Vegetable Tian: Ina Garten

Serves: 4 to 6
Ingredients

• Good olive oil
• 2 large yellow onions, cut in half and sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 pound medium round potatoes, unpeeled
• 3/4 pound zucchini
• 1 1/4 pounds medium tomatoes
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, plus extra sprigs
• 2 ounces Gruyere cheese, grated ( I grate the cheese very fine w/ a handheld grater)

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Brush a 9 by 13 by 2-inch baking dish with olive oil. In a medium saute pan, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil and cook the onions over medium-low heat for 8 to 10 minutes, until translucent. Add the garlic and cook for another minute. Spread the onion mixture on the bottom of the baking dish.
Slice the potatoes, zucchini, and tomatoes in 1/4-inch thick slices. Layer them alternately in the dish on top of the onions, fitting them tightly, making only 1 layer. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, thyme leaves, and thyme sprigs and drizzle with 1 more tablespoon of olive oil. Cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until the potatoes are tender. Uncover the dish, remove the thyme sprigs, sprinkle the cheese on top, and bake for another 30 minutes until browned. Serve warm.

2004, Barefoot in Paris, All Rights Reserved  

-Cheryl

Smoky Slow Cooker Chili

Ingredients

• Cooking spray
• 1 pound ground pork
• 1 pound boneless pork shoulder, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 3 cups chopped onion
• 1 3/4 cups chopped green bell pepper
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 3 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 cup lager-style beer (such as Budweiser)
• 3 tablespoons chili powder
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 6 tomatillos, quartered
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 (14 1/2-ounce) cans plum tomatoes, undrained and chopped
• 1 (15-ounce) can no-salt-added pinto beans, drained
• 1 (7 3/4-ounce) can Mexican hot-style tomato sauce (such as El Paso)
• 1 smoked ham hock (about 8 ounces)
• 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
• 1/2 cup finely chopped cilantro
• 1/2 cup finely chopped green onions
• 1/2 cup (2 ounces) crumbled queso fresco
• 8 lime wedges

Preparation

1. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add ground pork to pan; cook 5 minutes or until browned, stirring to slightly crumble. Drain well. Transfer pork to an electric slow cooker.
2. Recoat pan with cooking spray. Add pork shoulder; cook 5 minutes or until lightly browned, turning occasionally. Transfer pork to slow cooker.
3. Recoat pan with cooking spray. Add onion and bell pepper; sauté 8 minutes, stirring frequently. Add garlic; sauté 1 minute. Add tomato paste; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Stir in beer; cook 1 minute. Transfer onion mixture to slow cooker. Add chili powder, and next 9 ingredients (through ham hock) to slow cooker. Cover and cook on HIGH 5 hours or until meat is tender. Remove bay leaves and ham hock; discard. Stir in sugar. Ladle about 1 1/3 cups chili into each of 8 bowls; top each serving with 1 tablespoon cilantro, 1 tablespoon green onions, and 1 tablespoon cheese. Serve each serving with 1 lime wedge.
Note: You can also cook the chili in a slow cooker on LOW for 8 hours. For cooking chili on the stovetop, use a total of 12 ounces beer and simmer, covered, for 2 1/2 to 3 hours or until the pork shoulder is tender.
Recipe from Cooking Light

-Cheryl

Perfect Roast Chicken : Ina Garten

Copyright 1999, The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook, All Rights Reserved

Serves: 8

Ingredients

• 1 (5 to 6 pound) roasting chicken
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 large bunch fresh thyme, plus 20 sprigs
• 1 lemon, halved
• 1 head garlic, cut in half crosswise
• 2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter, melted
• 1 large yellow onion, thickly sliced
• 4 carrots cut into 2-inch chunks
• 1 bulb of fennel, tops removed, and cut into wedges
• Olive oil

Directions

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Remove the chicken giblets. Rinse the chicken inside and out. Remove any excess fat and leftover pin feathers and pat the outside dry. Liberally salt and pepper the inside of the chicken. Stuff the cavity with the bunch of thyme, both halves of lemon, and all the garlic. Brush the outside of the chicken with the butter and sprinkle again with salt and pepper. Tie the legs together with kitchen string and tuck the wing tips under the body of the chicken. Place the onions, carrots, and fennel in a roasting pan. Toss with salt, pepper, 20 sprigs of thyme, and olive oil. Spread around the bottom of the roasting pan and place the chicken on top.
Roast the chicken for 1 1/2 hours, or until the juices run clear when you cut between a leg and thigh. Remove the chicken and vegetables to a platter and cover with aluminum foil for about 20 minutes. Slice the chicken onto a platter and serve it with the vegetables.

-Cheryl

Chicken Divan

Serves: 6

3 chicken breasts: ( I roast these in the oven at 350 degrees drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with salt and pepper for about 30- 40 mins. ) This is how I prepare chicken

for all recipes that call for cooked chicken. Learned this from Ina Garten, don’t cook

too long or it will get dry. You can test it for doneness by cutting into it with a knife.

It’s ready when the juices run clear.

Slice the chicken breast into 1/8 inch slices. You can use left over turkey for this

recipe also.

2 heads of broccoli cut into small pieces and par boiled. I cover with saran and

cook in the microwave, don’t overcook since it will continue to cook in the casserole.

1 can Cream of Chicken Soup

1 can Cream of Mushroom Soup

1 cup of mayonnaise

1   8 oz carton of reduced fat sour cream

1 cup of grated sharp cheddar cheese

1 tsp lemon juice

1 tsp curry powder ( it’s just as good without it if you don’t like curry)

Salt and pepper to taste

Parmesan cheese

Paprika

Mix soups, sour cream, mayo, grated cheese and seasonings through salt and pepper.

Arrange drained broccoli into bottom of oiled 3 quart flat casserole.

Place sliced chicken breast ( or sliced turkey) over broccoli.

Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese ( the amount is to your taste)

Pour sauce over.

Sprinkle top with Parmesan cheese and paprika.

Dot with butter.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 40 mins. or until bubbly.

This dish can be made ahead and refrigerated or frozen.

-Cheryl

Broccoli Casserole

Servings : 6    I double this recipe and bake in a 9 x 13 pan

1 package frozen chopped broccoli

1 can cream of mushroom soup

½ cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

½ cup milk

½ cup mayonnaise ( I always use the mayo w/ olive oil)

1 egg, beaten

¼ cup finely chopped onion

½ cup finely chopped celery

1 - 2 tablespoons melted butter

¼ - ½ cup fine bread crumbs ( I use the cuisinart to make the bread crumbs)

Cook broccoli according to package directions; drain. Place broccoli in 10 x 6 x 1 ½ “ oiled baking dish. Combine soup and cheese, add milk, mayonnaise, egg, onion and celery. Stir until well blended. Pour over broccoli. Combine melted butter and bread crumbs, sprinkle evenly over soup mixture. Bake in preheated oven at 350 for 45 minutes or until bubbly and the crumbs are lightly browned.

-Cheryl

Taco Salad

For Chicken, just cook as many chicken breasts as needed with salsa in slow cooker. Shred when done and add to lettuce with toppings. Our toppings usually are: 　

Corn
Beans
Bell peppers (for me...)
Salsa
Cheese
Avocado
Tortilla chips
　
You could also use the chicken to make cheese quesadillas, tacos, nachos, enchiladas, etc...So I usually make extra and use it another night.

-Emily

Balsamic Chicken and Sweet Potato Fries

For Chicken: Chicken breasts (as many as you need)
Balsamic Vinaigrette (usually use Newman's Own)
　
In a slow cooker, pour salad dressing over chicken breasts and cook 6 hours on low or 3-4 hours on high.
　
For Fries:
Sweet potatoes (I usually plan one per person)
Olive Oil (usually do about 1 tbsp)
Salt and pepper (1 tsp of each?)
　
Cut sweet potatoes into thick wedges (like steak fries!) and coat in olive oil, salt and pepper. Spread on cookie sheet lined with foil and bake at 400 degrees for 30-45 minutes depending on how crispy you want them. You could also do other seasoning blends like olive oil, honey and lemon juice or italian seasoning and garlic powder or cayenne pepper....you get the idea.

-Emily

Crockpot Chicken Jumbalaya

4 Chicken breasts (I usually just cook mine from frozen)
2 red bell peppers
4 stalks celery
2 can diced tomatoes
1 tbsp Creole Seasoning
2 bay leaves
　
Put chicken breasts in slow cooker and layer remaining ingredients stirring to combine. Cook on low for 6-8 hours and high 4-5. Serve over brown rice.

-Emily

Grilled Cheese and Tomato Soup

For Grilled Cheese:

Whole grain bread
Cheese slices (my family prefers Colby Jack)
Turkey
　
Layer cheese and turkey on bread and press in hot George Forman Grill. Or if you are lucky and you own one, in a panini press.
　
For Tomato Soup:
　
2 cans diced tomatoes
1 tbsp Italian seasoning
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp pepper
　
Combine all ingredients in blender and blend until smooth. Pour into pan and heat on stove top.

-Emily

Whole Wheat Waffles or Pancakes

1.5 cups whole wheat flour
1 tbsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
2 eggs
1.5 cups milk
3 tbsp applesauce
　
Mix all ingredients until just combined. Pour onto hot griddle for pancakes or into waffle maker for waffles. I am happy with PB and banana or fruit and yogurt on top. My boys usually choose syrup to top so I usually do fruit parfaits (yogurt, granola and fruit layered) or scrambled eggs with fruit to go with it.

-Emily

Italian Beef Sandwiches

I usually double (or triple) the recipe so we have plenty of juice for dipping!

3 pounds beef rump roast
2 cups water
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons beef bouillon
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper

-Kristi

Cafe Rio Chicken and Dressing

1 small bottle Kraft Zesty Italian Dressing
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon cumin
3 cloves garlic, mined
5 pounds chicken breast

Cook all together in a crock pot for 4 hours, shred meat and cook 1 additional hour. (I usually half this recipe for my family.)

1 buttermilk ranch dressing packet (make as per recipe)
2 tomatillos
1/2 bunch of cilantro
1 clove garlic
juice of 1 lime
1 jalapeno (Use the seeds too if you like it spicy.)

Use a food processor to blend all the ingredients well. Regrigerate.

-Kristi