Chicken with Forty Cloves of Garlic

Ingredients

• 3 whole heads garlic, about 40 cloves
• 2 (3 1/2-pound) chickens, cut into eighths
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons good olive oil
• 3 tablespoons Cognac, divided
• 1 1/2 cups dry white wine
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons heavy cream

Directions

• Separate the cloves of garlic and drop them into a pot of boiling water for 60 seconds. Drain the garlic and peel. Set aside.
• Dry the chicken with paper towels. Season liberally with salt and pepper on both sides. Heat the butter and oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. In batches, saute the chicken in the fat, skin side down first, until nicely browned, about 3 to 5 minutes on each side. Turn with tongs or a spatula; you don’t want to pierce the skin with a fork. If the fat is burning, turn the heat down to medium. When a batch is done, transfer it to a plate and continue to saute all the chicken in batches. Remove the last chicken to the plate and add all of the garlic to the pot. Lower the heat and saute for 5 to 10 minutes, turning often, until evenly browned. Add 2 tablespoons of the Cognac and the wine, return to a boil, and scrape the brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Return the chicken to the pot with the juices and sprinkle with the thyme leaves. Cover and simmer over the lowest heat for about 30 minutes, until all the chicken is done.
• Remove the chicken to a platter and cover with aluminum foil to keep warm. In a small bowl, whisk together 1/2 cup of the sauce and the flour and then whisk it back into the sauce in the pot. Raise the heat, add the remaining tablespoon of Cognac and the cream, and boil for 3 minutes. Add salt and pepper, to taste; it should be very flavorful because chicken tends to be bland. Pour the sauce and the garlic over the chicken and serve hot.

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Zuppa Toscana Soup

Ingredients

• 1 lb spicy Italian sausage, crumbled
• 1/2 lb. smoked bacon, chopped
• 1 quart water
• (2) 14.5 oz. cans (about 3 2/3 cups) chicken broth
• 2 large russet potatoes, scrubbed clean, cubed
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled, crushed
• 1 medium onion, peeled, chopped
• 2 cups chopped kale OR Swiss chard
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

• In a skillet over medium-high heat, brown sausage, breaking into small pieces as you fry it; drain, set aside.
• In a skillet over medium-high heat, brown bacon; drain, set aside.
• Place water, broth, potatoes, garlic, and onion in a pot; simmer over medium heat until potatoes are tender.
• Add sausage and bacon to pot; simmer for 10 minutes.Add kale and cream to pot; season with salt and pepper; heat through.

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Whole Wheat Pumpkin Pancakes

Ingredients

• 1- 1/4 cups whole-wheat flour
• 1/4 cup wheat germ
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon coarse salt
• 1 1/2 cups low-fat buttermilk
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 cup pumpkin puree
• Vegetable-oil cooking spray

Directions

• Make the pancakes: Preheat oven to 200 degrees. Whisk together flour, wheat germ, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl. Whisk in buttermilk, oil, eggs, and pumpkin. Let stand 10 minutes (if batter thickens, stir in 1 tablespoon water).
• Coat a nonstick skillet with cooking spray, and heat over medium heat. Spoon in 1 tablespoon batter for each pancake. Cook until bubbles appear. Flip, and cook until golden brown, about 2 minutes. Keep warm in oven while you cook remaining batter. Serve with compote.

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Slow Cooker Guinness Beef Stew

 

 

Ingredients

• 4 lbs boneless beef chuck roast, trimmed and cut into 1-1/2-inch chunks
• Salt and pepper
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 2 onions, chopped about 2 cups
• 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1-1/2 cups Guinness Draught
• 1 tbsp light brown sugar
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1 ounce bittersweet chocolate, chopped (yes, chocolate!)
• 2 bay leaves
• 5 carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
• 1 lb parsnips, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
• 1-1/2 lbs baby red potatoes (about 24), scrubbed
• 1/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
• 2 tbsp minced fresh parsley

Directions

• Pat dry the beef cubes with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Heat 2 tsp of oil in a large skillet over medium high heat until just smoking. Cook half of the beef until browned on all sides, about 8 minutes. Transfer to the slow cooker insert and repeat with an additional 2 tsp oil and the remaining beef.
• Add the remaining 2 tsp oil, onions and 1/4 tsp salt to the skillet and cook until the onions are lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Add the broth, 1-1/4 cups of the beer, sugar, thyme, chocolate, and bay leaves and bring to a boil, using a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits. Transfer to the slow cooker insert.
• Add the carrots, parsnips, and potatoes to the slow cooker insert. Cover and cook on low until the meat is tender, about 9-10 hours (or cook on high for 6 to 7 hours, but I have only tried this recipe on low for 10-hrs). Set the slow cooker to high. Whisk the flour and remaining 1/4 cup beer until smooth, then stir the mixture into the slow cooker. Cook, covered, until the sauce thickens about 15 minutes. Remove and discard the bay leaves, stir in the parsley, and season with salt and pepper to taste.

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Banana Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients

• 2-2/3 cups All Purpose Flour
• 1 1/4 tsp Baking Soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1-1/2 sticks butter
• 1 cup light brown sugar
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 ripe bananas, mashed
• 1/2 cup buttermilk (milk or coconut milk can be used here as well)
• 1 cup shredded coconut

Directions

• Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F. Whisk the flour, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.
• In a large mixing bowl, beat butter with a kitchen mixer using paddle attachment. Add sugar and beat for a few minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time while continue to beat at low speed and vanilla. The mixture will be silky smooth – add banana and lower speed.
• Mix in the flour and buttermilk alternatively, beginning and ending with the flour.
• Fill into cupcake pans (fill up about 2/3-full, you should get approximately 18 cupcakes), bake them for about 18-minutes or until a tooth pick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
• Alternatively, you can also bake these as layered cakes, pour into 2  9-inch pans, and bake for 45 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes in pan before inverting on wire rack to cool.
• The cupcakes can be stored in room temperature for up to 2 days, or they will become dense and unappealing!

 Yield: ~18 cupcakes

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Blueberry Oatmeal Yogurt Pancakes

Ingredients

•     1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
•     2/3 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
•     2 tablespoons sugar
•     1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
•     1/4 teaspoon baking soda
•     1/4 teaspoon salt
•     1 cup plain Greek yogurt
•     1 cup milk
•     4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
•     2 large eggs
•     1 cup blueberries
•     Maple syrup, for serving

Instructions

•     Preheat oven to 200 degrees F and a nonstick griddle to 350 degrees F.
•     In a large bowl, combine flour, oats, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
•     In a large glass measuring cup or another bowl, whisk together yogurt, milk, butter and eggs. Pour mixture over dry ingredients and stir using a rubber spatula just until moist. Add blueberries and gently toss to combine.
•     Lightly coat a griddle or nonstick skillet with nonstick spray. Scoop 1/3 cup batter for each pancake and cook until bubbles appear on top and underside is nicely browned, about 2 minutes. Flip and cook pancakes on the other side, about 1-2 minutes longer; keep warm in oven.
•     Serve immediately with maple syrup.

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Slow Cooker Creamy Chicken Gnocchi Soup

Ingredients

•     6 Chicken Thighs, bone in, skin removed
•     10 C. Chicken Broth
•     1 t. Pepper
•     1 T. Coarse Salt
•     1 large Onion, chopped
•     4 Carrots, grated
•     5 stalks Celery, Chopped
•     2 T. Fresh Thyme
•     1 T. Garlic, minced
•     1 stick(8 T. or 1/2 C.) Butter
•     3/4 C. Flour
•     1 lb. Gnocchi(dried or fresh)
•     6 oz. fresh Spinach

Instructions

•     Place the chicken, chicken broth, pepper, and salt in a slow cooker.
•     Cook on high for 4 hours.
•     Remove the chicken from the broth and set aside to cool.
•     Run the broth through a fine mesh sieve and pour back into the slow cooker set to high. Add the onion, carrots, celery, thyme, and garlic. Let cook for 1 hour.
•     After 1 hour, make a roux by melting the butter in a small saute pan. When the butter is melted, add the flour and stir to make a thick paste(will be very thick). Cook the roux for 30 seconds, stirring constantly as to not let it brown.
•     Add the roux to the slow cooker. Whisk it into the liquid until there are no lumps left. Soup will thicken slightly and continue to thicken as it cooks.
•     Shred the cooled chicken(make sure to remove all bones and debris first) and add it to the soup.
•     Add the gnocchi to the soup and let cook for another 45 minutes to 1 hour.
•     Taste the soup and add salt and pepper to taste, if desired.
•     Just before serving, add the spinach. It will seem very bulky at first, but as you fold it into the soup it will wilt significantly. 

***Something you may not know: All slow cookers are a little different, heat-wise. If your slow cooker runs very hot, or you are halving the recipe, you may want to cook on low to medium heat.

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