New orleans bbq shrimp and grits

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter
• 12 cloves garlic, smashed and peeled
• 2 bay leaves
• 4 sprigs fresh thyme
• 3 tablespoons dry sherry
• 1 tablespoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon hot sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 cup diced tomatoes
• 2 tablespoons heavy cream
• 1 pound fresh or frozen large shrimp in shells, peeled and deveined
• 2 cups cooked grits
• To garnish, diced green onions and diced bacon

Instructions

1. In a large cast-iron skillet, combine olive oil, butter, garlic, bay leaves, and thyme.
2. In a medium bowl, combine sherry, paprika, Worcestershire sauce, and kosher salt.
3. Add shrimp. Toss to combine. Add shrimp mixture to the hot skillet.
4. Add diced tomatoes and cook and stir shrimp for about 2 minutes then add in heavy cream and turn heat down to reduce and thicken sauce.
5. Serve shrimp over cooked grits and garnish with diced green onions and bacon.

Classic mexican tortilla soup

Ingredients

For soup

• 2 large dried pasilla ancho chiles
• 15-ounce of fire-roasted tomatoes
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 4 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
• 8 cups low-sodium chicken broth or stock
• kosher sea salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• 2 cups roughly chopped kale leaves, stems removed
• 1 1/2 lb chicken breast, cut into 1/2" chunks
• juice from half a lime

Garnishing

• fresh lime wedges
• corn tortilla chips
• grated sharp cheddar cheese
• avocados (1-2), pit removed and diced
• fresh cilantro leaves

Instructions

1. Using metal tongs, toast the chiles carefully over an open flame until they are soft and fragrant. Set aside on a cutting board to cool, before discarding the seeds and stems. Cut the chile roughly and place in a blender, along with the fire roasted tomatoes in their juices. Set aside.
2. Heat the oil in a large soup pot over medium-low heat. Add the chopped onion and garlic and stirring frequently, cook until soft and translucent--roughly 5-6 minutes. Remove from heat.
3. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the cooked onion and garlic to the blender with the tomatoes and chiles. Puree all of the ingredients together until very smooth.
4. Return the soup pot to high heat. Once pot is very hot, add the pureed tomato chile mixture all at once--it should sizzle immediately. Continue to cook over high heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens substantially--for about 5-6 minutes--once it is ready, it should resemble the thickness of a loose tomato paste.
5. Add the chicken broth to the pot and combine thoroughly using a spoon or whisk. Reduce the heat and allow the broth to simmer for 15-20 minutes. Season generously with salt and pepper to taste.
6. Over low heat, add the kale and chicken. Stir occasionally until chicken is just cooked through. Finish the soup with lime juice. Then garnish it!!!!

Pumpkin no-bean chili

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup chili powder
• 2 tablespoons 21 Seasoning Salute
• 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon turmeric
• 2 tablespoons olive or coconut oil
• 3 lbs lean ground beef
• 2 large onions, chopped and divided (3/4 + 1/4)
• 1 large bell pepper, chopped
• 2 jalapeños seeded and diced
• 3 large cloves garlic, minced
• 2 28oz cans crushed tomatoes
• 2 cups pumpkin purée
• salt & pepper
• chipotle chili powder, to taste

Instructions

1. In a small bowl, stir together the first 5 ingredients.
2. 21 Seasoning Salute" is from Trader Joe's and Costco has an almost identical blend called "Organic No-Salt Seasoning". If you don't have either of those stores near you, don't worry. The chili will be just fine without it!
3. In a large 4-6 quart pot or dutch oven, heated over medium high heat, brown the ground beef in two batches, seasoning each half with a generous spoonful of the spice blend. Remove the first batch to a plate while you are browning the second batch of meat and then scoop the second batch of meat onto the plate also. Don't worry about cooking the meat through at this point, just get a good browned sear on it. 
4. If the meat was very lean, add 2 tablespoons of oil to the pot. If the meat was not as lean, drain off all but about two tablespoons of the grease and don't use any additional oil.
5. Stir about 3/4 of the chopped onions, the bell peppers and the jalapeños into the hot oil or grease in the pot. Season with a generous spoonful of the seasoning, and some salt & pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and starting to brown. Stir in the garlic and let cook for about 30 seconds, until very fragrant, before adding back in the meat, the crushed tomatoes and the pumpkin.
6. Stir well, scraping the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon to make sure you get up any good bits on the bottom, and add in the rest of the seasoning mixture. Stir well to combine, bring to a boil and then reduce the heat to low and simmer for as long as you can!
7. At this point, taste for seasoning and add more salt & pepper as needed, and if it's not spicy enough for you, add some chipotle chili powder.
8. Stir in the remaining chopped onions just before serving, or sprinkle onto the top of each bowl for a nice fresh bite!
9. You can eat the chili right away, but like all chilis, it gets better the longer it sits. That's why the batch is so big, feed a crowd, or save the rest for other meals.

GOAT CHEESE, TOMATO AND SAUSAGE TART

Ingredients

• 1 bunch spinach, washed
• 1 clove garlic
• ½ cup pitted kalamata olives
• ¼ cup sundried tomatoes
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 sheet puff pastry, thawed but still chilled
• 3 ounces goat cheese
• 2 large tomatoes, sliced
• Handful cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 link sweet Italian sausage
• Salt & pepper to taste

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Combine the spinach, garlic, olives and sundried tomatoes in a food processor. Process until finely chopped. With the processor running, drizzle in the olive oil. Scrape down the sides and process again for a few seconds until a pesto/paste forms. Set aside.
• Lay the puff pastry sheet on the parchment paper lined baking sheet. Using a rolling pin, roll it out a few times to flatten and even it out.
• Spread the pesto on the puff pastry covering the entire sheet except a 1 inch border around the sides.
• Dot the goat cheese on top of the pesto.
• Layer the tomato slices on top of the goat cheese in rows. Use the cherry tomatoes in between the larger slices.
• Lastly, crumble the sausage on top of the tomatoes and season the whole thing with salt and pepper.
• Bake for about 20-22 minutes until puffed and golden around the edges.
• Remove from the oven and let cool for 5-10 minutes before slicing.

Saucy, Italian “drunken” noodles with spicy Italian sausage

Ingredients

• Olive oil
• 4 spicy Italian sausage links, casings removed
• 1 large onion, quartered and sliced thinly
• 1 ½ teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• ½ teaspoon cracked black pepper
• 1 red bell pepper, cored and thinly sliced
• 1 yellow bell pepper, cored and thinly sliced
• 1 orange bell pepper, cored and thinly sliced
• 4 cloves garlic, pressed through garlic press
• ½ cup white wine
• 1 can diced tomatoes with juice
• 2 tablespoons flat-leaf parsley, chopped
• ¼ cup fresh basil leaves, julienned, divided use
• 8 ounces Pappardelle noodles, uncooked

Instructions

1. Place a large, heavy-bottom pan or braising pot over medium-high heat; add about 2 tablespoons of olive oil, and once the oil is hot, crumble the spicy Italian sausage into the pan in small chunks, allowing it to brown in the oil for a few moments on each side; once the crumbled sausage is browned, remove it from the pan/pot with a slotted spoon and place into a small bowl to hold for a moment; next, add the sliced onion into the pan with the sausage drippings, and allow it to caramelize and become golden for roughly 5 minutes or so, stirring to keep it from burning, once the onion starts to become golden, add the salt, Italian seasoning and cracked black pepper, and stir to combine, then add in the sliced bell peppers, and allow those to saute with the onion for about 2 minutes until slightly tender and golden; next, add in the garlic, and once it becomes aromatic, add in the white wine and allow it to reduce for a few moments, until almost completely reduced; next, add in the diced tomatoes with their juice, and return the browned spicy Italian sausage back into the pan, and gently fold the mixture to combine; allow it to gently simmer for about 3-4 minutes to blend the flavors, then turn the heat off; to finish the sauce, drizzle in about 2-3 good tablespoons of the olive oil to create a silky, rich flavor, and add in the chopped parsley and about half of the julienned basil; stir, and keep warm while you prepare the noodles.
2. Prepare the pappardelle noodles according to instructions on package; then, drain the noodles very well, and add them directly into the sauce, using tongs to gently toss and combine the pappardelle noodles with the sauce and all of the ingredients in it; check the seasoning to see if you need to add any additional salt or pepper.
3. Serve, add equal portions of the “Drunken” noodles to bowls, and garnish with a sprinkle of the remaining julienned basil; you can even top with shaved Parmesan, if desired, and an extra drizzle of olive oil.

Grilled Lemon Chicken Flatbread Wraps with Spicy Garlic Sauce

Ingredients

• 1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cubed into bite-size pieces
• Olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, pressed through garlic press
• Zest of 1 lemon
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon salt
• Pinch or two black pepper
• ½ teaspoon dried oregano
• ½ teaspoon ground cumin
• ¼ teaspoon coriander
• ¼ teaspoon paprika
• 4 middle eastern-style flatbreads
• Arugula greens
• Sliced tomatoes
• Spicy Garlic Sauce

Instructions

1. Place the cubed chicken into a medium-size bowl, and drizzle in about 2 tablespoons of olive oil; add in the garlic, plus the remainder of the ingredients up to and including the paprika, and using your hands, toss all of the seasonings/spices very well to coat the chicken.
2. Using 4 bamboo skewers, skewer the chicken so that there is equal portions of meat on each skewer, and allow the chicken to marinate for about 20 minutes, or even overnight, if making ahead.
3. When ready to grill, place a grill pan over medium-high heat, and drizzle in a little oil; once the oil gets hot, place the chicken skewers into the pan, and cook them for about 6-8 minutes, turning them occasionally so that they get a bit charred on all sides, or until cooked through; allow them to rest, lightly covered with foil, for about 5-10 minutes; then, remove the chicken cubes from the skewers and set aside.
4. To assemble, add a little drizzle of the Spicy Garlic Sauce onto the flatbread, followed by the greens; then, add a couple of slices of tomato, and about one skewer-worth of the lemon chicken; drizzle over a generous amount of the Spicy Garlic Sauce, and fold the sides towards the middle to form a “wrap”.

How To Make Spicy Garlic Sauce

Ingredients

• ½ cup mayonnaise
• ½ cup sour cream or full-fat, plain Greek yogurt
• 3 cloves garlic, pressed through garlic press
• 1 tablespoon tahini
• 2-3 teaspoons sriracha
• 1 teaspoon salt
• Pinch black pepper
• Pinch cayenne pepper
• ½ teaspoon lemon juice

Instructions

1. Add all ingredients to a medium-size bowl, and whisk together until completely smooth and creamy; use immediately, or keep in the fridge, covered.

Simple Skinny Tomato Soup

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 cloves of garlic, crushed
• A handful of basil leaves roughly chopped
• 1 tbsp. tomato puree
• 2 x 400g tins of chopped tomatoes
• ½ litre vegetable stock
• 1 tbsp. corn flour mixed with 2 tbsp. cold water
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• One or 2 chopped basil leaves for garnish

Instructions

1. In a large saucepan heat the olive oil, then add the chopped onion and crushed garlic and sauté until softened. Stir every now and then, you don’t want the garlic to burn.
2. Add the chopped basil leaves, tomato puree, tinned tomatoes and vegetable stock and stir everything together well.
3. Bring the soup mixture to the boil, then turn down the heat and simmer for 20 minutes.
4. Blitz the soup mixture with a food processor / a liquidiser or blender.
5. Stir in the corn flour mixture and stirring every now and then allow the soup to simmer and thicken, roughly 5 minutes.
6. Season to taste and then ladle the soup into serving bowls and garnish with the basil leaves.

SPICY TOMATO GARLIC SHRIMP PASTA

INGREDIENTS

• 8 ounces noodles of choice
• 12 ounces shrimp, tails removed and de-veined
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 15-ounce can crushed tomatoes
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 3 teaspoons onion powder
• 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
• 1 ½ cups heavy cream or half & half
• ¼ cup chicken broth

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Cook noodles according to package instructions. Add shrimp and butter to a large sauce pan or skillet and sauté over medium heat for 3-4 minutes until shrimp turn pink. Transfer shrimp to a bowl and set aside.
2. Add crushed tomatoes, minced garlic, garlic powder, red pepper flakes, salt, onion powder, and Italian seasoning to your pan. Stir over medium heat for 5 minutes or so until fragrant and heated through. Add heavy cream and chicken broth. Cover and allow to simmer for 5-10 minutes.
3. Add shrimp to pan and stir to combine. Toss with prepared noodles and serve.

MEDITERRANEAN GRILLED CHEESE SANDWICH

INGREDIENTS

• 2 slices rustic white bread or sourdough bread
• 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil, divided
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 oz. Wisconsin Feta cheese, crumbled
• 2 oz. Wisconsin Whole Milk Mozzarella cheese, shredded
• 2 cups fresh spinach
• 2 tsp chopped fresh basil
• 4 Roma tomato slices
• 1/4 tsp finely minced garlic
• 2 Tbsp diced black olives
• 1 Tbsp finely chopped red onion

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat 1 tsp olive oil in a non-stick 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, add garlic and spinach and saute until spinach begins to wilt, about 30 seconds. Remove from heat, stir in basil and set aside. To assemble sandwich, spread Mozzarella and Feta cheese over one slice of bread into an even layer. Layer tomatoes in a single layer over cheese. Spread spinach mixture over tomatoes then sprinkle olives and red onions over tomatoes. Season with freshly ground black pepper and top with remaining slice of bread.
2. Spread 1 tsp olive oil evenly over skillet, add sandwich and heat over medium-low heat. Cook until bottom is golden brown, about 3 – 4 minutes, then remove sandwich from pan. Spread remaining 1 tsp olive oil evenly along skillet, carefully rotate sandwich to opposite side and return to pan over medium-low heat. Cover skillet with lid and cook until bottom is golden brown, about 2 – 3 minutes.

ASIAGO WHITE BEANS WITH FARRO, KALE, AND TOMATOES

INGREDIENTS

• ½ cup uncooked farro
• 1½ cups vegetable or chicken broth
• 1 cup canned white beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 cup halved grape tomatoes
• 2 cups baby kale or spinach
• ½ cup Asiago or Parmesan cheese
• 1 cup tomato sauce
• salt and pepper to taste

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Place the farro in a rice cooker with the broth. Start the rice cooker, or if you don't have a rice cooker, just cook it in a small pan on the stove according to package directions.
2. Add the white beans, grap tomatoes, kale, Asiago, and tomato sauce directly into the rice cooker or the pot on the stove. Stir it all up, season with additional salt and pepper and maybe a snip of fresh herbs, and you're done.

Lettuce Wrapped Cheeseburgers

Ingredients

• 2 lbs ground beef
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 tsp pepper
• 1/2 Tbsp oregano
• 2 Tbsp reduced sugar ketchup
• 2 tomatoes, sliced thin
• 1 head of iceberg lettuce, leaves removed
• 6 slices American cheese

Spread

• 1/4 cup mayo
• 3 Tbsp reduced sugar ketchup
• 1 Tbsp dill pickle relish
• dash of salt and pepper

Directions

1. Heat your grill or skillet on medium heat and add a little Kerry Gold Butter.
2. In a large bowl, mix together the beef, salt, pepper, oregano and ketchup.
3. Divide the mixture into 6 sections, and roll each piece into a ball then press down flat for 6 burgers. You can also use a burger press if you have one.
4. Place each burger on your grill/pan and cook for approximately 3-4 minutes on each side. Try not to press down on the burgers…they end up a little dry that way.
5. Once you flip the burger, add your cheese to the top cooked side.
6. In a small bowl mix together the spread ingredients and refrigerate.
7. Once you have cooked all your burgers and removed them from the pan, assemble them.
8. Place 1 cheeseburger on the lettuce leaf, top with 2 slices of tomato, a spoonful of spread, then wrap top to bottom with another lettuce leaf.

BAKED CREAMY CHEESY CHICKEN FLAUTAS WITH GUACAMOLE

INGREDIENTS

Flautas

• 2 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• ¾ cup corn, canned and drained
• 1 cup salsa, store bought
• ½ cup sour cream
• 1½ cup Tex Mex or Mexican cheese blend
• 10 6 inch flour tortillas
• ¼ cup butter, melted

Guacamole

• 1 avocado
• 1 medium tomato
• ½ jalapeno pepper
• juice from ½ lime
• 1 tbsp cilantro, chopped
• salt and pepper to taste

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 400 F degrees.
2. In a medium size skillet heat the olive oil. Add onion and garlic and cook until onion is softened, about 3 minutes. Add corn to skillet and cook for another 2 minutes. Add shredded chicken, salsa and sour cream, stir and cook for about 3 more minutes. Remove from heat and stir in cheese.
3. Warm the tortillas in the microwave for about 30 seconds so that they're easier to roll. The chicken mixture should be enough to fill 10 tortillas.
4. Butter a 9x13 inch baking with some of the melted butter. Lay a tortilla flat and top with a couple tablespoons of the chicken mixture. Tightly roll up the tortilla and place it in the baking dish. Brush with melted butter. Repeat with remaining tortillas.
5. Bake for about 15 minutes or until tortillas turn golden brown.
6. While the flautas are baking, make the guacamole. In a small bowl mash the avocado then add the rest of the ingredients and stir well.
7. Serve guacamole over flautas.

JAMBALAYA

INGREDIENTS

• 3 Tbsp. olive oil
• 2 ribs celery, chopped
• 1 white onion, diced
• 1 small red bell pepper, cored and diced
• 1 small yellow bell pepper, cored and diced
• 1 small green bell pepper, cored and diced
• 1-2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and finely chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 1 lb. andouille sausage, thinly sliced into rounds
• 3 cups chicken stock
• 1 (14 oz.) can crushed tomatoes
• 1 1/2 cups uncooked white or brown rice
• 2 Tbsp. Cajun or Creole seasoning
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tsp. thyme, crushed
• 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
• 1 lb. raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
• (optional) 1 cup thinly-sliced okra
• salt and pepper

Garnishing

• Chopped fresh parsley, thinly-sliced green onions, hot sauce

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat 2 tablespoons. olive oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Add celery, onion, bell peppers, jalapeno and garlic. Saute for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are soft and mostly cooked. Add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil, chicken and sausage, and stir to combine. Continue sauteing for an additional 5 minutes, or until the chicken is no longer pink and mostly cooked.
2. Add the chicken stock, tomatoes, rice, Cajun spice, bay leaf, thyme, and cayenne, and stir to combine. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer for about 25-30 minutes, or until the rice is cooked, stirring occasionally.
3. Once the rice is tender, add in the shrimp and okra and stir to combine. Let the mixture continue to simmer, stirring occasionally, until the shrimp are cooked and no longer pink. Remove bay leaf and season the jambalaya with salt and pepper and hot sauce and additional Cajun/Creole seasoning if needed. Remove from heat and serve with optional garnishes if desired.

CHIPOTLE CHICKEN TORTA

INGREDIENTS

• 4 soft Bolio rolls
• 1 pound chicken boneless, skinless breasts
• ¼ cup chipolte peppers, from a can
• ½ cup beer
• 1 cup shredded cabbage
• 1 beefsteak tomato, sliced
• 1 sweet onion, sliced
• 1 lime
• ½ cup queso fresco cheese
• 1 avocado
• salt and pepper

INSTRUCTIONS

Chicken

1. Place the chipolte peppers and sauce, the chicken, and the beer in crock pot. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. 
2. Cook on high for 4 hours or low for 8 hours. Shred the chicken with 2 forks.

Sandwiches

1. Mash the avocado with the juice of the lime and 1 teaspoon salt. Spread on the the top layer of each roll.
2. Layer the bottom of the roll with the chicken, tomato, onion, cabbage, and cheese. Place the top layer of the roll on the bottom and serve.

Spicy Shrimp Pasta in Garlic Tomato Cream Sauce

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 pound shrimp, without shells, and deveined
• crushed red pepper
• paprika
• salt
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 cups canned crushed tomatoes
• 1/4 cup water
• half a cube chicken bullion
• 1 tablespoon basil
• 1/4 teaspoon oregano
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 8 oz penne pasta

Instructions

1. Heat olive oil in a large skillet on medium-high heat. Add shrimp and cook on one side for about 1 minute, until shrimp turns pink on that side. While it cooks, sprinkle the top of shrimp with crushed red pepper, paprika and salt to cover every single shrimp. 
2. Make sure not to crowd the shrimp in the skillet, otherwise moisture will form and shrimp won't sear right. And, don't skimp on spices. Using spatula turn shrimp over to the other side and cook for about 2 more minutes.
3. Remove shrimp to a plate, being careful to leave all the oil in the skillet.
4. To the same skillet, add chopped onion and minced garlic and cook on medium high heat in the olive oil that will have a nice reddish color from paprika and crushed red pepper. Cook for about 2 minutes, occasionally stirring, until onions soften.
5. Add crushed tomatoes and chicken bullion cube dissolved in 1/4 cup boiling water. Add basil and oregano, mix, bring to boil and reduce to simmer. Simmer for about 10-15 minutes, mixing occasionally and crushing all tomatoes into very small bites, until the sauce reduces just a bit. Season with more red pepper and salt, if needed. In the end, while on simmer, add heavy cream, mix it in, and immediately remove from heat.
6. Add back the shrimp and pasta. Mix everything well to combine. Reheat on low simmer, if needed. Do not bring to boil or high heat as it might affect the sauce texture. Add more salt and pepper if necessary.
7. When serving, Sprinkle the top of pasta with just a touch of crushed red pepper.

Roasted Vegetable lasagna

Ingredients

Marinara Sauce

• 1 28 oz can whole tomatoes (use the juice)
• 1 6 oz can tomato paste
• 1/2 cup red wine
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2-3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 cup fresh chopped basil

Roasted Vegetables

• 3 zucchini, cut into small chunks
• 2 eggplants, sliced, then chopped
• 2 red bell peppers, chopped
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• salt and pepper

Roasted Vegetable Lasagna

• 3 cups marinara sauce (store bought or homemade)
• 3 cups ricotta (store bought or homemade)
• 1 egg
• 2 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded
• 1 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 lb lasagna noodles
• 10 oz bag frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed of all moisture

Instructions

Marinara Sauce

1. In a large sauce pan, heat olive oil over medium heat and add chopped onion. Saute for a few minutes until onion starts to become translucent. Add the garlic and sautee for another 30 seconds.
2. Add the red wine, then the canned tomatoes, tomato paste, salt and pepper. Stir, bring to a boil, then lower the heat to low and let simmer, covered, for about 30 minutes.
3. Add sauce to a blender and blend for about 1 minute.
4. Pour sauce back into the saucepan and add the dried oregano and fresh basil.
5. Sauce is ready to serve or save for later.
6. Store in the fridge up to 1 week or freeze for a few months.

Roasted Vegetables

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
2. Toss the vegetables with oil, salt and pepper.
3. Arrange the vegetables in a single layer on 2 lightly greased baking sheets. Turn the vegetables once about half way through. Bake until they’re tender, lightly browned about 20 minutes.
4. Remove from the oven and set aside.
5. Roasted veggies can be stored in the fridge for a few days prior to using them for the lasagna.

Roasted Vegetable Lasagna

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a medium bowl, mix the ricotta, egg, 1/2 cup mozzarella, 1/4 cup parmesan, minced garlic, salt and pepper.
3. Spray a 9 x 13-inch baking dish with non stick spray.
4. Pour 1/2 cup of marinara sauce onto the bottom of the dish (just a thin layer).
5. Cover the marinara with a layer of lasagna noodles.
6. Top the noodles with 1/2 of the thawed spinach, 1/2 of the roasted vegetables, 1/2 of the ricotta, 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella, and 3/4 cup marinara sauce.

Repeat layering

1. Noodles, remaining spinach, remaining roasted vegetables, remaining ricotta, 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella, 3/4 cup marinara sauce.

Final layer

1. Noodles, 1 cup marinara, remaining mozzarella, 1/2 cup grated parmesan.
2. Bake until the lasagna for about 1 hour, until it’s bubbling along the edges and golden brown.
3. Let to rest for about 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

One-Pan Cheesy Pasta Bolognese

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 onion, diced
• ¾ cup grated carrots
• 1 lb. ground beef
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• 1 tablespoon dried basil
• ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• ½ cup red wine
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 can diced tomatoes with juice
• ⅓ cup heavy cream
• 1 cup water
• ¾ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• 12 oz. pasta
• ¾ cup Parmesan cheese, grated
• 1½ cups mozzarella cheese, shredded, divided

Instructions

1. Heat the olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the onion and carrots, and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, 1 minute. Add the ground beef and cook, breaking up into small pieces with a spoon, until browned, 4 to 5 minutes. Add in dried oregano, basil, and red pepper flakes. Next, add the red wine and stir to combine. Add Worcestershire and canned tomatoes, stirring to combine. Pour in the heavy cream. Stir to combine. Add salt and pepper.
2. Pour in the water and bring to a boil. Add pasta, stir well. Cover pan and cook until pasta is tender, stirring occasionally.
3. When pasta is tender, gently stir in grated Parmesan and ½ cup of mozzarella cheese. Scatter the remaining mozzarella evenly over top. Turn off the heat. Place lid over skillet and allow mozzarella to melt, 2-3 minutes.

Feta & Spinach Stuffed Chicken Breast

Ingredients

• 6 boneless skinless chicken breasts butterflied
• 3 cups fresh spinach
• 1 1/2 cups crumbled feta
• 12 sun dried tomatoes; sliced
• 6 pieces of twine/string 1 1/2 long each

Directions

1. First pre-heat your oven to 400F. 
2. Butterfly chicken breasts. Butterflying may sound intimidating but it is basically cutting the piece of meat in half but leaving the end portion uncut. 
3. You can pound the chicken between plastic to make it flatter if you need/want to. 
4. I like to use string to tie it all together. 
5. Stuff and tie up chicken breast in butterfly shape. 
6. Then tie up the meat.

Chicken Fajita Pasta

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 3 tablespoons taco or fajita seasoning
• 2 cups diced onion
• 2 cups diced bell peppers
• 3-4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• ½ cup heavy cream
• 1 can Ro-Tel Diced Tomatoes and Green Chiles
• 3 cups penne pasta
• ½ teaspoon salt

Instructions

1. Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces. Season with half of taco seasoning. In a 12-inch skillet, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over high heat. When the oil is very hot, carefully add the chicken in a single layer and cook without stirring until one side is seared and browned, about 1-2 minutes. Flip the chicken to the other side and cook until browned. Remove the chicken to a plate and set aside.
2. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the skillet with the heat still on high. When the oil is very hot again, add the onions, bell peppers, and remaining taco seasoning. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the veggies are slightly blackened. Turn heat to low, add minced garlic, and stir until fragrant and well combined, about 30 seconds. Remove the veggies to the plate with the chicken.
3. In the same skillet, add the broth, cream, diced tomatoes, uncooked pasta, and salt. Stir to combine and bring to a boil, then cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook for 15 minutes until pasta is tender and liquid is mostly absorbed. Add the chicken and veggies back into the skillet and stir to combine until heated through, about 2 minutes. Serve with buttery garlic bread.

Asoor Dal Pulao (Red Lentil Rice)

Ingredients

• 1 cup basmati or any long grained rice, soaked in water for 10-15 minutes
• 1/2 cup red lentil 
• 1 tsp cumin / fennel seeds
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 medium tomato
• 2-3 spring onions, sliced thinly
• 1 bay leaf
• 2-3 each of cloves and cardamom
• Pinch of turmeric
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced 
• 1-2 green chillies, thinly sliced 
• 1 inch ginger, peeled and grated
• 1 tsp garam masala
• 2-1/2 cups coconut milk 
• Salt to taste
• Few sprigs of cilantro for garnish
• Fresh lemon juice to taste 

Method

1. In a skillet in 1 tsp oil (or butter) saute the cumin, bay leaf, cloves, cardamom, garlic, chillies, ginger along with onion and salt.
2. Once the onions get soft add the tomato along with turmeric and garam masala. Saute for another 1-2 minutes.
3. Add the lentils and rice. Give it a mix and saute for another min or two until the rice gets aromatic/translucent.
4. Add the coconut milk/water/stock. Mix well.
5. Cover and cook for 8-10 minutes or until the rice is cooked.
6. Fluff it gently. I sometimes add frozen peas to this mix too towards the end of cooking. You can add more vegetables if you want to.
7. Now to add some color and more flavor. Garnish it with spring onions and cilantro. Even mint leaves go v well with this.  I squeeze some lemon to this rice for couple of reasons. Of course for the flavor. It also helps to reduce the sodium level and third - most importantly - the citrus helps to absorb the iron present in the lentils. So whenever I cook with lentils, I add lemon juice to the dish.