For more potato salad recipes, click here.

• 1 ½ lbs. small red potatoes
• ½ cup low-fat yogurt
• ½ cup mayonnaise
• ½ cup chopped fresh dill
• 2 tbsp. red wine vinegar
• 1 tsp. salt
• ½ tsp. fresh cracked pepper
• 1 ½ cups rinsed, and slivered red onion
• 1 cucumber sliced thin

Steam potatoes until tender, about 15-20 minutes.  Cool in ice cold water to stop cooking and pat dry.

Whisk yogurt, mayonnaise, dill, vinegar, salt and pepper in a small bowl thoroughly.  Quarter potatoes and put in a large bowl for serving.   Add onion and cucumber, gently combine.   Add dressing, gently stir to coat.

Serves: 8
Total time: 45 minutes

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For more citrus and vodka recipes click here.

• 1 cup orange juice
• 1/3 cup vodka
• 2 tbsp. Dijon mustard
• 1 tbsp. honey
• 1 tbsp. butter
• 2 tbsp. chopped fresh parsley, plus extra to sprinkle over your pasta
• 2 chicken breasts, pounded to tenderize
• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• ½ lb. fettuccine
• Freshly grated parmesan

Mix your orange juice and vodka in a small bowl.  Place your chicken breasts in a shallow dish for marinating.  Spoon enough orange juice and vodka over chicken to coat lightly.  Marinate in refrigerator while you prepare your pasta and citrus vodka sauce.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil for your fettuccine.  In a medium sauce pan pour your orange juice and vodka.  Add the Dijon mustard, and honey. Cook over medium heat for about 10-15 minutes until mixture reduces to 1/3 cup.  Whisk in butter until melted; stir in the parsley and adjust seasoning to taste.  Keep warm while you saute the  chicken breasts.  In a large non-stick pan over medium heat add olive oil.  Remove chicken from marinade wiping off excess liquid and sauté until nicely browned on both sides.  Remove from pan and let cool.  When your fettuccine is al dente drain reserving ¼ cup water.  Slice your chicken breasts on the diagonal.  To your pan add the fettuccine, chicken, and citrus vodka sauce.  Toss until everything is combined.  Adjust with pasta water if necessary.  Pour into pasta bowls, add freshly grated parmesan cheese and remaining chopped parsley.

Serves; 2

Total time: 1 hour

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For more spinach salad recipes from the Food Network, click here.

For the salad:

• 5 oz. baby spinach washed, stems removed
• ¼ red onion, thinly sliced
• 2 hard boiled eggs, roughly chopped

For the bacon mushroom vinaigrette:

• 5 slices bacon, sliced into ½ inch wide strips, mixed with 3 tbsp. water
• 3 cups cremini mushrooms, sliced
• 3 tbs. sherry vinegar mixed with ¼ cup water
• 3 tbsp. vegetable oil
• Freshly ground pepper
• 3 tbsp. fresh flat leaf parsley, chopped

Lightly mix the spinach with red onion and eggs in a large bowl.  Set aside in refrigerator while you prepare you bacon mushroom vinaigrette.  In a large non-stick pan over medium heat brown your bacon with water, stirring often until almost crisp.  Add your mushrooms and cook until mushrooms begin to soften, about 5-7 minutes.  Add sherry vinegar and water mixture.  Cook until reduced by half, stirring 2-3 minutes.  Add the vegetable oil, season with pepper to taste.  Cook additional couple minutes, add your parsley.  Let cool slightly and pour over spinach.  Toss and serve immediately.

Serves: 2

Total time: 45 minutes

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For more macaroni and cheese recipes, click here.

• ½ cup butter
• 2 cups macaroni
• 1 sweet onion chopped
• 1 red bell pepper chopped
• ½ tsp. dry mustard
• 2 cups water
• 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
• 4 cajun sausage links pre-cooked, cut in half, then into half coins
• 1 tbsp. olive oil

In a 1arge non-stick skillet heat heat olive over medium. Add sausage and cook until lightly browned. Set aside. To your skillet add you butter over medium heat until bubbly. Add the next four ingredients, and cook stirring frequently for at least 5 minutes. Stir in water; heat to boiling; reduce heat to low, cover and simmer until macaroni is tender, (adding the sausage half way through) stirring occasionally. Remove from heat; stir in cheese and serve immediately.

Serves; 4

Total time: 1 hour

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1. Macaroni and Cheese
2. Grandpa Tom’s Macaroni Salad
3. Sausage and Peppers with a Tomato Cream Sauce over Pappardelle

For more tomato sauce recipes, click here.

• 4 links of your choice, sliced in half lengthwise, then sliced into ½ coins
• ¼ cup olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped fine
• 4 garlic cloves, chopped fine
• ½ tsp. red pepper flakes
• 1-28 oz. can crushed tomatoes
• Salt to taste
• ½ tsp. dried basil, or 3 fresh sprigs
• 12 oz. spaghetti
• ½ cup reserved pasta water
• 2 tbsp. unsalted butter, cubed
• Freshly grated parmesan cheese, as much as you like

In a large non stick pan, lightly coat with olive oil to medium heat.  Add sausage and cook stirring frequently until browned evenly.  Set aside.  To the pan add the ¼ cup olive oil to medium low heat.  Add the onion and cook stirring until soft, about 10 minutes.  Add the garlic and cook, stirring for a few minutes.  Add the crushed red pepper flakes, cook one minute.  Increase heat to medium and add tomatoes, season to taste with salt, stirring occasionally for about 20 minutes.  Remove from heat and add basil.  Set aside.

Bring a large pot of salted water to boiling.  Cook spaghetti to just before it is tender.  Drain reserving ½ cup pasta water.  If you used fresh basil in sauce, remove.  To your sauce stir in the reserved pasta water, bring to a slight boil.  Add sausage then add spaghetti, stirring until spaghetti is al dente.  from heat and add butter and freshly grated parmesan.  Toss until cheese melts.  Serve immediately.

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3. Sausage and Peppers with a Tomato Cream Sauce over Pappardelle

For more green bean and carrots recipes, click here.

• 2 garlic cloves peeled
• 2 cups cilantro
• 1 cup Italian parsley
• 6 tbsp. olive oil
• 3 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
• ½ tsp. hot paprika
• ½ tsp. cumin seeds
• 2 lbs. tender green beans, trimmed
• 1 lb. carrots, peeled and sliced into 4-inch long sticks
• Salt and pepper to taste

Heat a small sauce pan to medium heat. Add cumin seeds and toast turning constantly.  Remove seeds and cool.  With a mortar and pestle, ground cumin seeds.  Set aside.

Chop the garlic in a food processor.  Add the cilantro and parsley and pulse until coarsely chopped.  Add the olive oil, lemon juice, paprika, ground cumin, and salt to taste.  Pulse until the sauce has the consistency of pesto.  Season with salt to taste.  Let sauce rest covered in refrigerator for at least 4 hours.  Best if made a day ahead.

In a large pot with a steamer insert, add water up to 2-inches and bring to a boil over high heat.  Steam the green beans, covered, until just tender, 4 to 7 minutes.  Shake excess water off green beans and set aside in a serving bowl.  Cover to keep warm.  Add the carrots to the basket and steam, covered, until tender, 4 to 6 minutes.  Transfer carrots to the serving bowl with the green beans.

Toss the vegetables with about three-quarters of the charmoula sauce.  Pour remaining sauce over and salt and pepper to taste.

Serves: 8 to 10

Total Time: 1 hour

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Thanks Joy for sharing, and happy new year!  Please enjoy!

• 6 medium russet potatoes
• 1 medium onion grated
• 1 egg
• ½ cup flour
• Salt to taste
• Vegetable oil to coat pan generously
• Apple sauce and sour cream (optional)

Peel potatoes and grate in food processor.  Peel and grate onion in food processor.  Place in a large bowl, add egg, flour, and salt.  Stir to combine completely.  Heat oil in electric fry pan to 375 degrees. With slotted spoon, grab spoonful of potatoes and pat gently to remove excess liquid (do not remove all liquid, just a small amount).  Fry potatoes until dark golden brown on first side (do not touch), about 6-8 minutes.  Flip and fry second side for 3-4 minutes, until light golden brown.  Drain on paper towels while you finish cooking the remaining pancakes.  If desired, sprinkle with additional salt.  Serve with apple sauce and sour cream.

Total time: 45 minutes

Makes: 12 medium size pancakes

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1. Lemon-Arugula Potato Salad
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3. Cottage Cheese Pancakes

There are a few different types of Kale, Dinosaur Kale, Red Russian Kale, and Curly Kale.  Kale is high in vitamin C, vitamin A, and manganese, click here to learn more about the benefits.  Brussels sprouts are also high in vitamins A, C, and fiber.  So go ahead now and eat your vegies!  Please enjoy!

My source for this recipe was bon appetit.

• ¼ cup lemon juice
• 2 tbsp. Dijon mustard
• 1 tbsp. minced shallot
• 1 small garlic clove, crushed
• Salt to taste
• Freshly ground pepper
• 1 large bunch of Tuscan kale, ribs removed, thinly sliced
• 12 oz. brussels sprouts, trimmed and thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1/3 cup almonds, skin on coarsely chopped
• 1 cup shredded pecorino cheese

Combine lemon juice, mustard, shallot, garlic, salt and pepper in a small bowl.  Stir to blend; set aside to let flavors meld.  Mix kale and Brussels sprouts in a large bowl.  Spoon 1 tbsp. oil (from ½ cup), into a small skillet; heat to medium, add almonds stirring frequently until golden brown.  Transfer to a paper towl and sprinkle lightly with salt.  Slowly whisk remaining olive oil into lemon juice mixture.  Season dressing to taste with salt and pepper.  Add dressing and cheese to kale mixture.  Garnish with almonds.

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For more Thai soup recipes, click here.

• 1 lb. boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into 2-inch pieces
• 1 can coconut milk
• 1 box Swansons chicken broth
• 6 ¼ inch slices ginger
• 2 stalks lemon grass cut into 1-inch slices
• 2 cups cremini mushrooms
• 2 tbsp. lime juice
• 2 tsp. honey or sugar
• 2 tsp. sirancha or to taste
• 2 tbsp. fish sauce (we like the red boat fish brand)
• ½ cup cilantro

In a large soup pot heat over medium, heat 2 tbsp. olive oil.  Add your chicken and sauté until browned.  Remove and set aside.  To your pot add the coconut milk, chicken broth, ginger, and lemon grass.  Bring to a boil, and simmer for 20 minutes or so.  Strain soup to remove the lemon grass and ginger.  Add mushrooms, lime juice, honey (or sugar), sirancha, fish sauce, and chicken.  Simmer for about 15 to 20 minutes.  Add your cilantro and serve immediately.

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I was so excited to make these panko crusted halibut tacos last night, because I new they were going to be really tasty.  And that they were!!  We had dinner with some friends the other night at BJ’s Brewery, when my eyes hit the halibut tacos on the menu, I decided to try them.  I hate to admit this but I’ve never had fish tacos.  They were lightly breaded with panko bread crumbs, and served in warm tortillas with plain shredded cabbage.  On the side was the creamy avocado sauce, and salsa. So I decided I was going to make my own panko crusted halibut tacos, but change it up a bit by combining the raw cabbage with the avocado sauce to create a slaw that could be plopped right on top of the halibut.  I prepared the avocado cabbage slaw first so it could sit in the refrigerator and marinate, while I prepared my halibut.  Halibut is a great source of high quality protein, rich in minerals, vitamins, and the most beneficial omega-3 essential fatty acids.  Now this is just a few of the benefits, click here to learn more about the very nutritious halibut fish.  Please enjoy!

For more recipes with halibut, click here.

For the halibut:

• Corn tortillas, 8 to 10
• 1 lb. halibut fillets, washed and cut into 3-inch pieces
• 1 cup flour
• 2 eggs
• 1 tbsp. water
• 1 tbsp. whipping cream
• 2 cups panko bread crumbs
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 4 tbsp. olive oil

For the creamy avocado slaw:

• 1 avocado
• 2 green onions, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, chopped
• ½  cup sour cream
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 2 tbsp. green salsa
• 1 tsp. cider vinegar
• 1 tsp. red pepper chili flakes
• ½ lime, juiced
• 2 cups cabbage, thinly sliced

Prepare you creamy avocado cabbage slaw first.  In a large bowl, mix all ingredients thoroughly, adding your cabbage last, tossing to coat cabbage evenly.  Place in refrigerator while you prepare you tacos.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Place your tortillas in foil and warm in oven while you prepare your halibut.  Wash and trim skin off halibut.  Cut into 2- inch pieces.  Place flour in shallow dish.  In a medium size bowl, beat eggs with whipping cream and water.  Place panko bread crumbs in a shallow dish, add salt and pepper to taste.  Dredge halibut pieces one by one in flour, shaking to remove any excess flour, then dip into egg mixture, lastly coat with the panko bread crumbs.  Heat a nonstick skillet with olive oil until barely smoking.  Sauté halibut pieces to a golden brown turning once, about 5 minutes.  Place halibut pieces in an oven proof pan, to finish cooking.  About 8 minutes.

To serve, place halibut pieces in warmed tortillas, and top with creamy avocado cabbage slaw.

Serves: 6

Total time: 60 minutes

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