Moroccan Winter Squash & Carrot Stew with Quinoa//Gluten Free Goodness

I discovered this recipe in Epicurious a few weeks ago and fell in love. I added a half of a sweet potato, white beans to the stew and golden raisins to the quinoa. Here is how to make it:

Ingredients

Stew
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
3 garlic cloves, chopped
2 teaspoons Hungarian sweet paprika
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 can of white beans
Pinch of saffron
1 cup water
1 14 1/2-ounce can diced tomatoes, drained
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
3 cups 1-inch cubes peeled butternut squash (from 1 1/2-pound squash)
2 cups 3/4-inch cubes peeled carrots

Quinoa

1 cup quinoa*
hand full of golden raisins
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1/4 cup finely chopped peeled carrot
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
2 cups water
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro, divided
2 teaspoons chopped fresh mint, divided

For stew:
Heat oil in large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion; sauté until soft, stirring often, about 5 minutes. Add garlic; stir 1 minute. Mix in paprika and next 8 ingredients. Add 1 cup water, tomatoes, and lemon juice. Bring to boil.

Add beans, squash,sweet potato and carrots. Cover and simmer over medium-low heat until vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.)


For quinoa:

Rinse quinoa; drain. Melt butter with oil in large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and carrot. Cover; cook until vegetables begin to brown, stirring often, about 10 minutes. Add garlic, raisins,salt, and turmeric; sauté 1 minute.








Add quinoa; stir 1 minute.

Add 2 cups water. Bring to boil; reduce heat to medium-low. Cover; simmer until liquid is absorbed and quinoa is tender, about 15 minutes.




















Rewarm stew. Stir in half of cilantro and half of mint. Spoon quinoa onto platter, forming well in center. Spoon stew into well. Sprinkle remaining herbs over(don't you dare forget the herbs-they make the dish!)

Tada:

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Read More http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Quinoa-with-Moroccan-Winter-Squash-and-Carrot-Stew-233714#ixzz1F0BKNxGo

{Gluten Free} Baked Cod & Chorizo

With an 11wk old and an almost 3year old, this hungry momma doesn't have tons of time to lounge in the kitchen. This baked cod recipe is so easy to make and DELICIOUS! Try it!!

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 ounces Spanish chorizo (cured sausage), thinly sliced
1 pound Yukon gold potatoes, sliced 1/4 inch thick
2 leeks (white and light green parts), cut into thin half-moons
1/4 teaspoon crumbled saffron threads
Kosher salt and black pepper
1 1 1/2-pound piece cod fillet
1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped ** i substituted cilantro

Preparation:
 
1.Heat oven to 400° F. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and cook, tossing occasionally, until browned, 2 to 3 minutes.


2.Add the potatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes. Add the leeks, saffron, ½ cup water, ¾ teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Bring to a boil.

3.Season the cod with ½ teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Place it on top of the potatoes and drizzle with the remaining tablespoon of oil.

4.Transfer the skillet to oven and bake until the cod is opaque throughout, 15 to 20 minutes. Sprinkle with the parsley before serving.

To see step by step mosey on over to my blog

Curried Chicken Salad

After hearing about Rather Sweet's curried chicken salad from my friend Ellen, I just had to try it while we were in Fredericksburg.  I must say, it was delish!  When I got back home and was craving more, I decided to whip up my own version. 

Mix the following ingredients together and chill:
1 cup mayo

2 tablespoons sugar

2 tablespoons Apple cider vinegar

2 teaspoons curry powder

1 1/8 ounces natural sliced almonds (toasted)

1/2 cup celery

1/2 cup Craisins

3 cups chopped chicken

It's savory, sweet and scrumptious!  You can serve it on a bed of lettuce or it's great on a croissant.  Save some of the sauce on the side before you add the chicken so you can have extra to dip or pour on your salad.  YUM!

pork medallions with mustard sauce and roasted vegetables

My friend Jennie made this yummy dinner on our Selvage Sisters getaway weekend and it is so good! Serve the pork medallions and roasted vegetables with long grain rice for a delicious meal.  Thanks for this great recipe Jennie!

1990 Pork Medallions in Mustard Sauce

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons coarse-grained mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground pepper
1 1/2 pounds pork tenderloin
1/4 cup dry white wine or chicken broth
Mustard Sauce

Stir together first 4 ingredients. Rub mixture over pork, and place in a large heavy-duty zip-top plastic bag. Chill 8 hours. Place pork on a lightly greased rack in a shallow roasting pan.

Bake at 450° for 15 minutes. Reduce temperature to 400°, and bake 15 minutes or until a meat thermometer inserted into thickest portion registers 160°, basting with wine every 10 minutes. Slice and serve with Mustard Sauce.

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Mustard Sauce
 1 3/4 cups whipping cream
1/4 cup coarse-grained mustard
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground white pepper

Cook whipping cream in a heavy saucepan over medium heat until reduced to 1 1/4 cups (about 20 minutes). Do not boil. Stir in remaining ingredients, and cook mixture 1 minute.

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Oven Roasted Vegetables
1 medium zucchini, cut into bite-size pieces
1 medium summer squash, cut into bite-size pieces
1 medium red bell pepper, cut into bite-size pieces
1 medium yellow bell pepper, cut into bite-size pieces
1 pound fresh asparagus, cut into bite size pieces
1 red onion
3 Tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
Heat the oven to 450 F. Place the vegetables in a large bowl. Toss with the olive oil, salt, and pepper to mix and coat. Spread in a single layer in a roasting pan. Roast for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are lightly browned and tender. Serves 4

Cheesy Volcano Meatballs

I know it's been forever since I posted here, but I wanted to share this recipe I tried from Kraft. Even Logan liked it and he NEVER likes meatballs or meatloaf or anything like that. He ate the whole sandwich with no complaint!

Cheesy Volcano Meatballs

1 lb. lean ground beef
6 RITZ Crackers, finely crushed
1/4 cup KRAFT Grated Parmesan Cheese
3/4 cup spaghetti sauce, divided
12 KRAFT Cheddar Cheese Cubes
4 hot dog buns

HEAT oven to 400ºF

MIX meat, cracker crumbs, Parmesan and 1/4 cup spaghetti sauce. Shape into 12 meatballs, using about 2 Tbsp. meat mixture for each.

PLACE, 2 inches apart, in shallow baking pan sprayed with cooking spray. Press 1 cheese cube deeply into center of each meatball.

BAKE 14 min. or until meatballs are done (160ºF). Meanwhile, microwave remaining sauce in microwaveable bowl on HIGH 30 sec. or until heated through; spoon into buns. Fill with meatballs.

crockpot shredded chicken

For yummy shredded chicken, all you have to do is dump the following in a crockpot for 6 to 8 hours:

3 to 6 chicken breasts
1/2 to 1 packet taco seasoning
1/2 to 1 cup of salsa (like my precise measurements?)

That's it! The chicken literally falls apart and becomes perfectly seasoned.  You can put it in tacos, enchiladas, nachos, quesadillas or whatever you can think of.  It's a great go to meal when you can't think of anything else to make! Enjoy!

Artichoke chicken

Ingredients:

15 ounce can artichokes - drained and chopped

3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

3/4 cup mayo

garlic salt to taste

4 chicken breasts

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a medium bowl, mix together artichokes, cheese, garlic salt and mayo. Place chicken in a greased baking dish and cover with artichoke mixture. Bake uncovered for 30 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink and the juices run clear.

I found this recipe at http://www.kellyskornerrecipes.blogspot.com/. She has lots of good recipes on her blog and I'm planning on making more of them. I have made the artichoke chicken several times and it's a hit with my family. That says a lot! I used shakeable grated Parmesan cheese and it was great. It would be even better with fresh shredded Parmesan cheese. Yum!

Green Chile Mac & Cheese

Green Chile Mac & Cheese

1 lb hamburger meat or ground turkey

1 jar Cookwell Green Chile Stew (can also use canned chile puree)

1 block Easy Melt Queso Blanco, cubed (by the Velveeta)

1/2 pkg. large elbow macaroni pasta

Shredded cheese, your choice (I like Colby jack)

Brown hamburger meat. Season with salt & pepper to taste. Mix hamburger with cooked pasta, cubed Queso Blanco & Green Chile Stew. Spray casserole dish with non-stick cooking spray. Pour mixture into casserole dish. Top with shredded cheese. Bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes or until cheese is brown and bubbly.

I served this dish with green beans & it was delicious! My picky 2 year old gobbled it up!

Chicken rings

Spinach Chicken Ring

1 can (10 oz.) chunk white chicken, drained and flaked ( I use rotissery chicken and eyeball the amount)
1/2 cup red bell pepper
chopped 1 pkg (10 oz.) frozen chop spinach, thawed & well drained
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/3 cup mayonnaise
1 tsp. lemon zest
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg
2 pkg. refrigerated crescent rolls

Flake or shred chicken. Add chopped bell pepper, spinach, cheese and mayo, lemon zest, salt and nutmeg. Unroll crescent dough; separate into triangles. Arrange triangles in a circle with wide ends overlapping in the center and points toward the outside. Scoop chicken mixture evenly onto widest end of each triangle. Bring outside points of triangles up over filling and tuck under wide ends of dough at center. Filling WILL NOT be completely covered. Bake in a preheated 375F oven for 20-25 min. or until golden brown. Yield: 8 servings.
Approx. 400 cal. & 27 g of fat per serving.


I usually use a rotisserie chicken or leftover chicken breast instead of canned chicken. I never add in nutmeg or lemon zest and it's still yummy. I also usually simmer the spinach in some chicken broth so it's flavored well and my picky eaters will eat it. Both these chicken rings are Pampered Chef recipes. YUM!



Turkey Cranberry Wreath

2 pkg. (235g each) refrigerated crescent rolls
1/2 C. mayonnaise
2 T. honey Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp. coarsely ground pepper
2 C. cooked turkey or chicken, chopped
1/2 C. celery, sliced
3 T. fresh parsley, snipped
1/2 C. dried cranberries
4 oz. Swiss cheese, shredded (1cup)
1/4 C. walnuts, chopped (optional)
1 egg, separated

Preheat oven to 375°F. Unroll crescent dough; separate into 16 triangles. With wide ends of triangles toward the center. arrange 8 triangles in a circle on Large Round Stone. Corners of wide ends will touch and points will extend 1 inch beyond of baking stone. Arrange remaining 8 triangles in center. matching ends. Seal seams using pizza roller. (Points will overlap in center; do not seal.)
Measure mayonnaise, mustard and black pepper into a bowl. Grate cheese into a bowl. Mix filling. Scoop filling over seams of dough, forming a circle.
Coarsely chop walnuts; sprinkle over filling. Beginning in center, lift one dough triangle across mixture. Continue alternating with outer triangle, slightly overlapping to form wreath. Tuck last end under first.
Separate egg over bowl. Beat egg white lightly; brush over dough. Bake 25-30 minutes or until golden brown. Yields 10 servings.
Per serving: 363 calories; 17 g protein; 24g fat; 20g carbohydrates; 521 mg sodium

I usually use rotisserie chicken for this unless it's the day after Thanksgiving and I have leftover turkey. I never have celery and it's just fine without it. The savory chicken and Swiss combined with the cranberries is so yummy!

Tandoori Chicken and Mango Rice

Tandoori Chicken and Mango Rice

Mangoes are used two ways in this Indian dish — grilled with the chicken and tossed into rice. This chicken and rice is so good you will be craving it the next day-trust me on this one!!

Makes 8 servings.


1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
4 garlic cloves
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon sweet paprika
1 tablespoon coarse kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 cup olive oil
1 cup plain whole-milk yogurt
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

2 (2 1/2-pound) chickens, quartered

2 large ripe mangoes, peeled; 1 cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices, 1 cut into 1/2-inch cubes

2 cups jasmine rice
3 cups water
1/2 cup pine nuts, toasted

6 fresh cilantro sprigs

How to Prepare and Cook:

Purée first 7 ingredients in processor. With machine running, gradually add oil through feed tube and process until blended. Transfer 1/4 cup herb mixture to small bowl; reserve. Add yogurt and lemon juice to remaining mixture in processor and blend.

Place chicken in 13x9x2-inch glass baking dish. Pour yogurt mixture over chicken; turn to coat. Cover and refrigerate 1 hour.

Prepare barbecue (medium heat). Place chicken, skin side down, on grill. Cover and grill until chicken is cooked through, turning every 5 minutes, about 30 minutes total. Grill mango slices 2 minutes per side; set aside. Meanwhile, combine rice, 3 cups water, and reserved 1/4 cup herb mixture. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer until tender, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat; let stand, covered, 5 minutes. Fold in mango cubes and pine nuts.

Arrange chicken on large platter; garnish with grilled mango slices and cilantro sprigs. Serve mango jasmine rice alongside.

Chicken Enchiladas with Green Salsa

4 tablespoons canola oil
2 small zucchini, diced
1 small red onion, chopped
1 ear of corn, kernels cut off the cob (about 1/2 cup)
1 2 1/2- to 3-pound rotisserie chicken, meat shredded
1 1/2 cups (6 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack
Kosher salt and pepper
12 6-inch corn tortillas
1 pound tomatillos, husks removed
1 jalapeño, seeded
1 cup fresh cilantro leaves
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1/2 cup sour cream (optional)

Heat oven to 400° F. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add the zucchini, onion, and corn and cook, stirring, until the onion begins to soften, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl. Add the chicken, Monterey Jack, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Mix to combine.
Wipe out the skillet and heat the remaining oil over medium heat. One at a time, cook the tortillas in the oil until softened, 10 to 15 seconds per side. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. Divide the chicken mixture among the tortillas, roll them up, and place seam-side down in a large baking dish. Bake until heated through, 8 to 10 minutes.
In a food processor, pulse the tomatillos, jalapeño, cilantro, lime juice, and 1/2 teaspoon salt until finely chopped. Serve the enchiladas with the salsa and sour cream, if using.

This recipe is one I found in my Real Simple magazine. The dinner was awesome!

I did not follow the recipe completely. I am the only one in the family who likes zucchini so I left that out. And I did not mix the corn with the chicken- the little people in the house are quite picky. We had corn on the side.

Instead of softening tortillas in oil, I splashed some water on them, put them between two plates and stuck them in the microwave. I did 3 at a time for about 30-40 seconds. After I rolled the enchiladas, I sprinkled a tiny bit of olive oil on top of them.

And the last thing I changed up, I added one garlic clove and some red onions to the salsa. The salsa is really good.

I served these enchiladas with corn (since I did not mix it with the chicken) and black beans.

Cheez-it Chicken

I was just talking to Lisa about what I could post and I totally forgot about this little treasure. I actually made it last night (and didn't take a picture, sorry Lisa). It's a delicious, unbelievably easy recipe that kids and adults love!! My sister, Susan told me about it. It's actually from Epicurious magazine, but it totally seems like a recipe from Kraft or something being so simple.

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 1/2 cups Cheez-It Cheddar crackers (3 oz)

3/4 teaspoon black pepper

1 1/4 lb chicken tenders (not coated or cooked)

1/3 cup Dijon mustard

Put oven rack in lower third of oven and preheat oven to 475°F. Brush a large shallow baking pan with oil (2 tablespoons).Pulse crackers in a food processor until finely ground, then transfer to a wide shallow bowl and stir in 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Toss tenders with mustard in a large bowl until coated, then dredge, 2 at a time, in cracker crumbs until evenly coated. Arrange tenders in 1 layer, without crowding, in oiled pan. Bake, turning over once, until golden brown, about 15 minutes total.

Last night when I made it I just sprayed the pan with cooking spray and omitted the oil. I also didn't do the pepper. It's good both ways, but I didn't want any complaints from the peanut gallery. I almost always have all the ingredients on hand, so it comes in really handy sometimes when you don't know what to make for dinner. Yummm!!

Grilled Pork Chops with Tomatillo, Corn, and Avocado Salsa

I have cooked this Cooking Light recipe several times. I love it. In the magazine they recommend serving this meal with a jicama salad which completes the meal perfectly.

Salsa:
3/4 pound tomatillos
1 ear shucked corn
Cooking spray
1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon minced seeded jalapeño pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 cup diced peeled avocado

Pork:
6 (6-ounce) bone-in loin pork chops (about 1 inch thick)
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt

PreparationPrepare grill.
To prepare salsa, discard husks and stems from tomatillos. Place tomatillos and corn on a grill rack coated with cooking spray; grill 10 minutes or until browned, turning tomatillos and corn occasionally. Place tomatillos in a food processor; process until smooth. Cut kernels from ear of corn. Combine tomatillo puree, corn, onion, and next 6 ingredients (through garlic) in a medium bowl; gently stir in avocado just before serving.
To prepare pork, sprinkle pork with 1 teaspoon black pepper and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Place pork on grill rack coated with cooking spray; grill 5 minutes on each side or until done. Serve pork with salsa.

~Grilling the tomatillos enhances their natural tartness and softens their tough skin. Serve over basmati rice.

Yield
6 servings (serving size: 1 pork chop and 1/3 cup salsa)

Nutritional Information
CALORIES 235(37% from fat); FAT 9.6g (sat 2.9g,mono 4.4g,poly 1.1g); PROTEIN 27.2g; CHOLESTEROL 69mg; CALCIUM 37mg; SODIUM 350mg; FIBER 2.7g; IRON 1.5mg; CARBOHYDRATE 10.4g
Joanne Weir , Cooking Light, JULY 2004

Citrus-Spiked Jicama and Carrot Slaw

Ingredients

4 cups (1 1/2-inch) julienne-cut peeled jicama (about 1 pound)
2 cups (1 1/2-inch) julienne-cut carrot
1/2 cup thinly vertically sliced red onion
1/4 cup fresh orange juice
1 teaspoon grated lime rind
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
Fresh cilantro sprigs (optional)

Preparation

Combine first 8 ingredients in a large bowl, and toss gently to coat. Let stand 10 minutes. Stir in the cilantro just before serving. Garnish with cilantro sprigs, if desired.
Yield
6 servings (serving size: 1 cup)

Nutritional Information
CALORIES 65(3% from fat); FAT 0.2g (sat 0.0g,mono 0.0g,poly 0.1g); PROTEIN 1.3g; CHOLESTEROL 0.0mg; CALCIUM 26mg; SODIUM 116mg; FIBER 5.7g; IRON 0.8mg; CARBOHYDRATE 15.5g
David Bonom , Cooking Light, JULY 2004

Marvelous Mini Meatloaves

Hi! Sorry I'm so late to join this blog. It's fabulous!!!


These meatloaves are super easy, quick and delicious. I try and keep Stove Top stuffing in my pantry since it's so handy for so many recipes. You can do any of the variations they have. I usually do the Italian one with spaghetti sauce. We just had it tonight and everyone loves it. You can make it with pasta (since it's kind of like meatballs) or mashed potatoes or rice, whatever!

Take 1 lb. extra lean ground beef, 1 pkg. (6 oz.) STOVE TOP Stuffing Mix and 1 cup water and mix & match your recipe from these options...

Click to Enlarge	seasoning options	add-in choices	cheese possibilities
	1 tsp. Italian seasoning	3/4 cup spaghetti sauce	3/4 cup KRAFT Shredded Mozzarella Cheese
	2 tsp. chili powder	3/4 cup TACO BELL® HOME ORIGINALS® Thick 'N Chunky Salsa	3/4 cup KRAFT Shredded Mexican Style Cheese
	1 tsp. dried oregano leaves	3/4 cup chopped roasted red peppers	3/4 cup ATHENOS Traditional Crumbled Feta Cheese
	1 tsp. garlic powder	3/4 cup KRAFT or BULL'S-EYE Original Barbecue Sauce	3/4 cup KRAFT Shredded Cheddar Cheese

Then follow our 3 simple steps:

---

PREHEAT oven to 375°F. Mix meat, stuffing mix, water and the seasoning until well blended. Press evenly into 12 medium muffin cups sprayed with cooking spray; make an indentation in center of each with back of spoon.

SPOON add-ins evenly into indentations in meatloaves.

BAKE 30 min. or until meatloaves are cooked through (160°F). Top evenly with cheese; continue baking 5 min. or until cheese is melted. Let stand 10 min. before serving.

sliced pork tenderloin

I stole this idea from Eric's mom and I'm so glad I did.

All you need is:
1 pork loin

1/2 bottle KC Masterpiece Honey Teriyaki Marinade

Cut pork loin into 1 inch slices and marinate in a zip top bag for at least 20 minutes. Grill and enjoy! The meat is tender, flavorful and you don't have to mess with any bones. I served it with green beans and HEB loaded baked potatoes in the produce isle. Yum!

yummy pizza

-1/4 cup mayo
-1 teaspoon dijon mustard
-Sliced spicy sausage links or other meat of choice
-Chopped green onions
-Chopped green pepper
-Shredded swiss cheese
-Boboli pizza crust
'
Mix mayo and dijon together and spread on crust. Add remaining ingredients to pizza crust and bake for 15 minutes at 425.
'
The mayo base may sound a little strange, but it is really yummy! You can add more veggies or a different meat to please any picky eaters in your family.