Kitchen Tips

Kitchen Tips

• I like making use of my air fryer for putting together meals. I have found that using the device makes life simpler and, frankly cooler in the kitchen.
• Meal prep! On Saturday, I place several chicken breasts in a crock pot for menu planning for the week. Cooked chicken can be added to several dishes for the week for meal prep in various recipes.
• I freeze my meals! I look for recipes on Pinterest that can be frozen and easily cooked later. Some are so easy….dumped in a bag for freezing, then dumped in a crockpot for cooking.
  I do this for a month; then I am usually set for the next few months.
• I use a Drafting Chair with five wheels and Flip-up Arms in the kitchen. It is sturdy, has an adjustable height, and has a mesh back. This allows me to sit in the kitchen and work at the counter easily. I can roll to the sink, dishwasher, and stove. I love to cook but my legs tire so quickly. This drafting chair works wonders for me!
• I always use already chopped fruits and vegetables makes cooking meals so much easier.

Kate’s Cookies Recipe

Ingredients:

• 2 ripe bananas
• Some cinnamon
• Some vanilla extract
• 1 cup oats
• Couple handfuls of walnuts
• 2 tbs pumpkin seeds

Directions:

• Preheat the oven to 350 and cover a cookie sheet with parchment paper
• Mix the ingredients together
• Scoop out cookies and flatten them a bit on the cookie sheet
• Bake for 13-15 minutes

Friendship Soup

Ingredients:

• 1.5 pounds of lean ground beef
• 1 large onion, chopped
• ½ cup well-soaked split peas
• 2.5 quarts beef stock/broth 8-10 cups (Not low sodium)
• ¼ cup pearl barley
• ½ cup dry lentils
• 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
• 2/3 cup uncooked long-grain rice
• 1 can (28 oz.) crushed tomatoes
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• Add any veggies you want! Frozen or fresh

Directions: 

• In large stock pot, season and brown ground beef, then add chopped onion and cook until clear
• Drain off fat
• Add remaining ingredients, bring to a boil
• Stir well and reduce heat
• Cover and simmer, stirring every 15 min to prevent sticking to the bottom
• Simmer for 3 hours or until ingredients are tender

Gayle’s Smoothie

Ingredients:

• Apple
• Banana
• Blueberries
• Pineapple
• Beets
• Carrots
• Baby kale
• Spinach
• Chard
• Walnuts
• Vanilla Yogurt
• Matcha Powder
• Unsweetened kefir
• Chia and flax seeds soaked in Water
• Ice
• 1 C orange juice

Green Enchilada Soup

Ingredients

• 2.5 Pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs or rotisserie
• 1 recipe green enchilada sauce (or a 28-ounce can store-bought sauce)
• 24 ounces low sodium chicken broth
• 1 cup half and half or heavy cream
• 2 cup Monterey Jack cheese
• 4 ounces cream cheese (cubed and softened)
• 4 ounces green salsa (salsa verde)
• salt and pepper to taste

Slow Cooker Directions:

1. Step 1:
   In a 6-quart slow cooker add chicken breast or thighs, green enchilada sauce, & chicken broth. Cook on low for 6 to 8 hours.
2. Step 2:
   Remove chicken & shred.Add shredded chicken, jack cheese, cream cheese, half & half, & green salsa to slow cooker.
3. Step 3:Turn slow cooker to warm & stir until the cheeses are melted.
4. Step 4:Add hot sauce or additional salsa to taste.