Keith's Famous Italian Lentil Soup

 Keith has been making this soup for decades.  He started making it when we lived in Naperville, IL when Anna was a baby.  He'd make up a pot of soup in the Crockpot and make bread in the bread maker.  Yum!  The house always smells amazing when he makes it!  

Keith's Famous Italian Lentil Soup

1 large onion, chopped

1 green pepper, chopped

2 carrots, chopped 

2 cloves of garlic, minced

3 bay leaves

2 celery stalks, chopped

1 tsp oregano

1 tsp basil

1 TBSP Italian seasoning

24 oz water

1 (32 oz) box chicken broth

2 cans whole stewed Italian tomatoes (do not drain), chopped

1 cup dry lentils

1 lb Italian sausage, browned

Combine all in a Crockpot.  Cook on high for 4 hours and low for 4 hours. Remove bay leaves. Serve with homemade bread. 

Asian Tuna Salad

 Everyone who knows me knows that I hate canned tuna.  Blech. Barf.  Smells like cat food.  Ugh. So it's no surprise that I never cook with canned tuna.  Right after Keith and I got married, I made tuna-noodle-hot dish topped with potato chips (Minnesota standard) to see if I could eat it. Nope. So gross.  

Recently I came upon a TikTok of a father and son making a tuna salad with Asian ingredients, that I thought sounded interesting.  I like siracha.  I like Kewpie mayo.  I like soy sauce and sesame oil.  Maybe?

The answer is YES!  We bought the most expensive canned tuna at Lunds (still smelled like cat food, btw) to make it. Loved it and will make it again!

Here's the recipe.  I had just taken a screen shot, so I'm not sure of the assembly.  I mixed everything together, then added the tuna.  Enjoy!

Asian Tuna Salad

1 can light tuna, drained

1/2 tsp soy sauce

2 1/2 TBSP Kewpie mayo

1 1/2 TBSP Sriracha

1/2 TBSP sesame oil

1/2 tsp ground black pepper

1 cup chopped celery

3 green onions, chopped

1 cup grated carrots

Mix everything together.  Sprinkle with sesame seeds.  Serve with seaweed snacks (Nori)

Thanksgiving Aperol Spritz

 It's no surprise that I love Aperol spritz.  It's not really a winter drink, tho.  Here's a new option.

Thanksgiving Aperol Spritz

Mix together:

3 oz sparking wine (prosecco)

1 oz Aperol

1 oz cranberry juice

Garnish with an orange slice and cinnamon stick. 

Honey Mustard Salmon

This is a great versatile recipe for salmon and the one I come back to again and again.  The recipe calls for it to be baked in the oven, but we love it even more grilled on a cedar plank.  

Honey Mustard Salmon

1 large salmon filet from Costco

2 Tbsp olive oil

Juice of 1 lemon

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 heaping Tbsp brown mustard

1 heaping Tbsp honey

1 heaping Tbsp dried herbs of your choice (I like French Style Bouquet Garni)

Preheat oven to 400.  In a medium bowl, whisk together the sauce ingredients. Line a jellyroll pan with foil and spray with Pam.  Place salmon on the pan and spoon on sauce.  Bake at 400 for 20-25 minutes or until the fish flakes with a fork.  I like to serve this with a big green salad.  

Keith's Spaghetti Sauce

 Keith's Spaghetti Sauce

28 oz can crushed tomatoes

8 oz can tomato sauce

6 oz can of tomato paste

1 tbsp minced garlic from jar 

1 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp white vinegar

2 tsp sugar

2 tbsp Italian seasoning

Mix together and simmer 30 minutes.  We usually add meatballs.  Serve over spaghetti.  

Chunky Monkey Banana Bread

 This is my favorite banana bread combo: banana + walnuts + chocolate chips! This brings already delicious banana up a notch or 10!  I add about a half bag of mini chocoate chips and a mounded 1/2 cup of chopped walnuts to my batter.  Here's my recipe.  Enjoy!

Chunky Monkey Banana Bread

1 cup mashed, ripe banana

3/4 cup milk

3 tbsp vegetable oil

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla

2 1/2 cups flour

1 cup sugar

3 1/2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

1 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips (regular and milk chocolate work too)

Heaping 1/2 cup chopped walnuts (may substitute pecans)

Preheat oven to 350. Mix all ingredients together and pour into a greased loaf pan. Bake for 65 minutes.  Pierce with cake tester or knife.  If wet, bake for another 15-20 minutes or until tester comes out clean. 

Aperol + Pomegranate Holiday Spritz

 Aperol Spritz is one of my go-to summer (read cabin) cocktails.  I love that bitter orange flavor!  Yum!  This is a fun take on the Aperol Spritz with the addition of some sweeet Pom juice.  Garnish with pomegranate arils, orange slices, and a sprig of rosemary.  

Aperol + Pomegranate Spritz

2 oz pomegranate juice (Pom in the funky bottle)

2 oz Aperol

4 oz Prosecco or champagne

1 oz+ soda water (I use whatever LaCroix I have in the house)

Add all ingredients to a high ball glass filled with ice.