Archives for posts with tag: #One Pot Dinner

Tuscan Kale and Vegetable Soup with (or without) Italian Sausage (Vegetarian / Vegan /Gluten-Free/Keto)

January 26, 2021 //
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This Tuscan Kale and Vegetable Soup is a colorful masterpiece of flavor and healthy, farm-fresh ingredients. The vegetable choices and selections for this soup are endless. I used Tuscan kale, summer squash, carrots, green beans, mushrooms, tomatoes and Italian sausage with a dash of flavorful fresh herbs.

This can be a delicious low carb (Keto) meal. Or, if you leave out the Italian sausage it can easily be Vegetarian or if you use a meatless sausage option a scrumptious Vegan dish.

I was even successful in having our kids try and like it!

Tuscan Kale and Vegetable Soup with (or without) Italian Sausage

Ingredients:

3 TBSP olive oil

1 small onion, chopped

4 garlic cloves, minced

12 ounce package Italian Style Sausage Links such as aidells, chopped or sliced into bite-size pieces (this can be omitted for a Vegetarian recipe or you can use a meatless sausage such as Beyond Meat/Beyond Sausage for Vegan)

1 yellow summer squash, chopped

1/2 cup carrots, chopped

1/2 cup mushrooms, chopped

12 green beans, cut in thirds

14.5 ounces Diced Italian Recipe Tomatoes such as S&W (for this recipe I only used half the can or 7 ounces to lower the sugar content)

6 cups vegetable broth (some extra to add if needed)

Fresh thyme and rosemary, chopped making about 2 TBSP

Salt and ground pepper to taste

2 cups Tuscan kale, chopped

Parmesan cheese to sprinkle on the soup

Handful of parsley, chopped to add as garnish

Directions:

  1. In a large soup pot or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil and then add the onion. Cook about 3-4 minutes. Then, add the garlic and cook another minute.
  2. Add the chopped Italian sausage and cook until slightly browned about 4 to 5 minutes (eliminate this step for a Vegetarian or use the meatless substitute for a Vegan twist).
  3. Next, add the chopped vegetables — squash, carrots, mushrooms and green beans — into the pot, stirring and cooking another 6-7 minutes until the vegetables begin to soften.
  4. Add the tomatoes and cook an additional 2 minutes. Then, pour in the vegetable broth and bring to a boil.
  5. Reduce the heat to a low simmer. Add in the fresh seasonings, stirring to combine.
  6. Add the Tuscan kale stirring to combine. Then, cover the pot with the lid for about 10 to 12 minutes. This will allow the kale to wilt on low temperature.
  7. Season with salt and ground pepper to taste. You can add more broth (heated in the microwave) if needed since some of the liquid will evaporate during the cooking process. Some people like less broth; I like more.
  8. Serve in bowls topped with Parmesan cheese and a garnish of parsley.

Note: You can add 1/4 cup of heavy cream to the soup mixture when you add the kale. This will make the base slightly creamy and extra delicious. My step-daughter boiled rigatoni noodles and added it for a creative addition.

Enjoy! XOXO Jill

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Categories #Dinner, #Dinner For Two, #Easy Dinner, #Family Dinner, #Gluten Free, #Main Dish, #One Pot Dinner, #Vegan, Italian, Keto, Soup, Tuscan Kale Vegetable Soup, Vegetables, Vegetarian

Broccoli Cheddar Soup (Vegetarian, Vegan, Gluten Free and Keto)

January 9, 2021 //
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Broccoli Cheddar Soup is one of our kids favorite things from Panera Bread. It is an easy, quick soup that can be made to suit any Vegetarian, Vegan, Gluten-Free or Keto lifestyle. I made a large pot of Broccoli Cheddar Soup today. We will eat some now and freeze some for another cold, winter day. My recipe below includes the Vegetarian ingredients first and Vegan ingredients second.

Broccoli Cheddar Soup (Vegetarian, Vegan, Gluten Free and Keto)

1 TBSP regular, salted butter or Miyoko’s Creamery Cultured Vegan Butter

1/2 onion, chopped fine

2 celery stalks, chopped fine

1 carrot, chopped fine (I like the carrots smaller than matchsticks)

3 garlic cloves, minced

1/4 cup regular, salted butter, melted or Miyoko’s Creamery Cultured Vegan Butter

1/4 cup all-purpose flour or 3 TBSP Bob’s Red Mill Organic Coconut Flour (gluten free)*

2 cups regular whole milk or milk substitute such as Almond Milk, Rice Milk, Coconut Milk (your preference)

2 cups chicken stock or vegetable stock (for Vegetarian)

1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped broccoli florets

2 1/2 cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese such as Kraft or Violife Cheddar Shreds

Salt and ground pepper to taste

Directions:

  1. Add 1 TBSP butter in a heavy pot or Dutch oven on medium heat until it melts. Add the chopped onion, celery and carrots and cook about 6 minutes until the onion is translucent. Add the garlic and sauté for another minute.
  2. Melt 1/4 cup butter in a microwave dish. Let cool. Add flour and stir until incorporated. Then, add this to the vegetables that are sautéing and stir until completely mixed. Cook about 3 to 4 minutes to cook off the flour flavor.
  3. Gradually begin pouring the milk into the flour mixture while whisking continuously. Then, stir in the broth and continue whisking. Bring to a simmer and cook about 20 minutes until the sauce thickens.
  4. Add the cheese into the vegetable mixture until it melts completely. (Other recipes add the cheese after the broccoli but I reverse the order to keep the broccoli from overcooking.)
  5. Add the broccoli to the mixture and combine completely. Continue simmering the soup for 10 minutes with the lid on. If the soup is too thick, you can add some milk to your desired consistency. Add salt and pepper to taste.

*When you cook with Coconut Flour you only need 20% of the flour called for in the recipe. Coconut Flour is very absorbent. It will make any recipe heavy and dense, which means you need to use less then the recipe calls for and/or an equal amount of liquid.

Enjoy! XOXO Jill

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Categories #Bob's Red Mill Coconut Flour, #Dinner, #Dinner For Two, #Easy Dinner, #Family Dinner, #Main Dish, #Miyoko's Creamery, #One Pot Dinner, #Vegan, Broccoli Cheddar Soup, Cheese, Gluten Free, Keto, Soup, Vegetarian, Violife Cheddar Shreds

Chicken Fajitas With Grilled Peppers and Onions

January 5, 2021 //
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The New Year brings many resolutions for self-improvement and that often means losing weight. For our family, we are eliminating carbohydrates, sugar and packaged foods for 30 days (or longer if there isn’t a mutiny). Healthy eating is my goal and this “Taco Tuesday” alternative is a great option. You can swap out the chicken for skirt steak. You can even remove the chicken entirely for a Vegan or Vegetarian take on this simple dish. If you only eat the chicken and peppers like I did, you’ll have a great Keto dinner too.

Chicken Fajitas with Grilled Peppers and Onions

Serves 6

Ingredients for the Chicken:

2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breasts (about 4 medium to large breasts)

3 TBSP canola or extra virgin olive oil

1 large onion, sliced lengthwise into 1/4″ strips

3 to 4 bell peppers (I use green, red and yellow peppers)

Salt and Ground Pepper to taste

Ingredients for the Marinade:

3 TBSP extra virgin olive oil

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp dried oregano

1/2 tsp chili powder

1 small can diced green chilies such as Ortega (you can use Mild, Medium or Hot depending on your preference)

Ingredients To Serve:

Tostada Shells, Flour Tortillas or Corn Tortillas your preference (traditional Fajitas are made with flour tortillas)

Salsa

Sliced Avocado

Sour Cream

Directions:

  1. Mix all the marinade ingredients together in a bowl. Set aside.
  2. Slice the onions and peppers lengthwise into 1/4″ strips. Set aside.
  3. Cut the chicken breasts in half horizontally. Sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper.
  4. In a large Dutch oven or cast iron fry pan, add 2 TBSP olive oil. Sear the chicken on high heat undisturbed for 2 to 3 minutes. Turn and repeat on the other side for another 2 to 3 minutes. You can add extra time if they’re not cooked through. Remove from the pan onto a cutting board and cover with foil.
  5. In the same pan, add 1 TBSP olive oil. Cook the onions and peppers on high heat for 2 minutes undisturbed. Then, scrape the bottom of the pan and stir. Cook another 5 minutes until the onions are translucent. Add the marinade and turn the heat on low for about 7-10 minutes.
  6. Slice the chicken lengthwise in 1/4″ strips across the grain. Add to the pan with the peppers and stir to mix. I use tongs to incorporate. Once combined and the chicken is reheated (about 3 minutes) remove to a platter or bowl.
  7. Serve with warm tortillas and any sides that you choose such as cheese, salsa and guacamole. You can also add Cilantro Rice, Spanish Rice and/or Refried Beans.

Enjoy! XOXO Jill

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Categories #Dinner, #Dinner For Two, #Easy Dinner, #Family Dinner, #Main Dish, #One Pot Dinner, #Vegan, Chicken Fajitas, Chicken Recipes, Keto, Mexican Food, Taco Tuesday Recipe, Vegetarian

Beef Stroganoff

December 30, 2020 //
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For Christmas, we cooked a wonderful New York Prime Rib Roast on our rotisserie. It was not only tender and delicious but we had plenty left-over for sandwiches the next day and an upscale Beef Stroganoff.

Normally, this recipe is made with ground beef but I diced up the New York Prime to create a grown-up version of this comfort food.

Beef Stroganoff

Ingredients

1/4 cup butter, divided

1 to 1 1/2 pounds New York Prime Rib, top sirloin, tenderloin, cut in 1/2″ strips (you can also use ground beef)

1/3 cup shallots or small white onion, finely chopped

1/2 pounds mushrooms, sliced (I prefer baby bella or cremini)

4 garlic cloves, minced or pressed

salt and ground pepper to taste

1/2 cup dry white wine

1 1/2 cups beef stock

1 TBSP Worcestershire sauce

3 TBSP flour

1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt or sour cream at room temperature

1 pound egg noodles or fettuccine

chopped parsley

Directions:

  1. Heat the water for your pasta. Cook pasta until al dente and drain.
  2. While the pasta water is heating, sauté the strips of beef in half of the butter in a large saucepan or Dutch oven on medium heat for 3-4 minutes. Increase to high temperature and brown the meat for another 2 minutes. Transfer to a plate. Salt and pepper the meat.
  3. In the same pan, sauté remaining butter, shallots, mushrooms and garlic over medium heat stirring occasionally until vegetables are tender about 5-6 minutes. Remove to a bowl or the same plate with the meat.
  4. Deglaze the same pan with the wine, scraping the bottom to get up all the beef flavoring. In another bowl, whisk together beef stock, Worcestershire and flour until combined and smooth. Pour the beef stock mixture into the sauté pan to combine and simmer for 5 minutes stirring occasionally. Stir in the Greek yogurt (or sour cream) and mix well.
  5. Return the shallots and beef to the mixture in the pan. Stir to thoroughly combine. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper if needed.
  6. Serve the beef mixture over warm egg noodles or pasta. Sprinkle chopped parsley on top.

Note: The Beef Stroganoff can also be served over rice, polenta or mashed potatoes. You can leave out the mushrooms if you have picky eaters (I often do).

Enjoy! XOXO Jill

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Categories #Dinner, #Dinner For Two, #Easy Dinner, #Family Dinner, #Main Dish, #One Pot Dinner, Beef, Beef Stroganoff, Comfort Food

Spinach Lasagna (Meatless)

December 17, 2020 //
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This is for my sister who is not a carnivore like me and asked for a Vegan lasagna recipe. I love a challenge and this prompted me to search several Vegan and Vegetarian recipes over the past few days. I wanted the perfect meatless lasagna that my family would eat. The recipe also needed to be simple. Although, it is Vegetarian, it’s not too far from my traditional meat sauce lasagna.

Greek yogurt or tofu is substituted for the egg that is traditionally used in the ricotta mixture. Spinach is used in place of the meat, which is an even better source of protein. This is a great lasagna and filling dinner for any Vegan or Vegetarian.

Here you go Heidi Lou!

Spinach Lasagna

Ingredients:

1 box no-bake lasagna noodles or fresh pasta sheets (my preference)

1 large onion, chopped

3 garlic cloves, minced

Salt and fresh ground pepper

1 tsp Italian Seasoning

2 packages frozen spinach, thawed and drained

3 cups ricotta cheese

1/4 cup Greek yogurt or silk tofu

1/2 cup Parmesan

3 cup mozzarella cheese

2 cups crushed tomatoes (such as San Marzano, Muir Glen or Cento) or jar of pasta sauce

fresh chopped parsley

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
  2. In a large skillet over medium heat add oil, onion and garlic. Sauté until the onions are translucent. Add the salt, pepper and Italian seasoning. Stir in the thawed and drained spinach until completely combined. Turn off heat.
  3. In a large bowl, stir together the ricotta, Greek yogurt or tofu (depending on which you use), Parmesan, handful of parsley, salt and pepper. Mix to combine. Set aside.
  4. You’re now ready to begin building the lasagna in a large baking dish or lasagna pan. Add a thin layer of the crushed tomatoes or pasta sauce to the bottom of the pan to cover. Top the sauce with a layer of the no-bake or fresh lasagna pasta overlapping if necessary. Next, add another scoop of the crushed tomatoes or pasta sauce over the noodles. Then, add about 1/4 cup of the spinach mixture and spread evenly. Add 6 dollops of the ricotta mixture over the spinach and spread. Sprinkle with an even layer of mozzarella cheese. Repeat these steps again, ending with the mozzarella and a sprinkle of Parmesan on the top.
  5. Cover with foil and bake 45 minutes, then remove the foil and bake another 15 minutes until the cheese is bubbly and the lasagna slightly browned.
  6. Let cool for 10 minutes before cutting in order for it to set. Garnish with the remaining parsley and serve.

Add a Caesar Salad and Garlic Bread to complete this very meatless dinner.

Enjoy! XOXO Jill

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Categories #Dinner, #Dinner For Two, #Easy Dinner, #Family Dinner, #Main Dish, #One Pot Dinner, #Vegan, Casserole, Italian, Lasagna, Meatless Lasagna, Mozzarella, Pasta, Recipe for a Crowd, Spinach Lasagna, Vegetables, Vegetarian

Red Wine Braised Pot Roast

November 17, 2020 //
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Pot Roast or Beef Stew? This is a fair question and one that I was recently asked since both are the perfect comfort food on a cold fall or winter evening. The similarities end there though since Pot Roast is made with a whole piece of meat and requires longer cook time. Beef Stew is made with smaller chunks of meat and takes less time to cook.

Tonight’s dinner is Pot Roast. The method of braising the meat in stock, wine or water while cooking it slowly for a few hours is really the essence of the one pot dish. My choice for this recipe is Boneless Chuck Roast but you can use Brisket, English Roast, Rump Roast or Bottom Round.

Since I make this from memory, I dug through my collection to find a fool-proof one pot dinner recipe that includes carrots, celery, potatoes and pearl onions (optional).

Red Wine Braised Pot Roast

Ingredients:

3-5 pounds Boneless Chuck Roast

salt and pepper to taste (or your favorite seasonings)

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

4 TBSP Canola or vegetable oil, divided

1 large onion, diced or sliced

1 TBSP garlic

2 celery stalks, cut in chunks

4 carrots, cut in chunks

1 lb potatoes (Yukon, Russet or Red), cut into medium cubes

fresh thyme and rosemary

1 cup red wine

2 TBSP tomato paste

1 TBSP Worcestershire sauce

2 cups beef broth

Directions:

Salt & Pepper both sides of the meat (you can add any of your favorite seasonings as well)

Heat 2 TBSP oil in a Dutch Oven or large stock pot with a lid (that can go in the oven). Add the meat and sear all sides until golden brown. Remove meat to a platter.

Add the additional 2 TBSP oil to the pan and heat. Then, add the onion, garlic, carrots and celery for about 7 minutes until the onions are translucent. Sprinkle the 1/4 cup of flour onto the vegetables and mix completely about 4 minutes. You want to cook off the flour flavor but add starch to help create the gravy mixture that the meat will cook in.

Add the red wine, Worcestershire, broth and mix completely with the vegetables. Once combined, add the tomato paste until dissolved.

Return the meat to the pan with the vegetables including the potatoes. Add leaves from the thyme stems and chopped Rosemary.

Place in a 325 degree pre-heated oven for 3 to 3 1/2 hours. I remove the meat from the pot and let it rest for about 3-5 minutes before slicing. You can cut in thick slices and top with vegetables and gravy on a plate. Or, cut the meat and add back into the pot with the vegetables. Either way, it’ll be delicious!

This can be served with a dinner salad and crusty bread.

Enjoy! XOXO Jill

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Categories #Dinner, #Dinner For Two, #Easy Dinner, #Entertaining, #Family Dinner, #Main Dish, #One Pot Dinner, #Recipe, Beef, Comfort Food, Fall Dinner, Sunday Dinner, Vegetables