Throwback Thursday: Honey Mustard Kielbasa and red potatoes

Here is a recipe that I originally posted on a blog I contributed to with some of my teacher friends.  I don't make this recipe often because Brian doesn't like it, but the kids and I really enjoy this one.  Unfortunately I have no idea where I originally found or got this recipe.  This is a great recipe to make the night before and just reheat.

3/4 cup dry white wine (or chicken broth--which I used)
1/4 cup Honey Mustard
2 Tbsp. brown sugar
1 lb. kielbasa, cut into 1-inch pieces
1-1/4 lb. red potatoes (about 4), cut into 3/4-inch cubes
1 large onion, sliced

Heat oven to 400°F. Mix first 3 ingredients until well blended. Combine remaining ingredients in shallow pan. Drizzle with wine mixture; toss to coat. (I mixed/tossed all ingredients in a large bowl and then placed and cooked in a 9x13 pan).  Bake 55 min. or until potatoes are tender, stirring occasionally.

#1,121: Chicken Tamale Casserole

This recipe got very mixed reviews in our house.  Allison and I both really enjoyed it, Matthew would only eat it if he was sitting on my lap, and both Chloe and Brian asked not to have it again.  Unfortunately that means this is a meal I will not make for our family again, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't try it for yours.  I loved this!  It was so good with the cornbread and the green enchilada sauce.  It was a little spicy though so I had to serve it with sour cream to cut down on the heat and I didn't even add in the mild green chilies.  So if you are a family that doesn't like much spice, this might be too much for you.  I enjoyed it though!

1 cup Mexican blend cheese, divided (Sadly I only had mozzarella so that's what I used)

1/3 cup fat-free milk

1 egg

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper

1 (14 3/4-ounce) can cream-style corn

1 (8.5-ounce) box corn muffin mix

1 (4-ounce) can chopped green chiles, drained (I omitted)

Cooking spray

1 (10-ounce) can green enchilada sauce

2 cups shredded cooked chicken breast

 

Combine 1/4 cup cheese, milk, egg, cumin, red pepper, corn, muffin mix and green chiles in a large bowl, stirring just until moist.  Pour mixture into a 13 x 9–inch baking dish lightly coated with cooking spray. Bake at 400°F for 15 minutes or until set.

 

Pierce the entire surface liberally with a fork. Pour the entire can of enchilada sauce over the top and top with chicken.  Cover with the rest of your cheese (3/4 cup). Bake at 400°F for 15 minutes or until cheese melts. Remove from oven; let stand 5 minutes.

#1,120: Mustardy Kale Salad With Roasted Sweet Potato and Apple

 Obviously kale is not only in season, but it's also something I've had in my house a lot lately since it is showing up in several recipes this weekend alone!  That's okay because kale is so good for you!  For me, I need to have a significant amount of salad dressing on it though to help cut the bitterness of it.  And I eat with a lot of other ingredients too.  It's still is good though!  I loved this recipe.  I especially loved the kale and the roasted sweet potatoes!  Delish!  2 sweet potatoes (about 2 pounds), cut into 3/4-inch pieces
6 tablespoons olive oil
kosher salt and black pepper
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 bunches Tuscan kale or 1 medium bunch curly kale, thick stems removed and leaves torn into bite-size pieces (about 10 cups)
1 Pink Lady or Honeycrisp apple, thinly sliced
1/4 cup chopped roasted almonds (I used cashews)
4 ounces shaved pecorino (I omitted)

Heat oven to 400° F. Toss the sweet potatoes with 2 tablespoons of the oil and ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper on 2 rimmed baking sheets. Roast, rotating the sheets and tossing the potatoes halfway through, until lightly browned and tender, 18 to 20 minutes. Let cool slightly.                                 

Meanwhile, whisk together the lemon juice, mustard, the remaining 4 tablespoons of oil, and ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper in a large bowl.                                 
Add the kale and rub together with clean hands to tenderize and coat the leaves. Add the apple, almonds, and sweet potatoes and toss to combine. Serve topped with the pecorino.

#1,119: Roasted Root and Kale Salad

Not only was this salad good, but you can make a lot of it ahead of time, so it is perfect to bring to a family get together or in advance for a gathering/party.  I added some diced red onion to mine to give it a little more flavor, but I loved this salad.  Matthew even ate a little bit of it too once I put him on my lap and he ate off my plate!  Whatever it takes to get the toddler to eat veggies!!

4 medium parsnips, peeled and cut into small dice (2 cups)
4 medium carrots, peeled and cut into small dice (2 cups)                        
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided                        
1/2 teaspoon  salt, divided                        
1/4 teaspoon  ground black pepper, divided                        
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons finely chopped shallots (3 to 5)                        
1 teaspoon  finely shredded lemon zest                        
1/4 cup  freshly-squeezed lemon juice                        
1/4 cup  red wine vinegar                        
2 tablespoons  honey                        
2 teaspoons  Dijon mustard                        
1 1/4 pounds  kale, stems and ribs removed and leaves thinly sliced (10 cups firmly packed)                        
6 strips bacon                     
3 tablespoons  dried currants                        

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a 15x10x1-inch baking pan with parchment paper; set aside. In a medium bowl, toss the parsnips and carrots with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and half of the salt and pepper. Transfer to prepared baking pan, spreading in a single layer. Roast, uncovered, for 20 minutes or until tender. Remove and cool in baking pan on a wire rack. To store, place in a storage container and chill up to 24 hours.

In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining 1/2 cup oil, remaining salt and pepper, shallots, lemon zest, lemon juice, vinegar, honey, and mustard until well-combined (you should have about 1 1/4 cups). Use immediately or cover and chill up to 24 hours. Shake before using.

Meanwhile, heat a 10-inch skillet over medium heat. Add bacon strips and cook until browned and crisp. Remove to paper towels to drain. Chop the bacon and set aside. To store, place in a storage container and chill up to 24 hours.

Up to six hours before dinner, toss together the kale, vinaigrette, root vegetables, bacon, and currants; chill. Bring to room temperature 1 hour before serving. Place on a large serving platter or shallow bowl.

#1,118: Breakfast Sausage Skillet with Onions, Peppers and Roasted Sweet Potatoes

Does that look good or what?  Next time I'm adding a LOT more spinach to mine because I loved it so much.  This was so easy to make and it would be a great thing to eat at any time of the day.  Instead of bell peppers I used a large roasted squash instead.  I think I'm going to be eating this recipe for lunch a lot this week...if there is any left by the time the weekend is done!!

3 large sweet potatoes, scrubbed and patted dry, diced into 1/2" pieces
3-4 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus 1/2 teaspoon divided
1/2 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper, plus 1/4 teaspoon divided
1 lb breakfast sausage, I used a spicy variety
1 large sweet yellow onion
2 large bell peppers, I used an orange and a green pepper
2-3 cups baby spinach

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Place the potatoes in a large mixing bowl and drizzle generously with oil, using your hands, toss the potatoes thoroughly to coat. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and toss again. Spread the potatoes on a generously grease baking sheet. Roast for 30 minutes, stir with a spatula and then return to the oven. Roast another 15-25 minutes and then remove from the oven. Stir again with a spatula.

During the last 20 minutes while the potatoes are roasting, start cooking and crumbling the sausage in a large skillet over medium high heat. Once the sausage is finished, add the onions and cook for a few minutes until they are tender. Add the peppers and season with the remaining salt and pepper. Continue tossing and cooking for 4-5 minutes.

When the peppers are slightly tender and still a bit crisp, remove from the heat. Add the cooked potatoes and toss to combine. Add the spinach and toss for 1-2 minutes until it begins to wilt. Serve immediately.

#1,117: Slow-Cooker Cranberry Sauce

Just in time for Thanksgiving...a real, super easy, warm cranberry sauce!  I just started eating fresh cranberries and I am loving them, although they are so tart I can only eat a little bit at a time.  This My kitchen smelled wonderfully fall as I cooked this recipe this morning.  I absolutely love the crystalized ginger in this recipe and will add a lot more the next time I make this.  I'm pretty sure I'm bringing this for Thanksgiving this year, even if I'm the only one enjoying/eating it!  Yum, yum, yum!! 

Plus I can make it the night before or even the morning of Thanksgiving since it cooks in the crockpot so quickly.

My kids did not like this.  I wasn't surprised though.  The girls didn't like it at all, but Matthew at least attempted to eat it, as he made sour faces at me.  Priceless and funny at the same time!

1 12 ounce package frozen cranberries (3 cups) (I used fresh cranberries instead)
1/4 cup  orange juice (I used fresh squeezed oranges)
1/4 cup  maple syrup (I used honey)
2 tablespoons  crystallized ginger, finely chopped     
1/8 teaspoon  kosher salt

Combine all ingredients in a 2-quart slow cooker. Cover and cook on high-heat setting for 2 1/2 hours. Use a potato masher to coarsely crush the cranberries. Transfer to a medium bowl; cool. Serve at room temperature or cover and chill up to 3 days. If chilled, let stand at room temperature for 1 hour before serving.

Note: If you don't have a 2-quart slow cooker, combine ingredients in a medium saucepan. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes or until thickened (no need to crush). Transfer to a bowl and let cool or chill

#1,116: Guacamole Burger

This recipe says to broil your burger, but unless you don't have a grill, that doesn't sound appealing to me at all.  I thought this recipe also lacked a lot of flavor so I made our favorite fresh burger recipe and added some cilantro and chili powder to it.  Okay let's be honest, I added it to my burger and left the others alone. My husband would never have eaten it with cilantro in it.

Delicious!  Granted, this is pretty much our favorite burger recipe eaten with tomato and guacamole, but still, it sure was good!

4 ounces lean ground beef
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
whole wheat hamburger bun
1/4 cup guacamole
sliced tomatoes

Preheat the broiler. Mix ground beef with chili powder and chopped cilantro; form into a patty and broil 4 minutes a side. Place patty on bottom half of a whole wheat hamburger bun and top with 1/4 cup guacamole, 1 tomato slice, and top half of bun.

#1,115: Crockpot Paleo Breakfast Casserole with Sweet Potatoes

So I was pretty sure that I was not going to like making eggs in the crockpot.  I don't know if it's because there were so many more sweet potatoes than eggs, or if they just cooked up really well in the crockpot, but I overall really enjoyed this recipe.  It lacks a little flavor, but I enjoyed reheating this for breakfast this week! 

Coconut Oil (to grease crock pot)
8 Eggs
2 Sweet Potatoes
2 Red Onions
2 Tablespoons Smoked Paprika
1 lb Meat of your choice (I used organic pork sausage)

Crack eggs and place in a bowl. In a food processor, slice (thinly) sweet potatoes and red onion.  Whisk eggs together and add the paprika. Mix the meat of your choice into the sweet potato and onion mixture, pour the eggs on top and mix all together.  Coat your crockpot liberally with coconut oil, or use a crockpot liner and coat with a little oil.  Anything touching the crockpot or liner will stick.  Add your mixed ingredients and cook on low heat for 4-6 hours. (I opened it once to mix it all together...I know you are not supposed to!).

#1,114: Hearty Butternut Squash Soup

This soup is DELICIOUS!  I decided to make it after one of my coworkers came with squash soup last week.  I loved this!  I have enjoyed it twice now and cannot wait to eat it again. Definitely make this one!

 

1 pound bulk Italian sausage
1 medium onion, chopped
1 medium sweet red pepper, chopped (I omitted)
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 large butternut squash (about 5 pounds), peeled, seeded and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 package (16 ounces) frozen corn, divided
4 cups water
1 tablespoon chicken base
2 cans (15-1/2 ounces each) great northern beans, rinsed and drained (I omitted)
2 cans (14-1/2 ounces each) fire-roasted diced tomatoes, undrained (I used petite diced)
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
Heavy whipping cream and minced fresh parsley, optional (I omitted)

In a stockpot, cook sausage, onion and red pepper over medium heat for 9-11 minutes or until sausage is no longer pink and onion is tender, breaking up sausage into crumbles. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Remove with a slotted spoon; discard drippings. 

Add squash, 1-1/2 cups corn, water and chicken base to same pan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, covered, 15-20 minutes or until squash is tender. Remove soup from heat; cool slightly. Process in batches in a blender

#1,113: Asparagus, Bacon, Corn and Sweet Potato Skillet

I made this recipe for dinner one night and was super excited because it included some of my favorite ingredients: asparagus, corn, bacon and sweet potatoes!

This was really, really easy to make and I enjoyed it immensely!  I will definitely be making this again.

3 slices bacon, cut into 1" pieces
1 large sweet potatoes, 2 1/2 - 3 cups, diced into 1/2" cubes
1/2 lb asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1 1/2" pieces
1 ear of corn, kernels removed
kosher salt, to taste
freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
Optional: 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

In a glass bowl, microwave the sweet potato pieces for 2 minutes, stir and microwave another 2 minutes. Stir again and check tenderness. They should be fork tender, but still just a bit crisp. Cook them another minute if necessary. Set aside.

In a very large skillet, over medium high heat, cook the bacon pieces and then remove to a paper towel.  Add the softened potatoes to the bacon grease left in the skillet and toss quickly to coat each piece. Season with salt an pepper and cook about 5 minutes, stirring/flipping occasionally.

Add the asparagus and stir to combine. Cook another 4-5 minutes, until the asparagus is almost softened. Add the corn, toss well to coat and cook 3-4 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the bacon back into the skillet and stir to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper and remove from the heat. Drizzle with balsamic and stir again. Serve hot and Enjoy!

#1,112: Paleo Teriyaki Chicken

This was too ugly to take a picture of.  :)  I bought some really big chicken breasts and it just wasn't a pretty dish, so I didn't take a picture of it.  Sorry.

My family really enjoyed this recipe, I however, did not.  The meat itself tasted good, but I didn't like the smell of this coming from the crockpot.  Because of it, I was not too impressed with this recipe...smell is everything right?!  This was also supposed to be make in the oven or grilled, but I threw it all in the crockpot.  Maybe that made the difference too??

My husband however took the leftovers for lunch so that's always a good indication of his like of a recipe or not. 

4 boneless skinless chicken pieces

1 clove garlic

½ C honey

1 c tamari (I used coconut aminos)

¼ c water

¼ tsp pepper

1 1/2 tsp ground ginger

¼ c white wine

In a bowl, combine marinade ingredients. Place chicken in freezer bag. Pour marinade over chicken, seal bag, and let marinate 8 hours or freeze.
 

To serve: Thaw if frozen. Remove from marinade. Grill chicken until juices run clear, occasionally brushing with marinade. 

 

To cook in oven, place in a greased baking dish and cover with foil. Bake at 350ºF uncovered 20-30 minutes. Uncover; brush with marinade. Bake uncovered 20-30 minutes longer or until juices run clear, occasionally brushing with marinade.

#1,111: Crockpot Turkey Sloppy Joes

We are a super picky sloppy joe family who have a favorite recipe.  We keep trying other recipes, and although they are good, we don't love them as much as two other family favorites.  I loved that there was some veggies in this recipe and my family (husband included) had no idea.  I think I might try making our favorite sloppy joe recipe in the crockpot and add some carrots into it too.  Stay tuned for an update.  :)  We will not be making this specific recipe again because we didn't love it, but it wasn't bad. 

1 package (20.8 ounces) ground turkey                      
2 carrots, peeled and finely chopped               
1 medium-size onion, finely chopped                      
1 rib celery, finely chopped (I omitted)               
1 garlic clove, minced                   
1 can (6 ounces) tomato paste                      
2 tablespoons  cider vinegar                  
2 tablespoons  light-brown sugar                 
1 teaspoon  Worcestershire sauce                 
3/4 teaspoon  paprika                
1/2 teaspoon  dry mustard                  
1/2 teaspoon  salt                   
12 hamburger buns                      

 

In slow cooker bowl, stir together ground turkey, carrots, onion, celery, garlic, tomato paste, vinegar, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, paprika and dry mustard. Cover and cook on HIGH for 3 hours or LOW for 6 hours, stirring turkey mixture halfway through cook time.  Stir in salt. Spoon 1/3 cup turkey mixture on each bun and serve immediately.

#1,110: Beef Taco Bake

I haven't made something like this for my family in quite a while and I think that's why they enjoyed it so much.  This recipe make a 9x13 pan and we ate almost the entire thing for dinner (family of 5).  It was really, really good.  I will definitely be making this again for my crew!

2 cups Original Bisquick mix 
2/3 cup water
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1 pound cooked beef, shredded (about 2 cups)  (I used 1 lb taco meat)                     
1 jar (16 oz) Old El Paso® Thick 'n Chunky salsa        
1 can (11 oz) whole kernel corn with red and green peppers, drained              
1 cup shredded Colby-Monterey Jack cheese blend          
Sour Cream, if desired   

Heat oven to 450° F. Grease 9x13-inch pan. In medium bowl, mix Bisquick mix, water and cilantro until soft dough forms. Spread in bottom of pan.

In large bowl, mix beef, salsa and corn. Spoon beef mixture over dough. Bake uncovered, 22 to 28 minutes or until edges are golden brown and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.  

Immediately sprinkle with cheese. Let stand 1 to 2 minutes or until cheese is melted. Serve with sour cream.

#1,109: Apple Cranberry Sweet Potato Bake

I made this recipe for book club, but honestly, I was just looking for an excuse to make it.  This makes a HUGE 9x13 pan...and after I made it, I decided if I took it to book club I would be the only one eating it.  This is okay.  It needs a lot more flavor and/or seasoning of some kind.  I ended up eating this for breakfast with some toasted cashews on top for texture.  I thought I would hate the cranberries, but I loved them.  Next time, if I make this I'm going to bake the sweet potatoes for half the time, then add the cranberries and apples.  The sweet potatoes were slightly undercooked while the fruit was very OVER cooked.

6 small sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
2 apples, diced
1/2 cup fresh cranberries
2 Tablespoons ghee or coconut oil
1-2 teaspoons cinnamon
A pinch of sea salt

 

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Grease the inside of a large casserole dish with coconut oil or ghee. Peel the sweet potatoes and apples. Chop into uniform pieces, 1/2″ dice. Place half the chopped sweet potato/apple into the dish. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup cranberries, half the cinnamon, and a pinch of sea salt. Repeat with remaining sweet potato, apple, cranberry, cinnamon and salt. Dot the top with small pieces of ghee or coconut oil. Bake covered  for 1 hour or until the potato and apple have softened.