Slow Cooker Florentine Turkey Meatballs

Want to wow your family with warm comfort food without breaking the calorie-bank? Try these turkey meatballs that are packed with protein and healthy spinach and cooked all day long for that “I slaved over this” taste.

Meatballs: 

1 lb ground turkey

¼ cup Panko breadcrumbs

¼ cup grated parmesan cheese

¼ cup chopped baby spinach

1 egg

1 clove garlic, minced

1 tsp salt

1 tsp pepper

Sauce:

1 can (28-oz) tomato sauce

1 bay leaf

½ tsp basil

Salt and pepper to taste

1 tsp extra-virgin olive oil

3 cloves garlic, smashed

12 oz (1 box) Smart Taste or whole wheat thin spaghetti

Parmesan cheese

In a large bowl, combine meatball ingredients by hand. Form into 2-inch balls and set aside.

Add tomato sauce, bay leaf, basil, salt, and pepper to a large Crockpot.  Sauté 3 garlic cloves in olive oil over medium heat until golden brown, but not burnt. Add garlic and oil to sauce. Gently place meatballs in sauce. Cover and cook on low, 4-6 hours.

Prepare pasta per package directions. Serve meatballs over pasta and sprinkle with parmesan cheese.

*Recipe modified from Skinnytaste

Whole Wheat Rotini in Lemon-Cream Sauce with Grilled Balsamic Chicken

A few years ago, my husband surprised me with a stovetop grill pan and I absolutely fell in love. It is perfect for chilly winter days or for grilling a quick dinner without the hassle of setting up the outdoor grill. (Or when we accidently run out of propane/charcoal) This lighter version of a creamy sauce was the perfect complement to the zesty flavor of the chicken and was easy to whip up for a quick weeknight dinner.

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed 

¼ balsamic vinaigrette

½ lb whole wheat rotini (1/2 box)

1 ½ T light margarine

1/3 cup flour

1 ½ cups skim milk

1/3 cup white wine

Juice of 1 lemon

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp salt

½ tsp pepper

Parmesan cheese

Place chicken breasts in a large, resealable plastic bag; add vinaigrette and toss to combine. Refrigerate and marinade at least 4 hours.

Preheat indoor grill over medium heat (or outdoor grill if weather permits). Place marinated chicken on grill and discard remaining marinade. Grill about 8 minutes per side, until cooked through.

Meanwhile, prepare pasta per package directions.

Add margarine to a saucepan to melt over medium heat. Whisk in flour and cook for 1 minute. Whisk in milk, wine, lemon juice, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Stir constantly and bring to a boil over medium heat until sauce thickens.

Slice chicken thinly and serve atop pasta and sauce. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese.

*Recipe modified from Foodista

Baja Chicken Pizza

My husband said this was the best pizza that I have ever made! 

 For Pizza:
2 Chicken Breasts, cooked and shredded (I found, that an easy way to shred chicken is to use your stand mixer on a low speed. It shreds the chicken just the right amount)
1/2 cup ranch dressing
1/2 cup salsa
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 tsp. dried cilantro
1/2 packet of taco seasoning 
1 tomato, chopped 
2 cups Monterey jack cheese
1 avocado, sliced and chopped
Olive oil 

Crusty Pizza Dough
1 package active yeast
1 cup warm water
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. olive oil
3 1/2 cups flour

For Pizza Crust: 1. Dissolve yeast in warm water in mixer bowl. Add salt, olive oil and 2 1/2 cups flour. Using dough hook, mix on speed 2 for 1 minute. 2. Add remaining flour and continue to mix until dough clings to hook and cleans sides of bowl. Knead for 2 minutes longer. 3. Place dough in greased bowl, cover with cloth and allow to sit for 1 hour. Once dough is double in size, punch down dough. (Recipe from Kitchen Aid)


1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Prepare pizza pan with nonstitck cooking spray. Roll out pizza crust onto pizza pan. Press dough down and form crust around edge. Poke with fork. Brush thin coat of olive oil on crust before topping.

2. In small bowl, combine ranch dressing, salsa, lime juice and cilantro. Mix until well combined and smooth. In another bowl, combine shredded chicken and taco seasoning, evenly coat.

3. Spread ranch/salsa sauce onto pizza. Cover with chicken mixture and tomatoes. Top with cheese. Bake for 15-20 minutes at 450 degrees. Top with avocado slices.

Recipe adapted from Taste of Home

Homemade Valentine's Day Gummy Candy

I could literally eat a bag of gummy bears everyday. Gummy candies are definitely my candy of choice so when I saw a recipe for homemade gummy candy on Pinterest, I just had to go out and make them! I themed mine for Valentine's Day but you could do any flavor in any Wilton candy mold!

1 6oz package flavored jello, any flavor (I used Cherry)
3 packets gelatin (There are 4 packets of gelatin in 1 box)
2/3 cup water
Wilton candy molds

1. Add water to medium saucepan. Pour in jello and gelatin and let sit for 5 to 10 minutes.

2. Heat saucepan to boiling, stirring constantly until jello and gelatin are dissolved. (Around 3 to 5 minutes)

3. Transfer mixture to pourable container.

4. Pour mixture into candy molds. (I filled three candy molds plus 1 heart cavity from one of my cake pans. I would recommend having 4 candy molds.) Let sit for 30 minutes.

5. Use finger to peel candies out of mold and place onto parchment paper. The candies will be sticky but will become less sticky over time, if they last that long.

6. Store in a tight container.

** If I was making this recipe again, I would change a few things! They turned out yummy the first time but I am sure that I can make them even better! I would do between 1/2-2/3 cup water or even try using fruit juice that would match up with the jello flavor. I would also think about doing another packet of gelatin to make the gummies a little bit gummier. ** 

Recipe from Just Another Day in Paradise

Honey-Lime Chicken

Take advantage of a sunny day to try out the tasty freshness of this grilled chicken. It is great on its own, atop a green salad, or even paired with Cilantro-Lime Rice.

1-2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts 

Marinade:

¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

¼ cup fresh lime juice (2 limes), plus zest

2 T. honey

½ tsp. cayenne

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. pepper

In a large, resealable plastic bag combine all marinade ingredients; seal the bag and shake to combine. Add the chicken to the bag; shake to coat and refrigerate overnight or at least 3 hours.

Preheat grill over medium heat. Grill chicken for 5-7 minutes per side, until cooked through. Serve with Cilantro-Lime Rice.

*Recipe from The Enchanted Cook

Cilantro-Lime Rice

We all have our favorite restaurant recipes. Since the Air Force has moved us to a rather restaurant-desolate city, it’s been my goal to recreate some of our favorites at home. With the nearest Chipotle about 2 hours away, the dish is a great, healthier substitute for their delicious rice and makes a great side dish!

1 cup long-grain or Jasmine rice 

Juice of 1 lime

2 cups chicken broth or water

1 tsp. salt

3 T. fresh cilantro, minced

3 tsp. vegetable oil

In a medium pot, add rice, 1 tsp. oil, broth, and salt. Boil on high until most of the water evaporates. When the water just skims the top of the rice, reduce to low, cover, and simmer about 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let sit an additional 5 minutes.

In a medium glass bowl, combine cilantro, lime juice, and remaining oil. Toss with rice until completely mixed.

*Recipe from Skinnytaste

Lasagna Soup

Last night for dinner, I decided to try this Lasagna Soup. I've seen some recipes for it on Pinterest and it looked so yummy! It definitely was, as both the husband and I enjoyed it! Perfect for a cool/cold January day!

1/2-1 lb ground beef
1 small onion, chopped
1 medium green pepper, chopped
32 oz. chicken broth
1 14 oz. can organic tomato sauce
1 14.5 oz. can organic diced tomatoes
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper
salt and pepper, to taste
8 broken lasagna noodles 
1/2 tsp. dried basil
3/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
Parmesan cheese

1. In large skillet, combine ground beef, onion and green pepper. Cook on medium-low until ground beef is browned and crumbles, stirring occasionally. Drain grease.

2. Add chicken broth, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, thyme, red pepper,basil, salt and pepper to skillet. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Add noodles, return to a boil, and simmer until noodles are tender.

3. Remove from heat, stir in mozzarella cheese. Ladle into soup bowls and top with grated Parmesan cheese.

Recipe adapted from Deen Bro's