5 Ingredient Fix ... Sausage & Spinach Soup

Prior to Thanksgiving, I had bought bulk Italian sausage for some recipes I had to make for various things.  On my way home today, I was trying to figure out what I could do with the remaining 5 links to make a quick and easy meal.  Well, it just so happens that I made the best soup ever.  No really – it is my new favorite!  It took 15 minutes and only 5 ingredients!  Here is what you need (I happened to have all of these things which is how I came up with this simple delicious soup):

• Italian Sausage (any variety – sweet, mild, hot, turkey … )
• 1 can stewed tomatoes (with celery, onions, and green pepper included)
• 1 can white beans rinsed (such as Cannellini)
• 1 small container of beef stock (use stock opposed to regular broth, its more flavorful)
• 1 frozen bag of creamed spinach

That is all you need for this delicious 5 ingredient fix!  Take the sausage out of the casing and brown in a pot.  Make sure the sausage is broken up into crumbles and remove the extra grease.  Once browned, add the can of tomatoes with the liquid.  Break the stewed tomatoes up into smaller pieces.  Add the rinsed beans to the pot.  Stir these ingredients together and let sit for like 3 minutes.  Add the container of beef stock and bring to a simmer.  In the meantime, microwave the bag of creamed spinach following the directions.  Once cooked, add into the pot and stir.  The “creamed” part with mix into the broth and the spinach adds great flavor and color to the dish.  I am telling you … this is sooo good!  I did add just a dash of salt and garlic powder but I do not count those as ingredients! Such a comforting and delicious soup and my handsome husband loved it too!

If you make it, let me know how you liked it please !!

Thanksgiving

Well it is already time for Thanksgiving!  Every year we eat dinner at my husband’s Aunt’s house where they make a beautiful spread with all of the classic thanksgiving dinner dishes.  I always make pumpkin cheesecake to bring for dessert and an appetizer or side dish.  This year, I am making sausage and spinach stuffed mushrooms (requested by the family) and goat and cranberry phyllo cups.  I will get to those recipes in a few minutes.

I have noticed lately, mostly today and yesterday, how stressed people were about tomorrow.  I have heard people upset about having to go to the grocery store with all of the crazy shoppers, having to make food, and having to travel.  It makes me wonder what people are thinking about when it comes to thanksgiving.  I can honestly say that even if we didn’t have a traditional meal, ate peanut butter and jelly, and just hung out with my husband’s family … I would be perfectly content with that.  I do have to agree that going grocery shopping this time of year is nutso.  My foot got ran over with a shopping cart yesterday … the person had to have known … but kept on strolling.  I of course responded with “Happy Thanksgiving” … since my kill em with kindness sarcasm tends to keep me going throughout the day!  Anyways, I guess what I am trying to say is instead of focusing on what stresses us out this thanksgiving, let’s really focus on what we are thankful for.

First and foremost, I am thankful for my husband.  I tell him this often, and I am not sure if he will enjoy this public recognition, but it is how I feel.  He is one of the hardest working people I know and has provided me with a life that I am incredibly thankful for.  He is what keeps me going every day and I am lucky to have him as my best friend and husband.

I am incredibly thankful for my parents.  They had my sister and me at a young age and did one hell of a job at raising us and giving us everything we needed to succeed in life.  I still look to them for guidance when I am having a tough day and am blessed to be able to do so.

That leads me to my sister.  I am so thankful that my sister is also my friend … she is one person who can make me laugh all of the time.  I am so happy to also have my great brother-in-law Patrick (aka Dr. Pooh) and a little baby niece on the way. 

I am thankful for my grandparents.  I know that at my age I am incredibly lucky to still be able to create memories with my “Gug” and “Guggabull” and my Gram.  I am also thankful for the memories that I have from my Pap.

 

For my other family … I always talk about just how close my extended family is.  I am very close with my aunts, uncles, and cousins, and I know that is not always the case.  I love my family more than anything and am incredibly thankful for each and every one of them.  On a side note – I am also thankful for all of the memories I have with my Aunt Michelle. 

My second family, or my in-laws, has also made me feel so welcome into their family since the day I met them.  Words can’t express how thankful I am to have them in my life, especially when some live very close to us.  It is a nice feeling to have in-laws that I care about so deeply! This is especially true for Alex’s grandmother “MomMom” … I love her to the moon and back!

And to my family that I was able to choose … my friends.  I have AMAZING friends and am so thankful for each and every one of them.  My friends back in Pittsburgh keep me grounded and I know that they are always just a phone call away.  It isn’t every day that you see a group of girlfriends from middle school continue to be friends into adult hood.  This is especially true for my first best friend Katie, who remains my best friend to this day!  I am also very lucky to have my friends out here.  Being away from home is hard, but when you are surrounded by friends you love, it makes it easier!

I am also thankful for many other things … like my job, our house, our cars, and most importantly, our son Monkey. 

OK – on to the food.

Mushrooms are super easy.  Clean the mushrooms and take the stems off and bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes.  While those are cooking, brown up some sweet Italian turkey sausage.  In a food processor, chop up 1 small onion, 2 stalks of celery, garlic, and parsley.  Add the mixture into the sausage once it has browned.  Add 1 box of spinach that has been thawed and drained.  Add 1 cup of cubed pieces of bread or stuffing mix and season the mixture to taste. Add ½ cup of grated parmesan cheese.  Allow the mixture to cool and add 1 egg.  Drain the mushrooms caps and stuff each one generously.  Bake for 15 minutes and you have a delicious little appetizer. 

The tarts are very easy as well.  Buy frozen phyllo dough cups, goat cheese, parsley, and cranberry (compote or canned).  Mix the goat cheese and parsley and fill the cups.  Add a dab of the cranberry on each one and bake at 350 for approx 10 minutes. 

Lastly, the cheesecake! Use 3 blocks of cream cheese and mix with ¾ cups of sugar.  Add a tbs of vanilla and continue to beat.  Add 3 eggs (one at a time)  and continue to beat until smooth.  Add 1 cup of canned pumpkin and a few dashes of cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice.  Continue to beat the mixture.  Once everything is blended well, pour into a graham cracker crust (I buy pre-made).  The filling makes enough for 2 cheesecakes!  Bake for 45 minutes at 350 degrees and you have 2 great desserts to take with you to your thanksgiving meal!!

Big shout out to one of my best friends, Jess!  Her baby is due this week and I wish her and Chris well wishes as they start this new chapter in their life! Love you BOTH so much!

Lastly, I am thankful to all of you … those of you who read my blog.  I know not everyone follows and not everyone comments, but I know people are looking and it makes me very happy!  In fact – I have views from every continent now!!  This is something I love to do and it is very reassuring that people are interested.  I wish EVERYONE a very HAPPY THANKSgiving!!

Love,

Kate

Shrimp & Sausage Stew

I made a dinner this week that was extremely flavorful and incredibly easy to make!  I came home after a day of working 12+ hours and cooked a quick stovetop stew for dinner that evening.  I was happy that it was so quick to make because I was exhausted from work and wanted to have as much time as possible to spend with Alex this particular evening, and not in the kitchen.  I am also happy that it was so good, because this is now my husband’s FAVORITE meal I have made. 

I made a shrimp and sausage stew that was packed full of fresh ingredients and flavor.  In a large pot, heat some olive oil over medium-high heat.  Once the oil is hot, add 1 chopped green bell pepper (you can use any color, green just happened to be on sale) and sauté for approximately 4 minutes. Then add one package of smoked turkey sausage and sauté for a few more minutes.  Add minced garlic to the peppers and sausage (I probably used greater than a heaping tablespoon because we love garlic) and let cook with the peppers for about 1 minute.  Add chicken broth to the pot (I used one large container of low sodium chicken stock) and 1 can of Rotel tomatoes with green chilies (do not drain, add the entire contents into the pot).  Allow the liquid to warm up to a gentle boil, and add 1 can of kidney beans and fresh peeled shrimp (I probably threw in about 20 pieces for the whole pot).  Allow the shrimp to cook through and become pink, approximately 6-8 minutes.  Serve the soup and sprinkle with fresh parsley for an extra burst of fresh flavor!  The stew is SO good, has a bit of a spicy flavor from the chilies and tomatoes, a smoky flavor from the sausage, and a salty freshness from the shrimp. 

I had to work 3-11 that following evening, and there was 1 bowl of the stew left in the refrigerator (After I had 1 bowl and my husband had about 3).  Apparently, he was very excited to eat it when he got home from work and stopped to get oyster crackers on the way home.  He came home, warmed up the soup, and was about to eat it when he texted me:

I was busy at work but answered … and apparently my answer made him put the soup back and eat something else!  I was so happy when I got home and had the bowl … haha!  I of course wouldn’t have been upset if he ate it, but I was really looking forward to it also!  I guess this just means that I have to make a double batch and more often! Maybe I will even go out and make my handsome husband this stew tonight since he was so sweet this week …

Halloweenie

Last night we attended a Halloween party at Karen and Luke’s house!  I was dressed as Wendy and my handsome husband was dressed as Waldo.  I wanted to bring some food and drinks to the party… since that is what parties revolve around.  I made an appetizer and dessert as well as two different premade shots. 

The appetizer I made was spinach balls!  Listen – these are SO easy.  They consist of 1 box of stuffing mix (I used stove-top chicken flavored – but you can use any kind), 2 boxes of frozen spinach (drained well), 4 eggs, ½ cup of parmesan cheese, 1 small onion diced, and garlic power.  Combine all the ingredients together and bake in a 350 degree oven for 20 minutes.  Surprisingly – these were the first thing to go!

The dessert I made was Oreo Truffles.  It was the first time I made them and they turned out pretty delicious.  I crushed 1 container of Oreos and mixed them with 1 block of cream cheese.  I then formed those into little balls and dipped them in melted semi-sweet chocolate.  The chocolates were set on wax paper to harden and become little balls of heaven.  Seriously, these are really really good. 

I wanted to make premade shots to bring because it is certainly better than taking straight shots at a party … maybe I am old, but the thought of taking a straight shot of anything anymore makes me want to vomit.  These were very strong and got the job done, but tasted amaze-balls.  One was a Pumpkin Cider shot, which were my favorite as well as a man named Jim (he took 3 back to back- pretty impressive stuff).  Pinnacle has limited edition pumpkin pie flavored vodka which was mixed with apple cider.  You have to use the real apple cider because it gives the shots amazing flavor.  Add a couple of dashes of pumpkin pie spice and you literally have the best shot ever… just ask Christian Grey (aka my new favorite Ryan).  The other shot was a Red Headed Slut mixture … since many people like jager.  I happen to hate jager … but this party wasn’t about me.  It is equal parts of jager, peach schnapps, vodka, and cranberry juice!  Now … I know anyone can bring things to make shots, but pre-making them and bringing them in cute bottles makes the difference and gets the party started. 

I have some fun recipes I am making this week and can’t wait to share! 

Love,

Wendy

Honey & Soy Salmon with Edamame

Last night, I made a salmon dish that was packed full of fresh flavors like ginger, cilantro, and lime!  I didn’t get home until nearly 9 pm to make dinner and I knew I was going to have to make Alex’s for lunch the next day since I knew he would already be ready for bed.  That being said, I wanted to make something that would still be good to bring to work the next day (and to make all of his work friends jealous) … kidding, kind of.  Well this salmon was perfect for that and the hubs loved it when he ate it for lunch today (just as much as I loved it last night). So here is what I did …

Heat a pan on medium to high heat on the stove top and spray it with a generous amount of cooking spray.  While the pan is heating, chop cilantro (or use cilantro in a tube) and scallions (not available in a tube) and mix with olive oil and ginger.  It was a pretty decent amount of cilantro, I would say 2 – 3 tbs if you were going to chop it yourself, 2 stalks of scallions, a tbs of ginger (I used the pre-grated in a jar kind), and about 2 tbs of olive oil.  Season this blend with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. 

 

Cilantro in a tube ... they have all sorts of herbs! You should try!

 Take the salmon and cut 2 slits in each piece, allowing room to stuff the oil & herb mixture in each slit.  Mine were probably over stuffed, but it just added more flavor.  Season the fix with some extra salt, pepper, and garlic powder and begin to sear (stuffed side down first).  While the salmon is cooking, add the juice of half of a lime, equal amounts of soy, and equal amounts of honey and blend together.  Add some sesame seeds (I used toasted) and set aside. 

In the mean time, cook up some edamame … we buy the bulk frozen kind from costco so it is always ready to go!  It steams in the microwave for like 2 minutes and is perfectly cooked.  I season the edamame with garlic powder, coarse sea salt and crushed red peppers and serve with a side of soy.  If you like heat, add some extra crushed red peppers to the soy for an extra kick! (you can also reserve extra sauce from the salmon to dip in the edamame – just make sure it did not touch the raw salmon). 

Once the salmon has cooked for about 5 minutes, flip over and allow the other side to sear.  Now that the top portion is cooked, brush the honey soy sauce on the salmon.  Give the other side about 3 or 4 minutes and make sure the salmon is cooked through.  If not – obviously leave on the heat a little longer.  Serve the salmon with the edamame and you have a delicious meal for dinner … or lunch the next day!

Tilapia with Chive & Mustard Sauce

These past few weeks have been crazy with work and school, but I am still finding time to make delicious dinners for my husband and me, even if it is really late at night.  I have to say, there is not much better than finishing a meal and my husband complimenting me on the dish … it is something that I love to do and am proud of!  The other night was an easy yet awesome light dish (since we were eating so late).  I made tilapia with a mustard chive sauce and a side of green beans.  Here is how I did it:

Take the tilapia and pat it dry (we used two pieces – 1 for each of us).  Once the tilapia is dry, season it with salt, pepper, and garlic powder.  Spray a foil lined baking sheet with cooking spray and bake the tilapia on 450 for about 8 minutes. 

While the fish is cooking, steam some fresh green beans and make the sauce for the fish.  Use approximately 1/3 cup of plain greek yogurt or sour cream (I used greek yogurt because we had it in the fridge), 2 tbs of honey, 1 tbs of mustard (deli or Dijon), lemon juice from 1 lemon, chopped chives (I used about 3 tbs chopped), and salt and pepper to season.  Mix the sauce together and set aside.  Once the fish comes out of the over, plate it with the green beans.  Although the sauce is cold, serve it on top of the fish and the heat of the fish will warm the sauce up naturally.  Season the green beans as you like them … I did salt, garlic powder, yogurt blend butter and fresh parsley. 

The entire dish is literally made in 10 minutes and it is sooo good! Although it is not pictured, the sauce is so good that my husband and I also put it on our green beans.  I will certainly use that sauce for dressings!  Not only is this quick and tasty, it is also really inexpensive to make since tilapia is one of the cheaper fishes out there!

Enjoy the rest of your week!  Next recipe up is honey-soy glazed salmon with edamame!

Turkey Pumpkin Chili

One of the best parts about fall is that I know that every Sunday my husband and I can relax on the couch and watch football.  It is really the one day a week that we have just to ourselves and what better way to spend that watching the games and eating good food?  Another good thing about fall is comfort food … and comfort food CAN be healthy.

This week on Sunday, I made a Turkey Pumpkin Chili that was amazing, even though the game was horrible.  Luckily this blog is not about my rants about the NFL but this season is just a big old mess.  Back to the chili … don’t football, chili, and fall just go so perfectly together? Another part of fall that is a huge hit is pumpkin - and a savory pumpkin dish is always a great addition!

So here it is … super easy and yet again, in a crock pot!

Cook the ground turkey until brown in a sauté pan.  Put the drained meat inside the crockpot and get rid of the left over grease in the pan (although ground turkey is healthy – there is still quite a bit of fat). In the sauté pan, spray the pan with olive oil and sauté 1 onion diced (I used 2 onions because I really enjoy sautéed onions as does my husband).  Let the onions sauté for a few moments and add 2 tbs of minced garlic (or more to taste).  Let this sauté for another 30 seconds or so and add a tbs of ground cumin to scent the onion and garlic.  Add the mixture into the crockpot with the ground turkey.  Add one can of white kidney beans (drained and rinsed), 1 can of Libby’s pumpkin puree (make SURE this is not pumpkin pie filling and instead just pumpkin puree), 1 small can of diced green chilies (I used mild – but you can use a spicier version), 2 cups of chicken broth, 1 tbs of chili powder, 1 tbs of Italian seasoning, and 2 bay leaves.  Stir all the ingredients together and allow to sit in the crockpot for at least 4 hours on low.  FYI – my low setting on my crockpot seems to cook things faster than recommended cook times, so you may want to cook yours longer until all the flavors develop.  Add salt and pepper to the chili for taste. 

Before the chili is finished, combine low fat sour cream with a big bunch of cilantro (I actually buy cilantro in a tube – it is amazingly fresh). This just gives the sour cream an extra zing and freshness.  Top the chili with low fat cheddar cheese, cilantro infused sour cream, and garnish with chives. 

This chili was easily the best part of the Sunday, besides spending time with my other half.  You should make this for the upcoming Sunday football games, you will love it!  As always, enjoy your week … I have some really great meals ahead of us.

Yinzer Stew

The other day for the Steelers game, I made a “Yinzer Stew”.  It was healthy, delicious, and super easy to make.  The best part was that it was made in a crock-pot and was doing all the work for me, while I lay on the couch and watched football.

The stew consisted of:

                1 lb bag of white beans  (dry)

                1 onion, diced

                1 tbs garlic, minced

                1 tbs dried rosemary

                1 tbs Italian seasoning

                1 can petite diced tomato, 14.5 oz

                6 cups of chicken broth

                1 package of kielbasa (I used turkey
                        cut up into small half moon sizes)

                1 cup of sauerkraut, without extra liquid

                4 cups fresh spinach

                Parmesan cheese, reduced fat

                Salt and Garlic Powder 

These certainly are not exact measurements as I did not measure anything, but more of a guess for recipe purposes.  Put the beans, onion, spices, can of tomatoes with liquid, and 6 cups of chicken broth in the slow cooker on low for 5 hours.  Add the cut up kielbasa and the sauerkraut to the crock pot and continue to cook for another 2 hours on low.  Then, add the fresh spinach so it wilts in the warm stew, allowing it to sit for about a half hour more.  Add some salt and garlic powder to your liking.  Serve the stew with some parmesan on top and it is ready to eat!

This was the perfect meal for a cool day while watching football!  I assume it will be made more in our house!  I especially liked it as the kielbasa and sauerkraut takes me back to Pittsburgh and family meals! My husband loved it and we both had more than one bowl … hey, at least it’s healthy.  I think that Mike Tomlin would like it too … maybe I’ll invite him over for dinner…

As always, GO STEELERS.  I will be making a turkey pumpkin chili for next week’s game for my handsome newlywed and I … can’t wait already!