Chicken & Dumplings

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From the kitchen of Jenny Betts

An entire meal cooked in a single pot!

Ingredients:

3 T. butter

1 medium onion, cut into 1-inch pieces

5 medium carrots, cut crosswise into 1-1/2 inch pieces

1/2 t. thyme, dried

1 c. (spooned and leveled) all-purpose flour

14-1/2 oz. can chicken broth (reduced sodium)

Coarse salt and black pepper

1-1/2 lb. bonelss, skinless chicken thights, cut into 2-inch pieces

2 T. fresh dill, chopped (or 3/4 t. dried dill)

1-3/4 t. baking powder

1/2 c. plus 2 T. milk

10 oz. package frozen peas

Directions:

In a dutch oven (or a large heavy pot with a tight-fitting lid), heat butter over medium heat.

Add onion, carrots, and thyme.

Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is soft (about 5 minutes).

Add 1/4 c. flour and cook, stirring, 30 seconds.

Add broth and bring to a boil, stirring constantly; season with salt and pepper.

Nestle chicken in pot; reduce heat to medium-low.

Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, make dumplings:

In a medium bowl, whisk together remaining 3/4 c. flour, dill, baking powder, and 1/2 t. salt.

With a fork, gradually stir in 1/2 c. milk to form a moist and soft batter. It should be just a little thicker than pancake batter and should easily drop from the tip of a spoon (add additional 2 T. milk if too thick).

Set aside.

Stir peas into pot.

Drop batter into the simmering liquid in 10 heaping tablespoonfuls, keeping them spaced apart (dumplings swell as they cook).

Cover, and simmer until chicken is tender and dumplings are firm, 20 minutes.

Serve and enjoy!

Chicken Sausage Orzo

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From the kitchen of Heidi Thomas

Chicken sausage over orzo… add your favorite vegetables!

Ingredients:

Al Fresca brand garlic chicken sausage, sliced 1/8” 

Half box orzo

Medium onion, halved, sliced

Container sliced mushrooms 

Garlic

Olive oil

Chicken broth

Butter

Directions:

In a large deep frying pan, saute  mushrooms and onions in olive oil, until soft.

Cook orzo separately adding a couple garlic cloves and Himalayan pink salt to water.

Move mushroom/onion mixture to side of pan.  Adding a little more olive oil, start laying medallions of sausage flat against bottom until caramelized on both sides.  When sausage is all caramelized, stir pan mixture.  Add cooked, drained, orzo, a swirl of chicken broth and a splat of butter. Salt/pepper to taste.  

Notes from the chef:

Optional: add ribbons of spinach for added color (stack spinach, cutting off stems, roll like a joint and slice across).   Buon appetito!


Drum Sticks and Veggie Roast

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From the kitchen of Ben Betts and Lindsey Appleyard

This is an easy one-pan recipe. GLUTEN FREE, DAIRY FREE

Ingredients:

Chicken drumsticks (packet of legs and thighs)

3 large carrots, washed or peeled and sliced

1 large onion, sliced

5 cloves garlic, sliced into large chunks

2 large potatoes, washed or peeled and sliced

Marinade:

2 T. olive oil

1/2 t. salt

1/2 t. pepper

2 T. barbecue sauce

1 t. oregano

2 t. rosemary (optional for Sam)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

In a large ziploc bag, add oil, salt, pepper, barbecue sauce, oregano, rosemary and the drum sticks. Shake vigorously to cover all sides and place in the refrigerator to marinate for an hour (or at least as long as it takes you to cut up the vegetables).

In a large deep baking dish, add carrots, onions, garlic and potatoes.

Add chicken with marinade to the veggies and toss to coat evenly.

Cook for 30 to 40 minutes, until chicken is no longer pink inside.

Earth Balls

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From the kitchen of Ben Betts

These earthy meatballs are delicious with pasta or alone as an appetizer.

Ingredients:

2 carrots, chopped into small pieces

1 apple, chopped into small pieces

1 lb. ground turkey

1/2 bell pepper, diced (yellow is good)

1/2 onion, diced

1-1/2 t. sage powder

1-1/2 t. rosemary powder

1 t. Italian seasoning herbs

1 clove garlic, minced

Maybe a lil butter

Salt + Pepper

Pinch of cumin

Oil and butter for cooking

Directions:

Boil carrots and apple until just soft (10 minutes or so).

Add oil to a pan and sizzle diced onion and yellow pepper, add garlic.

Once cooked, add drained carrots and apple.

Mash with some butter and cumin until it smells so good.

Add to ground turkey with herbs.

Mix ‘em, ball ‘em, bread ‘em, and sizzle ‘em in a pan with oil and butter until cooked through.

Notes from the chef:

Eat in one sitting / til you cry with your mouth full.

Green Pasta

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From the kitchen of Brad Betts

This is a healthy version of pesto pasta that Brad created to overcome the challenge of a dairy-free pesto. It also has very little oil, replacing it with the ‘good fat’ of an avocado. This dish is amazing with or without the optional Parmesan! GLUTEN FREE, DAIRY FREE, VEGAN

Green pasta.jpg

Ingredients:

2 T. olive oil

2 garlic cloves (minced)

5 oz (small box) baby spinach or regular spinach

A handful (5 large leaves or more) fresh basil

1 cup or more rice milk or other milk

1 avocado

1/4 c. pine nuts (or other nuts or seeds, e.g., walnuts, pistachios, pumpkin or sunflower seeds)

Salt and pepper to taste

16 ox box of pasta (GF)

Optional:

Parmesan cheese (1/4 c. to add into blender with other ingredients or to sprinkle on top)

Top with grilled chicken, sliced cherry tomatoes and/or pan-fried or steamed vegetables… mix in as you like!

Directions:

In a large pot, boil water and cook your favorite pasta.

In a large saucepan, heat olive oil and garlic until fragrant (2-4 minutes)

Add baby spinach, cook until wilted.

Add fresh basil leaves and rice milk and bring to a simmer.

Add sliced avocado, salt and pepper and pine nuts.

Warm to a light simmer then pour into a blender and blend ingredients until smooth.

Pour over pasta and top with meat, vegetables or simply parmesan cheese, salt and pepper.

Note from the chef:

Grow basil in a pot in your garden or on your windowsill. It is an essential ingredient; do not make this recipe without fresh basil. You could try it with a bottled pesto or paste, but it will never be as good.

One-Pan Pasta

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From the kitchen of Jenny Betts

This was adapted from a recipe in Martha Stewart Living, that was sourced from a trip to Puglia, so we have Italy to thank for this great pasta recipe!

Ingredients:

12 oz. linguine

12 oz. cherry or grape tomatoes, halved or quartered if large

1 onion, thinly sliced (about 2 cups)

6 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

1/2 - 3/4 t. red pepper flakes

2 sprigs fresh basil, plus torn leaves for garnish

2 - 3 T. olive oil, plus more for serving

coarse salt and black pepper

4-1/2 c. water

Parmesan cheese, grated fresh for serving

Directions:

Combine pasta, tomatoes, onion, garlic, red pepper flakes, basil, oil, 1/4 t. salt, 1/4 t. pepper and water in a large straight-side skillet.

Bring to a boil over high heat.

Boil mixutre, sitrring and turning pasta frequently with tongs, until pasta is al dente and water has nearly evaporated, 9 minutes.

Season to taste with salt and pepper, divide among 4 bowls and garnish with basil.

Serve with fresh Italian olive oil and freshly grated parmesan cheese.

Notes from the chef:

We also make this with mushrooms and/or spinach.

Savory Pork Tenderloin

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From the kitchen of Brad and Dani Betts

A roasted pork tenderloin that is best served with garlic-mashed potatoes and a strawberry salad. GLUTEN FREE, DAIRY FREE

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Ingredients:

1 log of pork tenderloin

2-3 T. olive oil

2 garlic cloves (minced)

1 t. dijon mustard

1 T. white balsamic vinegar

1/2 t. salt

1/2 t. pepper

2 t. sage (dried) or several leaves of fresh sage

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Place pork tenderloin in a 9” x 13” baking pan with sides.

In a small bowl, mix all ingredients above. Pour over tenderloin and roll meat around to cover all sides.

Cook until inside is nearly white (20-25 minutes or more).

Cut into medallions and serve.

Notes from the chef:

The tenderloin is delicious but restrain yourself. The best part about this meal is the leftovers. The next day, place 2 T. olive oil and 2 T. butter in a large saucepan. Slice a vidalia onion into strips and heat in melted butter and oil until soft, slightly browned and caramelized. Place leftover pork in the saucepan and pull apart into bite-size strips. Mix well with onions and serve as a pulled pork sandwich with barbecue sauce, or with Savory Sweet Potatoes in a rollup. Bellissimo!

Seafood or Veggie Scampi

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From the kitchen of Chris and Betsy Betts

A light delicious pasta meal with favorite veggies or seafood.

Ingredients:

Favorite saute vegetables: peppers, onions, zucchini, broccoli, spinach, etc.

Favorite seafood: shrimp and/or scallops

Scampi sauce:

1 cup or more white wine

1/4 to 1/2 t. dried red pepper

3 to 4 pressed garlic cloves

Salt and pepper

1/2 t. dried mustard (optional)

Juice of 1/2 lemon

4 to 5 T. butter

1/2 c. chopped flat leaf Italian Parsley (optional)

Directions:

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook angel hair or other pasta.

In a saucepan, add 2 T. olive oil and saute vegetables. Once cooked, transfer to a bowl.

In the same saucepan, melt butter and add garlic cloves; cook until fragrant.

Add wine and spices and bring to a simmer.

Add peeled shrimp and/or halved scallops (don’t forget to remove the foot!). Cook until seafood is done (8-10 minutes).

Add vegetables to the drained pasta.

Toss scampi sauce and pasta/vegetables.

Serve and top with fresh grated parmesan and fresh ground pepper.

Notes from the chef:

We sometimes add sliced tomatoes and avocados on top. Yum yum!

Shepherd's Pie

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From the kitchen of Heidi Thomas

A classic!

Ingredients:

80-85% ground beef

7-8 medium white potatoes, quartered, boiled, w/garlic cloves/H.P. Salt

1 small onion, minced

Can of creamed corn

Salt/pepper

Butter

1 large jar Heinz Savory Beef gravy

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large frying pan, sauté beef with minced onions, drain off fat.  Add to oven safe deep dish.  Mix in a couple spoonfuls of gravy.  Press beef mixture down, add can of cream corn.

Mash potatoes/garlic cloves with a splash of milk, pat of butter, salt/pepper.

Top the meat/corn dish.  Spread evenly.  Add a couple pats of butter.  Bake at 350 until bubbly: approx. 25-30 mins.  Top each serving with heated remaining gravy.

Spicy Chicken Wings

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From the kitchen of Ben Betts

A Ben recipe from way back…

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Ingredients:

Chicken wings

Eggs

Flour (or flower!)

Bread crumbs

1/2 c. Frank’s hot sauce

1/3 c. butter

Veggie oil for frying

Directions:

Dip chicken in egg then roll in flour and bread crumbs then fry in a saucepan in vegetable oil.

Mix Franks’s hot sauce with melted butter and coat wings.

Spinach Parmesan Pasta

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From the kitchen of Bridget and Jacob Blanche:

You only need 5 to 7 ingredients to make this amazing pasta dish!

Ingredients:

8 oz pasta

3 T. butter

2 cloves garlic,minced

5 to 6 cups packed baby spinach

4 oz. mushrooms, sliced (optional)

1/2 c. Parmesan cheese, grated

Handful cherry tomatoes (optional)

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Cook the pasta per package directions. Reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta water before draining. Set pasta aside.

Using the same pot, melt butter over medium heat. Add garlic and cook until fragrant (2 - 3 minutes).

Add in mushrooms and spinach leaves and cook until spinach is wilted.

Toss in pasta and warm.

Slowly add reserved water if the pasta appears to be drying out (typically up to 1/3 cup).

Stir in 1/4 c. Parmesan cheese and toss.

Garnish with cherry tomatoes and fresh basil, season with salt and pepper to taste.

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Veggie & Miso Tofu Stir Fry

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From the kitchen of Brad and Dani Betts

The miso adds so much depth to this sauce.

Ingredients:

SAUCE

3 T. white or red miso

2 T. rice vinegar

2 T. water

1 T. soy sauce

1 T. maple syrup

1 T. sesame oil

1 T. hot sauce

Fresh grated ginger (peeled)

VEGETABLES:

Broccoli, red peppers, onions, zucchini, peas, etc.

PROTEIN:

2 eggs, fried

Tofu (drained, pressed for 20 minutes and cut in 1” cubes)

SERVING:

2 c. cooked white rice (basmati or jasmine)

Fresh basil, 2 t. sliced scallions and fresh squeezed lime

Directions:

Cook rice.

Cook vegetables in a large wok, one at a time in heated oil and garlic. Remove from wok and place in a large bowl as each vegetable is cooked.

When the vegetables are complete, add oil and fry tofu in pan. If we do not have tofu, we scramble 2 eggs in a pan with 1 T. hot oil (pre-heat).

Add peanuts to wok and fry lightly in oil. Add cooked vegetables and proteins to the wok to re-heat. Add fresh basil.

Serve over rice. Top with sliced scallions and a slice of fresh lime.

Notes from the chef:

We vary the vegetables and proteins based on what we have on hand.

Store rice separately from the veggies and proteins (do not mix together). For leftovers, make the same amount of sauce and mix with veggies/proteins when re-heating. Serve over fresh cooked or warmed rice.