Bowtie Chicken Caesar Salad

(Picture taken from The Girl Who Ate Everything)

2 bunches green leaf lettuce, chopped (I used half green leaf-half baby spinach)
1 bag croutons
1 bag Almond Accents
2 Chicken Breasts, boiled with an onion and salt and pepper ( I used Rotisserie Chicken-shredded)
2 cups bowtie pasta, cooked
4 - 6 oz. shredded parmesan cheese
Brianna’s Asiago Caesar Dressing (I HIGHLY recommend this dressing, it's SO GOOD!! Definitely better than your usual Kraft Caesar dressing.)

Toss all the above ingredients with Caesar dressing right before serving.

**This salad was GREAT!! And super easy to prepare! Obviously the above recipe makes a ton, so I just used less of each ingredient to accommodate our family. YUMMY!

Recipe from The Girl Who Ate Everything

"Chipotle's" Cilantro Lime Rice AND a Dinner Idea

(Picture taken from Gina's Skinny Recipes)

• 1 cup extra long grain rice
  
• 1/2 lime, juice of
• 2 cups water
• 1 tsp salt
• 3 tbsp fresh chopped cilantro
• 3 tsp vegetable oil

In a small heavy pot, add rice, water, 1 tsp oil and salt. Boil on high until most of the water evaporates. When the water just skims the top of the rice, reduce to low and cover about 15 minutes. Shut off flame and keep covered an additional 5 minute.

In a medium bowl, combine chopped cilantro, lime juice, rice and remaining oil and toss until completely mixed.

Recipe from Gina's Skinny Recipes

**This rice was FANTASTIC!!!!! Definitely a keeper!!! In my opinion, it was BETTER than Chipotle's!!!!** And if your in a hurry, you could skip all the "rice cooking" steps and use Minute Rice to speed things up! I"m going to try that next time!

DINNER IDEA:

Taco Salads using Aztec Taco Shell bowls OR you could use flour tortilla's and make Burritos

• Aztec Taco Shells or Flour Tortillas
  
• Mixture of chopped Baby Spinach and Green Leaf Lettuce
• Cilantro Lime Rice (see above recipe)
  
• Seasoned Ground Beef or Chicken (using any brand Taco Seasoning Pack)
• Seasoned Black Beans (drain, rinse under cold water, place in microwave safe bowl to heat up. I put a couple tablespoons of chicken broth I had in the bowl before microwaving them to keep them from drying out. I also added a few dashes of garlic powder and ground cumin)....SO good!!
• Corn
• Homemade Pico de Gallo...combine chopped tomatoes, red onion, and cilantro. Season with salt/pepper, a little garlic powder and a few dashes of lime juice.
• Sour Cream
• Shredded Cheddar Cheese (or you could use a Mexican blend)
  

Roasted Red Pepper Dip

3/4 C Sharp White Shredded Cheddar Cheese (I had to buy in a block and shred myself)
4 oz Creme Cheese (softened)
1/4 C Sour Creme
1/4 C Mayo
1/4 C Roasted Red Peppers (diced)
2 Tsp tabasco
Salt to Taste
3 Green Onions (chopped)
2 Pieces of Bacon (cooked crispy and diced)

Blend all above ingredients in food processor until smooth. Chill before serving!

This dip is GREAT!!! I served it with a small grain crackers and it was a huge hit! Enjoy!!!

Chocolate Chip Sour Creme Muffins

Ingredients
1 and 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cup granulated sugar
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 large egg
1 cup sour cream
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips


Instructions
1.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2.  Line one cupcake pan with liners, set aside.
3. In a large bowl, mix together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
4.  In another large bowl, combine the egg, sour cream, melted butter, and vanilla extract, mixing well.
5.  Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir with a rubber spatula until just combined.
6. Gently add in the chocolate chips until thoroughly combined.
7. Evenly divide the batter among the prepared cupcake liners (I use a large ice cream scoop for this) so that the liners are about 3/4-full.
8.  Bake until a tester inserted into the center of the muffins comes out clean, about 14-18 minutes.

Recipe from The Curvy Carrot

Quinoa and Black Beans

Pronounced (Keen-wah)

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
• 3/4 cup uncooked quinoa
• 1 1/2 cups vegetable broth
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 cup frozen corn kernels
• 2 (15 ounce) cans black beans, rinsed and drained ( only used 1 because I forgot to buy 2)
  
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Directions

1. Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the onion and garlic, and saute until lightly browned.
2. Mix quinoa into the saucepan and cover with vegetable broth. Season with cumin, cayenne pepper, salt, and pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes,
3. Stir frozen corn into the saucepan, and continue to simmer about 5 minutes until heated through. Mix in the black beans and cilantro.

Quinoa is one of my new FAVORITE things!!! YUM! I have been researching "eating clean" and have discovered how fantastic this stuff is for you! So I thought I would give it a try...SO glad I did! It was FANTASTIC!!! There are so many different recipes out there for using "quinoa" I can't wait to try more! Just google this little gem and do some research on just how great this little grain is for you!! This can be served as a side dish OR as the main dish with a salad. It is extremely high in protein and could replace your meat in your meal. The dish can also be served warm OR cold!!! I'm in LOVE!!!! :)

Recipe from : Allrecipes.com

Carrot Cake W/Creme Cheese Frosting

Cake Ingredients

2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
4 large eggs
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
3 cups finely grated peeled carrots (about 1 pound)
1/2 cup chopped pecans (about 1/2 ounce)
1/2 cup raisins

Creme Cheese Frosting Ingredients

4 cups powdered sugar
2 8-ounce packages cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
4 teaspoons vanilla extract


Cake Preparation

Preheat oven to 325° F. Lightly grease three 9-inch-diameter cake pans with 1 1/2-inch-high sides. Line bottom of pans with waxed paper. Lightly grease waxed paper. Using electric mixer, beat sugar and vegetable oil in bowl until combined. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg into sugar and oil mixture. Stir in carrots, chopped pecans and raisins.

Pour batter into prepared pans, dividing equally. Bake until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean and cakes begin to pull away from sides of pans, about 45 minutes. Cool in pans on racks 15 minutes. Turn out cakes onto racks and cool completely. (Can be made one day ahead. Wrap tightly in plastic and store at room temperature.)

Frosting Preparation

Using electric mixer, beat all ingredients in medium bowl until smooth and creamy.

Place one cake layer on platter. Spread with 3/4 cup frosting. Top with another cake layer. Spread with 3/4 cup frosting. Top with remaining cake layer. Using icing spatula, spread remaining frosting in decorative swirls over sides and top of cake. (Can be prepared two days ahead; cover with cake dome and refrigerate.)

Serve cake cold or at room temperature.

**This cake was AWESOME!!!! But next time I bake it, I will OMIT the raisins....just NOT my thing:)
**I only did two layers on the cake and did the rest as cupcakes (omitting nuts) for Caleb and his nut allergy :(

Recipe from the Epicurious.com (featured on the Today Show)

Banana Pudding

Ingredients:

2 bags vanilla wafers (I recommend Jackson's)
6-8 bananas, sliced (I used 6 large)
2 cups milk
2 (3.4oz) boxes of French vanilla instant pudding
1 (8 ounce)package of cream cheese, softened
1 (14oz) can sweetened condensed milk
1 (12oz) container Cool Whip

Directions:

1. Line the bottom of 9X13 dish with vanilla wafers and layer bananas on top.
2. In the bowl, combine the milk and pudding mix and blend well using a mixer.
3. Using another bowl, combine the cream cheese and condensed milk together and mix until smooth.
4. Fold in Cool Whip into the cream cheese mixture.
5. Add the cream mixture to the pudding mixture and stir until well blended.
6. Pour the mixture over the wafers and bananas and cover with the remaining vanilla wafers.
7. Refrigerate until ready to serve. **Overnight is the best!!! It gives the pudding time to set!**

Recipe is from a SWEET friend Lisa Greene! This stuff is AMAZING!!!!!