Italian Green Beans & Tomatoes
Ingredients:
1½ pounds green beans (if fresh trimmed / may also use frozen)
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 large shallots, thinly sliced or ½ chopped onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 (14½ -ounce) can diced tomatoes
1/4 cup white wine or apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons thinly sliced fresh basil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:

Cook [...]

Broccoli (or Cauliflower) Cheese Soup
8 ounces or about 3 cups stemmed broccoli or cauliflower pieces
1 cup milk
½ cup grated cheddar cheese
¼ cup chopped onion
1 chopped clove of garlic
1 cup chicken or vegetable broth (add more broth for thinner soup)
Dash salt and pepper
Method:
1) Place all ingredients in a blender.
2) Process until the consistency is smooth.
3) Pour into a [...]

15-Minute Meal
Apricot-Salsa Chicken is so tasty, even picky eaters love it.
This sweet and sour sauce is colorful and easy to prepare.
Guests will never know that you spent only a few minutes cooking:
You’ll need:
4 boneless chicken breasts (sliced thin)
1/2 cup each:
Salsa (I use 505 Southwestern Organic Salsa)
Apricot Jam (I use Smucker’s Simply Fruit)
Red Wine (optional)
Salt & [...]

I’ve tried several no-sugar cranberries with no luck. I recently saw this recipe. Of course it’s sweetened. It has natural sugars, which are absorbed more slowly than white sugar.
4 cups about 12 ounces fresh cranberries, rinsed
1/2 cup apricot jam (made with only fruit)
1/2 cup honey or agave nectar (or 1 teaspoon of stevia; then add 1/2 [...]

Chipolte Mashed Yams
This is SOOO easy and tasty! No need for added sugars, the yams are sweet enough all by themselves. The chipolte sauce gives this dish a little zip and makes it extra special.
Ingredients:
Yams
1 tablespoon butter for every yam (plus)
1 teaspoon chipolte sauce for every yam
Salt
Method:
1) Peel the yams.
2) Cook the yams in a pot of [...]

I know what you’re thinking, ”Nonna Joann NEVER posts recipes with sugar.” So, what’s this?
Okay, we all eat sugar from time to time. My message is that it should be seldom and on purpose. You can’t make fudge without sugar, now can you?
This is my dad’s recipe. I’ve never tasted anything as good as this and it’s so [...]

This refreshing dessert is a colorful and tasty way to avoid artifically colored and flavored holiday dessert. It’s delicious, simple and is made in advance, which is a plus when you’re preparing a multi-course holiday meal for a crowd.
Fabulous Frozen Fluff
Serves a dozen (small servings). May be served in foil cupcake liners or pretty dessert cups.
Ingredients:
2 egg [...]

Sweet & Sour Beef Cabbage Soup
This is quick and a hearty soup/stew. It’s perfect for autumn afternoons. Top it off with some crusty whole grain bread and you have a complete meal.

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound lean (90 percent or leaner) ground beef
1½ teaspoons caraway seeds
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 chopped bell pepper
1 chopped medium onion
1 medium Golden Delicious or [...]

Kids don’t like cabbage? Even picky eaters love this tasty side dish. It’s so easy to make, you’ll want to involve your kids in the preparation. This deceptively bland looking dish’s apple sweetness will win over your picky eater. Serve it in a colorful dish and garnish with apple slices. Because this recipe serves 6 to 8 [...]

Tomato Cucumber Salad
¼ red onion thinly sliced
2 tomatoes cut into wedges
1 cucumber halved and sliced
¼ cup (about half of a 6 ounce can) pitted ripe olives drained
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons lemon juice (about the juice of one lemon)
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon dry mustard
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
Freshly ground pepper
Method:
Combine all ingredients.
Cover and refrigerate several hours.
Serve with [...]