Pan Sausage and Veggies

Servings: 4 if served with rice/quinoa

INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups red potato
• 3/4ths pound green beans
• 1 large head of broccoli (~ 1 and 1/2 cups)
• 1 and 1/2 cups chopped bell peppers 2 large or 6-7 mini sweet bell peppers
• 9 ounces smoked sausage - I use turkey or chicken, not ground sausage
• 6 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes optional
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• 1 tablespoon dried parsley
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• Serve with: fresh parsley, quinoa/rice, lots of freshly grated Parmesan cheese

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Line a large sheet pan with foil or parchment paper.
3. Prep the veggies: chop the red potatoes (pretty small pieces here so they will be tender in time), trim the green beans and halve (see video above recipe), chop the broccoli, chop the peppers into thick squares, and coin the sausage in thick slices.
4. Place all the veggies and sausage on a sheet pan. Pour the olive oil and all the spices on top. Toss to evenly coat all the veggies and meat. (I use this 15x21 inch sheet pan)
5. Bake 15 minutes, remove from the oven and flip/stir all the veggies around. Return to the oven and bake for another 10-15 minutes or until vegetables are crisp tender and sausage is browned.

If desired, sprinkle freshly grated Parmesan cheese over the veggies and sausage as soon as they come out of the oven.

Enjoy with rice or quinoa and fresh parsley if desired.

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Original recipe: Big Oven
Posted by Jasmine

Pork Tacos with Roasted Veggies, Fresh Salsa, & Lime Crema

(This one is way easier to follow if it's broken down into sections)

Spice Mixture

• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp salt
• ½ tsp black pepper

Combine in a small bowl. Divide in half.

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Roasted Veggies

• 2 red bell peppers
• 1 medium red onion
• 1 cup frozen corn
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• Half of the spice mix

Preheat oven to 425°F. Slice the bell peppers and half of the onion into thin strips (save the other half of the onion for the salsa). Put into a bowl with the frozen corn, olive oil, and spice mix. Toss to combine. Spread out in a single layer on a baking sheet. Roast in the oven until the veggies have softened, about 18-20 minutes.

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Lime Crema

• 1 lime
• ½ cup plain Greek yogurt
• ½ tsp salt
• ⅛ tsp black pepper

Zest lime into a small bowl (save the lime for the salsa). Add yogurt, salt, and pepper and mix.

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Fresh Salsa

• The lime you zested for the crema
• The other half of the onion from the roasted veggies
• 1 small bunch cilantro
• 1 pint grape tomatoes
• 2 tsp olive oil
• ½ tsp salt
• ¼ tsp black pepper

Juice the zested lime into a medium-size bowl. Finely chop the cilantro, mince the other half of the onion, and quarter the tomatoes. Combine with lime juice. Add olive oil, salt, and pepper. Mix.

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Pork

• 4 pork chops, boneless
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• Half of the spice mix

Slice the pork chops into thin strips. Toss with the remaining spice mix. Preheat a skillet over medium-high heat. Once the skillet is hot, add oil and swirl to coat the bottom. Add the pork, cook, stirring occasionally, until the pork is golden brown, 4-6 minutes.

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Tortillas

• 12 small corn or flour tortillas

Wrap the tortillas in a damp towel and microwave until heated through, 30 to 60 seconds.

Tacos: Assemble!

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Original recipe: Mealime

Posted by Piera

Bruschetta Chicken

Ingredients

• 4 plum tomatoes (about 12 ounces total), cored and diced

• 1/4 cup finely diced red onion

• 2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh basil leaves

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided

• 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar

• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for seasoning

• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, or 4 chicken cutlets (about 1 1/2 pounds total)

• Freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

1. Place the tomatoes, onion, basil, garlic, 1 tablespoon of the oil, vinegar, and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl and stir to combine; set aside.
2. If using chicken breasts, slice each one in half horizontally, starting at the thick end, so that you have 2 (1/4-inch-thick) cutlets (this is known as butterflying). Pat the chicken dry with paper towels and season generously on both sides with salt and pepper.
3. Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the cutlets in a single layer without crowding the pan, working in batches if needed. Sear the chicken until the bottom is browned, 3 to 4 minutes. Flip the cutlets and continue searing until the other side is browned and the chicken is cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes more. Transfer the cooked cutlets to a plate, tent with aluminum foil, and repeat cooking any remaining pieces.
4. Spoon the tomato bruschetta mixture over the chicken and serve.

Posted by Emilee

Spaetzle

 Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1 cup water
• 2 eggs
• 3/4 tsp salt

Instructions

1. In a saucepan, bring heavily salted water to a boil.
2. Beat flour, water, eggs, and salt together. The consistency should be similar to pancake batter. If it's not thin enough, just add more water. Too thin? More flour!
3. If you don't have a spaetzle-maker, I feel your pain. Not to fear, you can do this with a colander (as long as it is one with larger holes, not one like a screen). With one hand, hold the colander over the boiling water. With the other, ladle the batter into the colander, working it through the holes so it drops into the boiling water below. 
4. Allow the spaetzle to boil for 2-3 minutes. Remove them with a slotted spoon (I use a sifting colander). I like to put the cooked spaetzle into a bowl that has a tablespoon or two of butter in it while I make my way through the rest of the batter.
5.  You can eat the spaetzle as is, or fry them in a pan with butter. (Highly recommend). 

Posted by Emilee

Venison Stroganoff

 Ingredients:

• 4 tablespoons butter

• 1 1/2 pounds venison backstrap (or any cut of venison/steak), in one piece

• 2 large shallots, minced

• 2 garlic cloves, minced

• 1/2 pound sliced button mushrooms

• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill

• 1/4 cup Madeira wine or sherry

• 1 cup sour cream, at room temperature

• Dill pollen to garnish (optional)

• Heavy cream, optional (to loosen sauce)

Directions:

1. Salt the venison well and let it sit on the cutting board for 20 minutes. Get 2 tablespoons butter in a large saute pan good and hot over medium-high heat. Pat the venison dry and sear all sides well in the butter. Cook it until it's rare to medium-rare. If you don't know how to determine this, use the finger test for doneness. When the meat is ready. move it to a cutting board and let it rest.
2. Add the mushrooms to the pan and turn the heat to high. Soon they will give up their water, and when they do, use a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. When most of the water has boiled away, add the rest of the butter to the pan along with the shallots and saute everything for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring often. Add the garlic, toss and cook over high heat for another 3 minutes or so. Sprinkle some salt over everything.
3. Add the Madeira/sherry and toss to combine. Let this boil down furiously. While it is doing so, grate some nutmeg over the mixture. When the Madeira/sherry is mostly gone, turn the heat down to low. Slice the venison thinly and return it and any juices that have collected on the cutting board to the pan. Stir to combine and add most of the chopped fresh dill.
4. Stir in the sour cream and turn off the heat. Stir to combine and let it heat through from the heat in the pan. Do not let this boil, or even simmer, or Very Bad Things will happen. Think nasty curdled crap. 

Serving suggestions: over egg noodles or, as I would personally suggest, homemade spaetzle. 

Posted by Emilee

Acorn Squash stuffed with Brown Rice and Sausage

 Ingredients

• 2  acorn squash each cut top-to-bottom in half and seeded
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 pound pork breakfast sausage - the kind that comes in the big roll for cutting patties*
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 medium red pepper, chopped
• Salt and ground black pepper
• 2 cups precooked whole-grain brown rice, cooled
• 2 tablespoon(s) chopped fresh parsley leaves

Directions

1. Lightly grease microwave-safe large plate; place squash halves, cut sides down, on plate (it's OK if halves overlap slightly). Cook squash in microwave oven on High 8 to 9 minutes or until fork-tender; set aside until cool enough to handle.
2. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line a pan with foil. 
3. In nonstick 12-inch skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat until hot. Add sausage and cook until browned, breaking up sausage with side of spoon. With slotted spoon, transfer sausage to large bowl.
4. To same skillet, add onion, red pepper, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, and cook over medium heat 6 to 8 minutes or until lightly browned and tender, stirring occasionally; add to sausage in bowl.
5. With spoon, scoop out squash, leaving 1/4-inch-thick shell. Add scooped-out squash to bowl with sausage; stir in rice and parsley until combined.
6. Spoon sausage mixture into squash shells; place in prepared pan. Bake 20 minutes or until heated through.

*The original recipe called for turkey or chicken sausage, or Italian sausage, but I like it this way better

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Original recipe: Good Housekeeping

Posted by Jasmine

Mussels in White Wine Garlic-Butter Sauce

Serves 2

Ingredients

• 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
• 2 Tablespoons Butter
• ½ Onion, Chopped Fine
• 3 whole Garlic Cloves, Minced
• 1 cup White Wine
• ½ teaspoons Thyme, Dried
• 1 pound Mussels
• 1 pinch Salt And Pepper, to taste
• 1 loaf Crusty Artisan Bread Of Choice

Preparation

1. Melt butter and olive oil over medium-low heat. Add onion and garlic and cook for 3 minutes or until translucent. 
2. Add white wine, thyme and mussels. Stir, then cover the pot and cook for about 8-10 minutes. 
3. Discard any unopened mussels. Season with salt and pepper.
4. While mussels are cooking, place the bread on an oven rack for 8 minutes. Slice. 
5. Dump the mussel pot into a bowl. Place bread around the outside edge. Serve and dip bread into the broth.

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Original recipe: Tasty Kitchen

Posted by Jasmine

Basic Bread Pudding

Ingredients:

• 1 10oz loaf stale French bread (or 7 c any type bread), crumbled
• 4 c milk (no less than 2%, can replace a portion with irish cream, pina colada mix, etc.)
• 2 c sugar
• 8 TBS butter, melted
• 4 eggs
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 1 c raisins (or blueberries or whatever)
• 1 c coconut (or whatever)
• 1 c chopped pecans (or whatever)
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp nutmeg

Directions:

1. Combine all ingredients...texture should be that of cream of wheat: very moist, but not soupy
2. Pour into buttered 9x12 baking dish or larger (or try making it in a muffin tin - cute!)
3. Place into non-preheated oven and bake at 350 for approx. 1 hour, or until the top is golden brown.  Serve warm with sauce

Whiskey Sauce

Ingredients:

• 8 TBS butter
• 1 ½ c powdered sugar
• 2 egg yolks
• ½ c Bourbon (to taste) (substitute fruit juices or liquors to complement the pudding)

Directions:

1. Cream butter and sugar over medium heat until all butter is absorbed.
2. Remove from heat and blend in egg yolk.  
3. Pour in bourbon gradually to your own taste, stirring constantly.  Sauce will thicken as it cools.  Serve warm over bread pudding.

Makes 16-20 servings

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Original recipe: I took a cooking class as like a touristy thing to do in New Orleans and this was their recipe

Posted by Jasmine

Chicken with Garlic Parmesan Rice (aka crack rice)

Ingredients

• 1 lb chicken tenders
• Salt and pepper for seasoning
• ½ tsp garlic powder
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• ½ cup butter (1 stick)
• 2 tbsp minced garlic
• ¼ tsp red pepper flakes
• 1 tsp salt, divided
• ½ cup dry white wine
• 1½ cups uncooked white rice
• 3 cups chicken broth
• ½ cup parmesan cheese (grated or shredded)

Directions

1. Heat olive oil over medium heat in a large skillet. Season chicken with salt and pepper and garlic powder. Sauté chicken tenders until nicely browned and just cooked through. Remove from skillet and set aside, covered.
2. Add butter, garlic, red pepper flakes, and ½ teaspoon of salt to the empty skillet and sauté garlic for a couple of minutes on medium heat.
3. Turn heat to medium high and add white wine. Cook and stir for about 5 minutes. Remove and set aside 3 tablespoons of pan sauce to use later.
4. Add uncooked rice to skillet with remaining butter sauce. Stir well -- make sure rice is completely covered. Add chicken broth and remaining ½ teaspoon of salt. Bring mixture to a low boil then reduce heat to medium-low, cover pan and simmer for 20 minutes or until rice is tender. Stir several times while it's cooking.
5. Once rice is done, stir a final time, cover with parmesan, and arrange chicken tenders over the top. Cover, remove from heat, and let stand for 5 minutes.
6. Drizzle reserved 2 tablespoons of pan sauce over chicken tenders when serving

The chicken is whatever. The rice is crack. I warned you.

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Original recipe: What's in the Pan

Posted by: Piera

One-Pot Creamy Taco Pasta

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 yellow bell pepper, diced
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 lb ground turkey
• 12 oz rotini pasta
• 1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes
• 4½ cup water
• 2 tbsp chili powder
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 ½ tsp salt
• 1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
• ¼ cup plain Greek yogurt
• small bunch cilantro, stemmed and diced

Directions

1. Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the bell pepper, onion, garlic, and ground turkey. Stirring occasionally, cook until turkey is cooked through and vegetables are tender, about 6-8 minutes.
2. Add the pasta, tomatoes, water, and spices to the pot. Stir and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally until pasta is cooked and most of the water is absorbed, about 15 minutes.
3. Once the pasta is done, remove from heat. If more than ½ cup of liquid is remaining in the pot, strain off excess liquid.
4. Add cheese, yogurt, and cilantro to the pot with the pasta and stir until cheese is melted and creamy.

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Original recipe: Mealime

Posted by: Piera