Are you so over this bone chillin’ winter? The weather app’s forecast is cold, cold and (yep) more cold. So warm up with these homemade meals made with Bigelow Tea and wholesome ingredients like leeks and lentils. They’ll remind you of cozy Sunday dinners with the family.
If you like to cook—like @Curly_Sue22, who cooks at college with her beloved slow cooker, affectionately nicknamed Elsa— you’ll really want to give these recipes a try. They are hearty, easy and perfect for any kitchen (even a dorm kitchen, Curly_Sue22)!
So get the family or friends together and share the warmth. #JustAddBigelow! #BigelowFamily
Pork, Fennel and Leek Casserole
Ingredients:
1 cup (250mL) chicken stock
1 cup (250mL) water
8 Bigelow Constant Comment® Tea Bags
¾ cup (180mL) boiling water
¾ cup (180mL) apple juice
1 tablespoon (15mL) butter
1 small fennel bulb
3 leeks, cleaned, trimmed and thinly sliced
1 pound (500g) pork tenderloin, cut into medallions
¼ cup (60mL) flour
1 tablespoon (15mL) olive oil
1 – 10 ounces (280g) package of frozen peas
12 mini potatoes, unpeeled and cut into chunks
2 tablespoons (30mL) cornstarch
½ cup (125mL) mint leaves, chopped
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Make Constant Comment tea with ¾ cup (180mL) boiling water, discard the tea bags, squeezing to extract as much liquid as possible. Add chicken stock and set aside.
Melt butter in large skillet and add fennel and leeks and saute gently for 4-5 minutes or until soft, don’t brown. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
Add pork to large plastic bag; add flour, season with salt and pepper, and toss until pork is well coated.
Add olive oil to large skillet and brown the pork in batches over medium heat. Remove pork and add apple juice, increase heat and stir up the brown bits from the bottom. Add the tea mixture and boil, add pork, fennel, leeks and potatoes.
Cover and place in oven. Cook for 45 minutes. Remove from the oven and add peas, mix cornstarch with a little cold water to make a paste and add slowly to hot liquid. Return to oven and continue cooking until sauce thickens.
Season with salt and pepper if needed and garnish with chopped mint leaves.
Moroccan Lentil Stew with Cinnamon
Ingredients:
4 cups hot water
4 Bigelow® Cinnamon Stick® Tea Bags
½ lb. dried brown lentils, rinsed well
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
3 lbs chicken, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 – 14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes in sauce
1 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper
½ cup dry roasted almonds, roughly chopped
3 tablespoon Italian flat leaf parsley, chopped
Instructions:
Combine four cups hot water and four Cinnamon Stick® tea bags and allow to steep for approximately 5-7 minutes. Add tea and lentils to a large stew pot. Bring to a boil, cover and simmer for approximately 20 minutes, or until lentils are tender.
Remove to a large bowl and set aside. In the same pot, add olive oil and saute onions and garlic until softened. Add cut-up chicken and cook until cooked through and no longer pink inside (about 10 minutes). Add diced tomatoes and cooked lentils to the pan and heat through. Season with salt and pepper.
Add chopped almonds and parsley and serve.
Top photo by Chad Miller via Flickr.com