Minestrone Chili

My plan to empty the fridge to make room for groceries for a large holiday gathering brought about this wonderful chili that Carolyn decided should be called Minestrone Chili. As you know, a minestrone was originally put together with all of the week's leftovers in Italian families so nothing went to waste. Paired with some coarse ground venison as a special treat, this chili turned out so good that it deserves a spot on the blog. Feel free to use beef, of course, if you're not a hunter. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

Except for the base of beef or venison, tomatoes and my seasonings, the composition is largely dependent on what is in your fridge. I will list the things I added, but I really just grabbed what was there without regard for quantity. Rule of thumb: just cut everything to bite size as this will be a spoon dish. 

• 1.5 lbs lean ground venison or beef
• 2  28 oz can whole peeled tomatoes in thick puree
• 1 tbsp chili powder
• 1 tbsp Chef Michael's "The Good Stuff" Seasoning - click link or see below 
• 1 red bell pepper
• couple stalks celery
• asparagus
• 1 leek stalk - dismantled and thoroughly washed
• broccoli
• 2-3 scallions
• 1-2 shaved carrots - I just use the veggie peeler

One tablespoon “Good Stuff”:

• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1/2 tsp smoked paprika

Preparation:

Fry the chop meat in a bit of olive oil. Add the canned tomatoes. Carefully break each one open and then coarsely mash with potato masher. Leave them chunky. :-)

Next add red bell pepper and celery, and then the asparagus. Blend.

Take your time cleaning the leek to remove all dirt. Cut up and add to the pot.

Next up I found some broccoli and a few scallions, so they went in.

I was on a roll so I decided on some shaved carrots just for fun.

Finally one can plus some leftover cannellini beans were blended into the mix along with the "Good Stuff" and the chili powder. I let it all simmer for about an hour before serving.

Blessed be... and happy cooking!

Sunny's Pot Roast

My friend Sunny was a total foodie. We could talk about food for hours and shared many recipes, processes and kitchen hacks. She taught me all about "free scallions" and introduced me to up-to-your-elbows-in-butter Dungeness Crab feasts on newspaper covered tables at crab shacks in Florida. Unfortunately my friend is no longer with us, but she did leave me with the recipe for her coveted slow cooker pot roast. Sunny, like me, never shied from sharing as she was one of the most giving people I was ever honored to know. To that end, here is my friend Sunny and her delectable pot roast... pretty much the way she gave it to me. If you do make this dish, please be sure to let her know how good it is. :-) Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 2-3 pound beef roast, the cheaper the better
• 6 peeled carrots in chunks
• 4 peeled onions, cut up
• 4 unpeeled potatoes, cut bite sized
• 2 ribs of celery sliced bite size
• 1/2 pound of button or baby portobellos, scrubbed and whole
• Fresh garlic
• Roasted garlic
• 1 can of beef broth
• 2 cans of reduced fat condensed cream of mushroom soup
• About 1 cup Marsala wine
• 1-2 cups Cabernet or other red wine
• 1/2 envelope onion soup mix
• Adobo seasoning (regular)
• Olive oil
• 1 tablespoon of butter

Preparation:

We're going to start this around 10:00 AM and you’ll need at least a 6 quart slow cooker minimum J Drizzle some olive oil into a hot heavy sauté pan. Place your roast in the oil, sprinkle it with Adobo and brown the meat on all sides. Once that's done, remove the roast and place it in a slow cooker that's been coated with cooking spray.

Add the butter to the pan, then the onions and some roasted garlic. If you aren't keeping roasted garlic in the house, you're missing out. Sauté until the onions are just a little tender, and then pour them over the roast in the slow cooker. Deglaze the pan by pouring Marsala wine into it and scraping the bits off the bottom. Add this to the slow cooker as well. Add the carrots, mushrooms, potatoes, the celery and the tablespoon of fresh garlic, the onion soup mix, the beef broth and Cabernet to taste ...then cover and set on high.

After 6 hrs add the mushroom soup, give the whole mess a good stir, set to low and go turn on a movie. It needs about two hours more to blend the flavors. If you don’t have room for the two cans, scoop out some of the gravy into a saucepan and add a dash of the mushroom soup. You’ll add this back to your main gravy after the meat is removed from the slow cooker.

Blessed be... and happy cooking!

Another Meat & Eggplant Combo

When venison was still the main protein in our family's diet, I was always experimenting with new combinations because it pairs beautifully with eggplant. One day I was thinking of grilling eggplant slices and then topping them with a very meaty Bolognese. Unfortunately, the propane tank was empty... UGGH! Sooo..... what to do?

Oh yes.... let's splurge with some thick slices of eggplant breaded and fried in a bit of avocado oil!!! Over time it turned out that the dish works very well with beef or chicken, too.

Ingredients:

• 1 or 2 fat eggplant
• Wondra flour
• eggs
• flavored breadcrumbs
• avocado or vegetable oil
• venison, beef or chicken Bolognese

Preparation:

To see how I make my Bolognese please take a look at this older post for Venison Bolognese and Zucchini Ribbons or stop by my Chicken Bolognese & Cubed Eggplant.

As for the eggplant, peel and cut into thick slices, about 3/8 - 1/2".  Coat in Wondra flour, then dip in egg and your favorite flavored breadcrumbs and fry until golden brown. Set on paper towel to soak up excess oil - you want them nice and crispy to add an extra level to the party in your mouth ;-) Top with Bolognese just before serving to retain most of the crunch.... and enjoy!

Shown here with the Chicken Bolognese.

Blessed be... and happy cooking!

Ground Beef & Broccoli Stir Fry

  Credit for this dish goes to Gina Homolka, owner of Skinnytaste.

This easy Ground Beef and Broccoli stir-fry is perfect when you need a quick weeknight dinner! By making it from scratch, as opposed to ordering take-out, you avoid unwanted ingredients like MSG. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup reduced sodium soy sauce, or gluten-free tamari
• 1 tbsp honey
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and grated
• 1 tbsp cornstarch
• 1/2 tbsp sesame oil
• 1 lb ground beef, 93% lean
• 1/2 medium yellow onion, chopped
• 1 lge head broccoli, cut into florets and blanched
• 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
• 3 medium scallions, sliced on the bias
• Cooked barley or cauliflower rice, for serving (optional)

Preparation:

In a small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, honey, garlic, ginger, and cornstarch. Set aside.

Add the sesame oil to a large deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add the beef and onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until the meat is just about cooked through, about 5 minutes.

Pour in the reserved sauce, stir to combine, and cook for 1 minute. Add the broccoli and cook for 1 more minute.

Divide mixture evenly among 4 plates or shallow bowls, layering rice first, if using.

Top each with sesame seeds and scallions.

Blessed be... and happy cooking!

Chef Jacques Pepin: "Use what's in your refrigerator..."

I first heard Chef Pepin utter the line when I watched a video of him making a cod dish with assorted ingredients I never thought would work. Radishes with cod? What was he thinking!? LOL I recreated that dish and then named it Wondra Codfish as that recipe was also my introduction to Wondra Flour.

Use whatever is in your refrigerator... The line came to mind Monday night after a long weekend that left me with multiple started items in my fridge. I smiled as I thought of Chef Pepin and just started grabbing things.

The dish that ended up on the dinner table was bright, fresh and distinctly flavorful while incorporating minimal seasonings. I was so pleased with how diabetic-friendly the dish was that I decided to add it here. Enjoy!

Every dish needs a name, right? I call this one.... Fridge Whatever :-)

Ingredients:

• 4 oz chickpea pasta (1/2 box) - Banza brand preferred
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic - smash minced
• 1-2 tomatoes - cut up
• 1/4 orange bell pepper - diced
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 6-8 oz leftover meat - this version features loin of pork
• 1/4 tsp onion powder
• salt & pepper to taste

Preparation:

Cook the pasta and peas and set aside. Pasta should be slightly under so it holds up in the skillet later on. Heat the olive oil and saute the garlic over medium heat. Add pasta and fry until lightly browned. Add peppers, peas & onion powder... toss until heated through. Fold in meat and then tomatoes. Season with salt & pepper... done.

Serves 2 with no leftovers

Blessed be... and happy cooking!

Beef, Broccoli & Barley (...or venison if you have it)

 

Comfort food for sure... Earthy flavors and textures that will delight!

Ingredients:

• 1 lb beef or venison - bite size cubes
• 1 tbsp Montreal Steak Seasoning
• 1 cup pearl barley
• 1 large yellow onion - cut up
• 6 baby portobello mushrooms - sliced
• 2 cups broccoli florets cut into small florets
• salt to taste
• olive oil

Preparation:

Start off by thoroughly rinsing the barley and then cooking it according to package instructions - this usually takes about 45 minutes on a low boil. While the barley is cooking we'll get everything else ready. 

Cut up the meat into bite size pieces and toss with the Montreal Steak Seasoning.

Cut up the onion, mushrooms and broccoli florets and heat some olive oil in a non-stick Dutch oven. Have everything ready and start when the barley is just about done as the actual cook is a pretty quick process.

Sautee the onions first. As their edges just start to brown, add the mushrooms. Once the mushrooms are tender (~1 min) add the broccoli and saute until cooked but still crunchy (~1 min). Scoop out mixture and set aside, covered.

Add a splash of oil to the Dutch oven and sear the meat with a high flame and a continuous toss. DO NOT OVERCOOK! Even though the pieces are bite size you want to shoot for a medium rare.

Finally add the onion, mushroom & broccoli mix and toss over low heat. 

Once blended add the cooked barley and carefully mix it all together. ENJOY!

Blessed be… and happy cooking!

Bolognese and... NOT PASTA!!!

As you know, I'm working hard to eliminate all the simple carbs with a high glycemic index in order to best control my diabetes on a culinary level. I make a really good venison/beef bolognese (and now a chicken version, too) and found myself at a loss as to what to do so I could still enjoy my delicious sauce with pasta taken out of the equation. What I came up with is a dish that blew our minds the first time I made it. Carolyn and I sat here staring wide-eyed at each other wondering why we'd never thought of doing this before! LOL Set aside the notion that it's a very healthy dish... It's amazing in both flavor and presentation and is actually titled:

Venison Bolognese & Zucchini Ribbons

Ingredients:

• 1 - 1.25 lbs ground venison - lean beef or white meat chicken are good, too
• 1 28 oz can plum shaped tomatoes in puree
• olive oil
• 4 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 yellow onion, cut up
• 1/2 tsp salt
• fresh ground black pepper to taste (I like about 6 twists on the grinder)
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• dash of oregano
• 1 tsp dried parsley
• 4 squash/zucchini, 2 yellow and 2 green, thin enough to fit the width of a peeler blade

Preparation:

This nearly from-scratch sauce is so simple that I'm always baffled by the plethora of jar sauces at the grocery store... (shudders at the thought).

Ok serious now.....

Start by frying up the chop meat in a large skillet with a bit of olive oil until fully cooked and a nice shade of brown. Set aside. 

Add a bit of olive oil to your sauce pot and saute the chopped garlic. As the garlic JUST gets brown add in the cut up onion and saute until slightly translucent and shiny.

Place canned tomatoes in a bowl and cut into quarters or bite-size pieces... Not too small as they will cook down some in the pot.

Add tomatoes and puree to sauce pot and stir. Add in salt, pepper, garlic powder, oregano and dried parsley. Bring to a boil and then simmer on low for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Finally stir in the fried chop meat. The mixture will seem very meaty and not at all liquid.... that's intentional as our base for the sauce is very different from pasta.

Ok... time to make our pasta substitute... Wash the zucchini and yellow squash and get out a peeler. A regular one will work, but I find you get better control with one that has the blade perpendicular to the handle. This is mostly for presentation as the full width ribbons will have yellow and green edges, respectively. Peel off ribbons until halfway through the vegetable, turn over and peel rest from other side. I'm not much into waste, so I typically save the leftover centers to fry up with some eggs for breakfast next day.

Heat some olive in a very large skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat and add the ribbons. Sautee with pretty much a continuous toss because they cook very quickly and you want all to be cooked evenly. Sautee just enough so there's still a little crunch and the veggies kind of stand when piled. Overcook them and you end up with a pile of mush... not good. Salt the squash to taste as you saute... go easy, though, as the sauce will bring plenty of life to the veggies. 

Plate the squash with tongs, transferring as little liquid as possible. Top with sauce and enjoy! :-)

Blessed be... and happy cooking!

Corned Beef & Cabbage

Pretty much the one thing I like about St. Patrick's Day is the food. I'm not a fan of the man, for reasons that are my own, but which you'll understand if you read my page titled Meet the Chef.

Let's not talk religion, though... let's focus on the food of the day! Corned Beef & Cabbage is quite possibly one of the easiest and most amazing dishes in the history of simple foods. If you can boil water, you can make this fantastic meal. That in itself I think is pretty cool!

Dear fellow diabetics... just a reminder here... go real easy on the potatoes today. Yes, they are definitely a needed component in the dish, but we must remember those darling russets have a GI well above 70 and a rather high GL as well. In a nutshell... behave! :-)

Let's get to it then! Erin Go Bragh!

This recipe will not feature any quantities. Basically, gather what you can fit in your biggest pot or two, because leftovers will be greatly appreciated!

Ingredients:

• corned beef - make sure it comes with a seasoning packet
• russet potatoes - peeled
• carrots - peeled
• cabbage - quartered
• brown mustard

Preparation:

The seasoning packets are perfect, except they come in little plastic bags. You can absolutely just dump the packet in the pot, but I'm not a fan of the various corns/seeds working their way in between my cabbage leaves. A few years ago Carolyn offered to sew seasoning bags on the fly. They are such a game changer and readily available commercially if you don't care to make your own.

Place the corned beef in the bottom of the pot. Then layer carrots, potatoes and cabbage, and be sure to toss in the seasoning packet as well. Cover everything with water, bring to a low boil, and go have a Smithwick's. Check the pot for boil and simmer for about 3 hours.

Blessed be... and happy cooking!