pesto pea salad

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Pesto Pea Salad from Jocelyn:
(via Cami Hoff)

1/4 lb baby spinach leaves
1 (10 oz) pkg frozen peas, defrosted
1/2 cup prepared pesto (Costco)
1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
1 tsp kosher salt (be careful)
2 T. toasted pine nuts

Place the spinach and peas in a large bowl. Add the pesto and parmesan cheese, then sprinkle with salt. Toss well, sprinkle with pine nuts and serve.

grandma carolyn's steak marinade

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Grandma Carolyn's Steak Marinade from Ashley:

2 parts Italian salad dressing
1 part soy sauce
1 part red cooking wine

(*ex: 1/2 cup dressing, 1/4 cup each soy sauce and red wine, make amount according to how much meat you have)

Mix together and marinade overnight. Grill steak.

*I used Flank Steak

asparagus fontina tart

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Asparagus Fontina Tart from Jenny:

2 cups Fontina cheese

1 sheet frozen puff pastry

1 1/2 lbs medium asparagus

1 T olive oil

salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. On a floured surface, roll the puff pastry into a 16x10 inch rectangle. Trim uneven edges. Place pastry on a baking sheet. With a sharp knife lightly score pastry dough 1 inch in from the edges to mark a rectangle. Using a fork, pierce dough inside the markings at 1/2 inch intervals. Bake until golden, about 15 minutes.

Remove pastry shell from oven and sprinkle with Fontina. Trim the bottoms of the asparagus spears to fit crosswise inside the tart shell; arrange in a single layer over the Fontina, alternating ends and tips. Brush with oil, and season with salt and pepper. Bake until spears are tender, about 20-25 minutes.

green chile spinach quiche

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Green Chile Spinach Quiche from Sarah:

1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
12 eggs
1 (8 oz) package shredded Colby-Monterey Jack cheese
2 cups small curd cottage cheese
1 (10 oz) pkg frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
2 (4 oz) cans chopped green chilies
1/2 cup melted butter
2 (9 inch) unbaked pie crusts

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Whisk the flour, baking powder and salt together in a small bowl; set aside.

Beat the eggs in a mixing bowl until smooth (I usually put them in the blender). Whisk in the flour mixture until no clumps remain. Stir in the Colby-Monterey Jack cheese, cottage cheese, spinach, green chiles and melted butter until evenly blended. Divide the mixture between pie crusts.

Bake the quiches in the preheated oven for 15 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 350, continue baking until the quiches are lightly browned and a knife inserted into the center comes out clean, 35-40 minutes.

rolls

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Rolls from Debbie:

2 1/2 cups hot water
1/2 cup sugar - heaping cup
2 tsp salt - heaping
3 cups flour

Mix above together.

2 T yeast - sprinkle on top and let rest

Mix together 1 egg and 1/4 cup butter

Add enough flour so the dough cleans the side of the mixer.

Let rise until double in size, punch down and form rolls. Bake at 400 for 12-13 minutes. Butter top of rolls when they come out of the oven.

savory party bread

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Savory Party Bread from Erin:

1 unsliced round loaf (1 lb) sourdough bread
1 lb Montery Jack cheese, sliced
1/2 cup butter, melted
1/2 cup chopped green onions
2 to 3 tsp poppy seeds

Cut the bread lengthwise and widthwise without cutting through the bottom crust. Insert cheese between the cuts. Combine butter, onions and poppy seeds; drizzle over the bread. Wrap in foil; place on a baking sheet. Bake at 350 for 15 minutes. Unwrap; bake 10 minutes longer or until the cheese is melted.

southwestern tortilla soup

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Southwestern Tortilla Soup from Shauna:

3 Chicken Breasts
15 ounce jar Tostitos Salsa Con Queso
1 can Cream of Potato Soup
1 cup  sour cream
1 3/4 cups chicken broth (or 14.5 oz can)
1/2 can Fire Roasted Green Chiles
2 cups frozen corn
1 packet Taco Seasoning
1/4 cup Cilantro, chopped
Tostitos Scoops Chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Sprinkle salt and pepper on each side of the chicken and place in a baking dish. Cover with foil and bake fore 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and using two forks, shred the meat and set aside.

In a large pot over medium heat, add Salsa Con Queso, Cream of Potato soup, sour cream and chicken broth. Stir to combine.

Add in the chiles, corn, taco seasoning, cilantro and chicken. Bring to a simmer and serve or keep on low for an hour or two.

Serve with Tostitos Scoops chips.

*For thicker soup, use less broth. For younger palates, use slightly less taco seasoning for a milder version.

powerballs

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Powerballs from Shalee:

(Via Clean Eats & Treats)

2 cups old fashioned oats (slightly broken down in the blender)

1 cup peanut butter (CE&T uses Adams all natural no stir)

2/3 cup honey

1/2 cup shredded unsweetened coconut

1/2-1 cup mix ins (mini chocolate chips, dried fruit or nuts)

1 scoop vanilla protein powder (Shalee used chocolate but has left it out in the past and it still works)

1/8 cup hemp seeds (Shalee used flax)

1/8 cup chia seeds

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

dash of sea salt

Combine all dry ingredients in kitchen-aid mixing bowl. Using the paddle attachment, mix until well blended. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and mix until a "dough" forms. Scoop into balls with a 2 inch cookie scoop. Place onto a cookie sheet and refrigerate for at least one hour before serving. Store in refrigerator for up to one week. 

balsamic glazed brussels sprouts

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Balsamic Glazed Brussels Sprouts from Beckie:

1 10 oz. bag of Trader Joe's Shaved Brussels Sprouts
2 T olive oil
3 slices bacon, chopped
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/4 to 1/2 cup water

Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat; add the bacon and cook until very lightly browned about 3-5 minutes. Add the sprouts and saute until lightly crisp and brown, about 5 minutes; season to taste with salt and pepper. Pour in vinegar and water, cover with a lid and steam until tender, about 5 minutes more.

Serves 4 as a side dish.

chocolate pudding

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Chocolate Pudding from Jenni:

(Via Mel's Kitchen Cafe)

1/4 cup packed light brown sugar

3 T unsweetened cocoa powder

3 T cornstarch

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 3/4 cups whole milk

1/4 cup heavy cream

1 cup milk chocolate chips (or 6 ounces bar milk chocolate, chopped)

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

In a large saucepan, combine the brown sugar, cocoa, cornstarch and salt whisking lightly. Whisk in the milk and cream to the sugar mixture until it is smooth. Stir in the chocolate chips and bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat, whisking or stirring occasionally. Once the mixture is simmering, reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture is thickened and large bubbles pop at the surface, 2 to 3 minutes. Take the pot off the heat and stir in the vanilla.

Transfer the pudding to a large bowl and cover with plastic wrap, pressing the plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the pudding to avoid a skin starting to form. Refrigerate until completely cool, at least 4 hours but up to 3 days, if it is stored in an air tight container. Serve with a dollop of whipped cream.

*** If you are in a hurry, Trader Joes has a CLOSE second to homemade. Prepackaged and ready to go in the refrigerator case.

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lemon - blueberry cream pie

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Lemon - Blueberry Cream Pie from Brittany:
(via Mindi Finlayson)

1 2/3 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup butter or margarine, melted
1 (8 oz) pkg cream cheese, softened
1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1 (3.4 oz) package lemon instant pudding mix
2 tsp grated lemon rind
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
1 pint fresh blueberries
2 T blueberry preserves
1 cup whipping cream
Garnishes: Lemon slices, Fresh Blueberries

Stir together first three ingredients; press evenly in bottom and up sides of a 9-inch pie plate. Bake pie crust at 350 degrees for 8 minutes; remove pie crust to a wire rack and cool completely.

Beat cheese, milk and powdered sugar at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Add pudding mix, rind and juice; beat until blended. Spread half of lemon mixture evenly into prepared crust. Stir together blueberries and preserves; spread evenly over lemon mixture. Spread remaining lemon mixture over blueberry mixture; cover and chill 2 hours or until set. Beat whipping cream with an electric mixer until soft peaks form and spread around outer edge of pie/ forming a 3-inch border. Garnish, if desired.