Favorite Recipe: What's New

I fight food boredom.  Meaning, after cooking the same dish for a while, I just get an itch to make something new.

So, here are two new recipes tried out this week, both considered winners (as ranked by the Head Judge of our household, the fastidious and selective Mr. Ben.  Who likes all food except chewy granola bars.).

Category: New Meals

Winner #1: Chorizo Lentil Stew

• 1 pound Chorizo Sausage
• 1 teaspoon Vegetable Oil
• 1 can (15 Oz. Size) Cannellini Beans, Drained
• 1 can (15 Oz. Size) Fire Roasted Diced Tomatoes
• 1 cup Dried Lentils
• 2 cups Chicken Stock
• 6 cups Fresh Chopped Spinach  

In a big stockpot, brown the chorizo in a little bit of vegetable oil, stirring constantly, until almost done, about 5-7 minutes. Add in the cannelini beans, tomatoes, lentils, and chicken stock and stir until combined. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat, cover, and simmer for about 30 minutes until the lentils are soft and tender. Remove from heat and stir in the spinach; cover for about 5 minutes to let it wilt.

Note: I made this with Polish sausage (since it's what we had) and used dry garbanzo beans, which I just boiled until they were revitalized and ready to include.  And I just used regular old crushed tomatoes, not "fire roasted."  Tasty!

Winner #2: Slow Cooker Honey Sesame Chicken 



4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (thighs would be fine too)
Salt and pepper
1 cup honey
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup diced onion
1/4 cup ketchup
2 tablespoons vegetable oil (could also use olive oil or canola oil)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional – doesn’t really add heat, just adds more flavor)
4 teaspoons cornstarch dissolved in 6 Tablespoons water
Sesame seeds

Season both sides of chicken with lightly with salt and pepper, put into crock pot. In a small bowl, combine honey, soy sauce, onion, ketchup, oil, garlic and pepper flakes. Pour over chicken. Cook on low for 3-4 hours or on high 1 1/2 – 2 1/2 hours, or just until chicken is cooked through. Remove chicken from crock pot, leave sauce. Dissolve 4 teaspoons of cornstarch in 6 tablespoons of water and pour into crock pot. Stir to combine with sauce. Replace lid and cook sauce on high for ten more minutes or until slightly thickened. Cut chicken into bite size pieces, then return to pot and toss with sauce before serving. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve over rice or noodles.

Note: I put together all the chicken and sauce ingredients and threw it in the freezer for a couple weeks, then thawed overnight and cooked it up this afternoon.  Nice and easy.

Favorite Recipe: What's For Breakfast With No Eggs or Cereal?

We go through a lot of eggs in this household.  Victor knocks off at least 2 and sometimes 3 per morning.  Ben could put away another 3-4 easily, though he often supplements with cereal.

So it's a grim day when Momma forgets we're out of eggs.

Here's our back-up plan (and, at least for one of the three of us, it's better than eggs OR cereal!)...

Category: Breakfast Without Eggs or Cereal
Winner: Applesauce Cake

Applesauce Cake

 1/2 c. butter, softened
1 c. sugar
1 c. applesauce
2 c. flour
1 t. baking soda
1 t. cinnamon
1/4 t. cloves
1/2 c. raisins (optional)
1/2 c. walnuts (optional)

Cream butter with sugar.  Add applesauce; beat well. Stir in flour, soda, and spices. Add nuts and raisins.

Pour batter into greased 8-in square pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 min or until done.

(But I always double the recipe and use a 9x13 pan.)

Quick, easy, tasty, and what with all that healthy applesauce... it's a nutritious and delicious alternative on those egg- and cereal-free mornings.

Favorite Recipe: Ben's Vote

Last Friday we had some of the guys from the office over for dinner.  Ben requested "that chicken dish," which must be a manly kind of food (I think it's because it's kind of messy).

Category: Ben's favorite
Winner: Honey Baked Chicken II

"That chicken dish" is Honey Baked Chicken II, and it is a tasty, inexpensive, pretty simple meal to throw together for a crowd.  So here you go!

Honey Baked Chicken II

1 (3 pound) whole chicken, cut into pieces
1/2 c. butter, melted
1/2 c. honey
1/4 c. prepared mustard
1 t. salt
1 t. curry powder

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Place chicken pieces in a shallow baking pan, skin side up.  Combine the butter, honey, mustard, salt, and curry powder, and pour over chicken.  Bake at 350 for 1 1/4 hours (75 min), basting every 15 min with pan drippings, until the chicken is nicely browned and tender and the juices run clear.  Serve over white rice.

Serves 6.

(Recipe from allrecipes.com)

Favorite Recipe

I love recipes.  I love food (a dangerous love).  I love cooking, especially for large crowds of people. I think cooking is one of my love languages.


So, here is the first of a few favorite recipes, from my heart to yours.  :)

Category: Most frequently used recipe

Winner: Granola Bars

I discovered a version of this recipe about a year ago, when I first started doing dairy-free life for Mr. Victor's tummy.  It's dairy-free, and I've adapted it to be egg-free (which I like better than the with-egg version anyway).

I have made this recipe roughly once a week for the past year.  I've made a bazillion different varieties.  This week, I made it three times.  (#1. Cranberry white chocolate walnut, #2. Chocolate chunk, #3 Butterscotch date.)  I never look at the recipe anymore.

So versatile. So delicious for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.  So easy.  So many different twists.  Please enjoy.

Granola Bars

Dry ingredients:
3 c. oats
1 c. flour
3/4 c. brown sugar
1/2 t. cinnamon
1/2 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt
3/4 c. your favorite mix-ins

Wet ingredients:
1/4 c. applesauce
1/2 c. oil
1/2 c. honey
2 t. vanilla

Combine dry ingredients in a bowl.  In a separate bowl, combine wet ingredients.  Add to dry ingredients.  Stir until thoroughly combined (otherwise bars will be crumbly).  Pat firmly into a 9x13 pan.  Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 min.

I prefer my bars a little gooey (20 min), and usually to make clean-up a breeze, I line my pan with parchment paper or aluminum foil sprayed with cooking spray.

Delightful!