Refrigerator Bran Muffins

These are super easy. They keep in the refrigerator, and the recipe makes about 4 dozen muffins. They stay good up to 30 days, so it's a really easy (and delish) hot breakfast. Also as a side note, it calls for wheat flakes and all-bran~ since you are putting water on them, it doesn't matter if they're stale. It'll taste the same in the end. Just thought I'd throw that out there :) This recipe is from melskitchencafe.com. 

INGREDIENTS:
4 cups wheat bran flakes or plain wheat bran
2 cups bran buds (look like little pebbles) or all-bran (look like little twigs)
2 cups boiling water
1 quart (4 cups) buttermilk (here's a good substitute if you're interested)
8 tablespoons (1/2 cup) butter, melted
½ cup (no-added sugar) applesauce
2 cups sugar
4 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
5 cups whole wheat flour
4 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt

DIRECTIONS:
In a large bowl with a tight fitting lid, place the wheat bran flakes (or plain wheat bran) and the bran buds or all-bran. Pour the boiling water over the bran and mix well. Stir every couple of minutes while the mixture cools to room temperature. The mixture will become very thick and sticky.

After the mixture cools, add the buttermilk, melted butter, applesauce, sugar, eggs and vanilla. Mix well. Add the flour, baking soda and salt. Mix well to combine all the ingredients together.

The batter can be covered well and kept in the refrigerator for up to 30 days. To bake, scoop the batter into greased or lined muffin tins. Fill 3/4 full. Bake at 375 degrees for about 14-16 minutes (or 18-20 if you're cooking them with cold batter from the fridge), until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.

Honey Lime Chicken Enchiladas

Recipe found here

Ingredients:
1/3 cup honey

1/4 cup lime juice

1 Tbsp. chili powder

2 minced cloves garlic

1.5-ish pounds chicken breast, cooked and shredded or cubed

12-14 small flour tortillas

3 cups Mexican blend cheese

1-14 oz. can green enchilada sauce

1 cup heavy cream

1/3 cup chopped cilantro

1. Preheat oven to 350.

2. Combine chicken, chili powder, honey, minced garlic, and lime juice. Stir together and set aside. (I usually just cube and cook the chicken in a frying pan, and then add the remainder of the ingredients once it's done cooking.)

3. Separately, combine the enchilada sauce and cream. Spread 1/2 cup sauce on the bottom of a 9x13 pan.

4. Place a spoonful of the chicken mixture in the center of a tortilla, and top with cheese and a little cilantro. Roll the tortilla up and place seam-side down in the pan. Repeat with the rest of the tortillas until you have used up the chicken.

5. Pour the remainder of the sauce over the enchiladas, and top with remaining cheese.

6. Bake at 350 for about 30 minutes (until cheese is melted and starting to brown). Garnish with cilantro and salsa if you would like.

Veggie Burgers

Ingredients:
2-15 oz. cans black beans
1/2 small green bell pepper, finely chopped
1/2 cup bread crumbs (We didn't have any and substituted whole wheat flour.)
1/2 red onion, finely chopped
1 large carrot, grated or finely chopped
1 egg
1 1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. paprika
2 tsp. cilantro, finely chopped

1. Mash the black beans. It's okay not to completely mash them, but you don't want too many whole beans.
2. Mix spices into the beans.
3. Add in the bell pepper, red onion, carrot, and egg. Mix well.
4. Form into patties, and cook on the stove or grill. On the stove, you will cook them in a lightly greased skillet over medium heat, turning when they have started to brown and become crisp (about 2 minutes per side). On the grill, you will want to put them on greased aluminum foil to make sure they stay intact. (These are SO good! They taste similar to the morning star brand spicy black bean burgers if you like those...)

Makes about 8-10 burgers. (recipe from here)

Light King Ranch Chicken Casserole:

From Southern Living

Makes 8 servings; Prep 20 min., Cook 35 min.

1 large onion, chopped

1 large green bell pepper, chopped

Vegetable cooking spray

2 cups chopped cooked chicken breasts

1 (10¾-oz.) can reduced-fat, reduced-sodium cream of chicken soup

 1 (10¾-oz.) can reduced-fat, reduced-sodium cream of mushroom soup

1 (10-oz.) can diced tomato and green chiles

1 tsp. chili powder

½ tsp. pepper

¼ tsp. garlic powder

12 (6-inch) corn tortillas

1 (8-oz.) block reduced-fat Cheddar cheese, shredded

1. Sauté onion and bell pepper in a large skillet coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat

 5 minutes or until tender.

2. Stir in chicken and next 6 ingredients; remove from heat.

3. Tear tortillas into 1-inch pieces; layer one-third tortilla pieces in a 13-x9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Top with one-third chicken mixture and one-third cheese. Repeat layers twice.

4. Bake at 350° for 30-35 minutes or until bubbly.

Note:  Freeze casserole up to 1 month, if desired. Thaw in refrigerator overnight, and bake as directed.

Baby Blue Salad with Sweet-and-Spicy Pecans

Baby Blue Salad (from Southern Living):

Makes 2 servings (we always make more)

1 (5-oz.) bag mixed spring salad greens

2 oz. crumbled blue cheese

1 orange, peeled and sectioned (or mandarin oranges)

½ pt. fresh strawberries, quartered

½ cup Sweet-and-Spicy pecans (recipe below)

Balsamic vinaigrette

Sweet-and-Spicy pecans:

Makes 1 cup; Prep 5 min., Cook 10 min., Bake 10 min.

¼ cup sugar                                                                                        2 Tbsp. sugar

1 cup warm water                                                                            1 Tbsp. chili powder

1 cup pecan halves                                                                          1/8 tsp. ground red pepper

1. Stir together ¼ cup sugar and warm water until sugar dissolves. Add pecans; soak 10 minutes.

Drain, discarding syrup.

2. Combine 2 Tbsp. sugar, 1 Tbsp. chili powder, and red pepper. Add pecans, tossing to coat.

Place pecans on a lightly greased baking sheet.

3. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes, stirring once.

Thanksgiving stuffing

2 1/4 squares margarine or butter

2 1/4 cups diced celery

2 1/4 cups diced onion

2 Tbs. dried parsley

2 (1 lb.) loaves of bread

2 tsp. sage

2 bouillon cubes

2 cups water

1 tsp. salt

Directions:

1. Saute celery, onion, and parsley in margarine 5 minutes. Add spices and mix well.

2. Break bread into a separate container.

3. Toss bread and vegetables. Add bouillon dissolved in water.

4. Loosely stuff turkey cavities. Stuffs 18-19 lb. bird... Or you can just bake it separately :)

sweet potato casserole

Ingredients:
6 large sweet potatoes
1/2 cup milk
3 Tbs. butter
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt

Topping Ingredients:
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup chopped pecans
1 cup coconut
1/3 cup flour
8 Tbs. butter

Directions:
1. Peel, chop, boil, and drain sweet potatoes. Blend in blender or food processor with milk and butter.
2. Mix in sugar, eggs, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt. Pour into a 9x13 pan.
3. Mix ingredients for topping and sprinkle on top.
4. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.