Creamy Asiago Fontina Macaroni & Cheese

(About 5-6 servings)
I used Cavatappi (Corkscrew) shape pasta in this recipe because the sauce sticks well. This went over quite well at my friends' mac & cheese cook-off.

3 cups pasta (whatever shape you prefer)
2 tbsp butter
2-3 white flour
1/2 pint of heavy cream
1 cup milk (2% or 1%)
1 cup shredded asiago cheese (or your favorite hard cheese, such as parmesan)
1 cup shredded fontina cheese (you may sub in cheddar if you prefer)
1/4 tsp ground pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, & fresh nutmeg
A pinch of paprika
1/2 tsp of italian seasoning (I used Mrs. Dash's Table Blend)
2 strips of cooked bacon, crumbled (I bake at 375 until crisp, so it crumbles easily) or bacon bits
Freshly chopped chives

First, boil your pasta until it is just tender. Drain and set aside. In a large pot over medium heat, melt the butter and add in flour. Whisk until it forms a paste (a.k.a. roux). Stir for a couple of minutes until the flour mixture is cooked. You can tell when it starts to turn golden and smooths out. Next, whisk in the cream and milk, making sure to combine the flour mixture. Stir in the spices, then slowly sprinkle in the shredded asiago cheese until it melts. 

Then stir in the shredded fontina cheese until completely melted into the white sauce. Taste the sauce and adjust the amount of seasoning to your liking (add salt, pepper, etc). Gently fold in the cooked pasta with a spatula. Serve steaming hot and top with crumbled bacon and chives. Enjoy with friends and family!

Fluffy Cream Cheese Pecan & Dark Chocolate Chip Cookies

Makes about 16 cookies.

This recipe was adapted from here.

1 stick softened butter
1/4 cup softened cream cheese
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
3 tbsp agave syrup
1 large egg
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon baking soda
salt to taste
1/4 cup pecan pieces
1/4 cups dark chocolate chips

In a mixing bowl combine the butter, cream cheese, sugars, egg, vanilla, and beat until creamed. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add the flour, cornstarch, baking soda, salt, and mix until just combined.

Fold in chocolate chips and nuts and mix with a spatula to incorporate.
Using spoons or a cookie scoop, make 1 to 2 inch balls and place 2 inches apart on a silicone baking mat on a cookie sheet. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour before baking. 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or until edges have set and tops are just beginning to, even if slightly undercooked. Do not bake longer than 10 minutes as cookies will firm up as they cool. Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.

Enjoy!

Cakey & Gooey Pumpkin Dark Chocolate Chip Cookies

For me this made about 20 medium size cookies
I made these around the holiday season and the entire batch was gone in days. They are so very addicting! They are fluffy and cakey texture, especially when baked in a convection oven.
1 cup canned or fresh roasted pumpkin puree
1 cup white sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 egg
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp ground cinnamon (or pumpkin pie spice if preferred)
1/2 tsp nutmeg and allspice
1/2 tsp
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 splash of milk
1 tbsp vanilla extract
2 cups dark chocolate chips
1/4 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

*Skip this step if you are using canned pumpkin*
Cut in half and roasted a small sugar pumpkin (stab the skin a few times to allow steam out). Place pumpkin cut side down in a pie pan with a 1/2 inch of water and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until fork tender. Remove pulp with a spoon and let cool.

In your electric mixer bowl, beat together pumpkin, sugar, oil, milk and egg. In another bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, baking soda, spices, and salt. Add the dry ingredients to pumpkin mixture and mix well. Next, add vanilla, chocolate chips and chopped nuts.

Spoon dough on greased cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes or until lightly brown. You can poke into the center of a cookie with a toothpick to see if the center is wet or is cooked and comes out clean.

Let cool a few minutes, then dig in while still warm!

Sweet & Spiced Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

Seeds from 1 Pumpkin Pie pumpkin, mine was 8" tall
1 tbsp. melted butter/margarine (or spray margarine)
1 tbsp. brown sugar
Pinch of salt
1/4 tsp. ea. ground cinnamon, nutmeg 
*optional (ground allspice, cloves, cardamom)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Remove seeds from pumpkin (take off pumpkin strings), rinse in a strainer, and blot dry with a paper towel. Place in mixing bowl, stir in melted butter, and sprinkle in sugar and spices. When mixed, spread in one layer on a foil-lined baking sheet. Don't be tempted to put any excess butter/sugar mixture on the seeds, the extra sugar tends to burn. 

Bake for 25 minutes or until golden brown. Watch carefully so the sugar doesn't burn! You might hear some popping noises while baking when the seeds puff up and dry out. 
Remove from oven and let cool a few minutes. Scrape seeds off foil with a spatula.

The final product reminds me of CornNuts. Nice and crunchy and sweet! I'm sure these would also be great with smoked paprika instead of the pumpkin pie spices as well. Wrapped up in a cute jar they would make a great stocking stuffer!

Warm & Chewy Cranberry Walnut Bread

Makes 8-10 slices

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour, sifted

1/2 cup whole wheat flour, sifted

2 tbsp. agave syrup + 2 tbsp. sugar (or your favorite combination of sweeteners)

1 1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. fine sea salt

1 cup chopped fresh cranberries (it was half of the small bag of fresh berries for me)

1/4 cup chopped walnuts

1 egg

3/4 cup orange juice (& orange zest if you have some)

2 tbsp. canola oil

1/2 tsp. ea. of ground cinnamon and nutmeg

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Sift together the flours, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. Stir in the white sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. 

Chop the cranberries in a food processor until the berries are at least cut in half or smaller. Stir the chopped cranberries into the dry ingredients and coat. Create a well in the dry mixture and combine the beaten egg, agave syrup, orange juice, oil and chopped walnuts. Mix until everything is moist. 

Spray a 9x5x3" loaf pan with oil and fill with bread batter. Bake for 45 minutes or until golden brown and a toothpick poked into the center comes out clean. Let cool before slicing.

I love to eat this for breakfast in the winter. I warm up a slice and smear with cream cheese! Of course it is great on its own... or with yogurt on top. It makes the house smell great and is a hit with guests.

Ginger & Roasted Chestnut Butternut Squash Soup

Makes 4-6 servings

1 medium size butternut squash
3 tsp. grated ginger (I buy it already grated in a tube or jar)
5 roasted & peeled chestnuts (found ready-to-eat at an Asian food market) can sub. 1/4 cup cashews
1/4 cooked & peeled carrots
1 cup stock, vegetable or chicken (add more water if soup is too thick for your liking)
1/2 tsp. fresh ground pepper and nutmeg
2 tsp. melted butter or walnut oil
splash of heavy cream, or milk

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cut squash in half long-ways, scrape out seeds and fibers with a spoon. Find a glass baking dish (I used a pie plate) that can fit the squash halves side-by-side, place cut side up. 

Fill the dish with a 1/4 inch of water. Drape tinfoil loosely over dish and bake for 45 minutes to an hour, or until fork tender. Remove tinfoil halfway through the cooking process. Be careful not to burn yourself on the steam built up underneath the foil or the hot water in the pan. Let the squash sit until cool enough to touch. Scoop out squash from skin. 

I prefer to steam carrots in a microwave steamer, but you can also boil until tender. Place all cooled off ingredients into your blender and pulse until smooth (adding more water if needed). Heat up portion on the stove top and serve with garnish of ground nutmeg and pepper. Perfect on a cool fall day to warm you up!

Decadent Mini Cheesecake Cups

Makes about 16-18 cupcakes (you may need to double the recipe after you taste these!)

1/2 cup of crushed graham crackers

8 oz 1/3 less fat cream cheese

1/4 cup sugar or equivalent in Stevia (or other sweetener)

1 tsp vanilla

6 oz low/fat-free vanilla Greek yogurt

2 eggs

2 tbsp lemon juice

1 tbsp lemon zest

1 tbsp all purpose flour

Cooking Spray

Muffin cups

Preheat oven to 350°.

Line muffin pan with liners. Compact crushed graham crackers with a bit of cooking spray at the bottom of each well.

Beat cream cheese, sweetener and vanilla until smooth with a mixer. Mix in yogurt, eggs, lemon juice, lemon zest and flour just till it's incorporated. Scoop batter into cupcake liners until filled half way.

Bake 22 minutes or until the filling doesn't move when jiggled. Remove from pan and chill in the refrigerator before serving.

These are great for parties. I made these for a birthday party (you could probably tell by the balloons on the muffin papers). Top with sprinkles or fruit for decoration! 

Easy Enchilada Casserole

Makes 4 servings

1 package corn tortillas
Shredded pork or chicken (or you can use the carnitas recipe from this blog)
1 can Hatch green chile sauce
2 tbsp. sour cream
1 package of shredded mexican cheese
1 roasted poblano pepper
1 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. paprika, chile powder, & ground pepper
cilantro & avocado slices to garnish

When you need a quick dinner and all you have is some dried out corn tortillas, you can easily turn it into a cheesy, saucy, casserole.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. 
Coat your poblano pepper in oil and broil until the skin blisters and chars (I roast it in my toaster oven). Start by spraying a large round glass or oven safe dish with oil. Mix together the green sauce, sour cream, and spices. Coat the bottom of the dish with the sauce. Add the first tortilla and cover with more sauce. Layer on chunks of shredded meat, diced poblano peppers, and shredded cheese. Add another tortilla, sauce and filling. Repeat until your dish is full. Sprinkle cheese on top and bake for 45 minutes or until bubbling around the edges. Serve hot out of the oven with chopped cilantro and avocado.

Spiced Lamb Wraps

• Makes 2 servings

Meat:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 pound lamb meat or 2 lamb steaks
• 2 tsp paprika
• 1/2 tsp ground turmeric
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ground cloves
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 pinch saffron
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp ground coriander
• 1/2 medium onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tbs freshly grated ginger (or in a jar/tube)
• 1/2 lemon, zested
• 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth

Wrap:

Trader Joe's brand Tabouli

1/4 cucumber thinly slivered

Shredded lettuce

1 tomato, diced

Sour cream or plain yogurt

Trader Joe's Whole Wheat Middle Eastern Flatbread

Hot sauce (optional)

Lamb is known for being tough if cooked incorrectly. That's why I use a pressure cooker; it keeps all the moisture in and creates tender, pull apart the meat for a 'taco.' I know there are a lot of spices in this recipe, but man it makes for a tasty, complex flavor. 

First I mix all the spices and olive oil in a plastic bag with the meat portions, shake, and let sit in the fridge overnight. Simply heat up your pressure cooker base with a splash of olive and brown the lamb on all sides. Add chicken broth/water to almost cover the meat and pressurize.

Cook for 1.5 hours in the pressure cooker. Remove from heat, release steam, and let cool 15 minutes or so before opening.

Shred meat with tongs and a fork then fill warmed flatbread with meat, tabouli, and other toppings of your liking.

Enjoy the tender lamb!

Juicy Italian Sausage & Fennel Meatballs

Makes about 4 servings (16-18 balls)
1/2 pound bulk raw Italian Sausage
1/2 pound lean ground beef
1 piece of bread (or any other piece of stale bread you have around or sub. breadcrumbs)
1 egg
3 tbsp. milk (a.k.a. a splash)
1 tsp. freshly ground fennel seeds
2 tsp. Italian seasoning
1/8 tsp. ea. salt & fresh cracked pepper
3 tbsp. pasta sauce
Sprinkle of grated parmesan to finish


Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Defrost your ground meats and add to a large mixing bowl. Tear small pieces of bread into your mixing bowl and add milk over it. Grind or smash the fennel seeds to bring out the flavor. Mix in the egg and the other seasonings.
Stir together and form into small 1 in. balls. Spray glass baking dish with oil, then coat bottom with a thin layer of tomato sauce. Assemble meatballs so they are barely touching in the pan. Bake for about 20 minutes or until golden on top and the sauce is bubbly.
Pour meatballs and sauce over your favorite pasta dish and enjoy!

Pressure-cooker Corned Beef and Cabbage

I love using pressure cookers! It takes meals that usually take all day, achievable when you get home from work. This makes the most tender corned beef ever!

Makes about 8 servings


1 small piece of not-overly-fatty cut of corned beef (otherwise you would eat this for weeks)
1 medium yellow onion, diced
1 large carrot, cut in equal rounds
1/2 head of cabbage, cut into strips
1 can of beef broth (just add water until almost covering the meat)
1 tsp sea salt
ground pepper to taste
Pickling spices, wrapped & tied in cheese cloth (comes in the package plus a bit more if you have some on hand)


Heat a splash of olive oil over medium in the bottom of the pressure cooker. Sweat out the onions until caramelized and move them off to the edge of the pan. Sear both sides of the meat to give some color. 


Season with salt and pepper, you can always add a bit more when it's finished. Throw in the carrots and cabbage. Add the container of beef broth, if you are using a bigger cut of meat, then add a carton of broth. Submerge the seasoning packed under the broth. If the broth doesn't quite cover the meat, add water until the meat is mostly covered in liquid. Remember, the cabbage will wilt quickly down into the broth, so it's not a problem if that is partially above liquid level.


Securely put on the pressure cooker lid on, turn up the heat until the pressure builds, then reduce to low heat (follow the instructions that came with your pressure cooker). Cook for 2 hours. Turn off and let cool enough to remove lid. Uncover the cooker and cook a bit longer to reduce the liquid if desired. Remove the spice packet. 


Serve nice and hot with bread or make a ruben (great for leftovers). Don't forget to share with your friends! :)

Roasted Rosemary Root Veggies

Sometimes you just get tired of eating potatoes or carrots and need a change of side. There are so many different root vegetables out there to try. They might not all be a favorite, but it is worth a try to find what you like best.

Makes about 3 servings


Ingredients:


2 rutabagas
1 large turnip
2 parsnips
2 tsp olive oil
1 tsp of fresh/dry rosemary or Italian seasoning
salt & pepper to taste




I recommend par-boiling these veggies before crisping in the oven. Fill a pot with water, add a pinch of salt, and let boil.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.


The skin can be tough on turnips & rutabagas so I take a knife and cut around the outside, sometimes peelers don't take enough off. Parsnips are similar to carrots, so a veggie peeler will work on those. Cut everything into similar sized pieces so things cook evenly, but consider leaving the turnip pieces a bit larger since those tend to cook faster. 


Carefully put pieces into the water and let boil for 8 minutes, or until a fork will pierce the veggies. Then drain off and spread out on a tin foil lined baking sheet. Spray or drizzle oil over everything then sprinkle with salt, pepper, and herbs to taste and toss to coat. 


Bake until golden, about 15 minutes.

Breakfast Æbleskivers (Danish Pancake Balls)

The tradition in my house to make this for breakfast on New Years morning. Let me tell you, it's a great way to start the year off. If you want to get fancy, you can even fill these with a little jam as you turn them.

2 cups buttermilk (or you can use milk with a splash of lemon juice in it)
2 cups flour
2 eggs
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda
2 tbsp sugar
4 tbsp melted butter
More butter or shortening (for greasing the cast iron pan)


Yes, you do need a special pan, but once you buy one of these you pass it down through generations.

Separate the eggs and use an electric beater to whip the egg whites until they are fluffy and stiff. In another large bowl, mix together the rest of the ingredients until combined. Then with a spatula, carefully fold in the egg whites to keep fluffy.

Heat the pan to medium and pour a tsp of melted butter or shortening into each well.

*So the first one might not turn out the prettiest, but you do have to practice and get the technique down.*
Pour 2 tbsp of batter into each well, making sure not to overflow the sides. Once the batter bubbles around the edges (let it cook a minute), use a wooden skewer (or fork) to slowly turn the half-moon pancake over. The uncooked batter in the center will flow out and refill the well as you flip it over. Let all sides turn golden brown and set aside the cooked ones in a kitchen towel to keep warm.

Serve with syrup, powdered sugar, jam, or applesauce!

Hearty Winter Minestrone Soup

Serves 4-5 people...unless they become addicted to it, then it may be one...

1/2 an onion diced
1 diced whole head of garlic (peeled of course)
2-3 stalks of celery diced with leaves
1 carrot cubed
1 cup of fresh cut green beans
2 red potatoes cubed
1/2 a zucchini cubed
2 tsp of dry Italian seasoning
1/2 tsp of salt & pepper
Pinch of paprika (or cayenne if you want it spicy)
1 can of kidney beans (or your favorite, garbanzo or great norther are good too)
1 can of chicken broth
A splash of red wine if you have some handy
1/4 cup of pasta (your choice of shape)
A sprinkle of shredded parmesan cheese
Water to add as needed as the soup cooks down

Heat a splash of oil on medium heat in a large soup pot and saute onions and garlic until soft and golden. Next add chopped celery (and some celery leaves if you have them), carrot, potato, and all the spices. Deglaze the pan with a splash of red wine, scraping the bits off the bottom with a wooden spoon and reducing the heat to a low simmer. Add the can of chicken broth and mostly drained can of beans.

Stir in the zucchini and green beans halfway through the cooking time. Feel free to add more water if the soup starts to look more like a thick stew.

Let simmer for at least a couple of hours to let the veggies cook and the broth reduce. Turn the heat back up and stir in the pasta and let cook according to the directions on the pasta container.

Serve and top with parmesan cheese. Enjoy the filling and healthy meal!

Cinnamony Snickerdoodles

During the holidays I get the urge to bake. This is one of my favorite recipes. I love things that make the entire house smell good while baking and taste great hot out of the oven. 

I based this recipe off one in "The Cookie and Biscuit Bible." A great and very tempting book :) 


Makes around 24 cookies.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees


1/2 cup of soft butter
1/2 cup of sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
1/4 cup milk
3 cups regular flour
1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp cinnamon, ground cloves & nutmeg
Handful of chopped walnuts (optional)


First, cream the butter, sugar, and vanilla with an electric mixer. Beat in the eggs and milk. Sift in the flour, baking soda, and spices (and nuts if you want). 
Combine the ingredients until it forms a ball of dough, you may want to use a spatula to help scrape down the edges. Refrigerate for an hour or so. 


Mix together a pinch of cinnamon with a tablespoon of sugar. This is what you will roll the balls of dough in before placing on the cookie sheet. 
Roll the cold dough into 1 inch balls and roll in the bowl of sugar. Place cookies 2 inches apart on a silicone baking mat, parchment paper or a greased cookie sheet. Press lightly down on each ball of dough to help it spread out a bit.


Bake for about 10 minutes or until golden brown.
Enjoy warm out of the oven with a glass of milk.

Simple Spiced Apple Pie

I love pie. And when you can say you are eating fruit too, well it doesn't feel as much like you are cheating on healthy eating. :)

One of my favorite recipe websites is allrecipes.com and I find some good food ideas there to adapt to my liking. That's where this pie recipe grew from.For the crust I used Grandma's Secret Pie Crust (not so secret anymore I suppose).

Following recipes equal one 9-inch apple pie.

Crust recipe (or you can use pre-made refrigerated crust):

Makes a top and bottom crust

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 1/4 cups shortening

1 egg

1 splash distilled white vinegar

4 tablespoons water (if you live in a dry environment, you might need more)

In the food processor mix the flour and salt and cut in shortening.

Drizzle the wet ingredients into dry mixture, cutting it in until it forms small granules. 

Turn out the mixture onto a stone countertop or rolling mat with a sprinkle of flour on it and roll thin with lightly floured pin to fit your pie pan.

Now for the filling:

1/2 cup sugar (if you don't like super sweet pies or are using sweet apples, gala vs. the more tart granny smith, you can cut the sugar in half or substitute the equivalent of stevia powder)

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground allspice, nutmeg, and cloves (or your favorite pie spices)

4 large apples thinly sliced

Juice of 1/2 a lemon

1 tablespoon butter or margarine

1 egg white

In a small bowl, combine sugars, flour and spices until the brown sugar isn't very clumpy. In a large bowl, toss apples with lemon juice to keep from turning brown. Add sugar mixture and stir well with big spatula (or hands) to coat. Line a 9-in. pie pan with rolled out pie crust dough. Stack rings of the apple filling into crust and dot with butter. 

Cover with the top crust and pinch around the edges so you don't get leaks in the oven. Cut a few slits in top (feel free to make them decorative). Beat an egg white and brush over the top of crust so it turns golden in the oven. Lightly sprinkle sugar on top if you feel the need. 

Bake at 375 degrees F for 35 minutes. Increase temperature to 400 degrees F and bake 10-15 minutes more or until golden.

Let it cool before eating. That's the hardest part! :)

Easy Thin Crust Pizza Dough

This is a simple and versatile recipe. Use it for pizza, calzones, or even breadsticks! I love me a good pizza dough, plus it is a bit healthier by using whole wheat flour. But it doesn't taste healthy so I love it! The honey adds some great flavor without being overly sweet.

Whole recipe makes 2 Medium thin-crust pizzas or 3 personal-size calzones

1 package active dry or fresh yeast (a.k.a. 2 1/2 tsp)

1 pinch of sugar

1 - 2 tsp honey (your favorite kind)

1 cup warm water
2 tbsp olive oil

1 cup all-purpose flour

2 cups whole wheat pastry flour (finer ground than plain whole wheat flour, rises better)

1 tsp sea salt

Pepper and dry italian herbs (optional)

Preheat oven to 400+ degrees.

In a small (non-metal) bowl, dissolve the yeast, honey, and pinch of sugar in 1/4 cup warm water for a few minutes to make the yeast happy & bubbly (or activate the yeast if you want to be technical about it). 

Here you have to choose:

I throw all the ingredients into a bread maker on the dough setting. Super easy. Just roll out, decorate and bake.

If you don't have one then you can definitely make it by hand in a big bowl and mix with a spatula (sometimes I do this if I only make a half recipe). 

In a large bowl, combine the flour and the salt (and herbs if you want). Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and add the oil, the yeast mixture, plus the remaining 3/4 cup of water.

Mix until the entire mixture clumps into a big ball. Either knead the dough by hand or just fold it over and over with the spatula for a couple minutes. The dough should be smooth and firm.

Cover the bowl of dough with a clean, damp kitchen towel and let it rise in a cool spot for about 2 hours. It'll puff up a bit so you know your yeast is fresh and doing it's thing.

Divide the dough into 2 balls (or however many you want). If you want to get crazy you could keep it as one super thick crust... but I'm impatient when I smell pizza baking so I prefer the quick, thin-crust route. 

Roll the ball out to your desired thickness (with a rolling pin or just stretch it for that rustic, homemade look). Carefully place dough on a pizza stone or pizza pan/cookie sheet sprayed with oil or dusted with cornmeal to keep from sticking.

Add your favorite sauce and toppings. (I love lots of thin-sliced veggies, roasted garlic and prosciutto on mine, yum.)

Bake at least 10 - 12 minutes, more depending on the thickness of crust. If it is still floppy/soft in the center when lifted with a utensil, keep baking until nicely browned and crisp.

Let cool, don't burn yourself now. I know it smells good, but wait a moment for it to cool, then cut, and serve! 

Warm & Hearty Chicken Tortilla Soup

I love this thick and chunky soup on a cool evening. It warms you right up. Plus if you feel a cold coming on then make the soup extra spicy to help you clear your sinuses. :)

This can also be made in a slow-cooker if you are running low on time.

About 6 servings

Drizzle of olive oil
1 cup pulled chicken (a chance to use up leftover roasted chicken)
1/2 medium onion (diced)
3 cloves of garlic (diced)
1 can diced tomatos
1 can diced green chilies
1 tbsp oregano (preferably mexican oregano)
1 dried ancho chili ripped in half (remove seeds for less heat)
1/2 tbsp paprika or a few splashes of hot sauce (to taste)
1/2 tsp of sea salt and pepper

Add after 1/2 hour of simmering:
1 handful of chopped cilantro
1/4 cup of cooked rice (white or brown rice)
1 can black beans (drained)
2 limes juiced
3 tbsp of sweet corn, canned or fresh (optional)

Heat up a large soup pot with a drizzle of olive oil inside, over medium heat. Saute the diced onions and garlic until golden. Add the can of tomatoes and green chilies. Stir in the herbs and spices, hot sauce and large pieces of dried chili peppers (so you can remove the dried peppers before serving). After allowing the first ingredients to simmer at least half an hour, add the shredded chicken, lime juice, beans, rice, cilantro, and corn. Simmer in the open pot to let thicken for at least another half hour, or until the soup is your preferred consistency. Top with crushed tortilla chips, sour cream, and cilantro.

Chewy Fruit & Nut Granola Bars

• Once you make these simple and tasty granola bars at home, you will think twice about buying store-bought bars filled with preservatives. When you make your own you can add your favorite ingredients and mix it up each time. Sometimes I cut these into bite-size pieces to serve as bar cookies at parties.

Makes about 16 rectangular granola bars

• 
  
• 2 cups quick-cooking oats
• 1 cup puffed rice or kamut (I use Arrowhead brand)
• 1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
• 1 tsp honey (optional)
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/4 cup of diced dried apricots
• 1/2 cup sweetened dried cranberries (or other dried fruit)
• 1/2 cup sliced almonds (or nuts of your choice, chopped cashews or peanuts are tasty)
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp each of ground cloves and nutmeg
• Splash of vanilla extract
• Optional: 1/2 cup miniature chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, combine and stir all the dry ingredients together. Pour sweetened condensed milk over dry mixture until it is just sticking together (if it seems too wet, add more oats). Evenly spread over a cooky sheet lined with a silicone baking mat (Silpat), and press with spatula to about 1/2 inch thick. Bake for 20-25 minutes until just golden around the edges. 

Let cool, then transfer to a cutting board to cut into your desired bar size. Enjoy for a snack or dessert! Customize with your favorite fruit and nut combos.

Pear and Carrot Salad with Tangy Curry Dressing

This is a very refreshing salad on a warm day. Crisp, tangy and sweet all at the same time. A great, unique side.

Makes about 4 servings.


2 large carrots, trimmed and peeled
 2 firm pears
1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley leaves
1 tbsp white wine vinegar
1/2 tbsp curry powder
1 teaspoons honey
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil


Peel the carrots lengthwise into ribbons. Stem then slice the pear into bite-size slivers.


In a mixing bowl, combine the pear and carrot with the chopped parsley. In a blender, mix the white wine vinegar, curry powder, honey, salt, and pepper and blend until combined.


While the machine runs, drizzle the olive oil. Pour the dressing over the carrots and pears and toss. Serve immediately or quickly cool the salad in the refrigerator.


Goes well with a main dish of grilled meat.