holidays

10 DIY Gifts from Your Kitchen

by Chequamegon Food Co-opPosted November 26, 2018
10 DIY Gifts from Your Kitchen

Homemade gifts are enjoyable to make, give, and receive! Skip the mall and try your hand at DIY gifts this holiday season. Here are 10 make-it-yourself gift ideas to get you started. Rumtopf – This is an old-school way to preserve fruit when it is plentiful, and flavor a liqueur at the same time. You can

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Vegan & Vegetarian Thanksgiving Dishes

by Chequamegon Food Co-opPosted November 19, 2018
Vegan & Vegetarian Thanksgiving Dishes

For those of us who forgo turkey (along with other animal products), the Thanksgiving table can be tricky to navigate. Fortunately, there are plenty of main dish options for vegetarians and vegans. With a little planning, you can enjoy more than just a bunch of veggie side dishes. Read on for a variety of vegan and vegetarian Thanksgiving main dishes that will make this year’s menu a memorable one.

  1. Slow-cooker Vegetarian Lasagna – Sure, the slow cooker’s great for stews and soups, but it also happens to make a mean lasagna! In this ingenious slow-cooker recipe, all you have to do is chop your veggies, then layer the ingredients (raw) into the crockpot.
  2. Spinach and Almond-Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms – Serve these delightful portobellos as an appetizer or entree. Experiment with filling variations for other tasty options, found in the serving suggestions below.
  3. Vegan Meatloaf – Made with chickpeas and lentils, this loaf is the right combination of moist yet firm. Packed with fiber, it is VERY filling!
  4. Roasted Fall Vegetables in Cheddar Crust – This tart starts with a Cheddar cheese crust that’s filled with roasted leeks, fennel and broccoli or Brussels sprouts. Beets or cauliflower would stand in beautifully too.
  5. Mushroom & Wild Rice Frittata – Packed with a flavorful medley of chewy wild rice and three kinds of mushrooms, this frittata is great any time of day.
  6. Wild Rice Stuffed Squash – Chewy, nutty wild rice is seasoned with herbs and cheddar in these delightful stuffed squash halves.
  7. Acorn Squash Stuffed with Chard & White Beans – Acorn squash is perfect for stuffing. This filling has Mediterranean flair: olives, white beans and Parmesan cheese.
  8. Vegan Pot Pies – Quick to make and more than filling, these mini pot pies are loaded with delicious veggies.
  9. Vegan Shepherd’s Pie – Warm up with this nutty-flavored comfort food. The fluffy mashed potato topping is slightly crispy on top.
  10. Butternut Squash Pasta Bake – With a sauce made from butternut squash and chickpea pasta (we carry Explore Cuisine’s Chickpea Fusilli), this pasta bake is loaded with flavor and protein.
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Good Gravy: Thanksgiving Menu Ideas

by Chequamegon Food Co-opPosted November 5, 2018

Thanksgiving is coming up faster than you can shake a drumstick, so it’s time to rustle up some menu ideas. Whether you are looking for traditional foods or unique takes on your favorites, you’ll find lots of Thanksgiving dinner inspiration here. Keep it simple, but flavorful, by adding these holiday recipes to your menu.  

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Father’s Day Food Ideas

by Chequamegon Food Co-opPosted June 11, 2018

Father’s Day is a perfect reason to share a special meal. Here are ten tasty dishes that will help you with your meal planning, whether for Dad or another sweet summer celebration.   Grilled Fish Tacos – Tasty grilled fish tacos made with adobo-rubbed fish and topped with a light coleslaw. Grilled Chicken with Mango Salsa

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10 Mouth-Watering Mexican Recipes

by Chequamegon Food Co-opPosted April 30, 2018

With Cinco de Mayo just around the corner, we thought it would be fun to share some of our favorite Mexican recipes that are sure to make your mouth water.

 

  1. Charred Pepper Tacos – Roasted peppers add sweetness to these zippy and satisfying tacos.
  2. Chicken Chilaquiles – Change up taco night, or weekend breakfast, with this easy, comforting Mexican dish.
  3. Chicken Tomatillo Casserole – Spice up your dinner with this easy chicken and tortilla casserole.
  4. Stuffed Jalapeño Peppers – Spicy food fans will find plenty to cheer about with these jalapeños stuffed with spiced pork and smoked cheddar.
  5. Chorizo and Avocado Salsa – Spice up your party (or just an afternoon snack!) with chorizo sausage and avocado salsa.
  6. Black Bean Taquitos – These simple and tasty taquitos make a delicious lunch, dinner or appetizer.
  7. Tempeh Taco Filling – Tempeh, made from fermented soybeans, gives a deep flavor and meaty texture to Dana Tomlin’s vegetarian taco filling.
    Chicken Quesadillas with Salad and Chipotle-Lime Dressing – The quesadilla is the grilled cheese of Mexico—and you can make them as plain or fancy as you desire.

    Green Enchilada Pie – Layered like lasagna, this enchilada casserole is easy and delicious. Great with a side of rice and a dollop of guacamole.
  8. Chilaquiles Casserole – This easy to make enchilada-style chilaquiles casserole is packed with tasty and nutritious beans and vegetables.
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Eco Tips & an Earth Day Surprise!

by Chequamegon Food Co-opPosted April 16, 2018

Earth Day is a good reminder to decrease the amount of waste we create and improve our impact on the environment. To help you do that, we have five eco tips, plus we are giving away free reusable shopping bags stuffed with goodies to the first 50 shoppers on Earth Day!*

  1. Reduce your plastic consumption. Convenience items often come packaged up in plastic. While the Co-op makes a concerted effort to stock items that use recyclable or compostable plastics, switching over to non-convenience foods will reduce your use of plastics.
  2. Compost your food scraps. Your waste can become fertilizer for your garden. No space for a compost pile? Try vermiculture, where earth worms break down your scraps in a small container.
  3. Don’t let good food go bad. If you bought fruits, veggies, cheese, butter, meat, or other fresh products and you won’t be able to use them before their expiration date then pop them into the freezer. They’ll keep until you need them, just remember they are there!
  4. Grow food from scraps. With everything from lettuce to onions, you can regrow more produce. Here’s how you can regrow 25 foods from scraps.
  5. Buy in bulk. Bulk foods allow you to reduce the amount of food that might go stale from having too much because you can buy only the quantity you need. Plus, you can use your own containers and bypass all of the packaging waste associated with packaged foods.

 

*Giveaway on Sunday, April 22, 2018. First come, first served. Offer good while supplies last. All bags will contain assorted giveaways. Five bags will contain gift cards with four at $5 and one at $20 dollars.

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Fresh Recipes for Your Spring Celebrations

by Chequamegon Food Co-opPosted March 26, 2018

Whether you’re prepping for Passover and Easter or thinking ahead to family reunions and graduations, this list of fresh spring party recipes will help you set the table for your celebrations.   Fresh Berry Cream Tartlets – If our feature photo has your mouth watering, these babies are for you!  These cute little tarts are perfect

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10 Delicious Irish Dishes

by Chequamegon Food Co-opPosted March 12, 2018

Say that ten times fast! Then after you do, dig into these 10 Irish recipes (both traditional and not-so-much) that will fill your plate and your belly.   Irish Bangers & Mash – A traditional Irish dish. And the translation? Sausage and mashed potatoes (this recipe features cabbage in the mash!). Irish Soda Bread – If you

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Delightful Dinner Ideas

by Chequamegon Food Co-opPosted February 5, 2018

Valentine’s Day is right around the corner, so why not plan a special meal that your sure to love? Surprise your sweetie or treat yourself to one of these delightful dishes.

 

Mushroom Risotto – Dried mushrooms boost the meaty, mushroomy qualities of this hearty risotto. Make this with vegetable stock and it can be a vegetarian dish, or use chicken stock and add some cooked chicken for a main course.

 

Hot & Spicy Tofu – Spice up a weeknight dinner with this quick and easy tofu and vegetable recipe.

 

Chevre, Fig & Honey Pizzas – This pizza is a lovely mix of sweet and savory, and showcases the Mediterranean flavors of figs and tangy cheese. If you are looking for some nibbles to serve alongside wine, make a few of these. They will be a hit!

 

Chicken & Asparagus with Melted Gruyere – A luxurious white wine sauce with tarragon, lemon and Gruyère cheese make this simple and elegant dish delicious.

 

Mixed Mushroom Ragout – This mushroom ragout makes a delicious side, topping for grilled meats or poultry, or as a substitute for gravies.

 

Fish in Herbed White Wine and Caper Sauce – In the classic French tradition, you will build this flavorful sauce in the pan by first reducing wine and lemon, then using it to deglaze the browned bits of fish. Whisking in butter forms an emulsified sauce that is best eaten immediately—which is easy to do, since the sauce is so incredibly delicious!

 

Chicken Ricotta Stuffed Shells – Five luscious cheeses make this dish a delightful crowd-pleaser.

 

Slow Cooker Chicken Cacciatore – Chicken cacciatore is Italian for “hunter’s chicken,” and it’s a classic, simple way to prepare poultry. This version has added vegetables and makes use of inexpensive leg pieces, which stew to tender perfection in the slow-cooker. Serving the flavorful sauce over brown rice stretches the meat, and makes use of every drop of chickeny goodness.

 

Find more great Valentine’s Day Recipes at strongertogether.coop.

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