Fall Harvest Salad

Fall Harvest Salad

*****

 

So this is another creation from our Winder Farms produce box.  This week we got spaghetti squash (which I've never made before), fingerling potatoes (which my husband mocked until he tried them), lettuce, red onion, and some other things we ate much quicker than when I tried this recipe.  The recipe given again had lots of stuff I don't keep on hand and/or am not a fan of, so I tweaked it to come up with this.

Find the PDF for the recipe HERE

The first thing I started with was the squash.  I had to have the hubby cut this sucker in half, it's NOT easy! (Or maybe I'm just a weakling in my current pregnant not able to run or train state.)  Either way it still took the hubs quite a few minutes and 3 knives before he got it open.  I wasn't quite sure what to do since I've never made spaghetti squash and I was wondering if maybe those strings around the seeds were what I was supposed to cook.  After a few google searches I cleared out the seeds and strings, just like when you take the guts out of a pumpkin.

Then I brushed the meat of the squash with olive oil and seasoned with salt and pepper.  I lined a baking sheet with foil and popped this into a preheated 450* oven.  I set the timer for 30 minutes and got to work chopping.

I washed and cut the fingerling potatoes in half.  I put them in a bowl and tossed with olive oil and garlic salt and pepper.

Then I chopped the red onion, lettuce and chicken (I used some cooked grilled chicken.)

When the squash timer rang, I took it out and then put those potatoes right on the same baking sheet and back into the oven for another 10-15 minutes.

Once the spaghetti squash is finished use a fork to scrape at it, and it will become stringy like noodles.

Then layer the salad.  I did lettuce, squash, potatoes, chicken, and onions.

I really found that this salad didn't need any dressing.  The squash, seasoned potatoes and onions really gave it plenty of flavor.

I personally did whip up a quick honey mustard vinaigrette, but if you use any dressing, use very sparingly, especially a vinaigrette.

You don't want it to overpower the taste of fall.

(I cooked the whole squash and used a little more than half, if you have a smaller family you can probably get away with only using half.)

**This recipe is gluten free. Verify all your ingredients are gluten free.**

ENJOY!!!

Tomatillo Ranch Dressing

Tomatillo Ranch Dressing

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When we lived in Roosevelt, one of the only decent places to eat was Cafe Rio which was about 30 minutes away but worth the drive and we made it often.  There were times we just couldn't make the drive and were dying for some deliciousness.  I found a couple of copycat recipes online and tweaked them to make my favorite meal.  The Cafe Rio Style Chicken and Cafe Rio Style Rice.  And I realized as I opened tomatillos in my Winder Farms order, that I've never posted the dressing.  That just won't do.
I found the recipe HERE from The Girl Who Ate Everything.  And other than adding a little bit more tomatillos and jalapenos and making poor man's buttermilk, I pretty much left it alone.  She did a great job!

Find the PDF for the recipe HERE

I made this dressing the night before the chicken because I like to let the flavors get all combined and spicy.

I started by making poor man's buttermilk.  One Tbsp of vinegar in a liquid measuring cup and then enough whole milk to make 1 c.
I chopped up my ingredients, just so they'd blend easier.

I poured my "buttermilk" into my blender and then added
1 oz ranch dressing mix (or 3 Tbsp. if you buy in bulk)
1 c. mayo
2-3 tomatillos (they are green, near the tomatoes)
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 bunch cilantro chopped
1/2 tsp. lime juice
1 small jalapeno, seeds removed

I just blended that all up

and then poured into my jars.

Please note in these pictures the recipe is DOUBLED!  You will only need one jar for the recipe listed.

I ALWAYS make double of this, but one batch will make more than enough to feed everyone for a meal.  My hubby likes to put this on most everything including baked potatoes!  If kept sealed in the fridge this will last at least 2 weeks.  (I doubt it will last that long!)  Remember to stir before pouring.

**This recipe is gluten free. Verify all your ingredients are gluten free (especially soy sauce!!).**

ENJOY!!!

Thai Lettuce Wraps

Thai Lettuce Wraps

*****

So recently the hubs and I signed up for Winder Farms.  This deliciousness was sitting on my doorstep Monday morning as I was headed out for my run. 

I won't show you all our goodies, but we ordered a produce box as part of our order.

                               

It is more expensive than Bountiful Baskets, but the quality is amazing.  I didn't use most of the produce until almost the end of the week and it was so fresh still!! I'm used to only buying berries the day I use them or they go bad by the time I go to bed!

They also provide a recipe to use your ingredients, which I think is a GREAT idea because so many times I get a new item and have no clue what to do with it.  This time they gave me a recipe for Thai Lettuce Wraps, but their recipe was full of ingredients I didn't have on hand and my grocery budget for the week was gone, so I decided to come up with my own.

I found a recipe on allrecipes.com but it called for skewers and grilling and as a busy mom with a husband currently on nights, that wasn't going to happen.  Plus I was missing some of the ingredients and had others I wanted to use.  So I adjusted until I came up with something I was happy with.

Find the PDF for the recipe HERE

The hubs is on nights right now so getting all 5 kids fed, bathed, and ready for bed on time is quite the challenge alone but having dinner on time makes a world of difference.  So, I wanted to have this recipe on the table by 5pm.  Since I was planning on that I started with all my prep work while helping the kids with their homework.

I started by mixing up the sauce.

SAUCE:

1/3 c. lite soy sauce

1/3 c. water

3 Tbsp. Lemon juice

2 cloves minced garlic

½ tsp. Ground ginger

1 Tbsp. Sugar

I just mixed that all together and set aside.

(If you don't like the raw garlic taste {this sauce isn't cooked}, I suggest either just adding more to the meat mixture and omitting it in the sauce, or you can cook it up real fast before adding it.)

Then I got my veggies ready.  I washed and separated the lettuce, and shredded and thinly sliced my carrots, peppers, and cucumber.

(You can add whatever other veggies you want or have on hand.  Some suggestions are radishes, green onions, rice sticks, etc.)

I took 1 lb of ground beef and browned it most of the way.  Then I added 1 Tbsp. soy sauce, 2 cloves minced garlic (you can go 1 if you aren't garlic fans) and 1/2 tsp. ground ginger.

I let that finish cooking and then I added 1 c. of cooked rice I had from the other nights dinner.

I let that cool for a minute.  Then I started assembling.  Once the prep work was done this was a super fast dinner.  You could always do almost all the prep before hand and this would be a quick meal.

Take a lettuce leaf and top with the meat mixture and then veggies, if you are rolling, do not overfill them or the lettuce will tear easy.  My husband and I ate them this way, dipping in our own bowls of dipping sauce.

  Beware - These are MESSY! But you'll be licking your fingers with deliciousness.

Little kids and bowls of dipping sauce don't always work well, so we went an alternate way for them.

I simply used their lettuce as a bowl, filled it up and then drizzled with the sauce.  At first I was afraid they wouldn't eat the lettuce this way, but they were using the lettuce to soak up the sauce and finish them off.

**This recipe is gluten free. Verify all your ingredients are gluten free (especially soy sauce!!).**

ENJOY!!!

Honey Crock Pot Chicken

Honey Crock Pot Chicken

*****

I got this recipe from allrecipes.com but had to tweak a few things to make it work.

I found these yummy looking guys on clearance at my local grocery store and chicken that is .79/lb is definitely for me!  

You can find the PDF to this recipe HERE.

INGREDIENTS:

3-4 lbs chicken drumsticks (I had 11 drumsticks in my pkg.)

3/4 c. honey

1/2 c. lite soy sauce

3 Tbsp. ketchup

3 cloves minced garlic

1/2 tsp ground ginger

1 (20 oz) can pineapple chunks, drained with reserved juice

2 Tbsp. corn starch

1/4 c. water

**If your ingredients are GF than this meal is GF, check your soy sauce and spices to be sure!**

DIRECTIONS:

1. I always start by spraying my crockpot with nonstick spray because it makes clean up faster. Then I dumped in all those chicken drumsticks.

2. In a bowl, mix honey, soy sauce, ketchup, garlic, ginger and reserved pineapple juice. Pour this sauce over the chicken.

3. Cover and cook on HIGH for 4 hours (make sure chicken is cooked through). Stir in pineapple chunks about 10-15 minutes before done.

*This is where preference comes in. The chicken is done, and delicious, the sauce is good but quite liquidy. If you don't want to wait, or use the crockpot to avoid extra dishes and steps, go ahead and eat now. If you want a thick sauce to pour over the top continue on.*

4. Remove chicken and pineapple and set aside (keeping warm). Pour sauce into a saucepan and bring to a boil.

5. Mix cornstarch and water in a small bowl and whisk into sauce. Turn down heat and let cook until thickened.

6. Serve chicken on rice and top with sauce.

My kids all had seconds and some had thirds. My GF daughter says she loves delicious chicken meals like this that are gluten-free.

ENJOY!

Warm Broccoli Spread

Warm Broccoli Spread

*****

My husband cannot get enough of this.  He will eat the whole thing by himself and he is NOT a vegetable fan.  This is a broccoli spread so expect broccoli.  You can do a light version using light or reduced fat cream cheese, sour cream and cheese, but we go for the regular version.

I found this recipe in the Taste of Home Cookbook when I was looking for a new way to use up broccoli.

PDF Version HERE

First add 1 pkg. cream cheese (8oz),  1 c. sour cream and 1 envelope Italian seasoning pkg to a bowl.  

Using a hand mixer beat together until blended.

I used fresh broccoli so I chopped up about 10 oz.

(if using frozen make sure it is chopped, thawed, drained and patted dry)

 Then fold in your 10 oz chopped broccoli and 1 1/2 c. of shredded cheddar cheese.

Once all mixed, spoon into a shallow baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.  (I used my pampered chef small oval baker without the spray.)

My daughter couldn't resist even before it was cooked.

Bake at 350* for 20 min.  Then sprinkle with 1/2 c. cheese and bake an additional 5 min. to melt cheese.

(Make sure you clean up as you go)

Hot out of the oven!!

Serve with wheat things

If you want a gluten free version, serve with gluten-free crackers.

My daughter's dinner gluten-free chicken bruschetta pasta and warm broccoli spread with gluten-free crackers.  

PDF Version HERE

ENJOY!!!

Chicken Bruschetta Pasta

Chicken Bruschetta Pasta

*****

This is a yummy creamy pasta.  Since I was making this for my entire family.  I did the sauce separate and topped the noodles (since I had traditional and gluten-free).  This is excellent with the noddles mixed in and so every noodle gets some sauce!  I love creamy sauces to go with pasta.

Philadelphia's Recipe Can Be Found HERE

I started with this little gem:

I had some coupons and used them at Smith's while they were on sale (double score!!)

You might have read my version of this recipe with kielbasa HERE.  

This is the traditional version found on the back of the container.  

First off, I don't care for garlic powder.  I use it only in emergencies, I prefer fresh garlic (makes such a difference in my opinion).  So I swapped that out.  And I didn't have fresh basil leaves, so I went with the dried and made sure to cook that in so the flavor showed up.  I also went with fresh on the vine tomatoes chopped instead of the grape.  And I chopped up my chicken 1) to make it easier for my kiddos and 2) to make it easier for me.  I hate having to bite a large strip of chicken and have the sauce drool all down my face or trying to cut it inside the bowl (does this happen to no one else?!) Anyway...

I started with about a Tbsp or 2 of olive oil.  I sauted in 2 cloves of garlic and let that cook about a minute and then added the chicken (recipe says 1 lb, I did about 5 chicken tenders).  After the chicken was all cooked (about 5-6 min or until done).  I added the chicken broth (1/3 c.).

I cooked that up for about 3 min.  Then I added the cooking creme (1 container of original flavor), chopped tomatoes (about 2 cups worth) and dried basil (I think about 1/2 tsp? (I eyeballed it).  I cooked this for about 3 min.

I looks super soupy here, but it thickens as it cooks.  And once you mix the noddles in you will be grateful for all that delicious sauce. :)

I've run out of this product (and coupons) but do plan to duplicate this recipe with a homemade version maybe cream cheese and heavy cream or something... I'll think of something.

**This recipe is gluten free if you top over gluten-free pasta**

(Gluten-free version for my daughter) :)

ENJOY!!

Gluten Free Disclaimer!

DISCLAIMER

Any recipe on my blog that says "Gluten Free" assumes that you are using gluten free ingredients or making gluten-free modifications (ie gluten free pasta substitute) as I am.  With any food allergy, especially severe ones, ALWAYS check each ingredient!  I have found gluten in some very strange items due to cross contamination on a processing belt or grown in a field that rotates as a wheat field.  PLEASE check all ingredients as I do before declaring your item gluten-free.  

As always ENJOY!

Curried Chicken Salad

Curried Chicken Salad

*****

Found this Recipe from Pampered Chef's Main Dishes Cookbook, which I just found out is now discontinued.  Sad! Well... good thing you have me!  Made this for Zilch group the other night and it was a HUGE hit.  One of my favorite Chicken Salad recipes.

PDF Version HERE

So the recipe actually calls for light mayo and low-fat yogurt, and you can all follow such directions; however, with my underweight kiddos I pack on the full fat business!  And it's full of other good stuff for you so I don't stress.

I didn't do step by step pics of this one, cause, well, it was basically a whole lot of chopping.  And I was entertaining 12 girls that night so pictures were limited.

Anyway... on to the recipe!

INGREDIENTS:
1/2 c. (light - HA!) mayo
1/2 c. (low-fat again with the HA!) plain yogurt
3/4 tsp. curry powder
1/4 tsp. salt (I don't do salt much I added just a dash)
3 c. diced cooked chicken (I used canned because I was short on time, leftover rotisserie or grilled works great as well)
1 1/2 c. red seedless grapes, cut in half
3/4 c. celery, sliced
1/3 c. green onions with tops, thinly sliced
2 Granny Smith apples (I used something redder.. Jonathan I think, they came in my Bountiful Basket)
** I DIDN'T DO THE REST**
1/3 c. pecans, chopped (I never add the nuts)
1 medium cantaloupe

DIRECTIONS:
1. Blend mayo, yogurt, curry powder and salt; set aside.
2. Dice chicken, cut grapes in half and thinly slice celery and green onions.  Core, slice and peel apples and cut into thin bite size pieces.  (Mine was eighths after the slicing).
3.  Combine chicken, grapes, celery, green onions, apples in large bowl.
4.  Add mayo mixture and mix lightly.
5.  Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hr or overnight.

Pampered Chef says to serve this on slices of cantaloupe.  But I guess I'm a traditionalist with chicken salad and I served on croissants.  (But I did also serve cantaloupe to go with this delicious Fruit Dip! )

(Serve on gluten free or with the cantaloupe and it is Gluten-free!)

Find the PDF Version HERE

ENJOY!!