Roasted Broccoli

This recipe is especially for when you have frozen broccoli on hand and not fresh broccoli (which is the case for me 99% of the time. It makes it taste wonderful!

1 lb FROZEN Broccoli Florets

1 T Minced Garlic, or to taste

1/2 t Salt

1/4 Cup Bread Crumbs (or anything small and crunchy)

Optional 1 T Nutritional Yeast

1-2 T Parmesano Reggiano Cheese, Grated with a Microplane (or whatever cheese and grater you have on hand)

1-2 T Gruyere Cheese, Grated with a Microplane (or whatever cheese and grater you have on hand)

2-4 T Olive Oil (or whatever liquid oil you have on hand)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425 F.
2. Dump the frozen broccoli into a large bowl. Remove any large chunks of ice. Don’t worry about the broccoli crumbs, they are going to turn into the best part.
3. Sprinkle everything else EXCEPT THE OIL on top. Stir it around a bit to coat the broccoli and mix everything together.
4. Drizzle SOME (such as 2 T) of the oil on the broccoli mixture and stir or toss it to coat. The goal here is to get a thin layer of oil covering most of the broccoli. Take a look at what you’ve made and if it seems a bit dry of oil, drizzle on the rest and toss or stir again. If it still seems dry, don’t worry, just press on and trust the process.
5. Pour that onto a greased or lined rimmed cookie sheet.
6. You can take some of those crumbs and pile them on top of any broccoli pieces that didn’t seem to get coated with very much of the goodies.
7. Bake (aka roast) for 15 minutes or so then move the broccoli around on the pan. If you have some pieces that are getting pretty brown turn those over. Personally I try to turn over as many pieces as I can.  Bake for another 15 minutes or until they are a nice golden to dark brown on the tips.
8. Try not to devour the entire pan before serving immediately, if at all possible.

Recipe Credit: Carly Kablooey

Chicken Pot Pie (PW)

Jeff LOVED this one. It took awhile to make, but it was definitely worth it! Super yummy.

• 4 Tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter
• 1 cup Finely Diced Onion
• 1/2 cup Finely Diced Carrot
• 1/2 cup Finely Diced Celery
• 1/2 - 1 c. frozen peas
• 1/2 c. potatoes (red or regular), optional
• 3 cups Shredded/diced cooked chicken Or turkey (or whole rotisserie chicken)
• 1/4 cup Flour
• 3 cups Chicken Broth
• 1/4 teaspoon Turmeric
• 1 chicken bouillon cube
•  Chopped Fresh Thyme To Taste or 1 t. dried ground thyme
• 1/4 cup Half-and-half Or Cream
• black pepper to taste
• 1 whole Unbaked Pie Crust (homemade or store bought)
• 1 whole Egg
• 2 Tablespoons Water

Preheat the oven to 375 F.

Melt the butter in a large pot over medium-high heat, then add the onion, carrots, potatoes, and celery. Stir them around until the veggies/potatoes soften, and when the onions are translucent, about 25 minutes.

Stir in the chicken or turkey and then sprinkle the flour over the top and stir it until it’s all combined with the turkey and vegetables. Then pour in the chicken broth (and wine if using) and stir it around and let it thicken.

Once it starts to thicken add the turmeric, salt, pepper, and thyme.

Add the half-and-half or cream, then stir the mixture and let it bubble up and thicken, about 2 minutes. If it seems overly thick, splash in a little more broth. Then throw in the peas. Turn off the heat.

Pour the filling into a 2-quart baking dish. Roll out the pie crust on a floured surface and lay it over the top of the dish. Press the dough so that the edges stick to the outside of the pan. Use a knife to cut little vents here and there in the surface of the dough.

Mix together the egg with 2 tablespoons water and brush it all over the surface of the crust. (You will have some egg wash left over.)

Place the pie on a rimmed baking sheet and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the crust is deep golden brown and the filling is bubbly. To prevent the crust from getting too brown, you might want to cover it lightly with foil for the first 15 minutes of baking time.

Serve up servings by the (big ol’) spoonful!

Recipe Credit: adapted from Pioneer Woman

Belgian Waffles

• Jeff just barely surprised me with an awesome waffle maker for my birthday! YAY!!!!!!!!!!!!! I love it! So I quickly jumped on the internet and looked around at several different recipes to find the best belgian waffle recipe. Here is the one I stumbled upon. These were super yummy!
• 
  
• 1 1/2 cups lukewarm milk
• 6 tablespoons butter, melted
• 2 to 3 tablespoons maple syrup, optional
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs
• 2 cups King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons instant yeast OR 1.875 teaspoons active dry yeast

1) Combine all of the ingredients in a large bowl, leaving room for expansion; the mixture will bubble and grow.

2) Stir to combine; it's OK if the mixture isn't perfectly smooth.

3) Cover with plastic wrap, and let rest at room temperature for 1 hour; the mixture will begin to bubble. You can cook the waffles at this point, or refrigerate the batter overnight to cook waffles the next day.

4) Preheat your waffle iron. Spray with non-stick vegetable oil spray, and pour 2/3 to 3/4 cup batter (or the amount recommended by the manufacturer) onto the center of the iron. Close the lid and bake for the recommended amount of time, until the waffle is golden brown. It takes us 5 to 6 minutes, using our 7" Belgian-style (deep-pocket) waffle iron.

5) Serve immediately, or keep warm in a 200°F oven. Serve with berries and whipped cream, if desired.

Yield: about 4 Belgian-style (deep-pocket) 7" round waffles.

Note: You can choose to prepare the batter for these waffles and cook it after an hour, but we prefer to let the batter rest overnight in the fridge, where it develops some real depth of flavor, yeasty and rich. As you'll read in the comments below, some readers aren't fond of this "yeasty/fermented" flavor; if you think you might fall into this camp, add 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder to the recipe (in addition to the yeast), and cook after just a 30-minute rest; don't refrigerate overnight.

Recipe Credit: King Arthur Flour

Corn and Chicken Chowder

6 ears of fresh corn, husked and silks removed (or 1-30 ounce can corn and 1-15 ounce can cream corn)
6 slices bacon, chopped
8 scallions OR 1/2 onion, minced
3 medium potatoes (I use Idaho potatoes) OR 6-7 red potatoes
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 cups whole milk
2 cups chicken stock
2 teaspoons Old Bay seasoning
1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (I omitted this, since I can't handle anything spicy)
1 small can (4 ounces, I believe) chopped green chiles
2 cups roasted chicken, shredded (a Rotisserie chicken from the deli works great for this!)
Salt and pepper, to taste

green onion, for garnish

handful of grated cheddar, for garnish

In a large stock pot, fry the bacon pieces until crisp. Remove from the pan, leaving the drippings, and set aside.

Peel and chop the potatoes into bite sized chunks. Slice the scallions very thin and separate the greens from the whites.

Place the potatoes and white scallion pieces (or onion pieces) into the stock pot and cook over medium heat until the scallions have softened, 2 or 3 minutes.

Sprinkle in the flour and cook, stirring constantly, for about 1 minute.

Pour in the milk, chicken stock, Old Bay, thyme, parsley, cayenne, salt, and pepper, stirring well. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally.

Reduce heat to low and simmer for 12-15 minutes or until the potatoes are tender. Add corn (If using fresh corn, cut from the cob with a sharp knife. Use the back of your knife to release the pulp from the cob.), chicken, and green chiles. Cook over low heat until heated through, about 5 minutes. Garnish with scallion greens/green onion, bacon, and cheddar cheese.

Recipe Credit: Buns in my Oven

Beef Fajitas

Jeff and I really enjoyed this one! He said it was his favorite Mexican dish. Ever. And he
even said they were 'restaurant quality' fajitas. What a compliment haha. Maybe he was
just being nice to me though. Either way, these were super yummy. I got the steak on a
really good sale, but I'm pretty sure you could just as easily use two or three chicken
breasts as well. I also left out the red pepper flakes and let Jeff just put them on his
own (I can't handle anything even remotely spicy, and he usually can't get enough of
spicy haha). Anyway, these are definitely worth a try. YUM!

1 whole Beef Flank Steak (or a couple of chicken breasts)

 1/2 cup Olive Oil

 3 Tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce

1/3 cup Lime Juice, Fresh Squeezed

3 cloves Garlic, Minced

1 Tablespoon Cumin

1 Tablespoon Chili Powder

1/2 teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes

1 teaspoon Salt

1/2 teaspoon Black Pepper

1 Tablespoon Sugar

2 whole Medium Onions, Halved And Sliced

1 whole Red Bell Pepper, Sliced

1 whole Orange Bell Pepper, Sliced

1 whole Green Bell Pepper, Sliced

1 whole Yellow Bell Pepper, Sliced

Oil, For Frying

Flour Tortillas, Warmed

Cheese (grated Cheddar/jack Or Crumbled Queso Fresco)

Salsa

Sour Cream

Cilantro Leaves

In a dish, mix together olive oil, Worcestershire, lime juice, garlic, cumin, chili powder, red pepper flakes, salt, pepper, and sugar until combined. Pour half of the marinade into a separate dish. In one dish, place the flank steak, turning it over to coat. In the second dish, place all the veggies, turning to coat. Cover the dishes with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for at least 2 hours.

Prepare tortillas, salsa, sour cream, and cilantro.

Heat a heavy skillet over medium-high heat and drizzle in some oil. Add the veggies and cook them for a few minutes, until they're cooked but still slightly firm and have nice black/brown pieces. Remove to a plate and set aside.

Heat the same same skillet (or a grill pan if you have it) over high heat and drizzle some oil. Cook the meat for about 2 minutes per side until medium rare. Remove and allow to rest on a cutting board for 5 minutes.

Slice the meat right before serving and serve with all the fixins. Delicious!

Recipe Credit: Pioneer Woman

Smothered Sweet Pork Burritos with Cilantro Lime Rice (in Rice Cooker)

WOW. Just wow. These were amazing!! I was pleasantly surprised at how much Jeff loved these. He quickly scarfed two of these babies down in about ten minutes. Very tasty!

Smothered Sweet Pork Burritos

YIELD: SERVES 6

You'll get more flavor if you use a pork roast that has a bone in - it can easily be removed once the pork is done cooking; however, this could also be made with boneless pork loin or a leaner cut of pork. Just keep in mind that it might not be quite as tender as a roast that has darker meat also. A note about the enchilada sauce, not all brands are created equal. I love the Herdez brand of green salsa or enchilada sauce (which I use interchangeably) so make sure you find a brand that tastes good (with a heat level you prefer).

INGREDIENTS

·       2 1/2 pounds pork roast like pork shoulder or butt roast

·       Salt and pepper

·       1 tablespoon oil

·       1-2 teaspoons liquid smoke

·       1/2 cup water

·       1/2 cup packed light or dark brown sugar

·       2 (15-ounce each) cans green enchilada sauce

·       1/2 teaspoon chili powder

·       1 teaspoon salt

·       1/2 teaspoon pepper

·       Dash of hot sauce (optional)

·       1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained

·       1/2 cup chopped cilantro

·       8 ounces Monterey Jack or cheddar cheese (or a combination), grated

·       6-8 whole wheat or white flour tortillas, burrito-sized

1.     Trim any excess fat pockets from the pork roast (it's ok to leave a bit here and there just trim the large pieces off). Cut the pork into 2-3 large pieces. Season each piece on all sides with salt and pepper.

2.     In a large nonstick skillet, heat the oil until rippling and hot. Add all the pieces of pork and brown on each side, 2-3 minutes total. Transfer the pork to a 5-6 quart slow cooker.

3.     Add the liquid smoke and 1/2 cup water. Cook on high for 4-5 hours or on low for 8 hours.

4.     While the pork is cooking, prepare the rice (see directions below).

5.     Remove the pork from the slow cooker and shred into bite-sized pieces (discarding the bone, if needed, or any large pieces of fat). In a large bowl, toss the shredded pork with the brown sugar, 1/2 cup of the green sauce, chili powder, salt and pepper (add more salt and pepper to taste if needed). Add the hot sauce, if using.

6.     Stir in the beans, rice and cilantro to the pork mixture.

7.     Lightly grease a 9X13-inch baking dish with cooking spray and spread about 1/2 - 3/4 cup of the green sauce on the bottom.

8.     Scoop about 1/2 cup of the meat mixture into each tortilla and sprinkle with a bit of cheese (you'll want to leave some cheese for the top of all the burritos before they bake). Roll up burrito style (folding the ends in and rolling).

9.     Place the burritos seam-side down in the prepared baking dish. Pour the remaining sauce over the burritos and sprinkle with remaining cheese.

10.     Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes until heated through and the top is bubbly and slightly golden. Serve immediately. Garnish burritos with toppings such as sour cream, lettuce, tomato, avocado. Enjoy!

Recipe Credit: Mel's Kitchen Cafe

CILANTRO LIME RICE (in rice cooker)

1 cup uncooked brown rice

2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cube chicken bullion
2 1/2 cups water
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
1 1/2 teaspoons granulated sugar
4 tablespoons freshly chopped cilantro

Add the rice, water, garlic, lime juice, and bullion to rice cooker and turn it on. Cook until it’s done. Then fluff it with a fork and add the cilantro and sugar straight into the rice cooker. Stir to combine and serve hot.

Recipe Credit: Bless this Mess

Honey Mustard Pork Chops

1-2 Tbsp. vegetable oil

Pork chops

¼ c. Dijon mustard

1-2 Tbsp. honey (or more if desired)

1 tsp. lemon juice

Salt to taste

Pepper to taste

Preheat iron skillet (or other oven-proof skillet) over medium-high to high heat.  Preheat oven to 375°.  When skillet is hot, add vegetable oil and let it get hot.  Place pork chops in pan, being careful to avoid overcrowding.  Brown on both sides, about 5 minutes per side.

Meanwhile, mix together mustard, honey, lemon juice, salt, and pepper, tasting and adjusting as desired.

When chops are seared, spread honey mustard sauce over top.  Place in hot oven until internal temperature reaches 155°.

Remove from oven and let carry-over heat cook chops to 160°.

Recipe Credit: Near to Nothing