Try This - Healthy Selections

Because Melissa from Girlymama likes to make me sweat a bit, this months theme is healthy foods. Darn New Years Resolutions!

I have been hunting for a couple days for the best recipe, and then realized that I had one in my possession the entire time! We haven't made it yet, but it is on my "make soon" list.

Southwestern Taco Pizza!

1/2 Cup Salsa
1/2 Cup reduced fat sour cream
1/4 cup chopped red pepper
1/2 cup finely chopped chicken
8 flour tortillas
1/2 cup fat free refried beans
1 cup shredded cheese - Cheddar or Monterey Jack is best

Heat oven to 350 F. Mix together the salsa and sour cream. Save about half the mixture for later, and mix the other half with the bell pepper and chicken.

Place 2 tortillas on an ungreased cookie sheet and spread with the chicken mixture. Spread 2 tortillas with the re fried beans and place on the chicken. Top with remaining salsa mixture, then tortilla and sprinkle with cheese and if you have extra peppers those as well.

Bake for about 15 minutes or until the cheese is melted. You can cut these into 8 pieces in each stack and serve with salsa, sour cream or quac if you like.

Head on over to Girlymama for more Try This recipes!

Try This! - Holiday Cookies

It is time again for Try This, hosted by Girlymama. I love this carnival, and have found some great recipes.

This months theme, holiday cookies of course!

I am reposting one of my favorites, because the world is not complete unless EVERYONE has tried BUCKEYES. So good, so rich and so perfect in every way!!



Almost Instant Buckeyes

Ingredients:
1 (10 oz.) pkg peanut butter chips
1 (16 oz) can Pillsburgy Creamy Supreme Vanilla Frosting
1 (12 oz) pkg light cocoa candy melts or coating wafers (or chocolate almond
bark)

Directions:

1. Line cookie sheets with waxed paper. Melt peanut putter chips in medium saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; stir in frosting. Let stand about 30 minutes or until cool enough to handle.

2. Roll mixture into 1-inch balls. Place on waxed paper-lined cookie sheet.
Refrigerate 15 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, melt candy melts as directed on package.

4. To coat each ball with candy, pierce ball with toothpick; dip in melted candy leaving small are around toothpick uncoated. Place dipped ball on waxed paper-line cookie sheet, pushing the candy off the toothpick with the tines of a fork. (If desired, smooth toothpick mark with finger.)

If melted candy sets up while dipping, rewarm in microwave on LOW power. Let stand 5 minutes or until set. Putting in the fridge sets quicker.

Makes 6 dozen Buckeyes.

Man, now I want to make some. Must resist for another week!

Head on over to Girlymama for more Try This posts!

Try This! - PASTA!!

It is time again for Girlymama's Try This carnival, which is held on the first Thursday of each month.

This month's theme is PASTA! Oh how I love Pasta...I truly do. So many things are made better with pasta.

So, I wanted to do the simplest pasta "dish" I make, and one that the my kids (and me, who am I kidding) would eat everyday if we could.

Parmesan Butter Noddles

- Pasta of any shape or size, we use small shells or egg noodles the most. The amount depends on how much the people will eat, no exact amount here.
- Butter
- Parmesan - same as pasta, I use a bunch because it is just wonderful.

Cook pasta as directed on package, and drain. Make sure it is still warm, to melt the butter and cheese.

Put in the bowl/on the plate you will be using. It doesn't taste the same, something about how the butter coats in large amounts of pasta.

Add butter, you can do as little or as much as you want with this. I do a medium amount, about 1 teaspoon per bowl.

Add cheese - and oh how we add it in this house! We have been known to go through half a container with this meal for three of us.

Stir and Eat!

*Additions - I do this with chicken or shrimp a lot, and you can add any spices you might want.

So very simple, I feel like I am cheating...so here's another one that is more involved. This is one that I got out of my Food Network "How to Boil Water" cookbook**, and have made it once and love it!

Outside the Box Pasta Pie*
-1 teaspoon Kosher Salt (for pasta water)
-8 ounces of Penne or Penne Rigate
-1/2 cup milk
- 2 Large eggs
-1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
-Dash Worcestershire sauce
-Pinch nutmeg
-Fresh Cracked Pepper
- 2 Slices Bacon
- 1/2 Medium onion
- 1/4 cup drained sun-dried tomatoes
- 1 Tablespoon unsalted butter, plus a little more for greasing your baking dish (IMPORTANT!)
- 2 Cups broccoli - frozen is easiest, cooks better in the dish
- 2 ounces cream cheese
- 2 cup cheddar cheese shredded

Preheat your oven to 350, cook pasta for about 6-8 minutes. It will continue to cook when it bakes, so you don't want it all the way done.

While the pasta is cooking, whisk together eggs, milk, mustard, Worcestershire, nutmeg and black pepper. Drain pasta and let cook for about 5 minutes, add to mixture.

Slice bacon into thin strips, chop onion (not to small) and sun dried tomatoes. Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook the bacon until it just begins to crisp, add onion, broccoli and tomatoes to saucepan. Season with salt, pepper and cook until onion is tender. Add to above mixture, also adding cream cheese and 1 1/2 cups cheddar cheese. Stir until cheese is melted

Grease baking dish and butter and mound the pasta in dish (I like having a peak in the middle). Add remaining cheese to top and bake for 25 minutes. Serve warm.

*Additions: I have done this adding chicken and even some turkey before, so good and an entire meal (great for reheating for work too!).

** I LOVE this cookbook. I can never remember how to boil an egg, or how long to cook one for if I want it runny. I would normally call Ma, but I felt like an idiot. Now, I can feel that way without having to let her know! This book is wonderful!!