Bran Muffins

3 cups All-Bran cereal
1 cup boiling water
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 eggs
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 cups buttermilk

Preheat oven to 400. In large mixing bowl combine cereal and boiling water. Stir in oil and eggs. Add remaining ingredients until well mixed. Spoon batter into desired number of greased muffin cups, filling 3/4 full. Bake for 20 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean.
(Baking time is for 12 muffins)

Batter can be stored in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 6-8 weeks.
Makes 2 1/2 dozen muffins.

Slow-Cooker Thai Coconut Chicken Soup

2 cups carrots, peeled and sliced
2 packages sliced fresh mushrooms
1 large onion, chopped
1 medium sweet potato, peeled and cubed
8 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp. ground ginger
1/4 cup fish sauce *see note
1/4 cup red curry paste
2 lbs. boneless skinless chicken thighs, cubed
3 cups chicken broth
2 cans (14 oz each) coconut milk
2 red bell peppers, sliced, then slices cut in half lengthwise
1/2 cup fresh basil, chopped
Sriracha to taste

1. In slow cooker add carrots, mushrooms, onion, sweet potato, garlic, ginger, fish sauce, and curry paste. Place chicken over vegetables in slow cooker. Pour broth over chicken. Cover and cook on low heat for 5 hours.

2. Stir in coconut milk, peppers, and basil. Cover and cook an additional 30-60 minutes.

Add Sriracha to taste to each bowl depending on spice preference.

Alternate: Add whole chicken pieces to crock pot (don't cube). At the beginning of step 2, remove chicken and shred or chop, then add back to crock pot before proceeding.

* Substitute fish sauce with 4 Tbsp soy sauce and 1 Tbsp dry sherry.

{Adapted from Betty Crocker}

Buffalo Ranch Chicken Stuffed Peppers

1 lb. chicken breasts

1 medium onion, chopped

1/2 tsp each: dried parsley, dried dill, dried chives, garlic powder, onion powder

salt & pepper to taste

4 red, orange, or yellow bell peppers, tops cut off and seeds cleaned out

1/2 cup Frank's Red Hot sauce* (or hot sauce of choice)

1/4 cup butter or ghee*

* indicates paleo or Whole 30 approved option

1. Preheat over to 350.

2. Mix together dried spices. Place chicken and chopped onions in a single layer on a greased or lined baking pan. Sprinkle spice mixture over everything. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. Remove chicken from oven and (once cool enough to handle) cut into 1/4"-1/2" pieces. Place cooked chicken and onions in a large bowl. Make ahead tip: At this point you can put the bowl of chicken and onions in the fridge overnight and continue with the remaining steps the following day.

3. In a small saucepan melt the butter or ghee. Add the hot sauce and stir to combine. Add sauce mixture to the chicken and stir well.

4. Spoon chicken mixture evenly into all four peppers. Place filled peppers in a baking pan (make sure it has sides because juices will run). Bake for 35-40 minutes or until peppers are softened.

5. Optional: Serve with guacamole on top (highly recommended) and a side of roasted sweet or regular potatoes! These are surprisingly filling.

Do steps 1 and 2 the night before to save time at dinnertime. These make great leftovers as well. I like to make a batch of them and bring them to work for lunches during the week. Reheat in the oven or in the microwave. They are a little spicy so not sure what kids would think, but maybe you could find a mild sauce that still has the flavor? They are my favorite thing to eat these days!

{From Primally Inspired}

Turkey Barley Mushroom Soup

from Williams-Sonoma

Serves 6-8

1 lb mushrooms
2 Tbsp olive oil
3 leeks, chopped
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
1/2 cup pearled barley
3 cloves minced garlic
2 turkey thighs (skin removed)
8 cups chicken broth
2 tsp soy sauce

Warm oil in a 6 quart stock pot over medium-high heat. Add leeks and saute until softened -- 5-7 minutes. Add mushrooms, carrots, barley and garlic. Saute 1 minute more. Add turkey and stock, reduce heat to low and simmer 1.5 hours. Remove turkey, cut meat off the bones, cut into bite-sized pieces, return meat to pot. Stir in soy sauce and season soup to taste with salt, pepper and parsley.

Make up to 2 days ahead and refrigerate or freeze up to 2 months.

THIS IS THE TURKEY BARLEY MUSHROOM SOUP RECIPE MOM PREFERS.

Creamy Porcini Barley Soup

This grown-up version of creamy mushroom soup from Eating Well is rich with earthy porcini and white mushrooms and tender, nutty grains of barley. Stir in just a bit of reduced-fat sour cream at the end-hold the heavy cream.

ACTIVE TIME: 50 minutes

TOTAL TIME: 1 1/4 hours

EASE OF PREPARATION: Easy

Makes 4 servings, about 1 3/4 cups each. (These are very large servings.)

Ingredients

1/2 cup pearl barley

4-1/2 cups mushroom broth or reduced-sodium chicken broth, divided

1 oz dried porcini mushrooms

2 cups boiling water

2 tsp butter

1 T extra-virgin olive oil

1 cup minced shallots (about 4 medium)

8 cups sliced white mushrooms (about 20 oz) [1/2 pound (225g) fresh sliced mushrooms = 2 cups fresh sliced = 1 cup cooked]

2 stalks celery, finely chopped

1 T minced fresh sage or 1 tsp dried

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper

2 T all-purpose flour

1 cup dry-to-medium sherry [Christian Brothers California Golden Sherry, which is medium-sweet] 

1/2 cup reduced-fat sour cream

1/4 cup minced fresh chives

Instructions

1. Combine barley and 1 1/2 cups broth in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat; cover, reduce heat to low and simmer until the barley is tender, 30 to 35 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, combine porcinis and boiling water in a medium bowl and let soak until the mushrooms are soft, about 20 minutes. Line a sieve with paper towels, set it over a bowl and pour mushrooms and soaking liquid through it. Reserve the soaking liquid. Transfer the mushrooms to a cutting board and finely chop.

3. Heat butter and oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add shallots and cook, stirring often, until softened, about 2 minutes. Add white mushrooms and cook, stirring often, until they have released their juices and started to brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Add the porcinis, celery, sage, salt and pepper and cook, stirring often, until beginning to soften, about 3 minutes. Sprinkle flour over the vegetables and cook, stirring, until the flour is incorporated, about 1 minute. Add sherry and cook, scraping up any browned bits with a wooden spoon, until most of the sherry has evaporated, about 1 minute.

4. Add the soaking liquid and the remaining 3 cups broth, increase heat to high and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the celery is tender and the soup has thickened, 18 to 22 minutes.

5. Add the cooked barley and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until heated through, about 5 minutes. Stir in sour cream until incorporated. Garnish with chives.

Notes

Tip: Prepare soup through Step 4. Cover and refrigerate the soup and cooked barley separately for up to 3 days. To serve, combine (Step 5) and reheat.

NUTRITION INFORMATION: Per serving: 288 calories; 10 g fat (5 g sat, 4 g mono); 22 mg cholesterol; 28 g carbohydrate; 12 g protein; 3 g fiber; 498 mg sodium; 894 mg potassium.

Nutrition bonus: Potassium (26% daily value), Selenium (23% dv), Vitamin A (20% dv), Iron (15% dv).

2 Carbohydrate Servings

Exchanges: 1 starch, 2 vegetable, 2 fat

Sherried Beef

Stew Meat (2-3 lbs)
Onion Soup Mix (1 envelope)
Cream of Mushroom Soup (1 can)
Creme Sherry (1/2 cup)

Mix all ingredients in a crock pot. Cover and cook on low for 10 hours or high for 6 hours. Serve over cooked pasta of your choice.

Alternate: Cover and bake at 275 F for 4-5 hours.

Fajita Rice

2 cups cooked brown rice (yield from approx. 3/4 cup dry)
1 onion, chopped and sauteed until tender
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 lb cooked chicken, pork, or steak, diced
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp paprika
salt and pepper to taste
1 can diced tomatoes, drained
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup frozen corn
3 Tbs cilantro, chopped
1 Tbs lime juice
2/3 cup shredded jack cheese

Mix everything together and put in a greased casserole dish. Bake at 350 F for 25-30 min, until hot. This makes a great filling for tacos, stuffed peppers, or tomatoes. Garnish with sour cream, hot sauce, salsa, or whatever strikes your fancy.