Fresh Cabbage and Veggie Wrap Recipe

I have been on a bit of a cabbage kick lately. I used to think this heavy head of lettuce-like leaves were only for my grandma and her really smelly cabbage rolls (which I probably thoroughly enjoy now.) But I have had an extreme change of heart toward cabbage. I LOVE it. It's perfect to use in the fresh form as well--so crunchy and filling and fairly mild in taste. 

This veggie wrap is an amazing lunch, over flowing with vegetables and nutrients. I can't wait for another chance to make one for lunch. 

Fresh Cabbage and Veggie Wrap Recipe

recipe by adorkablerecipes.blogspot.com

Serves 2

Ingredients

2- 8-10 inch soft flour tortilla

1/2 whole carrot, grated

1/4 whole green pepper, chopped

1/2 cup freshly shredded cabbage

1/4 cup chopped tomatoes

thinly sliced onion, to taste

2 Tbsp light Ranch dressing

freshly grated pepper

Directions

Arrange the vegetables down the center of each tortilla. Drizzle lightly with Ranch. Sprinkle with pepper. Tuck in the bottom edge and then wrap each side tightly around the toppings. 

Enjoy! 

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Super Spicy Three Pepper Chili Recipe

After a day of canning tomatoes with my good friend, we discovered one of the jars didn't seal and it needed to be used this week. With the cooler weather rolling in, I decided chili was definitely the way to go. Overflowing with fresh, spicy peppers, and hearty tomatoes and kidney beans, this chili is sure to please the spicy heat lovers in your life. 

Super Spicy Three Pepper Chili Recipe

recipe by adorkablerecipes.blogspot.com

Serves 6

Ingredients

1 medium onion, chopped

1 green pepper, chopped

1 banana pepper, chopped

1/2 jalapeno pepper, finely chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 tsp Italian seasonings 

salt

pepper

2 --14.5 oz cans kidney beans, drained and rinsed 

1 quart stewed tomatoes 

1--8oz can tomato sauce

3-4 cups water 

Directions

Heat a large stock pot over medium heat and drizzle with oil twice around the pan. Once oil is hot, add onions, peppers, and garlic and cook until softened. Sprinkle with seasonings. Stir in beans and tomatoes, breaking up tomatoes as desired. Add in tomato sauce and water. Stir. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer at least 30 minutes--up to 5 hours (the longer the better!) 

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Jerk Chicken Soup Recipe

When I saw Rachael Ray making Jerk Chicken Soup on her daytime tv show, I knew that was "what's for dinner tonight." You see, Kevin and I have a soft spot for anything "jerk." Before our cross cultural studies trip to Jamaica in 2006, we couldn't have told you what that even meant. I thought it was a mean way of referring to their chicken. But no!  

Jerk is a dry rub filled with garlic, chili powder, crushed red pepper, and loads of other Jamaican secret ingredients. No American look alike can quite compare. 

But this soup was totally delicious, super spicy, and just a bit reminiscent of our weeks spent on the Caribbean island. 

Jerk Chicken Soup Recipe

recipe adapted from rachaelrayshow.com

Ingredients

2 Tbsp canola  oil

1-1/2 cup shredded cooked chicken
1 inch piece fresh ginger, grated

1 onion, finely chopped

4 cloves of garlic, finely chopped

4 cups chicken stock (or 4 cups water and 2 chicken bouillon cubes)

2 scotch bonnet chile peppers, finely chopped (for a milder jerk, use 1 chile pepper, seeds and ribs removed; for a very mild jerk, use a red Fresno pepper)

1 tsp thyme

1 Tbsp smoked paprika or sweet paprika

1 tsp allspice 

1/4 tsp ground cloves

1/4 tsp nutmeg

Salt and pepper

One 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes

1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce

2 tablespoons cider vinegar

Scallions, thinly sliced, for garnish

Sour cream, for garnish

Directions

Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the onion, garlic, ginger and chile peppers. Stir in chicken and add thyme, paprika, allspice, cloves, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Cook for 10 minutes. Stir in the chicken stock, tomatoes,  Worcestershire, and vinegar; simmer to combine the flavors, about 5 minutes. (This can be simmered for hours to enhance the flavor.) Serve in bowls and top with the scallions.

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Fresh Salsa Soup Recipe

With a fridge full of fresh ingredients that desperately needed to be used, a chilly fall afternoon, and a husband who wouldn't be around for dinnertime, I knew soup was the perfect solution. I chopped and diced everything in sight and came up with a hearty, brothy, spicy, delicious soup that Kevin and I loved. It made enough for seconds and leftovers!  

Fresh Salsa Soup Recipe  

recipe by adorkablerecipes.blogspot.com

Makes 6 servings 

Ingredients

canola oil 

1/2 large onion, diced

1 green pepper, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 jalapeno pepper, seeded and diced

2 ears of corn, kernels cut off

2 large tomatoes, diced

1--14.5 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed

1/2 tsp basil

1/2 tsp oregano

2 tsp cumin

1 Tbsp chili powder

pepper

3 cups water

2 beef bouillon cubes 

Directions

In a large stock pot, drizzle canola oil once or twice around the pan. Once heated to medium or medium high, add onions, peppers, and garlic and saute for 3-4 minutes, until softened. Add in corn and tomatoes and cook another 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir black beans, and spices then add the water and bouillon cubes. Bring to a boil, and reduce heat to medium high for 10-15 minutes (minimum) to allow flavors to meld. (This can be simmered for hours, if desired.) 

Serve with a side of tortilla chips and sour cream!

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Italian Potato Salad Recipe

In an effort to take a delicious dish to our first potluck at our new church, I new some sort of potato salad would be a winner. I'm really not a huge fan of mayo-laden salads. Yes, I eat them and even enjoy them, but I can rarely bring myself to add that much mayonnaise to a dish. :) I decided to create a mayo-free version. Basically I took my traditional salad ingredients and replaced the lettuce with cooked potatoes. It turned out delicious! And no worrying about how long it's been out of the refrigerator! Bonus. :) 

Italian Potato Salad Recipe

recipe by adorkablerecipes.blogspot.com

Serves 6-10 

Ingredients

8-10 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed

1/2 green pepper, chopped

1/2 medium onion, diced

1-1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, sliced

1 garlic clove, minced

salt 

pepper

1/2 tsp Italian Seasoning

1/4 tsp Paprika

Olive Oil

Balsamic Vinegar 

Directions

Add cubed potatoes to a large pot and cover with water by one inch. Bring to a boil and cook until just tender, about 8 minutes. Drain and return to warm pot to allow water to evaporate for 10-20 minutes. Add in remaining ingredients, drizzle in olive oil and vinegar (2 turns around the pan for each). Gently toss together. Keep refrigerated until serving.  

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Ranch Chicken Quesadillas

While searching for lunch ideas, I found leftover chicken fried chicken from Cracker Barrel. Hmm. I didn't feel like eating it. But then this lovely idea occurred to me--RE-PURPOSE it! So chop, chop, chop went the chicken and into a tasty lunch quesadilla for my husband and I to enjoy together. 

Next time you have chicken tenders or leftover chicken from any meal--try this! 

Ranch Chicken Quesadillas

recipe by adorkablerecipes.blogspot.com

Serves 2

Ingredients

2 large flour tortillas

1/4 cup shredded Muenster cheese

1/2 Roma tomato, sliced

1/2-1 cup leftover chicken, chopped

fresh banana peppers, sliced 

red onion, sliced

Ranch Dressing

Directions

Heat a heavy skillet to medium high. 

On one tortilla, sprinkle shredded cheese. top with tomato, slices, chicken, peppers, and onions. Drizzle with Ranch dressing. Top with the second tortilla. 

Transfer to the heated skillet. Cook 3-5 minutes on each side, until crispy and dark golden brown. Cut into four sections. Serve and enjoy!

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Fresh Summer Vegetable Salad

This recipe came from my need for an afternoon snack. Normally I grab a handful of pretzels or an apple and peanut butter. Sometimes, I go for something much less healthy. But this particular afternoon, fresh produce was calling my name. A chop here, a chop there and a beautiful, satisfying bowl of veggies sat before me. Delicious! 

Fresh Summer Vegetable Salad

recipe by adorkablerecipes.blogspot.com

Serves 1

Ingredients

1/2 Roma Tomato, chopped

1/4 Green Pepper, chopped

1/4 Yellow Summer Squash, chopped

Salt

Pepper

Drizzle of Red Wine Vinegar

Directions

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl. Stir to combine. Serve cold. Eat and enjoy! 

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Pico de Gallo {Fresh Salsa}

We're smack dab in the middle of homegrown tomato season, and I would highly encourage you to make your own salsa. Fresh salsa from fresh tomatoes, fresh jalapenos, fresh onions, fresh garlic, fresh cilantro, and fresh lime juice is on a level of un-paralled awesomeness. 

So bust out your food processor (or get REALLY good at finely chopping), and eat your heart out! 

Pico de Gallo {Fresh Salsa}

recipe by adorkablerecipes.blogspot.com

Makes 24 oz (1 jar) 

Ingredients

1 fresh jalapeno, seeded

1/2 red onion

2 cloves garlic, paper removed

1 handful cilantro, large stems removed*

5-6 vine ripened tomatoes

1/2 tsp cumin

salt

pepper

juice of 1 lime 

Directions

*I have not bought cilantro the past few times I've made this salsa, and it's still delicious!

Combine jalapeno, onion and garlic in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until finely chopped. Add in cilantro. Pulse. Add tomatoes, cumin, salt, pepper, and lime juice. Pulse until desired consistency is reached. 

Pour into serving bowl or store in a cleaned store-bought-salsa jar. 

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Baked Penne Pasta with Sausage (Slow Cooker)

I have never experimented with cooking pasta in the Crockpot, but tonight was the right time to try! I didn't really have a dinner plan (or even a dinner thought) until almost 3pm. My first piano student was arriving at 4pm, the last would leave around 5:35pm and we had to be at church for Bible quizzing at 5:50pm. Wow. We were both craving pasta and I wasn't sure how to accomplish a delicious, well-balanced pasta dinner without having to cook at 8pm--NOT my idea of a good time. (I'm a 5-6pm dinner type of person.) But I decided to give this a try. 

It worked--quite beautifully I might add. Kevin had two large bowls and I had MUCH more than I anticipated. I was really hungry and this baked pasta dish was just really delicious. I suggest you try it soon! Heck, you've gone nothing to lose. It takes about 5 and half minutes to prepare, and only 2-4 hours in the crockpot. Awesome!

Ingredients

4 cups uncooked penne pasta 

2 cups pasta sauce

2 precooked sausages, thinly sliced

1/2 medium onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced 

pinch of crushed red pepper

1/2 cup grated mozzarella or provolone cheese 

1/2-3/4 cup water 

Parmesan cheese, for sprinkling

Directions

Spray the bottom and edges of a 4 quart crockpot insert with non-stick cooking spray. 

Rinse pasta in a colander for added moisture. Pour pasta, sauce, sliced sausages, onion, garlic, crushed red pepper, cheese and water in the slow cooker. Stir thoroughly. Cook on low 4-5 hours (or on high for 2-3 hours).

Classic Meat Lasagna

I'm proud of my Italian heritage. Almost everything I prepare starts with sauteing onions and garlic--a pretty good way to start any meal from the Italian perspective. Unfortunately, I had NEVER made a lasagna. Ok, that's kind of a lie. I've made Eggplant Lasagna and that was delish. But I've never attempted a classic meat lasagna. With my pastor's wife recovering from surgery, we thought this would be the perfect dish to bake and take to their family. Everyone loved it! This is a time-consuming meal, but it's not difficult and it's totally worth the effort!

Classic Meat Lasagna

serves 6-8

Ingredients

12 lasagna noodles

1 pound ground beef or Italian sausage (or half and half) 

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 medium onion, diced

2 tsp parsley

2 tsp basil

2 tsp oregano

salt

pepper

1- 4oz can tomato sauce

1- 28 oz can whole tomatoes

15 oz ricotta cheese

10 oz frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained/squeezed

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

1 egg

1 cup grated mozzarella

Directions

Fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil. Add noodles and cook to al dente. 

In the meantime, heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Brown the ground beef/sausage. Drain and rinse. Set aside. Wipe out the skillet, reheat over medium heat and drizzle with olive oil or canola oil. Saute onions and garlic until softened and fragrant. Stir in seasonings and cook a minute longer. Stir in meat, tomato sauce, and whole tomatoes (with their juices). Crush tomatoes with a wooden spoon or potato masher. Simmer 20-30 minutes. 

In a medium bowl combine ricotta, spinach, parmesan, and egg. 

Heat over to 350 degrees. Coat a 9x13 inch pan with non-stick spray. Spread a thin layer of sauce on the bottom. Top with 3 noodles. Spread a 1/3 of cheese mixture on top of noodles. Top cheese layer with sauce, then noodles, then cheese, ending with the sauce mixture and topping with mozzarella cheese. Baked for 35-45 minutes, until bubbly and heated throughout. 

Hearty Tomato Soup

It was a cold, rainy, dreary day. I needed soup in a bad way. After much deliberation I decided tomato soup was the solution. I hunted and hunted for recipes, but didn't find the one to suit my needs. So, I did what I've become accustomed to doing--I made up my own recipe! 

This is not quite your traditional creamy tomato soup. Actually, it's not like that at all. I plan to come up with that recipe sometime this winter. No, this tomato soup is in a different class altogether. It's got hearty chunks of tomatoes and has the flavor of a fantastic Italian marinara. Perfect for Kevin and me. I hope you enjoy it!

Ingredients

1 small onion, finely chopped

2-3 cloves garlic, minced

1 carrot, washed and shredded

1 tsp pepper

2 tsp Italian seasoning

pinch of Thyme

pinch of Crushed Red Pepper flakes

1--28oz can whole tomatoes

1--46oz can tomato juice

1/2 cup milk or cream

Feta Cheese, optional

Parmesan, optional

Directions

Heat a 6 quart stock pot to medium. Drizzle with canola or extra virgin olive oil and dump in the onions, garlic, carrots and spices. Saute until softened and fragrant, stirring occasionally. Stir in the whole tomatoes and gently crush with a potato masher.  Cook for 5 minutes. Stir in tomato juice and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for at least one hour (the longer the better!) Stir in the milk or cream and cook until heated through. 

Serve with a sprinkle of feta and/or Parmesan cheese...and possibly a grilled cheese sandwich. 

(Quick and Easy) Ricotta Tomato Penne

 This is an amazingly quick (15 minutes!), surprisingly elegant, and super delicious dish.

I came up with it as a dinner idea in a pinch last week. We didn't have much time but I had some quality ingredients. Sometimes less is more. Nothing fancy. Just pasta. tomatoes. cheese. and of course garlic. It's perfection in a flash! 

Ingredients

Canola or extra virgin olive oil

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 small onion, finely diced

1--14 oz can stewed or whole tomatoes

salt

pepper

1 tsp dried basil

1/4-1/2 cup fresh Ricotta cheese 

Directions

Fill a 2 or 3 quart pot with water and heat to boiling. Meanwhile, heat a large skillet over medium low heat. Drizzle with oil. Add onions and garlic and sauté until softened and fragrant. Stir in the can of tomatoes. Use a spoon or potato masher to crush tomatoes to your desired consistency for the sauce. Sprinkle in salt and pepper (be generous with both!) and basil. Let simmer for 5-15 minutes. Drop 2-3 cups penne pasta into the boiling water and cook to al dente. Drain and leave in pot. Stir in Ricotta cheese until melted. Serve onto plates and spoon tomato sauce on top.

Salsa Soup

I came up with this recipe on a whim. 

After church on Sunday, we were trying to figure out what to eat. 

I wanted something serving-worthy as my mom was here for the weekend, 

and I wanted something warm and comforting as it was 45 degrees outside. 

I decided to make a pot of soup. 

I started with sauteing onions and garlic and honestly had NO idea where I was going from there. 

Once I picked the "Mexican" salsa theme, I was on a roll. 

I fashioned this recipe after my Black Bean dump Salsa which is amazingly fast and perfectly delicious and satisfies all those Mexican food cravings without a hint of unhealthiness.

I think this might be one of my favorite soups ever. 

It's really pretty much a chili--minus the meat. 

It's so fat free it's not even funny. 

That is, until you had 12 spoons full of sour cream as garnish. lol

Ingredients

Drizzle of oil

2-3 cloves garlic, minced

1 small onion, chopped

1/2-1 whole green pepper, chopped

1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

salt

pepper

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp chili powder

1--15 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed

1--15 oz can corn, drained

1--15 oz can diced tomatoes with green chilies (or just the tomatoes, whatever you have on hand!)

1--28 oz can crushed tomatoes

2 cups beef (or other) broth

Directions

Heat a large stock pot over medium low. Drizzle with oil and saute onions and garlic. Add in peppers and stir. Cook until softened. Stir in cilantro, salt, pepper, cumin, and chili powder. After 3-5 minutes, pour in beans, corn, and tomatoes. Thoroughly incorporate ingredients and cook another couple minutes. Stir in crushed tomatoes. Pour some of the broth into the empty crushed tomato can to get all of the tomatoe-y goodness in your soup. Add the broth and stir. Bring to a boil. Simmer on medium low for 15 minutes to 2 hours. 

Serve with sour cream, shredded cheese, tortilla chips, and cilantro.  

Chicken Fajitas

This is the type of meal I whip up on a regular basis--normally when I have no advanced plan for dinner and I throw random things in a skillet and see what inspires me. This is delicious and easy--and don't be afraid to change things up to suit your pantry and palate needs. 

Serves 2-3 people 

Ingredients

2 small boneless, skinless chicken breasts (or one large sliced in half--butterfly style)

1/2 green pepper, sliced

1 small onion, diced

1-2 garlic cloves, minced

1 Roma tomato, diced

1/2 jalapeño, finely chopped

Cumin

Taco Seasoning, optional

Salt

Pepper

5-8 corn tortillas (~5inch)

Directions

Heat a skillet to medium low and drizzle with EVOO or canola oil. Add onions and garlic and green peppers. Sauté until softened. Meanwhile, pat taco seasoning onto both sides of the chicken. Rearrange veggies in the skillet to make room for the chicken breasts. Cover and cook for about 4 minutes on one side--do not move the chicken around--let it cook. Flip chicken and stir veggies. Add in tomatoes. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, cumin, and additional taco seasoning if desired. Cover and let cook for another 3-4 minutes. 

Heat another skillet to high. Place one tortilla at a time in the skillet for 20-30 seconds per side. Cover and keep warm. 

Fill tortilla with fajita mixture and top with sour cream and chopped cilantro if desired. 

Homemade Sloppy Joes

on homemade hamburger buns.

Now THAT'S a combination you can't beat. 

Neither my husband nor I are huge Sloppy Joe fans. But I have come to realize that it's because we've never had really good Sloppy Joes. THESE are really good Sloppy Joes. I'm so glad I stumbled upon it over at Ezra Pound Cake. They are meaty and full of flavor and texture and...interest. :) Garlic, tomatoes, onions, chili pepper flakes, and Worcestershire. The perfect combination of heat and tang, sweet and spicy. I hope you enjoy these as much as we did!  

Note: I cut the recipe in half and found we had enough for 3 larger sandwiches or 4 small ones. But that's just us. :) I'm assuming leftovers will just get better.

::Kevin likes his overflowing to the point of forcing him to eat with a knife and fork::

whatever floats your boat.

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

for the hamburger base:

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1/2 medium onion, chopped finely

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 teaspoons chili powder

1 pound ground sirloin

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

for tomato sauce:

1 15-ounce can tomato sauce

1/4 cup water

1/4 cup dark brown sugar

1 to 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1 tablespoon yellow mustard

1 to 2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes

2 tablespoons tomato paste

Salt and Pepper to taste

4 hamburger buns

Butter, for spreading on hamburger buns

Directions

A piece of advice Rebecca offers (which I neglected to follow) is to make the tomato sauce ahead of time, refrigerate at least an hour, and allow the flavors to meld together yielding even tastier results. 

In a large skillet, heat the oil to medium-high. Add onion and salt, lower heat to medium, and sauté until the onion is soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and chili powder, and cook for about 30 seconds. Add beef, and cook for about 5 minutes, breaking it up as you stir. 

In the meantime, grab a medium bowl, and combine the tomato sauce, water, brown sugar, red wine vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, yellow mustard and red pepper flakes. Add the tomato mixture to the beef. Stir in the tomato paste. Simmer for at least 10 minutes, or until the mixture reaches your desired consistency. (If it seems a little “wet,” just keep simmering or add small amounts of tomato paste.)

To make your sandwiches that much more delicious, toast hamburger buns. Warm a skillet over medium heat. Butter the insides of the buns, and place them butter-side down in the skillet. Toast.

Taste the Sloppy Joe mixture, and adjust the seasonings. Sandwich the mixture in the hamburger buns, and serve.

Adapted from Rebecca Crumb's recipe at ezrapoundcake.com

Pappa al Pomodoro

This Tuscan bread and tomato soup is amazing. 

Perfect on a cold, rainy day like today. 

Made with common ingredients kept in my pantry, it was not difficult to through together and the final result had my husband saying he'd marry me all over again. :) 

I found this recipe on Annie's Eats, and she had adapted it from an Ina Garten recipe. 

I, too, took the recipe and made it my own. 

I used fresh tomatoes, dried basil, pork bacon, French bread, and no wine and ended up with a dish I'd serve again and again. 

The only thing I totally screwed up on was the bread. 

It needed to be dried before being added to the soup. 

And I had just pulled this beautiful loaf out of the oven hours earlier. 

This resulted in dough-y clumps in the soup that I could do without, but I KNOW it would be perfect had I actually followed the directions. :)

Ingredients

For the soup:

1/2 cup (or less) olive oil (or canola)

2 cups chopped yellow onions

1 cup medium-diced carrots

1 cup medium-diced celery

4 cloves garlic, minced

3 cups (1-inch) diced dry ciabatta bread (or French bread), crusts removed

2 (28-oz.) cans Italian plum tomatoes (or 6 large fresh tomatoes plus 1--14oz can stewed tomatoes)

4 cups chicken stock

1/2 cup dry red wine, or extra stock

1 cup chopped fresh basil leaves (or 2-3 tsp dried)

1 tbsp. kosher salt

1 1/2 tsp. black pepper

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

For the topping:

3 cups (1-inch) diced ciabatta bread

2 oz. thickly sliced pancetta, chopped (or pork bacon)

24-30 whole fresh basil leaves

3 tbsp. olive oil 

Directions:

Heat the oil in a large stockpot over medium heat.  Add the onions, carrots, celery, and garlic.  Cook for 10 minutes, until tender.  Add the ciabatta cubes and cook for 5 more minutes.  Place the tomatoes in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade and pulse briefly just until coarsely chopped.  Add the tomatoes to the pot along with the chicken stock, red wine, basil, salt and pepper.  Bring the soup to a boil, lower the heat, and allow to simmer, partially covered, for 45 minutes.

For the topping, preheat the oven to 375° F.  Place the ciabatta, pancetta, and basil on a sheet pan large enough to hold them in a single layer.  Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and toss well.  Cook, stirring occasionally, for 20-25 minutes, until all the ingredients are crisp.  The basil leaves will turn dark and crisp.

Beat the soup with a wire whisk until the bread is broken up.  Stir in the Parmesan.  Adjust seasonings to taste.  Serve hot sprinkled with the topping.

Jambalaya

As Kevin and I were out shopping Monday and he saw a box of Jambalaya. He goes through these craving moments that pass quickly, but I thought he was on to something. I wasn't about to pay for some sodium laden box of Jambalaya mix so I decided to make my own.

I came up with this based on my memory of the limited experiences I've had with the Creole mainstay meal. We were both thrilled with the outcome and hope you will be too!

Ingredients

2-5" sausages, sliced to 1/4"

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 onion, chopped

1/2 green pepper, chopped

1/2 jalapeno pepper, minced

1 can diced tomatoes (with green chilis, if desired)

1/2 can tomato sauce

Cumin

Jamaican Jerk Seasoning

3 cups long grain rice, cooked

Cook rice.

Heat olive oil in a large skillet to medium high heat. Pan is hot enough when a sprinkle of water sizzles. Place sliced sausage into the pan and let them develop their color. Do not turn for at least 4 minutes. Meanwhile, add in garlic, onions and peppers. Flip sausages once they have a deep brown color developed. Repeat the browning process. Once veggies are softened and sausage is fully browned stir in diced tomatoes (do NOT drain) and tomato sauce (up to a full can depending on desired consistency). Sprinkle with desired amount of cumin and jerk seasoning.

Stir in cooked rice and serve.

Harvest Soup

I found this recipe on Stephanie's famous blog--A Year of Slow Cooking. If you ever need ideas for what or how to cook in your crockpot, you must check this site out. She has just recently published a slow cooking cookbook--way to go, Stephanie! Anyways, I was searching for (wonderful) ways to utilize the massive amount of fresh produce in my fridge. (Hint: I have found the produce stays uber fresh if you keep it in Snapware or other sealable storage containers. I'm talking weeks here, people. Which is awesome, since it's just the two of us, and I hate to see good food go to waste.) The most recent recipe on her blog was just perfect. It was delicious. And nutritious. And super easy. You must try it! However, you must have a love of zucchini and yellow squash and tomatoes and white beans and onions. Otherwise you will be sadly disappointed. :) I just had leftovers for lunch together and it's even tastier than the first time around!

(I cut Stephanie's recipe in half and made a few other alterations to better suite our needs...and I still have 2 bowls leftover!)

Ingredients

2 cups chicken or vegetable stock (or broth)

1/2 cup pasta sauce (prego works well)

1/2 cup water (or a little more...to just cover the veggies.)

2 zucchini, sliced 1/4 inch thick

1 yellow squash, sliced 1/4 inch thick

1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved

1 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning

1/3 cup dry white beans

Combine all ingredients in slow cooker and cook on low 8-10 hours or until beans have reached tenderness. If you don't have 8-10 hours before your dinner, do what I did--cook the beans stovetop* and add to the crockpot. Serve with a sprinkling of parmesan cheese--delish!

*rinse beans and place in a 2-3 qt. pot. Cover with water and bring to a rolling boil. Uncover and continue boiling for 2 minutes. Turn down to low and simmer (covered) for 1-2 hours--until tender. You may need to add additional water once boiling has taken place. Water should continue to cover the beans throughout cooking.

Spicy Homemade Salsa

This is an incredible use of your garden tomatoes! I found this salsa recipe over at Annie's Eats and as I've mentioned before, she never fails me. :) I had all the ingredients on hand--though I did substitute a few items (like lemon juice for the lime juice). You'll want to be very very careful about adding in the jalapenos. I love spicy foods and I only incorporated the 2 that were called for, but man alive is our salsa every spicy. There's many people I know who could definitely not be able to handle the heat. If that's you, just lower the amount of jalapeno added or eliminate altogether. For the rest of us, bring on the heat!

I loved getting to use my food processor for this recipe and I loved all the ingredients used. I enjoy a chunky salsa but also a more processed salsa such as this. It's perfect, people, it really is. P.S. The 3 containers of salsa shown in the picture is two full batches.

Ingredients:

2 fresh jalapeno peppers, seeded and very coarsely chopped

4 cloves garlic, halved

5-6 large vine-ripened tomatoes (OR 2 tomatoes and one 28oz. can diced tomatoes)

2 tbsp. red wine vinegar (or apple cider--what I used)

1 tbsp. cumin

1/2 sweet yellow onion, coarsely chopped

1/4 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. ground cayenne pepper (I didn't add this)

1/4 cup fresh cilantro

juice of one lime (or 2 splashes of lemon juice)

Directions:

In the bowl of a food processor, combine the jalapenos and garlic. Process until finely chopped. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add all other ingredients to the food processor. Pulse in very brief pulses until the vegetables have reached the size you desire (it does not take many pulses so don’t overdo it). Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate at least 2 hours before serving to allow the flavors to blend.

Balsamic Tomatoes, Beans and Rice

I found this recipe on kraftfoods.com last week one night when I was completely at a loss for what to fix for dinner. This looked quick and easy and not to mention nutritious. I am SO glad I gave it a chance. It was delicious and even better for left overs.

1 can (28 oz.) diced tomatoes, drained

1 can (19 oz.) cannellini beans, drained and rinsed (I substituted black beans)

1/4 cup KRAFT Light Red Wine Vinaigrette Dressing

OR combine balsamic vinegar with extra virgin olive oil (approx 2:1 ratio)

2 tsp. each dried thyme leaves and minced garlic

1 cup KRAFT 2% Milk Shredded Mozzarella Cheese

2 Tbsp. KRAFT Grated Parmesan Cheese

3 cups cooked brown rice

COOK tomatoes, beans, dressing, thyme and garlic on medium heat 5 min. or until heated through. (Allowing the mixture to marinate on low for 10-15 minutes more enhances the flavors.)

SPOON over rice. Sprinkle with mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses.