Potato Kielbasa Skillet

Based on the Recipe from Taste of Homes.

4 servings
According to MyFitnessPal, each serving is 307 calories.

Ingredients

• 1 pound red potatoes, cubed
• 3 tablespoons water
• 1 Hillshire Farms Lite Polska Kielbasa (sliced)
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 2 tablespoons minced garlic
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 3 tablespoons brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons cider vinegar
• 1.5 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 4 cups fresh baby spinach

Directions

1. Place potatoes and water in a microwave-safe dish. Cover and microwave on high until tender; drain. It took my microwave somewhere between 5-8 minutes for these little guys to get tender.
2. In a large skillet, saute kielbasa, garlic, and onion in oil until onion is tender. Add potatoes; saute 3-5 minutes longer or until kielbasa and potatoes are lightly browned.
3. Combine the brown sugar, vinegar, mustard, and pepper; stir into skillet. 
4. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 2-3 minutes or until heated through. 
5. Add spinach; cook and stir until spinach is wilted.

My Outback Classic Wedge Salad

My Outback Classic Wedge Salad
Serves 4

I live in a place where the closest Outback Steakhouse is, or at least feels, like farther away than I want to travel for a salad. I was really craving one, so I made a list of all the things that were familiar about the salad and this is what I came up with. This is the closest taste I have ever had to the salad I've been craving. Sans prime rib.

Ingredients

• 1 head of lettuce cut into 4 wedges.
• 1 cup real bacon bits
• 1 pint cherry tomatoes
• 1/2 red onion sliced thin
• 4 TBSP balsamic vinegar
• 1 cup blue cheese crumbles
• 1 cup chopped walnuts
• 2 cups Ken's Steakhouse Chunky Blue Cheese Dressing
• 3/4 cup Ken's Steakhouse Sweet Vidalia Onion Dressing

Instructions

1. Mix the two dressings in a bowl together until they are thoroughly mixed together.
2. In 4 bowls, put the 1 lettuce wedge, 1/4 of the onions, and 1/4 of the cherry tomatoes.
3. Sprinkle 1/4 cup of the walnuts, blue cheese crumble, and bacon bits on each wedge.
4. Drizzle 1/4 of the dressing onto each wedge. Then drizzle 1 TBSP of the balsamic vinegar on each.
5. Serve and enjoy!

Funfetti Cookies

Funfetti Cookies
About 20 cookies

This recipe was bopping around on Pinterest and I snagged up the repin. I made these as an incentive treat for Friday Freewrite Nummy Snack for my students. The cookies were easy and I could make a bunch quickly. When I made them, I tripled the recipe so that I would have enough cookies for everyone, plus co-workers, and my daughter and husband. They went over really well.

Ingredients

• 1 box of Pillsbury Funfetti Cake Mix
• 2 eggs
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil

Instructions

1. Put all ingredients into a bowl and mix.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
3. Spray a baking sheet with Non-Stick Spray.
4. Roll into about 1-inch balls and place on the baking sheet. About 10-12 per baking sheet.
5. Bake for amount 8 minutes or until starting to brown around the edges. 
6. Place on a cooling rack. Store in a sealed container or Ziploc bag.

Note: By my last batch of cookies, they were baking faster, so just keep an eye on them.

Old-Fashioned Cherry Clafoutis

Old-Fashioned Cherry Clafoutis
Serves: 6-8

I found this recipe in my Food Network magazine for July/August 2012. It was my first clafoutis and was absolutely delicious! I would definitely make this again! I had to make some changes to the original recipe (I didn't have lemon or orange zest). It was still super nummy!

Ingredients

•     2 1/2 cups pitted cherries (1 to 1 1/2 pounds whole cherries)
•     4 tablespoons whiskey
•     1 tablespoon Angostura bitters
•     Unsalted butter, for the baking dish
•     1 1/2 cups half-and-half
•     4 large eggs
•     1/2 cup all-purpose flour
•     1/2 cup granulated sugar
•     2 tablespoons lemon juice
•     2 tablespoons orange juice
•     1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
•     1 tablespoon coarse sugar

Instructions

What was left before I could get a camera!

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Toss the cherries, whiskey and bitters in a bowl and let sit at room temperature, stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes.
3. Drain the cherries and reserve the liquid.
4. Butter a 10-inch pie plate and arrange the cherries in the plate in a single layer.
5. Whisk the half-and-half, reserved cherry liquid, eggs, flour, sugar, lemon juice, orange juice and salt in a large bowl.
6. Pour over the cherries and bake until the edges start pulling away from the sides of the pan and the top is lightly golden, about 45 minutes.
7. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with the coarse sugar.
8. Switch the oven to the broiler setting and broil the clafoutis until golden brown and bubbling, 1 to 3 minutes.
9. Let cool at least 10 minutes.

Raisin French Toast Pudding

Raisin French Toast Pudding
Serves: 6+
I thought about bread pudding, but wanted to make french toast. I combined the two to make Raisin French Toast Pudding.

Ingredients

• 1 loaf of raisin bread ripped into chunks
• 1 cup raisins
• 8 eggs
• 1 1/2 cup half and half or heavy cream
• 3 TBSP cinnamon
• 3 TBSP sugar
• 3 TBSP vanilla extract

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400.
2. In an 11x13 pan, either spray with a non-stick spray or use butter, then dust the butter with sugar to stop the bread from sticking. 
3. Take the chunks of bread and spread it out in the pan.
4. In a bowl, mix the eggs, half and half, cinnamon, sugar, and vanilla extract.
5. Dump the mixture into the 11x13 pan with the bread and sprinkles the raisins into the mixture.
6. Mix so that all bread is covered with the liquid. Push bread down to soak up the mixture while stirring.
7. Cover with a loose dusting of cinnamon sugar if available.
8. Bake for 30-40 minutes or until the eggs are cooked through.

Sweetened Condensed Milk Toast

Sweetened Condensed Milk Toast
Serves 4-5

Ingredients

• 1/2 loaf Italian bread 1/2 inch thick slices
• 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 4 teaspoons cinnamon

Instructions

1. Place the slices of bread on a baking sheet and put them under the broiler until toasted.
2. When one side is toasted, pull out and immediately butter each slice.
3. Turn the slices over and put them back under the broiler. When done, butter those sides.
4. Sprinkle about 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon on each piece of buttered toast.
5. Then spoon about 1/2 tablespoon of sweetened condensed milk onto each slice. Put back under the broiler for 1 minute. Check to make sure its not burning.
6. Take out and serve!

Sweet and Spicy Meatloaves with Curry Broccoli and Potatoes

Sweet and Spicy Meatloaves with Spicy Broccoli and Potatoes
Inspired by Food Network's Sweet and Spicy Meatloaves.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup bread crumbs
• 1 small onion, quartered
• 2 medium carrot, quartered
• 1/2 pound 93 percent lean ground turkey
• 1/2 pound 90 percent lean ground beef
• 1 large egg
• 2 tablespoons curry powder
• salt and pepper3
• 3 tablespoon ketchup
• 4 tablespoon apricot jam
• 2 medium red-skinned potatoes, sliced 1/4 inch thick
• 1 head broccoli (florets cut into pieces, stem peeled and thinly sliced)
• 4 tablespoons butter (for broccoli and potatoes)
• 1 table spoon curry powder (broccoli and potatoes)

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Add the onion and carrot to the food processor and pulse until finely chopped.
3. Transfer to the bowl with the breadcrumbs and add the turkey, beef, egg and 2 tablespoons curry powder, salt and pepper. 
4. Mix by hand until just combined. Shape into 4 small oblong meatloaves on a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet. 
5. Mix the ketchup and jam in a small bowl and brush over the meatloaves. 
6. Bake until just cooked through, about 20 minutes.
7. Meanwhile, bring a pot of salted water to a boil. 
8. Add the potatoes and cook 4 minutes, then add the broccoli florets and stem; cook until the vegetables are just tender, about 6 more minutes. Drain; return to the pot. 
9. Toss with the butter and the remaining curry powder. Season with salt and pepper. Serve with the meatloaves. 

Onion and Cider Pulled Pork

Slow-Cooker Apples, Onions, and Pork

This dish was inspired by a what I saw Zane Homlquist cook on the Today Show the morning of January 11, 2012.

Ingredients

• 2 large granny smith apples
• 2 large yellow onions
• 2 TBSP minced garlic
• 2 TBSP coriander
• 2 TBSP paprika
• 2 TBSP salt
• 2 TBSP pepper
• 4 TBSP Montreal Steak Seasoning
• 1.75L (59 FL OZ) bottle Apple Cider (Simply Apple Pure Pressed)
•  Pork shoulder
• 2-3lbs pork shoulder
• 3TBSP Worcestershire Sauce
• 3 Bay Leaves

Instructions

1. Season the pork shoulder with half of the Montreal Steak Seasoning. Heat up a hot pan and sear off the meat.
2. While the meat is searing, slip and quarter the onions and put them in the slow-cooker. Check your meat and make sure you're searing the other sides.
3. Wash and core the apples. Cut into 16ths. Put them in the slow-cooker. Check your meat to make sure you're searing all the sides.
4. Add the minced garlic, coriander, paprika, bay leaves, salt, and pepper to the slow-cooker. Your meat should be fully seared. Add it to the slow-cooker.
5. Pour in the apple cider until everything is completely covered. Then add the Worcestershire Sauce.
6. Cover and cook on high for 4 hours, then turn down to low and cook a minimum of 4 more hours. Best option would be to cook for a full twelve hours to get the most tender pork.
7. Strain the liquid from the slow-cooker into a large bowl. Take the meat and the onion pieces out of the colander and put it back into the slow-cooker. Make sure all the liquid is drained from the colander and discard the contents.
8. Take two forks and shred the pork and onions in the slow-cooker. Then add as much liquid back in as to cover the shredded pork. Continue to let warm in the slow-cooker until serving.
9. The leftover liquid can be made into a Carolina Barbeque style sauce by using the recipe listed below. Add to the sandwich or adjust the re-added liquid to the recipe and make your whole slow-cooker flavored that way. Save any extra in case the liquid in the slow-cooker seems to dry up, you can keep re-adding to keep the pork moist. 

Note: Suggested side dishes are a salad, scalloped potatoes, or wild rice and sauteed snap peas. Any BBQ side-dish works just as well.

Carolina BBQ-Style Sauce

Ingredients

• 3 cups Cider Vinegar
• 3 cups the above recipe Seasoned Liquid Leftovers
• 1 TBSP sugar
• 3 TBSP red chili flakes
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 TBSP pepper

Instructions

1. In a bowl or a contain with a spout, add in all the ingredients list above.
2. Shake the container, stir, or mix in some way.
3. Taste and season or adjust liquid ratio to your preferred taste.
4. Serve over pulled pork.

Nutella Crescents

Nutella Crescents
Serving: 4-8

Ingredients
1 package Big & Flaky Crescent Rolls
8 TBSP Nutella

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Open the crescent package and break apart the crescents into the pre-cut triangles.
3. Take 1 TBSP of Nutella and start at the largest end of the crescent and spread it a little over halfway up the triangle.
4. Roll the crescents and place them on a nonstick baking sheet. Repeat for remaining crescents.
5. Let bake until golden brown on the top.
6. Serve.

Note: You can also do this with jam.

Sweet and Savory Breakfast Surprise: Grits, Bacon, and Eggs

 Sweet & Savory Breakfast Surprise: Grits, Bacon, & Eggs
Serves 4

Ingredients

• 8 slices of Jennie-O turkey bacon
• 4 TBSP Maple Syrup (I used Log Cabin Lite)
• 4 Large Eggs
• 3 handfuls of All Natural Alexia Sweet Potato Juliened fries (preferred brand or your own... if you're own 1 large sweet potato should be enough)
• 3/4 cup Quaker Grits (Quick-5 Minutes, Smooth & Creamy, Enriched White Hominy)
• 3 cups water
• 1 1/2 cups preferred cheddar cheese (shredded or cubed)
• 1/2 cup 1% milk
• 3 TBSP butter
• 2 TBSP butter (for the eggs)
• 1 TBSP salt
• 2 TBSP pepper
• Favorite Hot Sauce (for a drop or two of garnish)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 425F and get the sweet potato fries cooking. Follow your own recipe for your own. Cook the fries until tender and slightly crispy. I don't add any kind of cooking oil, because they cook up delicious and fine without it. Do this well in advance, because everything else will come together quickly and you can keep the fries in a warming area.
2. In a medium pot on the stove, start to cook up the grits by bringing 3 cups of water to a boil. Once boiling, add in the 3/4 cups grits, 1/4 tsp salt, 2 TBSP pepper and stir.
3. Reduce heat to medium-low, add in 3 TBSP butter and 1 1/2 cups of cheddar cheese. Stir and cover. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. Prepare the turkey bacon as you prefer. Do not make the bacon too crispy, still pliable. You can either cook it in the microwave, turning frequently, until ready or follow oven directions. When the bacon is ready, cut strips in half at an angle. Two slices for each bowl.
5. Put the bacon aside on a plate. When the grits are to your taste, add in 1/2 cup 1% milk to smooth the texture. Take off heat and set aside covered.
6. Heat a frying pan to medium-high and add 1/2 TBSP butter for each egg. Fry the egg on both sides so that the whites are cooked, but the yoke will pop. Don't forget, the eggs will continue cooking ones off the heat.
7. While the eggs are preparing, stir your grits and portion them into 4 wide bowls. Then lay down the bacon so that the angles create a V out of the bacon or just create an X across the grits (cutting them just makes it easier to eat). See picture for platting help.
8. Lay the fried egg on top of the bacon. Then distribute 4 small sweet potatoe fries around the 4 segments of the bowl. Lay 2 large potato strips across the top of the egg.
9. Drizzle 1 TBSP of maple syrup over the egg so that it runs down. Then douse with a few drops of hot sauce.
10. Serve! Pop the egg first.

Pineapple Risotto

Pineapple Risotto
Serves 4
Roughly 248 Calories per serving

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1 cup arborio rice
• 1/2 medium yellow onion, chopped into small bits
• 1 cup pineapple juice
• 1 cup Barefoot Chardonnay
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1/4 cup parmesan cheese
• 1/2 cup crushed pineapple

Instructions

1. In a medium pot, cook the chopped onions with the butter until the onions are tender.
2. Add the arborio rice and coat well. Cook for about 1-2 minutes.
3. Add the Chardonnay and cook down.
4. Add the pineapple juice and cook down.
5. Heat the chicken broth in either a pan or in the microwave and add.
6. Cook the risotto down until tender and soft. A little give in the middle is alright, but cook to taste. Add more broth as needed until cooked down.
7. Finally, add the pineapple and mix thoroughly. Then add in the cheese and mix until fully combined.
8. Taste for seasoning (salt or pepper).

Frozen Banana Breakfast Smoothie

This recipe was inspired by the Chocolate Banana recipe I posted on here. It is a great breakfast and filling.


Frozen Banana Breakfast Smoothie
Servings: 1
Cook Time: 5 minutes (not including freezing)

Ingredients
1 large frozen banana
1 cup Light Silk Milk (or preferred milk)
6 oz preferred yogurt (I use fruit flavors)
1 tsp honey

Instructions

1. Put all ingredients into preferred blending device.
2. Hit blend until everything is perfectly incorporated.
3. Enjoy!

I usually buy the individual Dannon Light 'n Fit yogurts and just add one of the little squares into my Bullet cup. I have found that the Cherry flavor one is absolutely delicious, as well as the Pina Colada and Pear. Experiment to learn what your favorite flavor is.

Chocolate Banana Bullet Smoothie

For Christmas my mom made the best impulse present purchase ever! She got me a bullet. I think her first inclination involved making baby food for my daughter. Now I'm using it to make breakfasts and any chocolate cravings. I also prefer to drink Silk milk. It is a soy milk and I also started drinking chocolate silk milk. I saw a recipe on the side of the Silk soy milk carton that said I should freeze a sliced banana and then blend it with 1 cup of chocolate silk milk and 1 TBSP of honey. I used this recipe for my inspiration for a chocolaty delicious evening snack.

Chocolate Banana Bullet Smoothie
Servings: 2
Time: 5 minutes

Ingredients
2 cups Light Chocolate Silk Milk
1 medium banana, sliced and frozen

Instructions

1. Add Silk Milk and Bananas to your blending device.
2. Blend full blast until mixed together and smooth.
3. Enjoy!

Sainsbury's Experiment Night 4

Night 4 we cooked the meal we were supposed to cook on Night 3. The chicken has finally thawed out and the carribean smells of Jerk Chicken with Coconut Bean Rice can now waft through our small flat.

Jerk Chicken with Coconut Bean Rice
Serves: 4

Ingredients
200g Long grain rice
1 x 410g tin Black-eye beans
1 x 400ml tin Coconut milk
8 Chicken thighs
1½ tbsp Jerk seasoning mixed with 1 tablespoon sugar
1 tbsp Vegetable oil
2 Medium onions, peeled and sliced
1 Zest and juice of lime

Method
1. Preheat the oven to 220°C, fan 200°C, gas 7.
2. Bring a pan of water to the boil, and simmer the rice for 10 minutes.
3. Drain, return to the pan with the black-eye beans and their juice and the coconut milk.
4. Simmer for 5-7 minutes until cooked through.
5. Toss the chicken thighs with the jerk seasoning mix and the oil.
6. Fry over a high heat for 3 minutes in a large ovenproof frying pan.
7. Add the sliced onions to the pan, lift the chicken on top, fry for 2 minutes, place in the oven and roast for 15 minutes until cooked through
8. Serve on the coconut bean rice sprinkled with lime zest and juice

Sadly, we did not completely enjoy this dish. The coconut and bean rice was bland and just didn't really fill the hunger niche. Something was missing from the recipe with that rice. Plus my husband doesn't like this kind of rice, he prefers a completely savory rice.

The chicken was fine, but it would have essentially been a chicken breast with jerk seasoning anyways. I didn't have a bakeable frying pan, so I had to use a casserole dish to finish cooking the chicken. I'd prefer to just make a skinless chicken breast with jerk seasoning and some rice pilaf or other savory rice with some broccoli. I don't really enjoy chicken with the skin on, because it has a tendency to get a bit greasy.

Tonight was a miss, but at least now we have jerk seasoning to play with on our own time with other foods. Tomorrow I think we'll be enjoying the Prawn and Spinach Penne Pasta bake.