QUICK SUPPER RECIPE:
CHICKEN CIDER STEW

• 2 slices thick-cut bacon

• 1 large onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
• 1 rib celery, chopped (about 1 cup)
• 1-1/2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breasts
• 2 carrots, chopped (about 1 cup)
• 2 sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped (about 2 cups)
• 1 apple, cored and chopped in 1/2-inch pieces
• 2 cups apple cider (see TIPS)
• 1 cup water
• 3 tablespoons ketchup
• 1/4 teaspoon thyme (or savory), crushed
• 1/4 teaspoon dried basil, crushed
• 1-1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper

• 2 tablespoons flour

Cook bacon until crisp over medium heat in a large, heavy Dutch oven or braising dish. Remove bacon, chop and set aside.

Drain fat from pan, leaving only what coats the surface. Add onions, celery and chicken and sauté, stirring regularly, until onions are golden and chicken is cooked through.

Add carrots, sweet potatoes and apple and let cook 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add apple cider, water, ketchup, salt, savory, basil and pepper. Let simmer over low-medium heat about 20 minutes until carrots and sweet potatoes are cooked.

Put flour in small dish and slowly add 1/2 cup hot liquid from the stew to make a smooth paste. Stir into hot stew and cook another five minutes. Sprinkle with the cooked bacon. Serve and savor!

SERVING SUGGESTION Serve with rice cooked in half water, half apple cider, which adds a sweet, almost nutty flavor to the rice that complements the stew beautifully. That said, this stew is substantial on its own and really doesn't require a starch.

NUTRITION INFORMATION Per Cup: 202 Calories; 2g Tot Fat; 1g Sat Fat; 1g Sat Fat; 24g Carb; 3g Fiber; 14g Sugar; 276mg Sodium; 51mg Cholesterol; 22g Protein. WEIGHT WATCHERS POINTS WW Old Points 4 & WW PointsPlus 5 & SmartPoints 6

BEST-EVER OATMEAL BREAD

• 1 package yeast (2¼ teaspoons)
• 1 tablespoon molasses (regular or blackstrap)
• 2 tablespoons warm water

• 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick or 112g) cup melted salted butter
• 3 tablespoons (55g) molasses (regular or blackstrap)
• 1/4 cup (90g) honey
• 1/2 cup (60g) dried milk powder
• 1 cup old-fashioned oatmeal
• 2-1/2 teaspoons table salt

• 2½ cups boiling water
• 1 cup (120g) pecan meal (or ground pecans)
• 6 cups bread flour, fluffed to aerate before measuring or 750g
• Additional bread flour, as needed for kneading

• Oil, for bowl
• Butter, for top crust

PROOF THE YEAST Proof the yeast by stirring it in small dish with the tablespoon of molasses and the warm water. It should bubble up in 5 minutes though if the yeast is cold (or old) it will take longer. If the mixture doesn't bubble up, unfortunately the yeast is dead and you'll need to start over the new yeast.

MIX THE DOUGH In a large bowl, combine butter, the 3 tablespoons molasses, honey, milk powder, oatmeal, salt and boiling water. Stir until cool. Add the yeast mixture, pecan meal, 6 cups flour and combine well. Turn dough onto a clean surface dusted with additional flour. It will be quite sticky.

CLEAN THE BOWL Let the bread rest for 5 - 10 minutes. While it rests, wash the bowl, rubs its bottom and sides quite liberally with oil.

KNEAD Knead the dough for 5 – 10 minutes, sprinkling the top and the work surface with flour to avoid sticking, a bench knife or other flat surface really helps. Add as little flour as you can manage, how much will depend on the flour, the humidity in the kitchen, how wet the dough already is. The last time I made it, I used almost another full 1-1/2 cups flour.

FIRST RISE Shape dough into a round and place in the oiled bowl. Turn dough 360 degrees to cover the entire dough surface lightly with oil. Cover bowl with a towel and place in a warm spot to rise. Let rise until doubled, how long will depend on the strength of the yeast, the warmth of your kitchen, etc.

SHAPE & SECOND RISE Use a fist to gently depress the dough. For two 9x5” loaf pans, cut the dough in half and shape into two logs. Spray the loaf pans with cooking spray and place one log in each. Cover with a towel and place in a warm spot to rise. Let rise 1 hour or until the dough is about 1” taller than the sides.

BAKE Set oven to 350F/175C. When hot, bake 30 - 35 minutes or until the internal temperature of the bread has reached 180F/80C (or slightly higher, up to 190F), tenting with foil if the top browns too quickly.

BUTTER & COOL Remove from oven and rub the loaf tops lightly with butter. After 10 minutes, remove loaves from the pans and let cool completely on racks.

TO SERVE If you can, let the bread cool almost entirely before slicing to avoid a rough crumb. Do let the bread cool completely before wrapping.

NUTRITION INFORMATION Per Slice: 255 Calories; 5 g Tot Fat; 1 g Sat Fat; 46 g Carb; 2 g Fiber; 208 mg Sodium; 4 mg Cholesterol, 7 g Protein. WEIGHT WATCHERS POINTS WW Old Points 5 & WW Points Plus 7