Crock Pot Beef Stew

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This is the easiest stew ever, and it is so hardy and delicious! Perfect for fall! You can load it chalk full of all your favorite stew veggies. Next time I make it I'll put sweet potatoes in it, onions, and maybe some squash. Oh and of course loads of mushrooms. I told John the other day that my headstone should read "That would be better with mushrooms." I say that about practically every recipe. This recipe comes from a great cookbook, The Essential Mormon Cookbook.

{What you need}

1 pound beef stew cubes

4 carrots, sliced

4 medium potatoes, cut in large chunks

1 (1-oz) package dry onion soup mix

2 (10.75-ounce) cans cream of mushroom soup 

(you could get light soup to make the stew healthier)

1 (8-oz) can tomato sauce

1 (10-oz) package frozen green peas

Mix all liquid ingredients in a medium bowl. Add all ingredients to a slow-cooker and cook on low for up to 12 hours.

Mama Henrie debuted (who'd a thought that's the past tense spelling of debut?!?!) this on Sunday and everyone looooooved it. I'm not even huge into stew, and this rocked my world.

Baked Ziti with Spinach and Mushrooms

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Don't tell your husband, but this is actually a Weight Wathcers recipe! No worries, though, he'll never know because of how flavorfull it is. I got this from my new favorite recipe cite, Skinny Tastes. There are some major winners on there that I am dying to try, and they are all HEALTHY but BURSTING WITH FLAV!! I'm just elated! I added loads of mushrooms to this, but the origional recipe doesn't call for it, so feel free to leave them out, if you're crazy.

{What you need}
1 lb high fiber ziti such as Ronzoni Smart Taste
28 oz crushed tomatoes (I prefer Tuttorosso)
1 tsp olive oil
3 cloves garlic,minced
10 oz frozen spinach, thawed
1 tsp oregano
2 tbsp chopped fresh basil
salt and fresh pepper to taste
8 oz fat-free ricotta
1/4 cup Parmesan
2 cups (8 oz) part skim mozzarella
2 cups mushrooms, sliced
Spray olive oil Preheat oven to 375°. Spray a 9x13-inch baking pan with oil spray.In a large pot of salted water, cook pasta according to instructions until al dente. Drain and return to pot. Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, add olive oil and sauté garlic and mushrooms. Add chopped spinach, salt pepper and chopped tomatoes. Season with basil, oregano, salt and pepper. Add sauce to the pasta and combine the ziti. Add half of the mozzarella, Parmesan cheese and ricotta. Mix well then transfer to the baking pan. Pour the pasta mixture into the prepared pan and spread evenly. Top with the remaining mozzarella. Bake for 30 minutes, or until mozzarella is melted and the edges are lightly browned.

This can be made up to a day in advance and stored, tightly covered, in the refrigerator. Let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before cooking.

I divided this casserole into eight sections and froze each portion individually in a mini tupperware so I can take it to work for a healthy lunch or just whip it out whenever I'm hungry for something healthy.

1/8 of the casserole is 6 ww points

Broccoli Salad

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My MIL is such an incredible cook and she has so many great recipes that she shares with me! This may be my new favorite salad, and I LOVE that it has fresh broccoli in it. A nice healthy twist! This dressing is gorgeous, too, and would be great on other salads as well.


This one comes from the cookbook Essential Mormon Cook Book, which has some major winners in it. You should check it out, even if you're not Mormon. The recipes are non-denominational:)

{What you need}

2 Bunches fresh broccoli (about a pound) cut in small flowerets

1 medium purple onion, finely chopped

1 cup grated cheddar cheese
6 strips bacon, cookied until crisp and crumbled

1/2 cup sunflower seeds or raisins (optional, but HIGHLY encouraged)

1 recipe Broccoli Salad Dressing (See below)

In a large bowl combine broccoli, onion, and cheese. REfrigerate. Just before serving, stir in bacon. Add sunflower seeds or raisins if you wish. Pour desired amount of dressing over salad, and stir briefly. Serve the same day.

{Broccoli Salad Dressing}

1 cup mayonnaise

2 tablespoons red or white wine vinegar

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

Mix all dressing ingredients. Chill at least one hour before tossing with salad.

Classic Swiss Fondue

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This was the first meal my husband ever made me. We had been dating about two months and he said he had this very special date planned for me. He took me to his house (his parents' house) and suprised me with this INCREDIBLE fondue. He had everything decorated really glamorously (probably with the help of his mom...Thanks Erin!) and we felt super posh as we ate it. Then he surprised me by whipping out the movie "Twilight" and declared, "My love for you is greater than my hate for this movie, so I will watch it with you!" It was quite the night.



I made this for a bachelorette party recently, too, and it was a major hit. So fun to eat with a group of friends, just socializing and snacking. You'll just love it.

{What you need}

3 tablespoons butter

3 tablespoons flour

1 teaspoon dry mustard

pepper to taste

1 cup milk

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

{Dipper ideas}

cubed french bread

apples

pears

cubed brawtworst

pretzle sticks

steamed/fresh veggies

Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the flour, dry mustard, and pepper. Cook for 1 minute and remove from the heat. Stir in the milk gradually. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly until thickened. Stir in the cheese until melted Spoon into fondue pot and serve with your choice of dippers.

Fondue