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One Pot Kielbasa and Vegetable Soup

November 9, 2017 by Vanessa Leave a Comment

Have you ever had one of those days when the person on the end of the phone asks “What is for dinner?” and you haven’t even returned home from work yet? If only you weren’t so tired, right? The struggle is real.

What you need is One Pot Kielbasa and Vegetable Soup prepped, cooked, and ready to serve in less than thirty minutes! This warm and savory soup is easy to make and just what you want to eat on a chilly fall night.

The recipe, taken from Centennial Kitchen’s Fall Recipes magazine, is not my own. But I had to share it with you! For every kitchen cook who is exhausted before they hit the door after work, this soup is for you.

All you need to do is chop the following ingredients, add them to a large soup pot, heat for 12 minutes and serve!

  • 1 lb. smoked Polish kielbasa, chopped
  • 1 lg onion, chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 lg carrots chopped (I used baby carrots)
  • 1 1/2 lbs small Brussel sprouts, halved lengthwise (half a standard bag)
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
  • 3 c. beef broth (I preferred 4 cups)
  • 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper (optional)

Combine all the vegetables, kielbasa, red pepper (if you prefer), salt and pepper, and the bay leaf in a pot. Add the broth and heat until boiling.

Once the soup begins to boil, reduce the heat to medium. Cover and cook for 12 minutes until the vegetables are tender. Remove the bay leaf before serving.

When the leaves are falling from the trees outdoors and you’re craving a warm and hearty meal, One Pot Kielbasa Vegetable Soup hits the spot. Fill up a bowl with it and grab a blanket before you snuggle up on the couch and start your Netflix marathon. Enjoy.

PS. I almost didn’t tell you the best reason for making this recipe…there’s very few dishes!

Filed Under: Dinner, Taste Tagged With: autumn, bay leaf, beef broth, blanket, broth, Brussel sprouts, carrots, Centennial Kitchen, dinner, fall, garlic, kielbasa, magazine, meat, Netflix, onion, Polish, pot, red pepper, sausage, savory, soup, stew, vegetable

Sheet Pan Italian Sausage and Roasted Vegetables

September 11, 2017 by Vanessa Leave a Comment

Sometimes the last thing you want to do is make dinner when you get home from work. Yet, the thought of another frozen pizza or takeout meal makes your head spin. The solution to an easy, home-cooked meal is a sheet pan dinner that is as easy to prepare as chopping ingredients.

My recipe for Sheet Pan Italian Sausage and Roasted Vegetables is incredibly simple and uses up many of the vegetables in your refrigerator. Start by preheating your oven to 400 degrees.

While your oven is heating up, clean and cut vegetables of your choice into chunks and add them to a large mixing bowl. Then, do the same to a package of link Sweet Italian sausage. Next, drizzle the vegetables and sausage lightly with olive oil, add a pinch of red pepper flake, paprika, Italian seasoning, and then salt and pepper. Finally, toss the bowl’s contents with a large spoon (or use your hands).

Transfer the contents of the bowl to a parchment-lined large sheet pan. Spread the sausage and vegetables evenly across the surface of the sheet pan so they roast evenly during cooking time. Bake 400 degrees for 20 minutes. Remove from the sheet pan from the oven and move around the sausage and vegetables with a spoon. Bake an additional 15-20 minutes until the sausage no longer looks pink and the vegetables have softened and browned.

Warning: You’ll be tempted to grab chunks of cooked yumminess from the pan after removing it from the oven and pop them in your mouth. Don’t make this rookie mistake. It’s hot, folks. Super hot.

Want more easy to prepare dinner recipes for the week? Try Lone Star Turkey Chili with Sour Cream and Chives or Thin Crust Alfredo Pizza with Bacon and Kale. 

Let me know about your go-to favorite dinner recipe in the comments section below. Share it!

One Delightful Life

Sheet Pan Italian Sausage and Roasted Vegetables

Incredibly easy to prepare for a weeknight dinner, this sheet pan dinner was having you craving leftovers.

15 minPrep Time

40 minCook Time

55 minTotal Time

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Ingredients

  • 1 package Sweet Italian sausage links (5-6) large diced
  • 3-4 large diced red potatoes
  • 1 large diced russet potato
  • 1 small, large diced red onion
  • 1 small, large diced yellow onion
  • 1 large diced green pepper
  • 2 whole garlic cloves
  • Handful of asparagus (de-stemmed of tough stalks)
  • 1 T. olive oil
  • 1/2 T. Italian seasoning
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • 1 tsp cracked black pepper
  • 1 tsp Kosher salt
  • pinch red pepper flakes

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
  2. Dice all vegetables, garlic, and sausage into large chunks and place in a large bowl.
  3. Add olive oil, seasoning, red pepper flake, salt and pepper.
  4. Toss contents of bowl with a spoon our your hands until evenly coated.
  5. Transfer to a parchment lined baking sheet.
  6. Bake for 20 minutes.
  7. Remove pan from oven and use spoon to move around the vegetables and sausage to help it cook thoroughly.
  8. Bake for 15-20 minutes more until sausage is no longer pink and vegetables have softened to your liking.

Notes

Garnish with fresh herbs such as parsley or basil before serving (optional).

7.8.1.2
80
https://onedelightfullife.com/sheet-pan-italian-sausage-roasted-vegetables/
onedelightfullife.com

Nutrition

Calories

512 cal

Fat

43 g

Carbs

30 g

Protein

9 g
Click Here For Full Nutrition, Exchanges, and My Plate Info
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Filed Under: Dinner, Taste Tagged With: asparagus, garlic, Italian, olive oil, peppers, potato, roasted, roaster vegetables, sausage, sheet pan, vegetables

Lone Star Turkey Chili with Sour Cream and Chives

June 11, 2017 by Vanessa Leave a Comment

Looks yummy, doesn’t it?

When you’d rather get dinner on the table so you enjoy time with the family outside, this is your new go-to meal. Chili is not just a winter meal. It’s a versatile dish with many options for eating it: layered on top of a grilled hotdog, poured over bowtie pasta, inside an empanada or as the base of Frito pie.

I prefer a thick tomato based chili served as the base for a multitude of toppings. Lone Star Turkey Chili with Sour Cream and Chives is not a overly spiced chili, but if you want more heat you can add a couple smoked ancho peppers (that will crank up the heat!) to the pot or top a bowl of chili with fresh sliced jalapenos. Because people like their chili with different levels of heat, I keep it simple and provide options for toppings, like a “buffet o’ heat” ranging from bottled sriracha to sliced peppers. The sour cream cools of the heat and balances the acidic tomato flavor.

My recipe gets its name from using Texas Jet Lone Star Chili Seasoning, a packet of spices brought home by my boyfriend after a trip to Houston. However, you can make your own chili seasoning with this Taste of Home recipe, if you need it.

Saute the garlic and onions in a tablespoon of melted butter until soft before adding a pound of ground turkey. Over medium heat to medium-high heat, stir the meat with the garlic and onions continuously until it is cooked thoroughly, Because there is no grease to drain (healthier!), you can then add the canned ingredients, mix well, cover and allow to cook on a medium-low simmer until the chili reaches the consistency you prefer for serving (typically about 30 minutes).

Remember to provide options for toppings for your chili fans. I grow fresh herbs in container pots so adding fresh chive was as easy as chopping some and sprinkling them on top of added sour cream and cheddar cheese.

Chives are super simple to grow as long as you provide them partial sun, maintain moist soil, and give them drainage.

This dinner recipe will serve about 6-8 bowls of chili. If cooking for two people, like me, you will have a couple days of leftovers available to pack for lunches or freeze for later use. By preparing Lone Star Turkey Chili with Sour Cream and Chives for dinner tonight, you’ll free yourself from worrying about future meals because you’ll have extra servings on-the-ready when you’re ready to heat and eat. Free up yourself from the confines of the kitchen this summer by making a big batch of this yummy, stovetop chili to feed your family for days!

(no affiliates in this post)

onedelightfullife.com

6-8 bowls

Lone Star Turkey Chili with Sour Cream and Chives

Chili is a hearty, make-ahead meal that helps keep dinnertime chaos-free for you and your family.

20 minPrep Time

30 minCook Time

50 minTotal Time

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Ingredients

  • 2 cloves chopped garlic
  • 1 chopped white or yellow onion
  • 1 T butter
  • 1 pound ground turkey
  • 1.5 oz (half a package) Texas Jet Lone Star Chili Seasoning
  • 1 can tomato paste
  • 1 can chili-ready canned beans (or pinto beans) undrained
  • 1 can chili-ready diced canned tomatoes undrained
  • 1 cup water (optional, if you think the chili is too thick)

Instructions

  1. In a large pot, melt butter and then add onions and garlic over medium heat. Stir continuously until garlic and onions are softened. Add in ground turkey and continue stirring until cooked thoroughly. Add the remaining ingredients and mix thoroughly. Cover the pot, reduce the heat to low, and allow the chili to simmer at least 30 minutes. Serve in bowls garnished with sour cream, cheddar cheese and chives.

Notes

Crank up the heat by adding a pinch of red pepper flake or sriracha while the chile is simmering.

7.8.1.2
76
https://onedelightfullife.com/lone-star-turkey-chili-with-sour-cream-and-chives/
onedelightfullife.com

Nutrition

Calories

177 cal

Fat

12 g

Carbs

18 g

Protein

2 g
Click Here For Full Nutrition, Exchanges, and My Plate Info
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Filed Under: Dinner, Taste Tagged With: ancho chiles, beans, bowl, canned, cheddar, cheese, chili, chili-ready, chives, dinner, garlic, ground turkey, hearty, heat, herbs, jalapenos, leftovers, lone star, make-ahead, meat, onions, seasoning, smoked, sour cream, spices, spicy, sriracha, stovetop, summer, taste of home, Texas, tomato

Crockpot Buffalo Chicken Lettuce Wraps

June 5, 2017 by Vanessa Leave a Comment

Sometimes you just have to give yourself a break…from the kitchen. Enter the crockpot!

Crock Pot Buffalo Chicken Lettuce Wraps, by SkinnyTaste.com, is a recipe that’s sat untouched in my old school recipe box for awhile now, but boy am I glad I used it this week. Have you ever had one of those incredibly busy weeks? I just talked to a mom who was busy trying to run a business, rush her kids to and from activities, and be a doting wife. She’s a superwoman! But, let’s be real. Moms like her, like you, need a break from hovering over a stove.

Pin this one! You’ll thank me later.

This recipe is as easy as dropping items in the crockpot, setting it on high for four hours, and walking away! Ah, I love the digital “ding!” of my crockpot’s timer when dinner is done and so will you.

For this savory recipe, you will need three chicken boneless, skinless chicken breasts, celery, onion, garlic, chicken broth, and Frank’s hot sauce. After the crockpot “dings!” you’ll want to remove the chicken and place it in a bowl so you can shred it using two forks. Afterward, add it back to the crockpot and add in Frank’s hot sauce, mix again, and turn to the warm setting.

When you’re ready to plate, simply tear large leaves of Bibb lettuce and put them face up on a plate. Pile a heap of buffalo chicken, shredded carrots, and sliced celery. A lover of bright colors, I also added thinly sliced red cabbage. Oh, and I like my lettuce wraps spicy so I drizzled more Frank’s hot sauce on top.

Add blue cheese or gorgonzola for added flavor richness.

Your family will thank you for this tasty, light dinner that was ready when they entered the door and you’ll thank yourself for not stressing out over another weeknight dinner fiasco. Just set it and forget it.

You can view SkinnyTaste’s recipe for Crock-Pot Buffalo Chicken Lettuce Wraps here. What would you like me to recipe test for the crockpot next? Leave a comment in the space below.

For more delicious recipes, visit One Delightful Life on Twitter for daily updates of scrumptious food.

Now, if you’ll excuse me. I’ve got to take a moment to add this recipe back to its recipe box for later use.

Filed Under: Dinner, Taste Tagged With: blue cheese, buffalo sauce, chicken, crock pot, Frank's hot sauce, garlic, gorgonzola, hot sauce, lettuce, low-carb, shredded chicken, wraps

Homemade Buttermilk Ranch Dressing

May 10, 2017 by Vanessa Leave a Comment

If I say the word “buttermilk,” the word “diet” doesn’t usually follow it. Am I right? Well, when you’re making Atkins Diet recipes in your home, it turns out that buttermilk is A-OK acceptable and it is delicious too. The only thing better than buttermilk is Homemade Buttermilk Ranch Dressing.

We’ve tried making homemade ranch using Hidden Valley Ranch’s powdered packet with buttermilk, but that was a rookie mistake. If you want to elevate your favorite condiment to restaurant quality dressing, you have to use only fresh ingredients. No cutting corners! Chop the herbs, buy the buttermilk. It’s so delicious I promise your kids will eat their vegetables faster if they can drizzle this homemade dressing on them. Heck. I don’t have kids and I’m eating it on everything.

Store your ranch dressing in an airtight mason jar. The recipe below will nearly fill it.

All of the culinary credit for this dressing recipe goes to Pioneer Woman. I’ve rediscovered her. Yes, I fell hard for her when she first graced Food Network, but then I became accustomed to watching a couple other chefs on the regular. Well, I’m back. I can thank my local library for that. When I need a break from the cubicle matrix that is my workspace, I head to a nearby library on my lunch break and rediscover my love for cookbooks. I usually leave barely balancing a tower of hard cover books with food covers.

The first step to making homemade ranch is to make a garlic paste with fresh cloves of garlic and kosher. You will definitely need to use some elbow grease when firmly crushing it. Now this is my kind of “exercise.”

After making a garlic paste, you’ll want to rinse and start chopping the fresh herbs. I used frilly parsley instead of flat leaf parsley. I’m all about making a substitute withe similar ingredients. When I was younger I would completely scrap making a recipe just because I was missing one ingredient. Once you make the garlic paste, add it to a large bowl and add the remaining ingredients. Stir well.

Lately, I’ve been geeking out over my container herb pots on the front porch. Fresh is best. I didn’t have as much fresh dill as I would’ve liked for this recipe so I added dried dill that I picked up from The Spice Merchant.

The Pioneer Woman’s recipe for Homemade Buttermilk Dressing calls for an optional dash or two of hot sauce, which I recommend. Just realize that the traditional bright white ranch you’re used will take on more of a tinge of orange and take on a zesty taste.

Note: When you make the garlic paste, be sure to crush the garlic until it is very fine. Nobody needs harsh garlic breath. If you prefer a thinner dressing, use more buttermilk.

Again, you can follow this link to Ree Drummond’s Homemade Buttermilk Dressing recipe.  All of the photos in this post are my own. No affiliate links contained in this post either.

Now, grab that whisk. We’ve got ranch to make!

 

 

Filed Under: Taste Tagged With: Atkins, buttermilk, chives, condiment, dill, dressing, garlic, garlic paste, herbs, Hidden Valley Ranch, homemade, hot sauce, kosher salt, milk, parsley, paste, pioneer woman, ranch, real, ree drummond, salad, spices, topping

Baked Coconut Chicken Bites

January 30, 2017 by Vanessa Leave a Comment

Why do we love bite-sized food?

According to care2.com, researchers found that smaller pieces of food are more rewarding and lead to a greater feeling of fullness than one large piece of food with equal energy values. Prepare to reward yourself with my recipe for delicious and slightly sweet Baked Coconut Chicken Bites, pop in your mouth goodness. More is better!

I used to h-a-t-e coconut. The weird texture. The strange white color. Then my taste buds grew up. I love it now.

I wanted to recreate the same coconut chicken (or shrimp) that you find on most Chinese buffets, but a healthier, not fried version. This recipe is it, people!

Honestly, you could dip these bite-size morsels of goodness in any sauce from honey mustard sauce to mango salsa. Heck, you could even eat them naked, but you’d be missing out if you didn’t try scooping them into a small bowl of Mae Ploy Sweet Chili Sauce. (Purchase it at any grocery store or big box store.)

As mentioned in an earlier post, I’m a fan of grass-fed, free-range chicken. I’m not fancy. It’s just that the quality of chicken can’t be matched because it is succulent and tasty. It’s worth every penny!

Let me know what you think or these yummy coconut bites in the comments below!


onedelightfullife.com

10-15 bites

Baked Coconut Chicken Bites

Don't worry about finding the Tupperware. Baked Chicken Coconut Bites are so delicious there won't be any left!

15 minPrep Time

15 minCook Time

30 minTotal Time

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Ingredients

  • 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
  • 1 c shredded coconut
  • 1/2 c Panko
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper
  • 1/4 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 egg, beaten

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
  2. Beat egg in small, deep bowl.
  3. Combine coconut, Panko, and seasonings in another small, deep bowl.
  4. Cube the chicken breasts into 1" pieces.
  5. Dip each cube into the egg, then the coconut mixture. Press the chicken into the coconut mixture to make sure it sticks evenly on all sides.
  6. Place on a parchment lined large baking sheet. Do not crowd the chicken pieces.
  7. Bake for 25 minutes or until brown. Turn the pieces over halfway through cooking time.

Notes

Some cooks prefer to brush or drizzle melted butter on top of the coconut bites before baking them.

7.8.1.2
67

https://onedelightfullife.com/baked-coconut-chicken-bites/

onedelightfullife.com

Nutrition

Calories

1356 cal

Fat

87 g

Carbs

65 g

Protein

92 g

Click Here For Full Nutrition, Exchanges, and My Plate Info


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Filed Under: Appetizers, Dinner, Taste Tagged With: appetizer, baked chicken, chicken bites, Chinese buffet, coconut, coconut chicken, garlic, shredded coconut, sweet chili sauce

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Ammar
Hello! I'm Vanessa. Welcome to One Delightful Life, a blog created to add more delight to your life with delicious recipes, travel destinations, and lifestyle improvement ideas. Thanks for exploring my blog!

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