Garlic Fennel Marinade

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We just got back from a weekend getaway with family up in the mountains.  A perfect time for a barbeque!  This chicken was perfect for the occasion.  I marinated them ahead of time in a ziploc, then just threw them on the grill for a quick and easy meal with little cleanup. I finished the meal with homemade jalapeno cheddar bread, and fresh fruit.  I found this one from Rachael Ray.

Special Equipment: Grill

Time Management:
Prep time: 10 minutes + time to marinate
Cook time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:
4 cloves garlic
1 tsp salt
1 lemon, zested
1 tsp fennel seeds
5-6 sprigs of fresh thyme, leaves stripped and chopped
3-4 sprigs of fresh rosemary, leaves stripped and chopped
handful of fresh flatleaf parsley, chopped
black pepper
1/3 cup olive oil
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts



Directions:
Mince garlic and mix with salt with flat of your knife.  If you have a mortar and pestle, you can grind the fennel seeds to release some extra flavor.  Otherwise crush on a cutting board with the back of a spoon.  Mix remaining ingredients (except for lemon juice) with fork inside of a gallon ziploc bag, and set aside.

Fillet chicken breasts, then add them to the marinade.  Refrigerate until ready to use.  I have let it marinate as little as 3 hours or as many as 24 and received excellent results.

When you're ready to eat, put them on the grill!  Since they're filleted, they cook fast and have plenty of flavor.  Serve with lemon wedges.

Slow Cooker Shredded Chicken

Pin It I love to put a meal in the slow cooker. It's makes it so easy in the evening, and the house smells delicious. This recipe for Slow Cooker Shredded Chicken took a little extra prep time, but more than made up for it when it was ready. As a bonus, these 4 shredded breasts lasted for 3 meals!
*No picture - it didn't do this dish justice.

Special Equipment: Slow Cooker
Time Management:
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 4-5 hours

Ingredients:
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 1/4 teaspoon cumin
1 tablespoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/3 cup chicken broth
1/3 cup cilantro leaves, chopped
2 limes
1/2 medium onion, chopped
1 jalapeno, seeded and minced
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon olive oil

Directions:
Heat olive oil in medium pan and saute onion for 5 minutes. Add garlic, cumin, chili powder, coriander, paprika and saute 2 more minutes. Add chicken broth and remove from heat.

Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper and place into crock pot. Add lime juice, cilantro, jalapeno, and then pour your onion and garlic mixture over the top. Cook on high for 4-5 hours. Shred chicken, scoop out onion mixture from crock pot and combine with chicken to serve.

I used this chicken with rice, beans, guacamole, and green salsa for delicious tacos!

*My chicken breasts were frozen and they were perfectly cooked and easy to shred after 5 hours.

Minestrone Soup

Pin It This is a hearty soup that can be used as a main dish. It made enough for two meals for my family so we've got one in the freezer for an easy meal soon.

Special Equipment: none
Time Management:
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 40 minutes

Ingredients:
5 slices bacon, cut into bit size pieces
1 cup of onion, chopped
2 stocks celery, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
28 0z Italian style tomatoes
1/2 cup parsley, chopped
6 cups chicken broth
1 can garbanzo beans
1 can pinto beans
1 can black beans
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp oregano
2 cups small pasta
Parmesan cheese

Directions:
Saute bacon in a large pot 5 minutes. Add onion and celery and cook until vegetables are soft, but not brown, about 5 minutes.

Add carrots and minced garlic, cook 2 minutes more. Add tomatoes, parsley, chicken broth, beans, basil and oregano. Simmer over medium heat for 20 minutes, stirring occastionally. Add the pasta and cook for 8 minutes (or according to package). Add additional chicken broth or water if needed.

Sprinkle individual bowls with Parmesan cheese before serving.

Cabin Chili

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This chili is a guaranteed winner at my house and is on the menu more than once a month. I generally use ground beef to make this recipe, but ground turkey is also a good alternative. It makes a very large batch (a 1/2 batch will leave you with leftovers) but I like the cook once and eat several meals and this freezes well.

Special equipment: 8 quart pot - this makes a lot!

Time Management:
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes active cook + 30 minutes to simmer

Ingredients

2 lbs ground beef
1 yellow onion, chopped
56 oz petite diced tomatoes, undrained
30 oz tomato sauce
2 cans garbanzo beans
2 cans pinto beans
2 cans black beans
1 1/2 tsp salt
4 tsp chili powder
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp pepper
pinch of red pepper flakes

Directions:
Brown beef with onion until meat is no longer pink and onion is tender, aprox 10 minutes. Drain out fat and add remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to simmer 30 minutes.

Toppings:
cheddar
green onions
sour cream
jalapeno
avocado
cilantro

Pan Seared Cod with Herbed Veggies and Couscous

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Here’s one I used and altered from Food Network/Emeril Lagasse. I was on the lookout for a good looking recipe for cod and I think I found a keeper. Rave reviews all around! Lagasse recommends to try with halibut or cod.

*Note, this one looks long, but you've got everything going at once so it's not too difficult!

Time Management:
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 20-30 minutes

For the couscous

Ingredients:
2 cups water
½ cup sliced almonds, toasted
½ cup sliced apricots
2 tsp orange juice
½ tsp ginger
½ tsp cumin
Pinch cinnamon
1 tsp salt
½ cup chopped parsley

Directions:

Bring water to a boil. Combine the couscous, almonds, apricots, orange juice and seasonings (except parsley) in a bowl. Pour water over mixture, cover with plastic wrap, and set aside 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork and mix in parsley. Keep warm.

For the Veggies

Ingredients:
2 Tbsp olive oil
½ red onion, thinly sliced
1 zucchini, julienned
1 yellow squash, julienned
½ red bell pepper, julienned
½ yellow bell pepper, julienned
1 tsp thyme
1 tsp oregano
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper

Directions:

While couscous is being prepared, heat skillet with oil to medium –high heat. Add red onion and sauté for 3 minutes, then add remaining vegetables. Cook over high heat tossing frequently 5 minutes. Add herbs, salt and pepper. Toss together, keep warm and set aside.

For the Fish

Ingredients:
1 Tbsp olive oil
Salt
Pepper
4 (6 oz) cod fillets

Directions:

Season fish with salt and pepper. Heat olive oil to medium-high heat. When the pan is hot, add fillets and cook 3-4 minutes per side.

Serve fillets over couscous with veggies on the side.

Spicy Pork Stew

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This is a recipe I got from my mom. I like it because it calls for just a few ingredients and I usually have them all on hand for a last minute meal. Serve over rice or noodles.
*No picture available - I couldn't do it justice!

Time Management:

Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 30 minutes*
*additional cook time required depending on your choice of rice

Ingredients:

4 Tbsp olive oil, divided
1 lime, juiced
1 tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
2 tsp oregano
2 tsp cumin
2 Tbsp chopped garlic
1 pork loin, cut into 1 inch cubes
1 onion, diced
1 green pepper
1 can chicken broth
6 oz tomato paste
½ tsp red pepper flakes

Directions:

Cook rice or noodles according to package directions.

Combine 3 Tbsp olive oil, lime juice, salt, pepper, oregano, cumin, and 1 Tbsp garlic in a bowl and set aside. Heat remaining 1 Tbsp olive oil in a stew pot. Add garlic, green pepper, and onion. Cook 5 minutes. Add pork and cook additional 10 minutes. Add chicken broth, tomato paste, and red pepper flakes. Stir and simmer 15 minutes.

Dutch Oven Chicken Tortilla Soup

Pin It This is a family favorite thanks to my awesome Sister-in-Law Kate!! The original recipe is for the slow cooker, but for some reason mine turns out better in the oven so that's what I suggest. The mandatory toppings in our house for this are shredded cheddar cheese and Fritos corn chips. Since I was introduced to this recipe I make it at least twice a month... and there are always plenty of leftovers to freeze for extra meals, too!

Time management:
Active cook time: 10 minutes to chop and combine all ingredients
Inactive cook time: 8-10 hrs

Ingredients:
1 (28 oz) can Crushed Tomatoes
10 oz Green Salsa
1 med onion, chopped
1 (4 oz) can diced green chilies
1 can corn
1 can pinto beans
1 can black beans
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 cans (56 oz) chicken broth
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
3-4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (thawed or can be frozen)

Directions:
Place ingredients dutch oven in order listed.
Place dutch oven in 225 degree oven for 8-10 hrs.
Remove chicken and shred with forks.
Replace chicken to pot and serve with toppings suggested.

Toppings:
shredded cheese
corn chips
sour cream
salsa
diced tomatoes
guacamole

Fajita Pork Tacos in the Slow Cooker

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My family loves pork shoulder. This is my second time making this recipe and it goes fast! We enjoyed cooking the leftover meat with eggs for a breakfast treat the following morning. I call it "Fajita" because we serve it with sauteed red and green bell pepper and onion mixture suggested under toppings.

Time management: aprox 1/2 hour prep time and 5 hrs cook time
Special equipment: Food processor - a blender may work if you don't have one

Ingredients:
3 whole ancho-pasilla chilies - the prepackaged and dehydrated kind on the Hispanic aisle
4 cloves of garlic
2-3 chilies in adobo sauce
1/2 white onion, roughly chopped
3 Tbsp olive oil, divided
2 Tbsp honey
1 Tbsp cider vinegar
Kosher salt
fresh ground pepper
2 tsp dried oregano
2 cans chicken broth
4 lbs untrimmed boneless pork shoulder, cut into sections
1 cinnamon stick

Directions:
Place dried chilies in bowl and steep in boiling water for a minute to rehydrate a little. Then stem and seed the chilies and place them in a food processor. Add garlic, onion, chili in adobo, 2 Tbsp olive oil, honey, cider vinegar, 1 Tbsp salt, and oregano and process to combine into a paste.
Heat remaining 1 Tbsp olive oil over high heat in saucepan. Add chili mixture and cook aprox 8 minutes, then add chicken broth and allow to reduce for a few minutes.
While reducing, salt and pepper your pork and place at the bottom of the slow cooker. Add the cinnamon stick and pour chili mixture over top.
Cover and cook on "high" on your slow cooker for 5 hours.
Discard cinnamon stick, shred meat with two forks and serve with warm tortillas and your choice of toppings.

*You can also make this creation in a dutch oven. Cook covered at 350 for 1 hr 45 min, then uncover for additional 30 minutes

Toppings:
Grilled red and green bell peppers and onions
Guacamole
Sour Cream
Salsa
Rice and Beans