Jay Cookbook

Fresh Summer Salsa

Ingredients

• Chopped Roma Tomatoes
• Red Onion Chopped Scallions
• Chopped Red Bell Pepper
• Chopped Avocado (Optional)
• Chopped Rip Mango (Optional)
• Chickpeas (Optional)
• Chopped Cilantro
• Chopped Garlic
• Fresh Lime Juice
• Olive Oil
• Pinch of Sea or Himalayan Pink Salt
• Corn Chips

Directions

Chop, Chop, Chop

1. Throw in a bowl and you’re done!

Eat with chips OR

• Use on a chicken dish
• Scramble with eggs
• Place over a bowl of chickpeas
• Add to a bean salad
• Use as a salad topping

Hormel Chili Dip

Ingredients

• 16 oz can of Hormel Chili (whichever you prefer)
• 8 oz cream cheese
• Shredded cheddar cheese
• Tortilla Chips (or whatever you would like to serve it with)

Directions

1. Layer cream cheese first, followed by  chili, and then cheese on top.
2. Heat in microwave or oven until cheese is melted
3. Enjoy!

Natural Dill Hummus

Ingredients

• Bagged or Canned Chickpeas
• Fat-free plain Greek Yogurt
• Kalamata Olives
• Fresh Dill
• Garlic
• Fresh Lemon Juice
• Olive Oil
• Pinch of Sea or Himalayan Pink Salt
• Pepper

Directions

1. Soak chickpeas overnight. Bring to a boil and simmer 30-45 minutes or until tender. (Or use canned chickpeas which don’t require  cooking, however, contain more sodium).
2. Drain, reserving liquid and rinse off.
3. Place them into the blender with all the other ingredients.
4. Blend on medium speed until it achieves a  smooth, peanut-butter-like consistency.
5. Add additional cooking liquid ingredients or Greek yogurt if it seems too stiff.
6. Taste and adjust seasonings/ingredients if necessary.
7. Best if chilled overnight to develop flavor.

Sesame Chicken for Slow Cooker

Ingredients

• 1 ½ pounds skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
• ½ cup honey
• ¼ cup soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons ketchup
• 2 tablespoons dried minced onion
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 3 tablespoons water
• Sesame seeds, or to taste

Directions

1. Spread chicken into the crock of a slow cooker.
2. Stir honey, soy sauce, ketchup, minced  onion, vegetable oil, and garlic powder  together in a bowl; pour over the chicken.
3. Cook on Low until the chicken is tender, 3 to 4 hours.
4. Remove chicken from the sauce in the slow cooker to a cutting board. Stir water and cornstarch together to dissolve cornstarch completely; pour into the sauce in the slow cooker until smooth.
5. Cook on High until slightly thickened, about 10 minutes.
6. Cut chicken into bite-size pieces and stir into the sauce. Sprinkle sesame seeds over the chicken and sauce mixture.

Sunday Meatballs

Ingredients

• 1 lb. of ground veal, pork, beef mix
• 2 eggs
• ½ cup Italian breadcrumbs
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon pepper
• 3 garlic cloves
• ½  cup Romano cheese
• ½ handful parsley

Directions

1. WASH YOUR HANDS!!
2. Preheat oven to 350.
3. Spray baking sheet with PAM or cover baking sheet with tinfoil for easy cleanup.
4. Mix ingredients together with hands, then  roll into 1.5-inch meatballs and put on  baking sheet.
5. Cook at 350 for about 12-15 minutes,  watch for color to turn, then rotate  meatballs to other side.
6. Cook for another 10-12 minutes.
7. Mangia!

Miracle Mango Salsa Chicken

Ingredients

• 6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• 1 cup long-grain white rice
• One 16-ounce jar mango salsa
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black  pepper
• Olive oil

Directions

1. Preheat a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat.
2. Sprinkle the chicken thighs with salt and pepper on both sides.
3. Add 2 tablespoons oil to the skillet and sear the  chicken thighs until browned well, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Remove the chicken to a plate.
4. Add the rice, 1 1/2 cups water and 1 cup of the  mango salsa.
5. Stir and bring to a boil. Add the chicken back to the top of the rice, reduce to a simmer, cover and  cook until the chicken and rice are cooked through, 17 to 20 minutes.
6. Serve up a pile of rice, topped with the chicken  and garnished with additional mango salsa.

White Chicken Chili

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 onion, diced
• 1/2 jalapeño, minced
• 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces (we  use rotisserie chicken)
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 1/4 teaspoons salt
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/2 cup frozen corn kernels (no need to thaw)
• 2 (15-ounce) cans white beans (such as Great Northern or cannellini), drained and rinsed
• 2 (15-ounce) cans diced tomatoes (such as Rotel)
• 1 3/4 cups chicken broth, store bought or homemade
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• Optional toppings:Chopped cilantro, sour cream, grated Monterey Jack cheese, diced  avocado, and/or corn tortilla strips

Directions

1. In a medium soup pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and jalapeño and cook, stirring, until the onion has softened, 2 to 3  minutes.
2. Add the chicken and cook, stirring occasionally,  until it is lightly browned on the outside and no  longer pink on the inside (add more olive oil if the pot starts to dry out), 4 to 5 minutes.
3. Toss the minced garlic and spices into the pot and  turn a few times to coat the chicken evenly. Add the corn, beans, and chicken broth and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, about 20 minutes.
4. Break up some of the beans with the back of a wooden spoon to help thicken the chili. Stir in the  cream, garnish with the desired toppings, and serve!

Greek-Style Meatballs

Ingredients

• 1 lb ground beef
• ¾ c. crumbled feta cheese
• ½ small red onion, grated
• 1/3 c. Italian-style breadcrumbs
• ¼ c. chopped fresh parsley
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 2 tsp. dried oregano
• ¼ tsp. each salt and pepper
• Lemon slices
• ½ c. prepared tzatziki
• 1 lb red potatoes

Directions

1. ◦Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
2. In large bowl, mix 1ground beef, feta  cheese, red onion, breadcrumbs, parsley, egg, oregano, salt and pepper.
3. Form into 12 balls and thread onto  skewers.
4. On cookie sheet, spray with olive oil cooking spray, roast meatballs at 425  degrees for 15-20 minutes or until cooked  through.
5. Serve with lemon slices, tzatziki, red potatoes (roasted with 2 tsp. oil).
6. Garnish with additional parsley.

Caramelized Shallot Pasta

Ingredients

• ¼ cup olive oil
• 6 large shallots, very thinly sliced
• 5 garlic cloves, 4 thinly sliced, 1 finely  chopped
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon red-pepper flakes, plus more to taste
• 1 (2-ounce) can anchovy fillets (about 12), drained
• 1 (4.5-ounce) tube or (6-ounce) can of tomato paste (about 1/2 to 3/4 cup)
• 10 ounces pasta
• 1 cup parsley, leaves and tender stems,  finely chopped
• Flaky sea salt

Directions

1. Heat olive oil in a large heavy-bottomed Dutch oven over medium high.  Add shallots and thinly sliced garlic, and season with salt and pepper.
2. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the shallots have become totally softened and caramelized with golden-brown fried edges, 15 to 20 minutes.
3. Add red-pepper flakes and anchovies. (No need to chop the anchovies;  they will dissolve on their own.) Stir to melt the anchovies into the shallots, about 2 minutes.
4. Add tomato paste and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring  constantly to prevent any scorching, until the tomato paste has started to cook in the oil a bit, caramelizing at the edges and going from bright red to  a deeper brick red color, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and transfer  about half the mixture to a resealable container, leaving the rest behind. (These are your leftovers to be used elsewhere: in another batch of pasta or  smeared onto roasted vegetables, spooned over fried eggs or spread  underneath crispy chicken thighs.)
5. To serve, cook pasta according to package instructions in a large pot of  salted boiling water until very al dente (perhaps more al dente than usual).  Transfer to Dutch oven with remaining shallot mixture (or a skillet if you are  using the leftover portion) and 1 cup pasta water. Cook over medium-high heat, swirling the skillet to coat each piece of pasta, using a wooden spoon or spatula to scrape up any bits on the bottom, until pasta is thick and  sauce has reduced and is sticky, but not saucy, 3 to 5 minutes.
6. In a small bowl, combine parsley and finely chopped garlic clove, and  season with flaky salt and pepper. Divide pasta among bowls, or transfer to one large serving bowl, and top with parsley mixture and a bit more red pepper flakes, if you like. Leftovers are great on eggs and other things too!

Pistachio Thumbprint Cookies

Ingredients

• 1 cup unsalted butter softened
• 1/3 cup powdered sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 tsp almond extract
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 (3.4 ounce) box instant pistachio pudding mix
• 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
• 2 cups pecans roughly choppedFor the filling
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 -3 tbsp heavy cream (or milk)For the glaze
• 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
3. In a large bowl, cream together softened butter and sugar until light  and fluffy. Beat in egg, extracts, and salt.
4. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour and pudding mix. Add to the  butter mixture and beat until just combined. Stir in chocolate chips.
5. Shape into 1 inch balls and roll in chopped pecans. Place on  prepared baking sheet 2 inches apart. Use a teaspoon to make a “thumbprint” in the center.
6. Bake in preheated oven for 10 – 12 minutes, until set but not  browned. Use the teaspoon to press the “thumbprint” again if necessary. Let cool completely before filling.
7. To make the filling: Whisk together all filling ingredients until no lumps remain. Fill each cookie with the filling. Let set before glazing.
8. To make the glaze: In a microwave safe bowl, microwave the chocolate chips in 30  second increments, stirring after each time, until melted and smooth. Transfer to a plastic ziplock bag, snip off a corner, and drizzle as  desired.

Pumpkin Chiffon Pie

Ingredients

Crust

• 12 graham crackers
• 2 Tbsp. sugar
• ¼ tsp. kosher salt
• 6 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted, slightly cooled

Filling and Assembly

• 1 envelope unflavored gelatin (2½ tsp.)
• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
• ¼ tsp. ground nutmeg
• ¾ (scant) cup plus 2 Tbsp. sugar, divided
• ¾ tsp. kosher salt, divided
• 3 large egg yolks
• ¾ cup whole milk
• 1¼ cups unsweetened pumpkin purée (from one 15-oz. can)
• 3 large egg whites
• ¾ cup heavy cream
• ¼ cup sour cream

Directions

Crust

1. Preheat oven to 325°. Pulse graham crackers in a food processor until broken down  into fine crumbs (you should have about 2 cups). Set aside 2 Tbsp. graham cracker crumbs for serving. Add sugar and salt and pulse just to combine. Add butter and  pulse until mixture is the consistency of wet sand.
2. Transfer to a 9½”-diameter deep pie dish. Using a measuring cup, press crumbs firmly  onto bottom and up sides of dish. Bake crust until fragrant and edges just start to  take on color, 20–25 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool.

Filling and Assembly

1. Stir gelatin, cinnamon, nutmeg, a scant ½ cup sugar, and ½ tsp. salt in a small  saucepan. Whisk egg yolks and milk in a small bowl to combine, then whisk into sugar mixture. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until mixture begins to  thicken and coats the back of a spoon (but do not let it boil), about 5 minutes. Stir in  pumpkin purée and remove from heat. Transfer to a large bowl and chill until cool,  about 10 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, using an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat egg whites in a  large bowl until soft peaks form. With the motor running, gradually add a scant ¼  cup sugar and continue to beat until stiff peaks form, 5–7 minutes.
3. Mix one-third of egg white mixture into chilled pumpkin mixture until smooth. Gently  fold remaining egg white mixture into pumpkin mixture in 2 additions until  incorporated, but don’t overmix.
4. Pour filling into graham cracker crust; smooth top. Cover and chill overnight.
5. Vigorously whisk cream in a large bowl until medium peaks form. Fold in sour cream  and remaining 2 Tbsp. sugar and ¼ tsp. salt just to combine. If the cream looks like it  could use another whisk or two to hold medium peaks, give it a whisk until it reaches the desired consistency. Using a large spoon, dollop a generous amount of  whipped cream in the center of pie. Sprinkle with reserved graham cracker crumbs.  Slice and serve with any remaining whipped cream alongside.

Cinnamon Roll Apple Pie

Ingredients

• 5 granny smith apples, sliced
• 2 cans cinnamon roll
• ½ cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and spray a pie dish with nonstick oil.
2. Peel and cut the apples into thin slices and place in a bowl.
3. Add sugar, cinnamon and cornstarch to apples and stir.
4. Cut each cinnamon roll in half and roll out with flour until thin.
5. Layer the bottom of the pie dish with the flattened cinnamon rolls to create a bottom crust.
6. Add the apples and layer the rest of the rolls on  top to create a closed crust, pinch any holes  together with your fingers.
7. Cover with foil and bake for 35 minutes.
8. Remove the foil and bake for another 10 minutes uncovered.
9. Allow the pie to cool and drizzle with icing