" days, including me! My daughter has decided she doesn't need naps anymore, which is honestly unbearable for me. Anyone with a 2 1/2 year old at home knows why. One of the many beautiful things about "play outside" days is that she will typically take at least a one hour nap. Something to do with the sunshine, the running, the fresh air... I don't know and don't really care. It works, thats all that matters! I'm so excited that we have a lot more of those days in our near future, we could all use the fresh air. Its been rainy and not great so far this spring, but I know there have to be sunnier and warmer days coming our way. Eventually.

Similar to Leah, to get myself in the spring spirit I start pulling out my favorite spring/summer recipes. There are a few I'll be posting sometime soon that are awesome, but this soup is a great way to start. Its very light and creamy, but doesn't really have all that much cream in it. You use pureed peas instead. There is less than 100 calories in one cup of this soup! Its great for lunch or make it with BLTs or Chicken Salad for dinner.

Spring Asparagus Soup

Recipe Type: Soup

Author: Wendy

Prep time: 10 mins

Cook time: 20 mins

Total time: 30 mins

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 2 bunches thin asparagus, tough ends trimmed off


• 2 leeks, white & light green parts only, halved and sliced thin and rinsed


• 1 tbsp unsalted butter


• 3 ½ c. low sodium chicken broth


• ½ c. frozen peas


• 2 tbsp parmesan cheese, grated


• ¼ c. half and half


• ½ tsp lemon juice


• salt and pepper

Instructions

1. Cut the tips off the asparagus spears and chop the remaining spears into 1/2 inch pieces.


2. Bring 1/2 cup water to boil in an 8-inch skillet over medium high heat. Add the asparagus, cover and cook until the tips are tender about 2 minutes.


3. Remove the asparagus tips, pat dry and set aside.


4. Combine the remaining asparagus pieces, leeks, butter, 1/8 tsp salt and 1/8 tsp pepper into large saucepan.


5. Cover and cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally until softened 8-10 minutes.


6. Add the broth to the pot, bring to a simmer, and cook until completely tender about 5 minutes.


7. Stir in the peas and parmesan.


8. Working in 2 batches, process the soup in a blender until completely smooth, 2-3 minutes.


9. Return the soup to the pot. Stir in the reserved asparagus tips, half and half and lemon juice and cook until heated through, about 2 minutes.


10. Season with salt and pepper to taste, serve.

3.2.1230

 

Taco Bean Layer Dip

Even with all of this goofy weather we've been having around here (6 inches in 24 hours?! Snow this morning?!) I've officially been in "summer mode" when it comes to recipes/cooking lately. I'm always excited to get back to recipes I haven't made in a few months when we go from summer to fall and winter to spring. When we first started discussing doing this blog last fall, I had a lot of recipes in mind that I wanted to use but many of them weren't fall/winter appropriate so I'm very excited that we're getting to begin to share a new season of recipes.

I'm kicking off my spring/summer recipes with this Taco Bean Dip. It's so easy and great to bring to summer parties. I like to serve it with tortilla chips, or Fritos, or veggies...or all three! If you have some leftover (like I did after our photo shoot), it's great to turn into a nacho platter or use as all of your toppings for tacos for dinner (thanks for that idea, Erin!)

~Leah

Taco Bean Layer Dip

Recipe Type: Appetizer

Author: Leah

Prep time: 10 mins

Total time: 10 mins

Serves: 8-10

Ingredients

• 2 cans bean dip


• 2-3 soft avocados


• 1 tsp. lemon juice


• 1 cup sliced black olives


• 1/2 cup mayo


• 1 cup sour cream


• 1 pkg. taco seasoning


• 1/2 c green onions, diced


• 1/2 c tomatoes, diced


• 1-2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Instructions

1. Mash the avocados in a small bowl and stir in the lemon juice. Set aside.


2. Mix the mayo, sour cream, and taco seasoning in a small bowl. Set aside.


3. Layer all of the ingredients, starting with the bean dip spread on the bottom, follow with the mashed avocado, olives, sour cream/taco mixture, onions, tomatoes, and ending with the cheese in an 8x11.5 (2 inch deep) baking dish or other dish or serving platter of similar proportions.


4. Serve with chips or veggies.


5. Cover and refrigerate if not serving immediately.

3.2.1230

 

 

Sugar-free Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

If you're anything like me, the minute you see "sugar-free" you assume the food will be bland, tasteless or have some strange fake-sugar aftertaste. Well push those thoughts aside for this recipe. These cookies taste just as good as a sugar filled version, I swear. During my no-sugar Lent period, I experimented with dozens of recipes trying to find one dessert that still tasted like a dessert. I think I tried every single peanut butter/oatmeal/banana "healthy" recipe on Pinterest. Side note -- don't bother, they all taste the same. One day I decided I would just pull up some recipes for cookies and make the adjustments myself. Lo and behold, we had a winner! I made these one day and decided to be nice to my husband and kids and make them alongside some regular chocolate chip cookies. Just because I made the commitment to sugar-free didn't mean they had to suffer the whole time with me. (Although my husband did end up eating a bunch of yucky ice cream experiments) :)

The weird thing was that Jason ended up eating all of these cookies instead of the regular ones! And if anyone knows cookies, its Jason. I wouldn't exactly call these "healthy" cookies. The recipe still calls for a decent amount of butter. It is a relatively "clean" recipe though, meaning 90% of the ingredients are natural and not heavily processed. So that's a win! Give them a try. If you have kids, or even if you don't, its nice to have a few sweet recipes that aren't loaded with refined sugar.

Sugar-free Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

Author: Wendy

Prep time: 30 mins

Cook time: 12 mins

Total time: 42 mins

Ingredients

• 1/2 c. butter, softened


• 1/2 c. honey


• 1 large egg


• 1 tsp vanilla extract


• 3/4 c. all-purpose or whole wheat flour


• 1/2 tsp baking soda


• 1 tsp ground cinnamon


• 1/4 tsp table salt


• 1 1/2 c. rolled oats


• 3/4 c. raisins


• 1/2 c. walnuts, chopped (optional)

Instructions

1. In a large bowl, cream together the butter and honey until combined. Add the egg and vanilla and beat until smooth.


2. In a separate bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt together. Stir this into the butter/honey mixture.


3. Stir in the oats, raisins and walnuts, if using them.


4. Put the dough in the refrigerator for 30 minutes or in the freezer for 15 minutes to chill. Remove the dough from the fridge/freezer and heat the oven to 350 degrees.


5. While the oven is heating, scoop the dough in heaping teaspoonfuls onto a parchment-paper lined baking sheet. If you don't have parchment paper, just spray with non-stick spray. Press each cookie down slightly with the back of your teaspoon.


6. Bake them for 10 to 12 minutes.


7. Take them out when they are golden brown at the edges but still a little undercooked-looking on top. Let them sit on the hot baking sheet for five minutes before transferring them to a rack to cool.

3.2.1230

 

Banana Bread Quinoa Cereal

I'm new to the quinoa bandwagon. I've been hearing people rave about it for awhile now, and MAYBE even purchased a bag that sat in the pantry for 2+ years. My problem is that sides (to accompany a main course) are are almost non-existent in my house. It's all I can do to get veggies on the table, so a side that isn't green never makes the cut.

So I found a new use for the quinoa...from a newly purchased bag. Oatmeal lovers will definitely want to give this a try. I also find this very tasty reheated the next day. Enjoy!

~Erin

Banana Bread Quinoa Cereal

Author: Erin

Prep time: 5 mins

Cook time: 20 mins

Total time: 25 mins

Serves: 3

Ingredients

• 2 c. milk, plus more for serving


• 1 c. quinoa, rinsed and drained


• 3 T. brown sugar, plus more for serving


• 1/8 tsp. cinnamon


• 1 ripe banana, plus more for serving


• 1/4 c. chopped walnuts

Instructions

1. Bring milk to a boil in a saucepan.


2. Add quinoa, return to a boil.


3. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until most of the liquid is absorbed (about 15 minutes).


4. Mash banana with a fork until it's almost baby food-like. Stir into quinoa with cinnamon and brown sugar. Cook a few more minutes until liquid is absorbed.


5. Garnish with banana slices, walnuts, and brown sugar to serve. Add more milk if desired.

3.2.1230

 

Bread Dippin' Cilantro Salsa

Here I go again with another recipe whose main ingredient people either tend to love or hate. I happen to love cilantro but I know plenty of people who don't care for it as much. I found this recipe many many years ago in a magazine and tore it out, but of course, it does not say anywhere on the half sheet what magazine it is -- I'm sure it was Good Housekeeping or Better Homes and Gardens or something along those lines. The recipe was in the magazine as a result of a reader writing in about it after having had it at East Bay Crab and Grille in Egg Harbor, New Jersey. I'm not quite sure why it's called "salsa" because it resembles a good oil bread dip more than a true salsa, but the former journalist in me is thinking it was simply a way to not use the word "dip" twice in the recipe title. Bread Dippin' Cilantro Dip would have been a no-no in the editorial world! :)

I first made it years ago for a get-together I was hosting for my mother-in-law's birthday because she LOVES cilantro. I remember wondering if I should make it since no one else in the family (besides her and me) are very fond of it. I decided that it was for HER birthday and that she'd probably love it so the rest of them could just not eat it.

Turns out, everybody liked it! Even the cilantro haters! I have no idea why because it is mostly all cilantro but I guess that fresh lemon juice, and olive oil and hint of a kick from the hot sauce are enough to change it for people's palates. And, seriously, you could put practically anything on fresh, warm, bread and people would like it.

~Leah

Bread Dippin' Cilantro Salsa

Recipe Type: Appetizer

Author: Leah (from East Bay Crab and Grille)

Prep time: 15 mins

Total time: 15 mins

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 1 large bunch (about 4 oz) cilantro, tough stems trimmed


• 2 green onions, cut into 2-inch pieces


• 1 Tbsp. red wine vinegar or malt vinegar


• 1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice


• 2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil


• 1 tsp. hot pepper sauce


• 1/8 tsp. salt


• 2 Tbsp. water


• 1 loaf French or Italian bread, warmed

Instructions

1. Rinse cilantro. Drain, but do not spin dry. In food processor with knife blade attachment, pulse cilantro and green onions until coarsely chopped. Transfer mixture to small bowl.


2. Stir in vinegar, lemon juice, olive oil, hot pepper sauce, salt, and water. Cover and refrigerate up to 2 days.


3. Serve with warmed, sliced bread.

3.2.1230

 

Pizza Pasta Bake

Here's a quick and easy one for you. Pizza mixed with pasta = everyone will love it! I'd never thought of adding pepperoni to pasta before but the first time I tried it I was sold. The flavor is a really great mix. The fun part of this dish is that you can add whatever favorite pizza toppings your family likes -- spinach, sausage, pepperoni, green peppers, Canadian bacon, really anything would work. When I make this for dinner I often make two casseroles at a time, throw one in the freezer and save myself tons of time sometime later in the month. The whole wheat pasta and mostly-vegetables ingredient list also makes this a lot healthier than ordering a pizza!

~Wendy

Pizza Pasta Bake

Recipe Type: Dinner

Author: Wendy

Prep time: 15 mins

Cook time: 30 mins

Total time: 45 mins

Serves: 6

A healthy, cheesy family dinner that works well for potlucks and make-ahead freezer meals!

Ingredients

• 1 box whole wheat rigatoni pasta


• 1 c. sliced mushrooms


• 1 small onion, chopped


• 1 small green pepper, chopped


• 1 jar spaghetti sauce, any flavor


• 1 c. chunky mild salsa


• 1 c. pepperoni, chopped


• 2 turkey Italian sausages, casings removed


• 3 c. shredded mozzarella cheese


• 1 c. shredded Parmesan cheese

Instructions

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees.


2. Cook pasta according to package directions.


3. Meanwhile in a dutch oven or big pot cook the sausage, breaking it up into small pieces as it cooks. Before the sausage is fully cooked through (about 1/2 way done), add mushrooms, onion, and green pepper and cook over medium heat until meat is no longer pink and the vegetables have softened, drain any remaining grease.


4. Drain pasta, add to the meat mixture.


5. Stir in the pasta sauce, salsa and pepperoni.


6. Grease a 13 x 9 in. baking dish.


7. Divide the pasta mixture in two and put 1/2 at the bottom of the greased pan. Cover with 1/2 of the mozzarella and 1/2 of the Parmesan cheese. Top with the remaining pasta mixture and then the remaining cheeses.


8. Cover with tin foil and bake for 20 minutes. Uncover and return to oven and bake 10 more minutes until cheese is melted/browned.

Notes

Should you want to freeze this dish for another time, just cover with foil and keep in the freezer for up to 2 months. When you're ready to bake it, remove from the freezer and put directly in the hot oven. Bake for 30 minutes, remove foil and back for another 10 minutes until the top cheese is golden brown.

3.2.1230

 

Slow Cooker Cheesy Chicken and Broccoli

I don't believe in a slower cooker season. What's not to like about dinner cooking away all afternoon, no matter what the weather? Even as the Spring warms (ever so sloooooooowly) I still aim to use mine at least once a week. It's perfect for the days we are running to ballet, karate, and soccer right around the dinner hour. Cause really, if I hadn't planned a head, what would be the chances of serving up a home cooked meal when I walk in the house with 3 STARVING kids at 5:45?

Note....STARVING is their word, not mine. And it's always accompanied by bodies that can no longer support their own weight and a chorus of whine.

This recipe caught my eye immediately in an America's Test Kitchen cookbook. I changed a couple things around and adapted to our tastes, but it still delivers on the melty, cheesy goodness I know and love. And the bonus? It's a melty, cheesy broccoli vehicle.

~Erin

 

Slow Cooker Cheesy Chicken and Brocoli

Author: Erin (adapted from America's Test Kitchen)

Prep time: 20 mins

Total time: 20 mins

Ingredients

• 3 T. vegetable oil


• 2 onions, minced


• 4 garlic cloves, minced


• 1 tsp. dried oregano


• 3 T. flour


• 1 c. chicken broth


• 1/2 c. heavy cream


• 1 tsp. dried mustard


• 2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken thighs


• salt and pepper


• 2 c. rice, cooked


• 1 c. cheddar cheese, shredded


• 1/2 c. parmesan cheese, grated


• 12 oz. broccoli florets, fresh or frozen (see note)

Instructions

1. Heat 2 T. of oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions, garlic, and oregano and cook until onions are softened.


2. Stir in flour and cook for 1 minute.


3. Whisk in chicken broth, scraping up any browned bits, until no lumps remain. Pour mixture into slow cooker.


4. Stir in heavy cream and dried mustard into slow cooker.


5. Season chicken thighs with salt and pepper, add to slow cooker, turning to coat. Cook 4-6 hours on low.


6. Break up chicken into bite size pieces with a wooden spoon. Stir in cooked rice, cheddar, parmesan, and 1 tsp. salt.


7. Cook broccoli in microwave until tender. Gently fold into casserole in slow cooker. Serve.

Notes

To avoid a broccoli and rice mush, cook them separately instead of with the chicken in the slow cooker. I use "steam in bag" frozen broccoli (12-ish ounces), and pre-cooked brown rice. A frozen rice is often available right along side the frozen veggies in the grocery store. Follow the directions for each on the bag and add them (cooked and hot!) to your chicken. Other options are leftover rice from a previous meal, and fresh broccoli steamed on the stove top. Watch your chicken cooking time as well. I find that chicken can be done long before a recipe says, depending on your slow cooker. If you use chicken breasts instead of thighs, be aware they take less time to cook through.

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