Southwestern Chili with Corn

I found this recipe in a Real Simple cookbook and it lives up to the name. It's simple, fast and really tasty.  It was originally a beef chili, but I tweaked it to make it meatless.  I'll include the meaty directions so you can decide how you want to make it.

1 T olive oil
2 carrots, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 jalapeno, chopped
1 bell pepper, chopped
1 can kidney beans, drained & rinsed
{1/2 pound ground beef, omit kidney beans}
2 T tomato paste*
2 cans black beans, drained & rinsed
1 T chili powder
3 cups vegetable or beef broth {or water}
kosher salt & black pepper
1/2 cup corn kernels

Heat the oil in a large saucepan over meduim-high heat.  Add the carrots, onion, and peppers and cook, stirring, for three minutes.  {Add the beef and cook, breaking it up with a spoon until no longer pink, 3 to 5 minutes.}  Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring, until it is slightly darkened, 1 minute.  Stir in the beans, chili powder, broth {or water}, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper.  Simmer over medium heat until the vegetables are tender, 8 to 10 minutes.  Stir in the corn.  Serve, {topping with shredded cheese and diced scallions.}  We love this with Pancheri cornbread.


*I used to hate using only a few tablespoons of tomato paste, because I usually ended up throwing the leftovers away. It finally dawned on me that I could freeze the extra in silicone ice cube trays.  I do that until they're solid, then throw them in a freezer bag in the freezer.  It works perfectly to throw into soups later. I just wanted to pass along my a-ha! moment*

Butternut Squash Mac & Cheese

Since I am soy-free, dairy-free these days, I am always on the lookout for new dinner recipes that are tasty, healthy, and don't make me feel deprived.  Enter this recipe, yet another from Brooke.  I'm in love.

1 fresh butternut squash

1 T Earth Balance

1 cup almond milk

1 tbsp flour

5 T nutritional yeast

2 tsp Dijon mustard

1/4 tsp garlic powder

3/4 tsp kosher salt  

ground black pepper

8oz whole wheat elbows

green mix-ins (spinach, kale, collards, etc)

Preheat oven to 350 F.  Cut butternut squash in half and peel.  Scoop out seeds with spoon.  Place cut side down in a 9x13 pan.  Add about 1/4-1/2 inch of water.   Bake for 45-60 min.  Once done, puree in food processor.*  

Meanwhile, prepare the cheese sauce in a pot on the stove top. Add Earth Balance over low-medium heat.   In a bowl, whisk together milk and flour until clumps are gone. Add into pot and whisk. Stir in nutritional yeast, Dijon, garlic, and salt & pepper and whisk over low heat until thickened, about 5-7 minutes.

Cook your pasta according to package directions.

In a blender, blend the sauce with 1 cup of roasted squash. {I added a little more than 1 cup, and it made it extra-saucy & creamy. Yum.}

Add cooked, drained, and rinsed macaroni into pot, along with cheese sauce & mix-ins. Heat through and serve.

*A 3.5 pound squash makes about 5 cups cooked squash – I froze my leftovers in silicone ice cube trays and will either thaw to use as baby food or throw them in green smoothies.*

Un-refried beans

I don't remember where I printed this recipe from, but man alive, are they good.  They're so simple and cheap and I had a hard time not eating the whole batch with a spoon right out of the crock pot. These are great on tostadas, in bean burritos, as a side dish, or any other way you can imagine them. 

1 lb. dry pinto beans, picked through and rinsed

1 medium onion, diced

1 jalapeno, diced

1 T garlic, minced

1 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp chili powder

10-15 cranks cracked black pepper

1-2 tsp salt

6 cups water

Place onion, garlic, jalapeno, cumin, chili powder and pepper into crockpot.  Add the sorted and rinsed beans and the water.  Stir everything well to distribute seasoning.  Cook on high for 4 hours on high or 8 hours on low.  After cooking, remove as much water as possible, saving it in a bowl.  Mash the beans {I used my potato masher}, adding in just enough reserved water to get the consistency you want.  Season the mashed beans with salt.  I would start with 1 tsp, taste, and add more if needed.

This recipe ends up making about six cups of refried beans, so I took the leftovers and divided them into two-cup batches in ziploc freezer bags. Cool completely in refrigerator, then transfer to freezer.  To use the frozen beans, you can just put them in the fridge in the morning and they'll be thawed by dinner.  Or, if you're like me and can't seem to plan that far in advance, you can always put the whole ziploc bag into a bowl of warm water and they thaw in no time.

Oatmeal Berry Muffins

I got this recipe somewhere, but I have no idea what blog I pulled it from. All I know is this was adapted from Joy the Baker and that Matt and his coworkers polished off a double batch in record time.

1 1/4 cups whole wheat flour
1 1/4 cups oats
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/2 cup low-fat buttermilk
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
2 T canola oil
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp almond extract
1 cup frozen berries {I used raspberries, blackberries & blueberries}

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a muffin tin with paper liners or spray with Pam. {If you want to freeze these, use Pam instead of liners.}

In a large bowl, combine flour, oats, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. In a medium bowl, combine applesauce, buttermilk, sugar, oil, egg and extracts. Make a well in dry ingredients and add applesauce mixture. Stir until just moist. Fold in berries. Fill muffin cups 2/3 full. Bake for 16-18 minutes. Cool on a rack.

{These freeze very well. I just let them cool on the rack, then put a dozen into a gallon freezer bag and froze laying flat. I just took a couple out of the freezer and put them in a ziploc the night before and put it with Matt's lunch in the fridge and they were thawed and ready to eat by breakfast time.}

Skillet Chicken with Broccoli, Pasta & Parmesan

This is the closest thing to Macaroni Grill's Pasta Milano I've tried. The recipe makes it look more difficult than it actually is, I promise. It's really, really good right after you cook it and the leftovers are fantastic.

2-3 chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch cubes
3 T olive oil
1 onion, minced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
12 ounces penne {I used whole wheat}
4 1/4 cup water
2 1/2 cups chicken broth
4-5 cups broccoli {I used 4 and didn't think it was enough}
{I think I'll add 8 oz. of sliced mushrooms next time}
1/2 cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, rinsed & coarsely chopped
3/4 cup heavy cream
3/4 cup grated parmesan
1 1/2 T lemon juice

Season the chicken with salt & pepper. Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken in a single layer and cook for 1 minute without stirring. Stir the chicken and continue to cook until most, but not all, of the pink color has disappeared, 1 to 2 minutes longer. Transfer the chicken to a clean bowl and set aside.

Add the remaining tablespoon of oil, the onion and 1/2 tsp salt to the skillet. Return to medium-high heat and cook until the onion is softened. Stir in the garlic, oregano and red pepper and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

Add the pasta, 3 cups of water and the broth. Bring to a boil over high heat and cook until the liquid is very thick and almost completely absorbed, 12 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add the broccoli, sun-dried tomatoes and remaining 1 1/4 cups water. Cover, reduce the heat to medium, and cook until the broccoli turns bright green and is almost tender, 2-3 minutes.

Uncover and return the heat to medium-high. Stir in the cream, parmesan and reserved chicken with any accumulated juices and continue to simmer, uncovered, until the sauce is thickened and the chicken is cooked and heated through, 1 to 2 minutes. Off the heat, stir in the lemon juice and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve with more parmesan cheese.

I printed this recipe off a blog several months ago but have no idea which one. If I figure it out, I'll update this post to give credit where credit is due.

Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

These are super yummy. I never would have thought of doing pumpkin cupcakes. These aren't as pumpkin-y as pumpkin pie or pumpkin bars, so even non-pumpkin-lovers (like my sister-in-law) will love them!

1 yellow cake mix
3 eggs
1/3 cup oil
1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1 15-oz can pumpkin puree
2 8-ounce pkgs. cream cheese, room temperature
2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
24 pieces candy corn

Heat oven to 350*. Line two 12-cup muffin tins with paper liners. Combine cake mix, eggs, oil, pumpkin pie spice and puree. Mix well. Divide the batter among prepared muffin tins and bake for 18-22 minutes. Allow to cool. Using an electric mixer, beat powdered sugar, cream cheese and vanilla until creamy, about 3-5 minutes. Spread or pipe frosting onto cupcakes and top each with one piece candy corn. Yields 24 cupcakes. {My batch only made about 20 cupcakes.}

Recipe (with slight changes) and picture from Real Simple.

Fusilli alla Caprese

Another great recipe from Giada. I love how fresh everything is!

Fusilli alla Caprese

• 1 pound fusilli pasta
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 cups cherry tomatoes, quartered (about 1 1/2 pints)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup packed fresh basil leaves, torn
• 8 ounces fresh mozzarella, diced (about 1 1/4 cups)

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 into a large bowl and reserve 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid.

In a medium skillet heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and saute until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes, salt, and pepper. As the tomatoes cook and soften, smash them with a fork. Continue to cook until the tomatoes make a chunky style sauce, about 4 minutes. Transfer the tomato sauce to the bowl with the pasta. Toss to combine. Add the basil leaves and mozzarella. Stir to combine. Add the reserved pasta water, 1/4 cup at a time, until the pasta is moist. Serve.

*picture from here

Mexican Rice

I love the rice you get at Mexican restaurant and finally found a make-at-home recipe that rivals them. It was really easy and turned out perfectly, even though I'm afraid of making rice on the stove and usually use my trusty rice cooker. 

Mexican Rice

3 T vegetable oil
1 cup uncooked rice (not instant)
1 tsp garlic salt
1/2 tsp cumin
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup tomato sauce
2 cups chicken broth

Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat and add rice. Cook, stirring constantly, until puffed and golden. While rice is cooking, sprinkle with salt and cumin.  Stir in onions and cook until tender. Stir in tomato sauce and chicken broth; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes. Fluff with a fork.

veggie gnocchi

I love, love, love gnocchi and order it whenever I go somewhere that serves it. I tried making homemade gnocchi one time and it wasn't really worth the effort. Then, hallelujah, I found it in the pasta aisle at Wal-Mart. Happy day. This recipe was the perfect dish to make with it. Light, easy, summery and with tasty leftovers. Enjoy.

1 T olive oil
1 zucchini, quartered lengthwise and sliced crosswise
1 summer squash, quartered lengthwise, and sliced crosswise
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 pint grape tomatoes, halved
1 lb. gnocchi
1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
2 T grated Romano cheese
1 T butter
2 tsp fresh lemon juice

Set a large pot of salted water to boil. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high. Add squash and garlic and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until squash is crisp-tender, 4 to 5 minutes. Add tomatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, until juicy, about 2 minutes. Meanwhile, cook gnocchi according to package instructions. Reserving 1/2 cup cooking liquid, drain gnocchi and transfer to skillet. Toss gnocchi, adding enough cooking liquid to create sauce. Remove from heat and stir in basil, cheese, butter, and lemon juice.

enchilada bake

Here's another blog-stalked recipe. It's going on my regular meals list!

8 small flour tortillas, torn into quarters
1 Tbsp. olive oil
6 large leaves of kale, finely chopped
1 cup frozen corn
1/2 onion, chopped
2 cups cooked brown rice
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can cream of chicken soup
1/2 soup can of milk
2 cups salsa, divided
1/4 tsp. cumin
1/2 cup shredded cheddar

Saute onion and kale together with olive oil. Add corn and cook until no longer frozen. In large bowl, combine rice, beans, soup, milk, cumin and 1 cup salsa. Add kale/onion/corn mixture to bowl and mix well. Spray 9x13 pan with Pam and line with half of tortilla quarters. Spoon filling into pan and then top with remaining tortillas. Spread remaining 1 cup salsa on top {cover the entire thing - this keeps the tortillas from getting crispy while cooking} and sprinkle with shredded cheddar. Cook for 25 minutes at 375*.

Black Bean Fajitas

I've started blog-stalking the recipe blog of a girl in my ward. She has some great, healthy meals. This one was really tasty.

2 green bell peppers, cut into strips
1 onion, cut into strips
4 oz sliced mushrooms
1 cup frozen corn
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 fajita seasoning packet + 1/4 cup water
2 cups cooked brown rice
guacamole
salsa, sour cream, and cheese if desired

Cook brown rice as directed. In a large skillet heat 1-2 Tbsp. olive oil and saute vegetables until tender crisp. Add black beans. Combine fajita seasoning mix with 1/4 cup of water. Add to cooked vegetables. Stir and cook until most of the liquid is absorbed.

Assemble however you like on the tortillas and enjoy! I think the next time I make these I might even just opt to eat them as a burrito bowl with a bit of extra rice!

Italian Sausage Rotini

I got this recipe from the Kraft website, but ended up changing a few things. It actually tastes a lot like Michelle's cavatini recipe, but wasn't as time-intensive. This is how I made it, and we both loved it. I'm definitely making it again.

3 1/2 cups uncooked wheat rotini {any pasta will really work}
1 lb. bulk sweet italian sausage
2 green peppers, cut into chunks
2 cups spaghetti sauce {plain old traditional Ragu works great}
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese

Cook the pasta as directed. While that's cooking, brown sausage with green peppers on medium-high heat. Drain excess fat and then add spaghetti sauce. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook until heated through. Drain pasta and then add to the skillet. Add the cheese and stir to combine. Serve with steamed veggies and garlic pull-aparts.

**Next time, I'm going to throw in a bunch of sliced mushrooms to cook with the sausage & peppers. Yum!***

Shredded Chicken Pitas

I've been struggling to come up with meal plans the past few weeks and decided to update my recipe list. There are a few recipes I haven't posted here that are going into our regular rotation, so I thought I'd share the wealth!

First up? A great, light, summery meal from here.

2 T balsamic vinegar
1 1/2 T sun-dried tomato oil
1 T chopped sun-dried tomatoes
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 garlic clove, minced
4 cups shredded cooked chicken
1 cup chopped tomato
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup thinly sliced fresh basil
6 (6-inch) pitas, cut in half
3 cups mixed baby greens

Combine first 5 ingredients in a large bowl. Stir in chicken, tomato, cheese, and basil. Line each pita half with 1/4 cup greens. Divide chicken mixture evenly among pita halves.

strawberry cheesecake bowl

I made this for Amy's celebratory dessert on Saturday night. It was fantastic and so pretty!

3 cups sliced fresh strawberries

3 T. sugar

2 pkg. Neufchatel Cream Cheese, softened

1-1/2 cups cold milk

1 pkg {3.4 oz} vanilla instant pudding

2 cups thawed Cool Whip Lite, divided

2 cups frozen pound cake, cut into 1-inch cubes

1 square Baker's Semi-Sweet Chocolate {I just used a handful of chocolate chips}

Combine berries and sugar and refrigerate until needed. Beat cream cheese with mixer until creamy. Add milk and vanilla pudding; blend until smooth. Stir in 1 1/2 cups Cool Whip until well blended. Spoon half into 2 1/2 quart bowl or trifle dish. Top with cake cubes, then strawberries, then remaining cream cheese mixture. Refrigerate 4 hours. Top with remaining Cool Whip. Melt chocolate in bowl and drizzle over the top. If you want to get fancy, you can even chocolate-coat a strawberry for the top. Enjoy!

Easy Italian Pasta Bake

This is another recipe from the Kraft Food & Family website. I've decided I'm only going to cook 'fancy' meals once or twice per week and will do easy/cheap meals the other nights. This falls into the latter category.

1 lb. lean ground beef {or turkey or sausage}
3 cups whole wheat penne, cooked & drained {I only boiled mine for 6 mins. b/c it's going to be baked and I didn't want it to get soggy}
1 jar spaghetti sauce
1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 1/2 cups grated mozzarella
1 tsp italian seasoning
3 cloves garlic, minced

Heat oven to 375*. Brown meat in large skillet with italian seasoning and garlic. Drain. Add pasta, sauce and 1/2 the parmesan and mix well. Spoon into 9x13 pan and top with remaining cheeses. Bake for 20 mins. I served mine with Rhodes rolls and steamed broccoli. Yummy!

Albondigas

I wasn't convinved this was a great recipe when I originally made it, but the leftovers have convinced me. I've eaten this five times already.

2 T olive oil
2 3/4 cup chopped onion
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 bay leaves
3 quarts beef or chicken broth {I used both}
2 14-oz cans of diced tomatoes with juice
1/2 cup chunky tomato salsa
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

1 pound ground beef {I used turkey instead}
1/4 pound bulk pork sausage
6 T yellow cornmeal
1/4 cup milk
1 large egg
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp cumin

1/2 cup white rice

Heat oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add 1 3/4 cup onions, 2 cloves garlic, and bay leaves. Saute five minutes. Add broth, tomatoes, salsa and 1/4 cup cilantro and bring to boil. Cover and simmer 15 minutes.

Combine ground beef, sausage, cornmeal, milk, egg , salt, pepper and cumin, then rest of onions, garlic and cilantro in medium bowl. Mix well. Shape mixture into 1-inch meatballs. Add rice and meatballs to soup and bring to boil, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 20 minutes.

Enjoy!

from Bon Appetit

sweet and sour chicken

I have had terrible luck with new recipes lately. I almost didn't try this one because I didn't think I could handle another dud. I'm so, so glad I gave this one a try. It's easily one of our new favorites.

3-4 chicken breasts {I used two huge Costco ones}
salt and pepper
1 cup cornstarch
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup canola oil

Sauce:
3/4 cup sugar
4 T ketchup
1/2 c vinegar
1 T soy sauce
1 tsp garlic salt

Cut chicken into chunks. Season with salt and pepper, dip into cornstarch and then into egg. Fry in the oil until brown but not cooked through. {I did about three minutes one one side, flipped them all over and cooked for another minute or two.} Mix sauce ingredients and pour over chicken in an 8x8 baking dish. Bake for one hour at 325 degrees. I thought there was plenty of sauce, but if you want more, you can mix up another batch and simmer over medium heat until thickened. I served this over rice with a side of steamed stir-fry veggies.

from here

Southwest Chicken Chili

I found this recipe on Picky Palate and was excited to make it because it requires NO dairy! Matt's not a fan of spicy food so I dialed down the heat, but it was still excellent and way easy to make.

4 chicken breasts, cooked & shredded
2 T olive oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 large bell pepper, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
3 14-oz cans chicken broth
1 can black beans, drained
1 can kidney beans, drained
1 can cannelini beans, drained
1 14-oz can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
1 6-oz can tomato paste
1 T Tabasco {I just did a few drops}
1 T fresh lime juice
2 T chili powder {I used about half}
2 T cumin
1 1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper

Heat olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Saute onion and bell pepper until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and shredded chicken; cook for 1 minute then stir in rest of ingredients. Cook on medium heat for 5 minutes then reduce heat to low and simmer until ready to serve. You can top with cheese, sour cream, or whatever else you like. Serve with Pancheri Cornbread.

Turkey Barley Soup

I found this on allrecipes when I was looking for something to use up my Thanksgiving leftovers. I was pleasantly surprised and will make this again when I have leftover chicken or pork to use. Bonus -- it's super easy!!

2 quarts chicken broth
1 1/2 cup diced celery
1 cup barley {I'll probably do 1/2 cup next time}
1 onion, diced
3/4 cup diced carrots
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 tsp thyme
1/2 tsp sage
1 bay leaf
1/8 tsp allspice
dash cayenne
2 cups cubed turkey {or chicken or pork}
1/4 cup parsley

Combine first 12 ingredients in large pot and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 30-40 minutes. Add turkey and parsley. Heat through and serve.

Meatball Subs

For some strange reason, I had a hankering for a meatball sub. I don't think I've ever eaten a meatball sub before, but the craving was still there. I turned to reliable old allrecipes and found a winner.

1/2 lb. ground beef
1/4 c. bread crumbs
1 tsp dried Italian seasoning
1 clove garlic, minced
1 T chopped fresh parsley
1 T grated parmesan cheese {I left this out to make it non-dairy}
1/2 egg, beaten
1/2 French baguette {I used wheat sub rolls we had on hand}
1 1/2 tsp EVOO
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/2 pinch salt
7 oz. spaghetti sauce

Preheat the oven to 350*. In a medium bowl, mix the ground beef, bread crumbs, italian seasoning, garlic, parsley, parmesan cheese and egg by hand. Shape into 12 meatballs and place into a Pyrex pan. Bake for 15-20 minutes, until cooked through. Meanwhile, cut baguette in half lengthwise and scoop out some of the middle to make a well for the meatballs. Brush with olive oil and season with garlic powder and salt. Slip into the oven for the last five minutes of the meatballs' cooking time, until lightly toasted. Heat up spaghetti sauce in medium bowl in microwave. When meatballs are done, place them in bowl with sauce and mix lightly. Scoop meatballs into baguette. {I topped Matt's with shredded mozzarella cheese and put it back in the oven for a few minutes.} Enjoy!