Strawberry Salad

From the kitchen of Jessica Rawson

Toss the following:
Salad Greens
Sliced Strawberries
Diced Rotisserie Chicken
Diced Munster Cheese
Toasted Pecans
Brianna's Blush Wine Vinaigrette
ENJOY!
By the way, my Mom used the same dressing on a salad with mandarin oranges, craisins and avocado that was also delicious.

Ham & Cheese Turnovers

I stole this from my friend Emily N.'s blog and will be trying these tomorrow. They look yummy!

1 pound package refrigerated pizza dough

8 ounces deli ham, thinly sliced

4 ounces swiss cheese, thinly sliced

1/2 yellow onion, cut into thin rings

2 teaspoons whole-grain mustard

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 small head romaine lettuce, torn into pieces

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Roll the pizza dough intoa 14-inch circle and cut into 8 triangles. Stack a piece of the ham, cheese, and onion on the bottom of each triangle and roll the dough up around the filling. (Some of the filling will stick out the ends.)

Transfer the rolls to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake until golden and crisp, about 20 minutes.

Combine the mustard and oil in a medium bowl and toss with the romaine. Serve with the turnovers.

Whole Wheat Honey Bread

Here is a really easy bread recipe with just basic ingredients. Enjoy! -- Valerie

Whole Wheat Honey Bread

2 heaping T. yeast
1/2 c. warm water
1/4 tsp. honey
4 1/2 c. hot tap water
5 c. whole-wheat flour
2 c. white flour
2/3 c. honey
2/3 c. oil (I use canola, less fat)
1 T. salt
4 to 6 c. whole-wheat flour

Dissolve yeast into warm water. Add 1/4 teaspoon honey and set aside. Beat together 4 1/2 cups water and 5 cups wheat flour and 2 cups white flour. Add 2/3 cup honey and oil. Beat together and add the yeast mix. Add salt and the remaining 4 to 6 cups flour until it pulls away from edge. Knead on low for 10 minutes. Place in four greased 8X4-inch loaf pans. Let rise for 1 hour. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Brush the top of bread with oil and bake for 40 minutes for large loaves and 20 minutes for small loaves. Makes 4 loaves.

Recipe Note:
- Any combination of wheat and white flour that includes at least 2 cups of white flour can be used.
- I have halved this recipe and it still worked really well.

Won Ton Chicken Salad

1 pkg. won ton wrappers (fried)

4-8 chicken breasts (shredded)

1/2 c. chopped green onions

sliced almonds

2 heads of lettuce


*Do not mix salad mix and dressing until ready to serve.

Dressing
1 c. oil

1/2 c. sugar

1/2 c. vinegar

3 tsp. salt

3 tsp. pepper

Mix sugar, vinegar, salt and pepper until dissolved. Wisk in oil until completely combined. Pour over salad mix when ready to serve.

We (Blackner5) usually have fruit and some type of roll with this salad. You could also take advantage of the roasted chickens you can get at the store, just shred the meat. That would make for an even quicker meal. Yummy!

- Recipe shamelessly stolen by Kristy off the blog of Brooke Blackner!!! :0

Baked Four Cheese Pasta

4 slices of bacon, chopped fine
1 small onion, chopped fine
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 cup heavy cream (I used half cream and half 2%)
3/4 pound penne
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup frozen peas
salt
pepper
1 cup shredded Italian 4-cheese blend (or whatever commercially available preshredded Italian cheese blend is available at your store)

1. Pre-heat oven to 450.
2. Cook bacon, drain fat leaving a tiny bit of bacon fat to cook the onion and garlic in. Cook over med. high heat until onion is softened - about 5 minutes. Add broth, cream, pasta, and 1/2 tsp salt. Cover and bring to boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to med. low and simmer, stirring frequently until pasta is tender - about 15 minutes.
3. Off heat, stir in Parmesan and peas(I threw the peas in the microwave for a few minutes before adding) and season with salt and pepper.
4. Transfer to a pretty 2qt casserole dish and sprinkle with shredded cheese. Bake until cheese is melted and spotty brown- about 5 minutes
This is a rich Italian restaurant style meal. If you want a date night at home, I think it's a yummy (very fattening) meal. Add some Pugalese bread from Costco and a salad
From the kitchen of SARAH JANE :)

Crockpot Chicken

This is probably one of our most favorites of all time. It's quick and easy and very delicious! If you already have the recipe (I'm sure most of you do). Brook B.

Crockpot Chicken:
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 8 oz. pkg. cream cheese
1/2 c. butter or margarine
1 can cream of chicken soup
1/2 can of water
1/2-1 pkg.
Italian dressing seasoning

Boil chicken breasts until done, about 30 minutes. While chicken is cooking put cream cheese, butter, soup, water and seasoning in large crockpot. Set crockpot to high. When chicken is done add to sauce. Cook for 4-6 hours. Before serving, shred chicken and add back to sauce.We serve our's over penne noodles but I know some people serve it over rice. Add a salad and some garlic bread and you've got an awesome dinner. (Not WW friendly, sorry!)

Bingham Bars

(please excuse the yucky synthetic light picture of these treats. Kitchen lighting at night sucks!) My darling friend Jared's mother used to make them for him as a child. She got the recipe from his elementery school because he loved them so much. She passed away 5 years ago and he asked me to take her recipe and make these for him instead of a cake. (If any of you watch "The Office." let me just say that my boss calls me Angela.) So anyways- here is the recipe. TO DIE FOR. 5 points for one teeny square for you chubby chica's!

Bingham Bars

3/4 cup butter

1/2 cup sugar

2 cups brown sugar

3/4 cup peanut butter

2 eggs

2 tsp vanilla

3/4 tsp soda

1/4 tsp salt

1 1/2 cup flour

2 cups oatmeal.

Combine wet ingredients, then sift together dry and add them to wet mixture. Bake in largest pan you have at 350 for 10-15. Let bars cool then spread with peanut butter. Then spread chocolate frosting on top of peanut butter.

(I used creamy peanut butter- also.. I baked mine until they edges turned a tiny bit golden and then took them out. I liked them really gooey!)

ENJOY!

Honey-Lime Chicken Enchiladas

4 T. honey
3 T. lime juice
1 T. oil
2 tsp. chili powder
¼ tsp. garlic powder
1 can mild green enchilada sauce (I used a large can)
1-2 lbs. cooked chicken
shredded cheese
Flour or corn tortillas (flour is better in my opinion )
Mix honey, lime juice, oil, chili powder and garlic powder in a large bowl. Then add shredded chicken, mix well. Fill tortillas with chicken mixture, add cheese and roll up. Put a layer of enchilada sauce on the bottom of a 9x13 pan. Place enchiladas in pan and cover with remaining enchilada sauce. Bake covered about 30 minutes at 350. Sprinkle cheese on top and return to oven uncovered until cheese melts. (I bet the honey lime chicken would be great on soft tacos or on a salad.)
***Note to chubby chicas... I didn't use the shredded cheese on mine and it tasted great. Also, I doubled the honey lime sauce for extra flavor..I recommend it.
From the kitchen of SARAH JANE :)

This little piggy went to the market ...

Welcome to Pigs & Spice! Feel free to post your good recipes and ideas. Simple, complex - all are welcome.

In the right hand corner is the login and password. Everyone is more than welcome to post, as long as they are posting appropriately. I know it's kind of a pain to type in a recipe but I'm hoping in the long run this blog won't be a waste of time. Get typing!

p.s. If I post a recipe that I may have gotten from you, I'll try to give you credit. If I don't, feel free to stake your claim!

p.p.s. Still working on the whole design thing. If anyone really knows how to do this, let me know!

Pita Bread Chicken

So, this is pretty much your basic chicken salad - but stuffed inside these soft, thick pitas is pure heaven! I've made this dish a couple of times already this summer! Thanks Sarah Jane for the pita recipe! Enjoy! Oh, and I don't know how to take pictures of food so trust me when I say these looked good when we ate them! Lacey



Salad:
2 cups cooked chicken
1/2 cup diced celery
1/4 cup chopped green onions
2 hardboiled eggs (I usually forget to add these)
1 Tb. lemon juice
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
3/4 cup mayo

Combine and let sit in refrigerator.

Pita Bread:
2 cups flour
2 1/4 tsp. quick rise yeast
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/4 cup hot water
1-1 1/2 cups flour

Combine first four ingredients. Beat well about 1 minute. Mix in remaining flour using just enough to make a soft, not sticky dough. Turn out on floured board and continue to knead for 5 min.

Divide into 8 balls. Roll out each one to about 1/4 inch thick and 6 inch diameter. Place on a very lightly greased cookie sheet sprinkled with cornmeal.

Let rise in warm place for 25-35 minutes. Bake at 450 for 4 min. and then turn over for 4 more min. or until lightly brown. Wrap immediately in a dish towel for 3-4 min.

**These bad boys are perfect as they are, but to add a little something, throw some butter in a pan and lightly toast them . You won't be disappointed!