Black Bean and Turkey Sausage Stew

A wonderfully delicious and easy low calorie stew that simmers in a crock-pot throughout the day.  It also makes the house smell delightful.  This base for this recipe an old magazine for Crock-Pot recipes. 

Ingredients-

3 cans black beans (rinsed & drained)
1 onion(chopped)
2 stalks celery, sliced thinly
¼ cup frozen corn
2 jalapeno, finely diced
1½ cups chicken broth
3 cloves garlic, minced
1½ tsp dried oregano
1½ tsp cumin (or more to taste)
¼ tsp red pepper
6oz cooked turkey sausage, thinly sliced

Directions-

First, spray the inside of your crock with a non-stick spray.  Next, combine all ingredients except for the sausage in the crock-pot. Give it all a good stir, then cover.  Cook on low for 7 hours. 

Finally, add the sausage and allow to cook for another 25 to 30 minutes.  Serve with toppings of your choice: sour cream, green onions, shredded cheese, or all of the above.

Baked Fish A Simple Dish

       I don’t like fish, it tastes so…fishy!  I’d eat more fish, but it’s so hard to cook.   I like fish, but I have no idea how to cook it.   The only way I know how to cook fish is to fry it.    Anyone else hear these comments from time to time?

     Many, many moons ago, when I was a younger man, these were also comments I made.  The only fish I liked back then was those stick fish found in the frozen food section in a box called Gorton’s or Mrs. Paul’s.  That was then, this is now.  Now, I like fish.  I like fish cooked many different ways – except fried.  I also found that fish is not only easy to cook; it is also a quick fix for a week night meal.

     Tilapia is my inexpensive fish of choice for a quick, healthy weeknight meal.  I usually get mine from my favorite local grocer when it is on sale.  I purchase it by the case. Each filet is individually wrapped, which makes defrosting fast in a sink full of water.  Three filets in a sink of cold water will thaw out in about 12-15 minutes.

Here’s how simple it is.

Ingredients –

3 - Tilapia filets; thawed, rinsed and patted dry   
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
Tony’s Creole Seasoning
Non-stick cooking spray

What to do-

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Coat a baking dish with non-stick spray.

Drizzle a little olive oil in the dish, then add the filets.

 

Drizzle just a bit of oil on the fish and rub in to cover the fish.

Add salt and pepper to taste, then sprinkle the Creole Seasoning to taste.  (This creole seasoning is not hot.  It may cause a slight tingling on the lips, but so will black pepper.  The creole seasoning is a perfect match for this light fish)

Place in the preheated oven for 15 minutes.

When the timer goes off, turn the oven to BROIL and crack the oven door open.  Allow the fish to broil for about a minute or two, but keep a close eye on it.

 

Remove, serve and ENJOY!!

Brussels Sprouts and Sausage

I made this meal the other night for my bride and I.  There were enough leftovers for two more meals and we put them in separate containers.  The next day I took one out of the fridge to pack as my lunch at school.  After heating it up and getting half way through… I called my sweet bride to ask what she was doing for lunch.  With much disappointment and heartbreak I listened as she told me she was at home heating the other batch of leftovers in the toaster oven.   It wasn’t that I begrudged my sweet life partner the leftovers; it was just so sad that they were gone!   It left me no other option – I made more tonight!  This is in the top five of my all-star list of my home cooked meals.

Ingredients -

1-3 Tbsp.  Extra Virgin Olive Oil 4-6 small red potatoes
1 lb. fresh Brussels sprouts, trimmed and quartered
1 sweet onion, sliced
8 – 10 mushrooms, sliced
2 Tbsp. Balsamic vinegar
Kosher salt and pepper to taste
2 – 3 Sam’s brand Italian Chicken Sausage, sliced

Grated Parmesan cheese to taste

What to do –

Add the potatoes to a pot and cover with water.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat to simmer and cook for 20 minutes.  Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

 

While the potatoes cook, trim and quarter the Brussels sprouts.  Place in a bowl and add olive oil, balsamic vinegar, kosher salt, pepper, and toss to stir.  Allow to marinate while finishing potatoes.

Coat a baking pan with non-stick spray.  Remove potatoes from pot and place on baking pan.  Using a potato masher mash those into cookie like shape.

Drizzle potatoes with olive oil, salt, pepper, and parmesan cheese.  Cook for 20 minutes at 450.

 

While the potatoes cook place Brussels sprouts on another baking sheet coated in cooking spray. Turn as many as possible cut-side down.  

 

When the potatoes are done, put the sprouts in the oven and reduce the temp to 425 for 20 minutes.

 

In a large skillet over medium heat, heat a little oil, and then add onions, mushrooms, and sausage.  Continue to cook and stir.  Add salt and pepper to taste.

When the Brussels come out of the oven toss them into the skillet and stir to combine.

 

Serve with a potato masher and sausage mixture.  I like a little bit of mustard to mix with it.

Enjoy!  I know I will!

Magic Green Beans

Natalie, my seven year old daughter, would never eat green beans.  As a matter of fact she used to be a very picky eater up until the age of four, but that has changed.  Aannyway... I used to tell her that my green beans were "Magic".  A five year old that loves Disney Princesses understands that "Magic" food has life altering abilities so she tried them.  They really must be magic as she to this day continues to devour her fair share.  Here's the "magic"....

Two cans of cut green beans

Drain and rinse the beans and add to the pot.

Add tap water to cover the beans.

Add one cube of bouillon per two cans of beans.

Crush the cube and spread over the top of the pot.

Add a 1/4 cup of sliced or diced onion.

A shot of Worcestershire sauce.

Salt and Pepper to taste (a lot of pepper)

One Bay leaf per two cans of beans.



Give it all a stir and bring to a boil.

Once boiling reduce to simmer and cover.

Allow to cook as long as you want - at least 30 minutes or up to 6 hours.

It's MAGICAL how they disappear!