Greek Style Grilled Pork Chop Meal

Barbecue season is here! Well, it's been here for awhile, but now that school is almost done, we are planning to have more time outside with friends.

And this is the perfect meal to prepare for nights like that!

Chicken Enchilada Casserole

How was your weekend, friends?

Ours was really good... we were able to get outside & go to a huge community garage sale on Saturday as well as do some yard clean up. On Sunday we spent some time with friends after church. It was a wonderful weekend.

Spring is finally here! We've had two beautiful weekends in a row & it feels like summer outside today!

Easy Salsa Sloppy Joes

Even though the weather is getting steadily warmer, we've been having the odd rainy day, which, for the time being means that I'm still using my stove & oven on those cool days.

This is a very easy recipe that comes together in about 20 minutes from start to finish. 

I don't know about you, but when it comes to weeknight meals, fast & easy are good in my books!

Easy Salsa Sloppy Joes
serves 8

1 lb. ground beef
1 1/3 cups salsa
1 can condensed tomato soup
1 Tbsp brown sugar
8 hamburger buns, split

In a large skillet, cook ground beef over medium heat until no longer pink. Drain. Stir in the salsa, soup, & brown sugar. Cover & simmer for 10 minutes or until heated through. Spoon 1/2 cup onto each bun.


  Done! How easy is that, right? Serve with your favourite salad & your meal is complete. The last time I made this, I served it with our favourite Chickpea Salad. Perfect for a quick, yummy, child-friendly weeknight meal.

Enjoy your day!

I link up to these great parties!

Shrimp & Sausage Jambalaya

Yay, it's almost the long weekend! 

I'll be off for a few days with some good friends to do a bit of shopping in Edmonton. 

It will be a much-enjoyed break from everything that's been going on in our lives.

What are your plans?

~~~~~

One of our family's all-time favourite meals that I cook is Jambalaya. And really, this recipe comes together so quickly & is so tasty, that there is nothing stopping you from making it any night of the week.

Let me introduce you to my Shrimp & Sausage Jambalaya.

Shrimp & Sausage Jambalaya
makes 6 servings

1 tsp. canola oil
1 cup onions, chopped
1 cup green bell pepper, chopped
1 cup celery, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced

8 oz. kielbasa, cut into bite sized pieces
2 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 1/3 cups mild salsa
1 1/4 cups uncooked rice (I use brown)
1 bay leaf
1 tsp Cajun seasoning
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp dried oregano
12 oz. uncooked shrimp, tails removed
1/4 chopped, fresh parsley

Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add vegetables. Cook & stir until vegetables begin to soften, about 4 minutes.

Add kielbasa & cook for 2 more minutes. Add all remaining ingredients, except shrimp & parsley. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat & simmer, covered, for 15 minutes. Stir occasionally to prevent rice from sticking to the bottom.

Stir in shrimp & parsley. Cook for 5 minutes more or until shrimp turn pink, are cooked through & rice is tender.

~~~~~  

See you again on Wednesday!

Enjoy your weekend!

Pad Thai

  Lately, I've been trying to cook a bit more vegetarian. Not cutting out meat entirely, but just trying to cut down on the amount of meat our family consumes. Not only is it easier on the pocketbook, it's easier on the waistline as well. I've noticed I've already dropped a few pounds since the beginning of January. Ya-hoo! :)  

  This Pad Thai recipe is one of our family's favourites. It's packed with flavour as well as lots of healthy veggies! It's a win-win!

Pad Thai

makes 4 servings

8 oz. rice vermicelli noodles, uncooked

sauce:

1/4 cup ketchup

2 Tbsp. soy sauce

2 Tbsp. lime juice

2 Tbsp. brown sugar

1 Tbsp. seasoned rice vinegar

1 tsp. sesame oil

1/4 - 1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes (Depending on how spicy you want it. 1/2 tsp. is a bit too spicy for our kids, but my husband & I like it.)

1 tsp. canola oil

1/2 cup diced red onions

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup bean sprouts

1/2 cup grated carrots

1/4 cup chopped green onions

1/4 cup chopped, fresh cilantro

1/4 cup chopped peanuts

Cook noodles in boiling water for 3 minutes, or until tender. Drain. Set aside.

Mix sauce ingredients together in a small bowl. Set aside.

Heat oil in a large, non-stick wok or skillet over medium heat. Add onions & garlic. Cook & stir until onions are tender, about 3 minutes. Add sauce & bring to a boil. Add cooked noodles, bean sprouts, carrots, green onions, & cilantro. Mix well. Cook until noodles are heated through, about 2 minutes. 

Sprinkle individual servings with chopped peanuts. 

Mix it up: Add some stir fried shrimp, chicken, or steak to make this dish heartier. 

Have you made any healthy changes this new year?  I'd love to know about them - please leave a comment!

Here's to getting healthier in 2012!

Enjoy your day!

Thanks so much for reading!


Join me for even more fun on the Silver Boxes Facebook page!

Turkey & Black Bean Chili

  These colder days call out for cozy recipes. Chillis, soups, & stews are all regulars on our meal plans for the next several months. Imagine coming home from a day out Christmas shopping & preparing a warm, comforting meal for your family. This is just such a meal.

  Today I have a chili recipe that uses ground turkey or perhaps you could even use shredded leftover Christmas turkey! It's something a bit different from the common beef chili. And this is chock full of veggies too! Very healthy but amazingly good!

Turkey & Black Bean Chili

makes 6 servings

1 pound skinless ground turkey

1 cup chopped onion

1 clove garlic, minced

1 cup chopped green pepper

1 cup diced carrots

1 1/2 cups tomato sauce

1 1/2 cups salsa

1 can black beans, drained & rinsed 

1 1/2 tsp. chili powder

1 tsp. ground cumin

1/2 tsp. dried oregano

Dried pasta of your choice

Optional toppings:

Sour cream

Cheddar cheese, shredded

Chopped green onion

1) Spray a large skillet with non-stick spray. Add ground turkey & cook over medium-high heat until no longer pink. Break up any large chunks. 

2) Add onions, garlic, green pepper, & carrots. Cook & stir for 4-5 minutes, until veggies have softened.

3) Stir in tomato sauce, salsa, beans, chili powder, cumin, & oregano. Bring mixture to a boil, then lower heat & simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

4) Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package directions. Drain well. 

5) Serve chili over pasta & serve with optional toppings.

~~~

The perfect meal for a cold, winter night. 

I hope you're keeping warm & enjoying your Christmas season.

Enjoy your day!

Linkin' Up:

Sumo's Sweet Stuff

Made By You Monday

Chef In Training

Pinterest Recipe Reviews Pt. 2

  How's your week been so far? Here in Saskatchewan we are trying to stay warm... cuz baby, it's cold outside! I'm trying to keep things cozy in our little nest. Christmas tunes are playing (click here to hear our new favourite album) & I've been doing some Christmas prep. We're starting to feel the Christmas spirit & I, for one, love it!

  Several weeks ago, I did my meal planning via Pinterest. Well, I'm here to finish off the reviews on that group of recipes. (Here is part one if you missed it.)

Lemon Chicken Breasts

  This was an amazing chicken dish! SOOOOOO tasty! The only thing I did differently was I used skinless chicken breasts instead of skin on. If you're a fan of lemon, you will love this as much as we did. I will definitely be making these again.

Salted Caramel Pretzel Chocolate Chip Cookies

  Okay, this recipe wasn't on my original meal plan, but I was going to a girl friend gathering & had to bring something. ;) These cookies are crazy good! If you enjoy sweet & salty together, you will certainly enjoy these bundles of yumminess. In Canada, we sadly don't have the caramel pieces she lists in the ingredients so I used butterscotch chips instead. I think they were a pretty great substitute. I will be making these again.

Mini Frittatas 

  My kids helped me make these for supper one evening. They are easy & tasty. One note: do not mix in the salt with the eggs like it says to. It all settled to the bottom & most of the salt ended up in one of the frittatas. Yup, I got that one. Yech! But the rest were very good. I would just sprinkle some salt into each cup next time. I'll make them again.

  So now that I've finally made most of what was on that original meal plan, I'm off to do another one! A family's gotta' eat, after all. Might as well make it good.

Enjoy your day!

Potato Soup & Cheddar Biscuits

  Fall is in full swing & I am so very much enjoying all the autumn crafts & recipes out there in blog land. Fall at our house means a return of some of our favourite warm meals. This one is my son, Parker's, favourite. There's no prodding to "eat your vegetables" when I make this!

Potato Soup & Cheddar Biscuits 

Potato Soup
makes about 5 cups (I usually make a double batch so we have left overs)


3 Tbsp. Butter or margarine
1 Large Onion, chopped
1/2 cup Thinly sliced carrot
1/2 cup sliced celery
1 garlic clove, minced

4 cups diced potatoes
2 cups frozen corn
2 cups chicken stock
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 tsp. parsley flakes

2 cups milk

Put first 5 ingredients into your soup pot. Saute veggies until onion is soft & clear.

Add next 6 ingredients. Bring to a boil. Cover & simmer slowly until veggies are cooked. Stir occasionally.

Stir in milk. Heat without boiling. This only takes about a minute because the soup is already very hot.

Serve with Cheddar Biscuits. Refrigerated leftovers are good for up to a week.

Cheddar Biscuits
makes 1 dozen


2 cups flour
2 Tbsp. sugar
4 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. salt
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
3/4 cup milk
1/3 cup oil (I use canola)

Preheat oven to 425*.

In a large bowl, combine dry ingredients & cheese. Stir in milk & oil just until moistened. Don't over mix. If you're careful, you can do this in a stand mixer, but it's also easy by hand.

Using a heaping tablespoon, roll batter into 12 balls. Place on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 425* for 15 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm. Refrigerate leftovers.

Note: I've also made these without the cheese because I didn't have any on hand. They were tasty too!

Thanks for stopping by today. I love all my friends & followers.

Tomorrow I will be sharing some of my favourite finds from Pinterest. 

Enjoy your day!

Linkin' Up:

Tater Tots & Jello

The Creative Paige

Yummiest Meat Sauce Recipe / Back to School Printables Link

  It's starting to feel more & more like fall these days. The weather has cooled off, school started this week, I put some fall decorations out yesterday, & I've started cooking more "cool weather" meals again.

  With that in mind, today I'm posting my Mom's recipe for the yummiest Meat Sauce I've ever tasted. I may be slightly biased since almost everyone thinks their Mom's cooking is best. That's okay. It's true. ;)

Yummiest Meat Sauce
serve with pasta or in lasagne


1 lb. ground beef or italian sausage
1 clove garlic
1 Tbsp. basil
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 - 1 lb. can diced tomatoes
2 - 6 oz. cans tomato paste


Brown meat slowly; drain. Add remaining ingredients. Simmer uncovered for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

 So easy & so tasty!

  I also wanted to share some free back to school printables I got from howdoesshe.com. How cute are these? My son, Parker, has loved having these fun notes, jokes, & tags in his lunch bag.

Are things feeling like fall to you? I'd love to hear about them. Go ahead & leave a comment!

I'm also linking up toTatertots & Jello for their weekend wrap up party. Check it out.

Enjoy your day!

~Steph