beef stew

I've been craving beef stew for quite some time, but was forbidden to have Campbell's Beef & Barley because of all the preservatives... this left me with no option but to make my own. This was my first attempt and I was quite pleased with the result, now to figure out how to add...

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mac and cheese

The Husband loves his Mac and Cheese.  I've attempted this recipe many times, each time tweaking it a little, but I think I finally perfected it. The sauce is made from scratch which is a little time consuming, but I think completely worth it.  I just need to figure out how to use less...

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spaghetti alla carbonara

Ever since I got the pasta attachment for my kitchenaid I've been having a hard time buying dry pasta.  Why buy pasta when I can make it myself?  I learned a tough lesson in pasta making this time. Our house was just too cold for the pasta to form correctly so the Husband had to put his...

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chocolate bundt cake

My friend Tiffany has been attempting to coerce me into making bundt cakes. I've always liked the pans, but never thought much about making a cake with no center.  Eventually the pans won and I found myself walking out of the store with a pan in hand, this of course meant I needed to bake...

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Sausage-Stuffed Mushrooms

To say these are delicious is a serious understatement...   Sausage-Stuffed Mushrooms (adapted from Ina Garten) ingredients 16 extra-large white mushrooms 5 Tbs good olive oil, divided 2 1/2 Tbs Marsala wine or medium sherry 3/4 lb sweet Italian sausage, removed from the casings 6 scallions,...

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Brussel Sprouts with Thyme and Pancetta

Brussel Sprouts with Thyme and Pancetta (adapted from M. Voltaggio) ingredients 1/4 lb. pancetta, cut into 1/4-inch dice (about 1/2 cup) 1 Tbs. olive oil 2 lb. Brussels sprouts, trimmed, cut lengthwise through the core into 1/4-inch-thick slices Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper 1 bushy...

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Carrot Cake

Apparently there was a recent sale on carrots, because my mom and I both home came with a bunch of carrots. I've always had a soft spot for carrot cake, but always found them to be too sweet or too moist!  This recipe was my first attempt, but I am already in love with it, because it doesn't...

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Orange-Spice Pumpkin Bread

The holidays are right around the corner which can only mean one thing... time for some pumpkin goodness! While attempting this recipe, I was starting to lose faith, especially when I thought the mixture was curdling, luckily I stuck to it because the result was this light delicious pumpkin bread. ...

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Cilantro-Basil Turkey Burger

I got this recipe from my friend Grace; she made it for a party and I was hooked after the first bite. I tweaked her recipe a little and I highly recommend accompanying this burger with bbq sauce and jalapeno jack cheese. Cilantro-Basil Turkey Burger ingredients 2 lbs ground turkey 1 bunch...

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Roasted Corn and Edamame Salad

I recently made this simple recipe for a camping trip. Roasted Corn and Edamame Salad  (adapted from epicurious.com) ingredients 1 1/4 cup cooked corn kernels or frozen roasted corn 1/2 cup shelled edamame 1/4 cup chopped red onion 1/4 cup small-diced red bell pepper 1 Tbs finely chopped fresh...

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raspberry-topped lemon muffins

Our lemon tree is still producing lemon so my search for more lemon recipes continues. This unassuming muffin really packs a lot of flavor. Not too sweet and so delicious and dare I say... healthy tasting. Raspberry-topped Lemon Muffins (adapted from epicurious) ingredients 1 1/8 cups sugar, divided 4...

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Seafood Cucumber Cups

This blurry photo doesn't do the dish justice, but we totally forgot to snap a photo of it and this was the best I could find. We actually simplified this recipe even further by purchasing premade seafood dip. This is a great and fast little appetizer to whip up for a party. Seafood Cucumber Cups (adapted...

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Mini Baked Spinach Dip

The original recipe actually shows you how to make the spinach dip, but since I was making mini bites for a party for 20, I needed a faster method to make these yummy morsels. Even though I took a major shortcut, they turned out great! Everyone loved them!  I'm guessing  it's because the...

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Ground Chicken Minced Meat

So this is a total classic in my family, it's one of those dish that gets The Husband home faster than normal...  :D  It's amazing how such a simple dish can bring so much delight to our family.  Over rice, on noodle, it's just delicious any way you serve it. Ground Chicken...

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Pepperoni Pizza Puffs

These were a huge hit!  I wanted to serve pizza, but not in the usual by the slice form, these were perfect as a side dish and packed a lot of flavor. Pepperoni Pizza Puffs ingredients 3/4 c. flour 3/4 tsp baking powder 1 Tbs Italian seasoning pinch of salt  pinch of red pepper flakes 3/4...

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Red Velvet Cookies

As you know, red velvets are all the rage, what bakery and home kitchen isn't making some version of a red velvet cupcake?  I was hosting a baby shower and as part of the favor and desserts, we decided to do an assortment of cookies.  I wanted to give the guests some of the usual, chocolate...

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Rustic Pear and Apple Galette

Rustic Pear and Apple Galette (adapted from Apartment Therapy) Crust 2 cups white flour 3/4 teaspoon salt 1 tablespoon white sugar 14 tablespoons unsalted butter 1/3-1/2 cup ice water Fruit 2 large apples, peeled and cored 3-4 red pears, peeled and cored Juice of 1 lemon 1/3 cup dark brown sugar 1...

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Roasted Butternut Squash and Bacon Pasta

Stupid me went nuts and bought one too many bags of butternut squash when it was on sale. I only had one recipe in my arsenal and so I needed to find something else that uses butternut squash quick!  I didn't want to make soup since that's not a dish The Husband and I can bring to work for...

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chicken enchilada - red sauce

as you can tell, we've been on an enchilada kick.  chicken enchilada ingredients 1 rotisserie chicken, shredded 1 onion, chopped 1 cup shredded Mexican blend cheese 1/2 tsp dried parsley 1/2 tsp ground black pepper 1 can (4oz) green chile or 1/3 cup chopped green bell pepper 1 clove garlic,...

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chicken enchilada with salsa verde

chicken enchilada with salsa verde ingredients 1 cup chopped onion 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro 2 garlic cloves, minced 1 (7oz) bottle salsa verde  2 cups shredded cooked chicken breast 1/3 cup (3oz) 1/3-less-fat cream cheese, softened 8 (6-inch) corn tortillas Cooking spray 1/4 cup crumbled...

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No-Knead Pizza Dough

I got this recipe from my coworker who mentioned Jim Lahey and Mark Bittman, two names that really did not compute into anything in my mind, but when she said No-Knead, I was intrigued!  Perhaps the hardest part about this whole process is leaving the dough alone.No-Work Mostly Whole Wheat Pizza...

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zucchini and ricotta galette

Zucchini and Ricotta Galette (adapted from smittenkitchen) ingredients 1 large or 2 small zucchinis, sliced into 1/4 inch thick rounds 1 Tbs and 1 tsp olive oil 1 medium garlic clove, minced  1/2 cup ricotta cheese 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese 1/4 cup shredded mozzarella 1 Tbs slivered...

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Aunt Judy's Popovers

Aunt Judy's Popovers(makes 6) ingredients1 cup of low fat or 2% milk, warmed1 cup of flour2 eggs at room temperature1 +/- Tbs salt1 cup grated gruyere cheesenon-stick vegetable sprayPopover pandirectionsPlace the popover pan in the oven, heat the oven and pan to 350FGently warm the milk over the...

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Orzo Alfredo with Pancetta, Peas & Shrimp

Orzo Alfredo with Pancetta, Peas & Shrimpingredients1/2 box of orzo1/2 cup heavy cream2 Tbs butter1/3 cup grated parmesan cheesepeasshrimppancetta, cookedsalt & pepperdirectionsCook orzo according to directions on box.In a heavy bottomed sauce pan, mix cream, peas, butter, parmesan, pancetta...

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Chili Relleno Casserole

 One of The Husband's favorite things to order when we're eating at a Mexican Restaurant is chili relleno. The photo really doesn't do this dish any justice...it's much more delicious than it looks with just a hit of spice. This version is also much healthier than your usual chili relleno and since...

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Flourless Chocolate Cake

Flourless Chocolate Cake(adapted from epicurious.com) ingredients1/2 cup fine-quality bittersweet chocolate (I used Scharffen Berger)1 stick unsalted butter3/4 cup sugar3 large eggs1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder plus additional for sprinklingdirections Preheat oven to 375°F and butter an 8-inch round...

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Shrimp Scampi

Shrimp Scampi(adapted from Epicurious)ingredientsolive oilpeeled, deveined large raw shrimp4 large garlic cloves, minced1/2 teaspoon dried hot red-pepper flakes1/2 cup dry white winesalt and pepper 5 tablespoons unsalted butterpasta, preferably, angel-hair or linguine  1/2 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf...

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Seared Scallops with Lemon Orzo

I went looking for steak, but instead found fresh wild caught jumbo scallops. This meant a change in the dinner menu, but I'm not complaining since it was a great opportunity for a new recipe.  Seared Scallops with Lemon Orzo (adapted from Cooking Light) ingredients Cooking spray 1/2 cup...

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Easy Mexican Dinner

My good friend told me about this quick dinner she whipped up one night with some random leftovers in her fridge. I was immediately intrigued since I was just craving some fish tacos. Tortilla, frozen fish nuggets/sticks some greens and tarter sauce and you have home-made fish tacos!  Genius really! ...

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ATK's Banana Bread

I have to give credit to my friend Brian here, because if he didn't distract me at work with episodes of America's Test Kitchen, I never would have found this fabulous recipe! Personally, I'm not a fan of bananas, but put it in a bread or smoothie and I just might force myself to ingest some. So you...

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OG's Zuppa Toscana Soup

 Rainy days are the best days for a bowl of nice hot soup. This is one of my fave and the sole reason why I go to Olive Garden. Now all I need to make are the bread sticks.(Olive Garden's) Zuppa Toscana Soup(adapted from many variations)ingredients1 lb. spicy Italian sausage, casing removed3 bacon2...

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Olive Oil Cake with Lemon Glaze

Inspired by my friend, I recently purchased a mini bundt cake pan and was looking for a healthier cake recipe.  Since our lemon tree is still producing like crazy, I was immediately drawn to this recipe...Olive Oil Cake with Lemon Glaze (adapted from foodnetwork.com)ingredientsFor the Cakes:1 tbs...

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Turkey Meatloaf - v1

Occasionally I get hit with this crazy craving for meatloaf and mashed potatoes. I've attempted numerous variation of meatloaf before, but for some reason they always ended up dry, salty or just mediocre. The other night I was craving meatloaf again, but my favorite place was far and my taste buds needed...

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grill-less babyback ribs

While grocery shopping, I found a nice rack of baby backs ribs on sale and I just couldn't pass it up.  When I got home, I realized I had a few problems...1) I never made ribs before, 2) we had no coals for the grill and 3) I didn't want to marinate overnight or wait 3-4 hours to eat ribs! I want...

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Beef Chili with Corn

The husband loves chili so I'm always on a search for a healthy & hearty chili to satisfy his cravings.  Up until now, my favorite chili recipe was the slow cooker chili.  You just put everything in the pot and let it simmer for 7 hours.  The only problem with the slow cooker chili...

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