In the Kitchen With Amanda Grant

 in Favorite Recipes by

These recipes were contributed by Amanda Grant, a Ennis resident, and originally appeared in the Ennis November 2016 issue.

Oatmeal Breakfast Bread

  • 3 Tbsp. butter, melted
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1 egg
  • 1 cup flour
  • 1 cup old-fashioned oatmeal, not instant
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1 apple or pear, diced (or 1 cup blueberries)
  1. Preheat oven to 425 F; stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients.
  2. Fold in fruit; pour batter into a greased 8×8-inch pan.
  3. Bake for 20 minutes, or until the top crust bounces back when given a slight poke; slice and enjoy!

 

Spicy Sausage & Spinach Soup

  • 4 strips nitrate-free uncured bacon, diced
  • 1/2 white onion, diced
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2-3 links pasteurized Italian sausage links, crumbled
  • 1 32-oz. carton organic chicken broth
  • 1 white potato, diced
  • 1-2 carrots, diced
  • 1/2 lb. whole grain, organic pasta (cavatappi pasta, macaroni or shells)
  • Sea salt and pepper, to taste
  • Sprinkle crushed red pepper
  • 1 large handful organic baby spinach, roughly chopped
  • 1/2 cup raw milk or half-and-half
  1. Cook bacon in a Dutch oven; remove; set aside.
  2. Cook onion, garlic and sausage in bacon renderings over medium heat.
  3. Add the crispy bacon back into onion/sausage mixture; pour in the chicken broth; bring soup to a light boil.
  4. Add potatoes and carrots followed by pasta and spices.
  5. Bring soup to a simmer; cook for 30 minutes to an hour until pasta and veggies are cooked though; add spinach.
  6. Stir carefully; pour in milk or half-and-half.

 

Sweet and Sour Chicken With Brown Rice
Serves 2.

Sauce:

  • 1 20-oz. can diced pineapple, reserve juice 
  • 1 1/3 Tbsp. tamari or soy sauce
  • 2/3 Tbsp. honey
  • 1 tsp. rice vinegar
  • 2 tsp. arrowroot powder or cornstarch
  • 1 pinch dried chili flakes

Chicken:

  • 2 servings cooked brown rice
  • 1 Tbsp. sesame oil or olive oil
  • 1/2 red onion, chopped
  • 1 medium carrot, chopped
  • 2 chicken breasts, diced into bite-sized pieces
  • 1/2 tsp. ground ginger
  • 1/4 red bell pepper, chopped
  • 1/4 green bell pepper, chopped
  • 1 medium zucchini, chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves, diced
  • Sea salt, to taste
  • Green onion, chopped, to taste
  1. For sauce: Whisk the pineapple juice, tamari or soy sauce, honey, vinegar, arrowroot and chili flakes in a small bowl; set aside.
  2. For chicken: Cook rice according to package instructions. 
  3. Heat oil on medium high. Sauté onion and carrot for 2-3 minutes. Add chicken; season with ginger, and cook for 5-7 minutes until chicken is cooked through.
  4. Add red and green bell pepper and zucchini; cook for another 4-5 minutes.
  5. Add garlic and sea salt; sauté until garlic is fragrant. Toss in pineapple; cook for another 2 minutes.
  6. Add the sauce mixture to chicken and vegetables; bring to a slight boil, stirring constantly. Cook for another 1-2 minutes or until sauce thickens.
  7. Top a bowl of rice with a serving of sweet and sour chicken; garnish with green onion.

 

Peanut Butter Banana Cacao Smoothie
This makes a great healthy snack or dessert.

  • 8-oz. raw whole milk
  • 1 peeled, frozen banana, broken into pieces
  • 1 heaping Tbsp. fresh ground, raw peanut butter (no sweetener added)
  • 1 tsp. raw cacao powder or cocoa powder
  1. Place all ingredients in a blender; blend well.
  2. Serve immediately.