A preservative free taco mix!

Who doesn't love tacos? But who wants to take the time to marinade or put together seasonings, when the store has it done for you? The only problem with that is they often contain ingredients such as silicon dioxide (sand), MSG(monosodium glutamate) and sulfites. This recipe allows you to enjoy your tacos with less guilt and pure ingredients. It is great on vegetables and beans as well!

Taco Seasoning Mix

Yields-approximately 3 cups

• 1 1/4 Cups Chili Powder
• 1/2 Cup plus 2 Tablespoons Ground Cumin
• 1/2 Cup Cornstarch
• 3 1/2 Tablespoons Granulated Garlic
• 1/2 Cup plus 2 Tablespoons Ground Coriander
• 2 Tablespoons Cayenne Pepper

Combine all ingredients until well mixed. Store in an air tight container.

To use: Place 2 tablespoons of oil in a skillet. Heat until shimmering. Add 1 pound ground meat of your choice. Cook until browned and cooked through. Stir to break into pieces. Add 1/4 cup taco seasoning and 1/2 cup water or broth(chicken, beef). Cook until mixture thickens. Top meat with your choice of veggies (avocado, lettuce, tomato, onion, cilantro, jalapenos) and serve with your choice of cheese. Keep this mix on hand to make a quick and easy dinner! Enjoy your taco night without the preservatives!

A pantry soup recipe!

Need a fantastic recipe for a quick and an easy soup? Well this is it! It can be made with pantry staples, which makes it even more appealing. It only gets better the next day as most soups do. This is a recipe vegetarians and carnivores alike will love. My husband who is a meat and potatoes kind of guy, loves this soup. It can be made in 30 minutes or less. Make this soup next time there is a chill in the air or want something quick on the table!

Simmering tomatoes, broth and herbs

Tortellini Soup

Serves: 4-6 servings      Cook Time:  15 min   Prep Time: 5 min

Cooked Tortellini

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 cup leeks, sliced
• 1 35 oz. can whole plum tomatoes,
• 1 tsp thyme
• 1 tsp basil
• 6 cups vegetable or chicken stock
• 1 can chickpeas,drained
• 1 package cheese tortellini
• 10 oz bag baby spinach
• salt to taste

Directions

Heat oil in a soup pot over medium heat. Add sliced leeks and saute until soft. Add tomatoes and using a wooden spoon break into bite size pieces. Then add basil, thyme, and vegetable stock. Bring to a boil and then simmer for 5 minutes. Then add chickpeas and tortellini.  Cook tortellini in broth according to package. When tortellini is done, stir in spinach until wilted. Season with salt and pepper to taste. You can garnish with parmesan and basil if desired. Enjoy this quick and wonderful soup.

Finished Soup!

A magnificent butternut squash soup!

Nothing is better than a warm bowl of soup on a freezing cold day. Right now we are experiencing very frigid weather with temperatures of 7 degrees or below. A soup like this would be perfect serve with this weather because it will warm you and your household.

This butternut squash soup is full of flavor and looks beautiful as well. It has settle complexities of flavor with the curry, sweet pears and delicate squash. If you didn't like butternut squash soup before you will now. It is sure to change your mind. As a added bonus this recipe is perfect for entertaining because it can be made a day ahead and then reheated and garnished when served. It is sure to impress your guests. To make this recipe vegan, omit the cream and use vegetable broth.

sauteed onions

roasted butternut squash

roasted pears

prepped pears

Curried Butternut Squash and Pear Soup

Serves: 4-6      Cook Time:  30 min   Prep Time: 40 min

Simmering squash to enhance flavors

Ingredients

• 1 butternut squash, roasted
• 6 d'anjou pears, diced and roasted
• 4 cups vegetable or chicken broth
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 teaspoons curry powder
• 1/8-1/4 teaspoon ceyenne
• 1/2 cup heavy cream (optional)
• 1/4 cup pepitas toasted for garnish

Directions

To roast pears, toss with 2 teaspoons lemon juice and 2 teaspoons evoo. Roast at 400F for 15 minutes. To make soup, heat stock pan over medium heat.  Saute onions in olive oil until tender and translucent. Add squash and 4 pears. Saute for a couple minutes more. Add broth, curry powder, and ceyenne. Bring to a simmer. Simmer 15 minutes. Add cream, salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with reserved pears and pepitas.

An amazing butternut squash soup!

A fall quesadilla!

Quesadillas are often filled with chicken, beef, shrimp or veggies. This recipe takes them in a different direction. It's inspired by my favorite restaurant in Athens Ohio, Casa Nueva. They served a quesadilla similar to this. It was featured in the fall and it changed what I believed a quesadilla should be. The flavors compliment each other and it keeps you coming back for more. I kept returning to the restaurant hoping it would be on the menu again, but was always disappointed. Saddened by this turn of events, I had to create my own of version of the wonderful fall delight! I promise you won't be displeased by this beautiful and satisfying appetizer!

Half the quesadilla with filling

Adding remainder of cheese

Sautéed apples

Heating through butternut squash

Butternut Squash, Apple and Cheddar Quesadilla

Ready to serve!

Serves: 2-4  Cook Time: 40 min      Prep Time:  20 min

• 2 cups Butternut squash, peeled,diced and roasted
• 1 teaspoon butter or olive oil
• 1 sweet tango apples, cored and diced
• 5 fresh sage leaves, chiffonaded or 10 small sage leaves
• 1 teaspoons honey 
• 8 oz cheddar, shredded
• large tortillas
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Heat skillet and add butter. Add sage and let cook for 30 seconds. Add apple and saute for 1 to 2 minutes. Once slighted softened, add butternut squash, honey, salt and pepper. Continue to cook for 1 minute more. To assemble: Place 1/8 cup of cheddar on one half the quesadilla, then add 1/2-3/4 cup of apple and squash mixture.  Next add 1/8 cup of cheddar. Fold over tortilla on top of cheese.  Heat a cast iron griddle on medium on heat.  Place quesadilla on pan.  Cook on one side for 2-3 minutes and then flip.  Cook remaining side, 1-2 minutes more until cheese is melted and filling is warm.  The tortilla should be golden brown and charred on both sides.  Using a pizza cutter or knife cut into 3 or 4 pieces.  Enjoy as appetizer, lunch or dinner!

Healthy and delicious quesadilla!