Category Archives: Recipes

Recipes

Quick Healthy Breakfast Ideas: Ham and Cheese Frittata {New Food Friday}

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quick healthy breakfast ideasI know it’s been awhile since I have done a new food Friday post but here is a great quick healthy breakfast ideas that is sure to make your morning a snap. Bake these little guys ahead of time (using some leftover ham from a family event) and just grab and go. This is a breakfast I like. Enjoy

 

Leftover Ham and Cheese Frittata

Ingredients:

Cooking spray

1/2 cup finely chopped onion

2/3 cup chopped Hormel Ham (if you have leftover ham from a family party this is perfect)

1/3 cup (about 1 1/2 ounces) shredded reduced-fat extra-sharp cheddar cheese

2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives

1/8 teaspoon dried thyme

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

4 large egg whites

1 large egg

Directions:

Heat oven to 350°.

Heat a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat. Add onion; cook 2 minutes or until crisp-tender. Add ham; cook 3 minutes. Remove from heat and cool 5 minutes. Combine remaining ingredients in a large bowl then stir with a whisk. Add ham mixture, stir with a whisk. Spoon mixture into 24 mini muffin pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 20 minutes or until set.

If you try this recipe please come back to tell us how it is or if you made any awesome additions to it.

Have some quick healthy recipe ideas you would like to share? I would love to feature you and your creation.

This post is part of the Hormel Extended Family Blogger program

Recipes

Christmas Baking {New Food Friday}

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pbcookieWow I am so not ready for the holiday at all. One thing I do love about the holiday is all the goodies that are getting baked. One of my favorite are those peanut butter cookies with the Hershey’s kiss in the middle. OMG yum! Now we all know I can’t cook to save my live but I thought I would share the recipe with you. Enjoy!

Peanut Butter Hershey Kiss Cookies

Ingredients:
1 cup creamy Skippy peanut butter
1 1/4 cups white sugar
2 eggs
48 milk chocolate candy kisses,
unwrapped
Directions:
1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

2.Mix peanut butter, sugar and eggs until blended. With floured hands, roll level tablespoons of dough into balls.

3.Place balls 1 1/2 inches apart. Bake 12 – 14 minutes. Remove from pan, immediately place chocolate kiss in middle. Cool 1 – 2 minutes.

Recipes

Power of the Peanut: Nature’s Tiny Miracle

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Who would have thought that a little peanut could have such power?  Check out powerofthepeanut.com to find out for yourself. What do you think of when I say science doesn’t lie it’s made of fact? Check out this little video.

He is nature’s tiny miracle isn’t he? So darn cut but it does get me thinking about losing weight and why I have always been told to grab nuts as a snack.

Losing Weight is Hard

It’s no lie. It is hard. I swear I have been dieting since the womb but on each and every diet I have tried, and there have been MANY, nuts are always on the list of a quick healthy snack.  So when they say eat 5-6 small meals a day and to add some of those health peanuts to the mix.

Recipe

Now I know this isn’t a healthy recipe, I know right we just talk healthy, but this is a great fall time treat and excellent for Christmas.

Peanut Brittle

Ingredients:
1 cup peanuts
1 cup white sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1/2 cup water
1 teaspoon baking soda
Directions:

Lay out several sheets of foil to spoon the hot peanut brittle onto.In a large skillet mix the sugar, syrup, and water together. Cook at a medium-high heat, stirring regularly. Heat until the mixture has a hard ball consistency. Heat to 250 to 265 degrees F (121 to 129 degrees C), or until a small amount of syrup dropped into cold water forms a rigid ball. If you don’t own a candy thermometer, occasionally hold spoon above mixture, allowing it to drip off spoon. When mixture is at hard ball stage, it will ‘hair’ off the spoon when falling, looking like a clear spider web.

Once mixture is at hard ball consistency, add raw peanuts. (They will pop a little.) When mixture starts to turn a light clear-brown, as if it’s starting to burn, remove from stove. Add soda and stir. Mixture will foam up.

Spoon out bite-size pieces onto unbuttered foil, stirring constantly between each couple of pieces. Mixture can also be poured onto unbuttered foil as one big piece and broken into smaller pieces once cooled.

 

If you have a favorite peanut recipe I would love to share it and feature you.

 

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls Collective and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

Recipes

Beat the Heat: Summer Meals You Won’t Even Turn on the Oven For! {New Food Friday}

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Beat the Heat Summer Meals You Won't Even Turn on the Oven For!Summer is finally here, and with beaches, baseball games and barbecues comes scorching temps–not exactly oven-friendly weather! Instead of sweating over a hot oven, check out these delicious no-fuss, no-cook recipes for summer.

Cheesy Chicken Pockets

This easy, cheesy dish is an oven-less winner, and for under $20!

What you’ll need:

**Shredded rotisserie chicken

**Sliced cheese

**Sandwich pockets

**Sliced or diced tomatoes

**Sliced or diced onions

**Lettuce

The sky is the limit when it comes to putting this dish together. Simply pop the pockets open and stuff away! You can make as few or as many as you need, you can make them decadent or light, or you can deck them out with any condiment you can think of. Great sides include cottage cheese, pita chips, fruit, and veggie dippers for a delicious no-cook dish the family will love!

Pine Nut Chicken Salad

This succulent salad can pull double-duty as either a main course, or a side (either way, you can put that leftover rotisserie chicken to good use!)

What you’ll need:

**Bagged mixed greens

**Shredded rotisserie chicken

**Cherry tomatoes

**Diced soft-boiled eggs

**Bag pine nuts

**Mayonnaise

**Balsamic vinegar

It doesn’t get any easier than this! For the salad, just mix and go. For the home-made dressing, simply stir a few droplets of balsamic vinegar into a few tablespoons of mayonnaise to taste (start light, since a little balsamic vinegar goes a long way!)

Peanut Butter Mock-Ice Cream Smoothie

For dessert, cool off with this delicious mock-ice cream peanut butter-banana smoothie. It is healthy and delicious! The best part is that all of the ingredients are kitchen staples, so you probably have them in your pantry already.

What you’ll need:

**1 banana (any size)

**2 tablespoons of peanut butter

**2 tablespoons of honey

**1 cup of almond milk. For a less sweet taste, you can also substitute regular milk (skim or 2%).

First, chop the banana into pieces and freeze for a minimum of 2 hours; you can even freeze overnight for quick next-day prep. Freezing the banana is key, since this will give the smoothie a creamy consistency. Next, toss the chopped banana, peanut butter, almond milk and honey into your blendtec blender to a ‘chop’ setting, use this first to better break down the banana, and as it becomes smoother change settings for the perfect cool drink.

There you have it! Three quick, no-cook recipes for summer. Stay cool, and enjoy!

Recipes

It’s All About Bacon {New Food Friday}

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bacon recipesI love bacon so much that it needs to be a food group all of it’s own! This summer I have been eating a ton of BLT’s. I have 4 tomato plants in my garden that are growing like mad. What makes it really simple for me is Hormel has this pre-cooked bacon.  Now I like my bacon a touch on the crisp side so I cook it for about a minute to give it a good crunch. Super easy and super fast. Now what else could you use the food group bacon for? Here are a couple recipes I found that look awesome.

Bacon Chestnuts

Ingredients:
1 pound thick cut bacon
1 (8 ounce) can water chestnuts
Directions:
Slice bacon in half; wrap one piece bacon around one chestnut. Skewer with toothpick to hold in place.2.Broil in toaster or conventional oven, turning frequently, until the bacon is evenly cooked. Serve warm.
I love these easy to make for any party

Bacon Wrapped Little Smokies (These are to DIE for)

Ingredients:

1 pound sliced bacon, cut into thirds

1 (14 ounce) package beef cocktail wieners

3/4 cup brown sugar, or to taste

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).

2. Refrigerate 2/3 of the bacon until needed. It is easier to wrap the wieners with cold bacon. Wrap each cocktail wiener with a piece of bacon and secure with a toothpick. Place on a large baking sheet. Sprinkle brown sugar generously over all.

3. Bake for 40 minutes in the preheated oven, until the sugar is bubbly. To serve, place the wieners in a slow cooker and keep on the low setting.

Remember an easy way to wrap both of these is to use Hormel pre-cooked bacon. Makes cooking easy which is what I need!!

This post was part of the Hormel Extended Blogger Family

 

Recipes

Hummus Pizza {New Food Friday}

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healthy pizza hummusI am not a big hummus eater. I know a lot of people that just love it. Maybe I just haven’t found a good kind yet. While searching for a recipe for this New Food Friday section I stumbled upon this recipe and thought maybe this is a good way to love hummus.

Hummus Pizza

Ingredients:

1 (10 ounce) can refrigerated pizza crust
dough
1 cup hummus spread
1 1/2 cups sliced bell peppers, any color
1 cup broccoli florets
2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
Directions:

Preheat the oven to 475 degrees C (220 degrees C).

2.Roll out pizza crust and place on a pizza pan or baking sheet. Spread a thin layer of hummus over the crust. Arrange sliced peppers and broccoli over the hummus, and top with shredded cheese.3.Bake for 10 to 15 minutes in the preheated oven, until the crust is golden brown and cheese is melted in the center. Slice and serve.

To add some meat to this pie I would add some Black Label Bacon or some Hormel chicken breast. Both are simple and quick to add.

What is your favorite way to eat hummus? I would love some ideas and if you have a recipe you would like to share just let me know I would love to feature you.

This post is part of the Hormel extended family blogger program

Recipes

Healthy Summer Foods + Recipe {New Food Friday}

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summer food ideasWhen the weather’s sweltering hot and your stomach’s grumbling, the last thing you probably want to do is preheat your oven to 350° or stand over a hot stove. Before you spend all summer glued to the super market freezer aisle or holed up in your local ice cream store, consider the following summer dinner ideas. They’ll fill you up and cool you down at the same time, but are much better for you than an ice cream dinner!

Watermelon

There’s nothing better than biting into a juicy slice of fresh watermelon on a hot summer day, and beyond being absolutely delicious, it’s the perfect way to cool off. Watermelon has a high water content, allowing you to hydrate yourself while enjoying something sweet.

Fruit Smoothies

It’s completely fine to give into your ice cream craving every so often, but eating a waffle cone every night isn’t going to do great things for your health—or waistline! For a healthier, refreshing alternative, make yourself a fruit smoothie. Yogurt and fruit provide great nutritional benefits and will still satisfy your sweet tooth.

Chilled Soups

Soup may sound like a cold-weather food, but chilled soups are a nice way to cool yourself off on a hot day. Gazpacho is one of the more popular chilled soup recipes, but you can make a chilled soup from everything from cucumbers and avocados to fruits like blueberries.

Wraps

If you need a break from burgers and other hot grilled sandwiches, wraps are the way to go. Spread a spinach or whole wheat tortilla with creamy cheese, salsa and sliced deli meat for a light but satisfying lunch or dinner. Pack your wrap with water-heavy veggies like cucumbers for even more refreshment.

Pasta Salad

Easy pasta salad recipes are some of the best to have on hand during the summer; they’re simple to throw together in a few minutes, can include tons of vegetables and are a hearty way to cool off. Stay away from mayonnaise or sour cream bases and choose olive oil, pesto or a light salad dressing if you’re trying to stay healthier.

 

Try this yummy antipasto pasta salad from ReadySetEat the next time you need a quick summer meal. Made with Italian dressing and fresh veggies, it’s a delicious, lighter way to cool down this summer.

Antipasto Pasta Salad

Total Time: 25 min

Serves: 6

  • 8 oz. dry bow-tie pasta, uncooked
  • 1 14.5 oz. can Hunt’s® Fire Roasted Diced Tomatoes with Garlic, drained
  • ¼ cup fat free Italian dressing
  • 2 cups small fresh cauliflower florets
  • ½ cup chopped green bell pepper
  • 30 slices pepperoni, cut into quarters (about ½ cup)
  • ¾ cup cubed part-skim mozzarella cheese

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and rinse under cold water until cool. Meanwhile, stir together drained tomatoes and dressing in a large bowl. Add pasta and all remaining ingredients; toss to combine. Serve immediately or refrigerate until cold.

 

Author Bio: This is a guest post by Meredith K. on behalf of ReadySetEat.  For easy grilling recipes and more, visit www.readyseteat.com.

Recipes

Happy National Doughnut Day- New Food Friday Recipe

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doughnutOMG it’s National Doughnut Day. I could seriously hide in a closet at Krispy Kreme and would love to be locked in overnight.  Since that can’t happen I thought I would bring you this yummy recipe that I found. Make some of these and lock yourself in your room! Enjoy

 S’More Crecent Roll Doughnuts

Ingredients:

2 cups vegetable oil for frying
1 (8 ounce) can Pillsbury® Refrigerated
Crescent Dinner Rolls
1/3 cup marshmallow creme
1/4 cup milk chocolate chips, melted
1 1/2 teaspoons graham cracker crumbs
For directions please see Allrecipes.com
Recipes

Summer Slaw Recipe {New Food Friday} #Hormel

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summer recipe that is simple to makeThis post is part of the Hormel Extended Family Blogger Program

Summer is coming up which means lots of picnics and family outings. Here is a a nice summer slaw recipe  you can make and really make it anything you want. Enjoy

Summer Slaw Recipe

Ingredients

1/2 cup salad dressing. (ranch or blue cheese would be good)
1/2 cup mayonnaise
salt and pepper to taste
1 (16 ounce) bag coleslaw mix
1 (2.5 ounce) package cooked Hormel real bacon
pieces
1 cup quartered cherry tomatoes
(You can really add any other summer veggies)
Directions
Combine mayonnaise, salad dressing, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Stir in the coleslaw mix and bacon. Add the tomatoes, and toss gently. Cover, and refrigerate for 1 hour or overnight before serving.
Do you have a favorite recipe you take to family outings and picnic’s? I would love to feature you for a New Food Friday post.
Recipes

Sloppy Joes {New Food Friday} Rainy Day Alternative

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sloppyjoesWell this Memorial Day calls for rain so we have to bring the celebration in the house. I made this sloppy joe recipe recently for a potluck at work and it was a huge hit. So since we won’t be grilling I am planning on making it again. Sloppy Joes can be made a ton of different way but I am no cook so it has to be simple and it can’t get any easier than this! Enjoy!

Sloppy Joes

Ingredients
1 pound lean ground beef (could use ground turkey)
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup chopped green bell pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon prepared yellow mustard
3/4 cup ketchup
3 teaspoons brown sugar
salt to taste
ground black pepper to taste
**I added worcestershire sauce for extra flavor***

Direction:
Brown hamburger, onion, and pepper. Drain when browned.  Add the remaining ingredients, heat and serve.