Lemon Cookies

This was a new recipe that I tried. I love lemon, and they sounded delicious. I was right! So good!

3/4 cup butter, softened
2/3 cup icing sugar
1/3 cup sugar
1 egg
zest and juice of 1 lemon
1 tsp coconut extract (or almond)
2 cups flour
1 1/4 tsp baking powder
lemon spread/jam (kind I used was kind of like a pie filling)

Beat butter and sugars with mixer until light and fluffy. Add egg, lemon zest and juice and coconut (or almond) extract. Beat until combined. Mix in baking powder and flour.

Cover and chill dough in fridge for about 45 minutes.

Shape dough into balls and place on parchment lined baking sheets. Make an indent in each cookie and fill with lemon spread.

Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 17 minutes or until edges are lightly browned.

Cool on rack and sprinkle with icing sugar.

*From Mennonite Girls Can Cook

Sugar Cookies

Christmas is almost upon us again and I spent some time the last few days doing Christmas baking. Yum! I've made three kinds of cookies. Here are my delicious Sugar Cookies!

3 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup butter, softened
1 1/4 cups sugar
3 eggs
1 tsp vanilla

Combine flour, baking power and salt. Mix well.

Cream butter & sugar together until light and fluffy. Beat in vanilla and eggs.

Stir flour mixture into creamed mixture. Mix well. Form dough into 3 balls. Wrap each in plastic wrap and chill about 2 hours for easy handling.

Preheat over to 375 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper (makes for easy cleanup!).

Roll out dough, one ball at a time, on a floured surface to 1/4" thickness. Cut with floured cookie cutters. Place on baking sheets.

Bake 7-10 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool on sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to cooling rack. Ice and decorate when cookies have cooled.

Pesto Turkey Burgers

Its almost the middle of December and I was craving a burger, so I made these delicious turkey burgers. I just fried them up in a frying pan on my stove, but these would be great on the BBQ in summer too. My picture doesn't really do them justice, but these burgers were full of flavour. I will definitely be making these again!

1 1/4 lbs lean ground turkey
2 tbsps basil pesto
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup bread crumbs
2 tbsps sun-dried tomatoes, chopped

Mix together ground turkey, pesto, garlic, feta cheese, salt, bread crumbs and sun-dried tomatoes in a bowl until evenly blended. Form into 4 patties.

Fry or grill over medium heat until cooked through.

Salsa Chicken

This is a very quick and easy meal to make, but people will think you spent a lot of time to make this delicious dish. Some corn and Spanish rice make this a meal!

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
4 tsps taco seasoning mix (or your own mix of spices)
1 cup salsa
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
sour cream (optional)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Coat each chicken breast in taco seasoning and place in a greased 9x13 baking dish. Pour salsa over chicken. Bake for 25 to 35 minutes, or until chicken is tender and juicy and juices run clear. Sprinkle chicken with cheese, and continue baking for an additional 3 to 5 minutes, or until cheese is melted and bubbly. Top with sour cream if desired, and serve.

Spaghetti Squash with Tomato Zucchini Sauce

If you've never tried spaghetti squash, I highly recommend it. Its a great alternative to pasta. With a great sauce, you'll hardly notice the difference!

1 spaghetti squash
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup onion, sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups diced tomatoes
1/2 cup pasta sauce
2 small zucchini, sliced
1 tsp basil
salt & pepper to taste
parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut spaghetti squash in quarters and remove seeds. Place cut side down in pan. Add some water to the pan. Bake in the oven for 45 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool for awhile. Then, using a fork scrape the inside of the squash to remove the "spaghetti". See picture below.

While spaghetti squash is baking heat the olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the onions and garlic and saute until onion is soft and translucent. Add tomatoes, pasta sauce, zucchini, basil and salt & pepper. Cook for 5-10 minutes, then let simmer for another 5-10 minutes.

Serve sauce over the "spaghetti" and top with parmesan cheese. Feel free to adjust the amounts for the sauce. I didn't measure when I made it and am guessing at the amounts now. ;-) Enjoy!

Shanghai Noodles (Filipino Style)

Thanks so much to Angie for giving me her recipe! Love it!

2 tbsp olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium onion, sliced
1 cup cooked chicken, chopped or sliced
1/2 cup sliced carrot
1/2 cup chopped celery
1 cup snow peas
1 cup cabbage, shredded or sliced
1 cup chicken broth
2 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp oyster sauce
2 pkg of fresh miki noodles (rinse)
Ground black pepper

Heat oil in wide skillet or wok. Saute the garlic until a little brown, then add the onion and chicken. Stir for about 2 minutes. Add the carrots and celery, saute until tender. Add the snow peas and cabbage, then set aside.

In a large pot, combine the broth, soy sauce and oyster sauce. Bring to a boil. Add the noodles to the broth mixture for a few minutes. Stir to coat noodles. Add the noodles and broth mixture to the veggie mixture in the skillet. Stir to combine and heat through over low heat for a few minutes until broth is absorbed by the noodles and veggies. Season with black pepper.

Feel free to add more veggies or seafood in addition to the chicken. Angie often makes this with shrimp, but I'm not a fan of the shrimp!

Cranberry Almond Biscotti

First time making biscotti. I didn't realize how easy it is! I will definitely be making it again and experimenting with different flavours.



2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup white sugar

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

3 eggs

1 tbsp vanilla (or almond extract)

3/4 cup sliced almonds

1 cup sweetened dried cranberries

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

Combine dry ingredients in a medium sized mixing bowl. Add almonds and cranberries. In a separate bowl, whisk together eggs and vanilla (or almond extract).

Add egg mixture to dry ingredients, mixing until moist, using an electric mixer on medium speed (although I just mixed by hand). Make sure to knead dough until well combined.

On floured surface, divide batter in half and pat each half into a 5 or 6" circle. Place on parchment paper-lined cookie sheet and bake 30 minutes or until firm. While still warm, cut biscotti into 1/2" slices and place back on cookie sheet. Reduce oven temperature to 300 degrees F and bake for an additional 20 minutes. Let cool and store in container.

Cheesy Baked Ravioli

This is a pretty easy dish to make. Similar to lasagna, but with ravioli instead. Delicious!

1 lb ground beef
1 small onion
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1 pkg cheese ravioli
1 jar (14 oz) pasta sauce
1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes
1 cup shredded mozza cheese
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
handful of spinach

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Cook ground beef, onion over medium high heat. Drain grease, add the Italian seasoning. Stir in the pasta sauce and the tomatoes.

Spread 1/3 of the meat sauce in the bottom of an 11x7 inch baking dish. Arange 1/2 of the ravioli over the sauce. Sprinkle with 1/2 the mozza cheese and 1/2 the cheddar cheese. Arrange a layer of spinach leaves over the cheese. Repeat meat sauce, rest of ravioli, then last 1/3 of the meat sauce. Finish with the last of the cheese on top. Cover with aluminum foil. Bake for 15 minutes covered, then remove foil and bake for another 15 minutes to let the cheese brown.

Pumpkin Spice Muffins

Its that time of year, the leaves are changing colour and there are pumpkins everywhere. I was inspired to make some pumpkin spice muffins after tasting one from a local coffee shop. Very tasty!

1 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp allspice
1/4 tsp ginger
1 (14 oz) can of pumpkin puree (or 1 1/2 cups fresh pumpkin)
1/3 cup unsweetened apple sauce
2 eggs
1/3 cup raisins

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line muffin tin with paper liners and set aside. In a large mixing bowl, add flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, sugar and spices. Stir until combined. Add pumpkin puree, apple sauce and eggs, stir into the dry ingredients until smooth. Gently fold in the raisins until evenly distributed. Spoon batter into muffin tin. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until toothpick instered in the middle comes out clean. Let cool 15 minutes before removing from the muffin tin. Makes 12 large muffins.

Orzo with Roasted Peppers & Turkey

1 red bell pepper
1 orange bell pepper
1 lb orzo pasta
3 cups chicken stock
3 cups water
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp olive oil
1 lb ground turkey
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1 clove garlic, minced
2 plum tomatoes, chopped
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes, optional
2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
salt and pepper, to taste
feta cheese

First thing is to roast the peppers. You can either do this by holding over a gas flame with tongs, turning occasionally until the skins are charred on all sides. Or you can roast the peppers in the oven under the broiler, which is what I did. Place whole peppers on a baking sheet and broil until charred. Occasionally turn peppers so all sides start turning black. Place the charred peppers in a medium bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and allow the peppers to steam for 20 minutes. Remove from bowl and place on cutting board. Using a paring knife, peel away most of the skin. Its okay to leave some skin as it adds flavour. Remove the stem and seeds. Pat peppers dry with paper towel and cut into 1/4-inch slices. Set aside.

In a medium saucepan, bring the chicken stock, water, and salt to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8-10 minutes.

While the pasta is cooking; in a large skillet heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the ground turkey and saute until cooked through. Add the garlic and Italian seasonings and cook for 1 minute. Add the bell peppers, tomatoes, and red pepper flakes, if using, and cook until heated through, about 2 minutes.

Drain the pasta, reserving about 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid, and transfer to a large serving bowl. Add the turkey and pepper mixture, 1 tbsp of parsley, and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Toss well to combine all ingredients, adding reserved cooking liquid, if needed, to loosen the pasta. Top with feta cheese and sprinkle with the remaining parsley.

Red Pesto Ravioli

Thanks Kim for telling me about this recipe. It was delicious! Although I did have a bit of trouble making the pesto in my blender. I may need to invest in a good food processor. My blender, although fairly new, has issues with blending certain things.

1 pound fresh cheese raviolis
12 plump, chewy sun-dried tomatoes (I just guessed, as the sun-dried tomatoes I bought were very small and packed in oil in a jar, the only kind I could find)
2 medium cloves garlic
red pepper flakes (up to you how much you want to put in)
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp fresh thyme
1/8 tsp salt
1/4 cup walnuts or pine nuts, lightly toasted
3 handfuls of baby spinach tossed with a glug of olive oil and a big pinch of salt
2/3 cup oven-roasted tomatoes* (more if you really like tomatoes!)
a bit of crumbled feta cheese

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Salt generously and cook the raviolis per package instructions. Drain, but reserve about one cup of the hot pasta water (important!).

In the meantime, make the sun-dried tomato pesto by pulsing the sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, pepper flakes, olive oil, thyme and salt in a food processor or blender, until it comes together into a textured crumble. Add the walnuts/pine nuts, and pulse a few more times. Set aside.

Combine 1/2 cup of the reserved pasta water in a large mixing bowl along with the pesto. Add the cooked raviolis and gently toss. Add more of the hot pasta water if needed to thin the pesto out - it should make a nice chunky sauce.

Arrange the baby spinach on the plates and top with the ravioli, cherry tomatoes and feta cheese.

*To oven-roast cherry tomatoes: Heat oven to 350F. Cut each tomato in half and arange in a large oven-proof baking dish. Mix together a big splash of olive oil, a spoonful of brown sugar, and a few pinches of salt. Pour this over the tomatoes. Gentley toss them a bit, making sure they all get coated. Arrange tomatoes cut-side up. Place in the oven and bake for 45 minutes or so, until the tomatoes are shrunken and sweet.


*From Key Ingredient/RecipeGrazer

Tropical Chicken-Pasta Salad

I saw this recipe in a flyer a couple weeks ago and thought it sounded like the perfect summer salad. A great twist on the typical pasta salad!

4 cups fusilli pasta, uncooked
2 cups cut fresh green beans
3 cups chopped cooked chicken breasts
1 can (14 oz) crushed pineapple, drained
4 stalks celery, finely chopped
1/4 cup sea salt roasted almonds, toasted
1/4 cup salad dressing
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil raspberry dressing

Cook pasta in large saucepan as directed on package, omitting the salt and adding beans to the boiling water for the last 4 minutes; drain. Rinse with cold water; drain again. Place in large serving bowl.

Add chicken, pineapple, celery and nuts; mix lightly. Mix dressings until well blended. Add to salad; toss to coat.

Refrigerate one hour. Stir gently before serving.

Chicken Divan

I'm (mostly) moved into my new house. Yah! This is the first real meal I made in my new kitchen (other than re-heating leftover pizza or making scrambled eggs!). This is quite easy to make and very tasty. The curry powder gives it that unique flavour.

2 cups water
2 tsp vegetable bouillon powder
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

2 1/2 cups water
1 1/4 cups long grain white rice
2 cups frozen broccoli, chopped smaller

1 10 oz can of condensed cream of chicken soup
1/2 cup light sour cream
1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese
1/2 cup water
1/3 cup salad dressing (or mayonnaise)
1 tsp curry powder

Combine the first amount of water and bouillon powder in medium saucepan. Bring to a boil. Add chicken. Reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer, partially covered, for about 35 minutes until no longer pink inside. Drain. Let chicken stand until cool enough to handle. Cut into cubes. Set aside.

Combine second amount of water and rice in same saucepan. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer, covered, for about 20 minutes (30 minutes if using brown rice) until rice is tender and water is absorbed. Transfer to ungreased 3 quart casserole.

Layer broccoli and chicken on rice.

Combine remaining 6 ingredients in medium bowl. Pour over chicken. Bake, uncovered, in 350 degree oven for about 1 hour until heated through. Serves 6.

* From Company's Coming "Most Loved Casseroles"

Homemade Iced Tea

So good on a hot day! Way better than the powder mix you can buy and really easy to make.

8 cups water
3 orange pekoe tea bags
3/4 cup white sugar
1/2 cup lemon juice

In a large saucepan, heat water to a rapid boil. Remove from heat and drop in the tea bags. Cover and let steep for 1 hour.

In a large pitcher, combine the steeped tea and the sugar. Stir until the sugar is dissolved, then stir in the lemon juice. Refrigerate until chilled.

Asian Lettuce Wraps

I had this at a Chinese restaurant in Australia and remember them being very good, although a little messy. The idea is to use iceberg lettuce and wrap it around the meat/noodle mixture like a burrito. Unfortunately I did not have iceberg, so I improvised and just ripped up some romaine lettuce instead. Either way works!

Iceberg lettuce, leaves separated, washed and chilled in refrigerator
1 lb ground pork or ground beef (which ever you prefer)
1 tsp minced fresh ginger
1 clove garlic, minced
1 red pepper, finely diced
1 green pepper, finely diced
2 carrots, shredded
1 medium onion, chopped
2 or 3 cups steam fried noodles
hoisin sauce

Brown meat in frying pan. Add ginger, garlic, red pepper, green pepper, carrots and onions. Fry until veggies are tender. Add the steam fried noodles and cook for 2-3 minutes longer.

Scoop meat and noodle mixture into chilled lettuce leaves and top with hoisin sauce. Wrap lettuce around mixture like a burrito and enjoy!

*Adapted from Mennonite Girls Can Cook

Honey Glazed Chicken Stir Fry

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips
2 tbsp honey
2 tbsp vinegar
2 tbsp orange juice
4 tsp soy sauce
1 1/2 tsp cornstarch
2 tbsp olive oil
4 cups vegetables, cut up (mushrooms, red/yellow peppers, onions, etc)
2 cups hot cooked rice

In a small bowl, stir together honey, vinegar, orange juice, soy sauce and corn starch. Set aside.

In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add vegetables. Cook and stir 3 to 4 minutes or until tender crisp. Remove vegetables. Add chicken. Cook and stir until no longer pink. Push chicken from centre of skillet. Stir sauce and add to centre. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly.

Return cooked vegetables to skillet. Cook and stir about 1 minute or until heated through. Serve over hot rice.

*From Peak of the Market recipes

Turkey Taco Tortillas

1 lb ground turkey
1 can black beans
2 tsp chili powder
1 1/2 tsp paprika
1 1/2 tsp cumin
1 tsp onion powder
3/4 tsp garlic powder
dash of cayenne pepper
3-4 heaping tbsps of salsa

Brown turkey over medium heat. Add beans, spices and salsa. Serve with lettuce, tomatoes, cheese and sour cream, wrapped up in a flour tortilla.

Mediterranean Orzo Salad

Thanks for the recipe Mom! This salad is so good and keeps really well.

3-6 garlic cloves, minced
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cups sweet potato, cubed
sprinkle of salt
2-3 tbsp olive oil

Combine the above in a pan and roast in 450 degree oven for 15-25 minutes.

Cook 1-3 cups of wild rice, red rice, barley or orzo (or a combination) according to package directions.

1 pepper, chopped
1/2 cup pine nuts, toasted
1/2 cup feta cheese
salt & pepper to taste
fresh parsley

Combine the above, add the roasted vegetables and rice/orzo combination. Mix well and refrigerate.

Peach & Blackberry Cornmeal Cobbler

This dessert is quite delicious, especially with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top. I used raspberries in place of the blackberries, as I couldn't find blackberries at the grocery store. Also, the recipe says 7 cups of sliced peaches. This seemed a bit much for an 8x8 pan, so instead I used one 28 oz tin of sliced peaches.

7 cups sliced pitted peeled firm ripe peaches
1 cup blackberries (or raspberries)
1/3 cup granulated sugar
2 tbsp cornstarch
1 tbsp lemon juice

In a large bowl, gently toss together peaches, blackberries, sugar, cornstarch and lemon juice; scrape into 8-inch square glass baking dish.

1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup cornmeal
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp grated lemon rind
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/3 cup cold unsalted butter, cubed
2/3 cup milk

In large bowl, whisk together flour, cornmeal, sugar, lemon rind, baking powder, baking soda and salt; using a pastry blender or 2 knives, cut in butter until crumbly. Drizzle with milk, stirring to form soft, sticky dough. Drop topping by 1 tbsp onto peach mixture.

Bake in 375F oven until bubbly and biscuits are golden and no longer doughy underneath when lifted, about 50 minutes.

Lemon Asparagus Pasta

I thought this recipe sounded interesting. I love asparagus and I love pasta, so I thought I'd try it out. Turns out its really good!

8 oz (250 g) angel hair pasta
2 1/2 cups asparagus (cut into 1-inch pieces)
1 tbsp butter
1/2 cup green onion, chopped
1 1/2 tsp lemon peel, grated
3 tbsp lemon juice
3/4 cup milk
2 eggs
1 tbsp fresh dill, chopped (or 1 tsp dried)
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg

Cook pasta in boiling water for 4 minutes. Add asparagus and cook 2 minutes longer or until tender. Drain.

While pasta cooks, melt butter in large frypan over medium heat. Add green onions and lemon peel and saute 1 minute. Add lemon juice and cook until liquid is almost evaporated.

Beat eggs and milk together. Add with pasta and asparagus to pan with green onions. Cook over low heat until milk mixture is slightly thick, about 4 minutes. Do not boil.

Stir in dill, salt and nutmeg. Serve immediately.

*From Simply in Season

Hamburger Soup

I actually made this a couple days ago. So good on a chilly day!

1 1/2 lb ground beef
1 medium onion, chopped
1 - 28 oz can stewed tomatoes
2 cups water
2 cups beef broth
2 - 10 oz cans tomato soup
8 tbsp pot barley
4 carrots, sliced
1 bay leaf
3 stalks celery, chopped
1/2 tsp thyme
2 tsp parsley
pepper to taste

Brown ground beef and drain. Add all ingredients to soup pot and simmer for an hour or cook on low in a slow cooker all day.

Sweet Potato Quesadillas

1 1/2 cups onion, minced
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsps dried oregano
1 1/2 tsps each dried basil, marjoram, chili powder, cumin
4 cups sweet potatoes, cooked and mashed
8 tortillas
1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded

Saute onion and garlic in large pan in 1 tbsp oil until translucent.

Add spices and cook another minute.

Add sweet potatoes to pan and heat through, frequently stirring to prevent sticking.

Spread about 1/2 cup filling and 2 tbsps cheese on half of each tortilla, leaving a 1/2 inch border on the sides. Fold tortilla in half. Place on oiled baking sheets. Brush tops with oil. Bake in preheated oven at 400F until brown, 15-20 minutes. Serve with sour cream and salsa.

Variation: Use shredded raw sweet potatoes, sauteed with the onions and garlic until soft.

*From Simply in Season

Cinnamon Buns

Dough:
1 cup warm milk
2 eggs, room temperature, beaten
1/3 cup margarine, softened
2 1/2 cups white flour
2 cups whole wheat flour
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup white sugar
2 1/2 tsps yeast

Frosting:
125g cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup margarine, softened
1 1/2 cups icing sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/8 tsp salt

Place dough ingredients in the pan of the bread machine in the order recommended by the manufacturer. Select dough cycle; press Start.

After the dough cycle, turn out onto a lightly floured surface, cover and let rest for 10 minutes. In a small bowl, combine 1 cup brown sugar with 2 1/2 tbsps cinnamon.

Roll dough into a rectangle. Spread dough with 1/3 cup softened margarine and sprinkle evenly with sugar/cinnamon mixture. Roll up dough and cut into 12 rolls. Place rolls in a lightly greased 9x13 pan. Cover and let rise until nearly doubled, about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Bake rolls in preheated oven until golden brown, about 15-20 minutes. While rolls are baking, beat together cream cheese, margarine, icing sugar, vanilla and salt. Spread frosting on warm rolls before serving.

Double Chocolate Chip Waffles

So delicious! Serve with sliced bananas and strawberry sauce or your favourite toppings.

1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1/4 cup cocoa powder
2 tbsp granulated sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
2 eggs
1 1/4 cups buttermilk
2 tbsp margarine, melted
1/3 cup chocolate chips
1 tbsp vegetable oil

In large bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

In separate bowl, whisk together eggs, buttermilk and margarine; pour over flour mixture. Sprinkle with chocolate chips and stir just until combined.

Heat waffle iron; brush lightly with some of the vegetable oil. Using about 1/2 cup batter per waffle (or enough to spread to edges), pour onto waffle iron.

Close lid and cook until waffle is crisp, golden and steam stops, about 8 minutes. Keep warm in single layer on rack on baking sheet in 200F oven.

*From Canadian Living

Easy Cheesy Tortellini Bake

1 (9oz) package cheese tortellini
1/2 (650ml) jar marinara sauce
1 (410ml) jar alfredo sauce
1 (10oz) box frozen, chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1 tbsp dried Italian seasoning
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
1 tsp dried Italian seasoning

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook according to package directions; drain. Adjust oven rack to the highest position and turn oven on to broil. Grease an 8x8 baking dish.

Bring marinara and alfredo sauces along with spinach and 1 tbsp of Italian seasoning to a simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer for 10 minutes. Stir cooked tortellini into sauce, then pour into prepared baking dish. Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese, parmesan cheese and remaining 1 tsp Italian seasoning.

Broil for a minute or two until cheese has melted and turned golden brown.

Note: Sauce amounts are approximate, feel free to adjust to your tastes. Also good with cooked Italian sausage!

Chicken Taco Soup

This was delicious and so easy to make!

1/2 large onion, chopped
1 (19 oz) can kidney beans
1 (19 oz) can black beans
1 cup frozen corn
1 (8oz) can tomato sauce
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 (28 oz) can diced tomatoes
1 (127 ml) can green chilies
2 tsp chili powder
1 1/2 tsp paprika
1 1/2 tsp cumin
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp garlic powder
dash of cayenne pepper
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
shredded cheddar cheese (optional)
sour cream (optional)
crushed taco chips (optional)

Place onion, kidney beans, black beans, corn, tomato sauce, chicken broth, diced tomatoes, green chilies and spices in a large soup pot. Lay chicken breasts on top and press down so they are covered. Bring to a boil over medium heat, then simmer on low for three to four hours. Near the end of cooking, remove the chicken breasts, shred and stir back into the soup. Chicken will be so tender it will practically fall apart.

Serve topped with shredded cheddar cheese, sour cream and crushed taco chips, if desired.

Cranberry Seed Muffins

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup oat bran
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/3 cup unsalted sunflower seeds
1/3 cup hulled pumpkin seeds
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 tsp finely grated orange rind
2 eggs
1 1/3 cups buttermilk
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
2 cups thawed cranberries (or craisins)

In large bowl, whisk together all-purpose and whole wheat flours, oat bran, baking powder, baking soda and salt; whisk in sunflower and pumpkin seeds

In separate bowl, whisk granulated sugar, brown sugar and orange rind; whisk in eggs and buttermilk. Whisk in butter until combined; sitre in flour mixture in 2 additions just until combined. Stir in cranberries.

Spoon into greased or lined muffin tin. Sprinkle with sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds. Bake in 375F oven for about 25 minutes. Let cool in pan on rack. Makes about 18-20 muffins.

*from Canadian Living Sep 2010

Black Bean Sweet Potato Burritos

I wasn't sure about the cinnamon, but it made for an interesting and tasty combination.

3 cups sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
1/2 onion, chopped
2 cups cooked black beans
1 tsp ground cumin
3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
8 flour tortillas
1 1/2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded

Saute the sweet potatoes and onion in 1 tbsp oil just until tender. Add water or apple juice as needed to prevent sticking.

Add black beans, cumin, cinnamon and salt and cook until heated through.

Divide bean mixture and cheese among the tortillas and roll up. Place in a 9x13 baking pan. Lightly spray with olive oil if desired. Cover pan with foil and bake at 350F for 20-25 minutes. Garnish with sour cream or salsa, if desired.

*From Simply in Season.

Eggplant Provolone Panini

Ingredients:
1 eggplant (about 1 lb), peeled
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 egg, beaten
2/3 cup dry bread crumbs
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 each green and red pepper, seeded and quartered
4 Ciabatta buns
4 slices provolone cheese (I used havarti instead)

Garlic Thyme Mayo:
1 clove garlic
Pinch salt
1/4 cup light mayonnaise
1 tbsp lemon juice
1/4 tsp minced fresh thyme
Pinch pepper

Cut eggplant into 8 scant 1/2-inch thick slices. Sprinkle with salt. Place in colander, pressing gently. Let stand for 10 minutes. Pat dry with paper towel.

Garlic Thyme Mayo: In bowl, combine minced garlic, salt, mayonnaise, lemon juice, thyme and pepper; set aside.

Dip eggplant into flour, then egg, then bread crumbs. In skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat; fry eggplant, turning once, until golden brown, 6 to 8 minutes. Place on paper towel-lined tray to drain.

Meanwhile, on baking sheet, broil red and green peppers, turning occasionally, until softened and charred, 10 to 15 minutes. Peel if desired.

Cut buns in half; layer bottoms with red and green peppers, eggplant and cheese. Spread each top with 1 tbsp of the Garlic Tyme Mayo. Press in panini maker (or broil without top bun) until cheese melts.

Lemon Garlic Chicken with Rosemary Baby Potatoes and Garlic Butter Asparagus

Mmmm! First time cooking asparagus and it was delicious!

Lemon Garlic Chicken

Ingredients:
2-3 tbsps lemon juice
1 tbsp olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 tsp lemon pepper seasoning
1/8 tsp oregano
a pinch of cayenne
4 chicken breasts

Mix first 6 ingredients. Brush over boneless breasts. Let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes or marinade for a few hours in the refrigerator. Brown in frying pan, then transfer to a casserole dish and bake for 20-30 minutes at 350 degrees, until no longer pink.

Rosemary Baby Potatoes

Halve baby potatoes, toss with olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt and dried rosemary. Bake in oven for 30-40 minutes at 350 degrees. Stir occasionally.

Garlic Butter Asparagus

Ingredients:
1 tsp sugar
t tbsp margarine
Asparagus (as much as you want), snap off woody ends
1/2 tsp garlic butter seasoning
1 tbsp margarine

Bring water to a boil, add sugar and margarine. Add asparagus and cook about 5 minutes. While asparagus is cooking, mix garlic butter seasoning with margarine. Dab on hot cooked asparagus when done.

Turkey Tortilla Bake

A great way to use up leftover turkey from Christmas! You'll be wanting a second helping.

Ingredients:
2 celery stalks, finely chopped
1/2 cup red and/or green pepper, chopped
1 tbsp olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
1-2 cups turkey, cut in bite size pieces
1/2 (10 oz) can cream of chicken soup
1/2 (10 oz) can cream of celery soup
1/2 (19 oz) can of diced tomatoes
1 tbsp chili powder
3 tortillas (9"), cut in 6 wedges each (makes it easier to cut and serve)
1-2 cups tex mex cheese

Directions:
1. In fry pan, saute celery and peppers in oil until tender.
2. Add minced garlic and cook for another minute.
3. Stir in turkey, soups, tomatoes and chili powder. Bring to a boil and let simmer for 10 minutes.
4. Line bottom of 9" spring form pan or casserole with 6 tortilla wedges.
5. Top with half the turkey mixture and a third of the cheese.
6. Align next layer of tortilla wedges with the first layer.
7. Top with the rest of the turkey mixture and a third of the cheese.
8. Align the top layer of tortilla wedges with previous layers and top with rest of cheese.

9. Bake uncovered for 30 minutes at 350 degrees or until bubbly.