Category: Recipes

Recipes

Spring Salad with Lemon Poppyseed Dressing

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A creamy, tangy lemon dressing is just what we all need in the middle of winter!

Salad:
Spring salad mix (or your favorite salad blend)
Cooked chicken breast*
Chopped apple
Pecans*
Feta+
Sliced Strawberries
Snap Peas

Dressing:
¼ cup Greek yogurt or sour cream+
¼ cup mayonnaise+
3 tbsp fresh-squeezed lemon juice (1 lemon)
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp lemon zest (1 lemon)
1 tbsp sugar
2 tsp poppy seeds
Salt and pepper (1/4 tsp or to taste)

  1. Slice and chop the salad toppings you’d like to have. (~1 cup of salad greens, and ~1/4th cup or less of each topping is usually plenty for one person)
  2. Add all dressing ingredients to a large jar with lid (mason, or a recycled container such as jelly jars, etc). Put cap on and shake. You can also whisk this dressing in a bowl until full blended. Taste and adjust to your liking – add a bit more sugar or even honey if you want it a little sweeter. This will keep for about a week in the fridge.
  3. Create your salad and add dressing. If you are portioning it out or saving for later, such as lunch at work, pour some dressing in a Ziploc baggie, etc. When ready to eat, if it’s separated just shake to recombine everything, and add to your salad just before eating. If storing for longer than a day, you may want to put toppings in a baggie etc and add just before eating.
Recipes

Sausage Potato Kale Soup

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DIY a restaurant favorite!


1 lb Italian Sausage
¼ ~ ½ tsp red chili flakes (optional)
1 c chopped onion (1/2 a large onion or ¼ cup dried minced onion)
2 large potatoes, chopped (~2 cups)
2 c chicken broth
4 c water
2 cloves garlic, minced (½ tsp or more to taste)
1/3 c cooked bacon*
Salt and pepper
2 c chopped kale
1 c cream, milk, or ½ and ½

  1. Brown sausage in a skillet, drain.
  2. To a large pot add onion, potatoes, broth, water, garlic, red chili flakes. Bring to a boil, reduce to simmer and cook until potatoes are soft, about 20 minutes.
  3. Add cooked sausage, bacon, salt and pepper. Simmer 10 min.
  4. Turn heat to low and add the chopped kale and cream or milk. Heat through until kale is softened. Serve with warm bread.

*Bake bacon in the oven on a foil lined cookie sheet at 400F for 10-12 minutes, checking regularly. Drain on paper towels and crumble

Recipes

Southwest Chicken Fajita Salad

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Try an avocado ranch dressing and some spicy sriracha to spice up your salad routine! Serves 4-6

1 salad mix (spring mix etc)
2 tomatoes, diced
1 can corn (drained)
1 can black beans (drained and rinsed)
2 large or 4 thin chicken breasts, marinated**
Shredded cheese
Tortilla strips (see recipe here for homemade tortilla strips)

Dressing:
2 avocados
1/2 cup Ranch dressing
handful of chopped cilantro
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
A few tbsp milk to thin as needed

**Marinate chicken breast in ~1/3 cup olive oil to coat chicken. Season with salt, pepper, paprika, cumin, chili powder, garlic and onion powders as desired (or your favorite seasoning blend). Let sit a few hours. You may also use precooked chicken/rotisserie chicken/leftover grilled or baked chicken for your salad.

  1. Grill chicken in air fryer, oven, pan, grill etc. Set aside and assemble salad with any desired toppings.
  2. Prepare dressing ingredients in a small blender/food processor or mash with fork until avocado is creamy and dressing well blended. Pour over salad and enjoy! Add a few drops of sriracha sauce for extra zing!
Recipes

Sugar Cream Pie

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A favorite recipe of ours. It first surfaced during the Great Depression when people were desperate to make something out of nothing. The best part is it tastes just like Kewpee’s Sugar Cream Pie. A local favorite.

1 deep dish pie crust (bottom only)
1 1/2 cups water
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 tsp apple cider vinegar *Not all recipes call for this, we think it makes the flavor pop!
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/2 tsp kosher salt
6 tbsp butter

  1. Preheat oven to 400 F.
  2. Place crust in deep dish pie pan.
  3. Pour water into the pie crust.
  4. Drizzle vanilla and vinegar over the water. DO NOT MIX.
  5. In a medium bowl, mix sugar, flour, and salt together.
  6. Sprinkle sugar mixture over water in the crust.
  7. Pad your butter and float them as evenly as possible over the pie water.
  8. Bake at 400 for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes shield the pie crust with foil. Reduce heat to 375 and bake an additional 30 minutes. When removing the pie, filling will be loose/watery. Cool pie to room temperature (about 1 hour). Loosely cover the pie and refrigerate until fully set (about 8 hours).
Recipes

Candied Sugar Pecans

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A festive snack for your holiday get-togethers can double as a DIY gift for the holidays – courtesy of Sally’s Baking Addiction

6 cups pecan halves
2 egg whites
2 Tbsp water
2 cups sugar
2 ½ tsp cinnamon
2 tsp salt
Cooking spray

  1. Preheat oven to 300F. Line two large baking sheets with parchment and spray with non-stick cooking spray or use silicone baking mat.
  2. Pour pecans into a large bowl. Set aside.
  3. Using an electric mixer that is very clean and preferably cold, beat the egg whites and water on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form, about 4-5 minutes. NOTE: Your equipment must be clean and free of any egg yolk or they will not beat to stiff peaks. Rub beaters and bowl with lemon juice or vinegar and rinse/dry.
  4. Add the sugar, cinnamon, and salt to the egg whites and gently fold until combined. Pour this mixture over the nuts and stir to coat completely.
  5. Spread nuts over baking sheet and bake 45 minutes, stirring every 15 min. Allow to cool completely on the baking sheet. Store at room temperature covered up to 2 weeks.
Recipes

Yellow Rice

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Add some frozen peas or mixed vegetables while cooking for extra flavor

1 cup long grained, jasmine, or basmati rice
2 cups water
1 Tbsp butter
2 tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup frozen mixed veggies

  1. Rinse rice using mesh strainer until water is not so cloudy. Place in medium saucepan with water, bring to a boil. Add salt, turmeric, butter, veggies. Cover and steam on low heat ~15-20 minutes until rice is done.
  2. Fluff with fork and mix before serving.

    *If using a rice cooker place all ingredients in and cook according to the rice maker’s directions. Reduce water by a small amount.
Recipes

Chicken Tortilla Soup

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A flavorful soup with crunchy homemade tortillas, from averiecooks.com


10 corn tortillas, cut in strips
2 tbsp        olive oil
1 tsp           kosher salt (or to taste)

2 Tbsp       olive oil
1 cup          diced onion (1 medium onion)
1 large       jalapeno pepper, seeds removed, diced
2 tsp          minced garlic (4 cloves)
4 cups       chicken broth
2 cans       diced tomatoes
1 can          black beans, drained/rinsed
1 can          cooked corn (or 1.5 cups frozen)
2 cups       cooked chicken, diced or shredded
1 Tbsp        lime juice
1 Tbsp        chili powder
2 tsp          cumin
2 tsp          salt
1 tsp           pepper
1 tsp           paprika
¼ tsp        cayenne pepper

Optional Toppings:
Rinsed and chopped cilantro
Shredded Cheese
Diced Avocado
Sour cream

  1. Toss corn tortilla strips in oil. Spread out on foil lined baking sheet. Sprinkle with kosher salt and bake at 375F for 15 min, stirring every so often. Remove and let cool.
  2. While tortillas are cooking, add 2 tbsp oil to large pot. Saute onion and jalapeno to soften, ~5 minutes. Add garlic, saute 1 min. Add remaining ingredients (not toppings). Boil gently for 5-10 minutes.
  3. Serve with tortilla strips and other toppings as desired.
Recipes

No Peek Beef & Gravy

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Comforting beef and gravy for rainy days – instapot or crockpot directions as well

2 lbs beef roast/chuck cubed
1 cup water
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 packet beef gravy
1 packet lipton soup (beefy onion/mushroom/any flavor is ok)

  1. Place beef in greased baking dish (9×13 or similar, to hold 1-2 quarts)
  2. Mix remaining ingredients in a small bowl; pour over beef and stir to combine.
  3. Cover tightly with foil and bake for 3 hours at 300F.
  4. Serve with noodles or rice.


Instapot Directions:

  1. Place all ingredients in Instapot EXCEPT gravy package (gravy/starches stick to bottom of pressure cookers). Place cover on and select Meat/Stew or manual Pressure Cook (high). Let cook 15 minutes. Release steam, open and stir.
  2. Stir gravy package with ½~1 c water. Pour into the pressure cooker and stir to combine. Let stand a few minutes to thicken.

Slowcooker Directions:

  1. Place beef in slowcooker. Pour combined soups/water over the top. Cover and cook on High 4 hours or low 5-6.
Recipes

Cinnamon Fruit Salad

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Simply but satisfying fruit salad to go with your busy weeknight meals

1 apple
1 banana
1 orange/mandarin/clementine
½ cup grapes, halved
½ cup sliced strawberries
½ tsp cinnamon

  1. Rinse all fruit. Chop fruit into bite sized pieces. Toss with cinnamon.

    Notes:
    – If your fruit is very tart, add a spoon or two of sugar (Stevia goes very well with fruit also)
    – Feel free to vary proportions or types of fruit – this works well to “use up” some fruit that is ripe and needs to be eaten
    – Serve over mixed greens with some cooked chicken and nuts for an easy lunch or light meal

Recipes

Easy Red Beans and Rice

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The “Holy Trinity” of Cajun cooking featured here. Adjust or leave out the spice out if you want!

~ 12 oz or 1 lb smoked sausage (or andouille sausage for extra spice!)
2 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, diced
2 ribs celery, diced
1 big green pepper, diced
1 jalapeno, seeded & diced (optional)
1 tsp minced garlic
1.5 Tbsp Cajun seasoning (optional or use less)
1/4 or 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
2 tsp thyme
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
2 can red kidney beans, drained
2 bay leaves
2 cups chicken broth

  1. Slice sausage into 1/2″ rounds. Brown in a sauté pan or skillet over medium heat with 1 Tbsp olive oil. Set sausage aside. Use another Tbsp of oil to sauté veggies until soft, about 8-10 minutes.
  2. Add garlic and seasonings, cook 1 min.
  3. Add beans and broth. Bring to a boil, reduce and simmer ~15 min.
  4. Return sausage to pan and simmer everything on medium low 5-10 min.
  5. Serve with rice.