Archive for Main Dishes
Healthy Crock Pot Recipes: Hamburger Sauerkraut Dip
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All I have to say about this recipe is: Don’t knock it ’til you’ve tried it.
I completely understand if you read the name of this recipe and your initial reaction was to make a face of disgust. I’m with ya. I don’t like sauerkraut. I don’t like the way it smells. I don’t like the way it tastes. I don’t even like the way it looks.
But I promise you, this dip tastes so good that you really might just pass out from the delicious flavor. It doesn’t taste like sauerkraut at all – but instead is a wonderful mix of flavor that is completely addicting. The first time I tried it, I stuffed myself so full, I could barely walk out of the kitchen. It was not cute.
I got the recipe from my friend Jen, who, for the record, does not like to cook. That may tell you something about how easy this dip is to put together. We prepped all the ingredients together one evening, then I threw everything into my crock pot the next morning for us to chow on that night. And did I mention that I stuffed myself? Seriously, whether you like sauerkraut or not, you must try this dip.
Hamburger Sauerkraut Dip
1 pound ground beef
4 tomatoes, chopped
2-3 green peppers, chopped
27 ounce can of sauerkraut, drained
12 ounces sour cream
Brown ground beef until thoroughly cooked. Stir browned meat, chopped tomatoes and peppers, sauerkraut, and sour cream into a crock pot. Cook on low for 5-8 hours. Stir occasionally. Sneak bites often. Try not to eat the entire pot. Good luck.
I’m very happy to point out the fact that I have posted all kinds of different cheese dip recipes on this site, so you must surely be very impressed that I have climbed out of my cheese dip lovin’ box to post a dip that is significantly different and exciting. See, here they are: Healthier Cheese Dip; Super Simple Chip Dip; Cream Cheese Salsa Dip; Hamburger Cream Cheese Dip. And here I am posting a dip recipe that does not include cheese – but sauerkraut. How about that?
So, are you a sauerkraut fan, or do you tend to avoid it? Any chance that if you aren’t a fan, I could convince you to try this dip anyway? I promise you won’t regret it. :)
Healthy Crock Pot Recipes: Hamburger Cream Cheese Dip
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When I think of New Year’s Eve, I think of chip dip. Of course, I also think of playing games, and spending time with friends and loved ones…just so long as none of those dear friends and loved ones get in the way of me and my chip dip. I have been known to greedily reach across serving lines and yank chip dip ladles out of people’s hands before.
Not really. I only picture doing that in my head. On the outside, I’m smiling sweetly and waiting patiently in line for my turn with the dip. I would never really grab a chip dip ladle from someone or push my way to the front of the line to get my dip. (Except for in my head.)
In case you need a tasty and easy chip dip recipe for a gathering this weekend, you may be interested in trying this Hamburger Cream Cheese Dip recipe. And then, you will want to take care and not invite me to your New Year’s Eve gathering. If I see this dip at your table, there’s no telling what I might do.
Hamburger Cream Cheese Dip
2 pounds ground beef
1 cup chopped onion
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 can (4 ounces) mild green chili peppers
Sea salt to taste
2 cans (8 ounces each) tomato sauce
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
16 ounces cream cheese, softened and cubed
Brown ground beef in a skillet with the onion. Place cooked meat into a crock pot and add remaining ingredients. Set crock pot on low for two hours. Stir, taste, and add additional seasonings if desired. Serve with tortilla chips. We prefer these organic corn chips.
Do you have any exciting New Year’s Eve plans? Except for eating dip, I’m not really sure what we’ve got going on. But then again, I don’t suppose it really matters, just so long as there’s dip.
I think I need to join a chip dip support group.
Sweet Pepper Fritata
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I can’t decide which I like best about this dish: looking at it…or eating it. I love that the red and green peppers make this fritata look festive for Christmas. This is very easy to make and can be put together ahead of time and baked just before serving. If you want to add a little extra protein, throw in some leftover cooked chicken or sausage.
Sweet Pepper Fritata
1 small onion, chopped
3/4 cup chopped green pepper
3/4 cup chopped red pepper
2 Tablespoons butter
5 eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup chopped sun dried tomatoes
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Saute onion and peppers in the butter for 5-7 minutes or until veggies are tender and your family comes running into the kitchen to see what smells so good. Meanwhile, combine remaining ingredients in a bowl. Stir sauteed vegetables into egg mixture. Pour into an ungreased pie dish. Bake in a 350° oven for 25-30 minutes or until a knife inserted in the middle of the fritata comes out clean. Serves 6-8.
Which would you rather do – look at this, or eat it? Or maybe you could just really enjoy looking at it while you eat it. ;)
(Be sure to leave a comment on this post for a chance to win one of four $10 gift certificates to the Heavenly Homemakers Shop, as a part of our Christmas Brunch!)
Simple One Dish Meat and Potato Meal
Posted by: | CommentsNow that I have posted my Cream of Mushroom Soup recipe, I will share with you the promised One Dish Meat and Potato Meal recipe. A friend of mine shared this with me years ago, back when my 14 year old was just a baby.
Let us all pause a moment and reflect on how much taller Asa is since the day I received this recipe.
Have I mentioned that he’s jumped three and a half shoe sizes since last winter? I guess that answers any questions you may have had about who is eating half the pan of my simple, one dish meat and potato meals. Good gravy. (literally)
One Dish Meat and Potato Meal
1 Pound beef or venison stew meat, cubed
4 medium sized potatoes, scrubbed and cubed
1 1/2 cups homemade cream of mushroom soup
2 Tablespoons homemade onion soup mix
2 cups frozen peas
In a 9×13 inch baking dish, stir together meat, potatoes, soup and onion soup mix. Gently stir in frozen peas. Bake, uncovered, in a 300° oven for 2 -2 1/2 hours or until potatoes are tender. If you think of it, give this dish a stir half-way through baking time. Warning: Contents in casserole dish will produce an enticing aroma during 2+ hours of baking. Make plans to distract yourself during this time so that you aren’t tempted to burn your tongue on a raw potato before product has finished baking.
Serve this with a salad, or serve it all by itself since there’s a veggie included. This recipe serves 4-6 people, unless you’re feeding a 14 year old boy with uncontrollably growing feet. ;)
Healthy Crock Pot Recipe: Italian Cream Cheese Chicken
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If you didn’t know it already, after reading this recipe it will be very clear to you that I am not afraid to cook with, serve my family, or eat high fat foods. Welcome to a recipe that includes butter, cream and cream cheese. Oh yes, that’s why it tastes so good.
If you are afraid of fats, I’d love to assure you of how healthy it is to eat these whole, natural foods. There’s a big difference in the fat you consume at McGreasies and fat which is whole and natural. Our bodies, skin and hair need healthy fats in order to thrive. Here is a post I wrote a while ago regarding butter and cream – and if you’d like to read through my entire series of Getting Real with Food posts, you can do that here.
Ah, and I have to laugh at myself because while this recipe calls for butter, cream and cream cheese – it also calls for boneless, skinless chicken breasts, which always makes me think of low-fat cooking. I’m not afraid of the fat in the skin of a chicken, nor am I afraid of cooking a chicken with bones – but I don’t really prefer pieces of bone or skin in my pasta dishes. Therefore, I find that boneless, skinless chicken works best in this recipe. ;)
Italian Cream Cheese Chicken
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 Tablespoons dry Italian Dressing Mix
1/2 cup butter
1 1/2 cups cream
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
Place chicken, dressing mix and butter in a crock pot. I used my homemade Italian Dressing Mix to make this dish. Cook for 6 hours on low or 4 hours on high.
Shred chicken with a knife and fork. Add cream and cream cheese to the chicken and stir. Cook for 1/2 hour longer on low.
Serve with whole grain noodles or brown rice.
What are the fats you include in your healthy diet?
Creamy Chicken and Rice Casserole (with no cream soups!)
Posted by: | CommentsI am a canned Cream of Fill in the Blank Soup rebel. I have avoided canned cream soups since we began Our Healthy Eating Journey. Why? Because their ingredient lists scare me. (As in, I literally scream out loud, from deep in the back of my throat, when I pick up a can and read it at the store. Not really. But I wonder what my boys would do if I did? Maybe I’ll do that sometime. Not really.)
The ingredients in a can of Campbell’s Cream of Celery Soup, according to the Campbell’s Food Service Website are (and do try not to scream when you read this):
Water, Celery, Vegetable Oil (Corn, Cottonseed, Canola, and/or Soybean), Wheat Flour, Modified Food Starch, Contains less than 2% of: Salt, Soy Protein Concentrate, Monosodium Glutamate, Cream Powder (Cream [Milk], Soy Lecithin), Yeast Extract, Flavoring, Beta Carotene for Color.
Well, at least the first two ingredients are water and celery. ;)
There are all kinds of recipes which share how to make homemade cream soups. I’ve tried some of them, and I’m thankful that the recipes are available. For some reason though, I just haven’t had a loving enough relationship with cream soup to try to keep the homemade varieties on hand.
The question is then, how do you make a casserole without a cream soup? Ah, very simple: I use cream.
Cream of what? No, just cream. Cream. The stuff that rises to the top of your raw milk. Or the thick, white liquid you can buy in the dairy department of the store, usually labeled Heavy Whipping Cream. If you use cream, along with a few spices that enhance your casserole, your dish will be tasty, easy and surprise, surprise: creamy.
Here is how I now make my Creamy Chicken and Rice Casserole with real, whole food ingredients:
Creamy Chicken and Rice Casserole
4 cups chicken broth (I avoid canned broth or bouillon because they are also loaded with MSG. Here’s my easy homemade chicken broth recipe, which includes frighteningly ugly pictures of a chicken carcass. Again, try not to scream.)
4 carrots, peeled and sliced
1 medium onion, diced
2 cups brown rice
2-3 cups cooked chicken, cut into bite sized pieces
1/2 teaspoon (or more) garlic powder
Sea salt, to taste
1 1/2 cups cream (heavy whipping cream, or fresh cream which has risen to the top of whole, raw milk)
In a large pot, bring chicken broth, carrots and onion to a boil at high heat. Add rice, stir, and place the lid on the pot. Reduce heat to low and cook the rice and vegetables in the broth for 45 minutes. (To avoid sticky rice, don’t stir the rice while it’s trying to cook – just walk away and ignore it for the entire 45 minutes. You can do it.)
When the rice is done, stir in cooked chicken, garlic powder and cream. Shake in liberal amounts of sea salt for best flavor. (I use Redmonds Real Sea Salt, which is unbleached and full of natural minerals.) Cook ingredients for about five more minutes to heat the chicken and cream. Serve directly from pot, or pour into a 9×13 inch baking dish. This meal can be prepared ahead of time, refrigerated and reheated in the oven at serving time. Cover and heat in a 350° oven for 20-30 minutes or until hot through and through. Serves eight.
(You can also freeze this meal. To reheat, simply put the frozen, covered casserole into the oven, turn the oven onto 350° and cook for about 1 1/2 hours or until it is heated thoroughly.)
Cooking your rice in the chicken broth gives this dish a wonderful, naturally delicious flavor. And in case I didn’t mention it before, the cream makes this dish…creamy.
Where have you landed on the Cream of Fill in the Blank issue? Have you given them up yet? Have you ever screamed out loud when reading the ingredient list on a can of soup at the store? Do you make your own cream soups? Or do you use another substitution? (Sour cream works well too, in some recipes!)
Healthy Crock Pot Recipes: Turkey Sausage and Red Bean Stew
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How nice is it that I put this stew into my crock pot before a soccer game, then came home to dinner all ready and waiting for us to eat? In fact, my crock pot was so nice that as we walked in the door, it scooped the prepared stew into six serving bowls, poured milk for us to drink, set the table and sang us a song while we gathered around. Okay, not really. But still, having a hot meal ready and waiting made me feel like someone else had done all the work.
This stew is especially easy to make if you already have turkey sausage and red beans cooked up ahead of time. I typically make six pounds of the sausage at a time, then freeze it in one pound packages, making it easy to throw into a meal like this one.
Turkey Sausage and Red Bean Stew
1 pound turkey sausage (browned)
2 cups cooked red beans or 1 can (15 ounces) small red beans
1/2 cup brown rice (uncooked)
1 cup water
1 1/2 cups corn (frozen or canned)
2 cups tomato juice
1/2 cup chopped sweet green pepper (more if you like)
salt and pepper, to taste
Combine all ingredients in a slow cooker. Cook on low setting for 6 hours. This stew is great served with hot cornbread and a glass of milk. It is also gluten free – a bonus for those of you with GF needs! Makes 6-8 servings.
With my crock pot cooking our dinner for us, now all I need is an appliance that will clean my kitchen for me. Oh wait – that’s what the kids are for. We make kitchen clean-up a family project – here’s a post explaining more, along with a free downloadable kitchen chore chart.
Is it stew weather where you live? (If it’s still warm and sunny at your house, break it to me gently.) ;)
Homemade Beef Bologna
Posted by: | CommentsI did it. I made bologna. Mine didn’t turn out nearly as pretty as Tammy’s. Maybe that’s because I adapted the recipe? Or maybe it’s simply because Tammy has a magic touch I don’t seem to have. (Tammy is super talented!) Regardless, we have a healthy, easy-to-make lunch meat that I will feel no guilt about feeding to my family.
A couple of notes about this recipe:
In order to avoid artificial flavorings, you’ll want to use a liquid smoke which does not have any additional ingredients beyond “liquid smoke”. Some liquid smoke varieties have caramel coloring and I don’t know what else. I have found that Lazy Kettle Brand contains only liquid smoke. I’m sure there are other “all natural” brands of liquid smoke – this is the one I found first.
In addition, Tammy’s recipe includes Morton’s Tender Quick Salt, which is a great salt for preserving. However, I hesitate to use this salt now that I’ve learned that it contains nitrates. Therefore, I tried simply using my trusty Redmond’s Real Sea Salt. I figure, I’m keeping the bologna in the fridge or freezer anyway so I don’t need to worry about “preserving” the meat, right?
Overall, I’m pleased with how the bologna turned out. Well, aside from the fact that mine didn’t turn out pretty like Tammy’s. Tammy, how do you do it? :)
Homemade Beef Bologna (adapted from Tammy’s Recipes)
3 pounds ground beef (I used grass-fed beef)
2 Tablespoons sea salt
1 cup water
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1 1/2 teaspoons “all natural” liquid smoke
Mix all ingredients together, sticking your hands into the bowl to squish it all together in order to mix the ingredients well. Mmmhmm, that’s the fun part.
Divide the mixture into two parts and shape two “logs” of meat. I don’t like having plastic touch my raw meat if at all possible, so I placed parchment paper on top of plastic wrap to help form the log and to wrap it for the fridge. (Yes, this may seem obsessive, but I’m weird - what can I say?)
Wrap the bologna logs well and place them into the refrigerator for 24 hours.
Unwrap the meat and place both logs into a buttered baking dish. I used a 9×13 inch Pyrex dish. Bake in a 300° oven for 30 minutes, then in a 200° for another 2 1/2 hours.
Cool and store in the freezer or fridge.
A big thanks again for Tammy’s Recipes for inspiring this recipe! Now, on to her Spicy Beef Pepperoni!
I’m super thrilled with this recipe because I totally love bologna. I know that’s a silly thing to love, but love it I do. Kinda like how I love beef hot dogs.
Do you like hot dogs and bologna, or do you think I’m a little bit nuts for thinking they taste good? Hey, at least now I can eat bologna again without feeling like my stomach is turning inside out!
Easy Chicken Burritos (Perfect for the Freezer!)
Posted by: | CommentsAs I sat down to write this post, I could think of nothing exciting to say about these Easy Chicken Burritos. Therefore, I have decided to see if I can win “The Most Boring Blog Post Ever Award”. Most of this post has nothing to do with burritos, but really, there’s only so much a person can say about burritos. See look – there they sit:
Here is my very boring post:
Today I cleaned my ceiling fans and dust bunnies fell down onto the math books below. It was gross. When I got the mail this morning, most of it was junk mail so I put it directly into the recycling. We can’t find Malachi’s left tennis shoe. Today I’m wearing a brown shirt. I have a lot of brown shirts. I like brown.
I gouged my thumb on a kitchen cabinet yesterday. It hurts. Today I bonked it again. That hurt worse. The weather today is nice. Tomorrow it might get cooler. I need to pick green beans. And tomatoes.
I picked up our Azure Standard order today. We got a box of strawberries. They are good. Somehow we got strawberry juice on our kitchen floor tonight. I wiped it up.
I did four loads of laundry yesterday. They aren’t folded yet. Asa’s jeans are all too short. So are Elias’. So are Justus’. Kids grow fast.
We have crickets in our house. They are loud.
Here is a burrito recipe. These taste good. They are pretty much exactly like the Bean and Cheese Burritos and Beef and Cheese Burritos I’ve already written about, except that instead of using beans or beef, you use chicken.
(Told ya it was boring. Although that part about the weather was really pretty exciting. Except for not really.)
Easy Chicken Burritos
10 whole wheat tortillas (one batch homemade)
2 cups cooked chicken
1 cup shredded cheese (I use white cheddar)
1 cup salsa
Sea salt and/or chili powder to taste
Chop cooked chicken into tiny pieces or run it through a food processor. Stir together shredded chicken, cheese, salsa and spices. Spoon mixture into a warm, soft tortilla. Wrap and serve.
We like freezing these burritos, then rewarming them for quick lunches. To rewarm: Place desired number of burritos on a baking stone or cookie sheet. Heat in a 350° oven for about 15 minutes or until slightly brown, crispy and hot.
What’s the most boring thing you can think of to tell me right now? Or maybe the most exciting? (If your laundry is folded and put away, I don’t want to hear about it. Over-achievers.)
Healthy Homemade Pigs in a Blanket
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Have I ever told you about the trophy I won back when I was in high school? I’m not very athletic, so I hope you aren’t imagining some sport trophy. If so, you’re going to be rather disappointed, although amused, I’m sure.
My trophy proudly displayed a golden pig. Don’t laugh. It had a wooden base and stood about 15 inches tall and there at the top was a golden hog that was probably around 3 inches long. Oh how I wish I still had it so that I could take a picture to show you. Wait – what did I just say? Do I really wish I still had my pig trophy? Why? So that I could use it to decorate my living room? (Precious Moments figurines, family pictures, pig trophy…) Yes, I think I’m glad my golden swine got misplaced.
In case winning pig trophies aren’t common where you’re from, let me explain my prize. I was a farm girl and we were involved in 4-H. Each year, we raised pigs to take to the fair. One year, my pig won Reserve Grand Champion. It was a proud moment – and also a little embarrassing because well, what teenage girl do you know that can truly appreciate being awarded with a trophy of a pig? The only one at the fair more excited/embarrassed than me was my brother. His pig took the Grand Champion prize, so his pig trophy was even bigger than mine. Yep, those were some pigs.
Kind of makes you want to read Charlotte’s Web again, doesn’t it?
I say all of that to say: “I had a pig trophy and you didn’t, neener-neener-neeeeeener.”
Just kidding. (Even though it’s probably true – neener-neener.)
But really, I just wanted to share a new idea I’ve come up with for making a healthy variety of Pigs in a Blanket. I don’t want to get all “farm animal technical” here on you, but even though these are called “Pigs in a Blanket”, there’s actually no pork in these. I prefer my hot dogs to be all beef, no nitrate, no nitrite, no nootrote (I made that one up) and otherwise as healthy as a processed meat can possibly be. But to call these “Cows in a Blanket” – well, that just does nothing for me. It doesn’t sound nearly as cute. And really, these treats do look like little pigs wrapped up taking a nap. As we all know, pigs are always willing to be swaddled. I know my 4-H pigs always went directly where I told them to go. (bah)
Healthier “Pigs in a Blanket”
3 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 cup melted butter
1 cup plain yogurt
16 beef hotdogs, cut in half (I buy Applegate Farm Beef Hotdogs from Azure Standard)
32 small pieces of cheddar cheese (optional)
That dough recipe may sound a bit familiar. It’s my go-to recipe for Homemade Pizza Pockets, Homemade Poptarts and a variety of other goodies that require a flaky, buttery crust.
Mix flour, salt, butter and yogurt together. Knead ingredients together on a floured countertop until the dough is ready to be rolled out. Use a floured rolling pen to roll the dough to a 1/8 inch thickness. Use a knife to cut the dough into 32 rectangles.
Place one piece of cheese (if desired) and one hotdog half on each rectangle.
Roll it up and place it on a well buttered baking dish. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes or until the crust is lightly browned.
My kids especially like the Pigs in a Blanket made with cheese. These warm up great as leftovers and can be frozen. (I’d bake them first before freezing, then pull them out and rewarm them in the oven for a few minutes.)
I’m posting this recipe as a part of our Funky Fresh Kitchen series to remind us all that you can make all kinds of great dishes that are kid friendly and fun AND healthy!
Tell me all about your trophies, pigs, brothers, athleticism (or lack thereof), carrot sticks, or anything else remotely relating to this post. Your comment is your entry for a chance to win one of five $10 gift certificates to the Heavenly Homemakers Shop.
