Easy Pizza Sauce

1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
1/2 cups water (adding more if necessary to achieve thickness you desire)
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
salt to taste
ground black pepper to taste
1/2 tablespoon dried oregano
1/2 tablespoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed

Mix together all ingredients. Mix well and let stand several hours to let flavors blend. No cooking necessary, just spread on dough.

Sweet Potato Bread

1 2/3 cup flour
1 ½ cup sugar
½ teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
¾ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
½ c oil
½ c water
1 c mashed sweet potato
2 eggs
½ c chopped nuts (optional)

Oven at 325. Stir all dry ingredients together. Add oil, water, potatoes, and eggs. Mix well. Stir in nuts. Spoon in a greased loaf pan. Bake 75-90 minutes until bread pulls away from sides of pan and a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

3 Bean Vegetarian Chili

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, diced (1 cup)
1 red bell pepper, diced (1 cup)
2 carrots, diced (1/2 cup)
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
2 cups water (or broth)
1 chipotle chile in adobo sauce, seeded and minced
2 teaspoons adobo sauce from the can of chipotles (or a 4oz can of diced chilis)
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 (15.5-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 (15.5-ounce) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 (15.5-ounce) can pinto beans, drained and rinsed

Heat the oil in large pot or Dutch oven over moderate heat. Add the onion, bell pepper and carrots, cover and cook, stirring occasionally until the vegetables are soft, about 10 minutes. Add the cumin and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Stir in the tomatoes, water, chipotle and adobo sauce, oregano and salt and pepper. Cook, partially covered, stirring from time to time, for 30 minutes. Stir in the beans and continue cooking, partially covered, 20 minutes longer. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper.

Chili Garlic Roasted Broccoli

2 tablespoons olive oil
5 to 6 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon grill seasoning blend
1-2 large head broccoli, cut into thin, long spears

Oven at 425 degrees F.

Place extra-virgin olive oil, garlic, chili powder and grill seasoning in the bottom of a large bowl and add the broccoli spears. Toss to coat broccoli evenly then transfer to a large nonstick baking sheet. Roast the broccoli until ends are crisp and brown and stalks are tender, 17 to 20 minutes.

**Note-this is another one of my all time favorite recipes! Yummy!

Breakfast Cookies

3/4 cup whole-wheat flour
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup canola oil
1/4 cup dark brown sugar
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 egg
1/4 cup (1 small jar) strained carrot baby food (or sub in any other pureed, mild veggie like squash or pumpkin)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup bran cereal flakes
1/3 cup raisins
1/3 cup walnut pieces, lightly toasted in a dry skillet for 2 minutes, until fragrant and chopped

Oven at 350 degrees F.

Whisk together flours, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt in a medium-sized bowl. Combine butter, oil and sugars in the bowl of a stand mixer and mix on high speed, scraping down sides if necessary, until sugars have dissolved and mixture is light in color, about 1 minute. Add egg, carrot puree and vanilla and beat an additional 30 seconds. Add flour mixture and beat an additional 30 seconds. Add oats, flakes, raisins and walnuts and mix over low speed just until incorporated. Dough will be slightly sticky and less cohesive than traditional cookie dough. Line a large cookie sheet with parchment paper. Using between 3 to 4 tablespoons of batter, form a ball and place on cookie sheet. Repeat with remaining batter, leaving about 3 inches between cookies. Wet hands and use palm of hand to flatten cookies until about 1/4-inch thick. Bake for 12 minutes, until cookies are fragrant but still soft. Let cookies cool slightly, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

**Note-These cookies are so tasty! I also love that you have a quick breakfast to go. These cookies freeze well and can be defrosted quickly in the microwave.

Quick Chunky Tomato Sauce

2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 medium onion, diced
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil leaves (or 2 teaspoons dried)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves (or 2 teaspoons dried)
1 teaspoon dried oregano
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

In a medium pot heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and saute for 3 minutes. Add remaining ingredients and simmer for another 15 minutes.

**Note-Although I have a recipe that makes 10 cups of freezeable, no cook tomato sauce, this is a good recipe to have on hand when you are out of jarred tomato sauce and/or the freezeable sauce (or you just don't have time to wait to defrost your frozen sauce!)

Ginger-Molasses Cookies

¾ cup butter, melted and cooled
¾ cup dark brown sugar
1 egg
¾ cup mild molasses
3 cups flour
2 teaspoons ground ginger
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon cloves
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
White sugar

Oven at 375. In a medium bowl, mix together butter and brown sugar. Mix in egg and molasses until well blended. In another bowl, mix together remaining ingredients. Stir into butter mixture. Cover and refrigerate for one hour.
Roll dough into ½ balls (using about 1 tablespoon of dough for each ball). Roll balls in sugar for extra sparkle and sweetness. Place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper, 2 inches apart. Flatten cookies w/ a spatula. Bake for 8-10 minutes, until just golden brown around edges but still slightly soft. Remove from oven and immediately transfer to wire rack to cool.

**Note-You can really taste the molasses in these cookies. They are not very sweet cookies, but are still quite tasty. These are great for a time when you want something sweet, but not too sweet; or for the holidays when you've already had your fair share of desserts!

Mexican Casserole with Cornbread Topping

1 cup onion, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
3 tablespoons dry taco seasoning mix**
1 (15-ounce) can chopped tomatoes
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (15-ounce) can great northern beans, rinsed and drained
4 ounces Monterrey Jack cheese, shredded
1 package of cornbread mix, prepared as directed on box.

Saute pepper and onion in a large skillet over medium heat until crisp tender, about 5 minutes. Open can of tomatoes and discard 2 tablespoons of the liquid. Add taco seasoning mix (and salt if using), tomatoes with remaining liquid, and beans. Mix lightly. Let simmer about 5 minutes. If too watery, mix 1 tablespoon of corn starch with one tablespoon of water. Add to mixture and let bubble 1-2 minutes to thicken. Spoon mixture into 9x12-inch baking dish. Sprinkle with cheese. Pour prepared cornbread mix over the top. Spread to cover. Bake at 375ºF for 18-25 minutes or until cornbread is done.
Serves 4 to 6.

**Note-if using homemade taco seasoning, add about 1/2 teaspoon of salt along with the seasoning.
**Note-this can be made ahead and frozen, except for the cornbread mixture. Thaw completely in the fridge overnight and then cook as directed.

Kitchen Sink Black Bean Burgers

1 15oz can of black beans (rinsed and drained)
1 cup cooked brown rice
1/2-3/4 cup cooked/softened veggies**
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
2 teaspoons chili powder
1/2 cup bread crumbs (more or less as needed)
1 egg, beaten

Combine all ingredients, through chili powder, in a food processor. Process until consistency of precooked ground beef hamburgers. Remove mixture from food processor and transfer to a mixing bowl. Add beaten egg to mixture and mix until well Incorporated. Add bread crumbs, about half at a time, until mixture is as dry as you like it.
Form 6 patties** and cook on a skillet that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Cook about 4 minutes per side.
Serve on hamburger buns and with traditional hamburger fixin's.

**Note-Part of the reason I call these "kitchen sink black bean burgers" is because it's a great way to use leftovers. If you have some left over rice and veggies from dinner earlier in the week, you can make these burgers. Use whatever veggies you have on hand-carrots, celery, onion, corn, etc. Just make sure the veggies are either cooked or softened. Feel free also to substitute the spices that sound good to you, or you need to use up.
**Note-I make my patties a bit thinner than traditional burgers as I want to insure that the middle gets cooked both to cook the egg and avoid a soggy burger.

Meatball Espanol

1 lb ground beef
1 c bread crumbs
1/4 cup finely chopped onions
1/4 cup finely chopped celery
1 egg
1 1/2 teaspoons worchestershire sauce
2 teaspoons pepper
1 tablespoon garlic salt
1 can stewed tomatoes
2 1/2 cups zucchini, thinly sliced
1 cup beef broth
1/2 teaspoon, each, oregano, basil and sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
Cooked rice

Oven at 375. Combine beef, bread crumbs, onion, celery, worcestershire sauce, egg and garlic salt. Form into meatballs. Bake for 20 minutes in a casserole dish. When done, remove from dish and place on paper towels to drain fat. Meanwhile, combine tomatoes, zucchini, and remaining seasonings in a small saucepan. Simmer for five minutes. Blend cornstarch into beef broth and stir into tomato mixture. Return meatballs to dish and pour tomatoes over the balls. Bake for 10 minutes longer. Serve over rice.

**Note-this is another recipe compliments of my mother that I am including purely for the ease of the dish and sentimental reasons.

Tortilla Pie

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1/2 cup celery stalk, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 15-oz can yellow corn, drained
1 15-oz can kidney beans, drained
1 15-oz can black beans, drained
1 15-oz can small white beans, drained
1 6-oz can tomato paste
1 tablespoon taco seasoning
1 tablespoon dried basil
5 10- to 12-inch soft tortillas
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Oven at 350. In a frying pan, heat oil and saute the onions, celery, and garlic until onions are transparent. Add corn, beans, tomato paste, and seasoning, heat thoroughly. Set two tablespoons of the bean mix aside. Place one tortilla shell on a baking sheet lightly coated with cooking spray, and spoon a few tablespoons of the bean mix onto it; spread evenly. Place a tortilla on top of beans, top with mix again, and repeat until pie is five layers high. Add two tablespoons water to the remaining mix and spread over the top of the tortilla (this will prevent it from drying out during baking). Bake at 350 for 35 minutes. Sprinkle with cheese, and bake until cheese is melted. Let sit for 15 minutes. Serves six.

Basic Vinagrette

1/2 cup oil
1/3 cup cider vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme or basil
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder or 1 clove, minced
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Combine all ingredients in a jar and shake to combine.

Taco Seasoning

1 tablespoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder or granulated
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon paprika
2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon course salt

**Note, this is probably equivalent to 1-2 packages of the premade taco seasoning. I use about 2 tablespoons to equal about one package. You probably will want to make extra of this seasoning since it will last a while in your pantry.

Pizza Soup

1 pound (Mild) Italian sausage
1 cup celery
1 pound chopped zucchini
1 large onion chopped
1 chopped green pepper
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 quart canned tomatoes
2 cups chicken, beef or vegetable stock
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon oregano
¼ teaspoon basil
¼ teaspoon Italian seasonings

Brown sausage until gray. Add to it the veggies and cook about 5 minutes, until soft. Add in spices and cook an additional 2-3 minutes. Add the tomatoes (with their juice) and the stock and simmer about one hour. Serve with a sprinkle of Parmesan Cheese and either French or Italian bread.

Pumpkin Pie Spice

4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Combine and store in a container. Use wherever "pumpkin pie spice" is called for.