RECIPE: NO WAY Rachel Ray!!!

My wife just made a Rachel Ray smoothie: "Super Strawberry Smoothie".  Hands down the recipe we usually use wins the taste test EVERY time.  Sorry Rachel.....you're show is cool, but this smoothie has GOT to go!!!  Cooking shows are cool and they look like experts, but does all the junk they make REALLY taste as good as they make it seem???

For once, I'd like to see a chef take a bite and go, "Blaahhhhh!!  That's sick!  Never mind, DON'T make this at home.  It's really nasty!"

OK, here's the recipe I use AND at the bottom is Rachel Ray's if you don't believe me...

STRAWBERRY - BANANA - ORANGE SMOOTHIE
by: Unknown

Servings: 1 very large or 3 small glasses
Time:  Less than 5 minutes. AWESOME!!!

Ingredients:
1c.  Orange Juice
1     Banana
8-9 Strawberries (frozen)
6oz Yogurt (Strawberry OR Strawberry-Banana)

Directions:
1.  Put all in a blender and push GO. 

TIPS:
- Put your frozen strawberries in LAST so they don't jam your blender.
- A variation is to use blueberry yogurt and add a few frozen blueberries.
- I've tried blueberry juice and it's pretty good, but OJ seems to be best overall.
- To increase servings add 1/2-1c. OJ and 1 banana.


(NOT-SO) SUPER STRAWBERRY SMOOTHIE
by: Rachel Ray

Servings: 1-2

Ingredients:
1c. Milk
1 Banana
6 Strawberries (frozen or fresh)
4oz. Low-Fat Strawberry Yogurt

Directions:
1. Put all in a blender and push GO.

WHERE DID RACHEL GO WRONG???
- DON'T use milk in a fruit smoothie....use fruit juice.  Right???
- I wouldn't use thawed strawberries.  Frozen fruit gives a better texture.

Recipe RAVE: Spaghetti Squash Spaghetti

Three words....YUM, HEALTHY, and EASY! 

If you've never tried this before, put 'spaghetti squash' on your next shopping list.  If you don't know what to look for, hunt for a yellow egg-shaped squash a bit smaller than a football.

SPAGHETTI SQUASH SPAGHETTI

By: Who Knows

It's too easy to give credit anyway....like giving credit for bread and butter; right?  But I will have to give Mrs. Denbow a big "thank you" for introducing me to it.

Serves: 4-5

Time: 25-30min

Ingredients:

1 - Spaghetti Squash

Spaghetti Sauce (same as regular spaghetti)

Cheese (parmesan, mozzarella)

Directions:

1.  In a large sauce pan w/ 3in sides, bring to boil 1.5-2 inches of water.

2.  Cut squash in half END to END & scoop out seeds.

3.  Place 1/2 of squash in boiling water face down for 15-20min. (see pic)

4.  Prepare sauce. (May need to start this earlier if it takes longer than Step 3).

5.  Remove squash (use a fork).

6.  Hold squash upright and scrape out squash. (see pic)

7.  Add sauce & eat! (see pic)

(Step 3)

(Step 6)



(Step  7)

NOTES: 

- You don't have to 'cover' when boiling the squash, but will alter cook time & temp a bit.

- Basically ALL but the rind is edible when scraping out middle after cooking; no wasting! :)

Recipe RAVE! Bet You Can't Eat Just One!

This is a YUMMY dessert that Tami (my wife) found in the Kraft Food & Family magazine (Summer '09 issue, pg.25).  If you have small kids, this is a great recipe everyone can enjoy making.  We'll be making this LOTS I think for years to come.

Cookies & Cream Pudding Pops

Prep: 10min + Freezing

Servings: 9

Ingredients:
1 pkg./box (3.9oz) Jell-O Chocolate Instant Pudding
2c cold Milk...as opposed to the warm kind??? Weird.
6-9 Oreo cookies
1/2c Cool Whip Whipped Topping thawed

9 Small Cups (like Dixie Cups). Plastic worked great.
9 Popsicle sticks (or plastic spoons)

Directions:
1. Beat pudding mix and milk in large bowl with whisk; 2min.
2. Place cookies in Ziploc bag; smash them up.
3. Add cookies and Cool Whip to pudding; stir until blended.
4. Spoon into 9 cups..
5. Insert Popsicle stick/spoon into each for a handle.
6. Freeze for about 5hrs or until firm.  Now eat 'em!

Don't worry about the leftovers....you'll figure out what to do with those when the kids hit the sack! :)  Good find babe!  A+.....again.  I think Isaac approves too!

Recipe RAVE! Delicious & EASY Fajitas!!!

You'll be putting this one in your cookbook for life....it's in ours and we LOVE it!

Grilled Chicken Fajitas

by: (I got this out of a Taste of Home magazine I think)

Serves: approx. 3-4 people

Ingredients:

2 Chicken Breasts (boneless)
3 Bell Peppers (green, red, yellow)
1 Onion (med-large)
BBQ Sauce
1 pkg. Flour Tortillas
Sour Cream
Cheese (Mexican Style fine shredded)

Directions:
1.  Cut onions and peppers into strips (1/4-1/2in wide) and marinade in BBQ sauce (at least 30min).
2.  Clean chicken breasts and marinade in BBQ sauce (in separate bag at least 30min).
3.  Turn grill on medium/medium-low.
4.  Place veggies in a cheap tin pie plate.
5.  Cook chicken & veggies in tin stirring occasionally until chicken is done and veggies are still a bit crisp.
6.  Cut chicken into thin strips.
7.  Heat tortillas in microwave until hot.
8.  Assemble fajitas (chicken, veggies, cheese, sour cream) and ENJOY!

Possible Side:
Chips & Salsa

Recipe RAVE! You GOTTA Try This Soup!

I really enjoy trying new recipes. I do cook and enjoy it when I do, but I'll have to give my wife some big brownie points for making some of these recipes I find. (Thanks babe, you ROCK!) OK, here it is! It's one of my favorites and VERY EASY! Let me know what you think.

Tortilla Soup
by: Kelly Siwek

1/2 lb Chicken Tenderloins - bonelesss
1 - 8oz can Tomato Sauce
1 3/4c Water
2tbsp Taco Seasoning Mix
1/4c Onion - chopped
1 - 16oz can Tomatoes - stewed (cut them up more)
1 - 16oz can Pinto Beans - drained

MUST HAVE Garnishes: Sour Cream / Frito Chips / Shredded Cheddar Cheesse

Directions:

1. In a large sauce pan, cook chicken & onion until chicken is done.

2. Remove chicken and shred with a fork.

3. Drain/Strain excess water from pan.

4. Add water, tomato sauce, stewed tomatoes, beans, shredded chicken, cooked onion, and seasoning mix to sauce pan.

5. Cover and simmer over medium heat for 20-30 minutes.

Serves 4 adults. It's a good leftover so I usually double it.