French Onion Pasta

I found a recipe for French Onion Pasta on Pinterest but upon looking at the recipe, I realized the main ingredient was onion soup mix and no real onions.  Blech.  So I searched out a similar recipe and found one made from scratch WITH onions who had the same reaction to the same Pinterest recipe as me.  Find her recipe here.  I mostly followed it.

Ingredients:

1 T butter

1 T EVOO
5 medium yellow onions
a couple tsp of italian spices (whatever you have on hand, thyme, rosemary, oregano, etc)
a couple tbsp of brown sugar
salt and pepper
1-2 tbsp worcestershire sauce

1 lb dry pasta (I used penne)

4 c beef broth (I followed her recipe but didn't find it enough liquid to adequately cook the pasta so add some more water and throw in a bouillon cube or 2 to bump up the beef taste without buying more cartons of beef broth)

2 c water (bump up to at least 4 cups but be sure to add some bouillon because this will become your sauce- you could add bouillon after the pasta cooks if you want)
salt

tsp or 2 of italian spices

dash garlic powder
a couple of bay leaves

2 T butter

2 T flour

1 ½ c shredded gruyere (this would have been lovely but I just used mozzarella)

1 ½ c shredded cheddar (also mozzarella because that's what was in my fridge)

Directions:

1. In a large frying pan, heat your butter and olive oil over medium-low heat. Add onions and herbs and salt and pepper and cook down until deep brown and caramelized. Around 45 minutes. Around the 25-30 minute mark add in some brown sugar to bump up the sweetness in the carmelized onions and the worcestershire sauce for nice depth of flavour.

2. In a stock pot, combine the beef broth and water and bouillon; bring to a boil. In the meantime, preheat the oven to 450^◦ F. 

3. Cook the pasta according to the package directions in the broth mixture. Add the herbs/seasoning to the boiling water so the pasta absorbs all the flavors. 

4. While the pasta cooks, melt the 2 T butter in a small bowl. Add the flour and stir to make a paste and reserve. 

5. When the pasta is al dente, use a spider or slotted spoon to take the pasta out of the water and dump it into an 8x11 casserole dish, saving the cooking liquid. Set aside pasta and bring the remaining broth back to a boil. Add the butter/flour paste and whisk and until combined and thickened and the flour taste has cooked out. 

6. Add most or all of the thickened broth (depending on how saucy you want your pasta) to the pasta and stir. Add about half the cheese and the caramelized onions and mix gently. Top with remaining cheese.

7. Place the casserole in the oven for about 10 minutes to heat through and melt the cheese.

Bits and Bites

Homemade bits and bites mix my mom always makes at Christmas time.  It will give you bad breath though.

3 cups shreddies
2 cups cheerios
1 1/2 cups pretzel sticks
1 1/2 cups cheese nibs/bits or fishies or something similar
1/2 cup butter
1 tsp onion salt
3/4 tsp garlic salt
1 tsp hot sauce
2 tbsp worcestershire sauce
1/8-1/4 tsp cayenne (if you don't like spicy then omit or reduce)

Combine cereal, pretzels and cheese nibs.  Melt butter, add rest of spices and seasonings and mix well.  Pour over dry ingredients and mix to coat.  Lay out on a cookie sheet and bake at 275 degrees for 25 minutes, stirring once half way through.  Let cool completely and enjoy.

Sliced Italian Sausage Hoagies

I saw this on the Rachael Ray Show last week and it looked really yummy so I made it tonight.  I haven't been doing a lot of cooking because I really haven't felt up to it while pregnant so Cole was pretty excited when he walked in and saw a fully home cooked meal even though it was just Sausage Hoagies.  I subbed out turkey sausage for the pork sausage in the recipe.

http://www.rachaelrayshow.com/food/recipes/sliced-italian-sausage-hoagies/

For 4 servings

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons EVOO – Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1 bulb fennel, trimmed and thinly sliced (I omitted this since Cole isn't super in love with it)
• 4 frying peppers, such as cubanelle, and red frying peppers, thinly sliced (I used 1 red bell pepper and 1 anaheim-I was only making this recipe for 2 people)
• 1 hot chili pepper, thinly sliced, optional
• 1 onion, yellow or red, thinly sliced
• 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced (I used 2)
• Salt and pepper
• 2 pounds Italian sausage links, hot, sweet or mixed (I used 4 hot turkey sausages)
• 3 tablespoons tomato paste (1 1/2tbsp)
• 1/2 cup dry white wine (I just used stock)
• 1 cup chicken stock (I only used 1/2 to 1/3c)
• A few leaves torn basil (I didn't have any fresh on hand so I used dried italian seasoning and red chili flakes to get the desired spice we like)
• 4 Italian-style hoagie rolls, split and buttered
• 1/2 pound deli-sliced provolone cheese, halved (her recipes always call for so much cheese- I just grated up a little of what we had in the fridge and sprinkled it on the buttered rolls)

Directions:

Place the sausage in a skillet with about 1/4 inch of water and a drizzle of oil. Bring sausages to boil and allow liquids to cook away then crisp skins in the oil.

Remove sausages and add fennel, peppers, chili, onions, garlic, salt and pepper, and cook to soften 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add tomato paste to fennel and peppers, and stir 1 minute or so. Add wine and stir another minute; add stock and basil. Reduce heat to simmer.

Slice the sausages on an angle and add back to pan and simmer until liquid reduces and you are left with veggies and sausage in a bit of thick sauce.

Place your buttered and cheesed rolls under the broiler for a few minutes till cheese melts and buns are slightly toasted.  Add sausage/pepper mixture and enjoy!  I served along side roasted potatoes.  In the original recipe, Rachael Ray serves this with Ritz Fried Delicata Squash Rings.



My modifications to the recipe yielded enough sausage pepper mix for 4 rolls.

Healthier Slow Cooker Spinach Dip

A few healthier modifications plus the convenience of the slow cooker makes this recipe a winner.

Ingredients:

• 14-28oz artichoke hearts, drained and coarsely chopped
• 1 (10 oz) package frozen spinach, thawed, drained and squeezed dry
• 1 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 cup low-fat/fat-free Greek yogurt
• 2 (8 oz) blocks low fat/fat free cream cheese
• 4 cloves garlic, minced (1 tablespoon)
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper 

Directions:

Coat the slow cooker with cooking spray. Add all ingredients. Stir to combine, cover and cook until heated through. 1-1/2 to 2 hours on high, 3 to 4 hours on low. Recipe may be doubled.

Pumpkin Cheesecake

Adapted from this site.

Ingredients:

Crust (I used gingersnap [2 cups crushed gingersnap cookies+ 6 tbsp butter pressed into 9.5inch springfoam pan, baked at 325 for 12 mins])

3 8oz pakages of cream cheese (I used 2 low fat and 1 regular)
1/2 cup white sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
1/2 cup sour cream
1 cup pumpkin puree
1 tsp cinnamon
a good pinch of cloves
1/3 tsp nutmeg

Garnish (I used whipped cream (plus icing sugar and cinnamon), caramel sauce and crushed, roasted pecans)

Directions:

Cream together cream cheese and sugar
Add vanilla and eggs, mix
Fold in sour cream
Reserve 1 cup of mixture and pour rest onto prebaked crust
Add pumpkin and spices to reserved cream cheese mixture- gently mix in
Pour on top of cream cheese layer
Bake in a water bath at 350 for 40-60 minutes (keep checking after 40 minutes to avoid cracking- it's done when it jiggles in the middle like jello)
Turn oven off and prop door open for a few minutes
Let cool
Refridgerate till next day
Add garnishes and Enjoy!

Cheesy Zucchini Rice

A great alternative to your usual rice dish.  Again, no picture, but it looks just like it did from the site I got it from: bunsinmyoven.com/2012/06/28/cheesy-zucchini-rice/

All four of us at the table took seconds.

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 cup long-grain white rice
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 medium or 2 small zucchini, grated (I used my food processor but a cheese grater would work well, too)
• 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder (didn't have any so I used half a clove of garlic grated in at the same time in the directions as the powder- very nice!)
• salt and pepper, to taste
• splash of milk, as needed (totally forgot about this part, but it was great without it)

Directions:

1. Heat the olive oil in a medium sauce pan over medium heat.
2. Add the rice and stir to coat. Toast the rice, stirring often, just until it starts to turn golden.
3. Pour in the chicken broth, add 1/2 tsp of salt, bring to a boil, turn heat to low, and cover.
4. Cook, covered, for 15 - 20 minutes or until most of the liquid is absorbed.
5. Remove from the heat and add the butter, grated zucchini, cheddar, and garlic (powder). Stir until well incorporated. Cover and let sit for 5 minutes.
6. Stir again and add pepper to taste and a splash of milk if you'd like to thin out the texture a little bit.

Peanut Butter Pudding Cookies

Found on Pinterest (where else?), which came from THIS link.  These were simply delicious.  And turned out exactly as the picture from the link.

Ingredients:

3/4 c. butter, softened
1/2 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. peanut butter
1/2 c. sugar
2 eggs
1 Tbsp. honey
1 tsp. vanilla
2 1/4 c. flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 small box instant vanilla pudding
1 c. chocolate chips
1 c. reeses pieces
1 c. pretzels, broken (I was slightly scared of this element and shied away from the whole cup- I wish I hadn't, DON'T be shy!) - can use banana chips instead

Directions:

In a bowl combine the flour, baking soda, salt, and pudding mix and set aside. In a large mixing bowl cream butter, peanut butter, and sugars until fluffy. Add the eggs, vanilla, and honey and beat again. Slowly add the dry ingredients, being careful not to over mix. Stir in the chocolate chips, reeses, and pretzels by hand.

Drop by tablespoon onto a baking sheet, leaving 2 inches in between each cookie. Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes. Cool on pan for 3-4 minutes, then remove to a wire rack. Store in a tightly covered container. Makes about 36 cookies.

EASY Garlic Chicken

I had chicken and almost nothing else in my house last week one night.  I wanted to do something flavourful but didn't want to go to the store.  This actually turned out quite well and I've made it twice now since trying it.  Super easy- but beware, people will be able to smell it on you all night.

Ingredients:

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts or up to 8 thighs (any more and increase the sauce)
4 garlic cloves, minced
4 tablespoons brown sugar
3 teaspoons olive oil
splash of chicken broth
italian seasonings
salt/pepper

Directions:

Season your chicken with salt, pepper, and italian seasonings (whatever you have on hand).
Sear your chicken in a hot pan with olive oil then set aside in tinfoil lined baking pan.
Lower the heat to LOW on your pan, add a little more oil and sauce your garlic until nice and fragrant- be very careful not to burn.
Remove from heat and add brown sugar, the splash (very little) of broth and a little s/p.
Pour over chicken and place in a 450 degree oven to finish cooking.

Baked Mustard Lime Chicken

From this site: http://www.elanaspantry.com/baked-mustard-lime-chicken/

I love this recipe- so simple yet so bold; so easy yet impressive enough for company.  I managed to take pictures of the prep but after marinating I came back, got into the groove of cooking, and it wasn't until we were half way through that I realized I never took a picture of the end result.  Oh well...go look at the picture on the site I got the recipe from.
I wouldn't suggest skin on chicken for this recipe and if you use bone-in make sure to increase the cooking time.  Recipe is still good if you only have a few minutes for marinating.

Easy, delicious, flavour forward!

Ingredients:

• 1 pound skinless boneless chicken breast or thigh
• ½ cup fresh lime juice (it took me about 3 limes)
• ½ cup fresh cilantro or parsley, chopped (parsley is my favourite)
• ¼ cup dijon mustard
  
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
  
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
  
• ½ teaspoon pepper

Directions:

1. Combine lime juice, cilantro, mustard, olive oil, chili, salt and pepper in a food processor (I used my magic bullet)
   
2. Pulse until ingredients are well combined
3. Rinse chicken breasts, pat dry and place in a baking dish
4. Pour marinade over chicken, cover and refrigerate for at least 15 min-6 hours 
5. Bake at 350° for 18-20 minutes uncovered (bone-in increase to 35-40), or until an instant read thermometer reads 165°
6. Serve with extra sauce spooned over top

Marinade

Marinated chicken

Banh Mi

If you've heard or know of Banh Mi then this post title should have brought a smile to your face.  Banh Mi sandwiches are delicious.  Here's one variety I've tried at home myself now.

Pork Meatball Banh Mi with Vietnamese Pickled Vegetables and Hot Chili Mayo

-pork meatball recipe found here
-pickled veg recipe found here

Ingredients:

Hot Chili Mayo:

• 2/3 cup mayonnaise
• 2 green onions, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon hot chili sauce (such as sriracha)

Meatballs:

• 1 pound ground pork
• 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh basil
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 3 green onions, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon fish sauce
• 1 tablespoon hot chili sauce (such as sriracha)
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt

Pickled Vegetables:

• julienned carrots 
• julienned cucumber
• julienned daikon
• 1 c sugar
• 1 c water
• 1 c rice vinegar
• 2 tsp salt

Directions:

Hot Chili Mayo:

-mix everything together, chill until ready to use

Pork Meatballs:

-Line rimmed baking sheet with wax paper. Gently mix all ingredients in large bowl. Using moistened hands and scant tablespoonful for each, roll meat mixture into 1-inch meatballs. Arrange on baking sheet. Cover and chill so they can set up- but let them sit on counter to come to room temperature about a half hour before cooking them.  Mine only sat in the fridge for like 30 minutes.

-Preheat oven to 350°F. Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add half of meatballs. Sauté until brown and carmelized all around, turning meatballs often and lowering heat if browning too quickly, about 15 minutes. Transfer meatballs to another rimmed baking sheet. Place in oven. Repeat with remaining meatballs.  Mine were in the oven for like 15 minutes while I got other things ready for dinner.

Pickled Vegetables:

-disolve sugar and salt in the liquids and then put the vegetables in to pickle for 1-5 hours.  I would even suggest less sugar...I thought they needed a little stronger of an acidic punch when I tried them.  The site provided up top gives step by step instructions.

Sandwich:

-Submarine bun+mayo+meatball+cilantro+vegetables=delicious!

Chewy Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies

This is my go to chocolate chip oatmeal cookie recipe.  I didn't take picutes- mostly I just want to be able to easily find the recipe when I want to use it.  No substitutions here- just yummy cookie goodness!

1 c butter
1 c brown sugar
1/2 c white sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
1 1/4 c flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
3 c oats
1 c chocolate chips

325
12-14 mins
ungreased cookie sheet

Sweet Potato Latkes

Inspired from a recipe shown on The Chew.  Very important to get as much liquid out of your grated vegetables/fruit as possible.  Great as a side to dinner or breakfast.  We love having them with poached eggs on a breakfast for dinner night. 

Note: when poaching eggs add a tbsp of vinegar to your water to help your egg whites stay together

Note: when shallow frying anything, keep your heat around medium and you will know it is hot enough to start cooking when bubbles form around the base of your wooden spoon when you touch it to the bottom of the pan. 


Ingredients:

1 sweet potato
1/2 onion
1 apple
2 egg whites lightly beaten
1/4 Cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

Directions:

Drop by spoonful in a small layer of oil (shallow frying) in a pan on medium heat.  Flip after a few minutes.  Remove to a paper towel to sop up some of the extra oil and sprinkle with a little finishing salt while still hot.

PS- I have tried it with yam and sweet potato.  Sweet potato is by far the better tasting root for this recipe.  I didn't like the yam version at all.

Quinoa Cakes

Jalapeno Cheddar Quinoa Cakes

This recipe was adapted from THIS site.  I made a non vegan version but if vegan is what you're looking for, check out the site.  Really yummy.  I served them with a garlic aioli (3 garlic cloves minced, 1/3 c mayo, juice from half of a lemon or lime, salt/pepper). 

Ingredients:

2 cups cooked quinoa (cooled)
1/4 cup flour
2 eggs, beaten
1/2-3/4 cup Cheddar Cheese
salt to taste (about 1/2 tsp)
pepper to taste (about 1/2 tsp)
1/2 tsp paprika (or you can use chili powder)
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
 2 tbsp fresh chopped cilantro
1 chopped, de-seeded jalapeno pepper

Directions:

Mix everything together.  Drop by 1/2 cup full in a hot pan with some olive oil.  Sear on both sides then transfer to a 350 oven on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper...for like 10 minutes or so.
(I didn't take a picture but because I altered the recipe, mine ended up looking more like quinoa cake from the site provided for the recipe below-Quinoa Burger)


Quinoa Burger

I made these a while back in a big batch and froze them for lunches in packets of 2.  They are less than 150 calories each.  Super yummy- I usually melted a little cheese on top and ate them with a little sour cream! From THIS site.

Ingredients:

2 rounded cups cooked quinoa, cooled

3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese (or other variety, if you prefer)

1/2 cup low-fat cottage cheese

1 medium carrot, finely grated (OR 1 cup shredded zucchini, squeezed dry)

3 eggs

3 tablespoons all purpose flour

2 green onions, including white parts

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

Olive oil for frying

Directions:

In a large bowl combine the cooked quinoa, cheddar cheese, cottage cheese, carrot, eggs, flour, green onions, Splenda, pepper, cumin, salt, and garlic powder.

Heat a frying pan and a couple teaspoons olive oil over medium-low heat.  Mixture will be slightly sticky, so using a 1/4 cup measuring cup, drop mixture into pan and lightly flatten to 1/2 inch thick.  Fry until golden-brown, about 5 minutes on each side.   Makes approx. 14 burgers.

Southwest Quinoa Salad

I love Southwest flavours and I'm always trying to find more salads that encorporate those flavours.  Here's a really delicious and healthy one featuring quinoa (from where else? Pinterest: here).  I've started buying my quinoa at Costco- 4 lbs (or 1.8 kg) for $10.  Let me know if you have found a better deal.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup dry quinoa, rinsed
• 1 tbsp oil
• 1 3/4 cup water
• 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 avocado, chopped into chunks
• handful cherry tomatoes, halfed (or some diced regular tomato)
• 1/2 red onion, diced (I find raw red onion too aggressive for my taste, so I substituted green onion)
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped into chunks
• small handful cilantro, diced
• 2 limes, juiced
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 small clove garlic, minced
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 1/4-1/2 tsp on chili powder, optional

Directions:

1. Warm the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Once it’s hot add the rinsed quinoa and toast for about 2-3 minutes until it starts smelling nutty and lovely. Add water, stir once, cover, and simmer on low with a lid on for 15-20 minutes. 
2. Transfer cooked quinoa to a bowl and fluff.
   
   

   

   Cooked, fluffed quinoa

3. Chop veggies and make dressing. Prepare the dressing by combining the lime juice, oil, cumin, garlic and salt/pepper. Whisk it aggressively. Adjust seasoning as necessary.
   
   
   
   
   
   
4.  Add all the remaining ingredients, including the dressing and beans, and mix. Adjust seasoning if necessary. Serve with tortilla chips.  We also sprinkled cheese on top, but if you omit that it's vegan friendly.  It's also gluten free- our tortilla chips were made from corn.  If you're not concerned about the vegan label it's great as a side to some grilled protein as well.
   
   
   
   
   

(We got 2 servings plus my 10 month old daughter's serving, plus 2 more left over servings...which we may have eaten later that night.  So much for a ready to go lunch...)

HUSBAND AND BABY APPROVED!

Zucchini Sticks with Onion Dip

Another zucchini recipe.  Cole did not like this one.  So if you don't like zucchini, this isn't the recipe to try.  I loved it and even my 10 month old daughter ate a few.

Found on pinterest of course, recipe off THIS site.

For 2 people:

Ingredients:
-1 large zucchi chopped into sticks
-1 heaped tsp salt

-2 eggs, whisked
-1/2 c panko
-1/4 c parmesan
-1 tbsp italian seasonings
-red chili flakes if you like heat

-1 onion, chopped
-1 1/2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
-1 1/2 tbsp dijon mustard
-1 tbsp honey
-1/2 c mayo


Zucchini Sticks Directions:

-place your zucchini sticks in a collander over the sink or a bowl and sprinkle the salt over them.  let them sit for an hour to release some of their water
-after an hour, pat the zucchini dry
-one or two at a time run through the egg and then the seasoned breading
-place on an oiled baking sheet and bake for 12 minutes at 425 then flip the zucchini and bake another 12 minutes.  serve with onion dip. great for kids and adults alike.

Onion Dip Directions:

-carmelize onions over medium/low heat with oil, salt, pepper and a little brown sugar (about 20 mins)
-run onions through processor with vinegar, mustard and honey
-mix onion mixture in with mayo

I served them as "fries" along side a burger

Zucchini Cakes

I like zucchini...Cole doesn't.  So I've been searching out recipes that use zucchini that Cole and I could enjoy together.  This one was a success.  

Ingredients:

1 large zucchini, grated
1 large egg
1 c. panko bread crumbs
Salt and pepper to taste (I used about a tsp of each)
1 tbsp. Adobo spices (I used 1 tbsp of chili powder)
1/2 c. Parmesan cheese, grated

Directions:

Remove excess liquid from freshly grated zucchini by placing them between paper towels and squeezing. In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients. Mix thoroughly. Heat a tbsp of olive oil in a large pan on medium. Shape spoonfuls of the zucchini batter into 2-in. (diameter) patties, and drop onto the sizzling pan. Cook each side for about a couple minutes, or until the outside is golden brown. Finish the cakes off in the oven. Stick them on a baking pan and finish them off in the oven at 400 for a few minutes while you finish up whatever the rest of your dinner happens to be.  I sprinkled a tiny bit of salt on the outside of these as they came hot out of the oven.

(makes 12 patties, about 63 calories each)

Cole doesn't like zucchini but ate all the leftovers.

Entree Salads

Ingredients:
-romaine
-spinach
-grapes
-granny smith apple
-toasted almonds
-radishes
-jumbo shrimp
-green onion
-dressing: apple cider vinegar, olive oil, sugar or honey, dijon, salt, pepper
-side of parmesan crostini

Ingredients:
-romaine
-ground beef+onions+jalapenos+taco seasoning (cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, paprika, salt, pepper)
-beans (I often use black beans but this night I had refried beans on hand so I used those)
-avocado salsa: avocado, red onion, cilantro, tomato, jalapeno, salt, lime juice
-chili lime dressing: 4 tbsp yogurt, 2 tbsp mayo, 3 tbsp water, 1 1/2 tbsp lime, 2 tsp sugar, 3 tbsp cilantro, 1/2 tsp chili powder

Ingredients:
-romaine
-spinach
-jumbo shrimp
-avocado
-shredded carrot
-strawberries
-feta
-dressing: balsamic vinegar, olive oil, salt, pepper
-side of carmelized onion and feta crostini (exactly what it sounds like)

Ingredients:
-romaine
-spinach
-mango
-cherry tomatoes
-avocado
-green onion
-steak
-chimichurri sauce: 2 handfuls parsley, 1 handful cilantro, 4-6 cloves garlic, 2 tbsp grated onion, oil, splash of lime or red wine vinegar (pulse the greens in a processor but then whisk in the rest)

Hummus

I LOVE hummus! Especially in the summer, I love it with veggies as lunch or a snack.  It can sometimes be higher calories when a lot of oil is used.  I found on Pinterest a way to cut a lot of that out and I don't miss it.  The Pinterest recipe calls for 1 tbsp + 1 tsp of oil but I found that the consistency suffered so I added another tbsp or so.  So no more than 3 tbsp of oil for a whole thing of hummus.  I also love to make different kinds, here are my favourite.

Basic Hummus:

1 can chickpeas (19oz)
1 bulb roasted garlic or as many raw cloves grated as you desire, depending on how sharp you want the garlic taste...start with one (or a combo of both)
1/4 c lemon juice (fresh)
3 tbsp water
1 1/2- 3 tbsp oil (start with 1 1/2 and add more till you get the consistency- you can do the same with the water)
1 tsp salt
pinch cayenne (more or less depending on your taste)

Whiz it up in your processor. Then taste and adjust water, oil, lemon and seasonings to your taste.
(Hummus traditionally calls for tahini, I hate the taste of sesame so I always leave it out.  Add it in per your taste).


Roasted Red Pepper Hummus

Add 1 roasted red pepper to the basic recipe.  Taste and adjust seasonings. 
You can buy roasted red peppers or you can roast your own.  Just take a red pepper and put it under the broiler till it's all black.  You can also blister the skin right on your stove if you have a gas stove with the exposed flame.  Put it in a bowl, wrap in plastic wrap and wait like 15 minutes till it's cooled and peel the pepper.   Voila- roasted red pepper.


Spinach and Artichoke Hummus

Basic recipe + a handful or 2 (or 3, whatever) of fresh spinach leaves, 1 can of marinated artichoke hearts packed in oil (if you do this, don't add any oil to the basic recipe until you've tasted it and added your water- you might not need anymore).  If you use a can of artichokes packed in water, maybe add a little extra oil and some other seasonings- like italian ones.  Just a suggestion. 
-this is probably my most favourite hummus ever!

Spaghetti in Garlic Gravy with Herbs and Lemon Marinated Chicken and Cherry Tomatoes

Love the garlic gravy sauce for this pasta dish- found here:
http://godofscrumprecipes.tumblr.com/

Ingredients:

500 grams spaghetti pasta (cooked al dente)
1 pound chicken breast fillets (sliced into 1 inch chunks)

For the chicken marinade:
2 teaspoons fresh thyme, chopped (if using driedm use half of the amount)
2 teaspoons fresh rosemary, chopped (if using dried, use half of the amount)
Zest of 1 lemon
Juice of ½ a lemon
2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon coarse salt (not table salt)
½ teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper
2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (to sauté the marinated chicken)

-  Add all the marinade ingredients into the chicken and marinade for 20 minutes (if making this dish in pronto) or over night (if making this dish the next day… much better).
-  Saute the marinated chicken in extra virgin olive oil until cooked (about 4-5 minutes) then set aside.

For the garlic gravy:
½ stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter
2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
4 large cloves garlic, finely minced
2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 ½ cups chicken stock
1 Tablespoon fresh basil, chopped
salt and pepper to taste
¼ cup parsley, chopped (to sprinkle/finish the pasta)
½ cup grated parmesan cheese
2 cups whole cherry tomatoes

-  Place sauté pan over medium heat and add butter and olive oil.
-  Saute garlic until fragrant and soft.
-  Add the flour and cook for a minute.
-  Add chicken stock and simmer gravy until thickened then add the chopped basil.
-  Season with salt and pepper.
-  Add the sauteed chicken in the gravy then toss the cooked spaghetti into this  sauce.
-  Add the cherry tomatoes and finish the dish with the chopped parsley and grated parmesan cheese (serve extra on the side).

Makes 5-6 servings.

Sante Fe Salad

Kind of like a taco salad:

lettuce
corn
black beans
chicken
avocado
red pepper
green onion
cilantro

Serve with one of the following dressings:

Chili Lime Dressing:
3 tbsp mayo
3 tbsp yogurt
3 tbsp water
1 1/2 tbsp fresh lime juice
1-2 tsp sugar
1/2-1 tsp chili powder
pinch of salt
-whisk

Chipotle Dressing:
1/3 c chopped fresh cilantro
2/3 c light sour cream
1 chipotle chile, canned in adobo
1 tsp cumin
4 tsp fresh lime juice
1/4 tsp salt
-blend

Pretty Healthy Chocolate Zucchini Cake

http://www.yammiesnoshery.com/2011/08/secretly-healthy-chocolate-cake.html

Yummy chocolate cake for the times during the week when you want chocolate/treat but don't want to cheat too badly.  I topped mine with a little icing sugar/cocoa combo.  Super easy!

2/3 cup whole wheat flour
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup cocoa powder
2/3 cup applesauce
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup shredded zucchini (carrots would also work)
1/2 cup chocolate chips (optional)

Set oven to 350.

Mix dry ingredients, add egg, applesauce, vanilla, zucchini and chips.  Pour into a greased and floured pan (bundt, cake, muffin or loaf) and bake for 25-35 mins (depending on your pan) until your toothpick comes out clean.

Brownie Cookies

These are probably my favourite cookies that I make.  They taste like brownies.

Ingredients:

1 1/4 c butter or margarine
2 c sugar (I've done half brown and half white before- either way is fine)
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
2 c flour
3/4 c cocoa
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 c chips (peanut butter, white chocolate, butterscotch, chocolate, etc) -butterscotch is my fav

Directions:

cream butter and sugar.  add eggs and vanilla. beat. add flour, baking soda, salt. beat. add cocoa by sifting to get out all lumps. beat. mix in chips. drop onto cookie sheet. bake at 350 for 9 minutes.  do NOT over cook- when you take them out of the oven they will look raw- don't worry.  allow the cookies to cool almost completely on the sheet before moving them. 

Salmon Cakes

(even my 7 month old daughter loves these)
http://www.cbc.ca/bestrecipes/2010/01/salmon-cakes.html

Ingredients:

2 large potatoes, peeled, diced, cooked
2 cans of salmon
3 green onions, chopped
1/4 cup chopped fresh dill or cilantro (original recipe calls for cilantro but last time I used dill, both are yummy)
1 tbsp dijon mustard
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp each of hot sauce, lemon zest and black pepper
1 egg, beaten
1 tbsp oil


Directions:

Cook potatoes. In large bowl, mash potatoes until smooth; stir in onions, cilantro/dill, mustard, salt, lemon rind, pepper and hot pepper sauce and oil. Blend in egg. Fold in salmon. Let cool for 5 minutes.
Using hands, shape into eight 3/4-inch (2 cm) thick patties- you want to think baseball patties; they need to be thick so they don't fall apart when cooking.
In large nonstick skillet, heat a little oil over medium-high heat; cook 4 of the patties for about 5 minutes per side or until a nice golden crust forms. Repeat with remaining patties.

Serve with lemon wedges and either Lemon Garlic Aioli or Tartar Sauce.


Lemon Garlic Aioli

Ingredients:
-1/2 c mayo
-1 clove garlic, minced/grated
-1 tbsp oil
-1 tbsp lemon juice
-1/4 tsp salt
-dash hot sauce

Directions:
In bowl, whisk together mayo, garlic, oil, lemon juice, salt and hot pepper sauce.  You can refrigerate for up to 24 hrs.



Tartar Sauce

Ingredients:
-1/2 c mayo
-1 1/2 tbsp relish
-1 1/2 tbsp minced/grated onion
-1 1/2 tbsp lemon juice
-salt and pepper to taste

Directions:-whisk everything together or put in a food processor and mix together
-TRY to refrigerate for at least one hour before serving

Shrimp Po' Boy Sandwich

For 2 Sandwiches

Ingredients:

• For the Po Boy:
• 2/3 cup Buttermilk
• 1/8 cup of your favorite Louisiana red hot sauce
• 4 tablespoon Creole/Cajun Spice (Cajun Spice Blend Recipe)
• about 12 jumbo shrimp/prawns
• 3/4 cup cornmeal
• 3/4 cup All-purpose flour
• Vegetable oil for frying
• Salt and pepper
• 2 Lengths of po'boy bread split lengthwise (6-8 inch lengths) -your favourite sub bun
• mayo/butter for toasting bread
• 1 Medium tomato (thinly sliced)
• Shredded lettuce (for garnish)
• sauce for sandwich (I've used the 2 following sauces- jalapeno aoili [http://beta.abc.go.com/shows/the-chew/recipes/Shrimp-Po-Boy-Emeril-Lagasse] and remoulade sauce [http://www.food.com/recipe/stans-place-shrimp-po-boy-127016]- both delicious!

Directions:

-Combine the buttermilk, hot sauce, and half of the cajun spices in a medium mixing bowl and stir to combine. Add the shrimp and allow to marinate for up to 30 minutes, refrigerated.
-In a separate medium bowl, combine the cornmeal, flour, and remaining cajun spices and stir to blend.
-Heat the vegetable oil in a large heavy pot or deep-fryer until the temperature reaches 360° F. You can also shallow fry in a pan. Working in batches, remove the shrimp from the buttermilk marinade and transfer to the masa harina mixture. Dredge to coat, shaking to remove any excess breading. Cook the shrimp, in small batches, until golden brown and crispy, 2 to 3 minutes.  Remove with a slotted spoon and transfer to paper towels to drain. Season with salt and pepper or a little more of the cajun spice blend if you want to really make it spicy and delicious and set aside.  Repeat with the remaining shrimp.
-Spread the bottom and top halves of the bread with the melted butter or mayo and then put in a hot pan to toast up. Generously spread the top halves of the toasted bread with the Jalapeno Mayonnaise or Remoulade sauce. Divide the shrimp evenly among the bottom halves followed by the lettuce and tomatoes (add any other veggies). Place the top halves of the bread over the fillings and press lightly.  Cut each sandwich in half and serve immediately.

you can see two of the shrimp on the plate- this is what they should look like. served with onion rings.

Old Fashioned Onion Rings

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/old-fashioned-onion-rings/

Ingredients:

• 1 large onion, cut into 1/4-inch slices
• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 egg
• 1 cup milk, or as needed
• 3/4 cup PANKO breadcrumbs
• salt
• oil for frying (I shallow fry so I only use as much as would cover the onion rings half way- you can deep fry, too)
  

Directions:

1. Heat the oil in a deep-fryer to 365 degrees F (185 degrees C). If you are shallow frying, like me, heat oil in your pan at medium high heat.
2. Separate the onion slices into rings, and set aside. In a small bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder and salt.
3. Dip the onion slices into the flour mixture until they are all coated; set aside. Whisk the egg and milk into the flour mixture using a fork. Dip the floured rings into the batter to coat, then place on a wire rack to drain until the batter stops dripping. The wire rack may be placed over a sheet of aluminum foil for easier clean up. Spread the bread crumbs out on a plate or shallow dish. Place rings one at a time into the crumbs, and scoop the crumbs up over the ring to coat. Give it a hard tap as you remove it from the crumbs. The coating should cling very well. Repeat with remaining rings.
4. Fry the rings a few at a time for 2 to 3 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove to paper towels to drain. Season with salt as soon as they are taken out of the oil.

these were served along side a Po' Boy Sandwich

Homemade Oreos

Today is my husband's birthday.  A few months ago I saw a recipe for homemade football oreos on Pinterest and I made a mental note to remember to make them for his birthday.  He LOVES football-almost more than anything.  When I attempted to make them I quickly got frustrated with forming them into the right shape that would still look like a football after they expanded in the oven.  So I made a couple footballs and then the rest just like oreos- except they're quite big.  Even if you make the dough balls suuuper small, these oreos end up much bigger once cooked.  So keep that in mind. 

Ingredients:

(Cookies)
-1 package devil food cake mix
-2 eggs
-1/2 c butter (softened)

(Filling)
-1/2 c butter (softened)
-1 stick of cream cheese (softened)
-2 c powdered sugar
-1 tbsp vanilla

Directions:

Heat oven to 350.  Mix devils food cake, eggs and butter together.  Roll dough into a SMALL ball and push flat on pan.  Bake for 8 minutes.  Let cool completely then transfer to plate or rack. 

Mix up icing.  I used a piping bag (if you don't have one, make one by pouring icing into the corner of a sandwich bag, cut off the tip and twist and use like a piping bag) to pipe the icing onto a cookie.  The cookies are a little soft and I was worried about the cookie breaking if I smeared the icing on with a knife.  Place another cookie on top of the iced cooked to make an "oreo". 

see my pathetic attempt at a football? unfortunately, this was the best looking football of the batch

Beef Stew AND Beef Enchiladas

These recipes were posted on my other blog before I had a recipe blog, but they are too good not to have here as well:

One Beef Roast will get you two delicious dinners (Serve 4)

Dinner One: Shredded Beef Enchiladas with Roasted Salsa

beef roast + broth or liquid to cook it in
tortillas
2 cups sour cream
2 cups shredded pepper jack cheese
2-3 onions
2-4 jalapenos
1 green pepper
roma tomatoes
few cloves or garlic
cilantro
2 limes
taco seasonings

In the morning place the roast in a crockpot and pour in some broth (or water) and let it cook all day long.

The enchilada sauce and salsa can be made ahead of time.

Enchilada Sauce:

-saute one large onion and one large jalapeno (seeds in our out depending on your preference)
-when tender, add one tablespoon of flour and let cook for a minute or so to get rid of the raw flour taste.  Add 2 cups of sour cream and 2 cups of shredded pepper jack cheese (or similar) and cook on low for 10 minutes until the cheese is completely melted and the sauce has come together.  Taste and adjust seasoning to your preference.  I added a little more salt, pepper and cayenne.
Put aside for later.  If you're doing this hours ahead of time, put in fridge. (it does NOT need to be warm to assemble enchiladas)


Salsa (from Pinterest)

I usually make pico de gayo but this was a nice change and a super great alternative to buying it.

Halve some roma tomatoes (I think I used 7-8...use more or less depending on how big of a batch you want...I made like 2-3 cups of salsa with my amounts), halve or quarter an onion depending on how big it is...I used one and a half onions because mine were smaller.  Throw on a cookie sheet with 1-3 jalapenos (whole) and a few cloves of garlic.  Roast at 375 for around 30 minutes, turning veggies once.  You're looking for some char on the peppers, for the tomatoes to get juicy and soft, for the onions to get translucent with hardly any char at all.  Take out, cool.  Then run through a food processor with cilantro, lime and salt.  Start with one pepper, taste and decide if you need more.  One large jalapeno with seeds in was enough to make my salsa hot without any burn.  Put in fridge for flavours to meld.

When the beef is tender, pull the roast into two sections.  Chop one half up into big chunks and place in a container in your fridge.  The other half gets shredded up and goes into a saute pan with some water or broth you cooked your beef in and your favourite taco/enchilada seasonsings (or packet if that's how you roll) to season the meat for the enchiladas.  I also added some green pepper and onions to this mix to stretch the filling- you can add whatever you like to put in your enchiladas or nothing else at all.

Set your oven to 375 and it's time to start assembling your enchiladas.  Half a beef roast will get you about 6 regular enchiladas or 15-18 small enchiladas.  I used medium sized flour tortillas for Cole and me and small corn tortillas for my sister who stays away from gluten.  Both were delicious.

Heat a pan with some oil and run your tortillas through the oil and onto some paper towel- softening them up and making them easier to roll.

Put some sauce on the bottom of a casserol dish.  Take a tortilla, put some sauce and filling down the center of it and roll it, placing it seam side down in the dish.  After you're done, pour more sauce over the top.  Bake for 20-30 minutes.  Serve with salsa and whatever sides you like.  We had some refried beans.  If you bump up the sides and only give one enchilada per person you could stretch this meal even further, making it super economical.

DEEELICIOUS! (Even my sister, who had been snacking on my leftover birthday cake all before dinner and who is not generally a very big eater, went back and ate more after her first helping)




Dinner Two: The Best Beef Stew of my Life!
makes 4-6 serving depending on how greedy you're being


2 bulbs roasted garlic
left over beef roast
Flour, 2 tablespoons
6 carrots, sliced in 2-inch chunks on an angle
2 apples, such as Honeycrisp, peeled and chopped
2 to 3 ribs celery, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
2 bay leaves
2 to 2 1/2 cups cloudy organic apple cider (couldn't find any so I used a good apple juice without any added sugar- worked real well)
2 cans beef consommé
Herb bouquet, a few sprigs each of thyme, parsley and sage tied together with kitchen string (or a combo of dried spices- I used dried thyme and sage and fresh parsley)
Mashed potatoes

This stew needs about 2 hours in the oven, so take that into account when starting dinner.


Also, it calls for 2 whole bulbs of roasted garlic, which need 40 minutes in the oven.  This could be done ahead of time or another day completely.  (350 for 40 minutes.  Most people know how to roast garlic, if not, google it.  Super easy and mellows out the garlic for a nice sweet taste)


This is a Rachael Ray recipe and starts with bacon but I've never done that part.  Feel free to add some bacon to this stew if you are so inclined though.  Chop up 6 carrots (recipe originally called for 3 carrots but I didn't find it enough) into 2 inch pieces on an angle, chop up 2 sweet apples, 2-3 ribs of celery, 1 large onion.  In an oven safe pot, saute in some oil until tender.  Add 2 tbsp flour and cook the taste out for a minute.  Add cider/juice, consommé, the roasted garlic cloves, bay leaves and stir to combine. Add reserved bacon (if you used it) and herb bouquet or dried spices to pan, bring to a boil then cover and transfer to oven (350 degrees). After one hour add beef that you saved from last night (it is already super tender so I don't cook it in the stew for the full 2 hrs).  Return to oven for an aditional hour.  Let stand 20 minutes while you cook potatoes.


Make your favourite mashed potatoes (in the Rachael Ray recipe she adds parnsips and cheese).  Serve bowls with mashed potatoes in the bottom and stew on top.  Yummmmy.

Chicken Tikka Masala

http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2009/06/chicken-tikka-masala-by-pastor-ryan/
-she gives a pictured step by step instruction guide that is helpful

Serves 4-5 (good servings- could stretch further)


Ingredients:

• 3 Chicken Breasts
• Kosher Salt
• Ground Coriander
• Cumin
• 1/2 cup Plain Yogurt
  
  
• 6 Tablespoons Butter
• 1 whole Large Onion, diced
• 4 cloves Garlic, grated or minced
• 1 piece (approximately 2 Inches) Chunk Fresh Ginger, grated or minced
• 3 tbsp Garam Masala
• 1 serano chili pepper (optional)
• 1 can (28 Ounce) Diced Tomatoes (or crushed depending on your preference)
• 1 tbsp Sugar
• 1-1/2 cup Heavy Cream
• 1/4 c chopped cilantro
  
  
• 1 1/2 cups Basmati Rice 
• 1 tbsp Tumeric
• peas
• 2 - 2 1/2 c chicken broth
  
  
• Naan (we had garlic naan bread-yuuummmmy)
• Raita-to cool down the spice ( http://www.mediterrasian.com/delicious_recipes_raita.htm)

Directions:

Start by seasoning the chicken breasts with some kosher salt. Next sprinkle them on both sides with some coriander and cumin. Then coat the chicken breasts completely with the plain yogurt. Set the chicken on a metal cooling rack over a foil-lined baking sheet and place it in the oven on broil. 7ish minutes per side.  If it looks like it's getting too black, flip over or move further away from broiler.  If it doesn't look dark enough, keep it in longer. Watch carefully so as not to totally char the chicken. It should have slightly blackened edges. Remove from oven.

Next dice one large onion. In a large skillet melt 2 tablespoons butter over medium-high heat. Toss in the onions and sauté until they are slightly browned. As the onions cook, mince your garlic. Next, cut off the outer skin and mince or grate a 1 by 2 inch chunk of fresh ginger. Add the garlic and ginger to the onions. Also throw in about 1 tablespoon of salt.

Next you are going to add about 3 tablespoons Garam Masala spice. And if you like it hot, this is also when you will add your hot chili peppers. Serranos work well. Now you are going to add your can of diced tomatoes (or crushed if you want a smoother consistency). Continue cooking and stirring, scraping the bottom of the pan to deglaze it. Add about 1 tablespoon sugar. Let this mixture simmer on medium for about 5 minutes.

To a rice cooker add 2 cups Basmati rice, 4 tablespoons butter, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 tablespoon Ground Turmeric and 4 cups water. Cover, turn on your rice cooker and walk away. If you do not have a rice cooker, cook your rice as usual but make sure that you use Basmati rice. What I did was saute about 1/2c onion with salt and tumeric, then added the rice to toast it up a bit.  Covered it with about 2 to 2 1/2 c of chicken broth and brought it to a boil, then put the lid on and turned down the heat to minimum.  Once the rice is cooked, I mixed in some frozen peas.

After the Tikka Masala sauce has had a chance to simmer for a little bit, add in the 1 ½ cups of heavy cream. Now, chop up your chicken breasts into chunks and stir them into the Tikka Masala sauce. A handful of chopped fresh cilantro is a nice addition if you like cilantro. Serve the rice with the Chicken Tikka Masala over top. Make sure to have some Nann bread handy, too. The Raita really is a must. Super easy, too.  The indian equivalent of tzaziki but easier to make and waaay less garlicy.

Strawberry Balsamic Pizza with Chicken

http://thecafesucrefarine.blogspot.ca/2011/07/strawberry-balsamic-pizza-with-chicken.html

Made this pizza a few days ago- LOVED it! The sauce ends up tasting like a BBQ sauce and I love the fresh cilantro and strawberries that top this pizza.  Looks very gourmet and impressive with the same amount of work as most other pizzas.

Ingredients:

½ cup strawberry jam or preserves, use your favorite
¼ cup balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon Sriracha Chili Sauce
1 ball pizza dough, your favorite or a purchased ball of dough (I used this recipe: http://greenlitebites.com/2008/03/11/thin-crust-whole-wheat-pizza-dough/)
1 cup diced or shredded chicken breast, or left over chicken of any kind
½ cup applewood smoked bacon (or any bacon), cut in 1 inch pieces, cooked and drained (see
½ cup thin sliced sweet onion
12 ounces shredded cheese
¼ cup fresh cilantro, finely chopped
¼ cup fresh strawberries, diced small

(see Rachael Ray's super great trick for cooking bacon: http://www.rachaelrayshow.com/food/recipes/back-basics/)

Directions:

1. Place pizza stone or sheet pan on middle rack of oven. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

2. Place balsamic vinegar in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer 4 to 5 minutes or until reduced to half of the original volume and mixture is thick and syrupy. Add strawberry preserves and Sriracha and mix well. Set aside to cool.

3. Pat or roll out pizza dough on a lightly floured surface to approximately a 14 inch circle. Shape does not have to be perfect, this is a rustic pizza. Spray your pizza pan (if you're using a pan) with Pam and sprinkle with cornmeal.  Place your crust down and stretch out to borders of pan. Pre bake for 5 minutes if you want a really crispy crust.

4. Combine chicken with 2 tablespoons of the balsamic-strawberry mixture and mix to coat all chicken with sauce. Pour rest of sauce onto pizza dough and spread to cover. Leave a 1 inch border all around the edge. Scatter chicken evenly over the sauce.

5. Place about 3/4 of the cheese on top of dough and spread to cover sauce evenly. Scatter  bacon and sweet onion over cheese to distribute evenly. Scatter remaining cheese over this layer.

6. Bake for approximately 8-10 minutes or until cheese is bubbly and crust is golden brown. Watch carefully, at this temperature it is easy to burn the pizza!

7. Remove from oven and let cool slightly, 1-2 minutes. Sprinkle with chopped cilantro and fresh diced strawberries. Serve and enjoy!

Mac N Cheese

This recipe comes from me.  It's my go to mac n cheese recipe.  I switch up the noodles- sometimes elbow macaroni, sometimes shells- usually those two, but you can use whatever you want.

I still have such a hard time estimating how much sauce to make and how much dry pasta to cook up. 

I ESTIMATE this recipe is good for 4

Ingredients:

2-3 tbsp butter
2-3 tbsp flour
1 garlic clove
1/4 tsp red chili flakes
3 c milk (whatever you drink)
2-3 c sharp cheddar cheese
1/4 c parmesan (optional)
cayenne
salt
pepper
broccoli, cooked (roasted or steamed)

Directions:

-bring a big pot of water to a boil, salt it well (should taste like the sea)
-in a medium pot, melt the butter then add the garlic clove (I use my microplane and grate it over the pan, you could mince it, too) and red chili flakes...cook on low-medium heat for a few minutes, infusing the butter with the garlic and spice
-add flour, whisk to combine, allow to cook for a minute to get rid of the raw flour taste
-add milk (not cold) and whisk almost constantly till thickened (because I use 1%, I have to wait a good 10 minutes for it to thicken up...the higher the fat is in your milk, the quicker it will thicken- if you use cream, you don't need the rue to thicken it)
-cook your pasta in the boiling water- take it out a minute or two before it's done...it'll finish cooking in the oven
-add cheese to milk sauce (I find if you use a little parmesan in the beginning, you will need less cheese to create a rich flavour...I don't always do this, though)
-add some salt, pepper and cayenne to taste
-when pasta is cooked and drained, add it to the sauce, add broccoli in as well
-transfer to baking dish
-sometimes I make a bread crumb topping by mixing bread crumbs with herbs, parmesan and melted butter, sometimes I just top with cheese, sometimes I top with nothing but then I use a tinfoil cover so that noodles don't get too crunchy on top- unless you like that
-bake at 350 for about 15 minutes

I love broccoli with mac n cheese, you can add whatever veggie you like, or none at all.  Leave the broccoli a little al dente so it's not mushy once it's been baked.  If you want to roast it first, scatter broccoli florets on a baking sheet, toss with oil, salt and pepper and place on lowest oven rack at 400 for 15-18 minutes.

Jambalaya

Michael Symon's recipe: http://beta.abc.go.com/shows/the-chew/recipes/Jambalaya-Michael-Symon

This recipe isn't hard but takes some time.  Spicy and delicious!

Ingredients:

• 1/2 pound Andouille Sausage or Polish Kielbasa (Sliced) - I used hot italian sausage
• 1/2 pound Chicken Thighs (Bone-In) -I used some drumsticks I had in the freezer
• 1/2 pound Shrimp (Peeled and Deveined with tails removed)
• 3 tablespoon Smoked Paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon Cayenne
• Olive Oil
• 1 1/2 cup Onion (small diced)
• 1 cup Celery (Small Diced)
• 1 cup Green Bell Pepper (Small Diced)
• 3 Cloves Garlic (Minced)
• 1 Large Jalapeño (seeds and ribs removed and then minced)
• 1/4 teaspoon Chili Flakes
• 14 1/2 ounces Can Petite Diced Tomatoes
• 2 cup Chicken Stock
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
• 1 1/2 cup White Rice
• 2 Bay Leaves
• 1 Lemon (Juice and Zest)
• 1/2 cup Scallions (Sliced Finely)

Directions:

Place the chicken in a mixing bowl and place the shrimp in another mixing bowl. Mix together the smoked paprika and cayenne.  Add 1 tablespoon of this mixture to the chicken and 1 tablespoon to the shrimp along with some salt and freshly ground black pepper.  Set aside the chicken and refrigerate the shrimp, as it is not used until later. Set aside the rest of the spice mixture.

Place a Dutch oven (or big soup pot) over medium high heat. When the pan is hot, add 2 tablespoons of olive oil along with the sausage. Sear the sausage until it is golden brown, about 2 minutes.
-If you are using a raw sausage like I did, see Rachael Ray's trick to easily cooking sausage:
http://www.rachaelrayshow.com/food/recipes/back-basics-braised-sausage/

Remove the sausage to a plate, then add the chicken with another tablespoon of olive oil. When the chicken is seared on all sides, remove it to a plate.  

Then add 2 tablespoon of olive oil to the same pan. Add the onion, celery, and green pepper with a large pinch of salt and cook over medium heat for 2 minutes, and then add the garlic and jalapeno.  Cook, stirring occasionally, for another 3 minutes.

Next add the rest of the smoked paprika mixture, the chili flakes, tomatoes, chicken stock, Worcestershire and rice. Add the sausage and chicken back to the pot. Stir and add the bay leaves. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover and cook for 15 minutes. In the meantime, take your shrimp out of the refrigerator to take the chill off.

After 15 minutes, remove the lid and stir gently, then fold in the shrimp. Turn the heat off, cover, and let sit for 10 minutes. After ten minutes, add the lemon juice and zest and any additional salt and pepper if needed. Spoon into bowls and garnish with scallions.

Cheap, Easy, Fake-Out Korean Beef

http://elizabethbryant.blogspot.com/2010/05/korean-beef.html

Ingredients:

1 pound lean ground beef
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 Tablespoon sesame oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon fresh ginger, minced/grated
1/2 - 1 teaspoon crushed red peppers (to desired spiciness)
salt and pepper
1 bunch green onions, diced (don't skip this!)

serve with a side of roasted broccoli

Directions:

Heat a large skillet over medium heat and brown hamburger in the sesame oil. Drain most of the fat, add the garlic and then spend some time really browning and carmelizing the ground beef- this is a good step to take some time with to get maximum flavour out of a cheap cut of meat.  Add brown sugar, soy sauce, ginger, salt and pepper and red peppers. Simmer for a few minutes to blend the flavors. Serve over steamed rice and top with green onions.