Celery Soup (from Erren's Kitchen) Serves 4

1-2 Tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 cloves garlic, chopped
1 quart chicken or veggie stock
1 large russet potato, peeled and cut into chunks
handfull parsley

Heat oil. Add onion. Cook till soft. Add garlic. After a minute, add other ingredients and bring to a boil. Cook about 20 minutes, till celery is soft but not mushy. Take 2 slotted spoonfuls out.  Puree soup. Add back reserved celery.

Tilapia Fish cakes

Preheat oven to 400

1 shallot if small, half if big
1 Tbsp Old Bay
1/4 oz parsley, chopped
12 oz tilapia filets
2 tsp fresh lemon juice
saltine crackers (about 1/2 sleeve or 1.8 oz)
2-3 Tbsp mayonaise
1 egg

Par filets dry; place on baking sheet and drizzle with 1 tsp olive oil. Roast 12-14 minutes to 145 degrees. Transfer to a plate to cool for 5-10 min.

Mince shallot. Chop parsley. Save some for garnish.  Crush crackers. Mix ingredients, let set 5 min,  and form 4 fish cakes. Fry 3-4 min per side in 2 tsp olive oil. Serve with lemon wedges

Salmon, green beans with tomato jam

7 oz green beans
1 shallot
3 cloves garlic
5 oz grape tomatoes
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
2 salmon filets
3 oz white wine
4 Tbsp milk, cream, or evaporated milk
2 Tbsp butter

Heat oven to 400 degrees Trim beans. Peel and halve shallot. Mince half; thinly slice the other half. Halve grape tomatoes.

In a small pot, combine tomatoes, half the garlic, red pepper flakes and 2 Tbsp olive oil. Cover and simmer 15 min on medium low, until tomatoes are broken down. Increase heat to medium high 3 minutes more and crush with masher. Set aside

Place shallots and beans on cookie sheet. Toss with 1 tsp oil, salt,pepper, and remaining garlic. Roast 8-10 minutes till beans start to brown

Rinse salmon and pat dry. Heat 1 tsp oil in a pan. Add salmon and cook 4 min per side to 145 degrees.  Wipe pan clean.
Heat 1 tsp oil in pan. Add shallots and wine, cook 1-2 minutes. Add milk and cook 1-2 minutes. Remove pan from heat and add butter

Serve beans topped with tomatoes and salmon with cream sauce on the side

Salted Caramel Butter Bars (from Cookies and Cups)

Prep time: 5 minutes

Cook time: 40 minutes

Yield: 24 bars

For the crust and crumble:

2 cups (1 pound) salted butter at room temp

1 cup sugar

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

2 tablespoons vanilla extract

4 cups flour, sifted

For the filling: 

1 (14 oz) bag caramel (Kraft is fine)

1/3 cup milk or cream

1/2 tsp vanilla

1 Tbsp coarse sea salt

Instructions: 

Preheat oven to 325. Butter a 9x13 baking dish

In a large bowl, combine butter and sugars, mix on medium speed until creamy. Add the vanilla and beat until combined.

Slowly add the flour to the butter mixture on low speed and mix until a smooth, soft dough forms.

Press 1/3 of the dough into the pan, and bake for 20 minutes or until the edges are a pale golden brown. Refrigerate the remaining dough. 

Place the unwrapped caramels and cream in a microwave safe bowl and zap on high for 1 minute. 

Stir until smooth. If the caramels are not completely melted, continue microwaving on high for 30 sec intervals, stirring after each one. 

Once the caramels are melted, stir in the vanilla. Set aside until the bottom crust is done baking. 

Pour the caramel filling over the crust, sprinkle with salt and crumble the remaining dough over the top.

Continue baking until the filling is bubbly and the topping is firm and lightly golden, about 25-30 minutes. 

Let cool before cutting into squares.

This recipe can be halved and baked in an 8x8 or 9x9 dish. using about 25 cubes of Kraft caramels

Southwestern spaghetti squash

1 spaghetti squash
2 chicken breasts
Tsp olive oil
1/4 c chopped green onions, plus extra for garnish
1 jalapeño seeded and finely chopped
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup corn kernels
1 tsp taco seasoning
1/2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1 cup red enchilada sauce
1/2 cup or more shredded cheese (cheddar or jack)
cilantro, chopped tomato, and green onion for topping
Sour cream ( optional)

Preheat oven to 400
Stab the squash and place whole in microwave for 3 minutes, until soft enough to cut through easily.
Cut in half and scoop out seeds. Place in dish, face down, with about an inch of water and cook till soft enough to pierce skin with a fork, another 7 minutes or more. Let cool
Chop chicken into bite size chunks and saute in a large oven safe pan (like cast iron) with oil, salt, pepper,  and taco seasoning. When chicken is nearly done, add jalapeños and cook for two more minutes. Add onion, beans, corn, chili powder, cumin, and garlic powder and stir. Scoop squash flesh into pan  along with enchilada sauce and stir gently to combine. Top with cheese. Pop into oven for 15 minutes till cheese is melted and casserole is bubbly.  Serve topped with  tomato, green onion and cilantro. About 400 calories. More if you also top with sour cream.

Hot Honey Salmon with zucchini (from Home Chef)

1 tbsp butter
2 green onions
2 zucchini
4 oz grape tomatoes
2 tsp sweet basil, citrus and garlic rub
12 oz salmon
1 tbsp honey
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes

Preheat oven to 400. Halve zucchini and cut on an angle into 1/2 inch pieces. halve tomatoes. Cut white of onion into 1 inch lengths. Cut green part thinly on an angle. Pat fish dry and season with pinch of salt and pepper. Place large non stick pan over med-high heat. add 1 tsp oil. Sear fish 2-4 min till brown. transfer to baking sheet. Roast 7-10 min.
Combine butter, honey and pepper flakes with pinch of salt in small bowl. Set aside.
Add 2 tsp olive oil to hot pan and fry zucchini 3-5 min till browned and tender. Add tomatoes and white part of green onion. Cook 3-5 min, till tomatoes are tender. Add 1/4 tsp salt and seasoning. Remove from burner. Plate salmon with hot butter and zucchini garnished with green part of green onion.
{466 calories per person)

Chicken paprikash

3-4 pounds chicken thighs
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 large onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 tbsp Hungarian paprika
3 tbsp flour
1 cup canned tomatoes or 1 large fresh tomato, chopped
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup sour cream
Wide egg noodles

In a dutch oven, brown chicken in 1 tbsp butter and 1 tbsp oil (4-7 min per side). Remove chicken. Remove all but 2 Tbsp grease. Add onion and cook till soft and translucent (3-4 min). Add garlic and cook another minute. Add paprika and flour and stir to combine. Cook a few more minutes (4-5). Add tomatoes and broth. Whisk till smooth. Gently add chicken in pot with browned part up and put in oven 25-30 min. Remove chicken to platter with buttered noodles. Add sour cream to  paprikash and pour sauce over chicken and noodles.