Skinny Sausage and Corn Chowder

Ingredients

• 1 lb pound bulk pork sausage
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup onion, diced
• ½ red bell pepper, diced
• 3 tablespoons flour
• salt
• pepper
• ½ teaspoon Thyme
• ¼ teaspoon Rosemary
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 2 cups shredded, hash browned potatoes (frozen)
• 12 oz frozen corn
• 12 oz evaporated milk
• 1 cup shredded white cheddar (I used Cracker Barrel)

Instructions

1. In a large stockpot brown sausage, breaking up large pieces as it cooks. Stir in garlic and onions. Cook until sausage is no longer pink. Drain. Return pot to heat and sprinkle sausage with flour. Add salt, pepper, Thyme, and Rosemary. Stir over heat for one minute. Add chicken broth, potatoes and corn. Bring soup to a boil. Cover and heat on low for 15 minutes. Stir in evaporated milk and shredded cheese. Stir until cheese has melted. Serve immediately.

Sleep.

No Bake Salted Caramel Hazelnut Cookies {A New Addiction}

Chocolate Peanut Butter No Bake Cookies are on the top of my favorite cookie list.

No bake cookies can be tricky to make and several people have a hard time making them.

The key to making successful no bake cookies, is to boil the mixture for the perfect amount of time. Boiling the mixture too long and the cookies can become hard and crumbly. Not boiling them long enough and the cookies won't set up. I have found that boiling the sugar mixture for exactly 1 1/2 minutes usually does the trick.

Weather can also play a role in your cookies setting up. Make sure it's a dry day and not a humid one, because these cookies don't take a liking to humidity. Chocolate no bake cookies are a lot like making candy and are very sensitive to humidity. 

In a medium sized sauce pan over medium high heat add butter, sugar, cocoa powder or chocolate squares, milk and salt.  Stir until butter is melted and ingredients are incorporated. Bring to a full rolling boil, and boil for 1 1/2 minutes, stirring constantly (I use a wire whisk).

Remove from heat and using a wooden spoon stir in chocolate salted caramel hazelnut spread, vanilla and oatmeal, mix well. Working quickly before the mixture cools scoop by tablespoons onto wax paper or foil. Let cool completely then remove once the cookies have set up.  

No Bake Salted Caramel Hazelnut Cookies 
courtesey of {mommyskitchen.net}

2 - cups granulated sugar
2  - tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder  
1/2 - cup butter
1/2 - cup whole milk
1/8 - teaspoon salt
1/2 - cup Jif Salted Caramel Hazelnut Spread 
2 - cups old fashioned oats
1 - teaspoon vanilla extract

In a medium sized sauce pan over medium high heat add butter, sugar, cocoa powder or chocolate squares, milk and salt. 
 

Stir until butter is melted and ingredients are incorporated. Bring to a full rolling boil, and boil for 1 1/2 minutes, stirring constantly (I used a wire whisk).

Remove from heat and using a wooden spoon stir in chocolate hazelnut spread, vanilla and oatmeal, mix well. Working quickly before the mixture cools scoop by tablespoons onto wax paper or foil.  

Let cool completely then remove once the cookies have set up.  

Recipe yields: about 24 cookies

Cook's Note: The cookies get their shiny gloss from not touching or disturbing the cookies once you have dropped them on wax or foil. Also 2 - (1 oz) squares unsweetened Bakers chocolate can be substituted for unsweetened cocoa powder.

Hidden Chicken and Cream Cheese Recipe

Ingredients

• 4 large potatoes
•  1 cup milk  
• 3 tablespoons butter 
• 1 shredded chicken breast  
• 1 box of cream 
• 1 small tube of cream cheese 
• 1 can corn 
• 8 slices of mozzarella

How to prepare  

• Chop the potatoes into large cubes.
• Cover it with water and cook in a normal pot
• Once it is cooked, mash it, blending in the butter, milk and salt to taste. 
• Cook the chicken breast, shred and season on its way
• Mix in sour cream and corn 
• In a separate dish place a layer of potatoes, layer it with cream cheese, place the chicken on top and cover with the rest of the potato.
• Finally top with mozzarella and place it in the oven to glaze. 
  
  
  

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  • Time to prepare 1h 00min
  • 6 portions

  
  

Chopped Cobb Mason Jar Salad

 

Prep time

15 mins

Total time

15 mins

 

Author: Organize Yourself Skinny

Serves: 5

Ingredients

• 5 wide mouth quart size mason jars
• 10 tablespoons yogurt blue cheese dressing
• 1 quart cherry tomatoes, halved
• 5 mini cucumbers, sliced
• 1 small to medium red onion, chopped
• 5 hard-boiled eggs, chopped or sliced
• 2 avocados, chopped
• 5 slices cooked crispy bacon, crumbled
• 5 slices, thinly sliced turkey, cut into pieces
• 5 slices, thinly sliced ham, cut into pieces
• 5 cups chopped romaine lettuce

Instructions

1. Divide ingredients among mason jars. Start with dressing then add tomatoes, cucumbers, onion, egg, avocado, bacon, turkey, ham, and ending with romaine. When ready to eat, shake, then pour into a bowl.

Notes

Make Ahead Instructions
These salads can be made up to 5-6 days ahead of time.

Nutrition Information

Serving size: 1 mason jar Calories: 400 Fat: 20 Carbohydrates: 29 Fiber: 8 Protein: 27

Salad in a (Mason) Jar

Layer 1: The Dressing

The first layer of the mason jar salad is always the dressing. You can use any type of dressing you like. As I said I prefer a vinaigrette dressing but I do like a creamy ranch and blue cheese too. It completely depends on your preference. Also, like I said before the vinaigrette dressing will come out of the mason jar easier. If you use a thicker dressing you will have to give it a good shake and probably use your fork to scrape it out. I use between 2-3 tablespoons of dressing. Currently I use bottle dressings but you can certainly use homemade dressing if you want.

 Layer 2: Hearty Vegetables

This layer is very important because it is used to shield the dressing from the lettuce and other vulnerable ingredients. In this layer you would use vegetables that can hold up to being in dressing for a week or so. Like I said think vegetables that would do well in a marinade or pickled. Vegetables I have used are tomatoes, cucumbers, red onion, broccoli, cauliflower, asparagus, celery, carrots, peppers, and any other hearty vegetable you like.

Layer 3: Beans and Other Less Hearty Vegetables

This layer is where you will put beans and other less hearty vegetables like mushrooms, zucchini, sprouts, green beans, corn etc if you choose to use them. If you are using an avocado then that would be in this layer too. Basically, this layer acts as a second defense between the dressing and lettuce. You don’t want this layer marinating in the dressing but it will be fine should some of the ingredients get exposed.

Layer 4: Pasta and Grain Layer

This layer is where you add your pasta and/or other grain if using. At this point the other 1-2 layers should keep the dressing away from this layer. However, if by some chance dressing does make its way to this layer no worries everything should be fine. For pasta and grains you can use any type of pasta, rice, couscous, and/or quinoa. Really anything would work so get creative.

Layer 5:  Protein and Cheese

In this layer I put meat, eggs, and cheese. I like to keep these ingredients away from the dressing because I do not feel they do well if sitting in dressing for a couple days or more. If you are using shrimp or other seafood I would add those ingredients to this layer. For cheese, I have used blue cheese crumbles, feta cheese, goat cheese, shredded cheese, and cubed cheese in my mason jar salad. Each of them has worked fine

Layer 6: Lettuce, nuts, and seeds.

In this last layer you want to put ingredients that would wilt or become to soft and soggy if exposed to dressing to soon. This definitely includes any type of lettuce or green. I also included nuts in this layer because I have found that the nuts at times lose their crunch if to close to the first layer. My favorite green to use are arugula, baby spinach, and field greens. But of course you can use whatever you prefer.

After you fill the mason jar with the different salad layers you just put the top on and close tight.
Also, there is really no rule with the amount of ingredients to put in each layer or that you must include all layers. The most important layer is the layer 2 with the hearty veggies. You just want to make sure to have enough ingredients to keep the dressing and lettuce away from each other. If you are concerned with calories or the nutritional information in the mason jar salads you can always calculate that information ahead of time using My Fitness Pal.

Don't give up!