Freezer Cooking~Turkey Sausage Pasta Sauce

In order for me to spend any time outside, sometimes I need to resort to drastic measures. This might mean that we'll eat 6 whole chickens in a week's time, or consume 4 pints of raspberry freezer jam in a matter of days. All with the purpose of clearing out some space in the freezer for other stuff. Important stuff.

Pasta saucy stuff.

I found this recipe in the cookbook, "The 150 Healthiest Slow Cooker Recipes on Earth." I didn't use a crockpot though. Because I'm an idiot. (Don't worry, I already knew this fact, so I'm not too upset.) In order to make a gallon of pasta sauce, one needs to make sure that their crockpot will hold a gallon's worth of sauce.

Mine is one quart shy of a gallon.

Of course. Somehow this doesn't surprise me either.

Never one to be outdone by idiocrisy, I retaliated with my trusty Dutch oven.

Because it holds 1 gallon, plus 1 quart.

I love the Dutch.

If you happen to have a bigger crockpot than I, please don't tell me. I don't want to know. I can't know. Because if I know that there are other, bigger and better crockpots out there, I will want one. And I must refrain from purchasing a new one. Because the sun is shining, and I'm holding out for one of these~

♥Cuisinart 2-quart ice cream maker♥

Just in case the nice weather decides to stick around awhile.☺

~Turkey Sausage Pasta Sauce~

~The Players~

1 c. sun-dried tomato strips in olive oil, drained, oil reserved

1-2 Tb. olive oil

2 large sweet onions, chopped

4 celery stalks, chopped

5 large grated carrots

2 red bell peppers, cored, seeded, and finely chopped

8 cloves garlic, minced

8 links Italian turkey sausage (I could only find mild, but the original calls for spicy.)

4 (28 oz.) cans crushed or diced tomatoes

2 t. dried oregano

1/2 Tb. Sucanat (can use brown sugar)

1/2 Tb. sea salt

1 t. cracked black pepper

1 t. dried thyme

1 t. ground fennel (I only had seeds, so I used a mortar & pestle to crush them.)

In a large skillet, heat 3 Tb. reserved olive oil (from tomatoes) over medium heat. Add the onions, celery, carrot, and bell pepper and cook for 6-8 minutes, until the onions are softened but not browned. Add the garlic and cook another minute.

Transfer the mixture to a crockpot or Dutch oven and add the sun-dried tomatoes, crushed tomatoes, oregano, Sucanat, salt, pepper, thyme, and fennel and stir gently to combine.

Using the same skillet, add the 1-2 Tb. olive oil and heat on medium heat. Carefully remove the sausage casing by cutting up the side of the sausage. Add the meat to the pan and crumble with a wooden spoon. Cook until sausage is no longer pink. Add to the crockpot/Dutch oven and stir well. 

If using a crockpot, cook on low for 6-8 hours. In a Dutch oven, cook on low (with a lid) for approximately 2 hours, stirring occasionally. Remove the lid and cook an additional 30 minutes longer to allow mixture to thicken up.

This makes approximately 1 gallon. Zucchini would be a great addition for summertime sauce.

Oh wait, I don't like zucchini...☺

Enjoy!

Peanutty Thai Chicken

It is no secret that I love peanut butter. I especially love it in Asian cooking. There is something so mesmerizing about the combination of peanuts, chicken, lime, red peppers, and tamari sauce that makes my toes curl. Throw in some ginger and cilantro, and I'm singing songs from "Mama Mia", and swinging from the chandelier. 

Well, I would if I had a chandelier.

When the allergist told me that I was allergic to chicken and peanuts, I went into a deep depression. And by deep, I mean I started writing songs of my lost love. And by writing, I really mean I reworded other people's work.

Sue me. I was sad.

 ♫Peanut Chicken, here I go again
My my, how can I resist you?
Peanut chicken, does it show again?
My my, just how much I've missed you
Yes, I've been brokenhearted
Blue since the day we parted
Why, why did I ever let you go?
Peanut Chicken, now I really know,
My my, I could never let you go.♫

 Thankfully, chicken and peanuts were not the problem. Thankfully, I found another recipe that meshes my favorite flavors together.

Thankfully, my family won't have to listen to me massacre Abba songs anymore.☺

~Peanutty Thai Chicken~

(adapted from "The 150 Healthiest Slow Cooker Recipes on Earth)

Use organic ingredients if possible.

  

~The Players~

1 cup smooth peanut butter

1 cup chicken broth (or homemade stock)

1/2 cup low-sodium tamari sauce

zest and juice of 2 limes, separated

2 Tb. rice wine vinegar

8 cloves garlic, minced

2-inch chunk peeled fresh ginger

2 Tb. honey

1 t. red pepper flakes

2 sweet onions, chopped

2 red bell peppers, cored, seeded, and chopped

2-3 lbs. skinned chicken pieces (I used breasts and thighs.)

1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro (more if desired)

sea salt, to taste 

Optional: roasted chopped peanuts for garnish

In the bowl of a food processor, combine the peanut butter, broth, tamari, lime juice, vinegar, garlic, ginger, honey, and red pepper flakes. Process until smooth, scraping down the sides as necessary, and set aside.

 

Place chicken in the crock pot. Pour peanut sauce over the chicken.

Sprinkle the lime zest on top.

Add the onion and bell pepper. 

Cover and cook on high 3-4 hours, or on low for 5-6 hours, until the chicken is cooked through. Remove chicken from pot and allow to cool enough to handle. Using forks or fingers, shred the chicken, and remove any bones. Add the chicken back to the crock pot. Stir in chopped cilantro and season with sea salt before serving. Serve over rice or bean sprouts. Garnish with chopped peanuts if desired.

Enjoy!

Crockpot Chinese Pepper Steak

During the cooler months, I turn to my trusty old friend for some much-needed comfort. No, not my uncles, Ben & Jerry, (although a visit with them is long overdue), but to my crockpot, otherwise known as Mr. Hamilton Beach.

Mr. Hamilton Beach is the Rico Suave of the kitchen appliances as he has many talents that have been known to make women swoon. Everything from bone broths to rendering lard, and apple butters to dinners that make the family think you slaved all day over the hot stove, can be found in my crockpot. Mr. H.B. is a very manly appliance too; he assumes all of the work, leaving me time to fulfill my other passions.

Okay, scrubbing toilets isn't necessarily a passion, but it does need to be done.

A lot.

One of our favorite crockpot meals is called Chinese Pepper Steak. The original recipe comes from the book, "Crockery Cookery" that I received as a bridal shower gift 25 years ago. (Gasp!!!) Over the years, I've made a few changes to the original, and depending on what's available at the time, this dish is very versatile. If it sounds familiar, I've shared this recipe before, but it was long before the invention of the camera, or at least one that I could operate, so it was picture-less until today.

I hope you like this as much as we do!

~Chinese Pepper Steak~

~The Players~

1-1/2 lbs. boneless beef round steak or venison, sliced into thin strips

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 t. sea salt

1/4 t. ground pepper

1/4 cup organic wheat-free tamari sauce (can use soy if gluten isn't an issue)

1 Tb. hoisin sauce (found in the Asian section of any grocery store)

1 t. sugar

1 medium tomato, seeded and chopped

2 *red bell peppers, cut into strips

8 oz. fresh button mushrooms, quartered

3 Tb. cornstarch

3 Tb. water

1 cup fresh bean sprouts (Do NOT use the canned sprouts~trust me on this one!)

4 green onions, finely chopped

3 cups fresh broccoli florets, steamed

cooked rice
red pepper flakes, if desired

Combine steak strips, garlic, salt, pepper, tamari sauce, hoisin sauce and sugar in a slow cooker. Cover and cook on LOW about 4 hours. Turn control to HIGH. Add tomato, mushrooms, and bell peppers. Dissolve cornstarch in water in a small bowl; stir into steak mixture. Cover and cook on HIGH for 15-20 minutes or until thickened.

Meanwhile, in a separate saucepan, steam broccoli until crisp-tender.

Add broccoli and bean sprouts to the crockpot. Sprinkle with green onions and red pepper flakes, if using. Serve with rice.

Serves 6.

Enjoy!

*Frozen bell pepper strips can be substituted for fresh. I've also used zucchini (during the summer), and sliced water chestnuts and fresh spinach (just prior to serving).

Homemade Beef Broth

Making nourishing bone broth is easier than one might think. I can't tell you the number of blogs that I've read that teach this valuable skill, but somehow, it always seems harder than it is.

Not the fault of the bloggers.

I am more of a hand's on kind of learner, so reading about making broth is never as easy as it is to just do it. I've been taking the Surf & Turf classes, taught by Ann Marie at the Cheeseslave for the last several weeks. She had a video showing me how to make broth.

I had an aha moment.

I will still use the occasional organic, store-bought beef broth for vacations and emergencies, but for everyday cooking, homemade wins.

Every time.

Homemade Beef Broth

2-3 lbs. miscellaneous, grass-fed beef (shanks, neck, oxtails, marrow bones, leftover roast bones, etc.)

filtered water

peppercorns (10-12)

1 onion, quartered

2 cloves garlic, peeled

2 carrots, quartered

2 stalks celery, quartered

2 Tb. apple cider vinegar

crockpot

Place beef, onion, garlic, peppercorns, carrots, celery and vinegar in the crockpot. Add enough water to fill the crockpot, staying about an inch below top of pot.

Put lid on and let sit for 1/2 hour.

Plug in and turn heat to high, bringing to a boil.

Turn down heat to simmer.

Let simmer for 48 hours.

After 48 hours, turn off heat and allow to cool slightly.

Now it's time to strain. This can be done in several different ways. A fine mesh colander will work, but if you like your broth really clean, line the colander with cheesecloth. Or, just cut a nice square of cheesecloth and attach it to the top of a jar with a rubber-band.

Straining the broth



Using a ladle or glass measuring cup, carefully scoop out the broth and pour through your strainer. Repeat until all of the broth has been strained.

Your cheesecloth will look like this...

Yuck.



Not very appetizing, I know.

Cover with a tight fitting lid or saran wrap with a rubber band and place in the fridge. Even if your refrigerator is the cleanest in town, the broth will pick up any lingering odors and change the flavor.

Broth is finicky that way.

Leave it in the fridge overnight. When ready, skim the fat from top and give to your dogs or cat. They love it. Some people run it through more cheesecloth, but I don't think that's necessary.

The broth, if done correctly, will have thickened. Sometimes mine comes out very gelatinous. Sometimes it doesn't. Here, the broth is somewhere in-between.


Broth freezes very well. I like to freeze some of it in ice cube trays. 1 cube is the equivalent of 1 ounce broth. So, if a recipe calls for 4 ounces, use 4 cubes. After they are solid, I pop them out and store in a freezer bag.

You may notice that I didn't add salt to the recipe. Some do. I would rather add it to whatever recipe I'm using, when I need it. But that's entirely up to you. Just give this a try before buying a can of beef flavored broth.

Flavored means MSG.

Just in case you were wonderin'.

Crock pot Chicken with Peanut Sauce

I have a confession to make.


There is another love in my life.


Don't hate me for it. It couldn't be helped.


Love has a way of sneaking up when it's least expected and consuming every part of our being.


It makes my heart beat faster and makes me tingle clean down to my toes.


This love I have cannot be matched.


Though others may come and go, this one is here to stay.


And because of this new relationship, I am a better person.


Thank you Peanut Sauce for entering my life.


I will always love you.



In a crock pot, place 12 skinless, fat-removed, organic chicken thighs. Add 3/4 cup of chicken stock/broth, cover and cook on low 6 hours.


When the chicken is finished, remove from crock pot and let cool enough to handle. Shred the thighs with a couple of forks and set aside. Leave the broth in the pot.


To make the peanut sauce, you'll need...



6 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
2 inches fresh ginger, peeled and chopped
1 large bunch of cilantro
1 Tb. EVOO
1 t. hot chili oil
3/4 cup roasted peanuts
3/8 cup naturally fermented soy sauce
3 Tb. brown rice vinegar
1 can whole coconut milk
1 Tb. cornstarch or arrowroot powder
red pepper flakes, optional
salt & pepper to taste


Place garlic, ginger and cilantro in food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Add all remaining ingredients except coconut milk, pulse until well blended.

Add mixture to crock pot. Add coconut milk and whisk together. Add cornstarch/arrowroot powder and mix well. Put the chicken back into the mixture. Replace the lid and turn crock pot to high for 20 minutes.

Salt and pepper to taste and serve over brown rice.

This recipe has been adapted from Nourishing Traditions.

Baja Chicken Fajitas & Frijoles Rancheros

I found this recipe in a supermarket magazine and decided to give it a try.

Not because it calls for some exotic ingredient, or it promises to cook itself while you're vacationing on Bora Bora, but because, and only because the pictures were pretty.

I'm a simple gal.

Please don't judge this dish as I did however. My pictures are amature at best.

At their worst, it looks like my beagle, Maisie, took them.

I'm glad that the pictures were enough to lure me in, because this dish was a hit.

First, I have to show you what I found. I'm sure that these have been around for awhile but because of my simpleness, I had never seen them before.

I wish I would've invented these. Not only are they very effective for keeping the tears from streaming down my face, they are very fashionable too.

Just ask my 4 year old niece, Anna, who kept telling me that I was "so cute". (Remember, she's 4. And she may need glasses. )

Baja Chicken Fajitas

After donning the nifty glasses, thinly slice up one large onion.

In the bottom of the crock pot, lay 12 boneless, skinless chicken thighs, adding the onions on top.

Add 1 cup of low-sodium chicken broth.

Zest 3 limes, then add the zest to the top. (Save the limes.)

Place lid on crock pot and cook on low for 4-5 hours.

Roast 3 peppers in a cast iron pan by slicing the peppers in half and broiling until the skin blisters.

Some people put olive oil on them first, but it's not necessary. (You can also use the roasted, canned kind, but ewwww...)

When cool to the touch, rinse under cold water and peel the skin off.

Slice thin and set aside.

When chicken is done, remove from crock pot and cool until easy to handle. Shred the meat with a fork. Using a slotted spoon, scoop out the onions too.

In a small bowl, whisk together 1/3 cup olive oil, 1/4 cup tequila, juice of 2 limes, 3 Tb. chopped fresh cilantro, 1 clove minced garlic, 1 t. honey and 1 t. sea salt. (If you don't want to use tequila, use some some of the broth or extra lime juice.)

Add to the chicken and stir.

Combine 1 cup of sour cream, juice from 1 lime and season with a little salt.

Optional condiments: diced avocados, scallions, fresh cilantro

Heat tortillas.

To serve, arrange chicken, sour cream, peppers, avocados, scallions, cilantro on tortilla.

Wrap the tortillas by folding the bottom over and rolling from one end.

Frijoles Rancheros

3 strips of bacon, fried crispy

1 cup chopped onion

1 poblano chili pepper, seeded and diced

1 Tb EVOO (I used the remaining bacon grease)

1 can each pinto beans and black beans, drained and rinsed

1/2 cup low sodium chicken broth

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 Tb. chili powder

Sea salt and fresh cilantro leaves

Cook bacon in a saute pan until crispy. Drain on paper towels. Saute onion and poblano in oil or grease until onion softens, about 5 minutes.

In a sauce pan, add beans, bacon, broth, onions, garlic, chili powder; cover pan. Reduce heat; simmer beans for 5 minutes.

Uncover; simmer beans until most of the liquid evaporates. Season with salt; top with cilantro.

Then sit back and be prepared to receive the adoration of your family.

Slow-cooker Cheeseburger Soup

While thumbing through my crock-pot cookbooks, I came across a soup that called for a dill pickle, mustard and ketchup topping.

I kept thumbing.

For some reason though, this cookbook continually opens up to this page, no matter where I'm at.

It's a sign.

This soup, minus the bizarre toppings, was the tastiest soup we've had the pleasure to "slurp" in a long time. The entire family loved it so much, that it is on the menu again for next week!

As my children say, "It was AMAZ-A-ZING!!!

Slow-cooker Cheeseburger Soup

4 Tb. unsalted butter

1 lbs. very lean ground beef

1 cup diced sweet onion

3/4 cup diced celery

1/2 cup diced carrot

1 t. minced garlic

1 t. dried basil

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1-1/2 cups whole milk

3 cups low-sodium chicken broth (or use your own homemade)

2 cups peeled and diced potatoes

2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese

salt and pepper to taste

Optional: ketchup, mustard, chopped dill pickles

Melt butter in a saute pan over medium heat. Add beef; cook until meat begins to brown. Break up the beef as small as you can as it's cooking. Stir in onion, celery, carrot, garlic, and basil; cook 5 minutes. Add flour, stirring to coat meat; cook for 1 minute. Stir in milk until mixture is smooth. Bring mixture to boil; cook 2 minutes. Transfer soup to a slow-cooker. Stir in broth and potatoes. Cover soup; cook on low-heat until potatoes are tender, about 4 hours. Add cheddar just before serving, stirring until the cheese melts. Season soup with salt and pepper and garnish as desired.

*A couple of notes...this recipe says that it serves 6, but I would guess more like 4-5. I doubled this, and only ended up with enough leftovers for my Mister's lunch. Also, make sure that when dicing the vegetables, go small. This dish relies on a mirepoix [mihr-PWAH] for its flavor. That just means chopped up carrots, onions and celery that is sauteed and added to flavor dishes. I didn't know that, but when I used a little "French" on the family, they were impressed!

Crockpot...uh-oh..

So, today has been a little off. I feel like a newborn deer who hasn't quite found her balance today. Ever have a day like that?

I had planned for Crockpot Wednesday a Pork loin braised in a milk sauce. It looks heavenly.

In the picture.

Unfortunately, that's as far as I got. You see, when I work on menu plans, I simultaneously work on my grocery list. You know, "git er done" mode.

Apparently, my git er done, done got up and left. I dropped the ball. Missed the mark. Forgot to buy the ingredients for the recipe.

Oops.

Soooooooooo, next week, we'll be having the Pork Loin braised in a creamy milk sauce with a side of Tomato-spinach orzo.

Tonight, we're having spaghetti.

However, the sauce was a crockpot recipe that I borrowed from The Nourishing Gourmet and froze for later use. Today qualifies for later. Try it, it's delicious!




If you double the sauce, use 1/2 and freeze the rest for one of those "oops" moments!

I had planned on making Cranberry muffins today for lunch. But it requires a food processor that works. Mine had a little 14-year-old-boy accident. No worries though, instead of cranberry muffins, we'll be having these. No food processor required!




Couple of side notes...Yesterday, I blogged about contentment. This morning, I woke up to this.

It's hard to not feel content with this as a wake-up serenade.

Cuban Black Bean Soup with Tomato/Cilantro Rice

This winter, I kind of have a "theme" going. I am addicted to black beans! Besides the fact that they are low in fat, they have the added benefit of containing huge amounts of fiber!


Fiber is good.


This dish has 20 grams per serving. It is recommended that adults take in between 25 and 35 gram a day. Most adults don't even come close.


I'm here to remedy that.

Enjoy!



Cuban Black Bean Soup


1 lb. dried black beans (2 1/3 cups)
5 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 onion, diced
3 stalks of celery, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and diced (Be careful!)
1 Tb. paprika
2 t. ground cumin
2 t. dried oregano
1 t. ground coriander
2 0r 3 strips of bacon
1-2 Tb. red wine vinegar
Sea salt and pepper to taste


Soak beans in water overnight. (If you add a Tb. of buttermilk, whole milk yogurt, whey or lemon juice, it will break down the hard-to-digest proteins!)


In the morning, drain beans and rinse. Combine beans, broth, onion, celery, jalapeno, paprika, cumin, oregano, and coriander in a 4-6 quart slow cooker. Lay the bacon over the top of the bean mixture. It will season the beans. I doubled the recipe and it fit nicely in my 8 quart crock pot. Cover soup; cook on high-heat setting for 5-6 hours or on low-heat setting for 8-9 hours. When 1 hour remains, check beans for doneness. Remove and discard the bacon. Stir in vinegar; season with salt and pepper.


Puree 4 cups of the soup in a food processor. Add pureed soup back into the pot. Stir to combine. Serve with Tomato-Cilantro rice and sour cream. Serves 6.

Tomato-Cilantro Rice

2 Tb. EVOO

1 Tb. minced garlic

1/2 t. ground cumin

2 cups dry converted white rice (I only had jasmine, so that is what I used.)

2 1/4 cups low-sodium chicken broth

1 (16 oz.) can tomato sauce

1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro leaves

Sea salt to taste

Heat oil in saucepan over medium heat. Stir in garlic and cumin; saute 30 seconds. Add rice; stir to coat grains. Stir in broth and tomato sauce; bring to boil.

Cover rice mixture; reduce heat to low. Cook rice for 20 minutes and remove from heat.

Let rice stand, covered for 5 minutes. Fluff rice with a fork. Stir in cilantro and salt before serving. Serves 6

This was divine! With a "dollop of Daisy", it was heavenly. You're going to want to double this for the leftovers...I promise.

Burger & 5 Bean Soup

Growing up, my mom made a 4 bean dish that was called, "4 Bean Dish". While the title wasn't very unique, the ingredients were. I remember my mom grabbing the ketchup bottle and squirting a huge blob into the pot. Then she'd grab the mustard bottle and squirt some more.


I loved this dish! I couldn't wait until I was a grown-up so that I could eat this whenever I wanted!


Then I actually grew up.


While I still love this dish, I have learned that corn syrup in my soup isn't exactly the healthiest choice.


Hmmm...maybe my mom should rename her dish, "Corn Syrup & Bean Soup"?


So, in honor of my mom and all mom's who have used ketchup to disguise undesirable foods, (ahem, lima beans) ...this is for you.


First, fry up some really good, grass-fed, ground beef. I'm doubling this recipe, so I used 2 lbs. This makes great leftovers, so make plenty!








While the meat is cooking, open up the cans of beans. You'll need 2 (15 oz.-ish) of each; kidney beans, garbanzo beans, (AKA chickpeas), lima beans, and pinto beans. You could substitute black beans or butter beans instead. Don't drain though...the "juice" becomes the broth. It is a step up for the lowly juice...let's give the juice their moment.





You'll also need a 28 oz. can of baked beans. These are what I had, so these are what I used.







Okay, funny story. I have a very small kitchen. In a 5600 sq. ft. house, the kitchen is teeny. I had a moment of brilliance, following a weekend of HGTV, and decided to clean off the counters to make the kitchen appear larger. So I threw the electric can opener away.


My children were not amused.


So my daughter, Melissa, decided to pay me back and take a picture of me toiling over the can opening process.


She's a funny girl.


Before the meat is done, dice up a whole, sweet onion and a couple of stalks of celery. Go ahead and add some garlic. While 2 cloves of garlic are good, 3 are even better. Trust me.






Dump all of the beans (and juice!) into the crock pot. Then add the cooked hamburger. In the same fry-pan, add 1 Tb. olive oil and 1 Tb. unsalted butter. Add the chopped up vegetables and cook until the onions look opaque. Add 2 tsp. Dijon mustard, 1/4-1/2 cup sucanat (rapadura or brown sugar works too), 1/4 cup molasses, 1 1/2 tsp. dried basil, and 1 Tb. chili powder. Cook for about 2 minutes, until the liquid looks gooey.






Add the cooked vegetables to the crock pot. I then poured a quart of home-canned tomatoes into the pot. Stir well and cook on low for 6 hours.




Before serving, salt and pepper as needed.

And don't forget the cornbread!



Burger & 5 Bean Soup


2 lbs. ground beef
2 (15 oz.) cans each: kidney, garbanzo, Lima, pinto beans
1 (28 oz.) can baked beans
1 large, sweet onion, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 quart tomatoes
2 t. Dijon mustard
1/4-1/2 cup sucanat (or brown sugar)
1/4 cup molasses (not blackstrap)
1 1/2 dried basil
1 T. chili powder


Cook beef in fry-pan. Dump in crock pot. Add beans to pot. Saute onions, celery and garlic until opaque. Add mustard, sugar, molasses, and spices and continue cooking for another 2 minutes. Dump in crock pot. Add tomatoes. Cook on low for 6 hours.

Serve with cornbread. Because it's the right thing to do.

**I have made this dish using dried beans that were previously soaked and cooked. It adds extra time, but is well worth the effort, especially as you are able to remove the "toots".**

Black Bean & Sausage Soup

I love soup. Almost as much as I love chocolate.

Almost.

Since I can't survive on chocolate alone...and let me tell you, I have tried...soup is the next best thing to perfection. It feeds the soul and lifts the spirit. Soup can mend a broken heart and cure the common cold. Just ask any grandmother.

Speaking of grandmother's...my daughter, Tia, just called to inform me that on Monday, my 1st grandson will be making his appearance! But more about that next week...

Where was I? Oh...ask any grandmother. I'm a grandmother. (*happy dance*) Just ask me.

Soup is good.

This one is great. Just take it from this grandma!

Black Bean & Sausage Soup

2 lbs. dried black beans

2 lbs. beef kielbasa, cut into bite-sized chucks

3 quarts organic vegetable broth (or homemade)

2-3 cups carrots, shredded

1 large, sweet onion, diced

3 stalks celery, diced

1 t. sea salt (more or less to taste)

pepper (to taste)

lemon juice

Monterey Jack cheese, shredded

sour cream, optional

green taco sauce, optional

The night before, soak beans by covering with water and adding 2 Tb. lemon juice to water. Soaking overnight helps to neutralize phytic acid and enzyme inhibitors. It breaks down the difficult to digest complex sugars. (Nourishing Traditions)

Translation: It releases the "toots" that gives beans a bad rap.

In the morning, drain beans and rinse. Add to crockpot. In a large frying pan, saute onions and celery in 1 Tb. olive oil and 1 Tb. unsalted butter, until tender. Add to crockpot with remaining ingredients. Cook on high for 4-6 hours or low for 8. Serve with Monterey Jack cheese, sour cream and green taco sauce. Great with cornbread!

*If cooked on the stove, cook beans in water, until halfway done. Skim any foam ("toots") from liquid. Drain. Add back to pot along with remaining ingredients. Bring to boil. Cover and simmer for 1-2 hours, or until beans are tender.

Teriyaki Chicken

Slow and easy.

My two favorite words.

Next to chocolate and free.

This is neither chocolate, nor free, but it is slow and easy.

And did I mention, delicious?

Teriyaki Chicken

1/2 cup unrefined sugar

1/2 cup tamari sauce (or soy sauce)

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

2 cloves garlic, minced

1-2 t. fresh ginger, minced or grated

1 T. cornstarch (or arrowroot powder)

1 T. cold water

1/4 t. black pepper

12 boneless, skinless chicken thighs

1 sweet onion, cut into chunks

In a small saucepan, mix all ingredients except the chicken and onions. Bring to boil, stir and remove from heat. In a crockpot, place onions then chicken thighs on top. Pour sauce over chicken. Cook on high for 4-6 hours. Serve with brown rice and steamed veggies. If you want extra sauce for the rice, just double sauce ingredients!

Toe-warmin' Chili

There are only 2 recipes that I make on Sunday's during the fall/winter months. One is stew, the other is chili. Last week found me measuring and writing while putting together the stew because I don't really "follow" a recipe. If it's in the refrigerator and needs to be used, it goes in the pot. If I find an onion swimming around in the banana's "bowl of death", it goes in the pot. And if the pot isn't full enough, I go on a scavenger hunt, in search of other food items to throw in the pot. For whatever reason, this usually works for me! But for chili...why mess with perfection? Betty Crocker knew what she was doing! Mostly. I had to help her with the rest. She'll thank me for it later.

Toe-Warmin' Chili

2 lbs. ground beef
2 large sweet onions, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tb. chili powder
2 t. sea salt
2 t. ground cumin
2 t. dried oregano leaves
2 t. baking cocoa
1 t. ground cinnamon
1/2 -1 t. red pepper sauce (more or less, depending on your tastes)
1 quart stewed tomatoes
2 quarts canned kidney or pinto beans (or the equivalent of), undrained

Cook ground beef, onion and garlic together until beef is cooked; drain. Dump in crockpot. Add the remaining ingredients to the crockpot. Cook for 6-8 hours on low. Serve with cheese and sour cream. Great with tortilla chips or cornbread! Even greater...leftovers tomorrow!

Mouth-watering Beef Stew

During the colder months of October-April, we rely on 2 favorites for quick, easy, Sunday dinners. One is chili and the other is beef stew. They're not quick as in fast, but once they're in the crockpot, the only thing to worry about is what to serve with them! (Usually cornbread, biscuits or sourdough!) Today I'll share my beef stew recipe. Recently, someone asked for the recipe, and I realized that I didn't have a "recipe" to share! I'm not one to measure or weigh ingredients...again, the "wing it" mentality. So today, I did the correct thing and wrote it all down as I went. Strangely enough, I had never thought to do that before! Looks pretty good on paper, but wait until you try it! Delish!


I start this in a dutch oven on the stove, then transfer to the crockpot. If I'm going to be home all day, I will sometimes put it in the oven. It really depends on what else is going on!




Mouth-watering Beef Stew


1 1/2 lbs. stew meat
1/2 cup flour
2 T. oil (I use coconut oil)

1 cup Merlot (Remember, the alcohol cooks out...this really adds alot of flavor!)
8 cups water (can use 2 quarts of beef broth or homemade stock)
6 T. organic beef soup base, if using water only
1 quart stewed tomatoes
3 large carrots, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
3-4 potatoes, depending on size, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup uncooked barley
1 t. each: dried oregano, dried basil, dried marjoram
2 bay leaves, broke in halves to release flavor
1/2 T. salt (or to taste)
1/2 T. ground pepper (or to taste)


Cut meat into bite-sized pieces. Mix with flour. Heat oil in cast-iron pot and add meat/flour mixture. Cook on medium heat for 5 minutes, stirring regularly. (The meat will still be pink.) Add Merlot and turn down to medium/low heat to simmer for 3-5 minutes. The flour and wine will make a thick roux. Add water and soup base, or beef broth. Stir well to release roux from bottom of pot. Now you can add this to your crockpot if you desire. Add remaining vegetables and spices to the pot. For the crockpot, set on low for 8 hours. For the oven, 325 F. for approximately 4 hours. Or, if you wish, leave on the stove to simmer until veggies are cooked through. Remember to remove the bay leaves BEFORE serving! (We once had to "award" the person/persons who "found" the bay leaves...Momma forgot about them!)





Next week, I'll share my chili recipe. But first, I need to make it so I can write down the correct measurements...this could get to be a chore!