Grazing with Gary: Recipes from the vault – enchiladas, white bean soup, Thai peanut wonton

We have one week left in this month and what have you accomplished? For me, this has been a very busy month with so much to do and so little time. Last week, we gathered at the Auburn Journal office to celebrate the grand opening of the newspaper museum. Was looking for Grazing with Gary to be a part of it but maybe in Phase 2. If you are out and about, please stop by and check out the old equipment. We also got to visit the printing line where the papers are printed. This was my first time seeing that, and it was amazing how the paper is printed. This week, our recipes come from the recipe vault. First, we have slow cooker enchiladas. This recipe is cooked low and slow for at least 5 hours. The end product is a great enchilada meal. Second, it's still soup weather so make a pot of this white bean soup and keep your family warm and cozy this winter. Last, this appetizer recipe for Thai peanut wontons is such a wonderful combination of ingredients. You can serve them for lunch or dinner and don't have to wait for the company to arrive. Happy Cooking!!! Slow Cooker Enchiladas INGREDIENTS · 1 pound ground beef · 1 cup onion, chopped · 1/2 cup green pepper, chopped · 1 can diced tomatoes and green chiles, undrained · 1 small can tomato sauce · 1 package enchilada sauce (dry mix) · 1/3 cup water · 1/2 tsp salt · 1/4 tsp black pepper · 4 ounces low fat cheese, shredded · 1 can pinto beans, rinsed and drained · 6 flour tortillas Bottom of Form INSTRUCTIONS In a skillet, cook beef, onion and green pepper until beef is browned. Drain. In a bowl, add all ingredients except for the tortillas and stir. In a crockpot, layer about 1/6 beef mixture, then a tortilla. Repeat layers with all 6 tortillas. Cover and cook on low for 5-7 hours or until heated through (you can also cut up tortillas and stir into mixture). Tuscan Chicken and White Bean Soup INGREDIENTS · 4 ounces pancetta or bacon if you can't find pancetta · 1 onion, finely diced · 3 cloves garlic minced · 1 teaspoon dried thyme · 1 teaspoon dried basil · ½ teaspoon dried rosemary · 2 tablespoons tomato paste · 3 cups chicken stock · 28-ounce canned tomatoes · 2 cups shredded cooked chicken · 28-ounce canned white cannellini beans drained and rinsed · 4 ciabatta rolls or 1 ciabatta baguette, sliced · Olive oil · 5 ounces fresh baby spinach, cleaned · 1 teaspoon salt · Freshly ground black pepper · Block of parmesan cheese INSTRUCTIONS 1. Place pancetta in a large stockpot and cook until some of the fat has been rendered out – about 6 to 8 minutes. Remove the pancetta with a slotted spoon and set it aside. 2. Add the onion to the stockpot and cook until the onion starts to soften – about 6 minutes. Add the garlic, thyme, basil, rosemary and tomato paste, stir to blend well, and cook for another minute or two. Add the chicken stock, tomatoes, shredded chicken and beans to the pot and stir well. 3. Simmer the soup for 30 minutes. While the soup is simmering, pre-heat a skillet over medium heat. Add olive oil and toast the cut side of the ciabatta rolls or slices in the skillet until nicely browned. 4. Remove the soup from heat and stir in the spinach. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve the soup with some of the cooked pancetta sprinkled on top, some shards of Parmesan cheese (made by peeling the cheese with a potato peeler) and the toasted ciabatta bread. Thai Peanut Chicken Wonton Cups INGREDIENTS Nonstick cooking spray 24 wonton wrappers 1/3 cup peanut satay sauce 3 Tbs refrigerated unsweetened coconut milk 2 cups package chicken breast 1 cup chopped cooked chicken breast 1/3 cup snipped fresh cilantro 2 Tbs unsalted peanuts, chopped 1Tbs crushed red pepper Sriracha sauce DIRECTIONS 1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly coat twenty-four 1 3/4-inch muffin cups with cooking spray. Press wonton wrappers onto bottoms and up sides of prepared muffin cups. Coat wonton cups with cooking spray. Bake for 7 to 8 minutes or until the edges are brown. Cool in pan on a wire rack. 2. In a medium bowl, combine the peanut sauce and coconut milk. Add the coleslaw mix and chicken and toss to coat. 3. Fill wonton cups with coleslaw mixture. Top with cilantro, peanuts and, if desired, crushed red pepper and sriracha sauce. Serve immediately.