Greek Yogurt and Berries Smoothie, by Diane

I have been making breakfast smoothies using frozen fruit and skim milk for a while, but lately they have not been filling and energizing enough for me. I decided on a whim to add greek yogurt to my morning smoothies because greek yogurt is not only naturally good for you but it is filled with protein which means that it will fill you up and keep you going. Greek yogurt comes in all kinds of flavors, but I like to use the honey flavored one so that I don't have to add any sweetener. Plus, it is really thick and gives the smoothie a great consistency.

For the remaining ingredients, you can really play around with what you like to eat. I have found that frozen fruit gives the smoothies a better consistency than fresh. I love Yoplait Smoothie kits- they contain frozen fruit and some frozen vanilla yogurt and it makes things easy in the morning. Sometimes I chop and freeze fruit before it goes bad so that I can use it later in a smoothie as well. An unfrozen banana thickens a smoothie as well, or you can whip frozen chopped bananas in the blender/food processor for 4 minutes on high to create an ice cream-like consistency and then add in the remaining ingredients (or just eat it plain for healthy banana 'ice cream'!). Finally, organic popsicles such as fruit bars or sorbet bars are another healthy and natural way to add flavor to your smoothie!

My current favorite mix of ingredients is the Yoplait Smoothie Kit in Triple Berry flavor, honey flavored greek yogurt, skim milk, and half of a coconut fruit bar. The result is a milkshake-like consistency, which I love. I crave it when I wake up and sometimes have it later on again as a snack! It definitely gives me enough energy to workout and get through my day. I am including the recipe below for this mix.

Ingredients:

3 oz. honey flavored greek yogurt (I use Chobani, so this amount is half a small container)
1/2 packet Yoplait Smoothie Kit in Triple Berry flavor (strawberry, blueberry, and raspberry)
1/2 bar Edy's Creamy Coconut Fruit Bar
1/2 - 3/4 cup skim milk (you may need the higher amount to get it to blend properly in the blender)

Directions:

1. This may be obvious, but blend all ingredients in blender on high until smooth. Add in more milk if mixture will not spin properly in blender or is still too chunky. Enjoy!

Fish Tacos, by Cheryl

Last weekend we were very fortunate to visit our friends Dave and Carla in Denver. Besides being very close friends, Dave and Carla are also the ones that set me and Jon up so we of course always will hold them dear to our hearts. Being that Jon and I had just spent a week in Vail spending money like rock stars, we were thrilled when Dave suggested making fish tacos and staying in on the night that we came. Dave is an amazing cook and everything that I've tried has been delicious. Where does he find the time??

I actually had never had fish tacos before that night... I always thought that fish in a taco was a weird combination, but I was wrong! I made them tonight because I'm already addicted to them! A lot of the fill ins are optional, but I'm listing exactly what Dave put in his, which is what I put in mine :) The one thing to keep in mind is "layers of flavor". There are three layers of flavor on the fish that makes them taste oh so good!

Ingredients:

For the fish:
1 lb tilapia, cut into long pieces
1 egg
3/4 cup of flour
cumin
cayenne pepper
chili powder
salt
vegetable or canola oil

Fill ins:
1 tomato, sliced
1 orange bell pepper, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 avocado, sliced
some radishes, sliced
tortillas
white or brown rice
olive oil

Directions:

1) Put spices on a plate (I estimated measurements, but used more cumin than the others), plus flour and mix. Set aside. On another plate beat one egg. Mix another set of spices with the egg.

2) Heat some olive oil in a pan. Cook onion and pepper until it starts to brown, but not burn (I had it on heat the whole time I cooked the fish).

3) While the peppers cook, heat vegetable/canola oil in another pan. Pour in enough oil so the fish will be at least halfway covered. While it heats take a few pieces of tilapia, drench in the egg mixture, and then dredge in the flour. Once the oil is hot place fish in pan and cook for a few minutes on each side. Continue until all pieces are cooked.

4) Cook rice according to package directions.

5) Put it all together! Tortilla with rice, fish, peppers, tomatoes, avocado, and radishes.

White Chicken Chili with a Cheddar Hushpuppy Crust, by Diane

I got this recipe from food network. The cheddar hushpuppy crust was what really got my attention, and it was SO good. The chili itself was not the best, it was very liquidy and not too flavorful. Next time, I will make the white chicken chili from a past entry on this blog (http://twofriendswithspice.blogspot.com/2009/11/white-chicken-chili-and-cheesy.html). I think the crust would also be good on top of a pot pie too. The recipe calls for a cast iron skillet, but I'm sure you could use a pot to cook the chili in and then transfer it to a baking dish. I served it with sour cream, which did seem to help the flavor of the chili.

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup finely chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium green bell pepper, chopped
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon chili powder
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 (19-ounce) can cannellini beans
2 cups cooked chicken, chopped
1 (14-ounce) can chicken broth
1 (4 1/2-ounce) can mild green chiles, drained
1 egg
1/2 cup milk
3 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted
1 (6-ounce) package cornbread mix
1 cup shredded cheddar
Sour cream, optional, for garnish
Salsa, optional, for garnish
Fresh cilantro sprigs, optional, for garnish

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2. In a 10 1/2-inch cast iron skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, green pepper, cumin, and chili powder, and cook for about 3 to 5 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender.

3. Add the lime juice, cannellini beans, chicken, broth, and green chiles, and stir until just combined.

4. Remove from the heat and set aside.

5. In a medium mixing bowl, beat the egg.

6. Add the milk, butter, and cornbread mix, and blend well. Stir in the cheese.

7. Pour cornbread mixture over the chicken chili in the skillet. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the cornbread is golden brown.

Marin Joe's Special, by Diane

First I would like to apologize but this was the best photo I could get, I had to use my phone once again. So this crazy sounding and looking dish came to me via the food network show Best Thing I Ever Ate. In case you aren't familiar, it is a show where food network stars discuss, obviously, the best things they've ever eaten and where to get them. The episode theme was "Crazy Good" and everyone's dishes looked amaaaazing. But one stars dish looked just bizarre- the Marin Joe Special. It is onions, ground beef, spinach, eggs, and parmesan cheese. All in one pan. The star explained that although it sounded like a dish one would create after a few drinks at 3 am, it was indeed the best thing he had eaten. Something about this dish really intrigued us, and we set out to make it. The result- I wouldn't call it the best thing I'd ever eaten, but it was really good. The flavors came together in a way that it was really comforting, filling, and not too unhealthy! The next time I try this, I am going to throw some pasta in it as well to make it a meal. Anyway, it was a fun experiment, and although the picture and title might not be enticing, we'll be eating this again for sure!


Ingredients:

1 small onion, chopped
1.5 pounds lean ground beef
2 cups cooked spinach (I used a bag of fresh spinach, which cooked down to about one cup)
Salt, Pepper to taste
4 eggs
Grated parmesan cheese


Directions:

1. In large pan, combine onions and beef, cooking until beef browns.

2. Drain 3/4 of the liquid fat from the pan (they didn't do this on TV but I did to keep it healthier and it turned out great!), then return to the stove on medium heat.

3. Add in salt and pepper to taste (remember that the cheese is salty too, so go easier on salt!), then combine in with spinach, mix well.

4. Add eggs into the pan, and combine well until the eggs are cooked and the ingredients are well mixed.

5. Serve hot, with grated parmesan cheese sprinkled over top!

Cranberry Sauce, by Diane

We had an extra bag of whole cranberries in our freezer leftover from a Thanksgiving recipe that never got made, and tonight for whatever reason they caught my eye. I have always wanted to make homemade cranberry sauce, so tonight I decided to give it a shot. It was super easy, and the frozen cranberries were ready to go as soon as they had a quick rinse, so they didn't even need to thaw. Of course being me, I had to add a few twists to keep things interesting, and because I wanted to sweeten it a little more naturally than using just a ton of sugar. Anyway, when it cooked it had a lot of liquid, but it actually gelled when it cooled. The end result was tart and sweet and so delicious there were no leftovers. I'll be making this next year for sure!

Ingredients:

1 bag whole cranberries (if frozen, rinse and drain to 'thaw')
1 cup water
1 cup sugar
Lemon peel (1/2 of one large lemon)
3 tbsp. natural apricot preserves (orange would work too!)
1 tbsp. natural strawberry preserves

Directions:

1. In a medium size pot, bring the water and sugar to a boil, stirring constantly. Add in the lemon peel.

2. Add in the cranberries, bring back to a boil and stir.

3. Reduce the heat to a low boil, adding in preserves, and stir well.

4. Slow boil for 10-15 minutes, until the cranberries have burst and become tender and all ingredients are incorporated.

5. It can be eaten as soon as it cools, or it be can eaten gelled (refrigerate for 30 minutes).

Another (better) Shrimp Scampi, by Cheryl

I was really in the mood to make shrimp scampi the other night. The only problem was that I didn't have all of the ingredients for the recipe I usually use. So it was off to foodgawker.com I go in order to find a new shrimp scampi recipe. I was lucky enough to find a different recipe that tasted even better than the first one! This recipe hails from the blog big2beautiful.com (with some modifications). Yum!

Ingredients:

pasta for 2
1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
3/4 cups olive oil
1/3 cup white wine
1/8 cup lemon juice
1 cup grape tomatoes, halved

Directions:

1) Cook pasta according to package directions.

2) While pasta cooks, preheat skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add olive oil, onions, and garlic.

3) Add the white wine and lemon juice.

4) Add the shrimp and tomatoes and continue cooking until shrimp are no longer translucent.

5) Add basil and serve over pasta.

Chicken Noodle Soup, by Cheryl

Today felt like a chicken noodle soup day. Thankfully no one is sick in the Roth household, but chicken noodle soup is so comforting it will make you feel better even when you feel fine! This is a basic chicken noodle soup recipe so even a novice cook like me won't mess it up! We were eating this for lunch and dinner for a couple of nights so you may want to reduce the servings by half. Yum!!

Ingredients:

8 cups chicken broth, homemade or store bought (I used store bought)
1 cup cooked chicken, shredded or chopped
1 onion, chopped
3-4 garlic cloves, minced
4 carrots, diced
2 celery stalks, diced
2 tablespoons dried thyme
about 250g egg noodles cooked
oil
salt & pepper to taste

Directions:

1) Heat oil in a pan and add onions and garlic. Cook for a couple of minutes.

2) Add the carrots and celery. Cook for 5 minutes so they are slightly softened.

3) Add the chicken broth and thyme. Cover and simmer for 40 minutes until vegetables are tender.

4) Add the cooked chicken and egg noodles. Simmer for another 10 minutes. Add the salt and black pepper to taste.

Pumpkin Brown Sugar Walnut Cheesecake by Diane

I will never enjoy plain old pumpkin pie again, and up until now that has been my favorite dish on Thanksgiving. This year we decided to mix things up, and I found a recipe for a pumpkin cheesecake that has a bottom layer of buttery brown sugared walnuts. It was supposed to be in a pie crust, but I decided to switch it up and use a graham cracker crust. The result was that the brown sugar and butter in the walnut layer melted into the graham crackers to create and unbelievable bottom to the amazingly creamy pumpkin cheesecake top. All of our guests went crazy for it, and a few went home with the recipe. I also may or may not have eaten it for breakfast and every snack since we made it. :) The only suggestion I would make is to spray the pan before putting anything in because it was difficult to get out in one piece. We also had to use a large quiche pan instead of a pie pan because it wouldn't fit. A springform cheesecake dish would work too. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

1 sleeve graham crackers, crushed into fine crumbs
1/2 stick butter, melted, and 3 tbsp. butter/margarine, softened
1 tablespoon white sugar
1/2 cup and 3/4 cup light brown sugar
1 cups walnuts, crushed and lightly toasted
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
2 eggs
1 block 8 oz. cream cheese
1 15 oz. can pumpkin
2 tbsp. all purpose flour
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 tsp. ground allspice
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg


Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350.

2. Combine graham crackers, melted butter, and white sugar in large mixing bowl until graham crackers are moistened. Press into pan on the bottom and sides about 1/4 -1/2 inch thick. Bake in the oven for about 10 minutes, or until slightly browned.

3. Increase oven to 425.

4. Combine the 1/2 cup brown sugar, 3 tbsp. butter, vanilla, and walnuts in small bowl. Set aside.

5. Beat the cream cheese, eggs, pumpkin, and remaining brown sugar in bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until blended. Add remaining dry ingredients and beat until blended.

6. Spread the walnut mixture onto the pie crust, then spread the pumpkin layer over top.

7. Bake at 425 for 15 minutes, then bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until cheesecake is set.

8. Serve chilled with whipped cream.

Beef Stew, by Cheryl

With fall fully in force I thought it was time for a hearty meal. This stew will soothe any bad day and warm your body up after being in the cold. This recipe is absolutely worth the wait in the slow cooker. Yum!

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup flour
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 pound beef stew meat, cut into bit size pieces
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
  
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 4 cups beef broth
• 1 cup red wine
  
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 celery stalks, chopped
  
• 2 carrots, peeled and chopped
  
• 2 parsnips, chopped
  
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch

Directions:

1. In a resealable plastic bag combine flour, salt, black pepper and garlic powder. Add in stew meat, seal bag and toss to coat.
2. Heat olive oil in a pan. Add beef and cook until browned, about 5 minutes. Set aside. Add olive oil and add onion. Cook until translucent. Add garlic, cook for 30 seconds.
3. Stir in red wine. Be sure to scrape up all of the flavor bits from the bottom of the pot.
4. Meanwhile, turn slow cooker to high for 4 hours. Add broth, meat, and bay leaves. Add onion, garlic, and red wine mixture. Stir.
   
5. Stir in carrots, celery, and parsnips.
   
6. After 2 hours stir in cornstarch. Broth will thicken.
   
7. Ladle into soup bowls and serve hot.

Brussel Sprouts with Panko Crumbs and Parmesian, by Cheryl

A healthy side dish to any entree! If you aren't a fan of brussel sprouts then try them this way... it may convert you! Yum!

Ingredients:

1 pound brussel sprouts
2-3 tbsp panko bread crumbs
2-3 tbsp Parmesian cheese
salt
pepper
garlic powder
olive oil

Directions:

1) Slice brussel sprouts in half vertically. Toss with salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
2) Heat a pan with olive oil on medium heat. Toss brussel sprouts in pan until covered in oil. Make sure they cook flat side down. Cover and cook for 15 minutes and toss with a spoon every 5 minutes making sure that after you toss then remain flat side down.
3) Meanwhile, toast bread crumbs for a couple of minutes. When done add to a bowl and add Parmesian cheese.
4) When sprouts are done add to the bowl and toss.

Elephant Ear Cheesecake, by Cheryl

This picture doesn't do this dessert justice... I'll post a better one once I find the camera :) I was browsing my friend Ashley's cooking blog for some recipe ideas and came across this delicious dessert. First of all, I've never heard of elephant ears before, but I was intrigued. Second of all, it involves cheeeeeeeese, which as anyone who knows me can tell you that I can eat my body's weight and cheese and still be craving it. Anyway, before I even spread the cheesecake mixture onto the pastries I was licking the bowl. After they come out of the oven they literally melt in your mouth. If you need to put some in the refrigerator for later my suggestion would be to heat them up again in the microwave for about 15 seconds... soooo good! Thanks Ashley! Ingredients: 2 tubes of Crescent Rolls 2 (8 oz) packages of cream cheese, softened 1 cup sugar 1/2 teaspoon Almond Extract 1/2 teaspoon Vanilla 2 tablespoons of cinnamon 2 tablespoons of sugar Directions: 1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place one tube of the crescent rolls in the bottom of a 9X13 came pan. Seal the seams - do not work the dough up the sides. 2) Whip together the cream cheese, 1 cup of sugar, almond extract, and vanilla. Spread over the dough in the pan. 3) Place the other tube of crescent rolls on top of the cream cheese mixture. 4) Mix the 2 tablespoons of sugar with the 2 tablespoons of cinnamon and sprinkle on top. Bake for 25 minutes. Allow to cool for at least 20 minutes, then cut into squares with a sharp knife.

Butternut Squash & Feta Quesadillas, by Cheryl

I love the fall. It's a lead in to winter, which is my favorite season :) Fall also means butternut squash time! Now even though we've been having unseasonably warm weather and this summer is never ending (hello 88 degrees today) butternut squash can still be enjoyed! I was looking for different recipes to use besides the typical butternut squash soup, although we don't have that up here yet. I came across this interesting quesadilla recipe from www.vegetablematter.blogspot.com. It was just ok... it tasted a little bland so we put some salsa and sour cream on it. I think that if this were spiced up more it would taste really good!

Ingredients:

1 1-lb butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 1" cubes
1 jalapeño, seeds and membrane removed, finely chopped
1 dried cayenne pepper (optional)
4 flour tortillas
4 oz sheep's milk feta, crumbled
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
sea salt and black pepper
vegetable oil

Directions:

1. Boil a big pot of salted water and add cubed butternut squash. Boil until tender, about 10 minutes. Drain and cool slightly, then puree in food processor.
2. Add jalapeño to pureed butternut squash, then add salt and pepper to taste. If you like more heat, add a finely diced dried cayenne pepper to the mixture.
3. Spread butternut puree on a tortilla, then sprinkle cheese and cilantro. Use second tortilla to make a top for the quesadilla.
4. Heat oil in large skillet over medium high. Add quesadilla and cook until browned, then flip over and repeat.
5. Garnish with more cilantro and serve immediately.

Graham Crackers, by Diane

This week I decided to attempt to bake my latest obsession- graham crackers. I eat them dunked in milk every day for breakfast and sometimes for dessert. I came across an article (http://cilantropist.blogspot.com/2010/10/making-smores-from-scratch-homemade.html) that instructed on how to bake them, and I figured I'd give it a shot. Although the ingredients were pretty simple, I found that making them was a nightmare because the dough is insanely sticky. It was especially hard to roll them out without them sticking to the counter and breaking apart when I attempted to get them onto their trays. I found that the harder and longer you rolled them (and thus the thinner you rolled them), the worse the stickiness and the breaking got. So, I gave up and made them a little thicker. The end result- they came out more like cookies than crackers, which I actually liked. And they tasted EXACTLY right. I wound up using a lot more flour on the dough when I rolled it out, so they contained at least a cup more flour than the recipe called for by the time they were in the oven. But in the end I didn't notice any difference. I think the next time I make this I will just save myself the trouble and make them into cookies, maybe even in balls, since they tasted so good when they were done. Anyway- I'm posting the original recipe, and just know that if you do decide to make them into thin crackers you have your work cut out for you! Also be warned that the dough needs several hours to refrigerate (I did it overnight), so there is a break between making the dough and actually baking them. You will need to freeze the butter beforehand as well. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups plus 2 tbsp all-purpose flour

1 cup dark brown sugar

1 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 teaspoon salt

7 tbsp unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch cubes and frozen

1/3 cup honey

5 tpsp full fat milk

2 tbsp vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Combine the flour, baking soda, brown sugar, and salt in the bowl of a food processor, and pulse to incorporate.

2. Add the butter, and pulse on/off until the mixture resembles sand.

3. In a small bowl, whisk together honey, milk, and vanilla extract.

4. Add the honey mixture to the flour mixture in the food processor, and pulse on/off until the dough comes together. It will be very very sticky.

5. Lay out a piece of plastic wrap and turn the dough out onto it. Dont try and handle it, you will just make a mess. Just use your fingers to gently pat it into a rectangle, wrap, then chill until firm, at least 3 hours or overnight.

6. Divide the dough in half and return the rest to the fridge. Sift out flour onto your work surface, and use a lightly floured rolling pin to roll out your dough to about 1/8-1/4 inch thickness. Work as quickly as you can so the dough doesn't soften too much.

7. Cut the dough into 2-inch squares with a pizza cutter, and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet.

8. Chill until firm, about 45 minutes in the fridge or 20 minutes in the freezer.

9. Preheat oven to 350 degrees, and place the oven rack in the middle. Bake for about 13-20 minutes (Mine were done around 13).

10. Remove the crackers from the oven, and cool on a cooling rack.

Brazilian Beans and Rice, by Diane

Once again I apologize for having to use my cell phone to take this photo- it definitely doesn't look as tasty as it is!! Anyway- I got introduced to this amazing staple of Brazilian cooking a few months ago in the Hamptons and since then I've made it at least every 2-3 weeks. It's become my ultimate comfort food!! It's unbelievably delicious, cheap and easy to make, and super healthy. It also reheats really well so you can make a lot. I've had it for lunch AND dinner today and am already craving more just from writing this!! The recipe comes partly from the internet, partly from my Brazilian maids, and partly from my memory of the dish in the Hamptons. :) I also add rotisserie chicken in sometimes too, since it is almost always served with some kind of roasted chicken (the photo above has chicken in the bean mixture). It's good both ways! It took me about 7 attempts to make this before I could post it because it took a while to learn how to get the rice exactly right. But follow these directions and you should have it right on your first try :)

Ingredients:

2 cups white long grain rice (not instant!), pre-rinsed and drained (until water is clear)
5 tsp minced garlic
1 small sweet yellow onion/white onion, finely chopped
2 tbsp vegetable oil
4.5 cups water
5 tsp chicken stock powder
1 whole bay leaf
1/2 tsp oregano flakes
2 cans black beans, lightly drained

Directions:

1. In a medium saucepan on medium heat, heat the oil and add 1/3-1/2 of the onion and 2 tsp. garlic. Cook for about 3-5 minutes until the onions are slightly soft, but don't let the garlic burn.

2. Add in the rice and cook until it turns golden.

3. Add 4 cups of water and 3 tsp chicken stock powder. Reduce heat to low and cover, stirring only once or twice across 20-25 minutes. The rice should be loose and not sticky (if you cook it too long it becomes sticky!!). Don't remove the cover until you are ready to eat.

4. While the rice cooks, combine the remaining ingredients (beans, 1/3-1/2 of the onion, 3 tsp garlic, 2 tsp chicken powder, bay leaf, oregano, and 1/2 cup water) and rotisserie chicken if desired (cut into small cubes- and add in one more bay leaf and 1/2 tsp. more of oregano) in a medium size pot over medium high heat. Using a mallet or large spoon, mash some of the mixture up so that some of the beans break down. Bring the mixture to a boil to get rid of any excess water. You want the mixture to be a thick, stew-like texture, and it should leave the bottom of the pot dry when you stir it.

5. You can adjust the seasonings as you like for the beans(sometimes I need to add more chicken stock powder or oregano). Removing the bay leaf before eating, serve the beans over the rice in a large bowl and enjoy!! If you are reheating it, I found it works best to mix the rice in with the beans and cover the bowl in the microwave so the rice doesn't dry out.

Root Soup, by Diane

This soup is my go-to when I am feeling under the weather because is extremely nutritious, healthy, and is like a wonder drug. It consists of several root vegetables that are first sauteed in olive oil and some seasonings, and then added to a pot with other nutritious veggies and broth. Root vegetables contain powerful nutrients and vitamins, and can not only provide good nutrition when you are sick and not eating too much but can also speed healing. The result= one of the most amazing soups I've ever eaten. I admit I was a little wary of the taste given that the main ingredients are roots, but not only did I crave this soup every night after I made it but so did my family and friends and everyone else who happened to try it. Not only that, but it made me feel SO much better within two days. I've since made this soup for other people who are sick with colds or the flu, and they have had the same results. I should warn that this soup is somewhat expensive, particularly if you don't have all of the seasonings on hand, and that it takes a serious amount of time because of all of the vegetables you need to cut up (unless you buy the pre-chopped ones like I do, because who wants to do more work when they're sick?). But it's completely worth it, and is incredibly comforting- especially if you are feeling bad in the wintertime! Bonus points if you use homemade bone broth for healing properties!

Ingredients:

Vegetables: *I try to use fresh, organic, or homegrown ones when I can*

1 large sweet onion

1 package celery (save the inside small pieces with the leaves attached for later)

1 package carrots
3 cloves garlic
1 package pre-cut butternut squash (you can buy a whole one but it's tough to cut and you've got enough to cut already!!)
1 large rutabaga
3 large turnips
1 package parsnips
2 sweet potatoes
2 cups of mushrooms (I like to use the mixed pre-cut package from Whole Foods of shitake, oyster, and baby bella- anything but button mushrooms is better)
5 leaves rainbow chard, chopped (spinach is a good sub here too)
2 cups of dried lentils, presoaked for at least an hour
1 inch ginger, sliced thinly

Seasonings/Herbs/Spices:

You can modify these according to your taste, these are the ones I use. The main seasonings (about 1/2 tablespoon of each) are curry, turmeric, thyme, and sage/poultry seasoning. Other seasonings (only a sprinkle of each) are dill, fresh pepper, and rosemary. Additionally add in 2 small or 1 large bay leaf. You will also need EVOO. Salt to taste only at the end, I usually find I don't need any.

Broth:

For the broth, use one large box of vegetable broth and two large boxes of chicken broth (low sodium preferable). Or, about 12 cups of homemade bone broth (chicken preferably).

Directions:

1. Chop up all vegetables.

2. In a large soup pot, heat enough olive oil to cover the bottom fully on medium.

3. Add in the carrots, celery, onion, and garlic.

4. Sautee for five minutes stirring often, then add in the seasonings.

5. Continue to sauté for five more minutes, making sure to stir so they cook evenly.

6. Add in the remaining ingredients (including the insides of the celery) and bring to a boil.

7. Taste the soup and adjust the seasonings if necessary.

8. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer, stirring occasionally. The longer you cook this soup, the better it tastes- but you can start eating it in about an hour! If the soup is too thin, you can use an immersion blender on a portion of it, or leave it as is (I like it as is!).

Fried Wontons, by Diane

I love to cook healthy foods- but every once in a while a girl needs to be bad!! And when eating poorly, there is really nothing better than fried food. This week, we made the perfect thing for such an occasion- fried wontons. These are a creation of my family's that was born several years ago. These wontons have really cheap and simple ingredients, are really fun to make (we do it as a family), and while they take some effort to fry up since we don't have a deep fryer they are definitely worth it! They are amazing hot dipped in soy sauce or wonton soup broth, but for some inexplicable reason they are even better cold once refrigerated the following day. We eat way more of these cold the next day than we do the first night hot!

Ingredients:

1 lb. ground pork or chicken
1 large bunch scallions, chopped
1 small package of baby shrimp
4 tbsp. soy sauce (I love to use more than this, but this is the amount my family uses)
1 package wonton skins
Vegetable oil
Water

Directions:

1. Mix together the meat, shrimp, scallions, and soy sauce.
2. Get ready to assemble the wontons- you will need the wonton skins, the mixture, a small bowl of water, and a baking sheet.
3. Take one wonton skin, dip a finger in the water, and "paint" the edges of right and bottom side of the wonton with the water.
4. Take a small amount of the mixture and place it in the center of the wonton.
5. Close the wonton by folding it diagonally to create a triangle so that the dry edges meet the wet edges. Press the seal tightly to close, making sure there are no holes. Here is a photo of the process:

6. In a large pot, heat the oil. It should not be so hot that it burns, but hot enough to cook the wontons through. Test the oil temperature by dropping pieces of wonton skin in- if it browns very quickly or burns the oil is too hot, if it doesn't bubble at all the oil is too cool. Test the oil with a tester wonton as well before cooking a whole batch- the meat should no longer be pink on the inside and the outside of the wonton should be a golden brown.
7. Loading the wontons on the baking sheet, drop them into the oil and fry until the meat is completely cooked through. Place on a baking tray lined with paper towels to let cool.
8. Eat, eat, eat- but make sure not to eat TOO many of these (I know it's hard!), the oil can really make you sick if you're not used to eating fried foods!!! Just know that you can always have more tomorrow :)

Reeses Smores, by Diane

So recently we acquired a fire pit, and have been spending lots of time outside in the evenings making smores. One night my cousin and I were sitting by the fire thinking about what we could do to make our smores even better, and she suggested adding peanut butter. I went into our pantry to find the peanut butter, but saw something better instead- a Reeses Peanut Butter Cup!!! These are my favorites, and I could not imagine how amazing they would taste on a smore. The result- Smores squared. The chocolate melted just as it would using a Hershey bar, but the melty peanut butter inside really made this thing insanely delicious!!! From now on, we are going to experiment with different candy bars- Snickers is next!- rather than just a plain old Hershey bar. :)

Ingredients:

1 sheet of graham cracker, broken in half
1 large marshmallow
1 Reeses Peanut Butter Cup

Directions:

You can either make this in the fire the old fashioned way, or in the microwave!!! Enjoy!!!!

Elvis Sandwich, by Diane

My dad's favorite sandwich growing up was an odd one- peanut butter and bacon- and over the years my sister and I learned to love it too. One night, years ago, we were watching the food network and saw an Elvis sandwich featured at a diner somewhere. This sandwich is actually famous because Elvis loved it, and requested it where he went. My dad, sister, and I got such a craving for it that we ran out to the grocery store and raced back home to make and eat it. It sounds extremely weird, but the ingredients combine so well together and satisfy both salty and sweet tastes. And it takes my dad's fave childhood sandwich up a notch, even better. Despite the uncommon ingredients, I promise you will crave this sandwich late at night from time to time!! It's definitely better grilled, particularly on a panini maker, but you can fry it in a pan if you don't have a panini maker (we cheat and use the forman!). If you do fry it in the pan, make sure to squeeze it down while you cook it. The powdered sugar at the end was a Gilman addition, you can take it or leave it (but we think it makes the sandwich just a little more amazing!). Enjoy!

Ingredients:

2 slices country white bread
4 strips of crispy bacon (you can use turkey bacon too, but real bacon tastes better)
1/2 banana, cut lengthwise in strips
Smooth peanut butter
Honey
Powdered sugar

Directions:

1. Assemble the sandwich: spread peanut butter on both sides of the bread, layer bacon on one side and bananas on the other. Drizzle both sides with honey. Close the sandwich. Here is a photo of what it should look like before you close it:


2. Grill the sandwich on a panini maker or foreman grill, or fry in pan with cooking spray (pressing while it cooks).
3. Remove from the grill and place on a plate. Drizzle honey on the sandwich, then sprinkle lightly with powdered sugar.
4. Get messy and enjoy!!!

Italian Pasta Salad, by Diane

This week I wanted to make something healthy that would fill me up, and had a bunch of random things in my pantry/fridge. I also have a basil plant that I bought literally months ago and I've been trying to find ways to use it. I decided to whip up a chilled pasta salad because it was such a warm day, and it was so simple and easy to make- but so delicious! BTW- the photo makes this dish look really liquidy and way less appealing than it actually was- it's because I ate nearly the whole bowl before I remembered to take a photo, so this is actually the bottom of the bowl!!! It was so good I forgot to use the camera sitting right next to me!!!

Ingredients:

1/2 package Barilla Dry Three Cheese Tortellini, cooked
1 can large black olives, drained
2 sticks light Polly-O string cheese, sliced into 1/2 pieces
1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes, lightly drained
6 green onions, chopped (use green and white parts)
1 handful of fresh basil leaves, roughly chopped
Salt
Pepper

Directions:

1. Cook the pasta according to the directions.
2. While the pasta cooks, chop the cheese, onions, and basil. Combine in a medium sized bowl with the olives and tomatoes.
3. Drain and cool the pasta, then add into bowl.
4. Season with a little salt and pepper to taste.
5. Mix and chill for 30 minutes. Enjoy!!!

Breakfast Burrito, by Cheryl

While reading my Runner's World magazine I came across this recipe. I was drawn to it because this burrito is great to have after a hard workout. There's a lot of protein in it, along with carbs in order to replenish what you lost in your workout. And they're not just for breakfast... these are satisfying for any meal! I make at least two per week!

All of the ingredients except the tortilla and egg are estimated amounts. Put in as much or as little as you want. Also, since I'm usually ravenous when I make the burrito I try to save time while making it... I use the microwave and quick heating products like Uncle Ben's 90 second microwavable rice.

Ingredients:

1 whole wheat tortilla
1 egg
drop of milk (optional)
some shredded cheese
1/4 cup of canned black beans
1/4 cup of brown rice
2 teaspoons of salsa
1/4 avocado

1) Warm the tortilla in a toaster oven for a couple of minutes.
2) In a bowl scramble the egg with milk and cheese. Heat in the microwave for 90 seconds with the microwavable rice (not mixed together).
3) Heat the black beans for 30 seconds.
4) Assemble the egg, brown rice, black beans, salsa, and avocado on the tortilla, fold the sides over, and wrap it.

Healthy Spring Rolls with Plum Sauce, by Cheryl

As soon as I saw this recipe on the Ellen Degeneres show over the summer I wanted to make it, and being that she is vegan I knew it would be healthy and includes lots of veggies. Her personal chef made it look so easy I had to try it. I couldn't find rice paper or bean thread noodles in any store so I ordered them off of amazon.com (from importfood.com). When they arrived a week later, I was ready to start! One thing that I had some trouble with was rolling the papers tight enough so that the insides didn't fall out. The paper is really thin so some kept ripping if I pulled tighter... I guess it just takes practice! Next time, I will also use a little less mint. The taste of mint was pretty prominent in the spring roll. One more piece of advice... since I had baby carrots I decided to grate those instead of buying bigger ones; definitely buy bigger carrots to grate since you might grate your own finger :) I will definitely be making these again either as an appetizer or as a main course.

Ingredients:

2 oz dry black bean spaghetti or buckwheat soba noodles cooked according to package. Drained and reserved.
1/2 cucumber thinly sliced
3 carrots, grated
1/2 cup scallions, thinly sliced
1/2 yellow pepper, thinly sliced
some cilantro, roughly chopped
some basil, minced
some mint, minced
cooked shrimp (optional)
1/2 avocado
rice paper

Directions:

1) Toss first eight or nine ingredients together and set aside.

2) Fill a shallow bowl (I used a pan) with warm water and put a sheet of rice paper in it for about 15 seconds or until the sheet is soft.

3) Place the sheet onto a wooden cutting board. Place about one ounce of filling onto the rice paper, off-center, closest to you. Slice some avocado and set it onto the filling.

4) Roll the bottom of the rice paper over the top of the filling then fold both sides over the center, like a burrito. Gently pulling toward you, roll the spring roll toward the top.

5) Cut spring rolls in half and serve with plum sauce (recipe below).

Plum Sauce

Ingredients:

1/2 cup Hoisin sauce
2 tablespoons soy sauce
3 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoons sesame oil
2 garlic clove, minced
1 green onion, minced
1/4 cup cilantro
1 teaspoon fresh ginger root, minced
1/2 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes

Directions:

Mix all ingredients in a bowl and serve with spring rolls.

Black Bean Soup, by Cheryl

So I went to the grocery store and bought about 6 cans of black beans. I've been using them in a breakfast burrito that I've been making (post to follow) and thought they'd also be perfect to use in a soup. I looked up several recipes and found two on foodgawker that fit what I was looking for. I combined the two recipes and was pretty pleased with what I saw. When I make the soup again I will make the following adjustments: 4 cups of beef broth (I used chicken) was too much and made the soup thinner than I wanted. 3 cups would work just fine. It only called for 2 cans of black beans, but I added a third can because again, it was thin from the broth. I think if there's an equal amount of broth and cans of beans it would work out just fine! This recipe would also be a lot easier if you use an immersion blender. I don't have one so I had to ladle the soup into the blender in batches, causing a very big mess! A dollop of sour cream and a sprinkle of shredded cheese made this dish complete! The adjusted recipe is below.

Ingredients:

Olive oil
4 large garlic cloves, roughly chopped
3 medium carrots, diced
3 ribs celery, diced
1 small onion, diced
3 cans black beans
3 cups low sodium beef broth
salt and pepper
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon cumin
1 28-ounce can of tomatoes
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 teaspoon paprika

Directions:

1) Combine beans, stock, tomatoes, paprika, onion powder, garlic, sea salt and tomato paste in large pot. Bring to a boil and then lower to a simmer. Cover.

2) While waiting for the pot to boil, saute the carrots, celery, onions, and garlic in a pan with olive oil over medium high heat, about 5 minutes. Put contents of pan into the pot with the beans. Simmer for 45 min -1 hour.

3) Use an immersion blender in the pot, or ladle the soup into a blender in batches in order to puree it so it's completely smooth. Remember to remove the stopper in the lid in order to let the heat escape. Put a paper towel over the hole.

4) Ladle into bowls and top with toppings of your choice.

Ashley's CSN Giveaway! by Cheryl

My friend, neighbor, and workout buddy, Ashley has an amazing cooking blog at www.asheyscookingadventures.blogspot.com. She has made things from Spanish flan with blueberries to smoked whitefish dip to chicken alfredo fettuccini, and since I live right next door I've had the pleasure of trying a few of these delicious dishes!

CSN Stores is helping Ashley host her first giveaway... a $35 giftcard to use on anything on their website. All you have to do is click on the link below and you can enter to win! Afterward, you can check out all of Ashley's great dishes and her beautiful website!

http://ashleyscookingadventures.blogspot.com/2010/08/my-first-giveaway.html

Pasta with Roasted Tomatoes and Beans, by Cheryl

This is a very simple dish which had a lot of flavor to it. I could eat this with or without the beans; they didn't make much difference to the overall taste. A great recipe for a quick meal! Yum!

Ingredients:

Pasta (I used whole grain rotini)
2 cups grape tomatoes
olive oil
4 garlic cloves, cut into pieces
fresh oregano (I used dried)
salt, pepper
small can of white beans
red hot pepper flakes, optional
fresh basil (I used dried)
freshly grated Parmesan cheese to sprinkle of top

Directions:

1) Slice tomatoes in half, place them on a cookie sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Cut pieces of garlic and oregano and place on cookie sheet. Add salt and pepper and toss together, making sure the tomatoes are coated.

2) Place in oven at 350 and cook for about 15-20 minutes, using a spatula to turn once or twice.

3) Meanwhile, boil the pasta and drain. Drain a small can of white beans. Toss everything together in a bowl, then add the red pepper flakes if desired. Toss in the minced basil and sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese.

Vietnamese- Style Chicken Salad, by Diane

Yet another delicious chicken recipe from my awesome chicken magazine, Fine Cooking. This recipe requires a lot of ingredients that aren't normally found in a pantry (well, mine anyway!), but the ingredients keep and you won't have to buy them again for a while since you use such small amounts. The recipe states that you should grill the chicken, but I chose to bake it so it would be moister and easier to shred. I also omitted the jalepeno. This dish came out really tasty, but I have to admit that the first few bites were....interesting. There are so many flavors going on in this dish that they kind of hit you in layers, and at first my family and I didn't know what to make of it. But, after the first few bites- we couldn't stop eating it!!! It also keeps really well in the fridge for the next day. So there you go, another delicious and healthy recipe! Enjoy!

Ingredients:

3 small shallots, coarsely chopped to equal about 1/2 cup
1 fresh jalepeno, chopped (and seeded if you want less heat)
1 tbs. granulated sugar
freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
3 tbs. fish sauce
1 lb. thin chicken breast cutlets (1/4-1/2 in. thick)
kosher salt
1 6 oz. package coleslaw mix
1 cup fresh mint leaves (torn if large)
1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves
1/4 cup salted peanuts, coarsely chopped


Directions:

1. Ground the shallots, jalepeno, sugar, and 1/8 tsp. pepper until the shallots are very soft and their liquid is released. (I didn't have a mortar and pestle and just ground the ingredients with the back of a spoon in a small bowl or on the cutting board).

2. Transfer the shallot mixture to a large bowl and combine with vinegar and fish sauce.

3. Season the chicken with 1/4 tsp. salt and 1/8 tsp. pepper, and cook until just cooked through.

4. Let the chicken cool, then shred it with a fork following the grain into thin strips.

5. Toss the coleslaw mix into the mixture, then add chicken, cilantro, and mint. Combine well.

6. Top the mixture with peanuts and serve at room temperature.

Apricot Balsamic Grilled Chicken, by Diane

It's been a while!!! It's good to be back cooking, and I'm hoping this recipe is the first of many more to come in the next few weeks. I got this amazing cooking magazine with a highlight on chicken (my fave food), so be forewarned that my upcoming recipes might all be chicken related!! Tonight I picked Apricot Balsamic Grilled Chicken, since it was a perfect night for grilling and the recipe was looked easy and delicious. It came out amazing, although I added more apricot preserves and rosemary than the recipe called for because I thought the balsamic flavor was just too strong. I nearly doubled both. Anyway, this is a perfect dinner for when you are craving grilled chicken but are tired of the usual flavors (bbq, teriyaki, etc.). It's also really easy, goes well with grilled veggies (tonight I made grilled asparagus brushed with olive oil, salt, and pepper, and grilled sweet potato fries), and you can make the glaze a day ahead if needed. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

2 tbsp. butter
1/2 cup apricot preserves
3 tbs. balsamic vinegar
1 tsp. rosemary
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
1 large pinch of kosher salt

Directions:

1. Melt the butter first in a small sauce pan over medium high heat, then stir in the rest of the ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low and stir often until glaze thickens slightly. Remove from heat and let cool.

2. Grill chicken on both sides until nearly done, then brush each side with glaze and flip until chicken is cooked and has a nice golden color. If you are like me and want even more glaze, it makes an awesome dipping sauce for the chicken as well!

Custard with Blueberries, by Cheryl

Let me start off by saying that I love custard. I will eat it anytime, anywhere, and will eat way too much of it at once! So when I accidentally substituted corn meal for cornstarch I still ate the end result because I love it so much! This recipe from that I found at foodgawker.com drew my attention because it seemed pretty easy and fruit was involved. So here was my major mistake when making this: the recipe calls for cornstarch... being a novice cook I thought that I could substitute the corn meal I already had for the cornstarch. Don't do this! While the custard was still good (and Jon had no complaints either) it was very very grainy. If you don't have corn starch on hand then it is recommended that you use double the amount of flour.

Ingredients:

4 large eggs
1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons cornstarch
4 cups half-and-half
1 cup sugar
1/2 tsp of salt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 tablespoons butter

Directions:

1) In a small bowl, whisk together the eggs and cornstarch, whisking until the cornstarch is completely absorbed. Whisk in 1/4 cup of the half-and-half.

2) In a medium saucepan, combine the remaining half-and-half, sugar and salt and bring to a boil. Whisk 1/4 cup of the hot half-and-half mixture into the eggs, then slowly pour all of the egg mixture back into the boiling half-and-half, whisking constantly. The mixture will become very thick. Remove from heat and whisk in the vanilla and butter.

3) Transfer to a bowl and immediately press a piece of greased plastic wrap over the top of the cream to prevent a “skin” from forming.

4) Top with fruit of your choice.

Chicken Cacciatore, by Cheryl

I remember my mom making this dish a lot when I was growing up. While it was cooking I used to taste the sauce about every 5 minutes! I combined my mom's recipe with Giada's recipe. It doesn't take too long to cook and not long at all to prepare. The only difference I made in the recipe is that I used skinless, boneless chicken breasts when it calls for actual chicken breasts/thighs/legs/etc. Either way you won't be disappointed. YUM!

Ingredients:

- 4 chicken thighs, 2 chicken breasts (again, I used the boneless/skinless)
- salt & pepper
- 1/4 cup of flour
- olive oil
- 1 large bell pepper
- 1 onion
- 4 garlic cloves, chopped
- 3/4 cup white wine
- One 28 can of diced tomatoes with juice
- 3/4 cup reduce sodium chicken broth
- 1 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
- 1/4 cup chopped basil leaves
- pasta or rice to serve it with

Directions:

1) Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Dredge the chicken pieces in flour to coat lightly.

2) Saute the chicken over medium high heat until golden brown (about 3-4 minutes). Transfer the chicken to a plate and set aside.

3) Add a little olive oil, the bell pepper, onion, and garlic to the same pan and saute until tender, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

4) Add the wine and simmer for about 3 minutes.

5) Add the broth, the tomatoes with their juice, and oregano.

6) Return the chicken pieces to the pan and turn them to coat in the sauce. Bring the sauce to a simmer. Continue simmering for about 30 minutes.

7) Serve the chicken and sauce over pasta or rice.

Mexican Lasagna, by Diane

Wow it's been a long time!!! It's good to be back :) I have a bunch of recipes that I have made in the past few months, so here we go....

This first recipe is inspired by my best friend who absolutely loves anything mexican or italian. I went to visit her a few months back, and decided to thank her by creating a meal that combined both heritages- a mexican lasagna. There are no exact measurements (there never are with me, anyway!) since it depends on how much you like of each layer and how large or small your pan is. You can customize this dish any way you want, as well, depending on your favorite toppings and if you want them non, low, or full fat. In this dish, we chose a compromise of non/low and full fat ingredients, because some things taste alright fat free/low fat (refried beans, light ground beef) while others are better full fat (sour cream, cheese). We couldn't get enough of this, and it was easy and fun to make. Enjoy!

Ingredients:
1 large can red enchilada sauce
1 box of combined taco shells (hard and soft, 8 each)
2 cans refried beans
1 8 or 16 oz. tub of sour cream
1 pound ground beef
2 bags shredded mexican cheese

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350.

2. In a large baking dish, spread layers in order listed above, repeating twice. We found it tasted moister if we doubled our use of the sauce, adding first as well as in between the beans and the sour cream (so the order would go sauce, taco shells, beans, sauce, sour cream, beef, cheese). Use soft tacos in the first layer, and hard tacos in the second (break the hard tacos to cover and make a layer, cut the soft tacos to fit). Top with a generous amount of cheese, and if needed (as we did in our photo!) place a baking sheet underneath in case the lasagna bubbles over. If there is still room in the dish, you can add more layers.

3. Bake for approximately 30 minutes, or until the cheese on top is melted and the bottom layer of beans is heated through. Serve in slices, or mash slightly and dip into it with chips like nachos!

Barbecue Chicken Pizza, by Cheryl

Mmmm, barbecue chicken pizza.... mmmm. I love pizza, but have always wanted to try making my own in order to make it healthier and to be able to put my own ingredients on it. This is great for a snack or for a meal and is delicious!! Yum!

Ingredients:

1 pizza crust (or you can make your own, but I don't have the patience for that)
2 skinless chicken breasts, cubed
2/3 cup barbecue sauce
1/2 onion
Parmesan cheese
mozzarella cheese (I used an Italian mix)
olive oil

Directions:

1) Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2) Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and saute until golden brown, about 12 minutes. Remove from heat. In a small bowl, toss chicken with 2 tablespoons barbecue sauce. Set aside.

Spread remaining barbecue sauce evenly over pizza dough. Sprinkle mozzarella, Parmesan, onions, and chicken over top. Bake for 20 minutes or until cheese bubbles.

Shrimp Scampi, by Cheryl

So it's been a long long time since we've posted! Life gets in the way of coming up with new ideas :) Anyway, I had a craving for shrimp, but needed a new way to cook it. I used Ina Garten's Shrimp Scampi recipe. It's very simple to make and doesn't take a lot of time (exactly what I was looking for). We loved how this dish turned out and will definitely be making it again! YUM!


Ingredients:

3/4 lb. linguine (I used penne since I didn't have an linguine)
4 tbsp. unsalted butter
2 tbsp. olive oil
4 cloves minced garlic
1 lb. large shrimp, peeled and deveined
1½ tsp. kosher salt
¼ tsp. pepper
3-4 tbsp. chopped flat leaf parsley
Zest of ½ a lemon
¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
¼ lemon, sliced thinly into half-rounds (optional)
¼ tsp. red pepper flakes

Directions:
Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Cook the pasta according to the package directions.

Meanwhile, in a 12-inch skillet or sauté pan, melt the butter and olive oil together over medium heat. Add the garlic and sauté for 1 minute, just until golden and fragrant. Add the shrimp to the pan in an even layer and season with the salt and pepper. As soon as the down-facing side of the shrimp turns pink, flip with tongs to cook the second side evenly. As soon as the shrimp is pink and opaque, remove the pan from the heat. Stir in the parsley, lemon zest, lemon juice, lemon slices (if using) and red pepper flakes.

As soon as the pasta is cooked and drained, return to the pot. Add the sauce to the pot, and toss to combine. Put the pasta in bowls and place the shrimp on top of the pasta.

Garlic and Citrus Chicken, by Cheryl

I first saw this recipe from Giada over a year ago and have always wanted to make it. I needed a different idea to roasting a chicken that involved a variety of flavors. As you're eating the chicken you can taste the citrus and garlic... it is not overwhelming and adds a tangy taste. The skin was my favorite part (but it always is) as it was crispy and just to my liking! I will definitely be making this again! Yum!

Ingredients:

• 1 (5 to 6-pound) whole roasting chicken, neck and giblets discarded
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 orange, quartered
• 1 lemon, quartered
• 1 head garlic, halved crosswise, plus 3 garlic cloves, chopped
• 2 (14-ounce) cans reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 1/4 cup frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano leaves
• Kitchen string or butcher twine (I used tin foil)

Directions:

1) Position the rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 400 degrees F.

2) Pat the chicken dry and sprinkle the cavity with salt and pepper. Stuff the cavity with the orange, lemon, and garlic halves. Tie the chicken legs together with kitchen string to help hold its shape. Sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper.

3) Place a rack in a large roasting pan. Place the chicken, breast side up, on the rack in the pan. Roast the chicken for 1 hour, basting occasionally and adding some chicken broth to the pan, if necessary, to prevent the pan drippings from burning.

4) Whisk the orange juice, lemon juice, oil, oregano, and chopped garlic in a medium bowl to blend. Brush some of the juice mixture over the chicken, after it has baked 1 hour. Continue roasting the chicken until an instant-read meat thermometer inserted into the innermost part of the thigh registers 170 degrees F, basting occasionally with the juice mixture and adding broth to the pan, about 45 minutes longer. Transfer the chicken to a platter. Tent with foil while making the sauce (do not clean the pan).

5) Place the same roasting pan over medium-low heat. Whisk in any remaining broth and simmer until the sauce is reduced to 1 cup, stirring often, about 3 minutes. Strain into a 2-cup glass measuring cup and discard the solids. Spoon the fat from the top of the sauce. Serve the chicken with the pan sauce.

Chicken Marsala, by Cheryl

Jon saw this recipe in Men's Health and was immediately drawn to it. The picture looked awesome so we went right out to the store and bought the ingredients needed for it. Now in our house I'm the one that cooks and he's the one who cleans up. This time we decided to make it a team effort, although after a while it was just easier for one person to cook it. Jon made this dish and he made it well! Yum!! Ingredients: 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, pounded to a uniform 1/4" thickness 1 cup flour (this was too much... 1/2 cup should be fine) 1 tbsp olive oil 2 ounces prosciutto, sliced into thin strips 8 ounces cremini mushrooms, sliced 3/4 cup marsala wine 3/4 cup low sodium chicken broth 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley salt & pepper Directions: 1) Season each breast with a pinch of salt and pepper. Place the flour in a shallow bowl, add the chicken, and coat the pieces evenly, shaking off any excess flour. 2) Heat the olive oil on medium in a non-stick pan. Add the chicken (don't overcrowd the pan; do 2 batches if necessary) and cook 3-4 minutes per side until the breasts are golden brown and are cooked through. Transfer them to a serving platter and keep warm. 3) Add more oil to the pan if needed, and saute the prosciutto for 1-2 minutes until it starts to crisp up. Add the mushrooms and continuing sauteing until they are well browned. 4) Stir in the marsala and broth, scraping up any browned bits on the bottom of the pan. Cook until liquid has reduced to about 1/2 cup. Season the sauce with salt and pepper and add the parsley. Pour the sauce over the chicken.

Julia Child's Boeuf Bourguignon, by Diane

This is a recipe I have wanted to make for a long time, and actually did for a list of 30 things to do before I turned 30. It's an impressive recipe that makes one of the best dishes I've ever had- but be warned, it's extremely time-consuming. It took me about 5.5 hours in total, and there are almost 45 steps involved. It's also not the cheapest recipe to make since it requires a good cut of beef and a nice bottle of red wine among several other ingredients. However, it is Julia Child's most famous dish, and for good reason. The end result is a warm and filling stew with meat that melts in your mouth and amazingly combined flavors. Well worth the effort! Enjoy!

(Rather than typing the long list of ingredients and directions out, I am going to post the link below that will lead to a direct photocopy of Julia's recipe from her book, as well as reader comments that are helpful. Make sure to include, along with the 3 pages contained in the recipe, the other 2 pages- 1 for the onions and 1 for the mushrooms).

http://cooking.knopfdoubleday.com/2009/07/13/julia-childs-boeuf-bourguignon-recipe/

Plantains Two Ways, By Diane

This post is the second part of my Cuban adventure (the first part is the most recent post for Cuban Pork and Sweet Potato Slow Cooker Stew). I ADORE plantains, any way they come. I learned a lot about them in preparing for my Cuban feast last night, and decided to make them two different ways.

Plantains are like bananas in that they begin firmer and greener and end softer and brown. Green plantains have a more 'unripe' taste than the brown ones, which are sweeter. The brown ones usually get fried and are like a dessert item, called maduros (the 3rd photo down). The green ones usually get fried, then mashed and refried and sprinkled with salt to go with more savory items. These are called tostones (1st and 2nd photo). I've had maduros and tostones and love them both...so my kitchen adventure began.

There's no specific way to do either, you can't really mess them up. I chose to fry the maduros and rub them with brown sugar (or you can put them in some agave syrup but I didn't have any). For the tostones, I chose to bake them until they were crispy to make them a bit healthier. I mashed them into smaller pieces so that they could be like chips to go with the mango and black bean salsa I had as part of this meal, or they could be dipped into the stew. Enjoy!

Maduros:

Use plantains that are dark brown, the darker = the sweeter. Peel and slice them lengthwise, then cut into 2 inch long slices. Fry until both sides are brown and crispy. Rub with a little brown sugar until sugar melts and the maduros are coated. Serve warm.


Tostones:

Use plantains that are green. Peel and slice into 1/2 thick slices. Toss with 2 tsp. oil and 1 tbsp. salt (I used kosher salt). Place spaced out on a baking sheet sprayed with cooking spray. Spray the tops of the plantains too, and bake for 10 minutes at 400 or until bottoms are slightly browned.

Remove plantains and mash with a flat surface (I used a drinking glass), then flip over (brown side up) and place back on baking sheet, making sure they are spaced out. Spray tops of the plantains lightly with cooking spray, sprinkle with more salt, and bake for 15 minutes or until crispy.

Remove plantains and sprinkle with more salt if needed. Serve cooled.

Cuban Pork and Sweet Potato Slow Cooker Stew, by Diane

One of the reasons Cheryl and I began this blog was to branch out and try new ingredients and styles of cooking, and I don't think a Jewish girl from DC could have branched any farther out than Cuban food. :) I love island food- in case you haven't noticed from my recent posts- and Cuban food is no exception. One of my favorite things about it is that it is so pleasing to the eye as well as the tastebuds- every bite is like a rainbow. I also love the simplicity of the ingredients, yet they all taste so good when combined together. Finally, Cuban food is like soul food that happens to actually be good for you, it's packed with lean proteins, fruits, and veggies.

So, last night I created an entire Cuban feast- beginning with this stew. I got the recipe from Weight Watchers actually, so it was super healthy. Not to mention easy- you throw the ingredients into a slow cooker and go about your day. I served the stew with two types of plantains (see the next post), a mango and black bean salsa, and of course, the obligatory rice and beans. All in all, this was a FANTASTIC meal and probably the one I am most proud of so far since it's so beyond my comfort zone! I went to bed full and happy! :) Enjoy!

Ingredients:

1 pound sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1 pound lean pork loin, cut into 1 inch pieces
14.5 oz can diced tomatoes with green chiles
1 medium garlic clove, minced
1/4 c orange juice
2 medium scallions, chopped (green parts only)
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cumin
1/4 black pepper
1 1/2 tbsp. lime juice
2 tbsp. cilantro, freshly chopped

Directions:

1. Place all ingredients except the last two into a slow cooker, cover and cook on low for 7 hours.

2. Stir in remaining two ingredients and cook covered for 5 more minutes.