Sweet Tarts

How cute are these? I am having so much fun with Valentine's Day this year. I don't why because it isn't a "holiday" that I have ever really done much with. Maybe it's my kids, maybe it's my wonderful husband who has been so supportive (especially the last 2 weeks), or maybe it's because we have made it an entire year without moving. For us, that is something to celebrate! These are easy and yummy! More Valentine's Day food and crafts to come soon.

Sweet Tarts

your favorite pie crust

raspberry jam

water

powdered sugar

Roll out your dough until it is fairly thin, but not too thin. Using a cookie cutter, cut out as many hearts as you can get out of your pie dough. Be sure to re-roll your scraps!

Put a small spoonful of jam in the center of one heart. Wet the edges of that same heart and then place another heart on top, creasing the two hearts together with a fork.

Place on a greased baking sheet and cook in a 425* oven for 12 minutes or until golden. Cool completely and once cooled, sprinkle with powdered sugar.

Spinach Artichoke Mac and Cheese

So this is not a great picture, but this is one of my most favorite meals ever!! I only make it like twice a year because I could seriously eat the entire dish by myself. Maybe I'll make it 3 times this year:)

Spinach Artichoke Mac and Cheese

1 lb regular or whole wheat penne pasta

2 tbsp olive oil

2 tbsp butter

1 lg onion, finely chopped

3 cloves garlic, finely chopped or grated

2 tbsp flour

1/2 cup chicken stock

2 cups milk

a few grates of nutmeg

1 box (10 oz) frozen chopped spinach, defrosted and wrung dry in a kitchen towel

1 can artichoke hearts, chopped

1/2 cup fonita cheese, grated

1 cup mozzarella cheese, grated, plus more for top

1 cup parmesan cheese, grated, plus more for top.

Preheat oven to 350*. Place a large pot of water over high heat to boil. When water is boiling, salt it well and drop in the pasta. Cook to al dente according to package directions. Drain pasta and reserve.

While pasta is cooking, place a med pot or skillet over med-low heat. Heat olive oil and 2 tbsp butter in pot to heat and melt. Add the onion and garlic to pan and cook veggies until very soft, about 10 minutes.

Turn the heat up to med-high and sprinkle the flour into the pan. Cook for about 1 minute then whisk stock into the pan. Whisk in the milk and bring to a bubble. Add the nutmeg, spinach, artichokes, some salt and pepper to the sauce and simmer until thickened, 2-3 minutes. Add cheeses to the sauce and stir with a wooden spoon until melted.

Toss the prepared sauce with the cooked pasta and transfer to a casserole dish. Sprinkle with additional cheese and bake until cheese has melted and the top is golden brown, about 30 minutes.

Serves 4-6

*You can play around with some different cheeses with this dish. Try all mozzarella or some provolone instead of fontina. Get creative!

Onion Cider Soup

If you don't like onions, stop reading this. If you do like onions-try this recipe! It is a great twist on French Onion Soup. We loved it!

Onion Cider Soup

3 tbsp butter

6 medium onions, thinly sliced

1 bay leaf

1 tsp thyme

salt and pepper

2 small gala or golden delicious apples, peeled and chopped

2 cups cloudy apple cider

1 qt beef stock

1/4 cup olive oil

1 tsp hot sauce

1 clove garlic, peeled and crushed or grated

1 baguette, cut into 12 slices about 1 1/2 inches thick

1 1/2 cups shredded extra sharp white cheddar cheese

2 tbsp thyme

Preheat oven to 325*. Heat a soup pot over med/med-high heat. Melt butter and add onions, bay leaf, thyme, salt and pepper. Cook onions until very soft and light caramel in color, about 20 minutes.

Add apples, stir to combine and cook 10 minutes more. Stir in cider and stock. Bring to a boil and let reduce, about 10 minutes.

For the croutons, in a small saucepan, heat olive oil with hot sauce and grated garlic. Let oil infuse a couple of minutes, then brush the bread slices with oil mixture. Arrange slices on a cooling rack set over a baking sheet and bake until crisp, 5-6 minutes. Top toast with a mound of cheese and a sprinkle of thyme. Bake 2 minutes more to melt the cheese.

Serve soup in bowls with 3 croutons each.

Serves 4

Amazing Chili

I think I have a new favorite chili recipe! This recipe is not for the itty bitty's at home, but the mommy's and daddy's are sure going to love it! This recipe come from Cookin' Canuck and it caught my eye because of the ground turkey and also because of the chipotle peppers. (I had some in the fridge I needed to use up.) I wanted to eat this without tears streaming down my face, so I toned down the heat factor by scraping the seeds out of the peppers before I added them to the chili. If you want more heat, leave the seeds in. So, make the kids a pot of spaghetti and enjoy a bowl of amazing chili!

Turkey Chili with Chipotle Peppers

cookin canuck

1 tbsp canola oil

2 medium onions, chopped

1 1/2 tsp dried oregano

1 1/2 tsp ground cumin

2 garlic cloves, chopped

2 lbs ground turkey meat

1/4 cup chili powder

2 bay leaves

1 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder

1 1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1 (28oz) can whole tomatoes (including juices)

2 tbsp tomato paste

2 chipotle peppers in adobo, chopped

2 tsp adobo sauce (from pepper can)

3 cups chicken broth

1 (15oz) can black beans, rinsed and drained

1 (15oz) can small white beans, rinsed and drained

sour cream

Fresh cilantro, chopped

Heat oil in a large, heavy pot set over medium heat. Add onions and saute until tender and light brown, about 10 minutes. Add cumin and oregano. Stir for 30 seconds, then add garlic cloves. Stir for an additional 30 seconds. Increase heat to med-high. Add ground turkey, breaking it up with a wooden spoon until it is cooked through. Add chili powder, bay leaves, cocoa powder, salt and cinnamon. Add whole tomatoes, including their juices. Break up the tomatoes with a wooden spoon while cooking. Mix in tomato paste, chipotle peppers, adobo sauce and chicken broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove and discard bay leaves. Add black and white beans to the chili. Simmer for an additional 10 minutes. Ladle soup into bowls and serve with sour cream and chopped cilantro.

Serves 8

Brown Sugar Meatloaf

I know meatloaf is not the most exciting thing to eat, but I worked a ton of hours this weekend, so this is about as exciting as it got around here. This is my favorite meatloaf recipe though-I love the ginger in it!Brown Sugar Meatloaf

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup ketchup

1 1/2 lbs ground beef (or turkey-don't be afraid of it Jodi!!)

3/4 cup milk

2 eggs

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

1 small onion, chopped

1/4 tsp ground ginger

3/4 cup crushed saltine crackers

Preheat oven to 350*. Lightly grease a loaf pan. Mix ingredients (except brown sugar and ketchup) in a mixing bowl and then shape into a loaf after putting mixture in loaf pan. Press sugar on top on loaf and spread ketchup on top of sugar. (You can also put ketchup and sugar on the bottom of the pan before putting mixture in if you wanted to change it up a bit, or do both-bottom and top.) Bake 1 hour or until juices run clear.

Serves 6-8

Coconut Chicken

We eat a ton of chicken in our house cause it is cheap, so I am always looking for new ways to serve it. I have had this recipe in my file to try for a while now and I wish I had a a better picture of it. It was so good! I think this is my new favorite "easy" chicken recipe.

Coconut Chicken

anna can cook

2 eggs, beaten

water

1 cup coconut

1/2 cup flour

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

1/4 tsp garlic powder

1 1/2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts (whole or cut into strips)

melted butter

In a shallow dish mix together, flour, coconut, salt, pepper and garlic powder. In another shallow dish, beat 2 eggs with some water.

Dredge chicken in egg wash, then in coconut mixture. Depending on what crunch you like, you may want to dry dip, wet dip, dry dip.

Place chicken on sprayed cookie sheet. Drizzle each piece with a little melted butter. Bake at 400* for 25 minutes.

The best part of this is the dipping sauce-combine orange marmalade and Dijon mustard. Play around with the portions until you get the flavor you like. So good!!!

Pasta with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce

Dear Pioneer Woman,

Thank you for sharing your talents with with the rest of us! You are truly amazing!!

I wish I were as talented as you are.

Love,

Me

Pasta with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce

adapted from pioneer woman

3 whole red bell peppers

2 tbsp olive oil

1/2 medium onion

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 cups heavy cream

flat leaf parsley, mined

Parmesan, shaved or grated

1 lb penne pasta

Roast red peppers under the broiler until charred. Once charred, place in a Ziploc bag to sweat. Peel charred skin from the peppers, then remove seeds. Puree peppers in blender until sauce forms.

Cook pasta according to package directions.

In a skillet or pot over medium heat, drizzle in olive oil. Add diced onions and garlic and cook until soft. Pour in pepper puree and stir together. Add salt to taste.

Pour in cream and stir to combine. Add cooked pasta, then stir again to combine. Place pasta in a bowl and top with chopped parsley and cheese. OH SO GOOD!!!!

Serves 4