Grilled Chicken Avocado Burritos

This is a great recipe if you have avocados you need to use up or have leftover grilled chicken. Healthy, easy, and most importantly....delicious!

Grilled Chicken Avocado Burritos

• 2 cups sliced grilled chicken (we marinate boneless chicken breasts in Italian dressing for a few hours and then throw on the grill)
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
• 1/4 cup light sour cream
• 2 medium avocados, diced
• 1/4 tsp. pepper
• 6 medium (or 4 large) tortillas

Combine ingredients (except tortillas) in bowl and stir gently. Spoon into tortillas, fold ends in and roll up into burrito, press in greased George Foreman grill or panini press or cook on both sides in greased skillet over medium high heat for a few minutes until golden brown. Serve with salsa for dipping. Makes 6 medium or 4 large burritos.

Blueberry Oatmeal Cups

Here's another great breakfast idea you can make ahead and then freeze to grab on a busy morning! They also make for a healthy snack option and I can tell you.....they are toddler approved!

Blueberry Oatmeal Cups

• 1/2 cup oil
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup applesauce
• 1 & 1/2 cups milk
• 1 Tbsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 3 cups oats
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 1 cup frozen blueberries

Combine oil, eggs, brown sugar and vanilla and mix well. Then add applesauce, milk, cinnamon, and salt and combine. Stir in oats and baking powder. Then fold in blueberries. Fill greased muffin cups and bake 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes. Makes about 14 cups.

Crock-Pot Chili

Here's a Crock-Pot recipe that's easy to throw together, always a crowd favorite and makes for great leftovers!

Crock-Pot Chili

• 1 & 1/2 pounds ground beef (can substitute for turkey or venison) 
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 1 (8 oz.) can tomato sauce
• 1 can pinto beans, drained
• 1 can kidney beans, drained
• 1 can chili beans, drained
• 1 can Rotel
• 1 can diced tomatoes
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup water

Brown ground beef with minced garlic on stove. Then combine with all remaining ingredients in Crock-Pot and mix well. Cook on LOW for a minimum of 4 hours (or you can really let it cook all day long). Serve with Fritos, shredded cheddar cheese, and sour cream. 

Banana Wheat Muffins

After an almost 2 YEAR (thanks to having a baby and moving out of state) break from blogging and sharing my recipes on my blog...I'm back! (Full life update on the About Me section) Here is one that my baby now toddler (almost 2) LOVES! And I promise you will too! I love to make a batch of these and stick them right in the freezer to be able to grab for a healthy breakfast option for busy morning on the go. Hope you enjoy, and I'd love your feedback! Also check out my Recipe Box for some oldies but goodies!

Banana Wheat Muffins

• 1/3 cup butter, melted
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1 egg
• 3 large bananas
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup whole wheat flour

Combine melted butter, sugar, egg, and bananas and mix. Add remaining ingredients and mix until smooth. Scoop into greased muffin cups, filling about 2/3 full. Bake at 350 degrees for 18-20 minutes. Makes about 16 muffins.

*For banana wheat bread, bake in greased 9'' sqaure pan at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Stuffed Green Peppers

This healthy, new recipe I tried was a big hit at my house for dinner tonight! It was so full of flavor and made for a very well rounded meal of protein, a starch and vegetable all by itself, no other sides required! It was also very filling and will definitely on my regular rotation of week night dinner recipes. Hope you will give it a try!

Stuffed Green Peppers

• 4 green bell peppers
• 1 lb. lean ground beef
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 2 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. pepper
• 1/2 tsp. garlic salt
• 1 (15 oz.) can tomato sauce, divided
• 1 cup instant brown rice, uncooked
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Cut the tops off peppers, remove seeds, and wash out thoroughly. In large skillet, cook beef and saute chopped onion, salt, pepper, garlic salt together over medium-high heat until beef browned and onion tender. Stir in 1 cup of tomato sauce and uncooked rice to skillet and heat through for a few minutes. Then stuff peppers with beef mixture and top with remaining tomato sauce. Place in greased baking pan and cover with foil. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Then, remove foil and top with mozzarella cheese and return to oven, uncovered, for 15 minutes. Makes 4 servings.

Easy Pizza Bake

I have seen variations of this recipe all over Pinterest, and so I decided to try it with a few variations of my own. It was very yummy and made for a quick and easy dinner, perfect for any weeknight! Feel free to try it with whatever pizza toppings you prefer.

Easy Pizza Bake

• 2 cans Pillsbury flaky layers biscuits
• 1/2 lb. turkey sausage, browned
• 2 cups traditional pizza or marinara sauce
• dried oregano to taste
• 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
• grated parmesan cheese to taste

Cut raw biscuits in half and place in bottom of greased 9-inch square casserole dish. Sprinkle with browned sausage and cover with sauce. Sprinkle with desired amount of oregano, and bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and cover with mozzarella cheese and sprinkle with desired amount of parmesan cheese. Return to oven for 5 minutes until cheese is melted.

Cheeseburger Quesadillas

Enjoy this twist of two classic favorites! Easy recipe that is perfect for a busy weeknight that is husband-approved and takes less than 30 minutes!

Cheeseburger Quesadillas

• 1 lb. lean ground beef
• 1/2 onion, chopped
• 1/4 cup ketchup
• 2 Tbsp. mustard
• 1/2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
• Salt & pepper to taste
• 8 flour tortillas
• Butter
• 1 Roma tomato, diced
• Shredded cheddar cheese

Cook ground beef with chopped onion in skillet over medium-high heat until beef browned and onion tender. Remove from heat and add ketchup, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, and salt and pepper to taste. Stir until evenly mixed. Lightly butter one side of each tortilla and place one at a time, buttered side down, in another skillet heated over medium-high heat. Then fill with 1/4 of the meat mixture, and sprinkle with shredded cheese and diced tomatoes. Top with another tortilla, buttered side up. When bottom tortilla is nicely browned, flip quesadilla over and cook until bottom tortilla is nicely browned and cheese melted. Feel free to make it your own by adding whatever other burger toppings or sauces you prefer to the quesadilla (bacon, mushrooms, lettuce, ranch, BBQ sauce, ect.) Makes 4 whole quesadillas. 

One Pan Chicken Dinner

Here is a delicious and easy weeknight dinner idea for you to try! The chicken was very moist and had a great flavor, and since you only use one pan, clean up is a breeze!

One Pan Chicken Dinner

• 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 5 red potatoes, cubed
• 3 cups frozen green beans
• 1 pkg. italian dressing mix
• 1 stick margarine, melted

Arrange chicken breasts down the center of greased 9x13 glass baking dish and then fill with potatoes on one side and green beans on the other. Sprinkle with italian dressing mix and pour melted margarine over all. Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.

Crock-Pot Broccoli Cheese Soup

Here is a great soup recipe for the Crock-Pot that's perfect for a winter day!

Crock-Pot Broccoli Cheese Soup

• 1/2 cup onion, chopped
• 1/2 cup green pepper, chopped
• 2 Tbsp. margarine
• 1 can (10 3/4oz.) 98% fat free cream of chicken soup
• 3 cups milk
• 1 lb. Velveeta cheese, cubed
• 1 (10 oz.) package frozen broccoli
• 1/2 tsp. black pepper

Saute onion and green pepper in margarine until tender. Then combine all ingredients in Crock-Pot and cook on LOW for 3-4 hours, stirring occasionally. Optional: About 30 minutes before serving, blend soup in blender for a few seconds to blend vegetables and make soup creamier. Return soup to Crock-Pot on LOW until serving.

Sausage Brunch Casserole

Here is a variation of a breakfast casserole recipe that a friend brought to work that I really liked. I changed the recipe up a bit to make it my own, and it was a big hit at my house!

Sausage Brunch Casserole

• 1 lb. ground turkey sausage
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 (8 oz.) loaf French bread, cut into 1-inch cubes (5 cups)
• 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1 1/2 cup low-fat cottage cheese
• 5 eggs
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 1/2 tsp. nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp. ground mustard
• 1/4 tsp. pepper

Cook sausage with onion in skillet until browned. Spread 1/2 of the bread cubes in greased 9x13 casserole dish. Then layer with 1/2 of the sausage and onion, cheddar cheese, and mozzarella cheese. Spread evenly with cottage cheese. Top with remaining bread cubes, sausage and onion, cheddar and mozzarella cheese. In separate bowl, beat eggs until foamy. Blend in milk, nutmeg, mustard, and pepper. Pour egg mixture evenly over top of casserole, and press bread cubes down until covered. Let casserole stand for 10 minutes, and then bake at 350 degrees for 50 minutes until center is set and top is golden brown.

Mom's Homemade Cinnamon Rolls

Here is a delicious recipe for homemade cinnamon rolls that my mom made for us growing up. They take a bit of time and preparation, but they are definitely worth it!

Mom's Homemade Cinnamon Rolls

• 1 cup scalded milk (right up to boiling)
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 cup shortening
• 1 cup lukewarm water
• 2 pkgs. yeast
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 7 cups all purpose flour

Filling

• 4 Tbsp. margarine, melted
• 4 Tbsp. sugar
• 2 Tbsp. cinnamon

Buttercream Icing

• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1/3 cup margarine, melted
• 4 cups powdered sugar

Pour scalded milk over sugar, salt, and shortening in mixer bowl. In separate bowl, dissolve yeast in lukewarm water and then add beaten eggs. When milk mixture has cooled to lukewarm temperature, add yeast and egg mixture. Beat well. Add half of the flour and beat until smooth. Add remaining flour and knead until the dough springs back to touch. Place dough in greased bowl, cover and let rise in warm place (like warm oven turned off) until dough doubles in size (about 1-1 1/2 hours). 

Roll dough out and spread with melted margarine and sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar filling. Roll up long-ways and separate into rolls by sliding a long piece of thread under the roll about 1inch in, and then bring the two ends of thread across the top of the roll and pull together to cut dough more easily.

Place rolls on greased baking sheet, cover and allow to rise in warm place for 1 hour. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. Allow to cool before icing.

To make icing, beat ingredients together until smooth and creamy adding more or less powdered sugar to reach desired consistency. Makes about 24 rolls.