pear, blue cheese, walnuts, arugula salad with a maple vinaigrette.

Great winter salad - use portions based upon what you have available!

Salad ingredients:

I used 1 package of arugula (what you normally find at whole foods in the big plastic container)

1 - 2 pears (all types are good)

1 small package of blue cheese crumbles

1/4 of a bag of walnuts

What you will need for the vinaigrette:

• 60ml olive oil (4 Tbs)
• 30 ml red wine vinegar (2 Tbs)
• 20ml maple syrup (1 Tbs and 1 tsp)
• 1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
• salt

Place all of the above ingredients in a small jar and shake, then drizzle over the salad.

Pumpkin Pie so good it will make you wanna slap your sister

I got this pumpkin pie recipe from our Chef at work - and it is seriously AMAZING!!!!

Pumpkin Pie Recipe: Makes one 9” pie

Ingredients

• 8 oz package cream cheese, softened
• 2 cups canned pureed pumpkin
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 egg plus 2 egg yolks, slightly beaten
• 1 cup heavy cream or ½ and ½
• 4oz (1/2 stick) melted butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• Pinch of nutmeg
• 1 piece pre-made pie dough (or you can make your own)
• Whipped cream, for topping

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

For the filling, in a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese with a hand mixer. Add the pumpkin and beat until uniformly combined. Add the sugar and salt, and beat until combined. Add the eggs mixed with the yolks, half-and-half, and melted butter, and beat until combined. Finally, add the vanilla, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg and beat until incorporated.

Pour the filling in to prepared pie crust and bake for 50 minutes, or until the center is set.  Place the pie on a wire cooling rack and cool to room temperature.

Thai Coconut Curry Shrimp - Skinny Taste

This recipe is easy, tasty and not terrible for you - all around awesome in my opinion!

This recipe is easy, tasty and not terrible for you - all around awesome in my opinion!

Red Thai Coconut Curry Shrimp
Ingredients:  

• 1 tsp oil
• 4 scallions, whites and greens separated, chopped
• 1 tbsp Thai red curry paste
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 lb shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 6 oz light coconut milk
• 2 tsp fish sauce
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
• salt to taste

Directions: 

In a large nonstick skillet, heat oil on medium-high. Add scallion whites and red curry paste and sauté one minute. Add shrimp and garlic, season with salt and cook about 2-3 minutes. Add coconut milk, fish sauce and mix well. Simmer about 2-3 minutes, until shrimp is cooked through. Remove from heat, mix in scallion greens and cilantro.Serve over rice and enjoy!

Grilled Steak & Onion Salad

recipe courtesy of Martha Stewart

Ingredients:
2 thick slices crusty break, torn into bite size pieces (about 2 c.)
3 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
2 tbsp. grated parmesan
salt & pepper
1 pound skirt steak, cut into 4 pieces
1 red onion, cut crosswise into 1/2 inch thick rounds
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
5 oz baby or wild arugula

Directions
Preheat oven to 400.  On a baking sheet toss bread with 2 tsp oil and parmesan then season with salt and pepper.  Bake until golden brown, about 7 min. (can use store bought croutons if you prefer)

Heat a grill pan or cast-iron skillet over medium-high.  Season steak with salt and pepper.  Drizzle onions with 1 tsp oil and season with salt and pepper.  Grill steak and onions until steak is medium-rare and onions are tender.  About 5 - 7 minute.  Let steak rest about 5 min. before thinly slicing against the grain.

In a large bowl, whisk together mustard, vinegar and 2 tbsp oil.  Add arugula and season with salt & pepper. Add onions, steak and croutons and toss to combine.  I like to add fresh parmesan as well for an extra kick.

Butternut Squash Soup

Perfect for a cold day - recommend serving with grilled cheese sandwich! :)

Ingredients:

2 tbsp. olive oil

2/3 c. diced carrot

1/2 c. diced celery

2/3 c. diced onion

4 c. cubed butternut squash

1/2 tsp. chopped fresh thyme

4 - 6 c. low-sodium chicken broth

Sea salt & ground black pepper to taste

Directions:

Heat olive oil in a large soup pot.  Add carrot, celery, and onion.  Cook until vegetables have begun to soften and onion turns translucent, 3 - 4 minutes.  Add butternut squash and thyme.  Stir to combine with vegetables.  Stir in chicken broth and season with salt and pepper.

Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until squash is fork-tender, about 30 min.  Use an immersion blender to puree soup (or let soup cool slightly and puree in batches in a traditional blender.

Garnish with thyme (I also added some crumbled beer cheese).

Chicken Fried Rice

Chicken Fried Rice

Ingredients:

2 tbsp. vegetable oil
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 tbsp, plus 1/4 tsp. soy sauce
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tbsp. minced peeled fresh ginger
1 bunch scallions, white and green parts separated and thinly sliced
1/2 pound ground chicken, pork or protein of your choice
2 carrots, shredded
1/2 c. frozen peas
2 c. cooked white or basmati rice
2 tbsp. rice vinegar

Directions:
In a wok or large nonstick skillet, heat 1 tbsp. oil over high.  Meanwhile in a small bowl, lightly beat eggs with 1/4 tsp. soy sauce to combine.  Add eggs and wirl to coat bottom of pan.  Cook, without stirring until almost set, 1 min., then fold in thirds with spatula.  Transfer cooked eggs to a work surface to cut into 1/2- inch pieces.

Add 1 tbsp. oil to wok/pan and swirl to coat.  Add ginger, garlic and scallion whites and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, 30 seconds.  Add chicken and cook, breaking up meat with a wooden spoon, until just cooked through, about 3 min.  Add carrots, peas, and rice and stir to combine.  Add cooked egg, 2 tbsp. soy sauce and vinegar and cook, stirring constantly until rice is coated.  Let cook, undisturbed, until warm.  Top with scallion greens and serve.

Greek Lemon Chicken Thighs and Potatoes

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 cup fat-free chicken broth
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 4 medium garlic clove(s), minced
• 2 Tbsp dried oregano
• 1 1/2 pound boneless, skinless chicken thigh(s), about 8 thighs
• 1 sprays cooking spray
• 1 pound uncooked new potatoes, cut in half (about 10 small potatoes)

Directions:

• Place lemon juice, broth, oil, garlic and oregano in a large resealable plastic bag or medium glass bowl. Add chicken, seal bag or cover bowl, and marinate at least 2 hours or up to overnight in refrigerator.
  
• Preheat oven to 350ºF. Coat a 9 X 11-inch pan with cooking spray.
  
• Place chicken and marinade in pan; add potatoes. Bake 60 minutes, or longer for softer potatoes