Hello lovely ladies of the kitchen! I am so sorry i'm doing this but instead of just being a pathetic gourmet call participant...I'm going to have to sign off from this blog. Megan--i'm so sorry I NEVER kept up with it. It really was a great idea...and i'm so sorry for not stickin with it! I really had every intention...but for some reason I just could not sit down and blog about my meals.

Anyway-- for those that don't know--i do have a different blog--and i'm sure i'll be posting recipes over there occasionaly if you're interested. (Keeping up with one blog is seriously all this girl can handle!!! :)

Love--Kristie (www.harris-web.com)

Easy Dinner!

This is an easy summertime dinner we like to make in the Smith house. I alter the recipe often depending on what is in my fridge. The basics are

corn tortillas
cheese
veggies
meat

1.Turn the oven to 400 degrees and lay the tortillas directly on the oven racks. Bake until they are browning and crisp (about 5 minutes). Remove. Do another batch depending on how many you will want.

2.In this step you can take as many liberties as you want. Sometimes I do these vegetarian with zucchini, onion, carrots, and yellow squash all finely diced and sauteed.
Last night I cut up a cooked chicken breast we had in the fridge. I added leftover bruchetta tomatoes, diced carrots, and onions. Dice everything into small pieces or shreds. I cooked the onions in a bit of oil along with the carrots until soft. Then I added the cooked chicken, tomatoes, and spices (salt, pepper, cumin).

3.Place the tortillas on a cookie sheet. Top all with some of the veggie/meat mixture. Top with cheese. Add another tortilla on top. Top with more veggie mixture and a final sprinkling of cheese. Put back in the oven until cheese melts.

4. Top with sour cream and guacomole or salsa. Enjoy!!!

Anzacs (cookies)
these healthy cookies are really good!

from Willow Stream The Spa, Arizona
from Self Dishes magazine

supposed to make about 4 doz.
preheat oven to 300

mix in large bowl:
1 & 1/2 c. rolled oats
1 c. + 1 TBSP whole wheat flour
2/3 c. Sucanat organic sugar (health food stores) or brown sugar???
1 & 1/4 c. sweet shredded coconut
1/4 tsp. salt (optional, but i added)

melt in small saucepan:
3/4 c. soybean margarine (health food store) or healthy margarine combination
3 TBSP maple syrup

mix together in another small bowl:
3 TBSP water, boiling
1 tsp. baking soda

mix wet w/ dry ingredients.
form small balls with hands, place on nonstick baking sheet.
bake about 15 min or until golden brown.

Our Everyday Smoothie

We have smoothies everyday. Sometimes in the morning but usually after naptime each day.
Here is our recipe:

3/4 cup plain yogurt
3 frozen strawberries
1 banana
some sprinklings of ground up flax seeds
Juice Plus powder (Hannah sells Juice Plus!)
ice
1 cup soymilk or regular milk or 100% juice.

Blend. If it isn't blending too well, add water until it starts blending more. Also, if I have time I juice some spinach and add the spinach juice.

Thai Mangos & Sticky Rice
from: Marisa Foltz

This is my very favorite Thai dessert. So yummy! Very rich and heavy, but its to die for!

A few recipes our small group Loves!

White Chicken Chili

1 - 2 large onions, chopped
1 tablespoon oil
2 cloves minced garlic
1 4-oz can chopped green chilis
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
½ teaspoon ground cumin
¼ teaspoon cayenne
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
2 cans chicken broth
3 - 4 cans great northern beans

Simmer 4 chicken breasts in water and seasonings until tender. or simmer in homemade chicken broth. Cool and cut or shred into large pieces.
Sauté onions in oil until translucent. Add the seasonings. chilis, chicken broth and beans and simmer for approximately 1 hour, on low heat, stirring frequently. If too thick, thin with chicken broth or water. Add chicken and simmer about 20 minutes more. Serve topped with shredded Monterey jack cheese. Freezes well.



Annie's Fruit Salsa and Cinnamon Chips (from allrecipes.com)

INGREDIENTS
2 kiwis, peeled and diced
2 Golden Delicious apples - peeled, cored and diced
8 ounces raspberries
1 pound strawberries
2 tablespoons white sugar
1 tablespoon brown sugar
3 tablespoons fruit preserves, any flavor (Raspberry and Strawberry work great!)
10 (10 inch) flour tortillas
Spray Butter
2 cups cinnamon sugar



DIRECTIONS
In a large bowl, thoroughly mix kiwis, Golden Delicious apples, raspberries, strawberries, white sugar, brown sugar and fruit preserves. Cover and chill in the refrigerator at least 15 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Coat one side of each flour tortilla with butter flavored cooking spray. Cut into wedges and arrange in a single layer on a large baking sheet(Pizza Cutter works great). Sprinkle wedges with desired amount of cinnamon sugar. Spray again with Butter spray.
Bake in the preheated oven 8 to 10 minutes. Repeat with any remaining tortilla wedges. Allow to cool approximately 15 minutes. Serve with chilled fruit mixture.

You can use any fruit you would like.

Lentils and Rice a la Jen Pederson

1/2 cup brown rice
3/4 cup brown lentils
1 onion chopped finely
1/2t. basil
1/2t. oregano
1/2t. thyme
1/4t. garlic powder
3 c. vegetable or chicken broth

Put all ingredients into a glass covered, oven proof dish and mix. Cover with lid and put into a 300 degree oven for 1 1/2 hours. Uncover and sprinkle cheese on top. Put back in the oven for a few minutes until the cheese melts.
Enjoy!!

Kristie--it was a lentils and rice recipe that Jen Pederson posted. I'll look for it today and get that to you.
Thats a great idea for April recipes---recipes on a budget!!
Also, for March, party recipes. Things to feed a crowd kind of stuff.