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Crock-Pot Chicken Corn Chowder

Crock-Pot Chicken Corn ChowderI love easy crock-pot meals!  This one is has nice texture, full body flavor and will feed up to 12 people.

Recipe

1 tablespoon butter

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 large onions, chopped

2 ribs celery, chopped

2 tablespoons flour

2 tsp dried thyme

8 cups organic chicken stock

6-8 Yukon gold or red potatoes, scrubbed and chopped into 1/2-inch cubes

1 (150z. can) White Northern Beans, drained

2 cups fresh or frozen corn

2 organic chicken breats

1 cup cream

2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded

Sea salt and fresh pepper to taste

In a saute pan melt 1 tablespoon butter and 1 tablespoon olive oil.  Add the onions, celery and thyme and saute until softened, about 10 minutes.  Add the flour and cook for 1 minute.  Add 1 cup broth and pour into crock-pot.  Add the  remaining broth, potatoes, beans, corn and chicken into the crock-pot.  Cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 4-5 hours. Add the cream and cheese just before serving.  Check the seasonings and serve with salad and a hearty loaf of bread!

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Butternut Squash Lasagna

Butternut Squash LasagnaPerfect comfort food for the fall!  Rich and very flavorful!  You won’t even miss the meat in this one!

Recipe

1 (4 lb.) butternut squash, peeled and cubed (1/2-inch)

3 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 teaspoon coarse sea salt

1/4 cup butter

1 tablespoon minced garlic (about 6 cloves)

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon coarse sea salt

4 cups milk

1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped

1 package lasagna noodles

1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded

1 cup heavy cream

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.  Grease a 9×13 baking dish, set aside.  Place cut squash on a rimmed baking sheet.  Coat with olive oil and sea salt.  Bake, uncovered for 25-30 minutes rotating pan in the middle.  Once squash is roasted well, take out of the oven and reduce the temperature to 375 degrees.

While the squash is baking cook the lasagna noodles according to package until El dente, then strain and set aside.  In a large saucepan heat butter and garlic over medium heat for 1 minute.  Stir in flour and 1/2 teaspoon salt.  Gradually stir in milk.  Cook until thick and bubbly.  Stir in squash and rosemary.

Spread 1 cup of the sauce in the bottom of the 9×13 baking dish.  Layer noodles then more sauce.  Sprinkle mozzarella cheese and repeat until finished.  Top with Parmesan cheese and drizzle 1 cup cream over the top.

Bake covered for 40 minutes.  Uncover and bake for an additional 10 minutes until bubbly and lightly browned.

 

 

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Best Ever Chocolate Chip Cookies

Best Ever Chocolate Chip CookiesA little crunchy on the outside and ooey gooey on the inside!  These are the best!

Recipe

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp. soda

1 tsp. sea salt

Mix the above ingredients together and set aside

1 cup butter, softened (2 sticks)

1 cup organic sugar

3/4 cup brown sugar

Cream the butter and sugar

Add 2 large eggs

2 tsp. vanilla extract

Add the flour mixture and 2 cups chocolate chips

On a large baking pan that has been greased or lined with parchment paper, scoop out 2 tablespoons cookie dough and place on cookie sheet.  give enough room for cookies to expand.  Bake at 375 degrees for 14-15 minutes.  Cool on wire rack.

 

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Rosemary Butter Cookies

rosemary butter cookiesIf you’ve never put rosemary into cookies you are in for a real treat!  My family and I always serve these at weddings when asked!

Recipe

1 cup butter, softened at room temperature
¾ cup granulated sugar
1 large egg plus 1 egg white, beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, finely chopped
1 teaspoon coarse salt
½ cup fine sanding sugar or sugar in the raw
In a large electric bowl fitted with a paddle attachment cream together the butter and sugar until fluffy, about 2 minutes.  Mix in whole egg and vanilla.  Reduce speed to low and mix in flour rosemary and salt until combined.
Halve the dough; shape each half into a log.  Place each log on a 12 by 16-inch sheet of parchment paper.  Roll in parchment to 1 ½ inches in diameter, pressing a ruler along the edge of parchment at each turn to narrow log.  Transfer to empty paper towel tubes to hold shape, and freeze until firm, about 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 375`F. Brush each log with beaten egg white; roll in sanding sugar.  Cut into 1/4–inch-thick rounds.  Space 1 inch apart on baking sheets lined with parchment.  Bake until edges are golden, 18-20 minutes.  Let cool on sheets on wire racks.  Cookies can be stored in airtight containers at room temperature up to 3 days.
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Garlic and Basil Tomato Pasta

Garlic and Basil Tomato PastaSimple and fast!  This is a great recipe for using all those fresh tomatoes and basil from the garden!

Recipe

1 pound uncooked whole wheat pasta (I like angel hair)

4-5 pounds tomatoes, large or cherry cut in half or bite size chunks

2 tablespoons garlic, minced

1/2 cup fresh chopped basil

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons butter

salt and pepper to taste

1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded

Cook your noodles following the directions on the package.  In the meantime, chop the tomatoes, garlic and basil and place in large bowl with oil and butter.  Remove the noodles from the pot and strain.  Pour them while still hot over the tomato, basil mixture and let melt the butter.   Add salt and pepper to taste and the cheese.  Toss well and serve.

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Chocolate Coconut Sourdough Bread

Chocolate Coconut Sourdough BreadIt’s so good you could almost call this a dessert!  Tender and chocolatey, this bread is a nice treat!

Recipe

2 cups water

1/2 cup starter

1/2 cup coconut oil, melted

1/2 cup honey

2 teaspoons salt

1/2 cup cocoa powder

2 cups whole wheat flour

4-5 cups all-purpose flour

In a large electric bowl fitted with a dough hook attachment, mix together the water and starter.  Add the oil, honey salt and cocoa powder.  Add the whole wheat flour then the remaining flour one cup at a time until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl.  Place the dough into a large glass bowl and cover with plastic wrap.  Let stand and raise for 12-24 hours.  I like to let mine sit overnight.

Once raised to double in size push down the dough and divide in half.  Make into round boules.  Sit them on their own piece of parchment paper and cover with plastic wrap.  Let raise until double, about another 2 hours.  Heat the oven to 500 degrees with a cast iron dutch oven.  Remove the hot pot from the oven and place the bread with parchment inside.  Cover the pot with lid and place in the oven.  Turn the heat down to 425 degrees and cook for 20 minutes.  Remove lid and cook for another 20 minutes.  Let cool on a wire rack.  Repeat for the second loaf.

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Fresh Canned Peaches

Fresh Canned PeachesI love this time of year when the fruit is on in abundance.  Peaches are one of my favorites!  This recipe is simple and a healthier version of the stuff processed in syrup.  I usually buy 2 large boxes form the farmer’s market to make 20 quarts plus some for making fruit leather or jam.

Recipe

Fresh Peaches

1 tablespoon organic sugar per quart

1 teaspoon citric acid per quart

Boiling hot water

Blanch the peaches for 30 seconds.  Remove the skin and pit and cut into slices.  Place peaches in jar filling to rim.  Add the sugar and citric acid.  Pour boiling hot water into the jar until there is a 3/4 inch space to the top.  Clean the edges and put on lids and rings.  Process for 25 minutes.

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Homemade Canned Tomatoes

Homemade Canned TomatoesA much healthier and inexpensive alternative to store bought canned tomatoes.  This recipe is simple, but just takes a bit of time.  A day of canning tomatoes is always worth the year’s supply!  I usually by 3 large boxes from the farmer’s market to produce 30 quarts.  We go through a lot of tomatoes through the year, using it in soup, chili and stews.

Recipe

Fresh tomatoes

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

Blanch the tomatoes in boiling water for 1-3 minutes depending on how ripe the tomatoes are.  Remove skin and core.  Cut in to quarters and tightly pack into clean quart size glass jars.  Place in hot water bath.  I like to have water boiling to add to the bath to keep it warm.  Just before putting the lids on add the salt.  Depending on how large your processor is you should be able to fit 5-6 quarts inside.  Process for 45 minutes.

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Cinnamon Pear Jam

Cinnamon Pear JamThis jam is the essence of fall!  It’s so good on toast or even with savory pot stickers!  Delicious!  This recipe is simple and requires no pectin.  Makes 8 pints of jam.

Recipe

16 cups pear puree

8 cups sugar

4 teaspoons cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground cloves

Process the pears through a Victoria Strainer and pour the puree into a large pot.  Add the sugar, cinnamon and cloves.  Bring to a boil and simmer on medium heat until thickened, about 45-60 minutes.  Place in pint glass jars and process for 10 minutes.

 

 

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Spiced Pear Sauce

Spiced Pear SauceThe pears are on!  This year I decided to try making pear sauce as suggested by a friend and it worked out beautifully!  Just wish I had more pears!  This recipe is simple and taste wonderful!  We like to eat it with our pancakes instead of syrup or with plain yogurt.  Makes 6 quarts.

Recipe

16 cups pear puree

4 lemons juiced

4 teaspoons cinnamon

2 teaspoons ginger

2 teaspoons vanilla

Process the pears through a Victoria Strainer and add the puree to a large pot.  Add the lemon juice, cinnamon and ginger.  Bring to a boil and simmer for 10minutes.  Add the vanilla and pour into quart bottles.  Process for 20 minutes.