Sausage and Kale stew

Due to internet issues, I wasn't able to post this last night...

So, in the latest low carb installment I will be making Sausage and Kale stew.  I got this recipe from the Rachael Ray Show, but I really only used it as a guide...since I forgot to buy some of the ingredients.  The original recipe calls for potatoes, and they are definitely a plus, but if you are trying to be low carb, you don't really miss them.  

You will need:

1 bunch of Kale (I only used half the bunch for Jeff and I)

1 can of chick peas

1 can diced, fire roasted tomatoes

1 12 ounce jar of roasted red peppers, diced

1 package of spicy sausage (the original recipe calls for chorizo, or you can used cooked chicken.)

1 onion

2-3 ribs of celery

1-2 large potatoes

garlic

paprika

red pepper

salt and pepper

*I don't measure, but for those of you who need measurements, I counted to 4 slowly while evenly sprinkling each seasoning.  Or you could go with about a 1/4 teaspoon of each

Roughly chop the celery, red peppers and onions and place in a lightly greased, deep casserole dish (one with a lid is preferable).  Remove the stems from the Kale and tear into bite size pieces.  Add the Kale to the casserole dish.

Season with garlic, crushed red pepper, paprika, salt and pepper.  

Mix well and pour the can of chickpeas, tomatoes and their juice over the vegetables.  If there isn't a lot of juice in the can, add a splash of chicken broth to the casserole dish.  You can add more if you like a really juicy stew.  Stir to incorporate.  

Cut the sausage into bite size pieces and place on the top of the vegetables.  Place the lid on the casserole dish and bake at 350 degrees for 2 hours.  I use a convection oven, so you may need to increase your cooking time if you don't have a convection setting.  

With 30 minutes remaining, remove the lid and place the dish back in the oven until the sausage casings are crisped.  

That's what's for dinner...or at least that is what is for dinner last night

Give me suggestions...

Jeff and I are doing the low carb thing and I need a few food ideas.  Or, give me some ideas on things you would like a recipe for or to see me make.

Here are a few I have been considering:
Lasagna with grilled veggies instead of noodles
Spaghetti squash spaghetti
Ratatouille
TVP breaded chicken (I'm not exactly sure if this would work)
Chili
Some sort of breakfast foods
White chicken chili
Kale and sausage stew
Spinach salad
Fish...not my most comfortable cooking endeavor...ooh, now I want shrimp.

Maybe my readers could vote every week and we could do a readers choice recipe?

Scarborough Fair Chicken

I know it has been a while since I posted, so I thought I would get back in the swing of things with one of Jeff's favorite dishes...Scarborough Fair Chicken.  Every time we go to the ren fest, we have to get chicken on a stick.  I happen to thing I have done a pretty good job of recreating it.

You will need:
Half a regular size chicken breast per person.  Jeff bought mutant chicken at the store, so I think I can actually make 4 servings from this one breast.
Onion powder
Garlic Salt
Paprika
Cumin (I sometimes leave this out due to a friends food allergy, but if this isn't a problem for you, it really adds to the flavor)
Chili powder
Crushed Red pepper
Salt and Pepper

If I was grilling the chicken (like I usually do, but the weather wasn't corroporating today) I would just cut the breast into serving sizes (2-4 pieces depending on size).  Since I decided to make it into fajitas, I cut it into bite size pieces.  Season one size LIBERALLY before putting season side down in a skillet.  If you are grilling, season both sides.  It is important to over season the chicken.  I have never added too much season, so just keep seasoning until you think you have put too much on...then add a little more.  If you don't like spicy food, go easy on the red pepper and just add more paprika and chili powder.  

While the chicken cooks, saute an onion and peppers.  Or skip this step if you just want the chicken.  :)

If you are going the fajita route with this chicken, I recommend serving on top a leaf of ice berg lettuce with the peppers and onions, cheese, salsa and some greek yogurt.  You could always use tortillas instead of the lettuce...but we are doing the low carb thing.

That's what's for dinner!!!

Beer Brats

I have had a few comments about my lack of posting the past few days, so here you all go.

Beer Brats!  I made these for Jeff a few weeks ago, and he keeps mentioning them.

You will need:
One package of brats.  I used the Target brand tonight and I was pleasantly surprised.  Johnsonville spicy brats are also really good.
1 medium yellow onion, cut into thick slices
1 bottle beer.  I use Bard's Beer.  It is a gluten free beer that is awesome for cooking!
Bun of your choice
Cheese of your choice
Spicy Brown Mustard
Olive oil

Coat the bottom of a deep frying pan with a thin layer of olive oil.  Cook the onions and brats over medium heat for a few minutes until the casings brown.  Add the entire bottle of beer and allow the brats to simmer over medium low heat until the brats are cooked through.  This is a perfect time to cook some tater tots in your oven.

Serve on a toasted bun with cheese and spicy brown mustard.  You don't have to eat the onions, but you would be making a mistake :)

That's what's for dinner!

Cinnamon Raisin French Toast- Special Mother's Day Edition

In honor of Mother's Day we are doing a special breakfast edition of "That's what's for dinner".  The other day I found some fantastic new gluten free cinnamon raisin bread (Mom, we have got to get you some) and I have been dying to make french toast with it.  Since I still have heavy cream left over (didn't quite use it all in the chicken pasta earlier in the week),  and I told Jeff I would make breakfast if he would make a coffee run to Java Me Up, today seemed like the perfect day for french toast.

You will need:
2 slices (per person)of your favorite cinnamon rasin bread- I used Rudi's
1/4 cup heavy cream (milk will work too, it just wont feel as decadent :)
1/4 cup egg beaters (or 1 egg per person)
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp butter
cooking spray

As usual, my measurements are approximate.  Also, the quantities listed are for one serving.  Make more if you are sharing or cooking for your favorite Mom.

Mix together the eggs, cream and cinnamon in a shallow dish.  Soak the bread for approximately 20 minutes, flipping it occasionally if the bread isn't completely submerged.

  Meanwhile, I made bacon.  I set the toaster oven to 450 degrees (400 if you have a convection setting), and put the bacon on a rack over a drip pan. 20 minutes later you have perfectly cooked, FLAT bacon and most of the grease has been drained for you.

Once your bacon is almost done, it is time to make your french toast.  Personally, I like a butter/cooking spray combo for the pan.  The butter gives good flavor, but the cooking spray lets  you use a lot less and still get the same not stick properties.  It also helps keep the butter from turning too brown.  My pan only holds two pieces of bread at a time and I am too lazy to wash the griddle later...

Flip the bread over after a few minutes.  If the bread is stuck to the pan (and you remembered to spray it) it isn't done yet.  Over medium heat, the bread should release when it is ready to flip.  Chill out, you can eat soon.

Your patience will be rewarded when you let it snow (dust with powdered sugar) and serve with bacon.

That's What's for Breakfast!


Happy Mother's Day Momma!

Fatty Fatty Chicken Pasta (Spicy Chicken Alfredo)

Heavy cream.  What do you do with it when you don't plan to make whipped cream?  You make alfredo sauce.  Of course, I like to pretend I am not clogging all of my arteries, so I substitute chicken broth for some of the cream and add chicken and bell peppers.  I also make it spicy.  Spicy food boosts your metabolism, right?

You will need:
(all measurements are approximate)

1 package of chicken, cut into bite size pieces
1 Tbsp Sriracha or hot pepper sauce
1 tsp garlic (I use the paste in a tube)
1 tsp Italian seasoning
salt and pepper
olive oil
1 bell pepper
1 box of pasta
1-2 tsp flour
1/2-1 cup chicken broth
1 pint of cream (you will not use all of it, so don't have a heart attack just yet.  save that for later)
crushed red pepper and parmesan cheese to taste


To begin with, I marinated the chicken in a combination of olive oil, sriracha hot sauce (rooster sauce), Italian seasoning, garlic paste, salt and pepper.  Add enough oil until you get a loose marinade.

Mix together in a bowl and toss the chicken to coat.  Allow to marinate in the refrigerator until you are ready to eat.  I made mine around lunch time, intending to eat it for dinner.  

While boiling the pasta (salt the water!!!) of your choice (I used a whole grain gluten free penne- gotta get your fiber!), sauté the chicken and one bell pepper in a pan.  Since you used oil in your marinade, you shouldn't need to add any additional oil to the pan.  Once browned, sprinkle with 1-2 tsp of flour (or gluten free baking mix in my case)

Allow the flour to cook for a few minutes, tossing the chicken to ensure it is coated evenly.  

Slowly add about half a cup of chicken broth, being sure to scrap the yummy bits from the bottom of the pan.  If you are not watching your waistline, you can skip the flour and chicken broth and just use straight cream...but I am so I use a broth/cream combo.  Add more chicken broth until you reach the consistency of thin gravy.  Melt in a few slices of the cheese of your choice.  We had deli sliced provolone on hand, so I used 3 slices of it.  Tear them into small pieces and add them one at a time so they have a chance to melt.  

 One the sauce beings to thicken, add your cream.  I used about a 1/4 cup.  You can certainly use more (use less chicken broth) based on how creamy you wanted your sauce, but I just wanted enough to make me think I was eating alfredo sauce.

Measure out the appropriate serving of pasta (I'll let you decide what that is), and spoon your sauce and chicken on top.  Right before serving sprinkle with crushed red pepper and parmesan cheese to taste.  

Voila!  That's what's for dinner.


NOTE*  I might decrease the pasta or increase the chicken next time since this was a little carb heavy.  Other than that, I wouldn't change a thing.

Taco Night!

Yesterdays sandwiches were pretty awesome, and I will definitely be making them again.  One comment though: the roast beef got a little over done when it was warming in the pan.  Not a big issue for me, but for roast beef connoisseurs, this might be a problem.  Maybe warming the soup first and then adding the beef would fix the problem?  Either way, I would still eat them again.

We had take out tacos tonight in honor of Cinco de Mayo.  I guess I could have made them myself, but when you have San Diego Tacos down on the corner, why bother?  Something about the tin foil wrapped Styrofoam plate just makes them taste even better.  We ordered so much food we confused the drive through girl and she had to clarify when we go to the window.  Apparently "4 cheese enchiladas, 3 rolled tacos with guacamole, 3 carnitas tacos, 1 flan and a Dr. Pepper" is enough to stop you in your tracks and ask "you want what?"

And this is why I had to unbutton my pants after dinner.

Sandwich night

In honor of the first entry, I went with something easy tonight...sandwiches.  The sandwich obsession began the other day when I was reading an article The Nest about easy sandwiches.


So, I decided tonight was the night.  Feeling extra daring, I decided on a french dip sandwich...mostly because roast beef was on sale at the store.  Also, I had read an article about soaking roast beef in french onion soup (I can not remember where I read it, but I do admit is was not my idea) and I happened to come across gluten free french onion soup.  Got to love the Pacific brand!  So here we go...

You will need:
Roast beef of your choice.  I figure two slices per sandwich
Cheese of choice.  I got provolone.
Bread
French Onion soup.  I used the Pacific brand that comes in the cardboard box.

Simmer the roast beef and soup over low heat until the are both warm.  For me that is #3 on the stove setting for the same amount of time it takes Jeff to get home from school...about 30 minutes.  I assume you could also just heat the soup in the microwave and the let the beef soak in it for a few minutes, but time wasn't an issue for me.

Place 2 pieces of bread on a pan (or in your toaster oven) and top with the cheese.  Broil until melted and gooey.  Top with the soup soaked beef and serve with extra soup on the side for dipping.

That's what's for dinner!