Skillet Cabbage Rolls

Yes, my cabbage rolls are delicious.... but they take time (and we all know most of you are not thinking about dinner at breakfast, like me). So here is a way to make my cabbage rolls in a skillet and you don't have to start making them at lunch time. It takes about 30 minutes to make them and you could definitely make them whenever you have a chance during the day and then reheat them at dinner time.

1 lb ground beef (I used turkey)

1/2 onion, diced

1/2 head cabbage, roughly chopped

1 cup uncooked brown rice

2- 8oz. cans of tomato sauce

1- 6oz. can of tomato paste

2 cups water

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper

1 sprig fresh thyme (or 1/2 tsp dried thyme)

1 bay leaf

In a large skillet, put 1 tbsp oil and brown meat, using a wooden spatula to break up the big pieces. Cook until no longer pink. If using ground beef, drain the fat. Add the onion and cook for a couple minutes. Then stir in the cabbage, rice, tomato sauce, tomato paste, water, salt, pepper, thyme and bay leaf.

Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover, and simmer over low heat until rice is cooked, about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

I have made these about 5 times now this fall season... they are always a hit!!

1 can of pumpkin

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup canola oil

1 egg

2 cup flour

2 tsp baking powder

2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp milk

1 tbsp vanilla extract

2 cups chocolate chips

Combine pumpkin, sugar, oil, and egg. In a separate bowl mix together flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. Dissolve the baking soda in the milk and then add to flour mixture. Add flour mixture to the pumpkin mixture and mix well.

Add the vanilla and chips. Drop by spoonful onto cookie sheet and bake 11-12 minutes or until firm.

Crockpot Sausage, Beans & Greens

Again I had collard greens in my fridge from my veggie share and I was looking on the internet for something to do with them. I came across a version of this recipe and decided to tweak it a bit and make it my own! It was delicious and definitely a great meal to make ahead of time for those of you with little kids!

1 can beans (I used pinto beans)

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp onion powder (or minced onion)

1 lb turkey or pork sausage, casing removed

1 bunch collard greens, cut into ribbons and washed

1/2 cup water

1 tsp finely minced garlic

Parmesan cheese for serving

Brown sausage in a sauce pan in a tablespoon or two of olive oil, using a wooden spoon to break up the sausage into pieces. The crockpot removes the color from browned foods, so make sure you get them very brown. Remove the sausage from the pan and add 1/2 cup water and fresh garlic to the pan. Cook 2-3 minutes to deglaze the pan.

Cut stems off collard greens, cut into ribbons crosswise, then cut the long ribbons into 2-3 pieces and rinse. Place collard greens in bottom of crockpot. Put beans along with garlic powder and onion powder in and top with sausage and then pour deglazing liquid in.

Cook on low 4-6 hours or high 2-3 hours or until collard greens are quite soft and flavors are combined. Serve hot with cheese.

Bean Barley Crock Pot Burritos

crock pot before cooking:

crock pot after 5 hours:

Healthy, easy make ahead dinner in the crock pot! What could be better than that! :-)

1 15 oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 10oz. can diced tomatoes with green chilies, undrained (mild...i used rotel)

3/4 cup frozen corn

1 cup dried barley

2 cups chicken or vegetable broth

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp chili powder

1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

1 garlic cloved, minced

1/4 of a large red onion, diced

1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

tortillas

cheddar cheese

avocado

grape tomatoes

sour cream

Combine beans, canned tomatoes, barley, broth, corn, spices, garlic, and red onion in crock pot and mix well. Put crock pot on low and cook for 4-5 hours until barley is tender and liquid is absorbed. Stir in cilantro.

Make burritos with a spoonful of bean barley mixture from the crock pot in the middle of a tortilla then top with toppings, roll up and enjoy!

Crock Pot Chicken with Sage and Stuffing

My sister (who isn't much of a cook... no offense Case!) made this recipe she found on the Whole Foods iPhone App and said it was O.K. I immediately downloaded the app because it sounded like something I would love and instantly I found a handful of recipes that sounded delicious (including this recipe). I bought all the ingredients and made it the other day... it was absolutely delicious! The chicken fell right off the bone... it was so tender and juicy. Great make ahead meal and perfect for fall!!! I doubled the recipe because I made half for a friend who just had a baby so you could definitely cut this in half if you don't want this much... but is is great as leftover too! I made pumpkin chocolate chip cookies (I'll post that recipe too!) to round out the meal... wonderful! Here is my adapted recipe below:

2 small yellow onion, thinly sliced

5 carrots, chopped into pieces

1 cup chicken broth

1 cup dry white wine

2 clove garlic, finely chopped

2 tablespoon chopped sage

10 bone-in, skinned chicken thighs

1 teaspoon paprika

Salt and pepper, to taste

1 (10-ounce) package stuffing mix with cranberries, prepared according to package directions (from Whole Foods)

Arrange onions in the bottom of a lightly greased 6-quart crock pot or slow cooker and top with carrots. Pour broth and wine over vegetables, then sprinkle garlic and sage over the top. Season chicken with paprika, salt and pepper and arrange on top of vegetables. Cover and cook on the low heat setting until chicken and vegetable are very tender, about 8 hours. Serve alongside stuffing.

Beef Stir Fry

I prepped this dinner through the day as I had time.... cut the veggies, sliced and marinated the steak, made the rice... and when my husband came in the door I threw it all together and we enjoyed a hot meal in 10 minutes! It was delicious.... I love the Soy Vay Teriyaki Marinade with steak, definitely one of my favorite things!!!

1 Skirt Steak, sliced diagonally across grain into thin strips

Very Very Teriyaki Marinade (Soy Vay Brand)

1 red pepper, sliced into strips

1 green pepper, sliced into strips

1 tsp fresh ginger, minced

1 cup cooked brown rice

1 baby bok choy, thinly sliced

2 tbsp Bragg Liquid Aminos (soy sauce alternative)

sesame seeds, for garnish

Put meat in large plastic bag or glass bowl and cover with marinade. Toss to coat and put in fridge to marinate for a couple of hours. Heat large nonstick skillet and add meat. Cook 4 minutes. Add peppers and stir-fry 2 minutes. Add bok choy and cook one minute or until it wilts. Add Bragg Liquid Aminos and stir together. Serve over cooked rice and top with a sprinkle of sesame seeds.

Bolognese Sauce

Tonight I made this meat sauce with pasta... easy Sunday night meal...

2 carrots, diced finely

1 small onion, diced finely

4 strips of bacon, diced

1 lb ground pork

1 lb ground beef

1/4 cup tomato paste

1 cup white wine

1 (28-oz) can tomato sauce

5 sprigs fresh thyme

1 bag leaf

kosher salt and fresh ground pepper

cooked pasta

In a large Dutch oven or heavy pot, cook bacon over medium heat for about 5 minutes. Add onion and carrot, cook until soft, about 6 minutes. Raise heat to medium high and add meat, breaking up meat with a wooden spoon. Cook until meat is browned, about 8 minutes. Add tomato paste and cook another couple minutes. Add wine, reduce sauce by three-fourths. Add 1 cup milk and reduce by half. Add tomato sauce, bay leaf, thyme, 2 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper. Simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 1 hour. Stir in 1/4 cup milk. Serve over cooked pasta and top with cheese.

Note: can use any type or combination of meat equally 2 pounds.

Sausage over Polenta with Roasted Butternut Squash

I made this dish mild since I was feeding it to my kids , but you could definitely use spicy sausage to kick the heat up a bit. The butternut squash was so sweet and delicious, my son thought it was carrots... since he loves cooked carrots I wasn't going to argue with him.

Roasted Squash:

1 pound turkey sausage

1 medium butternut squash, peeled and cut into small cubes

sprinkle of kosher salt and fresh ground pepper

1 tbsp safflower oil

1 handful fresh sage, chopped

1 cup corn grits/polenta

2 tbsp butter

1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

1 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 350. In a large jellyroll pan, place butternut squash, salt, pepper, oil and sage. Toss together and put in oven for about 35 minutes or until tender. In another baking dish, place turkey sausage and a little bit of water in the bottom of the dish. Also place in oven and cook for 30 minutes (you can bake these two at the same time).

Meanwhile, on stove top, place 3 cups of water and 1 tsp salt in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Lower heat to a simmer and slowly add corn grits. Stir with a wooden spoon and be careful because it will bubble and may pop out of pan. Should be done in 15-20 minutes. Add butter and cheese.

Take turkey sausage out of oven after about 30 minutes and cut into small pieces. Put 2 tbsp oil in large saute pan to finish cooking sausage and brown it.

To plate, put polenta in dish, top with sausage and sprinkle butternut squash around on top.

White Bean and Greens Soup

I adapted this recipe from one I found in Cooking Light. It was really tasty! Collard greens are my new favorite dark, leafy green. I really like their texture in the soup. This soup could definitely be made with a can or two of beans instead of using dried beans (which would also make it a super fast meal.) I served it with goat cheese spread on a crusty french bread.

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 cup finely chopped yellow onion
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 cup pinot grigio or other light white wine
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3 cups finely shredded collard greens
• 2 cups finely shredded red swiss chard
• 2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme
• 5 cups chicken broth
• 2 cup dried Great Northern beans ( not sure exactly how much I had but was somewhere between 1 and 2 cups)

Prepare the dried beans:

Put beans in a medium sized pot filled with cold water. Bring to a gentle boil for 2 minutes then turn the heat off, cover the pot and allow them to remain in the water for 1 hour. Rinse and drain beans. Put back in pot with new water and bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for an hour or so, until tender.

Soup:

Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic; sauté for 5 minutes or until onion is tender. Add wine, pepper, and salt. Reduce heat; simmer 5 minutes or until liquid almost evaporates. Add greens, thyme, and broth. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 8 minutes or until greens are tender. Add beans and serve.

Honey Cumin Chicken Thighs and Eggplant-Heirloom Tomato Gratin

Gratin before it went in the oven:

And right before serving:

The chicken was very flavorful and the gratin was awesome! This was all made ahead of time and then served room temperature.

Chicken

3 tbsp honey

2 tbsp dry sherry

2 tbsp white wine

2 tbsp orange juice

1 tbsp cumin

1 tbsp garlic, minced

salt and pepper

8 chicken thighs, skinless and boneless

Combine all ingredients above in a bowl and marinate chicken for at least 4 hours. Remove chicken from marinade (and discard marinade) and saute chicken in nonstick grill pan for about 4 minutes each side or until done.

Tomato Eggplant Gratin (from Food & Wine)

1/4 cup olive oil

3 heirloom tomatoes (medium sized), sliced into 1/2 inch thick rounds

1 small eggplant, peeled and sliced into 1/4 inch thick rounds

4 thyme sprigs

kosher salt and ground pepper

goat cheese

1. Preheat the oven to 425°. Brush a large oval baking dish with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Arrange the tomato and eggplant slices in a single layer of overlapping concentric circles. Scatter the thyme sprigs on top and season with salt and pepper. Drizzle the remaining 3 tablespoons of olive oil over the top. Cover with foil and bake for about 30 minutes, or until the eggplant is barely tender and the tomatoes have exuded their juices.
2. Uncover the gratin and bake for about 25 minutes longer, or until the juices have evaporated and the vegetables are very tender. Sprinkle the goat cheese on top and bake for about 10 minutes, or until lightly browned. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Taco Stew

This dish could be considered chili or even used as a taco filling (if you use less liquid). You can also make it your own and add your own ingredients depending on what is in your pantry. If you have a can of diced tomatoes you can substitute the tomato sauce and chopped fresh tomato or if you don't have black beans, use whatever ones you do have or throw in an extra can for more variety, or if you have fresh or frozen corn, throw that in too! My point is, there is lots of room for creativity. Here is my creation....

1 pound ground beef

1 large tomato, diced

1 can tomato sauce

2 cups chicken broth

1 large garlic clove, minced

1/2 large onion, diced

1 (15 oz) can of black beans (not drained or rinsed)

1 zucchini, cut into cubes

2 tbsp taco seasoning ( ok I didn't have taco seasoning so i made my own.... here is what I threw in... 1 tsp chili powder, 1/4 tsp garlic powder, 1/4 tsp onion flakes, 1/4 sweet paprika, 1 tsp kosher salt, 1/2 tsp ground pepper, 1/4 tsp oregano, 1 tsp cumin)

1 tbsp cornmeal (adds thickness to the stew.... not necessary if you don't have it but then maybe don't put a full 2 cups of broth in)

Brown meat in a large pot over medium high heat. Drain, remove and set aside. In the same pot, saute onion and garlic until onion is translucent. Add meat back to the pan and sprinkle mixture with taco seasoning to blend. Add remaining ingredients and simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, 15- 20 minutes. Serve with a dollop of sour cream, sprinkle of cheddar cheese and tortilla chips or fritos. (We used a bag of fritos I got from Trader Joes that were perfect for scooping.)

** If you are not going to eat this right away, wait to add the zucchini because you don't want to overcook it...add it about 15 minutes before serving and don't forget it because it adds a nice texture. You don't want it to be mushy.

Sausage with Lentils and Swiss Chard

8 ounces sweet Italian turkey sausage,casings removed
1/2 cup chopped peeled carrot
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/3 cups dried lentils
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
2 1/2 cups (or more) water
1 pound Swiss chard (about 1 large bunch), thick stems and ribs cut away and discarded, leaves coarsely chopped

Sauté sausage in large deep nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until cooked through, about 6 minutes. Drain any excess fat from skillet. Add carrot, onion and garlic to skillet; sauté until vegetables begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Stir in lentils, bay leaf, fennel seeds and rosemary. Add 2 1/2 cups water and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer until lentils are almost tender, about 20 minutes.

Place Swiss chard atop lentils; cover and cook until lentils are tender and chard is wilted and tender, adding more water if mixture is dry, about 7 minutes. Stir to blend. Season with salt and pepper. Discard bay leaf.

Sprouted Grain Pasta with Cherry Tomatoes and Basil

Last night we tried a new type of pasta (see picture above). It is a sprouted grain pasta that is all whole grains, full of protein, organic and high in fiber. The ingredients are lentils, millet, spelt, soybeans, barley and whole grain wheat. It definitely doesn't taste like pasta but I still thought it had a really good texture and was very tasty. I found it at Wegman's in the organic section.

1 package Ezekiel Sprouted Grain Pasta

1 cup cherry tomatoes

1/4 cup olive oil

3 tbsp butter

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 handful fresh basil, torn into pieces

Cook pasta according to directions and drain. Slice tomatoes in half and set aside. In a small saute pan, heat 1/4 cup olive oil and 3 tbsp butter with minced garlic over medium hight heat until garlic is golden. Once pasta is cooked, place in a large bowl and pour garlic mixture over the pasta. Stir in tomatoes and mix well. Top with basil and serve with parmesan cheese.

Homemade Pizza

My sister and I were talking yesterday about what we were going to have for dinner. My response was "I am making pizza." She said to me, "if I had three kids I would buy pizza... I have one kid and always buy pizza." It is sometimes just more fun to create your own pizza and that is exactly what we did! Here are two different kinds of pizza I have made recently (the second one is what we ate last night) and I did buy the dough, does that count???

Pizza with pesto and chicken

-Layer fresh pesto, diced, cooked chicken and cheese then bake about 15 minutes

Pizza with fresh tomatoes and caramelized sweet onions

-Layer mozzarella cheese, tomatoes and onions then bake about 15 minutes.

Flounder with tomatoes and onions

1/2 sweet onion, thinly sliced

cherry tomatoes

1/4 cup white wine

2 fillets of flouder

Bosari seasoning (citrus)

2 tbsp olive oil or safflower oil

Put olive oil or safflower oil in large saute pan over medium heat. Add onions and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add tomatoes and white wine and cook until wine is evaporated, about 10 minutes over medium heat (tomatoes will start to pop). Remove from pan and keep warm.

Sprinkle fish with Bosari or salt and pepper. Add to same pan and cook about 3 minutes per side or until cooked through. Serve fish topped with tomato-onion mixture.

Tofu Stacks over Bok Choy

Today I got my fresh veggies from the CSA I joined and came up with the following dish for dinner. After celebrating many birthdays in our family (and some more coming up this month.. mine included) and eating lots of cake, I decided we needed a week of super healthy meals.

1 package of extra firm tofu, drained

1 bunch of bok choy, sliced into 1 inch pieces, separating stems and leaves

1 large tomato, sliced crosswise

1 medium eggplant, peeled and sliced crosswise into 1/2 inch rounds

1 garlic cloved, minced

1 tbsp sesame oil

1 tsp sesame seeds

Sprinkle eggplant with salt and drain in colander for 20 minutes. Pat dry then brush with olive oil and place on grill pan over medium high heat. Cook about 5 minutes per side or until cooked through. Remove from pan and set aside. Slice tofu crosswise into 8 1/2 inch pieces. Place on grill pan (if it is not a nonstick pan add a little olive oil to the pan before adding tofu) and grill until grill marks appear on tofu. Meanwhile in a large saute pan, add sesame oil and sesame seeds over medium high heat. Add bok choy steams and garlic and saute until slightly softened. Add leaves and saute until they start to wilt, serve hot.

To serve, place boy choy in dish then layer on top eggplant, tomato and tofu. Drizzle lightly with soy sauce.

Ginger Ale Turkey - 2 meals in 1!

Dinner #1

Dinner #2

Sorry for the lack of blog entries the past couple of weeks... my newborn baby has been keeping me busy! But she is now sleeping through the night so hopefully I will be able to start posting some more dinners.

Here is a recipe I got from my grandmother... very simple and the turkey is so moist and delicious! I made a couple changes to the original recipe and it still turned out perfect so feel free to alter things as well and let me know how it turns out. We ate the turkey with quinoa and carrots the first night and the second night I cut up the turkey and put it in a pita with cheese, tomatoes and sprouts. So if you are going to make it.. might as well make enough for two dinners.

1 can of ginger ale ** I didn't have ginger ale so I used Sprite

7-8 lb turkey breast, bone in and with skin ** I bought turkey drumsticks instead of breasts

season salt

Begin with turkey at room temperature. Place turkey in baking dish and pour can of soda over the turkey. Let sit for one hour and turn once or twice. Pour off most of the soda, season with season salt or whatever seasoning you like. Put a little water in the pan. Bake in oven at 475 for 30 minutes then turn oven off and leave in for about one hour. IMPORTANT NOTE: do not open the oven once the oven is turned off... until the hour is up.

Mexican Frittata

Tonight I put together what I could find in my kitchen and came up with this Mexican-like frittata. It was really delicious!!

1 lb sausage, casing removed

1 cup grape tomatoes, cut in half

1 cup frozen corn

1/2 cup milk

6 eggs

1 garlic scape, cut into small pieces

shredded cheese

kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

In a skillet, heat one tbsp of olive oil over medium high heat. Add sausage and cook thoroughly, using a wooden spoon to break up the sausage into bite size pieces.

Preheat oven to 375. In a large bowl, add sausage and the rest of ingredients except the cheese.

In an oven proof skillet, pour some olive oil and use a paper towel to rub the olive oil around so it coats the bottom and sides of the pan. Pour mixture in the pan and cook on the stove top on medium heat for 5 minutes WITHOUT STIRRING THE EGG MIXTURE. Then move to the oven and bake for 20 minutes or until about set. Remove from oven and sprinkle shredded cheese over the top. Put it back in the oven and cook 5 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Serve with warmed black beans and salsa.

Vegetable Tian

before cooking...

after cooking...

I know I have been a little MIA recently.... 3 kids under the age of 4 have definitely kept me busy. I have to say I have been cooking just not getting to the part of posting the dishes. I am going to try to post a couple extra dishes this week. I have made some really great dinners if I must say so myself! Here is a vegetable side dish that I made for company 2 weeks ago. I served it with grilled sausage and a tossed salad.

2 tbsp olive oil

1 large onion, cut in half and sliced

2 garlic cloves, minced

5-6 small potatoes or 1 large russet potato, unpeeled

2 yellow squash (or substitute one for a zucchini)

2 large tomatoes

kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

dried thyme or fresh, if you have it

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Coat a circular baking dish with cooking spray. Heat 1 tbsp of olive oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add onions and saute until translucent, about 8 minutes. Add the garlic and cook another minute. Spread the onion mixture on the bottom of the greased baking dish.

Slice the potatoes, zucchini and/or squash and tomatoes in 1/4 inch thick slices. Layer them alternately in the dish on top of the onions, fitting them tightly in a spiral and making only one layer. Season with salt, pepper and thyme. Drizzle the last tbsp of olive oil over the top.

Cover the dish with foil and bake for 35 minutes or until the potatoes are tender. Uncover and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and bake another 25-30 minutes or until browned.

Garlic Scape and Bean Dip

1/3 cup sliced garlic scapes (3 to 4)

1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice, more to taste

1/2 teaspoon coarse sea salt, more to taste

Ground black pepper to taste

1 can (15 ounces) cannellini beans, rinsed and drained

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, more for drizzling.

1. In a food processor, process garlic scapes with lemon juice, salt and pepper until finely chopped. Add cannellini beans and process to a rough purée.

2. With motor running, slowly drizzle olive oil through feed tube and process until fairly smooth. Pulse in 2 or 3 tablespoons water, or more, until mixture is the consistency of a dip. Add more salt, pepper and/or lemon juice, if desired.

3. Spread out dip on a plate, drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with more salt.

Corn Grits with Collard Greens and Bacon served with an Egg

Father's Day Breakfast...

Corn Grits with Collard Greens and Bacon

3 cups water 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 cup uncooked grits or polenta (coarse cornmeal) Salt and pepper to taste 2 tablespoons butter 8 slices pork or turkey bacon 2 1/2 pounds collard greens, stemmed and roughly chopped

Bring water and salt to a boil in a medium pot then whisk in grits and return to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low and simmer, stirring often, until thick and creamy, 10 to 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper then stir in butter.

Meanwhile, cook bacon in a large skillet over medium heat, turning occasionally, until just crisp, 6 to 8 minutes; transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. When cool enough to handle, roughly chop bacon. Discard all but 2 tablespoons of the bacon grease, then add greens to skillet and cook, tossing often, until wilted and just tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in bacon and season with salt and pepper. Arrange greens and bacon over grits and serve with an over easy egg.

BBQ Chicken, Napa Cabbage Salad and Roasted Potatoes

I made the salad components and chopped the potatoes ahead of time so when it came time to get dinner started there was minimal work. All I had to do was season the chicken, put the potatoes on a baking sheet then right before serving everything, toss the salad.

BBQ Chicken- there wasn't much of a recipe for this... I had boneless chicken thighs that I seasoned with Bosari seasoning then topped with some BBQ sauce and baked in the oven until cooked through.

Napa Cabbage Salad (serves 2)

1/2 head napa cabbage

1/2 bunch minced green onions

2 tbsp butter

1/2 of a (3 ounce) package ramen noodles, broken

1 tablespoons sesame seeds

1/2 cup slivered almonds

1/4 cup cider vinegar

3/4 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup white sugar

2 tablespoons soy sauce

Finely shred the head of cabbage; do not chop. Combine the green onions and cabbage in a large bowl, cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Make the crunchies: Melt the butter in a pot. Mix the ramen noodles, sesame seeds and almonds into the pot with the melted butter. Cook until lightly browned, do not burn... watch carefully. Set aside.

Make the dressing: In a small saucepan, heat vinegar, oil, sugar, and soy sauce. Bring the mixture to a boil, let boil for 1 minute. Remove the pan from heat and let cool. (**This will be too much dressing so only put a small amount on your salad and toss THEN decide if you need a little more, but you will definitely not use it all.)

Combine dressing, crunchies, and cabbage immediately before serving. Serve right away or the crunchies will get soggy.

Roasted Potatoes-

Cut into quarters small red potatoes then place them into a zip-lock bag. Pour 1 tbsp of canola oil into the bag and mix the bag around to coat the potatoes with the oil. Place potatoes on a baking sheet and baked in oven at 400 until cooked and browned.

After removing the potatoes from the oven grate some fresh parmesan cheese on the potatoes and sprinkle with kosher salt and pepper.

Kale Chips

I cannot get my 3 year old son to eat any dark leafy green vegetables (who blames him... I probably didn't eat them as a kid either!!) however I tried these chips and he ate the whole tray! They are delicious!! They are a MUST try!!

1 bunch kale leaves, rinsed, dried, cut lengthwise in half with center ribs removed

1 tbsp olive oil

kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

Preheat oven to 250 Toss kale with oil and arrange leaves in a single layer on a large baking sheet ( You might need two baking sheets). Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake until crisp, about 45 - 60 minutes, until the leaves are crispy and dried out. Let cool and then enjoy!

Ants Climbing Up a Tree

This recipe is a childhood favorite for my husband. I am not sure my version is quite like his memory of his mother's but he still eats it so that is good! And the dish does not resemble "ants climbing up a tree" but that is what we call it!

2 oz. cellophane noodles (mung bean noodles)- can find in Asian foods section of grocery store

1 small piece of ginger (or can use 1 tsp ground ginger)

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 lb. ground pork or beef

2 tbsp soy sauce

1 tsp sesame oil

1 tsp chili paste with garlic (be careful how much of this you add because it is very spicy)

1/2 cup chicken stock

cabbage, finely chopped

green onions, chopped

Soak noodles in boiling water to cover. Let stand 20 minutes and then drain. Cut into thirds and set aside.

Heat olive oil in large saute pan. Add garlic and ginger, cook 1 minute. Add pork and cook until no longer pink. Add noodles, chicken stock, sesame oil, soy sauce, chili paste, cabbage, and green onions; mix well. Cover and cook until liquid is absorbed. Top with additional green onions and serve.

Pasta with Sausage and Collard Greens

1 package of sweet Italian sausage, casing removed

1/2 large onion, diced

1/4 cup white wine

1/2 box elbow macaroni pasta

1 bunch collard greens, stems discarded and leaves chopped into 1 inch pieces

parmesan cheese

Brown sausage in saute pan over medium high heat. Add onions and continue to cook until translucent. Add white wine and cook until it is evaporated. Stir in collard greens and cook until slightly wilted. Meanwhile cook pasta, drain and add to sausage mixture. Season with salt and pepper. Place into bowls and top with parmesan cheese before serving.

Spring Onions, Fennel and Swiss Chard over Couscous

Last night I made a lot of chicken so tonight I served the leftover pieces of chicken with some new fresh vegetables and whole wheat couscous. The vegetable mixture was very tasty and didn't take much time to prepare.

Spring Onions, Fennel and Swiss Chard

Olive oil

1 garlic clove, smashed

1 spring onion, thinly sliced

1 small fennel bulb, thinly sliced

1/2 bunch Swiss Chard, stems cut into 1/2 inch pieces and leaves chopped

kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

1/4 cup white wine

1/2 zest of lemon

Coat large saute pan with olive oil and turn heat to medium high heat. Add garlic and cook until garlic becomes golden brown and very aromatic. Then remove the garlic from the pan and discard it. Add the onion, fennel and swiss chard stems, stir to coat with oil and season with salt and pepper. Stir in white wine and lemon zest. Cook, covered, for 5-6 minutes, until the veggies becomes soft and wilted. Remove the lid and cook until most of the liquid has reduced, another 3-4 minutes. Toss in the swiss chard leaves, stir to combine and cook another couple minutes. Serve hot.

Mustard Herb Chicken with Spinach and White Beans

I recently joined a veggie co-op and get fresh, organic vegetables once a week. You will be seeing a lot of recipes now with dark, leafy greens because that is mostly what we get from the co-op. Tonight I used the fresh spinach and sauteed it with some garlic and beans. (You could use any type of greens with this recipe, for instance, mustard greens, kale, or broccoli rabe). I also used the fresh herbs I got from the co-op for my chicken.

Mustard Herb Chicken

1 tsp fresh thyme

1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

2 tbsp Dijon mustard

3 tbsp olive oil

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, pounded thin

kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

Put the herbs, mustard, olive oil, and chicken in a zip-lock bag. Mix to coat chicken. Marinate in the fridge for at least 4 hours (8 hours would be better).

In a saute or grill pan, heat 1 tbsp olive oil. Add chicken (discarding bag the marinade was in) to the skillet. Sprinkle each breast with salt and pepper. Cook 5 minutes or until chicken is browned. Turn chicken over and cook until done.

Sauteed Spinach with White Beans

1 tbsp olive oil

1 large garlic clove

1 large bunch fresh spinach, chopped

1/2 can white beans, rinsed and drained

kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

1/2 cup chicken broth

Heat olive oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and cook until pale golden, about 1 minute. Add greens by large handfuls, stir until just beginning to wilt. Before adding more handfuls, toss to coat with oil. Add broth, cover and simmer until greens are tender. Add beans and simmer uncovered until beans are heated through and liquid is almost absorbed. Season with salt and pepper. Serve hot.

Spaghetti Squash with Turkey Meatballs submitted by Susan Hardy

Spaghetti squash:
Cut squash in quarters and put in baking dish with 1/4 cut water. Bake for 45 minutes at 400 degess or until fork tender.
Remove pan from oven and cool until the squash can be handled.
Scrape the "spaghetti" strands from the shell with a fork.
Return to the baking dish. (Drain the water before putting the Spaghetti in pan.)

Meatballs:
Mix 1 pound of ground turkey with:
1 tablespoon minced fresh sage
2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves (no stems)
2 teaspoons crushed fresh rosemary
1/2 finely chopped onion
1 finely chopped clove of garlic
2 teaspoons Worcestershire Sauce
2 heaping tablespoons romano cheese
Salt and pepper to taste
1 egg, lightly beaten

Form into meatballs. Place on jellyroll pan sprayed with Olive Oil. Bake at 400 degrees along with the squash for about 30 minutes.

Sauteed Veggies:
Saute in 1 tablespoon Olive Oil until softened:
1 clove of garlic
1/2 roughly chopped onion
1 small zucchini, chopped
3 or 4 white mushrooms, chopped

Add:
2 rough chopped tomatoes

Heat through and pour over Spaghetti squash, service with meatballs and a green salad.

Smoky Spanish Style Pan Roast submitted by Christina Posencheg

Smoky Spanish style pan roast

Ingredients
1 pound small red new potatoes, halved
2 tablespoons olive oil
3/4 teaspoon salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
3/4 pound unpeeled large shrimp
1/4 pound Spanish chorizo, thinly sliced
1 pound green beans, trimmed
4 garlic cloves, chopped
1/2 cup pilsner beer
1/2 teaspoon Spanish smoked paprika
2 red bell peppers, cut into thin strips
1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 400°.

2. Combine potatoes, oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper in a large roasting pan, tossing well to coat potatoes. Arrange potatoes in a single layer, cut side down, in pan. Bake at 400° for 15 minutes or until potatoes are lightly browned.

3. While potatoes cook, peel shrimp, leaving tails intact. Devein shrimp, if desired. Set shrimp aside.

4. Stir chorizo, green beans, garlic, remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon black pepper into pan. Bake at 400° for 10 minutes. Add beer, paprika, and bell pepper, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Nestle shrimp into vegetable mixture. Bake at 400° for 10 minutes or until potatoes and green beans are tender and shrimp are done. Sprinkle with fresh parsley leaves.

Healthier Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

Recently I bought coconut oil because I read about it great health benefits so I have been trying to figure out ways to use it. Today I made oatmeal raisin cookies and substituted half the butter for coconut oil... they were delicious. You can hardly taste the coconut oil so if you are serving to people that don't like coconut, they will never know it is in there!

1 stick unsalted butter, softened

1/2 cup coconut oil

1 cup dark brown sugar

1/2 cup sugar

2 large eggs

1 tsp vanilla

1 tsp cinnamon

1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp baking soda

3 cups oats

1/2 cup raisins

Preheat oven to 350. Beat together butter, coconut oil and sugars. Add eggs and vanilla, mix well. Add cinnamon, flour, salt, and baking soda. Stir in oats and raisins.

Drop by rounded tablespoons on to un-greased cookie sheet. Bake 10-12 minutes. Let cool 1 minute on cookie sheet then transfer to a cooling rack.

More information on coconut oil:

• rich in lauric acid (which is a medium-chain fatty acid found in mother's milk that supports a healthy metabolism)
• supports a healthy thyroid function & proper weight management
• known to promote smooth and supple skin
• can be used in place of other oils including butter

Also~ it is solid (just like shortening) at room temperature but melts like butter when put on heat. I bought it at Whole Foods but you can get it anywhere.

Julia Child's Beef Bourguignon submitted by Allie Richardson

It is not the quickest dinner to make, but after I watched the Julie & Julia movie, I had to try making it. It was well worth the effort!

One 6-ounce piece of chunk bacon

3 1/2 tablespoons olive oil

3 pounds lean stewing beef, cut into 2-inch cubes

1 carrot, sliced

1 onion, sliced

Salt and pepper

2 tablespoons flour

3 cups red wine, young and full-bodied (like Beaujolais, Cotes du Rhone or Burgundy)

2 1/2 to 3 1/2 cups brown beef stock

1 tablespoon tomato paste

2 cloves mashed garlic

1/2 teaspoon thyme

A crumbled bay leaf

18 to 24 white onions, small

3 1/2 tablespoons butter

Herb bouquet (4 parsley sprigs, one-half bay leaf, one-quarter teaspoon thyme, tied in cheesecloth)

1 pound mushrooms, fresh and quartered

Remove bacon rind and cut into lardons (sticks 1/4-inch thick and 1 1/2 inches long). Simmer rind and lardons for 10 minutes in 1 1/2 quarts water. Drain and dry.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Sauté lardons in 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a flameproof casserole over moderate heat for 2 to 3 minutes to brown lightly. Remove to a side dish with a slotted spoon.

Dry beef in paper towels; it will not brown if it is damp. Heat fat in casserole until almost smoking. Add beef, a few pieces at a time, and sauté until nicely browned on all sides. Add it to the lardons.

In the same fat, brown the sliced vegetables. Pour out the excess fat.

Return the beef and bacon to the casserole and toss with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.

Then sprinkle on the flour and toss again to coat the beef lightly. Set casserole uncovered in middle position of preheated oven for 4 minutes.

Toss the meat again and return to oven for 4 minutes (this browns the flour and coves the meat with a light crust).

Remove casserole and turn oven down to 325 degrees.

Stir in wine and 2 to 3 cups stock, just enough so that the meat is barely covered.

Add the tomato paste, garlic, herbs and bacon rind. Bring to a simmer on top of the stove.

Cover casserole and set in lower third of oven. Regulate heat so that liquid simmers very slowly for 3 to 4 hours. The meat is done when a fork pierces it easily.

While the beef is cooking, prepare the onions and mushrooms.

Heat 1 1/2 tablespoons butter with one and one-half tablespoons of the oil until bubbling in a skillet.

Add onions and sauté over moderate heat for about 10 minutes, rolling them so they will brown as evenly as possible. Be careful not to break their skins. You cannot expect them to brown uniformly.

Add 1/2 cup of the stock, salt and pepper to taste and the herb bouquet.

Cover and simmer slowly for 40 to 50 minutes until the onions are perfectly tender but hold their shape, and the liquid has evaporated. Remove herb bouquet and set onions aside.

Wipe out skillet and heat remaining oil and butter over high heat. As soon as you see butter has begun to subside, indicating it is hot enough, add mushrooms.

Toss and shake pan for 4 to 5 minutes. As soon as they have begun to brown lightly, remove from heat.

When the meat is tender, pour the contents of the casserole into a sieve set over a saucepan.

Wash out the casserole and return the beef and lardons to it. Distribute the cooked onions and mushrooms on top.

Skim fat off sauce in saucepan. Simmer sauce for a minute or 2, skimming off additional fat as it rises. You should have about 2 1/2 cups of sauce thick enough to coat a spoon lightly.

If too thin, boil it down rapidly. If too thick, mix in a few tablespoons stock. Taste carefully for seasoning.

Pour sauce over meat and vegetables. Cover and simmer 2 to 3 minutes, basting the meat and vegetables with the sauce several times.

Serve in casserole, or arrange stew on a platter surrounded with potatoes, noodles or rice, and decorated with parsley.