So I tweaked my Bean soup recipe a bit. I am still eating only pork that makes it into my soups. Bit of bacon, bits of ham. Not really eating it but there is a bit in here. Well, there are chunks for the pork eaters but it does have ham FYI!
Start crockpot with about half a carton of organic chicken stock (I use Kirkland from Costco exclusively.) Then add your left over ham bone. Mine always has about a pound or two of ham still on it and I find this ideal. Then add your other ingredients and turn the crockpot on high.
Other ingredients:
1 cup or so of organic cooked carrots, diced
3 cans great northern white beans
half of large sweet onion diced
1 small can mild green chili's
1 small garlic clove finely chopped
Frank's Red Hot to taste (I use a LOT)
cumin to taste
Ancho or other chili powder to your hotness
Himalayan Salt and a good finely ground pepper to taste. I add this several times throughout cooking time.
Cook about three hours and then take 3/4th of ingredients out including stock and blend (or use immersion blender careful not to blend everything down.) I use my vitamix and just click it on about four times.....taking care not to blend it much at all. Take ham bone out and cut off the rest of the meat to chunks and discard bone, then take blended stuff and put it back along with the meat chunks, cut up. Continue cooking in crock for another hour or so then turn to warm and add about a half stick of butter and a cup of half and half. Allow this to sit on warm for another hour before eating. This is just a bit spicy when I make it and totally yummilicious! Does NOT last long in our home!
Thursday, December 26, 2013
Saturday, October 19, 2013
"TL's Famous Fried Chicken" Reworked Gluten Free by Me!
I've been getting a lot of requests for my "TL" Gluten Free Fried Chicken Tenders recipe. Honestly, I only made the recipe gluten free........a family friend gave my sister the recipe years ago and it continues to be requested. I made them more like chicken nuggets this time and I think the smaller size makes for better frying so I would suggest the approximate one and a half inch size nugget for even frying.
I always use peanut oil to fry in........yes, it is a lot more expensive BUT it tastes amazing and it hasn't made headlines for being bad lately so it's my GO TO oil for deep frying. You can use what you want but the deliciousness factor may be affected.
Okay, get some really good boneless, skinless chicken breast. I use Organic Free Range......you use what you are okay with. You could probably use bone in chicken as well. I don't.
A couple of hours before cooking, no more than a day before cut up your chicken and put in a gallon ziplock bag. Squirt a few big squirts of Ranch Dressing ( I use Hidden Valley Original; don't use the light as it is NOT gluten free) enough to cover all the chicken a few good shakes of Frank's Red Hot Sauce. Not a LOT just a "taste"! You can use another type of Cayenne Sauce but I love Frank's.
Now it's time to add the seasoning to this ziplock of chicken. The important thing to remember is to season in both steps, in the marinade and in the flour. So you add a few shakes of garlic salt, white pepper (or regular but white is my favorite) and Ancho or Regular Chili Powder. Season to your level. Close up this ziploc and put in fridge until ready to cook.
Now get the flour ready. Take another gallon ziplock and add your favorite brand of gluten free flour (and/or Arrowhead Mills or another brand of Baking Mix; I've made it with both and either is fine!) I start with a few cups of flour and then again add the same seasonings used before: Garlic Salt, Pepper and Chili Powder. If there's another seasoning you like then try it! You want to be able to see the seasonings a little bit in the flour to know you have enough.
Get your peanut oil to the correct temperature and take some of the chicken from the marinade into the flour bag. Do as much as you can put in your oil to cook evenly. Make sure you close the zip and shake the flour around with the chicken to evenly coat it. Then add the chicken to the oil using tongs.
Make sure you use a different pair of tongs to take the chicken out of the oil so you aren't contaminating the cooked chicken. The gluten free flour will darken a bit more than normal flour so be prepared for that.......but don't worry! It will NOT affect the taste! Make sure the first few you do to cut in half to ensure it's cooked. Cook it all up and see how fast it gets eaten!
I dip mine in bleu cheese dressing by Lighthouse. You can use Ranch or gf Honey Mustard; whatever you like. Enjoy!
I always use peanut oil to fry in........yes, it is a lot more expensive BUT it tastes amazing and it hasn't made headlines for being bad lately so it's my GO TO oil for deep frying. You can use what you want but the deliciousness factor may be affected.
Okay, get some really good boneless, skinless chicken breast. I use Organic Free Range......you use what you are okay with. You could probably use bone in chicken as well. I don't.
A couple of hours before cooking, no more than a day before cut up your chicken and put in a gallon ziplock bag. Squirt a few big squirts of Ranch Dressing ( I use Hidden Valley Original; don't use the light as it is NOT gluten free) enough to cover all the chicken a few good shakes of Frank's Red Hot Sauce. Not a LOT just a "taste"! You can use another type of Cayenne Sauce but I love Frank's.
Now it's time to add the seasoning to this ziplock of chicken. The important thing to remember is to season in both steps, in the marinade and in the flour. So you add a few shakes of garlic salt, white pepper (or regular but white is my favorite) and Ancho or Regular Chili Powder. Season to your level. Close up this ziploc and put in fridge until ready to cook.
Now get the flour ready. Take another gallon ziplock and add your favorite brand of gluten free flour (and/or Arrowhead Mills or another brand of Baking Mix; I've made it with both and either is fine!) I start with a few cups of flour and then again add the same seasonings used before: Garlic Salt, Pepper and Chili Powder. If there's another seasoning you like then try it! You want to be able to see the seasonings a little bit in the flour to know you have enough.
Get your peanut oil to the correct temperature and take some of the chicken from the marinade into the flour bag. Do as much as you can put in your oil to cook evenly. Make sure you close the zip and shake the flour around with the chicken to evenly coat it. Then add the chicken to the oil using tongs.
Make sure you use a different pair of tongs to take the chicken out of the oil so you aren't contaminating the cooked chicken. The gluten free flour will darken a bit more than normal flour so be prepared for that.......but don't worry! It will NOT affect the taste! Make sure the first few you do to cut in half to ensure it's cooked. Cook it all up and see how fast it gets eaten!
I dip mine in bleu cheese dressing by Lighthouse. You can use Ranch or gf Honey Mustard; whatever you like. Enjoy!
Tuesday, September 3, 2013
I've Been Really Lazy Lately So Here Is A KILLER Recipe!
TURKEY BURGERS WITH TASTE!
I never embraced Turkery burger. I used to think: YUK when my sister insisted it was good. She would just brown and season burger and mix it with rice. Not my idea of fun but she swore it was tasty.
Now, even though I have used the burger in many replacement recipes instead of ground beef I was still nervous about making a turkey burger. I was afraid it would not be a juicy or good and then I'd be disappointed........so I did my usual when I'm afraid I'll be disappointed and did nothing. For a long time.
Roll on to Labor Day.........grilling out! And I am sick to death of grilled chicken. Everyone else is having burger. Beef burgers. What to do? Okay, it's time to get serious about making a tasty turkey burger. One I am proud to serve and eat! So I scoured recipes and added and deleted on paper for a while and then I made my concoction. The Hubs was afraid it wouldn't make it on the grill (it's kinda juicy and too falling aparty to be a grill burger so we pan fried.........but OH BABY! Was it worth it!
Moist and Juicy and full of flavor! You need to try this now! I was lucky enough to have some amazing burger buns from Jewel's Bakery and Cafe because of course, mine MUST be gluten free. You could use any type of bread or lettuce wrap if you want to but try to get a nice yummy bun to enhance the flavor!
Okay: Using your Vitamix or blender: Blend until smooth and creamy:
2 small cans mild green chili's
one half large onion
red bell pepper, seeds and stem removed
two small sections of fresh garlic clove
Then get a big bowl and plop in two pounds of turkey burger.
add a couple of good shakes of worcestershire sauce (Again, make sure it's GF, I use Lea & Perrin's. but be careful as some are NOT gluten free.)
At this time you can put your blender mix into the meat, making sure to use a spatula to get all the goodness into the bowl!
Now you are ready to add seasonings. Be a little bold here too. Not overpowering but remember: This is Turkery burger and it needs a little flair! I add some shallot salt, chili powder (ancho if you have it), white or black pepper, some sea salt and just a little chipotle to make it sing! Again, make sure all of your seasonings are GF. I cook exclusively with Penzy's Spices because all of their stuff is Ah-mazing and GF!
And I use a a potato masher to then really mix up the blender mix, meat and spices. You want to make sure you get a good blend so keep mixing after you think you have it done! Then patty these and put them in a very cold fridge to again make sure they stay together when cooked.
I use a little olive oil in a good fry pan to cook these puppies. Make sure you cook them all the way through as well. Remember there can be no medium well with poultry! Serve these up with whatever condiments sound good. You could do more green chili's on top or a good chevre. I like mine with just a lot of mayo and some ketsup. I'd rather try to make up some bell pepper aoili and try that as well. Maybe next time! Enjoy!
Oh, I make two pounds up at a time because they freeze two or three to a small ziplock and make for a quick meal later!
Thursday, June 20, 2013
Update on Baked Peppers with Rice and Turkey....
Start a pot of basmati or jasmine rice, I cook mine with 4 c. chicken stock and 2 c. water for three c. rice.....but do yours however you like it.
So I used to make this mixture and bake it in bell peppers but it was sooooo time consuming and I am basically lazy ;o) Oh, and it was difficult to keep the filling in the peppers and when eating it you got a LOT of pepper with every bite....so here's my weekly GO TO version! Enjoy...
Thoroughly cook the bejesus out of a pound of ground turkey (I mean cook it so the bad stuff is GONE! Nobody wants to get sick.)
While cooking the meat I add ancho chili powder, cumin and garlic salt to meat so it smells good and the flavoring starts to layer.
I then throw these ingredients into my vitamix (You can chop, blend, or use food processor; your choice......the vitamix was expensive and I have to justify....plus I like the creamy smooth sauce!)
two cans mild green chili's; I like hatch brand.
couple of sections of fresh garlic
about three medium vine ripe tomatoes or any other type you have,
(you can use a can but I like fresh best!)
at least two red, yellow or orange bell peppers with seeds removed. I use three or four.
one medium onion.
mix well and add to meat when it is cooked. Add some more ancho, cumin, and some salt and pepper to the pan as well. I usually add some cayenne at this point and/or Frank's red hot too.
Let this mixture simmer for about 20 minutes.
I then add the rice, allowing for the rice to expand a bit while simmering......or it will be too dry.
After another 10 to 20 minutes this is done.........I add a little shredded cheese for yum...but again do your own thing!
Plate up and enjoy! This is really, really good!
So I used to make this mixture and bake it in bell peppers but it was sooooo time consuming and I am basically lazy ;o) Oh, and it was difficult to keep the filling in the peppers and when eating it you got a LOT of pepper with every bite....so here's my weekly GO TO version! Enjoy...
Thoroughly cook the bejesus out of a pound of ground turkey (I mean cook it so the bad stuff is GONE! Nobody wants to get sick.)
While cooking the meat I add ancho chili powder, cumin and garlic salt to meat so it smells good and the flavoring starts to layer.
I then throw these ingredients into my vitamix (You can chop, blend, or use food processor; your choice......the vitamix was expensive and I have to justify....plus I like the creamy smooth sauce!)
two cans mild green chili's; I like hatch brand.
couple of sections of fresh garlic
about three medium vine ripe tomatoes or any other type you have,
(you can use a can but I like fresh best!)
at least two red, yellow or orange bell peppers with seeds removed. I use three or four.
one medium onion.
mix well and add to meat when it is cooked. Add some more ancho, cumin, and some salt and pepper to the pan as well. I usually add some cayenne at this point and/or Frank's red hot too.
Let this mixture simmer for about 20 minutes.
I then add the rice, allowing for the rice to expand a bit while simmering......or it will be too dry.
After another 10 to 20 minutes this is done.........I add a little shredded cheese for yum...but again do your own thing!
Plate up and enjoy! This is really, really good!
Saturday, April 20, 2013
Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes!
Ask my husband and he will tell you that I am a "gung ho" person. He says I can't just change a little bit. He says when I change that I do it up in a big way........."whole hog" kind of. Well, I can tell you that he must be right because there are changes afoot and they will affect this blog.
They are certainly turning MY life upside down (and I'm kind of dragging the family with me kicking and screaming!) I've decided to be brutally honest in my journey (and hoping that I live up to my friend *whose name I won't use!* high standards!)
I better start backward and then go forward. My daughter became a vegetarian over two years ago. That was when she was almost nine years old. (Yes, she's a very "old soul") I told my friend * about how McKenna told me. I told her all the things we meat eaters tell those "veggieheads" like "how will you get enough protein?" And, "but won't you miss bacon?" And my daughter looked at me and said, "Mom, if you eat bacon (and that was her favorite food) then you just as well go kill Gracie or Gimlie and serve them for dinner. (Our family dogs).
Well, I told her that there was a big difference between livestock and our dogs and she said, "Yeah, we KNOW them." So when I told my friend this over one of our lunches it was out of concern for my daughter's health, but I had researched the protein thing and found that there was enough information out there to safely have my baby quit eating meat.
Little did I know the impact this conversation would have. A while later at another lunch, my friend told me that she had been doing some painstaking soul searching and had decided to quit eating meat, wearing leather, and using products that did testing on animals.
So time has passed and I have taken red meat out of the equation (did you know it takes four and a half days for a person with regular digestion to digest red meat? And I certainly do NOT have a regular digestion...so DAYS for me!) ***I said BRUTALLY HONEST!**** and I was eating very little pork.
Still ate a LOT of chicken and turkey though. And I was eating pretty much anything else I wanted while still being gluten free. Fruits and veggies were not very far up on my list. Every time we'd eat out, I would have a chicken entree and my friend would just tell me "in your own time!" We do speak a LOT about our own Spiritual journey's and how we are each seeking our own "path".........but we really want some other people to walk it too. Then we realize each person has to make his/her mind up alone and in their own time.
One of my husband's relatives started posting pictures of really green smoothies on her facebook page and talking about how much energy she had. She also was looking so fabulous that I thought that perhaps she was on to something. I wanted energy! I wanted to lose a lot more weight. I was/am obese. I have lost over 100 pounds but I still have a long way to go. I thought this juicing thing and my friend's vegan-ish lifestyle might have some merit.
My friend gave me some movies to watch and I put them on the counter and didn't look at them again. We were due to have lunch so I popped one into my laptop and thought I would just play it in the background while I used my tablet to surf online. I started listening to the DVD. It got my full attention. I listened to all of the science behind following a plant based diet. I was blown away by the medical findings. I was shocked! I was ready to eat some veggies. That movie was "Forks over Knives." Even if you aren't ready: Watch it. I DARE YOU! You'll never be the same.
I had already given up Pepsi (my crack) and red meat and pork.....I could do this. Or at least eat way LESS chicken and turkey. I could eat way more veggies and fruits. I wanted my Mother in Law to see the Vitamix roadshow at Costco. I thought that getting one would really make food prep easy. She watched the guy make smoothies with vegetables and fruits that tasted amazing. He made sorbet and he made hot soup right in the blender. We walked out with a machine!
I use it at least three times every day. Being Gluten Free on a plant based diet is a challenge, I will not lie. I am not yet totally free from chicken and turkey. But I am down to eating it only a few times a week as opposed to daily. I try to replace at least one meal with a smoothie and/or veggie soup.
I have cut my cow dairy consumption down to a little cream in my coffee each morning but otherwise I am cow dairy free as well. I do use chevre (goat cheese) and goat feta a few times a week as well. I do eat eggs but they are brown organic.
I am feeling really good and I've lost my "bloated all the time" feeling. My skin is improving and my energy level is up. I want to continue changing and growing. I don't know where this journey will lead but I hope that soon I will challenge myself to start video blogging and showing my journey as well as speaking of it. We'll see! Stay tuned.
They are certainly turning MY life upside down (and I'm kind of dragging the family with me kicking and screaming!) I've decided to be brutally honest in my journey (and hoping that I live up to my friend *whose name I won't use!* high standards!)
I better start backward and then go forward. My daughter became a vegetarian over two years ago. That was when she was almost nine years old. (Yes, she's a very "old soul") I told my friend * about how McKenna told me. I told her all the things we meat eaters tell those "veggieheads" like "how will you get enough protein?" And, "but won't you miss bacon?" And my daughter looked at me and said, "Mom, if you eat bacon (and that was her favorite food) then you just as well go kill Gracie or Gimlie and serve them for dinner. (Our family dogs).
Well, I told her that there was a big difference between livestock and our dogs and she said, "Yeah, we KNOW them." So when I told my friend this over one of our lunches it was out of concern for my daughter's health, but I had researched the protein thing and found that there was enough information out there to safely have my baby quit eating meat.
Little did I know the impact this conversation would have. A while later at another lunch, my friend told me that she had been doing some painstaking soul searching and had decided to quit eating meat, wearing leather, and using products that did testing on animals.
So time has passed and I have taken red meat out of the equation (did you know it takes four and a half days for a person with regular digestion to digest red meat? And I certainly do NOT have a regular digestion...so DAYS for me!) ***I said BRUTALLY HONEST!**** and I was eating very little pork.
Still ate a LOT of chicken and turkey though. And I was eating pretty much anything else I wanted while still being gluten free. Fruits and veggies were not very far up on my list. Every time we'd eat out, I would have a chicken entree and my friend would just tell me "in your own time!" We do speak a LOT about our own Spiritual journey's and how we are each seeking our own "path".........but we really want some other people to walk it too. Then we realize each person has to make his/her mind up alone and in their own time.
One of my husband's relatives started posting pictures of really green smoothies on her facebook page and talking about how much energy she had. She also was looking so fabulous that I thought that perhaps she was on to something. I wanted energy! I wanted to lose a lot more weight. I was/am obese. I have lost over 100 pounds but I still have a long way to go. I thought this juicing thing and my friend's vegan-ish lifestyle might have some merit.
My friend gave me some movies to watch and I put them on the counter and didn't look at them again. We were due to have lunch so I popped one into my laptop and thought I would just play it in the background while I used my tablet to surf online. I started listening to the DVD. It got my full attention. I listened to all of the science behind following a plant based diet. I was blown away by the medical findings. I was shocked! I was ready to eat some veggies. That movie was "Forks over Knives." Even if you aren't ready: Watch it. I DARE YOU! You'll never be the same.
I had already given up Pepsi (my crack) and red meat and pork.....I could do this. Or at least eat way LESS chicken and turkey. I could eat way more veggies and fruits. I wanted my Mother in Law to see the Vitamix roadshow at Costco. I thought that getting one would really make food prep easy. She watched the guy make smoothies with vegetables and fruits that tasted amazing. He made sorbet and he made hot soup right in the blender. We walked out with a machine!
I use it at least three times every day. Being Gluten Free on a plant based diet is a challenge, I will not lie. I am not yet totally free from chicken and turkey. But I am down to eating it only a few times a week as opposed to daily. I try to replace at least one meal with a smoothie and/or veggie soup.
I have cut my cow dairy consumption down to a little cream in my coffee each morning but otherwise I am cow dairy free as well. I do use chevre (goat cheese) and goat feta a few times a week as well. I do eat eggs but they are brown organic.
I am feeling really good and I've lost my "bloated all the time" feeling. My skin is improving and my energy level is up. I want to continue changing and growing. I don't know where this journey will lead but I hope that soon I will challenge myself to start video blogging and showing my journey as well as speaking of it. We'll see! Stay tuned.
Friday, March 29, 2013
Ticoz, I Have Loved You From Day One!
Urban Dictionary's definition of Tico:
1) The self appointed slang term Costa Rican's chose for themselves. 2)The Embodiment of latin flavor and zest for life. A "Tico" is easily the most amazing person you will ever have the astounding pleasure of meeting. They have a very care free outlook on life guided by the "Pura Vida" saying. A tico knows good food, good women, and most of all good drink. The perfect example is their local beer "Imperial". Tico's can party, they are smart, they are charming and funny. All around damn near perfect.
My definition of Ticoz: One of my absolutely favorite Restaurants in all of Arizona. No, the United States! So glad it's here instead of in Costa Rica! It would be too darn hard to get to and that just wouldn't work for me.
I happened upon Ticoz when I started working for Florence Crittenton and we needed a restaurant to throw a "Congratulations You All Worked Hard" Party for my Store Staff. Someone knew Tom Jetland, Ticoz owner at the time (current co-owner of Switch , Metropolis &Fez). The restaurant was brand new and so was our store so it seemed appropriate! We had our party in the private dining room and it was a blast! There were appetizers and drinks galore. The slider hamburgers were amazing and the tacos were so tasty and full of flavor that I knew I'd found a favorite!
I continued to be a fan and customer of Ticoz and in 2010 I learned that Ticoz had been sold to Joe Wilson. I was in shock! What if it wasn't as good? Tom told me to introduce myself to Joe the next time I went in......so I did! I really loved Joe's personality right away! He is full of energy and so involved in the restaurant that it is now hard to imagine Ticoz without Joe! I can honestly say that even though I eat there a LOT, there have been maybe a total of two times that he hasn't popped in while I was there. I feel like royalty in this place! Most of the wait staff knows me and my family and it's rare that they don't bring our Iced Tea with them as we are seated!
Joe is serious about making sure his customers are happy. I think that's why we get along so well. I've owned and run retail stores my whole life and I know that customer service is tantamount to a great success. Ticoz has this down! Joe knows what it takes to make a customer happy....so if you need something modified, just ask! The staff will help you out!
Okay, the food:
We usually start with Waffle Fries! They come with Cornmeal Chili Lime seasoning which is unique. I eat mine with a mayo/catsup mixture (Hey, if you're going to eat fried food you might as well over do it, right?) A few of my other favorite Gluten Free appies include the Pork Tostadillas, little baby carnitas tostadas with guacammus (guacamole/hummus mixture), tomato, queso fresco, cilantro and marinated onion. Very nice textures and taste.
The Nachos Montana are great as well, but order with caution! The jalepeno slices are many.......House-made corn chips, four cheese blend, black bean, green onion, tomato, jalapeno, sour cream - Choices include:Shredded chicken, beef or pork, grilled chicken, crispy chicken or pork chile verde.
My Vegan friend was so happy that they custom made her some Vegan Lettuce Wraps. The menu offers them with Grilled chicken breast, dried mango, pineapple and cherry, toasted pumpkin seed, macadamia nut, passion fruit vinaigrette. Served with five romaine cups....but the great thing about this amazing place is that they will gladly help with your dietary restrictions if possible!
For main dishes I used to get a lot of burgers but a few things happened around the time that Joe took over. He revamped the menu quite a bit. He kept a lot of items but he changed up quite a bit as well. I ended up becoming gluten free and stopped eating regular burger buns, which was fine because I learned that my favorite thing on the Ticoz menu (and now my signature dish!) is the Blue Corn Chicken Enchilada's!
They have shredded Chicken, Green Chili, Cheese, and a Sour Cream Green Chili Sauce! That sauce is phenomenal! It's served with rice and grilled zucchini but I sub out Pinto Beans for the Zucchini because they are so darn good!
The Coconut Curry Rice is really flavorful and gluten free as well. It has generous amounts of sauteed bell pepper and onion with mild or spicy curry. Your choice of shredded chicken, beef or pork.
The Tacos are really good as well. You get two corn or flour tacos, cabbage, chipotle crema, avocado crema, marinated onions. Choice of shredded chicken, beef, pork or vegetarian. There are some more meat options for an additional price too. Served with rice and pinto beans.
The thing is that you just have to go down and check this place out. There are a lot of other menu items which work for the gluten free crowd. Ask the servers to help you out. You really can't go wrong! Grab a drink too! The Happy Hour Half off Signature Cocktails is a deal and they are heavy on the pour ;o) Try a blood orange Margarita!!!!!!!!!!!! 3:00 to 6:30 daily, currently.
Take a look around the menu and then get your body in there and try it! Tell them that Susan Martin sent you! Have a cold drink and try some excellent Latin Fusion food! Take a walk on the Ticoz side of life! Your tummy will thank you!
Check out their website!
See what yelp says about them!
Want to know what Trip Advisor says?
*Please make sure that the items you are ordering are gluten free and you feel safe with them. I make suggestions on the items that work for me. Be in charge of your own health and be safe by making your own decisions! As always, stay healthy!
Thursday, March 28, 2013
Ham and Bean Crock Pot Soup!
When you have a big ol' hambone you just have to make some soup! This is a really easy recipe and you'll get so many compliments!
On the stove, saute in olive oil the following until tender, do not overcook!
Mirepoix:
1 c. celery chopped
1 medium onion
1 c. carrots chopped
+3 to 4 cloves chopped fresh garlic
Put the whole Ham Bone in the crock pot.
Add about 3 cans of beans, I used one Great Northern and two White Beans, but use what you have! If you are comfortable with dry beans, then soak and go for it. I like canned.
Add one can of tomatoes, I used fire roasted, but use whatever kind you want.
Add the Mirepoix in as well.
Now add enough liquid to cover almost to the top of the ham bone. I used chicken stock but you can use vegetable stock or water. Again, your choice!
Now it's time to season. I added Ancho Chili Powder, Black Pepper, a little cumin and some Frank's Red Hot Sauce. DO NOT ADD SALT! It might end up too salty, depending on how salty the ham is. I leave this until about the last hour or so.........check it then and add if needed!
Start the Crock Pot on high for two hours, then turn it to low for the next 3 to 5 hours.
Take the Ham Bone out and rest it on a cutting board. Strip the meat off and add back the the soup. At this point, you can use an immersion blender (so easy and what I do!) or take part of the soup carefully out and put into a blender. You want about half to two thirds of the soup blended. Use your judgement on when the consistency is right.
Taste the soup to adjust any seasonings at this time....adding Fine Grade Sea Salt IF NEEDED!
At this point it's ready! I serve mine with corn bread. You can even use the cornbread as a base with the soup on top. It's up to you!
This soup is even better after a day or two in the fridge...it's customizable and really a hit!
On the stove, saute in olive oil the following until tender, do not overcook!
Mirepoix:
1 c. celery chopped
1 medium onion
1 c. carrots chopped
+3 to 4 cloves chopped fresh garlic
Put the whole Ham Bone in the crock pot.
Add about 3 cans of beans, I used one Great Northern and two White Beans, but use what you have! If you are comfortable with dry beans, then soak and go for it. I like canned.
Add one can of tomatoes, I used fire roasted, but use whatever kind you want.
Add the Mirepoix in as well.
Now add enough liquid to cover almost to the top of the ham bone. I used chicken stock but you can use vegetable stock or water. Again, your choice!
Now it's time to season. I added Ancho Chili Powder, Black Pepper, a little cumin and some Frank's Red Hot Sauce. DO NOT ADD SALT! It might end up too salty, depending on how salty the ham is. I leave this until about the last hour or so.........check it then and add if needed!
Start the Crock Pot on high for two hours, then turn it to low for the next 3 to 5 hours.
Take the Ham Bone out and rest it on a cutting board. Strip the meat off and add back the the soup. At this point, you can use an immersion blender (so easy and what I do!) or take part of the soup carefully out and put into a blender. You want about half to two thirds of the soup blended. Use your judgement on when the consistency is right.
Taste the soup to adjust any seasonings at this time....adding Fine Grade Sea Salt IF NEEDED!
At this point it's ready! I serve mine with corn bread. You can even use the cornbread as a base with the soup on top. It's up to you!
This soup is even better after a day or two in the fridge...it's customizable and really a hit!
Monday, March 25, 2013
Yummiest Broccoli, Rice, Chicken Saute!
We have a rice cooker and there is always rice left over when I make a rice dish. That means I need to make an additional rice dish within a few days to use up this rice..........or make the pups really happy and give it to them (along with bananas, bell peppers, sweet potatoes or any other pup friendly items laying around!).
I usually bake this dish but it sometimes can be rather dry.....so I decided to saute and serve it this time. Boy, was that a great idea!!! It was a hit!
So you just saute one package of chicken tenders or any type of boneless chicken you want to use. You can leave it in strips or cut it up. Your preference rules! I cook mine with chopped onions and bell peppers, adding fresh garlic near the end. You can use oil in the pan if needed.....I use a bit of EVOO. If you cover the pan, the chicken should produce some stock and I keep this in the pan and do not pour it out. IF your chicken is a bit dry you can add some chicken stock.
When the chicken is thoroughly cooked, I add some left over rice (about 4 to 5 cups) and let it absorb that yummy stock! I then add a small package or two small heads (but not frozen) broccoli I also add some Ancho Chili powder, garlic salt, pepper and sea salt to taste. I add a bit of nutmeg too just for a little pizzazz. Right before serving I will add about a cup of sour cream and cheese to taste.
This dish gets rave reviews from family! Try it and let me know!
I usually bake this dish but it sometimes can be rather dry.....so I decided to saute and serve it this time. Boy, was that a great idea!!! It was a hit!
So you just saute one package of chicken tenders or any type of boneless chicken you want to use. You can leave it in strips or cut it up. Your preference rules! I cook mine with chopped onions and bell peppers, adding fresh garlic near the end. You can use oil in the pan if needed.....I use a bit of EVOO. If you cover the pan, the chicken should produce some stock and I keep this in the pan and do not pour it out. IF your chicken is a bit dry you can add some chicken stock.
When the chicken is thoroughly cooked, I add some left over rice (about 4 to 5 cups) and let it absorb that yummy stock! I then add a small package or two small heads (but not frozen) broccoli I also add some Ancho Chili powder, garlic salt, pepper and sea salt to taste. I add a bit of nutmeg too just for a little pizzazz. Right before serving I will add about a cup of sour cream and cheese to taste.
This dish gets rave reviews from family! Try it and let me know!
Monday, March 4, 2013
Best Crockpot Meal EVER! Crockpot Lasagna....
The thing that I don't like about making lasagna is that it comes out kind of dry most of the time. Well, when I saw the recipes for crockpot lasagna my first thought was: YUCK! But then I kept seeing it around the Net. I have to admit it peaked my interest. I love that it takes 2.5 hours on High and it's perfect! I made it two different ways and I like them both. The whole thing is SO easy to personalize that I will tell you the two basic recipe ideas but you can use one or combine the layers you want to come up with YOUR signature lasagna! So easy!
The first time I made it the "traditional red sauce way." The second time I made a white lasagna. Mix up the layers any way you want for the desired meal.
Put down a little sauce of choice. This can be red sauce or white/bechamel sauce. Then get out your lasagna noodles and just break it up dry to make a layer in the crockpot. (Mine is gluten free Rice, of course!) Then do whatever layers you want! Combine them for a fun version or stick to white or red sauce.
1. A layer consisting of ricotta (or for a creamier version I use cottage cheese), egg and Italian spices and/or fresh basil mixed up first.
2. Meat of choice. I use ground turkey with onion and red bell pepper but you could do hamburger, sausage or anything else you want.
3. White/Bechemal sauce: Saute equal parts butter and flour till it smells nutty, then add milk. When it gets thicker, add cheese if wanted. Yes, I like cheese!
4. Veggies Unlimited: This layer is whatever veggies you want to put in a food processor and make it chunky or smooth. I use mushrooms, onions, bell peppers, fresh garlic, fresh tomatoes and spinach. You can use any veggies you like! The more the merrier!
5. Red sauce; homemade, jarred; whatever floats your boat! Four cheese, marinara, vodka sauce, there are a million different choices so make a new one each time!
6. Total cheese layer. I use mostly mozzarella but I like to include a little colby jack or other mild cheeses. Fontina is really good!
Layer any way you want to just add noodles about every third layer or so. Stop when you're out of noodles. (They come about 8 to 12 to a package and you use 2 to 3 per layer.........)
If you use mostly white layers, I will add some basic milk on top of the whole lot just to keep some moisture. You could use chicken stock as well. Make sure it's moist enough. Then just put the lid on and make sure you check it at 2.5 hours on high. Turn down to stay warm if the noodles are done. That is it! Enjoy!!!!
The first time I made it the "traditional red sauce way." The second time I made a white lasagna. Mix up the layers any way you want for the desired meal.
Put down a little sauce of choice. This can be red sauce or white/bechamel sauce. Then get out your lasagna noodles and just break it up dry to make a layer in the crockpot. (Mine is gluten free Rice, of course!) Then do whatever layers you want! Combine them for a fun version or stick to white or red sauce.
1. A layer consisting of ricotta (or for a creamier version I use cottage cheese), egg and Italian spices and/or fresh basil mixed up first.
2. Meat of choice. I use ground turkey with onion and red bell pepper but you could do hamburger, sausage or anything else you want.
3. White/Bechemal sauce: Saute equal parts butter and flour till it smells nutty, then add milk. When it gets thicker, add cheese if wanted. Yes, I like cheese!
4. Veggies Unlimited: This layer is whatever veggies you want to put in a food processor and make it chunky or smooth. I use mushrooms, onions, bell peppers, fresh garlic, fresh tomatoes and spinach. You can use any veggies you like! The more the merrier!
5. Red sauce; homemade, jarred; whatever floats your boat! Four cheese, marinara, vodka sauce, there are a million different choices so make a new one each time!
6. Total cheese layer. I use mostly mozzarella but I like to include a little colby jack or other mild cheeses. Fontina is really good!
Layer any way you want to just add noodles about every third layer or so. Stop when you're out of noodles. (They come about 8 to 12 to a package and you use 2 to 3 per layer.........)
If you use mostly white layers, I will add some basic milk on top of the whole lot just to keep some moisture. You could use chicken stock as well. Make sure it's moist enough. Then just put the lid on and make sure you check it at 2.5 hours on high. Turn down to stay warm if the noodles are done. That is it! Enjoy!!!!
Friday, January 18, 2013
Switch Restaurant and Wine Bar: Yes Please!
Switch Restaurant and Wine Bar
Okay, I have been going to Tom Jetland's restaurants since moving to the Valley. Not only do I really like the food he serves but I love his philanthropy. He is forever doing fundraisers through sharing his profits or through special events. He gave me gift certificates to three different restaurants that he owned when I was the Chair of a fundraiser at my daughter's school. He even supports some of the same things I do which is another great thing!
So maybe I am a little biased here.......but that's okay. It's my blog! The other great thing about Tom is that after my diagnoses and change to eating gluten free, he stepped up to the plate and began carrying gluten free buns,* so that I could eat my favorite burger at Switch.
Now, I eat one of two chicken sandwiches* * offered since I quit eating read meat,but I enjoy it on a gluten free bun! His staff knows what gluten free means. When you request a gf bun, your side salad automatically has no crouton added. That is soooooooo cool! Each evening they offer a different item for $5.55 currently, with Monday being Burger Night.
Need an appetizer to start? Try the flavorful Garlic and Lemon Hummus. They serve it with artichokes and red peppers but they will give you veggies instead of pita if you ask!
When I go to brunch, I can order my CRUSTLESS quiche with Hollandaise sauce as opposed to the Mornay sauce that it comes with to maintain the gluten free status. If I ask a question of something on the menu, nine times out of ten, the staff knows what's in it. If there are any questions about the gluten status, they find out! Oh, and don't forget to have an amazing drink with your brunch! As of this date, they offer $3 Cape Cod, Screwdrivers or Bloody Mary Carafes and Mimosa Carafe go for $6.
I am so seriously happy about the attention to my needs that it makes Switch one of my automatic "Go To Places" in town. If you are looking for a great place to have some phenomenal food and not have to worry about your food being prepared right, go check out Switch Restaurant and Wine Bar. Tell them Susan sent you!
* There is currently a 95 cent upcharge for gluten free bun.
**My two favorites are the Murano Chicken and Prosciutto: Sliced Chicken, Prosciutto, Smoked Gouda Cheese, olives, tomato and aioli. And the Apricot BBQ Feta Chicken: Sliced Chicken, Apricot BBQ sauce, Feta, Spinach, aioli, cilantro and onion.
See what yelp has to say about Switch!
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