Veggie Spaghetti

Daniel Tiger has an episode where his mom makes "veggie spaghetti" and when I saw this recipe I knew I had to make it. (I love Daniel Tiger.)  I made it on a night when David had a work dinner, because he doesn't like mushrooms. But it was delicious and I was super happy with it. I will probably make it again and just serve red sauce on the side and people can have regular spaghetti or try some veggie spaghetti, and I'll eat all of the goodness myself.



Vegetable Spaghetti
Source: Simple Veganista

Ingredients: 
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, thinly sliced
2 – 3 garlic cloves, minced
8 oz. mushrooms, sliced (baby bella)
1 medium zucchini, thinly sliced and cut in half
1 medium yellow squash, thinly sliced and cut in half
1 can (28 oz.) diced tomatoes, with juices
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
salt & pepper to taste
2 handfuls of spinach, or baby greens of choice
8 oz. pasta of choice
parmesan cheese, to serve

Directions:
Pasta: Cook your pasta of choice according to package directions. Set aside.

Vegetables: In a large flat bottom pan, heat oil on medium high, add mushrooms, zucchini, onion, garlic and spices, cook for about 8 – 10 minutes, or until mushrooms and zucchini are tender, stirring frequently. Add tomatoes and cook until heated through. Stir in spinach and let wilt. Taste for seasoning.

Assemble: Serve veggies over a bed of pasta with a good dusting of parmesan.

Cream Cheese Chicken Dip

This is David's favorite dip for parties or game-days. One of our good friends, the Perkins, makes it and we finally got the recipe to make on our own. You usually hear us talking about food from the Perkins home that is baked and full of sugar because Amy makes the most AMAZING cookies, cakes, and baked treats. But this is actually a Derek recipe, which I think is funny.




Cream Cheese Chicken Dip
Source: Derek Perkins

Ingredients:
Chicken - shredded (3 breasts or 2 cans)
1/2 c. Ranch Dressing
2/3 c. Hot Sauce (Taco Bell Brand - medium)
4 oz Cream Cheese
1 8 oz bag of shredded cheese (2 cups), any time - preferably Mexican blend.

Directions:
Soften the cream cheese, mix together without the chicken. Add the ranch and hot sauce. Mix in some of the cheese (about 1/2 the bag.) Pour into a pie pan/8x8 baking dish. Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top. Bake at 375 until the cheese is brown and bubbly.

Chicken Orzo Soup

Chicken Orzo Soup
Source : The Casual Craftete via Purely Katie


Ingredients
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 white onion, chopped
4 medium carrots, chopped
4 celery stalks, chopped
4 cloves of garlic, minced
1½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, diced (UNCOOKED)
8 cups chicken broth (plus more if you prefer)
1½ cups dry orzo pasta
2 lemons, freshly squeezed
2 Tablespoons parsley, chopped

Directions: 

In a large stock pot, add chopped onion, carrots, and celery along with 2 Tablespoons olive oil. Saute for 5 minutes over medium heat.
Add minced garlic and saute for 2 minutes.
Add diced chicken, broth, and dry pasta. Bring soup to a boil and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until the chicken and pasta is fully cooked. Remove from heat.
Add in lemon juice and parsley. Serve hot.

Orzo Sausage Soup

Orzo Sausage Soup
Adapted from: The Kitchen Girl and Gimme Some Oven









Ingredients:

1/2 lb. Pork Sausage [not breakfast sausage]
2 tablespoons oil
1 small white onion, peeled and diced
3 stalks celery, diced
3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
6 cups chicken stock
1 (14-ounce) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
1  Orzo pasta
1 tsp Italian seasoning

1 tsp salt

Black pepper to taste
4 cups loosely packed spinach
salt and black pepper
optional toppings: freshly-grated Parmesan cheese, crushed red pepper flakes

Instructions:
Heat oil in a large stock pot over medium-high heat. Add onion and saute for 4 minutes, until soft. Add carrots, celery and garlic and saute for an additional 3 minutes. Add chicken stock, tomatoes, orzo (pasta), thyme, oregano, rosemary and stir to combine. Bring soup to a simmer, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is al dente.


INSTRUCTIONS

Heat a 4-quart soup pot on medium-high. Add SAUSAGE to the pot, breaking it into small pieces; brown the sausage, stirring as needed; transfer to a plate; set aside. Carefully drain the extra grease, if needed.
To the same heated skillet, add ONION, GARLIC, and CELERY; sauté until fragrant and tender, stirring as needed (3-4 min). Add dry ORZO; sauté until toasted and fragrant (about 2-3 min); stirring as needed.
Add CHICKEN BROTH, DICED TOMATOES with their juice, ITALIAN SEASONING, SALT, PEPPER, and BROWNED SAUSAGE.

Bring soup just to boil; then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until orzo is cooked to your liking (10-15 min).

Stir in the SPINACH and cook for 1-2 minutes until it is bright green and wilted. Taste, and season with salt and black pepper as needed. 

Serve warm, garnished with your desired toppings.

(Instant Pot) 

Instant Pot Instructions for Italian Sausage Soup
Select "Sauté" on the Instant Pot.
When the display reads "Hot", add sausage, separating it and stirring as needed until fully browned. Transfer sausage to a plate and set aside. You can drain the sausage fat from the Instant Pot into a heat-safe container or use it to saute the veggies.
Continue with the "saute" function on the Instant Pot. Utilize the sausage fat or heat a small amount of OLIVE OIL; then add ONION, CELERY, and GARLIC to the Instant Pot and saute until tender, stirring as needed (about 3 minutes).
Add DRY ORZO, CHICKEN BROTH, DICED TOMATOES with their juice, ITALIAN SEASONING; SALT, PEPPER, and BROWNED SAUSAGE.
Press the "Cancel" function on the Instant Pot.
Secure the lid and turn the pressure release valve to the "Sealing" position.
Select "Manual" and set the Instant Pot on Manual +1 minute high pressure (use +2 minutes if using whole wheat orzo).
When the cycle is complete, a Quick Pressure Release (QPR) is needed to depressurize the cooker and prevent overcooking the orzo pasta.
This is done by turning the pressure release valve from "sealing" to "venting" position, using an oven mitt for protection.

Allow the cooker to fully release all of the pressure until the 'float valve' drops before attempting to open the lid. This process can take several minutes. The cooker automatically goes into "Keep Warm" mode until you shut it off.

Stir in the SPINACH and cook for 1-2 minutes until it is bright green and wilted. Taste, and season with salt and black pepper as needed. 

Beefy Mexican Rice Soup

Beefy Mexican Rice Soup
Source: Tastes of Lizzy

Ingredients:
2 pounds ground beef
1/3 cup chopped onion
1 teaspoon minced garlic
3 tablespoons taco seasoning
2 quarts beef stock
2 cups frozen corn
15.5 ounces black beans (rinsed and drained) 1 can
14.5 ounces petite diced tomatoes (drained) 1 can
1 cup tomato puree
2 teaspoons lime juice
2 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon cilantro
1 cup whole grain rice (I buy a precooked microwave pack of whole grain rice).

Directions:
In a large saucepan brown the ground beef, onion, and minced garlic. Drain.
Add in the taco seasoning and mix together.
Add the beef stock, corn, black beans, diced tomatoes, tomato puree, lime juice, salt, cilantro, and rice.
Bring this to a boil, then cover and simmer for about 25-30 minutes until the rice is done.
Serve with cheese, sour cream, and cilantro if desired.

Chicken Wrap

Chicken Wrap
Source: Adapted from Valentina's Corner

Ingredients
1 chicken breast
2 cups lettuce, sliced thin
4 slices bacon, cooked

1/2 red pepper, 1/2 green pepper sliced thin
1 tomato, cubed
1/4 red onion, sliced
1 avocado, sliced or cubed
3 Tbsp shredded cheese, optional
1/4 cup ranch
1 tsp Southwest Chipotle seasoning
flour tortillas

chicken breast seasoning:
¼ tsp ground paprika
¼ tsp garlic powder
½ tsp salt
⅛ tsp ground pepper
1 Tbsp oil, for sautéing

OR Kickn' Chicken Seasoning


Instructions
In a bowl, combine seasonings for chicken. Season both sides of the chicken.
Cut bacon into small pieces. Over high heat, cook until crispy. Empty onto plate with paper towel. In same pan, using reserved bacon grease- Sear chicken 2-3 minutes per side. Turn heat down to low, close lid of the skillet and cook another 5-6 minutes, until chicken is tender.

Slice lettuce and onion, cube tomatoes and slice or cube avocado.
In a small bowl combine together the ranch and seasoning.
In a skillet, heat the flour tortillas until desired crispiness. (Or layout tortilla on wire rack in oven and bake until crispy.)
Slice chicken into thin strands, add to tortilla. Add remaining ingredients over top of chicken. Drizzle with the ranch.
Roll the wrap. Enjoy, friends.

Black Bean & Sweet Potato Chili

Trying some new recipes out, and this one was a winner. It's a good combination of flavors that we like with some new flavors added in.

Black Bean & Sweet Potato Chili

Source: Adapted from Real Food Whole Life

Ingredients:
4 cups 1-inch chopped sweet potato (from about 3 medium peeled sweet potatoes)
2 (15-oz) cans black beans, drained and rinsed
1 (15-oz) jar salsa

1 (15-oz) can Chili

1 (15-oz) can diced tomatoes
1 teaspoon cumin
1 cup vegetable stock
½ teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon smoked paprika (optional)
Optional toppings: fresh lime juice (recommended), avocado, guacamole, sour cream, chopped green onion, cilantro, or chopped jalapeño.

Slow Cooker Instructions
1. Place all the ingredients in a 6-quart slow cooker, stirring to combine. Cook on high for 3-4 hours or low for 6-8 hours, or until the potatoes are cooked through.
2. Add fresh lime juice (if using), and additional toppings, if desired.

Instant Pot Instructions
1. Place all the ingredients in a 6-quart pressure cooker, stirring to combine. Cover and cook on high pressure for 10 minutes, then quick release the pressure.
2. Add fresh lime juice (if using), and additional toppings, if desired.

Thanksgiving Punch

Once, when I was in 7th grade my English class participated in a cookbook project. We all brought our favorite recipes to eat and then made a cookbook together. Randomly, one of my very favorite things was "Thanksgiving Punch" by Kirstin Willardson - I still remember how much I loved it. My mom just came across the old cookbook and before I tossed it out, I decided to pull out that recipe and add it to this blog.

Thanksgiving Punch 
Source: Kirstin Willardson, 7th grade cookbook, Mrs. Winch's class.

Ingredients:
1 6 oz can frozen orange juice
1 6 oz can frozen lemonade
2 cups sugar
10 cups cold water
1 tsp almond extract
1 tsp vanilla extract
one orange, sliced

Directions:
Stir together and float thin slices of orange on top.

(OR serve warm for a refreshing wassail.)

This recipe will serve 36 people if you have a large enough pitcher.

Verla's Baked Beans

My Grandma Walker Verla's famous baked beans:


Ingredients:
1/2 lb hamburger
1/2 lb bacon
1 medium onion
1-15 oz red kidney beans
1-15 oz large butter beans
1/24 oz pork and beans
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup white sugar
1/4 cup barbeque sauce
1/4 cup ketchup
1/2 Tbl Chili powder
1 Tbl mustard

Directions:
1. Cut the bacon into small pieces. Cook in a frypan, drain grease. Put bacon in big oven-safe dish that has a lid.
2. Chop the onion finely. Then cook in a frying pan with the hamburger. Dump in with the bacon.
Drain the kidney beans and the butter beans, but not the pork and beans. Dump all the beans into a 9x13 casserole pan.
4. Add all the other ingredients. Mix together, be careful not to mash the beans.
5. Add salt and pepper to taste.
6. Cover and bake for 1 hr at 350 degrees.

(Double for Parties)
Different beans may be added such as navy beans or white beans, etc... I do this when I double the recipe. Also, you may put more chili powder, ketchup, and mustard according to taste.