Roasted Platter

(serves 8):
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2 lbs fingerling potatoes
4 large sweet potatoes
1 head of garlic
rack of lamb (8 chops)
1/2 cup bread crumbs
2 T parsley, chopped
1 whole chicken
1.5 cups chicken stock
8 oz mirepoix
2 lemons; sliced
2 apples; sliced
1 oz butter
olive oil-for coating
zest from 1 orange
salt-to taste
pepper-to taste
3 rosemary sprigs
fresh sage-chopped
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1. Cut fingerling potatoes in half and toss in olive oil, rosemary, salt, and pepper; roast in oven at 400F for 35-40 minutes, or until tender when pierced with a fork.
2. Cut sweet potatoes into medium dice and toss with olive oil, orange zest, sage, salt, and pepper; roast in oven at 400F for 30 minutes, or until tender when pierced with a fork.
3. Cut off the top of the garlic head; coat garlic in olive oil and bake in oven for 45min-1hr, or until soft to the touch.
4. Season lamb chops and sear in a pan ~3 minutes on each side, or until golden; mix bread crumbs, olive oil, and parsley; coat chops in bread crumb mixture and roast in oven at 375F until the inside temperature reaches 125F; allow to rest.
5. Season chicken well and rub with butter; stuff chicken with lemons and apples; coat mirepoix in olive oil and place on bottom of pan; place chicken on top; add chicken stock; roast at 400F for 15 min (until brown); baste and turn oven down to 375F; roast until internal temperature reaches 165F; allow to rest.

Protein Tapas

Once you have all of your mise en place (which can be done a day ahead and refrigerated), all you have to do is assembly! (serves 4):
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2 breasts chicken-grilled or pan seared; sliced thin
2, 8 oz pieces Salmon-grilled or pan seared
10-15 large shrimp-grilled or pan seared
2, 8 oz cuts steak-grilled or pan seared
1 lb Asparagus-grilled or blanched
2 tomatoes-sliced into wedges
2 Granny Smith apples- sliced into wedges
Cheddar cheese-for topping
Cilantro and parsley-for topping
~10 slices whole grain bread
Olive oil (garlic, basil, or rosemary oil can be substituted)

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1. Cut crust off bread and slice bread into 3x3 in squares; brush with olive oil (garlic, basil, or rosemary oil can be substituted); toast bread.
2. Cut all proteins into 2x2 in squares.
3. Assemble salmon: place one salmon square on top of toast, top with flavored oil.
4. Assemble salmon 2: place one salmon square on top of tomato wedge, top with cilantro and arranged asparagus.
5. Assemble chicken: place one chicken square on top of each apple wedge; top with thinly sliced cheese strips and parsley.
6. Assemble chicken 2: place one chicken square on top of each tomato wedge; top with thinly sliced cheese squares and cilantro.
7. Assemble steak: place one steak square on top of each bread slice; top with cilantro, flavored oil, and asparagus.
8. Assemble steak 2: place one steak square on top of each bread slice; top with thinly sliced tomato and parsley.
9. Assemble shrimp: place one shrimp on top of each tomato wedge; top with cilantro.

A New Way To Eat Oatmeal

Tired of the same old oat meal? Try black currant oatmeal pancakes with organic yogurt and walnuts (serves 2):
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2 eggs
1 cup milk
2 cups oatmeal-quick oats
1/2 cup dried black currants
2 t brown sugar
1 t vanilla extract
butter or cooking spray for pan
1/2 cup organic vanilla yogurt
1/2 cup walnuts-toasted
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1. In a bowl, mix the eggs and milk.
2. Add oatmeal, currants, brown sugar, and vanilla into the bowl.
3. Heat and butter a pan (or spray with cooking spray). Ladle batter into the pan and cook pancakes until just brown on each side (about 2 min).
4. Top pancakes with yogurt and walnuts.

Alternatively, try plain oatmeal cakes (serves 2):
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2 eggs
1 cup milk
2 cups oatmeal
3 t brown sugar
1 t vanilla extract
2 t lemon juice
butter for cooking (or cooking spray)
optional: chocolate chips, bananas, raisins, strawberries, whipped cream, jam
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1. In a bowl mix the eggs and milk.
2. Add in oatmeal, brown sugar, vanilla extract, and
lemon juice.
3. Add optional ingredients.
4. Heat butter in pan (or spray pan with cooking spray) and brown cakes on each side (approximately 1-2 minutes on each side).
5. Serve warm optional items.