Wednesday, March 25, 2015

Slow Cooker Latin Chicken






Sheri recommended this recipe and we all enjoyed it. I made a couple of changes based on comments in the recipe reviews. It made a lot for our little family. I will probably halve the recipe unless we are having guests in the the future. For those with more kids (and older kids who eat more) the recipe would probably make a good amount without changes. We served over a brown and wild rice blend with a side salad. One commenter recommended serving in corn tortillas or hard taco shells with lettuce, tomatoes, and sour cream which would also be tasty.
Prep Time: 25 Minutes
Cook Time: 4 Hours 10 Minutes
Ready In: 4 Hours 35 Minutes
Servings: 6
"Spicy cumin, chicken, salsa, black beans, and sweet potatoes combine into a flavorful stew. The thigh meat has unbelievable flavor and tenderness."
INGREDIENTS:
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 pounds skinless chicken thighs
salt and ground black pepper to taste
1/4 cup loosely packed cilantro leaves
2 large sweet potatoes, cut into chunks
1 red bell pepper, cut into strips
2 (15.5 ounce) cans black beans, rinsed
and drained
1 can corn, drained (optional --not part of original recipe. I added based on comments)
1/2 cup chicken broth (increased to 3/4 cup)
1/4 cup loosely packed cilantro leaves
1 cup medium or hot salsa (increased to 1 1/2 cups based on comments)
2 teaspoons ground cumin (increase to 1 Tbsp)
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice (increase to 3/4 tsp)
3 large cloves garlic, chopped (I used 4)
lime wedges, for garnish (optional)
DIRECTIONS:
1.Heat the olive oil in a large skillet; season the chicken thighs with salt and pepper. Sprinkle 1/4 cup cilantro over the chicken thighs; brown the chicken in the frying pan, 3 to 5 minutes each side.
2.Arrange the chicken in the bottom of a slow cooker. Place the sweet potatoes, red bell pepper, and black beans on top of the chicken. Mix together the chicken broth, 1/4 cup cilantro leaves, salsa, cumin, allspice, and garlic together in a bowl; pour into the slow cooker. Set slow cooker to LOW and cook for 4 hours. Garnish with lime wedges to serve.

Sunday, March 15, 2015

Coconut-Almond Breakfast Quinoa

Source: http://ourbestbites.com/2013/06/coconut-almond-breakfast-quinoa/

I made this yummy breakfast when I was at Val and Erin's a couple of months ago. I tripled the recipe, but a double batch would probably be perfect for the families with 4-5 kids. The adults all really enjoyed it. The kids were a little skeptical. You could try doing 1/2 quinoa and 1/2 steel-cut oats if your kids would like it better that way, but you will need to increase the liquid and cook it longer. I really loved the fresh berries and toasted coconut!
Recipe and picture source:
http://ourbestbites.com/2013/06/coconut-almond-breakfast-quinoa/
1/2 cup quinoa, rinsed well and drained
1 cup light coconut milk (from a carton, such as Silk brand)
2 teaspoons brown sugar (substitute honey or maple syrup)
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
For serving:
fresh berries
toasted coconut
additional coconut milk
honey, maple syrup, or agave syrup
additional brown sugar if desired
Place rinsed and drained quinoa, coconut milk, brown sugar, and almond extract in a medium-sized pot.  Stir ingredients and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to a low simmer and cover pot, preferably with a clear lid (so you can see through it and keep an eye on the quinoa).  Stir a few times during cooking.  If mixture seems to be boiling out, crack the lid to release steam, otherwise, keep covered.  Cook for 10-15 minutes, until liquid is absorbed.  In the last few minutes of cooking, feel free to add a little more liquid (water is fine, or additional coconut milk) until desired consistency is reached.  I prefer my breakfast quinoa on the soft side with enough liquid to make it more of a porridge.
Divide quinoa into bowls and top with fresh berries, toasted coconut and a splash of additional coconut milk.  If desired, add a drizzle of honey or agave or a sprinkle of brown sugar for sweetness.  Yields, about 4, 1/2 cup servings. 

Thursday, March 12, 2015

Asian Lettuce Wraps

Recipe Source: Lori Hobbs (law school classmate of Josh)

1 lb. grass fed hamburger or turkey burger 
1Tbsp. olive oil 
1 large onion 
1 package mushrooms, diced 
2 minced garlic cloves 
1-2 Tbsp. soy sauce
1/4 c. Hoisin Sauce*
2 tsp. minced pickled ginger (we've never actually used pickled)
1 Tbsp. rice wine vinegar 
Asian Chile Pepper Sauce - to taste 
1- 8 oz. can water chestnuts, diced 
1 bunch green onions 
2 tsp. sesame oil 
Butter Lettuce, Boston Bibb Lettuce, Bok choy, or Romaine lettuce 


1. Fry hamburger, onion, mushrooms and garlic with cooking oil in a skillet. 
2. Add green onions, water chestnuts, soy sauce, Hoisin sauce, minced pickled ginger, rice wine vinegar, Chile pepper sauce, and sesame oil. 
3. Stir in ingredients and heat through. Serve on lettuce with brown rice (optional) and additional Asian Chile Pepper Sauce or Sriracha Chili Sauce. We also like to have this Broccoli and Red Pepper Stir Fry on the side!


*The first ingredient in many Hoisin Sauces in sugar so read labels. This is the best store bought I've found, it only has 2g of sugar. I bought it at Whole Foods.  Or make your own: http://onehungrymama.com/2014/01/7-minute-homemade-hoisin-sauce-recipe-vegan-dairy-free/

Broccoli & Red Pepper Stir Fry

This yummy veggie dish tastes very fresh. It is great paired with Asian Lettuce Wraps!
Recipe and picture from:
http://www.raisehealthyeaters.com/2014/04/broccoli-red-pepper-stir-fry/
Ingredients
  • 1 Tbsp. olive oil
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 3 cups broccoli
  • ¼ cup broth (or water)
  • 1 large red bell pepper cut into strips
  • ½ medium onion, sliced
  • 1 Tbsp. lemon juice
  • ½ tsp. salt
Instructions
  1. Add oil and garlic to a skillet over high heat. Once the garlic begins to sizzle (not brown) add broccoli and sauté until bright green. Add broth, remove from heat and cover for about 2 minutes.
  2. Return skillet to high heat adding the onions and pepper. Sauté another 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat and mix in lemon juice and salt.

*Update 7 Feb. 2018: Today I roasted the stir fry instead of doing it stovetop and it was even better! Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Put the broccoli on a sheet pan and spray with olive oil then sprinkle with salt. Roast for 10 minutes, then add the slice red pepper and onion (I tossed these with a little more olive oil and sprinkled with garlic powder). Roast another 12-15 minutes. Remove from oven and toss with some lemon zest and juice. Add more salt to taste.


Sunday, March 8, 2015

Country Potatoes (aka Cheesy Au Gratin Potatoes)

Recipe Source: http://www.melskitchencafe.com/cheesy-au-gratin-potatoes-2/

We love this version of Country/Cheesy/Funeral Potatoes. They have great flavor and no cream soup!

YIELD: SERVES 6-8
INGREDIENTS
    Potatoes:
  • 3 tablespoons butter
  • 1 large yellow onion, chopped
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour (use gluten-free all purpose flour if desired)
  • 1 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1 ½ teaspoons salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese (8 ounces)
  • 26-ounce bag frozen shredded hash browns or about 5-6 large russet potatoes, peeled, cooked and shredded or sliced
  • 1/2 cup light sour cream
  • Topping:
  • 3 cups cornflakes, lightly crushed
  • 2 tablespoons butter, melted
DIRECTIONS
  1. Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until the onion is softened and translucent,a bout 5-6 minutes. Stir in the flour and cook, stirring constantly, for about a minute. Combine the chicken broth and milk in a liquid measure and slowly whisk in the mixture. Add the salt, pepper and thyme. Stir to combine. Bring the mixture to a boil and then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring frequently, until the mixture is slightly thickened, about 5 minutes.
  2. Take the pot off the heat and stir in the cheese until smooth. Mix in the frozen hash browns or potatoes, lifting and folding the mixture until well combined. Finally, stir in the sour cream.
  3. In a medium bowl, toss the lightly crushed cornflakes with the butter until evenly combined. Scoop out the potato mixture into a 9X13-inch baking dish and top with the buttered cornflakes. If baking the potatoes by themselves, bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes, until hot and bubbly around the edges. If baking the potatoes with a ham (my ham recipe bakes at 300 degrees), bake the potatoes for 90 minutes at 300 degrees then crank the oven to 400 degrees and bake the potatoes for 10 minutes more. In both baking situations, let the potatoes rest for 10 minutes before serving.