Warm & Cheesy...

Hey everyone!  So after a simple dinner of baked potatoes with leftover chili on Monday night and succumbing to my first MAJOR "I could MURDER for fried shrimp" craving last nightJ, I haven't had much to show you the last 2 days.  So I figured I'd back track a bit and show you one of the dinners we made when we came back from Italy!  And it was so good...we've already had it TWICE! 

True, it's no beauty...but it's a filling, hearty, cheesy, gooey and pretty 'lite' take on Kristin AND Cooking Light's Chicken Enchilada casserole recipe...

However, since chicken & I have been not the best of friends the last 5 months, I swapped it out for 3/4 pound of ground lean turkey breast cooked up with some diced peppers & onions...

Next, you mix the meat in with the cheese sauce.  YES, SAUCE!!!  How happy does this make ME???

Cheese Sauce:

• 1 cup evaporated skim milk
• 10 oz. can of enchilada sauce
• 2 oz. low fat cream cheese
• 1 cup low fat cheddar cheese 

Heat all of these ingredients in a pan and allow it to all melt into a gooey, luscious sauce.  Add the meat/pepper/onion mix and allow it to simmer for 3 minutes, or until warmed through.

Then you get down the business of layering about 1 cup of the meat/cheese mix with torn tortillas.  You should make about 4 cheesy layers... (ps-don't forget to spray your pan with non-stick spray and to START with a layer of tortillas!)

Top with crushed tortillas (or...ahem *crushed club crackers* if it's the only thing you haveJ) and bake at 350 for 25 minutes.  I know it's tough, but make sure to let it sit for about 10 minutes after so all of the layers can 'firm up'... 

Again, it looks like a hot mess...but it is sooooo good!  It feels super decadent, but doesn't leave you feeling gross & greasy, thanks to the ingredients being on the 'lighter side.'  Definitely try this out on the next chilly night when cozy food is in orderJ 

...which, despite us having a SNOW STORM 2 weeks ago, is NOT NJ at the moment.  We're suppose to reach 70 degrees today!  At least it's been good weather to sneak in a few walks in the afternoons while it's sunny & bright out...although this business BETTER BE GONE in 2 weeks!  I LOVEEEEEE me a COLDDDDD (and *fingers crossed* SNOWY!) Thanksgiving!

Alright...that's all I got for todayJ  Have a good Wednesday everyoneJ

Get on the bus, gus...

Well, after a total whirlwind week at work last week, I was SOOOOOOOO thankful to have a peaceful weekend filled with friends, family & Fall funJ   Cause even though I may be already  listening to the "Glee" Christmas CD on repeat, make no mistakes that I HEART me some Thanksgiving...and was sooo excited to spend yesterday 'embracing the season' at...

"Thanksgiving in the Country" is in it's 38th year in Sergeantsville, NJ and has donated nearly $600,000 to the Cleft Palate Unit at the Children's Hospital in Philadelphia.  So not only do you get a completely cozy day to celebrate FALL...the proceeds go to a wonderful cause!  Win/Win, I say!

So on a COMPLETELY sunny and brisk Sunday, my Mom, Aunt, cousin & I all bundled up...

...and boarded ye' ole school buses to take us around to the houses on tour in Sergeantsville...

And DESPITE it's "Jersey Shore"/spray tan reputation, it's easy to forget that the Garden State is INDEED actually GREEN in some partsJ hahahahhahaa....the views from the bus were a nice reminderJ

The tour took us to explore 4 different historic homes, each exquisite in their own right...

One was complete with its own outdoor "summer kitchen," apparently big back in the 1700's when all of the heat from the cooking was done outside!  However, on chilly November in 2011...we just enjoyed the smell of the wood burning fireJ hehehehe....

And let's not even DISCUSS this house (which included a $7,000 toilet.  Yes, you read that correctly), which is a restored 1700's school house,the original part of the house being that middle section....

...which just so happened to be on sale for the 'bargain' price of $1.5 million dollars.  Needless to say we all left here with daydreams of hitting the lottery and all moving right inJ 

We even got a cozy lunch on the tour at the local church of yummy pumpkin soup, a turkey sandwich with cranberry chutney & rice pudding.  Thanksgiving appropriate, no??

And after our 4th and final house, we also got to stop by the mill for a craft fair AND some cookies & hot tea:)  A nice way to warm up, if I do say so myselfJ

And I got home with just enough daylight to squeeze in a quick walk with Scott & Penny through the park...

...even if daylight savings started to take effect as we were headed back to the house.  THE only part I don't like about Fall/Winter:  Seeing the streetlights turn on at 5:00PM!!!

But it wasn't too shabby when we walked into the house and had dinner already made for us, courtesy of our crock pot that had been simmering away all dayJ  We went the Asian/Mexican fusion route with some Moo Shu Pork & yellow rice....

Scott started this while I was out for the day, by cooking up 3 big pork chops on low for 6 hours with a little chicken broth and some of this sauce...

Once the pork was tender enough to shred, he threw in:

•  1 1/2 bags of Cole slaw
• 1 can of baby corns (LOVE)
• 1 can of sliced water chestnuts, drained
• 1 can of bean sprouts, drained
• 5 scallions, diced
• 3/4 of the remaining Sesame Garlic sauce

Let that cook for another hour or so on high until everything was warm & wilted down....

We served the Moo Shu up on oven-toasted tortillas....

We both figured that this had to be a pretty healthy Chinese 'swap,' as by the time it was all said and done: this dish was about 99% VEGETABLES!  hahahahhahaha  A lot healthier than take-out, and pretty much just as easy, thanks to the slow cookerJ  Try this out instead of reaching for the phone next timeJ

Anddd another thing that HAD to get done this weekend:  Breakin out all my turkeys...

...and Pilgrims & IndiansJ

I always want them to have their day in the sun before the tinsel & holly REALLY break out!  Only 2 1/2 weeks till Thanksgiving as it is!  That's just crazy!!!

Alright, I hope you guys had a great & relaxing weekend.  Get out and get the last of those FALL activities in while you can....it's gonna slip through our fingers in a HOT minute!

Ahhhh...and one last order of business:  My workout schedule from last week!

Monday:  30 minutes of dance & jogging + a round of weights (8 pounds)

Tuesday:  Bob Harper Yoga, level 1 & 3

Wednesday:  Bethenny Yoga (40 minutes) + weights & "booty blast"

Friday:  30 minutes dance, jogging & weights

Saturday:  1+ hours Yoga class

Sunday:  45 minute walk

Alright, that's all for now...Have a great Monday!J

Hidden nutrition...sneeeaky:)

Hey everyone!  Here's a great FALL recipe that can be made ahead of time for an easy weeknight dinner.  We whipped these up on Sunday afternoon so all we had to do was pop 'em in the oven for 30 minutes last night.  A little prep goes a looongggg way sometimes!  Plus how can you not love anything called.....ARE YOU READY??

PUMPKIN PATCH STUFFED SHELLS! 

And as 'complicated' as stuffed shells SEEM, these really came together pretty quickly!  And while shells usually seem on the 'decadent' side, the 'hidden veggies' in this dish really boost up the nutritional factor....while still being super delicious!  The shells (use whole wheat if you can find them for even a bigger nutrition bang for your buck!) were stuffed with

• 1 pound of ground turkey
• 1 box of frozen spinach, defrosted
• 1 onion

While the sauce was made of:

• 1% milk
• 3/4 cups of pumpkin
• light shredded cheddar cheese

And not only is 'tis the season' pumpkin delicious, it is loaded with vitamin A, antioxidants, it’s a good source of vitamins C, K, and E, and lots of minerals, including magnesium, potassium, and iron.  So I saw sneak it in whenever you can...especially during this time of year!

And I know the pumpkin sauce/ground turkey combo sounds a little CRAZZZE...trust me, all of the flavors melded together really well.  The pumpkin & cheese made a nice smooth and mellow sauce to go with the savory shells.

They were so good, in fact, that I forgot to take a 'final product' photo after taking photos of the 'preshow' on SundayJ hahahahhahahahaha  Needless to say:  we pretty much inhaled themJ hahahahahaha....

But here's one thing I DO have a picture of:  Another one of Penny! hahahahhaa....I just had to show you what a little lover she is (again).  She ALWAYSSSS has to have SOME PART of her on you at all times...

Her paws will always find their way on you and her head will always find your feet when you're curled up.  She's so funnyJ

Alright, enough bragging...AGAIN!  Have a great Wedn....NO!  THURSDAY EVERYONE!!  Ooooo...I LOVE when THAT happens!! J

Classic Halloween:)

Hey everyone!  Hope you guys had a HAPPY Halloweeeeeeeen!

We celebrated with our 5-year running traditional Halloween dinner:  ChiliJ....Pulled Pork Chili to be exact!

It started with tossing 3 large pork chops into the slow cooker set on low and sprinkling them with some cumin & chili powder. (and a little chicken broth so nothing stuck to the pan and burned) 

When Scott got home 8 hours later, he shredded up the pork (he said it basically just fell apart!) and added:

• 1 can of diced tomatoes
• 1 can of tomato paste
• 1 can of corn, drained
• 1 large onion, diced
• 1 can of kidney beans, drained & rinsed
• 1/4 cup of BBQ sauce
• Chili powder, cumin, salt & pepper to tasteJ

Let it all cook another hour to hour & a half on high until warm and you are good to go!

And we had our chili with our traditional side of Halloween RoseanneJ  They are ALWAYS hilarious...

CLASSIC!

Meanwhile, Penny kept herself busy keeping an eye out for trick or treatersJ

But being a watch dog is EXHAUSTING work, ya know? J

I can't even take her faceJ hehehehehhee....

Alright...enough braggingJ hahahahahaha...hope you guys had a good one!  I CAN NOT BELIEVE IT'S NOVEMBER!!!  NOVEMBER!  As in 'the 2nd to last month of THE YEAR!"  That's just insanity...although I think November is my favorite month of ALL.  It's still pretty Fall, you get an awesome holiday, a kick-ass 4 day weekend (if you're lucky, like us) and all of the anticipation of Christmas without the hustle & bustle...jusssssst yetJ  I plan on enjoying it THOROUGHLY, cause we'll be swooped up in tinsel & holly before we know it (NOT that I'm complaining...I just don't want THAT to go as fast as this year has gone by too!J)

Have a good Tuesday, everyone!