Easy Chicken Noodle Soup

Source: Pillsbury 

Total Time: 40 minutes
Servings: 6


1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup chopped carrot
1 container (8 oz) refrigerated chopped celery, onion and bell pepper mix
1 carton (32 oz) Progresso™ reduced-sodium chicken broth (4 cups)
1 cup water
2 cups shredded deli rotisserie chicken (from 2-lb chicken)
2 cups uncooked whole-grain extra-wide egg noodles (4 oz)
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
Chopped fresh parsley, if desired

Instructions
1. In 3-quart saucepan, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add carrot and celery mix; cook 8 minutes, stirring frequently, until tender.
2. In small bowl, place 3 tablespoons of the broth; set aside. Stir remaining broth, the water and chicken into vegetables. Heat to boiling; add noodles. Boil 7 minutes or until noodles are tender.
3. Meanwhile, stir flour into reserved broth with whisk until smooth. Stir into soup. Cook 3 minutes, stirring constantly, until soup is slightly thickened. Stir in pepper. Garnish with parsley.

10-Minute Egg Fried Rice

Source: https://fastflavormeals.com/quick-easy-10-minute-egg-fried-rice-an-amazing-ultimate-recipe/print/7142/

Total Time: 10 minutes Servings: 2-3 Ingredients
– 2 cups cooked white rice (preferably day-old)
– 2 large eggs
– 2 tablespoons soy sauce
– 2 tablespoons vegetable oil (or sesame oil)
– 1 cup mixed vegetables (like peas, carrots, and corn)
– 2 green onions, sliced
– Salt and pepper to taste


Instructions
1. Heat the Oil: In a large skillet or wok, heat the vegetable oil over medium-high heat.
2. Scramble the Eggs: Crack the eggs into the skillet. Scramble them until they are fully cooked. Remove the eggs from the skillet and set aside.
3. Stir-fry Vegetables: In the same skillet, add the mixed vegetables. Stir-fry for about 2-3 minutes until they are tender.
4. Add Rice: Stir in the cooked rice, breaking up any clumps. Allow it to heat through for about 2 minutes.
5. Mix in Soy Sauce: Pour the soy sauce over the rice, stirring well to ensure it is evenly distributed.
6. Combine Everything: Add the scrambled eggs back to the skillet, along with the sliced green onions. Stir everything together, heating for another minute.
7. Season: Taste and season with salt and pepper according to preference.
8. Serve: Remove from heat and transfer to plates for serving.

Creamy Carrot and Potato Soup

Source: https://www.greenku.com/creamy-carrot-and-potato-soup/

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cooking Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, chopped
3 large carrots, peeled and sliced
2 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
4 cups vegetable broth
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
Salt and pepper, to taste
1/2 cup coconut milk (optional, for creaminess)(I didn't use this)
Fresh parsley, for garnish

Directions:
Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add chopped onion and sauté until translucent, about 3-4 minutes.
Add carrots and potatoes, stirring occasionally, and cook for 5 minutes.
Pour in vegetable broth, then add cumin, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. Stir well to combine.
Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat and let it simmer for 20-25 minutes, or until the carrots and potatoes are tender.
Remove the pot from heat and use an immersion blender to purée the soup until smooth. Alternatively, blend in batches using a regular blender.
Stir in coconut milk, if using, and adjust seasoning to taste.
Serve hot, garnished with fresh parsley.

Hash Brown Egg Casserole

Source: https://bellyfull.net/hash-brown-egg-casserole/

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes

Total Time: 50 minutes

Ingredients
8 precooked frozen hash brown patties (thawing is not necessary)
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1 & 1/2 cups diced leftover ham (about 3/4 pound)
2 scallions , diced
9 large eggs
1 cup whole milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon dry ground mustard , optional but recommended
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9x13 baking dish.
Arrange frozen hash brown patties in the dish, in a single layer.
Sprinkle the cheeses, ham, and scallions evenly over the top of the hash browns.
In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, salt, mustard, and garlic powder.
Pour the custard evenly over the ham mixture.
Cover with foil and bake for 25 minutes. Remove foil and bake for another 20 minutes or until the edges are golden and a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.
Allow to cool for 5-10 minutes, then cut into portions and serve.

Black Bean Taco Salad

Adapted from: https://peasandcrayons.com/black-bean-taco-salad/

Total Time: 25 minutes

Ingredients

SALAD
2-3 cups chopped romaine lettuce (I used bagged salad)
1 red bell pepper
1 cup black beans (drained + rinsed if canned) (I used a full can of pinto)
1 cup corn (canned or steamed from fresh/frozen) (I used a full can of corn)
½ cup freshly diced or chopped tomatoes (I used more than this but didn't measure)
1/4-1/3 cup sliced green onion (greens and whites)
½ cup grated cheddar cheese (I added more)
¼ cup crushed tortilla chips (I didn't crush any; I just served them on the side)

CREAMY SALSA DRESSING

 ¼ cup sour cream
2 TBSP red salsa
½ tsp ground cumin
⅛ tsp salt or season to taste
½ lime (didn't have any, so I skipped it this time)

Instructions
To make the dressing, combine sour cream with salsa, cumin, and salt. Juice half a lime and whisk into the dressing. If your salsa is chunky and you'd like a more uniform dressing, simply puree using a blender or immersion blender.
For the salad, cook corn via your favorite method. You can grill or boil it right on the cobb then cut it off for this salad, or simply steam from frozen.
Chop all your veggies up super small for a little bit of goodness in every bite. Finely chop romaine lettuce, bell pepper, and tomatoes, and thinly chop/slice green onion. Combine with black beans, corn, crushed tortilla chips, and grated cheese. Toss to combine. **(I didn't mix the bagged salad in with the other ingredients so things wouldn't get soggy. I mixed the veggies and beans and added some of of the creamy dressing, but then I put the chips and salad on plates and added the veggie mix on top.) For a little dressing in every bite, toss salad in a few TBSP of dressing and mix to coat right before serving. Serve with extra toppings/dressing on the size for a custom salad. (My kids added cheese salsa and guacamole.)

Notes
Recipe yields 4 side salads or 2 large meal-sized taco salads.

Vegetarian Peppers and Rice Casserole

Note to self: This tastes good! (I realized that for some reason, looking at pictures of or even smelling rice and tomatoes/tomato sauce together turns my stomach, but this really does taste good--and it smells great once it's cooked!)

source: https://herrecipebox.com/vegetarian-stuffed-pepper-casserole-recipe/

Ingredients
For the Casserole Base:
Bell Peppers: 2 large, multi-colored , cored and chopped into 1-inch pieces
Olive Oil: 2 tablespoons, extra virgin
Yellow Onion: 1 large, chopped
Garlic: 4 cloves, minced
Long-Grain White Rice: 1 cup, uncooked
Black Beans: 1 (15-ounce) can, rinsed and drained (I used pinto because I was out of black)
Diced Tomatoes: 1 (15-ounce) can, undrained
Tomato Sauce: 1 (8-ounce) can
Vegetable Broth: 1 ½ cups, low-sodium (I used beef broth and water, because I had beef broth to use up)
Chili Powder: 1 tablespoon
Cumin: 2 teaspoons, ground
Smoked Paprika: 1 teaspoon
Dried Oregano: 1 teaspoon
Salt: 1 teaspoon, or to taste
Black Pepper: ½ teaspoon, freshly ground

For the Cheesy Topping:
Shredded Cheese: 2 cups, a blend of Monterey Jack and sharp cheddar works well

For Garnish (Optional):
Fresh Cilantro: ¼ cup, chopped
Sour Cream or Greek Yogurt

For serving:
Avocado: Sliced or diced

Instructions
1. Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Lightly grease a 9×13 inch baking dish or a large, deep cast-iron skillet with olive oil or cooking spray.

 
2. In a large, deep skillet or Dutch oven, heat the 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium-high heat. Once the oil is shimmering, add the chopped yellow onion and sauté for 4-5 minutes, until it becomes soft and translucent. Add the minced garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant, being careful not to let it burn. Add the chopped bell peppers to the skillet. Continue to cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally. You want the peppers to soften slightly but still retain a bit of their crispness, as they will continue to cook in the oven.

 
3. To the skillet with the peppers and onions, add the uncooked rice, rinsed black beans, chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, dried oregano, salt, and black pepper. Stir everything together for about one minute. This step is crucial as it “toasts” the rice and spices, waking up their flavors and allowing them to coat every ingredient evenly.

 
4. Pour in the undrained diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, and vegetable broth. Stir thoroughly to combine, ensuring the rice is fully submerged in the liquid. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer.

 
5. Once the mixture is simmering, carefully transfer the entire contents of the skillet into your prepared 9×13 inch baking dish. If you used a large, oven-safe skillet (like a cast-iron skillet), you can skip this step and bake it directly in the same pan. Spread the mixture into an even layer.

 
6. Cover the baking dish tightly with aluminum foil. This traps the steam, which is essential for cooking the rice properly. Bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes. At this point, the rice should be tender and should have absorbed most of the liquid.

 
7. Carefully remove the foil from the baking dish. Sprinkle the 2 cups of shredded cheese evenly over the top of the casserole. (I actually mixed some in, to get the cheese all through the casserole, not just on top.) Return the dish to the oven, uncovered, and bake for an additional 10-15 minutes, or until the cheese is completely melted, bubbly, and just beginning to turn golden brown on the edges.

 
8. Remove the casserole from the oven and let it rest on a cooling rack for at least 10 minutes. This is a critical step! It allows the casserole to set, making it easier to serve and allowing the flavors to meld together beautifully. After resting, garnish generously with fresh cilantro and serve hot with your favorite toppings.

Healthy Peanut Butter Banana Muffins

Prep Time: 10 mins
Cook Time: 17 mins
Servings 12 Muffins

Ingredients
2 ripe large bananas mashed
¼ cup pure maple syrup
1/2 cup whole milk Plain Greek Yogurt
1 large egg
1/2 cup whole milk
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 ¾ cups white whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt

Instructions
Preheat oven to 425°F degrees. Line a 12-count muffin pan with muffin liners or spray with nonstick spray. Set aside.
In a medium bowl, mix the mashed bananas, maple syrup, yogurt, egg, milk, peanut butter and vanilla together until smooth.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, salt. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir until just combined. Do not overmix the batter or you will have tough muffins.
Evenly distribute the batter between the muffin cups. (I use an ice cream scoop for easy portioning). Bake for 5 minutes at 425°F degrees. Keeping the muffins in the oven, reduce the oven temperature to 350°F and continue to bake for another 12 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.