Soba Noodle Salad

This is one I actually made back in August, but somehow never got around to writing up here on the blog or posting on the Facebook page. It was really tasty, especially made with farmer's market bounty. I did use rice noodles instead of buckwheat soba noodles, and probably made a couple of other changes I hope I'll remember as I write this.

As always, when a recipe is not mine, I'm pointing that out right at the beginning. This came from Felicia Sullivan over at love.life.eat.

Bacon and Bell Pepper Frittata

Have I yet gone on about my love of quiches and frittatas on the blog yet? It seems like I've mentioned them at least once. But I do love them. There is something to be said for being able to throw virtually anything into a pan, pour beaten egg over it, and call it dinner. The best part is if you pay even a modicum of attention to your ingredients you really can't help but make it healthy.

This particular frittata (as defined by me, a frittata is typically done on the stove) came about because by the time I got to cook I had completely forgotten what my plans were for the bell peppers I bought several days earlier. They were starting to get a little wrinkly, so since I also had most of a package of bacon that wasn't spoken for, I decided to see what I could come up with.

Chicken and Stuffing Casserole

You know what amazes me? That there are people in the world who can't just walk into their kitchens and create something for dinner. I'm not claiming to be some fabulous chef by any stretch of the imagination, but I can usually come up with something nutritious and tasty for dinner even when I didn't have a plan going in. This one was born because the weather turned cold and I had two jars of turkey gravy that were gifted to me that were taking up space on my shelf.

But I realize there are people (perhaps some of you), who need a little push to get started, so that's why I started making what I call pantry stews, or casseroles, or whatever. Most of them use ingredients many of you probably have already, but if you don't have exactly what I used they're easily switched out for something you do or like better.

Braised Chicken Thighs with Mushrooms

Lately, it seems every week baby/mini bella mushrooms are on sale. I've always been a fan of portobella mushrooms, and with the little ones being the same price (or even cheaper) than white button mushrooms, it's been a little like Christmas around here. As always, when a recipe is not mine I'm stating that right up front. This one comes from the American Diabetes Association, and for once I actually made it as written without tweaking it at all. Weird, huh?

Spinach and Feta Pie

When I sat down to figure out what I wanted to put in this particular recipe, I was thinking just a traditional Greek feta cheese pie. Something simple for dinner that could work well for breakfast or lunch, nothing that involved. And then I started thinking of things I had that would be good in it. And more things. Eventually, I ended up making a 9x13-inch pan of what was really quite a fabulous tasting main dish, although I'm pretty sure it doesn't resemble anything anyone from Greece would recognize. You'll have that.

You Can't Get Enough of this Creamy Grape Salad

It always amazes me when something so simple is so ridiculously good, and my Creamy Grape Salad definitely fits the description. There's nothing hard about it, and the only time-consuming part is picking all the grapes off their stems and washing them. I make this constantly in the summer, and fairly often in winter as well. I've also used the dressing as a dip for fruit.

Peppers Aplenty? Make Some Fish With Bell Peppers!

As always, when the recipe isn't mine (even if I've tweaked it), I'm saying right up front that this recipe is not of my own creation. Instead, Nellie at From Garden to Soup Bowl originally posted this. I did make some changes because I felt it needed them, and the pictures are all mine, but the original recipe is not.

Moving on!

Bacon-Wrapped Chicken Stuffed with Spinach and Ricotta

First, I should point out that this is not my recipe, although I did make some minor changes to it. It comes from AllRecipes.com, but it was so incredible I simply had to share it with you. As with all recipes that are not my own, the pictures are mine, taken in my kitchen.

Southern-Style Green Beans

I used to spend a great deal of time on the Gulf Coast, and this recipe comes from a friend who told me her grandma always made them this way. It calls for canned beans, but I've used canned, frozen, and fresh with good results. If you're using fresh beans, you'll want to steam them to crisp-tender before going on with the recipe as written. This time, I used a 16 ounce bag of frozen cut green beans, thawed.