Indian Spiced Lentils

I got this recipe from Our Best Bites. I have never made a curry - or Indian food before - but I'll try anything once. I ONLY tried this recipe because she said all 4 of her boys (some picky eaters) all had seconds. SOLD.

Wouldn't you know it? ALL SIX OF US (including our quesadilla only diet 13 year old) LOVED IT!!! Definitely making this again! OH! It's a 30 minute meal too!! Most of my family had these lentils over rice - I just opted for the lentils with a chicken skewer on the side!

Indian Spiced Lentils

2-3 teaspoons olive oil
1 onion chopped
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
1 teaspoon curry powder
2-3 teaspoons yellow curry paste see notes
½ teaspoon ground coriander
½ teaspoon ground cumin
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
1 15-ounce can diced tomatoes
4 cups chicken broth more if desired
2 teaspoons sugar
1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
2 cups red lentils
5-10 ounces spinach fresh and chopped or frozen and thawed
juice of ½ lemon or one lime
handful of chopped cilantro

For Serving:

white rice
additional chopped cilantro
dollop of plain greek yogurt
drizzle of olive oil
naan or other flatbread

Pick through lentils and discard any shriveled ones. Rise well with cool water and strain.
Heat a large stock pot on the stove top to medium heat. Add 2-3 teaspoons oil to coat bottom of pan and add onions. Saute for 4-5 minutes until tender.
Add garlic, ginger, curry powder, curry paste (feel free to start with just a little curry paste and add more to taste later), coriander, cumin, cayenne, and mustard seeds. Saute for 1-2 minutes, stirring often.
Add diced tomatoes (do not drain), chicken broth, sugar, salt, pepper, and lentils.
Bring pot to a boil and reduce to a low simmer. Cover pot and cook, stirring occasionally, for 15-20 minutes until lentils are softened. 
Add spinach and stir to wilt. You can add as much or as little spinach as you want. If you don't like large pieces of wilted spinach, just tear or chop it before adding.
Finally add cilantro and lemon or lime juice and season with additional salt and pepper to taste. You can also add more curry paste if desired, I suggest dissolving it in a small cup full of the warm broth from your pot first and then adding back in.
Serve over rice with naan on the side with a dollop of yogurt drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled withe additional salt, pepper, and cilantro. We added chicken skewers!


Notes
Slow cooker Instructions: Combine all ingredients except for the lemon (or lime) juice and cilantro in the pot of a slow cooker. Cook on high for 3-4 hours or on low for 6-7 hours. Before serving, add the lemon juice and cilantro.

Ironman Salad

Ironman Salad

Raw Kale
Edamame
Blueberries
Dried cranberries
Matchstick carrots (buy them already matched)
Red onions
Salted peanuts
Sunflower seeds
I added roasted salted pistachios

Dressing
Red wine vinegar
Honey
Raspberry puree
Dijon mustard
Seasoned rice wine vinegar
Salt and pepper
SEE SUPER CHEAT AT BOTTOM

It looks like a long list - but this really is a quick salad.
As with most salads - you just add the amounts pertaining to what you have on hand - and what your preference is for that ingredient.

With the Kale - you have to remove the rib (hard stalk) just tear the lettuce off the stalk.
Cook Edamame according to package directions and let cool - or remove from pod and let cool.
Slice or dice red onion (if you don't want an overpowering taste - soak the slices in ice water for about 10 minutes while your getting everything else ready).
If you want a SUPER CHEAT - you can buy Brianna's Raspberry Poppy Seed Dressing

Quinoa Stuffed Bell Peppers

I saw this on Pinterest - of course - I've made a few variations of quinoa salad many times - we love it. See my regulars HERE & HERE but I haven't tried it this way yet!

Just before I took this picture - this raggedy little 6 year old said "Mom - I luuuuv quinoa!"

Quinoa Stuffed Bell Peppers
3 cups cooked quinoa
1 (4-ounce) can green chiles
1 cup corn kernels
1/2 cup canned black beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup petite diced tomatoes
1/2 cup shredded pepper jack cheese
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon chili powder, or more to taste
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
6 bell peppers, tops cut, stemmed and seeded

INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9×13 baking dish with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, combine quinoa, green chiles, corn, beans, tomatoes, cheese, cilantro, cumin, garlic, onion and chili powder, salt and pepper, to taste.
Spoon the filling each each bell pepper cavity. Place on prepared baking dish, cavity side up, and bake until the peppers are tender and the filling is heated through, about 25-30 minutes.

Tomato Pie

Yes. Tomato Pie.

I bought 2 flats of huge beefsteak tomatoes to teach a bunch of my daughters friends how to make their own salsa. I waaaay over bought.

I went to Facebook and asked my friends what they would do with all these tomatoes - other than make salsa. I got lots of advice - marinara sauce, lasagna, tomato jam (!?) and something I'd never heard of... Tomato Pie. I was intrigued - but not sold. She posted the recipe and I was very interested. A couple of days later, my big foodie friend Geoff posted that he had made said Tomato Pie and called it the "winner!" Now, I was sold.

We all had second helpings of this delicious side - my daughter said it tasted like lasagna - but better (if you're looking for some verbage to sell your kids on this).

See all those little bits of basil in there?? I'm growing basil in the back yard - so I'm hoping the next time I make this I will have enough basil to layer fresh basil leaves over each layer of tomatoes - oh yeah baby.

I used the recipe my friend, Dawn, posted - with a slight variation.

Tomato Pie
1 frozen pie crust
3 large beefsteak tomatoes, sliced
2 cups Ricotta cheese
1/2 - 3/4 cup Parmesan cheese (I used shavings)
1-2 T basil paste (stores were OUT of fresh basil!)
1 t garlic powder
salt and pepper

Slice tomatoes, lay them in a colander in the sink and salt them. Allow them to drain for about 10 minutes.

Combine cheeses, garlic powder and basil paste.

Layer the tomato slices in the pie crust - peppering as you go. Cover the tomatoes with the cheese mixture.

Bake at 375 for 30 minutes - or until the top is slightly golden brown. Allow to cool for 15 minutes before serving.

Cafe Rio Black Beans

Cafe Rio Black Beans
2 T EVOO
2 cloves garlic, minced or pasted
1 t cumin
15 oz black beans, rinsed and drained
¾ c tomato juice
Salt & Pepper to taste

In a nonstick skillet, cook garlic and cumin in olive oil over medium heat until you can smell it. Add beans, tomato juice, salt and pepper. Stir until heated through. Use a slotted spoon to plate.

Tortilla & Black Bean Pie

This is a very easy, flavorful, vegetarian dish. My kids all loved it - asked for seconds and then asked me today if we could have it again for dinner tonight!

Tortilla & Black Bean Pie
4 flour tortillas 10"
1 T oil
1 large onion, diced
1 jalapeno, minced (deveined and deseeded)
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 t ground cumin
2 15 oz cans black beans, drained and rinsed
1 c water or stock
1 1/2 c frozen corn (I LOVE Bybee foods Organic sweet corn, Costco)
4 scallions, thinly sliced - plus more for garnish
2 1/2 c shredded cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Use a paring knife to trim the tortillas to fit a 9" springform pan - use the bottom of the pan as a guide. Set aside. Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, jalapeno, garlic and cumin. Season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally until the onion is softened - 5 to 7 minutes. Add the beans and the stock to the skillet and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium, simmer until the liquid has almost evaporated - 10 minutes. Stir in the corn and scallions and remove from the heat. Spray bottom of pan with PAM. Fit a trimmed tortilla in the bottom of the pan. Layer 1/4 of the bean mixture and 1/2 cup cheese. Repeat 3 times, using 1 cup cheese on the top layer.

Bake for about 20 minutes - or until the cheese is melted. Serve with sour cream and salsa.

*I only had a 8" pie pan on hand - so I only got 2 layers. I divided the pie into 4 (me + 3 kiddos). When I make this again, I will either buy a 9" spring form - or make two 8" pie tins - to make sure there is plenty to go around.

Asian Noodle Salad

This is a recipe I got from Jamie Oliver. He is such a fantastic chef and has such an amazing culinary point of view. I watched the 1st season of Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution last year and (although it is on hiatus until June) have watched every episode from season 2. I can't wait to see how the season ends. If you haven't already, please link HERE and sign his petition that states "I support the Food Revolution. America's kids need better foods at school and better health prospects. We need to keep cooking skills alive." There are also links to watch episodes, recipes, and to get involved in your community.

My husband went on a hard core 4 hour mountain bike ride and was star-ving when he walked through the door. He said "I feel like a BIG STEAK and a baked potato for dinner" when I informed him that dinner was ready and sitting in the fridge, he looked a bit disappointed - but the great guy that he is - sounded positive and thanked me for making a great dinner (when he didn't even know what was for dinner yet).

I plated this nutritious, healthy, veg filled delightfulness for all of us and we sat down to eat. Huband's comments were "this is so good" "this is so refreshing" "this really hit the spot" and the kids loved it too.

Delicious, filling AND vegetarian too!

Asian Noodle Salad - Jamie Oliver
16 oz. linguine, cooked according to package directions, rinsed & cooled*
½ head Sliced Napa Cabbage
½ head Sliced Purple Cabbage
½ bag Baby Spinach
Red Bell Pepper, bite sized
Yellow Bell Pepper, bite sized
Orange Bell Pepper, bite sized
1 bag/can (drained and rinsed) bean sprouts
Cilantro, chopped to taste**
1 bunch green onions, sliced
3 cucumbers sliced
Cashews, lightly toasted***

Dressing:
Juice of 1 lime
8 T EVOO
8 T Soy Sauce
2 T Sesame Oil
⅓ c Brown Sugar
3 T Fresh Ginger****
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 Jalapenos, seeded, de-ribbed and minced

Mix salad ingredients together. Whisk dressing ingredients together and pour over salad. Mix with tongs or hands and serve on a platter.

I only mentioned my husbands predisposition and comments b/c they just kept coming. He probably thanked me for dinner (average 3 x a night) 10 times. Not like - "thanks for dinner." Like - pulled me aside (several times), kissed me and thanked me for making dinner. This recipe was very, very different than the tastes we usually have for dinner - but it was so delicious and different - it was really a refreshing change.

*I used/love Barilla PLUS Multigrain Pasta with Omega 3 – or you could use whole wheat pasta as well
**Hubs has a serious aversion to cilantro – so I omitted it tonight
***I didn’t have cashews on hand so I used sliced almonds instead
****Hubs & I have an aversion to ginger – also omitted tonight

I actually cut this recipe in half and it was still A TON OF FOOD! I could def get a dinner and a lunch for the fam out of 1/2 this recipe.

Pasta Primavera

Yum yum yummers.

Something I recently learned - it is best to use the smaller sized squash and zucchini when you sautee b/c there are few to no seeds. True.

I am going to list the veggies I used tonight - but as always - the possibilities are endless...

*One tip to keep in mind. Vegetables sautee at different rates b/c of their density/structure. So, I sautee my veggies in small groups. Sautee like veggies with like veggies. I did 4 batches - garlic and onion, carrots and asparagus, squash and zucchini, broccoli and bell pepper - that way all your veg is cooked to perfection.

Also, for some reason I always make dinner like I am cooking for an army. This meal would feed 6-8 as a stand alone dinner (no sides). All veg cut into bite sized pieces.

Pasta Primavera
3 zucchini
2 yellow squash
3 carrots
1 red bell pepper
broccoli
1 red onion, diced
2 t minced garlic (the stuff in the jar at the grocery store)
1 bunch asparagus
12 oz pasta
Butter
EVOO
Alfredo Sauce
2 T Basil
1 T Oregano
1 t parsley

Slice and dice your veggies. Set your water to boil for the pasta.

Sautee the veggies in EVOO and butter *see note above. Use a 1 to 1 ratio. Each time you sautee veg to your liking, pour them into a big bowl - and start with the next batch.

As soon as your water comes to a boil - cook pasta according to package directions. Start your alfredo sauce while the pasta is cooking.

Add drained pasta to your bowl of sauteed veggies. Pour alfredo sauce over pasta and veggies. Stir to incorporate all ingredients. Salt and pepper to taste.

Pumped Up Bean Dip

My 7 year old (crazy picky eater) requests only a few things when I ask him what he would choose for dinner. Top Ramen, Shell macaroni or bean burritos - then he specifies "just beans and a tortilla - remember that Mom"
Since I am not the kind of Mom that likes to cook out of a box, so I am constantly challenging his pallet. This one is a winner - even for him:)

Pumped Up Bean Dip
1 can black beans
1 can pinto beans
1 can refried beans
8 oz cream cheese, softened
1 c sour cream
1 package taco seasoning mix
1 c cheddar cheese, shredded
1 c Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
1 medium onion, chopped

In a large microwave the cream cheese and sour cream for about 30 seconds to soften them up and make them easier to blend together. Then add all other ingredients and combine them together. Put it into an 8x8” casserole dish. Bake for about 20 minutes at 350 degrees.

I usually serve this as a dip with chips – but my kids often request this in a warmed up tortilla served burrito style.

Jack's 3 Bean Soup

Twice a month each of my kids is chosen to make dinner for the family. Today was my 7 year old Jack's turn. Since "Jack Dinner" has been listed on the chore board all week, he's been thinking about what to make. Tonight, I gave him 3 options of what to make for dinner (always easy - as I am the sous chef). He said "actually, I've been thinking about what I'd like to make. I have some ingredient ideas already and then we can figure the rest out together." ALRIGHT!
He is a creative little kiddo so I was interested in hearing what he was thinking about tonight's menu. His ingredient list was: black beans, pinto beans, corn & taco seasoning. He thought of those ingredients because "I really like bean burritos and tacos" yet another idea was "since it snowed today (never snows here!) I think it should be a warm soup" so far so good! This is what we came up with - and it was good!

I served his in our "Super Star" bowl - because what a little super star!

Jack's 3 Bean Soup
1 medium onion, diced
2 T butter
1 can black beans
1 can pinto beans
1 can kidney beans
2 cans (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes
2 cans (or 15 oz) corn - we used frozen
4 c chicken broth
1 packet taco seasoning
crunched up tortilla chips

Add butter and diced onion to your stock pot. Cook until the onion is tender and transparent. Add black beans, pinto beans, kidney beans, tomatoes, corn, chicken broth and taco seasoning. Bring to a boil and then simmer for about 20 minutes.

The last 2 minutes or so, add the crunched up tortilla chips (a little trick I learned from Rachael Ray) the starch will thicken up the broth a bit and add salt.

Serve with shredded cheddar, sour cream or whatever you want on top!

*Vegetarian option if you use veggie broth instead of chicken broth.

Stuffed Shells

I read an article in the November issue of Martha Stewart Living about stuffed shells. The author put her recipe in the issue - and also gave some great tips. Since I was at the doctor's office - I couldn't bring her recipe home with me - but I did bring her tips home (in my head) and I'm here to share them with you!!

Her tips were: Fill them with anything and everything your family loves. Always cook a double batch of shells b/c they freeze extremely well and so does whatever you stuff them with. She said in particular that cheese freezes very well (something I'd never thought about).

S0 - on my way home, I dropped by the store and grabbed some jumbo shells and some ricotta and made these babies...
Stuffed Shells
12 oz box of Jumbo Shells
16 oz Ricotta cheese
8 oz Mozzerella cheese either shredded or diced into small cubes
1/2 c Parmesan, shredded
2 T parsley
salt and pepper
Fav pasta sauce

Cook pasta per directions on box. Meanwhile, add all other ingredients and mix until combined. *I looked up a few recipes for stuffed shells and all of them included 1 or 2 eggs used as a binder - I chose to omit eggs b/c my kids have egg allergies and we didn't miss it one bit!*

PAM a casserole dish (size depends on how many you are serving - I guesstimated 3 shells per child and 6 per adult) After the shells are cooked, stuff them with a big spoonful of cheese mixture and set them in the casserole dish. Cover with your favorite pasta sauce (marinara is traditional - but I promised my 5 year old that next time I'd make them with alfredo). Sprinkle with more parm and more parsley.

Cook at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until sauce is nice and bubbly.

**You can really go crazy with the 'stuffing' you can use any cheese you like - next time I think I'll try Fontina in lieu of Mozzerella just to kick it up a bit. You can also add any meat, onions, leeks, what have you!!

Butternut Squash Soup with Fontina Cheese Crostinis

I got this recipe from Giada De Laurentis on Food Network - yummy!!
Butternut Squash Soup with Fontina Cheese Crostinis
Ingredients
Soup:
2 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 medium carrot, peeled and chopped into 1/2-inch pieces
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 1/2 pounds butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 3/4-inch pieces (about 7 to 8 cups)
6 cups low-sodium chicken stock
1/4 cup chopped fresh sage leaves
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Crostini:
1/2 baguette, sliced diagonally into 1/2-inch thick slices
Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage leaves
1 cup (2 ounces) grated fontina cheese
Kosher salt
Directions
In an 8-quart stockpot, add the butter and oil and melt together over medium-high heat. Add the onion and carrot and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook until aromatic, about 30 seconds. Add the squash and the chicken stock. Bring the mixture to a boil and add the sage. Continue to boil until the vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes. Turn off the heat. Using an immersion blender, blend the mixture until smooth and thick. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Keep the soup warm over low heat.

For the crostini: Put an oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Arrange the bread slices on a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with sage. Sprinkle the cheese on top and season with salt, to taste. Bake until the cheese has melted and the bread is light golden, about 6 to 8 minutes.

To serve, ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with the cheese crostini.

Cook's Note: The cooked vegetable mixture can also be pureed (after cooling for about 5 minutes) by ladling, in batches, into a food processor or blender and blended until smooth.

Creamy Tomato Basil Soup Deluxe!

I am waaaay too excited for fall. It has been in the high 80's here until... Wednesday, when the temp dropped to the low 70's and it rained all day long. I was so excited that I made "Veggie Chow-da".


With my excitement out of control - I also got a serving of pureed sun dried tomatoes and a serving of pesto out of the freezer and into the fridge just so I could make this soup. Even though the weather returned to the high 80's the next day - this was so delicious!


I posted this recipe for Creamy Tomato Basil Soup a while ago. I varied the recipe from the original this time. I wanted to add a few more layers of flavor to give the soup a bit more depth and subtle notes of flavor (woot! listen to me talkin about food - I think I'm so cool - LOL)

I swear that I posted my 'gourmet cheats' but after looking through the blog - I couldn't find it. I'll post it again and it will help this recipe make more sense to you.

Creamy Tomato Basil Soup Deluxe!

1/2 c (1 stick) butter

1 c all purpose flour

4 c chicken broth

4 c half & half*

1 1/2 c marinara sauce

1 14.5 can diced tomatoes or 8 to 10 small vine ripened tomatoes, diced

1 c sundried tomatoes, pureed

1/2 c prepared pesto

Coarse salt and ground black pepper

Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and stir for 5 minutes to slightly brown the mixture and create a roux. Wisk in the broth. Increase the heat and cook and stir until thickened. Decrease the heat to low, stir in the half and half and simmer for 20 minutes.Stir in the marinara sauce, tomatoes, sundried tomatoes and pesto and cook until heated through. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

*I have used both full fat and fat free half & half - since it is used as a thickening agent, the taste is nearly the same using either.

Veggie Chow-da

I didn't realize that Krystal had posted a recipe for her Garden Veggie Chowder already. They are similar - but with enough differences that I thought I'd post.

I looked in my freezer and realized that I had so many veggies just begging to be eaten! I have been trying to do a Veggie entree at least once a week - so I came up with the 'recipe' while on my walk this morning...

*you can use any and all veggies you have - this is just what I threw in the pot today!

Veggie Chow-da
Asparagus, blanched or steamed (or thawed), cut into 1 - 2" pieces
Carrots, diced
Celery, diced
Onion, diced
Broccoli, blanched or steamed (or thawed)
Corn, drained (or thawed)
Potatoes (I use frozen square hashbrowns - and I don't even thaw them)
2 - 3 T EVOO (olive oil)
32 oz (4 cups) stock (veggie, chicken - what have you)
4 T flour
1/3 c butter (softened or room temp)
2 1/2 - 3 c half and half
Garlic powder
Salt & pepper to taste

Put EVOO in a large stock pot. Add onions. Cook them down until they are translucent. Add all veggies and stock. Bring up to a boil then turn down to a simmer for about 20 minutes.

In the meantime, add butter and flour in a small sauce pot and whisk until combined and smooth. Add slowly to the veggie and stock soup you have working. Let simmer for another 5 minutes or so. Season with garlic powder, salt and pepper.

Add half and half - continue to simmer for another 10-15 minutes to bring up the soup to temp and also to give the half and half time to thicken the soup.

Garnish with shredded cheese and serve with a big ol' hunk of bread to dunk in this delish soup!

Bucatini and Broccolini Pasta

I saw this recipe on the Rachael Ray show. I had extra broccoli I needed to use up and this looked like the perfect way to do it!

This recipe is delicious, very healthy and so cheap!
Bucatini and Broccolini Pasta
Salt and pepper
*1 pound bucatini pasta
*2 bunches broccolini, 1 head romanesco or 1 large bunch broccoli rabe
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil (EVOO )
4 large cloves garlic, peeled and very thinly sliced or chopped
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
A few grates nutmeg
Grated or shaved Pecorino Romano cheese, to pass around the table

Bring a large pot of water to a boil, salt it, add the pasta and cook until al dente. Drain, reserving a ladleful of the pasta cooking water.
Meanwhile, in a large, deep skillet, bring a few inches of water to a boil. Cut the broccolini into 3-4-inch pieces and halve the larger florets (or trim the romanesco and cut into thin florets, or trim the broccoli rabe and cut into 3-4-inch pieces). Salt the boiling water in the skillet, add the broccolini (or romanesco or broccoli rabe) and parboil for 4 minutes. Drain well and let cool on a clean towel.
In the same skillet, heat the EVOO, four turns of the pan, over medium heat. Add the garlic and stir for 2 minutes, then add the crushed red pepper and stir for a minute more. Add the broccolini (or romanesco or broccoli rabe) and season with the nutmeg. Add the pasta and reserved cooking water and toss vigorously for a minute or two. Season with salt and black pepper. Pass the Pecorino-Romano at the table for topping.

*I used whole wheat spaghetti and 2 heads of regular broccoli
**I also sauteed 1/2 c onions before I started the garlic (b/c I just LOVE onions!)

Black Bean Soup

I found this recipe on an article by MSN titled "Cheap and Low Calorie Dinners" and it lives up to it - you honestly can't get cheaper (it serves 6-8 good sized servings), all the ingredients are low cal, low or zero fat and all that good fiber and nutrition you get just from the black beans? You gotta be kiddin' me!

Black Bean Soup
1 tablespoon(s) canola oil (I used EVOO - habit)
1 small onion, chopped
1 tablespoon(s) chili powder
1 teaspoon(s) ground cumin
3 can(s) (15-ounce) black beans, rinsed
3 cup(s) water
1/2 cup(s) prepared salsa (like Pace)
1/4 teaspoon(s) salt
1 tablespoon(s) lime juice
4 tablespoon(s) reduced-fat sour cream (optional)
2 tablespoon(s) chopped fresh cilantro (optional)

Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring, until beginning to soften, 2 to 3 minutes. Add chili powder and cumin and cook, stirring, 1 minute more. Add beans, water, salsa, and salt. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in lime juice.

Transfer half the soup to a blender and puree (use caution when pureeing hot liquids). Stir the puree back into the saucepan. Serve garnished with sour cream and cilantro, if desired.

*My kids are skinny little bugs so I served this soup to them with sour cream, shredded cheddar cheese and tortilla chips.

My husband ate it without any additions and slurped it up.


Hope you love it!

My New Fav Ingredient - ROTEL

Yes, it's true. Rotel. Where has this lovely ingredient been my whole life?? 2 of the most simple, fast, easy recipes I have made with Rotel this week...

Queso
16 oz. Velveeta cheese, cubed
1 can Rotel (medium or hot - based on preference)

Microwave ingredients for 3 minutes. Stir and microwave again for 3 minutes. Done.

I returned from a bike ride to find my hubs and his friend watching the NFL playoffs. I whipped up the Queso and both men were in heaven. Hubs friend, Mike (who is a huge fan of hot/spicy food) commented on the spice and flavor of my dip (I used Rotel HOT). He's not a real foodie - which made me watching him devour this Queso even more rewarding. Mike's wife came over and the first thing he said was "you have to try this dip" she was also impressed (and she IS a foodie) they were all shocked when I told them what was in it. Minimal effort - maximum taste points!

Black Bean and Rotel

1 can of Black beans

1 can of Rotel

Cook black beans in microwave (as per directions on the can) 3 minutes. Add rotel. Done.

I have eaten this both in a burrito and as a side dish. Super delish - and it's high in fiber and low fat!

Thank you Rotel. I will be finding more ways to use you - you rock!

*AND - my friend just told me that the capsaisan in hot peppers has just as much Vitamin C as an orange - so not only is Rotel delicious and low fat - but a great source of Vitamin C!!

Mizithra Cheese and Browned Butter Pasta

Oh yeah baby. This one rocks - and it's sooooooo easy. I was talking with a friend about cheese and Mizithra came up. It made me remember The Old Spaghetti Factory's Mizithra Cheese and Browned Butter Pasta - yummmm.
Mizithra Cheese and Browned Butter Pasta
2 sticks butter (1 cup) - you have to use real butter
0.4lbs Mizithra Cheese, shredded finely
1/2 lb Spaghetti noodles

Cut the butter into 6 - 8 pieces and bring to a boil over med-high heat. Once the butter starts to boil - stir frequently. It will start to rise and foam. Once it stops foaming, cook until it's a dark caramel color (and the smell will make you want to bathe in it!)

Turn off the burner and let it sit for a minute. Strain into a seperate bowl. Seperate pasta into your serving bowls. Spoon butter over each bowl of pasta and top with Mizithra cheese.

*Remember - a little butter goes a long way.

Pardon my French, but - can I get a HELL YA?

Easy Stir Fry

Imagine this dinner on the table in 10 minutes!

My hubs is out of town - we are all busy with the Christmas season - so I have done a TON of 'cheater' dinners lately - it's always a bonus when I can make a great dinner in less than 10 minutes!
All you need are these ingredients...

Easy Stir Fry

Frozen Veggies

Lo Mein noodles

Teriyaki sauce

Peanuts

If you also make this with meat - you can shake the protein (chicken, steak) pieces in flour and add them to 1 T of EVOO on a hot frying pan and fry/flip them until no longer pink. With the veggies and noodles, just follow the directions on their packages. Toss them all together - getting the sauce incorporated well - and enjoy!

You can pick up any frozen veggie mix - the particular mix I prefer (and that is pictured) comes with it's own Thai sauce - but my kids are partial to Mr. Yoshida (Costco). You can use rice, spaghetti, angel hair or vermacelli pasta - whatever you have on hand.

*I obviously added pre-cooked frozen shrimp and fresh diced green onions - yummy. Just thinking about a great dinner on the table in less than 10 minutes with virtually no effort is enough to make me giddy!

Baked Camembert Pasta

I bought Novembers issue of Food Network magazine - I am making Thanksgiving dinner for the first time this year and I need ideas!! But I came across this recipe from Jamie Olivers latest cookbook featured in the issue.
People meet Camembert. Cam, meet the people.

This is what he looks like straight out of the oven - mmmmmmmm...

Baked Camembert Pasta

8 oz. Camembert cheese

2 cloves garlic

1 sprig fresh rosemary

Freshly ground black pepper

EVOO

4 oz parmesan cheese

salt

1 lb rigatoni (or whatev)

6 cups/6 oz. fresh spinach leaves

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Open the box of cheese and unwrap it. Place it back in the wooden container. Score a circle into the top of the skin, then lift it off and discard. Peel and finely slice the garlic (I used minced from the jar). Pick the rosemary leaves off the woody stalk. Lay the garlic slices on top of the cheese, sprinkle with pepper and drizzel with EVOO. Scatter the rosemary leaves on top and gently pat with your fingers to coat them in oil.

Cook your pasta per directions on package. Add spinach in the last 10 seconds. Drain pasta and spinach - reserve some of the cooking water just in case. Add pasta and spinach back to pot. Drizzle with a couple of good lugs of EVOO and add the grated parm. If the sauce is too thick for you, add a splash of the reserved cooking water to thin it out a bit. Season with salt and pepper.

Remove cheese from the oven. Divide the pasta among your serving bowl. Either drizzle the melted camembert on top or pop the box of cheese on the table and let everyone help themselves to a lovely, gooey spoonful.