Pizza Dip

1 (8 oz) pkg cream cheese
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup pizza sauce
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1 cup cheddar cheese
Pepperoni slices, about 10-15 slices
Ritz crackers or veggies for dipping

Heat oven to 350.  Combine cream cheese and mayonnaise.  Spread into pie plate or serving platter.  Top with pizza sauce, pepperoni and cheeses.  Cook in oven 5 minutes or until cheese is melted.  Serve with ritz crackers or desired vegetables for dipping.

Orzo with Tomato Braised Zucchini with Chickpeas

1 pound orzo pasta
3 zucchini, diced
5 tomatoes, diced
1 can chickpeas, drained
12 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1/2 cup pine nuts, toasted
1/4 cup olive oil
Juice of one lemon
1 Tbsp dried mint leaves (or 1 cup fresh mint, chopped)
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper, more if you desire a bit more spice
Salt and Pepper, to taste
3 Tbsp parmesan cheese

Cook orzo according to package instructions.  Drain, keeping 1/2 cup cooking water for later use.  In a large pan, heat olive oil and saute zucchini on medium high.  Add chopped garlic, tomatoes, salt, pepper and crushed red pepper.  Continue to cook on medium high, stirring occasionally, for about 10-12 minutes or until tomatoes are tender.  Add reserved pasta water.  Stir in chickpeas and lemon juice.  Adjust salt/pepper/crushed red pepper seasoning as desired at this time.  Continue to cook for another five minutes or until chickpeas are heated through.  Combine cooked orzo pasta with zucchini mix.  Stir and let cook 3-5 minutes or until fully heated through.  Top with mint leaves, pine nuts, and parmesan cheese.

Serves 10

Italian Chicken with Tomatoes and Mushrooms

4 large chicken cutlets
1 Tbsp oregano
1 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
1/2 cup all purpose flour
EVOO
8 oz baby bella mushroom, sliced
14 oz grape tomatoes, halved
2 Tbsp chopped fresh garlic
1 1/4 cup chicken broth
1 Tbsp lemon juice
4 oz frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained (*or 2-4 oz fresh baby spinach)

Season both sides of chicken with 1/2 Tbsp oregano, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp black pepper.  Coat the chicken cutlets with flour.  Set aside.  Heat 2 Tbsp EVOO in skillet.  Brown the chicken on both sides (3-4 minutes); set aside.  In the same skillet, add more EVOO if needed.  Add mushrooms and saute on medium high for about 1 minute.  Add tomatoes, garlic, 1/2 Tbsp oregano, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp pepper and 2 tsp flour.  Cook for another 3 minutes, stirring regularly.  Add chicken broth and lemon juice.  Bring liquid to boil and add chicken back to skillet.  Cook over high heat for 3-4 minutes, then reduce heat to medium low.  Cover and cook for another 8 minutes or until chicken is fully cooked through.  Stir in spinach.  If using frozen spinach, cook just until heated through.  If using fresh spinach, stir to combine in pan and remove from heat quickly.

Serves 4

Banana Blueberry Smoothie

1/2 cup blueberries, thawed if using frozen
1/2 banana, sliced
1 date, pitted and chopped
1 Tbsp oats
1 cup almond milk
1 Tbsp almond butter

Combine all until creamy and smooth.  If smoothie is too thick, add more almond milk to reach desired consistency.

Serves 1

Sicilian Fish Stew

EVOO
1 large yellow onion, chopped
2 celery ribs, chopped
Salt and pepper
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 tsp dried thyme
Pinch red pepper flakes
1 cup chicken broth
1 (28 oz) can whole peeled plum tomatoes, juice separated and reserved
3 cups vegetable broth
1/4 cup golden raisins
2 Tbsp capers, rinsed
2 pounds cod, skinned and cut into large cubes
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves
Crusty Italian bread for serving

Heat 1 Tbsp EVOO in large dutch oven.  Add onions, celery and a little salt and pepper.  Cook, stirring regularly, about 4 minutes.  Add thyme, red pepper flakes and garlic and cook about 30 seconds.  Stir in chicken broth and reserved tomato juice from can.  Bring to a simmer, and cook until the liquid is reduced by about half.  Add the tomatoes, vegetable broth, raisins, and capers.  Cook for 15-20 minutes over medium heat.  Pat the fish dry and season lightly with salt and pepper.  Insert fish pieces in the cooking liquid.  Give everything a very gentle stir so the fish pieces are nicely covered in the cooking liquid.  Bring to a simmer and cook for another 5 minutes.  Remove the dutch oven from the heat and cover.  Let sit off heat for another 4-5 minutes until the fish finishes cooking.  Fish will be flaky when gently pulled apart with knife.  Stir in the chopped parsley.  Serve with crusty bread.

Serves 4-6

Kickoff Popper Dip

1 pkg (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup mayonnaise
4 oz Velveeta, cut into 1/4 inch cubes
3 jalapeno peppers, sliced
12 Ritz crackers, crushed
1 Tbsp butter, melted
1 green onion, sliced
Vegetables, crackers or chips for dipping

Heat oven to 350.  Beat cream cheese and mayo until well blended.  Stir in Velveeta and peppers; spread into 9 inch pie plate.  Mix crumbs and butter; sprinkle over dip.  Bake 20 minutes or until heated through.  Top with onions.

18 servings

Fudgy Chocolate Chip Toffee Bars

1/2 cup butter, melted
2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1 bag (8 oz) toffee bits
1 roll (16 oz) refrigerated chocolate chip cookies
1 bag (12 oz) semi sweet chocolate chips
1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk
1 Tbsp butter
1 tsp vanilla extract

Heat oven to 350.  Spray bottom only of 13x9 pan with non stick cooking spray.  In bowl, stir 1/2 cup melted butter, 1 1/2 cups of the cracker crumbs and 3/;4 cup of the toffee bits.  Press mixture evenly in bottom of pan.  Refrigerate about 15 minutes or until firm.  Meanwhile, let cookie dough stand at room temperature for 10 minutes to soften.  In saucepan, heat chocolate chips, milk and 1 Tbsp butter, stirring frequently, until chips are melted and mixture is smooth.  Remove from heat; stir in vanilla.  Spread  mixture over cracker crust.  In bowl, break up cookie dough.  Mix in remaining 1/2 cup cracker crumbs until well blended.  Crumble mixture evenly over chocolate layer.  Sprinkle with remaining 3/4 cup toffee bits.  Bake 25-35 minutes or until golden brown.  Cool completely, about 2 hours.  For a firmer bar, refrigerate.

Makes 32 bars

Mexican Meatloaf

2 pounds ground beef
1 pkg (6 oz) stuffing mix for chicken
1 can rotel, undrained
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup salsa
2 eggs
4 cloves minced garlic
2 Tbsp brown sugar

Heat oven to 375.  Mix meat, stuffing mix, tomatoes, 1 1/4 cups cheese, 3/4 cup salsa, eggs and garlic until well blended.  Shape into 2 loaves in 13x9 baking dish.  Bake 50 minutes.  Meanwhile, mix remaining salsa and sugar.  Spread salsa mixture over meatloaves; top with remaining cheese.  Bake 10 minutes or until meatloaves are done.

Serves 8

Beef with Broccoli

2 cups uncooked instant brown rice
1 3/4 cup water
1 cup beef broth
1 Tbsp cornstarch
2 Tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp packed brown sugar
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 tsp ginger paste
2 tsp Sriracha, alter amount to your desired level of spice
1 pound boneless beef round steak, thinly sliced
1 small onion, thinly sliced
Salt and Pepper, to taste
1/2 pound frozen cut broccoli, thawed

Combine rice and water in large bowl.  Microwave rice for time listed on rice package.  Meanwhile, in small bowl, mix broth, cornstarch, soy sauce, brown sugar and sriracha.  Stir until all dissolved.  In skillet, heat oil.  Add ginger, beef and onion; sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Cook 2-4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until beef is brown. Remove beef mixture from skillet; cover to keep warm.  Add broth mixture and broccoli to skillet.  Heat to boiling; reduce heat.  Cook 5-10 minutes or until sauce thickens and broccoli is tender.  Return beef mixture to skillet; cook until hot, stirring occasionally.  Serve beef with broccoli over warm rice.

Serves 4

Chinese Pork Stir Fry

1 Tbsp EVOO

1 pound pork tenderloin, cut into thin strips

1 cup frozen onion and pepper mix

4 oz fresh sliced mushrooms

3 carrots, sliced

1/3 cup balsamic vinaigrette dressing

2 Tbsp hoisin sauce

2 green onions, thinly sliced

Hot cooked rice or rice noodles

Heat oil in large skillet.  Add meat and vegetables; stir fry 5 minutes.  Stir in dressing and hoisin sauce; stir fry 5 minutes.  Add mushroom; stir fry 2 minutes.  If meat is not done, stir fry until meat is done at this time.  Add green onions; stir fry one minute.  Serve over rice or rice noodles.

Serves 4