"CATS TEXAS STYLE NEW YEARS BRUNCH"

Hey everyone....hope you are having a wonderful Holiday season. It's already New Years Eve and I don't know about you but 2017 flew by for me. I just had a wonderful Christmas with my family and feeling blessed for the time that we shared together. I wanted to share my family tradition that I make for New Years brunch but have to day it's so delish that I make it all the time. It's a great casserole dish to take to a pot luck or any type of gathering. Fast & easy to do. You can substitute the milk and cheese to make a low calorie casserole as well. I hope you enjoy the "smell" your kitchen has while it's baking. If you have "over nighter's" for the holidays this is an amazing smell for them to wake up too. Wish I had a pic to share but it never lasts that long to take one! Wishing everyone a safe and blessed new year!

Blessings from my Home to Yours,
Cat
cmhdesigns2@yahoo.com
ihearditthroughthequilt-vine.blogspot.com

Ingredients:
1 pkg. fresh or frozen tamales (10-12) beef or pork
1 10 oz. can of Rotel ( I use mild)
1/2 cup milk ( I use low fat)
6 medium fresh eggs
1 8 oz. pkg. shredded Fiesta Blend Cheese

This is all you do..
Spray a large casserole dish.
Layer tamales in dish (remove husks) not that I've forgotten before :-)
Mix well milk, eggs & Rotel thoroughly and pour over tamales

Bake at 375* for approximately 25-30 minutes or until eggs are cooked  (ovens vary)
Remove and sprinkle grated cheese on top and bake just until cheese is melted
Cut and serve with a dollop of sour crème if desired.
Note:...I don't add any other seasoning due to the spices already in the tamales and the spices in the can of Rotel. Add more seasoning if you desire. This is also a great "left over lovin" breakfast to use up those extra tamales when entertaining. The smell is amazing! Enjoy!

I will be posting Healthy Recipes this upcoming year....so follow along ... still have some weight to "remove" but feeling and doing better. "Power of Prayer". If you're a quilter follow my blog above for some fast ideas this coming year!

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'SNOWFLAKE SANDWICH 4 SANTA"

Hey everyone...have to say last night these sandwiches were a hit at our Church Christmas dinner. I loved seeing the kids face when they saw the sandwiches...and adults too! Sometimes it is the little things in life that bring joy during the holidays. Well...this morning I had an extra loaf of bread so had to come up with a "Christmas Magic Time Saver". I will be having family & friends for the holidays so time saving tips are important but still keeping the Christmas cheer! This is also a fun Christmas project to do with kiddos..Great tips below for leftover bread as well.  Seriously, what "Santa" wouldn't love to eat a Peanut Butter and Nutella sandwich! Christmas Blessings!

Blessings from our Home to Yours,
Cat
cmhdesigns2@yahoo.com
www.ihearditthroughthequilt-vine.blogspot.com

Snowflake Sandwich
*Spread Peanut Butter on one slice of bread then Nutella on other
*Sandwich together and cut with snowflake cookie cutter or your favorite shape
Tip:...Use a hard surface and push down hard to cut the image easier. Use a sharp knife to trim bread      if needed.

"Make ahead Christmas Magic Time Saver"
Use your left over bread and cut out your snowflakes....using parchment paper in between each slice of bread and freeze in a quart size bag (depending on shape it will hold about 6 to a bag).
For that Fun Christmas Breakfast remove and let partially thaw and make Christmas cinnamon toast...French toast....peanut butter sandwiches for a quick and healthy sandwich for the kiddos etc.
* Save your scraps and place in a freezer bag and use later for Bread pudding....breakfast casserole...stuffing etc. Endless possibilities!
                                                                     

Cats "HEARTY 3 BEAN SOUP-3 WAYS"

Hey everyone....hope all is well and hopefully enjoying a restful labor day weekend. Well it's a beautiful Sunday morning and if you've been following me lately, it's a day that I "give-up" something that I truly love to help me loose weight. I decided yesterday (at my grandsons Lego birthday party) that it would be pizza (if it's not my own healthy pizza/gluten free pizza) I wanted to have the majority of my weight off by September and I am only down 11 pounds. I look as it as that's one 10 pound sack of potatoes that's off my body! Sometimes ya just need to laugh! I've been cooking/eating healthy, exercising and it's still a journey. I'm even "tweaking" my own recipes and making them "healthy-r". This bean soup recipe has been a staple in my home for years. In fact, we eat it all year round! I've done some "tweaking" and you can't tell the difference at all. It's "healthy-r" and so fast and versatile to incorporate leftovers into another meal. Hope you enjoy!

"Blessed Cooking from my Home to Yours"
Cat
cmhdesigns2@yahoo.com
ihearditthroughthequilt-vine.blogspot.com

Ingredients...
1 pound lean ground Turkey
1 Bell pepper (chopped)
1/2 Red onion (diced)
2-3  cups Low sodium Chicken Broth
1 (10 oz) can mild Rotel (do not drain)
1 15oz. Bush's black beans (rinse/drained)
1 15 oz. Bush's great Northern beans (rinse/drained)
1 16 oz. Bush's Pinto beans (rinse/drained) yes I am a Bush's fan!
1 8 oz.Tomato Paste (Basil, garlic, oregano)
2 Tb. Tomato Paste
Seasonings...taco seasoning, garlic powder, chili powder, dry ranch dressing

Ground meat, bell pepper, onion in large pan seasoned with 1-2 Tb Taco seasoning and 1 Tb garlic powder.
Drain excess grease and add Tb. Tomato Paste. Blend well.
Add Chicken Broth, Rotel, all drained Beans, tomato sauce....combine well
Season with 1 tsp..Chili powder, 1 Tb. 2 Tb. Taco Seasoning and 2 Tb. dry Ranch Dressing
Blend well and simmer 30 minutes stirring occasionally. Hint...longer it simmers the better the flavors have a chance to incorporate.
Serve with cornbread if desired.

Tips....recipe freezes well and you can easily double for a large crowd.

*Healthy Tortilla Soup.....serve soup as above with crumbled Healthy Tortilla Chips on top!
*Healthy Chicken Tortilla Soup....prepare soup as above but before you simmer ADD 1 cup of cooked shredded Chicken then simmer for 30 minutes. Add more Chicken Broth if needed.
Dollop with some "fat-free sour crème and sliced avocados....makes a pretty presentation when serving for guests.
hint....I love to buy a rotisserie chicken if I'm in a rush or having a busy week. I shred it up and divide in freezer containers to combine in my soups and when I'm doing enchiladas or casseroles.

Hope you enjoy and wish me luck on my "weight loss journey"
More healthy recipes coming soon!

"PRAYERS FOR TEXAS"

Hey everyone....hope all is well. Been very blessed with how I live in Texas and was not affected by the hurricane. Sometimes we take for granted of how blessed we are until we see the horrific news that's happening right around us. We've had a lot of rain and some winds but nothing flooded. Please continue to pray for Texas. I met a lady yesterday that had knee surgery right before Harvey hit and she had to evacuate her coast home without pain meds. I can definitely relate to surgeries and being in pain. My heart goes out to all through out this difficult time. Prayers to all.
I will be posting some new healthy recipes soon that has helped me shed a few pounds. Also, if you are a quilter...follow along on my blog below for some "Spook-tacular Halloween projects"

Blessings from our Home to Yours.
Cat
email...cmhdesigns2@yahoo.com
www.ihearditthroughthequilt-vine.blogspot.com
Facebook....I heard it through the quilt-vine

"GLUTEN FREE RUSTIC ITALIAN PIZZA"

Hey....hope you had fun making the pizza dough. What a fun recipe to make with your kids as well.
The recipe is half pepperoni and spinach....but I am sure any combo would work great. Hope you enjoy & let me know your versions as well.

While pizza is warm...spread half can of tomato paste (basil/garlic/oregano) flavored.
*Spread homemade pesto sauce (in food processor combine fresh basil/oregano/garlic powder and olive oil just until moistened)....I will be sharing a time saving garden tip in my weight loss journal ;-)
*Sprinkle 1 cup Italian Style grated cheese (blend of shredded low fat mozzarella cheese, parmesan cheese, mozzarella cheese, provolone, parmesan Romano, Fontana and Asiago cheese....need I say more! or simply use your favorite fat free cheese.
*Layer 1/2 pepperoni slices (I use turkey) and other half baby spinach topped with your garden sliced tomatoes.
*Sprinkle parmesan cheese on top (I use Frigo found in the deli)
Bake an additional 10-15 minutes or until your toppings are cooked. Watch carefully due to oven temps vary.
Enjoy!

"Blessings from my Home to Yours"
Cat

GLUTEN FREE PIZZA DOUGH

Hey everyone.....hope all is going well. Life has been a bit crazy on my end but as God always says...."He never closes one door without opening another". I've been on a mandatory weight loss by my sweet doc and needless to say a cooking blog has been a bit difficult for me. I've virtually had to re-vamp....re-purpose & re-think my recipes. Don't get me wrong....I still love butter....just a different amount these days! Due to my ankle injury in '07, I've had limitations to exercising and was extremely frustrated. Last year my sweet daughter Nichole gave me the best advice...."Mom make a journal...when you write down what you do and don't do, it becomes a reality and you can visually correct your mistakes." I seriously don't know what I would do without her. She has always been my strength and I hope I am hers as well.
As usual...I started out the New Year doing great....started and exercise routine that I could actually do with my "fused ankle". Thank God no one sees me exercising 'cause it's a bit funny at times. I slowly cut back on some things and I thought I was on the right path. I went to the doc in March and all you know what broke loose. I have a hard time admitting this but was 50 lbs. (when you abbreviate that word it doesn't hurt so much...just saying) "over the limit"....another way to word things so it doesn't hurt so much! My doc ran probably every blood test available and we came to the conclusion that my body doesn't digest sugar (Glucose intolerance). Oh my word...that crushed me.....it's only controlled by diet. I literally came home and threw out "mostly" everything I wasn't supposed to eat. When back early April for a follow up and wasn't too much of a change on the scale. So after a heart to heart conversation with my sweet doc, I decided to actually listen to him and do the right thing.
April of this year, on Easter day to be exact, I decided to start my "weight loss journal". I knew I couldn't do it alone so I recruited God as my "weight loss coach". This might sound odd but when you read my journal once my weight is off....you will see that every Sunday with Gods help, I give up something that I seriously love to eat. From April to now I have lost 11 pounds. My blood is better and I feel more energetic with my dietary change. I am not diabetic but cutting back on sugar was a huge success. I also found that I do better with Gluten Free products. Needless to say, I love pizza...making it...eating it...you name it...and this is one thing I did have to make healthy to keep in my diet. You would be surprised of how many products you already have in your cabinet are gluten free....cereals, etc. Gluten free items are a bit more to buy so needless to say I have been very "experimental". I have been testing/re-vamping recipes for the past couple of months and this is one that I cannot wait to share....it will definitely be repeated in my "Weight Loss Journal" and who knows what all I will come up with using this great tasting Gluten Free Pizza dough.  As always....thanks for letting me share my story and wish me luck on this long weight loss journey!

Blessing from my Home to Yours,
Cat

                 "GLUTEN FREE PIZZA DOUGH" W/HOMEMADE PESTO SAUCE"

2 cups Gluten Free all purpose flour
1 pkg.active dry yeast
1 tsp. salt
2 TB.. sour crème (low fat)
1 1/2 TB melted butter
2 TB extra virgin olive oil (I use smooth)
1 cup warm water
*Combine flour, yeast, salt in large mixing bowl. Blend well.
Add sour crème, butter, olive oil and warm water....mix evenly and using hands combine and form dough into a ball. Place in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap and let rise for about 30-40 minutes.
*Here's the trick to the dough....cut a large piece of parchment paper and drizzle a TB of olive oil on it and sprinkle Italian Seasoning on the parchment paper. This will give your crust a unique flavor. Lay your dough ball on top and gently spread on the olive oil....flip and gently spread out....starting at center and gently form crust into the pizza size you desire. Lay parchment paper w/ dough on pizza pan.
*Bake at 450* for about 10-15 minutes (ovens vary) crust will be golden brown.
Remove and continue with my "Rustic Italian Pizza" or prepare one of your favorite recipes.