Category Archives: Comfort Food

Turkey/Chicken Sausage and Peppers

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Prep time: 5 minutes

Ingredients:
1 -2 packages of All-Natural spicy Italian uncured sausage – or organic turkey/chicken sausage or turkey sausage sliced ½ inch
(you can wait and slice after cooked).

Applegate Organic Turkey Sausage Recipe

3 (red, yellow, orange) bell peppers
2 Anaheim peppers for variety
(sliced peppers lengthwise approx 1/2 inch)
1 jalapeno remove seeds – sliced thinly
1 large onion sliced

Beautiful Organic Peppers
2 Tbsp. Roasted Garlic Aioli
from Stonewall Kitchen

Roasted Garlic Aioli Stonewall Kitchen

2 Tbsp. oilve oil
2 Tbsp. garlic powder
1 tsp salt kosher
1 Tbsp. fennel seed
1 tsp red crushed pepper
½ cup Marsala Wine

Directions:

Slice onions and add to the bottom of a roasting pan. Layer sliced peppers on top of onions. Place turkey sausage on top of vegetables. Add all other ingredients.
DO NOT STIR.

Cook in Preheated oven 350 degrees for 1 hour. DO NOT STIR YET. Cook an additional 10 minutes at 450 degrees to roast turkey sausage and vegetables for more crispness. STIR at the very end to infuse all flavors together.

This dish takes 5 minutes to prepare and is great to bring to parties or leave in refrigerator as a healthy go to meal or snack.

Macaroni & Cheese w/ Butternut Squash Sauce

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Many of us are making New Year’s resolutions to either eat healthier or loose weight. Here is a great  alternative to keeping your  favorite comfort food on your list of great meals leaving out the extra calories. Plus getting that extra boost of vegetables.

Although this is not a dairy free recipe, since we are using cheese; the milk and butter have been eliminated making this a very low calorie option. I promise your family will not notice the difference in the pasta or the sauce. This recipe was inspired by Clinton Kelly from the Chew, alternatively, I eliminated the yogurt, milk and butter to reduce the calories and the dairy content.

Butternut Squash Mac & Cheese

Ingredients:

1 med butternut squash

1 ½ cup vegetable broth warmed

Dash of cayenne pepper

1 cup shredded Parmesan or Asiago cheese

1 Tbsp. kosher salt

Dash of nutmeg

1 Tbsp. Sriracha Sauce

Dash of black pepper

1 Tbsp. garlic powder

I box of quinoa pasta “Rotelle” or Elbow

Butternut SquashButternut Squash Cut

Cut squash in half. Place in a baking dish cut side down. Fill ¼ inch of water on the bottom. Bake at 375 degrees until soft, approx. 45 to 65 minutes.

Quinoa Elbow Pasta

Begin to prepare pasta 30 minutes after you begin baking the squash to be sure the pasta is hot but not overcooked.

After squash is soft remove any seeds and scoop from the skin. First warm the broth. This will help bring the sauce to blend easier.

Blend all the ingredients including squash in a Vitamix or food processor. Make sure to start mixing slowly since ingredients will be warm. This is your cheese sauce. Blend sauce to a smooth, velvety consistency. Add more vegetable broth if you would like a lighter consistency. Place sauce on stovetop to keep warm until pasta is done.

Quinoa pasta takes approx. 13 to 15 minutes to cook. Drain pasta allow it to retain some water. Place pasta back in pan and add the butternut cheese sauce. I like to add extra shredded cheese for more flavor and texture while I toss the pasta with the sauce.

   The cheese sauce is delicious recipe. The spiciness from the Sriracha and cayenne helps kick up the flavor.

Superbowl Chicken Wings Asian * gluten free*low sodium

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Perfect wing recipe for all you gluten frees out there . Plus this is just a healthier way to eat wings cutting out sugar and salt from usual Asian sauces.
Liquid aminos is very similar to soy sauce without all the salt. But it is a very flavorful condiment .
The honey is the sweetener and thickener. The sriracha sauce gives it that extra kick. No one will know these are actually healthy wings .
These wings are as good cold for weekeday leftovers!

3 lbs wings -approx 25
1 Tbl. sesame oil
1 Tbl. garlic powder
¼ tsp kosher salt
¼ tsp cayenne pepper
4 cloves fresh garlic chopped

Rinse wings under cold water . Pat dry with paper towels. Place wings in a non stick baking pan. First add oil then season with other ingredients.
Bake at 400 for 45 minutes.

Asaiac Chicken1

Meanwhile :

Liquid Aminos
Wing Sauce
¼ c liquid aminos *Bragg
¼ c honey
1 Tbl. organic cider vinegar
2 Tbl. Sriracha ( Asian chili sauce)
1 Tbl. granulated garlic

Next heat all the ingredients of the wing sauce until mixture bubbles gently.
Pour mixture over the wings that have been in oven for 30 minutes.
Cook another 15 minutes with liquid over wings.
AsianChicken2

All above can be made in morning or day before game or party.

15 minutes before serving cook wings under broiler with oven door slightly open for 2 minutes . Then toss the wings . Let cook another 2 more minutes. Broil wings until dark amber color. Approx 6 minutes total. Wings will brown very fast. (Do not walk away from the oven. Wings will burn quickly.)
AsianChicken3

Super Spicy Superbowl Wings

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chicken wings

Everyone has a Buffalo chicken wing recipe, but here is a different variation of those famous wings.

1 ½ lb wings
1 cup Aunt Whiskey’s Smoking Hot Bloody Mary Mix
2 T Italian dressing or you can make a quick dressing with 3 tbsp oil, 1 tsp cider vinegar
1 T oregano
2 T salted butter
2 t dark brown sugar
red pepper flake to taste
salt to taste to finish

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Rinse wings and pat dry wings using a paper towel.

In a bowl, wisk together Aunt Whiskey’s, Italian dressing, oregano, dark brown sugar and red pepper flake. Place the wings in an oven-safe pan and pour sauce over them. Add the butter to the pan and place in the oven for about an hour.

After 45 minutes, remove the wings and flip them over, then place them back in the oven.

When out of the oven taste and season with salt if needed.

aunt whiskeys

You can find Aunt Whiskey’s Smoking Hot Bloody Mary Mix at www.auntwhiskey.com.  If you haven’t tried Aunt Whiskey’s Smoking Hot Bloody Mary Mix, you are in for a real surprise.  It is an unusual combination of ingredients, just to highlight some of the juices: carrot, celery, green pepper and watercress juice.  None of these juices over power the other.  The blend is spicy, but the juices give it a smooth finish.

If you don’t want to use this as a Bloody Mary mix there are many recipe alternatives for Aunt Whiskey’s brew.  I’ll just use this as a cooking condiment!! One of my new favorites for 2013.  Stay tuned for other delicious recipes featuring Aunt Whiskey’s….

Asian Chicken Wings with Sesame

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chicken wings

4lbs buffalo-style chicken wings
3T hoisin sauce
¼C sesame oil
2t garlic powder
2T brown sugar
2T raw honey
¼C sweet vermouth
¼C light soy sauce

Preheat oven to 425 F with a large, flat, Teflon coated pan (not aluminum) to heat up. The hot pan will help to sear wings before they cook.

Rinse meat thoroughly and dry with a paper towel.

In a large bowl, combine chicken with hoisin sauce, sesame oil, garlic powder, brown sugar, raw honey, sweet vermouth and light soy sauce and toss until chicken is covered.

chicken wings

Remove pan from oven and place the wings on pan and spread apart so they are not touching.  They should all fit on one pan, so that they have room to cook and carmelize in the pan.

Cook for 30 mins, then remove from oven and turn the wings over and replace in the oven for another 15 minutes.

chicken wings

Serve warm.  You can also make them ahead and reheat when they need to be served.

http://www.bragg.com/