Honey Glazed Carrots

My husband loves carrots. Me, not so much. The only time I eat (and enjoy) carrots is with pot roast--after marinating in all of that pot-roast-juiciness. But, finally, I discovered this recipe, and I gobble them up happily. Shea loves these and is always happy to see the smaller crock pot on the counter, he knows that means Honey Glazed Carrots!

Ingredients:

2 lb. bag baby carrots
1-1/2 cups water
1/4 cup honey
2 Tbsp. butter
1/4 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper

Preparation:

Combine carrots and water in a 3-4 quart crockpot. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or until carrots are tender when pierced with a fork. Drain carrots and return to crockpot. Stir in honey, butter, salt and pepper and mix well. Cover and cook on low 30 minutes until glazed. 6-8 servings.

Bow Ties with Sausage, Tomatoes and Cream

This is my new favorite pasta recipe. I don't cook with sausage a lot, and this recipe isn't going to win any Weight Watchers awards, but this was just excellent. The flavor of the sausage was perfect with the cream, and there was just enough of a kick from the red pepper flakes to add a little heat.



Anytime I try a new recipe, I always follow it exactly, and then make any changes later. I wouldn't change a thing in this recipe-- and I can't wait to make it for our dinner guests next week.

Ingredients

• 1 (12 ounce) package bow tie pasta
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 pound sweet Italian sausage, casings removed and crumbled
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1/2 cup diced onion
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 (28 ounce) can Italian-style plum tomatoes, drained and coarsely chopped
• 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 tablespoons minced fresh parsley

Directions

1. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook pasta in boiling water for 8 to 10 minutes, or until al dente; drain.
2. Heat oil in a large, deep skillet over medium heat. Cook sausage and pepper flakes until sausage is evenly brown. Stir in onion and garlic, and cook until onion is tender. Stir in tomatoes, cream, and salt. Simmer until mixture thickens, 8 to 10 minutes.
3. Stir cooked pasta into sauce, and heat through. Sprinkle with parsley.

Caesar Salad Supreme

My husband loves Caesar Salad, and I like it, I just don't like a lot of the versions I have tasted in restaurants, or the bottled dressings claiming to be true Caesar Dressing. I really had low expectations for this recipe, and was so pleasantly surprised. This will be in our refrigerator a lot from now on, the taste is perfect!

I did omit the anchovies, and it didn't take away from the taste at all. I even made the homemade croutons, which were also very yummy.

Ingredients

• 6 cloves garlic, peeled
• 3/4 cup mayonnaise
• 5 anchovy fillets, minced
• 6 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese, divided
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• salt to taste
• ground black pepper to taste
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 4 cups day-old bread, cubed
• 1 head romaine lettuce, torn into bite-size pieces

Directions

1. Mince 3 cloves of garlic, and combine in a small bowl with mayonnaise, anchovies, 2 tablespoons of the Parmesan cheese, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, and lemon juice. Season to taste with salt and black pepper. Refrigerate until ready to use.
2. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cut the remaining 3 cloves of garlic into quarters, and add to hot oil. Cook and stir until brown, and then remove garlic from pan. Add bread cubes to the hot oil. Cook, turning frequently, until lightly browned. Remove bread cubes from oil, and season with salt and pepper.
3. Place lettuce in a large bowl. Toss with dressing, remaining Parmesan cheese, and seasoned bread cubes.

The Best, Simple, Tastiest Guacamole

I love guacamole, but I am a bit picky. I don't like it processed or mixed too much, just all the ingredients barely mashed together. I am also not a fan of adding fancy ingredients beyond the basics- simple is best for guacamole.

To me, this recipe is perfect, my husband raved over it, and we finished off this batch in record time. This is the last guacamole recipe you will need!

Ingredients

• 3 avocados - peeled, pitted, and mashed
• 1 lime, juiced
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup diced onion
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 roma (plum) tomatoes, diced
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic

Directions

1. In a medium bowl, mash together the avocados, lime juice, and salt. Mix in onion, cilantro, tomatoes, and garlic. Refrigerate 1 hour for best flavor, or serve immediately.

Cheese Tortellini Pasta Salad

I was in the grocery store one night and decided I wanted to get the ingredients to make some pasta salad. I literally googled 'pasta salad recipes' on my blackberry and read through a few and settled on this one (on myrecipes.com). What a find! This is absolutely, postively, hands down the BEST pasta salad I have ever had.
Since that night, I have made this salad so many times, my husband and I both love it, and every time I have taken it to an event or potluck, several people ask for the recipe. Make this and enjoy- and I promise you will thank me!

Ingredients: 

•  1/4  cup  balsamic vinegar

•  2  tablespoons  chopped dried tomatoes

•  1 1/2  tablespoons chopped fresh or dried rosemary

•  1  tablespoon  sugar

•  1/4  teaspoon salt

•  1/4  teaspoon  pepper

•  1/2  cup  olive oil

•  2  (9-ounce) packages refrigerated cheese-filled tortellini, cooked, rinsed, and drained
•  1  pint grape tomatoes, cut in half

•  3  tablespoons  minced red onion
 

Preparation:

Process first 6 ingredients in a food processor; stop to scrape
down sides. With processor running, pour oil in a slow, steady stream
through food chute.Toss together tortellini, tomato halves, onion, and
dressing in a large bowl. Cover and chill 2 hours.

Red Skinned Potato Salad

I am not a huge potato salad fan, but this is not your every day potato salad. This is more like creamy-potato-bacony goodness. I decided to make this after coming across so many potato salad recipes for 4th of July menus. This went great with our dinner tonight, but will be even better with hotdogs and hamburgers on the 4th!

Ingredients:
2 pounds clean, scrubbed new red potatoes
6 eggs
1 pound bacon
1 onion, finely chopped
1 stalk celery, finely chopped
2 cups mayonnaise
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add potatoes and cook until tender but still firm, about 15 minutes. Drain and set in the refrigerator to cool.
Place eggs in a saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring water to a boil and immediately remove from heat. Cover and let eggs stand in hot water for 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from hot water, cool, Place bacon in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium high heat until evenly brown. Drain, crumble and set aside.
Chop the cooled potatoes, leaving skin on. Add to a large bowl, along with the eggs, bacon, onion and celery. Add mayonnaise, salt and pepper to taste. Chill for an hour before serving.

Chicken Puffs

I found this recipe on www.allrecipes.com, and variations of it all over the web. But, this version came out so perfect, I wouldn't change a thing. In my opinion, anything wrapped in crescent rolls is going to turn out delicious, but this recipe exceeded my expectations. Best of all, my husband went nuts for them!

Ingredients:                   
                    2 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - cubed
                    3 tablespoons chopped onion
                    3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
                    3/4 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
                    6 tablespoons butter
                    3 (10 ounce) cans refrigerated crescent roll dough


Directions:
In a medium saucepan over medium heat, slowly cook and stir skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, onion and garlic. Cook until onions are tender and chicken is lightly browned.               
In a medium bowl, blend chicken mixture, cream cheese and butter until creamy.               
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).               
Unroll croissants and divide in half to create 12 rectangles. Place approximately one tablespoon of the chicken mixture on each rectangle. Fold into balls.               
Arrange balls on a large baking sheet. Bake in the preheated oven 12 minutes, or until golden brown.