Roasted Squash with Buttered Pine Nuts & Feta

Ingredients: 

• ⅓ cup pine nuts
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 3 lb delicata and/or acorn squash
• 4 oz block of feta
• Garlic (7 cloves)
• 2 tsp salt
• Black pepper
• 4 tbsp butter
• ½ lemon (juice)
  

Instructions: 

1. Preheat the oven to 450 F.
2. Trim stems of squash and cut in half through their root ends. Use a spoon to scoop out seeds and stringy bits. Cut each squash crosswise into 1-inch-thick wedges. Transfer to a large rimmed baking sheet. 
3. Lightly smash 7 garlic cloves. Add five of them to the baking sheet, leaving them in their skins. Peel the remaining 2 garlic cloves and set aside. 
4. Drizzle the squash and garlic with 3 tbsp of olive oil. Season with 2 tsp of salt and lots of pepper. Arrange the pieces of squash cut side down. Bake for 15-20 minutes. Using tongs, flip the squash and return to the over for another 10-15 minutes. Squash should be tender and deeply charred on both sides.
5. While squash is cooking, heat 4 tbsp butter in a saucepan over medium low heat. Add ⅓ cup pine nuts, stirring often, turn heat to low. Once the sauce begins to golden, grate the remaining 2 garlic cloves directly into the saucepan. Remove from heat and set aside, giving it one more good stir. 
6. Cut the feta into ¼-inch-thick slices and crumble over the cooked squash. Remove the cooked garlic cloves from the baking sheet, and spoon the pine nut sauce over everything.
7. Transfer to a serving dish, drizzle lemon juice, and add salt and pepper to taste. 

Tamara’s Cheesy Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Ingredients: 

• 8–12 potatoes
• 2 tbsp garlic powder
• 2 tbsp garlic salt
• 8 oz cream cheese
• 8 oz sour cream
• Parmesan cheese to taste
• Paprika to taste
• Butter to taste

Instructions: 

1. Peel and boil potatoes until just tender.
2. Preheat the oven to 350 F.
3. Drain water and mash the potatoes, add garlic powder, salt, cream cheese, and sour cream. Mix well.
4. Add potatoes to a 9×13 baking dish, place slices of butter evenly over the top of the potatoes. Sprinkle with paprika and parmesan.
5. Bake for 1 hour.

Felicia’s Greek Lemon Chicken & Rice

Ingredients: 

• Olive oil
• 1 lb chicken pieces
• Salt & pepper
• 1 onion, diced
• 4 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 cup long grain rice
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1 tsp oregano
• Juice from 1 lemon
• 2 heads of garlic, tops cut off 

Instructions: 

1. Preheat the oven to 375 F.
2. Season chicken with salt and pepper to taste.
3. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large oven-safe pan.
4. Cook chicken in oil until golden (4-5 mins), set aside.
5. Add onion to pan, cook until golden.
6. Add chopped garlic and rice to the pan. Cook 1-2 mins.
7. Add broth and let simmer, stirring occasionally.
8. Mix in oregano and lemon juice, add the chicken and garlic heads with cut side up.
9. Cover pan and roast in oven until rice is cooked and garlic is soft and golden (about 30-45 mins)
10. Squeeze garlic cloves out of heads and mix in.

Tonja’s Slow-Roasted Artichoke & Sundried Tomato Chicken 

Ingredients:

• 4 large chicken breasts
• ½ cup sundried tomatoes
• ½ cup marinated artichoke hearts
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 cup broth
• Salt & pepper
• Optional: 2 tbsp parmesan cheese

Instructions: 

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F. 
2. On a stovetop, heat olive oil over medium heat in dutch oven.
3. Season chicken breasts with salt and pepper, both sides.
4. Add to heated oil, brown on each side (approx. 3 minutes each)
5. Add broth, tomatoes and artichokes.
6. Cover with lid, and bake in the oven for 45 minutes. 
7. Transfer to serving dish, add parmesan cheese if desired. 

Choctaw Persimmon Cake (Chahta ukof palvska champali)

Ingredients: 

• ½ cup sugar
• 1 cup flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 2 tbsp softened butter
• 1 cup persimmon purée (6-8 persimmons, not too soft, blended)
• 1 egg, slightly beaten

Instructions: 

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. 
2. Put all ingredients in a bowl and mix well.
3. Pour into a well greased and floured bread pan.
4. Bake for about 40 minutes. 

Cranberry Brie Bites

Ingredients:

• All-purpose flour, for dusting the dough and cutting board
• 8 oz crescent dough sheet (or crescent rolls)
• 8 0z wheel of brie cheese
• 1 cup whole berry cranberry sauce (not jellied)
• Fresh rosemary sprigs

Instructions: 

1. Preheat oven to 375°F degrees. Spray a mini muffin tin with cooking spray. Spread a little flour out onto your counter. Then roll out crescent dough sheet. If using crescent rolls, pinch the seams together to make one long sheet.
2. Cut crescent roll dough into 24 equal-sized squares. Place squares into muffin tin slots.
3. Cut brie into small pieces and place inside the crescent dough squares. Top with a generous spoonful of cranberry sauce, and a little sprig of rosemary.
4. Bake until the crescent dough is a light golden brown (about 15 minutes). Then serve warm!

Feel-Better Chicken & Rice Soup

Ingredients:

• ¾ lb. skinless, boneless chicken thighs
• ⅓ cup jasmine rice, rinsed
• 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 1 2″ piece ginger, peeled, thinly sliced
• Kosher salt
• 2 small sweet potatoes, unpeeled, cut into ½”-thick rounds
• 2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
• 2 Tbsp. soy sauce
• ½ bunch cilantro, coarsely chopped
• Freshly ground black pepper

Instructions: 

1. Bring chicken, rice, garlic, ginger, and 5 cups water to a boil in a large saucepan. Add a big pinch of salt. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered and stirring occasionally, until rice has swelled and chicken is firm, 10–12 minutes.
2. Add potatoes to pan and cook over medium-low heat, still uncovered and stirring occasionally, until soup is thickened and potatoes and rice are tender, 15–20 minutes longer. Transfer chicken to a bowl and shred with 2 forks, then return to pot. Stir in lemon juice and soy sauce; taste soup and season with salt if needed.
3. Divide soup among bowls. Top with cilantro and lots of black pepper.

Marry Me Chicken

Ingredients: 

• 3 large boneless and skinless chicken breasts sliced into thin cutlets
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
• 6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup chicken stock
• 1 cup heavy cream 
• ½ cup parmesan cheese, grated
• 1 teaspoon chili flakes
• ¼ teaspoon oregano
• ¼ teaspoon thyme
• ⅓ cup sundried tomatoes, chopped
• 1 tablespoon fresh basil leaves

Instructions: 

1. Season chicken with salt and pepper, then dredge in flour and shake off any excess.
2. In a large skillet, heat olive oil and melt the butter on medium heat. Swirl pan to coat with oil and butter evenly.
3. Brown the chicken (do not overcrowd and work in batches if needed) for 4-5 minutes on each side or until golden brown and cooked through. Transfer onto a plate, cover, and set aside.
4. Saute the garlic for a minute or until it’s fragrant. Add the chicken stock, and deglaze the pan, scraping any bits stuck to the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon.
5. Adjust the heat to medium-low, and add the heavy cream and the parmesan cheese to the skillet. Allow the sauce to simmer for a couple of minutes, then season with chili flakes, thyme, and oregano.
6. Season with salt and pepper to your taste, add the sundried tomatoes then put the chicken back in the sauce and let the sauce simmer and thicken for a few more minutes.
7. Garnish with chopped fresh basil leaves and serve warm over pasta or rice.