Posts Tagged ‘Nut Free’

Homemade Sloppy Joes

I have enjoyed sloppy joes since the early days of marriage when I didn’t know how to cook anything unless it came out of a box or can.  When I made a commitment to limit high fructose corn syrup in our families diet, I had to say goodbye to my friend Manwich.

I have tried several homemade recipes that were OK, but they just didn’t do it for me.  Then I found this recipe: Sloppy Joes…The Real Food Way.  I love the title.  I love the recipe.  My search for a good homemade sloppy joe recipe has ended.

While there are bold and spicy sloppy joes, I prefer sweet ones.  This recipe satisfies my sweet tooth.  It’s super easy to throw together and I always have the ingredients on hand.

I tweaked the recipe a bit to simplify it even more.  I also added a can of red beans to stretch the meal a bit.  (You can read how I also do this in my spaghetti sauce here.)

Homemade Sloppy Joes

Ingredients:

  • 1 lb Ground Beef
  • 1/2 cup Bell Pepper, chopped (optional)
  • 1/2 cup Onion, chopped
  • 4 Garlic Cloves, pressed or minced
  • 1 14.5 oz can of Red Beans, drained and rinsed (optional)
  • 5 Tbsp Tomato Paste
  • 1 cup Broth
  • 1/2 cup Honey
  • 2 Tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar
  • 1 Tbsp Tamari Sauce  (Soy-free recipes here and here or leave it out and extra salt)
  • 1/2 Tbsp Chile Powder
  • 1 tsp Ground Mustard
  • Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions:

  1. In a skillet cook ground beef until brown.
  2. Add peppers, onions and garlic and cook until soft.
  3. Add the remaining ingredients and bring to a boil.  Reduce the heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes or until the sauce thickens.
  4. Serve on allergy-friendly bread or in a baked potato.

You may also enjoy Easy Pulled Barbecue Chicken and Nancy’s Green Beans and Sausage.

This post is part of Melt in Your Mouth Mondays, Mouthwatering Monday, Monday Mania, Mangia Monday, Make a Food”e” Friend, Mingle Monday,  Weekend Gourmet Blog Carnival,  Made By You Monday, This Weeks Cravings, Homemaker MondayHunk of Meat MondayHearth and Soul Hop, Made From Scratch Tuesday,  Tempt My Tummy Tuesday, Tuesday Night Supper Club, Delectable Tuesday, Tuesdays at the Table, $5 Dinner Challenge, Tip Me Tuesday, Tasty Tuesdays , Totally Tasty Tuesday, Tasty Tuesday Parade of Foods, Slightly Indulgent Tuesday, Domestically Divine, Tackle it Tuesday, {TITUS 2}SDAYS, Delicious Dishes, show me what ya got, Tuesday Time Out Link Up, Gratituesday, Tea Party Tuesday, Handmade Tuesday, Let’s Do Brunch, Tuesday Tasty Tidbits, Traditional Tuesday, Fat Tuesday

 

Fresh Summer Corn Salad

Welcome to the final recipe in our Simple Sides series.  I hope you have enjoyed this series as much as I have.  So far we’ve had some Beautiful Tomato & Basil Bruschetta, Refreshing Melon Citrus Salad and a lovely Mango Summer Salad. 

This week I offer you this Fresh Summer Corn Salad…  

This recipe can be made year round using frozen corn and tomatoes from the supermarket but it really shines with fresh in season produce from your garden or local farmer’s market. 

Is there anything that says summer more than fresh corn on the cob and homegrown tomatoes?  Throw in some chopped bell pepper, onion and cilantro and toss them with a simple dressing made of lime juice and olive oil and you have a delightful summer side dish with a zing. 

If you have any leftovers, add some gluten-free taco seasoning and transform your salad into a Mexican corn salad.  Special thanks to Tatertots & Jello for sharing this recipe!

Fresh Summer Corn Salad

Ingredients:

  • 8 ears of Sweet Corn cut off the cob or 4 cups of Frozen Corn, thawed
  • 1 Large Red Pepper, chopped
  • 1 Red or Vidalia Onion, chopped
  • 25 Cherry or Grape Tomatoes, sliced in half
  • 1/3 cup Cilantro, chopped
  • 1/3 cup Lime Juice
  • 1/3 cup Olive Oil
  • Salt and Pepper

Optional Add-ins:

  • Avocado, chopped
  • 15 oz Black Beans, rinsed
  • 2-4 Tbsp Gluten-Free Taco Seasoning

Directions:

  1. Cut the corn off the cob.  The easiest and mess free way to do this is to stick the cob it in the center of a bundt pan and cut away.
  2. In a large bowl, gently combine all the produce (corn, pepper, onion, tomatoes, and cilantro).
  3. In a small bowl, whisk the lime and olive oil together.
  4. Liberally salt and pepper the corn mixture and add the dressing to the salad.  Toss gently and chill.  

Thanks for stopping by!  Take a minute to enter to win one gallon of Tropical Traditions Palm Shortening while you are here.

You may also enjoy Asian Chicken Salad and Grilled Asparagus and Artichoke Salad.

Orange, Honey and Cumin Roasted Chicken

 

I shared before that I am trying to cook one locally pastured chicken per week.  This week I tried a new recipe from the New York Times: Roast Chicken with Cumin, Honey and Orange.

This marinade is gooood!  The orange and honey work perfectly together to make my sweet tooth happy, while the cumin gives a subtle savory taste.

This marinade is incredibley quick to throw together.  I measured and mixed the three ingredients into a one cup liquid measuring cup so as not to dirty any more dishes than necessary.

My only complaint about this recipe is that the meat was not as flavorful and moist as I would have liked.  Even though I separated the skin from the breast and poured the marinade underneath the skin, most of the flavor remained in the skin.   Dipping the meat in the drippings cured that problem. Seriously, I could eat the meat with the drippings on it everyday. I really like this marinade!

I carmelized some vidalia onions (saute them until they become brown and soft) in the chicken drippings and whipped up some smashed potatoes.

I scooped some potatoes in a dish, topped with chicken and onions and covered with more drippings.  Mmmm, good!

Update:  I highly recommend making chicken stock with the leftover bones.  You can read how here.  I think the stock and leftover meat would be divine in this Bourbon Chicken Recipe.

 

 

Orange, Honey and Cumin Roasted Chicken

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup Orange Juice
  • 1/2 cup Honey
  • 1 Tbsp Cumin
  • Salt and Pepper
  • 1 Whole Chicken or 4-5 pounds Chicken Parts

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
  2. Combine orange juice, honey and cumin.  Whisk until well blended.
  3. Place chicken (with giblets removed!) in a roasting pan.  Pour marinade all over the chicken.  Pour inside the bird.  Loosen the skin around the breast by sliding your hand between the skin and breast.  Pour some marinade in there.
  4. Bake for 20 minutes per pound, basting every 10-20 minutes.  Let rest 15-20 minutes before carving.

 

 

You may also enjoy Rotisserie Chicken in the CrockPotLemon Herb Roasted Chicken in the CrockPot and Mojo Chicken in the CrockPot.

 

 

 

This post is part of Melt in Your Mouth Mondays, Mouthwatering Monday, Monday Mania, Mangia Monday, Make a Food”e” Friend, Mingle Monday,  Weekend Gourmet Blog Carnival,  Made By You Monday, This Weeks Cravings, Homemaker Monday, Hunk of Meat Monday, Hearth and Soul Hop, Made From Scratch Tuesday,  Tempt My Tummy Tuesday, Tuesday Night Supper Club, Delectable Tuesday, Tuesdays at the Table, $5 Dinner Challenge, Tip Me Tuesday, Tasty Tuesdays , Totally Tasty Tuesday, Tasty Tuesday Parade of Foods, Slightly Indulgent Tuesday, Domestically Divine, Tackle it Tuesday, {TITUS 2}SDAYS, Delicious DishesGratituesday, Tea Party Tuesday, Let’s Do Brunch, Tuesday Tasty Tidbits, Traditional Tuesday, What’s on the Menu, Made it on Monday, Whatcha Makin’ Wednesdays, Gluten Free Wednesdays, Real Food Wednesdays, What’s on Your Plate, What’s Cooking Wednesday, What We’re Eating Wednesday, Show and Tell,  Works for Me Wednesday, This Chick Cooks, Creative Juice, Foodie Wednesday, Healthy 2day, Inspired by You Wednesdays, Let’s Do Brunch, Cast Party Wednesday

Sweet Potato and Black Bean Enchiladas with Mole Sauce

A few weeks ago, I saw a sweet potato and black bean burrito recipe.   Being a sweet potato lover, the recipe interested me.  I added the idea to the bottom of my mental “recipes to try” list.

Also on my long list of recipes to try, was mole sauce.  Mole sauce has always intrigued me.  Mole sauce is a brown/red sauce that originated in Mexico.  There are many legends about how the sauce was first created.

The most common version of the legend takes place at the Convent of Santa Rosa in Puebla sometime early in the colonial period. Upon hearing that the archbishop was going to visit, the convent nuns went into a panic because they were poor and had almost nothing to prepare. The nuns prayed and brought together the little bits of what they did have, chili peppers, spices, day-old bread nuts and a little chocolate and more. They killed an old turkey they had, cooked it and put the sauce on top; and the archbishop loved it.[3] Wikipedia

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Simple Sides: Refreshing Melon Citrus Salad

This week’s simple side is brought to us by Anne of  Quick and Easy Cheap and Healthy.  As the title implies, Anne regularly shares healthy recipes that don’t require tons of time or money.  Anne has a child with food allergies.  While Quick and Easy Cheap and Healthy is not completely allergen-free, most of them are easily adapted.  I should mention that Anne has a second blog When Food is Dangerous that is top 8 free.

Today at Quick and Easy Cheap and Healthy, Anne shares this Refreshing Melon Citrus Salad.   I love how she takes a humble fruit salad to a new level with coconut milk and toasted coconut.  Here’s what she writes:

I often just chop up whatever fruit is in the fridge into a take-it-or-leave-it conglomeration, but I also like to come up with intentional creations that take into consideration flavors, textures and colors. There are a few such standbys that serve me well, but now and then the urge strikes to try something new and perk up the taste buds with some additional, unexpected flavor.

This was the position I found myself in a couple weeks ago, when I had a strange new melon I had bought at the Farmer’s Market…

You can read the rest of the story and find the recipe for this Refreshing Melon Citrus Salad here.

I hope you are enjoying this simple sides series as much as I am.  In case you missed it, last week Steph at The Cheapskate Cook shared a beautiful Tomato and Basil Bruschetta recipe.  I can’t wait to see what Mary at Barefeet in the Kitchen comes up with next week.  Then it’s my turn!

Grilled Peaches – Just Like Pie!

I have always wanted to try grilled peaches.  When I saw fresh peaches at the store for .69/lb,  I decided it was time to go for it.  I am so glad I did.  

Grilling peaches with sugar on top turns them into something special.  The heat caramelizes the sugar and softens the peaches, turning them into little bowls of  peach pie filling.  The best part is, you don’t have to heat up your house.

Serve them warm with vanilla ice cream and you have an exceptional dessert.  Serve them dolloped with yogurt and granola and you have a brilliant breakfast. 

Ingredients:

  • 2 Tbsp Sucanat or Brown Sugar
  • 1/2 tsp Cinnamon
  • 4 Fresh Peaches, washed
  • Grapeseed oil or vegetable oil

Directions:

  1. Slice peaches in half and remove the pit.
  2. Brush all sides of the peaches with the oil and place in a large bowl.
  3. In a small bowl, combine the sugar and cinnamon. 
  4. Add the sugar mixture to the peaches and gently toss until peaches are coated.
  5. Let sit at room temperature for 20-60 minutes.
  6. Cook cut side down on a hot grill for 5 minutes or until the peach has pretty grill marks.
  7. Turn the peaches over and grill on medium high for 10-15 minutes or until the fruit is tender.  Top with more sugar and cinnamon if desired.

You may also enjoy Honey Sweetened Refrigerator Pickles and Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins.

This post is part of Melt in Your Mouth Mondays, Mouthwatering Monday, Monday Mania, Mangia Monday, Make a Food”e” Friend, Mingle Monday,  Weekend Gourmet Blog Carnival,  Made By You Monday, This Weeks Cravings, My Meatless Mondays, Hearth and Soul Hop, Made From Scratch Tuesday,  Tempt My Tummy Tuesday, Tuesday Night Supper Club, Delectable Tuesday, Tuesdays at the Table, $5 Dinner Challenge, Tip Me Tuesday, Tasty Tuesdays , Totally Tasty Tuesday, Tasty Tuesday Parade of Foods, Slightly Indulgent Tuesday, Domestically Divine, Tackle it Tuesday, {TITUS 2}SDAYS, Delicious Dishes, show me what ya got, Tuesday Time Out Link Up, Gratituesday, Tea Party Tuesday, Handmade Tuesday, Let’s Do Brunch, What’s on the Menu, Made it on Monday, Whatcha Makin’ Wednesdays, Gluten Free Wednesdays, Real Food Wednesdays, What’s on Your Plate, What’s Cooking Wednesday, What We’re Eating Wednesday, Show and Tell,  Works for Me Wednesday, This Chick Cooks, Creative Juice, Foodie Wednesday, Healthy 2day, Inspired by You Wednesdays, Let’s Do Brunch, Cast Party Wednesday, Full Plate Thursday, Pennywise Platter Thursday,  Tip Day Thursday, Real Food Weekly, Simple Lives Thursday, It’s a Keeper Thursdays, Strut Your Stuff, Thrilling Thursday , Recipe Swap Thursday, Frugal Food Thursday, Hookin Up with HoH, Ultimate Recipe Swap, Food Trip Friday, Friday Potluck, Foodie Friday,  Friday Favorites, Fresh Bites Friday, Show and Tell Friday, Allergy Friendly Friday, I’m Lovin It Fridays!, Fun with Food Friday, Fight Back Friday, Fat Camp Friday, Foodie Friday, Fresh, Clean and Pure Friday, GCC Recipe Swap, Food on Friday, Finer Things Friday, Friday Food Linky, Friday Flair, Weekend Wrap Up Party, Party Mindie Style My Favorite Things Friday Friday Food Fight, Sweet Tooth Friday, Wellness Weekend

Photo Credit: mccun934

Simple Sides: Tomato & Basil Bruschetta

I am thrilled to announce a new series called Simple Sides.  Every Thursday during the  month of August, some blogger friends and I will be sharing a few of our favorite summer side dishes.

Up first is Steph at The Cheapskate Cook .  Steph’s blog focuses on real food on a budget.  Make sure you read this inspiring series on how she and her husband survived spending only $25/week on whole foods.

This week she is sharing this beautiful Tomato and Basil Bruschetta recipe. 

What a wonderful idea for the tomato bounty in our garden!  Here’s what she says about the recipe:

While our culture tends to equate easy meals as something that comes from a box or is popped in the microwave, I’ve found it isn’t always practical. When you’re trying to eat healthy and super frugally, routinely making up meals based on convenience food literally doesn’t fit the bill…

So true Steph!  These are the other ladies that will be joining in on the fun:

I can’t wait to see what they come up with!



Honey Lemon Refrigerator Pickles (Bread and Butter Style)

Yesterday I confessed my new obsession with cucumbers and shared a healthy version of refrigerator pickles using apple cider vinegar and honey.  You can find that recipe here.  I also shared that I found another refrigerator pickle recipe that was so unique I just had to try it. 

Instead of the traditional vinegar and sugar, the base of this recipe is lemon juice and honey.  Then you add a variety of spices including turmeric and cloves. 

I am no pickle connoisseur, but I would say that these pickles resemble bread and butter pickles with an interesting kick from the clove.  I did a quick search for bread and butter pickle recipes and found that turmeric is pretty standard, cloves appear occasionally and lemon and honey are rare.

I served both pickle recipes to an expert my pregnant sister in law.  She had not had refrigerator pickles before today.  She enjoyed the Honey Sweetened Pickles and could not taste the honey.  When she tried the Honey Lemon Pickles she agreed that they tasted similar to bread and butter pickles with a kick.  She could not identify the kick as cloves.

I have to admit, I don’t like to eat these pickles straight from the jar.  Maybe this is because I don’t really like bread and butter pickles.  But I added them to my hamburger last night and my turkey sandwich today.  I really, really liked what they added to my sandwiches.

Give ’em a try and let me know what you think!

Honey Lemon Refrigerator Pickles

This makes 3 pints so I halved the recipe.

Ingredients:

  • 6 cups Cucumbers, sliced
  • 2 cups Onions, sliced
  • 3/4 cup Honey
  • 1 cup Lemon Juice
  • 1/2 tsp Kelp Powder (Don’t have kelp?  You could try 1/4 tsp salt.)
  • 1/2 tsp Mustard Seed
  • 1/2 tsp Celery Seed
  • 1/2 tsp Ground Turmeric
  • 1/2 tsp Ground Cloves

Directions:

  1. Put cucumbers and onions in a large glass bowl.  Add remaining ingredients to a saucepan.  Bring to a boil and cook and stir until honey is dissolved.
  2. Pour the liquid over the vegetables and stir well.  Let the cucumbers cool while keeping them submerged.
  3. Transfer pickles to jars and refrigerate at least 24 hours.
  4. Store in refrigerator.

This recipe came from From Asparagus to Zucchini.



Honey Sweetened Refrigerator Pickles

I have had issues with cucumbers recently.  It’s strange because I used to dislike them but lately I can’t get enough.  My body must be deficient in cucumber vitamins.  🙂  When I saw a box of organic cucumbers for sale at the farmer’s market I grabbed it.  Don’t worry, I paid for it first.

What’s a girl to do with a box of cucumbers but make pickles.  All of the refrigerator pickle recipes I had called for white sugar.  I haven’t had white sugar in the kitchen for some time.  I wondered, could I use sucanat?  I didn’t think that would work since it has a maple like flavor.  I was also afraid it would make the pickle juice an unappetizing brown color.

Then I wondered if I could use honey.  I did some searching online and found two recipes.  The first one seemed to be a simple and classic refrigerator pickle recipe with a few healthy adaptations.  The second recipe was like nothing I had seen before.  Pickles in lemon juice instead of vinegar.  Cloves, really?

I couldn’t help myself.  I tried them both. 

This honey sweetened refrigerator pickle recipe is a great basic recipe with the traditional taste you expect from refridgerator pickles.  There is a nice balance of salty, sweet and sour.  Next time I make them I might throw in some garlic or dill for fun.

Honey Sweetened Refrigerator Pickles

Ingredients:

  • 3 Large Cucumbers, sliced thin
  • 1 Medium Onion, sliced thin
  • 2 tsp Sea Salt
  • 1 tsp Celery Seed
  • 1/4 to 1/2 cup Honey
  • 1/2 cup Apple Cider Vinegar

Directions:

  1. Gently mix cucumbers, onion, salt and celery seed in a large bowl.
  2. Let stand at room temperature for 1 hour.  (I may or may not have eaten half the bowl of salted cukes before the hour was up.)
  3. Stir honey and vinegar in a small bowl until honey is dissolved.  Pour over cucumber mixture.
  4. Mix well.  Cover and refrigerate 24 hours.
  5. Pickles will keep 3 weeks or more in the refrigerator.

And the second recipe?  You can find it here.

This post is part of Melt in Your Mouth Mondays, Mouthwatering Monday, Monday Mania, Mangia Monday, Make a Food”e” Friend, Mingle Monday,  Weekend Gourmet Blog CarnivalThis Weeks Cravings, My Meatless Mondays, Just Another Meatless MondayHearth and Soul Hop, Made From Scratch Tuesday,  Tempt My Tummy Tuesday, Tuesday Night Supper Club, Delectable Tuesday, Tuesdays at the Table, $5 Dinner Challenge, Tip Me Tuesday, Tasty Tuesdays , Totally Tasty Tuesday, Tasty Tuesday Parade of Foods, Slightly Indulgent Tuesday, Domestically Divine, Tackle it Tuesday, {TITUS 2}SDAYS, Delicious Dishes, show me what ya got, Tuesday Time Out Link Up, Gratituesday, Tea Party Tuesday, Handmade Tuesday, What’s on the Menu, Made it on Monday, Whatcha Makin’ Wednesdays, Gluten Free Wednesdays, Real Food Wednesdays, What’s on Your Plate, What’s Cooking Wednesday, What We’re Eating Wednesday, Show and Tell,  Works for Me Wednesday, This Chick Cooks, Creative Juice, Foodie Wednesday, Healthy 2day, Inspired by You Wednesdays, Let’s Do Brunch, Cast Party Wednesday, Full Plate Thursday, Pennywise Platter Thursday,  Tip Day Thursday, Real Food Weekly, Simple Lives Thursday, It’s a Keeper Thursdays, Strut Your Stuff, Thrilling Thursday , Recipe Swap Thursday, Frugal Food Thursday, Hookin Up with HoH, Ultimate Recipe Swap, Food Trip Friday, Friday Potluck, Foodie Friday,  Friday Favorites, Fresh Bites Friday, Show and Tell Friday, Allergy Friendly Friday, I’m Lovin It Fridays!, Fun with Food Friday, Fight Back Friday, Fat Camp Friday, Foodie Friday, Fresh, Clean and Pure Friday, GCC Recipe Swap, Food on Friday, Finer Things FridayFriday Food Linky, Friday Flair, Weekend Wrap Up Party, Party Mindie Style, My Favorite Things Friday, Friday Food Fight, Sweet Tooth Friday, Wellness Weekend, Show and Tell Saturday, The Lady Bloggers Tea Party

Beefy Zucchini

Photo courtesy of my 11 year old daughter. Pretty good, eh?

Here’s another quick and easy zucchini dinner.  It is thick and hearty so it can be served as is or over rice or pasta.  A side salad would make a great addition. 

Ingredients:

  • 1 small Onion, diced
  • 2 pound Ground Beef
  • 2 cans Fire Roasted Tomatoes
  • 3 Zucchini, chopped
  • 2 tsp Italian Seasoning
  • Salt and Pepper

Directions:

  1. In a heavy skillet, cook ground beef and onion until beef is done and onions are clear.
  2. Add tomatoes, zucchini, seasoning, salt and pepper and cook until zucchini is tender.

You may also enjoy Italian Sausage and Summer Squash Skillet and Cheeseburger Zucchini Boats.

This post is part of Secret Recipe Club, Melt in Your Mouth Mondays, Mouthwatering Monday, Monday Mania, Mangia Monday, Make a Food”e” Friend, Mingle Monday,  Weekend Gourmet Blog Carnival,  Made By You Monday, This Weeks Cravings, Hearth and Soul Hop, Made From Scratch Tuesday,  Tempt My Tummy Tuesday, Tuesday Night Supper Club, Delectable Tuesday, Tuesdays at the Table, $5 Dinner Challenge, Tip Me Tuesday, Tasty Tuesdays , Totally Tasty Tuesday, Tasty Tuesday Parade of Foods, Slightly Indulgent Tuesday, Domestically Divine, Tackle it Tuesday, {TITUS 2}SDAYS, Delicious Dishes, show me what ya got, Tuesday Time Out Link Up, Gratituesday, Tea Party Tuesday, Handmade Tuesday, What’s on the Menu, Made it on Monday, Whatcha Makin’ Wednesdays, Gluten Free Wednesdays, Real Food Wednesdays, What’s on Your Plate, What’s Cooking Wednesday, What We’re Eating Wednesday, Show and Tell,  Works for Me Wednesday, This Chick Cooks, Creative Juice, Foodie Wednesday, Healthy 2day, Inspired by You Wednesdays, Let’s Do Brunch, Cast Party Wednesday, Full Plate Thursday, Pennywise Platter Thursday,  Tip Day Thursday, Real Food Weekly, Simple Lives Thursday, It’s a Keeper Thursdays, Strut Your Stuff, Thrilling Thursday , Recipe Swap Thursday, Frugal Food Thursday, Hookin Up with HoH, Ultimate Recipe Swap, Food Trip Friday, Friday Potluck, Foodie Friday,  Friday Favorites, Fresh Bites Friday, Show and Tell Friday, Allergy Friendly Friday, I’m Lovin It Fridays!, Fun with Food Friday, Fight Back Friday, Fat Camp Friday, Foodie Friday, Fresh, Clean and Pure Friday, GCC Recipe Swap, Food on Friday, Finer Things Friday, Sweet Tooth Friday, Friday Food Linky, Friday Flair, Weekend Wrap Up Party, Party Mindie Style My Favorite Things Friday Friday Food Fight, Show and Tell Saturday, Seasonal Sunday,  Nifty Thrifty SundaySundae Scoop, The Sunday Showcase, Simply Delish, Party Time