Inside-Out Cabbage Rolls

YIELD:6 servings---- Total time about 45min

Ingredients
1 pound lean ground beef
1 large onion, chopped
1 large bell pepper, chopped
1 small head cabbage, chopped
1 can (10 ounces) diced tomatoes and green chilies
1 cup reduced-sodium beef broth
1 can (8 ounces) pizza sauce
1 cup cooked brown or white rice
Salt (I used seasoning salt), Pepper, oregano to taste
Red Pepper Flakes (optional and we put in individual bowls)


Directions
1. In a Dutch oven, cook the beef, onion and green pepper over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain.

2. Stir in the cabbage, tomatoes, broth and pizza sauce.  Season with salt, pepper, and oregano.  Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 20-25 minutes or until cabbage is tender, stirring occasionally.

3. Stir in rice; heat through. Remove from the heat. Enjoy

Banana Chocolate Bars

ingredients

BANANA CHOCOLATE CHIP BARS

• 2 cups flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup butter (softened)
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 cup brown sugar (packed)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 cup mashed ripe bananas (about 3-4 bananas)
• 1 Egg
• 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips or m&m candies
• powdered sugar for garnish

step-by-step directions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 16x12 sheet pan (cookie sheet with sides) with butter.
• Using an electric mixer beat together butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar. Add the egg and continue to beat until fluffy.
• Add vanilla and bananas and continue to blend.
• In a separate mixing bowing combine flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt.
• Mix the dry ingredients into the wet mixture just until incorporate then stir in chocolate. Spread evenly in the prepared sheet pan.
• Bake for 20-25 minutes until edges are golden brown and springs back when pressed gently with your finger. Cool completely, garnish with powdered sugar and slice.

Sausage and Chicken Gumbo

Ingredients

1 tablespoon plus 1/2 cup vegetable oil

1 pound smoked sausage, such as andouille or kielbasa, cut crosswise 1/2-inch thick pieces

4 pounds chicken thighs, skin removed

1 tablespoon Essence or Creole seasoning, recipe follows

1 cup all-purpose flour

2 cups chopped onions

1 cup chopped celery

1 cup chopped bell peppers

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon cayenne

3 bay leaves

9 cups chicken stock or canned low-sodium chicken broth

1/2 cup chopped green onions

2 tablespoons chopped parsley leaves

1 tablespoon file powder

White Rice, recipe follows

Hot sauce

Directions

In a large enameled cast iron Dutch oven or large pot, heat 1 tablespoon of the vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and cook until well browned, about 8 minutes. Remove the sausage with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Set aside.

Season the chicken with the Essence and add in batches to the fat remaining in the pan. Cook over medium-high heat until well browned, 5 to 6 minutes. Remove the chicken from the pan, let cool, and then refrigerate until ready to use.

Combine the remaining 1/2 cup oil and the flour in the same Dutch oven over medium heat. Cook, stirring slowly and constantly for 20 to 25 minutes, to make a dark brown roux, the color of chocolate.

Add the onions, celery, and bell peppers and cook, stirring, until wilted, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the reserved sausage, salt, cayenne, and bay leaves, stir, and cook for 2 minutes. Stirring, slowly add the chicken stock, and cook, stirring, until well combined. Bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, uncovered and stirring occasionally, for 1 hour.

Add the reserved chicken to the pot and simmer for 1 1/2 hours, skimming off any fat that rises to the surface.

Remove the pot from the heat. Using a slotted spoon, remove the chicken thighs from the gumbo and place on a cutting board to cool slightly. Remove and discard the bay leaves. Pull the chicken meat from the bones and shred, discarding the bones and skin. Return the meat to the gumbo and stir in the green onions, parsley, and file powder.

Spoon rice into the bottom of deep bowls or large cups and ladle the gumbo on top. Serve, passing hot sauce on the side.

Emeril's ESSENCE Creole Seasoning (also referred to as Bayou Blast):

2 1/2 tablespoons paprika

2 tablespoons salt

2 tablespoons garlic powder

1 tablespoon black pepper

1 tablespoon onion powder

1 tablespoon cayenne pepper

1 tablespoon dried oregano

1 tablespoon dried thyme

Combine all ingredients thoroughly.

Yield: 2/3 cup

Recipe from "New New Orleans Cooking", by Emeril Lagasse and Jessie Tirsch Published by William and Morrow, 1993.

White Rice:

2 cups long-grain white rice

4 cups water, chicken stock, or canned low-sodium chicken broth

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1 bay leaf

In a 2-quart saucepan, combine the rice, water, butter, salt, and bay leaf and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer until all the liquid is absorbed, about 20 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and let sit, covered and undisturbed, for 5 minutes.

Uncover and fluff the rice with a fork. Discard the bay leaf and serve.

Yield: 7 cups

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Inactive Prep Time: 5 minutes

Recipe courtesy Emeril Lagasse

lentil-sausage-kale soup

½ to ¾ bag of lentils (rinsed and sorted for any stems)
2 large containers of chicken stock
1 small yellow onion chopped
5-6 carrots peeled and chopped
3 cloves of garlic chopped
1 lb bulk Italian sausage tube (not the links)
1 bunch of kale (use leaves, cut them away from stem and rinse/chop)
¼ cup tomato paste
1 can diced or stewed tomatoes (not drained)

Seasonings (garlic salt, Italian seasoning, rosemary, cumin, nutmeg, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, seasoning salt….really whatever you like)
Pour a tbls or two of olive oil into pan and then brown the sausage in a large dutch oven or soup pot. When cooked add the onion, carrots, garlic and seasonings (except nutmeg). Cook 5-8 minutes till starting to soften. 

Add the kale, top with a dash of nutmeg and wilt. Add tomato paste and stir in for about 30 seconds. Add lentils and stock (can add water if you need more broth) and tomatoes. Bring to a boil then lower heat and simmer for at least 40 minutes until lentils are tender. We add red pepper flakes to individual bowls (aka the adult bowls) if desired.

overnight french toast casserole

1 loaf french bread 

5 eggs lightly beaten

2 cups milk or eggnog

2 tbls. sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 teaspoon each of nutmeg and cinnamon

dash of salt

Slice the bread. Mix the rest of the ingredients together. Dip each slice of bread into the mixture.  Put into a well buttered 9x13 backing dish overlapping a bit in two rows  Get as many in the dish as possible.  Pour a little of the egg mixture over the bread, cover with foil and put in fridge over night.

In the AM preheat oven to 350.  Spread with topping and bake for 40 min.  Can serve with syrup but usually doesn’t need it.

Topping:

Combine 

1stick softened butter

1 packed cup brown sugar

1 cup chopped pecans

2 tbls maple syrup (can substitute with light corn syrup if need to)

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg 

Ikea copy-cat Swedish meatballs

Ingredients
Meatballs
1/2 lb ground beef
1/2 lb ground pork
1 egg
1/2 cup cream (half and half) or 1/2 cup milk
1 small sautéed onion, finely chopped and sautéed
1/4 cup breadcrumbs ( or toasted panko, crushed)
2 small cold boiled yukon gold potatoes
2 tablespoons butter
salt
pepper
1 dash allspice (optional)
Cream Sauce
1/2 cup half-and-half
1 cup low sodium beef broth
1/4 teaspoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon white flour
1 tablespoon butter
salt, to taste
white pepper


Directions
For Meatballs:.
Fry the onion till golden in a couple of tablespoons of lightly browned butter.
Mash the potatoes
Mix all the ingredients until meatball consistency.
Flavour with salt, white pepper and (optional) a little finely crushed allspice.
Shape the mixture into relatively large, round balls and transfer to a floured cutting board.
Fry them slowly in plenty of butter.

Cream Sauce:.
Melt butter in pan and add flour, whisk till golden brown and flour is cooked.
Add Beef Stock and Cream until desired thickness.
Season well with salt and pepper.

Serve the meatballs with the sauce, freshly boiled yukon potatoes, and lingonberry jam.

Bacon-wrapped, brown sugar glazed lil' smokies

Prep Time: 15


Cook Time: 35


Makes: about 22 servings (2 Lit’l Smokies each)


Recipe Details

Ingredients
1 pkg. (16 ounces) Hillshire Farm® Lit'l Smokies®
1 pkg. (12 ounces) Jimmy Dean® Thick Sliced Bacon
1 cup packed brown sugar

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400°F.
Cut each bacon slice into 3-4 pieces. Wrap each sausage with piece of bacon; secure with a toothpick. Place on a 15x10x1-inch baking pan. Sprinkle evenly with brown sugar.
Bake for 15-20 minutes or until bacon is browned and brown sugar melts and forms a sauce. (mine usually take about 20 min if not a bit longer)
Tip: For a lower fat version, try it with Hillshire Farm® Turkey Lit'l Smokies® and turkey bacon
Try adding pineapple chunks