2015 New Year New You

I am looking for 10 women who are DETERMINED to make 2015 their year! I AM going to reach my fitness goals in 2015 and I want 10 women to join me! If you have 10-30 pounds, or more like I do, want to feel better than ever, comment "I'm in" and I will send you a personal message with all the details.

Cassoulet

Recipe courtesy Kelsey Nixon

Total Time:

1 hr 35 min

Prep:

25 min

|

Inactive Prep:

--

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Cook:

1 hr 10 min

Level:

Easy

Yield:

4 to 6 servings

INGREDIENTS

• 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 8 ounces loose or bulk hot Italian sausage
• 8 ounces slab bacon, cut into lardons (chunks)
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 3 medium carrots, diced unpeeled
• 2 stalks celery, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, smashed
• 1 medium zucchini, diced
• 1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes

• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
• 1 teaspoon torn fresh rosemary leaves 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth or stock
• 3 cans (15.5-ounce) cannellini beans, drained and rinsed or 8 ounces dried cannellini beans, cooked
• 2 pieces duck confit leg and thigh, optional
• 1 cup bread crumbs
• 3 tablespoons butter, melted
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. 

In a large Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium-heat. Add the Italian sausage and bacon to brown on all sides breaking up with the back of a wooden spoon, about 10 minutes. Remove all but 2 tablespoons fat. Add the onion, carrots, celery, and garlic and saute briefly, just until fragrant scraping up any browned bits. Add the zucchini, diced tomatoes, thyme, rosemary, chicken broth, and canned or cooked cannellini beans. Bring the mixture to a simmer. Add the duck confit. Remove the Dutch oven from the stovetop and place in a 350 degree F oven for 30 minutes remove and sprinkle the bread crumbs and place back in the oven for another 10 minutes or until golden brown. 

Cassoulet Variation: 
Cajun Cassoulet: Use Andouille sausage and chicken as meat varieties. Replace the thyme and rosemary with 1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning. Substitute the cannellini beans for red beans.

© Recipe courtesy Kelsey Nixon

Chicken Tortilla Soup

Chicken Tortilla Soup

Prep Time:

 10 Minutes

 

Cook Time:

 1 Hour30 Minutes

 

Difficulty:

 Easy

 

Servings: 8

Courtesy: The Pioneer Woman

Ingredients

• 2 whole Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts
• 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
• 1-1/2 teaspoon Cumin
• 1 teaspoon Chili Powder
• 1/2 teaspoon Garlic Powder
• 1/2 teaspoon Salt
• 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
• 1 cup Diced Onion
• 1/4 cup Diced Green Bell Pepper
• 1/4 cup Red Bell Pepper
• 3 cloves Garlic, Minced
• 1 can (10 Oz. Can) Rotel Tomatoes And Green Chilies
• 32 ounces, fluid Low Sodium Chicken Stock
• 3 Tablespoons Tomato Paste
• 4 cups Hot Water
• 2 cans (15 Oz. Can) Black Beans, Drained
• 3 Tablespoons Cornmeal Or Masa
• 5 whole Corn Tortillas, Cut Into Uniform Strips Around 2 To 3 Inches
•  _____
•  FOR THE GARNISHES:
•  Sour Cream
•  Diced Avocado
•  Diced Red Onion
•  Salsa Or Pico De Gallo
•  Grated Monterey Jack Cheese
•  Cilantro

Preparation Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Mix cumin, chili pepper, garlic powder, and salt. Drizzle 1 tablespoon olive oil on chicken breasts, then sprinkle a small amount of spice mix on both sides. Set aside the rest of the spice mix.

Place chicken breasts on a baking sheet. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until chicken is done. Use two forks to shred chicken. Set aside.

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a pot over medium high heat. Add onions, red pepper, green pepper, and minced garlic. Stir and begin cooking, then add the rest of the spice mix. Stir to combine, then add shredded chicken and stir.

Pour in Rotel, chicken stock, tomato paste, water, and black beans. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Simmer for 45 minutes, uncovered.

Mix cornmeal with a small amount of water. Pour into the soup, then simmer for an additional 30 minutes. Check seasonings, adding more if needed---add more chili powder if it needs more spice, and be sure not to undersalt. Turn off heat and allow to sit for 15 to 20 minutes before serving. Five minutes before serving, gently stir in tortilla strips.

Ladle into bowls, then top with sour cream, diced red onion, diced avocado, pico de gallo, and grated cheese, if you have it! (The garnishes really make the soup delicious.)

Holiday Survival 10 Day Challenge

Get support during this "Sweet Treat Frenzy" time of year. Learn daily helpful hints to stay on track with your weight loss and not lose control to temptation. Get daily fitness in with squats and push ups. This challenge begins December 15 and ends on Christmas Eve. Message me if you would like to join this challenge.

Candy Cane Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

Ingredients

• ½ cup vegetable oil
• 4 squares unsweetened baking chocolate
• 2 cups sugar
• 4 eggs
• 2 tsp. vanilla
• 2 cups flour
• ½ tsp. salt
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• ½ - 1 cup powdered sugar
• 3 finely crushed candy canes

Instructions

1. Melt chocolate in microwave. Stir in the oil.
2. In a mixer bowl, mix chocolate and oil mixture with sugar.
3. Mix in eggs till well blended.
4. Add other ingredients (except powdered sugar and 
5. candy canes) and mix till well blended.
6. Refrigerate for several hours.
7. Stir powdered sugar and crushed candy canes
8.  together in small bowl.
9. Use small Pampered Chef cookie scoop or teaspoons
10.  to drop dough into powdered sugar mixture, 
11. one at a time.
12. Roll each one to cover in powdered sugar.
13. Bake on greased cookie sheet or parchment 
14. paper covered cookie sheet at 350 degrees for 9 minutes.

Notes

Instead of baking chocolate, you can substitute
3 Tbs. cocoa and 1 Tbs. vegetable oil for each square of chocolate.

Microwave Caramel Popcorn

1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup corn syrup
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp baking soda
3-5 quarts popped popcorn
1 large paper grocery sack

Bring sugar, butter, and syrup to a boil. Boil 2 minutes on high in microwave. Stir in soda and vanilla. Put popped popcorn into the paper grocery sack. (If you have a small microwave, you may have to make this recipe in two batches, to allow space for a smaller paper sack). Pour over popcorn. Fold over the paper sack. Cook in the brown bag for 4 1/2 minutes. Shake every 30 seconds. Pour onto parchment paper to cool. 

Courtesy of: My mom Bonnie Church who would make this caramel corn when I was a kid!