Skillet Quinoa Hoppin Johns

1 lb  kielbasa, sliced

1 medium onion, chopped

1/2 red bell pepper, chopped

3 c. chicken broth

1 can black eyed peas, drained and rinsed

1 c. uncooked quinoa

1/4 tsp. thyme

1/4 tsp. oregano

Saute the onion and kielbasa together until the onion is almost tender. 

Add the bell pepper and cook another 2 minutes.

Add the remaining ingredients and simmer on medium until the quinoa is cooked and the liquid is absorbed, stirring occasionally. 

Kielbasa Pasta

This is my version on "Creamy Jambalaya Pasta" from Plain Chicken via pinterest.  I changed things a little to make it a one pot dinner. 

This would also be a great place to use up leftover cooked chicken or ham. Just throw it in towards the end of cooking to heat it up. 

1 lb kielbasa, sliced

1 onion, chopped

2 - 3 cloves garlic, minced

9 oz. small pasta

4 c.water

4 beef bouillon cubes

4 oz tomato sauce

1/2 c. heavy cream

1/2 tsp parsely

1 tsp. paprika

1 1/2 tsp Cajun seasoning

1/8 tsp. oregano

1/8 tsp. thyme

3 Tbsp flour

In a large pan saute the kielbasa, when you can start to smell the kielbasa cooking add the onion, usually about 2 - 3 minutes. When the onion is tender add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. 

Add all the remaining ingredients, except for flour and cook, stirring often, until the pasta is tender. 

Combine the flour and just enough water to make a pasta. Stir into hot simmering pasta and cook for another minute or two.

Panna Cotta

Panna Cotta

2 c. heavy cream

1 c. whole milk

1/2 c. sugar

1 1/2 packets knox unflavored gelatin

1 - 2 lb fresh strawberries

1/4 c. sugar

3 Tbsp clear gel

Sprinkle the gelatin over the milk, stir, and let stand for 5 minutes. 

Heat the cream and sugar until simmering but not boiling. Stir in the milk and gelatin mixture. Cook, stirring, for 2 - 3 minutes. Just enough to melt the gelatin.

Pour into molds or pretty glass dishes and chill.

Slice strawberries, toss with sugar and let sit for 1 hour. Stir in the clear gel and wait 20 minutes before serving.

When ready to serve run the bottom of the mold under hot water and invert on a plate or serve in glass dishes.

3 Ingredient Blender silk

I want to say the simplicity of this is what makes it so good but it's not. The taste and texture are what make it perfect. The simplicity is just a bonus. My friend pours this on top of a baked cake and lets it set up there. I poured it into tiny cups as a cute individual serving of silk.
Because this doesn't have any additional sweetener be careful with the chocolate you use, go a little lighter than what you like to eat.

12 oz. chocolate, milk are dark
  1 c. milk

4 eggs

Place the chocolate chips in the blender. Scald the milk and pour over the chips. Blend on medium speed for a couple minutes. Scrape the bottom to make sure the chips are stuck there. Add the eggs and blend on high for about 10 minutes, until steam starts to form in the top. 

Pour into cups or on top of a baked cake and chill for at least 4 hours.

Chimichurri Quinoa Bowl

 

1 large bunch cilantro, leaves picked from the stems

1 sprig fresh oregano

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 c. olive oil

3 Tbsp red wine vinegar

4 cloves garlic

2 shallots

1/4 c. pickled jalapeno slices

black pepper

6 oz. fresh baby spinach, chopped

 2 chicken breasts

3 c. cooked quinoa, hot

Pre-heat the oven to 400. 

Combine 2 Tbsp. olive oil, vinegar, salt, garlic cloves, shallots, jalapeno slices, and black pepper in a blender. Pulse until mostly smooth and vegetables are chopped. Add the cilantro and oregano and blend until well chopped but not smooth, scraping down the sides as needed.

Trim the chicken and cut in half lengthwise. Top each of the four chicken pieces with and eighth of the cilantro mix. Bake at 400 until the chicken is cook through and bits of the cilantro start to brown.

Remove from oven and slice.

Meanwhile, add remaining olive oil to the remaining chimichurri sauce. Add the sauce to a large frying pan along with the spinach. Cook the spinach over medium heat until dark brown, stirring constantly. 

Layer in bowls 3/4 c. cooked quinoa, a quarter of the spinach, and 1 piece of chicken.

Enjoy!

Quinoa and Greens

I love quinoa, it's tasty and nutritious. The other day for dinner, thanks to "Iowa girl Eats" via pinterest, I made a quinoa dinner we all loved. I highly recommend it. But then I started thinking of other quinoa bowl varieties that would be good.

2 1/2 c. Water
2 Chicken bouillon cubes
1 c. Quinoa

Unsalted butter or olive oil
2 large chicken breasts
Season salt

1 1/2 c. Water
1 chicken bouillon cube
1 Tbsp. cornstarch

Unsalted butter or olive oil
2 c. Broccoli florets, chopped into small pieces
4 c. Fresh baby spinach
2 c. Fresh or frozen green beans, cut into half inch pieces
1 c. Small pieces of zucchini, optional
1/2 onion, chopped
1 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
Dash salt

Bring the water to a boil, add the chicken bouillon and quinoa. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium, cover and simmer. Cook about 20 minutes, remove the lid and simmer until the liquid is absorbed and quinoa is tender.

Meanwhile, trim the chicken of fat and cut in half lengthwise. Sprinkle with season salt and cook in oil until browned on both sides and cooked through. Set aside and keep warm.

Immediately add 1 cup of water and bouillon cube to the pan while it's still hot. Stir to lift up the fond from the bottom of the pan. Combine the cornstarch and remaining water. Whisk into the hot liquid and stir until slightly thickened. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed. Pour into a bowl.

Add more butter to the pan. Saute the onion until slightly tender. Add the broccoli, green beans, spinach, and zucchini if using. Lightly salt and cook, stirring, until the vegetables are cooked to desired doneness. Add the garlic and cook 1 - 2 minutes longer. 

Layer in bowls cooked quinoa, green veggies, sliced chicken, and drizzle with chicken glaze.

Bacon Caramels

1 lb bacon

6 drops liquid smoke flavoring

1/2 c. bacon drippings

1 stick butter

1 c. corn syrup

1 c. heavy cream

1 c. white sugar

1 c. brown sugar

Sea Salt

Line a 9x13 with lightly buttered parchment paper. Set aside.

Place the bacon on cookies sheets that have a bit of lip on the side. Bake at 400 until the bacon is crisp. Watch carefully you want the bacon as crisp a you can get it without burning it. Remove the bacon from the trays and set on paper towels to absorb the excess grease. 

I had about a half a cup of bacon drippings with my bacon. If you have less than half a cup of drippings add more butter so make 1 cup of fat. 

Heat the bacon drippings, butter, liquid smoke, corn syrup, both sugars, cream, and a dash of salt over medium low heat until it reads between 235 and 240 on a candy thermometer. 

While that is slowly cooking, crumble the bacon and place in a blender or food processor until the bacon is fine crumbs. 

Remove from the heat and pour into prepared pan. Immediately sprinkle with the bacon so that it can sink into the candy. Let sit for 8 hours. 

Remove from pan, sprinkle with a light dusting of additional sea salt if desired. 

Chop up and enjoy.