Clean Tuna-Slaw

It's no secret that I LOVE food, and I mean LOOOOOOVE food! I love trying different parts of the world, I love to experiment when I cook, I love the smells, I love the way it brings people together, I love the way it warms my home. My favorite is down-home, three sticks of butter, warms the soul, lick the plate, comfort food. Its what I do, and I do it well. My husband frequently teases me about being the 20-something version of Paula Deen. But after two babies, those foods aren't exactly loving me back anymore. I was on a mission to eat better without having to sacrifice flavor or eat like a rabbit. This recipe was the result (one of them anyway) of my frustrations. And it's quickly becoming my go-to lunch. I make up a big bowl and eat it throughout the week.

You will need:

- 1 bag of shredded mixed coleslaw veggies
- the juice from half a lemon (Here's a hint - if you microwave your lemon for 20 seconds you'll get 3 times as much juice out of it!)
- 2 (5 oz) cans of tuna or canned salmon
- 1 medium sized tomato
- salt
- fresh ground pepper
- 1/3 cup of minced Walla Walla sweet onion
- 1 small avocado (optional)


Now here's how simple this is. Ready? Mince your onion and dice your tomato and avocado. Mix all ingredients in a large bowl, making sure your lemon juice covers everything. Add salt and pepper to taste. Refrigerate for 30 minutes before serving to allow all the flavors to marinate. And enjoy! 100% clean, and 100% healthy!

Creamy Sausage Mac 'n Cheese

Need a super decadent quick fix? This is it! Mac 'n cheese in and of itself is a crowd pleaser in our house, but this is SUPER hearty and equally as yummy! It's creamy and oozy with out being overly cheesy. Use it as the main dish, or maybe just a side at a summer time barbeque!

You will need:

- 1 (8 oz.) brick of cream cheese softened

- 1 lb of your favorite link brat or cheddarwurst (I used Johnsonville Beddar with Cheddar)

- 3-4 cups grated cheddar cheese (depending on how cheesy you want it)

- 1/2 - 1 cup milk (depending on how thick you like your sauce)

- 16 oz. elbow macaroni pasta

- 2 tsp salt

- 2 tsp garlic powder

Begin by putting the pasta on to boil. While pasta is cooking, slice sausage and sauté lightly just to put a nice crisp on the outside edges. Then remove sausage from heat and set aside. In a medium sized sauce pan SLOWLY melt cream cheese, cheddar cheese, salt, and garlic powder into 1/2 cup of milk. Be sure to stir constantly to prevent scorching. If 1/2 cup of milk is not enough for your desired consistency  continue adding milk a few tablespoons at a time. Once the sauce has melted through and is completely blended and lump free, remove from heat. Pasta should be cooked by this time. Drain pasta thoroughly and add cheese sauce and sausage to your pasta. Mix well. Allow a few minutes for sauce to set and serve.

Yield: 6-7 servings

Lazy Tuna Noodle Casserole

That's right, I'm so lazy I'm not even going to post a picture! (Actually, my computer went ka-put this last week so I'm doing this post from my phone.) I started nannying about two weeks ago and the affects of having 3 times as many children running around my house all day finally caught up with me. So I did one of my favorite quick fixes. It was fast, yummy, warm and relatively no clean up! **For more quick fixes check out the '"Fast" Food' tab.

You will need:

- 6-8 oz wide egg noodles (boiled and drained)
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 1 cup frozen corn
- 2 (11 oz) cans Cream of Chicken soup
- 3 (5 oz) cans of Tuna (drained)
- 1/3 cup Italian dressing
- 2 tsp onion powder
- 1-2 cups grated cheddar cheese (we like ours CHEESY so I usually use 2)

Preheat oven to 425F degrees. In a medium size casserole dish (I use a deep 2 qt CoringWare) combine all ingredients except noodles and cheese. Mix well. Then carefully, so you don't mess them up too bad, stir in prepared noodles. Sprinkle cheese evenly over the top. Bake for 20 minutes and then serve! Simple and includes all the food groups!

Seared Parmesan Meatballs

There's really not much else I can say about this recipe other than it's the perfect spaghetti-n-meatballs meatball! (Honestly, I could eat them by themselves, but it seems to be more socially acceptable to eat them with spaghetti.)

You will need:

- 1 lb Italian flavored ground pork sausage
- 1 egg
- 3 slices of basic sandwich bread (crumbled)
- 1/3 cup minced red onion
- 3 TBS grated parmesan cheese
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp basil
- tiny pinch of cumin
- 2 tsp salt
- 2 TBS olive oil
- 1 (15 oz) jar of your favorite marinara or red sauce

Place a deep skillet on medium-high heat. Drizzle olive oil in the bottom of skillet. While you are allowing the pan to get HOT combine the remaining ingredients (except red sauce) in a large mixing bowl. Mix thoroughly, your hands work best. Once pan is hot enough to sear, form mixture into 1 inch meatballs and place in pan. Do not crowd the pan, you may have to sear meatballs in shifts. The meatball should turn a dark brown quickly (10-15 seconds) on the side closest to the pan. Be careful not to burn them. Turn the meatballs and sear the other side. It is important to remember that you are NOT trying to cook the meatball all the way through. You are just trying to get a good sear on all sides in order to keep the meatball together. (I know I keep using the word "sear" alot but it is absolutely crucial to this recipe!) Once all the meatballs have been seared, reduce the heat to low-medium. Return all the meatballs back to the pan and pour red sauce over the top. The sauce and meatballs should be simmering lightly now. NOT boiling. If you need to, reduce the heat further. Cover the skillet and allow simmering to continue for 15-20 minutes. Serve with spaghetti or any other pasta that pairs well with your sauce.

Yield: About 20 meatballs

Hawaiian Teriyaki Pork Chops

I don't know about you, but every once in a while I get a hankering for something with, what I like to call "a little island flair". There's not many things that I love more than a sweet and tangy teriyaki sauce paired with tropical fruits! So needless to say, this is one of my favorite and EASIEST marinades. It literally takes 10 minutes to throw together and is amazing served over a bed of fluffy white rice!!

You will need:

- 4-5 pork sirloin chops
- 5 TBS soy sauce
- 5 TBS Kikkoman Teriyaki Baste & Glaze
- 2 TBS brown sugar
- 2 TBS honey
- 3 tsp garlic powder
- 2 tsp chili powder
- 2 tsp seasoned meat tenderizer
- 1/3 cup minced yellow onion
- 1/3 cup pineapple tidbits

Put all ingredients except the pork chops in a gallon sized ziploc bag. Seal the bag tightly and shake contents until mixed well. Add pork chops and reseal. Try to remove as much air as possible. Place flat on a plate and refrigerate. Allow marinade to sit for at least 6 hours. Once you are ready to cook, put the entire contents of the bag (including liquid marinade) in a large casserole dish. Bake at 350F degrees for 30 minutes or until pork chops are cooked through. This will depend on the thickness of your chop. Once cooked serve over rice using extra marinade as a sauce for the rice.

Yield: 4-5 servings

Shepard's Pie

Now, before I get a million emails about this not being "authentic" shepard's pie, I will say "yes, that is ground beef and NOT the traditionally used lamb" and "yes, that is cheese on the top". With that being said, this is seriously good, old fashioned comfort food at its finest! Perfect for a chilly winter night!

You will need:
-1 lb ground beef
-2 cups of grated cheddar cheese (I love using white cheddar)
-1 (15 oz) can beef broth
-1 cup (fresh, frozen, canned) corn
-2 cups fresh or 1 (15 oz) can green beans
-2 large raw carrots
-1 small onion
- 4-5 cups mashed potatoes (prepared to your liking)
-2 TBS onion soup mix
-2 tsp garlic powder
-1 pinch oregano
-1 tsp celery salt
-3 TBS flour

Preheat oven to 350F degrees. In a 4 or 5 quart stock pot brown ground beef with onion soup mix. Drain off excess grease. In the same pan, add beef broth, garlic, oregano, celery salt, and chopped vegetables to the ground beef. Allow mixture to simmer on medium high heat until vegetables, carrots imp articular, are tender. (You should be preparing on the side, or already have your mashed potatoes prepared to your liking and set to the side.) Reduce heat on vegetable mixture to low-medium heat and whisk in flour to thicken sauce into a gravy. You must whisk quick and add flour slowly. Remove from heat. Allow to sit for a minute of two, to allow sauce to thicken. Then take beef and veggie mixture and spread in the bottom of a large glass casserole pan. Spread evenly. Then evenly spread your prepared mashed potatoes across the top of the mixture. Be careful not to "mush" the mashed potatoes down into the veggie mixture. Then sprinkle your grated cheese over the top of your mashed potatoes. Place in the oven and allow to bake for 10-15 minutes, or until cheese is completely melted. And presto, a not-so-traditional-but-just-as-yummy shepard's pie!

Yield: 7-8 servings

Santa Fe Chicken Casserole

This recipe was a complete accident, but one of my favorite accidents so far! What was originally intended to be chicken enchiladas took on a life of its own and quickly became a family favorite!

You will need:
-10-12 flour tortillas
-4 skinless chicken breasts
-1 can Cream of Chicken soup
-1 cup salsa
-1 can black beans (drained)
-1 can sweet corn (half drained)
-1 TBS taco seasoning
-2 cups cheddar or pepper-jack cheese
-1/2 cup sliced black olives

Put Cream of Chicken soup, salsa, taco seasoning and corn (with half of the liquid in the can) in crock pot and mix well. Add drained black beans and chicken breasts and cook on medium-high heat for 2 hours or until chicken is done. Once chicken is fully cooked, remove chicken from crock pot mixture and shred. Place shredded chicken back into crock pot and mix well. Preheat oven to 350F degrees. Lightly grease a small baking dish (11x7). Grate cheese and set aside. Next, take one tortilla and spread two heaping table spoons of chicken mixture over the tortilla, roll tortilla (like you would an enchilada) and place in pan. Continue these steps, placing each tortilla roll side by side until you have filled your pan. You should still have chicken mixture left over. Place remaining chicken over the top of tortilla rolls and spread evenly. Sprinkle cheese and then black olives over the top of your casserole. Bake at 350F degrees for 10 minutes. Allow a few minutes to cool slightly before serving. Serve with a big heaping spoonful of sour cream with spanish rice on the side!

Yield: 6 servings