Yummy Treat!

Val brought these little guys over the night before they left. Her cousin made them and told her how, so this recipe is more like a method and I have never done it myself. I have, however, eaten them myself and they are GOOD!! And they sound very easy too!

Have you heard of cakeballs? They're very trendy right now. Not quite as trendy as cupcakes, but still popular. I imagine that you can do the same cute things with these babies as you can with cakeballs.

And "these babies" need a name...anyone want to take that on?

Ingredients:
1 package of oreos
1 package of cream cheese
meltable chocolate for dipping
sprinkles (jimmies) for sprinkling

1. Val's cousin used a stand mixer, I don't have one so I might try the food processor, but crush the oreos in the mixer. Add in the cream cheese and mix til combined.

2. Form the dough into balls about the size of a walnut and put in the fridge to harden.

3. Melt your chocolate and dip the balls.

4. Top with sprinkles (or anything really).

5. Keep them stored in the fridge.

Easy Turkey Stromboli

I found this recipe in Parents magazine and it looked pretty easy and tasty so we decided to try it.

1 pkg (10 oz.) frozen, chopped spinach, thawed and well drained
1 pkg (11 oz.) refrigerated thin crust pizza crust
1 cup pasta sauce, divided (I would probably have double what they recommend)
2 tsp low fat milk
1/2 cup shredded Colby & Monterey Jack cheese blend
2 tsp grated Parmesan
1 lb. turkey-breast tenderloins, cut into strips (it would be good with this I am sure but we used chicken instead)


Heat oven to 400 degrees. Boil a cup of water on medium in a large skillet; add turkey and return to boiling. Cover; simmer 8 to 10 minutes. Allow to cool slightly, then chop.
Unroll crust into a 14"x12" rectangle on a parchment-lined baking sheet (I just greased my pan). Spoon half the sauce down the center, lengthwise, leaving 3" on either side. Layer spinach, turkey, and cheese over sauce. Cut 12 strips on both sides of crust. Fold strips over filling, so they overlap. Brush with milk and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
Bake for 12 minutes. Serve with remaining sauce (this is where we used more sauce.)

For those interested, if made to their specifications, the Nutrition Info is as follows:
Per serving (makes 6 servings):
305 calories; 27g protein; 8g fat; (3g sat. fat); 31 carb; 2g fiber; 157mg calcium; 3mg iron; 553mg sodium.

Creamy Black Bean Salsa Chicken

This is Leah's recipe. Since our church doesn't get out until 4:30 this year, it's nice to have something going in the crock pot so we can just eat when we get home. This was a crowd-pleaser last weekend and our friends are salivating for the recipe so here it is!

Ingredients:
2 to 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup salsa
1 can (15 oz) corn, drained
1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained
1 pkg taco seasoning
1/2 cup sour cream
1 cup grated cheese

Directions:
Place chicken in greased slow cooker. Pour broth, salsa, corn, beans, and taco seasoning over the chicken. Cover and cook on low heat for 6-8 hours or high heat for 3-4. Remove chicken with slotted spoon and place on serving dish. Stir in sour cream and cheese to slow cooker and then pour over chicken. Serve with warm tortillas and spanish rice.

Leah's (and now mine) variations:
Cut the chicken into bite ssize pieces before cooking. Then don't remove them at the end. Just stir in the cheese and sour cream and serve over white or brown rice with tortillas.

I also used rotel cause I was out of salsa and I used chicken taco seasoning.

Chicken & Potato Bake

I got this recipe from a friend. I love that it was yummy and not complicated. And while it cooks for awhile prep time is minimal. I made a couple of substitutions using boneless, skinless chicken breasts and red potatoes. Enjoy!

Chicken & Potato Bake
4 bone-in chicken pieces
4 large potatoes, cut in wedges
1 small onion, sliced or wedged (optional)
¼ cup zesty Italian dressing
¼ cup Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 400 F. Place chicken, potatoes, and onions in a baking dish and drizzle with dressing. Sprinkle with Parmesan and bake one hour or until done.