Paleo Sweet Potato Chili...until I added a can of beans.

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs. hamburger
• 1 red onion, chopped
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1 large can (29.5 oz) can tomato sauce
• 2 cups petite diced tomatoes, with juice  (I just used 2 14.5 ounce cans.)
• 3 cups beef stock
• 3 carrots, chopped (about 1 cup)
• 5 small sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed (about 4-5 cups)
• (I added one can of pinto beans [with liquid].)
• 2 bay leaves
• ½ teaspoon thyme
• 2 tsp. salt
• 1½ teaspoons black pepper
• ½ cup chili powder (I found this to be a bit too much.  Start with 1/4 cup, then gradually add if you want more spice.)
• dash of oregano
• dash of red pepper flakes

Directions:

1. In a large saucepan, brown hamburger, onions, and garlic. Drain off the fat. Add the remaining ingredients to the saucepan. Mix well, bring to a boil, and simmer for about 30 minutes or until the sweet potatoes and carrots are cooked through.
2. Slow Cooker Option: Instead of simmering the chili on the stove, brown hamburger, onions, and garlic, then transfer to crockpot (with remaining ingredients) and let it simmer on low all day (8 hours) or on high for 5-6 hours.

*www.tastesoflizzyt.com

30-Minute Potato Soup!

vegetarians, have no fear! you can sub the bacon with butter!

INGREDIENTS:

• 5 slices bacon, diced
• 3 tablespoons bacon grease (reserved) or butter
• 1 cup diced white or yellow onion
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 cups chicken stock
• 2 cups milk, warmed
• 1.5 pounds potatoes, peeled (optional) and diced (I recommend Yukon gold potatoes)
• 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt or sour cream
• 1 teaspoon Kosher salt, or more to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly-cracked black pepper
• optional toppings: thinly-sliced green onions or chives, extra shredded cheese, extra bacon, sour cream

DIRECTIONS:

• Heat a large stockpot over medium-high heat.  Add diced bacon and cook until crispy, stirring occasionally.  Transfer the bacon to a separate plate, using a slotted spoon, reserving about 3 tablespoons of bacon grease in the stockpot.  (Discard any extra grease, or you can substitute butter in place of the 3 tablespoons of bacon grease.  Also, if you are short on time, you can dice the potatoes and onion while the bacon cooks to save time.)
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• Add onion and saute for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until soft.  Sprinkle the flour on top of the onion, and stir until combined.  Saute for an additional minute to cook the flour, stirring occasionally.  Then stir in the chicken stock until combined.  Stir in the milk, potatoes, and cooked bacon bits until combined.  Continue cooking until the mixture reaches a simmer, but is not boiling.
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• Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for about 10-15 minutes or until the potatoes are soft, stirring occasionally every few minutes so that the bottom does not burn.  (The smaller you dice your potatoes, the faster they will cook.)
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• When the potatoes are soft, stir in the cheddar cheese and Greek yogurt (or sour cream), salt and pepper.  Taste and see if it needs more salt or pepper or cheese.  Serve warm, garnished with desired toppings.  This is real good.  Real.

*www.gimmesomeoven.com

Peppermint White Hot Chocolate

INGREDIENTS:

• 4 cups of milk of your choice
• 8 oz. white chocolate, chopped into small pieces (or white chocolate chips)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract (or more/less to taste)
• optional toppings: whipped cream, crushed peppermints, marshmallows

DIRECTIONS:

Stir the milk and chopped white chocolate together in a medium saucepan.  Cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until the mixture comes to a simmer and the chocolate is melted.  (Do not let it come to a boil or let the chocolate burn on the bottom.)  Remove from heat and stir in vanilla and peppermint extract.

Serve warm, with optional toppings if desired.

*www.gimmesomeoven.com

Home-Style Meatloaf

yep, easy.  yep, yum.

INGREDIENTS:

1 1/2 pounds ground chuck (Update: I recently used 1 lb. ground chuck and 1/2 lb. ground turkey breast.  Amazing!)

2 cloves of garlic, minced

1 whole egg, beaten

1 cup Italian bread crumbs

1/2 of a yellow onion, minced

1/3 cup of Worcestershire Sauce

1/4 cup ketchup, plus more {1/3 cup} for brushing on top (I used a combo of ketchup and BBQ sauce for brushing on top.  See notes below.)

3/4 teaspoon Kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper

1/4 teaspoon dried basil

pinch of red pepper flakes, optional

(I also added carrots and spinach to the meatloaf.  In a mini food processor, combine one carrots, a handful of spinach, and the 2 cloves of garlic all at once.  Easiest way to hide veggies!)

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Add all ingredients above to a large bowl and mix by hand until combined and well mixed. On a baking dish or (lightly coated with cooking spray) foil lined baking sheet, free form the meatloaf mixture into a loaf shape. You could also cover with plastic wrap and press the mixture into a more compact shape (remove plastic wrap before baking).

Bake for 20 minutes then remove and lightly brush with ketchup and bake for another 20 minutes.

Remove again and brush with more ketchup (and BBQ sauce if using).

Finish baking for an additional 20 minutes, then remove and let rest for ten minutes. (I brushed with the last I had of my BBQ/ketchup mixture.)

Slice and serve.

www.simplyscratch.com

Healthy Turkey and Veggie Chili

INGREDIENTS:

• 1½ teaspoons olive oil
• 1 pound lean ground turkey
• 1 can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 cup frozen sweet corn
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped small
• 1 yellow onion, chopped small
• 1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
• 5 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 cups water
• 1½ teaspoons cumin
• 1 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• 1½ tablespoons chili powder
• ½ teaspoon paprika
• ¾ teaspoon dried oregano
• ½ teaspoon ground cayenne pepper (Start with less if you're nervous about heat level.)
• ½- ¾ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
• 2 teaspoons reduced sodium soy sauce or gluten-free tamari

Directions:

1. Heat the oil in a large heavy bottom pot over medium heat.
2. Add the turkey and cook until browned, stirring to break it up as it cooks.
3. Add the onion, red bell pepper, and garlic, and cook for a few minutes, stirring, until tender.
4. Mix in canned tomatoes, beans, corn, spices, and soy sauce. Add the water and stir to combine.
5. Bring the chili to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer partially covered for about 30 minutes until the chili thickens. (*Try simmering with the lid on, try with the lid completely off; if you're finding that your chili isn't thickening to your desire, try removing the lid completely.) (Mine was just fine with lid partially on.)
6. Serve with freshly baked corn bread. (Here's a link to her corn bread recipe.)

*www.snixykitchen.com

Lemon Blueberry Bread

Ingredients:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 ½ tsp. baking powder
• ½ tsp. salt
• 1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 cups blueberries (12 oz)
• 2 tsp. lemon zest
• ½ cup plain yogurt, regular or lowfat

Directions:

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Spray a loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.
2. In a medium sized bowl, whisk together your flour, baking powder, and salt. Add the blueberries and lemon zest and toss to combine.
3. Cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the yogurt then the dry ingredients, mixing only until incorporated and being careful not to crush the blueberries.
4. Scoop batter into your prepared loaf pan and bake for 1 hour 10 minutes, until golden brown. Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes before inverting gently onto a plate.

*www.pbs.org

Creamy Tomato Tortellini Soup

ok, real easy, real yummy.

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons EVOO
2 teaspoons minced garlic
2-3 tablespoons sun-dried tomatoes, chopped (You can use jarred or dry.  Just be sure to drain as much of the excess oil off of the jarred ones as possible.)
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
2 (10 3/4 oz.) cans of condensed tomato soup
2 cups half and half
2 cups chicken or vegetable stock
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 (9 oz.) package cheese-filled tortellini
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese, for garnish

Directions:
1. Saute garlic with the olive oil and sun dried tomatoes, onion powder, and Italian seasoning in a large stock pot over medium heat.

2. Add tomato soup, half and half, chicken (vegetable) stock, and salt and pepper, and bring to a simmer. (Following this step, I threw the mixture into my Vitamix to puree all of the garlic and sun-dried tomatoes.  This created a more creamy texture and is totally optional.)

3. Once simmering, drop tortellini into the soup.

4. Cook according to the package directions. (about 7-9 minutes)

5. Once tortellini are cooked, serve topped with Parmesan cheese.

*www.recipeswagger.blogspot.com

Ina Garten's Lemon Chicken Breasts

yep...yum.

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup good olive oil
• 3 tablespoons minced garlic (9 cloves)
• 1/3 cup dry white wine
• 1 tablespoon grated lemon zest (about 2 lemons)
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme leaves
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 4 boneless chicken breasts, skin on (6 to 8 ounces each)
• 1 lemon, cut into 8 wedges

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 F.
2. Warm the olive oil in a small saucepan over medium-low heat, add the garlic, and cook for just one minute — but don't allow the garlic to turn brown. Off the heat, add the white wine, lemon zest, lemon juice, oregano, thyme, and 1 teaspoon salt, and pour into a 9-by-12-inch baking dish.
3. Pat the chicken breasts dry and place them skin side up over the sauce. Brush the chicken breasts with olive oil and sprinkle them liberally with salt and pepper. Cut the lemon in eight wedges and tuck it among the pieces of chicken.
4. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, depending on the size of the chicken breasts, until the chicken is done and the skin is lightly browned. If the chicken isn't browned enough, put it under the broiler for two minutes. Cover the pan tightly with aluminum foil and allow to rest for 10 minutes. Sprinkle with salt and serve hot with the pan juices.

*For a step by step video, watch my girl, Ina, show you exactly how to make it!  

*Ina Garten recipe, Food Network

Ginger Carrot Soup

If I haven't convinced you to get a Vitamix yet, 

get one for this soup!

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon EVOO
• 1 small yellow onion, diced (about 1 cup)
• 1 16 oz. bag of baby carrots
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh ginger
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 32 oz. box low-sodium vegetable or chicken broth or stock
• (*I added 1 tablespoon half and half)

Directions:

1. In a medium saucepan or Dutch oven over medium heat, heat the oil. Add the onion and sauté for 4 to 5 minutes, until translucent.

2. Add the carrots, ginger, salt, and broth and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, until the carrots are fork-tender.

3. Puree the soup in a blender (VITAMIX!!!) or with a hand blender until creamy and smooth.   Add salt to taste if necessary.

4. Serve, topped with a dollop of yogurt, sour cream, or crème fraîche if desired.

*Weelicious Cookbook

Maggie's Find: Bachelorette Party Taco Dip

Ingredients:

• 1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese, softened (*or half greek yogurt/half cream cheese)
• 1 (16 oz.) container sour cream
• 1 (1.25 oz.) package taco seasoning mix
• 1 cup chunky mild salsa
• 1 cup shredded cheese
• 2 large tomatoes, chopped
• 1 (2.25 oz.) can sliced black olives, drained (optional)
• 1 avocado, diced (optional)

Directions:

1. In a medium-sized bowl, combine cream cheese, sour cream, and taco seasoning. Stir in chunky salsa to taco dip mixture; mix until combined.
2. Add shredded cheese and black olives to taco dip mixture. Chop up two large tomatoes, and add tomatoes to taco dip mixture and stir until just combined.
3. Scoop taco dip into serving bowl and top with additional shredded cheese, black olives, avocado, and tomatoes.
4. Keep refrigerated until ready to serve. Enjoy!

*www.deliciouslysprinkled.com

Laura's Find: Grill Master Chicken Wings

fantastic.

Ingredients:

Wings:

1/2 cup soy sauce

1/2 cup Italian-style salad dressing

3 pounds chicken wings, cut apart at joints, wing tips discarded

Sauce:

1/4 cup butter

1 teaspoon soy sauce

1/4 cup hot pepper sauce (such as Frank's RedHot), or to taste

Directions:

First step, get this: grill basket from Williams Sonoma.  It's amazeeeee.  If you don't get the basket, don't worry, you can still make these...

1.	Combine 1/2 cup soy sauce, Italian dressing, and chicken wings in a large, Ziploc bag. Close bag and refrigerate 4 hours to overnight.
2.	Preheat an outdoor grill for medium heat. (Place basket (with top removed) on grill if using.) In a small saucepan, melt the butter. Stir in the 1 teaspoon soy sauce and the hot pepper sauce. Turn off heat and reserve.
3.	Remove the chicken wings from the marinade and pat dry. Cook the wings on the preheated grill, (in basket if using) turning occasionally (every 7 minutes or so), until the chicken is well browned and no longer pink, 25 to 30 minutes. *Mine was closer to 25.
4.	Place grilled wings in a large bowl. Pour butter sauce over wings; toss to mix well. *www.allrecipes.com

Grape and Avocado Arugula Salad

Ingredients:

Salad Ingredients:
• 6 cups fresh arugula, loosely packed
• 2 cups halved seedless grapes, red or green or a mix
• 1 avocado, peeled, pitted and diced
• 1/2 cup crumbled goat cheese
• 1/2 cup chopped toasted walnuts or pecans
• half a small red onion, peeled and thinly sliced
• balsamic vinaigrette (ingredients below)
White Balsamic Vinaigrette Ingredients:
• 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 3 Tablespoons white balsamic vinegar (or traditional balsamic vinegar)
• 2 Tablespoons honey or agave nectar, to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly-cracked black pepper

Directions:

To Make The Salad:

Add salad ingredients to a bowl, and drizzle with vinaigrette. Toss to combine. Serve immediately.

To Make The Vinaigrette:

Whisk all ingredients together for 30 seconds until combined.

*If you want to add some extra protein, add chicken, shrimp, or crispy tofu!  (Serves 2-4.)

*www.gimmesomeoven.com

FIVE Interchangeable Chicken Salads!

All of these recipes start with the Basic Chicken Salad (see below) but can also be eaten on its own! Switching out a few ingredients from the Basic Chicken Salad transforms the salads' flavors and textures.

Basic Chicken Salad:

In a medium bowl, stir together 2 cups chopped cooked chicken, 1/2 cup chopped celery, 1/2 cup mayonnaise, 1/4 cup thinly sliced green onion tops, 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley, 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper, and 1 tablespoon lemon juice.

Almond Chutney Chicken Salad:
Prepare Basic Chicken Salad but omit the celery and mayo.  Add 1/4 cup toasted slivered almonds, 2 tablespoons raisins, 1/3 cup plain yogurt, and 1/4 cup mango chutney.

Waldorf Chicken Salad:
Prepare Basic Chicken Salad but omit the parsley.  Add1/2 chopped apple, 1/2 cup halved grapes, and 1/4 cup roughly chopped walnut pieces.

Mexican Chicken Salad:
Prepare Basic Chicken Salad but omit the parsley, lemon juice, and black pepper.  Add 1/2 cup shredded Mexican style four-cheese blend, 1/2 cup chopped tomato, 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro, 2 finely chopped jalapeño peppers (seeded if you'd like) and 1/2 teaspoon taco seasoning mix.

Lemon Avocado Chicken Salad
Prepare Basic Chicken Salad, adding 1/2 cup chopped avocado, 1/4 cup finely shredded Parmesan cheese, 2 teaspoons lemon zest, 1 tablespoon additional lemon juice, and 1 teaspoon minced garlic.

*Midwest Living Magazine, June 2014

Greek Dip Platter

Ingredients:

6oz. plain Greek Yogurt
10oz. Sabra Roasted Red Pepper Hummus (may not use entire thing)

Toppings:
minced red onion
chopped cucumber
chopped tomato
chopped kalamata olives
feta cheese
chopped fresh parsley

Directions:

Spread Greek yogurt on the bottom of a deep plate. Spread hummus evenly on top. Sprinkle on red onions, cucumbers, tomatoes, kalamata olives, feta cheese, and parsley. Serve with dippers, including Triscuits, pita chips, whole-grain crackers, carrots, celery, or cucumber slices.

*www.iowagirleats.com