Creamy Roasted Red Pepper Chicken Pasta

Adapted from:  https://www.halfbakedharvest.com/roasted-red-pepper-chicken-pasta/

3-5 red peppers roasted

1/2 cup toasted walnuts 

2 cloves garlic

2 tbsp fresh parsley

1/2 extra virgin olive oil

2 tsp honey

2 tsp paprika

3 tsp Italian seasoning 

red pepper flakes

1 pound pasta

1 cup fresh basil chopped

1 cup arugula 

- Blend sauce ingredients in blender. 

- Add chicken, Italian seasoning, paprika, red pepper flakes, salt & pepper to skillet. Cook until golden brown (5 mins), remove from pot

- To same pot, pour 3 1/2 cups water. bring to boil. add pasta & cook about 8 mins add more water if needed.

- Stir in sauce & basil. Serve with cheese & arugula. 

Maple Oatmeal Biscuits

•  3 cups all purpose flour (I used half self rising flour because I rand out of regular)
• 1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
• 2 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 cup old fashioned oats
• 11 tbsp butter, cold - diced into tsp sized chunks
• 1 cup milk (used whole milk)
• 1/3 c. maple syrup

topping

2 tbsp butter, melted

2 tbsp maple syrup

1. preheat oven to 415 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper

2. Combine flour to cinnamon. Add oats. Cut in butter. Add milk and fold until combined.

3. Turn mix onto floured surface. Turn & fold. 

4. Cut with biscuit cutter.

5. Combine melted butter and syrup and brush over tops.

6. I added raw sugar crystals. 

7. Bake 12-15 mins or until tops are golden.

Zuppa Toscana Soup

Delicious! Make again!

 https://www.thechunkychef.com/slow-cooker-zuppa-toscana/

Ingredients

• 1 lb ground spicy Italian sausage (mild can be substituted)
• 8 slices bacon, diced (divided)
• 1 medium yellow onion, peeled and diced
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 2 Tbsp flour (cornstarch can be substituted)
• 32 oz chicken stock
• 4 large russet potatoes, peeled and diced into 1/2 inch pieces
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 bunch kale (a couple of handfuls) de-stemmed and torn into bite sized pieces
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• Pinch of red pepper flakes. optional

Instructions

• Heat a large dutch oven or heavy bottomed soup pot over MED-HIGH heat.  Add a small drizzle of oil, then brown sausage, crumbling as it cooks.  Drain well, then remove to a plate.
• Fry bacon is residual sausage grease until crisp, then remove to plate with the sausage.  Drain all but 1 - 1 1/2 Tbsp of bacon grease.
• Add onion to pot and cook 5 minutes, adding garlic the last minute.  
• Sprinkle flour over onion and garlic in pot, then stir to combine.  Pour in chicken stock, stirring as you pour.  Add in potatoes and bring to a boil.
• Gently boil about 15 minutes, or until potatoes are fork-tender.  Add in cooked sausage, most of the bacon, heavy cream and kale.  Stir and cook 5-10 minutes until kale is wilted.
• Taste and season with salt, pepper and red pepper flakes if desired.  Top with remaining bacon and enjoy!

Biscuits & Gravy

 Biscuits & Gravy

Biscuits (do a half recipe next time)

• 4 Cups self-rising flour
• 2 tbsp baking power
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 3 sticks butter
• 2 large eggs
• 1 1/2 cups milk + 1 tbsp lemon juice (or buttermilk)

1. chop butter into tiny pieces mix in kitchen aid with flour mixed with baking power and soda until pieces are pea sized
2. stir in beaten eggs with spoon until combined
3. stir in buttermilk
4. refrigerate for 30mins
5. cut with biscuit cutter, brush with milk
6. place on jelly roll pan lined with parchment paper
7. Bake at 400* for 15-20 mins

Gavy

• mild pork sausage
• 1/4 cup flour (more as needed to thicken)
• 2 cups milk (more as needed to thin)
• salt & pepper

1. Cook sausage in skillet. Remove from skillet.
2. Whisk flour into to sausage grease
3. Bring to a simmer & cook until thickened (about 5 min)
4. if too thin, add 1 tbsp flour. If f too thick, add 1 tbsp milk.
5. aadd sausage back into gravy. season with salt & pepper