Cheesy Spinach Grits with Eggs

This makes one serving.  ONE SERVING.  Adjust as necessary to feed however many people you're feeding.  

Cheesy Spinach Grits with Eggs

For ONE serving, you need:

1 tsp. oil
1 Tbsp. onion -- minced
3/4 cup baby spinach
1/3 cup water
1/3 cup milk
1 packet instant grits
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/8 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
1/4 cup shredded Cheddar
1 egg -- beaten
1 strip bacon -- cooked and crumbled

Sauté onions and spinach in oil until onions are translucent and spinach has wilted. Add milk and water and bring to a boil. Slowly stir in grits and simmer until thickened. Add garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Add cheese and stir until melted. Add eggs and stir until eggs are set. Stir in bacon.

Cheesy Mushroom Fish Bake

Another extremely easy recipe.

Cheesy Mushroom Fish Bake

1 lb. fish fillets -- we usually get swai because our kids like it
1/4  cup Italian Dressing
2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms
1/2  cup shredded Mozzarella

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place fillets in a 9x13 pan. Drizzle fish with dressing. Bake for 20 minutes. Drain liquid. Top with mushrooms and cheese. Bake 5 minutes or until done.

Cheesy Broccoli and Tuna

We have been making this recipe for years and years and years.  It's VERY easy, and quite tasty too.

Cheesy Broccoli and Tuna

2 1/2  cups egg noodles
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can evaporated milk
1 Tbsp. onion flakes
2 cans tuna -- drained
1 can mushrooms -- drained
3 cups Frozen broccoli -- thawed
1 cup shredded Cheddar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Blend soup and evaporated milk into a smooth sauce. Stir in onion flakes and mushrooms. Layer one half of noodles, 1 can of tuna, and 1/2 of the broccoli in a 2-quart casserole. Pour in 1/2 of sauce. Repeat layers. Bake uncovered 20 minutes, add cheese, and bake 15 more minutes.

Crunchy Asian Veggie Noodle Salad

You can buy already-spiral-sliced butternut squash at some grocery stores.  It's also called 'veggie noodles.'

Crunchy Asian Veggie Noodle Salad

1 lb. butternut squash -- spiral-sliced
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 bunch green onions -- chopped
1/4 cup almonds
1 cup soybeans -- cooked
1/4 cup sesame garlic sauce

Sprinkle squash with salt and let stand for 10 minutes. Pat dry with a paper towel. Toss with remaining ingredients.

Cheese and Spinach Calzones

Calzones are pretty easy, but look impressive.  And soooooooo yummy :-9

Cheese and Spinach Calzones

2 cans Jumbo Biscuits
1/2 Tbsp. oil
1/2 cup onions -- chopped
4 cloves garlic -- minced, divided
1 package frozen spinach -- thawed and squeezed dry
2 tsp. Italian seasoning -- divided
1 Egg
15 oz. carton Ricotta cheese
1 cup chredded Mozzarella
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
1 16 oz. can tomato sauce

In a medium saucepan, cook onions and half of garlic in oil. Stir in spinach and 1 tsp. of Italian seasoning. In a medium bowl, beat egg and stir in cheeses. Spread the biscuits into 6" circles. Spoon 1/16th of both spinach and cheese mix into the center of the circles. Fold in half and pinch edges to seal. Place on two greased, foil-lined cookie sheets. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, stir remaining garlic and Italian seasoning into the tomato sauce in a small saucepan. Heat through.

Change Your Tuna Melts

So very much not boring.

Change Your Tuna Melts

1/2  cup celery -- sliced thin
1/2 cup onion -- minced
1 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar
3/4 cup cottage cheese
3 cans tuna -- drained
1 Tbsp. Oil
1/4 cup mayo
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
6 English muffins -- split

Saute celery and onion in oil. Add the cheeses, tuna, mayo, and lemon juice to the skillet and heat through. Spread mix over muffin halves and bake on a cookie sheet at 350 degrees for 10 minutes.

Cauliflower Pesto Pasta with Broccoli and Tomatoes

This recipe has a ridiculously long and boring name.  I'm not usually a big fan of pesto, but this is pretty tasty because you add stuff to the pesto, so basil is not the only flavor going on.

Cauliflower Pesto Pasta with Broccoli and Tomatoes

8 oz. frozen cauliflower -- steamed
1/2 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. salt -- divided
1/4 cup water
1 box shell macaroni -- cooked, reserve 3/4 cup water
2 Tbsp. oil -- divided
12 oz. shrimp -- peeled and deveined
1 pint grape tomatoes
1 lb. frozen broccoli
1 (6.5 oz.) jar pesto
1/4 tsp. pepper
Parmesan

In a blender, combine cauliflower, lemon juice, 1/2 tsp. salt, and 1/4 cup water. Puree until smooth. Set aside. In a large skillet, sauté shrimp in 1 Tbsp. oil until done. Remove from skillet. In remaining oil, sauté tomatoes until they start to burst. Add broccoli, cauliflower, pesto, 1/2 tsp. salt, and pepper. Heat through. Add shrimp and pasta. Serve with Parmesan.

Cauliflower Beef

Tasty stir-fry with a nice mix of textures.

Cauliflower Beef

2 Tbsp. oil
2 cloves garlic -- minced
1/2  cup onion -- chopped
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
6 oz. sugar snap pea pods
1/2 medium cauliflower -- cut into florets
1 cup chicken bouillon
1 Tbsp. cornstarch
1 lb. steak -- stir fry cut
1/4 cup soy sauce
3 cups egg noodles -- cooked according to package

Mix cornstarch and soy sauce. Set aside. Heat oil in skillet until very hot but not smoking. Add garlic and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add steak and saute until it loses color. Add onions, salt and pepper. Stir fry for 30 seconds. Add chicken broth, bring to boiling, and gradually add cauliflower. Cook for 3 minutes. Add sugar peas and cook for 5 more minutes. Cauliflower should be tender. Add soy sauce mixture and stir until thickened.  Serve over noodles.

Fresh-Squeezed Lemonade

This is seriously the best lemonade I have ever made.  I've tried so many recipes over the years, and none of them ever have satisfied me until this one!  (It's probably all the sugar.)  I found it here on Pinterest and lessened the sugar just a smidge.  You can make half a batch too, and it still tastes great.  That's what I usually do.

Fresh-Squeezed Lemonade

2 cups fresh lemon juice -- squeezed from whole lemons, not out of a bottle!

2 cups sugar

4 cups hot water

8 cups cold water

Mix lemon juice and sugar together in a gallon pitcher.  Add 4 cups of hot water to dissolve the sugar.  Once the sugar is dissolved, fill up the rest of the pitcher with cold water and refrigerate.

Cashew Chicken

Super quick and easy recipe!  Start the noodles first, then stir-fry everything else while they cook.

Cashew Chicken

1 Tbsp. Oil
2 cups chicken pieces
1 lb. frozen stir-fry veggies
1/2  cup stir-fry sauce
1/3 cup cashew halves
3 cups medium egg noodles -- cook according to package

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Add chicken and veggies and stir fry 6 minutes. Stir in stir fry sauce and fry 1 min. Serve over noodles and sprinkle with cashews.

Caribbean Pepper Pot Soup

A lovely soup for a chilly fall or winter night.  Not so much for summer, which it is now, but hey, fall will roll in eventually.

Caribbean Pepper Pot Soup

1 Tbsp. oil
1 cup onions -- chopped
3 cloves garlic -- minced
1 jalapeno -- minced (optional)
1/2 tsp. ginger
2 Tbsp. chili powder
2 tsp. celery salt
1 tsp. pepper
1 Tbsp. brown sugar
1 butternut squash -- peeled and chopped
1 can kidney beans -- undrained
2 cans diced tomatoes - undrained
4 cups chicken broth
1 can coconut milk

In a large skillet, sauté onions, garlic, and jalapeno. Remove from heat and stir in ginger, chili powder, celery salt, and pepper. Transfer to slow cooker. Add all but coconut milk. Cover and cook on low 8 hours. Add coconut milk. Cover and cook on high 20 minutes.

Cantaloupe and Chicken Salad

I have no memory of this salad, but we archived the recipe after we made it, so it must have been good.  Since cantaloupe is in season, I think I'll make this again soon!  Maybe when my mother-in-law visits.

Cantaloupe and Chicken Salad

1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup plain yogurt
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 Tbsp. fresh chives
1/4 tsp. salt
5 cups cantaloupe - cut into bite-sized pieces
1 cup grapes -- halved
1 cucumber -- seeded and julienned
2 cups cooked chicken pieces

In a huge bowl, mix mayo and yogurt. Stir in lemon juice, chives, and salt. Toss with remaining ingredients.

Zucchini Chicken

Yes, I'm posting a new recipe here.  Try not to faint.

We had this tonight, and I omitted the jalapeno because my kids are wimps AND I wanted to be able to put my contacts in sometime later this year.  It was delicious anyway -- I thought so, and so did Cassian.

Zucchini Chicken


3 Tbsp. lime juice
2 Tbsp. soy sauce
2 cloves garlic -- minced
1 tsp. jalapeno -- minced (optional)
1/2  tsp. lime peel -- grated
1/8 tsp. ginger
2 cups chicken pieces
1 tsp. cornstarch
2 Tbsp. oil
2 medium zucchini -- julienned
1/2 red pepper -- stir-fry cut
1/2 yellow pepper -- stir-fry cut
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper

Combine lime juice, soy sauce, garlic, jalapeno, lime peel, and ginger in a large bowl. Add the chicken and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate 1 hour.

Heat 1 Tbsp. oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the zucchini, red and yellow peppers, salt, and pepper. Stir-fry until tender-crisp. Remove from skillet. Add 1 Tbsp. oil to skillet. Add chicken mix and stir-fry until cooked through. Return veggies to skillet, cover and cook 3 to 5 minutes until zucchini begins to wilt.