Game Day Snack Ideas – Part Uno!

This past Friday night we hosted “Game Night” at our place. After receiving a couple of cool, new board games for Christmas we decided why not have a “Game Night” to break the seal on the new boxes! I love hosting get-togethers and making snacks and appetizers to go along with the occasion, so I decided to use this event as a “trial run” for some new snack foods I had been wanting to try, which, if they were a hit, could be used for the upcoming super bowl festivities!

Number 1: Homemade Pizza Rolls

What you need:

• Package of 8 Grands! Homestyle Original Biscuits
• Package of Pepperoni’s
• Shredded Mozzarella Cheese
• Olive Oil
• Shredded Parmesan Cheese
• Garlic powder

Then:

• Use your hand to flatten each biscuit, making it thinner.
• Using a pizza cutter cut each biscuit into thirds.
• Get a pinch of cheese and two pepperoni’s and put it in the middle of each piece of biscuit.
• Bring the sides together and push dough so that it sticks.
• Do this with all eight biscuits.
• Place on a greased cookie sheet (with pinched side down) and bake on 450 degrees for about 7 minutes.
• In a small bowl mix olive oil, parmesan cheese and garlic powder.
  Slightly brush a small amount on each pizza roll and put back into oven for 2-3 minutes.

The Important Stuff (per serving):

Makes 24 servings or pizza rolls

• Calories: 115
• Fat: 7.9 g
• Carbs:8.21 g
• Sodium:308.76 mg
• Protein:3.55 g

Number 2: Jalapeno Poppers

A recipe that I took from Pinterest, but of course revised a little!

What you need:

• Pillsbury Original Dinner Crescent Rolls (8 pack)
• Jar of Sliced Jalapeno Peppers
• 1/3 Less Fat Cream Cheese

Then:

• Use a pizza roller to cut each crescent roll in half, giving you 16 crescent rolls.
• Place a small drop of cream cheese and a jalapeno in each crescent.
• Roll it up and bake in the oven at 375 degrees for 10-12 minutes, or until golden brown.

It’s that easy!

The Important Stuff (per serving):

Makes 16 servings or poppers

• Calories: 73
• Fat: 4.5 g
• Carbs:5.8 g
• Sodium:155.24 mg
• Protein:1.5 g

Houses, Moving and Big Kitchens, oh my!

Moving to South Carolina? Exciting! Buying a house? Exciting! ….but most exciting of all…the size of the kitchens in the houses we are looking at!!!

We started looking at houses this past weekend, and I have already pictured where everything will go in my new open, spacious kitchen, I mean I was standing there looking around and I could practically smell my next meal cooking!

They don’t have anything out of the ordinary, no special appliances, they are just so roomy! Lots of counter space, which means more room to spread out, plus, an island! I’ve never had an island before!…oh the little things that excite me!

So once we make our move, you can find me in the kitchen!

Speaking of looking at houses, who ever knew that there were 3,789 decisions that had to be made? If you know me, you know that making decisions is not one of my stronger traits! I believe that to be a result of how care free I am, it’s not that I don’t care, it’s that I am fine with decision A OR decision B, I can make do either way, so decision-making is harder for me!

When looking these floor plans, almost everywhere you turn is a decision, an “optional window” could go here, the flooring here could be carpet, or tile, or ceramic or hardwood. Do you want 2 closets in the master bedroom or one closet and an upgraded bathroom? Oh and an “optional window” could go here!

Although I have never been very fond of decision-making, this might be the most fun decisions have ever been. Essentially, it’s building your first house. Even though there is a lot to consider and think about, its new and exciting, almost as exciting as a big kitchen!

Playing by the Rules

At the bottom of this post you will find the recipe for some delicious company pork, done in the crock pot. I hardly ever follow a recipe ingredient for ingredient, but with this particular recipe I played by the rules. I usually find something the recipe calls for that I don’t want to add, but more common than not I think of something that I want to add to the recipe.

I am a huge garlic fan, and I mean the real stuff, not the stuff that you buy already minced in a jar. I add garlic to my pastas of course, but also to my seafood, chicken, mexican dishes, etc. I find garlic not only adds flavor, but helps to bring out the natural flavors of many things, such as seafood. So rule number one is, always have fresh garlic around the kitchen because you never know when you might need to add it to a recipe…and trust me, its worth the trouble to peel a clove and chop it up yourself, even though it leaves the smell of garlic on your hands for days! A little trick I learned from working in the restaurant business….wash your hands with really COLD water to help remove the garlic smell, washing with warm water just cooks the garlic on your hands, making the stench more potent and causing it to linger!

Okay here it is, made this tonight, the pork was so tender it just fell apart…very easy and very good! Copied the recipe from the book Crock Pot The Original Slow Cooker Recipe Collection.

What you will need:

• 1 package of boneless pork loin chops – 4 pieces(don’t get the thick sliced kind)
• 1 can cream of mushroom soup
• 1/8 cup fat-free sour cream
• 1.5 oz of 1/3 fat-free cream cheese
• 1/4 cup milk

Then:

• Barely brown the pork in a skillet on top of the stove with some oil. Just a minute on each side will do.
• Pam the crock pot.
• In a bowl mix the soup, sour cream, cream cheese and milk.
• Place the pork in the bottom of the crock pot, salt and pepper each piece.
• Pour soup mixture over top and cover for 7 -8 hours on low.

The important stuff (per serving):

Makes 4 servings

• calories: 271
• fat: 16.78 g
• carbs: 7.22 g
• sodium: 845.25 mg
• protein: 25.83 g

My 6 GO-TO Snacks

Love taking these easy-packable snacks to work…and the good news, they are delish and nutrish!

1. ¼ cup of almonds (emerald brand makes good ones!)

• Known as a “good fat.” Nuts are loaded with nutrients such as vitamin E, magnesium, folate and fiber. Plus, the protein strengthens immunity.

2.   Boiled egg

• Amps up energy levels, helps build muscle and burn fat
• Eggs are both nutrient-dense (lots of vitamins, protein and fats), and energy-dense at just about 70 calories each. Eggs have more than six grams of protein each and, best of all, they are a complete protein, containing all nine essential amino acids required for protein synthesis.

3. Apple with peanut butter

• Apples contain pectin, a great source of dietary fiber, which keeps you full longer and helps in weight loss.

4. Low fat string cheese

5. Hummus (with carrots or whole wheat pita chips)

6. Berries (raspberries and/or blueberries)

• Blueberries help protect the brain from aging, keeping you fit and sharp!
• They contain soluble fiber, which slows digestion and helps to reduce body fat buildup, especially tummy fat!

WHO knew you could make Lasagna in a Crock Pot

Who knew you could make lasagna in a crock pot?…and delicious lasagna at that! The good news? It’s super easy! You don’t even have to cook the noodles first!

What you will need:

• 1 rotisserie chicken
• 2 jars of your favorite traditional tomato sauce
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 2.5 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (use fat free to lessen cals)
• 1 cup shredded parmesan cheese
• 1 container (15 oz) part skim ricotta cheese
• 1 box lasagna noodles (you will not use near the whole box)

Then:

• Remove chicken from bone and skin from chicken. Shred chicken and mix with one jar of red sauce, oregano and garlic.
• Mix 1.5 cups of the mozzarella cheese with the ricotta and Parmesan cheeses.
• Use second jar of red sauce and put a thin layer of sauce on the bottom of the crock pot. (after generously PAM-ing!)
• Lay uncooked noodles next. (will have to break into pieces to fit)
• Spoon and spread half the cheese mixture.
• Spoon and spread half the chicken mixture.
• Now repeat the layers (noodles, cheese mixture, chicken mixture)
• Cover and cook on Low heat setting for 3-4 hours.
• Sprinkle top of lasagna with remaining mozzarella cheese and pour thin layer of sauce over the cheese. Cover and let stand about 10 minutes or until cheese is melted. Cut into pieces.

The important stuff (per serving):

(it’s lasagna, remember…you’re splurging!)

Makes about 8 servings

• calories: 474
• fat: 18.97 g
• carbs: 39.75 g
• sodium: 1653.44 mg
• protein: 35.69 g

Louisiana Grilled Shrimp

What you will need:

• 1 lb shrimp (peeled and deveined)
• 1/2 stick butter (the fake stuff!)
• 1 T Worcestershire sauce
• 1 t minced garlic
• 1-2 t crushed red pepper (depending on how spicy you like it)
• 1 t seafood seasoning (ex:old bay)

Then:

• spray crock pot with pam
• place shrimp in bottom of crock pot
• cut butter into smaller pieces
• add spices, Worst sauce and garlic
• use spoon and stir to coat shrimp evenly
• cover and cook on high for 1 1/2 – 2 hours

Got this original recipe from my book, Crock Pot Recipe Collection, but made it my own. Served it over whole wheat spaghetti, but would be good with brown rice too.

The important stuff (per serving):

makes about 4 servings

• calories: 302
• fat: 21.33 g
• carbs: 1 g
• sodium: 642.07 mg
• protein: 24 g