Squash and Chicken

2 cups pasta

8 oz cooked chicken

2 Tbsp olive oil

1/4 cup white cooking wine

3 garlic cloves

1 small onion

1 lg squash

1 small zucchini

1 Tbsp bacon

1/4 cup fat free half and half

1/2 can fire roasted tomatoes, drained

Puxa Vida Tilapia

Here's a recipe for tilapia that I found here. It sounds amazing, so will try it soon!

Ingredients:

1 red bell pepper
1/2 onion
1 jalapeno, seeds removed
5 cloves garlic
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 (13.5 ounce) can coconut milk
2 (15 ounce) cans fireroasted diced tomatoes
2 tablespoons honey
Juice of 1 lime
2 pounds tilapia
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
4-5 cups short-grain brown rice, cooked

FOR THE BLACK BEANS:
3 (15 ounce) cans black beans
1 clove garlic
1/4 cup diced onions
1 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon salt

directions:

FOR THE TILAPIA:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Finely chop the red bell pepper, onion, jalapeno, and garlic in a food processor. Drizzle the olive oil in a large saucepan and cook the chopped vegetable mixture in the oil until softened, about 4-5 minutes. Add the coconut milk, diced tomatoes, and honey to the mixture. Bring sauce to a boil, then reduce heat and allow the sauce to simmer until it thickens, about 8-10 minutes. Add lime juice to the sauce and remove from heat.

Place the tilapia in a deep baking dish. Pour the sauce over the fish, making sure it's all well coated. Bake in preheated oven for 40-45 minutes, or until the fish flakes easily when pulled with a fork. Serve over brown rice with black beans on the side. Garnish with chopped cilantro. Enjoy!

FOR THE BLACK BEANS:
Combine all ingredients in a small slowcooker and cook on low heat for 6-8 hours.

Baked Pumpkin

This is a recipe from my friend, Jenn Harrison...haven't tried it yet, but planning on trying it out tonight!

Ingredients:

¼ C Butter
¼ tsp Salt
2 Eggs – beaten
¼ tsp Vanilla
1 C Sugar
1 C Milk
1/3 C Flour
2 C Pumpkin
¼ tsp Baking Soda
Cinnamon to taste

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 425F.

2. Melt butter in a 9x11 dish.

3. Mix 1/3C of the sugar and cinnamon together, set aside. Beat all other ingredients until fluffy (a minute or so). Pour batter into buttered dish. Weave a knife around the top to distribute the butter (it will pool at the edges when you pour the batter in). Sprinkle with reserved cinnamon/sugar.

4. Bake 30 minutes or until set (do the “wiggle” test!!). Serve warm!!

Gingersnap Ham

This was the most tasty, amazing ham I've ever had! And the kids couldn't get enough of it! This is going down as a family tradition meal for sure! Thinking Christmas Eve!!!!

I got the idea from www.closetcooking.com, and changed it up a bit...added the soda (I've had coke on ham before, but we were out, so I tried Dr Pepper, and it was awesome!)

Ingredients:

1 large pre-cooked spiral sliced ham

1 cup brown sugar

2 -3 Tbsp dijon mustard

1/2 cup dr pepper

2 cups gingersnap cookies, crushed

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 250 degrees.

2. In bow, combine brown sugar, dijon mustard and Dr Pepper. Mix completely.

3. In large baking dish (at least 1-2" tall), lay ham cut side down. Add about 1/2 a cup of water to bottom of dish. Pour mixture over ham, covering completely. Top with crushed gingersnaps, again, covering as well as you can. Some can run down into the sauce to flavor it too!

4. Bake for about 7-10 minutes per pound of ham.

Note - the gravy that forms is outstanding! Great on mashed potatoes!!!!!!

Asian Tuna

Chris has been a long time fan of tuna steak. Unfortunately, given my only experience with tuna growing up (aka tuna salad sandwiches...yuck)...I have been very hesitant to jump on board. I've had blackened tuna a few times and liked it, but never think "Hey, I want tuna!"

But, I went ahead and got some at the store tonight, and cooked up just 2 little pieces, along side our regular spicy tilapia! :) That way, if we like it, we can cook again for a meal, if we don't, n0 worries, because we have tilapia! LOL!

It was so good! I need to make this a lot more often!

The original recipe said to broil on high for only 3 minutes per side, but I prefer mine cooked a little more than that...don't want to eat fish that is sushi inside! So, I'd probably go for 5 minutes on each side next time, as I had to recook these once we started eating b/c they were too underdone, even for Chris!

But man, the flavor was awesome!

Asian Tuna 4 tuna steaks, about 1 inch thick (2 lbs. total weight) Salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste 4 sprigs fresh thyme, chopped or 1 tsp. dried 1 tsp. fresh grated or dried powdered ginger 1 sliced clove garlic 2 tbsp. soy sauce 1 tbsp. fresh lemon juice 2 tbsp. olive oil In a mixing bowl blend the salt, pepper, ginger, garlic, thyme, soy sauce, lemon juice and olive oil. Brush the mixture all over the tuna steaks. Cover with plastic wrap and let stand 1/2 to 1 hour until ready to broil. Broil on rack under broiler about 4 inches from heat source, about 3 minutes per side, or grill on high (cover closed) 3 minutes per side. Leftover marinade can be heated and served over steaks.

Super Squash!

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 large garlic clove

1-2 Tbsp white cooking wine

1 small zucchini

1 medium squash

1/4 small onion

1 tsp fresh basil

1 tsp fresh parsley

Directions:
1. Heat oil over medium high heat. Add garlic and onion. Cook for 1 minute. Add wine. Add zucchini, squash, basil and parsley. Toss occasionally, cooking until lightly browned.