Nick's Chili

Ingredients

1.5 LB Ground Beef

3 Johnsonville Beer Brats

3 Large Peppers - One Red, One Yellow, One Green

5 TBS Chili Powder

1 TBS Celery Salt

1/2 TBS Cayenne

2 TBS Salt

1 TBS Pepper

1/4 Cup Dark Brown Sugar

6 Dark Kisses

3 Cans Dark Red Kidney Beans

3 Cans Light Red Kidney Beans

1 Can Sweet Corn

1 Can Tomato Paste

2 Large Purple Onions

Shredded Cheese (Your choice)

Oyster Crackers or Saltines

 

Directions

Slice open brat casing and brown with beef in skillet with salt and pepper. Add to large pot on low heat. Dice up remaining ingredients and add to pot. Poor in one can each of beans un-drained to pot. Drain remaining cans of beans and add to pot. Add can of corn un-drained. Add remaining ingredients and let cook down for a few hours. Stir occasionally. Adjust seasonings to taste.

 

Serve with cheese and crackers.

Cashew Chicken

Ingredients

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 1 inch pieces

2 tbsp dry sherry

1 tsp ground ginger

3 1/2 tsp cornstarch, separated

Pinch of Kosher salt

1/2 cup chicken broth

2 tbsp soy sauce

1 tbsp rice vinegar

2 tsp sugar

1 1/2 tbsp vegetable oil

2 garlic cloves, minced

2/3 cup cashews 

Directions

Mix sherry, ginger, 1 1/2 tsp cornstarch, and salt in a small bowl

Toss chicken with the mixture and set aside

In another bowl, mix chicken broth, soy sauce, vinegar, sugar,and 2 tsp cornstarch

Heat 1 tbsp vegetable oil in a skillet over medium-high heat

Cook chicken until it browns (about 8 minutes)

Remove chicken from pan and set aside

Add 1 tsp oil, garlic, and cashews to the pan

Cook until garlic softens (about 1 minute)

Add chicken back to the pan, whisk the chicken broth mixture and add sauce to the pan

Cook until it bubbles and thickens (about 3 minutes)

Serve over rice 

Roasted Vegetable Soup

Ingredients

2 onions, cut into 1 inch dice

2 carrots, peeled and cut into 1 inch sticks

2 celery ribs, cut into 1/2 inch thick slices

1/2 red bell pepper, cut into 1 inch dice

1 small sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1 inch dice

8 white mushrooms, cleaned and quartered

4 large garlic cloves, whole and unpeeled

2 tbsp olive oil

6 cups vegetable broth, divided

1 can (15 oz) diced tomatoes, with their juices

1 tsp Kosher salt

1/2 tsp ground black pepper

1/2 tsp dried rosemary, crushed

1/2 tsp dried thyme

2 tbsp chopped fresh Italian flat leaf parsley

3 tbsp quinoa 

Directions

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees

Toss the carrots, onions, celery, bell pepper, sweet potato, mushrooms, and garlic with olive oil on a rimmed sheet pan

Spread into an even layer and roast for 30 minutes (until veggies tender & lightly browned)

Scrape vegetables into a slow cooker 

Pour 1 cup of the vegetable broth onto the sheet pan and scrape up any bits into the cooker

Add remaining 5 cups of broth, diced tomatoes, and spices

Cover and cook 2-3 hours on high (or 4-6 hours on low)

Stir in quinoa and cook for another hour

Stir in parsley and cook for additional 5 minutes

Black Bean Chili

Ingredients

1 pound ground turkey breast or extra lean ground beef

1 large onion, finely chopped

2 fresh garlic cloves, minced

1 can (15 oz) black beans, rinsed and drained

1 large can (29 oz) diced tomatoes

2 tbsp tomato paste

2 cups water

1 small green pepper, diced

1 small red pepper, diced

1 small yellow pepper, diced

7 oz diced green chilies

1 tbsp chili powder

1 tbsp ground cumin

1 tsp salt

1 tsp black pepper

Directions

Cook meat and garlic together in a skillet over medium heat until meat is no longer pink

Drain and transfer meat to slow cooker

Add remaining ingredients, stir to combine and cook on high for 4 hours

Beef Tips

Ingredients

2 pounds lean chuck - Cut into small cubes

1 can 98% fat-free cream of mushroom soup

1 package onion soup mix

1 can diet sprite or 7-up

Directions

Put meat in slow cooker

Pour soup and soda on top of meat

Cook all day on low (or high for at least 4 hours)

Turn off and let sit for 30 minutes before serving

BBQ Meatballs

Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds extra lean ground beef

1/2 cup uncooked quick oats

1/4 cup dry red wine

1/4 cup liquid egg whites

1 large yellow onion, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped

1 tbsp dried oregano

1 tbsp Kosher salt

1 cup beef broth

1/2 tsp black pepper

1 1/4 cup BBQ sauce

Directions

Combine meat, egg, garlic, parsley, oregano, onions, salt and pepper

In another bowl, combine oats and wine for 10 minutes

Add oats to meat mixture - Mix well with your hands

Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray

Shape meatballs (approximately 60) - Place on baking sheet

Bake at 350 degrees about 25 minutes

Transfer to a slow cooker to keep warm

Heat BBQ sauce and broth over medium heat until hot

Pour sauce over meatballs, toss and coat

Set slow cooker on warm for serving

BBQ Beef

Ingredients

2 1/2 pounds extra lean boneless chuck roast

1/4 cup ketchup

1 tbsp Dijon mustard

2 tbsp brown sugar

1 garlic clove, crushed

1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

2 tbsp red wine vinegar

1/4 tsp liquid smoke flavoring

1/4 tsp salt

1/8 tsp black pepper

1 cup BBQ sauce

Directions

Place beef in slow cooker

Combine remaining ingredients and pour over meat

Cook on low for 8-9 hours

Shred beef by pulling it apart with 2 forks

Add 1 cup of favorite BBQ sauce

Serve on rolls

Chicken Stew

Ingredients

2 tbsp olive oil

6 slices turkey bacon, diced into 1/2 inch pieces

8 oz mushroom, sliced

1 green bell pepper, chopped

1 small carrot, chopped

1 red bell pepper, chopped

1 bunch green onions, chopped

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts

2 tbsp balsamic vinegar

1/2 tsp marjoram

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

1/4 cup fat-free chicken broth

2 cups tomatoes, canned (16 oz)

Directions

Heat olive oil in a skillet - Saute bacon until browned

Add mushrooms, peppers, and onions - Saute for 1 minute

Add vinegar and cook for 1 minute

Scrape up browned bits from skillet

Set aside

Place chicken in slow cooker and add vegetable mixture on top

Combine remaining ingredients in bowl, mix, and pour over chicken

Cook on low for 8-10 hours

Serve over rice or egg noodles 

Baked Coconut Shrimp

Ingredients

1 tbsp lime juice

2 tsp finely chopped fresh jalapeno pepper

1/2 cup pineapple preserves

1 pound uncooked large shrimp, peeled and deveined

2 egg whites

2 tbsp cornstarch

2 cups sweetened flaked coconut 

Directions

Combine lime juice, pepper and pineapple in a small bowl - Cover and refrigerate

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper

In a small bowl, beat the egg whites until peaks form

Place cornstarch and coconut on two separate plates

Hold shrimp by tail, dip and coat in cornstarch

Then dip the shrimp into the egg white

Then coat the shrimp in coconut

Bake 15-17 minutes or until coconut is golden brown

Turn shrimp one time halfway through cooking

Serve with pineapple dipping sauce

Stuffed Peppers

Ingredients

6 red or green bell peppers

1 pound extra lean ground beef

1 package (19.5 oz) turkey Italian sausage

1 cup diced onion

1 cup diced red or green peppers (use the chopped off tops)

4-6 tsp olive oil

Salt, to taste

Pepper, to taste

1 cup spicy tomato sauce

2 cups grated low fat mozzarella cheese

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees

Cut the tops off the peppers

Square off the bottom of each pepper to make them stand up 

A small hole at the bottom will help drain the fat from the peppers

Clean out the inside of the peppers

Place peppers standing up in a greased baking dish

Heat olive oil in large skillet over medium heat and brown the beef

Remove beef from skillet and set aside

Add olive oil and sausage to skillet - Brown sausage, remove from skillet and set aside

Add pepper and onions to skillet and cook for 3-4 minutes

Turn off heat and add meats back to skillet and add 1 cup of tomato sauce

Season with salt and pepper

Let mixture cool slightly, mix in the cheeses, but save 1/4 cup of mozzarella

Stuff each pepper with meat mixture

Sprinkle tops with mozzarella cheese

Cover the peppers with tinfoil and bake for 30 minutes

Remove foil and bake for an additional 20 minutes uncovered

 

Turkey Meatballs

Ingredients

1 pound ground lean turkey

1 egg white

1 1/2 cup dry, old-fashioned oats

1 1/2 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp dried basil

1 jar (16 oz) tomato sauce

7 cups whole wheat pasta 

Directions

Combine turkey, egg, oats, and spices

Shape into 14 meatballs

Layer small portion of tomato sauce on bottom of crockpot and place meatballs on top 

Cover meatballs with remaining sauce

Cook for 4-5 hours on high for 8-9 hours on low

 

Other option:

Cover meatballs with sauce in a saucepan and simmer on medium heat for 45 minutes

Beef Provencal

Ingredients

2 tsp olive oil

12 garlic cloves, crushed

2 pounds boneless chuck roast, trimmed and cut into 2 inch cubes 

1 1/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

1 cup red wine

2 cups chopped carrot

1 1/2 cups chopped onion

1/2 cup lower sodium beef broth

1 tbsp tomato paste

1 tsp chopped fresh rosemary

1 tsp chopped fresh thyme

Dash of ground cloves

1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes

1 bay leaf

3 cups cooked medium egg noodles 

Directions

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees

Heat a dutch oven over low heat - Add oil and swirl to coat

Add garlic and cook for 5 minutes

Remove garlic

Increase heat to medium-high and add beef to pot

Sprinkle with 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp of pepper - Cook and brown for 5 minutes

Remove beef from pot

Add wine to the pot and bring to a boil while scraping the bottom and sides

Add garlic, beef, remaining salt and pepper, carrot and next 8 ingredients

Bring to a boil

Cover and bake at 300 degrees for 2.5 hours or until beef is tender

Discard bay leaf and serve with noodles 

Buffalo Chicken Soup

Ingredients

2 1/2 pounds roasted chicken, skinned, boned and shredded

2 tbsp butter

1/2 cup chopped celery

1/2 cup chopped onion

2 cans (14 oz) reduced sodium chicken broth

1 1/2 cups milk

1 tsp hot pepper sauce

1 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese

1 1/4 cups shredded Parmesan cheese

1/3 cup flour

Bottled hot pepper sauce

Directions

In Dutch oven, melt butter over medium heat

Add celery and onion - Cook until tender

Stir in broth, milk, and 1 tsp hot sauce

In bowl, mix mozzarella, 1 cup blue cheese, Parmesan cheese, and flour

Add gradually to the soup stirring until melted

Stir in 3/4 of the shredded chicken

Serve topped with remaining chicken, blue cheese, and hot sauce

Buffalo Sloppy Joes

Ingredients

2 pounds lean ground turkey

1 medium onion, chopped

1 medium carrot, grated

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce

1/2 cup reduced sodium chicken broth

1/4 cup hot sauce

2 tbsp brown sugar

2 tbsp red wine vinegar

1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

1/4 tsp black pepper

8 hamburger buns, split

1 cup crumbled blue cheese (optional)

Directions

In a Dutch oven, cook turkey, carrot, onion and garlic

Stir in tomato sauce, broth, hot sauce,sugar, vinegar, Worcestershire, and pepper

Serve on buns and sprinkle with blue cheese 

Quicky Lasagna

Ingredients

15 oz ricotta cheese

Frozen spinach, thawed and drained

8 oz mozzarella cheese, shredded

1 jar of sauce

6 lasagna noodles

1/4 cup water

Directions

Mix ricotta and spinach with 1 cup of mozzarella cheese

Put 1 cup of sauce on the bottom of a square 8 x 8 baking dish

Top with 3 lasagna noodles

Add 1/2 spinach mixture on top and repeat layers

Put 1/4 cup water around edges of the dish

Bake at 400 degrees for 40 minutes covered

Add remaining mozzarella cheese

Bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes uncovered

Let stand for 10 minutes 

Halibut with Olive & Bell Pepper Couscous

Ingredients

2 tsp olive oil

1/2 cup diced red bell pepper

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 cup uncooked Israeli couscous

3/4 cup fat-free, lower sodium chicken broth

2 tbsp kalamata olives, pitted and quartered

1/2 tsp Kosher salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

4 skinless halibut fillets (or tilapia)

4 tsp torn fresh oregano

2 lemons, cut into 1/8 thick slices 

Directions

Preheat broiler to high

Heat medium saucepan over medium-high heat - Add oil and swirl to coat

Add bell pepper and garlic - Cook for 1 minute

Add couscous and cook for 1 minute

Add broth and bring to a boil

Cover and simmer for 7 minutes or until liquid evaporates

Stir in olives, 1/4 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp black pepper

Sprinkle fish with salt and pepper

Heat skillet over medium-high heat - Add oil and swirl to coat

Add fish to the pan and cook for 3 minutes

Remove from pan, turn fillets over, and arrange oregano and lemon slices on fillets

Place fish on baking pan and broil 5 minutes until fish flakes easily

Serve fish with couscous 

Raspberry Chipotle Chicken

Ingredients

2 tbsp seedless raspberry jam

1 1/2 tbsp fresh lime juice

1 tbsp minced chipotle chili, canned in adobo sauce

1 tsp fresh garlic, minced

1/2 tsp grated lime rind

4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves   

Directions

Combine first 5 ingredients in a small saucepan stirring until smooth (about 4 minutes)

Heat grill pan over medium-high heat

Sprinkle chicken evenly with salt and pepper

Grill chicken 6 minutes on each side until done

Spoon raspberry mixture over chicken and serve

Shrimp Fettuccine

Ingredients

8 oz uncooked fettuccine

2 tbsp butter

1 tbsp olive oil

2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

10 oz medium shrimp, peeled and deveined

3/8 tsp salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

6 oz fresh baby spinach

1 1/4 oz Parmesan cheese, shaved

Directions

Cook pasta

Melt butter and oil in a large skillet over medium heat

Add garlic to pan and cook for 1 minute

Remove garlic from pan with slotted spoon and place in a small bowl

Increase heat to medium-high

Add shrimp, salt and pepper to pan and cook 4 minutes until shrimp is done

Add pasta, spinach, and garlic to pan

Cook 1 minute or until spinach wilts

Sprinkle with cheese

Slow Cooker Cacciatore

Ingredients

1 large onion

2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs

1 bay leaf

2 cans (6 oz each) tomato paste

1/4 cup fat-free reduced sodium chicken broth

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp dried basil leaves

1 tsp dried oregano leaves

1/4 tsp black pepper

1 package (8 oz) sliced fresh mushrooms

4 cups pasta, uncooked

1 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley

Directions

Place onions in slow cooker and top with chicken and bay leaf

Mix next 6 ingredients in a bowl, add mushrooms and stir to coat

Spoon mixture over chicken and cover with lid

Cook on low 7-9 hours (or high 4-5 hours)

About 15 minutes before ready to serve, cook pasta as directed

Drain pasta

Remove bay leaf from chicken mixture and discard

Spoon mixture over pasta

Top with cheese and parsley