Adrienne's Chocolate Chip Cookies

While cleaning out the "cooking" cupboard today, I found my mother-in-law's Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe tucked behind a box of sugar.  I thought our cookbook blog might be a safer place to keep it.  

The ingredients and mixing instructions are spelled out, but not the cooking instructions...which my husband calls the "advanced chef" technique. So upon consulting Quaker Oats (which has a great, free recipe PDF) and Betty Crocker, we recommend baking at 350 for about 10-13 minutes until browned...or until you can no longer resist the aroma!

Our son if not a big fan of oatmeal yet, so when omitting that from the mix, reduce cooking time to 9-11 minutes.

Adrienne's Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients

• 1 cup Butter (2 sticks), softened
• 3/4 cup Sugar
• 3/4 cup Brown Sugar
• 2 unbeaten Eggs
• 1 tsp Baking Soda
• 1 tsp Hot Water
• 1 tsp Vanilla
• 1-1/2 cups Flour
• 1 tsp Salt
• 2 cups Quaker Oats (instant)
• 1 cup Walnuts
• 1 pkg Chocolate Chips

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees*
2. Mix butter well on slow speed. 
3. Slowly add sugars, and blend well. 
4. Add eggs to butter, then beat well
5. Combine baking soda and water, then add to butter mixture
6. Add vanilla, then mix
7. Add flower and salt and mix
8. Add oats, walnuts, and chocolate chips, then mix until combined
9. Drop by spoonfuls unto cookie sheet*
10. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-13 minutes until lightly browned*

*Will consult with Adrienne and update accordingly! We'll also update with our own picture soon!

Harvest Rice Salad

While looking for vegetarian recipes for a fall pot-luck, I stumbled upon a "Wild Rice Cranberry Pecan Salad" recipe on Simply Recipes.  I made some adaptations, and the resulting Harvest Rice Salad received rave reviews--and an empty bowl--in return.

Harvest Rice Salad

Ingredients

Rice:

• 1 cup Wild Rice mix
• Water or Vegetable stock (amount per rice package instructions)
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• 1 tsp Butter

Stir-ins:

• 1/2 cup dried Cranberries
• 1/2 cup dried Apricots
• 1/2 cup toasted Pecans, chopped
• 1/4 cup sliced Scallions

Dressing:

• 1 TBSP Lemon Juice
• 2 TBSP Olive Oil
• 1/2 tsp Sugar
• 1 tsp grated Orange Peel
• Salt and Pepper to taste (freshly ground optimal)

Directions

1. Follow instructions on the rice package for cooking 1 cup of rice. Add butter.
2. While rice is cooking, make the dressing: combine dressing ingredients (lemon juice, olive oil, orange peel, salt and pepper) then mix thoroughly. Set aside.
3. Combine the "stir-in" ingredients (cranberries, apricots, pecans and scallions) in a medium serving bowl.
4. Once rice is done and fluffed, cool completely.
5. Add cooled rice to the bowl with "stir-ins." Mix thoroughly.
6. Mix in the dressing just before serving. 
7. Salad can be served warm, room-temp, or chilled.

Serves 4-6.

Creamy Tomato Tortellini Soup

I recently had this soup for lunch from a local co-op/natural foods store, and knew I had to try to recreate it at home.  I looked at several recipes, and did not find one that came close to the thick, creamy texture of the co-op soup, so with some improvisation...the below came out quite tasty.  Enjoy!

Creamy Tomato Tortellini Soup

Ingredients

• 2 (14 oz.) cans Diced Tomatoes w/Rosemary & Oregano 
• 2 (10 oz.) cans Tomato Bisque
• 1 (14 oz.) can Chicken or Vegetable Broth
• 1/2 pint (8 oz) Heavy Cream or Half-and-Half
• 1/2 cup Italian Pasta Sauce (used our local, Paisely Hippo's)
• 1 Garlic clove, minced
• 1 TBSP Basil (or about 10 fresh, chopped leaves)
• 1 tsp Chives, chopped  
• 1 (9 oz.) pkg. Cheese Tortellini (try Vermont Fresh)

Directions

1. Pour all ingredient except Tortellini into a soup pan.
2. Blend well, then simmer for 20 minutes.
3. Add Tortellini and cook until tender (at least 15 minutes).
4. Serve with crostini or top with Olivia's Croutons.

*If you like a "thicker" soup, try adding 2 TBSP Italian Bread Crumbs, or crushed croutons after step 3, then simmer an additional 5 minutes.

Red, White, and Blue Salsa

This is the other recipe I brought to the July 4th potluck. It was another Pinterest find, and I was so excited to make it since our local market just started carrying jicama.

I was pleasantly surprised by the nice crisp bite, and mix of sweet and slight heat, in this patriotic salsa. Credit for this festive recipe and the colorful photo belong to Two Peas and their Pod. I will certainly be exploring more of their site!

Red, White, and Blue Salsa

Ingredients

• 1 cup fresh Blueberries
• 1 cup diced Strawberries
• 1 cup diced Jicama
• 1/3 cup chopped Cilantro
• 1/4 cup finely chopped Red Onion
• 2 TBSP finely chopped Jalapeno Pepper, stemmed and seeded
• Juice of 1 large Lime
• Salt, to taste
• Tortilla chips, for serving

Directions

1. In a medium bowl, combine blueberries, strawberries, jicama, cilantro, red onion, jalapeno, and lime juice. 
2. Stir until well combined. Season with salt, to taste. 
3. Serve with tortilla chips at room temperature or chilled. Best eaten the day it is made.

Strawberry Cheesecake Bites

We've been lucky the last couple of years to be invited to a wonderful July 4th celebration at the home of one of minimaple's classmates. They live next door to where the fireworks are launched, so we get a fantastic view, without all of the crowd chaos.  

In wanting to being a festive, summer dish to the potluck, I remembered this recipe on Pinterest. I simply added blueberries or blue sprinkles to make them red, white, and blue!

Strawberry Cheesecake Bites

Ingredients

• 1 lb. large Strawberries
• 8 oz. block Cream Cheese (softened)
• 4 TBSP Powdered Sugar 
• 1 tsp Vanilla extract 
• Graham Cracker crumbs
• Blueberries or Blue Sprinkles (optional)**

Directions

1. Rinse strawberries and cut around the top of the strawberry. 
2. Remove the top and clean out with a paring knife, if necessary. Prep all strawberries and set aside.
3. In a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla until creamy. 
4. Add cream cheese mix to a piping bag or ziploc with the corner snipped off. 
5. Fill strawberries with cheesecake mixture. 
6. Once strawberries are filled, dip the top in graham cracker crumbs.** 
7. If not serving immediately, refrigerate until serving.

** To make red, white, and blue; either top with a blueberry after dipping in grahams, or substitute blue sprinkles for the graham crackers altogether.

Original Recipe courtesy of Nutmeg Nanny

Photo courtesy of The Sweets Life

Yellow: The Smoothie

I'm lucky enough to work form home on Tuesdays, which means I sometimes get to eat lunch with Jim, if our work allows.

Jim created this delicious, frothy concoction for our lunch of leftover tortellini bake today. Mmmmm...

Yellow: The Smoothie

Ingredients

• 6 oz. container Pineapple Greek Yogurt (he used Chiobani)
• 1/2 cup fresh Pineapple chunks
• 1 cup Banana/Orange/Pineapple juice
• 1 splash sparkling Limeade
• 2 scoops Vanilla ice cream
• 6 ice cubes

Directions

1. Blend all ingredients well. Serve cold.

Serves 2

Pork and Vegetable Stir-Fry

Here is the last in our "South Beach Diet" series. Now I can put the cookbooks away since they all of our favorites are now posted here.

The sugar-free Apricot preserves really add that nice "glaze" finish and sweetness, without all of the sugar content.

Pork and Vegetable Stir-Fry

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup sugar-free apricot preserves
• 3 Tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
• 2 Tbsp canola oil,divided
• 1 1/2 lbs. pork cutlets,cut into 1/4-in. strips
• 4 garlic cloves,minced
• 1 lb broccoli,cut into florets (3-4 cups)
• 1 red bell pepper,cut into thin strips
• 1 bunch scallions,cut into 2-in. lengths
• 4 oz. snow peas, strings removed

Directions

1. Whisk preserves and soy sauce together in a bowl until smooth.
2. Heat 1 Tbsp of the oil in a large nonstick skillet or wok over high heat. 
3. Add pork and cook, stirring frequently, until lightly browned and no longer pink, about 5 min. Transfer to a plate.
4. Add remaining oil and garlic to the same skillet; cook over med-high heat for 30 sec. 
5. Add broccoli, pepper, scallions, and snow peas and cook until vegetables are crisp-tender, about 3 min. 
6. Stir in pork and preserves mixture; cook 1 min. more. Serve hot.

Recommend serving over 1/2 cup of basmati rice.
4 (2 cup) servings

Sirloin Steak with Artichokes, Tomatoes and Olives

Yet another favorite recipe from The South Beach Diet Quick and Easy Cookbook. It preps in 10 minutes and cooks within 20. A nice, quick, weeknight meal.

If you don't have time to thaw frozen artichokes, use a 14 ounce can of brine packed ones, well drained.

Sirloin Steak with Artichokes, Tomatoes and Olives

Ingredients

• Four 6 oz sirloin steaks, about 3/4 inch thick
• 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 garlic clove minced
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 4 plum tomatoes, diced
• 1 - 9 ounce package frozen artichoke hearts, thawed and quartered
• 1/2 cup pitted kalamata olives, coarsely chopped
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

1. Season steaks with salt and pepper. Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. 
2. Cook steaks for 5 minutes per side for medium rare.
3. Transfer to a plate.
4. Add water to the hot pan, scraping any brown bits from the bottom; reduce heat to medium. Add garlic and oregano; cook until garlic has softened, about 1 minute.
5. Add tomatoes and cook 3 minutes more. 
6. Stir in artichokes and olives and cook until warmed through, about 2 minutes. 
7. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve warm with steaks.

Makes 4 servings
Per serving: 310 calories, 14 g fat, 40 g protein, 9 g carbohydrates, 5 g dietary fiber, 320 mg sodium

Peppery Steak with Horseradish Cream

This is another South Beach Diet recipe we return to again and again. I highly recommend letting the steak season with the oil/pepper/salt for about 20 minutes before broiling or grilling.

Peppery Steak with Horseradish Cream

Ingredients

• 1.5 lbs London broil or other sirloin steak (about 1 in thick)
• 1 tsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 TBSP cracked black pepper
• 1/2 cup reduced-fat sour cream
• 2 tsp prepared horseradish
• salt 

Directions

1. Rub steak with oil and pepper, pressing pepper into steak; season well with salt. 
2. Heat grill pan over medium-high heat or heat oven to broil. 
3. Grill or broil steak 5 to 6 minutes per side for medium-rare. 
4. Transfer to a cutting board and cover loosely with foil to keep warm. 
5. Allow meat to rest for 5 minutes before thinly slicing across the grain.
6. While steak is resting, mix together sour cream and horseradish; season to taste with salt. 
7. Serve horseradish cream with steak.

Beef and Bean Chili

My husband and I did the South Beach Diet for a while (with some success, I might add) and there are a handful of recipes from the SBD cookbooks we still make to this day.  This chili is perfect on a cold day, and we use left overs in nachos, enchiladas, etc.

I'll be posting a few in the next few days in a continued effort to post all of our family favorites here.

Beef and Bean Chili 

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 pound lean ground beef
• 2.5 tsp chili powder, divided
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 small onion, diced
• 2 garlic cloves 
• 1 (28oz) can diced tomatoes
• 1 (15oz) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• Salt and Pepper

Directions

1. Heat oil in a large heavy bottomed saucepan over medium heat.
2. Add beef, 1 tsp chili powder, and cumin; saute until browned, about 5 minutes.
3. Using a slotted spoon, transfer beef to a plate.
4. Add onion, garlic, and remaining chili powder to the same pan; cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 3 minutes.
5. Add tomatoes with juice and beans; cover and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
6. Uncover, add cooked beef, and cook an additional 5 minutes, until liquid thinkens slightly.
7. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve hot.

Serves 4 (1.5 cup servings=350 calories each)

Tortellini Vegetable Saute

I LOVE pasta dishes, but there is nothing I enjoy less than a recipe that uses every pot/strainer/utensil in the kitchen.  So when looking for a simple, light, pasta recipe that wouldn't completely dirty the kitchen, I decided to create my own.  Enjoy!

Tortellini Vegetable Saute

Ingredients

• 8 oz. fresh/refrigerated Cheese Tortellini* 
• 4 TBSP Olive Oil
• 1/3 cup diced Red Onion
• 1 tsp minced Garlic
• 1 medium Zucchini, diced
• 1 cup Grape Tomatoes, halved
• Basil and Parsley, to taste*
• Freshly ground Salt and Pepper, to taste

Directions

1. In a deep, 12 in. skillet, boil enough water to generously cover tortellini; about 2 quarts.
2. Add tortellini to skillet, and boil according to package directions.
3. Prep vegetables while tortellini is cooking.
4. When tortellini is done, transfer to strainer to drain.  
5. Immediately return skillet to stovetop, and heat two TBSP olive oil.
6. Saute red onion and garlic until softened and translucent; about 2-3 minutes.
7. Add zucchini, basil, parsley, and then saute until zucchini slightly softened; about 4-5 minutes.
8. Add remaining 2 TBSP olive oil to veggie saute, and then tomatoes and tortellini.
9. Add salt and pepper to taste, and saute 3-4 minutes until flavors blend.
10. Serve warm, sprinkled with fresh parmesan or similar cheese.

Serves 2-3

* I recommend the following Vermont products for this recipe:
Vermont Pasta/Pastabilities Tortellini
Teeny Tiny Spice Company of Vermont's Shepherd Herb Mix

Willing to make a little more mess? Why not make your own tortellini! 

You can find a yummy recipe and tutorial here.

Photo by Taste of Home

One-pan, kid-friendly, Chicken Parmesean

I have a new-Mom friend (who adopted the most BEAUTIFUL baby girl!), who was signed-up for Meal Train. It is a great website where family and friends can sign up to bring meals to new parents, folks recovering from injuries/surgeries or enduring an extended illness, to welcome a new neighbor, assist a family around a military deployment, or those grieving a loss. Knowing that my friend liked pasta, but also often had a 7-year-old nephew around, thought I'd try to make a kid friendly recipe. So here it is...chicken parm made with chicken tenders! Thanks to Christine's Cuisine for the recipe and beautiful photo!

One-pan, kid-friendly, Chicken Parmesean

Ingredients

• 1 (28-oz.) can fire-roasted tomatoes
• 1 Tbsp. olive oil
• 6 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/4 tsp. dried oregano 
• 1/8-1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 cups water
• 1 - 1 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 12 oz. pasta (ziti, penne, fusilli etc.)
• 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese 
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1 lb. cooked chicken tenders, chopped into bite-sized pieces
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

Directions

1. Cook the oil, garlic, red pepper flakes, and 1/4 teaspoon of salt in a 12-inch oven-proof skillet over medium-high heat until fragrant, about 1 minute.
2. 
Stir in the tomatoes, water, 1 cup of the broth, and the pasta. Bring to a vigorous simmer, cover, and cook until pasta is tender, 15 to 18 minutes, stirring often.
3. 
Stir in 3/4 cup of the Parmesan, 1/4 teaspoon of pepper, and the chopped chicken. If the pasta seems dry, stir in the remaining 1/2 cup of broth. Sprinkle with mozzarella and remaining Parmesan.
4. 
Preheat the oven to 475 degrees. Bake 5 to 10 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly. Sprinkle with basil and serve.

Orzo Salad

I was recently looking for a light and easy recipe to bring to a work pot luck. I had never made orzo, and thought this recipe by Giadia De Laurentis would be fun to try.  In the end, our neighborhood market had no orzo, fresh basil, OR mint, so I substituted small shells, and dried basil. The end product was still good, so I can't wait to try again with the correct ingredients.

Orzo Salad 

Ingredients

• 4 cups chicken broth
• 1 1/2 cups orzo
• 1 (15-ounce) can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 1/2 cups red and yellow teardrop tomatoes or grape tomatoes, halved
• 3/4 cup finely chopped red onion
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh mint leaves
• About 3/4 cup Red Wine Vinaigrette (recipe below)
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

1. Pour the broth into a heavy large saucepan. 
2. Cover the pan and bring the broth to a boil over high heat. Stir in the orzo. 
3. Cover partially and cook until the orzo is tender but still firm to the bite, stirring frequently, about 7 minutes. 
4. Drain the orzo through a strainer. 
5. Transfer the orzo to a large wide bowl and toss until the orzo cools slightly. 
6. Set aside to cool completely.
7. Once cool, toss the orzo with the beans, tomatoes, onion, basil, mint, and enough vinaigrette to coat. 
8. Season the salad, to taste, with salt and pepper, and serve at room temperature.

Red Wine Vinaigrette

• 1/2 cup red wine vinegar
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons honey
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1. Mix the vinegar, lemon juice, honey, salt, and pepper in a blender. 
2. With the machine running, gradually blend in the oil. 
3. Season the vinaigrette, to taste, with more salt and pepper, if desired.

Yield: 1 3/4 cups

As an alternative, I might try this with the house vinaigrette my old friend, The Naughty Chef, makes at his workplace!

Sausage and White Bean Cassoulet

In looking for a new slow-cooker recipe, I found this recipe on Pinterest. I was drawn to the word Cassoulet!  I love it! The recipe originally called for turkey sausage, but we prefer spicy Andouille. We also added rice to make this a heartier stew rather than a soup. A very satisfying meal!

Sausage and White Bean Cassoulet

Prep time:  10 min

Cook time:  Slow cooker 8 hours

Ingredients

• 2 (16-oz) cans Great Northern or Cannellini beans, undrained
• 1 (28-oz) can diced Tomatoes, undrained
• 1 (14-oz) package Andouille Sausage, sliced
• 3/4 cup Chicken Broth
• 3 medium Carrots, sliced
• 1 cup chopped Onion
• 2 Garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon Salt
• 1/2 teaspoon dried Thyme
• 1/4 teaspoon Pepper
• 1 Bay leaf
• 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 3/4 cup Rice *(optional)

Directions

1. Combine first 11 ingredients in a 5-quart slow cooker.
2. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours or until vegetables are tender. 
3. Remove and discard bay leaf.
4. Sprinkle each serving with Parmesan cheese before serving.

*Optional Rice add-in: To make this more stew/less soup like...

1. At 6.5 hours, turn to high and bring to boil (usually by hour 7) 
2. Stir in 3/4 cup uncooked rice. 
3. Cook on high the remaining hour. 

Serves 6

Adapted from Southern Living 2007 Annual Recipes

6 Secret Uses for Oranges

Maybe it is the Mythbusters influence in our home, but I've been exploring unconventional or interesting ways to use household items. I found this list of creative and clever ways to use oranges around your home to save time and money. I am interested in trying 1 and 5!

6 Secret Uses for Oranges

1. Use for kindling
   Dried orange and lemon peels are a far superior choice for use as kindling than newspaper. Not only do they smell better and produce less creosote than newspaper, but the flammable oils found inside the peels enable them to burn much longer than paper.
   
   
2. Make a pomander
   Pomanders have been used for centuries to fill small spaces with a delightful fragrance as well as to combat moths. They are also incredibly easy to make: Take a bunch of cloves and stick them into an orange, covering the whole surface. That’s it. Pretty simple, huh? Now suspend your pomander using a piece of string, twine, or monofilament fishing line inside a closet or cupboard, and it will keep the space smelling fresh for years.
   
   
3. Simmer for stove top potpourri
   Fill your abode with a refreshing citrus scent by simmering several orange and/or lemon peels in 1-2 cups of water in an aluminum pot for a few hours. Add water as needed during the simmering. This process freshens up the pot as well as the air in your home.
   
   
4. Keep kitties off your lawn
   Are the neighbor’s cats still mistaking your lawn for their litter box? Gently point them elsewhere by making a mixture of orange peels and coffee grounds and distributing it around the cats’ “old haunts.” If they don’t take the hint, lay down a second batch and try moistening it with a bit of water.
   
   
5. Apply as mosquito repellent
   If you’re not crazy about the idea of rubbing onions all over yourself to keep away mosquitoes, you may be happy to know that you can often get similar results by rubbing fresh orange or lemon peels over your exposed skin. It’s said that mosquitoes and gnats are totally repulsed by either scent.
   
   
6. Show ants the door
   Get rid of the ants in your garden, on your patio, and along the foundation of your home. In a blender, make a smooth puree of a few orange peels in 1 cup warm water. Slowly pour the solution over and into anthills to send the little pests packing.

Courtesy of Reader's Digest

Easy Pad Thai

In an effort to cook for from more cuisines at home, I found this simple and milld Pad Thai recipe. I didn't have scallions, but had fresh, first-of-the-season, asparagus that made this a perfect, light dish for a spring evening.

Easy Pad Thai

Ingredients

• 8 oz dried, wide and flat rice noodles
• 2 TBSP brown sugar
• 2 TBSP fresh lime juice, plus wedges for serving
• 3 TBSP soy sauce
• ½ tsp Habernero infused maple syrup
• 2 tsp vegetable oil
• 3 scallions, white and green parts, separated and thinly sliced
1 garlic clove, minced
• 1/2 cup fresh cilantro
• 1/4 cup chopped roasted, salted peanuts
• Try adding shrimp or chicken: While the noodles are soaking, cut up 1 small chicken breast into bite sized pieces. Marinate the chicken in a little bit of soy sauce and garlic. Cook chicken or shrimp before you add the noodles to the pan.

Directions

1. Soak noodles according to package instructions. Drain.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together brown sugar, lime juice, soy sauce, and syrup.
3. In a large nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat.
4. Add scallion whites and garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant (about 30 seconds).
5. Add noodles, scallion greens, and sauce to skillet. Cook, tossing constantly, until noodles are soft (about 1 minute).
6. Serve noodles with lime wedges, topped with cilantro and peanuts.
7. Leftovers: Toss in a hot skillet for a minute with a little water, lime juice and soy sauce to warm the noodles.

Serves 4

Spicy African Peanut Stew

This stew is a simplified/American-ized version of Hkatenkwan (Ghanaian Groundnut Stew.) Groundnut is the African word for peanut, and this stew is based on the Western African version of the groundnut/tomato stew found all over sub-Saharan Africa.

One of the curators at our campus museum brought this in for our monthly potluck (thanks, Emmie!) and it was all I could do to not go up for thirds!

Spicy African Peanut Stew

Ingredients

• 14-oz. can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 1 cup cubed sweet potato
• 2 medium carrots, sliced
• 1.5 tsp curry powder
• 1/2 to 3/4 tsp garam masala
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 Tbsp minced ginger
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 14-ounce can fire-roasted tomatoes
• 14-ounce can light coconut milk
• 2 cups vegetable stock
• 2 Tbsp peanut butter (crunchy or smooth)
• 1/2 cup red lentils, rinsed
• Bunch fresh cilantro
• 1 cup roasted unsalted peanuts

Directions

1. Combine all ingredients (except cilantro and peanuts) in a slow cooker
2. Set on high for an hour, then switch to low for 4-5
3. Garnish with cilantro and peanuts

Tuscan Pasta

I found a version of this yummy dish in a Crock-Pot brand slow-cooker cookbook. The only changes I made was to substitute black olives for the original recipe's mushrooms (as I'm allergic) and swap a jar of Newman's Own Organic Tomato-Basil sauce for the recommended can of plain tomato sauce. I'm not sold on the celery either, so I might consider omitting it next time, but adding peas when adding the dry pasta. Lastly, don't worry that there is a lot of liquid in this recipe, as the pasta absorbs most of it in the final step.

Tuscan Pasta

Ingredients

• 1 lb. bone-/skin-less chicken breasts, cut into 1" cubes
• 2 cans (14 oz. ea.) Italian-style stewed tomatoes, undrained
• 1 can (15 oz.) red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 can (15 oz.) cannellini (white) beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 (15 oz.) jar of Newman's Own Organic Tomato-Basil sauce (or similar)
• 1 cup water
• 1 jar (4.5 oz.) sliced black olives, drained
• 1 medium yellow, orange or red bell pepper, chopped
• 1/2 cup chopped red onion
• 1/2 cup chopped celery (optional)
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp. Italian seasoning
• 1 sm. can LeSueur Very Early Young Peas (optional)
• 6 oz. uncooked thin spaghetti, broken in half (Barilla+ recommended)

Directions

1. Place all ingredients except peas and spaghetti in Crock-Pot slow cooker.
2. Cover; cook on LOW 4 hours or until vegetables are tender.
3. Add in spaghetti and (optional) peas. Turn to HIGH, cook 10 minutes, then stir.
4. Continue cooking covered on high an additional 35 minutes or until pasta is tender.
5. Recommend serving with shredded parmesan cheese. Salt and pepper to taste.

Makes 8 servings.

MiniMaple's New Year Smoothie

Here is the smoothie our son created for our family's New Year's Eve celebration!

• 2 clementines
• 6 strawberries
• 1 banana
• 1 cup Pineapple-Orange-Banana juice
• 1/8 cup granulated sugar
• 2 cups ice cubes

Blend together, then enjoy!