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cozy cabbage and farro soup

Last April, Food52’s Cookbook Club chose Smitten Kitchen Every Day as their book to cook through that month, but I promise, this isn’t the point at all. The club has monthly picks and a yearly Bonus Book, a cookbook participants cook through at their leisure. So while April was my book’s month, for 2018, that book was Six Seasons by Joshua McFadden.

I already loved this book. We talked about it that month in regard to a crunchy asparagus salad that I mixed with chopped jammy eggs on toast, with a photo that still makes me smile. I told you that you needed to buy that book right then, especially if you also delighted in inventive but not overly complicated vegetable preparations (225 of them, even) and things you hadn’t thought of but would immediately tuck into your repertoire.

But because I checked on the group multiple times a day to respond to comments and questions on my cookbook recipes, I also read many posts about things the group were simultaneously cooking from the Six Seasons book and I need to tell you that probably 40% of these posts extolled the virtues of the book’s Comforting Cabbage and Farro Soup.

You’re about to tell me that you don’t want to eat a cabbage soup. That you don’t find cabbage “comforting.” That you have nightmares of having to eat stewed or braised cabbage growing up, and you’re an adult and you’re not going to do that anymore. You’re probably thinking that this soup is very brown and beige, not exactly a looker, amiright? But that’s exactly my point. This soup is not going to sell itself. I had that book for a year, and had never once paused on this page to consider whether I needed this soup in my life. It took these repeated, sometimes multiple times in a day, posts from random internet strangers reporting that they, too, had made the soup the night before, and it had exceeded all of their cabbage and also soup hopes and dreams for me to become convinced that I might find it wonderful too.

And they were right. So now, I must do the same for you. I know it’s not pretty. I imagine that you’re skeptical. But the cabbage is slowly cooked down with onion and garlic — think Marcella Hazan’s famous smothered cabbage, but even better — then expanded best stock you have (homemade chicken is great here, but non-homemade or vegetable will work too) and then farro and then, at the end, you add a squeeze of lemon juice to the pot and it shakes the entire foundation of the soup into something bright and fascinating. In bowls, you finish it with a drizzle of olive oil, shaved parmesan, salt and pepper, with extra lemon on the side. It’s the coziest, warmest, most filling thing, and the exact soup I needed to kick 2019 off with. I hope you agree.

Previously

[Psst! Kicking January off with a new soup recipe for, like, balance and stuff, is an almost yearly tradition here at SK.]

One year ago: Split Pea Soup Two years ago: Chicken Wonton Soup Three years ago: Chicken Chili Four years ago: My Ultimate Chicken Noodle Soup Five years ago: Parmesan Broth with Kale and White Beans Six years ago: Carrot Soup with Crisped Chickpeas Seven years ago: Carrot Soup with Miso and Sesame Eight years ago: Chard and White Bean Stew Nine years ago: Southwestern Pulled Brisket Ten years ago: Squash and Chickpea Moroccan Stew Eleven years ago: Viennese Cucumber Salad Twelve years ago: Really Smiple Homemade Pizza

And for the other side of the world: Six Months Ago: Corn Fritters 1.5 Years Ago: Confetti Party Cake 2.5 Years Ago: Peaches and Cream Bunny Cake 3.5 Years Ago: Oven Ribs, Even Better 4.5 Years Ago: Blue and Red Berry Ricotta Galettes

Cozy Cabbage and Farro Soup

Servings: 4

Time: 1 hour

Source: Adapted from Six Seasons

Print

A few notes: This is a good soup to double because while it makes 4 portions, you’ll see, it’s not a speck over one standard soup bowl per person. If you double it, you’ll need to add the cabbage a little at a time until it shrinks down, but it otherwise shouldn’t be a problem in a 5 to 6-quart pot.

While this soup could be vegetarian (using vegetable stock), or even vegan (skipping the parmesan), you could also go in the other direction, adding a ham hock or beef shank for a heartier soup. You could use rice instead of farro, but I do like the chewiness of the grain here.

As always with recipes with short ingredient lists, and rather plain ingredients, seasoning is everything. Keep adding salt and pepper until it tastes right.

Finally, my cabbage tends to brown and seem fully cooked far sooner than the recipe suggests it will be (30 minutes). I end up moving the recipe along sooner, and it’s not a problem. I’ve used savoy cabbage both times; it’s possible that with a regular green cabbage, it might need the full softening time.

1 pound cabbage, savoy or green

Olive oil

1 medium onion, thinly sliced

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

3 garlic cloves, smashed and peeled

1 sprig of rosemary or thyme (optional because I’ve forgotten it each time, and not regretted it)

1 tablespoon red wine or white wine vinegar

2/3 cup uncooked farro

About 4 cups homemade or storebought chicken or vegetable broth

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Shaved parmesan, to finish

Cut out the cabbage core and finely chop it. Cut the leaves into fine shreds or about 1/8-inch ribbons. Heat 1/4 cup olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion and cabbage core, some salt and pepper, and cook, stirring frequently, until the oven starts to soften but is not yet browned, about 5 to 7 minutes. Add the garlic and cook another 3 to 5 minutes, until the garlic softens too. Add the shredded cabbage leaves and herb sprig, if using. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cover the pot and let it steam a bit to soften the leaves, then toss the cabbage to combine with other ingredients. Cook, covered, until the cabbage is very sweet and tender, which the book says will take 30 minutes but I find 15 to 20 minutes usually does the trick. Stir occasionally.

Meanwhile, in a small skillet, heat a glug of olive oil over medium and add the uncooked farro. Toast it, stirring, for a few minutes, until half a shade darker.

When the cabbage is ready, stir in the vinegar. Taste and season with more salt and pepper. Add toasted farro and broth. Bring mixture to a lazy simmer and cook for 25 to 35 minutes, until farro is tender and all the flavors are married. The soup will be very thick, but if you’d prefer more liquid, add another 1/2 cup broth or water. Taste and adjust seasoning again. Stir in lemon juice.

Ladle into bowls and finish each with a drizzle of olive oil and a shower of parmesan, with more parmesan passed at the table.

Do ahead: Soup keeps well in the fridge for 3 days, and for weeks or longer in the freezer.

Source: https://smittenkitchen.com/2019/01/cozy-cabbage-and-farro-soup/

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You can finally get a drink inside Disneyland, but is it worth a visit?

Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge altered Disneyland as we knew it the moment it opened on May 31. Not only is the brand-new 14-acre land totally immersive, it also brought along one huge change to the 63-year-old theme park: It serves alcohol. While the members-only private lounge Club 33 in Disneyland’s New Orleans Square has been serving booze for years, Oga’s Cantina marks the first time the average Disneyland guest can get their drink on between piloting the Millennium Falcon and building their very own lightsaber. But is this bar a place worth visiting? And is it family-friendly?

Disney's Most Iconic Park Snacks

The Daily Meal had the chance to check out the watering hole on Batuu during a media preview of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge. Like the rest of the brand-new land, Oga’s Cantina is immaculately themed. The bar is grungy and seemingly seedy like any great dive bar, though it’s all purposeful (and actually very, very clean). Bullet holes and cracks litter the walls; lore has it that Darth Vader himself once visited the Black Spire Outpost on Batuu and got into a tiff while visiting Oga’s Cantina.

The most marvelous part of Oga’s Cantina’s décor and atmosphere is the droid, DJ R-3X. Disney fans will remember him from long ago when he piloted the Star Tours attraction. But now, the perky little robot is back, playing hip tunes from the Star Wars galaxy. The music is lively and thumping, and while none of the songs are recognizable, they all have a party element that reminds you of something that you maybe heard once before. From time to time, DJ R-3X will malfunction and start his Star Tours spiel. But in a matter of moments, the cantina employees will whip out a hammer and bang on some pipes, and the party starts all over again.

The atmosphere is worth a visit all on its own. Indeed, Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge is a land that’s more about an experience than it is about rides or merchandise. But how are the drinks at this much-hyped cantina?

First off, know you don’t need to be 21 or a drinker to enter or enjoy Oga’s Cantina. While parents will have to leave strollers outside of the bar (to conserve space), Star Wars fans of all ages can sip on sweet libations. In addition to the alcoholic offerings, Oga’s Cantina has a lengthy list of nonalcoholic mocktails. Highlights of the nonalcoholic menu include Oga’s Obsession, a cotton candy-flavored lemonade that’s served in a Petri dish full of blueberry popping pearls, and the Blue Bantha, which is the land’s signature blue milk topped with a sugar cookie.

As for the cocktails, we tried the Outer Rim and the Jedi Mind Trick. The former seemed to be among the most popular menu offerings, and the tequila-based cocktail with acai liqueur, lime juice and a black salt and sugar rim was well-balanced. The “exotic fruit puree” (which really just tasted like a mango whipped cream) rounded out the Outer Rim well and was quite refreshing. The Jedi Mind Trick was lightsaber bright blue, making for a fun presentation despite a lack of garnish. While some cocktails made with blue curacao can be sickeningly sweet, we also found this drink to be nicely balanced, thanks to the tart flavors of the grapefruit and rose vodka as well as a few dashes of grapefruit bitters.

You’re not likely to get anything more than mildly tipsy at Oga’s Cantina. The bar has some pretty strict rules about how you can experience it. Visits to Oga’s Cantina are limited to 45 minutes per person, and there’s a two-drink maximum per “certification” (that’s ID, in Earth terms). And while both of the cocktails we sampled packed a punch, they weren’t noticeably alcohol-heavy.

Whether or not it was necessary for Disneyland to buck tradition and start serving alcohol at Oga’s Cantina is up for debate, but what isn’t debatable is that this rollicking cantina is a highlight of a new land full of highlights. The atmosphere is fun and inviting and the drinks are really solid.

Oga’s Cantina and Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge are open now at Disneyland Park in Anaheim, California. And while the first few weeks of this land require reservations from guests, the world of Batuu will be totally and completely open to the public starting June 24. And if you didn’t know that, then you probably need to know these other facts about the new Star Wars land.

Source: https://www.thedailymeal.com/travel/ogas-cantina-disneyland-menu-review-alcohol/060419

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All Dressed Hummus

I am a huge fan of hummus.  I often make it to enjoy with crisp crackers or raw vegetables.  It has been my snack of choice for many years. 

  It is one of the few ways I can tolerate chick peas due to my diverticulitis.  I used to love to make a vegetarian chili which used tinned chick peas when my children were growing up.  It was really delicious. Sadly those days  of enjoying those types of things in abundance are over for me! 

So far I have been able to enjoy hummus however.  Probably because the chick peas are pureed, which makes them easier to digest.

This All Dressed Hummus is also a real favourite around here.  I call it all dressed because it is topped with lots of lovely bits to dress it up. 

Its like the Cinderella of Hummus all dressed up and ready to go to the ball, glass slippers and all  . . .

I like to top it with a variety of finely chopped vegetables. 

Chopping things up really finely isn't really a chore if you have a good set of knives to work with.

  Made of Zirconia ceramic, this six piece set of knives feature longer durability than regular steel while leaving your food free of chemical and metal taste. They are sleek, easy to handle and perfect for your slicing and dicing needs. I love them.  They make short work of slicing or dicing things into bits.

Along with the variety of diced veg I used, I topped this Hummus with some Crispy Chickpeas.  If you have never eaten them or made your own, you really need to try.  The oven basically does all the work and they are wonderfully crunchy and crisp, quite addictive as a snack or a garnish.

Yield: Makes about 1 1/2 cupsAuthor: Marie RaynerPrint Recipe

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Crispy Chickpeas

These are crisp and delicious.  They are fabulous eaten out of hand as a snack, or used as a garnish.

ingredients:

1 (400g) tin of chick peas, drained and patted dry (14 oz)

olive oil to drizzle

ground cumin, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and coarse black pepper

(according to your taste, I find about 1/4 tsp of each is ample)

instructions:

Preheat the oven to 200*C/400*F/ gas mark 6.  Line a baking tray with foil.  Scatter the chick peas over top and then drizzle with a bit of extra virgin olive oil. Only about 1 TBS for the whole tin if that.)  Sprinkle with the spices/seasonings and toss to coat well with the oil and seasonings.  Spread out evenly leaving space between.  Pop into the pre-heated oven and roast for about 25 minutes until crispy.  Cool completely and then store in an airtight jar.

Almost like popcorn, except they contain a lot more fibre and protein.  I flavour mine with ground cumin, garlic, paprika, onion powder, salt and pepper, but you can use whatever flavours you desire.  As a snack you can also make a sweet variety as I did here with my Gingerbread Roasted Chickpeas. They also make a tasty snack. Again I have to control my consumption of these things because of my tummy. 😓 Getting older is not for sissies for sure. 

Today I topped my hummus with chopped tomatoes, red onions, cucumber, coriander leaf, a drizzle of EVO, and some crispy chick peas.

We I enjoyed it with some crisp raw vegetable sticks and fresh warm pita bread. (Todd is not a fan of raw vegetables.)  They have started stocking a sour dough pita bread at our local grocers that is fabulous!

Altogether this made a really delicious and healthy lunch for me, which I really enjoyed. 

Yield: VariableAuthor: Marie RaynerPrint Recipe

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All Dressed Hummus

An incredibly tasty and pretty appetiser.  Serve chilled with plenty of warm pita breads and crisp vegetables for dipping.

ingredients:

1 (400g) tin of chickpeas, drained (reserve the liquid) (14 oz tin)

2 TBS Tahini paste

3 TBS extra virgin Olive Oil

1 clove of garlic, peeled

2 tsp lemon juice

1/2 tsp sweet paprika

1/4 tsp ground cumin

4 TBS water

1 TBS packed fresh coriander leaf (cilantro)

1 tsp fine sea salt

1/2 tsp coarse ground black pepper, or to taste

Toppings:

extra virgin olive oil to drizzle (optional)

4 TBS chopped cherry tomatoes

4 TBS chopped red onion

4 TBS chopped unpeeled cucumber

crispy chickpeas (optional)

toasted mixed seeds (optional)

chopped fresh coriander (cilantro)

crumbled feta cheese (optional)

instructions:

Combine all of the hummus ingredients in a food processor and blitz until smooth and to your desired consistency, adding reserved chickpea liquid as desired to give you what you want.  Spread the hummus in a large flat bowl. Cover and chill while you create the toppings.

When you are ready to serve, sprinkle your desired toppings over top of the chilled hummus and serve immediately with plenty of crisp vegetables and warmed pita bread cut into pieces.

This makes a fabulous group appetizer for when you are entertaining, or for picnics (you can top it just before you serve it) and of course its great in the lunch box.  I would pack the hummus and the toppings and the dippers separately in that case.  What a treat!

Source: https://theenglishkitchen.blogspot.com/2019/02/all-dressed-hummus.html

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Barbecue side dishes + Herbivorous Butcher grill pack

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Today’s post covers everything you need for a successful grilling season. Just add charcoal! With the Herbivorous Butcher summer grill pack + recipes for barbecue side dishes, cookout season is off to an enticing start.

Thank you to Herbivorous Butcher for sponsoring today’s post! The contents, photos, and opinions expressed are fully my own.

We are sliding into the season of potlucks, picnics, and cookouts. It’s time to make sure everything is working on that barbecue grill, so that nothing stands in the way of three-day weekends with vegan ribs, seitan steaks, and brats…

And of course, some barbecue side dishes to round out the meal.

Remember those sad, gray days when the vegan grill option was a Portobello mushroom cap? Can we all have a moment of silence for that please? Because now, there’s just no reason for an “after-thought” option like that.

Just in time for warm weather barbecues, I partnered up again with the Herbivorous Butcher. Herbivorous Butcher is based out of Minneapolis. They make a wide array of 100% vegan meats & cheeses.

You may remember that back in the early winter, I shared their Valentine’s Day pack, as well as a recipe for vegan risotto. (The risotto can also be repurposed into vegan arancini!)

Now I’m excited to share their grill pack, as well as offer up a list of vegan cookout side dishes to serve alongside them. (Get all of the ordering details at the bottom of this post!)

Whet your appetite with this Herbivorous Butcher grill pack video:

In the video:

Smoked mango & habanero ribs with potato salad & collard greens

Ribeye steak with baked potato & red wine mushrooms

Jalapeño cheddar brats with coleslaw

Beer brats with sauerkraut & easy spinach salad

Mango & habanero ribs

Nothing says summer grilling season like sticky sweet ribs! These mango and habanero ribs have a balance of sweetness & spice. They get a wonderful crust on the outside, delicious to crack through on the way to the dense interior.

Save the fork for your side dishes, and grab on with both hands.

Serve the mango & habanero ribs with any of these summer side dishes:

Ribeye steak

Take your cookout to the next level with ribeye steak.

What I love about Herbivorous Butcher vegan meats in general but especially their steak, is that you don’t have to worry about overcooking. The steak is thickly cut, which means you can put it on a super hot grill and get some char on the outside without worrying the inside will get too dry.

The grill pack comes with one steak, but you can definitely cut it down to feed a group. We get four meals out of one steak.

Serve the ribeye steak with any of these barbecue side dishes:

Beer brats

If you love the hoppy flavor of a cold brew, you are going to adore these beer brats. The boozy flavor can totally stand up to a slathering of stoneground mustard and generous helping of sauerkraut.

Serve the beer brats with any of these veggie side dishes:

Jalapeño cheddar brats

The jalapeño cheddar brats have the flavor of jalapeño, but without being overly spicy hot. What really stands out is that buttery cheddar flavor. It gets a bit of creamy gooey-ness around the edges.

Serve the jalapeño cheddar brats with these cookout side dishes:

What’s included in the grill pack & how to order

The grill pack includes:

Beer Brats (13 ounces/4 links)

Jalapeño Cheddar Brats (13 ounces/4 links)

Ribeye Steak (14 ounces)

Smoked Mango & Habanero Ribs (12 ounces)

The Herbivorous Butcher grill pack is $85, and that includes shipping. Herbivorous Butcher ships to all 50 states and Puerto Rico.

The grill pack goes on sale May 6th. At that time, you can place your order at theherbivorousbutcher.com. The first shipping date is May 20th (for orders that are placed between May 6 to 12).

The grill pack will be on sale through the fall!

This is a sponsored post with a brand that I use in my own home. Posts like these help me keep fresh recipes coming your way!

Source: https://cadryskitchen.com/barbecue-side-dishes/

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DIY Colorful Clay Planters

Add a pop of color to your greenery this summer with these DIY colorful clay planters! These little guys are so fun to make – and aren’t they just adorable, too? You can make these at a craft night with friends, give them as gifts, or keep them for yourself! Whatever you choose, some lucky plants will have a cute new home to grow into.

For this project, I used clay to create 3D shapes for my planters. The shapes are fairly simple to make, so if you’re not super comfortable handling clay, this is a great way to practice. Like I always say, don’t worry about perfection and just have fun with it. Here’s to a summer in full bloom!

Terra cotta pots

Paintbrush

Waterproof Acrylic Paint (yellow, green, pink, orange)

Clay (red, orange, yellow, light green, dark green, light purple, pink, black)

Hot glue gun

Cutting tool (for the clay)

Step 1 Paint your terra cotta pots and allow them to dry completely.

Step 2: For The Rainbow: Roll the pink, red, orange, yellow, and light purple clay into long strips. Then, fold the colors on top of one another to form a rainbow.

Cut off any excess and bake according to clay package instructions.

Glue onto the planter.

Step 3: For The Flower: Create a small circle out of yellow clay. This will be the center of the flower. Then, cut small pieces of orange clay and shape them into petals. Work the petals into the yellow center and bake according to clay package instructions.

Glue onto the planter.

Step 4: For The Happy Face: Using yellow clay, create a circle to be the base of the happy face. Then create details for the face using black clay.

Bake according to clay package instructions and glue onto the planter.

Step 5: For The Leaf: Using a cutting tool, cut out a leaf shape using dark green clay. Then, with light green clay, create details to go on the leaf.

Bake according to clay package instructions and glue onto the planter.

Happy crafting!

Source: https://www.handmadecharlotte.com/diy-colorful-clay-planters/

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Simple Candied Jalapenos or Peppers

I love jalapenos, but I just can’t stand the heat. That is why is remove all the seeds before enjoying them. When I saw a recipe for simple candied jalapenos (or peppers).  These are also known as cowboy candy. It seem like a great way to enjoy jalapenos without all the heat.

Now, you can totally make these to your tasting. the amount of seeds you include will adjust the amount of heat. If jalapenos are still too much for you, you can use those mini sweet mini peppers instead. They would also be so colorful.

You can used these in any way you would use a regular jalapeno, plus in other thinks that you may be scared to use fresh jalapeno in. You can use them in salsas, salads, sandwiches, nachos, etc. These candied jalapenos of a balance of sweet and heat. If you have jalapenos in your garden or just love jalapenos, then you should give these a try.

Print

Scale 1x2x3x

Ingredients

10 to 12 jalapenos, cut into rings and amount of seeds remove as desired for the amount of heat you want

1 1/2 cups water

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup vinegar

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp celery seeds

Instructions

In a sauce pan, add all of the ingredients and bring to a boil. Be sure to stand back from the sauce pan, the fumes from the boiling jalapenos can burn you nose and eyes.

Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Allow to cool and pour into a glass jar with a lid. Place in the fridge and store for up to 2 weeks.

This recipe is adapted from Hey, Grill Hey.

Source: https://www.realmomkitchen.com/simple-candied-jalapenos-or-peppers/

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NEXT-LEVEL HOT COCOA

In my earliest days in San Francisco, some friends and I went really deep with soft rock. We cherished our ridiculous record collections – from Air Supply to Foreigner – and I still have a deep and abiding love for the earnest sincerity of those songs. They are the definition of soft, with their muted drums and smooth bass notes and understated sax solos, all underpinning extremely sentimental verses. It is, no doubt, trawling the depths of nostalgia: childhood, when I’d hear these tunes on the radio, and my early 20s in San Francisco. It taps into something kind of profound. Pulling up all of these unnameable feelings that feel really good. And it taps into something deeply goofy.

On a long drive home last weekend, I needed to tap into the goof to stay awake. I love a long drive on an empty interstate. Perhaps because it affords a bit of uninterrupted space, to think, to listen to podcasts and music, to process. But that doesn’t mean that long drives are necessarily easy. Especially in the final stretch.  So I pulled up all of my softest soft rock playlists, pounded a mug of matcha, and just channeled something spectacular. I’m pretty certain that singing along to your favorite songs from the way back is close to a spiritual experience. Anyway, it was for me. I was singing along, remembering that I had always wanted to make an album of acoustic covers of my favorite lite rock hits, and just feeling phenomenal about life. I highly recommend this if you are nodding off and still have three hours of driving ahead of you.

One of the passing thoughts during peak goofiness – tired but overstimulated on matcha and these sparkling songs – was that Smooth Operator would make the best name for a drink. A cozy, warming, chocolate drink. After sleeping on it, I realized the ridiculousness of calling a drink something that calls to mind our digestive processes and varying states of ease around that. But I chuckled – that’s the magic of road trips, soft rock, and some late-night highway delirium.

Next-Level Hot Cocoa

I love making hot cocoa at home in the winter months, especially now that I live in a place with a real winter and am getting to work on perfecting my #hygge! I add warming winter spices: cinnamon, ginger, turmeric, and a pinch of cayenne, for a little extra. I love So Delicious Dairy Free because their unsweetened Almondmilk is to the point with minimal ingredients and high fat content, which ensures extra creamy drinks. Use the Carousel coupon for 20% off So Delicious Dairy Free at Target.

Next-Level Hot Cocoa

1/2 cup water

2 tablespoons cocoa powder

3 teaspoons maple syrup

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ginger

1/4 teaspoon turmeric

1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Pinch chili powder (optional!)

Pinch nutmeg

Pinch sea salt

Add all of the ingredients to a saucepan. Heat over medium-low, stirring frequently, until the mixture is steaming hot but not bubbling. Remove from the heat and whisk. You can use a stick blender to make it frothy if you wish. Finish with a dusting of cinnamon, ginger, or turmeric. Enjoy!

Source: http://theyearinfood.com/2018/02/next-level-hot-cocoa.html

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Apple Nachos

 A plate of Apple Nachos drizzled with peanut butter, marshmallow, caramel, and candy makes a delicious and fun after school snack.

They also make a fun dessert bar for kids to put together at fall parties.

CLICK HERE TO SAVE THE RECIPE FOR LATER!

Can you take the healthy out of food?

Maybe you can’t take it out, but you had hide and disguise it so much that the health factor is pretty much gone. That’s so true about these apples in front of you.

Let’s take perfectly good for you apples and drizzle them with so much yummy sugar that they are now cavity makers. I can see how it would play out at the at the dentist office.

“Honest Mr. Dentist, I eat lots of apples, so I have no idea why I keep getting cavities?” Wink, wink!  I’m sure it had nothing to do with all the “healthy” Apple Nachos and Cinnamon Sugar Apple Donut Holes I’ve been eating each afternoon.  LOL!

My youngest sister was telling me about these yummy loaded apple snacks that she had seen online. They are the perfect “let’s rot our teeth” before bed treat. LOL!

I had a few bags of apples leftover after making another Apple Crisp Pie, so I put together a big plate for a bedtime snack .  Our kiddos gobbled up this easy no bake snack so quickly. Well, two out of the three did anyway.

The third little monster threw a fit saying he didn’t like apples. That is so not true because he eats them plain just fine every other day. I think he must know about the whole cavity thing.

After a crying fit, I sent him to bed without anything. I wasn’t backing down because I am the Mama after all!! And because apparently that was the battle I chose to fight that day.

It’s funny looking back at it years later and realizing that choosing your battles really is important, and this wasn’t one I should have chosen. Hindsight is always interesting.

After 10 minutes of fake crying in his bed, he came up and said he was done and then apologized for throwing a fit! It makes this mama very proud to know they are learning and remembering the things we teach them day to day.

I love when they know they have done something wrong and come apologize on their own.

He then asked if he could have his plain apple. I probably shouldn’t have given in because of the fit he threw, but he did apologize. Maybe next time he will be willing to try these fun Apple Nachos.

Plus, how can I tell my kid he has to eat the sugar-laden snack over healthy apple slices?

How to make Apple Nachos:

Place the apple slices on a plate or in a small skillet.

Melt the peanut butter and marshmallow cream in the microwave for a few seconds, then drizzle both toppings over the apples.

Sprinkle with candies, mini chocolate chips, nuts, and mini marshmallows.

Devour the plate of goodness in front of you.

Looking for more easy apple desserts?

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Apple Nachos recipe:

A plate of Apple Nachos drizzled with peanut butter, marshmallow, caramel, and candy makes a delicious and fun after school snack.

Ingredients

5-6 cups sliced apples

1/4 cup peanut butter

1/4 cup marshmallow cream

2 teaspoons heavy whipping cream

1/4 cup caramel topping

1/4 cup chopped pecans

1/4 cup mini chocolate chips

2 Tablespoons mini M&M candies

2 Tablespoons mini marshmallow bits

Instructions

Arrange apple slices on a large platter or in two mini skillet pans.

Spoon the peanut butter into a microwave-safe bowl and heat for 10-15 seconds. Stir.

Spoon the marshmallow cream into another bowl and heat for 10 seconds. Whisk in the heavy whipping cream.

Drizzle the apples with the peanut butter, marshmallow, and caramel topping.

Sprinkle with chocolate chips, nuts, M&M's, and marshmallow bits. Serve immediately.

4.29

https://insidebrucrewlife.com/apple-nachos/

Copyright Inside BruCrew Life

(original photo from October 2010)

*The recipe and post for Apple Nachos was originally posted on October 21, 2010. The pictures and post has been updated and republished on September 10, 2018.

Source: https://insidebrucrewlife.com/apple-nachos/

[drylip0-blog]

“Why Didn’t I Think Of That?” – Part Twelve

Here on my blog, I strive to share simple, everyday tips and tricks that can help make your life a little bit easier. But sometimes, the tips that I want to share aren’t something I can write a whole blog post about! And since I simply cannot waste a good idea, I tuck them away to use at a later date. Today I’ll be sharing some of those tips and tricks with you in the twelfth edition of my ongoing series “Why Didn’t I Think Of That?”

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1. Cleaning Dirty Window Screens

After a few months of wet weather, your windows screens are likely to look as dirty as the windows themselves! It would be a huge pain to have to remove each screen from each window to clean them, but luckily there’s a much easier way! Just use put the dusting attachment onto the hose of your vacuum, and use that to clean your window screens. You’ll be able to remove the majority of the dirt and grime from the inside without needing to remove the screen at all!

2. Simple Cake Hack

The next time you make a cake, line your plate with plastic wrap before putting the cake onto it. Once you’ve served the cake, you can use the plastic wrap to quickly and easily move any leftover cake to another plate or container. (All credit for this brilliant cake tip goes to OGT reader Biljana, who shared it in a comment a few years back! Thanks Biljana!!)

3. Prevent Ribbon Fraying

Sick of dealing with fraying ribbon ends? Here’s a quick tip to prevent fraying! Hold the cut end of the ribbon over the top of a lit candle or lighter. The heat rising off the flame will gently melt the edge, causing the threads to stick together. No more fraying edges!

4. Color Coded Storage Tips

Using a color code is an easy way to quickly identify what’s inside a certain storage bin. But you don’t have to go out and buy new colored bins to color code your storage—just use colored tape instead! Use red and green tape to identify the bin your Christmas decorations are in, and orange tape to mark autumn/Halloween decor, or any color code that makes sense to you!

5. Cleaner Eyeshadow Application

Some eyeshadows (especially the loose powder kind) are hard to apply without it getting on your cheeks and under your eyes. To avoid the eyeshadow fallout, place a sticky note under your eye to prevent stray shadow from settling on your face. You can also use a sticky note after you’ve applied eyeshadow to pick up any bits that have gone astray!

6. Foot Odor Fixer

Struggling with smelly feet or shoes? Try a shoe insert made of activated charcoal! Charcoal is highly absorbent, which makes it an excellent choice where unpleasant odors are concerned. This set of charcoal shoe inserts on Amazon comes in one large size, but can be trimmed down to fit into any size shoe!

7. Keep Food Warm

Need to keep your food warm while you finish up cooking? Put the food onto a warm plate! The warmth from the plate will help keep your food warm for a few minutes while you finish up the rest of the meal. And warming the plate is easy—just toss it in the microwave for a minute or two!

The “Why Didn’t I Think Of That?” Series

If you’ve missed any of the previous posts in this series, or want to revisit some of your old favorite tips, you’ve come to the right place! Below you’ll find links to all of the previous posts in the “Why Didn’t I Think Of That?” series. (You can also save them to your Favorites if you’re an OGT Plus member!)

Happy reading! :-)

Read More: Part One | Part Two | Part Three | Part Four | Part Five | Part Six | Part Seven | Part Eight | Part Nine | Part Ten | Part Eleven | 1st Holiday Edition | 2nd Holiday Edition | Father’s Day Edition

Source: https://www.onegoodthingbyjillee.com/why-didnt-i-think-of-that-part-twelve

[drylip0-blog]

Rotisserie Grilling cookbooks now available on Walmart eBooks

Big news in the eBook world: Walmart teamed up with Kobo to make the Walmart eBook store!

Walmart and…Kobo? Who’s that?

In the US, Amazon is the elephant in the eBookstore, with the vast majority of the market. Outside the US, Toronto-based Kobo is giving Amazon a run for their money, making them a close second in global eBook sales. Kobo is a subsidiary of Rakuten, a Japanese e-commerce giant. Rakuten also owns OverDrive, which most libraries use to loan out eBooks. In other words, Kobo has some eBook muscle.

Walmart and Kobo are a fascinating pairing that could give Amazon serious competition. Kobo has a reputation for well-made e-readers as well as the usual reader apps for iOS or Android, and a vast eBook selection to rival Amazon’s Kindle store. Walmart is…Walmart. You may have heard of them? 

As an eBook author, I love the idea of e-readers promoted in every Walmart in the country. That means, at least indirectly, my books are now sold in Walmart!

As an eBook reader, I like the competition. Hopefully Walmart and Kobo will push Amazon to make the Kindle better, and vice versa.

To entice you to try Walmart eBooks, Walmart and Kobo are offering $10 off an eBook when you sign up: Walmart eBooks

My books are already available

If you’re looking for a way to spend that $10, my Cookbooks are available in the Walmart eBook store (hint, hint):

What do you think?

Would you buy a Kobo eBook reader from Walmart? Are are you a Kindle loyalist, or a paper book lover?1 Let us know in the comments below.

Enjoyed this post? Want to help out DadCooksDinner? Subscribe to DadCooksDinner via email and share this post with your friends. Want to contribute directly? Donate to my Tip Jar, or buy something from Amazon.com through the links on this site. Thank you.

Paper? It’s this amazing technology – the batteries never run out. ↩

Source: https://www.dadcooksdinner.com/rotisserie-grilling-cookbooks-now-available-on-walmart-ebooks/

[drylip0-blog]

9 Cookbook Gifts for the Holidays

I’ve shared a cookbook gift guide for years, skipping only the year I gave birth to my first child. I love cookbooks because they’re utilitarian, inspiring, and beautiful. When I receive a new cookbook, I tend to do the quick scan, then a deeper dive, then another quick scan, then selective reading, and then another deep dive.

In the end, I usually have about 3-5 recipes I’m dying to make and, depending on the book, endless inspiration for my own cooking for years to come. That’s what a great cookbook gives you. It is one of those gifts that surely keeps on giving.

So without further ado, here are 9 cookbooks I think are worth gifting this holiday season.

Now and Again Julia’s first cookbook, Small Victories, gave my family raspberry chocolate cake  and turkey-ricotta meatballs. It made my 2016 cookbook gift guide. Her second book is a love letter to leftovers: how to make food stretch. It’s never boring, always on point, and equally as delicious as her first book.

What’s Gaby Cooking Gaby’s bubbly personality has deservedly drawn in fans. But it’s her casual-cool approach to cooking: not over-styled, and after this California girl’s heart. She’s also wild about avocados, and the perfect cheese plate. This is a book for your stomach and your eyes; I mean, look at that cover!

Let’s Stay In Ashley has been someone I had long-admired from afar and, since we moved to Seattle, someone I’m honored to call a friend. Her first cookbook, Date Night In, hasn’t left its premier spot on my cookbook shelf. And I imagine this one won’t either. Because Ashley’s food is made with love and care, and it shows through every recipe she shares.

Season Nik Sharma is one of those food bloggers whose visual style has long set him apart from the rest. His cookbook, which has gotten rave reviews, is everything I love in a cookbook: inspired by a culture brimming with flavor, made accessible to a home cook. His drinks section, in particular, has me on the hunt for tamarind paste.

Ottolenghi Simple Every once in a while, a cookbook will come out that makes me want to cook EVERYTHING from its pages. This cookbook is it for me this year. Case in point: this rice noodle salad is already on rotation, as is the red lentil soup and as of tonight, simple apple cake. Get one for your mom, your sister, your friend, and most importantly, yourself.

Cravings: Hungry for More I’m not usually one for celebrity cookbooks but Chrissy Teigan has proven us all wrong. Turns out, the woman loves to cook. And her food is delicious. It’s also insanely rich and flavorful (no healthy shortcuts, here). Don’t get this for anyone on a special diet, but do get it for someone you might want to make you breakfast in bed.

The Minimalist Kitchen This cookbook from my lovely friend Melissa (The Faux Martha) is a crowd-pleaser for so many reasons: it’s warm and inviting, practical, and written in Melissa’s approachable voice. Melissa’s cooking is clean and flavorful, and, as promised, everything is set to a minimalist tune. I trusted her with our family’s Thanksgiving turkey, so I pretty much trust her with everything else.

Cibi: Simple Japanese-Inspired Meals to Share With Family and Friends This cookbook is an inspired introduction to Japanese cooking, including an authentic miso soup, that’s surprisingly easier to make than you might think. I think it would make a particularly nice gift for someone either planning a trip to Japan, or just returning from one. Because once you’ve been to Japan, you’ll find yourself craving authentic Japanese food.

Dining In Alison Roman gave us THE COOKIES and countless other recipes we’ve now been making on the regular (hello farro chicken with vinegar!). Her style is chic and effortless and bold. Get this book, stat. I’m eagerly awaiting her second cookbook, too! In the meantime, I’ll keep devouring her cookbook and New York Times column.

2017 Cookbook Gift Guide 2016 Cookbook Gift Guide 2015 Cookbook Gift Guide 2014 Cookbook Gift Guide 2012 Cookbook Gift Guide

Source: https://www.turntablekitchen.com/2018/11/9-cookbook-gifts-for-the-holidays/

[drylip0-blog]

AK Gift Guide: Gifts for Her

Nov 23

28 incredible gifts for your mom, sister, best friend, and every special lady in your life. She’ll love these unique gifts that she can cherish for years – from travel essentials and cozy accessories to everything she needs for an at-home spa day. 

Happy Friday and welcome to gift guide #4! These gifts are for the ladies in your life who you’re closest to. I’ve got you covered for mom, your sister, bestie, in-laws, and everyone in-between. Sometimes it’s tricky to pick things out for the people in our lives that we know the best, and that’s why I put together these super unique gifts that she’ll actually be able to use.

Your friend with the travel bug will love some of these mini items (like #14) and your mama can cozy up with #20. Read these books together, or pair one of these gifts with a girl’s day for the two of you. Scroll through and pick out your favs for those ladies on your list!

Enjoy, xoxo

1. 24 Days of Tea Advent Calendar: 24 days of cozy tea that she can open and enjoy each morning or night. $24

2. I Love You Mom Ring Dish: the cutest little dish for your mama to keep her precious jewelry in. $10

3. Olivia Burton Floral Watch: love this watch with a pop of color and pretty moody flowers. Great gift for your bestie or sister. $110

4. “Becoming” by Michelle Obama: powerful, inspiring, and the ultimate story of girl power – Michelle’s memoir is perfect for adding to her reading list! $19 ($14 on Kindle!)

5. Fuzzy Touch Screen Gloves: these cute gloves come in 6 colors and work on all of your touch screens. Snag them for her for $28, or splurge a little on these super cozy ones. 

6. Beauty Counter Mini Oil Facials: stuff her stockings with these 3 brightening, plumping and balancing facial oils! Bonus, they’re on sale for $25

7. Vooray Floral Gym Bag: I use this as my gym bag and am obsessed with it. It comes in 12 fun patterns and has plenty of zips for storing everything you need. Great for travel, too. $39

8. Luggage Set: a go-to, two-piece luggage set that she can take on her next adventure. This set comes in 9 different colors to match her personality! $129

9. Cat Mug: okay my new fav present for cat lovers. This mug is cute and chic with little pops of gold. NEED IT. $20

10. Corkcicle Wine Tumbler: I had the pleasure of visiting Napa with Corkcicle and use these wine tumblers literally every day (hint: they’re not just for wine) She can bring her coffee to go in this easy open tumbler. $24

11. After This We’re Getting Tacos Water Bottle: the best gift for your gym buddy. Hit up a class together and then be sure to grab tacos! $20

12. BP Pompom Hat: a little something cozy that she’ll love. This fun pompom beanie comes in 3 colors to wear all winter long. $19

13. My Life Story Book: this journal gives you prompts to record personal experiences, relationships and more. A fun and meaningful gift for your mom or grandma! $30

14. Mini Hair Straightener + Curler Set: the perfect gift for the traveling babe in your life. This mini hair straightener + curling iron are so easy to pack and great for quick touch-ups. On sale for $43

15. Diffuser with Built In Speaker: treat her to a spa day, any day with this 3-in-1 diffuser, bluetooth speaker and clock. She can listen to her fav playlist while relaxing with essential oils. $60

16. Faux Fur Throw Blanket: every couch is made a little cozier with a fuzzy throw blanket. This one comes in 9 colors that are perfect for snuggling up in. $98

17. Primally Pure Geranium Deodorant: this is my go-to and a great way to introduce her to using natural deodorant! $16 TODAY only if you spend $60 on the Primally Pure site you’ll get a free deodorant for yourself!

18. Abercrombie Plaid Sherpa Jacket: this soft jacket just screams weekend at the cabin or relaxing by a fire. She’ll love throwing this on any day of the week. The one pictured is out of stock, but I’ve linked the perfect replacement (and this one is another great option!) $88

19. Capri Jar Candle: everyone needs a quality candle with an amazing smell. I burn this one in my house all the time and it’s one of my favorite gifts to give my girlfriends. $30

20. Textured Cozy Robe: a long, comfy robe fit for a queen – she’ll love throwing this one while she lounges around the house. $29

21. Moccasin Slippers: okay these fuzzy slippers have a hint of sparkle to them and I’m obsessed. Snag these for your sister or friend (and grab a pair to match!) $78

22. The Women Cards: these playing cards have hand drawn portraits of women who have changed the world. How amazing are these?! A great stocking stuffer. $20

23. Betches “When’s Happy Hour” Book: a super relatable, down-to-earth career advice book that she won’t be able to put down. The perfect gift for graduating college gals or any career-driven ladies in your circle. $16

24. Anthropologie Sleep Pants: there’s nothing like a cute pair of pjs. One of the best holiday gifts that anyone will love.  $48

25. DIY Soap Kit: she can flex her creativity muscles with this fun, natural DIY soap kit! Great companions for her next at-home spa day. $39

26. Drunk Elephant The Littles Sample Kit: if you don’t already know I’m officially obsessed with all Drunk Elephant skincare products. Share all of the mini samples so that someone you love can see how amazing they are. $90

27. Zella High Waist Leggings: a go-to pair of high-waisted, black leggings is always a must in her closet. These are so comfy and great for working out or wearing out and about. $54

28. Nevertheless She Persisted Puzzle: an amazing puzzle with hand drawn illustrations and quotes from empowering women. Love these messages as daily mantras! $18

SHOP THE POST:

Shop our other gift guides:

Gifts For Him

Self Care & Natural Beauty Gifts

Gifts for the Fashionista

My Natural Skincare Products + my morning skincare routine!

Home & Kitchen Favorites

Source: https://www.ambitiouskitchen.com/gifts-for-her/

[drylip0-blog]

Think outside the lunch box with Canyon Bakehouse breads

Imagine being a kid and having to go back to school after newly diagnosed with gluten sensitivity or celiac disease. It would be tough. You not only have the new-school-year jitters, but now you have to worry about getting glutened in school and having to deal with the symptoms. School lunches are more than likely going to be out of the question for these kids, so a packed lunch is going to be an every day occasion. Why not make their lunches more interesting with a variety of gluten-free breads for their sandwiches?

Canyon Bakehouse offers 10 sandwich bread varieties: 7 Grain, Ancient Grain, Cinnamon Raisin, Country White, Mountain White, Deli Rye Style, Hawaiian Sweet Bread, Honey Oat, Heritage Style Honey White, and Heritage Style Whole Grain. All of these loaves are delicious and free from gluten, nuts, soy, dairy and casein. They’re made with whole grain, all-natural ingredients and have amazing taste and texture, so your kids won’t feel like they’re sacrificing and won’t feel left out from the traditional kid-friendly foods their classmates are eating.

They also offer 5 bagel varieties, a hamburger bun, hot dog bun, focaccia loaf, and brownie bites, so you can have a wide assortment of bakery items to share with the kids.

If your kids have just started back to school and you want to add some variety to their gluten-free lunches, try a mix-match of sandwiches on different breads to delight their taste buds.

Canyon Bakehouse has a fun recipe for Mini Sammies – 4 different sandwiches on 4 different breads and cut into quarters and divided amongst your kids’ lunches and even your own to take to work! Pop over to their website and check out their fun Mini Sammies combinations or get inspiration for even more sandwiches on their recipe page.

Back to school doesn’t have to be as stressful when you have good food on hand.

The views and opinions expressed on this blog are purely the blog owner’s. This blog accepts free manufacturers’ samples and forms of cash advertising, sponsorship, paid insertions or other forms of compensation. Affiliate links may be included in this post.

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back to school, Canyon Bakehouse, Sandwich

Source: https://simplygluten-free.com/blog/2018/08/think-outside-lunch-box-canyon-bakehouse-breads.html

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Healthy Vegetarian Meal Plan 05.26.2019

How’s your meal prep these days? We make it easy by serving up a nutrient-dense meatless meal plan, complete with a grocery list. Get started on your meal prep to make this week’s eating super easy and healthy!

Happy Memorial Day Weekend! What are you up to?

I packed up some Cranberry Orange Protein Balls and scurried out to Moab, UT for a mountain biking trip.  Whatever you’re doing, I hope you have a fun and relaxing long weekend.

On the menu this week!: Vegan Mediterranean Chickpea ‘Meatballs’, Make Ahead Bean Burritos, Red Curry Zucchini Noodle Bowls, Vegan Power Mac and Cheese, and Greek Super Grains Salad.

Enjoy!

Sunday

Vegan Mediterranean Chickpea ‘Meatballs’ from Making Thyme for Health

Prep Ahead Tip: Meatballs can be prepped up to 2 days in advance and cooked when ready to serve.

Vegan/Gluten-free Substitutions: Recipe is vegan and gluten-free.

Monday

Make Ahead Bean Burritos from She Likes Food

Prep Ahead Tip: Burritos can be made and frozen up to 3 months in advance.

Vegan/Gluten-free Substitutions: Recipe is vegan. Use gluten-free tortillas to make GF.

Tuesday

Red Curry Zucchini Noodle Bowls from The Roasted Root

Prep Ahead Tip: The sauce can be prepared up to 7 days ahead of time.

Vegan/Gluten-free Substitutions: Recipe is GF and vegan.

Wednesday

Vegan Power Mac and Cheese from Hummusapien

Prep Ahead Tip: Sauce can be made ahead of time.

Vegan/Gluten-free Substitutions: Recipe is already vegan. Sub GF pasta to make gluten free.

Thursday

Greek Super Grains Salad from Eats Well With Others

Prep Ahead Tip: Recipe comes together quickly.

Vegan/Gluten-free Substitutions: To make this vegan, omit the feta. Sub brown rice or quinoa for the grains for GF.

Click HERE to print the shopping list!

Source: https://www.theroastedroot.net/healthy-vegetarian-meal-plan-05-26-2019/

[drylip0-blog]

Chicken and Basil Wontons

This wonton filling is proudly—if improbably—fashioned after san bei ji or Three Cup Chicken. This is one of the ultimate dishes from Taiwan, and one I love enough to try to twist into different forms any day. It starts with a deeply satisfying blend of soy sauce, sesame oil and rice wine (the eponymous “three cups”), and it’s splashed with copious aromatics—garlic, ginger and basil. I wanted to get its zingy, herbal flavors inside a wonton for a refreshing filling based on chicken (since I didn’t feel like going out of my way to get ground pork).

Dumplings and wontons are perfect vessels for any beloved flavor profile, as I’ve found. And Three Cup Chicken is so good that it doesn’t even need to have chicken—braised squid or clams are classic renditions in Taiwan (included as recipes in The Food of Taiwan). Eggplant, mushrooms and other firm veggies braise very nicely in these flavors, too. Wings, also, turn out great. But I was hankering for wontons after the Brooklyn-based noodle and dumpling skin company, Twin Marquis, asked me to sit in on an upcoming video shoot with the Brooklyn chef, Lien Li of Bricolage. She’s going to be making wontons—and I can’t wait to see what she does.

Ginger, Thai basil and garlic are essential ingredients in Three Cup Chicken—used liberally

Minced or ground chicken chicken is marinated with grated garlic, ginger, soy sauce, sesame oil and rice wine

My mom makes wontons just about every time I come over for dinner, nowadays. Growing up, it was something that we’d make from time to time for an occasion, like a holiday, or for guests and relatives coming over for dinner. Due to their smaller size, they can be a bit more time-consuming to make than dumplings, but you don’t have to make a huge batch. I didn’t this time, although they turned out so tasty that I wish I had a few more to freeze for later. But with just 1 pound of chicken, I made about 45 wontons—you can eat them as a part of a meal, a snack, or as a whole big bowl of them alone.

A small dab of filling is placed in the lower half of the skin

To make the filling, you can always get ground chicken. But I decided to finely chop some boneless chicken thighs, for a bit more of a chunky texture. (This was time-consuming, but you could also opt for a food processor to pulse it a few times, instead.) Then I drenched it with grated ginger, garlic, soy sauce, sesame oil and rice wine, the classic Three Cup Chicken ingredients. Finally, plenty of chopped fresh Thai basil and a couple chopped scallions were added, and the filling was done.

The skin is folded to seal around the sides, and about a half-inch to an inch below the top

There are a few ways to fold wontons, but in this recipe, I’ll show you the way I’ve been doing it lately (thanks to the admonitions of my mom, as heard in this episode of the Why We Eat What We Eat podcast). It requires some dexterity and you should always opt to under-stuff rather than overstuff the wrapper, because if it’s overstuffed it’s likely to burst before or during cooking. And you’ll lose the juices and flavors to the water.

Twist the bottom edges backwards and pinch to close

These wontons are great served in a soup. But you can always serve them straight up, topped with sauces and garnishes like more fresh basil and scallions. Drizzle them with hot sauce, chili oil, sesame oil, soy sauce, rice vinegar, or whathaveyou.

Once you get the hang of making wontons, you can let your own imagination fly. With all the fresh herbs I’ve been getting this spring and early summer from my own plants and my CSA, I’m thinking more greens can fit into just about anything.

Chicken and Basil Wontons (makes about 45 wontons, or 4 servings)

1 lb boneless chicken thighs (or substitute 1 lb ground chicken) 1 Tablespoon soy sauce 1 Tablespoon sesame oil 1 Tablespoon Chinese rice wine (or substitute with dry sake) 1/8 teaspoon salt 1/8 teaspoon ground white or black pepper 2 cloves garlic, grated 2-inch knob ginger, peeled and grated ½ bunch fresh Thai basil, leaves trimmed of stems and finely sliced 2 scallions, chopped 1 package square, yellow wonton wrappers

options for garnish: the remaining half-bunch of Thai basil 1-2 scallions, chopped fresh cilantro, chopped soy sauce your favorite chili sauce chili oil sesame oil rice vinegar

Finely chop the chicken into small pieces about the size of a pea (alternately, you can chop into larger chunks, and pulse a few times in the food processor, stopping to scrape down the sides often). Combine the chicken with the soy sauce, rice wine, sesame oil, salt, pepper, grated garlic and ginger and chopped herbs. (Mixture can be chilled up to a day ahead).

To make a wonton, place about ½ teaspoon of the filling horizontally along the lower half of a wrapper. Dip your finger in water and trace the sides of the wrapper to wet it; wet a line just above the center of the wrapper. Fold the bottom edge over the filling and seal along the sides, and at the top, leaving about a half-inch of wrapper at the top edge (see photos above). Be sure to seal the edges securely shut, and try to squeeze out any air pockets. Wet the corners of both bottom edges of the wrapper, and twist them backwards to meet. Pinch where they meet to seal the wrapper there. Repeat with the rest of the filling and wrappers. (See also photos and instructions in this post.)

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Drop in the wontons, working in batches if necessary so as not to overcrowd, and boil for 5 minutes. Remove wontons gently with a slotted spoon and transfer to serving bowls. Top with optional garnishes and serve immediately.

Cost Calculator (for 4 servings)

1 lb boneless chicken thighs: $6.00 1 Tb soy sauce: $0.10 1 Tb sesame oil: $0.20 1 Tb rice wine: $0.10 2 cloves garlic: $0.20 2-inch piece ginger: $0.20 1 package wonton wrappers: $3.00 1 bunch Thai basil: $3.00 2-3 scallions: $0.50

Total: $13.30

Health Factor

Five brownie points: This is a lighter take on wontons, if you’re used to the average ground pork filling. Since I used boneless chicken thighs, they come with a good amount of fat for flavor, but it’s not too greasy. And adding lots of fresh, green basil boosts your vitamin intake, so add plenty.

Green Factor

Five maple leaves: Opting for chicken pieces that you either chop, mince or process yourself rather than ground chicken (or any meat) gives you more control over the texture. But it can also more easy to find from the suppliers you like—like those that are organic, humanely raised, or small local farms. Right now is also a great time of year to start your own herb garden, and I may have to add Thai basil to my small collection of pots; it’s a good time of year to find herbs at markets, too.

Source: http://noteatingoutinny.com/2018/06/13/chicken-and-basil-wontons/

[drylip0-blog]

Instant Pot Cream Cheese Spaghetti

Instant Pot Cream Cheese Spaghetti with ground beef is fabulously creamy and rich. The pasta cooks right in the Instant Pot and it cooks perfectly. This is a meal you will want seconds of. Best part is this family meal can be made in under 30 minutes for a quick and easy weeknight meal.

Cooking pasta in the Instant Pot is so easy and convenient. No need to cook the pasta separately. Everything can be done in the Instant Pot including browning the ground beef.

I use the Instant Pot DUO60 6 Qt 7-in-1 Multi-Use Programmable Pressure Cooker, Slow Cooker, Rice Cooker, Steamer, Sauté, Yogurt Maker and Warmer. It has been a really good investment. I use it at least once a week and it can also be used as a slow cooker and to make yogurt.

You can use any jarred spaghetti sauce for this recipe. Whichever is your favorite. I typically use either Ragu or Prego. If you like, you can use Italian sausage instead of ground beef.

This Instant Pot Cream Cheese Spaghetti tastes like normal spaghetti, only much much better. The cream cheese gives it extra flavor and wonderful creaminess. It is pure comfort food.

Note: I use thin spaghetti for this recipe. If you use regular spaghetti, add a few minutes to the cooking time.

More Instant Pot Recipes

Instant Pot Cream Cheese Spahetti

Instant Pot Cream Cheese Spaghetti with ground beef is fabulously creamy and rich. The pasta cooks right in the Instant Pot and it cooks perfectly. This is a meal you will want seconds of. Best part is this family meal can be made in under 30 minutes for a quick and easy weeknight meal.

1 pound lean ground beef

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons Italian seasoning

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

2 tablespoons tomato paste

12 ounces uncooked thin spaghetti

2 1/2 cups water

1 (24-ounce) jar spaghetti sauce

1 (8-ounce) block cream cheese, cut into pieces and softened

1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Lightly grease the insert to your Instant Pot. This is the Instant Pot I use. Turn to "Saute" mode and add ground beef. Cook until browned on bottom, flip over and break it apart to crumble it. Cook until no longer pink. Drain any excess grease.

Turn Instant Pot off. Add garlic powder, salt, pepper, crushed red pepper and tomato paste. Stir to mix into ground beef.

Break spaghetti in half and add to Instant Pot.

Pour in water and spaghetti sauce. Make sure all spaghetti is submerged. Place lid on and set to Pressure Cook for 6 minutes.

Do a quick pressure release. Remove the lid. Add the cream cheese and Parmesan cheese. Stir it in. Place lid back on and let sit for a few minutes to completely melt the cream cheese. Stir again and serve.

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links.

Source: https://spicysouthernkitchen.com/instant-pot-cream-cheese-spaghetti/

[drylip0-blog]

Sheet Pan Honey Mustard Pork and Veggies

Oh, how I love a super easy (and tasty) one dish dinner! This sheet pan pork tenderloin came together in no time at all, and the clean up was also super simple. This is exactly what our family needs for busy weeknights. I’m feeling inspired to try even more sheet pan dinners.

I marinated the pork tenderloin in a loaf pan (covered with plastic wrap in the fridge), but you could also use a ziplock bag if you prefer. For better results, just remember to turn the meat over about halfway through for even coverage.

Just look at how pretty and vibrant this one is before you stick it in the oven. It’s hard not to feel good about making such a colorful dinner like this one. Talk about (almost) eating the rainbow. :) Before baking it, I did toss the veggies and fruit together to better coat them with the sauce. I hope you enjoy this simple one-dish dinner as much as we did!

Sheet Pan Marinated Pork Tenderloin & Veggies

Print

Ingredients

For the marinade

1/4 cup honey

1/4 cup Dijon mustard

2 tablespoons olive oil

4 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

For the sheet pan

1 1/4 pound pork tenderloin

1 pound Yukon Gold potatoes, cut in half and then 1/2" slices

2 large apples, cut into 8 wedges

12 ounces green beans, trimmed and cut in half

Instructions

Whisk together the marinade ingredients and add them to a container or ziplock bag with the pork. Let the pork marinate for at least a couple hours, or up to 24 hours (refrigerated), flipping it over halfway through.

When ready to cook, preheat the oven to 450 degrees F (and if you like an easy cleanup, line the baking sheet with foil).

Place the pork in the center of the sheet pan (reserve marinade) and spread veggies and fruit around it. Pour remaining marinade over the fruit and vegetables and toss. Bake until the pork is almost done in the middle (medium rare and still pink—145 degrees F), about 23 to 26 minutes.

Turn the oven up to a high broil and cook for 3 to 5 minutes more, until the meat and veggies begin to turn golden brown and the pork is cooked all the way through, 160 degrees F.

Slice the pork and serve. 

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Category: Dinner, One Dish Dinners

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Source: https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/sheet-pan-honey-mustard-pork-tenderloin/