A Lifestyle Blog

onion

One Pot Kielbasa and Vegetable Soup

by 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!

Tequila Lime Chicken with Pico de Gallo and Fresh Guacamole

by Leave a Comment

I have no problem pretending that some days of the week are food holidays as an excuse to make celebratory food. Life is short. I don’t need rules that say it can’t be just like Super Bowl Sunday or St. Patrick’s Day.

In fact, I declare today a Cinco de Mayo again just so you can make an excuse to prepare Tequila Lime Chicken with Homemade Pico de Gallo and Fresh Guacamole. Grab a cold Tecate and your sombrero because you’ve got some serious kitchen cooking to do!

Topped with homemade pico de gallo, guacamole, and crushed tortilla chips for crunch, Pioneer Woman’s Tequila Lime Chicken goes well with a chilled Mexican beer or my Grilled Pineapple Peach Margarita made with silver tequila.

This grilled chicken dinner is multi-step but worth every moment. Seriously, have you ever purchased store bought guacamole or tried to find pico de gallo on a grocery store’s salad bar? The guacamole tastes artificial and tends to have a mouse-like texture and salad bar pico de gallo is incredibly watery. Fresh is best so don’t hesitate from making homemade guacamole and pico de gallo because the freshness of each one elevates the flavor of this dish.

First, prepare the pico de gallo in advance. Combine equal amounts of diced tomato, white onion, cilantro, and one seeded jalapeno. (Leave the seeds and pulp inside the jalapeno if you prefer more heat.) Once mixed, squeeze a half of a lime into the bowl and mix again to incorporate the juice well.

Now, let’s make the fresh guacamole. Learn how to pick out the perfect avocado here. Take your knife around the outside of each avocado and carefully remove the pit of each one. There’s a new trend called Avocado Hand. Don’t let it happen to you. Be careful! Use a knife to carefully a circle around the outside of the avocado and then cut each half into diced squares so you can scoop the avocado meat out with a spoon into the bowl. Once you’ve added the avocado to the a large bowl, add enough of the pico de gallo to the bowl and mix it gently so you leave it chunky.

Cover the guacamole bowl with plastic wrap and make sure to press the plastic against the guacamole to form a tight seal. This method, and the lime juice in the guacamole, will keep it from browning too dark and it will keep for 24 hours in the refrigerator.

Extra guacamole is a good thing. Serve with tortilla scoops chips and a fresh lime wedge.

Finally, let’s tackle the main entree Tequila Lime Chicken. Full disclosure here: this is not my recipe but instead Ree Drummond’s (Pioneer Woman’s) recipe. Her recipe requires you to use a food processor to prepare a creamy tequila based marinade and pour it into a Ziplock bag and then refrigerating it for several hours. You could also use a blender in a pinch.

While you could certainly use a mesquite flavored tequila like Jose Cuervo, I prefer a lighter silver tequila. I can thank college for that preference.
Add all marinade ingredients into a food processor.
Combine marinade ingredients in a food processor and blend well. You don’t want garlic chunks.
Add chicken breasts to marinade.

The alcohol will cook out of the marinade once the chicken is grilled but the flavor will linger. Later, you’ll remove the chicken from the bag and and grill it over medium high heat 4-5 minutes per side until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees. Remove the chicken from the grill and allow it to rest a couple of minutes before serving it topped with sprinkled taco cheese, guacamole, pico de gallo and a sprig of fresh cilantro. Crumble tortilla chips in your hand add sprinkle them on top for added crunch. Don’t forget a wedge of lime on the side to squeeze on top of the entire plate!

Optional sides could include warmed black beans and Mexican rice with folded flour tortillas. Use some of that extra tequila to make my recipe for Grilled Pineapple and Peach Tequila Cocktail.

Mexican food is one of the best culinary experiences that people can have. -Karla Souza

Let me know what you think of these recipes in the comments section below. Happy Cinco de Mayo. Again.

 

Healthy Turkey Meatball Sandwiches

by Leave a Comment

Healthy comfort food.

Is there such a thing? Yes! If you swap the ingredients you use in a traditionally fattening comfort food for healthier options, you can! Gobble up my Healthy Turkey Meatball Sandwiches for lunch or dinner and feel good doing it. Of course, I needed something to wash these babies down with so I opted for a cold, light beer.

These turkey meatballs are crisp on the outside but tender on the inside. Tasty!
These turkey meatballs are crisp on the outside but tender on the inside. Tasty!

In this recipe I use skim milk instead of heavy cream, low-fat shredded mozzarella, and ground turkey instead of fatty ground beef. The fresh herbs are aromatic and take basic turkey meatballs to the next level. Use fresh herbs, people! It makes the difference.

Tip: Let your eggs reach nearly room temperature for better results.
Tip: Let your eggs reach nearly room temperature for better results.

Rolling your meatballs in a bit of all-purpose flour is the key to a getting a crispy exterior. Once in the pot, rotate them often even allowing them to stand on end. Don’t walk away from the stove because you need to move the meatballs often using tongs.

Don't crowd your meatballs.You'll need room to turn them often to brown all sides.
Don’t crowd your meatballs.You’ll need room to turn them often to brown all sides.

Once the meatballs reach that beautiful golden color on all sides, remove them from the pan and let them rest. (Don’t worry if the meatballs are a bit soft on the inside still because they will finish cooking in the spaghetti sauce.)

Unlike beef meatballs, these babies are not as greasy so you don't have to place them on a rack to cool.
Unlike beef meatballs, these babies are not as greasy so you don’t have to place them on a rack to cool.

Finished cooking off the meatballs, add all of them back to the pot. Add your preferred jarred spaghetti sauce to finish cooking them on a low simmer with the lid on until you’re ready to make a sandwich.

Want perfectly browned mozzarella cheese and a slightly crispy bun? Place your meatball sandwiches under the broiler for a couple minutes or place them in a toaster oven on the broil setting. Watch them closely!

Use a spoon to gently and evenly coat the sauce on the meatballs.
Use a spoon to gently and evenly coat the sauce on the meatballs.

healthy-turkey-meatballs5 copy

Don’t forget to garnish your finished meatball sandwich with a tablespoon of chopped basil.

20 meatballs

Serves 6-7 sandwiches

Healthy Turkey Meatballs Sandwiches

20 minPrep Time

30 minCook Time

50 minTotal Time

Save RecipeSave Recipe
Print Recipe

Ingredients

  • 1 c. shredded low-fat mozzarella
  • 1 T chopped basil for garnish
  • 1 pkg Pepperidge Farms Top Sliced Hot Dog Buns
  • 1 jar Prego traditional spaghetti sauce
  • Meatballs:
  • 1 lb. ground turkey
  • 1 small yellow onion
  • 2 T. fresh oregano
  • 2 T. fresh chopped basil
  • 3 diced garlic cloves
  • 2 T. parmesan
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 1/2 c. Italian bread crumbs
  • 1/2 c. skim milk
  • 3 T all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp pepper

Instructions

  1. Add all meatball ingredients to a large bowl.
  2. Using your hands, make meatballs (slightly larger than a golfball) and place them in a slightly flour glass 9"x11" pan. Once all the meatballs are made, roll them around in flour to coat evenly.
  3. Add 2 T. olive oil to large pot. Bring to medium heat.
  4. Once at temperature, add 7-8 meatballs. Be careful not to crowd them.
  5. Rotate the meatballs until they are golden on all sides. Continue to add more olive oil to the pot before adding additional meatballs.
  6. Remove them from the pot and let them rest on a new glass pan.
  7. Finish cooking all meatballs.
  8. Reduce heat to low and add spaghetti sauce and return meatballs to the pot.
  9. Cover and let simmer at least 10 minutes.
  10. Add two meatballs into a split top hot dog bun and top with any extra sauce from the pot.
  11. Top with low-fat shredded mozzarella and put in a toaster or oven on broil for 2-3 minutes to melt cheese to a bubbly golden brown.
  12. Remove sandwich and sprinkle with chopped basil for garnish.
  13. Serve immediately.

Notes

You can use use ground beef rather than turkey. If you roll the basil leaves like a cigar and then run your knife through them, you can chop it easily into ribbons. Parmesan is salty so you cold eliminate the 1 tsp salt in the meat mixture.

7.8.1.2
31
https://onedelightfullife.com/turkey-meatball-sandwiches/

Nutrition

Calories

401 cal

Fat

5 g

Carbs

74 g

Protein

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

Mussels in Pomodoro Sauce

by Leave a Comment

I always thought cooking shellfish was quite intimidating. How do you know if you’ve cleaned the shellfish well enough? When is it fully cooked? This midwestern girl just never mastered seafood dishes until I discovered heat and eat shellfish. If I can do it, you can too!

Buy your pre-cooked mussels at any big box store and simply add them to a savory sauce. There is no need to go out tonight for a fancy dinner with your special someone when you can make Mussels in Pomodoro Sauce at home just like a trained chef.

This shellfish dish is high on fresh produce flavor. The dry white wine adds a sophisticated taste and because you don’t need the whole bottle for the recipe, you can have a glass for yourself while the mussels steam. Uh, yes please. I used Trader Joe’s Charles Shaw Blend 2013 Sauvignon Blanc, but any private label inexpensive dry white wine will suffice. Cheers!

Rinse these pre-cooked, frozen mussels in a colander before adding them to the pomodoro sauce.
Rinse these pre-cooked, frozen mussels in a colander before adding them to the pomodoro sauce.

Ingredients

  • 3 lbs Pier 33 Gourmet All Natural Mussels
  • 1/2 box Barilla dry spaghetti
  • 1 1/2 lb. large, diced roma tomatoes
  • 5 diced garlic cloves
  • 1/4 c. dry white wine
  • 2 T. olive oil
  • handful fresh basil leaves
  • heavy pinch salt
  • heavy pinch pepper

Instructions

  1. Cook spaghetti according to box dirextions and drain. Set aside.
  2. Heat large skillet or wok on medium high.
  3. Heat olive oil until fragrant.
  4. Add garlic and stir occasionally for 1 minute. Lower the heat to medium so you don't burn the garlic.
  5. Add tomatoes, white wine and stir. Cover until it reaches a low boil.
  6. Remove lid, add mussels, and stir.
  7. Cover and simmer on medium heat.
  8. Serve sauce over cooked spaghetti. Add chopped fresh herbs like basil.

Notes

Top with grated parmesan cheese and fresh herbs. Traditional pomodoro sauce also includes sauteed onions.

7.8.1.2
23

https://onedelightfullife.com/mussels-in-pomodoro-sauce/

Nutrition

Calories

43 cal

Fat

4 g

Carbs

1 g

Protein

1 g

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