Shredded Beef Enchiladas the Wildtree Way

These are SO good! I should have taken a picture but we devoured them.

For the Beef (I like to make in the slow cooker):
5 lb chuck roast or similar
1/2 large onion or 1 small onion, roughly chopped
1 cup water
1 Tbs Wildtree Adobo blend

Add all ingredients to slow cooker, cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours or until meat is super tender and easily shreds. Discard any bones, reserve the broth, and shred the meat (I like to leave the onions in with the meat).

Red Enchilada Sauce:
3 Tbs Natural Wildtree Grapeseed Oil
1/4 cup chili powder
1 Tbs flour
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp ground cayenne pepper (more for more heat)
1/2 tsp salt
2 cups reserved beef broth from slow cooker
6 oz tomato paste
(OR, if you prefer, just get Wildtree's Tia Rosa's Red Enchilada Sauce - it's super good, too!)

Heat the oil in a small/med saucepan. Add all the dry ingredients and whisk to combine. When fragrant (after about a min), whisk in the broth and tomato paste. Whisk until the mix boils and everything is smooth.

To assemble:

Fill large tortilla with shredded beef, roll up and place in greased 9x12 pan. This makes a lot and you'll probably be able to fill a dozen tortillas. I put six in one pan and six in another. Pour enchilada sauce over the top and then top generously with shredded cheese (I like cheddar or jack or pepper jack). Bake in preheated 350 degree oven for about 20 mins or until heated through and cheese is melted.

Serve with beans and rice, if desired. I like to heat whole pinto beans in their liquid with some Wildtree Adobo blend. Or black beans with Wildtree's Chipotle Lime Rub. So good!

Valentine's Day - Fajitas

Maybe not the most traditional Valentine's Day fare, but there is something romantic about the sound of fajitas sizzling as they are brought to your table in a cast iron skillet with a mariachi band in the background. I aim to recreate that feeling at home tonight. Maybe I need to figure out how to flambé without burning anything unintended so we can really have the ambiance :)

For the Marinade:
juice of 1 lime
3-4 garlic cloves, minced
handful cilantro, chopped
1 Tbs EVOO (extra-virgin olive oil)
1 Tbs tequila (optional but oh-so-good!)
¼ tsp cayenne pepper
¼ tsp smoked paprika
¼ tsp sea salt
several turns of the pepper mill
dash Worcestershire sauce

In a medium bowl, pour marinade over 1 lb sliced beef. Mix well with clean hands. Cover and refrigerate at about 2 hours. I put this together after the girls went down for naps and will let it marinate until dinnertime.

For the Fajitas:
1 lb marinated beef, brought to room temp
1 green bell pepper, sliced into strips
1 red bell pepper, sliced into strips
1 red or white onion, sliced thickly
oil for sautéing at high heat (coconut oil or grapeseed oil are my preference)

Toppings:
salsa
sour cream
avocado slices or homemade guacamole*

Heat a large cast iron skillet (preferably well seasoned). When hot, add oil and heat a few seconds, just until oil almost smokes. Add onion and sauté until almost tender. Add bell pepper strips and sauté about 2 minutes. Add drained beef and sauté to desired doneness. Serve in warm tortillas, if desired, with toppings of choice.

*Homemade guac is super easy but you have to have a super ripe avocado. Slice open the avocado, remove pit, scrape flesh into small bowl. Add a handful of minced red onion, a few minced garlic cloves, juice from half a lemon, salt and pepper to taste. Mash with fork. Taste for seasoning. Stir in handful of diced fresh tomatoes if desired. Enjoy!

Colorful Chili

I love chili. It's so versatile and you can pretty much put anything in it. This is my most recent version, which I'm calling "colorful" because of all the different veggies that went into it. It also has a variety of spices for the flavor and for the health benefits (chili peppers for the capsaicin and turmeric for the anti-inflammatory properties).

Colorful Chili Recipe, serves 6

Brown the following in Dutch oven or stock pot:
1 lb ground beef or bison (preferably from a grass-fed animal)
1 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 orange bell pepper, chopped
2 cups chopped kale or other sturdy green

Add and stir for a minute until fragrant:
¼ cup chili powder
1 Tbs cacao powder (or unsweetened coco powder)
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp sea salt
½ tsp ground corriander
½ tsp cayenne (more or less to taste)
¼ tsp turmeric
fresh cracked pepper

Add:
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can tomato sauce
1 can drained beans of choice (I like kidneys)
2 cups water
1 Tbs blackstrap molasses

Bring to a boil then reduce heat to low, cover and simmer about an hour or until flavors are mingled to your liking.

Top with some or all:
shredded cheese
sour cream
chopped chives
more cayenne or red pepper flakes

Week 48

I have to say I have no idea what happened to weeks 45 and 46. Forty-seven was last week and we were visiting family in California for the entire week, hence no posting here. Somehow I lost two weeks in the mix. But that's not too bad for blogging for a whole year, right?

And this week is an easy one for me: there are no original recipes in the line-up. But all these sound fabulous pretty much as they are!

Pork Roast (from Epicurious.com, I'm using a boneless pork tip roast instead of the fancy tied loin), served with roasted winter squash

Braised Short Ribs (from Smittenkitchen.com)

Coconut Flour Blueberry Muffins (from Cheeseslave.com)

Beef Stuffed Acorn Squash (From AllRecipes.com) with this Russian dressing (from Food.com, make half a batch)
This was really really good! The only thing I did differently from the recipe was to add one finely diced carrot and one finely diced celery stalk to the beef mixture.

Week 44

We got our side of grass-fed beef, so there will be lots of beef recipes in this post and in the coming weeks! Hooray for the meat-eaters!


Steak with Chickpea, Pomegranate and Arugula Salad (adapted from Woman's Day Magazine, Oct 2011)
2 Tbs plu 1 tsp EVOO
1lb strip or sirloin steak (1" thick)
kosher salt and cracked pepper
1 (15 oz) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup pomegranate seeds (from one small pomegranate)
1/4 cup fresh mint, chopped
2 scallions, sliced
1 Tbs fresh lemon juice
4 cups baby arugula (or other salad green)

Heat 1 tsp oil in large skillet over med heat. Season steak w/salt and pepper. Cook in skillet to desired doneness, about 4-5 mins per side for medium rare (which is the best way to eat beef, especially grass-fed beef since it gets tough if over cooked). Let rest 5 mins before slicing.

Meanwhile, in large bowl, combine chickpeas, pomegranate seeds, mint, scallions, lemon juice, 2 Tbs EVOO and salt and pepper to taste. Fold in arugula. Serve along side sliced steak. Serves 4.

Cheesy Greens Stuffed Shells, serves 4

16 jumbo shells or manicotti
3 cups marinara sauce, divided
1 bunch broccoli spigarello (or broccoli rabe or other sturdy green), thick stems removed, leaves chopped coarsely
15 oz ricotta cheese
2 oz Parmesan, grated (about 1/2 cup)
4 oz mozzarella, grated (about 1 cup)
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 egg
cracked pepper
grated nutmeg

Spread 2 cups marinara sauce on bottom of large broiler-proof baking dish.

Heat oven to 400F. Cook shells according to package directions. Remove from water with slotted spoon and run under cold water to stop cooking. In same pasta water, blanch spigarello. Drain and run under cold water to stop cooking and squeeze out excess moisture. Chop a bit more and place in large bowl. Stir in ricotta, Parmesan, 1/2 cup of the mozzarella and salt. Add egg and then crack some pepper and grate some nutmeg over the top. Mix well. Spoon the mixture evenly into shells and place on top of sauce in baking dish. Spread remaining cup of sauce over top. Sprinkle with remaining mozzarella and bake until heated through, about 20 mins. Increase heat to broil and broil until cheese begins to brown, about 2 or 3 mins.

Tangy Baked Steak with Mushrooms
This is really good and has a tangy flavor with homemade steak sauce. I wasn't sure how I'd like it but I really enjoyed the flavors.

8 oz mushrooms, sliced
2 stalks celery, sliced on diagonal
1 small lemon, washed and thinly sliced
1 small red onion or 2 shallots, sliced
2 Tbs EVOO
1/4 tsp each kosher salt and pepper
2lb sirloin steak
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 small can tomato paste
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
more salt and pepper to taste

Heat oven to 400F. In 8x8" oven safe baking dish or roasting pan, combine mushrooms, celery, lemon, onion, oil and salt and pepper.

Season steak on both sides with more salt and pepper and rub in the minced garlic. Place steak on top of veggies in roasting pan.

In small bowl, whisk tomato paste, lemon juice and Worcestershire sauce. Add salt and pepper to sauce and taste for seasoning. Pour sauce over steak and place uncovered in oven. Roast about 30 mins or until desired doneness. (I did 30 mins and checked internal temp and it was 115 so I pulled it out because we like our meat pretty rare.) Let sit 5 mins before slicing and serving. I served ours with homemade baked purple potato chips.

Middle Eastern Noodles with Pumpkin
This is really delicious and different withe flavors of mint and pumpkin.
Yogurt Sauce:
Whisk the following in small bowl and refrigerate until ready to use:
1 cup plain full fat yogurt
1 large clove garlic, pressed through garlic press
1 Tbs fresh chopped mint
1/4 tsp kosher or sea salt

1 Tbs EVOO or grapeseed oil
1 onion, chopped
1 small pumpkin (about a pound), peeled, seeded and cubed
1/2 Tbs ground corriander
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp ground pepper
1/8 tsp cinnamon
1 28oz can crushed tomatoes
1/2 cup water
cooked wide noodles for serving
chopped walnuts and fresh mint for topping

Heat wide skillet over medium heat. Add oil and when hot add onion and pumpkin. Saute about 10 mins, stirring regularly. Stir in spices and cook until fragrant, about a minute. Add tomatoes and water. Cover and simmer over medium low heat about 20 minutes or until pumpkin is tender. Serve over hot cooked noodles and top with yogurt sauce, walnuts and mint.

Baby Bok Choy Stir Fry with Chicken
I got several sunchokes in my produce box and I had never used them before. Turns out they are similar to water chestnuts but with a sweeter flavor. They can be eaten raw or cooked (I liked them better raw).
Grapeseed oil for stir-frying
crushed red pepper flakes
2 chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
5-6 baby bok choy bunches, separated and washed well
1 cup chopped fresh pineapple
1/2 bottle of good sweet and sour sauce (by good I mean check the ingredients!)
1 cup sliced sunchokes (scrubbed well first)
salt and pepper to taste

Sunchokes (look like ginger but taste more like carrot)

In wok or large skillet, heat oil over high heat. Add red pepper flakes (more or less according to your preference) to season oil. Add chicken and stir fry until cooked. Remove chicken and set aside. Add bok choy (with more oil if necessary) and stir fry until tender-crisp, about 5 mins. Add pineapple and stir fry another minute. Add sauce and sunchokes and heat through. Adjust seasonings to taste. Serve as-is or over hot cooked brown rice.

Week 43

Curried Pumpkin Soup with Bacon (from The Pumpkin Cookbook), serves about 6.
2 lb pumpkin, cut in half and seeded
1 Tbs grapeseed oil
1 onion, chopped
1 1/2 cups diced carrots
1 celery stalk, chopped
1 Tbs curry powder
4 cups chicken stock
1/2 lb bacon, cooked until crisp and crumbled coarsely
kosher salt and pepper to taste
grated nutmeg

Preheat oven to 375F. Place halved pumpkin on baking sheet and cook until fork tender, about 45 mins. Remove from oven, let cool and scoop out flesh. Reserve.

Meanwhile, heat grapeseed oil in dutch oven or large saucepan. Add onion, carrots, and celery and saute until starting to sweat. Stir in curry powder and saute another minute. Stir in the stock and add the pumpkin. Puree soup either with immersion blender or by transferring in batches to a blender. Return to pot and check seasoning. Warm through and serve topped with crumbled bacon and grated nutmeg.


Smoky Beef Stew with Hominy
Oil for browning meat
1+ lb beef stew meat
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp ground cumin
2-3 garlic cloves or 1 tsp garlic powder
4 cups beef stock 
1 red potato, diced
1-2 carrots, diced
1 onion, diced
1 bell pepper, diced
1-2 oz smoked sun dried tomatoes
1 zucchini, diced
1 large can (29 oz) hominy (large Mexican corn kernels)
1 cup red wine
1/2 small can tomato paste
kosher salt and fresh cracked black pepper to taste
Cojita cheese for serving

Brown meat in oil in large dutch oven or pressure cooker. Stir in spices (paprika, cumin, garlic powder). Pour in beef stock, cover and cook until meat is very tender (about 30 mins in pressure cooker or a few hours in dutch oven). Add all veggies, wine, and stir in tomato paste. Stir well to dissolve tomato paste. Cook uncovered, stirring occasionally, until veggies are desired tenderness. Adjust seasoning to taste. Ladle into bowls and top with crumbled cojita cheese.

Pumpkin Pie
I'm trying to find or emulate a recipe for a fresh pumpkin pie that I made one time from a label that was on a pie pumpkin a few years back. It used heavy cream instead of condensed or canned milk and was the best pumpkin pie I've ever had. I found a recipe (from Simply Recipes) that seems like it might be close. I don't remember the recipe I used having cardamom or lemon zest, but I can certainly leave those out. Although the lemon zest does sound good. And I do love cardamom but I'm not sure how well it would go with the traditional pumpkin pie spices. So anyways, I'm going to give the Simply Recipes one a shot and see what it turns out like :)

Week 41

Cabbage Rolls from Week 9

Tuscan Cabbage and Beans (adapted from The All New Good Housekeeping Cookbook)
1 Tbs EVOO
2 small onions thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
2 lbs cabbage, cored and chopped
1 (14 oz) can diced tomatoes
1 cup water
3/4 tsp kosher or sea salt
several turns of the pepper mill
1 can (15 oz) white beans such as cannellini or great northern, rinsed and drained
1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley

Heat EVOO over med heat in 12" skillet. Add onions and cook until tender, about 5 mins. Add garlic and stir. Add cabbage, tomatoes with their juice, water, salt and pepper. Cover and cook until cabbage is tender, about 30 mins (stirring occasionally). Add white beans and most of parsley. Heat through. Transfer to serving bowls and sprinkle with remaining parsley. Can be a main dish or a side.

Buttery Goodness!

Butter Fried  Parsnips (adapted from All Recipes) to be served along side cabbage rolls (see above)

• 6 parsnips, peeled and thinly sliced lengthwise
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 1/2 cup butter, melted

1. In a plastic bag combine flour, salt and pepper. Dip parsnips in melted butter (in shallow bowl) and place them in the bag. Shake bag to coat parsnips with the seasoned flour.
2. Pour remaining butter into a large skillet and heat over medium-high. When the butter starts to sizzle, add parsnips. Cook, turning occasionally, until golden brown (about 20 mins) turning down heat as necessary to prevent flour coating from burning.

Sausage, White Bean and Spinach Soup (adapted from Woman's Day Magazine, Sept 2011)
1 Tbs EVOO
12 oz Italian sausage
4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1/2 cup dry white wine
32 oz low-sodium chicken stock
4 oz small pasta shapes (such as orzo or stars)
1 15oz can cannellini beans (or other white bean)
black pepper
10 oz fresh spinach, thick stems removed
Grated Parmesan and crushed red pepper flakes

Heat oil in large dutch oven or sauce pot over med heat. Add sausage and cook through. Transfer to plate with slotted spoon and slice 1/4" thick. Add garlic to pan and cook about a minute. Add wine and deglaze pot. Add broth and pasta and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer until pasta is al dente. Add beans, sausage and pepper to taste. Heat through. Remove from heat and add spinach. Serve topped with Parmesan and crushed red pepper flakes if desired.

Pork Green Chili (inspired but ultimately changed from a recipe at Denvergreenchili.com)

Sorry you mostly see chips here

2 lb pork, cut into bite-sized cubes
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
oil for browning pork
3 cups finely diced green tomatoes
1 cup diced onion
1 cup diced green chilies (I used a combo of jalepeno, green bell pepper, and Big Jim peppers)
1 cup chicken or veggie stock
2 tsp cumin
1 tsp dried oregano
salt and pepper to taste

In med bowl, mix pork with garlic, pepper and flour so that pork is evenly coated with flour. Heat large skillet to medium-high and add oil (I used refined coconut oil). Add dredged pork and any remaining flour/salt/garlic at the bottom of the bowl. Brown evenly.

Meanwhile, place remaining ingredients in slow cooker. Stir to combine. Top with browned pork. Cover and cook on low about 8 hours or until nicely thickened and pork is tender. Serve with rice or tortillas or just eat out of a bowl with sour cream and cilantro.

Black Bean Chicken Enchiladas (from Week 20) made with leftover pulled pork instead of chicken

Week 40

Week Forty!! Really? How did we get here? I can't believe there are only 12 more weeks left in the year. Actually I just counted the remaining weeks on my calendar and I think we are technically on Week 41. I must have missed one in there somewhere. Anyways, fall is definitely here and Laina keeps asking when we can rake the leaves into a pile so she can jump in them. It's very cute. Now if only she could do all the raking by herself :)

White Bean and Leek Soup with Spinach
Butter or Ghee for sauteeing
2 large leeks, white and light green parts, halved lengthwise and sliced into thin half moons
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 cups vegetable or chicken stock
2 cups water
1 large bay leaf
1/2 cup dry small pastina or orzo
salt and pepper to taste
2 cups cooked white beans (cannellini or similar)
2 cups packed fresh baby spinach or similar green

Saute leeks in butter in dutch oven. Add garlic and cook one more min. Add stock, water and bay leaf and bring to boil. Add pasta and cook until pasta is al dente. Add salt and pepper to taste and then stir in beans and spinach and heat through. Serve topped with a sprinkling of red pepper flakes and a good grating of Parmesan cheese.


Spaghetti Squash with Meat Sauce
Cut one spaghetti squash in halve the long ways. Scoop out seeds. Place on baking sheet and roast at 400F for about 45 mins or until fork tender. Meanwhile, brown ground beef in medium sauce pot and then add tomato sauce of choice. When sauce is ready, shred squash with forks to look like spaghetti strands and then top with sauce. Serve with parmesan cheese if desired.

Week 38

Some super tasty recipes for you all this week! And warmer dishes for the changing of the seasons. The leaves are starting to turn here and it's beautiful. I hope to take a trip to the mountains this weekend to see all the fall colors. Enjoy these tastes of fall for the week :)

Yam and Black Bean Burritos, serves 6 (adapted from Woman's Day Sept 2011)

EVOO

1 med yam or sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1/2" chunks

1 small red onion, diced

kosher salt and pepper

1 15-oz can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 Tbs chopped chipotles in adobo

1 small bunch spinach, chopped

juice from half a lemon (or one lime)

6 oz pepper jack cheese, shredded

6 whole wheat tortillas

Heat oil in large cast iron skillet. Add yams, onion and salt and pepper. Cook, stirring, until yams are tender, about 10 mins. Add beans and choptles in adobo and cook for another minute. Add spinach and cook, tossing just until spinach is wilted, about a minute. Divide the yam filling mixure evenly between the tortillas and sprinkle cheese on top. Roll into enclosed burritos (so all sides are closed), and place back in skillet, seam side down, and cook until golden, turning to "toast" each side. Serve with a side green salad.

Chicken Not Pie (adapted from Prevention Magazine, an old issue that I don't have the date for since I ripped out the page and it doesn't have it on there.) This has all the flavors of chicken pot pie, but without the pie crust so it's a healthy version. Serves 4.

3 Tbs EVOO

1 small onion, chopped

1 1/2 cups chicken stock

1 cup dry white wine

1 Tbs chopped fresh tarragon (this is my new favorite herb!)

4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs

1 lb yukon gold potatoes, cut into 1" cubes

2 med carrots, sliced

1 1/4 tsp kosher salt

pepper

1/2 lb green or wax beans, trimmed and cut into 1" pieces

juice from one lemon
1 cup frozen peas
chopped fresh parsley for topping

Heat EVOO in dutch oven, add onion and cook a few mins, until beginning to soften. Add stock, wine and tarragon. Bring to a boil, add chicken, reduce heat to low, cover and simmer until chicken is cooked (about 10 mins). Remove chicken to cool. Stir in potatoes, carrots salt and pepper to taste. Simmer until potatoes are almost tender, about 20 mins. Add green beans and cook about 10 mins more, or until all veggies are tender. Shred or chop chicken and return to pot (along w/juices). Stir in lemon juice and peas. Taste and adjust seasonings. Warm through and serve topped w/chopped parsley.

Cream of Zucchini Soup (adapted from a recipe from Natural Grocers). This is another good way to use up some zucchini from the garden that seems to just keep on coming! Serves 4.

2 Tbs EVOO
1 Tbs butter
1 med onion, chopped
2 lbs zucchini, roughly chopped
1 tsp dried oregano
salt and pepper to taste
2 1/2 cups vegetable or chicken stock
4 oz crumbled blue cheese
1 cup half and half cream

Heat oil and butter in large saucepan. Add onion and cook over low heat until tender. Add zucchini, oregano, salt and pepper and cook over low heat about 10 mins, stirring. Add broth and bring to boil. Lower heat, tilt lid on pan and simmer gently about 30 mins, stirring occasionally. Stir in blue cheese until melted. Process soup in blender or with immersion blender until smooth. Return to pan and add half and half, stirring, but do not boil. Adjust seasoning to your liking and serve in heated soup bowls. You can swirl in more half and half if desired. Garnish with oregano and extra cheese if desired.

Chili based on Cooking With Michele's recipe

Pizza Night - I've decided (much to the delight of my family) that I want to do a weekly pizza night on Saturdays. I've pretty much figured out which sourdough crust recipe works best for me and then of course the toppings are limitless. The crust recipe is as follows:

1 1/2 cups sourdough starter (at 100% hydration)
1 1/2 cups unbleached bread flour
1 Tbs EVOO
1 tsp kosher salt
1 Tbs or so of water if needed

Mix all ingredients in bowl and knead until soft and very smooth. Cover and let rest about 1/2 hr. You're not really looking for a rise so much as just letting the gluten relax and the sourdough flavor to permeate a bit. Roll out to desired thickness (I prefer a pretty thin crust), top with desired toppings and bake at 450 F for about 15-20 mins. You can also pre-bake the crust first for about 10 mins and then top and bake again later.

Week 33

You may be wondering what happened to week 32...we were on Vacation and I only cooked one meal that week, which was grilled chicken and BLT salad. While we were away the zucchini in the garden grew to monstrous proportions so I had to figure out something to do with it. I turned it into a no-noodle lasagna (inspiration came from this Layered Zucchini recipe). I made it with ground beef but I actually think Italian sausage would be better. The main difference is that I did not cook my zucchini first (seems like it would get way too soggy) and I used ricotta cheese instead of cottage cheese.

No-Noodle Zucchini Lasagna
2 monstrous zucchini, sliced the long way into 1/8" slices
1 lb ground beef or crumbled Italian sausage
1/2 med onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
about 1/2 jar spaghetti sauce
1/2 to 1 tsp each dried oregano and basil
2 cups ricotta cheese (better with full-fat version)
2 eggs
1 Tbs dried parsley
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
2 cups grated mozzarella
whole wheat breadcrumbs (panko ones work nice for a good crunch)
kosher salt
pepper

Place sliced zucchini in a colander and salt well. Let sit about an hour to drain off excess water. Pat dry. Meanwhile, cook beef or sausage until almost all browned. Add onion and garlic and continue cooking, stirring, until meat is thoroughly browned and onion is tender. Season w/salt, pepper, oregano and basil. Add spaghetti sauce to meat mixture and set aside.

In medium bowl, mix ricotta, eggs parsley and parmesan. Set aside.

Spread thin layer of meat/sauce mixture on bottom of greased 9x13" baking dish. Fit zucchini over the top as you would lasagna noodles. Spread half of the ricotta mixture over zucchini slices. Then spread 1/2 meat mixture over. Sprinkle with breadcrumbs. Repeat layers one more time then end with a layer of zucchini, breadcrumbs and the mozzarella. Bake uncovered in a 375 degree oven about 1/2 hr. Let cool about 15 mins before slicing and serving.


Tofu Stir Fry (vegetarian)

Grapeseed or coconut oil (something w/a high smoke point)
1 tsp toasted sesame oil
1 container of extra firm, organic sprouted tofu, chopped into big pieces (about 1")
veggies of choice (whatever needs using up in the fridge), chopped into bite size pieces
sauces of choice (soy sauce, hot chili paste, oyster sauce, etc)
fresh chopped chives and sesame seeds for garnish

Heat oil in wok until very hot. Add sesame oil and then add tofu. Brown on all sides. Transfer to plate. Add veggies to wok (adding more oil if necessary). Stir fry until tender-crisp. Add your sauces and then add the tofu back in and toss to coat. Top with chives and sesame seeds. You can serve this over brown rice or noodles if you are not watching your carb intake.

Roasted Yam Wraps from week 8
(vegetarian)

Chili-Spiced Braised Beef in the Slow Cooker
2 lb boneless beef chuck, trimmed and cut into 1 1/2" pieces
6 cloves garlic, minced
1-2 japeleno chilies, seeded if desired and sliced
1 large onion, chopped
2 Tbs fresh lime juice, plus wedges for serving
1 Tbs chili powder
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 bunch greens such as kale, washed, tough stems removed and leaves roughly chopped
couscous or brown rice for serving

place all ingredients except greens and couscous in 5 or 6 qt slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for about 8 hours or until beef is super tender and falls apart easily. Stir in greens, cover and cook on high about 5 mins or until wilted. Mix up and serve over couscous or rice.

Week 27

Summer around here is time for grilling and easy meals. I rarely have the oven on in the summertime (I think my recipes this week will call for one oven meal) and I like to make a lot of big salads for dinner. So, you might find that my entries this summer are shorter or less complicated or not really recipes at all, just a list of ingredients that get thrown together. I hope you will still follow along and try to be a little free-spirited this summer.

Taco Salad
Brown about 1/2 lb ground beef with onions and garlic. Add seasonings to taste such as cumin, coriander, oregano, chili powder. Make your salad with chopped romaine lettuce, tomatoes, and any other veggies you like (zucchini spears, corn, whatever). Top with some crispy tortilla strips, cilantro, olives, and avocado and a lime vinaigrette dressing.

Spinach Quiche
crust:
1 cup all purpose flour (unbleached)
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 tsp fine kosher or sea salt
3 Tbs cold unsalted butter
1/4 cup grapeseed oil
buttermilk

Mix flours and salt in food processor. Add butter and pulse. Add oil, pulsing. Add buttermilk in thin stream, pulsing, until dough comes together in a ball. Roll out, fit into deep-dish pie plate and blind bake for about 10 mins or just until beginning to turn golden.

filling:
1 lb fresh spinach, sauteed in EVOO + butter
3 eggs
1 cup milk
1/2 tsp salt
a few turns of the pepper mill
1 cup ricotta cheese
2 cups grated cheese of choice (I used a mushroom jack I had on hand)

Place spinach in bottom of blind-baked crust. In bowl, mix eggs, milk, salt, pepper and ricotta. Pour over spinach. Top with grated cheese. Bake at 375 F for about 45 mins or until set. Let cool and serve warm or cold.

Weekend Grilled Chicken with Za'atar (from Bon Appetit. This requires overnight marinating. Serves 2-4.)
2 heads of garlic, top third cut off
6 Tbs EVOO, divided
1 (3-4 lb) chicken, cut in half lengthwise, backbone removed
1/4 cup za'atar (see below)
1 1/2 tsp lemon zest and 3 Tbs fresh lemon juice
1 Tbs chopped fresh rosemary
1 small serrano chile, seeded, minced
2 tsp dried marjoram
kosher salt and fresh cracked black pepper
cumin aioli (see below)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Put garlic on foil and drizzle w/1 Tbs EVOO. Wrap garlic up in foil and roast until tender and golden brown, about 45 mins. Let cool.

Put chicken in glass dish big enough to marinate in. Sprinkle 2 1/2 Tbs za'atar over chicken. Squeeze roasted garlic out of skin and mash into paste in small bowl. Add 4 Tbs EVOO and remaining ingredients through marjoram. Whisk to blend and pour over chicken. Turn to coat and marinate in the fridge overnight. Before grilling, season chicken w/salt and pepper and let stand at room temp for 30 mins. Brush grill rack with remaining EVOO and cook chicken over med-high heat until it reaches 160 F (about 30 mins). Transfer chicken to cutting board, sprinkle with remaining 1 1/2 Tbs za'atar and let rest 10 mins before cutting and serving. Serve with cumin aioli.

Za'atar: combine 1 Tbs chopped fresh oregano, 1 Tbs sumac, 1 Tbs ground cumin, 1 Tbs sesame seed, 1 tsp kosher salt and 1 tsp fresh ground black pepper.

Cumin Aioli: toast 1 tsp cumin seeds and coarsely grind. Whisk 2 large egg yolks (from organic, free range eggs) with 1 Tbs fresh lemon juice and 1 minced garlic clove. While whisking, slowly stream in 1/2 cup grapeseed oil and 1/4 cup EVOO, whisk to emulsify. Season with kosher salt, cover and chill.

Week 25

This week I've got a couple unconventional summer items - chili and pork soup. I know it's not really summery type food, but both used ingredients that I had on hand. I hope you can still enjoy something warm on a hot day :)

Orange Ginger Beef
1 lb beef (preferably grass-fed, I used ground beef but sliced steak is actually nicer)
1 med red onion, cut into 8 wedges
1 med orange or red bell pepper, cut into strips
1 orange, zest and juice
1 tsp minced gingerroot
1/2 tsp salt
about 6 oz sugar snap peas
1 med jicama, peeled and cut into strips
hot cooked rice or warm pitas for serving

Brown beef in skillet. When almost fully browned, add onion and bell pepper. Saute until beef is browned and onion is just sweating. Mix orange zest, juice, ginger and salt in small bowl and set aside. Spoon rice into wide bowl, top with beef mixture. Top that with a handful of jicama and a handful of snap peas. Pour sauce over. Or you can mix it all up in a bowl and spoon into pitas.

Sow Cooker Oriental Pork Soup, adapted from Betty Crocker's Slow Cooker Cookbook, serves about 4
1 lb pork, cut into cubes
2 large carrots, julienned
4 med green onions, thickly sliced
1-2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 tsp minced gingerroot
1/8 tsp pepper
3 cups water
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1 cup bean sprouts
hot cooked rice for serving

Mix all ingredients except mushrooms and bean sprouts in slow cooker (4-6 qts). Cover and cook on low for about 6-7 hours, or until pork is cooked through. Stir in mushrooms, cover and cook just until heated through, about another 15 mins. Serve over hot cooked rice and top with bean sprouts.

Chimichurri Flank Steak, from Bon Appetit magazine
2 lbs flank steak
marinade:
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1 tsp kosher salt plus more
3-4 garlic cloves, sliced
1 shallot, finely chopped
1 fresno chilie or jalepeno, finely chopped
2 cups minced fresh cilantro
1 cup minced flat leaf parsley
1/3 cup finely chopped fresh oregano
3/4 cup EVOO

Whisk all marinade ingredients together and reserve 1/2 cup for serving. Marinate flank steak in glass dish in fridge overnight. Remove meat, pat dry, and grill until desired doneness. Serve with reserved sauce over top and beet and carrot slaw, below.

Beet and Carrot Slaw
1/4 cup plain greek yogurt
1 tsp finely grated orange zest plus 3 Tbs fresh o.j.
1 Tbs fresh lemon juice
1 Tbs finely chopped fresh dill
5 2" diameter beets (preferably candy strip beets as they won't bleed into the dressing), peeled and julienned
1 med carrot, peeled and julienned
kosher salt and pepper

Whisk yogurt, orange zest, juices and dill in med bowl. Add beets and carrot and toss to combine. Season to taste w/salt and pepper.

Smoky Chili
1 lb ground beef, preferably grass-fed
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbs chili powder
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp smoked paprika
1/8 to 1/4 tsp cayenne powder or to taste
1/4 tsp ground corriander
1/4 tsp ground cardamom
1/4 tsp ground turmeric
1 Tbs unsweetened cocoa powder
1 Tbs molasses
1 can beer (your choice on type)
2 cans beef broth
1 cup dried pinto beans, soaked overnight
1 cup dried kidney beans, soaked overnight
1 8-oz can tomato sauce
1 15-oz can diced tomatoes
1 Tbs balsamic vinegar

Brown beef, onions and garlic in dutch oven. Add spices and saute about 30 seconds. Add remaining ingredients except tomato sauce, diced tomatoes and balsamic vinegar. Bring to boil, reduce to simmer and cook until beans are tender, about 2 hours. Add tomatoes and vinegar at the end and heat through. Serve with your favorite chili fixins such as chopped onions, shredded cheese, sour cream and chopped fresh cilantro.

Week 24

Sunday we got back from an awesome vacation (Emerald Isle, NC) and I've got a lot of food ideas which were inspired by the trip and summertime. Firstly is eating as local as possible, including veggies from my own garden (which looks amazing after not seeing it for a week. Nothing quite edible yet, but my lettuces are getting close. Except those darned bugs are starting to eat holes in the leaves.) And secondly is incorporating a lot more raw food into my diet. A friend who we were vacationing with eats raw and she is such an inspiration! She made some awesome treats for the kids and adults and really showed me just how easy it is to eat raw. I'm going to make it a goal to have something raw with each meal and I'd like to make my snacks 100% raw. I started yesterday by having a green smoothie for a snack and then we had a huge salad for dinner which I'll post below. If anyone reading this has any suggestions for raw foods (meals, sides, snacks, desserts, whatever), please post in the comments :)

Veggie Salad with Chicken, serves 4
Combine in large salad bowl:
1 head romaine lettuce, washed and chopped or torn into bite size pieces
1 ear corn, kernels removed and left raw
2 small tomatoes, chopped
1/2 small jicama, peeled and diced
1 avocado, sliced or chopped
chopped cilantro
a few handfuls raw sesame seeds
Grill or Saute:
2 organic or free range chicken breasts sprinkled generously w/pepper and Old Bay seasoning

Top salad with sliced or chopped chicken breast and serve with a vinaigrette dressing.

Sirloin Steak with Cauliflower "Mashed Potatoes"
I am using this recipe for the sirloin with garlic butter sauce. For the cauliflower, I have tried cooked versions of cauliflower mashed potatoes and haven't found one I like. So, I'm keeping this one raw, which I discovered is super tasty (and I don't normally like to munch on raw cauliflower!) Cut one head into large florets. Put in food processor along with one clove of garlic. Process until very fine. Add about 3 Tbs melted butter and salt and pepper to taste. Technically I guess this wouldn't be raw b/c of the melted butter. I like the flavor of butter as it reminds me of mashed potatoes. You could certainly use olive oil instead. To round out this meal, you could serve another veggie side dish or a green salad.

Grilled Eggplant Pizza, Vegetarian, adapted from Women's Day Magazine, serves 4
1 lb pizza dough
3 Tbs EVOO
1 lb eggplant, sliced 1/4" thick
2 med tomatoes (about 1 lb total), cut into wedges
kosher salt and pepper
1/2 cup fresh basil, torn
1/2 cup ricotta cheese
grated parmesan

Heat oven to 500F (along w/pizza stone if you have one), and heat a grill. Shape pizza dough into desired shape. Brush with some of the oil. Also brush eggplant slices and tomato wedges with oil and season w/salt and pepper. Grill the eggplant, covered, until grill marks appear and it's tender, about 3-4 mins per side. Grill the tomatoes until slightly charred, about 2 mins per side. Transfer to plate and keep warm. Meanwhile, bake your crust until done. Remove from oven and top w/grilled veggies, dollop w/ricotta and sprinkle with basil and grated parmesan.

Soba Noodles with Fresh Veggies and Honey Ginger Peanut Sauce, serves 4, vegetarian
8 oz soba noodles
2 cups bite-size broccoli florets
1 small red bell pepper, thinly sliced
1/2 cup sliced green onions
1/2 cup chopped peanuts, divided
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1/3 cup soy sauce
1 tsp sesame oil
3 Tbs flax seed oil (can sub grapeseed oil or EVOO)
2 Tbs natural, no sugar added peanut butter
1 Tbs grated ginger
2 Tbs rice wine vinegar
2 Tbs honey
2 cloves garlic, minced
1-2 tsp red pepper flakes, to taste

Cook noodles according to package directions. Rinse and drain well and place in large serving bowl. Add broccoli, bell pepper, green onions, half the peanuts, and cilantro. In small bowl, whisk the soy sauce, sesame oil, flax oil, peanut butter, ginger, vinegar, honey, garlic, and red pepper flakes. Add to noodles and toss to coat. Garnish with remaining peanuts and more cilantro, if desired. Serve warm or cold.

Week 21

Mediterranean Pita Pizza (adapted from Low Glycemic Meals in Minutes), serves 4
Preheat oven to 375 F
Bake 4 large whole wheat pitas on a cookie sheet for 5 minutes or until crisp (planning on making my own with this recipe from The Fresh Loaf).
Mix:
2 cups cooked ground beef
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
1/2 cup tomato sauce
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp each salt and pepper
Combine in separate bowl:
1 large tomato, chopped
1/2 cup feta cheese (or mozzarella), crumbled
1/2 cup grated parmesan

Layer a quarter of the meat mixture on each pita, then layer a quarter of the tomato mixture over top. Sprinkle tops with sliced olives. Bake 12-15 mins or until cheese is melted.

Broccoli Walnut Salad (from Low Glycemic Meals in Minutes), 6-8 side servings

1 head broccoli, cut into very small florets
1/4 cup diced red onion
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1 cup red seedless grapes, cut in half
Dressing:
1/2 cup mayo
1/2 cup sour cream or plain yogurt
1 Tbs honey
1/2 tsp ground ginger

In large bowl, combine dressing ingredients. Add broccoli, onions, raisins, grapes and walnuts. Toss well to coat, cover and refrigerate several hours or overnight before serving.


Baked Salmon with Green Beans and Corn (adapted from Prevention magazine), serves 4
12 oz fresh green beans, trimmed
EVOO for drizzling
2 cups fresh corn kernels
4 6oz salmon fillets
salt and pepper
1/4 cup mayo
4 Tbs shredded parmesan, divided

Heat oven to 450 F. Place green beans on rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with EVOO. Season with salt and pepper, toss and spread out in single layer. Roast until browned in spots, about 10 mins. Add corn to baking sheet, mix with beans and push to one end. Season with salt and pepper. Mix mayo with half parmesan and spread over salmon. Sprinkle remaining cheese on top. Roast until topping is golden at the edges and salmon is just done, 7-9 minutes.


Asian-Spiced Catfish with Carrot Slaw (adapted from Delicious Living magazine), serves 4
I am not sure if catfish is something you can find too often wild-caught. If not, I will have to find a decent substitute for catfish as I'm trying to only eat wild-caught fish.
 1/2 cup rice vinegar
2 Tbs brown rice syrup
2 tsp sweet red chile sauce, plus more for serving
8 oz udon noodles
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground cumin
pinch of cayenne
4 (6 oz) catfish fillets
1 Tbs grapeseed oil, plus more for pan
4 med carrots, shredded
3 cups thinly sliced cabbage

Combine rice vinegar, brown rice syrup, and chile sauce in small bowl and set aside. In large bowl, mix carrots and cabbage. Pour half dressing over and toss to coat well, set aside and toss occasionally. Cook noodles according to package directions, 8-10 mins. Drain, rinse, keep warm. In small bowl, combine ginger, cumin, and cayenne. Cut each catfish fillet into two inch pieces, place in shallow dish and sprinkle with spice blend, turning to coat. Heat oil in skillet or wok over high heat and add catfish. Fry for about 3 mins, until browned on both sides. Add remaining sauce and cook until bubbly, tossing gently. Serve fish over noodles with slaw.

Week 20

Sorry for the poor quality of the pictures. We got a new camera and I haven't figured out the best setting for food yet.

Salmon and Couscous Salad with Snap Peas and Mint (adapted from Women's Day magazine) serves 2-3 adults plus 2 small kids

EVOO for sauteeing
1 lb skinless wild-caught salmon fillet
kosher salt and black pepper
1 cup couscous
1 small orange, juice and zest
1 orange, peeled and chopped
1 cup snap peas, sliced crosswise
1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
1 cup fresh Italian parsley, roughly chopped
1/4 cup fresh mint, roughly chopped
1 Tbs EVOO

Season salmon w/salt and pepper and saute in skillet until opaque throughout, a few mins per side. Transfer to plate and refrigerate. Meanwhile, prepare couscous according to package directions. Fluff with fork and add orange juice, zest, chopped orange, snap peas, onion, parsley, mint and 1 Tbs EVOO. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Flake cooled salmon and gently toss with couscous mixture and serve.


Slow Cooker Chicken Marbella (from Women's Day magazine) serves 4
1/3 cup white wine
2 Tbs brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp dried oregano
3 Tbs red wine vinegar, divided
kosher salt and pepper
6 cloves garlic, smashed and peeled
1 Tbs capers
1/2 cup prunes
1/3 cup pitted green olives
2 1/2 lbs bone-in chicken thighs and legs, skin removed
1/4 cup fresh Italian parsley, chopped
cooked rice, couscous or quinoa for serving

Whisk wine, brown sugar, oregano, 2 Tbs of the vinegar, and 1/4 tsp each salt and pepper in large slow cooker. Add garlic, capers, prunes and olives and mix. Add chicken, cover and cook on low 5-6 hours or until done. Gently stir in remaining Tbs of vinegar and parsley. Serve over rice, couscous or quinoa.

I'm serving this with a side of sauteed green beans (saute green beans in EVOO until tender-crisp, season w/salt and pepper and squeeze 1/2 lemon over. Super easy and yummy!)


Bacon, Lettuce and Tomato Salad with Egg (adapted from Delicious Living magazine) serves 6
12 cups lettuce, washed and torn or chopped
1/4 red onion, thinly sliced
1/2 pint cherry tomatoes, quartered
1 cucumber, washed and diced
4 Tbs plain Greek yogurt
4 Tbs mayo
2 tsp mango chutney
1 Tbs rice vinegar
1 tsp curry powder
4 hard boiled eggs, chopped
4 strips bacon, cooked and crumbled

In small bowl, combine yogurt, mayo, chutney, rice vinegar and curry and whisk. Season w/salt and pepper and thin with water to desired taste and consistency. Toss over salad ingredients and top with egg and bacon.

Black Bean Enchiladas (adapted from Delicious Living magazine) serves 4-5

2 Tbs EVOO
1 med onion, finely chopped, divided
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 (25 oz) can black beans, rinsed and drained (or equivalent amount cooked dried beans)
1 tsp ground ancho chile powder
1 cup low-sodium chicken stock
1 cup chopped fresh cilantro, divided
1 lb cooked ground beef
8 whole wheat tortillas
1/2 cup grated pepper jack cheese
avocado, tomato, salsa, sour cream and/or pico de gallo for topping

Saute 1/2 cup onion. Stir in garlic. Add beans, ground chile and broth. Mash w/potato masher until smooth. Season to taste. Spread some of the bean mixture into bottom of 9x13" baking dish. Combine cooked beef with 1/2 of the cilantro. Spoon some bean mixture down warmed tortilla, place meat on top, and roll up. Place into baking dish, seam side down. Fill all tortillas but keep some bean sauce reserved. Pour remaining bean sauce over top. Sprinkle cheese over. Heat in 325 F oven for 5-10 mins or until cheese is melted. Serve with toppings. (You could easily make this vegetarian by omitting the beef).

I'm serving with a side of broccoli.

Coconut Shrimp with Black Bean and Mango Salad
1 (15 oz) can black beans, rinsed and drained (or equivalent amount cooked dried beans - make a big batch for the enchiladas and this recipe)
1 med mango, peeled and diced
3 scallions, sliced
3 Tbs chopped cilantro
3 Tbs bottled poppyseed dressing
3/4 cup breadcrumbs
1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
1/4 tsp salt
2 egg whites, beaten until frothy
20 large raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 Tbs coconut oil
lime wedges for garnish

Mix together beans, mango, scallions, cilantro and salad dressing. Set aside. In small bowl mix bread crumbs, coconut and salt. Beat egg whites in separate small bowl. Dip each shrimp in egg white then dredge in bread crumbs. Heat large skillet over medium heat and add oil. Add shrimp in single layer, cook 3 mins then turn shrimp and cook 2-3 mins more or until opaque in center. Remove to clean plate. Spoon bean salad onto serving plates and top with shrimp. Serve with lime wedges

Week 19

I don't know what happened here. I thought I had week 19 posted, but when I went into my dashboard I saw it sitting here as a draft. And with only one recipe to boot. Well, this was a good recipe so I'm going to go ahead and post it, even if it's lonely all by itself. Enjoy!

Fassoulia (adapted from greenbeansnmore.com) about 6 servings

1 lb. ground lamb, beef or turkey

1 medium onion, chopped
1 1/2 tsp. salt or to taste
½ tsp. black pepper
½ tsp. allspice
1 tsp. crushed dried basil
1 tsp. crushed dried oregano

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 lb. fresh green beans, trimmed and cut in half

1 15-oz. can diced tomatoes
3 oz. tomato paste, diluted in 1 cup water or stock

farro or barley for serving

Brown meat in dutch oven. When almost all browned, add onion, garlic and spices. Continue cooking until onions are soft, stirring occasionally.  Add green beans, tomatoes, and tomato paste with water or stock. Stir to combine, cover and cook on low until beans are desired tenderness. I like mine still a tad firm and this took about 20 mins. Stir occasionally. Serve over farro (Italian wheat berries) or barley.

This is how my 4 yr old likes hers, all separate

The Ultimate Burger

These burgers are on a previous post for this week's meal plan, but they were so good they deserve their very own post. First, I started with ground beef from our quarter of grass-fed beef. Knowing they are healthy burgers makes me love them all the more. I used one pound for 2 adults and two small kids. I added Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper to the meat and mixed with my hands. From this mixture, I took a small amount (probably 1/4 to 1/3 lb) to make patties for the kids. Then I added crumbled blue cheese to the adult burger mix. About one ounce of cheese to two-thirds pound of meat. Mix it just to incorporate and then shape into patties. Grill until desired doneness (which can be less done than traditional ground meat b/c you don't have the same concern for contamination).

Top with crispy bacon, thickly sliced avocado, tomato, red onion and lettuce. Place on homemade sourdough buns (this is key to making an outstanding burger. Okay, it doesn't have to be sourdough, but it absolutely does have to be homemade. Store bought doesn't even come close) that have been slathered with chipotle mayonnaise. To make the chipotle mayo, combine 1/2 cup mayo with juice from 1/2 a lemon. Add in 2 chipotle peppers, seeded and finely minced. Salt and pepper to taste.

Buns straight out of the oven

Did I say these were the best burgers I think I've ever had?? Serve with fresh sweet potato fries (scrub sweet potatoes well, leave skins on. Cut into fries and toss w/olive oil, salt, and either smoked paprika or cayenne pepper depending on how much of a kick you want) and bake at 425 F for about 10 mins, tossing half way through.

Week 18

Pasta with homemade sauce frozen from the last time I made it :)

Slow Cooker Brunswick Stew (adapted from Betty Crocker's Slow Cooker Cookbook) serves 10
1 1/2 lbs boneless skinless chicken, cut into 1" pieces
3 med sweet potatoes, cut into 1/2" pieces
1 med onion, chopped
28 oz can crushed tomatoes, undrained
15 oz can lima beans, rinsed and drained
1 can whole kernel corn or equivalent frozen or fresh kernels
1 Tbs Worcestershire sauce
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp dried marjoram
8 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
1/4 tsp red pepper sauce

Mix all ingredients except bacon and pepper sauce in 4 qt or larger slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours or until potatoes are tender. Stir in bacon and pepper sauce.

Blue Cheese Burgers w/Homemade Sourdough Buns and homemade sweet potato fries
1 lb ground beef (preferably from a grass-fed cow)
1 oz blue cheese crumbles
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
salt and pepper
Toppings of choice, possibly sliced red onion, bacon, fresh bib lettuce, tomato slices, pickles, etc

Mix beef with cheese, Worcestershire, salt and pepper. Shape into 3 or 4 patties and chill in fridge for a few hours. Grill to desired doneness, place on fresh baked sourdough buns, and top with your favorite fixings.


Slow Cooker Italian Herb Chicken with Pasta (adapted from McCormick)
2 1/2 lbs bone-in chicken parts, skin removed
8 oz fresh mushrooms, sliced
1/2 onion, chopped finely
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp dried basil
2 tsp dried oregano
1 Tbs dried parsley
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
28 oz can stewed tomatoes, undrained
6 oz can tomato paste

Place chicken and mushrooms in slow cooker. Mix remaining ingredients together and pour over chicken. Cover and cook on low for 8 hrs. Remove bones from chicken and sauce and serve over cooked pasta of choice and a side salad.

Slow Cooker 40 Cloves of Garlic Chicken from A Year of Slow Cooking

Week 16 - Easter!

I usually make lamb for Easter. This year I am not sure what cut I will use, as I need to check out what they have at Costco. I like their lamb because it's Australian. And delicious. So this year will be some sort of roasted lamb (with accompanying mint sauce) and probably homemade Easter bread, simple baked yams, and some sort of green vegetable. Simple, yet sometimes the simple things are actually the best.

Other recipes this week will be:


Slow Cooker New England Pot Roast (adapted from Betty Crocker's Slow Cooker Cookbook), serves 8
3 lbs boneless beef roast of some sort
2 turnips, peeled and cut into thick wedges
1 rutabaga, peeled and cut into thick wedges
3 cups baby cut carrots
1-2 large onions, cut into wedges
5 oz prepared horseradish
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 cup water

Place veggies in bottom of 4 to 6 qt slow cooker. Place beef on veggies. Mix horseradish, salt and pepper and spread evenly over beef. Pour water into slow cooker, cover and cook on low 8-10 hours.

Chicken Cacciatore with Peppers and Broccoli (adapted from Low Glycemic Meals in Minutes), 4 servings
Cut broccoli into florets and steam just until tender-crisp.
Saute in large skillet:
EVOO
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 stalks celery, diced
1 large onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, sliced
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp dried thyme
Add:
1 can diced tomatoes
Whisk together:
2 Tbs flour
1 1/2 cups milk
Add to ingredients in pan, stirring constantly until thickened
Add:
2 cups cooked cubed chicken
cooked broccoli (or you could serve the broccoli on the side if you don't want to mix it in)
1/2 tsp each of salt and pepper

Jenna's Summer Squash and Pasta (vegetarian)

Cook penne or similar pasta according to package directions. Mince some garlic, slice some onions, and slice some yellow and green summer squash. Saute onions in EVOO until almost tender. Add garlic and squash and saute until tender but not mushy. Toss with drained pasta, adding more EVOO if needed. Top w/parmesan cheese. You can also add cooked, sliced Italian sausage if desired.

Pork Green Chili (this recipe comes from my bunco group)
2 lbs pork steak (or chops) trimmed of fat and cubed
4 Tbs EVOO
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1/3 cup flour
2 small cans diced green chilies
1-2 small can diced jalapenos
16 oz can diced tomatoes
3 cups chicken stock
2 tsp garlic salt
1 tsp onion salt
1 tsp oregano
salt and pepper to taste

In stockpot, saute pork in oil until browned. Add garlic and saute another minute. Add flour and stir another min. Mix in everything else and bring to boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer 30-45 mins. Serve with tortillas or chips and sour cream.

Week 14

Quinoa with Grilled Zucchini and Chickpeas (Vegetarian)
From Epicurious.com


Slow Cooker Jambalaya (adapted from Betty Crocker's Slow Cooker Cookbook)
1 large onion, chopped
1 med green bell pepper, chopped
2 med celery stalks, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
28 oz diced tomatoes
2 cups chopped, cooked Andouille sausage
1 Tbs parsley flakes
1/2 tsp dried dried thyme
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp red pepper sauce
hot cooked rice, for serving

Mix all ingredients except rice in 4 qt or larger slow cooker. Cover and cool on low 7-8 hours. Serve over rice.

Slow Cooker Hungarian Goulash (adapted from Betty Crocker's Slow Cooker Cookbook)
2 lb beef stew meat, cut into 1" pices
1 large onion, sliced
15 oz beef broth
6 oz can tomato paste
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 Tbs Worcestershire sauce
1 Tbs paprika
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp caraway seed (or more, to taste. I like 1 tsp)
1/4 tsp pepper
-------------
1/4 cup cold water
3 Tbs flour
1 med bell pepper, cut into strips
8 cups hot cooked wide noodles
butter and poppy seeds, optional

Mix all ingredients above line in 4 qt or larger slow cooker. Cover and cook on low 8-10 hours until beef is very tender.

Mix water and flour and gradually stir into slow cooker. Stir in bell pepper. Cover and cook on high 30 mins longer. Serve over hot buttered noodles tossed w/poppy seeds.

Zesty Beef (salad one night, soup another)
From Recipe.com

Myka's Mac N Cheese (this recipe comes from my neighbor Myka who so graciously brought this dish to me after my daughter was born 4 years ago. We didn't know each other at all but that meal was the start of a wonderful friendship!)
1/2 onion, chopped
1/2 stick butter
3 (14 oz) cans diced tomatoes
1 (1 lb) package rigatoni pasta
24 oz shredded cheese (any mix you like, I like sharp cheddar), divided
5 Tbs A-1 or other steak sauce

Preheat oven to 400 F. Saute onion in large skillet with butter until translucent. Add diced tomatoes w/their juice. Bring to boil. Add steak sauce and simmer about 10 mins. Meanwhile cook pasta according to package, draining when al dente. Combine pasta, tomato mixture, and 2/3 of cheese. Pour into 9x13" baking dish and top with remaining cheese. Bake uncovered 10 mins, reduce oven to 375 and continue baking about 20 mins or until cheese is melted and beginning to brown.