Buffalo Chicken and Rice Skillet

Buffalo Chicken and Rice Skillet

Ingredients

1 cup brown rice

1 cup water

1 cup chicken broth

2 T. olive oil

1 cup shredded carrots (about 4 carrots)

1 cup sliced celery (about 3 stalks)

1.5 lbs chicken breast, cut into bite-sized pieces

½ tsp. garlic powder

½ tsp. onion powder

½ tsp. steakhouse seasoning

1/3 cup prepared buffalo wing sauce (I used Frank’s Red Hot Wing Sauce)

Ranch dressing, to taste (2-4 Tbl.)

Directions

1.      Combine rice, water, and chicken broth in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, cover, then reduce to a simmer. Simmer approximately 40 minutes, until all water is absorbed and rice is tender. Turn off heat and steam until serving.

2.      Meanwhile, heat oil on medium heat in a large skillet. Add carrots and celery and cook and stir for 3 minutes, until tender.

3.      Add chicken pieces and season with garlic powder, onion powder, and steakhouse seasoning.

4.      Cook chicken 5-10 minutes, turning occasionally, until they are cooked through. Don’t overcook!

5.      Remove from heat and stir in buffalo sauce until coated.

6.      Combine cooked rice and chicken in a serving dish. Drizzle with ranch dressing.

Notes:

Dish is medium-hot in terms of spiciness. If you prefer a milder meal, combine 3 Tbl. wing sauce with 2 Tbl. melted butter to use instead of full-strength wing sauce. 

Roasted Sweet Potato and Pesto Quinoa Salad

Roasted Sweet Potato and Pesto Quinoa Salad

 Adapted from: http://cookieandkate.com/2015/quinoa-salad-recipe-with-roasted-sweet-potato-kale/

Ingredients

Salad

2 medium sweet potatoes

2 T. olive oil

Salt and pepper

1 cup dry quinoa

1 cup water

1 cup chicken or vegetable broth

1 large bunch of curly kale

½ cup roasted, salted sunflower seed kernels

Pesto Dressing

1 small bunch fresh basil

2 T. firmly packed fresh parsley leaves

¼ cup olive oil

2 T. fresh lemon juice

1 garlic clove

1 tsp. honey, molasses, agave nectar, or maple syrup (preferred sweetener)

Dash salt

Directions

1.      Wash and dry sweet potatoes. Chop into bite-sized pieces and toss with olive oil. Spread out on rimmed baking sheet and season with salt and pepper. Roast for 15 minutes at 425 degrees, stirring once halfway through.

2.      Meanwhile, rinse quinoa in a fine-mesh strainer (a nutmilk bag works well) to remove bitter residue. Add to medium saucepan along with water and broth. Bring to a boil, then simmer, covered, 10-15 minutes, until all liquid is absorbed. Turn off heat and steam while preparing remainder of dish.

3.      Combine all dressing ingredients in a food processor. Pulse til smooth.

4.      Chop kale into bite-sized pieces, remove stems. You may choose to saute til just wilted, or serve raw. If serving raw, “massage” the kale in a large bowl for 30 seconds, until the kale is fragrant and darker in color.

5.      Add sweet potatoes, quinoa, sunflower seeds to the kale and mix well.

6.      Drizzle with dressing and stir to combine.

7.      Can serve this dish warm or cold! 

Lactation Pancakes

Lactation Pancakes

Because sometimes, believe it or not, I don't really want a cookie. (Like at 6 in the morning).

Adapted from my sister's blog, Somebody’s Dinner Oatmeal Pancakes

http://somebodysdinner.blogspot.com/2015/05/oatmeal-pancakes.html

1 cup milk

1 T. white vinegar

3/4 cup quick cooking oats

1/4 cup ground flaxseed meal

1/4 cup whole wheat flour

1/2 cup chopped nuts (I like to use half walnuts, half almonds)

3 T. sugar

1 T. brewer’s yeast*

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. baking soda

1/8 tsp. salt

1 egg

2 tablespoons Canola oil

Directions:

1.       Combine milk and vinegar in a small glass bowl and allow to sit for 10 minutes

2.       Combine oats, flax, flour, nuts, sugar, brewer’s yeast, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl.

3.       Whisk egg and oil into soured milk

4.       Combine wet and dry ingredients, and allow to sit for about 5 minutes for the oats and flax to absorb some of the liquid.

5.       Drop by quarter-cups onto greased medium-heat griddle (they come off fine without grease, but they brown so nicely with it!)

6.       Store any leftovers in the fridge for up to 3 days

*Brewer’s Yeast is a nutritional supplement believed to promote lactation. You can get a container of the powder at most health food stores. It is different than nutritional yeast!! It is very bitter, so that’s why we mask it in sugary baked goods J

Lactogenic foods in this recipe: Oats, flax, walnuts, almonds, brewer’s yeast

Turkey Soup with Dumplings (Homemade Bone Broth)

Perfect for using up the last of the Thanksgiving or Christmas Turkey

Turkey Soup

For the Stock:

1 turkey carcass, meat removed from bones

1 large onion, quartered

2 carrots, chopped

Several celery tops/leaves

Several sprigs fresh parsley

1 tsp thyme

1 bay leaf

5-10 peppercorns

2 tsp. salt

½ tsp. pepper

Cold water

Add all ingredients to a large soup pot. Cover with 1 inch of cold water.  Bring to a boil, then reduce to a bare simmer. Simmer 4 hours with the lid tilted so broth can reduce. Then, remove bones/large chunks with tongs and strain through a fine-mesh strainer or cheesecloth. Discard bones, veggies, and anything else the strainer catches (you’ll use fresh veggies for the soup).

For the Soup:

¼ cup butter

3 cups chopped carrots

3 cups chopped celery

3 cups chopped onion

4 cloves garlic

¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped

4 tsp. poultry seasoning

Several dashes of sage, thyme, marjoram, turmeric, savory, etc.

Egg noodles or dumplings

6-8 cups shredded turkey meat

Salt and pepper to taste

Melt butter in a large soup pot. Add onion and celery and cook until tender. Add garlic and cook a minute more, until fragrant. Add the carrots and seasonings, then cover with stock. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat. Simmer 10 or so minutes until carrots are about halfway done. Then, add noodles or dumplings, as desired. Simmer until carrots and noodles/dumplings are cooked through (10-20 minutes more). Add the turkey meat and heat through. Season with salt and pepper and serve.

Soup Dumplings

2 cups all-purpose flour

4 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. salt

A few dashes of any seasonings (onion powder, garlic powder, etc.)

2/3 to 1 cup milk

Whisk together dry ingredients. Fold in milk with rubber spatula. Add enough milk to make a sticky dough.

Drop by small spoonfuls onto top of rapidly boiling soup. Cook 10 minutes uncovered, then another 10 minutes simmering and covered. 



Note: I had plenty of broth leftover that I froze in muffin trays and then transferred to a large gallon sized ziplock bag in the freezer so I can use it as needed for other recipes. Super handy! 

Authentic Posole

Authentic Posole

Seriously tastes just like how my aunt makes it....and she's authentic.

Ingredients:

3 lb. pork shoulder, BONE IN. 

2 onions (keep separate) (only need 1 onion if doing 1-day directions, 2 onions if making the broth ahead of time)

4 garlic cloves

1 tsp. cumin

1 tsp. oregano

1 tsp. red pepper flakes

4 cups water

1/4 cup butter (only if doing 2-day recipe)

1 jalapeno

4 cups hominy (Mexican corn, in the Hispanic foods isle. Picture of can provided for reference)

Salt to taste

Cilantro

Lemon juice

Shredded iceberg lettuce

2 day crock pot directions (more flavorful):

1. Place pork shoulder, one onion (quartered), garlic, cumin, oregano, red pepper flakes, and water in crock pot. Cook on low for 8 hours until meat is extremely tender. 

2. Refrigerate for a few hours (or overnight) for the fat to settle on top. 

3. Skim off the fat with a large spoon (but do not discard). Shred meat (removing any fat) and store in fridge. Place bones and fat back into the crock pot and cook on high for 4 hours. 

4. Strain broth through a fine-mesh strainer/cheese cloth. Discard bones, onions, and any other solids. 

5. In a large soup pot, melt butter. Add second onion (chopped) and jalapeno (chopped). Cook until tender. Add hominy (drained) and cook a few more minutes. Add broth and bring to a boil. Simmer 1 hour.
6. Add shredded meat and heat through. Salt to taste.
7. Serve topped with fresh cilantro, lemon juice, shredded lettuce, etc.

Same-day stove top directions (simpler, but you get less bone broth flavor):
1. Place pork shoulder, chopped onion, garlic, cumin, oregano, red pepper flakes, and water in large soup pot. Bring to a boil and then simmer covered 1 hour.
2. Add hominy and jalapeno to soup. Boil, then simmer covered another 90 minutes, until meat falls off bone easily and hominy is cooked.
3. Using tongs, shred meat into soup and remove bone. Salt to taste.
4. Serve garnished with cilantro, lettuce, lemon juice.

Here is what hominy looks like in the store. You can use white or yellow hominy. I prefer yellow hominy but my store didn't carry it so I used this instead.

Holiday Cranberry Salsa Dip

Holiday Cranberry Salsa Dip

Ingredients:

12 oz bag fresh cranberries (about 3 cups)

1 bunch green onions, finely sliced

2 small jalapenos, seeded and minced

1/4 cup cilantro leaves, chopped

2 T. fresh ginger, grated (really easy to do if the ginger is FROZEN btw)

1/2 cup white sugar

2 T. lemon juice

16 oz cream cheese, softened (just before serving)

Crackers

Directions:

1. Rinse cranberries. Pick out any mushy or bruised ones. Place in food processor or blender and pulse to chop (do not puree).

2. In a bowl, combine chopped cranberries, green onion, jalapeno, cilantro, ginger, sugar, and lemon juice. Should be lookin' pretty fanciful and festive like the photo below.

3. Cover and refrigerate for at LEAST 4 hours for the flavors to mature (salsa will be too tart/sharp to begin with).

4. Soften cream cheese. Just before serving, mash cream cheese into salsa with a potato masher. Serve with crackers. 

Spiced Hot Cocoa

Spiced Hot Cocoa
Can easily be a traditional hot cocoa recipe if you leave out the spices. No other changes needed for this.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup cocoa
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/8 tsp. salt
dash ginger
dash cloves
1/3 cup water
4 cups milk
3/4 tsp. vanilla

Directions:
1. Mix dry ingredients in a small bowl. You may want to sift the cocoa and spices so there are no clumps.
2. Bring the 1/3 cup of water to a simmer in a saucepan. As soon as bubbles appear, whisk in the dry ingredients. Boil while stirring for 2 minutes.
3. Add milk and heat, stirring occasionally.
4. Remove from heat, then add vanilla. And none of that sissy imitation stuff, neither. (But if that's all you have on hand, double the amount).
5. Add some marshums. Duh.

Serves 4