Lasagna Soup

Lasagna Soup

Ingredients:
2 teaspoons olive oil

1. 1 1/2 lbs Italian Sausage (I usually just use 16 oz, turkey sausage is good, too)
2. 3 cups chopped onions
3. 4 garlic cloves, minced
4. 2 teaspoons dried oregano
5. optional: 1/2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes
6. 2 Tablespoons tomato paste
7. 28-ounce can diced tomatoes, preferably fire roasted
8. 2 bay leaves
9. 6 cups chicken broth
10. 8 ounces fusilli or mafalda pasta (or other pasta of your choice) (I used bowtie, whole wheat works well)
11. 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil, or a heaping tablespoon dried basil (fresh is the best, but dried works, too)
12. salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
13. 8 ounces ricotta cheese (I usually just use the whole 15 oz with a full cup of shredded parm)
14. 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese (Use the real stuff!)
15. 1/4 teaspoon salt
16. a few cracks of black pepper
17. optional: shredded mozzarella for sprinkling on top (we find it cheesy enough without this)

Directions:

1. Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add sausage, breaking up into bite sized pieces and cook until browned and cooked through. Add onions and cook until softened, about 6 minutes. Add garlic, oregano, and red pepper flakes. If you're using dried basil, add it at this point. Cook for about a minute. Add tomato paste and stir well to incorporate.
2. Add diced tomatoes, bay leaves, and chicken stock. Stir to combine. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes. You can add the dry pasta to the soup in the last 8-ish minutes of cooking, or do as I prefer, and cook the pasta separately and add to individual servings. Right before serving, stir in fresh basil if you're using fresh, and season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
3. In a small bowl, combine the ricotta, Parmesan, salt, and pepper.
4. To serve, place a generous dollop of the ricotta mixture in each soup bowl, add pasta if you cooked it separately, and ladle the hot soup over the cheese. Let it sit for a minute for the cheese to get all melty, sprinkle mozzarella on top if desired and eat up

Comments:

I've made this a couple times but forgot how easy and filling and tasty it is! Tastes like lasagna in a bowl:)

Recipe and photo source: (My favorite): http://ourbestbites.com/2012/12/lasagna-soup/

Rumbi Island Aloha Mango Chicken Salad

White chicken breast meat cut into chunks (about a cup)
3 cups chopped Romaine Lettuce 
1/3 cup red pepper diced into pieces
1/4 cup red onion, sliced very finely and then diced tiny
feta cheese crumble a tablespoon over each salad when serving
1 mango diced into half inch squares
slivered almonds
tortilla strips over the top

Citrus Salad Dressing
1/4 cup frozen orange juice from concentrate (I just did 1/2 C of orange juice)
1 Tablespoon fresh lime
1/3 cup rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar (I did rice vinegar)
1/4 cup sugar 
1/3 cup salad oil
1/4 teaspoon ginger
1/4 teaspoon Lawry's or Johnny's Seasoning Salt
A few shakes of pepperI prefer to set all the ingredients out in their own bowl and everyone can dish up the quantities they like.  And it also keeps longer in the fridge when it's not combined.

Ready for Autumn Salad

Ingredients

• Sweet potato
• Olive oil
• Cayenne
• Paprika
• Chilli powder 
• Salt
• Pepper

• Chicken
• Apple cider vinegar 
• Soy sauce or honey bbq sauce
• Brown sugar

• Pumpkin seeds
• Water
• Butter
• Brown sugar
• Cayenne

• Lettuce
• Green onion
• Feta
• Green apple
• Grapes or cranberries
• Brianna's salad dressing... The one with a strawberry on it

Directions

1. Heat oven 450F
2. Cut sweet potato into small cubes
3. Put in pan, drizzle in olive oil. Sprinkle cayenne, paprika, chili powder. Toss. Put in oven. About 25 min.
4. Put chicken in pan on low with brown sugar, table spoon or two of apple cider vinegar, and soy sauce or sweet bbq (I did a tablespoon of both) cook on low
5. Put a handful of pumpkin seeds in a tablespoon of water and boil in water until water is gone. Then add a tablespoon of butter and a tablespoon and then some of brown sugar and a sprinkle of cayenne. Stir to a bubbly boil until slightly thicker. Arrange in pan so none are overlapping, and remove from heat. It will probably turn into a type of brittle almost and that's okay. Just break apart once cool.
6. Cut lettuce, green pepper, Apple and grapes.
7. Put together with feta, nuts, chicken, and sweet potato 

Notes

I think I must be ready for the Fall... apple, sweet potato, pumpkin seeds? Geeze! Anyway, today when I opened up my fridge, wondering what to make for dinner, I looked at my sweet potato and remembered a salad Lindsay made one time for the family. And it just went from there. Jeff said it was one of the best salads he's had in his life... So maybe you'll like it too. Sorry for no measurements. If you have questions just text me. It took me about 40 minutes to make with three crazies running around and melting down. The salad looks really pretty with all the color.  Enjoy!

Skillet Meat Loaf

Ingredients:

• Ground Beef (about the size of six decks of cards)-- sorry I have a hard time measuring meat
• 3 eggs (whisked)
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1/2 onion (minced)
• 1/2 bell pepper (diced)
• 3 large mushrooms (chopped)
• salt and pepper
• two cloves garlic (minced)
• tsp cayenne
• tsp chili powder
• tsp thyme
• tsp parsley
• 2 pieces of whole wheat bread
• 1/2 lemon
• ketchup

Directions

1. Saute the onion, bell pepper, mushrooms, garlic in a large skillet. Add all the seasons and spices and let it cook until wilted.
2. Meanwhile, get the thawed but raw ground beef and add it to the whisked eggs and flour.  Mush it around with a fork or your hands until mixed.  
3. Once the veggies are cooked add them into the bowl with the beef and mix.  Squeeze the lemon into the mixture too and tear up the bread into small pieces and  mix.
4. Poor the mixture back into the large skillet you used to cook the veggies, and smoosh it flat on the pan and evenly.  Cook on each side on a medium high heat.  Kind of like a hamburger.  Before you flip the first time squirt ketchup all over the top, once you flip it after five or so minutes squirt it on the new side that's up.  
5. Continue flipping Until the meat and egg is cooked.  Wait as long as you like to flip.  The longer you wait the more of a crust it will form and look more like a meat loaf.  

Notes

I made this recipe up today, and it is one of my favorite ground beef recipes.  It will feed about three adults.  It tasted pretty fresh for a ground beef dish.  I don't like ground beef much, but I've been making chicken every night for two weeks straight so we needed to change. But  I'm so sick of cream of mushrooms/chickens, and spaghetti, and lasagnas.  So it was a nice change.  LOVED the zest.  Enjoy.  

Asian Chicken Salad

 

Salad:

Romaine Lettuce mix

Purple and Green Cabbage

Carrots

(for the above items I have found it is easiest to buy the packaged salad mix called "field greens" it has all of those items already in it, or buy a bag of romaine and a small bag of broccoli slaw.)

Green onions

Slivered Almonds

Brown Rice Noodles

Put all these items in a bowl and mix well

Breaded Chicken (Costco) or Grilled Chicken

Dressing:

Put all items in a blender and mix until combined well.

1 Clove garlic

3/4 cup sugar

1/3 cup apple cider vinegar

1/4 cup purple onion

1 tsp dijon mustard

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 cup mayo

1/2 cup veg oil

1 Tbs Poppy seeds

I usually try to make it in the morning so it has all day for the flavors to combine.

Make as side salad, or serve in warm bake at home tortillas.

*We ate this at a girls Christmas party.  AMAZING.  My new favorite dinner or lunch.  If eating with tortillas, never mix dressing with salad before.  Keep them separate so you can store salad in fridge for days. I promise, it stays good.

Skillet Cilantro and Lime Fish Tacos

Skillet Cilantro and Lime Fish Tacos

INGREDIENTS

• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1 small white or yellow onion, finely chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, finely minced
• 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded, membranes removed and finely diced
• 2 ripe tomatoes, chopped (about 2 cups)
• 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice (from about 2-3 limes)
• 1 pound tilapia, flounder or other mild white fish fillets, rinsed and patted dry
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 8 5-inch white corn tortillas
• 1-2 ripe avocados, sliced
• Lime wedges and cilantro for garnish

DIRECTIONS

1. In a large nonstick skillet, heat the olive oil and add the onions. Saute, stirring often, until translucent, about 5-6 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds or until fragrant. Add jalapenos, tomatoes and lime juice. Cook until heated through, 1-2 minutes. Add the fish and cook over medium-high heat for about 5 minutes, gently breaking up the fish into bite-sized clumps, until the fish is cooked through and the liquid in the skillet is somewhat reduced (it should be fairly wet but not really soupy). Be careful not to stir too vigorously or the fish will turn into mushy bits. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Stir in the cilantro.
2. Heat the tortillas in a dry skillet for a few minutes on each side to warm or sandwich 3-4 tortillas in between damp paper towels and microwave for 30-45 seconds until pliable. Scoop the fish mixture into the corn tortillas and top with the avocado.

Notes: 

I have never eaten fish tacos in my life so I have nothing to compare these to, but I (and the family) LOVED them! Super easy, quick, healthy, fresh, and tasty. We have a gas stove, so it was easy to warm up the tortillas and toast them a bit right on top of the gas burner - a bit on each side. We try and have fish weekly and this is definitely making into the regular rotation!

Credit:

http://www.melskitchencafe.com/skillet-cilantro-and-lime-fish-tacos/

Sausage and Spinach Penne Skillet Supper

Sausage and Spinach Penne Skillet Supper

INGREDIENTS

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 pound Italian-style turkey sausage, casings removed (I use chicken sausage when it goes on sale)
• 3 medium garlic cloves, minced finely
• 3 1/2 cups water
• 2 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1/2 cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, rinsed and chopped fine (Super yummy but if they are pricey, just use regular tomatoes)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 12 ounces (about 3 1/2 cups) penne pasta
• 1 (6-ounce) bag baby spinach
• 3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 cup toasted pine nuts (Expensive but worth it! Can find cheaper in bulk bin sections of the store, which allows you to get just the amount you want).

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat the oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until hot and add in the sausage. Cook until lightly browned and no longer pink about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
2. Stir in the water, broth, sun-dried tomatoes, and 1/2 teaspoon salt, then add in the pasta. Increase the heat to medium-high and cook (uncovered) at a strong simmer, stirring often, until the pasta is tender and the liquid has thickened, about 15-18 minutes (if you find the liquid is absorbing too quickly and the pasta is still undercooked, add a bit more water in small amounts until the pasta is cooked thoroughly).
3. Stir in the spinach, a handful at at ime, and cook until wilted. Off the heat, stir in the cheese and pine nuts. Season with salt and pepper to taste adn serve immediately.

Notes:

I love skillet recipes! I usually cook the sausage in the morning and then add the rest in the evening. Very simple to prep and tasty. This makes quite a bit, which is good for our family. It will fill a 12 inch skillet. Also, I will post my recipe for homemade chicken broth, although I'm sure there's no exact science to it!:)

Source: My latest favorite: http://www.melskitchencafe.com/sausage-and-spinach-penne-skillet-supper/

Turkey Lettuce Wraps

Turkey Lettuce Wraps

Ingredients:

• 20 ounces super-lean ground turkey
• 1/4 cup chopped green onions
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon minced ginger
• few shakes soy sauce over turkey while cooking
• 1/2 t - 1 t sesame oil (optional)
• 1 1/2 cups seeded and diced cucumber
• 1 medium red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
• 1/2 cup shredded carrot
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
• 1/4 cup chopped cashews (or peanuts, chopped)
• Juice of 2 limes (about 4 tablespoons)
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 16 lettuce leaves (I live living lettuce)

Directions:

In a medium bowl, combine the ground turkey, green onions, garlic, and ginger. Cover and refrigerate until dinner time or allow to stand at room temperature for 15 minutes.

When ready to cook, heat about 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. (I also add a bit of soy sauce to the turkey mixture). Cook the turkey mixture until it’s browning and crumbly. (I add some sesame oil when the turkey mixture is done cooking). Prep the veggies while the turkey cooks.

While the turkey is cooking, combine the limes, soy sauce, brown sugar. Set aside.

Place the remaining ingredients  in a large bowl. When the turkey is done cooking, add it to the vegetable mixture. Drizzle with the sauce and toss to combine. Serve immediately in leaves of lettuce. Makes 4 servings.

Notes:

We love this simple and healthy and yummy meal. I might have to start doubling it though! The boys all love it. We serve it in lettuce wraps but it's also good over rice as well. It's yummy cold as leftovers as well. It's really easy to cook the turkey and prep the veggies in the morning and serve for dinner later.

All credit to: http://www.ourbestbites.com/2013/03/spicy-turkey-lettuce-wraps/

Carmelized Veggie Paninis

Carmelized Veggie Paninis

Ingredients:
1 t olive oil
1 onion, sliced
1 red bell pepper, sliced
1 8 oz box of mushrooms, sliced (baby bella are great, but any kind really works)
1 t sugar (optional)
8 pieces of Naan bread (can make your own, or buy)
Roasted Red Pepper Sauce from THIS recipe
mozzarella cheese, grated (fresh is best)
Panini press (or we use our old George Foreman Grill)

Directions:
1. Heat olive oil over medium high heat. Add all sliced veggies and sautee until tender crisp. (If you have time, caramelize the onion first - sautéing until carmel in color). If you don't have time, just add a bit of sugar on top of the veggies while cooking. While the veggies are cooking, heat up your panini press or George Foreman grill.

2. Take two pieces of naan bread and spread about 1-2 t of the roasted red pepper sauce on each piece. Then on one piece of naan bread, add a spoonful of the veggies (enough to cover) and then some mozzarella per your preference). Place the other piece of naan bread on top (like a sandwich) and then place in the panic press/grill until bubbly on the inside and crispy on the outside (my grill light turns on when done).

3. Repeat with other ingredients. Makes 4 paninis (large). We cut into four pieces each. 

Notes: Jordan made these one day with leftover sauce after having the roasted red pepper melts from ourbestbites. Now I always use the leftover sauce with these! We all love these and they are easy to make! I can see myself making these a lot in the summer when we can't bear to turn the oven on.