Summer Squash Patties

This is a recipe I've had for years and finally tried. They were so good and easy!  You can use any kind of summer squash for this recipe. The bread/flour part is flexible too. I used wheat flour and 1 tsp of seasoned salt. You could totally do other spices too if something else sounds good, like Cajun for a spicier version!

Summer Squash Patties
6 c. coarsely grated unpeeled summer squash
1-2 eggs (depending on size)
1/4 c. + 2 T. wheat flour or bread crumbs OR 1/2 tube of crushed saltine crackers
seasoned salt, to taste
pepper, to taste
shredded cheese, optional

Lightly beat eggs. Mix the flour/crumbs and spices together and then add to the eggs along with the squash. Mix it all together.

Heat a griddle over medium to medium-high heat. If it's non-stick you can just brush it with olive oil. If it's not, you'll probably need to add more oil. Scoop out about 1/4 c. (I did a little less) squash onto the griddle and use the back of the measuring cup to flatten it.  Cook for 3-4 minutes, or until nicely browned. Flip and cook the second side. Top with a little cheese, if desired.

Keep in a warm oven or serve immediately.

Makes 10-12 patties, depending on how big you make them.

EASY THAI SHRIMP SOUP

This is really good and really easy.  I used lite coconut milk and would probably go with the creamier full fat version next time but it was still really good! 

EASY THAI SHRIMP SOUP

YIELD: 6 SERVINGS

PREP TIME: 10 MINUTES

COOK TIME: 20 MINUTES

TOTAL TIME: 30 MINUTES

Skip the take-out and try making this at home – it’s unbelievably easy and 10000x tastier and healthier!

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 cup uncooked basmati rice
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger or 1/4 tsp ground ginger
• 2 tablespoon red curry paste
• 2 (12-ounce) cans unsweetened coconut milk
• 4 cups chicken stock
• Juice of 1 lime
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a large saucepan of 1 1 /2 cups water, cook rice according to package instructions; set aside.
2. Melt butter in a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium high heat. Add shrimp, salt and pepper, to taste. Cook, stirring occasionally, until pink, about 2-3 minutes; set aside.
3. Add garlic, onion and bell pepper to the stockpot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 3-4 minutes. Stir in ginger until fragrant, about 1 minute.
4. Whisk in curry paste until well combined, about 1 minute. Gradually whisk in coconut milk and vegetable stock, and cook, whisking constantly, until incorporated, about 1-2 minutes.
5. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer until slightly thickened, about 8-10 minutes.
6. Stir in rice, shrimp, lime juice and cilantro.
7. Serve immediately.

Recipe altered slightly from http://damndelicious.net/2015/02/18/easy-thai-shrimp-soup/

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Spicy (or not) Turkey Burgers

These burgers are really good and you can make them as spicy or mild as you like.  I only added the Serrano peppers to half of the meat mixture because I knew the kids wouldn't like them.  5 stars from Jeff and I!

Spicy Turkey Burgers

2 lbs ground turkey (or ground chicken)
1/2 C. chopped onion (I used a little dried minced onion)
1/4 C. chopped cilantro
1 Tbsp minced Serrano pepper (3 or 4 small, whole peppers)
2 tsp minced garlic
2 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp crushed red pepper
2 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper

Mix all of the ingredients and form 4 large patties or 8 small patties.  Place the patties on a grill or skillet over medium-high heat.  Cook until thoroughly cooked through and golden brown on each side (approx. 4 minutes).  Serve with desired toppings and hamburger buns.

Recipe altered slightly from http://www.thefoodfantasy.com/spicy-chicken-patties/

Chocolate Chocolate White Chocolate Chip Cookies

Yum.  This is the first batch of cookies that Mia's ever made on her own.  And they were gooood!  

Chocolate Chocolate White Chocolate Chip Cookies

Prep: 10 Minutes	Level: Easy
Cook: 12 Minutes	Serves: 36

Ingredients

• 2-1/2 sticks Butter, Softened
• 2 cups Sugar
• 2 whole Eggs
• 3 teaspoons Vanilla Extract
• 2 cups Flour
• 3/4 cups Cocoa Powder
• 1-1/2 teaspoon Baking Soda
• 1 teaspoon Salt
• 1-1/2 cup Good Quality Semi-sweet Chocolate Chips
• 2 cups Good Quality White Chocolate Chips

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Using a mixer, cream butter and sugar until fluffy, scraping the sides once. 

Add eggs one at a time, mixing after each addition. Mix in vanilla. 

Sift together dry ingredients, then add in batches to the mixer, mixing until just combined after each addition. 

Gently blend in chocolate chips and white chocolate chips. 

Using a cookie scoop, add 1 tablespoon portions to baking sheet. Dot the top of each cookie with 3 white chocolate chips if you'd like them to really show up on top. Bake for 9 to 11 minutes or until cookies are barely done but still soft and chewy.

Let cool on a baking rack. Yummy!

http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/chocolate-chocolate-white-chocolate-chip-cookies/

Bacon-Wrapped Cheesy Stuffed Jalapeños

Mmm...these are great.   Mia liked the bigger jalapenos.  The smaller ones seemed to be spicier.  I definitely recommend the smoked paprika because it's so much better than regular paprika anyway, and I also found it helpful to move the oven rack up one level - it helped to crisp the bacon.  I also love her suggestion to use the little bell peppers instead of jalapenos if you don't like spicy.  I'll have to try that next!

Bacon-Wrapped Cheesy Stuffed Jalapeños

yield: 24 STUFFED JALAPEÑO HALVES

total time: 45 MINUTES

If you like spicy, you will love these! Halved jalapeños stuffed with cream cheese, shredded cheese, paprika, and garlic and wrapped up with crispy bacon. Absolutely incredible!

Ingredients:

• 12 fresh jalapeño peppers¹
• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened to room temperature
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese²
• 1 clove garlic, chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 12 slices bacon, cut in half
• 24 toothpicks

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400F degrees. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper (best for clean-up) or a silicone baking mat. Place a baking rack on top of the baking sheet. Set aside.
2. Cut the jalapeño peppers in half lengthwise; remove seeds and center membrane. Set aside.
3. Using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese, cheddar cheese, garlic, and paprika together until combined. You could also do this by hand using a rubber spatula. Salt to taste - I add just a pinch. Spoon filling equally among all 24 jalapeño halves.
4. Wrap each stuffed jalapeño with a half slice of bacon and stick a toothpick through the center to assure the bacon stays in place. Place each on the baking rack and bake for 25-28 minutes or until the bacon is crisp to your liking. I like to turn the oven to broil for the last minute or two to get things extra crispy. Serve immediately. Cover leftovers and keep in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
5. Make ahead tip: jalapeño peppers can be stuffed and wrapped 1 day in advance. Refrigerate until ready to bake. You can also assemble and freeze up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and bake as directed.

Recipe Notes:

1. Instead of jalapeño peppers, try using those mini sweet peppers often sold in the produce section. Those a great option if you don't like super spicy.
2. Mexican style or pepper jack shredded cheese is also tasty.

Recipe originally found here: https://sallysbakingaddiction.com/2014/09/25/bacon-wrapped-cheesy-stuffed-jalapenos/print/

Skinny Chicken Enchiladas

These are fantastic.  They got an elusive 5-star rating from Jeff!  We had the missionaries over for dinner so I made 2 pans - one spicy and one mild.  The sauce is so good and honestly I'm not sure which version I like more - spicy or mild.  If you don't like spicy, you can either omit the chilies in adobo sauce altogether or just use a little of the sauce from the can rather than using the actual chilies.  In the spicy sauce, I used my immersion blender to blend up the chilies and I only used 1/2 of the can which was enough heat for us.  So if you like them even spicier, go ahead and use the whole can.  So many options!  :)  The recipe also called for whole wheat tortillas but Jeff and I prefer corn tortillas aaaand I have a lot of those left over so that's what I used and I loved it.  I'll definitely stick to the corn tortillas for this recipe.
I also left the cilantro out of the chicken...because I didn't buy any...and it was just fine.  I used 2 jars of our home canned chicken for 2 batches and it was fine.  I also used more than 1 cup of cheese to top these so maybe they weren't quite as "skinny".  Skinny-ish enchiladas.  They're so good.

SKINNY CHICKEN ENCHILADAS

194 calories

Total Time: 45 minutes

Skinny Chicken Enchiladas are perfect if you're an enchilada lover like me! As good as any recipe you'll find in a restaurant (if not better) only much lighter!

INGREDIENTS:

For the enchilada sauce:

• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1-2 tbsp chipotle chilis in adobo sauce (optional)
• 1-1/2 cups tomato sauce
• 1/2 tsp chipotle chili powder
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 3/4 cup reduced sodium chicken broth
• kosher salt and fresh pepper to taste

For the chicken:

• 1 tsp vegetable oil
• 8.5 oz (2 breast halves) cooked shredded chicken breast
• 1 cup diced onion
• 2 large clove garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup cilantro
• kosher salt
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp chipotle chili powder
• 1/3 cup chicken broth
• 1/2 cup tomato sauce

For the enchilada:

• 8-10 (7-inch) corn tortillas
• 1 cup shredded low fat Mexican cheese
• non-stick cooking spray
• 2 tbsp chopped scallions or cilantro for topping (optional)
• Sour cream for topping (optional)

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a medium saucepan, spray oil and sauté garlic. Add chipotle chiles , chili powder, cumin, chicken broth, tomato sauce, salt and pepper.  If using the chipotle chilies, use an immersion blender to blend everything together. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 5-10 minutes. Set aside until ready to use.
2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
3. Heat the vegetable oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Sauté onions and garlic on low until soft, about 2 minutes. Add chicken, salt, cilantro, cumin, oregano, chili powder, tomato sauce, chicken broth, and cook 4 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
4. Spray a 13 by 9-inch glass baking dish with non-stick spray. Put 1/3 cup chicken mixture into each tortilla and roll it.
5. Place on baking dish seam side down, top with sauce.
6. Then top with cheese.
7. Cover with aluminum foil and bake in the oven on the middle rack for 20-25 minutes. Top with low fat sour cream or scallions if you wish. (Extra points) Makes 8 enchiladas.

Yield: 8 servings, Serving Size: 1 enchilada

Recipe from: http://www.skinnytaste.com/chicken-enchiladas/

Another Pioneer Woman recipe.  Delish.

Turkey Taco Skillet

Prep: 5 Minutes	Level: Easy
Cook: 15 Minutes	Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 1-1/2 pound Ground Turkey
• 1 teaspoon Chili Powder
• 1 teaspoon Ground Cumin
• Salt And Pepper, to taste
• 1 can (14 1/2 Oz. Size) Black Beans, Drained And Rinsed
• 1 cup Jarred Salsa, Plus More For Serving (I used green)
• 1 whole Chipotle Chili In Adobo, Chopped
• 1 Tablespoon Adobo Sauce (from The Can Of Chipotles)
• Chopped Tomato, For Serving
• Chopped Avocado, For Serving
• Thinly Sliced Radishes, For Serving (I diced these)
• Crumbled Queso Fresco, For Serving
• Fresh Cilantro Leaves, For Serving
• Sour Cream, For Serving

Preparation

Lightly char the tortillas over an open flame (I used the stovetop burner). Let them cool, then tear them into large chunks.

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground turkey to the skillet and season with the chili powder, cumin and some salt and pepper. Cook, breaking up the meat with the back of a spoon, until browned, about 5 minutes. Add the beans, salsa, chipotle chile and adobo sauce to the skillet and cook, stirring often, until warmed through and slightly thickened, about 5 minutes more. Add a little water if you'd like it to be saucier. Stir in the tortilla chunks and serve immediately with all the fixings on top.