Spicy Rigatoni

Ingredients:
¼ cup olive oil
½ cup finely chopped onion
1 small garlic clove, finely grated
½ cup tomato paste
2 tbsp. vodka
1 cup heavy cream
1-2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (your preference)
salt, ground pepper
1 pound rigatoni
2 tbsp. butter
1 oz. finely grated Parmesan, plus more for serving
¼ cup chopped fresh basil

Directions:
1. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium.
2. Add onion and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened (about 5 min)
3. Add tomato paste and cook, stirring occasionally, until paste is brick red and starts to caramelize (about 5 min)
4. Add vodka and cook, stirring constantly, until liquid is mostly evaporated (about 2 min)
5. Add cream and red pepper flakes and stir until well blended
6. Season with salt and pepper and remove from heat
7. Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, until al dente.
8. Drain, reserving 1 cup pasta cooking liquid
9. Add pasta to skillet with sauce along with butter and ½ cup pasta cooking liquid
10. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly (add more pasta cooking liquid if needed) until butter has melted and a thick, glossy sauce has formed (about 2 min)
11. Season with salt and pepper, mix in 1 oz. of parmesan
12. Dish pasta into bowls and top with basil and additional parmesan

My Favorite Flatbread

This caramelized onion, goat cheese & shredded balsamic chicken flatbread (topped with fresh basil) is life changing.

Ingredients:
2 tsp butter or olive oil (your preference for caramelizing onions – I use butter)
1 large sweet onion, peeled and thinly sliced
4 whole wheat flat breads (I use these)
1/3 cup crumbled goat cheese
¾ cup of balsamic shredded chicken (I make shredded chicken for the week in a crock pot –so I can use for multiple dinners–  and season with about 1 tbsp of glaze)
olive oil for brushing
salt, pepper, garlic powder, oregano, red pepper flakes
fresh basil, sliced into ribbons (can substitute arugula)

Directions:
1. Caramelize your onions (don’t know how? – here’s a quick tutorial) 2. As the onions are cooking, preheat oven to 425 degrees
3. Brush your flat breads with olive oil & lightly season with spices
4. Top seasoned flat breads with caramelized onion, shredded chicken and goat cheese
5. Bake 9-11 minutes
6. Remove & top with basil or arugula

The Perfect Banana Bread

I absolutely love banana bread. That being said I’ve ate A LOT of it and am always looking for different ways to improve my own recipe.

A few changes to some of my favorite recipes has created this perfect loaf. It’s full of rich banana flavor and moist throughout. (I do not apologize for using the word *moist*).

Banana Bread

Ingredients:
½ cup butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 large mashed bananas
½ cup milk (can sub buttermilk)
2 cups whole wheat flour
1 box of banana pudding mix
1 tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
½ cup chopped nuts

Instructions:
1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Mix butter and sugar in the bowl until creamy.
3. Add eggs and mix well.
4. Add milk, vanilla and bananas to mixture.
5. Add dry ingredients to creamy mixture and blend well.
6. Grease loaf pan
7. Bake in 1 loaf pan for 60-70 minutes minutes.
**Check you loaf with a tooth pick every 25 minutes as some ovens will cook faster and you do not want to dry out your bread.**

ENJOY 🙂

Turkey Cheeseburger Quesadilla

Delicious, easy and a healthy alternative for your burger cravings!

Turkey Cheeseburger Quesadillas
*makes 6 quesadillas

Ingredients:

1lb ground turkey
½ tbsp. ketchup
½ tbsp. mustard
½ tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
¼ tsp ground black pepper
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp garlic powder
½ cup diced onion
1 tbsp. olive oil
¼ cup diced red bell pepper
¼ cup diced green bell pepper
6 whole wheat tortilla wraps
2 cups shredded cheese (your preference)
Butter (for the pan)
1 cup shredded lettuce
½ cup diced tomato

Directions:

1. In medium-size bowl, combine ground turkey, ketchup, mustard, Worcestershire sauce and spices
2. Begin to heat olive oil over medium-high adding well-mixed meat mixture
3. As ground turkey begins to cook, use your spatula to finely ground the meat
4. When meat is just about cooked, drain any liquid from the pan and return to heat
5. Add in your onions and peppers
6. Cook until onions/peppers start to soften
7. Remove mixture from heat and set aside in a bowl
8. Wipe pan clean and return to stove
9. Bring pan to a notch below medium-level heat
10. Add butter, enough to coat the pan
11. Lay down your tortilla
12. On only half of the tortilla add a layer of cheese, then a layer of the meat mixture and then top with another layer of shredded cheese
13. When the tortilla begins to bubble fold empty side onto side with filling
14. Use your spatula to flip the quesadilla so it’s an even golden brown on both sides
15. Cut in half and top with lettuce and tomato (season toppings with salt and pepper if you’d like)
16. Serve warm!

Crock Pot Pulled Pork

The flavor in this pulled pork is incredible. It’s easy to make and adaptable to a variety of meals!

Crock Pot Pulled Pork
*perfect for sandwiches, tacos, pizzas, etc.

Ingredients:
3 tbsp. paprika
½ tbsp. salt
2 tsp black pepper
½ tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp garlic powder
½ teaspoon dried thyme
½ cup honey
¼ cup red wine vinegar
2 tbsp. olive oil
1 onion, peeled and cut in half
3 ½-5lb pork shoulder butt

Directions:
1. Mix together dry ingredients
2. Pour in the honey, vinegar, and olive oil and stir to form a paste
3. Place the onion in the bottom of the slow cooker.
4. Lay/prop pork on top of onion
5. Pour the mixture over all sides of the pork pieces (a lot will fall to the bottom – it’s okay)
6. Turn crock pot on low and cook for 5 to 7 hours (varies depending on your crock pot) or until the meat is tender enough to be easily shredded with a fork

Options for adding this delicious pork to your meals:

Bacon Mac & Cheese

Ingredients:

1 lb elbow pasta

Cheese Sauce:
1 stick of butter
2 tbsp flour
½ of a medium sweet onion, chopped
1 tbsp ground mustard
1 tsp salt
½ tsp ground black pepper
½ tsp cayenne pepper
1 cup gruyere cheese
2 cups sharp cheddar cheese
1 ½ cups mozzarella
2 ½ cups milk

Topping:
½ cup panko bread crumbs
½ tsp garlic powder
½ tsp paprika
4 slices of bacon (cooked and chopped)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400° F
2. In a large pot melt butter over medium-low
3. Add 2 tbsp of flour and whisking to make a roux (3-4 minutes)
4. Add finely chopped onion to the mixture and cook until onion becomes slightly translucent
5. Gradually pour in 2 cups of your milk (the rest will be added later)
6. Raise your heat to medium-high – bring sauce to a low boil, whisking constantly to make a béchamel sauce
7. Reduce heat, whisking occasionally until your béchamel sauce is thick and coats the back of a spoon (about 3 minutes)
8. Add in ground mustard, salt, pepper and cayenne pepper
9. Add each type of cheese individually – whisking until each is completely melted before adding more
10. Add ½ cup of milk to loosen sauce
11. Add the drained macaroni to the pot with the cheese sauce and stir well to coat
12. Transfer macaroni mixture to the buttered baking dish
13. Mix panko bread crumbs, garlic powder and paprika and sprinkle evenly over macaroni
14. Bake until golden and bubbling, 18–22 minutes.
15. Sprinkle bacon crumbs on top
16. Let cool 15 minutes before serving

Buffalo Chicken Dip

my favorite buffalo chicken dip recipe –
(I normally double or triple this recipe because one is never enough!)

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 20 Minutes
Serving Size: 4 Cups Dip

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 pkg. (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
• 3/4 cup Frank’s Hot Sauce
• 1/4 cup blue cheese
• 1/4 cup ranch dressing
• 2 cups shredded/ground cooked chicken
• 1/2 cup cheddar cheese or your favorite shredded cheese

DIRECTIONS:

PREHEAT oven to 350°F.
COMBINE all ingredients in a 1-quart baking dish.
BAKE 20 min. or until mixture is heated through; stir.
SERVE with chips, crackers or vegetables.