Sweet and Salty Sweet Potato Puree

Sweet and Salty Sweet Potato Puree

Serves 10

Ingredients:

• 5 sweet potatoes, peeled and diced in 1″ cubes
• 1/2 c milk
• 2 T butter
• 2 T honey
• 1 T + 1/4 t  kosher salt
• 1/2 t cinnamon
• pinch nutmeg
• pinch clove
• 1 cup pecans, coarsely chopped
• 1/2 cup pecans, halved
• 1/2 T brown sugar

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Boil sweet potatoes until tender, about 25 minutes. Drain.
3. In a large mixing bowl, combine cooked sweet potatoes, milk, butter, honey. 1T salt and spices.
4. Mix with a hand mixer on low until potatoes are mashed, about 2 minutes.
5. Increase mixer speed to high. Mix until smooth and fluffy, about 5 minutes.
6. Fold in chopped pecans, reserving about a tablespoon for later.
7. Place sweet potato mixture in a 9×13 baking dish. Smooth out top.
8. Outline border of pan with halved pecans.
9. Sprinkle center with remaining chopped pecans.
10. Lightly sprinkle remaining salt over entire dish.
11. Lightly sprinkle brown sugar over entire dish.
12. Bake, uncovered, for 25 minutes.

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 Pot Pie Filling

Chicken Pot Pie Filling

makes 4, 9 inch pies; 6 servings to a pie

Ingredients:

• 2 T olive oil
• 2 T butter
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 3 green onions, chopped
• 1 carrot, diced
• 3 ribs celery, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 1/2 c fresh corn, about 2 ears
• 2 c baby bella mushrooms, thinly sliced
• 3.5 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast, cubed
• 2 T all purpose flour
• 8 oz frozen peas
• 1/4 t rosemary
• 1/2 t thyme
• 1/4 t dried mustard
• 3/4 t dill
• kosher salt
• fresh ground black pepper
• 2 c low sodium chicken broth
• 1 c half and half
• 3 t corn starch (to thicken if needed)

Instructions:

1. Heat butter and olive oil in a large stock put over medium high.
2. Add onions, carrot, celery, garlic, corn, and mushrooms. Cook until translucent, about 8 minutes.
3. Add chicken. Cook about 5 minutes, tossing chicken and vegetables together.
4. Add flour, frozen peas, rosemary, thyme, mustard, and dill. Stir well.
5. Add chicken broth. Turn heat to medium-low. Let simmer 15 minutes, stirring occassionally.
6. Add half and half and, if needed, corn starch. Let simmer 10-15 minutes, stirring occassionally.
7. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly. Add to pie crusts or divide into four containers and freeze for later use.

Chili with Beans

Chili with Beans, spicy

serves 8-10

Ingredients:

• 1 T extra virgin olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion, minced
• 1/2 red pepper, diced
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 1/2 t salt
• 1 lb 90/10 ground sirloin
• 3 c small red beans
• 10 oz can diced tomatoes w/ jalapeno OR 1 1/4 c tomato, diced + 1 small jalapeno, seeded and finely diced
• 2 t worchestershire sauce
• 2 chipotle peppers in mole sauce, finely chopped
• 1/4 t oregano
• 1 T paprika
• 1 T cumin
• 1 T light brown sugar
• 2 T chili powder
• 3 c water

Instructions:

1. Heat oil over medium high in a large skillet.
2. Add onion, red pepper, garlic, and salt. Cook until translucent, about 5 minutes.
3. Add ground beef and brown, about 10 minutes.
4. Put beans in crock pot. Pour ground beef over beans.
5. Add remaining ingredients, except water, and mix well.
6. Add water. Cook on high for 6 hours. Lightly mash beans with potato masher for thicker consistency. 

Potato Soup

Potato Soup

serves 8-10

Ingredients:

• 2T unsalted butter
• 1 large carrot, peeled and diced
• 3 ribs celery with leaves, diced
• 1 1/2 c baby bella mushrooms, thinly sliced
• 3 green onions, finely chopped
• 1/2 small yellow onion, minced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 t kosher salt
• dash fresh ground black pepper
• 1/4 c whole wheat all purpose flour
• 2.5 lb russet potatoes, 1″ cubes
• 5 c low sodium, free range chicken stock
• 1 t dill
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 c half and half
• 1 t corn starch

Instructions:

1. Melt butter over medium heat in a large skillet.
2. Add carrot, celery, mushrooms, onions, garlic and salt. Cook until translucent stirring occassionally, about 8 minutes.
3. Add flour and stir until completely incorporated. Slowly stir in 1 cup stock until smooth.
4. Put potatoes in large crock pot. Pour vegetables over potatoes.
5. Add dill and bay leaves, mix well.
6. Stir in remaining 4 cups of stock.
7. Cook on high for 4 hours.
8. Add corn starch to half and half and mix well.
9. Add half and half to soup, mix thoroughly.
10. Lightly mash potatoes for a thicker consistency.

Whole Oven Roasted Chicken

Whole Oven Roasted Chicken

serves 4-6

Ingredients:

• 1 3-4 lb organic chicken
• 1/4 c extra virgin olive oil
• 1 lemon, washed and quartered
• 1 medium orange, washed and quartered
• 2 ribs celery, coarsely chopped
• 1 carrot, coarsely chopped
• 1 small onion, quartered
• 3 cloves garlic
• rosemary
• thyme
• salt
• pepper
• 1/4 c free range, low sodium chicken broth (or water)

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 450.
2. Remove innards and rinse chicken thoroughly. Pat dry.
3. Oil the bottom of an 8×8 dark baking pan.
4. In a medium bowl, drizzle 2-3 T oil over fruit and vegetables. Lightly sprinkle rosemary, thyme, salt, and pepper over fruit and vegetables and mix well.
5. Rub chicken with remaining oil.
6. Stuff chicken with fruit and vegetables and place in baking dish. Spread leftover fruit and vegetables around chicken. Pour broth around baking pan.
7. Lightly dust outside of chicken with rosemary, thyme, salt and pepper.
8. Bake at 450 for 30 minutes. Baste with pan juices, then reduce heat to 300.
9. Bake about 2 hours basting with pan juices every 30 minutes. Bake until a meat thermometer reads 165 in both the breast and between the thigh and wing.

Fancy Tuna Casserole

Fancy Tuna Casserole

serves 12

Ingredients:

• 8 oz organic spinach penne pasta, cooked to al dente
• spritz of canola cooking spray
• 2/3 c red peppers, diced
• 2, 6 oz cans of chunk white tuna in water, drained
• 3 c marinara
• 4 oz cream cheese
• 1/2 cup fresh grated parmesan cheese
• 1/4 t oregano
• 1/4 t basil
• kosher salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
• 2 cups fresh grated provolone staggianato cheese
• 2 cups panko bread crumbs
• 3 T unsalted butter, melted

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 425.
2. Spritz a large sauce pan with canola spray. Cook red peppers over medium heat for 5 minutes.
3. Add tuna and marinara, stir well. Heat on medium high until it starts to bubble.
4. Turn heat to low, add cream cheese and parmesan cheese. Stir until cheese is completely melted.
5. Add oregano, basil, salt, and pepper. Mix well.
6. Add cooked pasta and fold into sauce.
7. Spread pasta in a 9×13 baking dish. Top with provolone cheese.
8. In a medium bowl, thoroughly mix butter and panko bread crumbs.
9. Spread panko bread crumbs over cheese.
10. Bake 25-35 minutes, or until bread crumbs are golden.

Red Beans and Rice

Red Beans and Rice

Ingredients:

• 3 c low sodium, free range chicken stock (or homemade if you have it)
• 1 pork sausage link (we use Chappel Hill)
• 1# small red beans, soaked and drained
• 1 c fresh minced onion
• 3 stalks celery heart with leaves, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 large tomatoes, diced
• 1 chipotle pepper in mole sauce, minced
• 1 T worchestershire sauce
• a few drops of Louisiana hot sauce
• 1/2 t red pepper flakes
• 1/2 t chili powder
• 1/2 t paprika
• kosher salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. Combine all ingredients in crock pot, stir until mixed well.
2. Cook on low for 10 hours. Mash some of the beans with a fork to thicken.
3. Serve over cooked brown rice.

Gourmet Chicken Pizza

Chicken Pizza

makes two pizzas

Ingredients:

• 2 premade thin pizza crusts
• 2 T olive oil
• oregano
• basil
• 8 T marinara sauce 
• 1 c feta cheese
• 2 c fresh grated parmesan cheese
• 2 c cooked chicken breast, 1/2″ cubed or thin sliced
• chopped, fresh cooked bacon
• kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven according to instructions on crust package.
2. Using a pastry brush, lightly brush crusts with olive oil.
3. Sprinkle basil and oregano on crust.
4. For a crispy crust, prebake crust for 5 minutes, otherwise skip to step 5.
5. Spoon 4T of marinara over each crust and use the back of the spoon to spread. Don’t spread over edge of crust.
6. Spread feta and 1/2 of parmesan cheese over both crusts.
7. Spread chicken and bacon over both crusts.
8. Sprinkle remaining parmesan over both crusts and lightly season with salt and pepper.
9. Bake until parmesan cheese melts.

Crock Pot Pork Loin

Crock Pot Pork Loin

approximately 4 servings

Ingredients:

• 2 lb pork loin
• 2 cloves garlic, sliced in 4 slices each
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• rosemary
• thyme
• dried mustard
• salt
• fresh ground pepper
• 1 c cabernet sauvignon
• 1/2 c free range, low sodium chicken broth
• 1.5 apples, quartered and cored
• 2 stalks celery with leaves, quartered
• 1 small yellow onion, cut in large pieces
• 1/2 lb baby carrots

Instructions:

1. Clean silverskin from pork loin.
2. Using a paring knife make 8, 1/2″ deep slits on the top of the pork loin.
3. Insert sliced garlic into slits, then pinch slits closed at top.
4. Sprinkle rosemary, thyme, dried mustard, salt, and fresh ground pepper generously on both sides of the pork.
5. Pour wine and chicken stock into crock pot.
6. Put seasoned pork in crock pot.
7. Place remaining fruit and vegetables  in crock pot both on top of the pork and in the wine/stock mixture.
8. Lightly sprinkle more rosemary, thyme, salt, and pepper (no dried mustard) on top of the meat and vegetables.
9. Set crock pot to high for 8 hours.
10. To serve, remove meat and place on platter. Discard celery and apples. Remove carrots and place on platter with meat. Slice meat and ladel cooking juices over meat and carrots or serve juices on the side.