Sausage & Sweet Potato Soup

1 lb. Italian sausage, casings removed (chicken if possible)

2 onions, diced

2 sweet potatoes, peeled and diced into 1/2-inch pieces

kale, chopped and big stems removed

1 T Italian seasoning

5-6 cups chicken broth

Sautee onions in stock pot with a little olive oil, 4-5 minutes.  Add sausage and cook, breaking up, until browned and cooked through, 4-6 minutes.  Add sweet potatoes, broth, and seasoning to stock pot.  Cover and bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium and simmer 7 minutes.

Uncover pot at stir in kale (as much as you like).  Simmer until kale is wilted and sweet potatoes are tender, 5-7 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper.

Serve.

Sausage Egg Roll (Skillet dinner)

Skillet Sausage Egg Roll 

 

1 lb ground pork or Italian sausage (mild) 

1 head green cabbage (outer layer removed), about 6 cups shredded (or use coleslaw cabbage)

4 cloves garlic, pressed 

1 Tbsp fresh ginger, minced 

1 Tbsp soy sauce 

2 green onions, chopped 

1 Tbsp sesame oil duck sauce, for garnish, optional 

 

Preheat large skillet over medium heat. Add in pork sausage, and cook thoroughly, crumbling with a wooden spoon. (I drained the excess fat out of the skillet; that's optional) Add in shredded cabbage (or 6 cups of shredded coleslaw mix), garlic, ginger, and soy sauce. Cook for several minutes (about 5) until cabbage has softened, stirring frequently. Remove from heat and add green onions and sesame oil. Stir and serve in bowls. Drizzle with duck sauce or sesame oil, if desired! ENJOY.

Crockpot Marinara Sauce

EVOO 

1 onion

2 lg carrots, peeled and grated

4 (or more) cloves minced garlic

1 can (6 oz) tomato paste

1/2 c. red wine

28 oz can crushed tomatoes

15 oz can tomato sauce

3 T Italian seasoning

1 tsp sugar

1-2 bay leaves

dash of crushed red pepper

salt, pepper to taste

Saute onion and garlic in EVOO until tender, seasoning with garlic, salt, and pepper (to taste).  Spoon in tomato paste, stir frequently until paste begins to caramelize (2-3 minutes).  Lower heat to simmer and add wine, scraping up any bits stuck to the bottom of the pan.

Add mixture to crockpot.  Add the rest of the ingredients.  Cook on low 4-8 hours.  Remove bay leaves prior to serving.

Crockpot Tuscan Chicken

3 lbs. boneless skinless chicken breasts

6 cloves garlic, minced

one onion, diced

14 oz can artichoke hearts, drained and quartered

8 oz jar sundried tomatoes, packed in oil

8 oz spinach

salt and pepper, to taste

Place chicken in slow cooker and season with salt and pepper.  Add garlic, onion, sundried tomatoes in oil, and drained artichokes.  Cook on high for 2.5-3 hours or low 3.5-4 hours.

Add the spinach on top and wilt (5-10 min).  Mix together and serve.

Eggnog Pie

1 sm package instant vanilla pudding

2 c. eggnog

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp nutmeg

8 oz thawed Cool Whip

graham cracker crust

Mix the first four ingredients.  Fold in Cool Whip.  Pour into prepared pie shell.  Refrigerator 4+ hours and serve cold.

Sweet Potato Salad

For the salad:

4 medium-large or 6 small sweet potatoes

1 small red onion

1/3 c. dried cranberries

1/4 c. feta crumbles

1/4 c. chopped fresh parsley

olive oil, cinnamon, salt, and pepper to taste

For the dressing:

3 TBS olive oil

1 TBS apple cider vinegar

1 TBS dijon mustard

1 TBS honey

1 garlic clove, minced or pressed

1 tsp dried oregano

1/4 tsp. cumin [could substitute curry?]

salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 450.  Peel and dice sweet potatoes.  Add to lightly oiled baking sheet.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper (optional cinnamon) to taste.  Bake for 20 minutes.  Cool.

Meanwhile, make the dressing by mixing all of the dressing ingredients together.  Dice red onion.

When sweet potatoes are cooled, add onion, cranberries, feta, parsley, and dressing.  Mix well.  Serve cold.

Crockpot Green Chili Chicken

3 boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 2 lbs)

2 (4.5 oz) cans green chilis

1 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

8 oz cream cheese

Place chicken in crockpot and add spices.  Pour chilis on top.  Cover and cook on low in crockpot for 4.5 hours. 

After 4.5 hours, shred chicken with fork and then add cubed cream cheese.  Continue to cook for 30 minutes to soften cream cheese.  Stir to mix well.  Serve hot over rice, in tacos, etc.!