Italian Chickpea Stew
2 TBSP [real] butter 7 oz shiitake mushroom, chopped (give or take), or mushroom of choice 8 cloves of garlic, chopped into chunks 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper 1 dollop of chopped, jarred, sun-dried tomatoes 28 oz can [or box] chopped or crushed tomatoes 2 cans of chickpeas, rinsed & drained 1 bunch of kale (or greens of choice), about 12 large leaves Fresh basil (large handful), chopped Generous drizzle of extra virgin olive oil Salt & pepper to taste Melt butter in a stock pot over medium heat and sauté chopped mushrooms until cooked down a bit (about 5 mins) Add chopped garlic, a...
Read MorePasta and Greens with Garlic, Jalapeño & Basil
2 TBSP [real] butter 4 cloves of garlic, chopped into chunks 1 jalapeño pepper, diced, with seeds (optional) 1 bunch of kale (or greens of choice) stems removed & torn into pieces (6-12 leaves) Fresh basil (large handful), chopped 6 oz pasta of choice, cooked al dente Generous drizzle of extra virgin olive oil Salt & pepper to taste While bringing pasta water to a boil, prep the vegetables (chop garlic, jalapeño, greens, and basil). While pasta is cooking, melt butter in a large sauté pan over medium-low heat, and sauté chopped garlic for about 2 minutes – until just starting...
Read MoreBasic Iced Tea (slightly sweet)
1 gallon of water (16 cups) 14 tea bags 10 TBSPs natural sugar Bring water to a boil in a large pot. Turn off heat, add tea bags, cover, and let steep for 5 minutes. Remove tea bags and stir in sugar until dissolved. Pour into pitcher(s) (allow to cool first if they are plastic) and refrigerate. _____________________________________________________________________ SIDE NOTES: ~ I’ve been making this often over the past several months, but I had to figure out (again) how many tea bags and how much sugar to use to get it the way I like it (I had gone a long time without making it). I...
Read MorePasta & Peas
Butter 1 large onion, chopped 2 cups broth of choice 1/2 lb pasta (small shape like shells / elbows / ditalini, etc) 1 tsp pure salt 1 lb frozen peas 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese Swirl of olive oil & freshly ground black pepper to taste Melt some butter in a medium sized sauce pot. Add chopped onion and sauté about 5 minutes (until the onions look good to you – depending on how you like them) Add broth, bring to a boil, and stir in pasta and salt. Lower heat, cover, and simmer (stirring occasionally to prevent pasta from sticking to bottom of pan). Add the peas when...
Read MoreEasy Beef Stroganoff
1 lb ground beef 1 onion, chopped 4 cloves (or more) garlic, chopped 8 to 10 oz mushrooms, sliced (I use shiitake) 1 cup broth (chicken, beef, or veggie) 1 cup (8 oz) sour cream (or thick, greek-style yogurt) 1/2 cup (4 oz) cream cheese (I use mascarpone / Italian cream cheese) 4 oz egg noodle pasta, cooked fresh sage to taste 1 tsp salt (or to taste) Ground pepper to taste Brown meat in a large skillet over medium heat. If meat is very lean, add a TBSP of butter or coconut oil to keep it from sticking to the pan. When meat is browned, add chopped onion & garlic & continue to stir...
Read MoreBerry Cheescake Jars
24 ounces of berries (I use a combo of blueberries & raspberries) For the Graham Cracker Crust Layer: 2 heaping cups of graham cracker crumbs 6 Tablespoons brown sugar 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 cup melted butter For the Cheesecake Layer: 16 ounces cream cheese, room temperature 1 cup sugar 1 cup sour cream (entire 8 oz container) 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice 4 teaspoons vanilla extract 2 teaspoons lemon or orange zest Combine all of the graham cracker crust ingredients (mix with a spoon until butter is evenly coated over crumbs). Divide about half of the mixture into 8...
Read MoreNachos for Dinner :)
Coconut oil 2-6 cloves of garlic (chopped or minced) – optional 2 jalapeños, chopped (with or without seeds) – optional 1 pound ground beef (see vegetarian substitute below) 2 TBSPs taco meat seasoning Tomatoes (chopped) Avocado (chopped) Cilantro (chopped), divided Lime juice Tortilla chips (preferably blue corn) 8 ounces sharp cheddar (shredded) 8 ounces pepper-jack cheese (shredded) Preheat the oven to 350. Sauté the garlic and jalapeño in coconut oil over medium-low heat for a minute or 2. Add the ground beef and crumble it in the pan using a blunt utensil (etc – edge...
Read MoreItalian Pasta Primavera
2 TBSP pine nuts, toasted (Real) butter (a spoonful for sauteing) (or olive oil if lactose intolerant) 4 cloves of garlic, chopped into chunks 1 jalapeno pepper, diced, with seeds (optional) 1 bunch of kale (or greens of choice) stems removed & torn into pieces (6-12 leaves) 2-3 oz chopped sun-dried tomatoes Fresh basil (large handful), chopped 15 grape tomatoes (give or take), cut in half Kalamata olives (as much as you’d like) 6 oz pasta of choice, cooked al dente Generous drizzle of extra virgin olive oil Salt & pepper to taste While bringing pasta water to a boil, prep...
Read MoreSweet & Tangy Stir-Fry Sauce
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar 1/3 cup natural ketchup 1/8 cup honey 1 TBSP worcestershire 1/2 TBSP mustard 1/8 tsp salt 1/8 tsp pepper 1 TBSP butter Add everything to a small pot, bring to a boil, reduce to low heat and simmer, uncovered, for about 15 minutes (stirring occasionally) as it reduces & thickens. Mix a little into your stir fry, and save the rest for dipping or drizzling over the top. __________________________________________________________________________ NOTES: ~ It’s all about the sauce… am I right!? 🙂 This one is very intense! Drizzle it on whatever. I used to...
Read MoreCreamy Chicken w/ Mushroom, Onion & Wine Sauce
Real butter Bone-in / skin-on chicken parts (enough to feed 4 people) Salt / pepper to taste 1 large onion, thinly sliced 10 oz (give or take) sliced mushrooms (I use shiitake) Lots of fresh sage & thyme, roughly chopped (reserving half for garnish) Lots of garlic, crushed (I use a whole head because I’m ridiculous) 1 cup dry white wine 1 cup chicken broth 2 cups cream or half & half Melt butter in a large skillet Add chicken parts, coat both sides with butter, and sprinkle both sides with salt & pepper Brown chicken on both sides and remove from pan (doesn’t need...
Read MoreRum and Raisin Rock
1 cup raisins 2 TBSPs white rum 8 oz dark, semi-sweet chocolate Spread raisins out in an 8 x 8 baking dish and sprinkle with rum (toss to mix well, then spread them out again to reach all sides of pan). Cover and set aside for 15 minutes to soak. Melt chocolate using a double boiler (or substitute – see below) and drizzle over raisins. Allow time to set, then simply use the edge of a spoon to roughly chop into bite sized pieces. _____________________________________________________________________ SIDE NOTES: ~ This is good my friends =) ~ Think raisins with some chocolate (not the...
Read MoreMushroom, Onion, Garlic, Squash Saute
1 head garlic, chopped (or however much you’d like) 1 large onion, sliced 20 oz cubed butternut squash 7 oz mushrooms, sliced (I use shiitake) Butter Salt Pepper Fresh sage In large skillet, saute chopped garlic in butter until beginning to brown. Remove garlic from skillet with a slotted spoon. Add onion and saute until beginning to soften and brown (add additional butter throughout cooking process as needed). Add cubed squash and continue sautéing until squash softens and browns. Add sliced mushrooms and saute until reduced and cooked through. Add salt / pepper to taste, the garlic...
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