Featured Recipes
Bacon Provolone Potato Leek Soup
Cook up the potatoes (boil or bake, either is fine). Remove the skins if you didn’t remove them before cooking. Peel the outer layer off the leeks, then cut off the tops and slice horizontally. If there is any sand in the leeks, rinse it off, then slice very thin. You should have about 1 cup of leeks. Heat a medium saucepan over medium heat and cook the bacon till crispy. Put the bacon on a clean towel to drain off the fat, then pour the bacon fat out of the pan, leaving just a tiny coating of bacon fat in the pan. Add the leeks and saute for just a couple minutes until they are wilted. Sprinkle with flour, stir to coat the leeks, then add the potatoes, wine, chicken broth and bay leaf and bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cook for about – 10 minutes or until the soup is thickened.
Homemade Popcorn Holiday Gift Set
Pop ½ cup popcorn kernels and preheat oven to 325 degrees. Melt 3 tablespoons butter or coconut oil and mix with 2 teaspoons seasoning. Pour mixture over popcorn and bake in a pan for 8 minutes, stirring twice.
Oven Baked Onion Rings
Preheat the oven to 425 and spray a baking sheet with cooking spray. Slice the onion into thick slices, then separate the slices into rings. Prepare the dipping sauce. Prepare the breading by whirling together all the breading ingredients in a handi chopper or food processor. Put the breading in a bowl. Now prepare a second bowl with milk and a third bowl with flour. Set the bowls side by side: flour, then milk, then breading, then the baking sheet. Dip each ring first in flour, coating it completely, then carefully transfer to the milk and coat it in milk, then set it carefully in the breading and use your fingers to cover it in breading. Gently lift the ring from the breading, trying not to knock too much of the little crumbs off the ring and set it on the baking sheet.
Chicken & Mini Ravioli Soup
In a medium sauce pan place add the chicken legs and fill about 2/3 with cold water. allow water to come to a boil and reduce heat and simmer until stock is reduced by half. remove chicken legs and allow to cool. When cool remove skin and pull meat off the bone, then return to stock. Keep heat on simmer. In another small stock pot, add your diced celery, carrots, onions, and squash with one tablespoons of olive oil. Allow vegetables to saute for about 5-7 minutes or until they have just begun to soften. Add chicken and stock to veggies. Add additional chicken stock, and increase heat until soup just begins to boil, then reduce heat back to simmer. At this time add your mini ravioli and chopped broccoli rabe, allow to simmer for 30 minutes.
Heirloom Tomato Bruschetta Soup
In a saucepan, mix the bruschetta, tomato juice and broth and bring to boil. Reduce to simmer and simmer for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season to taste with salt & pepper. Preheat oven to 400 F. Pour the soup into oven safe bowls and top with toast cubes, then cover the croutons with shredded cheese. Carefullly set the bowls in the oven and bake for about 10 minutes or until the cheese is good and melty and maybe even a little brown and bubbly on top.
Tortellini, Spinach, and Bean Soup
Pour the chicken stock and the entire can of diced tomatoes into a large pot. Add the black beans, basil, cumin, pepper, and salt. Bring to a boil and simmer for 20 minutes. Add the tortellini and cook for 8-10 minutes (according to the package instructions). Add the fresh spinach into the pot and cook for an additional minute. Season with salt and pepper (to taste). Serve immediately.
Roasted Poblano Cornbread
HEAT the oven to 350°F. Line an 8-inch x 8-inch baking pan with parchment cut to fit and then spray with nonstick cooking spray. IN a medium bowl, sift together the all-purpose flour and baking soda and then whisk in the cornmeal and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, eggs, melted butter, and sugar. ADD the wet ingredients to the dry and mix just until smooth. Fold in the chili, corn, and bell pepper. Pour into the prepared pan and bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until it is lightly brown around the edges and springs back in the center when touched.
Cranberry Apple Crisp
Toss together to moisten cereal and sprinkle over Cranberry Apple mixture. Bake at 350 for 40 minutes until hot and bubbly. Serve warm or chilled. For BLUEBERRY Apple Crisps, substitute 3 cups of blueberries for the cranberries.
Chocolate Truffles
Mix the coconut oil, honey, cocoa powder and vanilla in a medium sized mixing bowl. Stir with a wooden or bamboo spoon until mixed thoroughly. Add 2 cups of shredded coconut, and mix till the coconut is evenly distributed through the chocolate. Use a small scoop (this scoop is a great one to use for this recipe), and form into balls. Roll the balls in the extra 1 cup of shredded coconut. Place a square of parchment paper on a plate. Put the balls on the parchment paper. Put the plate of truffles in the freezer for about 20 minutes.
HOLIDAY CIOPPINO
Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add garlic, red pepper flakes, onions, fennel and bell peppers and cook until softened and onions and fennel are translucent. Stir in tomatoes with their liquid, broth, wine, tomato paste, oregano and thyme and bring soup to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer for 25 minutes. Meanwhile, brush baguette slices all over with oil then arrange in a single layer on a large baking sheet. Bake, flipping halfway through, until toasted and golden, 8 to 10 minutes; set crostini aside. Stir fish and crab into pot with broth mixture and simmer for 5 minutes. Add shrimp and mussels, cover and simmer until shrimp are just cooked through and mussels have opened, about 5 minutes more. (Discard any unopened mussels.)
Coconut Curry Cauliflower Mash
Place cauliflower, cashews, coconut milk, salt and water to a boil. Reduce heat cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Sprinkle in curry and a dash of cinnamon. Mash with fork or immersion blender until it is a mashed potato like consistency. Add more salt, cinnamon or curry as needed. Serve as a side with your choice of topping, or top with anything of your choice!
Yummy Slow Cooker Teriyaki Chicken
Place chicken in a 4-qt. slow cooker. Combine the apple cider, soy sauce, mirin, sugar, garlic, ginger, and pepper; pour over chicken. Cover and cook on low for 4–5 hours or until chicken is tender. Remove chicken to a serving platter; keep warm. Strain the cooking liquid from the slow cooker and pour into a skillet. Bring to a boil over medium high heat. In a small bowl, whisk the cornstarch and water until combined. Slowly add to boiling liquid and reduce to a simmer. Allow sauce to thicken for 2–3 minutes and then toss the chicken back in. Serve over rice.
Vegetable Fried Rice with Tofu
Have all of your veggies and liquids ready to go before you fire up your skillet or wok. Heat skillet/wok over high heat. Splash in a little vegetable broth and add the onion and bell pepper. Lower heat a little bit and stir, adding more broth as needed. Cook for about 5 minutes – letting the broth cook off so that you get a little browning on the vegetables. Remove veggies to a bowl or plate. Add more broth to the pan, then add the asparagus, cooking just until they get bright green. Add to the onion and bell pepper.
Apple Cider Paletas w. Cinnamon Sticks: Autumn Popsicles!
Blend cider and apples (and spices, if using) until smooth. Pour into BPA-free popsicle molds. Freeze with cinnamon sticks. To hold the sticks upright: either freeze for a while until the mixture is icy enough to support the sticks, or you can cover the mold with plastic wrap or aluminum foil, then push the sticks through (the wrap will hold them in place). I did the first option, since my molds were deep and cinnamon sticks relatively short. The cinnamon adds a lovely autumnal flavor and is just a fun, seasonal twist on a regular popsicle stick. My son thought it was so cool—I just had to remind him not to try to eat the stick.
Egg Drop Soup — A Paleo/Primal Recipe
Dice onions and celery. Melt butter over medium heat. Saute onions & celery over low heat until they turn soft. Stir in broth. Add ginger, soy sauce, and sesame oil. Bring to a boil. Add salt to taste. Mix arrowroot powder or cornstarch with water until smooth. Pour into soup and cook until thickened. Whisk your eggs together and pour intermittently into soup. For beautiful, ribbony eggs be SURE to do this step AFTER the soup is already thickened!
Chive Asparagus Pesto
A big handful of fresh chives (mine weighed 1.65 oz.) or green onions, 1/2 cup shredded Asiago or Parmesan cheese, 1/4 cup pinon nuts, 1 – 3 cloves of garlic, peeled, 2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, 1/2 cup chopped cooked leftover asparagus
Crockpot Mexican Jumping Bean Chili
Crockpot: add all ingredients to crockpot, stirring to combine. Cook for 1 hour on High setting. Reduce heat to Low setting; cook for about 5 hours. Or cook on Low for 6 to 7 hours. As crockpots vary, adjust cooking time as needed. Taste; adjust seasonings if needed.
Dark Chocolate Mousse
In a food processor or blender, puree the tofu until smooth. Place the chopped chocolate cocoa powder, and coffee in a saucepan. Stir constantly over medium-low heat until melted and smooth. Remove from heat and mix in the agave and the vanilla. Stir until smooth. Add chocolate mixture to tofu and puree until well blended.
Chewy Blueberry Banana Oat Bars
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and grease a 9 x 13 inch glass pan. Mash the banana in a large bowl. Add the remaining wet ingredients and stir together. In a separate bowl, stir together the dry ingredients. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir until combined. Fold in the blueberries and walnuts. Bake for 35 minutes and cool on a rack before cutting into bars.
Maple Horseradish Glazed Baked Salmon
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place salmon fillets in a baking dish. Pour glaze over salmon fillet(s) and allow to marinate one hour at room temperature. Bake for 17 – 20 minutes, or to desired degree of doneness. Serve over couscous or rice.
Korean Spicy Chicken and Potatoes
In a small bowl, combine all the sauce ingredients and mix well. Add prepared chicken and vegetables to crockpot. Stir in sauce and mix well until evenly incorporated. Cover and cook for 4 hours on low or 2 hours on high until the chicken is fully cooked. Once done, stir in chopped green onion. Top with sesame seeds and serve with rice.
Cheddar Mac Squares
Grease a 9 X 13 baking dish. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cook macaroni to al dents. Rinse 2 or 3 times with cold water to stop the cooking process and cool it down. Drain well. Mix all the rest of the ingredients into the macaroni. Be sure it’s mixed well. Put into the prepared dish. Make sure it’s evenly distributed in the dish.Sprinkle lightly with more bread crumbs and paprika. Bake for 30 minutes. It should be bubbling around the edges. Remove from oven and let cool slightly. Cut and serve.
Chipotle Smoked Cheddar Cheese Ball {with Bacon & Jalapeno}
Combine all ingredients except Zings in a medium bowl. Once well blended shape into a ball (or pumpkin). Place 1 cup of Zings into a zipper top bag. Crush crackers then using hands press them into cheese ball, completely coating the cheese. Place jalapeno stem on top if making pumpkin shaped cheese ball. Serve with pita chips or pita bread.
Chipotle Chicken Sweet Potato Pumpkin Ale Chili
In a large stock pot saute onion in olive oil over medium-high heat until starting to caramelize. Add garlic and chipotle peppers and saute until fragrant. Add chicken and all of the seasonings including adobo sauce and sea salt. Saute for 4 minutes. Pour in beer and chicken stock. Scrape any brown bits off the bottom of the pan. Add sweet potatoes, black beans and bell pepper. Bring to a simmer, cover and turn heat to low. Cook for at least 2 hours or place into a crock pot for 8 hrs.