Chocolate-Orange Creamsicle Cup

This is super easy and very delicious!  Also, you can mix any flavors you want.  Some ideas are: raspberry-white chocolate, peach-vanilla, strawberry-banana, etc.  I just love the chocolate-orange mixture.  Enjoy!

Ingredients:
-1 (3 oz) package orange flavored gelatin
-1 (3.4 oz) package instant chocolate pudding mix
-1 (8 oz) tub frozen whipped topping, thawed
Directions:
Dissolve orange gelatin in 1 cup of boiling water.  Stir for about 2 minutes.  Add 1 cup of cold water and mix well.  Let is stand for 5 minutes on your counter.
Add the pudding and mix very well.  Stir in the thawed topping.  Mix very well.  Refrigerate for 1-2 hours or until well set.  Serve and enjoy!

Slow Cooker Stuffed Pepper Soup

This is comfort food.  Seriously, the yumminess of a stuffed pepper, but in soup form.  Really nice!  Enjoy!

Ingredients:
-1 lb extra lean or lean ground beef
-1 small onion, finely chopped
-1 (14 oz) can crushed tomatoes
-1 (10.75oz) can tomato soup
-1/2 cup uncooked rice
-2 green bell peppers, chopped
-4 cups water
-2 tsp salt
-1 tsp pepper
Directions:
Brown beef and onion.  Drain and add to slow cooker.  Top with remaining ingredients.  Give it a good stir, cover and cook on low for 5-6 hours.  Adjust the seasoning, if necessary, and serve.  Enjoy!

Slow Cooker Chicken Stroganoff

The picture sure doesn't do any justice to this dish. Besides its unappealing look, it is quite delicious!  The flavors are wonderful together and there's an amazing creaminess into this dish.  I served ours on rice (it absorbs the sauce better), but pasta would be just fine, or even some yummy, freshly baked bread.  Enjoy!

Ingredients:

-1 1/2 lbs chicken tenders

-16 oz sour cream

-1 (1.25oz) packet onion soup mix

-1 (10 3/4 oz) can cream of chicken soup

-1 (4 oz drained) can mushrooms

Directions:

Coat the bottom of your slow cooker with cooking spray.  Layer the chicken on top.

Mix remaining ingredients and pour over chicken.

Cover and cook on low for 4-5 hours.  Serve on top of rice.  Enjoy!

Slow Cooker Sweet and Sour Cabbage and Beef Soup

This is serious comfort food.  As it was cooking, the smell reminded me of the famous sarmale (Romanian sour cabbage rolls).  The taste is not too far from that either.  This is absolutely delicious and quite hearty.  If you want to you can serve it with a dollop of sour cream or just as is.  It's VERY good!  Enjoy!

Ingredients:

-1 lb extra lean or lean ground beef

-1 small head cabbage, roughly chopped

-3 cups chicken broth

-1 small onion, finely diced or 2 Tbs dehydrated onion

-1 (14.5 oz) can petite diced tomatoes, undrained

-3 Tbs tomato paste

-1 1/2 tsp salt

-1 tsp pepper

-3 Tbs balsamic vinegar

-2 Tbs packed brown sugar

-plain yogurt or sour cream to garnish, if desired

Directions:

Brown the beef, drain and place in slow cooker.  Add remaining ingredients, except yogurt/sour cream.  Give it a good stir, cover and cook for 6-7 hours on low.

Ladle into bowls, top with yogurt/sour cream, if desired and enjoy!

Avocado Pasta

I have to admit that I have an avocado addiction!   I absolutely love to eat avocado.  This dish is totally down my alley. If you love avocado, this is totally for you. It's light, creamy and absolutely delicious!  Enjoy!

Ingredients:

-12 oz spaghetti

-3 ripe avocados, pitted and flesh scooped

-2 Tbs lime juice

-1 Tbs dried parsley

-1 clove garlic

-1/3 cup olive oil

-salt and pepper, to taste

-Tabasco sauce, to taste (a few shakes)

Directions:

Cook pasta in salted water, according to package directions.

Meanwhile, place avocados, lime juice, parsley and garlic in your food processor.  Process until smooth.  Add the oil, salt, pepper and Tabasco.  Mix until well blended and creamy.

Once pasta is done, drain well.  Pour avocado sauce on top of pasta and mix well, using tongs, until evenly coated.  Enjoy!

Broiled Parmesan-Horseradish Tilapia

This is such a quick, easy and delicious way to enjoy tilapia.  The flavors combine beautifully!  And the whole thing is ready in less than 10 minutes!  Enjoy!

Ingredients:
-6 tilapia filets, patted dry
-1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
-1/4 cup margarine (butter, softened)
-3 Tbs horseradish sauce
-2 Tbs lemon juice
-2 tsp dried dill
-1 tsp pepper
Directions:
Preheat broiler to high.  Line a baking sheet with foil.  Place tilapia on top of foil.
In a bowl, mix remaining ingredients.
Place tilapia under the broiler for 3 minutes.
Remove from the over and flip over.  Top with cheese mixture.  Return to oven and broil for 4 more minutes.  Enjoy!

Banana Pie Bars

Super easy and delicious, this provides another way of enjoying those overripe bananas.  They're even better if enjoyed after they spend a little time in the refrigerator.  Enjoy!

Ingredients:

-butter flavored cooking spray

-1 refrigerated rolled pie crust

-2 large eggs

-1/2 cup packed brown sugar

-4  very ripe bananas, mashed

-1 cup heavy cream

-1/4 cup light corn syrup

-1 Tbs pumpkin pie spice

-1/2 tsp salt

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 F.  Lightly coat a 9x13 inch baking pan with butter flavored cooking spray. Unroll the pie crust and fit it into the pan.  Set aside.

In your mixer bowl, cream the eggs and brown sugar.  Add the bananas and mix well.  Slowly, add the cream,, then the syrup.  Mix well.  Stir in the spice and salt.  Mix very well.

Pour into prepared pan, on top of pie crust.  Bake in preheated oven for 50-60 minutes or until the toothpick comes out clean.

Cool completely before cutting into bars.  Serve as is or with a dollop of whipped cream on top.  Enjoy!

Slow Cooker Corn Chowder with Attitude

Why the attitude?  Because it has a nice little kick to it.  It's very simple, yet packed with flavor.  Light, but hearty.  Enjoy!

Ingredients:

-2 cups chicken or vegetable broth

-3 medium potatoes, peeled and cut in chunks

-2 garlic cloves, minced

-2 (14.75 oz each) cans cream-style corn

-1 (15.25 oz) can southwest corn with poblano and red pepper, undrained

-1 (4 oz) can green chiles, diced, undrained

-1 tsp salt

-1/2 tsp pepper

Serve with more pepper and saltine crackers, if desired

Directions:

Place all ingredients in slow cooker.  Mix well.  Cover and cook on low for 7-8 hours.

Ladle into bowl and top with more pepper and saltine crackers, if desired.  Enjoy!

Slow Cooker Whole Chicken

Seasoned to perfection, slowly roasted the whole day, meat falling off the bone...need I say more?  This chicken recipe is absolutely perfect for those busy days.  Think about coming home from Church on Sunday and your entire house smells like heaven! :)  And you just sit down and enjoy a delicious meal.  Perfect!  Enjoy!

Ingredients:
-1 (about 5 lbs) young whole chicken
-1 Tbs smoked paprika
-3 Tbs steak seasoning
-2 tsp salt
-2 tsp pepper
Directions:
Place 4 small balls of aluminum foil on bottom of slow cooker.
Clean the chicken, remove gizzards, heart, etc.  Wash and pat dry the chicken.
Combine paprika, seasoning, salt and pepper.  Season chicken on both sides and cavities (be generous).
Place seasoned chicken on top of foil balls.  Cover and cook on low for 7-8 hours.  Enjoy!

Pan Seared Tilapia Bowls with Chipotle-Avocado Crema

This is quite a delicious dish.  The star of it though is the chipotle-avocado crema.  Yes, it has a little heat to it, but the flavors are outstanding!  It's also quite versatile.  Besides this dish, I like to put mine as dressing on sandwiches, in salad, or even use it as dip for tortilla chips.  Simply delicious!  Enjoy!

Ingredients:

For chipotle-avocado crema:

-1 cup plain Greek yogurt

-2 small limes, juiced

-2 large avocados, pitted and scooped

-2 garlic cloves, peeled, but left whole

-2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce

-1 tsp salt

-1/2 tsp pepper

For tilapia seasoning:

-1 tsp chili powder

-1 tsp paprika

-1 tsp cumin

-1 tsp garlic powder

-1/2 tsp salt

-1/4 tsp pepper

Remaining ingredients:

-1 Tbs extra virgin olive oil

-6 tilapia filets

-3 cups cooked rice

-1 (15 oz) can black beans, rinsed and drained

-1 (15 oz) can corn, drained

-2 Roma tomatoes, diced

Directions:

Place all crema ingredients in your food processor.  Process until smooth and well blended.  Pour into container and refrigerate until ready to use.

Heat oil in large skillet.

Pat tilapia dry with paper towels.

In a small bowl, combine all seasoning ingredients.  Mix well.  Season both sides of tilapia with that.

Place fish in hot oil.  Cook until fish is done (about 3-4 minutes on each side).

To assemble the bowl, place a little rice, beans, corn and tomatoes.  Top with some of the fish.  Drizzle the crema all over.  Mix and enjoy!

Teriyaki Pork Meatballs Bowls

This is a great dish, easily put together and quite delicious!  Enjoy!

Ingredients:
For  meatballs:
-1 lb ground pork

-1 large egg

-1/2 cup plain bread crumbs

-1 garlic clove, finely minced

-1 tsp ground ginger

-1/2 tsp soy sauce

-2 green onions, finely diced

-1 tsp ground pepper

For sauce:

-1 cup soy sauce

-1 cup packed brown sugar

-1 cup water

-1 Tbs sesame oil

-2 Tbs rice wine vinegar

-2 tsp ground ginger

-4 Tbs cornstarch + 6 Tbs water

-2 Tbs toasted sesame seeds

Serve with cooked rice.

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 F.  Line a cookie sheet with foil.  Coat the foil with cooking spray.  Set aside.

In a medium bowl, combine all the ingredients for the meatballs.  Using your hands, mix very well.  Shape into meatballs and set on prepared sheet (your should have 28-30 meatballs).

Bake in preheated oven for 20-30 minutes or until golden brown on top.

Meanwhile, make the sauce: in a large saucepan, combine the soy sauce, sugar, water, oil, vinegar and ginger.  Mix well and cook until simmering.

Mix the cornstarch with the water until smooth.  Pour into sauce mixture.  Bring to a simmer.  Toss in the sesame seeds and mix well.

Once the meatballs are done cooking, place them carefully into the sauce.  Make sure to coat them all.

Serve over rice with some chopped green onions.  Enjoy!

Twisted Alfredo Pasta with Chicken

This is such an easy and delicious meal!  It's fairly quick to put together and it has a nice flavor twist with a little zing too.  Really nice!  Enjoy!

Ingredients:
-8 oz pasta (any shape you like; I used garden rotini and penne rigati)

-1 1/2 lbs chicken thighs, boneless, skinless, cut into chunks

-1 (16 oz) jar Ragu roasted garlic parmesan sauce

-1 (4 oz) can diced green chilies, drained

-1 tsp salt

-1 tsp pepper

-1 tsp garlic powder

-1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 F.  Coat a 9x13 inch baking dish with cooking spray.  Set aside.

Cook pasta according to box directions.  Drain.

Place chicken chunks on bottom of prepared pan.  Add the drained pasta and remaining ingredients.  Mix very well.  Cover with foil and bake in preheated oven for 30-40 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.  Enjoy!