Bryn's Butternut Squash Soup

2 lbs of butternut squash peeled and seeded
1 green bell pepper
1 onion cut into 12 wedges
6 large cloves of garlic peeled
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 1/4 tsp oregano
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp cinnamon
5 cups water
1 can chickpeas
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can corn
1 pinch dried pepper flakes
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro or 2 tbsp of dried cilantro
8 cubes of chicken base

Heat oven to 425. Cut squash into 1" chunks. Put fresh vegetables and garlic on foiled, sprayed cookie sheet. Arrange so it is in one layer. Roast in oven 35 minutes turning halfway through. Roast until lightly brown and tender. Combine all ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and let simmer for 15 minutes. This is a very low calorie meal. Serving size is 8 people. This soup can be used in a diet as a body cleanse.

Beef Pot Roast

1 2 1/2 pound to 3 pound boneless beef chuck pot roast
2 tablespoons cooking oil
3/4 cup water
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon instant beef bouillon granules
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon salt or garlic salt
Garlic powder, Italian seasoning to flavor
Pepper
1 bay leaf
1 whole clove
12 ounces tiny new potatoes or 2 medium potatoes
1 pound baby carrots
2 small onions
2 stalks celery
1/2 cup cold water
1/4 cup flour

Trim fat. Brown meat on all sides in cooking oil after seasoning. Put all ingredients in a crock pot for 10 to 12 hours on low or 5 to 6 hours on high.

Gravy
Drippings+Beef Broth+1/2 cup cold water enough to add up to a cup
1/4 cup flour
Salt and ground pepper

Cook over medium heat until bubbly. Cook 1 minute more.

Sweet and Sour Pork

12 ounces lean boneless pork
2 tablespoons dry cooking sherry
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 cup chicken broth
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup rice vinegar
4 teaspoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon cooking oil
1 clove garlic
3 medium carrots bias sliced
1 medium green pepper chopped
1 medium red pepper chopped
3 green onions chopped
2 8-ounce cans pineapple chunks
Cooked rice

Marinade for 20 minutes at room temperature. Cook pork in skillet sprayed with cooking spray until cooked through. Set aside. Pour oil into skillet (medium high heat) cook garlic (15 seconds). Add veggies; cook 4 to 5 minutes. Removes veggies; stir in sauce, add to skillet. Cook until bubbly then cook 2 minutes more. Stir in pineapple and veggies, cook 1 minute. Add pork and toss to combine. Serve over rice.

Make or serve with frozen egg rolls for complete meal.

Rice Chop Suey Hot Dish

1 cup rice
2 1/2 cups boiling water
1 pound ground beef
1 onion chopped
2 to 3 cups raw celery
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 cup milk or water
* 1 tablepoon brown sugar (optional)
2 tablespoons soy sauce or to taste
1/2 cup mushrooms sliced

Pour hot water over rice and let stand. Brown and salt beef and add remaining ingredients and simmer together for half an hour. Add rice, place in baking dish, salt and pepper and bake for 1 hour at 350 degrees.

Viva La Chicken

6 to 8 chicken breasts
1 dozen corn tortillas cut into strips
1 cup chicken broth
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 small onion
1 can Ortega green chili salsa or small jar
Chopped jalapeno peppers to taste
1/4 teaspoon cumin
1 pound shredded Colby/Monterrey Jack Cheese
Sour Cream

Boil chicken in water with a bay leaf and clove. Cool and cut into chunks. Chop onion finely and add soups, broth, green chili sauce, jalapeno's and cumin. Blend. Spray large baking dish. Layer strips, chicken, sauce and repeat as necessary. Top with sour cream and cheese. Refridgerate 24 hours then bake in a 350 degree oven for 45 minutes to 1 hour.

Fresh Fettuccine with Quick Meat Sauce

Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 pound ground pork
1/2 pound ground beef chuck
1 cup dry white wine
1 can (28 ounces) whole peeled tomatoes in juice, chopped
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
18 ounces fresh fettuccini
Grated parmesan for serving (optional)

1.) Set a large pot of salted water to boil. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high. Add onion and garlic; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onion softens, 3 to 4 minutes. Add pork and beef, cook, breaking up meat with a spoon until no longer pink, 2 to 3 minutes. Add wine; cook until evaporated, about 7 minutes. Add tomatoes, oregano, and red pepper flakes; cook until sauce is slightly thickened, 2 to 3 minutes.

2.) Cook pasta in boiling water until al dente, according to package instructions. Drain, and return to pot; add meat sauce, and toss to coat. Serve immediately with Parmesan if desired.

Note to self: Make it complete with foccacia bread and salad.

Ham with Parsley Mustard Sauce

1/2 cup Dijon mustard
1/2 cup fresh parsley leaves, finely chopped
1/4 cup light mayonnaise or miracle whip
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 small (about 1 1/2 pounds) boneless smoked or cured ham, not sliced

1.) In a medium bowl, combine mustard, parsley, and mayo. Season with salt and pepper. (To store, refrigerate up to 3 days.)

2.) If desired, heat ham, according to package instructions; slice and serve with sauce.

Serve with a salad to make it a complete meal.

BBQ Chicken Tacos

1 package chicken tenders (about 1 lb)
1 package frozen corn/bell peppers/onions
1 can black beans rinsed and drained
Your favorite barbecue sauce
Shredded Mexican Cheese
Shredded Green Leaf Lettuce
Flour Tortillas
Chopped Green Onions

Salt chicken then toss in a bowl with enough BBQ sauce to cover. Line a baking sheet with non-stick foil or spray your baking sheet with cooking spray. Lay chicken onto the baking sheet in a single layer and broil the chicken until cooked through. Chop or shred the chicken and set aside. In the microwave combine the frozen veggies and black beans- cook until warmed through. Add the chicken and BBQ sauce to mix, stir and warm again in microwave. To make the tacos, start with a flour tortilla, and add some of the chicken mix to the center. Top with shredded cheese, lettuce and green onions. If you'd like, you can add more BBQ sauce to the top as you would salsa for an extra zing in every bite.

Lime-and-Honey Glazed Chicken {Or Salmon} with Warm Black Bean and Corn Salad

4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
1 medium red onion, chopped
2 large garlic cloves, chopped
1/2 to 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (med. heat to extra spicy)
1 teaspoon ground cumin (1/3 palmful)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Juice of 2 limes
3 tablespoons honey (3 gobs)
1 teaspoon chili powder (1/3 palmful)
1 lb chicken breasts or tenders OR salmon fillets- {4} 6-ounce fillets
1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded and chopped
1 10-ounce box frozen corn kernels, defrosted
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 15-ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained
2 to 3 tablespoons fresh cilantro leaves (a handful), chopped
6 cups baby spinach

Preheat a skillet (or griddle) over medium heat with 2 tablespoons of the EVOO (twice around the pan). Add the onions, garlic, red pepper flakes, cumin, salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes. While the onions are cooking, preheat a medium non-stick skillet over medium-high heat with the remaining 2 tablespoons of EVOO. In a shallow dish, combine the juice of 1 lime, honey, chili powder, salt and pepper. Add the chicken to the lime-honey mixture and toss to coat thoroughly. Add the seasoned chicken to the hot skillet/griddle and cook until cooked through. To the cooked onions, add the bell peppers and corn kernels and cook for 1 minute. Add the chicken stock and continue to cook for another two minutes. Add the black beans and cook until until the beans are just heated through. Remove the skillet from the heat and add the juice of the second lime, the cilantro, and spinach. Toss to wilt the spinach and then taste and adjust seasoning. Serve the lime-and honey-glazed chicken on top of the warm black bean and corn salad.

Chili and Cornbread

CHILI
1 1/2 to 2 lbs ground beef
1 large onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
3 or 4 stalks of celery, chopped
4 cans red kidney beans (do not drain)
1 can tomato sauce (about 15 oz)
2 cans Mexican style/Chili style or Cajun style tomatoes (you can use whole or diced- I prefer the diced, again do not drain)
Chili powder and salt and pepper to taste

Brown the beef and onions. Add all remaining ingredients in a large pot and simmer until celery and beans are tender.


CORNBREAD

4 eggs
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1 1/3 cup sour cream
1 can creamed corn
4 1/4 cups Kruteaz corn muffin mix (Or 1 box Krusteaz honey cornbread mix and 1 box Jiffy corn muffin mix)
1/3 cup sugar

Beat eggs. Mix in remaining ingredients. You can either cook them as little corn muffins or bake all the batter at once in a large pan. Either way, be sure to give it a good spray with Pam so that it will pop out of the pan easy. Bake at 350 until golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean.

Spinach and Gruyere Quiches

1 tablespoon butter
3 shaloots, minced
3 bunches flat-leaf spinach, thick stems and leaves roughly chopped
Coarse salt and ground pepper
8 ounces Gruyere cheese, grated (about 2 cups)
1 recipe Basic Pie Dough (below) fitted into two 9-inch pie plates
8 large eggs
3 cups half-and-half
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1.) Preheat oven to 350 with racks set in upper and lower thirds. In a large skillet, heat butter over medium. Add shallots and cook, stirring occasionally until softened, 1 to 2 minutes. Add as much spinach to skillet as will fit, toss adding more spinach as room becomes available, until wilted, 2 to 3 minutes.

2.) Tranfer spinach mixture to a colander. Press firmly with the back of a spoon to squeeze out as much liquid as possible. Divide spinach mixture and cheese between crustss. Place each crust on a seperate rimmed baking sheet.

3.) In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, half-and-half, nutmeg, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Divinding everly, pour egg mixture into crusts.

4.) Arrange baking sheets on racks and bake until center of each quiche is just set, 55 to 60 minutes, rotating sheets from top to bottom halfway through. Let quiches stand 15 minutes before serving (pr cool to room temperature, cover and refridgerate up to one day. Reheat at 350 until warm in the center, 30 to 40 minutes).

Basic Pie Dough
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled) plus more for rolling
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1 cup (2 sticks) cold unsalted butter cut into pieces

1.) In a food processor, combine flour, salt, sugar; pulse to combine. Add butter; pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal, with a few pea size pieces remaining.

2.) Sprinkle with 1/4 cup ice water. Pulse until dough is crumbly but holds together when squeezed (if necessary, add up to 1/4 cup more ice water, 1 teaspoon at a time). Do not overmix.

3.) Transfer half of dough (still crumbly) onto a piece of plastic wrap. Form dough into a disk 3/4 inch thick. Refridgerate until firm, at least 1 hour (and up to three days). Repeat with remaming dough.

4.) Place one disk of dough on a lightly floured piece of waxed pape. Rolling from the center outward, form into a 14 inch round. Using paper, lift and wrap dough around a floured rolling pin; carefully unroll (discarding paper) over a 9-inch pie plate.

5.) Gently fit dough into bottom and sides of plate. Avoid stretching or tearing dough. Using kitchen shears, trim overhang to 1 inch; fold under to form rim. Crimp with fingertips and knuckle. Repeat with remaining disk of dough.

Note to self: Add ham to make a complete meal and serve with fresh spinach salad.

Herb Crusted Salmon with Spinach Salad

3 slices white sandwich bread
1 cup parsley
2 tablespoons olive oil
Coarse salt and ground pepper
4 skinless salmon fillets (6 ounces each)
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
5 ounces baby spinach
1/2 medium red onion, thinly sliced

1.) Preheat oven to 450. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil; set aside. In a food processor, combine bread, parsley, and 1 tablespoon oil; season with salt and pepper. Pulse until coarse bread crumbs form.

2.) Place salmon on prepared sheet; season with salt and pepper. Spread top of fillets with Dijon; top with crumb mixture, pressing gently to adhere. Roast until salmon is opaque throughout, 11 to 13 minutes.

3.) Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine lemon juice and remaining tablespoon oil; season with salt and pepper. Add spinach and onion; toss to combine. Serve salmon with spinach salad.

Swedish Meatballs with Herbed Egg Noodles

Swedish Meatballs

8 ounces each ground sirloin and ground pork
1 small onion, coursely chopped in a food processor (about 1/2 cup)
1/2 cup sour cream
1 large egg, lightly beaten
3 tablespoons fine dry breadcrumbs
1 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice and 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 tablespoons dry red wine
2 tablespoons all-peurpose flour
2 cups homemade or low-sodium store-bought beef stock
1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

1.) Preheat oven to 275. Combine beef, pork, onion, sour cream, breadcrumbs, salt, pepper, and spices with hands. Freeze on a rimmed cookie sheet for 30 minutes. Reroll in hands.

2.) Heat oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Cook meatballs, shaking skillet, until browned and cooked through, about 6 minutes. Keep warm in oven on a clean rimmed baking sheet.

3.) Pour off fat and large brown bits from skillet. Add wine; cook over medium heat, stirring, until mostly reduced. Whisk in flour; add stock. Raise heat to medium high. Simmer. stirring, until thick, 8 to 10 minutes. Pour through a sieve. Top meatballs with sauce and parsley.

Herbed Egg Noodles

8 ounces egg noodles
coarse salt and ground pepper
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
1 tablespoon butter

Cook noodles in boiing water until al dente; drain and return to pot. Toss noodles with parlsey, thyme and butter; season with salt and pepper.