Creole Shrimp and Sausage Stew

Courtesy of Cooking Light. This is quick and easy and yummy. The tomatoes with green chiles add quite a bit of kick, so you may want to just do normal diced tomatoes depending on if your kids like spicy foods.

Ingredients:
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 cup chopped green bell pepper
1 cup thinly sliced turkey smoked sausage (about 6 ounces)
2 cloves minced garlic
3/4 cup chicken broth
1 (10-ounce) can diced tomatoes and green chiles, undrained (such as Rotel)
8 ounces peeled and deveined medium shrimp
1 (15-ounce) can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Directions:
Heat a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add bell pepper, sausage, and garlic to pan; sauté 3 minutes or until bell pepper is tender, stirring occasionally. Add broth and tomatoes; bring to a boil. Stir in shrimp and beans; cover, reduce heat, and simmer 6 minutes or until shrimp are done. Sprinkle with parsley.

We usually serve it on top of rice, or even cook minute rice into the stew. If you decide to cook the rice in the stew,  add the uncooked rice when you add the shrimp and beans. You may want to add a little extra broth, because the rice will absorb some of the liquid.

Italian Sausage Vegetables Soup

Mrs. Bowers gave us this recipe. It has become a favorite. Lots of veggies, and also lots of flavor.

1 lb Italian sausage
1 medium onion
1 garlic clove minced
2 carrots peeled and diced
2 small zucchinis diced
1 green pepper diced
1/2 cup dry white wine
3 cups chicken broth
1 can 28 oz crushed tomatoes in tomato puree
1 tsp dried basil, crumpled
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 cup uncooked orzo pasta

Directions:
Brown the sausage in a heavy dutch oven or large saucepan until the meat is no longer pink. Spoon out most of the fat from the cooked sausage and discard. Add the onions and garlic and cook, stirring until soft but not browned. Add carrots, zucchini, pepper, wine, chicken broth, tomatoes, basil and oregano and bring to a boil. When the soup is boiling, add the orzo and cook for 20 min. Season to taste with salt and pepper. If desired, sprinkle with parmesan cheese.

Beef Burgundy

Beef Burgundy

2 lbs. lean beef cut in 1 ½ in. cubes.  Do not brown.  I usually buy sirloin tip roast and have butcher cut it up.

4 med. carrots, sliced

1 c. celery, sliced

1 lb. can of whole tomatoes.  I use whole tomatoes and then cut up a little.  You could use diced if you want.

½ pkg. onion soup mix (dry)

1 c. mushrooms (6 ¾ oz. jar)

4 oz. sherry (I used burgundy)

3 T. cornstarch

1 T. paprika

1 T. salt – I usually use ½ T.  Seems like a lot of salt to me.

2 T. sugar

Combine in a casserole and cover.  Bake 6 hours in 250 degree oven.  Can also be baked in a crockpot on low. Serve over noodles or rice.

Baked Oatmeal Casserole

This is our go-to for a special breakfast. You can make it ahead of time and bake it the morning of. It is delicious, seems fancy but is pretty easy to assemble!

2 c. rolled (not instant) oats

½ C. walnuts, toasted and chopped

1/3 c. sugar or maple syrup

1 tsp baking powder

1 ½ tsp ground cinnamon

½ tsp fine grain sea salt

2 c. milk

1 large egg or 2 medium/small eggs

1 ½ tbs unsalted butter, melted plus some to grease the pan

2 tsp vanilla extract

2 ripe bananas, sliced into pieces

1 ½ c. fresh or frozen berries

 

1.       Preheat oven to 375 with rack in top third of oven. Butter an 8x8 inch baking pan.

2.       In a bowl, mix together oats, half the walnuts, sugar if you are using it (not syrup), baking powder, cinnamon and salt. In another bowl, whisk together maple syrup, if using, milk, egg, butter and vanilla.

3.       Arrange bananas in a single layer in bottom of prepared baking dish. Sprinkle 2/3 of the berries over top. Cover the fruit with oat mixture. Slowly drizzle milk mixture over oats. Gently give baking dish a few thwacks on countertop to make sure milk moves through oats. Scatter remaining berries and walnuts on top.

4.       Bake 40-60 minutes, until top is golden and oats have set.

Soft and Chewy Granola Bars

Here you go, KM :) This recipe was originally found on inspiredtaste.net
**I usually double the recipe and make it in a 9x13 pan.

2 1/2 c. old fashioned rolled oats
1/2 c. whole almonds, coarsely chopped (can use whatever nuts you have available)
1/3 c. honey
1/4 c. unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1/4 c. brown sugar, packed
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1/2 c. dried cranberries
1/4 c. plus 2 T. mini chocolate chips (I don't usually use these, though they melt a little and help help hold the bars together)

Heat oven to 350. Add oats and nuts to a baking sheet and bake 5 minutes, stir and bake another 3-5 minutes to toast. Transfer to a large bowl.

Combine butter, honey, brown sugar, vanilla, and salt in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally until butter melts and sugar completely dissolves.

Pour butter mixture into oats and nuts. Mix well. Let cool about 5 minutes and then add cranberries and chocolate chips. Stir to combine.

Line a 8 or 9 inch square baking pan with aluminum foil or parchment paper. Lightly spray. Add the granola mix to the pan.

This is the key to making the bars stick together: Press hard! I usually use another piece of parchment paper and push hard. Hold it for 30 seconds or more and then move your hands and push again. If you don't press hard enough, it will turn out as more of a  granola instead of granola bars. Still delicious, just not as easy to transport.

Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours. Flip the bars upside-down on a cutting board and remove the parchment paper/foil carefully to avoid any being left behind.

Cut into bars. Store in an airtight container up to one week. For softer bars, keep at room temp. For harder bars, store in fridge.

You can also individually wrap each in plastic to have an easy portable snack for picnics or school lunches.

Brittany's Scones

These are super easy and delicious! You can change up the add-ins. I've made raisin, craisins, and blueberries, but chocolate chips would be good, too.

2c. sifted flour
1T baking powder
2T sugar
1/2 t. salt
1/4 c. shortening (I substituted coconut oil and it worked just fine)
2 eggs
1/2 c. plain yogurt (I used vanilla almond yogurt, and it worked well)
1T sugar for the top

Sift together flour, baking powder, sugar and salt.
Cut in shortening.
Make a hollow in the center.
Save 1 T egg white for the topping. Beat remaining eggs and combine with yogurt. Add all at once to the hollow. Stir to mix. The dough will be stiff.
Turn onto lightly floured board and knead 5-6 times until dough sticks together.
Divide in half. Roll each half into a 6" circle, approximately 1" thick. Cut each circle into 4 wedges.

Arrange wedges 1"apart on ungreased sheet. Brush with egg white and sprinkle with sugar.

Bake 400 degrees for 15 min. until golden.
Can serve as is or with butter and raspberry preserves.

Peanut Butter Protein Balls

Yields 16- 18  balls

1 c. natural peanut butter (crunchy or creamy)
2 T. honey or agave nectar
1 c. rolled oats
2 T. ground flaxseed or wheat germ
2 T. sweetened flaked coconut
Optional for coating: cocoa powder, wheat germ, powdered sugar, chopped peanuts, cinnamon sugar

1. Heat peanut butter and honey in microwave until easy to mix, about 15- 20 seconds. Stir until blended.
2. In a separate bowl, mix oats, flaxseed and coconut until combined.
3. Add peanut butter mixture to oat mixture and stir until incorporated (Mixture may seem a little dry at first... just keep mixing)
4. Form a rounded tablespoonful of the combined mixture into a ball and place on a plate. Repeat until all mixture is used.
5. Optional: roll each ball in whatever coating suits your preference: cocoa powder, powdered sugar, wheat germ, cinnamon sugar, chopped peanuts, etc.
6. Chill the plate of balls in the refrigerator to set for at least an hour or overnight.