One pot Italian meal

Easy one pot meal tonight. I made my changes as noted with asterisk **.

• 1 pound Italian sausage (**I removed skin and the cut the sausage in small pieces)

• ½ cup chopped green or **variegated pepper

• 1 medium onion, chopped

  **I Clove minced garlic 

  1 tsp. Dried basil or parsley**

• 1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes (**I used Hunts petite diced)including juice

• 2 cups vegetable juice from concentrate (**I used Campbell tomato juice)

• 1 ½ cups instant rice

• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

  ***Note: I mixed mozzarella and sharp cheddar cheese to top this easy dinner.

Cook sausage in a large skillet until no longer pink, 4 to 6 minutes. Drain off excess fat. Add bell pepper , garlic and onion; cook until slightly crisp. Add diced tomatoes and vegetable juice; cook and stir until boiling.

1. Remove from the heat and stir in rice. Cover the skillet and let stand until liquid is absorbed, 5 to 8 minutes.

1. Sprinkle mozzarella cheese over sausage, tomato, and rice mixture. Cover again and let stand until cheese is melted.

   
   

   NOTE: 

   I used mild sausage for this recipe

   And added about a 1/2 tsp. Red pepper

   
   

   **For an added bite I would use hot sausage.

 Note:

If you prefer regular rice instead of minute rice.  Cook the regular rice separately and add to tomato peppers mixture after the mixture is thoroughly cooked. About 20 to 30 minutes.

Chicken chili

Chicken chili tonight!

Not exact measurements but close. Enjoy!

1lb. Ground organic white meat chicken

I medium onion chopped 

1/2  large orange bell pepper chopped 

I carrot peeled and chopped 

1 can drained and rinsed kidney beans 

1-28 oz. Can Organic tomato sauce(clean can with a little water and add to pot).

4 tablespoons vegetable oil 

Salt and pepper to taste

Cheddar cheese(optional)

In a large Dutch oven pot on medium heat place oil .  Add ground chicken, salt, pepper, onion, chopped carrot and bell pepper. Fry slowly until chicken is no longer pink.

Add sauce and cook until chili thickens slightly. Approximately 1hour.  Top with cheddar cheese.

Chocolate cake for dessert! Yummy!

Cheese tortellini pasta salad

Homemade Lemon vinaigrette dressing today! Fresh veggies from farmers market….plain cheese tortellini instead of variegated.

Simple summer vegetable and tortellini salad.  

Follow instructions on tortellini package and make sure to rinse with cold water and drain.  Tri color tortellini makes this a colorful as well as interesting a side.

I don’t know why I haven’t made this all summer but todays the day.  All fresh veggies. Yummy!  I season this as I do most of my salads.  Virgin olive oil, white wine vinegar (switch it up sometimes from the red),parsley,garlic granules, onion powder,salt and pepper and tossed in tri color cheese tortellini.  In refrigerator to set a bit so the flavors come together nicely.

Note:  use any vegetables of choice.  Also olives too and cherry tomatoes.  Just be careful as some vegetables can make salad wet and I tend to like a hint of crisp to make it stay fresh longer.

Enjoy!

 

Crockpot Pineapple beef

Tonight’s early dinner. 

I didn’t feel like making a brown gravy with this roast so I improvised and we enjoyed this crockpot  meal.

Small top round roast, ( about 1 lb. 4 oz.) salt and pepper and seared in oil

and added to my crockpot with one jar pineapple salsa. Slow cooked for about 5 hours. 

Removed roast allow to rest for 5 minutes and slice.  Add sliced roast to liquid salsa drippings.

Our side tonight.

Sautéed thin slices of zucchini with onions, salt and pepper.  Served with brown rice.  Easy summer meal. Slight bite to the salsa. Enjoy!!

No bake Fresh peach pie

4 cups fresh skinned sliced peaches

I refrigerated pie crust baked according to directions and cooled completely.

1pint heavy whipping cream

2 tablespoons powdered sugar 

1tsp. Pure vanilla extract

Note;  you can use a store bought crust for convenience.

Slice peaches.  I didn’t not add any sugar or flavoring to the peaches.  If necessary add about 1/4 cup sugar and allow peaches to sit for 10 minutes and stir gently to mix sugar with peaches.

Beat heavy cream with extract and vanilla until it is no longer watery.  Beat slowly and increase speed gradually as not to splash cream all over you and counter. lol

Pour peaches into cooled crust and top with heavy cream.  Refrigerate a few hours and serve.

Enjoy!