beef noodle stir-fry... 30 minutes

the goods:

14 ounces udon noodles, prepared according to package instructions

1 tablespoon olive oil

8 ounces beef top sirloin filet, thinly sliced across the grain

8 ounces cremini mushrooms, sliced

1 head of broccoli, chopped into florets

2 carrots, diced

sauce:

1/3 cup soy sauce

3 tablespoon oyster sauce

1 tablespoon brown sugar

1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger

2 garlic cloves, pressed

1 teaspoon sesame oil

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

In a small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, oyster sauce, brown sugar, ginger, garlic, sesame oil, red pepper flakes, and black pepper; set aside.

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add beef and cook, flipping once, until browned, about 3-4 minutes; set aside.

Add in mushrooms, broccoli and carrots to the skillet. Cook, stirring frequently, until tender, about 3-4 minutes. Stir in udon noodles, beef and soy sauce mixture until well combined, about 2-3 minutes.

mini bell pepper chicken nachos... 20 minutes

the goods:

1 teaspoon vegetable oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

6 scallions, sliced, white and green parts separated

1 and 1/2 cups shredded cooked chicken

1 teaspoon chili powder

1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

1/8 teaspoon onion powder

1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1/8 teaspoon dried oregano

1/4 teaspoon paprika

3/4 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1 cup salsa

1 pound mini bell peppers

1 and 1/2 cups shredded cheddar/Monterey Jack cheese blend

Heat oven to 350 degrees. In a large skillet over medium heat, heat oil. Add garlic and white parts of scallions and cook, 1 minute. Stir in spices; cook 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Add chicken and toss until chicken is well coated in spice mixture and heated through, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in salsa. Slice the ends off each mini bell pepper and slice in half lengthwise. Remove seeds and ribs and arrange on a rimmed baking sheet. Spoon chicken mixture evenly over peppers. Sprinkle with cheese and bake 10 minutes. Remove from oven and sprinkle with scallion greens.

spicy fish taco bowls... 30 minutes

the goods:

1 tablespoon chili powder

1 tablespoon cumin

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

3-4 tilapia filets

1 teaspoon olive oil

1-2 cloves minced garlic

1 cup fresh corn kernels (sliced off the cob is best)

1 red onion, diced

1 red bell pepper, diced

1 can (15 ounces) black beans, rinsed and drained

cooked rice

toppings: fresh cilantro, avocado, shredded cheese, sour cream, salsa or pico

Mix the spices together in a small bowl and sprinkle evenly over both sides of the fish filets. Add salt and pepper to taste. In a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat, add oil and garlic and saute for 1-2 minutes. Add the fish filets to the pan. Cook the fish for 3 minutes on each side, or until completely cooked through (fish should be completely white and flake apart easily). Transfer fish to a plate. Add corn, peppers and onion to the pan and cook on high for several minutes without stirring to get some good char marks on them. Stir and repeat letting each side char, until the peppers and onions are tender. Add the black beans and heat through.

In bowls, layer rice, corn/pepper/bean mixture, fish, then top with desired toppings!

chicken alfredo roll-ups... 20 minutes

the goods:

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 boneless, skinless chicken breast, lightly pounded to an even thickness

1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, at room temperature

1/4 cup grated Parmesan

2 tablespoon chopped chives

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1 tube (8 ounces) cresent rolls

1/2 cup Italian bread crumbs

cheese sauce:

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1 tablespoon flour

1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat; set aside. Heat olive oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Season chicken breast with salt and pepper. Add to skillet and cook, flipping once, until cooked through, about 3-4 minutes per side. Let cool before shredding.

In a large bowl, combine chicken, cream cheese, Parmesan, chives, garlic powder, and salt and pepper to taste. Remove rolls from can, separating them into 8 triangles. Top each triangle with a heaping tablespoon of the chicken mixture. Starting with the wide end, roll up each triangle, tucking the ends underneath. Dredge in bread crumbs, pressing to coat. Place seam-side down onto the prepared baking sheet and bake until golden brown, about 10-12 minutes.

To make the cheese sauce, melt butter in a saucepan over medium high heat. Whisk in flour until lightly browned, about 1 minute. Gradually whisk in milk, and cook, whisking constantly, until slightly thickened, about 3-4 minutes; season with salt and pepper to taste. Stir in cheese, a handful at a time, until smooth, 1-2 minutes more. Serve roll-ups drizzled with cheese sauce.

sausage stuffed shells... 45 minutes

the goods:

16-18 jumbo pasta shells

1 pound pork sausage links, casings removed

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1 can (14 ounces) diced tomatoes

3 cups fresh baby spinach

1/2 cup ricotta cheese

1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Fill a large bowl with ice and cold water and set aside. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta shells and cook according to package directions. Drain well, then add shells to the prepared ice bath to stop the cooking. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add sausage and use wooden spoon to break it up as it cooks. Cook 5-6 minutes until browned. Add garlic and cook 30 seconds then add tomatoes and spinach. Stir to combine until spinach wilts. Remove pan from heat and stir in ricotta cheese. Using a spoon, fill pasta shells with pork filling and arrange in a baking dish (I used a pie plate). Sprinkle top with mozzarella cheese then bake for 25-30 minutes until cheese has melted and tips of shells begin to crisp.

cheesy crockpot tortellini... 8 hours

the goods:

1/2 pound ground beef

1/2 pound italian sausage, casings removed

1 jar (24 ounces) marinara sauce

1 can (14.5 ounces Italian-style diced tomatoes, undrained

1 package (9 ounces) fresh cheese tortellini

1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Parmesan, for serving

In a large skillet, combine the ground beef and Italian sausage. Cook over medium-high, breaking it up with a wooden spoon as it browns. Drain. Combine the meat, marinara sauce, and tomatoes in the slow cooker. Cover and cook on low heat for 6 to 8 hours.

Stir in tortellini and sprinkle with cheeses. Cover and cook for 15 minutes more on low. Serve sprinkled with parmesan.

garlic ranch chicken pizza... 25 minutes

the goods:

dough for 1 pizza (homemade or frozen)
2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded
1/2 cup bacon, cooked and crumbled
1 cup chicken, cooked and shredded
2 tomatoes, thinly sliced
1 cup fresh spinach

garlic ranch sauce:
2 tablespoons sour cream
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 and 1/2 tablespoons milk
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
1/8 teaspoon chopped, dried chives
1/8 teaspoon dried parsley
dash of onion powder
salt and pepper, to taste

Mix all ingredients for the garlic ranch sauce together in a small bowl. Roll out pizza dough and spread sauce over the top of the dough. Sprinkle 1 cup mozzarella cheese over the top followed by the chicken, bacon, spinach and tomatoes. Sprinkle remaining cheese on top. Bake at 450 degrees for 9-12 minutes, or until crust is golden brown and cheese is bubbly.