Homemade Thin Mints

Alright, so who doesn't love girl scout cookies?! Well here is a homemade version of Thin Mints that turns out pretty good from Averie Cooks! It only requires four ingredients and no baking involved, does it get better than that?! This recipe will probably take you no longer than 15 minutes. It's best when you let the cookies sit in the fridge or freezer for a little bit to allow the chocolate to set and I like them best when they are cold; it makes a big difference! Enjoy!

Sorry they aren't the prettiest looking cookies! I'll do better next time:)

Homemade Thin Mints

Ingredients:

• 18 Ritz crackers
• 1 C semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1 Tbsp vegetable shortening (keeps chocolate smooth)
• 3/4 tsp peppermint extract (give or take)

Directions:

1. Line baking sheet with wax paper. 
2. In a shallow microwave-safe bowl, combine chocolate chips and shortening and heat on high for 1 minute then stir. Continue to heat for 10 seconds at a time, stirring between heating, until melted. 
3. Add peppermint to melted chocolate (add slowly until you reach your desired peppermint taste).
4. Add 1 cracker to melted chocolate, coat it, and remove to wax paper. Continue coating with all crackers. Place in fridge or freezer until chocolate is set.

Source: Adapted from Averie Cooks

Cauliflower Pizza

I LOVE PIZZA! I cant say it enough, it is just sooo good! I have been trying to be healthier in my diet though and pizza usually doesn't fit the description as "healthy". So the other night I thought I would try to mix things up a bit and try a cauliflower pizza crust since I loved the cauliflower Alfredo sauce the other week! It turned out great; this is definitely a good gluten free version of pizza and it is pretty simple. I will admit that if you can have the real stuff then it is better but for a healthier alternative this ain't bad either:)

Riced Cauliflower

Cauliflower Pizza

Ingredients:

• 2 C riced cauliflower
• 1 C shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1 C grated Parmesan cheese
•  2 eggs
• 2 tsp Italian seasoing
• 1 tsp crushed garlic
• 1 tsp salt
• pizza sauce & toppings of your choice

Directions:

1. To rice cauliflower, cut florets into chunks and place in food processor until you see rice-like bits. Make sure you don't over process, you don't want it mushy. *One large head of cauliflower makes about 3 cups.*
2. Microwave the riced cauliflower in bowl for about 5 mins (don't need to add water).
3. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Spray cookie sheet with non-stick spray.
4. In a medium bowl, combine riced, cooked cauliflower, eggs, and cheese. Then add Italian seasonings, crushed garlic and salt. Once mixed well, then place mixture on cookie sheet and pat out a round pizza crust. 
5. Bake @ 450 degrees for 15 mins. It's ok if it looks dark on the edges, it wont taste burnt.
6. Add sauce, cheese, and toppings to your pizza. Place pizza under broiler until cheese is melted.

SWIG Sugar Cookie Copycat

So I have always wanted to try SWIG cookies from St. George but have yet to do so. Andrew and I even went down to St. George for his work but we were only there for about 20 mins and then headed straight back home (some great road trip, huh?) so we didn't end up getting any. After we got back home I found this copycat recipe, and they are awesome sugar cookies! 

I think my favorite part is the sour cream frosting, the sour cream adds a little tart-ness to the sugary goodness. I agree with Vintage Revivals, where I got the recipe, these cookies are best right after you take them out of the fridge when they are cold! 

To get the recipe go to Vintage Revivals. Give them a try, it's worth it!

Lasagna Soup

So this soup turned out great! I was looking for a low-cal meal and I found this. It was delicious and new; Andrew and I loved it. According to the Dean Bros this soup is only 225 calories for 1 Cup. Thanks Dean Bros for the great recipe! If you want to add a spice kick to your soup, use tomato sauce that comes with diced green chilies, that is what I used and I liked it (surprisingly!). 

Lasagna Soup

Ingredients:

• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1/2 lb ground beef
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 green bell pepper, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 (32-ounce) container chicken broth
• 1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce (optional: w/ diced green chilies)
• 1 (14.5-ounce) can petite diced tomatoes
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 4 ounces broken whole-wheat lasagna noodles (about 4-5 noodles)
• 2 tablespoons dried basil
• 3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 Cup reduced-fat shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions:

1. Heat oil over medium-high heat in a large nonstick sauce pot. Add in beef, onion, bell pepper, and garlic. Cook over medium-high heat. Stir occasionally, until beef is browned, 8-10 mins. 
2. Add the broth, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, and salt. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and let simmer. Stirring occasionally for 20 minutes. 
3. Add the noodles, bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until soup thickens and noodles are tender, ~15 minutes. 
4. Remove from heat, stir in mozzarella, basil, and Parmesan. 

Source: Adapted from the Deen Bros.

Garlic Parmesan Mashed Potatoes

Here is a quick easy side! These garlic mashed potatoes are fast and don't take much work, so when looking for something easy and filling go with these! 

Garlic Parmesan Mashed Potatoes

Ingredients:

• 2.5 lb red potatoes
• 1/2-1 C fresh grated Parmesan cheese 
• 4 garlic cloves. leave whole
• half stick of butter
• 8 oz sour cream

Directions:

1. Wash and quarter potatoes. Leave skins on.
2. Add potatoes and whole garlic cloves (peeled) to pot of salted water. Bring to boil, cook until soft. 
3. Drain potatoes, return to pot (including garlic). Add butter, sour cream, and Parmesan.  
4. Mash potatoes with masker, they should be chunky!

Source: Adapted from Queen Bee Coupons

Pan-Fried Asparagus

I am trying to add more veggies into my diet but I like to add a little extra flavor to me vegetables so that I don't get sick of the same old vegetables. When looking for veggies recipes I stumbled on this Pan-Fried Asparagus on All Recipes. It's simple and quick and when cooked just right it tastes amazing. Maybe this recipe can help spice up your ordinary asparagus into a delicious somewhat healthy side dish.

Pan-Fried Asparagus

Ingredients:

• 1/8-1/4 C butter
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 lb fresh asparagus, trimmed

Directions:

Melt butter in pan over medium high heat. Add in olive oil, salt, and pepper. Cook garlic in butter for a minute, do not brown. Add asparagus, and cook for 10 minutes, turning asparagus to ensure even cooking. 

Source: Adapted from All Recipes: recipe by Kim. 

Ranch Roasted Red Potatoes

Looking for a great, easy, quick side dish? Look no further. Ranch red potatoes requires only 4 ingredients and takes less than 10 minutes of prep time. We served our potatoes last night with crockpot pot roast and gravy. This combo was great; I didn't have to do much cooking or use much cooking equipment to get a awesome meal in return.

Combine potatoes, ranch seasoning, olive oil, and salt. Make sure potatoes are well coated.

Pour potatoes onto baking sheet, spread out evenly.

Bake in oven for 20-25 mins till soft. 

Ranch Roasted Red Potatoes

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs red potatoes, washed & quartered
• 1 packet Ranch dry seasoning mix
• Olive oil
• 1 tsp salt

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
2. In a large bowl add potatoes and drizzle with a little olive oil. Add in ranch dressing mix and salt. Toss until well coated (I used a bowl with a lid, and shook the bowl until well coated).
3. Line baking sheet with foil (I would still spray the foil with cooking spray). Pour potatoes onto the baking sheet and spread out potatoes evenly.
4. Bake in oven until potatoes are cooked through, and edges start to turn dark brown, approximately 20-25 minutes. (Pierce one of the larger pieces of potato with a fork to see if it is soft).
5. Serve hot. 

Source: The Girl Who Ate Everything