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Kale, Lentil & Chicken Soup

Ingredients
Non-stick cooking spray
1 chopped onion
1 cup coarsely chopped carrots
2 garlic cloves, minced
6 cups reduced- sodium chicken broth
1 tbsp fresh basil, or 1 tsp crushed dried basil
4 cups coarsely chopped fresh kale
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp black pepper
1-1/2 cups cubed cooked chicken(about 8 ounces)
1 medium tomato, seeded and chopped
1/2 cup dried red lentils

Coat an unheated large non-stick saucepan with non-stick cooking spray. Preheat oven medium-low heat. Add onions, carrots, and garlic to hot saucepan. Cover and cook for 5-7 minutes or until vegetables are nearly tender, stirring occasionally.

Add chicken broth and dried basil(if using) to vegetable mixture. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Stir in kale, salt and pepper. Return to boiling; reduce heat. cover and simmer for 10 minutes.

Stir in chicken, tomato, red lentils, and fresh basil(if using). Cover and simmer for 5-10 minutes more or until kale and lentils are tender.

Note.... if you wish to substitute brown or yellow lentils for red lentils, you'll need to increase cooking time. Check the package directions for cooking time, and add in Step 2.

A Thanksgiving Pumpkin Pie Recipe

•1 1/4 cups pumpkin puree, canned or fresh
•3/4 cup sugar
•1/2 teaspoon salt
•1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
•1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
•1 teaspoon all-purpose flour
•2 eggs, lightly beaten
•1 cup evaporated milk, undiluted
•2 tablespoons water
•1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
•1 unbaked pastry shell (9-inch)

Combine pumpkin, sugar, salt, spices, and flour in a medium mixing bowl. Add eggs; mix well. Add evaporated milk, water, and vanilla; mix well. Pour into pastry-lined pie pan. Bake at 400° for 15 minutes; reduce heat to 350° and bake about 35 minutes longer, or until center is set. Enjoy and best wishes !!

Tasty Pumpkin Bread
1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree
4 eggs
1 cup vegetable oil
2/3 cup water
3 cups white sugar
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

..DIRECTIONS
1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour three 7x3 inch loaf pans.
2.In a large bowl, mix together pumpkin puree, eggs, oil, water and sugar until well blended. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and ginger. Stir the dry ingredients into the pumpkin mixture until just blended. Pour into the prepared pans.
3.Bake for about 50 minutes in the preheated oven. Loaves are done when toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Rosemary Beef Tenderloin

Ingredients:

2 tbsp Dijon-style mustard
1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 tbsp sniped rosemary
3 garlic cloves, minced
3/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
2-1/2 to 3-lb centre cut beef tenderloin roast or boneless pork top loin roast
1 4 to 6 oz log garlic and herb goat cheese(chevre) but crosswise into 8 slices or 1/2 of an 8 oz-tubed cream cheese spread with chive and onion.
Sniped Rosemary
Garnishes(optional)

Preheat oven to 425 F. In a small bowl combine mustard, oil, 1 tbsp rosemary, garlic, salt and pepper. Spread mixture over the beef tenderloin or pork loin. Place roast on a rack in a shallow roasting pan.

Place roast in oven. For medium-rare doneness, roast the beef uncovered, for 35-40 minutes or until internal temperature registers 135 F on an instant read thermometer. Cover with foil, let stand for 15 minutes before slicing. Meat temperature will rise about 10 F on standing. (For medium doneness, roast uncovered, for 40-50 minutes or until meat reaches 150 F. Cover and let stand as directed above.

Cut the roast into 8 slices about 1 to 1-1/2 inches apart, cutting to, but not through, bottom of meat. Tuck a slice of goat cheese into each cut(or spoon 1 tbsp cream cheese into each cut). Sprinkle with additional rosemary. To serve, slice through the meat between each cheese portion. Serve roast with figs, steamed beets, and steamed baby artichokes.

Kitchen Tip: Order a centre-cut tenderloin from the butcher or meat counter ahead of time. The centre cut holds its shape best during roasting.

My Enchilatas:

1 1/2 pounds ground (or cook shredded) beef
1 lg. package of shredded cheese (your choice)
1 small can diced black olives
1 large onion, chopped
12 large flour tortillas
2 cans tomato sauce
2 heaping tablespoons chili powder
1 heaping teaspoon cumin.
Salt and pepper to taste

Brown beef and half the large onion.
add 1/2 the can of olives
add 1/2 the package of cheese and blend all.

Add chili powder and cumin to the 2 cans of tomato sauce.
Pour half the mixture into the browned beef/onion/olive/cheese mixture and heat well.

Take one tortilla, add a portion of the ground beef mixture and roll up (tucking in sides). Lay on greased baking sheet. Finish using beef mixture and all tortillas

Spoon the rest of the tomato sauce liquid over all the rolled enchilatas, cover well. Then, sprinkle the rest of the reserved olives, cheese and chopped onions.

Bake for about 20 minutes at 350 degrees until cheese is melted and everything is piping hot.

I feel a little embarrassed posting such a lame recipe on a site with all you pros, but this really is good and easy!

One of those rotisserie chickens from the grocery store
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 can cream of celery soup
1 soup can of milk
One can crescent rolls (the tube kind)

Preheat oven to 350

Separate crescent roll dough. Place as much chicken on each triangle as possible, and roll up from small end. Place seam side down in sprayed 9 x 13 baking dish.

Heat soup, milk and one cup of the cheese. Pour sauce over all. Top with remaining cheese and bake at 350 for 20-30 minutes or until crescent rolls are done.

My kids actually ate a broccoli, cauliflower and carrot mix along with this, so it must be good! Ha!

Scalloped Potatoes

Ingredients
3 tbsp butter, divided
1 tbsp all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt
1/4 pepper
1-1/2 cups milk
4 cups thinly sliced peeled potatoes
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 small green pepper, finely chopped
1/2 dry bread crumbs
3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese

In a small pot, melt 2 tbsp butter, stir in flour, salt and pepper. Gradually stir in milk. Bring to a boil over medium heat; cook and stir 2 minutes or until thickened.

In a greased 1-1/2-qt baking dish, arrange half the potatoes, onion and green pepper in layers; cover with half of sauce. repeat layers. cover and bake at 350 F for 35 minutes.

Melt remaining butter; combine with bread crumbs and sprinkle over potatoes. Bake, uncovered, 40 minutes longer or until potatoes are tender. sprinkle with cheddar cheese. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.

Peanut Butter and Jam Truffles(for the little ones)

Ingredients
6 slices of whole wheat bread
1- 1/2 cups of peanut butter
1-1/4 cups no-sugar jam
Crushed nuts, finely diced dried fruit or powdered sugar, for coating(optional)

In a food processor combine bread, peanut butter and jam. Process until ingredients form a thick, dark brown dough with an even consistency. there should be no streaks of peanut butter or jam. Break off 15ml-sized (tablespoon-sized) chunks of the dough and roll into balls. The truffles can then be rolled in crushed nuts, finely diced dried fruit or powdered sugar. If not serving immediately, refrigerate in an airtight container.

Mocha Smoothies

Ingredients:
1 cup fat-free milk
1 medium banana, peeled, cut into 1/2 inch slices, and frozen
1 to 2 tbsp sugar or honey
1 tbsp unsweetened coca powder
2 tsp instant coffee crystals
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup small ice-cubes or crushed ice

In a blender combine milk, banana, sugar, coca powder, coffee crystals, and vanilla. Cover and blend until smooth. Add ice -cubes. Cover and blend until almost smooth.

Cherry- Berry Smoothie

Ingredients:
1-1/2 cup fresh strawberries, hulled
1 cup pitted dark sweet cherries or 1 cup frozen unsweetened pitted dark sweet cherries.
1 cup fresh raspberries
1 cup pomegrante juice, chilled
1/2 cup fresh blueberries

In a blender combine strawberries, cherries, raspberries, pomegrante juice, and blueberries. cover and blend until almost smooth.

Peanut -Butter Smoothie

Ingredients:
1 cup vanilla or chocolate ice-cream
1/4 cup milk
2 tbsp peanut butter

In a blender container, blend together ice-cream, milk and peanut butter.

Caramel Apple Upside-Down Cornmeal Cake

Ingredients:
6 tbsp butter
4 medium apples, peeled, cored, and sliced
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
2 tbsp milk
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/3 cup dried cranberries
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 tbsp granulated sugar
1-1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup cornmeal
1 cup hot water
1/4 cup butter, melted
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1-1/2 tsp vanilla

Preheat oven at 350 F. In a 10 inch oven-going skillet melt 2 tbsp of the butter over medium heat. Add apples; cook and stir for 5 minutes or until tender. Remove from skillet. In the same skillet combine remaining butter and brown sugar. Cook and stir over medium heat until butter melts. Bring to boiling. Remove from heat. Stir in milk. Sprinkle with pecans and cranberries. Arrange apple slices on top.

In a bowl combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. In medium bowl combine cornmeal, water and 1/4 cup butter. Stir in eggs and vanilla. Stir in flour mixture just until combined. Pour over apples.

Bake 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted near centre comes out clean. Cool in pan for 10 minutes. Invert; serve warm.