Roasted Veggie Sticks ~ by Sarah

This is a Pinterest recipe and Wes and I are addicted!  I wish the kids loved them as much as we do, but it doesn't stop me from making them.  I eat these sticks like candy!  I'm copying and pasting the recipe exactly as the Pinterest person wrote it.  But I always use seasoning salt, freshly cracked pepper, sea salt, and smoked paprika.  Don't be stingy with the seasonings!  They absorb!

Ingredients:
carrots (not peeled)
**zucchini

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 425 F
2. Cut your veggies into 3-inch sticks, making sure they are even in thickness.
3. Line a baking tray with baking paper (I don't do this) and a light layer of olive oil.
4. SEASON – go with the usual salt and pepper and branch out to one or two of the following (Choose Your Own Adventure-style): paprika, cumin, cayenne, crushed red peppers, thyme, rosemary, sage – really, whatever takes your fancy and suits your meal. Using premixed spice blends is a great option too – Italian, Mexican, Old Bay – you know, just not all at once. Lightly toss your vegetable batons with a tablespoon or so of olive oil (not too much) and the herbs and spices.
5. Spread your seasoned veggies over your lined tray and roast, tossing halfway through, for about 20 minutes or until golden and slightly browned at the edges.

**She mentions that any veggies will work with this method...

Make sure you let them cook until they start to caramelize.  You will not be disappointed!

Orange-Spiced Sweet Potatoes~by Kelsey

This recipe is from my Crock Pot Best-Loved Slow Cooker Recipes cook book.  I really like sweet potatoes, and this actually seems more like a dessert than a vegetable.  Maybe it's all the butter.  And sugar.  But it's really good and smells awesome!

Ingredients:
2 lbs sweet potatoes
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup butter, cut into small pieces
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon grated orange peel
Juice of one medium orange
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
toasted pecans (optional)

Yellow Squash Casserole ~ by Kelsey

I came across this simple recipe in my Four Ingredient Cookbook.  I love yellow squash and I was happy to try a new way to prepare it.  It was really tasty!  I couldn't take a picture because my camera battery won't charge for some reason.

Ingredients:
6 medium yellow squash
1 small onion, chopped
1 cup cheese (I used cheddar)
1 (4 ounce) can chopped green chilies

Boil (or steam, as I did) squash and onion until tender.  Drain well and mix with cheese and chiles.  Pour into dish sprayed with cooking spray.  Bake 15 minutes at 375 degrees.

Salmon & Pasta Primavera ~ by D'Lynn

1 1/2 tsp Dill Weed
1 tsp Minced Garlic
1 tsp Minced Onion
1/2 tsp Coarse Ground Black Pepper
1/4 tsp Thyme Leaves
8 oz of Linguine Pasta
1 LB of cooked Salmon
4 1/2 Cups assorted cut-up, fresh, vegetables
1 Cup heavy Cream
3/4 Cup of Chicken Broth
1/2 Cup Parmesan Cheese
2 TBSP Butter
1/2 tsp salt

Cook Salmon. I put a large fillet on a double layer of foil on the BBQ grill, usually 7 min/inch of Salmon thickness. I shut the grill off and let it sit a bit to cool. Then I flip it onto a plate, peel the fish skin off, and then cut the Salmon into chunks.

Cook pasta in a large saucepan as directed on the package, add the fresh vegetables the last 3-4 minutes of cooking. Drain Well.

While Pasta is cooking, add remaining ingredients, except cheese into a saucepan. Heat it slowly to boiling, stirring constantly to make sure cream doesn't scald. Once it reaches boiling, reduce to simmer and add the cheese, continue stirring so that it doesn't all stick to the bottom of the pan, about 5 minutes.

Add pasta and veggies to sauce and fold together until sauce is evenly distributed through the dish. Turn out into a pasta bowl or plate and add the salmon, mix this in evenly.

*I opted for fresh broccoli and marinated artichoke hearts, but carrots, peas, and red bell peppers are nice additives as well. You may also use 1lb of shrimp, scallops, etc. for the seafood portion of the meal.