No need to explain this one!  A simple soup recipe that comes together fast and has ALL the flavors of a fresh baked lasagna. Enjoy! Diane 

Ingredients:
1 pound Italian sausage, mild or hot 
1 small onion, diced 
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 (28 ounce can) crushed tomatoes
1 (10 ounce bag) fresh spinach 
4 cups beef broth
1 1/2 cups water
2 teaspoons dried Italian seasoning
8-10 uncooked lasagna noodles broken into smaller pieces
1 teaspoon dried basil 
Salt & pepper to taste

Toppings: ricotta, shredded mozzarella and parmesan cheeses; to taste.

Directions:

1. Add the onion and sausage to a large soup pot (remove sausage casings if using whole sausages). Brown the sausage and onion for 5 minutes, over medium-high heat, breaking it up with your spoon as you go along.  Drain off excess fat.
2. Add the garlic, and continue cooking for 2 minutes. Stirring so garlic doesn't scorch. Shake in some salt & pepper.
3. Stir in the crushed tomatoes, beef broth, water, Italian seasoning, basil and spinach - let that cook 2 minutes before adding in the lasagna noodles. Increase the heat to high and bring the soup to a boil.
4. Reduce the heat to medium (covered, with the lid slightly askew) for about 15 minutes, or until the pasta is tender. Stir soup a few times just to ensure the pasta isn't sticking.

   To Serve:

• Top each bowl with a dollop of ricotta and a small handful of mozzarella and parmesan.  Reheating Leftovers; you may need to add some beef broth or water to help thin out the soup, since the noodles soak up the liquid. 

     This simple dish is a great main or side dish.  Choose the vegetables you like but, keep in mind that the tougher vegetables will have to cook longer before finishing off with adding in the couscous.  I use golden couscous for this recipe.  Couscous cooks up like instant rice.  Has a 1:1 liquid to product ratio and overall is healthier for you and lower in carbohydrates then rice.  I prefer cooking my couscous in a stock - be it vegetable stock or chicken stock in this case.  I first saw this quick recipe made by Chef Jacques Pepin.  Chef Pepin used mushrooms with the onions which I had to swap out due to allergies.  I hope you try this easy dish - its tasty and versatile!  This is great served with my Baked Salmon.  Enjoy! Diane 

Ingredients:
 1 Tablespoon butter
 1 Tablespoon olive oil 
 1 small onion (1/2 cup), diced.
 1/2 cup zucchini, diced
 1 Cup tomatoes, cubed or 1 Cup sliced cherry tomatoes
 1 Cup chicken broth or stock, divided 
 2 Cups loose packed fresh spinach, washed
 1 Cup Golden Couscous 
 salt & pepper, to taste 
 *optional sprinkle of fresh grated parmesan

Directions: 
   Place butter and olive oil in a small dutch oven.  Add in diced onion and zucchini. 
Let these vegetables cook down a good 5-7 minutes (this is the only time the vegetables will have a chance to truly cook down so, before proceeding on, make sure any vegetables you've added into this mixture are cooked.)  Next add in your fresh spinach and cut tomatoes along with 1/4 cup of your broth or stock. Let this cook 3-4 minutes at a simmer. Season with salt & pepper. Stir in your couscous. Add in the remaining stock and bring to a boil, turn off heat Cover and let sit for 5 minutes.  Fluff with fork once your time is up and serve sprinkled with some grated Parmesan.

Recipe adapted from: Jacques Pepin

       If you're going to fry up some cream cheese wontons - why not add in some cowboy candy into the filling!  It's a great little surprise!  These are fun and easy to make.  My most important recommendation is to not overstuff the wontons with filling or they can open up while frying.  Always use egg wash along all sides of the wonton which helps seal all the edges. The fillings are endless - you can make these without the cowboy candy - just add a touch more cream cheese filling.  Enjoy! Diane 

Homemade Cream Cheese Wonton
*with cowboy candy 

Ingredients: 

• 8 ounces cream cheese softened
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 cup Cowboy Candy 
• 24 wonton wrappers 
• 1 egg beaten for sealing wontons
• canola oil for frying wontons

Directions:

• Combine the room temperature/softened cream cheese, sugar and onion powder.  Stir until well mixed.
• Place a wonton wrapper on a flat surface and place a teaspoon of the cream cheese mixture into the center along with a ring or two of candied jalapeño.
  
• Brush all of the edges of the wonton wrapper with the egg wash.  
• Bring 2 opposite corners together in the middle of the wonton and pinch. Repeat with the other 2 corners and pinch to form a square package shape.
• Repeat - keeping folded wontons on a saran wrap covered tray so they don't dry out.
• Heat 4 inches of oil in a deep pan or fryer to 350 degrees F.
• Fry 4-6 wontons at a time, turning them as needed to make sure they brown evenly. This process takes about 3-5 minutes. Do not overcrowd the fryer as the oil temperature will drop greatly.  
• Drain the cooked wontons on paper towels and repeat the frying process with remaining wontons. 
• Let the wontons cool down a good 5 minutes or more as filling will be very hot. 
  
• Serve with dipping sauce of choice if preferred.  

     We LOVE Chicken Fajitas.  Even more so, the chicken fajita Protein Bowls from Qdoba.  We don't love their price and most times don't have the time to drive into town to get them.  Add in the stress of pandemics and our decision was to make them ourselves!!  You can make up a huge batch of the chicken at home and then add what you want to your own bowls through the week.  Great for lunches or dinners!  Just assemble and enjoy! Diane 

Chicken Fajita Protein Bowl 

Ingredients: 
 (for the Fajita Chicken) 
1 large yellow onion, sliced long and thin
1 large green, yellow or orange bell peppers, seeded and sliced long
1 large red bell pepper, seeded and sliced long
3 large cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 pounds chicken breast, sliced into thin strips
2 Tablespoons canola or olive oil
Spice Mix**

For Homemade Mexican Spice Mix **:
(for the fajita chicken) 
2 tsp. chili powder
1 1/2 teaspoons smoked paprika
1 teaspoon granulated onion
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
2 teaspoons cumin
1/8 teaspoon of cayenne
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon salt 
1 Tablespoon cornstarch


Directions:  
Preheat oven to 400°F.
Place sliced onion, peppers, and garlic with chicken in a 9x13 baking dish together.
In a small bowl, mix all dry seasoning mix and spread over chicken and veggies. Drizzle oil over all and mix everything together until all ingredients are well seasoned. Bake uncovered for 25 minutes and then give the entire mixture a good stir.  Finish baking the remaining 10 minutes. 

Assemble your protein bowl with all your favorite toppings too:  My Bowl shown has shredded lettuce carrot and cabbage on the bottom (some people add brown or white steamed rice or a cilantro lime rice) then top with baked fajita chicken, salsa, black beans, green onion and toasted sesame seeds along with a light mexi-ranch dressing.

​Optional additions: your favorite dressing, sour cream, guacamole, avocado, ranchera or green chile sauce or salsas, shredded cheese, tomato, shredded lettuce, fresh cilantro, sour cream, salsa, crushed roasted peanuts, toasted pepita seeds, lime rice, black or pinto beans and green onion.