Scalloppine with Cranberry Sauce

You'll Need:

4 Pork Cutlets or 4 Chicken Breasts, tenderized

4 tablespoons flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoons cracked, black pepper

2 teaspoons non-hydrogenated lard

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

3 tablespoons sugar (we prefer turbinado)

3 cups chicken broth

1 cup onion, finely chopped (we prefer red or sweet yellow onions)

3 tablespoons butter

1 cup fresh cranberries (whole canned cranberries will work too)

1/4 cup cranberry liqueur (or pure cranberry juice)

Directions:

Mix together flour, salt and pepper. Dredge the scalloppine in flour mixture, shaking off excess. In cast iron skillet, saute the cutlets or breasts in hot lard, turning once, just until browned. Arrange the pork on a serving platter and dress with some of the heated sauce.

FOR SAUCE: Cook together vinegar and sugar in a small saucepan until sugar is dissolved. Add stock and simmer for 5 minutes. In a skillet saute onion in the butter until onion is browned. Add flour, stir briskly and whisk in stock mixture. Bring to a boil and cook and stir for 5 minutes. Stir in cranberries and liqueur and simmer for 5 minutes.   Serves 4

Farmer’s Market Vegetarian Quesadillas

Ingredients:
1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper 1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup chopped zucchini 1/2 cup chopped yellow squash
1/2 cup chopped red onion cooking spray
1/2 cup chopped mushrooms 6 whole wheat tortillas
1 1/4 cups shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese
Directions:
1. In a large pan, cook red pepper, zucchini, yellow squash onion & mushrooms in olive oil over medium heat for about 7 minutes. Re-move vegetables from pan.
2. Coat the same pan with cooking spray, and place one tortilla in pan. Sprinkle 1/4 cup of cheese evenly over tortilla, and layer 3/4 cup of vegetables over the cheese. Sprinkle another 1/8 cup of cheese on the vegetables and top with a second tortilla. Cook until golden on both sides for 2-3 minutes per side. Remove quesadilla from pan, and re-peat with remaining ingredients. Cut each quesadilla into 8 triangles with a pizza cutter. Serve hot.

How Kids Can Help: Wash and chop zucchini while Mom or Dad is chopping the onions.

Cooking Tip: Diced chicken can be used as well.

Cooking Tip: Aluminum foil can be used to keep food moist, cook it evenly and makes clean up super easy!

Courtesy of Tammy L.                                        Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

1 (2 to 3 pound) butternut squash, peeled and seeded           2 Ripe Apples

3 slices of bacon, chopped or 1/2 c. Bacon Ends                    2 T unsalted butter

1 medium onion, chopped                                                       6 cups chicken stock

2 tsp. Nutmeg                                                                          Salt & ground black pepper

Directions: Cut squash into 1-inch chunks. In large pot fry 3 strips of bacon, set aside to drain. In the same pot add the butter to melt into the bacon drippings. Add onion and cook until translucent, about 7 minutes. Add squash, apples and stock. Bring to a simmer and cook until squash is tender, about 15 to 20 minutes. Chop the cooled bacon into bits. Remove the solid chunks with slotted spoon and place in a blender and puree. Return blended mixture to the pot. Stir and season with nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Serve, with a dollop of plain Greek yogurt, croutons, and tsp, of crispy bacon bits.

Sweet & Spicy Free-Range Chicken Thighs

You'll need:

1-2 lbs. Chicken Thighs

1 med. chopped onion

3 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, chopped (more if you love heat!)

1/4 C Worchestershire sauce

3/4 C Apple Butter

3 T minced or crushed garlic

*A splash of bourbon in the marinade is a wonderful addition too.

Place everything in a sealed container or baggie and refrigerate for at least two hours.  Line a cassarole dish with foil, then spray it with non-stick spray or rub it generously with olive oil or butter.  Place thighs on the foil skin side up, then cover with the marinade.  Cover the dish with foil and bake 30-45 minutes at 425 degrees, taking the foil off the last 10 minutes to crisp the skin.

Note: Free-range chicken is MUCH leaner (& healthier) than traditional, store bought chicken.  It must be cooked with the skin on to retain it's moisture or it will become dry & tough.

This recipe is wonderful served warm or cold on a picnic!