Low Carb Lesa

I experimented with making kohlrabi fries tonight and they turned out great!

Kohlrabi Fries

3 small kohlrabi
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
1/8 tsp turmeric
4 tbsp grated parmesan (green can)

Preheat oven to 425°. Line a metal baking sheet with parchment paper and spritz with olive oil.

Peel kohlrabi, being sure to get all of the outer layer off. Cut into fry shapes, trying as best you can to make uniform shapes. Err on the side of thinner fries rather than thick.

Blot each piece with paper towel to remove as much moisture as possible. Put fries in a large bowl. Add the seasonings and toss well to evenly distribute them on the fries.

Lay the fries out on the baking sheet in a single layer. Pour any extra seasoning on top.

Bake for 15 minutes, then flip and bake another minutes.

I made a fry sauce to go with them, but it needs tweaking. These fries are substantial enough that you can pick them up and dip them. Awesome.

Sausage-Stuffed Acorn Squash

Acorn squash does not have to be doused in brown sugar to be enjoyable. It already has a natural sweetness. I go savory with it by stuffing it with a filling made of ground sausage and toasted pecans. I used a little cream cheese, heavy cream, and brown mustard to hold it all together. The salty-savory of the sausage and the sweetness of the squash are so great together.

It made the perfect fall meal.

This one is not going to win any beauty contests, I know. But it was too good not to share. It's an easy weeknight meal. Beef, mushrooms, and riced cauliflower in a creamy sauce.

𝗕𝗲𝗲𝗳 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗮𝗻𝗼𝗳𝗳 𝗦𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗲𝘁

𝗕𝗿𝗼𝘄𝗻 𝟭 𝗹𝗯 𝗴𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱 𝗯𝗲𝗲𝗳 𝗶𝗻 𝗮 𝗹𝗮𝗿𝗴𝗲 𝘀𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗲𝘁 (𝗜 𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝗺𝘆 𝟭𝟮" 𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝗶𝗿𝗼𝗻).

𝗠𝗲𝗮𝗻𝘄𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗲, 𝗺𝗶𝗰𝗿𝗼𝘄𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗮 𝟭𝟮 𝗼𝘇 𝗽𝗮𝗰𝗸𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗲𝗱 𝗰𝗮𝘂𝗹𝗶𝗳𝗹𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝟰 𝗺𝗶𝗻𝘀.

𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝗲𝗳 𝗶𝘀 𝗱𝗼𝗻𝗲, 𝗮𝗱𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗮𝘂𝗹𝗶𝗳𝗹𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝟴 𝗼𝘇 𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗽𝗽𝗲𝗱 𝗺𝘂𝘀𝗵𝗿𝗼𝗼𝗺𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗻𝘂𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗼𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴, 𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗿𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝗰𝗰𝗮𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆.

𝗜𝗻 𝗮 𝘀𝗺𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗯𝗼𝘄𝗹, 𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗿 𝘁𝗼𝗴𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝟳 𝗼𝘇 𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗲𝘀𝗲, 𝟯 𝗼𝘇 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝘃𝘆 𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗺, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝟭 𝘁𝘀𝗽 𝗯𝗲𝗲𝗳 𝗯𝗮𝘀𝗲 (𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝗕𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗧𝗵𝗮𝗻 𝗕𝗼𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗼𝗻 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝗜 𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝗧𝗼𝗻𝗲'𝘀).

𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝗰𝗮𝘂𝗹𝗶𝗳𝗹𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗺𝘂𝘀𝗵𝗿𝗼𝗼𝗺𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘀𝗼𝗳𝘁, 𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗿 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗮𝘂𝗰𝗲. 𝗧𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘀𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗼𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴, 𝗮𝗱𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝗮𝗹𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗽𝗲𝗽𝗽𝗲𝗿 𝗶𝗳 𝗻𝗲𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗮𝗿𝘆.

I am getting quite a collection of these, what I call "skillet dinners". They all follow the same formula: ground meat + riced cauliflower + other veggie + creamy sauce to hold it together. It's fun to come up with different flavor profiles. The riced cauliflower I use (frozen from Aldi) is a very fine grain, so it is great at filling in these dishes without being very obvious that you're eating cauliflower.

☘ Happy St. Patrick's Day! ☘ This morning I made my family green eggs to celebrate. I simply pureed 8 eggs with about 88 grams of fresh spinach, a splash of heavy cream, and salt. Then scramble as usual. My girls (11 & 14) love them so much! They ate more than I was expecting, so I had to make another batch for my husband and me. What a great way to start the day. My husband and I are smoking a corned beef brisket for dinner; so excited to see how that turns out!

Happy Pi(e) Day! To celebrate I made my favorite savory pie: Chicken and Sausage Pie. There is something about the combination of ground sausage and chicken breast that I just love. They go well together.

𝗖𝗵𝗶𝗰𝗸𝗲𝗻 & 𝗦𝗮𝘂𝘀𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗣𝗶𝗲

𝗣𝗿𝗲𝗵𝗲𝗮𝘁 𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝟯𝟱𝟬°. 𝗖𝗼𝗮𝘁 𝗮 𝟵" 𝗽𝗶𝗲 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗰𝗼𝗼𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝗽𝗿𝗮𝘆.

𝗕𝗿𝗼𝘄𝗻 𝟭 𝗹𝗯 𝗴𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝗮𝘂𝘀𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝗮 𝗺𝗲𝗱𝗶𝘂𝗺 𝘀𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗲𝘁.

𝗜𝗻 𝗮 𝗹𝗮𝗿𝗴𝗲 𝗺𝗶𝘅𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗯𝗼𝘄𝗹, 𝗯𝗲𝗮𝘁 𝟰 𝗲𝗴𝗴𝘀. 𝗔𝗱𝗱 𝟭/𝟮 𝗰𝘂𝗽 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝘃𝘆 𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗺, 𝟭/𝟰 𝘁𝘀𝗽 𝘀𝗮𝗹𝘁, 𝟭/𝟮 𝘁𝘀𝗽 𝗼𝗻𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗽𝗼𝘄𝗱𝗲𝗿, 𝟭 𝘁𝘀𝗽 𝗴𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱 𝗰𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗿𝘆, 𝟭/𝟮 𝘁𝘀𝗽 𝗴𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝗮𝗴𝗲, 𝟴 𝗼𝘇 𝗰𝗼𝗼𝗸𝗲𝗱 𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗰𝗸𝗲𝗻, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝟰 𝗼𝘇 𝗠𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗲𝘆 𝗝𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗲𝘀𝗲 (𝗴𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱). 𝗔𝗱𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗮𝘂𝘀𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝗶𝘁'𝘀 𝗱𝗼𝗻𝗲.

𝗣𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗶𝗲 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗯𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝟯𝟱 𝗺𝗶𝗻𝘂𝘁𝗲𝘀.

You can change up the seasonings however you like, of course. I tried making this in my cast iron pan, but I didn't like it as much. The bottom got too crispy. It's better in a pie plate.

This is one of those "fight-over-the-leftovers" dishes at our house. Always a favorite.

Instant Pot Turkey Breast Tenderloins - I love turkey and am not about to wait until Thanksgiving to make it. We enjoy turkey for dinner quite often. It's a nice change from chicken. I love cooking turkey tenderloins in the Instant Pot because they come out tender and moist every time.

𝗜𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝗣𝗼𝘁 𝗧𝘂𝗿𝗸𝗲𝘆 𝗧𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝗹𝗼𝗶𝗻𝘀

𝗣𝘂𝘁 𝟭 𝗰𝘂𝗽 𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗰𝗸𝗲𝗻 𝗯𝗿𝗼𝘁𝗵 𝗶𝗻 𝗮 𝟲 𝗼𝗿 𝟴 𝗾𝘁 𝗜𝗣. 𝗦𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝘀𝗶𝗱𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝘄𝗼 𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗸𝗲𝘆 𝘁𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝗹𝗼𝗶𝗻𝘀 𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗹𝘆 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘀𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗼𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝗳 𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗶𝗰𝗲. 𝗣𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗜𝗣.

𝗖𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗼𝗻 𝗵𝗶𝗴𝗵 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝟮𝟱 𝗺𝗶𝗻𝘂𝘁𝗲𝘀. 𝗟𝗲𝘁 𝗡𝗣𝗥 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝟭𝟱 𝗺𝗶𝗻𝘂𝘁𝗲𝘀.

𝗦𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗲.

To get this beautiful faux-roasted color, ensure your seasonings include both paprika (I used smoked) and turmeric. I use a blend from The Spice House called Bicentennial Rub, which is a gorgeous golden color due to containing turmeric. The combo of the golden turmeric and the red paprika gives this turkey this nice color. It will still taste good if you just use salt and pepper, but it will look pale and boring. We often "eat with our eyes" so if you care about how it looks, give some thought to your seasoning.

This is one of my favorite easy weeknight night meals, paired with green beans. It's like a mini Thanksgiving dinner. ❤

And check out the adorable book cutting boards I recently found! The edges are even beveled like a book. Aren't they fun?

Ham & Brussels Sprout Skillet - One of my favorite one-pan meals. Browned ham steak on top of pan-roasted Brussels sprouts in a creamy Dijon sauce.

The recipe that inspired this one called for pork chops instead of ham steak. I could not get the pork chops to cook through before the sprouts turned to total mush. I almost scrapped it altogether, but then I thought about trying it with ham. It was perfect because the ham is already cooked, so the dish is ready whenever the sprouts are perfect. And I think ham and Brussels sprouts go together really well.

𝗛𝗮𝗺 & 𝗕𝗿𝘂𝘀𝘀𝗲𝗹𝘀 𝗦𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗦𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗲𝘁

𝗣𝗿𝗲𝗵𝗲𝗮𝘁 𝗮 𝟭𝟮” 𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝗶𝗿𝗼𝗻 𝘀𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗲𝘁 𝗼𝗻 𝗺𝗲𝗱𝗶𝘂𝗺 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝘁. 𝗔𝗱𝗱 𝟭 𝘁𝗯𝘀𝗽 𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗼𝗻 𝗳𝗮𝘁. 𝗕𝗿𝗼𝘄𝗻 𝗮 𝗹𝗮𝗿𝗴𝗲 𝗵𝗮𝗺 𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗸 𝟱 𝗺𝗶𝗻𝘂𝘁𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗵 𝘀𝗶𝗱𝗲. 𝗥𝗲𝗺𝗼𝘃𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗮 𝗰𝘂𝘁𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗯𝗼𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗰𝘂𝘁 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝗹𝗮𝗿𝗴𝗲 𝗽𝗶𝗲𝗰𝗲𝘀. 𝗦𝗲𝘁 𝗮𝘀𝗶𝗱𝗲.

𝗧𝘂𝗿𝗻 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝘁 𝗱𝗼𝘄𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝗺𝗲𝗱𝗶𝘂𝗺-𝗹𝗼𝘄. 𝗔𝗱𝗱 𝟭 𝗹𝗯. 𝗕𝗿𝘂𝘀𝘀𝗲𝗹𝘀 𝘀𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘂𝘁𝘀 (𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗱 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗵𝗮𝗹𝘃𝗲𝗱) 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝟭/𝟰 𝗼𝗳 𝗮𝗻 𝗼𝗻𝗶𝗼𝗻 (𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗽𝗽𝗲𝗱) 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗰𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝟭𝟱 𝗺𝗶𝗻𝘂𝘁𝗲𝘀, 𝗮𝗱𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗼𝗻 𝗳𝗮𝘁 𝗶𝗳 𝗻𝗲𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗮𝗿𝘆.

𝗠𝗲𝗮𝗻𝘄𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗲, 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗯𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝟯/𝟰 𝗰𝘂𝗽 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝘃𝘆 𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝟯 𝘁𝗯𝘀𝗽 𝗗𝗶𝗷𝗼𝗻 𝗺𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗿𝗱. 𝗔𝗱𝗱 𝗶𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗮𝗻, 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝗮𝗱𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗵𝗮𝗺 𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝗶𝗻. 𝗖𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿, 𝗿𝗲𝗱𝘂𝗰𝗲 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗹𝗼𝘄, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗰𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗮𝗻𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝟭𝟬 𝗺𝗶𝗻𝘂𝘁𝗲𝘀, 𝗼𝗿 𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗹 𝗕𝗿𝘂𝘀𝘀𝗲𝗹𝘀 𝘀𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘂𝘁𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗱𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀.

You could use a brown mustard instead of Dijon if you like. Ham and mustard is a classic combo, so this sauce works really well.

And I love how there is only one pan to clean.

This is one of those "why didn't I ever think of this before?" dishes. Super simple, but it's a great recipe to have on hand because it goes with almost anything.

𝗠𝘂𝘀𝗵𝗿𝗼𝗼𝗺 𝗖𝗮𝘂𝗹𝗶-𝗥𝗶𝗰𝗲

𝗠𝗲𝗹𝘁 𝟮 𝘁𝗯𝘀𝗽 𝗯𝘂𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗶𝗻 𝗮 𝗺𝗲𝗱𝗶𝘂𝗺 𝘀𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗲𝘁. 𝗔𝗱𝗱 𝟰 𝗼𝘇 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗹𝘆 𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗽𝗽𝗲𝗱 𝗺𝘂𝘀𝗵𝗿𝗼𝗼𝗺𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝗮𝘂𝘁𝗲́.

𝗠𝗲𝗮𝗻𝘄𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗲, 𝗺𝗶𝗰𝗿𝗼𝘄𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗮 𝟭𝟮 𝗼𝘇 𝗽𝗮𝗰𝗸𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝘇𝗲𝗻 𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗲𝗱 𝗰𝗮𝘂𝗹𝗶𝗳𝗹𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝟰 𝗺𝗶𝗻𝘂𝘁𝗲𝘀.

𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝗺𝘂𝘀𝗵𝗿𝗼𝗼𝗺𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝗿𝗼𝘄𝗻, 𝗮𝗱𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗮𝘂𝗹𝗶𝗳𝗹𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿, 𝟭/𝟮 𝘁𝘀𝗽 𝗱𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝘆𝗺𝗲, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝟭/𝟰 𝘁𝘀𝗽 𝘀𝗮𝗹𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗻𝘂𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗰𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗹 𝗰𝗮𝘂𝗹𝗶𝗳𝗹𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿 𝗶𝘀 𝗱𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀.

I made this to go with Swedish meatballs and it was just perfect. It's a nice way to kind of "dress up" plain riced cauliflower.

Lunch today was this yummy chaffle sandwich. Chaffles, ham, sharp white cheddar, bacon, tomato, spring mix, and mayo. Beautiful and tasty.

Here's another yummy veggie dish. Brussels sprouts, goat cheese, bacon, and pecans. It's a great combination of flavors and textures.

𝗕𝗿𝘂𝘀𝘀𝗲𝗹𝘀 𝗦𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘂𝘁𝘀, 𝗚𝗼𝗮𝘁 𝗖𝗵𝗲𝗲𝘀𝗲, 𝗕𝗮𝗰𝗼𝗻, & 𝗣𝗲𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗚𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻

𝗧𝗿𝗶𝗺 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗵𝗮𝗹𝘃𝗲 𝟭 𝗹𝗯 𝗼𝗳 𝗕𝗿𝘂𝘀𝘀𝗲𝗹𝘀 𝘀𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘂𝘁𝘀. 𝗣𝘂𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝗮 𝟭𝟬" 𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝗶𝗿𝗼𝗻 𝗽𝗮𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗰𝗼𝗮𝘁 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗼𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗼𝗶𝗹 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗸𝗼𝘀𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝘀𝗮𝗹𝘁. 𝗥𝗼𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝗮𝘁 𝟰𝟬𝟬° 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝟭𝟱 𝗺𝗶𝗻𝘂𝘁𝗲𝘀.

𝗥𝗲𝗺𝗼𝘃𝗲 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗮𝗱𝗱 𝟰 𝗼𝘇 𝗴𝗼𝗮𝘁 𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗲𝘀𝗲 𝗰𝗿𝘂𝗺𝗯𝗹𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝟰 𝘀𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗲𝘀 𝗺𝗶𝗰𝗿𝗼𝘄𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗼𝗻 (𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗽𝗽𝗲𝗱). 𝗗𝗿𝗶𝘇𝘇𝗹𝗲 𝟭 𝗰𝘂𝗽 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝘃𝘆 𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗮𝗹𝗹, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗼𝗽 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝟭/𝟯 𝗰𝘂𝗽 𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗽𝗽𝗲𝗱 𝗽𝗲𝗰𝗮𝗻𝘀.

𝗥𝗲𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗿𝗼𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝟭𝟱 𝗺𝗶𝗻𝘂𝘁𝗲𝘀.

If you don't have a cast iron pan, you can roast the sprouts on a baking sheet, then transfer to a baking dish and proceed from there. It might take a little longer.

I served this with Instant Pot Turkey Tenderloins tonight and it made a great comfort food meal on a gray winter day.

Spinach Artichoke Bake - Basically spinach artichoke dip in solid form!

It is not eggy like a quiche. It's cheesy, creamy, and rich. It pairs well with lean meats like chicken breast or boneless pork. It would be great for a potluck or family get-together.

𝗦𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗰𝗵 𝗔𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗸𝗲 𝗕𝗮𝗸𝗲

𝗣𝗿𝗲𝗵𝗲𝗮𝘁 𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝟰𝟬𝟬°. 𝗖𝗼𝗮𝘁 𝗮𝗻 𝟭𝟭𝘅𝟳” 𝗯𝗮𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗵 𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗹𝘆 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗯𝗮𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝗽𝗿𝗮𝘆.

𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗯𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘀𝗲 𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗿𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗮 𝗹𝗮𝗿𝗴𝗲 𝗺𝗶𝘅𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗯𝗼𝘄𝗹:
𝟰 𝗯𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝗲𝗴𝗴𝘀
𝟭/𝟮 𝗰𝘂𝗽 𝗺𝗮𝘆𝗼
𝟰 𝗼𝘇 𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗲𝘀𝗲 (𝘀𝗼𝗳𝘁𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗱)
𝟭/𝟮 𝗰𝘂𝗽 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝘃𝘆 𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗺
𝟭 (𝟭𝟰 𝗼𝘇.) 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗸𝗲 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘁𝘀 (𝗱𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗱 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗽𝗽𝗲𝗱)
𝟭 (𝟭𝟬 𝗼𝘇.) 𝗽𝗮𝗰𝗸𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝘇𝗲𝗻 𝘀𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗰𝗵 (𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘄𝗲𝗱 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗱𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗱)
𝟭/𝟮 𝘁𝘀𝗽 𝗼𝗻𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗽𝗼𝘄𝗱𝗲𝗿
𝟭/𝟮 𝘁𝘀𝗽 𝗴𝗮𝗿𝗹𝗶𝗰 𝗽𝗼𝘄𝗱𝗲𝗿
𝟭/𝟮 𝘁𝘀𝗽 𝘀𝗮𝗹𝘁
𝟮 𝗰𝘂𝗽𝘀 𝘀𝗵𝗿𝗲𝗱𝗱𝗲𝗱 𝗺𝗼𝘇𝘇𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗮 𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗲𝘀𝗲

𝗪𝗵𝗶𝘀𝗸 𝘄𝗲𝗹𝗹 𝘁𝗼 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲𝘁𝗲𝗹𝘆 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗯𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴. 𝗣𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝗮𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗵. 𝗦𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗸𝗹𝗲 𝘁𝗼𝗽 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗴𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗺 (𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗴𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝗰𝗮𝗻).

𝗕𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝟯𝟬 𝗺𝗶𝗻𝘂𝘁𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝗿 𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗹 𝗰𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗶𝘀 𝘀𝗲𝘁. 𝗟𝗲𝘁 𝗰𝗼𝗼𝗹 𝟭𝟬 𝗺𝗶𝗻𝘂𝘁𝗲𝘀 𝗯𝗲𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗰𝘂𝘁𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝗾𝘂𝗮𝗿𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴.

Italian Sub Bake - all the yumminess of a warm and melty Italian sub without the bread. Cheesy, salty, briny . . . comfort food at its best.

Italian Sub Bake
Preheat oven to 400°.

For the crust, melt 1.5 cups shredded mozzarella in a mixing bowl. Add 2/3 cup almond flour and 2 egg whites and mix well. Set aside.

In a 10" cast iron skillet, layer 8 slices ham, 3 oz Speck Italiano, 4 oz hard salami, 32 slices pepperoni, 6 slices provolone, 4 oz can sliced black olives, half a chopped tomato (seeded), 2 tbsp olive oil, 1 tbsp white wine vinegar, 1 tsp Italian seasoning, then 6 more slices provolone.

Spread the dough on top of the cheese with your hands. Sprinkle the top with 1 tbsp grated parm (can) and 1/4 tsp garlic powder.

Bake for 25 minutes. Cut into 6 wedges.

I used cast iron, but if you don't have that you can use a 9"pie plate.

I got all of the meats at Aldi.

We had this for dinner atop a bed of lettuce, which was nice because it provided coolness and crunch.

I am going to make this for my bookclub meeting tonight, cutting it into smaller squares instead of the large wedges.

Another day of waking up to single digit temps . . . who else is so over winter? Making soup is one way I get through it. This is a very simple soup, but it's one of my favorites. Don't ever throw out that ham bone. Put it in the freezer so you can make this yummy soup later.

Instant Pot Ham Bone & Cauliflower Soup

Put 2 cups chicken stock, 1/2 a large onion (chopped), 2 cloves garlic (sliced), 1 tsp dried herbs (I use Homestyle Herbs from The Spice House), and a ham bone (should have some meat still attached) in a 6 or 8 qt Instant Pot. Cook on high pressure for 50 minutes. Quick release the pressure.

Remove the bone to a cutting board. Put 1 lb chopped cauliflower in the IP and stir. Cook on high pressure for 2 minutes, then quick release the pressure. While it cooks, remove all the ham from the bone and discard the bone. When the cauliflower is done, add the ham back to it and stir.

Rustic and simple, paired with some almond flour biscuits, this soup will warm you up on the coldest winter day.

We had originally planned to go out for lunch today, but decided it was too cold and we'd rather stay in. I took mental inventory of my fridge and came up with this for lunch at home. Chicken tenders smeared with herbed cream cheese and wrapped in speck italiano.

Preheat oven to 425°. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a small bowl add your favorite herb seasoning blend to 6 oz cream cheese (I used Lake Shore Drive from ). Pat 8 chicken tenders dry. Spread the cream cheese on each tender and wrap a piece of speck around them. Place on the baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes.

Speck italiano is very thinly-sliced, dry-cured, smoked ham. I found it at Aldi. If you can't find it, prosciutto would also work. Another alternative would be precooked bacon.

The speck is great because its crispy saltiness is the perfect balance to the creamy cheese.

I'm so glad we stayed home today!

Avocado Ham Chaffle

My version of avocado toast. I make chaffles with one egg, 1 tbsp almond flour, 1/2 cup shredded cheddar, and chopped deli ham. Top with mashed avocado and everything bagel seasoning. Simple, but so good. This has been my favorite breakfast lately.

For anyone looking for a great place to buy quality spices, I highly recommend The Spice House. I use their spices exclusively. They have stores in both Milwaukee and Chicago but I just order online. Amazing quality and great customer service. *And no politics.* I switched my collection of over 70 jars to them 2 years ago and am so happy I did. (Not a sponsored post.) www.thespicehouse.com

Shrimp Scampi

Not a great picture, but I just had to share this recipe as my first post of 2022 because I am so excited about it. I have never been a big shrimp lover; it's just never been my favorite. I make it every once in a while because my family likes it. We have a new NYE tradition of having shrimp because last year one of our kittens jumped up on the table and ate some shrimp. Now my girls say we have to have shrimp every NYE.

This is the recipe I made this year and I ended up loving it way more than I thought I would. It's really very simple.

Shrimp Scampi
Thaw 24 oz. medium or large shrimp. Peel and pat dry as best you can (I get easy peel, deveined). Layer the shrimp in a shallow baking dish (I used 9" square).

In a In a small bowl, combine 1 tbsp each lemon juice, dry white wine, and minced garlic. Pour this over the shrimp, evenly distributing it. Then do the same with 2 tbsp melted butter.

In another bowl, combine 1/3 cup pork rind crumbs, 2 tsp freshly grated Parmesan, and 1/2 tsp paprika. Sprinkle this over the top of the shrimp.

Bake for 12 minutes. If you want the top more golden brown, put the dish under the broiler for a few minutes.

This will definitely be going into my dinner rotation this year. This recipe also ticks off one of my resolutions for the year: to cook more with wine.

Chorizo Taco Skillet - An easy weeknight one-pot meal that will satisfy your taco cravings. Ground turkey is seasoned to taste just like chorizo and cooked with riced cauliflower for a flavorful, filling dish. I top mine with cubed avocado, sliced black olives, chopped cilantro, cheese, and ranch dressing.

Chorizo Taco Skillet

Brown 26 oz. ground turkey in a 12" cast iron skillet. When nearly done, break up into small pieces. Add 1/2 a chopped onion and cook a few minutes (might need to add some olive oil).

Meanwhile, microwave a 12 oz package of frozen riced cauliflower in the package for 4 minutes. Add it to the skillet and cook until both the onion and cauliflower are done. Add 3 tbsp chorizo seasoning and stir well. Add 2 oz cream cheese and 1 oz heavy cream.

Top with your favorite taco toppings.

Makes 6 servings.

You can use any ground meat for this; beef, chicken, or pork. I like the turkey because it's higher in protein and lower in fat than real chorizo. I get my chorizo seasoning from The Spice House, but you can use taco seasoning instead.

This was very easy to put together and so yummy. It's definitely going into regular rotation at my house.

Take 2 on smoked chicken drumsticks: success! We used Jack Daniels whiskey barrel smoking chips and the aroma was amazing. Didn't the chicken turn out beautifully? We like to smoke with low heat, then when it's done, crisp up the skin over high direct heat. It's the best of both worlds. My husband took charge of the grill/smoker and I made zucchini fries to go with the chicken. It was a great Monday dinner to kick off the week.

Coconut Flour "Bagels" with Cream Cheese - This has been my favorite breakfast lately. These chaffles make a really great stand-in for bagels and are great with cream cheese smeared on them. Topping with everything bagel seasoning is a must.

Coconut Flour Chaffles

1 egg
1 egg white
2 tsp coconut flour
2 tbsp shredded whole milk mozzarella

Thoroughly combine the eggs and coconut flour. Add cheese and divide between two mini wafflemakers (or take turns with one). Cook a few minutes until they puff up. Remove from wafflemakers and let cool slightly.

Spread cream cheese on each and sprinkle with everything bagel seasoning.

Makes 2 waffles.

I use Green Valley lactose-free cream cheese because I am lactose-intolerant. It is softer than the brick and doesn't need softening. But use whatever brand you like. (This is not a sponsored post.)

I love to pair these with some Canadian bacon for a great way to start my day.

Instant Pot Turkey & Green Beans - one of my favorite comfort food meals. It was perfect on this rainy Monday.

Instant Pot Turkey & Green Beans

Put 1/2 cup water or chicken broth in a 6 qt IP. Remove turkey breast tenderloins from package (there are 2 in a package) and season with salt and pepper. Place in IP and cook on high pressure for 25 mins. Let pressure naturally release for 10 mins, then quick release.

Remove turkey to a cutting board. Put 1 lb green beans (trimmed and cut into thirds) into the IP and cook for 4 mins, then quick release. While the green beans are cooking, dice the turkey.

When the green beans are done, drain off as much cooking liquid as possible. Turn IP to "sauté" and add the turkey, 6 oz heavy cream, 4 oz grated Monterey Jack cheese, and 2 oz cream cheese. Stir until cheese has melted. Taste for seasoning, adding salt and pepper if necessary.

Here's another easy party appetizer that is just perfect for summer. Prosciutto Caprese Bites. Thread onto small skewers a mozzarella pearl, a halved grape tomato, a fresh basil leaf, and a little piece of prosciutto. I cut my prosciutto slices into 4 pieces. A drizzle of balsamic vinegar would be good too, but I didn't have any. Easy and pretty, these make a great one-bite app.

I made Cubans tonight and they were a big hit. Cuban-seasoned pork topped with ham, pickle, and melted cheese. I ate mine with fork and knife. I put my daughters' on toasted ciabatta rolls and they LOVED them.

Cubans
Season a 2 lb pork loin with salt and smoked paprika. Turn Instant Pot to "sauté" and brown on all sides. Remove to a plate. Add 1/2 cup each orange juice and lime juice and deglaze the bottom of the pot. Add 1 tsp cumin, 2 tsp dried oregano, and 6 crushed garlic cloves. Put in the trivet and set pork on it. Close lid and cook on high pressure for 20 minutes. Let the pressure naturally release for 15 minutes. Remove from the pot and slice.

Put down a thick slice of pork and top with thinly-sliced ham, pickles (I used the sandwich stackers), and cheese. Swiss is traditional, but I'm not a big fan, so I used Muenster instead. Put under broiler or toaster oven until cheese is melty. I also topped mine with a mixture of Dijon mustard and mayo (didn't measure). That was the perfect condiment for this.

I don't know why it took me so long to try this. It's a new family favorite.

Zucchini Fries - Do you have garden zucchini yet? If not, save this recipe for when you do. Not much of a recipe really, more of a method. Very easy to make.

Zucchini Fries

Cut zucchini in thirds, then in halves, then in quarters, making plank shapes. Place on a metal baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Brush the zucchini with mayo, then sprinkle with garlic powder, smoked paprika, and grated parmesan (green can). If you have crushed pork rind crumbs, put those on there too. Spritz with oil, then put into a 450° oven for 8 minutes. Turn on broiler and broil until the toppings get golden brown.

They are good on their own, or they can be dipped in ranch. So yummy. My 13 yr old daughter loves it when I make these and she's not a zucchini fan at all.

If you need an easy snack or appetizer for Memorial Day, give this a try. Simply bake some non-breaded chicken bites (from the frozen section at the grocery store) and put on skewers with some lettuce and tomato. I made these for my book club meeting earlier this month and they were well-liked. I brought along ranch dressing for drizzling/dipping. I made both buffalo and southwestern varieties and used different colors of the skewers to differentiate between the two. I found these chicken bites at Woodman's here in Wisconsin, but I know there are other brands too. I like to always have some on hand in case I need a Plan B for dinner or for a last-minute appetizer.

Happy Cinco de Mayo! 🇲🇽 This is my new favorite drink. I call it a Prosecco Margarita.

Prosecco
Tequila
Lime juice
Liquid Stevia

You will have to decide the amounts yourself. I do very little Stevia - I don't like it sweet, I use just enough to balance out the lime juice. Thinly sliced limes make a pretty garnish.

I've got carnitas cooking in the Instant Pot. Excited! What are you cooking up tonight? 🌮

Dinner tonight was super thick pork chops with creamy spinach. These things were huge - 1.5" thick! (They're BOGOF @ Meijer this week.) I marinated them all day using a bottled sauce. At dinnertime, I seared them in my cast iron pan for 8 minutes each side, then popped them into a 400° oven for 18 minutes.

For the spinach, I sautéed an 8 oz bag of baby spinach in a little bit of olive oil. Then I stirred in 3/4 cup heavy cream and 4 oz cream cheese. Let that cook and thicken, then stirred in a little fresh tomato.

Each of these chops is 2 servings, so I'm definitely looking forward to having the second half of mine for lunch tomorrow.

Grilled Bacon-Wrapped Cabbage - A fun way to enjoy cabbage on the grill. Super simple! I just cut a small head of cabbage into 8 wedges, keeping the core attached to each wedge. Spritz on all sides with oil, then season with salt and pepper. Wrap 2 pieces of bacon around each wedge and secure with toothpicks. We grilled these over indirect heat for about 15 minutes per side. Timing will depend on how tender you like the cabbage. Remove all toothpicks before serving. You have to cut the little bit of core out when you eat it. (If you cut it out before grilling, it will fall apart.) It's great as-is, but can also be drizzled with ranch.

Is it just me, or does breakfast taste better on a pretty plate?

Sausage Broccoli Alfredo - Why have I not made this before? Homemade alfredo sauce is so easy and this comes together in a snap. I cook my broccoli in the Instant Pot (1 min), but you can also cook it in the microwave or steam it in a separate pan.

Sausage Broccoli Alfredo

Brown 1 lb ground sausage in large skillet.

Meanwhile, cook 1 lb broccoli florets.

When sausage is done, add 1 tbsp butter and 1 tsp garlic powder. Pour in 1.5 cups heavy cream and bring to a simmer. Let cook for a few minutes, until it has reduced and thickened. Stir in 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan.

Add the cooked broccoli and toss to combine. Garnish with a little more Parmesan.

I already can't wait to try it with chicken next time.