Beef, Tomato and Acini di Pepe (Small Pasta) Soup

Adapted fro Skinnytaste.com

Ingredients:

• 1 - 2 Tablesspoons Olive oil
• 1 package of Stewing Beef (about 1 pound)
• 2 teaspoons salt (more or less to taste)
• 1 1/2 cups chopped onions
• 1 1/2 cups chopped carrots
• 1 1/2 cups chopped celery
• 2 - 3 cloves chopped garlic
• 28 ounce can diced tomatoes
• 15 ounce can crushed tomatoes
• 6 cups beef stock
• 1 Tablespoon Worchestershire sauce
• 3 bay leaves
• 6 ounces Acini di pepe or other small pasta

Stove Top Directiions:

1. In a Dutch oven or similar size pot, brown stewing beef in olive oil
2. Add vegetables and saute for a few minutes.
3. Add all other ingredients except the Acini di pepe (or small pasta)
4. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to a simmer and cook 60 - 90 minutes until beef and vegetables are tender.
5. Add pasta and cook until pasta is ready.
6. Remove bay leaves, adjust seasonings, and serve.

Instant Pot Directions:

1. Press the Saute button.  When hot add the olive oil and the beef. 
2. When the beef is browned, add the vegetables and saute another 4 or 5 minutes.
3. Add the rest of the ingredients except for the pasta (Acini di pepe)
4. Set the Instant Pot to the soup setting for 35 minutes.
5. Carefully do a Quick Pressure Release
6. Add the pasta, use the manuel setting for 6 minutes.
7. Depending on time, either allow pressure to come down naturally or carefully do a Quick Release.
8. Remove bay leaves and adjust seasoning and serve

Butter Ridge Cookies

Recipe adapted from My Sweet Sanity 4 Holiday Popcorn Recipes  and 12Tomatoes
30 minutes to prepare 2 dozen

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature 
• 3/4 cups sugar  
• 1 tablespoons vanilla extract
• 3 cups all-purpose flour 
• 1/4 teaspoon salt 

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350º F and line baking sheets with silicone baking mats or with parchment paper. 
2. In a large bowl or mixer, cream together butter and sugar for 3 minutes, or until light and fluffy. 
3. Add vanilla extract and mix until incorporated, 
4. Then, working in batches, add in flour until mixture is smooth. 
5. Use a tablespoon or small scooper to scoop dough into balls and transfer to lined baking sheets. 
6. Once on baking sheets, use your middle three fingers to gently press down on the dough, creating two ridges along the tops of the cookies. For a smoother topped cookie use the bottom of a glass dipped in powdered sugar to flatten cookie.
7. Cookies should be roughly 1/4-inch thick. 
8. Place baking sheets in oven and bake for 9-11 minutes, or until the edges of cookies are just golden brown. 
9. Remove from oven and let cool for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to finish cooling. Enjoy!
10. May be iced with an almond flavored buttercream frosting.

Dad's Sub Sandwich

Ingredients:

• 1 French Loaf
• Spicy Mustard
• 1/2 pound hard salami
• 1/2 pound American cheese
• 1/2 pound olive loaf
• 1/2 pound baby Swiss cheese
• 3/4 pound shaved ham
• 3/4 pound shaved smoked turkey
• shredded lettuce
• banana peppers rings
• Italian salad dressing
• Sliced tomatoes
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. Split French loaf in half and hollow out top half of bread leaving about 3/4 inch of crust and bread.
2. Spread a spicy mustard on the bottom half.
3. Layer on hard salami, American cheese, olive loaf, baby Swiss, shaved ham, and shaved smoked turkey.
4. Top with shredded lettuce, and banana pepper rings.  Season lettuce with salt and pepper (optional)
5. Sprinkle on Italian dressing
6. Add a layer of sliced tomatoes.  
7. Top with upper portion of bread.
8. If making ahead wrap in paper towel and then plastic wrap. Store in the refrigerator.
9. Slice into serving size pieces just before serving..

Cauliflower (Potato) Salad

WholesomeYum.com

Ingredients:

• large head cauliflower, chopped
• 2/3 cup mayonnaise
• 1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• 1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/3 cup onion, finely diced
• 1/3 cup celery finely diced
• 2 large eggs, hardboiled and chopped
• Chives, chopped, for garnish

Instructions:

1. Bring to boil a large pot of water.  Add a tablespoon of salt.  Add the cauliflower and simmer until tender (about 5 minutes).  Drain well.
2. Whisk together mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, garlic powder, paprika, sea salt, and black pepper until smooth.
3. Stir the cauliflower, onion, celery, and egg together with the dressing.  
4. If desired, garnish with chives and paprika.

Roasted Brussel Sprouts

Ingredients:

• 1 pound brussel sprouts, trimmed and quartered
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 Tablespoon olive oil
• Parmesan cheese, optional
• Balsamic vinegar, optional

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 400F.  Grease a baking dish.
2. Place brussel sprouts, salt, pepper, garlic and olive oil in a large plastic bag. 400F
3. Massage bag until brussel sprouts are well coated.
4. Pour contents of the bag into the baking dish.
5. Bake at 400F for 35 minutes or until brussel sprouts are tender.  Stir every 10 minutes or so.
6. Sprinkle with shredded or grated Parmesan cheese and/or Balsamic vinegar when removed from the oven.
7. Serve warm.

Savory Sweet Potato Casserole (or Twiced Baked)

Recipe from Anna Kuertz, a colleague of Liz's

Ingredients:

• 4 - 6 Sweet potatoes 
• 1 Lemon, juiced
• 1 teaspoon Salt 
• 1/2 teaspoon Pepper
• 4 - 6 slices Bacon, cooked and crumbled
• 8 ounces Mushrooms, sliced and sauteed in the bacon grease
• 5 ounces Arugula, wilted in bacon grease with the mushrooms
• Olive oil

Instructions:

1. Bake the sweet potatoes and then cut lengthwise
2. Scoop out the inside of the potato and save in a small bowl.  Reserve skins if twice baking.
3. Mix juice from one lemon, salt, pepper and the insides of the potatoes together
4. Add in arugula, bacon crumbles, sautéed mushrooms, and enough olive oil to reach consistency you want,
5. Mix well
6. Place mixture into a greased 8X8 baking dish (or Add the mixture back into the skins of the potatoes)  
7. Bake at 350F for about 25 minutes

Kielbasa and Cabbage

Adapted from 12tomatoes.com

Ingredients:

• 1 head cabbage, large dice
• 1 sweet onion, diced
• 14 ounce Kielbasa sausage, sliced
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 2 Tablespoons cider vinegar
• 2 Tablespoons mustard
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

1. In the Instant Pot, brown the kielbasa on saute.
2. Turn off saute, add the cabbage, onion, chicken broth, garlic and onion powders, vinegar, mustard, salt and pepper.
3. Set the lid to seal, cook on Manual for 4 - 5 minutes, do a natural release for 10 minutes.
4. Carefully release remaining pressure.
5. Taste, adjust seasoning and serve with mashed potatoes.

Summer Salad

Ingredients:

Sliced tomatoes
Sliced peeled cucumbers
Sliced bell peppers (any color, optional)
Sliced onions

Dressing:
1 cup water
1/2 cup cider vinegar
1/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoons salt
dash pepper

Place sliced vegetables in a container with a tight fitting lid.  Mix together dressing ingredients and pour over sliced vegetables.  Completely cover the vegetables with the dressing.  Make more dressing if needed to completely cover the vegetables.  Refrigerate several hours before serving.  Keeps well refrigerated for several weeks.  Vegetables can be replaced as needed.

Buffalo Wing Hummus

Adapted from EmilyBites.com

Ingredients:

• 1 can chickpeas, drained (reserve 1/4 cup of liquid from the chickpeas)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 Tablespoons nonfat Greek yogurt
• 2 Tablespoons lemon juice
• 3/4 teaspoon paprika
• 1 Tablespoon barbecue sauce
• 1 1/2 Tablespoons Frank's Red Hot
• 1 1/2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
• 3/4 teaspoon salt

Instructions:

1. Combine all the ingredients including about 2 Tablespoons of the reserved liquid from the chickpeas.  Puree until smooth.  Adjust consistency by adding more of the reserved liquid.

Notes:  1 freestyle smart point per 1/4 cup serving.