Healthy Taco Time

Guess what time of year it is???

Thats right… Time to get back on track with a healthy diet that includes exercise!!

At least until my cheat day for Superbowl. 😉

New Year… New Me…

Lets Go

Here is what you will need:

• Red, yellow & orange bell peppers.
• 1½ lbs ground lean turkey.
• Low sodium taco seasoning.
• ½ of a sweet onion. Diced
• Can of black beans. Rinsed
• Sharp shredded cheddar cheese
• Olive oil
• Salt & Pepper
• Sour cream
• Salsa

Here is what you will need to do:

Preheat oven to 350º.

Clean out your peppers and cut them in half. Coat the halves with olive oil and sprinkle with salt & pepper.  Lay them in a glass pan and cook for 10-15 minutes.

 Cook the ground turkey in a little olive oil for a few minutes and then add in your diced sweet onion. Cook until ground turkey is no longer pink and is all chopped up. Season with low sodium taco seasoning and add in the black beans. Give it all a good stir and cook together for a few more minutes.

Stuff each pepper half with the meat mixture.  Cover with foil and cook for 20 minutes.

Uncover. Top each pepper half with sharp cheddar cheese and cook until cheese is melted.

Serve them up with sour cream and your favorite salsa.

Yums…

xoxo

Jill ♥

Perfectly Done

I don’t know why, but for some reason I have always had a hard time getting a soft-boiled egg cooked properly.  Too much water…Too much boil time… Too little boil time..  No Success!!

Until

My love affair with Avocado Toast started and I knew that a perfect soft-boiled egg would be a yummy addition to my new favorite breakfast.

Here is what you will need to do:

Bring 1 inch of water to a boil.

Carefully place eggs into water. Cover. Boil for 6 minutes.

Remove from heat and immediately run the eggs under cold water to stop the cooking process.

My husband just cracks off the top, sprinkles a little salt and pepper and digs right in.

I like to… Toast my bread…Smear it with fresh avocado… Add crispy bacon…Top it all with my perfectly cooked soft-boiled egg.

And of course add a few dashes of hot sauce for good measure. 😉

Enjoy

xoxo

Jill ♥

Via Instant Pot

One of my very things to make in my slow cooker is Carne Asada, but I recently got a Crock-Pot Express Multi-cooker and thought this would be the perfect recipe to try out in it. Instant Pots seem to be all the rage lately and I can definitely see why. They are so great when you are pressed for time, but still want a home cooked meal without all the fuss and cleanup. This recipe is super easy to throw together and can be switched up to please the pickiest of eaters. It also gets better and better with time and makes for a yummy lunch the next day.

Here is what you will need:

• 3 lbs steak ( I usually like to use skirt steak, but most cuts will work out just fine)
• 2 Roma tomatoes – chopped in large pieces
• 1 large spanish onion – sliced
•  mini sweet peppers – left whole – just cut off tops and remove seeds
• cilantro – big handful chopped
• olive oil
• ¼ cup low sodium soy sauce
• 3 garlic cloves – minced
• teaspoon – garlic powder
• teaspoon onion powder
• teaspoon – cumin
• juice of 1 lime
• generous sprinkle of salt & pepper
• flour tortillas
• avocado
• sour cream

Here is what you need to do:

Add your steak, along with olive oil, soy sauce, minced fresh garlic, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, salt, pepper, a bit of cilantro leaves and juice of a lime into a large zip lock bag. Give it all a good handling and set it aside.  Get to chopping and slicing of your veggies.

My instant pot is a little different from the pots that everyone else seems to have, but I have learned that beans/chili button works like the manual button that the other pots have and is used for most recipes.

Add everything to the pot and give it all a good stir. Lock you lid in place and turn the valve to sealed. Set timer to 15 minutes. When time is up, wait 10 minutes and then release the air by opening the valve on top.

And just like that dinner is done…

I sometimes make these cute little tortilla boats. All you have to do is brush them with olive oil and give a sprinkle of salt & pepper. I bake them in the oven at 300 degrees in a mini loaf pan until they are set and toasty.  They make a cute presentation, but heating up the tortillas in the microwave  works as well and is just as yummy.

Add your favorite toppings and…

Enjoy!!

xoxo

Jill ♥

P.S. Just as good in a slow cooker.  Cook on high for 4-5 hours or low for 7-8.

Colombian Cheese Breads

I had my first pandebono over 25 years ago when I first started dating my cutie of a Colombian husband. We would drive to these wonderful bakeries in Queens  N.Y. and stuff ourselves silly. I eventually learned how to make them at home, but with our move to the South..I was no longer able to find the ingredients that were readily available back in New York.

But!!!

With some Pinterest searching and a lot of trial and error, I do believe I have finally gotten a close enough recipe for them down.

Here is what you will need:

• 1 cup milk
• ½ cup vegetable oil
• big pinch of salt
• 2 cups tapioca flour
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese ( please do not buy already shredded, do not use fresh mozzarella and make sure it is not part skim)
• ½ cup finely grated Queso Blanco
• 2 room temperature eggs

Just wanted to share with you these two ingredients incase you aren’t familiar with them.

Here is what you need to do:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Combine milk, oil and salt in a medium saucepan and bring to a low boil. Giving a good stir from time to time.

Remove from heat and quickly stir in the tapioca flour.  It will turn into a gooey gelatinous mixture.

Transfer the mixture to the bowl of a stand mixer with a paddle attachment and beat on medium for 2 minutes.  Add in your cheeses and mix for another minute and then add in your eggs, one at a time. Beat for another 2 minutes. The dough will be very sticky when done with mixing.

Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and fill a glass with water. Use an ice cream scoop to portion out the dough, making sure to dip it into water after each scoop.

You should end up with 12 rolls on each baking sheet. Bake for 25 minutes or until they are lightly golden.

Let them cool for a bit…

But not to long because they are the best when warm….

Hope you like them

xoxo

Jill ♥

Southern Success…

I had my first taste of a fried green tomato about a year and a half ago when we moved to the south and instantly fell in love with them. I loved the crunch that the chef created and how he paired it up with a sweet goat cheese sauce that totally complemented the bitterness of the tomato. I was then determined and went on a mission to recreate this dish at home. There was a lot of mixes being made and frying going on and unfortunately very little success happening. I researched a bunch of recipes, but still couldn’t get it right. Then… Panko happened and success was mine.

Here is what you will need:

• 3 green tomatoes
• 2 cups panko breadcrumbs
• 1 cup flour
• 2 eggs
• 1 tablespoon Lawry’s Season Salt
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon pepper
• olive oil for frying

Here is what you will need to do:

Get yourself assembled and measure out the ingredients.

Mix the flour with the seasoned salt, garlic powder and pepper.

Slice your green tomatoes and let then sit on paper towel for a few minutes.

Blot the top of the slices to remove any extra moisture and start heating up about an inch of olive oil in a frying pan.

Time to get ready to batter. Coat the tomato slices in the seasoned flour mixture, then dip in the beaten eggs and finish them off with a good coating of the panko breadcrumb.

Make sure your oil is hot before adding the battered tomato slices to the pan…

and fry for a few minutes on each side until golden brown and crunchy.

I like to serve them up with a yummy sweet chutney or jam and crumbled up goat cheese.

YUMMY!!!

xoxo

Jill ♥

P.S. I haven’t tried it yet, but was thinking how great these would be as a B.L.T..  😉

I know… It’s been a while..

But I’m back 😉

Ok, so today I am going to share my super easy tomato sauce recipe. This is the sauce that I use for dipping, pizza pies, parmesan dishes and pasta. It is also perfect as a start off sauce. Feel free to add meatballs, seasoned cooked chop meat, seafood and even some yummy cooked veggies.

Here is what you will need:

• 2 – 28 ounce cans of San Marzano Peeled Tomatoes
• 2 heaping tablespoons of tomato paste
• olive oil
• 4 large cloves of garlic minced
• 1 teaspoon of sugar
• generous sprinkling of kosher salt ( you will most likely add a little more after sauce comes to a boil)
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• 1 tablespoon of dried basil
• 1 tablespoon of dried parsley

Here is what you will need to do:

Coat the bottom of your pot with olive oil and mince in the garlic. Stir it together and then cook on low heat until the delicious smell of garlic cooking takes over your kitchen.  Make sure to keep an eye on it. No one likes burnt garlic!!!

Drop in the 2 tablespoons of tomato paste and mix all together. Cook for about 2 minutes continually stirring.

I just love these tubes of tomato paste that you can store in the refrigerator. They are available in most supermarkets, so definitely pick this up when you see it.

Time for Tomatoes

And these are hands down my favorite!!

Add the 2 cans of peeled tomatoes, sugar, dried parsley and basil to the pot. Season with salt and pepper. Then use a potato masher to break down the tomatoes and mix all the ingredients together. Give a good stir and bring to a boil. Once the sauce is boiling, lower the heat to simmer, taste for any extra needed seasoning and then cook for about 30 minutes with a vented cover. Make sure to give the sauce a good stir from time to time.

And there you have it….

Hope you like it

xoxo

Jill ♥

Yum!!

I love, love love cheese of any kind!! I especially love hot melted cheese on everything from veggies to pasta.  These fried mozzarella patties are a cross between a mozzarella stick and an Italian recipe called mozzarella en carrozza and I just can’t get enough of them…

Here is what you will need.

• Package of Fresh Mozzarella

( I like to use this brand because it is easy to find and comes pre-sliced, but whatever you find will be great )

• 1 cup of italian style bread crumbs.
• 1 cup of flour.
• 2 beaten eggs.
• olive oil for frying.
• sprinkle of salt and pepper.
• sprinkle of dried basil and dried parsley.

Here is what you will need to do.

Get your ingredients measured out and mozzarella ready for some dipping.

Coat a slice of cheese in the flour.

Then dip it in egg followed by the breadcrumbs. Repeat with the rest of the slices.

Get your oil nice and hot and fry each patty until they are golden brown and crispy.

Lightly sprinkle with salt and pepper and dried basil and parsley.

Serve it up with your favorite marinara sauce and…

Enjoy

xoxo

Jill ♥

P.S. My favorite quick and easy Marinara Sauce will be coming soon

With potatoes on the side….

In my opinion, nothing is better than a big warm dish of beef stew on a chilly winter night. I love it even more when I get to throw everything into a slow cooker in the morning and end up having a clean kitchen and a wonderful meal ready for my family in the evening. I do not include potatoes in my stew because I don’t like how they come out. But every good stew needs a potato, so I love to serve it up with either mashed or scalloped potatoes on the side.

Here is what you will need:

• 2½ – 3 lbs of beef stew meat
• 1 medium spanish onion – chopped
• handful of baby carrots
• handful of baby bella mushrooms
• 3 cloves of garlic – minced
• 2 bay leafs
• generous sprinkle of salt and pepper
• 4 cups of beef broth
• 2 beef bouillon
• 2 tablespoons of tomato paste
• 1 tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce
• sprinkle of dried parsley
• 1 teaspoon italian seasoning
• 3 tablespoons of flour
• 1 tablespoon of butter

Here is what you need to do:

Chop the onion, clean the mushrooms and mince the garlic. Toss into a slow cooker along with the stew meat and baby carrots.

Sprinkle everything with salt and pepper and toss in two bay leafs.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the beef broth, bouillon, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, parsley and italian seasoning.

Pour broth mixture into slow cooker and..

Give a good stir to mix all the ingredients together.  Set to cook for 4-6 hours.

An hour before your stew is set to be ready, mix flour with the tablespoon of butter and pour a little hot broth from the slow cooker over it. Mix it all together and add flour mixture into your stew. Give it all a good mix and continue cooking.

You can serve it up with yummy buttered noodles or crunchy warm bread. Me, I’m a mashed potato kinda girl. 😉

Enjoy

xoxo

Jill ♥

Sometimes you just need a cookie…

I have to confess, I have been really bad this summer and indulging in all the yummy food that Georgia has to offer.  I’m probably going to have to try to fit back into my jeans soon, so I’m thinking it’s about time I get back on track with my diet.

But…

Even people on a diet deserve a yummy cookie every now and then and boy do I have one for you.

Here is what you will need:

• 2 sticks of room temperature butter
• ¾ cup of brown sugar
• ¾ cup of white sugar
• 2 eggs
• ½ teaspoon of baking soda
• 2¼ cups of flour
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• pinch of salt
• 2 cups of semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1 cup of chopped macadamia nuts

Here is what you will need to do:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Whip the butter, brown and white sugar together.

 Mix in the eggs.

Sift together the flour, baking soda and salt.

 Add the flour mixture, spoonful at a time to a slow-moving mixer.

Mix in the vanilla.

Toss in the chocolate chips and macadamia nuts and mix them into the batter by hand. Scoop out batter onto large baking sheets.

I like to use a small ice cream scoop, so the cookies turn out even in size.

Bake for 15 minutes or until lightly golden brown.

Serve them up with a big cold glass of milk and….

Enjoy

xoxo

Jill ♥

KK requested Soup….

I grew up eating chicken soup that was made up of left over chicken, soup greens, pasta and tiny veggies. My husband grew up eating a chicken soup called Sancocho which is a slow cooked soup that contains chicken, cilantro, yuca, plantains, corn on the cob and small pieces of potato. I love them both. My family, not so much.  So I came up with a recipe that includes everyone’s favorite from each soup that is easy to throw together and even better the next day.

Here is what you will need:

• ½ of a large spanish onion – Diced
• 2 tablespoons of olive oil
• 2 chicken breast – skin removed
• 4 chicken legs – skin removed
• teaspoon of garlic powder
• teaspoon of salt
• ½ teaspoon pepper
• 12 cups of water
• 3 packets of Goya chicken powdered bouillon
• large handful of chopped cilantro
• few pieces of frozen yuca
• 1 cup of frozen veggies
• 1 cup of tiny pasta

Here is what you will need to do:

Saute diced onion in olive oil for a few minutes until translucent.

Add in chicken pieces and sprinkle with garlic powder, salt and pepper. Toss everything in the pot around.

Add in water and packets of chicken bouillon. Give it all a good stir.

Bring to a boil, cover and cook for 15 minutes. Add your frozen yuca pieces, cover and boil for another 15 minutes.

Bring soup to a simmer.

  Remove cooked chicken from the pot, cut meat off the bones and cut chicken into bite size pieces.

Add chicken and large handful of chopped cilantro back to the pot. Give a good stir, cover and simmer for 10 minutes.

Add in your pasta and veggies, cover and cook until pasta and veggies are tender. Remember to keep giving a good stir every once in a while, so the pasta pieces don’t stick to the bottom of the pot.

And there you have it…

Enjoy

xoxo

Jill ♥