Artisan Crusty Bread

This recipe uses an enameled Dutch Oven/cast iron pot with a lid.  You can also use a regular Dutch Oven if needed.  It also needs to raise for 12+ hours (I make it before bed and let it raise overnight until the next afternoon.)

In a plastic bowl, combine:

1 teaspoon active dry yeast (really any yeast should work)

1 3/4 teaspoons salt

1 3/4 cups warm water

3 cups flour

Use a plastic or wooden spoon, mix the ingredients until dough forms and there are no longer dry patches of flour.  Do not over mix or knead the dough.  Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, and double cover it with a lid.  Let the dough sit for at least 12 hours, up to 24 hours.   

Dump dough onto floured surface and shape into a ball.  Place on a sheet of parchment paper and let rise 1-2 hours.  

While it's rising, heat your oven to 450 degrees and heat your enameled dutch oven/cast iron for 30-40 min.  (Just put it in the oven empty while the dough is rising on the parchment paper.) 

Remove hot pot from oven and transfer the parchment paper holding the dough into the pot.  Cover with the lid and return to oven.  Bake for 30 min, then remove the lid and bake another 15 min.  Let cool, slice, and enjoy!

(recipe from Amber's Kitchen) 

This is what an enameled Dutch Oven pot looks like:

Cookie Bars

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups butter, softened

1 cup plus 2 Tablespoons regular sugar

1 cup plus 2 Tablespoons brown sugar

3 eggs

1/2 Tablespoon vanilla

3 1/3 cups flour

1/2 Tablespoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

3 cups chocolate chips

Optional: mix in M&M's

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375.

Beat butter and sugars until creamy and fluffy.  Add eggs, one at a time, and beat in-between.  Add vanilla, flour, salt, and baking soda.  Mix well.  

Gently mix in the chocolate chips and M&Ms.  

Spread batter into a 17x12 inch jelly roll cookie sheet.  Bake for 17-18 min, until golden brown.  Middle should still be slightly gooey, which is so yummy!  Cut and enjoy while warm.  Add vanilla ice cream to top it off!

(Original recipe from Amber's Kitchen)

Instant Pot French Dip

 Ingredients

2.5 lb London Broil Roast (or your favorite beef roast)

2 Tablespoons EVOO

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

1 Tbs Worcestershire sauce

1 Tbs Balsamic Vinegar

12 oz. beef broth

Buns

Butter

Provolone cheese

Prepared Au Jus Gravy (either from a packet or from scratch)

Directions:

1. Season all sides of the roast with salt, pepper.

2. Push "saute" on instant pot and add the oil.

3. Sear the meat for about 30 seconds each side.

4. Add Worchestershire, vinegar, and broth.

5. Close the lid, seal the steam valve, and cook on the "meat/stew" setting for 100 minutes.

6. After it is done cooking, let it do a natural pressure release for at least 10 min.

7. Shred the meat. It turns out fall apart tender and so good.

8. Butter some buns and broil until toasted.

9. Top the bottom bun with meat, then cheese, then broil to melt the cheese.

10. Serve immediately with Aus Jus sauce to dip.

Canned Grape Juice

Put freshly picked concord/backyard purple grapes into a sink full of water.  Wash grapes.  Remove grapes from stems and put grapes into prepared quart jars.  Fill jars up a little more than 1/3 the way full of grapes.

Add 1/4 heaping cup of white sugar to each jar.

Fill the rest of the jar up with hot/boiling water.  

Put canning lids and rings on and shake jar to dissolve sugar.

Steam Can the jars for 20 mins (time starts once the steam is steady coming out of the canner).  

Jars need to sit at least 1 month to really infuse the grape flavor.  We like to wait closer to 3 months.  

Our favorite way to drink this is by making up our own fresh lime rickey drinks.  Strain the jars of grapes into a pitcher, add a bottle of sprite and fresh limes!  

Chicken Tortilla Soup

Ingredients:
1 Red Onion (thinly sliced)
4 cloves garlic
1 bunch cilantro
2 cans black beans
2 large cans stewed tomatoes
1 4 oz can green chilies
4 cups chicken broth
3 shredded chicken breasts (cooked)
1 cup shredded carrots
1 tsp. cumin

Toppings:
Cheese
Tortilla strips
Limes
Avocados
Sour Cream

Saute onions, garlic, and cilantro for 8-10 minutes.  In a large crockpot put onion mixture, broth, tomatoes, carrots, green chilies, cooked chicken, black beans, salt and pepper to taste.  Cook on low for 3-4 hours.

Slow Cooker Chicken Tacos

These are super easy and taste super yummy!  This chicken was so good, my husband kept eating it plain after his 2 massive tacos!

Place 4 trimmed chicken breasts into your crock pot (because trimmed chicken makes better meals...no chewy yucky pieces!)

Combine:
1 1/4 cups *organic chicken broth
1 can Rotel tomatoes (or make your own from scratch)
1-2 TB taco seasoning ( I used this *organic one, and I think the flavor is better and makes this even yummier!)

Pour mixture over chicken and cook on low about 6 hours.  About 30 min before serving, shred chicken in crock pot.  (You can drain liquid before serving, or use a slotted spoon or a fork.)

Serve with cheese, tomatoes, olives, guacamole, lettuce, etc.  And of course, *fresh tortillas are the best!

*organic, fresh ingredients optional.  Substitute as desired.

Chicken Fajita Pasta

2 TB Olive Oil
1 pound chicken breasts
Taco/Fajita seasoning
1/2 cup diced onion
2 cups diced bell peppers
2 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 can Rotel tomatoes
8 oz penne pasta (or similar sized pasta)
salt and pepper

Cut the chicken into bite sized pieces and season with taco seasoning.  Heat 1 TB oil in a large skillet and cook chicken.  Remove chicken and set aside.

Add remaining 1 TB oil to skillet.  Cook onions and bell peppers, toss with taco seasoning.    Remove veggies and set aside with chicken.

In the same skillet, add the broth, cream, diced tomatoes, uncooked pasta and salt and pepper.  Stir, bring to a boil, then cover and simmer for 15 min until pasta is tender.  Add the chicken and veggies back into the skillet.  Stir, and heat through.

Picture credit and recipe adapted from Kevin and Amanda's Recipes