Chickpea Curry

INGREDIENTS

• 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil (or coconut oil)
• 1 small yellow onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 teaspoons curry powder
• 1 (14.5 oz.) can diced fire-roasted tomatoes, drained
• ¾ cup plain Greek yogurt 
• ½ cup coconut milk 
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• 1 (15 oz.) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
• 2 cups fresh baby spinach
• 1 cup green peas 

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
2. Add onion and sauté for 4-5 minutes, until softened. Add garlic and sauté another 30 seconds.
3. Stir in curry powder, diced tomatoes, Greek yogurt and milk. (Tip: reduce heat or remove from heat to add the milk and yogurt to prevent curdling.) Season with salt & pepper.
4. Bring to a low simmer and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened.
5. Stir in chickpeas, spinach and peas until warmed through and spinach is slightly wilted, 1-2 minutes.
6. Serve  over rice with chopped cilantro, chopped peanuts, and a squeeze of fresh lime. 

I love this quick, easy meal. I got this recipe from my friend Melissa Parr. I will sometimes put chicken in this dish because Andy loves it with meat.

Apple Pie

 

• 1 recipe for double pie crust
• 6-7 Granny Smith Apples, peeled, cored (7 cups thinly sliced)
• 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 8 Tbsp unsalted butter
• 3 Tbsp  all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 egg , + 1 Tbsp water, for egg wash

Instructions

• Make the pie crust recipe and chill while preparing the filling. Preheat oven to 425˚F.
• Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in 3 Tbsp flour then simmer for 1 minute, whisking constantly. Whisk in 1/4 cup water, 1 cup sugar and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and continue simmering 3 minutes, whisking frequently then remove from heat.
• Peel, remove cores and thinly slice 7 cups of apples and place them in a large bowl. Sprinkle the top with 1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon and toss to combine. Pour the sauce over the apples and stir to coat the apple slices.
• Sprinkle your work surface with flour and roll out bottom pie crust to a 12" diameter circle. Wrap it around your rolling pin to transfer it to the 9" pie plate. Add apple mixture, mounding slightly in the center and being careful not to get the filling on the edges which would make it difficult to seal.
• Roll second crust into an 11" round and cut into 10 even thickness strips using a pizza cutter. Arrange strips in a woven lattice pattern over the top (see video tutorial). Beat together 1 egg and 1 Tbsp water and brush the top with egg mixture.
• Bake at 425˚F in the center of the oven for 15 minutes. Reduce the heat to 350˚F and continue baking another 45 minutes or until apples are soft and filling is bubbling through the vents.* Rest at room temp 1 hour before serving.

Notes

*Place a sheet of foil on the rack below the apple pie to catch any potential drips from the pie. 
My sister-in-law Laura found this recipe and it was an instant favorite! The original recipe is from Natasha's Kitchen.

Turkey Breast

• 1 boneless turkey breast thawed
• 1 tsp. olive oil
• 1/2  tsp. kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp. pepper
• 1/2 tsp. parsley flakes
• 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
• 1 C. chicken broth made with better than bullion.
• 1 onion
• 1 Gala apple

Place turkey in slow cooker. Rub turkey with about 1 tsp. olive oil. Combine the spices and then rub the turkey with spice mixture. Add chicken broth and put a gala apple and onion cut into chunks on the turkey and around it. Cook on low until temp is 165.F about 5-6 hours. 

Baked Potatoes

-Russet Potatoes

-Olive Oil

-Flaked Sea Salt

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
• Scrub each potato super well.
• Pierce each potato a few times all over with a fork.
• Coat each one well in olive oil then sprinkle heavily with flaked sea salt all over.
• Place on a wire baking rack in the middle of a cookie sheet that is lined with foil and place potatoes on top of the wire rack.
• Bake in the oven for 60-75 minutes-you want them to be tender when you poke them with a knife or fork.
• As soon as you remove them from the oven, slice them open. This helps them to stay nice and fluffy! Once you slice them open, push the ends in towards each other to pop the center open. 

We love baked potatoes! This is my favorite way to make them. 

Pumpkin Chili

 

-1 lb. lean ground beef or ground turkey

-1 onion diced
-1 can undrained black beans
-1 can undrained pinto beans
-2 cans fire-roasted tomatoes
-1 can pumpkin
-1 T. chili lime seasoning
-1 tsp. kosher salt

Brown the meat and onion in a large pot. Stir in the beans, tomatoes, pumpkin, chili lime seasoning and salt. Simmer for at least 30 minutes, but the longer the better.

This is such a tasty, quick meal to throw together! The pumpkin makes it thick and gives it a great taste and texture.

Corn Muffins

• 1 1/2 C. all-purpose flour
• 2/3 C. granulated sugar
• 1/2 C. yellow corn meal (I love Bob’s Red Mill)
• 1 Tbsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 1/4 c. milk
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1/3 C. vegetable oil
• 3 Tbsp. butter or margarine, melted

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Grease muffin cups-Makes about 18 muffins.
3. Combine dry ingredients in a medium mixing bowl.
4. Combine wet ingredients in a smaller bowl. Mix well.
5. Pour wet mixture into dry mixture and stir just until dry ingredients are moistened.
6. Spoon mixture into muffin cups about 2/3 full.
7. Bake 18-20 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

We love these corn muffins! They are great with chili. 

Zucchini Bread

 -3 C. shredded zucchini

-1 2/3  C. sugar

-2/3 C. vegetable oil

-2 tsp. vanilla

-4 eggs

-3 C. flour

-2 tsp. baking soda

-1 tsp. salt

-1 tsp. cinnamon

-1/2 tsp. ground cloves

-1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 C. chopped nuts (optional)

Move oven rack to low so the tops of the pans will be in the center of the oven. Heat oven to 350 degrees f. Grease pans (You can do 2 loaves in 8" pans, or 1 loaf in a 9" pan). 

Mix zucchini, sugar, oil, vanilla, and eggs in a large bowl. Then stir in remaining ingredients. Pour into pans and bake 8" loaves 50-60 minutes, or 9" 1 hour 10 min. Cool for 10 minutes in the pans, then slide loaves our and place on wire rack. 

My friend Melissa Parr gave me this recipe! My kids loved helping make it, and let's just say, it didn't last long once it came out of the oven!