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French Onion Soup Cups

Greeting your guests with these individual French Onion Soup cups, will warm them right up on a chilly fall night. Ingredients 5 Tb butter 4 sweet yellow onions, sliced 2 garlic cloves, chopped 2 bay leaves 2 fresh thyme sprigs Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper 3/4 apple cider 3 heaping tablespoons all-purpose flour 2 quarts beef broth 1 baguette, sliced 1 block grated Gruyere Cheese Directions Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onions, garlic, bay leaves, thyme, and s&p and cook until the onions are very soft and caramelized, ~25 minutes. Add 1/2 carton of broth and apple cider, bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer about 5 minutes and get all bits of onion off the bottom of the pan. Discard the bay leaves and thyme sprigs. Dust the onions with the flour and give them a stir. Turn the heat down to medium low and cook for 10 minutes. Add the rest of the beef broth, bring the soup back to a simmer, and cook for 10-15…

Brussel Sprouts with Pistachios and Lemon

This is one of my favorite Brussels Sprout recipes and I only wish I had pistachios instead of Marcona almonds last night. Quarter Brussels sprouts and toss in Evoo, garlic, and S&P. Lay out on a cookie sheet and roast for 10-15 min on 450. Add lemon juice (1 whole lemon) and almonds or pistachios and broil for another couple of minutes. Take out of oven and add lemon zest and more S&P if needed. I like to serve this as a side dish or on brown rice with grilled chicken and a little extra evoo and lemon juice on top.

Costa Rican Rice and Beans

Dreaming of this Cost Rican breakfast from Sunday as I’m munching on my Quest bar. Costa Rican Rice and beans (from what I gathered as I watched the cook) 2 cups cooked black beans, plus 3/4 cup bean cooking liquid 3 cups cooked long-grain white rice 1 Tbsp vegetable oil 1/2 onion, diced 1 bell pepper, diced 1/2 cup diced celery 2 large cloves garlic, minced 1 tsp thyme S&P to taste Chopped cilantro for garnish Sauté onion, garlic, thyme, pepper, and celery in oil. Add beans, rice and liquid once cooked through. Continue cooking until incorporated. Serve with corn tortillas, eggs, avocado, and fried plantains.

Curried Coconut Cauliflower

This Curried Cauliflower was a winner at our house. If you have leftovers throw it on some lettuce with chicken and you have dinner the next night. Spread on a cookie sheet: 8-10 cups of cauliflower (it reduces) 1 onion, chopped 2 garlic cloves, minced Combine Sauce- (rough idea) 3/4 C EVOO 1/2 C red wine vinegar 1 tsp cumin 3 tsp curry powder 1 tsp paprika S&P Pour sauce over cauliflower and onions. Mix until combined. Bake for 15 minutes or so at 450 Add shredded coconut and bake for a few more minutes Add Cilantro for garnish.

Cottage cheese, tomato, and avocado salad

After one too many handfuls of Peanut M&Ms this weekend, today’s lunch was just what I needed to reboot. Cottage Cheese (Costco 2% is the best by far) Sliced tomato, avocado, and cucumber Sprinkled with lemon zest, a dash of lemon juice, and Tajin (YUM)

Grilled Grape and Burrata Appetizer

This appetizer is as elegant as a night at the Oscars. It’s so easy and has the greatest combination of flavors. Combine EVOO (1/2C) balsamic vinegar (1/4 C) red pepper flakes 2 cloves of minced garlic Pour sauce over red seedless grapes. Let marinade for about 10 to 20 minutes turning to make sure all grapes get coated. Grill grapes on high for a minute or two and then flip over for another minute. (I used a Traeger which added a smokiness that was divine but a BBQ would work as well). Return grapes to the marinade too cool. Serve grapes alongside burrata cheese and grilled bread.

Grilled Corn & Black Bean Salad

Clean eating at its yummiest! I am obsessed with this salad. It’s citrusy, a tad spicy, and has a great blend of textures. Double the recipe and use it the next day in numerous ways (over eggs, with brown rice, over a chicken breast, Nacho topping, the possibilities are endless!). 1 can Black beans, drained 3-4 corn on the cobs, grilled 1 bunch asparagus, grilled Green onion, grilled then thinly sliced Radishes, thinly sliced Avocado, sliced Feta or Cojita cheese Chili-lime vinaigrette 1 part freshly squeezed lime juice 1 part EVOO or Grape Seed Oil Dash or two of chili powder Handful of cilantro, chopped s&p to taste Heat beans and add chopped asparagus, corn, radishes, green onion, and feta. Top with avocado slices and drizzle dressing on top.

Corn Cake

This meal has my name written all over it. I was going to share my party drink recipes but that will have to wait until tomorrow. Corn cake: 1 C corn meal 1/2 C flour 3/4 tsp baking soda 1 tsp salt 1 tsp pepper 1 tsp sugar 1 1/2 – 2 C milk 1 egg, beaten 1/4 C honey Green onion, sliced 1 1/2 C Frozen corn, thawed 1 C shredded cheese Jalapeño, diced Mix well and cook like a pancake. Top with leftover pulled pork or any meat (beef or chicken would be great). Top with fried or soft boiled egg. *For an amazing sweet corn cake, mix 2 parts mascarpone cheese to 1 part honey and smear (a lot) on corn cakes. OH MY GOSH!!

Peach and Mozzarella Stacks

I wish you were all able to come over for lunch right now with this peach salad, grilled chicken, and a cold Diet Coke! Sprinkle lime juice and honey on sliced peaches. Grill peaches until they have grill marks. (You don’t have to grill the peaches, fresh peaches or nectarines would be great too). Lay Arugula on platter and mix with dressing. Layer mozzarella slices and peaches and place on top of arugula. Drizzle dressing and EVOO on top of stacks. Dressing In a blender (until combined): 5 peaches One bunch green onions, sliced 1 C chopped fresh cilantro 1/3 C honey 1 tsp salt Zest of one lime 2 limes juiced 3/4 tsp cumin 3/4 tsp chili powder 1 C EVOO

Spicy Asian Slaw

Last salad recipe from my party. This one was definitely the favorite! So many different textures with a spicy, sweet, Asian twist. There are a lot of “dashes” in this recipe because I can’t remember exactly how I made the dressing and playing scales can be so boring. Dressing 3/4 C mayo Juice of 2-3 limes A couple of dashes of red wine vinegar Heavy dashes of soy sauce Heavy dashes of sesame seed oil Dashes of chili oil Grated ginger 2 TB or so Wasabi paste Sugar, 2-3 TB S&P. (Mix, taste, and add until it’s just perfect) Bagged coleslaw mix Costco Sweet Kale Vegetable Salad (1/2 of the bag) Cilantro, chopped Green onion, thinly sliced Snow peas, roughly chopped Red, yellow, and orange sweet peppers, chopped small Costco cashew nut clusters, chopped up Add chicken to make this dinner. Mix dressing and let sit. Add all other ingredients together and pour dressing 20 minutes before serving. “Following a recipe is like playing scales, and cooking is jazz.” Shauna Niequist