Hearty chicken Stew

4 small onions, quartered
6 cloves garlic, peeled
1 pound carrots, peeled and cut into -2inch chunks
2 pounds chicken thighs, skin removed
Handful thyme sprigs
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 pounds red bliss potatoes, washed and quartered
2 handfuls green beans, trimmed
Hot pepper sauce, to taste

In a large pot, combine onions, garlic, carrots, chicken and thyme. Season with salt and pepper. Add cold water to cover. Bring to boil then reduce heat to a simmer. Skim and discard any scum that may come to the top.

Simmer until the meat of the chicken falls off the bone with almost no pressure from a fork, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Remove the chicken pieces to a plate. Use 2 forks to separate the meat from the bone. Add the meat back to pot.

Add the potatoes, cook until fork tender, about 20 minutes. Add green beans, cook until crisp-tender, about 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from heat, add hot sauce, salt and pepper to taste.

Navajo Tacos

1/2 cup warm water
1 Tbsp yeast
1 egg
1 1/2 cup milk
1 Tbsp corn meal
1/3 cup oil
1/3 cup sugar
1 tsp salt
5 cups flour
1 pkg taco seasoning
1 lb ground beef (optional, you can also use chicken or leave out meat entirely)
1 can refried beans (I like to use black beans)
1 cup grated cheese
1/2 cup tomatoes, diced
1 cup shredded lettuce
1 can sliced olives
1/4 cup sliced jalapenos
1 jar salsa
1 cup ranch dressing
1/2 cup sour cream

Directions:

Dissolve yeast in lare bowl with water. Add a little of the sugar to help activate the yeast. After about 5 min. add all other ingredients except 3 cups flour. Mix and cover 1 hour. Add rest of flour and knead well. Let rise double in bulk. Refrigerate until ready to use. For tacos: roll out a small piece of dough on a floured surface. Fry in a little oil in a frying pan. Drain on a paper towel. Top with ingredients you like. The leftover scones are good with cinnamon and sugar or honey for dessert!

Oriental Steak Salad

Here is the real recipe:

Ingredients 1 pkg (3 oz.) Oriental flavor instant ramen noodles 4 cups water 1 bag 16 oz. Birds Eye frozen Cauliflower, Carrots & Snow Pea Pods 2 tbsps vegetable oil 1 lb boneless beef top loin steak, cut into thin strips 1/3 cup Oriental sesame salad dressing 1/4 cup chow mein noodles

Instructions Reserve seasoning packet from noodles. In large saucepan, bring water to boil. Add ramen noodles and vegetables; return to boil and cook 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Drain. Meanwhile, heat oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add beef; cook and stir about 8 minutes or until browned. Stir in reserved seasoning packet until beef is well coated. In large bowl, toss together beef, ramen noodles, vegetables and salad dressing. Sprinkle with chow mein noodles.

Serving Suggestions Serve over lettuce.

Here is how I changed it:

I didn't have any oriental sesame dressing so I used caesar italian and poured the ramen flavoring in the dressing with a little teriyaki sauce and olive oil.

This is a delicious recipe!

Veggie Chowder

Ok, I know you guys are sick of my vegginess- and I also know that Marilee just posted a corn chowder recipe- BUT I got this free cook book at costco and this recipe was in there and it was sooo easy and good, and if you had it the night after corn chowder it would still be new and yummy. All you need is:

• 2 Tbsp Butter (or in my case Smart Balance Marg)
  
• 1/4 Tsp Thyme
  
• One Onion chopped
  
• 1.5 cups milk (I used vanilla soy milk and it was really good)
• 2.5 cups water
• 2 bullion cubes
  
• Two Potatoes cubed
  
• 5 cups of Frozen Veggie Medley (I used the Fred Meyer Garden Veggie Medley which has red peppers, a few kinds of beans, broccoli etc. but of course the cook book recommended the costco variety.)
• Salt and Pepper
  

Melt the butter in a soup pot and add the thyme and onion. When the onion is soft add the milk, water, bullion and potatoes and boil. Simmer until potatoes are soft. Then add the frozen veggies and bring back to a boil. Turn the heat to low and take two cups of the soup and put it in the blender and puree. Put the puree back into the soup and serve (salt and peppered) with biscuits. Seriously it's good!! Don't believe Vegan is Gross! It can be Good! Makes enough for 4 servings, and freezes well.

Baked Chicken Picatta

3 med chicken breast halves
1/2 tsp salt
1/6 cup butter, plus 2-3 Tbsp extra light olive oil
1 cups fresh mushrooms
1/4 cup flour, season with garlic salt, onion powder, pepper, and paprika
1 Tbsp of seasoned flour
1/4 cup thinly sliced green onion, white bulb only
1/2 cup fat free chicken broth
1/8 cup cream
1/2 dash tarrogon leaves to taste
1/2 fresh squeezed lemon to taste
1/2 dash capers (optional)

Directions:

Coat chicken with seasoned flour. Brown in butter. Remove and add onion and mushrooms. Cook 3 min. Stir in 2 T seasoned flour. Add chicken broth and cream. Add tarragon and lemon to taste. Bake 1 hr at 350 with foil; then uncover last 15 min.