Chicken Pot Pie

6 Tbls. Butter

1 ½ tsp. Salt

½ tsp. Thyme

6 Tbls. Flour

½ tsp. Pepper

1 ½ c. chicken broth

1 ½ c. Heavy whipping cream

2 c. cooked cubed chicken

1 large carrot, sliced and cooked

½ c. cooked peas

1 double crust pie shell

3-4 red potatoes, chopped and cooked



Cook butter, salt, thyme, flour and pepper in a large pot until bubbly. Remove from heat and add chicken broth and cream to sauce. Heat to boiling over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thick,. Remove from heat. Add cooked chicken and vegetables to sauce. Put one crust into a 9 or 10 inch pie plate. Pour mix into pastry shell and put the second curst on top. Cut top to vent. Bake in a 425 degree oven for 35-40 minutes. Let rest at about 10 minutes to let sauce thicken.

Crock-Pot Chicken Noodle Soup

INGREDIENTS
½ lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 medium onion, chopped
2 carrots, peeled and sliced into coins
1 stalks celery, sliced
1/2 tsp. dried oregano or dried thyme
1/2 tsp. dried rosemary
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 bay leaf
4 c. vegetable broth
2 c. of water
2 sprigs fresh rosemary
8 oz. pasta
Freshly chopped parsley, for garnish
kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper


DIRECTIONS
In a slow cooker, combine chicken, onion, carrots, celery, oregano, rosemary, garlic, and bay leaf. Pour over chicken broth.

Cover and cook on low, 6 to 8 hours.

Remove chicken from slow cooker and shred. Discard bay leaf. Return chicken to slow cooker and add pasta.

Cook on low until al dente, 20 to 30 minutes more.
Season to taste with salt and pepper

Southwestern Barley Chili

INGREDIENTS:

14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes, undrained
16-ounce can tomato sauce
1 cup medium pearled barley (not quick cooking)
4 cups vegetable broth
1 tablespoon chili powder
2 teaspoons cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
Dash chipotle pepper seasoning (more or less to taste)
1 Tablespoon of minced garlic
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (15-ounce) can pinto beans, rinsed and drained
1 1/2 cups frozen corn kernels
8 ounces of sliced mushrooms
Season to taste with salt after it is done cooking

SLOW COOKER Instructions: Combine all ingredients into a 6-quart slow cooker. Stir well.
Cook on high for 2-3 hours.

Serve the chili with toppings, if desired.
The chili will thicken considerably upon cooling. Add vegetable broth or water as needed to achieve a desirable consistency (especially if reheating the leftovers).

TOPPINGS
Shredded cheddar cheese, sour cream, sliced green onions, tortilla chips or other toppings

Sweet Korean Lentils

Sweet Korean Lentils
Author: It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken
Prep time:  5 mins Cook time:  10 mins Total time:  15 mins
Serves: 4 Servings

Ingredients
For the sauce:
2 Cups water
¼ Cup Soy Sauce
2-3 Tablespoons Brown Sugar
2 Cloves of Garlic, minced
1" Piece of Ginger, minced
1 Teaspoon Sesame Oil
½ Teaspoon Crushed Red Pepper Flakes

For the Lentils:
1 Tablespoon Light Oil (such as canola, vegetable, or peanut oil)
½ an Onion, chopped
1 Cup Red Lentils
2 Green Onions, chopped
1 Tablespoon Sesame Seeds
Cooked Rice for Serving
Instructions

In a medium bow, mix together all the sauce ingredients.
Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat, then add the onion and sauté for a few minutes until the onion softens and begins to brown. Now add the lentils and the sauce. Cover and simmer until the lentils are cooked and tender, and most of the liquid is absorbed, about 8 to 10 minutes.
Serve by spooning over rice, and garnishing with the green onions and sesame seeds.

Fluffy White cupcakes or cake strawberry filling and frosting

Cake Instructions:

1 box white cake mix (I use Duncan Hines Moist)
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup granulated white sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/3 cups water
2 tablespoons of vegetable or canola oil
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup sour cream
4 large egg whites

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325.  Grease and flour your desired pans.  It's easiest to get the cake out of the pan if you line them with parchment paper too.

2. In a large bowl, whisk together cake mix, flour, sugar, and salt.  Add remaining ingredients and beat with handmixer for 2 minutes, or until well blended.

3.  Pour batter into prepared pans.  Be sure to fill them 3/4 to 1-inch below the top of the pan.  Bake about 35 to 50 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.  Watch closely- check after 35 minutes and then every 5 minutes until the test done.  Time will vary based on which pans you choose to use.

FOR CUPCAKES BAKE 18 minutes at 325 Degrees!


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Strawberry Filling:

1 1/2 cups heavy cream
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups fresh strawberries, sliced

To make the filling: Beat whipping cream, 2 tablespoons sugar and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla on high until stiff. Fill each layer with 1/3 of the whipped cream and 3/4 cup sliced strawberries.

Strawberry Frosting:

1/2 cup butter
softened 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
softened 4 cups confectioners' sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups quartered strawberries

To make the frosting: Beat the butter, cream cheese, confectioners' sugar, and vanilla until creamy. Spread over the sides of the cake, and pipe an edge of frosting around the top of the cake.

CHILI LIME CHICKEN BURGERS RECIPE

Ingredients

1 pound Ground Chicken

¼ cups dice Green Onion (Scallion)

¼ cups dice Bell Pepper, Red

2 tablespoons chop Cilantro, Fresh

2 teaspoons mince Garlic, Cloves

½ teaspoons Salt #1

¼ teaspoons Red Pepper Flakes

¼ cups juice Lime

Instructions

1. Combine chicken, green onions, red bell pepper, cilantro, garlic, salt #1, red pepper flakes and lime juice in a bowl.
2. Mix until thoroughly combined.
3. Form into equal patties.
4. Flash freeze in a single layer on a baking sheet.
5. After flash freezing, divide among indicated number of freezer bags. Remove as much air as possible, then label & freeze.

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Serving Day Ingredients

1 medium Avocado

¼ teaspoons Garlic Powder

⅛ teaspoons Salt #2

⅛ teaspoons Black Pepper

4 individual Hamburger Buns

Serving Day Directions

1. Grill in a greased skillet or grill pan over medium-high heat for 3-4 minutes on each side, until cooked through.
2. To make guacamole: mash avocado with garlic powder, salt #2 & pepper.
3. Place on top of burger and serve on a bun.

Brown Sugar Salmon

Ingredients

1 1/2 lbs. skinless salmon fillets
1/4 cup vegetable or olive oil
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup soy sauce
1/3 cup water
Salt to taste
Lemon pepper to taste
Garlic powder to taste
Lemon slices for garnish


Instructions

1. Season the fillets to taste with the salt, lemon pepper and garlic powder.

2. In a small bowl, stir together the brown sugar, soy sauce, water and oil until sugar is dissolved.

3. Put the seasoned fillets into a Ziploc bag, pour in the marinade mixture, seal and turn to coat. Refrigerate at least 2 hours.

4. Preheat oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.

5. Line a broiler pan with aluminum foil and make a few slits through the foil with a knife to allow juices to drain while cooking. Spray with nonstick cooking spray.

6. Place your fillets on the broiler pan and discard the leftover marinade.

7. Place the fillets into your preheated 450 degree oven for 15 minutes.
Then move the fillets to an oven rack close to the broiler and broil on high for an additional 5 minutes or until the fish flakes easily with a fork.

Recipe from: http://bitzngiggles.com/brown-sugar-salmon/

Crockpot Asian BBQ Chicken w/ Mango, Green Onion Rice

1 minced small onion
1 Tablespoon of avocado oil
8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs

SAUCE ingredients
1/2 C packed brown sugar
1/2 C soy sauce
2 Tablespoons of lime juice (about 1 lime) * You can also sub 2 tablespoons of White Vinegar
1/4 teaspoon curry powder
1 teaspoon ground ginger
3-4 garlic cloves, minced


Warm up avocado oil over medium/high heat.  Sear chicken on both sides.  Add in onions and cook those for a few minutes.  While onions/chicken are cooking combine sauce ingredients. Whisk to dissolve brown sugar. Place chicken and onions in the crockpot.  Pour sauce on top. Cook on low for 3-4 hours

Serve with mango/green onion rice!

Make some Jasmine rice.  When it is done cooking add a few pats of butter, a handful of sliced green onions and some diced mango. Yum!

Teriyaki Stir Fry Noodles

2 tablespoons avocado oil
1/2 cup  reduced sodium tamari sauce
1/4 cup honey
1 Tablespoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon pepper
1 package dried udon noodles, cooked according to directions on package (You can sub spaghetti noodles if you like)
1 frozen bag of asian stir fry vegetables (anything you want. we usually get one with edamame, red peppers, onions, broccoli, asparagus, water chestnuts, etc.
1 Tablespoon of sesame seeds

Add the oil to a medium/high heat pan.  Add cooked noodles and sear them along with the frozen stir fry veggies.  Seasoning everything with the garlic and onion powder and pepper.

In a separate boil mix together the tamari sauce, honey, and brown sugar.  Then pour on top of noodle mixture.  (If you want to be lazy skip mixing this in a bowl and just dump it on the noodle/veggie mixture)

Once the noodle/veggie mixture is seared to your liking, pour on sauce and sesame seeds and mix around.

You can also add some cooked diced chicken if you want.

Enjoy!

Crock Pot Bowtie Casserole

Crock Pot Bowtie Casserole

1 lb. lean ground beef
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 (15 oz.) can tomato sauce
1 (15 o) can stewed tomatoes
1 tsp. oregano
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
salt/pepper
5 oz. frozen spinach, thawed (can also use fresh spinach)
16 oz. bowtie pasta, cooked
1/2 cup parmesan cheese, shredded
1 1/2 cup mozzarella, shredded

Brown ground beef with onion and garlic.  Season with salt and pepper. Put in crock-pot and add tomato sauce, stewed tomatoes, seasonings, spinach and cheeses. Cook for 6-7 hours on low. Season with salt and pepper to taste just before serving it over cooked pasta.

BBQ Boneless Chicken Thighs

Chicken Thighs
10 boneless chicken thighs
2 Tablespoons of avocado Oil
Salt
Pepper
Onion Powder
Garlic Powder

Place avocado oil in a pan over medium-high heat.  Add the thighs and season them with the spices on one side.  When the first side is seared flip them and season the other side and sear for a few minutes.  Next place the BBQ sauce on top.  Cover the pan with a lid and simmer on low for 5-8 minutes until the chicken reaches a temperature of 165 degrees.  Serve immediately.



Sweet and Tangy BBQ Sauce

3/4 cup tomato sauce
1/3 cup maple syrup
1/3 cup honey
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
4 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
pinch of salt
2 garlic cloves minced

Combine all the ingredients over medium heat.  Bring to a boil, then turn down heat to low and simmer for 5-10 minutes.  Use the sauce immediately or store in a jar in the refrigerator up to 2 weeks.

Butternut Squash Soup (With cream)

 Ingredients ————————————————————————————————————————

• 2  small butternut squash - peeled, seeded, cut into 1” cubes (about 3 lbs)

• 1 1/2 tablespoons Avocado Oil / butter
• 1 small onion, sliced
• 3 cloves garlic
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme (1/2 tsp dried)

• 4 cups chicken stock
• 4 - 5 small potatoes (finger potatoes)
• 1 tsp chicken bouillon paste
• 1/4 tsp ground cumin
• 1/4 tsp ground allspice

• 2/3 cup heavy cream
• salt and ground black pepper to taste

————————————————————————————————————————

Broil the Squash at 550 F for about 5 to 8 minutes

Melt the oil / butter in a large pot over medium heat; cook the onion, garlic, and thyme in the hot oil / butter until the onion has softened (about 5 minutes). 

Add the squash, potatoes and chicken stock and paste; bring to a simmer and cook until the squash is tender, about 10 minutes . 

Season with cumin, allspice, salt, and pepper; 

remove from heat. 

Add the Cream.

Pour the soup into a blender, filling the pitcher no more than halfway. Hold the lid of the blender in place with a kitchen towel and carefully start the blender using a few quick pulses to get the soup moving before leaving it on to puree.  Or…. just use the Soup setting on the Blendtec and it does to for you.

Puree in batches until smooth and pour into a serving bowl. Alternately, you can use a stick blender and puree the soup in the pot.

Broccoli/Cauliflower Pasta

This makes a ton so feel free to half it!

Ingredients:
16oz of noodles
Salt
Pepper
Garlic powder
Onion powder
Rosemarry
1 cup vegetable broth
3/4 cup shredded Parmesan
3/4 cup shredded mozzarella 
2 tbs Olive oil
1 head of Broccoli chopped (frozen bags work great)
1 head Cauliflower chopped (frozen bags work great)
3 medium Potatoes (thinly sliced)

Preheat the oven to 425. Put parchment paper on 2 cookie sheets.  On one sheet place the chopped potatoes.  On the other sheet fill it up with frozen chopped up broccoli and cauliflower florets. Drizzle olive oil, Sprinkle rosemarry, salt, pepper, garlic and onion powder over the broccoli, cauliflower and potatoes. Place the sheets in oven and bake for 30 minutes or until your desired tenderness. 

Bring big pot of water to boil. Cook any sort of pasta you want (16oz). We prefer short spirals. Strain and set aside. 

Chop up one medium onion
Mince 3 cloves of garlic

Place a big sauté pan over medium-high heat and place 2 tbs of olive oil in there. Toss in the onions and sauté for 3 minutes. When onions are caramelized and sausage is cooked place in the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds. Pour in cup of vegetable broth. Dump in the broccoli/cauliflower/potatoes. Dump on 3/4 cup of Parmesan cheese and 3/4 cup of mozzarella cheese. Dump in the noodles and mix it all around and it eat it! Ha ha! 

Quick Faux Caesar Dressing

Ingredients
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan (1 ounce)
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon mustard
kosher salt and black

Quick and Easy Chicken Asian Rice Bowls

Ingredients
2 cups cooked brown or white rice
1 cup of cooked and seasoned shredded chicken ( I used boneless thighs)
2 cups broccoli florets, raw or lightly steamed
1/2 head napa cabbage, sliced thin (about 2 cups)
2 carrots, grated
4 large fried eggs
1/2 cup chopped green onions
sesame seeds


SAUCE
1/4 C packed brown sugar (or honey)
1/4 C soy sauce
2 T white vinegar
2tsp olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp ground ginger


Preparation
1. In a small bowl, whisk together the sauce ingredients.
2. Divide the brown rice between 4 serving bowls.
3. Top each bowl with chicken, broccoli, cabbage and carrots. Drizzle each bowl with the dressing.
4. Top with the eggs, green onions, and sesame seeds.

Figgy’s Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 cup butter (2 sticks at room temp)
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar, packed
2 eggs
3 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 tsp vanilla extract
1.5 cups milk chocolate chocolate chips (preferably guittard brand)

Heat oven to 350 degrees.  Beat butter and sugars until light and fluffy.  Add vanilla and eggs and beat for 1 minute.  Add in flour, baking soda, and salt.  Mix ingredients until well combined.  Stir in chocolate chips.

Drop by tablepoonfuls onto lightly greased cookie sheet and bake until lightly browned (8-10 minutes).  Remove and cool.

Amazing Lemon Cupcakes!!!

3 cups flour
1 tablespoon of baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 cups white sugar
4 eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons lemon zest
1 cup whole milk

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.  Line 30 cupcake pan cups with paper liners.

In a bowl, beat the unsalted butter and sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs.  Mix in the vanilla extract and lemon zest.

Add flour, baking powder, salt, milk and lemon juice to the butter mixture. Gently beat until just combined; do not over mix.

Fill the prepared cupcake liners with batter 3/4 full, and bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 17 minutes. Let the cupcakes cool in the pans for about 10 minutes before removing them to finish cooling on a rack.

Raspberry Vinaigrette Salad Dressing

1 cup of fresh raspberries
1/2 cup each of vinegar, oil sugar (honey)
1/2 cup fresh onion
2 cloves fresh garlic
Put in a blender and mix

Makes 3 cups
Can substitute any berry or mango.

Homemade Toothpaste

6 tbsp coconut oil
6 tbsp baking soda
25 drops essential oil (we like peppermint) 
4 tbsp xylitol (or more if you like it sweeter for the kids)

I don't use the xylitol in the mixture for me and my husband. I've gotten used to the taste, but it's pretty gross for kids at first so the xlylitol makes it taste fantastic for them. You can get organic xylitol from birch trees on amazon or a health food store. If you find xylitol in little granulated crystals you can job pop them into your blender for a quick spin and it makes it is to a very fine powder that is great for the toothpaste. I make a batch about every 6 weeks and keep it in this container. We just scoop it out with the toothbrush head.

Fat Fluffy Snickerdoodles.

1/2 cup butter, at room temperature

1 cup sugar

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

2 tablespoons milk

1/4 cup sugar + 1 tablespoon cinnamon for dipping

Preheat oven to 375.

Cream butter and sugar with an electric mixer until smooth. Add egg and vanilla, mixing well until combine, about 2 minutes. Stir in flour, baking powder, salt, and 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon. Mix until dough comes together. Add in milk. If dough is still crumbly, add milk 1 tablespoon at a time until it comes together. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

In a bowl combine remaining sugar and cinnamon. Remove dough from fridge and roll into big 1 1/2 inch balls. Dip in cinnamon sugar mixture and place on baking sheet. Lightly press down on dough to flatten it. Bake at 375 for 10-12 minutes.