Quick Oven Nachos

It’s summer and the kiddos are hungry all day long! I am visiting my sister in Wisconsin right now and between us we have six hungry kids. For lunch a few days ago I whipped this yummy meal up in no time. My mother used to make these quick oven nachos for my sister and I when we were younger, so this meal brought back great memories!
Now on to the recipe…

Ingredients:
tortilla chips
shredded colby jack cheese
thinly sliced deli turkey, cut into bit size pieces
fresh diced tomatoes
green onions, chopped
sliced black olives
chili powder
cumin
fresh ground pepper

First line a baking sheet with foil, then spread out a layer of tortilla chips. Next sprinkle your desired amount of cheese and evenly layer the rest of your toppings. Lightly sprinkle chili powder, cumin, and fresh ground pepper over the nachos. Now place the nachos under broil just until the cheese is melted. Please don’t leave your nachos unattended because it does not take long. Serve nachos warm and garnish with a dollop of sour cream or guacamole.

The great thing about making these nachos is you can easily accommodate everyone's dislikes and likes all on one platter! For example, people who don’t like tomatoes only put tomatoes on half and so on. Please do not feel limited to my ingredient list, have fun making your own creation.

Enjoy!

Shredded Chicken Quesadillas

Last week I posted my homemade chicken stock and shredded chicken recipe, click here if you missed the post. So today I am going to share an amazing recipe for Shredded Chicken Quesadillas. It is definitely the shredded chicken that makes this recipe so fresh. The chicken is so tender and full of flavor. I know you are ready for the recipe so lets get started... 



This recipe serves 2-4, but definitely double the recipe if needed.

Ingredients:
olive oil
4 taco size flour tortillas
1 1/4 cups shredded chicken
click here for my homemade shredded chicken recipe
chili powder (to taste)
cumin (to taste)
salt and pepper (to taste)
corn salsa, recipe below
fresh chopped cilantro (to taste)
shredded colby jack cheese

Corn Salsa
2/3 cup corn frozen or fresh
1/2 red bell pepper, finely chopped
1 TBS shallots, finely chopped
olive oil

In a small sauté pan warm 1 TBS of olive oil over medium heat.  Add corn, bell peppers, and shallots. Combine all ingredients and sauté for about 5 minutes. Set aside for the chicken quesadillas.

Directions:
First heat and lightly oil your griddle or pan over medium heat, adjust heat as needed. Divide ingredients between two tortillas. Layer your toppings: cheese, shredded chicken, sprinkles of chili powder, sprinkles of cumin, corn salsa, fresh cilantro, and finally your last layer of cheese on the first tortilla. Top with the additional tortilla and cook until the cheese is melted and the bottom tortilla is golden brown. Now carefully flip the quesadilla with a spatula and allow the other side to lightly brown while gently pressing down on the top of the tortilla.

Slice the quesadillas in 4 equal sections and serve with a side salad, a dollop of sour cream, chips, and salsa. These yummy quesadillas also pair well with my
pico de gallo and creamy avocado dip.

Enjoy!

Avocado Egg Salad Sandwich

'Tis the season for eggs and I made you an Avocado Egg Salad Sandwich.
Hope you enjoy this recipe!



Ingredients:
this recipe makes 4 sandwiches
6 hard boiled eggs, peeled
5 TBS mayo (I use lite mayo)
1 TBS Dijon mustard
2 TBS dill pickle relish or sweet relish
1 small celery stalk (close to the heart), finely chopped
1 TBS shallot, finely chopped
fresh lemon juice (to taste)
paprika (to taste)
garlic and herb seasoning (to taste)
salt and pepper (to taste)
8 toasted bread slices
1 large avocado, thinly sliced

On a large dinner plate, mash hard boil eggs with a fork until fluffy. Then add smashed eggs to a medium size bowl. Then add mayo, mustard, pickle relish, celery, shallot, squeeze of fresh lemon juice, and seasonings. Mix well and spread the egg salad on a toasted bread slice, add sliced avocados, and then top with an additional slice of toasted bread.

Veggie Pasta Salad

This recipe has moved to Cherishedbliss.com, click here for the full recipe!

Zucchini Pizza Sticks

Zucchini pizza sticks are not only fun to eat but are super healthy and low calorie. My kids love zucchini and pizza so I knew they were going to love this recipe. Serve with a veggie pasta salad, click here for the recipe, and you have a complete meal everyone will love. These pizza sticks also make a wonderful light and easy lunch option or a happy after school snack.

What you need:
4 zucchini
turkey pepperoni
pizza sauce
click here for my homemade pizza sauce
shredded mozzarella cheese
seasoned bread crumbs
click here for my bread crumb recipe
(I added 1/2 tsp oregano, 1/2 tsp marjoram, 1/2 tsp of basil to my bread crumbs. I also cut the bread crumb recipe in half only using 2 slices of bread)
olive oil

Directions:
First, preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Now cut the zucchini in half lengthwise. Then scrape out the middle section with a grapefruit spoon or melon baller. Spray or brush olive oil on the inside of the zucchini. Next add pizza sauce and turkey pepperoni.



Finally, top with shredded mozzarella cheese and sprinkle with bread crumbs.
Cook for about 15 minutes or until cheese is bubbly and zucchini is as tender as you like.

Enjoy!

Cucumber, Tomato & Feta Salad

Over the holidays I made this lovely cucumber, tomato, and feta salad. This salad  was such a hit with the family that I will be making this very often in my kitchen. Serve with your favorite crackers or pita bread. This would also make a great topper for hummus!

All you need is:
cherry tomatoes, quartered
pickling cucumbers or salad cucumbers, quartered and diced
1 yellow bell pepper, diced
Greek kalamata olives, chopped
crumbled feta cheese (I used a tomato basil feta in this batch)
salt and pepper (to taste)
fresh lemon juice (to taste)

Mix all ingredients together and serve immediately or refrigerate.

This is such a wonderful snack or a light lunch option.

Enjoy!

Cool Cucumber Sub

The first time I saw a cucumber sub was of course on Pinterest!
You can find the original pin here at Make the Best of Everything.
I thought it was such a cute and light lunch option! I quickly had to try one and then tell you about how fun it was to make! I will admit it is a bit slippery if you peel the skin, but if you are looking to cut those carbs this is a wonderful idea! My older kids loved this idea and it will definitely be going in their lunch boxes this year :) My younger one could not keep it in his hands and decided to eat his open faced. Either way it was a healthy lunch everyone enjoyed!

There are so many options, so do not stop at my ingredient list! Hummus, egg salad, and tuna salad would be another great option in these subs!
What's in my sub...
English cucumbers
deli turkey
crispy turkey bacon
chopped tomatoes
low fat cream cheese, softened and seasoned with a sprinkle of garlic and herb seasoning
a few turns of fresh ground pepper

I served this lunch with hummus chips!

First wash and seed an English cucumber. You can leave the skin on, but I chose to slightly peel mine!

Then fill one cucumber half with soften cream cheese and then placed the turkey, turkey bacon, tomatoes, on top of the cream cheese. Close with the other half of the cucumber and you have a cool, low calorie lunch!

Pesto and Tomato Grilled Cheese

The fun thing about grilled cheese sandwiches is you do not have to stop at cheese. As I was preparing lunch one day, I found left over pesto in the fridge and thought that would be so good on a grilled cheese melt!
Once I made this little, hot sandwich I was in love with all the flavors! Definitely a keeper...why didn't I marry these flavors together sooner! All in good time...

Ingredients
pesto
Click here for fresh basil pesto recipe
sliced avocados
baby spinach (washed and dried)
diced or sliced fresh tomato
thinly sliced Munster or Mozzarella cheese
sliced bread
softened butter

Directions
Completely butter one side of each slice of bread. Spread pesto on the opposite side of each slice of bread.
Heat pan or griddle over medium heat.
Place one slice of bread in the pan, buttered side down, lay a slice of cheese then top with baby spinach, sliced avocados, tomato slices, another slice of cheese, and the remaining slice of bread, buttered side up!
Turn the heat down a notch and cook until golden brown, about 2-4 minutes.
Flip and cook until golden brown on the other side, about 2-4 minutes.

Enjoy!

Tomato Basil and Mozzarella Salad

The one thing I love about this time of year is all the summer vegetables that arrive. I grew up with a grandmother that search for the very best garden vegetables one could find. If she could not grow it, she found someone who did. My grandmother bought peas by the bushel and I found peace and comfort in shelling peas with her each summer.
As a child, summer dinners often consisted of a large garden tomato, fresh fried okra, and a bowl of cream peas.
How can you beat that!
As you can see I have always had a love for summer vegetables. I will be posting a great number of vegetable dishes this summer so stay tuned!
Today I am sharing a favorite lunch of mine. Who's kidding, sometimes I have this for dinner too! A few day ago I picked my first bunch of sweet cherry tomatoes out of my garden and had to make this salad. If you have never put paired these ingredients together, please do!

 

The best thing about salads is no measuring is required!
All you need is:
cherry tomatoes (halved)
a salad cucumber (sliced, I use pickling cucumbers)
a few sprigs of fresh basil
Mozzarella Pearls
Extra Virgin Olive Oil (for drizzling)
kosher salt and fresh ground pepper (to taste)

Mix well and enjoy!

Pita Pizza Pockets

These were actually invented by my husband one day when he was looking for a new, quick and easy lunch. I am sure we are not the first ones to make these cute little pizza pockets, but the day my husband pulled these out of the oven the kids and I were in awe of his brilliance! Pita Pizza Pockets are a super easy after school snack, a fun Saturday lunch, or a quick dinner option for a busy night!

1 package of mini multi grain pita pockets
8 oz shredded mozzarella cheese
veggies of your choice-
I used bell peppers, spinach, and black olives in this batch
turkey pepperoni
pizza sauce (recipe below)

Homemade Pizza Sauce
6oz can tomato paste
6 fl oz of warm water
1 1/2 TBS grated Parmesan cheese
1 TBS honey
1/4 tsp garlic powder (or to taste)
1/2 tsp onion powder (or to taste)
1/2 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp marjoram
1/2 tsp basil
1/8 tsp of black pepper
a small pinch cayenne pepper
kosher Salt to taste

Mix all ingredients in a bowl

Preheat oven @ 400 degrees. Then add sauce to pita pockets. Next add cheese, pepperoni, and veggies. Place on a cookie sheet lined with foil and cook until cheese is melted and bubbly. My family warms the extra pizza sauce and uses it for dipping.
Enjoy this meal with a nice garden salad topped with
Creamy Italian Dressing!
YUM, YUM !
Thank you for stopping by and have a wonderful day :)

Apple Tuna Salad

Pin It

Adding an apple and fresh lemon juice will create a refreshing spin to your tuna fish salad. This is a great, easy lunch option you with not be ashamed of. Try my tuna apple salad on a croissant roll with fresh green leaf lettuce and sliced tomatoes to compliment all the cool flavors.

 

 

Apple Tuna Salad
This large batch feeds my family of five with leftovers.
Please adjust to your liking.

4- 5oz cans Albacore tuna

1 gala apple finely chopped

3 TBS purple onion or a shallot finely chopped
1 TBS dijon mustard

1 celery stalk finely chopped

3 heaping TBS sweet pickle relish

1 hard boiled egg smashed well

2/3 cup of light mayo

juice of 1 lemon

( I also add a little lemon zest from the lemon)

a few sprinkles of garlic and herb seasoning

salt and pepper to taste

 

Add all ingredients to a medium bowl and mix well. Serve immediately or refrigerate.

 

Serve on a croissant roll with fresh green leaf lettuce and sliced tomatoes.

Enjoy!

 

Thank you for stopping by and have a wonderful, blessed day!

-Audra