Hawaiian haystacks

 
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size chunks 
3 tablespoons butter
½ cup finely chopped onion
3 cloves garlic; finely minced
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
¼ cup flour
2 cups milk
1 cup chicken broth (I use low sodium)

INSTRUCTIONS 

• In a large skillet melt the butter over medium heat and add the onion and raw chicken.
• Saute the onion and chicken until the onions are soft and translucent and the chicken is cooked through, about 5 to 6 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for about one minute, stirring, until fragrant.
• Sprinkle the flour over the onions and chicken and stir to combine. Cook over medium heat for one minute.
• Slowly whisk in the milk and chicken broth. Cook, stirring constantly, and bring the sauce to a simmer over medium to medium-high heat.
• Add the salt and pepper. Continue simmering, stirring the sauce frequently, until the sauce has thickened, about 5-8 minutes.
• Serve the chicken sauce over rice with your toppings of choice, such as olives, tomatoes, shredded sharp cheddar cheese, green onions, pineapple, coconut flakes, and chow mein noodles.

Original recipe found here: https://www.melskitchencafe.com/hawaiian-haystacks-chicken-sauce-reinvented/ 

Apple Cinnamon Overnight Oats

 Ingredients

For the oats:

• 1 cup oats
• 1 cup vanilla almond milk
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup
• 1 tablespoon chia seeds
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

For the apple compote:

• 1 tablespoon butter or vegan butter substitute
• 1 large apple peeled, cored, and diced
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• 1 tablespoon water
• 1 teaspoon corn starch

Instructions

For the oats:

1. Combine oats, almond milk, maple syrup, chia seeds, vanilla extract, cinnamon and salt in a medium sized bowl and mix well. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

For the apple compote:

1. Add butter, apples, cinnamon and maple syrup to a medium saucepan. Stir over medium heat for 3-5 minutes until apples are very tender. 

2. Whisk water and cornstarch together in a small bowl, add to pot and continue to cook for another 1-2 minutes until mixture thickens. Remove from heat and cool completely.

3. To serve, spoon oats into a cup and top with apple compote.

From https://lepetiteats.com/apple-cinnamon-overnight-oats/?utm_source=whisk

Pumpkin Roll

Ingredients 

 

3 eggs

1 cup sugar

2/3 cup pumpkin

3/4 cup flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1/4 tsp ginger 

1/2 tsp cloves

2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp salt

Directions

Heavily grease and flour a cookie sheet (15x10 jelly roll pan). 

Beat eggs on high until frothy with volume. Slowly mix in the sugar and pumpkin. Add flour, baking powder, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, cinnamon, and salt. 

Pour mixture into pan and if desired, sprinkle with chopped nuts. 

Bake at 375 for 15 min.

Put powdered sugar on towel and cool on towel, nut side up. Roll up in towel. Cool. Unroll carefully and fill with cream cheese frosting. Roll back up. 

BLT Salad

 Ingredients

• 3 cups shredded Lacinto kale, no stems
• 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
• 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
• kosher salt
• black pepper, to taste
• 2 large eggs
• 4 strips cooked center cut bacon, chopped
• 2 ounces sliced avocado
• 10 grape tomatoes, halved

• In a bowl combine the kale, olive oil, vinegar and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Massage with your hands for about 3 minutes, until the kale softens.
• Cook eggs to desired likeness, I prefer them soft boiled. How to Make Perfect Eggs in the Instant Pot.
• Divide the kale between two bowls, top with bacon, tomatoes, avocado and egg.
• Finish with pinch of salt and pepper.

I used spinach, not kale and I did an over easy fried egg, not a boiled egg. She has it under breakfast, I have it for lunch! 

https://www.skinnytaste.com/breakfast-blt-salad/ 

Homemade Lararbars

 Here's the link for the homemade Lararbars. There are a couple of different kinds at this website. I have only tried the cashew cookie recipe. My kids liked it. If you buy Great Value dates, you'll need to add a tiny amount of water. Great value dates are dry. Sunmaid dates are much softer. 

https://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/chocolate-covered-recipes/fudge-baby-mania/ 

Broccoli Cheddar Soup

 Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon butter
• ½ onion, chopped
• ¼ cup melted butter
• ¼ cup flour
• 2 cups milk
• 2 cups chicken stock 
  
• 1 ½ cups coarsely chopped broccoli florets
• 1 cup matchstick-cut carrots
• 1 stalk celery, thinly sliced
• 2 ½ cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
• salt and ground black pepper to taste
• Sep 1

• Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a skillet over medium-high heat. Saute onion in hot butter until translucent, about 5 minutes. Set aside.

• Step 2

  Whisk 1/4 cup melted butter and flour together in a large saucepan over medium-low heat; cook until flour loses it's granular texture, adding 1 to 2 tablespoons of milk if necessary to keep the flour from burning, 3 to 4 minutes.

• Step 3

  Gradually pour milk into flour mixture while whisking constantly. Stir chicken stock into milk mixture. Bring to a simmer; cook until flour taste is gone and mixture is thickened, about 20 minutes. Add broccoli, carrots, sauteed onion, and celery; simmer until vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes.

• I don't follow step three. After I get the milk and chicken stock mixed in, I dump in all the veggies and let them cook while the mixture is thickening. 

https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/235874/copycat-panera-broccoli-cheddar-soup/

Chicken, Broccoli Peanut Curry

 This is written for an Instant Pot, but it's just a slow cooker recipe. So if you don't have one, just put it in a slow cooker.

1 tbs olive oil

1/2 cup chopped green onions

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 inch piece of fresh ginger, minced 

2 lbs skinless, boneless chicken thighs, cut into pieces

2 cups chicken broth

1/2 cup peanut butter

2 tablespoons soy sauce

2 tablespoons red curry paste

3 cups broccoli florets

1 cup sliced carrots

1 tbs cornstarch

2 tbs cold water

rice

cilantro

1/4 cup chopped green onions

chopped roasted peanuts

Directions

Select saute on the instant pot and adjust to normal. Add oil and sauté onion, ginger, and garlic. for one minute. Press cancel and add chicken, broth, peanut butter, soy sauce, and curry paste. Stir. Cover with lid and open the pressure release valve.

Select slow cook, adjust to MORE and cook for 2 hours or until chicken is done. Stir in the broccoli and carrots and cook, covered, for an additional 30 minutes. 

Press cancel. Combine the cornstarch and water and stir into pot. Select sauté and cook for 2-3 minutes or until slightly thickened. 

If cooking in a slower cooker, just slow cook the onions, garlic, ginger, chicken, peanut butter, soy sauce, and curry paste for 2 hours on high. Then add the broccoli and carrots and cook until crisp tender. thicken with the cornstarch.

Serve over rice and topped with green onion, cilantro, and peanuts.