FOR SPAGHETTI SQUASH

2 medium spaghetti squash, halved, seeds removed

1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

Kosher salt

½ tsp. chili powder

½ tsp. cumin

FOR FILLING

1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

½ onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 lb. ground beef

1 tbsp. taco seasoning mix

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1 (15-oz.) can black beans

1½ c. chopped cherry tomatoes

1 c. corn, canned and drained or frozen

1 c. shredded Monterey jack

½ c. shredded cheddar

2 tbsp. freshly chopped cilantro (optional)

Preheat oven to 400°. Drizzle cut sides of spaghetti squash with oil and season with salt, chili powder, and cumin. Place cut side down on a large, rimmed baking sheet. Roast until tender, 30 to 35 minutes. Let cool slightly. Using a fork, break up squash strands.

Meanwhile, make filling: In a large skillet over medium heat, heat olive oil. Add onion and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute more. Add ground beef, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon. Cook until beef is no longer pink, about 6 minutes. Drain fat.

Stir in taco seasoning, then season to taste with salt and pepper. Stir in black beans, cherry tomatoes, and corn.

Fill each spaghetti squash with beef mixture and top with cheeses. Return to oven to melt cheese, 5 minutes. Garnish with cilantro and serve.

Pork Chops

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

6 pork chops

1 teaspoon seasoned salt

Hash Brown Mixture

1 can (10.75 ounce) condensed cream of mushroom soup

2/3 cup milk

1/2 cup sour cream

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 package (16 ounces) frozen hash brown potatoes, thawed

1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese, divided

1 can (6 ounces) French-fried onions, divided

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Pork Chops

Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Season pork chops with seasoned salt. (Can also add salt & pepper or seasoning of your choice.)

Cook pork chops in hot oil until browned completely, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Remove pork chops to a plate lined with paper towels to drain.

Hash Brown Mixture

Mix condensed cream of mushroom soup, milk, sour cream, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Fold hash brown potatoes, 3/4 cup Cheddar cheese, and about 3/4 of the French-fried onions into the soup mixture.

Pour into a 13×9-inch baking dish that has been sprayed with non-stick spray or buttered.

Arrange pork chops atop the mixture. Cover the dish with aluminum foil.

Bake in 350°F oven for 40 minutes.

After the casserole has baked for 40 minutes, carefully remove foil and cover the pork chops with remaining 1/4 cup Cheddar cheese and remaining French-fried onions.

Place casserole back into the oven until the cheese melts, or about 5 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of the pork chops should read 145°F.

1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened

1/4 cup sugar

1 can (15 ounces) solid-pack pumpkin

1 package (3.4 ounces) instant vanilla pudding mix

2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice

1 cup cold 2% milk

1-3/4 cups whipped topping

24 gingersnaps, divided

In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth; add pumpkin, pudding mix and pie spice. Gradually beat in milk. Fold in whipped topping.

Spoon 1/4 cup mousse into each of eight serving dishes. Crumble 16 gingersnaps; sprinkle over mousse. Top with remaining mousse. Refrigerate until serving.

12 oz cream cheese, softened to room temp (my packages are 8oz, so I used a package and a half)

1/2 cup sour cream

2 cups shredded chicken

1.5 Tbsp taco seasoning (choose your favorite)

1 1/2 cups shredded Mexican cheese

10 oz can of diced tomatoes with green chiles, very well drained

1 1/2 tsp garlic, finely minced

5 green onions, sliced thinly

3/4 – 1 cup cilantro, chopped finely (adjust to your tastes)

8 burrito sized flour tortillas

fresh minced cilantro, for garnish optional

Combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl, stirring until well combined.

Lay flour tortilla down on work surface and spread about 1/4 cup (amount will vary from person to person) evenly over the tortilla, leaving a 1/2 – 1 inch border all around.

Start at the bottom of the tortilla (closest to you), and roll up tightly towards the top, like a cigar.  Place roll seam side down on prepared pan.

Repeat with remaining tortillas and place in refrigerator for 30 minutes to several hours to chill and firm up.

Use a sharp, serrated knife to slice roll into 1 inch pinwheels and serve.

Cooking spray, for pan

3 eggs

1 c. granulated sugar

1 (15-oz.) can pumpkin purée

2/3 c. heavy cream

2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice

1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

1/2 tsp. kosher salt

For the topping

1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour

1 1/2 c. dark brown sugar

Pinch kosher salt

3/4 c. cold butter, in 1/2″ cubes

1 c. chopped pecans

Whipped cream or vanilla ice cream, for garnish

Preheat oven to 375°. Grease an 8 x 8 baking pan with cooking spray. In a large bowl, whisk together eggs and sugar. When smooth and fully combined, add pumpkin, cream, vanilla, pumpkin pie spice, and 1/2 tsp kosher salt. Whisk until smooth and blended. Pour into prepared pan.

In the bowl of a food processor (or with a pastry blender) pulse the flour, brown sugar, and salt to combine and break up any clumps of brown sugar. Scatter the cubed butter over the dry ingredients and pulse again until crumbs form. Stir in the pecans.

In the palm of your hand, press handfuls of the topping into rough balls. Break off teaspoon-sized pieces and place over the pumpkin.

Bake until the filling is set and the top is golden brown, 40 to 45 minutes.

Serve with whipped cream or ice cream.

2 teaspoons olive oil

1 pound boneless and skinless chicken thighs diced into 1-inch pieces

2 teaspoons minced garlic

1/3 cup barbecue sauce

Salt to season

10 stand and stuff taco shells

2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

1/3 of green bell pepper, sliced thinly

1/4 of a red onion sliced thinly

1/4 cup sliced mushrooms

2 tablespoons sliced olives

Italian seasoning, TT

Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with cooking oil spray; set aside.

Heat the oil in a skillet or pan over medium-high heat. When hot, add the chicken and sear until golden and crisp. Add the garlic; fry until fragrant (about 1 minute); then add the barbecue sauce and salt to season (about 1/2 teaspoon salt). Cook until chicken is coated and glossy, and the sauce slightly thickens. Turn off heat.

Arrange taco shells in the baking dish. Sprinkle 1-2 tablespoons of shredded cheese into each taco shell to keep them from going soggy. Spoon about 2-3 tablespoons of the chicken mixture into each shell on top of the cheese until all the chicken is used. Top with the green pepper slices, onion slices, mushrooms and olives. Top shells with the remaining cheese and sprinkle with the seasoning.

Bake for 15 minutes or until the cheese has melted through. Serve with sour cream, guacamole, salsa, or condiments of choice.

¾ c lime juice

3 Tbsp olive oil

3 Tbsp sesame oil

3 Tbsp soy sauce

3 Tbsp minced fresh ginger

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 Tbsp sugar

1 ½ lbs boneless chicken breasts

12 oz uncooked angel hair pasta, broken.  Cooked according to package directions

1 large sweet yellow pepper, chopped

1 large sweet red pepper, chopped

1 medium cucumber, peeled and chopped

¼ c minced fresh parsley

2 green onion, sliced

¼ tsp crushed red pepper flakes

Combine first 7 ingredients.  Pour ¼ c of marinade into a shallow dish, reserve remainder.

Add chicken, turn to coat.  Refrigerate 30 minutes.

Drain chicken, discard marinade.  Grill chicken until the internal temp reaches 165*.

Combine remaining ingredients with reserved marinade.  Cut chicken into 1 in slices.

Add pasta and chicken to vegetables, toss to coat.  Refrigerate until serving.

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

1/4 cup olive oil

1/4 mayonnaise

1 clove garlic, finely chopped

3/4 tsp Italian seasoning

8 ears corn-on-the-cob* or thawed, frozen corn kernels

1 small red onion, halved and thinly sliced

12 cherry tomatoes, quartered

1 small zucchini, finely chopped

1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves

Combine vinegar, olive oil, mayonnaise, garlic and Italian seasoning in small bowl with wire whisk. Season, if desired, with salt and pepper; set aside.

Bring large sauce pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add corn and cook 3 minutes; drain and cool. Remove kernels (about 4 cups) from cob with knife. Combine cooled corn, onion and 1/4 cup vinaigrette in medium bowl. Gently fold in tomatoes, zucchini and basil. Drizzle with remaining vinaigrette. Serve at room temperature.

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting

1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed (a 9 1/2- by 9-inch sheet from a 17.3-ounce package)

1 cup mascarpone

1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

1 large egg, beaten

1 lemon, zest finely grated (about 1 tablespoon)

1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives

1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon

1 pound pencil asparagus, woody bottoms trimmed off

1 tablespoon olive oil

Freshly ground black pepper

Lightly dressed greens, for serving

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Lightly flour the work surface and roll out the puff pastry to a 9- by 12-inch even rectangle. Transfer to the prepared baking sheet. Combine the mascarpone, 1 1/4 teaspoons of the salt, the flour, egg and lemon zest, and then fold in the chives and tarragon. Spread over the puff pastry, leaving a 3/4-inch border. Make small cuts around the border about 1 inch apart with the tip of a paring knife.

Toss the asparagus with the olive oil in a bowl. Lay half of the asparagus in a neat row across the surface of the tart so the tips meet the edge. Do the same in the opposite direction with the remaining asparagus. Season with the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and some pepper. Bake until the border of the tart is deep golden and puffed and the top is lightly spotted golden brown, about 25 minutes. Let cool for 5 to 10 minutes and serve.

Serve with lightly dressed greens.

1 14 oz. bag coleslaw mix

1/2 c. red pepper diced

1/2 c. black beans rinsed and drained

1/2 c. grilled corn

1/2 c. minced cilantro

1 jalapeno seeds removed and finely diced

3/4 c. mayo

1/4 c. sour cream

1/2 package taco seasoning

2 Tbsp. lime juice

In a large mixing bowl, combine coleslaw mix, red pepper, black beans, grilled corn, cilantro, and jalapeño.

In a separate small bowl, combine mayo, sour cream, taco seasoning, and lime juice.

Add mayo mixture to coleslaw mixture and stir to combine.