Andouille Sausage with Red Beans

This recipe is great for a busy night or long day, when you need something quick to prepare!

Servings: 2-4

You'll need:
1 Andouille Sausage, diced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 stalk celery, diced
1/2 medium onion, diced
1/2 green pepper, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup water
1 bay leaf
1/2 tablespoon cayenne pepper (optional)
1 can (16 oz) light red kidney beans, drained
salt and pepper to taste
white rice, cooked according to instructions on package*

Directions:
In a skillet, brown the sausage in oil for 2-3 minutes. Add celery, onion, green pepper, garlic, water, bay leaf, cayenne pepper, and kidney beans. Cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes, careful not to over cook the vegetables. Remove bay leaf. Serve over rice.

*I would recommend cooking the rice with some Cajun seasonings to keep it from being bland compared to the rest of the dish. I made this mistake the first time I made this dish.

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Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup

It's that time of year where the weather won't make up it's mind whether it's going to be 50 or 75... and sometimes you see both in just one day. As a result, I've been feeling congested and my poor boyfriend woke up this morning with a sore throat, so I decided to make us some quick homemade chicken noodle soup.

Makes about 10-12 cups

You'll need:
1 (2-3 lb) Rotisserie chicken, shredded
8 oz egg noodles
1 small yellow onion (or 1/2 of a large yellow onion), diced
3-4 celery stalks, diced
3-4 medium carrots, peeled and diced
3 medium cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 cup parsley, minced
4 cups of water
4 cups chicken broth
2 chicken bouillon cubes
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Combine water, chicken broth, chicken bouillon cubes, onion, celery, carrots, and garlic in a pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Add chicken and parsley and continue simmering for an additional 20-30 minutes.

In another pot, boil water and cook egg noodles according to directions- careful not to overcook them.

Once the noodles are done, add in to soup and serve.

I planned on making a lot, so we could eat it as needed over the next few days- and so I can freeze some of it to reheat on another sick or cold day.

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Crockpot Creamy Ranch Pork Chops

Photo courtesy of livinglaughingloving.com

I saw this recipe on livinglaughingandloving.com and decided to give it a try last night since my boyfriend and I were both working late and I knew I wouldn't want to cook when I got home. It's super simple, requiring only 3 ingredients, really inexpensive to make, AND the crockpot does all the work for you!

All you need is:
Pork chops
1 pack Hidden Valley Ranch dry seasoning mix
1-2 cans cream of chicken soup*
1-2 cans of water*

Mix ingredients well, pour into crockpot, add pork chops. And that's it!

*Depends on the size of your crock pot and how many pork chops you're making. I made 4 thinly sliced pork chops and used 1 1/2 cans of cream of chicken soup and very little water because I wanted the liquid to cover the chops and it to be somewhat thick like gravy- it's completely up to you.

This dish is great because you can serve it with whatever side(s) you want. I made some rice and a salad when I got home and used the left over liquid as sort of a gravy to top the porkchops and rice with.

I think I'm going to try this recipe with chicken sometime, also- just an idea. Let me know how it turns out if you try it first.

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“You don't have to cook fancy or complicated masterpieces - just good food from fresh ingredients.” 
-Julia Child

Cilantro-Lime-Garlic Pasta

I had all the ingredients in my fridge, but also found myself craving pasta- so I decided to throw this together and see what would happen. It turned out to be just what I wanted - something light, quick, flavorful, and filling!


Makes: 2 servings (about 2 cups once cooked)

You'll need:
1/2 lime, juiced*
2-3 medium cloves of garlic, minced
3/4-1 cup onion, chopped
1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
1 cup cilantro, lightly chopped
4 oz. long pasta (I used angel hair)
2-3 tablespoons olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

* You can use more or less depending on preference.


Cook pasta according to box. Sautee onion and garlic in olive oil. Add the halved grape tomatoes when the onions are almost done (translusent in color) so as not to over cook them. Add lime juice and additional olive oil, if needed, and let simmer on low for a few moments while you're draining your pasta. Toss pasta and cilantro in mixture and serve.

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Fried Green Tomatoes

You'll need:

2 green tomatoes, sliced 1/4 inch thick

1/2 cup buttermilk

1/4 cup cornmeal

1/4 cup flour

salt and pepper (or seasoning of choice*) to taste

oil for frying

*I added some ground cayenne pepper and garlic powder 

Directions: 

Soak the tomato slices in the buttermilk for 20-30 minutes.

Mix the cornmeal, flour, and seasoning together in a bowl/on a plate.

When the tomatoes are almost ready, heat oil on medium high.

Take the tomato slices out of the buttermilk and dredge them in the dry mixture.

Fry in oil for about 3-4 minutes on each side until golden brown and crispy.

Serve with ranch, remoulade, or dipping sauce of choice.

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Remoulade Sauce

You'll need:
1 1/4 cups mayo
1/4 cup Creole mustard
1 tablespoon sweet paprika
2 teaspoons Creole seasoning
2 teaspoons horseradish
1 teaspoon dill pickle juice
1 teaspoon hot sauce of choice
1 large clove of garlic, minced and smashed


Makes: 1 1/2 cups


Mix all ingredients, refrigerate, and let sit for a few hours so flavors can meld before serving.

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Chocolate Cupcakes

I came across this recipe on Nomadic Nom Nom's blog, and thought it too good to be true. I was completely wrong. My cupcakes turned out delicious and tasty- I couldn't even tell they were made with pumpkin puree.

You'll need: 
1 box chocolate cake mix (I used Devil's Food)
1 can (15 oz) pumpkin puree
(If you want to make muffins instead of cupcakes- you could add chocolate chips.)
Cupcake liners


Seriously, that's it. No egg, no oil, nothing else. Just 2 ingredients (and chocolate chips if you want). How simple is that? Even better- they're only 50 calories each!


Mix the box cake mix and the pumpkin puree together- I highly recommend using a mixer for about 2 minutes on medium speed to get it nice and fluffy, otherwise its too dense and sticky. You can fill the cupcake liners to the top, because they hardly rise.


Bake at 350 degrees for about 20-25 minutes, check with a toothpick, and let cool.

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"Cooking done with care is simply an act of love."
-Craig Claiborne, Kitchen Primer

Spicy Italian Sausage Stuffed Peppers

I saw some sweet red peppers in the grocery store the other day and they were too beautiful and bright to pass up. So, I came up with this recipe to make with them-


I chose to serve them with penne and a quick, fresh tomato sauce (see below), but you could make them with any side you want, or eat just by themselves.

You'll need:
3 long sweet red peppers, halved, seeded
1 pound ground spicy Italian sausage
1/2 cup yellow onion, finely chopped
2 med cloves garlic, minced
1/3 cup fresh parsley, minced
1/2 teaspoon fresh rosemary, minced
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
1/4 cup fine dry breadcrumbs
1 large egg
1/4 cup shredded mozzarella
1/4 cup shredded parmesan
1 teaspoon black pepper
3/4 teaspoon salt


Sauce*:
1 large can diced tomatoes
1 teaspoon fresh rosemary, minced
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, minced
1 teaspoons fresh oregano, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
salt and pepper to taste


1 box penne pasta


*If you would prefer to use a jar sauce or your own favorite recipe, be my guest. I was in the mood for chunky, fresh made.


Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Mix ingredients (besides peppers) in large mixing bowl until well blended.
Combine sauce ingredients in a separate large mixing bowl.
Pour sauce in 13 x 9 x 2 inch baking dish.
Fill seeded pepper halves with mixture, mounding on top.
Arrange peppers over top of the sauce in the baking dish.
Top peppers with additional cheese, as much or little as you prefer.
Bake for 45 minutes to an hour, or until sausage is fully cooked (165 degrees)
Cook pasta according to box, drain.


Once peppers and pasta are finished, plate and top with tomato sauce from baking dish.

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Pan Roasted Chicken & Vegetables

This dish is great because it's quick and allows for very minimal clean up and dishes.


You'll need:
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 pound of potatoes, cut into chunks
1/2 pound baby carrots, cut into thirds
1 large onion, cut into wedges
2 (4 oz) cans sliced mushrooms, drained
1 (10 oz) bag fresh baby spinach (remove stems)
5 cloves garlic, sliced
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon dried rosemary
2 teaspoons black pepper (or to taste)
1 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
1 large roasting pan


Directions:

In large roasting pan, combine potatoes, carrots, onion, garlic, olive oil, salt, pepper, and rosemary. Toss to coat evenly in the oil. Roast veggies at 475 degrees for 25 minutes.

Gently stir veggies so they don't stick. Lightly salt and pepper chicken and add to roasting pan, along with mushrooms. Roast for 15-20 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through.

Once chicken is done, place spinach over the mixture and return to the oven for 5-6 more minutes, or until spinach wilts.


Remove from oven and place chicken in a frying pan on the stove for 5 minutes on each side, to achieve a crisp, golden brown exterior. Toss veggies, plate with chicken, and serve.














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Mediterranean Orzo Salad

Like all of my recipes, this one is very versatile - you can add more of any ingredient, leave things out, or even add additional items to it (like cherry tomatos, sun dried tomatoes, chickpeas, or artichoke hearts). It's really up to you. It's also quick and easy and goes great with almost any meal as a side dish. I normally make it with grilled chicken. It's light, but very filling and tastes even better the next day as leftovers.


You'll need: 
1 (1 lb) package orzo pasta
2 medium cloves garlic, chopped
3 cups pre-washed baby spinach
1/2 medium red onion, chopped
1 jar kalamata olives, pitted and sliced
4 oz feta cheese, crumbled
1 cup balsamic vinaigrette dressing
1-2 tablespoons oil
2 teaspoons pepper
salt to taste*


Directions:
Cook orzo as directed on package, drain.
Heat oil in saucepan or skillet on medium and add onion and garlic, stirring occasionally so it doesn't burn. Once the onion is cooked (translucent in color), stir in orzo, kalamata olives, and balsamic dressing until entire mixture is hot. Add spinach - it's important to put the spinach in last since it doesn't take very long to cook and you don't want it to get too soggy. Add feta and pepper, stir and serve.

* Keep in mind kalamata olives are salty, so taste before adding additional salt to salad.

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