Garlic Green Beans 🧄

Ingredients

• 1½ lbs fresh green beans, trimmed
• 2 tbsp butter
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• ½ tsp kosher salt
• ¼ tsp black pepper
• 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 2 tbsp grated Parmesan, optional

Directions

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the green beans and cook for 3–4 minutes, until bright green and just tender.
2. Drain well. For crisper beans, rinse briefly with cold water or transfer to an ice bath, then dry.
3. Heat the butter and olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
4. Add the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds, just until fragrant.
5. Add the green beans, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Sauté for 4–5 minutes, tossing occasionally, until the beans are hot and lightly blistered.
6. Remove from the heat and toss with the lemon juice. Finish with Parmesan if you want.

Slow Cooker Creamy Tomato Chicken Rotini

Ingredients

• 2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 16 oz rotini pasta
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 1 jar (24 oz) marinara sauce
• 1 jar (15–16 oz) Alfredo sauce
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ tsp black pepper
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
• ½ cup reserved pasta water, as needed

Directions

1. Load the slow cooker: Place the chicken breasts in the bottom of the slow cooker. Scatter the diced onion over the chicken.
2. Add the sauce: Pour the marinara and Alfredo sauces over everything. Add the Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes if using.
3. Slow cook: Cover and cook until the chicken is tender:
• LOW: 5–6 hours
• HIGH: 3–4 hours
4. Shred the chicken: Remove the chicken, shred it with two forks, then return it to the slow cooker and stir it into the creamy tomato sauce.
5. Cook the rotini separately: About 20 minutes before serving, cook the rotini in well-salted water until just al dente. Reserve about ½ cup pasta water, then drain.
6. Finish the pasta: Stir the cooked rotini into the slow cooker along with the mozzarella and Parmesan. If the sauce is thicker than you like, stir in a little reserved pasta water.
7. Let everything come together: Cover and cook on LOW for another 10–15 minutes, just until the cheese is melted and the pasta has absorbed some of the sauce.

Notes

• Add 3 minced garlic cloves with the onion, and stir in 2–3 handfuls of baby spinach when you add the pasta. The spinach wilts right into the sauce and doesn't really change the comfort-food vibe.

Source

• https://www.instagram.com/p/DdZCdrlxjft/

How To: Homegrown Peanuts

Cure them for Roasting and Cooking

Step 1: Cleaning and Curing (Drying)

Wash: Rinse the harvested peanut pods thoroughly in cold water to remove all dirt and soil. Discard any floating or damaged "dud" pods.
Cure: Hang the entire harvested plant or spread the cleaned pods in a single layer in a warm, dry, and well-ventilated area (like a covered porch or garage) for 2 to 4 weeks.
Test: They are fully cured when the shells look dry and faded, and the peanut kernels inside rattle when shaken or feel hard and brittle.

Step 2: Choose Your Preparation Method

Once cured, shell the peanuts if a recipe calls for shelled nuts, or leave them in their shells for boiling or traditional roasting.

Option A: Making Boiled Peanuts (Use Fresh/Green or Rehydrated Peanuts)

If you skip drying and use freshly harvested (green) peanuts, you can boil them immediately.

• Wash: Scrub the fresh, undried pods clean.
• Soak: For fully cured/dry raw peanuts, soak them in salted water overnight (skip this if using fresh green peanuts).
• Boil: Place the peanuts in a large pot, cover with water by a couple of inches, and add plenty of salt (the water should taste like a well-seasoned soup). Weigh the floating peanuts down with a heatproof plate.
• Simmer: Cover and simmer on low for 2 to 4 hours for fresh green peanuts, or 5 to 8 hours for cured dry peanuts, adding water as needed until soft.

Option B: Roasting Peanuts for Snacking or Baking

Optional Brine: For extra flavor, soak clean, raw unshelled or shelled peanuts in a saltwater solution for 8 to 10 hours, then pat them dry.
Roast: Spread the dry peanuts in a single layer on a baking sheet.
Bake: Roast in a preheated oven at 325°F to 350°F for 15 to 25 minutes (if pre-soaked or raw, it may take 45 minutes). Stir occasionally.
Cool: Remove them just before they reach your desired roastiness, as they continue cooking while cooling.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NAI9KmgK66Y&t=1s

Egg Roll in a Bowl with Ground Pork 🥬🥢

Ingredients

• 1 lb ground pork OR shrimp
• 1 bag coleslaw mix
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tbsp soy sauce, plus more to taste
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 2 cups cooked rice
• Sliced green onions, optional
• Sesame seeds, optional

Directions

1. Cook the rice: Prepare the rice according to the package directions.
2. Cook the protein: If using pork, Add the ground pork to a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook, breaking it up as it browns, until fully cooked, about 6–8 minutes.
3. Add garlic and ginger: Stir in the garlic and ground ginger. Cook for about 30 seconds, until fragrant.
4. Add the coleslaw mix: Stir in the full bag of coleslaw mix.
5. Cook until tender: Cook for 5–7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the cabbage softens but still has a little texture.
6. Season: Stir in the soy sauce. Taste and add a little more soy sauce if needed.
7. Serve: Spoon the egg roll mixture over cooked rice and top with green onions and sesame seeds, if using.

Orange Chicken with Rice & Broccoli 🍊🥦

Ingredients

• 1 lb ground chicken
• 2 cups uncooked rice
• 2–3 heads broccoli, cut into florets
• ½–¾ cup orange sauce
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp oil
• Salt and black pepper, to taste

Directions

1. Cook the rice: Prepare the rice according to the package directions.
2. Brown the chicken: Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground chicken and cook, breaking it into small pieces, until browned and completely cooked through, about 6–8 minutes.
3. Add the garlic: Stir in the minced garlic and cook for about 1–2 minutes, until fragrant.
4. Add the orange sauce: Pour in ½ cup orange sauce and stir to coat the chicken. Add more sauce if you'd like it saucier. Reduce the heat slightly and simmer for 2–3 minutes.
5. Cook the broccoli: Steam or sauté the broccoli separately until bright green and tender-crisp, about 4–6 minutes. Season lightly with salt and pepper.
6. Assemble the bowls: Divide the cooked rice among bowls. Top with the orange chicken and broccoli. Spoon a little extra orange sauce over the top if desired.