Veggie Spring Rolls

Cooked Rice

Spring Mix or spinach

Shredded carrots

Shredded red cabbage

Cucumbers, thinly sliced

Avocados, thinly sliced

Peppers, thinly sliced

Basil, chopped

Cilantro, chopped

Rice paper sheets

Peanut sauce*

Wet rice paper with warm water for about 15 seconds.  Assemble a small amount rice, veggies and herbs in the center of the rice paper.  Fold over one side of the rice paper then fold over top and bottom.  Using a rolling motion, continue to seal rice paper on opposite side.

*Peanut Sauce:

3 Tbsp. soy sauce

1/2 cup creamy peanut butter

2 Tbsp. honey

1 tsp. sesame oil

1/4 tsp. chili paste

1 lime, juiced

1 tsp. hoisin sauce (optional)

water

Combine all ingredients and enough water until desired consistency is reached.  Dip spring rolls in peanut sauce.

Butter Chicken

1/2 cup plain Greek Yogurt

1 Tablespoon lemon juice

1 teaspoon turmeric powder

2 teaspoons garam masala

1/2 teaspoon chili powder

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 Tablespoon grated fresh ginger

2 garlic cloves minced

2-3 boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into bite-size piece

Sauce:

1 Tablespoon vegetable oil

1 cup tomato sauce

1 Tablespoon sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup whipping cream

1 Tablespoon cornstarch

1 Tablespoon water

Whisk together the marinade ingredients until smooth and then stir in the chicken until the chicken is thoroughly coated. Let sit for at least 15 minutes or refrigerate up to 24 hours.

In a large frying pan, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and all the marinade and cook for a few minutes, then turn the chicken pieces so they cook on the other side. Add the tomato sauce, sugar and salt and let simmer on low-heat for about 5-10 minutes, until the chicken is cooked completely through. Stir in the whipping cream. Whisk the cornstarch and water together in a small bowl or cup with a fork then pour into the sauce, while stirring the sauce. Let the sauce come to a simmer again and cook for a minute or two to thicken, then salt to taste and serve with basmati rice and naan bread.

Raspberry Freezer Jam

6 cups fresh raspberries fresh and ripe

5 1/4 cups granulated sugar

1 box Sure Jell Fruit Pectin

3/4 cup water

A few clean glass or plastic jars with lids

*Use firm, ripe berries for the best flavor and set. (You don't want to use overripe berries or the jam may be too soft and runny.)

Wash and rinse glass or plastic containers. How many you use depends on how big they are. This recipe makes about 7-8 cups of jam.

Add berries to a large bowl and lightly mash them. Be careful not to over mash them---hey should still look fairly chunky, but not like whole berries. 

Measure out exactly 3 cups of mashed berries (use a knife to level out the top of the measuring cup) and pour them into a separate large bowl.  Can substitute up to half of the berries for apple sauce to stretch the berries.

Measure out exactly 5 1/4 cups of sugar (use a knife to level out the top of the measuring cup) into a separate bowl.  Do not alter sugar amount or jam will not set properly.

Gradually stir sugar in to the mashed berries, and stir until sugar is dissolved. Let stand for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

In a small saucepan, stir together pectin with 3/4 cup water. Bring to a rolling boil (a boil that doesn't stop when stirred) over medium-high heat, stirring often. Boil for one minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat.

Stir pectin into the berries mixture for 1 minute. Continue stirring the mixture until sugar is completely dissolved and no longer grainy.

Pour jam into containers, leaving 1/2in of space at the top of the container, for expansion. Cover with lid and allow jam to rest at room temperature for 24 hours before freezing.

Jam will keep for up to 3 weeks in the refrigerator, or freeze for up to one year.

You might also like Peach Jam or Strawberry Jam!

Notes

Recipe makes about 7-8 cups of Jam, to fill about 4 pints. 

Zuppa Toscana Casserole

Bacon, cooked & chopped

1 lb mild Italian sausage, browned

5 medium russet potatoes, chopped

1 small onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

4 cups kale, de-stemmed & chopped

½ cup flour

4 cups chicken broth

1 ½ cups heavy whipping cream

1 ½ tsp chicken bouillon powder

½ tsp black pepper

1 tsp salt

1 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

In a large pot, sauté onion until translucent. Add garlic and cook for another minute. Add kale and cook until wilted.

Sprinkle flour and stir for a couple of minutes to eliminate the raw flour taste. Gradually add chicken broth, stirring constantly. Bring to a boil and let it thicken. Add cream, seasonings, sausage, bacon & potatoes.

Transfer to a baking dish. Cover with foil and bake at 400°F for about 30 minutes. Remove the foil, sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese, and bake uncovered for an additional 20 minutes until the top is golden and bubbly.

Frozen Fruit Coctail

 5 peaches, diced

5 pears, diced

1/2 lb. green grapes

Maraschino cherries (optional)

8-oz can crushed pineapple with juice

1/2 cup lemon juice

1 1/2 cup orange juice

1/3 cup sugar

Whisk together crushed pineapple, lemon juice, orange juice and sugar.  Gently stir together fruit and combine with juice.  Scoop fruit cocktail into quart-size freezer bags.  Lay flat to freeze.  Serve while still slushy.

Coconut Rice

1 1/2 cups uncooked Jasmine rice

1 (14 oz) can full-fat coconut milk

14 oz water just use the empty coconut milk can to measure

1 tsp granulated sugar

1 tsp salt

Stovetop Instructions

In a large saucepan, combine all ingredients and stir well. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer 15 minutes until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed. Fluff rice and serve warm.

Instant Pot Instructions

In the bowl of an Instant Pot pressure cooker, combine all ingredients and stir well. Put the lid on and make sure the knob is turned to the “sealed” position. Set the Instant Pot to pressure cook on high for 5 minutes.  After the 5 minutes are over, let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes.

Fluff rice and serve warm.

Pulled Pork Sandwiches

 2 lbs. pork tenderloin

4 cups barbecue sauce

8 Hoagie Buns

Place pork tenderloin in a slow cooker.  Cover with barbecue sauce.  Cook on low for 8-10 hours.  Shred and place back in slow cooker with drippings (remove any gristle).

Serve on buns and top with coleslaw (optional).