Air Fryer "Hibachi" Chicken

2/4/2024

Quick and easy, this recipe is great for any weeknight meal when you're short on time or energy.

Air Fryer Chicken “Hibachi”

Ingredients

1/2 lb. chicken tenders, chunked
1/2 onion, chunked
1 carrot, chunked
1 medium yellow squash, chunked
1 medium zucchini, chunked
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 cloves garlic, grated
1" ginger, grated
2 Tbsp. brown sugar
1 Tbsp. rice wine vinegar
2 tsp. sesame oil
sesame seeds, for garnish

Serves 4
Cook Time: 20 minutes

Cut chicken and vegetables into bite-sized chunks. Whisk together soy, garlic, ginger, brown sugar, vinegar, and sesame oil in a large bowl. Add chicken and vegetables to bowl and toss to combine. Let marinate for a few hours.
Preheat air fryer to 380 and cook until chicken is cooked through, about 20 minutes, shaking every five minutes.
Serve over rice.

Air Fryer Kebabs

2/4/2024

Quick and easy to make these kebabs are great for any weeknight or any time you just don't feel like cooking.

Air Fryer Chicken Kebabs

Ingredients

1/2 lb. chicken tenders, chunked
1/2 red onion, chunked
1 bell pepper, chunked
1 medium zucchini, chunked
1/4 cup soy sauce
1-2 Tbsp. Sriracha
1 Tbsp. olive oil
2 tsp. curry powder
1/3 cup sour cream
tortillas

Serves 4
Cook Time: 20 minutes

Cut chicken and vegetables into bite-sized chunks, then divide amongst skewers. Mix soy, oil, and sriracha and marinate skewers for a few hours. Meanwhile, combine curry powder and sour cream.
Preheat air fryer to 380, then cook until chicken is cooked through, about 20 minutes, shaking every 5 minutes.
To serve, spread curry sour cream on tortillas, remove food from skewers and eat like tacos.

Chicken Chipotle Tomato Soup

2/4/2024

This easy-to-make soup combines the two great classics of chicken soup and tomato soup and kicks them up a notch with chipotle. Easy, inexpensive, and delicious!

Chicken Chipotle Tomato Soup

Ingredients

2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 pints passata or 2 cans crushed or stewed tomatoes
2 pints chicken stock
2 chicken leg quarters
2 chipotles in adobo, chopped
1 cup cream
salt and pepper, to taste

Serves 4-6
Cook Time: 1 1/2 hours

In a medium Dutch oven, heat olive oil until it shimmers. Salt and pepper chicken and add chicken leg quarters, skin side down, and brown, turn and brown on other side. When chicken is browned, but not cooked through, remove and saute onion in drippings.
Once once is softened add passata, stock, and chipotles; add salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer and add chicken leg quarters back to pot allowing to cook through as soup simmers. Once chicken is cooked, remove and allow to cook, then shred and put meat into soup (save bones and skin for stock if you'd like).
Depending on the amount of fat in the chicken you will may have a lot of fat floating on top of the soup, skim off a little or as much as you'd like. Add cream and any more salt or pepper.

Creamy Balsamic Mushroom Pasta

2/4/2024

This is an easy and impressive dinner to make. It's full of flavor from the balsamic vinegar, but the acidity is tamed by the cream. It's a favorite around our house!

Creamy Balsamic Mushroom Pasta

Ingredients

8 oz. fettucine pasta
2 Tbsp. butter, divided
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 shallot, finely diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
16 oz. cremini mushrooms, sliced
1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
2/3 cup cream
1 Tbsp. parsley, chopped
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese, plus a few tablespoons for garnish
salt & pepper, to taste

Serves 2-3
Cooke Time: 20 minutes

Bring a large pot of water to a boil; once it is at a rolling boil, add a handful of salt. Cook pasta about 1 minute short of package directions; this should leave your pasta al dente, but check about 2 minutes before the package directions say it will be done just to check.
In a large pan, melt 1 Tbsp. of butter with the olive oil over medium heat. Once melted, add the shallots and garlic and cook for a few minutes or so, just until softened. Add the mushrooms, toss them around to get them coated in the butter and olive oil. Let them cook and release their water so they can brown, 8-10 minutes.
Deglaze with the balsamic vinegar; stir everything together making sure to scrape up all of the browned bits on the bottom of the pan. When most of the sherry is cooked into the mushrooms, pour in the cream and continue to cook for about 10 minutes (this is a good time to drop your pasta into the boiling salted water).
Add the cooked pasta to the sauce and toss to combine. Add the fresh parsley and season with salt and pepper. Serve with additional parmesan cheese sprinkled over the top.

Chocolate Syllabub with Raspberries and Coffee

2/4/2024

Syllabub and eggnog share the same ancestor, possett, and are both creamy desserts/drinks served with alcohol in them. I substituted raspberry liqueur for coffee and really enjoy this alcohol-free version. Please make sure you allow time for the syllabub to set up in the refrigerator, but know that is is fairly "loose"....a loose mousse. Use powdered milk in your cream as a stabilizer if you're planning on making more than 24 hours in advance.

Chocolate Syllabub with Raspberries and Coffee

Ingredients

2 1/4 cups cream, divided
1/4 cup powdered sugar, optional
1 Tbsp. cocoa powder
1/2 Tbsp. powdered milk
1 pint fresh raspberries, divided
1/2 cup strong coffee

Serves 2-3
Prep time:10 minutes

In a stand mixer, whip the cream, powdered sugar, cocoa powder, and powdered milk (if using) until medium peaks are formed. Meanwhile, puree raspberries in a mini-food processor or blender, set a few aside for garnish before pureeing. Add the coffee and raspberry puree to the whipped cream/mousse and whip to combine. Add a teaspoon of coffee to the bottom of each glass and evenly divide mousse evenly amongst glassware (these are traditionally served in pretty glassware or crystal) and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, but up to two days; make sure they are covered with plastic wrap touching the top to keep a skin from forming).
Whip remaining cream when ready to serve and garnish with remaining raspberries.

Slow Cooker "Philly Cheesesteaks"

1/9/2024

Not at all authentic, but still delicious! These "Philly Cheesesteaks" are reminiscent of your favorite sandwich, but easily sit in a slow cooker and come together over the day. Not that the original is hard to make, but this one is much easier.

Slow Cooker "Philly Cheesesteaks"

Ingredients

1 1/2 lb. beef (use an inexpensive cut like flank, skirt, chuck, London broil, etc.)
1 onion, sliced
2 bell peppers, sliced
1 packet onion soup mix
1 cup beef stock
salt & pepper, to taste
hoagie rolls
provolone cheese
mayonnaise or garlic aioli

Serves 4
Cook Time: 4-8 hours

Combine all ingredients, except hoagies, mayo and cheese, in a slow cooker and cook on high for 4-5 hours or on low for 6-8 hours (low and slow recommended.) If you are using a lean cut of beef, like London broil, go ahead and slice it up before putting in the slow cooker...if you are using a fatty cut of beef like chuck, it can be shredded and added back to the slow cooker about one hour before serving.
When beef is ready, spread hoagies with mayo, top with beef mixture, top with cheese and broil until cheese melts.

Slow Cooker Beef "Gyros"

1/9/2024

I say "gyros" because these are not authentic and just gyro-inspired. That said, they are delicious and to do remind you of real gyros. Easy to throw together and easy to eat! Top them with any typical gyros toppings you'd like.

Slow Cooker Beef "Gyros"

Ingredients

"Gyros"

1 1/2 lb. beef (use an inexpensive cut like flank, skirt, chuck, London broil, etc.)
1/2 red onion, sliced
3 cloves garlic, grated
1 lemon, juiced
1 Tbsp. Greek seasoning
salt & pepper, to taste
pitas
Tzatziki Sauce
1 cup Greek yogurt
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 lemon, juiced
1/2 English cucumber, grated
1 clove garlic, grated
salt & pepper, to taste
Toppings
1/2 red onion, sliced
tomatoes, sliced
cucumbers, sliced
lettuce, shredded

Serves 4
Cook Time: 4-8 hours

Combine all "gyro" ingredients, except pitas, in a slow cooker and cook on high for 4-5 hours or on low for 6-8 hours (low and slow recommended.) If you are using a lean cut of beef, like London broil, go ahead and slice it up before you put it in the slow cooker...if you are using a fatty cut of beef like chuck, it can be shredded and added back to the slow cooker about one hour before serving.
Meanwhile, combine all Tzatziki ingredients and refrigerate until ready to use. When beef is ready, stuff pitas with Tzatziki sauce, beef and any toppings you'd like.

Slow Cooker Banh Mi-Inspired Pork Sandwiches

1/9/2024

These are very far from traditional banh mi, but have a similar flavor-profile. They are quick to assemble and just cook away while you're doing other things. Great with chicken too!

Slow Cooker Banh Mi-Inspired Pork Sandwiches

Ingredients

Pulled Pork

2 lb. pork (an expensive cut like loin, shoulder, butt, etc.)
1/2 cup water or stock
2 cloves garlic, grated
1 Tbsp. fish sauce (soy will be fine if you don't have fish sauce)
1 Tbsp. grated ginger
1 Tbsp. grated lemongrass (or lemongrass paste)
1 tsp. sesame oil
1/2 lemon, juiced
salt & pepper, to taste
Sandwiches
Hoagie buns or baguette
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/2 lemon, juiced
1 tsp. Sriracha (or to taste)
salt & pepper to taste
Pickles & Slaw
1/2 bag pre-shredded slaw mix
1/4 cup mayonnaise
2 carrots, julienned
1 English cucumber, julienned
4 radishes, julienned
1 jalapeño, julienned
1/2 cup rice wine vinegar
1 Tbsp. sugar
1/4 cup water
salt & pepper to taste

Serves 4
Cook Time: 4-8 hours

Combine all pulled pork ingredients in a slow cooker and cook on high for 4-5 hours or on low for 6-8 hours (low and slow recommended.) Roughly one hour before you are ready to eat, remove pork and shred, add shredded pork back to sow cooker for remaining hour. Meanwhile, combine mayonnaise, lemon, Sriracha, salt, and pepper and refrigerate until ready to use.
To make pickles, combine all pickle ingredients except slaw and mayonnaise. Take half the pickled vegetables and half the brine and combine with mayonnaise and slaw to create slaw, the remaining pickles will go on your sandwiches.
To make banh mi, spread Sriracha mix on buns, top with pulled pork and pickled vegetables; slaw is for a side dish.

Slow Cooker Tropical BBQ Pork Sandwiches

1/9/2024

Pineapple chunks and orange juice give a tropical twist to BBQ sauce. Quick to assemble and delicious to eat! I like to serve these in taco shells, but hamburger buns are great too - I had pitas on hand though and they worked great!

Slow Cooker Tropical BBQ Pork Sandwiches

Ingredients

Sandwiches

2 lb. pork (an expensive cut like loin, shoulder, butt, etc.)
1/2 red onion, diced
3/4 cup ketchup
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 can pineapple chunks (save a few chunks for your slaw)
1/4 cup orange juice, optional
1" grated ginger (dry ginger in fine too)
2 Tbsp. ponzu or soy sauce
2 tsp. sesame oil
1 Tbsp. dry rub
1 Tbsp. mustard powder
1 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. garlic powder
salt & pepper, to taste
taco shells or hamburger buns
Slaw
1/2 bag pre-shredded slaw mix
1/2 red onion, chopped
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup acid (use some pineapple juice and add apple cider vinegar to supplement the rest...roughly 2 Tbsp. of each)
a few grates of fresh ginger and a few pineapple chunks left from your can
salt & pepper to taste

Serves 4
Cook Time: 4-8 hours

Combine all sandwich ingredients, except for the buns, in a slow cooker and cook on high for 4-5 hours or on low for 6-8 hours (low and slow recommended.) Meanwhile, combine all slaw ingredients and refrigerate until ready to use. Roughly one hour before you are ready to eat, remove pork and shred, add shredded pork back to sow cooker for remaining hour.

Slow Cooker Spicy Corn Chowder

1/9/2024

Here's another easy, lazy, rainy-day slow cooker soup. It just takes a few minutes to throw everything in the slow cooker then you're done till dinner! Here's the recipe for my taco seasoning blend!

Slow Cooker Spicy Corn Chowder

Ingredients

1 onion, chopped
1 bell pepper, chopped
1 jalapeño, chopped
2 cloves garlic, grated or diced
2 cans creamed corn
1 can whole kernel corn
1 can black beans
1 can green chiles
1-2 chipotles, chopped
1 cup stock
2 cups half and half
1 Tbsp. taco seasoning (see taco seasoning recipe)
2 cups queso fresco, grated and divided
cilantro, optional
salt & pepper, to taste

Serves 3-4
Cook Time: 3-8 hours

Combine all ingredients (except 1 cup queso fresco) in a large slow cooker and cook on high for 3-4 hours or on low for 6-8 hours (low and slow recommended). Garnish soup with remaining queso fresco and cilantro.