Curry Chicken & Pineapple Stir Fry

1. Cut up 1 # Chicken Thighs; cook in oil on stove top until cooked through; salt/pepper.
2. To the side saute':
• half  a sweet potato, cubed
• 1/2 small onion, wedged
• 1/2 to 1 green pepper, 1" chunks
• 2 cloves garlic, sliced
3. Combine saute' with chicken
4. Add 1.5 tsp. salt
5. Pour over 1/4 to 1/2 cup curry sauce (or 13.5 oz. coconut milk + 3 Tbs. curry powder).
6. Stir in: 

• chunked pineapple
• handful of sweet pea pods (?, you know what I mean)
• 1 chunked tomato

*This is more or less the modified version of a crockpot recipe that Ruby sent.

https://newleafwellness.biz/2015/10/21/freezer-to-slow-cooker-thai-pineapple-curry/

Veggie Kabobs, From RUBY!

Veggie Kabobs with Herb and Garlic Marinade

Ingredients

• 2 medium red or white potatoes
• 1 cup firm or extra-firm tofu chunks
• 1 cup red, yellow or green bell pepper chunks
• 1 cup pineapple chunks
• 1 cup red onion chunks
• 1 cup white button mushrooms
• 1 cup zucchini or yellow squash chunks
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes
• Marinade, recipe follows

Marinade:

• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1/2 cup lemon or lime juice
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/4 cup Dijon mustard
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• 2 tablespoons minced garlic
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Special equipment: Wooden skewers, soaked in water for 30 minutes

Cook potatoes in salted water until fork tender; let cool and cut into 1-inch chunks. Place potatoes and the vegetables in a shallow dish or container. Pour Marinade over vegetables. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours.

Preheat an outdoor grill to medium heat.

Remove vegetables from the Marinade, reserving Marinade. Thread vegetables onto skewers, alternating colors. Cook skewers on grill until vegetables are lightly charred all over, about 10 minutes, basting with reserved Marinade and turning occasionally.

Marinade:

Whisk together all ingredients in a small bowl. The marinade can be prepared in advance and held covered in the refrigerator for up to 7 days.

Homemade Tomato Soup, Angie's Find

https://anoregoncottage.com/homemade-tomato-soup-youll-never-go/2/

Will edit at later date; have to have a baby soon! 6/27/18, 7:02 am.

Monica's Tortellini Salad

Tortellini Salad

3 lbs frozen cheese tortellini

1 jar sun dried tomatoes julienned, drained

1 small jar capers (i use the small long ones), drained

1 c kalamta olives, drained, rinsed & chopped roughly

1 small tub feta cheese

1.  Cook tortellini according to package.  Drain and run cold water over pasta in colander so its cool when you work with it.  
2. Put tortellini into a large bowl.  Add other ingredients.
3. Add dressing:

• -1 c olive oil
• -1/2 c red wine vinegar
• -1 clove garlic minced
• -1 t (maybe more) dried basil
• -good shakes of salt & pepper.
• Put all in a sealed jar and shake to mix well.

        4. Mix salad together.

Peach Pie, Mom's/Betty Crocker Cook Book

Peach Pie, GO LANE PEACHES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Preparing the peaches:

*For an 8" pie pan, use 7 medium peaches.

• Boil water in a pan deep enough to hold 3-4 peaches (or whatever)
• Submerge peaches in the boiling water for 1 minute.
• Immediately remove and drop the hot peaches into cold water
• One at a time: remove, skins should peel off easily, and dice until you have 4 cups

INGREDIENTS:

pie crust (use Mom's)

4 cups of sliced fresh peaches

1 teaspoon of lemon juice     

2/3 cup sugar                             

3 tablespoons flour               

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 tablespoon butter  

DIRECTIONS:

         

1. preheat oven to 425 degrees
2. mix peaches and lemon juice
3. Mix: sugar, flour, and cinnamon; stir into peaches
4. pour mixture into bottom crust (fork crust, first)
5. dot with butter, and place top crust
6. add slits into crust; *if desired, brush top of crust with (whole) milk and sprinkle with sugar!
7. Foil edges, and bake for 25-35 minutes (just watch)

Noelle’s Thai Beef Soup

Noelle’s Thai Beef Soup

Ingredients:

2T Coconut Oil
2-3 Shallots
4-8 Scallions chopped – separate white bottoms and green stems
2-3 garlic cloves minced
2T Ginger minced
Dash of crushed red pepper (more or less depending on how spicy you want it)
1 Rib Celery Diced
1 t Coriander
Salt & Pepper to taste
2-4 Carrots Circles or matchsticks
1 Red Bell Pepper in Strips
5-8 mushrooms
1 Jalapeno Pepper (seeded)
2-3 Bok Choy leaves chopped
Cilantro
Rice Noodles or Quinoa (Optional)
2 Cartons Beef Broth
2 T Soy Sauce (I use Braggs Liquid Aminos as a healthy substitute)
2T Rice Wine Vinegar
2t Fish Sauce
½ C. Coconut Milk from Can
2t Honey
1 Lime Juice
Salt & Pepper to taste

Soup Topping

1)      Melt 2 T Coconut Oil & Sautee 2/4 c. shallots until golden. Remove w/ slotted spoon and place on towel-lined plate until soup is finished. These will be crunchy (yummm).

2)      In a small bowl marinate crushed red pepper in rice wine vinegar – another YUMMY soup topping and nice option for those who want added spice

Soup BaseIn Same oil as above, sauté the below for 1-2 mins until fragrant (FYI this is what I use as a base for all my Thai dishes):

1)      Scallion Whites

2)      2-3 garlic cloves minced

3)      2T Ginger minced

4)      Dash of crushed red pepper (more or less depending on how spicy you want it)

5)      1 Rib Celery Diced

6)      1 t Coriander

7)      Salt & Pepper to taste

Sautee VeggiesAdd in this order so longer cooking veggies cook first (allow 1-2 mins per veggie you add before adding next). You can use whichever veggies you like FYI:

1)      Carrots (dash with salt and pepper) and cook until almost soft 2-3 min

2)      Red Bell Pepper (any pepper will do but I like red) – cook 1-2 mins

3)      Quartered mushrooms – cook 1 min

4)      Diced jalapeno pepper (if you remove seeds, it will take away the spice)

BrothAdd the below to make the broth and then boil & reduce to a simmer for 5-10 mins

1)      2 Cartons Beef Broth

2)      2 T Soy Sauce (I use Braggs Liquid Aminos as a healthy substitute)

3)      2T Rice Wine Vinegar

4)      2t Fish Sauce

5)      ½ C. Coconut Milk from Can

6)      2t Honey

7)      1 Lime Juice

8)      Salt & Pepper to taste

Garnish/ToppingsAdd the Bok Choy when you have about 1 min. left to simmer the above broth. Put the noodles or quinoa in the soup bowl, add the soup and then Garnish with the below

1)      Cilantro

2)      Green Scallion

3)      Crispy Shallots

4)      Marinated Red peppers

Kale Pasta Salad, provided by Ruby.

• 1 pound Bowtie Pasta (farfalle)
• 3 Tablespoons Pine Nuts
• 1/4 cup Olive Oil
• 6 cloves Garlic, Minced
• 1/2 teaspoon Salt, More To Taste
• 1 teaspoon Black Pepper, More To Taste
• 1 bunch Kale, Finely Sliced
• 4 ounces, weight Parmesan Cheese, Shaved
• 2 Tablespoons Balsamic Vinegar (optional)

1. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain, rinse with cold water, and add to a large bowl. Set aside. 
2. Add pine nuts to a small skillet over low heat. Toast slowly over the course of 8-10 minutes, tossing regularly. Remove from the skillet and set aside.
3. In a large skillet, heat olive oil and garlic over low heat so that the garlic slowly infuses the oil. When the oil starts to cause the garlic to sizzle, stir around so the garlic doesn't get too brown. When garlic starts to turn golden, add salt and pepper, stir, and set aside for 5 minutes. 
4. After 5 minutes, pour the oil mixture (scraping the salt, pepper, and garlic) all over the bowtie pasta. Toss to combine and set aside.
5. Set the same skillet (without cleaning it) over medium-high heat. Add the kale and cook for 5 minutes, or until partly wilted. 
6. Add kale and pine nuts to the pasta and toss it all together. Check to make sure it's no longer warm, then add Parmesan shavings and toss. Taste for seasonings and add more salt and pepper if needed. 
7. Chill for at least 2 hours before serving. 

Hint: This is great warmed up and served as a hot pasta dish!

Optional: May add 2-3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar if desired.

NOTE: Original amount of salt was changed to 1/2 teaspoon after feedback from folks who've made it!

FOR a detailed walk-through:

http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/kale-pasta-salad/

Sweet Chili & Basil Chicken (Stir Fry), by Marya.

  *Can be made with or without the eggplant.

INGREDIENTS:

4 Boneless, skinless Chicken Breasts; cut to stir fry size

1/3 C. Sweet Chili Sauce

5-8 small assorted Sweet Peppers (Green/red/yellow/orange...whatever); cut into rings

4 cloves Garlic, minced

3 Scallions, sliced into small rings.  Keep white rings separate from green rings.

*3/4 lb. Eggplant, optional (usually I do without)

1 bunch Basil

1 2-inch piece of Ginger, diced

1/4 Ponzu Sauce (purchase by soy sauce; I opted for lime flavor)

*You will use this random sauce making this recipe a lot!

DIRECTIONS:

1. Start rice while doing the rest.  RECOMMENDATION:
1. Cook white rice as usual, but salt generously prior to heating...
2. When you add the water, start by first using a well-shaken can of coconut milk (GOYA), and the rest needed water--as in if you need 2 C. water, pour in a can of the milk, and fill the rest to the 2 C. line with water.
2. Heat a T. of oil on med/hot and cook the eggplant, seasoned generously with salt/pepper.  Cook until tender, 7-9 minutes, until browned/tender.
3. Wipe the pan once the eggplant is set aside, heat a T. of oil, and add the chix; salt/pepper.  Cook on medium/high, 5-7 mins, until cooked through.
4. Add: garlic, ginger, white bottoms of scallions, and sweet peppers.  Again, season with salt/pepper.  2 mins or so, until peppers are soft. 
5. Add: eggplant, sweet chili sauce, ponzu sauce, and half the basil (tear just before adding).  Cook 2-3 minutes longer; season if you'd like, salt/pepper.
6. Serve on-top of rice.  Garnish with green tops of scallions and remaining basil.

SO GOOD!

*Don't over-think it..just get it all prepared like pic, and do your regular stir fry thing!

Thomas' Baptism: December 30, 2017.

Wonton Soup, by Marya (Noelle tested and approved).

2 Cups Vegetable Broth or Veg. Bullion Cubes
Mini-wonton's, Flavor Chicken & Cilantro (I think the frozen bag I got was from Costco)
Olive Oil
1 Clove Garlic
3 or so Carrots, cut into coins
4 or so Scallions, also cut into coins
Cilantro, small handful of leaves
1 Tbs. Lemon Juice

DIRECTIONS:

1. Bring 2 cups of water/bullion cubes to boil; mix.
2. Add wontons (geeze, however many you want...maybe 10-12) to boiling water.  Let set for 2 minutes; then remove from heat.
3. Meanwhile, saute diced clove and carrot coins in olive oil on medium low.
4. Add all saute-pan contents to soup once softened.
5. Toss in scallions, cilantro, and T. of lemon juice.  Stir. Enjoy!

Yield.  This is for 2 people...so just increase based on your size.  4 cups broth for 4 pple, etc...

Mom's Zucchini Sausage Soup, Provided by Everyone's 2 Cents!

Mom's Zucchini Sausage Soup

1. Brown 1 lb Italian sausage, drain
2. Add diced zucchini to sausage...saute until soft
3. Add 2 quarts (large cans ) of whatever tomato most resembles mom's canned tomatoes, "...so I'd do whole tomatoes and maybe even a crushed tomato, too.  But really add whatever tomato consistency you want.  Diced, crushed, etc...." --Angie.
4. Simmer and add salt / pepper to taste...I do lots of pepper.
5. Then add some water if needed; no broth (consensus, I believe).

Dec. 24, 2017.