COOKING RECIPES

Recipe by : chef ssentongo

* CREAMY CHICKEN LETTUCE CUPS 🥬
version – 15 min, 4 servings

Ingredients
Filling:

• 2 cups shredded cooked chicken
• 1/4 cup celery, diced
• 2 tbsp red onion, diced
• 1/4 cup mayo
• 1 tbsp mustard or honey mustard
• Salt + pepper

For Serving:

• 8 romaine lettuce leaves / little gem
• Crispy onions or crushed crackers for topping
• Fresh dill for garnish
• Extra creamy dressing for drizzling

Method

1. Mix: Combine chicken, celery, onion, mayo, mustard, salt + pepper.
2. Fill: Spoon mixture into clean lettuce leaves like little cups.
3. Top: Drizzle extra creamy dressing, sprinkle crispy onions + dill like in the photo.

3 Quick Tips

1. Crunch: Add diced apple or grapes for sweetness
2. Light dressing: Swap half the mayo for Greek yogurt
3. No cook: Use rotisserie chicken to make it 10 min

Serve: Cold as lunch, appetizer, or light dinner

Want a spicy buffalo version or tuna version instead?

* SEARED BEEF TENDERLOIN WITH ROASTED VEG + CREAMY SAUCE 🥩
version – 45 min, 2 servings

Ingredients
Beef:

• 2 beef tenderloin steaks, 6oz each
• Salt + pepper + garlic powder
• 1 tbsp butter + 1 tbsp oil

Roasted Veg:

• Baby carrots, rainbow carrots, radishes, cherry tomatoes, baby potatoes
• Olive oil, thyme, salt

Creamy Base:

• 1/2 cup sour cream or Greek yogurt
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard + pinch garlic + salt

Method

1. Veg: Toss veg in oil, salt, thyme. Roast at 425°F / 220°C for 25 min till caramelized.
2. Steak: Season beef. Sear 3-4 min per side in hot pan with butter. Rest 5 min.
3. Sauce: Mix sour cream, mustard, garlic. Smear on plate.
4. Plate: Set steak on sauce. Add roasted veg around. Top with herbs + pan juices like in the photo.

3 Quick Tips

1. Perfect sear: Pat steak dry before pan – gets that crust
2. Colorful veg: Use different sizes so everything finishes together
3. No oven?: Pan-roast veg while steak rests

Serve: With fresh parsley or microgreens on top

Want a lamb version or pan sauce instead of creamy base?

* STUFFED MINI PUMPKINS 🎃
version – 1 hour, 2 servings

Ingredients
Pumpkins:

• 2 small sugar pumpkins or “baby pumpkins”
• 1 tbsp olive oil, salt + pepper

Filling:

• 1 cup diced potatoes
• 1/2 cup diced onion
• 1/2 cup diced apple or butternut squash
• 2 tbsp butter
• 1 tsp thyme + salt + pepper
• 2 tbsp parmesan or feta
• Handful nuts: pecans or walnuts

Method

1. Prep: Cut tops off pumpkins, scoop out seeds. Rub inside with oil, salt, pepper. Bake 20 min at 400°F / 200°C.
2. Filling: Sauté potato, onion, apple in butter with thyme till tender. Mix in nuts + cheese.
3. Stuff + Bake: Fill pumpkins, bake 25-30 min more till pumpkin is tender and filling is golden on top.
4. Serve: Garnish with fresh thyme like in the photo. Scoop pumpkin + filling together.

3 Quick Tips

1. Savory twist: Add sausage or mushrooms to the filling
2. Sweet version: Swap potato for rice + cranberries + maple syrup
3. No small pumpkins?: Use acorn squash halves

Serve: Hot as a side or vegetarian main

Want a meat version or quinoa filling instead?