Overnight Chia Seeds with Greek Yogurt

I worked out for the first time in a LONG time today, and the whole way home all I wanted was, like, fifteen McDonalds hash browns. But, instead, I opted for my favorite post-workout/whenever snack--overnight chia seeds in Greek yogurt. It's super simple and a great way to get some yummy energy--even if you haven't worked out ;)

From a different recipe here, but similar appearance to this recipe

Ingredients:
3 Tablespoons Chia seeds (Winco has these in bulk, but you can usually find them in most stores around the quinoa/rice/gluten free stuff)
3/4 cup milk (skim, rice, soy, almond, any kind!)
Greek yogurt (I usually go with Walmart brand vanilla, it's my favorite right now)
Bananas, berries, nuts, or whatever else you want to top it with

Directions:
1. Mix chia seeds and milk. I prefer to use a BlenderBottle with the wisk in, that way it's already in a pourable container and you can mix any congealed clumps out before you pour.
2. Refrigerate over night.
3. Mix first thing in the morning. My only beef with making this recipe is that sometimes the seeds sink to the bottom before they can absorb enough milk. To combat this I will either start the recipe in the morning and shake throughout the day, just whenever I open the fridge. If I go this route, they're usually good to go by the evening or next morning. Or, more likely, I'll microwave the chia seeds and milk for 1 minute before putting it in the fridge (without the wire wisk!), and then mix before I go to bed as well.
4. Once the chia seeds have absorbed the milk (it should look like inflated little seeds with no loose milk), it's time to enjoy! The first time I tried the recipe I added only fruit, no yogurt, and it was still really great. This is a good dairy-free or lower calorie option. But personally, I like the sweetness and flavor the yogurt adds. I typically mix about 1/2 cup of yogurt with a couple tablespoons of the chia seed mixture (maybe 1/4 cup) and load on whatever fruit I have on hand!

Homemade Breadsticks

Baking bread is not my strong suit. Well, really anything which requires yeast to rise. So whenever I find a fail-proof recipe for breads, I rejoice! And this is definitely one of those times.

Picture from a different recipe here, but close
 to the same appearance as the ones I made

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp yeast

1 c. warm water

1 tsp salt

1 Tbsp oil

2 Tbsp sugar

2 1/2 - 3 1/4 c. flour

Directions:

1. Dissolve yeast in warm water, let sit for a couple minutes. 

2. Stir in oil, sugar, salt, and 1 cup flour. Mix until smooth. 

3. Add the rest of flour until it's not really sticky to the touch.

4. Knead or mix in mixer for 5 minutes. 

5. Put dough in a greased bowl, cover with a  towel and let rise in a warm spot for 30-45 minutes. 

6. Pinch off dough and roll out 12 breadsticks. 

7. Baste with melted butter and sprinkle a little garlic salt and parmesan cheese over breadsticks. 

8. Bake at 425 degrees for 12-15 minutes.

I made a couple of these without basting them with butter for my dairy-sensitive guy and they still tasted delicious! Don't forget to pair them with this delicious spaghetti sauce recipe!

Enjoy!

Not Your Mom's Spaghetti Sauce Recipe

I'll get a real picture in here after I cook this tonight, but for now,
this will do because I can't be the only one who feels like this, haha

I know spaghetti can be kind of boring, but this spaghetti sauce recipe is guaranteed to change your mind. It's a recipe that my mom came up with and finally passed along to me with measurements. My mom is an excellent cook but most of her recipes include "a little of this" and "just a bit of that," which as a non-cook/perfectionist, doesn't usually end well for me. We lived in Italy for awhile when I was a baby, and I like to think of this recipe as part of that legacy.

Also, pair this spaghetti with this homemade breadstick recipe my friend gave me (and a nice salad--or one from a bag, either way). You can thank me later.

Ingredients:

1 box of spaghetti noodles

1 lb ground beef (or turkey)

28 oz. diced tomatoes (plain)

14 oz. tomato sauce

2 Tbsp dried oregano

1/2 tsp fresh or dried basil

1/2 Tbsp garlic powder

2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

pinch of salt

Parmesan Romano shake cheese to top

Directions:

1. Brown meat, drain fat.

2. Add tomatoes, tomato sauce, oregano, basil, garlic power, olive oil, and salt. Let simmer uncovered for at least an hour, stirring occasionally. 

3. When the sauce is about done, cook spaghetti noodles according to package directions. Drain, combine if you'd like (my mom always serves them separate for some reason).

It's such an easy recipe, but so good. The key, really, is the simmering. Last time I made it I ended up starting it way too early so it simmered for over two hours and it was perfect. Obviously though, if you don't have that time, an hour will do. And, an hour is the perfect amount of time to make breadsticks! So no excuses! 

Stuffed Shells

These shells are so flavorful and filling. They're easy to make, but look impressive. My sister-in-law, Mary, made these for me years ago, and I have been making them ever since. She doesn't like recipes with a lot of ingredients, and this one only has six. (Hoping to get her on here soon!)

This is a versatile recipe, so feel free to add or subtract the amount of ingredients, according to how much you like them. I like to add extra ricotta, my kids like extra mozzarella, and my hubby likes extra tomato sauce. I'm a big fan of hidden veggies because my kids are really picky. Even though you can see the spinach in these, I still consider them hidden because the flavor of the sausage covers up the flavor of the spinach really well. If you can get your kids to try it, there's a great chance they'll like it!

Ingredients:

• 1 box Jumbo shells
• Jimmy Dean ground breakfast sausage - 1 hot, 1 mild (or both mild and add red pepper flakes)
• 4-6 oz ricotta cheese
• 2 cups mozzarella cheese
• 16 oz tomato sauce
• 1 cup frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry

Directions:

1. Bring water to a boil in a large pot. Add jumbo shells and cook according to the directions on the box.
2. Brown the sausage in a skillet (add red pepper flakes if desired), drain grease. I like to pat dry with paper towels too, to help get as much of the grease off as possible.
3. In a medium bowl, mix spinach and ricotta together, then mix in sausage.
4. Preheat oven to 250.
5. Pour tomato sauce in a baking dish, only enough to coat the bottom.
6. Spoon sausage mixture into shells, one by one, and place in the baking dish.
7. Pour remaining tomato sauce on top of shells.
8. Sprinkle with mozzarella
9. Heat in oven for 10-15 minutes, until sausage is warm and cheese is melted.

Serve with bread, salad, corn, or anything else that sounds good to you!

Taco Spaghetti

Last year for Christmas, my grandma got me a subscription to Taste of Home which is basically a cookbook magazine full of  simple, yummy recipes and lots of pictures. I have a hard time trying a new recipe if I can't see the final product, so I love that it's very visual. One of my latest finds has been a Taco Spaghetti recipe. I wasn't really sold on it at first, but we had most of the ingredients and it looks quick and easy. Well, we were all very pleasantly surprised! Not only was it as quick and easy as I thought it would be, but it was really tasty. Even though quite a few of the ingredients were canned, the flavors really came together with a lot more depth than I expected. It was delicious!!

Ingredients:

• 12 oz. uncooked spaghetti (I like to use the Barilla brand with veggies here just to add a bit more veggies and you really can't taste a difference at all--this is especially great for picky eaters who struggle with veggies)
• 1 lb. ground beef (I like to replace ground beef with ground turkey, turkey sausage, or ground chicken)
• 1 envelope taco seasoning (last time I made it with Jenny-O taco seasoned ground turkey so I just excluded this and the water)
• 3/4 cup water
• 1 can (15 oz.) black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 can (10 oz.) diced tomatoes and green chilies, undrained
• 1 can (15 oz.) sweet corn with no added salt, drained (this wasn't originally part of the recipe,but it was a good addition!)
• 2 cup (8 oz.) shredded Mexican cheese blend, divided
• 3/4 cup salsa

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350. Break spaghetti into thirds (or forths, I like forths, but to each his own); cook according to package directions for al dente.
2. Meanwhile, in a Dutch oven (or whatever), cook beef over medium heat 6-8 minutes or until no longer pink, breaking into crumbles; drain. Stir in taco seasoning and water; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Stir in beans, tomatoes, 1 cup cheese and salsa. Drain spaghetti; add to beef mixture and toss to combine. 
4. Transfer to a greased 13x9-in. baking dish. Bake casserole, covered, 20 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake, uncovered, 3-5 minutes longer or until cheese is melted. (Personally, I prefer to top with the remaining cheese right away and cook the whole thing uncovered for 25+ minutes until it is crispy).
5. Let stand 5 minutes before serving. Enjoy!!

My son has been sensitive to dairy since he was born so I make a small, separate dish for him without cheese, and it's not quite the same. He still enjoys it, but I would say the cheese definitely makes the meal. For a dairy-free alternative I would recommend finding a good dairy-free cheese substitute rather than forgoing the cheese.