Butternut Squash & Kale Mac 'n' Cheese

I guess this was my last hoorah of cheese for a some time.  The hubs has a small scale IBJJF (International Brazilian Jui Jistu Federation) competition on Saturday in Atlanta and then the PanAms (large scale) in early March, and he needs to drop like 6-8 lbs for that.  I volunteered to be in an X-Men costume group for DragonCon Labor Day weekend, so I am trying to get in superhero shape in the next 6 months.

This macaroni and cheese is probably as healthy as you can get while still being 100% indulgent.  I still used full fat cheese and a little bacon (it needed to be used up), but I made some adjustments so there is no need to feel guilty about eating this delicious concoction.

Butternut Squash & Kale Mac 'n' Cheese
12 oz whole wheat penne, cooked ~1 min shy of being done
2 1/2 C peeled and cubed butternut squash
3 C chopped kale or baby kale
3 center cut bacon slices, chopped (or regular bacon, extra fat removed)
1/2 C diced onion
1 tsp minced garlic
2 tsp butter
1 Tbsp flour
1 3/4 C low sodium veg broth (or water + 1 tsp vegetable base or bouillon cube)
1/3 C fat free Greek Yogurt
1/2 C shredded cheddar
1/2 C shredded smoked Gouda
1/2 tsp red pepper flake (optional)
salt and pepper

   Toss squash with a little oil, salt and pepper.  Roast at 375 deg F for 15-20 min, until cooked but still firm.
   Render bacon until almost crisp.  Add chopped onion; cook 5-7 minutes until soft.  Add garlic, cook 1 min.
   Melt butter into bacon mixture, then whisk in flour to create the roux.  Slowly pour in vegetable broth, whisking the whole time so there are no lumps.  Bring to bubble, cook 3-4 minutes until it starts to thicken.  Remove from the heat and stir in yogurt.  Salt and pepper to taste, and add red pepper flake.
   Fold in cheese, cooked pasta, roasted squash, and kale.  Pour into a lightly greased 9 x 13 baking dish.
   Bake at 350 for ~20 minutes, until bubbly and slightly golden on top.
   Serves 6-8.

Slow Cooker BBQ Baked Beans

In the same meal that I served the caramel pecan bars, we had BBQ baked beans.  Baked beans may just be this dude's favorite food ever.  The rest of us aren't too keen on the strangely sweet, mushy canned beans. I decided to make my own and combine several styles of baked beans into one masterpiece.  They are a little sweet, a little tangy, and tiny bit spicy.  And this recipe is literally a crowd-pleaser for everyone.  Leave out the bacon and it becomes vegan!  If you are serving a mixed-diet group of people, just have the bacon on the side as a topper.

Slow Cooker BBQ Baked Beans
1 1/2 C pinto beans, soaked overnight (or 2 14oz cans, drained and rinsed)
3 slices thick cut bacon, chopped, cooked, drained
1/2 C chopped onion
1/2 C chopped green bell pepper
1/4 C barbecue sauce
1/4 C ketchup
1/4 C brown mustard
1/4 C water
1/4 C loosely packed brown sugar
2 Tbsp maple syrup (optional)
2 Tbsp cider vinegar
1/2 tsp hot sauce, more or less to taste
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp salt

   Combine all the ingredients in a slow cooker.  Cook on high 4-5 hours or low 7-8 hours, until beans are tender.  Adjust seasoning to taste
   If you are using canned beans: combine ingredients and cook on high for 1 1/2-2 hours.  I also suggest sauteing the onion and bell pepper for about 5 minutes first; they may still be on the crunchy side if you don't.
   Serves 4-6

Note:  I used a little crock pot (like 2 or 1.5 qt) that doesn't have an temp control.  It is literally, plugged in=on, not plugged in=off.  So the cooking time for the dried bean version may not be totally accurate.  But it's a slow cooker... they are very forgiving in cooking times.

Venison Stew over Barley

Stew wasn't something I ate much growing up.  (Or now, really.)  However, it got cold here in Tennessee.  Very cold.  "Stupid cold," as many of us have taken to calling it.  I realize that it may not seem that frigid to people who spend most of their time north of the Mason-Dixon line, but we are not used to single digit temperatures in the South.  Stew was the obvious choice for an evening that threatened 1 degree.  And we had received an unexpected gift of venison from my sister-in-law.  We had just used up the last of our stash, and the deer have gone into hiding this year it seems.

I took a very, very simple approach to this.  I wavered on the edge of making a fancy French braised roast with rosemary and herbs de provence, but extreme simplicity won.  Sometimes I forget how delicious simple things can be.

This is also kind of surprisingly healthy.  I personally think of stews as fatty, gravy laden things.  Using venison (or bison, which is often more readily available) cuts out tons of fat!  I did use a little bit of butter at the end, but that could easily be cut out.  Then putting it over a whole grain instead of cream-heavy mashed potatoes or empty-calorie egg noodles boosts the nutrition and adds a really nice texture.

Venison Stew over Barley
~2 lb bone-in venison roast (or ~1.5 lb stew meat)
2 large potatoes, peeled and cut into large chunks
3 med carrots, cut into large chunks
2 stalks celery, sliced
1 pkt onion soup mix
1 tsp minced, dehydrated garlic
~4 C water
1 Tbsp butter
2 tsp flour
~1/3 sweet vermouth (can be replaced with water or stock)
salt, pepper, oil

   Salt and pepper the roast.  Over medium heat, sear the roast on all sides in a little bit of oil (~2 tsp).  Deglaze the pan with sweet vermouth, scrap up all the stuck on bits.
   Place roast in slow cooker, add the deglazed pan drippings.  Add vegetables, soup mix, garlic, and water to the slow cooker. (There should be enough water to not quite cover everything in the slow cooker).
   Cook on low for 10-12 hours.  (If you are using stew meat, it will probably only take 6-8 hours.)
   An hour before serving, sprinkle in flour and add butter.  Stir so there are no lumps of flour.  (I take the meat off the bone and remove the bone at this point.)
   Barley:  Bring 1 3/4 C water to a boil.  Add 1 C barley and 1/2 tsp salt.  Return water to a boil.  Stir, cover, and reduce heat to med-low/low.  Cook for ~40 minutes.
   Serves 4-6

Onion "Soup" Roasted Potatoes

from knorr.com

I'm cheating here.  This isn't original, it is just seriously delicious.  I'm pretty sure no one actually uses onion soup mix for soup.  It isn't a thing a I usually have around my house.  However, I happened to have a packet left form braising venison shanks.  When the holiday coupon book for Kroger came out, I saw this.  It seemed like the perfect, easy thing for the fingerling potatoes I had just bought.  Honestly, I can't imagine anyone complaining about these for any dinner.  And why not make the holiday feast a little less stressful by whipping these up?  A thin skinned potato is best: new, yukon gold, fingerlings, etc.


Onion "Soup" Roasted Potatoes
1 pkt onion soup mix
~2.5 lbs potatoes
~3 Tbsp oil (olive, canola, etc.)

  Wash potatoes and cut them into large bite-sized chunks, if needed.  Toss with oil and soup mix.
   Roast at 400 deg F for 30-45 minutes (depending on the potato.)  Toss every 15 min or so.  When tender and golden, they are done.
   Serves 6.


OR just follow Knorr's recipe here.  I didn't use Knorr, so their packets may be a little smaller, but I found that you can use more potatoes than the suggested amount.

Three Cheese Mac & Cheese

I feel like I make macaroni and cheese a lot.  Truthfully, I don't.  But I get so excited when I do, that is a big deal I remember.  Usually it is a special occasion of some sort.  I could eat mac 'n' cheese many times a week, but to save my weight/overall health, I try to refrain from that.  This version is a simple, classic crowd-pleaser that I made the day after Thanksgiving for my mom's side of the family.  It was quickly devoured, and they asked for this recipe (and bugged me about not keeping up with this thing better.)  So here you go, guys!

Three Cheese Mac & Cheese

1 lb pasta (large elbow, large shell, or penne are probably the best shapes)

1 1/2 Tbsp butter

1 1/2 Tbsp flour

3/4 C milk (I used 2%)

1/2 C half & half

1 C shredded smoked gouda (1 Tbsp reserved)

1 C shredded sharp cheddar (1 Tbsp reserved)

1/2 C shredded Monterrey jack (1 Tbsp reserved)

1/3 C panko bread crumbs

2 Tbsp olive oil (or melted butter)

1/4 tsp salt

1/8 tsp black pepper

   In liberally salted water, cook pasta about 1 minute shy of being done.  Drain, set aside.

   Melt butter in a sauce pot.  Add flour, stir so there are no lumps.  Slowly whisk in milk and half & half, making sure no lumps form.  Bring to a simmer, let cook about 3 minutes until it starts to thicken.  Remove from heat.  Add salt and pepper.

   Combine cheeses, pasta, and milk mixture.  Pour into a greased 13x9 baking dish.

   Combine panko crumbs, reserved cheeses and olive oil.  Sprinkle over the pasta.

   Bake covered at 350 deg F for 20 minutes.  Uncover, bake another 15 minutes

   Serves 6-8

Note:  Using high quality cheese is a good idea here.  I used Boar's Head smoked gouda and Vermont sharp cheddar.  The Monterrey Jack is almost a filler to give it gooey meltiness without masking the flavors of the other cheese so store brand is fine.  And if you add a little extra cheese, I'm sure no one will complain.  I'm fairly certain my cups of cheese were heaping cups.

Summer, Meet Fall

Ever so slowly we are creeping into more fall like weather.  A couple weeks ago, Tennessee had a cold front come through and we some genuinely early fall-like weather.  It was beautiful!  It made me crave slow cooked meat and rich amber beer.  Luckily, it was right about that week when grocery stores started busting out the pumpkin ales and oktoberfests.  (We opted for the Sierra Nevada Tumbler... it was a good choice.)  The vegetables are still decidedly summer though.  That is how this dinner came about.  Beer braised short ribs, a fresh summer salad, and some cooked down kale with garlic and red onions.

 I didn't write down recipes, but the general concept for all of this is really easy.

The local grassfed beef:  Trimmed off the (rather excessive) layer of fat--it was their cheap weekly special so I didn't complain.  Liberally coat with sea salt and black pepper.  Sear really well over med-high heat. Deglaze with some beer.  Add a couple crushed cloves of garlic and a sprig of fresh rosemary.  Add some more beer, maybe?  Cover and cook over med-low for about an hour adding beer as necessary to keep it all moist; until the beef is tender and falling off the bone.  Turn the heat up to med to cook off the liquid and form a glaze.

The summer salad:  Fresh tomatoes, cucumbers, and corn.  Fresh parsley and some lemon zest/juice.  A little olive oil, some plain lowfat yogurt, and salt and pepper.

The kale:  Caramelize about 1/2 an onion in extra virgin olive oil and/or butter. Throw in a little garlic and fresh thyme.  Add washed, chopped kale and a splash of liquid (stock, wine, beer....)  Cook until it is the desired texture.  ( I cook mine 8-10 minutes usually.)

Apple Butter BBQ Sauce

In my adulthood, I have come to adore barbecue sauce.  As a kid, I frequently avoided any of it unless I knew it had proven to be smokey and spicy without the slightest hint of sugary sweetness.  After awhile, all barbecue sauces began to disappoint me.  I spent a good part of my life sticking my nose up to it... which wasn't terribly difficult because I didn't eat a lot of meat during my teenage years.  However, now that I am in the throws of a deep affair with meat, smoking, and all things delicious, I have an addiction to BBQ sauce.  New formulas are constantly swirling around my head, and this version is a definite winner.

Like every... er... genius?  I came to the idea of using apple butter as the sweet component in my sauce while just blankly staring at the contents of my fridge.  Independent of outside influences.  Since I made this, I have browsed around the interwebs and found several apple butter barbecue sauces.  It doesn't seem to have caught on the way should have though.  (Apparently TGI Friday's has a version...?  I only go there when my friends want 2 for 1 margaritas, but I have not seen it on the menu.)

Obviously, quality ingredients are the key to any good meal.  I hit the apple butter jackpot with my aunt's homemade apple butter.  It is seriously the best I have ever had!  It is naturally sweet and tangy with a lot more apple flavor than any kind I've bought in the grocery store.  So, if you happen to know my Aunt Michelle, hit her up at the end of summer so you can make this perfectly.

Apple Butter BBQ Sauce
1 14oz can tomato sauce
heaping 1/4 C apple butter
1/4 C cider vinegar
2 Tbsp yellow mustard
2 tsp onion powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp cinnimon
pinch clove
hot sauce (your favorite, I love Tabasco) and salt to taste*

   Combine ingredients except hot sauce and salt.  Simmer over med-low heat for 20-25 minutes.  Add salt and hot sauce.  Simmer another 5 minutes.
   Use as desired.
   Makes ~1 1/2 C.

I just added some shredded chicken to the sauce and cooked it for about 8 minutes... easy.  Delicious.

*I don't like to add hot sauce in the beginning of cooking usually because I find that it gets bitter.  For the salt, you probably won't need it if you tomato sauce has salt.  If it doesn't have salt, you don't want to add any until after the BBQ sauce has reduced.
 

Bacon Mac 'n' Cheese

Cheese.  Bacon.  I am pretty sure they were made to be together.

This beautiful pan of food was made for our pig out meal a couple weeks ago.  When we ate leftovers, we just mixed the BBQ pork in with the mac and cheese... oh! Fat Kid Heaven.  No, neither of us are fat, but we would be if we ate this all the time.  

Bacon Mac 'n' Cheese

1 lb pasta, cooked 2 min shy of being done

5 slices bacon, chopped

3 Tbsp flour

8 oz shredded sharp cheddar

4 oz shredded Monterey jack

1 1/2 C buttermilk (room temp)

3/4 C water, room temp (or broth of some kind)

1/4 tsp Pirate's Bite or cayenne pepper

1/8 tsp nutmeg

(oil)

   Cook bacon in a 3 qt sauce pot until crispy.  Remove bacon and drain, but leave fat in pot.  You need 3 Tbsp of fat, so remove some if needed or add oil to make 3 Tbsp.

   Add 3 Tbsp flour to pot and stir so there are no lumps.  Cook for about 2 minutes over med heat, stirring constantly.

   Slowly add buttermilk and water, stirring constantly. Simmer until thick.

   Add nutmeg and Pirate's bite.  Slowly melt in cheese. (Reserve about 1/4 C)

   Add pasta and bacon to pot.  Pour into a 13x9 dish.  Sprinkle reserved cheese over the top

   Bake at 375 deg F for 20 min.

   Serves 6-8.

7 Ingredient BBQ Sauce

A seven ingredient BBQ sauce?  Yup, not kidding.  I think if you have a really flavorful meat, you don't need an overly complicated sauce.  We wanted something tangy to cut through the richness of the smoked pork with the all purpose smoking rub, but for some reason I didn't want to go for a straight up mustard, vinegar sauce, so this came about.  The seven ingredients are cheap things that I always have in the house, I can whip this up in no time for chicken or pork.

w/ Super Thick Cut Homemade Dill Pickles

7 Ingredient BBQ Sauce
1 C tomato sauce (=1 small can)
1/2 C cider vinegar
1/4 C yellow mustard
2 Tbsp brown sugar
2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 lrg chipotle, finely minced (optional)
1 lrg clove garlic, finely minced (~1 1/2 tsp)

   Combine all ingredients.  Bring to a bubble over medium heat, cook until thick, about 20 minutes.
   Makes a little less than 1 1/2 C of sauce.
BBQ Sandwiches:
   When sauce comes to a bubble, add whatever meat you are using.  Heat meat in sauce until sauce is thick. Depending on your sauciness preferences, this is enough for up to 5 C of finely chopped or shredded meat.
   Serves 4-6

Fast Food From Home

A couple weeks ago the hubs and I went white water rafting on the Ocoee with my parents.  It is about a three hour drive and my dad volunteered to do the driving if we handled breakfast and dinner that day.  I generally avoid fast food with my exception being long (6+ hours) car trips.  I decided to make food reminiscent of a drive-thru because it is portable, and let's face it, breakfast sandwiches are delicious.  Yes, it cost more than ordering from the $1 Menu, but I felt so much better about eating it and I could make huge portions that would properly fuel us up for the day.

Sausage and Egg English Muffin
12 oz breakfast sausage (I used Jimmy Dean Light variety)
1/3 tsp crushed red pepper flake (optional)
6 med eggs*
salt and pepper
4 slices cheese (I used havarti)
4 whole wheat English muffins, split and toasted

   Mix sausage and red pepper flake together.  Form into 4 patties that are slightly larger than the English muffins.  Cook over med/med-low heat until cooked through.
   Scramble eggs with a little salt and pepper. Cook in sausage fat over med-low heat.  Try not to break the eggs up too much, attempt to keep the eggs in a large single unit so you can easily cut them and put them on the sandwiches.
   Place cooked patty, egg, and cheese on muffin, wrap in foil, and warm in 300 deg F oven (if necessary).
   Makes 4.
*I used fresh eggs from my mother-in-law's chickens.  They tend to be a bit smaller than what you get in the store.  6 =4 lrg eggs

Tater Tots (because a fast food breakfast requires potatoes)
As many frozen tater tots as you want
~2 tsp low salt blacken seasoning
(salt if your frozen tots do not have salt)
4 sheets computer paper

   Cook tots according to package directions.  A few minutes before being done, toss with blacken seasoning, finish cook time.
   While they are cooking, make these paper holders:
1.  Fold almost in half (top left square)
2.  Fold sides over once, about 1 cm
3.  Flip paper over and fold edges over twice, about 1 cm each and tape.
(3.5  Maybe draw some pictures.)
4.  Fill and enjoy!

Sweet Potato Pancakes w/ Sage Goat Cheese

Breakfast for dinner... who isn't a fan of that?  Obviously you can make these pancakes for regular breakfast or brunch.  We tend to go a little more simple for real breakfast, and I can't remember the last time we got to have a lazy brunch.  So dinner it is!

Sweet Potato Pancakes w/ Sage Goat Cheese
2 small-med sweet potatoes, baked (about 1 1/4-1/2 C flesh)
~1 1/3 C pancake mix (I use Bisquick Heart Smart)
1 med clove garlic, pasted
~1/2 tsp salt
~1/2 tsp onion powder
1 egg
3/4 C buttermilk
butter/oil

   Combine ingredients.  Add buttermilk or pancake mix until it is a thick, goopey paste.  It should be thicker then regular pancake batter because of the potatoes.
   Make them whatever size you want.  I make 4 ~5inch pancakes.  Cook over medium heat in melted butter or oil until bubbles form on the surface and do not pop.  Flip and cook until golden brown on the other side.  Keep warm on a baking rack in a 200 deg F oven if need be.
   Sage Goat Cheese:
2 oz softened goat cheese
1 Tbsp softened butter
~3/4 tsp ground sage (more if you are using fresh)
   Combine.  Wrap in plastic.  Pop into the freezer for 10-15 minutes.  Cut into 4 slices for serving.
   Serves 4.

Lindsay Farms Vidalia Onion BBQ Chicken Sandwich

I will not tell you how long my mom had this barbecue sauce sitting in her pantry.  Too long... waaaay too long. So I confiscated it for my own uses.  And even after 5+ years of pantry storage, it was still absolutely wonderfully perfect and delicious.  Lindsay Farms Vidalia Onion BBQ Sauce is really smokey and slightly sweet; a very well balanced sauce over all.  I am now kind of hopelessly addicted to it and will need to stock up on a variety of their products for summer.
(I did kind of doctor up the sauce just a bit with vinegar and red pepper.  But it was to balance out the extra sweetness the onion and bell pepper added to the dish.  You still taste the full flavor of the sauce itself.)

Lindsay Farms Vidalia Onion BBQ Chicken Sandwiches
2 lrg bone in, skin on chicken breasts
salt and pepper
oil
1 med onion, sliced
1 small red bell pepper, sliced
2 tsp minced garlic
1 Tbsp cider vinegar
1 C Lindsay Farms Vidalia Onion BBQ sauce
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flake (optional)
4 buns

   Liberally salt and pepper chicken.  Roast at 375 deg F for 35-40 minutes.  Let cool, remove skin and shred chicken.
   Over med heat in a little bit of oil, saute onion and pepper until tender.  Add garlic, chicken, BBQ sauce, vinegar, and red pepper flake.  Simmer until hot.  Assemble sandwiches as desired.
   Serves 4.

Currant and Almond Stuffed Pork Loin w/ Sweet Vermouth Pan Sauce

Last Saturday, I catered my first plated meal!  It was intense and exciting... and went pretty damn well despite a few minor hiccups.

Menu

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

Currant and Almond Stuffed Pork Loin w/ Sweet Vermouth Gravy

Bacon Creamed Spinach

Roasted Baby Gold Potatoes

Triple Chocolate Torte w/ Raspberry Whipped Cream

If you don't think that sounds delicious, you're an idiot.  I got teenagers (11-17) to lick their plates clean and rave about the food... and you know they are notoriously picky.  Oh, and I wrote the recipe for currants, but when shopping there weren't any.  I used cherry infused cranberries instead.  That was also delicious.  The menu says gravy because cooking for a crowd, the gravy was easier than a pan sauce.... same flavor profile still.

Currant and Almond Stuffed Pork Loin

3.5-4 lb pork loin, butterflied

1 C stale bread, cut into small cubes

1/2 C dried currants

1/2 C chopped raw (or lightly roasted) almonds

1/2 C watered down beef broth*

1/4 C sweet vermouth

1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

3/4 tsp thyme

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp cracked black pepper

1/2 an egg, lightly beaten

extra oil, salt, and pepper, and broth

   Combine bread, currants, almonds, broth, vermouth, oil, thyme, salt and pepper, and egg.  Let stand for 30 minutes.  Spread on the inside of the butterflied loin.  Roll up and truss (tie) with butchers twine.  Liberally salt and pepper the outside of the pork.

   Heat some oil in a large skillet over med-hi heat.  Sear all sides of pork.  Place in a roasting pan with ~1/2 C watered down broth.  Cover with foil.

   Place in a 375 deg F oven for 45-50 minutes.  Remove foil.  Cook another 25-30 minutes; until internal temperature reads 145 deg F.

   Tent with foil and allow to rest for 15 minutes.  Slice and serve.

   Serve 6-8.

Sweet Vermouth Pan Sauce

Pan drippings from searing pork

1/2 C watered down beef broth

1/4 C sweet vermouth

3 Tbsp unsalted butter

   While pan is still hot from searing pork (pork should be removed but heat not turned off), deglaze with vermouth.  Scrape all the bits off the bottom.  Turn heat down to med.

   Add broth.  Reduce by a little more than 1/3.  Melt in butter.  When thick and shiny it is ready.

   Spoon over carved pork.

*Even reduced sodium beef broth become too salty in this dish because of the reduction in the pan sauce and inherent salinity of other ingredients.  Water broth down with a 1:1 ratio of beef broth to water.

Granny's Chicken and Dumplings

This picture may not look like an exciting bowl of food, but it is one of the most delicious pieces of my childhood/life-in-general.  Granny could never make a pot of this big enough.  Between me, my brother, my four [male] cousins, my parents, and three sets of aunts and uncles we could polish off any amount that was made, and there were always cries for more.

The secret, and you CAN NOT deviate from it, is Pillsbury blue can biscuits.  You know, the kind that come wrapped in a package of four?  They make the easiest, most delightfully chewy dumplings imaginable!  Those to whom I have revealed this secret never go back to making them from scratch.  I make only two deviation from my granny's original formulation:  I add aromatics to my chicken while it poaches and I add a little bit sage.

Granny's Chicken and Dumplings
8 C cold/room temp water + 2 C
~2 lbs bone-in chicken, skin removed (2 breasts is roughly this amount, but feel free to use chicken thighs or a combination of white and dark meat)
1 small onion, halved
2 carrots, cut into lrg pieces
2 stalks celery cut into lrg pieces,
2 cloves garlic, smashed
1 bay leaf
1 tsp salt
~10 peppercorns
2 cans Pillsbury blue can buttermilk biscuits, biscuits quartered
1/2 tsp rubbed sage
~1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
salt

   Place chicken, vegetables, garlic, bay leaf, 1 tsp salt and peppercorns in a large pot.  Add 8 C water.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to med, simmer for ~30 minutes.
   Remove chicken, strain broth.  Keep liquid, discard veggies, peppercorns, etc.  Shred chicken.
   Place chicken and broth back into pot.  Add sage and ground black pepper  Bring to a bubble over med-hi.  You will probably need another ~2 C water, but liquid may be adjusted as cooking goes on.
  Drop biscuits into bubbling broth.  They will float and then sink and then kind of become neutrally buoyant. When they have reached your desired level of doneness and broth has become like a thin gravy, serve.  For me it takes about 10-12 minutes.  Adjust salt to taste.
   Serves 4 (maybe.)

Bacon Creamed Spinach

Doesn't that just sound wonderful?  So, yeah... I don't really have anything else to say about that except it is easy, cheap and delicious.

Bacon Creamed Spinach
3 slices bacon, chopped
1 10oz pkg frozen chopped spinach, thawed and water mostly squeezed out
1/4 C chopped onion (~1/4 of a med onion)
1 clove garlic, minced
2 oz cream cheese
2 Tbsp milk*
1 Tbsp parmesan

   Render bacon until crisp.  Remove and drain on paper towels.  Saute onions in bacon fat until translucent, ~5 min.  Add garlic and spinach.
   Melt in cream cheese and add milk.  Stir in parmesan.  Top with bacon.
   Serves 2-3.

*Whole milk, cream, buttermilk, or half and half will work.  Even 2% in a pinch, but stay away from 1% and skim for this.

Sweet Potato and Smoked Sausage Hash

Every once in a while we do breakfast for dinner.  Honestly, I don't know why we don't do it more often. The food is easy and delicious and generally faster to make than regular, normal dinner food.  This hash is hearty and yummy, perfect for a big, comforting dinner or a great kickstart to the morning.  For breakfast, I suggest this one recipe serve 4 people.  Dinner is generally a bigger meal, so it is good for 2 people.  And did I mention it is pretty healthy?

Sweet Potato and Smoked Sausage Hash
1 small onion, chopped
1 lrg sweet potato (~1 lb), chopped
2 tsp garlic
1 7oz link smoked turkey sausage, chopped*
4 eggs
a scant 1/3 C water
extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper

   Heat about 2 tsp of oil over medium heat in a large skillet with a lid.  Saute onions until translucent, ~5 min.  Add potatoes, a little salt and some pepper, heat for 2-3 minutes.  Add water and immediately cover.  Allow potatoes to steam until tender and water evaporated.  It will take about 10-12 minutes.  Remove lid, let any excess water evaporate.  Add sausage and heat through.  When edges of sausage and potatoes are browned it is done.  Salt and pepper to taste.
   While potatoes and sausage are crisping, cook eggs.  Heat ~1 Tbsp oil over med heat.  Crack eggs directly into pan.  When whites have set up, flip and cook for ~1.5 minutes.  Eggs should be between over-easy and over-medium.  Salt and pepper eggs to taste.  Top hash with eggs.
   Serves 2-4

 *You can use beef or pork if you like, but it will not be as healthy.

Quick Cheddar Dill Drop Biscuits

I love biscuits.  I went through a phase where I made them from scratch every weekend.  Cutting butter into flour is definitely not one of my favorite things to do.  Somewhere along the line, I began wondering why I wasn't using a mix.  There are good mixes out there.  Enter, my favorite short cut:  Bisquick Heart Smart.  (I prefer it to regular, I don't know why.)  Now my weekend mornings (when I don't have to work) are much more relaxed and just as delicious!  (Also... healthier.)

Cheddar Dill Drop Biscuits
2 C Bisquick Heart Smart
1 C shredded cheddar
1 tsp dill
1 tsp sweet paprika
1/2 tsp garlic powder
3/4 C + 2 Tbsp low fat buttermilk
cooking spray

   Combine Bisquick with spices and cheddar.  Add buttermilk.  Mix well.
   Drop onto a lightly sprayed baking sheet.
   Bake at 400 deg F for 10-12 minutes, until tops are golden brown.
   Makes 8 biscuits.

Creamy Root Vegetable Soup w/ White Beans

Hearty and healthy is always the best combination in my opinion.  Sure, fatty, greasy food is sometimes a necessity and I will not hesitate to indulge if the time is right.  But for everyday?  I would much rather have something incredibly satisfying and not feel guilty about it afterword.  This soup is rich and thick with a creamy texture and it is made (almost) entirely out of vegetables.  Cheap vegetables in fact.  Serve with some good bread and curl up on a cold night.

Creamy Root Vegetable Soup w/ White Beans
1 lrg onion, chopped
2 lrg carrots, peeled and chopped*
1 Tbsp oil
1 lrg sweet potato, peeled and chopped
2 med-lrg white potatoes, peeled and chopped
5 C water
1 tsp vegetable base (veg bouillon)*
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 bay leaf
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp thyme
2 14-oz cans great northern beans, drained and rinsed
1/4 C half and half or thick buttermilk
1 1/2 tsp hot or sweet paprika

   Heat oil over medium heat.  Saute onions and carrots until tender, 5-7 minutes. 
   Add water, potatoes, veg base, garlic, bay leaf, thyme, salt and pepper.  Cover simmer over med/med-low heat for ~30 minutes.  Until potatoes are soft and just start to fall apart on their own.  Pull out bay leaf.
   Use an immersion blender to puree soup.
   Add beans, dairy, and paprika.  Cook 10-15 minutes, until beans are hot.
   Serves 4.

*If your carrots taste a little bit tinny (just not as sweet as they should be), add 1 tsp honey before pureeing.
**Don't have vegetable base?  Use 3 C veg or chicken broth and 2 C water in place of the 5 C water.

Sausage and Pepper Bake

Sausage and peppers is such a classic combination.  Often, we'll do Italian sausage and peppers simply tossed with pasta.  It is fantastic, but this complete meal allows you to be a little more flexible with your cooking and serving times.  You can prep and assemble everything the day before or a few hours ahead of time and then pop it in the oven before dinner.  Not to mention, you get that baked pasta texture with the crispy bits on the top and around the edges.

I used smoked turkey sausage for this because it has a completely unique flavor which gives the dish a decidedly delicious American spin.  Because it is cheap and fully cooked with a good (refrigerator) shelf life, you can always have it on hand.

Sausage and Pepper Bake
1 lrg onion, thinly sliced
1 lrg green bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 lrg red bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 14-oz can diced tomatoes
1 7-oz link smoked turkey sausage, thinly sliced
1 1/2 Tbsp minced garlic
1 tsp oregano
1/4 red pepper flake (to taste and optional)
3 Tbsp red wine (or water)
12 oz penne pasta
1 C shredded mozzarella
~1/4 parmesan
( oil and cooking spray)

   Cooked pasta 2 minutes shy of package directions in salted water.
   In a little bit of oil (~2 tsp in a non stick skillet) over med heat, saute onions and peppers until tender, 5-7 minutes.  Remove from pan.
   Sear slices of sausage.  Add tomatoes, herbs and spices, wine, and pepper.  Simmer together for 4-5 minutes.  (Add salt to taste if tomatoes are "no salt added".)  Toss with pasta.
   Pour into a sprayed 13x9 baking dish.  Top with cheeses.
   Bake at 375 deg F for 15-20 minutes.
   *If made in advanced and dish has cooled or was refrigerated:  Cover dish, bake at 375 for 10 minutes.  Uncover and bake another 15-20 minutes.
   Serves 4 hearty portions.  (6 if you do salad and maybe some bread with it.)
  
  

Garlic Spinach Mashed Potatoes

I don't know about you, but I love spinach mixed up in mashed potatoes.  You've probably seen Rachael Ray slinging the two together.  There is a reason she keeps including the combo into her menus.  It seriously is delicious.  Also, it is a great (and easy) way to include more dark greens into you diet.  Or if you have a picky eater at the table, they will be hard pressed to say no to these, especially if you throw a little cheese into them.  I know only one person who doesn't love mashed potatoes and that is because she is weird.

And it may seem strange to mix in fresh basil to mashed potatoes, but that herby hint of flavor is so good.  You don't have to do it.  I do suggest you give it a try, though.

Garlic Spinach Mashed Potatoes
4 med potatoes (about 1 1/2 lbs)
2 med cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed
5 oz frozen chopped spinach, thawed and most of water squeezed out
2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
1 Tbsp chopped fresh basil (optional)
1/4-1/3 C milk
1 Tbsp butter or extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper

   Cut potatoes into large chunks.  (Leave skin on or peel it off, whatever you like.  I leave it on.)  Cover with water in a large pot, add the garlic,  and liberally salt.  Bring to a boil.  Boil for 15-20 minutes until potatoes are tender.  Drain off water.  Return to pot (with garlic cloves.)
   Add butter (or oil), some milk and the spinach.  Mash with a potato masher to desired texture adding more milk if needed.  Fold in herbs.  Salt and pepper to taste.
   Serves 4.

Perfect with pork and zucchini