Ranch Crockpot Crack Chicken

2 tbsp District Spice Ranch blend
2 lb boneless skinless chicken breast
16 oz (2 blocks) cream cheese
1/2 cup water
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar or lemon juice
1 tsp salt
1 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)

1. Place chicken breasts in crockpot.  Halve blocks of cream cheese, place on chicken.
2. Mix together water, Ranch blend, salt, red pepper flakes, and apple cider vinegar (or lemon juice).  Pour over chicken and cream cheese.
3. Cook in crockpot on low for eight hours.
4. After cooking, remove lid, and use two forks to shred chicken.
5. Leave lid off, and set crockpot for up to an hour on high to cook off any excess liquid to desired consistency. Stir occasionally.
6. Serve with desired sides, on a salad, over rice, or tossed with vegetables.

Crockpot set to low for eight hours.

Cooked for eight hours and shredded.

Dinner is served!

Adana Kebabs

Makes approx 12-13 pieces

2 tbsp District Spice Adana blend
2 lbs ground lamb or beef
1 tsp salt
chopped parsley (optional, for garnish)

1. Mix Adana blend, meat, and salt together in bowl until well blended.
2. Divide evenly into 12-13 balls, about 1-2″ in diameter.
3. Place balls on skewers for grill, or in cupcake tin for oven.
4. Grill on medium heat until char forms on one side, flip, then cook on other side until char forms (approx. 10 minutes per side).  If using oven, bake for approx. 45 minutes at 350F.
5. Remove from heat, garnish with parsley, and serve with desired sides.

On the grill

Adana kebabs served with saffron rice and grilled tomato, garnished with parsley.

Almond Flour Cheese Biscuits

Recommended blends: Chesapeake, Creole, Gyro, Ranch, Tuscan/Tuscan Heat

Makes 12 biscuits

2 tbsp District Spice blend (see above for recommended blends)
1.5 cups almond flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
6 oz shredded cheese (cheddar or Monterey jack)
2 eggs
1/2 cup sour cream or Greek yogurt (plain, full fat recommended)
4 tbsp butter, melted

1. Pre-heat oven to 400F
2. Mix together District Spice blend, almond flour, baking powder, and salt.
3. Stir in shredded cheese.
4. Add in eggs, sour cream (or yogurt), and butter.  Mix until well incorporated.
5. Grease a cupcake tin (or use silicon or nonstick).  Divide batter evenly among 12 cupcake spaces.
6. Bake for 15-25 minutes, until cooked through and tops are slightly browning.
7. Remove from oven, and let sit until cool enough to handle.  Remove from tin, and serve.

Dry ingredients (Creole blend)

Biscuit dough (Creole blend)

Creole biscuits, ready to serve!

Candied Pecans

1.5 tbsp District Spice Hand in the Cookie Jar blend
1 cup whole or halved pecans (raw or roasted)
1 tbsp turbinado sugar (less, if you want it less sweet)
1.5 tbsp butter

1. Melt butter in frying pan over low-medium heat
2. Add pecans, and mix until nuts are coated.
3. Stir in Hand in the Cookie Jar blend and sugar.
4. Cook over medium to high heat so sugar melts and nuts are partially cooked, but not to burned.
5. Remove from pan and let cool on parchment paper or aluminum foil.
6. Serve alone, or use to garnish various salads and dishes (whole or crushed).

Ready to serve!

Crockpot Chili (no beans)

Makes approx eight servings

2 tbsp District Spice Chili Dust blend
1 lb ground beef
1 lb pork sausage
2 cans (15oz each) diced tomatoes
1 can tomato paste
1 yellow onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
2 tsp hot sauce (optional)

1. Brown and crumble ground beef and sausage meat in pan, add to slow cooker.
2. Add tomatoes, tomato paste, onion, garlic, salt, and hot sauce to slow cooker.  Stir ingredients until well mixed.
3. Cook on low for eight hours or overnight.  Stir.
4. Cook on high with the lid half off for two to four hours, until chili reaches desired thickness.
5. Garnish with desired toppings, such as sour cream, Greek yogurt, scallions, and/or cheese.

Ready to cook.

Ready to serve!

Orange & Port Sauteed Chicken Thighs

Serves 6-8 people

District Spice Poultry blend
6-8 Boneless skinless chicken thighs
1 tbsp Olive oil
Less than 1/4 cup Port or dessert wine
1 Orange

1. Cut ends off the orange, and slice off four large wheels.  Place at the bottom of a marinade pan or gallon-size freezer bag.
2. Sprinkle District Spice Poultry blend over chicken, place in bag, and refrigerate for 24 hours. For best results, vacuum seal marinating container.
3. Add olive oil to saute pan.
4. Place chicken in pan, top with orange wheels from bag.
5. Add a splash of port or dessert wine over each orange wheel.
6. Cover and simmer chicken over low heat for 45 minutes.
7. Check chicken to ensure it is cooked thoroughly. Remove from heat, and leave covered for five minutes.
8. Serve hot.

Pan Sauteed Shrimp

Recommended blends: Chesapeake, Chili Dust, Creole, Currying Favor, Gyro, Montreal, Sriracha, Tuscan, Tuscan Heat

1 tbsp District Spice blend (start with 1 tsp for Sriracha)
1 lb medium-sized raw shrimp (tails removed)
2 tbsp olive oil

1. Add olive oil to pan, heat until almost smoking
2. Add shrimp to oil and stir, cooking until slightly pink
3. Sprinkle on District Spice blend, and continue stirring until shrimp is cooked (opaque)
4. Optional: Add a dash of salt

Montreal Roasted Potatoes

Makes approximately 6-8 servings

2 tbsp District Spice Montreal blend
3 lbs russet potatoes
1/4 cup olive oil
Optional: 4 strips bacon (pork or vegan substitute), cooked & chopped into 1/4 to 1/2 inch pieces; 1 red onion, chopped and sauteed; splash dessert wine

1. Combine olive oil and District Spice Montreal blend in container, and let sit for one hour.  For best results, let blend infuse overnight.
2. Dice potatoes into circa 1/2 inch pieces, and soak for one hour in cool water, to remove excess starch.
3. Strain potatoes and allow to dry.  Use a towel to pat potatoes dry as needed.
4. Pre-heat oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.
5. Optional: Dice red onion.  Use a small amount of oil, or fat from the bacon, to caramelize the onion.  For additional flavor, add some dessert wine to onions and saute until liquid is gone.  Add onion to bacon, mix, and set aside.
6. Toss dry potatoes in a bowl with Montreal-infused olive oil.  Once coated, arrange potatoes in baking dish one layer deep.  Pour any remain oil in the bowl over the potatoes.
7. Bake dish for 30 minutes.  Toss potatoes in dish, and continue baking for an additional 30 minutes, or until potatoes are browned.
8. Optional: Sprinkle bacon/onion mixture over potatoes and continuing baking for 5 minutes.
9. Remove potatoes from oven, and allow to cool 5 minutes before serving.Montreal roasted potatoes, vegan style
   

Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Recommended blends: Gyro, Montreal, Tuscan/Tuscan Heat

Makes approximately 6-8 servings

1 tbsp District Spice blend
1.5 pounds Brussels sprouts, halved
3 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp salt (optional)

• Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit
• Toss Brussels sprouts with olive oil and District Spice blend until coated.
• Spread Brussels sprouts on a baking sheet.  Sprinkle on salt, as desired.
• Bake for 20-25 minutes, until roasted.  Serve hot.

Brussels sprouts before oven (Montreal blend):

Finished Brussels sprouts (Montreal blend):

Sweet Potato Crumble

Makes approx. 8-10 servings

1 tsp District Spice Hand in the Cookie Jar blend
2-3 sweet potatoes
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup butter
1 cup oats

1. Bake sweet potatoes at 400 degrees F for two hours.  Remove the skins and place potatoes into food processor.  Blend until smooth.
2. Blend butter, brown sugar, oats, and District Spice Hand in the Cookie Jar blend until well mixed.
3. Pour sweet potatoes into 9×9 baking dish.  Evenly spread the oat mixture over the top.
4. Bake at 350 F for 30 minutes, or until the top caramelizes.  Serve hot.