Loaded Twice Baked BBQ Potato

So I saw a recipe for a white BBQ chicken recipe and it gave me this idea. I had left over pulled pork instead of chicken and that's all she wrote. Delicious! Enjoy. 

Ingredients:

2 russet potatoes (mine were about 10 oz ea)

1/2 cup shredded pulled pork with BBQ sauce (I use Sticky Fingers)

2 tsp sweet relish

3 tsp spicy mustard

2 TBS French onion dip 

4 TBS corn

Directions:

1. Wrap potatoes in aluminum foil and bake at 450 degrees for about 1 hour.

2. Place all other ingredients in a bowl. When potatoes are done, unwrap, cut off the top and scoop the flesh into the bowl. Mix well. 

3. Stuff the potatoes with the mixture, pile high and bake again for 10-12 minutes or until it starts to brown. Enjoy!

Shepards Pie

Who doesn't love Shepards Pie? Everything in one dish, one bite, such a comfort dish on a cold winter's night. A little spin on this dish makes it a bit more healthy and hopefully a hit with the family. Instead of a mashed potato topping it will be a whipped cauliflower topping. Here goes nothing!

AMAZING! Definitely did not miss the potatoes...and I love me some potatoes. Enjoy!

Ingredients:
Cauliflower Puree
2 cups milk
8 cups water
salt and pepper to taste
1 head of cauliflower (leaves removed and cut into florets, cored)
6oz light sour cream
1 scallion (green and bulb)

Meat/Veggie Mixture
2 TBS olive oil
1/2 sweet onion, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 cup baby carrots, chopped
1 small zucchini, chopped
1 cup peas
1 pound 90/10 ground beef
2 TBS wheat flour
1 tsp dried rosemary
1 tsp dried thyme
pepper to taste
1 cup chicken broth

Directions:
1. For the cauliflower puree...add milk, water and 1 tsp salt to a stockpot on high; bring to a boil. As soon as liquid boils, add cauliflower. Return to simmer, stir. Simmer 10-15 minutes on medium-low, until fork tender. Let cauliflower drain for 10 minutes. Puree cauliflower and sour cream in blender. Add puree to saucepan, season with salt and pepper and fold in diced scallions. Keep warm.

2. Preheat oven to 400

3. Heat olive oil in skillet and add onion, carrots, zucchini and celery; saute until softened. Add beef and cook until browned.. Add flour, rosemary, thyme, salt and pepper. Add broth and peas and bring to a simmer. Simmer until thickens. Transfer meat mixture to a square 9" baking dish and top with cauliflower puree. Bake until golden brown. Serves 6, enjoy!

Fettuccine with Pumpkin Sauce

Do not dismiss this recipe because you see pumpkin and pasta together… my skeptical dad, hesitant kids, unsure husband and of course me and my mom all LOVED this! I will make this a staple in our home.

During the holidays all you hear about is pumpkin, and I am a sucker for it. I love my pumpkin spiced lattes, pumpkin bread, and pumpkin pie. After hearing a friend make a pumpkin pasta dish I thought why not? I found this recipe in my holiday Cooking Light magazine and thought it was a perfect one to try on my family. Also another great way to get veggies in our tummies! I doubled the recipe and fed four adults and two children with no leftovers! Enjoy!

Ingredients:
8 oz uncooked fettuccine
2 applewood-smoked bacon slices, chopped
2 TBS finely chopped sage
2 garlic cloves minced
3/4 cup canned pumpkin puree
2 oz parmesan cheese, grated
salt and pepper
2 TBS heavy cream

Directions:
1. Cook pasta according to package, omit salt and fat. Drain in colander over a bowl and reserve 3/4 cup liquid.

2. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add bacon and cook 4 minutes or until almost crisp, stirring occasionally. Add 1 TBS sage and garlic and cook one minute, stirring constantly. Stir in pumpkin puree, parmesan cheese, salt and pepper. Add pasta, reserved 3/4 cup cooking liquid, and heavy cream. Toss to coat. Cook two minutes or until thoroughly heated. Enjoy!

Sausage Cacciatore

Growing up Italian this was a staple in our home, and our New Year's tradition. Well sausage was our tradition, the presentation could vary each year. This year I made my dad's recipe of this amazing dish and it came out so good! This recipe makes a huge batch, plenty to put out at a party. Enjoy!

Ingredients:
6 sweet italian sausage links
6 hot italian sausage links
32 oz fresh sweet peppers, seeded and sliced
2 green bell peppers, seeded and sliced
2 large sweet onions, sliced
23 ox canned tomato sauce
oregano to taste
olive oil
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
16 oz sliced mushrooms
tomato paste (if necessary)
2 loaves of Italian bread

Directions: 
1. In a large skillet add peppers. onions, garlic and olive oil and cook over medium, medium-high heat until the peppers and onions go down a bit. Then add all the sausage links.

2. Cook until the peppers and onions become soft and the sausage starts to brown, stirring often. Once the sausage is cooked about half way through, about 20 minutes, add sauce and cook another 10 minutes. Remove sausage links a few at a time and slice. Do this on a dish with sides so the juice does not run off and can be poured back into the pan. 

3. Once all the links have been sliced, add about a TBS of oregano and mushrooms and let simmer for about 1.5 hours with no lid. If the sauce is is too runny add tomato paste until desired thickness is reached. 

4. Slice bread and serve topped with sausage cacciatore. Enjoy!

Broccoli and Rice Casserole

Looking for a scrumptious, cozy, veggie dish for the winter? I found this recipe in my Cooking Light cook book, and the funny part is it calls for shredded chicken.  I completely over looked that part of the recipe and noticed it too late, so we ate this dish meat free. I am sure you could add any meat to this dish of you wanted a protein. The kids loved it and the rice filled you up, while keeping it a relatively light dish at the same time. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

1% milk

water

1 cup dry rice

3 cups broccoli florets, chopped (I used a food processor)

cooking spray

1/3 cup chopped sweet onion

1/3 cup chopped celery

1/3 cup chopped green bell pepper

2 oz cream cheese

2 oz processed cheese (i.e. Velveeta)

salt and pepper to taste

1 oz grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375

2. Combine milk and water (2:1 ratio directions on the rice package) and cook rice.

3. Combine 2 cups milk and 1 cup water and bring to a simmer. Add broccoli and cook 5 minutes. Drain.

4. Heat a dutch oven over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add onion, celery and bell pepper and sauté for 5 minutes. Add cream cheese and processed cheese and stir until melted. Remove from heat and add rice, broccoli and salt and pepper. Top with parmesan cheese and bake for about 10 minutes, or until cheese melts and casserole is bubbly. Enjoy!

Shredded Beef for Tacos

As you can tell from previous posts I have a weakness for Mexican food. I also have some pet peeves when it comes to this cuisine…mainly ground beef! I love shredded beef in my tacos, burritos, chimichangas, etc. I found this crock pot recipe for shredded beef for tacos and used it to make the most delicious burritos. So simple, and it tasted just like authentic tex mex burritos from Arizona. Enjoy!

Ingredients:
1-2 pound round roast
1 medium sweet onion, chopped
3 TBS olive oil
2 jalapeños, seeded and chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
salt
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup mojo marinade
bunch of cilantro, chopped

Directions:
1. Heat non-stick pan with olive oil, sauté onions and garlic for a few minutes and then add roast. Brown on all sides, about 1-2 minutes each side (do NOT sear).

2. Transfer whole roast, along with onions and garlic, to a crock pot. Mix the water, mojo, cilantro, jalapeños, and salt. Pour over roast, cover and cook on high for 5 hours.

3. At 5 hours, shred roast in crock pot and then recover and cook on low an additional hour. Enjoy!

We used this meat to make burritos and topped them with guacamole, sour cream and pico de gallo. The kids loved the meat and ate it stand alone with black beans corn. Also great left over!