the BEST (and easiest) homemade Mac & Cheese (with Bacon!)

I have tried all sorts of homemade macaroni and cheese, the kind where you make a white sauce gravy then add cheese, the kind you bake, with crackers breadcrumbs, etc...

I FINALLY found the BEST tasting and easiest to make Mac & Cheese recipe. It is SO yummy you'll never go back to the boxed kind (well you might in an emergency, but you won't enjoy it)! I made mine with bacon and asparagus, but you can make it plain or add your favorite meat & veggie combo.

Summer Corn Cakes with Avocado Salsa

BLT {the best sandwich on earth}

I think bacon is my favorite food. If I had to choose between dark chocolate and bacon...I think bacon would win... I like my bacon super crunchy and my favorite way to eat it is in a big fat BLT.

I don't think anyone really needs a recipe for a BLT, but some things I add to make it better than your average sandwich, is ranch dressing on one slice of bread (instead of mayo) and smashed ripe avocado on the other. Throw in some havarti cheese and swiss chard (along with tomato and bacon, of course) and you have one tasty (and healthy) sandwich.

Perfect for lunch or dinner, especially in the summertime when you need something quick and easy.

Oh- and bacon cooking- the way to get it super crunchy is to bake it in the oven at 425 degrees. Place bacon strips side by side and bake until all the fat has been cooked away and the bacon is a dark color and looking crispy (or until your smoke detector goes off), about 15-20 minutes, turning half way through (don't burn!). Then when the bacon grease cools down, pour into a jar and refrigerate for later use. Bacon grease is great for cooking eggs, potatoes, popcorn and more. Refrigerate or freeze any extra bacon.

Quinoa Salad with pears, spinach and chickpeas

If you haven't yet visted the Gluten Free Goddess website yet, I highly suggest you do. I'm not gluten free and don't plan on ever going gluten free, but she has some amazing real food recipes that cannot be passed up. Such as this salad- the pears and apples are so sweet it gives a great contrast to the quinoa and spinach. A great summer salad!

Quinoa Salad Recipe with Pears, Baby Spinach and Chick Peas in a Maple Vinaigrette
*Recipe from Gluten Free Goddess

1-2 cups cooked quinoa (I use rice cooker, otherwise follow directions on box)
2 handfuls of organic baby spinach leaves, washed, drained (I used a full package of organic girl)
1 large ripe pear, washed, stemmed and cored, cut into pieces
1 sweet apple, sliced into pieces
1/2 cup chilled chick peas, rinsed, drained
2 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste
A handful of pecans, pan toasted and salted to taste
Feta Cheese, crumbled

Maple Vinaigrette Dressing:

4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons golden balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons pure maple syrup

Fluff quinoa with a fork and scoop into a large salad bowl.

Add the baby spinach, pear, apple, chick peas, and chopped parsley to the quinoa and fluff.

Whisk together the vinaigrette, pour it over the quinoa salad and toss gently. Season to taste with sea salt and ground pepper.

Just before serving, add the toasted pecans and feta and lightly combine.

Quinoa and Black Bean Burritos

If you are a lover of Mexican food, you HAVE to try this. It is amazing. I modified the recipe from the Cooking Quinoa blog (a fabulous site for incorporating this superfood into everyday meals). This is fabulous by itself, with chips or in a tortilla. I didn't add meat to mine and didn't miss it a bit. Seriously, couldn't get a healthier, tastier burrito. We used the leftovers to make quesadillas and they were just as great. This is definitely being added to my regular meal rotation.

Quinoa and Black Bean Burritos

Olive oil
1 small onion, diced
Diced green and or red pepper (I used both)
1-2 cups black beans (or one can)
1/2 to 1 teaspoon salt (less if you use canned beans)
2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1 cup cooked quinoa
1 lime (or 1/2 lemon)
1/2 bunch cilantro (I forgot to add mine and it still tasted fabulous)
diced avocado, tomato

Heat 1 to 2 teaspoons of olive oil in pan and saute onions and peppers. Stir in black beans, salt, cumin, chili powder and garlic powder. Stir in quinoa just until heated through. Remove from heat and toss with lime or lemon and cilantro.
Serve with avocado and tomato. I had mine with whole wheat tortillas. I didn't add any sour cream or cheese, but that would also be a nice addition.

Pasta al Pomodoro

This is my favorite version of spaghetti. Doesn't look like much, but the flavor of fresh basil and creamy butter is so scrumptious. It's another one of my last minute go-to meals.

1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 onion, minced
4 cloves of garlic, minced
3-4 fresh tomatoes, diced (or canned- using juice to thin sauce)
Salt, to taste
handful of fresh basil leaves
12oz whole grain spaghetti or angel hair pasta
2 tablespoons real butter
1/4 cup fresh grated parmesan cheese
2-3 tablespoons milk, to thin sauce

Cook spaghetti according to package directions. Drain.

Heat olive oil in skillet over medium heat. Saute onion until soft. Stir in garlic and cook for one minute. Dice tomatoes (You can puree if you prefer a smoother sauce). and stir into onion mixture. Season lightly with salt. Add basil leaves, cover and cook stirring occasionally until sauce thickens and flavors meld, about 20 minutes. Add additional diced vegetables if desired.

Stir in milk to reach desired consistency. Remove basil leaves and toss tomato sauce with pasta, stir in butter. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Serve immediately.

*Recipe modified from Bon Appetit

Creamy Chicken Taquitos

My friend Melissa posted this on her blog a few weeks ago and I finally made them. They are so delicious! Definitely being added to my regular meal rotation...

Creamy Chicken Taquitos
2 cups shredded cooked chicken
3oz cream cheese
1/4 cup salsa verde
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice (1/2 lime)
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
3 tablespoons chopped cilantro
2 tablespoons sliced green onions
1 cup grated cheese (I used 1/2 pepperjack and 1/2 monterrey jack)
12 small flour tortillas
Oil for misting

Preheat oven to 400.

Heat cream cheese in microwave safe bowl for 20-30 seconds until soft. Stir in salsa verde, lime juice, cumin, chili powder and garlic. Stir in cilantro, green onions, chicken and cheese.

Heat 4 tortillas at a time in microwave for 20 seconds to soften. Scoop 2-3 tablespoons of chicken mixture into the middle of each tortilla, keeping the mixture 1/2 inch from edges and roll tightly. Place seam side down on metal baking sheet. Line up but don't let them touch.

Spray tops lightly with oil and bake for 15 minutes or until crisp and ends are golden brown.

Chicken Caesar Salad

This is a yummy spring salad (not that it's spring here yet- but it should be!)

Grilled chicken breast, thinly sliced
Lettuce, washed, chopped
2 cups bowtie pasta, cooked, drained
Cherry tomatoes
Texas Toast garlic croutons
4-6 ounces grated parmesan cheese
1/4 cup sliced almonds
Caesar dressing

Toss and serve!

Vegetable Rotini

Taking a break from cupcakes...for a moment at least...

I love quick and easy meals that include lots of veggies so I don't have to go to the extra work of preparing a side dish. This is a super easy last minute meal and if you add lots of veggies it's super healthy. And kids love it.
This is also great meatless. I don't cook with a lot of meat but I always have those frozen Italian meatballs on hand and just cut them up in small pieces and mix in. I have made this to feed my family of 5, but you can easily double it by increasing the noodles and sauce.

Baked Vegetable Rotini
1/2 package rotini (or penne) pasta
1 jar of spaghetti sauce
2 cups cheese, mozzarella, cheddar or monterey jack
1lb Italian sausage (optional)
1 T. olive oil
1 clove garlic
1/2 small onion, chopped
Favorite veggies chopped (broccoli, peppers, carrots, peas)

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Cook pasta according to package directions, add vegetables with pasta and cook until tender. Heat oil in saucepan and saute onions and garlic with sausage. Drain pasta and veggies and pour into 9x13 baking dish. Cover with tomato sauce and smother with cheese.

Bake for 25 minutes or until cheese is melted.

If you are in a hurry or just hate to have to get 2 dishes dirty- simply stir the sauce, pasta and veggies into the same pan you cooked the sausage, top with cheese and cover with a lid. Heat until cheese is melted.

Chicken Ranch Pasta

Being a busy mom, I usually don't feel like cooking at the end of the day, so I LOVE meals that don't require much preparation, are quick to cook and include lots of veggies.

I got this recipe from my friend Joann and it is a perfect kid-friendly and mom-friendly meal. It will be added to our regular meal rotation. And FYI- I don't like cottage cheese in the slightest- but when it melts you cannot tell that it's cottage cheese, so don't let that ingredient stop you from trying it.

I halved her recipe because I only had half the cottage cheese required, we fed all 5 of us and still had a bowl of leftovers... so I'm including the halved version here...but she says it freezes well, so check out her site if you have a big family or are doing freezer meals.

1 boneless, skinless chicken breast
2 cloves garlic, minced
Salt & Pepper
1/2 box Farfalle pasta (or any other pasta)
1-2 carrots, diced
1 crown broccoli, chopped
1 cup frozen peas or lima beans
1 1/2 cups cottage cheese
1/4 cup ranch dressing (made from packet or other high quality brand)
Parmesan cheese, grated

Cube chicken and cook in saucepan over medium heat with a dash of olive oil, 2 cloves of garlic, and about 1/8 teaspoon of salt and pepper or other garlic seasoning. Cover and cook until chicken is no longer pink- about 10-15 minutes.

In a large pot, cook pasta according to directions. Add carrots and broccoli and cook until tender. Drain.

Add cottage cheese to the saucepan with the chicken. Stir until cheese is completely melted (mixture will be runny). Add ranch dressing and stir in pasta and veggies. Let sit 5 minutes until thickened.

If you have small children, this is where I stir in the frozen peas because they act as little ice cubes and cool the meal down. If you don't have heat-sensitive munchkins, go ahead and add the peas when you first stir in the pasta to the sauce.

Top with grated parmesan cheese (I didn't have any on hand and used feta- tasted just as delicious).

New World Chili

To go along with my post on pumpkins- here's a yummy fall recipe to try. I've made it several times before but forgot how easy it really was to make. I whipped it up in less than 30 minutes and that includes the cooking of the pumpkin. Like all soups/chili's you can mix up the beans and veggies any way you like and it's so easy to shrink or expand the batch. If you follow my version of this recipe it makes a big batch enough for 2 meals (unless you have a really big family!) I like to freeze half and save for another day when I'm too busy to make dinner.

3 cans diced tomatoes (14.5oz)
2 cans black beans, rinsed & drained
1 can kidney beans, rinsed & drained
1 8oz can tomato sauce (I used spaghetti sauce)
1 small pumpkin or butternut squash, seeded, cooked, peeled and chopped
1 cup chicken broth
1/2 onion chopped
1 cup frozen whole kernel corn
1 cup dried cranberries
1 can green chilies (I didn't have any and it still tasted great)
1 tablespoon chili powder (or to taste)
1 teaspoon cumin (or to taste)
2 cloves garlic
4oz monterey jack cheese, shredded

Cut pumpkin in half, remove seeds and place cut side down on microwave safe dish. Cook 10 minutes. Meanwhile, in large stockpot add all remaining ingredients except cheese, and cook until heated through, 15-20 minutes. Peel skin off pumpkin and chop into cubes. Stir into chili mixture. Top each serving with cheese.

*original recipe stirred in 2 cups shredded fresh spinach, I have not tried this but bet it would be yummy
*original recipe includes chicken breast, I went meatless, but think shredded chicken or turkey would be a great addition

How to cook pumpkin or butternut squash

I'm posting this information because I used to be intimidated by real pumpkins but have learned how easy it really is. And since it's the time of year, I'll be posting several recipes with pumpkin. I highly recommend using fresh, it tastes sooo much better. Also, butternut squash is an excellent substitute for pumpkin, in fact I think it makes better pumpkin pie than pumpkin. So you can exchange butternut squash for pumpkin and vice versa.

To cook either of these, simply cut off the stem, cut in half, remove all the seeds, place cut side down on a microwave safe pan (the pampered chef small bar pan works perfect for this) and microwave on high for 10 minutes (if you're using a large pumpkin you'll need to increase the time- you can usually tell because the top will start to cave in and the flesh will be soft). That's it! Let cool a bit then scrape out the flesh, mash or puree and use in your favorite recipe. I prefer a bit of texture in mine just because it feels homemade. You can also scoop into freezer bags and freeze, makes it easy to pull out and make yummy recipes like these pumpkin muffins.

 

Cuban Black Bean Soup

Have I mentioned that I love black beans??? This soup is yum. Doesn't look too appetizing, but it really is good. And can't get much easier.

1/2 onion chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon oil

2 cans black beans

1 tablespoon cumin (to taste)

1 cup chicken broth

1 cup salsa

1/2 cup sour cream

Heat oil in large pan, cook onions and garlic until golden. Add black beans and mash with potato masher or food chopper (I mash mine right in the pan). If you prefer a smoother soup, use a blender, I just prefer chunky soup. Stir in cumin, chicken broth and salsa and cook until heated through. Stir in sour cream. Garnish with sour cream, avocado, tortilla strips, and cilantro.

Black Bean Salad aka Cowboy Caviar

This is one of my favorite dishes because it's so simple and so healthy. It is my "go to" dish when I'm exhausted and don't feel like cooking. You can eat it warm or cold, with a spoon, tortilla, or chips. Plain, over rice, or lettuce. So versatile, and did I mention healthy?

2 cans black beans
1 can corn, drained or 1 cup frozen corn, thawed
1/2 cup chopped green onion
1 avocado, chopped
1 bunch cilantro, chopped
2 tomatoes, chopped (or 1 can diced tomatoes)
1/2 cup zesty italian dressing
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

Chop the tomatoes, onion, avocado and cilantro and toss with beans and spices. Here is a great recipe for zesty italian dressing (I simply mixed a little olive oil, garlic powder, honey and italian seasoning together and liked it much more than the storebought stuff I used to buy). Refrigerating it for a few hours helps the flavors to soak in and give the beans a good flavor.

For an even healthier boost- try adding some cooked quinoa to the salad.

Kentucky Griddle Cakes

I always assumed griddle cakes were just a southern name for pancakes. Not so. They are made from cornmeal. I'm not a huge fan of cornmeal but I'm always up for trying something new. This is a fun substitute for break in lunches or for breakfast.

I like to use them for BLT's with ranch dressing instead of mayo, or as a breakfast sandwich with eggs and sausage.

1 cup cornmeal (white or yellow)
1/2 cup flour
1 tablespoon sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup milk (buttermilk if you have it)

1 egg

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 tablespoon honey

4-5 slices cooked, chopped bacon (or bacon bits)

Mix all dry ingredients then mix in milk, egg, oil and honey. Stir in cooked bacon. Should resemble pancake batter, but the bacon will slip to the bottom so mix well between each batch. Heat a griddle over medium heat and spread with butter or spray with oil. Pour evenly sized pancakes and cook until brown on the bottom, flip and finish cooking just like regular pancakes. Best if served warm.

*These freeze really well- freeze individually then store in freezer bags, to reheat put in toaster for a few minutes.

Almond Crusted Halibut Symphony

I've been trying to learn to like fish or at least be able to tolerate it. I tried making fish tacos with tilapia and just couldn't bring myself to eat more than a bite or two. Anthony was feeling like fish tonight so I suggested he try this recipe that I'd been meaning to make for quite a while now but couldn't bring myself to do it in case it turned out like my fish taco diaster. I was pleasantly surprised- the halibut had hardly any fish flavor. The dish was amazing- it tasted fabulous, looked fabulous and was an absolutely perfect dinner alongside garlic mashed potatoes and steamed green beans. It seems complex at first, but it was simple enough my husband was able to make it with hardly any help from myself. So if you're like me and don't eat fish, try this- it really has no fishy flavor!

Almond Crusted Halibut Symphony

Ingredients:

3 filets halibut
1 tablespoon butter

Buerre Blanc Sauce

1 tablespoon water
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1/4 teaspoon thyme
1 bay leaf
1/3 cup heavy cream
1 cube butter cut into tablespoon-sized pieces
2 tablespoons minced shallots (I used chopped fresh chives)1teaspoon lemon juice

salt and pepper to taste

Topping

1/4 cup bread crumbs

2/3 cup sliced almonds

1 tablespoon butter, melted

1 egg, lightly beaten

Heat 1 tablespoon butter in frying pan. Over medium heat, saute halibut filets for 2 to 3 minutes or until golden brown on one side. Flip over, cover with lid and turn off heat. Let halibut continue cooking in hot pan until golden brown on the other side.

Make buerre blanc: in small saucepan over medium heat combine water, vinegar, shallots (or fresh chopped chives), thyme and bay leaf. Boil until liquid has evaporated, remove bay leaf. Stir in cream and boil until liquid is reduced by half. Whisk in butter 1 piece at a time. Stir in lemon juice, salt and pepper. Turn off heat but let sauce remain on stove to keep warm.

Topping: In a small bowl melt butter and stir in bread crumbs and almonds. In another small bowl beat egg.

Transfer halibut to a cookie sheet and turn oven to broil. Brush egg on top of filets and top with bread crumb topping. Broil for 2-3 minutes until golden brown- watch carefully because it will cook quickly.

Garden Pasta Salad

I typically don't eat pasta salads because they are mayo based and I am not a big fan of mayo. This pasta sald is so easy to make and is so delicious (not to mention healthy) and the feta cheese gives it such an yummy touch. I like to make it and eat it with the noodles still a bit warm for dinner and then as a cold salad the next day for lunch.

3 cups whole wheat rotini pasta cooked and drained
1 cup crumbled feta cheese

1 cup halved cherry (or sliced garden) tomatoes

1 cup chopped cucumber

1 cup fresh chopped zucchini and or yellow squash

1/2 cup sliced black olives

1/4 cup chopped red onions (I am not a fan of raw onions so I usually leave out)

1/2 cup zesty italian dressing

Cook pasta according to directions and drain. Slice all vegetables. Mix pasta, vegetables, zesty italian dressing (click here for dressing recipe) and cheese. Serve warm or cold.

*another healthy addition to this salad are garbanzo beans and frozen green peas, thawed

Strawberry Chicken Salad

This is my favorite salad, it's almost like a dessert. So yummy! My friend Joann introduced me to it, and it's fabulous. I used Brianna's poppyseed dressing, but I actually think Joann's recipe for poppyseed dressing is better- it's more dessert-like and just heavenly. Go here for her recipe.

I grilled my chicken with montreal chicken seasoning, then added fresh strawberries, almonds, oranges and mixed with baby greens and poppyseed dressing. You can change up the fruits for a different taste- peaches would be yummy, it also tastes great without the chicken, but something about grilled chicken and strawberries is just amazing. Perfect summer dinner.

Oven baked Salmon with pesto & sun dried tomatoes

I usually don't eat seafood. Ever. The smell of fish makes me ill. I assumed that anything that came from the sea must taste as awful as it smells. I am yet again proven wrong.

A few months ago I saw a cooking show that discussed cooking salmon in a pan and the trick to avoiding the "fishy" smell is to cook it on one side until golden, flip it, put the lid on, turn the stove off and walk away. After about 8 minutes it will be done and there will be no noxious odor. I tried it for my husband (I've banned all fish from the house since we've been married) and it worked! No fish smell. He was happy to eat fish for the first time since being home from Kuwait and I was happy because my house still smelled nice. I even took a bite. It wasn't bad. I didn't love it, but I also didn't hate it.

So...when we were in Utah my lovely friend Leta invited us to dinner and said she was thinking about making salmon. I agreed since I didn't mind it the last time I tried it, plus she mentioned pesto and sun dried tomatoes- so I couldn't resist. I was pleasantly surprised! I've determined to make some type of fish at least 2-3 times a month now until my tastebuds learn to LOVE it. Or at least desire it. It's such a healthier alternative to chicken and pretty easy to prepare. I'm sure I made it different from what she did, but this is what I could remember and my family loved it.

2 salmon filets

Basil pesto

Sun dried tomatoes

Angel hair pasta (or any kind!)

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Top each salmon filet with a heaping spoonful of basil pesto. Bake in preheated oven until salmon is cooked through, about 12 to 15 minutes.

While salmon is cooking, cook pasta according to package directions. Drain. Stir in 1/2 jar (or more to taste) of sun dried tomatoes until pasta is well coated.

Serve salmon over pasta and top with parmesan cheese, if desired.

If you're like me and prefer small pieces of salmon, or if you're feeding kids, you can shred it with a fork and stir it in the pasta. Healthy. Delicious.

Creamy Asparagus Soup

This is the first time I've eaten asparagus soup. I LOVED it! I really didn't expect it to turn out so well. Even the boys loved it. If you haven't tried it before you've got to, it's spectacular.

2 large bunches of asparagus (about 1lb)

2 cups chicken broth, divided

1 tablespoon butter

2 tablespoons flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 pinch black pepper

1 cup milk

1/2 cup plain yogurt

1 teaspoon lemon juice

1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

Wash asparagus, gently bend one stalk and let it snap naturally- throw away the snapped end. Use that as a guide and snap or chop the ends off all the asparagus to avoid stringy soup. Boil 1/2 cup of the chicken broth and steam asparagus until tender. Reserve a few asparagus for garnish. Transfer remaining asparagus and liquid into blender and puree.

In same saucepan melt butter. Add flour and slowly whisk in remaining chicken broth until thickened. Stir in salt, pepper, asparagus puree and milk. Add yogurt and lemon juice and stir until heated through. Top with parmesan cheese and garnish with asparagus spears.