Mama Carrie's Homemade Hummus w/ an Ellie twist!

• 2-3 cans chick peas drained (use 3 if you want more)
• 1/2 cup plain yogurt
• 1 t. salt
• 3-6 cloves garlic (depending on how much you love it)
• 4-6 T lemon juice-fresh
• 2 T olive oil
• 3 T tahini
• 1/2 t. cumin

**Ellie's twist~ If you want to make it a flavor you could add anything really. A few of my added favorites are roasted red peppers, fresh cilantro, jalapenos, maybe a little cumin. Copy the flavors you see at the store!

In food processor add garlic cloves first and chop, then add yogurt to smooth over. Then add the rest of the ingredients and blend. Store in air tight container and it will be good for a week easily.

Enjoy :)

Shrimp Creole (in the slow cooker) courtesy of Katie Allen!! :)

Prep time: less than 20 minutes-Minimum cooking time 1 1/2 hours- Makes 4-6 servings

3 T olive oil
6 scallions, trimmed & chopped
2 celry stalks, trimmed & chopped
1/2 green bell pepper, seeds and ribs removed, and finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, peeled & minced
1 T dried oregano
1 T paprika
1 t ground cumin
1/2 t dried basil
2 (8 oz.) cans tomato sauce
1/2 cup seafood stock or bottled clam juice
2 bay leaves
1 1/2 lb. raw medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
salt and cayenne pepper to taste
2-3 cups of cooked swhite rice (we used multi gran ride and it was fab)

Heat oil in a medium skillet over medium hear; add scallions, celry, green bell pepper, and garlic. Cook and stire for 3 minutes until scallions are soft. Reduce heat to low, and stire in oregano, paprika, cumin, and basil. Cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Scrape the mixture into the slow cooker.

Stir tomato sauce, stock, and bay leaves into the slow cooker. Cook on LOW for 6-8 hours or on HIGH for 3-4 hour or until vegetables are soft. Then, if cooking on LOW, raise the heat to HIGH. Discard bay leaves, and stire in shrimp. Cook for 15-30 minutes or until shrimp are pink and cooked through. Season with salt and cayenne, and serve over the rice.

Delish!!!!!!!

Chicken & Wild Rice Soup~perfect for a rainy day in Ohio!!

Ingredients

• 1-2 T butter & about 1 T olive oil
• 1 finely chopped onion
• 1/2 cup chopped celery
• 1/2 cup sliced carrots
• 1/2 pound fresh sliced mushrooms
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1 package uncle Ben's orifional wild rice
• Around 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast, cubed
• 1/2 t. salt
• 1/2 t curry powder
• 1/4 t garlic powder
• 1/4 t dried thyme
• 1/2 t mustard powder
• 1/2 t dried parsley (I add some fresh parsley too)
• 1/2 cup dry white wine (I used chardonnay)
• 1/2-1 cup lowfat milk (optional really-depends on how creamy you want it)
• 1 can 98% fat free cream of mushroom soup (optional-but I choose yes :)!!)
• 2 chicken bullions
• 62 ounces chicken broth

Directions

Cook Uncle Ben's rice, as directed.
Melt butter and add olive oil in saucepan. Stir in the onion, celry, carrots, and saute for 5 minutes. Add the mushrooms and saute for 2 more minutes. Then add the flour and stir well. Gradually pour in the chicken broth (about 1/2 cup at a time), and chicken bullions,stirring constantly until all has been added. Next add the raw chicken, all the spices, and wine. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low for about 30 minutes and let simmer until chicken is cooked.

Once chicken is fully cooked add rice, cream of mushroom soup and milk. Heat on low for another 20 minutes.

Enjoy!

Garden Style Lasagna ~ Cooking Light (but you would never know)

This is one my most favorite recipes, and a go-to when I have company over for dinner. Even though there are 8 cups of vegetables, the men still love it!!

What you need:

Cooking spray

2 cups chopped onion (I use 1 diced)

4-6 garlic cloves minced

2 t. olive oil, divided

2 cups chopped zucchini

2 cups chopped yellow squash

2 cups chopped broccoli

2 cups thinly sliced carrot

1 t. salt, divided

1/2 cup flour

3.5 cups 1% low-fat milk

1 cup grated fresh parmesan cheese, divided

1/4 t pepper

dash nutmeg

1 (10 ounce) package chopped spinach, thawed & drained

1.5 cups 1% low-fat cottage cheese

2 cups preshredded part-skim mozzarella, divided

12 precooked lasagna noodles, divided

Preperation:

Preheat oven to 375

Heat 1 t. oil in pan over medium heat. Add onion to pan; saute 1-2 minutes or until lightly browned. Add garlic; saute 1 minute. Add zucchini & squash, carrots & broccoli and saute 4 minutes or until crisp-tender. sprindle with 1/2 t. salt. Cook on low heat/simmer until sauce is ready.

***I usually start this prior to cooking veggies b/c it takes longer**

Place flour in medium saucepan. Gradually add milk, stirring w/ a whisk until blended. Bring to a boil over medium heat; cook 2 minutes or until this, stirring constantly. Remove from hear. Add 1/2 cup parmesan, remaining 1/2 t salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Stir until smooth. Stir in Spinach.

Combine cottage cheese & 1.5 cups mozzarella; stir well. Spread 1/2 cup spinach mixture in bottom of a 9x 13 baking dish coated w/ cooking spray. Arrange 4 noodles over spinach mixture; top w/ half of cottage cheese mixture (1.5 cups) , half of vegetable mixture (approx. 2.5 cups) and about 1 cup spinach mixture. Repeat layers, ending wtih noodles. Spread remaining spinach mixture over noodles; sprinkle w/ remaining 1/2 cup parmesan & remaining 1/2 cup mozzarella.

Cover and bake at 375 for 20 minutes. Uncover & bake additional 20 minutes or until cheese is bubbly and beginning to brown. let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Spicy Chicken Curry

What's for dinner? Mmmm Indian! This is a recipe I played around with and made perfect. If you don't like spicy food simply omit the jalapeno. You can also get creative and add green peppers ect. Enjoy!

What you need:

• 3 bay leaves        
• 2 t. coriander seeds crushed       
• 1 med. onion          
• dash cinnamon        
• dash nutmeg
• s&p to taste         
• 6 garlic cloves (I really love garlic though)     
• 1 can chicken broth
• 1 hot jalapeno
• 2 T vegetable oil
• 3/4 t. cumin        
• 2-3 chicken breasts diced       
• 3 T curry powder             
• 2 medium potatoes diced & peeled         

In food processor combine onion, garlic, jalapeno, cumin, cinnamon & nutmeg. Heat vegetable oil in large skillet & add onion mixture, curry powder and brothfor 4-5 minutes. Add chicken, potatoes, bay leaves and S&P. Bring to boil-simmer for approx. 30 minutes.

Serve over basmati brown rice (I cook rice with a chicken bouillon, a little butter & a bay leaf for a little more flavor)

Serves 2-4 people. (2 if you have a hungry husband who loves your cooking) YUM :)

My very 1st Blog

If you are reading this then you know that I have a love for cooking, eating, and entertaining. My goal is to create a fun, creative outlet that will enlighten each of us to new, delicious, and hopefully healthy recipes! Please share this site with any other friends or family who are passionate about cooking.  I hope you enjoy these recipes (and food) as much as I do :)!