Creamy Polenta with Butternut and Spinach

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Ingredients

• 1 small butternut squash, peeled, seeded, cut into small dice and pre-roasted
• 1 cup, instant style polenta
• ¾ cup chopped fresh spinach
• ½ cup or so grated parmesan or romano cheese
• 2 cups chicken broth, homemade or low sodium store bought
• 1 cup water
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 tablespoon of olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste
• extra olive oil for drizzling

I also added sauteed onions and it was good

Instructions

1. Roast squash at 400 degrees on a baking sheet drizzled with olive oil, salt and pepper. Roast around 15 minutes or until slightly golden. Set aside.
2. In a large saucepan add the broth, water, 1 tablespoon of butter, 1 tablespoon of olive oil, salt and pepper, bring to a boil.
3. Reduce heat to low and slowly start whisking in the polenta, keep whisking so as not to get lumps, it will bubble and squirt, be careful!
4. Switch over to a wooden spoon and keep stirring until thickened, remove from heat.
5. Fold in the grated cheese, the spinach and the butternut squash, drizzling more olive oil all over the top.
6. Serve immediately.
7. Leftover polenta can be warmed up the next day by adding more water or broth, or leftovers can be molded into ramekins.

Island Pork Tenderloin

found this on Pinterest, really good

For spice rub:
2 tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp cinnamon
2 pork tenderloins (2 ¼ - 2 ½ lbs total) trimmed
2 tbsp olive oil

For Glaze:
¾ cup packed dark brown sugar
2 tbsp finely chopped garlic
1 tbsp Tabasco

Stir the spice rub ingredients together in a small bowl and rub all over the pork.  Heat oil in ovenproof 12-inch heavy skillet over medium high heat.  Brown pork, turning occasionally, about 4-5 minutes total.  Remove from heat, but leave pork in skillet.

Stir together brown sugar, garlic and Tabasco in a small bowl.  Pat the mixture on top of the pork.  Place skillet in the oven at 350.  Roast until thermometer inserted diagonally into the center of each tenderloin registers 140 degrees, about 20 minutes (mine was about 17 minutes to have it a little pink).  Let pork stand in skillet, loosely covered with foil for 10 minutes.  


I made this polenta dish as a side

Spicy Black Bean Enchiladas with Pumpkin Cream Sauce

Dave didn't love these, I thought they were good but needed more of a kick. So next time I would do more jalepeno or put more red pepper flakes.

INGREDIENTS

• For pumpkin sour cream sauce:
• 1 can (15 ounces) pumpkin puree
• 1 cup good quality tomato sauce
• 1 cup low-fat sour cream
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 2 cloves of garlic, peeled
• salt and pepper to taste
• For filling:
• 1 small roasted rotisserie chicken (purchase from grocery store), shredded OR 2-3 cups shredded chicken breast
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1/2 white onion, diced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 (15 oz) cans of black beans
• 1 jalapeno, deseeded and minced
• 2 cups good quality tomato sauce
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 2 teaspoons cumin
• 1-2 teaspoons red pepper flakes (add more or less depending on desired heat)
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
• 16-20 corn tortillas
• 2-3 cups reduced-fat Mexican or Colby Jack cheese

1. Begin by making the pumpkin sour cream sauce: In your food processor or blender combine pumpkin puree, tomato sauce, sour cream, chili powder, and garlic and puree until smooth. Taste and season with salt and pepper; set aside.
2. Place 3 cups of shredded chicken in large bowl and add about a little less than half of the pumpkin sour cream sauce to it, toss chicken to coat; set aside remaining pumpkin sauce.
3. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Spray 9x13 baking dish with nonstick cooking spray and spread a thin layer of pumpkin cream sauce on the bottom of pan.
4. Heat large non-stick pan over medium heat and add olive oil. Add onion and minced garlic and cook until onions begin to soften. Add black beans, jalapeno, tomato sauce, chili powder, cumin, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper. Stir and bring to a slight boil, then reduce heat to medium low, stir consistently and let simmer for 5 minutes while sauce thickens.
5. Next warm tortillas in microwave for about 30 seconds so they are easier to roll. Then, place about 1/4 cup of black bean mixture on each tortilla. Next take about 1/4 cup of chicken and pumpkin cream mixture and place on top of beans. Sprinkle 1-2 tablespoons of Colby jack cheese in each tortilla. Roll each tortilla and place seam side down in baking pan. Pour remaining enchilada sauce and sprinkle additional cheese on top.
6. Bake for 20-30 minutes until cheese is melted and edges of tortillas begin to turn golden brown. Top with sour cream, greek yogurt, avocado, or cilantro.
7. Makes about 8 servings -- 2 enchiladas each.

Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies

Mix together and cook at 350 for 14 minutes or so:

1 can pumpkin
2 cups oats (or more for consistency)
1 egg
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup choc chips (or to taste)

Brown Sugar Soy Chicken

Recipe is technically called "Best Ever Roast Chicken"

Ingredients

- 8 of your fave chicken pieces, skin on, bone in (I do a pack of drumsticks and a pack of thighs)
- 2 Tbsp soy sauce
- 2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
- 3 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 Tbsp light brown sugar
- 4 shallots, chopped
- 2 cloves of garlic, chopped
- handful of fresh parsley
- salt and pepper

Put the chicken skin side up in a baking dish and put as much salt and pepper as you like.  Mix everything else but the parsley in a bowl and pour it over the chicken. Bake at 425 for 30 minutes until it starts to brown then take it out, flip the chicken over and baste with the marinade. Put it in for another ten minutes or until chicken is cooked. Top with the chopped parsley and voila! For sides I did roasted cauliflower and green beans. SO GOOD and easy!!

Turkey Meatballs

Referred to me by Michelle!

I made this with spaghetti squash, using THIS recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 large egg
• 1 pound 97-98% lean ground turkey*
• 1 pound 92-93% lean ground turkey*
• 2/3 cup (40g) Panko*
• 3 Tablespoons (45ml) olive oil
• 1/4 cup (22g) grated parmesan cheese
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 2 teaspoons dried basil
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1 large onion sweet onion, sliced
• two 28-ounce cans crushed tomatoes
• chopped fresh basil for serving, optional

Directions:

1) Beat the egg in a large mixing bowl. Add the ground turkey, Panko, 2 Tablespoons olive oil, parmesan, garlic, oregano, basil, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Mix everything up just so the ingredients are combined - avoid overmixing. Roll into desired size balls - mine were slightly larger than a golfball. Some people prefer them larger, some prefer them smaller. Place all rolled meatballs on a large baking sheet.

2) Place onion slices in the bottom of the crockpot, topped with 1 can of crushed tomatoes.

3) Coat a large skillet with remaining Tablespoon of olive oil and bring to medium-high heat. Lightly brown the meatballs (only 6-8 meatballs at a time) for about 1 minute on each side. Do not skip this step - read above for why. Layer the meatballs into the crockpot as you're browning each batch. Once all browned meatballs have been added to the crockpot, pour remaining can of tomatoes on top.

4) Cover and cook on low for 6-6.5 hours. Serve with pasta, as meatball subs, plain, etc. No matter how I serve them, I always top with a little chopped fresh basil. Store leftovers covered tightly in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

MAKE AHEAD/FREEZE: Prepare meatballs through the browning stage; cover and refrigerate for up to 1 day or freeze up to 2 months. Add to crockpot and cook as directed. OR you may fully prepare 1 day in advance, refrigerate, then cook in the crockpot on low for 45 minutes or until warmed. Freeze cooked meatballs in sauce for up to 2 months. Defrost before reheating as desired.

NO SLOW COOKER? No problem! Prepare through step 2. Add the shaped meatballs to a large skillet coated with 1 Tablespoon olive oil and saute until browned on all sides, about 5 minutes. Transfer back to the large baking sheet. Repeat with all meatballs since they cannot all fit into the pan at once. Turn off heat. Pour off any excess oil. In a very large pot, add the sliced onions and 1 can crushed tomatoes. Add the meatballs and pour remaining can of crushed tomatoes on top. Turn the heat to low-medium and simmer until the sauce thickens slightly, the flavors blend, and the meatballs are cooked through, 25-35 minutes. 

Butternut Squash and Spinach Lasagna

Butternut Squash Filling:
• 2 cups butternut squash puree (about half of squash)
• 1 cup ricotta cheese
• 1/2 cup milk (or more, if needed)
• 1/4 + 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
Spinach Filling:
• 1 cup cooked spinach (8 oz uncooked)
• 1 cup ricotta cheese
• 1 cup mozzarella cheese
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• pepper, to taste
Other Ingredients:
• 10 oz lasagna noodles, cooked (for gluten free, use Tinkyada brown rice lasagna noodles)
• 1 and 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese (or more)
• 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese (on top)
• Italian seasoning
• Paprika
• Basil

Make A Quick & Easy Ranch Spinach Dip

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375 F.
Butternut Squash Filling:
2. For this filling, you will need to have pre-cooked butternut squash puree. Using food processor, combine 2 cups of butternut squash puree with Ricotta cheese, milk, salt and nutmeg. Add more milk if needed (to make the butternut squash filling very creamy). Mix very well, taste and add more salt, if needed.
Spinach Filling:
3. Combine spinach, Ricotta cheese, mozzarella, garlic, salt and pepper. Mix, taste, and add more salt and pepper, if needed.
Cooking lasagna noodles:
4. Bring a very large pot of water to boil, and cook lasagna noodles according to package instructions. Rinse in cold water, drain. Using knife, trim noodles to fit your baking dish (if necessary).
Lasagna assembly:
5. Prepare a baking dish - I used a casserole dish 11 inches x 8.5 inches x 3 inches deep. Grease the lasagna dish lightly with olive oil spray. Spread 1/3 of butternut squash filling on the bottom of the dish. Sprinkle lightly with mozzarella cheese. Top with cooked lasagna noodles without overlapping (I used 3 noodles).
6. Spread half of spinach filling over the noodles. Top lightly with Mozzarella cheese. Top with cooked noodles.
7. Spread another layer (1/3) of butternut squash mixture, then sprinkle lightly with Mozzarella cheese. Top with cooked noodles.
8. Spread the remaining half of spinach filling over the noodles. Top lightly with Mozzarella cheese. Top with the final layer of cooked noodles.
9. Spread a generous amount of butternut squash filling (the remaining 1/3) over this final layer of noodles, sprinkle with grated Parmesan and remaining mozzarella cheese (about 1/2 cup of mozzarella). Generously sprinkle the cheese with Italian seasoning, paprika, basil.
10. Cover the baking dish with foil and bake for 30 min. Remove foil and bake additional 10 minutes.

Broccoli Cheese Soup

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup butter, sliced
• 1 1/2 cups chopped yellow onion
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 6 Tbsp all-purpose flour
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 (12 oz) cans evaporated milk
• 5 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 5 cups small diced broccoli florets*
• 1/8 tsp dried thyme
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 12 oz sharp cheddar cheese, freshly shredded (or more to taste)
• 2 oz parmesan cheese, freshly & finely shredded

Directions

• Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onions and saute until they begin to soften, about 3 - 4 minutes. Add garlic, flour and season lightly with salt and pepper then cook, stirring constantly, 2 minutes. While whisking, slowly pour in evaporated milk (whisk well to smooth). Cook mixture, stirring constantly until it begins to thicken then pour into a slow cooker along with chicken broth, diced broccoli and thyme. Cover with lid and cook on HIGH heat for 2 1/2 - 3 hours or low heat for 6 hours.
• Turn heat to warm (or off) and stir in heavy cream, then add in shredded cheddar cheese and parmesan cheese and stir to blend. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve warm.
• *From about 20 oz broccoli crowns, large stems cut off and discarded (or reserved for another use), florets diced into small pieces.

NEXT TIME I WOULD CHOP THE BROCCOLI IN THE FOOD PROCESSOR FIRST

Garlic and Brown Sugar Chicken

4-6 chicken breasts *I used 2 lbs boneless/skinless chicken breasts
1 cup packed brown sugar *I used 3/4 cup
2/3 cup vinegar  *I used apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup lemon-lime soda *I used Sprite Zero
2-3 Tablespoons minced garlic *I used about 1 1/2 T. fresh minced garlic
2 Tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
2 Tablespoons corn starch
2 Tablespoons water
Red pepper flakes (optional) 

Directions:

• Spray slow cooker with non-stick cooking spray. (Crock pot liners are also great!)
• Place chicken (frozen, thawed or fresh) inside slow cooker. 
• Mix together the sugar, vinegar, soda, garlic, soy sauce, and pepper, and pour over chicken. 
• Cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 4 hours. (Frozen chicken will obviously need a longer cook time.)
• Remove chicken from slow cooker (it should basically fall apart) and pour remaining sauce into a saucepan over high heat. 
• Mix together corn starch and water, pour into saucepan, and mix well. Let sauce come to a boil and boil for 2-3 minutes, or until it starts to thicken and turns into a glaze. 
• Remove from heat and let sit for a minute or two (it will continue to thicken as it cools).
• Sprinkle red pepper flakes on top if desired.  

Parmesan Honey Pork Roast

• 1 3-4 lb. boneless pork loin roast
• ⅔ C grated parmesan cheese
• ½ C honey
• 3 Tbsp soy sauce
• 1 Tbsp dried basil
• 1 Tbsp dried oregano
• 2 Tbsp chopped garlic
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• ½ tsp salt
• 2 Tbs cornstarch
• ¼ C chicken broth
• 1 tsp sugar, optional

Instructions

1. Place roast in slow cooker.
2. In a bowl combine cheese, honey, soy sauce, basil, oregano, garlic, oil, and salt.
3. Pour mixture over the top of roast.
4. Cover and cook on low for 5-6 hours or until thermometer reads 160 degrees.
5. Remove meat and place on platter.
6. Strain juices in slow cooker and put into a small sauce pan.
7. Mix cornstarch and chicken broth together.
8. Add into strained juices and stir until thickened over medium heat.
9. Add in a teaspoon of sugar if sauce needs to be a bit sweeter, optional
10. Slice roast and serve with glaze.