Pumpkin Mac and Cheese

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The following recipe is an adaptation of an Ellie Krieger recipe, the original of which can be found here.

Ingredients

  • Cooking spray
  • 1 pound elbow macaroni
  • 20 ounces of canned pumpkin
  • 2 cups 1 or 2% milk
  • 4 ounces extra-sharp cheddar, grated (about 1 1/3 cups)
  • 2 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, grated (about 2/3 cup)
  • 1/2 cup ricotta cheese
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon powdered mustard
  • 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • ¼ cup panko breadcrumbs
  • 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan
  • 2 teaspoons olive oil

Directions

  1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Coat a 9 by 13-inch baking pan with cooking spray.
  2. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the macaroni and cook until tender but firm, about 5 to 8 minutes. Drain and transfer to a large bowl.
  3. Meanwhile, place the pumpkin and milk into a large saucepan and cook over a low heat, stirring occasionally. Turn the heat up to medium and cook until the mixture is almost simmering, stirring occasionally. Remove the pan from heat and stir in the cheddar, Jack cheese, ricotta cheese, salt, mustard and cayenne pepper. Pour cheese mixture over the macaroni and stir to combine. Transfer the macaroni and cheese to the baking dish.
  4. Combine breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese and oil in a small bowl. Sprinkle over the top of the macaroni and cheese. Bake for 20 minutes, then broil for 3 minutes so the top is crisp and nicely browned.

Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread

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Ingredients

  • 2 cups sugar
  • 2 cups canned pumpkin
  • 1/2 cup canola oil
  • 1/2 cup vanilla pudding
  • 2 large eggs
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1 1/4 teaspoons salt
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
  • cooking spray

Preparation

  1. Preheat oven to 3500.
  2. Combine first five ingredients in a large bowl, stirring well with a whisk.
  3. Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife.
  4. Combine flour, cinnamon, salt, and baking soda in a medium bowl, stirring well with a whisk.
  5. Add flour mixture to pumpkin mixture, stirring just until moist.
  6. Stir in chocolate chips.

Zucchini Bisque

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Recipe appears courtesy of Karen Levy.

Ingredients

  • 1 medium onion
  • 4 tablespoons butter
  • 1.5 pounds zucchini
  • 2.5 cups chicken stock
  • 0.5 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1 teaspoon dried basil
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • 0.5 cup light cream (optional)

Instructions

  1. Chop onion and saute with butter in large saucepan. Saute until onions are limp, but not brown.
  2. Shred the zucchini in a food processor.
  3. Add the zucchini and chicken stock to the onions. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes.
  4. Using a hand blender, puree the mixture and add the seasonings.
  5. Add light cream if desired.
  6. Serve hot, cold, or room temperature.

Peeps Driving Twinkies!

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PeepsWe take no credit for this recipe, as we did not create it, but unfortunately we cannot give credit where it is due because we are unsure from where the recipe originated.

Some holidays involve foods that are less about consumption and more about fun or tradition, like Halloween’s jack o’lantern or Passover’s beitzah. In addition to Easter’s dyed eggs, we now have Peeps driving Twinkie cars. Whether you choose to eat these creations or not, building them can be fun, and they are cute conversation pieces to have on hand at gatherings.

Ingredients

  • Twinkies, 1 per car
  • Peeps, 1 per car
  • pretzel twists, 1 per car
  • marshmallows, 2 per car

Instructions

  1. In the middle of each Twinkie, cut out a space the width of a Peep’s thickness to a depth of half the Twinkie.
  2. Insert a Peep into the Twinkie’s groove.
  3. Create the steering wheel by positioning a pretzel twist upside down and wedging it in front of the Peep.
  4. Construct the wheels by cutting each marshmallow in half and sticking two halves on each side of the Twinkie.

Spicy Veggie Platter Soup with Chicken

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Recipe is courtesy of Lovin’ the Oven LLC.

This recipe is the perfect healthy post-party meal. You can use all of the leftover vegetables from the veggie platter someone brought along with some leftover chicken! You could add rice to this soup, skip the chicken and easily substitute other vegetables.

  • Ingredients1 tbsp. olive oil
  • ½ cup celery, chopped
  • 2 cups baby carrots
  • 1 cup broccoli florets, cut into bite-sized pieces
  • 1 cup cauliflower florets, cut into bite-sized pieces
  • 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
  • ½ tbsp. paprika
  • ½ tbsp. cumin
  • 1 tsp. chili powder
  • ½ tsp. garlic powder
  • ¼ cup Parmesan cheese (optional)
  • ½ cup grape tomatoes, halved
  • 1 tsp. Tabasco, or more to taste
  • 2 cups cooked chicken thighs or breasts, chopped
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

In a large saucepan, over medium heat, warm the oil for 30 seconds. Add all of the vegetables, except the tomatoes, and cook, stirring frequently, for 5-7 minutes or until the vegetables are cooked but still crispy.

Add the paprika, cumin, chili powder, garlic, and a pinch of salt to the vegetables and cook, stirring frequently, for 1 minute. Next, add the chicken broth. Scrape any browned bits from the bottom, if needed, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer. Simmer until the vegetables are cooked through, 5-7 minutes.

Add Parmesan, tomatoes, chicken, and Tabasco to the pan and simmer an additional 2-3 minutes or until the tomatoes are cooked and the chicken heated through.

Season with salt and pepper to taste and enjoy!

Jonah’s Chocolate Chip Cookies

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Labeling foods as “good” or “bad” or using any other system to moralize foods or eating behaviors does nothing but warp relationships with food and create issues. Cookies are neither good nor bad; they are just cookies. Enjoy them, stop eating when you have had enough, and know you can have more later if you feel like it.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup white sugar
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 2 1/4 cups white flour
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 sticks butter
  • 12 oz. chocolate chips

Directions

  1. Mix sugars, flour, and baking soda together in a bowl.
  2. Add the eggs, but do not mix yet.
  3. Pour the vanilla on top of the eggs. Now mix.
  4. Add the butter and mix. At this point, you may need to abandon the utensils and mix with your hands.
  5. If the dough seems too wet, add additional flour as needed.
  6. Add chocolate chips and mix. Semi-sweet, milk, white, dark, or a combination of said chocolates works well.
  7. Place balls of dough on greased cookie sheets and bake at 325 until edges of cookies brown.

Cooked Cranberry-Orange Relish

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Recipe is courtesy of Karen Levy, who adapted it from one found in the New York Times Cookbook.

Ingredients

  • 1 pound raw cranberries, picked over and washed
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 1 cup orange juice
  • 3 Tbsp Grand Marnier liqueur
  • 2 tsp grated orange rind
  • 1/2 cup slivered blanched almonds

Directions

  1. Combine all the ingredients, except the almonds, in a saucepan and cook until the cranberries pop open, about 10 minutes. Stir occasionally.
  2. Skim the foam from the surface and cool. Stir in the almonds just before serving.

Chicken with a Mustard Apple Cider Glaze

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Recipe is courtesy of Lovin’ the Oven LLC.

Ingredients

  • 1 ¼ lb. chicken breasts, pounded to ½-inch thickness
  • 1 Tbsp butter
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ¼ tsp black pepper
  • ¼ tsp garlic powder
  • ¾ cup apple cider
  • 1 heaping tsp Dijon mustard
  • 1 Tbsp fresh parsley

Directions

Place chicken breasts in a large Ziploc bag (do not close the bag completely). Pound the chicken to ½ inch thickness. Remove and sprinkle with salt, garlic and pepper on both sides.

Heat a stainless steel skillet over medium-high heat for 30 seconds. Add butter to the pan and when melted, add chicken. Do not crowd the pan! Cook in batches if you need to. If the chicken sticks to the pan, that’s fine. Don’t rip it off. When the chicken releases (and it will) you should flip the chicken over.

Cook for an additional 5-7 minutes or until the internal temperature of the chicken is 165 degrees. Set aside on a plate and partially cover with foil. Pour the cider into the pan. The steam is normal! Use a rubber spatula or wooden spoon to scrape up the brown bits. Add the mustard and stir to combine.

Turn the burner down to medium and let the sauce cook down (or reduce) by half. Add the chicken and turn to coat. Sprinkle with parsley and serve!

Quinoa Salad with Toasted Pistachios and Dried Pineapple

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Thank you to our friends at Healthy Habits Kitchen for providing this recipe.

This recipe is adapted from one originally in Cooking Light magazine. It is a surefire crowd pleaser – every time I bring this to an event, people clamor for the recipe!

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 c. water
  • 3/4 c. uncooked quinoa, rinsed well and drained
  • 1/4 c. shelled, chopped pistachios (about 1 ounce)
  • 2 c. cooked chicken breast (from about 2 [3-oz.] breasts), chopped
  • 1/3 c. chopped green onions
  • 1/3 c. chopped dried pineapple
  • 1 T. toasted sesame oil
  • 1 1/2 t. bottled minced fresh ginger
  • 1/2 t. ground cumin
  • 1/2 t. salt
  • 1/4 t. crushed red pepper

Directions

Boil water in a small saucepan. Add quinoa. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 12 minutes or until the water is absorbed. Remove from heat and keep covered.

Heat a small skillet over medium-high heat. Add chopped pistachios and cook 2 minutes or until lightly toasted, stirring frequently. Transfer pistachios to a large bowl; add cooked quinoa and remaining ingredients to bowl. Toss gently to coat.

Makes 4 cups. Can be served as a light main course for 4, or as a side dish. I usually double this and serve it as a main course with leftovers for lunch the next day!

Mustard Chicken

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Recipe courtesy of Sandy Soolman, Jonah’s mom, who has been making this family favorite for decades.

2 servings, but recipe can easily be doubled, tripled, etc.

Ingredients

  • 2 slices of soft whole wheat bread (or other soft bread you prefer) to yield approximately 1 cup of soft breadcrumbs
  • 1 clove garlic
  • 4 sprigs of fresh parsley
  • 2 Tbsp Dijon mustard
  • 2 chicken breast halves (approximately 1 lb total)

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Place torn pieces of bread in the bowl of a food processor and pulse to make soft crumbs. Transfer crumbs to a large bowl.
  3. Place garlic in the food processor bowl and pulse to finely mince. Add garlic to the breadcrumbs and mix with a large spoon.
  4. Place the parsley in the food processor and pulse to finely mince. Measure 2 Tbsp of the minced parsley and add to the breadcrumb mixture. Mix well with a large spoon until the garlic and parsley are evenly distributed.
  5. Spread mustard on both sides of each chicken breast half.
  6. Coat both sides of each chicken breast half with the breadcrumb mixture.
  7. Place chicken in a shallow pan lined with aluminum foil.
  8. Bake at 350 for 40 minutes. Check to make sure the chicken is thoroughly cooked. If it isn’t, increase cooking time accordingly.