Moving to a new domain

Viva La Diva will be moving the cooking section of the blog to a new blog , 50 Shades of Dinner. Keep posted for the new address and when we move. We will be taking all of our recipes with us , and we will make it easier on you to pin our recipes to your pinterest, tumbler, Facebook, twitter and more.

Until then, continue to enjoy our delicious family friendly dinners here.

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Cranberry Hootycreeks

What a great cookie! Even better, here are the intructions for making them a layered jar gift for Christmas of Valentines day, but just mix them up and follow the instructions, they are the bomb baby!

Cranberry Hootycreeks

5/8 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup rolled oats
 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup white sugar
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup white chocolate chips
1/2 cup chopped pecans

 Directions

Layer the ingredients in a 1 quart or 1 liter jar, in the order listed.

Attach a tag with the following instructions:
 Cranberry Hootycreeks 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a cookie sheet or line with parchment paper. 2. In a medium bowl, beat together 1/2 cup softened butter, 1 egg and 1 teaspoon of vanilla until fluffy. Add the entire jar of ingredients, and mix together by hand until well blended. Drop by heaping spoonfuls onto the prepared baking sheets. 3. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or until edges start to brown. Cool on baking sheets, or remove to cool on wire racks.

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Rachel's Pico de Gallo

Pico de Gallo 

 6 roma (plum) tomatoes, diced
1/2 red onion, minced
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
1/2 lime, juiced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 pinch garlic powder
1 pinch ground cumin
 salt and ground black pepper to taste

 Directions 
Stir the tomatoes, onion, cilantro, jalapeno pepper, lime juice, garlic, garlic powder, cumin, salt, and pepper together in a bowl. Refrigerate at least 3 hours before serving.

A favorite addition to our Fiery Fish Tacos or any South Western/Mexican Dish.

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Miss Rachel's Famous Fiery Fish Tacos

This has been my most requested repost recipe on Facebook, so I've decided to add it to my collection here. This is an major hit with my family. Spicy grilled fish are cooled down with a fresh crunchy veggie salsa featuring fresh corn. Your guests will swim back for seconds! To lower the carbs in the meal , omit the corn tortillas and layer it like a taco bowl. What really sets this dish off from other fish taco recipes is the corn and jimica salsa. It gives a nice fresh veggie crunch with a ton of flavor!

Fiery Fish Tacos 

1 cup corn
1/2 cup diced red onion
1 cup peeled, chopped jicama
1/2 cup diced red bell pepper
1 cup fresh cilantro leaves, finely chopped
1 lime, zested and juiced
2 tablespoons sour cream
2 tablespoons cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon ground black pepper
 2 tablespoons salt
6 (4 ounce) fillets tilapia
2 tablespoons olive oil
12 corn tortillas, warmed
1 Batch Rachel 's Pico De Gallo

Directions 

Preheat grill for high heat. In a medium bowl, mix together corn, red onion, jicama, red bell pepper, and cilantro. Stir in lime juice and zest. In a small bowl, combine cayenne pepper, ground black pepper, and salt. Brush each fillet with olive oil, and sprinkle with spices. Arrange fillets on grill grate, and cook for 3 minutes per side. For each fiery fish taco, top two corn tortillas with fish, sour cream, and corn salsa, and pico de gallo.

Nutrition 

Calories 329 kcal Carbohydrates 35.5 g Cholesterol 43 mg Fat 9.3 g Fiber 6.8 g Protein 27.9 g

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Armadillo Eggs

Jalapenos are stuffed with cream cheese, wrapped with bacon, and barbecued on the grill. Daddy made these on Sunday's when we grilled out, and it's a tradition my little family has continued on. They are very simple, if you're sensitive to jalapeno juices I recommend using gloves when you seed and De-vein them. If you scrape the inner vein and release most of the juices , then rinse with cool water, your peppers will not be as hot. Of course, this is one of my favorite Low Carb sides, so enjoy! - Miss Rachel

Armadillo Eggs 

12 fresh jalapeno peppers, sliced on one side seeded and de-veined
2 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
12 slices bacon

Directions 

 Preheat an outdoor grill for high heat. Stuff cream cheese into jalapenos. Wrap with bacon. Secure with a toothpick. Place on the grill, and cook until bacon is crispy. Easy Peasy!

Nutrition 
Calories 391 kcal Carbohydrates 2.2 g Cholesterol 79 mg Fat 38.3 g Fiber 0.4 g Protein 9.5 g

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Virginia's Mary Jane Salad

One of my favorite side dishes is a simple salad Virginia makes during the holidays,  called Mary Jane. It's incredibly easy to make and so good.  It makes a great side for almost anything, but it's awesome next to grilled chicken, steak and turkey. I like to let it set in the fridge over night to really let the flavors blend together well. This is so yummy and easy peasy!

Virginia's Mary Jane Salad

4 Large Tomatos
1 Medium Purple Onion Peeled
2 Large Cucumbers
1 Bottle Favorite Italian Dressing
Salt and Pepper to taste ( about a teaspoon )

Directions

Peel the cucumbers and onion, and dice everything, toss in a large bowl and top with Italian dressing, mix salt and pepper in to taste, refrigerate over night. 

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Tater Tot Casserole Bake

YUM! Tater tots are divine, we all love them. You can't go wrong with tater tot casserole, this is ground beef and onions covered with tater tots, creamy mushroom soup and shredded Cheddar cheese. Even picky eaters love it! I'm posting this one for Casandra , since we were discussing it at work the other day. Enjoy! - Miss Rachel

Tater Tot Casserole Bake 

1 pound ground beef
1 onion, chopped salt and pepper to taste
1/2 (32 ounce) package tater tots
1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup
1/2 cup milk
1 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese

Directions 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). In a large skillet over medium-high heat, brown the ground beef with the onions. Drain excess fat, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Spread the beef mixture evenly over the bottom of a 2 quart casserole dish. Arrange tater tots evenly over beef layer. In a small bowl, stir the soup into the milk until smooth; pour over tater tot and beef layers. Sprinkle Cheddar cheese evenly over the top. Bake in preheated oven for 30 to 40 minutes, until cheese is bubbly and slightly brown.

Nutrition
Calories 557 kcal Carbohydrates 25.2 g Cholesterol 101 mg Fat 41.5 g Fiber 2.1 g Protein 24.3 g

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Lemon Pie Bars

Almost everyone loves lemon bars, and I have tried recipe after recipe looking for that perfect lemon bar. A few years ago, while dabbling in the kitchen, I combined a couple of different recipes and Voila! Lemon Pie and Lemon Bars had a baby and here it is. Just yummy!! Now, if you personally think there is to much crust, double the filling , which is what I do. However, some folks prefer more crust, and if that's the case leave the recipe as is. It's a functional recipe, give it a try and adapt it to your taste according to which you like best more filling/less crust ..... plenty of crust and just enough filling. Enjoy! - Miss Rachel




 Lemon Pie Bars

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
1 cup butter, softened
4 eggs
1 1/2 cups white sugar
1/2 cup lemon juice
1 tablespoon lemon zest

Directions 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F . Mix 2 cups of flour and confectioner's sugar together. Cut in the butter or margarine. Mix well until the dough resembles pie dough consistency. Press the dough into a 9x13 inch baking pan. Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown. Beat together eggs, sugar, 4 tablespoons flour, lemon juice and lemon rind for at least 1 minute. Pour the mixture over the baked crust. Bake the bars another 20 minutes, or until the lemon topping has set. Sprinkle with confectioner's sugar when cooled.

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Gluten Free Creamy Lemon Chicken Pasta

Where as this yummy recipe does not fall under the low carb catigory, is does find it's self as absolutely delicious in my book and can be 100% gluten free by choosing gluten free pasta over your standard pasta. I am writing this recipe as gluten free for my GF friends, so, if you don't have gluten free noodles or gluten free isn't an issue for your health, feel free to use regular pasta. :) Alot of local grocery stores are carrying more gluten free products these days, but , if you're local store hasn't jumped on the band wagon, here is a great source for some fantastic gluten free products from pastas, breads to mayonnaise. Now, my kiddos LOVE this recipe, and it's one of my favorites too. Although I don't make it real often because of the Carbohydrate count (48 g Carb per serving) and it not being on this stage of my Atkins diet. ;) However, this deliciously different dish incorporates a classic combination of flavors: lemon, chicken, and garlic. A nice change of pace from the usual pasta fare. It is REALLY Good, you will want to go back for seconds... maybe thirds. ;) - Enjoy! - Miss Rachel

Creamy Lemon Chicken Pasta 

3 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1 lemon, quartered
2 teaspoons gluten free garlic powder, divided
1 teaspoon ground black pepper, divided
2 (14.5 ounce) cans chicken broth
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 (8 ounce) package gluten free rotelle pasta
1 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest

Directions 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Place chicken in a lightly greased baking dish. Squeeze lemon over both sides of the chicken breasts and season both sides using 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder and 3/4 teaspoon pepper. Bake for 40 minutes, or until juices run clear and chicken is no longer pink inside. Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, season the chicken broth with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Bring to a boil and add lemon juice and pasta. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until all liquid is absorbed, about 25 minutes. Cut cooked chicken into bite-sized pieces and stir into cooked pasta, along with the cream and lemon zest. Cook, stirring, over low heat for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand 5 minutes. Stir thoroughly before serving.

Nutrition

Calories 519 kcal Carbohydrates 48.1 g Cholesterol 133 mg Fat 24.5 g Fiber 3.6 g Protein 29.8 g Sodium 85 mg

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Chili Rellenos Casserole

So I wanted to have a friend over for a family dinner this evening with her children and the one meal that popped in my head was my families all time favorite, Chili Rellenos Casserole. It's so delicious. This is very easy to prepare and is loaded with flavor. Great for a busy week night, and good enough for company!! I am posting it tonight, because I know she is going to love it and want to make it herself.... :) Also, this fits in well with a low carb diet, providing you keep your carbs relatively low through out the day, you can splurge a little with only 12 g Carb per serving. Enjoy! - Miss Rachel



Chili Rellenos Casserole

1 lbs ground beef browned and drained
2 (7 ounce) cans whole green chile peppers, drained
8 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
8 ounces Longhorn or Cheddar cheese, shredded
2 eggs, beaten
1 (5 ounce) can evaporated milk
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 cup milk
1 (8 ounce) can red enchilada sauce
Salt, Pepper & Garlic Powder to taste

Directions 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Spray a 9x13-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Brown Ground beef and drain, season with salt, pepper and garlic to taste. Layer half of the chilies evenly in bottom of baking dish, then browned beef. Sprinkle with half of the Jack and Cheddar cheeses, and cover with remaining chilies. In a bowl, mix together the eggs, milk, and flour, and pour over the top of the chilies. Bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes. Remove from oven, pour enchilada sauce evenly over the top, and continue baking another 15 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining Jack and Cheddar cheeses, and serve.

Nutrition

Calories 387 kcal Carbohydrates 12 g Cholesterol 148 mg Fat 27.6 g Fiber 1.4 g Protein 23.9 g

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