Wednesday, July 30, 2008

Casserole in a "Jiffy"

1 pkg Healthy Choice Sausage
1 can Turkey Chili, No Beans
Cheddar Cheese either shredded or in slices
1 Box Jiffy Corn Bread (made according to package instructions using eggbeaters and fat free milk)

Slice sausage into quarter size discs then layer sausage in bottom of casserole dish. Pour can of chili evenly over top. Add a layer of cheese. Top with Corn Bread batter. Bake according to corn bread package instructions.

Wednesday, April 23, 2008

Green Beans

Without good old BACON in green beans, well, they aren't as yummy...until now.

This is super simple and very delicious. You roast the green beans in the oven - I like that too.

Fresh green beans prepared for cooking
1/2 large red onion, peeled and sliced into slivers

Combine and place in oven on about 375 degrees for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and pour the following over and cook an additional 10 minutes.

1 clove garlic, peeled and sliced thinly
4 tablespoons basalmic vinegar
ground pepper to taste
1-2 teaspoon brown sugar (according to how sweet you like it-try one first)

After another 10 minutes (total of 20) pull out of oven, add chopped almonds and serve!

Tuesday, February 26, 2008

Easiest Homemade Bread Ever

No kneading, no waiting for it to rise.

3 c self rising flour
1/4 c sugar
12 oz beer

Mix all together. Pour into a greased or sprayed bread loaf pan and bake at 350 degrees for about an hour. Serve with jam & butter. Bread is slightly sweet.

Sunday, January 20, 2008

Gumbo-Made without adding oil for roux!

I make it with whole wheat flour which gives is more bulk and is a bit healthier - but I have used regular white flour. I actually like it better made with the whole wheat but you can make it either way.

3-4 stalks celery, diced
1 large onion, diced
2 peppers, any color (I use one yellow and one red-but green is fine), seeded & diced
2-3 Chicken breasts, boneless skinless, cut into about 1 inch pieces
1 pkg Healthy Choice Sausage, cut into bite size pieces
1 c whole wheat flour
3 T Tony Chachere’s seasoning (I use lite and I don't always use all of it)
2 Bay leaves
Pepper
File Gumbo
2-32 oz cartons Swanson’s chicken broth, fat free, low sodium

Tip: Chop up everything and measure all seasonings before you turn on the first burner!

Spray skillet with non-stick cooking spay (like Pam) heavy. Add all the vegetables and 2-3 teaspoons of Tony Chachere’s seasoning, and then spray the veggies with the cooking spray also. Cook until the veggies are wilted. Add a little bit of the chicken broth if it gets too dry. When wilted, add diced chicken and sausage to the veggies and continue cooking. (If you don't have a pan big enough, remove some veggies and set aside.)

Meanwhile, add flour to a large, deep pot or Dutch oven. Stir constantly over medium high heat. The flour will turn about two to three shades deeper in color. When that happens add the seasoning (about 2 teaspoons) and continue to stir. DO NOT STOP STIRRING or it will burn. When you feel the color is right (you can tell easier with white flour than with the whole wheat but you can smell the difference) begin to add chicken broth.

Add a little bit at a time. It will first make a paste, just keep adding slowly and incorporate and then add more until you have incorporated an entire carton. Don't panic, just add until you get it to a point that it is more liquid than paste. I use a potato rice to incorporate the flour into the liquid.

When you have the first carton mixed into the flour add in the chicken/sausage and veggies mixture and all juice from the pan. Cook this mixture for about 5 minutes then add the 2nd carton. You shouldn't need any more chicken stock but you can add more if you like a more thin consistency. I usually simmer very low for about 30 minutes stirring often.

Check flavor and see if you need to add any more seasoning. You can add peeled raw shrimp and it will cook very quickly in the hot liquid.

Serve with brown rice if you wish or French bread.

"Laisse le bon temps rouler!"