Crostini with Brie and Jelly

There was a week or two when we didn't have much in our house besides bread, cheese, and condiments, and no time to go shopping. This little guy came from that week.

Ingredients:

• French bread, sliced
• 1/2 c. Brie cheese
• 2 tbsp. jelly (I used raspberry)

Directions:

1. Toast bread until golden
2. Top with slice of brie cheese and tbsp. of jelly

The brie melts a little from the toasted bread and gels with the jelly. I served mine with veggie chips.

Enjoy!

Kelsey

Kooker Pasta

This is my favorite meal in the entire world. It is called "Kooker Pasta" because my family nickname is "Kooker" (rhymes with duke-er, long story) and I would request this every year for dinner on my birthday. It quickly became Kooker Pasta. I actually think the leftovers are as good, and maybe even better, than when it's fresh.

Ingredients:

• 1/4 c. olive oil
• 2 cloves minced garlic
• 1/2 lb. chicken breast, cut into cubes
• 3/4 c. oil packed sun dried tomatoes, drained
• 1 tsp. dried basil
• 1/4 c. dry white wine
• 3/4 c. chicken broth
• 1 1/2 c. broccoli florets or cut up asparagus
• 1 tbsp. butter
• 8 oz. pasta
• Parmesan cheese
• Salt and pepper

Directions

1. Heat olive oil (can also use the oil from the sun dried tomatoes) and saute garlic until golden, about one minute

   

   I always put one popcorn kernel in the oil, and when the kernel pops, I know the oil is ready!

2. Add chicken and cook until almost white and completely cooked through
   
   
   
3. Add broccoli (or asparagus) and saute until tender
4. Add tomatoes, basil, salt, pepper, wine, broth, and butter and stir
5. Cook about 5 minutes until everything is heated through
6. Toss with pasta and sprinkle with cheese

Make sure you get a good amount of the sauce on the pasta along with the chicken and broccoli and tomatoes.

Enjoy!

Kelsey

From my Mom's cookbook

Quinoa Mac and Cheese with Broccoli

I'm really enjoying using quinoa in place of pasta. I read about using quinoa in a macaroni and cheese, and I decided to not only do that but also use four cheeses. This was SO cheesy. If you don't like all the cheese flavors, narrow the selection down to two or one flavors, and you can also use less.

Ingredients:

• Small yellow onion
• 1 tsp. minced garlic
• 1 c. steamed broccoli
• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 c. quinoa
• 1 c. cheese (I used cheddar, white American, blue, and Parmesan)
• 1 tbsp. Italian breadcrumbs

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Chop onion into small pieces
3. Add oil to skillet over medium heat
4. When hot, add onion, garlic, and broccoli and stir until onion is soft
5. Meanwhile, cook quinoa according to directions
6. Combine quinoa, onion, and 3/4 c. cheese
7. Add mixture to greased baking dish and top with the rest of the cheese and breadcrumbs
8. Bake for about 10-15 minutes or until cheese bubbles

Enjoy!

Kelsey

Healthy Vanilla "Cheesecake"

I am obsessed with dessert, especially a really good cheesecake. When I read about this healthy "cheesecake" that was made with Greek yogurt, I had to try it. Verdict? It tasted like it sounds, healthy cheesecake. If you're trying to be healthy and won't let yourself have the real thing, try to convince yourself this is just as good!

Ingredients:

• 1 16 oz. tub of plain Greek yogurt
• 1 small (1 oz) box of Sugar Free Jell-O pudding (vanilla or cheesecake flavor)
• Graham cracker crumbs

Directions:

1. Constantly stirring, slowly add Jell-O box mixture to yogurt (don't add too much too fast or you'll have a gritty texture)
2. Top with graham cracker crumbs when you're ready to eat

Next time I might try making this more as a filling with a real graham cracker crust

Enjoy!

Kelsey

Original recipe here

Spaghetti Squash Au Gratin

I didn't know what "au gratin" meant (a dish that is baked with a topping of seasoned breadcrumbs and cheese), and I've never had potatoes au gratin (which apparently is a thing), but I was going through a spaghetti squash obsession (see "Green" Spaghetti Squash), found this recipe, and had to try it. I put WAY too much red pepper flakes on this (a dash turned into a pour), so it was quite spicy, but I would definitely eat it again!

Ingredients:

• 1 spaghetti squash
• 2 tbsp. butter
• 1/2 yellow onion
• Dash of red pepper flakes
• 1/2 c. sour cream (I wonder if Greek yogurt would work well?)
• 1/2 c. shredded cheddar cheese 
• 1 tbsp. seasoned breadcrumbs
• Salt and pepper

Directions:

1. Pierce the squash several times with a sharp knife
2. Microwave for 11 minutes
3. Let sit for 5 minutes
4. Turn oven onto 375 degrees
5. Cut open along the equator (I had my husband do this, it was still quite hard)
6. Scoop out all the seeds and toss them
7. Shred the remaining squash with a fork to make the "spaghetti"
8. Thinly slice onion 
9. In a skillet over medium heat, add butter, onions, and red pepper and cook until onions are slightly brown.
10. Add skillet contents to squash with sour cream and 1/4 c. cheese and mix well
11. Pour into sprayed baking dish
12. Top with 1/4 c. cheese and breadcrumbs
13. Place in oven and bake for 10-15 or until cheese is melted and breadcrumbs are browned

Enjoy!

Kelsey

Original recipe here

Cinnamon Roll Waffles

I read a delicious way to make cinnamon rolls - put them in a waffle iron! I had to try it. Andrew loves cinnamon rolls, and it sounded so easy to just put them in a waffle iron. They turned out delicious!

Ingredients:

• One can of cinnamon rolls

Directions

1. Heat waffle iron
2. Spray with cooking spray
3. Place one cinnamon roll in the middle of each iron
4. Cook until done
5. Drizzle with icing

Enjoy!

Kelsey

Grilled Peanut Butter, Banana, and Honey Sandwich

Melted peanut butter might be one of the greatest things ever. So for this I decided to add honey to a classic peanut butter and banana sandwich, and then put the sandwich on the grill to melt everything together

Ingredients:

• Two slices of bread
• One banana
• 1 tbsp. honey
• 2 tbsp. peanut butter (more or less depending on your tastes)

Directions:

1. Spread peanut butter on bread
2.  Chop up banana and top peanut butter
3. Drizzle honey on top
4. Heat griddle on medium and add sandwich until peanut butter melts

Enjoy!

Kelsey