Salmon Cucumber Bites

This is a great gluten-free lunch as the cucumbers serve as a tasty alternative to bread. My kids love this.

1 can wild Alaskan salmon*
mayonnaise
dill relish
1 cucumber
1/2 pint cherry tomatoes

1. Drain canned salmon and mix with mayonnaise and dill relish. Season with salt & pepper to taste.
2. Slice cucumber into rounds. Top each round with about 1 Tbls of tuna salad.
3. Wash tomatoes, slice in half, and place one half on top of each salmon cucumber bite.

*A word about ingredients: Wild Alaskan or Wild Pacific salmon is a much safer alternative to tuna or to Atlantic or farm-raised salmon. Unfortunately, tuna and Atlantic salmon have been contaminated by mercury. Farm-raised (often called "Atlantic") salmon is often so poor in quality that the farmers must use food coloring to give the salmon its pink color found in nature.

Beef & Vegetable Kabobs

Serves 4-6

2 lbs steak, cut into cubes
3 bell peppers in a variety of colors, cut into chunks
1 large red onion
2 tlbs seasoned rice vinegar
2 tbls olive oil
2 tbls soy sauce*
Green Rice**

1. Assemble kabobs on skewers by alternating cubes of steak with peppers and onions.
2. Combine vinegar, oil, and soy sauce in a separate bowl. Brush over kabobs.
3. Cook on a hot grill for 5 - 8 minutes until the beef is cooked to medium. Serve with Green Rice.

*San-J has a Wheat-Free soy sauce
**Click on the "Potatoes Rice and Grains" label for the Green Rice recipe.

Thai Beef Salad with Cucumber Dressing

From The Treasury of Creative Cooking
Serves 4

1 lb. ground beef
1/2 red pepper, cut in thin strips
2 green onions, diagonally cut into 1-inch pieces
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tablespoon seasoned rice vinegar
1 teaspoon soy sauce*
salt & freshly ground pepper
lettuce leaves
6 ounces rice pasta(vermicelli or linguini), cooked according to package directions**
12 cherry tomatoes, halved
Cucumber Dressing (recipe follows)

1. Prepare cucumber dressing; set aside.
2. Brown ground beef in medium skillet. Drain. Add red peppers, onions, and garlic; cook until tender. Stir in vinegar and soy sauce; season with salt and pepper to taste.
3. Arrange lettuce leaves on four plates. Top with cold noodles and ground beef mixture. Garnish with cherry tomatoes. Serve with dressing.

Cucumber Dressing
1 medium cucumber, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup coarsely chopped onion
1/2 cup loosely packed cilantro leaves
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tablespoon diced jalapeno or green chili pepper
Pinch of salt

Place cucumbers, onions, cilantro, garlic, peppers, and salt in food processor container; process 1 minute. Spoon mixture into small bowl and serve.

*San-J has wheat-free soy sauce
**I use Thai Kitchen noodles; they are gluten-free

Mediterranian Salad

Serves 4

1 head of romaine lettuce
4 soft-boiled eggs, cut into quarters
8 oz. uncured ham or turkey ham, cut into bite-sized chunks
1 can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
2 tomatoes, cut into slices
1 cucumber, cut into slices
1 jar of artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
1 small can sliced black olives
8 oz. feta cheese, crumbled

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and serve with Giant's Simply Enjoy Ripe Olive and Feta Vinaigrette.

Black-Eyed Pea and Jalapeno Salad

From Martha Stewart Living
Serves 4
The mild flavor of the peas is perfectly enhanced by the crunch and spiciness of the onions, peppers, and vinegar. A great side-dish for BBQ or any summer picnic. One of Rich's favorite salads.

2 cans (15 ounces each) black-eyed peas, drained, rinsed, and excess water shaken out
2 fresh jalapeno chiles, seeds and ribs discarded, flesh cut until 1/4-inch dice*
1 small red onion, cut into 1/4-inch dice
3/4 cup broccoli sprouts (or other sprouts such as alfalfa)**
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 tbls red wine vinegar
salt and pepper to taste

Put black-eyed peas, jalapenos, onion, and sprouts in a large bowl. Add oil and vinegar, and toss well. Season with salt and pepper.

*You may want to wear rubber gloves to seed and chop the chiles.
**Broccoli sprouts are a super food absolutely packed with antioxidants. It is one of the best veggies you can eat.

Chili Con Carne

Serves 4

This is a classic recipe from my mom. I think it might have come from the old Betty Crocker cookbook.

1 lb. ground beef
1 cup onion, chopped
3/4 cup green pepper, chopped
16 oz. can diced tomatoes
16 oz. can dark red kidney beans
8 oz. can tomato sauce
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. chili powder
1 bay leaf

In heavy skillet or pot, cook meat, onion, and green pepper until meat is lightly browned and vegetables are tender. Stir in remaining ingredients. Cover and simmer for 1 hour. Remove bay leaf.

White Chicken Chili

Serves 4

From my sister, Jayme Metzgar.

1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs
1 med. onion, chopped
2 cloves fresh garlic, minced
1 tbls. olive oil
2 15-oz. cans great northern beans
14.5 oz. chicken broth
2 (4 oz.) cans chopped green chilis
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. oregano
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/4 tsp. cayenne
1 cup sour cream

Cut the chicken into bite-size chunks. Heat oil over medium heat in large pot. Saute chicken, onion, and garlic until chicken is cooked, about 5 minutes. Add all of the other ingredients to the pot except cream. Simmer 30 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in sour cream if desired, or serve cream on the side.

White Bean & Kale Soup

Adapted from The Family Circle Cookbook
Serves 8

My kids insisted that I put this in "Kid's Favorites." May God bless you with children that will eat kale. They really do love this soup, though. I've tried kale in other recipes, and for some reason, it just tastes especially good with the combination of flavors in this soup.

2 15-oz. cans navy beans (or other white beans), drained and rinsed
3 stalks celery, diced
2 medium-sized carrots, pared and sliced
1 medium-sized onion, diced
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
2 ounces bacon, diced
46 ounces chicken broth (Imagine Organics is the best--see links)
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 bunch fresh kale, washed, stems removed, and coarsely chopped*
1/2 cup small shell pasta*
Grated Parmesan cheese*

1. Heat bacon in a large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium-high heat and cook until fat begins to render. Add celery, carrot, onion, and garlic and cook stirring frequently, 5 minutes. Add all but 1 cup of beans, chicken broth, and pepper.
2. Mash the reserved cup of beans and add it to the soup. Add kale. Bring to boiling over high heat. Lower heat; simmer 10 minutes or until all ingredients are heated through and kale is tender.
3. Meanwhile, prepare pasta according to package directions; drain. Stir pasta into soup. Serve with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

*Notes on these ingredients:
1) Buy organic kale if possible. All dark, leafy greens soak up nitrates from the soil. Organic soil will have far less nitrates than soil that has been treated with chemical fertilizers. Nitrates attack the intenstinal system; the FDA warns pregnant or nursing women and infants to avoid nitrates.
2) You may use rice pasta for those who are gluten intolerant. Tinkyada makes small shell rice pasta.
3) Those with dairy allergies can simply eliminate sprinkling the Parmesan on their soup.

Hot Dog Casserole

Serves 4-6

1 package "uncured" hotdogs (no nitrates)
6 potatoes
1 16-oz. package of Imagine Organic Creamy Potato Leek Soup
salt & pepper to taste
(grated cheese-optional)

1. Peel potatoes and cut into chunks. Boil until you can prick it through with a fork.
2. Slice hotdogs into bite-sized rounds.
3. Mix all ingredients together in a 9x13 casserole.
4. Bake at 350 until bubbly, 20 - 30 minutes.

Apricot-Dijon Chicken

From Martha Stewart Living
Serves 4

8 chicken thighs
salt and black pepper
1 12 ounce jar of apricot jam
2 T honey
2 T dijon mustard

Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees. Rinse chicken and transfer to baking dish. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.
Bring apricot jam, honey, and mustard to a boil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Reduce heat to low; simmer until thickened and reduced by half. (15 min.) Spoon apricot mix over the chicken; spread evenly with a spoon.
Bake chicken, basting with sauce from bottom of the dish every 10 minutes until juices run clear when chicken is pricked. (About 30 minutes.)

Pizza Hamburgers

Serves 4

1 lb. ground beef
1 8-oz. can tomato sauce
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. oregano
fresh grated mozzarella cheese
fresh grated mild or medium cheddar cheese

Pre-heat oven 425. Mix all ingredients except sauce. Add half the tomato sauce to the meat mixture. Make hamburgers and form little craters (like a dish to hold the sauce), and put the rest of the sauce into the craters of the hamburgers. Cook hamburgers 20 minutes, add cheese on top of each burger and cook another 5 min.
(Serve with baby green beans.)

Variations:
1. Red Wine Vinegar - Lessen tomato sauce to 6 oz. and add 1/8 cup of red wine vinegar to the meat when mixing in the sauce. Add 1/2 tsp. basil and pepper to taste.
2. Gluten-Free - Replace 1/2 c. bread crumbs with 1/4 c. corn meal.
3. Dairy-Free - Do not melt cheese on the burger.

Green Chile Chicken Nachos

Adapted from 365 More Ways to Cook Chicken
Serves 6-8

A Shipe family favorite! Make a lot so you can have left-overs.

4 tbls. olive oil
2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch chunks
4 tbls. yellow cornmeal
4 tsp. chili powder
2 tsp. ground cumin
1 cup chopped scallions
3/4 cup chicken broth
2 cups drained canned tomatillos
2 (2-ounce) cans chopped green chiles
salt to taste
1 bunch chopped cilantro
tortilla chips
4 cups shredded lettuce
sour cream

1. In a large frying pan, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add chicken chunks and cook, stirring, until golden, about 4 minutes. Sprinkle cornmeal, chili powder, and cumin over chicken and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add salt to taste. Stir in broth, tomatillos, and chiles. Simmer, stirring often and mashing tomatillos, until sauce is slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Stir in cilantro and green onions and simmer 30 seconds.
2. Serve green chili chicken onto individual plates on top of tortilla chips. Top with shredded lettuce and sour cream.

Chicken Scampi with Spinach

Adapted from 365 More Ways to Cook Chicken
Serves 4 - 6

Rachel and I cannot get enough of this recipe. She is allergic to dairy, but if you are not, I highly recommend generously topping your plate of pasta with grated Parmesan or Romano.

1 lb. fettuccini
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into chunks
salt & pepper to taste
4 tbls. olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
4 large garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 cup dry white wine
3 tbls. chopped fresh basil or 1 tsp. dried
1 tbls. shopped fresh thyme or 1/2 tsp. dried
1/4 to 1/2 tsp. crushed hot red pepper flakes
2 tbls. corn starch or flour
1 7-ounce package fresh spinach, washed
1/2 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley

1. Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling, salted water until tender but still firm according to package directions. Drain in colander.
2. Meanwhile, heat 2 tbls. olive oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add chicken, season with salt & pepper, and cook, stirring frequently until no pink remains. Remove from heat.
3. In a large sauce pan, heat 2 tbls. olive oil over medium heat. Add chopped onions. Cook, stirring often, until onions are soft, about 4-5 minutes. Add garlic, thyme, and basil and cook for 1 minute. Add broth, wine, and hot pepper. Bring to a boil and cook, stirring occasionally, until sauce is reduced by about one-fourth, 5 to 7 minutes. Mix the cornstarch or flour with a bit of cold water; add to the pot and cook, stirring, until the sauce thickens. Add spinach to pot, cover, and let spinach wilt (about 3 minutes).
4. Add cooked chicken and pasta to the sauce pan and heat thoroughly. Toss with parsley; serve with Parmesan cheese.

Red Beans & Rice with Kielbasa

1 T olive oil
12 oz. Turkey Kielbasa sausage, cut into slices
6 green onions (1/2 c)
1 small red pepper, chopped
3 stalks celery, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 cans kidney beans
2 cups water
1/2 t thyme
1/2 t oregano
1/4 t crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 t black pepper
1 bay leaf
Green Rice

Saute olive oil and sausage in a large skillet. Remove, and then in the same pan saute vegetables (except kidney beans) until tender. Add spices and 1 and a half cans of kidney beans. Add 2 c water and cook about 10 to 15 minutes. Crush the remaining half can of kidney beans and mix in with vegetables; add cooked sausage back into pan. Cook a couple more minutes til flavors are combined. Serve with Green Rice (recipe is in Rice Grains and Beans label).