Spaghetti with Artichoke Hearts and Tomatoes

Jake LOVED this recipe!! He didn't even ask where the meat was! I thought it was deliciouss to. I found it on the Pioneer Woman Website.

2 Tblsp. Olive Oil

2 Tblsp. butter

4 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 whole medium onion, finely diced

1 can Artichoke Hearts (14.5 oz.) drained

1 can (14.5 oz.) diced tomatoes with juice

1 cup heavy cream

1/2 cup chicken broth (more as needed)

1/2 tsp. nutmeg

salt and pepper, to taste

3/4 to 1 lb. thin spaghetti (you really should use the THIN spaghetti)

1 cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated

2 Tblsp. fresh chives, chopped

Cook spaghetti till al dente. Drain and set aside.

Melt olive oil and butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onions and garlic and saute for 2 to 3 minutes.

Add artichoke hearts and tomatoes. Stir and cook for 8 to 10 minutes. Add nutmeg. Reduce heat to low. Stir in cream and chicken broth. Add salt and pepper to taste. Cook over low heat until heated through, then turn off heat.

Place drained pasta in a large bowl. Sprinkle with 1 cup Parmesan cheese. Pour sauce over the top. Add chives. Toss lightly to combine and coat; add a tiny bit of reserved pasta water if sauce seems too thick.

Classic Pasta Salad

1 lb. rotini pasta noodles, cooked

2-3 medium tomatoes

1 can olives, sliced

1 large head broccoli, cut into florets

fresh mozzarella or string cheese (about 6), diced

Italian salad dressing (homemade OR storebought)

Mix first five ingredients, then cover with Italian dressing and stir to coat. Serve.

Roasted Broccoli

I made this the other day, and Jacob probably ate at least 10 pieces of broccoli!

broccoli, cut into small florets

canola or olive oil (I had a mixture of the two in my Misto, so I just used that)

kosher salt to taste

fresh lemon (optional)

put the broccoli on a cookie sheet mixed with the canola (or just spray from Misto onto the broccoli). Sprinkle kosher salt over the broccoli. Put in the oven on "broil" (I set my broil to 450) for 4 minutes. Take out and mix it up and put it back in for 3 more minutes. It should be a little bit brown when it is done. Serve.

Chicken with Garlic and Black Pepper

4 boneless chicken thighs

1/2 tsp. ground black pepper

1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

4 1/2 tsp. soy sauce

1 tsp. sugar

1/4 tsp. chili powder

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 Tblsp. vegetable oil

4 lime wedges

Wash chicken. Pat dry with paper towels. Rub chicken thighs on both sides with pepper.

In a bowl, combine the cilantro, soy sauce, sugar, chili powder, and garlic. Rub mixture over the chicken thighs. Pour remaining marinade in ziploc bag with chicken pieces, refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

Heat oil in a nonstick skillet over med/high heat until hot. Add chicken pieces, skin side down if they have skin. Cook until the skin is brown and crisp, about 5 minutes. Turn chicken over. Reduce heat to med/low and cook 4-5 minutes more or until chicken thighs are cooked through.

Transfer chicken to a cutting board, skin side up. Cut each thigh into 3 strips. Serve over rice, if you prefer, or serve with fried rice. Serve with lime wedges.

Pasta with Sauteed Mushrooms

1 Tblsp. olive oil

1 Tblsp. unsalted butter

3 shallots, minced (about 1/2 cup)

4 oz. shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and sliced

6 oz. cremini mushrooms, sliced

4 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 tsp. dried thyme

2/3 cup low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth

1/2 cup heavy cream

1/2 lb. pasta (about 3 cups)

1 oz. Parmesan cheese, grated

1 Tblsp. chopped fresh parsley

1 1/2 tsp. fresh lemon juice

salt and pepper to taste

Heat the oil and butter over medium heat in a 10 inch skillet until butter is melted. Add shallots and cook until softened, 2 to 3 minutes. Increase heat to medium-high, stir in the shiitake mushrooms, and cook for 1 minute. Stir in the cremini mushrooms and 1/4 tsp. salt. Cook until golden brown, about 6 minutes. Stir in garlic and thyme. Cook until fragrant about 30 seconds. Transfer mushrooms to a bowl and cover.

Stir broth into the skillet and bring to a boil, scraping up any browned bits. Stir in the cream, bring to a simmer. Cook until sauce has thickened slightly and reduced to about 2/3 cup, about 4 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook pasta al dente, according to package directions. Drain pasta, reserving 1/2 cup of the cooking water.

Mix the cooked mushrooms, sauce, Parmesan, parsley, and lemon juice with the pasta and toss to combine. Adjust the sauce consistency with the reserved cooking water as desired. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve.

Black Bean and Sweet Corn Quinoa

I have been looking for a good recipe for quinoa for a long time now, and this is definitely it!! I found it on the Sister's Cafe Blog.

1 Tblsp. olive oil

1 medium yellow onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

3/4 cup uncooked quinoa

1 1/2 cups chicken or vegetable broth

1 tsp. ground cumin

1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper (this was too much for us...toooo spicy....next time I will put just a pinch or maybe even omit the cayenne)

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

1 cup frozen sweet white corn

1 (15 oz.) can black beans, drained and rinsed

1/2 cup cilantro, chopped

In a medium pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. When simmering and hot, add the onions and saute for 4-5 minutes, stirring often. Add the garlic and stir for a minute or two until the garlic is fragrant, being careful not to burn the garlic.

Add the quinoa and cover with broth. Stir in cumin, cayenne pepper (if using), salt, and pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil. Cover, reduce heat and let simmer for 20 minutes (or until the liquid is absorbed).

Stir in the frozen corn and black beans. Cover and let the pot sit off the heat until the corn and beans are heated through, about 5-6 minutes. Stir in cilantro. Serve warm or chilled- it is delicious both ways.

Takoraisu

When I saw this recipe on La Fuji Mama's website I knew I had to try it. When on my mission, takoraisu was something that members made for us a lot, I think because they knew it was something that all the American missionaries loved. I hadn't had it since my mission, and it is just as good as I remember! Natsukashii!! You should try it, it's an Asian twist on tacos.

1 Tblsp. vegetable oil

4-5 cloves garlic, minced (her recipe calls for 3...I like garlic:))

1 cup onion, chopped

1 pound ground beef

3 Tblsp. soy sauce

1 Tblsp. chili powder

1 tsp. ground cumin

1 tsp. table salt

1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

4 cups steamed Japanese Rice (I use Calrose rice...any short grain rice would probably be good)

2 cups lettuce, shredded

2 cup tomatoes, chopped

12 ounces, Queso Blanco, crumbled (or 2 cups shredded mozzarella)

1 cup salsa

4 Tblsp. sour cream

Heat the vegetable oil in a saute pan over medium heat. Add the garlic and onion and saute until the onions are barely soft. Add the ground beef and break it into small chunks. Once the meat is cooked, add the soy sauce, chili powder, cumin, salt, and pepper. Let this simmer until the liquid reduces.

Spread 1/2 to 1 cup of the steamed rice on each plate. Top with the seasoned beef.

Then top with shredded lettuce, tomatoes, queso blanco, and salsa, and finish it off with a dollop of sour cream.