Sorry my "followers"

So I have been super busy with redoing the house we just bought, moving out of our apartment, and now rooming with my parents... so all that so say sorry foodies. Well, I have a great recipe I adapted and made last night and I will be sharing it shortly.  That picture is of my future kitchen! I can't wait. If you want to check it out click here!
Swift Mamas House Remodel

Baker's Chocolate & Mocha Sweethearts from kraftfoods.com

These are a bit of a commitment but they are so worth it!! If you are on Weight Watchers, this is NOT recommended. For the rest of us without willpower...it's your normal delicious brownie with a twist and my 2 cents... Enjoy!

 4 squares BAKER'S Unsweetened Chocolate
3/4 cup  (1-1/2 sticks) butter or margarine
2 cups sugar
4   eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup  flour
1/2 cup Suisse Mocha Café, or any other flavor
6 squares  BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Chocolate
1-1/2-inch heart-shaped cookie cutter
12 oz Cool Whip
HEAT oven to 350°F.
LINE 13x9-inch pan with foil, with ends of foil extending over sides. Spray foil with cooking spray.
MICROWAVE unsweetened chocolate and butter in large microwaveable bowl on HIGH 2 min. or until butter is melted; stir until chocolate is completely melted. Stir in sugar. Blend in eggs and vanilla. Add flour and flavored instant coffee; stir until well blended. Spread into prepared pan.
BAKE 30 to 35 min. or until toothpick inserted in center comes out with fudgy crumbs. (Do not overbake.) Cool completely. Use foil handles to remove brownie from pan; cut into shapes with 1-1/2-inch heart-shaped cookie cutter. (Reserve scraps for snacking or another use.) Melt semi-sweet chocolate as directed on package. Dip tops of brownie hearts in chocolate or get a spoon full and drizzle it on. That was easier for me. Refrigerate until chocolate is firm.
TOP with dollops of the Cool Whip to soften the sweetness of the brownie


Check out http://www.kraftrecipes.com/recipes/dessert/chocolate-center/Pages/chocolate-center.aspx for more yummy chocolate things like the easy 


Warm Chocolate Pudding Cake! http://www.kraftrecipes.com/recipes/warm-chocolate-pudding-cake-112458.aspx

Baked "Wally"

My hubby wants you to know that this is "Husband Approved..."  The pasta in this dish looks.. like Wally's eyes hence the name Baked "Wally" created by my 4 year old.  It's readlly good and bakes for 20 minutes so you have time to clean up the mess that you just made by cooking it!

Baked "Wally"
1 lb Mezzi Rigatoni (or whatever short pasta is in your cupboard at the time)
1 lb ground turkey (or whatever meat...)
2 big handfuls of Baby Spiniach (chopped)
1 package of mozzorella cheese shredded
1 jar store bought sauce (I used the 3 cheese Marinara from F and E )
1 can stewed tomatoes
1/2 - 1 cup Parmesan 
2 garlic cloves minced (I buy the pre-minced garlic at Costco in the jar)
salt and pepper
cayenne pepper-3-4 good shakes
a couple shakes of basil (I by the frozen basil at TJ that pops out like cubes and I used 3)
1. Heat oven to 375 and boil water for pasta and cook 1 min under recommended time. Put aside when cooked. 
2.Cook the ground turkey until browned with garlic, some pepper, cayenne, basil, salt. 
3. Turn to low heat and add chopped spinach to turkey and stir. 
4. Add stewed tomatoes and sauce and simmer for 2 minutes. 
5. Add cooked pasta and Parmesan. 
6. Put layer 1 of pasta mixture 1/3 cheese, repeat 2 more times topping with the cheese.
7. Cook for 20 minutes and enjoy!

Kielbasa-and-Onion Pizza

This is such a yummy and very quick homemade pizza! Serve with a mixed greens salad.

Kielbasa-and-Onion Pizza

 By: Sarah Zorn from Rachel Ray Magazine

INGREDIENTS:

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 

1/2 pound kielbasa, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced crosswise, use any smoked or precooked meat in place of the kielbasa.

2 onions, thinly sliced 

Salt and pepper 

1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, chopped (or dry if you don't want to buy it fresh)

1 pound refrigerated pizza dough (Fresh and Easy's whole wheat dough is SO good)

1 cup shredded gruyère cheese (about 4 ounces), or whatever cheese you want, I used mozz once and a Mexican blend another time

minced garlic

DIRECTIONS:

Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat to 500°. In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. Add the kielbasa and cook, stirring, until lightly browned, about 5 minutes; transfer to a medium bowl. Add the onions and garlic and remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil to the skillet and cook for 2 minutes. Lower the heat to medium-low, season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden-brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in the kielbasa and thyme and season with salt and pepper.

Stretch the pizza dough to fit a greased baking sheet. Arrange the kielbasa mixture evenly on top and sprinkle with the cheese. Bake until the crust is golden-brown, 15 to 20 minutes. Enjoy!

World Vision: Haiti Earthquake Relief

World Vision: Haiti Earthquake Relief

This is a really well know group to support the relief effort in Haiti!

Lettuce Wraps

These Lettuce Wraps were inspired by the samples at HB's 5 points Trader Joe's.  Elliott ate it that day and I was sold trying it for dinner. There is a main ingredient found there (General Tsao Stir Fry Sauce), but you can buy another wok sauce or comment me and I'll try to figure it out!

Lettuce Wraps

1 head of iceberg lettuce (washed and pulled into pieces)

1 lb ground turkey

1 TB Sesame oil

1 TB soy sauce

pepper

3/4  jar of Trader Joe's General Tsao Stir Fry Sauce

2 TB garlic minced (I buy this in a jar at Costco)

1 red bell pepper diced

2 zucchinis cut into 1/2 moons

2 carrots shredded

4 green onions diced

1 handful of cilantro chopped finely

Heat a large pan with Sesame oil and add ground turkey. Cook for 5 minutes and then add garlic, soy sauce, bell pepper, zucchini, and carrots. Cook all until veggies are softening, then add the sauce. Cook for 5 minutes and then add the cilantro and green onions. Simmer 5 minutes more. Put a scoop of meat and veggies in lettuce pieces and enjoy!

K's Stroganoff

So, since I didn't post a recipe last week... I'm going to do 2 this week! The 1st one is going to be a Stroganoff type pasta dish I made last week and my family loved. Now, I'm a look in the fridge and toss it in kinda cook so beware... Also, I don't measure unless I'm baking so I'll do my best!
 

K's Stroganoff 
*1 lb Fusilli (corkscrew-like pasta)  
*1 lb ground beef (or whatever you want) 
*1 tsp cayenne pepper  
*½ yellow onion minced  
*2 TB minced garlic  
*2 TB soy sauce  
*2 zucchinis (chopped small)  
*½ can stewed tomatoes  
*3 TB butter  
*½ cup flour  
*1 TB garlic powder  
*1 cup sour cream  
*½ cup Parmesan cheese  
*½ cup milk  
*½ cup pepper  
*½ jack cheese shredded  
*1 cup pasta water  
*pepper and salt 
Pasta: Boil a pot of water and add some salt for the pasta. Cook the past 1 minute under the suggested time and put aside (don’t forget to save some water).  
Meat: Sautee onion and then add the ground meat, cayenne pepper, soy sauce, & minced garlic. Cook until browned, add zucchini. Let them cook a bit and then add tomatoes. Cook for 5 minutes and take out of pan. 
Sauce: Use the same pan to melt the butter over medium heat (don’t let it burn). Add some flour to it and whisk until thick, then add some milk and whisk again. Add garlic powder and ½ the Parmesan- whisk. Add ½ cup pasta water whisk and add flour if it’s too thin. Add all the Parmesan and whisk in. Add Sour Cream & Jack Cheese. Put the pasta in the sauce and mix well then add the meat and veggies. Salt and pepper to taste.