The three recipes...

Straight from Food Network Magazine! 

(for Lisa and other lovers of food)

Slow-Cooker Squash Stew

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, sliced
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 1/2 cups dried chickpeas, rinsed
• 1 pound butternut squash, peeled and cut into large pieces
• 1 bunch Swiss chard, leaves and stems separated and roughly chopped
• 1 piece parmesan cheese rind, plus grated parmesan for topping (optional)
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
• Crusty bread and/or lemon wedges, for serving

Directions

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook until soft and golden brown, 4 to 5 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and red pepper flakes and cook 1 minute. Stir in 1/2 cup water, scraping up any browned bits. Transfer the contents of the skillet to a 6-quart slow cooker.

Add the chickpeas, squash, chard stems (not the leaves), the parmesan rind, if using, 2 teaspoons salt and 7 cups water to the slow cooker. Stir, then cover and cook on low, 8 hours.

Just before serving, lift the lid and stir in the chard leaves; cover and continue cooking 10 more minutes. Season with salt and pepper, and stir to slightly break up the squash. Discard the Parmesan rind, if used. Ladle the stew into bowls; top with the grated parmesan, if desired, and serve with bread and/or lemon wedges.

Afton: wouldn't even give it a chance

Josh and Lydia: gross

Emma and Mom: good, but a little spicy...next time skip the red pepper flakes

Scott and Ben: perfect

This was a good one for a busy afternoon because you're done making it by 9am because it crockpots for 8  hours

Grilled Chicken Taco Pizzas (the beautiful photo is not coming up on their webpage, just imagine the most delicious-looking pizza ever)

Ingredients

For the Taco Seasoning:

• 2 tablespoons onion powder
• 2 tablespoons garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the Pizzas:

• 1/4 cup canola oil, plus more for brushing
• 1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breasts
• 1 16-ounce tube pizza dough
• All-purpose flour, for dusting
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella
• 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar
• 1 avocado
• juice of one lime
• 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp. chili powder
• 1 tbsp. diced red onion
• kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup fresh salsa
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1/4 chopped fresh cilantro

Directions

Make the taco seasoning: Mix all of the ingredients with 1 tablespoon each salt and black pepper in a bowl.

Prepare the pizza: Mix 2 tablespoons of the taco seasoning and the canola oil in a shallow bowl. Pound the chicken between 2 pieces of plastic wrap to 1/4 inch thick. Add the chicken to the bowl, turning to coat, and marinate 30 minutes.

Preheat a grill to medium high. Grill the chicken until cooked through, about 4 minutes per side. Let cool, then cut into bite-size pieces.

Divide the dough into 3 pieces. Roll out each on a floured surface into an 8-inch round. Brush with canola oil, sprinkle with taco seasoning and grill until crisp, 3 to 5 minutes per side; remove from the grill.

Mix the cheeses in a bowl, then sprinkle on the crusts and top with the chicken. Return the pizzas to the grill,

and cook until the cheese is melted, about 5 minutes. Meanwhile, mix the avocado, lime juice, cumin, chili powder, red onion, and salt and pepper to taste. Top the pizzas with the avocado mixture, salsa, sour cream and cilantro.

Emma, Ben, Josh, Lydia, Afton: very good

Lori: can't stop swooning over the most delicious pizza she's ever eaten

Scott: LOVED it, especially the chicken, and he never loves chicken

We topped it with Scott's homemade salsa and wanted to die it was so good.

Western Skillet Eggs

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup half-and-half or whole milk
• Pinch of cayenne pepper
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 shallots, sliced
• 2 large green bell peppers, seeded and cut into 1/2-inch strips
• 1 1/2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1/4 pound thinly sliced ham, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 4 slices sourdough bread, torn into pieces (about 2 cups)
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, plus more for topping
• 8 large eggs

Directions

Position a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Whisk the half-and-half, cayenne, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and black pepper to taste in a small bowl.

Heat the olive oil in a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shallots and cook until just softened, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the bell peppers; cook until the peppers are soft and the shallots are golden, 5 to 6 more minutes. Add the tomatoes, ham, bread, parsley and 1/4 cup water and cook until most of the liquid is absorbed, about 3 minutes. Season with salt and black pepper. Remove from the heat.

Make 8 evenly spaced indentations in the bread mixture with the bottom of a ladle or small measuring cup. Crack an egg into each indentation. Slowly pour the half-and-half mixture over the eggs. Bake, rotating the skillet a few times, until the whites are set, about 15 minutes. Top with parsley.

Afton and  Lydia: well, they never like anything except pizza and spaghetti

Josh, Ben, Emma: loved it

Lori: loved it even more

Scott: loved everything about it except for the soggy bread...we'll try skipping it next time