Gingerbread men

 Turned out really well!

• 3 and 1/2 cups (440g) all-purpose flour 
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 Tablespoon ground ginger
• 1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 10 Tablespoons (2/3 cup; 145g) unsalted butter
• 3/4 cup light or dark brown sugar
• 2/3 cup unsulphured or dark molasses 
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven 350

2. Mix wet ingredients

3. Add in dry

4. Chill dough in discs for 3 h - 3 days

5. Roll out and bake 8-9 min 

Carnitas

Ingredients

 olive oil

3-4 lb. pork shoulder

2 tbsp cumin

2 tbsp oregano

1 tbsp chili powder

2 tsp paprika

pinch of cayenne pepper (didn’t add)

1 white onion, diced

8-10 cloves garlic, smashed

½ cup orange juice

12 oz. bottle Mexican beer

32 oz. chicken broth (or as much will fit in the cooker)

Instructions

1. Rub the meat with spices, then sear on hot pan with olive oil for a min each side

2. Move meat to slow cooker, add onions garlic salt pepper to pan (no rinse) and soften those; use a little broth to deglaze and add to cooker

3. Add beer, oj, then remaining broth (if you’re using better than bouillon, add the bouillon directly to the pot not the broth in case you don’t use all the liquid)

4. Slow cook 8-10 h, high 4-5

5. Take out the meat, shred, place on cookie sheet & drizzle ~1 cup of the cooking liquid on top

6. Broil for 3-5 min until some parts are crispy

Mango Kale Salad w/ Cilantro Dressing

 Adapted from Half Baked Harvest!

Ingredients:

• Kale
• Shredded cabbage (~6 cups total with the kale)
• some micro greens (if you have them)
• diced mango (fresh) ~1 cup
• ~4 mini bell peppers sliced
• ~2 corn cobs, corn cut off (raw or grilled)
• 2 avocados, diced
• 1/4 c toasted sunflower seeds
• cotija or feta crumbled (if doing dairy)

Dressing

• 2 c or 1 bunch of cilantro
• 1/2 c of basil
• 1/4 c lime juice (or 2 limes)
• 1 jalapeno (no seeds)
• 1/3 c olive oil
• ~1/4 c tahini (I do a little less)
• 1 tsp honey
• salt / pepper

Mix the dressing in a cuisinart. 

Arrange the salad with components on top of the greens, then toss to serve!

Mussels

 Ingredients

• 2tbsp olive oil
• 2garlic cloves
• Pinch of crushed red pepper
• 4pounds mussels, cleaned
• ¼cup white wine or water
• 1baguette
• 1cup roughly chopped parsley

Instructions 

• Using large pot, heat garlic oil and red pepper on medium
• Add mussels, stir, lid on, high heat 2 min
• Stir, lid back on, 6-8 more min
• Add parsley and serve!