Easiest Pumpkin Muffins

Ingredients:

• 1 cake box mix (any will work, I used vanilla cake here)
• 1 can pumpkin (not pumpkin pie)

Directions:

1. Follow heating directions on the back of your cake box.
2. Combine cake mix with pumpkin 
3. Easiest to mix with hand mixer just until combined
4. Scoop into muffin tins
5. Bake, as instructed on back of cake box

*Using chocolate cake box is another favorite of ours

Pork Tenderloin with Mushrooms and Couscous

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 large pork tenderloin (about 1 1/4 pounds), trimmed
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
• 2 stalks celery, chopped
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 8 ounces cremini mushrooms, sliced
• 1/4 cup dry white wine
• 1 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
• 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 1 cup Israeli couscous

Directions:

1. Heat the olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven medium-high heat. Season the pork with salt and pepper and cook, turning, until browned on all sides, about 7 minutes. Remove to a plate, reserving the drippings in the pot. Add the celery, onion and mushrooms to the pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are lightly browned and tender, about 5 minutes. Add the wine, scraping up any browned bits, and cook until reduced, about 1 minute.
2. Add the chicken broth to the pot and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium low and add the pork and rosemary. Cover and gently simmer until a thermometer inserted into the center of the pork registers 145°, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove the pork to a cutting board and let rest 5 minutes. Discard the rosemary. Add 1 tablespoon butter to the pot and stir until melted; season with salt and pepper. Stir in the parsley.
3. Meanwhile, bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil. Add the couscous and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Drain and stir in the remaining 1 teaspoon butter; season with salt and pepper. Thickly slice the pork and serve with the couscous; top with the mushroom sauce.

~Recipe from Food Network Magazine (October 2016)

Gnocchi with Bacon and Roasted Cauliflower

Ingredients:

• 1 medium head cauliflower (about 2 pounds), trimmed and cut into small florets
• 2 Tablespoons capers, drained
• 2 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1 17.5-ounce package potato gnocchi
• 4 slices bacon
• 2 Tablespoons pine nuts or roughly chopped hazelnuts
• 2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 2 Tablespoons roughly chopped fresh chives

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 450°F. Toss the cauliflower, capers and 1 Tablespoon olive oil on a rimmed baking sheet; season with salt and pepper. Roast, stirring halfway through, until the cauliflower is tender and lightly browned, 25 to 30 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the gnocchi and cook as the label directs. Reserve 1/2 cup cooking water, then drain.
3. Cook the bacon in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, turning, until crisp, about 8 minutes. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate, reserving the dripping in the skillet. Add the gnocchi to the skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned and well coated, about 3 minutes.
4. Add the pine nuts and garlic to the skillet and cook, stirring, until pine nuts are lightly toasted and the garlic is softened, about 2 minutes. Stir in the roasted cauliflower, the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1/4 cup of the reserved cooking water, adding more cooking water as needed to loosen. Remove from the heat. Crumble the bacon and stir into the gnocchi along with the chives. Season with salt and pepper.

~Recipe from Food Network Magazine

Crockpot Beef Stew

Ingredients:

• 2 Pounds beef stew meat (cut into bite-sized pieces)
• 1 teaspoon Salt
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 celery ribs, sliced
• 2-3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 6 oz can tomato paste
• 32 oz beef broth
• 2 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 2 cups baby carrots
• 4-5 small red potatoes, cut into bite-sized pieces (about 3 cups)
• 1 Tablespoon dried parsley
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 1 cup frozen corn
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1/4 cup water

Directions:

1. Combine beef, celery, carrots, onion, potatoes, salt, pepper, garlic, parsley, oregano, Worcestershire sauce, beef broth, and tomato paste in the crockpot. Cook on LOW for 10 hours or on HIGH for 6-7 hours.
2. About 30 minutes before serving, mix the flour and the water together in a small dish and pour into the crockpot. Mix until well combined. This will add nice thickness to the stew. Next add in frozen peas and corn. Continue cooking covered for 30 minutes.

*I forgot to add the peas and corn but it was still very good.

~Recipe from familyfreshmeals.com