Peppers and Onions Hash

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Chris loves exploring new additions for the classic potato hash he likes to make on the weekends, and I think he outdid himself this time. We usually put cheese on top of hash, but we opted to keep it off this time to save ourselves some calories. Peppers and onions alone added enough flavor to the crispy potatoes that cheese wasn't needed anyways. Hash is a super simple breakfast that tastes like something you would eat at a restaurant, but can be made in the comfort of your own home. Enjoy!

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp. canola oil
• 2 tbsp. butter
• 8-10 baby potatoes, diced
• 1/2 onion, chopped
• 1/2 cup frozen red and green bell peppers, chopped
• 1/2 tsp. Lawry's seasoned salt
• 1/4 tsp. black pepper
• 1/2 cup Monterey Jack cheese, shredded (optional)

Preheat broiler to 500 degrees F.

Add oil and butter to a heavy cast iron skillet. Add potatoes and onions. Cook for 8-10 minutes or until potatoes are fork tender and begin to brown and get crispy.

Once potatoes are brown, add bell peppers and stir to combine. Cook for 3-4 minutes or until heated through. Season with seasoned salt and pepper.

If using cheese, sprinkle cheese over top. Transfer the skillet to the oven under the broiler. Let sit for 2-3 minutes or until completely melted. Keep an eye on the skillet since the cheese can brown quickly!

Carefully remove from oven and serve immediately.

Source: SK and Chris Original

Roasted Vegetable Baked Pasta

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Am I the only one who buys an abundance of vegetables and then finds them rotting before I have a chance to get to them all? Well, I found a solution for that: vegetable pasta! I just roast up all those glorious vegetables that are about to go bad, toss them with a creamy, cheesy pasta combo and bake it. Easy peasy!

Roasting the vegetables gives them a ton of extra flavor and adds a lot of depth to the pasta. Instead of traditional baked pasta with a simple marinara and Mozzarella sauce, I've added Ricotta, Romano and Parmesan cheeses to make it extra creamy and delicious. And of course--yet another meal that Bradley devoured without even knowing I packed vegetables in. I'm beginning to think maybe he does know, but just doesn't care :) Enjoy!

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 (16 oz.) box penne pasta
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes
• 1 medium onion, sliced thin
• 1/2 green bell pepper, sliced thin then halved
• 1/2 red bell pepper, sliced thin then halved
• 1 cup mushrooms, sliced
• 2 tsp. garlic, minced
• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• 2 cups marinara sauce, homemade or store-bought
• 1 cup Mozzarella cheese, shredded
• 1 cup Romano cheese, grated
• 1 cup Parmesan cheese, grated, divided
• 1 cup part-skim Ricotta cheese
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. pepper

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9x13" baking dish with cooking spray and set aside.

Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Place tomatoes, onions, bell peppers, mushrooms and garlic on top. Drizzle with olive oil and toss to coat. 

Place vegetables under a broiler and cook for 7 minutes, tossing every couple minutes, until vegetables begin to brown.

Remove vegetables from oven and place in a large bowl. Add marinara sauce, Mozzarella, Romano, 1/2 cup Parmesan, Ricotta, salt, pepper and cooked pasta. Stir to combine. 

Pour pasta mixture into prepared baking dish. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese.

Bake for 25-30 minutes or until cheese is melted and begins to brown.

Source: SK Original

Sopapilla Cheesecake Bars

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It's fun having blogging friends and celebrating momentous occasions over the blogosphere with them. Today a bunch of other bloggers and I are helping Camilla of Culinary Adventures with Camilla celebrate her 15th wedding anniversary with cheesecake recipes! She originally asked for 15 bloggers to participate, but we ended up with waaaayy more participants, and therefore waaaayy more than #fifteencheesecakes. (Check out the full list of cheesecakes below!)

Cheesecake alone is so easy to make, and adding something special can turn an ordinary cheesecake into something spectacular. In my case, I chose to top it with sopapilla, which is fried dough sprinkled with cinnamon and sugar. I used canned crescent rolls to save some time, but then topped it with a delicious butter, cinnamon and sugar combination to make a crispy, sweet topping. The sopapilla portion of this particular cheesecake doesn't require many extra steps (or ingredients!) and makes an extremely tasty crust for the creamy cheesecake center. Enjoy!

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 2 (8 oz.) cans refrigerated crescent dinner rolls
• 2 (8 oz.) packages cream cheese, softened
• 1 1/2 cups sugar, divided
• 1/2 cup light sour cream
• 1 egg, lightly whisked
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1/2 cup butter, melted
• 1 tbsp. ground cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Unroll one can of dough. Place in the bottom of a greased 9x13" baking dish. Stretch to cover bottom of dish, firmly pressing seams together to seal.

In medium bowl, beat cream cheese and 1 cup of the sugar with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Add sour cream, egg and vanilla and beat until combined. Spread over dough in baking dish.

Unroll the second can of dough. Pinch the seams together and carefully place on top of cream cheese layer. 

Pour melted butter over top of the dough and spread so it fully covers the dough. 

Mix remaining 1/2 cup sugar with the cinnamon. Sprinkle evenly over butter.

Bake for 30 minutes or until center is set. Allow to cool and then place in the refrigerator to chill completely. 

Once chilled, cut into bars. To store, cover and refrigerate.

Source: Adapted from Pillsbury

Here's what everyone brought to the cheesecake table, listed in alphabetical order. Enjoy!

Berry Cheesecake Bars by Baking and Creating with Avril

Cherry Cheesecake Bites by Cookaholic Wife

Chocolate Caramel Cheesecake by Dancing Veggies

Chocolate Cheesecake by My Hobbie Lobbie

Chocolate Topped Peppermint Cheesecake by Amy's Cooking Adventures

Classic Cheesecake with Strawberry Puree by Making Miracles

Cookies & Creme No-Bake Cheesecake by Hapa-tite!

Creme Brulee Cheesecake Bars by Tara's Multicultural Table

Easter Basket Mini Cheesecakes by Little Bit of Everything

Everyday Cheesecake by Things I Make (for Dinner)

Irish Cream Cheesecake by A Day in the Life on the Farm

Layered Cinnamon Streusel Cheesecake Cake by Famished Fish, Finicky Shark

Lowfat Blackberry Cheesecake by A Kitchen Hoor's Adventures

Matcha-Yuzu Cheesecake with a Meyer Lemon Glaze by Culinary Adventures with Camilla

Mini Churro Caramel Cheesecake by Cheese Curd In Paradise

Mini Maple Pecan Cheesecakes by Join Us, Pull up a Chair

Mudslide Cheesecake by Sew You Think You Can Cook

Neapolitan Cheesecake by PicNic

No-Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake by Angels Homestead

Ricotta Cheesecake with Shortbread Crust by Living the Gourmet

Samoa's cheesecake by Goodie Godmother

Sopapilla Cheesecake Bars by The Savvy Kitchen

Sopapilla Puff Pastry Cheesecake by Pink Cake Plate

Skinny Vanilla Bean Cheesecake by Renee's Kitchen Adventures

Twix Cheesecake Brownie Torte by Making Memories With Your Kids

Mushroom and Asiago Chicken Over Egg Noodles

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It's finally getting warmer out and it's officially SPRING! I'm so excited for long morning walks, trips to the playground and writing on the sidewalk with chalk. All with Bradley, of course :)

Chicken dinners are a staple in our house since it's a protein that we all love and I keep a healthy stock of it in the freezer "just in case." 

Just in case I don't feel like trekking to the store...

Just in case our other dinner plans fall through...

Just in case the dinner I was originally making falls flat (aka is gross)...

You know, just in case. 

This is another one of those meals where I already had everything on hand, so I was able to quickly put it together to make a delicious and satisfying dinner. The Asiago cheese and white wine give the simple cream sauce a lot of strong flavors. This is truly a delicious (and easy!) dinner. Enjoy!

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp. butter
• 2 tbsp. olive oil, divided
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1/2 tsp. salt (or to taste)
• 1/4 tsp. pepper (or to taste)
• 1 lb. thin-cut boneless, skinless chicken breast
• 2 cups mushrooms, cut in half
• 1 tsp. garlic, minced
• 1 1/2 cups dry white wine
• 1/2 tsp. dried thyme
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1/4-1/2 cup fresh Asiago cheese, shredded
• Egg noodles, cooked, for serving

Heat the butter with 1 tbsp. olive oil in a deep, heavy skillet or saute pan over medium heat.

In a pie plate, combine flour, salt and pepper. Dredge chicken in seasoned flour. 

Add chicken in an even layer to hot oil/butter in skillet. Saute until golden on each side, about 3-4 minutes per side. Remove from pan.

Add remaining 1 tbsp. olive oil to hot skillet. Saute mushrooms and garlic until mushrooms begin to brown, about 5 minutes.

Add white wine to skillet, and deglaze the pan by scraping up all the browned bits that are at the bottom of the pan. Add thyme to mushroom/wine mixture in pan.

Add the chicken back to the pan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes.

Remove chicken from pan. Add the cream and heat through. Add the Asiago cheese (if you like it strongly flavored, use 1/2 cup; not as strongly flavored, use the 1/4 cup).

Cook, stirring constantly over low heat until cheese melts. Continue cooking until sauce is reduced by about half.

Add chicken back to pan and heat through. Serve over egg noodles.

Source: Adapted from Midnight Baker

Slow Cooker Honey-Garlic Chicken Thighs

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I found myself making this when we had a snow day and I didn't want to/physically couldn't run out to the store. All of the ingredients were things I always keep on hand anyways, so it was easy to toss it into a slow cooker for dinner. Plus it didn't matter if I used frozen chicken, which I always have, so that was a huge selling point. There's nothing like an easy and delicious slow cooker meal when it's freezing out!

This meal is done in 3 1/2 hours (you can also cook it on LOW if you're heading to work and prefer it to cook low and slow while you're out of the house), which is pretty impressive. The chicken becomes nice and tender and pulls apart easily. The weird combination of ingredients (ketchup, honey, soy sauce, basil--what?!) goes surprisingly well together and makes a delicious sauce to serve over rice. We liked this so much that I made it a week later using chicken breasts instead of thighs, and it turned out just as good. Enjoy!

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 6 frozen skinless, boneless chicken thighs
• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 1/2 cup ketchup
• 1/3 cup honey
• 3 tsp. garlic, minced
• 1 tsp. dried basil
• 1 tbsp. cornstarch
• Rice, for serving

Lay chicken thighs into the bottom of a 4-quart slow cooker.

Whisk soy sauce, ketchup, honey, garlic and basil together in a bowl; pour over the chicken.

Cook on HIGH for 3.5 hours.

After 3.5 hours, shred chicken. 

Remove 1/4 cup of sauce from the crockpot and place in a bowl. Whisk the cornstarch into the sauce in the bowl until combined. Add cornstarch mixture back into the crockpot and stir to combine. Continue cooking for 20 minutes.

Serve over rice.

Source: Adapted from All Recipes

Blueberry Muffins with a Crumb Topping

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My good friend, Melissa, is getting ready to have her second baby girl! Eek! Chris and I desperately want to give Bradley a little brother or sister one day, but the thought of it scares me so much. TWO kids? One is hard enough; I can't even imagine. And my mom had FOUR. Oh my goodness, I'm getting anxiety just thinking about it.

But even though Melissa is days away from her due date, she still had my little family over for brunch the other weekend. I made these blueberry muffins since I knew both the adults and kids would love them, and they certainly did. They were just as good as bakery muffins. They were light and moist, and the crumbs were a sweet, delicious topping that I was obsessed with. I'm so glad I made extras to keep at home because I ate these for breakfast the next four days. And I plan on making them again VERY soon. Enjoy!

Printable Recipe

Ingredients
Makes 18 muffins

Crumb Topping:

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 3 tbsp. dark brown sugar
• 2 tbsp. granulated sugar
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1 pinch salt
• 6 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted

Muffins:

• 1 3⁄4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 1⁄4 tsp. baking powder
• 1⁄2 tsp. salt
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1⁄2 cup canola oil
• 3⁄4 cup whole milk
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 1⁄2 cups blueberries, frozen or fresh
• 1 tbsp. flour

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Add muffin liners to 18 muffin tin cups and set aside.

Crumb Topping: Combine the flour with the brown sugar, granulated sugar, baking powder and salt. Stir in melted butter, then use a fork to lightly mash the mixture until it forms pea-sized clumps. Set aside.

Muffins: Whisk 1 3/4 cups flour with the baking powder and salt. Set aside.

In another bowl, combine the sugar, eggs, and canola oil and beat with a handheld mixer at low speed until combined. Beat in the whole milk and vanilla.

Add the flour mixture all at once and beat on low speed until the batter is smooth.

Combine blueberries and 1 tbsp. flour in a bowl. Stir to coat the blueberries with flour. Fold the blueberries into the batter.

Spoon the batter into the muffin cups, filling them about three-quarters full.

Sprinkle the crumb topping evenly on top of each one. Bake for about 30 minutes or until muffins are golden.

Let cool in pan for 10 minutes before serving.

Source: Adapted from Food.com

BBQ Quinoa Meatloaf Muffins

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I've been on a big quinoa kick lately, so as soon as I saw Debbi's recipe (over at Debbie Does Dinner) for Quinoa Meatloaf Muffins, I knew what my SRC pick was going to be this month. I love that Debbi makes dinners that are only around 500 calories, so I didn't feel guilty making my decision. The quinoa basically does the same thing that breadcrumbs do in traditional meatloaf: they bind the whole thing together and add some texture. But you can't even tell it's in there! 

(Unless you're my husband and inspect your food while eating...then yes, you will notice the quinoa. Yet he still didn't mind!)

There was even a whole cupful of grated carrots in the meatloaf and neither Chris nor Bradley knew. I love sneaking extra veggies into Bradley's diet whenever I can, and it helps when the meal is super flavorful. These were moist and the BBQ sauce topping made them even better. I love that these were made with all turkey, too, so they weren't greasy and we saved a lot of calories. Enjoy!

Printable Recipe

Ingredients
Makes 15 muffins

• 2 lbs. ground turkey
• 2 cups quinoa, cooked
• 1 cup carrots, grated
• 1 onion, minced
• 1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 tsp. oregano
• 1/2 tbsp. garlic, minced
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 2 eggs
• 1 tbsp. milk

BBQ Sauce:

• 1 cup ketchup
• 2 tbsp. sugar
• 3 tbsp. apple cider vinegar
• 2 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
• 1/4 cup onion, finely minced
• Dash or 2 of tabasco

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. 

Combine turkey, quinoa, carrots, onion, Worcestershire, oregano, garlic, salt and pepper together. Add the eggs and milk, making sure everything holds together. 

Divide the meat mixture into 15 wells in regular size muffin tins (do not grease the pans). Each muffin should have a rounded top and be heaping full. 

Bake for 25 - 30 minutes or until done.

While the meatloaf is cooking, make the BBQ sauce. Combine all of the BBQ sauce ingredients in a small saucepan and cook for about 5 - 10 minutes on a low simmer until onions are slightly softened. Spread on meatloaf muffins about halfway into the cooking time. Add more sauce to cooked muffins, as desired.

Source: Adapted from Debbie Does Dinner

An InLinkz Link-up

Veggie Deep Dish Pizza

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Considering tomorrow is Pi Day (3/14) and today is Lenten Friday, it's only fair that I share this incredibly tasty (and meatless) deep dish pizza pie with you today! It's so good that I can guarantee you'll want to eat this even when you don't HAVE to go meatless. 

I crammed so many veggies on this pizza that I even impressed myself. I basically used all the vegetables in my refrigerator that didn't have much shelf life left in them. That included mushrooms, peppers, onions, cherry tomatoes and black olives. Yum! 

Making this in a cast iron skillet gave the crust a nice crispy crunch. Since it was deep dish, I had no problem adding all the roasted vegetables and a ton of sauce and cheese. This is an awesome deep dish pizza that you don't even have to travel all the way to Chicago to have. Enjoy!

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 1/2 homemade pizza dough recipe
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes
• 1/2 green pepper, sliced thin lengthwise then cut in half
• 1/2 cup mushrooms, sliced
• 1 small onion, sliced thin
• 1/2 tsp. garlic, minced
• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• 1/4 cup black olives, drained, sliced
• 3/4 cup pizza sauce
• 1 tsp. Italian seasoning
• 2 cups Mozzarella cheese, divided
• 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

Preheat oven to broil. Line a large baking sheet with aluminum foil. Put tomatoes, green pepper, mushrooms, onion and garlic on the prepared baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and toss to combine. Broil for 5-8 minutes, tossing every couple minutes, until vegetables are tender and begin to brown. Set aside.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

Coat a 12-inch cast iron skillet or round baking dish with extra virgin olive oil. Put your dough in the pan and push it up around the sides about 1 to 1.5 inches.

Sprinkle 1 cup of Mozzarella cheese over the dough. Add the roasted vegetables and olives. Spread the pizza sauce evenly over the top. Sprinkle with Italian seasoning. Top with remaining 1 cup Mozzarella cheese and Parmesan cheese. 

Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the crust is golden brown and the cheese and sauce are bubbly. Let rest for 5-10 minutes before cutting, then serve immediately.

Source: SK Original

Soy Ginger Edamame

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I like to keep frozen shelled edamame on hand since it's a quick snack that's filled with protein and fiber. I eat edamame plain all the time, but every once in a while I like to spruce it up. Crispy Parmesan Edamame is a fun and easy snack, while this particular recipe makes a great side dish. The longer it sits in the marinade, the better the flavor--so if you have time to make this in advance, I suggest you do it! It's bursting with a combination of sweet, savory, tangy, spicy flavors. Enjoy!

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 (10 oz.) package frozen shelled edamame
• 2 tbsp. brown sugar
• 2 tbsp. water
• 2 tbsp. soy sauce
• 1/4 tsp. ginger
• 1/2 tsp. rice vinegar
• 1/2 tsp. garlic, minced
• 1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Cook edamame according to package directions. Drain and set aside.

In a medium bowl, combine brown sugar, water, soy sauce, ginger, rice vinegar, garlic, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper. Add cooked edamame and stir to combine. Allow to sit for at least an hour, if possible. You can also serve immediately, at room temperature or cold.

Source: SK Original

Key Lime Pie

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I love that my family started the tradition where the birthday boy/gal gets to pick their birthday cake. My mom used to make a standard cake for each person's birthday, which was great, but it wasn't always what they wanted. And the birthday boy/gal should get what they want on their day, right? So when Chris told me he wanted Key Lime Pie for his birthday instead of a traditional cake, I happily obliged. 

I'm obsessed with these Key Lime Pie Bars, so I used that recipe as the base for this pie. I even made the crust recipe 1.5 times what I usually do since I know Chris loves a graham cracker crust. The pie turned out exactly how I wanted it to and it was done in under 30 minutes. It was sweet, tangy, creamy and decadent. A perfect way to wish my husband a happy birthday. Enjoy!

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

Crust:

• 2 cups finely ground graham cracker crumbs
• 1/3 cup plus 1 tbsp. sugar
• 8 tbsp. butter, melted

Filling:

• 3 cups sweetened condensed milk
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 3/4 cup key lime juice

Garnishes:

• Cool whip
• Lime slices

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. 

Mix graham cracker crumbs, sugar and butter until well blended. Press mixture evenly into and up the sides of a 9" or 9.5" pie plate. Bake for 5-7 minutes or until crust is set. Remove from oven and set aside.

In a large bowl mix sweetened condensed milk, sour cream and key lime juice together until well combined.

Pour mixture into the cooked crust. Bake for 6-8 minutes or until tiny pinhole bubbles appear on the surface. Remove from oven immediately. 

Allow pie to cool completely. Place in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours prior to serving. Garnish with cool whip and lime slices, if desired.

Source: SK Original

Loaded Chicken and Potato Casserole

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This is easily going to be one of my new favorite casseroles. I literally threw everything into one dish and let it bake. I ended up with a casserole that tasted like a loaded baked potato, but had chunks of seasoned chicken mixed in for extra protein. Chicken, potatoes, onion, cheese, bacon. What more could you want?

A simple paprika and garlic powder combination gave the chicken and potatoes a ton of flavor. It also made the house smell ah-maz-ing. I love one pot meals since it's hard to cook with Bradley in the kitchen. He likes to be my sous chef, which is extremely adorable, but is also a hindrance when trying to cook. It's hard cooking with a baby on my hip! So I put this together while he napped and my dinner prep was done. So easy and so, so delicious. Enjoy!

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken tenders, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 5 medium white potatoes, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 1 small onion, diced
• 3 tbsp. olive oil
• 1/2 tbsp. paprika
• 1 tbsp. garlic powder
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. black pepper
• 2 cups cheddar cheese, freshly shredded
• 1/2 cup cooked, chopped bacon OR real bacon bits
• 2 scallions, sliced thing, for garnish (optional)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with non-stick spray.

Spread the chicken, potato and onion pieces evenly into the baking dish.

In a large bowl, whisk together the olive oil, paprika, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Pour mixture evenly over the chicken, potatoes and onions. Stir to coat the chicken, potatoes and onions.

Bake, uncovered, for 50 to 55 minutes.

Remove from oven, and sprinkle evenly with the cheddar cheese and chopped bacon. Bake another 5 minutes, or until cheese is melted. Let stand 5 minutes before serving. Garish with scallions, if desired.

Source: Adapted from Life in the Lofthouse

Quinoa Fried "Rice"

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I made this once then I immediately found myself making it again less than five days later. Chris actually loved this so much that he asked me to make it for part of his birthday dinner. Do you know how BIG that is? Considering he always asks for the same thing for his birthday (sloppy joes {from a can} and tater tots) I considered this groundbreaking. 

Quinoa replaces the typical rice component of traditional fried rice, making this dish healthier (less calories, less carbs, more protein=a quinoa success), yet equally as delicious. This is a side dish that comes together in less than 15 minutes, and if you have a well-stocked pantry you probably won't even have to venture to the store for any ingredients. You can easily add some cooked chicken or shrimp to the dish to make it a hearty main course. It's packed with flavor and a definite "win" in my book. Enjoy!

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 cup uncooked quinoa (or 2½ to 3 cups leftover cooked quinoa)
• 2 cups water or low-sodium chicken stock
• 1/2 cup onion, chopped
• 1/2 cup matchstick carrots, chopped
• 3 scallions, chopped
• 3 tsp. garlic, minced
• 1/2 tsp. fresh ginger, minced OR 1/4 tsp. dried ginger
• 1 tbsp. olive oil, divided
• 2 eggs, lightly scrambled (still raw)
• 1/2 cup frozen peas, thawed

Sauce:

• 1 1/2 tbsp. teriyaki sauce
• 2 1/2 tbsp. low sodium soy sauce
• 1 tsp. sesame oil

Rinse quinoa a few times in cold water.

Bring quinoa and water or chicken stock to a boil in a medium saucepan, and then reduce to a simmer. Simmer for 15-20 minutes until quinoa is fluffy and cooked through. Remove from heat and let set for five minutes or so. Fluff with a fork.

Mix mix sauce ingredients (teriyaki, soy sauce, and sesame oil) together in a small bowl. Set aside.

Heat 1/2 tbsp. olive oil in a large sauté pan over a high heat. Add onion and carrot and cook for two minutes. Add scallions, garlic and ginger to the pan. Cook another two minutes. Add in the rest of the olive oil and the quinoa. Stir-fry for about two minutes. 

Add sauce to the pan and stir-fry until incorporated, about two minutes. 

Make a well in the center of the quinoa pour eggs in. Scramble the eggs with a spatula. Once cooked, combine with the rest of the quinoa mixture.

Add the peas, then toss everything together until the peas are warmed through. Serve immediately or at room temperature.

Source: Adapted from Cooking for Keeps

Pot Roast

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Chris has been asking for pot roast for a while, so obviously I had to make it for him. Pot roast is an ideal meal to make in the winter since it's slow cooked all day and helps warms your house (and tummy). Since there are only a couple weeks left of winter, I just had to squeeze this meal in!

The mixture of flavors in this pot roast are outstanding. Since it cooked low and slow for such a long time, the beef simply falls apart on your fork. Wine, burgandy/cognac and beef bouillon cubes give the roast an intense, rich flavor that meshes perfectly with a heaping scoop of mashed potatoes. It's the ultimate comfort food. Enjoy!

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 (4 to 5-pound) prime boneless beef chuck roast
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup flour
• 4 tbsp. olive oil, divided
• 2 cups chopped carrots (4 carrots)
• 2 cups chopped yellow onions (2 onions)
• 2 cups chopped celery (4 stalks)
• 2 tbsp. garlic, minced,
• 2 cups good red wine, such as Burgundy or Merlot
• 2 tablespoons Cognac or Brandy
• 2 (14.5 oz.) cans diced tomatoes, drained
• 1 cup beef stock
• 1 beef bouillon cube
• 1 tsp. sugar
• 3 branches fresh thyme or 1/2 tsp. dried thyme
• 2 branches fresh rosemary or 1/4 tsp. dried rosemary
• 1 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature
• Mashed potatoes, for serving

Preheat the oven to 275 degrees F.

Pat the beef dry with a paper towel. Season the roast all over with 1/2 tablespoon salt and 1 teaspoon pepper. Add flour to a large plate and dredge the whole roast in flour, including the ends. 

In a large Dutch oven, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Add the roast and sear for 4 to 5 minutes, until nicely browned. Turn and sear the other side and then turn and sear the ends. This should take 4 to 5 minutes for each side. Remove the roast to a large plate.

Add 2 tablespoons olive oil to the Dutch oven. Add the carrots, onions, celery, garlic, 1/2 tablespoon salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper and cook over medium heat for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender but not browned. 

Add the wine and Cognac and bring to a boil. Add the tomatoes, beef stock, bouillon cube, sugar, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Tie the thyme and rosemary together with kitchen string and add to the pot. Put the roast and its juices back into the pot, bring to a boil, and cover. Place in the oven for 3 hours for a 3-pound roast, or 4 hours for a 4-5 pound roast, until the meat is fork tender or about 160 degrees F internally.

Remove the roast to a cutting board. Remove the herb bundle and discard. Skim off as much fat as possible from the sauce. 

Place 2 tablespoons flour and the butter in a small bowl and mash them together with a fork. Stir into the sauce and simmer for 2 minutes, stirring until thickened. Taste for seasonings. Slice/pull apart the meat. 

Serve warm over mashed potatoes with the sauce spooned over it.

Source: Adapted from Ina Garten