Wedge Salad

This salad is so tasty and extremely flexible. Whatever you have on hand can be thrown on top and drizzled with Ranch dressing. What could be better?

Ingredients:

• 1/4 of a head of iceberg lettuce
• 4 baby carrots
• 2 pieces broccoli
• 1 T. Bacon bits
• Sprinkle of cheddar cheese
• 10 crispy tortilla strips
• 1 T. Ranch dressing

Directions:

Place your wedge of iceberg lettuce in the middle of your plate and layer with: sliced carrots, chopped broccoli, Bacon, cheese, and tortilla strips. Tortilla strips can be made by julienning a tortilla and frying in coconut oil. Sprinkle with black pepper for extra flavor. Drizzle the ranch dressing on top, and enjoy!

Egg and Hash Brown Breakfast

What do you feed your college student brother who is home for the weekend? Leftovers thrown in a waffle maker, freshly laid eggs, and as many fresh berries that the campus cafeteria deprives him of. 

Ingredients:

• 3 farm fresh eggs
• sprinkle of cheddar cheese
• 18-20 thawed tater-tots
• non-stick cooking spray
• salt 
• pepper
• favorite smoothie 

Directions: 

Spray a medium size waffle iron with cooking spray. Place tater tots next to each other in the middle of a hot waffle iron. Cook until desired crispness. While hash browns are browning beat all three eggs in a medium bowl and add salt and pepper. Add egg mixture to a skillet and cook over medium heat until cooked through. Sprinkle cheese on top of eggs and cook for 2 more minutes until cheese is melted and starting to form a crispy coating. Plate your eggs and hash browns and pour a glass of your favorite smoothie, which can be made during the cooking time of the eggs and hash browns. Serve hash browns with salt and pepper and ketchup. 

Chicken Noodle Soup

There is nothing better than a warm bowl of homemade chicken noodle soup while the snow is falling fast and no matter how many layers you put on, or blankets you snuggle into, you are still freezing cold.

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons olive oil

• 1 cup carrots, peeled and sliced thin (about 1 1/2 large carrots)
• 1 cup celery, sliced thin (about 2 stalks)
• 1 cup sweet Vidalia or yellow onion, peeled and diced small (about 1 medium onion)
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 64 ounces (8 cups) low-sodium chicken broth
• 2 bay leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon pepper, or to taste
• 12 ounces wide egg noodles (or your favorite noodles or pasta I used homemade)
• 2 cups shredded cooked chicken (use store bought rotisserie chicken to save time; or roast or cook your own chicken in a skillet)
• 3 to 4 tablespoons fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice, optional
• salt, to taste
• 
  
• Directions:

1. To a large Dutch oven or stockpot, add the oil and heat over medium-high heat to warm.
2. Add the carrots, celery, onion, and sauté for about 7 minutes, or until vegetables begin to soften. Stir intermittently.
3. Add the garlic and sauté for another 1 to 2 minutes.
4. Add the chicken broth, bay leaves, oregano, pepper, and bring to a boil. Allow mixture to boil gently for about 5 minutes or until vegetables are fork-tender.
5. Add the noodles and boil mixture for about 10 minutes, or until noodles are soft and cooked through. At any time while making the soup, if the overall liquid level is lower than you like and you prefer more broth, adding a cup or two of water is okay. In the end you will adjust the salt level.
6. Add the chicken, parsley, optional lemon juice (brightens up the flavor), and boil 1 to 2 minutes, or until chicken is warmed through. Taste soup and add salt to taste. I added about 1 tablespoon but this will vary based on how salty the brand of chicken broth used is, how salty the rotisserie chicken is, and personal preference. Make any necessary seasoning adjustments (i.e. more salt, pepper, herbs, etc.), remove the bay leaves, and serve immediately. Soup will keep airtight in the fridge for 5 to 7 days or in the freezer for up to 6 months.

Recipe adapted from: http://www.averiecooks.com/2015/09/easy-30-minute-homemade-chicken-noodle-soup.html

Strawberry Banana Smoothie

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup frozen strawberries 
• 1 fresh or frozen banana
• 1/4 cup frozen mango
• 1/4 - 1/2 cup oat milk (or any milk will do)
• (Optional) 1/2 tsp. chia seeds and 1/2 blood orange

Directions:

In a blender add strawberries, banana, and mango. Slowly add milk until desired consistency. (Optional) sprinkle chia seeds over top and add a slice of the orange to the edge of the cup. :)

Italian Hot Chocolate
This hot chocolate tastes like a mug of warm chocolate pudding and is perfect after hours of playing in the snow.

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 tbsp granulated sugar
• pinch of salt
• 3/4 cup plus 1 tbsp milk
• 2 tsp cornstarch
• 1/4 tsp vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Whisk together unsweetened cocoa powder, sugar, and salt in a small saucepan. Set saucepan over low-medium heat and pour in milk. Whisk to evenly disperse dry ingredients. Let mixture cook until it reaches a small simmer.

1. Meanwhile, whisk together cornstarch and remaining 1 tbsp milk in a small bowl until cornstarch has dissolved, creating a slurry.

1. Once hot chocolate mixture has reached a simmer, very slowly pour in the slurry, whisking continually. Continue to cook the hot chocolate over low-medium heat for 3-5 minutes as it thickens, or until thickness is to your liking. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract. Pour and serve while warm.

Recipe adapted from: http://www.mysequinedlife.com/2015/12/10/cioccolata-calda-italian-hot-chocolate/

Valentine Pavlovas

This Valentine's Day we decided to try something new. The only hard part about making pavlovas is deciding on a style and flavor combination that you want. The possibilities are endless, but after a couple of hours of Pinterest searching and recipe reading, I decided on a simple whipped-cream filled raspberry-topped pavlova. I mean, how can you go wrong with that? 

Ingredients

• 4 large egg whites
• ½ teaspoon cream of tartar, or 1 teaspoon lemon juice or white wine vinegar
• 1 cup (220 g/7.7 oz) caster sugar*
• ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 200F/90C. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
2. Before you start, make sure that your mixer bowl is extra clean and not greasy, as that would prevent the egg whites from reaching their full volume. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whisk egg whites on medium-low speed until foamy. Add cream of tartar and continue whisking until soft peaks start to form.
3. Then, while mixer is running, add sugar, one tablespoon at a time, and increase mixing speed to medium-high. Go slowly. Adding the sugar and continuing to beat may take 5-10 minutes. The meringue is ready once stiff peaks form, it’s glossy and completely smooth but not dry, and the sugar is fully dissolved. Scrape down the sides of the bowl to make sure that no sugar is sticking. Beat in vanilla extract.
4. To prevent the parchment paper from sliding, dot a little of the meringue on the underside of each corner of the paper and ‘stick’ it to the pan. Drop small mounds of meringue onto the baking sheet and, using a spoon, create a border so that the edges are slightly higher than the center. 
5. The amount of pavlovas really depends on how wide or tall you make them. This recipe can make anywhere from 10 large to 30 minis. I usually make mine quite tall with a 5 cm base, and it yields me around 16-20.
6. Place in the lower part of the oven and bake for 2-3 hours, or until the meringues are dry, their centers aren’t sticky, and they are easily lifted from the parchment paper with their bases intact. Turn off the oven and, without removing, let meringues cool completely for at least one hour, or overnight.
7. Meringues will keep for several days in an airtight container at room temperature.
8. When ready to serve, fill them with a filling of your choice, such as whipped cream or lemon curd, and top with fresh fruit if desired.
9. *Caster sugar, or superfine sugar, is finer than granulated sugar and dissolves better in the egg whites without leaving a gritty texture. You can make your own by processing granulated sugar in the food processor (I used a small blender) for about a minute until finely ground.

Recipe adapted from:http://prettysimplesweet.com/meringue-nests/

Parmesan Turkey Pesto Wrap

Ingredients:

• 1 medium tortilla
• 1 tsp. basil pesto
• 3 slices turkey
• 1 slice provolone, mozzarella, or favorite cheese
• 1/2 cup lettuce
• 1 wooden skewer
• 1 tsp. Parmesan cheese (optional)

Directions:

Spread pesto on tortilla then layer turkey, cheese, and lettuce. Roll up, slice into small circles, and arrange on skewer. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and enjoy.