Sugar snap peas with mushrooms and tomatoes

Sugar snap peas are one of those vegetables you don't think about very often. For me, it's in stir fries. It's one of those items that gives the extra crunch that is just awesome. I really enjoyed making this side dish. A little bit of cheese and the tomatoes really made it pop!

One thing that I really love about this recipe-no need for added salt or pepper! I'm really not much of a salt fan, so I usually don't put it on unless it's really necessary in a dish. Pepper, I do love, but there was enough different flavor concepts going on for this side that it wasn't needed!

Sugar snap peas with mushrooms and tomatoes-adapted from Fast & Healthy Cookbook by Pillsbury
Total time: 20 minutes
Serves 5

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 4 ounces mushrooms, sliced
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 3 cups frozen sugar snap peas
• 1/2 cup halved cherry tomatoes
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil leaves
• 1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese

In a large saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add mushrooms and garlic and cook for 3-5 minutes, stirring frequently, until tender. Remove from saucepan; place in a serving dish or on a plate and cover with tin foil to keep warm.

In the same saucepan, heat 1/3 cup water to boiling. Add sugar snap peas and return the pan to boiling. Cover and simmer 3-5 minutes or until peas are crisp-tender. Drain then return peas to saucepan.

Return the mushrooms withs garlic to the saucepan along with tomatoes and basil. Cook until warm. Spoon into a serving dish and sprinkle with cheese.

Raspberry Glazed Chicken

I don't know if I did something wrong, but I did not like this recipe. The sauce was just too sweet, and I don't think I'd make this again. If anyone gives it a try, let me know.

Raspberry Glazed Chicken-adapted from Fast & Healthy Cookbook by Pillsbury
Total Time: 30 Minutes
Serves 4

• 1/2 cup raspberry jam
• 1 1/2 teaspoons grated ginger
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 2 teaspoons canola oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 4 chicken thighs

Heat your grill. In a small bowl, beat raspberry jam, ginger, vinegar and soy sauce with wire whisk until well blended. Set aside.

In a large nonstick skillet, heat oil over high heat about 1 minute. Add onion; cook and stir about 2 minutes. Reduce heat to medium, continuing to cook and stir until onion is tender and dark brown. Reduce heat to low and stir in raspberry mixture. Cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and set aside.

Place chicken on grill over medium-high heat. Cover and cook 15-17 minutes, until juice of chicken is clear. Serve chicken  with onion-berry spread.

Spinach, Strawberry and Grapefruit Toss

Here is another fresh salad for this summer! I found out, from this recipe, that Scott nor I are the biggest fans of grapefruit. It's a little bit too tart for the two of us. This salad was relatively simple, and that may have been part of the reason I wasn't a huge fan.

Spinach, Strawberry and Grapefruit Toss-adapted from Pillsbury's, 'Fast and Health Cookbook'
Total Time: 25 Minutes
Serves 12

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/3 cup slice almonds
• 3 tablespoons honey
• Dash ground cinnamon
• 3 tablespoons lime juice
• 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 10 ounces fresh spinach leaves
• 1 pint fresh strawberries
• 1 grapefruit, peeled and sectioned

In a 6 inch skillet, heat 2 teaspoons oil over medium heat until hot. Add almonds; cook and stir until lightly browned. Add 1 tablespoon honey and cinnamon; cook and stir 1 to 2 minutes or until almonds are glazed and golden brown. Place aside to cool.

In a jar with a tight-fitting lid, shake remaining oil and remaining honey, lime juice, mustard, salt, cayenne pepper, and sugar until well blended.

In a large serving bowl, mix spinach, strawberries and grapefruit; top with dressing and toss to coat. Sprinkle with toasted almonds.

Light Chicken Wild Rice Soup

This definitely wasn't one of the best soups I've ever had, but I'd still make it again. It's great in the wintertime!

Light Chicken Wild Soup-adapted from Pillsbury's Fast and Healthy Cookbook
Total Time: 20
Serves 6

• 3 cooked chicken breasts, cut into 3/4 inch pieces
• 1 box fast-cooking long-grain and wild rice mix
• 2 cans fat free chicken broth
• 4 cups milk
• 3/4 cup flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons diced pimentos
• 1 tablespoon dry sherry

In a large saucepan, mix chicken, rice and broth. Heat to boiling. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer 5 to 10 minutes or until rice is tender.

In a small jar with tight fitting lid, shake 1 cup of the milk and flour until well blended.

Add flour mixture, remaining 3 cups milk, pimientos and sherry to rice mixture; cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until soup is bubbly and thickened.

Rush Hour Chili

It takes a lot to make chili great. This just doesn't have it. It is definitely "rush hour"--as in something quick you can make when you have a bunch of stuff and need to get dinner ready. Nothing extraordinary for the palate.

Rush-Hour Chili-Adapted from Pillsbury's Fast & Healthy Cookbook
Total Time: 20 Minutes
Serves 4

• 3/4 lb extra-lean (at least 90%) ground beef
• 1 can (15.5 or 15 oz) kidney beans, drained, rinsed 
• 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained
• 1 can (6 oz) tomato paste
• 2 cups cold water
• 2 teaspoons chili powder

In 3-quart nonstick saucepan or Dutch oven, cook beef over medium-high heat 5 to 7 minutes, stirring frequently, until thoroughly cooked; drain if necessary.Stir in remaining ingredients. Heat to boiling. Reduce heat to medium-low; cover and simmer 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until hot.

Pepper-Rubbed Steaks with Caramelized Onions

Steak is probably my all-time favorite food. This recipe was probably at the top of my favorites for sauteeing onions. They were very sweet, but it was a nice flavor (4/5)! The only thing I forgot was to buy mushrooms. Mushrooms would have made this even better. I love having mushrooms with my steak. I made this on the stovetop, but you can cook the steak however you prefer--but definitely try the onions!

Photo courtesy of Pillsbury.com

Pepper-Rubbed Steaks with Caramelized Onions - adapted from Pillsbury Fast & Healthy Cookbook

Total Time: 20 Minutes

Serves 4

• 1 large sweet onion, thinly sliced, separated into rings
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 to 1 teaspoon seasoned pepper blend
• 4 boneless beef strip steaks

Heat 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add onion; cook 3 to 4 minutes, stirring frequently, ust until it begins to brown. Stir in sugar and water. Reduce heat to medium low; cover and cook 6 to 8 minutes, stirring frequently, until onion is tender and golden. Remove from heat; stir in vingear.

Meanwhile, cook steak to desired doneness. Serve steak with onions.

Pork and Pineapple Stir Fry

One of our all-time favorite cookbooks is one my aunt gave me for Christmas a few years ago: Pillsbury Fast & Healthy Cookbook. Almost everything we've made from here has been delicious and turned into a meal we make at least once a month! I highly recommend it to anyone who wants to learn to cook-the recipes are easy and delicious.

But now to the recipe. This was a great recipe (4/5). The coleslaw mix really added something different to stir fry. It was sweet, but definitely not too sweet. The flavors mixed super well, and everything just ended up fantastic.

Pork and Pineapple Stir-Fry-adapted from Pillsbury Fast & Healthy Cookbook
Total Time: 20 Minutes
Serves 4

• 1 1/4 cups uncooked instant rice
• 1 3/4 cups water
• 4 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 can (20 ounces) pineapple chunks, drained, 2 tablespoons liquid reserved
• 3/4 boneless lean pork, cut into thin bite-size strips
• 1 bag (16 ounces) coleslaw mix (shredded cabbage and carrots)

Cook rice in 1 1/4 cups of the water as directed on package.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix 3 tablespoons of the brown sugar, cornstarch, ginger, pepper flakes, remaining 1/2 cup of water, soy sauce and reserved 2 tablespoons of pineapple liquid; set aside.

Heat 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add drained pineapple chunks; sprinkle with remaining 1 tablespoon brown sugar. Cook 5 minutes, turning chunks occasionally.

Remove pineapple from skillet; set aside. In same skillet, cook and stir pork over medium-high heat 2 minutes.

Add coleslaw mix; cook and stir 3 to 6 minutes or until pork is no longer pink in center and cabbage is tender.

Stir pineapple and cornstarch mixture into pork mixture; cook and stir about 3 minutes or until pork is glazed and sauce is slightly thickened. Serve over rice.