Asparagus Salad

Peanut Butter Ramen Noodles with Veggies

Peanut Butter Noodles with Ramen

Ingredients:

1/2 Tbsp. Sesame Oil

2 Tbsp chopped garlic

1 chopped bell pepper

1 chopped zucchini

1 carrot sliced into circles

Honey roasted peanuts for topping (opt)

4 packages ramen noodles (discard seasoning).  

Cook noodles in boiling water according to instructions.  Meanwhile make your sauce.

Sauce:

1/2 cup peanut butter

1/2 tsp ground red pepper flakes

2 1/2 Tbsp soy sauce

1 Tbsp Garlic rice wine vinegar

2 Tbsp honey

Mix all sauce ingredients in large saucepan until incorporated and hot.  Mix hot noodles with sauce to coat.    Set aside in serving bowl.  In same pan, add sesame Oil and garlic and veggies, and cook for 1 minute (just to warm).  Add ramen back to pan and stir to mix.  Put in serving dish.

 Can also add sauteed chicken or shrimp.  Add more pepper to taste.  Top with peanuts

 Serve hot (also good cold).

Simple White Breadmaker Bread

Easy Bread-maker Bread

Ingredients:

3 1/2 cups flour 

3 Tbsp. sugar

2 tsp. dry quick acting yeast

1 Tbsp. salt

1-2 Tbsp. salt free seasoning of choice (or minced fresh garlic)

3 Tbsp. butter cut into slices

1 1/3 cu warm water

Directions:

Put in the Bread Maker in this order, and set to "Basic" cook setting and start.  Serve warm, with butter.

Crockpot Eggplant Gram Masala

Crockpot Eggplant Gram Masala

In crockpot place all ingredients:

1 eggplant thinly slices into strips

1 sweet onion chopped

1 red bell pepper chopped

3 cloves garlic chopped

1 tsp fresh ginger chopped

2 tsp ground coriander

2 tsp. Paprika

2 tsp. Turmeric

1 tsp. Gram masala

1 can diced tomatoes

1 can chick peas with juice

1 tsp. Salt

1 tsp. Chicken Bouillon

(at end 1/2 can coconut milk; and 1/cup Greek yogurt - optional)

Mix all together except the coconut milk and yogurt.  Cook 4 hours on high or 8 hours on low.  Add 1/2 can coconut milk and about 1/2 cup Greek yogurt.  Serve over rice or coconut rice.  Enjoy hot.

Coconut Rice Recipe

Biscuits

3 cups flour

3 tbsp sugar

3/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp. Cream of tartar

4 tsp. Baking powder

1 1/2 sticks of butter cut into slices

1 cup skim or low-fat milk

1 egg or egg substitute

Preheat oven to 450.

Place dry ingredients in large bowl and stir.  Add butter and blend with a pastry cutter until coarse.

Add beaten egg and milk, stir to combine.

Makes 11 to 12. Biscuits.  Shape into appropriate size round, and place in cookie sheet (I line with parchment pap
er, or you can grease the sheet).  Bake for 12-16 minutes until done.

Serve hot, preferably with eggs and bacon.

Savory Peach Chicken

Danish Milk Cake

Cake:

1 1/2 cups flour

3/4 cup sugar

5 tbsp. Butter

3 eggs

3/4 cup + 2 Tbsp. Milk

2 tsp. Baking powder

1 tsp. Vanilla

Melt butter.  Preheat oven to 350.  In bowl, Mix together all ingredients until smooth.  Pour into greased lines 6 by 10 inch or 9 by 9 inch baking pan and bake for 30 min.  *You can add 1-2 sliced peaches or apples to the batter for a special treat.

While that's baking make the topping:

1 stick + 1 tbsp. Butter

5 tbsp. Milk

3/4 cup brown sugar

3/4 cup coconut

About 10 min before cake finishes in the oven, melt your butter in a suacepan.  Add milk and brown sugar.  Mix until dissolved and going at a slow low boil.  Take off heat, add coconut.  Pour topping over cake.  Bake cake 15 more minutes.

Let cool 20 min so topping will set before you serve.  Enjoy!

Chicken, Veggie and Barley Soup

In crockpot place:

1 large chicken breast (fresh or frozen)

2 boxes chicken broth

1 tsp salt

1 tsp. Poultry seasoning

1 tsp. Italian seasoning

1 tsp. Parsley

1 tbsp. Minced garlic

1 large diced onion

1 large sweet potato diced

5 carrots diced

1 cup barley

Pepper to taste

Cook in crockpot all day, serve with homemade bread.

Creamy Spinach Ricotta and Vegetable Pasta

Ingredients

1/2 pkg asparagus, end trimmed off, cut into three pieces each

1 small onion chopped

1 small bell pepper chopped

1 zucchini chopped

1 tbsp butter

1/2 tsp. Season salt or salt

1/2 box shell pasta

1 tbsp. Bullion (or 1 cube)

1 + 1 Tbsp. Olive oil

2 tbsp. Minced garlic

3 chicken sausages sliced up into circles

8 cups baby spinach cleaned

3/4-1 cup ricotta (part skim)

3-4 ounces cream cheese

1 cup shredded cheddar

1/2 tsp. Red pepper flakes

Salt to taste

In large sauté pan melt butter.  Add asparagus, onion, bell pepper and zucchini.  Sauté until done, set aside in bowl.  Do not clean pan.

Meanwhile, cook pasta to directions, do not drain.  However, add the 1 tbsp bouillon and 1 tbsp olive oil to water.

When the pasta is about 7 min from done, add 1 tbsp. Olive oil to sauté pan and cook garlic and sausages over medium high about 2 min.  Add spinach and cook until wilted, about 1 min.

Add remaining ingredients and stir to melt together, add salt only to taste.  Spoon in pasta with a slotted spoon so some water is in your sauce.  Mix to combine.  Serve hot.

Tumeric Chicken and Vegetable Soup

Ingredients:

1 tbsp. Butter

4 tbsp. Garlic

1 onion minced

3 carrots diced

1 tsp. Dry ginger

1 tbsp. Turmeric

1/4 tsp. Dry Thyme

Bag of frozen peas

8 cups chicken broth

1 large frozen or fresh chicken breast

3 spring rosemary 

6 springs fresh thyme, leaves only no stem

1 tsp. Salt or more to taste at end

1/2 tsp. Pepper

1 cup barley

Place everything in crockpot.  Cook on high 8 hours.  Chop up the chicken at the end and put back into soup.  Serve hot.

Great with fresh hot bread: 

Crockpot Thai Peanut Butter Chicken

In crockpot place:

2 large or 3 medium chicken breasts (frozen is fine)

1 can less 1/2 cup coconut milk (reserve the 1/2 cup for your coconut rice)

3/4 cup peanut butter

3 tbsp. Minced garlic

3 tbsp. Honey

3 tbsp. Soy sauce

2 tbsp. Lemon or lime juice

2 tbsp. Rice wine vinegar

1/2 tsp. Red pepper flakes.

Cook in crockpot 4 hours on high or about 6 hours on low.  Mix every hour or so.  Serve hot over prepared rice (or coconut rice), top with peanuts and or fresh cilantro.

I like to put the coconut milk in with some water to make the rice for this.  It's great to add shredded unsweetened coconut as well.  I always add a little chicken Bouillon powder to my rice maker with the rice.  Make sure you rinse your rice before cooking it.

Coconut Rice Recipe:  https://kookinginheels.blogspot.com/2026/02/coconut-rice-in-rice-cooker.html

Beef Stroganoff

Easy Version:

Place in crockpot: 1 pound beef stew meat (pre-chopped), 8 oz. Fresh white mushrooms sliced and cleaned, 8 oz. Low-fat cream cheese***, 1 can cream of mushroom soup, 1/2 tsp. Fresh thyme, 1 tsp. Fresh parsley.  If you only have dry thyme and/or parsley then add that, but cut the quantity in half.  Cool 6 to 8 hours on low.  (***Ideally, add the cream cheese 1 hour before serving instead of at the beginning)

  Enjoy!

Serve over linguine or egg noodles.  We love it with a side of peas.

Hard Version (if you don't like using canned soups):

Ingredients:

16 oz. Fresh white mushrooms sliced and cleaned

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

1/2 tsp. onion powder

1/2 tsp. sea salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

1 tsp. Fresh thyme (or 1/2 tsp dried thyme)

1 tsp. Fresh parsley (or 1/2 tsp dried parsley)

1 cup chicken broth

1 lb. pound beef stew meat (pre-chopped)

---------

1/4 cup flour (when 1 hour remains)

up 1 cup milk (when 1 hour remains)

8 oz. Low-fat cream cheese (when 1 hour remains)

Mix all ingredients in large crockpot stopping before the flour.  Cook 6-8 hours.  1 hour before serving add flour and mix to coat, then add cream cheese and milk.  Stir when it gets soft enough.  Serve hot over linguine or egg noodles.  Great with a side of peas.

Skillet Peach Cobbler

Preheat oven to 400.  Slice up 5-6 peaches.  Mix peaches with 1/2 cup brown sugar and 2 tsp. Vanilla.  Heat 4 tbsp. Butter in cast iron skillet on medium until browned.  Add sliced peaches and mix.  Bake for 10 min, then turn oven down to 375.

Meanwhile, mix the cobbler mix with a pastry cutter: 1 stick butter cubed, 1 cup flour, 1/4 cup finely ground almonds, 1/2 brown sugar, 2 tsp. Baking powder.  After blended with pastry cutter add 1/2 cup milk and stir until combined.  After the 10 min when you turn down the oven, spoon cobbler mix on top of peaches.

Bake at 375 for 25 to 30 min.  Serve hot with ice cream or whipped cream.

Easy White Bread Take 2

Ingredients:

3 cups flour

2 heaping teaspoons dry active yeast

2 tbsp. Sugar

1 tsp. Baking powder

1 tbsp. Salt

3 tbsp. Olive oil

1 cup plus 3 tbsp. Warm water

2 tbsp. Salt free spice or seasoning of your choice of desired

Place all ingredients in this order in bread maker.  Bake at basic setting.  Enjoy warm :)

waffles

Ingredients:

2 1/4 cup flour

1 tbsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp cinnamon

3 tbsp sugar

1/4 cup olive oil

2 cups milk

2 tsp vanilla

2 eggs

Mix all ingredients.  Let sit 5 min.  Brush hot waffle iron with olive oil using silicone brush (or spray).  Cook waffles until done.  Serve hot.

Pumpkin Curry Soup

Ingredients:

2 small sweet onions diced (or 1 large)

2 Tbsp minced garlic

2 Tbsp butter

1 tsp. Ginger

1 tsp. Salt

1 tsp. Cumin (ground)

1 tsp. Curry

2 can pumpkin

2 boxes chicken broth (8 cups)

2 Tbsp peanut butter 

1 tsp. Sugar

1/3 can of coconut milk (or more to taste)

Directions:

Sauté butter and onions with garlic until onions are soft.  Add spices and salt.  Add broth and pumpkin.  Stir to mix after each addition.  Add peanut butter and sugar.  Simmer 10 min on low.  Add coconut milk at end.  Enjoy!

Carrot Cake Cupcakes

Brined, Dry-Rubbed, Herb-buttered Best Turkey Ever

Brine (make Tuesday night or early on the morning before Thanksgiving)

1 cup coarse sea salt

1 bottle cheap white wine

4 cups (1 box) Chicken Broth + 2 boxes water

2 heaping Tbsp. Minced garlic

Bunch each of fresh thyme, sage and rosemary

2-3 Tbsp Tastefully Simple Rustic Herb Spice Mix

2 whole lemons zest and sliced

1 whole apple slices

1 orange zest and sliced

1 tsp. Pepper

2 bay leaves

1 tsp. Dried sage

1 tsp. Dried thyme

Brining bag 

this recipe works for 14 to 20 lbs turkey

Directions:  cook in large soup pot all ingredients just until salt is dissolved.  Let completely cool.  Once cool add 4 cups of ice.  Do not put turkey in this brine until it is cold!!!  If you make the brine on Tuesday evening, then brine can chill in refrigerator overnight.

Remove goblets from turkey.  Place giblets in a closed container in refrigerator.   You need them tomorrow for the gravy.

Place turkey in brining bag.  Place in a very very large bowl, with bag closure at top.  Slowly add brine.  Seal bag and set in refrigerator for at least 24 hours and no more than 36 hours.  Turn every approximately 8 hours.  Remove turkey from brine reserving about 6 cups of brine for bottom of turkey roasting pan and some of the fruit as well (you can ho ahead and put this in your roasting pan while the Turkey sits).  Before cooking, Rinse with cold water slightly.  Preheat oven to 425.  Let turkey sit at room temperature for 30 minutes. Now it's time for the Dry Rub.

Dry Rub

3/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp thyme

1/2 garlic powder

1/2 tsp. Pepper

1/4 paprika

Mix dry rib ingredients in a bowl.  Rub about half inside the turkey, and about half on the skin of the turkey.  Cover entire turkey.  Put bird on rack breasts down.  Twist wings so they are lying flat on the Turkey's back and tie with unflavored dental floss.  

Stuff turkey with 1 apple quarter (seeds and core removed) and 1 orange quartered.

For bottom of roaster add to brine:

3 tbsp. Mined garlic

1 onion quartered

Fresh sage, rosemary and thyme.

2 cups water

Cook at 425 uncovered for 30 min

While turkey cooks, make your Herb Butter.

Herb Butter:

3/4 stick melted butter

2 tbsp. Olive oil

1 tbsp poultry seasoning 

1 tsp garlic powder

2 tbsp. Minced garlic

1 tsp. Oregano

1 tsp. Basil

1 tsp. Thyme

Mix all together to make herb butter.

After 30 min, turn oven down to 325.  Flip turkey over so breasts are up.  Baste with some of  the butter and continue roasting for 1 hour covered with foil.  Baste with some of the butter again.  Remove apples and oranges from turkey cavity and add to bottom of pan.  Add water to bottom of pan if it ever gets dry, there should always be liquid in the pan.  Roast another hour, baste.  Scoop some liquid from bottom of pan into cavity.  Continue to roast, and baste for 30 minutes at a time until Turkey is done.  About 30 minutes before turkey is to temperature, remove foil cover to make sure skin gets crisp and brown but not burnt.  If you run out of herb butter baste with the liquid on the bottom of the pan.  Internal temperature should be 170 when turkey is done.  Remove from oven and let rest 15 to 20 min before cutting so you don't lose the juices. Serve hot with Gravy and Thanksgiving sides.

About 1-2 hour before Turkey is done, start your gravy.

Do not get rid of the roasting pan, you need some of this for your gravy!

Gravy:

Cook turkey neck on low simmer in water 1 to 2 hours with 1 tbsp. Tastefully Simple Rustic Herb Seasoning.  Remove neck and throw away, then add all liquid from bottom of roasting pan once turkey is done.  Pour it through a strainer as you don't want the onion/large herbs/lemons etc.  Mix to combine.  Makes a lot.  Pour through gravy strainer to remove fat.  Amy take more than 1 attempt as all the gravy should not fit in the strainer at once.  Pour back into medium pot and cook.  Mix 2 cups cold milk (want about 1/2 milk to other liquid) with 2 to 3 tbsp. Corn starch.  Add to gravy to thicken.  Cook on high to desired consistency.  This should make enough gravy to save half.  If gravy is too salty add more milk and cornstarch until it is the right salt level for you.

You can also use this method for chicken

Chicken above

Thai Basil Chicken

Ingredients:

1 to 1 1/2 lbs. chicken breast thinly sliced

1 red onion thinly sliced

3 bell peppers thinly sliced

1 + 2 Tbsp fish sauce 

2 Tbsp. Sherry (optional)

1 Tbsp. honey (or sugar)

1 Tbsp  hot water

1-2 Tbsp. Olive oil 

2 Tbsp. Minced garlic

1 tbsp. Garlic chili sauce

2 tbsp. Soy sauce

2 cups cleaned and shredded fresh thai basil leaves or sweet basil leaves

Rice noodles (prepare according to package instructions)

Put thinly sliced chicken in a bowl with 1 Tbsp. Fish sauce and 2 Tbsp. Sherry.  Set aside.  

Make sauce.  Mix 2 tbsp fish sauce. honey, water, garlic chili sauce, and soy sauce together.

In large skillet cook chicken in oil until almost done.  Add veggies and cook a few minutes.  Add Garlic and cook a a minute or so until veggies are done.  Add sauce.  Mix to coat and serve hot over rice noodles.  Remember the sauce is the best part. 

Or serve with Coconut Rice

Focaccia

 

Ingredients:

2 1/4 tsp. active dry yeast

2 tsp. honey (or 2 tsp. sugar)

2 1/2 cups warm water

5 cups flour

1 Tbsp. salt

3-4 Tbsp olive oil

2 Tbsp. minced garlic

Pesto, Italian or other fun seasoning for top

If desired, veggies or olives for the top

Directions:

Mix together yeast, honey and warm water in large bowl.  Let sit a few minutes.  Add flour and salt.  Mix until incorporated.  Pour about 3-4 over the ball of dough and make sure the whole ball is covered in oil.  Cover with a clean dish towel and let rise in a warm area of the kitchen for 3 hours.

Do not mix again, take dough and place on 13 by 9 inch jelly roll pan (with sides preferred).  With your hands spread dough out by pushing it down to about just about fit in the pan.  Let rise again for another 2 hours (a few more is fine too).

Preheat oven to 450.

Poke your finger randomly all over the dough.  Cover with seasoning of your choice.  You can also top with sliced veggies or olives (bell pepper, red onion, onion).  Bake in preheated oven for about 25 minutes golden brown.