Roasted Butternut Squash with Green Apples and Candied Walnuts

Roasted Butternut Squash with Green Apples and Candied Walnuts

INGREDIENTS  

1 butternut squash, peel, sliced into 3/4 inch pieces

3 green apples, sliced into 3/4 inch pieces

1/2 tsp maple flavoring

1/4 cup olive oil

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 tsp sea salt

1 cup candied walnuts

INSTRUCTIONS 

1-Put butternut squash and apple pieces in pan.

2-Whisk together olive oil and maple flavoring. Drizzle on butternut squash and apples 

pieces.

3-Sprinkle with brown sugar.

4-Bake at 375 for 15-20 minutes or until squash is tender. Stirring every 5 minutes.

5-Sprinkle with sea salt.

6-Top with candied walnuts.

By: Unknown On 10:31 AM

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ONE POT CHILI MAC AND CHEESE

ONE POT CHILI MAC AND CHEESE 

Two favorite comfort foods come together in this super easy, one-pot dish that the whole family will go crazy for  

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 30 minutes

Yield 4 servings

INGREDIENTS

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 cloves garlic

1 onion, diced

8 ounces ground beef

4 cups chicken broth

1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes

3/4 cup canned white kidney beans, drained and rinsed

3/4 cup canned kidney beans, drained and rinsed

2 teaspoons chili powder

1 1/2 teaspoon cumin

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

10 ounces elbows pasta

3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves

INSTRUCTIONS 

1-Heat olive oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium high heat. Add garlic, onion and ground beef, and cook until browned, about 3-5 minutes, making sure to crumble the beef as it cooks; drain excess fat.

2-Stir in chicken broth, tomatoes, beans, chili powder and cumin; season with salt and pepper, to taste. Bring to a simmer and stir in pasta. Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat and simmer until pasta is cooked through, about 13-15 minutes.

3-Remove from heat. Top with cheese and cover until melted, about 2 minutes.

4-Serve immediately, garnished with parsley, if desired.

By: Unknown On 10:17 AM

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Grilled Garlic and Herb Shrimp

Grilled Garlic and Herb Shrimp 

INGREDIENTS 

2 teaspoons ground paprika

2 tablespoons fresh minced garlic

2 teaspoons Italian seasoning blend

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1/4 cup olive oil

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

2 teaspoons dried basil leaves

2 tablespoons brown sugar, packed

2 pounds large shrimp (21-25 per pound), peeled and deveined

INSTRUCTIONS

1-Whisk the paprika, garlic, Italian seasoning, lemon juice, olive oil, pepper, basil, and brown sugar together in a bowl until thoroughly blended. Stir in the shrimp, and toss to evenly coat with the marinade. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours, turning once.

2-Preheat an outdoor grill for medium-high heat. Lightly oil grill grate, and place about 4 inches from heat source.

3-Remove shrimp from marinade, drain excess, and discard marinade.

4-Place shrimp on preheated grill and cook, turning once, until opaque in the center, 5 to 6 minutes. Serve immediately.

By: Unknown On 9:47 AM

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Honey Buttered Cheesy Soft Pretzel Knots

Honey Buttered Cheesy Soft Pretzel Knots 

INGREDIENTS  

1 tsp active dry yeast

1 1/8 tsp fine ground sea salt

1 cup bread flour

1 1/2 cups warm water at 110F/40C

2 tbsp sunflower oil

2 tbsp baking soda

2 tbsp honey butter, melted

2 tbsp coarse ground sea salt

2 tbsp brown sugar

2 cups water

2 cups shredded cheese

3 cups plain/all-purpose flour

a jar of nacho cheese sauce for dipping

INSTRUCTIONS 

1-Make the pretzels according to the instructions listed in this recipe.

2-Be sure to allow your dough to rise properly during its first proof:

3-Once the dough has been knotted and brushed with the baking soda solution, sprinkle each knot with cheese.

4-Preheat the oven to 450F/230C and cover leave the knots to prove while the oven warms.

5-Bake the pretzels for about 8 minutes until golden brown and the cheese is melted. 

6-While the pretzels back, melt the honey butter.

7-Once the knots have finished baking, brush each knot with honey butter and sprinkle with salt. Allow to cool slightly before serving with nacho cheese dipping sauce.

By: Unknown On 9:36 AM

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tortellini and garden vegetable bake

tortellini and garden vegetable bake

Makes 12 main-dish servings.

INGREDIENTS

10 ounces dried cheese-filled tortellini (2-1/2 cups) or two 9-ounce packages refrigerated tortellini

1 medium carrot, thinly sliced

1 1/2  cups sugar snap peas, halved crosswise

1 tablespoon margarine or butter

1  pound skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces

1  cup sliced fresh mushrooms

1/3  cup chicken broth

2 tablespoons snipped fresh oregano or 1-1/2 teaspoons dried oregano, crushed

2 teaspoons all-purpose flour

3/4  teaspoon garlic salt

1/2  teaspoon pepper

1 cup milk

1  8  ounce package cream cheese or light cream cheese (Neufchatel), cubed and softened

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 cup quartered cherry tomatoes

1 small red or green sweet pepper, coarsely chopped

2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

INSTRUCTIONS

1-Cook tortellini in boiling salted water according to package directions, adding the carrot during the last 5 minutes of cooking and the sugar snap peas during the last 1 minute of cooking; drain.

2-Meanwhile, heat margarine or butter in a 12-inch skillet. Add chicken and mushrooms, and cook about 5 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink. Remove from skillet.

3-Shake together chicken broth, oregano, flour, garlic salt, and pepper in a screw-top jar until smooth. Add to skillet along with milk. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly; add cream cheese. Cook and stir until cream cheese is smooth. Remove from heat. Stir in lemon juice. Add pasta mixture, chicken mixture, tomatoes, and sweet pepper. Toss to coat. Turn into an ungreased 13x9x2-inch baking dish or shallow 3-quart casserole.

4-Bake, covered, in a 350 degrees F oven for 30 to 35 minutes or until heated through. Stir mixture and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Transport in an insulated carrier. 

Tip**Prepare as directed but don't bake it. Instead, cover and chill up to 24 hours. Bake, covered, in a 350 degrees F oven about 55 minutes or until hot.

By: Unknown On 9:18 AM

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Spicy Honey Chicken

Spicy Honey Chicken

INGREDIENTS 

8 boneless skinless chicken thighs, about 2lbs (you could use breasts as well but thighs stay more moist)

2 teaspoons vegetable oil

Rub:

2 teaspoons granulated garlic (you can sub 1 teaspoon garlic powder here)

2 teaspoons chili powder

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1/2 teaspoon coriander

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon cumin

1/2 teaspoon chipotle chili powder

Glaze:

1/2 cup Honey

1 Tablespoon Cider Vinegar

INSTRUCTIONS 

-Combine the rub spices in bowl and mix well.

-Use kitchen shears to trim off any excess fat from the chicken pieces. Pat dry. Drizzle oil over chicken and rub in with your hands to lightly coat all the pieces. Then toss chicken with the spice rub to coat all sides well. Use your hands and get in there! Grill chicken for 3-5 minutes on each side, until cooked through.

-While chicken is cooking, warm honey in the microwave so it's not so thick. Add the vinegar and combine well. Reserve 2 Tablespoons of the honey glaze for later after the chicken has cooked to pour on right before serving. Take the rest and brush on chicken (both sides) in the final moments of grilling.

-I'm gonna warn you that this can make a hot mess, literally. It's sugar, and it's gonna drip. But the smelly smoke is worth it for a minute or two. Just leave your grill on for a few minutes after the chicken is done to burn off any excess glaze. It's totally worth it once you taste this stuff.

-If you don't have a bbq, try it on an indoor grill pan or use your broiler. Just be sure to open a window in case you burn your glaze!

By: Unknown On 8:57 AM

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Smoked Mozzarella Stuffed Meatballs

Smoked Mozzarella Stuffed Meatballs 

I was looking for a recipe to use up some leftover smoked mozzarella that we had in the fridge. I saw these meatballs and knew they would make for a quick and easy dinner. I think that they took 30 minutes to both make and bake. They are tender and flavorful with gooey, smokey cheese on the inside. While for us this week, they are a dinner and lunch option, they would also make a great appetizer for a party. Enjoy over pasta with a side salad or as a sub with sauce and more melted cheese  

INGREDIENTS

1 small onion, grated

1/2 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped

2/3 cup grated Parmesan Cheese

1/3 cup Italian bread crumbs

1 large egg

2 tablespoons marinara sauce (I use Victoria's) plus 1/3 cup

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 pinch of crushed red pepper flakes

Salt and pepper to taste

1 package of ground beef (1.5-2lbs)

16 cubed pieces of smoked mozzarella cheese (1/2 inch cubes)

INSTRUCTIONS

-Position the oven rack in the lower 1/3 of the oven. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

-In a large bowl, combine the onion, parsley, parm cheese, bread crumbs, egg, marinara, garlic, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper. Once mixed, add in the beef, mixing with your hands. Shape the meat mixture into 16 meatballs. 

-Make a hole in the center of each meatball and place a cube of mozzarella inside. Reform the meatball so the cheese is completely concealed. 

-Spoon 1/3 cup extra marinara in the bottom of a baking dish. Place the meatballs inside and drizzle with a little extra virgin olive oil.

-Bake for 15 minutes until cooked through.

By: Unknown On 8:31 AM

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