Senegalese Chicken Stew

6 lbs. skinless chicken breasts or thighs, slice into thin pieces
1/3 c peanut oil or olive oil
3 medium onions, sliced
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 1/2 tbsp minced fresh ginger
1 tsp crushed hot red pepper
2 cans (28 oz. each) Italian peeled tomatoes, with their juices
2 tbsp brown sugar
3 large red-skinned or Yukon gold potatoes peeled and cut into thick wedges
2 bay leaves
1 1/3 C smooth peanut butter
3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
3 to 4 large carrots, peeled and sliced crosswise into thick oval slices
3 sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 in. thick wedges
2 bell peppers, seeded and cut into wedges
2 cans (15 oz. each) black-eyed peas

1. Trim any extra fat from the chicken. Hack the breasts crosswise in half. Season with salt and pepper.

2. In a large casserole, heat the oil over moderately high heat. Add the onions, cover and cook for 3 minutes. Uncover and saute until golden and beginning to brown. Add the garlic, ginger and hot pepper, saute for about 30 seconds. Add the chicken pieces and cook, turning in the oil until they are white outside and coated with oil, 8-10 min.

3. In a blender or food processor, puree the canned tomatoes with their juices and add to the pot. Stir in the brown sugar, 2 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp ground pepper. Add the red-skinned potatoes, bay leaves and 3 cups of water, or enough to barely cover the chicken. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer, partially covered, for 15 min. Stir in the peanut butter and lemon juice.

4. Add the carrots, sweet potatoes, bell peppers and black-eyed peas. Simmer until the chicken and vegetables are tender, 10-15 min. longer. It's nice if the peppers remain slightly crisp.

Serve the soup over rice or couscous.

Spinach Dip

1 package frozen creamed spinach (I prefer Stouffer's for this recipe)
4-6 oz. pepper jack cheese

Microwave creamed spinach according to package instructions. Cut cheese into cubes. Combine heated spinach and cubed cheese and microwave (covered) for another 1-2 minutes, or until cheese is fully melted. Serve hot with tortilla or pita chips.

Chicken Dip

1 packet taco seasoning (Taco Bell)
1 jar salsa (Taco bell recommended...small jar)
2 cups shredded cheese
1 can diced black olives
1 big can white chicken chunks

Combine all ingredients. Bake in 8x8 pan at 350 for 20-30 minutes.

Fall Soup

Several cans or boxes of Chicken Broth
1 bag of shredded cabbage
2 or 3 sweet potatoes peeled and diced
Whole grain Mustard
1 Kielbasa sausage
2 Granny Smith Apples

1. Brown sausage in a Tablespoon of butter
2. After or during browning, sauté cabbage with sausage
3. Add several big Tablespoons of Mustard
4. Add Chicken Broth to cover well all the ingredients (can add more chicken broth as soup cooks.)
5. Add sweet potatoes and cook for about an hour. Add apples too.

Recipe from Susan Kelton

Chicken, Apple, and Basil Salad (AKA Killer Chicken Salad!)

(serves 4)

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
4 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
¼ cup fresh lime juice (from 2-3 limes)
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
4 scallions (white and light green parts) thinly sliced
2 Granny Smith apples, diced (peeled or not)
1/3 cup roasted peanuts, roughly chopped
2 tablespoons thinly sliced fresh mint
½ cup thinly sliced fresh basil

Prepare Chicken
Rinse, place in large pan with enough water or canned chicken broth to cover by ½ inch. (If using water, add 3 teaspoons salt and ½ teaspoon pepper. If using chicken broth, add nothing.) Bring to a gentle simmer and poach till cooked through (about 8-10 minutes). Remove from liquid and set aside to cool.

Prepare dressing
In a large bowl, in which you will eventually assemble the salad, whisk lime juice, vinegar, & sugar till sugar dissolved.

Dice
Scallions, apples, peanuts, mint, basil, and chicken.

Assemble
First add apples to dressing; toss until well coated. Add remaining diced ingredients, toss, add salt and pepper as needed.

Recipe from Diane Collins

Dixie-inspired Hummus

Hummus

2 cups canned garbanzo beans, drained
1/3 cup tahini + 2 Tablespoons
¼ cup lemon juice
1 teaspoon salt
3-4 cloves garlic, halved
1 tablespoon olive oil

Place all ingredients in food processor and blend well. Enjoy!

Ali's Lentil Loaf

Lentil Loaf

¾ cup dry lentils
1 ½ cups water
2 Tbs. cider vinegar
1 Tbs. peanut or olive oil
1 cup finely minced onion
4-5 large cloves garlic, minced
About 10 large mushrooms, minced
½ cup very finely minced walnuts
1 tsp. salt
Optional: ½ lb. fresh spinach, finely minced
1 tsp. dried mustard
Fresh black pepper, to taste
½ cup fine bread crumbs or wheat germ or/and cereal

1. place lentils and water in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer, partially covered, for about 30 minutes, or until the lentils are soft and the liquid is gone. Transfer to a medium-sized bowl, add vinegar, and mash well.
2. heat oil in a medium-sized skillet. Add onions and sauté over medium heat for about 5 minutes. Add all remaining ingredients except wheat germ or bread crumbs, and sauté 5 to 10 minutes, or until all the vegetables are tender. Add the sauté and crumbs to the lentils and mix well.
3. add 1-2 eggs and 1 Tbsp Worchestershire sauce.
4. put mixture in loaf pan and cover with ketchup.
5. bake at 350 for 45-60 minutes.

Note: Even antilentileaters approve of this one.

Sweet Potato Pancakes

Sweet Potato Pancakes

1 1/2 C flour
3 1/2 tsp baking powder
3 tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
pinch of cloves
1 1/4 cup mashed sweet potatoes
2 eggs
1 1/2 c milk
1/4 c oil

Use your very best Miriam-imagination for the rest (cook pancakes in well-oiled pan until golden orange; take liberties with the recipe - add chocolate chips, walnuts, etc)

Wendell Berry has a point

. . . But for the purposes of promoting good cooking, I think an online blog is the best way to preserve the best of windrush recipes. Here are the instructions:

1. Post your recipe (if you need affirmation that its worth posting just ask around).
2. Tag your recipe ("dessert," or "side dish," etc).