Hello everyone :)  I just wanted to let all of you know that I am officially a Texan.  My husband and I have been making the move from California to Texas over the last four days and have finally arrived. Now all that's left to do is wait for the movers to arrive so we can unpack and I can start cooking up a storm in my new kitchen!  Military moves are always stressful, hectic, and almost never on time... so it could be a while before any new recipes are posted.  Stick with me though and there will be some great new food ideas soon!!!

Crescent Breakfast Pizza

Ingredients:

1 (8 oz.) Crescent seamless dough sheet

6 eggs, scrambled

Salt and pepper, to taste

1/2 cup ham, diced

1/2 cup bacon, cooked, crumbled

3 slices American cheese, quartered

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375°.  Remove Crescent dough from package and place in a 9 x 13” nonstick baking pan (greased); cook in oven for 15 minutes.  Meanwhile, spray a nonstick skillet with cooking spray; pour eggs into skillet and season with salt and pepper.  Cook eggs until scrambled and fully heated; stir in ham and bacon.  Remove Crescent crust from the oven and top with the eggs; place quartered pieces of cheese over top of egg mixture so top of pizza is almost completely covered.  Finish baking in the oven for an additional 3 – 5 minutes or until cheese is completely melted and crust is cooked through.

Have fun with this recipe!  Add any other breakfast favorite ingredients to make this your own recipe.  It's also great with different meats, cheeses, and veggies... yummm :)

Pizza Pasta Bake

Ingredients:

8 oz. rotini pasta, uncooked

1 lb. ground chicken

Basil, oregano, garlic powder, onion powder

Salt and pepper, to taste

1 (5 oz.) bag Hormel® pepperoni minis

1 (4 oz.) can sliced black olives, drained

1 (4 oz.) can sliced mushrooms, drained

1 cup ricotta cheese

1 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese, divided

3/4 cup parmesan cheese, grated

1 (24 oz.) jar spaghetti sauce

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375°.  Cook pasta according to package directions; drain.  Heat a small amount of olive oil in a skillet; add ground chicken, seasonings, salt and pepper, and cook until done.  In a large mixing bowl combine cooked pasta, cooked chicken, pepperoni, olives, mushrooms, ricotta cheese, 1 cup of mozzarella cheese, 1/2 cup of parmesan cheese, and spaghetti sauce.  Pour mixture into large baking dish; top with remaining cheeses.  Bake for 30 minutes or until cheese is bubbly and slightly brown. 

Grilled Shrimp Kabobs

Ingredients:

8 wooden kabob skewers, soaked in water

48 large shrimp, raw, peeled and deveined

1 zucchini, cut into half discs

1 summer squash, cut into half discs

2 bell peppers (your color of choice), chopped

6 button mushrooms, halved

1 red onion, chopped

Salt and pepper, to taste

For marinade

2 tbsp soy sauce

2 tbsp teriyaki sauce

2 tbsp crushed pineapple

1 1/2 tbsp honey

1 tbsp apricot preserves

1/2 tsp ground ginger

2 tsp Mrs. Dash® Caribbean Citrus seasoning blend

2 tbsp rice wine vinegar

1/4 tsp sesame oil

Directions:

After soaking wooden kabob skewers in water, begin to assemble the shrimp kabobs.  Each skewer should have 6 shrimp; in between shrimp fill in space with vegetables.  Once all skewers have been assembled, season each with salt and pepper.  Place skewers in a large resalable plastic bag.  To make marinade, whisk all ingredients together in a mixing bowl; pour marinade into bag with kabobs and turn to coat thoroughly.  Refrigerate kabobs 1 – 2 hours before cooking (or overnight).  When ready to cook, grill kabobs 5 – 7 minutes or until shrimp are opaque and vegetables are tender.  Yields 4 servings (2 kabobs per person).  

To prevent an accidental bag pop and refrigerator mess, place the plastic bag filled with kabobs in a 9 X 13” baking pan when chilling.  If there is a mishap, at least the marinade won’t spill and stick to the bottom of the fridge and all its’ contents! 

Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad

Ingredients:

1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Grill seasoning, to taste

4 cups mixed baby greens

3/4 cup grape tomatoes, halved

1 cup croutons, preferred flavor or homemade

1/2 cup parmesan cheese, shaved using a vegetable peeler

Dressing Ingredients:

1/2 a lemon, for juice

1/2 tsp Dijon mustard

1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

1/2 tsp anchovy paste

1 clove of garlic, minced

1/4 tsp fresh ground black pepper

1/4 cup mayonnaise

1/4 cup olive oil

1/4 cup parmesan cheese, grated

For Weight Watchers users: This recipe can be enjoyed for a mere 9 points if you simply substitute fat free mayonnaise and reduced fat parmesan cheese when mixing the salad dressing!   

Directions:

To make dressing

In a mixing bowl, juice the lemon; whisk together with Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, anchovy paste, garlic, and black pepper.  Add mayonnaise and whisk until well combined; slowly whisk in olive oil until well blended.  Stir in parmesan cheese and chill until ready to serve.

To make salad

Season both sides of each chicken breast with grill seasoning (we like to use McCormick Montreal Steak or Chicken Seasoning); cook on grill for 8 – 12 minutes or until center of chicken is no longer pink.  Remove chicken from grill and let rest; slice thinly.  Meanwhile, toss baby greens with prepared dressing; place 1 cup greens per person (serves 4).  Top each with equal amounts of tomatoes, croutons, parmesan cheese, and sliced chicken.  Serve immediately and enjoy!

For homemade croutons simply take your bread of choice and season with desired spices, salt, and pepper.  Sprinkle with a small amount of olive oil and bake at 350° for 10 – 15 minutes or until bread is to desired crispness (removing from oven to turn once).  We prefer our croutons to be crunchy on the outside and slightly chewy on the inside.