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In 2009 I am trying to cook more, which for me can turn into a disaster. Some of my friends have been sharing their favorite EASY and healthy recipes. One of my favorites is from Ellie Krieger on the Food Network. When making this, I added in some cooked chicken apple sausage to the finished product and it was especially tasty! Mixing in your own style is what can make cooking fun. Without delay, here is the recipe so you can enjoy it too!

Ingredients

* 2 tablespoons olive oil
* 1 small onion, chopped
* 2 to 3 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
* 1 (16-ounce) jar roasted red peppers, drained and chopped
* 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken stock or vegetable stock
* 1 cup crumbled feta cheese or a 6-ounce block
* 1 pound whole-wheat fettuccine
* Salt
* Freshly ground black pepper
* 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves

Directions

Heat the oil in a heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Saute onion and garlic until soft, about 10 minutes. Add roasted peppers and saute until heated through. Remove from heat and let cool slightly. Place mixture in the bowl of a food processor with stock and all but 2 tablespoons of the feta. Process until combined and smooth, about 30 seconds. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup pasta water. Toss pasta with sauce, adding pasta water by the tablespoon, if needed. Sauce should cling nicely to pasta. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Divide among pasta bowls. Sprinkle with parsley and remaining feta cheese.

How do you make cooking fun? What are your favorite recipes? Fill us in!

The holiday season is my favorite time of year! I love the way it brings family together and the holiday events so easily add warmth to the winter weather. With the economic situation it is hard not to pull back on spending, but I surely don’t want that to take away from my holiday festivities. So, I thought I should brainstorm activities that can bring the holidays to life without spending too much money, if any!

Holiday Family Traditions-

Like I mentioned, the holidays really bring family together and is a great time to embrace family traditions.

• Cook/Bake a Family Tradition:

Many families have traditional foods that go back for many generations. Taking a night to cook one of these dishes or bake a dessert will bring together your own family, while helping the future generations learn more about their ancestors. If you don’t have a traditional family dish like me, take some time to create one with the family (or find something online). This will give you something to look forward to every holiday and will be something that can be passed on for future holidays. Who knows, it might turn into a family tradition for years to come!

Holiday Stories-

Another great part of the holiday season is the stories that have been created.

• Read A Classic Holiday Story:

One of my favorites is Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol. You can read this aloud together as a family with the scents of holiday candles to make a night of this traditional story.

• Write Your Own Holiday Story:

You can even get the family together to write your own Christmas story or poem! Change the ending to a traditional holiday story or make one that is all your own. You can even use this in Christmas cards when you send them out.

• Caroling:

Don’t forget to share the holiday spirit! Carol around the neighborhood to share your family’s holiday celebration with others.

Holiday Relationships-

With all of the holiday excitement and stress, it can be easy to forget about your significant other. There are many inexpensive ways to celebrate with each other. I think the most important and difficult part is making the time. Some of my favorites include:

• Festive Star Gazing:

Drink festive drinks (like apple cider, hot chocolate or hot toddies) while curled up on a blanket outside underneath the stars

• Christmas Lights:

Christmas lights are so fun to look at and discuss. Take a walk around the neighborhood to get some fresh air and look at the lights with someone special. This will really bring the holiday spirit to life while spending time with someone who means a lot.

• Christmas Music:

One of the most romantic things to do when it is cold outside is to cozy up by the fire. Add a holiday flare by listening to Christmas music in the background.

• Classic Christmas Movies:

I have recently been interested in classic movies and there are so many great Christmas films to boot. Rent a classic Christmas movie or as it nears the end of the holiday season, you can watch them on TV. Set aside this quality time to soak up the holiday rather than multi-tasking throughout the program.

Not to worry, though. You don’t need a family or significant other to do any of these things. As I am away from my family, I plan to gather my close group of friends that I call my “San Francisco Family” to do some of these activities. My dad loves to watch Turner Classic Movies, so when I go home around Christmas, I plan to plop on to the couch to spend some quality time with him as well.

What are your holiday plans? Do you plan to be wallet-friendly? Do you have any great ideas to add to the list? Fill us in!