Gluten Free Southern Cornbread

in less than 30 minutes

Delicious, traditional cornbread!

Cornbread is one of those foods I love but don't eat often enough. The key to this southern comfort and soul food is buttermilk. Enjoy!

What You Need (makes 8x8 dish)

1 cup stoneground yellow corn meal (I like "Indian Head" brand)

1 cup gluten free all-purpose baking mix (I used "Maple Grove Farms")

3 t baking powder

1/2 t salt

1 cup buttermilk

1 egg

1/4 cup vegetable oil

How To Prepare

Preheat oven to 425. Grease 8 by 8 pan. Add corn meal, flour, baking powder and salt to bowl. In separate bowl, combine buttermilk, egg and oil and beat together. Add to the dry ingredients and mix until just blended, not too thoroughly. Pour into pan and bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. 

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Let me know how you decided to incorporate this into your meal!

Pecan Crumble Pumpkin Pie

My favorite Thanksgiving dessert from my grandmother's restaurant.

I can't remember a Thanksgiving growing up where we didn't have "Our" Pumpkin Pie, as my grandmother called it. In fact, my first year at college it was too expensive for me to travel home, and I was tremendously homesick. My most favorite person in the world, Modo (my grandmother), FedExed me this pie. I think I ate almost all of it by myself.

I've adapted the recipe a bit, as I don't have near the sweet tooth that she did....and it's still as wonderful as ever. Easy, packed full of fiber and Vitamin A and the perfect ending to a Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner.

What You Need

1 package pie crust mix (in sticks)

1 16 oz can pumpkin

1 can Eagle Brand sweetened condensed milk

1 egg

1 t pumpkin pie spice

1/2 t salt

1/2 t cinnamon

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/3 cup chopped pecans

How To Prepare

Preheat oven to 375. Roll pie crust into pie pan and crimp along edges to remove excess. Set aside to use for topping. Add pumpkin, milk, egg, salt and spices into bowl and stir until blended. Pour into pie crust. Tear extra pie crust into small crumbles and mix with brown sugar and pecans. Sprinkle on top of pie.

Crimp edges of pie crust. Cover outer edges of crust with foil to prevent burning. Place on cookie sheet and cook pie for 50 minutes.

Serve with fresh whipped cream on top or as is. Makes a wonderful breakfast dish with berries and yogurt.

ENJOY!!!

Let's Connect

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Please let me hear from you and how you liked the recipe.

Here's to great eating!

Jayme's Mac N Cheese

Smothered Mac N Cheese

Ooey, gooey, artery clogging good!

This is not something we have for Thanksgiving but it might be something we begin to include. My neighbor, Jayme, made this the other night for her family and we were hanging around. I snapped a few pics, got the recipe and it's a sure fire winner. 

Creamy noodles smothered in cheesy goodness with a crisp, cheese topping!

What You Need

Elbow macaroni, 16 oz

9 T butter

3/4 cup shredded monterey jack cheese

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1/2 cup 4 cheese mexican blend

8 oz cubed Velveeta

1 1/2 cups half and half

2 eggs, beaten

1 t hot sauce

Seasoning salt to taste

How To Prepare

Preheat oven to 350. Bring water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain well and return to pot. Melt 8 tablespoons butter and add to macaroni. In a large bowl, mix together 1 3/4  cups of the different cheeses, cubed processed cheese food, half and half, eggs, hot sauce, seasoning salt. Add macaroni to this mixture. Transfer to a lightly greased deep 2 1/2 quart casserole dish. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 cup of cheese mixture and 1 tablespoon of butter. Bake in preheated oven for 35 minutes or until hot and bubbling around the edges; serve.

Let's Connect

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Enjoy!

Chicken Cheese Delite

from my grandmother's restaurant

A classic from my grandmother's famous catering business and an entree perfect for family and guests!

 This was last night's dinner. And the centerpiece of this meal is a recipe I've known about since I was 10 years old, but hadn't made in too long. You see, my late grandmother was one of those rare people whose life force was palpable in every gesture she made. When she was 60 years old, she decided it was high time she worked for herself. And even though she suffered several major heart attacks during the decade plus she ran her successful wedding and catering business....she wasn't about to let her age keep her from a lifelong dream of being a self-made business owner. 

One of the numerous books by my grandmother. This recipe is inside!

What You Need (serves 4)

4 chicken breast cutlets

1 cup croutons, ground

1/4 cup cheddar cheese, shredded

1 egg

1 1/2 t minced garlic

1 1/2 T parmesan

2 T vegetable oil

How To Prepare

Beat egg. Grind croutons in a blender or by hand (we like Ranch or Cheesy Garlic flavor). Heat oil in skillet on medium high. Place croutons, garlic, parmesan and cheddar cheese in bowl and mix. Coat chicken in egg and then crouton/cheese mixture. Place in skillet and on cook each side for about 8 minutes or until done. May need to add a bit more oil when you flip chicken, as the coating will absorb oil. THE CHEESE COATING THAT STICKS TO THE PAN IS THE BEST PART. DON'T THROW IT AWAY. ADD THE CRUNCHY TOPPING TO THE ENTREE.

At Gazebo 1, we served this over rice topped with a white wine sauce and accompanied by vegetables and bread. THIS WAS ONE OF THE MOST POPULAR ENTREES WE SERVED!

Truly, that's how good it is.

Let's Connect

Please help me reach 100 Likes on FB by visiting me here https://www.facebook.com/monicawritesblogspot?ref=aymt_homepage_panel and sharing with family and friends.

You can also still purchase my beloved grandmother's cookbooks  here http://www.amazon.com/Gazebo-Christmas-Cookbook-Rex-Barrington/dp/0933095023/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1447012978&sr=8-1&keywords=rex+barrington+cookbook

Would make a great holiday gift!

Until next time...

Porn Potatoes?

Crispy Italian Potatoes

aka Porn Potatoes???

Baked with fresh garlic, parmesan, italian seasoning and olive oil. Healthy alternative to fries.

 So many alternatives for this recipe...Kid friendly, gluten-free, healthier than fries, quick and easy!

The note with "porn, corn, and oven baked potatoes." Let me explain!

As you see above, I'm a list maker. I'm a visual person, have made lists as long as I can remember and they usually resemble something like the one above. The lists give me a mental prep for the next day. And even though I'm pretty sure I would still get my kids fed and their lunches made, I like the reminder...it's reassurance for a tired mama. One less thing I have to think about before my head hits the pillow. 

Now, this particular note has an interesting story behind it. I'll start at the beginning, because the beginning is always a good place to start. I've been watching a lot of "Sex and the City" re-runs. It just happened the Friday before Halloween. I was waiting downstairs for my daughter to be picked up to go to a friend's house and I was too tired to do anything. The channel just happened to be on "E" and there were Carrie, Charlotte, Miranda and Samantha. After one episode turned into 5, I remembered how great this show is and the time in my life it invoked. Given that I write my notes right before I go upstairs to bed (I magnet them to the stove top so they are eye level...everything is up there...drives my husband CRAZY) I'm already half asleep. And on this night, probably because of my recent obsession with S and the C, my mind was altered and instead of writing "pork, corn and oven baked potatoes, I wrote, "porn, corn and oven baked potatoes." The even funnier thing, to me, is that I awoke that night in the wee hours and came down for a snack. I just happened to see my list and chuckled...however, I quickly edited it because my high school son would have had a field day with that Freudian slip..whew.

So, after my long-winded spiel, that's how Crispy Italian Potatoes also became known as Porn Potatoes!

Would you like the recipe, now?

What You Need (enough for 4)

2 regular potatoes, medium size

italian seasoning

minced garlic, fresh

parmesan cheese

olive oil

garlic salt

How To Prepare

Preheat oven to 350. Wash, dry and slice potatoes between 1/4 to 1/8 inch thickness. Add a few dashes of italian seasoning (roughly 2 T); a few dashes of garlic salt (roughly 1/2 t); 1/2 t of minced garlic and roughly 3 T olive oil to a mixing bowl. Stir together until blended. Add potatoes and coat well. Spread out potatoes on a baking sheet lined with foil. Bake in the oven for 20 to 25 minutes or until most are getting golden. Shake vigorously parmesan cheese over potatoes and cook for an additional 5 to 10 minutes. 

Serve with porn (ha, ha ha). No seriously, makes a wonderful side. I served with bbq pork and corn but next time I will serve with a marinara chicken. The potatoes are a nice alternative to pasta.

Let's Connect

1. First, this recipe was inspired by my dear childhood friend Stephanie Parker and her fabulous blog, Plain Chicken. I adapted her recipe for Easy Oven Roasted Potatoes. You can find her recipe here http://www.plainchicken.com/2010/04/easy-oven-roasted-potatoes.html
2. Secondly, I want to know how you liked these and how you made them. Please SHARE with friends and visit me on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/monicawritesblogspot/?ref=aymt_homepage_panel
3. You can also follow me on Google+ under "Monica Resa"

Until next time...keep on keepin' on

BreakDin

Peppered Potatoes with Steak, Cheese, & Egg

aka BreakDin

Homestyle potatoes with pepper mix, topped with cheddar, NY Strip and Egg. Protein Packed and Delicious.

This recipe came about as most of mine do...from my experimental, creative mind. The thing is, I had bought a pack of Simply Potatoes' Steakhouse Seasoned Diced Potatoes (green bag) in the refrigerated section of the local store. I will sometimes buy this brand's mashed potatoes when I'm too busy or lazy to make ones from scratch..but I wanted to try something a bit healthier, so I grabbed the diced. I get tired of the same thing over and over.

Soooo easy. Literally took under 20 minutes for a gluten-free, low-carb and protein packed breakfast for dinner. Hence the name, 'BreakDin.' Kids enjoyed it too, sans steak for one and egg for the other.

Serve with toast if you want more of a breakfast flare or with salad for more of a dinner taste. Easy, simple, and yummy!

What You Need

1 bag Simply Potatoes Steakhouse Seasoned Diced Potatoes
1/2 bag frozen mixed peppers with onion (or use fresh)
Thin cut steak (normally, wouldn't use a cut like NY Strip in this kind of dish, but all I had)
Cheddar cheese, sliced
Eggs (scrambled, over-easy, sunny-side up)
Salt and Pepper to taste
Olive oil

How To Prepare

Saute peppers and onion in olive oil until mostly cooked through. Add potatoes and cook according to instructions on bag. Slice cheese. Sear steak on both sides until done to your liking. Remove steak and cook egg to your liking. Layer so the cheese melts onto the potatoes. (Told you it was easy!)

That's it! The potatoes definitely were enough for four people to have a good size portion, larger than in the photo above.

Let's Connect

Please connect with me on Google + by clicking to 'Follow' the blog or 'Like' my blog's FB page at https://www.facebook.com/monicawritesblogspot?ref=aymt_homepage_panel

Let me know how you liked it or twists you made to the recipe!

Until next time...

Gluten free Perfect Pumpkin Bread

conquering Pinterest, my oven and indolence

Moist, perfect amount of flavor and sweetness. Totally satisfied my craving. It's a keeper!

You can see the moistness glistening on the top of the bread, can't you? Yes, this recipe DID.NOT.DISAPPOINT!

If you've been following the blog, I've had a hankering for pumpkin bread, muffin, cake, something...just something for my hungry gluten-free-preferred stomach...for the past month. But you know my Achilles heel is baking, more specifically finding a recipe that isn't too difficult, lengthy, time-consuming or basically hard!

Luck was on my side yesterday. I was exhausted and hungry...not a great combination. I had yet to make anything from Pinterest. There is a season for everything, isn't there? Yes, I conquered Pinterest, my oven, and indolence. AMEN!

This recipe is adapted from Sweetphi. I basically halved her recipe and omitted the chocolate chips. #menolikeychocolateandpumpkin

I will definitely make this again (even my kids liked it and they don't do gluten-free). Next time, I will add walnuts and golden raisins for more chunkiness and possibly reduce the white sugar and add more pumpkin. I think this would also be awesome with dried cranberries and apples..yum!

If you're a skilled baker, you probably know how to substitute ingredients. PLEASE HELP A SISTER OUT AND LEAVE COMMENTS ON WHAT YOU DID...I like to learn!

What You Need  (Makes enough for 8x8 dish)

1 1/2 cups Gluten-free baking mix (I used Maple Grove Farms brand)
1 t baking soda
1/2 t baking powder
3/4 t cinnamon
1 t pumpkin pie spice

4 eggs
1/2 can pumpkin puree
1 cup white sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 t vanilla extract
Crisco

How To Prepare

Preheat oven to 350. Lightly grease an 8 by 8 pan with Crisco. In bowl, use a hand mixer to beat together eggs, sugar and vanilla. Mix on medium for one minute. And pumpkin and oil and mix again. Lastly, add the dry ingredients and mix until everything is combined and mix is smooth.

Bake for approximately 40 minutes or until toothpick, inserted in center, comes out clean. Let cool and serve with butter or by itself.

Perfect for breakfast, snack or dessert. 

Yep, that's the lollipop stick hole. Didn't have toothpicks. Smells heavenly while cooking.

Tip:

Cover the pan with foil while it's still hot and the bread will get moist on top.

Let's Connect

Please visit me on Google + and 'Like' the blog on FB at https://www.facebook.com/monicawritesblogspot/?ref=aymt_homepage_panel
Check out Sweetphi on Pinterest. This recipe was adapted from her "The best pumpkin loaf ever (gluten free and better than Starbucks"

Hope you enjoy! Let me know...

Halloween Rant

Boo!

Yep! And I prefer the pumpkin to the jack-o-lantern, don't you?

When I checked my FB feed this morning, it was saturated with many of my FB friends in costume with their littler ones OR photos of their Dorothy's, Batman's and dinosaurs in parades and at school lunches and church gatherings.

Can I just say, "I AM SO HAPPY I AM DONE WITH ALL OF THAT!" and not sound like a witch? 

I mean, I'm beyond thrilled. No sugar cookie bats and cats I have to decorate for a second grade class; no Halloween parade I have to attend to take photos of my kids and their friends; no pumpkins I have to carve; no walking through the neighborhood with kids helping them not trip and lose their stashes; no answering the door, even.

Yep, that's right...and I might not even put the ubiquitous bowl out for trick or treaters that says, "Take One," while I secretly watch shows on the DVR with lights out and curtains closed.

This year my seventh grader has made her costume at a friends and will be traipsing her way around that neighborhood and my high schooler will probably "hang" at a friend's house or crouch in his gaming chair and play video games all night.

It would be the PERFECT opportunity to go out to dinner with my husband...or stay in my pajamas and hide!

However, for me, I am done, finished, kaput and I don't feel bad about it AT ALL!

If you're here with me, enjoy! And if you're not, don't worry, you'll be here soon enough. In the meantime, absorb the moment because the excitability and enthusiasm a child feels at Halloween is priceless...like one big sugar rush. 

Boo!

Until next time...

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What's for Dinner?

BBQ Pulled Pork

crock-pot, gluten-free, easy 1.2.3

BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwich with lettuce and avocado

I spent $9.00 for a bone in pork shoulder last week and decided to get out the ever-faithful crock-pot. After 4-6 hours, I ended up with a subtly sweet and tender barbecue. This is NOT too spicy; but I like to eat my barbecue with something cooling anyway, like avocado or homemade slaw. This gave us plenty of meat for leftovers and two distinct meals. WINNER in cost, flavor, and efficiency! Hope you give it a try.

What You Need

Bone in pork shoulder

McCormick Slow Cookers BBQ Pulled Pork Gluten-Free seasoning packet

Vinegar

Sugar

Ketchup

How To Prepare

Place pork in slow cooker. Turn dial to high for a cook time of 4 hours OR low for a cook time of 6 hours. NOTE:  I tried both ways and found that the pork was much more tender when cooked on low. The McCormick seasoning packet will ask you to mix the seasoning with ketchup, brown sugar (I used white sugar one time and honey the other because I didn't have brown) and vinegar (I used apple cider). Mix the ingredients and pour over pork. 

Let cook! THE SMELL IS SO INVITING.

Meat is done when it gently separates. Eat right away and serve on a sandwich or with sides.

TIPS: 1. Don't cut off most of the fat before cooking because the meat will end up on the dry side.
2. If you want to reduce the amount of fat, pour sauce and meat into a container and place in the refrigerator over night. The next day, skim off the top layer. Enjoy!

Finished product in crock-pot

Great recipe with multiple options to please your family. 

Connect with Me

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Please let me hear from you!

Drink Your Pumpkin?

Pumpkin Pie Smoothie

packed full of protein, fiber, essential fatty acids, vitamin A...

Pumpkin Pie Smoothie for Fall Fitness

On FB last week, an acquaintance posted this pic and recipe. It seemed perfect for the blog. Now, I haven't tried it but I trust this gal enough to figure she's got good taste. She's also incredibly fit, even though she's the mom to four kiddos, and so I can guarantee she cares about what she puts in her body. Let's give it a try together!

What You Need

1 1/2 cups unsweetened vanilla almond milk
1 cup canned organic pumpkin
1 T ground flax seed
1/2 t cinnamon
1/2 t nutmeg
1/2 t minced ginger
3 dates
plain green yogurt (optional)

Tips for Making

The recipe above is what is shown in the photo. Here are a few thoughts I have on the recipe. If you don't have cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger separately; substitute 1/2 t pumpkin pie spice, and if you need to add more to suit your taste, then do. The dates are to add sweetness and the yogurt is for added protein. As with anything, adjust to your taste. If you don't find this sweet enough, use sweetened almond milk, instead of unsweetened; use vanilla yogurt, instead of plain; add more dates; or add a banana or raw honey.

It's time to drink in fall!

Thanks to the Jeffers clan for this recipe. Nicole, besides making nutritious, delicious recipes for us to try, sells Rodan and Fields skincare products. You can visit her at www.njeffers.myrandf.com

Let's Connect

I'm looking forward to creating a board on Pinterest. In the meantime, please "Like" my FB page at https://www.facebook.com/monicawritesblogspot?ref=aymt_homepage_panel and continue to share the blog. I really appreciate your support!

Until next time...

Falls off the Bone

No Joke Crock-Pot Roasted Chicken

forget Rotisserie...

This chicken falls off the bone. Who knew you could cook chicken in the crock pot like this?

Greek philosopher, Plato, is famously quoted as saying, "Necessity is the mother of invention," and boy is he right. I had this half chicken in the fridge, preparing to oven roast it for dinner when work called and I had to change plans QUICKLY. I visited Pinterest, to which I am a newbie, and searched for "roasting chickens in crock pot" and, of course, more than I could mentally digest, appeared before my eyes. After reading a few pins, the gist seemed to be the same. So I took the plunge and Voila!...SUCH AN EASY WAY TO HAVE ROTISSERIE CHICKEN. For some reason, I'm still always shocked when things turn out better than I imagined or even work at all. Because in all seriousness, life can be pretty darn disappointing at times; so when even the simplest thing works, it's like "Hallelujah!"

What You Need:

1/2 or a whole chicken

Herb ox chicken bouillon powder

Oil of choice

Chicken on top of foil with oil and seasoning

How To Prepare:

In order to cook this correctly, you want the chicken lifted off of the bottom of the pot. Some people add layers of vegetables or add a rack. I loosely balled up pieces of foil and placed the chicken on top. If you have a whole chicken, remember to remove the innards. Drizzle oil over chicken, approximately 1 tablespoon for half a chicken. Sprinkle whatever herbs and seasonings you'd like. I used bouillon powder (MSG and Gluten-free) and it added a savory and subtle taste. Cook on low for 3 1/2 to 4 hours or until chicken is done and easily pulls away from bone. If you use a whole chicken, expect time to be doubled.

Serve with your favorite sides. We had yeast rolls and pasta and vegetables in a garlic/butter sauce courtesy of Birdseye foods!

This recipe allows you to end up with rotisserie quality chicken and be gone all day. It also allows you to know exactly what's on your chicken...important for people with food allergies or sensitivities.

And whatever you do, don't throw away the juice. Serve it over the chicken; use as the base for gravy; or add it to your next soup endeavor.

Let me know what you think. It's NO JOKE! This recipe is a keeper.

Let's Connect...

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Plant Spring Bulbs NOW

Garden & Gracie

"Here's to Dogs and Digging"

The finished product.  All of the beauty is underground!

Yesterday was a perfect fall day in Maryland for planting spring bulbs. Many people think of spring as the time to plant flowers - and that's true for some perennials, almost all annuals, and fruit and vegetable seeds. 

But fall is actually the best time to plant trees and shrubs and most perennials (plus, most garden stores have them heavily discounted to make way for pumpkins, mums and, soon, Christmas trees and greenery.) It's also the ONLY time to plant bulbs that emerge in spring in the zone I live in - zone 7.

These are a few of the bulbs you'd plant this time of year:

• crocus
• hyacinth
• daffodil (or as my grandmother called them, jonquil)
• tulip
• iris
• lily

You can get bulbs at most home improvement or gardening stores. I've always had luck ordering mine through Breck's and Spring Hill Nursery. The 35 bulbs arrived last week and instructions said they must be planted ASAP...yikes! And so even though my shoulders, back, and neck were achy, I schlepped myself outside, grabbed the shovel and started digging.

Look what I found:

Earthworm!!! I LOVE earthworms and if you see these in your soil, then you've got black gold.

 Here's the trough for the Dutch Iris bulbs. Directions called for a depth of 4 inches and a spacing of 3 inches. Rule of green thumb: Depth is important because not only does it give the bulb the necessary amount of soil insulation during winter, but it also ensures that when the plant grows, it stays upright and doesn't droop. We don't want droopy flowers. However, from experience, I don't find the spacing that important; in fact, I prefer the clustered, meadow or cottage look. So, I often will plant them closer together than the instructions recommend.

Plant deep enough. Fill soil back in so there are no air pockets and then provide ample water.

Water is key! Unless Mother Nature is helping you out daily, it's a good idea to water your newly planted bulbs for several days in a row and periodically after that. Compost is always helpful.

In the spring, I'll have these:

This is a photo taken from the Breck catalog. 

Here are some links to help you. I'd love to see your photos so please leave a comment. Listen, even if you think you will kill anything live...give yourself a chance! I promise, if the plant doesn't make it, it will forgive you and you are only out a bit of money.  Gardening is a great type of exercise and breathing in the fresh air is good for your lungs and soul.

I'm giving you a green thumbs up!

I tried to smile and wave, but it looked like I was drunk. This will have to do.

Please LIKE and SHARE with me on FB:

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www.brecks.com (major deals on bulbs)

www.springhillnursery.com (major deals on plants plus an online zone finder)

Homemade Gluten-Free Gnocchi

with Grass-fed Lamb and Beef Meatballs

Three years ago, I worked as an aide for two 8th grade autistic boys. For two hours every day, I would accompany and help them navigate their encore classes, aka electives. There were some rough times, but there definitely were lots of good times, too. We all learned a lot from each other.

One of the encores the boys took was FACS, Family and Consumer Science...what we called Home Ec. However, this was not the Home Ec of the eighties; these kitchens were nicer than mine and one of the many healthy dishes the boys learned to make was HOME MADE PASTA. Yes, you read that right. The instructor was Italian and explained that this would be perfect for the students to make at college with their homemade marinara sauce.  I had to laugh inside my head...really, homemade fettuccine? Awesome, yes. However, I think ramen noodles will still be the college go-to food.

The only other person I've ever met to make homemade pasta is my neighbor down the street. She posted a photo of the meal she made for her children and husband on Facebook the other night and immediately the alarm went off, "Blog, blog, must share on blog." Luckily, for us, she's a very nice lady and has shared her recipe with us. 

So let's enjoy! And this will be my first time making homemade gnocchi.

What You Need

1 cup Ricotta Cheese
1 cup Gluten-free Flour (she used Krusteaz brand)
1 T Parmesan Cheese
1 t Sea Salt
2 t Olive Oil
1/2 Onion
1-2 Crushed Garlic Cloves
Italian Spices to taste

How To Prepare

Mix, by hand,  ricotta cheese, flour, parmesan and salt in bowl. Divide dough into 3 sections, roll out, and cut into about 1 1/2 inch gnocchi. Then roll slightly to round the edges. Boil water, add a dash of salt, and add gnocchi. Pasta is ready when it floats to the top.

Saute garlic, onion and spices in olive oil. When onions have softened some, add gnocchi and saute for a few minutes.

Serve with your favorite recipe of meatballs and tomato sauce. My neighbor likes to use the meatball recipe in this cookbook, Down South Paleo. This cookbook offers delicious recipes for those with food sensitivity issues.
http://predominantlypaleo.com/down-south-paleo/

I hope you enjoy as much as I did! Thanks, April! 

Please visit me on FB at https://www.facebook.com/monicawritesblogspot?ref=aymt_homepage_panel

Share with friends, family, co-workers and Buon Appetito!

Sweet Sausage & Butternut Squash Chili*

Oh. My. Goodness.

This is the best chili I.Have.Ever.Made.Seriously. AND it's my recipe...a creation of culinary genius. Okay, I wouldn't go that far, but this recipe is like one of those days where everything falls into place and you're simply gliding. You know when you have an idea, a hunch and it seems perfect in your thoughts...but, oftentimes, between the idea to manifestation that perfectness gets realicized (yes, I just made that up) and well, the result is disappointing. This recipe was NOT one of those moments and that's just one reason I'm so pumped to share it with you. Because it also tastes delish and is very healthy!

When I was growing up, chili consisted of canned tomatoes; chili powder; water; onion; kidney beans and ground beef. We'd eat it with saltines and butter. It was okay, but not my favorite by any means and now I realize why. First, ground beef has never been my favorite meat choice. Second, the spiciness upset my stomach. And finally, the kidney beans were too dry of a bean for my preference.

So, how did this recipe come about? I was grocery shopping on Sunday and realized I had a packet of chili mix at home. It was wet, windy and cold Joaquin weather. Naturally, chili seemed appropriate, even though no one in my family likes beans except for me. I saw butternut squash and every time fall lands, I buy butternut squash. Now, I don't always get around to cooking it, but that's a different story. As I was walking down the meat aisle, I saw organic sweet italian sausage 30% off and figured that could be the meat for my chili. 

This is what you're about to savor:

See the squash, sausage, and other goodies? I know, the photo is upside down. Still working on those skills.

What You Need  (serves 2)

2 links sweet pork sausage

1/2 butternut squash

1/2 small onion

small crown brocolli

1 packet McCormick's chili seasoning mix packet

1 can small red beans

1 can chopped tomatoes

1 t olive oil

water 

How To Prepare

Preheat oven to 375 for squash. Add sausage to a saucepan with enough water to boil on high for about 10 minutes per side, or until almost thoroughly cooked. Chop sausage into bite-size slivers or chunks. Place squash, flesh size down, on a cooking sheet with enough water so squash doesn't burn. Cook until you can stick a fork or knife through the thickest part, approximately 45 minutes. Dice onion and broccoli florets. Place sausage chunks, onion, broccoli, seasoning, rinsed beans, tomatoes, oil and water in soup pan. When squash is done baking, cut into bite-size chunks and add to pan.

Cook on medium-high heat for 40 minutes or until broccoli and sausage are thoroughly cooked.

Serve with toppings of plain yogurt, shredded cheese, crushed tortilla chips or just by itself. Would be wonderful with a side of cornbread.

*Gluten, nut, egg, dairy free. Omit sausage for vegetarian option.

I hope you enjoy this as much as I did. Great as a leftover, too. As always, please comment and let me know how you liked it and how you topped it. Also, visit me on FB at https://www.facebook.com/monicawritesblogspot?ref=aymt_homepage_panel

Please share with friends! A budding blogger needs all the help she can get.

Until next time...

Garden & Gracie

"Here's to Dogs and Digging"

Gracie is still sleeping Joaquin away. These windy, rainy, overcast days are making us all sleepy along the east coast. But my dear friend, Shannon, and her family in Alabama have enjoyed a bit more sunshine, and her two rambunctious black labs have been in hog...I mean...critter heaven.

Meet Otis:

I'm dog gone worn out, mam.

Now, Otis is completely tuckered out because he, and his silly sister, Lulu, have been up to this all morning:

We just have to be patient, Otis. We'll nab one of those stinkin' squirrels.

As a former black lab owner, I seriously want to reach through the screen and tackle these big, gullible babes. Their unwavering intensity just makes me love them that much more.

Now, I've had the privilege of Otis and Lulu jumping on, licking and barking at me. But I don't know much about their personality. So, I asked Shannon to describe her 4 year old pups. Here's what she had to say:

         

          Otis loves to take naps and have his booty scratched. He will go through your legs over and over when he first sees you. Lulu loves to hunt chipmunks and eat off their heads...sigh. Of course, she has a partner in crime to help her run them down! They have exterminated, no joke, 50 plus chipmunks. We love them to death!

          Three words to describe Otis - loving, athletic, stinker. Three words to describe Lulu - lady, devoted, and OCD hunter.   

Well, based on that description, I'm more of an Otis, what about you? I mean, who doesn't love a booty scratch?

I know lots of you out there have labs or lab mixes and I'm sure you've got a book full of stories to tell. Will you share them with us in the comment section? Better yet, include a photo and describe your loveable lab and maybe it will make it onto the blog.     

Say "cheese." And have a Happy Monday!

  

Until next time...

Please visit me on FB at wwwmonicawritesblogspotcom. Ask for a friend request and I'll invite you to be part of the fun!