mediterranean sweet potato fry nachos (winner!)

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Mediterranean Sweet Potato Fry Nachos from Michelle:

Smoky Paprika Aioli:
1 large clove garlic, unpeeled
2/3 cup vegan mayonnaise
1 T extra-virgin oil oil
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp, fresh lemon juice
Himalayan salt, to taste
Pepper, to taste

Mix together and drizzle over nachos.

Bag of Sweet Potato Fries
chopped tomatoes
green pepper
red onion
feta
kalamata olives
peperoncini

Cook bag of fries and sprinkle with coarse salt. Drizzle with smoked paprika aioli. Top with tomatoes, green pepper, red onion, feta, kalamata olives and pepperoncini.

cheesy quinoa cakes.

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Cheesy Quinoa Cakes with a Roasted Garlic and Lemon Aioli from Shalee:

2 cups cooked quinoa

2/3 cups grated fontina cheese

3 T all purpose flour

2 green onions, thinly sliced

1 eggs, lightly beaten

2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

2.5 T extra virgin olive oil

salt to taste

aioli:

1/2 cup light mayonnaise

1 head of garlic, roasted

1 lemon, zested and juiced

1/4 teaspoons cayenne pepper

salt and pepper to taste

For the cakes: Place all ingredients, except for the oil, into a mixing bowl and stir together until well combined. Season with salt and allow the mixture to sit for 5 minutes. Pour oil into a large saute pan and place over medium heat. Form 1/4 cup patties with the quinoa mixture and place in the heated saute pan. (this will have to be done in batches). Cook quinoa cakes for about 5 minutes on each side. Repeat with the remaining patties until all of the cakes have been cooked. Set aside. For aioli: Place all ingredients into a food processor, season with salt and pepper and blend until smooth. Pour into a small bowl and serve alongside the warm quinoa cakes.

basil chicken in coconut curry sauce.

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Basil Chicken in Coconut Curry Sauce from Erin:

6 bone-in-skin-on chicken thighs, skin removed*
(about 2 and 1/2 lbs)
salt and pepper
1 tsp oil
2 (13.5 ounce) cans coconut milk (lite coconut milk is great too)
2 T dried basil leaves
2 tsp salt
3/4 tsp pepper
1.5 T yellow curry powder
1 large red onion, chopped
8 cloves garlic, minced
2 jalapeños, seeded and finely chopped
1 T cornstarch
1 T COLD water
1 tsp fresh ginger, grated or minced
1/3 to 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

Remove the skin from the chicken using your fingers and a serrated knife. Salt and pepper each thigh. Heat a large skillet to medium-high heat. Add 1 tsp oil (or you can use nonstick spray). When the oil is hot, add 3 chicken thighs. Don't put them too close together, you want to avoid steaming. Cook for about 2 minutes, until nicely browned on the bottom. Then flip the chicken over to brown the other side for about 1-2 minutes. Remove the chicken to a plate.  Repeat searing process with the other 3 chicken thighs. If there is still enough grease in the pan then you don't need to add more oil. Meanwhile, in a crock pot combine coconut milk, basil, 2 tsp salt, 3/4 tsp pepper, yellow curry, and chili powder (to taste). Stir to combine. Cook on high for 4-5 hours, or on low for 6-8 hours. Remove the chicken from the slow cooker and transfer to a plate or cutting board. Let cool for a couple minutes. Add the ginger to the slow cooker. In a small bowl, combine cornstarch and 1 T COLD water. Stir until it's not lumpy. Add this to the crock pot and stir. Shred the chicken, removing the bones and any tough bits. It should just be falling apart. Return the meat to the slow cooker and stir. Return the meat to the slow cooker and stir. Return the lid and cook for another 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Stir in the cilantro. Serve with rice, cauliflower rice or naan.

chicken diablo.

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Chicken Diablo from Debbie:

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast (about 3-4 large breasts)

Combine:
1/4 cup butter (you can also leave this out or reduce the amount)
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup spicy brown mustard
1 tsp curry powder
1 tsp salt

Prepare chicken and set in a glass pan, set aside.

Melt the about ingredients in a liquid measuring cup or saucepan and heat and stir until combined, creating a sauce. Pour sauce over chicken and bake at 375 for about an hour.

delicious cake.

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Delicious Cake from Sarah:

1 cake mix
3 eggs
16 oz sour cream
small pudding package
1/3 cup oil
2 tsp vanilla

Mix until cake is moistened. Batter will be thick. Pour into greased bundt pan and bake for 40-45 minutes in a 325 oven. After taking it out of the oven, let it cool for about 10 minutes before turning it onto a cooling rack.  Serve as just cake or mix a little lemon juice into a couple cups of powdered sugar to make a glaze. But really the cake by itself is plenty moist.

Change up your mix/pudding flavors. Yellow cake + white chocolate pudding = very good. Vanilla pudding always works. Yellow cake and chocolate pudding might not be preferable. The sky's the limit!

spinach and artichoke dip.

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Spinach and Artichoke Dip from Jenny:

1/2 cup shallots, minced
1 - 10 ounce packages chopped frozen spinach, thawed and drained
2 cloves fresh garlic, minced
2 T unsalted butter
1 - 8 ounce can quartered artichoke hearts, drained
1 cup heavy cream
2 oz. garlic herb cheese
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp white pepper
1/8 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

In a large frying pan, sauce shallots and garlic in butter over medium heat. Add well-drained spinach and artichokes and cook on low heat briefly. Add cream, garlic herb cheese, salt and pepper. Simmer until cheese is melted, and mixture is blended. Remove from heat, and fold in the grated parmesan cheese. Place in heatproof crock pot or ramekin. Serve warm with tortilla chips, pita chips or your favorite crackers. May be made ahead of time and gently reheated.

orange rolls.

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Orange Rolls from Jocelyn:

2 cups milk

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup shortening/butter

2 tsp salt

Measure into sauce pan and warm on medium until it steams. Pour into a large bowl. Cool to lukewarm.

2 T (or 3 pkg) dry yeast

1/2 cup very warm water

2 eggs, lightly beaten

7 cups flour

Dissolve yeast in warm water.

When milk mixture is lukewarm add 3 cups flour and beat until smooth. Then beat in the dissolved yeast and eggs. Add remaining 4 cups flour, stirring in 2 cups at a time. Cover and let rise until double (about 1 hour or less!) Turn out onto lightly floured surface and knead lightly, using only enough flour to prevent dough from sticking.

Divide dough in half and roll into long rectangle. Spread with 1/2 the filling and roll up from the long side. Cut about 1" thick and place in lightly sprayed muffin tins. Let rise 3/4-1 hour. Bake at 375 degrees for 10-12 minutes. Remove immediately and place on cookie sheets to cool. Drizzle with glaze.

Orange Filling:

Grated rind of three oranges

1.5 cups sugar

8 T butter, melted

Glaze:

3 cups powdered sugar

3 T melted butter

a dash of salt

a little orange rind

orange juice to make drizzle consistency

spelt-kamut bread.

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Spelt-Kamut Bread from Beckie:

In Bosch Mixer bowl with dough hooks place:

6 cups warm water
1/3 cup honey
1/3 cup oil
3 T SAF Instant yeast
3 T Dough Enhancer
4 cups Spelt Flour

Mix thoroughly for 15 seconds. Cover and let sit for 10-15 minutes until bubbly.

Add:

2 T salt
1/2 cup Vital Gluten
4-6 cups Kamut flour

Enough Spelt flour to clean sides and bottom of bowl.

Knead for about 5 minutes. Form into 4 loaves. Cover and let rise until doubled.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes

*SAF yeast, dough enhancer and vital gluten can be purchased on amazon. Spelt and kamut FLOUR (no grinding) can be purchased at Whole Foods.

thai cashew coconut rice with peanut sauce.

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Thai Cashew Coconut Rice Salad With Peanut Sauce from Brittany:

For RICE:
1.5 cups dry jasmine rice
1 (15oz) can unsweetened coconut milk
1 clove garlic
1 tsp salt
1 cup water

For SALAD:
2 red bell peppers, chopped
1 (8 oz) bag shredded red cabbage
1.5 cups shredded carrots
1 small red onion, finely diced
1 cup cilantro, chopped
3/4 cup green onions, sliced thin
1 cup cashews, chopped

For PEANUT SAUCE:
1/3 cup natural peanut butter
2 T honey
3 tsp freshly grated ginger
2 T rice vinegar
2 tsp sesame oil
Water to thin
Lime wedges


In medium size pot or rice cooker combine the rice, coconut milk, garlic, salt and water and cook as directed.

As you wait for the rice to cook, make the peanut sauce.

In a small bowl, microwave the peanut butter and honey for 15 seconds, or until the peanut butter thins. Stir well. Add the ginger, rice vinegar and sesame oil. Stir again. Thin as desired with water.

Fluff the rice and combine it with chopped vegetables and cashews. (Save a few cashews to garnish). Drizzle with a bit of the Peanut sauce and taste, you might not need all of it. Serve with lime wedges.


Recipe from Host the Toast