Dancing Sun Cupcakes

I made these cupcakes on October 13, 2010, the Feast of the Miracle of the Sun in Fatima , Portugal. I did not use vanilla frosting, they would look more like litlle suns that way!
For the vanilla cupcakes :
3 cups all-purpose flour


1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

3/4 teaspoon salt

12 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature (1 1/2 sticks)

1 1/2 cups sugar

4 large eggs

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1 1/4 cups milk

Directions

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line cupcake pan with paper liners; set aside. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. In another mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, mixing until incorporated and scraping down sides of bowl, beat in vanilla.

Add flour mixture and milk alternately, beginning and ending with flour. Scrape the sides and bottom of bowl to assure the batter is thoroughly mixed. Divide batter evenly among liners, filling papers about 2/3 full. Bake on the center rack of the oven until tops spring back to touch, about 20 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Meal In a Bowl Soup

¼ cup EVOO


2 lb. ground beef
1 bunch celery, leaves included, trimmed and coarsely chopped

1 lg onion peeled and chopped

4 lg carrots, peeled and coarsely chopped

1 head garlic, peeled and left whole
1 large acorn squash peeled and chopped
1 head green cabbage (about the side of two hands cupped together) shredded

2 x 15 oz. cans white kidney beans, rinsed and drained
3 C crushed tomatoes
8cups chicken or vegetable stock

1 tbsp sea salt

1 tbsp fresh ground black pepper

2 tbsp dried oregano

2 tbsp dried basil
4 fresh bay leaves


Directions:

In a large dutch oven or heavy bottomed skillet, place EVOO and heat over med-high. Saute ground beef until no longer pink.



Add celery, onions, carrots and squash. Saute until onions are soft. Add garlic, , shredded cabbage and all remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat and let simmer for an hour or until vegetables are soft.



Serve with grated cheese.

Mccall's Beef & Vegetable Soup

6 tablespoons salad oil


3 lb beef chuck or rump, cut in 1 1/2-inch cubes

1 cup chopped onion

1 cup chopped green pepper

1 cup sliced celery

2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley

1 clove garlic, finely chopped

1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce

1 cup red wine

2 beef bouillon cubes

1 1/2 tablespoons salt

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/8 teaspoon dried thyme leaves

1 bay leaf

6 small potatoes, pared and halved

6 medium carrots, pared

6 white onions, peeled

1 tablespoon flour

1 large tomato, cut into 6 wedges



In hot oil in Dutch oven, brown beef cubes well on all sides. Remove and set aside.



Add chopped onions, green peppers, and celery to Dutch oven, and saute until tender - about 8 minutes. Return beef to pan.



Add parsley, garlic, tomato sauce, wine, bouillon cubes, salt, pepper, thyme, bay leaf, and 2 cups water. Bring to boiling. Reduce heat, and simmer, covered, 1 1/4 hours.



Add vegetables, and simmer, covered, 1 hour longer, or until tender. Remove from heat. Skim off fat.



Mix flour with 2 tablespoons cold water and stir into beef mixture. Arrange tomato wedges, skin side up, on top. Simmer, covered, 10 minutes, until slightly thickened.

Ice Cream Topping

In a saucepan combine 1 1/4 C chocolate chips and 1/2 C coconut oil ( measured when solid)
Heat to combine. Pour on ice cream and watch as it hardens. Store in a glass bottle.

Wild Boar Sauce

In a large stock pot: heat 4T olive oil. Add 2 diced carrots, 2 ribs of celery, diced, 1 large onion , diced, 4 clove of garlic, whole. Saute until the vegetables begin to sweat. Add 1lb. wild boar sausage, casing removed( discard) and crumble, place in the pan and cook until no longer pink. Add 2 bay leaves, 1 1/2 C chicken broth 1 C Cabernet, reduced by half. Add 2 ( 28 oz. ) cans of crushed tomatoes, paprika, salt, pepper, cayenne, oregano, red pepper and parsley to taste also 2T chopped fresh sage. Reduce heat to a low simmer and cook for 8 hours. I served this sauce with egg nests and Pecorino Romano cheese.

Fudgy Brownies

4.5 ounces all-purpose flour (1 cup)

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup butter

2 ounces dark chocolate, chopped

1 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup 1% low-fat milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2  large eggs
1 C M&M's

Cooking spray

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350°.



2. Weigh or lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine flour, cocoa, and salt in a medium bowl; stir with a whisk.



3. Place butter and chocolate in a medium microwave-safe bowl, and microwave at HIGH for 45 seconds, stirring every 15 seconds. Stir until smooth, and set aside. Cool slightly. Add 1 cup sugar, milk, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, egg yolks, and egg; stir with a whisk to combine. Add butter mixture to flour mixture, stirring just until combined. Stir in the M&M's. Pour batter into an 8-inch square metal baking pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 20 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out almost clean.

Bananas Foster Bread

Yield: 16 servings (serving size: 1 slice)





Ingredients

1 1/2 cups mashed ripe banana

1 cup packed brown sugar, divided

6 tablespoons butter, melted and divided

1/4 cup cognac or dark rum, divided

1/3 cup plain fat-free yogurt

2 large eggs

6.75 ounces all-purpose flour (about 1 1/2 cups)

1/4 cup ground flaxseed

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon ground allspice

Cooking spray

1/3 cup powdered sugar

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350°.



2. Combine banana, 1/2 cup brown sugar, 5 tablespoons butter, and 3 tablespoons cognac in a nonstick skillet. Cook over medium heat until mixture begins to bubble. Remove from heat; cool. Place banana mixture in a large bowl. Add yogurt, remaining 1/2 cup brown sugar, and eggs. Beat with a mixer at medium speed.



3. Weigh or lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour and next 5 ingredients (through allspice) in a small bowl. Add flour mixture to banana mixture; beat just until blended. Pour batter into a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 1 hour or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove from oven; cool 10 minutes in pan on a wire rack. Remove bread from pan; place on wire rack.



4. Combine remaining 1 tablespoon melted butter, remaining 1 tablespoon cognac, and powdered sugar; stir until well blended. Drizzle over the warm bread.



(  I cooked this recipe in the crockpot on high for 2 hours and turned to keep warm for 2 hours. I then made the glaze after the bread cooled. It cooked perfectly.)

SoNo Sour Cream Coffee Cake ( John Baricelli)

Sour Cream Coffee Cake (from the SoNo Baking Company Cookbook)



Topping



1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar



2 teaspoons ground cinnamon



1 cup pecans, finely chopped



Cake



2 cups sour cream



2 teaspoons baking soda



3 1/2 cups cake flour, sifted



1 tablespoon baking powder



1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter at room temperature



2 cups granulated sugar



2 teaspoons coarse salt



4 large eggs, at room temperature



1 1/2 tablespoons pure vanilla extract



1. To make the topping: In a small bowl, stir together the brown sugar, cinnamon and finely chopped pecans with a fork until combined; set aside.



2. Set the oven rack in the middle position. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Spray a 10-inch tube pan (preferably with removable bottom) with nonstick cooking spray, or generously brush with softened butter; dust with flour and shake out the excess.



3. To make the cake: In a small bowl, stir together the sour cream and baking soda; set aside. Whisk together the cake flour and baking powder in another bowl; set aside.



4. In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter, sugar, and salt on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl halfway through. Add the eggs one at a time, beating after each addition. Beat in the vanilla.



5. With the mixer on low speed, add the dry ingredients in three batches, alternating with the sour cream mixture and beating well after each addition.



6. Scrape half of the batter into the prepared pan. Sprinkle half of the topping mixture, avoiding the edges of the pan so that the sides are smooth and the filling is hidden. Use a knife to gently swirl the topping mixture into the batter. Add the remaining batter and smooth the top. Sprinkle with the rest of the topping mixture.



7. Place the pan on a baking sheet and bake, rotating the sheet about two-thirds of the way through the baking time, until the top of the cake springs back when touched and a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean, 50 to 60 minutes.



8. Transfer the tube pan to a wire rack and let the cake cool completely in the pan. Using a spatula, loosen the sides of the cake from the pan, then lift the cake up and off the center tube. Serve at room temperature.

Feast of the Holy Rosary October 7,2010

Crock Pot Lamb with Dates

4 pounds boneless leg of lamb


1 teaspoon each of:

rosemary

cumin

kosher salt

pepper
4 cloves garlic, chopped
2 cups dried dates
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 cinnamon stick



The Directions.



Use a 4-5 quart crockpot. Put meat inside, and rub it on all sides with dry spices. Add garlic and dates . Pour inchicken broth , and toss in a cinnamon stick. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours.
I serve with mashed potatoes and fried sweet peppers.

Delicious flavor.

Salsa Chicken In The Crock

2 lb. boneless skinless chicken
1 can rinsed black beans
2 C chunky salsa
Place chicken in the crockpot. Top with the rinsed black beans and salsa.

Cover and cook on low for 6-9 hours, or on high for 4-5. Cooking time will vary depending on whether or not your chicken is frozen, and how big the pieces are.

I served with rice, lettuce, cheddar cheese and tortillas.

If you decide to use breasts, increase your salsa by 1/2 cup. Breasts are drier than thighs.

Granola Bars

In a pan melt 4 T butter. Add 1 C raw honey and 2/3 C brown sugar, 1/2 C natural peanut butter, plus 2 pinches of salt. Mix in 4 C rolled oats, 2 C chopped peanuts and 2 C chopped dried fruit( I used apricots, apples, prunes) , 4 T ground chia seed. Mix well and place into a 9"X13" pan lined with parchment paper, sprayed with cooking spray. Bake 30-35 minutes at 300 degrees. Score bars and cool completely. Slice completely when cool.

Slow Cooker Squash Stew

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil


1 medium onion, thinly sliced

2 cloves garlic, sliced

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 1/2 cups dried chickpeas, rinsed

1 pound butternut squash, peeled and cut into large pieces

1 bunch Swiss chard, leaves and stems separated and roughly chopped

grated parmesan for topping

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

Crusty bread , for serving

Directions

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook until soft and golden brown, 4 to 5 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and red pepper flakes and cook 1 minute. Stir in 1/2 cup water, scraping up any browned bits. Transfer the contents of the skillet to a 6-quart slow cooker.



Add the chickpeas, squash, chard ,rind, if using, 2 teaspoons salt and 7 cups water to the slow cooker. Stir, then cover and cook on low, 8 hours.

Just before serving, lift the lid and stir in the chard leaves; cover and continue cooking 10 more minutes. Season with salt and pepper, and stir to slightly break up the squash.  Ladle the stew into bowls; top with the grated parmesan, if desired, and serve with bread.

Reese's PB Chocolate Cheesecake

How to Make a Perfect Cheesecake



Reese's PB Cup Chocolate Cheesecake Recipe with Oreo Cookie Crust



26 whole Oreo cookies or similar chocolate sandwich cookies, crushed fine, or

1/4 cup melted butter

Remove the bottom of a 9- inch springform pan, then line the bottom plate with aluminum foil. Reassemble the pan. Pull the excess foil up and around the pan to prevent any batter from leaking into the oven. Spray sides and bottom with vegetable spray.

Mix Oreo Cookie Crust ingredients together and pat on the bottom only of the prepared pan.





Chocolate Cheesecake Filling



2 pounds (four - 8 ounce packages) Philly Brand cream cheese, room temperature

1 can (14 ounces) Eagle brand sweetened condensed milk

4 large eggs, room temperature

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 1/4 cup semi sweet gourmet chocolate chips, melted (see above)

8 large Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, chopped in good size pieces

Optional Chocolate Ganache Icing





How to Make a Reese's PB Cheesecake



Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. (This cheesecake needs a lower oven temperature than most cheesecake recipes.)

Place a pan of hot water in the bottom of the oven and close the door.

In a mixing bowl on medium speed, beat cream cheese until smooth ~ about 2-3 minutes. Scrape down sides half way through. Add sweetened condensed milk and beat again, scraping a few times. The mixture should be smooth. Add eggs 1 at a time beating after each addition until creamy. Add vanilla and blend. With the mixer on low, add melted chocolate in a steady stream and beat only enough so there are no lumps and the filling is nice and fluffy. Scrape as needed.

Gently fold in all but 1/2 cup of chopped peanut butter cups.

Pour batter into prepared pan on top of the Oreo cookie crust. Sprinkle the remaining peanut butter cups over the top of the cheesecake, and bake at 300 degrees for 60-70 minutes. The center of the cheesecake will still be a little wiggly when it comes out of the oven. The cheesecake will set up as it cools and chills. Remove from oven and let cool completely before removing the sides of the pan.

VERY IMPORTANT! See the important link, How To Make Perfect Cheesecake for further baking, cooling, serving and freezing instructions.

When fully chilled, remove from pan and drizzle with the optional dark chocolate ganache icing.

Makes one 9 inch Chocolate Cheesecake.

Meatballs

In a large bowl tear 6 slices of Heidelberg bread . Pour 1/4 C milk over the bread. Mix in with the bread and milk, 3 lb. meatloaf mix( beef, veal, pork)  1 C chopped spinach, 1/2 C grated Pecorino Romano, 3 large eggs, beaten, basil, oregano and parsley to taste, a few dashes of red pepper and salt and pepper to taste. M ix well and form into balls. Place the balls into a pot of boiling sauce. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook all day. Serve with pasta or bread.

Crockpot Chicken Nuggets

--4 to 6 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves


--4 T butter or olive oil (I used butter)

--4 eggs

--1 cup breadcrumbs, or a mixture of cracker, cereal, tortilla chip, etc. crumbs.

--1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt

--1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

--1 T flax seed meal (optional---I threw it in. They'll never know.)



The Directions.



I used 6 chicken breast halves, and layered the cut up pieces in a 6 quart Smart Set Crock-Pot.



Make sure the chicken is fully thawed. Cut into child-size pieces. I found that the smaller pieces I made cooked better than the larger ones. The larger ones also didn't get crispy on top---stick to about 2 inch pieces.



In a bowl, mix the melted butter or oil with the egg. Blend up the cracker and cereal crumbs to make a fine bread crumb mixture and pour into a pie plate.



Spray your crockpot with cooking spray. I did not. You really should.



Dip each piece of chicken in the egg mixture, and then toss in the crumbs. Put a layer of battered chicken pieces in the bottom of the crock. When the bottom is full, add a piece of aluminum foil. Poke tiny holes in the foil to allow steam to escape. I found that the layer I did with the most holes worked the best, and the layer I skimped on resulted in soggy topping. The holes are important.



I made 4 layers with 6 cut-up chicken breast halves.

Cover your crock, but vent the lid with a wooden spoon or chopstick. Cook on high for 2-4 hours. Melissa's took 2 hours to cook, my batch took 4. After cooking, we both left our crockpots on warm for a few hours before eating

Slow Cooked Chili

2 pounds ground beef


1/2 cup chopped onion

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 cans (16 ounces each) dark red kidney beans, rinsed and drained

2 cans (16 ounces each) light red kidney beans, rinsed and drained

2 cans (14-1/2 ounces each) stewed tomatoes, cut up

1 can (15 ounces) pizza sauce

1 can (4 ounces) chopped green chilies

4 teaspoons chili powder

1 teaspoon dried basil

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

Directions

In a Dutch oven, cook the beef, onion and garlic over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Transfer to a 5-qt. slow cooker; stir in the remaining ingredients. Cover and cook on low for 6 hours. Yield: 14 servings.

Crockpot Chicken Parmesean

In a crockpot place 2 jars of marinara sauce. Add 6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts. Place the cooker on low and cook for 6-8 hours. Place the chicken on rolls with fresh basil and mozzarella cheese ( I used Dubliner cheddar) .

Mrs. Salter's Peanut Butter Pie

1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream


1/4 cup sugar

8 ounces cream cheese

1 cup crunchy peanut butter

1 cup confectioners' sugar

1 graham cracker crust, store-bought or premade

Directions

Whip cream with 1/4 cup sugar. Mix all other ingredients until smooth and fold in whipped cream until well blended. Pour mixture into a graham cracker crust and chill for several hours before serving.

Overnight Oatmeal

3 3/4  cup steel cut oats


1 cup rasins

8 cups water

1/2 tsp. salt
4 T butter

Directions

In a slow cooker, combine all ingredients, except butter and set to low heat. Cover and let cook for 8 to 9 hours. Stir in the butter. Serve with cinnamon and cream or milk.





Stir and remove to serving bowls. This method works best if started before you go to bed. This way your oatmeal will be finished by morning.

America'S Test Kitchen Chicken And Dumplings

5 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs


Table salt and ground black pepper

4 teaspoons vegetable oil

4 tablespoons unsalted butter (1/2 stick)

4 carrots , peeled and sliced 1/4 inch thick

2 ribs celery , sliced 1/4 inch thick

1 large onion , minced

6 tablespoon unbleached all-purpose flour

1/4 cup dry sherry ( I used a Cabernet)

4 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth

1/4 cup whole milk

1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme leaves

2 bay leaves

1 cup frozen green peas

3 tablespoons minced fresh parsley leaves



Dumplings



2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 teaspoon table salt

1 cup whole milk

3 tablespoons reserved chicken fat (or unsalted butter)







Chicken Stew





1. For the Stew: Pat the chicken dry with paper towels, then season with salt and pepper. Heat 2 teaspoons of the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat until just smoking. Add half of the chicken and cook until golden on both sides, about 10 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a plate and remove the browned skin. Pour off the chicken fat and reserve. Return the pot to medium-high heat and repeat with the remaining 2 teaspoons oil and the remaining chicken. Pour off and reserve any chicken fat.



2. Add the butter to the Dutch oven and melt over medium-high heat. Add the carrots, celery, onion, and 1/4 teaspoon salt and cook until softened, about 7 minutes. Stir in the flour. Whisk in the sherry, scraping up any browned bits. Stir in the broth, milk, thyme, and bay leaves. Nestle the chicken, with any accumulated juices, into the pot. Cover and simmer until the chicken is fully cooked and tender, about 1 hour.



3. Transfer the chicken to a cutting board. Discard the bay leaves. Allow the sauce to settle for a few minutes, then skim the fat from the surface using a wide spoon. Shred the chicken, discarding the bones, then return it to the stew.



4. For the Dumplings: Stir the flour, baking powder, and salt together. Microwave the milk and fat in a microwave-safe bowl on high until just warm (do not over-heat), about 1 minute. Stir the warmed milk mixture into the flour mixture with a wooden spoon until incorporated and smooth.



5. Return the stew to a simmer, stir in the peas and parsley, and season with salt and pepper. Following the photos below, drop golf-ball-sized dumplings over the top of the stew, about 1/4 inch apart (you should have about 18 dumplings). Reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook until the dumplings have doubled in size, 15 to 18 minutes. Serve.

Graham Cracker Crust

This recipe is from allrecipes.com.
1 1/2 cups finely ground graham cracker crumbs 1/3 cup white sugar 6 tablespoons butter, melted 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)


Directions

Mix graham cracker crumbs, sugar, melted butter or margarine, and cinnamon until well blended . Press mixture into an 8 or 9 inch pie plate.

Bake at 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) for 7 minutes. Cool. If recipe calls for unbaked pie shell, just chill for about 1 hour.

Mary's Birthday Snack Mix

For Mary's Snack Mix; mix together dried cranberries ( for her fruitfulness) , white chocolate chips ( for her purity and sinlessness) and honey roasted peanuts (for the sweetness of God's love)

Blueberry Cheesecake

We made this recipe for the Blessed Mother's birthday on September 8th.
Blueberry Cheesecake Pie






1 9" graham cracker piecrust

1 8oz pkg. cream cheese

1/2 cup sugar

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

pinch salt

2 eggs

8 oz. sour cream

2 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 cup fresh or frozen blueberries

1 cup water

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1 tsp cinnamon

2 tablespoons sugar

Soften cream cheese. Beat in sugar, beating until fluffy. Add lemon juice, vanilla and salt. Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each. Pour into pie shell and bake at 325 degrees until set, about 25 to 30 minutes. Stir sugar and vanilla into sour cream. Spoon on top of pie and bake 10 minutes longer.



In small saucepan, mix cornstarch, cinnamon, and sugar. Bring to a boil, stirring to prevent sticking. Mixture will thicken. Add blueberries.



When pie is slightly cooled, spoon cooled blueberry topping over pie. Refrigerate.

Quick Oatmeal Raisin Pancakes

This recipe is from Taste of Home Magazine.
2 cups quick-cooking oats


2 cups buttermilk

1/2 cup egg substitute

2 tablespoons canola oil

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup raisins

Directions

In a small bowl, combine oats and buttermilk; let stand for 5 minutes. Stir in egg substitute and oil; set aside.

In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Stir in the wet ingredients just until moistened; add raisins.

Pour batter by heaping 1/4 cupfuls onto a hot griddle coated with cooking spray; turn when bubbles form on top. Cook until second side is golden brown.
 

Coconut Macroons

In a bowl mix:
16 oz. shredded coconut
1 can of sweetened condensed milk
2 tsp. vanilla extract

Drop by teaspoonsfuls  onto generously greased baking sheets. Bake at 350 degrees for 8  minutes or until golden brown.

Chicken Parm Pizza

1 homemade pizza dough


flour, for dough

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (2 turns of the pan plus a drizzle)

1 pound ground chicken

3 cloves garlic, chopped

1 small onion, chopped

Salt and pepper

Handful flat-leaf parsley, chopped

Couple pinches crushed red pepper flakes

Couple pinches dried oregano

1 1/2 C tomato sauce

1 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

1 1/2 cups shredded provolone

5 to 6 leaves basil, torn or shredded

Directions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.



Coat hands and work surface with a little flour. Using your hand or a rolling pin, form a 14-inch round pizza. Place pizza on a baking sheet or pizza stone and poke the top with a few holes. Drizzle a little bit of extra-virgin olive oil down over the dough and place in oven. Bake 10 minutes.



Meanwhile, heat a deep skillet over medium-high heat with 2 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil. Add meat and break it up with a wooden spoon. To browned meat, add garlic and onions, then season with salt and pepper. Cook together 5 to 6 minutes then add parsley, red pepper flakes, oregano and the tomatoes to the pan. Heat the sauce through.



Remove pizza from oven after 10 minutes and top with sauce and cheeses. Return to oven and bake until golden and bubbly, another 10 to12 minutes. Top the pizza with basil, cut and serve.

Roasted Vegetable & Beef Stew

2 pounds beef chuck roast, cubed 4 tablespoons olive oil 1 onion, chopped 1/4 pound fresh mushrooms, sliced 4 carrots, coarsely chopped 4 large russet potatoes, cut into quarters 2 stalks celery, chopped 4 cloves garlic, minced 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour 1 bay leaf 2 cups beef broth 1/2 cup red wine 1/4 cup tomato paste salt and pepper to taste


Directions

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). Place beef cubes in a metal roasting pan and stir in 2 tablespoons olive oil. Put in the oven, on the middle rung and cook for 30 minutes, turning occasionally, until brown and tender.

Meanwhile, put onions, mushrooms, carrots, potatoes, celery, and garlic in a roasting pan. Stir in 2 tablespoons olive oil. Place in oven underneath beef. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender. Remove both beef and vegetable mixture from oven.

Remove beef from roasting pan and set aside. Place roasting pan, on medium high heat. Add wine and bring to a boil, scraping up the bits of drippings, stirring. When the bottom of the pan is clear of all browned pieces, remove from heat.

Put beef and wine mixture in a Dutch oven and stir in beef broth and add bay leaf and tomato paste. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 40 minutes.

Add 2 tablespoons flour to cooked vegetables and toss until all vegetables are coated. Add vegetables to beef stew. Simmer, covered, for 20 minutes, or until vegetables are heated through and tender. Serve

Ham and Cheese Pinwheels

On a sundried tomato wrap spread a flavored spreadable cheese( I used an herb and garlic) layer on ham. Wrap and slice into pinwheels. Place on a toothpick and serve.

America's Test Kitchen Hearty Chicken noodle Soup

2 lb Chicken, Breast


2 medium Yellow Onion

2 cup Carrots

3 large stalk Raw Celery

8 cups Organic Free Range Chicken Broth - Low Sodium



2 tsp Kosher Salt

1 lb. egg noodles cooked according to package directions

1 lb Ground Chicken

3 tbsp potato starch

1 1/2 C Potato, Red

4 C Chard, Swiss

1/2 tbsp Parsley, Dried

1/2 tsp Spices, Whole Black Pepper

1/2 tbsp Pure Canola Oil

2 Spices, Whole Bay Leaves

In a stock pot, add 1/2 Tbs. canola oil and heat over medium-high heat till oil is shimmering. Once shimmering, add 1/2 lb. ground chicken, 1/2 stalk of celery (chopped), 1/2 yellow onion (chopped), 1/2 cup chopped carrot. Cook 5-10 minutes until chicken is no longer pink and vegetables are soft.



2. Add 1 quart of low-sodium chicken broth, 2 cups of water, 2 dried bay leaves, 1 tsp. kosher salt and 2 bone-in, split chicken breast WITH THE SKIN ON (don't worry, you'll remove it before consuming). Cover and slowly simmer for 30 minutes.



3. Remove poached chicken breasts and set aside to cool.



4. Simmer stock uncovered for 20 more minutes.



5. Strain liquid through a fine mesh sieve. Press on solids in the sieve to extract additional, highly-flavored liquids. Add strained broth back to the pot. Let the broth settle for at least 5 minutes.



6. Meanwhile, slice the remaining  yellow onion.



7. Skim any big pools of fat from the broth and discard. Then bring liquid back to a simmer.



8. Add a slurry of Tbs. potato starch and 1/8 cup water to the broth. Simmer 1-2 minutes.



9. Add rib celery (chopped), cup carrot (chopped), cup red potato (chopped, with skin on), and the already sliced  onion. Poach 10-15 minutes.



10. Meanwhile, remove skin and bones from chicken breasts. Discard bones and skin. Shred the chicken breasts into sizable, but bite-size pieces. Add chicken back to the soup.



11. After tearing 3 cups of Swiss chard leaves into 1-inch pieces, add to soup. The Swiss chard is optional, but highly recommended! Also add 1/2 Tbs. dried parsley and 1/2 tsp. ground black pepper. Simmer 1-2 minutes

12. Serve with egg noodles.