Roasted Vegetables

• 10 brussel sprouts, quartered
• 2 small onions, quartered
• 1 medium zucchini, halved and sliced
• 1 medium yellow summer squash, halved and sliced
• 1/2 pound fresh baby carrots
• 1 cup fresh cauliflowerets
• 1 cup fresh broccoli florets
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• 1-1/2 teaspoons dried rosemary, crushed
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper 
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• Place vegetables in a large bowl. Combine the remaining ingredients; drizzle over vegetables and toss to coat.
• Transfer to two greased 15-in. x 10-in. x 1-in. baking pans. Bake at 400° for 30-35 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally. Yield: 9 servings.

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Carrot Ginger Soup

BOMA! Crrot Ginger Soup

Ingredients:
Cornstarch Slurry - (1/4 cup cornstarch mixed with 1/4 cup cool water)
2 cups carrots, chunky cut
2 cups water
1/2 cup sugar, adjust as needed
1 1/2 tablespoons ground ginger
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup milk
1 cup American cheese, sliced or shredded (optional)
Method of Preparation:
1. In pot, cook carrots in water, sugar and ginger. Let simmer until carrots are soft. Using a food processer or blender, puree until smooth.
2. Add heavy cream and milk. Cook until soup is hot and slightly thick.
3. Bring to a boil, add cornstarch slurry while stirring. Bring back up to a boil. Remove from heat.
4. Add American cheese and stir well until cheese melts.
5. Adjust seasoning.
6. Enjoy!

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Buffalo Chicken Mac & Cheese

Buffalo Chicken Mac & Cheese

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 tablespoon flour
• 1 cup skim milk
• ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• 1/3 cup light blue cheese dressing (I used Marie’s – it’s the best!)
• 3-4 tablespoons Buffalo Wing sauce (I used Anchor Bar brand)
• 2 large eggs
• 1 large egg white
• 1 cup cooked shredded boneless skinless chicken breast
• 1 medium celery stalk, chopped small
• 4 cups cooked whole wheat or high fiber macaroni (about 8 oz uncooked)

Directions:

1. Pre-heat the oven to 400. Lightly mist a 12-cup muffin tin with cooking spray and set aside.
2. In a large sauté pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the flour, mixing it into the butter until thick. Stir in the milk and garlic powder and raise the temp to bring the mixture to just under a boil. Add the cheddar cheese and whisk mixture together until thoroughly combined into a cheese sauce.
3. Remove the cheese sauce from heat and then mix in the blue cheese dressing and Buffalo wing sauce. Beat together the eggs and egg white and then stir into the cheese sauce until combined.
4. Add the chicken and celery to the cheese sauce and stir together. Add the macaroni and continue to stir until coated. Spoon the macaroni mixture evenly into the prepared muffin tin.
5. Bake for 15 minutes or until the tops slightly brown. Let cool at least 15 minutes before removing from muffin tin. Letting the “muffins” cool before removing them from the pan is crucial if you want them to stay together.

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Spinach & Artichoke Dip

Spinach & Artichoke Dip

• 10 ounces frozen chopped spinach
• 15 ounces artichoke hearts, drained & chopped
• ¹⁄₂ cup parmesan cheese, shredded
• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
• ¹⁄₂ cup sour cream
• 1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
• ¹⁄₂ teaspoon garlic, minced
• ¹⁄₈ teaspoon garlic powder
• ¹⁄₂ teaspoon salt
• ¹⁄₈ teaspoon ground black pepper
• ¹⁄₈ teaspoon ground mustard
• ¹⁄₈ teaspoon paprika

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl and mix thoroughly.
3. Spread into an 8x8'' baking pan or similar ovenproof dish (should be able to contain about 3 cups.).
4. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until bubbly. Serve hot with bagel chips, rye bread slices, tortilla chips, cheese crackers, pita, etc!

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Thanksgiving Menu

Thanksgiving
Menu 2015

Spinach Artichoke Dip in Bread Bowl

Buffalo Chicken Mac & Cheese Bites

Carrot Ginger Soup

Caramelized Onion & Cranberries over Mixed Greens

Roasted Harvest Vegetables

Mashed Root Vegetables

Bacon Cheddar Mashed Potatoes

Autumn Brine Turkey

Traditional Sausage Stuffing

Fresh Cranberry Relish

Double Layer Pumpkin Cheesecake

Caramel Apple Pumpkin Trifle

Baked Apple Crisp & Ice Cream

Apple, Pumpkin & Mixed Berry Pies

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Zucchini & Sweet Potato Frittata

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp butter or coconut oil;
• 8 eggs;
• 1 large sweet potato, peeled and cut in slices;
• 2 sliced zucchinis;
• 1 sliced red bell pepper;
• 2 tbsp fresh parsley;
• Salt and pepper to taste.

Preparation

1. Heat a pan over a medium-low heat;
2. Add the oil and sweet potato slices and cook until soft, about 8 minutes;
3. Add the zucchini and red bell pepper slices and cook for another 4 minutes;
4. While it cooks, whisk the eggs in a bowl, making sure to incorporate a lot of air in the mixture;
5. Season the egg mixture with salt and pepper and add to the cooking veggies;
6. Cook on low heat until just set, about 10 minutes;
7. Finish the frittata until golden under a heated broiler.
8. Cut the finished frittata into wedges and serve with fresh parsley.

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Meal Planning

If you're new to all this, the easiest way to start is by planning a week's worth of dinners. Once you develop a routine, it becomes second nature. Here are some suggestions on how to get started.

• Consult a cookbook for tips on using leftovers. For example, use Sunday's pot roast for Tuesday's roast beef hash or vegetable beef soup.
• Plan around the basic food groups: whole grains, meat and poultry, dairy and eggs, veggies and fruits. Keep your pantry and fridge stocked with staples like brown rice and whole-wheat pasta, and common vegetables that will keep fresh for a while, like potatoes, carrots, onions and garlic.
• Cook double or triple portions to prepare extra food for the next day or so.
• Try to plan around your family's activities. Save the easiest meals, like soup and sandwiches, for the busiest days.
• Once you have a few recipes in mind, print out a blank calendar for the week, and write down meals for each day.
• Before you shop, jot down all of your recipe ingredients, and inventory your pantry and fridge to avoid buying duplicate items.
• Keep a notepad attached to the fridge, and write down ingredients as they're used up. If you're like most cooks, you tend to use the same things repeatedly.
• Don't worry about deviating from your meal plan. If you come across a good deal at the grocery store, take advantage of it. For example, if rotisserie chicken is on sale and cheaper than a whole fryer, pick up one or more and freeze the extra.• 
• Repeat your menu every two weeks for a season. Most of us don’t mind eating a meal twice a month, and when you create a two-week menu plan, you can be set for a few months. Try creating a two-week plan for the summer.
• Rather than starting from scratch each week, I have a template of the general types of foods I cook each day of the week and the number of times I use each main food. In other words each week I cook:

• 1-2 Chicken meals
• 1 slow cooker or soup meal
• 1 beef
• 1grain/pasta based meal
• 1meatless meal
• 1 Turkey/Pork based meal

• As you find recipes your family enjoys, make them core recipes that get re-used every few weeks. Try to build up about 20 of these and you won’t ever be bored with your meals.
• Protein is typically the most expensive part of the meal so if you can use less expensive cuts of meat and stretch them, it might allow you to buy organic and grass-fed rather than conventional meats.
• A basic easy recipe can taste completely different just by changing the spices. 
• Don't let the kids be picky! Encourage them AND reward them to TRY everything! Kids are required to try one bite of everything cooked before they can have more of any one food.

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Meal Planning 2

Here's MY plan!

Mondays – Meatless Monday!
Tuesdays – Beef/Turkey Meal

Wednesdays – Chicken Meal
Thursdays –Slow Cooker

Fridays – Take-out (left-overs/home-made pizza in a cash strapped week)

Saturdays – Left-overs, Soup, Salad, and/or Sandwiches

Sundays – Pork, Ham, Chicken or Fish Meal

 

I plan a month out, and repeat for 3 months (a full season).

Spring time Menu (March, April & May)

1.  Cheese Quesadilla with rice & beans
2.  Beef empanadas, with leftover rice & beans
3.  Honey-glazed chicken stir fry  
4.  Slow cooker Minestrone Soup (leftover beans)
5.  Home-made Caramelized Onion Pizza
6.  Left-over Honey-glazed Chicken Panini 
7. Tomato Basil Salmon 
8.  Bow Tie Pasta w peas 
9.  Beef Stir fry with veggies & brown rice
10. Paprika chicken & baby greens 
11. Chicken and sausage gumbo (over brown rice)
12. Ratatouille (leftover stir fry veggies)
13. Baked Eggplant
14. Beef stroganoff and sauteed asparagus in olive oil
15. Chicken spaghetti casserole; sauteed broccoli in olive oil
16. Slow Cooker Sausage & Peppers
17. Home-made Mushroom, ricotta pizza
18. Grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato-basil soup
19. Baked spiral ham, steamed veggies, baked potatoes (freeze leftovers for soup)
20. Spring Panzanella 
21. Hungarian Goulash and mixed green salad
22.  Broccoli chicken bake and salad (additional baked chicken set aside for pizza)
23.  Slow Cooker Turkey Gumbo
24. Homemade Buffalo Chicken Pizza (baked chicken)
25. Baked Potato Soup (add ham)
26. Maple Salmon with asparagus
27. Sun-dried tomato and oregano pasta with salad
28. Grilled Turkey Burgers with oven-baked veggie fries
29. Chicken fettuccine with broccoli and salad
30. Slow-Cooker Cilantro Lime Chicken
31. Pizza pinwheels 
32. Avocado, Chicken Lime Soup 
33. Baked Pork Tenderloin, baby spinach & baked veggies

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Banana Pancakes

These happen to be Paleo, refined sugar & gluten free... They also happen to be delicious. 

 { Serves 2-3 }

 1 mashed, super ripe banana

2 eggs

3 tablespoon coconut flour

Coconut oil for the pan

1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1 tablespoon of ground flax-seed/chia seed [ this really, really holds the mixture together ]

1 teaspoon of vanilla

1 teaspoon cinnamon

(sometimes I add almond butter or (non-paleo) oats )

Optional: all-natural maple syrup or honey, berries,  and/or Greek yogurt

+ Directions: Toss banana & egg in food processor (I use the Pampered Chef Manual Food Processor, super easy). Add my flax-seed, cinnamon & vanilla. 

Put the coconut oil in the pan [ on low-medium heat ]. Add a silver dollar-sized amount to the pan. Let the cake set for thirty seconds [ or when the center bubbles ] & flip it! Enjoy!

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Loaded Baked Potato Soup & Bread Bowls

 LOADED BAKED POTATO SOUP

 
Ingredients

• 8 potatoes (white, baking, russet or a combination of the three)
• 1/2 diced onion 
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup butter
• 2/3 cup flour
• 6 cup milk
• 1 cup chopped green onion
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 12 slices cooked & crumbled bacon
• 4 oz. cheddar cheese
• 4 oz. American cheese
• 2 oz. Mexican cheese
• 8 oz sour cream

Directions

1. Bake potatoes in a preheated 425* oven for 45mins. - 1 hour. Scoop out the insides of the cooked potato, set it aside and discard the skin.
2. Caramelize onions in brown sugar with 1 cup water.
3. Melt butter in Rock Crok Dutch Oven over medium heat. Stir in the flour to make a roux. Cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Gradually pour in the milk, 1 cup at a time while stirring constantly until all the milk has been added. Add the caramelized onions (and drippings). Continue to stir until the mixture starts to get thick. 
4. Add the potatoes, green onions, salt, pepper, bacon, cheddar cheese and American cheese. Stir well and continue to heat for 15 minutes, allowing the flavors to blend. Stirring well, mix in the sour cream until well blended with the soup. Serve immediately, adding a bit of Mexican cheese to each serving. 

BREAD BOWLS

 

Ingredients

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
•  1 tbspn any sweet rub or seasoning 
• 1 tsp quick rising yeast
• 1 tsp salt 
• 1 1/2 up water
• 2 tbsp oil

1. Mix flour, sweet rub, salt, yeast and add water. Add 2 tbps of oil. Dough will be sticky. 
2. Cover bowl in plastic wrap and let sit 6-10 hours until dough rises.
3. Place dough on floured surface, fold two-three times and cut into small (fist size) balls. 
4. Boil 2 cups water in a glass container. Place 1 dough ball inside the Mini Baker  uncovered. Place both containers side by side in a cold oven. Let dough rise 1 hour or until doubled in size.
5. Carefully remove glass water container from oven and place top on baker. Return baker to oven preheated to 450*. 
6. Bake 15-20 minutes with lid. Remove lid and bake an additional 10-15 minutes or until golden brown.
7. Remove from oven and allow to cool.
8. Repeat steps 4-7 until all dough balls are made. Allowing each to cool at least 20 minutes before creating bread bowl.

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Summer Time Eats...

Summer Time Spaghetti

Ingredients

• 2 lemons
   12  oz (350 g) uncooked thin spaghetti noodles
   2 cans (14.5 oz each)  reduced-sodium chicken broth (about 3 1/2 cups/875 mL)
   1 cup (250 mL) grape tomatoes
   3 garlic cloves, peeled
   1 oz (30 g) fresh Parmesan cheese
   1/2 cup (125 mL) fresh parsley
   3 tbsp (45 mL) olive oil
   1/2 tsp (2 mL) ground black pepper
   1 cup (250 mL) small broccoli florets
   2 cups (500 mL) diced cooked chicken breasts

Directions

1. Zest lemons using Microplane® Zester to measure 1 tbsp (15 mL); set aside. Juice lemons using Juicer to measure 1/4 cup (50 mL).

2. Break noodles in half. Combine noodles, broth and lemon juice in Deep Covered Baker.

3. Microwave, covered, on HIGH 11-13 minutes or until most of liquid is absorbed, stirring once halfway through cooking using Chef's Tongs.

4. Cut tomatoes in half lengthwise using Color Coated Tomato Knife. Grate Parmesan using Microplane® Adjustable Fine Grater.

5. Process garlic, Parmesan, parsley, zest, oil and pepper in Manual Food Processor until parsley is finely chopped.

6. Carefully remove baker from microwave using Microwave Grips. Add Parmesan mixture to baker; mix well using Chef'sTongs.

7. Stir in tomatoes, chicken and broccoli. Microwave, covered, on HIGH 2-3 minutes or until broccoli is crisp-tender. 

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