Pork Chops with Apples

1” pork chops

Salt & Pepper

1 T. olive oil

1 or 2 onions, thinly sliced

1 Gala apple, thinly sliced

2-3 sprigs fresh thyme

½ lemon

1 T. butter

1 T. flour

½ cup apple cider

½ cup chicken stock

Corn Muffins or Stuffing

Directions:  Season the chops with salt and pepper.  Heat ½ T. olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat.  Cook the chop until golden, 3 to 4 minutes per side, tenting loosely with foil once you turn the chop.  Remove the cooked chop to a plate and cover to keep warm.

Add remaining olive oil, onions, and apples to skillet.  Season with salt, pepper, and thyme and cook until tender, 5 to 6 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Douse with juice of the lemon and remove to plate with the chop.

Add butter to the skillet.  When it melts, whisk in the flour.  Cook for 1 minute, stirring, then whisk in the cider and stock.  Season the gravy with salt and pepper.  Cook over medium-low heat for 3 to 4 minutes to thicken.

Serve the chop covered with apples and onions, the gravy poured down over the top with muffin or stuffing alongside.

Comment:  Very good.  If serving lots of chops, easy to double the rest of the ingredients to have enough onions/apples and gravy.

Chicken & Biscuit Dumplings

Chicken

2 T. butter

2 T. olive oil

1 whole chicken, cut into pieces

Salt & Pepper

½ cup finely diced carrots

½ cup finely diced celery

1 large onion, finely diced

½ tsp. ground thyme

½ tsp. curry powder

½ tsp. garlic powder

¼ tsp. turmeric

6 cups chicken broth

Dumplings

 1½ cups flour

½ cup yellow cornmeal

2 T. flour

1 tsp. kosher salt

2 cups half-and-half

1 heaping T. baking powder

2 T. minced fresh parsley

salt, as needed

Directions:  For the chicken:  Melt the butter in a large pot (Dutch oven) over medium-high heat and add the olive oil.  Sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper.  In two batches, brown the chicken on both sides and remove to a plate.

In the same pot, add diced carrots, celery and onions.  Stir and cook for 3 to 4 minutes over medium-low heat.  Stir in spices, then pour in chicken broth.  Stir to combine, then add the browned chicken.  Cover the pot and simmer for 20 minutes.

For the dumplings:  While the chicken is simmering, make the dough for the dumplings.  Sift together the flour, cornmeal, baking powder and salt in a bowl, then add 1 ½ cups of the half-and-half, stirring gently to combine.  Set aside.

Remove the chicken from the pot and set aside.  Use two forks to remove the chicken from the bones.  Shred the chicken, and then add it back to the pot.  Mix together the remaining ½ cup half-and-half and flour, then add it to the pot and stir to combine.

Drop tablespoons of dumpling dough into the simmering pot.  Add the minced parsley if using.  Cover the pot and continue to simmer for 15 minutes.  Check the seasoning; add salt if needed.  Allow to sit for 10 minutes before serving.

Comment:  Jacqui’s favorite version…feel free to amp the spices even more!

Farm French Toast

1 Loaf Challah (egg) bread

8 eggs

2 cups whole milk

½ cup whipping (heavy) cream

½ cup sugar

1/3 cup brown sugar

2 T. vanilla

Cinnamon

Nutmeg (optional)

Maple syrup.

Directions:  Slice bread into thick pieces.  Whisk together eggs, milk, cream, sugars, and vanilla.  Heat griddle with melted butter.  While griddle heats, soak toast slices in milk mixture for 30 seconds or so.  Toast on the griddle until each side is golden brown.  While toasting, sprinkle sides with cinnamon to taste.  May add nutmeg as well.  Serve with maple syrup.

Comment:  The better the bread, the better the toast!  This is a breakfast favorite at the farm with a side of bacon.  Yum!

Vegan Butternut Squash Mac and "Cheese"

1 large butternut squash (mine was 1.25kg / 2.75 pounds)
4 cloves garlic
1 Tbsp. coconut oil
1 ½ cups / 250g cooked butter beans (about 1 can)
¾ cup / 45g nutritional yeast flakes
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
1 ½ tsp. fine grain sea salt
2 tsp. paprika
2 Tbsp cold-pressed olive oil
1 tsp. apple cider vinegar
2 – 3 cups / 500 – 750ml plant-based milk, as needed (I used rice milk)

4 cups / 340g whole grain gluten-free macaroni (or your favourite pasta)

Sunflower Crumble Topping

1 cup / 130g sunflower seeds
1 Tbsp. coconut oil
2 Tbsp. nutritional yeast flakes
½ tsp. fine grain sea salt
¼ tsp. garlic powder
¼ tsp. ground paprika

parsley for garnish, if desired

Directions: Preheat oven to 400°F/200°C. Peel and cube butternut squash, peel the garlic cloves, and place everything on a baking sheet with the coconut oil. Place in the oven to melt coconut oil, remove from oven and toss to coat, then set them back in the oven to cook, about 15-20 minutes. The butternut should be slightly blistered and tender.

While the squash is roasting, make the Sunflower Crumble Topping. In a large dry skillet over medium heat, toast the sunflower seeds, tossing often so that they do not burn, about 3-5 minutes. Remove from heat and transfer the seeds to a large plate to cool. Place them in a food processor with the remaining topping ingredients and pulse several times to combine and chop up some of the seeds. Season to taste. Set aside.

Transfer the roasted squash and garlic it to a blender with all ingredients except for the milk. With the motor running, add the milk until the desired consistency is reached: you are looking for a very thick, yet pourable sauce. Add milk until the blend is smooth, creamy and just the right consistency.

Set a pot of water on to boil with plenty of salt. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain, and return to the pot, drizzle with a little olive oil, toss to coat, and keep the lid on to retain the heat.

Pour sauce over the pasta in increments and keep stirring so that it folds into all of the nooks and crannies. You should be able to use up all of the sauce, but if you have any leftovers serve them with the finished dish or store in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Turn down the oven temperature to 325°F/160°C. Transfer the pasta to a casserole or baking dish. Sprinkle the top generously with the Sunflower Crumble Topping. Bake until warmed through and golden on top, about 20 minutes. Garnish with chopped parsley, if desired. Serve hot.

Comment: Recipe from My New Roots. 

Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies

1¾ cups old-fashioned oatmeal

1 cup flour                         

¾ tsp. baking powder

½ tsp. baking soda                    

½ tsp. salt

10 T. butter, softened         

1 cup packed brown sugar

1 egg

1 tsp. vanilla

4 oz. milk chocolate, melted

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 cup walnuts, chopped

Directions:  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Place 1 cup oatmeal in food processor and process until well ground like flour, about 30 seconds.  Transfer to a large bowl, and stir in flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

Cream butter and brown sugar.  Add egg and vanilla and beat until light and fluffy.  Add melted chocolate.  Add flour mixture.  Add remaining ¾ cup oatmeal, chocolate chips and nuts.

Roll 2 T. of dough into balls and space 2” apart on baking sheets.  Bake 13-17 minutes, rotating sheet halfway through baking time, until cookies are cracked and set on top, but look moist within cracks.

Comment:  Better to under-bake than over-bake.