Pasta Caprese

One of my most favorite dishes to eat in the summer! It's so light and so filling and so delicious!

Pasta Caprese

Ingredients

• 28oz can of diced tomatoes
• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tsp balsamic vinegar
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp salt
• fresh ground pepper, to taste
• cayenne pepper, just a pinch
• 1lb rigatoni
• 8oz mozzarella, cubed
• approximately 15 fresh basil leaves, finely shredded

Directions

1. Place the peeled and diced tomatoes in a colander for about 15 minutes to remove excess juices.
2. In a medium bowl, combine the drained tomatoes, olive oil, vinegar, garlic, cayenne pepper, salt and pepper. Mix the ingredients well and let sit for 20 minutes at room temperature.
3. Meanwhile, bring a pot of water to a boil over medium-high heat.
4. Cook the pasta according to package directions until al dente.
5. Drain the pasta and return it to the pot.
6. Add the tomato mixture, mozzarella and basil to the pasta. Toss gently and serve immediately. 

Pasta with Vodka Sauce

I'm in love with homemade pasta sauces specially simple ones with lots of flavor. This one is so similar to this pasta with tomato cream sauce recipe so if you've tried that one, you're guaranteed to love this one. It's heavenly. I think it will become a huge staple in our house and just thinking about it right now makes my mouth water, yum!


Pasta with Vodka Sauce

Ingredients

• 4 tbsp unsalted butter
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 1/2 cup Vodka
• 28oz can of crushed tomatoes
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp fresh basil, silvered, plus additional for serving
• 1lb penne pasta
• 1/2 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, grated, plus additional for serving
• red pepper flakes, generous pinch

Directions

1. Cook pasta in well salted water until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup of cooking water, drain pasta and set aside.
2. While the pasta is cooking, melt the butter in a large skillet set over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook until softened, 3-4 minutes. Add the garlic and continue cooking until fragrant, about a minute more. 
3. Stir in tomatoes and their juices. Bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium and stir in the tomato paste and vodka. Cook until most of the alcohol has evaporated, at least 5 minutes. 
4. Stir in cream, red pepper flakes and salt. Bring to a a simmer, then reduce heat to medium-low.
5. Cook sauce until thickened, about 5 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. 
6. Stir in basil and cheese.
7. Add pasta to skillet and toss to coat, adding pasta water as needed to thin the sauce.
8. Serve topped with additional basil and Parmigiano-Reggiano.
   
   

Chicken Bruschetta Pasta

A few weeks ago while I was couponing I came across Kraft Philadelphia Cooking Creme on sale. I was able to pick up 15 of these but had no idea what to actually make with them. I found this recipe on the Kraft website and it's really good! Normally I am not a big fan of Kraft recipes, it seems like 95% of them call for Italian dressing (I'm not even kidding!), but this was nice and creamy and light. Definitely will be making it again!

Chicken Bruschetta Pasta

Ingredients

• 1lb boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips
• 1/3 cup fat-free reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tub (10oz) Philadelphia Original Cooking Creme
• 2 cups grape tomatoes
• 2 cups farfalle (bow-tie pasta), cooked
• 12 fresh basil leaves, torn

Directions

1. Cook chicken in a large nonstick skillet on medium heat for 5 to 6 minutes, or until done. 
2. Stir in broth and garlic powder; cook 3 minutes.
3. Add cooking creme and tomatoes; cook and stir 3 minutes.
4. Stir in pasta
5. Top with basil, and serve

sausage, spinach & roasted red pepper alfredo

We've made this before... several times actually but it was so yummy the other night I had to take a picture to share. Click below for the original recipe.

Recipe: Sausage, Spinach & Roasted Red Pepper Alfredo

Spinach & Mushroom Quesadillas

I love quesadillas but wasnt in the mood for regular cheese or chicken ones. So we decided to switch it up after seeing Pioneer Woman's spinach & mushroom quesadillas. So this is our adapted version of hers and its REALLY good and there werent any leftovers, my kids even loved it. We served it with some salsa on the side for dipping which gave it a nice little kick.

Spinach & Mushroom Quesadillas by Pioneer Woman, adapted by Kimba


Ingredients

• 3 tbsp butter
• 16oz sliced mushrooms
• 1/3 cup white wine
• 3 tbsp (additional) white wine
• Kosher salt & pepper to taste
• 1 bag baby spinach
• 1 pkg flour tortillas
• 8oz Monterey Jack cheese
• Extra butter for tortillas
• Salsa, for serving

Directions

1. Melt 2 tbsp butter in a large skillet and add sliced mushrooms. Sprinkle with salt & pepper, than saute over medium-high heat for 2 minutes, then pour in the wine. Add salt & pepper. Continue cooking for 6 to 8 minutes, or until all liquid is evaporated. Remove mushrooms from skillet and set aside.
2. Return skillet to stovetop and reduce heat to medium-low. Melt additional 1tbsp of butter and add a couple tbsp's of wine. Add spinach to skillet and stir gently as it wilts. Sprinkled with salt & pepper, then cook for 2 minutes. Remove from skillet.
3. To assemble the quesadillas, arrange cheese, spinach and mushrooms on top of one tortilla. Top with second tortilla and then smear softened butter lightly on both sides of the quesadilla and bake until golden brown and cheese is melted. 

Pantry Pasta for Two

Another one of Pioneer Woman's delicious pasta recipes! This past week I was in the mood for pasta so on the menu for this week is 3 pasta dishes (technically 4 if you count the tortellini soup). This cold weather we have been having has made me crave comfort food and what better comfort food than pasta? I decided to give this a whirl and we enjoyed it last night at dinner. My favorite part was the olives, next time I am adding a bunch more because I am an olive lover. We ended up cubing the chicken after it was cooked to make it easier for the kids to eat (we used more than 2 pieces). I think I prefer it this way, though I have nothing to compare it to so what do I know!

Pantry Pasta for  Two by The Pioneer Woman

Ingredients

• 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
• ½ whole Red Onion, Diced
• 3 cloves Garlic, Minced
• 1 can (14.5 Ounce) Diced Tomatoes With Juice
• ⅓ cups Assorted Olives, Pitted And Roughly Chopped
• ⅓ cups White Wine
• 2 whole Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts, Pounded To Even Thickness
• Kosher Salt
• Freshly Ground Black Pepper
• 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
• 1 Tablespoon Butter
• Grated Parmesan Cheese
• ½ pounds Linguine, Cooked Al Dente And Drained
• 1 teaspoon Olive Oil

Directions

1. Heat medium skillet over medium-low heat. Add olive oil. When warm add diced red onion and stir. Cook slowly for five minutes, stirring occasionally. Add garlic, then stir and cook for one minute. Pour in diced tomatoes with their juice. Add chopped olives. Stir and cook for a minute or two. 
2. Splash in wine, then stir and simmer over low heat for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. While sauce is cooking, sprinkle salt and freshly ground black pepper over the chicken breasts. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a separate skillet. Cook on both sides until golden brown and done. Set aside. 
4.  Toss cooked linguine in olive oil and arrange on a small platter. Spoon 3/4 of the sauce over the pasta. Place chicken on top, then spoon remaining sauce over the chicken. Sprinkle on grated Parmesan and serve immediately.

Pasta with Tomato Cream Sauce

Is there a pasta dish by Pioneer Woman that I do not love? I highly doubt it! When it comes to pasta, Ree knows her stuff! I think my obsession with her pasta dishes come from an obsession of fatty products (butter, heavy cream & wine!). It's not a PW recipe if it does not contain butter! 

Growing up in an Italian family pasta was pretty much a novelty. We had pasta at least twice a week and always on the holidays (along with an assortment of meat). But the kicker is, I dont really like "pasta". Sure, I love noodles (carbs anyone?) but when it comes to the sauce, I am not a huge fan. Not only do I not really care for the sauce, the smell is almost nauseating to me. So I avoid pasta usually because that marinara smell does not my mouth water. I dont enjoy homemade sauce, nor do I enjoy the jarred stuff.

This dish however is delicious, its like pasta for grown-ups, except my kids love it to! I could live on this pasta, it's that delicious (as are all her other pasta dishes). What makes it so different? The butter, the cream, and the lack of thick, pasty, tomato sauce. 

Pasta with Tomato Cream Sauce by The Pioneer Woman

Ingredients

• 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
• 2 Tablespoons Butter
• 1 whole Medium Onion, Finely Diced
• 4 cloves Garlic, Minced
• 2 cans (15 Ounce Each) Tomato Sauce Or Marinara Sauce
• Salt And Pepper, to taste
• Dash Of Sugar (more To Taste)
• 1 cup Heavy Cream
• Grated Parmesan Or Romano Cheese, To Taste
• Fresh Basil, Chopped
• 1-½ pound Fettuccine (I used penne in the picture but have used fettuccine in the past)

Directions

1. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain, reserving 1 cup of pasta water.
2. Heat butter and oil over medium heat. Add onions and garlic and saute for a minute or so. Pour in tomato sauce and add salt, pepper, and sugar to taste. Stir and cook over low heat for 25 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Remove from heat and stir in cream. Add cheese to taste, then check seasonings. Stir in pasta and chopped basil and serve immediately. (Thin with pasta water before adding basil if needed.)

Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole

I've had this recipe for a few years but cant recall where exactly I got it from. Its really delicious and easy to make! I love chicken cordon bleu but sometimes I dont have enough time on a weeknight to put it together. This casserole taste just like it but is a lot quicker and easy to do after working all day. 

Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole

Ingredients

•  2 lbs skinless, boneless chicken breasts cut into chunks
• Bread crumbs
• 1 egg
• 1 1/2 cup milk
• 8oz swiss chesse, cubed
• 8oz ham, diced
• 1 can cream of chicken soup

Directions

1. Whisk together the egg and 1/2 cup of milk. Dip chunks of chicken into egg mixture, then into bread crumbs, coating well. Brown in a little oil until golden.
2. Place chunks in baking dish, add cubes of swiss cheese and diced ham.
3. Mix cream of chicken soup with 1 cup of milk; mix well and pour over. Bake about 30 minutes at 350 F or until tender and bubbly.

Grilled Chicken with Lemon Basil Pasta

Omg this is so good! Its like the three cheese chicken penne from applebees. Yum! I even had the leftovers for lunch, that's how good it is!

Grilled Chicken with Lemon Basil Pasta by Pioneer Woman

Ingredients

• 4 whole Grilled Chicken Breasts, Sliced
• 1 pound Penne Pasta, Cooked Until Al Dente
• ½ sticks Butter
• 3 whole Lemons, Juiced
• ¾ cups Heavy Cream
• ¼ cups Half-and-half
• 1-½ cup Grated Parmesan Cheese (or Romano)
• Salt And Freshly Ground Black Pepper, To Taste
• 20 whole Basil Leaves, Chopped

Directions

Cook pasta, reserving 1 cup of hot pasta water when you drain. Set pasta aside in a colander.

In the same pot, melt butter over medium heat. Squeeze in the juice of 3 to 4 lemons. Whisk together. Pour in cream and half-and-heat. Whisk until hot. Dump in cheese and whisk until melted. Add salt and pepper. Check consistency, adding some of the hot pasta water to loosen the sauce if needed.

Pour pasta and sauce into a large serving bowl. Sprinkle remaining basil all over the top, then add sliced chicken breasts. Serve immediately!

Springy Shells

Do you love pasta and veggies? If so this recipe is for you! Its similar to a baked ziti but without red sauce and with a ton of veggies. Yum, yum, yum! Even my kids gobbled this up!

Springy Shells by Pioneer Woman

Ingredients

• 16 ounces, weight Pasta Shells (medium) Or Other Short Pasta
• 1 pound Asparagus (cut Into 1 1/2 Inch Pieces) Discard Tough Pieces
• ½ pounds Broccoli, Cut Into Small Florets
• ½ pounds Zucchini (about 1 Medium Zucchini) Diced
• ½ cups Frozen Peas
• 3 whole Green Onions Sliced (white & Light Green Parts)
• 3 cloves Garlic, Minced
• 4 Tablespoons Butter
• 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
• 20 ounces, weight Ricotta Cheese (20 - 22 Ozs.)
• ½ teaspoons Salt
• 2 whole Eggs
• 1-½ cup Parmesan Cheese
• Black Pepper, Freshly Ground
• Extra Olive Oil For Drizzling

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cook pasta until extremely al dente—with still quite a bit of bite.

Melt butter with the olive oil over medium-low to medium heat, then add in the garlic. Add the asparagus to the pan and cook for five minutes. Sprinkle in a little salt.

Add the broccoli and cook for one minute, then add the zucchini and cook for one or two more minutes. Add the frozen peas, still together then turn off the heat. Set aside.

In a separate bowl, mix the ricotta, eggs, salt, and pepper until well combined.

Assembly:

Butter a 9×13-inch baking dish. Add half the pasta, then spread 1/3 cup of the ricotta mixture over the surface. Sprinkle 1/3 of the Parmesan over the ricotta, then ½ of the vegetables. Repeat with the rest of the pasta, the rest of the ricotta, and another 1/3 of the Parmesan. End with the rest of the vegetables and the rest of the Parmesan.

Drizzle with a couple of tablespoons olive oil, then bake for 25 minutes on 350 degrees or until nice and hot.

Serve with extra Parmesan, crusty French bread, and chilled white wine. Yummy!

Slow Cooker Chinese Chicken Curry

If you like curry chicken, and you love using the slow-cooker then this recipe is perfect. When I was mixing the ingredients together my eyes were watering so I was worried it was going to be hot (even though we love spice to our food) but surprisingly it wasnt. It had a tiny bite to it but was definitely not over-powered.

Slow Cooker Chinese Chicken Curry

Ingredients:

• 2 Onions, chopped
• 2 Garlic Cloves, chopped
• 1 TBSP Curry Powder
• 2 TSP Light Brown Sugar
• 200ml Chicken Stock
• 2 TBSP Soy Sauce
• 4 Skinless Chicken Breasts, cut into chunks
• 3 TBSP Cornflour

Directions:

1. Heat some oil in a skillet (or wok), add onions and garlic and fry for 2 minutes.
2. Stir in curry powder and fry for further 30 seconds.
   
3. Add sugar, stock and soy sauce and bring to the boil
4. Toss the chicken pieces in the cornflour and lay in bottom of slow cooker, pour sauce over chicken and cook on low for 4-6 hours
5. Season and serve with rice.

Spinach-Artichoke Cheesy Tortellini

Omg this is beyond delicious! If you love spinach & artichoke dip, you'll love this. It taste exactly the same, hot, gooey, cheesy, goodness! It is to die for and will be added to our regular rotation.

Spinach-Artichoke Cheesy Tortellin by Rachael Ray

Ingredients:

• 1 10oz box frozen spinach
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive-oil
• 1 tbsp butter
• 3 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 small onion, peeled & halved
• 2 tbsp flour
• 1 cup chicken stock
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1/8 tsp nutmeg
• 1 14oz can artichoke hearts in water, drained & chopped
• 1 lb cheese tortellini
• salt & pepper to tate
• Parmesan cheese (a few handfuls)

Directions:

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil to cook the pasta.
   
2. Microwave the spinach on high for 6 minutes to defrost.
3. Heat a deep skillet over medium heat with oil and butter. When the butter melts and is hot, add the garlic.
4. Using a box grater, grate the onion directly into the skillet. Saute the onions and garlic for 5 minutes.
5. Sprinkle the flour into the skillet and cook for 1 minute.
6. Whisk in the stock, then the cream, and bring the sauce to a bubble.
7. Season the sauce with nutmeg and reduce heat to low.
8. Place the defrosted spinach in a clean kitchen down and wring it dry.
   
9. Separate it as you add it to the sauce, stir in the chopped artichokes and a couple handfuls of cheese, then season the spinach-artichoke sauce with salt & pepper.
10. Salt the boiling water and cook the tortellini according to package directions, about 3 -5 minutes. Drain it well and toss with the spinach-artichoke sauce. Serve immediately.
    

Pioneer Woman's Penne a la Betsy

This is my favorite recipe (so far) out of Pioneer Woman Cooks! It is so delicious and I could just eat it forever. Thinking of it makes my mouth water, that's how delicious this is! Even better is that my husband cooked this so all I had to do was add it to was savor the smell and sample the deliciousness!

Penne a la Betsy by The Pioneer Woman

Ingredients

• ¾ pounds Penne Pasta
• 1 pound Shrimp
• 3 Tablespoons Butter
• 3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
• 1 whole Onion (small)
• 2 cloves Garlic
• ½ cups White Wine (or To Taste)
• 1 can Tomato Sauce (8 Oz)
• 1 cup Heavy Cream
• Fresh Parsley, to taste
• Fresh Basil - To Taste
• Salt To Taste
• Pepper To Taste

Instructions

• Cook the penne pasta until al dente.
• Peel and rinse (under cool water) 1 pound of large shrimp.
  
• Heat about 1 tbsp. butter and olive oil in a skillet.
  
• Add the shrimp and cook for a couple minutes until just opaque. Do not overcook them.
  
• Remove from heat and let cool for a few minutes.
• Finely dice one small onion.
  
• Mince two cloves of garlic.
• In a large skillet heat 2 tablespoons of butter and 2 tablespoons olive oil.
  
• Add the garlic and onion and sauté, stirring occasionally.
  
• After the garlic and onions have cooked a bit add your white wine.
  
• Let the wine evaporate for a few minutes, stirring occasionally. If you would rather not use wine, you can use low-sodium chicken broth instead (about ½ cup).
• Now add an 8-ounce can of plain tomato sauce. Stir well until combined.
  
• Then add 1 cup of heavy cream. Continue stirring.
  
• Turn heat down to low and let simmer.
• Now chop your herbs, about a tablespoon of chopped parsley and about the same amount of chopped basil, or if you’re feeling very proper, chiffonaded.
• Now add your chopped shrimp back into the tomato cream sauce.
  
• Give it a stir and add salt and pepper to taste.
  
• Throw in your herbs and stir until combined.
  
• Finally add your cooked penne pasta and give it a good stir.

Baked Macaroni & Cheese

Omg this is so good! It's beyond good. By far the BEST mac & cheese I have EVER had! So cheesy and buttery and crunchy and delicious. There is nothing I dislike about this, it's perfect!!

Baked Macaroni & Cheese by Alton Brown

Ingredients

• 1/2 pound elbow macaroni
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 3 tablespoons flour
• 1 tablespoon powdered mustard
• 3 cups milk
• 1/2 cup yellow onion, finely diced
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1 large egg
• 12 ounces sharp cheddar, shredded
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• Fresh black pepper

Topping:

• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1 cup panko bread crumbs

Directions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• In a large pot of boiling, salted water cook the pasta to al dente.
• While the pasta is cooking, in a separate pot, melt the butter.
  
• Whisk in the flour and mustard and keep it moving for about five minutes. Make sure it's free of lumps.
  
• Stir in the milk, onion, bay leaf, and paprika. Simmer for ten minutes and remove the bay leaf.
• Temper in the egg.
  
• Stir in 3/4 of the cheese.
  
• Season with salt and pepper.
  
• Fold the macaroni into the mix and pour into a 2-quart casserole dish.
  
• Top with remaining cheese.
• Melt the butter in a saute pan and toss the bread crumbs to coat.
  
• Top the macaroni with the bread crumbs.
  
• Bake for 30 minutes.
  
• Remove from oven and rest for five minutes before serving.

Shrimp Scampi with Linguini

I've never had shrimp scampi before and came across this recipe and decided to try it out. I'm always trying to find ways to make more seafood during the week. After I went ahead and bought all the ingredients my husband informed me that he doesnt like shrimp scampi but would eat it anyways. He ended up eating two big plate-fulls. I think this is definitely a keeper!

Shrimp Scampi by Tyler Florence

Ingredients:

• 1 pound linguini
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
• 1 large shallot, finely diced
• 5 cloves garlic, sliced
• Pinch red pepper flakes, optional
• 20 large shrimp, about 1 pound, peeled and deveined, tail on
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 1 lemon, juiced
• 1/4 cup finely chopped parsley leaves

Directions
- For the pasta, put a large pot of water on the stove to boil. When it has come to the boil, add a couple of tablespoons of salt and the linguini.

-Stir to make sure the pasta separates; cover. When the water returns to a boil, cook for about 6 to 8 minutes or until the pasta is not quite done. Drain the pasta reserving 1 cup of water.

- Meanwhile, in a large skillet, melt 2 tablespoons butter in 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium-high heat.

- Saute the shallots, garlic, and red pepper flakes (if using) until the shallots are translucent, about 3 to 4 minutes.

- Season the shrimp with salt and pepper; add them to the pan and cook until they have turned pink, about 2 to 3 minutes.

- Remove the shrimp from the pan; set aside and keep warm.

- Add wine and lemon juice and bring to a boil.

- Add 2 tablespoons butter and 2 tablespoons oil. When the butter has melted, return the shrimp to the pan along with the parsley and cooked pasta and reserved pasta water.

- Stir well and season with salt and pepper. Drizzle over a bit more olive oil and serve immediately.

Shells Stuffed with Pancetta & Spinach

I was in the mood for some yummy Italian-style food that didnt involved alfredo or marinara. I came across this recipe and thought it sounded good so I went ahead and made it. It's so yummy and cheesy. One of my favorites for sure! It's pretty easy to make too.

Shells with Crispy Pancetta & Spinach by Giada De Laurentiis

• 1 (12-ounce) package jumbo shells pasta
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 pound thick-cut pancetta, cut into 3/4-inch cubes
• 2 pounds frozen spinach, thawed and drained
• 1 (15-ounce) container whole milk ricotta
• 1 cup grated asiago cheese
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

Sauce

• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 cup cream
• 2 cups grated asiago cheese, plus 1/4 cup
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain pasta.

- Warm the olive oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium heat. Add the pancetta and cook until lightly golden, about 5 minutes. Remove the pancetta from the pan with a slotted spoon and transfer to a large bowl.

- Add the spinach, ricotta cheese, asiago cheese, pepper, and nutmeg. Stir to combine.

- Stuff the shells with about 2 tablespoons of the spinach mixture each and place the stuffed shells in a large, buttered baking dish.

For the sauce:

- Melt the butter in a medium saucepan.

- Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.

- Add the cream and bring to a simmer. Turn the heat to very low and add the 2 cups asiago cheese, parsley, and pepper.

- Stir until the cheese is dissolved. Pour the sauce over the shells. Top with the remaining 1/4 cup asiago cheese.

- Bake until golden on top, about 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and serve immediately.

Chicken Tortilla Soup with Lime

I got this recipe out of Rachael Ray 365: No repeats. I'm usually not a big fan of Rachael's cooking, it usually taste kind of bland to me, but what do you expect for making dinner in 30 minutes? I once ate at this delicious Mexican restaurant and had the chicken tortilla soup, it's one of my favorites so when I came across this recipe I decided to give it a try. It was surprisingly good and had a lot of flavor. I almost messed up the recipe but after a reminder from my husband that I dont know to follow it word for word, I was able to quickly save it and make it yummy.

Ingredients
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 1/2 lbs chicken tenders
- 3 garlic cloves, chopped
- 1 green bell pepper, cored, seeded and chopped
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 1 jalapeno, minced
- 2 celery ribs, finely chopped
- 1/2 tbsp ground cumin
- 1 tbsp ground coriander
- 2 cups yellow corn tortilla chips
- 2 tsp hot sauce
- 1 quart chicken stock
- 1/2 c sour cream
- 1/2 c fresh cilantro leaves, chopped
- 4 scallions, white & green parts thinly sliced
- salt & pepper
- zest & juice from 2 limes

::Directions::

- Preheat a medium soup pot over medium-high heat and add the extra virgin olive oil.

- Chop the chicken tenders into bite size pieces and season with salt & pepper, then add to the soup pot.

- Lightly brown the chicken, 3 to 4 minutes, then add the garlic, bell pepper, jalapeno, onions, celery, cumin, coriander, salt & pepper. Continue to cook for 3 minutes, stirring frequently.

- While that is cooking, place the tortilla chips into a food processor and process until well ground. If you dont have a food processor place the chips into a sealable storage bag and crush with rolling pin. Add the ground tortilla chips to the soup pot and stir to combine.

- Add the chicken stock and bring the soup to a simmer *. Simmer the soup for 15 minutes.

- Ladle the soup into bowls & garnish with the sour cream. Pass the lime zest, chopped cilantro, and scallions in shallow bowls for each person to add to taste. **

* In case you noticed, the recipe never says what to do with the hot sauce, silly Rachael! This is when I would add it (I actually didnt noticed until after I cooked and ate dinner that I forgot to add it).
** I added half a lime juice to the soup, along with a handful of cilantro and scallions half way into the simmering process.

colorado chili

This recipe is so good and so easy to play around with. I've made it 3 or 4 times now and every time I add something different. I found this recipe from my friend Katie, you can view her blog here, "Busy Mom's Cookbook", she has tons of fabulous recipes!

Here is the original recipe copied from her blog, I used 1 pound of ground turkey for a smaller batch. Enjoy!

Colorado Chili

This recipe is a combination of a few recipes I've tried. Deon really likes Boulder hot italian sausage and hates kidney beans so this is the chili recipe I came up with for him. If you don't like sausage just use 2lbs of ground beef or turkey. And of course, you can use dark red kidney beans instead of plain red beans. It also makes a TON of Chili and freezes very well. We ended up with about 5 meals for the two of us (very generous portions). We ate one and I froze 4 in gallon ziploc bags.

Ingredients

1 lb ground beef

1 lb hot italian sausage - We like Boulder Sausage. (Boulder sausage is a Colorado thing - don't kill yourself trying to find it if you don't live here, :P)

2 cups chopped onions

1 cup chopped green sweet peppers

4 garlic cloves minced

2 (14 1/2 ounce)cans tomatoes , cut up (I used one plaincan and one can of rotel for extra kick)

2 (15 ounce)cans red beans , rinsed and drained

2 (8 ounce)cans tomato sauce

4-5 teaspoons chili powder

1 teaspoon dried basil , crushed

1/2 teaspoon pepper

Directions

1. In a large saucepan cook meat, onion, sweet pepper, and garlic until meat is brown and onion is tender. Drain fat.

2. Stir in undrained tomatoes beans, tomato sauce, chili powder, basil, and pepper.

3. Bring to boil; reduce heat.

4. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes.

5. Crockery-cooker directions: Cook meat, onion, sweet pepper, and garlic as above. Drain fat. In a 3-1/2- or 4-quart electric crockery cooker combine meat mixture, undrained tomatoes, beans, tomato sauce, chili powder, basil and pepper. Cover; cook on low-heat setting for 8 to 10 hours on high-heat setting for 4 to 5 hours.

sausage, spinach & roasted red pepper alfredo

I got this recipe from my friend Joie, you can view her blog "Cook Now, Eat Later". It is so easy and cheap to make it but the taste is incredible! Perfect for a weeknight meal when you are in a hurry. My 2 year old also loved this, woohoo!

Ingredients
- 1 jar roasted red pepper alfredo (Classico)
- 1 box frozen spinach
- 4 mild Italian sausages *
- 1 box fettucine

Directions::
- Put the sausage in a pan and cook half way. Take them out and cut into bite sized rounds. Put them back into the pan until cooked through.

- Microwave spinach to defrost ** Squeeze mositure out of spinach using cheesecloth (or dishtowel that you dont mind staining).

- Add the spinach to the sauce and break it up. Add the sauce and cook until heated through.

- Serve over boiled fettucine

* Next time we will use spicy sausage, we like the extra kick
** I defrosted the spinach by leaving it in the sink for most of the day while the sausage defrosted.

creamy broccoli soup

Broccoli soup is one of my favorite soups, its so delicious on a cold fall day. This recipe is also delicious!!

Ingredients
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 4 slices of bacon, chopped
- 1 large yellow onion, chopped
- 5 garlic cloves, chopped
- 1 tbsp fresh thyme
- salt and pepper
- Hot Sauce
- 2 10 ounce boxes of frozen chopped broccoli *
- 1 quart of chicken stock
- ½ cup of heavy cream or half and half

- 1/4 cup cup parsley
- Zest and juice of one lemon
- 1 cup of shredded sharp Cheddar
- 3 tbsp chopped fresh chives

Directions::
- Heat a large soup pan over medium heat and add the extra virgin olive oil.

- Add the bacon and cook until crisp. Remove the crispy bacon and let it drain on a paper towel.

- Add the onions, garlic and thyme to the pot and season with salt, pepper, and hot sauce. Cook, stirring frequently until the onions are tender.

- Add the broccoli and heat thoroughly. Transfer the onions and broccoli ** to the food processor with ½ cup of chicken stock and puree until smooth. ***

- Add the pureed mixture back to the pan and then add the remaining chicken stock and cream. Bring to a simmer and cook for 8 to 10 minutes.

- To finish the soap add the lemon zest and juice and stir to combine. Dish up and Serve. ****

* I used fresh broccoli, about 3-4 cups.
** I added some of the bacon to the blender also.
*** Next time I will leave some out so its chunky, we prefer chunky soup.
**** I added this to bread bowls and it was delicious! My 2 y/o gobbled it up.