Christmas Spice Cookies

White chocolate dried cranberry oatmeal spice cookies seemed too excessive for a title... but that's pretty bang on.

Ingredients:
1/2 Cup brown sugar
1/2 Cup butter
2 Eggs
1 Tsp vanilla
1/2 Tsp cinnamon
1/4 Tsp nutmeg
1 Cup flour
1 1/2 Cup quick oats
1/2 Tsp baking soda
3/4 Cup white chippits
1/4 Cup dried cranberries











Directions:
Cream butter and sugar then add vanilla and eggs. Add spices then flour, oats and baking soda. Mix then add in the white chocolate and dried cranberries. Roll, gently press with a fork and bake on parchment paper for 8-10 minutes at 350 (depending on size). Merry Christmas!

Lentil Shepard's Pie

Comfort food with a conscience. And it's delicious!!

I'm going to level with you - I don't know exact measurements, and it made enough for a rectangle pan but I froze the rest of the filling for next time I crave this!




Ingredients:
1 Cup uncooked green lentils
1 Yellow onion diced
1 Large clove of garlic minced
2 Carrots diced
2 Sticks of celery sliced
4-6 White mushrooms diced
1/2 Cup frozen peas
1/2 Cup frozen corn kernels
4-6 Potatoes mashed
1 Tbsp italian seasoning
1 Cup chicken broth
1 Tsp paprika
Splash of milk and butter to mash into potatoes






Directions:
Cook the lentils in water and boil the potatoes in chicken stock/water. Once potatoes are boiled drain and mash with a splash of milk and a bit of butter (salt and pepper).
In a pan sauté the onions in olive oil, salt and pepper. Add garlic, carrots and celery then mushrooms. Add in chicken broth and italian seasoning then cook the raw veg until there's still a bite to it. Add corn, peas, cooked lentils and put in a dish. Make sure there is a bit of broth. Top with mash potatoes and sprinkle with paprika. Bake in the oven at 350 for 15-20 minutes. Enjoy! Then nap…

Apple Pie Oatmeal

Simple quick breakfast for days!

Apple Filling:
Dice up 4 apples of your choice (peeled)
Add 1 tsp of cinnamon (or however much you want!)
Add 1/3 water
Mix - bring to boil and simple until soft to mash.

Oatmeal:
1/3 cup of oats
Sprinkle of cinnamon
Add boiling water (desired consistency.

Combine ingreedients. Enjoy! That didn't really need explaining did it? Refridgerate left over filling, repeat.

Cheesy Brocoli Scallop Potatoes

Comfort food for sure!

Ingredients:
4 Potatoes
1 Small head of broccoli
1 Onion
1 Clove of garlic
1 tbsp flour
1-2 cups of shredded cheese
1tbsp butter
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup chicken stock

Directions: Saute minced onion in olive oil salt and pepper, add garlic then 1tbsp butter and flour. Once flour is cooked add milk, chicken stock and some of the cheese. Toss in the sliced potato and chopped broccoli. Put in a casserole dish and top with the rest of the cheese. Bake 30-45 minutes at 350.

Black Bean Enchiladas with Smokey Sauce

I knew my 100th recipe had to be a good one!!

Now that I can make a basic rue my receipe repertoire will surely increase - if only I could say the same for my food photography skills.

Filling:
Onion
Orange pepper
Mushrooms
Corn

Enchilada Sauce:
1 28oz crushed tomato
1 small onion diced
1 clove garlic minced
2 tbsp chill powder
1 tsp italian seasoning
1 tsp cumin
salt and pepper
1tbsp flour
1 tbsp olive oil
1tbsp butter













Directions:
Sauted the onion in olive oil, added garlic a bit of butter then flour to make a rue (cooked until flour was cooked through). Added crushed tomatoes and seasoning and let simmer.
For the filling I softened the onion, added other ingredients and a bit of (cheat) fajita seasoning mix. I filled and rolled two small whole wheat tortillas. Placed some sauce on the bottom of the dish, filled tortillas on top then topped with dice tomato, shredded cheese, avocado and more enchilada sauce. Baked for about 15 minutes.

Happy Thanksgiving 2016!

Thanksgiving leftovers… I can deal.

Creamy Cauliflower Pasta

Super healthy and satisfying! Unless you eat the whole pot….

Ingredients:
1/2 head cauliflower
1 Onion diced
1 Clove of minced garlic
1 Stick celery
1/2 Cup chicken broth (or 1 cup)
1 tsp of italian seasoning blend
Peas and brocoli
Salt and pepper



Directions:
Saute onions in olive oil/salt/pepper until translucent add minced garlic then chicken broth. Boil cauliflower and celery until soft. Add spices and blend. Then add in peas and small cut broccoli until tender and serve on pasta. Totally a healthy delicious replacement for alfredo sauce! Finish sauce with a tablespoon of butter for more silkiness.

Easy Banana Coconut Muffins

Better than just Banana!

Ingredients:
1/3 Cup buter
1/2 Cup white sugar
1 Egg
3 medium frozen (then defrosted) bananas
1 Tsp Vanilla
1/8 Tsp of cinnamon and nutmeg
1 1/2 Cups flour
1 Tsp baking powder
1 Tsp baking soda
1/4 Cup unsweetened shredded coconut

Directions:
Combine sugar and butter then add the rest of the wet ingredients. Combine dry ingredients to the bowl. Add to parchment cups and spring extra coconut on top. Bake at 350 for 18 minutes or until done, cool, share and enjoy!!

Lemon Drop Martini

Also was referred to a "porch climber"! Sooo good!!!!

1 oz of vodka
1/2 oz of Cointreau
1/2 oz Lemoncello (generous)
1/2 oz fresh lemon juice
splash of simply syrup

Shake with ice and strain.

Coconut Carrot Muffins

Happy Easter Monday!

Ingredients:
1/2 Cup brown sugar
1/4 Cup butter
1 Egg
1 Banana (frozen/thawed)
1 Cup grated carrot
1 Grated apple
1 Tsp cinnamon
1 Tsp baking soda
1 1/2 Cup flour
2/3 Cup rolled oats
1/2 Cup milk
1/3 Cup unsweetened shredded coconut

Directions:

Cream sugar and butter, add egg, vanilla, mashed banana, carrot and apple with cinnamon. Then mix in dry ingredients and milk.

Bake at 350 for 20 minutes or until done
in baking cups.

Roasted Butternut and Sweet Potato Soup

I thought I had this recipe on here, but since I can't find it I'm going to post it possibly again!

Ingredients:
1 Large sweet potato
1 Small butternut squash
4 Cloves of garlic
1 Medium yellow onion
2 Carrots
2 Celery stalks
1/2 Tsp cinnamon/ nutmeg
1/4 Tsp red pepper flakes
Chicken stock
Salt and pepper to taste




Directions:
Cube and roast the squash and sweet potato until tendering oil salt and pepper, I added cinnamon and nutmeg to the squash when roasting. Roast the garlic in tin foil with a touch of olive oil for 20-25 minutes at 350.
Saute the onion, carrot and celery in olive oil, salt and pepper. Add chicken stalk and the rest of the ingredients. Bring to boil, let cool then puree and enjoy!

Ooey Gooey Cinnamon Buns

Time and energy to clean all the dishes is needed but this recipe will really show that you care! (for others… not your waste line).

Dough:
1 1/4 cup of 2%milk warmed to body temperature
1/3 Cup melted butter
1 Egg room temperature
2 1/2 Tsp of fast rising yeast
1/4 Cup of sugar
3 1/2 Cups of all purpose flour
1/2 Tsp salt

Mix together with an electrical blender and once it starts climbing up it is done! Roll into a ball and put into a bowl lightly oiled and tightly covered. Place in a warm area to rise for 90 minutes to 2 hours.

Topping:
1 Cup brown sugar
1/2 Cup of butter
1/2 Cup of maple syrup

Bring to a boil in a pan then add to 9/11 pan that has parchment paper or lightly greased.

Filling:
2/3 Cup of brown sugar
1 Tbsp of cinnamon
1/2 Cup of raisins

Directions:
Roll out dough to a rectangle shape on flour and lightly brush with butter. Add filling then roll. Cut into 8-12 rolls and place in pan filled with sticky topping. Cover and let rest for another hour. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Try to resist until you see your company! This recipe is only slightly adjusted from my baking hero Anna Olsen.

Flip while still warm and TAAAA DAAAA! No icing needed :) 

Healthy Chicken Gnocchi Soup

This concept has been bouncing around in my head for over a year and I have never even eaten Gnocchi soup! What do I know? SOMETHING!

Ingredients:
2 Chicken breasts
Chicken stock
1 Cup of celery diced
1 Cup of carrots diced
1 Large yellow onion diced
1 Large clove of garlic minced
2 Tsp italian seasoning blend
1 Tsp corn starch

Directions:
Bake chicken breast sprinkled with italian seasoning blend for 30 minutes at 350.
In a pot saute onions in olive oil with salt and pepper then add the rest of the veg. Top with water 6-8 cups, corn starch and how much powdered stock you want to taste. Or use stock in a box. Bring to a boil then add diced cooked chicken, and a tsp of italian seasoning.
Boil mini gnocchi in a separate pot as directed and add to the rest.

Enjoy!