Pasta with Feta Cheese, Spinach and Sundried Tomatoes

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup onion, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 cups sundried tomatoes, chopped
1 bag baby spinach, about 7 oz.
1 pound pasta
1 cup crumbled feta cheese
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper



Directions:

In large pan, heat olive oil over medium heat and add chopped onions. Saute onions, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 6 minutes. Add garlic and saute until fragrant, about a minute. Add red pepper flakes and tomatoes, give a quick stir. Then add spinach, cooking until spinach is wilted. Set aside.



Cook pasta as instructed, drain and place hot pasta in large bowl. Add feta and parmesan cheeses and mix well, allowing cheeses to melt.



Fold in spinach mixture, pepper and salt, to taste. Drizzle with olive oil. Garnish with parmesan cheese.



Verdict:

Laura - Thumbs Up - This pasta was great. I love the feta and the sweet, chewy tomatoes. I will make it again.

Randy - Thumbs Down - Randy doesn't like pasta.

Nathan - Thumbs Down - Nathan wasn't interested in pasta tonight.

Leftovers: The leftovers were good. I ate it for lunch for several days. I just heated it up in the microwave.

Baked Lemon Pasta

Ingredients:
1 pound thin spaghetti
1/4 cups butter
1 ounce olive oil
1 lemon
2 cloves garlic
1 pint sour cream
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup parmesan cheese



Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cook spaghetti until al dente. In a skillet, melt butter with olive oil over low heat. When butter is melted, add minced garlic. Squeeze lemon juice into pan. Turn off heat. Add sour cream and stir mixture together. Add lemon zest and salt. Taste, then add more salt if necessary.

Pour mixture over drained spaghetti and stir together, then pour spaghetti into an oven safe dish.



Bake, covered, for 15 minutes. Then, remove foil and bake for an additional 7 to 10 minutes. (Don't bake too long to the pasta will dry out.)

When you remove it from the oven, squeeze a little more lemon juice over the top. Top generously with parmesan cheese, then chopped parsley. Give it a final squeeze of lemon juice at the end.

Verdict:

Laura - Thumbs Up - I love this pasta. It's very light and crisp.

Randy - Thumbs Down - Randy doesn't like pasta.

Nathan - Thumbs Up - Nathan likes this pasta. It's a bit hard for him to get the pasta noodles on his fork, but he manages. He also loves it leftover.

Leftovers: I reheat it in the microwave and it's great the second time around.

Pumpkin Cookies

Ingredients:
2 cups Flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup shortening
1 cup sugar
1 cup pumpkin
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla



Directions:

Preheat the oven to 250 degrees. Begin by sifting the first 5 ingredients together in a medium-sized mixing bowl; set aside. In a large mixing bowl cream the sugar and shortening, then add the pumpkin; blend well. Add the egg; beat well.



Next, gently stir in the dry ingredients, a little at a time, to form a smooth batter. Finally, add the vanilla and stir to combine.



Drop by tablespoonfuls onto a cookie sheet and bake for around 12 minutes.



Once cookies are done, cool for a few minutes on the cookie sheet, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.


Verdict:

Laura - Thumbs Up - These were delicious. I gobbled them up. The batter is very fluffy and not like a regular cookie dough. The cookies are more like cake than a cookie.

Randy - Thumbs Up - Randy liked them.

Nathan - Thumbs Up - Nathan loved these cookies. He licked the batter from the bowl and couldn't wait for the cookies to come out of the oven. He said these reminded him of muffins.

Leftovers: Leftovers didn't last long. I keep them in a ziploc container in the pantry.

"Healthified" Banana Bread

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup canola oil
2 egg whites
1 cup mashed ripe bananas (3 large)
1/4 cup fat-free milk
1 teaspoon vanilla




Directions:
Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease bottom only of 8x4-inch or 9x5-inch loaf pan with butter or spray with cooking spray. In medium bowl, mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon.

In large bowl, beat sugar, oil, egg whites, bananas, milk and vanilla until well blended.



Stir in flour mixture until well blended.



Spoon into pan.



Bake 8-inch loaf 55 to 62 minutes, 9-inch loaf 45 to 52 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 5 minutes; remove from pan to cooling rack.



Cool completely, about 1 hour, before slicing.



Verdict:

Laura - Thumbs Up - I love that this bread is made with whole wheat flour. It's delicious!

Randy - Thumbs Up - Randy actually likes this.

Nathan - Thumbs Up - This is one of Nathan's favorite snacks.

Leftovers: Leftovers are great! I keep the bread on the counter wrapped in foil and it will last about a week, if it doesn't get eaten up first.

Oatmeal

From Deceptively Delicious by Jessica Seinfeld



Ingredients:
1 cup nonfat milk
1/4 cup firmly packed light or dark brown sugar
1/4 cup canned pumpkin or sweet potato puree (I used sweet potato.)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract (optional)
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice (I used pumpkin pie spice.)
1 cup old-fashioned oats
2 teaspoons natural peanut butter (optional) (I used it.)
Dried fruit and nuts (optional)
Pure maple syrup, for serving



Directions:
In a small saucepan, combine the milk, sugar, puree, vanilla, if using, and spice. Bring to a gentle boil and stir in the oatmeal. Reduce the heat and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes, until the oatmeal is soft and creamy. Stir in the peanut butter, if using.



Spoon the oatmeal into bowls, sprinkle with dried fruit and nuts, if you like, and serve warm with maple syrup.

Verdict:

Laura - Thumbs Up - This oatmeal was warm and filling. It tasted like an oatmeal cookie. Yummy!

Randy - No comment. Randy wasn't home when I made this.

Nathan - Thumbs Down - Nathan wasn't interested in trying it. I offered him a spoonful and he pushed it away. Maybe he will try some tomorrow.

Leftovers: I'll eat the leftovers tomorrow for breakfast.

Creamy Potato Soup

From Deceptively Delicious by Jessica Seinfeld



Ingredients:
Nonstick cooking spray
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 small onion, chopped (I omitted.)
1 clove garlic, cut in half
2 (14 oz) cans reduced-fat low-sodium chicken broth
2 pounds potatoes, any kind, peeled and chopped
1/2 cup cauliflower puree (Not pictured)
1 1/2 cup butternut squash or carrot puree (I used butternut squash.) (Not pictured)
1 cup lowfat buttermilk
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup shredded reduced-fat Cheddar cheese (optional)



Directions:

Coat a large pot with cooking spray and set it over medium heat. When the pot is hot, add the oil, onion, and then the garlic, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is soft but not brown, 5 to 6 minutes. (Be careful not to burn the garlic!)

Add the broth and potatoes and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, partially covered, until the potatoes are tender, 20 to 25 minutes.



Carefully spoon the mixture into a blender or food processor and add the vegetable purees, buttermilk, and salt; puree until smooth. (I left some of the potatoes unblended in my soup.) Ladle into bowl and sprinkle with cheese, if you like.



Verdict:

Laura - Thumbs Up - This tastes like a big bowl of mashed potatoes. It is very, very creamy. I loved it!!! Next time I make it I'll add some turkey bacon bits to the top.

Randy - Thumbs Down - Randy does like soup.

Nathan - Thumbs Down - Nathan was not interested in eating it. He was eating his new favorite thing, carrots and ranch. But, as you know with a two year old, his favorite thing will change by tomorrow. So, when I tried to spoon in some soup, he wasn't having any of it.

Leftovers: The leftovers were great. I had some for lunch and can't wait to eat some more tomorrow.

Chocolate Fudge

This is the easiest fudge recipe ever. It's fool proof.



Ingredients:

12 oz. chocolate chips
1 cup butterscotch chips
14 oz. condensed milk
1 teaspoon vanilla



Directions:

Melt all ingredients in sauce pan on medium heat. Stir until melted.



Line a 9 x 9 pan with wax paper. Pour mixture onto the wax paper.



Cool in the refrigerator. Once the fudge has hardened, cut into squares. Store in the refrigerator.

Verdict:

Laura - Thumbs Up - This fudge is easy make and delicious to eat.

Randy - Thumbs Up - Randy likes it.

Nathan - Thumbs Up - Nathan had a piece and loved it. Then he ran circles around the living room. Too much sugar.

Leftovers: The leftovers don't last long because everyone eats them up. Keep them in the fridge so they don't melt.