Taco Chili

This is a quick and easy crock pot or stock pot recipe. Everything is canned so if you need to clean out the pantry, this is good for that. I included the prices after each item, too. 

Ingredients

2 lbs Ground Beef ($14)

2 cans Rotel (I used the Jalapeno and Chili cans) ($2.40)

1 can Cannellini Beans ($.69)

1 can Organic Kidney Beans ($.99)

1 can Organic Corn ($.99)

1 can Hunt's Natural Stewed Tomatoes ($.79)

1 can Hunt's Natural Tomato Paste ($1.39)

1 can Tomato Sauce ($.69)

1 packet of Taco Seasoning ($.69)

1 packet of Ranch Seasoning (Not the dressing mix) ($1.79)

Total cost of recipe: $24.42

Directions

1) Brown the ground beef and drain the liquid.

2) In a stock pot, mix beef with all the other ingredients and bring to a simmer for at least one hour or more. 

Extras

• I've added black olives for extra flavor before.

• Garnish with sour cream, onion, and cheese

Red Wine Braised Short Ribs with Horseradish Mashed Parsnip and Potatoes

Ingredients(adapted from Bon Apetit)

5 pounds bone in beef short ribs

2 Tbsp olive oil

3 medium onions, chopped

3 medium carrots, chopped

2 celery stalks, chopped

3 Tbsp flour

2 Tbsp tomato paste

1 bottle dry red wine

2 Tbsp parsley

2 Tbsp thyme

1 Tbsp oregano

a healthy pinch of rosemary

2 bay leaves

1 head of garlic halve crosswise

4 cups beef stock

Brown the ribs in the oil over med-high heat in dutch oven(or pan if you want to do this in the crockpot).  Remove ribs from pot and add the onions, carrots, and celery, cook till onions brown slightly then add the tomato paste and flour stiring continuosly till combined.  Add wine and ribs back to pot and simmer till wine is reduced by half, about 25 minutes.  Add in the rest of the ingredients and bring to a boil again.  Put a lid on and transfer to the oven(350) for 2-2.5 hours, till the meat is falling off the bone. The garlc is really one full head and I just sliced it in a cross but not all the way through, removing any paper that may by loose.  There will be grease on top so you will want to remove that before spooning the meat and yummy sauce on plates.

Horseradish Mashed Parsnip Potatoes

1 Lb of parsnips, peeled and sliced

1 Lb potatoes, peeled and sliced

2-3 Tbsp horseradish 

2 Tbsp butter

1/4 cup milk

Steam potatoes and parsnips until tender, parsnips take a bit longer so you will want those on the bottom of the steamer.

Hit them with the immersion blender to mash and be sure to salt and pepper them.  I am not a big fan of mashed potatoes but with the parsnip and horseradish, oh and the rib yumminess they are very good.

I also served this with roasted green beans and mushrooms but you cant really see them in the leftovers picture(I forgot to take a picture before I served this...and it might have been a bit blurry:)

Creamy Broccoli Turmeric Soup

Ingredients

1 Tbsp cocnut oil

1/2 c diced onion

1 stalk celery, diced

1 1/2 tsp salt

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp tumeric

1 large head broccoli, cut into florets

1 bay leaf

5 cups broth

1/4 tsp fresh ginger grated

1/8 tsp cayenne pepper

1/8 tsp fresh ground pepper

1 avocado

Melt coconut oil in a large pot. Add diced onions and celery and sprinkle with salt.  Cook until soft, about 4 minutes.

Add garlic and tumeric and continue to stir.  Add broccoli, bay leaf, stock, ginger, cayenne, and pepper.  Cover and cook until broccoli is tender.

After soup is done cooking add the pitted and peeled avocado and either use immersion blender or put in a regular blender.  oops, dont forget the bay leaf has to come out before you blend.

This is really really good but I think it may turn brown if there are leftovers. I also had a kind of small head of broccoli so I sliced up the stem and added it in the frist step with the onion and celery.

Moroccan Carrots

Moroccan Carrots

4 c carrots, steamed

2 tsp EVOO

3 garlic cloves, sliced

1/4 tsp Cumin seeds

1-1/2 tbsp cilantro chopped

1 tsp honey

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

1/4 ground cumin 

Orange Chicken with Sriracha

Instead of serving this dish over rice, we used steamed broccoli and it was perfect. Clean and crunchy. We reduced the sugar from 1/2 cup to a few tablespoons. I'd like to try cooking it in coconut oil or possibly broiling it to reduce the fat more. I'm not sure if the coating on the chicken would taste the same. I'll edit this recipe when I cook it the next time. 

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• For the Marinade:
• 1 cup regular chicken broth
• ½ cup freshly squeezed orange juice
• zest of one orange
• 2 Tbsp white sugar
• ⅓ cup Asian seasoned rice vinegar
• ¼ cup regular (not light) soy sauce
• 4 cloves garlic, finely minced
• 2-3 TB Sriracha, depending on desired heat level
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 2 TB cornstarch, dissolved with 2 TB water
• For the Chicken:
• 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken, cut into bite-size chunks
• 1 cup cornstarch, in a pie pan
• 2 large eggs, beaten, in a pie pan
• 1 cup peanut oil for frying
• Optional: We used sesame seeds, cilantro and green onions for garnish

Directions

1. Make the marinade: Combine all marinade ingredients together in a bowl, and whisk to incorporate well. Combine chicken with ½ cup of the marinade, making sure that all pieces are thoroughly covered with the marinade. Let it marinate for at least 30 minutes or longer.
2. Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, bring remaining marinade to a boil over medium heat, stirring frequently. Sauce will thicken as it gets to a boil. Once sauce is thickened, turn heat off. Keep sauce warm while you fry the chicken.
3. Drain chicken and discard used marinade.
4. Dip chicken pieces a few at a time into the pan of beaten eggs. Let excess eggs drip off, and dredge chicken pieces in the pan of cornstarch. Press to coat well. Repeat until all pieces are coated.
5. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high to high heat, until oil is very hot. Add chicken pieces, taking care not to overcrowd, and fry until cooked through, about 1-2 min. Place fried chicken on paper towels, and work in batches until all chicken is fried.
6. Toss chicken with warm sauce and serve immediately. Serve over rice and garnish as desired.

Copycat Trader Joe's Lentil wrap

Hmm, this does not look appetizing but I promise it is.  I think I actually like it a bit better than the Trader Joe's one just because I upped the spices a tad.

 

Ingredients:

6 lavash or any other wrap

feta cheese

either shredded cabbage or broccoli slaw

3/4 cup lentils(I used pre cooked ones)

3/4 cup cooked quinoa

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 onion, finely chopped

2 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp red pepper flakes

2 Tbsp chopped flat leaf parsley(I was out so used fresh cilantro)

Red Pepper Paste

6 canned roasted red bell peppers

1/2 tsp cayenne

2 cloves garlic

salt and pepper

Directions

Brown onion over med heat in olive oil, add spices and the cooked lentils and cooked quinoa.  Set aside to cool.

In food processor or blender mix all ingredients for the red pepper paste.  Put on stove and bring to a boil then turn back down to low and let cook till it thickens a bit.  I left mine on for about 45 min just because I had a bit of liquid in with the roasted red peppers. 

To assemble, spread a nice layer of red pepper paste on the wrap, some feta, the lentil mixture and the slaw.  I really like to toast these up just by putting them on a fry pan for a few minutes or if I have it out sometimes I put them in the waffle maker:) But thats why I put the feta next to the wrap, so it gets a little melty.

TJ's serves this with a tahini dipping sauce, as much as I love tahini, I don't feel theres a need and always end up throwing it away.  But if you guys love the sauce, this is the site where I started messing with this recipe. www.thekitchn.com/recipes-from-the-kitchn-167629 and she has the tahini recipe.  She also used bulgur but I like using the quinoa just to up the protein and well cuz I really like quinoa.  

Poppy Seed Chicken Casserole

Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 40 min
Serves: 3-4

First and foremost, here is a link to the original recipe from Spicy Southern Kitchen. I did not want to use a can of "Cream of Whatever" soup. I chose to make my own because homemade is always better. I also left out the butter to reduce fat and used corn flake crumbs rather than Ritz crackers, only because I didn't have any. You can find my version below. I reduced the original amounts in half. The original recipe is for 4 people but I found that even by cutting it in half, I still ad enough for 3-4 meals.

Ingredients

2 cups chopped cooked chicken (2 chicken breasts)
4 oz Light Sour Cream
1 Tablespoon of Poppy Seed
1/4 teaspoon of Celery Salt
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese, divided
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/2-3/4 cup Corn Flake Crumbs, divided
5 oz Cream of Chicken soup****

****I made a Cream of Chicken Soup Substitute
1 Tablespoon Flour
3 Tablespoons butter
1/2 cup Chicken Broth
1/2 cup milk
Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions for "Cream of Chicken Soup"
1) Melt butter in pan. Whisk in flour until bubbly
2) Remove from heat, whisk in broth and milk.
3) Return to heat and bring to a low boil.
4) Add salt and pepper to taste


Assembling the casserole:

1) Preheat oven to 350° and lightly coat a baking dish with butter or cooking spray.
2) In a large bowl, mix chicken, cream of chicken mixture, sour cream, poppy seed, celery sale, 1/4 cup of cheddar cheese and 1/3-1/2 cup Corn Flake Crumbs.
3) Spoon mixture into dish, sprinkle with remaining cheese, corn flake crumbs and paprika.
4) Bake for 35-40 minutes.

Apple, pomegranate,quinoa, kale salad with curried maple dressing.

1 cup cooked quinoa
1 head finely sliced kale
1 apple, diced
arils from 1 pomegranate
1/4 cup seeds or nuts (used toasted chopped pitsachios)
1/4 cup your favorite cheese (used roquefort)
Dressing
2 Tbsp cider vinegar
2 Tbsp olive oil
1Tbsp maple syrup
2 tsp dijon mustard
1/2 tsp curry powder
salt and pepper as needed

Shake up dressing ingredients and toss with the salad, adding cheese last, just to keep it from breaking apart.  The dressing is really very tasty and complements the tang of the cheese with the sweet of the pomegranate.  BTW am easy way to get the arils out is to cut the pomegranate in half and hold the cut side in your hand over a bowl then pound on the top side with a heavy item.  They come out in a flash.

Brussel Sprout Slaw

Serves 6-8

Ingredients

To make the spiced pecans:1/2 cup pecan halves
1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon sugar
Pinch of cayenne pepper

To make the slaw:1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 tablespoons whole grain dijon mustard
3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 pounds brussels sprouts, bottoms trimmed
1 small radicchio head, quartered and cored

Directions

1. Start by making the spiced pecans. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Add pecan halves to a small bowl and drizzle with 11/2 teaspoons olive oil. Sprinkle pecans evenly with the kosher salt, sugar, and cayenne.
3. Spread pecans out over a rimmed baking sheet, and toast in the oven until browned and fragrant (10 – 12 minutes). Definitely check the pecans at 9 or 10 minutes to make sure they aren’t burning. Let cool.
4. Next, prepare the slaw dressing. Combine 1/4 cup olive oil, apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, mustard, and maple syrup in a mason jar. Season with 3 pinches of salt and several turns of black pepper. Cap the jar, and shake until combined. Taste for seasoning. I like to season my vinaigrettes aggressively, so I don’t have to add any additional seasoning later. This means that the vinaigrette should taste a bit too salty on its own.
5. Using the grater attachment of a food processor, shred the brussels sprouts and radicchio. You can certainly do this by hand if you don’t have a food processor. Transfer to a large bowl, and drizzle with half of the vinaigrette, tossing to combine. Add more vinaigrette if needed. You want to coat the shreds, not drown them (no dressing pooling at the bottom).
6. Let stand for 15 minutes to “cook” the sprouts. Top with spiced pecans and serve immediately.

- See more at: http://www.kitchenkonfidence.com/2013/11/brussels-sprout-slaw#sthash.MqLgNbIK.dpuf

Balsamic Glazed Roast Beef

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 6-8 hours
Total Time: 6-8 hours, 15 minutes
Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients

For the roast:
1 (3-4 pound boneless) chuck or round roast
1 cup beef broth
1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons honey
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1/4 teaspoon pepper


For the glaze*:
1 1/2 cups cooking liquid (from the roast, strained)
2 tablespoons cornstarch + 2 tablespoons water
3-4 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

1. Place roast beef in a lightly greased slow cooker.
2. In a small bowl, combine beef broth, 1/3 cup balsamic vinegar, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, honey, red pepper flakes and pepper. Pour over roast beef.
3. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or until beef is tender.
4. Remove roast from slow cooker and slice or shred. Cover and keep warm.
5. Remove 1 1/2 cups of liquid from the slow cooker and pour through a mesh strainer into a medium saucepan.
6. Stir together cornstarch and water in a small bowl. Whisk into saucepan, along with 3-4 tablespoons balsamic vinegar, brown sugar and 1 tablespoon soy sauce.
7. Bring to a boil, whisking constantly, until mixture thickens. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. If desired, add additional water or cooking liquid for a thinner glaze.
8. *Pour glaze over beef and serve. I put the glaze in a gravy boat instead of pouring it over the beef. 

Bourbon Brownie Balls from Cooking Light

Ingredients

1/3 cup applesauce
1/4 cup egg substitute
1 tablespoon water
1 (16.7-ounce) package brownie mix
Cooking spray
3 tablespoons bourbon
1/3 cup finely chopped Walnut, Almonds, or Pecan pieces, toasted

• 
  

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Combine first 4 ingredients (including fudge packet from mix if applicable), stirring well. Spread into an 8-inch square baking pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted near edge of pan comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack.
3. Crumble brownies; place in a food processor. Add bourbon; process until mixture forms a ball (about 30 seconds).
4. Shape brownie mixture into 24 balls, about 1 1/2 tablespoons each. Place nuts in a shallow bowl. Roll balls in nuts, pressing gently to coat.
5. Note: Store balls in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three days.