Maple-roasted Carrots

Ingredients

2 lbs. whole carrots, multicolored if available
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (can also try truffle oil for added flavor!)
2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
salt and pepper to taste
fresh herbs like parsley or thyme for serving, optional

Instructions
Preheat oven to 400°F.
Place carrots on a baking sheet (use a baking sheet with sides so oil does not drip off).

Drizzle olive oil over carrots, tossing by hand (or use pastry brush) to help distribute evenly. 

Repeat with maple syrup.
Add salt and pepper as desired.
Roast for 20 minutes or until fork slides in easily.
Serve with fresh parsley or other herbs if desired.

Recipe Notes
A serving is roughly 2 carrots.

Meatloaf with Vegetables

• 1 lb of ground beef 
• 1 lb of ground turkey
• 2 eggs, whisked
• 1/2 cup flour or oatmeal, whole or food-processed
• 1/2 onion, chopped small
• A bunch of fresh spinach
• 1/2 of a red bell pepper, chopped small
• 1 tsp of salt
• Pepper to taste
• 2 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
• 1 tsp of oregano
• 1 tsp of thyme
• 2 tbs of olive oil (to sauté vegetables)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350º F
2. Sauté onions and peppers over medium heat in a saucepan with 2 tbs of olive oil just until tender
3. Add spinach, garlic, and spices to the sautéed vegetables in the pan, stir gently
4. Remove saucepan with vegetables from heat, set aside
5. Whisk eggs in mixer
6. Add meat and flour or oatmeal and mix gently
7. Mix in veggies 
8. Form mixture into a loaf shape and center in a pan– it should be a little smaller than the size of the pan
9. Cook about 1 hr to 1 hr 15 minutes. Oven cooking times may vary. The internal temperature of the meatloaf should reach 155º F. Avoid overcooking!
10. Remove from oven and allow to set for about 10 minutes before slicing.

Gnocchi with Spinach and Peas

INGREDIENTS
16 oz. potato gnocchi
2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
1 clove garlic, minced
2 Tbsp. flour
1.25 cups milk
3 cups fresh spinach, roughly chopped
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup shredded parmesan cheese 

peas, frozen

3 oz prosciutto

INSTRUCTIONS
Cook the gnocchi according to package directions. Drain, set aside, and return the empty pot to the stove.
Melt butter over medium heat.
Add prosciutto and garlic to butter and sauté for about a minute until garlic is fragrant.
Add flour to butter and whisk to form a roux. Cook for 30 seconds or so to cook out any raw flour taste.
Slowly add milk to roux, whisking constantly to break up any lumps. Cook for 2-3 minutes until sauce has just begun to thicken.
Stir chopped spinach and peas into sauce and cook 3-5 minutes more until spinach has wilted and sauce has thickened.
Add salt and pepper to taste.
Remove pot from heat.
Add parmesan cheese to sauce and stir to combine.
Return cooked gnocchi to sauce and stir to combine. Serve immediately.

To thin out a too-thick sauce or to stretch your sauce a little further, stir in a bit of extra milk until you’ve reached your desired consistency.







Adapted from http://www.lifeasastrawberry.com/parmesan-spinach-gnocchi/#recipe

Filipino Chicken Adobo

Ingredients

• 8 (5- to 7-ounce) bone-in chicken thighs, trimmed
• 1/3 cup soy sauce
• 1 (13 1/2-ounce) can coconut milk
• 3/4 cup cider vinegar
• 8 garlic cloves, peeled
• 4 bay leaves
• 2 teaspoons pepper
• 1 scallion, sliced thin

Directions

1. Toss chicken with soy sauce in large bowl. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and up to 1 hour.

2. Remove chicken from soy sauce, allowing excess to drip back into bowl. Transfer chicken, skin side down, to 12-inch nonstick skillet; set aside soy sauce.

3. Place skillet over medium-high heat and cook until chicken skin is browned, 7 to 10 minutes. While chicken is browning, whisk coconut milk, vinegar, garlic, bay leaves, and pepper into soy sauce.

4. Transfer chicken to plate and discard fat in skillet. Return chicken to skillet skin side down, add coconut milk mixture, and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes. Flip chicken skin side up and continue to cook, uncovered, until chicken registers 175 degrees, about 15 minutes. Transfer chicken to platter and tent loosely with aluminum foil.

5. Remove bay leaves and skim any fat off surface of sauce. Return skillet to medium-high heat and cook until sauce is thickened, 5 to 7 minutes. Pour sauce over chicken, sprinkle with scallion, and serve.

From America's Test Kitchen on The Splendid Table

Boozy Hot Chocolate

Ingredients
4 servings:
1 (12-ounce) bottle Guinness
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
pinch kosher salt
3 cups whole milk
4 ounces milk chocolate chips
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate chips
4 ounces Bailey's
4 ounces Irish whiskey

16 servings:
4 (12-ounce) bottles Guinness
1 cup cocoa powder
4 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
12 cups whole milk
16 ounces milk chocolate chips
16 ounces bittersweet chocolate chips
16 ounces Bailey's
16 ounces Irish whiskey

Directions
1. In a medium saucepan, cook Guinness over medium-high heat until reduced to 1/2 cup, about 10 minutes. Set aside.
2. In medium saucepan, stir cocoa with sugar and salt. Stir in milk, milk chocolate, and bittersweet chocolate. Heat over medium heat until, stirring constantly, until chocolate is melted and mixture is hot. Gently whisk to completely homogenize mixture.
3. Add Bailey's followed by reduced Guinness and whiskey. Using a hand blender, milk frother, or whisk, whisk until frothy, pour into individual serving cups, and serve immediately.

from Serious Eats

Ground Turkey Breakfast Patties

3 pounds ground turkey
2 tsp. salt
1½ tsp. pepper
 3 tsp. sage
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
2 T. fennel seed 

Directions:

1. In a mixing bowl, mix spices thoroughly into ground turkey.
2. Shape into small patties.
3. Brown patties in olive oil until cooked through or bake in oven at 400 degrees until browned, turning once.

From Nutritional Weight and Wellness

Fresh Tomato Basil Sauce

Ingredients

• 4 pounds plum tomatoes (or two 28-ounce can diced plum tomatoes)
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 medium yellow onions, peeled and cut in half
• 4 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
• 1-1/4 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

Instructions

If using fresh tomatoes: Using a sharp knife, cut an 1/4-inch deep X on one end of each tomato. Then, place scored tomatoes into a pot of boiling water and cook until you see the skin starting to wrinkle and split, 1-3 minutes, then lift the tomatoes out with the slotted spoon and plunge them into a bowl of ice cold water. Peel the skin off of the tomatoes and cut into 1/2-inch chunks. (Cut off and discard the cores at this point.)

1. Place the diced tomatoes and all of their juices into a large saucepan. Add the butter, olive oil, onions, garlic, salt and sugar and bring to a gentle boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, uncovered, for 75-90 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until the sauce is no longer watery. Remove and discard the onions and any large chunks of garlic (the garlic should have mostly dissolved into the sauce). Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. Add basil right before serving.
2. Servings: About 3 cups, or enough for 1-1/2 pounds of pasta
3. By Jennifer Segal, inspired by Marcella Hazan's Tomato Butter Sauce