Savory, pumpkin-apple chicken chili

Fall is my favorite season of the year. Cool air. Vibrant trees. Leaves dancing in the streets. And best of all, pumpkins and apples!

When asked to demo another recipe at the Springfield Farmer's Winter Market, I wanted to incorporate tastes of the season. Inspired by a cherry-peach chili recipe that my husband sampled while in Traverse City back in October, I decided to make a pumpkin (un-spicy) chili. It tasted fine, but my husband decided it needed something "more," so he went outside and picked a few tart apples from a tree in our yard. I cut them up and added them in, and they absolutely made the dish (thanks, husband)! That's how the pumpkin-apple chili was born.

Ingredients

2 pounds ground chicken (or turkey)

1 large red onion, peeled and chopped

1-2 heads garlic, peeled and minced

coconut oil (or other cooking oil)

3 C chicken or vegetable broth

3-4 C pumpkin puree

4 C black beans (cooked or canned)

1 tsp sea salt

2-4 tart apples, peeled and chopped (don't peel until needed)

4-6 pie pumpkins, rounded gourds or squashes (option)

Instructions

1. Add a few tablespoons of oil to a frying pan over medium-high heat. Sauté onion, garlic, and ground meat (about five minutes to brown on all sides). Reduce heat to medium, and cook for another fifteen minutes (stirring occasionally).
2. While meat is cooking, add chicken broth, beans, pumpkin puree and salt to a stock pot. Cook on medium heat, stirring frequently.
3. When the meat is done cooking, strain the fat off, and scoop the contents into the stock pot. Mix thoroughly. Cook fifteen minutes.
4. If you'd like to serve the chili in pumpkins or gourds, remove the tops, scoop out the seeds, and have them ready to go! (OPTIONAL)
5. Peel and cube the tart apples (Northern Spy are my fav), and add to the stock pot for the last five minutes of cooking. Stir well.
6. Serve in the pumpkins/gourds, or normal bowls :)

*Vegan potential -- use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth, and either omit the chicken/turkey, or sauté tofu as a substitute (allow an extra ten-twenty minutes to cook the tot firmly, if desired).

Flakey apple tarts

They're so flaky and delicious -- when I took these out of the oven, I felt like I was staring at something from a fancy pastry shop in Paris! Okay, they'd be much prettier if made by an ACTUAL pastry chef, but, their flakiness is nothing short of divine!

The weather wasn't particularly beautiful today in Davisburg, but the farmer's market went on nonetheless! I demonstrated this recipe for apple tarts; their flaky crust left mouths happy.

I have to credit my friend, Annette, for sharing her pie crust recipe and teaching me how to make such a lovely and delicious pastry! I adapted the apple filling recipe from that for apple pie out of a Betty Crocker cookbook.

The recipe is simple in terms of its ingredients, but technique is key. Having the right tools on hand will facilitate success (flaky crust). It's good to have a vision of the whole process before starting, to foster efficiency. Give yourself two hours to make four dozen tarts (if you finish a bit early, brew up that coffee to enjoy along with your freshly-baked, flaky tarts).

If you are experienced with pastry-making, then feel free to skip straight down to the recipe. For those of you who want some tips for perfecting your crusts, or are beginning, the following tips and explanations should set you up for success. (Remember, practice makes perfect ;)

Tips and technique
For best results, be sure that your lard (and/or butter) are refrigerated for a few hours prior to making the pastry; leave it/them in the fridge until ready for use. COLD is key!!

Before you dive in to baking, round up your tools:

• Pastry cutter
• Marble slab or cutting board, or marble/granite/travertine counter top
• Marble rolling pin
• Apple corer/slicer (or knife)
• Peeler
• Mini-muffin pans/tart pans (enough for four dozen)



A two or four cup volume is sufficient. Ultimately, you'll use 1/3 - 1/2 C water (estimate -- I've never paid attention to the precise quantity)

• A pyrex measuring cup (or other decanter) filled with ice + water (heavy on the ice)
• Wooden spoon
• Soup spoon
• Butter knife
• Small, glass container
• Food scale (or 1 C measures for dry and wet)

Now, here's a high-level overview of the process for making these delectable tarts:
1. Prepare pastry
2. Let set for 10 minutes -- pull out tools and ingredients for filling
3. Place pastry in the fridge for thirty minutes -- prepare filling, preheat oven
4. Remove pastry from fridge
5. Create tarts in muffins pans
6. Bake -- start cleaning up that mess!
7. Cool and serve

On to prepping and baking!!

Pastry/crust
Ingredients
1 pound (3 + 3/4 C) all-purpose flour (keep the bag of flour handy for later)
1/4 pound (1/2 C) lard
1/4 pound (1/2 C) butter
Pyrex measuring cup (or other decanter) filled with ice + water (heavy on the ice)

Feel free to use 1/2 pound lard, or 1/2 pound butter, if you prefer. I think the half-and-half combo of each (per the ingredient list) makes the best crust.

Instructions

1. Place 1 pound of flour in a large mixing bowl
2. Remove the lard and/or butter from the fridge -- measure it and place it in the bowl with the flour
3. Use a pastry cutter to cut the pastry into the flour. Go slowly, and do not overwork the mixture. Use a knife or fork to scrape the mixture that gathers on the pastry cutter. Continue cutting until the lard/butter chunks are pea-sized. Err on the side of too big rather than too small
4. Pour a small amount of water (2-3 tbsp) over the mixture. Using a fork, start pulling from the edge of the bowl into the center, slowly, and turn the bowl, repeating the whole way around. Once the water has been absorbed, add another few tablespoons. (I use a fork while pouring to prevent the ice from falling into the pastry.) When a ball starts to form in the center of the bowl (or rather, when the mixture starts to adhere to itself), stop. Err on the side of too dry rather than too wet
5. Gently gather mixture together by pressing it together with your hands -- just two or three gentle squeezes will do



It's best to flour your surface prior to turning out the pastry onto it

6. Turn the mixture out onto a marble slab. If it falls apart, assess whether it seems too dry in the middle. You can drizzle another few tablespoons of water if needed. 



Choose a cool part of your kitchen to work (i.e. avoid working directly next to the oven)

7. Gently press the mixture together, if needed. Cover with the bowl, and leave the pastry set, on the counter, for ten minutes                                    
8. After ten minutes have passed, place the "ball" of pastry back into the bowl, cover the bowl (with a towel, plastic, or lid), and place in fridge for thirty minutes
9. Make the filling while waiting for the pastry to chill 

Apple filling
Ingredients
6 C apples, peeled, cored, diced into small chunks (pea-sized)
1/2 - 2/3 C sugar (or honey)
1 tsp cinnamon (or more, to taste)
2 tbsp butter, melted
pinch of salt
Add other spices, such as allspice or nutmeg, to taste, if preferred (I prefer not)

Instructions

1. Assuming that your pastry is resting, covered, in the fridge, go ahead and preheat the oven to 425F
2. Mix all apple filling ingredients together in a medium-size bowl; combine thoroughly
3. Let the mixture set out on the counter while working with the pastry to fill the tart pans

Create the tarts

1. Sprinkle a generous layer of flour over the marble slab
2. Remove the pastry from the fridge. Gently remove and place about one-fourth of the pastry onto the marble slab. Cover the remaining pastry and return to fridge
3. Gently but firmly press down on the pastry to form it and spread it out slightly, in preparation for rolling
4. Sprinkle the top of pastry with flour
5. Start in the center, and use the rolling pin to work the pastry out in one direction (somewhat gently). Return to the center and roll the other side out
6. Gently lift the pastry and flip it over -- if it seems to be stuck, use a butter knife to release the pastry from the slab. Sprinkle more flour
7. Sprinkle a but more flour on top, and roll it out a bit more. The thinner the better, but not so thin that it's difficult to handle. If it's your first time making pastry, err on the side of thick -- it just may turn out more chewy than crispy
8. Caution: avoid balling up the pastry and "starting again" -- the more it's worked, the less flaky (and more chewy) the crust will be after baking



Don't worry too much about clean edges -- it won't matter much once you fill the tart and fold the pastry and pinch it together)

9. Cut the pastry into 2.5-3 inch squares



These are a bit thicker than optimal

10. Place squares into the muffin pan (I find it easier to start filling the inside spaces of the pan and working outward), leaving the pastry draped outward (you'll want to fold it over top of the filling). Continue until you are out of pastry
11. Spoon apple filling into the pastry -- it should be at least level with the top of the pan



I haven't perfected the aesthetic yet, but they taste fantastic!

12. Fold the edges of the pastry in to the center, and pinch together gently. 
13. Repeat steps 1-12 until all of the pastry has been used or you run out of muffin pans!
14. Place pans into the pre-heated oven, and bake for 20-30 minutes, or until golden brown. If you decide to use regular cupcake-size pans instead of mini's, they may need 45 minutes or more to cook fully
15. Remove from oven and let cool for twenty minutes
16. Remove from muffin pans -- they should pop right out, unless some of the filling oozed out at the seams, in which case I like to use a butter knife to release the tart from the pans
17. Enjoy!

Vegan potential: use margarine or palm shortening (instead of butter and/or lard).

Storage: they should freeze/defrost well -- store in Ziplok bags, and allow to defrost on the counter.

Greens nuts and ham

The crux of the Whole30 approach to Paleo eating is to balance each meal in terms of protein, fat, and carbohydrates. This balance constitutes one to two palm-sized portions of protein, one to two tablespoons of fat (depending on the fat source it could be more), and two-thirds of the plate occupied by vegetables. If having fruit, one closed-palm portion is the way to go.

In an effort to enjoy an all-inclusive easy-to-cook meal (that is, inclusive of all sources, but without having to make foods individually), I concocted this: greens, nuts, and ham.

Serves two!

Ingredients
1 thick slice of ham (3/4 to 1 pound), cubed
1-2 bunches of kale (or any greens)
2 large cloves of garlic, minced
1/3 C cashews*, crushed (I crush them by clenching them tightly in my fist)
1-2 tbsp coconut oil (or other fat)
1 apple, cored and sliced

One bunch of kale (raw), de-stemmed and torn into pieces

3/4 pound of ham, cubed

Instructions

1. Heat coconut oil in wok or frying pan over medium-high heat
2. Toss in the cubed ham. Cook for five minutes, then add garlic and stir. Let cook a few more minutes.
3. Add the kale
4. Stir occasionally until the kale wilts
5. Add the nuts last, stir and cook for three to five more minutes

Ta-da!!!  I didn't cook the apples, but you could throw them in along with the nuts if you like. I just placed half an apple worth of slices on each plate next to main course.  (And as you may be able to infer, that seemingly huge pile of kale became rather small once wilted - this photo shows approximately half of what was shown in the picture of the raw kale).

*You can use any nut you wish - just remember that peanuts are NOT nuts, they are legumes. The last two times I made this, I used walnuts and they tasted great!

Vegan potential: Just replace the ham with cubed tofu. Main difference is that you'll have to cook the tofu much longer than the ham, if you like it prepared firmly. Of course, soy is a no-no in Paleo land, but if you're a non-Paleo vegan, this meal's for you!

millet, mushroom risotto

using millet is a bit less work-intensive than making a traditional risotto with arborio rice.

i made an extra large batch so that i would have plenty of leftovers.

ingredients:
1 tbsp garlic (fresh, pressed)
2.5 C millet
2 qt bella mushrooms, sliced
2 qt veg stock
1 C red onion, chopped
1/4 C olive oil
1/2 C butter
1/2 C parmesan cheese

instructions:
1. heat olive oil on medium-high heat

2. add garlic, saute for a minute or two

3. add onion, saute until softened

4. add mushrooms, saute until softened

5. add millet, coat well with the liquid/oil in the pan

6. add veg stock. bring to a boil

7. reduce to a simmer

8. stir periodically until all of the liquid has been absorbed (30-45 minutes)

9. remove from heat. add butter and parmesan cheese. mix well.

10. SERVE & ENJOY!!!

*for smaller recipes, simply use 3 C veg stock and 3 C mushrooms per 1 C of millet

**vegan potential: use margarine in lieu of butter, or eliminate completely, and omit the parmesan cheese (or use a substitute, if available).

portobello mushroom "sandwich," with sides

i bought portobello mushroom caps when i made risotto, initially planning to chop them up along with the baby bellas. i then decided against it, stuck with the baby bells for the risotto, and dreamed up a little concoction for the portobellos.

the overall menu includes a bed of red & white quinoa adorned with a portobello "sandwich," a side of steamed russet potatoes with butter and basil, and a salad of greens, fresh cherry tomatos, cucumber, and yellow sweet pepper with trader joe's red wine vianegrette. and here's how to do it!ingredients (for two):
1/3 C quinoa (i mix red & white)
2 C salad greens (i prefer spinach)
1 large russet potato, washed, unpeeled, sliced
2 large portobello mushroom caps, washed and dried
1 red sweet pepper, cut in half, remove stem and seeds
salt
basil
garlic, dried & ground
freshly ground pepper
brie cheese (cut into thick "slices" that will cover mushroom)
free range organic butter slices
balsamic vinegar
olive oil

prepare quinoa & potatoes:
1. in rice cooker, add 1/3C quinoa, 1 C water, garlic, black pepper, and basil
2. place potato slices in steamer basket
3. turn that baby to cook and let it do it's thang!!

grill mushrooms and peppers:
1. fire-up the grill to medium heat setting
2. place mushroom caps and red pepper halves (inside facing up) on a plate, in a small pool of olive oil
3. fill mushroom caps with balsamic vinegar and a splash of olive oil, then add a bit of each to the peppers as well
4. place on middle shelf of grill (about 20 minutes - check periodically)

put it all together!!
1. make a bed of quinoa on the plate
2. place potatoes on plate, add a few slices of butter, sprinkle of salt, and a bit of basil
3. place salad items in the remaining space on the plate
4. place mushroom cap (top down) on the bed of quinoa
5. add brie to mushroom, push in slightly to facilitate melting!
6. place the red pepper half on top of the brie (inside of pepper facing down)
7. serve & enjoy!!!

*variation: add tofu! i had planned to include a layer of sauteed tofu to the portobello sandwich, but sadly the tofu in my fridge had expired. simply heat olive oil and fresh garlic over medium-high heat. slice tofu long ways, but rather thin, and fry until golden brown. add it to the mushroom after the brie!!

**vegan potential: just omit the brie from the mushroom (it really is quite delicious without the cheese), and substitute the butter on the potatoes for vegan butter, or your favorite herbal/oil seasoning!

mushroom risotto, take 1

ever since i enjoyed a most delicious risotto a few months ago while in amsterdam, i was determined to try to make it myself. i have heard people complain about the tedious nature of preparing risotto properly, but wasn't particularly turned off by that :) at a friend's going away party, i met the husband of one of my work friends. this gentleman, steve, just so happens to be a chef! one conversation about tomatoes led to another and i picked his brain about risotto. he was kind enough to offer up the following advice:

1. use vegetable stock in lieu of chicken
2. use arborio rice
3. add broth, reduce, repeat, and at the end, add your seasoning and such

i picked up the appropriate ingredients over the past 2 weeks, and finally gave it a go last evening. i scoured a few recipes online to get an idea for how much broth i would need, and i settled on planning for 8 cups. i also opted for store-bought organic veg stock this time, but intend to make my own in the future.

ingredients:
8 C veg stock
1.5 C arborio rice
2 C baby bella mushrooms, sliced
1/3 C parmesan cheese, grated
2 tsp minced garlic
4 tbsp butter (room temperature)
black pepper, freshly ground
olive oil

instructions:
1. warm the veg stock in a sauce pan, and keep it on low heat

2. heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat, saute mushrooms until they soften, scoop mixture out into dish and keep to the side until the end

3. heat 1-2 tbsp olive oil in the same skillet over medium-high heat; saute the garlic, and add the rice

4. stir the rice continuously for 5 minutes, or stop once lightly browned

5. add veg stock, 1 ladle-full at a time, stir the mixture continuously until broth has been fully absorbed (do not let the mixture stick to the bottom of the skillet)

6. repeat step 5 over an over again, until the rice is al dente (approximately 20-30 minutes) - sample often :-) you'll notice the mixture becoming more and more starchy, which is a good indication that you are nearing the end

TIP: if you need to take a break, simply remove the skillet from burner (briefly), the come back and pick up where you left off

7. remove skillet from heat. add butter, parmesan cheese, ground pepper (to taste). mix thoroughly. add mushrooms.

plate it up, and top with a bit of parsley or basil, and serve!!

it serves 5-6 people, and overall (with prep and cook time) required approximately 45 minutes.

ENJOY!!

**vegan potential - just omit the parmesan cheese, and replace butter with vegan butter!!!