Ingredients:

6 T unsalted butter

1 pound yellow onions, sliced

2 pounds zucchini, sliced

1 pound red potatoes, sliced

2 tsp salt

1 tsp black pepper

1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

2 T all purpose flour

1 cup hot milk

3/4 cup fresh bread crumbs

3/4 cup grated Gruyere

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Melt the butter and saute the vegetables in a large saucepan.  I started with the onions and potatoes and added the zucchini about 10 minutes later.  Add the salt, pepper and nutmeg and cook for about 5 minutes.  Stir in the flour and then add the hot milk until it makes a sauce.  Add a little bit of the gruyere.  Pour the mixture into a large baking dish.  Combine the gruyere and bread crumbs and sprinkle on top of the vegetables.  Dot with 1 T butter cut into small bits.  Bake for about 20 minutes until bubbly.  Try not to eat the whole dish in one sitting (it’s that good!).

Ingredients:

1 cup dry quinoa

1 can black beans

cherry tomatoes, quartered (as many as you want)

1/2 red bell pepper thinly sliced (I cut mine into small squares)

1 avocado cubed

1/3 cup cilantro

the juice of 1 lemon

olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

chicken/vegetable stock

Directions:

Cook the quinoa as directed in the chicken stock (2 cups for 1 cup quinoa).  Put the beans, tomatoes, pepper, avocado, cilantro and lemon juice in a bowl.  Add the quinoa.  Mix and add olive oil and salt and pepper until desired taste.  Enjoy warm or cold.  Yum, yum, yum!  This is SO simple and so yummy  You really do have to make it–now!

Original Recipe Found Here: http://delightfuldelicacies.blogspot.com/2009/05/to-market-to-market.html

Ingredients:

1 pound pasta (whatever kind you like, I used the corkscrew kind)

8 slices bacon (cut them up into small pieces as you put it in the pan)

1 large onion, chopped

8 oz of ricotta (about half of a small tub from the store)

Parmesan cheese

Basil or other herb for sprinkling at the end

Directions:

Cook the pasta until al dente.  Reserve some of the pasta water for use later.  In a skillet, fry the bacon and onion together until crisp.  Add the pasta to the skillet and mix in the ricotta and parmesan (about 1/4-1/2 cup to taste).  Add the reserved pasta water a ladleful at a time until desired consistency.  Serve warm and sprinkle herbs on top!  This was delicious  I think next time I would try adding spinach or mushrooms–yum, yum!

Ingredients:

12 ounces elbow macaroni, cooked

4 T butter

1 large egg

6 oz evaporated milk

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

3/4 tsp. dry mustard

10 ounces sharp cheddar cheese

Directions:

Cook your macaroni until it is al dente, according to package directions. Drain well and return to the pot.  Add the butter and toss to coat.  IN a small bowl whisk together the eggs, evaporated milk, salt, pepper and mustard.  Stir this mixture into the hot pasta and then add the cheese.  Reduce heat to low and continue to stir and cook until cheese is melted and mixture is creamy.  Serve.  It is SO YUMMY and creamy.  If you’re in the mood for mac and cheese, this takes just as long as the box mix and tastes better!  Yum!

Ingredients:

2 Zucchini

4 tsp sesame oil

1 onion

1 tsp grated ginger

1 clove garlic

1 cup green beans

1 T soy sauce (or Yoshidas–yum)

3 cups cooked Chinese eegg noodles or linguini

Directions:

Saute onion in sesame oil.  Chop zucchini into long, think sticks.  Add ginger, garlic, zucchini and green beans to sauteed onion.  Cook 3-4 minutes.  Mix in 1 T soy sauce (or Yoshidas–which is my favorite and I usually put a bit more than a T) and toss in the linguini.  This is such a simple meal, but it is so yummy and it made me realize that I actually like zucchini!

Ingredients:

1 cup chopped onions (2 medium)

1 cup shredded carrots (2 medium)

3 stalks celery with leaves, chopped ( 1 1/2 cups)

1 14 1/2 ounce can Italian-style stewed tomatoes

1 6-ounce can tomato paste

1/2 tsp dried oregano

1/4 tsp dried thyme

1/4 tsp. pepper

3 cups water

1 14 ounce can chicken or vegetable broth

2 cups cooked rice or quinoa

1/2 cup pesto

parmesan cheese (for top)

Directions:

In your crockpot combine all the ingredients except for rice, pesto and cheese.  Cover and cook on low for 8 to 10 hours (or high for 4-5).  Turn off cooker and use your immersion blender to blend it all together (if you want this creamier, you could add some milk or cream after it’s blended). Stir in the rice/quinoa and pesto and ladel into soup bowls.  Sprinkle with parmesan cheese if desired.  This is really yummy and a pretty healthy dinner for you too.  I’ll be making it again come fall/winter!

Ingredients:

2 tsp. olive oil

1/2 onion chopped

1 medium potato, peeled and diced into pieces

3 cups broccoli, chopped

3 cups low-salt vegetable or chicken stock (I used chicken bouilon cubes with water)

1 cup Monterey Jack cheese, shredded

Directions:

Heat oil and saute the onion for 5 to 7 minutes in a large stockpot.  Add the potatoes, broccoli and stock and bring to a boil.  Reduce to a simmer and cook, covered for 12-15 minutes or until broccoli and potatoes are tender.  Remove from the stove and use your immersion blender (or pour into a blender) to puree the soup.  Add the cheese during this process reserving a little for the top.  Ladle into bowls, add a little cheese on top and enjoy!

Serves about 4.

White Frosting:

1 cup butter

4 oz cream cheese

2 pounds powdered sugar (32 oz bag)

2 1/2 T vanilla

2 tsp. almond extract

1 tsp. coconut extract

1/4 cup evaporated milk

ALMOND EXTRACT (this is key–you don’t want to add too much, but you need enough for the flavor–start with 1 tsp, but add more if needed)

Food Coloring (if you want a different color of frosting)

I used my Kitchen Aid and whipped together the butter and cream cheese.  Slowly add in the powdered sugar, milk, vanilla and almond.  Once you like the consistency (you can add more milk or more sugar–just taste as you go along), add the food coloring.  This frosting WILL NOT disappoint.  It’s really fabulous and I highly recommend it.  I actually modified it from a friend’s recipe blog–they made Churro Cupcakes and used this frosting.

To frost I use a ziplock bag and a coupler (SO EASY).  You actually don’t even need a coupler for these, just cut of the end of a ziplock and go to town

I used this same recipe to make my chocolate frosting for Jeremy’s birthday cake.  It turned out perfectly and people loved the frosting too.  I definitely recommend this recipe–so yummy!

Chocolate Frosting:

Make the frosting the same as above, except add 1/4 cup cocoa powder.  You might want to leave out the almond and taste as you go along.  Add a little more milk and there you have it…fabulous chocolate frosting!

I think the key to this recipe is having the cream cheese in there.  You don’t taste it, but it gives a really yummy smoothness to the frosting.  Yum, yum!  I also used this to frost sugar cookies and they were so yummy!

Brownies:

1 cup butter melted

2/3 cup cocoa powder

2 cups sugar

4 eggs

1 1/2 cups flour

Mix the butter, cocoa and sugar; add eggs one at a time, beating well after each one.  Stir in flour.  Spread into a greased 9 by 13 inch pan and bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes.  Cool completely (they might look like they’re not quite done–use your best judgement, but they really don’t need much longer than 25 minutes).

Mint Frosting:

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 lb powdered sugar

1-3 T milk

1/2 tsp peppermint extract

Green food coloring

Mix butter and powdered sugar.  Add only enough milk to make a smooth consistency.  Add peppermint extract (mint tastes like toothpaste in my opinion, but peppermint is YUMMY) and enough food coloring for a light green color.  Frosting will be thick.  Spread over brownie layer and then refrigerate until firm.

Chocolate topping:

1 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

1/2 cup butter

Melt chocolate chips and butter in microwave for 2-3 minutes.  Stir to combine and pour in a drizzle over brownies.  Refrigerate until topping is set and hardened.

Cut 24 small squares with a sharp knife.  This recipe is also from the Worldwide Ward Cookbook and it is fabulous.  Jeremy’s co-workers LOVED them

Ingredients:

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Garlic Salt and/or Seasoning Salt

1 cup sugar

1/3 cup vinegar

1/3 cup ketcup

1/4 cup chicken broth

1 tsp salt

2 T soy sauce

2 cups chicken broth

1 cup quinoa (or rice)

Directions:

Season chicken with garlic salt and seasoning salt on both sides.  Lay in a small casserole dish.  Combine sugar, vinegar, ketchup, chicken broth (1/4 cup), salt and soy sauce and whisk until combined.  Pour half the mixture over the chicken and allow to marinate for an hour (could be less).  Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 30-45 minutes until the chicken is fully cooked.  While this is baking, cook your quinoa in the chicken broth.  I find that quinoa tastes SO much better if cooked in a broth (you could also use rice).  Simmer the rest of the sauce on medium-low heat and serve drizzled over the chicken and quinoa.  Enjoy!