Monthly Archives: November 2020

Raspberry Cranberry Relish

22 Sunday Nov 2020

Posted by in Family, Holidays

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Cranberry relish for the holidays is a tradition.  I’ve made cooked and raw cranberry sauce, but the addition of raspberries, is a nice change. Cranberry relish is great with the big meal but also great on a leftover turkey sandwich.

Wishing everyone a wonderful, safe, healthy Thanksgiving in this difficult 2020.  Let’s take the time to count our many blessings, thank our medical and essential workers, hug (virtual and real) those we love, help those in need, take care of ourselves, and breathe!

Check out other family Thanksgiving recipes!

RASPBERRY CRANBERRY RELISH

1 1/3 cup sugar
1 cup water
3 cups fresh cranberries
1 cup frozen raspberries
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

  • In a saucepan, combine ALL ingredients.
  • Bring to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes, stirring frequently.
  • After 10 minutes, mash up berries using a potato masher or fork or something to mash up the berries. You can mash up all the berries, some, or none, depending on how chunky you like your cranberry sauce.
  • Once mashed cook for 5 more minutes.
  • Allow mixture to cool completely.
  • Serve Chilled.
  • Store in an air tight container up to 5 days.

    Recipe by:  Sheena at Hot Eats Cool Reads

    tick(‘lb’)

    tick(‘lb’)

    Maple Pumpkin Oatmeal Breakfast Bars

    20 Friday Nov 2020

    Posted by in Health, Holidays, New Favorite

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    Breakfast oatmeal in a bar or cake form is my favorite.  Most of this year I’ve been eating my Breakfast Oatmeal Bars, but a favorite fall flavor of pumpkin and maple is calling my name.  Daughter, Megan, told me about these bars and made a batch for me a few weeks ago.  They are absolutely delicious and the original recipe was posted by IowaGirlEats,  a website my girls and I love!

    Since I didn’t have Pumpkin Spice, I made my own from a recipe on Taste of Home.

    I like my breakfast bar with a dollop of Greek yogurt and fresh fruit on the side with hot coffee! It doesn’t hurt to warm the Breakfast Bar for a few seconds in the microwave, either.  Healthy and delicious breakfast!

    Maple Pumpkin Oatmeal Breakfast Bars

    2-1/2 cups gluten-free old fashioned oats, divided
    1 cup milk, any kind (I used unsweetened almond milk)
    1/2 cup pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
    1/2 cup pure maple syrup (not pancake syrup)
    1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
    1 egg
    1 teaspoon vanilla
    2 Tablespoons chia seeds
    1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
    1/2 teaspoon baking powder
    1/4 teaspoon baking soda
    1/4 teaspoon salt
    1/3 cup pecan halves, roughly chopped (optional)

    • Preheat oven to 350 degrees then spray an 8×8″ baking pan with nonstick spray and set aside.
    • Add 1 cup old fashioned oats to a food processor or blender then process until oats have turned into flour. Set aside. (Alternatively you could use a scant cup oat flour.)
    • Add milk, pumpkin puree, maple syrup, coconut oil, egg, and vanilla to a large bowl then whisk to combine. Add remaining 1-1/2 cups oats, oat flour, chia seeds, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, baking soda, and salt then stir to combine. Fold in chopped pecans then pour batter into prepared baking pan.
    • Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown and the center has set. Check on the bars at the 25 minute mark – if the edges are browning too quickly, place a piece of foil on top of the baking pan. Cool before slicing into bars then store in the refrigerator, or individually wrap bars in saran wrap and freeze.

    Recipe from Iowa Girl Eats

    Maple Pumpkin Oatmeal Breakfast Bars

    Buttternut Squash and Chicken Chowder

    13 Friday Nov 2020

    Posted by in New Favorite

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    Butternut Squash and Chicken Chowder is a wonderful comfort food, especially paired with a nice biscuit or crusty bread.  Squash is plentiful, the weather is cool, and soups are my favorite fall and winter comfort foods.

    It’s great fun to experiment with new recipes.  Growing up the standard soups and stews were Chile, vegetable soup, potato soup, bean soup, oyster stew at Christmas (still not a favorite), and an occasional ham and split pea soup.  Now the sky is the limit, trying new combinations and flavors!

    Buttternut Squash and Chicken Chowder

    3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
    1 tablespoon fresh sage, finely minced
    ½ pound carrots peeled and cut into bite sized pieces
    2 pounds butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into small bite sized pieces
    ½ teaspoon kosher salt
    Few grinds black pepper
    2 tablespoons butter
    1 ½ pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs (or both), all fat removed and cut into bite sized pieces
    2 cups onion, diced
    1 cup celery diced (I substituted 1 chopped green pepper and 1/2 teaspoon celery seed)
    1 tablespoon minced garlic
    2 tablespoons flour
    2 14.5-ounce cans chicken stock
    1 pound all purpose potatoes, peeled and cut into bite sized pieces
    1 14.5-ounce can kernel corn with liquid
    ¼ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
    Few shakes of Tabasco sauce
    2 cups half and half cream

    • Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
    • Toss one tablespoon of the oil in a small bowl with the sage and carrots and pour out onto a small sheet pan. Roast for ten minutes.
    • Add squash and another tablespoon of oil along with salt and pepper to the small bowl and pour out onto the carrots and flip with a spatula to mix.
    • Roast for ten more minutes.
    • Remove from oven and set aside.
    • While vegetables are roasting, in a large Dutch oven or heavy bottomed pot, heat the remaining tablespoon of oil with the butter over medium high heat.
    • Once the fat is hot, add about a third the chicken and cook about five minutes to brown and cook through. Remove to a bowl and cook the another third then finally the last third, adding to the bowl after each batch. Set aside. The chicken should be fully cooked through at this step.
    • Turn the heat to medium and add the onions and celery. Cook, stirring often until the onions are translucent, about five to ten minutes. Add garlic and cook for one more minute.
    • Add flour and cook for two more minutes, stirring often.
    • Add stock and stir with a wooden spoon.
    • Bring to a boil and add potatoes along with roasted vegetables and all pan drippings. Cook for 5-10 minutes until vegetables are tender.
    • Add corn with juice along with Worcestershire and Tabasco sauces.
    • Add cooked chicken with any liquid that collected in the bowl, stir and add all of the half and half cream.
    • Taste and adjust seasoning and bring just to serving temperature.

    Spicy Peanut Soup with Sweet Potato and Kale

    06 Friday Nov 2020

    Posted by in Home, New Favorite, Vegan, Vegetarian

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    Wonderful, yummy Spicy Peanut Soup with Sweet Potato and Kale is a new favorite.  I first enjoyed this soup at a Bunco gathering a few years ago and I asked for the recipe.  The source, Pinch of Yum, is a favorite site for my daughters and I and this recipe doesn’t disappoint.

    The title says ‘spicy’ but with one chopped jalapeno, it was not hot at all.  If you truly want it hot, I would suggest adding 2+ jalapenos.  With this batch, I only added the curry powder, but next time I will add the tumeric.

    This soup is Vegan and Vegetarian.  If you would like protein, adding some shredded chicken would be delicious.  It’s fall y’all, and I’m cooking up a soup storm!

    SPICY PEANUT SOUP WITH SWEET POTATO & KALE

    2 tablespoons olive oil
    half an onion, diced
    1 jalapeño, minced
    2 cloves garlic, minced
    3 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
    1 14-ounce can fire roasted tomatoes1
    14-ounce can light coconut milk
    2 cups water
    1 teaspoon salt
    1 teaspoon curry and/or turmeric
    1/2 cup chopped peanuts
    1/4 cup peanut butter
    1–2 cups kale, stems removed, chopped

    • Heat the olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat and add the onion, garlic, and jalapeño. Saute until soft and fragrant.
    • Add sweet potatoes. I like to brown them a little bit with the aromatics to get them nice and flavorful.
    • Add tomatoes, coconut milk, water, spices, and peanuts. Simmer until sweet potatoes are fork-tender.
    • Add peanut butter and kale. Simmer until everything is thick, creamy, and delicious. Top with more peanuts and a little cilantro if you’re obsessed like me.

    NOTES

    Instant Pot: Cook everything except peanut butter and kale on high pressure for about 3 minutes with a quick release. (Sometimes I reduce the liquid when I make it in the Instant Pot by a cup or so, and then just add more as needed when it’s all done. But that is optional – it should work fine either way.) Stir in the peanut butter and kale after cooking. Voila!

    Slow Cooker: Cook everything except peanut butter and kale on low for 6 hours. Stir in the peanut butter and kale. Don’t cook the sweet potatoes too long or they’ll fall apart on ya! Just cook until they pierce easily with a fork.

    One last note. This recipe is inspired by an amazing West African recipe called maafe, or groundnut soup. I did what I always do and changed/added some ingredients based on what I love and what I had on hand (kale, jalapeño, coconut milk, cilantro, etc.) making it more of a cultural mash-up. That’s why I’m not calling it a proper West African peanut soup even though those are its roots.

    Freezer Meal Version

    Freeze Together:
    3 cups chopped sweet potatoes, fresh or frozen
    2 jalapeños, minced
    half of an onion, chopped
    4 cloves garlic, minced
    1 teaspoon curry powder
    1 teaspoon turmeric
    1 teaspoon salt
    1 14-ounce can fire roasted tomatoes
    1 14-ounce can coconut milk

    1. Instant Pot Instructions: High pressure 8 mins + 10 mins natural release
    2. Slow Cooker Instructions: High setting 6 hours
    3. Final Step: Stir in 1/4 cup peanut butter, 1/2 cup chopped peanuts, and 1-2 cups chopped kale. Add water to thin to desired consistency.
    4. Check out our full freezer meal posts with all recipes and instructions here!

    Recipe from Pinch of Yum