Fall is a time for feasting, so indulge your taste buds with these two easy recipes. They’re sure to be as much a hit with your family and friends as they are with mine. Happy cooking, collegiettes!
Apricot Chicken:
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 lbs. chicken tenderloins cut in 1/2 across on an angle
- dash of salt and pepper
- ½ large onion, diced
- 2 tbsp. cider or white wine vinegar (lemon juice works as well)
- 12 dried pitted apricots, diced
- 1 cup chicken stock
- 3 tbsp apricot preserves
- ½ cup raisins
- ½ cup brown sugar
Directions
Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add oil and chicken, then season with salt and pepper. Lightly brown the chicken a few minutes on each side and add onions. Cook for five minutes, stirring occasionally, before adding vinegar to the pan and letting it evaporate. Add apricots and stock. When stock bubbles, stir in preserves, raisins and brown sugar. Cover the pan, reduce heat to simmer and cook for 10 to 15 minutes. Serve chicken with a sprinkle of chopped parsley.
Notes
- Anything more than a cup of stock requires extra time to evaporate into glaze, so uncover the dish after 10 minutes to check.
- You can buy 2 pounds of boneless, skinless chicken breasts and cut them into smaller, 1 ½ x ½ inch pieces for a cheaper options.
- Personally, I like to pair this dish with wild rice and French green beans. But any starch and greens will do!
Pumpkin Muffins:
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup oats
- 2 tsp. baking powder
- ¼ tsp. baking soda
- 2 tsp. ground cinnamon
- 1 ½ tsp. ground ginger
- ¼ tsp. ground nutmeg
- ¼ tsp. ground cloves
- ½ tsp. salt
- 1 stick unsalted butter, melted
- ¾ cup packed light brown sugar
- 1 to 1 ½ cup canned pure pumpkin
- ¼ cup buttermilk
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
- 1/3 cup raisins or craisins
Directions
Preheat oven to 400°F. Grease muffin pan. Mix flour, oats, baking powder, baking soda, spices, and salt in a bowl. In a larger bowl, whisk together butter, brown sugar, pumpkin, buttermilk, eggs, and vanilla. Add dry ingredients and stir until combined. Stir in raisins. Pour batter into muffin cups. Bake about 20 minutes, until a wooden pick comes out clean. Cool slightly on a rack.
Notes
This recipe is very flexible, so if you have allergies or urges to experiment, you can’t really go wrong!