Spiced Carrot Muffins

My kids loved these!  I added walnuts - pecans would be delicious also.  I didn't use the freezer option, but baked right away.

• 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour

• 1/3 cup sugar

• 2 teaspoons pumpkin-pie spice

• 2 teaspoons baking powder

• ¾ teaspoon baking soda

• ½ teaspoon salt

• ¾ cups plain yogurt

• 4 tablespoons melted unsalted butter

• 1 large egg

• 2 cups peeled, shredded carrots (about 5 medium)

  1/2 cup toasted walnuts or pecans, chopped

Directions

1. Line 12 cups (each 2 1/2 inches wide) of a standard muffin tin with paper liners; set aside. In a large bowl, stir together flour, sugar, pumpkin-pie spice, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside.

2. In a separate bowl, whisk together yogurt, butter, and egg. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and add yogurt mixture. Stir until just combined. Fold in carrots.

3. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups. (If desired, muffins can be baked immediately in a 375-degree oven for about 20 minutes.) Freeze until firm, about 30 minutes, then cover tin with plastic wrap, and freeze until ready to bake, up to 3 months.

4. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Bake muffins (still frozen) until a toothpick inserted in center of one comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Transfer to a rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.

"Smoked" Pulled Pork

Versatile pulled pork with good flavor.  I used bone-in, which typically gives more flavor in the cooking process (and it's cheaper), and the bones easily pulled right out.

• 3 1/2 lbs pork carnitas meat, shoulder or butt roast
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 2 Tbsp soy sauce (I used Liquid Aminos)
• 2 Tbsp liquid smoke
• 2 garlic cloves, minced

Instructions

1. Quarter the pork and then place pork in bottom of Instant Pot or the slow cooker. Pour all the other ingredients over the top of the pork.
2. For the Instant Pot: Cover and make sure valve is on “sealing.” Set the manual button for 70 minutes. When the time is up let the pressure release naturally for 15 minutes. Release any extra pressure by gently pushing the valve to “venting.” For the Slow Cooker: cover and cook on low for 8-12 hours, or until meat is very tender.
3. Transfer the meat to a cutting board and shred with a fork. It should be ultra tender.  You can also put the meat in a Ktichenaid bowl and use the paddle attachment to quickly shred.
4. Serve meat plain, on sandwiches, in a salad, in a taco or however you want! If you want to add bbq sauce to make it more flavorful you can do that too.

Turmeric-Yogurt Grilled Chicken

This marinade and sauce was delicious!  I picked this recipe because I was looking for something to use the fresh turmeric I received in my CSA box, but I will definitely make it again with ground turmeric.

• 1 1/4 cup plain whole-milk yogurt
• 1 tablespoon ground turmeric
• 1  teaspoon ground cumin
• 2 teaspoon kosher salt, *divided*
• 1 teaspoon light brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice, or to taste
• 2 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 1/2 to 3 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• 1/2 cup chopped cilantro leaves with tender stems + lemon wedges (optional)

• In a small bowl, stir together the yogurt, turmeric, cumin, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, brown sugar, lemon juice, and olive oil into well integrated. Taste and adjust seasoning and acidity. 
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• In a bowl or plastic zipper-lock bag, combine chicken with 1/2 cup yogurt sauce and the remaining 1 teaspoon kosher salt, turning to evenly coat (reserve the rest of the yogurt sauce for serving). Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or up to 24 hours. 
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• Heat grill to medium-high. Brush your grates clean, then brush with oil. Grill chicken until golden brown and cooked through, about 5 to 6 minutes per side, or until 165 degrees F in the thickest part. Top with cilantro and serve yogurt sauce and lemon wedges on the side (if using).

Beef Empanadas

 Ryan gave me The Farmer's Wife by Helen Rebanks and I thoroughly enjoyed it from start to finish!  One of my favorite parts of the book was the recipes that Helen weaves into her story.  I've tried several of her recipes, and this is our collective favorite thus far: lamb empanadas.  I've actually only ever used ground beef, and I made several other changes along the way to use more meat and veggies.  My family keeps asking me to make these again!  You can make the filling ahead of time, and don't forget to thaw the puff pastry.

1 onion, finely chopped

2 tsp minced garlic
2 cups finely chopped mix vegetables (whatever you want to use!): zucchini, mushrooms, carrots, bell pepper, green beans, leafy greens
1 pound ground beef
1 /2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 /4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 /2 teaspoon ground coriander
1 /2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 /2 teaspoon ground turmeric
2 sheets frozen puff pastry, thawed in the refrigerator

glaze: 1 egg, beaten, beat well in a cup
raita or yogurt and/or Indian pickle or mango chutney to serve

In a skillet, heat a little oil and cook the onion, garlic, and diced vegetables for 10 minutes, or until soft. Scoop them out into a bowl and set aside. In the same pan, fry the ground meat and salt over medium heat, breaking it up until it starts to brown. Return the onion and vegetables to the pan and stir in the cumin seeds, cayenne, coriander, ground cumin, and turmeric. Cover the pan with a lid and cook gently over low heat for 30 minutes to make sure the meat is fully cooked and the vegetables are tender.  Once cooked, let cool completely.  (or mostly completely!)

Heat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.  Roll out the pastry to 12 × 18 inches. Cut into 6 squares of roughly 6 inches. Fill the squares on one corner with the cooled meat and vegetable filling, making sure to leave a border clear. Brush the edges with milk and fold the pastry in half diagonally to make a triangle, pressing and sealing it into a hand pie, crimping the edges if you like. If you’re finding it fiddly, remove a little of the filling.  (I don't use milk, and just use the prongs of a fork to press on the pastry, which seals and crimps it together nicely)

Prick the top with a fork or knife and place on the lined baking sheet, brush with the egg, and bake in the oven for 15 to 20 minutes, or until golden brown.
Serve with raita or yogurt, Indian pickle, or mango chutney.

Fresh Dill Potato Salad

 I've made this several times already, using a large bunch of fresh dill that came in my CSA box.  After cooking the potatoes half-way, I tossed them in olive oil and finished cooking on the grill, which adds amazing flavor.  Original recipe found here.

• 800g baby potatoes
• ▢ 1 tbsp olive oil
• ▢ pinch of salt, generous
• ▢ 1/4 cup (12 g) dill, packed, chopped
• ▢ 2 spring onions, sliced, green only
• ▢ 1 tbsp capers, chopped
• ▢ 2 French shallots, finely diced

• 2 tbsps olive oil
• ▢ 2 garlic cloves, minced
• ▢ 1/ tbsp wholegrain mustard
• ▢ 1 tbsp lemon zest
• ▢ 2 tbsps lemon juice
• ▢ 1/2 tsp flaky salt
• 1/4 tsp crushed black pepper

• Preheat oven to 220°C (200°C fan-forced)/425°F (390°F fan-forced).
• Scrub the dirt off the skin of the baby potatoes. Wash and pat dry them. Cut each potato into half. If the potatoes are slightly large, cut each into 3 pieces. Place in a bowl along with salt and olive oil. Toss and mix well.
• Spread potatoes on a large lined, rimmed baking sheet. Roast in the hot oven for 20 minutes Switch oven to the grill function at 220°C (200°C fan-force)/425°F (390°F fan-forced). Grill potatoes for 3-5 minutes until starting to brown. Remove from the oven and cool slightly (5 minutes)Prepare the dressing by mixing all ingredients for it in a bowl.Add dill, spring onion, capers, shallots and potatoes to a large bowl. Add the dressing. Toss and mix well until potatoes are coated evenly with the dressing. Serve immediately.

Copycat Chipotle Chicken

 Most of my family would eat at Chipotle at least once a week if given the chance.  I've used this copycat recipe a LOT lately to keep the Chipotle requests at bay.  The chicken is great on the grill! 

• ½ medium red onion, coarsely chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
• 2 tablespoons adobo sauce, from a small can of chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons ancho chile powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 tablespoon salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
•  Water, as needed
• 3 to 4 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs (I've also used chicken breasts and cut them in halve lengthwise)

• Make the Marinade: Place the onion, garlic, adobo sauce, olive oil, chile powder, cumin, oregano, salt, and pepper into a food processor or blender and process until smooth. Pour the marinade into a 1-cup measuring cup and add enough water to reach to 1 cup.
• Using a fork, poke holes all over the chicken thighs and place in a resealable plastic bag. Pour the marinade over, seal, and use your hands to move the marinade around so that all of the chicken is evenly coated. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or overnight.
• Cook the Chicken: Preheat a large skillet over medium heat. Add enough olive oil to coat the bottom of the pan. Add the chicken to the pan and cook, turning occasionally, until completely cooked through, 165 to 175 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer. (I recommend cooking in two batches and adding more olive oil in between, if needed). Remove the chicken to a large cutting board and allow to rest for at least 10 minutes. Slice or chop the chicken, as desired. Serve in a burrito, in a salad, or on its own!