Apple Pie Cheddar Dip

This dip is so delicious!!!! I had all of the ingredients in my refrigerator and threw it together for an impromptu girls night. We all inhaled it!

Ingredients:

2 apples, finely chopped
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1 8oz block of light cream cheese
2 cups cheddar cheese
1/2 cup light sour cream

Directions:
Toss apples, brown sugar and cinnamon together in a bowl.

Combine cheese in a bowl then spread into a greased pie pan. Top with apples.

Bake for about 20 minutes (until bubbly) on 375.

Serve with crackers or toasted bread.

recipe adapted from Gooseberry

Streusel Coffee Cake

I will definitely be making this recipe lot of times this fall/winter.  It was super easy and incredibly tasty.  My only disclaimer is that my cake did not turn out as pretty as the one in the picture shown.  My topping looked a little uneven even though I swore it was even when I sprinkled it on, lol.  This recipe took less than 30 minutes to make and I had all items on hand for it so I considered it a pretty easy baking project.  This would be a great dessert to take to someone's house over the holidays!  We served ours warm with vanilla bean ice cream.  yummm...    

Ingredients:

• TOPPING:
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar
• 1/4 cup sifted all-purpose flour (sift before measuring)
• 1/4 cup butter, room temperature
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon sugar
  
  CAKE:
• 1 1/2 cups sifted all-purpose flour (sift before measuring)
• 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 egg, beaten
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup melted butter (we used I Can't Believe It's Not Butter)
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 375.

In small mixing bowl, combine topping ingredients. Blend with fork until crumbly. This takes a few minutes longer than you may think.  Keep going until it gets to the right consistency.  Set aside.

Sift 1 1/2 cups sifted flour with baking powder and salt into a bowl.

In a medium bowl, stir together beaten egg and 3/4 cup sugar and 1/3 cup melted butter. Add milk and vanilla. Stir in flour mixture and mix well.

Pour batter into a greased and floured 8-inch square or 9-inch layer-cake pan. Sprinkle topping crumb mixture evenly over batter.  Bake 24 to 28 minutes, or until cake is done.   Be careful not to overcook.   Allow to partially cool.  Then cut coffee cake into squares while still warm.   Serves great with vanilla ice cream or a cup of coffee.  Enjoy!


*recipe adapted from here
*picture courtesy of here

Pumpkin Cupcakes With Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting

This recipe kept popping up on Pinterest and I could not deny it any longer! It was a perfect early fall day to bake while the rest of the weird world watches football.  ;)
I am amazed at the taste.....  absolutely mind blowing.  This recipe is the "lighter" version of the original that came from a recipe magazine. 
I've already had two....  consider yourself forewarned because I am not a big dessert type of person.  They are just that good! 

Ingredients

Cupcakes:
1/4 Cup Butter, Softened (we used I Can't Believe It's Not Butter sticks)
3/4 Cup CINNAMON apple sauce
1 Cup Granulated Sugar
3/4 Cup Brown Sugar, Packed Firmly (we used dark brown sugar)
2 Large Eggs (we used egg whites)
3/4 Cup 1% Milk
1 Tablespoon Lemon Juice
1 (15 Ounce) Can Pumpkin Puree
2 1/2 Cups All Purpose Flour
1 Tablespoon Pumpkin Pie Spice
1 Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
1 1/2 Teaspoon Baking Powder
3/4 Teaspoon Salt
1/2 Teaspoon Baking Soda
1/2 Teaspoon Ground Ginger

FROSTING:
1 (8 Ounce) Package Reduced Fat Cream Cheese (Not Fat Free!)
1/4 Cup Butter, Softened
4 Cups Confectioners Sugar
1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
2 Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a large mixing bowl, add in butter, applesauce, sugars, and eggs and beat over medium speed until combined. Add in pumpkin and continuing beating until thoroughly mixed in.  In a liquid measuring cup, combine milk and lemon juice and set aside.

In a medium bowl, combine remaining dry ingredients. Slowly, over medium speed, add the dry ingredients to the pumpkin mixture, alternating with the milk mixture, beating well after each addition. Line cupcakes trays with paper liners and then spray lightly with a non-stick cooking spray.

Fill cupcake liners 3/4 of the way full and bake for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely.
 
To make frosting, combine all ingredients in a medium mixing bowl and beat over low speed until ingredients begin to combine, slowly increase speed and continue beating until a frosting is formed. It takes a few minutes and several times I was worried that I did something wrong.  But in the end, it ended up perfect.

Frost the cooled cupcakes and enjoy! 

Summer Barley Salad

This salad has become my new food obsession. It is just plain wonderful! You can eat it as a side dish, main dish or serve it as an appetizer with some tortilla chips. The recipe makes a TON, but don't worry - it won't go to waste! **Warning** The barley takes about an hour to cook so allow enough time to make it!

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups  uncooked pearl barley
1 cup  fresh corn kernels (about 2 ears)
1 cup  diced seeded plum tomato (about 2 small)
1/2 cup  chopped green onions
1/4 cup  chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
20  kalamata olives, pitted and coarsely chopped (I used an entire container)
5 tablespoons  fresh lemon juice
5 tablespoons  olive oil
1/4 teaspoon  salt
1/4 teaspoon  freshly ground black pepper
1  garlic clove, minced
3/4 cup  (3 ounces) crumbled feta cheese (also used a whole container here)

Preparation
Cook barley according to package directions, omitting salt.
Drain and rinse with cold water; drain. Cool completely.
Combine barley, corn, and next 4 ingredients (through kalamata olives) in a bowl.
Combine juice and next 4 ingredients (through garlic), stirring well with a whisk; drizzle over barley mixture. Toss to coat.
Sprinkle with cheese.

recipe adapted from Cooking Light

Sausage Stuffed Jalapenos

I had these at a cookout recently and they blew my mind! So delicious with the perfect amount of spice. We have had an abundance of jalapenos from out garden this year so I decided to make these for a snack one evening. We definitely needed more people to help us eat them but hopefully they reheat well!



Ingredients
1 pound ground pork sausage (you can substitute with turkey sausage)
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened (I used light)
1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1 pound large fresh jalapeno peppers, halved lengthwise and seeded
1 (8 ounce) bottle Ranch dressing (optional)

Directions
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Place sausage in a skillet over medium heat, and cook until evenly brown.
Drain grease.
In a bowl, mix the sausage, cream cheese, and Parmesan cheese.
Spoon about 1 tablespoon sausage mixture into each jalapeno half.
Arrange stuffed halves in baking dishes.
Bake 20 minutes in the preheated oven, until bubbly and lightly browned. Serve with Ranch dressing.

recipe courtesy of all recipes

Summer Veggie Pasta

We are leaving for vacation in a few days and I needed to get rid of some of these wonderful summer veggies that I have sitting around.   I was craving carbs so I thought why not add them to pasta?  We had this for dinner but it would be great served as a side dish too in a small portion.  I bet it would pair wonderfully with fish.  And you could use whatever veggies you want for this... I was missing something green.  Next time I think I will add asparagus. 

Ingredients:
1/2 box linguine noodles
2 cups cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
4-5 eggplant slices, peeled and cut in small chunks (we had some leftover from the Grilled Chicken Parmesan Subs with Eggplant)
2 cups squash, peeled and cut in small chunks
1 TBS italian seasoning (more or less to taste)
2 TBS EVOO
1/2 teaspoon dried basil (more or less to taste)
2 TBS grated parmesan cheese (more or less to taste)
dash salt & pepper to taste (optional)

1.  Cook pasta according to directions.  Drain well. 

2.  Heat a large nonstick pan on medium heat.  Add the  EVOO to the pan.  Swirl to coat. 

3.  Once pan is heated, add the veggies.   Sprinkle the italian seasoning over them and stir gently.   You can optionally add s&p here too.  Let saute for 4-5 minutes or until slightly tender, stirring gently every minute or so.  Be careful not to overcook or else they will get mushy.   Immediately remove from heat once done BUT LEAVE IN THE PAN THEY WERE COOKED IN.

4.  Add the well drained pasta to a mixing bowl.   Pour in the veggie EVOO mix.  Make sure you get all the veggie sauce out of the pan.   Then sprinkle with the dried basil, Parmesan cheese and s&p (if desired).    Mix well.    Enjoy. 

Grilled Chicken Parmesan Sub with Eggplant

WOW.   My husband amazed us again with this latest kitchen creation.    Most delicious sub I've ever had and healthy too!  He's so creative lately and I am NOT complaining.   Even my kids gobbled this up.   So flavorful and delicious.   And all of the main ingredients came to less than $12 (excluding the things we always have on hand like EVOO & italian seasoning).

Ingredients:
1 package of boneless skinless chicken breast tenderloins
4 six inch sub rolls from the bakery department of your local store (ours were $.50 each)
1 package part skim Mozzarella Cheese (or 1/4 lb if buying from a deli)
1 medium eggplant, peeled and cut in 1/2" slices
1 small jar of Prego marinara sauce (or your own favorite)
1 TBS EVOO
2 TBS italian seasoning


1.  Heat grill to medium- high heat.

2.  Pour the EVOO in the smallest bowl you have.   Add 1 TBS italian seasoning and stir to mix.

3.  Lay out the eggplant slices on a plate.   Lightly brush each piece with a little of the EVOO / Italian Seasoning mix.

4.  Sprinkle the chicken tenderloins with the other TBS of italian seasoning.

5.  Add chicken & eggplant to the grill.

6.  Meanwhile, heat oven to 350 and put the marinara sauce in a small pan on the stove on low-medium.  

7.  Gently turn the eggplant over after a few minutes.  Be careful not to let overcook.  A few minutes on each side should be good enough.   When chicken is thoroughly cooked, transfer to a plate.  Allow to cool for 2-3 minutes and then slice the tenders into 2-3" chunks.  Then slice the eggplant pieces in half.  The eggplant should be soft, but not mushy if cooked correctly. 

8.  Cut the sub rolls in half with a bread knife (be careful not to cut all the way through).   Add a few pieces of chicken and eggplant to each roll.   Then stuff in 1/2 piece of cheese each.   Add 1-2 TBS of the sauce on top (more or less to taste preference), then add another full piece of cheese on top.   Place the sub rolls against the outer edge of a baking pan to keep them upright.   Put in oven for 3-5 minutes but WATCH CLOSELY.   You just want the cheese to melt.   Enjoy! 

Grilled Eggplant & Mozzarella Sandwich with a Balsamic Reduction

I don't have a picture of this latest creation but just imagine yumminess.... oozing out on a roll.  

We love eggplant and it's cheap to buy this time of year from local farmers so we decided to use some in a sandwich.   We were trying to imitate a sandwich we had from a local deli but they fry their eggplant and we didn't want to do that.  However, you certainly can if you prefer.  You can toss with some breadcrumbs and saute it to make it extra crispy.  

Ingredients:
1 medium - large eggplant, washed and cut into 3/4" slices (leave skin on)
1 ball of fresh mozzarella (sliced 1/2" thick)
1 jar of roasted red peppers, sliced thin
1/4 onion, sliced
1/2 TBS EVOO
Dash of salt
3 cups balsamic vinegar (which will be your balsamic reduction sauce)
3-4 sandwich rolls or bread of your choice (or foccaccia bread is AMAZING)
optional:  2 TBS pesto


1.  Slice up your mozzarella several hours before starting to drain out the moisture.  You don't want a watery sandwich and that cheese is full of moisture.   Slice it and place on a plate of paper towels with additional paper towels on top and then refrigerate for 2-4 hours before using. 

2.  Use a small pan and coat with a little EVOO.  Heat on medium-high.   Once warm, add the onion and sprinkle with Italian seasoning.   Stir well for 3-5 minutes until tender-crisp. 

3.  After slicing up your eggplant, lay out on a plate and sprinkle with a TINY bit of salt on each piece (it helps to dry out the eggplant a little).  

4.  Preheat a small stove burner to medium high heat.   Add the balsamic vinegar to a small sauce pan.   Once the stove is heated, add the pan.   Wait for the bals vinegar to boil slightly.  Start stirring with a whisk.   Turn the stove down enough to just keep it simmering, but not a high boil.  Stir every minute or so.   Once the sauce starts to thicken up, stir more frequently to keep it from burning then remove from heat.   The whole process should only take 3-5 minutes.   Immediately pour the bals vinegar (which should now be very very dark & very thick, almost a syrup consistency) into a separate container.   Some people like to add a dash of sugar or herbs to the bals reduction at this point.  We kept ours as is but make it to taste.  

5.  Preheat grill to medium heat.  Once heated, add the eggplant and cook 3-4 minutes on each side.  You have to be careful not to overcook or else the skin will get crispy and the inside will get mushy.

6.  Add the rolls (or bread) on the top shelf of the grill to slightly brown.  Will only take a few seconds to be done.

5.  Assemble the sandwich as follows: 
One slice of eggplant, one slice of mozzarella,  a second slice of eggplant, (optional to add more mozzarella here too), then add 1 TSP of the roasted red pepper and onion, then drizzle with the balsamic reduction, top with other piece of bread.    (optional to spread a little pesto on the top layer of roll).  Enjoy!

Mango Shrimp Salad Wrap

My husband came up with this recipe.   It was unbelievable.  I never wanted it to end.  So light and refreshing. Perfect summer dinner.   We served it with a side salad.  It does take a little more time to prepare than we normally do for dinners so I can't call this "quick & easy" but it's worth it. Trust me!  (This recipe makes 4 tortillas). 

Ingredients:
1/3 cup low fat sour cream
1/3 cup low calorie mayo
1/4 cup fresh basil - chopped
2 TBS fresh chives - chopped
1 TBS fresh mint - chopped
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1 TBS lemon juice
1 cup baby spinach
1 1/2 pound large gulf shrimp in shell, peeled and deveined
2 large ripe mangos, peeled and cut into 1/2" slices
4 Tortillas (we used the whole wheat ones)


1.  Put sour cream, mayo, basil, chives, s&p in a blender until the mixture is smooth.  It should be a pale green color when done.

2.  Heat a nonstick pan on medium - high heat.  Once the pan is warm, add the shrimp.   Let them cook for several minutes on each side until done.  Make sure the shrimp are fully cooked or else they will be mushy after the next step.   


3.  Immediately transfer the shrimp to a bowl of ice water for 2-3 minutes.  Then drain well and pat dry.  Cut the shrimp into large chunks. 

4. Add the shrimp to the dressing you made in the blender.  Stir to combine. 

5.  Turn a stove burner on med - high heat.  Add one tortilla at a time directly to the burner, turning over & over with tongs until it's pliable and has a few "grill" marks.  Usually 30 seconds on each side.

6.  Divide the baby spinach to each tortilla, arranging it across the middle.  Then divide up the mango on top of the spinach.   Top with the shrimp salad.   Roll up the wraps & cut in half.    Enjoy!

Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup (grandmom's recipe)

This recipe has been in my family for years.  We love it.  Easy to make too.  My kids beg for this soup all year long.  I use a rotisserie chicken from my local store for the meat.  Only $5 and the meat is very flavorful, plus it makes it easier!   However, you can cook your own chicken, just shred it after it cooks.   You can also make your own chicken stock if you prefer.  I serve the soup with warm rolls.

Ingredients:
1 package egg noodles extra broad (you can use any kind of noodle you like)
1 Rotisserie chicken (pull all the white meat out and shred loosely)
1 large container Swanson's Chicken Stock Low Sodium
1 large container Swanson's Chicken Broth Low Sodium
2 cups water
1 1/2 cups tomato sauce (I usually use a bit more but that depends on taste preference)
4 celery stalks, diced
4 large carrots, diced
2-3 TBS italian seasoning (more or less to taste)
1-2 TBS black pepper (more or less to taste)
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (more or less to taste)


Turn stove on medium-high heat.  Add 1/2 cup chicken stock to a large pot.  Add the diced celery and carrots.   Add 1 teaspoon italian seasoning.   Stir well.   Saute lightly for 5-8 minutes or until the veggies are tender. 

 Once the veggies are tender, add all of the shredded chicken, water, the remaining chicken stock &  chicken broth.    Add the black pepper & kosher salt and 1 TBS italian seasoning. Stir well. 

Meanwhile, cook the noodles according to directions.  Drain well.

Turn the chicken broth up to medium high and let simmer for 8-10 minutes or so.   Stir occasionally.
Turn down to low and add the tomato sauce.   Stir well.  Let cook for at least 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Turn heat to very low. 

Add s&p & seasoning to taste. 

Add the noodles and stir well.   Let cook on low for at least 30-45 minutes, stirring occasionally.   Make sure the heat is very low.  I prefer to let it all simmer for at least a full hour if not more but that all depends on the time you have!  

Serve with warm bread.  Enjoy! 

Baby Potatoes with Tomato Corn Saute

It's only May and I'm already sick of some of my stand by traditional spring/summer side dishes.  I like easy and quick sides.  I found this recipe in a Cooking Light Magazine and went with it.  I changed a few things around to make it more kid friendly and they LOVED it.  My son had 3 helpings!  Healthy and easy, definitely going to be a staple in this house from now on. 

Ingredients:
12-15 baby potatoes (we used red potatoes)
1 TBS EVOO
1 1/2 cup fresh corn kernels (or one can - drained well)
1 garlic clove (we used minced)
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp Mrs Dash salt free table seasoning
1 cup cherry tomatoes - halved
1 ounce grated parmesan cheese

1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (OPTIONAL) .

1. 1. Place potatoes in a medium saucepan; cover with water. Bring to a boil. Cook 10 minutes or until tender; drain well.
2. 2. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add garlic. Let heat for 2-3 minutes
3. Add corn, salt, pepper, and Mrs. Dash seasoning.   Let simmer for 2 minutes.
4. Turn heat to low-medium.
5. Add the potatoes and tomatoes, stir well.    (Add s&p to taste. ) 
6. Let simmer for 3-4 minutes, stirring often. 
7. Serve warm with grated parmesan cheese on top (or red pepper flakes if you prefer).

Crockpot Beef Burritos

This beef is absolutely delish. It only requires a few ingredients and is full of flavor. We love using it in burritos (they rival Qdoba and Chipotle) but it would also be great in quesadilla's or tacos!

Ingredients:
1 London Broil or top round roast (about 2 lbs)
1 diced onion
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons whole peppercorns
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 (8 oz) cans tomato sauce
1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce – I use 1 or 2 peppers (It’s in a can.)
1 ½ teaspoon chili powder (optional - I omit to keep it kid friendly)

You will also need:
Whole wheat burrito sized tortillas
Anything else you like on burritos –  black beans, sour cream, cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, guacamole etc.

We also like to add Cilantro Lime Rice to our burritos. All you need to do is make some white rice and add lime juice, cilantro, and salt.


Directions:
Dump all of the ingredients into the crock pot and cook on high for 4-5 hours or low for 6-7 hours. I usually throw my beef in while it is frozen and it takes about 8 hours on low.

When the meat is cooked, you will need to strain the juices and add the juice back to the slow cooker. (You want to remove the peppercorns and onions.) Shred the meat and add back to the juice in the slow cooker for about 30 minutes.

recipe courtesy of www.savingyoudenero.com

Roasted Vegetable Macaroni and Cheese

Loaded with veggies, no butter cheese sauce - It's hard to believe this mac and cheese could be good. It wasn't good though - it was AMAZING. Zachary had 3 helpings and said it was the best mac and cheese he has ever had! I felt good fixing this for my family since it was loaded with veggies, whole grain noodles and the cheese sauce wasn't full of awful ingredients! This will definitely become a staple in our house!

Ingredients:

1 cup broccoli florets, chopped into small chunks

1 red pepper, diced

1 yellow squash, quartered and diced

10 baby carrots, sliced thinly

2 cups whole wheat pasta (elbow macaroni, rotini, penne, etc.)

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

1 garlic clove, minced

3 Tbsp. all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cups milk (I use 1%)

2 cups (8 oz.) Sargento® Shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese

1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes (optional)

1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper (optional)

Salt and pepper, to taste

2 Tbsp. panko breadcrumbs (I used whole wheat bread crumbs)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Set a medium pot of salted water to boil. Prepare a large baking sheet by lining with aluminum foil and coating with a little olive oil or nonstick cooking spray.

Toss broccoli, red pepper, squash and carrots onto the baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes, or until vegetables have softened. Remove from oven and set aside.

Once water is boiling, lower heat slightly and add pasta, cooking according to package instructions. Drain and set aside.

Meanwhile, heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add garlic and cook 30 seconds. Whisk in flour and cook 1 minute. Gradually whisk in milk, stirring constantly until mixture is slightly thickened. Remove from heat. Stir in cheddar cheese until well distributed and melted.  Add salt and pepper. Add macaroni and vegetables.

Place mixture in a large casserole dish and sprinkle with panko breadcrumbs. Place under the broiler in your oven (500 degrees) for 3-4 minutes, or until the top is golden brown.


We added red pepper flakes to ours at the table to keep it kid friendly. Yum!

recipe courtesy of http://www.thecomfortofcooking.com/2013/02/spicy-roasted-vegetable-macaroni-and-cheese.html
Comfort of Cooking

Honey Chicken Kabobs

Kabobs are a staple in our house during the summer. They are so colorful, fun to eat and delish! I found this recipe on Pinterest and knew the whole family would love these! They were so full of flavor and the marinade caramelized onto the veggies. So yum!

Ingredients:

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1/3 cup honey
1/3 cup soy sauce
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
8 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves – cut into 1 inch cubes
2 cloves garlic
1 large white onion, cut into 2 inch pieces
2 red bell peppers, cut into 2 inch pieces (I used 1 orange and 1 yellow - use your favorite!)
skewers

Directions:

In a large bowl, whisk together oil, honey, soy sauce, and pepper. Before adding chicken, reserve a small amount of marinade to brush onto kabobs while cooking.

Place the chicken, garlic, onions and peppers in the bowl, and marinate in the refrigerator at least 2 hours (the longer the better).

Preheat the grill for high heat.

Drain marinade from the chicken and vegetables, and discard marinade. Thread chicken and vegetables alternately onto the skewers*

Lightly oil the grill grate. Place the skewers on the grill. Cook for 12 to 15 minutes, until chicken juices run clear. Turn and brush with reserved marinade frequently.

*Don't forget to soak your skewers in water so they don't catch on fire

recipe courtesy of  http://www.allrecipes.com

Beef and Broccoli

Wow! This recipe is SO easy and absolutely delicious! I was skeptical that the steak would end up being tough but it was so tender and full of flavor! The kids devoured it (Olivia had 2nds!) I'm so excited to have another recipe for a take-out type of food that we can make at home!

First, marinate the meat for an hour or more:

• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 tbsp cornstarch
• 1 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
• 1 tbsp water
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil (I used EVOO)
• 1 1/2 lbs flank steak, sliced into thin strips (sirloin works great too)

1. Whisk together the baking soda, sugar, cornstarch, soy sauce, water, and vegetable oil in a large bowl. Toss the steak with the marinade to coat. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour, then proceed below.

• 1 cup low-sodium soy sauce (Do NOT use regular. The final product will be way too salty)
• 4 tbsp brown sugar
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 tbsp flour
• 2 tbsp sherry
• 3 tbsp vegetable oil (I used EVOO)
• 2 heads broccoli, crowns only (I used 4, we love broccoli!)

1. In a small bowl, stir together the soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic, flour and sherry until smooth. Set aside.
2. In a large wok or saute pan, heat 2 tablespoons of the vegetable oil over high heat until shimmering. Add broccoli and saute 3 minutes, stirring often. Transfer broccoli to a plate.
3. Carefully add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the hot pan. Add the marinated meat and half of the sauce mixture and saute for 3-4 minutes, stirring often, until the meat is cooked through and no longer pink. Stir in the broccoli and remaining sauce. Saute 1 minute more. Serve with red pepper flakes (optional).

recipe courtesy of  http://rainydaygal.com/2011/02/03/beef-with-broccoli/

Fruit Salsa with Baked Cinnamon Chips

This was so simple to make and yet soooooooooo incredibly good.  We couldn't stop eating it!  The kids absolutely loved it too.   Will definitely make again and again.  The only thing about it is that you can't make it too far in advance so be prepared to eat once it chills for a few minutes!  And trust me, once you start eating it, you can't stop anyway.
Side note:  We made the Baked Cinnamon Chips the first time we had this but we have also found that you can buy Baked Cinnamon Sugar Pita Chips (we used Stacy's brand that we found at Mar's Grocery Store) if you want to save time.  Just as good!

Ingredients:

for the fruit salsa:
2 kiwis, peeled and diced
2 Golden Delicious apples – peeled, cored and diced
8 oz raspberries - chopped
6 oz blackberries - chopped
1 (16 oz) carton of strawberries, diced
8 oz blueberries - chopped (optional)
2 tbsp white sugar (I used splenda)
1 tbsp brown sugar
3 tbsp fruit preserves, any flavor (I used strawberry)

for the cinnamon chips:
10 (10 inch) flour tortillas
melted butter or butter flavored cooking spray (we used the non fat cooking spray)

cinnamon sugar:
1 cup white sugar
2 tbsp cinnamon

Instructions:

1.  In a large bowl, thoroughly mix all the fruit, white sugar, brown sugar, and fruit preserves.  Cover and chill in the refrigerator at least 15 minutes while the oven preheats to 350 degrees.

2.  Coat one side of each flour tortilla with melted butter or butter flavored cooking spray.  Sprinkle tortillas with desired amount of cinnamon sugar, cut into wedges, and arrange in a single layer on a large baking sheet. Spray again with cooking spray (not necessary if using melted butter).

3.  Bake in the preheated oven 8 to 10 minutes. Repeat with any remaining tortilla wedges. Allow to cool approximately 15 minutes. Serve with chilled fruit mixture. This salsa can also be served with cinnamon graham crackers or cinnamon pita chips. Best when made and eaten the same day otherwise the fruit gives off so too much juice and it gets runny.