Olive Oil M&M Cookies

Here is an olive oil cookie my entire family loves.  I used Valentine's Day themed M & M chocolate candies in these cookies to make them festive but this recipe also works great with chocolate chips! This sweet treat is sure to make your Valentine smile:)
Recipe was adapted from: Take A Megabite

Ingredients:
1 1/4 cup flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 eggs
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup M & M candies or chocolate chips
1 T milk

Combine flour, baking soda, and salt in small bowl.  In another bowl mix vanilla, olive oil, and sugar.  Once mixed together, add one egg at a time.  Once blended, slowly add the flour mixture.  Add the tablespoon of milk at this time as well.  When completely mixed together, fold in your m&m candies or chocolate chips.

Bake at 375 degrees.  I baked 8 cookies on one cookie sheet for about 8 minutes in my oven, but I think my oven runs a little on the hot side.

I dare you to only eat one:) I know I can't!

Olive Oil Pasta with Chicken and Broccoli

Here is another delicious creation by my hubby.  This recipe is great with either spaghetti or penne noodles!

Ingredients:

1 large chicken breast
8 oz whole grain pasta
16 oz fresh or frozen broccoli
3 cloves of garlic
1/2 to 1 tsp red pepper flakes
1 tsp parsley
pinch of oregano
1/3 cup of extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup pasta water
black pepper and salt to taste
Freshly grated Parmesan

Directions:

Bring a large pot of cold water to a boil over high heat, then salt it generously. Add the pasta and cook, stirring occasionally until tender. Mince garlic in garlic press. We grill our chicken on our George Foreman grill.  Plug in grill so it can heat up.

While the pasta cooks, combine the garlic, olive oil, parsley, oregano, and red pepper flakes in a large skillet and warm over low heat, stirring occasionally, until the garlic softens and turns golden, about 8 minutes.  Don't overcook or the garlic will get an undesired flavor.  When grill is ready place chicken on the grill until fully cooked.  Dice up grilled chicken.

Drain the pasta in a colander set in the sink, reserving about a 1/4 cup of the cooking water. Add the garlic mixture to the water in the pasta bowl.  Add the drained pasta to those ingredients and mix well. Mix in the diced up chicken and adjust seasoning to taste. Transfer to a large serving bowl if desired.  Top with freshly grated parmesan when serving.

Banana Oat Flax Seed Pancakes

These pancakes are surprisingly delicious!  Putting the oats and flax seed into these pancakes adds a lot of nutritional value.  Grinding the oats really disguises them in the pancakes and my children have no idea how healthy they are eating!  Grinding the flax seed is a must because your body does not break down whole flax seed well and you will not get all the benefits from this ingredient without grinding it first.  Plus, grinding the flax seed also makes the ingredient go unnoticed by my children.  This is a great recipe my hubby created to trick our kids into eating healthier pancakes!

Ingredients:

1 to 1/3 cups white whole wheat flour
3/4 cup old-fashioned oats (ground)
1 Tablespoon flax seed (ground)
1 Tablespoon sugar
1/2 tsp nutmeg
2 tsp ground cinnamon
2 tsp baking powder
1 to 1/3 cups milk
1 egg
1 cup mashed banana (ripe)
2 Tablespoons Canola oil

Directions:

Grind old-fashioned oats.  Grind flax seed.  We use our spice/coffee grinder to complete this task.  Combine flour, sugar, oats, flax seed, baking powder, nutmeg, and cinnamon into a large bowl.  Add the egg, milk, banana, and oil to the dry mixture.  Stir until moistened.
Pour batter onto a greased hot griddle our frying pan. Serve with syrup of choice.

Chicken Parm Baked Ziti

A combination of chicken parmesan and baked ziti that is sure to thrill any Italian food lover!


Ingredients:

2 chicken breasts

1 cup plain bread crumbs

1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

2 cloves of garlic

1/2 tsp garlic powder 

1/4 tsp ground black pepper 

1 egg 1/4 cup milk 

2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 

1 jar spaghetti sauce 

2/3 lb ziti 

1/2 grated parmesan cheese 

1 cup mozzarella cheese

Directions:

Mix bread crumbs, parmesan cheese, garlic powder, and pepper. In a small bowl, mix egg and milk. Cut chicken tenders into 1.5 inch cubes. Dip chicken cubes in egg/milk mixture, and then roll in bread crumb mixture.
Saute garlic cloves in olive oil over medium heat. Pan fry chicken pieces until browned, approx. 4 minutes on both side.
While chicken is cooking, prepare ziti per package directions until al dente.
When chicken is done, remove from heat and let sit on a paper towel.
When ziti is done cooking, drain and pour into greased (Pam) 9x14 pan. Pour spagetti sauce over pasta, and sprinkle with 1/2 cup parmesan cheese.
Arrange chicken in single layer over pasta. Sprinkle mozzarella cheese over chicken, and bake in oven for 25 minutes at 350 degrees or until heated through and cheese melted.

White Chicken Chili

This white chicken chili has an amazing south western, fiesta feel. My husband has altered it three times now and we have come to love this final result.  If you want to be really healthy you can skip the flour, milk, and sour cream for a healthier and less thick chili. The original recipe also included green pepper and did not have corn, so you can always add the pepper if you are a fan or omit the corn if you do not like it!  My family does not like green pepper, so we chose to remove it from the recipe and add corn.

Ingredients:

2 chicken breasts cooked and diced up
2-3 cups cooked Great Northern white beans
1 (14.5 oz) muir glen fire roasted diced tomatoes (w/ chiles if desired)
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 small or medium onion, chopped
1 medium red pepper, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon red cayenne pepper
1/2 a can of corn, drained
1/2 cup flour
1 cup milk
1 cup sour cream


Directions:

Add cooked chicken, beans, tomatoes, and chicken broth to large pot. Cover and simmer over medium heat.
Meanwhile, spray cooking spray into a nonstick frying pan and add onion, pepper, and garlic. Saute 3-5 minutes until vegetables are soft.  Then add mixture to the soup pot.  Stir in the chili powder, oregano, cumin, and cayenne pepper.  Simmer 10 minutes.  Mix 1/2 cup flour and 1 cup milk together and then add to chili.  Add 1 cup sour cream.  Uncover to let chili thicken.

If Desired: Garnish with shredded monterey jack cheese and 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro and serve with 6 ounces of baked tortilla chips.

Hormel Chili Dip

This is a great hot dip that takes little effort and everyone comes back for more!  In fact, I decided to post this recipe because I have had several requests for me to make this dip for our annual tree hopping event this coming weekend.

Ingredients:

1 lb ground beef
1 can hormel chili NO beans
1 pack of dry taco mix
1 15 oz jar of cheese whiz
1 8oz cream cheese

You will also want tortilla chips to eat with this dip.  I think Tostitos scoops make eating this dip easy!

Brown the hamburger and drain off grease.  Place all of the ingredients in slow cooker on low or warm.  Stir occassionally as cheese melts.  Once dip is warm just place slow cooker on warm.

Peanut Oatmeal Chocolate Chunk Cookies

I am just going to warn you right away....these cookies are so yummy!  My cousin gave me this recipe and my family can't get enough of these cookies. ( I think she may have gotten it from a Kraft Magazine)

Ingredients:

1 cup flour
1 cup old fashioned oats
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt (iodized)
1/2 cup butter or 1 stick
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1 egg
6 squares chocolate, coarsely chopped (chocolate chips work in a pinch if you don't have the squares)

Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and mix.  Bake at 325 to 350 degrees to your liking.  Place on cooling rack when done.