We love to eat!

Ryan and I are not eating any sweets or treats until May. We needed help losing weight because simply exercising wasn't enough. I'm happy to say the sacrifice is totally paying off so far and it's only been a week and a half! The other fun thing is that I'm finding myself feeling more free to make dinners I may not have made before this, since I'm not eating dessert afterwards... or junk throughout the day, for that matter. That may not make much sense, I know, but I tried to avoid certain types of meals because of the calories involved. One of those was this BBQ Chicken Braid (mostly because of the carbs). I made it last week and WOW it was good!! Especially eating it right out of the oven, and it being a crunchy roll on the outside and cheesy, BBQ goodness on the inside. :) Try it!

When I can eat sweets again, I am totally making this Chocolate Chip Cake as soon as possible. Holy cow, really, this cake is so good. I made it a few weeks ago for the missionaries and an investigator who came to dinner and everybody was asking for seconds! It was perfect with a scoop of vanilla ice cream with it.

I think most of us out there have had German Pancakes before, right? Some people call it by different names. But I bet you've never had it with veggies and ham and cheese on it (or maybe we're just behind)! My good friend Melanie posted this recipe for Savory German Pancakes on her recipe blog and we made it tonight. It was so yummy! I used 1% milk, whole wheat flour, a little ham, and lots of veggies (spinach, green onion, red pepper, tomato, and mushroom), so I felt it was a pretty awesome, healthy meal.

I can't go more than a week without making something mexican for dinner. It's so cheap, easy and forgiving. I've been making enchiladas for years and there really are a million different ways to make them. We personally prefer enchiladas that are stuffed full of veggies and beans and SOME cheese instead of just a little meat and TONS of cheese. I have recently gotten to the point where I've created a recipe on my own, just the way I like them. They're actually a cross between a burrito, a fajita, and an enchilada. :) It's never been written down because I mostly use whatever is in my fridge or pantry, but here is a good guess:

Saute 1/4 cup red onion, 1/4 cup green pepper and 1/4 cup red pepper in some oil for a few minutes.

Add a can of rinsed black beans, 1/2 cup of chopped spinach, 1/3 cup of frozen or canned corn, and some minced garlic.

You can also add some left-over shredded or diced chicken, or even some canned chicken ... but usually we go meatless ('cause it's cheap).

Pour in about 1/3 of a can of green enchilada sauce and at least 1/2 cup of your favorite salsa. You can also put in some canned green chilies and cilantro if you'd like.

I also add a cup or so of cooked brown rice (if it's leftover from something). Mix it all up in the pan until it's heated through.

Heat your oven to 400 degrees and spray a 9x13 pan. Fill tortillas with the mixture and some cheese (monterey jack, cheddar, etc) and roll up. Place them side-by-side in the pan, pour the rest of the green enchilada sauce evenly over them, and sprinkle with cheese to the point that you like it. Bake uncovered for about 20-25 minutes.

Happy cooking! Now go make your family something yummy.