Easy Mediterranean Lunch Bowls

Serves 4
(Found on glowinglywell.com)

INGREDIENTS

1 cup quinoa (browned in pan and cooked in advance in chicken broth)
1-2 cups vegetable broth or water (varies based on cooking method)
1 ⅓ (15.5 ounce) cans Great Northern beans (or other white beans), drained and rinsed (2 cups)
12 kalamata olives
8 ounces hummus, store bought or homemade
4 ounces arugula/spinach or spring greens
1 pint cherry tomatoes
1 medium cucumber, partially peeled and diced (I leave some green)
½ medium to large red onion, diced (about ½ cup)
1 lemon, quartered
4 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
Freshly cracked black pepper to taste

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Prepare quinoa per package instructions with vegetable broth or water. For stovetop and Instant Pot directions, see notes. Let quinoa cool some before adding into bowls.
2. Assemble ingredients evenly into four 4 cup containers. Per bowl add: 1/2 cup cooked quinoa, 1/2 cup beans, 1/3 cup cherry tomatoes, handful of arugula, 2 tablespoons red onion, 1/2 cup diced cucumber, 1/4 cup hummus, one slice of lemon, drizzle 1 tsp olive oil on top, and add freshly ground pepper.
3. Cover and store in fridge for up to 5 days.

Stephanie's Sage Stuffing

INGREDIENTS

36 slices bread, cubed OR 3, 6 oz bags of dried bread crumbs
1 cup (2 sticks) butter
3 medium size onions, chopped (1 1/2 cups)
3 cups chopped celery, with tops
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
3 tablespoons fresh sage, crumbled (or 1 tsp dried sage)
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup chopped parsley (or 2 tsp dried parsley)
8 oz. fresh sliced mushrooms

DIRECTIONS

1. Dry bread in a very slow oven (250); place in a large bowl. (You should have 12 cups.)
2. Melt butter in a large skillet. Saute onion and celery and mushrooms until tender, about 15 minutes. Add to bread with salt, pepper and sage.
3. Add enough of the chicken broth to make a moist mixture. Stir in parsley. 
4. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

 

 

 

 

 

CROCK POT - STYLE LOADED BAKED POTATO SOUP

I found the recipe on food.com. Serves 9-12. I did 1 and 1/2 times it to better suit my family size. 

INGREDIENTS

9 large baking potatoes, peeled, cut in 1/2 -inch cubes
1 1/2 large onion, chopped
6 cups chicken broth
4 1/2 garlic cloves, minced (or pressed)
6 TBSP cup butter
1 TBSP + 1 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 1/2 cup cream or 1 1/2 cup half-and-half cream
1 1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
4-5 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
1 1/2 cup sour cream (optional)
12 slices bacon, fried & crumbled
cheese, for sprinkling

DIRECTIONS

1. Combine first seven ingredients in a large crock pot; cover and cook on HIGH for 4 hours or LOW for 8 hours (potato should be tender).
2. Mash mixture until potatoes are coarsely chopped and soup is slightly thickened.
3. Stir in cream, cheese and chives.
4. Top with sour cream (if used), sprinkle with bacon and more cheese.

Boneless Pork Chops in Creamy Garlic Spinach Sauce over Quinoa

I found this recipe on eatwell101.com. I'm always cooking for a crowd, so I changed the ratios a bit to fit my family. I always cook it in the Presto Foldaway Skillet. This has got be the most used appliance in my kitchen. If you have more than 4 people in your household, buy it. You won't regret it. 

INGREDIENTS

8-12 pork chops, boneless
Salt and fresh cracked pepper, to taste
Paprika, to taste
2 TBSP cup olive oil
6 TBSP butter
12 cloves garlic, finely minced
2 yellow onion, minced
2/3 cup vegetable or chicken stock
3 1/2 cups half and half or heavy cream
6-9 cups baby spinach
2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
2 teaspoon crushed red chili pepper flakes, optional
1/2 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese, optional
Fresh chopped parsley

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season the pork chops with paprika, salt and pepper on both sides, and sear in the hot pan, for 3-5 minutes on each side depending on the thickness, or until cooked to your liking. Once done, remove pork chops from the pan and set aside on a plate and tent with foil.
2. Melt butter in the remaining cooking juices in the same pan.  Add onion and saute until almost translucent, about 4 minutes. Add garlic, Italian seasoning, and red crushed chili pepper and stir-fry until fragrant, about one minute or until the onion is cooked through. Add in the vegetable or chicken stock, and allow to reduce a little.
3. Reduce heat to low heat, add the half and half (or heavy cream), and bring the creamy sauce to a gentle simmer. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
4. Add the spinach leaves and allow to wilt in the sauce, and stir in the parmesan cheese (if using). Allow sauce to simmer for a further minute until cheese melts through the sauce.
5. Transfer the pork chops back into the pan to reheat; sprinkle with the parsley, and spoon the sauce over each pork chops. Serve the boneless pork chops in creamy garlic spinach sauce over quinoa.
   
   

**For the quinoa, measure out 3 cups quinoa and toast in a dry skillet until golden brown and it starts to crackle. Then, transfer the quinoa to a rice cooker. Add 6 cups chicken broth and set the rice cooker to white rice.

Homemade Cookies and Cream Chocolate Ice Cream (no eggs)

Makes 5 quarts
INGREDIENTS

2 cups cocoa
1 cup brown sugar
1 1/3 cup white sugar
3 cups whole milk, very cold
6 1/2 cups heavy cream, very cold
1/4 cup vanilla
30 crumbled Oreos

DIRECTIONS
(for use with a White Mountain Appalachian Series Ice Cream Maker)

1. Prep your wooden bucket by filling it 1/2 full with tap water and allowing it to sit for 60 minutes before use. Then discard the water and the bucket is ready to go. 
2. In a chilled bowl, combine cocoa and both sugars, whisking to combine well. I use my hand mixer with the whisk attachment. Add milk and whisk until sugars are dissolved. Whisk in heavy cream and vanilla. 
3. Pour mixture into the canister. 
4. Fill your wooden bucket with ice to the top of the canister. Plug in cord and run your motor for about 2 minutes so that the canister chills evenly. Add 2 cups rock salt to the top of the ice. As the ice melts down to 2 to 3 inches, add more ice and 2 more cups rock salt.
5. Churn ice cream mix 20-25 minutes or until it becomes the consistency of soft ice cream. 
6. Add crumbled Oreos to the mixture during the last 5-10 minutes for mixing.