Minestrone Pasta Soup

Kid-friendly!  Griffin gobbles this right up because the veggies are hidden!!  Feel free to experiment with other vegetables or pasta types, or add leftover chicken or fresh herbs to this recipe. It freezes well, too.

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 onion (yellow or white), diced

2 carrots, peeled and diced

2 celery stalks, diced

2 garlic cloves, minced

(I threw all of the above ingredients in a food processor for minimal prep work!)

1 zucchini, diced (Mine was large so I only used half.)

15-ounce can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

15-ounce can diced tomatoes or 2 cups chopped fresh tomatoes

4 cups (32-ounce box) vegetable stock or chicken stock (Start with 4 cups, but maybe buy an extra cup just in case.  I had a cup of chicken broth laying around and ended up adding that at the very end because it wasn't soupy enough for me.) 

3/4 cup small pasta such as mini farfalle, elbows, or rotini

1 1/2 teaspoons Italian herbs or mixed dried basil, oregano, thyme

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

Directions:

1. In a saucepan or Dutch oven over medium heat, heat the oil. Add onions, carrots, celery, and garlic; saute for 5 minutes or until vegetables soften.

2. Add the remaining ingredients to the pot and stir to combine. Turn heat to medium-low and simmer for 20-30 minutes, or until the pasta is cooked through and the vegetables are tender.

*Catherine McCord's Cookbook, Weelicious Lunches 

Scalloped Potatoes

INGREDIENTS:

• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1 small white or yellow onion, peeled and thinly sliced
• 4 large garlic cloves, minced
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 cup chicken or vegetable stock
• 2 cups milk (I used 2% low-fat milk.)
• 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves, divided
• 4 pounds Yukon Gold Potatoes, sliced into 1/8-inch rounds (and peeled beforehand, if desired)
• 1 1/2 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese, divided
• 1/2 cup freshly-grated Parmesan cheese

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Melt butter in a large saute pan over medium-high heat.  Add onion, and saute for 4-5 minutes until soft and translucent.  Add garlic and saute for an additional 1-2 minutes until fragrant.  Stir in the flour until it is evenly combined and saute for an additional 1-minute.  Pour in the chicken stock, and whisk until combined.  Add in the milk, salt, pepper, and 1 teaspoon thyme, and whisk until combined.  Continue cooking for an additional 1-2 minutes until the sauce comes to a simmer (not a boil) and thickens.  Then remove from heat and set aside.

Meanwhile, grease a 9 x 13-inch baking pan with cooking spray.  Then spread half of the sliced potatoes in an even layer on the bottom of the pan.  Top evenly with half of the cream sauce, the sprinkle evenly with 1 cup of the shredded cheddar cheese, and all of the Parmesan cheese.  Top evenly with the remaining sliced potatoes, the remaining half of the cream sauce, and the remaining 1/2 cup of cheddar cheese.

Cover the pan with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes.  Then remove the foil and bake uncovered for 25-30 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbly and the potatoes are cooked through.

Remove and sprinkle with the remaining 1 teaspoon thyme.  Serve warm.

(This original recipe serves 8-10.) 

*www.gimmesomeoven.com

Steakhouse Inspired Steak with Herbed Butter

Ingredients:

1/4 cup butter

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon dried parsley

1 teaspoon dried basil

1-1.5 pounds steak (The original recipe used top sirloin, but any cut of steak will work.)

1 tablespoon fresh cracked peppercorn

1 tablespoon sea salt

1 tablespoon olive oil

Directions:

1. In a microwave-safe bowl, melt butter in microwave for about 45 seconds. Stir in oregano, parsley, and basil. Place in fridge to harden, about 3 hours. 

2. Spread salt and pepper on a plate. Roll steak in the mixture and shake off the excess. 

3. Heat olive oil in a cast iron skillet or Dutch oven over high heat. When the oil is super hot, sear steak(s) for 2 minutes on all sides. 

4. Remove from heat, spoon a tablespoon of the butter on each steak, and place in a 400 degree oven. Cook uncovered for 8-12 minutes (or more, if you have thick steaks) until desired temperature. For medium rare, cook for about for 8 minutes. Remove from the pan, place on a plate, cover with foil, and let rest for about 10 minutes before serving. 

*www.parsleyandpepper.com

Rosemary and Garlic Roasted Pork Loin

(The original recipe is posted, however I halved this recipe.  See my cooking time modifications.)

Ingredients:

• 4 pound pork loin
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, chopped
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 tablespoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 475°F.
2. In a bowl, stir to combine garlic, rosemary, olive oil, salt, lemon zest, and pepper.
3. Evenly spread the mixture over the pork loin (fat side up) and place in a large baking dish or roasting pan. (I made 5-6 small slits on the top so the rub would sink into the pork while cooking.)
4. Place it in the oven and roast for 30 minutes. (I roasted for 15 minutes.)  Reduce heat to 425°F and continue to roast for 1 hour (I continued to cook for 30-35 minutes) until the juices run clear and the internal temperature reaches 155°F. 
5. Allow to rest on a carving board for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

*www.insockmonkeyslippers.com

Slow Cooker Honey Sesame Chicken

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 small onion, diced 
• 2 cloves garlic, minced 
• 1/2 cup honey 
• 1/2 cup soy sauce 
• 1/4 cup ketchup 
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil 
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes 
• 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs 
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste 
• 1 green onion, thinly sliced for garnish 
• Sesame seeds, for garnish

DIRECTIONS:

• In a large bowl, combine onion, garlic, honey, soy sauce, ketchup, vegetable oil, and red pepper. 
• Season chicken thighs with salt and pepper, to taste. Place chicken thighs into a slow cooker. Add honey mixture and gently toss to combine. Cover and cook on low heat for 3 hours and 30 minutes. 
• Remove chicken thighs from the slow cooker and shred the chicken before returning to the pot with the juices. Don't discard the juice!  Cover and keep warm for an additional 30 minutes. 
• Serve immediately, garnished with green onions and sesame seeds, if desired.
• *www.damndelicious.net