Homemade Stovetop Kettle Corn

INGREDIENTS 

1/2 cup popping corn

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1/4 cup sugar

DIRECTIONS

In a large nonstick pot, heat oil on medium heat being careful for it not to smoke. Add popcorn kernels first and distribute them evenly. Add sugar and stir until kernels are fully coated. Cover with lid until all kernels have popped. 

Slow Cooker Green Beans & Potatoes with Smoked Turkey Sausage

INGREDIENTS 

2 - 28oz Cans French Style Green Beans

3 - Yellow Potatoes Peeled and Diced

1/2 cup - Diced Onion

4 Slices Turkey Bacon - Chopped

1 - 13oz Package Smoked Turkey Sausage-Sliced

1 TBSP Lawry’s Garlic Salt

Salt and Pepper

DIRECTIONS

Prep ingredients that need to be sliced/diced. Sauté onions and turkey bacon in a skillet. When bacon is thoroughly cooked add sliced sausage to brown.  In a slow cooker add cans of green beans with their liquid. Add potatoes and bacon/turkey mixture. Add garlic salt and salt and pepper to taste. Cook on high for four hours. 

BREAD TIP!!!

Buy day-old bread from Jimmy Johns. It’s $.50 per loaf. I slice it up and heat in the oven on the lowest temp. You can’t tell it’s not freshly made. 

Drop Biscuits - Butter Only Recipe

Every time I think of making biscuits I don't have shortening. Here's a recipe that you can tell your biscuits are definitely homemade and didn't pop out of a can. I always keep sticks of butter in the fridge for random baking and biscuit making for me is considered random.

INGREDIENTS

2 - Cups all purpose flour

1 - Cup of butter (2 sticks - 1 stick needs to be freezer cold)

2 - Tbsp baking powder

1/2 - Tspn baking soda

1 - Cup of milk (2%)

Salt

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Total cook time is 15 minutes.

In a large mixing bowl add flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda and mix to evenly distribute ingredients. Cut in the stick of butter that is freezer cold with the dry ingredients until the crumbs are coarse. Add milk and slowly mix until the dough starts to form. I add enough milk to where it becomes a drop biscuit consistency. You can add less milk and form dough to uniform pieces with a kneading process. (To make a dinner biscuit add in sharp cheddar cheese, 1 Tbsp of garlic powder, and 1 Tbsp of Italian seasoning.)

Drop your desired size biscuit (3 inch dough) onto a cookie sheet that has been butter or greased. Bake for 10 minutes. Melt the other stick of butter in the microwave (20 seconds) and baste the top of the biscuits for the final five minutes of cooking time.

Sweet & Sour Chicken Broccoli With Brown Rice

INGREDIENTS

4 - Boneless skinless chicken thighs

2 - Heads of broccoli florets

1 - Cup of sweet and sour sauce

1/4 - Cup of soy sauce

1/4 - Cup extra virgin olive oil

3 - Cups brown rice (instant)

1 - Tbsp garlic powder

Salt and pepper

DIRECTIONS

PREP

Cut broccoli into bite sized pieces. In a large pot fill with water two inches up the side wall. Add 1 tbsp salt. Add broccoli florets and steam until fork tender. Set aside to cool.

Precook instant rice to box directions and set aside. 

Chicken thighs should be thawed and sliced into two inch pieces.

In a large skilled set to medium high add olive oil and swirl pan to coat the bottom. Add chicken thighs, salt, and pepper. Continue cooking chicken until half way done and add garlic powder, sweet and sour sauce, and soy sauce. Continue to cook chicken until done. Add broccoli and make sure everything is coated with the sauce. Serve with a side of brown rice or mix all together.

Serves 6

Avocado Basil Pasta with Pine Nuts (Meatless)

This one is definitely going on the dinner menu calendar rotation. This tastes like it should be bad for you. I use organic angel hair pasta, but choose your favorite.  Here's the recipe for the sauce.

Serves 4-6

INGREDIENTS

1 avocado - smashed

5 leaves of fresh basil - chopped (reserve small amount for garnish)

3 cloves of garlic - finely chopped

1 TBSP - fennel seed

1 - 2 cups (consistency) - organic vegetable stock

1/4 cup - toasted pine nuts

Olive oil cooking spray

SNP - Salt and pepper

MEAL PREP: 10 MINUTES

You can boil the water for the pasta and slice a baguette during the time it takes to prep the ingredients. Cook the pasta to the package directions. Toast pine nuts and let cool.

In a bowl, smash the avocado.  Add half of the vegetable stock to thin out the consistency. Chop basil and reserve a couple of tablespoons as a garnish.

DIRECTIONS

In a large saucepan set to medium heat, spray cooking oil to coat the bottom of the pan. Add garlic and fennel seed and cook for 5 minutes. Add avocado mixture and stir for one minute or until combined with the garlic and fennel. Add remaining vegetable stock, SNP, and let simmer on low. The pasta should be close to done as this is comes together rather quickly.  Toss in noodles and turn off the heat. Let the flavors marry for five minutes. Add pine nuts and basil garnish. Serve with french baguette and side salad.

Pasta Primavera (Meatless)

INGREDIENTS:

1 - whole yellow or red onion diced

2 - cloves garlic diced

1 - 14.5oz can fire roasted tomatoes

1/8 - cup kalamata olives diced

1/8 - cup capers diced

1 - cup button mushrooms sliced

5 - leaves fresh basil diced

3 - cups fresh baby spinach

1lb. organic pasta

Salt and pepper to taste

Olive oil cooking spray

1 - cup vegetable stock

DIRECTIONS:

Veggie Prep: 5-10 minutes of slicing and dicing

Pasta Prep: 10 minutes. Fill large pot and bring to boil. Add pasta when you're ready to start making the sauce. Cook the pasta to package directions.

In a large skillet, spray a thin layer of cooking spray. Cook onions on medium high heat for five minutes or until translucent. Add garlic and cook for another two minutes and then add the can of fire roasted tomatoes. At this point add a little pinch of salt and pepper. Add vegetable stock, mushrooms, capers, and olives. Cover pan with lid and let simmer on low for 5 minutes. Uncover lid and add spinach in batches as it wilts. Pasta should be done cooking at this time. Drain and add pasta to sauce mixture along with half of the chopped basil. When serving sprinkle basil on top.

Baked Ravioli (T-30 Minutes To The Dinner Table)

This dish is kid friendly and mom approved. I like to whip up Baked Ravioli later in the week when we're on the homestretch for the weekend. It's super easy, delicious, and takes no time to prep or bake.

INGREDIENTS:

1 - Package frozen ravioli - your choice (thawed previous day in refrigerator)

1 - 28oz. jar store bought pasta sauce

1 - 14.5oz. can of fire roasted tomatoes

1 - cup fat free or low fat cottage cheese

1 - cup mozzarella/provolone shredded cheese

1/4 - cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 - TBSP garlic powder

1 - TBSP Italian seasoning

DIRECTIONS:

Prep Time: 5 minutes

I like to thaw my ravioli a day in advance. If you're pressed for time you can always set it out on the counter or defrost it in the microwave.

In a large mixing bowl, combine pasta sauce, fire roasted tomatoes, cottage cheese, half of the mozzarella mixture, garlic powder and Italian seasoning. Combine ingredients so they are thoroughly combined. Add in ravioli and stir until all the pasta is covered with sauce and cheese.

In a 9 X 11 baking dish, add mixture and even out the top with spoon. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese for one layer, then add the remaining mozzarella cheese.

Bake at 425 for 15-20 minutes until the cheese is bubbly. Let it set for five minutes prior to serving so the pasta sauce sets.