Homemade Tortilla Chips in the Microwave – Easy, Healthy Recipe

April 13, 2015 by 23 Comments

I already LOVE homemade potato chips made in the microwave, so I figured I should be able to do the same thing with tortilla chips. Yep, it works! Very good and much healthier than store-bought fried chips.

 

3 corn tortillas
cooking spray or oil mister
coarse-ground salt

Cut each tortilla in 6 pieces using a pizza cutter or knife. Lightly spray on both sides with cooking spray. (I like to use my olive oil mister to spray.) Sprinkle with the salt. Spread out on a microwave-safe dinner plate so pieces are not touching. Microwave for 1 minute to 90 seconds (lower wattage microwaves will need the 90 seconds). Flip chips over and microwave on other side 1 minute to 90 seconds. If not yet crispy, flip again and cook another 30 seconds, continuing until crispy. Serve warm.

Filed Under: Snacks

Half the Fat and Less Sugar Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe

April 4, 2015 by 17 Comments

When making chocolate chip cookies from the classic tollhouse recipe on the Nestlé Chocolate Chip bag, I have long decreased the sugar and used half the chocolate chips.  Well, today I accidentally halved the butter and the egg in the recipe and guess what…..they still tasted good!  They taste different than “regular” cookies of course and the shape/texture is different, but they are still good and much less guilt inducing!

Half the Fat and Less Sugar Chocolate Chip Cookies

2 1/4 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 large egg
1 cup chocolate chips

Heat oven to 375 degrees.  Mix flour, baking soda and salt in a small bowl and set aside.  In a large bowl, beat together butter, sugars and vanilla until creamy.  Add egg and beat well.  Gradually add the flour mixture into the butter/sugar mixture.  Stir in chocolate chips.  Drop by rounded teaspoons onto ungreased baking sheets.  Bake 10-11 minutes or until starting to brown.  Cool on baking sheets several minutes and then transfer to wire racks to continue to cool.

Half the Fat and Less Sugar Chocolate Chip Cookies

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Filed Under: Dessert, Healthy

Easy Slow Cooker Barbecue Beef Recipe

March 16, 2015 by 4 Comments

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kc masterpiece bbq beef

This really has to be one of the easiest recipes EVER! It only uses a few ingredients and it sits cooking in your crockpot all day! It tastes delicious served on buns or just on a plate with a side of potatoes and veggies.

 

Easy Slow Cooker BBQ Beef Recipe

 
Ingredients:

3 pound beef chuck roast
1 1/2 cups BBQ Sauce
6 cloves garlic, peeled and halved
salt and pepper

Easy Slow Cooker BBQ Beef Recipe

Directions:

Place the beef in the slow cooker. Cut 12 deep slits spread out over the surface of all sides of the roast. Press 1/2 clove of garlic into each slit. Sprinkle both sides of roast with salt and pepper. Add BBQ sauce and turn roast to coat all sides. Cook on low 7 to 8 hours or until meat shreds easily by pulling it apart with two forks.

To serve, place on sturdy buns like kaiser rolls, or just serve on a plate alongside mashed potatoes (which is how my husband likes it).

Enjoy!!

Filed Under: Uncategorized

Cranberry & Avocado Sandwich Recipe with Brownberry Bread + Reader Giveaway

February 28, 2015 by 46 Comments

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We were already fans of Brownberry breads, but now we can enjoy the newly reformulated Brownberry® Whole Grains 100% Whole Wheat Bread! 100% is a go-to choice for me for peanut butter toast in the morning, but there are so many other ways to enjoy it too. Brownberry® Whole Grains 100% Whole Wheat sliced bread a good choice because it’s a premium bread with a whopping 23g of whole grains per slice! It has 100 calories per slice and 3 g of fiber. What it DOESN’T have is also good – Brownberry® Whole Grains 100% Whole Wheat sliced bread has NO high fructose corn syrup or artificial colors or flavoring.

Ready for a yummy lunch idea with Brownberry® Whole Grains 100% Whole Wheat Bread? Try this delicious Cranberry & Avocado Sandwich Recipe featured at Brownberry.com!

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Cranberry & Avocado Sandwich Recipe

Ingredients (1 Serving)

2 slices Brownberry® bread
3 oz. boiled ham, very thinly sliced
1/4 avocado, mashed
2 tsp. jellied cranberry sauce

Directions

Spread avocado to cover one slice of bread and cranberry sauce to cover the other slice of bread. Layer ham over the avocado and place the cranberry slice of bread on top, sauce-side down. Cut in half and enjoy.

Brownberry Bread

Reader Giveaway:  One lucky Thrifty Recipes reader will receive three (3) coupons, valid for free Brownberry® Bread. To enter, just complete the entry form below by 11:59pm ET on 3/7/16. Good luck!

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Disclosure: Coupons for product redemption, information, and gift card have been provided by Brownberry® Bread.

Filed Under: Giveaway, sandwiches

St. Patrick’s Day Green Punch Recipe (Non-Alcoholic)

February 20, 2015 by 6 Comments

St. Patrick’s Day Green Punch Recipe (non-alcoholic)

To carry out the “Green” theme of St. Patrick’s Day, you can try this easy non-alcoholic St. Patrick’s Day Green Punch Recipe for your St. Paddy’s party or to accompany your traditional Irish meal in a non-traditional way. As-is the punch already has a nice light green color thanks to the lime juice concentrate and the sherbet, but if you want it to be REALLY green, you can always add a few drops of green food coloring.
 

St. Patrick’s Day Green Punch Recipe

 
Ingredients:
3 cups lemon-lime soda (7-up, Sprite, etc)
6 oz can frozen lime juice concentrate
1 quart lime sherbet, softened

Directions:
In a large punch bowl mix these ingredients along with three 6 oz cans full of water. Mix well until the sherbet is fully dissolved.

Filed Under: Beverages, St. Patrick's Day

Kick Up Your Recipes with Texas Pete CHA!

August 11, 2014 by 9 Comments

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of CHA! by Texas Pete for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

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Do you like a little “kick” in your food?  If you’re the type that things bland = bad, then you’ll be excited to hear about CHA! by Texas Pete.  Texas Pete hot sauces have been a staple on southern tables for decades and have been gaining popularity nationwide and in many other countries.  Just introduced earlier this year, the new CHA! by Texas Pete sriracha sauce has skyrocketed in popularity.  Some love it for the unique flavor with a blend of spicy sweetness that makes an excellent topper for pasta, pizza, burgers or hot dogs.   But, it’s definitely not just a condiment!  It’s tangy, exotic heat makes a perfect ingredient for your favorite sauces, soups and marinades.  But there’s no need to stop there!  All kinds of appetizers, main dishes and sides can all upgrade their flavor quotient with the addition of CHA! by Texas Pete.

CHAchos

There are tons of Recipes available from Texas Pete to give you some ideas to use your CHA!  One of my favorites is CHA!CHOS.  It is a delicious combination of hand-pulled, deli-fresh rotisserie chicken glazed with CHA! by Texas Pete®, piled high on a platter of crispy tortilla strips with melted cheddar cheese, sour cream and Green Mountain Gringo® Hot Salsa. YUMMY!

Cha_RoastedCornSalad

I’m also loving the Spicy Roasted Corn and Black Bean Salad Recipe. This explosive salad is made with a blend of roasted corn, tender black beans, red onion, roasted red bell pepper, fresh herbs, Mexican spices and a zippy red wine vinaigrette flavored with CHA! by Texas Pete®. You can find lots more CHA! recipes on CHAddiction.com.

Where to Buy:  CHA! by Texas Pete is sold in many supermarkets nationwide and can also be purchased online at TexasPete.com.

Which recipes from CHAddiction.com do you want to try first?

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Filed Under: Condiments

How To Steam or Boil Lobster Perfectly Plus Other Tips

July 27, 2014 by

How To Steam or Boil Lobster Perfectly Plus Other Tips

How To Steam or Boil Lobster Perfectly Plus Other Tips

Summer in Maine (or actually any time of year) means Lobster. All things lobster.  Lobsters boiled, steamed, lazy, fried, in a roll , you name it.  If you are a fan of lobster you may know it is one of those things that makes most people second guess themselves every single time before cooking.  The first question is usually should I steam or boil? Then, for how long? I have cooked my share of lobster and still question it each time.  The last thing anyone wants is an over cooked lobster. They are way too expensive for that! 

How To Steam or Boil Lobster Perfectly Plus Other Tips 2

My favorite way to cook a lobster is to boil it. Usually I am preparing a lobster bake and will have potatoes, corn, clams and other goodies for the pot. To boil the perfect lobster every time, simple follow these instructions courtesy of LobsterfromMaine.com:

Boiling Instructions:
Choose a pot large enough to hold all the lobsters comfortably; do not crowd them. A 4- to 5-gallon pot can handle 6 to 8 pounds of lobster. Fill with water, allowing 3 quarts of water per 1-1/2 to 2 pounds of lobster. Add sea salt (to taste) to water. Bring the water to a rolling boil. Add the live lobsters one at a time, and start timing immediately. Do not cover. Stir the lobsters halfway through cooking. Let the lobsters rest for 5 minutes or so after cooking to allow the meat to absorb some of the moisture in the shell.
For timing, use the weight of individual lobsters, not total weight of all lobsters being cooked.

If the lobster weighs: Boil:
1 pound 8 minutes
1 1/4 pounds 9-10 minutes
1 1/2 pounds 11-12 minutes
1 3/4 pounds 12-13 minutes
2 pounds 15 minutes
2 1/2 pounds 20 minutes
3 pounds 25 minutes
5 pounds 35-40 minutes

If you prefer to steam your lobster :   Steaming Instructions 

 

 

 

Filed Under: Main Dishes, Tutorials Tagged With: , , , , ,

The BEST Way to Cook Corn on the Cob on the Grill – NO HUSKS!

July 19, 2014 by 22 Comments

I think I have tried just about every method there is of cooking corn on the cob on an outdoor grill.  Everything from wrapping it in foil to soaking the husks in water and grilling in the husk, etc.  I have now decided that the easiest way is also the BEST way and I’m done experimenting.

Corn on the Cob on Grill

Ingredients:

corn on the cob
olive oil
salt
pepper

Husk the corn and remove as much silk as you can.  Heat your grill on high.  The next step is to lightly coat the corn with olive oil.  I find the best way to do this is with an oil mister, but if you don’t have one you can just rub on a light layer with your hands.   Season with salt and pepper.  Reduce the grill heat to medium/medium-high and place the corn directly on the grates.  Cook for 3-4 minutes or until corn barely starts to blacken and rotate 1/4 turn.  Repeat until all sides of the corn are cooked.  I think this corn turns out so well that it doesn’t even need any butter.  YUM!

Disclosure:  This post may contain affiliate links.  See our complete disclosure policy here.

Filed Under: Vegetables

Chocolate Chip Sour Cream Banana Bread Recipe

July 5, 2014 by 18 Comments
Chocolate Chip Sour Cream Banana Bread Recipe

I love banana bread!! I have made so many different types of banana bread over the years, but this Chocolate Chip Sour Cream Banana Bread Recipe is my favorite!! It turns out nice and moist and has a delicious flavor. The chocolate chips are optional of course, but I think almost every baked good tastes better with chocolate chips in it!

Chocolate Chip Sour Cream Banana Bread Recipe

2 cups flour
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
3 large overripe bananas
1/4 cup sour cream
2 large eggs
6 Tbsp melted butter, cooled
1 tsp vanilla
3/4 cup chocolate chips

Heat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease and lightly flour a 9″x5″ loaf pan.

Whisk together the dry ingredients in a large bowl.

In a medium bowl, thoroughly mash the bananas.  Add in the sour cream, eggs (lightly beaten),  butter and vanilla.  Mix well.

Gently fold the wet ingredients and the chocolate chips into the dry ingredients and mix just until it’s all combined.  Batter will be very lumpy.  Scoop into the prepared pan.

Bake 50-55 minutes until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the middle of the loaf comes out clean.

Filed Under: Bread

Star Spangled Ice Cream Sandwiches Recipe

July 4, 2014 by 2 Comments

Star Spangled Ice Cream Sandwiches

Summer is here and that bring the season for frozen treats!! For special occasions like family get-togethers or backyard barbecues, it’s fun to have some “semi-homemade” goodies that make the treats special, but still fun to make. To avoid the heat of warming the kitchen with the oven to bake sugar cookies, these Star Spangled Ice Cream Sandwiches start with store-bought sugar cookies. But, if you prefer homemade, you can bake up your own.

These patriotic treats are based on Captain America’s red, white and blue shield with a star at the center. Feel free to play with the icing and create any star spangled designs you would like!
 

Star Spangled Ice Cream Sandwiches Recipe

 
Ingredients:
Bakery Sugar Cookies
Vanilla Ice Cream
Decorator Frosting in Red, White and Blue
Powdered Sugar
M&Ms in red and blue

Captain America Ice Cream Sandwiches Ingredients #HeroesEatMMs #CollectiveBias #shop

Directions:

Start out by preparing the ice cream. Lay a sheet of wax paper on a cookie sheet. Using an ice cream scoop, place scoops of ice cream on the sheet. Place a second piece of wax paper on top. Use your hands to push down and flatten ice cream scoops. Return to freezer.

Captain America Ice Cream Sandwiches Scoops

Using the decorator frosting, pipe a shield design on each cookie. Start with a red ring on the outside of the cookie, and then a second red ring a bit farther in. Pipe a white ring between the two red rings. Fill the center circle with blue.

Decorating Cookies

shield

Cut out a small star in the center of a piece of paper. You can print out the shield image above and use that star – it’s what I used for my cookies! Place powdered sugar in a small sifter, hold paper over your cookie, and slightly shake sifter to let powdered sugar fall over stencil. These are kind of “free form” shields, so it doesn’t have to be perfect!

Captain America Powdered Sugar

Let your cookies set for approximately 30 minutes or until icing has hardened. Then take two cookies and place a scoop of ice cream between them. Press red and blue M&Ms into the ice cream around the edges of your sandwich. Return to the freezer until you’re ready to serve.

Star Spangled Ice Cream Sandwiches Recipe

Filed Under: Dessert
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