Honey Garlic Salmon

This is a yummy go-to recipe. If you are like me, honey, garlic and soy sauce are all things that I always keep on hand. That is all that it takes to make this fabulous dish. So when you just can't think of anything to make, just grab some salmon at the store and you are set!

Honey Garlic Salmon
Adapted from Lion House Classics

4 salmon fillets
1 cup honey
3 cloves garlic
1 tbs soy sauce


Place ingredients in food processor and blend until garlic is well minced. Warm sauce. Brush over salmon prior to baking. Grill salmon on a grill or bake uncovered at 350 for 15-20 minutes.

Lasagna Roll-ups

Lasagna is dish that so many people love, but the recipes usually make so much! This is why I haven't made lasagna for years...that is until I found this recipe. It gives all of the wonderful flavors of lasagna without all of the leftovers.

Lasagna Roll-ups

8 lasagna noodles
1/2 lb. lean ground turkey
1 tbs olive oil
2 cloves garlic
1/2 onion
1 can crushed tomatoes
1 egg
1/2 cup ricotta cheese
1 1/2 tbs fresh basil, chopped
1 1/2 tbs fresh oregano, chopped
1/4 cup shredded mozzarella
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Heat a large pot of water to boiling over high heat. When it reaches a boil, salt liberally and drop noodles. Stir occasionally and cook to just al dente. You want to leave them slightly more firm since you'll be baking the pasta. Drain noodles and set aside.

Meanwhile in a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add garlic and onion and saute for 2-3 minutes. Add turkey and brown. When almost cooked through, add tomatoes and reduce heat to medium low. Simmer for about 15 minutes. Add 1/2 the basil, oregano, and crushed red pepper flakes and stir to combine.

In a small bowl, lightly beat egg. Add ricotta, Parmesan and remaining basil and oregano and stir together. Spray pan lightly with cooking spray. Add enough sauce to lightly cover the bottom of the pan. To assemble, on a drained noodle, add a spoonful of ricotta mixture. Top with a spoonful of meat sauce and roll up. Place seam side down in pan. Continue until you've used all the noodles. Top each with a little more meat sauce and sprinkle with mozzarella and remaining crushed red pepper flakes. Bake approximately 20 minutes until cheese is melted and bubbly.

Southwestern Stuffed Peppers

This is a great recipe! It is quite affordable and you can make it healthier by using ground turkey and brown rice. The recipe made four stuffed peppers which meant yummy leftovers. Enjoy!

Southwestern Stuffed Peppers

1/2 pound ground turkey breast
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 cup black beans
1 cup corn
1/2 cup red onion, diced
1 can diced tomatoes with chiles (I use Ro-tel)
1/2 cup brown rice
4 bell peppers (I used green but any color will work)
1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, grated
1/4 cup cilantro, roughly chopped
1 lime

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a small saucepan, cook rice with water as directed on package (I cooked the rice in a rice cooker). Meanwhile, brown turkey in a large skillet over medium high heat, crumbling as it cooks. Add 1/2 tsp cumin, cayenne, and half of chili powder. After about 5 minutes, add diced tomatoes and reduce heat to medium low. Add onions, black beans and corn and simmer until rice is cooked.

Meanwhile, prepare peppers by cutting in half through the top, remove stem, seeds and ribs. Rinse and set in a large baking dish. When liquid has cooked off rice, add remaining spices and fluff with a fork. Stir into turkey mixture. Squeeze juice of half of lime over the mixture and add half the cilantro. Spoon filling into pepper halves. Add a couple tablespoons of water to pan, cover the pan with foil and bake for about 20-25 minutes. Uncover, peppers should be softened. Sprinkle on cheese and return to oven for about another 5 minutes until cheese is melted. Top with remaining cilantro and sour cream, if desired.

Turkey Swedish Meatballs

This has easily become a family favorite! I am always looking for new recipes for ground turkey and this one is a home run! The best part of it is that it only takes 10 minutes to prep and 15 minutes to cook. These meatballs can be served alone or over pasta.

Turkey Swedish Meatballs
Adapted from The South Beach Diet Quick and Easy Cookbook.

3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground allspice
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 lb. ground turkey breast
1 tbs extra-virgin olive oil
3/4 cup lower-sodium chicken broth
3 tbs reduced-fat sour cream
2 tbs chopped fresh parsley

Mix together salt, allspice, and pepper in a medium mixing bowl. Add turkey and gently mix with hands to combine; shape into 24 (1-inch) balls.

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add meatballs and cook until browned, about 3 minutes; lower heat to medium and cook 3 more minutes, gently shaking pan. Using slotted spoon, transfer meatballs to a plate.

Add broth to the same skillet, increase heat to medium-high, and simmer until liquid is reduced by half, about 5 minutes. Whisk in sour cream and cook 1 minute more. Add meatballs. Sprinkle with parsley and serve hot.

Moraccan White Bean Sliders

When I was on a visit home to Utah this summer, my mom made these for dinner one night and I fell in love. They have a little bite to them which I really like. They are pretty simple to make as long as you have a food processor or a blender. The recipe says to serve with pitas, but I used sandwich rounds instead and it worked out great. I just made the patties a little bit bigger to fit the sandwich rounds.

Moraccan White Bean Sliders
Adapted from Redbook.

Ingredients

• 1/2 red bell pepper, quartered
• 3 scallions, quartered
• 1/2 cup cilantro leaves
• 1 clove garlic, smashed
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon harissa (or cayenne pepper)
  
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  
• 1 can (15.5-ounce) white beans (cannellini), drained and rinsed
• 3/4 cup panko breadcrumbs
• 1 large egg
• 3 tablespoon olive oil
• 8 small (4-inch) pita breads
• 1/2 cup light mayonnaise, mixed with 1 tablespoon harissa
• Lettuce leaves and tomato slices

Directions

1. In a food processor, pulse red bell pepper, scallions, cilantro, garlic, coriander, cumin, harissa, and salt until vegetables are very finely chopped. Add beans; pulse until beans are coarsely mashed.
2. Transfer mixture to a bowl; add breadcrumbs and egg. Mix with your hands until well combined. Shape into 8 (1/4-cup) burgers. Place on a waxed-paper-lined plate and refrigerate 30 minutes.
3. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add sliders and cook 3 to 4 minutes per side, or until golden brown. Drain on a paper towel.
4. Cut 1 inch off the tops of pitas. Spread insides with harissa mayonnaise, then line each with a lettuce leaf, a tomato slice, and a slider.

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

This is one of my favorite fall recipes! It is quite simple to make and it smells like fall, which I have been craving since I don't get to experience the fall here in Sunny Florida. I like to bake homemade french bread (earlier post) to dip into the soup. It is so yummy!

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup
Adapted from Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics.

For the Soup:
3-4 pounds butternut squash, peeled and seeded
2 yellow onions
2 McIntosh apples, peeled and cored
3 tbs olive oil
Salt and pepper
2-4 cups chicken stock
1/2 tsp curry powder (I choose not to use the curry)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 425 F. Cut the butternut squash, onions and apples in 1-inch cubes. Place them on a sheet pan and toss with olive oil, 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper. Divide squash between 2 sheet pans and spread it in a single layer. Roast for 35-45 minutes, until very tender.

Meanwhile, heat chicken stock to a simmer. When the vegetables are done, coarsely blend in a food processor or blender with some chicken stock. When all of the vegetables are processed, place them in a large pot and add enough chicken stock to make a thick soup. Add the curry powder, 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper. Taste for seasonings and serve.

*I usually half the recipe if it is just for me and Bubba.

Puff Pastry Pizza

This is one of the most simple and delicious meals that I make! For a while, we would have these little pizzas every week! I got the idea from a friend who made something similar for a party. I have made my own changes and you can make your own too. You can really add any type of topping that you want!
Puff Pastry Pizza

1 sheet thawed puff pastry sheet
Pesto
2 tomatoes
Sliced olives
Shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400F.

Cut puff pastry into 9 equal squares. Score a small box within each individual pizza. Spread about 1 tsp of pesto on each pizza. Top with sliced tomatoes, olives or any other topping that you desire.

Bake pizza for 13 minutes and then top each pizza with cheese. Continue to bake for an additional 3-4 minutes or until cheese is melted and edges is golden brown.

Harvest Moon Macaroni and Cheese

This recipe has a little surprise! The beautiful cheesy color that you see is not actually from cheese...it is butternut squash! It is a great way to camouflage veggies for kids! I like to add a cheers cracker crumble on the top for added texture.

Harvest Moon Macaroni and Cheese
Adapted from Food Network-Rachael Ray

Ingredients

1 pound macaroni such as cassarecci, strozzopretti or ziti with lines
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 tablespoons fresh thyme, finely chopped
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons all-purpose four
1 cup chicken stock
1 1/2 cups whole milk
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Nutmeg, grated to taste
1 (10-ounce) box frozen butternut squash, defrosted
A few dashes hot sauce
1 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
1 cup extra-sharp yellow Cheddar
A handful fresh parsley leaves, finely chopped
1 teaspoon sweet paprika

Directions
Bring water to a boil, season with salt and cook macaroni to al dente.

Preheat broiler and place rack in middle of the oven.

Heat the extra-virgin olive oil in a sauce pot over medium heat, saute onions and garlic until soft, 6 to 7 minutes and stir in the thyme.

Scoot onions off to side of pan and melt butter, whisk flour into butter and combine whisk 1 minute then whisk in stock and milk, season sauce with salt, pepper and nutmeg, and cook until thickened, about 3 to 4 minutes.

Stir in butternut squash and a few dashes hot sauce. Reduce heat. When sauce comes to a bubble, stir in Parmigiano. Combine the sauce and macaroni, transfer to a casserole dish and top with shredded yellow Cheddar, chopped parsley and paprika. Brown the macaroni under broiler, 4 to 5 minutes until brown and bubbly.

Risotto with Butternut Squash, Leeks and Basil

This is the perfect dish for fall! I think that butternut squash screams fall and it is wonderful in this risotto! Risotto does take a little bit of time to make, but I think that it is definitely worth it! This can be served as a side dish or you can add a salad for a light dinner. Enjoy!

Risotto with Butternut Squash, Leeks and Basil

3 tbs olive oil, divided
4 cups 1/2-inch cubes peeled butternut squash (from 2 1/4 lb. squash)
3 cups 1/2-inch wide slices leeks (white and pale green parts only)
1 tbs chopped fresh thyme
2 cups arborio rice
4 14-oz cans (or more) vegetable broth
1 cup chopped fresh basil
3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese plus additional for serving

Heat 2 tbs oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add squash and saute until beginning to soften and brown around edges, about 5 minutes. Transfer squash to medium bowl.

Reduce heat to medium; add remaining 1 tbs oil, leeks, and thyme to same pot and stir until tender but not brown, about 5 minutes. Add rice and stir 1 minute. Add 1 cup broth and simmer until absorbed, stirring frequently, 3-4 minutes. Add remaining broth by 1/2 cupfuls, allowing each addition to be absorbed before adding next, stirring often, about 15 minutes. Return squash to pot. Continue to cook until rice is just tender but still very creamy, stirring gently and often, about 10 minutes longer (it seemed to take a bit longer when I made it, about 35-40 minutes total cooking time). Remove from heat. Stir in basil and 3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer to large bowl and serve with additional Parmesan cheese.

Beef Stir-Fry

I don't cook with red meat very often, but this is one dish that I love. The recipe comes The South Beach Diet Cookbook and is for shrimp stir-fry, but I like to switch it up sometimes. I like to go to whole foods for the meat. They have stir-fry beef that it is already cut up and ready to go which is great for me because I am not big into raw meat!

Beef Stir-Fry

4 tsp canola oil, divided
2 tbs plus 1 1/2 tsp low sodium soy sauce, divided
3 garlic cloves, minced
1-1 1/2 lb. beef or shrimp
2 tbs minced fresh ginger
8 oz. white mushrooms, quartered
4 scallions, cut into 1 inch pieces
1 large bell pepper, any color, cut into strips
8 oz. snow peas, strings removed
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes

Whisk together 2 tsp of oil, 1 1/2 tsp soy sauce, and garlic in a large bowl; add beef and toss to coat. Lightly coat a large skillet or wok with cooking spray and heat over high heat. Add beef and cook until cooked through (if using shrimp, it should only take about 2 minutes to cook). Transfer to a plate.

Heat remaining oil in the same skillet over high heat; add ginger and cook 30 seconds. Add mushrooms, scallions, bell pepper, snow peas and red pepper flakes and cook until vegetables are are crisp-tender, about 4 minutes. Stir in beef and remaining soy sauce and toss to combine. Serve hot.

White Bean and Sausage Ragout with Tomatoes, Kale and Zucchini

This recipe is amazing! It is fresh, tasty and healthy! You can switch up the taste by using different flavors of chicken sausage. I like the spicy Italian sausage. Also, if you have never tried kale, this dish would be a great introduction!

White Bean and Sausage Ragout with Tomatoes, Kale and Zucchini
Adapted from Cooking Light: Cooking Through the Seasons

1 tbs olive oil
1/2 cup chopped onion
4-5 links chicken sausage, cut into slices
1 zucchini, quartered and cut into (1/2 inch) slices
3 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
6 cups chopped trimmed kale (about 1/2 lb.)
1/2 cup water (I use about 1 cup chicken stock)
2 cans cannellini beans or other white beans, rinsed and drained
1 can diced tomatoes, undrained
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Suate onion and sausage 4 minutes or until sausage is browned . (If using uncooked sausage, cook sausage before slicing and then saute with onion.) Add zucchini and garlic; cook 2 minutes. Add kale and remaining ingredients; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Serve immediately.

Linguine with Summer Succotash

I wasn't feeling well the other night, but I had this meal planned for dinner. My sweet husband took the recipe and made a delicious dish! He said that it was pretty easy to make and it didn't take too much time. The blended corn makes for a great sauce! We did make one alteration to the recipe. String beans were less expensive this week so I used them instead of the snap peas and I think it worked just fine.

Linguine with Summer Succotash
Adapted from Bon Appétit.

Ingredients:
8 ounces linguine
2 1/2 cups fresh corn kernels (cut from 3 to 4 ears), divided
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 3/4 cups stringless sugar snap peas
1 6-ounce container assorted bab tomatoes, large ones halved
1 1/4 cups sliced fresh basil
3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese plus additional for serving

Directions:
Cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until tender but still firm to bite, stirring occasionally. Drain, reserving 1 cup cooking liquid. Place 1/2 cup cooking liquid in blender. Add 1/2 cup corn; blend until smooth. Heat oil in heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add peas and remaining 2 cups corn. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Cover; cook until vegetables are crisp-tender, stirring often, about 5 minutes. Add pasta, tomatoes, basil, 3/4 cup cheese, and corn puree. Toss until heated through and sauce coats pasta, adding more cooking liquid if dry, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Serve, passing additional cheese.

Artichoke Chicken

If you like balsamic vinegar and artichokes, you will love this recipe! It is a quick recipe to throw together and goes over great with company.

Artichoke Chicken
Recipe adapted from The South Beach Diet Cookbook.

4 tbs extra virgin olive oil
4 boneless. skinless chicken breast halves, pounded to 1/2" thickness
1 bag (16 oz) frozen small whole onions (I have also used fresh pearl onions)
1 can (14 oz) chicken broth
1 tbs balsamic vinegar
1 package (10 oz) frozen artichoke hearts (I use canned artichoke hearts)

Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chicken and cook for 10 minutes, turning once, or until browned on both sides. Carefully remove the chicken to a large bowl.

Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons oil in the skillet. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes, or until lightly browned. Return the chicken to the pan and add the chicken broth and vinegar, and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes. Add the artichoke hearts and cook for 10 minutes, or until the artichoke hearts are tender and a thermometer inserted in the thickest portion of a chicken breast registers 170F and the juices run clear.

Spicy Tilapia with Pineapple-Pepper Relish

I made this for dinner last night and it was so good that I had to post it right away! It is spicy, but the sweet pineapple is such a nice compliment.

Spicy Tilapia with Pineapple-Pepper Relish

Adapted from Cooking Light: Cooking through the Seasons.

2 tsp canola oil

1 tsp Cajun Seasoning

1/4 tsp kosher salt

1/4 tsp ground red pepper

4 (6 oz. ) tilapia fillets

1 1/2 cups chopped fresh pineapple chunks

1/3 cup chopped onion

1/3 cup chopped plum tomato

2 tbs rice vinegar

1 tbs chopped fresh cilantro

1 small jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped

4 lime wedges

1. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Combine Cajun seasoning, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Sprinkle fish evenly with spice mixture. Add fish to pan, and cook 2 minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness.

2. Combine pineapple and next 5 ingredients in a large bowl, stirring gently. Serve pineapple mixture with fish. Garnish with lime wedges.

*I added a little oil to the spice mixture and applied with a brush. I also made the Pineapple Relish before cooking the fish so that it was all ready to go once the fish was done.

Spinach, Pesto and Fontina Lasagna

I had been wanting to make a vegetarian lasagna for a while when I found this recipe. When I saw that it was spinach and pesto, I knew that it would be great, and it was! It does take a little bit of time, but it is worth it!

Spinach, Pesto and Fontina Lasagna
Adapted from Bon Appetit.

Sauce:

2 tbs unsalted butter

1/4 cup flour

2 1/2 cups milk

1/2 cup dry white wine

1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1/2 tsp salt

Spinach:

2 tbs olive oil

1/2 cup finely chopped shallots

4 large garlic cloves, finely chopped

3 6-oz. packages baby spinach

Lasagna:

15 no-boil 7x3 1/2 inch lasagna noodles

3 1/2 cups fresh ricotta cheese

1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1/2 tsp finely grated lemon peel

1 large egg

2 cups coarsely grated Italian Fontina cheese, divided

Herb Pesto:

1 1/2 cups fresh basil leaves (lightly packed)

1/2 cup pine nuts, toasted

1/2 cup Parmesan

1/4 cup fresh parsley

1/4 cup fresh tarragon leaves

2 garlic cloves

1/3 cup EVOO

For Sauce:

Melt butter in heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add flour and whisk 1 minute (do not brown). Add milk and wine and whisk until smooth. Cook until sauce thickens and comes to a boil, whisking constantly, 4-5 minutes. Remove from heat. Whisk in Parmesan cheese and salt. Season sauce to taste with pepper.

For Spinach:

Heat oil in large pot over medium-high heat. Add shallots and garlic. Saute until shallots soften, about 2 minutes. Add all spinach (pot will be full). Cook spinach until wilted but still bright green, tossing often, about 3 minutes. Using tongs, transfer spinach to large sieve set over bowl; reserve pot. Press out excess liquid from spinach. Drain 10-15 minutes longer.

Return drained liquid from spinach to reserved pot. Boil until liquid is reduced to glaze. Return spinach to pot and toss 1 minute. Remove spinach from heat. Mix in 1 1/2 cups sauce. Season spinach to taste with pepper.

For Pesto:Combine first 6 ingredients in processor. Blend until herbs are finely chopped. Add oil and blend to coarse puree. Season pesto to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer to small bowl.

For Lasagna:

Place noodles in large bowl. Fill bowl with hot tap water. Soak noodles until pliable, stirring occasionally to separate, about 15 minutes. Place large sheet of parchment paper on work surface. Transfer noodles to parchment in single layer, shaking off excess water.

Preheat oven to 350 F. Butter 13x9-inch glass baking dish. Mix ricotta, Parmesan and lemon peel in medium bowl. Season to taste with salt. Mix in egg.

Spread 1/2 cup sauce thinly over bottom of prepared dish. Top with 3 noodles, arranged side by side and covering most of bottom dish. Spread 1/2 of spinach mixture over (about 1 1/2 cups). Sprinkle with 1/3 cup Fontina. Top with 3 noodles and half of ricotta mixture (generous 1 3/4 cups). Drop half of pesto over by teaspoonfuls, spacing drops evenly apart. Continue layering with 3 noodles, remaining spinach mixture, 1/3 cup Fontina, 3 more noodles, remaining ricotta mixture, then remaining pesto. Top with last 3 noodles. Spread remaining sauce over; sprinkle with remaining Fontina. Cover dish with buttered foil.

Bake lasagna until heated through and bubbling at edges, 50-55 minutes. Remove from oven. Remove foil from dish.

Preheat broiler. Broil lasagna until top is browned in spots, turning dish occasionally for even browning, about 4 minutes. Let stand 15 minutes to set up.

Pasta Primavera

This is one of our favorite meals to make during the spring. I think that I have already made it 3 times this year!! I love when spring comes and vegetables start to come into season. This pasta is packed full of all my favorite vegetables and is quite delicious!! (I can't remember where I found this recipe. It was a long time ago.)

Pasta Primavera

Ingredients:

1 tbs olive oil

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 red bell pepper, cleaned, seeded and cut into strips

1/2 lb. thin asparagus, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces

1 cup sliced button mushrooms (4 ounces)

1 cup grape or cherry tomatoes sliced in half

1 cup low-sodium chicken stock

1/2 cup 1% milk (I use almond milk)

1 tbs all-purpose flour, dissolved in 3 tbs water

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp ground pepper

1 large carrot peeled and sliced into strips with a peeler

3/4 lb. whole wheat linguine

1/2 cup grated Parmesan

2 tbs chopped parsley

1/4 cup shredded basil leaves

Directions:

Heat the oil in large saute pan over medium-high heat. Cook garlic until soft, about 1 minute. Add peppers and cook until they begin to soften, about 3 minutes. Add mushrooms, asparagus and tomatoes and cook until softened, an additional 5 minutes. Stir in flour and cook 1 minute more. Add chicken stock, milk, salt and pepper and bring to a boil; reduce to a simmer and cook until liquid has thickened slightly, about 5 minutes. Stir in carrot strips.

Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package directions; drain, reserving 1/2 cup pasta water. Toss pasta with vegetables and sauce. Add pasta water if necessary, to loosen mixture. Serve garnished with Parmesan, parsley and basil.

Homemade Sweet Potato Gnocchi

This is one of our favorite meals to make when we have company over for dinner and it is always a hit! Before you start, you need to know that this is really time consuming, but it is definitely worth it. Bubba was actually the one who found the recipe and he was so excited to make them. He made them all by himself the first time around and he did an amazing job!
Once you get them made, you can freeze them and they will save for a month or two. The trick for freezing them is to freeze them on a baking sheet. Keep the gnocchis from touching otherwise they will get stuck together. Once they are frozen, you can put all the gnocchis in a freezer bag. You cook them just the same as the directions say, but they may take a few seconds longer.

Homemade Sweet Potato Gnocchi

Ingredients:

2 1-lb. sweet potatoes
1 12-oz. container fresh ricotta cheese, drained in sieve 2 hours

1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

2 tbs. packed brown sugar

2 tsp. plus 2 tbs. salt

1/2 tsp. nutmeg

2 3/4 cups flour (about)

Directions:

Place sweet potatoes on plate; microwave on high until tender, about 5 minutes per side. Cut in half and cool. Scrape sweet potato flesh into medium bowl and mash; transfer 3 cups to mixer. Add ricotta and blend well. Add Parmesan, brown sugar, 2 tsp. salt and nutmeg; mash to blend. Mix in flour, about 1/2 cup at a time, until soft dough forms.

Turn dough onto floured surface; divide into 6 equal pieces. Form each piece into a 20-inch-long rope (about 1 inch in diameter), sprinkle with flour as needed if sticky. Cut each rope into 40 pieces. Transfer to baking sheet.

Bring large pot of water to boil; add 2 tbs. salt and return to boil. Working in batches, boil gnocchi until they float to the top.

Serve with Brown Butter Sage Sauce or Homemade Marinara.

*Recipe found on Epicurious

Quinoa, Sweet Potato and Feta Salad

I found this recipe over a year ago and now can't remember where I found it. So forgive me if I am not giving credit. But this is one of my favorite go-to recipes. It is good as a main dish or a side dish. I have started roasting the sweet potato and onion instead of sauteing them. Bake at 400F for about 25-3o min.[Makes 2 large servings as a main dish or about 4 as a side dish]

Quinoa, Sweet Potato and Feta Salad

Ingredients:

1/2 cup dry quinoa
1 cup water
1 whole garlic clove, peeled
1 sweet potato
1/2 onion
2-3 cups spinach
feta cheese

Directions:

1. Put the quinoa, water and garlic clove in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer 15 minutes.
2. While the quinoa is simmering, dice up the onion and cut the sweet potato into small cubes.
3. Heat a saute pan over medium heat with a little olive oil (about 1 tsp). Add the sweet potatoes, stirring every few minutes. Cover the sweet potatoes to trap a little steam and help tenderize them for a few minutes. (I add a couple tbs of water to help make some steam.)
4. When the sweet potatoes are about half way tender, add the onion. Cook until both the sweet potatoes and onion are tender. Add the spinach and continue cooking until wilted. Remove from heat.
5. When the quinoa is finished cooking, smash up the garlic clove, spreading it through the quinoa. Combine the quinoa with the sweet potato mixture.
6. Season with salt and pepper and sprinkle with feta cheese.

*While I am cooking the sweet potato and onion, I will add some seasoning like Mrs. Dash and salt and pepper. Also, I don't add the spinach to the sweet potatoes until it is off the heat and in a bowl. This way, the spinach doesn't get too wilted and still has a little crunch. Make sure to watch the quinoa and to not over cook. Once all the water is gone, take it off the heat, otherwise it will burn to the bottom.

Last summer Bubba and I went to the Farmers Market at Pioneer Park in Salt Lake City. I was on the hunt for heirloom tomatoes because I had found this Tomato Tart recipe that I wanted to try out and I thought it would be great heirlooms. We found the most beautiful tomatoes. We picked out the ones we wanted and the nice farmer said, "that will be 17 dollars." Bubba and I looked at each other in astonishment (how could a couple pounds of tomatoes cost that much?) paid the kind farmer and went on our way. We couldn't believe that we had just spent so much on tomatoes! Let's just say this one expensive tart, but it turned out delicious and I would say that it was worth it. Maybe just try to find less expensive tomatoes!

Ingredients

• 1 unbaked 9-inch deep-dish pie crust (I made my pie crust)
• 1 1/2 lb. firm tomatoes, thinly sliced
• 4 oz. feta cheese, crumbled
• 3 large eggs
• 1 tbs tapenade or pesto
• 1/2 cup shredded low-fat mozzarella
• 1/2 cup chopped parsely plus extra for garnish
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• salt and pepper to taste
• 3 tbs capers for garnish (I didn't use these)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425F.


2. Layer pie crust with tomato slices, and sprinkle with 2 oz. feta. Beat together eggs and tapenade until well mixed, and stir in mozzarella parsley, onion powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Pour half of mixture over first tomato layer. Add second layer of tomato slices, and top with remaining egg mixture. Sprinkle remaining feta cheese on top.


3. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until egg mixture firms and feta browns. Remove from oven, garnish with sprinkles of parsley and capers, slice and serve.

Cooks note: I used a large tart dish instead of a 9-inch pie pan. This meant that I almost doubled the egg mixture. It also too closer to 45 minutes to bake since it was a larger dish.

Artichoke Risotto

I found this recipe on one of my friends food blogs (dirtylittleelcaminolover.blogspot.com). It looked delicious and I just had to try it out. Bubba loves artichokes and I knew it would be a hit with him. It calls for vermouth and I don't usually have it on hand. I substituted it with white wine and it turned out great. I don't know what vermouth is supposed to taste like, but I liked it very much without it. This recipe does take a little bit of time, but it is worth it! Enjoy!

Artichoke Risotto

Ingredients:

• 2 tbs olive oil
• 2 cans canned artichokes
• 5 cups homemade light chicken or vegetable stock (I used canned)
• 1/3 cup butter
• 2 leeks thinly sliced, white parts only
• 1 1/2 cups aborio rice
• 1/2 cup dry vermouth
• 3 tbs chopped mint
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 tbs chopped garlic chives (optional)

Directions:

Cut your canned artichokes into thin, vertical slices.

Heat the stock in a saucepan, cover, and keep at a low simmer. Heat the oil and 2 tbs of the butter over a low heat in a large, heavy based, non-aluminum pan that is wider than it is tall. Fry the leek without browning for 3-4 minutes.

Add the artichokes to the pan. Cook, stirring for 1 minute.

Add 1 cup of stock to the pan, cover, and simmer gently for 10 minutes or until almost all the stock has evaporated. Stir in the rice and cook for 1 minute. Pour in the vermouth and cook until it has been absorbed. Add a ladleful of hot stock and stir constantly over medium heat until all the liquid is absorbed.

Continue adding more liquid, one ladleful at a time, until almost all the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender and creamy. This will take 20-25 minutes (for me this took about 45 minutes). If the stock runs out, use boiling water.

Remove the pan from the heat. Add the remaining butter, the mint, and Parmesan, and stir until the butter has melted. Set aside 1 minute before serving topped with the garlic chives, if desired.