Bacon Cheddar Chicken Salad (and Beer Bread!)

Because I am always on the go and there is always someone else looking in the fridge for something to eat, the other day I decided to put together a large batch of chicken salad to keep on hand for those "refrigerator grazers" - you know the ones!   This chicken salad has become a popular treat in my house and I hope you will enjoy it too!

Ingredients:

2 T Tastefully Simple Bacon Bacon
1 1/2 c. Mayonnaise (hubby prefers Miracle Whip when I make it just for him)
1/2 cup finely chopped celery
2 cups cooked, diced chicken breast (I use canned chicken to make this up in a jiffy - sometimes use 3 cups)
1/2 cup shredded Cheddar Cheese
Green Onion, sliced

Simply combine all ingredients, mix well and chill.  Spread on your favorite bread or simply enjoy with crackers or celery sticks for a nutritious snack! 

Our family particularly likes it served on Tastefully Simple Beer Bread.  To make a more "sturdier" bread for sandwiches, I simply add 2 eggs to the mix before baking.  As you can tell from the picture below, someone could not even finish making their sandwich before taking a bite! Yummo.......

Enjoy!

Tina

If you would like to order any Tastefully Simple products or see what others products there are available in that product line, please feel free to go over to www.tastefullysimple.com/web/jrucker.  Or, if you would like, please feel free to come join the fun on my family's facebook business page for more recipes, tips, giveaways and more!

Twice "Baked" Potatoes

Well, yesterday was our 4 year wedding anniversary.  Since a weeknight and not payday yet, we decided to put off a "date night" until the weekend and just stayed at home with daughter and new grandbaby.  I figured dinner should be more than a frozen pizza or hot dogs tonight, so I went through the pantry to see what I had I could try and -  lo and behold I had some red potatoes raising their little hands to be used, so tried a new recipe and boy am I glad I did!  I swear these little suckers tasted like something I cooked on for hours and something you would find in a fancy-shmancy restaurant! But they are EASY and FAST!

Ingredient List:

Size B Red Potatoes (these are the smaller mid size potatoes, kind of around size of an egg)
Tastefully Simple Onion Onion Seasoning Blend
3 T mayonnaise
3 T sour cream
4 oz shredded mozzarella
2 oz shredded parmesan
Tastefully Simple Bacon Bacon


First thing you are going to do is cut your potatoes in half crosswise.  Then using a melon baller or spoon, scoop out a small well in the potato (about 1/2" deep) and line potatoes up in pan (see picture below)  I used Pampered Chef's Small Ridged Baker. Since these are made in the microwave, be sure to use a pan small enough to fit your microwave and spin while in there.

Sprinkle potatoes with a little Onion Onion and then cover with parchment paper and microwave 9-12 minutes until potatoes are done (Soft when poked with a knife tip).

While potatoes are cooking, mix together the mayonnaise, sour cream, cheeses and 1 1/2 TBSP of Onion Onion.  When potatoes are done you are going to fill each well with the filling.

Recover potatoes with parchment paper and microwave for an additional  1-2 minutes to get cheese all melty and warm.

Remove potatoes and sprinkle with Bacon Bacon.  I would also sprinkle these with some chopped green onion but my bare fridge did not have any to use last night.

And Enjoy!

Let me know what you think!

PRODUCT REVIEW: Microwave Pasta Boat

Well, it's Tuesday!  How is everyone's week going so far?  I could use a do-over but no since in wishing for that so we will just plug along as always.

Today I wanted to share with you a product that I stumbled across that is WONDERFUL!  It is one of those "As Seen On TV" items that you always wonder if it works or not.....well it DOES!  And if you know me, you know I am picky about things so when I say this works, it works!

It claims to make "Perfect Pasta Everytime" and so far for me it has!  You can make all kinds of pasta in it, not just spaghetti noodles.  It also comes with a little steaming rack to steam veggies, but I have never used it.  You simply throw your pasta in the pot, fill with water to the line indicated (depending on amount of servings you want to cook) and slap that puppy in the microwave and in about 20 minutes you have perfectly cooked pasta! I saw on some reviews that people said 20 minutes is too long to wait for pasta, but I don't know about you - but it normally took me a good 5-10 minutes to boil my water and then another 10 minutes to cook my pasta which by my calculator took about 20 minutes that way as well.  This way I simply throw it in the pot, put in microwave and walk away and forget about it. Works for me!

The handles on the side even allow you to measure your regular spaghetti noodles to determine how many servings you are cooking if you are not cooking an entire box.  I have cooked spaghetti noodles, elbow noodles and penne and all have turned out perfect based on the time it tells you in the little instruction book to cook it. 

If you are looking for a quick and easy way to cook pasta and not heat up your stovetop, I would give this a whirl!

DISCLAIMER:  I was not given any product by any company to review for free or otherwise.  I purchased this item on my own and liked it, so thought I would share with everyone else that may be in the market for such a thing or wondered if it worked.

Have a great Tuesday and rest of the week!

Tina

Fiesta Meatballs

Finally pulled out the crockpot and put it to good use over the weekend!  Glad I did because these meatballs were a HIT.  Well.....except for my daughter who over the last few months has decided anything with "flavor" is "HOT" and spicy.  I personally don't like much "spice" to my food either, but I think these were delish and had great flavor!  First gather your ingredients:

 

Ingredients:

 

1 lb frozen meatballs, thawed (I actually doubled the recipe at the last minute and used one bag thawed and one not)

28 oz can crushed tomatoes

1 cup water

1 1/2 T Tastefully Simple Fiesta Party Dip Mix

1 1/2 T Tastefully Simple Garlic Garlic Seasoning Blend

4 oz shredded Cheddar Cheese

 

You simply throw all the ingredients in your Crockpot (except for the Cheese), stir together and cook on Low for at least 2-3 hours, but can cook for up 8 hours.  Would not recommend much longer or meatballs may get too mushy and fall apart.

 

Right before you are ready to serve, sprinkle the meatballs with the cheese and replace lid until cheese is melted.

 



And Enjoy!!!  You could eat these over pasta, enjoy as appetizer bites or simply eat alone.  Or, perhaps put on a hoagie bun for a meatball sub!! YUM. I may have to try that next time.

Enjoy!

Tina

Need to order the Tastefully Simple spices featured in this recipe?  Check out www.tastefullysimple.com/web/jrucker

Healthy Lifestyle Living - Grilled Ceasar Salad

Yes, me and the hubster are in our mid-40s and although we have tried the "dieting" thing over the last several years, nothing ever sticks because we never do it "together".  Three weeks ago I announced I was changing my eating habits and within 24 hours the hubby jumped on the boat with me.  It is sooooo much easier when you are both heading in the same direction!  Now to get the kids "on board" and we will be doing something!

Last weekend I decided I wanted to break down and try a "grilled salad" like I had been hearing about.  No - I don't mean a salad with a slab of grilled chicken on the top, but I mean an actual "grilled" salad!   Well, since I do NOT even touch our grill, that means I had the idea, but hubby had to implement it. He is good at it, as long as I give him the recipe and instructions, he doesn't mind at all pulling that baby out the garage and grilling away.

So......this is what we ended up with.  Looks delish?

 

 

Easy Peasy!!! To say the least! See below for the recipe I threw together using my favorite Tastefully Simple products!

Ingredients:
Romaine Head/Heart of lettuce
Olive Oil
Tastefully Simple Seasoned Salt
Black Pepper
Tastefully Simple Bacon Bacon
Parmesean Cheese (grated)
Plain Bread Crumbs


Slice Romaine in half lengthwise keeping the end intact.
Drizzle Olive Oil on lettuce (both sides) along with seasoning with Seasoned Salt and Black Pepper
Place lettuce cut side down on piece of foil on grill.  (medium to high heat) and Grill for 2 minutes.  (If you want a more "charred" lettuce with grill marks you can place directly on the grill grid.)
Flip lettuce over and sprinkle with Bacon Bacon, Parmesean Cheese and Bread Crumbs (in that order) and grill for another 2 minutes.
Drizzle with Ceasar Salad dressing and Enjoy!  - - The salad is tasty enough to even enjoy without the dressing!

Let me know what you think!

Tina

I'm back......and I have gone from Mom to "Mimi"!

Introducing Carter Joshua born July 3, 2013 at 8 lb 6 oz and 21" long.  He is a keeper for sure!  He has made me transform from "Mom" to "Mimi" and I could not be happier!   (Photo taken by Chasing Lilies here in Summerville, South Carolina. If you are looking for a local photographer, I highly recommend them!)

I have been out of the blog world for a little over a year with lots going on, but am ready to get back into it and share all the wonderful things going on!  Lots of family updates, trying to lose weight and get healthy and perhaps try out that "running thing" again.  Would love to share my new business of Tastefully Simple and all my recipes that go along with that and much more!  Hope you stay tuned!

Marathon Memories

Well....... I did it! Saturday, October 3, 2010 at 1:39 a.m. I crossed the finish line of my first half-marathon! As everyone knows that knows me, I have been training with the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's (LLS) Team in Training (TNT) for the last four months or so in order train to run a half martahon in Orlando, Florida to raise money for the LLS. Those months have finally come to an end. I have been trying to summarize my training efforts throughout my process on this blog, when I had time. Now, I wanted to come here and try to put my thoughts down on how the marathon went. It is kind of all a blur but I am hoping I can remember some of the highlights.

9:00 p.m. Strolled over to our corrals with the other 11,000 or so people to get into position. The corrals were divided into 4 groups depending on your "speed". Of course I was supposed to be in the last corral "Corral D" but I slipped in "Corral C" with Kim, January and Melissa. Whew! I was not caught. As we were standing in the corrals we were making our "game plan". "OK ladies, when the starting gun goes off we will not run, we will simply do a brisk 3 minute walking warm-up to get our legs ready." - - - - - Well, the fireworks went off, Mickey and Minnie were at the start waving everybody on so we took off!!! "What happened to our walk?" January said. No can do - keep running!!! We ran for a few minutes then decided to make our way to the right side of the roadway to the "slower people lane" and start brisk walking. After all, we had 13.1 miles to go, didn't want to wear ourselves out before mile 1!

Mile 1 - felt good. Exciting, actually glad I was here. A band up on a stage playing music as we ran by. How Cool. - I made up my mind today that as long as I reached Mile 1, I would be happy and not disappointed if I did not finish. Goal met - check! January and Melissa had long left us, but me and Kim were there, right together.

Mile 2 - Oh look - Chip and Dale! Hello guys!!! (as I wave)......."Oh shit - I just twisted my ankle". This can't be happening already. Limp, limp, limp......I'm ok. But boy are my shins burning! I can't believe I am actually attempting to do this. I'll never finish......

Mile 3 - Oh look - there on the other side of the roadway the wheelchair racers and runners from Corral A are already circling back on their mile 6 and7. How do they do that?! Well, at least I am still on the track and getting my money's worth is what I say! :) Ankle still bothering a little.

Mile 4 - There's the first First Aid station and miraculously enough, I do not have to stop - I feel great. Woo Hoo - another goal met, check! Kim - "Oh my gosh, what is that smell?!" - Animal poo - we were getting close to the entrance of Animal Kingdom. That was OK - that meant we had almost made it to mile 4!!! And I actually feel really good....

Mile 5 - Running through Animal Kingdom, lots of pretty sights to see. People stopping taking photos - no time for that - got to keep up pace so the slow bus does not come yank me off course. Surprisingly enough we have maintained about a 15 minute pace up to this point. Oh look there is Bayne from LLS cheering us on. My gosh - where is that water/powerade station?!?!?

Mile 6 - Water!! Woo Hoo!!!! Those that know me probably did not think those words would ever come out of my mouth since I hate water. Grabbed cup of Water and Powerade - drank both completely - big mistake. Oh well, live and learn..... Going around a curb - "Kim, is that the end of the race participants across from us, have they already caught us?" Kim said no, not to worry - keep going.......I think she was fibbing............

Mile 7 - Oh look - hippos wearing tutus. Where's Mickey and Minnie??? Race course not as interesting as I thought it would be....time to start singing to myself to pass the time.......should have brought my ipod buds.......Oh look, a text from hubby urging me on.....I love him.

Mile 8 - A TNT coach joins us to make sure we are doing OK. We are still standing and not on the slow people bus, so doing OK. "No, the bus is 1/2 mile back." WHAT?!? It is only 1/2 mile behind us. Got to step up the pace. Second first aid station, and still no need to stop. WOO HOO!! More water - no time to drink - pick up the pace.

Mile 9 - Boring portion of course. No music, no Chip and Dale, no weird looking hippos in tutus. Oh look, a bridge. What happened to the flat course?!?!? OK, will run down the otherside to pick up speed. Our pace had slowed down quite a bit at this point. Kim not feeling really good but OK to continue on. (She is 9 weeks pregnant so keeping eye on here to make sure can continue forward.) Volunteers on side passing out Clif Bar power snacks - where are the doughnuts and cupcakes I say!!

Mile 10 - Running through Hollywood Studios at this point. I can't believe I made it to 10. I told the person next to me, if that slow bus even thinks they are grabbing me at this point, they are crazy. Came too far to cross the finish on a bus. They will not get me on that bus without thme suffering a black eye or some other disfigurment that I can fathom enough energy to give them. Two TNT walking coaches, both pregnant, join along side of me and Kim. Kim slowing down a bit. Coaches say bus can't fit on this narrow path so we are safe. Kim elects to slow down a bit with this tidbit of info. I'm still nervous so since she was in good hands with coaches, I starting increasing my pace a bit, still scared of the slow bus picking me up at this point.

Mile 11 - Still looking back over my shoulder and can still see Kim in the distance she is going OK and I can hear her talking. I'm plugging forward. Only a little over 2 miles to go - I can do this!

Mile 12 - Outside Hollywood Studios and heading towards the Epcot Hotel area. Hubby text again that I'm almost there and can finish this thing. I'm starting to get really tired. I can't give up now, too far. I'm also extremely hungry since have not ate since lunch. Good thing I brought peanut M&Ms for a snack along the way! Now athlete power bars or goos for me. Oh no - participant down on the side with medics, she is going to be unable to finish. OMG - so close, but yet so far. She was not a TNT member, but I felt so sorry for her having gotten this close and unable to finish. Tears were in her eyes. I must finish this.....


Mile 13 - Got to get to the end of this mile. But, what is that ahead - MIMES?!? Mimes usually aggravate me on a good day, I certainly dont want mimes "cheering me on" at 1:30 in the morning after running/walking the past 3 hours!!! I passed two of them only to come around the corner and there is another. He is holding up his hand for a "High Five" - - fine, there's your High Five so now leave me alone. No more mimes - WHEW!

Up ahead I see Kristy, one of the running coaches from Charleston. She immediately runs to me and asks where Kim is. As soon as I try to open my mouth to talk, I start hyperventilating. I keep moving. I told her Kim was with two other coaches walking in but close behind I was sure. Breath, breath, breath.......Kristy encourages me to the very end and said she was going to cross that finish line with me. I refuse to walk to the finish line so I pick up my pace and begin running again and want to run to the end. "Just around the corner Tina" she says. Up ahead I see my hubby in his TNT purple T shirt. He smiles at me. I wave. I see the finish line..... I hear my name announced across the loudspeaker.

I did it!!!