Recipes
Recipes: Stuffed Portobello Mushroom Tops
Jake made stuffed Portobello Mushroom tops as a side dish and they were delicious! These are bite size and tasty. Some of them are topped with cheese. Both of the ones with and without cheese were very good!
Stuffed Portobello Mushroom Tops
These are bite size and tasty. Some of them are topped with cheese. Both of the ones with and without cheese were very good!Servings: 4Ingredients
- 12 oz Fresh Portobello Mushrooms
- 1/4 cup Hummus
- 1 tbsp Bacon Pieces
- 1/2 tbsp Olive Oil
- 1/4 cup Shredded Cheddar Cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees and grease a baking dish. Rinse the mushrooms and remove the stems. Cut up the stems into small pieces.
- Heat olive oil over medium heat in a pan. Add the mushroom stems and sauté for about 3 minutes. Cool the mushrooms.
- Once the mushrooms are cool mix them with the hummus and bacon. Scoop the mixture into the center of the mushrooms. Place the mushrooms in the baking dish and cook for 15 minutes. Add shredded Cheese on top (optional) and bake for additional 5 minutes.
Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms topped with cheese!
Recipes: Beef, Broccoli, and Bok Choy
A main dish with beef and two green vegetables – broccoli and bok choy. This dish is inspired from my Mom’s Beef & Broccoli recipe a few years ago. We took her Beef and Broccoli recipe, adding more ingredients, and removed other ones. The main dish includes both your meat and vegetables, yet the kids love it! You can choose whatever meat you want to use with this recipe and whatever amount of broccoli. We like this nice blend of meat and broccoli with a touch of bok choy for this recipe.
Beef, Broccoli, and Bok Choy
A main dish with beef and two green vegetables – broccoli and bok choy. This dish is inspired from my Mom’s Beef & Broccoli recipe a few years ago. The main dish includes both your meat and vegetables, yet the kids love it!Servings: 4 peopleEquipment
- Wok
Ingredients
- 1 lb Lean Beef Steak Round, Sirloin, or Flank Steak work well
- 1 head Fresh Broccoli
- 1 head Fresh Bok Choy Small
- 2 tbsp Low Sodium Soy Sauce
- 1 clove Garlic, minced or pressed
- 2 tbsp Olive Oil
- 2 tbsp Water
- 1 1/2 tbsp Corn Starch
- 1/4 tsp Ground Ginger
- 1 cup Beef Broth
- 1 dash Red Pepper Flakes
Instructions
- Cut broccoli and bok choy into 1 inch pieces set aside. Slice the beef along the grain into 1/2 inch wide strips. In bowl mix beef, soy sauce and garlic. Let marinate 10 minutes. Mix together corn starch, ground ginger, dash of red pepper, and beef broth.
- When wok is hot add 1 tablespoon of oil, add half of the meat mixture. Stir fry until browned (about 2 to 3 minutes). Repeat with second half of meat and 1 more tablespoon of oil.
- Stir in the broccoli for about 1 minute. Add water cover and cook about 3 minutes.
- Add cooking sauce to meat and stir until the sauce has thickened. Add the bok choy and cook for about another minute or until it starts to wilt.
You can add in all kinds of other ingredients like onions, mushrooms, spinach, and more to your main dish.
Hot and ready to be eaten for dinner!
Recipes: Low Calorie & Low Carb Brownies
Low Calorie & Low Carb Brownies
The low calorie and low carb brownies in this recipe do not contain walnuts. They come out almost fudge like and taste amazing fresh out of the freezer too.
I have been using this homemade low calorie and low carb brownie recipe for several months now. This recipe makes 32 individual brownies. If you only eat 1 a day this one recipe will last you an entire month. I like to make a full batch which is a 9 x 13 baking dish and store the individual brownies in the freezer for the chocolate cravings.
These brownies are rich and filled with chocolate goodness that hit the spot, but it won’t set you back if you are keeping track of your calories and carbs. Once this recipe is baked and cool it has a similar texture of a real brownie, but without the extra calories and carbs in each bite. If you are looking for a healthy brown alternative try this recipe!
Low Calorie & Low Carb Brownies
A tasty chocolate treat without all the extra calories and carbs. This brownie is sweet and delicious.Servings: 32 PiecesCalories: 113kcalIngredients
- 1 stick Butter or Margarine Room Temperature
- 2 cups Erythritol powdered is best, but granulated will work too
- 1 tbsp Vanilla
- 4 Eggs Room Temperature
- 1/2 cup Cocoa Powder
- 1 tsp Salt
- 4 oz Unsweetened Chocolate melted
- 2 cups Flax Seed Meal
- 1 tbsp Baking Powder
- 1/3 cup Heavy Whipping Cream
- 2/3 cup Water
- 1 cup Artificial Sweetener
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a 9 x 13 baking dish.
- Cream butter or margarine until fluffy. Add the Erythritol and cream until fluffy (want a fluffy texture). If you use the Erythritol granulated it will not turn out as fluffy, but the brownies will still taste good (I have done it both ways).
- Add the vanilla to the butter mixture. Beat the eggs into the mixture one at a time. Add salt and cocoa powder; beat well.
- Add the melted unsweetened Chocolate and beat until fluffy.
- Add the remaining ingredients and mix well.
- Pour brownie batter into 9 x 13 baking dish. Bake for 35 minutes. Cool and cut into 32 squares.
Notes
These taste delicious fresh, cooled, or even frozen! Total Calories: 113 and Total Net Carbs (which is Carbs minus the Fiber): 1.19 per individual Brownie
Baked Brownie Goodness
Bagged and ready to go into the freezer for treats throughout the month
The total calories and net carbs are based of the ingredients we used while cooking this recipe. It is good idea to calculate based of the specific brand and ingredients you are using in your recipe, but this will give you a good base guideline. As long as you use the ingredients listed above it should be fairly close.
Recipes: Easy Bacon Wrapped Asparagus Bundles
We like asparagus in our house. When it is in season we have it more often, but loved to have it every once in awhile even out of season. This is a super Easy Bacon Wrapped Asparagus Bundles recipe! It only requires 3 ingredients too!
If you like bacon and asparagus you will probably like this recipe! Our kids think this recipe is great. For another bacon wrapped asparagus bundles with more ingredients – Bacon Wrapped Asparagus Bundles.
Easy Bacon Wrapped Asparagus
This is a super Easy Bacon Wrapped Asparagus Bundles recipe! It only requires 3 ingredients too!Servings: 4 peopleIngredients
- 1 bundle Fresh Asparagus
- 12 oz Bacon Center cut is best
- 1/4 cup Italian Salad Dressing
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
- Rinse and trim the ends of the asparagus. Remove any hard stems on the asparagus stalks too. Generally, the smaller the asparagus stalk the better because it is more tender.
- Divide your asparagus up into equal piles (3 to 8 stalks). Pick the number of bundles you want to do and divide it up as equal as possible.
- Lay 1 asparagus bundle in the center of a slice of bacon. Wrap the bacon around the asparagus bundle and place on a broiler pan. Repeat this step until all your asparagus bundles are wrapped. If you have extra bacon you can cook that on the pan beside the asparagus bundles if you want.
- Sprinkle each bundle equally with Italian Salad Dressing.
- Bake for about 20 to 25 minutes or until the bacon is cooked.
Notes
GRILLING – You can also place these Bacon Wrapped Asparagus Bundles on the grill at your next cookout! Make sure not to put it too close to a really hot spot or open flame on the grill for a long period of time. It will usually take less time on the grill to cook these bundles. Once the asparagus looks like it is starting to wilt a little and the bacon is cooked these will be done.Recipes: Cheese & Vegetable Topped Chicken
Cheese & Vegetable Topped Chicken
This recipe is an altered and lighter version of the Chicken Tomato Pasta Recipe. The Cheese & Vegetable Topped Chicken recipe is a lower carb version, but is still tasty and healthy. It is basically baked boneless skinless chicken breast topped with spinach, bok choy, mushrooms, and cheese. If you are trying to cut out dairy you can eliminate the cheese and it is still a great main dish.
Cheese & Vegetable Topped Chicken
The Cheese & Vegetable Topped Chicken recipe is a low carb, but is still tasty and healthy. It brings baked boneless skinless chicken breast together with a topping of spinach, bok choy, mushrooms, and cheese.Servings: 2 peopleIngredients
- 1 lb Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts cooked, seasoned, and drained
- 1 cup Fresh Spinach
- 1 cup Fresh Bok Choy
- 1/2 cup Fresh Mushrooms
- 1 tbsp Olive Oil
- 1/2 tsp Minced Garlic
- Sliced or Shredded Cheese
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a broiler pan and put the chicken breast on it (this allows the extra fat and/or juices to drain down and away from the chickens). Sprinkle lightly with seasoning – salt, pepper, and/or chicken seasoning. Bake until cooked through.
- While the chicken is cooking. Slice up the vegetables into about 1/2 inch to 1 inch pieces (spinach, bok choy, mushrooms). Heat 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil and minced garlic in a pan over medium heat. Add the mushrooms and cook them for about 2 minutes. Add the spinach and bok choy, cooking for an additional 3 minutes or until the leaves are starting to wilt.
- Place your baked chicken breasts on the plates. Top with the vegetable mixture. Optional: Garnish tomatoes and sliced or a sprinkle of shredded cheese.
Cheese & Vegetable Topped Chicken sitting on a layer for diced tomatoes (optional)
Recipes: Campfire Toasted Portobello Mushrooms & Cinnamon Apples
Food is prepped and ready to be cooked for dinner over the campfire
First we shared our Campfire Steak & Kielbasa main dish. Last week we shared with you our Campfire Garlic Bread. Now this week we get to do another side dish – Portobello Mushrooms as well as desert – Cinnamon Apples.
Are you seeing a theme this month? Maybe I am gearing up for a another fun family camping trip!? The only probably is figuring out when to fit it in with all the other fun stuff going on! Our family really does enjoy a good camping trip or fire pit meal! It is fun to try new things or take items we used to only do on the grill and make them over a fire. By the way, all of these recipes work beautifully on a grill too so feel free to cook up these goodies on it instead.
Campfire Toasted Portobello Mushrooms & Cinnamon Apples
A campfire is not the same without desert. While we do really enjoy the sweet chocolate goodness of toasted marshmallows and s’mores this time around we tried something new. Campfire Toasted Cinnamon Apples and they turned out crispy, sweet, and delicious!Servings: 4Ingredients
- 2 Portobello Mushroom Tops
- 1 tbsp Italian Salad Dressing
- 2 Sliced Apples Granny Smith or other Baking Apple
- 1 tbsp Cinnamon Sugar Mixture
- Wooden or Metal Skewers
Instructions
- Soak the wooden skewers in water for about 5 to 10 minutes. This allows them to not burn up once over the campfire. If you have metal skewers these can be used immediately.
- While the skewers are soaking in water. Drizzle a touch of the Italian Salad Dressing over the outside of the portobello mushroom and the remaining tablespoon amount on the inside of the mushroom and allow to sit inside the cap to marinate it until it goes onto the campfire.
- Stick the skewers through the portobello mushroom. Two skewers per piece works a little better when turning over the fire, but 1 will work too.
- Sprinkle the cinnamon & sugar mixture over the outside of the apple slices.
- Stick the skewers through the apple slices. We put 2 slices on each skewer.
- Place the portobello mushroom (do the top side of the mushroom first so the bowl with the extra Italian Salad Dressing is facing up and continuing to season the mushroom as it cooks) on the campfire. Cook until slight lines start appearing on the mushroom and flip once. Depending on how hot the fire is it should only take 1 to 3 minutes per side when you see the Italian Salad Dressing start to boil or bubble inside the mushroom cap it is time to flip it.
- Place the apple slices on the campfire. Cook until the apple juices start bubbling and flip once. Depending on how hot the fire is it should only take 1 to 3 minutes per side
Mushroom seasoned with Italian Salad Dressing is ready to go onto the fire
Cooking the portobello mushroom and cinnamon apple slices together
Almost done, both have been flipped and about ready to come off the fire! Smells wonderful!
Recipes: Campfire Garlic Bread
Smells really good! Starting for flip the garlic bread!
What’s better than traditional garlic bread as a side dish? Campfire Garlic Bread of course! The mixture of garlic with the hint of fire crispness makes it all the better. The fire will give it an extra flavor too. Not to mention it smells amazing as it is cooking.
Whether you planning your next camping trip or staying home. It is super easy to make and a perfect addition to your camping or backyard bonfire meal. Enjoy!
Campfire Garlic Bread
Whether you planning your next camping trip or staying home. It is super easy to make and a perfect addition to your camping or backyard bonfire meal.Servings: 4Ingredients
- 1/2 loaf French Bread Loaf
- Butter or Margarine
- Lawry's Garlic Salt (or similar)
- Wooden or Metal Skewers
Instructions
- Soak the wooden skewers in water for about 5 to 10 minutes. This allows them to not burn up once over the campfire. If you have metal skewers these can be used immediately.
- While the skewers are soaking in water. Slice one inch thick pieces off the loaf of french bread. These are pretty thick so we usually make one per person. Butter both side of the bread and sprinkle on the garlic salt.
- Stick the skewers through the bread. Two skewers per piece works a little better when turning over the fire, but 1 will work too.
- Place the garlic bread on the campfire. Cook until slight lines start appearing on the buttered bread and flip once. Depending on how hot the fire is it should only take 1 to 3 minutes per side.
Notes
Makes between 3 to 6 pieces of garlic bread based on the size and shape of your french bread.
Garlic Bread ready to go on the campfire
Recipes: Campfire Steak & Kielbasa
Cooking Steak & Kielbasa over the fire pit
In South Carolina the weather is starting to cool off just a little bit. During the days it is still toasty, but the evenings are beginning to have more coolness as the Fall season draws nearer. Since the nights are starting to cool off the weekends are a perfect time to go camping as a family. One of the fun adventures (as the kids say) about camping is making all your food over the campfire.
We don’t go camping as often as we like. Life gets busy, but it is fun when we can get away. If you are like us and can’t always get away you can still enjoy a great campfire meal in your own back yard. When we have a yard clean up day we will often end the day with a campfire meal and relaxing together as a family. There is just something tasty about a meal cooked over a campfire!
Campfire Steak & Kielbasa
One of the fun adventures (as the kids say) about camping is making all your food over the campfire. There is just something tasty about a meal cooked over a campfire!Servings: 4Ingredients
- 1 lb Flank Steak Cut into strips
- 1 package Kielbasa (12-14 ounces)
- 1/4 cup Italian Salad Dressing
- Wooden or Metal Skewers
Instructions
- Marinate the steak in 1/4 cup of Italian Salad Dressing for 30 minutes or more. This gives the steak a nice flavor and seals in the juices when it is being cooked over the campfire. To avoid taking the Italian Salad Dressing with you on a camping trip just place the steaks in a ziplock bag with the Italian Salad Dressing and it will be ready to go on the campfire anytime.
- Soak the wooden skewers in water for about 5 to 10 minutes. This allows them to not burn up once over the campfire. If you have metal skewers these can be used immediately.
- Stick the skewers through the Steaks and Kielbasa.
- Place the steaks and kielbasa on the campfire. Cook and flip once until it is done to your liking. If you like rare steak it will only take a minute or two per side over a hot fire. If you like it well done it will take a little longer. The Kielbasa’s will cook fast over a hot fire or bed of coals too.
Sizzling over the campfire
The meat is ready!
Family Recipes: Grandma’s Western Meatloaf
Grandma Willa has an amazing recipe for Meatloaf. I am so thankful for the many opportunities to spend time cooking with my Grandma’s. If you are looking for a great meatloaf recipe, you should try it out! Please note: this recipe does make a large amount (for several loaf pans). Adjust the amount if you are wanting to make a smaller amount. Although, it does freeze well for all of you meatloaf lovers who like to prep meals in advance!Grandma’s Western Meatloaf
Grandma Willa has an amazing recipe for Meatloaf. If you are looking for a great meatloaf recipe, you should try it out!Servings: 20Equipment
- 3 4x9 Loaf Pans
Ingredients
Meatloaf
- 5 lbs Ground Beef
- 2 1/4 cups Rolled Oats
- 2 Onions (diced)
- 3 tsp Salt
- 3/4 tsp Pepper
- 3 Eggs
- 6 slices Bread (broken into fine pieces)
Sauce
- 6 tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
- 6 tbsp Vinegar
- 4 cups Ketchup
- 1 cup Water
- 12 tbsp Brown Sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Mix the meatloaf ingredients together in a large bowl.
- Split into 3 to 4 large loaf pans.
- Mix the sauce in a bowl, then pour evenly over the loaves.
- Bake at 350 for one hour or until the meet is cooked throughout.
- Broil an additional 5 to 10 minutes until the top is carnalized.
Notes
This is a large batch meal. Once the loaves have cooled, they can be removed from the loaf pans and wrapped in foil to be frozen. To reheat, thaw in refrigerator overnight, then bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. The refrigerated meatloaf can also be sliced for great meatloaf sandwiches. Just slice into 3/8 inch slices, serve on white bread with Mayo.Life Simplified: No Grocery Shopping (Recipes)
I am now wrapping up week number 5 in my No Grocery Shopping challenge! It has been a fun adventure for our family as we continue to find ways to make the food in our fridge and pantry stretch! Some of the recipes over the last few weeks have been a huge hit in our family for years while others were different. We are always looking for ways to create healthy meals that everyone enjoys without wasting the food we have in our home.For those who have been emailing me about what we’ve been eating here are a few of our low budget main dish recipes:
Macaroni & Cheese Casserole
I came up with this recipe a couple years ago when I was trying to use up some leftovers in the fridge. It has since become a favorite at our house. The neat part about this recipe is that it can be easily altered based on the ingredients you have in your refrigerator. We usually have a stock pile of Wacky Mac because we use double coupons at Ingles, Bi-Lo, or Publix plus we get extra money back from Upromise eCoupons which makes most of our purchases of Wacky Mac free plus some overage. Dairy products are regular staples in our house so it makes this recipe fairly easy to make anytime.
Macaroni & Cheese Casserole
The neat part about this recipe is that it can be easily altered based on the ingredients you have in your refrigerator. It is a simple recipe that is almost impossible to mess up.Servings: 8Equipment
- 9x7 Pyrex Casserole dish
Ingredients
- 12 oz Wacky Mac Veggie Noodles (Any shape pasta can be used, but the girls love the mixed shapes and colors of Wacky Mac)
- 1-2 cups Milk (depending on how rich you want it, powder milk works too or add a touch of sour cream to increase the richness)
- 1 cup Velveeta Cheese (cubed)
- 1 tbsp Butter or Margarine
- 1 cup Shredded Cheese (I use up the partial bags in our fridge so it is usually Cheddar, Mozzarella, Parmesan, Colby, etc..)
- 2-3 cups Water (You want 4 cups liquid, if you add more milk, reduce the water)
- dash Salt, Pepper, and Garlic to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Add all the ingredients above except the water to a casserole dish.
- The water will be different based on what you add to your casserole. Add enough water to cover the noodles and stir everything together.
- Bake uncovered at 350 degrees. After 15 minutes of baking stir the casserole than continue baking for an additional 45 minutes. The top of the casserole will be crunchy (everyone’s favorite part) but should not burn.
Notes
I have also been known to cut of cheese slices or put in a couple spoons of cottage cheese. It really is a “use up the leftovers” type of Marconi & Cheese Casserole! If you want you can add a cup of fresh or canned tomatoes that tastes great too.Chicken Pot Pie
After several days of cooking we will often use the meat and vegetable leftovers in the fridge to make a Pot Pie. Our favorite is the Chicken Pot Pie, but we have made several variations of Beef and Ham Pot Pies as well. You can often get Store Brand Pie Crusts on sale or clearance for a great price if you them on hand use those otherwise the recipe below includes how to make your own pie crust with a few basic ingredients.
Chicken Pot Pie
A family favorite, chicken pot pie is a simple way to use up the remaining chicken that doesn't taste like a "leftovers" meal.Servings: 8Equipment
- 9 inch pie pan
Ingredients
Pie Crust
- 2 1/4 cups All Purpose Flour
- 3/4 cups Crisco Shortening
- 1 tssp Salt
- 5 tbsp Water (cold)
Filling
- 1 to 2 cups Cooked Chicken (use leftover or canned Chicken)
- 1 to 2 cups Cooked Vegetables (use leftover or canned Veggies)
- 1 can Cream of Chicken Soup
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Mix together the ingredients for the crust until the dough is formed, split the dough in half.
- Roll out half of the pie crust (add more flour if necessary). Place half of the pie crust in the bottom of a 8 or 9 inch pie pan.
- Stir together the Chicken Pot Pie filling ingredients. Add the filling to the pie pan.
- Top with remaining pie crust. Roll the edges of the bottom and top crust together. Cut a few slices in the top of the pot pie, (I usually will do a smile face or Christmas Tree or heart just for fun. The girls are always looking to see the design on the the top prior to eating it.)
- Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour. Check halfway through and if the crust is getting too dark put a piece of foil over the top to keep it from burning.
Pasta Night
We will often have a “Pasta” night which is a quick and easy meal that our family enjoys. It is one of our “meatless” meals. Many times Pasta nights consists of cooking:
Poor Man's Pasta
Don't let the name fool you. This is a simple staple that is quick and easy to make, yet still a comforting favorite.Servings: 4Cost: $3Ingredients
- 4 cups Elbow Noodles
- 1/2 tbsp Butter or Margarine
- Grated Parmesan Cheese (aka. "Shaky Cheese")
Instructions
- Cook the noodles, drain and add the butter. Sprinkle Shaky Cheese over your noodles and enjoy.
Notes
I add veggies and fruit to round out the meal. It is quick, simple, and inexpensive.Spinach Chicken Casserole
This is another one of those quick recipes I threw together to use up some extra chicken we had in the fridge that was a hit with the family.
Spinach Chicken Casserole
This is a quick "throw together" meal that tastes great and feels like it should have taken more time.Servings: 6Ingredients
- 2 to 3 cups Cubed Chicken (or you can use 2 to 3 frozen whole Chicken Breasts)
- 1 can Spinach
- 1 can Cream of Mushroom Soup
- 4 oz Sliced Mushrooms (Optional: Canned works best)
- 2 slices Provolone or Mozzarella Cheese
- 2 cups Rice (uncooked)
- 2 to 4 tbsp Water
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Pour the 2 cups of uncooked rice and water if necessary into a casserole dish. Add the Chicken on top of the rice.
- Mix together the Spinach and Cream of Mushroom then add it on top of the Chicken.
- Spread the sliced mushrooms over the spinach mixture.
- Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 1 hour.
- Add the cheese on top 10 to 15 minutes before the casserole is done.
Veggie Beef Soup is another one we put together with items we have on hand.
Along with the main meals we have a fruit and vegetable. We still have chicken and beef weekly as well as fish every couple of weeks to make sure everyone is getting the nutritional meals they need.
I will continue to share with you the challenges and successes so you can keep me accountable or even go through the journey with me by participating and sharing your story. As I extend this goal into at least the first part of February I hope to have the opportunity to share more about what we are doing to make it stretch! Let’s see if we can finish yet another week of the No Grocery Shopping challenge!
Life Simplified is a series on getting rid of the extras in our life while learning how to enjoy what God has given us so we can continue to be a blessing to others. Our homes can quickly start are bursting with “stuff” and if you are like us we just have too much. I am doing a series on ways we are learning to simplifying our food, homes, and lives. When our hearts, lives, and homes get too cluttered we may start missing out on opportunities to serve and bless the people around us.
