Marlene’s Chicken Macaroni Soup

INGREDIENTS:

1 medium to large onion, organic, chopped

4-5 cloves garlic, organic, minced

¾ c (1 ½ sticks) butter

1 lb chicken, organic and/or free range, cubed

3 cans (42 oz) chicken broth, organic

2 fat carrots, organic, sliced

4 stalks celery, organic, sliced

6 handfuls (about 6 oz) elbow macaroni (I like to buy pasta made of chick peas, lentils or Einkorn wheat)

Milk (not almond milk, yuk in this recipe)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Saute onion and garlic in butter

2. Add chicken and saute until cooked

3. Add chicken broth, carrots and celery and cook until crisp-tender

4. Add macaroni and cook until pasta is done

5. Add a bit of milk, maybe a cup or so

Zucchini Bread (Whole Wheat)

2 cups coconut brown sugar

3 C whole wheat flour, Einkorn or spelt (3 cups for hard red wheat)

1 tsp Real Salt

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp baking soda

¼ tsp baking powder, a little less for elevation

2 eggs

1 C cooking oil, olive, avocado or coconut

2 tsp vanilla

2 C shredded raw zucchini, unpeeled

1 C pecans or walnuts, chopped

1. In large mixing bowl, stir together all dry ingredients.

2. Add all liquids & zucchini.

3. Mix well.

4. Add nuts and blend again.

5. Divide into 2 greased & lightly floured 4 ½ x 8 ½” loaf pans.

Bake for 60+ minutes at 350. (325 if using glass or dark pans)

For muffins, bake for 20-25 minutes in paper lined muffin cups.

Chocolate Chia Pudding

INGREDIENTS:
1 3/4 - 2 cups almond milk (try 2 c next time)
1/2 cup chia seed
1/4 cup Rodelle's unsweetened cacao powder (dark cacao) or dark cocoa powder
3-5 Tablespoons maple syrup (honey would likely work also)
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional
1 pinch sea salt (Real Salt is fine)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS:
1. Put chia seed in bottom of medium-size bowl.
2. Put remainder of ingredients in blender and blend until smooth. Shouldn't take long at all.
3. Pour blender mixture into bowl with chia.
4. Whisk thoroughly.
5. Let it stand 10 minutes.
6. Whisk again.
7. Chill for 4 hours minimum.
8. Stir pudding before serving. You can add more liquid at this point if desired.

Nan Rains Meatloaf

1/3 (1/2) cup milk or almond milk
1 (2)        egg
1 (1 1/2) Tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
1 (1 1/2) teaspoon Sea salt
2 (3)       slices bread of your choice

1 (1 1/2)                   pound pasture raised ground beef, turkey or chicken
1 medium (1 large) chopped onion

Ketchup

DIRECTIONS:
1. In a medium-large bowl, stir together milk, egg, Worcestershire Sauce and salt.
2. Tear bread into small pieces and stir into liquid mixture till all is “smooshed up”.
3. Add meat and onion and mix well. Grandma Rains mixed it with her hands. (Clean ones, that is!)
4. Put into an 8”x4” (9”x5”) loaf pan.
5. Make a channel/indentation lengthwise down the middle of the meat and fill with ketchup.
6. Bake at 350 degrees F for 1 hour. (Baked potatoes can be put in the oven to bake along with the meatloaf. If eating large baked potatoes, they need a little more than an hour.)

Serve with additional ketchup and baked potatoes, and something green.

Taco Seasoning Mix

INGREDIENTS:

1 Tablespoon                     chili powder (1 level teaspoon if your chili powder is particularly hot)
1/4 teaspoon, rounded,      garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon, rounded,      onion powder (I have used 2 Tablespoons dried onion)
1/4 teaspoon, rounded,      dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon, rounded,      paprika
1 1/2 teaspoons, rounded,  cumin
1 teaspoon, rounded,          Sea salt
1 teaspoon, rounded,         Black pepper
1/4 teaspoon                      Red pepper flakes, OPTIONAL

DIRECTIONS:

1. Measure all ingredients into a bowl and mix together.
2. Store in a glass jar.

FOR TACOS:

INGREDIENTS:
1 pound ground turkey, beef or other meat
8 oz tomato sauce
3/4 cup water

DIRECTIONS:
1.  Brown meat of your choice. Brown with onions, if desired.
2.  When browned, add tomato sauce, water and 1 Tablespoon taco seasoning.
3.  Cook to desired consistency.
4.  Add the fixin’s and consume.

Honey Lime Chia Dressing for Fruit

INGREDIENTS:

1 Tablespoon raw honey

2 Tablespoons chia seed
3 Tablespoons lime juice

DIRECTIONS:

1: Using a hot water bath, warm the honey slightly for easier stirring and mixing.
2: Stir the chia seeds and lime juice into the honey.
3. In a large bowl combine desired fruit.
4. Drizzle the dressing over the fruit and toss lightly to coat. Serve cold.

Example of quantity and possible fruits:
2 mangoes, diced
6 strawberries, sliced
2 kiwi, diced
1/2 cup blackberries

Other fruits by color:
peaches, nectarines, pineapple, cantalope
raspberries, pitted cherries, red grapes, watermelon
green grapes, honeydew melon
blueberries, purple grapes

Seasoned Leg of Lamb

INGREDIENTS:
1 6 to 7 pound leg of lamb
Olive oil
1/2 cup fine dry bread crumbs (gluten-free or you may omit bread crumbs entirely)
3 Tbsp finely snipped parsley
2 Tbsp butter
2 tsp finely shredded lemon peel
1 clove garlic, minced (or generous 1/2 tsp prepared minced garlic)
1 tsp salt, kosher or sea salt
1 tsp dried oregano, crushed
1 tsp dried basil, crushed
1 tsp dried rosemary, crushed
1/8 tsp ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS:

1. Have butcher bone leg of lamb, leaving shank bone intact.
2. Remove fell (thin fat covering) from surface of roast.
3. Rub inside and outside of roast with olive oil.
4. Combine bread crumbs, parsley, butter, lemon peel, garlic, salt, oregano, basil, rosemary, and pepper.
5. Mix well.
6. Spread mixture as evenly as possible over entire inside cut surface of roast.
7. Skewer roast shut. If necessary, secure with string.
8. Place roast on rack in shallow roasting pan.
9. Insert meat thermometer in thickest portion of meat.
10. Roast at 325 degrees F till meat thermometer registers 150 degrees, 2 to 2 1/2 hours.
11. Makes 12 servings.