Cranberry Hootycreeks!!

Ingredients

• 5/8 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup rolled oats
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/3 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries
• 1/2 cup white chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans

Directions

Layer the ingredients in a 1 quart or 1 liter jar, in the order listed.

Attach a tag with the following instructions: 

Cranberry Hootycreeks 

1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease a cookie sheet or line with parchment paper. 
2. In a medium bowl, beat together 1/2 cup softened butter, 1 egg and 1 teaspoon of vanilla until fluffy. Add the entire jar of ingredients, and mix together by hand until well blended. Drop by heaping spoonfuls onto the prepared baking sheets. 
3. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or until edges start to brown. 

Cool on baking sheets, or remove to cool on wire racks.

Hearty Lentil Soup with Bacon and Herbs

INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup chopped onion

• 1/2 cup chopped celery
• 1/2 cup chopped carrot
• 1 slice bacon, chopped
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 7 cups (or more) canned low-salt chicken broth
• 2 cups dried lentils (about 12 1/2 ounces)
• 2 large fresh thyme sprigs or 1/2 teaspoon dried
• 1 bay leaf

• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• 2 tablespoons chopped chives or green onions

PREPARATION

Combine onion, celery, carrot, bacon and garlic in heavy Dutch oven. Stir over medium-high heat 2 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low; cover and cook until vegetables are tender, about 7 minutes. 

Uncover; add 7 cups broth, lentils, thyme and bay leaf and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered until lentils are tender, stirring occasionally, about 45 minutes. Discard thyme sprigs and bay leaf.

Transfer half of soup to processor; cool slightly. Puree until smooth. Return puree to Dutch oven. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)

Bring soup to simmer, thinning with more broth, if desired. Season soup to taste with salt and pepper.

Combine parsley and chives in small bowl. Ladle soup into bowls. Sprinkle parsley mixture over and serve.

Get Yo' Man Chicken

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 6 chicken thighs, skinless
• 1 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 teaspoons pepper
• 1 medium onion, sliced
• 1 cup chicken stock
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 1 (14.5-ounce) can crushed tomatoes in thick puree
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/2 tablespoon dried rosemary
• 1 tablespoon lemon-pepper
• Hot buttered rice
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves

Directions

Heat the oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat.

Pat chicken dry with a paper towel and season with salt and pepper. Brown the chicken, meat-side down first, and turning once, about 4 minutes on each side. Transfer to a plate to reserve.

Pour off all but 1 tablespoon of oil from the pan.

Add onion to the pan and saute until tender, roughly 3 minutes. Add the stock and wine and stir, scrapping any brown bits off the bottom of the pan. Turn heat to high and reduce by half, about 3 minutes. Pour in the crushed tomatoes and add the dried herbs and lemon pepper. Add the chicken thighs back into the pan.Cover and cook on medium-low heat for 40 minutes.

Remove chicken from liquid and serve on hot buttered rice. Ladle the sauce on top and garnish with fresh chopped parsley.

Peach Crisp with Crunchy Granola Topping (Gluten Free!)

6 large peaches – approx 2½lbs

¼ cup brown sugar

¼ cup quick cooking oats

Topping

2 cups quick cooking oats

¾ cup brown sugar

½ cup walnuts or pecans, chopped

2 Tbsp sesame seeds

2 Tbsp each shelled pumpkin seeds and shelled sunflower seeds

1 tsp cinnamon

¼ tsp kosher salt

½ cup butter, cut into small pieces

Halve peaches, remove stones and cut into wedges. Place in a buttered 9x13-inch baking dish and toss peaches with ¼ cup each brown sugar and quick cooking oats.

Combine 2 cups oats with brown sugar, nuts, seeds, cinnamon and salt. Rub butter into the mixture. Sprinkle over peaches.

Bake in a preheated 350F oven for approximately 45 to 50 minutes until peaches are tender and topping is crispy.

Makes 8-10 servings