Sheet Pan Sausage & Peppers. I adore sheet pan meals.
As you know I am doing a diet plan this week on trial, so my husband and I are not eating the same thing. I have discovered how dangerous it is however, to look at even photos of tasty food when you are not eating regular food.
Its tortuous! But one does what one has to do!
Sheet pan suppers. I love sheet pan suppers. Everything all on one or two baking sheets, baked at the same time in the oven.
No fuss, no muss. Deliciously simple.
Easy peasy and if you line the baking sheets with foil, no clean up either. You can't lose!
You know how lazy I can be when it comes to cooking. If it is easy to cook and easy to clean up after, I am all over it!
Myself, I adore roasted vegetables of any kind. Roasting helps to enhance the natural sweetness of any vegetable.
I really love the caramelised edges and almost-stickiness to them that happens when you roast them. I am drooling here.
You could of course serve this in crusty hoagie buns with some honey mustard or something similar, and that would be fabulous!
Sausage in a bun, can't lose! A winner every time!
For my husband I opted to serve it with a baked jacket potato. Gently broken open with a knob of butter tucked inside, and a sprinkling of cheddar gilding the top.
The potato all fluffy and light. That cheese, incredibly rich and delicious . . .
Just reading that made me hungry . . . my tummy is grumbling. Why do diets have to be so difficult.
They only make you want to eat more!
For breakfast today I have had some of the Dietbon pancakes (low carb, no sugar and about 2 1/2 inches in diameter), a small banana and a smallish pot of sugar/fat free yogurt.
I have to say I am no a fan of the flavour of artificial sweeteners . . . I would rather have plain yogurt with real fruit, and maybe some muesli.
Oh the things I do for my art. I was quite hungry last night, but I think that was because I didn't have two dinners like I should have done.
I am quite used to eating my main meal at noon, and then just having toast or cereal in the evening. Old dog . . . new tricks.
Today I think I will do the two mains . . . so I am not quite so hungry come nightfall.
Or course having to cook normal for someone else complicates things a bit. He cannot afford to lose weight. We are like Jack Sprat and his wife. He is incredibly thin, no matter how much he eats. It just isn't fair!
Back to the sausage and peppers. Clearly simple. Clearly delicious. No fuss, no muss.
Jacket potatoes are very easily done in the Microwave. Just poke with a fork, wrap in paper towelling (or place in a cloth bag for just this purpose) and nuke for 5 to 6 minutes until it yields slightly when gently squeezed.
Yield: 4
Sheet Pan Sausage & Peppers
prep time: 15 minscook time: 25 minstotal time: 40 mins
Everything cooks on one pan and if you line the pan with a sheet of aluminium foil, its a really easy and simple clean up! Delicious!
ingredients:
- 1 pound of smoked sausage, sliced on the diagonalinto 1-inch chunks
- 2 medium red peppers, trimmed and sliced
- 2 medium yellow peppers, trimmed and sliced
- 1 large sweet onion, peeled and sliced
- 2 TBS light olive oil
- salt and pepper to taste(Bear in mind the sausage is salty)
instructions:
- Preheat the oven to 200*C/400*F/ gas mark 6. Line several baking trays
(with sides) with aluminium foil. Place the sliced sausage and
vegetables in a bowl. Toss with the oil and seasoning. Divide between
the baking sheets, spreading out evenly. - Bake in the preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes,
until the sausage and vegetables are gilded on the edges. Serve hot
with your favourite sides. We like baked potatoes.
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While my husband was enjoying this, I was enjoying this . . .
Mexican Meatballs with Pasta Vegetables and a Tomato Sauce, along with an applesauce. It was very tasty. Tonight I am planning on enjoying a Whole Meal Salad with Chicken and Pesto. Wish me luck! Bon Appetit!
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This week I am basically only cooking for one. As I am doing the Dietbon diet plan, my meals are all sorted, and its only Todd I need to prepare dinner for. Its an opportunity for me to cook him some of his favourites, as well as test to see if I can downsize them successfully for one!
He is a simple man really, with very basic tastes. He's not overly fussy really with the exceptions of pasta, chocolate and lemon, none of which he really enjoys but will tolerate when push comes to shove. Its kind of ironic really as those are three things I really love!
Before we got married most of what he ate came out of a tin. Seriously. I kid you not. Easy to please.
Last time I went home to Canada, he actually broke our tin opener. He had to buy a new one. I arrived home to find my food storage cupboard seriously depleted. I dread to think of the combinations he was coming up with. The mind boggles. 😵 Only Todd could happily survive on basic ingredients alone!!
Potato Pie is one of his favourite meals. He adores potatoes in any way shape or form, but mashed is his absolute favourite!
He also loves cheese! He adores potato pie, because basically it is just cheesy mash baked in a casserole until golden brown!
Potato Pie. A simple dish. Comfort food at it's best. Quick, easy and delicious. ( I know you probably get tired of me saying that!)
This is a dish that's been around for a very long time. A dish which
doesn't cost a lot of money and which you don't even really need meat to
serve with it . . . although you could if you wanted to.
We have always just enjoyed
it plain, like this, in its simplest form . . . a simple supper served with some buttered
brown bread and some pickled beets. The milk and cheese provide plenty
of protein . . .
Today I added a chopped Spring Onion just to charge it up a bit and Todd really enjoyed the addition.
He licked the platter clean and there was nothing left. He was a very happy camper. I am not surprised really as it is really tasty. It too all of my willpower to keep from digging into it myself!
If you have a family that you would like to feed this to, you can find my full sized recipe here. If you want to add some chopped spring onion to it, I would add 4 spring onions, finely chopped.
Yield: 1
Potato Pie for One
prep time: 15 minscook time: 30 minstotal time: 45 mins
Buttery, golden brown on top, meltingly cheese inside, atop a base of crunchy buttery bread crumbs. Deliciously simple.
ingredients:
1/2 pound potatoes, peeled and cut into quarters- 2 TBS whole milk
- 1 TBS butter
- 30g strong cheddar cheese, grated (1/4 cup)
- salt and white pepper to taste
- 1 spring onion, finely chopped (optional)
- 20g white breadcrumbs, lightly crisped (1/3 cup)
- a bit of melted butter to brush on top
- softened butter to butter the dish
instructions:
- Put the potatoes into some slightly salted water and bring to the boil. Boil until soft and then drain well.
Pre-heat
the oven to 220*C/425*F. Lightly butter a small pie dish.
Add the breadcrumbs and coat the bottom and sides with them, pressing to
make them stick well. (To prepare the crumbs, toast them in a moderate oven for about 10 minutes until crisped up)- Shake the pan of potatoes over the burner
to dry them out and then remove from the heat entirely. Add the milk
and butter and mash completely until smooth. Stir in the cheese and
seasonings. (Stir in spring onion if using.) Spoon this mixture into the prepared pie dish. Rough up the
top with the tines of a fork and then brush with some melted butter. - Bake in the heated oven for 20 to 30 minutes until golden brown.
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Its very easy to make your own soft bread crumbs. I just blitzed a slice of bread in the mini food processor. Then I toasted them lightly in a hot oven to crisp them up a bit. Easy peasy.
Just in case you are interested in what I had, here is a picture. This was the Chicken Marinated with Thyme and Lemon, served with baby vegetables. When I saw all the peas, I kind of cringed a bit as they are not my favourite vegetable, but I was really hungry. Actually it was really quite delicious. Bon Appetit!
Usually at the weekend, I like to do something a bit special for our breakfast. During the week its mostly whatever we can grab. Todd always does his oats and I usually have my raisin bran. We're both happy with this situation.
We both have busy days and not a lot of time to sit and relax over a cooked breakfast during the week. I once heard someone say that retirement was a myth and I have to agree. Since we both quit work, our time seems to evaporate. I ofttimes find myself wondering how I ever got done what I did when I was working because I don't seem to be able to get a fraction of the things done that I want to do!
Anyways, this was a rather convoluted way to get around to telling you about this tasty breakfast dish wasn't it! DUH! (Maybe that's why I don't get things done. I am too busy taking the long way around!)
Tomato, avocado and pancetta are a trinity of beautiful breakfast flavours . . . of course you could just use bacon, but I adore the milder flavour of pancetta . . .
So what's the difference between Pancetta and Bacon you ask? To make bacon, pork belly sides are brined and then smoked. Pancetta, the Italian version of bacon, is made by seasoning a pork belly side with salt and lots of pepper, curling it into a tight roll, and wrapping it in a casing to hold the shape. It's cured, but it isn't smoked. Its usually sliced a lot thinner than streaky bacon as well.
I love avocado . . . its so smooth and rich . . . filled with good fats, and it provides a wonderfully smooth and creamy contrast to the crisp toasted bread and the salty crisp pancetta . . .
I used cherry vine tomatoes . . . very nice. They are brushed with orange marmalade and sprinkled with spring onions prior to roasting. Roasting really brings out the natural sweetness of tomatoes, especially at this time of year when fresh garden tomatoes are not available.
The marmalade gives them a slightly sweet, yet tangy edge . . . which goes well with the sharpness of the spring onions. By all means leave the marmalade out if you wish.
I used a sliced sour dough bavette for the toast. Oh, I do so love sour dough bread, don't you?
The three flavours all together were completely delightful! Bright to look at and very fresh tasting!
We both seriously enjoyed! I think you will too!
Yield: 2
Tomato, Avocado & Pancetta on Toast
prep time: cook time: total time:
These are fabulous. You get the crisp toast, the creamy and unctuous avocado, the salty pancetta and then the sweet tomatoes. Altogether a great fit!
ingredients:
6 to 8 rashers of thinly sliced pancetta
12 cherry tomatoes
1 TBS orange marmalade
2 spring onions, finely snipped
1 ripe avocado
2 thick slices of sour dough bavette
butter for spreading.
instructions:
Pan fry the pancetta until it reaches your desired crispness in a skillet. Set aside and keep warm.
Preheat
the oven to 220*C/425*F/ gas mark 7. Line a small baking tray with
foil and lay out the tomatoes on the tray. Brush with the marmalade and
sprinkle with the spring onions. Roast in the oven for about 15
minutes. Thickly slice the avocado.
the oven to 220*C/425*F/ gas mark 7. Line a small baking tray with
foil and lay out the tomatoes on the tray. Brush with the marmalade and
sprinkle with the spring onions. Roast in the oven for about 15
minutes. Thickly slice the avocado.
bavette slices and butter. Lay the pancetta on top and cover with the
sliced avocado and finally the roasted tomatoes. Serve immediately.
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As you are reading this, I will be beginning my one week trial of the new Diet Plan which is coming to the UK from France, called Dietbon! I am excited to be trying it out.
A big box with all the meals for six days arrived at the weekend. There are breakfasts, lunches and dinners for 6 days, plus some herbal teas and even some snacks. I will keep you posted as to how it's going! In the meantime Bon Appetit!
I had some cooked turkey in the freezer and I decided to make something with it the other day. Sometimes, when you cook a big turkey, you end up with a lot of leftovers. You get tired of it, so I usually freeze about half of it to use later on when we aren't tired of it anymore. It just makes sense.
This delicious and hearty chili is something that I like to make with it. Oh I do love a good turkey soup and a turkey pot pie, but this chili is something else which I really love!
Because there are only two of us, I normally cut the recipe in half. This gives us plenty to enjoy on the first day, and then I have some ready to freeze for another time. A full recipe would feed 8 people. Its nice to know that you can successfully make only half of the recipe.
It uses things I normally have in my store cupboard/larder as well . . . things like tinned kidney beans, tinned chopped tomatoes, chicken stock, tomato puree/paste . . .Chili powder . . .
By that I don't mean Chile powder, which is really, really hot and is composed of nothing but ground dried red chilies . . . I mean Chili powder, which is a mix of herbs and spices meant to be used in Tex Mex or Mexican cookery.
I made the mistake when I first moved over here of thinking that the two powders were one and the same and just about blew our heads off with extremely hot, inedible food. You wouldn't want to add a TBS of Chile powder to anything!
Chili powder is impossible to find over here, so I make my own. Its easily done and works wonderfully in dishes like this. I have included the recipe below.
There is also onions, garlic and chopped green peppers in this dish . . . and then the turkey of course! You could also use leftover cooked chicken if you wanted to, and to be honest, if you had leftover roast beef or pork, you could use that, substituting the chicken stock with beef stock in the case of leftover roast beef. If you didn't have any leftover cooked roast, you could also use ground turkey, just brown it with the onions and peppers!
I am a great believer in not wasting anything if I can help it!
You can top your finished chili with some grated cheese if you like. I like to top mine with some grated strong cheddar, but Jack cheese or a medium cheddar would also be nice.
I also like a dollop of sour cream on mine, but I didn't have any the other day . . . mores the pity. A dollop of sour cream is really nice!
If you want an even heartier meal you can serve it with cooked rice . . . or if you are looking on the lighter side, you could serve it with crackers . . .
We like to enjoy it with squares of cornbread, which is really delicious. I use my MIL's recipe for her cornbread/corncake. Its my favourite. You can find that recipe here if you are interested.
No matter what you serve it with this simple recipe is guaranteed to go down a real treat with whoever you serve it to!
Yield: 8
Turkey Chili
prep time: 15 minscook time: 1 hourtotal time: 1 hours and 15 mins
This is an easy and delicious way to use up leftover cooked turkey (or chicken.) I like to serve it with cheese grated over top and a square of cornbread on the side! A dollop of sour cream would also be nice.
ingredients:
2 TBS olive oil
2 large onions, peeled and chopped
1 large green pepper, trimmed, de-seeded and chopped
4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
2 TBS mild chili powder (see my recipe below)
(can use more if you like it spicier)
1 TBS ground cumin
1 TBS ground cumin
3 (425g) tins of chopped tomatoes in tomato juice (3 15-oz tins), un-drained
1 TBS tomato puree (tomato paste)
240ml turkey or chicken stock (1 cup)
2 (425g) tins of kidney beans, drained and rinsed (2 15-oz tins)
1 tsp dried oregano
fine sea salt and black pepper to taste
3 to 4 cups shredded or cubed cooked turkey (chicken) meat
1 to 3 tsp sugar (optional)
Optional Toppings:
grated cheddar cheese
sour creaminstructions:
Heat the oil in a large heavy based
pan. Add the onions and green peppers. Cook, stirring frequently,
until golden. Add the garlic, chili powder and cumin. Cook and stir
until quite fragrant. Stir in the undrained tomatoes, the beans,
chicken/turkey stock, tomato puree, turkey, oregano and seasoning to
taste. Bring to a slow simmer, then partially cover and simmer on low
for about an hour. Stir in sugar if using. Taste and adjust seasoning
as required with salt and black pepper. Ladle into heated bowls and top
with optional cheese and sour cream if desired. Pass the cornbread!
pan. Add the onions and green peppers. Cook, stirring frequently,
until golden. Add the garlic, chili powder and cumin. Cook and stir
until quite fragrant. Stir in the undrained tomatoes, the beans,
chicken/turkey stock, tomato puree, turkey, oregano and seasoning to
taste. Bring to a slow simmer, then partially cover and simmer on low
for about an hour. Stir in sugar if using. Taste and adjust seasoning
as required with salt and black pepper. Ladle into heated bowls and top
with optional cheese and sour cream if desired. Pass the cornbread!
Note - you can make this in advance and keep it chilled for up to 2 days prior
to reheating and serving. You can also freeze it for up to two months.
to reheating and serving. You can also freeze it for up to two months.
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Yield: 12
Chili Powder Seasoning
prep time: cook time: total time:
A delicious blend of spices suitable for using in Chili and other Tex Mex favourites.
ingredients:
1 tsp oregano flakes
1 tsp dried thyme
1 TBS cumin seed
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp salt
1 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/8 tsp nutmeg
1 TBS smoked paprika
1 TBS sweet paprika
instructions:
Toast the cumin seeds for several minutes in a dry skillet. Take care not to burn them. Put them into a spice/coffee grinder with all of the other ingredients. Blitz to a powder. Store in an airtight container in a dark area. Will keep for up to six months.
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This really is a fabulous recipe. Its so adaptable, easy to make and is a real family pleaser. I hope you will give it a try. I think you'll agree with me! Bon Appetit!
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