Lena's Cranberry & Cilantro Quinoa Salad

*From allrecipes.com here.

Serves: 6
Prep: 45 minutes

INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 cups water
1 cup uncooked quinoa, rinsed
1/4 cup red bell pepper, finely chopped
1/4 cup yellow bell pepper, finely chopped
1 small red onion, finely chopped
1 1/2 tsp curry powder
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 lime, juiced
1/4 cup toasted sliced almonds
1/4 cup minced carrots
1/2 cup dried cranberries
salt & pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS
Pour the water into a saucepan; cover and bring to a boil over high heat. Then pour in quinoa, cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer until the water has been absorbed, 15-20 minutes.
(To serve cold) Scrape into a mixing bowl and chill in the refrigerator until cold. Once cold, add all additional ingredients and mix thoroughly. Chill again before serving.
(To serve hot) Add all additional ingredients to the pot and mix well. Heat on low and stir often until all ingredients are hot.

This could be served alongside an entree or as a main dish.

Chicken Thighs in White Wine Sauce

*From Martha Stewart online here. Watch Sarah Carey from Everyday Food prepare this recipe here.

Serves: 4
Prep: 1 hour

INGREDIENTS
8 bone-in skinless chicken thighs (I used boneless)
coarse salt & ground pepper
4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 cup dry white wine
1/4 tsp dried thyme
2 lemons
1 Tbsp cold butter, cut into pieces
2 Tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley

DIRECTIONS
1. In a 12-inch skillet with lid, arrange thighs, bone side up; season with salt & pepper. Add garlic, wine, and thyme. Bring to a boil; reduce to simmer. Cover and cook for 30 minutes.
2. Prepare lemons: cut one lemon into 8 thin slices, removing seeds. Juice the other lemon.
3. Turn chicken over. Place a lemon slice on each piece; cover and continue simmering until tender, about 15 minutes. Leaving garlic and liquid in skillet, transfer chicken and lemon slices to a platter. Cover tightly with foil to keep warm.
4. Bring liquid in skillet to a boil; cook until reduced to 1/2 cup, about 5 minutes. Remove skillet from heat. Add butter, parsley, and 1 Tbsp lemon juice. Stir until butter has softened and sauce is smooth. Season with salt and pepper.

Serve chicken with sauce over cooked rice.

Crock Pot Chicken Tacos

*Adapted from here.

Serves: 6-8
Prep: 10 minutes (+ time in slow cooker)

INGREDIENTS
2.5-3 lbs. frozen chicken breasts or breast tenderloins
4 oz. regular or 1/3 less fat (NOT fat free) cream cheese
can of black beans, drained and rinsed (or use pinto beans)
can of corn, drained
can of Rotel
optional: a packet of taco seasoning or dry ranch dressing mix

DIRECTIONS
Add all ingredients to a slow cooker, in order. Cover and cook on low 6-8 hours, stirring every few hours to help ingredients mix well (optional). Shred chicken in the crock pot--it should fall apart. Serve over rice or in tacos or burritos. Enjoy!

Carolyn's Creamy Mushroom Chicken

Serves: 4
Prep: 2 hours (including baking time)

INGREDIENTS
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
1 envelope dry Italian salad dressing mix
1/2 cup water (decrease to 1/4 cup if using slow cooker)
8 oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened
10 3/4 oz. can cream of mushroom soup (may substitute cream of chicken or celery instead)
4 oz. can mushrooms, drained (optional)

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Place chicken in shallow baking pan. Combine all other ingredients blend together. Pour over chicken. Bake, uncovered, 1.5 hours.

(In slow cooker) Place chicken in slow cooker. Combine salad dressing and water. Pour over chicken. Cover and cook on low 3 hours. Beat cream cheese and soup in a bowl until blended. Stir in mushrooms, then pour over chicken. Cover and cook on low 1 additional hour, or until chicken is tender, but not dry.

Serve over cooked egg noodles.

Gail's Chicken Salad

Serves: 4
Prep: 30 minutes

INGREDIENTS
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 small can crushed pineapple
1/2 -1 cup chopped nuts (I recommend pecans or almonds)
mayonnaise

DIRECTIONS
1. Add chicken breasts to a saucepan or pot. Cover by 2-3 inches with cold water. Turn on high until just beginning to simmer, then turn to medium. Let simmer for 10-20 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 160 degrees.
2. Remove chicken and allow to cool. Then tear chicken into large pieces; add chicken to a food processor and pulse until finely shredded.
3. While chicken is cooling, open the can of pineapple and drain. Empty pineapple pieces onto a paper towel to drain more fully.
4. Combine chicken, pineapple, chopped nuts, and 1/8 cup of mayonnaise to a bowl. Combine and add more mayonnaise until desired consistency is reached.

Serve on croissant or toasted bread and add leafy lettuce and tomato if desired.

Dempsey Depression Burgers

Serves: 12

INGREDIENTS:
3 cups grated carrots (about 4 carrots)
1 cup grated potatoes (about 2 small potatoes)
1/2 cup chopped onion (or dried minced onion to taste)
3 lb. ground beef (also works well with ground turkey)
1 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 cup barbecue sauce
2 tsp. Worchestershire sauce
1 lb. bacon (optional)

DIRECTIONS:
Combine carrots, potatoes, onions, and ground beef in a bowl. Add garlic powder and barbecue sauce Mix together and form into patties. Wrap with bacon and secure with a toothpick. Grill or broil until done.

Serve with fries, oven roasted potatoes, or mashed potatoes. Make ketchup and barbecue sauce available.

*For those who are interested, since I normally receive several questions about the name of these burgers, here's how they got their name. During the Great Depression meat was expensive, so people had to find ways to make it stretch. Thus, they added shredded vegetables, onions, cracker/bread crumbs, or eggs. I've heard of serving these burgers on buns with lettuce and tomato like any other burger, but my family never has. Nonetheless, Depression Burgers are one of my favorite meals from my childhood. Enjoy!

Nutritional information is approximate and based on the use of lean ground turkey instead of ground beef. I used the recipe calculator here.

Amount Per Serving
Calories		237.2
Total Fat		10.3 g
	Saturated Fat	3.2 g
	Polyunsaturated Fat	0.4 g
	Monounsaturated Fat	1.1 g
Cholesterol		83.4 mg
Sodium		531.5 mg
Potassium		148.6 mg
Total Carbohydrate		11.3 g
	Dietary Fiber	0.8 g
	Sugars	7.1 g
Protein		23.9 g