Crock Pot Pork Roast

Jon and I had a beautiful day off together earlier this week. We slept in, had a leisurely morning, and headed to the beach.

Before we left for some fun in the sun, I threw a pork roast into the crock so we'd have supper when we came home. It turned out so moist and flavorful! No sauce was needed for this star dish. And, bonus- I didn't have to heat up the house when it was 100+ degrees outside!

A few snapshots of our day at the beach (click to see the larger image):

Do you spy a giant 5 foot spider web?

There are a ton of these Golden Silk Orb-Weaver spiders here. It's more commonly called a banana spider.

Pelican- we saw several of them this day.

After two years, we finally pulled out a map to find out what the land mass in the distance is. It's Cumberland Island! You know, where we saw the horses on my birthday. :)

First attempt at a photo on the beach- a little breezy for me...

Second attempt on the boardwalk was much more successful.

There you have it- a glimpse of our day at the beach. We checked on our nest, no signs of babies yet. But the Georgia Sea Turtle Center posted a photo this morning of a hatch-ling. It would have been from one of the very first nests of the season. Fingers are still crossed our little turtle kids hatch and make their way home to the water!

When we arrived home, the roast smelled fantastic. I shredded the meat and served with mashed potatoes and fresh green beans. It was delish.  A great meal to end a great day with my sweetheart.

Here's to you and your culinary adventures, friends. Cheers!


Crock Pot Pork Roast

3lb pork roast with good marbling and a decent fat layer
2/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/2 cup honey
3 TBS soy sauce
2 TBS dry basil
2 TBS minced garlic
2 TBS olive oil
1/4 cup hickory bbq sauce
salt and pepper to taste

Spray the insert of the crock pot. Lay the pork roast in, fat side up.

Whisk together the remaining ingredients. Pour over pork roast. Cover and cook on low for 7 hours.

Remove from cooker. Allow to cool slightly.

Trim and discard any large pieces of remaining fat. You want to leave some fat on when you shred the meat because it keeps it nice and tender. Discard juices from the crock pot once cooled.

Shred meat using two forks. Serve with additional bbq sauce if desired.


 

Crock Pot Mac N Cheese!

I. LOVE. pasta. Any shape or size I am so there. It's quick and easy, plus it's a nice filling meal.

As if I needed any more help to adore oodles of noodles, some brilliant mind in history said- hey, lets go ahead and add some cheese this boring old pasta.

Um, yea. I'm in.

Lucky for this gluten free chica there are endless pastas made with alternative flours. As I have said in the past, I am a huge fan of Tinkyada Brown Rice Pasta. (But let me tell you a secret- the cooking time on the package- HOLY OVER KILL BATMAN! Seriously. Cook it as you would traditional wheat pasta, about 9-10 minutes.)

They have just about every shape you could ever possibly need. Note to self- find some of their "grand shell pasta" to make stuffed shells with manicotti filling....

Please hold while I wipe the drool from my keyboard. ;)

Ok, back to that whole mac meets cheese business!

I saw this recipe over at A Whisk and A Prayer and knew it was going on the menu. We served it with grilled pork chops and a little tomato cucumber salad. The best part? Not heating up the kitchen baking this dish in the oven!

I did tweak it to make it a. gluten free and b. to give the cheddar flavor that we have come to expect when we have mac n cheese. It was a huge hit in our house. Give it a whirl and enjoy!

Here's to you and your culinary adventures, friends. Cheers!

Crock Pot Mac N Cheese

Gluten Free Version

1 1/2 cups 1% milk (I used Lactaid)

One 12 oz can evaporated fat free milk

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) margarine, melted, cooled to room temp

3 large eggs

1/2 tsp salt

1 1/2 cups (6oz) shredded Italian blend cheese

1 1/2 cups (6oz) shredded cheddar cheese

8 oz gluten free elbow macaroni

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese 

1/2 tsp paprika for color

1/4 cup gluten free panko bread crumbs seasoned with a pinch of garlic salt, onion salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning

1 tsp olive oil Bring a pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta. Simmer for 4 minutes. (Yes, 4 minutes.) Drain well.

Spray the inside of your slow-cooker with cooking spray. In the prepared crock pot, combine milk, evaporated milk, eggs, butter, and salt whisking until until smooth. Add a dash of hot sauce if desired.

Add the shredded cheeses (not the Parmesan) and macaroni, sprinkle with black pepper and fold gently with a spatula to coat evenly. Sprinkle the Parmesan cheese and paprika on top.

Cover and cook on HIGH for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, reduce the temperature to LOW and cook for 2 to 2 1/2 hours, until custard is set in the center and the pasta is tender. Turn off the heat.It will keep warm for quite a while even after being shut off. 

Just before serving, saute the seasoned bread crumbs with olive oil and sprinkled them over the top.

Creamy Spinach and Artichoke Dip

We love the Superbowl around here. There's the game, the commercials, and... the eats!

This year we had super easy cocktail weenies, spinach and artichoke dip, pecan crusted cheese ball, raw veggies, and peanut butter rice crispy bars. All our little eats came together very quickly. They were perfect game day treats.

Last year I tried a spinach and artichoke dip that was, well, a little lack luster. I was so bummed. I was determined to make a spectacular dip this year. I scoured the copycat websites, blogs, and recipe collection sites. Then I checked where I should have in the first place- my cookbooks. And there it was- Creamy Spinach & Artichoke Dip (Delish!). I don't recall where I acquired this recipe, but I apparently thought it was "delish" since I had hand written it into the title!

The recipe called to be baked in the oven for 30 minutes, but I really didn't want to turn on the oven and heat up the house. Instead, I mixed everything together in my crock pot insert Saturday. I had Jon pop the insert into the crock on Sunday. When I got home from work it was creamy, bubbly, and ready to go.

From the very first bite, I knew it was a winner. Jon even took a break from his beloved little smokies to enjoy some chips and dip.

We had some leftover dip that I will be re-purposing as a sauce over chicken and pasta. I am looking forward to revisiting the bold flavors in new dish.

Hope you all had a tasty and enjoyable Superbowl Sunday 2012!
 

Here's to you and your culinary adventures, friends. Cheers!


Creamy Spinach & Artichoke Dip
Crock Pot

7 oz frozen chopped spinach, thawed- DO NOT DRAIN*

3 large handfuls of  fresh spinach, chopped*

1 14 oz can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped

1 cup parm-ramano cheese mix (I used the grated variety)

½ cup mozzarella

12 oz prepared alfredo sauce**

1 TBS minced garlic

5-6 oz soft cream cheese

½-1 tsp onion powder

black pepper

Mix all ingredients into a crock pot insert.

Cover with saran wrap and let sit overnight in the fridge. 

Remove insert from fridge. Take the saran wrap off and place the lid on the dish. Place the insert into the crockpot. Heat on low for 2 hours, stirring once after about an hour.   

Thicken with a small amount additional Parmesan if needed.

Serve with tortilla strips.

* You may use 10oz frozen, thawed spinach in place of the combined fresh and frozen spinach. 

 **A quick note about this recipe: it is not gluten free by nature. If you are gluten free, be sure to check your ingredients carefully. If you can't find a prepared gluten free alfredo sauce, look for a gluten free alfredo sauce mix. Prepare it according to the package directions and proceed with the recipe.

Crock Pot Beef Roast

I was skimming through my recipes today and I realized I haven't ever posted a recipe for beef roast!

It's a super easy meal. (I mean super easy!)

I love it because it's this simple- dump it and forget it. A few basic ingredients and a crock pot are all it takes. (These are ingredients I keep in my pantry and freezer on a regular basis) Total cost for this meal for 4-6 people? Under $7.You can't beat that my friends. I get my roasts on sale for buy one get one free at Winn Dixie. This helps to keep the cost down as well.

If you don't have a crock pot, I am begging. Go. Get spend the $15-$20 and get a crock pot. You will save time, effort, and money. And, your spouse will think you are a magician when you turn a plain chunk of beef into a filling, flavorful meal.

Here's to you and your culinary adventures, friends. Cheers!

Crock Pot Beef Roast
Serves 4-6

3 lb beef roast
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can beef stock *
1 envelope onion soup mix
4 large carrots, chunked
2 large potatoes, peeled and chunked

In a large crock pot, whisk together the soup, beef stock, and onion soup mix. Place the roast in the center of the pot. Add the veggies. Cover and cook 8-9 hours on LOW or 5-6 hours on HIGH.

*I just use one soup can of water and 1/2-1 TBS beef bouillon base.

** Note to anyone who is gf- cream soups and beef stock often have wheat in them. Be sure to check your products.**

Crock Pot Beef Sammy

Raise your hand if you love your crock pot! ( Entire arm raised way up and waving around for this girl, you know, like the eager elementary school child who really wants the teacher to call on them)

I found a recipe for crock pot beef sammys in one of my busy cook recipes a few weeks ago. Then, I came across it again over at Our Best Bites. (These girls rock in the kitchen!) I figured it was time to give it a try.

Oh my goodness. I should have known they were going to fabulous. Beef, cheese, banana peppers, and bread- I see nothing bad about this. :)

I didn't follow either of the recipes exactly, but I used them as a basic guideline. The sandwiches turned out fantastic. And, the best part was I didn't have to turn the oven on! You gotta love that when the heat index is 112. We served a chilled pasta salad for a side dish. Super easy, minimal effort. It was a great meal.

Before I post the recipe, I wanted to share a few photos with you:

The first is of Charlie, hanging out on the back patio. He is only allowed to play outside when there is little to no smoke.

Next is a picture of a little orange kitty who has adopted our subdivision. She is very people friendly.  I think Charlie wants to be her boyfriend, she's the only cat he doesn't try to run off "his" property. My mom decided she looks very sassy, so that is what I will call her from now on :) She's a tiny little thing with giant paws and a big fluffy tail.

The last photo I am sharing today is of the smoke in my backyard. There are still several wild fires across the state (We praise God that we are safe and just have to deal with smoke and ash as the wind carries it to us) This particular day it was very thick, the air was heavy with humidity and the smoke just seemed to weigh everything down. And then, a few hours later, the skies were clear.

They say that when fires are named (several of those currently burning have been named), the only way to fully extinguish them is to have tropical weather that also has a name. It's been so dry here and there is no significant weather on the way. But, the rain that fell on my roof last night was a sweet blessing from God. I sat and listened as the water pounded the concrete slab, praising God for his goodness.

Mr. Handsome pants out on the patio

Little Miss Sassy Pants

Smoke rolls in from wild fires around the state.

Here's to you and your culinary adventures, friends. Cheers!

Crock Pot Beef Sammy
Makes 7-10 sandwiches

2 TBS oil
2 lb. beef roast
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup diced onion
1/2  jar sliced mild (sweet) banana peppers, undrained
garlic salt
pepper

hard rolls or Ciabatta buns
sliced provolone cheese



Heat oil in a skillet over high heat. Season meat with garlic salt and pepper.

When the oil is hot, sear the roast on all sides so the outsides of it is browned and a little crispy.

Meanwhile, place onion and garlic on the bottom of the crock pot. 

Transfer the roast to a slow cooker. Pour the peppers and their juices over the roast.  Cook on high until the liquid comes to a boil and then turn it to low and cook until the roast shreds easily with a fork, for a total cooking time of about 6-8 hours.

For sandwiches, slice the rolls and then top with the shredded beef. Add a slice of provolone cheese and then place under the broiler for 1-3 minutes or until the bread is toasted and the cheese is melted.(Toasting is optional)

Serve.

Slow Cooker Banana Bread

Yea, you read right. Slow Cooker Banana Bread.

It was 92 degrees at my house yesterday and I wanted to make banana bread. But who wants to turn the oven on when it's 92 degrees out?! Not this girl.

So I got to thinking. Then it came to me, if you can make cakes in a crock pot (no really, you can, google it or even food network search it) why couldn't you make banana bread the same way.

So I searched for slow cooker banana bread. I found this wonderful little blog called A Year of Slow Cooking. Oh my goodness. Please, click it and come back. I'll wait, really, I will.





Did you click it yet???




Ok, welcome back. :)


Who knew how versatile a slow cooker could be?!

So, back to my banana bread. Dilemma number 1, the hotness, fixed. Now, onto dilemma number two. No butter in the house. Gasp! I know. But I have olive oil, a perfect substitute for butter. Problem number two- totally corrected.

I don't have a huge crock pot. I mean honestly, there are two of us in this house, why do I need a giant crock pot? Well.... if you want to put your banana bread in a loaf pan(which most recipes suggested) you want a roomy cooker.

That was so not happening in my little crock. So, I improvised. I lined the inside of the ceramic insert with foil and sprayed it with cooking spray.

Mixed up my batter. Poured it in. Put the lid on, turned the heat to high and walked away. Four hours later, fresh banana bread without turning on the oven for even one minute. :)

Here's to you and your culinary adventures, friends. Cheers!

Slow Cooker Banana Bread
Serves 16
150 calories per

1/3 cup olive oil*
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup lightly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup egg beaters
3 bananas, mashed with a fork
1 tsp vanilla
Dash of cinnamon
Dash of nutmeg
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 tsp baking soda
1 1/4 cups flour

Mix all but flour together until well combined. Gently fold flour in until just combined.

Option A: Pour batter into a prepared loaf pan and set inside the slow cooker. Put the lid on, vent with a toothpick. Cook on high for 4- 4 1/2 hours until a toothpick comes out clean. Carefully remove the hot pan and allow to cool. Slice and serve.

Option B: Line your ceramic liner with foil and spray with cooking spray. Pour batter in. Put the lid on. Vent with a toothpick. Cook on high for 4- 4 1/4 hours until a toothpick comes out clean. Carefully lift the bread out by lifting the foil. Allow to cool. Slice and serve.

* You can use 1 stick butter or margarine (1/2 cup) in place of the oil. Just remember it will alter the calorie count

Summer Lovin'

I have posted variations on gyros in previous posts. Such as my gyro burgers and my gyro inspired meatballs.

Last night we had gyros from the CLP. They were pretty close kids! Some day we will actually do the meat on a spit like it's traditionally prepared. One thing we learned- lamb is key to the right flavor. Seriously. We've tried other variations that omit the lamb, it's just not the same.

Now, this recipe wasn't quite perfection, we are getting closer though!

I've done some additional searching on gyro meat. Most recipes call for baking it a water bath. I haven't tried this technique yet, so that's the next thing to try on our at home gyro quest.

We decided to have home made baked beans last night too. They were definitely delicious. Jon said they were in his top recipes we've had so far. Not to shabby :)

So, we've had a taste of summer fare in March. Yep, I think it's gonna be a great season of food.

Here's to you and your culinary adventures, friends. Cheers!

Gyros
Serves 4
375 calories per

1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp dried oregano
2 tsp fresh lemon juice
1/4 tsp salt
3 garlic cloves, minced
6 ounces ground lamb
6 ounces ground sirloin
Cooking spray
1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper


Sauce:
1 cup peeled shredded cucumber
1/4 cup vertically sliced red onion
1 TBS chopped fresh mint
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp fresh lemon juice
1/8 tsp salt
1/8 tsp black pepper
1 (8-ounce) carton plain fat-free yogurt or sour cream

4 pitas


Preheat broiler.

To prepare loaves, combine first 8 ingredients, stirring well. Divide mixture in half, forming each half into a 6 x 3-inch loaf. Place each loaf on a broiler pan coated with cooking spray; broil 7 minutes on each side or until done.

Sprinkle loaves with red pepper. Cut each loaf crosswise into 1/8-inch slices.

To prepare sauce, place cucumber and onion onto several layers of heavy-duty paper towels. Cover with additional paper towels; let stand 5 minutes.

Combine cucumber mixture, mint, and next 5 ingredients (mint through yogurt), stirring well. Divide meat slices evenly among pitas; top each serving with about 1/4 cup sauce



Boston Baked Beans (slow cooker)
Serves 10
140 calories per

1 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup ketchup
1/2 cup real maple syrup
2 TBS light brown sugar
2 TBS molasses
1 tsp dry mustard
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp all spice
1/8 tsp ground ginger
3 (15oz) cans white beans, rinsed and drained
4 bacon slices, uncooked and chopped

Combine all ingredients in a crock pot. Cover and cook low 5 hours.

Note- these really need to be done on low to get the best flavor and color. Don't try to do them on high for a reduced cooking time, it's just not the same.

Happy Valentines Day!

Happy Valentines Day to all you love birds out there!

My husband and I usually like to celebrate UN-Valentines day aka Just Because Days. We feel like we should give each other reminders of our love and affection throughout the year instead of just one single day. So, once in a while we give each other a card or flowers or even a special dinner. Why? Just because.

It's a tradition I grew up with. My parents always had just because days. Dad would leave little notes for Mom on heart shaped doilies. Mom would request a song to be played on the radio for Dad. Sweet gestures to let the other know- hey, I love you more today than I did yesterday.

I call Jon my sweetheart, and he calls me his babe.

My parents (who may read this and be slightly embarrassed, but I am gonna tell you anyway!) called each other "my sweet baboo" I still don't know why. Perhaps my father could enlighten me???

I was very pleasantly surprised to find this on my kitchen table today when I got up-

A happy little sock monkey (he has a cute tail, you just can't see it in the picture), a card, and flowers. He knows I am not a rose girl, so he bought me this beautiful mix of spring flowers. It was just what I would have picked.

Ok, disclaimer-the card in this picture is actually the one I made for him. I got to use my fun new stamp that says "Olive Juice!" for the inside note. I was so excited :)

He bought me a very cute card that reads, "To my beautiful wife on Valentine's Day. Honey, I hope you know that all of your hard work has NOT gone unnoticed." Then you open the card and it says, "I've been watching you from the couch during commercials. LOVE YOU!" Then he hand wrote some squishy, sweet nothings to me.

*Sigh* Yep, he still knows how to make me swoon after all these years.

Before I headed to work I threw some chili in the crock pot for my sweetheart. It was a new recipe from the CLP.

Mixed reviews on this puppy. I thought it was pretty good. He said it was too much like gumbo for him. That's fair. It's definitely not what comes to mind when I say chili, but, it was still delicious. :)

Here's to you and your culinary adventures, friends. Cheers!

Slow Cooker Chili (Gumbo)
Serves 4 (easily could feed 5-6)
412 calories per

Chili ingredients:
1 1/4 cups bottled salsa
1 cup diced red bell pepper
1 cup diced yellow bell pepper
1 TBS chili powder
1 can whole kernel corn, drained
1 12 oz package chicken or turkey sausage cut into 1/2 inch pieces*

Remaining ingredients:
2 cups hot cooked rice
1/4 cup baked tortilla chips
1/4 cup fresh chopped cilantro**
1/4 cup chopped green onions
1/4 cup reduced fat sour cream

In a slow cooker combine all the chili ingredients. Cook on low for 8 hours.

To serve- in each serving bowl place 1/2 cup rice, top with 1 1/4 cups chili, 1 TBS chips, 1 TBS cilantro, 1 TBS onion, and 1 TBS sour cream.

* I used a smoked turkey kielbasa.
** I used parsley due to a cilantro intolerance.

Happy New Year!

First blog of the new year.

So, first things first- Happy 2011 :)

Did you make any resolutions?(and, are they realistic?)

Did you give your sweetheart a kiss to ring in the new year?

Did you see the ball drop in NYC?

More importantly, are you ready for some new recipes?!

I have a goal, (not a resolution, this was a project I decided to take on about a month ago) to cook every recipe in a single cookbook. I have decided that I am going to accomplish this goal by cooking the recipes from The Best of Cooking Light: Everyday Favorites.

We have been purchasing whole, raw chickens for quite some time because it's far more budget friendly. I learned how to cut up a chicken when I was a kid- my mom used to get whole birds once in a while because they are such a good deal. Yea, you have to do a little work, it's worth it. I can cut up, skin, and de-bone my own poultry. It's a great skill. Making my own stock from the bones is a bonus. Besides, no store bought stock compares to homemade.

I also buy my ground beef in bulk (not the chubs! they compress the meat so much it never gets the original texture back) and divide it up into half pound freezer bags. I flatten the meat out in the bag and lay them flat to freeze. Then I just stack them all up.

A trick I learned from my mom is to cut up onions and freeze them. I like to dice up 2 or three at a time, freeze them on a baking sheet over night, then bag them up. They don't clump together if you take this extra step. I've taken to using the same process for celery, green onions, and bell peppers. I rarely need these veggies raw for a dish so it works out well.

I was asked if Jon and I have any New Years Day traditions. We usually sit around the house and watch the Twilight Zone marathon (the original series from the 1950's). But this year Jon decided he wants to build on our tradition. So, off to the beach we go. The sun is shining and it's 75 degrees. It's a great way to kick of the new year.

To kick off my cooking journey I decided I needed to make some chicken stock. I made it in the crock pot. Once it was cooled down some, I divided it up into freezer bags and laid them flat in the freezer. When they are hardened, I will stack them all up.

Word to the wise- LABEL EVERYTHING you repackage and put into your freezer. Seriously, you won't remember 3 months down the road what meats or sauces are what.

I hope you had a delightful holiday season. May your new year be blessed.

Here's to you and your culinary adventures, friend. Cheers!

White Chicken Stock (From All New Complete Cooking Light)
Makes 10 cups
28 calories per cup

1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns
10 parsley sprigs
8 thyme sprigs
3 celery stalks, cut into 2-inch-thick pieces
3 bay leaves
2 medium onions, unpeeled and quartered
2 carrots, cut into 2-inch-thick pieces
2 garlic cloves, crushed
16 cups cold water
6 lbs chicken pieces (I keep a bag of chicken bones, necks, and gizzards in my freezer for this)

Place first 8 ingredients in an 8-quart stockpot; add the water and chicken.

Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat, and simmer, uncovered, 3 hours.

Strain stock through a fine sieve into a large bowl. Reserve chicken for another use; discard remaining solids.

Cover and chill stock for 8 hours. Skim solidified fat from surface of broth, and discard.

For the crock pot:

I reduce the water to 10-11 cups.

Put everything in the crock, cover and simmer high for 5-6 hours.

Turn off, allow to cool somewhat. (removing the crock from the cooker helps speed this up)

Strain. Refrigerate. Skim the fat and divide into 1 cup bags.

Label and freeze.

Christmas Joy

Well, this was the first time in far too many years that we have all been together as a family for Christmas.

Best. Christmas. Ever.

We went for pancakes at Mom and Dad's then took a walk on the beach. Thank you Dad for the pictures. (I got new binoculars and so I was far too excited with my new toy to take pictures.

Looking for sharks teeth :)

The pretty ocean.

A one legged seagull, no really, he only had one leg. Something must have eaten the other one.

The crazy surfers. There were two of them. The water temperature is about 55 F this time of year. The air temperature was only 60.

My sweet boy, he says he will bleed the purple of the Vikings until the day he dies...

Pretend one leggers. These funny little birds will hop away from you on one leg, only putting the other leg down if they absolutely have to. It's cold out!

For Christmas I made a wreath for my mom. I have been waiting to post it's picture so I wouldn't spoil the surprise.

My dad was gifted Wilton baking pans. He is a big fan of their cookware.

My brother and sister-in-law arrived late afternoon from the state of Virginia to join the festivities. It was delightful to have their company.

I made a ton of Christmas cookies this year. I played with various techniques for frosting. Adam and Nadine (my brother and his wife) gave me a decorating set for frosting cakes and cookies. If only I had that when I was frosting my millions of cookies! Definitely will be using the new set in the future though :D



Let's see, what else? Oh! Today is my parents 30th wedding anniversary! YAY! Here's the card I made them (I can only post this now because I know they are on the way to my house so they won't see it until later). The lily is a traditional flower for the 30th anniversary.

Back to the food of it all, after all, that is why some of you are here right?

It's cold, I never really thought it could be cold if it was above zero, but it is. There are rumors it even snowed overnight Christmas Eve around these parts. I didn't see it, I am ok with that.

When it's cold, what do I make? Soup!!!!

I found this soup originally here. Love this blog, and hey, she's from MN. Bonus!

So, that's a very brief overview of the last few days. Go make some soup. And enjoy your afternoon!

Me, I've got to go celebrate my parents wedded bliss with my family :)

Here's to you and your culinary adventures, friend. Cheers!

Lasagna Soup
Serves 4-6

1/2 lb. Italian turkey sausage (I used 90/10 mild breakfast turkey sausage)
1/4 cup minced onion
4 large garlic cloves, minced
1 can petite diced tomatoes
8oz tomato sauce
3 cups fresh spinach
3 cups chicken broth
1 cup beef broth
2 tsp. basil
2 tsp. oregano
salt and pepper, to taste
1 cup cheese tortellini or ravioli
an additional 1/2 cup pasta (I used small shells)
1/8 cup mozzarella cheese, diced into small cubes (we just used shredded mozzarella, sprinkled over each bowl and stirred in as we ate)


Begin by browning the Italian sausage in a large stockpot. Add in the minced garlic and onion and cook until the Italian sausage is done.

Then, add in the tomatoes {undrained}, tomato sauce, and broth. Add in the spices. Bring the soup to a light boil and then reduce to a simmer.

Simmer the soup for 30 minutes or longer.

Then, add in the spinach and pasta. Simmer for about 20 minutes while the pasta cooks slowly.

Remove from the heat and then add in the diced mozzarella cheese.

Serve warm with a crusty bread.

Freezer Soup

Jon and I went to the Hofwyl-Broadfield Plantation with my parents last night to check out the Christmas decor, watch the cannon's get fired, and step back into history with the 26th Georgia Infantry and other Civil War reenactors portraying the Glynn Guards and Brunswick Rifles militia.

It was an experience.

Something we noticed-"facts" seem to be based on where you are. One example Jon and I both noticed was our guide, the "plantation owner," told us that the northern soldiers were "ungentlemanly" and would burn down the plantations even if it was only women and children home "just to be mean." We both giggled under our breath because in the north, they say the exact same thing about the southerners...

I can never look at a bayonet the same way again. Interesting/gross factoid: the winning side of any given battle was responsible for burying the dead left on the battlefield. This wasn't always a high priority so it could be a few days before it was gotten around to. What would happen at that point was the men would heat their bayonets over a fire and form a big hook. They'd use these hooks to pull the remains to a mass grave then they'd throw the hooks into the grave. Burial had to be done this way to avoid transmitting diseases and illnesses.

We learned about cannon firing procedures. They shot off four cannons as our guide explained what was being done. My dad called my brother to let him hear the cannon fire(My brother was a history major and Civil War reenactor.) One of the cannons was used in the movie Gods and Generals, a movie that my brother was an extra in :) The thing that caught my attention was cannons generally fire 2 rounds per five minutes. So what was my first thought? I have 2 1/2 minutes to run as far away as I possibly can. Clearly I was not cut out for battle...

The plantation itself was a rice plantation started in the early 1800's. The house was passed down through the generations. When the last living relative passed away in 1973 the house was willed to the state of Georgia. The condition was the house and plantation was to remain unchanged. The state came in and catalogued every item, but moved nothing. Drawers contain letters, pictures, clothing, and trinkets just as they were. Nothing was brought in and nothing was removed. It's a very unique place to visit.

The live oaks on the property are incredible. Some of the trees are estimated to be over 800 years old.

Before our visit to the plantation we had dinner at our house. I made a quick vegetable beef soup. I called it freezer soup because I used frozen corn, frozen beans, frozen diced onion, and frozen(thawed) ground beef.

It was a nice way to warm up before heading out into the dark, chilly night.

Here's to you and your culinary adventures, friend. Cheers!

Freezer Soup
Serves 8-10

1 lb ground beef
1 small onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup frozen corn
5 medium carrots, peeled and diced
3 large red skinned potatoes, diced
1 1/2 cups frozen snapped green beans
1 bay leaf
4-5 cups beef stock
3 cups v8 juice
1 tsp dry Italian seasoning
1-2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
salt and pepper to taste

Brown ground beef, onion, and garlic together. Drain any grease.

Add all remaining ingredients. Bring to a simmer over low.

Simmer, covered, for at least 30 minutes to cook veggies and blend the flavors.

Remove bay leaf before serving.

Note: this soup only gets better the longer it sits.

Let's get creative!

So, the pantry is pretty slim pickin's until tomorrow (grocery shopping day). And what do we do when things are slim? Get creative!

I haven't built up my pantry just yet, but what I had was perfect.

I had heart healthy Bisquick. Campbell's Selects Healthy Request Chicken noodle soup. Healthy request cream of chicken soup. And a freezer full of veggies. Anyone know where I am going with this?

Chicken and dumpling soup! I adore this classic dish, but rarely take the time to make my own stock, shred the chicken from the bone, mix up my dumpling batter and blah blah blah. It's a lot of work!

Tonight, I made the most amazing chicken and dumplings in about 25 minutes. It tasted like I slaved all day over a hot stove.

I am sure you could make this in a slow cooker, but it's super quick and easy on the stove top.

I took this picture for my mom, who loves my curly hair. I am sharing it with you because well, it's November and my grass is still green. :)



Here's to you and your culinary adventures, friend. Cheers!

Chicken and Dumpling Soup
Serves 3
245 calories per

1 can Campbell's Selects Healthy Request Chicken Noodle soup
1 can Healthy Request cream of chicken soup, undiluted
2/3 cup mixed frozen veggies
1/2 cup water
2/3 cup Bisquick Heart Healthy mix
1/4 cup skim milk

Mix soups, veggies, and water together in a pot with a lid. Bring to a simmer.

In a small bowl mix Bisquick and milk. Drop by teaspoonfuls into the simmering soup.

Reduce heat to a low simmer. Simmer uncovered for 5-6 minutes. Cover and simmer 10 minutes longer.

Allow to cool slightly before serving.

* You can always add fresh herbs to your dumpling batter for extra flavor, but I didn't have any on hand. Enjoy!

Chili to fight the chilly

It's fall here. What does that mean?

Beautiful trees, vibrant colors, crisp mornings, and clean, clear air.

It also means cold days, cloudy afternoons, and frost on my car in the am.

I decided to fight the cold with a heaping bowl of chili today. This recipe is one of Jon's favorites because it's very mild spice wise. I like it because it's fresh and doesn't have that heavy feeling of traditional chili.

We typically serve our chili with tortilla chips, pepper jack cheese, and a little dollop of sour cream. Jon usually asks for this on "Man Day" aka Sundays during Vikings season.

Here's to you and your culinary adventures, friend.Cheers!

White Bean Chili
Serves 4-6
253 calories for 4 servings
202 calories for 5 servings
170 calories for 6 servings

1 can navy or pinto beans drained and rinsed
16 oz ground turkey, browned
1-2tsp minced garlic
1 small onion, chopped
1 med. tomato, chopped
2 oz canned green chilies
2 tsp cumin
3-4 tsp chili powder
½ tsp Italian seasoning
2 cups chicken stock
Franks hot sauce to taste

Combine all ingredients in a medium size pot. Simmer on medium-low for 45 minutes.

Crock Pot: Put all ingredients into a crock pot. Simmer on high 4 hours.

That's a Wrap

It was cold and rainy today.

I was in the mood to make chicken broth for soup, we are after all quickly approaching fall.

As I've said before, I don't usually follow a specific recipe for these types of things. I just see what meat and veggies I have in the fridge and throw them in the pot. I typically use whole chickens for chicken stock, but I didn't have any on hand today.

Instead I used three boneless, skinless, chicken thighs. I tossed them into a pot filled with about 5 cups of water and 1 1/2 TBS chicken base. For veggies-4 whole small carrots, 1/2 a red onion, 3 portabella mushrooms, 2 cloves garlic, and 1 scallion. Spices were last to arrive at the broth party- peppercorns, salt, celery seed, and a small bay leaf. I simmer everything together for about 1 1/2 hours.

I removed the solids and was left with a flavorful, clear broth. I pulled the chicken pieces out and shredded them with a fork. They were juicy and tender. I needed to eat the meat. It wasn't optional...

We decided to make chicken BLT wraps for supper. They were "super yummy!" - Jon's description. :)

Here's to you and your culinary adventures, friend. Cheers!

Chicken BLT Wraps
Serves 3
259 calories per*

5 oz shredded chicken meat
3 Large flour tortillas
6 slices turkey bacon, pan fried
1 large tomato, sliced
2 TBS light miracle whip
3 iceberg lettuce leaves

Spread each tortilla with 1/3 of the miracle whip.

Divide the chicken evenly among the tortillas.

Add two slices of bacon to each.

Top with tomatoes and lettuce. Wrap tortilla around filling and eat immediately.

* If you divide 1 oz of shredded cheddar cheese among the three wraps the calorie content becomes 308 per wrap.

Wedding Soup!

I was EXTREMELY disturbed this morning to wake up to an outdoor temperature of 53 F. Really? In August? I am beyond not OK with this!

So, I made soup. If you read my last post I mentioned I would be using half of my Gyro Inspired Meatballs in place of chicken meatballs. The soup turned out wonderful! It was just what I needed to warm me up on this cold day.

Another great treat today? A very dear friend of mine came up from the Twin Cities to visit! Never underestimate the warming power of a hug from a friend. :)

Thank you to my Mom for the recipe for the soup! It's just as delicious as I remember.

Here's to you and your culinary adventures, friend. Cheers!

Italian Wedding Soup
Serves 4-5

Meatballs *
1/2 lb ground beef (or chicken sausage or plain ground turkey or 1/4 lb beef & 1/4 lb pork sausage)
1 egg, slightly beaten
2 TBS dry bread crumbs
1 TBS Parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp onion powder

Soup
6 cups chicken stock (store bought is fine)
2 cups thinly sliced fresh escarole or fresh spinach
1/2 cup orzo or ancini de pepe pasta, cooked
2 carrots, thinly sliced
1 rib celery
1/2 small onion, chopped
salt and pepper

For the meatballs, in a medium bowl combine all meatball ingredients. Do not over mix, combine just until ingredients are evenly distributed and pull together. Shape into marble sized balls using a 1/2 tsp or the small size of a melon baller.

In a large saucepan, saute onion and celery until tender.

Add stock and bring to a simmer.

Stir in escarole/spinach**, carrot, and meatballs. Return stock to a boil. Reduce heat. Simmer for 15 minutes, stir often.

Add cooked pasta. Warm through and serve.

* I used half of the recipe of my Gyro Inspired Meatballs in place of these meatballs this time around.

** I prefer the fresh spinach for this soup. I also like to wait until I add the pasta to stir in the spinach.

Quick Veggie Soup

When I was learning how to cook, one of the things I started with was soup. They are pretty hard to mess up.

I have a really quick "recipe" that really isn't a recipe at all.

Basic run down of my soup components:
Broth
Veggies
Carbohydrate
Meat
Seasonings

Today's soup was made up with fresh veggies and herbs from my garden. I chose not to add pasta, rice, or barley keeping this soup light and easy. I had about 1/4 cup of diced ham leftover from making egg white omelets for dinner earlier in the week so I tossed that into the pot.

Soup is not rocket science. Take what you like and add it to the pot. Easy peasy.

Here's to you and your culinary adventures, friend. Cheers!

Quick Veggie Soup
Serves 2
130 cal per

2 1/2-3 cups beef broth
1 small russet potato, diced
1 medium carrot(or 6 baby sized) diced
1 TBS onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
8-10 green beans, cut into thirds or fourths
1/4 cup diced ham
5 fresh mushrooms, sliced
2 TBS fresh parsley, chopped
1-1 /2 tsp fresh baby basil, chopped or torn
1 medium tomato, diced
2-3 dashes Worcestershire sauce
salt and pepper


In a saucepan combine broth, potato, carrot, onion, garlic, diced ham and green beans. Bring to a simmer. Cook until veggies are tender, about 15 minutes.

Add mushrooms and herbs to soup. Simmer 5 minutes.

Remove from heat. Add tomato. Season with salt, pepper, and Worcestershire sauce.

Summer Time Crock-pot-ery

So no one thinks of Crock Pot dishes in the summer. It's a winter appliance right? Wrong.

Yes, these little wonders do make delectable soups and stews. And sometimes, for special occasions, fantastic chocolate lava cakes... But, they also make a great indoor BBQ chicken!

The best thing about this recipe is it is toss and go. Turn it on low in the morning, then you don't have to heat up the kitchen or fumble around with a grill when you get home in the evening.

Jon and I both gave this a huge thumbs up. Its really good on a hoagie roll with a thin slice of Swiss or monterey jack cheese. The leftovers are phenomenal!

In garden news, the kale harvest went spectacularly! I have kale coming out my ears!

All the plants are doing great. Little baby beans are hanging tenderly under their leaf umbrellas. The tomatoes are all budding little green globes. I have flowers on my bell peppers! I have hopes to get a few little ones this summer. Kohlrabi is getting huge. It's sort of enveloping the onions... The cucumbers are starting to wind their way up the chicken wire fence. The carrots are still itty bitty, but they are definitely carrots :) And last but not least, the herbs are smelling fragrant, especially after the rains.

Here's to you and your culinary adventures, friends! Cheers!

Crock Pot BBQ Chicken

3 FROZEN skinless, boneless chicken breasts
6-8 oz Sweet Baby Ray's BBQ Sauce
1/4 cup Italian salad dressing
1/4 cup chicken broth
1 clove minced garlic
2 TBS brown sugar
1 TBS Worcestershire sauce
1 TBS liquid smoke
1-2 tsp Italian seasoning
Kosher Salt & fresh cracked black pepper

Set chicken aside for a moment.

Mix all other ingredients together in the crock pot.

Gently push the chicken into the sauce. Cover and cook on low for 5-6 hours. Crack lid on crock pot for 1 additional hour.

Remove chicken and allow to cool for a few minutes. Shred with two forks. Return to sauce. Warm back through.

Spring Soup

It is a beautiful day for fishing opener! The sun is shining, it's 72 degrees, and the wind is minimal. Perfect :)

Earlier this week was not so perfect. The rain came and just kept coming. We needed it though, so I tried to embrace the rain.

I decided we needed to warm things up a bit so I made a quick cabbage soup. I combined several recipes to come up with the one I am sharing today.

I had some leftover soup for lunch today. I paired it with a slice of honey oatmeal bread I picked up at the farmer's market this morning. It was filling and yummy!

I also snagged some tomato plants for my garden while I was wandering the market. I can hardly wait to get them into the ground! So, in the near future be looking for garden 2010 updates!

Off to enjoy the sun and see if I can't entice some fishies to become my dinner.

Here's to you and your culinary adventures, friend. Cheers!

Quick Cabbage Soup
Serves 6
110 calories

8oz lean ground turkey
1/2 head green cabbage, chopped
1 ½ cloves garlic, minced
1 small onion, diced
2 medium carrot, diced
1 box Swanson reduced sodium chicken stock(3 cups)
1 can fire roasted diced tomatoes
8oz Franks Kraut
3 tsp Worcestershire Sauce
1 tsp dry Italian Seasoning
salt and pepper

Spray a soup pot with cooking spray. Lightly caramelize the onions. Add turkey. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Add carrot, stock, tomatoes, garlic, Italian seasoning, Worcestershire sauce, and cabbage to pot. Cover and simmer on medium heat for 20 minutes. Add sauerkraut and simmer 5 more minutes.

Serve warm.

Soup gets better the longer it sits as the flavors get a chance to mingle.

Simple Pleasures

Life has been crazy around my house.

If you read my last post, I have been gathering myself up for an exciting future. Well, all that gathering takes up a lot of time and energy. Today I was thinking I needed some simplicity in my life.

I wanted to cook something delicious and yet I wanted something raw and simple. I wanted to taste all the flavors and complexities the ingredients had to offer in and of themselves. I found what I was looking for.

A creamy squash soup served in a crystal clear bowl, a touch of elegance on an average day. It was, as all meals should be, an experience for all the senses.

My hope for you is that you would take time to enjoy to simple pleasures of life.

Here's to you and your culinary adventures, friend. Cheers!

Creamy Butternut Squash Soup
Serves 4
101 calories per serving

1 TBS country crock margarine spread
3 1/2 cups cubed, peeled butternut squash
1/2 cup chopped carrot
1/4 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped sweet onion
1 clove garlic
1/2 TBS Italian seasoning
2 1/2 cups chicken stock
1/4 cup fat free half and half
fresh cracked pepper
Jane's Crazy Mixed up Salt

Melt margarine in a large stock pot. Add onion, celery, garlic, carrot, and squash. Saute for 10-12 minutes.

Add stock. Bring to a simmer. Add Italian seasoning. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes.

Remove from heat. Stir in half and half.

Place soup in a blender. Remove the center piece of the life to allow steam to escape. Secure blender lid. Place a clean towel over the opening to prevent splatters. Blend until smooth.

Return soup to pan. Add pepper and mixed up salt to taste.

I got that squishy feelin'

Yesterday was Valentines Day.

I was treated to the most beautiful bouquet of pink roses when I woke up.

A little background on the flowers: I always protest red roses, they are too cliche for me. I prefer tulips and carnations, I am a simple girl in the flower department. Jon is a traditionalist so he compromises and gets me pink roses.

In short, he did great. :)

We ate dinner at home, as a couple. It was so nice to sit down and spend some time together. We watched the Olympics and enjoyed each others company. It may not sound like the most romantic evening on the planet, but it was perfectly suited to us.

We enjoyed ham that I warmed up in the crockpot and tortellini in homemade stock. It was simple but so tasty.

Another sweethearts day successfully spent, with my sweetheart.

Here's to you and your culinary adventures, friend. Cheers!

Fresh Tortellini in Stock
Serves 3
349 cal per serving

1 (9-ounce) package fresh three-cheese tortellini
14-16 oz homemade chicken stock
1 plum tomato, chopped
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/2 tsp dry Italian seasoning
2 TBS shredded fresh Parmesan cheese
Freshly ground black pepper (optional)

Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting fat; drain.

While pasta cooks, bring stock to a boil. Remove from heat; stir in parsley and Italian seasoning. Cover and let broth mixture stand until pasta is done.

Add drained pasta to stock mixture. Ladle soup into three shallow bowls; sprinkle each serving with cheese and tomatoes. Garnish with additional parsley leaves and pepper, if desired.