Poached Pears with Cinnamon Caramel

Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes

2 cups sugar
1 cinnamon stick broken in half
4 ripe pears, peeled with stem intact
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup bottled caramel sauce, warmed

In a medium saucepan, combine sugar and 2 cups water. Bring to boiling. Reduce heat to medium/low and bring to a simmer. Add cinnamon stick halves. Meanwhile, core pears from the bottom leaving stem intact. Add pears to saucepan; cook about 20 minutes, turning occasionally, until tender. Transfer pears to a dish, standing them upright. Refrigerate uncovered until cool. Place 1 pear on each of four small plates. Sprinkle with cinnamon, drizzle with warm caramel sauce. Serve.

Serves 4.

These were really nice and light and so tasty!

Especially For Rachel

Cause I know she likes her snacks:

http://www.snack-girl.com/gluten-free/

It has some good ideas!

Asian Glazed Drumsticks

Really really tasty. You'll have to substitute Braggs liquid aminos for soy sauce but other than that I think its GF. I made this with a side of brown rice (there is extra glaze from the chicken to go on the rice) and steamed broccoli with lemon and salt.

http://www.skinnytaste.com/2010/07/asian-glazed-drumsticks.html

Let me know if using the Braggs makes it yummy or not! Asian

Baked Creamy Chicken Taquitos

Recipe by OurBestBites.com


1/3 C (3 oz) cream cheese
1/4 C green salsa
1T fresh lime juice
1/2 t cumin
1 t chili powder
1/2 t onion powder
1/4 t granulated garlic
3 T chopped cilantro
2 T sliced green onions

2 C shredded cooked chicken
1 C grated pepperjack cheese

small corn tortillas
kosher salt
cooking spray


Heat oven to 425. Line a baking sheet with foil and lightly coat with cooking spray.

Heat cream cheese in the microwave for about 20-30 seconds so it's soft and easy to stir. Add green salsa, lime juice, cumin, chili powder, onion powder and granulated garlic. Stir to combine and then add cilantro and green onions. Add chicken and cheese and combine well.
You can prepare up to this step ahead of time. Just keep the mixture in the fridge.

Work with a few tortillas at a time and heat in the microwave until they are soft enough to roll without cracking. It helps to place them between damp paper towels. Usually 20-30 seconds will do it. If you find yours are cracking when you roll them or come unrolled right away, just try heating them longer and try the paper towel thing.

Place 2-3 T of chicken mixture on the lower third of a tortilla, keeping it about 1/2 inch from the edges.

Then roll it up as tight as you can.

Place seam side down on the baking sheet. Lay all of the taquitos on the baking sheet and make sure they are not touching each other. Spray the tops lightly with cooking spray or an oil mister and sprinkle some kosher salt on top.

Place pan in oven and bake for 15-20 minutes or until crisp and the ends start to get golden brown.

Dip 'em in salsa, sour cream, guacamole, or this dressing.
Wanna make it a meal?
Serve with a side of Black Beans and a simple green salad with Creamy Lime-Cilantro Dressing.

Sweet and Sour Chicken

Have I posted this before? Oh well if I have, its a good one!

http://cookingalamode.blogspot.com/2009/03/sweet-and-sour-chicken.html

Let me know if Jack and Mia likey.

Calico Bean Casserole

***Double check the pork n beans***

This is a great, and easy meal and I think Jackson and Mia will really like it!

Ingredients:

1/2 cup brown sugar
1 lb lean ground beef
1 cup chopped onion
2 tsp vinegar
1/2 c ketchup
1 tsp mustard
1 can pork n beans
1 can kidney beans
1 can butter beans (or white beans)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350. Saute onions and brown hamburger in frying pan. In casserole dish, combine all other ingredients adding beef and onions mixture over the top. Bake for 45 minutes.

Serve with side salad or mashed potatoes.

Grilled Fish "Tostadas"

Ingredients:
1 lb white cod
1 lime
fish seasoning (sprinkle a bit of cayenne pepper, cumin, salt and pepper or any of your favorite Mexican seasoning)
corn tortillas
1 can refried beans
packaged coleslaw of sliced fresh cabbage
chopped fresh tomato
green onions
plain yogurt
crumbled feta or parmesan cheese
cilantro
toasted pumpkin seeds (optional)

Prepare grill, or heat grill pan over medium-high heat.

Brush fish with lime juice and sprinkle with seasoning. Grill until fish flakes and is done. Place tortillas on grill rack and grill approx 30 seconds on each side or until golden brown.

Spread refried beans over each tortilla; top with fish and the remaining ingredients in order listed above.


These were pretty tasty! It was my first time fixing fish but it ended up being such a nice switch from the usual chicken or beef meal. We will have these again for sure and we felt good afterwards cause they are pretty healthy. The plain yogurt added a nice tang and the fish was surprisingly not too fishy!