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Pizza Rice with Glen ‘Big Baby’ Davis

Pizza Rice

Watch me make Pizza Rice (recipe below) with basketball star, Glen ‘Big Baby’ Davis. It was so much fun, and I assure you that kids of all ages, from 2 to 82, will love to dig in to this delicious side dish or vegetarian main dish!

Pizza Rice from my The New Holly Clegg Trim & Terrific Cookbook

Rice and pizza team up to make a child’s dream team. Use for a main or a side dish; either way, it’s a hit.

Makes 4-6 servings

1 (14 1/2-ounce) can diced tomatoes with juice

1 (.7-ounce) package Italian salad dressing mix

4 cups cooked rice

1 cup shredded part-skim Mozzarella cheese

1. In medium nonstick pot, combine the tomatoes with the Italian dressing, stirring until mixed and well heated.

2.  Stir in the cooked rice, and cheese. Cook over a low heat until well heated and the cheese is melted, 3- 5 minutes. Serve.

Nutritional information per serving

Calories 205, Protein (g) 8, Carbohydrate (g) 35, Fat (g) 3, Calories from Fat (%) 15, Saturated Fat (g) 2, Dietary Fiber (g) 2, Cholesterol (mg) 11, Sodium (mg) 599 Diabetic Exchanges: 0.5 lean meat, 2 starch, 1 vegetable

Pizza Rice with Glen ‘Big Baby’ Davis

Burger Cake

My friend called the other day and said she was making a cake for her 6-year-old nephew’s birthday party. She was stumped on what kind of cake to make because she needed something fairly easy that wasn’t loaded in icing, and would WOW children and adults. I sent her my Burger Cake recipe because I knew it was the perfect cake for his party. She said she had a lot of fun making the cake and that it was the talk of the party! It was a conversation piece for the adults, and the kids thought it was so cool! If you have a party coming up definitely try the Burger Cake and be prepared for all of the praise you’ll get!

Burger Cake from The New Holly Clegg trim&TERRIFIC Cookbook

This cake will be the “talk of the party.”  The yellow cake layer represents the bun, the brownie layer serves as the burger, and the yellow whipped topping makes a great mustard.  Kiwi becomes the lettuce and pickles, while strawberries stand in for tomatoes. You’ll be using easy cake mixes, so don’t let the length of this recipe intimidate you.

BURGER CAKE

Makes 20 servings

Yellow Cake Layer

1 (18.25-ounce) package Shurfine yellow cake mix
3 Shurfresh egg whites
1 Shurfresh egg
2 tablespoons Shurfine canola oil
1 1/3 cups water
1 cup Shurfine confectioners’ sugar
2-3 tablespoons Shurfresh skim milk
1 (9-inch) round Brownie Layer (recipe follows)
1 envelope whipped topping mix
1/2 cup Shurfresh cold milk
1 teaspoon yellow food coloring
1 1/2 cups sliced strawberries
4 kiwis, peeled and thinly sliced
1/4 teaspoon poppy seeds
 
1. Prepare Yellow Cake Layer:  Preheat oven to 350°F.  Coat two 9-inch round cake pans with nonstick cooking spray.
2. In large mixing bowl, beat together cake mix, egg whites, egg, oil and water until well mixed.  Pour batter into prepared pans.  (You’ll need only one yellow layer for this recipe-save remaining batter for another use like cup cakes).
3. Bake 25-30 minutes or until the top springs back when touched.  Cool layers in pan on wire rack 10 minutes, then turn onto wire racks to cool.
4. To assemble, when cake has cooled, split layer in half into two 9-inch rounds with long, serrated knife.  Place bottom half on serving plate.
5. In small bowl, mix together confectioners’ sugar and enough milk to form spreading consistency.  Spread half of mixture on top of yellow cake layer. Top with cooled Brownie Layer.
6. In mixing bowl, beat together whipped topping mix, cold milk, yellow food coloring until topping is very thick, forms peak. Spread remaining half of confectioners’ sugar mixture on top of brownie layer to help the next layer of fruit stay in place.
7. Cover with sliced strawberries and kiwis. Top with whipped topping mixture, making sure that fruit is showing on all sides. Carefully place remaining half of yellow cake layer on top of fruit and whipped topping.  Sprinkle with poppy seeds and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Brownie Layer

1 (18.25-ounce) package Shurfine brownie mix
1/3 cup Shurfine canola oil
1/4 cup water
2 Shurfresh eggs

1. Brownie Layer:  Preheat oven to 350°F.  Coat 9-inch round cake pan with nonstick cooking spray.
2. In large mixing bowl, beat together brownie mix, oil, water, and eggs until well mixed.  Pour batter into prepared pan, bake 25-30 minutes or until top springs back when touched.  Cool in pan 10 minutes, then turn out onto wire rack to cool completely before using.

Nutritional information per serving:
Calories 331, Protein (g) 4, Carbohydrate (g) 53, Fat (g) 12, Calories from fat (%) 32, Saturated Fat (g) 3, Dietary Fiber (g) 1, Cholesterol (mg) 37, Sodium (mg) 361, Diabetic Exchanges: 3 other carbohydrate, 2.fat

One Giant Burger!

Sausage and Roasted Red Pepper Pizza

Want to make your father’s favorite meal on his special day? Well I have a few go-to guy-approved meals easy enough, the kids can join in and help prepare. Grilling is always a guy’s favorite past-time so have his favorite cut of meat marinating in this subtly sweet 3-Ingredient Marinade, using a zing of NAKANO seasoned rice vinegar. Let the kids help pour the ingredients into the zip-top plastic bags for easy clean-up. Hamburger Dip from Gulf Coast Favorites is an all-star snack at our house – especially with the men! And what guy doesn’t love pizza? Sausage and Roasted Red Pepper Pizza is a fantastic upscale pizza bursting with flavor – easily put together in the comfort of your own home. Your guy is sure to be impressed without the fuss!

Sausage and Roasted Red Pepper Pizza from Holly Clegg’s trim&TERRIFIC Too Hot in the Kitchen

Sausage, roasted red peppers, spinach and mozzarella make this a simple upscale pizza.

Makes 8 slices

1 (12-inch) thin pizza crust

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon minced garlic

4 ounces chicken sausage or gourmet sausage of choice, cut in thin slices

1/2 cup roasted red pepper slices, drained (found in jar)

1/2 cup red onion thin slices, cut in half

1 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

2 cups fresh baby spinach

1. Preheat oven 425°F. Coat crust with oil and garlic.

2. In a small nonstick skillet coated with nonstick cooking spray, cook sausage until lightly browned and done. Add spinach, stirring only until wilted.

3. Evenly spoon spinach mixture over crust and top with remaining ingredients. Bake 8–10 minutes, or until cheese is melted and crust is done.

Nutritional information per serving:

Calories 196, Calories from fat 37%, Fat 8g, Saturated Fat 3g, Cholesterol 19mg, Sodium 412mg, Carbohydrate 21g, Dietary Fiber 1g, Sugars 1g, Protein 11g, Dietary Exchanges: 1 1/2 starch, 1 lean meat, 1 fat

Serving Suggestion: Splurge with fresh mozzarella cheese for an added flavor value. Look for different varieties of sausage from chicken to vegetarian.

Shopping List:

Chicken sausage or gourmet sausage (3 ounces)
Thin pizza crust (1 (12-inch))
Olive oil
Roasted red pepper slices (1/2 cup, found in jar)
Red onion
Fresh baby spinach (2 cups)
Shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese (1 cup)
Seasonings: minced garlic

Favorite Summer Pizza

Shrimp Cheese Grits Casserole

This post was from awhile ago…but making for Christmas gang also!  I am exhausted! I had 30 wonderful kids with me all weekend as we all went to Mardi Gras in New Orleans.  My daughter, Haley, invited 30 of her friends from Wash U in St. Louis to come experience Mardi Gras for the first time.  Many had never even been to the South so of course I had to have lots of food!! We had 5 king cakes and I cooked our classic Louisiana dishes that feed a crowd. I made Shrimp and Cheese Grits from Freezer Friendly Meals, ahead of time and froze so I didn’t have to spend hours in the kitchen when everyone got there.  I also had to make our favorite appetizers kids love to dig into – Hamburger Dip and Super Salsa…both with only a few ingredients and so easy. Of course they were gobbled up! It was a whirl-wind weekend full of fun but good to be back in my routine too!

Shrimp and Cheese Grits for a House Full

Driving the Combine

Holly Harvests Rice

September is National Rice Month!  In Louisiana we eat a lot of rice–from gumbos,  etouffees, jambalayas, with red beans to my kid’s classic favorite, rice and gravy.  In honor of  this national recognition, Kevin Burkin invited me to his farm to see how rice is harvested.  I went to Port Arthur, Louisiana (about a 2 hour drive for me) and had a day to remember.  Never did I realize how big and sophisticated those combines were.  These farmers work hard to make sure their crop is harvested in a timely manner and the combines today get the job done.  I rode with Kevin in his combine and understood the feeling of serenity  of being in the middle of these rice fields watching the harvest process.  Now, when I got to drive the combine, I was nervous but it was amazingly easy to maneuver with all the modern gadgets and controls of today.  Rice is a big business in Louisiana as we are one of the top rice producing states. 

Did you know that 1 cup brown rice=3 1/2 g fiber and 1 cup white rice is less than 1 g fiber—so try to make the switch to brown rice for a fiber booster. 

My Gulf Coast book features Louisiana and southern recipes-so rice is a staple in that book.  Here is a Crawfish Etouffee recipe with two of our favorites:  crawfish and rice.   If you have leftover rice, you will want to turn it into another meal, with this scrumptous Chicken Apricot Rice Salad from my new book, Too Hot in the Kitchen.  So, think of the versatility with rice from a side, entree to a salad.

Thank you Kevin and all the rice farmers for all you do to get rice on the table each day.

National Rice Month – Rice a Louisiana Favorite

Get creative with kids to entice them to the dinner table.  Yes, four ingredients create this easy flavor packed dish that can be used as a vegetarian entree or super side.  Pizza Rice is a great way to introduce your kids to brown rice, an easy way to boost your fiber.  With all the characteristics of a pizza, you will have kids running, but also, don’t count out the adults!  And, this fun and tasty recipe can be prepared in minutes, and also is budget friendly.  

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Pizza Rice

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes

Makes 4-6 servings

Serving size one cup  1 cup
Cost Per Serving: less than $1

1 (14 1/2-ounce) can Great Value Italian diced tomatoes, with juice
1 teaspoon dried Great Value oregano leaves
4 cups cooked Great Value brown rice
1 cup Great Value shredded mozzarella cheese
 
1.In large nonstick skillet, heat tomatoes with oregano over low heat. 
2.Stir in cooked rice (follow recommended directions on bag or box), and cheese. Cook over low heat until well heated and cheese is melted, stirring, about 3- 5 minutes. Serve.

Tips:
Using Great Value brown rice makes this dish just a little healthier because it adds fiber.

Pizza Rice-Who Turns Down Pizza?

Looking for a real family-kid pleaser recipe-this was my “go-to” recipe when I needed a quick nightly dinner or my kids volunteered me to cook for a prom, home-coming or a dinner at our house.  Simple, and unassuming, yet has a gourmet appeal enticing all ages.  I always make rice for the sauce and broccoli (what kid doesn’t like broccoli) so my plate has color.  When Walmart asked for an Easy Chicken recipe featuring their Great Value brand, I knew exactly what to make.  It is affordable, easy and healthy, and best of all quick to make!  Impress tonight with Easy Chicken!

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Holly’s Easy Chicken 
When I was testing recipes my family made me promise to repeat this dish often. The simplicity of the dish is very appealing.

Makes 8 servings

2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
Salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup canned fat-free chicken broth
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons chopped parsley

1. Dust chicken breasts with flour, salt and pepper.
2. In large nonstick skillet, heat olive oil and cook chicken about 5-7 minutes or until golden brown and almost done.
3.  Mix together chicken broth and cornstarch; add to skillet. Reduce heat, cover, and continue cooking, about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally or until chicken is done.  Add lemon juice. Sprinkle with parsley before serving.

Easy Everyday Chicken-Quick Dinner

Looking for a quick, easy-to-make kid-friendly soup?  When Walmart asked for easy, affordable, healthy and delcious, Wholesome Veggie Soup was my soup solution.

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Wholesome Veggie Soup

 Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Meal Occasion: Lunch/Dinner

Makes 8 servings   Makes eight (1-cup) servings

Serving size one cup or I would say 1 cup

Cost Per Serving: less than $1

 Ingredients:

• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 teaspoon Great Value minced garlic
• 1 (15-ounce) can Great Value tomato sauce
• 1 (14 1/2-ounce) can Great Value diced tomatoes
• 4 cups Great Value chicken broth
• Great Value salt and pepper to taste
• 1 tablespoon Great Value Worcestershire sauce
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 (16-ounce) package Great Value mixed frozen vegetables   (I used mixed vegetables, not stir-fry)
• 1/3 cup Great Value long grain rice, uncooked

 Instructions:

1. In large pot coated with Great Value nonstick cooking spray, cook onion, and garlic, 5–7 minutes.
2. Add tomato sauce, tomatoes, broth, salt, pepper, Worcestershire sauce, bay leaf, and vegetables. Bring to boil.  Add rice and reduce heat.
3. Continue cooking over medium heat until rice is done, about 15-20 minutes. Add more water if too thick.

 Tips:

• Frozen vegetables give you vegetable variety without chopping.
• For a heartier version, add lean ground beef and call Burger Soup-kid’s love it.

Wholesome Veggie Soup Webisode for Walmart

Ooey Goey Squares

Who Dat!!! Go Saints, it’s a black and gold Super Bowl!!! My husband and I had some friends over to watch the game last night and we used our new grill (a gift from Chad’s parent’s for our wedding anniversary). It’s the new infared kind, he couldn’t wait to use it and I must say it produced some juicy steaks. I’m sure it didn’t hurt they were Omaha Steaks, but they were so moist! We also made a green bean casserole, salad and yummy cresent roll bread dish. And of course we had dessert, Ooey Gooey Squares, from my mom’s The New Holly Clegg trim&TERRIFIC Cookbook, and I don’t think I overcooked them this time. Finally…

Also, we ate at two really good restaruants this weekend with some friends. A FAVORITE of mine Victor Tango’s and Si Tapas which I’d never been to (both in Dallas)! At VT’s we had miso glazed sea bass scewers, chicken and waffles, ahi tuna nachos, and braised short rib with a rutabaga mash, which I must admit was awesome and i thought was some type of mashed potato at first. We had a vareity of tapas at Si Tapas, however, I really wanted the Paella, a favorite meal of mine. Next time, Chad said he’d go back with me

Who Dat and some good food!

Years ago I actually use to make homemade egg nog, an old family recipe that when I look back, wasn’t trim&TERRIFIC!  Now, you can buy light eggnog which still has rich creamy flavor, but without all the fat–give it a try.  Now, when I see that carton of eggnog, I think recipe so here my recipe I created for Relish Magazine that will be a nice holiday cake.  Finally, my sister is happy as she always likes a spice cake.

Eggnog Spice Bundt Cake 

Each bite of this amazing moist cake melts in your mouth.  Spice and everything nice makes this a holiday hit.

 Makes 16 serving

Eggnog Spice Bundt Cake

 1 (18 ¼-ounce) box spice cake mix

1 (4-serving) box instant cheesecake pudding and pie filling

1 cup vanilla or eggnog nonfat yogurt

1/4 cup canola oil

1 cup light eggnog

1 egg

3 egg whites

1 cup butterscotch chips, optional

2/3 cup chopped pecans

1. Preheat oven 350° F.  Coat nonstick Bundt pan with nonstick cooking spray. 

2.  In mixing bowl, combine the cake mix, pudding, yogurt, oil, eggnog, egg, and egg whites, mixing until creamy. 

3.  Stir in butterscotch chips and pecans.  Pour in prepared pan and bake 40-45 minutes or until wooden pick inserted comes out clean. 

Per serving: 280 calories, 14g fat, 20mg chol., 5g prot., 34g carbs., 2g fiber, 330mg sodium 

What to do with carton of eggnog?