Recent Recipes

Posted on January 25th, 2017

Between holiday travels, the final days of marathon prep, and our time in Florida, we definitely experienced some irregularities in our regular routine.  It has been a bit of a relief to get back in the groove of regular grocery shopping and usual weeknight dinners.  I know this is a time of year when many are recommitting either to healthier or more fiscally responsible eating habits, so I’m linking up recipes I’m enjoying to make that a little easier.

Dill Potato Soup- I’m just getting this one out of the way first so there are no surprises later.  This is your run of the mill potato soup, but with a little kick: pickles!  As a passionate lifelong lover of pickles (no, certainly not a pregnant craving) I was intrigued when I first saw this recipe, but skeptical the flavors actually came together– but they did.  I lightened this one up by using half potato/half cauliflower, and cut the sour cream/cheese in half, and it was delicious.  Frozen leftovers will be dinner next week.

Slowcooker Spaghetti Squash Bolognese- I’ve never cooked spaghetti squash like this, but it worked like a charm.  I halved the recipe, and used ground chicken sausage to make this a bit healthier.

Spiralized Sweet Potato Casserole- Definitely evokes a holiday side dish vibe, but truly delicious as a hearty side dish whenever you so choose.  I’ve made it twice!

Frittata- I love making quiche but don’t seem to have the time these days.  Frittatas scratch the same breakfast for dinner itch, are quicker and a tiny bit healthier, and sound impressive but are easy peasy.  I use egg beaters, veggies, and lots of cheese.  You can mix and match with whatever ingredients you have on hand (tonight I used caramelized onions, mushrooms, and spinach), but this link is a great baseline tutorial.

Tossed Mushrooms- A great side dish paired with a simple protein.

“Baked Ziti” Zucchini Noodles- Cuts the pasta craving, and are you picking up on the cheese theme yet?

Cashew Sauce- Having a batch of this ready in the fridge is a game-changer.  Tastes great on veggies, meat, pasta, and all else!  Tossing in some fresh herbs awakens it and helps it match to whatever other flavors you have in your dish.

Chicken Salsa Verde- This is the easiest slowcooker recipe I use.  This chicken isn’t a full meal by itself, but is easily paired with any manner of other things.  My favorite slowcooker recipes are ones that require NO pre-cooking, and this one fits the bill.

…and Almond Cookies– Ending on a sweet note.  Ian has probably tasted 100, if not more, sweets I have made over the past 7+ years, and he insists these are top 5.  And no modifications.  This is a big deal!  I’m planning to make them again around Valentine’s Day with pink icing and heart sprinkles– you should too.

Other recipe roundups: December 2015, March 2016, May 2016, July 2016, October 2016