Ground Beef Orzo Pasta

 1 lb ground beef

1 small onion, finely diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 14oz can crushed tomatoes

1 cup heavy cream

1 Tbs tomato paste

1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)

salt and pepper to taste

1 1/2 cups orzo

2 1/2 cups beef broth

1/2 cup fresh parmesan cheese, grated

fresh basil for garnish

In a large skillet, heat to medium heat, add in ground beef and onion. Cook and break up beef until fully cooked. Add in minced garlic. Stir in tomato paste, season with salt, pepper and red pepper flakes. Cook for 2-3 minutes. 

Pour in crushed tomatoes and beef broth. Stir to combine and bring to a simmer. Add in orzo pasta, reduce to medium low and cover. Cook for 10-12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until orzo is tender and most of the liquid is absorbed. 

Stir in heavy cream. Season with more salt and pepper if needed. Top with parmesan cheese and garnish with fresh basil. Enjoy!

Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

 I got this recipe from a friend and have made them a few times. I think what sets them apart is the brown butter, the oats (some blended, some not) and the baking time and temp which gives them a great texture! Makes about 3 1/2 dozen, although I have doubled it and put them in the freezer to bake later. I have a few other notes I'll add at the end.

1 c. butter (1/4 c. browned and 3/4 c. softened)

1 c. white sugar

1 c. brown sugar

2 eggs

1 t. vanilla

2 c. flour

1 t. salt

1 t. baking soda

1 t. baking powder

2 1/2 c. oatmeal (blend 1 1/2 c. in the blender, leave the other cup as whole oats)

1/2 c. dark chocolate chips

1/2 c. milk chocolate chips

1/2 c. butterscotch chips

Preheat over to 405 degrees.

Brown 1/4 c. butter until the brown bits start to form and it smells amazing! Let it cool. Cream the other 3/4 c. butter and sugars. Add eggs and vanilla and mix well. Add the dry ingredients and mix (I like to save the whole oats until after I've blended the other dry ingredients with the wet). Lightly mix in the oats. Mix in the cooled browned butter. Add all the chips. 

With medium sized cookie scoop, place cookie balls on a greased or parchment paper lined pan. Bake for 6-7 minutes. 

The lady I got the recipe from likes to do a few things after they come out of the oven: brush with melted butter, sprinkle with a little salt and squish them up to make them nice and round. I tried that the first time, but then didn't bother anymore.

My notes: I have made them with kamut flour. Always fill 1 c. measuring cup slightly under the top when using kamut instead of white flour. Also, any chips will do. I've done all the combinations and usually use what I have. A side note for posterity. Zackery doesn't like butterscotch chips. Says they're much better without:)

Fruity Pebble Rice Krispie Treats

 5 T. unsalted butter

1 bag (16 oz.) mini marshmallows, separated

1/2 t. salt

1 t. vanilla extract

2 c. plain Rice Krispie cereal

4 c. Fruity Pebbles

Note: You can use any combination of the two cereals. Just make sure it's a total of 6 cups.

1. Line a 9x9 pan with parchment paper with an overhang for easy removal. Spray parchment paper with cooking spray. Set aside.

2. In a big nonstick pot, over low heat, melt butter completely. Add in ALL BUT 2 1/2 c. marshmallows. Stir constantly, keeping the heat on low, until the marshmallows are completely melted.

3. As soon as the marshmallows are just melted, remove the pot from the heat. Stir in the salt and vanilla extract. Next stir in both cereals very gently. Lastly, stir in the reserved 2 1/2 c. marshmallows. Stir until combined.

4. Pour the mixture into prepared pan. Use lightly sprayed hands (oil) or you can get your hands a little wet and gently press everything evenly down in the pan.

5. Allow to cool and cut into squares.

Greek Marinated Chicken

 Made this for Easter 2026. Love this recipe and make it all the time. It is from Lillieeatsandtells. 

https://lillieeatsandtells.com/greek-marinated-chicken-skewers/

INGREDIENTS

• 2-2.5 lb chicken 
• 1/4 cup fresh oregano – finely chopped (I used 1 T. of dried)
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley – finely chopped (I used 1 T. of dried)
• 7 cloves garlic (7 Trader Joes frozen cubes)
• Juice from 1-2 lemons about 6 T.
• 1 tbs olive oil (if you aren't counting macros or care about the fat use 1/4 cup of olive oil)

• 1/2 tsp red chili flakes
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1.5 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp fresh ground pepper

INSTRUCTIONS

• Chop chicken into 1 ½ inch pieces and place in a large ziplock. (This is one of the only recipes I prefer to use huge fresh chicken breasts rather than chicken tenderloins. Nice for chopping good chunks. But tenderloins work too.)
• Whisk together all marinade ingredients.
• Pour marinade over chicken and seal the bag. Move it all around to make sure it’s nice and covered.
• Marinate up to two hours.  **With so much lemon and so little oil, sitting in the marinade too long could toughen the chicken so don’t leave it all night. A couple of hours is great! If you added the additional oil you don't need to worry as much about the chicken getting tough. 
• Soak wooden skewers (if that’s what you’re using) in water for thirty minutes to help avoid burning. Then thread your chicken making sure to leave some ends to grab! (You can also cover the ends in foil to protect them from burning if needed.)
• Spray the skewered chicken with a mist of cooking spray on each side, sprinkle with a little fresh pinch of kosher salt, and grill on a preheated, oiled** grill or grill pan over medium high heat for 4-5 minutes per side. Or until you have nice color and it’s cooked through.
• Serve with a fresh squeeze of lemon and homemade tzatziki, in a greek salad, or grain bowl, in place of the pork in these pitas… the possibilities are endless- YUMMMMM
• **(I always spray the grill with cooking spray, but be careful! The flame will climb when you do.)

Green Curry Meatballs

Recipe from: https://tastesbetterfromscratch.com/thai-green-curry-meatballs/

This was delicious, we loved this recipe! Some of us ate with rice and some ate with Zucchini noodles. 

Meatballs:

• ▢ 1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats* or panko breadcrumbs (I used 2 tablespoons casava flour) 
• ▢ 1 large egg
• ▢ 1/4 cup milk
• ▢ 1 1/2 pounds lean ground turkey, chicken, pork or beef
• ▢ 2 teaspoons freshly grated ginger (I used 2 ginger cubes from TJ's)
• ▢ 2 teaspoons Green curry paste
• ▢ 2 teaspoons fish sauce (optional)
• ▢ 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
• ▢ 1 teaspoon salt
• ▢ 3 cloves garlic , finely minced
• ▢ 1/2 cup onion , diced
• ▢ 2 Tablespoons olive oil

(I also added 1 small grated zucchini to the meatballs) 

Sauce:

• ▢ 1 Tablespoon Green curry paste * (see notes below, I used Thai Kitchen Brand and ended up adding tablespoon or so)
• ▢ 4 cloves garlic , minced
• ▢ 2 15 ounce cans canned unsweetened coconut milk
• ▢ 1 teaspoon cornstarch (I used a teaspoon of casava flour) 
• ▢ 2 teaspoons light brown sugar
• ▢ 1 lime juiced
• ▢ 1 teaspoon fish sauce
• ▢ salt and freshly ground black pepper , to taste
• ▢ ⅓ cup chopped fresh cilantro (I used an entire bunch of cilantro) 
• ▢ 4-5 cups cooked jasmine rice , brown rice, white rice, or basmati rice, for serving

Instructions

 

• Thai Meatballs mixture: Add the oats, egg and milk to a large mixing bowl. Mix together and set aside for 10 minutes. Add ground meat, ginger, curry paste, fish sauce, sugar, salt, garlic and onion. Mix to combine.
  1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats*, 1 large egg, ¼ cup milk, 1 ½ pounds lean ground turkey, chicken, 2 teaspoons freshly grated ginger, 2 teaspoons Green curry paste, 2 teaspoons fish sauce, 1 teaspoon granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon salt, 3 cloves garlic, ½ cup onion
• Roll into balls: Scoop the meat mixture into balls, a little smaller than golf-ball size. (I used a cookie scoop)
• Cook Meatballs: In a large nonstick skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Once hot, place one layer of meatballs in the pan, leaving space between each—you may meed to cook them in two separate batches, depending on the size of your pan. Brown the meatballs on all sides, turning occasionally as they cook. They don't need to be cooked through, just browned on all sides. Remove the meatballs to a plate. (Remove some of the grease if there is excess). 
  2 Tablespoons olive oil
• Green Curry Sauce: Add curry paste and garlic to the pan and cook for 30 seconds. Stir in one can of coconut milk, scraping up any browned bits from the pan. Stir cornstarch in to the other can of coconut milk, and add to the pan. Add brown sugar, garlic, lime, fish sauce, cilantro and stir to combine. 
  1 Tablespoon Green curry paste, 4 cloves garlic, 2 15 ounce cans canned unsweetened coconut milk, 1 teaspoon cornstarch, 2 teaspoons light brown sugar, 1 lime, 1 teaspoon fish sauce, ⅓ cup chopped fresh cilantro, salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Simmer: Return meatballs to pan and simmer them in the sauce until cooked through, about 10 more minutes. 
• Serve over hot, cooked rice.
  4-5 cups cooked jasmine rice

Notes

Ground meat: I like to double the recipe, using 3 lbs ground meat, and freeze half the meatballs for another meal.Curry Paste: I prefer the Mae Ploy brand of curry paste, as it has stronger/better flavor than others (1 Tablespoons produces mild/medium heat level), but if you're using a different brand (for example, the Thai Kitchen brand is pretty mild), you may want to add more curry paste. Gluten Free: to meatball mixture, omit oats and add 1 teaspoon of cornstarch.Make Ahead Instructions: prepare the raw meatballs up to a day in advance, stored in the fridge, or freeze them.Freezing Instructions: Form meatballs and place in freezer, uncovered for 30 minutes to flash freeze them. Place meatballs in a freezer safe container and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw completely in the fridge before cooking. To freeze baked meatballs, allow them to cool completely, then store in a freezer safe container in freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge and rewarm in the curry sauce.

Cinnamon Butter

(Texas Roadhouse copycat)

1.5 sticks butter, softened

1/4 c. powdered sugar

1.5 T. honey

1 t. cinnamon

Cranberry Sauce

 (my own rendition from combining a few recipes)

1/2 c. orange juice

1/2 c. water

1/2 c. pure maple syrup

1/8-1/4 c. sugar

1 t. vanilla

zest of one lemon

1 lb. fresh cranberries*

Combine orange juice, water, maple syrup, sugar, vanilla and lemon zest in a pan. Bring to a boil. Add cranberries. Lower heat and simmer until cranberries pop and open and sauce thickens.

*I think most of the time cranberries are sold in a 12 oz. bag, so you could use 12 oz. instead of 16 too. Maybe cut back on the liquid a bit if doing so 

Raspberry Pretzel Jello Salad

 2 c. crushed pretzels

3 T. sugar

3/4 c. butter, very soft

8 oz. cream cheese, softened

1 c. powdered sugar

1 (20 oz.) can crushed pineapple, drained

8 oz. whipped cream

6 oz. raspberry jello

1 pkg. frozen raspberries, thawed

Combine pretzels, sugar and butter and press into a 9x13 pan. Bake at 400 degrees for 5 minutes.

Mix cream cheese, powdered sugar, pineapple and whipped cream in a bowl (original recipe calls for cool whip. I just use heavy whipping cream, whip it until medium to stiff peaks and eyeball...or you could weigh it). Pour over crust. Mix jello with 3 c. hot water and add drained raspberries. Set in refrigerator until slightly thickened. Spread onto cream cheese mixture. Chill overnight.

Half & Half Rolls

 *This is the original recipe. My notes are written in the instructions.

Makes 2 dozen

2 pkgs dry yeast (or 2 T. instant yeast)

2 1/4 c. warm water

1/4 c. butter

2 eggs, beaten

1/2 c. + 1 T. sugar

2 t. salt

3 c. whole wheat flour 

3 1/4-4 c. better for bread flour

1/4 c. melted butter

Dissolve yeast packets in warm water (**I always use instant yeast**). Let stand for 5 minutes. Add softened butter, beaten eggs, sugar, salt and whole wheat flour (**I have used fresh milled whole wheat flour or course milled kamut flour, not the white kamut flour. If using kamut, fill the 1 cup measuring cup, slightly less than 1 cup**). Beat until smooth. Add enough white flour to form a soft dough (**I have also used regular all purpose flour. If using kamut for the whole wheat, 3 1/4 c. of the white is usually enough**). Dough will start clean the sides of the mixer when you've added enough. Knead it for 8-10 minutes on the lowest speed. Don't over knead. Spray oil on the counter and divide into two portions. Pinch off 12 round balls from each section and place on a greased pan. I like to use a half sheet pan and place all 2 dozen on it. Cover with a dish towel and let raise until they've doubled in size. Bake at 375 for 11-15 minutes. Brush butter on the top after they come out of the oven.

Banana Bread Baked Protein Oats

I've made this a couple times now, so I figured I'd post it and share. I feel like the name is a bit deceiving. I blended my oats to make oat flour so this comes out more like a banana bread...dense cake-like texture. It is from @jenneatsgoood on Instagram. She makes it with dairy free milk and chocolate chips. I used almond milk but regular chocolate chips and just the protein powder I had on hand.

3 medium-sized ripe bananas, mashed

2 large eggs

1 c. unsweetened milk of choice

1/4 c. maple syrup

1 t. vanilla

2 1/4 c. oat flour (I blended just over 2 1/4 c. oats)

120 g vanilla protein powder (she uses CSE; I used something different, but she says protein powder can cause varying bake times)

2 t. baking powder

1/2 t. salt

2/3 c. chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9x13 pan (the first time mine stuck so I greased it really well the next time).

In a large bowl combine the mashed bananas and the eggs. Add the milk, maple syrup, and vanilla extract and mix until evenly combined.

Add the oat flour, protein powder, baking powder, and salt to the mixing bowl. Stir until just combined. Fold in the chocolate chips. 

Transfer to the greased pan. Top with more chocolate chips if desired. Bake until a toothpick comes out clean and the edges are lightly golden, about 25 minutes.

Cool completely and then cut into 8 pieces.