Spaghetti Sauce

½ lb. mild Italian sausage
½ lb. ground hamburger
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 tsp. basil
1/2 tsp. fennel seeds
1/4 tsp. pepper
2 Tbsp. parsley
2 1-lb Italian style canned tomatoes (or 1 qt. home canned)
1 8-oz can tomato paste
1/2 cup white cooking wine
Brown sugar or honey (to taste – approximately 2 Tbsp.)

Brown meat with onion and garlic.  Add seasonings and mix well.  Add tomatoes, paste, and wine.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer (or move to crock-pot) covered until thick for about 2 hours (or 6 – 8 in crock-pot).  Add sugar, to taste, right before serving.

Also makes a great lasagna!

Pesto Pasta with Chicken

1 pkg. bow tie pasta
1 tsp. olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cooked & cubed*
crushed red pepper flakes (to taste)
1/2 cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained
1 jar pesto

Cook pasta according to package directions; set aside.

Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat.  Saute garlic until tender, then stir in chicken and season with red pepper flakes.  Cook until chicken is golden and cooked through.

In a large bowl, combine pasta, chicken, tomatoes and pesto.  Toss to coat evenly.  Serve warm or cold.

*chicken can be omitted or substituted with baked halibut/tilapia which is delicious!

Snow-Whipped Potato Boats

6 large baking potatoes
3 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup milk
1 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
4 green onions, chopped
1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Wash potatoes and rub skins with vegetable oil.  Bake for 1 hour, or until potatoes are fork-tender.  Remove potatoes from oven and reduce oven heat to 350 degrees.

Cut a slice from top of each potato and scoop out pulp.  In a medium bowl mash pulp with a fork, then stir in sour cream, milk, salt, pepper and green onions.  Whip until fluffy.  Fill potato shells with mixture and sprinkle with grated cheese and crumbled bacon.

Bake 10 minutes.

Makes 6 servings.

Poppy Seed Spinach Salad

Salad:
Baby spinach leaves
Cucumber, sliced
Strawberries, quartered
1 large can Mandarin oranges
Sliced purple onion
Sugared slivered almonds

Dressing:
1 cup mayo
1 cup oil
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup rice wine vinegar
2 Tbsp. poppy seeds

Whisk dressing ingredients together.  Toss enough dressing to coat salad ingredients

Cafe Rio Chicken, Lime Rice, Dressing & Pico

CHICKEN
5 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 8-oz. bottle zesty Italian dressing

2 packets Hidden Valley Buttermilk Ranch dressing mix (or 1/3 cup)
1 Tbsp. chili powder
1 Tbsp. cumin
3 garlic cloves, minced

Mix dressing, chili powder, cumin and garlic in a bowl.  Place chicken on bottom of a greased slow cooker.  Pour mixture over the top of chicken.  Cook on high for 5-6 hours.  Shred chicken with fork or put in Bosch using paddles.  Reserve juice to pour over chicken when serving.

LIME RICE
2 Tbsp. butter
1 yellow onion, finely diced
4 cloves minced garlic
6 2/3 cups water
8 tsp. chicken bouillon (7 cubes)
1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped
2 tsp. cumin
1 Tbsp. lime juice
1/2 tsp. salt

1 can diced green chilis
3 cups long grain rice

Saute butter, onion and garlic.  Boil rest of ingredients except rice in a large pot.  Add onion, garlic, then rice to large pot.  Cover and simmer until water is absorbed and rice is tender.

BLACK BEANS
1/4 cup onion, finely chopped
6 cloves garlic, minced
3 Tbsp. olive oil
3 15-oz. can black beans
1 1/2 cups tomato sauce
1/4 bunch cilantro, chopped

Heat oil on medium heat and cook onion, garlic and cumin until soft.  Add rest of ingredients and simmer for 10 minutes.

PINTO BEANS

2 Tbsp. butter

1/4 cup onion, diced

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 15-oz cans pinto beans

1/2 cup vegetable stock

1 tsp. chili powder

1 tsp. cumin

1/2 tsp. oregano

1 Tbsp. lime juice

Salt & pepper

Heat oil on medium heat and cook onion, garlic until soft.  Add rest of ingredients and simmer for 10 minutes.

TOMATILLO CREAMY CAFE RIO DRESSING
2 packages Hidden Valley Buttermilk Ranch mix (or 1/3 cup)
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup mayo
3-4 tomatillos (peel outer skin layer)
1 clove minced garlic (or 1 tsp. pre-minced)
1/3 bunch cilantro, chopped
1/2 tsp. lime juice
1+ small jalapeño (seeds removed)

Put all ingredients into a blender.  Add extra mayo if dressing is too thin.  Refrigerate.

CAFE RIO PICO DE GALLO
4 fresh tomatoes, chopped
1 white onion, chopped
1/4 bunch cilantro, chopped
2 cloves minced garlic
1/2 tsp. lime juice
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper

Mix all ingredients. Can use food processor to chop and mix ingredients.

Additional items to make burritos:
tortillas
shredded Mexican cheese blend cheese
shredded lettuce

sour cream

guacamole

Black Bean & Quinoa Veggie Burgers

1 cup water
½ cup quinoa, uncooked
3/4 cup oats
1/2 onion
3 cloves garlic
1 (15 oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed*
2/3 cup frozen corn, thawed
1 chipotle pepper in adobo, minced
2 Tbsp. tomato paste
1 large egg
2 tsp. ground cumin
1/4 tsp. salt

Yogurt Sauce:
½ cup plain fat-free Greek yogurt
1 Tbsp honey
1 Tbsp Dijon mustard

Place water in small saucepan.  Bring to a boil.  Add quinoa, bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer.  Cook 10 - 15 minutes until quinoa is cooked.  Remove from heat.  Note: this step can be done ahead of time.

Meanwhile, in a food processor, pulse oats until a fine meal or flour consistency.  Place in a large mixing bowl.  Place onions & garlic in food processor and pulse until finely chopped and add to mixing bowl.  Place black beans in food processor and pulse until smooth, add to mixing bowl.  Place corn and chipotle pepper in food processor and pulse until finely chopped, add to mixing bowl.  Add paste, egg, spices and cooked quinoa to mixing bowl and mix well. 

Form mixture into 6 equal patties, compacting them well with your hands as you form them. Place the patties on a baking sheet.  Cover and refrigerate several hours or overnight.

Bake at 400° for 10 - 12 minutes on a greased cookie sheet, turning them over halfway.  Patties can also be cooked on a griddle or grill.  Heat 4 - 6 minutes on each side or until golden brown.

Serve patties with yogurt sauce and sliced avocado (optional).

*can also use 1/2 cup dry black beans that have been cooked with 1 1/2 cups water and drained.

Italian Sausage Soup

1 Italian sausage

1 onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

3 Tbsp. olive oil

3 potatoes, peeled & cubed

4 cans chicken broth

1 cup half and half

Fresh bacon bits

Kale, chopped (optional)

Cook sausage in oven for 30 minutes at 350 degrees.

Meanwhile, in a large pot, caramelize onion and garlic in olive oil. Add chicken broth and bring to a boil. Add potatoes and boil for about 10 or 15 minutes or until the potatoes are tender.

When sausages have finished baking, slice and add to soup.  Add bacon bits, kale and half and half. Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Simmer until hot.