Skinny Chicken Fajita Pizza...and don't forget your $1.00 off coupon from Mama Mary's!

Did you know that Mexican food AND pizza can be healthy? Yup! Depending on how you cook it and the ingredients you use, both of these foods can be delicious and good for you! Mama Mary's puts out a couple of thin pizza crusts, along with a whole wheat version, that gives you the option of saving a few calories or carbs. I used salsa for a sauce, skim milk mozzarella cheese and after I sauted the veggies and cooked the chicken, we had a very healthy pizza with a Mexican food flair! After all the heavy foods that were in abundance over the holidays, it's nice to have something filling but satisfying. Try it...I'm pretty sure you'll feel the same way! 

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Skinny Chicken Fajita Pizza



1 Mama Mary's pizza crust ~ thin, whole wheat or flatbread
1 cup salsa
2 chicken breasts ~ large diced
1 packet fajita mix
1 1/2 cups chopped bell peppers
1 medium onion ~ diced
2 cups skim milk mozzarella cheese
2 tablespoons olive oil

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. 

Place chicken in a small bowl and sprinkle with fajita mix. Stir to coat. Set aside.

In a large skillet, saute the veggies in the olive oil until tender-crisp. Remove veggies to a bowl.

In the same skillet, cook the diced, seasoned chicken until done.

Spread the salsa on the pizza crust.

Top with half of the cheese.

Sprinkle pizza with veggies and chicken and remaining cheese. 

Bake pizza for 15 minutes until hot and bubbly.



Here's the ingredients!

Oh! and use some fajita mix!!

Sprinkle chicken with fajita mix. Set aside.

Saute the veggies.

Then cook the chicken.

Spread the salsa on the pizza crust and sprinkle with half the cheese.

Scatter the cooked veggies on top.

Then the chicken.

Then the rest of the cheese.

Bake it up!

Pecan Pie Bread Pudding

Pecan pie? Bread pudding? Sounds like a winner to me! This is great not only for a dessert but as a breakfast casserole as well. It's something to keep in mind for New Year's day if you're having company and need something to serve. I'm pretty sure this will be a hit with everyone! It's stinkin' GOOD!


Pecan Pie Bread Pudding



1 14-ounce loaf french bread ~ cubed
4 eggs ~ beaten
2 1/2 cups whole milk
1 cup half & half
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 cup sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 stick butter ~ room temperature
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
1 cup chopped pecans

Spray a 8x11 inch baking dish with baking spray. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Place cubed bread in a large bowl.

In a medium bowl, mix together the beaten eggs, milk, half & half, salt and sugar.

Pour mixture over bread cubes and press down to make sure bread soaks up the liquid. Allow to sit for 10 minutes.

In a small bowl, mix the butter, brown sugar and pecans.

Place half of the bread mixture in the prepared pan.

Top with half of the brown sugar mixture.

Top with remaining bread and remaining brown sugar mixtures.

Bake for 45 minutes or until top is lightly browned.

Cool to room temp and serve with whipped cream.

 
Let's do it!

 
Cube the bread!

 
Mix together the milk, half & half, 
salt, sugar and vanilla.

 
Pour the milk mixture 
over the cubed bread. 
Let it sit for about 10 minutes.

 
Mix up the brown sugar, 
butter and pecans.

 
Start with half the bread mixture 
and half the pecan mixture in the 
bottom of the pan.

 
More bread mixture then 
the rest of the pecan mixture.

 
Bake it up and serve it warm 
with some whipped cream.

Saucy Shrimp & Pasta

I love shrimp and I love pasta and when you combine the two, well, I'm a happy girl! IT Guy isn't so much a fan of shrimp so I made this for just me and loved it! It was great right out of the pan and I had leftovers for a few days that were just as good as when the day I made the dish! Super easy to throw together and super yummy. This would be great to make with chicken, too! Just cut your chicken into large bite-sized pieces and continue on!

Saucy Shrimp & Pasta



16 ounces angel hair pasta ~ cooked and drained
1 - 2 pounds medium shrimp ~ peeled and deveined
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cloves garlic ~ minced
2 teaspoons paprika
1 tablespoon dried parsley
1 teaspoon black pepper


Sauce

2/3 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup sweet chili sauce (found in the Asian food aisle)
1 clove garlic ~ minced
2 tablespoons lime juice
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

Combine sauce ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.

Place shrimp in a medium bowl and add paprika, 2 cloves minced garlic and the pepper. Toss to coat.

Heat a olive oil in a large skillet then add the seasoned shrimp. Cook, stirring constantly, for about 5 - 7 minutes until shrimp are done and.

Toss everything together in a large bowl and stir to combine.


 
Here we go!

 
Combine the sauce ingredients.

 
Then add the paprika, garlic and 
pepper to the shrimp and toss.

 
Cook the shrimp!

 
Add the cooked shrimp, the 
cooked pasta and the sauce 
to a bowl and stir to combine.

 
Yummy!!!!

Salted Caramel Butter Bars

Salted caramel is all the rage these days so when I saw this recipe for butter bars, I knew I had to try it. These are SO good. I took them to a party last week and I came home with just a few but had some tucked away at home that "conveniently" didn't fit on my platter. ;-) My friend who hosted the party asked me to bring her some extra the next day and of course, I did! Keep in mind, that if you're not a salted caramel fan, you can use regular caramel but there's just something about that sweet/salty combo that appeals to me! Give these a try soon!

Salted Caramel Butter Bars



4 sticks (yes, 4) butter ~ room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla
4 cups flour plus 2 tablespoons ~ divided use
1 11-ounce jar salted caramel sauce (I used Smucker's)
Sprinkling of sea salt

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line a 9x13 inch pan with foil and spray liberally with cooking spray.

In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter, vanilla and sugars.

Add the 4 cups of flour one cup at a time until well combined.

Press half of the dough into the bottom of the foil lined pan.

Bake crust for 15 minutes.

In a small bowl, combine the caramel sauce and the 2 tablespoons of flour. Mix well.

Pour caramel sauce over the baked crust.

Crumble the remaining dough over the caramel, sprinkle lightly with sea salt and return to the oven.

Bake an additional 30 - 40 minutes or until golden brown.

Cool completely before cutting.

 
Let's go!

 
Mix together the butter, sugars and vanilla.

 
Add the flour.

 
Divide the dough in half and press 
half into the prepared pan. Bake!

 
Mix the caramel sauce and the 
remaining 2 tablespoons of flour.

 
Pour caramel over the baked crust.

 
Sprinkle the remaining dough over 
the caramel then sprinkle with a little sea salt.

 
Continue baking.

 
Cool then cut into squares.

Baked Ravioli

This dish is crazy easy and crazy good. If you enjoy cheesy pasta recipes and want something you can whip together in no time, then try this. Living with a carnivore like I do, I had to add meat to this...but if you want to cut back on the prep work, you can leave the meat out all together but still have a filling meal. It's simple to make as much or as little as you like...it freezes well after it's put together or you could make two at once and give one away. This would be great to serve for a potluck or a big family meal. Just add a salad and some bread and you're good to go!

Baked Ravioli



1 pound ground beef
1 small onion ~ diced
1 clove garlic ~ minced
2 1-pound packages frozen cheese ravioli
2 28-ounce jars pasta sauce
4 cups mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray and 9x13 inch baking dish with cooking spray.

In a large skillet, saute the onion and garlic until tender, about 5 minutes.

Add the ground beef and cook until done.

Add the sauce and stir through. 

Spread 1 cup of sauce in the bottom of the pan.

Add a layer of frozen ravioli then cover with some sauce.

Sprinkle with half the cheese and repeat ending with sauce and cheese on top.

Cover with foil and bake for 45 minutes until hot and bubbly. 


 

Let's get going!

 

Saute the onion and garlic 

then add the ground beef.

 

Cook the meat until it's done 

then add the sauce and heat through.

 

Now..start layering!

 

A little sauce....some ravioli...

 

..more sauce...some cheese.

 

Just keep going until all the ingredients 

have been used, ending with cheese on top.

 

Bake it up!

 

Serve it up!

Key Lime Coconut Sugar Cookies

I can't tell you how yummy these cookies are. Light and airy and tender. The hint of lime makes them taste so fresh and the coconut just adds to the fun. This is a super easy sugar cookie recipe with no chilling and no rolling. Just scoop and bake. They'd be perfect for a cookie exchange but wrap them carefully as they are delicate!

Key Lime Coconut Sugar Cookies



1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup shortening
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon coconut extract
Zest from 2 limes (Key Limes or regular limes)
Juice from 2 limes ~ about 2 tablespoons
2 cups flour plus 2 tablespoons
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cream of tarter
1 cup sweetened flake coconut
1 teaspoon vanilla
Sugar for sprinkling

Place parchment paper on cookie pans. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cream sugars with butter and shortening.

Add egg, coconut extract and vanilla and mix well. 

Add lime juice and lime zest.

Add flour, baking soda, cream of tarter and coconut and mix well.

Scoop into 1 inch balls and place on prepared pan.

Flatten dough balls with your hand or the bottom of a glass then sprinkle with sugar.

Bake for about 10 minutes.

Makes about 2 - 3 dozen


 
Here we go!

 
Cream sugars with butter and shortening.

 
Add egg, coconut extract and vanilla and mix well.

 
Add lime juice and lime zest.

 
Add flour, baking soda, cream of 
tarter and coconut and mix well.

 
Flatten dough balls with 
your hand or the bottom 
of a glass then sprinkle with sugar.

 
Bake!

 
Yummy!