Nestkeep Notes

Healthy Cooking for Two

January 19, 2023

If you’ve always wanted to take a cooking class with your significant other, ask us about arranging a hands on healthy cooking class for two. It’s a fun and rewarding way to spend time together. It’s a nice opportunity to focus on your lifestyle and relationship with food. By combining the benefits of farm fresh seasonal ingredients, the wisdom of a varied diet and stimulating day to day activities, you’ll learn about a balanced blend of whole food nutrition that will enhance the levels of energy and vitality.

The Grapevine

September 5, 2014

In 1974, Patsy Perry, established a restaurant called “The Grapevine” in College Station, Texas. Patsy was an extremely hard worker waking up at 4:30 in the morning to begin preparing everything for the day. Despite many personal and business setbacks, Patsy buckled down and focused on her business as it grew into a popular local spot. She drew strength from the people around her and loved working with college kids. They gave her the energy to keep going and were very fun to work with. Patsy pledged that she would create a cookbook, but to date has not. Let’s all encourage her by sending an email to pzabel@me.com

Patsy Zabel

Here’s just one of the many great recipes prepared at the legendary restaurant.

Twice Baked Potato

Ingredients

4 potatoes (2 pounds), ½ c. sour cream, ½ cc butter, 1/3 c. bacon bits,

2 T bacon bits for topping, 2 ounces Swiss, 4 ounces Munster

Recipe

If you leave out the bacon bits, you will need to add salt.

Always prepare the potatoes at least 12 hours ahead of time.

Wash potatoes and place in 500 degree oven. Do not wrap them in foil.

This allows the skin to harden so they can be scooped out. Bake for 1 hour.

Fry 8 slices of bacon – 6 for the potatoes and 2 for the toppings.

Chop this into very small pieces.

Put the Swiss in a food processor and chop for 6-8 seconds.

Add the Munster and chop till it is a little smaller than peas.

Take a toothpick and check the potatoes for doneness.

Steam should come out of the hole.

Cut off the tops, making a hole big enough so you can scoop them out with a spoon.

Put the insides in a mixing bowl with butter, sour cream, and bacon bits.

After mixing put this back in the skins.

Top with cheese and bacon and refrigerate for 12 hours to 5 days.

Reheat at 350 degrees for 35-50 minutes

African Peanut Stew

May 7, 2013

If your looking to try a wonderful new dish, African Peanut Stew is one you absolutely have to try. I normally prepare this with chicken but this can easily be made vegetarian, using edamame.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 ½ cups finely chopped red onion (about 2 medium)
1 ¼ cups finely chopped green bell pepper (1 large)
½ cup chopped carrots
½ cup chopped celery
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons minced peeled fresh ginger
1 tablespoon curry powder
1 (14 ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 bay leaf
4 cups vegetable broth
1 large sweet potato, peeled and cut into ½ inch pieces
1 ½ cups shelled edamame
¼ cup creamy or crunchy natural peanut butter or almond butter
¼ chopped fresh cilantro
1 (6 ounce) bag baby spinach, torn into bite size pieces
½ tsp. salt
Black pepper

Heat oil in a 4 qt saucepan or dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion and next 3 ingredients; sauté until soft about 5 minutes.

Add garlic, ginger and curry powder, sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute. DO NOT BROWN GARLIC. Add tomatoes and bay leaf, cook, uncovered, until tomatoes are slightly reduced (about 3 minutes)

Add broth and sweet potatoes, bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer about 8 minutes. Add edamame and peanut butter, stir to combine. Add cilantro and spinach, cook until thoroughly heated and spinach wilts, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Serves 8