Lentil Chili

• Lisa Stephenson
• Can be made in the Instant Pot, Stove-top, or Slow Cooker.
• From Mel's Kitchen Cafe 
• 
  
• 1 pound lean ground beef or turkey (optional)
•  1/2 cup chopped yellow or white onion
•  2 cloves garlic, finely minced (or 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder)
•  28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
•  4 cups low-sodium vegetable or chicken broth
•  1 1/2 cups (about 12-14 ounces) brown lentils, rinsed, picked through and drained
•  1 medium green bell pepper, cored, seeded and small diced
•  1 1/2 tablespoons chili powder
•  1 tablespoon brown sugar
•  1 teaspoon dried oregano
•  1 teaspoon cumin
•  1 teaspoon salt
•  1/4 teaspoon black pepper
•  All the chili toppings your heart desires

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Instant Pot: Using the saute function, brown the ground turkey/beef (if using) with the onions and garlic, breaking up the meat into small pieces as it cooks. Drain any excess grease.
2. Add the crushed tomatoes, chicken broth, lentils, green bell pepper, chili powder, brown sugar, oregano, cumin, salt, and pepper. Secure the lid. Cook on high pressure for 10 minutes. Let the pressure naturally release for 10 minutes (if you are impatient, you can quick release right away, but liquid may sputter through the valve). After 10 minutes, quick release the remaining pressure.
3. Stir the chili and add any additional broth if you want to thin out the consistency (it will thicken as it cools). Add additional salt and pepper to taste, if needed. Serve with any and all chili toppings your heart desires.
4. Stovetop: In a 5- or 6-quart pot over medium heat, brown the ground turkey/beef (if using) with the onions and garlic, breaking up the meat into small pieces as it cooks. Drain any excess grease.
5. Add the crushed tomatoes, chicken broth, lentils, green bell pepper, chili powder, brown sugar, oregano, cumin, salt, and pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil and then reduce to a simmer. Cook for 30-40 minutes until the lentils are tender, stirring occasionally and moderating heat so the chili doesn't burn on the bottom.
6. Add additional broth, if desired, to thin out the chili. Add additional salt and pepper to taste, if needed. Serve with any and all chili toppings your heart desires.
7. Slow Cooker: In a 10- or 12-inch skillet over medium heat, brown the ground turkey/beef (if using) with the onions and garlic, breaking up the meat into small pieces as it cooks. Drain any excess grease.
8. Add the ground meat to the insert of a 6-quart or larger slow cooker. Add the crushed tomatoes, chicken broth, lentils, green bell pepper, chili powder, brown sugar, oregano, cumin, salt, and pepper.
9. Cover the slow cooker and cook on low for 6-8 hours. Stir the chili, and add any additional broth if you want to thin out the consistency (it will thicken as it cools). Add additional salt and pepper to taste, if needed. Serve with any and all chili toppings your heart desires.

Supreme Pizza Soup

Aubrey Dorrough Maru

Serves 6    350 calories

8 oz bulk Italian sausage
1  3.5 oz package sliced pepperoni, chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
1  8 oz package fresh button mushrooms, chopped
3/4 cup chopped red and/or green sweet pepper (1 medium)
1/2 cup chopped red onion (1 medium)
6 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
3  14.5 oz cans diced tomatoes, drained
1  14.5 oz can reduced-sodium chicken broth (1 3/4 cups)
1/4 cup pitted black olives, halved
1   1/2 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
Parmesan cheese
Croutons

1.  In large crock pot, cook sausage over medium heat about 10 minutes or until browned, using a wooden spoon to break up meat as it cooks.  Remove sausage, reserving drippings in pot.  Drain sausage on a plate lined with paper towels.  Add pepperoni to drippings.  Cook and stir about 5 minutes or until pepperoni starts to  crisp.  Remove from pot, drain on plate lined with paper towels.
2.  In the same pot, heat 1 1/2 teaspoons of the oil over medium-low heat.  Add mushrooms, sweet pepper, and onion.  Cook about 10 minutes or until tender.  Remove vegetables, set aside
3.  Add the remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil to pot.   Add garlic, and crushed red pepper to the oil, cook about 30 seconds or until garlic is aromatic, stirring frequently.  Add sausage, pepperoni, cooked vegetables, tomatoes, broth, olives and Italian seasoning.  Bring to boiling, reduce heat.  Simmer, uncovered for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Top servings with cheese and croutons.

Chicken Katsu

Aubrey Dorrough Maru

This is a Hawaiian Barbecue Chicken, serve with rice and macaroni salad.  Serves 5-7

Chicken and Breading:
2 eggs
3/4 cup cornstarch
1/4 teaspon salt
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1 cup water
4 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs
1 lb panko breadcrumbs

Ton Katsu Sauce:
1/2 cup Worcestershire sauce
1 cup ketchup
1 cup sugar
2 1/2 cups water
1/3 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon chicken bouillon
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
2-3 dashes hot sauce
1/2 teaspoon cornstarch mixed with
1/2 cup water

Chicken:  Open the chicken thighs and flatten with a rolling pin.  Combine eggs, corn starch, salt, white pepper, garlic powder, and water to make a batter.  Coat the chicken in the egg batter, then roll in panko crumbs.  Fry in oil (max 325 degrees) until brown and crispy.

Ton Katsu:  Combine all ingredients and bring to boil.  Add cornstarch dissolved in water to thicken.  Chill and serve. 

Cut chicken into strips and serve with sauce.

Peach Toffee Pie

Aubrey Dorrough Maru

Filling:
2 1/2 pounds ripe, but not soft, peaches
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup flour
1 1/2 teaspoons grated lemon zest

Topping:
1/2 cup flour
3/4 cup toffee bits
6 tablespoons packed brown sugar
6 tablespoons butter

1.  Boil peaches for 20-30 second seconds.  Remove and place in bowl of cold water.  Skin and dice
2.  Mix brown sugar, flour and lemon zest.  Add peaches and toss to coat well, place in pie crust.
3.  Mix flour, toffee bits, brown sugar, and butter.  Cut until desired consistency, scatter evenly over peach mixture.
4.  Bake on center rack for 30-35 minutes at 350 degrees.

Caramel Apple Pie

Aubrey Dorrough Maru

Pie:
24 caramels
2 tablespoons water
4 cups diced apples
3/4 cup flour
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/3 cup butter

Crust:
2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup shortening
6 tablespoons water

1 - Melt caramels with water, stir until smooth
2- Lay apples out over crust, smother with caramel sauce
3 - Mix flour, sugar, and cinnamon.  Cut in butter, sprinkle over apples
4- Bake 40-45 minutes at 375 degrees.

Oat Flour Pancakes

Katie Clover - adapted from www.foodprepper.com

2 cup gluten free oatmeal
1 tsp sugar
1 tbsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup milk
1   1/2 tbsp canola oil
2 large eggs
1/2 tsp vanilla

1. Pre-heat electric griddle to 375 degrees..
2. Add all dry ingredients to a food proccesor and mix together.
3. Add all wet ingredients to a 2nd mixing bowl and whisk together.
4. Add dry ingredient mix to wet ingredient mixing bowl and whisk till it just comes together.
5. Lightly spray your hot griddle with cooking spray.
6. Use a ¼ measuring cup to scoop the pancake batter onto the griddle.
7. I cook my pancakes 1 minute 45 seconds on the first side and 2 minutes 15 seconds on the second side for perfect pancakes, this may vary on your griddle.

Roast Pork Loin with Apples, Potatoes and Sage

Lisa Stephenson

Serves 8

Ingredients

3 Tablespoons margarine or butter

2 Tablespoons chopped fresh sage leaves

1 teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

1 boneless pork loin roast

1 ½ lb. baby red potatoes

1 large onion

1 ½ lb. Gala or Jonagold apples

Directions

1.       Preheat oven to 450 degrees.  In small bowl, stir 1 tablespoon butter, 1 tablespoon chopped sage, and ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper.  With hands, rub sage mixture all over pork loin.

2.       In 15 ½” by 10 ½” jelly-roll pan, melt remaining 2 tablespoon butter in oven.  Remove pan from oven.  Add potatoes, onion, ½ teaspoon salt and remaining 1 tablespoon chopped sage; toss to coat.  Push potatoes and onion to edges of pan and set small roasting rack in center; place pork on rack.  Roast 20 minutes.

3.       Add apples to pan, around pork, and roast 30-40 minutes longer depending on thickness of pork or until meat thermometer inserted in center of pork reaches 145 degrees.(Internal temperature of pork will rise 5-10 degrees upon standing.)

4.       Transfer pork to warm platter; let stand 15 minutes to set juices for easier slicing.  With slotted spoon, transfer potatoes, ion, and apples to platter with pork.  Pour pan drippings into small cup.  Skim off and discard fat from drippings.  Server pork, sliced, with drippings.