Lemon Pasta with Chicken and Spinach

A quick, easy, light meal.  Pretty good.
Adapted from melskitchencafe.com

Ingredients:
Cooked chicken
12 oz pasta, cooked (I used angel hair)
4 cloves garlic
2 T butter
6 cups chopped spinach
1/4 cup chicken broth
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
Parmesan cheese

Instructions:
Cook garlic in melted butter. Add spinach and chicken broth and cook until spinach wilts (about 3 minutes). Add pasta. Add in lemon zest and juice and cooked chicken. Serve immediately and top with fresh grated parmesan cheese.

Caramel Popcorn

This is so good you would have no idea how ridiculously easy it is. A quick zap in the microwave after mixing kind of sets the caramel. Spreading it on a cookie sheet lets the individual pieces harden so it doesn't all stick together.
I like that this recipe isn't overly sweet and sticky. It's just perfect.
Ingredients:
1/2 cup popcorn kernels. (more if you want not as strong of flavor, less if you want more concentrated sweetness)
1/4 cup butter
2 T. Light corn syrup
1/2 c. Brown sugar (I use slightly less)
1/4 t. Salt
1/2 t. Vanilla
1/4 t. Baking soda

Directions:
Pop corn using your favorite method. (Here's mine: put 1/4 cup kernels at a time in large microwaveable bowl covered with a plate. Microwave until popping slows down.)
Melt butter, corn syrup, sugar and salt in saucepan. Remove from heat. Add vanilla and soda and stir well, letting the baking soda do it's job.
Pour sauce over popped corn in large bowl and stir to coat evenly. Microwave for 30 seconds-ish. Stir. Spread on cookie sheet to cool.
Option: add in 3/4 cup of peanuts.

Ham Bone Soup

A great use for leftover ham. A filling, comfort food. Great for chilly winter nights. I used the cock pot but can be done on the stove as well. Serve with cornbread. Oh, and remember to soak the beans the night before!
Ps. Even my picky girl LOVED this. She said, "I just ate a carrot and it didn't even taste like a carrot!" Score.

Ingredients:
Leftover ham bone with some meat left on it. (You can throw in some extra ham if there's not much on the bone.)
1-2 carrots
1 stalk celery
1/2 cup-ish onion
1-2 cloves garlic (a spoonful of the jar garlic works great.)
1lb dry beans, pre soaked (I used a bag of mixed beans meant for soup, minus the flavoring packet. You can use just white beans or a mix)
Seasonings-parsley, thyme, pepper, paprika. To taste. (don't add salt until you taste it, it may not need it. Ham is usually salty enough)
4 cups chicken broth (or bouillon)
4 cups water (if your slow cooker doesn't fit that much, you can add more water after you take the bone out.)
Instructions:
Soak beans overnight in enough water to cover them plus an extra two inches. Dice veggies. Cut fat off of ham bone. Add all ingredients to crock pot. Mine was done on high in about 5 hours. Maybe over done... If its going to be in there all day, I'd suggest a low setting.

No Roll Sugar Cookies

I still hold to my previously posted favorite sugar cookie recipe, but if your in the mood for a more fluffy cookie out just don't want to roll and cut, these were excellent. Taste best next day.

Recipe from www.annies-eats.com

Ingredients:
For the cookies:
4½ cups all-purpose flour
4½ tsp. baking powder
¾ tsp. salt
1½ cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1½ cups sugar
3 large eggs
5 tsp. vanilla extract

For the frosting:
5 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
1/3 cup (5 1/3 tbsp.) unsalted butter, melted
1 tbsp. vanilla extract
7-8 tbsp. milk (plus more, as needed)
Food coloring (optional
DIRECTIONS
To make the cookies, preheat the oven to 350˚ F.  Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.  In a medium bowl combine the flour, baking powder and salt, and whisk together to blend.  In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the butter and sugar and beat together on medium-high speed until soft and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.  Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition and scraping down the bowl as needed.  Blend in the vanilla.  With the mixer on low speed, add in the dry ingredients mixing just until incorporated and evenly mixed.  Cover and chill the dough for 1 hour.

When you are ready to bake the cookies, scoop a scant quarter cup of dough and roll into a ball.  Flatten the ball slightly and place on the prepared baking sheet.  Repeat with the remaining dough, spacing the cookies at least 2-3 inches apart.  Bake about 10-12 minutes or just until set.  (Do not overbake!  The edges should be no more than very lightly browned if at all.)  Let cool on the baking sheet for several minutes.  Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

To frost the cookies, place the confectioners’ sugar in a medium bowl.  Add the melted butter, vanilla, and milk to the bowl and whisk until smooth.  Whisk in additional milk as necessary, 1 teaspoon at a time, until you reach your desired consistency.  Tint with food coloring if desired.  Use an offset spatula or spoon to frost the cooled cookies.  (If the frosting begins to thicken as you decorate, just continue to whisk in small amounts of milk to keep it workable.)  Top with sprinkles if desired.  Store in an airtight container

Cauliflower Soup

Jim and I really like this. It's basically an awesome creamed broth with cauliflower in it. Kids are not thrilled with it.

Saute 1/2 cup onions, 1-2 carrots, 1 T garlic, and maybe some celery in a little butter. Add a head of cauliflower, chopped. Sprinkle in salt, pepper, parsley and a bay leaf. Add about 2 quarts of chicken broth (or water with bouillon) and cook until cauliflower is soft.

Meanwhile, cook white sauce. (melt 4T butter, add 6T flour and cook one minute. Add a couple cups of milk. Cook until thick, stirring regularly.) Add sauce to soup.

Wild Rice and Lentil Soup

Very yummy and healthy. We picked up some wild rice and lentil mix at winco and used that instead. It had a little more rice and less lentils than recipe calls for, but I liked it that way. Can be frozen after cooled.

Ingredients:
1 cup onion, diced
1/2 cup carrots, diced
1/2 cup celery, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup wild rice
16 ounces uncooked lentils, rinsed
1 cup tomatoes
8 cups chicken broth
1 cup spinach
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon basil
1 bay leaf
salt and pepper
non-stick cooking spray
Directions:
Heat heavy pot on medium. Once hot spray with non-stick cooking spray, add the onion, carrot, celery, and garlic and sweat until the onions are translucent. Add the rice lentils, tomatoes, broth, spinach and spices. Increase heat to medium high and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer until the lentils and rice are tender, approximately 35 to 40 minutes.
Option: add chicken or sausage

Fluffy Whole Wheat Pancakes

Recipe from www.onceamonthmom.com.

Our family loves wheat pancakes and as much as we love blender pancakes, sometimes blending whole wheat kernels is too loud in the morning.
Oh, and they freeze great! Double or triple the batch, flash freeze them flat, them stack in freezer bag. Some for now, some for later! Kids can pop one in microwave anytime for a quick snack.

Ingredients:
1.5 cups whole wheat flour
1 Tablespoon baking powder
0.75 teaspoon salt
3 Tablespoons brown sugar
2 eggs
1.5 cups milk
3 Tablespoons oil or melted butter

Directions:
Combine dry ingredients. Beat in eggs, milk, and oil with a whisk or mixer. Heat a nonstick griddle or skillet to medium heat. Spray with cooking spray or coat with a little butter. Pour on pancake batter, about 0.25 cup per pancake. When bubbles form and edges are set, flip. Serve warm, or freeze.