Fresh Peach Pie!

• 3 large peaches
• 1 baked pastry shell*
• 2 large peaches mashed
• 1 cup sugar
• 3 Tbsp corn starch\
• 1/2 c water
• 2 Tbsp butter
• 1 tsp almond extract

Place sliced peaches in pastry shell; set aside.  Combine mashed peaches, sugar, cornstarch, and water in saucepan.  Cook stirring constantly, until thick (about 5 minutes).  Remove from heat; add butter and almond extract.  Cool slightly pour over peaches in pastry shell.  Chill and serve with whipped cream if desired.

*Pat-in-the-dish Pastry Shell:

•  1 stick of unsalted butter at room temperature
• 2 oz. cream cheese
• 2 Tbsp sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 c flour + 2 Tbsp

Preheat oven to 350.  In medium bowl cream butter and cream cheese.  Add sugar, salt, and flour.   Form into disc reserving about 4 Tbsp of dough for outer crust.  Pat dough into pie dish stopping at the lip of the dish.  Take reserved dough and in four portions roll out into long strands (strand should be about  a quarter of the circumference of the pie dish).  Pat down the reserved pie dough to cover the lip making sure to not get too thin.  Bake pastry shell with pie weights or using a piece of parchment cover the inside of the shell and fill with uncooked beans for about 17 minutes.  Remove weights or beans and parchment and cook until crust is golden brown, about another 10-15 minutes.  Let cool completely.    

Busy Day Taco Soup - From Alicia

• 1-1 1/2 lbs lean ground beef
• 2 cans corn (undrained)
• 2 cans kidney beans (drained)
• 2 cans diced tomatoes (undrained)
• 1 packet of taco seasoning mix
• sour cream
• cheese
• tortilla chips

Brown the beef draining excess fat. Drain only kidney beans. Put all ingredients in a crock pot and turn to low. Cook for 6-8 hours. Stir before serving. Serve in bowls topped with cheese, a dollop of sour cream and crushed tortilla chips. 

Roasted Chicken Pieces and Veggies

• 1 whole chicken cut up with bone and skin and dried completely
• 1 yellow onion cut in large pieces
• 4 carrots peeled and cut in large pieces
• 4-5 yukon gold potatoes cut in large pieces
• 2-3 Tbsp melted butter
• 5 cloves of garlic coarsely chopped
• kosher coarse salt
• pepper

Preheat oven to 400°.  Place onion, carrots, and potatoes in a large roasting pan.  Make sure it isn't too big that your vegetables will burn.  Salt and pepper undersides of chicken pieces.  Place on top of vegetables.  Brush butter on top of the chicken and drizzle the rest over vegetables.  Salt and pepper chicken and vegetables.  Place chopped garlic on top of chicken pieces.  Bake for an hour.  Take the chicken off and sit on cutting board and tent with tin foil.  Stir vegetables and return to oven for 20 min.  Cut chicken away from bone if desired and serve.

Tips:
Organic chicken tends to be more tender and better tasting.
Using kosher coarse salt is the way to go, don't be shy with using it on the chicken.
Absolutely let that chicken stay under the tin foil for the 20 minutes.
Getting the veggies to brown turns this dinner from yummy to awesome.  
Butter will brown the chicken only if the chicken in dry. 

Fresh Spaghetti - From Food To Live By

·         2 medium-size tomatoes (about 2 cups) diced into ½-inch pieces

·         3 Tbsp.  good olive oil

·         1 Tbsp. truffle oil or additional tbsp. o olive oil

·         ¼ c. chopped fresh basil

·         ¼ c. fresh flat-leaf parsley

·         Pinch of red pepper flakes

·         Salt

·         1 pound dried spaghetti

·         2 medium-size zucchini (about 1 ½ cups), cut into ¼-inch pieces

·         1 large clove garlic, minced

·         Fresh ground pepper

1.       Place tomatoes, 2 Tbsp. olive oil, truffle oil, basil, parsley, and pepper flakes in medium bowl and stir to combine.  Season with salt to taste. Let sit at room temp. for an hour.

2.       Cook spaghetti in salted water according to package directions.

3.       Heat the remaining Tbsp. of oil in skillet over medium-low heat.  Add zucchini and garlic until zucchini is crisp tender about 4-5 min. Season with black pepper (and I do a little salt).

4.       Combine spaghetti, tomato mixture, and zucchini in large bowl and stir to combine. Serve warm or at room temp.

*I usually find that 1 lb. of spaghetti is too much.  I will double the veggies or half the noodles.  Served with parmesan cheese it is really good! 

* This recipe is great if you want to do it raw vegan style as well.  Spiral the zucchini into the noodles and add the garlic to the tomato mixture.  Omit the noodles, tbsp. of oil, and cheese and voila!

Maple Almond Granola From Food to Live By

4 1/2 c. old fashioned rolled oats
3/4 c. raw sunflower seeds
1 1/2 c. slivered almonds
2 Tbsp. cinnamon (or more if you love cinnamon like me:)
1 1/4 c. pure maple syrup
1/3 c. canola oil

Combine dry and stir in wet ingredients. Cook at 325 degrees in a 12 by 17-inch pan for 25 min. Stir and cook for an additional 15 - 20 min stirring occasionally. Will burn quickly so watch closely at the end. You can add 1 c. of raisins after it's just out so they plump up (unless you are also of the persuasion that raisins ruin everything, then just skip this part!) Plain organic yogurt + homemade granola + a few fresh raspberries = best part of my day.

*Refrigerate for three months or freeze up to six months.

Healthier Broccoli Potato Cheese Soup

Ingredients

• 5-6 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 ½ rice milk
• ½ cup sour cream (whisk into rice milk)
• 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 2 bay leaves
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
• 4 7-inch sourdough bread boules (round loaves) (optional)
• 4 cups broccoli florets (about 1 head)
• 1 large carrot, diced
• 1 potato diced
• 2 cups grated mozzarella, plus more for garnish (I used less)

Directions

Melt the butter in a large Dutch oven or pot over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Whisk in the flour and cook until golden, 3 to 4 minutes, then gradually whisk in the half-and-half until smooth. Add the chicken broth, bay leaves and nutmeg, then season with salt and pepper and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, uncovered, until thickened, about 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare the bread bowls: Using a sharp knife, cut a circle into the top of each loaf, leaving a 1-inch border all around. Remove the bread top, then hollow out the middle with a fork or your fingers, leaving a thick bread shell.

Add the broccoli and carrot to the broth mixture and simmer until tender, about 20 minutes. Discard the bay leaves. Puree the soup in batches in a blender until smooth; you'll still have flecks of carrot and broccoli. Return to the pot. (Or puree the soup in the pot with an immersion blender.)

Add the cheese to the soup and whisk over medium heat until melted. Add up to 3/4 cup water if the soup is too thick. Ladle into the bread bowls and garnish with cheese.

Chewy Oat Sweet & Fruit Bars

2 c. old fashioned rolled oats

½ c. raw sunflower seeds

1/3 c. shredded coconut

1/3 c. flour (used whole grain flour)

¾ c. unsalted butter (used < ½ c. coconut oil)

¾ c. corn syrup (used agave)

¾ c. brown sugar (used this but you might be able to omit it or do agave or honey)

1 c. dried fruit (used cranberries but if you use something like apricots chop fine)

½ c. peanut butter (used almond butter)

1 tsp. vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 325 degrees and line cookie sheet with parchment paper.  In large bowl combine dry ingredients.  Place wet ingredients in saucepan (minus vanilla).  Once melted and combined add fruit and vanilla off heat.  Combine wet and dry. Spread over prepared cookie sheet.  Cook for 20-25 minutes.  Cut into bars.