Irish Soda Bread

I had plans to try this for St. Patrick's Day, but didn't.

Cheesy Chicken Quesadilla Pie

Trying this tonight for my quesadilla-loving family.

Update: half the family liked it. If I make it again, I'd do half the amount of chicken, and canned diced chiles are a must! Maybe I'd try a can of white beans and cumin???

Overnight Oatmeal

No cooking--just mix the ingredients together and put in the fridge overnight and eat cold in the morning.

Stir together:
1/2 cup oats
2 T chopped nuts (I used sliced almonds)
1 teaspoon cinnamon
little vanilla
1 cup almond milk 

Fold in:
1 cup diced berries (I used frozen blueberries)

Refrigerate overnight, sleep and eat;)

Roasted Chickpeas

Here are the roasted chickpeas we made last week. We did 3 cans and only doubled (not tripled) the spices. We decided there was a little too much cayenne, and they could maybe have a little more garlic taste--other than that, we liked the amount of spice. I didn't keep track of how long they really took to get crunchy. We did them on low broil and they took at least 50 min. Loved these as an alternative to popcorn during our movie.

So, next time I'll try (oven at 450--20-30 minutes first to dry them out):
3 cans chickpeas (garbanzo beans), rinsed

Combine the following:
2 tsp. paprika
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. (heaping) garlic powder
1/2 tsp. onion powder
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1/4 tsp. thyme
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper

Spray the chickpeas with olive oil spray, toss them with the seasonings, and return them to the oven until desired crispness.

Tortellini and Italian Sausage Soup

1 lb. Italian sausage

2 cloves garlic

1 cup water (may need to add more later)

1 cup thinly sliced carrots

1 tsp. oregano

1 ½ cup sliced zucchini

1 cup coarsely chopped onions
5 or more cups beef broth

1 can cut-up tomatoes

8 oz. can tomato sauce

12 oz. cheese tortellini 

Grated parmesan cheese

Brown sausage in large pot with onions and garlic.  Drain grease. Add beef broth, water, tomatoes, carrots, basil, oregano, and tomato sauce.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat, simmer uncovered at least 30 minutes.  Skim fat.  Stir in zucchini and tortellini, simmer covered 30-40 min.  Sprinkle parmesan cheese on each serving.

Cauliflower (Mock Alfredo) Sauce

I love this sauce! It doesn't have the greasy feel of traditional Alfredo sauce; it's healthier, and it's full of yummy, creamy, garlicky flavor! 

Ingredients:
1 jumbo clove garlic, minced
2 TB butter
Cauliflower florets from 1 head of cauliflower
6-7 cups water or vegetable/chicken broth (or if just steaming, just amount of water needed for that--see 2. below)
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 cup milk (or cream!), warmed
Parmesan or Romano cheese, grated (optional)

Directions:

1.Garlic: Saute the minced garlic with the butter in a large nonstick skillet over low heat. Cook for several minutes or until the garlic is soft and fragrant but not browned. Remove from heat and set aside.

2.Cauliflower--3 options: A) Bring the water or vegetable/chicken broth to a boil in a large pot. Add the cauliflower and cook, covered, for 7-10 minutes or until cauliflower is fork tender. Do not drain. OR B) Steam cauliflower until fork tender and use broth in the next step OR C) Steam cauliflower until fork tender, use 1 cup of the steaming water for the next step, and add 1 bouillon cube to the blender.

3.Puree: Use a slotted spoon to transfer the cauliflower pieces to the blender. Add 1 cup water/broth (from cooking cauliflower), sauteed garlic/butter, salt, pepper, milk, and cheese if desired. Blend or puree for several minutes until the sauce is very smooth, adding more broth or milk depending on how thick you want the sauce. You may have to do this in batches depending on the size of your blender. Serve hot over cooked pasta.

Dill Veggie Dip

1 cup sour cream
2/3 cup mayo
1 TB parsley
1 TB minced onion
1 tsp. seasoned salt
1 ½ tsp. dill weed

Stir and chill.