Apricot Chicken

4 lb roasting chicken, cut into pieces
1 C apricot jam
½ C chili sauce
¼ C dry white wine
2 T soy sauce
2 T honey
1 tsp ginger
¼ tsp salt


Preheat oven to 375.  Combine jam, chili, wine, soy sauce, honey, ginger, and salt, whisking until well blended.  Place chicken in baking pan.  Baste well with sauce.  Bake 1.5 hours. 

Sausage, Kale, and Cauliflower Potpie

• I just found this in Real Simple magazine and it was great.  Something different.  Aside from Jenny's Kale Chips, I so rarely cook with kale (and cauliflower for that matter)!  Enjoy!!!
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• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 pound sweet Italian sausage links, casings removed and meat broken into 3/4-inch pieces
• 2 medium onions, chopped
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
• kosher salt and black pepper
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 bunch kale, torn into bite-size pieces (about 10 cups)
• 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
• 1 small head cauliflower (about 2 pounds), cut into florets
• 2 sheets puff pastry (one 17.3-ounce package), each cut into 4 rectangles
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• Heat oven to 400° F. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and cook, tossing occasionally, until browned, 4 to 6 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the sausage to a large bowl.
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• Add the onions, rosemary, ¼ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper to the drippings in the skillet and cook, stirring, until softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Sprinkle with the flour and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the broth and simmer until thickened, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the kale, vinegar, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper and cook, tossing, until the kale is wilted, 2 to 3 minutes.
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• Add the kale mixture and cauliflower to the sausage and toss to combine. Transfer to a 9-by-13-inch or some other 3-quart baking dish and top with the puff pastry, overlapping the rectangles slightly.
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• Bake until the pastry is golden and the filling is bubbling, 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes before serving.

Italian Sausage Tortellini Soup

3/4 lb. mild Italian sausage

2 1/2 c. beef broth (I use reduced-sodium)

4 c. tomato juice

1-2 tbs. dried oregano, or to taste (I prefer a little extra)

15 oz. can tomato sauce 

8 oz. drained diced tomatoes (=1/2 can), or fresh diced tomatoes 

1/2 yellow onion, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 tbs. fresh basil, chopped

1 1/2 c. sliced zucchini and yellow squash (quartered, then thinly sliced)

10 oz. fresh cheese tortellini pasta 

1 tbs. fresh or dried parsley

ground black pepper, to taste

salt, to taste

Brown sausage over medium heat, breaking up into small pieces. Set aside in another bowl. Saute the chopped onion in the sausage drippings until tender. Add garlic and cook for a few minutes longer. Stir in beef broth, tomatoes, basil, oregano, parsley, tomato sauce, tomato juice, pepper, salt, zucchini, and sausage. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer covered for 20-30 minutes. Add tortellini during the last 10 minutes. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese before serving. I usually serve this with sweet corn bread. 

Slow Cooker Kickin’ Chicken

I have to give credit where it is due. This came from my friend, Debbie, who lives right in Westfield. She is a culinary genius and this is a great one to make when you are feeling swamped and have no time to cook. Kickin’ Chicken is made in a Slow Cooker and can use FROZEN chicken breasts

5 Frozen Chicken Breasts (or 20 frozen Chicken Tenders)

1 16 ounce jar Salsa Verde

2 cans Black Beans

1 can Sweet Corn

1 can Diced Tomatos with no salt

1 teaspoon Ground Cumin

1 small (3 oz) package of cream cheese

Place frozen chicken breasts or tenders in bottom of slow cooker. Add remaining ingredients except cream cheese.

Cook on low for 8-10 hours. At this point I remove about 1/2 the liquid because I like my sauce thick, like a stew. You can leave all the liquid if you want a "soup". Add cream cheese, cook on warm setting for 30 minutes, then stir. This can be served over rice or wrapped in flour tortillas.

Roast Chicken

My mom makes this dish, what I deem, “feel good food,” for me and my sisters when we need it most (i.e. after surgery and having babies). It goes back two generations, to my grandmother, who made it often in her house, and passed the recipe down. I like to double this recipe and use the chicken again in a soup, etc.

1 1/2 - 2 pounds chicken breast with bones and skin

1 medium onion, chopped

4 carrots, peeled and chopped

4-5 whole all spice

1-2 bay leaves

1/3 cup vegetable oil

garlic powder

salt

pepper

paprika

Place chicken breasts in a roasting pan and surround with onions and carrots. Sprinkle chicken breasts with salt, garlic powder, paprika and a small amount of pepper.

Pour vegetable oil directly onto the chicken breasts and rub the oil and spices into the skin. Add 1/2 inch of water to the bottom of the pan. Add bay leaves and all spice. Cover roasting pan and bake at 350 degrees for 2.5 hours.

Turkey Meatloaf

Adapted from Real Simple magazine

This is one healthy, veggie-packed dish that I make that Noah is willing to eat, maybe because it’s smothered in ketchup…

1 1/2 pounds lean ground turkey

1 onion, chopped

1 bunch spinach, thick stems removed and leaves chopped (about 4 cups)

1 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped

1/2 cup whole-wheat bread crumbs

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

1 large egg white

Salt and pepper

1/4 cup ketchup

Heat oven to 400° F. In a bowl, combine the turkey, onion, spinach, parsley, bread crumbs, mustard, egg white, and ½ teaspoon each salt and pepper. Transfer the mixture to a baking sheet and form it into a 10-inch loaf. Spread with the ketchup. Bake until cooked through, 45 to 50 minutes.