I like to give gifts. I like to make other people happy. I like to show people I appreciate what they do for me. I like to meet my neighbors. But I don’t like to shop and don’t really have the money to buy something for all of those people. So to solve my dilemma I do what I usually do and start cooking.

I know you are thinking I don’t have time for all of that. But what if I helped you make time by cutting your dinner prep and clean up time in half by showing you how to make your meal all in one pot. For the December Supper Club we made two one pot entrees; one was a simple pasta dish and the other was a veggie filled rice dish.

This was our menu:

1. Company Salad
2. Tomato and Basil Linguine (adapted)
3. One Pot “Chicken” and Rice
4. Italian Green Beans with Hazelnuts
5. Fluffy Peanut Butter Cookies
6. Amazing Fudge

Despite the cold wintery weather that day we had a full house and I had a lot of feedback from the guests. The Linguine was a favorite of the ridzogirl, she had it in her lunch box two days in a row afterwards and I didn’t get a complaint. Besides the dessert I think my favorite was the rice, which is surprising because I don’t usually like rice dishes and the best part about it is it was full of really healthy veggies like Swiss chard, which I don’t get enough of.

I showed 6 simple gifts to give to friends and neighbors:

1. Paper Plates and Napkins (Our Christmas Gift to You..Less dishes to do?)
2. Peppermint Hot Cocoa (using Truvia to reduce the sugar)
3. Dinner in in a basket (One of our one pot wonders works great)
4. Cookies or Fudge
5. Cute mug with the 90-second brownie ingredients (great for single people)
6. Cookbook (Give Them Something Better is a great choice)

Here is my favorite recipe from the supper club, I made two versions so look at the note at the bottom of the recipe for the variation (I think I liked it the best!) if you would like to have the other recipes or more details about adaptations I made Sign up for the Supper Club Newsletter and you will get everything!

One Pot “Chicken” and Rice

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 small yellow onion, diced
• 2 medium carrots, diced
• 2 stalks celery, diced
• 1 cup mushrooms, diced
• 3 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
• 3-4 cups Swiss chard or other dark leafy green cut or torn into small pieces
• 1 ½ cups soy curls, broken (you can use any meat substitute here)
• 3 tablespoons chicken-style seasoning
• 1 ½ teaspoons finely grated lemon zest, plus wedges for serving
• 1 ½ cups Minute brown rice
• 4 cups water

1. Sauté onion, carrots and garlic until onions are translucent and lightly browned.
2. Add remaining ingredients, except water cook and stir for 2 more minutes.
3. Add water, mix and cover and reduce heat to medium low and cook for 15 minutes or until water is evaporated.

Brown Rice & Gluten Steak Method: Cut 6 gluten steaks into 2-inch cubes, dredge I flour and brown in a little oil. Remove gluten from pan and follow the directions above adding the browned gluten steaks instead of soy curls. Simmer covered for 1 hour.