Rustic Ratatouille

Begin by preheating your oven to 350’F.

Make the tomato sauce. In a cast iron skillet saute a large yellow onion and garlic, add that to a bowl with a large can of crushed tomatoes, basil, oregano, salt, and pepper. Immersion blend until mostly smooth. Some chunkiness is okay!

Spread the tomato sauce in a 1/2 thick layer on the bottom of a deep pan.

Thinly slice eggplant, tomatoes, yellow squash, and green zucchini. Layer on top of each other in neat rows.

Bake for 30 minutes covered. Uncover and bake for another 15 minutes.

Enjoy!

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Easy Homemade Hotpockets

• Good Pepperoni (Really any toppings you prefer)
• Mozzarella
• Parmesan
• Tomato Sauce
• Italian Seasonings
• Salt
• Pepper
• 1 Egg
• Freezer Pie Dough

• Preheat Oven to 350’F
• Mix in oregano, parsley, salt, pepper, and basil with the egg – set aside.
• Roll out the freezer pie dough, cut into 6×6″ squares
• Place egg mixture on the outside of the squares, the seam
• On one half of the square place a small amount of tomato sauce, cheese, and your preferred toppings.
• Fold over the side that does not have toppings, seal with a fork.
• Brush egg on the outside of the pastry.
• Bake for 10-15 minutes, or until insides are bubbling out and the crust is a golden brown.

Enjoy!

Black Bean Veggie Burgers

We go through a lot of veggie burgers in my household, and the cost of all of those burgers is starting to add up. Not only the cost, but also the attempt to find a veggie burger that is soy free, wheat free, and unnecessary filler free is quite a task. So I came up with my own recipe.

Ingredients…

• 2 Cans of Black Beans, drained
• 1 Can of Corn, drained
• 1 C of Oats
• 2 Medium Yellow Onions
• 2 Eggs
• Olive Oil
• Minced Garlic to taste – I used 2 TBS
• 1 TBS Dried Parsley
• Salt
• Pepper
• Adobo Seasoning – I swear by this stuff
• Garlic Powder
• Smoked Paprika
• Liquid Smoke (Optional)

Instructions….

Dice up the onions and garlic, add to a hot pan with some olive oil and all of the seasonings. Cook over medium heat until onions are translucent. Add the corn and beans to this, continue to cook over medium heat until you can easily squish the beans, about 10-15 minutes. Take off heat and add everything to a bowl with the oats and eggs. Mix thoroughly. When everything is combined start smashing it with a potato smasher. I highly recommend whipping out a food processor and pulsing everything until it is easy to form and the majority of the beans are mashed. But, if you’re like me, and between kitchens and your food processor is currently packed into a box somewhere…a potato masher works okay too. 

Form the mixture into a burger shape and place on an oiled foil covered tray or parchment covered tray. This recipe makes 10 decent size burgers. Stick in the freezer until they are easy to peel off the tray and put into freezer bags for later use. I take mine right out of the freezer and cook them in a hot cast iron skillet. They hold together relatively well for a homemade black bean burger. 

• Makes 10 Burgers
• 157 Calories Per Burger

 

 

 

Chocolate Peanut Butter Mousse Brownie Cake

Whew! What a mouthful. This is the most decadent “cake” ever. A few of you have asked how to make it: so here ya go! This is such an easy recipe.

You will need a spring form pan for this recipe.

BROWNIE LAYER
1 Package Ghirardelli Brownie Mix
2 eggs
Vegetable oil according to package
Water according to package

PEANUT BUTTER MOUSSE
1 Package Cool Whip
1.5 Cups CREAMY Natural Peanut Butter
2/3 Cup Confectioners Sugar
1/2 tsp Gelatin
1 TBS Water

CHOCOLATE MOUSSE
1 Package Cool Whip
1 1/2 Cups Heavy Whipping Cream
1 Bag Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
1/2 tsp Gelatin
1 TBS Water

DECORATION
5-10 Peanut Butter Cups

Preheat oven to 325F

In a large bowl mix together a box brownie mix (I prefer Ghirardelli if I’m going the easy route of using store bought brownie mix), eggs, vegetable oil, and water. Pour the brownie batter into your spring form pan, I used my 10 inch spring form. But if you want thicker layers feel free to use an 8 inch spring form.

Bake for 20-25 minutes. Carefully take out of the oven and stick it in the freezer for 15 minutes while you make the next layer.

In a mug pour in the gelatin and water.

In a large bowl combine peanut butter and confectioners sugar until smooth.

Microwave gelatin and water for 10 seconds, add it carefully into the peanut butter and sugar. It should get thick at this point. FOLD in half the Cool Whip. Once it’s combined well, FOLD in the remaining Cool Whip.

Pour the peanut butter mixture on top of the cooled brownie layer.

Stick back into the freezer for 15 minutes while you make the third and final layer.

In a large microwave friendly bowl, pour in the chocolate chips and heavy cream. Microwave for 30 seconds, stir, and repeat that process until chocolate is almost completely melted.

Repeat the gelatin water process we did earlier. Add that to the melted chocolate. FOLD in half the Cool Whip until combined, FOLD in remaining Cool Whip.

Pour the chocolate mousse on top the peanut butter layer and stick back in the freezer for at least 4 hours, or overnight.

It’s best served out of the refrigerator, it’s still cold but soft!

Enjoy!

 

Creamy Taco Pasta

I had leftover taco ingredients and gluten free pasta. What did I do with all this comforty goodness? I turned it into dinner. Super easy.

1lb ground beef or venison
1lb gluten free pasta
1 cup fresh corn
2 cans diced tomatoes
1 package cream cheese
1/2 cup pepper jack cheese
1/2 cup sharp cheddar
1/3 cup sour cream
1 cup black beans
1 Spanish onion
1 green bell pepper
1 jalepeno
1avocado
Cayenne
Cumin
Paprika
Garlic
Salt
Pepper

Make the pasta according to box, set aside.
Sauté diced onions, corn, and diced peppers, add in meat. Once that’s all incorporated and simmering add in the beans and tomatoes. Add in seasoning to taste. It should smell incredibly amazing at this point. Gently stir in the shredded or cubed cheese. I added mine in big chunks. Throw in the cream cheese and sour cream. Fold in the pasta until everything is incorporated. Top with diced avocados.
Enjoy!

Eggroll in a Bowl

This is a delicious and somewhat healthy dinner.

• • • • • • • 1/2 Green Cabbage sliced thin
            • 1 Yellow Bell Pepper small diced
            • 1 Yellow Onion diced
            • 4 Green Onions sliced
            • 8 Mushrooms sliced
            • 1 lb Ground Chicken
            • Salt to taste
            • Pepper to taste
            • 1/4 Cup Olive Oil
            • 1/4 Cup Apple Cider Video
            • Garlic to taste
            • 2 TBS Soy Sauce (Can use liquid aminos too)
            • 1 TBS Raw Honey
            • Canola Oil to fry (Optional)
            • Puff Pastry (Optional)

Start by cutting up all of your veg. Create a marinade with the soy sauce, olive oil, apple cider vinegar, honey, and garlic, also to the marinade whisk in 1/4 cup of water.

Pour that over all of the cut up veg, toss until everything is combined, and set aside in the fridge for no less than 4 hours, ideally overnight.

After everything has marinated throw it in a wok over medium high heat. A regular pan with high sides works too.

In a saute pan cook up the ground chicken with olive oil, salt, pepper, and garlic. 

Once the chicken is cooked, combine everything together.

Enjoy!

P.S. Feel free to add ginger to this, I personally can’t stand it. xo

P.P.S. I took puff pastry, fried it in canola oil, and added it to the top for an added flaky crispy crunch!

Easy Peanut Butter Whipped Cream

There’s nothing wrong with breakfast for dinner. The plan was to have leftovers for dinner last night. Well that quickly turned into an eggs, hasbrowns, and waffles kind of night instead. With homemade peanut butter whipped cream and bourbon barrel maple syrup of course. I’m definitely not complaining!

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Easy Peanut Butter Whipped Cream

• 8 oz Heavy Whipped Cream
•  2 TBS Powdered Sugar
• 2 TBS Creamy Peanut Butter

Whip the heavy cream until it’s beginning to form soft peaks, add powdered sugar and peanut butter and continue whipping until fully incorporated and stiff peaks form when lifting whisk out of bowl.

Enjoy!

Fish Taco Bowls

Holy delicious batman.

Tonight’s dinner was fish taco bowls. I’ve been so excited for this meal since we wrote the meal plan and grocery list for the week. Nom!

2 Servings

25 Minute Total Time

Fish:

• 2 Pieces of Cod (Rice & Cabbage recipes allow for up to 4 pieces of cod)
• Olive Oil
• Salt
• Pepper
• Like Juice
• Soy Sauce

Rub everything onto the fish, cook in the oven for 15 minutes at 350.

Coleslaw:

• 1/2 Green Cabbage
• 1/2 Small Yellow Onion
• 1/2 Cup Sour Cream
• 1/4 Cup Mayo
• 2 TBS Apple Cider Vinegar
• 2 TBS Raw Honey
• Lime Juice to taste
• Salt
• Pepper

Whisk together sour cream, mayo, ACV, honey, lime juice, salt, and pepper. Thinly slice the cabbage and onion. Toss into sour cream mixture. Set aside.

Rice:

• 2 Cups of Rice
• Cilantro
• Lime Juice
• Salt
• Pepper
• Garlic

When rice is almost done add in cilantro and seasoning.

Put everything in a bowl, top with green onions and avocado.

Enjoy!

Quarantine Breakfast

Let’s talk about something other than the negatives of this pandemic. Throwback to one of my favorite breakfasts as a kid…eggs in a basket. Which I’ve been making for myself with Ezekiel bread for breakfast in this quarantine. It is bittersweet to have this free time since I’ve been laid off.

What have been your favorite foods during your house bound days?

I’m So Blessed!

God has given me the best relationship I could have ever asked for. It is not perfect but I wouldn’t trade it for anything.

It is everything. Apparently one of my love languages is food… He makes me French omelets and has dinner ready for when I get to his house. He has the heating pad and pain meds ready for when my cramps are so bad I can’t breathe. He is my sounding board for every thought that turns into rambling that I can’t seem to stop from coming out of my mouth in a jumbled mess.

He knows what makes me tick and knows when I’m mentally struggling and he is always there for me. I am so grateful and thank the Lord everyday to have such a man as my man.