Archive for June, 2011

Italian Sausage and Summer Squash Skillet

Did I mention we eat a lot of squash in the summer?  Squash cooks so fast that it makes a wonderful, healthy lunch.  While squash alone can be pretty bland, this recipe is full of flavor.  Here’s how I fix my my favorite squash skillet.

Ingredients:

  • Palm Shortening or oil of choice
  • 1 Large Yellow Onion, chopped
  • 1/2 Pound Italian Sausage Links, sliced
  • 9-12 Small Summer Squash, sliced
  • Italian Seasoning
  • Salt and Pepper

Directions:

  1. Heat oil in skillet.  Cook onion and sausage until onion is clear and sausage is brown.
  2. Add squash and season liberally with Italian seasoning, salt and pepper.  Cook until squash is tender.

You may also enjoy Summer Squash and Chicken Skillet and Nancy’s Green Beans and Sausage.

This recipe is part of Melt in Your Mouth Mondays, Tip Me Tuesday, Monday Mania, Made By You Monday, Make a Food”e” Friend, Mingle Monday, Hunk of Meat Monday, So Sweet Sunday, Sugar Free Sunday,  Seasonal Sunday,  Nifty Thrifty Sunday, A Themed Bakers Sunday, Cookbook Sunday, Sundae Scoop, The Sunday Showcase, Savory Sunday, Potluck Sunday, Simply Delish. {TITUS 2}SDAYS, Tuesdays at the Table, Totally Tasty Tuesday, Delicious Dishes, Tuesday Time Out Link Up, show me what ya got, Tasty Tuesdays, Slightly Indulgent Tuesday, Tip Me Tuesday, What’s Cooking Wednesday, Gluten Free Wednesdays, Works for Me Wednesday, Real Food Wednesdays, This Chick Cooks, Made it on Monday, Creative Juice, Foodie Wednesday, Healthy 2day Wednesdays, Thrilling Thursday, It’s a Keeper Thursdays, Strut Your Stuff, Frugal Food Thursday, Hookin Up with HoH, Real Food Weekly, Simple Lives Thursday, Recipe Swap Thursday, Pennywise Platter Thursday, 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, Show and Tell Saturday, The Lady Bloggers Tea Party

Printable Coupons: Enjoy Life, Chinet and More

Whoot!  Check out all of these wonderful allergy-friendly coupons!  Remember you can typically print 2 per computer.  Please remember to double-check the ingredient label for your allergens.

New Study Reveals 1 in 13 Children Have Food Allergies

Have you seen the latest food allergy study in the headlines this week?  Here are the highlights:

  • 8% of children under the age of 18 in the US have food allergies
  • That converts to about 6 million children
  • 40% of those children have severe reactions
  • 30% of the children have multiple food allergies
  • Most common allergen is peanut followed by milk and shellfish

You can read more about the study here, here and here.

I have mixed emotions about this study.  Part of me is relieved to know that we are not the only ones dealing with these issues.  The more people who have these issues mean that there will be more “supply and demand” for allergy-friendly food at restaurants.

However, I am grieved that so many children and their parents are suffering and frustrated that there is so little known about the cause.  I am also grateful that my child has only had mild reactions.  I cannot imagine living with the constant fear of an anaphylactic reaction.

I’d love to hear your thoughts.  How do you feel about these new numbers?

Photo Credit: Bruce Tuten

Lemon Herb Roasted Chicken in the CrockPot Recipe

Here’s another great recipe for your whole chicken. As I shared before, cooking your chicken in the crockpot produces tender, fall off the bone chicken.  The longer you cook it, the more it will fall apart.  If you want yours to keep it’s shape like the one in my picture, start checking for doneness after 6 hours.

This chicken is full of lemony-garlic flavor.  It has just the right amount of lemon flavor.  You can taste it but it is not overwhelming.  My kids love it.  I lost track of how many helpings my five year old had tonight.   This would also be divine served with garlic mashed potatoes or rice.  I think next time I make this I will try adding green beans with the onions.  Make sure you go heavy with the seasonings or the flavor won’t penetrate the skin.  Don’t forget to save the bones for homemade stock with a hint of lemon.  I use the broth to make rice.  Yum!

Ingredients:

  • 1 Whole Chicken
  • 1-2 Large Yellow Onions, sliced into wedges
  • 2 Lemons or 1/2 cup Lemon Juice
  • 1 1/2 tsp Garlic Powder
  • Salt and Pepper
  • Rosemary

Directions:

1.  Place onions in crockpot.

2.  Place the chicken on top of onions.

3.  Pour or squeeze lemon juice over chicken.  Try to get some juice in the cavity.

4.  Heavily salt and pepper the chicken outside and inside.

5.  Sprinkle garlic powder outside and inside of bird.

6.  Liberally sprinkle rosemary over outside and inside chicken.

7.  Cover and cook on low 8-10 hours.

UPDATE:  Be sure to check out this post on How to Have Crispy Skin in the Crockpot.  I haven’t tried it on this particular recipe yet, but I’m sure it would work.

Here are some of my favorite crockpot whole chicken recipes for the crockpot:

 

 

This recipe is based on this recipe at A Year of Slow Cooking.

This post is part of Made By You Monday, Weekend Gourmet Blog Carnival, Hunk of Meat Monday, Monday Mania, Mingle Monday, {TITUS2}SDAYS, Tempt My Tummy Tuesday, Tuesdays at the Table, $5 Dinner Challenge, Tip Me Tuesday, Tuesday Time Out Link Up, show me what ya got, Totally Tasty Tuesday, Domestically Divine, Tasty Tuesday Parade of Foods, Slightly Indulgent Tuesday, Domestically Divine, Tackle it Tuesday, Delicious Dishes, Show and Tell, What’s Cooking Wednesday, Works for Me Wednesday, Gluten Free Wednesdays, Real Food Wednesdays, What’s on Your Plate, Made it on Monday, This Chick Cooks, 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, 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, Show and Tell Saturday, The Lady Bloggers Tea Party, Simply Delish, The Sunday Showcase, Sundae Scoop, Nifty Thrifty Sunday, Seasonal Sunday, Sugar Free Sunday, Savory Sunday

$3 off Newman’s Own, $1 off Alexia and More Printable Coupons

Thanks Saving Naturally and Organic Deals!

     

     

    Amazon: 50 Packets Stevita Supreme for $2.45/box!

    Stevita Supreme – 50pkts – 1.8 oz / Packet is currently listed on Amazon at $2.45 per box!  I have been using this stuff in my coffee and tea for a year or two.  This zero calorie sweetener is a combination of stevia and xylitol.  Stevia is known to have a bitter after taste but not so in this brand.  For $2.45 you might as well try it!

    Here is how the deal works:

    While you are at Amazon, pick up some organic coconut oil for $0.32 per ounce, Lucy’s cookies and the rest of the latest allergy-friendly deals.

    Have you tried this brand before?  What do you use in your coffee and tea?

    Amazon: Organic Coconut Oil $.32/oz

    Currently, Nutiva Organic Extra Virgin Coconut Oil, 54-Ounce Containers (Pack of 2) is $34.75 through subscribe and save.  This is a great deal!  We use this coconut oil in homemade granola, waffles and coconut fudge (recipe coming soon).  We even use this oil as a lotion!  It smells and tastes like coconut so if you don’t like the sent and taste of coconut you should probably pass on this deal.  I love coconut!

    About Subscribe and Save:

    When you select subscribe and save you not only get a discount but you also get FREE shipping!  If you decide you don’t want to have the item automatically shipped to you, you can cancel at any time.  Simply log into Amazon, go to “My Account,” click “manage subscribe and save items” and cancel the subscription.  I have been known to sign up for the discount and cancel my subscription the day my order ships.

    For more allergy-friendly Amazon deals click here.

    Barbecue Potato Recipe

    Who needs a wheat bun when you can have a smooth, buttery potato?  This is another quick lunch idea that uses leftover chicken.

    Ingredients:

    • Cooked Potato (yellow potatoes taste extra buttery)
    • Salt and Pepper
    • Leftover Chicken
    • Barbecue Sauce

    Directions:

    1. Layer ingredients on a plate and enjoy!

    You may also enjoy Easy Pulled Barbecue Chicken and Taco Potato.

    Printable Coupons: Amy’s, Coleman’s, NatureSweet and More

     

    How to Make Chicken Stock and Why You Should

    Homemade meat stocks are a traditional food that not only add flavor to meals but also add significant nutritional punch. For centuries chicken stock, a.k.a. Jewish Penicillin, has been served to the ill.  Unfortunately, these days most Americans purchase boneless cuts of meats and have lost the skill of creating this healing liquid.

    Properly prepared stock contains high amounts of calcium, magnesium, potassium, gelatin and electrolytes.   The stock is gentle on the stomach and the nutrients are easily absorbed.  Homemade stock is the cornerstone to the GAPS Diet, a diet designed for natural digestive healing.  According to Dr. Campbell-McBride, “Meat and fish stocks provide building blocks for the rapidly growing cells of the gut lining and they have a soothing effect on any areas of inflammation in the gut.” It’s no wonder that stock has been recommended for cold, flu and just about whatever ails you for centuries.

    (more…)