Lima Bean and Spinach Salad

Dressing:

¼ cup olive oil

2 tbsp cider vinegar

2 tbsp lemon juice

1 package blue cheese (4 oz.)

Salt and pepper

Salad:

10 oz. package lima beans

½ cup sliced green onions

4 boiled eggs, chopped

1 cup celery

¼ cup dill pickles

½ pound bacon, cooked and crumbled

6 oz. spinach (use more)

2 cups iceberg, one full head (use less)

1. Whisk together everything for the dressing.
2. Mix together everything for the salad.
3. Combine.

Almond-Cranberry Quinoa Cookies

Original: Epicurious 

1 ½ cups whole wheat flour

1 teaspoon kosher salt

½ teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon baking soda

½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature

¼ cup sugar

¼ cup packed light brown sugar

¼ cup honey

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup cooked quinoa, cooled

1 cup old fashioned oats

1 cup dried cranberries

½ cup slivered unsalted almonds

1. Preheat the oven to 375*. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. Whisk flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda in a medium bowl.
3. Using an electric mixer. Beat butter, both sugars, and honey in a large bowl until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
4. Add eggs and vanilla, beat until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
5. Beat in flour mixture, ½ cup at a time. Stir in quinoa, oats, cranberries, and almonds.
6. Spoon dough in 2-tablespoon portions onto prepared sheets, spacing 1-inch apart.
7. Bake cookies until golden brown, 12-15 minutes

Mexican Beef Stew - south of the border favorite!

2 pounds beef stew meat

¼ cup flour

1 teaspoon seasoned salt

¼ teaspoon black pepper

¼ cup oil

1 (14 ½ oz.) can beef broth

1 (14 ½ oz.) stewed tomatoes

2 (8 oz.) cans tomato sauce

1 crushed large garlic clove

1 teaspoon oregano leaves

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cumin

3 large carrots

2 ears corn

1 (15 oz.) can garbanzo beans and liquid

1. Combine flour, seasoned salt and pepper.
2. Coat meat with flour mixture. Brown in oil in Dutch oven.
3. Add beef broth, stewed tomatoes, tomato sauce. Garlic, oregano, salt and cumin.
4. Cut onion into 8 wedges and add to stew.
5. Heat to boiling
6. Reduce heat and boil gently 1 ½ hours or until meat is almost tender.
7. Cut carrots and corn into 1 inch pieces. Add carrots, corn and garbanzo beans to stew.
8. Boil gently covered 30 minutes or until meat and vegetables are tender.
9. Serve with warm flour tortillas.

Grilled Tuna with Jicama and Cucumber Relish

1 cup diced peel jicama

1 cup hot house cucumber

½ cup diced red onion

½ cup diced green bell pepper

2 jalapeno chilies, finely chopped

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

1 teaspoon oriental sesame oil

2 12 oz. tuna steaks (about 1 inch thick)

2 teaspoons soy sauce

1. Combine first 7 ingredients in medium bowl
2. Season to taste with salt and pepper (can be prepared 6 hours ahead, cover and refrigerate)
3. Preheat grill. 
4. Brush tuna with soy sauce
5. Broil 6 inches from heat until just cooked and still pale pink in center, about 4 minutes per side
6. Top fish with relish and serve. 

Heidi H's Lentil Salad

This came from my friend Heidi. I added the chicken - the boys like their protein!

1 box cooked lentils from Trader Joe's (you can find them near the lettuce)
2 celery stalks chopped into bite sized pieces
1 pint cherry tomatoes cut in half
Feta cheese (use as much as you like)
Cooked Chicken 1 cup cubed or more if you like
2-3TB of your favorite Italian dressing

Mix all the ingredients together. Serve at room temp. Yum. It's easy to double or triple this salad for a crowd.

Fagioli - A Huge Favorite

Fagioli-on-Toast: Adapted from a Cookie Magazine recipe

Thick slices of country bread
Olive oil
1 lb. Italian chicken sausage
2 garlic cloves peeled, sliced, mashed however you like garlic (or use the Trader Joe’s frozen garlic)
Sage leaves, lots (I keep them whole)
1 28 oz can diced tomatoes
1 15 oz can cannellini beans
Salt and Pepper to taste

Toast the country bread slices. Heat the oil in a large skillet (very large) add the sausage. When the sausage is almost browned add the garlic and sage, stir until it all browns a bit. Add the tomatoes, beans, salt and pepper. Cook until the liquid thickens a bit.

Put the toast in the bottom of a bowl and add the sausage/bean mixture on top. I usually serve broccoli with parmesan cheese with this meal. If you roast the broccoli it gives it a really sweet taste or microwave it – just don’t over cook it! I think the reason kids hate broccoli is most people over cook it.

Santa Fe Pasta Salad

**originally by Nancy Dell’Aria but I’ve changed a few things.

1 box pasta cooked as the package directs and then cooled. (Pick whatever pasta your kids will eat. We eat Barilla whole wheat pastas)

Dressing – I've doubled it and cut the salt in ½. Salt the salad to your taste.
2/3 cup oil with two to four smashed (use the back of a knife to smash it) garlic cloves. Let it sit for a few hours or overnight to infuse the oil. OK -- or just buy garlic oil.
6 TB cider vinegar
3 tsp. cumin
2 tsp. salt
Mix all the ingredients together in a jar and let sit.

Veggies -
2 cans beans you can use kidney, garbanzo, black or a combo of beans
2 large ripe tomatoes cut into chunks
½ cup cilantro

Extras
Chicken – I use a lot like 2 cups. The boys need their protein!
Cubbed Pepperjack cheese 6-8 oz is good.

I mix all the dry ingredients and put the dressing on right before its eaten. That way it doesn’t get soggy when it sits on the football field for hours in the cooler.