Spinach Pasta Toss

Spinach Pasta Toss Total Time: 25 min Makes 6 1 can Italian-style diced tomatoes, undrained 16 oz pasta (penne, ziti, elbow, etc.), uncooked 1 cup water 3-4 c spinach leaves 1 cup mozzarella cheese Put tomatoes, pasta and water to boil in large saucepan and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer on medium-low heat for 10 minutes. Add the spinach; simmer, covered, until wilted. (Note: It might be easier to add the spinach in small batches.)Stir. Stir in cheese. Results: Delicious! I was skeptical about this recipe but all four members of the family loved it! So good and so easy! (This is a note from the old blog...)

Creamy Vegetable Soup

adapted from: https://legallyhealthyblonde.com/vegan-pot-pie-soup/ 

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 45-60 minutes
Servings: 8

Ingredients:
8 tablespoon butter
2 cups carrots, peeled and diced
2 cups Celery chopped
2/3 Large yellow onion diced
1.5 tsp Garlic powder
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
3 cups milk
10 cups vegetable broth (or chicken broth)
4 Yukon gold potatoes peeled and diced or 2 russet potatoes
2 cups Frozen petite peas
2 teaspoon salt
Black pepper to taste

Directions:
Peel and finely dice carrots.
Dice celery and onions.
Melt butter in large non-stick pan. Add onion, carrots, and celery.
Peel and dice potatoes.
Once the onion is translucent, add garlic.
Add the flour and immediately stir to combine. Cook and continue to stir until the flour becomes lightly golden.
Add the milk and mix into the flour and vegetables until it becomes a thick, creamy sauce.
Add the broth and combine thoroughly. (Reduce amount of broth by 1-2 cups if you want a thicker soup).
Add chopped potatoes, and bring the pot to a simmer.
Simmer for about 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until the potatoes are cooked through and the soup has reduced to your desired thickness.
Stir in the frozen peas while the soup is still hot.
Season with salt and pepper.
Serve hot and enjoy!

Banana Bread

Source: the back of the Kroger sweetener bag 

Prep Time: 20 mins 

Total Time: 65-75 minutes 

Ingredients 

1-1/3 cups all-purpose flour 

1/2 cup No Calorie Sweetener, granulated 

1 tsp baking powder 

1/2 tsp baking soda 

1 pinch salt 

1-1/4 cups well-ripened bananas, mashed 

1 tbsp oil 

1/3 cup buttermilk 

2 tsp vanilla extract 

1/2 c chopped walnuts (optional) 

Directions 

1. Preheat oven to 350 F. 

2. Spray 9 by 5 loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray. 

3. Blend dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl. 

4. In a separate bowl, combine oil, buttermilk, vanilla, and bananas. Mix well. 

5. Pour banana mixture into dry ingredients and stir until blended. 

6. Add walnuts, if desired. 

7. Bake for 45 to 55 minutes or until golden brown and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Pork Tenderloin (2 versions)

These recipes are both from saltandlavender.com

Prep Time: 10 mins
Cook Time: 30 minutes (oven); 2 hours (crockpot)
Rest Time: 5-10 minutes

Ingredients
2 pork tenderloins about 1 pound each
1/2 cup beef broth (FOR SLOW COOKER VERSION ONLY!)
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper or to taste
1/4 cup butter cut into pats
Chopped parsley optional, to taste

Oven Instructions
Preheat your oven to 400F and move the rack to the middle position.
Prep the tenderloins by cutting off any excess fat and the silver skin (the tough part that may cover some of each tenderloin). Pat the tenderloins dry with paper towel. Add the spice rub ingredients (brown sugar, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper) to a small bowl and stir together. Coat the tenderloins all over with the spice rub.
Add the pork tenderloins to a 9x13 (or similar size) baking dish and place the butter pats on top. Bake, uncovered, for about 25 minutes or until the pork has reached 145F. Let it rest 5-10 minutes before slicing it into medallions so it remains juicy.
Pour the pan juices over the pork (they're also great over a side dish like mashed potatoes) and sprinkle with chopped parley if desired.

Crockpot Instructions
Prepare the tenderloins by trimming off excess fat and the silver skin (the tough part that may cover some of each tenderloin).
Pour the beef broth into your slow cooker.
Add the spice rub ingredients (brown sugar, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper) to a small bowl and stir together. Using your hands, coat the tenderloins all over with the spice rub. You may want to do this on a plate with each tenderloin one at a time.
Add the pork tenderloins to your slow cooker, along with any excess rub that is on the plate. Place the butter pats on and around the tenderloins and close the lid.
Test for doneness after 2 hours on low or 1 hour on high as slow cookers can vary a LOT, and it's easy to overcook tenderloin. If it's not quite ready, simply put the lid back on and test after another 5-10 minutes if it's close (145F-150F will be medium after resting, and keep in mind that 160F is already well done). If your tenderloins are larger than 1 pound each, they will take longer to cook.
Take the pork tenderloins out of the slow cooker and slice into medallions after 5 minutes of resting. You can put the pork back in the slow cooker to toss with the sauce or plate it and spoon the sauce over top. Sprinkle with chopped parley if desired.


Pork that's 145F in the thickest part is safe to eat. Farming practices have changed over the years, and it's no longer recommended to overcook pork. This recipe, by the time it's finished resting, yields pork that is slightly more cooked than the 145F but may still have some pink in the middle (this is totally safe!). Use an instant read meat thermometer so you never over or undercook meat again.

Vegetarian Sheet Pan Nachos

Source: https://easygoodideas.com/vegetarian-sheet-pan-nachos/
Prep Time 5minutes
Cook Time10 minutes
Servings: 4 servings

Ingredients
1 - 16 oz cans refried beans
1 pkt of taco seasoning
Tortilla Chips
2 ½ C. shredded cheddar cheese
½ Red Onion diced
1-2 Roma tomatoes diced
1 16 oz can corn
6 oz can of olives sliced

Instructions
In a medium pan, heat the refried beans, add 1 pkt of taco seasoning. Heat until warmed. Set aside.
Place a layer of tortilla chips on a sheet pan, top with 1 cup shredded cheese, red onion, tomatoes, corn and olives.
Add a second layer of cheese, onion, tomatoes, corn and olives. Top with refried beans by dropping small spoonfuls across nachos. Lastly sprinkle the last ½ cup of cheese across the top.
Set your oven to 450 degrees and place nachos on the middle rack, bake 5-7 min until the cheese is melted.
Remove and serve with your favorite salsa and/or sour cream. Enjoy!

Chicken Taco Salad or Burritos

Adapted from: https://butterwithasideofbread.com/fiesta-ranch-chicken-pasta-salad/)
This was the original recipe...and I didn't like it as a pasta salad. However, I did like it without the noodles as a filling for tacos.

Ingredients

3 boneless chicken breasts cooked and diced
1 packet taco seasoning mix
15 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
15 oz can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
16 oz corn frozen or canned
1 cup onion chopped
1 pepper chopped (ed, orange, or yellow)
3 oz olives sliced
2 cups grated cheddar cheese
2 tomatoes chopped

Instructions
Combine all of the other ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Serve cold with tortilla chips for taco salad or warm with tortillas for burritos.

Easy Calzone Recipe

Source: https://natashaskitchen.com/easy-calzone-recipe/

Servings: 8 servings
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes

Ingredients
• 2 lb pizza dough (see recipe below)
• 1 cup pizza sauce
• 1 cup pepperoni
• • 2 cups shredded mozzarella
• 1 cup ricotta cheese (I used cottage cheese)
• 2 tbsp oil
• 1/2 cup parmesan cheese

Instructions
Preheat the oven to 475 °F. Line the baking sheet with parchment paper or spray it with oil.
Divide the dough into 8 equally sized pieces. Roll each piece into a 1/4" thick circle.
Place the filling on half of each circle (pizza sauce, ricotta, pepperoni, and shredded mozzarella). Make sure to leave the edges clean to allow for sealing the calzone. Fold the side over the filling and crimp the edges.
Place calzones on a baking sheet, leaving space apart. Cut a small vent on the top of each calzone. Brush the tops with oil and sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown.

Overnight Pizza Dough Recipe
Servings: 8 people (makes 2, 10-12 inch crusts)
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 1 day
Total Time: 1 day 10minutes

Ingredients
• 1 1/4 cups warm water, 105-110˚F
• 1/2 tsp active dry yeast
• 1 tsp honey
• 1/2 Tbsp fine sea salt
• 3 1/3 cups all-purpose flour, (measured correctly) plus more to dust*

Instructions
How to Make Pizza Dough:
In a small bowl, stir together water, honey, and salt then sprinkle the top with 1/2 tsp yeast and let sit 5 minutes then stir.
Measure 3 1/3 cups flour in a large mixing bowl and make a well in the center. Pour yeast mixture into the center then stir with a firm spatula until the dough comes together. Knead by hand 2 minutes (dough will be sticky). Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature 4-5 hours or until doubled in size.
Transfer dough to a floured surface, turn to coat lightly in flour so it isn’t sticky then divide in half. Fold each piece of dough in half 8 times, gently pulling the sides over the center like closing a book, turning the dough each time and repeating for 8 folds. Form a ball in your hands and transfer each piece of dough to a lightly oiled bowl seam-side-down, cover and refrigerate overnight (18 hours) or up to 1 week.
**I don't think putting it in the fridge made it rise much more than it had already risen, so I'd try using it after the first rise.
Remov the dough from the fridge 1 hour before using to give it time to warm up.