Fancy Tomato Soup & Grilled Cheese

Here's a super fast way to make homemade tomato soup. The recipe called for Sherry, which I didn't have but I did have Marsala so I just used that up. I reduced the amount by half so it wasn't overpowering. I'm guessing you can just omit the alcohol altogether because it tasted quite good before I added it as well. It does add an extra something in the flavor department though.

I had some leftover bread and Cabot horseradish cheddar cheese so I threw some grilled cheese sammies together to go with the soup.

A little tip for leftover soups/stews... put the soup in gallon sized ziplocs, make sure to get all the air out and lay flat on baking sheets in your freezer. Once they are frozen, you can simply stack them up and they barely take up any room.

Here's how I made the Fancy Schmancy Tomato Soup...

Fancy Tomato Soup 

Serves 8 

Fancy Tomato Soup & Horseradish Cheddar Grilled Cheese

ingredients

• 1 onion, minced

• 6 Tbsp butter

• (2) 14.5 oz cans organic diced tomatoes

• 46 oz bottle tomato juice

• 5 Tbsp sugar

• 2 chicken bouillon cubes

• 1/2 cup sherry or Marsala

• 1 1/2 cups heavy cream (or you can use half/half)

• 1/4 cup each chopped parsley & basil

• Freshly Cracked Black Pepper

directions

Melt butter in large soup pot over medium heat, then saute the onions until translucent. Add the diced tomatoes, sugar, chicken bouillon and tomato juice. Stir and bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Add black pepper to taste, the cream, Marsala and herbs. Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary.

Serve with grilled cheese to dunk in the soup.

Enjoy!

This recipe was adapted from Pioneer Woman.

Tomato & Basil Pizza

This is a super simple pizza pie, but loaded with yummy ingredients. Sometimes the most simple recipes make the best meals! It's a week night and we didn't really feel much like making much of anything. With the weather being as bad as it was last night, ordering in or going out wasn't an option, so we made this....

Tomato & Basil Pizza

Serves 4-6

Tomato & Basil Pizza

ingredients

• 1 lb pizza dough

• flour & cornmeal

• Salt, pepper & red pepper flakes

• Romano cheese, grated

• Mozzarella cheese, grated

• 5 slices of Mozzarella cheese

• 1/4 cup of prepared pesto

• 1 large tomato, thinly sliced

directions

1.  Preheat oven to 500º. Lightly dust a clean surface with a mixture of flour & corn meal. Roll the dough out and place on a cornmeal dusted baking sheet.

2. Spread the pesto all over the dough out to the edges, then top with seasonings, cheese & tomatoes.

3. Bake for 8-10 minutes until crust is done and golden brown. Let pizza rest before slicing.

Enjoy!

This recipe was adapted from Pioneer Woman.

Beans & Cornbread

A very simple meal with simple ingredients but such an amazing comfort food! I can't say that I've just made beans for dinner - but seriously this meal was fantastic! I added a bunch of seasonings, cheese, pico, cilantro & sour cream on top of a bowl of beans that cooked for several hours. I also made cornbread in the cast iron for the first time with green Chile- turned out great!

Beans

Serves 4-8

 

 

Beans & Cornbread

ingredients

• 2 cups dried pinto beans

• 2 slices thick cut bacon, cut into 1" pieces

• 1 tsp salt

• 2 tsp black pepper

• 1 tsp each: chili powder, garlic powder & oregano

• Pinch of cayenne pepper

Garnishes: Sour cream, Pico de gallo (recipe follows), grated cheese, fresh cilantro leaves, sliced jalapeno/fresno chiles

directions

1. Rinse the beans thoroughly, then place them in a large pot with the bacon. Pour water over the top. Use enough water to cover the beans by 2 inches. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce heat to low and cover. Simmer for 2-3 hours.

2. If the liquid seems to evaporate too quickly, just add more water during the cooking process. They will be done when they're tender, without much bite.

3. Add the seasonings, taste. Serve with cornbread and the above mentioned garnishes.

Cornbread 

ingredients

• 1 cup yellow cornmeal
• 1/2 cup all purpose flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 egg
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp shortening
• 2 large roasted green chiles, seeded & chopped

directions

1. Preheat the oven to 450º. In a bowl, combine the corn meal, flour, salt & baking powder. Measure the buttermilk & milk into a measuring cup and add the egg. Using a fork, stir together. Add the baking soda and stir. Pour the milk mixture into the dry ingredients. Stir with a fork until JUST combined, don't over stir... something to do with chemistry ;)

2. In a small bowl, melt 1/4 cup of the shortening in the microwave. Slowly add the melted shortening to the batter, stirring constantly until just combined. Stir in the green Chile as well.

3. In an iron skillet over high heat, melt the remaining 2 tbsp of shortening. Then pour the batter into the hot skillet and spread to even out the surface. Cook on the stove top for 1 minute, then back in the oven for 20-25 minutes until the edges are crispy. Slice into squares and serve with the beans.

Pico de Gallo

ingredients

• chopped tomatoes
• chopped onions
• chopped cilantro
• 1 jalapeno, minced
• 1/2 lime, juiced
• Kosher Salt, to taste

directions

Combine equal parts chopped tomato, onion & cilantro. Combine all ingredients in a bowl and let sit in fridge for at least 2 hours for the flavors to meld together.

Enjoy!

This recipe was adapted from Pioneer Woman.

Breakfast Potatoes, Egg-in-a-Hole & Bacon

We had a hearty - country breakfast this morning - and all of it was delicious! The Egg-in-a-hole is such a cute idea and you have toast and eggs all in one. Bacon is always a perfect breakfast side and the potatoes were crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside. The trick with the taters is to cook them in the oven first - something I haven't done yet, Brilliant! Then you cook them in the bacon fat to give them even more flavor. I added some green Chile to the taters as well, which made them extra special.

Breakfast Potatoes, Bacon & Eggs in a Hole

Breakfast Potatoes

Serves 4

Breakfast Potatoes

ingredients

• 5 red potatoes

• 1 large onion, roughly chopped
• 2 large roasted green chiles, seeded & minced

• Bacon fat for frying (cook bacon as a side for this meal so you have leftover bacon fat)

• Kosher Salt & Freshly Cracked Black Pepper, garlic powder

directions

1. Preheat oven to 375º, place potatoes on a baking sheet and cook for 45 minutes until fork tender.

2. Cut potatoes into 1" pieces and set aside. Heat skillet over medium-low heat and add the bacon fat. Note: I cooked bacon in this skillet and just left the fat in there to cook the potatoes. Add the onions and green Chile, cook for 2-3 minutes and add the potatoes. Season with Salt, pepper & garlic powder and stir into an even layer. Cook undisturbed for 3-4 minutes until crispy on bottom and flip, stir and repeat. Keep warm until the rest of breakfast is ready. Try not to snack on it while you are cooking like I did!

Egg-in-a-Hole

Makes 3

Egg-in-a-hole

ingredients

• 3 eggs

• 3 slices bread

• butter

• Salt & Black Pepper

directions

Using a glass, biscuit cutter or tin can cut a hole in the center of the bread. Heat 2 Tbsp butter in a cast iron skillet over medium-low heat, place the bread in the skillet and allow the butter to soak into the bread. After 1 minute, crack the egg into the hole. Sprinkle with salt & pepper. Add more butter as needed to the pan as you cook these. Flip the slice over and sprinkle with salt & pepper, repeat for all slices of bread. Cook until the egg is done to your tastes.

Enjoy!

This recipe was adapted from Pioneer Woman.

Chicken Spaghetti, Homemade Ranch with Iceberg Salad

We got our first shower gift yesterday which were a few of the Fiesta dishes that we had asked for - and we love them! So, we used them for the first time last night for dinner - aren't they pretty?!?! So, this dinner is just so tasty I wanted to devour the whole thing, which I didn't do. I will probably make this for the next family dinner we have - it's easy and feeds a lot. I will be freezing about half of it so we have a pre-made meal for a night when things are too hectic to cook. The rest will be for lunches. I replaced the pasta in the original recipe for whole wheat.

Chicken Spaghetti

Serves 8-10

ingredients

• 1 cut up whole chicken

• 1 lb thin spaghetti, broken into 2" pieces

• 4 oz jar  diced pimientos

• 1 small onion, finely diced

• 1/4 cup finely diced green bell pepper

• 2 cans cream of mushroom soup

• 2 1/2 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese

• 1 tsp Lawry's seasoned salt

• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
• Freshly Cracked Black Pepper, to taste

directions

1. Add the chicken to a stock pot, cover with water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 25 minutes, until chicken is done. Remove chicken and set aside to cool. Reserve 2 cups of chicken broth, set aside. Bring the chicken broth to a boil, salt the water and cook the pasta 1 minute shy of the package directions. Drain and pour in a large mixing bowl.

2. Shred or pull apart the chicken into bite size pieces and place in large mixing bowl with pasta. Add the veggies, soup, broth, 2 cups of cheese, seasonings and mix well. Taste and add more seasoning if needed. Pour into a large buttered baking dish. Top with the remaining cheese. Bake for 35-40 minutes until bubbly and the cheese is melty.

Homemade Ranch with Iceberg Salad

Dressing makes about 2 cups
 

ingredients

• 1/4 tsp kosher salt

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 cup mayo

• 1/2 cup sour cream

• 1/2 cup buttermilk

• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

• 1 Tbsp chopped chives or green onion

• 2 Tbsp chopped dill

• 1/2 tsp distilled white vinegar

• 1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1/4 tsp paprika
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• Few dashes of hot sauce
• Iceberg lettuce

directions

Put all ingredients in a large jar that has a lid, close and shake like crazy until all ingredients are well combined. Place in fridge for at least 2 hours to let the flavors meld together.

Enjoy!

This recipe was adapted from Pioneer Woman.

Simple Chili

This chili was so flavorful just by cooking the meat with the spices for an hour... I've always added everything to most chili recipes all at once. With this meal, you do it in stages. And the masa helps to thicken the chili but also adds some corn flavor - yes please! If the store has coarsely ground beef, pick that up - the meat is so much softer after you cook it.

Oh and Chili Cheese Fritos are so addictive in this household - which is why I pretty much never buy them except when we have chili... it's a perfect match. Neither one of us can stop eating those bad for you chips when they are in this house. :-)

Simple Chili

Serves 6

ingredients

• 3 large garlic cloves, chopped

• 1 tsp dried oregano

• 1 Tbsp ground cumin

• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

• 2 Tbsp chili powder

• 2 lbs ground beef chuck, coarsely ground

• 8 oz can tomato sauce

• 1 tsp salt, plus more to taste

• 1/2 cup masa (corn flour)
• 1 can pinto beans, drained
• 1 can kidney beans, drained

• 1 jalapeno, diced
• 1 can Hot rotel
• beef stock
• Toppings: Shredded cheddar cheese, sliced jalapeno/fresno peppers, cilantro, onion, chili cheese fritos, diced avocado

directions

1. Combine the spices in a small bowl, set aside. Brown the beef with garlic in a dutch oven, then drain the fat. Return to the pot and add tomato sauce & the spices. Stir, bring to a simmer, cover and cook on low for 1 hour. Check on it after 30 minutes and add a little bit of beef stock.

2. Combine the masa and 1 cup water in a small bowl with a fork. Add to the chili, stir together and add more seasoning if needed. Add some more beef stock to bring the chili to the consistency you enjoy. Now add the beans, rotel and jalapeno and cook until warmed through.

3. Serve with your favorite toppings - chili cheese fritos are amazing with this or any chili for that matter.

Enjoy!

This recipe was adapted from Pioneer Woman.

Roasted Carrot, Squash & Sweet Potato Soup

The last time I made a pureed soup that only had veggies, it really wasn't that filling and sometimes not so delicious! Hesitantly I made this soup, only because the photos looked great and I love all the ingredients, but I was skeptical.

Turns out that roasting the veggies added a lot of depth and flavor and we both totally enjoyed this dish. Next time I make it I will use chicken broth instead of water just to add even more flavor, even though it really didn't need it.  I  also decided to pull out a few Jalapeno Pepper Jack chicken sausages to serve on the side with this dish. They sell these at our local Costco, they are spicy and delicious! I think they went rather well with this soup. I didn't use fresh sage b/c my plant has gone dormant for the winter - oh well! I used dried rubbed sage instead and only used a small amount.

Roasted Carrot, Squash & Sweet Potato Soup

Serves 4-6

Roasted Carrot, Squash & Sweet Potato Soup

ingredients

• 2 lbs butternut squash, cut into 1" pieces

• 1 lb carrots, cut into 1/2" rounds

• 1 lb sweet potatoes, peeled & cut into 1 1/2" pieces

• 3 onions, peeled & cut into 4 wedges each, leave stem in tact

• 3 Tbsp EVOO

• 1/4 cup pepitas

• 3 Tbsp chopped craisins

• 3 Tbsp fresh sage (optional) or 1/2 tsp dried rubbed sage

• Kosher Salt & Freshly Cracked Black Pepper

directions

1. Preheat the oven to 450º. Divide the squash, carrots, potatoes & onions between 2 rimmed baking sheets. Drizzle 1 tbsp EVOO over each baking sheet and toss the veggies with your hands to coat evenly. Roast until browned, turning pans halfway through the cooking, about 25 minutes. Note: Make sure your oven is up to temperature while they are cooking!

2. In a large pot, combine the roasted veggies & 8 cups of water; bring to a boil over high heat. Lower the heat, cover and simmer until the veggies are very tender, about 15 minutes. Using a blender, working in batches, puree the soup, transferring to a large bowl or a clean pot. Season with S&P.

3. In a cast iron skillet, heat 1 tbsp EVOO over medium heat and toast the pepitas for 2 minutes. Add the cranberries and sage (if using) and stir until fragrant, 1 minutes. Remove from heat and season with S&P.

4. Stir the soup over medium heat until it simmers. Ladle into bowls for serving and top with pepita-cranberry mixture and a sprinkling of pepper. 

Enjoy!

This recipe was adapted from Everyday with Rachael Ray Magazine.

Spicy Beef Noodles

I was really intrigued when I saw this interesting recipe -we love spicy food so it sounded really tasty. And I love Chinese noodles with any kind of protein, really! Turns out this recipe will be a keeper, loaded with tons of flavor and very spicy so watch out sensitive taste buds.

The original recipe called for szechuan pepper, however, I could only find it online and it was too pricey for just using in one recipe. So I just used crushed red pepper flakes and a pinch of cayenne. It's important to make sure the beef is dry so it forms a yummy crust in the skillet - this adds a ton of flavor as well.

Spicy Beef Noodles
Serves 6

Spicy Beef Noodles

ingredients

• Salt
• 1 lb dried Chinese noodles
• 3 Tbsp Vegetable oil
• 1 lb ground beef
• 1 onion, minced
• 1 Serrano, minced
• 4 large cloves garlic, minced
• 1" piece of ginger, minced
• 1 tsp crushed red pepper
• 1 tsp Chinese five-spice powder
• 1/3 cup tamari
• 2 cups shredded iceberg lettuce
• 1 bunch scallions, thinly slices
• chili oil, for serving

directions

1.Bring a pot of water to a boil and cook the noodles according to the package instructions.

2. In a large cast iron skillet, heat the oil over high heat until smoking. Pat the beef dry with a paper towel on both sides and add to the skillet. Break the meat apart and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add the onion, Chile, garlic, ginger, pepper flakes & 5 spice powder to the beef. Stir-fry until onion is slightly softened.

3. Combine the noodles and the beef mixture, stir in the tamari. Remove from heat and toss with the lettuce and scallions. Serve with chili oil drizzled on top.

I kept the leftovers separate from the lettuce just so it didn't get wilted too much. When ready to heat the leftovers toss the lettuce right before you are going to eat.

Enjoy!

This recipe was adapted from Everyday with Rachael Ray Magazine.

Penne with Bacon & Fennel Sauce

This was a really simple meal from Rachael Ray's 30 minute meal section of her magazine and it does really hold true to the time frame. It makes a lot and tastes great the next day. I had some leftover Marsala wine from another meal and decided to try it in this dish and it turned out great! If you want to use pancetta versus bacon go for it!

Penne with Bacon & Fennel Sauce

Serves 4-6

Penne with Bacon & Fennel Sauce

ingredients

• 1 lb penne rigate

• 3 Tbsp EVOO

• 4 slices thick cut applewood smoked bacon, chopped

• 1 bulb fennel, chopped

• 1 large white onion, chopped

• 4 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 bay leaf

• 1 tsp crushed red pepper

• 1/2 tsp fennel seeds

• 1 Tbsp tomato paste
• 28 oz can whole tomatoes
• 1/2 cup white wine or vermouth
• fresh basil leaves, torn
• Grated Pecorino-romano cheese for serving

• Kosher Salt & Freshly Cracked Black Pepper

directions

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta according to the package directions. Reserve 1/2 cup of the cooking water before draining.

2. In a cast iron skillet, heat the EVOO over medium-high heat and cook the bacon until crisp. Add the fennel, onion, garlic, bay leaf, crushed pepper & fennel seeds. Season with S&P. Partially cover and cook stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes.

3. Meanwhile pour the tomatoes into a large bowl and gently crush them with your hands. Stir in the tomato paste, then the tomatoes, then the wine & basil, simmer uncovered for 10 minutes more.

4. Add the pasta and reserved pasta water to the sauce and toss to combine. Serve with grated cheese on top.

Enjoy!

This recipe was adapted from Everyday with Rachael Ray Magazine.

Ginger-Tomato Salmon and Coconut Jasmine Rice

About a week ago or so, we were  at Publix and they were making this meal at the Aprons Station (it's this little cooking station where they show you recipes, etc) We stopped to try this meal and it was delicious and we both really liked it! I picked up the ingredients and whipped it up pretty close to what the original recipe called for. The green onions this week were so thick and bright green - I picked up 2 bunches! If you can't find petite diced tomatoes, just use regular diced tomatoes - no biggie. Also, the recipe called for ginger paste - I didn't buy this because I can't see myself using it again and again. So, I used ground ginger in place of the paste and I didn't notice any difference. I'd imagine you could even use fresh ginger, grated as well.

Ginger-Tomato Salmon

Serves 2

Ginger-Tomato Salmon and Coconut Jasmine Rice

ingredients

• 1 clove garlic, minced

• 1 tsp ground ginger, ginger paste or 1/2 tsp grated fresh ginger

• 1/2 cup chicken stock

• 1/2 cup unsweetened coconut milk

• 3/4 lb salmon fillet, skin removed

• 1/4 tsp kosher salt

• 1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper

• 7 oz petite diced tomatoes, drained

• 1 green onion, thinly sliced

directions

Cook garlic, ginger, stock & coconut milk over medium-high heat in a large saute pan, until boiling. Season salmon with S&P and add to skillet with tomatoes. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook 10-15 minutes until fish is cooked through, basting throughout with the sauce. Serve salmon over rice, recipe follows.

Coconut Jasmine Rice

Serves 2

ingredients

• 1/2 cup brown jasmine rice

• 3/4 cup chicken stock

• 1/2 cup coconut milk

• 1/2 tsp sesame oil

• 1 large green onion, sliced

• 1/8 tsp kosher salt

directions

Bring the rice, stock, coconut milk & oil to a boil in a small pot. Cover, reduce heat to low. Simmer rice for 20 minutes until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender. Fluff rice and add green onions & salt.

Enjoy!

This recipe was adapted from Publix Aprons.

Chicken Marsala with Salad & Shallot White Wine Vinaigrette

This is certainly a lighter take on your typical Marsala you'd get at a restaurant - and it's relatively quick. I whipped up a homemade dressing to go with the salad - dressings are so easy to make and so much better for you than the ones you buy at the store. I use the 50 Salad Dressings booklet that came in one of my Food Network magazines from years ago and it's a staple in my cookbook arsenal. In fact it never really leaves the kitchen. ;-)

Another note to add: we do not like Prosciutto at all - tried a few different varieties and nope it's not our fave. So whenever a recipe calls for prosciutto, I used either deli sliced ham or bacon. I swapped in bacon (I mean why not!) for this meal and it was super tasty. But then again, when is bacon not tasty to anyone? Go easy on the salt for the sauce since you are already using bacon there will probably be enough saltiness - just taste as you go.

Chicken Marsala

Serves 2

Chicken Marsala with Bacon

ingredients

• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts pounded to 1/4" thickness (if you don't have a meat tenderizer tool, just use a rolling pin)

• 1/2 cup flour

• 1/2 Tbsp EVOO

• 2 slices bacon

• 4 oz cremini shrooms, quartered

• 1/2 cup Marsala wine

• 1/2 cup chicken broth

• 1/8 cup chopped fresh parsley

• Kosher Salt & Freshly Cracked Black Pepper

directions

1. Season the chicken with S&P. Dredge in flour and shake off any excess flour, set aside.

2. Heat EVOO in cast iron skillet over medium heat. Cook the chicken (1 at a time to avoid steaming) 3-4 minutes per side until golden brown. Set aside and keep warm. I tented the chicken with some tin foil and placed on back of my stove to keep them warm while I made the sauce.

3. Add bacon to skillet and fry until it's crisp on both sides, lowering the heat if they cook too fast. Remove and let drain on paper towel lined plate. Add shrooms and saute until well browned. Stir in the Marsala and broth, scraping the bottom of the skillet with a metal spatula. Cook until liquid is reduced to 1/4-1/2 cup. Taste and season with S&P, then add parsley. Pour sauce over chicken when ready to serve.

Shallot White Wine Vinaigrette

Makes 1 1/2 cups

Shallot White Wine Vinaigrette

ingredients

• 2 Tbsp White wine vinegar

• 1 shallots, minced

• 2 tsp dijon mustard

• 1/2 tsp each kosher salt & pepper

• 1/3-1/2 cup EVOO

directions

Combine all ingredients in a small jar and shake vigorously to combine.

Mixed Greens Salad with Blue Cheese

I like to make dressings a day or two ahead of time to let the flavors meld together. I also doubled the recipe here so I would have it on hand for salads during the work week. I also like to keep toasted bread cubes on hand in my freezer to make croutons when we have salads...

Croutons

 Simply toss some olive oil, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, S&P with the bread cubes until well coated (It's best to use your hands). Then spread out on a baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes until golden at 350º. You can also cook them in a nonstick skillet over medium heat, tossing until golden.

Enjoy!

This recipe was adapted from Food Network "50 Salad Dressings".

Ribeye & Italian Herb Sauce with Spicy Sweet Mashed Potatoes

The recipe I pulled this from was originally intended for prime rib - yeah well, I couldn't find Prime rib anywhere. I researched and discovered beef tenderloin is a good sub - yeah that was too pricey. We already had ribeyes in the freezer so I took one out and used it for this meal. We rotate what kind of steak when we go to Costco - since each steak is enormous, we keep them whole and just cook 1 for the 2 of us.

I've made the sweet potatoes before and really enjoy them - the recipe can be found on my blog here:  Spicy Sweet Mashed Potatoes.

Seared Ribeye with Italian Herb Sauce

Serves 2

Ribeye & Italian Herb Sauce w/ Spicy Sweet Mashed Potatoes

ingredients

• 1 boneless ribeye steak

• 1/2 tbsp fresh rosemary, chopped

• 1 clove garlic, minced

• 1/2 Tbsp EVOO, plus 1/4 cup

• 1 cup fresh parsley leaves

• 1/8 cup fresh cilantro leaves

• 1/2 tbsp dijon

• 1 tbsp capers

• Juice of 1/2 lemon

• 1 tbsp red wine vinegar

• Kosher Salt & Freshly Cracked Black Pepper

directions

1. Preheat the oven to 400º. Mix the rosemary, garlic & olive oil in a small bowl, then rub all over the steak on all sides & season with S&P. Let rest for 30 minutes at room temp.

2. Heat a cast iron skillet over high heat, sear the steak on one side for 5-6 minutes until charred, flip and put skillet in the oven until steak is cooked to the temp you like. I cooked mine for about 15 minutes for medium. Remove from skillet and let rest on a plate.

3. Combine the herbs, mustard, capers, lemon juice & vinegar in a food processor. Pulse to chop the herbs, while it's running slowly add the oil until the sauce looks like a pesto. Serve on top of the steaks.

The original called for fresh mint, my mint plant is dormant right now so I used cilantro which I already had in the fridge. You will have plenty of leftover sauce to dip your steak in. I served this with a salad as well with homemade croutons & blue cheese.

Enjoy!

This recipe was adapted from Cook This Not That.

Grilled Pork & Peaches with Sauteed Spinach

Blue cheese, red onions, walnuts & balsamic vinegar = Happy town for me! The topping for the pork chops in this meal was that same flavor profile, therefore I loved this meal. I don't have much luck finding bone in pork chops that are thick but if you can find them they would be much better. The thicker the better so the meat doesn't dry out when you are searing the chops. I made sauteed spinach as a side dish as well which by itself is just as yummy. It's a fast dinner with little to no prep... here's how I prepared it. We don't have a grill, but we used our handy dandy cast iron grill pan - the only downer to using this trusty tool is the entire kitchen gets smokey. Oh well, it was a tasty meal so it's a sacrifice we will make from time to time.

Grilled Pork & Peaches

Serves 2

Grilled Pork & Peaches

ingredients

• 2 thick cut bone in pork chops

• EVOO

• 2 firm peaches

• 2 tbsp walnuts, toasted

• 1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced

• 1/4 cup crumbled blue cheese

• 1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar

• Kosher Salt & Freshly Cracked Black Pepper

directions

1. Heat a grill or grill pan to hot. Brush the pork with EVOO and season to taste with S&P. Grill each side 4-5 minutes. You should end up with lightly pink centers and outside should be charred, but not burnt.

2. Brush the peach halves with EVOO and grill cut side down for 5 minutes until soft. Remove, slice and toss with the nuts, onion, blue cheese and vinegar. Season to taste with S&P - make sure you taste before adding salt (the cheese is already pretty salty). Top each chop with half of the peach mixture and serve.

Sauteed Spinach

Serves 2

Sauteed Spinach

ingredients

• 1/2 Tbsp EVOO

• 1 clove garlic, thinly sliced

• 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

• 3/4 lb baby spinach

• Juice of 1/2 lemon

• Kosher Salt & Freshly Cracked Black Pepper

directions

1.Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook the garlic and pepper flakes for 1 minutes, stirring constantly. Stir in the spinach and cook until the spinach fully wilts, 5 minutes or so. Drain any water that accumulates in the pan. Add the lemon juice and season with S&P.

Enjoy!

This recipe was adapted from Cook This Not That, Kitchen Survival Guide.

Tuscan Ham & Bean Soup

We had a bunch of leftover ham from Christmas and I put all of it in the freezer to use up over the next few months for hearty soups/stews and maybe a breakfast or two. This was a perfectly comforting soup to go along with the cold weather we are experiencing. I really love the combination of beans, meat & kale in a winter soup/stew... it just tastes so good. And... to top it all off it was a slow cooker meal - without any prep other than chopping. I just threw everything in and it was definitely a great meal that I will make again. If you have any homemade stock on hand it will make the soup even more flavorful, if not just use stock in a box like I did. I always buy low sodium stocks at the supermarket so that I can control how much salt goes into a dish. Remember - you can always add salt but you can't take it out!

Tuscan Ham & Bean Soup
Serve 4-6

Tuscan Ham & Bean Soup

ingredients

• 2 (14.5 oz) cans organic diced tomatoes

• 2 large cloves garlic, minced

• 1 Tbsp dried Italian season crushed between your fingers

• 3 stalks celery, sliced thinly
• 4 medium carrots, chopped
• 1 medium white onion, chopped

• 3 (15 oz) cans cannellini beans, drained & rinsed

• 3 cup cooked ham, cubed

• 1/4 tsp black pepper

• 3 1/2 cups low sodium chicken broth

• 8 cups torn kale (or you can use spinach)

• Parmesan cheese for serving

directions

In a slow cooker, combine all ingredients except Kale & cheese. Stir together and cook on low heat for 7-8 hours. During the last 30 minutes of cooking add the torn kale, stir and cook for 30 minutes.

When serving sprinkle some Parmesan cheese on top and serve with crusty bread for mopping - delish!

Enjoy!

This recipe was adapted from BHG Biggest Book of Soups & Stews