i eat, you read

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Marshmallow Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookie Bars

Cream:

-1/2 cup sugar

-1 cup packed brown sugar

-1/2 butter -softened

-1/2 cup shortening

Add:

-2 eggs

-vanilla 1-2 tsp

Then add:

- 2 1/4 cups flour

-1 cup oats

-1 tsp baking soda

-1/4-1/2 tsp kosher salt

- 1 cup chocolate chips

Press a little more than half into a parchment lined baking pan 9X13.  Sprinkle miniature marshmallows on top then drop the rest of the cookie dough on top and press down all over.  Bake 25-30 minutes at 350. 

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Puffed grains granola

*roughly 5 cups millet, amaranth, and  kamut or other puffed grains

*raisins, 1 cup chopped almonds, unsweetened coconut, 1/4 cup wheat germ

* 1/4 cup coconut oil, 1/4 cup honey, ginger, cinnamon, vanilla, and 1T molasses -heated until liquid 

* add 1 teaspoon baking soda right before baking

Mix and bake 325 F for 30 minutes stirring every ten. Make sure nothing gets too dark.

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Spinach Galette/ Roasted Red Pepper Galette

I used this crust recipe from this amazing squash tart recipe (https://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/squash-and-caramelized-onion-tart) and made two Galette’s.  Filling recipes below. 

Crust

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 tsp. kosher salt

1 cup all-purpose flour, plus more for surface

10 Tbsp. chilled unsalted butter, cut into pieces

Spinach Filling

Steam bag of spinach, drain well - squeeze out all liquid, cool.

Sauté small onion, cool and add to spinach

Add 2 eggs, 1/2 carton of feta, 1-2 T dill - chopped fine, 1t oregano, zest of one lemon, pinch of nutmeg, pinch of salt.

Red Pepper Filling

Slice two red peppers and one red onion into thin strips.  

Broil 5 minutes top rack.  

Add 4-5 Campari tomatoes, quartered.

Add chopped olives and capers and a bit of feta to peppers and onions and tomatoes.

Roll pie crust into two circles, as wide as you can without making crust too thin.  Fill each and fold sides up, pinching as you go.  Bake 350 degrees for 45-55 minutes. Top red pepper Galette with fresh parsley.

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Quinoa and Chicken Soup

Simmer 4 chicken thighs 4-5 hours with lots of water to cover.  Strain broth.  Remove chicken and take out bones and skin.

Cook 1 cup quinoa.

Sauté1-2 leeks and lots of carrots.  Add chicken and broth.  Add handful or two chopped kale and cook until well heated.  Add quinoa, salt, and pepper. Add red pepper flakes.

Serve with avocado and lemon wedges.

Super simple, but it’s sweet and delicious from the leeks and carrots and homemade broth is important.  Can also add fresh herb, like basil, or another veg like green beans. 

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Brussels and cabbage salad

Shred 1/2 small purple cabbage, 1/2 small regular cabbage, roughly two cups of Brussels sprouts, and 1/2- 1 cup Pecorino cheese.  Add little bit of honey, white vinegar, and lemon.  Top with dried cranberries and roasted walnuts.  Salt and pepper to taste. 

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Coconut Fish with Quinoa

Fish:

Dip tilapia or other firm fish filet in flour and salt mixture, then coconut milk, then a mixture of bread crumbs and large flaked unsweetened coconut flakes.  Fry in well heated 1/4 cup olive oil mixed with 1/8 cup corn oil.  4 minutes per side. Salt and pepper to taste. 

Quinoa:

Make 3/4 cup quinoa as directed on package.  Sit aside.  Sauté 1 clove garlic and add 1/2 red onion and 1 yellow pepper chopped small.  Sauté for 3-4 more minutes and add about 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved.  Remove from heat and add chopped basil, green onions, and juice from 1/2 lime.  Add salt and pepper to taste. 

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Chard and Kale and Peppers

Heat some EVOO in a pan and add sliced shallot (maybe two) and caramelize. Add thinly sliced red pepper (one pepper) and cook until almost tender and then add one clove sliced garlic.  Cook until garlic is fragrant and soft.  Add about 3-4 cups chopped kale and chard and juice from 1/2 lemon and cover. Cook about 5 minutes until chard wilts (kale won’t be as cooked).  Toss about 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar on top.  Add a squirt of honey and pinch of salt.   

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Best Ever Chicken and Rice Casserole

Preheat oven 425F. 

1T butter

2 cloves garlic

Sauté 1-2 minutes and add:

2 cups chopped rotisserie chicken

2-3 cups chopped broccoli

1 cup rice, uncooked

enough chicken stock to cover

NO SALT! 

Bring to boil and add:

1 cup chopped havarti cheese

1/2 cup parmesan cheese

Cover and put in oven for 20 minutes.  Take out of oven and top with extra parm and broil for 2 more minutes.

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Best Burger Ever

1 pound ground beef - 20% fat or whatever the 20/80 one is

panko bread crumbs (about 1/2-1/3 cup)

1 egg

salt and pepper

Spread the bread crumbs on cutting board with salt and pepper.  A lot of salt. Kind of crumble the ground beef on top and then crack the egg.  Work together without putting much elbow grease into it and try to hurry - you don’t want to over mix. 

Grill 4 minutes one side, flip and grill another 4 for medium, 3 for less and 5 for well.  Makes 4 fairly good sized patties.    

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Chicken Fajitas

Easy ass recipe:

2 bell peppers - red and yellow or green

1 onion

chicken breasts flattened - 1 pound

chili powder

cumin 

lime

salt and pepper

Fry up the onion and bell pepper alternating between high and medium heat to get a sear but don’t burn them.  Take out of pan and add chicken, sliced thin and salted.  Cook about 5 minutes until done and add spices and lime and peppers and onions back in.  Serve with tortillas, cilantro, and sour cream. 

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Herbed Salmon in Puff Pastry

Heat oven 375 F.  Defrost puff pastry (one sheet if cooking for two).  Cut sheet in half and roll out a bit. 

Sauté shallot in EVOO and add 2 T cream cheese.  Remove from heat and add 2 T chopped dill, 2 T chopped parsley, and juice from 1/2 lemon.  Spread mixture on puff pastry.  Place salmon (about 4-5 ounces) on top with skin side up.  Fold puff pastry around salmon (bottom of salmon facing up).  Use egg yolk to seal. Turn over and place in oven for 20-25 minutes. 

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Walnut Banana Muffins with Oats

3 ripe bananas, mashed

3/4 cup brown sugar

2 eggs

1/4 cup oil

1/3 cup milk

vanilla

1 1/2 cups flour ( I used 1/2 cup wheat)

3/4 cup oats

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 1/2 cups walnuts

1/2 bag chocolate chips

Bake 350 for about 25 minutes.  Makes 12 muffins.

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Zucchini, Blueberry, & Banana Bread

2 very ripe mashed bananas

1/2 cup brown sugar

Mix and add

1 egg

1/4-1/2 cup honey

1/3 cup coconut oil

1/4 cup sour cream

1 T vanilla

Mix and add

1 cup white flour

1 cup wheat flour

1/2 t of each: baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon 

Mix and add

1 cup grated zucchini

1 cup blueberries

Bake 350 for 1 hour ( I used two little loaf pans, may need to do longer for a 5X9)

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Massaman-Like Deliciousness

Mix in crock pot:

4T tamarind chutney

1/2 lime

1/2 cup peanut butter

1/4 cup brown sugar

cinnamon stick

1T fish sauce

1 can light coconut milk

Add to this mixture:

1 pound stew meat (beef, lamb, chicken)

1 onion rough chop

Cook on low in crock pot for 8 hours.   Add frozen peas the last 10 minutes or so.

Top with roasted peanuts and chives and serve with rice.

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Pork Chop Puttanesca

- 1 red onion, sliced

- 1 red pepper, sliced

- 1 yellow pepper, sliced

-1 pound Campari tomatoes, quartered

- EVOO

- red-pepper flakes

- 2 bone in pork chops, thick cut

- Kalamata olives, roughly chopped

- capers

Preheat broiler with rack on top notch.  Toss sliced peppers and onions and EVOO (leave out salt as the dish gets salty on its own) and broil 10 minutes.

Add tomatoes, olives, capers, and red pepper flakes.  Top with salted and peppered pork chops.  Broil 8 minutes and then flip chops for another 10.  You may be able to get away with less time!  Remove from oven and cover and let sit for 20-30 minutes.  Serve with fresh basil and bread. 

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The secret to this springtime soup is a flavorful aromatic base—called a recado—that is puréed and reduced before the beans go into the pot.

Easy (if you think shelling fava beans is not a chore) and good.   I did a quick soak on my dried favas (brought to boil and then turned off and let it sit for an hour) and the shells came off easily with a little pressure.  I just popped them out by squeezing between thumb and finger.