Pumpkin Chili

Servings 8

2 lbs of browned ground beef
10 oz of mushrooms
1 shallot
4 cloves garlic
0.5 sweet onion
2 15 oz cans of 365 pumpkin puree
1 15 oz can organic black beans
1 15 oz can Goya white beans
1/3 cup of Badia chili powder
1 tbsp Jamaican all spice
1 tbsp ground cloves
2 cinnamon sticks
0.5 cup tomato sauce
1.5 cup vegetable broth

Super Grains' Sausage and Kale Stew

5 Carrots
6 Ribs of Celery
1 Onion
2 Golden Zucchinis
1 Red Bell Pepper
1 Orange Bell Pepper
12 oz Brat House Chicken Spinach Sausage
1/2 lb of kale greens
5 cups of water
4 cups of chicken broth
1 cup of red lentils
1 cup of 365 super grains

Maftoul and Lentil Curry

1 cup of red lentils
1 cup of maftoul
1 zucchini
1 yellow squash
8oz  of tempeh
5 cups of water
2 vine ripe tomatoes
1 orange pepper
2 tbsp of thai green curry paste
1 cup of unsweetened vanilla almond milk
8oz sliced mushrooms

Flatbread Pizza

Servings: 1

1 Flat out Artisan Thin Pizza Crust
1/4 cup Casa Visco Pizza Sauce
1/4 pkg (4 meatballs) al fresco Tomato and Basil Chicken Meatballs
3 oz Sliced Portabella - chopped
1/4 cup Essential Everyday Italian Style Six Cheese Blend

Preheat oven at 375
Microwave Meatballs for 30 seconds
Bake crust for 2 min
Remove
Spread Sauce on crust
crumble meatballs and portabella over sauce
spread cheese over
Bake another 4 minutes or until cheese melts

Gnocchi in the Middle

Servings: 4

1 lb. Ground beef
1 medium red bell pepper
1/2 lb asparagus chopped
4 oz of sliced baby bella mushrooms
12 oz grape tomatoes sliced
1/4 cup of non-fat greek yogurt
1/4 cup shredded parmasean cheese
1/2 cup water
1/2 tablespoon olive oil
1 lb of gnocchi
3 tbsp italian seasoning

brown ground beef with oolive oil
add aspargus and bell pepper
add mushrooms
add tomatoes, water, yogurt and cheese
stew for 10 minutes
add cooked gnocchi

Apricot Berbere Chicken and Veggies

Apricot Berbere Chicken and Veggies
With Salad and Millet pilaf

Berbere apparently means "hot" in Amharic.  They aren't lying.  The Ethiopian chili and fennel mixture makes a delicious - and hot - spice package.

I decided to cut the heat by mixing North African cuisine with East African.  The mix produced a delicious and remarkably easy cuisine.

Ingredients
1/4 lb Dried Unsweetened Apricots
Water
3 Chicken Leg Quarters
5 Carrots
1.5 lbs Asparagus

Marinade
4 Tbsp berbere spice
2 tbsp unsweetened Apricot preserves
1/2 cup oil
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar

Instructions
1. Boil tea kettle of water
2. Cut Apricots in half and put in a bowl
3. Pour boiling water over the apricots and set aside
4. Cut Leg Quarters into leg and thigh put into large mixing bowl
5. Add chopped carrots and asparagus
6. Whisk together marinade (I like to do this right in the measuring cup)
7. Once the apricots have softened put in with chicken and veggies.
8.  Pour marinade over the chicken and veggies.  Take a large spoon and stir so that everything is coated in the berbere mix.
9.  Place in Roasting Pan and put in the fridge.  Marinade for 5 hours.
10. Bake for 50 min - 1 hour at 375F.

Berbere

mmm.....berbere

Fennel Black IPA Pulled Chicken: Slow Cooker Tuesday

Pulled chicken with Potatoes and Brussels sprouts

Tuesday is Urvi's and my crock pot night.  This week I tried something a little different.  Based on the beer can chicken.

Fennel Black IPA Pulled Chicken is a new favorite that will be added to the rotation.

Crock Pot Chicken
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breats
- 3 tbsp roasted fennel seed
- tbsp salt
- tbsp pepper
- 1/2 cup homemade veggie broth
- 12 oz can of Back in Black Black IPA
- 2 tbsp olive oil

1. put the chicken in the slow cooker on low
2. add oil and spices
3. stir around until chicken is coated
4. add broth and beer
5. slow cook on low for 6 hours

Hefeweizen Gravy
Based on my hefe/witte gravy I do for Carbonades.  I wanted it to be earthier to match the fennel so I used buckwheat flour.

- 3 tbsp butter
- 3 tbsp buckwheat flour
- tbsp salt
- tbsp pepper
- bottle of Konig Ludwig Weiss

1. melt butter and flour on medium
2. add salt and pepper
3. turn down to low
4. mix in half a bottle of beer stirring until gravy
5. drink other half of bottle