Run Fast and Far

Recipes Thus Far and A Brief Blurb For Each

Banana Smoothie...
Ingredients:
•1 large, ripe banana
•1 ½ cups almond milk

Directions:
•Place all ingredients in a blender for about two minutes. Drink straight away.

I have never been drunk but my older cousins, and my Dad have informed me that when you are hung over Banana Smoothies definitely help.

Portuguese Bean Soup:
Ingredients:
•Salted pork shanks (or other bones with meat attached) (Salt for two days in refrigerator)
•1 TBS olive oil
•1/2 pack of pinto beans
•water
•1 chopped onion
•1 large russet potato
•3 large carrots
•1 turnip
•1/4 cup rice OR 1/2 cup pasta
•1/2 head chopped cabbage
•Salt & Pepper

Directions:
•Salted pork shanks (or other bones with meat attached) (Salt for two days in refrigerator)
•In large pot add 1TBS olive oil, rinsed shanks (trim fat) and 1/2 pack pinto beans.
•Add water to cover and bring to boil (10 minutes)
•Add cold water on top to fill the pot to 2/3. Cold water will cause the beans to sink.
•Bring back to boil and then set to simmer for 2-3 hours until meat darkens & falls off the bones.
•Add onion during simmer
•Remove meat to a plate
•Remove shredded meat
•Remove 1/2 beans to bowl. Purée the remaining beans in liquid.
•Add 1 "sized chopped veggies: potato, carrots, turnip
•Add rice or pasta
•Add sufficient water along with the whole beans and shredded meat to make soup.
•Cook (High simmer) for 20 minutes to cook rice/pasta and veggies.
•Add cabbage
•Cook another 10 minutes of until cabbage is cooked
•Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper after tasting first.

My mum is from Portugal, and she makes a lot of good hearty Portuguese food for my family. This is one of my favorite things she makes. It's thick, it's good, it keeps, you can reheat it. It makes me think of home and comfort. If you try this recipe, let me know if you like it. My mum got it from my Grandmama then made it better.

Chicken Pot Pie:
*In the story Daphne made like 6 of these... But this is the recipe for making just a regular batch*
Ingredients:
(For the filling)
•2 chicken breasts
•2 tablespoons butter
•salt and pepper
•1 onion, chopped
•2 tablespoons butter
•4 tablespoons flour
•1 tablespoon poultry seasoning
•1(14 ounce) can chicken broth
•2 cups milk (use heavy cream if you want a richer filling)
•2 cups mixed frozen vegetables (peas and carrots) (add more if you'd like)
(For the biscuit crust)
•2 cups flour
•1 tablespoon baking powder
•2 cups milk
•1 tablespoon salt
•2 teaspoons sugar

Directions:
•Heat oven to 400 degrees (F) to have hot and ready for the biscuits
• Heat a large skillet pan on high heat and melt the butter. Salt and pepper the chicken to season it well. Lay the chicken breasts on the thick side down into the pan. Cook for about 7 minutes and turn, and cook for about 3-5 minutes, and when the second side is slightly browned. Removed the chicken from the pan and lay on a plate. The chicken does not need to be cooked through yet because it will continue to cook later.
•Add the remaining butter to the pan and add the chopped onions. Add about 1 tsp salt to the onions and sauté for about 5 minutes and they are cooked. Add the flour to the onions and stir the flour in well. Add about 1 cup of water and stir with a wire whisk until the flour is mixed well. Add the chicken broth and the milk and stir well. Season the sauce well with the poultry seasoning and salt and pepper for taste.
•Return the chicken to the pan, adding the juices onto the plate from the chicken. Cover the pan with a lid and cook for about 10-15 minutes.
•Start to prepare your biscuits by adding the flour to a medium size bowl. Add the remaining ingredients and stir well. Transfer the dough to a well floured counter surface and knead the dough for about a minute. Don't try to knead for too long or that may make the biscuits turn out tough.
•Roll the dough out with a rolling pin and with a round cookie cutter make individual biscuits. Place them onto a baking sheet and bake for about 15-20 minutes or until they're browned.
•Return to the skillet and remove the chicken from the pan. Allow the chicken breasts to sit for about 5 minutes or so.
•Add the frozen peas and carrots and stir well. Put the lid back on and cook for about 5 minutes. While the frozen vegetables are cooking through, cut the chicken into bite size pieces and return them to the skillet.
•When the peas and carrots are cooked through, the biscuits should be done.
•Pour the chicken sauce into a bowl and top with the biscuits. Enjoy by dipping the biscuits into the filling.

Although I love my mums Portuguese soups and stews, my father is from Tennessee. And my family lives all over the Midwest. And I love Chicken Pot Pie! But my family makes it a little different. Instead of actual pie, we make chicken and biscuits. It's a wonderful comfort food!

Strawberry Cheesecake:
Ingredients
Crust
•1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
•1/4 cup sugar
•6 tablespoons butter, melted

Filling
•2 packages (8 oz each) cream cheese, softened
•2 containers (8 oz each) whipped cream cheese spread, softened
•1 1/4 cups sugar
•2 teaspoons vanilla
•2 tablespoons lemon juice
•5 eggs
•2 tablespoons flour

Sour Cream Layer
•1 pint (2 cups) sour cream
•1/3 cup sugar
•1/2 teaspoon vanilla
•1 tablespoon lemon juice

Garnish
•Sliced fresh strawberries
•Strawberry sundae syrup
•Whipped cream

Directions
•Heat oven to 325°F. In small bowl, mix crust ingredients; press in bottom of ungreased 10-inch springform pan. Bake 10 minutes. Cool 3 to 5 minutes.
•Meanwhile, in large bowl, beat both kinds of cream cheese, 1 1/4 cups sugar, 2 teaspoons vanilla and 2 tablespoons lemon juice with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth and well blended. On low speed, add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition until blended. Add flour; beat until smooth.
•Pour filling over crust. Bake 55 minutes. Cool on cooling rack 10 minutes. Meanwhile, in small bowl, mix sour cream layer ingredients.
•Spoon and spread sour cream mixture evenly over top of cheesecake. Bake 10 minutes longer. Run knife around edge of pan to loosen cheesecake. Cool completely on cooling rack, about 2 hours. Cover; refrigerate at least 3 hours or overnight.
•Before serving, remove side of pan. Garnish each serving with fresh strawberries and a drizzle of strawberry sundae syrup and a dollop of whipped cream. Store in refrigerator.

I have no real explanation for why I chose cheesecake. I just really love cheesecake!