Harvest Candied Bacon Salad

Photo by: Cristy Cross Photography from “The Farmer’s Table” harvest long table dinner on October 2nd at the farm.

Harvest Candied Bacon Salad (4 servings)

Bacon Vinaigrette

1 shallot minced

1/3 cup bacon renderings

1/3 cup apple cider vinegar

3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 tbsp maple syrup

1 tbsp dijon mustard

Sauté shallot in bacon renderings. Mix Dijon mustard, maple syrup, shallots & bacon renderings in a bowl and whisk until homogeneous. Whisk in the remaining ingredients and season with a pinch of salt and pepper.

Salad

1/2lb Five Heart Farms bacon ends or bacon

1/4 cup maple syrup

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 head butter lettuce (washed & torn)

4-6oz goat cheese (crumbled)

4oz walnuts toasted

1 honey crisp apple or bartlett pear (thinly sliced)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil and lay a wire rack on it. Mix maple syrup and brown sugar in a bowl. Lay bacon on wire rack and rush with sugar mixture. Bake 10-15 minutes and then flip and brush the sugar mixture on the opposite side of the bacon. Continue to bake 15-20 minutes. Let cool and then chop.

Toss ingredients into a bowl and then serve.

Recipe from chef Erin Grimsley from The Farmwife Kitchen located in Friona, TX.

Enjoy!

The Best Chili EVER!

Picture: Cristy Cross Photography

Oh the weather outside is frightful, but this chili is so delightful! I’m serious guys, it’s truly DEVINE.

Here is what you need:

• 2 lbs Five Heart Farms dry-aged ground beef

• 4 tbsp olive oil

• 1 yellow onion chopped

• 1 green bell pepper chopped

• 1 small can diced green chiles

• 4 cloves garlic minced

• 1/4 cup flat-leaf Italian parsley finely chopped

• 2 jalapeño peppers finely chopped (optional)

• 3 tbsp chili powder

• 2 tsp cumin

• 1 tsp sugar

• 1 tsp oregano

• 1 tsp salt

• 1 tsp pepper

• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

• 46 oz. tomato juice

• 28 oz. diced tomatoes

• 15 oz. tomato sauce

• 16 oz. kidney beans drained and rinsed

• 16 oz. pinto beans drained and rinsed

• Shredded cheese and sour cream for topping

How to make Five Heart Farms amazing chili:

• In a large skillet, cook ground meat over medium-high heat until no longer pink. Transfer the meat to a bowl. Drain excess grease from skillet, but do not clean.

• Add the olive oil to the skillet. Add the onion, bell pepper, garlic, parsley and jalapeño peppers (if using) and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until onions are soft and fragrant (about 5 minutes). Remove from heat and add the chili powder, cumin, sugar, oregano, salt, pepper and cayenne pepper. Stir until combined.

• Add your meat-veggie mixture & all other ingredients to the slow cooker or instant pot. In slow cooker, cook on low for 7 to 8 hours. In instant pot, cook for 30 minutes. Serve warm with cheese and sour cream.

Enjoy!

Gamma's Famous Meatloaf

This might just be the world’s BEST meatloaf. I’ll go ahead and say it. Need to woo your family at your next family gathering? This meatloaf will do just that. It is absolutely delicious!

Prep Time: 15 minutes Cook Time: 1 hour Cooling Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes

Here’s what you need:

• 1/2 tablespoon canola oil

• 1/2 cup diced yellow onion

• 1/2 cup diced bell pepper

• 1/2 can crushed tomatoes (optional)

• 2 lbs Five Heart Farms Dry Aged Ground Beef

• 1 1/2 sleeves of crushed Ritz crackers

• 2 lightly beaten eggs

• 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

• 1/2 cup whole milk

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

For The Topping:

• 1/2-3/4 cup ketchup

• 2 teaspoon brown sugar

• 1 teaspoon yellow mustard

How to make Gamma’s Famous Meatloaf:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees

2. Optional: sautee the onions and diced peppers in a small pan with oil to soften.

3. Crush the Ritz crackers by hand or by food processor until they resemble breadcrumbs.

4. In a large bowl, mix the eggs, cracker crumbs, onion, bell pepper, cheese, milk, salt and pepper.

5. Add ground beef and mix all together.

6. Form it into a loaf and place it into a loaf pan.

7. Bake for 30 minutes.

8. Combine the topping ingredients while it bakes and then set aside.

9. Remove the meatloaf and brush the topping onto the top of the meatloaf. Bake for an additional 30-40 minutes. Ensure the middle is 160 degrees before you slice.

10. Remove from oven and let stand for 15 minutes before slicing and serving.

11. Put on your stretchy pants and ENJOY!

Instant Pot Swedish Meatballs

I have been dying to try some new meals, but with being giant pregnant I need easy and fool proof meals, haha! My friend mentioned making swedish meatballs for her family and them loving them so I thought I would give them a try. I found a couple recipes on Pinterest and decided to combine some of the ingredients and make up my own recipe! It turned out amazing and it made enough to save a whole freezer bag full for when the baby gets here. Hope you enjoy!

Here’s what you need:

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1 carton beef broth

1 package frozen beef meatballs or Five Heart Farms beef meatballs

1 cup milk

1 cup water

1 packet onion soup mix

1 package egg noodles

1 cup sour cream

How to make Swedish Meatballs:

1. Add the onion soup mix, cream of mushroom soup, beef broth, milk, and water into the Instant Pot and stir it all together. Once mixed, add the bag of egg noodles.

2. Add the package of frozen meatballs on top of the noodles, spread evenly.

3. Close the lid and cook for 10 minutes on manual setting with the vent set to “sealing”.

4. Quick release the pressure when the alarm goes off.

5. Stir in sour cream until combined.

6. ENJOY!

Pesto Chicken

Comin’ at you with an easy peasy recipe that is fool proof!

Here’s what you need:

4 chicken breasts

1 jar of pesto sauce

1 tablespoon olive oil or butter

1 teaspoon minced garlic

Salt & pepper to taste

How to make pesto chicken:

1. Add 1 tablespoon of oil or butter & minced garlic to skillet and turn to medium heat.

2. Add salt & pepper to chicken and transfer to the heated skillet. Cook for 5-8 minutes on each side until cooked through. Turn down heat to simmer. Transfer chicken to a plate and cover to keep warm.

3. In the same skillet that the chicken was cooked in, add the pesto sauce and add the chicken breasts back to the pan. Cover & let chicken simmer in the sauce for 5 minutes.

Serve with sautéed vegetables or pasta and top with parmesan cheese.

Easy Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas

Grocery shopping literally takes it out of me. Getting everything on the list, wrangling a screaming toddler who doesn't want to sit in the cart, getting it to the car and then somehow managing to unload it all in the house. It's so tempting to just run through the local Taco Villa and grab dinner. Anyone feel me? Or maybe I'm just lazy haha.

My favorite go to meal after grocery shopping are these easy Rotisserie Chicken Green Chile Enchiladas. The ingredient list is simple, the preparation is easy and the cook time is quick.

Here's what you need:

1 Rotisserie chicken

2 cups Sour Cream

1 1/2 cups shredded Mexican Cheese

1 small can diced green chiles

Corn tortillas

1 can green Enchilada sauce

Salt & Pepper to taste

 How to Make Chicken Enchiladas:

1. In a small bowl, combine chicken, sour cream, 1 cup cheese, green chiles, salt and pepper.

2. In a small skillet, bring enchilada sauce to boil and then remove from heat.

3. Dip each tortilla into heated sauce for a few seconds to soften.

4. Spoon enchilada mixture into the tortilla.

5. Roll the tortilla and place seam-side down in 8×8 (or 9×9) inch baking dish.

6. Pour remaining heated enchilada sauce over top. Sprinkle with remaining 1 cup cheese.

7. Bake 20 minutes at 350.

And there you have it! Husband approved. Toddler approved. Mom approved.