Creamy Oatmeal with Pears

Creamy Oatmeal with Pears

serves 4

Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 c water
• 1 1/2 c rolled oats
• 2 T unsalted butter
• 1 large pear, peeled and diced small
• 2 T dark brown sugar
• 1/4 t cinnamon
• 1 cup milk

Instructions:

1. Bring water to boil in a medium sauce pan. Stir in oats, boil for 5 minutes.
2. Cover, let stand 5 minutes.
3. At the same time, melt butter over medium heat in a small skillet.
4. Add pears, sugar, and cinnamon.
5. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently.
6. Stir pears into oatmeal.
7. Cover and let stand 5 more minutes.
8. Stir, and divide into 4 bowls.
9. Top each serving with 1/4 c milk. Serve immediately. (If storing leftover oatmeal, do not top with milk until ready to serve.)

Fresh Cranberry Relish

Fresh Cranberry Relish

Ingredients:

• 24 oz fresh cranberries
• 4 mandarin oranges, peeled and segmented
• 1 medium honeycrisp apple, finely diced
• 1 cup pecans, finely chopped
• 2 T honey
• 1/4 c fresh orange juice

Instructions:

1. Sort, clean, and blanch* cranberries.
2. Combine cranberries and oranges in a food processor. Process until cranberries are finely chopped.
3. Add apples, pecans, honey, and orange juice. Mix well.
4. Serve chilled.

 

*Blanching brings out the vibrant color and flavor of an ingredient by quickly dipping in boiling water and then immediately setting in iced water. The skin on the cranberries will pop, this has no affect on the quality of the finished product.

Stacked Chicken Enchiladas

Stacked Chicken Enchiladas (Short-Cut Version)

serves 4

Ingredients:

• 8 corn tortillas, lightly fried
• 1 package dehydrated refried beans (or 1 can), prepared according to package
• 2 c leftover roast chicken, finely chopped
• 1 1/2 c shredded cheddar or monterey jack cheese
• 1 cup of your favorite organic salsa
• 4 eggs, individually fried over easy

Instructions:

1. Heat 1 T salsa in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and heat thoroughly, about 2 minutes.
2. Spread 2-3 T beans over 1 corn tortilla.
3. Layer 1/4 c of chicken over beans.
4. Lightly sprinkle cheese over chicken.
5. Cover with 1 tortilla. Repeat steps 2-4.
6. Top stack with 3 heaping T of salsa.
7. Heat in microwave to melt cheese.
8. Top with fried egg.
9. Repeat steps 2-8 for each serving.

Chicken Salad

Chicken Salad

serves 4

Ingredients:

• 2 c leftover roast chicken, chopped
• 1 rib celery, diced
• 1 green onion, finely chopped
• 1/2 red pepper, diced
• 1/2 c crisp, sweet apple (i.e. gala or honeycrisp), diced
• 2 T mayonaise
• 1 T spicy brown mustard
• 2 t fresh squeezed lemon juice
• 1/4 t dill
• pinch kosher salt
• fresh ground black pepper

Instructions:

1. Put all ingredients in a medium mixing bowl. Mix thoroughly.
2. Best served chilled.

Quinoa with Red Pepper and Cilantro

Quinoa with Red Pepper and Cilantro

serves 6

Ingredients:

• 2 c quinoa
• 4 c water
• ¾ c red pepper, seeded and diced
• ½ c cilantro, roughly chopped
• ½ T kosher salt
• ¼ t fresh ground pepper

Instructions:

1. Toast quinoa in dry pan over medium heat for 5 minutes.
2. Add water and bring to a rolling boil, stirring occasionally.
3. Mix in peppers, cilantro, salt, and pepper.
4. Turn heat to low. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes.
5. Turn heat off, let stand for 3-5 minutes. Fluff with fork and serve.

Citrus Balsamic Vinaigrette

Citrus Balsamic Vinaigrette

Ingredients:

• 1/4 c good quality aged balsamic vinegar
• 3 T fresh squeezed orange juice
• 1/2 c extra virgin olive oil
• 1 T kosher salt
• 1/2 t fresh ground black pepper

Instructions:

1. Pour ingredients into a cruet and shake vigorously.

OR

1. Whisk olive oil and salt together until well blended.
2. Slowly add vinegar, then orange juice.
3. Whisk pepper in.