Garlic and Parsley Butter Shrimp

I love recipes that can be thrown together quickly but still taste amazing  and look like more than 20 minutes of effort went in to them. I found this shrimp recipe that was originally intended to be an appetizer. It works wonderful as an appetizer, but can also be made a main course when serves with pasta. You can make the parsley butter ahead of time so the dish comes together quickly. The original recipe roasts the shrimp, but I found it quicker and easier to saute in  a pan. If serving this as an appetizer, using a larger, peeled and deveined shrimp with the tail on works well and looks more impressive.

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Sweet and Tangy Cocktail Meatballs

I usually like making a few heartier dishes when I invite friends over for drinks and appetizers. Cocktail meatballs tends to be a hit and I have tried a few different varieties over the years. I most recently tried these when looking for a quick recipe with ingredients I already had at home. The recipe link includes three sauce varieties but the recipe below is the only one I have tried so far. These are very easy to make, and if you're really in a pinch for time, you could even use 2 pounds of frozen cocktail meatballs.

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Homemade Ranch Dip

I have always loved ranch dip and dressing. I know it's not everyone's favorite, but I think it's a great way to eat some veggies. I decided to make a ranch dip from scratch and see if I'd still be a fan. The recipe below makes for a great, flavorful dip. Serve it with your favorite veggies for a quick and easy appetizer. You can use Greek yogurt, or you can use regular plain yogurt. If you use regular yogurt, line a strainer with a few paper towels or a cheesecloth and let the yogurt strain in there for about 2 hours before using. You can place the strained over a lipped dish or bowl and let it strain in the fridge. Use about 3/4 cup when doing this and it will loose some volume.
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Red Wine Braised Brisket

Brisket is one of those foods I often forget about, but when I do make it, I always love the delicious flavor and how easy it is to cook. I made this brisket after looking for a simple recipe, with simple ingredients I already had at home. I was so happy with the end result and the house smelled amazing from the hours of baking. Once you sear the meat and mix the ingredients for the sauce, all you have to do it slow bake the brisket and baste with the sauce every now and then. You can't go wrong with this!

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Easy, Healthy Broccoli Soup

Last time I went grocery shopping I was a bit too optimistic and ended up with way too many veggies. I ended up freezing a head of broccoli, and had no clue what I would eventually make with it. We recently had a cold snap so broccoli soup suddenly sounded great. I found this recipe and couldn't believe how creamy the soup was without having any dairy in it (unless, like me, you sprinkle cheese on top). This is is very easy to make and makes about 3 minutes from start to finish.

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