Tuscan Chicken Vegetable Slow Cooker Soup

INGREDIENTS:

2-4 boneless chicken breasts, fat removed and cut into 1-2 inch cubes
1 carrots, peeled and sliced
1 stalk of celery, sliced
1/2 small-medium onion, diced
1 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium tomato, diced
6 baby potatoes, left whole or cut in half
1 cup chicken stock
1/2 tbsp tomato paste
1 tbsp white wine
1/4 tsp fennel seeds, crushed with side of knife

Just Before Serving:
1/8 cup water
1 1/2 tbsp cornstarch
1 3/4 tsp balsamic vinegar
1/4 tsp salt {to taste}

garnish with chopped parsley

DIRECTIONS:

1. Toss chicken, carrots, celery, onion, garlic, tomatoes, potatoes, chicken stock, tomato paste, wine, and fennel seeds into the slow cooker.
2. Cook on the lowest setting for 4-6 hours.
3. Just before serving, combine the corn starch with the water and mix until no lumps remain.
4. Add the water/cornstarch, balsamic vinegar, rosemary and salt. Taste and add additional salt if necessary

Makes 3-4 servings

*Serve with a crusty bread or fresh focaccia*

Slow Cooker Cajun Corn & Shrimp Chowder

INGREDIENTS:

16oz bag frozen sweet corn

½ pound red baby potatoes

¼ cup flour

1½ teaspoons cajun seasoning

4 cups chicken broth

½ cup heavy cream (for later)

12 oz shrimp, small peeled deveined and tail-off (for later)

salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS:

1. Wash and dice potatoes into bite sized chunks
2. Add potatoes and corn to slow cooker and toss to coat with flour
3. Add cajun seasoning and broth
4. Cover and cook on high for 2-3 hours or low for 4-6
5. Switch slow cooker to high
6. Add cream and shrimp
7. Cook for another 30-60 minutes until shrimp is cooked through and pink
8. Add salt and pepper to taste and serve

Slow Cooker French Onion Soup

INGREDIENTS:

4 yellow onions, skins removed and thinly sliced into rings

4 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons minced garlic

8 cups beef broth

1 bay leaf

6 slices crusty french bread

8-12 slices of gruyere or swiss cheese

DIRECTIONS:

1. Add butter and onion rings to the largest pan/skillet you have and saute over medium-high heat for about 10 minutes or until onions are translucent and start to brown. Cover and cook about 5 minutes longer to let them caramelize a little more.
2. Transfer onions to slow cooker. Add garlic, broth, and bay leaf. Cover and cook on high 3-4 hours or on low 6-8 hours (or up to 10).
3. About 20-30 minutes before serving, preheat oven to 420 degrees. Place slices of bread in a single layer on a baking sheet. Place in preheated oven for about 5 minutes, then flip the bread slices over and return to oven for another 5 minutes or so until bread is dried and crunchy. Set aside.
4. Place oven-safe bowls on the baking sheet. Fill each with soup from the slow cooker. Place 2 slices of swiss cheese (overlapping) on top of the soup so the edges are hanging over the sides of the bowls. Bake about 10 minutes until cheese is melty. Serve with crusty bread and garnish with parsley if desired.

Beef & Broccoli

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup beef broth

1/4 cup soy sauce

1/4 cup oyster sauce

1/4 cup light brown sugar

1 tablespoon sesame oil

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 pounds boneless beef chuck roast, thinly sliced

2 tablespoons cornstarch

2 heads broccoli, cut into florets

DIRECTIONS:

In a medium bowl, whisk together beef broth, soy sauce, oyster sauce, sugar, sesame oil and garlic.

Place beef into a slow cooker. Add sauce mixture and gently toss to combine. Cover and cook on low heat for 90 minutes.

In a small bowl, whisk together 1/4 cup water and cornstarch.

Stir in cornstarch mixture and broccoli into the slow cooker. Cover and cook on high heat for an additional 30 minutes.

Serve immediately.

MAKES 6 SERVINGS

Caldo de Res

INGREDIENTS:
2 pounds beef shank, with bone
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons ground black pepper
1 onion, chopped
1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes
3 cups beef broth
4 cups water
2 medium carrot, coarsely chopped
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 potato, quartered 
2 ears corn, husked and cut into thirds
2 chayotes, quartered
1 medium head cabbage, cored and cut into wedges
1/4 cup sliced pickled jalapenos
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
1 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 limes, cut into wedges
4 radishes, quartered

DIRECTIONS:

1. Cut the meat from the beef bones into about 1/2 inch pieces, leaving some on the bones.

2. Heat a heavy soup pot over medium-high heat until very hot. Add the oil, tilting the pan to coat the bottom. Add the meat and bones, and season with salt and pepper. Cook and stir until thoroughly browned.

3. Add 1 onion, and cook until onion is also lightly browned. Stir in the tomatoes and broth. The liquid should cover the bones by 1/2 inch. If not, add enough water to compensate. Reduce heat to low, and simmer for 1 hour with the lid on loosely. If meat is not tender, continue cooking for another 10 minutes or so.

4. Pour in the water, and return to a simmer. Add the carrot and 1/4 cup cilantro, and cook for 10 minutes, then stir in the potato, corn and chayote. Simmer until vegetables are tender. Push the cabbage wedges into the soup, and cook for about 10 more minutes.
Ladle soup into large bowls, including meat vegetables and bones. Garnish with jalapenos, minced onion, and additional cilantro. Squeeze lime juice over all, and serve with radishes.
Makes 8 servings

Fruit Medley & Cinnamon Chips

INGREDIENTS:

2 kiwis, peeled and diced

2 Golden Delicious apples (peeled, cored & diced)

8 oz. raspberries

1 pd. strawberries

2 tablespoons white sugar

1 tablespoon brown sugar

3 tablespoons fruit preserves

10 (10 inch) flour tortillas

butter flavored cooking spray

2 tablespoons cinnamon sugar

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a large bowl thoroughly mix kiwis, apples, raspberries, strawberries, white sugar, brown sugar and fruit preserves.  Cover & chill in the refrigerator for at least 15 minutes.

2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F

3. Coat one side of each flour tortilla with butter flavored cooking spray. Cut into wedges and arrange in a single layer on a large baking sheet. Sprinkle wedges with desired amount of cinnamon sugar. Spray again with cooking spray

 

4. Bake in the preheated oven 8 to 10 minutes. Repeat with any remaining tortilla wedges. Allow to cool approximately 15 minutes. Serve with chilled fruit mixture.

Honey Sesame Chicken Slow Cooker

INGREDIENTS:

2 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Salt & pepper
1 cup honey
1/2 cup soy sauce
4 tablespoons diced onion
4 tablespoons ketchup
2 tablespoon canola oil
2 clove garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
4 teaspoons cornstarch dissolved in 6 Tablespoons water
Sesame seeds

DIRECTIONS:

1. Season both sides of chicken with lightly with salt and pepper, put into crock pot. In a small bowl, combine honey, soy sauce, onion, ketchup, oil, garlic and pepper flakes. Pour over chicken.
2. Cook on LOW for 3-4 hours or on HIGH 1 1/2 – 2 1/2 hours, or just until chicken is cooked through.
3. Remove chicken from crock pot, leave sauce.
4. Dissolve 4 teaspoons of cornstarch in 6 tablespoons of water and pour into crock pot. Stir to combine with sauce. Replace lid and cook sauce on high for ten more minutes or until slightly thickened.
5. Cut chicken into bite size pieces, then return to pot and toss with sauce before serving.
6. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve over rice or noodles.

Strawberry-Poppy Seed Salad Dressing

INGREDIENTS:

1 clove garlic
1/8 slice of a small purple onion
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup fresh strawberries, raspberries (or 2 T. raspberry jam)
1/3 white vinegar
1/2 cup extra light olive oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon poppy seeds

 

DIRECTIONS:

1. Place all ingredients (except poppy seeds) into a blender. Blend until entirely pureed.

2. Stir in poppy seeds.

3. Serve immediately over your favorite salad for store for up to 48 hours

Cauliflower Chowder

INGREDIENTS:

4 slices of bacon, diced

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 head of cauliflower, roughly chopped

2 stalks of celery, diced

2 cloves of garlic, minced

2 tbsp parsley, fresh leaves chopped

2 carrots, peeled and diced

1 bay leaf

1 onion, diced

4 cups chicken broth

1 cup 2% milk

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

salt & pepper

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Heat a large skillet over MEDIUM HIGH heat. Add bacon and cook until brown and crispy, about 6-8 min. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate; set aside.

2. Melt butter in a large stockpot or Dutch oven over MEDIUM heat. Add garlic, onion, carrots and celery. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender.

3. Whisk in flour until lightly browned, about 1 minute. Gradually whisk in chicken broth &  milk and cook whisking constantly. (about 3-4 minutes). Stir in cauliflower and bay leaf.

4. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer until cauliflower are tender, about 12-15 min. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

(if chowder is too thick, add more milk as needed until desired consistency is reached)

Serve immediately, garnish with bacon (heavily, because bacon is AWESOME) and parsley.

Makes 4 Servings

Black Tea Cake with Honey Buttercream

BLACK TEA CAKE

ingredients:

1 cup (235 ml) milk
3 tablespoons black tea (or the contents of 3 tea bags)
1/4 cup (55 grams) butter, room temperature
1 cup (225 grams) granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 3/4 cups (175 grams) cake flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C). Grease a 9-inch round cake pan.

Warm the milk until near boiling on the stove or in the microwave. Cut open the tea bags and add the tea directly into the milk. Allow to cool.

In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the vegetable oil and vanilla extract. Gradually add in the cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir in the tea brewed milk, mixing until batter is uniform and smooth.

Transfer batter to prepared pan and bake for 30-40 minutes (18-22 minutes for cupcakes), or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove from the oven and allow to cool before frosting or serving.

HONEY BUTTERCREAM

ingredients:

1/2 cup (110 grams) butter, room temperature
3 tablespoons honey
2 cups (250 grams) powdered sugar
Pinch of salt

directions:

In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter and honey until smooth. Add the powdered sugar and salt and continue mixing until the frosting comes together. If the frosting is too runny, add more powdered sugar until it reaches the right consistency. Likewise, if the frosting is too stiff, add more honey (or a splash of milk) to thin it out. If the frosting is too sweet, add a pinch more salt until the desired sweetness is achieved.

Spread or pipe the honey buttercream onto the cooled cake and serve.

Yields 9-inch cake (2 5-inch cakes or 18 cupcakes)