Shredded Apricot Pork Sandwiches

2 medium onions, thinly sliced

1 cup apricot preserves

½ cup barbecue sauce

½ cup packed brown sugar

¼ cup cider vinegar

2 TBSP Worcestershire sauce

½ tsp red pepper

1 (4 lb) boneless pork loin roast

¼ cup cold water

2 TBSP cornstarch

1 TBSP grated fresh ginger (optional)

1 tsp salt

1 tsp black pepper

10-12 sesame, Kaiser or onion rolls, toasted

Combine onions, preserves, barbecue sauce, brown sugar, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce and pepper flakes in small bowl.  Place pork roast in slow cooker.  Pour apricot mixture over roast.  Cover and cook on low 9-8 hours.

Remove pork from cooking liquid to cutting board; cool slightly.  Using 2 forks shred pork into coarse shreds.  Let cooking liquid stand 5 minutes to allow fat to rise.  Skim fat.

Combine water, cornstarch, ginger, salt and pepper; blend well.  Whisk cornstarch mixture into slow cooker liquid.  Cook on HIGH 15-30 minutes or until thickened.  Return port to slow cooker.  Serve over rolls

* Peach jam can be used to replace apricot.

**Mildly spices, can reduce to ¼ tsp red pepper

Recipe: Heather

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Russian Chicken

4 chicken breasts

1 8oz bottle Russian dressing

1 cup apricot pineapple jam

1 pkg. Lipton onion soup mix

Mix ingredients well and pour over chicken breasts.  Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour 15 minutes.

Serve over rice.

**I use peach jam instead and we love it just as much.  Tastes exactly the same.  Plain apricot makes the sauce very strong so if your going to use apricot make sure it’s the apricot pineapple that it calls for.

Recipe:  Heather

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Easy Brown Rice Risotto

3 Tbsp olive oil, divided

1 small yellow onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
5 cups (40 ounces) vegetable broth, divided 
1 ½ cups brown arborio/short-grain brown rice
12 to 14 oz. sliced Cremini (baby portobello) mushrooms, debris rinsed from mushrooms and drained
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
½ cup dry white wine, optional
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, diced
2 teaspoons tamari (for extra flavor, optional)*
1 teaspoon sea salt, more to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
4 sprigs fresh oregano, leaves removed from stems and larger leaves torn into small pieces 

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Make sure your oven rack is in the middle position. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a medium Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, for ten minutes, then add the minced garlic. Cook for another 2 to 4 minutes, until the onions are well browned.
3. Add 4 cups broth (or 3 cups broth and 1 cup water), cover, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Remove from heat and stir in the rice. Cover the pot and bake until rice is tender and cooked through, about 65 to 70 minutes. It will seem pretty dry when you take off the lid, but don’t worry!
4. During the last 20 minutes of baking time, prepare the mushrooms. Warm 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet until shimmering. Add the cleaned, sliced mushrooms to the pot with a dash of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms are darker in color, fragrant and have soaked up most of their own juices, about 13 minutes.
5. Remove the pot from the oven. Pour in the remaining cup of broth, the Parmesan, wine, butter, tamari, salt, and a generous amount of pepper. Stir vigorously for 2 to 3 minutes, until the rice is thick and creamy. Stir in the mushroom mixture and any remaining juices. Season to taste with salt and pepper, divide into bowls and top with a generous sprinkling of torn, fresh oregano leaves.

Recipe: Robin

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Chicken Gnocchi Soup

1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts, cooked and shredded (Costco rotisserie works as well)
1 Tbsp olive oil
4 Tbsp butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 small onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
6 cups chicken broth
2 cups milk
1 cup carrots, shredded
2 tsp parsley flakes
Salt and pepper for seasoning
1 pkg (16 oz) mini potato gnocchi
1 cup fresh spinach, chopped

1 cup celery (optional)

Instructions

1. In pot, melt butter and olive oil together.
2. Add your onions, carrots and garlic and cook until onions become translucent.
3. Whisk in your flour and let cook for a minute, slowly stir in your chicken broth and simmer until it starts to thicken up.
4. Meanwhile in pan cook your gnocchi according to package directions, drain and set aside.
5. Add your milk to your veggie and chicken broth mix and bring to a boil, stir in your seasonings.
6. Once at a boil reduce heat and add your gnocchi, spinach and chicken simmering until heated through and thickened.

** Serve with warm crusty bread.

Recipe: Heather

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Creamy Tortellini Soup

1 lb. ground Italian sausage (or ground chicken, turkey or beef), browned*
1 onion, chopped
2 large carrots, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
2 teaspoon beef bouillon powder (or chicken)
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 cups beef broth (or chicken or vegetable broth -- I use low sodium)
1/4 cup cornstarch mixed and dissolved in 1/4 cup water
4 1/2 cups (36 oz) half and half
12 ounce packet three cheese tortellini (I used dried not fresh, but Costco fresh is great too)
5 cups fresh baby spinach
1 cup milk

Instructions:
Place the browned sausage, onion, carrots, celery, garlic, Italian seasoning, beef bouillon powder, salt, and broth in a 6-quart slow cooker bowl. Cover and cook on high for 4 hours or low for 7 hours.

Uncover and skim any fat that is sitting on the top of the soup with a spoon; discard. Stir in the cornstarch mixture with the half and half. Add the tortellini and mix well. Cover again and cook on HIGH heat setting for a further 45 minutes until the soup has thickened, and the tortellini is soft and cooked through.

Add in the spinach, pressing the leaves down to completely submerse into the liquid. Cover again for a further 5-10 minutes until the leaves have wilted.
Pour in milk in 1/3 cup increments, as needed, to reach your desired thickness and consistency (I needed 1 cup); taste test and season with extra salt ONLY if needed, and pepper to suit your tastes.

Serve with crusty warmed bread

Recipe: Alison

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Spinach Artichoke Dip

1 cup coarsely chopped Artichoke Hearts (do not get marinated ones)
1 cups chopped fresh spinach
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup shopped onion
1/2 cup sour cream
4 oz. softened cream cheese
2 Tbsp milk
1 cup shredded mozzarella (plus more for top)
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp garlic salt
1/4 tsp Italian seasoning
1/8 tsp pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Combine all ingredients in the order listed and mix until well combined.  Pour into greased pie plate.  Sprinkle with more mozzarella on top.  Bake for 30 minutes or until bubbly and golden (can broil at end if cheese isn't toasted).  Serve with chips, pretzels, veggies or crackers.

Notes:  I add more spinach and leave out the milk

Recipe: Alison

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Rumbi Rice Bowls

Rumbi Rice:
2 1/2 cups water
1 (14oz) can coconut milk (about 1 1/2 cups)
1/2 Tbsp sugar
2 cups long grain white rice
1 (15oz) can red beans, drained and rinsed

Spicy Hawaiian Teriyaki Sauce:

3/4 cups Mr. Yoshida's teriyaki sauce (found in grocery by BBQ sauce)
1 tsp soy sauce
2 tsp Sriracha Hot Chili Sauce (in grocery by Asian Section, clear bottle, green lid) *we half this
1 tsp fresh ginger
pinch of salt
1 Tbsp of brown sugar
1 Tbsp cornstarch, if needed
1 Tbsp COLD water, if needed

Vegetables and Chicken:

2 chicken breasts (about 2 cups, cubed)
Salt & Pepper
1 Tbsp canola oil
4 carrots, peeled and grated (approximately 1 1/2 cups)
3 celery stalks, washed and sliced (approximately 1 1/2 cups)
1 zucchini, chopped into small cubes (approximately 1 1/2 cups)
1 1/2 cups chopped broccoli florets, approximately 1/2-3/4 large head of broccoli

Instructions:

FOR THE RICE: Combine all ingredients in a rice cooker. Gently stir it all together so the beans are all mixed. Place the lid on and start the rice cooker. Fluff rice with a fork before serving. [If you don’t have a rice cooker: Combine water, coconut milk, and sugar in a saucepan. Stir in rice and beans. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 18 to 20 minutes, until rice is tender.

FOR THE TERIYAKI SAUCE: Combine teriyaki sauce, soy sauce, chili garlic sauce, ginger, salt, and brown sugar in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer. If needed for thickening, combine cornstarch and water and SLOWLY add to sauce. You want it to be slightly thicker than the jarred teriyaki sauce. Allow to simmer for about a minute. Cool to room temperature and serve with your rice bowls. (If you find that the sauce is too thick when it cools, just add a little more teriyaki sauce to it. I actually could have gone without thickening mine. Just heating it up would have been perfect.)

FOR THE VEGETABLES & CHICKEN: Season chicken with salt & pepper & grill for 4 minutes on each side, or until cooked through. Allow chicken to rest before cutting into cubes; you can let the chicken rest while you cook the vegetables (it will help keep the juices inside.) Heat canola oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add carrots, celery, zucchini, and broccoli (about equal amounts.) Saute ONLY until vegetables are crisp tender. About 1-2 minutes tops. Serve over Rumbi rice and top with chicken. Serve with Spicy Hawaiian Teriyaki Sauce on the side (about 3 Tbsp per bowl.)

Recipe: Paula

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