Rosemary Roasted Chicken and Vegetable

 Thanks, Luke, for another great recipe!

Ingredients:

• 2 sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1" cubes
• 2 red bell peppers, cut into 1" cubes
• 1 onion cut into 1" cubes, layers separated
• 10 oz. jar artichoke hearts
• salt & pepper to taste
• 2 tsp. chopped fresh rosemary
• 2 chicken breasts, cut in half, crosswise
• 1 tsp. lemon zest
• lemon wedges for serving

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425°.
2. Place sweet potatoes in shallow bowl & microwave 2 minutes.
3. Coat 9"x13" pan with cooking spray.
4. Combine potatoes, peppers, onion & artichoke hearts in the pan. Sprinkle with salt & pepper, drizzle with 1/4 tsp. of olive oil, & 1 1/4 tsp. rosemary.
5. Stir to coat.
6. Move the vegetables to the sides, leaving a 4" path down the center of the pan.
7. Place chicken down center of pan. Brush with oil & sprinkle with remaining rosemary (approximately 3/4 tsp.)
8. Bake for 45 minutes or until chicken is 160°. 
9. Stir lemon zest into vegetables & combine.
10. Plate & enjoy!

Creamy Tomato Tortellini with Sausage

 We are staying with our daughter, son-in-law & granddaughter while we are awaiting the closing of our new home in The Villages, Florida. I must say our son-in-law has cooked some amazing dinners! This recipe is one I HAD to get from him...truly restaurant quality!

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. cheese tortellini
• 4 links Italian Sausage (either remove the casing or slice the sausage
• 2 - 15 oz. cans diced tomatoes
• 1/2 onion, finely chopped
• 1.5 or 2 tsp. garlic cloves
• 8 oz. block cream cheese, cubed
• approximately 6 oz. baby spinach

Directions:

1. Bring water to boil and cook tortellini according directions.
2. In large skillet, brown sausage. Drain fat if needed.
3. Add tomatoes, onion, garlic & spinach to browned sausage, and stir in cubed cheese until incorporated.
4. Drain tortellini. Add to sauce. Toss & serve.

Mama Sherri's Brownies

 Although my grandchildren call these delicious brownies "Mama Sherri's Brownies", the reality is that I got this wonderful recipe from a colleague when I started teaching in the early 1980's. Thanks, Chris Dever! These brownies have been a hit since I started making them.

1. Preheat oven to 300°.
2. Spray 9"x13" pan with Pam.
3. Melt 2 sticks of butter with 8 tablespoons of cocoa in a saucepan.
4. Add the following to the melted butter/cocoa mixture: 2 cups sugar, 1 cup flour, 1 teaspoon vanilla & 4 well-beaten eggs.
5. Pour mix into 9"x13" pan.
6. Bake for 35-45 minutes.
7. Frost with a tub of ready-made frosting.

Make Ahead Mashed Potatoes

(Prep time: 40 minutes ~ Baking time: 30-45 minutes)

Ingredients:

• 5 pounds russet or baking potatoes
• 1 stick salted butter
• 1 cup sour cream
• 8 oz. cream cheese, softened
• 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste

Directions:

1. Peel and rinse potatoes.
2. Cut potatoes into 2-inch pieces.
3. Put cut up potatoes in a large stock pot and cover with water.
4. Boil potatoes until they are fork tender (approximately 18-20 minutes)
5. Drain potatoes and add remaining ingredients.
6. Thoroughly mix all ingredients with a mixer.
7. Taste and adjust amount of salt if necessary.
8. Transfer mashed potatoes to a shallow baking dish (9x13) and cover with foil.
9. Right before baking, I usually drizzle melted butter on top of potatoes.
10. Bake at 350° for 30 - 45 minutes or until hot.

*** This delicious recipe was borrowed from www.makedinnereasy.com.

KETO One-Minute Chocolate Chip Cookie

 Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 TBSP. melted butter
• 3/4 TBSP. heavy whipping cream
• 2 TBSP. Swerve brown sugar replacement
• 1/3 cup super fine almond flour
• 1/8 tsp. baking soda
• Lily's milk chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Mix all ingredients (one at a time).
2. Flatten dough on microwaveable plate with palm of hand.
3. Bake in microwave oven on high for 1 minute.
4. Let baked cookie cool on counter for 5 minutes.
5. Enjoy cookie as is, or add KETO vanilla ice cream.

DELICIOUS!!!!

Katie's Corn Salad

Ingredients:

• diced tomato
• peeled, de-seeded & diced 1/2 cucumber
• diced 1/4 red onion
• drained 1 can sweet corn
• salt & pepper to taste
• red wine vinegar
• olive oil
• add cheese, if wanted (Katie uses feta. I use gorgonzola.) 

Directions: Mix all ingredients and enjoy!

Mama Sherri's Keto Lasagna

 Ingredients:

• 2 lbs. Italian sausage (We prefer hot rather than sweet.)
• 1 small can sliced mushrooms
• 2 cups Rao marinara
• 15 oz. Ricotta cheese
• 1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese (in the bag...not the green can)
• 1 tsp. garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
• parsley flakes

Directions:

1. Set oven temperature to 375°.
2. Spray 9x13 baking dish with Pam.
3. Brown sausage in frying pan.
4. While sausage is browning, mix together the Ricotta cheese, parmesan cheese, garlic powder, Italian seasoning & salt.
5. After sausage is cooked, layer in the following order:
1. Italian sausage
2. sliced mushrooms
3. Rao marinara
4. Ricotta cheese mixture
5. shredded mozzarella
6. Sprinkle with parsley flakes
6. Bake for approximately 20 minutes (until edges are brown). Then change from baking to 2 minutes of broiling (then the top looks perfect).
7. Let lasagna rest for 10-20 minutes before serving (if you can wait that long...hahaha).
8. May serve with a simple Italian salad (Romaine, sliced pepperocinis, sliced purple onions, shredded parmesan cheese & Olive Garden salad dressing).
9. May also serve with Low Carb Cheese Sticks (recipe is on this blog)