Emily's Cran-Apple Bake

I took this to my mom's holiday cookie exchange party and it was a huge hit! Thanks for the delicious recipe Em!

3 cups peeled, chopped apples (preferable Granny Smith)

2 cups fresh cranberries

1/2 cup four plus 2 tablespoons flour, divided use

1 cup sugar (this seemed like a lot of sugar and I think it would be just fine with a smaller amount)

3 packages cinnamon instant oatmeal

3/4 cup chopped pecans

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup melted butter

1 teaspoon cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350. Mix the apples and cranberries with 2 tablespoons flour until coated. Add 1 cup sugar and mix well. Pour into a 9x13 baking dish. Mix the oatmeal, rest of the flour, pecans, brown sugar, cinnamon and melted butter together. Spoon topping over the fruit. Bake uncovered for 45 minutes.

Baked Chicken Parmesan

Colin loved this, but I'm not sure that's saying much since I think he has loved every version of chicken parm that he's ever tried!

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, pounded to 1/2 inch thickness

1 egg

1/2 cup milk

Seasoned breadcrumbs

2-3 tablespoons olive oil

8 slices mozzarella cheese (I used shredded since that's what we had and it worked just fine)
1 jar (16 oz) marinara sauce

Parmesan cheese

Whisk together the egg and milk. Dip the chicken breasts in mixture, then in breadcrumbs. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Brown the chicken on both sides until golden, 3-4 minutes on each side. Set chicken in a baking dish. Put 2 slices of mozzarella on each breast. Pour sauce over all. Sprinkle with Parmesan and a little more mozzarella and bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes, or until bubbly.

Sweet and Sour Chicken

This was good and it was fun to try an asian recipe but I'm not sure it was worth all the time and effort. Next time I want sweet and sour chicken I may just head to Pei Wei...

Chicken:

3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized chunks

Salt and pepper to taste

1 cup cornstarch

2 eggs, beaten

1/4 cup canola oil

Sauce:

3/4 cup sugar

4 tablespoons ketchup

1/2 cup vinegar

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 teaspoon garlic salt

Season chicken chunks with salt and pepper. Dip chicken into cornstarch, then egg. Fry in a little oil until brown, but not cooked through. Place in a single layer in a baking dish. Mix sauce ingredients together and pour over chicken. Bake for 1 hour at 325, uncovered. Turn chicken every 15 minutes. Serve over rice.

Orzo with Yellow Squash and Mushrooms

3 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 large shallot, chopped

1 1/4 lb. yellow squash, cut into 1/3 inch cubes

1/2 lb. mushrooms, cut into 1/3 inch cubes

1 garlic clove, minced

2 cups orzo

1/2 cup Parmesan

1/4 cup whipping cream

4 tablespoons finely chopped Italian parsley, divided

1/3 cup pinenuts, toasted

Melt butter with oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add shallot; saute 2 minutes. Add squash. Increase heat to medium-high; saute until softened, about 3 mintues. Add mushrooms, saute until tender, about 6 minutes. Add garlic and stir 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper. Meanwhile, cook orzo in boiling salted water until just tender but firm to bite. Drain, reserving 1/3 cup pasta liquid. Mix orzo, cheese, cream and 3 tablespoons parsley into veggies in skillet. Stir over low heat until creamy, adding some reserved pasta liquid if dry, about 3 minutes. Mix in pine nuts. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a bowl. Sprinkle with parsley and serve.

Source epicurious.com

Black Bean Soup

Obviously black bean soup doesn't photograph well but this was so good! Lots of flavor and it was really pretty easy too.

1 medium red onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon cumin
2 tablespoons oil
3 cans (16 oz.) black beans, undrained
1 can (14.5 oz) chicken broth (could easily use veggie broth to make this a truly vegetarian recipe)
1 jar (16 oz) chunky salsa
1/2 cup sour cream

Cook and stir onion, garlic and cumin in oil over medium heat in a large saucepan for 3 minutes. Place one can of undrained beans and half of the broth in a blender or food processor and cover. Blend until pureed. Add to ingredients in saucepan. Add remaining beans, broth and salsa to saucepan; mix well. Bring to a boil on medium-high heat. Reduce heat to low; simmer 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Served topped with a dollop of sour cream.

Source kraftfoods.com

Weekly Menu 12/14-12/20

Sunday:
Turkey and black bean nachos
Veggies with ranch dip

Monday:
Baked Chicken Parmesan
Olive Oil and Garlic Pasta

Tuesday:
"Hurry Up" Pot Pie
Salad

Wednesday:
Chicken salad on enlish muffins
Salad

Thursday:
Cheese ravioli with marinara
Pesto veggies

The rest of the week is literally filled with various Christmas parties so I don't think I'll have time to do much more cooking!

Turkey and White Bean Chili

Serves 4

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 lb. ground turkey

1 medium onion, chopped

4 teaspoons chili powder

1 tablespoon ground cumin

1 can (28 oz.) whole tomatoes in juice, chopped

1 can (15 oz.) white kidney beans (cannelli), rinsed and drained

1/2 cup light sour cream

Source delish.com

In a 12 inch skillet, heat oil on medium-high heat until hot. Add turkey and 1/2 teaspoon salt, and cook 6-8 minutes, or until turkey loses its pink color. Add onion and cook 4 minutes. Stir in chili powder and cumin, cook 1 minute. Add tomatoes with their juice, beans and 1/2 cup water. Heat to boiling on high. Reduce heat to medium and cook, uncovered, 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Ladle into bowls and top with a dollop of sour cream.

Peanut Butter-Chocolate Cake

This was Colin's request for his birthday cake and he loved it!

1 box yellow cake mix

3 tablespoons creamy peanut butter

6 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 can milk chocolate frosting

1/4 cup chopped peanuts

Mix cake mix as directed, beat in peanut butter. Stir in melted chocolate in marble style. Bake in a 9x13 pan according the cake mix directions. Spread chocolate frosting over cooled cake and sprinkle chopped peanuts over top.

Birthday Banana Bread

Colin made a request for banana bread, so I figured that it would be the perfect breakfast to start the celebration of his 29th birthday!

One Pan Banana Bread

1/3 cup vegetable oil

1 1/2 cup mashed ripe bananas (about 3-4)

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

3 eggs

2 1/3 cup Bisquick

1 cup sugar

(I also added some pecans)

Preheat oven to 350. Generously grease the bottom of a loaf pan. Stir all ingredients in a bowl with a fork until moistened; beat vigorously for 1 minute. Pour into prepared pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted comes out clean, about 55-60 minutes.

Colin usually likes his banana bread with plain old butter, but I also made some maple whipped cream to go with the bread and it was really tasty!

1 cup heavy whipping cream

1 tablespoon pure maple sugar

1 pinch nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Combine all ingredients and beat until soft peaks form.

"Chicken" Noodle Soup with Garlic-Cheese Biscuits

There's not any actual chicken in this soup, which is a little bit strange, but it still has plenty of good flavor and is cheaper and easier without the chicken anyway.

2 tablespoons olive oil

76 oz. chicken broth

Roughly chopped veggies: 1/2 onion, 2 cloves garlic, 2 carrots, 1 celery stalk

Finely chopped veggies: 1/4 onion, 1 carrot, 1 celery stalk

2 sage leaves, finely chopped

Pinch of dried thyme

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1 bay leaf

8 oz. egg noodles

Heat olive oil in a large skillet. Add roughly chopped onions and garlic, saute 3-4 minutes. Add roughly chopped carrots and celery; add sage. Stir for 2 minutes and then add broth, dried thyme and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, then keep at a simmer until veggies are soft. Turn heat to low, remove bay leaf and puree veggies using a handheld immersion blender (I think I may skip this process next time and just chop all veggies to a medium size). Add finely chopped veggies to the broth and simmer until soft (this step would be skipped if all veggies were chopped to the same size and added all at once). Cook egg noodles separately and add to each serving of soup (cook them separately so they don't soak up too much of the broth).

Garlic-Cheese Biscuits (otherwise known as the "Red Lobster biscuits")

2 cups Bisquick

1/2 cup shredded cheddar

2/3 cup milk

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon parsley

Makes about 12 biscuits

Preheat oven to 450. Mix all ingredients until moist. Drop onto greased cookie sheet. Bake for 8 minutes or until golden.

Weekly Menu 12/7-12/14

Sunday:
Chicken Noodle Soup
Garlic-Cheese Biscuits

Monday:
Turkey and White Bean Chili

Tuesday:
Pasta with Tomato-Cream Sauce
Garlic Spinach

Wednesday:
Orzo with Yellow Squash and Mushrooms
Salad

Thursday:
Spinach and Pesto Pizza
Caprese Salad

Prosciutto Wrapped Breadsticks

This is just as easy as it sounds but still manages to seem a little bit snazzy. I baked the refrigerated breadsticks then spread a little bit of garlic-herb cream cheese on a piece of prosciutto and wrapped it around the breadstick--delish!

Chocolate Raspberry Truffles

Makes about 2 dozen

1/3 cup heavy whipping cream

2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

3 tablespoons seedless raspberry preserves, at room temperature

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

3/4 cup ground almonds

In a medium saucepan, bring cream to boil over medium-high heat. Remove from heat; whisk in chocolate chips, preserves and almond extract until combined. Chill for for at least 2 hours. Shape chocolate mixture into 1/2 inch balls. Roll each ball in ground almonds. Chill truffles until ready to serve.

Source Taste of the South: Parties Edition

Dark Chocolate Almond Fudge

3 cups high quality dark chocolate, chopped fine (60% cocoa)

1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk

1 pinch salt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup raw almonds, coarsely chopped

Line an 8x8 pan with foil and spray with nonstick spray. In a double boiler over medium-low heat, combine dark chocolate and evaporated milk, stirring constantly. Once melted smoothly, remove from heat and add in vanilla and almonds, stirring to combine. Scrape chocolate mixture into prepared pan and smooth top. Place into fridge and cool completely, about 2 hours. Remove from fridge, remove from pan and remove foil. Cut into pieces and store, covered at room temperature.

Spinach Artichoke Dip

This is my go-to party appetizer and I absolutely love it every time I make it!

1/2 sweet yellow onion, chopped

4 cloves garlic, pressed

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 (10 oz.) box frozen chopped spinach

2 cans artichoke hearts in water, drained and coarsely chopped

2 packages cream cheese, softened (I use light or fat free)

1/2 cup sour cream (I use light)

1/2 cup mayo (I use light--I'm making a real effort to make this a slightly healthier version!)

2/3 cup grated Parmesan

1/4 cup mozzarella

Few pinches of red pepper flakes

Salt

Saute onion and garlic in olive oil, set aside. Cook spinach according to package directions, drain. Mix spinach, onion and garlic in a large bowl. Add cream cheese, mix. Add mayo, sour cream, cheeses, red pepper flakes and salt. Mix well. Add artichoke hearts, mix. Transfer to a baking dish top with a little more mozzarella. Bake at 350 until bubbly and slightly browned on the top, about 25 mintues. Serve with tortilla chips or raw vegetables.

Apple Pecan Cheesecake

This was my first attempt at cheesecake and I was making it as one of the Thanksgiving desserts, so I was feeling a little nervous about it. Then as I was about to pop it in the oven, I realized that I had used regular sugar when I was supposed to use brown sugar! It ended up turning out really good anyway and I got lots of compliments on it, so even with the mini-disaster, my first cheesecake was a success!

1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs

1/4 cup butter, melted

1 1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons packed brown sugar

4 packages cream cheese, softened (I used 2 regular and 2 fat free)

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup sour cream (I used light sour cream)

4 eggs

4 cups chopped, peeled apples (about 3)

3/4 cup chopped pecans

1 teaspoon cinnamon

Heat oven to 325. Line 9x13 pan with foil. Mix crumbs, butter and 2 tablespoons sugar; press onto bottom of pan. Bake 10 minutes. Beat cream cheese, 1 cup sugar and vanilla with mixer until blended. Add sour cream; blend. Add eggs, 1 at a time, mixing on low speed after each just until blended. Pour over crust. Mix remaining 1/2 sugar, apples, pecans and cinnamon; spoon over batter. Bake 1 hour to 1 hour and 5 minutes. Cool. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours. Use foil to lift cheesecake from pan before cutting to serve.

Makes 16 servings

Source Jello ad in Everyday by Rachael Ray magazine

Menu 11/29-12/7

Sunday:
Dinner at my mom's for my sisters' last night in town :(

Monday:
Black Bean Soup
Turkey tacos

Tuesday:
Sweet and Sour Chicken
Rice
Veggie Eggrolls

Wednesday:
Chicken Noodle Soup
Garlic-Cheese Biscuits

Thursday:
Smothered Mushroom Chicken
Garlic Spinach

Apple Pancake Disaster

So you would think it would be easy to make pancakes from a mix, but apparently not so much. These were still tasty even after they were mangled (and I must add that my lovely husband was in charge of the pancake flipping) and Colin was pretty impressed that I managed to just "whip up" some real whipped cream!

Taco Soup with Jalapeno Cornbread

Ok, I think I have a slight soup obsession! I always find recipes for soups that sound so good and they're usually so easy and filling that it's hard to resist! I know pretty much everyone has a version of a taco soup recipe, so here's mine.....

1 pound ground turkey
1 onion, chopped
1 can (15 oz.) black beans
1 can (15 oz.) whole kernel corn
1 can (14 oz.) stewed tomatoes
1 can (6 oz.) tomato sauce
2-3 cups water
1 can (10 oz.) Rotel tomatoes
1 package taco seasoning
1 package ranch dressing

Brown meat in Dutch oven. Add all other ingredients and simmer for 45 minutes. Garnish with shredded cheese, sour cream, avocados and crushed corn chips.

Before I made this cornbread Colin made sure to tell me that he didn't like it when cornbread was "too dry". So, lucky me, I came across a recipe for "extra moist" jalapeno cornbread and figured Colin would love it. Well, turns out he also doesn't like it when cornbread is "too mushy", go figure! Either way I thought this was super tasty and will definitely make it again!

Extra Moist Jalapeno Cornbread
3 (7 oz.) packages of cornbread mix (if using Jiffy, omit the sugar from the recipe)
1 large sweet onion, chopped
2 cups shredded Colby or Monterey Jack cheese (I only used 1 cup)
2 large eggs, beaten
2 1/2 cups whole or buttermilk (I used 1% milk)
1/2 cup vegetable oil
3 tablespoons sugar
1 (15 oz.) can cream-style corn
6 oz. chopped jalapenos

*This made a huge amount, so I'll probably half it next time

Preheat oven to 375. Grease a 9x13 pan or cast iron skillet. Mix all ingredients in a large bowl. Pour into prepared pan. Bake for 45 minutes (I ended up baking it for closer to an hour).

Parmesan Orzo with Pesto Vegetables

Colin used to say that a meal wasn't really a meal without meat, but ever since our "Month Without Meat" last year, he's been a total convert to vegetarian-ish meals. He loved this and made sure to take all the leftovers with him for lunch the next day too!

Parmeasan Orzo

1 tablespoon butter

1 cup orzo

1 1/4 cup fat-free, low sodium chicken broth

1 1/4 cup water

1/4 cup grated fresh Parmesan cheese

2 tablespoons parsley

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

Heat butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add orzo and cook for 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Stir in broth and water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until liquid is absorbed, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in Parmesan, parsley, salt and pepper

Source Cooking Light

Red Potatoes and Green Beans with Pesto

1 pound small red potatoes, quartered

1/2 pound green beans, trimmed

1/2 cup pesto (I kept it simple and used store-bought)

1/4 cup goat cheese, optional (I skipped this)

Handful of thin red onion slices

Salt and pepper

Place the potatoes in a large saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil and season with salt. Simmer until potatoes are nearly tender, about 12 minutes. Add the green beans to the pot and cook until tender, about 5-7 minutes. Drain the vegetables and toss with the pesto (and goat cheese, if using). Season to taste with salt and pepper and garnish with sliced red onion.

Cheesy Muffins

I made these for both my work Thanksgiving lunch and real Thanksgiving and they were enjoyed at both!

1 1/2 cup flour

1 1/2 tablespoon sugar

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 cups shredded colby jack cheese (I only use 2 cups and they are still plenty cheesy!)

1 egg

1 cup milk

1/4 cup melted butter

Preheat oven to 375. Combine dry ingredients. Combine wet ingredients. Mix together and bake in 12 greased muffin tins for about 15 minutes.

Light Pumpkin Mousse

Serves 6

2 boxed fat-free, sugar-free vanilla pudding mix

15 oz. canned pumpkin

1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice (I added extra)

2 cups 1% milk

1 8 oz. tub Cool Whip Light

Beat pudding mix and milk in a bowl until thick. Mix in pumpkin and spice. Fold in Cool Whip.

Source Weight Watchers

I served this on top of crumbled graham crackers and it seriously couldn't have been any easier to make. As an added bonus, it's way better for you than actual pumpkin pie but you still get that yummy, fall dessert taste!

French Onion Soup

Serves 2

2 tablespoons butter
2 cups thinly sliced yellow onions
4 cups beef broth
2 tablespoons Sherry
1 teaspoons Worcestershire
Salt and pepper to taste
4 slices crusty bread
4 slices Swiss cheese

Melt butter in large saucepan. Add onions. Cook, covered over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally for 8-10 minutes. Stir in broth, sherry and Worcestershire. Bring to boiling. Season with salt and pepper. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Preheat broiler. Broil bread topped with cheese on baking sheet; place in bowl of soup when ready.

Source: Better Homes and Gardens

Apple Crisp

4 cups peeled and sliced apples

Cinnamon

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup white sugar

1/2 cup dark brown sugar

1/2 cup butter

3/4 cup all purpose flour

Quick-cooking oats

Preheat oven to 350. Grease and 8x8 baking dish. Place apples in prepared dish. Sprinkle with cinnamon. Pour water over top. In a bowl, cream together sugar and butter. Blend in flour. Sprinkle mixture evenly over apples. Top with oats. Bake for 50 minutes or until crust is golden and apples are tender. Serve with whipped cream or ice cream.

"Light" Macaroni and Cheese

I'm not sure if you can really make macaroni and cheese resemble a "healthy" food, but this recipe is a pretty good attempt at at least making it closer to healthy!

Serves 4

1 1/2 cup 1% cottage cheese

1 1/2 cup skim milk

1 tbsp. mustard

Pinch of cayenne

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1/4 cup grated white onion

1 cup grated extra-sharp cheddar

1/2 lb. uncooked elbow macaroni (I used whole wheat)

2 tablespoons grated Parmesan

1/4 cup breadcrumbs

Preheat oven to 375. Prepare dish with a light coating of cooking spray. In a blender or food processor combine the cottage cheese, milk, mustard, cayenne, nutmeg, salt and pepper and puree until smooth. In a large bowl, combine with the onions, cheddar and uncooked macaroni. Stir well. Pour into baking dish. Combine Parmesan with breadcrumbs and sprinkle over the top. Bake for about 45 minutes, or until topping is browned and center is firm.

Turkey Ricotta Meatballs

Makes about 18 meatballs

1 lb. ground turkey

1/2 cup part-skim ricotta

1 egg

1/2 cup breadcrumbs

1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

Preheat oven to 375. Combine all ingredients in a bowl, then shape mixture into about 18 meatballs. Heat a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add meatballs and brown on all sides. Remove from skillet; transfer to a broiler pan coated with cooking spray and bake for 15 minutes or until done.

Source: Cooking Light

These are really good and a pretty healthy version of the usual meatball. Yum!

Broccoli Potato Soup

Serves 4

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
Salt and pepper
2 small yukon gold potatoes, peeled and finely chopped
1 bunch broccoli (about 1 1/4 lbs), chopped into 1/2 inch pieces
2 cups shredded Swiss cheese
1/2 cup heavy cream

In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion, season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring often, until softened, about 7 minutes. Add the potatoes and 3 1/2 cups water and bring to a boil; lower heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Add the broccoli, cover and cook just until tender, about 7 minutes. Using a blender, puree half the soup; combine with the other half. Stir in 2 cups shredded cheese, the stir in the cream. Season with salt and pepper.

Source: Everyday with Rachael Ray

Weekly Menu 11/16-11/22

Sunday:
Macaroni and cheese, salad

Monday:
French onion soup
I'll also be making cheese muffins and s'more brownies for our potluck lunch at work on Tuesday

Tuesday:
Colin is having a "Men and Meat" dinner at Texas de Brazil, so I'll be making cous cous again because I've become slightly obsessed with it!

Wednesday:
Parmesan orzo, pesto red potatoes and green beans

Thursday:
Taco soup, jalapeno cornbread

Weekly Menu 11/9-11/15

Sunday-Migas and breakfast potatoes
Monday-Broccoli and Potato Soup
Tuesday-greasy, overpriced food at the Mavs game
Wednesday-Turkey-Ricotta Meatballs
Thursday-Fettucine with Spinach-Cheese Sauce

Warm Cous Cous Salad

For some reason that I don't understand, Colin absolutely hates cous cous, so I figured the perfect time to make it was while he's still in Chicago. This was really good and very fall-ish. I'll definitely make this again (although I might have to wait until the next time Colin is out of town)!

1 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth

1/8 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste

1 cup instant cous cous

2 carrots, peeled and chopped

2 green onions, chopped (I didn't have these, but it was just fine without them)

1/3 cup golden raisins

1/3 cup dried cranberries

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

Freshly ground pepper, to taste

1 tablespoon thinly sliced fresh mint (I also didn't have mint)

In a small saucepan over high heat, combine the chicken broth and salt and bring to a boil. Stir in the cous cous and return to a boil. Remove from the heat, cover and let stand for 5 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and fluff with a fork to separate the grains. Add the carrots, green onions, dried cranberries and raisins (I also added a few almonds just because I thought they would add a little pizzazz, and I was right!). In a small bowl, whisk together the oil and vinegar. Season with salt and pepper. Stir into the cous cous mixture. Sprinkle with mint and serve warm.

Smoky Corn Chowder with Easy Beer Bread

Smoky Corn Chowder

Source Real Simple

Serves 4

8 oz. sliced bacon, cut into 1/2 inch pieces

1 large sweet onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

2 (10 oz.) packages frozen corn
3 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth

1 cup half and half

Salt and pepper

4 scallions, trimmed and thinly sliced

Cook the bacon in a Dutch oven over medium heat until crisp, about 8 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel lined plate. Spoon off and discard all but 2 tablespoons of drippings and return the pot to medium heat. Cook the onion, stirring occassionally, until soft, 5-7 minutes. Add the garlic, paprika and red pepper and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Stir in the corn, broth and half and half and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Transfer half the soup to a blender and puree until smooth. Return to the pot, add 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and stir to combine. Divide the soup among 4 bowls and top with scallions and bacon.

Easy Beer Bread

2 cups all purpose flour

1 cup whole wheat flour

1/3 cup packed brown sugar

4 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 cup shredded sharp cheddar

12 oz. beer

2 tablespoons butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350. Lightly grease a 9x5 loaf pan. In a large bowl, combine flours, brown sugar, baking powder, salt and garlic powder. Whisk to combine. Slowly add beer to dry ingredients and stir lightly until just combined and all ingredients are completely moistened. Place in loaf pan and pour melted butter over the top. Place in the oven and bake for 55-60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Pasta with Tomato Cream Sauce

This was perfect for a fun, low-key dinner to celebrate my mom's birthday. It was really good and really easy, so I was able to spend more time hanging out with my fam.

Olive oil

2 (14.5 oz.) cans diced tomatoes

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon dried basil

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 cup heavy cream or half and half (the half and half is good but it's definitely better with the heavy cream)

1/2 cup grated Parmesan

16 oz. rotini pasta

Heat skillet over medium-high heat and drizzle about 3 teaspoons of olive oil in pan. Add garlic and cook until fragrant. Meanwhile, cook pasta. Add tomatoes to skillet and simmer over medium heat for about 5 minutes, or until the tomato chunks start to soften. With a spatula lightly mash the tomato chunks to release the juices. Continue to simmer until sauce thickens slightly, about 5 minutes. Add cream and cheese and cook 1 more minute. Add pasta and toss to coat. Serve immediately with a little more Parmesan sprinkled on top.

Weekly Menu 11/2-11/8

Sunday:
Smoky Corn Chowder
Cheesy Beer Bread

Monday:
Chips and guacamole
Tortilla Bowls with Taco Salad

Tuesday:
Laughing Cow Chicken
Garlic and Herb Pasta Side

Wednesday:
Pasta with Tomato Cream Sauce
Garlic Spinach

Colin is heading to Chicago on Thursday morning, so I probably won't be cooking too much for the rest of the week.

Honey Dijon Chicken with Smashed Red Potatoes

This chicken was really good and had tons of flavor. I definitely recommend it!

1/3 cup honey
1/2 cup dijon (next time I might use a little more dijon and a little less honey, just to suit my tastes)
1/2 cup butter, melted
4 chicken breasts
4 tablespoons breadcrumbs

Mix honey, mustard and butter in a small bowl. Place chicken breasts in a baking pan and pour the mixture over them. Sprinkle lightly with breadcrumbs. Bake for 45 minutes at 375. Serve with any extra sauce from dish poured over top.

Serves 6
5 cups unpeeled and cubed red potatoes (about 2 lbs.)
2 tablespoons butter
Splash of milk
1/4 cup sour cream
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

In a large saucepan combine potatoes and water to cover. Boil over high heat for approximately 15 minutes, or until potatoes are tender. Drain potatoes. In a large bowl, combine hot potatoes and remaining ingredients. Stir with a spoon until blended and potatoes are coarsely mashed.

Source Taste of the South, Parties Edition

Blueberry Stuffed French Toast

4 pieces of bread

1 bag of frozed blueberries, thawed

1/2 block of cream cheese

2 tablespoons powdered sugar

Splash of milk

2 eggs

Vanilla

Cinnamon

Nutmeg

Spray a baking 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray. Line the bottom with a few pieces of bread, broken into bite sized pieces. Then, in a bowl, mix 1/2 block of cream cheese with 2 tablespoons of powdered sugar and a splash of milk. Drop this mixture by small spoonfuls over the bread. Then add the blueberries. In another bowl, mix together enough milk, eggs, a splash of vanilla and a little cinnamon and nutmeg to cover the bread. Pour over the bread and blueberries mixture. Bake at 375 for 40-45 minutes.

*Can be mixed the night before and left in the fridge overnight to bake in the morning.

Tortellini and Spinach Soup

This is one of my favorite things to make--so easy and so good!!

Serves 4

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
6-8 cloves garlic, chopped
4 cups low sodium chicken broth
6 oz. cheese tortellini
14 oz. canned diced tomatoes, with their liquid
10 oz. spinach, washed and stemmed
8-10 leaves basil, coarsely chopped
Grated Parmesan

Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add garlic and saute about 2 minutes. Add broth and bring to a boil. Add tortellini and cook halfway, about 5 minutes. Add tomatoes and their liquid, reduce heat to simmer. Cook just until pasta is tender. Stir in spinach and basil, cook until wilted, 1 to 2 minutes. Serve sprinkled with Parmesan.

Source thenest.com

Baked Ravioli Bites

From Cooking Light

Serves 4-6 (as an appetizer)

1 (9 oz.) package cheese ravioli

2 large eggs, beaten

1 cup Italian dry bread crumbs

Olive oil cooking spray

Cook ravioli according to package directions. Preheat broiler. Grease baking sheet. Dip prepared ravioli into beaten eggs, coating both sides. Then dip into bread crumbs, coating both sides. Place on baking sheet. Lightly spray top of breaded ravioli with cooking spray. Broil for 1-2 minutes. or until edges begin to brown. Flip and spray with additional cooking spray. Broil for 1-2 mintues. Serve, topped with pesto, tomato sauce or other additional toppings.

Served these with a pesto-marinara sauce and they were so good!

Shrimp Arrabiata with Romaine Salad

From Cooking Light

6 oz. linguine (I used whole wheat penne because that's what I had on hand)
2 tbsp. olive oil, divided
1 lb. large shrimp peeled and deveined (I used frozen because I'm scared of that whole "peeled and deveined" process!)
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 tsp. bottled minced garlic
1/2 tsp. dried basil
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper
2 tbsp. tomato paste
1 (14.5 oz.) can diced tomatoes, undrained
2 tbsp. chopped fresh parsley

Cook pasta, drain and keep warm. Heat 1 tbsp. oil in large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle shrimp with salt, add shrimp to pan. Cook 2 minutes on each side or until shrimp are done (skipped this since I was using pre-cooked shrimp). Transfer shrimp to a bowl. Heat remaining 1 tbsp. oil in pan. Add onion, garlic, basil and crushed red pepper to pan; saute 1 minute. Add tomato paste and tomatoes; bring to a boil. Cook 3 minutes, or just until sauce begins to thicken. Return shrimp to pan; cook 1 minute or until thoroughly heated. Add parsley to the pan, stirring well to combine. Serve over pasta.

The sauce was really good and I wouldn't have minded it being a little bit spicier. Served this with a simple salad for an overall pretty healthy meal.

From thenest.com

Romaine Ribbons with Parmesan-Lemon Dressing

Serves 5-6

For the dressing:
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 large clove garlic, chopped
1/2 tbsp. Dijon mustard
1 tbsp. cider vinegar
3 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1/8 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/2-3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

For the salad:
1 head Romaine lettuce, coarse leaves removed, rinsed and patted dry
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan

To make the dressing: In a food processor (my mini one is perfect for this job!), combine all ingredients and process until well combined. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside for 1 hour to blend the flavors.
To make the Romaine ribbons: Stack 6-8 leaves at a time and cut widthwise into ribbons 1/2 inch wide. Place ribbons in a large salad bowl, drizzle with the dressing and toss well. Garnish with Parmesan and serve immediately.

This salad is one of my favorites and I make it often. It's tasty and it may not seem like much, but the Romaine ribbons somehow make it feel more "special".

Greek Pizza Pockets

Serves 4

1 (10 oz.) package frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry

15 oz. ricotta cheese

2/3 cup crumbled tomato-basil feta

3 tablespoons chopped fresh dill (I'll probably use a little less dill next time)

1 package refrigerated pizza dough

Preheat oven to 425. In a bowl, stir spinach, ricotta, feta and dill. Divide pizza dough into 4 equal pieces. On a floured board, press each in to 8"x7" oval. Spoon 1/4 of filling into center of each oval; brush edges with water. Fold each over lengthwise to enclose filling, press to seal. Cut slit in each. Bake for 25 minutes.

Pasta with Lemon and Fresh Herbs

This is one of my favorite simple, light meals. It's also a versatile recipe that I can easily tweak a little bit based on what I have on hand. Here's the original recipe:

1/2 lb. egg noodles (I used whole wheat angel hair)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (I usually use more like 3 or 4 tablespoons)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup lightly packed fresh herbs (can use parsley, dill, tarragon or a mix)
1 teaspoon lightly packed finely grated lemon zest
2 scallions, thinly sliced
(I also added some frozen shrimp)

Serves 4

Cook the pasta in generously salted water based on package directions. Just before draining, scoop out about 1/4 cup cooking water. Drain the noodles, set aside. Put the pan you used to cook the pasta over medium heat, add the butter, lemon juice and about 2 tablespoons of cooking water and swirl to combine. Add the pasta and toss gently but thoroughly to coat, adding more of the cooking water if necessary. Remove from heat. Season to taste with salt and pepper, add the herbs, zest and scallions and toss once more to mix. Serve immediately.

Chicken Bruschetta Bake

1 can (14.5 oz.) diced tomatoes, undrained
1 package (6 oz.) Stove Top Stuffing Mix for chicken
1/2 cup water
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 cup shredded mozzarella

Heat oven to 400. Mix tomatoes, stuffing mix, water and garlic just until stuffing mix is moistened. Layer chicken, basil, cheese and stuffing in a 9x13 baking dish. Bake for 30 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.

This was tasty, easy and reasonably healthy. The bruschetta-like topping was the best part, so I'm thinking about trying this with veggies (eggplant, mushrooms, squash, etc.) instead of chicken next time.

I also served this with sauteed spinach with garlic:

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
6 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 lb. fresh spinach, washed and dried
Salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan (I skipped this to make it slightly healthier)

Saute garlic in oil and butter for about 30 seconds over medium heat or until lightly golden, being careful not to burn the garlic. Add spinach and saute until just wilted, about 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat, season with salt and pepper and sprinkle with parmesan.

Easy Peanut Butter Squares

Colin loves these so much that their new name should be "Colin's Obsession"!

3/4 cup melted butter

2 cups graham cracker crumbs

12 oz. crunchy peanut butter

2 cups powdered sugar

12 oz. melted chocolate chips

Combine butter and graham cracker crumbs, mix in sugar and peanut butter. Spread in a 9x13 pan. Pour chocolate over the mixture. Chill.

Shrimp Ceviche Salad

1 lb. medium-small shrimp, peeled and deveined

2 tsp. salt

3/4 cup lime juice (4-6 limes)
3/4 cup lemon juice (2-3 lemons)

1 cup finely chopped red onion

1 serrano chile, ribs and seeds removed, minced

1 cup chopped cilantro

1 cucumber, peeled, diced into 1/2 inch pieces

1 avocado, peeled, seed removed, cut into 1/2 inch chunks

1 tomato, chopped

Add shrimp to boiling, salted water and cook for 1-2 minutes. Cut shrimp into inch long pieces. Place shrimp in glass or ceramic bowl. Mix in lime and lemon juice. Cover and refrigerate for 3o minutes. Mix in red onion and chile, refrigerate for another half hour. Add cilantro, cucumber, avocado and tomato immediately before serving.

I used some frozen shrimp I had on hand and didn't use all of the lime and lemon juice. I served this with chips and guacamole and it made a tasty, light meal.

Fried Food Fest

....otherwise known as the State Fair of Texas. Colin and I went on Saturday and we had a great time trying some of the crazy stuff. We started out with Chicken Fried Bacon, the first place winner for this year. It pretty much tastes just like you think it would, but I'm not totally sure if that's a good thing or not!
Our favorite was the Fried Peanut Butter, Jelly and Banana sandwich--delicious! We also tried the fresh-squeezed lemonade (perfect amount of sweetness) and the Chocolate Covered Strawberry Waffle Balls (just so-so). Overall, it was a lovely fall afternoon at the fair!

Magical Mystery Pizza

Yay! I finally started my food blog, but since I spent forever just setting this up, I'm keeping it simple for my very first post. I think anyone who knows Colin knows of his love for Mellow Mushroom pizza. I attempted to make a homemade version of our "usual" and it was definitely good, but somehow I think Colin will still want to go to Mellow Mushroom for the real thing as often as possible!




Boboli premade pizza crust
Store bought pesto sauce
Grated mozzarella
Spinach
Mushrooms (cooked for a few minutes with garlic and olive oil)
Jalapenos

Spread the pesto on the pizza crust (turns out I didn't have quite enough pesto so I mixed what I had with some marinara, which was quite tasty). Spread toppings and cheese on top and cook for 8-10 minutes. I served this with a basic salad and we had quite the tasty dinner!