Apple Slab

Apple Slab.  Not the most romantic name for a dessert but you won't care what it's called once you get your first bite.  I made this for the the first time at Thanksgiving and it was a huge hit! It's sweet, a bit tangy and full of apple goodness. 

Ingredients

Pie Crust

Use your favorite pie crust recipe.  I made a double batch of Gluten Free Pie Crust and it worked out just perfect for the size of my pan. 

Filling

8 oz. gingersnap cookie crumbs (about 1 cup)

1 tablespoon quick cooking tapioca

3/4 cup sugar (1 cup if apples are really tart)
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1/2 cup butter (1 stick)
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
2 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice (about the juice of one lemon)
4 - 5 Tablespoons cornstarch (depending on how juicy the apples are)
8 Granny Smith or other good baking apple

Glaze

1 1/2 cups confectioners sugar (aka powdered sugar)

1/3 cup boiled cider (which you can buy or make yourself pretty inexpensively .  I added a cinnamon stick to the cider while it cooked.)

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Enough milk or cream to make the mixture "drizzable".

Directions

Take your pie dough and split it into two parts about 60% and 40%.  Shape each piece of crust into a rectangle; you’re going to be rolling them into rectangles, so might as well give yourself a head start.

Take the larger piece of pastry and put it on a floured work surface (if your using a gluten dough) if it's GF place between two pieces of plastic wrap or parchment paper to roll out.  Start to roll it into an 11” x 15” rectangle.  Lay the dough into the bottom of an ungreased 9"x13" pan. The dough should come up the sides of the pan.  Don't worry about ragged edges, they'll disappear under the top crust.

Messy, huh? That’s OK. Patch up the holes by pushing the pastry together with your fingers, or adding a pinch from the excess on the sides. Push the pastry up the sides of the pan a bit, to make a shallow pastry container for the apples.

In a separate bowl, add the tapioca to the gingersnap crumbs and mix well.  Dump the lot into your dish with the pie dough in it to make an even shallow layer. This will help to absorb the apples’ juice and keep the crust from becoming soggy. 

Put the crust in the fridge while you get the apples ready. And start preheating your oven to 350°F.

Combine in small bowl: sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and lemon zest. In another small bowl combine melted butter and vanilla. Mix first bowl with second now. In third bowl combine lemon juice and cornstarch until thick. Now mix with other ingredients. Set aside. Try not to eat too much of this.

Next, we’re going to peel, core, and slice about 5 large or 6 to 7 medium baking apples. An apple peeler/corer/slicer makes this task fast and EASY.  In a large bowl combine the apples with spice mixture. Mix so that all fruit is thoroughly coated.  Lay the apples over the cookie crumbs. 

Roll the remaining piece of pastry into a 9” x 13” rectangle. Flop the top crust over the apples. Yes, apples will poke through. Seal the edges of the two crusts as well as you can. There’ll be places where they don’t quite meet. That’s OK. Just before baking, slash it 6 or 8 times to allow steam to escape. You can apply an egg wash at this point or for a vegan option brush on a mix of veganaise & (soy or coconut) creamer to give the crust a beautiful golden brown color. Put the slab in the preheated 350°F oven, and bake it for an hour or until you see sugary apple gel bubble up through the venting slits. 

No beauty queen, but icing will help its looks.  Remove it from the oven; it’ll be golden brown. Cool the slab completely before glazing.

Here’s a wonderfully tasty glaze: Combine 1 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar, 1/3 cup boiled cider, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, a small pinch of salt, and enough milk or cream to make the mixture “drizzlable.”

Don’t have boiled cider? Use plain milk or cream, maple syrup, honey, or thawed apple juice concentrate. Start with 1/4 cup of any of these; if you’ve made this kind of icing before, you know it’s easier to add more liquid, than to try to take it away. Add enough liquid to make the glaze pourable. Drizzle the glaze artfully atop the slab.

Cut. Serve. Enjoy!

Original recipe that I altered.

One Chicken, Four Meals

One chicken, four meals: a post for a friend of mine who was asking about meal planning. Okay, here's an easy one! Makes about four meals. And to make the second one vegetarian you could sub out the chicken and use tofu or squash instead. Sauté it first so it browns then add the onions and the rest of the ingredients.

MEAL ONE - CROCK POT CHICKEN

One whole chicken
1 onion
2 carrots
2 celery stalks
1 - 2 lemons
2 cloves of garlic
1/2 cup italian salad dressing
Sprig of fresh rosemary if you have it
white wine (optional)

Rinse the chicken, take out the little baggy of innards, pat dry and rub the inside cavity with a bit of corse salt.
Corsely chop the onion, carrots, celery and lemon (in quarters).
Put half the lemon in the chicken along with a handful of whatever veggies will fit.
Put the rest of the veggies and garlic on the bottom of the crock pot. Place the chicken breast side down over top.
Drizzle salad dressing over chicken, trying to lightly coat the whole thing. Put rosemary spring on top of chicken.
Cook on low for 8 hours or high for 5-6.

I usually nuke peas with this meal and if you make mashed taters ahead of time they can be frozen and nuked back to life or just reheated depending on if they've been it the fridge or freezer. If you have a little more time roasted veggies are also delish with the chicken.

To make a nice sauce for the chicken defat the broth and add a 1/4 cup of white wine to about 2 cups of broth. Puree the carrots and onions that were cooked with the chicken and whisk with the wine broth mixture. Pour over chicken.

MEAL TWO
This will give you at least another night of left overs.

MEAL THREE - TACO LASAGNA

Precooked chicken meat
1 tbl olive oil
1 onion
2 cloves minced garlic
1 pack of taco seasoning (or a mix of your own seasonings like dried cilantro, dried oregano, ground cumin, paprika, chili powder, ground red pepper, salt, black pepper, garlic salt, etc)
2 tbl lime juice
1 small can of tomato paste
1 14 oz can of chopped tomatoes with juice
1 small can of mild roasted green chilis
hot pepper sauce to taste (optional)
1 14 oz can of corn
1 14 oz can of bean (black, pinto, red or any kind of refried)
corn tortillas
cheddar cheese
fresh cilantro
fresh lime wedges
avocado
sour cream
hot sauce

Debone and shred the chicken, you should have about two cups left from prior meal.

In a large sauce pan add chopped onion and saute till soft. Add chicken, garlic, taco seasonings and saute for another two or three minutes. Add lime juice and let cook off. Add tomato paste, chopped tomatoes, roasted green chili's. Add hot sauce here if desired. Let simmer till everything is hot, about 6 minutes.

In a 8"x8" glass baking dish put a large spoonful or two of the chicken mix to the bottom of the pan and spread around. Add a layer of corn tortillas, a thin layer of cheese, a layer of beans and whole corn. Keep layering up till you run out of chicken. (End on the chicken layer - it should be on top)

At this point you could stop and put it covered in the fridge if you need to make it ahead of time. It could easily be baked later in the evening.

Bake on 350* for 1/2 hour (45 minutes if you've had it in the fridge). Last five minutes of cooking add cheddar cheese to top and bake long enough to brown slightly.

Let cool a little bit so it sets up. Cut slices like lasagna and garnish with cream cheese, avocado, lime wedges, cilantro and hot sauce.

MEAL FOUR
Should be at least one night of left overs.

Spicy Cranberry Chutney

There can never be too much cranberry sauce at our table. Our family is split over the light sweet cranberry orange version that my mom makes and this deep spicy rich version that pairs amazingly well with the robust flavors of a sage infused turkey.

INGREDIENTS:

3 cups fresh cranberries
2 1/2 cups granulated sugar
3/4 cup water
2 granny smith apples, peeled, cored and diced small
1/2 cup celery, diced small
1 cup yellow onion, diced small
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon ground cloves
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 cup Thompson raisins

DIRECTIONS:

Combine all ingredients, except the raisins, into a large (3 quart) sauce pan. Bring the mixture to a boil; reduce the heat to medium-low and allow to simmer for approximately 20-30 minutes or until berries pop.

Simmer for an additional 15-20 minutes to allow mixture to reduce and thicken.

Remove from heat, stir in the raisins and allow raisins to plump. Serve warm or chilled.

PREP TIME: 10 minutes
COOK TIME: 45 minutes
SERVES: 12-16

Tiffany's Taco Soup

INGREDIENTS:

1 tbl. olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 large green bell pepper, chopped
1 large red bell pepper, chopped
3 - 4 stalks of celery, chopped
2 large cloves of garlic, diced
1 1/2 lbs. of the leanest ground beef you can find

4 14 oz. cans of beef broth
1 28 oz. can of diced tomatoes
1 14 oz. can of whole tomatoes
1 can of corn, drained
1 can of pinto beans with juice
1 can of garbanzo beans with juice
1 can of hominy, drained (optional)
1 package taco seasoning

GARNISH WITH:

Grated cheddar cheese
avocado
lime wedges
sour cream
tortilla chips

DIRECTIONS:

In a large stock pot saute the onion, bell peppers, celery and garlic for five minutes in a little bit of olive oil then stir in the meat and cook over medium hight heat until the meat is cooked (no longer red).
Reduce the heat to medium and add in the broth, tomatoes, corn, pinto beans, garbanzo beans, hominy and taco seasoning.
Simmer the ingredients until all the veggies are tender, about 1 1/2 hours.
Serve the soup with grated cheese, avocado, lime, sour cream and tortilla chips.

Hot Apple Cider with Ginger and Cardamom

A lovely seasonal treat that's delicious with dessert.

INGREDIENTS:

1 lemon
1/4 cup sugar
6 quarter sized pieces of crystallized ginger, coarsely chopped
20 cardamom pods
15 whole cloves
2 cinnamon sticks, each broken in half
8 cups unfiltered apple cider

DIRECTIONS:

Using vegetable peeler, remove peel (yellow part only) in strips from lemon. Heat heavy large pot over medium heat. Add lemon peel, ginger, cardamom, cloves and cinnamon and stir until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add cider and bring to boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer mixture 15 minutes. Strain into mugs and serve.

8 servings / Bon Appetite

Apple Crisp

I like a lot of Streusel Topping on my apple crisp, and this recipe has lots! There’s plenty, even if you use a shallow pan. If you like less topping, halve the streusel recipe. This is also a nice sweet treat for breakfast!



STREUSEL TOPPING
½ cup shortening (or butter at room temp)
¾ cup sugar
½ cup potato starch
¾ cup cornstarch
2 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
1½ tsp xanthan gum
¼ cup milk (or less - add last otherwise it can lose it’s “crumble” and turn to sticky dough)
1 tsp cinnamon

APPLES
5-6 medium apples, peeled, cored, chopped (about five cups)
1½ TBL cornstarch
2 TBL sugar (use a bit more for tart apples)
¼ tsp cinnamon
(I also add a splash of lemon juice and up the spice)

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 375°. In medium bowl, combine all Streusel Topping ingredients. Mix to form small clumpy pieces. If you overmix, you may simply break off small pieces of the topping to form small pieces. Set aside.

In large bowl, combine apples, cornstarch, sugar and cinnamon. Toss to coat well. Put apple mixture into lightly greased pie plate or 1½ quart casserole. Top with streusel mixture.

Bake 35-40 minutes until apples are tender and streusel is browned.

NOTE TO SELF:
Next time try adding cranberries and walnuts with a little bit of lemon zest to the apple mixture before baking. A teaspoon of tapioca is good too to help keep it thick and not get too watery.

Yields: Serves six

Source: Roben Ryberg's The Gluten Free Kitchen

Blueberry Lime Jam

Yeild: about 6 half-pints

4 1/2 cups blueberries
1 package (1.75oz) powdered pectin
5 cups of sugar
1 tablespoon grated lime peel
1/3 cup lime juice

Crush blueberries one layer at a time. Combine crushed blueberries and powdered pectin in a large sauce-pot. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Add sugar, stirring until dissolved. Stir in grated lime peel and lime juice. Return to a rolling boil. Boil hard one minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Skim foam if necessary. Ladle hot jam into hot jars leaving 1/4" headspace. Adjust two-piece caps. Process 15 minutes in a boiling-water canner.

Source: Ball Blue Book of preserving

New England Sausage, Apple and Dried Cranberry Stuffing

Destined to become your new family tradition, this impressive stuffing gets its Yankee accent from apples and dried cranberries.

Ingredients

– 14 ounces GF bread, cut into 1/2" - 1/4" cubes (about 12 cups or one loaf)
– 1 pound sweet Italian sausages, casings removed
– 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter or substitute
– 6 cups sliced leeks (white and pale green parts only; about 3 large leeks)
– 1 pound tart green apples, peeled, cored, chopped
– 2 cups chopped celery with leaves
– 4 teaspoons poultry seasoning
– 1 teaspoon sage (optional)
– 1 cup dried cranberries (about 4 ounces)
– 4 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary
– 2/3 cup chopped fresh parsley
– 3 eggs, beaten to blend (while this improves the recipe it can be made without. I usually reserve a little EF bowl for myself and bake the rest with eggs for everyone else)
– 1 1/3 cups (about) canned low-salt chicken broth

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Divide bread cubes between 2 large baking sheets. Bake until slightly dry, about 15 minutes. Cool completely.

Saute sausages in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat until cooked through, crumbling coarsely with back of spoon, about 10 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer sausage to large bowl. Pour off any drippings from skillet.

Melt butter in same skillet over medium-high heat. Add leeks, apples, celery and poultry seasoning to skillet; sauté until leeks soften, about 8 minutes. Mix in dried cranberries and rosemary. Add mixture to sausage, then mix in bread and parsley. Season stuffing to taste with salt and pepper. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.) Mix eggs into stuffing.

To BAKE stuffing in TURKEY: Fill main turkey cavity with stuffing. Mix enough chicken broth into remaining stuffing to moisten (about 3/4 to 1 cup chicken broth, depending on amount of remaining stuffing). Spoon remaining stuffing into buttered baking dish. Cover with buttered aluminum foil. Bake stuffing in dish alongside turkey until heated through, about 45 minutes. Uncover stuffing and bake until top is golden brown, about 15 minutes.

To BAKE all stuffing in PAN: Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter 15x10x2-inch baking dish. Mix 1 1/3 cups broth into stuffing. Transfer to prepared dish. Cover with buttered foil and bake until heated through, about 45 minutes. Uncover and bake until top is golden brown, about 15 minutes.

14 Servings (About 18 cups)
Source: Slightly altered recipe from: Bon Appétit_November 1994

==========================================

Here are the comments and reviews given from the original version from Epicurious.com.

Don't just take my word for it! This recipe has a four fork rating with 95% of the people who try it, would be willing to make it again. Enjoy! It's amazing - I could eat this three times a day and make it though out the year 'cause just having it annually isn't enough!

It's as Easy as Apple Pie

INGREDIENTS:

3/4 cup sugar (1 cup if apples are really tart)
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
3 tablespoons quick-cooking tapioca
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1/2 cup butter (1 stick)
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice (about the juice of one lemon)
2 Tablespoons cornstarch (depending on how juicy the apples are)
8 Granny Smith or other good baking apple

One package ready made crust or your own crust recipe
1 egg (or 1 TBL veganaise and 1 TBL Silk Soy Creamer whisked)
1 dash of nutmeg

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350*

Combine in small bowl: sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, 2 Tbl of the quick-cooking tapioca and lemon zest. In another small bowl combine melted butter and vanilla. Mix first bowl with second now. In third bowl combine lemon juice and cornstarch until thick. Now mix with other ingredients. Set aside. Try not to eat too much of this.

Take apples and peel them. Then half and quarter them, discard the core. Slice into wedges. In a large bowl combine the apples with spice mixture. Mix so that all fruit is thoroughly coated.

Grease a glass pie pan and prepare crust according to directions. Dust the inside bottom of crust with last TBL of quick-cooking tapioca. Fill crust with apple mixture. Place and seal upper crust to lower crust. Cut holes in the top crust to vent steam while baking.

Break egg and whisk with a little bit of water or use veganaise and creamer mix to brush on pie crust for glaze. Sprinkle with a dash of nutmeg.

Bake for 1 hour or until the pie is golden brown. Great warm with melted caramel and vanilla ice cream!!

Chicken Enchiladas

When I was a little girl we lived next door to a hispanic family. This recipe comes from my neighbor's Grandmother in Mexico City. Whenever my mother made them she could not keep me and my sister out of the cheese sauce before they were done! These are melt in your mouth divine.

INGREDIENTS:

ENCHILADAS:

15 corn tortillas

2 to 3 lbs. chicken cooked, boned and shredded. (Save broth for sauce.)
2 Tbl butter
2 Tbl flour or corn starch
1 chicken bouillon cube
1 lb can crushed tomatoes with juice
1 clove of garlic
2 Tbl minced onion
1/2 tea salt
1/2 tsp crushed leaf oregano
1/2 tsp pepper
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp tabasco / hot sauce (or more to taste)

CHEESE SAUCE:

2 Tbl butter
2 Tbl flour or corn starch
1/2 tsp salt
dash of pepper
1 Tbl minced onion
1 small can of green chili's (optional)
1 cup chicken stock
1/2 cup cream or milk
1 lb. shredded cheddar cheese

GARNISH:

Olives
Green peppers

DIRECTIONS:

CHICKEN:

If you don't have cooked chicken already and are starting out with raw follow these directions first.

Brown boneless skinless chicken breasts in a pan with some olive oil, salt and pepper. Once golden on both sides add two cans of chicken broth and cook till done. Save broth for cheese sauce.

ENCHILADAS:

Saute onion in a large skillet. Add bouillon cube and tomatoes. Thicken with corn starch or flour over medium heat, stirring constantly until smooth.

Blend in seasonings and garlic. Remove from heat and add shredded chicken.

CHEESE SAUCE:

Melt butter in sauce pan. Blend in corn starch, salt and pepper. Add onions, chili's, chicken stock and milk, stirring constantly till thick. Add cheese, blend until smooth.

ASSEMBLY:

Preheat oven to 400*.

Dip one side of corn tortilla in cheese sauce. Lay un-sauced side down on plate. Spoon a bit of the chicken tomato filling onto cheese side. Roll up and put in greased 9"x13" baking dish. Repeat until dish is full. Pour remaining sauce over the top of the enchiladas.

Garish with sliced olives or green peppers if desired.

Bake at 400* for 15 - 20 minutes.

Corned Beef and Cabbage

Another family classic who's origins are lost to time. We have this every year on St. Patty's Day.

INGREDIENTS:
3 lbs. corned beef (Look for the lean "round" cut not the brisket which tends to be a lot fattier.)
2 tsp peppercorns or 1/4 tsp ground pepper
12 whole cloves
2 bay leaves
8 potatoes, peeled and quartered
8 carrots, halved lengthwise
1 medium head cabbage, cut into 6 wedges

DIRECTIONS:
In large saucepan, cover corned beef with water. Add peppercorns, cloves and bay leaves. Simmer covered; 3 to 3 1/2 hours till tender. Add potatoes and carrots. Simmer; 15 minutes longer. Add cabbage; cook 15 minutes or until vegetable are tender. Remove bay leaves. Cut meat into pieces. Serve with cooking liquid and vegetables

NOTES:
If corned beef is packaged with spice package, omit peppercorns, clove and bay leaf. Alternately you can use about two tablespoons of pre-mixed pickling spice that can be purchased from the herb/spice section of your grocery store.

Serves 6 to 8

Rice with Peas and Mint

This is a lovely unexpected side dish to take to pot lucks and picnics. The mint gives it a light fresh taste perfect for summer get-togethers. I rarely come home with any left.

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup cooked rice
2 Tbl unsalted butter (or substitute like Earth Balance)
1 shallot, minced (about 2 Tbl worth)
Zest of one lemon
1 lb fresh peas, shelled, or 2 cups frozen peas
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
2 Tbl freshly chopped mint

DIRECTIONS:

Cook rice according to package directions. Melt butter in a medium sauce pan over medium heat. Add shallot and lemon zest, and saute until translucent.

Add peas and cook until bright green and tender, adding a little water if shallots brown before peas are done.

Add cooked rice, season with salt and pepper. Toss to combine. Remove from heat and stir in mint.

Can be eaten warm or chilled.

Source: This was originally a Martha Stewart recipe but it called for Orzo which traditionally is made from semolina, so obviously, it's off limits for me. It's easily subbed out with a cup of cooked rice.

Roast Chicken with Potatoes, Lemon and Asparagus

One of my all time favorite quick dishes when I'm expecting to have to feed a large number of house guests and would rather spend time visiting then cooking.

Packages of cut-up chicken in the supermarket often have 8 pieces. For even cooking we cut the breast pieces in half crosswise, making a total of 10 pieces.

Ingredients
1 1/2 pounds new potatoes halved (or fingerling potatoes whole)
3 TBL olive oil
coarse salt and ground pepper
1 package cut up whole chicken (about 3 lbs)
1 bunch asparagus (1lb) trimmed and cut into 2" pieces
1 lemon, cut into 8 wedges
6 springs fresh thyme

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 475. Toss potatoes in 2TBL olive oil. Place potatoes on a roasting pan or high sided baking sheet; season with salt and pepper. Roast tossing once, until potatoes are golden, 25 minutes.

2. Place chicken, skin side up, on top of potatoes; season with salt and pepper. Roast until chicken begins to brown, about 20 minutes.

3. Toss asparagus, lemon wedges and thyme in remaining TBL of olive oil. Scatter around chicken. Roast until asparagus is tender and chicken is opaque throughout, 5 - 15 minutes. Serve chicken, vegetables and lemon drizzled with pan juices.

OPTION: Other spices maybe used at anytime to "change it up" a bit. I like chives with the potatoes and paprika on the chicken too...

Serves 4
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
Everyday Food - Issue # 41

Greek-Style Slow Cooker Meatballs and Artichokes

This Mediterranean-inspired main dish is brimming with a medley of tastes: savory lemon, pungent oregano and tender artichoke hearts. I loved this recipe but thought it could've easily been doubled - two people ate 1/2 of this in one sitting! It's super easy and yummy!

Ingredients
1 sprays cooking spray
1 pound uncooked ground turkey breast
1/2 tsp table salt, or more to taste
1 tsp ground sage
8 small uncooked new potatoes, scrubbed, unpeeled
12 oz frozen or canned artichokes, hearts
1 tsp dried oregano, crushed
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 cup canned chicken broth
1 Tbsp cornstarch
1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice

Directions
Coat a 12-inch nonstick skillet with cooking spray.

Season turkey with salt and sage; shape into 1-inch balls. Add turkey to skillet and brown on all sides, about 3 to 5 minutes; remove and place in 4- to 5-quart slow cooker. Add broth to hot empty pan to release the browning. Then add to the slow cooker.

Add potatoes, oregano, and pepper; cover and cook on high heat for 3 hours. Add artichoke hearts and continue cooking for 2 to 3 more hours.

About 15 minutes before serving, spoon cornstarch into a cup. Add 1 tablespoon of the slow cooker liquid and lemon juice; stir well. Stir into slow cooker, cover and cook on low heat for 15 minutes more. Yields about 1 2/3 cups per serving.

Servings | 6
Preparation Time | 20 min
Cooking Time | 360 min
Weight Watchers

Southwestern Chicken Corn Chowder

INGREDIENTS:
1 boneless/skinless chicken breast OR 6 chicken tenders
2 tbl butter
1 scallion, white and green parts separated, thinly sliced
1 medium carrot, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp dried oregano
course salt and ground pepper
1 baking potato, peeled and cut into 1/2" pieces
1 package (10 oz) frozen corn kernels (I use a can of corn and it turns out just fine)
1 can (14.5 oz) reduced-sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup of 2% milk
1/2 cup of 1/2 & 1/2
Tabasco or chili powder (for optional heat)

DIRECTIONS:
In a medium saucepan, melt 1 tbl butter over medium heat. Brown chicken on both sides. Remove. Add 1 tbl butter and white part of scallion, carrot, chili powder and oregano; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until scallion is soft, about 2 minutes. Add chicken back in along with potato, corn, broth, milk and 1/2 & 1/2.

Bring to a boil over medium-high, and reduce to a simmer. Cook until potato is easily pierced with the tip of a knife, 15-20 minutes. Remove chicken and shred; return to pot. Stir in green part of scallion and season with salt and pepper (and other spices if you want it more flavorful or heat). Refrigerate in an airtight container up to about three days.

This was a recipe I altered slightly from a recipe out of Martha Stewart's Everyday Food Magazine. This is also excellent with a side of cornbread. It freezes well too so if you want to double up the recipe and freeze some for "easy dinners" later on it makes it convenient. As a last note the chicken could easily be removed for a vegetarian version of this chowder which is basically the original recipe.

Canadian Pork Tourtière

This is a recipe my from my mother's side of the family. It was her maternal grandmother's. This kind of pie is known as pâté à la viande (literally, meat pie) in the Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean region from which my ancestors hail. My mother would regale us with tales of her large French Canadian family coming home after midnight mass on Christmas and eating this dish and drinking Port wine till the wee hours of the morning while the children ran around and played under the table. Our family makes it every year on Christmas Eve still. It is the continuing tradition of the region to this day.

PIE CRUST

Follow directions for your favorite pie crust recipe
1 tsp flour
1 egg (or a combination of Vegenaise and soy creamer whisked together to make a thick cream)
1 TBL water

FILLING

1 1/2 lb ground pork
3/4 lb ground veal*
1/2 tsp. salt
2 TBL sage leaves
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 dash nutmeg
1/8 tsp ground clove
1/4 tsp allspice
1 dash pepper
1 large onion, chopped (3/4 cup)
2 cups mashed potatoes

*This is how it appears in the original recipe. You can sub out the veal with regular lean ground beef for the same taste.

GARNISHES

Pickle relish
Honey mustard

DIRECTIONS:

Make sure you have mashed potatoes on hand or start a pot boiling for potatoes while you cook the meat.

In a large skillet combine pork, veal (or ground beef), salt, sage, garlic, nutmeg and pepper. Cook over medium-high heat until lightly browned. Add chopped onion. Simmer until all moisture has steamed out of the pan. Remove from heat, drain out excess oil/fat. Stir in mashed potato and let cool.

Prepare pie crust according to directions for a two crust pie. Heat oven to 425*. Spoon filling into crust lined pie dish. Cover with second crust. Slit crust in several place to vent.

Beat egg with water; brush egg mixture over top of crust to make a nice glaze. Or use a combination of Vegenaise and soy creamer whisked together to make a thick cream to bush onto crust to make a nice glaze. Bake at 425* for 25 to 30 minutes or until golden brown.

Serve with port, pickle relish and mustard.

Serves 6 to 8

Apple Turnover

I was craving apple pie and didn't have time to make a whole pie so I had to improvise. Plus I didn't have a huge pile of apples. This works great with just apple sauce on hand.

1/2 stick butter ( 1/4c) room temp. (or butter sub)
3/4 c. sour cream
1 c. wendy warks GF flour mix
1 tsp. xanthan gum
1/8 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cream of tartar
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 TBSP sugar

In mixer bowl combine butter & sour cream until well blended. Add dry ingredients. Mix until a ball forms. Wrap in plastic wrap & chill.
On a lightly floured parchment paper, roll dough into several thin 5 inch circles.

For each turnover:
A scoop of applesauce
A scoop or two of brown sugar
A sprinkle of cinnamon
lemon juice
grated ginger
a sprinkle of quick cooking tapioca

In a seperate bowl add applesauce, cinnamon and sugar. Mix.
Put a scoop of this on to one side of each turnover, fold dough over and seal edges.

Brush over the top of folded turnover:
vegenaise
soy creamer

The top can be brushed with a combination of Vegenaise and Soy creamer whipped together to make into a thick cream. Brushing this will allow the to pastry brown nicely.
Sprinkle with cinnamon

Bake 350 for approx 25 min.

Potato Leek Soup

I made a potato leek soup today with potatoes, leeks and thyme from the garden. This soup came out smooth, creamy and delicately delicious. It's my own creation.

INGREDIENTS:
1 cup sliced leeks
5 - 6 potatoes, peeled and chopped (yukon gold is a good choice)
Salt and Pepper
1 - 2 TBL butter (or butter sub)
Chicken stock
1 Garlic clove crushed
1 teaspoon Mustard
1/2 cup Sour cream
Fresh thyme

Put leeks, potatoes, salt, pepper and butter in a soup pot, sautee for a few minutes till the onion is soft.

Add enough stock to just cover the potatoes. Set it to simmer. While simmering add a clove of garlic, a teaspoon or two of mustard. Simmer till the potatoes are cooked through. Turn off heat. Add two teaspoons of fresh thyme.

Take off the heat and put it in a bowl mixer with a whisk. Add about 1/2 cup of sour cream and whisk till smooth. Add more broth or water if it's too thick. Garnish with parmesan cheese and fresh thyme. Or for a heartier version...

2 lbs bulk Italian sweet pork sausage
1 bunch Kale

In a separate pan sauté bulk Italian sweet sausage until browned. Add in sliced chopped kale to taste. Cook till kale is wilted. Add to finished potato soup. Garnish with parmesan cheese and fresh thyme.

Creole Seasoning Mix

Make your own Creole seasoning mix to add spice to stews and soups.
Prep Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. paprika
1 Tbsp. garlic powder
2 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. white pepper
2 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. dried thyme leaves
1 tsp. dried marjoram leaves
1 tsp. dried oregano leaves
1 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
Preparation:

Combine all ingredients and store in an airtight container in a cool, dry place. Stir into mayonnaise, yogurt or sour cream for a vegetable dip, or sprinkle over oven fries. You can also use this in soups and stews.

Mom's Apple Pie in a Jar - aka Apple Jam

If you're a fan of apple pie - and who isn't? - you will love this luscious apple jam. Serve it on bread or use it more creatively in mini-tarts or as a dessert topping. You're certain to receive rave reviews for its good taste.

3/4 cup raisins or dried cranberries (I used dried cranberries)
6 cups chopped peeled Granny Smith or other tart apples (I used Jonathan)
Grated zest and juice of one lemon
1 (1.75oz) regular powdered fruit pectin
9 cups granulated sugar (yeah, that'd be NINE. *craaazy*)
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

1. Prepare canner, jars and lids
2. In a food processor fitted with a metal blade, pulse raisins until finely chopped. Set aside.
3. In a large, deep stainless steel saucepan combine apples and lemon zest and juice. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring frequently. Reduce heat and boil gently, stirring occionally, until apples begin to soften, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and whisk in pectin until dissolved. Stir in raisins. Return to high heat and bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Add sugar all at once and return to a full rolling boil, stirring constantly. Boil hard, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Remove from heat and stir in cinnamon and nutmeg. Skim off foam.
4. Ladle hot jam into hot jars, leaving 1/4" headspace. Remove airbubbles and adjust headspace, if necessary, by adding hot jam. Wipe rim. Center lid on jar. Screw band down until resistance is met, then increase to fingertip tight.
5. Place jars in canner, ensuring they are completely covered with water. Bring to a boil and process for 10 minutes. Remove canner lid. Wait 5 minutes, then remove jars, cool and store.

Source: Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving - 400 delicious and creative recipes for today.